The history of Mower County, Minnesota : illustrated, Part 18

Author: Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Chicago : H. C. Cooper, Jr. & Co.
Number of Pages: 1246

USA > Minnesota > Mower County > The history of Mower County, Minnesota : illustrated > Part 18

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D. J. Tubbs was born in Steuben county, New York, in 1825. On coming to this county he entered and bought land in this vicinity, but continued to work at his trade. He built a saw mill in 1854 on the site of the present flouring mill of Engle & Co. In 1856 he built a saw mill for himself about one and a half miles south of Austin on the Cedar river. These were among the first mills ereeted in Mower county. Mr. Tubbs remained in Austin, engaged in contracting and building, and became a substantial eitizen.

Benedict Brown was a son of Aloysius Brown. He erected a small frame building near Fay R. Smith's residence and enter- tained travelers for a time. He pre-empted the northwest of seetion 3. In January, 1856, he sold three forties of this land to Yates & Lewis. He remained a resident of the place two or three years. He afterwards engaged in farming in Lansing. In 1879 he removed to the Dakotas.

Robert Dobbins claimed the southwest of section 3. In the fall of 1855 he sold to David Oliver. He then went to Lansing and later to Clarksville, Butler county, Iowa.

David L. Smith was born in Genesee county, New York, Jan- mary 22, 1820. In 1854 he and his wife, Emma Tierney, started in a prairie schooner to seek a home in the territory of Minne- sota. He arrived at Chauncey Leverich's house on October 19. He had left his family in Fayette county, Iowa. After remaining here two weeks, returned for his family, bringing them to Mower county. They spent the winter on the present site of the city of Austin. In the spring of 1855 he built a cabin on his elaim in the town of Lansing; lived there a few months, then purchased eighty aeres in seetion 2, town of Austin, where he lived ten years, after which he sold and bought a farm in section 5, town of Windom.

Willard Smith, brother of David L., spent the winter of 1854-55 in Austin. He afterward settled in section 2, where he resided until the time of his death.

Pinkham made but little impress upon Austin, and after a short time departed without leaving even a record of his first name or initials.

Winfield Loveland was a blacksmith by trade. He purchased a piece of land now occupied by Mrs. G. M. Cameron and there ereeted a set of log buildings. He was a lover of fast horses,

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and was the owner of a running horse that was so well trained that after having been onee led over a piece of road he would go over the same stretch to beat another horse or against time without a rider. Loveland remained here but two or three years. After his removal the stable which he had used was taken down and moulds for making gold and silver coins were found secreted between the logs. It was remembered that he had several times passed counterfeit money, but had always willingly redeemed it, and thus avoided trouble.

Francis Stuhfell was a Canadian Frenchman. He purchased the lot later occupied by Sylvester Smith's family. He erected a shanty and made shingles for a time. In the fall of 1855 he sold to Sylvester Smith and located elsewhere. He went away with Loveland. A part of the time while living here he kept a saloon.

SETTLERS OF 1855

The people who spent the winter of 1854-55 here were obliged to subsist to quite an extent on wild game, which was quite abundant. The spring of 1855 opened with brighter prospects, quite a number of settlers coming that year. Among those that came were the following: George and Oliver Bemis, J. B. Yates, V. P. Lewis, Sylvester Smith, Levi Watrous, Abe Haveling and "Wild Cat" Brown, G. W. Mason and a man named Hayes.

George Bemis settled on the lot east of Sylvester Smith's place ; was one of the men prominently connected with the "stealing of the county seat." He was an honored resident of the county until 1869. when he removed to Utah, where he engaged in mining. His death occurred there in August, 1884.

Oliver Bemis, from Maine, in 1855 pre-empted 160 acres near the present eity, built a shanty and started breaking the land. The following year he sold this land and purchased a farm in section 11. Four years later he sold this place and bought a farm in section 3, Windom township, at about the same time starting, with his brother George, the first shoe store in Austin.

J. B. Yates and V. P. Lewis were both natives of York state and of a speeulative turn of mind, and were engaged in business here for many years. Yates continued to reside in Austin. Lewis remained here until 1882, when he removed to Hopkins, Mo., where he engaged in mercantile trade.

Sylvester Smith was from Canada. He purchased Stuhfell's place. Ile soon became prominent in county affairs and remained a resident of Austin until his death.

Abe Haveling (or Haling) was a blacksmith by trade, was one of a roving disposition ; remained here but a short time.

"Wild Cat" Brown was a frontiersman of the roughest type.

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Civilization did not seem to agree with him, so he left in 1856.

