USA > Minnesota > Wright County > History of Wright County, Minnesota > Part 29
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Most of the early settlers located in the Big Woods. Through the dense forest or over a winding trail they made their way, ford- ing brooks, passing through swamps, cutting away fallen trees and swimming rivers, until they reached their chosen location. There they lived in their wagons or in a temporary brush lean-to while they felled the trees and erected a cabin. Ofttimes an axe and a grub hoe were their only tools. The cabins were usually erected without nails or metal of any kind. Sometimes the win-
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HISTORY OF WRIGHT COUNTY
dows were covered with paper, sometimes there were no windows. The doors consisted of split poles nailed to a cross strip usually swung on leather hinges. The fire place was in one end, and as the ventilation was not always good the cabin was often filled with smoke.
The floor was of trampled earth. Furniture was home made, bunks and tables usually being erude contrivances swung from the walls. A loft overhead was usually provided as a sleeping place for the children. The roofs were usually of brush or shakes, which in heavy storms freely admitted the wind and rain.
Wild game was the principal food, corn was made into meal in a coffee-grinder, pork and bacon were luxuries, coffee was al- most unknown, and flour was obtained only with the greatest difficulty. Often the pioneers walked to St. Anthony or St. Paul, and brought provisions home on their backs.
The cabin erected, the next thought was to clear the land. Trees were cut down and burned, the stumps were left to decay, and the erops were put in among the stumps. Where brush land was encountered, it was broken and grubbed. The natural mead- ows furnished hay.
A few fortunate ones owned the oxen and the wagons with which they came. Most of them, however, hired some one to bring them here. Many of the men walked here, and lived alone until they had erected a eabin, and then hired someone to bring their families. Some were single men who as soon as their homes were established went back after their brides. Some continued to be bachelors, and kept house as best they could.
Those who had no oxen had a difficult time in clearing away the logs. After a year or two some of them bought oxen, others bought calves and raised them until they were able to help with the farm work. Sometimes a cow and a steer would be hitched together. The people who had cows were fortunate in that they had a supply of milk for their children, and an opportunity to make butter. Some had a pig or two, and a few brought chickens. Sometimes in the winter the animals had to be brought into the cabins to keep them from perishing in the cold.
The settlers on the prairies had somewhat different experi- ences, as instead of cutting the trees, they had to break the tough soil. Some of the prairie settlers were men of means who came to farm on a large scale, with a view to immediate profits. But the markets were far away, transportation was difficult, prices paid for farm produce at the trading points were low. Nearly all of these well-to-do prairie settlers soon lost their property on foreclosed mortgages, and left the country broken in spirit and in pocket-book.
For the small farmer, the man who hoped for nothing more than that he might make a living while developing his farin, pros-
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HISTORY OF WRIGIIT COUNTY
perity seemed about to dawn, when there came a terrible set-baek.
In 1856 the grasshoppers devastated the county, leaving less than half a erop. By the elose of the year 1857, settlements had sprung up in the central, southern and eastern portions of the county, but during the general depression of business following the financial erash of 1857, many of the early settlers were driven to the necessity of abandoning their elaims, and seeking more favorable localities, where labor offered a reward commensurate with their wants. The settlers who remained went through the distressing hardships of the winter of 1857-58, when the grass- hopper raids, the financial erisis, and the cold weather all eon- tributed to the privations of the pioneers.
In 1858 and 1859 the erops were better, and when Gov. Alex. ander Ramsey issued his Thanksgiving proclamation in 1860, the soil of Wright eounty had brought forth its inerease in abundant measure.
But another disaster impended. In 1859, the lands eame into market, and from inability to pay the usual Government priec, many elaimants were obliged to quit their partially developed homes, and seek locations elsewhere. With the meager opportun- ities for luerative employment outside, and the difficulty attend- ing the opening of a farm in the dense woodlands, it is not strange that many found it impossible to maintain their families while as yet their seanty elearings furnished so little with which to keep the wolf from the door. And so they departed, and were sue- ceeded by others more fortunate, who reaped whatever of reward their toils produced. It was about this time, however, that the ginseng buyers arrived. Soon men, women and children were digging for the root, lands were paid for, provisions were pur- chased, everyone had ready money, and though to a certain extent farming operations were suspended, an era of prosperity dawned.
