USA > Minnesota > Rice County > History of Rice and Steele counties, Minnesota, Vol. I > Part 20
USA > Minnesota > Steele County > History of Rice and Steele counties, Minnesota, Vol. I > Part 20
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An incident in connection with the settlement of the Benson brothers is worthy of notice. A man by the name of Drake, sometime during the summer of 1855, at the place now known
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as Waterville, thought he would be able to divert the travel from the present site of Morristown by constructing a road south of the old Indian trail. About the time he had completed his road, the Bensons went to work and constructed a good wagon road along the old Indian trail, and Drake's road was left un- traveled. The Benson road was probably the first improved highway in the county.
The following spring the Messrs. Morris located on section twenty-three, and the village of Morristown was brought into existence. They were followed by Robert Pope, a native of Canada, who made a claim on section twenty-nine, where he remained until 1857, when he joined his amative Mormon breth- ren in Utah. Mr. Wilson soon after made himself a habitation in section thirty, where he remained until 1866, and left. Joseph Ladoux, of France, joined him and took a quarter section num- ber thirty, where he died in 1856, and his family in 1857 went to Utah.
David Springer and family also came carly in 1855, and took a habitation in section twenty-three, remaining there for a year, and then returned to Pennsylvania, his native state. Joseph Dixon and family, in company with his father-in-law, made their appearance about the same time. Their child, Clarissa Dixon, born on August 24, 1855, in John Lynch's cabin, was the second white child born in the township.
Others came and have since gone, and the influx became so great that it is almost impossible to note them. The prairie was taken very rapidly, and in 1857 but few farms of much value were left in the timber.
Jonathan Morris was an early pioneer and important person- age in the early history of the township bearing his family name.
Morristown effected an organization in 1858, the first town- ship meeting being heid on May 11, of that year, at the Dela- ware house. After the usual preliminaries, James R. Davidson was appointed moderator and William P. Heydon, clerk. The meeting then proceeded to the election of town officials for the ensuing year, resulting as follows : Supervisors, Isaac Hammond, chairman; Henry Bassett and John D. Benson; clerk, Charles D. Adams; assessor, John S. Pope; collector, D. G. Wilkins; overseer of the poor, Reuben Morris; justices of the peace, Walter Morris and Willard Eddy ; constables, William P. Hey- don and Samuel Clark; overseer of roads, O. K. Hogle and Nathan Morris. All of these officers qualified except Samuel Clark and John S. Pope, but their places were soon filled.
On August 24, 1864, bonds were voted at a special meeting to pay the sum of $25 to each man who would volunteer to enlist in the army under the President's call for 500,000 men ;
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the bonds to bear 12 per cent interest. The proposition carried by a vote of 58 for, to 7 against ; the committee men were, C. D. Adams, T. McClay and Isaac Pope.
February 9, 1865, a special meeting was held at which it was voted that bonds to the amount of $300 should be issued to each man who would voluntcer to enlist, and fill the quota. This was under the President's call for 300,000 men. This supplied the deficiency and no draft was made.
NORTHFIELD TOWNSHIP.
Northfield township is situated in the extreme northwestern portion of Rice county, adjoining Dakota county on the north, Goodhue county on the east, and contiguous to the townships of Bridgewater and Wheeling on the west and south ; embracing as its area, including the city of Northfield, forty-four sections of land, or 28,160 acres, almost all of which is under a high state of cultivation, and admirably adapted to all agricultural purposes.
The surface of the township is varied and diversified. It is really a prairie town, smooth in places, but everywhere is notice- able the rolling tendency. As one approaches the eastern line. along Prairie creek, the land is more broken and hilly, covered with a heavy growth of timber. Here are many ledges of barren rock extending along the line of timber and prairie where it breaks its surface to make room for the stream. Along the en- tire western and southern boundaries the surface is more broken and hilly, and retreating from these is the prairie land which is undulating and beautiful. The soil on the prairie is a dark, rich loam, and in the timber, or in the hilly land, it is of a lighter color. The "Big woods," so-called, originally crossed sections twenty-six and thirty-four.
There are only two streams of any note passing over the sur- face of this sub-division, the Cannon river, passing through the city of Northfield, and Prairie creek. The latter rises in Cannon City, enters Northfield at the extreme southwestern point, and flows through the southern tier of towns until it reaches the northwestern part of section 34, where it is joined by another small stream, and makes a northward turn, keeping this direc- tion, with a little inclination to the west, until it reaches section rises in section thirty-six and flows northward through the eastern tier of sections until it joins the more powerful stream.
