USA > Minnesota > Washington County > History of Washington County and the St. Croix Valley, including the Explorers and Pioneers of Minnesota > Part 64
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The Langdon post-office was established No- vember, 1871. A. G. Gillett received his com- mission as postmaster November 27th, 1871, from Postmaster General Creswell. The office was kept in the station house until December, 1879, when Mr. Gillett resigned his position as agent for the railroad company. Since that time Mr. Gillett bas kept the office in his residence near the depot. The office is furnished with a daily mail each way, on the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul railroad, and by stage from Stillwater.
SCHOOLS.
Prior to any organization of schools under ter- ritorial law, Fountain Spring school, a private school, was organized by John Atkinson, and was taught by a Miss Johnson.
After the organization, the whole town was di- vided into two districts. District number one oc- cupied the western portion of town, and number two the eastern portion. This arrangement pre- vailed until the final dividing of the town into school districts, which is given as accurately as the information obtained will justify.
School district number fifty-three, formerly known as number one, was organized November, 1853. The first schools were beld in private houses until 1856, when a school house was built near what is known as Atkinson's corners. This house was 40x24 feet, and cost about $300. The first teacher under this arrangement was Miss
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Anna Brayton. First board of officers was: Wil- liam Buck, W. Fowler, J. Atkinson, and W. R. Munger. In 1872 the district was divided, a por- tion stricken off to the Langdon district; they took the number of thirty. At that time the county commissioners changed the number of the original district from number one to number fifty- three. This district has since then received some additional territory from number thirty-one, New- port town.
Cottage Grove school district, No. 31, was or- ganized as No. 2, in 1851. The first school was held in the old log cabin built by J. S. Norris in 1843. Miss Martha Newell, from Lakeland, taught the first school. The first board of officers elected was: J. S. Norris, A. L. Holman, John Heath; and J. W. Furber, clerk. The first school-house was 22x16 feet, built in 1852, at an expense of $250. The next school-house, 57x28 feet. with a wing 20x10 feet, was built in 1868, at an expense of $3,600. They have two depart- ments. The school is doing a good work for the town, under the management of David L. Smith, principal, and Miss Geneva Weatherspoon, as- sistant.
School district, No. 32, was organized as No. 3. in 1857. The first school was kept in a house leased from Dr. Mann. The first board of officers elected was: Jacob Mosher, John Sweatland, John Morey and John Rhodes, trustees. The first school-house was built on section twenty-six, in 1859, at a cost of about $200. First teacher was Miss Kate Califf. The second school-house was built on the same site, in 1868, at a cost of $600. First teacher in new school-house was Bartina Boceman.
Langdon school district, No. 30, was set off from what was known as the Waterville district, No. 1, or what is now No. 53. It was organized in 1872. The following board of officers was elected: Lewis Austin, director; and T. F. De Arton, clerk. The first schools were kept in private dwelling houses, and in the section house at the depot. In 1878 the board of officers levied a tax and issued bonds to the amount of $800 to build the house, which is now serving for school purposes. It is 40x32 feet, located on lot four, block thirty, Langdon.
CHURCHES.
The Catholic Church of Langdon was built in 1873. This edifice was 50x30 feet, substantially built. This society was organized under the ministrations of Rev. Father Harley. The pres- ent strength of the church is twenty-five families. They have services regularly once a month.
Cottage Grove Congregational Church. Rev. B. Hall, engaged in the work of organizing churches under the auspices of the board of home missions, found at Cottage Grove a number of families willing to go into a church organization. After consulting with the people, due notice being given, a meeting was called at the house of Theodore Furber, November 26th, 1858, to take introductory steps to organize a congre- gational church. Rev. Mr. Hall was chosen moderator of the meeting; S. W. Furber, E. B. Strong, J. Green, and H. M. Sleeper, were ap- pointed a committee to prepare articles of faith and covenant. The next meeting was called at Lyceum hall, on the 5th day of December, 1858. The committee having performed the labor assigned to them, reported. It was considered, and a call for another meeting to be held on De- cember 21st, 1858, at Lyceum hall, to which the churches from Minneapolis, St. Paul, Stillwater, Hudson, Prescott and St. Anthony were invited, at which time and place the Congregational church of Cottage Grove was permanently or- ganized. Rev. Bordett Hall preached the ser- mon, and thirteen were received as members of the church at the time. The services were held in Lyceum hall, and Rev. B. Hall, from Point Douglas preached for them until 1861. Rev. G. S. Biscoe, from Grafton, Massachusetts, was called to the church and installed as pastor, May 24th, 1864. The history of this church, like many others, has had its sunshine and shade, but shade could not hinder its steady growth. In 1868, the church built an appropriate house of worship at a cost of $4,070. Its present membership is sixty, and at this date is without a pastor.
