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 68
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In speaking of this enterprise, the Lake City "Graphic " says : "You will find right here the beginning of a thoroughlibred Fries- land dairy-raneh, that is destined to be one of the largest enter- prises in Wabasha county. You will find here the entering wedge of one of the best paying industries in this state, and that wedge driven half-way home. You will find here the starting-point for a luerative stock business, the breeding and selling of fine-bred dairy-cattle, that will give Lake City a name in every county of this immense northwest. This commendable enterprise is only one more sign of the innate and inborn business vigor there is in the big nursery-firm whose operations put more spot cash in the tills of onr merchants than the business of any other firm in this or any adjoining county. Out of this new venture of Messrs. Underwood & Emery it needs no prophet's eye to see the grand results which a very few short years must bring forth. The best herd of thorougli- bred, gilt-edged dairy-cattle west of the great lakes, imported with judgment and bred with the utmost care, it will follow as a neces- sity that buyers from all our northwestern state will make their semi-annual visitations to this point for purchases, and thereby be no inconsiderable factor in Lake City's prosperity."
FATALITIES.
Mourning, disaster and death are the common lot of man, and though he seek out and settle in the fairest and most beautiful spot in all the Creator's fair universe, yet the "pale horse and rider " is his unseen companion.
The most appalling and heartrending fatal disaster that has
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fallen to the writer's lot to place on the historic page is (if we except the terrible calamity caused by the falling of the bridge at Dixon, Illinois, on Sunday, May 4, 1873, when two hundred men, women and children, who were witnessing a baptismal ceremony, were pre- cipitated into the Rock river without a moment's notice, thirty-seven being drowned or killed, and five mortally wounded) the drowning of the Stout and Stowell girls in Lake Pepin. On a fair and beauti- ful Saturday morning, in the month of June, in 1858, a party of Lake City young people, composed of Jolin Stout, William Corn, Misses Julia and Rebecca Stout, Miss Julia Cooper (now Mrs. G. M. Dwelle, and the only member of the party still residing in Lake City), and two sisters (young ladies from Mazeppa, by the name of Stowell) organized for a day's picnicing and excursion to Maiden Rock. They embarked in a sailboat with happy hearts and a bright prospect for a delightful day's recreation. The lake was calm and the morning fair and lovely: the sun shone in all its glory on the surrounding hills. Friends on shore bade them good morning with the wish that they might enjoy themselves as much as the day was beautiful. Maiden Rock was reached without incident, the linen spread and dinner served on its summit. A couple of hours were spent in gathering flowers and viewing the grandeur of Lake Pepin's scenery in the distance. At about two o'clock in the afternoon the party started on its return, and when about a mile down the lake and a half-mile from shore, the wind suddenly arose and almost instantly became a gale. The young men saw the peril and attempted to cut the rope that held the sail, but the same instant the boat was overturned and lay bottom up. A moment's struggle in the water and six of them had a hold on the boat, but one of the Misses Stowell was gone. In a very short time the boat turned again ; this time Miss Rebecca Stout lost her hold and sank from sight. Miss Cooper also lost hold of the boat, but while sinking caught hold of one of the young men's feet and climbed to the surface and again clung to the boat. The craft was then on its side, and appar- ently held in that position by the sail and mast. The three remain- ing girls now took positions as best they could on the side of the boat and hoped to finally drift ashore. About an hour after Julia Stout and Miss Stowell, either becoming chilled, discouraged or asleep- at least apparently unconscious - slipped off into the water and sank without a struggle. Miss Cooper, describing her experience, says she fought and struggled desperately for her life,
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and only by the aid of the young men was she kept awake. Sleep seemed to be her danger and it required all her will-power to fight it off. About two hours from the time they first upset, the remain- ing three reached shore, more dead than alive. A Swede settler's cabin was found half a mile from where they landed, and he was dispatched with the sad intelligence to their friends. The same evening the survivors reached home, and the next Saturday the bodies of the four young ladies were picked up at different points in the lake, and were all buried together near the city. This sad affair happened on Julia Stout's fifteenth birthday, and Rebecca Stout was to have been married in a short time.
