USA > Minnesota > Renville County > The history of Renville County, Minnesota, Volume II > Part 25
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HISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY
Schwarzkopf Bros., Alb. Schwarzkopf. John P. Swanson, V. II. Smith, A. E. Schroeder, Sterns Lumber Co., Eug. Schwarzkopf, W. B. Strom Drug Co., W. B. Strom, State Bank of Hector, Theo. Tegner, Thomas Tegner, H. L. Torbenson, Henry O. Tinnes, Ezra Town, Ernest Tesch, Mrs. Elizabeth Taylor, Thomas Torbenson, Ben Wolpert, Frank A. Wedin, G. W. Wisman, Mrs. J. A. Wedin.
MORTON VILLAGE.
Morton is located in the beautiful Minnesota valley in the southeastern part of Birch Cooley township, surrounded by the historie ground on which were enacted some of the most stirring scenes in the history of the Northwest. Nature here is unusually lovely. the rolling prairie not far away, ending abruptly and breaking into beautiful couleés and ravines heavily wooded and forming a wide expanse or natural park.
The village itself is well laid out on a flat, overlooked by the towering monuments erected to the friendly Indians and to the heroes of the battles of Birch Cooley. The picturesque con- tour of the waterworks tank situated nearby also adds to the beauty of the scene.
It is situated a hundred miles southwest of Minneapolis and thirty-three miles west of Winthrop and is the division point on the M. & St. L. Railway, and here is located the roundhouse. It is also on the new Luce Electric Short Line Railway, which is in process of building from Minneapolis to Brookings, and which will furnish short hanls for the people of Morton to the Twin City markets.
Surrounded, as it is, by the rich farm land of two counties, Morton is a scene of busy activities. Corn yields of over ninety bushels per acre show that this county is coming to the front. and the fine thoroughbred and dairy cattle herds with excellent shipping facilities give proof of its permanency. In former days a splendid fair was given here, but the withdrawal of state aid caused it to be discontinued.
Anyone who loves beautiful hills and the rugged natural scenery will surely enjoy living at or near Morton. The Min- nesota valley for miles near this village is one continual park and some of the prettiest spots it is possible to find anywhere will be seen in a day's outing at this place. The spreading panorama of green fields and fertile valley, running streams and natural woods which one sees all about are sights one cannot help but enjoy, and a number of persons have compared the region with the Hudson valley and with other places of note. while others from prairie states have contented themselves with simply gazing in open admiration and exclamations of delight. This has been par- tienlarly true of the Iowa visitors.
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Another point of interest to tourists is the site of the granite quarries, where years ago in the early history of the village several hundred quarrymen were busily engaged taking out building and monumental stone.
One can drive out from Morton either way and witness beau- ties of nature which in other sections of the United States people with automobiles would drive days to see.
Going south from Morton, the lace makers' house, the Indian Episcopal church and the Indian school will be seen to the right hand, while on the left is the Indian park, from which one of the prettiest views of the whole Minnesota valley may be obtained.
Going out north from Morton, one will see the stone markers which mark the historie spots in connection with the Sioux In- dian massacre days and the Birch Cooley battle ground.
When visitors are at the Indian church, south of town, if they will go a quarter mile south and a mile east they will then see the old stone house of early agency and massacre days, and all along the highway will be seen markers recording the historie spots of that territory.
From the depot at Morton may be seen the two granite shafts, one ereeted in memory of the soldiers and others killed in the Birel Cooley battle and the other erected in memory of the friendly Indians. These stand near the fair grounds, overlook- ing the valley and the Morton granite quarries.
Morton has a flour mill with a daily capacity of 500 barrels wheat flour and fifty barrels rye products. It has a brick and tile factory with a capacity in a ten-hour day of 40,000 brick and 30,000 tile. Vast deposits of excellent granite for building purposes and ornamental stone are found in abundance.
The village has a good opera house, a moving picture theater, four hotels, two banks, a creamery and ice cream factory, a farm- ers' co-operative elevator and a thriving stock shippers' asso- ciation.
