USA > Minnesota > Mower County > The history of Mower County, Minnesota : illustrated > Part 44
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March 18, 1861, another cemetery association was formed. also known as the Union Grove Cemetery Association. At their first meeting J. D. Cowles was chosen chairman and P. C. Shef- field secretary. The following were present: William Gilson, T. J. Bishop, F. Bevier, Chas. Smith, Daniel Caswell, Lester Cong- don, A. J. Palmer, V. B. Lincoln, J. D. Cowles, D. C. Sheffield, John S. Priest, J. M. Wyckoff and Mr. Hedafint.
At this meeting the present location was selected. The first person buried in the ground was Legrand Johnson.
Previous efforts at perfecting a cemetery association not prov- ing successful, the LeRoy Cemetery Association was formed April 8, 1863. The nine trustees elected at that time were: J. M. Wyckoff, Z. B. Daily, Daniel Caswell, Chas. Smith, William Graham, J. D. Cowles, S. P. Bacon, Rev. T. P. Ropes and Wm. A. Gilson. The association has been continued to the present time, the officers now being: President, H. G. McKee; secretary, J. M. Wyekoff ; treasurer, W. H. Brown; C. I. Roy, Caleb Lewis, V. A. Nason, S. D. Martz, Ralph Hall and E. J. Diddams.
The cemetery is a beautiful one, consisting of seven and a half aeres in section 28. The Catholic cemetery adjoins it on the east, and there is but a short distance to the Norwegian cemetery.
MODERN LEROY.
LeRoy is one of the most important villages in southern Minnesota. Its population, including the persons living in the thickly settled portions of the township adjoining the corporate
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limits, is about eleven hundred. The village is well laid out, has excellent cement sidewalks and the streets are bordered with sightly shade trees. Four churches, an excellent state high school, several fraternities, an opera house, a good hotel, two fraternity halls, a city hall, a newspaper, a cornet band, two banks, water works, fire protection and electric lights all add to the desir- ability of life at this point.
LeRoy is pleasantly situated in an open prairie, on the Upper Iowa river. Divisions of the Chicago Great Western and the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul have stations at this point.
Among the activities of LeRoy may be mentioned the follow- ing: Two elevators, one lime plant, one garage, one creamery, one hotel, four general stores, two hardware stores, two drug stores, one clothing store, two banks, two grocery stores, two barber shops, two restaurants, one livery, two blacksmith shops, one wall paper and paint establishment, one lumber yard, one furniture store, two farm implement establishments, two physi- cians, one dentist, one photographer, one milliner, two harness shops, three land agents, one lawyer, one produce store, one heating and plumbing establishment, two dray lines and one meat market.
Le Roy High School. The village of Le Roy comprises inde- pendent school district No. 5. The first school in this district was held in a house belonging to Daniel Caswell in the summer of 1857. That fall a stone schoolhouse was built in the old village of LeRoy. This stone schoolhouse, which has been demolished, occupied the present site of the Lutheran cemetery, and its foun- dations are still standing. When the village was started at Le Roy station, the new schoolhouse was built. This, with various additions, served until 1899, when the present beautiful eight- room brick schoolhouse was built on the old site. The committee at that time consisted of: President, C. A. Roy; clerk, George Palmer; treasurer, R. Hall ; W. M. Walker, F. T. Young and Mrs. G. M. Alsdorf. The present officers are : President, A. J. Hayes ; treasurer, H. K. Hawkins; clerk, L. M. Daily; Dr. M. J. Hart, J. P. Blackmer, A. D. Brown. The school covers the usual graded studies and has a full high school course. Domestic science, agri- culture and manual training are soon to be installed.
LeRoy Cornet Band. The old original band, made up of four- teen members, each possessing an instrument, was organized in 1887, with J. P. Barnum as their leader.
Various other bands have flourished from time to time. The present band was organized in the spring of 1905, and Dr. J. L. Day has continued to be the leader. The organization is known as the LeRoy Cadet Band and has done some excellent work. An instructor has been engaged, and the band has recently been
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increased by several new members. The officers are: President, H. S. Martz; vice-president, J. L. Day; secretary, Alden Malcom- son ; treasurer, Robert Malcomson; assistant leader, Chester Lunder.
