USA > Minnesota > Rice County > History of Rice and Steele counties, Minnesota, Vol. I > Part 59
USA > Minnesota > Steele County > History of Rice and Steele counties, Minnesota, Vol. I > Part 59
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CHAPTER XXIX.
NERSTRAND VILLAGE.
Village Started by Osmund Osmundson-Coming of the Rail- road-First Building-Village Government-General De- scription-Business and Industries-City Hall-Fire Protec- tion-Fires-Telephones-Farmers' State Bank-Churches -Cemetery-Schools-Elevators-Creamery.
Nerstrand is a prosperous village, located in the eastern part of Wheeling township, about one and a quarter miles from the Goodhne county line.
It was platted in 1885 by Osmund Osmundson, who came here in 1856, and is still living, one of the most successful, hon- ored and respected pioneers of the county. For many years the present site of the village contained no buildings, but some- time in the seventies John Nelson erected a blacksmith shop. In 1877 Osmund Osmundson erected a store, on what is now the right of way of the Northwestern tracks, at the foot of Main street. This store was later moved to Second street, and is used as a dwelling. The first train through Nerstrand brought lumber from Eau Claire, for a store which Osmund Osmundson erected on Main street and rented to various persons. The store was conducted several years by Mr. Osmundson and II. N. Hegnes. The present proprietor is John G. Osmundson, whose accommodating personality has won him a wide trade.
The real beginning of the village was in 1885 when the Chicago Great Western railroad was laid through. A station was built that year and also two grain houses, one by W. E. Luce, of Red Wing, and the other by the Vandusen Grain Co. The latter is still standing and is used by H. C. Held as a ware- house. Both of these buildings, as well as the station, were on the east side of the tracks. The village was platted at once on the land of Osmund Osmundson, and rapidly grew on the west side of the tracks.
When the question of a name for the postoffice was consid- ered, it was desirable that one be selected which would be dis- tinetive and at the same time be acceptable to the authorities at Washington. Osmund Osmundson suggested the name of Nerstrand from his home village in Norway. The name was
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accepted. The meaning of the designation is evident even to the English-trained ear, meaning near-the-strand, old Nerstrand being near the ocean in Norway.
Since the platting of the village Osmund Osmundson has made two additions, and John G. Osmundson two, all of which have been duly recorded. The village has grown rapidly and now consists of a railroad station, two grain elevators, a cream- ery, a town hall, a school, two churches, many residences, the Nerstrand Hotel, of which Fred Hecht is the proprietor; two general stores, owned respectively by F. R. Koffman and John G. Osmundson; a hardware store, owned by Herman C. Held and Andrew Larson; a meat market, owned by W. E. Roth; a harness store, owned by Theodore Sherman; a wagon repair shop, owned by Louis Larson; a restaurant, owned by Ed. Bauer; a restaurant and barber shop, owned by Chas. Radtke; a blacksmith shop, owned by M. L. Chapman; a photograph gallery, conducted by Oscar Mosing, and a stock yard, conducted by the railroad. C. W. Adams, of St. Paul, has a lumber yard here, started by John Halberg, sold to the Wisconsin Lumber Co., and later to its present owner. The village has an excel- Jent fire company, and a tank from which the company secures its water for fire fighting purposes. The streets are lighted by gasoline arc lights, to the number of seven. These lights re- placed the old gas lights. July 13, 1904.
The village has excellent sanitary arrangements of cess-pools and drains, and good water is plentiful throughout the village, being reached by wells of an easy depth.
The streets of the village are Main street, whereon are sit- uated the principal business houses, Second street, south, which contains some pretty and comfortable residences, Second street north, Cherry street and Oak street.
The village of Nerstrand was incorporated in 1897. Jan. 30 of that year an election was held on the question of incorporation and passed, fifteen for and nine against. The inspectors of election were: T. E. Bonde, John G. Osmundson and H. N. Hegnes. Feb. 20, 1897, an election was held with O. H. Sten- bakken and Martin Baker as judges and Louis Larson, clerk. The following officers were elected: President, Chas. Bollen- bach ; trustees, John G. Osmundson, J. L. Wing, Andrew Enge- setter ; treasurer, M. S. Osmundson ; recorder, W. H. Helberg. Seventeen votes were cast. The election was for organization purposes only, and the officers served less than a month before their re-election March 9, 1897. In addition to the above officers the March election resulted in the selection of T. E. Bonde and John Helberg as justices of the peace. William Roth and H. C. Held were the constables, M. Baker the marshal and P. J. Ivig
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street commissioner. The present officers are: President, C. Bollenbach ; trustees, John Lechelt, M. S. Osmundson, H. W. Grote; treasurer, John G. Osmundson; clerk, O. N. Hegnes; justices of the peace, E. E. Bulin and K. A. Finseth; constable and marshal, G. N. Gardner.