On December 13, 1878, two more young and promising lives were yielded up to feed Lake Pepin's hungry waters. On this even- ing a skating party had congregated on the ice and all enjoyed them- selves till the usual hour of adjournment, returning to their respective homes-all save Porter B. Guernsey and Florence Wyckoff. They were skating companions during the evening (which was very dark) and had become separated from the others, who supposed they had gone home. Mrs. Guernsey's injunction to her boy was that he should always return from skating at nine o'clock. This he had invaria- bly done heretofore. This evening the usual hour had passed, the busy clock had ticked away the tedious minutes and struck the hour of ten. A half-hour more of intense anxiety was passed, and Mr. Guernsey, who was attending a meeting during the evening at the hall, returned. The mother had hoped up to this time that the son had joined his father at the hall. Now thoroughly alarmed, Mr. Guernsey hastened to the residence of Mr. Wyckoff, thinking his son might have tarried there. The two anxious parents now aroused their neighbors and began a search which lasted all night. Next morning the bodies were found and taken out of an air-hole in the ice not far from the foot of High street. The young man was the son of Mr. A. T. Guernsey, long and well known in this city, and was in the sixteenth year of his age. He was a bright and promis- ing young man, a general favorite with his companions. The young lady was the daughter of Rev. Samuel Wyckoff, pastor of the Pres- byterian church of this city, and was in her seventeenth year. The sudden and untimely death of these young people cast a gloom over the entire city.
The most singular among Lake Pepin's disasters, within the recollection of the pioneers of this city, was the crushing in the ice
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of the steamer Eolian in the spring of 1859. Early that spring several steamboats had arrived at Read's Landing from St. Louis, and were waiting for a passage through the lake, being delayed or ice-bound several days. At last a channel appeared, supposed to be wide enough to enable them to reach the open water at Lake City and land below the point. The old War Eagle (a substantial and powerful boat) forced a passage through, followed by another vessel (name unknown) of nearly equal size and strength. The moment these large crafts emerged from the narrow channel into the open space, the great bodies of ice on either side closed together on the ill-fated Æolian, which was only a short distance behind, and cut her in two at the water's edge. The lower part, with the machinery and three persons (two men and an old lady who ran below to save some articles of clothing), sank immediately, leaving the cabin and pilot-honse on the ice. The bodies were recovered after the ice was removed, and were buried near this city. Two of them were on their way to this place to locate and start to make themselves a home.
On June 12, 1882, Frank Collins was drowned by the criminal carelessness of the officers of the steamboat . Centennial. Young Collins was out in a skiff, in company with two other men and a boy, and was engaged in fishing, lying at anchor about sixty feet from shore at the end of the point. The Centennial, on her way up the lake, had made her usual halt at Washington street, and resumed her course. When rounding the point she ran over the skiff, cutting it in two. The other parties who were with Collins sprang into the water and were saved, while Collins, who attempted to pull in the anchor, was drowned. He was a son of Mr. Timothy Collins, an early settler of this city, and was about twenty-three years old. The captain, Thomas L. Davidson, was sued by the young man's father for his personal damages in the United States court at St. Paul, and obtained a judgment for fifteen hundred dollars and costs, in Decem- ber, 1883.
The pilot, John King, was indicted by the grand jury, tried in the district conrt at Wabasha, and convicted of manslaughter in the fourth degree. Judge Card, of Lake City, prosecuted the case in the United States court, and assisted the county attorney in the prose- cution of King.
On Sunday, April 22, 1883, John Matter and his newly-married wife were drowned in the lake about a mile from this city. They were residents of Pepin, and on the day named had come to Lake
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City for a few needed articles and a pig. They had started baek about 3 P.M., and when about a mile out were struck with a gale of wind which instantly overturned the boat. Otto Marks, who accom- panied them, was reseued by some boy, in a drowning condition ; the pig, more fortunate, succeeded in reaching shore alive. The bodies were recovered in a few days and buried at West Abany.
Scores of precious lives have been lost in Lake Pepin's beautiful though treacherous waters, and no less than nine bodies were covered with the ice of the winter of 1884.