This sub-division of Rice county commenced its era of pio- neering in 1854, about the same time as did almost all of the prairie towns. The first to come into the township and actually settle and take a farm was D. Kirkendahl, or, as it is sometimes
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spelled, "Kuykendahl," who was a native of Germany, but came here from Pennsylvania. He took a farm just where part of the city now is, and commenced western life in a tent where the college buildings now are, and where, in a few weeks he put up a log cabin. His selling out to Mr. North and leaving is noted in the history of the city.
Mr. Kirkendahl had been there just twelve days when Alex- ander Stewart made his appearance. He was a native of New York, having stopped for a time in Wisconsin, which latter place he left on May 16, and arrived in Northfield on June 16, 1854, finding Kirkendahl safely, but temporarily, housed in his tent. Mr. Stewart brought his family, and all he had in the world, which consisted of three pair of oxen, four cows and some loose cattle, besides the usual household articles. A tent was pitched in which he lived four weeks while he did some break- ing and preparing land, and then he erected a log shanty, 14x18 feet. This he covered with a half roof of shakes, the remaining half being open for two months. No floor was put in, and in this shape the family moved into their new home and remained there until after the fall work was finished. Then Mr. Stewart went to St. Paul and procured some lumber with which he made some badly needed repairs. Shakes of black oak were brought into use to make a good roof, which was covered with sod, and this sheltered the inmates for nearly two years when, on the occasion upon which Elder T. R. Cressey, the pioneer Baptist minister, was a guest of Mr. Stewart's, a heavy rain storm came up and speedily made mush of the sod which had be- come rotten and soon transformed the little cabin into a mud pile. This made it painfully apparent that there was still room for improvement, which was speedily furnished and afterwards a pleasant and neat dwelling was erected to take the place of the cabin.
This little commencement was the basis upon which grew the entire northern settlement of the city and township. Two weeks after Mr. Stewart's arrival, Jonathan Alexander and family made their appearance and selected a farm. He brought con- siderable stock, about ten cows and ten head of loose cattle, one horse, and was well fixed with this world's goods. A tent was pitched which served as shelter while a good shanty was erected; this was conducted as a hotel and tavern, or an old-fashioned inn, from the time of its erection for a number of years, and many a weary traveler has here found shelter. Mr. Alexander has one son who took a farm as early if not before the father.
J. D. Hoskins and Henry Tralle were about the next to arrive. Hoskins was a native of the state of Maine. Tralle was a native
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of Germany and took a farm which he sold in 1855 to C. N. Stewart. This was about the extent to which the northern part of the town was settled this year, and carried it up to the winter of 1854-55, which was a very mild one and the settlers experienced no trouble in getting through in safety. In the meantime, and before cold weather had actually set in, another native of Germany had arrived and settled south of this little neighborhood, in the person of Frank Frahnkoop.
In 1855, the immigration actually set in and as many of the arrivals as can be remembered will be given here. John S. Way, whose nativity dates in Caledonia county, Vermont, came through this township from St. Paul, where he had arrived in May, and reached Northfield in June, 1855. He put up some hay and in September secured a claim in section seven, and put up a log house.
Next among the arrivals in the spring of 1855 are noted the names of C. F. Whittier, who now lives in Northfield, John Bingham, the White brothers, H. H. Merrie, T. H. Olin, Syl- vanus Bunday, who took land in section cleven ; Ransom and George Smith, brothers just from Ohio ; J. W. North, and W. W. and James Willis, also from Ohio. After this the settlement was carried on so rapidly that it is impossible to trace it in sequence. The city of Northfield was commenced, and although slowly at first, gained steadily. Since the time mentioned and on various dates, the following are a few of those who have arrived and helped to fill the northern part of the town: Daniel Goodhue, P. Tosney, S. V. Ward, Thos. Lawler, James Lynn, the Bundays, Duncan Ferguson, Thomas De Lancey, Colville Carlaw, Wells Blackman, John Miller, B. F. Woodman, Thomas Wilson, Charles S. Martin, J. C. Couper, W. R. Green, C. W. Lyman, E. Spear, Culver Hibbard, John Riddell, John Law, A. T. Barrows, S. M. Persons, Benjamin Ogden, Nels Wood- worth, G. Bacon, W. N. Woodsworth, Franklin Kelly, etc., etc.
