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 48
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Thanksgiving day! What memories of the long gone child- hood's years cluster about the day! Joyful memories of the great fires on the old homestead hearth-the groaning table-grand- parents, fathers and mothers, kindred and children. gathered home again, all joyful and happy in reunion, the old halls resounding again with the voices of other years. Sad memories, too, come to some, of the old home, now far away, perhaps beyond the sea, per- haps the old hearth desolate, the family circle broken. never to be united again, until all shall be gathered on the other shore.
Be it ours, good reader, to plant in this new, western land, this custom of the fathers, that we and our children and kindred, may, in spirit and true thankfulness, enjoy this holiday.
THE WINTER.
And now the winter, as in every preceding year, has come again. The Psalmist says of Him who rules the seasons:
"He giveth snow like wool."
"He scattereth the hoar-frost like ashes,"
"He casteth forth his ice like morsels."
The fields are desolate and vegetation dead. The trees stand up naked and brown. The lakes and streams are frozen over. The earth is wrapped in its winding sheet of snow and ice, and the cold winds sweep far and wide o'er field and forest. The sun is far down the southern sky, and dim and cold, while the heavens are dark and gloomy, with heavy, hurrying clouds, and the day is soon done, and the nights are long. The flowers are withered and scattered. The birds have flown to more genial climes. The insect world is heard and seen no more. Old King Boreas now rules the land with storm and tempest. In the home, closed doors and windows and warm fires are the necessity. But it is not thus all the time in winter. The severity of Minnesota winters has often been grossly exagger- ated. Many days the sun shines all day long and the atmosphere is mild and the storms are hushed. In this vast Northwest, as the years roll on, and the country becomes settled and improved, the winters have become milder and shorter.
But winter, as every other season, has its uses and its pleas- ures. Old mother earth rests from her labors of production. The
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atmosphere is changed and charged with new elements, necessary to healthful living, foul gasses and odors and malaria are destroyed. And "the snow, the beautiful snow." Job (XXXVIII: 22), nearly entered four thousand years ago, asked the question, "Has't thou into the treasures of the snow?" It has long been known that the snow is the poor man's fertilizer of the soil. It brings down to the earth, from the upper air, and deposits many elements, that enrich the fields. The snow mantle protects the plant life and roots, in the soil, from the effects of extreme changes. It gives moisture and helps dissolve and refine and enrich the soil. Yes, the snow has its treasures. A good, heavy coat of snow, in its proper season, is one of the farmer's best friends.
But the winter, with all its cold and storms, is not here a dread and dreary season. It is here a period of great business activity, of much profitable work and of social neighborhood and domestic en- joyments. This is the season which embraces Christmas and New Year's, as happy a period of geneality, generosity and jollity as the year affords. It is the season of lectures and the drama, of indoor festivals, of parties and balls, of sleighriding and skating, of good church and school work, the season of nervous energy and activity, of clear brain and the ruddy cheek. The winter is necessary and enjoyable and all right, in its proper time, but he who allows his heart and sympathies to be frozen, and makes a gloomy, unhappy winter within himself, is what is wrong.
Let the snows fall and the drifts pile up, and tempests howl, but be ready for them, in the home, in the barns, in the places of business, and help those to be ready, also, with shelter and food and raiment, who cannot help themselves, and all will be well.
But it is time to close the record of this year. It is already long, and, indeed, there is nothing more to add, except this little story, and then it is certainly finished. Not another line shall be added.
"A certain well-known bishop was in the habit of pausing frequently in his sermon, poising his finger on the desk before him, and drawing a long breath before recommencing. A little boy in the congregation became very impatient of the long service, and was often admonished by his mother. At length, seeing that the child's impatience was increasing, she whispered, during one of the pauses, 'Be quiet, he is almost through.' 'No he isn't,' said the little fellow, 'he is swelling up again.'"
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CHAPTER XXV.
A. D. 1879.
We now enter upon the record of the twenty-fifth and last year of this volume of our history. Twenty four years have passed in review before us, which, with this, completes the record of the first quarter of a century of the existence of our county.
