USA > Minnesota > Wabasha County > History of Wabasha County : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc. : gathered from matter furnished by interviews with old settlers, county, township, and other records, and extracts from files of papers, pamphlets, and such other sources > Part 55
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Free - Will Baptist Church. - In March, 1880, Rev. J. N. Haskell organized a society of Free-Will Baptists here, this faith having been cherished by a few for many years. The following persons formed the original elass: Charles and Jane Troxell, Wilson, Mrs. Mary and Miss Jane Hutchins, Elmer and Phoebe Stotts, James and Angeline Oliver, W. W. and Eliza Dean, and Misses Emma, Minnie and Lydia Dean, Rosa and Flora Oliver and Martha Harrison. Services were held in the schoolhouse, where the first quarterly meeting was held in 1881. During this year a church edifice was begun on the corner of Broadway and Chestnut streets, fronting the former, and was completed next season at a cost of about eight hun- dred dollars. It is a plain and neat appearing frame building, with room for one hundred and fifty people within its walls. Mr. Willard was succeeded by Rev. E. J. Keville, who remained a year. There is no pastor at present. A sabbath school has been kept np ever since the organization of the society. It was at first under the super- intendence of Miss Emma Dean, who was succeeded by the present superintendent, Miss Loda McManus.
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HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY.
SOCIETIES AND ORDERS.
The first secret society organized here was the masonic. On January 11, 1871, this lodge was instituted with fourteen charter members. The organization was christened Tyrian Lodge, No. 86, and E. W. Robi was designated as Master ; James Oliver, Senior Warden, and James Maxwell, Junior Warden. The other members were as follows : E. Skillman, A. J. Taft, W. M. Evans, George B. Franklin, M. Skillman, Ziba Boughton, G. W. Judd, O. D. Ford, E. W. Ford, W. W. Black, W. W. Day. Some work had been previously done by Masons resident here, under a dispensation from the grand lodge. During the existence of this organization eighty- nine persons have been in full membership, and over sixty now retain their standing. With the large number of removals that characterize this region, this is an excellent showing for thirteen years of work. In 1874 the lodge built a hall for its use, on the east side of First street, between Walnut and Chestnut. It consists of one story built above a store, and cost over five hundred dollars. Considerable furniture has been added to the room, and the lodge is in fine working shape. The officers for the term closing December 1, 1883, were: G. Maxwell, W.M .; G. W. Hall, S.W .; A. J. Myers, J.W .; H. Hallaway, treasurer ; J. B. Gregoire, secretary : E. S. Hyde, S.D .; A. J. Taft, J.D .; S. H. Wyatt, Chaplain ; A. Marshall, Tyler.
I.O.O.F .- On August 6, 1879, a lodge of the Independent Order of Odd-Fellows was instituted here, to be known as Mazeppa Lodge, No. 71. The following were named as charter members and held the offices of the lodge as here noted : S. Phillips, N.G .; F. L. Boney, V.G .; M. Schram, secretary ; G. W. Judd, treasurer ; E. W. Black and James Hickox. At the second meeting other officers were installed as follows : C. C. Emery, Warden ; R. A. Johnson, C .; E. W. Black, I.G .; W. King, R.S.N.G .; Alvin Kinney, L.S.N.G .; R. Black, R.S.V.G .; J. B. Gregoire, L.S.V.G .; William Ritschlag, R.S.S .; Daniel Macky, L.S.S.
During the existence of the lodge twenty-nine persons have been connected with it, and twenty-two are now in active communication. A neat hall is rented and fitted up comfortably for lodge meetings, which occur every Tuesday evening. For its age and the popu- lation of the town, this lodge is doing well.
I.O.G.T .- An organization of this order has been three times effected here, but it has twice died out through lack of interest. The
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present lodge is a very efficient and prosperous one. It was insti- tuted 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. MeManus, W.C .; Hazen Runnells, W. M .; Mary Marshall, W.I.G .; L. S. Judd, W.S .; Lodge Deputy, Lucy J. Bigelow. For a month the lodge meetings were held in the Baptist church, and ever since the lodge has met every Wednesday evening in Odd Fellows' hall. The membership has steadily increased until it now numbers seventy-two, with finances in excel- lent condition. The officers for the current term, ending January 31, 1884, are : Charles Woodworth, W.C.T .; Mrs. Cliff, W.V.T .; Rachael Phillips, W.R.S .; W. H. Day, W.F.S .; Julia Hyde, W. T .; Carrie Day, W.C .; J. W. Turner, W.M .; Nora Judd, W.I.G .; Wilford MeManus, W.S.
