USA > Minnesota > Renville County > The history of Renville County, Minnesota, Volume II > Part 89
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And one story makes you think of an- other: In the fall of 1866 I was at Fort Ridgely and heard someway that a party living north of the fort, in Mud Lake, now Cairo township, wished to trade a yoke of oxen for a horse. I had a horse which I had been riding most of the summer, looking over the country. I had secured my claim of land and a yoke of oxen would do me a whole lot better than one horse, so I rode over and made the trade with liim in short order, the settler giving me the oxen with yoke and log chain, I de- livering to him the horse, a good saddle and bridle, with blanket. The oxen were a well broken pair of stags, and were really the best team of oxen I ever owned. Two years later I sold them to Jerry Reagan, who now lives at Morton. Jerry wanted me to throw in a lot of things, the oxen looked so homely. I am inclined to think I did, for I had just been elected county auditor of the county, and thought I was some pumpkins; a heap more than I did later when I had got some of the political experience, and discovered that my salary was paid in county orders, with no money in the county treasury to pay them, but that is another good-sized story, which is almost making me wander, so I must return to my trade with the settler, who told me that the oxen were kind and gentle, that I could jump right on the back of the nigh ox in crossing any of the streams, which were plenty those days of no bridges, so it was not long before we struck a creek of some magnitude: I care- fully got onto the back of the big old fel-
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low, not just sure how he would take it, but he was quiet and all right and I started them through the stream. They went fine and i was well pleased with the way my new purchase performed, when without any warning, like a bolt from the blue, my mount bellowed and lunged in a man- ner that would do credit to a bucking bronco. The other ox didn't seem to have gone crazy, so he, being yoked to my seemingly war horse, held him some, but the gyrations of my steed was some fright- ful, and 1 was in a wondering state of mind. An ox is a mighty awkward animal to ride on, their head is carried so low, and there is no chance to take hold of any mane when it is necessary to grab leather, hence I was some confused and not a little alarmed that this old bovine had been sud- denly struck with hydrophobia upon enter- ing the waters of this quiet stream. 1, however, wasn't given so very much time to think about it. for all at once the old cuss seemed to have an extra bad spasm and some way improvised a movement, on his part, that threw me high into the air and 1 landed square on my back at the edge of the stream. When I came to ] was looking straight up at the blue sky. and my oxen were quietly grazing near by as if nothing had happened. 1 then began to study this strange action on the part of this mature and gentle old stag. I felt him over and there seemed to be no sore spots. What then could be the matter? 1 then examined my own short-comings and would see wherein 1 might be the cause, and when, after no little search, 1 found 1 was wearing a wicked pair of rowels on the heels of my boots, which 1 had forgotten to shed with the horse. It was all just as plain as day, and we never did let it occur again.
Another incident might be worth relat- ing. After my brothers and I had got our shack up and were getting things started on the land, my youngest brother Charles had come on by this time, we thought good water was an important addition to any well-regulated household. We had been taking water we used from a shallow well close to a slough near by, and why we didn't all have typhoid fever or germ-mak- ing disease is doubtless because we were so hardy and tough no microbe could make headway; then it was not the style to be afraid of every kind of animalcule or minute bug, as it is today, so we kept beastly healthy all the time. but a well with pure cold water was something we longed for, and concluded to have, and we boys started to dig a well in about the location we wished to have it. We went down as deep as we could throw the soil out by hand, about ten or twelve feet, then a windlass had to be rigged with a rope and large bucket to haul the dirt to the surface. Those days digging wells was a trade requiring something of an expert. such a man was "Burns, the Well Digger,"
as he was known by all at that time. He was an old bachelor and had a claim east of ours a few miles and was a good neigh- bor. We employed him to come to our place to finish digging our well. He came, He was also a "water witch," one who, by the manipulation or the using of a forked stick, tells the sure place to dig to find a vein of water. He examined and tested the place we had located and begun to dig our well. He told us that no water would be found at that place, but that at a short distance away plenty of water would be found at the depth of twenty-five feet. I had no faith in his forked stick theory and told him to dig where we had started and got down so far. He says "All right, it is fifty cents a foot." He went down forty- five feet and it seemed to be getting dryer, with the ground ever so much harder as he went deeper. Water was obtained by going down about twenty-five feet in that neighborhood. We didn't want to pull water from so deep a well, so we quit digging and gave up that well. The forked stick would work in my brother Charley's hands, but in the hands of none of the rest except "Well Digger Burns". Burns, with his forked stick, would find a vein of water, under the ground, and follow it across the fields. My brother Charley, who had been blindfolded and out of sight of Burns, would come out and follow the same vein as did Burns, or at least, under the influence of the forked stick go over the same ground previously traveled by Burns, so the next well } let Burns sink it his way, and he got never failing water at a depth of twenty-eight feet.
