History of Wabasha County, Minnesota, Part 18

Author: Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn. cn
Publication date: 1920
Publisher: Winona, Minn. : H.C. Cooper
Number of Pages: 1222

USA > Minnesota > Wabasha County > History of Wabasha County, Minnesota > Part 18

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Mazeppa Lodge, I. O. G. T., had a flourishing organization for several years. It was instituted on January 31, 1883, under the auspices of Col. J. T. Long, state organizer. There were forty charter members, with officers as follows: W. W. Day, P.W.C.T .; S. H. Wyatt, W.C.T .; Clara Preston, W.V.T .; W. H. Day, W.R.S .; Murray Philley, W.F.S .; D. L. Philley, W.T .; J. B. McManus, W.C .; Hazen Runnells, W.M .; Mary Marshall, W.I.G .; L. S. Judd, W.S .; Lodge Deputy, Lucy J. Bigelow.

The Women's Christian Temperance Union at Mazeppa was first organized on April 15, 1878. The last meeting under this organization was held in April, 1879. On September 24, 1881, a new start was made with the original number.

The People's State Bank of Mazeppa was incorporated May 25, 1909, and received its charter August 5, 1909. The first officers and directors were: G. H. Squire (president), Nick. Arendt (vice-president), Arthur J. Hodge, (cashier), Matthias J. Hart, R. F. Budersiek, J. J. Darcy, A. R. Hawkenson, F. W. Kingsley, all of Mazeppa, and William Manthei, of Zumbrota. The bank opened for business in its present sightly building, September 13, 1909. The original stock was $10,000, increased January 10, 1911, to $20,000 and November 13, 1919, to $25,000. December 31, 1910, the deposits were $51,552.81, the loans and documents $47,601.91; December 31, 1915, the deposits were $175,363.13, the loans and discounts, $150,307.57.

December 31, 1919, the capital and surplus and undivided profits were $36,932.12; the loans and discounts, $365,716.35; the deposits, $411,832.49.

Mr. Squire is still the president and Mr. Hodge the cashier. Mr. Arendt died as vice-president and was succeeded in January, 1915, by Fred Grossbach. When the bank was opened Frank A. Hodge was assistant cashier. He was succeeded by Art. S. Hodge, the present assistant. The bank has been especially active in agricultural endeavor and has made a specialty of cattle loans. The present directors are G. H. Squire, Fred Grossbach, M. J. Hart, F. W. Draheim, A. R. Hawkinson, A. J. Hodge, J. J. Darcy, Otto Goetsch and Bertha Arendt. Bookkeepers have been employed from time to time, the present one being Antonio Hoffman.

The Bank of Mazeppa had its beginning in the fall of 1886, when H. T. Fowler, formerly of the Batavian Bank of St. Paul, started a private bank here. Business was started October 10, 1886. The bank was incorporated January 2, 1888, with a capital of $10,000. The original stockholders were: Prosper

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Robinson, Theo. Maas, J. W. Kingsley, E. L. Ford, William Robinson, C. F. A. Maas, H. T. Fowler, J. B. Gregoire, W. D. Angell, Anthony Casper, D. L. Philley, O. D. Ford, W. H. Mack, Walter Fowler, Peter Engelhart, Philip Arendt, Francis Reding, Elmer E. Fowler. The Messrs. Maas were living in Pine Island, Messrs. Arendt and Casper in Bell Chester, Mr. Reding in Bell Chester and Walter Fowler in St. Paul. The first officers were: O. D. Ford, president; H. T. Fowler, cashier. The directors were H. T. Fowler, E. L. Ford, D. L. Philley, Philip Arendt, Prosper Robinson, J. W. Kingsley, O. D. Ford, C. F. A. Maas and W. H. Mack. April 7, 1890, E. E. Fowler was elected cashier, H. T. Fowler having resigned. E. E. Fowler died in the fall of 1894, and on September 19 of that year L. L. Mathews was elected to fill the vacancy. Mr. Mathews re- signed December 31, 1904, and the present cashier, A. F. Liffrig, was elected to fill the vacancy January 10, 1905. Theodore Maas, the president, succeeded O. D. Ford, January 14, 1902. The present officers are: Theo. Maas, president ; C. F. A. Maas, vice-president; A. J. Liffrig, cashier; Georgia Erwin, bookkeeper. The directors are: Theo. Maas, C. F. A. Maas, J. W. Kingsley, Peter Engelhart, The institution was

