USA > Minnesota > Renville County > The history of Renville County, Minnesota, Volume I > Part 65
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April 15, 1890, the following land was annexed to the village of Franklin: Center of section 11. township 112, range 34. part of section 12, containing 400.53 acres of land. The following petitioned for this change: Martin Larson, Jorgen Gilbertson and Louis Shero.
Beaver Falls. On December 13, 1889, a petition was pre- sented to the board praying for the incorporation of the territory in section 15, township 113, north of range 35, and parts of see- tions 15, 16, 17. 21, 22 and 23, known as Beaver Falls. The vil- lage was incorporated January 21, 1890, at the court house of Beaver Falls. William HI. Cheney, P. H. Kirwan and P. B. Olson were appointed inspectors of election. Following are the names of the signers of the petition: T. P. Melntyre, P. H. Kirwan, T. H. Collyer, Hans Listernd, Peter B. Olson, James S. Anderson, William W. MeGowan, Lewis B. Brown, G. MeChire, B. Brown, Charles Humbolt, Gustave Strenzel, Willgems Oldenburg. S. II. MeCabe, S. R. Miller, Henry Kelsey, Fred Robinson, W. H. Cheney, Alexander Brown, L. A. Colson, Peter Ericson, S. Erie- son, Il. H. Neuenburg, John Kelly. F. A. Gordon, Body Siegfried, Andreas Betz. Julins Betz, Gregory Witt, Gregory Witt, Sr., E. E. Clements, G. F. Gronerud, Albert Carruth, Edward Power, George Martin, Eli Stephens, Hans Gronernd, J. T. Cossentine, IT. C. Weatherston and John Garrity.
This incorporation was under the general art of 1885. It was found. however, that all the details of that aet were not com- plied with and on April 14, 1891, the legislature passed a special aet legalizing the incorporation and making valid all the busi- ness that had been transacted thereunder.
The incorporation was abandoned some years later.
Buffalo Lake. October 5, 1891. a petition was formulated asking that the village of Buffalo Lake be incorporated. The following appeared as signers to this petition: John C. Riebe. Walter Fauss. Rumhard E. Sell, Frank Warner, Jr .. Rudolph Engel, William Riebe, Albert Stueke, August F. Kutzke, C. Smith. J. N. Matzdorf, Ir., C. F. Hallgmen, Thomas Grause, Wil- liam Goebel, Fred Wolphern, Gustav Heinberg, W. L. Monson, Martin 1. Monson, Charles Fauss, Jr., Joseph Fernhotz. Frank Schmidt. L. Matzdorf, O. A. Pederson, Edward Sell, Fred Kroe- ger. J. S. Fisher, F. Girber, C. Wallner, C. Bushmeyer, R. W.
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Schoeneman, Carl Wenlund, Charles Ilaman, William Dixon, and Charles Weeker. On November 6, 1891, the petition was pre- sented to the board, praying that the territory with the boun- daries commeneing at the southwest corner of lot No. 5, in see- tion 31, township 115, range 31, thence due north on the west line of the township of Preston Lake, two miles to the northwest corner of west lot No. 12 in section 19 in said town, thenec due east on the east and west quarter line, of section 19 and 20, thence south on the quarter line, running north and south through see- tions 20 and 29, one mile to the southeast corner of the north- west quarter of said section 29, thence due west 160 rods to the section line between seetions 29 and 30 in said town, thenee south said section line 160 rods to the northwest corner of the northwest quarter of section 32 in said town, thenee east on the second line between sections 29 and 30 of said town, 160 rods, thenee due sonth 160 rods to the southeast corner of the north- west quarter of said section 32. thenee due west two miles to the place of beginning, said territory containing 2,175.21 aeres, be incorporated as Buffalo Lake. The petition was granted and an order for eleetion made.