When the U. S. troops were stationed at Fort Ridgely all the water they used was hauled some distance from a spring in a deep coolie east of the fort. A well was dug over one hundred feet deep by the government, and no water. Burns was the first one to find water. He located a number of wells there with his forked stick at about thirty feet depth, after the sol- diers had left, one right on the parade ground and one near the settlers' store. The principle upon which Burns worked with his forked stick I never tried to fathom, neither could I satisfactorily dis- cuss it with him. He always accomplished results, what more could science do? We pause for reply. (By Darwin S. Hall. )
The first lawsuit in Birch Cooley, and without doubt the first lawsuit in Renville county. While the early settlers of Ren- ville county were, as a rule, peaceable and friendly, one with the other, it was only natural that occasional difference of opin- ions would arise over different subjects, or caused by the advent of "John Barley- corn" upon occasions. But in the spring of 1868 town meetings were held in the several towns in the county, at which were elected peace officers as well as other officials for the townships, which was im- portant, in that it no longer demanded
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physical efforts to settle personal contro- versies as in the years that had passed. But the strong arm of the law was pre- pared to lay heavy hands upon any and all malefactors.
The early settlers of Birch Cooley town- ship were mostly Irish and American, few of other nationalities were among the first in that township, and no effort will be made to record the semi-occasional combats en- gaged in by the denizens of this Birch Cooley township, while upon their various visits to New Ulm, Redwood Falls, Beaver Falls or other places where spirituous, vinous or malt liquor was dished out. prior to the establishment of law, by the election of Willard Drury as justice of the peace for the township of Birch Cooley.
The people of this township, in 1868, were not over-burdened with worldly goods. It might be said that their means were about as limited as they well could be, one who possessed a yoke of oxen was some capitalist, and those who had two yoke of oxen (there were no horses), with other stock, swine, poultry, sheep for the winter socks, etc., seemed possessors of great wealth and were few in number. But among this latter number were John Tracy and Terrence Brazil, Sr. Tracy was a quiet and industrious man, said very little, but did a lot of thinking. He brought in some stock and started to open up a farm near the Birch Cooley timber. Brazil had land that ran into the timber near Tracy's. He also had considerable stock. was an active, energetic man with a grow- ing family coming up around him: he was inclined to be some quick tempered, and rather more outspoken than Tracy, but a man with generous impulses and kind at lieart.
Tracy and Brazil were neighbors, but they . didn't hit it off well. Tracy's stock would roam over Brazil's land and Brazil's stock would break into Tracy's field, and other things, as often happens with near neighbors. The breach widened until final- ly Brazil had Tracy hailed before Justice Drury on a criminal charge of cutting or mangling Brazil's cattle when they strayed over on Tracy's premises.