Then came the darkest days of all. The outbreak of the Civil war ealled the able bodied men, and on the heels of this was the Indian uprising which twice nearly depopulated the county.
In 1867 the settlers in the western part of the county suffered from a famine. Many of the settlers had come the previous year with the expectation of earning money on the railroad, but as the railroad work was delayed, the people for a while were in almost a starving condition.
In 1871, a tornado swept a part of the county and did great damage, and it was not long afterward when the grasshoppers again ravaged the county. Then, too, at various times, the pigeons, the gophers, the blackbirds, the prairie chickens, the potato bug, the eut worm and other grubs and inseets, the rats and the mniee have all done serious damage. For many years also the elimate presented many diffienlties. Many erops had to be acelimated to this northern belt. Nearly all the settlers had been
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HISTORY OF WRIGHIT COUNTY
accustomed to longer summers, and it was hard to adjust their farming operations to the changed conditions.
But in spite of all these obstacles, Wright county is today, as stated, one of the foremost agricultural and dairying counties in the state. Gradually wheat has given way to corn, diversified farming now occupies the attention of the rural population, and dairying is the paramount occupation.
The farms of Wright county are similar to the farms of any other county having a rich soil. It has its good farms and its poor farms. Or, better stated, it has its good farmers and its poor farmers. Agriculture, like every other trade or profession, has its successes and its failures, but perhaps not as many com- plete failures.
The high altitude gives to Wright county an ideal elimate. Its mean temperature for summer is 70 degrees, the same as middle Illinois, Ohio, and southern Pennsylvania. The extreme heat that is felt in these states is here tempered by the breezes of the elevated plateau. Its higher latitude gives two hours more of sunshine than at Cincinnati. This, with an abundance of rain- fall, 26.36 inches annually, on a rich soil, accounts for the rapid and vigorous growth of crops and their early maturity. There is a uniformity of temperature during the winter season in southern Minnesota, with bright sunshine, dry atmosphere, good sleighing and infrequent thaws that make life a pleasure in this bracing, healthy climate.
There was a time in Wright county, when, like all new lands, the first consideration was to build good barns for the housing of the flocks and herds, and the home was the most inconspicuous objeet in the landscape. As the farmers prospered, the log house disappeared, and now there are few log houses in the entire county. Now the farmer's house vies with the city residence, and has many of the modern conveniences. Where electric light and power cannot be secured, gasoline engines furnish power, and a mimber of farm houses are lighted by their own gas plants. By the use of elevated tanks in the house or barn, or pneumatic tanks in cellars, farm houses aften have all the sanitary conveniences of a house in town. Farmers realize the value of keeping their property in the best of shape. Houses and barns are well painted, lawns are carefully kept and flower gardens show that the people recognize that the things which beautify add a value to life as well as to property.
FARM NAMES.