W. G. Kingsford, Sarah Kingsford and A. F. Liffrig.

chartered as a state bank December 24, 1891, and started business as such, January 2, 1892, the stockholders being John Miller, Lewis Klingsporn, Francis Redding, E. E. Fowler, J. B. Gregoire, J. W. Kingsley, C. F. A. Maas, Anthony Casper, Orville D. Ford, E. L. Ford, W. H. Mack, William F. F. Maas, August Klingsporn, William Robinson, Addie M. Gilman. The directors were O. D. Ford, J. B. Gregoire, E. L. Ford, W. H. Mack, C. F. A. Maas, J. W. Kingsley and E. E. Fowler. At this time the capital was increased to $25,000. The bank has been in the same building since it first opened its doors. It has been an important factor in the life of the community for over three decades and has had its share in its progress and growth. The deposits on January 2, 1892, were $50,414.93, the loans and discounts $51,361.29. The deposits on December 31, 1900, were $81,509.47; the loans and discounts $76,519.23. The deposits on December 31, 1910, were $233,470.00; the loans and discounts $180,416.71. On December 31, 1919, the capital was $25,000, the surplus and undivided profits $14,202.54, the deposits $395,917.73.

MAZEPPA TOWNSHIP.

Mazeppa Township occupies a part of Township 109, Range 14, that part east of the south fork of the Zumbro River having been set off to Zumbro. It is bounded on the north by Chester, on the east by Zumbro, on the south by Olmsted County and on the west by Goodhue County. The northern part is cut by the Zumbro River, and its northern branch, Trout Creek.

Much of the township was originally covered with a dense forest growth. Except along the water courses the timber is now for the most part cleared off, although nearly every farmer has a small grove, and many have timber lots.

This region abounds in natural curiosities. Near the junction of Trout brook with the Zumbro river is a cave in the side of the bluff. This is prob- ably fifteen feet high and nearly as wide, extending thirty or forty feet into the ground; a small passage at some distance above the floor of the cave runs back as much farther. The side, roof and walls of the cave are solid lime- stone rock and are covered with Indian hieroglyphics representing the leading birds, fish, and game animals of the region. There are numerous other charac- ters whose significance is known only to a few. It is said by some of the early settlers that the Indians who remained here after settlement were made re- fused to enter the cave, saying "the devil lives there." It served as a shelter for some of the early prospectors after claims, and their horses and some of the first settlers lived here for a while.

In the fall of 1883 a well was dug in the rear of W. W. Day's livery barn on Walnut street, Mazepppa, and well preserved pieces of wood were taken from it at a depth of over forty feet. They appeared to be some kind of willow,

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HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY

and the circumstances clearly show that an immense deposit of soil has been made since they grew. Roots and pieces of timber were encountered at vari- ous depths. Several similar discoveries have been made in digging wells in the vicinity.

The first settler in Mazeppa Township was Ira O. Seeley. He visited this locality in the fall of 1854, and being pleased with the valley where Mazeppa village now stands, decided to squat upon a claim there, and to that end erected a bark shanty on the west side of the river, not far from the present site of the milldam. Returning to Wabasha for his family, he became con- vinced, on reflection, that the valley of Trout Brook afforded greater advan- tages for general farming purposes; so when he came on with his family next spring he located on section 5. Immediately after Mr. Seeley came Enoch Young, Joseph Fuller and G. C. Sleeper, all making claims on sections 4 and 5. In April of the same year came Joseph Ford and his son, Orville D., and George Maxwell. During the same season Anson L. Carrier, Nelson B. Smith, Turner Preble, Francis A. Stowell, John E. Hyde, Elijah Lont, J. B. Miller, James H. Sandford, Lewis Blunt, George Duncan, Charles Fox, Isaac Nicholls, George Bailey, and possibly others visited the township.

