USA > Minnesota > Rice County > History of Rice County, including explorers and pioneers of Minnesota and outline history of the state of Minnesota > Part 99
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108
His children are Emma, and Clare and Henry, who are twins.
ALBERT SMISEK was born in Bohemia in July, 1852, and received his education in his native coun- try, coming to America in 1867, with his sister. He was employed three years on a steamboat on the Mississippi River, and now owns and resides on a farm in this township in section fifteen. He was was married on the 19th of May, 1873, to Miss Elizabeth Pasak, who has borne him five children; Albert, Michael, Frauk, Joe, and Mary.
OLIF M. STRATE is a native of Norway and dates his birth the 26th of August, 1849. He received his education and engaged in farming in that country until 1867, when he emigrated to Ameri- ca. He came to Minnesota and settled in Eureka, Dakota county, remaining until 1876, then came to this county and bought a farm in section twenty- five; has most of his land cleared and owns a good house. He was joined in marriage in 1876, with Miss Mary Alickson. They have three children; Betsy Maria, Magnus Bernhart, and Dorothea Ragna.
JAMES TONER was born in the western part of Ireland, in 1818, and grew to manhood on a farm. In 1849, he married Miss Elizabeth Durfee, and in 1851, they came to America, landed at New York and went directly to Willimantic, Conneticut, where Mr. Toner engaged in the paper mill of L. M. Page. In 1856, he removed to York, Wiscon- sin, engaged in farming until 1869, when he came to Hastings, Minnesota, and in two years to Wheatland, buying wild land in section twenty- five which is now nearly all cleared. His children are; Mary, John, James, Michael, Kate, and Thomas.
JAMES WILBY, one of the early settlers of Wheat- land, was born in Ireland in 1817, and when young engaged in agricultural pursuits. In 1852, he came to America, went from New York, the place of landing, to New Jersey, and engaged in farming two years, afterward went to Manistee, Michigan. He was there employed in a saw-mill, and in 1854, married Miss Bridget Branan. In 1856, he removed to St. Paul, and the next spring to this township, locating a claim in section twenty-six and in 1869, built his present frame house, having previously lived in log houses. Of nine children born to him, six are living; Patrick Johnnie, Mary, Thomas, Margaret, and Martin.
554
HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY.
ERIN.
CHAPTER LXIV.
DESCRIPTIVE-EARLY SETTLEMENT -EVENTS AND INCIDENTS- POLITICAL- FOWLERSVILLE- EDU- CATIONAL-BIOGRAPHICAL.
The township bearing this memorial name leaves no doubt as to the nationality which first settled it, and naturally would keep thronging in; and the name indicates the class of people by which it is now almost entirely settled. As to the general features of the surface and scenery, what has been said of Forest and Shieldsville would apply very readily to this township, except, how- ever, that Erin is a more strictly timber town, and has fewer lakes than either of those named; in fact it has no lakes of any importance wholly with- in its borders, although many small streams tra- verse the valley of the timber to become affluents to the Cannon River. Tuft's Lake on the south extends partially over sections thirty-four and thirty-five, forming the largest body of water in the township, while a small chain of lakes extend the sheet eastward and forms a southern bound- ary to section thirty-six. In the northern part of town Phelps' Lake infringes on portions of sections five and six,entering from Wheatland; and one mile to the east a small body of water covers a few acres of land in section four. In the center of section ten is located a pond known as "Logue Lake," from which flows a small stream which wends its way eastward to Circle Lake in Forest township. Another small brook, which joins the one mentioned, rises in section twenty-five, and flowing northward completes the unison in sec- tion thirteen.
The soil is mostly a rich dark loam, with, how- ever, a frequent tendency to a lighter nature, and sand; well adapted to the common crops of this latitude, and rich for all varieties of indigenous grasses for grazing. The entire town, with the exception of a few natural meadows, was origin-
ally forest, the, noted body of timber known as the "Big Woods" claiming the greater portion of the territory, but now a great deal of this has been removed and many fine and valuable farm are being cultivated, where originally the wilder- ness was almost impenetrable; and the hand of industry, which has wrought the change-con- verted the dense, uninhabitable region into homes and fields of plenty-is still at work, and proba- bly, by the time another generation passes into the "days of old," additional changes shall have been wrought, quite as marvelous.
