USA > Minnesota > Faribault County > The history of Faribault County, Minnesota : from its first settlement to the close of the year 1879 : the story of the pioneers > Part 47
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At Shelbyville, just over the north county line, a reunion of old settlers was had, at which many residents of the county attended. The peculiar feature of this meeting was the number of short and interesting addresses, by old settlers of this county, in which their experiences in frontier life were related. The day was very fine. and the attendance, at all of the above points, was large, and the occasion afforded much pleasure to all.
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FARIBAULT COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
THE REFRAIN OF THE REAPERS.
Never was there a better prospect for a bountiful crop, than there was in this county, a few weeks before the harvest of this year. A great breadth of small grain had been sown and the stand was all that could be desired. Everyone was confident of getting, at least, twenty bushels of No. 1 wheat per acre. But a sad disap- pointment awaited the people. Instead of getting the best, we had probably the poorest wheat crop ever gathered in this county. The causes of this great misfortune were, the intense heat and excessive rains. From the 10th to the 20th of July, especially the 13th and, also, for many days after, excessive heat prevailed. Many were compelled to quit work. The average temperature, for many days, was 95° in the shade, but sometimes it ran as high as 103º The heat was of that oppressive, sultry character, which enervates the whole system. During this time and, also, through harvest, the rains, especially at night, were quite heavy and the streams rose higher thau they had been known for years. Many small bridges were swept away. The roads became very bad. The bot- tom grass lands were overflowed, destroying much of the best grass. The wheat was blasted and shriveled, and the lands became so miry, that it was next to impossible to get on the fields to cut, or take care of the grain, making the harvest difficult and expensive. Much of the grain was cut late, and some was not cut at all.
This condition of things existed throughout the greater portion of what we call Southern Minnesota. In the northern portion of the State, however, the wheat crop, this year, was abundant, and the quality very good. To comprehend this calamity to the people of this county fully, it is necessary to state further, that owing to various causes, not necessary to name here, the general prices of wheat at best, had fallen very low, and when this inferior grain came to the market, the farmer realized the fact that the wheat crop of this year was a failure. The prices paid ranged from twenty to forty cents per bushel. Most of the wheat was below any grade which had yet been established. The average yield of wheat in this county was from five to eight bushels per acre. Oats and other small grain, also, shared somewhat in the blight. Much of the oats was as light as chaff, but there were some good fields. But to counterbalance the short crops of wheat and oats, the corn crop was abundant, po- tatoes and all other vegetables were good and plentiful, and fruits of all kinds were an average yield. The dairy products of the year were large, and also the amount of wool grown, and stock of all kinds were thrifty, and yielded a handsome income. We can live and prosper in this county without raising a bushel of wheat.
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FORECASTING THE WEATHER.
A passing remark may here be added in relation to foretelling the weather. While there is undoubtedly much uncertainty in weather prognostications, yet the time has arrived when science has become able to afford many valuable suggestions as to the prob- able future weather conditions that are worthy of attention. There are always many weather prophecies uttered by the old weather prophets of the neighborhood, as to the coming weather, especially as to hard or mild winters, and they are generally worthless. We have heard a hard winter prophesied, because the corn husks were thick, or because the muskrats had built large houses, or because the moss was very thick on the north side of the trees, or that the squir- rels had stored up large stocks of nuts, or that the frogs had buried themselves for the winter in the muck of the ponds perpendicular, heads down and heels to the zenith.
Conjectures, based upon ascertained and uniform facts, observed during a long course of years and noted by scientific men, are get- ting to be worthy of some attention. As an illustration of some of the methods pursued in this direction, we append a brief article clipped from the St. Paul Press, of July 23d, 1878. "Old Prob." cer- tainly hit the mark this year.
LOOK OUT FOR A WET HARVEST. Minneapolis dept. Pioneer-Press.
