USA > Minnesota > Renville County > The history of Renville County, Minnesota, Volume II > Part 21
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HISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY
village recorder; Herman Yunker, harness; Chas. Zalk & Son, gent's furnishings, clothing and dry goods.
DANUBE VILLAGE.
Tourists on their way westward along the famous well-trav- eled "Yellow Trail" through Renville county, after making an abrupt turn northward about five miles ont of the county seat, suddenly come into view of the pleasant little village of Dannbe. Lying midway between and but a few miles from Olivia and Ren- ville, it presents a surprising picture of quick development, con- sidering its nearness to its older neighbors and its rather unprom- ising beginnings. Even a casual glance, however, at the gradually rolling land, the fertile fields, and the prosperous farmsteads in the vicinity, reveals the secret of its growth and the logic of its location.
As early as 1876 settlers laid claim to the surrounding country. In that year John Stange took a homestead of 80 acres just north of the present village : in May. 1878, JJohn Kuether filed on land in section 32 and was followed soon after by William Bede and Henry Henrieks. Many other settlers came, and trade took its natural course to the nearby villages. For many years the rail- road map indicated only that the company had a stopping place near the present site of the village, where gravel was taken on and known as "Gravel Pit Station."
With the increase of the farming population and with the poor roads leading to the nearby markets, many settlers believed that a nearer and more accessible market would be exceedingly ad- vantageous. At the time of the county seat removal fight. a peti- tion was circulated, asking the railroad company to give the people a station, to be known as " Miles." As the acquiesence of the two neighboring villages would have to be secured for the purpose, the petition lay in a dormant state for some time, as naturally neither Renville nor Olivia countenanced the idea of seeing a rival market being established. However, as the county seat fight waxed fiereer, the consent of the two towns was secured through the time honored "log-rolling" method, and Miles was given a
place in the railroad "sun." In their anxiety to secure the sta- tion, a number of farmers had organized a company and had built a co-operative elevator, the first building on the present site of the village. No side-track being secured, no grain was bought the first year. and the building was sold to H. H. Neuenburg, who later disposed of it to the Crown Elevator people, who now hold it.
With the concession of the station immediate growth followed. William Terry, of Bird Island, built and conducted the first gen- eral store in the spring of 1899 where the Beck blacksmithy now stands. August Sommerfield. appointed first postmaster in
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IHISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY
1899, soon removed the office from its little shack to the Terry store, Mr. Terry being appointed assistant. The next year II. W. Shoemaker, of North Redwood, erected a building and opened up the second store on the spot where he now conducts his mer- cantile business. At the same time Philip Fabel and JJ. W. Beck built a hardware which they later converted into the first hotel. Herman Roepke, of Buffalo Lake, opened up a harness shop the same year.
In 1901, in order to better control the liquor traffic, the village was incorporated. The name of "Miles" was dropped as it was found to give rise to considerable confusion owing to the existence of other villages in the state by that name. Why the new name was adopted is not known on good authority. As the story goes. it appears that the additional stop at Miles was not particularly pleasing to the railroad men at that time and the official name was not heard as often as other utterances, "not lond, but deep." These latter expressions to an innocent bystander might have sounded somewhat like, "Dan-ube," although that was not the exact wording of the phrase. Be that as it may, it is not here vouched for as a fact, but merely adverted to, for the sake of being precise and authentic. At any rate Danube is the name given to the place by the railroad company and accepted as the name of the newly incorporated village.
The first conneil meeting. November 30 of that year, con- sisted of F. A. Schroeder, president ; Fred Sausele, Chris. Schmidt and John Fischer, councillors; and Jas. J. Moughan, recorder. Schroeder, Schmidt and Fischer constituted the first board of health. Ordinance No. 1 was passed relating to the licensing of saloons.
The original owner of the village site was August Sommer- field who disposed of it to F. A. Schroeder. The site was well- chosen, the land lying high and being well drained.
The first school within the village limits was built in 1904 at a cost of about $4,000, the school having previously been located about a half-mile south of its present situation. Nellie Pettis and Miss Leonard were the first teachers.
In the same year a system of waterworks was installed, con- sisting of an excellent well, tower with tank of 242 barrels ca- pacity, and a large gasoline engine, at a cost of between three and four thousand dollars. There are now about seven blocks of mains.
The growing business of the community soon demanded a local clearing house and in 1902 T. O'Connor, of Renville, established a bank, under the direction of F. A. Schroeder, president ; Fred Kamin, vice president ; B. G. Schroeder, cashier. It is still the only bank and is known as the Danube State Bank.