Nerstrand City Hall. The original city hall of Nerstrand. which came into being shortly after the incorporation of the village proved inadequate for its purpose, and on April 29, 1907. the city council appointed two committees to consider building a new one. The committee on building consisted of C. Bollen- bach, L. Larson and O. N. llegnes. The members of the committee on the site were H. W. Grote. M. Osmundson and O. N. Ilegnes. The site committee purchased a lot on Main street from John T. Nelson at $300, adjoining the site of the old village hall, which was soon afterward torn down. The building committee secured plans from Thori, Alban & Fisher of St. Paul. The contract was let July 18, 1907, to A. F. Kuehl at $4,340, and the building was duly completed Dec. 11, 1908. The hall is a pretty structure of brick, two stories high, capped with a tower and a large fire bell. The lower floor houses the village board room, the fire apparatus and the jail. The upper floor is fitted up as a beautiful auditorium for meeting and enter- tainment purposes.
Fire Protection. May 8, 1901, a committee of three, H. C. lleld. C. Bollenbach and Ben Lechelt, were appointed to go to St. Paul and examine a steam fire engine. The engine and 700 feet of hose was purchased for $1,800 May 30, of that year. The following day it was voted to dig a well and build a reser- voir, the total cost to be $500. In July, 1901, the present stone engine house was erected. The reservoir has a capacity of 2.500 barrels and the engine is a thirty-horsepower steam one. throw- ing a stream having a pressure of one hundred and fifty pounds.
Up to the spring of 1902, there was no organized fire depart- ment, everyone turning out to fight fires, as occasion required. May 14, 1902, the city trustees were notified that a fire depart- ment had been organized with the following prominent men as members: O. N. Hegnes. A. II. Hensler, Ben Lechelt, Otto Loges, Louis Larson, K. Synstegard, J. C. Bauer, H. C. Held. S. J. Boelter, W. E. Roth. The officers were. chief, O. N. Hegnes; assistant, A. Il. Hensler; secretary. S. J. Boelter; treasurer, Otto Loges. The present officers are: Chief, A. B. Larson; assistant, G. Radtke; secretary, L. Larson ; treasurer, K. Synstegard. The company has 1,500 feet of hose, and a fine hose cart, which is housed in the village hall.
Fires. Nerstrand has had three serious fires. Some few years after the coming of the railroad. a dwelling house and
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blacksmith shop were totally destroyed by fire. June 2, 1904. the hardware store of Herman Held was destroyed by fire. It was replaced with a sightly brick building the same year. The store of the Veblin Mercantile Company was also destroyed by fire in the early days and was replaced by a brick block.
Four telephone companies operate in Nerstrand: the North- field Telephone Company and the Tri-State, with which it con- neets, and the Kenyon Telephone Company and the North- western, with which it connects.
Banks. A. W. Morton started a private bank here, but did not meet with success. His building was sold by the receiver to the Farmers' State Bank.
The Farmers' State Bank, of Nerstrand, was organized in January, 1906, and purchased the bank building erected by A. W. Morton. The first officers were, as the present : President, F. A. Kolling ; vice president, O. H. Stenbakken ; cashier, K. A. Fin- seth ; directors, the above, with F. R. Kauffman, C. Bollenbach, S. A. Wolf, Fred Ihlow, H. F. Latje, O. A. Veblin. The state- ment rendered at the close of business June 30, 1910: Resources -Loans and discounts, $109,308.80; overdrafts, $9.47; banking house, furniture and fixtures, $3,750; (due from banks, $18 .- 824.07 ; checks and cash items, $42.76; cash on hand, items below, $3,959.05 -- currency, $2,621; gold, $760; silver, $569.05), $22,- 816.88; total, $135,885.15. Liabilities -- Capital stock, $10,000; surplus fund. $2,500; undivided profits, net, $688; (deposits sub- ject to check, $22,629.05; cashier's checks, $1,670.01 ; total imme- diate liabilities, $24,299.06; time certificates, $98,398.09) ; total deposits, $122,697.15; total, $135,885.15.
Churches. Nerstrand has two churches, the German Methi- odist and the Norwegian Lutheran.
