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 62
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FIRST SETTLEMENT.
The first actual or permanent settler of this township was James L. McCrery.
Mr. McCrery came to this county in 1855, and took a claim. But this claim was "jumped," using the elegant language of that day, or in other words. the land was settled upon and claimed by another person, as Mr. McCrery had left the land and returned to Iowa temporarily. In the spring of 1856 he returned with his family to this county, and on or about the tenth day of May of that year. located in this town.
Mr. McCrery was born in Kentucky, emigrated at an early day to Indiana, from thence to Franklin county, lowa, and from the latter place to this town. He was quite a prominent and influential man in the earlier years of the county. He held various town offices. and was for some time a member of the county board. In politics he was a democrat. He held the office of justice of the peace for a number of years, during which time he did most of the justice court business in the south half of the county. He removed to the state of Nebraska some years ago, where he has since died.
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FARIBAULT COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
The following table presents the names of all the residents of the town in June, 1860, as appears from the rolls of the national census of that year:
Belding-Walter D., Mrs. Sarah, Clara, Eva, Aretas, Henry. Chute-Bur- ton, Mrs. Harriet, Melissa, Alonzo, Ensley, Isaac, Peresa, Oliver, Lavinia, William. Greer-Thomas F., Mrs. Sarah, Mark, Margaret, Laura, John. Gor- man-Patrick, Mrs. Mary, Edward, Ann, Sarah. Hudson-Ransom. Little- David, Mrs. Mary. McCrery-James L., Mrs. Marine, Robert, James, Aaron, Elizabeth, Martha, William, Cynthia, Joseph. Smith-Aretas, Mrs. Mercy, Josiah. Tylia-John.
None of these persons are now residents of the town, except Burton Chute and a part of his family, the others having died or removed, and Mr. Chute is entitled to the honorable designation of the patriarch of Jo Daviess.
ORGANIZATION.
This town was attached, for eivil purposes, to the township of Pilot Grove, by the special commissioners, in 1858, and so remained until January 7th, 1864, when it was detached by the county com- missioners. The first town meeting was held at the house of W. B. Belding, January 26th, 1864, when officers were elected, and the town organized.
The board of town officers for the year 1879, was composed of the following named residents of the town: Supervisors, C. C. Briggs, chairman, L. Y. Robbins and W. R. Winn; town clerk, L. L. Coutier. Mr. Coutier had been clerk for nine previous years. Assessor, W. H. Behse; treasurer, E. Nash; justices of the peace, L. L. Coutier and W. H. Behse: constables, G. Rockwell and J. Neitzal.
EDUCATIONAL.
The first school-house erected in this town was built in the fall of 1859. It was a very small, cheap log house, and was known as the "Belding School-house." Sometime afterwards it was superse- ded by a very cheap frame building, near the same site, and this was succeeded. in 1867, by a good frame house, on the same lo- cation. Another school-house was erected, at an early day, in the north part of the towu, and was known as the "Fezler School-house." Miss Melissa Chute, it is said, was the first school teacher in this township. She taught a school here in 1859. There are now four good school-houses in the town, all well finished and well furnished.
RELIGIOUS.
On June 14th, 1868, a society of Seventh Day Adventists was organized in the town by Elders Ingraham and Pierce. Other reli- gious societies were formed here also, at an early day, and held public worship in the school-houses. The Belding school-house was for a number of years quite a noted place for the assembling of reli- gious bodies.
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SUNDRY INCIDENTS.
As to bounties given to encourage enlistments during the war of the rebellion, the reader is referred to the historical sketch of Pilot Grove township, for both towns then constituted the town district.
The town voled bonuses many times to aid in the building of railroads, none of which proved of any use, until the last vote.
Prior to the closing year of this sketch, this township had furnished to the public service, two county commissioners, J. L. MeCrery and J. A. Dean, and a county surveyor, J. A. Dean.
In the years 1873 and 1874. the crops in this town were almost entirely destroyed by grasshoppers, which caused much distress and discouragement, and compelled many of the people to remove from the town to procure a living, and this fact accounts for the great de- crease in population between the years 1870 and 1875.
As illustrating the terrible destruction of crops here in 1874, we quote the following statement from the Blue Earth City Post of January 9th, 1875. The whole town was carefully canvassed, and the following result was obtained.