Many of the farmns in Wright county have been given names. In order that the names might be perpetuated, many of the own- ers have registered the names at the courthouse. The names al- ready registered are :
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HISTORY OF WRIGHT COUNTY
Oak Grove Farm, A. Thorp, section 21, township 121, range 23. Fairview Farm, Isaac A. Barberg, section 18, township 119, range 28. Oak Hill Farm, Emil H. Ek, seetion 4, township 118, range 28. Lakewood, Gust Swan, section 23, township 119, range 28. Spring Brook Stock Farm, Emil R. Olson, sections 10, 15 and 16, township 119, range 26. The Midway Farm, John N. Nelson, sections 1 and 12, township 118, range 28. Sunset Park Farm, Ida N. Shadduck, section 21, township 121, range 27. Hazel Horst Stock Farm, C. E. La Plant, sections 22 and 23, township 121, range 23. Meadow Land Stock Farm, Julius Johnson, sec- tion 2, township 118, range 28. Lake Side Farm, August Ander- son, seetions 33 and 37, township 120, range 27. Cedar Grove Farm, Gustaf Smedberg, section 36, township 118, range 27. Summitcroft, Gustaf Olton, seetion 19, township 121, range 25. Hillcrest Farm, John Larson, section 33, township 120, range 25. North Star Farm, J. W. Beckinan, section 3, township 118, range 28. Maple Grove Stock Farm, William J. Graham, section 33, township 118, range 27. Pleasant View, J. V. Beers, sections 5 and 8, township 121, range 25. Brookside Farm, Phineas E. Eddy, section 17, township 118, range 27. East Side Farm, John A. Hoaglund, section 15, township 118, range 28. High View, Anton P. Moody, section 15, township 118, range 28. Shore Acres, Ed- son S and Lonise M. Gaylord, section 21 and 28, township 121, range 28. The Linden Grove Farm, John R. Streich, section 1, township 118, range 27. Pinewood, N. O. Monson, section 10, township 118, range 28. Plain View Farm, Andrew Carlson, sec- tion 33, township 118, range 25. Millstone Lake Farm, Cornelius Schermer, section 18, township 121, range 26. Maple Hill Stock Farm, Panl Kritzeck, section 29, township 118, range 27. Lake- side Stock Farm, M. M. Schlagel, section 32, township 118, range 27. Groveland Farm, S. B. Berg, section 24, township 122, range 26.
GOVERNMENT REPORT.
The following report of Wright eounty agriculture, issued in connection with the thirteenth census of the United States, speaks for itself in regard to the present day agricultural conditions in the county.
Population, 28,082 (in 1900, 29,157).
Number of all farms, 3,814 (in 1900, 3,992).
Color and nativity of all farmers. Native whites, 1,985; for- eign born whites, 1,829.
Number of farms elassified by size : Under three acres, 4; from three to nine acres, 119; from ten to nineteen acres, 120; from twenty to forty-nine acres, 460; from fifty to ninety-nine acres, 1,376 ; from 100 to 174 acres, 1,295; from 175 to 259 acres, 328; from 260 to 499 acres, 109; 500 to 999 acres, 3.
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HISTORY OF WRIGHT COUNTY
Land and Farm Areas. Approximate land area, 442,240 acres. Land in farms, 399,328. (Land in farms in 1900, 383,966 acres). Improved land in farms, 237,792 acres. Improved land in farms in 1900, 215,436 acres. Woodland in farms, 90,687 aeres. Other unimproved land in farms, 70,849 acres. Per cent of the whole county in farms, 90.3 per cent. Per cent of farm land improved, 59.5 per cent. Average acres to each farm, 104.7 acres. Average improved aeres to each farm, 62.3 acres.
Value of Farm Property. All farm property, $27,922,225. (In 1900 the value was $14,108,289). The percentage of increase in farm value in ten years was 97.9 per cent. Value of land alone, $17,927,368. (The value of land alone in 1900 was $9,493,540). Value of buildings alone, $5,730,905. ($2,414,470 in 1900.) Value of implements and machinery, $994,202. ($553,970 in 1909.) Valne of domestic animals, poultry and bees, $3,269,750. ($1,646,- 309 in 1900.) Per cent of value of all property in land, 64.2 per cent. Per cent of value of all property in buildings, 20.5 per cent. Per cent of value of all property in implements and machinery, 3.6 per cent. Per cent of value in domestic animals, poultry and bees, 11.7 per cent.
Average values. Average value of all property per farm, $7,321. Average value of land and buildings per farm, $6,203. Average value of land per acre, $44.89. ($24.72 in 1900.)
Domestic Animals on Farms and Ranges. Farmers reporting domestic animals, 3,748. Value of domestic animals, $3,145,098.
Cattle. Total number, 49,876. Dairy cows, 28,071. Other eows, 3.208. Calves, 7,391. Yearling heifers, 6,839. Yearling steers and bulls, 2,304. Other steers and bulls, 2,063. Total value, $1,153,173.