The Norwegian Lutheran congregation has two churches. The congregation was started the late fifties, in a farm house near the "Grove." A stone church was soon afterward erected on the west side of the "Grove." In 1894 two churches were erected, exact duplicates. One was near the old stone church and the other on Second street in the village. Rev. Berven serves the congregation. The official board of the congrega- tion is composed of Milton Asmundson, Eriek Halvorson, Henry Kvi, Ole Stenbokken (clerk), Andrew Engeseth (treasurer).
Cemetery. The village cemetery was not purchased until November 14, 1899, as previous to that date the church ceme- teries in the adjoining rural districts were used. The first burial in the village cemetery was that of Mrs. Mary Mettling. The cemetery is north of the platted village. It is well kept and set with evergreen trees.
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Schools. Previous to the organization of the village school. the children of the vicinity attended a school one mile to the north. May 2, 1887, Osmund Osmundson, T. E. Bonde and H. N. Hegnes gave notice that a meeting would be held May 14, at the store of llegnes & Osmundson, to organize school district No. 111. The district was duly organized and the fol- lowing committee appointed: S. A. Vesledal, H. N. Hegnes (treasurer), T. E. Bonde (clerk). Messrs. Osmundson, Vesle- dal and Bonde were appointed a building committee, and the present site on Second street selected. June 2. 1887, bonds to the amount of $880 were issued to the state. The building was completed in the summer of the same year, and still stands, an addition having been erected in 1895. The school consists of two rooms and covers the eight grammar grades of study. The present officers are: Ole Bergen, Charles Bollenbach (treas- urer), E. H. Stegner (clerk).
M. T. Gunderson Elevators. M. T. Gunderson owns two elevators in Nerstrand. One was erected by John Halberg, sold to W. H. Pierce, then to E. E. Bulen, and then to the present owner. It has a capacity of 25,000 bushels and does a general elevator, feed, flour and grain business. The other was erected by O. N. Hegnes in 1895, and was owned successively by B. B. Sheffield, W. H. Pierce and B. B. Sheffield again, until pur- chased by the present owner. It has a capacity of 10,000 bushels. Mr. Gunderson lives in Dennison and his interests are looked after here by O. N. Hegnes.
The Nerstrand Co-operative Creamery Company originated in a privately owned separator station. Then the company was organized and started making butter. Six years ago the pres- ent brick structure was erected. The product is large and noted for its excellent qualities. The present officers are: President, Frank Kolling: secretary and manager, George Kispert; treas- urer, H. H. Helberg; directors, the above and Fred Ihlow and H. Hope. J. N. Gardner has been the butter-maker for four years.
CHAPTER XXX.
WHEATLAND TOWNSHIP.
Location-Description-Early Settlement and History-First Town Meeting and Early Officers-Bohemians Assume Power-Wonderful Progress-Name of Veseli from Veseli in Bohemia-Churches-Societies-Early Events-Ceme- teries-Schools-Mercantile-Wheatland Village-Veseli- Lonsdale-Postoffices-Educational-Political-Summary- By F. M. Kaisersatt, Assisted by Joseph J. Rachac.
The township of Wheatland (Congressional township 112 north, range 22 west of the fifth principal meridian) is situated in the northwest corner of Rice county, being bounded by the township of Lanesburg, on Le Sueur county, on the west; the township of Cedar Lake, of Scott county, on the north; the township of Webster, of Rice county, on the east, and the town- ship of Erin, of Rice county, on the south. It consists of the regular thirty-six sections of a government township, the area being therefore thirty-six square miles, or six miles square. The general incline of the land surface affords excellent drainage, and in places the diversity is quite marked by a rolling surface, with a fair area of level land. In short, it may be described as an undulating plain, with the exception of a few parts, which are almost hilly. Formerly the town was thickly covered with heavy timber, being a part of the "Big Woods," of which very little was cleared for agricultural or any other purposes before the advent of the industrious arm, which undertook to lay the foundation for a change from a wilderness to a garden spot. Here and there were spots of what might have been termed brush prairie, but which in truth were very small areas of after- growth, and which afforded a slight relief to the man of the soil in following up the course of his system of clearing. These places were, of course, naturally the first to be cleared and pre- pared for cultivation. The natural features of the land surface afford excellent meadow land which are well adapted to hay; as is the soil of the whole town well adapted to the growing of grain, wheat being the chief staple.