March 31, 1900, a petition to detach certain territory from the village of Buffalo Lake was presented, the land in question being the north half of section 31, part of 32, 30. 29, 20 and 19 in town- ship 115, north of range 31. The petition was signed by the following : Paul Johnson. Andy Leasman, Frank Wallner, Mar- tin Monson, George Haag. John Lindmeier, Howard L. Clark, M. D .. Fred Antonson, Charles Uecker, David W. Topliff, Her- man Wendtland, Charles Fauss. F. G. Nellermoe, George W. Riche, John 1. Anderson, Richard Fisher, Peter Fisher, Oscar Hagberg, Charles Hamann, Wilhelmina Wendtlandt, John Wall- ner. A. L. Richardson, F. C. Eiselein, Joseph Hames, Joseph Flor, Gustav C. Henke, N. L. Monson, and J. C. Nagel.
Miles (Danube). On October 2, 1901, a petition was pre- sented to the board, praying that the territory, beginning at the quarter section course between sections 14 and 15 in township 115, range 32, thence north. on the section line to a point, 27.8 chains south of the quarter section corner, between sections 10 and 11 in said town and range. the point of termination of that part of said road proposed to be changed, be incorporated as Miles. The petition was granted and an election ordered to be held November 5, 1901.
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HISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY
CHAPTER XXV.
POSTOFFICES.
Beginning of System-Early Offices in Renville County-History of Present Offices-Postmaster and Locations-Discontinued Postoffices-Forgotten Names.
The postal service is a feature of government as old as the written history of man. The influence and accomplishments of the postal service have practically extended the progress of com- mercialism throughout the world. So far as history records, a system of communication was evidently conceived by Cyrus, shortly after his conquest of the Persian empire, in the year 550 B. C. That systematic ruler sought to keep in touch with the affairs of his vast domain. and to that end required his governors to write to him frequently about their several districts. In order to make these communications safe and expeditious he built post roads throughout the empire and established posthouses at distances along these roads. The service, however, both in an- cient and medieval periods was established for the government alone and not for the general public.
The first postoffice which was established for the general publie was in 1516, between Berlin and Vienna. In 1523 England established a postal system, but it was only used for communiea- tions between the royal family.
The postal system in America dates from 1639, when the Gen- eral Court of Massachusetts, by an ordinance, legalized such a system and directed that all letters brought from across the sea or to be sent to parts of the colonies, should be left at the house of Richard Fairbanks. in Boston, and by him sent to the proper destination. Ile was allowed a penny compensation for the trans- mission of each letter and was accountable to the authorities for any derelietion of duty. The postal system, however, in the early colonial days, was something of a go-as-you-please system.
Benjamin Franklin, the father of our postoffice system, was appointed postmaster at Philadelphia in 1737, and in 1753 he was appointed deputy postmaster general for the Colonies.
In 1776 there were but twenty-eight postoffices in the Colonies, fourteen of these being in Massachusetts.
In 1785 the Colonies decided to manage the postal business on their own responsibility, and appointed Benjamin Franklin postmaster general at a salary of $1,000 a year, authorizing him to establish postoffices from Maine to Georgia.
President George Washington, in 1789. appointed Samuel Os- good, of Massachusetts, the first postmaster general of the United States. At that time there were but seventy-five postoffices, yielding a revenue of less than $40.000 a year. The rate of post-
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HISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY
age was six cents for thirty miles and up to twenty-five cents for 450 miles.
Today there are over 60,000 postoffices, yielding a revenue of over $200,000,000. About a thousand million letters and postal eards are now distributed in the United States every month. The service has grown and expanded to such a degree that twenty years ago would have been considered extravagant, and yet the service is practically in its infancy. But it already forms an in- trieate network over all our land and extends to the far-off island possessions, and yet its achievements are not nearly at an end.
The first rural route in the United States was established in the fall of 1896. Fifteen thousand dollars was expended for rural free delivery purpose during that fiscal year.
