USA > Minnesota > Redwood County > The history of Redwood County, Minnesota, Volume I > Part 61
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HISTORY OF REDWOOD COUNTY
in southern Minnesota. An abundance of water is found some fifty feet below the surface, and artificial drainage has added greatly to the value of the land.
Fire protection is of the best. The volunteer fire department consists of some twenty members, and the bell on the water tower can be heard all over the village. The fire department has two hose carts, 1,200 feet of 21/2-inch hose, and one hook and ladder truck.
The waterworks system consists of a 2,000-barrel tank on a 100-foot tower, supplied from a well by one Fairbanks-Morse single plunger pump, with a 35-gallon capacity a minute, and operated by a gasoline engine. There is also a Waterous gasoline engine pumping from three cisterms around town. The street water sys- tem consists of 500 feet of 8-inch, 2,000 feet of 6-inch, and 400 feet of 4-inch mains, with ten double hydrants and three dead ends.
There is no sanitary sewer, but private septic tanks supply this need, and a nearby county ditch provides an outlet for the drainage from the creamery and from the cellars.
The schools are of the best, and in 1916 rooms have been rented so that the course will be extended to include three years of high school work. The school grounds are excellently kept, and provided with a full athletic equipment.
Electric lights for streets, business houses and homes will be provided in October, 1916, by the Peoples Light & Power Company of Lamberton.
The city hall is a pretty structure erected in 1902. It houses the fire department and the village offices, and is well equipped with scenery and the like for the best of theatrical attractions. It also provides a good meeting place for all public purposes.
A Commercial Club has been of importance in fostering a "get- together" spirit among the merchants.
There are three churches-Catholic, Presbyterian and Evan- gelical.
Henry Meyer, a farmer, who settled here in the early days, was the first settler near the present village. The Sanborn-Vesta branch of the Chicago & North Western came through in 1899, and building operations were commenced in December, 1899. Among the early business interests were: Francois & Schmahl, general store; Koenig & Schmid, hardware; Schmidt & Anderson and Bingham Brothers, elevators; Gold-Stabeck State Bank; C. M. Youmans & Co., and J. H. Queal & Co., lumber yards; A. F. Fischer, hotel and grocery; R. A. Leistikow, general store; Geb- hardt & Roth, farm machinery; Brandt & Zeren, harness shop. In the spring of 1900 Math. Schueller, William Stacken and Adam Zins each erected blacksmith shops.
When the Northwestern Gazetteer was isued in 1902, Wabasso was already a flourishing village. It then had Catholic, Presby-
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terian, German Evangelical and Methodist congregations, a school, fire department, a bank, a hotel, four grain elevators, a flour mill ind a weekly newspaper. A daily stage was operated to New Avon. Among the business activities were: Altermatt, Ernest, photographer; Barkuloo, Charles L., restaurant; Billington, Day- ton E., drugs; Bingham Bros. (A. E. Wirtzler, agt.), grain ele- vator; Black Bros. (Frederick W. and Emil), general store; Braun, George, saloon; Callery, Kate, dressmaker; Chadbourn, Alfred G., physician ; Chadbourn, Rufus G., justice; Ecke, Otto C., meats; Ells Bros (John and Martin), livery; Fischer, Emil, grocer; Francois & Schmahl (Wm. A. Hauck, manager), general store; Franta & Lockway (Nicholas J. Franta and John C. Lock- way), flour mill; Gebhard & Roth (Joseph Gebhard, John Roth) farm implements; Graham, Frank K., livery, feed and sales stable; Groebner, Joseph, farm implements; Hassenstab, Albert L., furni- ture ; Hassenstab, Mollie, milliner ; Hoefer, Charles, saloon ; Koenig & Schmid (John Koenig and Wolfgang Schmid) hardware; Lang, Thomas J., justice; Leistikow & Durbahn (Rudolph A. Leistikow and Jacob