USA > Minnesota > Washington County > History of Washington County and the St. Croix Valley, including the Explorers and Pioneers of Minnesota > Part 63
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Edward Laforce was born in France in 1817. He came to America with his parents, and lo- cated at Quebec, Canada. In 1845 he went to St. Paul, Minnesota, and was employed by Mr. Lawrence, in the lumbering business, six years; hethen went to Cottage Grove, Minnesota, re- maining ten years. While there he bought one hundred and sixty acres, and after living on it four years traded for one hundred and twenty acres in Denmark, where he still lives. His wife was Margaret Hutchings, whom he married in 1860. They are the parents of five children.
William S. Louden is a native of Indiana, born in Clark county in 1843. He moved to Point Douglas, Minnesota, in 1866; thence to Cottage Grove. Ile remained there a few months; then returned to Point Douglas. After visiting his native state he located on a farm at Cottage Grove, where he remained two years. He then purchased eighty acres at Denmark, where he
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has since lived. He married Miss Fannie Kelly in 1865, who has borne him four children: Mary F., William A., Vernie and Arthur.
Archibald McCallum was born in Scotland in 1833. He came to America in 1851 with his parents, locating first at Albany, then at Cale- donia, Livingston county, New York. He re- mained there until 1863, when he came to Hast- ings; the next year he bought eighty acres in Woodbury, Washington county, Minnesota, on which he now lives. He was married in 1871 to Mary Taggart who has borne him two children.
John O'Brien is a native of Ireland, born in 1849. He came to America in 1855 and remained in Baltimore one year. He then came to Hast- ings, Minnesota, where he worked in the foun- dry and machine shops two years; then in the saw-mills in that vicinity where he still continues. He owns two hundred and forty acres in Den- mark.
Samuel Orr, was born in New Brunswick, 1815. His mother died when he was four years old. At the age of twenty-three, he went to St. Stevens, where he was employed in the ship-yards twenty- one years. He then embarked in the brig "Caro- line," bound for Cuba, which was wrecked on her homeward passage about two hundred miles south of Cape Hatteras. In October, 1862, he ar- rived at New York city. He came to St. Paul, Minnesota, in 1865, thence to Stillwater, at which place he was employed by Mr. Staples. He then located on a farm, where he still remains. He has been twice married, and is the parent of seven children.
William A. Page was born in Denmark, Min- nesota, 1856. He removed to Point Douglas with his parents when quite young. After becoming of age, he worked one year for his father, then purchased a farm of his father, where he still lives. He now holds the position of clerk in school district 49, Denmark. Mr. Page was mar- ried in 1876 to Lottie Weaver, who has borne him two children, Albert S. and Charles E.
Charles R. Page was born at Point Douglas, Minnesota, in 1858. His parents were of English birth. They came to America in 1848, and made Philadelphia their home three years, during which time his father worked at carpentering. In 1851, they came to Point Douglas, Minnesota,
where his father died in 1880. Mr. Page still lives with his mother at that place.
Oscar Perry was born in Pennsylvania, in 1843. He located in St. Paul, Minnesota, in 1861, and soon after enlisted in Company "L," Second Min- nesota Sharpshooters. He was discharged after having served three years. He returned home and engaged in the oil business until 1875; then spent a few years in traveling, finally locating at Denmark, where he has since resided.
Thomas Screeton is a native of England, born in 1821. He served an apprenticeship of seven years as carpenter at Manchester. He then worked sixteen years at pattern-making. In 1858, he came to America, making St. Paul, Min- nesota, his home a few years. He enlisted in the United States Engineer Corps, in which he served six months. He purchased his present farm in Denmark, in 1844.
Austin M. Shearer was born in Canada, in 1843, where he lived until the spring of 1864. He then went to Green Bay, Michigan, and after a short stay removed to Point Douglas, Minnesota, and purchased a farm about three miles from there. He still lives there. His marriage with Miss Ellen Page took place in 1870. They have two children: Minnie and William.