The St. Matthew's Evangelical Church, of Cot- tage Grove was organized August 31st, 1874, in the town of Denmark. The church building was erected on a tract of land presented to the church for that purpose, by Mr. Franklin Bren- denmuhl. In 1877, the church was removed to Cottage Grove, where it now occupies a pleasant
24
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.
and more central location for the congregation
The number of members at organization was twelve, while the present number is twenty-five families. The church has invested in building about $700. The church is in a prosperous con- dition, and adds to the general interest of the village of Cottage Grove.
The Cottage Grove and Newport Universalist Church was organized at the Atkinson school- house, January, 1867. Rev. R. J. Marvin of St. Paul officiated at its organization. The follow- ing became members at date of organization: John Atkinson, Ruel Parker, E. Ayers, D. H. Kemp, W. R. Munger, Lucy F. Ayers, Roxa T. Belden, Emily Parker, Anna Atkinson, Miss H. C. Monroe, Emma Gaye, J. M. Munger, J. W. Furber, Estella Furber, Aurelia Furber, A. L. Stevens, P. F. Gray, J. S. Norris, Lizzie Gray, Samuel Van Alstine, J. J. Connelley, Lucretia Connelley and Lewis Hill. Services were held at the Atkinson school-house, the church after its erection. The organization still exists, but no regular services are held at the present writing.
LYCEUM HALL.
This association was organized about 1852. The object of the association was for social and literary advantages. The stock of the com- pany was sold and funds raised to build and furnish a hall. A commodious hall, 36 x 24 feet, was built in 1855, at a cost of about $600, located in section 11. The hall was fur- nished with a suitable library, such as the in- terests of the community seemed to demand, and designed to lead the general mind to con- template better things in literary pursuits. A newspaper was published by the members of the society, and a debating society was formed in connection with the association. The thinking portion of the community for some miles around, old, middle-aged and youth, without any lines of division to hinder a free participation, engaged in these discussions, embracing most of the prac- tical subjects of the day. This proved to be a worthy center of attraction for a number of years, for the people of that neighborhood. But every star shines for a term of years, and then retires into the unknown. So this society began to wane, and many lost their interest in it, at- tracted. by other and possibly better interests,
until the golden day had passed away, and the hall was given to other purposes. The Congre- gational church held their services in it for a number of years. The annual town meetings for some years were held in this hall. Then for some years it was known as the "Precinct House," while the voting was done by precincts. This society has wasted away, till in another spirit of being, it sold the building to the highest bidder. Not every acorn that falls into the ground, and grows for a term of years with flattering pros- pects, attains to the stature of a stately oak, bat- tling with herculean strength the storms of passing ages.
CEMETERIES.
The Cottage Grove Cemetery Association was organized April 5th, 1856. The members were: J. W. Furber, Robert A. Watson, J. P. Furber, W. Watson, A. L. Holman, J. S. Norris, Thomas Furher, E. M. McCarty, J. S. Davis, A. Stevens, F. Leych, N. H. Van Slyke and E. Ayers.
The first officers: J. W. Furber, president; J. S. Norris, secretary; J. S. Davis, treasurer; Robert Watson, E. Ayers, J. S. Norris, J. W. Furber and J. S. Davis, trustees.
The cemetery grounds contain four acres, laid out with lots and blocks, streets and alleys, nicely shaded with native oaks, interspersed with beau- tiful evergreens. Some elegant and costly mon- uments have been placed in this lot to mark the resting place of loved ones. In short, this ceme- tery shows the taste and affection of an intelli- gent people. The present officers are: J. P. Fur- ber president; J. W. Furber, treasurer and secretary; A. L. Holman, actuary. The entire cost of grounds, fitting, laying out, etc., was $550.
The Atkinson Cemetery Association was in- corporated May 12th, 1874, with the following board of managers: W. R. Munger, Levi Bailey, Lewis Hill, J. HI. Stacy, Henry Belden, J. H. Crandall, J. II. Churchill, J. B. Benson, J. M. Munger, and Lewis Austin. This cemetery is Io. cated on the southwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section 17. W. R. Munger, J. H. Churchill and James H. Crandall, trustees.
CYCLONE.
