USA > Minnesota > Rice County > History of Rice and Steele counties, Minnesota, Vol. II > Part 4
USA > Minnesota > Steele County > History of Rice and Steele counties, Minnesota, Vol. II > Part 4
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82
The organization of the school system of the county, accord- ing to the territorial plan, was to have as its head a county superintendent of schools, and in the election of 1856 we find that Ezra Abbott was elected to that office. The number of school districts in the county then was thirteen and the number of teachers was fifteen. Following is the list of county super- intendents, beginning with 1864, the period between 1862 and 1864 being under a different plan. (The legislature changed the system in 1862, dividing the county into three districts, in each of which the county commissioners were to appoint a super- intendent.) The following persons were appointed: R. G. Lin- coln, first district : Harvey Chapin, second district ; Dwight Gor-
831
HISTORY OF RICE AND STEELE COUNTIES
den, third district. In 1864, the law being changed back to county supervision, the county commissioners appointed A. A. Harwood county superintendent and fixed his salary at $200 a year.
Mr. Harwood was succeeded by Hon. A. C. Hickman. F. J. Stevens succeeded him in 1868, and Mr. Stevens was succeeded by O. A. Tiffany. The terms of service are not given for the reason that no record was available. Rev. G. C. Tanner was the next county superintendent and held the office until 1887, when he resigned. J. D. Brown was appointed to fill the vacancy and held office till 1890, when E. G. Adams was elected, and held office for four years. In 1894 C. L. Whitman was elected, and served but one term. In 1896 Frank Carleton was elected, and served one term, when W. V. Kasper was elected and served two terms. In 1902 A. E. Kenyon was elected and in 1904 C. L. Davis was elected, serving two terms. In 1908 Steele county for the first time in its history elected a lady to the office of county superintendent, in the person of Grace G. Randall, who occupies the position at the present writing.
OWATONNA SCHOOLS.
About 1860 or 1862 the settlement of Owatonna had suffi- ciently increased to call for a larger building, and a frame school house, with two rooms, was built by Elder Towne, which building was used until removed in 1902, and is now changed into a dwelling house on East School street. As teachers for this school Katherine Adair, sister of the present (1910) high school principal, Esther E. Adair, was one of the teachers. A picture of these two teachers, and their children is at present in possession of Esther E. Adair.
In 1865 a special charter was granted to the city of Owa- tonna, making the territory of the city of Owatonna in the county of Steele, to constitute one school district, and under the control and direction of a board of education. As members of this board of education the following persons were elected, as per record, now in the possession of the board of education : A. Towne, term three years, second ward; S. Hotchkiss, term three years, first ward ; D. W. Burch, term one year, third ward ; D. S. Harsha, term one year, at large; C. L. Tappan, term two years, at large.
April 10th, 1865, the meeting for organization "met according to law, in the principal school house of said city, and organized by electing Rev. A. Towne, president, and Rev. C. L. Tappan clerk, by ballot."
These minutes, and the minutes from that day to this,
832
HISTORY OF RICE AND STEELE COUNTIES
are complete and continuotts, and well kept. At this first meet- ing it was decided to have three terms of school during the year, of three months each, and that they employ two female teachers for the first (summer) term.
"Adjourned for 5 minutes, by order of the president, to read the local news, at the expiration of which time business was resumed."
It was also voted that school commence the first Monday in May, 1865. April 20, 1865, another meeting was held, and Mary E. P. Smith was elected at $7 a week, and Mary E. Blair, at $6 a week. May 25, 1865, another meeting was held and this record is found :
"In view of the crowded state of our schools, it was voted to open another department, viz .: grammar department, and Messrs. Towne and Harsha were appointed a committee to pro- cure a suitable room for the same and report next Monday evening." At the appointed meeting the committee reported that they were unable to proctire a room. At this meeting they "voted to hire the Baptist church, if it can be obtained, for the grammar school." June 1st, 1865, a meeting was held, and the following appears: "Voted to hire C. T. Andrews to teach the grammar department in the Baptist church, 7 weeks, beginning next Monday, and to pay him $60 for the same. Messrs. Burch and Tappan were appointed a committee to hire Mr. Andrews and grade the schools. Mr. Burch was appointed to procure pail, dipper and broom."