James Shearer, born in 1815, is a native of Massachusetts. After completing his education, he was employed as clerk in a store nearly five years. For a number of years after, he was en- gaged in the mercantile business, then passed a number of years in traveling. He located at Point Douglas, on a farm, which he bought in 1849. He is now town treasurer and county commissioner. His marriage with Miss M. J. Hardy, occured in 1866. They have three chil- dren: Marcus A., Martha V. and Irving F.
Simon Shingledecker was born in Germany, in 1815. He came to America .in 1831. He lo- cated in Ohio, and worked nine years as a farmer, then went to Illinois, thence to St. Louis. He was employed three years on a boat, which ran from St. Louis to New Orleans. In 1845, he re- moved to Hudson, Wisconsin, engaging in lum- bering three years; he then bought a farm in Den- mark, Minnesota, where he still lives. He mar- ried in 1850, Margaret Truax, who has borne eight children: Caleb J., Abraham R., Agnes
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.
E., George S., Gersham, Harriet M., Emma I. and Lizzie A.
A. Stevens was born in Canada, in 1806. At the age of sixteen, he learned the trade of wheel- wright. He continued in that business until 1832, when he was married and moved on his wife's farm, where they lived until 1850. They then sold and bought eighty acres at Cottage Grove, Minnesota. In 1877, his wife died and he sold his property. Since living with his daughter at Denmark.
Mortimer M. Swingler is a native of Indiana, born in 1841. He came to Hennepin county, Minnesota, in 1857. He enlisted in Company A ' Ninth Regiment Minnesota Volunteers; after serving three years he received his discharge at Fort Snelling. Soon after, he went to Stevens county and gave his attention to farming until 1870. He visited different places and pursued different lines of business until 1880, then located at Point Douglas. He bought the ferry and the land adjoining in Denmark, and holds the char- ter for a term of five years. He married in 1867, Fannie M. Taylor. They have five children living.
Abraham Truax was born at Brockville, Can- ada West, 1824. His father was a sailor, and in consequence the family was forced to often change location. They moved to St. Lawrence county, New York, where they remained about thirteen years. In 1848 they came to Minnesota, l ocating at Point Douglas. When Hastings first started, Mr. Truax removed there and helped in building the old "Buckhorn," a log structure. He returned to Washington county in 1859, where he has since resided. He held the office of sheriff of Dakota county at an early date. He was mar- ried in 1859 to Mary Lahey, who has borne him five children. His wife died in 1867.
Mark Wright was born in England, 1830. He came to America with his parents in 1841, locat- ing at Quebec, then to Upper Canada, where his father was employed by the government eight years. In 1852 his father bought one hundred and sixty acres in Denmark, Minnesota, on which he lived until the time of his death. In 1864, after his father's death, Mr. Wright purchased one hun- dred and sixty acres, where he still lives. His family consists of wife, who was Margaret Ste- vens, and four children. .
Mary Wright was born in 1800, in England. She lived with her parents until twenty-five years of age. In 1826 she married Mark Wright. They moved to Canada in 1842, living in different parts of the province until 1852, when they removed to Point Douglas, Minnesota. They bought one hundred and sixty acres in Denmark, the May following. Her husband died in 1873. She still lives on the farm with her son George who owns one-half. He was married in 1874 to Adelaine Wright.
Robert Wright was born in Canada, 1848. He moved with his parents to Point Douglas. Four years later, his father purchased a farm in Den- mark, and moved there. Mr. Wright remained with his parents until twenty-one, when his father gave him eighty acres of land on which he moved and still resides. He was married in 1872 to Miss Electa Fetterley, who has borne him one child.
COTTAGE GROVE.
CHAPTER LIV.
EARLY SETTLERS -- ORGANIZATION-LIST OF SUPERVISORS-TOPOGRAPHY --- ROADS -- VIL- LAGES-SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES -- CYCLONE -WAR RECORD-BIOGRAPHICAL.