The town of Cottage Grove was visited by a terrible cyclone June 15th, 1877. Between eight
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COTTAGE GROVE-CYCLONE.
and nine o'clock p. m., there arose in the south- west a dark and heavy cloud, attended with loud thunder, vivid lightning and a strong wind. The cloud moved forward rapidly; soon the rain be- gan to fall in torrents, when suddenly the wind came dashing with great violence, sweeping everything before it. There seemed to be two currents of wind; one coming from the west, and the other from the south-west. These two cur- rennts came together in section 22. The stronger current being from the south-west, the storm took a north-western direction, and did some damage in section 27, taking away a portion of the roof of Ethan Viall's house; taking a trunk out of the chamber, and no trace of it could be found. A corn cultivator was taken up, some portions were never found, and other parts were found two miles from the place of its taking. In section 22, when the currents met, the destruction of prop- erty beggars description. The timber in its track was prostated; fences torn up and scattered in every direction; E. Welch's house coming in the line of desolation; Mr. and Mrs. Welch had stepped out to look after some chickens, in which Mrs. Welch was specially interested, and startled by the roar of the wind, were in the act of re- turning to the house, and near the door, the wind took up the house, bearing it away, and a stick of timber struck both Mr. and Mrs. Welch, knocking them down. When Mr. Welch recov- ered, he had hold of his wife, but she was dead. The stick of timber struck her on the head and caused her instant death. The next object in the path of destruction was C. D. Tuttle's two-story dwelling, located in the north-west corner of sec- tion 26. The main part of the house was torn to pieces and scattered in every direction; while the wing was left unmoved. The family con- sisting of six persons fled to the cellar, and were miraculously preserved. The large barn a few rods further on was completely destroyed. Next in its course was Mr. J. C. Tucker's barn, the roof of which suddenly passed along on the breeze. At this point the storm turned, taking a north- easterly direction, and struck the house of Robert Williams, damaging the house, and destroying his barn entirely. A horse tied to a girder in the barn was found sixty feet outside of the limits of the building, with the girder lying across him, the strap still tied to the girder, the horse being un-
injured. Next in line was a small lake in the south-west corner of section 23. It was almost robbed of its treasure. The water and mud was carried a long distance up the bluffs, fifty feet above the level of the lake. Next came the fine house of John Morey, giving a portion of its roof to the excited wind; then passed into the town of Denmark, continuing its destructive course, kill- ing a horse near the town line for W. G. Wagner. A man known as Michael Schull, a farm hand was taken up by the wind and dashed against a pile of wood, injuring his brain, causing him to become dangerous. IIe is now at St. Peter in the insane asylum. The destruction of property was great. No accurate account of the amount of damage done has been complied. Mr. Tuttle living in section 26 suffered the most. He esti- mated his loss at $7,000. His house was situated in a valley, surrounded by oak trees, and we would suppose was protected by the bulwarks of strong nature, and yet here, house, barn, farming utensils and machinery were scattered over the country. The next morning sheets of tin two feet square found in Mr. Tuttle's yard, were sup- posed to have come from a church in Dakota county. Portions of Mr. Tuttle's house were found miles away.
The Langdon butter and cheese factory, located on section 17, was built in the spring of 1876, with the following officers: W. Fowler, C. A. Par- ker, E. B. Scofield, George Woodward and J. H. Crandall. The building is 70x32 feet, two stories high, with a wing 33x32 feet. During the first year, the factory was supplied with milk from three hundred cows. During the summer of 1880 the factory received milk from eight hundred cows; and from one hundred and seventy-five cows at this writing, January, 1881. In the sum- mer of 1880 this factory produced 30,000 pounds of butter and 41,000 pounds of cheese. The pres- ent officers are: W. Fowler, president; T. S. Nash, secretary; George Woodward, treasurer and salesman.
Dairying forms one of the many important in- terests of the town. Many fine herds of cows are found on the large farms in the town. The pro- duct of butter and cheese is the largest of any in the county, as the statistics will show. It is esti- mated that eight hundred cows are kept as milch cows in the town; and that 75,000 pounds of but-
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.
ter and 50,000 pounds of cheese were produced in 1880. The products for 1880 are as fol- lows: wheat sown was 6,865 acres, producing 74,665 bushels; oats sown was 1,257 acres, pro- ducing 43,721 bushels; corn planted was 1,375 acres, producing 40,145 bushels; harley sown was 201 acres, producing 5,946 bushels; Rye sown was 29 acres, producing 458 bushels; potatoes planted was 49 acres, producing 6,085 bushels; tame hay cut, 1,986 acres, producing 2,111 tons.
The first marriage in the town of Cottage Grove was Mr. Henry Crosby to Miss Hannah Water- mann, in the summer of 1854.