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HISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY
In 1904 the "Danube Herald" made its appearance. It was printed at Buffalo Lake by J. R. Landy and mailed to its sub- seribers at Danube. Later a printing plant was established at Danube in charge of A. E. Hill, of Morton. After a fitful exist- ence of a few years, the spark of life went out. In November, 1911, the "Dannbe Review" was issued by E. C. Wallner, and continued by him until the summer of 1915, when C. A. Heilig, former principal of the public school, became its editor and pro- prietor. It is an enterprising publication and deserving of the hearty support of Danube citizens.
The first church services were conducted by Rev. Green, a Presbyterian, the next by the German Evangelicals in the town hall. A church was built in 1904. Rev. F. F. Arndt is the resident pastor. The German Lutheran congregation built about the same tinte, but have no resident minister, services being conducted by Rev. II. H. Hupfer. of Olivia.
The present village contains abont three hundred inhabitants, in the main of German extraction. They are a thrifty class, homes are neat and grounds well kept, and the general appearance of the village speaks well for its industrious people. The latter are firm believers in education and the school building is, per- haps. the most prominent of all. In 1914 the two rooms were increased to four, modern conveniences were installed as to heat- ing and sanitation, including steam heat, ventilation by fan, toilets, and septie tank ; a gymnasium built in the basement, and the building and equipment improved in every respect. Besides the regular eight grades, two years of high school work is now carried on. It is the aim of the board of education, now made up of Adolph Wallert, F. A. Schroeder and Ed. Grunnert, to have such a department of domestic seience that every child in the village or community may have the benefit of a good, practical common school edneation without the necessity of leaving home. A. M. Taylor is principal of the school, with four teachers in the grades and one special instructor for the domestie science course.
The village couneil at present consists of F. A. Schroeder, president ; Henry J. Stange, recorder ; N. T. Knott, Il. F. Bruss and L. C. Hendricks, councillors; William Finley, justice. F. A. Kenmitz is constable; Dr. William C. Dieterich, William Voelz and Gus. Miller make up the board of health. The latter is also street commissioner. An adequate fire department has been es- tablished with E. C. Wallner as chief.
The M. W. A. have a local camp of twenty-three members with officers as follows: H. W. Shoemaker. V. C .; George Billiar, A. D .; Ben. Manthei, B .; George Macheledt, elerk.
Danube has three general stores, one furniture store, one bank, two churches, one newspaper, four elevators, one hotel, one livery, one drug store, one hardware, one blaeksmith, one ereamery, one
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HISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY
restaurant, one prodnee station, one cement tile factory, two pool halls, one barber shop, one millinery, one harness shop, one Inmber yard, and one doetor. Bonds of $2,500 were voted in the spring of 1915 to bring the electric current from Bird Island in order to give the live little village a satisfactory system of light- ing its broad streets, snug homes and enterprising business places. Contraet has been let for a county diteh to be built on the south side of the village which will provide a sewerage outlet for the village.
A brief business directory follows :
Gust F. Black, barber; Crown Elevator Co., William Valz, agent ; Danube Farmers' Elevator Co., Wm. Finley, agent ; Dan- ube Hardware Co. (Herman A. Bruss, Elmer Fischer, Otto E. Schroeder) ; Danube Mercantile Co. (George Macheldt, president ; Henry Stange, vice president ; Fred A. Bade, secretary and man- ager), general store; Danube "Saturday Review," (Edward C. Wallner publisher) ; Dannbe State Bank, (capital. $10,000; sur- plus, $13,000; F. A. Schroeder, president ; B. G. Schroeder, cash- ier) ; Danube Telephone Co., F. A. Schroeder, manager: Wm. C. Dietrich, physician ; Empire Elevator Co., John JJ. Playhart, agent ; Flora Township Mntnal Fire Insurance Co., F. A. Schroe- der, secretary ; Horst Bros. (Henry L. and Benjamin H.), livery ; N. I. Hugger, creamery ; Fred A. Kenmitz, meats ; Henry Kerwin, blacksmith ; William Il. Krneger, furniture ; Albert Knether, pro- prietor of the Union Hotel; Geo. J. Macheldt, produce ; H. H. Neuenburg & Co., Nicholas T. Knott, manager, lumber; Seber T. Nordgarden, restaurant; Pacific Elevator Co., Chas. F. Dobratz, agent ; Henry W. Shoemaker, general store and postmaster; Christ A. Wallner, harness; E. C. Wallner, publisher, Dambe "Saturday Review ;" Carl W. Ziemer, railway, express and tele- graph agent.
