USA > Minnesota > Rice County > History of Rice and Steele counties, Minnesota, Vol. I > Part 21
USA > Minnesota > Steele County > History of Rice and Steele counties, Minnesota, Vol. I > Part 21
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General James Shields. This distinguished man was early identified with the settlement of Rice county. He was born in Atmore, Tyrone county, Ireland, December 12, 1810, came to America in 1826, and studied law until 1832, when he went to Kaskaskia, Ill., to practice the profession. In 1836, he was in the legislature of that state, and in 1843 was judge of the supreme court. In 1845, he was appointed commissioner of the land office. When the Mexican war broke out, President Polk appointed him as a brigadier-general, his commission bearing date July 1, 1846, and for distinguished services at Cerro Gordo, where he was dangerously wounded, was breveted major general. He was again wounded at the battle of Chepultepec. In 1848, the General was appointed governor of Oregon territory, which he soon resigned, and in 1849 was elected United States senator for six years. At the expiration of his term of service he came to Minnesota and started the village of Shieldsville, but was soon induced to join the proprietors of the town of Faribault, where he was agent and attorney for the townsite company. He was elected to the United States senate for the short term terminating in 1860, at the expiration of which he went to California. When the Rebellion was inaugurated he received the appointment of brigadier general by President Lincoln, was assigned to a com- mand and gained a victory at Winchester, where he was severely wounded. After the war he took up his residence in Missouri, where he remained in private life until 1877, when he was elected to fill a vacancy caused by the retirement of Senator Armstrong. and served to the end of that congress, and afterwards devoted his time to lecturing until his death, which was on June 1, 1879. at Ottumwa, Mo.
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John Nagle, another native of the Emerald Isle, had arrived in America in 1848, and located in New York state, where he re- mained until 1855, when he came west and arrived in Shieldsville at the time the first settlement was made in Erin, in June, 1855. The majority of the party he came with located in the latter town, but he made his way to section eleven in Shieldsville. A few others came through, and some stopped for a time in Shields- ville, but the majority in this year settled in other localities.
Bernard Hunt, another Irishman, had stopped in Illinois for a time. and in June, 1856, made his appearance in Shieldsville and pre-empted a place. He remained for about a year and then caine to the southwest quarter of section fourteen. The lake, to which his farm was adjacent, was named by the Indians as Eagle lake, but it has now changed to Hunt lake by common consent. Among others who came in 1856, Michael Gavin and family were prominent and settled near Hunt lake.
James Murphy and several sons, James Carpenter, J. Roach and Mr. Gillispie all came, took farms, erected log cabins and commenced farming. Michael Delaney came in the spring of 1856 and secured a habitation in section ten, where he remained until his death. Roger Madden arrived about the same time and commenced a settlement in the eastern part of section twenty- one, and Thomas Minton took 160 acres adjoining in the same section. Patrick Hagarty and William Mahoney each took a farm near Cedar lake in sections twenty-three and twenty-seven. Thomas O'Donnell joined this settlement and took 160 acres in section twenty. Patrick Smith located a couple of miles west of these settlers, in section twenty-nine, at the same time, and Patrick Murphy helped close up the gap by taking a farm in section twenty-two. John Fitzgerald carved a place for settle- ment from the woods in section eight.
Thomas Roach came into section seventeen the same year (1856) and remained a short time. Daniel Savage located near Rice lake and remained there until his death. John Buckley also made a claim near the same lake. Daniel and David Gonsor made their appearance and took pre-emptions cast of Hunt lake, the latter of them going into Wells some years later. James Murphy located in section ten.
About the first birth in this township was that of John Hunt, born July 28, 1856, to Bernard Hunt, in a log cabin on section twenty-two. In the spring of the following year a brother of John was born. He was named Thomas. D. F. Hagarty was born early in 1856 on section twenty-two. Other early births may have occurred, but they are not recorded.
The earliest marriage of persons from this township occurred in Hastings, in 1857; the contracting parties being Michael
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Gavin and Mary Ann Rogers, who returned to the township and lived here until Mr. Gavin's death in 1869. Another early mar- riage was that of James Carpenter to Ellen McCohey, of St. Paul; the ceremony taking place in that city in 1857, the groom meeting the bride there.