As an introduction to the events of the opening year, these three occurrances are presented. The winter term of the district court began on January 7th. Hon. D. A. Dickinson, judge. There were ten criminal and thirty-two civil cases on the calendar. The term continued thirteen days, and there were many important cases tried, but none of historical interest.
The board ef county commissioners met on the seventh of Janu- ary. A. H. Bullis was elected chairman for the year. The board met subsequently on March 4th, June 3d and July 21st, the latter session being the last of the year. The record of these meetings shows only routine business. The other members of the board, at this time, were David Catlin, J. R. Sisson, F. E. Cary and H. A. Woolery, clerk, W. W. White.
At an adjourned meeting of the agricultural society, held at Blue Earth City, on the fourteenth day of January, John Franklin was elected president: C. H. Slocum, secretary, and F. W. Temple, treasurer. Mr. Franklin died in July following, when the vacancy in the office of president was filled by the appoinment of S. Pfeffer.
Let us now adjourn to the capital of the state and learn what was being done by the legislature now in session, relating to our county. The acts passed at this session, were the following:
"An act to incorporate the village of Blue Earth City."
"An act to amend the act incorporating the village of Wells."
"An act to amend an act incorporating the village of Winnebago City."
"An act to authorize the county commissioners of this county to issue bonds for the purpose of building a jail."
No vote was taken, or bonds issued under this act, the funds necessary being raised by ordinary levy of tax.
"An act to detach certain territory from the village of Minnesota Lake in this county."
"An act to declare the act to incorporate the village of Winnebago City a public act."
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Our members of the legislature for this year were R. B. John- sou, in the Senate, and J. P. West and T. S. Wroolie, in the House. James B. Wakefield, lieutenant-governor, was again, and for the last time, president of the senate.
Master West, a son of our member, J. P. West, was appointed one of the messengers of the House.
At the close of the session, a highly complimentary resolution of thanks to Mr. Wakefield, was unanimously adopted by the Senate, for the courteous, impartial and able manner in which he had pre- sided over that body.
And now, returning to the county, we find that about the twentieth of March, the ground was in splendid condition for seed- ing, and the work was commenced in earnest. The weather was very fine, and the seeding of small grain was done very successfully.
THE BEE KEEPERS. "_So work the honey bees; Creatures that by a rule in nature teach The art of order to a peopled kingdom."-Shakespeare.
Bee keeping having become an important item in the productive industry of the county, as may be seen by reference to the official reports of the production of honey, the bee keepers concluded that they should like to see and talk with each other, and discuss bee interests, hence, after public notice given in the various county papers, they assembled at Blue Earth City, on the twenty-fifth day of March, and organized the "Faribault County Bee Keepers' Associa- tion." A. R. More, Sr., of Pilot Grove, was elected president; R. N. Fiero, of Verona, vice president; F. E. Carey, of Blue Earth City, treasurer, and D. B. Thurston, of the latter place, secretary. Among the subjects discussed at the meeting were the following: "Wintering Bees," "Hives," "Varieties of Bees," "Swarming." The meeting proved interesting and profitable.
On the third day of June another meeting was held at Blue Earth City, at which J. P. West, of Wells, delivered an interesting and instructive address on the subject of bees.
It is stated that there are in the United States two million hives of bees, and that the estimated annual revenue from them reaches the great sum of $14,000,000. There are several newspapers pub- lished in the United States, devoted to this interest, among which the Bee Keepers' Journal is a prominent one.
The statistical reports, for this year, show that we had 284 hives of bees, which produced 5,208 pounds of honey. The reports of the preceding year, however, show 432 hives, which is probably more nearly correct, but still below the actual number of hives.
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THE SUN.
On the third day of May, a new paper, named The Sun, with the legend, "It shines for all," was issued at Winnebago City-Col. Wm. Allen, editor and proprietor. It was a seven-column folio, neatly printed. The outsides were "homespun," inside pages "patent."
THE NINTH SESSION OF THE S. S. ASSOCIATION.
The County Sunday School Association met at Wells, on the 21st and 22d days of May, this being the ninth annual session. The meeting was largely attended and the session was very interesting. A great majority of the schools were represented, and the reports showed the general prosperity of the schools throughout the county.
