USA > Minnesota > Rice County > History of Rice and Steele counties, Minnesota, Vol. I > Part 61
USA > Minnesota > Steele County > History of Rice and Steele counties, Minnesota, Vol. I > Part 61
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"Town of Wheatland, ss. County of Rice. At the annual Meeting, April 5th '59. The Meeting was called to order by the Town Clirk at half past nine oclock in four noon, then Aur- villa Bodett was duly elected Moderator, Z. Y. Hatch and Pat- rick Cody Judges. Then it was put to vote Raise One hundred
HISTORY OF RICE AND STEELE COUNTIES 569
and Fifty Dollars to defra Town expencis and duly carried. Then Aurilla Bodett was nominated and elected to the office of over seer of Roads of District No. 1. J. W. Flavel was elected District No. 2. Lewis Martin was elected District No. 3. At the Town Meeting held at the house of P. O'Bryan in the Town of Wheatland and County of Rice, State of Minnesota, on the Fifth day of April, A. D. 1859, on Wich is entered the names of Each person Elected to the said Town Meeting as follows: Z. Y. Hatch, chairman of supervisors, elected, 38 votes; Charles Orr, supervisor, elected, 22 votes; Augustus Martin, supervisor, elected, 26 votes; Z. Y. Hatch, assessor, elected, 37 votes; Calib Vincent, collector, elected, 30 votes; Calib Vincent, justice of the peace, elected, 38 votes ; Peter O'Bryan, town clirk, elected, 37 votes."
These successful candidates had all duly qualified and entered upon their duties with a snap and vim that is characterized by their zealous keeping of the records.
The elections continued from year to year, little of vital im- portance to the present generation taking place until 1865, when John Ceplecha, whose two sons, Martin and Peter Ceplecha, have prospered in the town, was elected to the office of overseer of road district No. 3. Therefore Mr. Ceplecha has the distinc- tion of being the first of the Bohemians to hold office in Wheat- land town.
At the annual election in 1866, Joseph Kartak, a Bohemian, was elected supervisor of the town, with another Bohemian, Blazius Stepan, as justice of the peace. If the worthy gentle- men who were in politics thought it were a huge joke to put Mr. Stepan on the ticket and elect him justice of the peace just for the fun of it, they were evidently mistaken as to the abilities of Mr. Stepan, as it is a well known fact that he afterwards fig- ured in a serious case in which he laid down a rule which, if followed by the lower courts of the town today, would save the common people a whole lot of trouble.
The board of supervisors in 1866 was composed of Andrew Thompson (chairman), Gustavus Martin, Joseph Kartak, with Thomas Brown as town clerk.
At the meeting in 1867, another change is effected, Kartak refusing to run or being beaten for his place ; likewise were the other two members displaced by brand new ones. The next election, that is the election for the year 1868, was to be hield at the house of Joseph Kartak, and so it was, and Albert Hers- man and Thomas Oukrop, two Bohemians, were elected on the board, and John Ceplecha was elected treasurer. The third member of the board was John Montonr. Andrew Thompson was elected town clerk.
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The records of the town at this time were exceptionally well kept, which was largely due to the excellent qualifications of Hon. Andrew Thompson, and to a greater measure to the appli- cation of Mr. Hersman's system of conducting public business. Mr. Hersman was a veteran of the Civil war and a clean-man- nered, striet disciplinarian.
In 1869 the Bohemians gained complete control of the town politically, electing all the members of the board from their own nationality, and electing their own men to some of the other offices. Following is the list of the officers elected in the year 1869: John Sticha, chairman; John Zvanovec, supervisor ; Michael Ruzicka, supervisor ; John Ceplecha, treasurer ; Richard Browne, assessor ; Bernard Derham, town clerk ; John Zvanovec. constable ; Joseph Skluzacek, constable. With the exception of Philip Plaisance. Barney Derham, Thomas Plaisance, Thomas Lambert, Octave Caron, William Cody. Edward Cody, C. A. Remillard and Andrew Thompson, who seemed to represent two distinct factions, which occasionally fought it out. and who would by combination succeed to land in office, on the whole largely all the minor offices were filled by the Bohemian ma- jority, and the more important ones were filled by the minority. and so every annual election was an interesting affair, and every- body seemed to love the sport. For nine years the above named gentlemen controlled, until finally the opposing force became too great and somewhat more interested in the affairs of the town, and decided to take the reins of government into their own hands, and so we come to the election of the year 1878. memorable in some respects and less important in others; that is to say, it had the effect of an awakening for the present gen- cration, who realized that it was for their own benefit and for the benefit of their posterity to enter seriously into the discus- sions of matters pertaining to their local civil government. They began to realize that "taxation without representation" was in- deed tyranny, and it then began to dawn upon them that if they wanted a thing done well they were obliged to do it them- selves.
