USA > Minnesota > Mower County > The history of Mower County, Minnesota : illustrated > Part 16
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was erected in 1867, in the southwest corner of the northwest quarter of section 8. The first teaeher was Alice Sargent. Dis- triet 62. A school was taught in Dan. William's house in this distriet in 1865. The district was organized March 30, 1867, and the schoolhouse built the same year, in the southeast quarter of section 11. In 1909 a new schoolhonse was built a mile south of this site. Distriet 75. The first school in this district was taught by Artemisia Way. The district was organized in 1869 and a frame building ereeted in section 32. The first teacher was Hattie Hoppin. Distriet 94. The first school in this dis- triet was ereeted in 1874 on the northeast quarter of seetion 35, but was afterward moved a mile west to where it now stands. Alba G. Paddock was the first teacher.
Grand Meadow. The schools in this township are located as follows: Distriet 112, northeast quarter, section 7; Distriet 53, southwest quarter of section 10; District 26, northwest quar- ter of section 12; Distriet 21, sonth half of seetion 35; Distriet 77, village of Grand Meadow, seetion 22; District 69, southeast quarter of section 29. District 20, according to G. J. Gilbert- son, was organized May 1, 1868, with A. O. Finhart as treasurer, O. W. Case as clerk and B. F. Langworthy as director. A new schoolhouse was built in 1884, replacing the one erected when the district was organized. Later a belfry was added and a fine bell purchased. The building is equipped with the Smith heating and ventilating system, a good supply of slate blaek- boards and a sanitary water fountain. A first grade teacher has been employed for the past ten years, and the school is doing excellent work. District 21, according to C. A. Grimm, was organized some forty-three years ago. The records have all been lost, and the memory of the old inhabitants is vague on the subjeet. District 53 is also one of the old districts of the county. James Joyce has interviewed a number of old settlers on the subject, among them being Patrick Conlon and wife, who came here in 1860, and according to the information which he has gathered, there was a sod or sod and log schoolhouse in this distriet in the earliest times, and a Miss Anker was the first teacher. All records have been lost. June 3, 1873, a half aere in the southwest corner of the southeast quarter of section 9 was deeded to the distriet, and in 1897 the schoolhouse was moved from that location to the present site on the southwest corner of the southwest quarter of section 10. District 69, according to Fred Dickens, was organized in 1869, and a house built that year on the southeast corner of the southeast quarter of section 29. In 1879 it was moved to the southwest corner of the Northeast quarter of section 29. In 1890 a new schoolhouse was built across the street, in the northwest corner of the southeast quarter of
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section 29. The first teacher in the distriet was Ella Austin. Her father, Gus Austin, built the first schoolhouse. The records of the early days in the district has not been kept. Distriet 77 is treated at length in the history of the village of Grand Meadow.
Clayton. The first school in Clayton township was a summer term kept at the house of W. S. Root in 1872, by Mina Hanna. District 74. This distriet had the first schoolhouse in the town- ship. It was ereeted on the southwest quarter of section 28, and the first teacher was Henrietta Bevier. The house is now located on the southeast corner of seetion 28. District 83. A schoolhouse was ereeted in this distriet in the northwest corner of section 32 in 1876. Miss D. K. Lee was the first teacher in this building. The present site is one-half a mile north. Distriet 109. The first teacher in this distriet was G. G. Dallen, and the building is located in the south half of section 11. Distriet 117. The school- house in this district is in the west half of section 25. It was built in Mareh, 1885, and three months' school held before it was finished. It was then plastered and seats put in, so that school was held that winter. The first teacher was Delia MeDonnough. Distriet 127. The pupils in this district attend school in the northwest quarter of section 8. The distriet was organized Jan- uary 4, 1900, and Sarah Seanlan was the first teacher.
Lodi. Distriet 67. The school in this distriet was the first in the township, and was built in 1868 on section 14, the first teacher being Nettie Spencer. This house was burned by a prairie fire in 1871. A new schoolhouse was erected in the same section about 80 rods from the old site. Mary Gregory taught the first term of school in the new building. The modern schoolhouse now standing is equipped with the only school hot water heating plant in the county. Distriet 96 was provided with a schoolhouse in 1876, located on section 29. A Miss Haley taught the first school. Prior to this, however, a school had been held at the home of John Hubbard by Maggie Carr. The distriet was organ- ized in 1865 through the efforts of John Hubbard, who gave one- half aere of ground for a building site. Distriet 80. A school was erected in this district on section 26 some time before the organization of the district in 1877. Etta Bevier was the first teacher. In 1909 a modern building was erected on the old site. District 100 was organized in 1877 and a schoolhouse built on the northeast corner of the northwest quarter of section 7. Ella Smith was the first teacher in the house. A modern building now occupies the site. District 99 is the village school of Taopi and was organized in 1878. The first school in the village was taught in the winter of 1877-78, in a private house. In 1880 a frame schoolhouse was built in the village, the first teacher therein being Ida Wells. A two-roomed building has since been erected.