The parcel post regulations which went into effeet in 1913, opened a new era of shipping facilities and is proving of the greatest benefit to all who make use of it.
In 1873 there were twelve postoffices in the county as follows : Boon Lake, northeast of the center of section 33, Boon Lake township: Hawk Creek, in southwestern part of seetion 8, Hawk Creek township; JJeanetteville, in section 28, on the river in Hawk Creek township; Swansea, in the western part of section 14, Preston Lake township; Palmyra, in the northwest corner of section 22. Palmyra township ; Birch Cooley, in the west of the cen- ter of section 22, Birch Cooley township: Franklin postoffice, at the home of II. JJacobus, in section 12, near the river, in Birch Cooley township; Renville, at the joining of sections 22, 23, 26, 27. Beaver Falls township; Minnesota Crossing in the northeast corner of seetion 8, Sacred Heart township, on the river : Herz- horn. on the line between sections 35 and 2. Flora township; Vicksburg, in section 19, Flora township; and Beaver Falls, see- tion 28, Beaver Falls township. Lake Side is believed to have been established in 1871, but it does not appear on the map of 1873.
In 1882 there were seventeen postoffices in Renville eounty, as follows: Olivia. Bird Island, New Lisbon, Heetor, Eddsville, Henryville, Renville, Beaver Falls, Bandon, Boon Lake, Lake Side, Swansea, Sacred Heart. Camp, Birch Cooley (Morton), Vicksburg, and Franklin.
In 1889 there were twenty-three postoffices. Swansea had been discontinued and the following added: Bechyn, Buffalo Lake. Fairfax, Florita, Wellington, Winfield and Norfolk.
No changes were made until 1895, when there were twenty- three postoffices, Henryville being discontinued in 1893 and Os- ceola added. Bireh Cooley was changed to Morton.
In 1897 there were twenty-three postoffices.
In 1899 there were twenty-five postoffices: Miles (Danube) and Brookfield were added.
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HISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY
In 1901 there were twenty-four postoffices. Bandon being dis- continued.
In 1905 there were eleven postoffices, the following being dis- continued : Beaver Falls, Bechyn, Boon Lake, Camp, Eddsville, Florita. Lake Side, New Lisbon. Norfolk, Vicksburg, Wellington, Winfield and Osceola. Recently the Brookfield postoffice was discontinued, leaving ten offices in the county.
Morton. Birch Cooley postoffice was established about 1868 or 1869 and George H. MeCulloch appointed postmaster; the office was at his house, in section 20, on the west branch of the Birch Cooley, on what is now the Peter Kaveny farm. It eon- tinned about two years on that location and then W. H. Jewell was appointed postmaster and the office was established on his farm on the east branch of the Birch Cooley creek. He held office about eight years and was succeeded by W. G. Bartley, who moved the office a little farther down the creek to his mill. on section 28.
In the fall of 1882 the land on which Morton now stands, was owned by W. G. Bartley. and in 1882 this land was platted. The first building was erected by W. G. Bartley for a postoffice. It was a frame building. 12 by 12, a kind of temporary arrange- ment. This building is still standing. It has been moved to the place now owned by Fred Pfeiffer in the east part of the village and is used by Mr. Pfeiffer for a chicken house. Mr. Bartley, who was then postmaster of Birch Cooley. moved the postoffice to this builling without permission of the postal authorities, and in 1895 the name was changed to Morton.
Bartley's original postoffice was on lot 24. block 9. Shortly afterward he erected the building which is still standing on lot 2, block 14. 1fe originally built the structure on lot 1, but moved it to its present location. In this building he kept the postoffice. When P. J. Ryan became postmaster he moved the office to lot 23. block 15, in a building which is still standing. The next post- master, Don MeNeyin, and the next, W. C. Keefe, kept the office in the same building. Joseph Smith kept the office in a small building on lot 16. block 9. This building now stands on lot 17, block 13. When this building was moved, Mr. Smith transferred the office from lot 16, block 9, across the street to lot 13, block 8. His widow, Mrs. Caroline E. Smith, moved the office to the pres- ent site. The next postmaster was R. B. Henton, Jr. When he resigned, William Wichman was appointed by President William Taft. But the senate Failed to confirm the appointment and the present postmaster, Otis W. Newton. was appointed. At the time of going to press, Julia A. Keefe, daughter of T. M. Keefe, has been recommended for the position.