Number of acres sown to wheat, 1,467; number of bushels of wheat sown, 2,460; number of bushels harvested, 601; number of acres sown to oats, 560: number of bushels of oats sown, 1,563; number of bushels of oats harvested. 3,4-2; number of acres planted to corn, 535: number of bushels gathered, 3,020; average yield of wheat per acre in pounds, 25: average yield of oats per acre in bushels, a fraction over 6: average yield of corn per acre in bushels about 53.
Add to this the destruction of other crops, in about the same pro- portion, and some idea may be formed of the damages done.
Blue Earth City is the principal railroad and trading point for this town, but for the northern portion of the town, Huntley and Winnebago City are also convenient.
SOME FIGURES.
The population of the town in 1860 was 44; in 1865, 241: in 1870, 477: in 1875, 316; in 1880, 373. The population is mainly American and Irish.
The assessor's returns for 1879 show that there were in the town in that year, 217 horses, 306 cows, 295 other cattle, 5 mules, 524 sheep, 271 hogs, 59 wagons and carriages, 21 sewing machines and 4 organs. The assessed value of real estate for that year was $140, 157; personal property, $17,625; total, $157,782. The total amount of tax assessed for the same year, $2,517. There was pro- duced in the town in 1879, of wheat, 13,000 bu .; of oats, 37,000 bu .: of corn, 31.000 bu .; of potatoes, 2,300 bu .: of barley, 1,500 bu .; sorghum syrup, 2,400 gal- lons: flax seed, 166 bu .; apple trees growing, 1,630; wool, 2,600 pounds: butter, 30,000 pounds; total acreage cultivated, 3,200.
Now here is a second roll of honor, embracing the names of many residents of the town, prior to the close of 1879. many of whom have not yet been named in this sketch.
G. W. Adair, P. Allen, W. D. Belding, A. Bork, C. C. Barber, E. G. Barnes, F. Barnes, C. C. Briggs, A. R. Brockett, R. II. Barker, Jonathan Burgess, A. Bonwell, J. Burgess, W. 11. Behse, Jas. Brownlee, T. Corbett, W. Cummings, Wm.
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FARIBAULT COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
Child, S. Cook, L. L. Coutier, A. W. Childs, Burton Chute, A. C. Champney, T. Collings, M. Corcoran, P. Driscoll, G. W. Dunn, J. D. Dayton, J. A. Dean, Geo. Ellis, R. M. Esseltyne, P. B. Fezzler, Benoni Fortner, E. R. Gorman, P. Gorman, Ed. Gorman, John Gorman, Jas. Gorman, T. W. Getchell, I. F. Green, Patrick Guckeen, B. Hall, S. M. Hawes, L. Harmon, J. Hope, M. J. Haddeman, W. T. Ives, A. Jennings, Fred. Jennings, R. James, C. W. Jones, Matthew Kel- ley, Jud. Kellogg, J. Kennedy, Cor. J. Kennedy, John Merrick, H. McDonald, A. MeDonald, F. H. McNerny, J. H. Mackey, P. McDermott, Jas. McDonald, P. Murphy, Wm. Murphy, R. A. Merrill, Elbert Nash, Henry Nutter, W. W. Nut- ter, J. S. Nutter, H. II. Nutter, J. A. Neitzel, E. M. Owen, A. Peterson, Thos. Pettit, E. Pettingill, V. Perham, D. E. Perrine, John Russell, Geo. Rector, L. Y. Robbins, Geo. Rockwell, H. Robinson, E. Sailor, Daniel Sailor, W. G. South, HI. Snyder, G. L. Skinner, Wm. Smith, Geo. Saunders, Fred. Swingdorf, F. J. Swingdorf, Wm. Underhill, S. Wagner, Wm. R. Winn, H. D. Wise, C. Wallace, Samuel Yetter, H. D. Yendis.
The town is now being rapidly settled up, and its fertile lands improved, and at no distant day it will rank with the best townships of the county.
CHAPTER XVI.
PILOT GROVE TOWNSHIP.
This is congressional township one hundred and one (101) north, of range twenty-eight (28) west. It is the southwest township of the county, and is bounded on the north by the town of Jo Daviess; east, by Elmore township; south, by the State line; west, by the Martin county line.
PHYSICAL FEATURES.
The surface of this township averages eleven hundred and eighty feet above sea level, but there is one locality, in the town, which is twelve hundred and fifty feet, being among the highest lands in the county. Morainic hills appear along the southern boundary of the town.
The drift here is probably considerably over one hundred feet in depth, to bed rock. The flowing artesian well, on the Winch farm, on section eight, reported to be one hundred feet in depth, did not reach bed rock. The Winch well flowed for some four years, and ceased in 1879. A well sunk on section twenty, in 1880, to a depth of seventy feet, proved, also, a flowing well. It is quite evi- dent, from these facts, that these valuable flowing fountains may easily be obtained in this township.