Erin is constituted as originally surveyed by government officers, and has, therefore, thirty-six sections or 23,040 acres, of which very little is not taxable. In 1860, the population was barely 300, five years later, it had increased to 385; in 1870, to 527; and in 1880, at the last census, to 846. In 1870, the values in Erin, as given to the census takers, were as follows: real property, $78,000; personal property, $42,350; total, $120,- 350. The total assessed value, real and personal for the same year, was $57,187. In 1882, after taxes had been equalized, the values were assess- ed as follows : real property, $72,251; personal, $25,357; total, $97,608. This shows an increase of assessed value in the last twelve years of $40,- 421.
To furnish an idea of what was said of this township in early days, here is a sketch of it made in 1868, by F. W. Frink, and published in pam- phlet form; it is as follows: "As its name indi- cates, this town, like Shieldsville, is peopled almost entirely by emigrants from the Emerald Isle. In its general features of surface, and scenery also, it resembles the town last mentioned, which it lies next to on the north. Erin, however, has fewer lakes, in fact none situated wholly within its bound- aries, more of meadows and brush prairie and less of heavily timbered land than the town of Shields- ville. Of its whole area 19,528 acres are taxable
555
ERIN TOWNSHIP.
lands, 1,960 acres belong to railroads,280 to Gov- ernment, and 1,130 acres are unsold School lands. Non-resident lands are held at from $2.50 to $5 per acre."
The above would answer very readily for the present, except that the unsold land is now about all occupied by actual settlers. Of its compari- son, in the clipping, with Shieldsville, it is incor- rect; but that is treated in the former part of this article. The price of land now ranges from $5 per acre upwards.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
The earliest actual settlement of this sub-divi- sion of Rice county was commenced early in the year 1855, and was, therefore, a little behind the majority of towns, as most of them received a set- tler or two in 1854. As the name of the town im- plies, there were none but the descendants of the old loved Emerald Isle to be recorded in the pages of its early history; and, in fact, for a num- ber of years, until a good share of the government land was taken, there was not one resident of the township of other than the Celtic origin; as it is said, the arrival of pioneers of other nationalities, with a view to securing homes, being regarded by many of the citizens as an encroachment upon their rights and domain.
In the spring of 1855, as if premeditated, a party of pioneers, from various directions, burst in upon the tranquility of the town, in the south- eastern part, with the determination to secure homes and promote civilization. The balance of the county had already received a number of set- tlers. Faribault was quite a town and near it already was heard the sound of the water-wheel and the buzz of the saw; but Erin was yet con- sidered "backwoods" and no pioneer had consent- ed to accept the hardship, privation, and toil the opening of the timber would necessarily incur. This party had decided to risk it, and here they were in June, 1855: Jeremiah Healy, Sylvester Smith, John Burke, James Cummings, John Mc- Manus and Owen Farley, the most of them bring- ing their families.
About the first of this party to locate and select a claim was Jeremiah Healy, and as he was an important personage among the early pioneers, we will give a short sketch of his life: Jeremiah Healy was born in Cork, Ireland, in 1819, and re- mained at the place of his birth until the year 1842, when he came to America and located at
Dubuque, Iowa, where, in April, 1849, he was married to Miss Hannah McCarthy. He re- mained here until 1855, when he came to Erin and located in the southern part of the town, where he put up a log shanty 16x24 feet, the first in the township. Mr. Healy had left his family in his former home, and after he had prepared a place for them returned and brought them out, bringing also a number of head of stock and one colt. He remained in Erin until the time of his death which occurred on the 25th of July, 1868. Of his family of children, nine are still living. His widow lives in Faribault with her two sons, E. J. and J. F. Healy, twins, who are in the mer- cantile business. Another son, John Healy, is still on the old place in Erin.
After Healy had located, Sylvester Smith was next to select a place, which he did in sections twenty-five and thirty-six. He was a native of Ireland and had stopped for a time in Iowa, get- ting into Rice county with a yoke of oxen and immediately erected a small log shanty. Soon after his arrival he manged to secure a grindstone, and for a number of years the settlers for six miles around would come to his place to sharpen their knives and farming cutlery. He also was fortunate enough to secure the first grain cradle in the township. When he first arrived with his family, consisting of his wife and two children, there were only three houses between his place and Faribault.
Mr. John Burke, of the same nationality, plant- ed his stakes on the claim of his choice, but only remained for a few years when he left for parts unknown to us.
James Cummings next secured a place on sec- tion twenty-seven and put up a small log shanty at once, as he had brought his family, and com- menced pioneering with barely enough to get along with, and by thrift and enterprise has now become a well-to-do and influential farmer, still living on the old place. One of his sons is now a Justice of the Peace and Town Clerk, and an- other is school clerk of the district in which he lives.
