History of Rice and Steele counties, Minnesota, Vol. I, Part 82

Author: Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn; Jewett, Stephen
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago, H. C. Cooper, Jr.
Number of Pages: 892

USA > Minnesota > Rice County > History of Rice and Steele counties, Minnesota, Vol. I > Part 82
USA > Minnesota > Steele County > History of Rice and Steele counties, Minnesota, Vol. I > Part 82

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1873. During this year another great financial panic oc- curred. Property values decreased to almost nothing. Money became very scarce and times extremely hard. The estimated population of Steele county, taking the number of school children as a basis, was 9,171. The school statistics for that year were as follows: Number of districts in the county, 70; total ex- penditure for building, teachers' wages, etc., was $21,081.43;

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number of schoolhouses, 70; value, $45,32I. Of the $21,081.43 expended, $12,595.78 was paid to teachers. During this year there were 750,000 bushels of wheat raised in Steele county-an average of 19.60 bushels per acre.

1874. The following item appears in the first issue of the "People's Press," September 2, 1874: "J. W. Morford, Esq., informs us that he raised on his farm near the city, from sixty- one acres, 1,700 bushels of the best wheat. Who can beat it?" Dr. Morehouse at that time was erecting his opera house, of which the "Press," in the same issue, said: "The public hall of Dr. Morehouse in this city, now in course of construction, will be one of which our citizens have good reason to be proud. It is large, extending from Bridge street to Main." In the first issue of the "People's Press," September 2, 1874, is found a lengthy account of the people's convention -- or, as it is entitled, the Democratic, Liberal Republican County Convention-held to nominate candidates for the various county offices. The follow- ing are the names of the gentlemen who participated in the pro- ceedings, as it may be of interest to readers in coming years : Hon. H. H. Johnson was elected chairman and R. M. Drake. secretary. Delegates were appointed to attend the congressional convention and were instructed to use every honorable means to secure the nomination of Amos Coggswell. The following is a list of the delegates who attended the county convention: Mer- ton -- Dexter Lane, T. J. Conlin, M. A. McAndrews and E. Smith; Medford-D. C. Hunkins, N. Parker, R. M. Drake, S. Freeman and John Karney; Aurora-Oscar King, Phenix Meyers. E. Stapleton, Amos Coggswell, Reuben Austin and Peter McCrade ; Lemond-II. M. Hastings, Hugh Murray, Gill Russell and William Gamble; Owatonna City-H. H. Johnson, G. H. Cole, J. W. Morford, James Patch, Julius Young, George B. Hall, S. M. Hastings, J. B. Soper, J. W. Hall, P. Brennan, E. W. Johnson, L. Bion, G. F. Albertus, M. A. Dailey, Howard Johnson, J. Oppliger, M. L. Deviny, E. Burk. H. W. Pratt, Herman Smith, Gilbert Potter. E. Tilden and Timothy Hennessy : Havana-J. S. Cass, Andrew Cass, James Cotter and J. S. Austin. A few weeks later the following ticket was put into the field : County auditor, J. P. Jackson ; register of deeds, M. A. Dailey : probate judge. James Cotter ; county attorney, Amos Coggswell ; county com- missioners, A. B. Clark and George O. Hankerson ; representa- tives, L. H. Lane and Ilugh Murray.

The Republican county convention for 1874 was held at Owa- tonna on October 10. George W. Green, of Clinton Falls, was elected chairman and C. C. Cornell, secretary. The list of dele- gates has not been preserved in the newspaper files from which this report is taken. Among those present. however, were:

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George W. Green. C. C. Cornell, E. Dart, H. Rulliffson, W. W. Wilkins, Moses Norton, T. H. Kelley, L. Mucky and W. Sher- man. W. R. Kinyon, of Owatonna, was nominated for repre- sentative. The following county ticket was placed in nomina- tion : L. S. Padgham, auditor ; E. A. Tyler, register of deeds ; L. L. Wheelock, probate judge ; J. M. Burlingame, county attorney. The "People's Press," on September 9, 1874, contained the fol- lowing item: "Of the many things worthy of comment is the enterprise shown by Messrs. Chambers and Mitchell in the erec- tion of the fine building that occupies the corner of Cedar and Vine streets. It is an honor to Owatonna and speaks highly for some of its business men." "Three fights have of late en- livened the usual quiet of our city. No lives lost."-"Press," September 2, 1874. Speaking of the condition of business in Owatonna, the same issue of the "Press" contains the following : "One of the surest indications of business is to see every house and storeroom in a town occupied. Conceding such to be the truth, we freely admit that Owatonna is equal to any city of like size in the state. Vacant rooms are scarcer than divines who support Theodore Tilton." Under the head of "Our Debut," the "Press" further says, in speaking of the advantages here found : "We consider the literary field in which we are about to labor as extensive and as fertile as any in Minnesota. We believe Owatonna is destined, enjoying as it does excellent railway com- munication, situated in the midst of the most fertile country in the world, and containing only one weekly paper and more than 3,500 inhabitants, to offer an excellent opportunity for the estab- lishment of a lively journal." "The names of the teachers in the public schools of Owatonna are as follows: Superintendent. C. W. Hall ; high school, Miss Henrietta Fellows ; teachers, Miss M. E. Bear. Miss L. Prindle, Julia A. Clark, Ida G. Warren, Mary E. Blood and Mary E. Mellen."-"People's Press," Sep- tember 9. 1874. "Never in the history of Steele county have our farmers been so far advanced at the season of their plowing as now."-"Press," October 14, 1874. In October, Eric Ericson was found dead about four miles south of Owatonna. He had left town at about 4 o'clock in the afternoon for home. The wagon- box was found upset and he lying dead on his face. It was sup- posed his cattle (he was driving oxen) had run away with him. October 30 a fireman named Martin Upper fell from the engine on a Winona & St. Peter Railroad express train into a bridge about one mile west of Owatonna. Having been missed, the train stopped and he was found hanging on to the bridge ties. He was terribly bruised but recovered.

1875. Late in February the schoolhouse in district No. 51, Summit township, was burned to the ground. In speaking of

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the matter, one of the local papers stated "that the ashes of an armful of burned hay was found among the debris, and it is supposed to have been set afire. An unsuccessful attempt was made some time ago to divide the district, and it is supposed some of the unsuccessful ones took this manner of revenge." Early in the spring of 1875 it was discovered that the springs northeast of Owatonna possessed medicinal qualities. A short time afterward a mineral spring company was organized at Owa- tonna, for the purpose of improving the "plant," with a capital of $10,000. They secured qualitative analysis of the water from Prof. Sharpers, state assayer and chemist of Massachusetts. He pronounced it as closely resembling the Bethesda spring, at Waukesha, Wis., and found it to contain bicarbonates of lime and magnesia, sulphate of lime, chlorides of soda, potassa, silica, alumina and carbonates of iron. In April, 1875, Prof. Bodie, of Milwaukee, pronounced the water of the springs superior to the famous Bethesda spring of Wisconsin. About this time the grasshoppers were devastating the western part of the state, al- though Steele county had so far been free from trouble on that score. The "Press," however, on March 31, 1875, contained the following item: "Considerable curiosity, if not a little excite- ment was caused yesterday by a man from Crane Creek bring- ing in a lot of young grasshoppers, supposed to be the species that have been devastating the frontier. But persons who saw those on the frontier readily distinguished them from these. So our citizens need not be at all alarmed." On May 5 the cooper shop belonging to J. D. Holden, in Owatonna, was burned to the ground. Total loss, $1,500; insurance. $500. On Sunday, May 30, 1875, a sad accident occurred a few miles south of Owatonna, on Straight river, by which John Windro, of Somerset township, lost his life. It seems that a Bohemian named Antone Slazek started out hunting and went to the house of the deceased, who was of the same nationality. After fooling with the gun in the house for some time, he placed a cap upon it and pointed the muzzle toward Windro, saying: "I will shoot you." Windro dodged, and in taking down the gun it was accidentally dis- charged, killing Windro almost instantly. Slazek was arrested by Sheriff Toher, but the grand jury, after examining the facts and evidence bearing on the case, decided that the shooting was accidental and the prisoner was discharged. The wet weather during the summer season of 1875 proved disastrous to crops in Steele county as well as in the balance of the state. On Novem- ber 14 the old pioneer log residence of Elder Town was destroyed by fire ; loss. $500.