Durbahn), general store; London, Robt. D., railway, express and telegraph agent; Lucas, Herman E., physician ; McKee, Robert E., barber; MeNeill & Sons (Daniel G., Daniel G., Jr. and Benjamin) carpenters ; Mahler, Wm. F., publisher Wabasso Standard; Mantel, George, auctioneer; Meyer, Christian, mason; Minnesota Elevator Co. (Wm. A. Anderson, agent); Pierce & Harriott (Squire L. Pierce and Edw. E. Harriott) lawyers; Queal, J. H. & Co. (E. C. Barton, agent), lumber and coal; Rahskopf, John H., hardware and furniture; Roberts, James A., painter; Sacke, Joseph T., saloon; Schaefer, Charles F., real estate ; Schmid & Anderson Grain Co. (Emil Howe, agent), grain elevator; Schmitz, Bernard J., saloon; Schoenecker, Henry C., harness- maker ; Schueller, Mathias, blacksmith ; Stacken, Wm., blacksmith ; Starken, Cornelius, saloon; State Bank of Wabasso (capital $10,- 000), Wm. H. Gold, president; Oliver T. Newhouse, cashier; Towne, Grant C., proprietor Wabasso Hotel; Wabasso Farmers' Grain & Fuel Co., Leo Altermatt, president ; John McPhee, secre- tary; Adam A. Washburn, treasurer; E. S. Beynon, agent ; Wabasso Hardware Co. (Edward H. Heins, James T. Horr, Thomas B. MeIlrath) ; Wabasso Hotel, Grant C. Towne, proprietor; Wa- basso Livery Barn, F. K. Graham, proprietor; Wabasso Standard, Wm. F. Mahler, publisher; Waldow, Ernst, farm implements; Waldron, Sylvester N., jeweler; Youmans, C. M., Lumber Co. (Chas E. Bush, agent) ; Zins, Adam W., blacksmith.
In 1904 the village had still further grown, and the Gazetteer shows these activities: Alex, Conrad M., saloon; Altermabt, Lee, meats; Bebermeyer, Henry J., furniture and undertaking; Benz, Delia, grocer; Billington, Dayton E., drugs; Bingham Bros., Scott Peck, agent, grain elevator; Black Bros. (Frederick W. and Emil),
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HISTORY OF REDWOOD COUNTY
general store; Boltz Bros. (Herman and Charles), livery ; Braun, George, saloon; Chadbourn, Alfred G., physician; Citizens State bank (capital $15,000), Abraham J. Welden, president; Albert W. Mueller, cashier) ; Franta & Lockway (Nicholas J. Franta and John C. Lockway) flour mill; Gebhard & Roth (Joseph H. Geb- hard and John H. Roth), farm implements; Gleason, Clark A., pub- lisher Wabasso Standard; Goblirsch Bros. (Geo. and Andrew), general store; Groebner, Joseph, farm implements; Harriott, Edward E., lawyer; Hewitt, J., Sons (Jerome, Ernest and Pearl), draymen; Hoffman, John J., jewelry, music and photographer ; Hotel Wabasso, Peter Welter, proprietor; Johanneck, Mrs. John, milliner and dressmaker; Lang, Thomas J., justice; Leistikow & Durbahn (Rudolph A. Leistikow and Jacob Durbahn), general store; Lockway, Andrew, painter; McKee, Robert E., barber; McNeill, Daniel G., carpenter; Mantel, George, auctioneer ; Meyer, Christian, mason; Mueller, Albert W., lawyer; Queal, J. H. & Co. (Louis Wertzler, agent), lumber and coal; Rahskopf, John H., hardware and furniture; Redwood County Rural Telephone Co., Nora Tradewell, operator; Richardson, Geo., restaurant; Sacke, Joseph T., saloon; Schmid & Anderson Grain Co. (Emil Howe, agent), grain elevator; Schmitz, Bernard J., saloon; Schneider, Anton A., grocer; Schoenecker, Henry C., harnessmaker; Schuel- ler, Mathias, blacksmith; Sparling, Henry L., railway, express and telegraph agent; Stacken, Wm., blacksmith; Starken, Cornelius, saloon; State Bank of Wabasso (capital $25,000; Wm. H. Gold, president : Oliver T. Newhouse, cashier) ; Wabasso Farmers' Grain & Fuel Co. (John Price, president; John Arends, secretary; Wm. Kurtz, treasurer; T. J. Tradewell, agent) ; Wabasso Hardware Co. (Edward H. Heins, James T. Horr and Thomas B. Mellrath) ; Wabasso Standard, Clark A. Gleason, publisher; Welter, Peter, proprietor Hotel Wabasso; Western Elevator Co. (Wm. J. Black- man, agent) ; Westinghouse, B. J. & Co. (Bert J. Westinghouse and Geo. Bockman), jewelers; Westinghouse & Stacken (Mabel Westinghouse and Mrs. Wm. Stacken) milliners; Youmans, C. M., Lumber Co. (Wm. R. Baade, agent) ; Zins, Adam M., blacksmith.