Hotels. The first hotel of the place was erected and operated by William Beemis in 1867. This was the LeRoy House, a two- story frame building on Main street. It was purchased by R. M. Slitor, in 1877, and two years later, when he bought the Caswell House, he closed the former and rented it for other purposes.
The Caswell House was a commodious two-story brick build- ing, located on the corner of Main street and Broadway. The building was erected in 1868, by Daniel Caswell, at a cost of $12,000. Mr. Caswell managed the hotel several years, then sold to Jacob Lewis. It was purchased in 1879, by R. M. Slitor. It then passed through various hands and was destroyed by the cyclone. Sweet's Hotel is a well-kept hostelry very popular with the traveling public. It was erected in 1898 by William W. Sweet, and is now conducted by Peter T. Christiansen. It is well fur-" nished and equipped, and the cuisine is of the best.
Opera House. Soon after the great cyclone of 1894, an opera house was erected by the Masonic bodies and the Odd Fellows combined. The lower floor furnishes an excellent auditorium for amusement purposes, while the upper floor is divided into two snites of lodge rooms with a large dining room. C. I. Roy is man- ager of the opera house.
Lime Kiln. Since the earliest days the excellence of the lime- stone near LeRoy has been recognized. Fowler & Pay now oper- ate kilns not far from the village, employ some twelve to twenty men, and have a daily output of some two hundred barrels.
The LeRoy Co-operative Creamery was organized early in 1911, and started business April 1, 1911, in the old Hardin cream- ery. The company has promising prospects and will erect a new well-equipped building this summer. The officers are : President, Fred Palmerton; vice-president, John F. Hale; secretary, Chas. A. Howe; treasurer, Ole Reierson ; directors, Jacob Hopp, Adolph Rhend and Richard Nelson. John F. Scott is the buttermaker.
The LeRoy Fibre Company, operating under patents held by J. E. Lappen and G. W. W. Harden, maintained a large manu- facturing business here and employed some sixty hands. Its prod- uet consisted of flax fibre felt for insulating and lining purposes. Charges were at one time made that thousands of fish in the stream were killed as the result of this factory's operations. The' concern was purchased by the American Insulating Company, which, after operating the factory for a while, closed the plant. The material is now manufactured at St. Paul.
The LeRoy Telephone Company had its origin in 1900, when
-
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Henry F. Hermes and Fred Henslin installed a private system. The company was incorporated March 20, 1903, with the follow- ing officers : President, Otto C. Maereklein; vice-president, Fred Henslin; seeretary, Charles J. Maercklein; treasurer, A. Edgar Henslin; manager, Henry F. Hermes. The system operates in Adams, LeRoy, McIntire and Rieeville. At present some 900 instruments are in use. The officers are : President, M. J. Hart; vice-president, N. C. Johnson ; secretary and manager, Frank E. Garner; treasurer, A. E. Henslin ; director, J. G. Sehweder. The paid-in eapital stoek at the present time is $41,600.
ORGANIZATIONS.
James George Post, No. 23, of G. A. R., was named in honor of Col. James George, of the Second Minnesota Volunteer Infan- try. It was organized March 27, 1883, by J. V. V., Asa R. Burle- son. The charter members were H. A. MeConnell, F. H. Avery, W. D. Harden, E. A. Whitcomb, E. M. Gillman, G. S. Brown, W. W. Sweet, John Frank, Fred Mason, J. U. Darrow, G. W. Fliek, Caleb Lewis, E. C. Kasson, S. E. Morse, W. L. Henderson, George Remore, T. J. Bishop, E. Heddington, C. A. Roy, Charles Bell, Isaac Layman, S. A. Hill, A. Bettis, Andrew Mahoney. The first officers elected were as follows: H. A. McConnell, Com- mander; Isaac Lane, S. V. C .; John Frank, J. V. C .; C. A. Roy, O. S .; G. L. Brown, Q. M .; E. M. Gillman, A. G .; W. D. Harden, Chaplain; E. C. Kasson, Adjt .; E. A. Whiteomb, Surgeon Maj .; W. W. Sweet, Q. M. S. The post is still in a flourishing condition.