Cottage Grove, including all of township 27, range 21, and a small portion of township 26, range 21. The meandering of the Mississippi causes the south side to assume an irregular shape, and adds two small portions of town- ship 26, range 21, to the town of Cottage Grove. This town, like all others, has had an ante- history. Before Cottage Grove was known as a township, or before force of law or organiza- tion, other than that of the stronger claiming priority of right to possess hunting privileges, was known, we find white men had set foot on these beautiful prairies.
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COTTAGE GROVE-EARLY SETTLERS.
EARLY SETTLERS.
Among the first prominent settlers of this township we find the names of James S. Norris and Joseph Haskell. These men were the first settlers in this town and among the first in the St. Croix Valley. They made claims in what is now the town of Afton in the fall of 1839. The following spring they made improve- ments on their claims, such as are common in a new country.
Mr. Norris remained with Mr. Haskell until the spring of 1842, when he went to Gray Cloud Island and worked for Messrs. Moore and Robin- son, at the Indian trading post, for one year. Then in the spring of 1843 he removed to the point where Cottage Grove village now stands. Then this village did not wear the face of beauty and activity it presents now. He made a claim on sections 1 and 12, on which he built a log cabin, and immediately commenced making im- provements ; he broke forty acres of prairie and sowed it to wheat. This is said to be the first wheat of any quantity sowed north of Prairie du Chien. He had a goodly yield of wheat, but as there were no mills in the country to convert wheat into flour, this rich bounty of golden grain could not render that comfort it would under present circumstances. This year he broke fifty acres more and sowed ninety acres to wheat. The following season lie enjoyed a bountiful har- vest, but often men are disappointed when they seem to be grasping an ideal fortune, so in this case; but small quantities could be disposed of at all, and hence a large portion of this bounteous harvest was lost. In those days shipping down the river was attended with many disadvantages. This unfortunate condition of things slowly wasted away. River advantages increased year by year, and in the spring of 1856 Mr. Bolles com- pleted his mill and began to manufacture a kind of flour, having some antique cast. It would be somewhat repulsive to our delicate tastes, to be compelled to feast on bread made from such coarse flour, while it might remove many of the causes producing dyspepsia and that class of diseases. Mr. Haskell had a quantity of this wheat ground, but as there was no bolting-cloth in the mill the flour proved to be quite coarse. In order to make the bread look white the baker was in the habit of sifting the flour, by means of a frame covered
over the bottom with black crape. In the days of pioneer life this disadvantage did not seem to be the mountain it would be if we were called to en- dure the trials now. Mr. Haskell remained on the portion of his claim in section twelve until the spring of 1846, which he had sold to J. W. Fur- ber in the fall of 1845, and then moved to his present location on section one.
The next settler in the township was Jacob Marsh, who made his home on section twenty- three in 1844.
William Ferguson settled on section 26, the same year. Jonathan Brown made a claim on section 11. Lewis Hill took possession of sections 3 and 4. James S. Davis settled on section 14. John Atkinson made his claim on section 1. These all joined the pioneer band in 1844, '45 and '46. Thomas and J. W. Furber came in 1846. From this date there was a constant coming of new settlers, till all vacant lands were occupied, and yet they come, old citizens moving farther west and some retiring from the active duties of agriculture.
The people of Cottage Grove are Americans in the strictest sense of the term. Most of the pio- neer fathers were from Maine, and they have in- troduced many of the habits and customs so com- mon in that state.
TOWN ORGANIZATION.
A meeting of the legal voters of Cottage Grove was called to convene at Lyceum Hall, in the village of Cottage Grove, October 20th, 1858, for the purpose, as had been publicly announced, to form a township by the election of a board of offi- cers. The meeting was called to order by J. S. Norris, who was chosen moderator, and William Watson, clerk.