The case was tried at Justice Drury's house, in the north part of the township. E. T. Tillotson, later clerk of court, and a character. was attorney for plaintiff, or state. Brazil the complaining witness. Col. Sam McPhail, of Redwood Falls, another peculiar character if there ever was one, his voice always pitched in a high key, appeared for the defendant, Tracy. A jury trial was demanded and a court officer was sent out into the highways and tall grasses to bring in the men for a jury. Six men were all he could round up for the pur- pose, and it was decided to go on with the case, so the six men were sworn in as jurors and the case presented by Tillotson. as attorney for the state. Witnesses were sworn; the attorneys were active in rag-
ging witnesses, almost coming to blows themselves at times. They insisted on telling Drury what evidence to admit, and the court had its hands full keeping order, but kept the rampant lawyers from each other's throats, insisting on preserving the dignity of the court. The attorneys ad- dressed the jury at great length, and final- ly the case went to the jury, who were directed to retire in charge of a bailiff to deliberate on their verdict, but there was no place to go to. The house was small, hovel for cattle near by unfit, so as a last resort the jury of six men, or boys, were herded into a chicken coop so small that they had to stoop low to get in, and the odor and surroundings were some fierce, but you may be sure that jury was im- pressed with its responsibility. They fully believed if they said guilty it would send John Tracy to prison, away from his wife and family, and it was a solemn duty for them. They thought maybe Tracy had been a little hasty in firing axes, pitch forks, etc., at Brazil's cattle, even though he had some cause for wrath, but "guilty," standing out alone by itself, they could not pronounce, so the jury brought in a verdict, pronouncing Tracy guilty and im- posing a fine of $40. When this verdict was read there was an explosion in the improvised court room. Col. McPhail, in his high-keyed voice, claimed the court had been insulted by the jury trying to fine the prisoner, thus assuming a prerogative of the court. The court must have had some such idea also from the way he expressed his surprise at the dense ignorance of law manifested by that six-man jury. He ordered them to return from whence they came, the coop, and bring in a verdict of simply guilty or not guilty, and as they were bound not to send John Tracy from his family and away to prison, the verdict was "not guilty."
Then Tillitson, who didn't say much at the other verdict, set up a howl, but no use, "the first lawsuit" was ended. (By
Darwin S. Hall.)
The Story of Rogues' Island. Rogues' Island, a sightly stretch of land, consisting of about three acres in Preston lake, has borne various local designations, including Eagle Island.
Its official and present name was origi- nated a number of years ago at a party held on the island with Hon. Darwin S. Hall as host.
Hon. David Benson, of Renville, tells the story with characteristic humor in a per- sonal letter to the editor, which is well worth producing here. Mr. Benson says: "Some twenty years ago Hon. D. S. Hall, member of Congress from the Third Con- gressional District, invited a few of his friends to come out to his Preston Lake farm for a week-end outing and a good time generally. The party consisted of Andrew Bromstad, A. H. Anderson, F. G. Nellermoe, P. O. Dosseth, H. H. Olson.
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Hans Tompte and myself. Andrew Brom- stad was then editor of the "Sacred Heart Journal." He is now editor of a news- paper at Milan, Minn., a Republican strong- hold which he has succeeded in turning Democratic, so much so that he has forced the U. S. government to appoint him post- master. A. H. Anderson was a county commissioner, and, as the saying is, was the "whole thing" up in his "west end" district at that time. F. G. Nellermoe was then, as now, a banker and man of af- fairs at Buffalo Lake. H. H. Olson was a substantial farmer from Wang township, a typical Norseman, whiskers and all, a jolly good fellow at all times. P. O. Dosseth was one of the best farmers in the Erick- son township, a big man physically and every way dependable man. Hans Tompte was a business man of Sacred Heart, liked a good time, a cheerful loser and all 'round good sport. As for myself. it is difficult to properly classify me. Some might have considered me a politician in those days. But back at that time there was another name that some of them called me which politicians always enjoy. Our county, at that time, had a large for- eign born population. Many of them after living here for a time wanted to change their names to something having a more American sound.
"In those days it took an act of the legis- lature to change one's name. That did not cost anything. Now the district court at- tends to that matter and the victim must "cough up" two dollars to the change artist. During my several terms in the legislature 1 succeeded in getting acts passed changing a number of names. Ap- preciation for this service together witht the fact that I was one of the twenty-four who voted for Governor O. K. Davis for U. S. senator from Minnesota, caused some of my constituents to look upon me not as a politician but a statesman. Nowdays some of the politicians are spoken of as "Pork Barrel Statesmen."
"Well, Darwin Hall had sent out his call, in those days, "one blast upon his bugle horn were worth a thousand men." We knew him for a liberal entertainer and responded with alacrity.