James George Corps, No. 56, W. R. C., was organized December 11, 1888. The first officers were : President, Mrs. Ann Bostworth; senior viee-president, Mrs. Layman; junior vice-president, Mrs. A. W. Howe; seeretary, Mrs. O. Mason; treasurer, Mrs. Mary Chambo; conductor, Mrs. Maggie Whitcomb; assistant, Mrs. Maggie A. Williams; chaplain, Mrs. Nancy Pieree. The present officers are : President, Mrs. Hattie Day; senior vice-president, Mrs. Maggie B. Williams; junior vice-president, Mrs. Hannah Bell; chaplain, Mrs. Jennie Brown; secretary, Mrs. Ann W. Howe; treasurer, Mrs. James Kingsbury; conductor, Mrs. Stella Merriek; assistant, Mrs. Emma Smith; guard, Mrs. Sarah Ander- son ; assistant guard, Mrs. Joseph S. Bevier; press committee, Mrs. Oella Mason; patriotie instructor, Mrs. Maggie Whiteomb; eolor bearers, the Mesdames Edna Armstrong, Lizzie Knight, Jes- sie Despard and Katherine May. The work of the Relief Corps has been to aid the old soldiers in every way possible. The ladies have contributed largely towards soldiers' homes and have erected a monument in the cemetery in memory of the soldiers who repose there and of those who sleep in unknown graves.
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Eureka Lodge, No. 75, A. F. and A. M., was organized July 23, 1868. The charter members were : F. M. Goodykoontz, Charles Allen, I. Ingmundson, W. S. Potter, G. T. Angell, F. H. Allen, G. A. Whitcomb, Randall Billings, W. A. Coleman, H. II. Coleman and P. T. McIntyre. The first officers were : F. M. Goodykoontz, W. M .; Charles Allen, S. W .; I. Ingmundson, J. W .; P. T. MeIntyre, secretary ; W. A. Coleman, treasurer; G. T. Angell, S. D .; W. S. Potter, J. D .; E. H. Whitcomb, tyler. The present officers are: M. W., F. L. Roy; S. W., Rufus Mahoney; J. W., Ray Becker; treasurer, F. C. Mason; secretary, F. E. Garner; S. D., L. A. Porter; J. D., W. E. Armstrong; S. S., E. Boyd ; J. S., A. A. Wells; T., J. B. Kingsley.
Royal Arch Chapter, No. 24, A. F. and A. M., was organized at LeRoy under dispensation, on August 25, 1873, with the fol- lowing officers and first members : I. Ingmundson, H. P .; W. F. Fifield, K .; J. S. Bishop, S .; M. E. Frisbee, C. of H .; C. A. Roy, P. S .; Henry Bowen, R. A. C .; H. A. McConnell, M. of 3d V .; J. F. Trask, M. of 2d V .; N. H. Roberts, M. of 1st V. On July 29, 1874, the lodge was granted a charter, with the following charter members and officers: W. F. Fifield, R. W. M .; A. J. Porter, S. W .; H. Bowen, J. W .; H. A. McConnell, M. O .; A. J. Porter, S. O .; H. Bowen, J. O .; M. E. Frisbee, S. D .; J. Mahoney, J. D .; J. S. Bishop and J. Martz. The present officers are: E. H. P., F. E. Garner; K., F. C. Mason; S., Rufus Mahoney; treasurer, F. C. Mason; secretary, J. M. Wykoff; C. of H., C. S. Harden; P. S., A. R. Williams; R. A. C., C. I. Roy; M. 3d V., F. L. Roy; M. 2d V., Raymond Becker; M. 1st V., E. A. Whitcomb; sentinel, Joseph Morrow ; trustees, C. I. Roy, C. S. Harden and P. Mahoney.
Columbia Chapter, No. 58, O. E. C., was granted a charter May 10, 1893. The charter officers were: Worthy matron, Mrs. Francis C. Roy ; W. P., Isaac Layman; A. M., Mrs. Eula A. Por- ter. The present officers are: W. M., Frances Wells; W. P., Ernest Body; A. M., Mrs. Freda Eckstein.
Acorn Camp, No. 1788, M. W. A., received its charter October 5, 1892, with the following charter members: Edwin S. Garvey, Luther A. Knapp, Malcom Malcomson, Nelson R. Miller, George J. Malcomson, George C. Pfremmer, Lars Runnestrand, Charles I. Roy, Loren S. Wilder and Hans B. Hansen.