The following named officers were elected for the ensuing year.
President-O. F. Southwick.
Vice-President-Geo. O. Hannum.
Secretary-N. West.
Treasurer-D. B. Thurston.
Central Committee-R. W. Richards, I. S. Dodd, Mrs. H. C. Cheadle, Mrs. W. W. White.
This Association has gradually grown with the passing years, until it has become an institution of great interest, large member- ship and extended beneficence.
Two suggestions may here be offered: The adoption of a more complete constitution and organization, is demanded by the interests of the society and its continued usefulness, and should be considered at an early day. Some more efficient method should be devised for obtaining more full and correct reports from the Sunday schools, throughout the county. The experience of years has developed the fact, that one great difficulty in the way of the efficient work of both the State and county associations is found, in not obtaining full and reliable reports, and without them no satisfactory evidence is at hand, indicating the condition and progress of the work.
To illustrate this fact. it may be stated that the State Commis- sioner of Statistics reported this county as having, in 1877, but one Sunday school! No more than this had been reported to the State society, and thus our county appeared before the world, or to a non- resident looking for our institutions, as a sort of barbarous region, oc- cupied by some twelve thousand people, among whom, the mission- aries, so to speak, at the peril of their lives, probably, had succeeded in planting one Sunday school! Let us have better reports than this.
After careful inquiry the writer is able to state that there were in this county during this year, 1879, fifty regularly organized Sun- day schools, and that many of these were large and well conducted schools.
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And now as a parting word it may be said that our county should be proud of our Sunday School Association, and of the ear- nestness, intelligence and efficiency of our Sunday school workers. May the Heavenly Father prosper the Association, and bless abun- dantly all its members and all workers in this good cause.
IMMIGRATION.
The immigration which usually commences in May, was very extraordinary this year. It seemed as though the majority of the people of the east and south were emigrating to the western states and territories. Immigration is, of course, one of the greatest ele- ments in the progress and prosperity of the west.
The foreign immigration during the year, to our shores, was also very great, and was peculiar in the fact that it embraced thousands of skilled artisans in all trades, who sought the better remuneration offered in this country. It was estimated that over three hundred thousand people emigrated to new homes west of the Mississippi during the year. This county received a share of this great influx of population, but not so large a proportion as it should, considering the many advantages the county had to offer to new comers, especially farmers.
Hundreds of land hunters passed over lands, more fertile and cheaper, here, than any they found further west.
THE COURT AND THE BAR.
The summer term of the district court commenced June 3d. The calendar exhibited twenty-four criminal and twenty-one civil cases. This was the first time in our history that the criminal exceeded the civil calendar. But this fact must not be taken as indicating the increase of crime in our midst. None of these cases were capital, and most of them were of petty importance. The term continued eleven days. A special term was also held this year, in October, of four days.
The following statements as to the constitution of the court, the names of the members of the Faribault County Bar, and a few remarks in reference thereto, may interest some reader of the history of the last year of this volume.
THE DISTRICT COURT OF FARIBAULT COUNTY, MINN.
JUNE TERM, 1879.
Presiding-Hon. D. A. Dickinson, judge.
Officers of Court-M. W. Greene, county attorney; H. J. Neal, clerk; M. B. Pratt, sheriff; H. A. Chase and Q. J. Adams, bailiffs.
Faribault County Bar-Abbott, S. J .. Winnebago City; Buswell, Geo. W., Blue Earth City; Dunn, A. C., Winnebago City; Goodrich. D. F., Blue Earth City; Graham, S. W., Blue Earth City; Greene, M. W., Wells; Keister, J. A.,
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Blue Earth City: Kingsley, Geo. B., Blue Earth City; Mell, J. V., Winnebago City: Reynolds, Benj. G, Winnebago City; Radford, C. H., Winnebago City; Sprout, J. H., Blue Earth City; West, J. P, Wells; Watson, F. E., Wells: Wakefield, J. B., Blue Earth City: Wilkinson, M. S., Wells.
Terms of Court-First Tuesday In January first Tuesday in June.