When the first settlers came to Mazeppa, the Indians were plentiful. They cultivated some land on the Zumbro River to raise corn. They often camped in the east end of what is now Mazeppa village. They were friendly to the whites, and often engaged in tests of marksmanship with the men.

An incident in the experience of Dr. O. S. Lont will illustrate the severity of the winter of 1856-57. One day he set out with a team to visit a patient seven miles away across the prairie. A furious snowstorm came on and he succeeded in going only four miles and was housed up four days. At the end of this time, with assistance, he was able to make his way through the drifts back to Mazeppa. In the meantime he had not seen the patient, and the feelings of his wife, who was at home alone and knew nothing of his whereabouts, cannot be easily imagined.

G. W. Fowler was among the earliest settlers. On one occasion he killed a fine deer and proceeded to carry the carcass home. On the way he was pursued by wolves, and was compelled to abandon the venison to them in order to save himself. The first coffin made in the town was put together for an Indian by Mr. Fowler.

Mazeppa Township is crossed by the main road between Lake City and Rochester. During the summer of 1855 Messrs. Ford and Maxwell staked out a road to Red Wing. The stakes were made of saplings and peeled, so that one could be seen in daytime from the location of its nearest neighbor. Thus it was comparatively easy to find the way across the prairie. In the succeed- ing fall, I. T. Nicholls set about the erection of a mill, and to this end em- ployed Mr. Maxwell to go to Red Wing after lumber. Maxwell reached Red Wing one afternoon in time to get a load on his wagon ready for a start in the morning. During the night a heavy rain fell, and next morning both load and roads were heavy. With two yokes of oxen he set out on the return to Mazeppa. At dark he had covered two-thirds of the distance, and found his wagon stuck fast in a slough. In making an extra effort to move the load the tongue of the wagon was broken, and no tools or material for repairs were at hand. In this dilemma Maxwell set out to reach home with the oxen, leaving the wagon and load. But now a new difficulty arose. The stakes that guided his course were not visible in the darkness, and he was several times at a loss as to directions, and nearly the whole night was consumed in reaching home. Next day he returned with means for repairs and succeeded in reach- ing Mazeppa with the load. Not a house was to be seen on the way, and the traveler was obliged in those days to depend wholly on his own resources.

The Gold Fever days in this vicinity are still remembered in this vicinity. The base of operations was at Oronoco, in Olmsted county, where a mining

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company was formed. In 1856 gold was discovered on the river bank by Holden Whipple, who lived near the junction of the north branch with the main stream. Search showed the existence of minute particles of the precious metal all along the stream, and a considerable quantity was found to exist in the village of Oronoco. In the fall of 1858 a company was organized for the pur- pose of systematic mining, and sluices were erected on section 22. Here was found a large deposit of clay in the narrow river valley, which yielded a good percentage of "shot gold." By the time the works were ready for operation winter closed in, and a long period of impatient waiting was imposed on the sanguine miners. But their patience was destined to be still more highly taxed, for the melting of the snow in the spring following raised the river very high, and their handiwork was swept away by the remorseless Zumbro. Their courage was, however, unshaken, and the company was reorganized with additions to its membership and capital. More extensive improvements were at once planned and begun, and by the end of June were ready for business. Everything was completed on a certain Friday night, and most of the pro- prietors retired to Oronoco to rest and prepare for pushing the work on the following Monday. A few of the most enthusiastic or industrious remained over Saturday to set the work going. That night the sluices were cleaned up, and something over twenty dollars' worth of gold was taken out.