A weekly newspaper, the Morton "Enterprise, " is published. There are four churches : German Lutheran, Methodist Episcopal, Roman Catholic and Protestant Episcopal.
The public schools are housed in an excellent building and inelude eight grades. with high school, manual training and do- mestie science departments, each under competent teachers and supervision.
The fraternities are well represented here, there being flour- ishing lodges of the Masons, the Odd Fellows, the Workmen, the Woodmen, the Rebekahs, the Degree of Honor, the Catholic For- esters and the Lady Foresters.
Attempts have been made at various times to establish a Com- mereial Club. Some years ago an organization flourished for a
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while. The present organization is about a year old. The presi- dent is C. I. Cook, the secretary is H. F. Rubey and the treas- urer is E. J. Kothlow.
The vicinity of Morton has attracted settlers since the earliest days. Even before the massacre, George Buerry, Henry Keart- ner and John Kumro had settled in this neighborhood. At the time the railroad came through there were quite a few farms along the old bottom road which passed some half a mile back from the present site of the village.
At this time the nearest residence was that of George Buerry. After the outbreak he had returned to his former claim, and at the time the railroad came through he was living in a stone house which is still standing. The house is located in the southwest quarter of the southeast quarter of section 30, Bireh Cooley, northeast of the village, and on a piece of the old bottom road now discontinued.
To the southeast of Buerry, on the same road was John Edgett. in the southwest quarter of the northwest quarter of seetion 32.
Next to Edgert's was the home of John Kumro, in the north- west quarter of the southwest quarter of seetion 32. He had been here before the outbreak and had returned a year later than George Buerry.
Northwest from Buerry, along the same road, was John Vogt- man, on the southeast quarter of the southwest quarter of sec- tion 30. He was a son-in-law of George Bnery, and returned with him after the massacre.
Next up the road, in the same direction, lived Fred Blume. He occupied the farm which Henry Keartner had occupied be- fore the ontbreak. Ifis house was in the west half of the south- West quarter of seetion 30.
To the west of the present site of the village, on the river bank, in United States lot, No. 5, seetion 36, lived If. B. Jackson.
The railroad construction erew came through this vicinity in the summer and fall of 1882, and stopped work some 400 feet from the river, further progress at that time being delayed on account of the rocky formation between the terminal point and the river. It was nearly two years before this rocky barrier was passed and the line continued, the road being pushed to the west- ward in the spring of 1884.
The first railroad train, the freight. arrived at the present location of the station, Oet. 22, 1882, the first engineer being Robert Meyer, and the conductor, Robert Brown. The depot was erected that fall.
In June. 1882, when the railroad had reached the farm of J. P. Patten, in Birch Cooley township, Frank Camp erected a shack in the southwest quarter of the southeast quarter of section 33, on Mr. Patten's farm, and put in a small stoek of goods.
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About the time that the railroad reached the present village, the village was platted on land owned by W. G. Bartley. Mr. Bartley presented the railroad with a part of the site. The west side of the present village is located on land originally owned by George Bnerry.
W. G. Bartley, before the village was started, was conduet- ing a mill two miles below the Birch Cooley battle grounds. At about the time the village was platted he moved to the townsite. He was appointed postmaster and kept the postoffice a short time in a shack which he erected on lot 24, block 9. This building has been moved and is now used by Fred Pfeiffer as a chicken house. For a time Mr. Bartley and his wife and son lived in this shack. Later they lived in a house moved in from the mill, this house moved in being later used as a part of a larger house. It is said that Bartley's little shack was the first building on the present site of Morton. There are others, however, who declare that this honor belongs to the McGowan shack.
Patrick McGowan was a railroad contractor. He owned a shack which he used along the line of the railroad to shelter himself and his men. In the summer or fall of 1882, when the grading crew reached Morton, Mr. MeGowan moved the shack to what is now the rear of lot 27, block 15, just in back of where the postoffice is now located. In this shack he lived himself and here he kept some of his men.