The fall of 1865 the schools began the first Monday after Thanksgiving, and later it was found that a fourth teacher was necessary, and the same was provided to begin in January, 1866.
At a meeting of the board held January 8, 1866, I find the first record of rules and regulations to govern the schools, which are as follows: 1st, The schools shall be divided into three depart- ments, styled the primary, intermediate and grammar depart- ments, and the studies pursued in each shall be uniform. 2nd, Every pupil in the intermediate and grammar departments of the school shall be required to read and spell at least once each day. 3d, There shall be no profane or indecent language used by any pupil in attendance at the schools. 4th, There shall be no rude or boisterous play in the school rooms and no marring or defacing of either school room or furniture. 5th, Every pupil in the grammar and intermediate departments who shall be tardy or absent shall be required by the teacher to bring a written excuse from parent or guardian, and no pupil shall be dismissed during school hours without a written request from parent or guardian. Provided further, that whenever such excuses and request shall number five, the teacher shall report
833
HISTORY OF RICE AND STEELE COUNTIES
said pupil to the board, and refuse to admit him to school until he present a written statement from some member of the board entitling him to admission. 6th, Composition and declamation shall be maintained in the grammar department, and declamation in the intermediate department every week. 7th, Any pupil wil- fully violating, or refusing to comply with any of these rules, shall, upon due proof being given, be expelled or not, at the option of the board, during the remainder of the term in which such offense is committed."
It is quite noticeable that much time, during these earlier years, was spent by the board in employing teachers, as they were almost entirely employed for a term of three months, when they were either reemployed or others employed to take their places.
May 5, 1866, a district meeting was held for the purpose of voting $2,500 worth of bonds "for the purpose of purchasing sites and building two school rooms in the district." The bonds were voted. And from half the issue the minutes show the purchase of the Baptist church. September 14, 1867, an ad- journed meeting of the qualified voters of the district was held, which meeting was addressed by Mark H. Dunnell, state super- intendent of public instruction. At this meeting it was voted to bond the city of Owatonna, school district number one, to the amount of $20,000, for the purpose of purchasing a site for, and the erection of, a central school building. The bonds were voted to be issued at 10 per cent, but later I find another meeting called for the purpose of authorizing the payment of 12 per cent, as no money could be procured at 10 per cent. The change was voted, but a change in amount was also made, to $15,000. Feb- ruary 17, 1868, at a meeting of the qualified voters, the site for a central school building was selected, which was the present site of the high school building, and on March 2, 1868, the board resolved to build a central school building on the site previously selected. The building was to be of red brick, and three stories high, with nine foot basement. Plans and specifications were prepared by I. I. Fuller, for $100. Contract for building was given to I. W. Dresser and D. Marble, April 27, 1868, for $14,419.
August 27, 1868, the board, at a regular meeting, elected W'm. L. Butts principal of the schools at a salary of $1200 a year. Up to this time C. T. Andrews seems to have been the principal. In the reelection of Prof. Butts for the fourth year, June 3, 1871, he was elected principal and superintendent. This is the first time the title of superintendent is applied. Prof. Butts was at head of the schools until 1873, when he was succeeded by C. W. Hall, of Mankato, who occupied the position for two years,
834
HISTORY OF RICE AND STEELE COUNTIES
when C. W. Clinton was elected, and served for three years. On the official record I find the following interesting item : "The night of January 7, 1873, and the day following are recorded as having experienced the most severe and destructive storms that have been known in the history of Minnesota. At about 3 o'clock in the afternoon the wind changed from the south to the northwest and continued increasing in power until it became one of the greatest electrical storms ever known in the North- west. So much so that messages were readily sent after the batteries had been disconnected from the wires. The loss of life along our northern and western frontier has been terrific; over 200 persons are known to have perished during the storm. Comparatively few lives have been lost in the southern and east- ern portions of the state. The air became so filled with drifting snow that it was impossible to distinguish objects at more than ten or twelve rods distance, and often not more than four rods. Mercury going no lower than 18 degrees below zero."