No Bar association has ever been formed in this county and the nearest approach to any concerted or associate action of the mem- bers of the Bar, occurred in 1872, when a fee bill was agreed upon by a majority of the attorneys in practice at the time. The Bar of this county, in learning and ability, and the reputation of its mem- bers for integrity and efficiency, compares favorably with the best average Bars of the State. Nor have the members of our Bar been wanting in public official honors, and we are a little proud to set forth here, though briefly, this very honorable record:
One has been a county superintendent of schools, and later a member of the lower house of our legislature. Another has been once assistant and twice chief clerk of the lower house of the legis- lature. Another has been thrice chief clerk of the lower house of the legislature, and once secretary of the State senate, county at- torney and once a member of the lower house. Another, twice State senator and president pro tempore of the senate. Another, a mem- ber of the lower house of the State legislature. Another, who was twice county attorney. Another, who was register of deeds, county attorney, judge of probate and member of the lower house of our legislature, and four years State senator. Another, who was mem- her of the lower house and clerk of the district court for four years.
Another, who was a Judge of probate court in the state of Ohio. Another, who subsequent to this year, became couuty attor- ney for two terms. Another, who was four times successively county attorney. Another, who was three times a member of the lower house of the legislature and ouce State senator, and after. wards deputy public Examiner. Another, who was several times a member of the lower house of the legislature, once speaker of the House, twice State senator, twice lieutenant governor and presi- dent of the senate, and afterwards member of congress for two terms. Another, who has been a number of times a member of each House of our State legislature, member of congress, and United States senator for six years.
The writer ventures the assertion that there is not another Bar in the State, outside of the cities, which can make a better showing of official honors than ours.
INDEPENDENCE DAY.
The Fourth of July was appropriately commemorated at Win- nebago City where Dr. Everts, of Rushford, was the orator.
At Easton, the day was celebrated with much enthusiasm. Daniel F. Goodrich, of Blue Earth City, delivered the address. A
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rag a-muffin parade, ball playing, horse racing and a dance in the evening filled up the list of amusements of the day.
The day was also remembered by a celebration in the town of Seeley. Music, recitations by the members of the several classes of the Sunday school, and an address by the Rev. M. Nichols, of Win- nebago City, was the intellectual program. A rag-a-muffin exhibi- tion-games of ball and a dance lasting all night, in a bow-house erected for the purpose, were incidents of this celebration.
It is said that the first national salute in the South, since the war of the rebellion, was fired at Charleston, S. C., on the fourth day of July, of this year, and that the day was generally celebrated throughout the South, as well as in the North.
A thought --- At the time of the first Fourth of July -- that of 1776 -- the territory now embraced within the limits of our county was little known to the world, and its only occupants were wild beasts and savages. Now, at the one hundred and third anniversary of the day, we find it commemorated here by thousands of enlightened, patriotic people. Who will be here, and what will be the advance- ment in civilization, of those assembled to commemorate this day, on the two hundred and third anniversary?
Oh! wonderous land! The hope of the world! The last nation spoken of in prophecy! Thon, dimly foreshadowed in the mysterious visions of the Apocalypse! The last home on earth, of the Church Militant!
The fifth and last nation of universal worldly empire, but thine being of political principles!"
"The first four acts already past,
The fifth shall close the drama with a day.
"Thy reign is the last, the noblest of time, Most fruitful thy soil, most inviting thy clime; May the crimes of the east ne'er encrimson thy name, Be Freedom and Science and Virtue thy fame."
TEMPERANCE.
The visit of the Rev. G. S. Allen, a distinguished temperance lecturer, to this county, during this year, was greatly beneficial, in the revival of the temperance cause, and led to the better organiza- tion of those who desired to promote the interests of this good cause, and a wider and more earnest and more influential work.