In the fall of 1899, II. W. Shoemaker and wife arrived. Mr. Shoemaker says: "When we located here there were a few buildings here which had been started in the fall of 1898, when I made the basement for my store. One elevator was built but we had no side traek; then in the year 1899 the Chicago, Mil- wankee & St. Paul put in their first side track. In this same year Herman Lindeman came from North Redwood and started a lumber yard and also bought grain. Later on this yard and elevator went by the name of H. H. Nenenburg & Co., who sold the elevator but retained the yard which is still in opera- tion.
"In 1898 Angust Sommerfeld built the first building, a 10 by 12 postoffice. In the spring of 1899 P. H. Fabel and Jaeob Beek started a hardware store, Herman Roepke a harness shop and Thomas Slough a saloon. C. Riebe built the second elevator on the north side of the track which burned down, and then built
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HISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY
what is now the Pacific elevator. Wm. Terry had a small store on the present site of the blacksmith shop."
In 1901, Mr. Shoemaker was appointed postmaster, and held the office until 1915. The oldest settlers now in the village are Mr. and Mrs. Shoemaker and Mrs. F. Hinrichs.
Lots in the village of Miles (now Danube) were first assessed in 1899. The principal owner was August Sommerfeld. Those who had already secured lots were: Carl Sausele, lot 1, block 1; Louis R. Gemmett, lot 2, block 1; H. H. Neuenburg et al., lots 3, 4, 13, block 1; F. A. Schroeder, lots 7 and 8, block 1; Wm. F. Terry, lot 9, block 1; lots 1, 3, block 2; Thomas Slough, lot 10, block 9; JJacob W. Beek, lot 11, block 1 : P. H. Fabel, lot 12, block 1; James McCormick, lot 2, block 2; Chas. Braun, lot 4, block 2; Christ Blume, lot 5, block 2; F. Hinrieks, lots 8 and 9, block 2: lot 3, block 5; lots 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, block 6; JJ. H. Engeman, lot 10, block 2; Herman Roepke, lot 2, block 5; August Nere, lot 4, bloek 5; Herman Lindeman, lots 5 and 6, block 5. From 1906 on this town has been assessed as Danube.
FAIRFAX VILLAGE.
Fairfax is located on the Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway, about eighty-eight miles southwest from Minneapolis. It is situ- ated in the southeastern corner of Renville county and lies about seven miles north of the historic site of old Fort Ridgely, which has now been set aside as a state park and which was formally dedicated and turned over to the State on Angust 22, 1914. with fitting ceremonies.
The township of Cairo, in which Fairfax is situated, was one of the earliest in the county. It is located in one of the best agri- cultural regions in the state and it is the trade and business head- quarters for one of the most enterprising l'arm communities found in any part of the country.
In 1880, the M. & St. L. railroad reached Winthrop where it halted for a year, but the officers of the road, during this year of inactivity, selected townsites along the line and among the ones selected was the present site of Fairfax.
As the site selected was within the township of Cairo it was natural that the people residing in the neighborhood of the pro- posed new village should desire that it should bear that name. An examination of the postoffice records, however, developed the fact that there was another postoffice in the state with a name that so nearly approached "Cairo" that the postal authorities declined to accept that as the name of a new office which neces- sitated the selection of a new title. There were several names suggested and quite a little feeling developed as to who should have the honor of christening the new town. The matter was finally compromised by leaving it to Eben Ryder, at the time
.
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HISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY
president of the M. & St. L. road, to make the selection. Mr. Ryder was a Virginian, a native of Fairfax county, and so he be- stowed upon the newly organized village the historie name of "Fairfax."
On August 22, 1882, the town was platted, and shortly after- wards the Government instituted the postoffice, with L. C. Grady as postmaster, and Fairfax was officially placed upon the map of Minnesota.
Early history shows that St. Andrew's parish was the first religious institution in Fairfax. In fact, it may be said to have become a distinctly local house of worship in 1875, at which time a frame building used for services was removed from Fort Ridgely to within a short distance of where Fairfax now stands. The building was afterwards moved to East Fairfax and used for social gatherings.
At that time the judicial seat of Renville county was located at Beaver Falls, 22 miles across country, while the nearest bank- ing point was Gaylord, in Sibley county, 25 miles distant. Im- proved land in this community was selling at that time at from $15 to $20 while unimproved land could be purchased at from $9' to $12 per acre.