Other ineidents worthy of mention are the shooting of Thomas Martin and Patrick Murphy by City Marshal S. B. Dilley. This unfortunate affair happened on Saturday, September 12, 1868. The victims were comparative strangers in town, having been in the employ of farmers during harvest, and had coine to town for a little hilarity. Drinking, singing and playing games had been the order of the day, and night had found them and their companions con- siderably intoxicated, and consequently noisy. About eight o'clock in the evening the marshal's attention was attracted to a drinking den on Washington street, between Center and Marion streets, by the boisterous and vociferous demonstrations within. Upon going to the door (the evidence at the trial disclosed) he was met by some of the parties in a fearful state of excitement, who, he supposed, were about to attempt to lay hands on him. In the momentary excitement one chamber of his revolver was (some say accidentally) discharged, the bullet taking effeet in Martin's breast. Murphy then took hold of the marshal's throat, and was instantly shot in the chest. The two men soon after died of their wounds, and excitement among the Irish element ran high. The better class of them, however, sue- ceeded in restoring order, ealled a meeting and passed resolutions deelaring that any person who attempted personal violence or revenge on Marshal Dilley was no friend of theirs. They also, at the same time, took steps to raise means for the purpose of a vigorous prose- cution of the slayer of their friends. On Monday following the marshal gave himself up, waived a formal examination, and asked the court for permission to be released on bail. This was granted, and bonds in the sum of ten thousand dollars were signed and turned over to the guardians of the law for his appearance before the district court. After being continued through several terms of court his case was finally brought to trial, and by the most strenuous efforts on the part of his attorneys-Judge Wilder, of Red Wing, and H.
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D. Stocker, of Lake City -he was saved from the penitentiary. The prosecution was conducted by the county attorney, W. W. Scott. Other able counsel had been employed to assist the county attorney at first, but as the years passed interest seems to have been lost, and the money and counsel, so lavishly promised at first by the dead men's friends, never materialized.
Another shooting affair, attended with fatal results, occurred in the fall of 1882, about a mile below the city limits, at a house of questionable reputation. The victim, David Davis, while in an ex- citing altercation with a young man named John White, was shot by the latter, and died within forty-eight hours. Davis was a man of whom little is said, and was perhaps better known by men who possessed similar traits of character. White was tried by a jury of his fellow-citizens, and sentenced to the penitentiary for five years. He is a young man of German birth, and promises to outlive this unfortunate disgrace, and yet become an honored and law-abiding citizen.
"The cistern has caved in-two men are buried !" were the words that spread from lip to lip, and from house to house, a short time before noon, on August 11, 1873.
People fled from their stores, shops, and, in fact, from all parts of the city, to the scene of the disaster, at the corner of Garden and Dwelle streets, where the fire department was having a cistern con- structed. The report was confirmed, and the appalling sight which met the eyes of the gathering crowd can better be imagined than described. The cistern, which was about twenty feet square, had been excavated to a depth of nearly eighteen feet, when the earth suddenly gave way on all sides- burying two poor unfortunate laborers under tons of dirt. Men went to work regardless of time, talent or station in life, and the same evening restored to their hap- less widows and helpless orphans the lifeless bodies of Benjamin Kramer and Adna Sanford. Those men had dwelt here for several years, and had become known and respected as honorable and indus- trious citizens.
Mrs. Sanford still resides here, and has raised her family of eight orphan children honorably, and without the aid or interference of either the city or county.
Near the corner of Center and Prairie streets, while re-curbing a well, Mr. J. F. Hall was buried a distance of thirty-five feet below the surface, by the sudden caving in of the well, while he was at
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work near its bottom. His body was recovered after forty-eight hours' arduous labor.
On January 18, 1871, Mrs. John McBride was instantly killed while out riding with her son, C. W. Smyth, of this city. The horse being frightented, became unmanageable, and began running and kicking. Mrs. McBride, realizing her imminent danger, sprang from the cutter, the concussion of which produced a fracture of the spinal column near the base of the brain, and died without speak- ing. She was one of Lake City's most respected ladies, and her loss was much felt by its citizens.
CHAPTER LXXXV.
GREENFIELD TOWNSHIP.