At a meeting of the board September 5. 1876, Prof. Clinton presented the following high school course of study, which was the first on record, and, as the record shows, was adopted, after some discussion :
"High school course of study, 1876 .- First year, first term : Arithmetic, practical and mental ; reading ; physical geography : United States history ; grammar ; spelling ; language lessons ; drawing (optional) ; penmanship. First year second term : Arith- metic, practical and mental; reading; United States history ; algebra, to factoring; grammar ; language lessons; physiology ; drawing (optional) ; spelling: penmanship. First year, third term : Arithmetic, practical and mental ; language lessons ; draw- ing (optional) ; algebra, reviewed ; spelling ; penmanship; read- ing ; United States history, completed ; grammar. Second year, first term: Algebra, continued; word analysis; penmanship ; school composition ; United States constitution ; drawing (op- tional) ; natural philosophy ; spelling : general history. Second year, second term : Algebra, completed ; word analysis ; penman- ship; school composition; United States constitution ; drawing (optional ) ; natural philosophy ; spelling ; general history. Sec- ond year, third term: Algebra, reviewed; word analysis; pen- manship; natural philosophy, completed; United States consti- tution, completed; drawing (optional) ; school composition ; spelling ; general history. Third year, first term: Geometry ; English literature; chemistry ; rhetorical exercises; political economy ; analysis of English language. Third year, second term: Geometry; geology ; chemistry, completed; rhetorical exercises ; analysis of English language; English literature. Third year, third term: Geometry, completed; elements of bot-
835
HISTORY OF RICE AND STEELE COUNTIES
any; elementary astronomy ; rhetorical exercises; English liter- ature; analysis of English language."
August 29, 1879, Prof. J. C. Bryant was elected superintend- ent, Prof. Clinton having resigned. Before the opening of school for this fall, the above course of study was slightly modified, principally by the addition of Latin in the second and third years. The rules and regulations were also changed, rather brought down to date, and were in much the form and sentiment as at present in force. The course of study was changed at different times, making it stronger with each change, and also making it harmonize with the work in other high schools and enabling the graduates from this high school to enter colleges and universities upon their credentials and without examinations. Not until after 1890 was the course extended to a full four-year high school course, with four years of Latin offered, and two years of Ger- man offered. Changes have been a necessity in later years in order to add to the work the special lines, and give our young people an opportunity to secure the varied lines offered to young people in other communities and cities. Thus in 1901 music and drawing were added as a regular line, in charge of a special teacher. In 1907 manual training and mechanical drawing were added, and are in charge of a special teacher. During this same year the kindergarten was opened as a part of the public-school system of the city, in charge of a teacher and one assistant. This addition to the public-school system was made possible by reason of a perpetual endowment in the sum of $5,000, left for that pur- pose by Hon. II. H. Rosebrock, a public-spirited and philan- thropic citizen for many years. In 1909 the line of work was further extended by the addition of home economics, in charge of a special teacher. One further addition, that of agriculture, is being planned, and it is expected to put into operation a special course in agriculture, in charge of a trained person in that line of work.
The first class to graduate from the high school was in the spring of 1877, and consisted of seven young people, four boys and three girls, two of whom are at present citizens of Owatonna. viz .: Alice L. Hold (Mrs. George R. Kinyon) and Charles L. Pound. Since that time, with the exception of 1878 and 1881, graduation exercises have been held, and classes have increased in size until the present class numbers forty-nine. The manage- ment of the school has been quite uniform and successful, the ruling principle being to maintain a high standard. and give the young people of Owatonna the benefit of the best that can be provided. Tenure of superintendents and teachers has been based upon the principle that successful individuals should be retained as long as possible. Fewer changes in superintendencies
836
HISTORY OF RICE AND STEELE COUNTIES
have been made than in most places. Mr. Bryant left in 1882 and was succeeded by Hon. George B. Aiton for many years, and at present state high school inspector, who remained but two years. A. W. Rankin was elected in 1884, and remained until 1889. Mr. Rankin is at present professor in the College of Education at the state university. G. F. Kenasten was here from 1889 to 1892; B. T. Hathaway, from 1892 to 1893; L. II. Ford, from 1893 to 1899, since which time the writer has occupied the position.