G. W. Mason purchased an interest in the town plat from Leverich. It was he with Vaughan that had the race to Frank- ford to beat Yates and Lewis and get their plat recorded first, but like others that raced with the same parties got left.

Levi Watrous was from Iowa and with his brother had a claim in section 12. He lived here about two years. Afterward he entered the ministry. He was a chaplain in the army. The last heard from he was near Elkader, Ia .. pastor of an Adventist church. It is said that in the spring of 1855 Watrous, Leverich and Mason were one day sitting under a tree speculating as to the future of the place and during the conference named it Austin, in honor of Austin Nichols, the first settler. The place at the time was known as Leverich's mill.

Hayes was generally ealled Black Hayes, to distinguish him from G. B. Hayes. He was a speculator in land; remained here but a short time.

SETTLERS OF 1856

In 1856 the following named were among those who came: J. H. McKinley, Charles Ferris, George E. Wilbour, Solomon Snow, R. L. and W. S. Kimball, Orlenzer and Ormanzo Allen, Joshua L. Davidson, Hiram L. Coon, G. B. Hayes, D. B. Johnson, Jr., Aaron S. Everest, G. M. Cameron, Colbert C. Hanchett, Loyal W. Sprague, Dr. J. N. Wheat, Rev. Stephen Cook and his son, John F., Harvey M. Allen, Samuel Little, S. W. Riee, Luther S. Morgan, James C. Ackley, Albert Galloway and L. N. Griffith. J. H. Mckinley came early in the spring and purchased a frame building, which he opened as a hotel, the first in the place. Ile managed it hut a few months, when he sold and moved to Mitchell county, Iowa.

Charles Ferris was MeKinley's son-in-law. He came at the same time and went away with him. He was a carpenter by trade.

Solomon Snow and George E. Wilbour were from Massachu- setts. They bought the hotel from MeKinley and entertained travelers three years, when Wilbour returned to Massachusetts. In 1869 he came baek.

R. L. and W. S. Kimball, natives of New Hampshire, came from Illinois in April. They soon opened the first hardware store in the place.

Orlenzer aud Ormanzo Allen were twin brothers, natives of York state, and came here from Wisconsin. The former was a physician, the first to locate in Austin. He practiced here until 1870, when he moved to Milan, Rock county, Wis., where he since

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died. Ormanzo was a lawyer by profession. He came in the month of July and lived here until his death.

Joshua L. Davidson was born in New Hampshire, in December, 1812. When a boy he moved with his parents to Allegheny county, New York, in the town of New IIundson, near Cuba. Ile married in his young manhood Phoebe Ann Woodford, who was own cousin to Lucius Robinson, ex-governor of New York. Five or six years after their marriage they moved West, settling in Lake county, Illinois, near Chicago. He there engaged in farm- ing. After four years there he removed to Rockford, Ill. This was about 1851, and he remained there till 1855, during which time he made several trips into the great Northwestern territory, of which Minnesota is now a part. In the spring of 1855 he came to Winona, Minn., where he purchased a large interest in the town site of that city. His wife died the spring he left Rockford, 1855, and November 24, 1856, in Fond du Lae, Wis., he married his second wife, Mrs. H. Attilla Albro. In the early spring of 1856 he came to Austin and bought large interests, among which was the land known as "Davidson's addition to Austin." He was a speculator in real estate and a busy worker at whatever his hands found to do. He moved his family to Austin in the spring of 1857, having already, in company with John F. Cook, D. M. V. Stuart and H. C. Bolcom, built the first frame building of any size. This was known as the "Headquarters." The pine lumber used in the erection of this old landmark was hauled from Winona, a distance of nearly a hundred miles. During the Civil war he built the Davidson House-the second hotel of the place. He leased this property until the last year of his life. when he operated it himself. Mr. Davidson was deacon of the Austin church from the time of its organization until the time of his death, which occurred February 27, 1873. He donated the lots upon which the Congregational church now stands at Austin.

Hiram L. Coon was a physician. Ile remained but a short time.

G. B. Hayes was a native of New Hampshire. He was the leading merehant of Austin for some years.

D. B. Johnson, Aaron S. Everest and G. M. Cameron were all lawyers by profession. The two former were natives of York state, the latter of Canada.

Colbert C. Hanchett and Loyal W. Sprague came from Wis- eonsin and engaged in mercantile trade, in which they continued about three years. Hanchett was afterward in the army as a sutler. He died in the South during the war. The last heard from Sprague he was at Whitewater, Wis.