The third building started in Morton was one started by Thomas 11. Barkey, Oct. 20, 1882. Mr. Barkey came here, started the building, partly completed it, and then went away for the winter, renting it to James McConnell, the first section boss on the railroad. In the spring. Mr. Barkey came back and com- pleted the building, 24 by 40 feet, two stories high. In 1884, when the railroad was continued west of Morton, he conducted a boarding house. In 1885 he put in a stock of drugs and gro- ceries. He now conducts a hotel in the same building.
In the fall of 1882, the village site presented a seene of busy activity and building operations were started on several struc- tures. Before the railroad was in operation. in October, humber was hauled from Redwood Falls. All of these early buildings were small and of a primitive nature. They were made ready for occupancy during the winter though many were not really completed until the spring.
Patrick MeGowan erected the structure that is now the post- office. He built it on the corner, lot 28 block 15. It was planned that Horatio Werring, then a storekeeper in Golden Gate, this state, and afterward a merchant of Fairfax, should open a store in this building, he being son-in-law to Patrick McGowan. Goods were ordered and in due time arrived. Mr. Werring, however, decided not to open the store. He went to Redwood Falls and
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HISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY
consulted with J. II. MeGowan, the son of Patrick MeGowan, and R. B. Henton, Sr., whose daughter J. H. McGowan had mar- ried. J. Il. McGowan was a railroad contractor. R. B. Henton, Sr., had owned a farm north of Sleepy Eye, but in the spring of 1882 had sold out and that summer joined JJ. HI. McGowan at railroad contracting. In the fall they had returned to Brown county, but failing to secure a suitable location at Sleepy Eve, where they had planned to spend the winter, they had rented a home in Redwood Falls. When Mr. Werring approached them, they decided to open his goods, establish a store, and remain in charge of the store until spring, at which time they planned to again resume railroad contracting. The goods originally intended for Werring were, therefore, unpacked and, on Dec. 13, 1882, J. Il. McGowan opened the store. The families of Patrick and J. H. MeGowan lived above the store. Mr. Henton, while living in Redwood Falls, spent part of his time with his daughter. A number of people were boarded by the MeGowans until the hotel was completed. R. B. Ilenton, Sr., and J. II. MeGowan continued in business together for several years. Then for six months MIr. Henton conducted it alone and then sold out to Mr. McGowan, who operated it until the spring of 1891, when R. B. Ilenton. Jr., who had then been working in the store for some time, was re- ceived as a partner. Dec. 12. 1903, the stock was sold to D. L. Crimmons, who. after condneting the place for a month, moved to Olivia, leaving the place vacant. Oct. 1. 1904. R. B. Ilenton, Jr., again opened the place, and conducted it until late in 1915, when it was sold to John Kothlow. The store occupies a sightly brick building which replaced the original frame building. The old frame building has been moved a few feet sonth onto lot 27, block 15, and is, as stated, used as a postoffice.
Abont the time that T. H. Barkey was completing his build- ing, W. M. Miller opened a saloon on lots 16 and 17, block 14. Many buildings then went up at about the same time.
J. P. Patten moved the shack of Frank Camp from his farm to lot 7, block 9. Mr. Camp died at this place that fall, his being the first death in the village.
William Wall opened a saloon on lot 20, block 14.
John Terry erected a residence on lot 2, block 10.
John Smith opened a humber yard not far from the present farmers' elevator on the railroad right of way.
John Clancy and John Cutting opened a lumber yard on the railroad right of way on practically the present site of the farm- ers' elevator. They also opened a hardware store on lot 13, block 13. Cutting did not live here. He came here, was dis- satisfied with the way things were going, and went away, leaving Clancy for the time being to conduct the business alone.
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J. P. Watson, a hardware merchant of Marshall, had J. P. Patten ereet for him a building on lot 11, block 14, planning to enter into business here. But he gave up the projeet, and rented the place to Col. Tousley, who that fall opened a grocery store therein.
