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 52
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And we now have the pleasure of presenting here a "roll of honor," comprising the names of all the residents of the town accord. ing to the national census taken in June. 1860:
Barber-Chauncey, Mrs. Almira, Benning W., Ira. Barber-Alvin J., Mrs. Martha, Gilman, Mary, Obediah, James, Chauncey, Samuel, Elizabeth, Caroline. Brown-Henry. Grover - La Fayette, Mrs. Olive, Willard. George-Herbert. Harrison-A. R., Mrs. Helen. Marples-Charles, Mrs. Jane, Charles, Dicey. Merrick-Samuel W., Mrs. Fidelia, Tellif, Isabel. Palmeston-John, Mrs. Jane, Melissa. Stewart-James. Walsh-Henry. Whole number of inhabitants, 34.
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FARIBAULT COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
OLD TIME MILLS.
There was at one time, a saw mill in this town, near the lake, which did a good business for some years, and in the census reports of 1860 we find the firm of John Harrison & Co., returned, as manu- facturers of lumber. The mill was operated by a fifteen horse- power steam engine. The product of lumber for one year, ending June 1st, 1860, was as reported, of black walnut, 20,000 feet, of basswood, 30,000 feet; of oak 40,000 feet, of ash, 5,000 feet, of butter- nut, 10,000 feet.
THE OLD WIND MILL.
The following account of this curious mill was taken from a newspaper.
"Near the village of Minnesota Lake, situated on the north shore of the lake, stands an old-time wind mill which resembles in all its phases the Dutch mills of Holland. It isowned by Gotleib Shastag, an old German, and built by him some thirty years ago, and used as a grist mill. For the past fifteen or twenty years Shastag has allowed no one to enter the building, not even his wife or son.
His reason for this is a strange one. It appears that, as the story is told by an old resident, some evil-disposed person "put the devil in the mill" and for five years it (the devil) caused him a great deal of annoyance, trouble and anguish of mind. After repeated efforts he finally succeeded in getting the devil out, and he knows this to be a fact for he distinctly saw him going out in the form of a rabbit. As long as he allows no person to enter, it will be im- possible for his Satanic majesty to return and renew his direful work. He is perfectly honest in his dealings, and a cut in the price of grist grinding by a competitor worries him not, for, as he says, 'God make de wind blow, and when de wind blow I grinds,' and he has an advantage over the competitor as it costs him nothing for fuel.
The building being octagon, its dimensions are larger than one would think at a casual glance. It has a diameter of forty feet, tapering to about twenty-five at a height of forty. The main arms, of which there are four, each thirty-five feet in length, are of hewn oak, ten inches at the largest end and tapering to six, and are firmly fastened to an axle on top of the mill, and to this main axle or shaft, the machinery is attached. It is necessary, as is the case with modern windmills, to keep the fans facing that point from which the wind is coming, and this mill is not so automatic in its construction as modern ones are, as the wind changes it has to be turned by hand. This is accomplished by a long sweep or pole which is framed into the roof extending to within a few feet of the ground, to the end of which a chain can be attached. The other end of the chain is attached to a capstan, and when the miller finds the mill out of wind he drags the capstan ahead a few feet, where it is caught by anchor posts set for that purpose, and with a lever draws the sweep around until the proper point is reached.
The arms, as they revolve to the highest points, reach a height of eighty feet, and although at a distance they seem to be moving very slowly, in fact they pass a given point at the rate of twenty-five miles an hour with a thirty horse power. No one knows how the machinery of the inside is constructed, but it is supposed, like that of the exterior, to be an exact counterpart of the mills in Holland. When any part needs repairing, Shastag, unaided and alone, makes the change. Even to the long armus, which are very heavy, it would be
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nothing less than suicide, under the circumstances, to allow any one to assist. And so he works alone, in the words of the old song, 'Happy is the miller who Ilves by himself.'
VILLAGE OF MINNESOTA LAKE.
The village was laid off on the northeast quarter of section four (4), in October, 1866. The site of the village is on the east bank of the lake from which it derives its name, and it is a station on the railway running from Mankato to Wells. Mr. Chauncey Barber was the original town site proprietor, on whose lands the village was situated. In November, 1870, an addition known as "Lambies Addition," was laid out. The village was incorporated by act of the legislature, approved February 14th, 1876, under and pursuant to the general act entitled "an act to provide for the organization of villages in the State of Minnesota, " approved March 4Ith, 1875, and N. J. Kremer, W. Lambie, Chauncey Barber, S. T. Barnes, and C. W. Appley, were by the act of incorporation desig- nated as commissioners to give notice of a meeting for the clection of village officers.