The postoffice, the lumber yards, the mill, the newspaper and the bank have been important factors in the economic growth of Wabasso. J. H. Rashkopf became the first postmaster in 1900. He was followed in 1904 by D. E. Billington, and in 1915 by Jos. Groebner. A flour mill was built in the early days, and was destroyed by fire of unknown origin in 1913. The State Bank was the first bank here. It was consolidated with the Citizens State Bank, built here in 1903. Another bank is now being organ- ized. The Wabasso Standard, a weekly newspaper, was first pub- lished by W. F. Mahler, in April, 1900, and passed through several hands before the present owner, Edward G. Weldon purchased it from Weicks & Truedson in 1909. C. M. Youmans Lumber Co.,
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HISTORY OF REDWOOD COUNTY
now the only lumber yard here, absorbed the J. H. Queal & Co. yard some years ago. Geo. Snyder is the manager.
Wabasso is 158 miles from St. Paul, eighteen miles northwest from Sanborn, and about the same distance southwest from Red- wood Falls. Owing to its central location, the village has become a candidate for county seat honors, and it is believed that a well- organized attempt to move the county seat here is about to be made.
Wabasso was surveyed Sept. 30, 1899, for the Western Town Lot Company by J. C. W. Kline. The plat was filed for record Oct. 20, 1899. The village was located in the southeast quarter and the east one-half of southwest quarter of section 23, town 111, range 37. The plat consisted of four whole blocks and two fractional blocks, each containing ten lots, except lots 4 and 7, which run to Front street, which is parallel to the track. All the streets are 70 feet wide, except Main and Oak, which are 80 feet, and Elm and Front, which are 60 feet wide. The north and south streets beginning from the west, are: Front, Elm, Oak, Cedar and Pine. The east and west streets beginning at the north are: North, Main and South.
The plat of blocks 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16, addition of Wabasso was filed Sept. 7, 1900. The land was owned by the Western Town Lot Company. The plat of blocks 22 to 28, inclusive, and outlots A to R inclusive, addition to Wabasso, was filed April 2, 1912. This land belonged to the Western Town Lot Company. The plat of outlots S. T and U, addition to Wabasso, was filed Dec. 15, 1913. The land was owned by the Western Town Lot Company. The plat of Braun's block addition to Wabasso was filed on Dec. 31, 1902. This land was owned by George and Bertha Braun. The plat of blocks 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 and the south one-half of blocks 13 and 14, and the subdivision of lot 6, in block 15, addition to Wabasso, was filed June 20, 1901. It was owned by the Western Town Lot Company. The plat of blocks 8, 9, 10 and 11, addition to Wabasso, was filed Jan. 23, 1900. It was owned by the Western Town Lot Company.
Wabasso was incorporated in 1900. On March 17, 1900, the census of that date having shown a population of 184, a petition was drawn up, asking the commissioners to incorporate parts of sections 23 and 26, township 112, range 37. The petition was granted April 23, and an election called for April 28, 1900. The election was duly held in charge of G. H. Probett, A. E. Wertzler and Otto Schmidt, and of the forty-eight votes cast, all were in favor of the incorporation.