Women's Christian Temperance Union .- This was first organ- izeel on April 15, 1878, with eighteen or nineteen members, and had at one time thirty-five. The last meeting under this organization was held in April, 1879. On September 24, 1881, a new start was made, with the original number, and a good work is being aecom- plished in the distribution of temperance literature, and upbuilding and fostering a right public sentiment. There are now twenty- eight members of the union, with the following officers : President, Miss Julia R. Hyde ; vice-presidents, Miss Lucy Bigelow and Mrs. J. E. Hyde; recording secretary, Miss Eliza Hyde ; corresponding secretary, Mrs. Ed. Noonan ; treasurer, Mrs. W. W. Day.
A reform club was at one time maintained here, but long since disbanded, and its records have been destroyed or mislaid.
A lodge of the Sons of Temperance also existed over two years, into which over a hundred members in all were initiated. No records of either of these organizations can now be found.
On Jannary. 8, 1878, a lodge of the Ancient Order of United Work- men was instituted, and started off under very favorable prospects, but so many of its members shortly removed as to very materially weaken it, and it was abandoned.
MILLS AND WAREHOUSES.
The leading industry of the village is the manufacture of flour, carried on by the Mazeppa Mill Company. This corporation was organized under the laws of the state in 1871, with a capital of one
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HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY.
hundred and seventy-five thousand dollars. The water-power and buildings were purchased from a part of the corporators, and large improvements were at once instituted. The company was composed of four individuals. L. F. Hubbard (now governor of the state) was president and treasurer, O. D. Ford secretary, and W. S. Wells general manager. The other partner was W. P. Brown, and all save the secretary were residents ot Red Wing. A dam of twenty- six feet depth was built in and upon solid rock, and a frame mill was built, 56×72 fect in size and four stories high. The Zumbro furnishes a steady supply of water sufficient to run eight sets of buhrs, and these were placed in the mill, with all the necessary appli- ances necessary for first-class merchant milling, and a capacity of one hundred and seventy-six barrels per day was thus secured. In 1878 an addition 60× 70 feet in size was made for engine and boiler rooms. A Harris Corliss engine of two hundred and twenty horse- power and three boilers are now used in connection with the water- power to drive the machinery. In 1881 the buhrstones were removed, and there are now in operation thirty-eight sets of rollers for making patent flour, of which all but one set are double, making really seventy-five sets. During the season of 1883 an elevator was erected east of and close by the mill, with capacity of one hun- dred thousand bushels. This is covered with sheet iron to protect it from sparks. About three thousand bushels of wheat are now daily consumed by this mill and turned into six hundred barrels of flour. The product of this mill is largely shipped direct to London, Liverpool and Glasgow. The principal home market is in the New England States. One hundred standard-gauge cars are owned by the company, which has ten elevators and warehouses along the valley of the Zumbro, and furnishes the bulk of freight traffic for the narrow gauge railroad in the shipment of grain and flour.
During the season of 1883, a custom mill was built at the south end of the village by Turner J. Preble and Alonzo Comstock. This building rests on a splendid stone basement, and is 32×40 feet in area, with twenty foot posts. It is the intention to do only a cus- tom business, and four sets of buhr stones are being placed in position at this writing. Ground was first broke for the dam in March, 1883. It stands on outlot 1, of Hyde's addition to Mazeppa. The dam is seven and one-half feet high, and sufficient fall is secured in the flume to give a ten-foot head of water. The mill stands far above the level of the river, at the brow of a steep bank, and the
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power is conveyed from the wheel to the machinery by means of a wire cable. This will be a great convenience to the farmers of the vicinity. as the other mill does only a merchant business.
In 1878 Prosper Robinson built a warehouse for storing grain near the railroad track, south of the depot. This building was 60×30 feet on the ground. In 1883 it was raised and elevating machinery put in, and it now has storage for thirty-five thousand bushels of grain. Mr. Robinson and the mill company purchased all the grain brought in, making business very lively during the fall season. Ever since the advent of the railroad in 1878, and in fact before that time, this has been a better market for the sale of wheat than Rochester, and has drawn a large trade from Olmsted county.
BRASS BAND.
In November, 1880, a musical society, or cornet band, was organized, partly for amusement and mutual improvement. There were twelve members at first, and, although changes have occurred, that number is still maintained. Under the leadership of George Westphall and business management of John W. Kingsley, it has made steady advancement and is a source of gratification and pride to our citizens. Weekly practice is kept up, and aid and encourage- ment from the people is earned and received.
NEWSPAPER.
In the fall of 1877 the publication of the Mazeppa "Tribune " was begun by Schram & Clark, the first issue bearing date November 3. In a little over four months Matthias Schram became sole pro- prietor, and has so continued ever since. From the beginning the paper has been an eight-column folio, one-half printed at home, and will compare favorably in appearance and ability with country journals throughout the land. Mr. Schram is a practical printer of many years' experience in Chicago, and when his ire is aroused by any of his contemporaries, they find his mettle has the true ring. The begin- ning of this venture was made with second-hand type, and has now been supplied with a neat dress. A building has been erected for an office by the proprietor, in which he is comfortably established.