Though there are not very many lakes in the town, and no river passes through the town, yet the scenery is quite beautiful
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-the very many well kept natural groves and the finished ap- pearance of the farms throughout the town present a spectacle that is, on the whole, most pleasing to the eye. There are but three lakes in this town which really deserve any mention at all. In addition to these, Phelps lake, which is mostly in the town of Erin on the south, extends into Wheatland, covering a larger portion of the southwest corner of section 32 and a smaller por- tion of the southeast corner of section 31. Phelps lake covers an area of about 360 acres, of which area about one-fourth is in the town of Wheatland. Even as late as 1854, Phelps lake, the lake on the north of it, and Rice lake were practically one lake. and the two lakes in Wheatland and Erin towns were known as Phelps lake up to the year 1856 and possibly later. Of these three lakes in the town of Wheatland, which are wholly located in the town, that part of Phelps lake lying wholly in the town is the largest of the three. It has ever since the year 1857 been known as Cody lake, sometimes called Wheatland lake, but most generally known as Cody lake, named, very likely, after and in honor of Patrick Cody, who had reared up a permanent home on its shores in section 32, and who had served the town for a number of years in various official capacities. Cody lake is a very beautiful sheet of water. It is almost wholly sur- rounded by high, wooded hills, which afford excellent scenery in season. The lake is a little smaller than Phelps lake. Its form makes it very interesting, being about three miles long and from a few rods to a half a mile in width. Cody lake re- ceives the overflow of the other two lakes in the town, which are located in sections 16 and 17 and in section 20. Both of these are small lakes, and are hardly entitled to such a desig- nation, and since the county diteh has been completed, their outward contour has perceptibly diminished towards the center. Nevertheless these two lakes were very notable in their time. as many an ambitious nimrod of the town could testify ; and as regards to that small lake in sections 16 and 17. that especially has proven of inestimable value, as it has been for years the source of ice supply in season for the inhabitants of the village of Veseli. This lake was at first named Cook lake. but in the early fifties, Zenas Y. Hatch, erstwhile chairman of the town board of supervisors, justice of the peace, and a pioneer settler of the town, took up a farm on the shore of this lake in section 16, and thereafter the lake was named Hatch lake, and that name is still in vogue. Though the county diteh has played havoe with this small body of water, to such an extent that it may in time be turned into meadow land, it will still be remem- bered as Hatch lake, the scene of a very sad accident, in which two prominent and esteemed citizens of the village of Veseli
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had lost their lives by drowning, and a third barely escaped, being saved only by the timely appearance of aid from the nearby village. The one in section 20 was named, at first, Metoggha lake, later Bushman lake. While that name does not apply at present, it really never received a permanent name, but bore several names. It was called after some French who set- tled near it, and at present it is called Rezac lake, after one of the prominent farmers living near it, Frank Rezac, who served in the Union army.
The soil of the town is of the finest black loam, extremely rich in composition. On the elevations, in various parts, is a mixture of clay, sand and loam. In very few parts is the soil purely clayey, nor are there any parts where it is exclusively sandy. There is quite a supply of boulder rock, which is ex- tensively used for building purposes, but on the whole there is not an oversupply. With the many natural advantages and the fact that the township is settled with people whose main rule in life is industry and economy, it is safe to say that the very best of results may be expected from Wheatland town.
Not only has Wheatland town a highly interesting past and present, but it has unmistakably a brilliant future before itself, and no doubt but the people of this town, through their marvelous energy and perseverance, will succeed in adding some highly interesting data to the future history and development of Rice county. That part of the state in which were found the "Big Woods," soon after its opening for settlement by congress, began to appeal to the homeseeker in spite of the hardships that were to be contended with. The very woods had as usual their fascination, and soon settlements began to spring up all over that part of the state named after that distinguished gentleman. later senator. Henry M. Rice, and even that part of the county of Rice specially designated as the "Woods" came in for their turn.
