USA > Minnesota > Redwood County > The history of Redwood County, Minnesota, Volume I > Part 63
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"Mr. Gold contended we must first select better grades of cattle, we must cull out the poor cow, sell it, kill it, or in any way eliminate it from our herd, providing the cow was not pro- ducing a minimum of 350 pounds of butter-fat per year and would not bear a calf that would be worthy of its raising.
Mr. Gold's contention, immediately on becoming a half-owner in the Redwood county lands, was that on these farms we should work strongly into the dairy side, improve the grade of our cows by careful selection and elimination, and we must look for further improvement by introducing strong blood lines of the best milk and butter strains to be had. Mr. Gold insisted that in striving for the upbuilding of our dairy interests and the increase of earning power of our lands, we should take a very active part in bringing into Redwood county, and here developing one of
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the best thoroughbred butter herds in the country. We agreed on this policy.
"On Mr. Gold's recommendation, we selected one of our chois- est farms of about 600 acres, located in the central part of the county, about fifteen miles south of Redwood Falls, and about two miles from Wabasso. The farm was first put in good condi- tion by a complete system of tiling, wire fencing, and cross fenc- ing, proper stables, water system, needed buildings and equip- ment.
"Mr. Gold made his first selection of Holsteins, choosing from the very best families, the greater part of the herd being found in the different parts of New York state. With this foundation, by culling, eliminating, adding, strengthening, etc., one of the best herds in the country has been built up.
"We have received a large measure of encouragement in our efforts to upbuild our land values, thus working toward the bringing our land values up to an equal to the land values of $100 and $200 an acre in our nearby states."
The establishment of this herd, and the educational work conducted thereto, not only advertised Redwood county through- out the country, but brought an immediate improvement to Red- wood county agriculture. The farmers found that the cost of keeping a poor animal as great as that of keeping a good animal, and the Holstein herd of Messrs. Gold and Sears made it possible for the farmers to obtain the best of blooded stock, at a reason- able price, and on favorable terms.
Mr. Sears and Mr. Gold disposed of a part of their lands from time to time, to renters, largely from Illinois, taking a small pay- ment down, and the balance on easy terms, thus securing to Red- wood county some very desirable farmers. This policy was fol- lowed up to the time of the death of Mr. Sears, in September, 1914, at which time the company still had about 3,000 acres of land which is still owned by the Sears heirs and William H. Gold. The Holstein cattle business was also continued to the time of Mr. Sears' death and then taken over by Gold, Wise and Gold, who developed 400 acres of land for the purpose of handling their herd three miles south of Redwood Falls, during the year of 1915. About $20,000 was spent in barns, silos, tiling, fencing, etc. The herd now consists of 100 head, of the very choicest Holstein families in charge of Fred A. Wise and Glenn W. Gold, son of William H. The aim of the owners is to furnish foundation ani- mals so as to increase the dairying business in Redwood county with the hopes of making a Holstein center such as exists in southeastern Minnesota, namely, at Northfield, Minn. It is ap- parent that a good animal means better buildings, better care and an increased interest and a help in keeping the boys on the farm and there is no part of farming so conducive to increased income as dairying.
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CHAPTER XXXVIII.
DIFFICULTIES OVERCOME.
The story of Redwood county is one of difficulties overcome. The setting aside of its most accessible land as an Indian reserva- tion kept away the sturdy settlers who swarmed up the Minne- sota in the fifties. The massacre of 1862 kept the settlers away for several years thereafter. The fact that the reservation land after the massacre was not open to homestead or preemption entry but was sold for a flat sum, and sometimes in large tracts, kept away those who were without ready funds. Prairie fires were also a discouraging feature. The grasshoppers of 1873-77 retarded the settlement during those years, and a blight followed the next year. The blizzards of 1873 and 1880 also gave the region a bad name among prospective settlers. The central part of the county was Internal Improvement land, and much of the southern part of the county was railroad land. When it appeared that there was to be a great influx of settlers after the grass- hopper years, the rush came, but passed by on the way to Dakota, where land could be obtained free. In the early nineties came some big wheat years, and for several years thereafter the crops were of the best. In 1905 came the wet years. In 1913 and 1914 came the big corn years, but this was followed by the scourge of hog cholera. In various years, drought and hail, and blight have done much damage. Potato bugs, the cut worm, the cinch bug, and other insects have also been features with which the citizens have had to contend.