On the eighth day of July, a convention was held, at Blue Earth City, when a county temperance society, under the name of the "Order of the Blue Ribbon," was organized. Geo. B. Kingsley was elected president, H. W. Holley, secretary, Geo. D. McArthur, treas- urer. A vice president, for each township, was also chosen. A number of resolutions were adopted, expressive of the views of the couvention, on the subject of temperance. But a more important
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and more permanent work, which occurred the same day, was the organization of a county society of the "Women's Christiau Tem- perance Union." Of this society, Mrs. H. C. Cheadle, of Blue Earth City, was elected president. Mrs. H. Mckinstry, of Winnebago City, corresponding secretary, Mrs. C. H. Dearborn, of Blue Earth City, recording secretary, and Mrs. 11. W. Holley, of Winnebago City, treasurer.
The Woman's Christian Temperance Union is one of the most sincere, unselfish, devoted, and white-souled societies which exist on earth. The society is widely spread, permanent, unsectarian, and is made up of Christian women who want to do work for the great Master. It has no methods, or principles, but such as the most Christian man, or woman. can approve. It asks no pecuniary re- compense for its labor, and is constantly at work, if not in one place, in another, filling its mission to the world. No more efficient or beneficent institution is kuowu to this age.
The temperance cause in this county, as in many others, has had its periods of success and failure. There have been times, when intoxicating liquors were not sold by public authority, and a drunken man was rarely seen, and there have been other periods, when in almost all the villages licenses were granted to engage in this busi- ness, and drinking indulged in by many, and drunken men were frequently seen on the public streets. Temperance organizations, of some kind, have existed at all times, in the county, since 1860, when the first society was instituted, which have, at times, been very active, and at others, indolent. Such is the experience every- where. But there has been no thought, at any time, that this good cause would be abandoned. The world, even small localities, can- not afford that the cause of temperance should ever be entirely abandoned, until its purposes have been attained. What would the world be to day if there had not been, and was not now, great work being done in this cause? The writer does not intend here to dis- cuss the subject of temperance, but deems it well to make a few ob- servations in reference to the overwhelming evils of intemperance. as they are known at this day, and the remarks will be brief.
Intemperance in the use of intoxicating liquors (and may not any use as a beverage be intemperate), is certainly one of the great- est (if not in fact the chief) of the evils existing in this age, and it has no redeeming features. It sinks its hundreds of millions of dol- lars annually, fills the world with widows and orphans and beggary. demoralization and crime, and stocks the earth with drunkards' graves. Well ascertained facts show that in our own country over five hundred millions of dollars are wasted, annually, by those who expend their money for drink, that three fourths of the crimes that are committed, and more than one-half of the pauperism of the nation
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and the enormous expenditures of public money, rendered necessary by these two facts, originated from the curse of intemperance. Alas! the wasted resources! But this is not all. The worst features of this great evil are not yet told. Let the reader ponder for a moment, and there may appear to him, as in a vision, the mighty drunken procession of more than a hundred thousand of our own people, who are annually marching onward and downward besotted. staggering, swearing, jabbering, howling, fighting, murdering, to that awful precipice of destruction, down which they plunge and disappear, that precipice, over which is written, in letters of fire. the terrible sentence, "No drunkard shall inherit the kingdom of God." Gal. v: 21. Almighty Father! what must be the final destiny of all these immortal souls? Certainly the cry of "radical" and "fa- natic" and "crank" is unnatural and inhuman here, when applied to temperance workers. If these words have any definite meaning, surely they are more applicable to the users of intoxicants and the supporters of the liquor traffic. It must be true that if this intolerable burden of intemperance could be lifted from the people, the world would step forward and upward, at once, a hundred or more years, toward the millennium. And in view of all these facts is it too much to say that no man, but one whose intellect is defective, or besotted, or filled with the sophistries of satan, or whose morals are greatly depraved, or who is the enemy of God and of the human race, can stand up before intelligent men, in this enlightened age and defend the traffic in, and use of, intoxicating liquors in any of their phases ?
THE GOLDEN REWARD.
The harvest commenced July 25th, and the weather was the finest ever known in this country. The crops of this year were very good, and were early and well secured, and at fair expense. The prices of grain and other products were very satisfactory, and bet- ter than they had been for some years, and new life and energy, as a result, were everywhere apparent. This was a year of prosperity for the farmers. The following item, taken from a newspaper, rep- resents the condition of the crops throughout the country.
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