1876. "The house of Amus Krat, on section 11. Aurora town- ship, neighbor of Cord King, was destroyed by fire a few days

HISTORY OF RICE AND STEELE COUNTIES :81

ago. The inhabitants narrowly escaped with their lives."- "People's Press." January 26, 1876. In May a band of four three-card-monte men, who had been operating in and about Owatonna, were captured. On May 17 they had swindled J. Bower, of Brown county, out of $42, and he had put the officers on their track. The marshal took after them and found two in the vicinity of the old Owatonna house. They ran down Bridge street, followed by a large crowd, to the river, jumped in and endeavored to cross, but the river was very high and they were caught by men in a boat. Two more were afterward caught and locked up. When arraigned they gave their names as G. H. Richardson alias Top Rogers, John Manning and Edward Burke. They were sentenced to jail for sixty days. On February 20, 1876, the house of J. Clarke, of Somerset township, was totally destroyed by fire. It was occupied by Walter and William Kenyon. Loss, $700. In May, 1876, four head of cattle be- longing to J. S. Bixby, of Aurora township, were killed by light- ning. May 16. the stable and granary belonging to George Naylor, in Merton township, were struck by lightning and burned. including contents, consisting of a span of horses, three cows, 500 bushels of wheat and 100 bushels of oats. When Mr. Naylor discovered the fire, he sent his little girl to a neighbor, Mr. Feastons', for help, but on arriving there a large dog jumped upon her and bit and tore her in a dreadful manner. For several days the life of the little girl was despaired of, but she finally recovered. June 20, Christian Schuelke, a German in the employ of H. D. Lewis, in the northern part of Meriden township, was struck by lightning and instantly killed. He was thirty years old and left one child. On examination it was found that the lightning had struck him in the breast and passed through the body and out at the boots. Early in July, Abidan Ressler, a boy of fourteen, was drowned in Straight river at Clinton. Tuesday morning, September 12, Mrs. John Bradshaw, living on the south line of the town of Owatonna, met with a serious accident. Her son had a large horse-pistol and pointed it at her; she, thinking it was not loaded, did not notice, when the boy somehow dis- charged the pistol and the contents struck along the left side of her neck and head. One shot pierced her left eye near the center, and another the corner of the right eye. Dr. Blood was called and after examination thought she would lose the sight of her left eye. The "People's Press," of September 30, contained the following in relation to grasshoppers: "Reports from the west- ern part of the county are to the effect that grasshoppers are laying eggs and that eggs already laid are in good condition. Small number have already hatched, but not enough to amount to anything. They are mostly in the towns of Lemond and

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Berlin. We have them. There is no use worrying about it; all we can do is to accept them, plow as usual in the fall, plant next spring, and if the grasshoppers hatch in any great numbers, as they probably will, all that we can do is to fight them as potato bugs in former years. Every farmer in the county should take precaution and not burn a load of straw, as the article can be made very useful in their destruction." The following account of a sad accident appeared in the issue of the "People's Press," dated October 14: "Last night Charles Dailey, while taking down his gun, by accident nearly fatally shot his sister Maggie. The gun was loaded, and as he took it down the hammer was pulled back, and falling on the cap discharged the load. The charge struck his sister Maggie (who was in range with the muzzle of the gun) between the neck and shoulder, passing obliquely downward, cutting out part of the collar bone. The main artery beneath the collar bone was untouched." One of Blooming Prairie's earliest settlers, Thomas Bray, died Novem- ber 6, 1876, aged fifty years. He had been a universally kind man and was esteemed by all who knew him. At the presiden- tial election this year, there were 2,539 votes polled in Stcele county, of which R. B. Hayes, Republican, received 1,581, and Samuel J. Tilden, Democrat, 958.