Horses. Total number, 13,386. Mature horses, 12,197. Year- ling eolts, 1,077. Spring colts, 112. Total value, $1,642,272.
Mules. Total number, 43. Mature mules, 39. Yearling colts, 3. Spring colts, 1. Total value, $4,215.
Asses and Burros. Total number, 1. Total value, $25.
Swine. Total number, 49,109. Mature hogs, 19,060. Spring pigs, 21,049. Value, $326,646.
Sheep. Total number 4,909. Rams, ewes, wethers, 3,502. Spring lambs, 1,407. Value, $18,709.
Goats. Number, 17. Value, $58.
Poultry and Bees. Poultry of all kinds, 251,171. Value, $119,- 382. Number of colonies of bees, 1,837. Value, $5,270.
Farms operated by owners, 3,252. (3,447 in 1900.) Per cent of all farms in the county operated by owners, 85.3 per cent. (86.3 per cent in 1900.)
Land in farms operated by owners, 333,230 aeres. Improved land in farms operated by owners, 198,450. Value of lands and buildings in farms operated by owners, $19,889,112.
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HISTORY OF WRIGHT COUNTY
Degree of Ownership. Number of farms operated by owners, consisting of owned lands only, 2,675. Number of farms operated by owners which also include with the owned land, some hired land, 577. Of the men in the county owning and operating their own farms, 1,585 are native born Americans and 1,667 are foreign born.
Farms Operated by Tenants. Number of farms operated by tenants, 551. (534 in 1900.) Of all the farms in the county, 14.4 per eent are operated by tenants. (13.4 in 1900.)
Land in Rented Farms, 64,279 Acres. Improved land in rented farms, 37,986 acres. Value of land and buildings in rented farms, $3,558,161.
Form of Tenancy. Share tenants, 237. Share-cash tenants, 55. Cash tenants, 248. Tenure not specified, 11. Of the people renting farms in the county 391 are native born Amerieans, and 160 are foreign born.
Farms Operated by Managers. Number of farms operated by managers, 11. (11 in 1900.) Land in farms operated by mana- gers, 1,819 aeres. Improved lands in farms operated by managers, 1,356. Value of land and buildings in farms operated by mana- gers, $211,000.
Mortgage Debt Report of Farms Operated by Their Owners. Number free from mortgage debt, 1,757. Number with mortgage debt, 1,478. Number on which no mortgage report was made, 17. Mortgage debt report of farms consisting of owned land only. Number reporting debt and amount, 1,122. Value of their land and buildings, $6,520,787. Amount of mortgage debt, $1,823,827. Per cent of value of land and buildings mortgaged, 28 per eent.
Farm Expenses. For labor. Number of farms from which re- ports were obtained, 1,616. Cash expended for labor on these farms, $159,418. Rent and board furnished for labor, $61,654.
For Feed. Number of farms reported on this question, 1,175. Amount expended, $59,464.
Principal Crops. Corn, 37,207 aeres; bushels, 1,509,337. Com- mon winter wheat, 1,666 acres; bushels, 36,051. Common spring wheat, 61,754 acres, bushels, 1,348,816. Durum or macaroni wheat, 28 acres, bushels, 574. Barley, 11,258 acres; bushels, 335,546. Rye, 4,438 acres, bushels, 83,997. Flaxseed, 90 aeres, bushels, 1,146. Timothy seed, 114 acres, bushels, 620. Potatoes, 3,595 acres, bushels, 476,389. Oats, 19,016 aeres, bushels, 759,700.
Hay and Forage. Total. 51,639 aeres, tons, 107,533. Timothy alone, 6,983 acres, tons, 14,788. Timothy and clover mixed, 13,360 acres, tons, 30,146. Other tame or cultivated grass exelusive of clover alone and alfalfa, 2,363 aeres, tons, 5,018. Wild or prairie grass, 26,710 acres, tons, 52,017. All other hay and forage, 2,223 aeres, tons, 5,564.
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HISTORY OF WRIGHT COUNTY
ASSESSMENT ROLLS.