In early days, as early as 1857, an outlaw named Hawley made this part of the county his stamping ground, and as he had committed many depredations, for which he was wanted by the officers of the law, he was as quiet in his movements as pos- sible. His strategy, however, was ineffectual, as the authorities in Faribault some way became cognizant of his whereabouts, and a party sent out in search of him finally found him near Shieldsville, and, surrounding him with clubs and butcher knives, killed him. This was among the first deaths in the township.
Another early death was that of Bridget Harrison, a sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl, in 1858.
During the Indian outbreak, in 1862, this township had many serious and amusing anecdotes to divert the minds of the citizens from agricultural duties. Although up to this time there had been plenty of redskins passing to and fro through the town, yet they had not been especially troublesome, except as to their beg- ging propensities, and General Shields had permitted them to use as a camping ground a spot adjoining the village known as the General's island. When the actual outbreak occurred, the dusky-skinned hunters were wily enough to see that the whites were afraid, and they began to get arrogant and defiant, and finally the whites decided to have them go. So a small force of probably 100 men gathered together, and, going to the island, told the disturbers that they must go. This they refused to do at first, offering as an excuse that they had a letter from the General with a permit to occupy the same as their home. Words were bandied, and the spokesman of the pioneers informed them that if "General Shields was there a gun would be put in his hands and he would be forced to fight," implying that General Shields was not running that campaign. This ended the matter . of words, and on a slight show of fight on the part of the Indians the pioneers began knocking the teepees right and left, which settled the matter as far as resistance was concerned.
Another time a party of fifty armed pioneers drove a band of Indians from the hills near Mud lake, and forced them to leave the township, although at one time-as one of them told us- there was not a man in the crowd but would have given a num- ber of years of his life to have turned heels and run for the woods.
Mazaska Lake. This body of water extends into four town- ships, Erin, Forest, Wells, and Shieldsville, being located in the four corners, and infringes on Shieldsville in the northeastern
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part. The old Indian chief "Eastman" claimed that the lake re- ceived its name in honor of his son, and it was for years called "Mazuka," which was the name of the youth. The name was later corrupted to "Mazaska."
This township was created as a government within itself when the territory of Minnesota was admitted to the Union in 1858, and the first town meeting was held May 11, that year, at Shieldsville village. After the usual preliminaries the township was organized by the election of the first officers, as follows : Supervisors, Joseph Hagerty, chairman; Patrick Cunniff, and Patrick Smith; constables, Michael Hanley and Patrick Mc- Kenna; justices of the peace, Timothy Doyle and James Roach ; assessor, John Finley; town clerk, John H. Gibbons. It was voted that the town should be named Shieldsville, in honor of General James Shields, with a slight show of enthusiasm. Money was voted then to defray town expenses for the coming year.
This township did its share in sustaining the government through the war of the Rebellion, and in furnishing men. March 2, 1864, a special town meeting was held at which the sum of $3,000 was voted for the purpose of raising volunteers or substi- tutes to fill the quota of the town. The officers at this meeting were Joseph Hagerty, chairman; Richard Leahy and Patrick Smith ; Maurice O'Hearn was clerk. Again, on January 25, 1865. another special meeting was held at which the sum of $4,000 was voted for the same purpose. The officers at this time were Joseph Hagerty, chairman ; Patrick Murphy and John Healey; Patrick McKenna was clerk. At a subsequent meeting $500 was levied to pay interest on the bonds, making in all the sum of $7,500.
WHEATLAND TOWNSHIP.
Wheatland township is the subject of an article elsewhere in this history.
WEBSTER TOWNSHIP.