1877. Monday evening, January 9, the alarm of fire was sounded at Owatonna, and a crowd rushed to the Central block, to find that the roof of the rear of Melvin & Fox's building was in flames. All the stores in the city being shut up at 8 o'clock, this was also closed and no one there. The front door was soon forced open and the crowd took a lot of clothing out, but the fire being under the roof and under good headway when discovered, they were soon driven out. The building joining immediately on the west, occupied by Downie Bros., was also in flames. as the wind came from the southeast and blew the flames directly against it. When it was seen that this building must also burn, the crowd rushed in and carried out goods until kept out by the heat. The building occupied by Melvin & Fox was owned by the Hon. Lewis L. Wheelock, and valued at $1,000; insured for $600. The building occupied by Downie Bros, was owned by E. Scannel, and was valued at $1,400, and insured for $800. Melvin & Fox had their stock insured for $2,500. The stock of Downie Bros. was insured for $3,000; loss, $4,500. Wednesday, February 21-While down in a well, D. B. Potter met with an accident which came very nearly proving fatal. Over 200 pounds of dirt and rock fell a distance of twenty feet, striking him on the shoulders and back. Good care brought him on the street again, though somewhat lame and sore. Mrs. Mary H. McAn- drews, aged seventy-six years, died at the residence of Henry

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McAndrews, in Merton township, on March 24. She was born in County Mayo, Ireland, in 1801. Francis C. McAndrews died in Deer Lodge, Mont., January 25, 1877, of consumption. He was one of the old settlers of Steele county, having gone to Montana for his health. The funeral of Mrs. William Pepper, which took place Sunday, April 25, was very largely attended. The Odd Fellows of both lodges in Owatonna turned out and honored the memory of their dear departed sister. The funeral services were held at the Universalist church, which could not accommodate the people that attended. Mrs. Pepper was greatly beloved by all who knew her and left a large circle of mourning friends. Mrs. J. W. Morford died at Owatonna on May 14, 1877. Mrs. Morford was born in Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, March 24, 1827. She was married October 9, 1849, to J. W. Morford, and in 1856 moved to this county with her husband, thus being among the earliest settlers. The following incident of her life in the pioneer times of this country will be read with interest, and give an idea of some of the trials endured: "Mr. Morford's claim was about three miles east of town. He lived on his claim, yet attended to his business in town, generally going home each night, when not detained too late by his business. Whenever he was detained in town, Mrs. Morford would spend the night at Mr. Odell's. On one of these occasions, in November, 1856, Mrs. Morford, having waited until somewhat late for his return, started for Mr. Odell's. After walking, as she thought, far enougli to reach the house, she looked about her, but could not see the shanty. After wandering about some time, she con- cluded she was lost. She did not despond, for she knew day- light would set her right, and, coming to a thicket, she wrapped her shawl around her and lay down to sleep. Next morning she awoke and started for home. Seeing a shanty she stopped to inquire her whereabouts. No one answering her knocks, she went in. Things looked strangely familiar to her, and upon closer scrutiny found it was her own home. She had become so completely bewildered that she did not recognize it until she saw the familiar furniture. Robert Adair, one of the earliest settlers in Havana township, died June 7, of paralysis. He was seventy-one years of age. The "Press," in its issue of June 9, contains the following article in relation to the devastation of the grasshoppers : "Last Saturday and Sunday the hoppers had hatched out so plentifully in the towns of Meriden, Lemond and Berlin, in this county, that the inhabitants lost no time in com- ing to town to secure tar and 'dozers.' Almost every farmer in the infested district had a machine and were successfully fighting them. But little damage has been done, and, by the. use of dozers, the crops were kept in good condition." A serious