The signers of the petition asking for the incorporation were: Fritz Fischer, F. S. Begnon, R. A. Leistikow, J. P. Mondloh, Dr. H. E. Lucas, A. W. Bius, J. H. Rahskopf, P. H. Probett, A. E. Wertzler, P. J. Soukup, Mathias Schueller, J. A. Johnson, Dan
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HISTORY OF REDWOOD COUNTY
C. McNeill, J. C. Sturtz, J. P. Horn, Thomas J. Lang, Raymond Brophy, Wallace Cady, John W. Fiebiger, M. W. Welter, J. R. Hocking, Ben. T. McNeill, F. W. Black, Chas. Hoefer, R. S. Daw- ley, R. D. Laudon, D. R. McNeill, J. I. Smith, R. E. Mcker, George Ells, Ernst Waldow, Joseph P. Sackl, Jr., Willie Stacker, Nels Zeren, Herman Schwartz, H. E. Hocking, G. S. Wertzler, Fred A. Zedler, William Werner, Amil Wolf and O. T. Newhouse.
The first council consisted of: President, Frank Black; trustees, Frank Hassenstab, Frank Weber and V. Brant; recorder, H. Probit.
WAYBURNE.
Wayburne is a small hamlet on the town line between section 33, Morgan, and section 4, Brookville. It is located on the Evan- Marshall branch of the Chicago & North Western.
The original plat of Wayburne was filed March 24, 1902. The land was surveyed by F. R. Kline for the Western Town Lot Com- pany in Feb. 22, 1902. This land was in the north one-half of northwest one-quarter of section 4, town 110, range 34. It con- tained one whole block and three fractional or unequal blocks. One of the streets was 80 feet and the other two were 70 feet wide. Each of the two alleys was 20 feet wide. The north and south streets beginning on the west are Walnut and Main. First street runs east and west.
WALNUT GROVE.
The vicinity of Walnut Grove has attracted attention since the earliest days by reason of its seventy acres of heavy black walnut. No explanation has ever been made of the presence of these great trees in a region where other trees grew but sparsely, and in a spot far removed from any other groves of the same species.
Trappers and traders are believed to have been familiar with this grove in the early days of the nineteenth century, and possi- bly earlier. Tradition tells of a cabin built by a lonely pioneer within the confines of the grove.
At the time of the massacre, John F. and Daniel Burns, mem- bers of the Lake Shetek settlement were living in the grove, trapping and raising hogs. They made their escape on the open- ing day of the Shetek massacre. The soldiers doing patrol duty, often camped in the grove, and killed off the Burns' hogs one by one.
About 1866, Joseph Steves came to the grove and erected a cabin over a partially dug cellar, on which site a shack had evi- dently been erected some years previous. At the time he came, and for some years thereafter, the lookout pole used by the sol- diers was still standing, as was also the rude stables used by their
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HISTORY OF REDWOOD COUNTY
horses. About 1867 the Steves family was awakened by noises in the grove, and prepared themselves to meet a large body of Indians. Instead of Indians, the visitors proved to be the United States surveyors, who came to survey Springdale, the township of North Hero having been surveyed before the massacre.
The first settler in North Hero township was Eleck C. Nelson, who came in 1871. He is still living in Walnut Grove, engaged in business as a stock buyer.
An early settler in North Hero was Thomas Allen. Allen then a young man of twenty-five years, came to this locality, and after looking about, filed on the southwest quarter of section 20. He then returned to his home and spent the winter. In the spring of 1872 he came back, driving an ox team, and reaching here ahead of the railroad which was put through that year. Mr. Allen still lives in Walnut Grove.
About the time that Allen came, Charles Lund drove in. He passed on and took a claim north of the grove, in section 34, Johnsonville township. He now lives in the village of Walnut Grove.
In 1873 there came quite an influx of settlers. The railroad, built in 1872, had suspended operations through the hard winter, but in the spring of 1873 regular service was established.
Among the earliest settlers were Elias and Lafayette Bedal. The first building on the site of the present village of Walnut Grove was the claim shanty of Elias Bedal. It was in 1873 that Lafayette Bedal was appointed the first postmaster, a position he held until 1879, when J. H. Anderson received the appointment.
Early in 1873 Gustave Sunwall and J. H. Anderson came to Walnut Grove or North Hero township and built a store building, stocking it with a general line of goods.