The village contains a population of about one hundred and fifty to two hundred people. There are four grain warehouses in the vil- lage at this writing (1879), an agricultural implement store. several dry goods and grocery stores, a furniture warehouse, several black . smith shops, a meat market, several wagon and carriage shops, a harness shop, a cabinet shop, several saloons and a good hotel. The principal public building is the new brick school house, which is thirty-five by forty five feet, and two stories in height, and is well finished and well furnished.
EDUCATIONAL.
It is said that Mrs. Harrison taught the first school in this town - ship. She taught a three months' term in the summer of 1860.
The first school house in this town was erected in 1864. It is a frame building, and was first located on the lands of Wm. Gilson, but was subsequently removed to the village. There are now (1879) eight (8) substantial school houses in the town, in which are found well conducted district schools. There are more school houses in this town than in any other town in the county.
VARIOUS IHISTORICAL ITEMS.
Up to the close of 1879, this town had furnished two members of the board of county commissioners, S W. Myrrick and D. Catlin; a county superintendent of schools, R. W. Richards, who hold that office a number of terms, and a sheriff. B. W. Barber.
The population of the town in 1960 was 34; in 1865, 290, includ- ing the town of Dunbar; in 1870 it was 564, and in 1875, 630, and in 1880, 784, including the village.
S. T. BARNES.
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FARIBAULT COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
The population is largely Poles and Germans, with a fair pro- portion of Americans.
There was reported for the year 1879, for the town, 388 horses, 347 cows, 288 other cattle, 6 mules, 133 sheep, 301 hogs, 95 wagons and carriages, 20 sewing machines and 4 organs.
The assessed value of real property .. $170,050
The assessed value of personal property 37,212
Total. $207,262
The total tax assessed for the year was $5,085.
The farm products for the same year, as nearly as they can be estimated from the returns, were as follows: Wheat, 55,000 bu .; oats, 37,000 bu .; corn, 21,500 bu .; barley, 3,000 bu .; potatoes, 2,700 bu .; syrup, 1,080 gals .; flax seed, 490 bu .; wool, 470 lbs .; butter, 26,000 lbs. Apple trees growing, 1,400; bearing, 700.
There were 7,500 acres of cultivated land reported.
Among other residents of this township, prior to the close of 1879, the following well-known names may be mentioned: F. M. Andrews, C. Allace, C. W. Appley, L. Brant, W. Ford, J. Brown, A. Berger, David Catlin, T. Cote, A. Clark, L. J. Cale, Albert Crechee, A. Crechee, E. A. Cooper, H. O. Camfield, A. Crocker, H. Drager, Geo. Doremus, A. Deitman, G. H. and David Dazel, W. H. Dodge, William and John Dornfielt, S. Even, P. Tallman, John Fel- ber, the Gillsons. William, John, Robert, George and R. G. and W. G .; G. M. Graves, F. Grunsky, R. N. Gale, W. Hunt. Jas. B. Hill, C. Hudson, C. J. Hall; S. A. Halleck, T. Jokel, Peter Kremer, J. Klenk, And. Kulah, A. Lepka, J. Latusie, J. Lutz, Wm. Lambie, M. V. Mckinstry, J. Naubauar, A. P. and A. S. and C. B. Park, F. Popel, John and J. Penhiter, C. L. Pease, J. Pease, F. Petrus, D. H. Pratt, Dr. R. Parkin, Dr. A. H. Pelsey, A. Plegeman, A. Pietrus, H. Quimby, J. Robinson, A. Rahn, A. B. Stiles, Frank Schoffman, O. Schumaker, H. R. Smith, M. T. Smith, J. J. Schermerhorn, F. Stalock, P. Sonnek, A. Sonnek, Andrew Sounek, F. Stencel, F. Schultz, M. Stalock, John Stephenson, M. Schumaker, Joseph Schoffman, Albert, Frank and John Troske, J. D. Townsend, Wil- liam and August Urban, Fred Voight, John Walner, W. Wheatly, Ed. Willson, H. A. Wolcott, L. B. Wolcott.
HON. SMITH T. BARNES.
