USA > Minnesota > Mower County > The history of Mower County, Minnesota : illustrated > Part 26
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OTHER FRATERNAL ORDERS.
Lookout Aerie, No. 703, Fraternal Order of Eagles, and a nest of the Order of Owls, are located here, and have a fair member- ship among the young men of the city.
Lookout Aerie, No. 703, F. O. E., was instituted May 3, 1904, by J. W. Shadewald, S. D. G. P., with a charter list of sixty-six members. The first officers were: J. HI. Bryon, P. W. P .; J. J. Adams, W. P .; W. R. Terry, W. V. P .; J. D. Smith, W. C .; W. L. Van Camp, W. S .; Frank Sargent, W. T .; George Dolan, W. Cond .; Max Erdman, I. G .; C. A. Gibson, O. G .; trustees, Charles Kaufman, H. J. Zender, J. E. Pitzen ; aerie physician, C. J. Lewis. The present officers are: P. W. P., C. F. Lewis; W. P., George Robertson ; W. V. P., H. W. Boody ; W. C., J. C. Taney ; W. Cond., L. G. Kappauf ; secretary, F. M. Zebder ; treasurer, F. C. Wilbour ; trustees, W. R. Terry, M. A. Morgan, L. H. Grau; physician, HI. F. Pierson. The present membership is 360. Since the organi- zation $6,200 has been paid in sick benefits. Funeral benefits have amounted to $350. The society pays a seven-dollar-a-week
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siek benefit and a $50 funeral benefit. The aerie has at present $2,000 at interest and $600 in the treasury as a working balance, with an income of about $270 a month.
The Order of Owls is one of the youngest of the local fra- ternities. The charter officers were: President, HI. J. Zender : past president, Thomas Rochford; vice president, T. Lembrick ; invocator, W. J. Rice; treasurer, Ben Hart ; secretary, Peter Ca- pretz; warden, Lester Woodward; sentinel, Tracey Smith ; picket, Thomas Tracy; trustees, M. J. Mayer, Joseph Wolf and Otto H. Jensen. The present officers are: President, II. J. Zen- der ; past president, Thomas Rochford ; vice president, A. Speck ; invocator, B. Speck; treasurer, Ben Hart; secretary, Peter Ca- pretz; warden, C. Ward; sentinel, Eldred Ondriek ; pieket, J. C. Harris; director, C. H. Johnson; trustees, M. J. Mayer, Joseph Wolf and Otto H. Jensen.
PATRIOTIC ORDERS.
There are four patriotic orders in Austin, the MeIntyre Post, No. 66, G. A. R .; McIntyre Corps, No. 27, W. R. C .; the Ladies of the G. A. R., and the Spanish-American War Veterans.
McIntyre Post, No. 66, Grand Army of the Republic. About 1872, a Post was organized at Austin and conducted for a time, but like many of the original G. A. R. posts, it soon disbanded. McIntyre Post, No. 66, was organized March 7, 1884, by A. Swift, assisted by Comrades C. A. Warren, M. B. Johnson, B. Maxwell, N. N. Parmenter, B. E. Stimson and others. of the Henry Rogers Post No. 11, G. A. R., at Brownsdale. The fol- lowing were the first officers: Capt. W. H. Sutton, post com- mander; A. E. Christie, sen. vice commander; G. L. Case, jun. vice commander ; Rev. W. E. Stanley, chaplain ; H. W. Lightly, officer of the day ; John V. Owens, quartermaster ; C. N. Beiseker, officer of the guard; Seymour Johnson, adjutant; M. M. Trow- bridge, sergeant major; H. B. Corey, Q. M. sergeant. It was voted to call the Post MeIntyre, after Capt. P. T. McIntyre, of the 18th Wisconsin, and formerly county auditor and treasurer, who died in Austin about 1881. The vote stood twenty-six for "McIntyre," and twenty-five for "McPherson," in honor of General McPherson.