John McManus, another son of the Emerald Isle, a single man, took a claim in the southern part of the town, near his fellow countrymen, and still remains in the same vicinity. He was joined in wedlock shortly afterward, making one of the first marriages in the town.
556
HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY.
The last member of this party, Owen Farley, settled on section twenty-six, where he still re- mains.
This entire party came in with ox teams and all settled in the south and southeastern part of the township. Those of them who still remain, al- though coming with little or nothing, are now farmers in comfortable circumstances, and with fertile and valuable farms.
In the same year, a little later in the season, the southwestern corner of the town received a settler and commenced building up a neighborhood as efficiently as the southeastern part.
James McBride, another descendant of "The Old Sod," drifted in and anchored himself in section thirty-one, where his moorings are still fast. He brought in considerable stock and com- menced pioneer life by putting up a log shanty. Shortly after McBride arrived in the fall, E. Clarken put in an appearance and located on sec- tion thirty, where he still remains, having made himself what he is, a wealthy farmer, since his ar- rival in Erin.
This was the extent to which the township was settled this year, carrying the settlement up to the winter of 1855-56, which proved a very trying and severe one to the meagre settlement, as they, as yet, had had no time to prepare for it. A Mr. Condon was frozen to death while on his way to his claim near J. Cumming's place. He had gone to Shieldsville for groceries and provisions to sup- ply the wants of his family, and on his way home lost the road, became discouraged and benumbed by cold, and gave up to the drowsiness which in freezing means death. This misfortune was the third death that occurred in the township. Many of the settlers, however, anticipating a hard time, had avoided the danger by going to St. Paul for the winter, and returning the following spring.
The next year the settlement became more rapid and all parts of the town received a share of the incomers. Many came who have since removed with the restlessness of Americans, to the far West, there to help, no doubt, in the civilization and cultivation of a land fully as rich as this has proved to be. Among the arrivals this year many will be mentioned.
Charley McBride arrived in 1856, and made himself at home on sections nine and sixteen where his lamp still holds out to burn. His ready wit, ever willingness for a joke, uo matter who
the "butt" of it was, and altogether his good nature and sociability made him a noted character throughout the entire county and stamped him as the "prince of good fellowg." Wherever the happy "phiz" of Charley is, there is sure to he fun and a good time generally.
Andrew Kelly, of Celtic origin, drifted in and dropped anchor in section twenty-six where his anchorage still remains intact. He came in com- pany with his brother, Frank Kelly, who took a quarter section adjoining his farm. Frank was married at an early day, and lived here until about 1862, when he mysteriously disappeared, and nothing has ever since been scen or heard of him. Many theories, and they could be only mere speculative ideas, have been advanced as to the cause of his disappearance, but they are all unsatisfactory, as nothing can be conclusive where there is not the slightest shadow of fact for its foundation. His son still holds the old homestead in sectiou twenty-six.
D. and John Calihan came in 1856, the latter being still on his place. J. O'Reilly and father came about the same time; the latter is now de- ceased and the former is in St. Paul. The Ash brothers also arrived about the same time. They were Peter and Thomas, the former took the place where he now lives, in section fourteen, and the latter left without obtaining any land.
Section thirty-three, in the southern part of the town, was the recipient of T. Flaunagan, an Irishmen, who still "holds the fort" here, and about the same time of the year '56, Henry Smith secured a home in section twenty-seven.
Four Mulcahy brothers, Patrick, Timothy, Dan- iel, and Dennis, natives of the Emerald Isle, put in an appearance this year and took farms near to- gether, on and about section twenty-nine. The first two, Patrick and Timothy, died at an early day; Dennis removed to Wells township about 1867, while Daniel still lives on the original pre- emption.
In section eight, the same year, Edward P. Car- roll took the northeast, and Patrick Sheehan secur- ed the southwest quarter where they now reside in comfortable circumstances. Just south of these parties, in section seventeen, B. Foley and An- drew Devereux each secured 160 acres and still flourish on their places, both having been promi- nent men in the township.
John Doyle, originally from Ireland, planted
557
ERIN TOWNSHIP.
his stakes on an eighty acre piece of land in the southern part of section five, and still occupies the place.
Hugh and Patrick McEntee, father and son, came in 1856, and the former took the farm in sec- tion twenty-four, on which he now lives, and after a few years Patrick got married and purchased a place in section ten. E. Kiernan pre-empted a place in 1856, which joins Patrick's farm.
