USA > Minnesota > Rice County > History of Rice and Steele counties, Minnesota, Vol. I > Part 24
USA > Minnesota > Steele County > History of Rice and Steele counties, Minnesota, Vol. I > Part 24
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BRACKETT'S BATTALION.
Originally commanded by Maj. Alfred B. Brackett, of St. Paul, and, as originally organized, was composed of the First, Second and Third Companies, and organized in October and November, 1861. Ordered to Benton barracks, Mo., in Decem- ber, 1861. Assigned to a regiment called Curtis Horse ; ordered to Fort Henry, Tenn., in February, 1862; name of regiment changed to Fifth Iowa Cavalry in April, 1862. Companies G, D and K; engaged in siege of Corinth in April, 1862; ordered to Fort Heiman, Tenn., in August, 1862; veteranized in February, 1864; ordered to the Department of the Northwest in 1864; ordered upon Indian expedition; engaged with the Indians July 28 and in August, 1864; mustered out by companies, between May and June, 1866.
Company A-Herman Wedekuper, corporal. Company B- Private-Joseph R. Donaldson. Company C-Private-James Thompson.
INDEPENDENT BATTALION, CAVALRY.
Organized July 20, 1863, and originally commanded by Maj. E. A. C. Hlatch, of St. Paul. Ordered to Pembina, D. T., in October, 1863. Ordered to Fort Abercrombie, D. T., in May, 1864, and stationed there until mustered out. Mustered out by companies, from April to June, 1866.
Company A-John W. W. Polson, corporal ; Seth C. Kelley, blacksmith. Privates-Charles M. Stowe, John Kelly. Com- pany C-Privates-Michael Cosgrove, James O'Neill. Company F-Private-William Dawney.
SECOND CAVALRY.
Organized in Jan., 1864, and originally commanded by Col. Robert N. McLaren, of Red Wing. Ordered upon Indian ex- pedition in May, 1864. Engaged with the Indians, July 28, 1864,
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and Aug. 1864. Stationed at frontier posts until muster out of regiment by companies, between Nov., 1865, and June, 1866.
Company A-Private-Henry Hanson. Company B-Private -Robert S. Keene. Company D-Private-William J. Wilkins. Company E-Privates-Albert F. Thielbar, Peter E. Wise, Isaac M. Taylor. Company G-Henry W. Bingham, first lieutenant ; promoted captain ; Theron F. Carr, sergeant; Carson C. Carr, corporal. Privates-Halver Blande, John Conley, William L. Hoover, George Shepard, Byron F. Carr, William Dwyer, John O'Neill, Elijah B. Sperry, Jacob H. Austin. Company H-Pri- vates-Stanley Barlow, Alvah M. Olin. Company K-Privates- Solomon Bodle.
First Battery Light Artillery - Privates - Willard Sproul, Ambrose Krech.
Second Battery Light Artillery-Privates-William Costello, John Craren, James Hunter, Ingrebeth Oleson, Charles L. Nog- gle, Joseph L. Sargent, Edward W. Vaughn, Lewis Y. Sargent, Thomas Robb.
Third Battery Light Artillery-John C. Whipple, first lieu- tenant-Privates-George L. Kenyon, Arthur McCarger, William Finlayson, Hiram K. Wilder.
Second Company Sharp-shooters-Charles L. Eldridge, cor- poral. Privates-Tens. T. Dahle, Author A. Flem, Andrew J. Lockren, Halver H. Quil, Finger Fingalson, Christ Hanson, Harry Magon, Jnets Fingalson.
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CHAPTER X.
INCIDENTS AND EVENTS.
Important Happenings-Mostly in Faribault-the Years 1857- 1879 - Disasters, Deaths, Organizations, Churches and Celebrations.