Below is appended a list of the members who joined March 1 and 15, 1884, with the regimental connection of each: P. J. Cratzer, Co. F, 151st Ind .; Seymour Johnson, Co. A, 32d Wis .; W. H. Whitham, Co. B, 106th N. Y .; W. E. Stanley, 29th Co., Mass. II. A. Vol .; J. A. Pierce, Co. A. 3d Wis .; George Fiehn, Co. A, 13th Wis .; J. R. Evans, Co. II. Batal. U. S. I. 16th Reg .; J. H. Mansfield, Col. Keng's Staff; D. E. Bero, Co. C, 9th Minn. ; Sam.
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H. Judd, Capt. Co. H, 153d Ill. ; H. W. Lightly, Co. H, 29th Wis .; Francis Neller, Co. H, 2d Minn .; Jerry Ingalls, Co. I, 26th N. Y .; R. M. Boyd, Co. B, 37th Wis .; Chas. J. Miller, Sergt. Co. A, 1st Wis .; Wilson Beach, Corp. Co. HI, 1st Minn. M. R .; Geo. W. Varco, Co. B, 2d Minn. Cav .; J. H. DeRemer, Co. F, 3d Minn .; J. C. Hawkins, Corp. 2d Ohio H. Art .; William Brecken, Co. C, 9th Minn .: John Connor, Co. G, 6th Wis .; Abram Newell, Co. I, 17th Ill. Cav .; M. M. Trowbridge, Sergt. Co. C, 1st Wis .; A. E. Christie, Sergt. Co. D, 19th Wis .; Henry B. Corey, Corp. Co. A, 2d Minn. Cav. Reg .; John V. Owens, Co. K, 5th N. Y. H. A .; W. II. Sutton, Capt. Co. I, 31st Ohio .; G. L. Case, Capt. Co. H, 122d U. S. C. T .; Samuel Pinkham, Co. C, 3d Wis. Cav .; H. H. Kent, Landsman U. S. Navy ; J. D. Woodward, Co. I, 1st N. Y. L. Art .; Orrin H. Brown, Sergt. Co. B, 115th N. Y .; W. D. Hogan, Corp. Co. K, 1st Conn. H. Art .; James Donaldson, Sergt. Co. E, 28th Wis .; S. W. Rice, Co. C, 9th Min .; M. Becker, Co. D, 22d Wis. Inft .; G. S. Cooper, Co. G, 12th Wis .; Simeon Chapman, Co. I, 105th Pa. : H. G. Case, Sergt. Co. A, 2d Minn .; John E. Robin- son, Corp. Co. B, 2d Minn. Cav .; E. P. Spooner, Sergt. Co. C, 9tlı Minn .; R. Brooks, Co. C, 17th Ind .; C. N. Beiseker, Co. F, 67th N. Y .; Jos. Stephenson, Co. C, 117th N. Y .; Isaac N. Howe, Co. M, 12th Ill. Cav .; Jehial Woodward, Co. B, 116th N. Y .; A. J. Sharpstine, Co. K, 142d N. Y .; Henry Peck, Co. B, 2d Minn .; D. B. Johnson, Jr., 1st Lient. 1st Reg. Minn. M. R .; Walter F. Sutherland, Sergt. Co. B, U. S. Eng. Bat .; E. L. Merry, Co. F, 5th Minn .; John Robertson, Sergt. Co. F, 42d Wis .; Robert O'Brien, Co. H, 44th Wis .; William H. Waye, Co. I, 38th Wis .; C. P. Bell, Co. B, 2nd Minn. Cav .; M. C. Little, Co. K, 32d Wis .; E. R. Lathrop, ehaplain, 10th Minn .; L. B. Fairbanks, Co. I, 3d Vt .; Henry A. Chapin, Co. I, 1st Minn .; A. H. Chapin, Co. C, 9th Minn .; L. Griffin, Co. H, 1st Minn. Rangers; I. J. Densmore, Sergt. 11th Wis .; J. S. Anderson, Co. I, 24th Wis .; A. D. Fair- banks, Co. E, 2d United States sharpshooters ; P. Bump, 1st Lieut. Co. E, 22d Wis .; C. R. Paddock, Co. C, 115th N. Y.