But on Monday morning the memorable flood of July 3, 1859, had arrived, and the works of the "Oronoco Mining Company" were swept entirely away. The courage and resources of most of the miners having now been exhausted, the work was abandoned.

The great flood of 1859, above referred to, caused great suffering and hardship all along the stream. Considerable manufacturing machinery was swept down from Oronoco. The approach of the rise was so sudden and rapid that many settlers along the river bottoms were unable to save anything. G. W. Fowler left home in the morning and returned shortly after noon. His house, which stood on a knoll, was entirely surrounded. The boat, moored by a chain on the river bank, was still there, but in a vertical position, the stem being just visible above the seething waters. After diving in vain two or three times to unfasten it, he succeeded in breaking the chain and removed his family to a place of safety. Numerous other settlers fared in a similar manner.

Like the other towns in the county, Mazeppa, which then took in the whole Congressional Township, was organized May 11, 1858, on which date the first town meeting was held. John A. Marten was made temporary chairman, after which George Maxwell was elected moderator, and H. M. Stanton and Charles F. Fox were chosen clerks. The town was already well settled, and 103 votes were polled. For chairman, C. F. Fox had 57 votes; F. A. Stowell, 46. For side supervisors, James H. Sandford received 102 votes; R. W. Drinkwater, 50; C. F. Fox, 40; scattering, 4. For town clerk, Ansel F. Fox, 57; H. M. Stanton. 45. For assessor, George W. Fowler, 98. For collector, Ansel F. Carrier, 102. Overseer of the poor, William A. Preble, 57; Otis K. Gould, 43. Constables, A. F. Carrier, 102; W. A. Preble, 59; Orville Ford, 9. Justices of the peace, Cory- don Avery, 60; John Reimund, 69; James Bent, James L. Bent, Ladd Robi and George Maxwell, received each a number of votes. At a meeting of the super- visors on July 10, following, the town was divided into three road districts, the main and north branches of the Zumbro river making the dividing lines.

On April 22, 1876, a special election was held to vote on the question of issuing bonds to the amount of $12,000 for the Minnesota Midland Railroad. Out of 136 votes, 78 were in favor of the proposition, and in due time the bonds were issued. The township has a town hall in section 17.

CHAPTER XIV.

HAMMOND VILLAGE, HYDE PARK AND ZUMBRO.

Hammond is a thriving village located near the most southerly bend of the Zumbro River. It extends both sides of the river. On the west side is the Hammond State Bank, the Hammond Creamery Association, the Hammond Telephone Association exchange, the Hammond Building Block Co., the post- office, the hotel, and a number of business houses. East of the river are the railroad station, the lumber yard, elevator, stock shipping facilities and the like along the tracks, and here the Farmers State Bank is also located. The Catholic, Evangelical, Lutheran and Methodist churches are represented in Hammond.

Situated on an easy ford across the Zumbro, on a road leading from lower down the valley and forking here to the rich lands eastward, the present site of Hammond easily became a well known point. This ford was located south of the present bridge, and north of the mouth of what was then an excellent trout stream flowing some three miles from the west, but which is now a dry run. In the first year or so of settlement the crossing was known as Lyme's Ford, from a settler named Lyman, who owned woodland on the heights north of the ford and for a time occupied a cabin there. In 1856 Joseph Hammons settled in the valley about 100 rods south of what is now the Hammond State Bank. In 1857 Simeon Garlitz settled on the rise of land east of the present road and south of the creek. July 3, 1857, he entered the northwest quarter of the northeast quarter of section 28, township 109, range 13. This land was mortgaged, passed through a sheriff's sale and finally came into possession of Mr. Hammons. In time Mr. Hammons built a house on what is now Main street, about five blocks west of Bridge street. To this house he moved his family and put in a small stock of goods, possibly to the value of about $300. This store was continued until a short time before the railroad was built.