At the present time there are, including the Kindergarten building, which is famous for having been Steele county's first court house, five buildings: The high school building, erected in 1883, to take the place of the one erected in 1868, and burned to the ground in 1882; the Mckinley building, erected in 1895 and 1899, corner of Rose and Grove streets; the Lincoln building, erected in 1885 and in 1902, on the original school site; the Jef- ferson building, on the west side, corner of Bridge and State streets, erected in 1904, and the Kindergarten building, above mentioned. The entire number of teachers employed, including the superintendent, is thirty-five. The board of education con- sists of one member from each ward ( five) and two at large, mak- ing it consist of seven members. The levy for school purposes is $20,000. To this is to be added the state appropriation, amounting to over $4,000, and the state high school aid, which now is $1,750 annually.
The enrollment has reached 1,275, of which number 260 are enrolled in the high school. The class of 1910 consisted of eighteen young men and thirty-one young ladies-forty-nine in all-the largest class so far graduated from the schools. The board of education at present consists of: George Parrott, presi- dent; W. C. Zamboni, secretary; W. W. Kinyon, treasurer; R. H. G. Netz, Guy B. Bennett, M. R. Caslıman, Anton Seykora, Jr .; P. J. Kuntz, superintendent, ex-officio member.
CHAPTER XIV
MILITARY HISTORY
Steele County in the War for the Preservation of the Union- First War Meeting Held-Company Marches to Faribault and Is Mustered in at St. Paul-Enlistments and Bounties- Military Districts-War Record of Those First Enlisting- Names of the Soldiers from this County-Grand Army Or- ganizations-Old No. 5 Post-McPherson Post-James A. Goodwin Post and Corps-By E. E. Bigelow, M. D.
The county of Stcele, which was organized in 1855, and in 1860 had a population of but 2,863, was only six years old, and the state scarcely three years old, when the pioneers were called to the defense of their flag and nation, then threatened through the secession of the Southern states from the Federal union, and the dogs of war were let loose by what had, during the winter months of 1860-61, developed into a confederacy of the Southern states, and an open rebellion to the government at Washington, which was ushered in by a direct attack by armed forces upon Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861. At this time Alexander Ramsey, governor of Minnesota, chanced to be in Washington, and imme- diately sought Secretary Cameron, and in writing tendered 1,000 soldiers from Minnesota in defense of the government, which offer was presented to the president and by him accepted. The governor telegraphed the same to the adjutant general of the state, with orders to make a call for troops. On receipt of the news of the call at Owatonna, although Steele county was but sparsely settled, its citizens loyally responded, and immediate steps were taken for the enlistment of volunteer soldiers for the ninety-day service.
At a war meeting called at the old Morford Hall, the room was packed by a crowd of enthusiastic men and women. Among the patriotic speakers was Lewis MeKune, of Waseca, who had come over to Owatonna for the occasion, and who added greatly to the enthusiasm of the meeting through an eloquent arraign- ment of the rebellious states. At the close of his address he stepped forward and headed the enlistment roll, which was in quick succession signed by Samuel Dwight Morford, Anton Schimek, Andrew Collyer, Merritt B. Patten, Alvin Phelps, Ed- ward Phillips, Oscar Gross, Henry Borchert, George W. Crooker,
837
838
HISTORY OF RICE AND STEELE COUNTIES
Fredelin Bool, Merritt B. Case, William N. Card, M. M. Curtis. Frank Dickenson, Charles E. Davison, James L. Dubois, Jerome Farensworth, George J. Hopkins, Anthony Jones, Francis F. Livingston, Irvin W. Northrup, Martin Patterson, Walter S. Reed, George P. Sawyer, James T. Sawyer, John E. Strothman, George Thom and Theodore Williams, making an honor roll of twenty-six able-bodied men. These men marched, under the strain of martial music furnished by David Lindersmith as fifer and Elder Thomson as drummer, to Faribault, where they were joined by other contingents from Faribault, Waseca, Dundas and Northfield, and organized into a full company, with Lewis McKune. captain ; Nathan S. Messick, first lieutenant, and Will- iam E. Smith, second lieutenant. The company went immedi- ately to camp at St. Paul, and was mustered into the service of the United States as Company G. First Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, April 29, 1861, just seventeen days after Fort Sumter was fired upon and fourteen days after the president made his first call for 75,000 ninety-day men, the First Minnesota having the honor to be the first regiment mustered into service on that call. Before leaving the state a request was received from the president that a re-enlistment of the regiment be made for a period of three years or during the war, which was unanimously responded to by the regiment, and it went to the front as such, not having to be remustered into service at the expiration of the ninety days. Considering that this regiment of men either came from the farm or from one or another branch or trade or profession, and that all contingencies had to be provided for, there probably was not another regiment during the war's con- tinuance so quickly organized and taken to the scene of military activity as this one. During the continuance of the war Steele county made a record for promptness in furnishing her quota of soldiers at every call from the president which she can justly fecl proud of. Considering that the population of the county at the breaking out of the rebellion numbered only 2,863, all told, and that 412 of her able-bodied young patriots volunteered and gatlı- cred at rendezvous, leaving their all at home, either in the care of wife or aged parents, freely jeopardizing their lives upon the altar of their country, all old as well as new comers into the county should look back to those carly days of the county's efforts with great satisfaction. As the census figures would show, 75 per cent of the able-bodied men of the population of the county went out to defend Old Glory and what she represents.