John Atkinson, Jacob Mosher and Joel Mun- ger were appointed judges of the election. Joel Munger was elected overseer of the public high- way of the western part of the town, and John H. Swetland, overseer of the eastern part of the town. The following gentlemen. Wm. Watson, chairman; John Atkinson and B. Winant, were elected as board of supervisors; John Rhodes, clerk; Joel Munger and John H. Braekens, justice of peace; J. B. Benson and R. Rhodes, consta- bles; Jacob Mosher, collector; Thomas Furber, assessor; and James S .. Davis, overseer of the
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.
poor. It was determined to hold the next annual meeting at the precinct house. This closed the work of organization and the election of first offi- cers for the township of Cottage Grove.
The annual town meeting of Cottage Grove for 1859, was called at the Lyceum hall, April 5th, 1859. Theodore Furber, was moderator. A tax of $100 was levied for town purposes, to be dis- bursed as follows: To town clerk, $10, for plats and maps; for assessor, $20; for surveying $50; and for contingent expenses, $20. The fol- lowing board of supervisors were elected: J. S. Norris chairman of board; John H. Braeken and Henry Hone supervisors; John. Rhodes, clerk. It was determined to hold the next annual meet- ing at the Waterville school-house district, num- ber one.
The next annual meeting was called April 3d, 1860, and by a vote of the people adjourned at once to Lyceum hall. The following board of su- pervisors was chosen: A. L. Holman, chairman, John J. Connelly and N. H. Van Slyke.
At a meeting of the board of supervisors held April 23d, 1860, a two days' poll tax was levied on all voters between the ages of twenty-one and fifty years of age, and fifty cents on each hundred dollars valuation of real estate.
The fourth annual meeting was called at Ly- ceum hall, April 2d, 1861. A tax of $200 was levied for current expenses, and twenty-five cents on each hundred dollars worth of real estate for road purposes.
Supervisors elected: J. S. Norris, chairman of board, John Bassett and Henry Hone.
The fifth annual town meeting was called at Waterville school-house, April 1st, 1862. By vote levied a tax of twenty-five cents on each one hun- dred dollars worth of real estate, and two days' poll tax. The board of supervisors were Robert Watson, chairman, B. Winant and Wm. Murphy; J. S. Norris, clerk.
The sixth annual town meeting was called at the house of L. Nessell, April 7th, 1853. A tax of $150 was levied for current expenses, and of $178 for road purposes. Supervisors elected: Theodore Furber, chairman of board, Joel Mun- ger and B. Winant; J. S. Norris, clerk.
The seventh annual town meeting was called at the house of A. Nessell, April 5th, 1864. Su- pervisors: J. W. Furber, chairman of board,
Robert Wilkins and M. S. Sprout; J. S. Norris, clerk.
The eighth annual meeting was called at the school-house near Atkinson's corners, April 4th, 1865. Supervisors were: A. L. Holman, chair- man, Robert McChesney and Joel M. Munger; J. S. Norris, clerk.
The ninth annual meeting was held at the Ly- ceum hall, April 3d, 1866. The following officers were elected: supervisors-A. L. Holman, Robert McChesney and Joel M. Munger; J. S. Norris, clerk.
The tenth annual meeting was held at a school- house near Nessel's, April 2d, 1867. Super- visors elected were A. L. Holman, D. A. Kemp and Lewis Bailey; J. S. Norris, clerk.
The eleventh annual town meeting was called at Nessel's school-house, April 7th, 1868. Super- visors were: H. A. Gould, H. A. Durant and John J. Connelley; J. S. Norris, clerk.
The twelfth annual town meeting was held at the Lyceum hall, April 6th, 1869. Elected H. A. Durant, R. Wilkins and S. M. Bailey, supervisors; J. S. Norris, clerk.
The thirteenth annual town meeting was called at Lyceum hall, April 5th, 1870. Supervisors elected: S. M. Bailey, J. A. Churchill and Rob- ert Wilkins; J. S. Norris, clerk.