Ilenry Jorges and family came that fall and erected the house still standing on lot 21, block 1.
Ed. Bowler came at the same time and erected a house on lot 22, block 6.
John Tate, whose father had operated the hotel at Beaver Falls but who had later lived at Redwood Falls, erected a house on lot 21, block 9. He was a carpenter and worked on many of the first houses in the village.
Walter Neilson opened a blacksmith shop on the back of lot 21, block 9. This was on the back of the Tate property. Later the shop was moved to the lot in the rear of the present Com- mercial House and stood there until moved back, when the Com- mercial House was erected.
A flat house was erected northeast of what is now the Rail- road Eating House, on the right of way. The buyer was Thomas Reed. The flat house has long since been burned.
H. B. ("Hobe") Jackson, who had lived on the river bank west of the village. moved in and opened the Eagle House on lot 25, block 14. Jerry P. Patten and his assistants were the carpenters who erected this building. The hotel was opened on Christmas Day, 1882.
The first child born in Morton was born at the Eagle House, the child of Mr. and Mrs. H. B. Jackson. It died in infancy. The second was Mabel. the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Me- Gowan, born March 4, 1883.
Village lots in Morton were first assessed in 1883. The prin- cipal owners were: Geo. Berry, M. P. Hawkins, W. G. Bartley and C. E. Burhaus. The lots which were listed under the name of C. E. Burhaus were all transferred to Jos. L. Preston. Those who had already secured lots were: Mary Jorges, lot 21, block 1; Catherine Vogtman, lot 23, block 1; Emma Ahrens, lot 24, bloek 1: Mattie Berry, lot 1, block 2; Henrietta Berry, lot 2, block 2; Caroline Berry, lot 3. block 2; F. W. Blume, lot 1. block 5; Chas. Bowler, lot 22, block 6; John M. Clancy, lot 17, block 7, lot 13, block 13; Edith Camp, lot 7, block 9; John H. Tate, lot 21, block 9: E. S. Bartley, lots 23, 24, block 9; John Thau, lot 2, block 10: Wm. Forester, lot 15, block 10; Magdalena Wieland, lots 4, 5, 8, 9 and 10, block 13; W. Weiss, lots 6 and 7, bloek 13, lots 15. 16. block 15; Claney & Cutting, lots 15 and 16. block 13: Michael Fernbach, lot 3, block 14; S. R. Miller, lot 5, block 14: T. H. Barkey, lot 10, block 14: Watson & Griffins, lot 11. block
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HISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY
14: Wm. Miller, lots 16 and 17, block 14; Wmn. Wall, lot 20, block 14; Peter Berndgen, lots 21 and 22, block 14: H. B. Jaek- son, lots 23 and 24, block 14; Wm. Carr, lot 17, block 15; Walter Neilson, lot 13, block 15; Henton & MeGowan, lots 24. 25, 26 and 27, bloek 15.
The first marriage in Morton was that of Walter Neilson and Mary Haggerty, Jan. 8, 1885.
The first physician in Morton was Dr. Prather. The next was Dr. R. D. Zimbeck. He was followed by the present physician, Dr. F. W. Penhall.
Jolm A. Dalzell is the only lawyer who has ever lived in Morton. He is still here.
The granite industry has been an important factor in the life and growth of Morton. There is here an inexhanstible supply, and though it has been quarried for many years, there has been little apparent diminution in the ledges from which the rock has been taken. The quarries were first opened by T. Saulpaugh & Co., of Mankato, Minn. John Anderson, the present owner, was the foreman of the crew of ten men which started the work. This was in the spring of 1886. It was only a few months before the ground was covered with derricks and a force of Fully 300 men at work. This continued until 1894, when labor difficulties and financial reverses cansed the original owners to cease opera- tions here. Mr. Anderson then leased the quarries and operated them on a smaller seale. In 1900, Mr. Anderson and his two sons, Fred and William, purchased the quarries and still conduct them under the name of the Anderson Granite Co. The output and workmanship are of the best. Dressed stone For building purposes and a splendid line of monumental work is turned out. With their excellent facilities they are able, should the necessity arise, to produce solid shafts of marble as much as fifty feet long.