"Arriving at Preston Lake on this me- morial trip of which I am relating, fishing tackle, tents, provisions and refreshments ot all kinds, both liquid and solids, were loaded into the boats and we pulled over to the island, a delightful retreat owned by Mr. Hall, where we set up our tents and prepared to settle down for a number of days of care-free relaxation.
"The weather was ideal, one of those beautiful June Saturdays, and we looked forward to a delightful time, nor were we disappointed. Our anticipations were fully realized, and then some. A happy after- noon was put in by varions kinds of diver- sions, visiting, disenssing things political
and social, the price of farm products, and some fishing. In the evening the great American game was started up in the big tent, much interest and animation was manifested by the various iudivduals en- gaged in the good-natured contest, which lasted well into the small hours.
"At about midnight the suggestion was made that some of the party go out on the lake and catch some fish for breakfast. I being no good at the game and as Neller- moe never "sat in," very naturally the choice fell upon Mr. Nellermoe and my- self Another reason, we were from the northern part of Norway, known as the greatest fish country in the world, born and reared, as it were, with our youthful feet in foam of the sea. So off we started. After spending some time on the lake, the night being exceedingly dark, we decided to return to camp. it must have been about 1 o'clock when we arrived at this conclusion. Soon we reached, as 1 sup- posed, tlie shore, though as a matter of fact there was about four feet of water between the boat and the shore or landing place. Nellermoe had jumped out of the bow of the boat with his long legged rub- ber boots on, holding the front end of the craft preparatory to landing. 1 arose in the stern of the boat, thinking that we were already on the beach and expecting to step right out on land. Just then, how- ever, Nellermoe pulled the boat np to the landing with a sudden jerk. Backwards over the stern of the boat I went, head down, into fifteen or twenty feet of water. I suppose at this time this would be called "sub-marine-ing." When I came to the surface sputtering water from my eyes, nose and mouth, Nellermoe called me, say- ing, "1 have found your hat." The hat, as insisted upon by the rest of the visitors, was my periscope while I was raking the bottom of the lake to get fish for break- fast. At that time I could not see Neller- moe's face in the darkness of the night, but I knew I was getting no sympathy and that he was laughing at me. So I then and there abandoned "sub-marine-ing" for all time to come, though i notice since 1 gave it up it has been brought to a considerable success.
"After I got myself once more on dry land and emptied out my long rubber boots, I said to Nellermoe: "Don't say anything to that bunch up in the tent. It is bad enough as it is." We had a big log-heap of a camp fire burning up a lot of old timber on the island. It sure looked good to me that night. I got as close to it as 1 could. 1 turned myself from side to side, a-baking myself and trying to get warm as best 1 could, for l was some moist when I had finished that midnight fishing trip. The night was rather chilly and my con- dition was not what one could call real comfortable, and worst of all I did not seem to get any real first class sympathy from my comrades. This somewhat peeved
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me for the time being, but the warm sun- shine of the next day and some dry cloth- ing got at Darwin Hall's house brought back the cheer and banished the trouble.
"While i was by that fire in that de- pressed frame of mind before mentioned. 1 observed quite a commotion going on in the tent. Loud voices were heard in mirth- ful badinage, a real jollification was being held. I tried to imagine that a band of bloody Sioux or Blackfoot Indians had sneaked over to the island and taken pos- session while Nellermoe and I were out fishing, so full of resentment and wolfish were my feelings, for lack of sympathy, while i was ont by that camp fire trying to absorb a little warmth; 1 almost wished the whole gang massacred. Gritting my teeth I listened to the hilarity for a con- siderable time. Finally I took advantage of a slight lull in the apparent celebration. I called to Mr. Hall and asked him. "What is the name of this island of yours?" "I never knew that it had a name," was his reply. "Well." said 1. "it's got a name now, and don't you forget it." "What is it?" asked Mr. Hall. 1 replied that here- after this island should bear the name and be designated as Rogue's island in com- memoration of the buccaneers and piratical vikings who landed upon it this beautiful day in June. The "boys" saw the joke and agreed that possibly the name might be all right and appropriate. The next day, most of them being used to big ships and the manner of naming them. concluded they would christen the island after the manner of launching a ship. by breaking a bottle of champagne across her bow. Not having the imported extra-dry. they de- cided that two bottles of an inferior brand. or different kind of spirituous would do just as well. It may have taken three. 1 am not sure, anyway the island was christened all right, and the name I gave it that day has stuck. Some years after- yards, Sherwood, of Bird Island, issued a map of Renville county, Rogue's Island appeared upon that map, thus, while I gave this beautiful piece of land its name, true and proper. Sherwood did help to put- Rogue's Island on the map."