In the meantime a settlement had been started and was growing rapidly in the southern part of the township. About the first to come and select a claim was J. D. Jones, a Scotchman. who had stopped for about ten years in Wisconsin, and who arrived in the township in the spring of 1855. He made his way to East Prairie and took a farm in section thirty-five on Prairie creek, and found that he had arrived just about the same time as a party of Norwegians who will be mentioned hereafter. He erected a small shanty and returned to Milwaukee, where he remained for a time but subsequently came back to his claim.
In the same spring, 1855, a party of Germans made their way into the township and became domiciled. Gottlieb Pray. or as it is sometimes spelled, "Prehn," F. Sommers, Mr. Crintz,
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and Gottlieb Lackel, were members of the party. Gottlieb Pray (or Prehn) took a farm in section twenty-two. where he dug a hole in the side of a hill and commenced pioneer life. Soon afterward a log house was erected, and he lived on his place about fourteen years when he went to Illinois where he died.
F. Sommers secured a home in section ten, and put up a little shanty covered with dirt. Mr. Crintz took the farm in sec- tion sixteen, where he erected a house and lived until the time of his death, which occurred in 1875. His first team consisted of a couple of milch cows. Gottlieb Lackel made a pre-emption in section seventeen, and after living there a few years went to Cannon City, and from there to Faribault. All of these men had their families with them.
T. H. Olin also arrived this year, being a native of New York. He made a claim and, as he was afraid some one might jump it, he placed a man named Sanford upon it to comply with the statutes, so it would be safe. Sanford proved to be a treacherous fellow, and after he had been on the place a short time began to consider it his, and when Mr. Olin returned from an eastward trip to claim the land he had selected, Sanford pretended not to recognize him, and although he had been paid for attending it he refused to give it up. As Mr. Olin was a lover of peace, rather than make trouble he went several miles north and purchased a claim. Olin had put up, at a cost of $100, one of the first houses in the township on this land, hauling the lumber from Hastings, and to be cheated out of the whole thing was a severe blow financially. Sanford, after six or seven months, sold his claim to Mr. Thorpe for $600, and went to Hastings where all of his money was stolen from him and he and his family commenced working their way eastward. He, during his stay, had made considerable money by locating parties on land, but, after E. L. Fuller arrived, a town plat was secured and this work was done free of charge.
On May 24, 1856, E. L. Fuller, a native of the Empire state, made his appearance with his family, some stock and household goods and took a claim in sections twenty-two and twenty- seven. The first thing he did was to pitch a tent, in which he lived until his log house was erected. Charles Ferrall, a native of New York, and a man from Wisconsin, Richmond Clinton, came at the same time, the former took land in section twenty-seven, where he remained four years, and after spending a short time in Northfield finally found his way back to his native state. Richmond Clinton secured a home adjoining sec- tion twenty-two and remained there until his death, which oc- curred in April, 1864.
In June, 1856, J. D. Jones, who is mentioned above, returned
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to the township, having spent some time in Milwaukee, and commenced boarding with Mr. Fuller's family, as he was a single man, while he did his breaking.
George and William Thorpe, of Vermont, arrived on July 4, 1856, and celebrated the day by taking farms north of Mr. Jones. One of them purchased Olin's farm of Sanford. John Dixon, from Michigan, came about the same time and pre-empted the northwest quarter of section twenty-eight, and lived on it for six years. He erected a log house, and his wife taught school, but he finally returned to Michigan from whence he came.
About the next to come in and take a home was Lambert Watts and family, from Vermont, who made their way with a team of horses and settled on the northeast quarter of section twenty-seven. William Ross and family, from Pennsylvania, arrived about this time, the whole party being on foot. They settled on a farm in section twenty-one, and the family held the claim while the father and son went out to work until they had earned enough to buy a team. They remained on the place for fifteen or sixteen years, until they became in comfortable circumstances, and then removed westward.
In the fall of 1857, Philip Miller and family. wife and two children, Germans, drove into the township behind a team com- posed of one ox and a cow, and an old-fashioned home-made wagon with wheels without tires. They first settled in section fifteen where they remained for a number of years and then purchased a valuable farm in section twenty-one. The same year a man named Gregory came and settled, but has since gone. A man whose name is forgotten, came early and took a place in sections seventeen and eighteen and after occupying the same a short time sold, in the fall of 1857, to Joseph Cannedy. David H. Orr had been in the town before this on a prospecting tour, but returned to stay in 1858.