Grading on the railroad was started in 1877, and completed and the rails laid and traffic opened in 1878. About the time the grading was being done, three shacks were erected on the present site of the village west of the river.

Bernard Kramer built on the northeast corner of Spring and Bridge streets. Herman Berg built on lot 2, block 2. Fred Dosdall built on lot 5, block 2. He engaged for a time in sawing timber.

In 1878 the first warehouse was erected by Anton Kruger, who had been farming on section 33, some two miles away. His financial partner in the warehouse enterprise was Michael Dosdall, who was farming some four miles south, over the line in Olmsted County. This warehouse handled the great quantities of grain which farmers had held over from the bumper crop of 1877. Edward Noonan was grain buyer and station agent. It was probably that same year (1878) that Otto Sass erected a blacksmith shop on lot 4, block 3, north of the creek, bringing from Lake City the lumber which he obtained from a machine shed he had bought and torn down. It was in the year 1878 that a wooden bridge was built on the site of the present steel bridge.

In 1879 Anton Kruger, the owner of the warehouse, determined that the village should be located about the warehouse east of the bridge. With this in view he built a residence on the north side of the street not far from the warehouse, with the purpose of establishing a hotel. That same year Wil- helm Bartz erected and opened a hotel on lot 5, block 1, on the west side of Bridge street. These and the blacksmith shop built the previous year consti-

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HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY

tute the beginning of business on Bridge street. About this time August Kuehn erected a house on lot 7, block 3, in the same vicinity. In October, 1879, Nicholas Brucher came here as representative for Calvin Potter, a Kel- logg storekeeper, and opened a store in the Anton Kruger residence. Mr. Brucher found here the nucleus of the two business centers which exist.

West of the bridge was the warehouse, in which was also the railroad office. There was also a small railroad waiting-room nearby. There was also the Kruger building, in which he opened his store. The large elevator had been started. The bridge had been built west of the creek, and southwest of the river was the blacksmith shop of Otto Sass. On Bridge street, west of the river, was the hotel of Wilhelm Bartz, and on Spring street was the home of August Kuehn. Farther west was the residence of Joseph Hammons. In the winter of 1879-80 the large elevator, 40 by 80, was built on the site of the present elevator. The railroad office was established in the elevator. In the spring of 1880, Nicholas Brucher erected a store on the site of his present place of business, near where he had operated the Potter store, and started in the meantime business for himself. That year a lumber yard was opened not far from the elevator and warehouse by a Wabasha concern.

The Potter hotel was opened on the height near the Brucher store. In the old warehouse a store was operated for a short time in 1880 as a branch of the Williamson concern at Lake City. Mr. Hammons erected in 1880 a store building on the west side of Bridge street, lot 2, block 4, and rented it to Benjamin Young, who opened a store in it. A hardware store was opened north of the river by William Davis, who soon formed a partnership with Roderick Smith. The building was a vacant store, which had come into the possession of Fred Kahn, a farmer, and was moved to the new village of Hammond. Early in 1881 Fred Dosdall started the building of a hotel on the present site of the Hammond House, at the west end of the bridge, and south of the street. Edward N. York opened business, June 2, 1881, in the Ham- mond building on Bridge street, which had then been closed about three weeks. It is interesting to note that the two pioneer merchants are still in business here. Nicholas Brucher has his store on the site of the one he opened in 1880. Mr. York continued in business alone for eleven years, and then had William Kruger for a partner for two years. Mr. Kruger sold his interest to Adam Funk, and the E. N. York Mercantile Co. was organized with E. N. York, Adam Funk and A. R. Haggerty, and the present building erected. Messrs. York and Funk are in active management, Mr. Haggerty living in Rochester.