Most of this town lies in the bottoms adjacent to the Zumbro river, at its confluence with the Mississippi. The northeastern part is known as Sand Prairie, and the character of the soil is shown by its name. Great expectations were once indulged in regard to this particular locality. On the shore of the great river were standing the empty tepees of an Indian village when white men had begun to congregate in this locality. Timothy Enwright made a claim here, and the location soon attracted the speculative eye of several capitalists, as a feasible site for the upbuilding of a town. Accord- ingly, in 1856, Messrs. Thomas H. Forde, of Ohio, and Judge Casey, of Pennsylvania, platted a town, and named it "Teepeota." This was four miles southeast of Wabasha. Boats were induced to land here for a time, and the "boom " prospered. In 1857 Theo- dore Adams became a partner in the townsite. During this year a three-story hotel was erected, two stores and a blacksmith-shop were in operation, and the village numbered about thirty residences. D. Sinclair & Co. built a sawmill, which was set in operation in the spring of 1858, employing thirty men. The apparent success of this rival soon aroused the jealousy of Wabasha people, and bitter feelings were engendered. However, Teepeota was shortly com- pelled to acknowledge the superior advantages of its older rival. Boats refused to land there except at rare intervals, and people
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began to avoid and desert the isolated locality. On a March night in 1859 an incendiary torch was applied to its deserted buildings, and in a few short hours it was swept out of existence. No trace of it can now be seen.
South and west of the Zumbro lies a beautiful and fertile bench, about half-way between the level of the stream and that of the prairie at the top of the bluffs. Here settled, in the spring of 1854, on section 30, Messrs. Levi and Aaron Cook, and this gave rise to the name Cook's Valley, by which the locality is now known. Their location was at the mouth of Cook's valley proper, a valley tributary to that of the Zumbro, and running back southward several miles. Both these gentlemen are now deceased. The former has five children in Dakota and the west.
During the same year Dr. C. C. Stauff, a native of Germany, who had settled at Wabasha in 1853, located a elaim near the river on section 19, on this bench, where he dwelt several years. He is now a prosperous merchant in Lake City, and his eldest son is clerk of the district court at Wabasha.
Ephraim Wildes was another settler of 1854, having first located on the northeast quarter of section 34. The next year he moved to section 30 and built the first frame house in the township. Here he died in 1861.
In April, 1854, Isaac Cole, now a resident of Wabasha, located on section 22, on the south bank of the Zumbro. He established a ferry and hotel and was largely patronized, for travel from Wabasha westward naturally followed the valley of the Zumbro. The Indians located by hundreds on the banks of the river were at times exceed- ingly troublesome, especially when returning noisy and furious from Wabasha, filled with the old-time fire-water. Brandishing their bowie-knives they threatened to kill and exterminate the whites, from which they were prevented only by the squaws wresting the dangerous weapons from them without ceremony. On one occasion they undertook to carry off Cole's ferryboat, and in fact did, but were compelled to abandon the enterprise by a posse of men who pursued and overtook them. Cole's son still occupies the old home- stead, having a residence in the village of Kellogg, about one-fourth of a mile south of the site of the log cabin which did duty as a "tavern." In fact, every settler in those days kept a hotel, for explorers were glad to find a dry place to lie down when overtaken by night, and none were turned away hungry as long as the larder
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contained bacon and cornmeal. Game furnished a considerable portion of the provision against starvation and frequently furnished a meal with no accompaniment save salt.
Among other pioneers of 1854 may be mentioned G. H. Amer- land, H. P. Wilson, John W. Murphy and Michael W. Riley, none of whom are now resident here.
The next year marked the arrival of Garret A. Cook, still a prominent and respected citizen of the town. He is a brother of Aaron II. and Levi Cook, and a biographical sketch of him will be found farther on.
Garret Albertson, a local Methodist elder, now deceased, came this year. His brother William at the same time located on section 30, where he now resides. Ilis house has always been open to the weary traveler and is well known as a resort for preachers.
Patrick Holland located a claim on section 29, April 19, 1855, and still dwells thereon.
Daniel Metzgar located on section 30 in 1857, and still tills a small farm there. He is now sixty-two years old and is venerated and beloved for his noble qualities of mind and heart.
J. H. Wehrenberg, Henry Frye, Henry Graner and George McCaffrey settled in the valley in 1856.
A fine stream winds along the middle of the bench and is known as Cook's Valley creek. On the northeast quarter of section 3+ is a small gristmill turned by this stream, known as Fish's mill.