In all 220 veterans have joined MeIntyre Post. Of these sixty-six are still members and eighty-seven are dead. Sixty- seven have moved away or been suspended. The Post has a meeting hall of its own, having purchased a lot and building December 15, 1890. The present officers are: Commander, John Fairbanks; senior vice commander, Peter Cratzer; junior vice commander, R. N. Boyd ; quartermaster sergeant, P. Bump ; officer of the day, J. C. Hawkins: officer of the guard, E. Watkins ; ehaplain, J. D. Smith ; surgeon, John Harpman ; adjutant, J. H. DeRemer. The Post is one of the most flourishing in the state. In June, 1889, it had the pleasure of entertaining the Southern Minnesota G. A. R. Association.
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McIntyre Corps, No. 27, W. R. C., was organized April 5, 1887, with twenty-two charter members. The first officers were as follows: President, Elizabeth MeIntyre; senior vice presi- dent, Lottie Baird; junior vice president, Louisa Engle; secre- tary, Lizzie Sutton; treasurer, Mary Lovell; conductor, Lida Sutherland; assistant conductor, Emma Dorr; guard, Katie Johnson ; assistant guard, Maggie Ingalls ; chaplain, Mary Beach. The corps is now in a flourishing condition, with 102 members. The present officers are: President, Madge Smith; senior vice president, Mary Horrobin; junior vice president, Anna Gregg; secretary, Marietta Bump; treasurer, Clara Urbatch; chaplain, Emma Neller ; conductor, Mattie Fairbanks ; guard, Abbie Hilker ; patriotie instructor, Elizabeth Mattice ; press correspondent, Eva Davison; assistant conductor, Anna Seares; assistant guard, Mattie Williams; musician, Lulu Pitcher; color bearers, Nellie Ilartley, Lou Hendricks, Laura Eddlebeek and Libby Roebuck. The corps is working in harmony with MeIntyre Post, and in 1906 erected a $1,200 monument on the soldiers' lot in Oakwood cemetery.
The I. K. Mertz Circle, No. 44, Ladies of the G. A. R., was or- ganized in Austin, November 3, 1898, by Julia E. Lobdell. This organization is a patriotic one, similar in many respects to the Daughters of the American Revolution, and its membership is restricted to the wives, sisters, blood nieces, and direct female descendants of veterans of the Civil war; war nurses, Civil war veterans, and male descendents of Civil war veterans being ad- mitted to honorary membership. The organization will be per- petuated by lineal descendents. The first officers of the local circle were: President, Maggie Goodwin ; senior vice president, Hannah Bazter; secretary, Eva Webster; treasurer, Anna Fo- garty ; chaplain. Frances Rice ; conduetress, Ella Mady ; assistant conductress, May Carter; guard, Maria Hall; assistant guard. Mary E. Bero. The present officers are: President, Eva Web- ster ; senior vice president, Florence Chapin; junior vice presi- dent, Frances Watkins; chaplain, Eva Carter; treasurer, Eunice Floyd ; conductress, Florence Wait ; assistant condnetress, Saralı Ondriek ; guard, Mary Boyd ; assistant guard, Isabelle Watkins.
CATHOLIC ORDERS.
Four organizations in Austin recruit their members from the Catholic church. They are: St. Augustine Court, No. 557, Cath- olie Order of Foresters; St. Monica Court, No. 374, Women's Catholic Order of Foresters; Austin Council, No. 1201, Knights of Columbus and the Catholic Total Abstinence Society.
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RAILROAD ORDERS.
The importance of the railroad industry in Austin naturally brings hundreds of railroad employes to make their home here, and as a consequence all the great railroad orders have Austin divisions. Cedar River Division, No. 283, Brotherhood of Rail- road Trainmen ; Austin Division, No. 215, Order of Railroad Con- ductors; Austin Division, No. 102, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, and Comet Lodge, No. 126, Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Engineers, each have a goodly membership, and the ladies' auxiliary to each of these organizations are also im- portant features in the life of the railroad people of the city.