Mr. Wm. Cheney. our local "Probabilities," who has kept a complete and ac- curate weather record in this city for the past twelve years, is authority for the statement that we are liable to have a wet harvest. He finds that the average rainfall during the season, one year with another, is 23.631 inches, the variation is only about six inches-three inches either above or below the average. The rainfall this year during the month of April, May and June was 8.720 inches, considerably below the average. Add to this the average of three succeeding months, July, August and September, (which covers the period of harvesting) and we have but 19.972 inches, whereas the average for the corresponding six months of the past twelve years has been 23.681 inches. By close observation Mr. Cheney is satisfied that nature is accustomed to balance her books each sea- son, and he is therefore of the opinion that we are liable to have more rain, be- tween now and the first of October, than the farmers will really want. All of which is worthy of their attention, in securing the standing crops.
SOME ITEMS OF GENERAL INTEREST,
Pope Pius IX, aged 85 years, died February 7th, and was suc- ceeded by Leo XIII, on February 20th.
On February 28th, a bill, known as the "Bland Silver Bill," was passed by Congress, over the veto of the President. For some years prior to 1877-8, silver dollars had not been in use in the United States. Silver, as money, had, by the act of 1873, been practically degraded and demonetized, as has been alleged.
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The Bland Bill ordered the coinage of large sums in silver dollars, of 412} grains weight, and provided that they might be used iu the payment of debts by the government. Silver was thus re- monetized. But this act provided that contracts might be made requiring that payments should be made in gold.
A "greenback" dollar was becoming as good as a gold dollar.
March 3d. Peace was concluded between Russia and Turkey.
Early in August, that fatal disease, the yellow fever, made its appearance in the South. In one of our local papers we find the following very appropriate remarks:
"It is appalling to us, situated so far away, to read daily of the visitation of that dreadful scourage, yellow fever, that is raging to such an alarming ex- in the southern states and cities. We get only a superficial idea of its disastrous effects. Hundreds have died, and hundreds more are lying sick in all its stages. Thousands are flying northward to catch the healthy breezes of northern local- ities; towns with their two or three thousand population are almost deserted, and yet, while we look complacently on the destruction this disease is making 1,000 miles south of us, do we fully appreciate the healthfulness of our own climate? When one of those "gentle zephyrs" stirs up the sluggardness of our systems, we are apt to exclaim, "blast those winds." We do not stop to think that in them is the very elixir that blows away the malarious and pesti- lential fevers and other diseases that combine from various unforseen circum- stances to invade the household. Let us be thankful for the breezes that sometimes fiercely blow, for in them we find health, comfort, and bodily vigor."
This group of general facts may be supplemented by the state- ment of a significant local item.
The stimulus of the great wheat crop of the preceding year, the universal belief that the locusts had left us, finally, and the prospects in the spring, induced the farmers to break up much additional land, and an immense quantity of land was turned over, not only in this county, but throughout the State.
THE COUNTY BOARD.
During this year the board of county commissioners had five meetings of several days' each, but no business of historical interest was transacted, except that the board entered into contract with a purchaser, to sell to him one hundred and sixty acres, or one half of what was known as the "Poor Farm." At the January meeting, A. H. Bullis was elected chairman for the year.
AGRICULTURAL MATTERS.
The Agricultural Society held its annual meeting January 3d. The treasurer reported the receipts of the year to be $172.45 and the disbursements $161.34, leaving in the treasury $11.11. The officers elected for the year were A. R. More, Sr., of Pilot Grove, president; C. H. Slocum, secretary, and Henry Sellen, treasurer, and one vice president was chosen for each township Mr. Sellen de-
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clined to serve, and Henry M. Temple was subsequently elected treasurer. During the year, a high board fence was built on the north and west sides of the fair grounds, and the buildings were removed to better situations and repaired, and a number of covered stalls, stables and pens, were erected, all adding much to the con- venience and value of the grounds. The annual fair was held at the grounds, near Blue Earth City, on the 19th, 20th and 21st days of September. The following article gives a very correct ac- count of
THE FAIR.
"The county falr of last week is pronounced by all to be a success, finan- cially, and in attendance. More people were present than at any previous fair, and the gate money received was nearly doubled. The storm on Thursday evening made a difference in the first day's receipts, and interfered very much with the exhibit of stock. There were 429 articles entered for exhibition. What stock, horses, cattle, sheep and swine, there were, were all first-class, and very creditable to Faribault county.
The exhibits in floral hall were very fine, especially in the fruit depart- ment. L. C. Seaton had on exhibition thirty-eight varieties, all of them very choice, and of course took first premiums. J. D. Stanton, Capt. Davy and Frank Cole, also exhibited some choice varieties of apples.