The present employes are: Otis W. Newton, postmaster ; Carrie Newton, assistant postmaster : Lottie Newton. elerk. There
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IHISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY
are two rural routes-route No. 1 goes north of the town, the carrier being Peter Toossaint, and route No. 2 goes south of the town, with carrier A. A. De France.
Franklin postoffice was established in the late sixties prior to which time mail was received from Ft. Ridgely. The first post- master was Holder Jacobus, a settler, living in section 12, range 112 west, township of Birch Cooley. He was a Civil War veteran having served as color sergeant. He served until 1873, when ITalvor S. Johnson, living in section 18, township of Camp, two miles east of the Jacobus place, received the appointment and held it for two years, the office being located at his country store, one mile east of its first site. Mr. Johnson resigned and Peter Lahte held office for about one year, when he resigned in favor of Kut Rye, who held the office for about two years, being lo- cated a short distance from the old place. All of this time the office was on what is known as the okl Fort Ridgely trail. Mr. Rye resigned and moved away and in 1881 the postoffice was taken to Camp, where it was held by Severt Nelson, at what is known as Three Mile Creek in that township. Then Edwin S. Johnson, a brother of Halvor Johnson, sent in a petition to the department to be appointed postmaster for the Franklin post- office and received his appointment in March, 1882. He kept the office at the old Jacobus place in Birch Cooley, where it was first established until the fall of 1882, when he built the first build- ing in the village of Franklin and moved the postoffice into it. In the spring of 1885 Peter Henry was appointed postmaster and he served for four years, when Iver Mahhim was appointed. After four years. Rose Reagan received the commission as post- mistress in 1893 and held it until 1897, when J. M. Johnson was appointed and held the office until his death, in 1904, when his daughter, Clara Johnson, was appointed. She resigned in April, 1907, and Edwin S. Johnson again took charge, April 20, 1907. and is the present postmaster.
Franklin postoffice was a registered letter office in 1873 and became a money order office in 1890, the first money being is- sued April 14, and it became a postal savings bank August 1. 1912. Three rural routes were established in April, 1902. S. O. Hohle has had charge of route No. 1 ever since. Route No. 2 has been served by Edward Anderson, John Tweet and Thomas Grimes, who has carried mail for eight years on this route. Ronte No. 3 has been served by Joseph Anderson and P. O. Hog- stad, who has carried mail for eleven years on this route.
Bandon and Camp postoffices have been discontinned into Franklin postoffice.
The present staff consists of Edwin S. Johnson, postmaster; Martha Johnson Jacobs, assistant postmaster; and Mary John- son, clerk.
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HISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY
Sacred Heart postoffice was established in 1873 and was lo- cated about one and a half miles southeast of where the village now stands, the office being on the farm of Eric S. Gunderson. He was succeeded by O. S. Reishus, who had been the postmaster of the Minnesota Crossing (or the Minnesota Landing as it was sometimes called) postoffice, which was about nine miles south- east of Sacred Heart. It had been established in 1870 with G. P. Greene as postmaster, who kept the office at his home. In 1876 or 1877 O. S. Reishus was appointed the postmaster and moved it to his home, until it was discontinued in 1877 or 1878. as the Sacred Heart postoffice. Among the postmasters have been the following: Erie. S. Gunderson, 1873-March 19, 1877 ; O. S. Reishus, 1877-1885; Andrew O'Gordon, 1885-December 14, 1889; Gilbert Martinson, December 15, 1889-October 16, 1893; Nels A. Nellermoe, October 17, 1893-October 8, 1897 ; Theodore A. Rude, October 9, 1897-April 30, 1903; Peter Roe. May 1, 1903- Angust 3, 1913; Gunerius O. Bergan, August 4, 1913, who is the grandson of Eric S. Gunderson, the first postmaster of Saered Heart.