Lovell Camp, No. 466, Royal Neighbors, received its charter November 24, 1896. There were thirty-eight charter members.
LeRoy Lodge, No. 43, I. O. O. F. An Odd Fellows lodge was organized in LeRoy in the early seventies, but the charter was surrendered about 1880. LeRoy Lodge, No. 43, received its char- ter November 2, 1892. the following being named as charter mem- bers: J. C. Belding, D. H. Stimson. O. L. Gibbons, C. H. Green,
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E. Myers, Lars Runnestrand, Daniel Bostworth, W. W. Johnson, I. H. Thompson.
Violet Rebekah Lodge, No. 90, I. O. O. F., was organized in 1893 and received its charter Mareh 3 of that year. The members named in the charter are: Ann E. S. Bostworth, Daniel Bost- worth, Addie Hale, Helma Jensen, Frederick Jensen, Christine Madsen, Viola Hermes, Henry F. Hermes, Carrie Wells, Catherine Keeler, Frank B. Keeler, Orsey V. Wells, Mattie A. Mason, Vant A. Mason, Mary J. Reber, Kate A. Barber, C. S. Barber, Lunette White.
The History Club, which is limited to fourteen members, was organized January 14, 1901, and federated in 1907. The first offi- cers were Mrs. W. M. Walker, president, and Mrs. M. J. Hart, secretary. The club has devoted its meetings to the study of art and travel. The present offieers are : President, Mrs. C. E. Mey- ers; vice-president, Mrs. Ralph Preseott; seeretary, Mrs. A. E. Henslin ; treasurer, Mrs. C. S. Palmer; federation secretary, Mrs. M. J. Hart.
The LeRoy Library Association. Some years ago some of the ladies of LeRoy formed the Ladies' Book Club for the purpose of seeuring and exehanging books. This movement grew to such an extent that the people of the village began to realize the impor- tanee of having a publie library. Accordingly the ladies formed the present association, first officers being : President, Mrs. M. J. Hart; Mrs. Merrill Bowers; secretary, Mrs. F. W. Sprung; treas- urer, Mrs. W. K. Porter. The association started with about three hundred volumes, a part of which were donated. The association laid aside about $300 as a building fund the first year and now has about $700. The original offieers are still serving. The asso- ciation now has about 680 borrowers, and the ladies are making an effort to have the village take the library in charge.
DISASTERS.
Early Fire. January 19, 1869, the village of LeRoy suffered a loss by fire of about $17,000. The insurance was very small. The following were the principal losses : Wentworth Hayes, dry goods and grocery store, stock, household furniture, books and papers burned; loss, $7,000; insurance, $2,000. W. A. Gilson, variety store, building, total loss; part of furniture and stoek saved in a damaged condition ; loss, $4,000; insurance small. Charles Smith, boot, shoe and grocery store; building, total loss, most of stoek saved; loss, $3,000; insurance on building, $800. Corbitt & Allen, hardware; building, total loss; stock mostly saved; loss, $3,500; small insurance.
J. T. Williams Burned. On December 5, 1872, LeRoy was vis-
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ited by a sad eatastrophe. In a fire, which was caused by the stumbling of Mrs. B. V. Lineoln, who was nursing Mrs. J. T. Will- iams, in the family residence over the Williams store, Mrs. Lincoln met immediate death. Mr. Williams, in his heroic rescue of his wife and family, received burns which resulted in his death, and the building was totally destroyed. The postoffice was in the same building. The law office of J. M. Wyckoff was torn down to pre- vent the spread of the flames. Mr. Williams had served as post- master, county superintendent of schools, and member of the state legislature.