The principal attractions were the races and glass ball shooting, in which a large number participated.
Taken altogether. the fair was the best ever held in the county, and the society has, in a great degree, so regained public confidence that we can safely guarantee future fairs to be successful, and improvements on the one just closed."
THE FALL ELECTIONS.
At the election held this fall. an associate justice of the supreme court, several state officers and a member of congress. in addition to our local officers were to be elected.
Mark H Dunnell, was the republican and Wm. Meighen (green- backer) the opposition candidate for congress.
Mr. Dunnell was elected.
The Republican County Convention was held at Blue Earth City, on the fifth day of October. After choosing J. H. Welch. of Winne- bago City, chairman, and Geo. W. Buswell, of Blue Earth City, sec- retary, the convention made the following nominations:
For Senator-R. B. Johnson.
For Representatives-J. P. West and T. S. Wroolie.
For Register of Deeds-F. P. Brown.
For Auditor-W. W. White.
For Superintendent of Schools-David Ogilvie.
For County Surveyor-E. H. Leavitt.
For Coroner -- C. S. Kimball.
On the ninth day of the same month the Democratic County Convention was held at Blue Earth City. D. P. Wasgati, of Winne-
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bago City, was elected chairman, and C. W. Apley, of Minnesota Lake, secretary. The convention adjourned over to the nineteenth of the month, when the following nominations were made:
Geo. B. Kingsley, for Senator.
N. Kremer and H. M. Huntington, for Representatives.
A. Bonwell, for Auditor.
F. P. Brown, for Register of Deeds.
Geo. A. Weir, for County Surveyor.
J. A. Dean, for Superintendent of Schools.
A. B. Balcom, for Coroner.
Next came the County Convention of the Nationals (Greenback- ers), which was held at Blue Earth City, on the nineteenth of Octo- ber. A. H. Bullis, of Verona, was chosen chairman, and C. W. Ap- ley, of Minnesota Lake, secretary, when the following nominations were made:
For Senator-J. H. Sprout, and for Representative-A. H. Bullis.
For Auditor-W. W. White, and for Register of Deeds-G. H. Claggett.
For County Surveyor-Geo. A. Weir.
A very strong effort was made to form a coalition between the two conventions assembled at this time, and unite upon one ticket, but it was not successful, and each party made its own nominations. About this time Daniel F. Goodrich was announced as an indepen- dent candidate for Representative, and R. W. Richards as an inde- pendent candidate for Superintendent of Schools.
The political issues were mainly on the financial question, "hard money,"and resumption of specie payments on the one hand and "soft money," "fiat money," or more properly speaking the "greenback theory," on the other. In the local campaign, though quite a num- ber of meetings were held about the county by several of the candi- dates, the canvass was not as active a one as many that preceded it. The election was held November 5th.
The following statement of the vote cast for the several candi- dates, is taken from the official canvass:
For Senator: R. B. Johnson, 962; J. H. Sprout, 513; G. B. Kingsley, 270.
For Representatives: Wroolie, 840; West, 852; Kremer, 527; Bullis, 537; Goodrich, 331; Huntington, 363.
For Anditor: White, 1,158; Bonwell, 597.
For Register: Brown, 1,516; Claggett, 220.
For Surveyor: Weir, 629; Leavitt, 1,119.
For Superintendent: Ogilvie, 651; Richards, 674; Dean, 421.
For Coroner: Kimball, 1,438; Balcom, 302.
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Some of the candidates, at this election, got themselves into strange conditions, politically, and for some time after election hardly knew where they stood, reminding us of two certain Irish- men who had just landed in America. They took a room in the second story of a small hotel for the night. During the night the house took fire and the guests were awakened suddenly. Pat arose in great haste, and in the confusion got his trowsers on "hind side" to the front, and dropped himself out of the window to the ground. Moike, greatly frightened, hurried to the window and called out, "Pat me bye, aint ye kilt intoirly?" "No, I aint hurted" said Pat. looking down at his trowsers, "but Moike," said he, mournfully, "I guess I am fatally twisted, sure."
FROST-PRICES CURRENT.