The assessment rolls of Wright county for 1914 are most in- teresting as they tell in unadorned figures the agricultural condi- tions that exist in Wright county at the present time.
HORSES, MULES AND ASSES.
Under one year old, 877; average value, $16.00; total value, $14,036 ; one year old and under two years, 1,206; average value, $24.23 ; total value, $29,223; two years old and under three years, 1,250; average value, $33.63; total value, $42,041; three years old and over, 12,201 ; average value, $35.80; total value, $436,820; stallions, fine bred mares and race horses, 59; average value, $140.66, total value, $8,299.
Cattle. Under one year old, 9,670; average value, $3.06; total value, $29,612; one year old and under two years, 8,225; average value, $5.14; total value, $42,331; two years old and under three years, 5,402; average value, $9.22; total value, $49,797; cows, 23,823, average value, $14.23; total value, $339,090; bulls, 874, average value, $12.47 ; total value, $10,898; all other eattle three years old and over, 62; average value, $18.40; total value, $1,141.
Sheep, 2,996, average value $1.51, total value $4,529.
Swine, 25,522, average value $3.34, total value $85,212.
Poultry, total value $27,081.
Dogs, 2,692, average value $1.93, total value $5,199.
Equipment and Furniture. The value of farm implements and machinery is $128,627. The highest value is in Franklin township, $10,165.
The total assessed valuation of household furniture and uten- sils and wearing apparel of members of the family is $210,498. The highest village is Buffalo at $11,101. The lowest is Hanover at $1,021. The highest township is Franklin at $10,697. The lowest is Southside at $4,601.
The total valuation of rugs and carpets is $5,442, and of books, pietures, brie-a-brae and works of art $2,358.
There are 3,602 sewing machines assessed at $11,153. The largest number in a village is in Buffalo where there are 180. The smallest number, 18, is in Hanover. The largest number in a township is in Franklin where there are 214. The smallest number, 55, is in French Lake. There are 4,150 watches and eloeks assessed and the assessed valuation of jewelry, diamonds, gold and silver plate and plated ware is $1,667.
The county has 1,071 pianos. Buffalo leads among the villages with 98, while in Rockford village there are 7. Among the town- ships Middleville leads with 44. The smallest number, 15, is in Clearwater township. The total valuation of other musical instruments is $3,676.
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HISTORY OF WRIGHT COUNTY
There are 7,887 wagons, earriages and sleighs, valued at $60,- 958. The highest number is in Monticello township where there are 726. The highest valuation is in Buffalo township where it is $3,144. The highest average valuation, $11.79, is in Howard Lake. The harnesses and saddles in the county are assessed at $27,050.
No less than 620 automobiles are found in the county. The average valuation is $138.45 and the total value is $85,847. One hundred and four motoreyeles and bieyeles have an average val- uation of $12.42 and a total valuation of $1,292.
Other assessments in the county are: Steam and motor boats, sailing vessels, barges and all other water craft, $1,461. Grain, grass seed and flaxseed in the hands of producers, $15,523. All other agricultural products in the hands of producers, $1,380. Threshing machines and outfits used therewith exclusive of en- gines, $9,100. Steam engines, boilers, gasoline engines, dynamos and eleetrie motors, $241.54. Locomotives, steam shovels and other machinery used in mining, $134. Manufacturers' tools, im- plements and machinery not assessed as real estate, $18,399. Wheat flour, barley, malt, flaxseed, linseed oil and all other grain and grain products in hands of manufacturers, $2,046. Lumber, lath and shingles, $39,263. Logs, poles, posts and railroad ties, $208. Briek, cement, lime, cement blocks and quarried stone in the hands of dealers or manufacturers, $541. All other manufacturers' ma- terials and manufactured artieles not listed, in the hands of man- nfacturers, $3,204. Goods and merchandise of wholesale mer- chants-and jobbers, $2,756. Goods and merchandise of retail mer- chants, $222,265. Typewriters, adding machines, cash registers and computing scales, $4,171. Safes, $2,030. Store furniture and fixtures, $9,676. Office furniture, ineluding instruments, equip- ment and libraries of professional men, $5,362. Fire arms of all kinds, $1,330. Presses, typesetting machines, type eases and furni- ture, equipments, fixtures and stoek on hand of newspaper and printing offices, $2,608. Machinery, furniture equipment and stoek of creameries and cheese factories, $3,540. Machinery, fur- niture and equipment of laundries, $5. Stock, furniture, fixtures and equipment of saloons, sample rooms and bar rooms, $7,431. Stock, furniture, fixtures and equipment of restaurants, eating houses and cafes, $2,770. Stoek, furniture, fixtures, equipment, tables and alleys of billard and pool rooms and bowling alleys, $1,544. Furniture, tools and equipment of barber shops, $604. All tools, implements and machinery not listed in the foregoing items, $16,292.