Even a superficial examination of the topography of the county reveals the geographical reason why the early settlements were along the Minnesota river, the Redwood river and the Cotton- wood river. However, there is a much deeper reason than this why the population of the county for so many years resembled a hollow shell with so few people in the center. In the first place the railroad had vast holdings of alternate sections which, under the land grant, they took in this county in lieu of lands all ready settled, further to the eastward. In the next place there were no less than 90,000 acres of state internal improvement land located on the even numbered sections in the central part of the county. This internal improvement land was appraised at from $5 to $7 in the spring of 1878, and placed on sale in the fall of that year. However, soon after this land was put in the market, came the Dakota boom, and thousands of people made their way
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to that territory, where they could obtain homesteads for nothing in preference to settling in this county, where they had to pay for their lands. In 1882 there was a constant succession of emi- grant trains through this county, sometimes miles long. Another thing which retarded the settlement of the county by prospective land owners, were the vast tracts owned by speculators. Willard & Whitcomb, Willard & Barney, and Willard & Willard, owned some 30,000 acres in Yellow Medicine and Redwood county. The Commodore Davidson tract, purchased in 1868, consisted of 16,000 acres. Another tract of 16,000 acres was acquired at the same time, became the J. W. Paxton tract, later the O. B. Turrell tract and finally the Sanders & Gilfillan tract.
The spring of 1867 was cold and wet, and many of the pioneers endured intense suffering, so much so that the state came to the aid of the county and furnished seed and provisions. There was but little to eat during that spring except cornmeal, rutabagoes, bacon and fish. M. E. Powell tells of living at the Mills boarding house in Redwood Falls that spring, and going down to the river to catch the fish, which, with bacon and rutabagoes, furnished the only dishes on the menu.
In spite of the fact that so large a part of Redwood county was not open to entry under the homestead and preemption acts, the spring of 1872 opened most favorably. In the summer, how- ever, came a series of hail storms, which wrought havoc to the crops, and on top of that came some of the most disastrous prairie fires known to the history of the county. Then came the terrible winter of 1872-73.
Winter began November 12. The day had been pleasant, but toward nightfall, those who were acquainted with the cli- mate of the Minnesota valley, saw indications of a blizzard. At dark, a gale from the northwest struck the cabins, and the long, cold season had started. Snow fell to a depth of two feet, but was blown about and drifted until it was over twenty feet in some places.
From that date, there was little let-up in the severity of the weather. One storm followed another. Even when the storms were not raging the weather was cold and bleak. Travel was almost suspended. The new railroad through the southern part of the county had to cease operating entirely. Stages managed to reach the Redwood Falls once in a while, but sometimes there were many days when the people were absolutely without com- munication with the outside world. Many people suffered for want of food, fuel and clothing, and many severe cases of frost- bite were reported.
The year of 1873 started with a violent storm, and for the three days beginning January 7, there raged over this region the worst blizzard of its history. The temperature was from 18
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HISTORY OF REDWOOD COUNTY
to 40 degrees below zero, during the whole period of the storm. The air was filled with snow as fine as flour. Through every crevice, keyhole, and nailhole, the fine snow penetrated, puffing into houses like steam. Seventy human lives were lost in the storm in Minnesota.
The storm was ushered in by the pleasantest weather of the season. The forenoon of Tuesday, January 7, was mild and pleas- ant; the sky was clear and there was no wind. It seemed as though a "January thaw" was imminent. The pleasant weather had induced many farmers to go to the woods for a supply of fuel or with their families to the neighbors to visit.
In Redwood county many of the settlers started into the bot- toms and the river valleys to get poles. In those days, timber on school land, on speculators' land, or on any other unoccupied tract, was considered legitimate booty. Many a settler, when asked where he had secured his wood, would reply, "On section 37,"' and the interrogator would at once understand that the settler had helped himself to wood to which he had no legal right.
The majority of the Redwood settlers were thus busily in cut- ting trees on the day of the Tuesday in question, when a sudden change in the weather was apparent. The sky lost its clearness and became hazy. About noon, a white wall could be seen bear- ing down from the northwest. The front of the storm was as distinct and almost as clearly defined as a great sheet. In a few minutes, a gale, moving at the rate of thirty or forty miles an hour, was sweeping the country. The air was so completely filled with flying snow and it was almost impossible to see objects even a short distance away.
The settlers had, in the meantime, started for home. Some reached their own cabins, some succeeded in getting to Redwood Falls, others sought refuge in deserted cabins, or in the cabins of friends.
All Tuesday night, Wednesday, and Wednesday night, the storm raged with unabated fury. Not until Thursday did the storm let up, and not until Friday was it entirely over.
Various experiences of Redwood county pioneers in this bliz- zard are related in various places in this history.