Austin Division, No. 215, Order of Railroad Conductors was organized August 30, 1906, with the following charter members: E. E. Brooks, W. F. Clay, E. T. Dexter, A. J. Fox, W. B. Harter, Harry Hill, William James, Martin Keavy, Thomas Keating, C. T. Paine, W. R. Terry, William Plummer, Peter Gallagher, George Franklin, F. C. Tipp, Jacob Oleson, H. M. Warfield, A. F. Mc- Lean, Frank MeAdams, John Rickard. The first officers were: Chief conductor, Thomas Keating; assistant chief conductor, H. M. Warfield ; secretary and treasurer, W. R. Terry ; senior conduc- tor, W. F. Clay; junior conductor, William Plummer; inside sen- tinel, George Franklin; outside sentinel, Jacob Oleson. The present officers are: Chief conductor, J. D. McCormick; assist- ant chief conductor, Joseph Tucker; secretary and treasurer, W. B. Harter; senior conductor, W. F. Clay; junior conductor, W. R. Terry ; inside sentinel, Joseph Kane; outside sentinel, Ole Tol- bertson. From a membership of twenty, Austin Division has grown to a membership of fifty-three. This division is one of the best in its class and nearly every conductor running out of Austin on the five divisions of railroad is a member of Division 215. Each member is a good citizen and all are ready at all times to boost for Austin. The growth of the division has kept pace with the progress of the city and every member is true to the motto, Fidelity, Justice and Charity.
Volunteer Division, No. 123, Ladies Auxiliary to the Order of Railroad Conductors, was instituted May 19, 1898, with the following officers: President, Mrs. W. B. Terry ; vice president, Mrs. Ida Clay ; secretary and treasurer, Mrs. W. D. Plummer. The present officers are: President, Mrs. J. D. McCormick ; vice president, Mrs. George Taylor; secretary and treasurer, Mrs. H. M. Warfield.
Austin Division, No. 102, Brotherhood of Locomotive En- gineers, is one of the oldest fraternal societies in Austin. It was organized February 19, 1870, by Simon R. Clark, assisted by T. W. Hazelton. S. R. Clark was elected chief engineer and M.
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E. Telfair first assistant engineer. William Anderson is the present chief engineer and Harry Matthews is the secretary and treasurer. The Austin division has a membership of ninety, with $130,000 life and accident insurance in foree.
The J. D. Beecher Division, No. 187, Ladies Auxiliary to the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, was organized January 25, 1894, by Mrs. C. J. Clark, grand organizer, of Winona, with the following charter members: Mrs. Wm. Anderson, Mrs. J. D. Beecher, Mrs. C. Campbell, Mrs. A. F. Mattiee, Mrs. P. Cham- bers, Mrs. G. Smith, Mrs. M. Davey, Mrs. D. Sharrah, Mrs. H. Furtney, Mrs. J. Shook, Mrs. Thos. Flannigan, Mrs. J. Taylor, Mrs. C. Gilleeee, Mrs. C. F. West, Mrs. J. Harriman, Mrs. E. G. Goth, Mrs. D. Hunt, Mrs. J. E. Ober, Mrs. R. Haseltine, Mrs. T. Claneey, Mrs J. MeDonald, Mrs. J. Murphy. Of these there are twelve who are still members of the order. The first officers were: President, Mrs. Wm. Anderson; vice president, Mrs. E. Goth; secretary, Mrs. H. Furtney; treasurer, Mrs. G. Smith; in- surance secretary, Mrs. Harriman ; chaplain, Mrs. A. F. Mattice ; guide, Mrs. C. Campbell ; sentinel, Mrs. T. Claneey ; pillars, Mrs. C. Gilleece, Mrs. J. McDonald, Mrs. J. Harriman, Mrs. R. Hasel- tine. At present this order consists of thirty-seven members. The present officers are: Past president, Mrs. D. S. Barr ; presi- dent, Mrs. M. McInerny ; vice president, Mrs. C. Gilleece ; insur- ance secretary, Mrs. S. E. Pettengill; secretary, Mrs. E. H. Kough ; chaplain, Mrs. D. Hunt ; treasurer, Mrs. L. Nelson ; guide, Mrs. C. Eriekson ; sentinel, Mrs. M. Lang; marshals, Mrs. A. Damm, Mrs. R. Haseltine; musieian, Mrs. Wm. Cook; pillars, Mrs. J. Lorenz, Mrs. T. Damn, Mrs. A. F. Mattice, Mrs. H. J. McDonald.