A prominent citizen of this town for many years was Smith T. Barnes. Mr. Barnes was born on a farm in St. Lawrence county, N. Y., January 11th, 1841 .. His early youth was spent on the farm. His father engaged in farming and merchandising until his death. Smith received his education in the district schools of the locality and at a select school. When eighteen years old he engaged in clerking
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in a store at Racket River, N. Y. Subsequently he was appointed postmaster at this place by President Lincoln. His brother, George, came to Minnesota Lake in 1864. and giving favorable accounts of the country, Smith came west also and located at the Lake, May 8th, 1866. Ilis mother, then a widow, and his brother, Frank, came to the Lake in 1868. Mr. Barnes, on locating here, went to work at once to erect a building, and in August purchased a stock of gro- ceries and opened a store. He soon after added dry goods. In De- cember of that year he was appointed postmaster at the Lake, a position which he held for eighteen years. Mr. Barnes, though al. ways a staunch democrat in politics, was appointed postmaster in New York, and also in Minnesota. under republican admistrations.
Benning W. Barber was in partnership with Mr. Barnes in the mercantile business which continued until 1871, when Mr. Barnes sold out. Several years later he opened a drug store. After the building of the railroad through the town, he also engaged, for some years, in the purchase of grain. Mr. Barnes was married in August, 1871, to Miss Agnes Lambie, of Minnesota Lake. They have had three children, one of whom is now dead. Mr. Barnes' fitness for office was soon apparent to his neighbors, and he was chosen town clerk at an carly day. an office which he held for fifteen years. He was also justice of the peace for ten years. During those years there was no lawyer residing at the Lake, and Mr. Barnes did much of the conveyancing, writing of contracts and of wills for the people. He was also for many years connected with the school boards of the town.
In November, 1884, Mr. Barnes was elected clerk of the district court of the county, and removed to Blue Earth City. The term of office was four years. After the expiration of the term, he acted as deputy clerk for his successor, and at the general election of 1890, he was elected judge of the probate court, which office he filled until the expiration of the term. Mr. Barnes died August 8th, 1895.
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FARIBAULT COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
CHAPTER III.
LURA TOWNSHIP- EASTON.
LOCATION.
Lura is township number one hundred and four (104) north, of range twenty six (26) west. It is bounded on the north by Blue Earth county, ou the east by Minnesota Lake township, on the south by the town of Barber, and on the west by Delavau township.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS.
This is a prairie township, and the lands are as productive as any in the county, and adapted to grazing and the raising of all kinds of crops, usually produced in the Northwest. The fertility of this soil can never be exhausted. The general surface of the town is slightly undulating.
The Maple river, which drains the town, passes through the northeast corner of the town, which stream has, also, a western branch, which runs through the central portion of the town, in a northwestern direction. There are several other small rivulets and slough runs, which are unimportant. There is, also, a small lake about a mile east of the center of the town, which is supposed to be the source of the west branch of the river. Some timber is found on the Maple river, but not a great quantity. The farmers of this town, however, have not been behind the people of other towns in setting out fine groves of forest trees, some of which have already attained a large growth.
SEVERAL GEOLOGICAL HINTS.
The estimated average height of the town, above the level of the sea, is 1040 feet, The northern end of a belt of slight morainic hills, extending from the southeast portion of the county, reaches several miles into the southwest part of the town. In this town, the drift deposit, upon the bed rock, is about one hundred feet in depth. The oed rock is composed of limestone, and light gray sandstone. There are a number of fine artesian, or flowing, wells in the town, mainly along the Maple river.
"Mr. Haight reports that in boring a well in this town, two miles north of Easton, he met, at sixty feet below the surface, a layer of mixed sand and grass- leaves, appearing like drift grass, on a sandy beach. This was between beds of till, and marks an interglacial epoch."
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Peat has also been found in the town, in considerable quantities, some of which has been tested and proved to be very good fuel.
NAME.
The town was named Lura, by the special commissioners in 1838, after Lake Lura, a small body of water, which lies about a mile west of the northwest corner of the town and which is situated partly in Delavan township and partly in Blue Earth county. The commis- sioners had no very accurate maps of the county, at that carly day, and supposed that the lake was situated in this town. The name of Lura, is short and neat, but is not a very common name. It may be mentioned, however, that there is a post-office of this name in the state of Kansas.
ORGANIZATION.
Lura was attached, for town purposes, to Walnut Lake town- ship, by the special commissioners in 1858, and was detached there- from, by the county supervisors on the fifth day of March, 1860, and attached to Marples, (now Minnesota Lake township). The town was detached from Marples on the fifth day of January, 1864, to be organized as a separate town, and an election for town officers was directed to be held on the twenty-sixth day of January. following, at the house of O. C. Healy. But it appears that the town did not get organized at this time, for on September 7th, 1864, it was with- out officers, and the board of county commissioners, on that day. ap- pointed Chester Johnson (chairman) and N. Haight and G. W. Ware. as a board of supervisors, and John Howard, town clerk.
FIRST SETTLEMENT.