County Treasurer Robinson was among those who nearly perished. Being caught in the storm he burrowed a hole in the snow and there remained for three days, his only nourishment being secured by gnawing at his boot tops. It was several years before he recovered from the effects of this experience.
The deepest cause of discouragement and delay in the settle- ment of the county was the visit of the Rocky mountain locusts, lasting from 1873 to 1877, during which time very little was harvested. The eggs were laid in the prairie each year, and they hatched out just in time for the young hoppers to move into
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the wheat fields, when the tender blades were two or three inches high, and to eat them off so close to the ground that it gave the appearance of a fire having passed over the fields. If anything had escaped their ravages, later in the season, on some fair day, a fleecy cloud might be seen between the observer and the sun, which would prove to be an invading host of these marauders, seeking something to devour. The farmers lost courage and in many cases were driven away altogether from the places where they had hoped to make their homes. Many others were com- pelled to leave their claims temporarily to procure means of sub- sistence for themselves and their families. The state did what it could to furnish seed grain on two or three occasions, and donations from the older counties relieved the situation in a slight degree; but, in any view, it was a most trying experience to the hardy and industrious pioneer families, who, at the best, could only maintain the position they had taken on the frontier by hard work and self-denial.
The spring of 1873 had opened favorably, a number of new settlers had come in, considerable land had been broken, and a good acreage planted and sowed. The grasshoppers first made their appearance in this county about the middle of June, 1873, and began their work. Not only did they destroy the crops that year, but they laid their eggs to be hatched out the next year.
All efforts to get rid of the hoppers were in vain. Ditches were dug, straw was burned, drags of sheet iron covered with coal tar, were tried, but while millions of the insects were killed their numbers did not seem to be diminished. Year after year they continued their work. A volume might be written of the ruin they wrought. They devoured everything green that could be found. They even ate the edges off from the boards on the houses and from the rails of the fences. Nothing that their sharp mouths could nip escaped their destruction. In Redwood Falls they cleared the lots and streets of every particle of grass.
Year after year the settlers planted crops only to see them destroyed in the summer. The settlers who put in their crops in 1877 were rewarded. The hoppers hatched out in May, but about the middle of July took flight. That year a banner crop was raised.
This caused much enthusiasm, high hopes were entertained for the future, and an increased acreage was broken and put in crops in 1878. But again the people faced disaster. Two weeks of ex- cessive heat in the first half of July, followed by a week of ex- cessive rains brought a crop failure. Wheat was so damaged and so poor in quality that it brought only a low price, and corn, oats and vegetables were not much more profitable.
The crops of 1879 and 1880 were good. Then came the terri- ble winter of 1880-81, a winter almost as severe as the winter of
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HISTORY OF REDWOOD COUNTY
1872-73. Blizzard followed blizzard. Winter set in with a bliz- zard on October 15, 1881, covering the county with a deep blanket of snow. After that came a little mild weather, but about the middle of November the elements began to rage again. Railroad operations ceased. Traffic was blocked on all the highways. As in 1873, communication with the outside world ceased.
The thaw started April 20, 1881, and the streams were soon raging torrents. Flood tide was reached April 24, and then the waters began to recede. Much damage had been done by the floods, dams were washed out, fences, outbuildings, and hay stacks carried away, and live stock drowned. The railroads were washed out in many places. The total loss was considerable.
In 1888 came another blizzard, possibly even more severe than any during the winter of 1880-81. On January 4, 1888, there came a thaw. This was followed by the severe cold of January 5, which covered the surface of the snow with an icy coating of considerable thickness. On the morning of Thursday, January 12, came another thaw. Then a few minutes after four in the afternoon, absolutely without warning, the blizzard broke. The storm increased in violence through the night, and though it abated somewhat at 8 o'clock Friday morning, it continued until Saturday night. Not until the next Tuesday was the weather and the roads such as to permit the snow-bound people to get news from the rural districts. The loss from frozen stock in Redwood county was especially large.
Authority. "Early Days in Redwood County," by O. B. Tur- rell, in the "Collections" of the Minnesota Historical Society.
History of Lyon County, Minn., by Arthur P. Rose, 1912.
Newspaper files and personal testimony of the old settlers.
CHAPTER XXXIX.
BANKS AND BANKING.
The banking industry in Redwood county dates from 1871, when W. F. Dickenson and George W. Braley reached Redwood Falls. George W. Braley established the Redwood County Bank, which, after successive changes, is now the First National Bank of Redwood Falls. W. F. Dickenson, with Major M. E. Powell, established the Bank of Redwood Falls, which, after successive changes, is now amalgamated in the State Bank of Redwood Falls.