Pearl of Cedar Lodge, No. 223, Ladies Auxiliary to the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen, was organized July 29, 1901, with fifteen charter members and with the first viee grand mis- tress, Jeanette Turner in the chair. The meeting was held in the Engineers Hall, on East Water street, and the following of- fieers were elected: Councilman, George C. Taylor; past mis- +ress, Lizzie Brohm ; mistress, Mary Nockels ; vice mistress, Julia Dineen; treasurer, Mary Taylor; chaplain, Lucy Ellingson ; sec- retary, Mayme Bushman ; condnetress, Ada Plum ; warden, Olga Gordon; inner guard, Mary Bushman; outer guard. Emma Franklin. The charter was a gift to the ladies from the Cedar River lodge, No. 283, Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen. The present offieers are: President, Mayme Bushman; vice presi- dent, Nellie Smith; ehaplain, Anna Jeffries; treasurer, Mattie Fairbanks; secretary, Hazel Harmancy; conductress, Vinnie Montey; warden, Lonisa Darr; inner guard, Blanch Larson; outer guard, Elizabeth Bloomfield; delegate, Nellie Smith ; alter-
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nate, Kate Weise. There are at present thirty members, and meetings are held in the Order of Railroad Conductors Hall.
FRATERNAL INSURANCE.
The oldest fraternal insurance order in Austin, antedates in its date of organization, all the present orders in Austin except the Masons, the Odd Fellows and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers. The fraternal insurance orders now in existence in Austin are: Austin Homestead, No. 443, Brotherhood of Amer- ican Yeomen; Austin Tent, No. 16, Knights of the Maccabees; Queen Hive, No. 20, Ladies of the Maccabees ; Austin Council, No. 53, Modern Samaritans; Van Dusko Camp, No. 243, Modern Woodmen of America; Austin Council, No. 1654, Royal Ar- canum; Cedar Camp, No. 205, Royal Neighbors; Austin As- sembly, No. 204, Equitable Fraternal Union; Austin Lodge, No. 31, Degree of Honor; Austin Lodge, No. 840, Mystic Workers of the World.
Austin Lodge, No. 32, Ancient Order of United Workmen was organized in Austin, October 24, 1877, with charter members to the number of thirty. The first officers of the lodge were: Past master workman, D. B. Smith ; master workman, L. G. Wheeler ; foreman, A. W. Kimball; overseer, F. A. Richardson ; recorder, C. H. Wilbour; financier, E. P. Van Valkenburgh; receiver, Ed- win French; guide, W. K. Hunkins; inside watchman, F. H. Sterling; outside watchman, John Chandler. The majority of the first officers and members are still living. Some have dropped from the order, but a large number are still faithful members . after nearly thirty-four years of continued membership. The A. O. U. W. was the pioneer fraternal insurance order and the first to establish lodges in Minnesota and also the first in Austin. Austin Lodge, No. 32, has grown from a few members to an enrollment of over 600, and a present membership of 225, and has paid to the widows and orphans of its de- ceased members $85,000. A record of which it may well be proud. The records of the lodge show that the men who have governed the lodge and helped to build it up are seat- tered from the Atlantic to the Pacific, as the following list of the past master workmen will show: D. B. Smith, L. E. Day, Jas. Cronan, P. H. Zender, O. H. Harris, C. J. Hull, S. A. Smith, Geo. Robertson, E. C. Dorr, E. J. Phillips, Thos. F. Leonard, I. R. Wagner, John Rustad, E. W. Brennan, Peter Hanson, H. A. Gosler, W. K. Hawkins, L. Dettlebach, K. O. Wold, N. J. Strever, A. E. Hall, S. H. Harrson, L. C. Fairbanks.