The fourteenth annual meeting was called at the school-house near Atkinson's corner, March 14th, 1871. Robert Watson, John J. Connelley and F. Meilicke, supervisors; J. S. Norris, clerk.
The fifteenth annual town meeting was called at Lyceum hall, March 12th, 1872. Supervisors, Robert Watson, John Connelley and F. S. Meil- icke; J. S. Norris, clerk.
The sixteenth annual town meeting was called at Lyceum hall, March 11th. 1873. Supervisors, F. S. Meilicke, W. R. Munger and D. A. Kemp; J. S. Norris, clerk.
Seventeenth meeting was called at precinct house, March 10th, 1874. Supervisors, J. J. Con- nelley, E. Clark and Ross W. Link; A. G. Gillett, clerk.
The eighteenth annual town meeting was held at Langdon hall, March 9th, 1875. Supervisors, William Fowler, Robert Wilkinson and Wallace Kelsey; A. G. Gillett, clerk.
The nineteenth annual town meeting was called at Langdon hall, March 14th, 1876. Wm. Fow-
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COTTAGE GROVE-TOPOGRAPHY.
ler, Wallace Kelsey and Ethan Viall, supervisors; A. G. Gillett, clerk.
The twentieth annual town meeting was held at Langdon hall, March 13th, 1877. Supervisors, Wm. Fowler, Ethan Viall and Uriah Ladd, Jr .; T. F. Miller, clerk.
The twenty-first annual town meeting was called at Langdon hall, March 12th, 1878. Su- pervisors, William Fowler, Ethan Viall and G. R. Crippen; A. G. Gillett, clerk.
The twenty-second annual town meeting was called at Langdon hall, March 11th, 1879. Sn- pervisors, W. Fowler, Ethan Viall and W. Kel- sey; A. G. Gilbert, clerk.
The twenty-third annual town meeting was called at Langdon hall, March 9th, 1880. The following officers were elected : Edward Clark, George Fisk and George R. Crippen, board of supervisors; A. G. Gillett, clerk.
TOPOGRAPHY.
The township is bounded on the north by Woodbury, east by Denmark, south by Missis- sippi river, and west by Newport. The surface of the town is generally rolling, and the soil fer- tile, adapted to agricultural pursuits. The sur- face of the south part, extending out from the river for two miles, is a level prairie; then there is a range of hills and bluffs. Some portions of this part of the town are quite broken, with deep ravines, adding to its beauty, if not to its fertility.
Then back towards the north portion of the town, are the table lands, two hundred feet above the level of the river, undulating, partly a prairie, and partially decorated with a second growth of oak. The soil of the low lands is of a sandy na- ture, with a small quantity of loam intermingled. The tables are loamy, with a clay sub-soil. The low lands are well adapted to stock raising, hav- ing many water advantages. The table lands are more especially adapted to the raising grain of all kinds, and fruits.
The drainage of this town is ample, affording every advantage necessary for the convenience of husbandry. The Mississippi river skirts the southern boundry.
A large slough leaves the Mississippi about the center of section 33, bearing north for some dis- tance into section 34, then inclining south through section 35 into section 36, and then abruptly
turning north, enters the Mississippi, forming what is knowin as Kemp's Island. Another slough leaving the Mississippi in the eastern part of Newport town, enters the north-east corner of section 30, running a south-westerly course, diag- onally through sections 30, 31 and 32, and re-en- tering the Mississippi river in section 33, forming Gray Cloud Island. A few small lakes grace the surface of this town. From a small lake in section 23, taking a zigzag course through sec- tions 26, 27 and 34, and enters the Mississippi in section 35. .
The first road built in the town was the old Military road, called the Point Douglas and St. Paul road, surveyed by Captain Stimpson for the government in 1849. The Gray Cloud, Cottage Grove and Stillwater road was built by the county in the year 1851. The Red Rock and Afton road was opened in 1852. The first road laid out by the town board was in August, 1859, commencing at the quarter section post between sections 4 and 5, running due west to the town line. The second one commenced at the south- west corner of section 11, running east on the south line to a point on Furber Lake, then south- east to county road.