The county now has twenty-one State banks and two National banks. The State banks are: The State Bank of Redwood Falls, the Redwood County State Bank, the Farmers' State Bank
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HISTORY OF REDWOOD COUNTY
of Belview, the State Bank of Belview, the State Bank of Clem- ents, the Delhi State Bank, the State Bank of Lamberton, the Lucan State Bank, the State Bank of Milroy, the Farmers and Merchants State Bank of Morgan, the State Bank of Morgan, the Security State Bank of North Redwood, the State Bank of Revere, the Farmers' State Bank of Sanborn, the Sanborn State Bank, the Security State Bank of Seaforth, the State Bank of Vesta, the Citizens State Bank of Wabasso, the First State Bank of Walnut Grove, the Walnut Grove State Bank and the State Bank of Wanda. The National banks are the First National Bank of Redwood Falls and the First National Bank of Lamberton.
The First National Bank of Redwood Falls had its beginning in 1871, when George W. Braley came to Redwood Falls and started the Redwood County Bank. In 1880 it was bought by Hial D. Baldwin and C. T. Ward. In 1891 the institution became a state bank, but retained the same name. May 28, 1901, it became a national bank, with A. C. Burmeister as president, Hial D. Bald- win as vice president, and Herbert A. Baldwin as cashier. The present officers are: President, H. A. Baldwin; vice president, A. C. Burmeister ; vice president, Emil Kuenzil; cashier, F. W. Zander; assistant cashier, C. H. Baldwin; assistant cashier, Robert V. Ochs. The bank has a paid up capital of $35,000; sur- plus and profits, $13,500; deposits, $480,000; loans and discounts, bonds and securities, $440,000; cash and exchange and due from banks, $95,000.
The Bank of Redwood Falls. William F. Dickinson came to Redwood Falls in 1871, and with Attorney M. E. Powell estab- lished the Bank of Redwood Falls. Later, a stock company was organized with a capital of $10,000. In time, however, Mr. Dickinson acquired all the stock of this company. In 1891 it was made a state bank, still retaining the same name, with William F. Dickinson as president and George W. Dickinson, his son, as cashier. Mr. Dickinson died about 1900. In 1903 the bank was absorbed by the State Bank of Redwood Falls.
The State Bank of Redwood Falls. The Gold-Stabeck State Bank was organized at Redwood Falls in 1901. In 1903 the name was changed to the State Bank of Redwood Falls, and the old Dickinson bank absorbed. The capital of the Gold-Stabeck State Bank was $25,000. This was increased to $35,000 when the State Bank of Redwood Falls was organized. In 1912 it was increased to $50,000. W. H. Gold has always been president, and John P. Cooper has always been vice president. The first cashier was William H. Wallace, later succeeded by R. A. Cooper. The as- sistant cashier is J. D. McLean. The bank has a paid up capital of $50,000; surplus and profits, $20,000; deposits, $510,320; loans and discounts, bonds and securities, $484,020; cash and exchange and due from banks, $84,350.
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HISTORY OF REDWOOD COUNTY
The Gold-Stabeck Land & Credit Co., then located at Ren- ville, in this state, became interested in Redwood county about 1897, and opened a bank at Belview. In 1897 a bank was estab- lished by this company at Revere, and in 1898 banks were estab- lished at Wabasso and at Vesta. An office was opened in Red- wood Falls in 1900, the Gold-Stabeck State Bank established the following year; and the State Bank of Redwood Falls in 1903.
The Gold-Cooper Securities Co. was organized in 1903 with a capital of $25,000, for the purpose of handling first mortgage farm loans. J. P. Cooper has always been president, and W. H. Gold, secretary. Glenn W. Gold is the vice president.
The Redwood County State Bank was opened for business in 1916, with the following officers and stockholders: F. W. Phil- brick, A. O. Gimmestad, Fred M. Banker, Charles H. Winn, J. H. Melges, George A. Paton, Knute Hustad, J. F. Skinner, F. W. Orth, A. C. Dolliff, D. W. Banker, D. L. Bigham, A. M. Dennis- toun and J. B. Philbrick. The officers are: President, F. W. Philbrick; vice presidents, George A. Paton and F. W. Orth; cashier, Knute Hustad; assistant cashier, J. B. Philbrick; direc- tors, the officers together with A. C. Dolliff, A. O. Gimmestad and F. M. Banker. The bank has a paid up capital of $25,000; surplus and profits, $5,000; deposits, $14,000; loans and discounts, bonds and securities, $28,720; cash and exchange and due from banks, $14,850.