Most of the early settlers were men of family, and appreciated the need of educational facilities. At a meeting of the citizens held in G. A. Cook's house, November 8, 1857, a school district was organized. John Canfield, a resident of Glasgow township, was made director, Garret Albertson, treasurer, and G. A. Cook, clerk. The latter has filled the same office for this community ever since, and still has the records of this first meeting. Nearly all the citizens of the town were present, and it was decided to raise fifty dollars for school purposes. By mutual contributions of labor, a log building was erected for a schoolhouse, on the site of the present one, in district No. 28, and school opened the same month. G. A. Cook's daughter, Aurora, was employed at a salary of ten dollars per month, and presided over the instruction of fifteen pupils during the winter. There are now four schoolhouses in the township, and the youth will compare in intellectual development and culture very favorably with those of other rural localities in the state.
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A postoffice was located in Cook's valley in the spring of 1859, and supplied by the Wabasha and Austin stages. Daniel Metzgar was appointed to take charge of it, and after keeping it a little more than three years, turned it over to G. A. Cook, who has ever since administered its affairs.
In 1862 a postoffice was established at Pausclim, with W. A. Johnson as postmaster. On the organization of the village of Kel- logg, the office was moved thither, and now bears the latter name.
Several of the pioneers were devout Methodists, and steps were early taken to secure the preaching of the word. The earliest religious service were held in the year 1857, at the cabin of Levi Cook, and was conducted by Rev. Crist, a Methodist clergyman. Rev. H. Dyer was soon after sent here by the conference, and he organized a class. In August, 1859, he was assisted in his labors by Garret Albertson, a local elder residing here. Sunday school here included thirty-five pupils.
In March, 1863, a meeting was held at Cook's Valley school- house to take steps toward building a house of worship. The fol- lowing trustees were elected at this meeting : Oliver Collier, G. A. Cook, John R. Brown, Ezikiel Collins, Nelson Staples. This com- mittee, with the assistance of Rev. H. Dyer, were instructed to solicit funds, and proceed to invest them as fast as secured in the construction of a church edifice. During the same year foundations were prepared and lumber brought on the ground. In the fall, N. Staples was awarded the contract for the carpenter work at seventy- five dollars, to be completed by March 1, 1864. The latter year saw the completion and occupation of the building. It is located on the south side of the Plainview road, on section 30, and is a plain frame structure, 24×36 feet in superficial dimension. It has been painted white, but at this writing (February, 1884) is in need of a new coat of color. The original cost of the building was about six hundred dollars, and it will comfortably accommodate one hundred persons.
A church of the same character and dimensions was built at Pauselim, simultaneously with that at Cook's valley. It was re- moved to Kellogg in 1882, and is now located in the southwest quarter of section 22. Divine service is held in these churches once in two weeks. Rev. Acres, resident at Read's Landing, is the circuit pastor. The sabbath school at Kellogg includes about twenty-five pupils, in charge of Mrs. Charles LaRue.
OLIVER CRATTE
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Much of the religions information above is derived from records now in the hands of G. A. Cook, who was secretary of the first board of trustees. About the time that these churches were built, a Presbyterian missionary was at work among the people, but he did not succeed in organizing a society. It was at first the intention of the Methodists to build only one church, but it was decided to be necessary that a society be maintained at each end of the town in order to preserve the supremacy of Methodism. No minister of any denomination is resident in the town, and the churches above described are the only ones in existence. Garrett Albertson, a local elder, dwelt here some years, and then removed to Alma, Wiscon- sin, where he died. Many residents of the town are communicants in the Catholic church at Wabasha.
On November 9, 1868, a meeting of citizens was held to arrange for the establishment of a common burialplace. A cemetery asso- ciation was formed, with J. A. Cole, G. A. Cook and Henry Graner as trustees. The latter was made treasurer, and all have served in the same capacity ever since. Two acres of land were purchased at fifty dollars per acre, from Henry Frye and Henry Graner, and the latter donated one-fourth of an acre. This constitutes Greenfield cemetery, and is located on the south side of the Zumbro, in the center of the south half of section 20. Lots sixteen feet square at first sold for five dollars each, but have materially advanced in valu- ation since that time.
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