Among the first settlers who took up claims in what is now Wheatland town, and who really should be classed as those who broke down the barriers for civilization, were, in the fore- most ranks, the names of John Augustus Botset, Raimond Pacovsky (Patschowsky), John Markovsky (Markorwski), Jo- seph J. Frazier, John P. Cook, David S. McCormick, Jeremiah Wilson, Mathew Everson, Thomas Lambert and Louis Plai- sance. One of the above is supposed to have the distinction of being the first settler to reach this town. It is stated, on author- ity, that Frazier came in 1855. If it is true that Frazier came at that time, the records of the county would go to show that he must have found three members of the Slavonian race on the scene. Joseph J. Frazier, more generally known as Jack
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Frazier, was a half-breed, his father being a Scotchman, had some time previous to the year 1855 paid a visit to the Turpin's and other half-breeds, who had a small settlement on the shores of Rice lake, in the county of Le Sueur, and only two miles from the lake previously spoken of. and which they had un- doubtedly frequently visited in pursuit of game and fish, and of which they had very likely related to Frazier. Under the patron- age of Gen. Henry H. Sibley, who was his friend, Frazier came to these lakes on a hunting and trapping expedition, a most ideal place for such an occupation at that time, and undoubtedly Frazier, assisted by his half-breed friends from the neighboring county, acquainted himself with the territory embracing the three lakes, Rice lake, of Le Sucur county, and Cody and Phelps lakes, then known as Phelps lake, in the county of Rice; at that time these three lakes were practically one. The country, ideal as it was, attracted Frazier and consequently it is stated on authority that he made a claim in 1855 on section 32, on the neck of land stretching between Phelps lake and what was later designated as Cody lake. For five or six years he led a hermit life, living chiefly by hunting, trapping and fishing, While it was a settled fact that he had a natural aversion and dislike to the tilling of the soil, he is well remembered by many of the old settlers as a noted hunter and Indian warrior. He is remem- bered especially as being brave and good-hearted. Jack Frazier was at Fort Ridgley when it was invested by the savages, and broke through the lines of the enemy and gave the alarm at Fort Snelling, so that relief was sent. He was greatly attached to General Sibley, who undoubtedly recognized his abilities and force of character. In 1861 Frazier decided that "it was not well for man to be alone," and married. Ile continued to live on his claim until 1869, when, on February 23 of that year, the inevitable summoned him to that far beyond from which there is no return. At the time of his death, General Sibley wrote a sketch of his life, which was printed in the "St. Paul Pioneer Press." In memory of his old friend. General Sibley placed a slate at the head of his last resting place. Frazier is buried in the French Catholic cemetery, in section 29, near by the Cath- olic Church, and across the road from the school house in dis- trict No. 59. His grave was always an object of interest to the pupils of this school, who take pleasure in decorating the graves of the dear departed every Decoration day. During the year 1903 special exercises were held by the teacher, in decorating the graves of a Civil war veteran who was a member of the cavalry, and Frazier's grave came in for its share of respect, it being one of the very old graves, though at that time the said teacher knew not that in that grave rested the first settler, or
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the supposed first settler of the town. Had this been known to him, more honor and respect would have been paid the dis- tinguished hunter. In 1862. Joseph J. Frazier and his wife Jane sold all their land to Henry H. Sibley for $200, and con- veyed same by warranty deed. This, however, was not the first transfer in this town, but of that we shall give an account elsewhere. The widow, Jane Frazier, married again, to one Eli Clouthier, and in 1869 General Sibley sold the land back to her for the sum of $1,000, a fair profit in the course of six years.
About the same time Frazier was roughing it in section 32, Thomas Lambert, a native of Canada, and Baptiste Bushman, also from Canada, made their appearance in town. Lambert came here from West St. Paul in about 1855, and staked out a claim in section 29, but did not stay on the place, returning to Mendota the next year. In 1857, however, he came back and selected a place, this time in section 32. Here he remained till his death, the 16th of March, 1881. Bushman held on for six years, made some little improvements and then moved on to Nicollet county.
It is claimed that the first man after Frazier was Louis Plaisance, a French Canadian, who is supposed to have staked on Section 29, but sold out in 1858 and went back to Mendota, afterwards living in Minneapolis.
Whatever claims individuals may have to advance, it is a settled fact that the first settlements were of Scotch and Cana- dian French extraction, and, though they have not made a last- ing impression, it is well to bear in mind that these pioneers braved many a danger to retain a foothold, and are really not to be blamed for wishing for more civilized quarters in time, after they had opened the way. Two separate settlements were made at first, and they were almost distinctly separate. They were what may be termed the Scotch settlement and the French- Canadian settlement. Shortly after these were fairly established. the Irish settlement was made. It can be readily seen that Frazier had invited others of his nationality, and Lambert. Bushman and Plaisance were the advance guard for their friends, who subsequently founded the French settlement. No very hard lines should be drawn to distinguish one of these settlements from another, inasmuch as it was but a short time until there really was no distinction between settlements in the town, but all were merged together as one settlement. These we shall endeavor to treat separately only in the sense of their foundation, and as a mere matter of form. The first and per- manent settlement was founded by Frazier and his Scotch friends, and was for a long time known as the Scotch settle- ment; even in later days that part of the town so first settled
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