First National Bank of Lamberton was first organized as the Citizens State Bank of Lamberton, June 1, 1892, by L. M. Street, John Street, Frank Schandera, Charles Chester, Kedie Kneeland, Louis Chester, J. H. Roth, R. Morton, Henry Bendixen, Peter Reunitz, Peter Bendixen and W. C. Brown. The first officers were: Henry Bendixen, president; Charles Chester, vice presi- dent; John Street, cashier. In July, 1902, Henry Bendixen re- signed as president and shortly after Wilson C. Brown was elected to fill that position. The capital stock and surplus was $25,000.00. In August, 1901, John Street resigned as cashier and George J. Grimm became his successor. The first building occupied by the bank was a one-story frame, which stood on the site of the pres- ent two-story brick building, which was erected in 1893. On April 2, 1904, this bank was converted into the First National Bank, there being no change in the capital stock. The surplus, however, had increased to $7,500.00. There was no change made in the official staff, except that H. M. England was elected assist- ant cashier. In May, 1915, Wilson C. Brown died, Frank Clague was subsequently appointed president. The bank has always done a strictly commercial banking business, has been careful and conservative, and is one of the few banks that has never yet issued a statement on which it was necessary to show any
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HISTORY OF REDWOOD COUNTY
"Bills payable" account. In the panic of 1907 it never refused cash in payment of a depositor's check. The following items are copied from its statement at the close of business Sep- tember 12, 1916: Resources-loans and discounts, $287,504.35; overdrafts, $154.69; U. S. bonds and premium, $28,500.00; bank- ing house, furniture and fixtures, $10,736.90; cash and due from banks, $40,704.12; total, $367,600.06. Liabilities-capital, $25,- 000.00; surplus, $25,000.00; circulation, $25,000.00; deposits, $292,- 600.06; total, $367,600.06.
The State Bank of Belview was established August 1, 1897, as a private bank, by W. H. Gold, F. O. Gold, Torsten Stabeck, H. N. Stabeck and William H. Wallace. Its capital was $6,000.00. It was then called Bank of Belview. It was incorporated as a state bank February 1, 1902, with $10,000.00 capital. January 10, 1911, the capital stock was increased to $15,000.00. Surplus has been added annually and now amounts to $10,000.00. The report to superintendent of banks, June 23, 1915, shows the de- posits were $182,820.25, loans and discounts $182,104.02, and total footings $207,860.25. The organizers of state bank in 1902 were: W. H. Gold, Deborah Adsit, E. Leatherman, Otto Goetze, H. D. Adsit, S. F. Peterson, H. P. Dredge, J. T. McKowen, A. J. Froelich, Ben Maus, G. F. Rahn, L. T. Braafladt, R. Hoppenrath, C. Knutson, Anton Weideman, C. Olson, Adolph Leonard, Daniel Mckay and G. E. Adsit. The first officers were: W. H. Gold, president; C. Olson, vice president ; J. M. Thompson, cashier, and Otto Goetze, assistant cashier. The officers have been as follows: 1903-J. M. Thompson, president; A. Leonard, vice president ; A. F. Pottratz, cashier. 1904-J. M. Thompson, president ; C. Ol- son, vice president; A. F. Pottratz, cashier. 1905-J. M. Thomp- son, president; E. Leatherman, vice president; A. F. Pottratz, cashier. 1906-January to May-J. M. Thompson, president and cashier ; C. Knutson, vice president ; Ernest W. Thorson, assistant cashier. 1906-From May 26-A. O. Gimmestad, president and cashier; C. Knutson, vice president; E. W. Thorson, assistant cashier. 1907-A. O. Gimmestad, president; C. Knutson, vice president; C. C. Enestwedt, cashier; E. W. Thorson, assistant cashier. 1908-A. O. Gimmestad, president; C. Knutson, vice president; C. C. Ernestvedt, cashier; E. W. Thorson, assistant cashier. 1909-A. O. Gimmestad, president; C. Knutson, vice president; C. C. Enestvedt, cashier. 1910-A. O. Gimmestad, president ; C. Knutson, vice president; C. C. Enestvedt, cashier. 1911-A. O. Gimmestad, president; C. Knutson, vice president ; C. C. Enestvedt, cashier. 1912-A. O. Gimmestad, president ; C. Knutson, vice president; Otto Flom, cashier. 1913-A. O. Gimmestad, president; C. Knutson, vice president; C. C. Enest- vedt, cashier. 1914-A. O. Gimmestad, president; C. Knutson, vice president; C. C. Enestvedt, cashier; Oscar Gimmestad, as-
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