The real story of the settlement of Rice county dates from 1853. The story of the early coming of the whites, and the princi- pal events of the earliest days have been told in the history of the various townships. In 1857, the towns and villages were well on the start toward that prosperity that has since marked their history. In this chapter the managers of this publication have en- deavored to trace the principal events in the history of the county from 1857 to 1879, that are not recorded elsewhere. The stirring events of the Civil war are purposely omitted from this list. The scenes common throughout the country, the equipping and enlisting of companies, the eager waiting for news, the hard- ships, the anxiety, the heart breaks and heart aches, the self sacrifice and devotion of the people at large were all felt and witnessed in Rice county. The story of Rice county in the war is told elsewhere in a chapter edited by the Hon. James J. Hunter. It will be noted that in recording the early events, the preponderance of happenings are those of Faribault. Faribault being the county seat, and the people of the county being closely linked with this city makes its events of interest to the people of the county at large.
1857. On January 7 the Congregational church at Faribault was dedicated, and Rev. Lauren Armstrong was installed as pastor of the church. Those assisting were, Rev. Cressey, of Cannon City ; Rev. Barnes, of Cannon Falls ; and Rev. Secombe. The people adhering to this faith exhibited great energy in thus providing, at such an early day, for their spiritual wants.
The land office was removed to Faribault here from Winona some time toward the last of January. The teams were eight days on the road with documents.
On February 24, three young men from Faribault started on a drive to Cannon Lake, and on their way were hailed by a young Indian with a gun, who asked for a ride, and without slacking up they beckoned him to "come on," which he did. As he reached the carriage, and was about clambering in, his musket
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was discharged, and the ball penetrated the arm of one of the young men, Godfrey Xavier, breaking the bone above the elbow, and severing an artery. The Indian was arrested, but on an ex- amination the accidental character of the shooting was shown, and he was discharged.
In February, two children of Frederick Faribault, residing in an addition to the city of Faribault, while he was away from home, were burned to death in the house, which was consumed, it having caught or been set on fire, the other members of the fam- ily escaping with difficulty, one or two of them being seriously burned. The first quarterly returns of the Faribault postoffice foot- ed up to $246 on letters alone. At the election for delegates to the Constitutional Convention, the whole number of votes cast was 1,089. Mr. Tillotson was appointed receiver of the land office in place of L. D. Smith, who had resigned. Business at the land office for a single month, ending on June 19, 1857, was as follows : Acres located, 118,178; with land warrants, 106,380; with cash, 11,798. The taxable property in Faribault, returned on January 1, 1856, was $613,364, and the tax assessed was $613.36, or one per cent. The mail matter received and sent at the Faribault postoffice in 1857 averaged from 1,800 to 2,000 pieces a week, which was quite a jump from two pieces in 1853. Judge H. C. Lowell was appointed register of the land office this year. A surveying party on a projected line of railroad reached Faribault in June. During the summer a plank road was built between Faribault and Cannon City. In July, McCarn & Co. put on a new stage line to Hastings. The first line was run by White, and afterward by Walker, the great frontier stage driver. Clark and Weld got their saw mill running in Faribault in July. The first Saturday in August the bell of the Congregational church was hung in Faribault. It weighed 1,000 pounds, and was claimed to be the first bell of which there is a large family, west of the Mississippi. In 1875, the grasshoppers came in the vicinity of the county, and excited considerable curiosity, not unmingled with alarm. On September 15 a meeting was held in Faribault to organize a cemetery asso- ciation. A. J. Tanner was the chairman ; E. P. Mills, William Thoter, Charles Wood, R. A. Mott, E. D. Gifford, G. W. Balch, Elder L. S. Pease, H. Riedell, Arch. Gibson, Charles Williams, Thomas S. Buckham, and others, were interested in the movement.
The first movement to establish an institution of learning in Faribault was in September, by a committee consisting of Rev. Solon W. Manney, Rev. E. Steele Peake, Messrs. Lloyd and Breck. At this meeting Messrs. Dike, Mott, Faribault, Paquin, and Boardman were designated to receive subscriptions of land or money.