The general surface of the land is rolling prairie. The heads of Badger creek, in the north part of the town, and Otter creek, in the south half, and a small branch of the Blue Earth, are the only run-
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HISTORY OF
ning waters in the town. These streams are tributaries of the west branch of the Blue Earth river. There are, however, several small slough runs, which are considerable streams during parts of the year. There are, also, several small, but beautiful, silvery lakes in the town, known as Big lake. Pilot Grove lake, Weazel lake and Farlow lake, the latter named after one L. Farlow, a trap- per, who, in the early years, trapped about these lake, for furs.
The timber, of which there is but little, is confined to the mar. gins of these lakes. The grove known as Pilot Grove is the princi- pal body of timber. The farmers of this town. also, have done a good work, in setting out many groves of forest trees, and the land- scape presents much the appearance of a wooded country, and the people are every year adding to the number of these beautiful groves. The whole township should, and doubtless some day will be, in fact, as well as in name, largely a grove. The lands are well divided into tillable and pasturage, and the soil is as good as any in the State. The surface is easily drained. Good well water is found anywhere at moderate depth.
THE NAME.
The town was named Pilot Grove by the special commissioners in 1858, and was so named because of the fine grove of native timber on the northern boundary of the town, and this grove was named Pilot Grove, because in the early days, before roads were established, this grove was a sort of land mark, on the wide prairies, by which the immigrant was piloted on his way westward. It may be added, too, that this grove, with its fine lake of sparkling waters and rich grasses surrounding it, was, in the days of the immigrants, a sort of capacious inn, or caravansary, or camping ground. There are five post offices in the United States which bear the name of Pilot Grove.
FIRST SETTLEMENT.
Gilbert McClure was the first settler of Pilot Grove township. He located here in June, 1856, upon the west half of the northwest quarter of section two, and lots one and two in section three. Mr. McClure was born in Scotland. He came to the United States in 1852. and settled in the state of New York. From thence he removed to Lake county, Indiana, and from the latter place he came to this county. Mr. MeClure is by occupation a brickmaker and farmer. During the summer of 1857, he and his brother Hugh, who is also an old resident, made some thirty thousand excellent brick in the town.
On the eighteenth day of June, 1853, there came into this town a company of immigrants, all Scotch people, consisting of twenty. three persons, with their ox teams, covered wagons and a small drove
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FARIBAULT COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
of cattle. These immigrants were Archibald Cardell, David Ogilvie, Andrew R. More and James Ogilvie and their respective families. They had come from the state of Wisconsin, through many tribula- tions of mud and high waters, to this new land to find homes. They camped on the banks of Weasel lake, and on the next day, the men went with a Mr. Hinckly to Chain Lakes, in Martin county, to in- spect the country, but they returned here in three or four days and determined to locate in this town, and accordingly proceeded to se- lect their lands. In a few days they removed their wagons and stock to the point of Tarr's Grove, near by, and here established a permanent camp.
Owing to the want of roads to the timber, the high waters of that year (that was the wet year ) and the impassable sloughs. they did not get up a cabin to live in, until about September, but in the mean time, lived in their wagons and tents. as best they could. While yet living in this patriarchal way and only four days after then arrival, to-wit: June 22d, the first children were born in the town. On that day was born to David and Mary Ogilvie, a pair of twins. They were named Alexander and Mary. Alexander died, when about two years old. Mr. Ogilvie and his companions had come to a new country, the great demand of which was settlers. To multiply and replenish the earth, was one of the ways to supply the demand. It may be remarked that these people do not now live in covered wagons, or even tents, but that long since large and con- fortable farm houses and barns, wide spreading cultivated fields, large herds and droves of improved stock, and an abundance of all the comforts and conveniences of life are the rewards of their labor and thrift, while their descendants are numerous, and have taken up and improved much of the lands in the vicinity of the old home- steads. Having mentioned the first births in the town we may also speak of the first death, being in the order of dates. The first death occurred in October. 1858, when Mrs. McClure, the mother of Gilbert McClure died, at the advanced age of seventy-three. She had come from her native Scotland, and the home and friends of her youth to lay her bones in this new and strange land. But the promise is, that in the blessed home of the hereafter, there are no boundaries of nations, or distauces of separation, and the well grounded hope is, that all the redeemed shall be united, to part no more forever. Though dying so far from her native land, it is still true, that it is no farther from the earthly home in Pilot Grove, to the gates of paradise, than it is from the lowlands, or highlands of Scotland, or any other land under the sun.