Morton was incorporated in the fall of 1887 and an election duly held. The first president was R. B. Ilenton, Sr .; the first council, John Cronan, P. H. Coogan and T. M. Keefe. The first reeorder was Mat. B. Bertrang. The first treasurer was M. H. Noack.
The first meeting of the council was held Sept. 12, 1887. Pres- ident Ilenton was not in attendance and John Cronan presided. Brnee Brown was appointed village attorney and instructed to draw up the village ordinances. P. HI. Ryan was appointed mar- shal. That being at the time of the quarry boom, a seal was adopted, giving a view of the quarry with a derrick in operation. Bids were asked for the erection of a village jail.
Oct. 3, 1887, the contract was let for the village jail. Dec. 12, 1887, a health board was appointed consisting of Dr. Zimbeek for three years, L. White for two years and Brnee Brown for one year. W. C. Keefe was appointed street commissioner.
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The present officers of the village are: President, Michael Holden : vouneil, Gustave Rohner, Samuel Steinke. L. D. Baker : recorder, Matt. Ruch; treasurer, F. W. Orth; assessor, E. C. Fuller; attorney, John A. Dalzell; justice of the peace, E. C. Fuller ; constable, John A. MeGuire: marshal, William ( Keefe.
Fire protection dates from June 5, 1888, when an engine was purchased from New Ulm. A few days later a 500-barrel eistern was built. The cistern was ereeted on lot 2], bloek 9, an engine house ereeted over it, and the engine duly installed. June 16, of the same year. E. L. Hlaskins was appointed chief of the fire de- partment. Aug. 7, 1888, it was voted to purchase a hose cart.
The present waterworks were installed in 1901. A tank was constructed at the spring in the side of the bluff. This is used for household purposes and furnishes one of the best water sup- plies in the state. The force from this tank is sufficient to throw a stream of water over the highest building. But as an added precaution a tank has been constructed at the top of the bluff. This tank is pumped full of water and held in reserve for use in case of fire. The tank at the top of the bluff is of picturesque appearance and its situation gives a tremendous pressure to the water when used in fighting fires.
The village is supplied with electric power from the Wherland Electric Company at Redwood Falls. The lights were first in- stalled in the village in the spring of 1910. Before that the streets were lighted with gas lights.
A brief business directory of Morton follows: John Ander- son & Sons (Benjamin and Fred), momment works: Anderson & Van Vliet Furniture Co. (Win. Anderson, W. F. Van Vliet : : Andrews Hotel (Mrs. Win. Andrews, proprietor) ; Bucholz Bros., City Dray Line ; M. B. Bertrang, general merchandise ; Cedar Rap- ids Oil Co. (Bucholz Bros., managers ) : Commercial Hotel . W. H. Swafford, proprietor) : Columbia Clothing Co. (E. A. Lippert, manager) : W. J. Chapman, City Bakery : Chris. JJ. Cook, jewelry ; Geo. Doster & Co., hardware, furniture, machinery. undertaking ; Dolliff Lumber Co. (Sam Steinke, manager) : J. A. Dalzell. law- ver : J. J. Dallenbach, Riverside Dairy Farm: I. B. Engelhart. pool hall ; Enterprise Newspaper (R. F. Rubey, proprietor) : Farm- ers' Co-operative Grain & Stock Co., grain, stoek, twine, ma- chinery; F. Fesenmeier, garage: Mrs. Cora D. Fox, millinery : Mrs. Marie Galle, Bazaar: Gillen's Grill Room (Mrs. Roy Gillen. proprietor) ; Golden Rule (E. J. Kohlow, proprietor ), general mer- chandise ; Jos. Holmbar, painter ; Grover C. Jachning & Co., drug store: W. H. Kumro, photograph gallery ; Keefe & Lussenhop. hardware, machinery, undertaking, furniture (D. F. Keefe, W. L. Lussenhop) : W. C. Keefe, pool hall: Thos. Kelly, of Good- thunder & Kelly, dray line (Chas. Goodthunder) : II. II. Logan. drug store (Red Cross Drug Store) ; Larson & Midtbruget, cafe