Though the railroad company pieked out anything but a fav- orable site for their station in Fairfax, business houses of various kinds were started immediately.
Fairfax has long been recognized as a leading business point in Renville county. It is also fully as good a town as there is anywhere along the St. Louis road, the aggregate freight and passenger business at this point approximating fully $50,000 per year.
The population of 815 as shown by the census of 1910 does the village an injustice, because the outlying precinct of "Ho- boken" which abuts right up to the village is a part of the town for all intents and purposes save and except that they do not have the village tax to pay. The total actual population of Fairfax and Hoboken is at least 1,100.
Fairfax was incorporated as a village in 1888, M. D. Brown was elected president of the village council. The village has had many efficient men on its couneil and under their direction many publie improvements have been made. The village owns its village hall with a seating capacity of 600 in the anditorium on the second floor, with smaller halls for lodge and other pur- poses on the first floor.
The town has one of the best electric light systems in the state. The current is generated by the Crescent Milling Company and wholesaled to the village which retail the juice to the residents. Continuous service of the best possible light at a reasonable cost helps to make Fairfaxans contented and happy.
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HISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY
Fairfax has an adequate water system for fire protection and a well organized fire department fairly well equipped. The water is of the best but only a small percentage of the people use the supply from the village for domestie purposes.
The telephone exchange is owned and controlled entirely by Fairfax capital, as are the rural lines reaching out in every diree- tion from the village. The equipment is of the best and the service continuous. Long distance connections are made with both the Tri-State and Northwestern lines.
Fairfax has four splendid churches, the Catholic, the Meth- odist, the German Lutheran and the Norwegian Lutheran.
Among the fraternal organizations may be mentioned the Ma- sonie organization, the M. B. A., the M. W. A., the Knights of Columbus, the Catholic Order of Foresters, the Lady Foresters, the Sons of Herman, and numerous church societies. The G. A. R. post and the Ladies of the G. A. R. are also flourishing organi- zations.
The present site of Fairfax was originally an island. This island occupied all of section 2. the east half of seetion 3, and the west half of seetion 1, in the original plat of Fairfax, as well as the southern part of section 8, and a corner of section 5, in Klasen's addition. It also extended south of the track and termi- nated in a ridge extending southeast. This island was surrounded with sloughs, swamps, and swales, filled with muskrat houses, the haunt of mumberless water fowl.
John Welsh had a farmhouse forty rods south of the present depot. Part of the village is platted on his land. One-half a mile west of the site was Hugh Carson. One-half mile east of the site was Edmond O'Hara. It was on his land that East Fair- fax, now known as Hoboken, was platted. One-half a mile south of the site was Nels Peterson. A half a mile north of town was James O'Hara. The nearest road was the old road east of the village, the main road between New Uhu and Fairfax.
The village of Fairfax dates from 1882, when the townsite was platted. After it became known that the railroad was to establish a village here, there was considerable doubt as to whether the new settlement would be located on the farm of John Welsh or on the farm of Edmond O'llara.
For a time the O'Hara farm seemed the probable site, and quite a settlement sprang up there, known both as East Fairfax and as Iloboken. Uriah Tibbetts came to East Fairfax in the fall of 1882 and opened a saloon eighty rods west of Ed. O'Hara's house near the railroad. On the rear of his lot he ereeted a home. A frame building originally located at Ft. Ridgely and later moved near the old cemetery, north of the present village, and used for Catholic church serviees was later moved to East Fair- fax and long remained a social center.
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HISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY
Luke T. Grady was the first merchant on the site of the pres- ent village. lle had been a pioneer merchant in Hector in this county and from there had moved to Arlington. When the rail- road was projected through this part of the country he built a shack and started selling goods on the northeast corner of sec- tion 10. This was in 1881. About August, 1882, he came to the present site of Fairfax and moved his shack to a place near the middle of Second avenue, in front of lot 15, block 3. To this shack he built a canvas addition in the form of a tent and there he started selling provisions and liquors. Soon afterward he erected a new store on lot 15, block 3, where he continued for several years.
Soon after Mr. Grady's arrival, the influx of business began. Many of the early business men came from Sleepy Eye, and sev- eral of them had been friends before coming here.