There were many arrivals this year besides those noted already, among which may be mentioned John Gorman, who remained on his farm until 1870, when he removed to Fairbault where he is now "Mine host" at the North western Hotel; the O'Sullivan brothers, Patrick, John, and James, who are still prominent men in the town; James Warren, who paid the debt of mortality in 1873, leaving his widow and one son upon the place; Dennis Dooley, Michael Richardson, Chas. Ma- guire, M. Kallaher, John Quinlan, E. Maher, and T. McBreen, all of whom settled this year, and still remain in the township, well-to-do, influential, and comfortable farmers.
This carries the settlement up to a time when the influx became so rapid and constant that it is impossible to note them in sequence; but many arrivals since this date are noted in another place under the head of "Biographical," to which place we refer the reader. In 1860, the population of Erin had grown to 306, and almost all of the govern- ment land was taken. It should be noted in this connection that General James Shields had a great deal of influence in developing this township, and especially can the tide of Irish incomers be at- tributed to him, as he had located just on the line dividing this town from Shieldsville, and his ad- vertisements in eastern papers inviting others to join him, attracted the attention of his country- men, and they thronged in. A great many of the claims occupied by the settlers mentioned above, had been selected before the parties had arrived, by Jeremiah Healy, who was the first to actually secure a farm. By observation, he had picked up the rudiments of surveying and his knowledge was very useful to the pioneers in laying out their future homes. There have been as many as six- teen or twenty of them, in early days, stopping at Mr. Healy's log cabin-free of charge-while they were looking for farms.
EVENTS AND INCIDENTS.
EARLY BIRTHS .- The first child born in the
township was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jeremiah Healy, in the latter part of 1855, in the southern part of the town. The minor arrival was chris- tened Sarah, and she afterwards married Mr. John Dudley and is now living in Faribault.
The next event of this kind was in 1856, when a child named Catherine was born to Mr. and Mrs. John Burke. She now lives in Iowa.
Another early birth was James, a son of Mr. and Mrs. E. Clarken; the boy grew to manhood in Erin and now lives in St. Paul.
Mathew Smith, who now lives in Wells, was born in Erin at an early day.
MARRIAGES .- In this line the township has a peculiar history, one in fact, which is almost with- out a parallel. It is, that since the original set- tlement of the town, almost thirty years ago, un- til the present time, only one marriage has taken place within the limits of the town, this being the occasion, in 1878, when Mr. George Levoy and Miss Annie Berry were united in the holy bonds of matrimony by Father Robierrie, at the house of School district No. 68. The bride was the daughter of John Berry. Of course this does not signify that the residents of Erin have refrained from taking partners to their joys and sorrows, indeed, such is not the case, but by some queer freak of the "god of chance" parties matri- monially inclined have always had the conjugal knot tied at some point out of the limits of the town.
The first marriage of residents in the town oc- curred in the winter of 1856, at Faribault and were John Quinlan and Bridget Martin. The ceremony was performed by Father Ravoux and the happy couple still reside in their country's namesake township.
As early as 1857, the marriage of Mr. John McManus to Miss Eliza Kelly took place at the village of Shieldsville, and after the couple had taken the floor preparatory to listening to the last words of the ceremony, it was discovered that there was no ring to place upon the bride's finger, and as this article was indispensible in the code, for a moment it looked as though the young couple were doomed to single life yet a short time, or . until the needed finger ornament was brought forward. Happily, the officiating minister con- ceived an idea that he at once executed, which relieved them of the difficulty; he took the key from the door and placing it upon the bride's finger pronounced them man and wife.
558
HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY.
Another early marriage was that of Thomas Casey to Catherine Kelley. They now live in Wells township.
EARLY DEATHS .- Undoubtedly the first death to occur in Erin was Mary Ann, child of Sylvester Smith, who was called away in October, 1855. She was buried in Shieldsville. This child's grandfather, Martin Smith, father of Sylvester Smith, was the second death, laying down the burden of life's trials and uucertainties in 1855, at the age of sixty-five years. His remains were also interred at Shieldsville.
The next death was Mr. Condon, in the early part of 1856, by freezing. He is mentioned else- where.
In 1858, while Edward Riley and Sylvester Smith were in the timber chopping wood, a limb from one of the trees fell, and striking Edward Riley on the head, killed him instantly.