The officers for the year 1911 are: Past master workman, HI. A. Gosler : master workman, M. P. Underberger ; foreman, Lafay-
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ette Crandall; overseer, John Evenson; recorder, L. C. Fair- banks; financier, P. H. Zender; receiver, J. L. Mitchell; guide, E. J. Blomily ; inside watchman, Jos. Leohmen; outside watch- man, Frank Adams; grand representatives, P. II. Zender and H. A. Gosler; trustees, E. A. Dalager, Gorm Hanson, Peter Han- son. The A. O. U. W. order rates of assessments were changed two years ago to an absolutely adequate basis of rates and a large surplus has been accumulated. This year the Minnesota jurisdiction seceded from the national organization and Minne- sota is now an independent organization with over 21,000 mem- bers. Austin lodge is adding new members and is in a very prosperous condition, with prospects of paying many more thousands to more firmly establish the home for those who are left to mourn.
Van Dusko Camp, No. 243, Modern Woodmen of America, was organized September 18, 1886, with thirty-seven charter members. The charter was granted October 20, 1886. Among the first officers were G. T. Mills, C. A. Pooler and L. F. Clausen. The camp now has a membership of 467. There have been forty-three deaths in the camp and over $80,000 has been paid in benefit certificates. The present officers are: Consul, R. L. Furtney ; advisor, R. J. Thomson; banker, H. A. Goslee; clerk, E. II. Sterling; managers, William Cutter, J. E. Detwiler and H. C. Waldecker.
Austin Council, No. 1654, Royal Arcanum, was organized and chartered October 7, 1895, with thirty-six members. The first officers were: Regent, N. S. Gordon; vice regent, G. F. Baird; orator, A. M. Lewis; past regent, A. C. Page; secretary, E. W. Davis; collector, J. A. Sands; treasurer, H. M. McGill- vary; guide, H. F. George; chaplain, H. D. Fairbanks; warden, A. E. Dearborn; sentry, F. A. Brietlow ; trustees, G. Schleuder, T. J. Abrahams, C. F. Cook. The officers for the year 1911 are as follows: Regent, R. L. DeGroot; vice regent, F. W. Green- man; orator, A. C. Page; past regent, F. E. Daigneau; secre- tary, J. M. Beek; treasurer, G. F. Baird; collector, J. E. Crip- pen : chaplain, H. D. Fairbanks; guide, Charles Mady ; warder, . F. G. Page; sentry, F. B. Davison. Since the organization of Austin Council there has been but one death claim paid, on the death of a local member. Mayor George F. Sutton, at the time of his death, was a member of the Royal Arcanum, and his widow was paid the death benefit. The Royal Arcanum is a fraternal insurance order, organized in Boston, Mass., June 23, 1877. and has been successful and economical in its management dur- ing the thirty-four years of its existence.
Cedar Camp, No. 205, Royal Neighbors of America, was or- ganized October 25. 1895, with a good membership. Mrs. Alma
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Kessler was the first oracle and Mrs. Flora E. Cota the first re- corder. They were assisted by a band of loyal workers. The lodge membership has grown to nearly 200, and the present officers are: Oracle, Mrs. Mattie Fairbanks; vice oracle, Mrs. Libbie Aultfather; past oracle, Mrs. Lania Dawes; chancellor, Mrs. Carrie Wright; reeorder, Mrs. Tracy Young; receiver, Mrs. Ida Wyatt; marshal, Mrs. Mabel Boyd; assistant marshal, Mrs. Lillian Peterson ; inner sentinel, Mrs. Mary Horrobin ; outer sen- tinel, Mrs. Ella Mayland; managers, Mrs. Jessie Ward, Mrs. Ellen Brown and Mrs. Maud Cutter.
Austin Tent, No. 16, Knights of the Maccabees, received its charter May 23, 1893. The first officers were: Commander, E. C. Kinney; record keeper, G. M. Merriman; finance keeper, P. Goodwin. The present officers are: Commander, A. E. Hilker; record and finance keeper, J. W. Gebhart.
Austin Council 53, Modern Samaritans, was organized several years ago and the present officers are: Good Samaritan, F. H. Mayer ; past, W. J. Bell; vice, Sallie E. Hill; high priestess, Mrs. R. Peterson; financial scribe, Peter Capretz; treasurer, John Ur- batch ; C. M., Carl Johnson; J. M., Roy Pace; centurian, Mrs. Carl Johnson; watchman, John Jensen; medical examiner, Dr. C. F. Lewis.