The following list presents the names of all the residents of the town in June, 1860, according to the census rolls, with the ex- ception of two or three persons, who were absent at the time.
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HISTORY OF
Cardell-Archibald, Mrs. Anna, James, John. MeClure-Gilbert. McClure- Margaret. More-Andrew R., Mrs. Janette, Robert, Janette, Christina, Andrew, James, Marian, Thomas. Ogilvie-James, Mrs. Ellen, David, Robert, Isabel, Mary. Ogilvie-David, Sr., Mrs. Mary, Agnes, Julla, Mary, Alexander.
And these are they to whom history must accord the honor of being the old settlers of Pilot Grove.
ORGANIZATION.
The township of Jo Daviess was attached to the town of Pilot Grove, for town purposes, by the special commissioners, in 1858. The first town meeting of the joint towns was held at the house of Jas. L. McCrery, on the twentieth day of October, 1858. at which time the town district was organized by the election of officers. Mr. Mc- Crery was elected chairman, and A. R. More and James Ogilvie, side supervisors, and A. Cardell, clerk. The two towns were separated by the county commissioners, on the seventh day of January, 1864, and each started on an independent career. The official town records of this township, covering the period from the organization to the year 1865, inclusive, are lost. It appears that the records of these earlier years were kept on separate sheets of paper, and not in a bound book, as should have been the fact, and they have now disap- peared forever. This fact is much to be regretted by the historian. as these records would have. at least, given the action of the town on various subjects-military bounties, for instance, and the names of town officials.
EDUCATIONAL.
The first school-house in the town was a small log building, erected about the year 1859, on lands of James Ogilvie, and was known as the "Ogilvie School-house." This building was used for several years, when a new and better structure was erected, known as the "More School house." There are now four substantial frame school-houses in the town. Mrs. Jennette Silliman (then Miss More), daughter of A. R. More, taught the first school in the town, in the summer of 1859.
RELIGIOUS.
The Presbyterians have for many years had a flourishing society here, and regular services. The society was organized in 1860 or 1861. The Free Will Baptists organized a congregation here in May, 1869. There was a Sabbath school organized in this town as early as the spring of 1850, which still continues, and is probably the old - est Sunday school in the county. It appears that there was a Sun- day school instituted in Winnebago City township a little earlier than the Pilot Grove school, but did not long survive.
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FARIBAULT COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
SUNDRY INTERESTING FACTS.
The first marriage in the town was that of Silas B. Howland to Margaret McClure, which occurred on the fourteenth day of Octo- ber, 1858.
The people of this town, like all others residing on the frontiers, became greatly apprehensive of an attack by the Indians, at the time of the great massacre in 1862. They held a number of meet- ings, when plans of defense were discussed. A military company was formed, of which James Ogilvie was commissioned first lieuten- ant, and the company was drilled by Sergeant Shepard Young, the only old soldier in the company.
The roster of this company was made up of the following names: Henry Everson. Archibald Cardell, David Ogilvie, James Ogilvie, Shephard Young, John Young, J. L. McCrery, R. R. McCrery, James McCrery, Aaron McCrery, Thos. Wilson, Sr., and John Wil- son, Sr., and perhaps several others. But on the fifth day of Sep. tember, it was resolved to leave the country, and on the next day the Pilot Grove settlement was deserted.
The people went to Blue Earth City, where preparations were made for defense in the erection of a fort, and here they remained for about a week, when they returned to their homes. Still it was a long time before they felt much confidence in their safety.
This township has also endeavored to encourage the building of railroads, into the county, by voting of aid, in form of bonds. None of the "bonuses" voted were of any avail, except those last given, in 1878,
During the war of the Rebelion, liberal bounties were granted to soldiers who should enlist and be credited to the town district- this town and Jo Daviess being then attached. . It appears, from the town records of Jo Daviess, that on the twenty-third day of Decem- ber, 1863, the board of the joint towns resolved to give a bounty of 850, and that on August 17th, 1864. though the towns were then separate, the boards of the two towns had a joint meeting, and re- solved to give a bounty of $500 to each soldier enlisting, as above stated. We find also that subsequent to this, but the date is not given, the joint boards resolved to levy a tax of $2,900, and on the sixth of May. 1865, they resolved to levy a tax of $3,025 to pay vol- unteer bounties. On September 22d, 1866, they resolved to levy a tax of $206. to pay expenses of exempts (as see general history of the year 1865), and also resolved to raise $1,912 to pay off the balance of bounty bonds, issued in 1864. A number of joint meet- ings were held, during the following years, in relation to the pay- ment of the bounty bonds, but the details are of no interest at this day.