During those "times that tried men's souls," the "copperhead" element in Steele county was not sufficient to become very noticeable, except in a very few instances, when the offender was given twenty-four hours to move out of the county or to be
839
HISTORY OF RICE AND STEELE COUNTIES
moved from earthly strife altogether-a warning he learned to heed.
In its official capacity, too, considering the stringency of money matters in those early days of Western pioneering, Steele county was magnanimous in the provisions made for supplying bounties to her volunteer soldiers, and in addition to which nearly every township in the county provided a special bounty as a sort of emergency relief work. On August 4, 1862, President Lincoln made his fourth call for additional troops. Reliance for providing bounties in Steele county had to a great extent been placed upon private subscriptions, which had become inefficient, and there had been no provision on the previous tax assessment roll for war purposes. Consequently, on August 12, 1862, Alex- ander Chambers, then chairman of the board of county commis- sioners, convened the board in special session. Of the three members of the board, Mr. Chambers and Benjamin F. Melvin were present, Hiram Fredenburgh not being able to come from Summit. At this meeting of the board, the sum of $50 was appropriated for each volunteer who should enlist in answer to the call and be mustered into service, and it was ordered that the bounties should be paid in installments of 10 per cent of the whole amount to the married men at the end of each month thereafter until the whole amount had been paid; single men to receive one-half of the full amount at the end of six months and the balance at the end of the first year of service. At a sub- sequent meeting of the board, held on September 12, 1862, the full membership being present, a change in the manner of the payment of the bounties was made, in which it was ordered that the 10 per cent payments upon the bounties appropriated should be made at the end of each month, and the county treas- urer was instructed to call upon all persons who had subscribed to the bounty fund and solicit their subscriptions, that the monthly payments could be met when due. On January 9, 1863, at a regular meeting of the full board of county commissioners, the county treasurer informed the board that there was no money in the treasury with which to meet the monthly install- ments then due volunteers. The board instructed the county auditor that upon the presentation of an order upon the treasurer by any volunteer, there should be issued to him the amount of the installment due him, in county scrip, bearing 10 per cent interest.
On April 8, 1863, at a special meeting of the county board. called for that purpose, the county was divided into districts for the election of officers for military purposes; each district to have one captain and one first and one second lieutenant, the districts being arranged as follows: The First district was to
840
HISTORY OF RICE AND STEELE COUNTIES
include Aurora and Dover (now Havana), and the meeting and election was to be held at the residence of A. B. Clark; the Sec- ond district was to include Somerset and Summit, the election to be held at the school house near Mr. Bills' house; the Third district was to include Berlin and Lemond, election to be held at the residence of J. W. Crosby; the Fourth district was Owa- tonna, election to be held at the school house ; the Fifth district was Merton, election to be held at town meeting place; the Sixth district was to include Clinton Falls and Medford, election to be held at residence of David Sanborn; the Seventh district was to include Meriden and Deerfield, election to be held at the school house near John O. Waumumetts' residence.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.