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There was a robbery of the land office at Faribault, in Septem- ber of warrants to the amount of $40,000. They were, however, recovered, except four from the abstractor, Mason B. Clark, a postmaster, who lived at Sacramento, a place sixty miles west of Red Wing. The Catholic church at Faribault was burned on October 8. The structure had cost about $1,000. Early in the winter a literary association was organized at Faribault, Charles Williams was the president, and the other officers were, H. E. Barron, G. W. Jacobs, G. E. Cole, H. Chaffer, T. S. Buckham. The meeting served to make the residents acquainted with each other, and, to a certain extent, to reveal the mental calibre of those who participated in the exercises. The estimated improve- ments of the city of Faribault in 1857, amounted to $100,000.
1858. The leading men of the county early saw the necessity of encouraging the cultivation of the best in all departments of agriculture, and as early as January 22, 1858, met for the purpose of organizing ; and about the same time the young men of Fari- bault organized a students' literary association, which served its purpose in an admirable way. Faribault Mills, Warner & Buck- hout, were burned on February 5, and in March Mr. Sentill's mill in Faribault, was also burned. Soon after another mill burst a boiler. Graham's mill at Faribault, was burned on February 22. and also another on East Prairie, which was a serious loss to the whole community as well as to the owners. Dr. Charles Jewett, of Faribault really, although his farm was in Warsaw, in the winter of 1858, went east and gave lyceum lectures on the West, and Minnesota in particular, and also wrote numerous articles showing the especial advantages of this location, which, without doubt, was the direst means of keeping the stream of emigration flowing in this direction, with a good class of citizens. A ladies' Literary Association was organized in Faribault on February 7. The officers were: President, Mrs. H. A. Pratt ; vice-president, Mrs. T. S. Buckham; recording secretary, Ada E. Hiller ; corresponding secretary, Nellie Mott; treasurer, Mrs. Hudson Wilson ; executive committee, E. Whitney, Mrs. George B. Whipple, Mrs. A. E. Haven, and Mrs. J. H. Winter. On May 15, a meeting was held to see about organizing an Episcopal University. A lodge of Good Templars was instituted at Fari- bault on May 13, by Rev. Quigley, with twenty-seven charter members. Messrs. Judd & Dike put up a barrel factory at Faribault.
1859-1860. So far as is known, no Rice county newspapers for these two years have been preserved.
1861. June 5, Alexander Faribault commenced operations on a new flour mill on Straight river. The liberty pole in East Prairieville halyards were cut, causing considerable excitement.
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June 12, a barrel factory started. July 3, a very large and brilliant comet was noticed in the heavens to the west. The foundation for the Batchelder building at Faribault was finished. July 4, the celebration at Warsaw and a drill by the Warsaw company. June 31, report received from the battle of Bull Run, stated that Capt. Lewis McKune, privates Asia Miller, Merrick R. Patten, Chauncey Squires and William Mires of Company G, First Minn., were killed. The fight took place July 21. August 7, citizens of East Prairieville contributed $30.65 for the army hospital fund. September 3, county union convention was held in Faribault. Cromwell's foundry at Faribault was in full operation. Septem- ber 27, the third annual fair of Rice county was held. October 10, the Warsaw rifles and the Freeborn county rangers passed through Faribault on their way to Fort Snelling. October 17, the Faribault Ladies' Aid Society organized. October 30, grocery store opened in Faribault by Graham. December 18, Batchelder block completed. December 25, Thayer and Russell sold the Boston store to Deike, Gilmore, Judd and Brown.