A small colony of Norwegians had arrived in 1855, and it is claimed that some came the year previous. They all settled in the southern part of the town, mostly along Prairie creek. As many of those whose names are remembered will be given, viz : Halver Quie, Hans Hanson, Rinde Erick, Shure and Ingebret Ingebretson, Toske Bunday, Sever Aslakson, Ole Lockrun and two brothers, Helger Hanson, Lars Knuteson, Nels Oleson, John Hanson, Andrew Johnson, Guttorm Severson. Eson Clemmerson, Sever Oleson, Ole Severson. With them was a man who in the summer was called the "Old Saw-mill" because, as it is claimed. he and his daughter with a whipsaw cut up all the lumber used by this small army for building purposes; in the winter he spent his time cobbling and was then called the "Old Shoe- maker." This crowd was joined the following year by Osmund
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Osmundson, Captain John Hanson, who could talk English, as could Halver Quie, and Toske Bunday, and were known as the "Interpreters." Many others came at various times, and prob- ably a few of those mentioned as coming in 1855, did not reach their farms until the spring of the following year.
The above list embraces most of the early settlers, but it is not intended to be a complete roll of all the pioneers, for only a census taken at that time and carefully preserved could do that.
It is claimed that Elder T. R. Cressey, the pioneer Baptist preacher, held services in the house of Alexander Stewart in September, 1854. This was among the first services in the county. The first Methodist and Congregational services were also held in the same place, the first by the Rev. Mr. Curran, and the last by Rev. Mr. Hall.
About the first birth in the county, and undoubtedly the first in the township, was that of James, a son of Alexander and Han- nah Stewart, at their residence in section thirty-one, near the city. The boy died some years ago. Willie Ferrall, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Ferrall, was born in the year 1857. A number of Norwegian children were born very early.
The first marriage of persons from this town was John, a son of Jonathan Alexander, who went cast shortly after his arrival in the town and was married while there to Ann Toliff, and together they returned to their new home in the West. Their marriage occurred late in 1854. About the first marriage within the limits of the township took place in 1855, at the resi- dence of the bride's parents, and the contracting parties were Mr. John Lamphier and Athea Alexander; the ceremony being per- formed by the Congregational minister, Rev. Mr. Hall. William Bierman and Miss Christine Pray (or Prehn) were joined in the holy bonds early in 1857, by Squire Frost, the happy couple go- ing and returning from their place of union on foot. In the same fall August Pray was married to Miss Bierman, at the "dug out" of the groom's father, by a German minister.
Two children of Herman Jerkins died in the fall of 1856. and were buried on the old Kuykendahl (or Kirkendahl) place.
The first meeting of the township was undoubtedly held on May 11, 1858, in common with the balance of Rice county's subdivisions; but the first twenty leaves of the records are torn from the clerk's book, and the original, and therefore the most interesting part of the township records must be guessed at. The first meeting shown by the records was held on April 1, 1862, in Lyceum Hall, in Northfield, and O. H. Rawson was appointed moderator, and George W. Butterfield, clerk. The moderator then declared the polls open, the ballot box being in
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charge of N. G. Clary, G. Gregory and Linus Fox. After the polls were closed it was found that there had been about ninety votes cast, and the following officers were declared elected : Supervisors, John S. Way, chairman; J. A. Hunt and George C. Thorpe ; clerk, George W. Butterfield; treasurer, M. P. Skin- ner; justices of the peace, Charles Taylor and Linus Fox; assessor, Elias Hobbs; constables, Dwight Bushnell and John Vanater.
In February, 1864, a request was made by the freeholders of the locality for a special town meeting, to issue bonds for the purpose of compensating volunteers who should enlist to fill the quota assigned the town. This call was signed by Charles Taylor, J. A. Hunt, Linus Fox, S. L. Bushnell, William Thorpe, H. Scriver, E. Lathrop and E. Lockwood. Accordingly the requisite papers were issued, and on February 26, 1864, the special meeting came to order in the Lyceum Hall and T. H. Olin was chosen moderator. The records then says they voted the sum of $2,000, or as much thereof as, in the discretion of the board, should be necessary to procure volunteers. Bonds to be issued at 12 per cent interest. The proceedings are signed by the supervisors, who were, John S. Way, J. A. Hunt and G. C. Thorpe. E. Lathrop was clerk. Then, on the following March 7 the treasurer was directed to let bonds be issued in favor of the following volunteers, at the rate of interest mentioned above, and the amount as set opposite their names, as follows: Kleber Wilkinson, $100; William A. Bowe, $100; James A. Philbeck, $125; Henry Pratt, $100; Frank Groom, $100; William C. Hay- cock, $100; William A. Bickett, $100; Robert S. Kenne, $100; E. B. Hale, $100; William H. Wood, $50; Frank Schofield, $100; Andrew L. Emory, $100. Total, $1,175. This order was signed by the last above mentioned supervisors.