The facts in detail are as follows: J. T. Williams, who was the postmaster, kept his office in the lower story of his building and lived on the sceond floor. In the rear was a shed in which supplies of various kinds were stored away. Twenty-four hours previous to the fire Mrs. Williams had given birth to a child. Mrs. V. B. Lineoln, a friend of the family, was in attendance upon her wants. About half past one o'clock Wednesday morning Mrs. Lincoln, desiring something from the shed in the rear of the build- ing, with a burning lamp in hand, started down the stairs. She stumbled and fell, setting her clothes on fire. Mr. Williams rushed to her assistance in his night garments, at the same time giving the alarm. Mrs. Lincoln was burned to death, and so, leaving her body in the flames, the citizens who had gathered made an effort to rescue the family. Boxes were piled on each other to the second- story windows. Mr. Williams, whose face and hands, legs and feet, at this time were seriously burned, was the first man upon the boxes and into the window for his wife and children. With the aid of friends they all got out in safety. Mr. Williams then secured his eoat, which had in one of the pockets $737 and valu- able papers, some $300 being money order funds and the balance belonging to the town. Then he darted into the postoffice and seized a package of some $200 worth of postage stamps. Later he walked into the drug store of Mr. Frisbee, sat down in a chair, and remarked to Mr. Frisbee, "Why, Mrs. Lincoln is burned up!" And in the next moment he says, "Frisbee, I am badly burned; can't you do something for me ?" He was assisted by Mr. Frisbee to the rooms over the store, and placed on a bed. Ile was so badly burned that when pumping water from the well to put out the fire he actually left upon the frozen ice the bottoms of his feet-two pieces of tough skin, each the size and shape of his foot, and the thickness of calf skin. He left plainly marked footprints of blood at every step from the front of Frisbee's drug store to the baek. and on every step up the stairs to his very dying bed. The pack- age of postage stamps had the distinet imprint of his bloody hand upon the outside wrapper, where he canght hold of it. Ef- forts to save him were of no avail and he died two days later.
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DESTRUCTIVE CYCLONE.
The village of LeRoy was almost entirely wiped out by a eyclone at 10:30 on the evening of September 21, 1894. The wind, which followed a heavy rain, came from the southwest, striking the depot and elevators, passing on over the business seetion, wrecking many stores and ending in the northeast part of the town by leveling many residenees, including the new Baptist par- sonage. A group of merrymakers in the Union Opera House made their eseape as that building was falling, Henry Findley, aged thirteen, and Chris Gilbertson, aged sixteen, being killed. Among those injured by the storm were: Joe Nelson, Mrs. Mort Dunton, Nels Weigen, Carl Carson, Arthur Maxfield, Mr. and Mrs. Horaee Chamberlain, R. Myers, Charles Blair, a ehild, two small children, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Cotton. The property loss was about 75,000. The eyclone demolished the general store of Weigan Brothers ; C. A. Roy's hardware store; Porter & Young's general store; Gilbert's millinery store ; E. Deddam's slaughter house; H. Brad- ley's lumber yard and office; Henry Cotton's home and black- smith shop; Hall & White's meat market; the Baptist parsonage and the residenees of the following persons: J. M. Wyekoff, W. W. Sweet, R. G. Young, Henry Meyers, Drs. Allsdorff, James Whiteman, Horaee Chamberlain, E. E. Degroff, H. H. Bither, O. J. Hattelstad, T. F. Trask, C. C. Mason, H. G. McKee, Mrs. Billings- worth, S. Harrison, John Cosgrove, E. Deddams, H. Bradley, L. A. Knapp, R. Meyers, J. M. Larrabee, E. C. Kasson, Mrs. Cotton, Mrs. J. Maxwell, the Misses Jacobson, Mrs. Mary Miller.
CHAPTER XXXI.
LYLE TOWNSHIP AND VILLAGE.
Location and Area-Early Settlement-First Events-Cedar City -Village of Lyle-Able Articles by William Nordland and L. W. Sherman-Development of the Village-City Hall-Fire Department-Churches -Fraternal Orders-Industries-Tele- phone Company-Municipal History-Recollections of Early Lyle.
Lyle comprises congressional township 101 north, range 18 west. It is bound as follows: On the north by Austin township, east by Nevada, south by Mitehell and Worth counties, Iowa, and west by Frechorn county. The surface is mostly level. The soil
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is a rich, dark loam, and very productive. This is a prairie town and was void of timber, except along the Red Cedar river, which is skirted with a rich, natural growth. In other parts of the terri- tory beautiful groves of transplanted trees meet the eye in every direction. Cedar river and its branches drain the township and furnish good water power, none of which is at present improved. The main stream crosses the northern boundary in section 4 and traverses in a generally southern course sections 9, 16, 17, 21, 28 and 33. In the latter it receives the waters of its most important tributary, Woodbury creek, which flows through the southwest part of the town.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
The first settler within the territorial limits of Lyle, which is one of the oldest towns in Mower county, was one Woodbury, who came here from parts unknown in the autumn of 1853, and claimed a large tract of land bordering on Cedar river and the creek which takes from him its name. On the northwest quarter of section 33 he put up a log cabin and covered it with sod. Soon his son-in-law, Pinkerton, came. Woodbury sold his claim in June, 1855, and moved to Olmsted county.