Nathan Atkinson, son of John' and Hannah Atkinson, born in 1846, is said to be the first white child born in the township.
Mrs. Mehitable Furher, wife of P. P. Furber, died September 12th, 1851. The next death was William H., son of J. W. Furber, who died Sep- tember 18th, 1854.
WAR RECORD OF COTTAGE GROVE TOWNSHIP.
The war record of Washington county begins with the opening of the rebellion of 1861. In this war, Cottage Grove township responded to the full extent of her duty. No part of this his- tory will be of more interest to the coming gene- rations than the noble deeds of our fathers, in this struggle for self-preservation. This town stands in the front rank in doing honor for our county and state.
When treason had raised its arm to destroy the Union, and the call was made for men and means to suppress the rebellion, no township was more prompt to respond to the call than Cottage Grove.
In accordance with a call issued January 14th, 1864, a meeting of the legal voters of the town- ship was called at the house of Lawrence Nessell February 2d, 1864. In keeping with the general feeling of the people, the following resolutions were enthusiastically adopted:
"Resolved, That the town of Cottage Grove pay the sum of one hundred dollars, to eachı volunteer that has enlisted or may enlist in the service of the United States; and have been or may be accredited to this township as volun- teers.
"Resolved, That the town cause to be raised and paid as bounty, the sum of $100 to each of the following named volunteers: William Buck,
Sumner Palmer, E.G.Partridge, and Orville Buck, and that the town supervisors draw on the town treasurer to the amount of $400, in favor of said persons; and that the supervisors be authorized to obtain a sufficient number of volunteers to fill the quota of this town, under the present call, and draw orders on the town treasurer in favor of such volunteers, to an amount not to exceed $100 each." At a regular town meeting held April 5th, 1864, a tax of $900 was levied to pay orders on town treasury, drawn by the supervis- ors for the payment of bounties to volunteers, in accordance with a resolution adopted at a special town meeting held February 2d, 1864.
A special meeting was called at the school- house, near Atkinson's Corners, August 11th, 1864, the following resolution was unanimously adopted:
"Resolved, That the board of supervisors be, and are hereby authorized to issue bonds on the town in such form and such amounts, as may be thought most available, bearing interest at the rate of 10 per cent., and payable on the 1st day of May, 1866. The principal of said bonds to be ap- propriated to pay bounties to volunteers to fill the quota of the town, under the recent call made by the president of the United States for troops. The whole amount of said bonds not to exceed $15,000, and not to be sold at less than par.
At the same meeting the following resolution was passed:
"Resolved, ThatS. W. Furber be, and is hereby authorized to act as agent for the town, and to negotiate the bonds, this day authorized by vote to be issued, and to procure volunteers to fill the quota of the town on the best terms possible; and he is authorized to notify the board of supervisors, as to the sum required in each bond, and to de- mand and receive the same from said board, and sell them, and apply the proceeds thereof accord- ing to the terms of the foregoing resolution. He is also authorized to act as agent for the town to procure exemption of enrolled men from the draft, and in all other matters connected with filling the quota of the town under the present call of the president for 500,000 men."
At the annual meeting held April 4th, 1865, the following resolution was adopted:
"Whereas, George Hutchinson, B. R. Rose, W. Nicholson, William Welch, Nathan C. Ingham,
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COTTAGE GROVE-BIOGRAPHICAL.
Samuel Bennett, James Nichols, Gordon Allen, D. McIntire, J. A. Churchill, L. S. Bringer, Wil- liam F.Ingham, Ross W.Link, Frederick Meilicke, George N. Godfrey, John Hutchinson, William Poplan, Geo. R. Crippen, James S. Leyde, Samuel Bennet, Charles Ferris, Wesley Shellenburger, Franklin Benjamin, Charles Fay, Frederick Ham- mond, D. A. Perey, Ludwig Blozing, Louis Brun- nel, Paul Brunnell, Antoine Brunnell, Francis McCoy, G. Wisgatt, T. B. Galusha, John Kelly, Frank Tibbets, Andrew Arnold, James Nichols, Gordon Allen, Alvey McKee, Dugald McIntire, Ezra B. Strong, John McCallum, C. Henning, Reuben Freeman, E. G. Patridge, Sumner Palmer, Orville Buck, William Buck, Frederick Cook, Newton Troitchel, Hanson Evison, George H. Altenburg, Alexander Glenn, W. Link, Rufus Mars, Louis Ready, Clark Shellenburger, Daniel Dibble, Robert Bailey, Henry H. Rose, Alfred C. Parsons, John Stiffes, Shelton Wright, James Ford, Jolın M. Grapes, Henry A. Durand, and Richard Brier, citizens of this town did volun- tarily enlist in the army of the United States, in response to such calls, and did honorably to them- selves, and in a manner which flatters our pride, and challenges the admiration of the world, dis- charge all the duties of patriotic soldiers, there- fore,
" Resolved, That to such of these brave men, having survived the perils of war; we do tender them our sincere and heartfelt thanks, and wel- come them home with an earnest assurance of our deep interest in all that pertains to their welfare and prosperity.