OTHER PROPERTY.
Elevators, warehouses and other improvements on railway lands, $21,560. Structures on lands entered under the United States land laws and on Iands leased from the state, $333. Shares
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HISTORY OF WRIGHT COUNTY
of bank stock, $170,572. Shares of stock in all corporations whose property is not assessed or taxed in this state, $2,564. All other personal property not ineluded in the foregoing items required by law to be listed, $2,433.
Totals. Total assessed value of personal property as equalized by county board, $2,313,186. Total assessed value of personal property as returned by assessors, $2,303,663. Total true and full value of all personal property as returned by county board, $7,129,189.
TOWNSHIPS.
Albion. Horses, mules and asses. Under one year old 40, one year old and under two years 58, two years old and under three years 75, three years old and over 679. Cattle. Under one year 337, one year old and under two years 379, two years old and under three years 296, cows 1,370, bulls 36, all other cattle three years old and over 2. Sheep 19. Swine 916. Value of poultry $1,164. Dogs 157.
Automobiles 15, motorcycles and bieycles, 7.
Buffalo. Horses, mules and asses. Under one year old, 38; one year old and under two years, 47; two years old and under three years, 58; three years old and over, 577. Cattle, under one year, 482; one year and under two years, 422; two years and under three years, 297; cows, 1,190; bulls, 56; all other cattle three years old and over, 2. Sheep, 290. Swine, 964. Value of poultry, $1,297. Number of dogs, 141.
Automobiles, 12; motorcycles and bieycles, 1.
Chatham. Horses, mules and asses. Under one year old, 15; one year old and under two years, 23; two years old and under three years, 26; three years old and over, 283. Cattle, under one year, 332; one year and under two years, 210; two years and under three years, 144; cows, 582; bulls, 29; all other cattle three years old and over, 0. Sheep, 78. Swine, 1,132. Value of poultry, $413. Number of dogs, 75.
Automobiles, 8; motorcyeles and bicycles, 1.
Clearwater. Horses, mules and asses. Under one year old, 18; one year old and under two years, 24; two years old and under three years, 16; three years old and over, 346. Cattle, un- der one year, 257; one year and under two years, 269; two years and under three years, 146; cows, 558; bulls, 10; all other cattle three years old and over, 0. Sheep, 101. Swine, 568. Value of poultry, $681. Number of dogs, 56.
Automobiles, 5; motoreyeles and bicycles, 2.
Cokato. Horses, mules and asses. Under one year old, 38; one year old and under two years, 45; two years old and under three years, 50; three years old and over, 654. Cattle, under one year, 775; one year and under two years, 453; two years and
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HISTORY OF WRIGHT COUNTY
under three years, 293; cows, 1,318; bulls, 69; all other cattle three years old and over, 2. Sheep, 135. Swine, 746. Value of poultry, $1,218. Number of dogs, 135.
Automobiles, 25; motorcycles and bicycles, 0.
Corinna. Horses, mules and asses. Under one year old, 16; one year old and under two years, 39; two years old and under three years, 43; three years old and over, 447. Cattle, under one year, 416; one year and under two years, 375; two years and under three years, 285; cows, 692; bulls, 33; all other cattle three years old and over, 13. Sheep, 215. Swine, 834. Value of poul- try, $1,124. Number of dogs, 104.
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