Henry Hauser came from Sleepy Eye in the late summer of 1882, and opened a lumber yard under the firm name of Miller, Christenson & Hauser. This yard occupied the present site of the wood yard of the Midland Lumber Co., east of the street and south of the track. The first carload of lumber received by this yard was sokl to Posen & Anderson, the second to Charles Sehnt- nick and the third to Phillip Kipp. This lumber company con- tinues in business to the present time, now being known as the Hanser Lminber Co. C. A. Lammers and G. A. Rieke are now associated with Mr. Hauser in the business. The yard is now located on lots 1 and 2, block 3.
John C. Brennescholz opened a lumber yard at practically the same time that the Hauser yard was opened. It occupies a place south of the tracks and west of the street, the present site of the office of the Midland Lumber Co.
Posen & Anderson, from Sleepy Eye, opened their store early in the fall. It was located on lot 8, block 2. Mr. Anderson was then single. The Posen family lived above the store. Emil F. Sell bought out Anderson and the company became Posen & Sell. Later the firm became Sell & Nelson. Next Emil F. and Gustave C. Sell condueted the firm under the name of the Sell Brothers. Gustave C. Sell died, and his interests were purchased by J. W. Schramm. The firm then became Sell & Schramm. The firm was likewise interested in the State Bank of Fairfax. Then the two partners divided, Mr. Sell taking the store and Mr. Schramm the bank. The business is still at the same location. It is known as the Fairfax Department Store and is owned by Angust F. Rieke, Richard G. Rienke and the estate of Emil F. Sell.
Charles Sehutnik came from Sleepy Eye in the early fall of 1882, and erected a blacksmith shop on lot 6, bloek 2. He brought his family and moved them into a house which he had ereeted beside his shop. This was the first dwelling on the village site.
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HISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY
Phillip Kipp came from Sleepy Eye at practically the same time and opened a wagon shop on lot 5, block 2. He spent most of the winter here and in March, 1883, brought his family. Mr. Kipp is still a resident of the village.
About this time a flathouse was opened for the purchase of grain, the buyer being Nels Nelson. The flathouse was located on the east side of Second street south of the railroad track, be- tween the llauser Lumber Co. and the railroad.
About the first snow fall, the Dodge Brothers moved into Fairfax, and located on lots 10 and 11, block 2. They moved their building to the back of the lot, and started erecting a new build- ing for a saloon. The new building was completed enough to be used before winter.
Sylvester Turner, who had formerly been a farmer, opened a livery stable on the alley in the middle of block 2, near lot 15. This was late in the fall of 1882.
John Buehler opened a hardware and furniture store on lot 10, block 1.
Adam Christman opened a meat market on lot 14, block 3, and lived in back of the store.
The original depot was erected on the same site as the present station during the fall of 1882. Some years ago this station and a nearby elevator were burned. The present station was at once erected. A new station has for some time been advocated by the Fairfax Commercial elub, but this far without results.
Thomas Welsh opened a hotel in the winter of 1882-83, its lo- cation being lot 10, block 1. His sister, Mrs. Ellen (Welsh) O'Neill, kept house for him.
About the same time Henry Hauffman opened a saloon on lot 4, block 2. Toward spring Hauffman sold to Robert Mahl.
Timothy Cayton opened a hotel where the Windsor Hotel is now located, lots 15 and 16, block 2.
H. L. Ihles opened a blacksmith shop on lot 9, block 1.
Charles Thomas started a blacksmith shop on lot 5 bloek 2.
Nelson & Peterson, of Red Wing, who had a branch store at Hector, came to Fairfax in the winter of 1882-83 with Amund Dahl, the present county treasurer as partner, and opened a hard- ware store where the Farmers Cooperative store is now located.
Village lots in Fairfax were first assessed in 1883. Eben Rider and Bridget Welsh were the principal owners. Those who had already seenred lots were: H. L. Ihles, lot 9, block 1; Thomas Welsh, lot 10, block 1; John Buhler, lot 11, block I ; Chas. Thomas, lot 12, block 1 ; Phillip Kipp, lot 5, block 2; Chas. Sehuknecht, lot 6, block 2; Robert Mahl, lot 7, block 2; B. L. Bird, lot 9, bloek 2; Theodore Crone, lot 10, block 2; Dodge Bros., lot 11, block 2; Henry Offerman, lot 12, block 2; Henry Hauser, lot 13, block 2; F. W. Keeting, lot 15, block 2; C. H. Nixon, lot 9, block 3; Cath-
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HISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY
erine Grady, lots 10, 15, 16, bloek 3; T. C. Brennisholtz, lot 3, block 6; John Lane, lot 4, block 6; John Crofford, lot 8, block 6; Walter Dohney, lot 10, block 6.
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