1862. Leander Gagne, while at work on the roof of a church at Faribault, on June 18, fell a distance of thirty feet, and was instantly killed. The Baptist church at Faribault was built in this year. The fourth of July was celebrated in Faribault in the time-honored way, with Hon. James W. Taylor as the orator of the day. On July 7, there was a violent storm in Faribault and vicinity, doing great damage in its track. A daily mail was put on between Owatonna and St. Paul, via Faribault, in the summer of this year. The saw and grist mill of Morris & Melhorn, on the Cannon river, was destroyed by fire on Wednesday morning, November 26. This was the second mill burned there.
1863. Faribault had a tannery started by Mr. O'Brien. A brewery also went up that year. The Fourth of July was duly celebrated.
1864. The Congregational church at Faribault was com- menced in the summer of this year. An Episcopal church was completed at Faribault during the year. Early in the sixties, ginseng, an aromatic tonic root, exported to China, and used by the Orientals as a remedial preparation, began to be extensively gathered, as it is found indigenous to certain localities here. Ten dollars a day or more was often made by a single individual. On February 23 a fatal accident happened to Charles Babcock, who was caught in the mill of Dike & Co., at Faribault, and mangled in such a manner that he died in a few days. The first national bank was started in Faribault in May of 1864. When the cars began running, in 1864, a new stage route to connect with the trains was started by Burbank & Co., which reduced the staging considerably.
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1865. The census of Faribault was 2,339. Of these 1,216 were males, and 1,123 females. There were sixty-nine soldiers in the service at that time. In 1860 the population was 1,520. The Sisters of St. Clara Benton, five in number, arrived in Fari- bault in August to establish a school. The Central Minnesota Railroad got in operation as far as Northfield in September. During the year 1865 sixty buildings went up in Faribault.
1866. In the winter of this year the demand for more and bet- ter buildings was quite urgent. The Good Templars reorganized at Faribault on January 22, with a good list of charter members and capable officers. There was a legislative excursion to Fari- bault in the fall. Governor Marshall and other state officers were present. It was in the interest of the educational institutions. In April a meeting was held to see about the establishment of a Congregational college, which was subsequently located in Northfield. The corner-stone of the Shattuck grammar school at Faribault was laid with appropriate ceremonies on July 26. The total number of farms under cultivation in Rice county was 1,200. Number of sheep, 16,947. St. Mary's Hall was opened at Faribault, October 31.
1867. There were thirty-eight Sioux remaining in Faribault in July, when they were removed to their reservation in Ne- braska by Rev. S. D. Henderson, the agent for the purpose. The amount of building in Faribault this year was $178,000.
1868. The Shattuck grammar school building, which was erected in 1866, at Faribault, was burned on January 24. The citizens had a meeting on January 24, to see about having a city charter for Faribault. The chairman of the meeting was L. Dearborn; the secretary, R. H. L. Jewett. A committee, con- sisting of T. S. Buckham, Luke Nutting, George W. Batchelder, Charles Wood and T. B. Clement, was appointed, to report at a subsequent meeting. On January 3, the Minnesota Fruit Grow- ers' Association met at Faribault. A Board of Trade was organ- ized in August, at Faribault, with the following officers: Presi- dent, T. B. Clement ; vice-president, W. W. Knapp; treasurer, IIudson Wilson: secretary, Thomas Mee; corresponding secre- tary, G. F. Batchelder ; directors, D. O'Brien, W. H. Dike, Moses Cole and others. The Shattuck school at Faribault was formally reopened in October. The old school house in Faribault was sold this year for $356, as there was no further public use for the building. The new school house was completed in September, at a cost of $23,190. The population of Faribault was stated to be 3,424.