During the nine years immediately preceding the year 1878, while the French and Irish really ruled the town, there were yet some Bohemians on the board, as it would have been political folly to try to exclude them altogether, as they were in the majority ; yet it was done as often as prudence would admit of doing so. Among those who were in with "the boys who did things" were Albert Hersman. John Sticha, John Pavek. Joseph Skluzacek, John Zvanovec, John Matias, Thomas Lapic and Frank Sticha.
The election of 1878 gave the Bohemians complete control,
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with friendly Andrew Thompson for chairman; the other two supervisors being John Kalina and James Sticha. Joseph Matias was elected town clerk. There were 140 votes cast at this elec- tion. This practically is the closing chapter of the "ancient records," and what will follow hereafter is known almost to the very youngest voter of the town. It is true that after the election of 1878 the whole and entire official family of Wheat- land town consisted of Bohemians, and, if we are to judge from present conditions political, they have learned their game well. Wheatland town politics were always on the acute order, and at the present, it comes very near being the balance of power in Rice county.
In the meantime the progress of the town was something wonderful. About the year 1888 land was worth at least $50 per acre. Improvements were made along all lines, schools were beginning to emerge "from the dark ages," and every- thing pointed to a great and prosperous future. Before we begin relating what may be justly and for the sake of con- venience termed modern history of the town, it is but meet that we inquire into the early struggles of those people who have made Wheatland town what it is, for it is generally admitted by everyone who has any knowledge of the past of the town, that it is due mainly to the efforts of the Bohemian people that such marvelous progress was made possible. A very brief state- ment to the effect that they deserve great credit and honor in coming early and staying late will be sufficient to show the justice of their claims in asking for recognition. Besides the three whose names we have associated with Frazier and the first settlers, we had early on the scene-as early as 1860-the following, who have made their homes firm until the present day. They were: John Lapic, Joseph Kartak, James Pavek, Joseph Kutak, Matias Trnka, Vit Tupy (Klimes), Joseph Trnka, Martin Kopacka, Albert Kalina. And soon after these had fairly established themselves, so many more poured into the town that the names of all are too numerous to mention.
The hardships were of course the same as all other pioneer peoples have to contend with, save that it was doubly hard for them, inasmuch as they could not understand the English lan- guage. Lapic had served in the Union army. and the suffering of the wife, encumbered with the care of a large family, was something of a contention. There are now many who remem- ber the old days very distinctly, and their progress will be de- picted as closely as possible under separate captions, such as schools, churches, etc. For many reminiscences we are indebted to the excellent memory of the following, namely: John Vosejpka, Joseph Trnka, Sr., Wencl Smisek, Sr., Albert Smisek,
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Sr., T. Lapic, Mrs. Magdalina Lapic, widow of John Lapic, pre- viously mentioned, Frank J. Rachac. Joseph Pavek, and a few others who had so faithfully labored with us in obtaining the facts and information of the past history of the town. One of the gentlemen above referred to, and who by the way is him- self a wit, once remarked that the principal pivot around which everything in Wheatland town was turning was politics, and we venture to say that he, though jesting, came pretty near hit- ting the nail square on the head, and we wish to justify the character of the greater portion of our article on the "History of the Town" by stating that it was for the good of the town from a commercial standpoint that these people delved into the affairs of civil government-simply a key to their success. The effort had stimulated a desire in the younger generation for learning, and, though the progress from the start was rather slow. yet the effort was worth the pains, and it was destined to bear excellent results. Up to the year 1864 the land was prac- tically wild ; small clearings appeared here and there, but they were hardly sufficient to support the needs of a family. Roads were mere paths, and when established were regarded as paths, and men who were elected overseers were called in truth path- masters, and so they were. There are a dozen people living now who are excellent authority on the then existing condi- tions, and it gives them an unusual amount of pleasure to be able to see the marvelous progress that has been made in every way, and to witness all the wonders man's mind and arm can accomplish.