Shortly after this, in July, 1864, another request was made by the following named freeholders for a special meeting for the purpose of voting money to volunteers: Charles Taylor, Will- iam Thorpe, J. A. Hunt, E. Lockwood, M. W. Skinner, Robert Silk, Urill Butler, E. Slocum, John Simmons, S. L. Bushnell, J. L. McFee, John Vanater and H. Jenkins, Jr. The requested meeting was held in the store of H. Jenkins, Jr., and Hiram Scriver was elected moderator. After the usual preliminaries it was voted that $6,000 should be issued in bonds at 12 per cent interest to those who should volunteer to enlist to fill the town's quota. The supervisors at that time were D. H. Orr, William Thorpe, and N. Wheaton. Another special meeting was held on November 8, 1864, at which the sum of $200 was voted for relief to the families of volunteers, and C. A. Wheaton, W. J. Sibbison and I. S. Field were made a committee to investigate
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and distribute the relief. Still another special meeting was held January 21, 1865, at which $8,000 was voted to pay bounties to volunteers, the mecting being held at Lyceum Hall in Northfield, and the report is signed by William Thorpe, D. H. Orr, and M. Wheaton, supervisors.
SHIELDSVILLE TOWNSHIP.
Shieldsville township is one of the townships in the western tier of Rice county, situated just north of Morristown. On the north is Erin; on the east, Wells, and on the west, LeSueur county. It embraces as its territory thirty-six sections, or 23,040 acres, of which a greater portion is under cultivation.
There are no cataracts or water-powers, but it is abundantly supplied with lakes. The largest of these is Cedar lake, in the southeastern part of the town, covering portions of sections twenty-five and thirty-six. A number of islands dot the placid surface of water. West of this lake one mile is Mud lake, cover- ing about 320 acres of section twenty-eight. Rice lake floods about the same number of acres in sections sixteen and seven- teen, and east of this one mile a small body of water known as Hunt lake occupies a part of section fifteen. In the northern portion of the township is Tuft's lake, and another small body of water infringes on the territory from Erin. These lakes are almost all connected by small rivulets and streams, sluggishily and lazily wending their way through the marsh lands and lakes. to eventually mingle with the Cannon river.
To the eye, Shieldsville presents a view of undulating sur- face, with here and there a tendency to hilly, timber, marsh and meadow land. The forest, the tranquil and glassy lakes, embedded in the midst of the hills, and the sluggish course of the lazy streams as they wind their pathway between the sister lakes. combine to make Shieldsville a pleasant and picturesque spot.
All through the township the early pioneers found beautiful groves of oak, and all sturdy varieties of timber, interspersed with maple and walnut ; and in the shady aisles of this miniature forest clear sparkling springs bubbled up, furnishing pure, clear. cold water, and forming the fountain heads of many affluents to the Cannon river.
The town is well adapted to agricultural pursuits, and has a large cultivated area, yielding, besides the usual cereals, all the crops common to this latitude, and in the low lands an abundant yield of hay. Fruit culture is also attended to in a moderate and limited way, with fair results.
As in Erin township, the carly settlement of Shieldsville was due almost entirely to the descendants of the Emerald Iste, and
GENERAL JAMES SHIELDS
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was known in early days as General Shields' colony. About the first to arrive in the township was General Shields, a native of Ireland, who laid out the village of Shieldsville and at once took steps towards collecting his countrymen about him. He arrived in 1855, early in the spring, and after staying long enough to lay out the village, he retraced his steps to St. Paul, returning the same year with a number of Irishmen, many of whom set- tled in Erin and were identified with the early growth and set- tlement of that locality. Shields then commenced a period of advertising in the papers of the East, stating that he had located here, and was desirous of being joined by his countrymen, and began raising colonies. This had a telling effect, as it was not long until they began crowding in on foot, by horse, ox, and cow teams, and taking farms, until by the fall of 1856 the town was pretty well settled, and the government land, of the better qual- ity, was scarce. Most of those who came in at this time will be mentioned.
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