In the spring of 1854 two other sons-in-law of Mr. Woodbury put in an appearance and made claims in the vicinity of his own. They were named respectively Marlott, Pinkerton and Stilson. Marlott established himself for a brief season on the northwest quarter of section 28, subsequently accompanying, or following, his father Woodbury to Olmsted county. Pinkerton, who had previously lived with Woodbury, constructed a log house on the northeast of section 32. Having lived there about a year, he sold out and went westward to the Blue Earth river. Stilson erected a temporary dwelling of bark on the present site of Woodbury cemetery. In the latter part of the year 1855 he removed to Albert Lea. From that place he journeyed on with his family and formed a new home on the banks of the Blue Earth river. Here a sad accident befell them. During a severe rainstorm the stream was rapidly swollen. The raging waters surrounded and partially filled the house. With difficulty Mr. Stilson succeeded in saving the lives of his wife and an infant child. They had a narrow escape, while three children were drowned.
The first permanent settlement in this town was made in 1854, by Orlando Wilder, Eben Merry, James Foster and his son Return Foster, Jolın Tifft and William Bean. Mr. Wilder is a native of the Green Mountain state. He arrived here on the sixth day of May, in the year above mentioned. He built his house on sec- tion 33. Some of the party who came west with him settled across the state line in Iowa. Eben Merry was born in York
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State. He settled on the west half of section 4. James Foster and his son Return were natives of New Jersey, made the first settlement in the north part of the town in the autumn of 1854. They preempted land in sections 3 and 4. The father made his home here until the time of his death. John Tifft, also a settler of. 1854, entered land in sections 4, 5 and 9. He laid out the village of Troy and erected a saw mill. He died a few years later. William Bean came with the Wilders, and continued a member of their family, Mrs. Wilder being his step-daughter. He took a claim on section 33.
The first settlers in the town of Lyle were obliged to go to Auburn, Fayette county, Iowa, a distance of eighty miles, to get their mail and to buy provisions. They used to make the trip with ox teams. When the mail route was established from Osage to Austin, mail matter was left at Orlando Wilder's for distribu- tion in the neighborhood. This was not a regular postoffice, but the arrangement was a great convenience to the hard working pioneers.
The settlers of 1855 were William Allen, George Carrier, Benjamin Coe, James Davis, Dilarzon and Lorenzo Moshier, Joseph Richards, Edward Sprague, John Woodworth and David West. William Allen, the pioneer of Nevada, took up his abode for a time on section 20. Thence he went to the Pacific coast, and when last heard from was living in Oregon. George Carrier set- tled on the northeast quarter of section 20, where he made, how- ever, but a short tarry. Soon the place which had but begun to know him knew him no more; he had sold out and gone to Texas. Benjamin Coe, Ed. Sprague and John Woodworth arrived to- gether in June. Coe bought Woodbury's claim and occupied it until June, 1856, when he sold it to Rev. Alanson Beach and A. M. St. John, and moved to Olmsted county. Sprague settled on the southwest quarter of section 28. He had been there but two or three years when he sold out to Judge Lyle, and returned to Illinois. Woodworth preempted land in sections 28 and 29. He also was but a temporary resident in Lyle. Disposing of his property in the township he followed the migration to Olmsted county. In 1861 the Woodworth place came into the possession of Avery Strong, a native of the Empire state. Three years later it was purchased by Ortin Barnum. Strong went to Otranto. James Davis, another settler of 1855, preempted the southeast quarter of section 22. In 1861 he enlisted in Company K, Fourth Regiment. After his return from the war he resumed farming, and remained a resident of this county several years. Dilarzon and Lorenzo Moshier, whose birthplace was in the state of New York, removed here from Pennsylvania, arriving in Lyle on the 14th of June, 1855. Dilarzon preempted in the northwestern
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