The first two settlers of this town were Osias C. Healy and John McCormick. They located in the town on the fifteenth day of May, 1856. Mr. Healy claimed the northeast quarter of section three and Mr. MeCormick took the northwest quarter of the same section. They came from Connecticut, and were members of the "Minnesota Settlement Association," a more full account of which will be found in the history of Delavan township.
The following list comprises the names of all the residents, old and young, of the town in June. 1860, as appears by the national census taken in that year:
Chase-John, Mrs. Abigail, Martha, Orson, Florence, Juliette, Elva, Luella. Healy-O. C., Mrs. Isabel, Mary, Ada, Oscar.
Kimpton-George, Mrs. Elizabeth, William, George.
McCormack-John, Mrs. Elizabeth, Alexander.
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FARIBAULT COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
EDUCATIONAL.
The first school house in this town was built of logs, on the north- east quarter of section three, in the year 1864, and the first teacher of the public schools,was Mr. C. G. Spaulding. There was, however, a school kept in the town several years before the building of this house. In a letter to the writer, Mr. John Chase says that the first school taught in the town was kept in his house, and at his own expense. There are now (1879) seven good school houses in the town.
POST-OFFICES.
There has for many years been a post-office near the north boundary of the town, named Grapeland. At one time there was, also, a post-office at the house of J. P. Emerson, on the north side of the town, known as "Fountain Brook," but this office has been dis- continued. There is also a post-office at Easton.
INCIDENTS.
An unknown man was found dead, at an early day, on the prairie in this town, by John Howard, B. A. Stowe and others, and this was probably the first death in the town, and at his burial occurred the first public religious services in the town. The Methodists organ- ized a class and a Sunday school here in the spring of 1865, which were the first in the town. There was also a Baptist organization at an early day. Up to the close of 1879 this town had furnished to the public service a county commissioner. Joseph Claggett, who held the office six years, and a representative in the state legisla- ture, T. S. Wrooley.
EASTON.
The Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway (formerly the Southern Minnesota) passes through the town of Lura, in the south- ern tier of sections. On the line of this road, on the northeast quar- ter of the southwest quarter of section thirty-six, is situated the village of Easton, the capital of the town of Lura. The village site was surveyed and staked out in September, 1873, but the plat was not filed for record in the office of the register of deeds of the county until March 14, 1874. The original proprietors of the vil- lage were J. C. Easton and Conrad Ruf. At the close of 1873 there were already twelve buildings on the town site. The village was named in honor of Mr. Easton, but it was for some time known as "Lura Station." The name Easton is not an unfamiliar one. There is a fine city of that name in Pennsylvania, which contains a popu- lation of about fifteen thousand people. It is to be hoped that at some day, probably in the very distant future, our village of that name may rival that of Pennsylvania, in numbers, wealth and enter-
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HISTORY OF
prise. It may not be inappropriate to mention here the fact, that there are, in the United States, sixteen post-offices of the name of Easton.
Jason C. Easton, after whom the village was named, was for many years the most extensive banker and land owner in this State. and one of its wealthiest citizens. He was born in Lewis county, state of New York, on the twelfth day of May, 1823. He was prepared for college at Lowville Academy, N. Y., and entered Yale in 1847, but owing to failing health, he left during the first year. He subsequently became the editor and publisher of a newspaper, at Lowville, N. Y., for some four years In 1851 he was married to Miss Sarah J. John- son, of Lewis county, N. Y. They have had one child. Mr. Easton came to Minnesota in 1856, and located at Chatfield, Filmore county, where he has since resided. He engaged, very extensively, for some time, in the grain commission business, and was for some years a director in the Southern Minnesota Railroad Company. His princi- pal business, however, has been banking and dealing in real estate. He has many farms, and has engaged largely in stock raising, and has some of the best sheep, hogs and cattle in the State. Mr. Easton is, undoubtedly, one of the ablest, most reliable and most successful financiers of the Northwest. The village was incorpor- ated by act of the legislature, approved March 9th, 1874.
STATISTICS.
The population of the town was 20 in 1860, 362 in 1865, 621 in 1870, 724 in 1875 and 648 in 1880, including the village. Of the resi- dents of this township, about one-third are Norwegians, and the re. mainder are of various nationalties, but principally American.
In 1879, the last year of this history, there were in the town, of horses, 394; cows, 370; other cattle, 323; mules, 11; sheep. 932; hogs, 356; wagons and carriages, 129; sewing machines, 34; organs, 3. The assessed value of real estate was $173,882
The assessed value of personal property was 42,473
Total. $216,355
The total tax assessed on the same was $3,022.31.