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Racine. The first school in this township was built in 1856. Rev. Thomas J. Lake was an early teacher. Old district 3, which included the present districts 35 and 36, was organized July 7, 1856. The schoolhouses in Racine are located as follows: Dis- triet 30, southwest quarter of section 11; District 31, southeast quarter of section 7; Distriet 32, southeast quarter of section 19; District 33, west half of section 27; District 34, village of Racine ; Distriet 36, southeast quarter of section 5; District 64, southeast quarter of section 6; Distriet 66, south half of section 34. District 30. The records of this district have been lost. The old school- house stood on the northwest corner of the southwest quarter of section 11. In 1892 a new house was built on the southeast cor- ner of the same quarter. The first teacher in the new building was Jennie Kelly. For this information the publishers are indebted to Aug. Buckholz. District 31, like so many of the districts, has not preserved its early records. According to H. O. Lewis, a schoolhouse was built in section 7 in 1863 and was burned in September, 1905. It was rebuilt the same fall on the old site. District 32 was organized in 1867. William Brown, clerk for fif- teen years, says: "The schoolhouse was built in 1868 and still stands on the same spot, although it has been raised and shingled. The early records were burned when Henry Schroeder's house was destroyed. We cannot find whether school was taught in 1868, but we think not. Alden Douglas taught in 1869-70. Frank Glover, now of Racine, taught the school in 1871. We came in 1868, but lived in section 8, Pleasant Valley, and did not move to section 24 until 1870." District 33, according to L. H. Eastman, was organ- ized about 1860, and the schoolhouse erected the same year on the southwest corner of the south sixty of the northwest quarter of section 27. Miss Quigley was the first teacher. In 1884 a new schoolhouse was built on the corner of the north half of the south- west quarter of section 27. District 34 is treated elsewhere. Dis- triet 36, according to John Hovda and Arne Anderson, was organ- ized in 1857 and Mrs. Henry Moore was the first teacher, the board consisting of Ola Finhart, Sr., Hans Anderson and a Mr. Conkins. For two years school was taught in a farm honse. In 1859 a log schoolhouse was built on the northwest corner of the northeast quarter of section 5, once Frankford, now Racine. A Miss Connor was the first teacher in this schoolhouse. This was truly a pioneer school, the seats being hewn out of logs. The funds were derived from local subscription. Until 1883 distriet 36 was three miles square. In that year the district was divided and District 64 set off. The school in section 36 stands on the southeast corner of section 5. Distriet 64 was a part of District 36, as above. After the division in 1883 a schoolhouse was erected in section 6 in 1884, and here school has since been held. District 66 was organized in
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1869 and the schoolhouse was built the same year in the southwest quarter of the southwest quarter of section 34. The first teacher was Mrs. S. B. Gove. In 1900 the schoolhouse was rebuilt on the same site.
Frankford. District 16. This distriet was originally organ- ized as District 1 and was the first district in the county. The first school taught in Frankford township was in a room over Francis Tebout's store in the village of Frankford in 1856. Miss Cunningham was the first teacher. The first schoolhouse built in this district was in 1867, in section 24. It was built of stone. The first teacher was N. W. Boyes. District 17. The first per- manent school in this district was built in 1873, on section 36, and G. A. Elder taught the first school in this building. Prior to this time a temporary board shanty 12x14, costing $25, was used. The first teacher was Mrs. Lamberton, who taught three months at $25 a month. District 19. The first school in this district was taught by W. F. Grummings, in 1857, in a log house built by Bothomel Canady, on the northwest quarter of section 22. In 1870 the district erected a frame building on the northeast corner of the southeast quarter of section 21. Distriet 35. The first schoolhouse in this district was erected of logs in 1856, and was located on the northeast quarter of the northwest quarter of sec- tion 11. The first teacher was either Frank Johnson or John Fell. In 1877 the log house was torn down and a new building erected. District 84. The first schoolhouse in this district was erected in 1877 in the northwest corner of section 34. The first teacher was Lyda Goodsell. Distriet 97. This district was organized in 1876. The first teacher was A. S. Woodworth. The house is located in the southeast quarter of section 31.