Webster township is the companion town of Wheatland in extending the boundary line of the county northward. It is in the northwestern part of Rice county; its contiguous surround- ings are the counties of Scott and Dakota on the north and cast. with Bridgewater township forming an eastern boundary to sec- tion thirty-six; on the south Forest and on the west Wheatland. Webster is comprised of thirty-six square miles, containing 23,- 040 acres, of which about 330 are covered with water. The soil is variable, the hilly portions being somewhat clayey, while the rolling and bottom lands are made up a rich dark loam, with a clay or sand subsoil. The southwestern part of the township is very rolling in some places, enough so to be termed hilly, which
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gradually becomes more level to the northward. This was origi- nally covered with very fine timber such as oak, walnut, maple, basswood, etc., but this has nearly all been cut down long since and used for building and other purposes. One of the walnut forests, such as abounded here in an early day, would now prove an immense fortune to those who, in pioneer times, cut them down as ruthlessly as poplar. In the northern part of the town it is also quite hilly, and this was covered with timber of the . small varieties; but to the castward the surface becomes more even, although the tendency to rolling is still apparent and some- times quite abrupt. This portion was originally covered with small timber, interspersed with natural meadows, and small prairie spots covered with hazel brush, scrub oak, elm, etc., but this has long since almost entirely disappeared, and now many fine and fertile farms have transformed the spot where once the Indian hunter and wild beast held undisputed sway into a land of beauty, thrift, civilization and productiveness.
Webster is not so well watered as most of its contiguous neighbors-in fact, it has no lakes of any importance wholly within its borders-nor is its surface traversed by streams of any note. Union lake is the largest body of water in the town, enter- ing from Forest and covering about 200 acres in section thirty- five. Knowles lake is the next in size, located in the western part of the town, almost wholly in section nineteen. These two lakes are connected by a stream flowing from the latter, called Chub creek. Another little stream rises in the northwestern part of the township and crosses sections five and six as it leaves and enters Scott county. Still another small brook rises in the eastern part of section eleven, and, crossing section thirteen in a south- casterly direction, enters Dakota county.
In the spring of 1855 a settlement was commenced in the southeastern part of Webster township. Harry Humphrey, a native of New York, having stopped for a time in Ohio, arrived and secured a place in section thirty-six, on the shore of Union lake. He put up a log house and commenced running it as a hotel. He remained here until some time in the seventies, when he disposed of his farm and removed to Minneapolis, where he died in 1881, his wife soon following him. They left several sons in various parts of the Northwest.
Martin Taylor, a native of Ireland, secured a claim in section twenty-one in November, 1855. He had left his family in Hast- ings, but in the following spring removed them to his new made home, where he had erected a small log shanty. He then went to work and cleared and spaded up three acres of land, which he planted to corn and potatoes. The next spring, wishing to seed the ground to wheat, he started with a yoke of oxen but no
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wagon to Northfield, the nearest point where the seed could be obtained. He placed one sack of wheat across the back of one ox, and another across the yoke, arriving home in safety with his wheat. With this he raised 110 bushels.
Neither of the localities, which were about five miles apart, received many settlers during the year 1855. The Union lake settlement, in the southern part of the town, that was begun in the spring by Mr. Humphrey, was increased in December by the arrival of two more parties, S. J. and Chalmer M. Webster, na- tives of Ohio. S. J. took a valuable claim in section thirty-five, and Chalmer M. took a farm about two miles to the west, in sec- tion twenty-eight. Both of these early comers remained on their places until 1866, when they removed to Marshall, Lyon county.
Ferris Webster, now deceased, was a prominent and active figure in the early settlement of this locality, and it was in honor of him that the town received its name. He was father of the men above mentioned, and came to the township at the same time, taking a farm in section twenty-six, where he remained until the time of his death, which occurred in 1880.