J. W. Wheat was a native of New Hampshire ; a physician.

James C. Ackly purchased a one-fourth interest in the village

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plat. He afterward engaged in the boot and shoe trade. After the war he moved to southern Missouri and later to Atchison, Kan., where he died.

Albert Galloway was born in the town of Newburg, Orange county, N. Y., October 6, 1822. In 1856 he started for Minne- sota, intending to locate at Minneapolis. While on the boat between Dunleith and Winona he met friends who indueed him to go to Chatfield with them. They started from Winona on foot and walked to Chatfield. After a short stop there they pro- ceeded on their journey and walked to Frankford. He there procured a ride to Austin. This was in the fall of 1856. He immediately pre-empted a elaim in section 17, town 102, range 18. He proved up on that elaim in November of that year and engaged during the following winter as clerk in Hanehett & Sprague's store. In 1857 he formed a partnership with D. R. Johnson, Jr., and engaged in 'mereantile business. He had cut some logs, which he sawed at Leverieh's mill, and erected the store building. The lumber for siding and floor he drew from Winona. Galloway & Johnson dissolved partnership about one year later, after which Mr. Galloway continued in business alone. carrying a good stoek of goods. He remained in business until 1868.

L. N. Griffith was born in Allegany county, New York, No- vember 18, 1824. He removed when a child to Lorain county, Ohio. He was postmaster of Austin postoffice from 1857 to 1858, and was also justice of the peace for many years.

Others that were known to have been here as early as 1856 were Dennis Crandall, John E. Hallett, Samuel Wheeler, C. P. Carpenter, Charles and George Bodle, J. M. V. Stuart, John M. Fleming, A. W. Billings.

John E. Hallett engaged for a time elerking in Yates & Lewis' store.

J. M. V. Stuart and John M. Fleming were from Canada. The former had money to invest in land. After two or three years he moved to Kansas. Fleming was a young man with a good education. He was for a time deputy register of deeds. He remained a resident of Anstin until the time of his death, which oeeurrred in an early day.

Charles Bodle remained here two or three years, during which time he drove stage.

C. P. Carpenter was also a stage driver. Two or three years later he went back to New Hampshire, where he lived a few years. Then returned to Austin, where he died.

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FIRST EVENTS

The first man to locate in the vicinity of Austin was "Hunter" Clark, who built a log cabin near the grounds of Oakwood ceme- tery in the fall of 1853. The first frame house in Austin was erected by Chauncey Leverich, in the autumn of 1855. In 1866 the first briek dwelling house in town was the Congregational parsonage, corner of Maple and St. Paul streets. The second by J. B. Yates, corner of Kenwood avenue and Mill street. The bricks were made in Austin by Yates & Lewis, who started the first briek yard. The first white child born in Austin was Austin Bemis, son of George H. and Eleanor Merriek Bemis, born No- vember 17, 1855. The second ehild born in the place was Carrie M. Wheat, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. J. N. Wheat. She was born December 6, 1856. She became the wife of E. G. Bascomb, of Rochester, Minn. The first piano owned in the city was pur- chased by Dr. J. N. Wheat. The first church organ was played by Mrs. Johnson, at the Methodist church, in 1863. The first briek business house in Austin was erected in 1866, by Harlan Page, for a bank, with law offices above. This was destroyed by fire in 1869, and the present First National Bank building erected on its site. The first goods were sold by A. B. Vaughan, in 1855. George H. Bemis ran the first shoe shop. The first death within the place was that of Chauncey Leverich, in the early fall of 1856. Old settlers declare that David Oliver broke the first ground on the forty acres now platted and known as "Parker & Brown's addition to Austin."

EARLY DAYS IN AUSTIN

Judge Ormanzo Allen, some years ago, in an address before the Old Settlers' Association, admirably summed up the early history of Austin in the following words :,

In the year 1853 the territory embraced in Mower county was surveyed into townships and sectionized. Prior to that time and, as for that matter, several years thereafter, Mower county was the home and hunting grounds of the wild Indian, and the early settlers of Mower county have seen them in their native independence as they have been by scores in their teepees and wigwams along the Cedar river; and many of you have seen them in their native dependence as they have begged for bread in your houses, where they have entered unannounced and un- invited, and you have heard their simple language.