Even later than the year 1864 the clearings on the average did not amount to more than about ten acres a farm, if that. though some had a little more and some far less. It is stated on excellent authority that Octave Caron, a French-Canadian, had the largest clearing and was the most industrious worker of the pioneer settlers. He had, by the year 1864, quite an extensive farm, and his clearing amounted then to something over twenty acres. Others were shiftless and careless of their farms, so that instead of making any headway the land was slowly dropping back to the form of wilderness. When the first Bohemians, those who wished to settle permanently, came to town, they at once saw an opportunity for solid, hard work, and the prospects were anything but pleasing. They, however, went to their task with a determination that is bound to win and that eventually has succeeded. for Wheatland town is now among the best in the county, and has been brought to this distinction within a space of twelve years. For nearly eight years they had walked a distance of eight miles to their place of worship, that being at New Prague, in Le Sueur county, and
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likewise did they receive their mail there. Of course Mr. O'Bryan was postmaster, and later Messrs. Cody and Plaisance, but they could never get accustomed to having their mail sent to their home postoffice, and since they walked to church every Sunday it was quite easy for them to secure their mail then. But at that time even the New Prague postoffice offered not the best of service, to be sure, and then again correspondence was not indulged in to any great extent by these people ; hence that luxury without which we could not exist a week now, was not very much in demand by them. These people settled in a clump at first, in and around section 10; and there they finally decided to lay the foundation of a parish, where they might put up a house of worship and secure a priest to attend to their spiritual wants. Consequently a small frame church was put up, and the bounds of the parish were described. Just as the church was being completed, Wencl Smisek, Grandpa Smisek, who lived to the ripe old age of ninety-nine years, asked of his brother- in-law, Joseph Trnka, the following question : "What shall we name the place, Joe? We already have 'Trebon.' so we ought to call it "Veseli'" And thus the place where the parish church stood, and still stands, though now a modern edifice, received its name from the place of the birth of its founders.
Soon after a prosperous little village began to take shape around the little church on the hill, and Veseli was its name, to be sure. Nearly all the people, that is Bohemian people. who came to Wheatland town, came directly from Veseli or vicinity in the old country. Trebon and Budejoice (Budweis) had been previously established in Le Sueur, and Veseli had to be established in Rice. Trebon is the county seat of the place from which these people emigrated to the home of the free, and Veseli is the next largest city. This explains how the place received its name, and it is such a simple, yet historical affair, that nobody need get excited over it. But one truth should be remarked, and that is, these people knew nothing of the name of a "distinguished dissenter," at least "Grandpa Smisek" knew nothing of him, consequently he did not take him or his memory into serious consideration when he jocularly suggested the naming of the place. Neither did the ecclesiastical authori- ties have anything to do with its naming, and to be consistent, we wish to say that the whole ecclesiastical authority, as to building the church and naming place was vested wholly in the people, and they had exercised it to their own satisfaction, and without malice. (Thus by way of contradiction to the hasty conclusion of a former historian who has said that the name of Wesley was changed to Veseli for denominational reasons, the true story is told later in the present article.)
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CHURCHES.
Wheatland can not boast as to the number of churches. there being only three in the town, but it surely can boast of the antiquity of the first, and the architecture of the last.
In 1858 a French missionary, Rev. Father Augustine Ravoux. had secured a donation from Thomas Lambert of a ten-acre tract in section 29, and theron was built the first church in the town, and by the way, it was the second Catholic church in the county. The first building was all of native timber, being of course, made wholly of logs, and finished with lumber which was shipped in from St. Paul. The first mass, however, was not said in a church building, but at the house of Thomas Lambert. The ten-acre tract still remains to be church property. and now belongs to the parish of Lonsdale, Rev. Father Bouska, receiving a deed of conveyance some time in 1908. Father Keller, of Faribault. Minn., was the first priest in the church. which served up to the year 1869, when native timber was felled, converted into serviccable lumber, and the present build- ing now standing was erected. For many years Father Lieb was the priest in this church, later Father Slevin, now at Fari- bault, attended to the spiritual wants of these people, and the last was Father Fleming, who had died in 1909, at the time being a resident priest at Shieldsville.