VILLAGES.
The township has two regularly platted villages. The village of Cottage Grove was located in sec- tion 12, in 1871, by J. P. Furber; J. W. Furber was surveyor. It is four miles from a sta- tion of the same name on the Chicago, Mil- waukee and St. Paul railway, and is fourteen miles from St. Paul. The original plat contained forty acres of land. The village has gradually grown from a small beginning to a flourshing in- land town. It contains one store, dry-goods and groceries, George W. Furber, proprietor; one drug store, kept by Dr. A. H. Steen; two physi- cians, Wm. Furber and A. H. Steen; three churches, Congregational, Methodist and German Lutherans; one hotel, the Cottage Grove house, W. H. Glenna, proprietor; a fine school-house in the centre of the town, ample for the place, sur- rounded by a natural grove, made more dense by the addition of a good number of shade trees and some fine ever-greens, affording shade during the snmmer, and forming a wind-break during the winter season; one black-smith and wagon-shop,
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.
Louis Putres, proprietor, and one black-smith shop, August Aborth, proprietor. Cottage Grove is one of the oldest settled towns in the county.
The Arcadia Lodge of Masons is located in the village, and was organized in 1864; the charter was granted in 1865.' The first board of officers: O. G. Leonard, M. W .; J. S. Norris, S. W .; Thomas Furber, J. W .; A. L. Holman, secretary; and E. Ayers, treasurer. They held their first meetings in rooms, properly furnished over John P. Fur- ber's store. Like all other bodies, changes form an important feature of their history; "so this so- ciety was left adrift, but soon found rooms over John P. Furber's ware-house, where the society holds its regular meetings. The membership at date of organization was cight. At this writing they have forty active members. Present officers: Dr. A. H. Steen, W. M .; Robert Wilkins, S. W .; W. Kelsey, J. W .; Peter Thompson, secretary, and James Middleton, treasurer.
LANGDON.
The village was laid out and platted by J. T. Dodge, from Hastings, chief engineer of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul railroad in the spring of 1871, located in section 21. The town was called Langdon after Hon. R. B. Lang- don, of Minneapolis.
The trade of the village is controlled by these firms: Woodward and Son, general stock of dry- goods, groceries and hardware; Messrs. Barrett and Co., general stock of goods; Messrs. Dill and Miller, elevator and feed-mill; Zadoc Jobnson, proprietor of hotel; and F. K. Barril, a black- smith.
The Langdon elevator was built in [September 1874, by A. V. Brown, of St. Paul, and sold the same fall to James McClusky, and soon after rented to Messrs. Dill and Miller, and finally in the summer of 1878, purchased by this latter firm. In 1879, a feed-mill and engine-house was added, making it a profitable property, and sup- plying a long felt want in town and community.
POST-OFFICES.
The first post-office established in the town was located at the house of J. W. Furber, in the spring of 1850. This was one of the first offices established in the county. J. W. Furber received the first ap- pointment as postmaster. The conditions, on which the request of the people in reference to
establishing a post-office was granted, was that the mail should be carried from Point Douglas, once a week free from expense to the government, D. Hone of Point Douglas, entered into a con- tract to fulfill the requirement of the government, receiving for his pay the proceeds of the route. Mr. Furber kindly gave his commission to the carrier. This arrangement met the expectation of the people and rendered general satisfaction. The office has been removed from time to time. from place to place in the village, and a corres- ponding number of citizens have held the position of postmaster, during these successive changes. John P. Furber has been postmaster a number of years, and George M. Furber bas served as depu- ty postmaster, and held the office in his store since 1866. This office has been supplied with a daily mail by stage from Stillwater to Langdon for the last four years.
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