FIRST CROP .- When Sylvester Smith first came to the town in company with a few others, in 1855, they made their way with ox teams through the timber, having to cut their own roads. Their nearest place for supplies was at Hastings or St. Paul. In 1856, they broke a little ground and put in and raised a small crop of corn and pota- toes. The first crop of wheat was raised in 1857, and it was marketed at Hastings at 50 cents per bushel, the trip being made with ox teams, and occupying five days, camping on the way and cooking their meals by the wayside.
FIRST ELECTION .- The first precinct election ever held, embracing Erin, was held at Shields- ville in 1855; the precinct comprising what is now known as Erin, Shieldsville, Wheatland, and part of the towns of Forest and Wells.
McBRIDE AND THE RATS .- Charley McBride can undonbtedly claim the honor of bringing rats into this township, from what we can learn. It seems that Mr. McBride, while in the East, sent several boxes of clothing, consigned to a commis- sion warehouse in Hastings, and finally, after much trouble, succeeded in getting them to Shieldsville. Upon arriving there he selected the one which upon opening was discovered to contain two rats. He hastily slammed the cover shut, and shouting to several of his friends near told them to get sticks and he did likewise. Friends all gathered round the box, spit on their hands, held their sticks up ready to flatten the first rat into a grease spot and thus
nip the rat business in the bud. All were in ex- pectation. Every one held his breath, gripped his stick tighter, and determined to do or die; the deep silence was oppressive, as the box lid was being raised. It came up with a rush, and with a yell of vengeance the crowd of clubs made a downward swoop! But, alas! As the foolish ex- pression deepened on the countenance of the aston- ished vengeance seekers, it was easy to guess the cause,-the rats were gone. McBride, as usual, laughed immoderately, and to this day when a rat is seen it is called "McBride's pet" by those who remember the incident.
But this did not injure McBride's reputation, for his many good deeds overbalanced by far this dark one. One of the latter was to bring in with him some geese, and "McBride's geese" were for years the only ones in the region, and from the product of this small flock, has many a feather bed been made, that has given rest to not a few weary travelers, who can testify to the hospitality of these natives of the Emerald Isle. This same Charley McBride also brought the first horse team into Erin township.
CLERGY IN ERIN .- The town of Erin was first encroached upon in the month of May, 1855, and among the first to build a log cabin was Mr. Jer- emiah Healy who, amidst the trials and privations of pioneer life, had succeeded in preserving a few seed potatoes and planted them near his cabin, and about the time the potatoes were in bloom Father Ravoux, the first missionary in this part of the country, came traveling along on his Indian pony, and discovering this cabin with the inmates and a few scattering neighbors, he concluded to stop and hold the first service here, and when about to retire respectfully declined to sleep in- side of the cabin, but taking his saddle for a pil- low, and spreading his blankets, made his bed be- tween the rows of potatoes, and there, with the sky for a mantle, slept sweetly until the rising sun kissed the morning dew.
ERIN IN THE LATE WAR .- This town did its full share in the war of rebellion and we have suc- ceeded in getting the list of volunteers who par- ticipated in it from the township. The following is the list: Daniel Calihan, John Calihan, Charles Lipman, Tore Coran, Antoine LaDuc, David Tierney, James McLaughlin, John Mc- Bride, James O'Neill, Arne Logue, Michael Logue, Jerry Lyons, Thomas Grady, Herman
559
ERIN TOWNSHIP.
Kampen, John Meehan, Martin Kallaher, Andrew Devereux, Dennis Mulcahy, Patrick Quinlan, and Edward Martin.
POLITICAL.
This town was organized in common with the balance of the townships in Rice county, when the Territory was made a State. The first town meeting was held on the 11th of May, 1858, at the residence of P. Ryan. The meeting was called to order by the election of - Thomas Flannagan as chairman, and William Kerrott, secretary. A motion was then made by D. Dooley to name the town " McBride," then one to call it "Healy " in honor of Jeremiah Healy, but both of these were lost. A motion was next made by Mr. John Gorman that the township should be called "Erin," in honor of their na- tivity, and this was carried by a majority of seven. They then proceeded to the election of the fol- lowing officers: Supervisors, John Conniff, Chair- man; Timothy Foley, and Sylvester Smith; As- sessor, Dennis Dooley; Collector, John Gorman; Justices of the Peace, Thomas Flanigan and B. Foley; Constables, Michael Richardson and Jobn Smith; Overseer of the poor, Charles McBride; Overseers of roads, Patrick Ryan, Martin Duffy, and Edward Clarken.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.