.
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HISTORY OF
The grasshopper ravages in this town, during the years 1973 and 1874, were very serious, amounting, in the latter year, to an almost total destruction of the crops. An inspection of the state- ment, as to the losses from this cause, given in the sketch of Jo Daviess, will give the reader some idea of the destruction wrought in this town.
Many of the people were considerably in debt, and their situa- tion, for some years, very distressing. Some were compelled to re- move, temporarily, from the town, to procure a living, and this fact accounts for the decrease of the population, for a short period, as appears by the census.
There has, for some years, been a post-office in this town, named Pilot Grove, but no village, and the principal trading point of the town has always been at Blue Earth City, but since the building of the North and South railroad, another convenient shipping and market town, especially for the people of the southern portion of this township, is found at the village of Elmore.
Prior to the close of this sketch, 1879. this township had fur- nished to the public service, a member of the Board of County Com- missioners, A. R. More, Sr., for six years, three of which he was chairman, and a member of the State legislature, also Mr. More.
HON. ANDREW R. MORE, SR.
Mr. More was born on the twenty-first day of June, 1813, in the town of Ilamilton, Lanarkshire, Scotland. His father was a cambric weaver by trade. Mr. More received his education in the common and grammar schools of his district. He learned the trade of lace printer, and worked at the same for about fifteen years.
Ile connected himself with the Presbyterian church at the age of eighteen, and has remained a member of that denomination all his life, and in later years, since coming to this country, has often been one of the representatives of his congregation in the presbytries and synods of the church, and in 1873 at- tended the national assembly which was held in Baltimore, Md. He was one of those who assisted in the organization of the church at Blue Earth City, and was chosen an elder. He also assisted in instituting the church society and Sunday school at Pilot Grove.
Mr. More was married in October, 1838, to Miss Jeanette A. Weir, of the town of Hamilton, Scotland. They bave had seven children, four sons and three daughters.
He came to America in the year 1850, and located in Waukesha county, Wis- consin; where he remained two years, and then removed to Jefferson county, in the same state, where he remained five years. During his residence in Wis- consin, he was engaged in farming, but did not buy any land. In the spring of 1858 he came to this county, and located in this town with the company above spoken of. Ilis location here was with the design of getting a permanent home for himself and family, and lands for his children. Ile has always been engaged In farming since residing here. Among other farming operations, he has al- ways taken a great interest in bees, and was one of the organizers of our Ber Keepers' society. He has also been greatly interested in the planting and growth of fruit trees.
A. R. MORE, SR.
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FARIBAULT COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
Mr. More, since being a resident of this county, has been a republican in politics. He has held the office of town clerk, was often chairman of the town board, and frequently town treasurer, and was justice of the peace five terms. He was also a member of the board of county commissioners, and of the state legislature, as above stated.
As illustrating the emoluments received by officers in the early days of the county, it may be stated that while Mr. More was justice of the peace, he married one couple, and was to receive for his fee, the services of the gentleman married, in taking a grist to the mill for Mr. More. This agreement was carried out. In another case the fee was to be a bag of "taters," but the "titers" were never delivered. In the matter of law suits, Mr. More, instead of encour- aging litigation, spent much time in trying to settle the disputes of his neighbors, without fee or reward, and generally succeeded.
A PAGE OF FIGURES.
By the census of 1860, there were twenty-seven inhabitants in the town all told. In 1865, 175; in 1870, 390; in 1875, 329; in 1880, 324. The Scotch and Irish are the predominating nationalities.
There was in the town in 1879, the following stock, etc .: horses, 167: cows, 315; other cattle, 333; mules, 5; sheep, 152; hogs, 378; wagons and carriages, 37; sewing machines, 20. Assessed value of real estate in 1879, $125,431; assessed value of personal estate in 1879, $15,678. Total, $141,109. Total tax assessed therenn for the year, $2,740.74.
It was estimated, but how accurately, the writer will not venture to say, that there was produced in the town in 1879, of wheat, 18,000 bushels; oats, 40,- 000 bushels: corn, 36,000 bushels; potatoes, 2,500 bushels; barley, 1,600 bushels; sorghum syrup, 2,800 gallons; flax seed, 190 bushels, wool, 2,100 pounds; butter, 35,000 pounds.
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