Austin Homestead, No. 443, Brotherhood of American Yeo- men, has some 260 members. The officers are: Honorable fore- man, L. H. Grau; master of ceremonies, Carrie Wright; corre- spondent, A. L. Lickteig; master of accounts, Mattie Fairbanks ; chaplain, Mary Newcomb.
SCANDINAVIAN AND TEUTONIC LODGES.
The Scandinavian and Teutonic element in Austin is repre- sented by three societies: Als Lodge, No. 111, Danish Brother- hood; Hamar Lodge, No. 84, Sons of Norway, and the Harmonia Germania Society.
INDUSTRIAL.
The Carpenters' Union in Austin has been in existence for some time, and is of much mutual benefit to its members.
DRIVING ASSOCIATION.
The Austin Driving Association was organized February 26, 1909. The first officers were: Geo. Sutton, president; H. W. HIurlbut, treasurer, and A. C. Page, secretary. Shortly after its organization, the president, Mr. Sutton, was taken sick and went to a sanitarium for treatment. E. D. Feeny was elected vice president and acted as executive officer during that year's race meet. The association has given two very successful summer
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race meetings during the month of June, 1909 and 1910. They are planning their race meet for the current season for July 3, 4 and 5. The present officers are as follows: O. J. Simmons, president; M. F. Leffingwell, vice president; H. W. Hurlbut, treasurer ; A. C. Page, secretary.
CHAPTER XXI.
MODERN AUSTIN.
Advantages of the City Written by Rev. C. D. Belden-Religious Activities by Robert L. Moore-Austin Clubs by Miss Jennie G. Keith-St. Olav Hospital and Training School-Austin Schools by Prof. George A. Franklin-Austin Hotels.
Austin, the Pearl City of southern Minnesota and the county seat of Mower county, is located in one of the most attractive and fertile portions of the great Northwest. It has a population of 6,960, according to the United States 1910 census, and it is large enough to enjoy all the advantages and improvements found in much larger centers. Mower county has steadily in- creased in population during all the migrations and changes of the past decades, as each succeeding census has shown. Today we have 22,640 within our county borders. From the early pio- neer days this city has been on the great highway of travel and has attracted the best class of residents by her pre-eminent advantages.
Sixty years ago there were two streams of travel coming into this section. One was from the east by way of Chatfield, where a land office had been established, and the other came in from the southeast following up the banks of the Cedar river and con- tinning on in the old territorial road to St. Paul. Austin was on this latter route. In the early settlement of Mower county the county seat was established on the east end at Frankford, but the Cedar valley soon gathered a larger immigration and the county seat was changed to Austin. The old stage route from Dubuque to St. Paul passed through Austin and the outer world soon discovered that this was a veritable garden spot. Here were timber, the purest of water, the brightest of sunshine. the healthiest of climate, the most fertile of soil. The Cedar river flowing through the city furnished abundant water power for saw mill and grist mill and Austin soon came into its deserved prominence.
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The pioneer problems of 1854 were very different from what are known today. Then the railroads were slow in extending west and they waited until the settlers had pushed ahead and had made improvements and established centers. Today the railroads reach out hundreds of miles into uninhabited regions and carry the first settlers to their locations and furnish them with transportation and abundant communication with the out- side world. It was not so with the pioneers of this locality who waited for years for the railroad while they hauled their grain a hundred miles to the Father of Waters. In 1859 there was not a mile of railroad in Minnesota and the nearest railroad point was Dubuque. But shut in as were the pioneers so largely, they were thrown together in an intimacy and equality which the so- cial sets of the later years never know of. Thrown upon their own resources and with everything new and unplanned, they were really the foundation builders and we today enjoy a substantial superstructure. The first settlers in this locality were largely of sturdy native American stock with a valuable addition of thrifty emigrants from northern Europe. They brought high ideals in education, morals and home life and their influence is a posi- tive factor for good today.
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