Bohemian Catholic Church. As early as 1862, these people began to talk about building a church, though there were only about five or six families in the town. In 1873, there being just seventeen families in the town, it was finally decided that a house of worship should be built, and to this effect these hardy pioneers contributed most generously of land, labor and mate- rial. Thomas Lapic donated fifteen acres of land. John Zizka a like amount, Joseph Trnka donated five acres, and Albert Lamac donated also five acres. A suitable frame building was constructed and answered to the needs of the people for twenty odd years when an addition was erected. and in the year 1908 the present church. a magnificent Roman Basilica, was com- pleted at a cost of $30,000. The priest's house was built soon after the first church was built, and the first resident priest was Rev. Father Francis Simonik. The parish numbered seventeen families at its organization, and now it numbers about three hundred families. Rev. Simonik supervised the building of the priest's house, which is a very commodious dwelling. A parochial school was soon built, but samme was used for public school purposes. Mention of this school will be made under different chapter. The first mass said among the Bohemian people was at the house of John Zizka. and later before the church was
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completed, masses were said at Zizka's and Machacek's. These early masses were said by Revs. Kimmel, Povolny and Simonik. The residential priests were to date, the following : Rev. Francis Simonik, Rev. Libor Ligday, Rev. F. J. Pribyl, Rev. Robert Polasek, and Rev. Alfonse Kotouc. The first trustees of the church were Joseph Trnka, and John Zizka. Their compensa- tion was just simply immunity from pew rent, which was little enough, considering that they would take no more than one seat for their services as trustees. They together, with their priest, constituted the administrative body of the parish. Of these two, Mr. Zizka was president, and Mr. Trnka, treasurer. The priest always acting as secretary by virtue of his priestly office. For many years, without interruption, Joseph Trnka and John Kalina, even now prominent people of the town, held the position of church trustees and at the same time trustees of the school district, for at that time the parochial school being used for public school purposes, the one set of trustees served as the school board and also as the church board, all for the love of the thing. Later, however, the people accustomed them- selves to vote a fee for their trustees. Not that the people were not willing to do this before, but it seemed that the spirit of love reigned more supreme in those days of poverty and hardship. than at the present, yet all in all there is no real ground for complaint. The first Bohemian wedding took place in the house of John Zizka, when John Salaba was united in holy bonds of matrimony to Miss Trnka, daughter of Joseph Trnka. The ceremony was performed by Rev. Kimmel. The first recorded baptism among the Bohemian people is that of Jan Hlavac, January 6, 1879. This baptism was not the first one in town, but it is the first recorded baptism, that being the record of the first resident priest. Older records are at the parish house, in the parish of Heidlberg, Le Sueur county. The present church is well equipped, having everything arranged and supplied according to up-to-date ideas and conforming to up-to-date demands. The fifteen hundred dollar pipe organ is the pride of the community, considering the size of the place. Other arrangements, such as the baptismal fount, and the confes- sional, are such as to make some of those pioneers feel that there efforts were worth while.
The Church at Lonsdale, a new village, but exceedingly prosperous for the time it has been in existence, was built soon after the village was founded, and today is in charge of Rev. Father Francis Bouska, a zealous priest, who will undoubtedly labor as have done his predecessors in the village of Veseli, for the good of the people at large and for the good of the town and the village of Lonsdale in general. This parish has been organ-
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ized out of a part of the Veseli parish, and there certainly seems to be room for both. The church in Lonsdale, like the church in Veseli, is in excellent condition in every respect.
This sums up the churches in the town, though only three in number, they will always recall many reminiscences con- nected with the spiritual life of our predecessors, and will always stand as objects of interest and esteem. For their historical value, and for their distinction of being the only of their kind in the town that is representing alone the Roman Catholic denomination, they remind one of the bright side of our people and one almost wishes that if not their substance, their memory may forever be preserved.
SOCIETIES.
There are six fraternal organizations in town, namely: The A. O. U. W., the Modern Brotherhood of America, the Degree of Honor; and the Catholic orders are the Z. C. K. J. (Zapadni Cesko-Katolicka Jednota) Catholic Union, the K. D. (Katolicky Delnik) Catholic Workmen, and an independent lodge. the Z. C. B. J. (Zapadni Cesko-Bratrska Jednota) Western Bohe- mian Brotherhood.
EARLY EVENTS.
Among the very carly events of the town may be mentioned the births and deaths of some of the first settlers. Records of these events are available and it may add interest to our article to have these enumerated herein. Edward H., a son of Thomas and Rosalie Lambert, was born June 10, 1854. This record must be faulty, or it is possible that it was transposed, since Lamberts were not in town in 1854. However, this child became afterwards a permanent acquisition and made his home in section 29. Lonis, a son of Louis and Angeline Morton, was born June 11, 1857. Edward Plaisance was born June 12, 1857. Joseph, a son of Joseph and Julia Martin, was born in 1856, and died at the age of two years. Thomas Lambert and Miss Cecil Guartin were married in June, 1858, by Patrick Cody, Esq. Mr. Lambert lived until 1881, and his widow remained a resident of the town until her death.