In the fall of 1852 some camps were made along the Cedar river by trappers from lowa, but were abandoned in the follow- ing winter. In the fall of 1853, near where Oakwood cemetery

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now is, a man by the name of "Hunter" Clark settled and built there the first log house in the eastern part of Mower county. About this time came Austin Nichols, who built a log house just back of where Judge Cameron's house afterward stood. Austin was named in honor of this first settler on the town plat of Aus- tin. Austin Nichols soon moved west. That same winter of 1853-54 and in the spring of 1854 other settlements were made along the Cedar river and Deer creek and Iowa river, Lewis Patchin being among the number of settlers along Deer creek.

In the latter part of the year 1854, and in the year 1855, set- tlers began to come in from Iowa and Wisconsin, among whom were Alanson B. Vaughan, who settled at Lansing; John Rob- inson, who settled near High Forest ; John Tift, who settled eight miles south of Austin; Chauncey Leverich, who bought out Austin Nichols; Abraham S. Lott, C. H. Huntington, James and Return B. Foster, who all settled four or five miles south of Austin along the Cedar river. September 14, 1855, the first land was taken and proved upon by Chauncey Leverich, Jeremiah B. Yates and Velorous P. Lewis. Sylvester Smith, Henry and Will- iam Bandler and many others came this year, 1855.

During the year 1856 hundreds came to Austin and Mower county, and among them your obedient servant. So that at the close of the year 1856 there were estimated to be 600 people in Mower county and about 100 people in Austin.

The first deed for the conveyance of real estate in Mower county is now on file at the office of the register of deeds of Goodhue county, in the city of Red Wing. Many deeds were filed and recorded in Houston county, and several years ago William Carey Snow, then deputy register of deeds for Mower county, went to Caledonia and copied sneh deeds npon our records.

The first minister that ever preached a sermon in Austin was the Rev. Mr. Mapes, then stopping for a short time near Browns- dale. Following close on to this was a sermon by the Rev. Mr. Phelps. These sermons were both by Methodist ministers, and both preached in the Snow & Wilbour hotel. Rev. Stephen Cook, John F. Cook's father, a Congregational minister, was the third person to preach in Austin. He preached during August, 1856, and the succeeding few months in a small house, then used as a schoolroom, and on the spot where Thomas Riley's dwelling was later erected. During the winter of 1856-7, Rev. E. F. Gurney and Stephen Cook preached in private houses about town as they were invited.

The first school in Austin was taught by Maria Vaughan in a log house, which was afterwards occupied by yours truly and his wife for a dwelling house and stood on the north side

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of Water street, where James Anderson's was later erected. The second school was taught by one Sarah Bemis, sister of Oliver and George Bemis. The third by Kate Conkey, sister of George N. Conkey. Both these schools were located in a small building where Thomas Riley's dwelling house was later erected. The fourth and last primitive school was taught in the winter of 1856-7 by a young gentleman by the name of Saxon, the pay- ment of whose wages caused the arrest and sale of several thou- sand shingles, by your most obedient as district clerk, belonging to two merchants whose names I forbear to mention. Those young merchants severely threatened that faithful clerk of the school district with a long and tedious lawsuit, but the suit has never come off yet, as I have heard. The first schoolhouse built in Austin was later occupied and used as the Methodist Episcopal church.

The first parties married in the county were Caleb Stock and Mary Watkins. This was in 1856, Sylvester Smith, a justice of the peace, officiating. The first birth was that of Austin Bemis, son of George and Eleanor Bemis, in the year 1855. The first death was that of Mary Robinson, of High Forest, daughter of John Robinson, in the year 1855. The first town site recorded was the town of Austin, which was partly surveyed and platted by Yates & Lewis and is now Yates & Lewis' addition to Austin. Then followed the village of Austin.

Several once live and famous town sites have long since passed in their chips. I refer to the city of Madison, ten miles north of here on the west side of Cedar river, which once had its hotels, stores and saw mill. I refer also to the city of Two Rivers, one mile and a half south of here, at the confluence of the Turtle and Cedar rivers, which once had a famous hotel, kept by Robert Autis, and for a time bid fair to eclipse Austin. I refer also to Cedar City, six miles south of here, which once had its saw mill and its flour mill, and Justice Meanes, before whom long suits at law were wont to be tried in ancient days. But the floods of August, 1858, swept out the last vestige of that city. I refer also to Troy City, eight miles south of here, which, unlike its predecessor of ancient lore, never had any wooden horses to beguile the unsuspecting and overcredulous, but it had its hotel and saw mill and grist mill, which the floods of 1858 and finan- pial reverses swept away. There were also some misadventures upon the east side of the county in founding cities, like Frank- ford and old LeRoy, which have nearly faded out.