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stabbing affray occurred in the town of Somerset on June 31, in which W. R. Knickerbocker and a man named Barker were badly cut by Frank Herdina and several others. The "Journal and Herald," in speaking of the grasshoppers in August, said : "We expect we shall not chronicle the departure of the hoppers until winter. Almost every pleasant, warm day, when the wind is from the northwest, they can be seen in large numbers, going southeast. None alight, and none fly if the wind is from any other direction. Where they go is a mystery. It is reported that a swarm lit down in Oakland county, Michigan, and an- other swarm in the northern part of New York and Vermont, in both places devouring everything." On Thursday, September 27, a destructive fire occurred at Blooming Prairie. The losses were as follows: The elevator of Pratt & Robinson, $3,500; insured for $3,800. Wheat in the same, 2,800 bushels; 1,800 bushels belonging to farmers, of which Ole Ille had 1,100 bushels, insured for full value. The warehouse of C. Whitton, valued at $300, containing 600 bushels of wheat, 1,000 bushels of oats and 800 bushels of barley. In November, Charles R. Pate, a traveling agent for the "Atlantic Weekly," committed suicide at the Arnold house, Owatonna, by cutting his throat from ear to ear with a razor. Ill health was the cause assigned. On December 5, 1877, Benjamin Arnold, an old and respected citizen of Owatonna, committed suicide by shooting himself in the head. Four pistol balls had penetrated his brain. "Tired of living," was the cause assigned. He was one of the oldest settlers, having located in Steele county in 1855 with his wife, who died in 1876. The Arnold house was at one time his property.

1878. On January 22, Peter Ganzer's brewery, at Owatonna, was burned to the ground. The loss was estimated at $20,000, on which there was an insurance of $6,000. It was supposed that the fire originated in the dry kiln. January 28, another disastrous fire occurred in Owatonna, by which Julius F. Young's jewelry store was totally destroyed. But little of the stock was saved. On stock, furniture and building there was an insurance of $7,000. On February, 1878, a serious shooting affray oc- curred at Owatonna, through which Thomas Langon lost his life. It seems that Langon, in company with several others, had been celebrating during the evening, and the city marshal, S. Stowers, attempted to arrest one of them, when Langon kicked the marshal in the face and chiest, and fled. Stowers started in pursuit, and after ordering Langon to halt several times, fired three shots which took effect, and he died several days later. A coroner's jury was convened, composed of W. A. Dynes, Charles Schoen, George B. Hall, James Thompson, T. H.

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Kelly and H. Hartshorn, which rendered a verdict in accord- ance with the above facts and exonerated Stowers. On Febru- ary 15, Phocion Turtelot was murdered at Owatonna by Claud Van Alstyne, while they were engaged in getting out ice on the Straight river. Van Alstyne was tried and convicted and sen- tenced to state prison for life. A meeting of the old settlers of Steele county was held on July 13, 1878, at Morehouse's opera hall, Owatonna, for the purpose of organizing an old settlers' association for Steele county. On motion of Dexter Smith, David Lindersmith was elected chairman, and J. W. Morford, secretary. It was resolved that the chairman appoint one or more from each township to draft a constitution and by-laws to govern the organization. After this, on motion of John Shea, the meeting was adjourned to September 14, but nothing further appears to have been done. At about 4 o'clock Tuesday after- noon, September 10, a fire broke out in Paddock & Bickford's foundry at Owatonna, destroying the building and most of the contents. The stock and building were valued at $3,200 and insured for $600. On Wednesday evening, September 11, Fred Anhaldt, a German, in Meriden, committed suicide by shooting himself. On Wednesday, September 18, a son of E. Norton dis- appeared. He was ultimately found drowned in about half a tub of water. The little fellow was supposed to have been leaning over the side, playing in the water, when, losing his balance, he fell in and it resulted fatally. Meriden station, on Tuesday night, September 24, was the scene of a robbery. An unknown man entered the bar-room of R. G. Rosenau's saloon and called for a glass of beer, which was given him. At this time a masked man stepped in, supposed to be a confederate, holding out a large pistol, which he pointed directly at the bar- tender, and the two men soon transferred the contents of the money drawer to their pockets and took to their heels. On Wednesday morning, October 23, a shooting affray took place at the residence of Samuel Finley. It appears that E. A. Wilder, a son of Finley's wife by a former husband, entered the room of Mr. Finley, and, on being ordered out, pulled out a loaded pistol and discharged two shots at the old man, one grazing the top of his head, cutting a furrow an inch long, the other taking effect in his right cheekbone, and passing through his ear, causing a bad wound. He also discharged a third shot at John P. Finley, who came to the assistance of his grandfather and who lived with him. The young man was arrested. The "People's Press," in speaking of the affair, said: "After getting sureties and having the appeal papers ready, in the case of E. A. Wilder, those in charge of the matter finally concluded to let him stay in jail six months rather than carry his case to the supreme court or pay