Four rural mail routes were established in 1902 and are now being served by Thomas Gilbertson on route No. 1, who, with the exception of the first month, has carried this route since the first ; Emil Erieson, on route No. 2; Ole G. Rude, route No. 3 and Mar- tin H. Skogberg on route No. 4. Besides Minnesota Crossing, the postoffice of Jeannetville was also discontinued, after Saered Heart was established. It was located eight miles southwest of Sacred Ileart and F. W. Brasch was the postmaster.
Danube postoffice was established as Miles in 1897. In 1898 August Sommerfield built a postoffice, 10 by 12 feet. Emma Sommerfield was the postmistress. In 1900 the name was changed to Danube, and in 1901 HI. W. Shoemaker became the postmaster. He served until 1915, when Emil A. Voelz was ap- pointed. In 1904 it became a registered letter and money order office. The present staff are Emil A. Voelz, postmaster: Lillian Schroeder, clerk. The rural routes were established January 2, 1904. The carriers of ronte No. 1 have been Henry Grabow, Benjamin Horst, Mike Strassner and August E. Wallert. Adolph Wallert has been carrier on route No. 2 ever since it was estab- lished.
Hector postoffice. The township of Heetor was established in the early seventies. At that time there was considerable strife regarding the selection of a name, one faction on the northwest portion, headed by W. II. Graham, wanted the name of Heetor, and the opposition on the southwest portion, headed by J. B. Perkins, insisted on the name of Plainfield. Hector was chosen and at the same time application made to the postoffice depart- ment, and the postoffice of Hector established in 1875. John
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HISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY
Baker was appointed postmaster and kept the office at his home. The opposition also applied to the postoffice department for a postoffice to be established under the name of Plainfield. with J. P. Perkins as postmaster, and the office was located on his farm, now the farm of Mrs. F. A. Marsh. A star route had al- ready been established between Hutchinson and Beaver Falls and supplied the offices with mail matter about once a week if the weather and the roads permitted.
In 1878 the Milwaukee road was built through the county and in September, of the same year, the townsite was surveyed and was called Hector, after the township and the postoffice was moved from the farm of Mr. Baker to the village of Hector, with W. D. Griffith as postmaster. his commission being dated October 8. 1878. The office was kept at his store. The receipts of the office at that time amounted to the enormous sum of $4.50 per quarter. Fifty dollars worth of postage stamps ordered from the department at one time was considered an endless supply, but as the postage stamps were often bought by people sending small remittances through the mail, the requisition soon had to be increased. In a short time the Plainfield postoffice was dis- continued and the postmaster ordered by the postoffice depart- ment to deliver his supplies to the Heetor postoffice, which he did, after many protests and threats against the government. The consolidation of the two offices naturally increased the rev- enne and as the village began to grow the receipts of the office increased and soon it was found necessary to establish a money order system, which added much to the convenience of the peo- ple. there being no banks nearer than Glencoe.
W. D. Griffith was elected county treasurer in 1885 and re- signed from his office as postmaster, the compensation paid to the postmaster at that time having increased to $750.
W. D. Griffith kept the office in his store in lot 2. block 3. Then he erected a small building on lot 20, block 4. to which he moved the office. Then he went into partnership with C. H. Nixon in the firm of Nixon & Griffith, general merchants, and the office was moved to the store. lots 21 and 24. block 4. In 1885, Wm. Griffith resigned and was followed by J. S. Niles who moved the office to lot 16 in the same block. In 1889. Niles resigned and was followed by James Chapman, who moved the office to lot 15, block 3. In 1893. O. R. White became postmaster and moved the office to lot 9, block 4. The next postmaster was O. C. Halverson, who took office in 1897. He was a partner of A. M. Ericson in the hardware business. For a time the office was kept on lot 1, block 7, and later moved to the new building on lot 14. block 3. W. B. Strom, the present postmaster, took office in 1897. He kept the office in the former location for a while and then moved it to his store, lots 5 and 8, block 7.