In the spring following Mr. Webster's arrival all parts of the township began to be settled, and the two settlements already started branched into surrounding sections with surprising rapid- ity. Jacob Camp with his wife came this year, and he, after se- curing a farm in sections twenty-seven and thirty-four, com- menced the erection of a log liut. The grit and perseverance of early settlers is indicated by the fact that he carried the logs to build his house on his shoulders, and drew his stove through the woods from Northfield with a sled by hand. Early in the spring, and about the time of the last mentioned arrival, Ransom F. and Oscar Webster, natives of the Buckeye state, came and settled in section twenty-six, immediately commencing to build log houses. The first remained in the township until 1874, when he sold his farm and removed to Lyon county, where a couple of his brothers had preceded him. Oscar Webster remained on his farm until 1870. In May, 1856, Thomas Keegan, a native of the Emerald Isle, made his appearance and took a claim northwest of Taylor's place, in section seventeen. He put up a log shanty and a hay and brush stable and commenced getting land ready for seed. He remained on his place until 1864, when he sold out and removed to Nebraska. With the settler mentioned above came another native of Ireland, in the person of William Sabry. He took a place a short distance south of his companion, locating in section twenty-one, where he made improvements and remained until 1868, when he removed to Bismarck, D. T. Section eleven also received a settler this year, and commenced a settlement in the northern part of the town. John Gleason, of Ireland, settled
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on section eleven. About the same time James McCabe, a native of Massachusetts, selected a farm in section twelve. He erected a log shanty and commenced farming. In 1865, he opened a general merchandise store. Joseph Dilly was also a settler of this year. Belling Benton, a native of England, made his appear- ance in 1856, and located on a beautiful piece of ground in section thirty-six, bordering on the shores of Union lake. After this the influx became so rapid and incessant that it would be impossible to chronicle the arrivals in their sequence, but we give the promi- nent ones who took farms and remained. James Kiley, a native of Ireland, arrived in 1857, and secured a farm in section ten. The following year, 1858, another quarter of the same section was secured by Mr. Maher, also of Celtic origin. E. C. Knowles settled on the northwest quarter of section twenty-nine in 1860. He came to Minnesota in 1855. John Cole was another early set- tler in Minnesota, having come to the state in 1856. He arrived in Webster in 1865, taking a farm in section twenty-eight. Cor- nelius Denman came to Rice county from Ohio in 1855 and set- tled in Morristown. In 1867, he purchased a farm in section thirty-four, Webster.
Ola Elstad, of Norway, settled in section one in 1862, and in 1866 Edward Elstad, of the same nationality, purchased a farm adjoining him in the same section. In 1874, Nels Hoagenson joined the little settlement of Norwegians, and took a place in section two. J. O. Larson, G. Christopherson, M. Christianson and others came in at various times and swelled the settlement of this nationality. Thomas Gleason, a native of the Emerald Isle, came in 1864 and purchased a large farm in sections twelve and thirteen. Joseph Gear, another Irishman, took a farm off of an early settler's hands, in 1868, in section twelve. Robert Camp- bell came to America in 1862, and in 1866 arrived in Webster, purchasing the farm in section eighteen. In 1867, Henry Graves came and purchased 120 acres in section twenty-one. The same year J. G. Walden, of Maine, purchased a farm in section twenty- eight. Thomas Lynch came in 1863 and bought a farm in section thirty-two. He was a native of Ireland.
Thus it will be seen that the settlement of the township pushed onward, each succeeding year witnessing still further ad- ditions and developments. Farms were opened in all parts of the town, and the early comers began to reap the just reward of their industry. Step by step the change had been wrought, until a new era had almost imperceptibly dawned upon the scene. Larger buildings were erected, schools and churches established, and a general air of enterprise was manifest where so recently all was wild and uninhabited. From the crude efforts of earlier years the present tillers of the soil fast adapted wiser and more sys-
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tematic modes of farming, the beneficent results of which are al- ready so plainly apparent.
Webster township was originally named Minnemada, and for a short time this was the name of the locality. It was afterwards voted by the citizens that the town be named Carroltown, but the county commissioners bestowed upon it the name of Webster, and it has ever since recognized this as its appellation, being in honor of Ferris Webster, an early settler in the town.
The first birth of a white child in the township was that of John McGuire, March 18, 1857. A daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Camp was born in January, 1858. A child was born to Mr. and Mrs. Salmon Webster in May, 1858. December, 1858. witnessed the birth of Thomas, a son of Martin Taylor and wife.
The marriage of Webster persons occurred in June, 1856, and joined as man and wife Salmon Webster and Fannie Humphrey. Another marriage occurred in August, 1858, the contracting parties being Ephraim Dilly and Alice St. John.
In the summer of 1858, Webster first felt the effects of the ravages of death. The wife of Samuel Dilly was the first victim. Her little daughter died soon afterward and hers was the second death.
In common with all the subdivisions of Rice county, the organization of this township took place soon after the territory was admitted as a state in 1858, and the first meeting was held on May 11 of that year. This meeting was held at the residence of Ephraim Dilly, and came to order by appointing Michael O'Mara chairman and S. S. Humphrey clerk.