Bennington. District 3. The first school in this township was taught by Mary Mckinney. A schoolhouse was erected about 1860 in the southeast quarter of section 30. A new modern building occupies the old site. Distriet 85. A schoolhouse was built in this district in 1874 and the first teacher was Clara Mehurin. District 18. The schoolhouse in this district was erected in 1875 on the southeast corner of the southwest quarter of section 12. The schoolhouse is now located one-half mile west of the old site. District 92. The schoolhouse in this distriet was built in 1875 on the southwest quarter of section 25. The first teacher was Katie Mehurin. Distriet 95. The schoolhouse in this distriet was built in 1876, on the southwest quarter of section 8. The house is on the northwest corner of section 9. District 102. A school- house was erected in 1877 on the northwest quarter of section 34. The first teacher was N. O. Borswold. Distriet 118. The school in this distriet is located in the west half of section 17.
Le Roy. Distriet 4. The early history of this district has
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already been related. In 1871 the present site was selected and a building ereeted on the northeast corner of the northwest quar- ter of seetion 31. 'Around the schoolhouse in this district there still eling fond recollections of pioneer days. Here the Metho- dist Episcopal elass was organized, and here the first revival meeting was held by Rev. Norton. Then there were the debating society gatherings and many other publie meetings of much importanee in the social and political life of the early days. Distriet 1 had its first school within its present limits at the home of Henry Meyers in the summer of 1866. The school was taught by Adaline Gates. The next season Emma Klapper taught in the same house. In the summer of 1867 a stone school- house was erected on the southwest quarter of seetion 1. In this building Emma Peters taught the first term in the summer of 1868. A new modern building has been erected one-half mile west. Distriet 59. This district at an early date was provided with a sehool, which was kept in the building of Elihu Morse, built for a granary. The first teacher was Syrena Lytle. In 1868 the district ereeted a frame schoolhouse on the northeast corner of seetion 7, in which A. M. Maxfield taught the first school. In the fall of 1882 this building was moved to the south- west quarter of seetion 6. This distriet now has a beautiful modern building. Distriet 52. The first school in this distriet was taught by Mrs. J. T. Williams in the summer of 1863 at J. M. Morse's house. That fall a house was built on the south- east quarter of section 18, in which John T. Williams was the first teacher. In 1869 a grout or concrete school building was erected on the southwest quarter of section 20, in which Julia Crittenden was the first teacher. A modern building now oceu- pies the site. District 2. This district was provided with its first schoolhouse in 1861. It was located on the northwest quarter of seetion 9. The first teacher here was Flora Raynolds. In 1871 a new frame building was ereeted on the northeast quar- ter of section 9. James Pierce taught the first term of school in this house. The children from this district are now transported to the village school of Le Roy. Distriet 79. This distriet had its first school in a house belonging to Charles MeNeal, located on the northeast quarter of seetion 22. This was in 1870. Later the district purchased a log house from James Sample, together with an acre of land, on the northeast quarter of section 22. This was used a short time, after which a frame building was erected. A modern building now occupies the site. District 5, Le Roy village. The first school in this distriet was held in a house be- longing to Daniel Caswell, in the summer of 1857. That fall a stone schoolhouse was built in the old village of Le Roy. This building served as schoolhouse, church and publie hall. After
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the advent of the railroad and the building up of the new village of Le Roy this was sold to the Lutheran church organization and a new schoolhouse was erected. Le Roy now has a fine high school building. District 63. The first school in this district was taught in 1857 by Lydia Bonestell, in a small frame house, located in the southwest quarter of section 36. Soon afterward a small building was moved from Fillmore county and located on section 35. Serena Lytle and Mary Prentice were early teach- ers in this house. Later a frame building was provided near the same site, on the southeast corner of the southwest quarter of section 26.
The first superintendent of schools of Mower county was J. B. Tollman. He was appointed by the county commissioners, Jan- uary 5, 1864, at an annual salary of $100, to serve one year, from September 1, 1864. He served until 1867. Following him the superintendents have been : Sherman Page, 1867-69; O. T. Otis, 1869-70; A. S. Pike, 1870; J. T. Williams, 1870-72; A. A. Har- wood, 1872-74; E. F. Morgan, 1874-75; N. M. Holbrook, 1875-77; A. H. Tuttle, 1877-81; C. D. Belden, 1881-90; Gertrude Ellis, 1890-1900; Fanny Gies, 1900-07; Grace B. Sherwood, 1907.