Progress was slow during the grasshopper years, but in the late seventies things took on a new aspect, and the village grew rapidly. The Gazetteer of 1880 describes Walnut Grove as a flourishing place, with a Congregational Union church, a steam flour mill, a good school, and several business enterprises. Wheat, barley and oats were then the principal shipments. The direc- tory for that year shows the following business activities : Barnes, E. B., lumber dealer ; Bedal, E., grain and lumber dealer; Burns, D. W., groceries and provisions; Byram, J. L., justice of the peace; Clementson C., hotel; Comstock, John S., express and rail- road agent; Fitch, John R., general store and farm implements; Hills, F. H., hardware; Hoyt, R. W., physician; Hoyt & Ander- son, druggists ; Longnecker, S. A., furniture; Masters, S. O., jus- tice of the peace; Masters, W. J., hotel ; Nelson, E. C., meat mar- ket; Owens, W. H., general store; Quarton, T. M., blacksmith ; Sandquist, Paul, & Co., saloon; Simmons, Rev. H. C. (Congrega- tional) ; Sinkler, A. F., blacksmith ; Thompson, Daniel, constable;
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Thorp D. M., lawyer; Tunis, Rev. G. S. (Methodist Episcopal) ; Webber, C. L., farm implements; Webber, N. W., groceries and provisions ; Young, C. E., restaurant.
In 1882, these business houses are shown: Anderson, J. H., druggist ; Burns, D. W., & Son, grocers; Comstock, J. S., railroad and express agent ; Every, H., hotel proprietor ; Hills, F. H., hard- ware; Holt, Robert, meat market; Hoyt, R. W., physician ; Laird, Norton & Co., lumber ; Longnecker, S. A., furniture; Maloy, James, saloon; Owens, W. H., general store; Page, Moses, shoemaker; Powell, Rev. (Methodist) ; Richards, W. J., justice of peace ; Scharff, H., confectioner ; Simmons, Rev. H. C. (Congregational) ; Spurr, C. B., blacksmith; Swaffer Bros., general store; Thorp, Quarton & Whitney, lawyers; Webber, C. L., general store_
The business houses for 1884 were as follows: Burns, D. W., grocer; Byram, James L., justice of the peace; Carlson, Andrew S., druggist; Chadbourne, R. G. grocer ; Davlin, E. L., railroad and express agent ; Erickson, E. S., blacksmith ; Geese and Olson, hotel proprietors; Hills, F. H., hardware; Kidder, Rev. J. (Con- gregational) ; Laird, Norton & Co., lumber ; Maloy, James, saloon ; Masters, W. A., hotel proprietor; Owens, W. H., general store; Page, Moses, shoemaker; Powell, Rev. (Methodist) ; Scharff, H., confectioner ; Swaffer Bros., general store; Thorp & Quarton, law- yers; Van Buskirk, H. B., physician; Way, Asa, meats; Webber, C. L., general store.
The original plat of Walnut Grove was filed on Sept. 10, 1874. The land was surveyed for Elias and Lafayette Bedal by E. G. Pahl. Each street was 80 feet wide, except Sixth and Main streets, which were each 100 feet wide. The plat consisted of twenty-four blocks, all full blocks except 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 16 and 17. The full blocks contained twelve lots each. The streets run- ning north and south beginning at the east are First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh and Eighth. The streets run- ning east and west beginning at the north are: Main, Bedal and Washington. The alleys are twenty feet wide, those on either side of Main and Sixth being thirty-five feet wide.
The plat of Masters' addition to Walnut Grove was filed Nov. 7, 1878. William J. Masters was the owner of the land. The plat of Wiggins' addition to Walnut Grove was filed Sept. 11, 1915. This land belonged to Jesse P. and Inga Wiggins. The plat of Remington Park addition to Walnut Grove was filed June 13, 1898. The land was owned by C. W. and M. J. Remington. his wife.
Walnut Grove was incorporated by act of the Legislature, ap- proved March 3, 1879 (Chapter V, Special Laws of 1879). The territory incorporated was described as: "The southwest quarter of section 19, township 109, range 38; the southeast quarter of section 24, township 109, range 39; the northwest quarter of sec-
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HISTORY OF REDWOOD COUNTY
tion 30, township 109, range 38; and the northeast quarter of the northeast quarter of section 25, township 109, range 39. The in- corporation was under Chapter 139, of the General Laws of 1875, certain additional powers, however, being given to the council, and provision made that for certain purposes the parts of the new village lying in North Hero and Springdale should still be considered a part of those towns.