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HISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY
When W. B. Strom beeame postmaster, June 1, 1897, it was a fourth-class office. After Mr. Strom had conducted its affairs some two and a half years it was raised to the third class. The business is increasing year by year and the patrons receive excel- lent service. There are six rural routes. For a time the post- office was made a postal savings station, but no deposits were made, as the savings business of the vicinity is adequately looked after by the local banks. C. J. Whitney is assistant postmaster. Mrs. A. E. McGrath is clerk. The carriers are: 1, Thomas J. Leary : 2, J. H. Bush ; 3, Albert J. Brown; 4, A. II. Walker; 5, Leon B. Haws; 6, William Cords.
Buffalo Lake postoffice was established in Preston Lake town- ship, October 1. 1887, with John C. Riche postmaster. Among its postmasters have been the following: 1. Stucke, October 31, 1895-August 15. 1899; George W. Riebe, August 15. 1899-March 31. 1903; Peter F. Walstrom. March 13. 1903-September 15. 1911 ; Philip E. Schoeneman, September 15. 1911-and Lizzie L. Quast, assistant.
It was made a postal service station April 9. 1912. The first rural route was established April 1. 1902, with James Harrier, carrier. for a short time. Other carriers were August Eddeland, William Wassmond, Rudolph Marks, Wyman L. Townsend, who is still serving. Route No. 2 was established October 1, 1903, and the carrier was Gustave King, who is still serving. Route No. 3 was established in 1903. Its carriers have been Arthur Buttler. Edward Bottomlay and Alvin R. Borden, who has served nine years. Route No. 4. with Julius Otto as carrier, and Route No. 5. with Charles J. Larson as carrier, were established in 1903 and transferred from Brookfield to this office, June 15, 1914. The following postoffices have been discontinued into Buffalo Lake postoffice: Brookfiekl. June 15, 1914: Lake Side, March 31. 1902, with O. J. Edner, postmaster ; Boone Lake, March 31, 1902. with Thomas Bradford, postmaster: Brack. Minn., March 31. 1902, with August Albrecht, postmaster.
Renville. J. B. Anderson became postmaster in January, 1879, at which time the Wadsworth postoffice which had been conducted by L. A. Brooks in the southern part of Emmet was discontinued. Anderson kept the postoffice in the drug store he and W. D. Spaulding conducted on the present site of the First National Bank. He was superseded by W. F. Baade. To continue the story of the postoffice, Mr. Baade continued as postmaster until Cleve- land's first term, when Carl Henning was appointed. He kept the office in the brick block on the west side of Main street, just south of what is now the Columbia elevator. L. A. Brooks, the next postmaster, moved the office to a small building on the west side of Main street a l'ew doors south of what is now the First National Bank. Ile also had temporary quarters elsewhere for a
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HISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY
time. It was also Mr. Brooks who moved the office to its present location. He was followed as postmaster by Ferdinand H. Berning who, in turn, was sueceeded by W. L. Poseley, the present post- master.
Bird Island postoffice was established in the spring of 1878, and the office located at J. F. Bowler's house, seetion 26; he was appointed postmaster. The same fall it was removed to the village and located at J. W. Ladd's store; J. W. Ladd becoming the postmaster. Since then the postmasters have been C. L. Lor- rain. F. Hodgdon. Albert Brown. L. E. Sherwood, D. J. Deasy, I. S. Gerald, Amund Dahl. .. I. Feter, Joseph Daggett.
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