The agricultural products of the town, for the same year, as nearly as they can be estimated from the returns, were as follows: Wheat, 40,000 bushels; oats, 44,800 bushels; corn, 32,500 bushels; barley, 840 bushels; potatoes, 2,750 bushels; sorgham syrup, 990 gallons; flax seed, 3,340 bushels; tame hay, 112 tous; wool, 5,617 lbs; butter, 26,000 lbs .; cheese, 300 lbs .; honey, 200 lbs. There were reported, also, 3,000 apple trees growing, 690 of which were bearing, and 450 bushels of apples were produced. The total number of acres of cultivated land was 6,600.
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FARIBAULT COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
While not attempting to give the names of all the early settlers of this town, the following list embraces the names of many of those who were residents of the town prior to the close of 1879, and are in addition to those already mentioned in this brief sketch: A. J. Armstrong, Jacob Bachtle, E. S. Bailey, D. G. Bailey, E. D. Bailey, G. L. Beare, R. M. Broe, A. Corey, S. Corey, C. Chaffee, G. M. Claggett, O. E. Colby, J. W. Chestnut, G. W. Corey, H. H. Catlin, M. A. Davis, John Evans, H. P. Edwards, Henry Filble, William Gale, John Gollnick, W. H. Gilpin, John Hodge, J. Holverson, Thorston Holverson, G. W. Herring, J. M. Herring, M. J. Herring, Wm. Herring, H. Haynes, A. Haynes, Jos. Haynes, M. D. L. Haight, E. D. Healy, O. W. Healy, S. E. Iams, Griffith Joues, S. E. James, E. J. Jewett, D. S. Kelley, Wm. Kauder, C. Latourell, Ed. Lang, G. C. Lang, J. Loomer, C. Lass, D. McGregor, R. J. Odell, J. Os- born, T. J. Probert, S. S. Probert, L. Pitcher, S. Pollard, B. Rand, John Rand, Carl Rath, H. L. Ridgway, J. R. Ridgway, J. S. Rich- ards, A. Ramspot, W. Stevermere, S. W. Shoen, J. Scheid, C. Stock- ley, B. A. Stowe, O. B. Tenny, E. Traver, B. Traynor, A. E. Traver, E. Thayer, H. W . Woodard, J. B. Whitney, S. Warner, T. S. Wrooley, P. H. Wood, S. Wood, J. Warner, S. H. Waterman, J. E. Way, J. Weatherly, H. P. Walsh, J. W. Young.
Large portions of this town are conveniently near to railroad markets, either at Minnesota Lake, Easton or Delavan, and its future in many other essential respects also, is forever secure.
CHAPTER IV.
DELAVAN TOWNSHIP.
The township of Delavan is congressional township one hundred and four (104) north, of range twenty-seven (27) west. On the north of this town lies the town of Mapleton, in Blue Earth county. On the east it is bounded by the township of Lura, south by the town of Prescott, and ou the west by Winnebago City township.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS.
The surface of the town is designated as mainly rolling prairie. The soil is deep and as fertile as any in the county, and possesses the same characteristics as that of the county generally.
The estimated average height of the town above the level of the sea is 1,050 feet and the drift here is presumed to be about one hundred feet in depth, to the bed rock.
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There are several beautiful lakes in the town, one known as Bass Lake, the other named on the government maps, Maple Lake which is now generally called Rice Lake, and there is also Lake Lura on the northern boundary. There are several small running streams and outlets of the lakes.
There is considerable native timber in this town, and many beau- tiful artificial groves, the result of the forethought and industry of the people. It is probable that the first grove of trees set out in this county was planted by John Chestnut, in this township, in 1860. A few trees had been set out prior to this, along the road and in front of several dwellings. but this was doubtless the first grove. It contained two acres. And this was, probably, the beginning of that industry which has since covered our county with innumerable groves.
On the lands of Mr. Blair is a beautiful elevated grove of an- cient oaks, overlooking that fine sheet of water, Bass Lake, which for years past has been a summer resort and has long been known as "Camp Comfort." Here families and small companies of people, have been want to resort in the heat of summer for rest and recrea- tion. Camping out under the shade of the moss grown oaks and passing many pleasant days in boat riding, fishing and hunting, or in quiet reverie. Here too, for years past, have been held every summer, assemblies of the people from the surrounding country, in attendance upon Sunday school pic nics, Fourth of July celebrations, old settler's reunions and religious meetings and there are few, if any, more pleasant resorts to be found, anywhere, and many of the good people of the county have spent many agreeable hours here, the rememberances of which will remain with them for many years. There are other beautiful groves about this lake which are occa- sionally used for public assemblies.
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