1869. Rev. Dr. S. W. Manny, who was connected with the Seabury mission, died. Lieut. John C. Whipple died February 5, 1869. He was at Fort Ridgely at the time of the Indian mas-
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sacre. Lieutenant Whipple was born September 12, 1823, near the corners of New York, Massachusetts and Vermont. When quite young he went on a whaling voyage, and was treated with such cruelty by his brutal captain that he ran away, and among savages had many thrilling adventures. He was a first lieutenant in the Thirtieth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, was a brave offi- cer, and was buried with Masonic honors. About this time Taope, a noted red man, started for the happy hunting grounds. He was always friendly with the whites. A plow and agricul- tural implement factory was started in Faribault this year. On June 14, Fleckenstein's brewery was burned. The Cathedral of Our Merciful Savior was dedicated on St. John's day, June 24. W. A. Heinrich, at his ashery in Faribault, in 1869, made 19,000 pounds of potaslı. The value of agricultural implements sold in Faribault in this year was $27,715. They consisted of 95 reapers, 47 horse rakes, 7 threshing machines, and 12 mowers. The Con- gregational church at Faribault was dedicated on October 12. In October of this year a Horticultural Society was formed.
1870. The German Catholic church at Faribault was opened in January. The freight business done in Faribault during the year 1869 was as follows: Wheat shipped, 69,492 bushels ; flour, 52,743 barrels; hogs, 398,660 pounds; total freight, 19,985,250 pounds. Early in February there was a destructive fire in Fari- bault, destroying several buildings. D. Stevens, carpenter ; and Smith, Mr. Sheeran, N. O. Winans, J. Berghlems, Rogers & Ste- vens, and others were sufferers. Rev. Mr. Riddell, who was well and favorably known here, died in Kansas in February. On June 28 the Shattuck boys had a regatta on Cannon lake. There were four boats in the race, and they made the distance of two miles as follows: Undine, 20 minutes, 14 seconds; Red Bird, 20 min- utes, 24 seconds; Rover, 20 minutes, 36 seconds ; Ariel, 20 min- utes, 56 seconds. A flag was presented to the winning crew by Emily Du Bois. In the evening there was a supper with the usual accessories. A Minneapolis boat club afterwards sent a challenge, but as no suitable boat could be procured, no contest was had with that club. The census for Faribault in 1870 was 4,371.
1871. The second regatta was on Thursday, June 8, 1871, at Cannon lake. The contest was between the Shattuck school, the St. Paul and the Tritonio Club, of the University. During the progress of the race the University boat filled and went under. The other boats stopped to rescue thie floundering oarsmen, and then the St. Paul crew pulled in and were declared the winners. Since that time boating has not been a specialty with the Shat- tuck Cadets. In May the old Van Brunt store was removed from the corner of Main and Third streets to the south side of Third,
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in the rear of the First National Bank at Faribault. This build- ing was put up by Vant Brunt and Misener in 1855, the lumber having been brought from Red Wing. A Turners' Society was organized at Faribault August 10, with the following corps of officers: President, C. E. Brandt; vice-president, A. Mueller ; treasurer, F. A. Theopold; secretary, W. Hendrick; instructors, Newsal and Herbst; superintendent, Mr. Kraft. Building im- provements in 1871, in the city of Faribault, amounted to $176,576.
1872. Hon. George W. Tower, the first mayor, was inaugu- rated on April 9. Dr. and Mrs. Hollis Howe celebrated the fif- tieth anniversary of their wedding, at Faribault, this year. The Memorial Chapel of the Good Shepherd, at Faribault, was dedi- cated, and assigned to the use of the Shattuck school on Septem- ber 24. Hill's furniture factory at Faribault was burned on November 22, involving a loss of $25,000. Seabury Hall at Fari- bault was destroyed by fire on November 28, entailing a loss of $20,000.
1873. The Faribault fire department was thoroughly reor- ganized on January 1, 1873. The steam fire engine arrived on February 7, after being sixty days on the road. E. N. Leavens was appointed postmaster at Faribault in the spring of this year. Quite a serious fire took place on April 10, at Faribault. The losses sustained were by Tuttle & Barnard, a meat market ; Spo & Dappings, J. Mccutcheon, George M. Gilmore, J. Stocklein, and a few others. The expense of this conflagration was about $6,000. In November, H. E. Barron had a reunion of his old friends at his hotel at Faribault. He came to Faribault in 1855, and built and started the Barron House, with E. N. Leavens as clerk. S. J. Jaques died on December 22, in Philadelphia, of typhoid fever. He was a promising citizen of Faribault, and was in the real estate and insurance business with H. W. Barry, and was succeeded by J. D. Green. He was secretary of the Board of Trade, and interested in other public enterprises. The Faribault Driving Park was opened on July 24. under the pat- ronage of the Cannon Valley Agricultural and Mechanical Asso- ciation.