" Resolved, That these preambles and resolu- -tions be entered upon the records of the town."
BIOGRAPHICAL.
Oliver Ames was born in Orange county, New. York, September 24th, 1850, and is the scion of an illustrious family. At two years of age he moved with his parents to St. Paul, Minnesota. He first attended school in the old stone building on the river bank, taught by Rev. E. D. Neill. After taking an academical course, he finished his education at the St. Paul Business College in 1866. The same year he was employed as book- keeper for the old Home Insurance Company, of that city, and afterward engaged in the same ca- pacity for the firm of Noyes, Peet and Company,
also Dispatch Printing Company, and at Duluth for the Duluth Minnesotian. Returning to St. Paul he passed one winter there, then moved to his present farm, where he has since resided. He has lately completed a beautiful home on the spot where Major J. R. Brown established a trading post in 1838. He was united in marriage in 1874, to Miss Emma Benson. Their children are Oliver H., Reginald H. and Amelia.
Ferdinand Arny, a native of Germany, was born at Baden, October, 1843. He received his education in his native place and at the age of twenty emigrated to the United States, landing at the port of New Orleans. He came northward to Minnesota, and located in Cottage Grove town- ship, where he now owns a desirable farm of 120 acres. In April, 1871, he marrried Miss Carrie Anderson. Frank W., George, Anna H., Albert and Sarah, are their children. Two children died in infancy.
John Arny, born January 7th, 1829, is a native of Baden, Germany. He received an edu- cation in his native home, and there remained until he reached manhood's estate; then came to America. He went directly to St. Louis, where he spent four years in the employ of the· banker, Louis Benoist. In April, 1865, he came to Min- nesota. locating on a farm of one hundred and fifty acres at Cottage Grove, where he has since lived, an honored and respected citizen. His family consists of his wife and three children, Edward, Anna and Minnie.
Frank X. Barril was born at Detroit, Michigan, in 1859. While he was yet an infant his parents moved to Montreal, Canada, but returned to Detroit, when he was eleven years of age. There Mr. Barril remained until 1875, then turned west- ward. He made his home in Little Falls, Mor- rison county, Minnesota, two years, working at the blacksmith's trade. He completed his knowl- edge of the trade in St. Paul. In 1880 he located at Langdon, where he is doing a good business of general blacksmithing, including wagon- making, repairing, etc.
Henry Belden was born in Benson, Rutland county, Vermont, in 1811, of the old New Eng- land stock. Here he was educated, and lived until 1844, when he removed to Wisconsin, and purchased a farm in Rock county. During the spring of 1856, he removed from Wisconsin to
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.
the territory of Minnesota, settling at Cottage Grove, on his present fine estate. His farm con- sists of two hundred and sixty-six acres, which is finely improved and adorned by a very handsome residence. Mr. Belden has been twice married; first, to Miss Elmira Benson, who died in Wis- consin. In 1852 he married his present wife, who was Rhoda Crum. They have three children.
August F. Borth is a native of Prussia, born in 1848. When a child of seven years his parents crossed the ocean, and located at Henderson, Sib- ley county, Minnesota, where his father still re- mains and pursues his avocation . of contractor and carpenter. Mr. Borth passed his youth at Henderson, and received a practical education and learned the trade of blacksmith and wagon- maker. September, 1876, he became a resident of the village of Cottage Grove, where he still resides, having an extensive custom. He mar- ried in 1876, Miss Hattie Palmer, who has borne him two children, Frank L. and George.
John Colwell is a native of Ireland, from where his parents emigrated to Canada, when he was a child. In 1865 he removed to Minnesota, locating at Cottage Grove, where he resides on a well-improved farm of two hundred and ninety acres, adjoining the village of Langdon. In To- ronto, Canada, 1845, he was married to Miss Mary Glenn, who died many years after, leaving seven children, John J., Mary, Joseph, Robert, Eliza- beth A., Matilda and George. Mr. Colwell re- married in 1871, to Mrs. Maria Stotesbury. They have three children, George B., Edwin and Albert O. Mrs. Colwell has two children by her first husband.
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