Some of the incidents related by early settlers may not be out of place here.
The survey of the village plat of Mazeppa was begun soon after the site was located by the Fords. G. Maxwell was employed for this labor. During the summer the subdivision of the county was
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HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY.
completed by government surveyors, and Mr. Maxwell's lines were found to vary but a trifle from the variation used by the United States survey, and they still stand.
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 succeeding fall, I. T. Nicholls set about the erection of a mill, and to this end employed Mr. Maxwell to go to Red Wing after lumber. Maxwell reached Red Wing one after- noon 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 sloughi. 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 reaching Mazeppa with the load. Not a honse was to be seen on the way, and the traveler was obliged in those days to depend wholly on his own resources.
G. W. Fowler was among the earliest settlers. On one occasion he killed a fine deer and proceeded to carry the carcass home. ()n 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.
GOLD MINING.
The famous "gold diggings" that caused so much excitement along the Zumbro, in 1858-9, were located in this town. The base of operations was at Oronoco, in Olmsted county, where a mining com- pany 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.
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MAZEPPA TOWNSHIP.
In the fall of 1858 a company was organized for the purpose 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 cer- tain Friday night, and most of the proprietors 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. Alas! how mutable are earthly things !
"The best laid plans o' mice and men Gang aft aglee."
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, and has thus since rested. There is no doubt that a large deposit of gold exists somewhere on the Zumbro river, and could its original hiding- place be found, a fortune would be secured to the lucky discoverer. It is also quite certain that fair compensation could be wrung from the auriferous earth of Mazeppa township, by concerted labor with proper appliances.
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
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HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY.
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.
A sad accident occurred in the fall of 1856, at the " Whipple Ford," a short distance below the month of the north branch. A stranger who was traveling with a gun was set over the river in a boat; on reaching the shore he seized the gun by the muzzle and drew it toward him ; the hammer caught on the edge of the boat, (lischarging the load into his body. The ferryman hastened to Mazeppa after Dr. Lont, but when the latter heard his description of the wound he declined to go, for the injured man would be dead ere they could reach him, and so it proved.
An incident in the experience of Dr. Lont will illustrate the severity of the winter of 1856-7. 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.
CHAPTER LXVI.
CHESTER TOWNSHIP.
THIS township is probably as happily situated for the agriculturist as any to be found in the state. The Zumbro river crosses its south- west and southeast quarter-sections ; on the former corner there is no timber save a small grove of second-growth. In the southeastern portion of the town there are several fine groves. The general con- figuration is quite uneven, the region being traversed by numerous valleys, but a rich prairie loam covers the whole and affords a hand- some return to the tiller of the soil. A deep valley tributary to the Zumbo, with its several branches, drains the whole surface. Through this valley a bear was pursued by the early settlers, and the region became known as Bear Valley, a name by which the only postoffice
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CHESTER TOWNSHIP.
is still known. When the town was organized, on the admission of the state, its present name was attached. The postoffice was estab- lished in 1856, with Joseph Caswell as postmaster, and was sup- plied by the Wabasha and Faribault stage line for some time. Mail is now received twice a week by the Lake City and Mazeppa stage ronte. Mr. Caswell kept the office six years, after which it was held by the following persons in succession, the last having held it since February, 1879 : Silas Cross, James M. McMillan, C. M. Bontelle, E. H. Smith, William Morris, Charles E. Buckminster.
A permanent settlement was made here previous to any in Mazeppa. During the winter of 1854-5 a party of St. Paul gentle- men who were out on a trapping, hunting and fishing expedition, encamped on Trout brook in the southwestern part of the town. Among the number was James M. Kimble, who was so pleased with the stream, filled with fine trout, that he determined to settle there. On returning to St. Paul he secured tools and supplies and set out with only one companion to establish a claim. There were hundreds of men at Red Wing waiting for the snow to settle, but Mr. Kimble and his companion pushed on. They lived two weeks in a cloth tent on the banks of the creek, while getting out material and building a cabin. Thus a claim was established in February, on the northwest quarter of section 30, and here Mr. Kimble brought his family in April following. The next settler was probably G. Maxwell, now in Mazeppa, followed by Peter Bouillard, an Alsatian Frenchman, who still lives on his original claim, on section 28. He came in May, and during the same month came Joseph Caswell and four sons-Joseph, Jesse, Cyrus and Hiram ; Edward Hunt, William Washey, William Davis, and two sons-Robert and James ; Daniel Slaymaker and two sons-Reuben and Henry ; Greenberry Triplett. This year also saw the arrival of Francis Jerry. W. W. Day. G. W. Judd, Wells B. Smith and Thomas Cliff.