The first frame house built in the county was built by Chaun- cey Leverich on lot: 5, in block 2, in the village of Austin, near where the dwelling house of James T. Sargent was later erected. By so doing the Leverichs were acensed, at that time, of putting

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on "airs," which frame house long since went down before the corroding tooth of time. The first saw mill built in the county was built by Chauncey Leverich in the year 1855, where Engle's was later erected.

The first newspaper ever published in the county was by David Blakely in Austin in the fall of 1858, called the Mower County Mirror. Blakely started this paper in consideration of being elected to the lucrative office of register of deeds of Mower county. He published this paper for about one year, and was succeeded by Rufus K. Crum, who published the paper for about another, at which time the paper was removed to Rochester, Minn. About four months thereafter B. F. Jones commenced the publication of the Courier, which, by various devices, was con- tinued for some two years, when Jones went into the United States service, and in July, 1863, the Mower County Register was started by Herman R. Davidson, just out of Oberlin college, and son of Joshua L. Davidson, who published the paper for about one year and until his death, when C. H. Davidson con- tinued the publication of the paper. Then came the Transcript and other papers.

The hasty glance which we have taken contrasting the present with the past shows that Mower county has indeed made great progress in every material and vital matter pertaining to and affecting the interests and the true interests of her citizens, and that Mower county is well abreast with other counties in our state in her mechanical and agricultural interests, as well as schools, churches, railroads, buildings, bridges and every in- ternal improvement calculated to build up and develop the whole country.

HEADQUARTERS

In the winter of 1856-57, the building known as Headquarters was built. It was built by Joshua L. Davidson, J. F. Cook, J. M. V. Stuart and H. C. Bolcom. It was located on Main street. The lower story was used as a store for many years. The upper story was all that can possibly be meant by the word "head- quarters." Within this building the Mirror, the first paper in Mower county, was started by David Blakely, and its newspaper honor did not close till it had been used as the office of the Min- nesota Courier, the Register and Transcript, thus being the birth- place of four of Mower county's solid journals. The first court ever held in Mower county convened here. It was also used for school and religious purposes. Some of the early settlers will remember how the pioneers came in from the country with ox teams to worship at this place. There were the old and

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young, and among the number might have been seen pretty maidens with their shaker bonnets, and sometimes in their bare feet. This was also the place for holding all the publie gather- ings, festivals, danees and other events. Could its walls but speak, what a tale it would tell of days long sinee passed into oblivion. The Austin National Bank now occupies the site.

OLD TERRITORIAL ROAD

In the early fifties of the last century, a half-broken trail wound its way from the Iowa state line to what are now the Twin Cities. In time the trail became known as the territorial road. At one point it made an abrupt turn to take advantage of a ford in a beautiful stream that bubbled and gurgled over pebbles and ever-shifting sand. Along the trail and down to the ford eame army horses and mules to plunge fetloek deep and thrust their dust-filled nostrils in the cooling water. Here the troopers used to tarry on their way through the Northwest. Here emigrants in canvas-covered wagons rested while their tired oxen browsed on the rich herbage. The Sioux from his tepee on the banks watched the ever-inereasing, never-ending tide of earavans that were to crowd the red men toward the setting sun. Trappers of the mink and of the otter, and hunters of the deer, eame and pitched their tents beneath the eotton- woods.

In the meantime came Austin Nichols. Others followed. Then came Chauncey Leveriel. He came to the erossing of the waters on his way to the Northwest, where he sought the fur-bearing creatures of forest and stream. Standing on the banks of the Cedar, he said: "Here will I piteh my tent, here will I found a city." Here, therefore, the eity was built upon the bank of the Cedar, whose waters onee swept noisily through this valley to join the far away Mississippi, now harnessed for the needs of man, forms a lake dotted with islands, among which dart the swiftly driven launehes of pleasure seekers. Along the banks of the river, parks are laid out, not to spoil but to preserve the wildness of spots which nature made lovely in wanton, reekless prodigality. There are some places where it would seem that nature had set out to make more beautiful than any other spot some places where she seemed to have worked to display what the poet has ealled "her wilder majesty." Aeons of time she spent to enrich the soil and then set the deep and everlasting springs, some to pour forth like fountains, some mere triekling streams of liquid erystal to flow from the blaek loam, others she set to form deep pools and put in perpetual motion the sil- very sands to roll about the bottom as though blown by some

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The history of Mower County, Minnesota : illustrated, Part 18

Author: Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn Publication date: 1911 Publisher: Chicago : H. C. Cooper, Jr. & Co. Number of Pages: 1246

Author: Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Chicago : H. C. Cooper, Jr. & Co.
Number of Pages: 1246