1874. The Scandinavian Literary Society was organized on February 13, in Faribault. A constitution and by-laws were adopted, and officers elected, as follows: President, 11. A. Lar- son ; vice-president, O. L. Hamery : treasurer, A. T. Brondo- vold; secretary, J. J. Schey; assistant secretary, M. J. Holmen. In February a catamount weighing thirty-six pounds was shot within a few miles of Faribault. Presumably he was one of the last of his race in this section. Major Dike's house at Faribault was burned on May 14. On Sunday, August 2, an insane student
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of the Divinity School at Faribault, attempted to shoot Bishop Whipple. He started from the audience and walked into the chancel, where he raised a pistol to shoot the bishop, but he had forgotten to cock the weapon, and his arm was seized; others interfering, he was secured and subsequently sent to St. Peter. The Church of the Immaculate Conception, in Faribault, was consecrated on October 9, with imposing rites. A Building and Loan Association at Faribault was organized. C. W. Andrews was president.
1876. On February 22, the Masonic IIall at Faribault was dedicated with suitable exercises. William A. Shaw, of the firm of Carpenter, Smith & Shaw, clothing dealers, died at Faribault on March 11. Ile was a native of Seneca Falls, N. Y., and came here in 1857. He left a widow and one child. A veteran reunion of the First Minnesota Volunteer Infantry occurred in Faribault on June 15. An address of welcome was presented by Mayor Nutting. H. C. Whitney was the president of the Veteran Asso- ciation. The Grange Mill at Faribault was burned November 8, entailing a loss of $10,000. The new engine house in Faribault was built in this year, at a cost of $7,300. The flouring mill of Bean Brothers & Tennant, on the Cannon river, a mile and three- fourths from Faribault, was burned December 8, at a loss of $25,000.
1878. At the spring election of 1878, the question of "license" or "no license" for the sale of intoxicating beverages was sharply contested at the polls in Faribault, and the "no license" party succeeded in obtaining a majority on the direct question, but the other side elected their candidates for the several offices, which proved to be a distressing state of affairs. The telephone reached Faribault in the spring. A golden wedding on May 17 was a notable affair, the happy couple being Rev. and Mrs. J. Hoover. The Board of Trade was reorganized at Faribault on June 24. The most disastrous fire that ever happened in Fari- bault was on June 17 of this year. Almost an entire square was consumed, including two banks and ten stores; thie losses were estimated at $125,000, and embraced a lost list of sufferers.
1879. A company to erect and operate an amber cane sugar refinery was organized in Faribault in 1879, with a capital of $9,000. S. II. Kenney, John Mullin and I. B. Spencer were the officers. A windmill company was organized at Faribault in this year.
CHAPTER XI.
CHRONOLOGICAL EVENTS.
Incidents in the Life of the County from 1880 to 1910-Fires, Deaths, Marriages, Organizations, Churches, Crimes and Other Happenings in the Daily Routine of Rice County Progress-Culled from the Newspaper Files.
In this chapter are recorded the principal events in the his- tory of Rice county from 1880 to June, 1910. Doubtless many incidents of importance have been omitted, but the reader will find in this chapter thousands of items which are worthy of being preserved in this form, and which at the time of their happening occupied the attention of the people of the county. The nearly sixty years of Rice county's occupation by white settlers may properly be divided into two periods, the period from 1853 to 1880, and the modern period from 1880 to the present time.
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