Attention was early given to religion and education. There were two local elders of the Methodist Episcopal church in the town in 1856, namely, A. E. Standish and Greenberry Triplett. Meet- ings were held under the leadership of these gentlemen during the year 1856 in Joseph Caswell's house. About the same time, or early in 1857, Rev. Ralph Frasier, a local elder residing in Mazeppa, preached at the same place. To Mr. Standish is given the credit of preaching the first sermon in the town. During the winter of 1856-7
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HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY.
Sidney Cross tanght a rate school in Caswell's house. During the following winter timbers were got out, and in the spring of 158 Bear Valley schoolhouse was erected. It was a log structure and stood on the site of what is now known as Bear Valley schoolhouse, adjoining the cemetery. At the town meeting, April 5, 1864, an appropriation of thirty dollars was voted to establish this cemetery. .
Isadore, son of Francis and Elizabeth Jerry, was probably the first Caucasian child born in Chester, his birth dating May 13, 1857. He is now in Washington Territory.
In June, 1857, a daughter was born to Nelson B. and Margery Smith, and christened Lottie Ann. She is now the wife of John MeCabe, and resides in the town.
On July 14, 1856, Cyrus L. Caswell and Margaret Jenkins, of this town, were united in marriage at Mazeppa. This is the earliest marriage of Chester's citizens. In the fall of the same year two persons, Edward Hunt and Sarah Washey, agreed to live together as man and wife, and had a contract drawn up to that effect. I. T. Nicholls, of Mazeppa, executed and witnessed this unique document. The contractors lived an apparently happy life till Hunt entered the army, four children having been born to them in the meantime. On his return from the war Hunt was disowned by his quandam ostensible spouse, who subsequently married another man, and now resides in Missouri.
The month of May, 1857, also dates the first death in the town. At this time a ten-year-old daughter of William Davis, named Agnes. passed away.
The town was politically organized, under the name of Chester, May 11, 1858. The meeting was held at the house of Joseph Cas- well, Jr., and the following officers were chosen for the ensuing year : chairman, F. M. Skillman ; associate supervisors, R. H. Davis and Jesse M. Caswell ; clerk, John A. Slaymaker ; he soon resigned and S. J. Buckminster was appointed November 11; assessor and collector, John Rawalt ; overseer of the poor, Wells Smith ; constables, R. H. Davis and E. W. Hunt ; justices, Alfred Ambler and J. A. Skillman. N. B. Smith was appointed collector November 16.
On April 5, 1859, the second town meeting was held at Bear Valley schoolhouse, and thirty-two votes were cast. A committee was chosen to draft by-laws in relation to the restraint of stock, and report at the next town meeting. F. M. Skillman, S. J. Buck-
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CHESTER TOWNSHIP.
minster and Joseph Caswell, Sr., constituted this body. Joseph Spaulding, T. J. Cliff and James O. Wileox were made overseers of road districts 1, 2 and 3 respectively. The supervisors that year were F. M. Skillman, Henry Slaymaker and T. J. Cliff. S. J. Buek- minster was elerk until his death, which occurred May 3, 1861. Robert H. Davis was appointed to fill the vacancy for that year.
At the third annual meeting, 1860, V. B. Conklin was chosen school superintendent. The supervisors that year were R. H. Davis, G. Maxwell and N. B. Smith. Fifty votes were found in the ballot box.
In 1874 W. H. Campbell moved away and C. A. MeKean was appointed clerk in his stead. October 10, 1876, W. C. Prescott was appointed elerk, and has held the office continuously since.
At the presidential election in 1880 the republican electors received ninety-seven votes in the town, and the democrats had one hundred and three. This most nearly represents the present politi- eal feeling of the voters of any data now to be found. At the fall election in 1882 but eighty-seven votes were cast, of which the democratie candidate for congress received fifty-eight and the republiean twenty-nine. Loeal prejudices affected this election.
No draft was resorted to during the civil war to fill out the quota of Chester in the United States army, but some very high bounties were paid. On February 23, 1864, the town board appropriated one hundred and fifteen dollars and ten per cent interest to each volun- teer who was aceredited to the town. This move was made neces- sary to avoid a draft, and sufficed for the time. In the autumn of the same year, five more men were demanded of the town, and on September 5, the board appropriated fifteen hundred dollars of bonds drawing twelve per cent to seeure then. On January 5 following, the board offered four hundred dollars per man, and a special town meeting was held on the 23d of that month to ratity or annul the proposition. By vote of thirty-six to four it was decided to pay four hundred dollars per volunteer. On March 4, 1865, a contract was made with L. J. Fletcher, W. H. Amsbry and C. W. Hackett, by which these men agreed to procure four volunteers, for which they were to receive sixteen hundred dollars, and did so.
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