John H. Anderson, William H. Owens and A. F. Sinkler, were appointed commissioners to see that the provisions of the act were carried into effect. The first election was held March 10, 1879, and officers elected as follows: President, Elias Bedal; trustees, T. Quartan, J. Leo and C. Clementson; recorder, F. H. Hill, treasurer, W. H. Owens; justice, Charles Ingalls; constable, J. Russell.
Walnut Grove today is an enterprising village with many attractive features. It has four grain elevators, one stockyard for shipping purposes, one creamery manufacturing butter and ice cream, two banks, two dry goods stores, three general stores, two hardware stores, two exclusive groceries in addition to the grocery departments of the general stores, one clothing and men's fur- nishing store, one agricultural implement agency, two garages, one lumber yard, one harness store, two restaurants, one hotel, two barber shops, a splendid electric light plant, an extensive waterworks system, a newspaper, a cream and egg shipping depot, a pool hall, four churches, two blacksmith shops, one millinery store and one livery barn. The village is putting in cement curbing on its main street, to be followed with paving.
The Methodist Episcopal church was organized in 1873 by the presiding elder of the district, the Rev. Henning, a circuit rider, being placed in charge of this and other churches. Early meetings were held at the homes of the members, and later in Masters' hall. In 1883 the present church was erected and John W. Powell installed as pastor. It was occupied for three years without plastering. Under the pastorate of Rev. Harrington, in 1885, the church was plastered. It was dedicated in 1903, while Rev. J. Franklin was pastor. The present pastor, W. M. Gillis, has been in charge since 1908.
The Congregational church was organized in 1874 as the Union Congregation society. The first service was held at the home of James Kennedy until the church was finished. This society built the first church in Walnut Grove, although not the first church organized. The building erected in 1874 is the same one used at the present time. In 1903 the society raised money and built a neat parsonage adjoining the church, making a very good addition to the buildings being erected in the village. There are now 76 members of the church, and the Sunday school which is in healthy operation, has a membership of 68 to 70. The present pastor,
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H. N. Hansen, has resigned to take active field work in the state for the Anti-Saloon league.
The Swedish Lutheran society is building a fine church, never having been represented in the village before. The new building will have assembly room on ground floor and basement with Sun- day school room and fully equipped modern kitchen. The pastor is L. E. Sjolinder, who resides at Tracy. This society has owned and occupied a large church in Gales township for over thirty years, but the society has grown so fast of late that the district will be divided, Rev. Sjolinder supplying both places.
The Norwegian Lutheran church has been organized since 1883, when a few families of the faith decided to get together. The first pastor was Rev. Bernt Askevold, and it was through his personal activities that the congregation was assembled for organi- zation on Dec. 10, 1883. After ten years of struggles the society called Rev. Hans Magelssen, who for nineteen years served them as pastor. Mr. Magelssen gave himself up entirely to the work here, but never succeeded in building a church. At the present time the outlook is for a new church in the near future. The present pastor, J. B. Rognlien, is optimistic and believes the society will occupy its own church soon. At present they hold their services in the Congregational church. They have a membership of fifty-nine.
The Roman Catholic parish has a building of its own, but the services are conducted twice a month by Father H. Cahill of Tracy. The present church was built in 1905 and the first pastor was Rev. Byrne. The church is growing rapidly and they hope to have weekly services in the near future. The society consists at the present time of 29 families, meaning about 200 members.
The schools of Walnut Grove are excellent. In the fall and winter of 1873 and 1874 Lafayette Bedal opened and taught the first school in North Hero township. It was held in his own house and had an attendance of fifteen scholars. The first school build- ing was erected in 1875, a small wooden building standing where James A. Larson's residence now stands. This building sufficed until about 1883, when school district No. 23 was organized. About this time a movement was started to procure a better building, and bids were called for to put up a building on block 9, the present site of the village park. The old building was moved to the present site of the First State Bank, and used as a store building.
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