The first killing frost occurred on the night of September 10th. The fall weather was very pleasant for threshing and plowing, up to the twenty-fourth of November, when the first snow feil, but both threshing and plowing were continued far into December.
The following list of prices current November 20th, may inter- est some reader:
Dry Goods: Best prints, 6 to 7 cents per yard; sheetings, 6 to 10: canton flannel, 10 to 15: wool flannels, 35 to 50; good cashmeres, $1.00 to $1.25. Groceries: Coffee, 5 to 6 lbs. for $1.00; tea, 25 to 75 per lb .; sugar, white, 9 lbs. for $1.00; browo. 10 to 11 and 10 to 12 lbs. for $1.00; dried apples, 10 to 12 lbs. for $1.00. Canned fruits: Peaches, 25: raspberries and blackberries, 20. Farm products: Corn meal, $1.00 per hundred; wheat, 35 to 50; oats, 25: corn, 25: potatoes, 25; butter, 6 to 10: cheese, 8 to 10; eggs, 12; flour, $2.00 to $2.50 per hundred: live hogs, $2.00 per hundred.
THANKSGIVING DAY. (The last Thursday of November.)
The writer has gathered, from many sources, some facts and thoughts to express here, with his own views, of this well known day in our American calendar. And it is well, first of all, to quote a few sentences from the Great Book, and several others of like character. This is a religious subject.
"Lord Thou hast been our refuge from one generation to another." Ps. xc: 1.
"Thou crownest the year with thy goodness." Ps. LXV: 11.
"The pastures are clothed with flocks: the valleys also are covered over with corn." Pa. LXV: 13.
"Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains." Ps. CXLVII: 8.
"Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits." Ps. LAVin: 19.
"Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving." Ps. LI: 2.
"Offer unto God thanksgiving and pay thy vows unto the Most High." Ps. L: 14.
"O ye children of men, bless ye the Lord, praise Him and magnify Him forever."
.
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"Young men and maidens, old men and children, praise the name of the Lord."
"Let everything that hath breath, praise the Lord." Ps. CL: 6.
"Therefore with angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we laud and magnify Thy glorious name, evermore praising Thee, and saying: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts, heaven and earth are full of Thy glory; glory be to Thee, O Lord Most High."
Thanksgiving day is one of the two great American holidays, the other being the Fourth of July, and it is peculiarly American in its origin and characteristics. Among the ancient Hebrew people there existed an annual feast, known as the Feast of Tabernacles, or Feast of Ingathering, at the end of the year. "On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the Lord" (Lev. XXIII: 39), was the command. This feast, probably, suggested the annual thanksgiv- ing day of later times. More nearly allied to it, however, is the Harvest Home Festival, of our day, a most beautiful and appropri- ate observance. This festival is usually held in September. When held at the churches, and attended with religious services, the in- terior of the church is usually tastefully decorated with fine fruits, vegetables, cereals and flowers, attractively arranged, and the ser- vices are conducted with special reference to the occasion.
"And now, once more, the time of harvest past, God's children come to offer praise, Not only for the yield and increase vast, But all the blessings of their day."
"For the return of seed time and harvest, and for crowning the year with Thy goodness in the increase of the ground and gathering in of the fruits thereof, and for all the other blessings of Thy merciful providence bestowed upon this nation and people."
But, generally, though erroneously, Thanksgiving day and the Harvest Home Festival are deemed, practically, the same, and Thanksgiving day is the only day of general observance.
Centuries ago, the civil authorities of various countries in Europe, occasionally appointed a day of public thanksgiving for such blessings as great victories, deliverance from famines, plagues and pestilences, and the like, and it is one of the peculiar features of the day we are writing about, that though it is a religious festi- val, yet it is always appointed by the civil powers.
But this festival, as we know and observe it in America, origi- nated with the Puritans. The first public thanksgiving day ap- pointed in America, occurred in old Plymouth Colony, in 1621. After the gathering of the first harvest by the colonists, Gov. Bradford appointed a thanksgiving day, and it is recorded that he sent four men out "fowling" (for wild turkeys probably) that they "might, after a more special manner, rejoice together." In 1623. another
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day of thanksgiving was appointed for an abundant, refreshing and much needed rain, and in various subsequent years, such days were appointed in this colony.