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his fine." On Sunday, December 15, Williard Wheaton was killed. While driving along the mineral springs road, where it passes under the railroad track, his horse became frightened, throwing him out upon his head on the frozen ground, so affect- ing his spinal cord as to paralyze his whole body, causing his death. Crops were very poor in Steele county in the year 1878, therefore money was scarce in 1879. In the fall of 1878 several highway robberies were committed in and about Owatonna, the victims being but little worse off, financially, yet put to consid- erable trouble in the way of holding up hands, etc. The robbers, being too lazy to get into a man's wagon to search him, would make him get out, in this way saving their strength for future use should they be compelled to run. Some of the victims are mentioned as follows: Orrin Searle, of $4 cash, watch and gold chain; C. B. Wilkinson, of $5; Mr. McMillan, of $2. Alois Rishavery was killed in Summit township, Wednesday, Decem- ber 5, while attempting to jump out of a wagon when the team was running away. George Robinson, aged seventy-two years, died December 16, of cancer. He was a man highly esteemed by all who knew him, and his death caused a feeling of general sadness throughout the community. Statistics of Steele county for the year ending December 31, 1878, show 405 births and 156 deaths, an increase of 249 over the previous year.

1879. Dr. J. A. Aikin, of Owatonna, died January 4, 1879, of paralysis, aged sixty-four years. About 2 o'clock Sunday morning, January 17, a fire broke out in G. W. Chesley's art gallery, and in a few minutes the entire roof was in flames. The room underneath was then occupied by Skinner & Jewett, gro- cery and boot and shoe dealers, and in trying to remove the stock from the store about half a dozen men were caught by the burning ceiling falling in upon them. All escaped, however, but one had his hands badly crushed and burned. The building of Mr. Chesley was valued at $4,000; insurance, $2,200. The stock of Messrs. Skinner & Jewett was valued at about $2,000; insured for $1,500. Jolin Wamons, an aged Bohemian, met with a fatal accident Saturday, January 18, while going home with a load of bran from Owatonna. It is supposed that in going down the hill south of town, beyond the Catholic burying ground, he lost his balance and fell head-foremost from the load, killing him by dis- locating his neck and breaking in his skull. John Barney died very suddenly of apoplexy Friday morning, January 31. At 12:30 o'clock Sunday, February 8, a fire broke out in Hammond's building, on west side of North Cedar street, burning off the roof and the front of the upper story. Total amount of insurance on building and stock was $1,000; damage about $800. Sunday, February 16, 1879, a fire broke out in the rear of E. M. More-

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History of Rice and Steele counties, Minnesota, Vol. I, Part 82

Author: Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn; Jewett, Stephen Publication date: 1910 Publisher: Chicago, H. C. Cooper, Jr. Number of Pages: 892

Author: Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn; Jewett, Stephen
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago, H. C. Cooper, Jr.
Number of Pages: 892