CHAPTER XV
ANECDOTES AND ADVENTURES
First Marriage-Hunting and Trapping-Early Days in Cedar City - Pioneers of Frankford - Frontier Experiences by Jacob S. Decker-Independence Celebration-Early Days in Lansing by O. J. Rhoades.
To some historians cold facts and exact dates alone are in- teresting. Others study the great underlying causes of the world's movements, and are interested in detailed events only as they constitute a visible effect of these eternal causes. But to the reader of local history nothing is so interesting as the remi- niseenees of the old settlers, in which real actors in the stirring adventures of frontier days relate for the benefit of posterity those stories and anecdotes that form so intimate a part of the life of the pioneer, but which find no place in written records. In preparing the "History of Mower County" it has been the aim to gather as many of these reminiscences as possible, and they are here presented for the perusal of the present and future generations, that they may learn here the sunshine and shadows in the lives of those who blazed the trail for civilization to follow.
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FIRST MARRIAGE
The first marriage in Mower county was that of Caleb Stoek and Mary Watkins, August 24, 1856. The golden anniversary of this event was celebrated in Austin, August 24, 1906, and on that occasion was read an address prepared by Mr. Stock. The address, in part, was as follows: In May, 1856, a company was getting ready to go to Minnesota, and among them were my friends from Burlington, Wis., conspicuous among them being Mary Watkins. The Watkins family, father and mother, five boys and three girls, were starting then to Mower county, Minne- sota, overland with prairie schooners. I took the railroad to the Mississippi, then the steamboat to Brownville, then the stage to Elliota and Frankford, and then on foot over the prairie to Austin. We crossed Dobbin's creek and the Cedar river and found Austin, only a few log houses and a store, Yates & Lewis', with no hotel. I took my first meal with Father Brown, who was living in a tent and a wagon. This was early in June, 1856. Mr. Lewis showed me around and took me down to see friends, Phelps and Chandler, who were boarding with Uncle Eben Merry. Inquiring for the friends who were coming by schooner, I learned that they had not arrived. Soon, however, we heard that the caravan was in camp on Rose creek. The next morn- ing after, we surprised them by an early call. They were glad to find a haven of rest after six weeks, with ox team over wild prairies, crossing creeks and rivers without bridges. There were twenty-seven in the company. Their hotel had been their camp- ing ground, and their bill of fare their own cooking by the camp fires. We all crossed the Cedar river at Tiff's ford, and here we built our first log house. There were no shingles in the country and we had hard work to find boards for our roof. We found some at Otranto, Iowa. We could get no lime to plaster with, but our house was up, and the next move was to get a wife. I went to Austin to find a minister, but the one who had been there was gone. This fact was a great setback to me. I learned there was a justice of the peace in town, 'Squire Smith. I found him and told him my business. He thought he could do the job correctly. The day was settled, August 24, 1856, and 'Squire Smith tied the knot so tight it was never broken. Father Wat- kins settled on the farm now owned by David Watkins. Caleb Stock and John Phelps erected a saw mill at Cedar City in 1856, and in 1857 we added a run of burrs to grind wheat and corn.
In 1856 the winter was the most severe I can remember. In 1856 and the early part of 1857, times were good but money failed, and the latter part of 1857 it was hard to get it at from 25 to 40 per cent interest. The erop of 1857 was a failure.
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Scareely any wheat was raised, and the corn was frost-bitten. Supplies eame mostly from West Union and Auburn, Iowa, where we secured our first stock for housekeeping. We brought the outfit with two ox teams over the prairies and through the streams. In 1858, the spring and most of the summer were very wet, and in August our mill was washed down the river. Pro- visions were very scarce. Streams were high, and we could not get out for supplies. We were nearly destitute. I remember well when we started with five teams for flour and corn meal. Those who were to share in the supplies left their bags with old Mr. Brown at the store. He numbered them and arranged them in order to be filled when the goods came. We had to go nearly to Mississippi for our goods, and some families lived on little but fish until we returned. There were a few Indians about during our first years, and my wife was very much alarmed lest they should take away our little babe, Ella.