The meeting then proceeded to ballot for officers to take charge of town matters, which resulted as follows: Supervisors, George Carpenter. chairman, R. H. Dilly and James Kelly ; town clerk, J. J. McCabe; collector, Timothy Gleason ; justices of the peace, Ephraim Dilly, Sr., and F. Webster; constables, William Dilly and Elisha Fitch; overseer of roads, William Dilly, Sr. Next the meeting took up the matter of town expenses and voted the sum of $100 for that purpose. The affairs of public interest have been attended to since this inaugural meeting with com- mendable zeal and fidelity, there having been exhibited due econ- omy in regard to finance and public expenditures.
CHAPTER VIII.
ORGANIZATION OF TOWNSHIPS.
Election Precincts as Organized in 1856-Houston, Faribault, East Prairie, Cannon River and Forest-First Judges of Elections-New Precincts Created-Various Changes- Townships Assume Practically Present Form and Name in 1858-Warsaw Then Called Sargent-Faribault and Cannon City Divided.
February 9, 1856, the board of county commissioners estab- lished several voting precincts. This is the beginning of the official recognition of the names which, to a certain extent, were later to be applied to the organized townships.
Houston precinct comprised townships 109 and 110, range 22, and west half of townships 109 and 110, range 21. This included the present townships of Shieldsville and Morristown and the west half of Wells and Warsaw.
Faribault precinct comprised the east half of townships 109 and 110, range 21, and the west half of townships 109 and 110, range 20. This included all the present city of Faribault, the east half of Warsaw and Wells and the west half of Walcott and Cannon City.
East Prairie precinct comprised a territory beginning at the southeast corner of township 109, range 19, thence running north to the northeast corner of section 13 in township 110, range 19; thence west to the northwest corner of section 15 in township 110, range 20; tlience south to the southwest corner of section 34, township 109, range 20; thence east to the place of beginning. This included all of the present township of Richland, two-thirds of Wheeling, the east half of Walcott and two-thirds of the east half of Cannon City.
Cannon River precinct comprised a territory beginning at the southeast corner of section 12, township 110, range 19; thence west to the southwest corner of section 10, township 110, range 20; thence north two miles ; thence west three miles ; thence north to the northwest corner of section 6, township 111, range 20; thence east to the northeast corner of section 1, township 111, range 19; thence south to the place of beginning. This would include the northern one-third of the present township of Wheel- ing, the northern one-third of the east half of Cannon City, and
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all except the northern tier of townships in Bridgewater and Northfield.
Forest precinct comprised a territory commencing at the southeast corner of section 36, township 111, range 21; thence running north twelve miles; thence west twelve miles; thence south twelve miles; thence cast twelve miles to the place of be- ginning. This included the present townships of Wheatland, Erin, Webster and Forest.
The judges of elections in these precincts were appointed as follows, April 10:
Houston-Christian Hershey, Reuben Morris, William Wil- son.
Faribault-G. W. Batchelder, Luke Hulett, Isaac Woodman.
East Prairie-James Scars, Elijah Austin, Abner Beardsley. Cannon River-John L. Schofield, H. M. Matteson, Benjamin Lockaly, Sr.
Forest-J. A. Wedgewood, Samuel A. Anderson, James Fitz- simmons.
July 10, 1856, Northfield precinct was set off. The new pre- cinet was described as follows: Commencing at the southeast corner of section 12, township 111, range 19; thence running west twelve miles; thence north two miles; thence east twelve miles. and thence south two miles to the place of beginning. The judges of election were Charles Stewart, Daniel B. Turner and Herman Jenkins. This precinet included a strip two sections wide the whole length of Bridgewater and Northfield townships.
April 5, 1857, new election precincts were established.
Wheatland included all of township 112, range 22 west. This is as at present. The petition for the establishment of the pre- einet was signed by David B. McCormick and thirty-five others. Michael Fitzpatrick was appointed justice and William Vincent constable.
Shieldsville comprised a territory described as follows: Com- mencing at the southwest corner of section 18, township 110, range 22; thenee east nine miles ; thence north five miles ; thence west three miles ; thence north four miles ; thence west six miles ; thence south nine miles to the place of beginning. This would include the northern half of the present Shieldsville township, the northwest quarter of Wells, the southwest sixth of Forest and all of Erin. The petition was signed by John Johnson and nine others. John Johnson was appointed justice and Patrick Doyle constable.
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