CEMETERY.
It might be of interest to add a short history of the cemetery. the first burying ground in the town. This cemetery was always known as the French cemetery, although a great many Irish are buried there, some of the first settlers of the town and distinguished among their fellow men. Among these is that
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intrepid hunter and Indian warrior, Joseph J. Frazier, of whom we have made previous mention, and at whose head General Sibley caused a headstone to be placed and which is still stand- ing, doing honor to the memory of the once brave man. Among those who are buried there and whose names recall the days of suffering and privation, and whose date of demise thrills one with a sense of respect, the first was : (Mary V., daughter of A. and H. E. Grignon, died March 10, 1864; that is five years before Frazier departed this life. The respectable headstone at the head of the grave of Joseph Frazier bears the engraved date of February 23, 1869, with the following inscription : Joseph J. Frazier, died February 23, 1869, age sixty-seven years ; may his soul rest in peace.
One of the most interesting graves, however, seems to be the grave of a cavalryman. This grave had in general and in particular attracted the attention of the children of school district No. 59, who were wont to decorate the graves of these dead on decoration day. Amabe Chrispan, Company M. Second Minnesota cavalry. This simple inscription never failed to attract the children and commanded, as if by magic. their respectful attention. Ambroise Juaire, who lived to a ripe old age, was buried October 17, 1895, being then of the age of ninety years. The distinguished Justice of the Peace Patrick Cody. was buried here January 19, 1880, and the remains of his wife, Sarah, were buried beside his in 1885. Mr. Cody lived to be seventy-one years old, and his wife, Sarah, died at the age of seventy-seven. Their last resting place is marked by a magnifi- cent monument. J. Adalor, the infant son of P. and P. St. Amant, died in 1869.
Another early burial was that of Catherine McGay, wife of Peter Morgan, who died April 28, 1869, at the age of sixty-nine years. Her grave is marked by a beautiful headstone. Among others who are buried in this interesting and romantic place, and whose names will give us an idea of the complexion of the settlers of the town at that time as to their nationality, are the following : Thomas Lambert, F. Tirpin, Daniel and Margaret Sullivan, Catherine Mulhall, A. and J. Remillard. Stephen Bengeman, Clara Fabre, Marguarite Demars, Elmire Odette, Mary Gabrio, Angeline Martin, Domathild Montour, Augustin Plaisance, Antoine L'Heureux, Caroline Lemay, Margaret Berry, wife of C. A. Remillard, Alexander Perron.
The Bohemian parish at Veseli has two cemeteries, and the Lonsdale parish likewise has a cemetery, besides there is the National Cech cemetery located near Lonsdale, which was incor- porated by a Bohemian society known as the Western brother- hood.
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SCHOOLS.
The mother of districts in our town is District No. 59. This district has always been a progressive district and even today stands on an equal footing with any of them in town. The first school house was built of logs, of course, in a hollow on section 29, on land then owned by Battice (Baptiste) Bushman, now owned by James Ceplecha. In this log house school was kept, and though not exactly close by the roadside, it certainly was a "ragged beggar sunning." Ann Cody was the first teacher in town, and if we are to consult the records where Mr. Thomp- son, the town clerk, asks the board to levy the $30 voted to the teacher at the annual school meeting. we must arrive at the conclusion that if that was all Miss Cody was getting for her services, she certainly was not to be envied on account of her salary. Nancy Patterson and Jane Young were the next in order to "teach the young idea how to shoot." Some time in the seventies this log house fell a victim to the flames and a new frame house was put up in the northeast corner of the north- west quarter of section 29, which, by the way, at the present writing happens to be quite an old frame house, and which, as a matter of time has, besides the up-to-date "Manuel Smith System," excellent natural means of ventilation. Following the ancient teachers, came some home products, who had ideas of their own. of course, and who undoubtedly added much to the comfort of the studious youngsters, they were: Albert J. Sklu- zacek, John P. Vikla, Thomas Hovorka, Joseph Rachac. John Skluzacek, F. M. Kaisersatt, Annie E. Nestaval, Martin Vikla, and last, but not least, Josephine A. Pavek. The school always had a liberal set of trustees and lacks nothing in modern school improvements and apparatus.
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