The flood of April 10 and 11, 1888, is an event of much interest to the older residents. The melting snows of the preceding "blizzard winter" swelled the Zumbro and spread out into a great pond. The part of the village west of the river was completely covered. The York store was flooded until the water was over four feet above the main floor, and the goods in the base- ment and on the main floor were saved only by the most strenuous work. Fortunately the water in this part of the town was still. In the eastern part of the town there was a swift running current which cut through the elevator but did not carry it away. The old wooden bridge was washed away and later replaced by a concrete and steel structure. Pigs and chickens were killed and small buildings washed away, but considering the extent of the flood the damage was not as great as might have been expected.

The village of Hammons, named after the original proprietor, but later changed to Hammond, was surveyed on the west side of the river, October 31, November 1 and 2, 1877, by H. N. McDougall for Mr. Hammons. The prin- cipal street running north and south was Bridge street. Parallel to it on the west were First and Second streets. The east and west thoroughfares are Main and Spring streets. There was some uncertainty as to where the bridge was to cross. The present road to the bridge from Bridge street has no name, having been established after the village was platted.

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Hammond was incorporated in 1900. The first officers were: President, Nicholas Brucher; trustees, Nicholas Schouweiler, J. W. Arnold and Albert Fuerstnan; recorder, L. N. Ingalls; treasurer, M. J. Maldoon; justice of the peace, A. J. Button; constable (and street commissioner), Herman Heinbockel. Mr. Brucher served as president also in 1901, since which time his successors have been as follows: 1902, Nicholas Schouweiler; 1903 and 1904, Henry Kitz- man; 1905, Adam Funk; 1906 and 1907, Albert Fuerstnan; 1908 and 1909, Math. Rosch; 1910 and 1911, A. D. Anderson; 1912, Herman Beyer; 1913, Math. Rosch; 1914, 1915, 1916, 1917 and 1918, Nicholas Ilgen; 1919, A. D. Anderson; 1920 . L. N. Ingalls served three years as recorder, in 1900, 1901 and 1902. His successors have been as follows : In 1903 and 1904, Nichloas Brucher; in 1905, S. J. French. In 1907 B. D. Mitchell was elected, but at once resigned, and Henry Kitzman was appointed April 2, 1907. Nicholas Schouweiler served in 1908, 1909, 1910 and 1911, and M. M. Anderson in 1912 and 1913. The latter was followed by Ben E. Fick, who resigned December 2, 1914, and Albert Hoenk, who was appointed, served in 1915, 1916 and 1917. Mr. Hoenk was succeeded in 1918 by G. L. Barberrie.

The village has a complete waterworks system and mains covering the principal streets. The system was inaugurated in 1913, with Nathaniel Rosch as president, M. M. Anderson as recorder, and a council consisting of Rudolph Schacht, Jr., Nicholas Ilgen and Emil Dickman. The first action was taken by the board May 23, 1913. A special election was held June 4, 1913, at which the electors by a vote of 41 to 6 decided favorably on the proposition of issuing bonds to the amount of $4,000. A 200-foot well was drilled, an 85,000 gallon tank was installed, and a windmill on a 40-foot galvanized iron tower erected on one of the heights overlooking the village. An engine was also installed as an auxiliary to the windmill. Mains were laid along the principal streets. Certain specifications regarding the river crossing were not complied with, and it was some time before the village fathers finally accepted the system. For some years, however, the river crossing continued to be a source of trouble and leakage. The village property outside of the waterworks system consists of a hose house and fire apparatus, and a combined lock-up and council room.

The fire department had its beginning January 3, 1905, when the council approved as fire chief, John Dolan, who, with the chief engineer and ten others, were to constitute the fire department. After the waterworks were put in, the fire engine was exchanged for 500 feet of hose. The village has been fortunate in never having had a serious fire.

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History of Wabasha County, Minnesota, Part 18

Author: Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn. cn Publication date: 1920 Publisher: Winona, Minn. : H.C. Cooper Number of Pages: 1222

Author: Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn. cn
Publication date: 1920
Publisher: Winona, Minn. : H.C. Cooper
Number of Pages: 1222