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IHISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY
(R. E. Larson and E. M. Midtbruget) ; A. A. Lawton, shoe store; Morton Mercantile Co. (G. J. Simon, proprietor) ; J. A. McGuire, auto and horse livery : D. J. McCartan, dentist ; Morton Telephone Co. (Chas. Orth, H. Beckman, F. W. Orth) ; A. F. Mahowald, har- ness shop and real estate ; Minnesota Clay Works (N. P. Ostrum, manager : II. A. Sodergren. president) ; John I. Miller, barber; Morton Creamery Co. (P. L. Gardner, proprietor) ; Morton Ice Cream Factory (P. L. Gardner, proprietor) ; Morton Milling Co. (W. II. Castle, manager) ; G. A. Miller, Farmers' HIome Res- taurant: Morton Opera House (J. II. MeGowan) ; New State Bank (F. E. Sylvester, cashier; Wm. Wichman, president ; E. J. Kohlow. vice-president : E. W. Neunsinger, assistant cashier) ; O. W. Newton, postmaster : F. W. Penhall, M. D. : Pfeiffer & Rohner, meat market (Fred Pfeiffer, G. A. Rohner) ; Railroad Eating House. W. H. Swafford, proprietor; Matt. Rush, barber: Fred Storeh, blacksmith: State Bank of Morton (F. W. Orth, presi- dent : Henry Beekman, cashier, R. B. Ilenton, vice-president ; Clinton G. Orth, assistant cashier) ; Mike Singer, blacksmith; Julia Traynor, millinery : Henry Waldhoff, jeweler; R. W. Whit- tier, M. D.
The Farmers' Co-operative Grain Company was organized by F. E. Sylvester, cashier of the New State Bank of Morton, as- sisted by Win. Wiehman, August Dann, and others. The present building was created in 1910 by the Great Western Elevator Com- pany, of Minneapolis, who sold it to F. W. Orth and R. B. Henton, who operated there until Sept. 1. 1914, under the name of the Farmers Elevator Company. August, 1914, they sold it for $4,000 to the present company, who began operations Sept. 1, 1914. The building is 32 by 40 and 100 feet high, and has a capacity of 24,000 bushels of grain. From Sept. 1, 1914, to Feb. 1, 1915, this com- pany bought 160,000 bushels of grain and 450 tons of coal. The elevator is well equipped, is operated by electricity, and does a splendid business, not only in grain dealing but also in selling fuel and state binder twine. Under the present manager, George D. Wells, many improvements have been made, including the erection of an office and the purchase of a sheller. The present officers are: President, Angust Daun; viee-president, Paul Schafer: secretary, F. E. Zumwinkle : treasurer, Charles Buscho.
Morton Telephone Exchange was established in 1902 by Charles II. Orth, who is the owner and manager. It is located on the second floor of the MeCormick building over Jaehnning's drug store. It has 100 subscribers in the village and operates an exchange for the Morton Rural Telephone Company. Its op- erators are Hattie Flink and Frank Niles. It has Northwestern and Interstate long distance connections.
The Morton Rural Telephone Company was established in 1905 at Morton with the following officers: President, F. W.
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HISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY
Orth ; vice-president, Dr. F. W. Penhall; secretary, Ilenry Beek- man ; treasurer, Fred Watsehke. It has 102 subscribers at pres- ent. The present officers are : President, Louis Zinne; vice-presi- dent, Frank Goelz; secretary and treasurer, Henry Beekman; and manager, Charles H. Orth.
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