In the colony of Massachusetts Bay, thanksgiving days were appointed in 1631, and for a number of years, annually, thereafter. Such days were also appointed in other portions of the country, outside of New England, during the colonial times.
During the Revolution, the day became a national institution, being annually recommended by congress, but subsequently it was observed, nationally, at irregular intervals, and only on special occasions.
In 1789 and in 1795, President Washington issued proclama tions, recommending a day of thanksgiving for the whole nation. But in many of the states, especially in those of New England, it continued to be observed annually, and in the latter states, it has been, through all the years, the principal home festival, always most highly prized by the people.
Since 1863, when President Lincoln appointed a national thanks- giving day, it has become again, an annual national institution.
The usual time now fixed for the day is the last Thursday of November.
The president of the United States, annually, issues a proclam- ation, specifying the day, and is followed by the governors of the several states, who usually recommend the same day.
These official proclamations are usually carefully written papers and vary a good deal in length and style. Some have been written in verse, and occasionally one is humorous, but generally they are in substance nniform. It has been said that in the old days in Mas- sachusetts, and probably in some other states, the governors' proclamations, on these occasions, were about a yard long, and when the pastor read the document in church, which has been the custom for many years, one end would hang down to the floor, in the aisle, before he had finished it. It told the people in great detail, what they should be thankful for-crops, health, peace, etc. -and admonished them to go to church, to say their prayers, to eat a good dinner and generally, on that day, to unite piety with jollity.
Of late years, however, these papers are much shorter, and some are so brief that they only recommend the day, without fur- ther comment.
We cannot now state the first observance of the day in this county, but it has been observed, annually. for many years, with all the old time customs, by the people generally.
The customs incident to the day vary somewhat in different localities. but the leading features, everywhere, are, first, the gather- ing at the churches, or other places of holding religious meetings,
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for religious services; and second, the thanksgiving dinner, par- taken of by the family and invited guests. Stores and other busi- ness houses are usually closed up for a part of the day. There was, it is said, in the old puritan times, a touch of asceticism in its ob- servance, and it is also said that the puritan forefathers, when their peculiar religious opinions were more strongly maintained than they now are, sought to substitute Thanksgiving day for Christmas, as the great religious festival of the year, and even went so far as to punish some persons for keeping Christmas. But they only suc- ceeded partially, for a short time, and the day now partakes much of the jollity of Christmas, and the people of this age observe both days ..
Nor must it be forgotten here to state, that many who have 110 special regard for the religious character of the day, observe it in ways not always indicative of special thankfulness, Balls, routs, parties, dancing, shooting matches, games of various kinds, are often incidents of the day. The turkey, well roasted and stuffed, and flanked with many a dish of good things, is the great bird of America, on Thanksgiving Day, and the proud eagle must, for this day, at least, abdicate his supremacy.
The turkey, pumpkin pie, brown bread, and baked beans, are the great, leading, and "regulation" dishes of the thanksgiving din- ner, and it was with these dishes that the pilgrim fathers vainly thought to shove out Christmas, with its geese, and puddings, and mince pies. But we of this age, have compromised the old quarrel by taking them all, in their due season.
The following amusing verse appeared in the newspapers some years ago:
"Thanksgiving day will soon be here, The homemade Sabbath of the year;
And all the land from west to east, Will then prepare a turkey feast.
The fatted ones will then be slain, From California down to Maine."
And a would-be witty writer says:
"The average turkey, all over the land, has read, with mingled feelings of indignation and dismay, that the governor has recommended another Thanks- giving day."
Thanksgiving day is peculiarly the day of family reunions- the day when all the younger branches of the family, to the third and fourth generation, are, when convenient, assembled again, un- der the old homestead roof, and around the festal board. And it is well thus, on this day, to gather home the scattered children, in that most sacred of all temples-home-and give thanks and enjoy a happy reunion, about the old hearth-stone. The summer work is
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done. The kindly fruits of the earth have been safely gathered and stored. All have many blessings for which to be thankful. Not only have we a free government, civil and religious liberty, free education, peace, and national prosperity secured to us, for we are a favored people, "God hath not dealt so with any nation," but every one of the more than a million families, and every individual that sits down on this day. to a bounteous table, have each their own peculiar blessings to be thankful for.
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