(Editor's Note. It should be stated here that though Mr. Benson wrote the first draft of this story. it has been considerably revised by other members of that memor- able party. and in inserting statements here and there, especially those regarding the state of Mr. Benson's feelings during the proceedings, they have had fully as much enjoyment as they did in participat- ing in that trip of so many years ago. )
Werner Baesch was a native of Germany and settled in about 1852 or 1853 on some land three and a half miles northwest from Fort Ridgely, coming at about the time that the fort was built. Afterwards he located on a half section of Indian script land on the west side of the Little Rock creek, now called Three Mile creek. Part
of this land was located in section 22 and part in section 23, township 112, range 33, in the town of Camp. The old government trail or road was laid across this creek and Werner Baesch's land at this point was a fine camping ground, as there was a fine spring of clear and good water there the whole year around. In time this township took its name from this camping ground. All travelers going west on the old gov- ernment road always stopped there to rest. Werner Baesch was a very industrious man, but farming in those days was a rather poor paying business, only enough whereby to make a living. The only mar- ket for produce was at Fort Ridgely. Fin- ally, along in 1856 or 1857. Mr. Baesch started a trading point at his place. He kept a little store of merchandise. grocer- ies, etc., which was transported by steam- boats from St. Paul on the Minnesota river to Fort Ridgely. He also kept an old- fashioned stopping place or tavern for the traveling public, and in connection with the tavern, a bar. He built up a very fine trade and made considerable money. He had a fine trade with the Indians in furs of all kinds, especially muskrats, mink, coons and fox. This western country was full of such fur-bearing animals at that time. The trade and business went smooth- ly up till the Indian outbreak in 1862. Mr. Baesch had a great many friends among the Indians and was warned in time of the outbreak. He took the warning, packed most of his property and moved to New Ulm. Later the Indians set fire to all his buildings at the trading post. A log cabin was left, but that building was about a half mile southwest, on his quarter section of land in section 22. He remained in New Um and entered the milling busi- ness, both flour milling and saw milling. His mill in New Ulm was well and favor- ably known all over this western country. In 1868 this concern consisted of Baesch, Pheninger and Deanke, under the name of Eagle Mill Co. In May, 1868, he sold his half section farm at Little Rock Creek, 160 acres to N. O. Berge and 160 acres to Sylvester Olson. Mr. Baesch was a gentle- man of the clearest type, accommodating and helping many of the early settlers along in financial and many other ways, especially during the four years of the grasshopper plague. He was married and had one daughter, now Mrs. Mathews, last heard of in Marshall, Minn. Mrs. Baesch died in New Ulm, Minn., in the latter part of the eighties, and Mr. Baesch in the middle part of the nineties. (By Nels O. Berge.)
Fort Ridgely Drum Corps. Miles P. Clark and his two sons. Howard and Wil- liam, composed the original Fort Ridgely Drum Corps. They furnished the martial music for the government service, and re- mained near the fort after the fort was discontinued. In 1870 Chas. H. Hopkins was taken into the organization and their
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first exploit after he joined was to play at the Fourth of July celebration held that year at Beaver Falls, then the county seat of Renville county.
1 will mention in passing. that in those days there was a jealous strife between the citizens of Beaver Falls and the citi- zens of Redwood Falls, the county seat of Redwood county, only about six miles apart on opposite sides of the Minnesota river. On account of there being so much speculators' land lying south and east of Redwood Falls, everything favored the fur- ther success of Beaver Falls. The popu- lation being about even the circumstances were such that when either village cele- brated the other could not.
The Drum Corps left Fort Ridgely at 4 o'clock in the morning with a four-horse team and band wagon, all trimmed and decorated for the occasion, and arrived at the top of the hill overlooking the village at 9 a. m., after driving 20 miles.
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