Our early markets were LaCrosse and McGregor. We had to pay $1 a bushel for potatoes, oats, corn or wheat. The first wheat we sold we drew to the Mississippi and sold for fifty cents per bushel. Eggs brought four cents a dozen, dressed pork $2.50 per hundred in MeGregor. Cows were worth $10 to $20 each. Men's wages were from fifty cents to $1 a day. Money still brought 25 per cent interest in 1858-59.
But those pioneer days have passed and the ox cart is sup- planted by more modern vehieles. The market of the world is at the end of our telephone. We have battled with fate and with the elements and we now enjoy the monuments that our struggles have builded.
HUNTING AND TRAPPING
The following from the pen of S. D. Mead, while differing from generally accepted historical accounts, is nevertheless in- teresting as coming in evident sincerity from one who claimed to have visited the present site of Austin in 1853. The "Austin Niekles" spoken of therein is evidently the Austin Nichols who was the first settler on the present townsite of Austin.
"The first white man that came to Austin was Austin Nickles, who came as a hunter in the fall of 1852 from his home in Clay- ton county, Iowa. The next fall, 1853, he came back to this locality, and I came with him. I was then fourteen years old. Nickles selected a claim embracing a part of where Austin now stands. That winter we took nine buffalo skins and many deer, mink, otter and beaver, but I do not know how many. I do remember that what I killed Nickles gave me, and I sold them when I reached home for $190 in gold. I got one elk near where
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the Milwaukee station now stands that measured nine feet from tip to tip. I have hunted some in my life, but I was never in a place where the game was so plentiful and where such a great variety was to be found. At that time we could get out and kill a deer in an hour any time in the morning or evening, and we did kill all that we wanted. Prairie chiekens were plenty, and geese and dueks could be found in any place on the river. Mink, otter and beaver were plenty, with now and then a panther, but the latter were scarce. Prairie wolves were every- where.
"The next year (1854) Niekles sold his elaim and went to Blue Earth. The next year (1855) my step-father (Horaee Sil- ver) with four other families moved to Austin. Robert Autis, Lym. Gifford, Wilson King and the widow Lockwood, each with their families, comprised the company, but the latter did not settle here. The rest took elaims along Turtle ereek, Autis and King near the mouth, Gifford about due south of the present fair grounds, and my step-father, Horace Silver, took his elaim farther up the creek, near the large boiling spring on the west side. My step-father worked for Chauneey Leverieh that sum- mer in a saw mill which stood about ten rods down the river from where the grist mill now stands, and on the same side of the river.
"My step-father owned oxen, as did also Autis, and with these I helped break the first ground ever broken in or near Austin. O. W. Shaw's residenee stands on the east side of the first twenty acres of land ever broken in Austin. There was con- siderable heavy timber along the Cedar, and a little south of where the packing house now stands there was a maple sugar camp where the Indians made sugar. The Sioux Indians had their eamp on the bank in front of the O. W. Shaw residence, a little to the south. In the winter of 1855 and 1856 there were about 200 Sionx Indians wintered on the bottom lands in baek of the Gibson hotel. There was heavy timber there then. The Indians and the whites were always friendly."
EARLY DAYS IN CEDAR CITY
In regard to early days in Mower county, my wife and I drove from Burlington, Racine county, Wis., with a team of horses, to find a home in the territory of Minnesota. We arrived at David Chandler's farm, October 13, 1856. In the spring of that year I was married to HIannah Phelps, the daughter of Jerimiah and Margarette Phelps, who moved to Mower county, from Burlington, Wis., with the following families: Thomas Bor- mella, George and William Phelps, Diadamy and Mary Phelps
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and John Watkins and family, composed of eight sons and daughters. John Phelps had preceded them and was on the ground with E. Merry and family, David and John Chandler, John Osborne and family, Caleb Stock and a Mr. Smith. The two last named with John Phelps composed the mill company. Next eame Welcome Osborne and his family, also Joshua Weleh and Abijah Pinkham with their families. These with a Mr. McKee and Means comprised the neighborhood settlement in the winter of 1856-57. In the spring eame Welcome Chandler and Andrew Gemmel and their families. Before my wife and I arrived, Caleb Stock and Mary Watkins had spent their honey- moon. After their marriage John Phelps went back to Racine county, Wisconsin, and there married a Miss Lyon, which made another very valuable addition to our young but growing society. Then Timothy Gosley won the affections of Ann Watkins. These three were the first on the list of marriages of Cedar City. Cedar City mill was pushed to completion and began grinding in due time. But alas, the June freshet took the pioneer mill down with its rapid eurrent and our young eity grew no more and like many western towns eeased to live.
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