USA > Minnesota > Renville County > The history of Renville County, Minnesota, Volume II > Part 91
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In the summer of 1869 the colony in Camp grew very rapidly. I deeded to my father, who had furnished me the money. the 160 acres I had purchased from Werner Baesch, and then I located a claim on the northeast quarter section 23. Others who located claims about this time were: H. S. Johnson, southwest quarter section 24: L. Anderson, northwest quarter section 24; John Sampson, northwest quarter section 25; Halvor Ilanson, northeast quarter ser- tion 25; Hans C. Jenson, southeast quarter
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section 25; John Lee, southeast quarter section 26; Peter Isaacson, northeast quar- ter section 34; Albert Wiehr, northwest quarter section 13. Robert Wiehr later bought out the claim of James Cannon, southwest quarter section 13. Further west in the township there came that sum- mer John Sather, Christ Lyness, Elef Olson Ole Dybedahl and G. A. Anderson.
Others who came in 1869 or 1870 were: Hans Peterson, John Mundahl, Peter Henry, Swan Gilbertson, Engebret Thomp- son, Magnus Johnson, Gergen Gilbertson and Ole Peterson. Helleck Anderson set. tled in sections 1 and 12, south Birch Cooley township, and on a part of his farm the village of Franklin was afterward lo- cated.
Among the settlers in Camp in 1870-73 were: John Thompson and brothers. Mons and Christ Thompson; Daniel O'Neil, Sr., E. G. Melvold, L. H. Ruud, A. A. Bergly, Amon A. Berger, Gilbert Olson, Ole Jacob- son, Lewis J. Enger, John J. Enger, Jr., John Enger, Sr .. A. Hattlestad, I. A. Mathison, John A. Gleason. Ole Melvold, E. Eidswold and others. Most of these men bronght claims from others who did not find the Minnesota winters to their liking and who sold out and left for warmer climates.
Among other early settlers of Camp may be mentioned: Hagen Nelson ( first set- tled in section 34, in the Minnesota valley, on a tract mostly covered with timber, and then sold out and bought prairie land. southwest quarter section 3); Ole Nelson, southeast quarter section 9; Engbric Lar- son, southeast quarter section 15; Thomas Campbell. northeast quarter section 2; Ole Steffenson, section 3; A. Kallon, south- west quarter section 4; Carl Nelson, north- west quarter section 6: Abraham Jobnson, northeast quarter section 5 (later sold to John Sallow): Victor Rieke, southwest quarter section 6: (. Graff, northwest quar- ter section 7; Herman Bethke, northeast quarter section 7; Otto Haack, northeast quarter section 17; Peter Trucke, east one- half southwest quarter section 15; O. J. Boyum and M. (. Nordby, northeast quar- ter section 15: M. Schones, northeast quar- ter section 13 (later sold to John Severine).
In Cairo township the Riekies were set- tled on Mud lake before the massacre. The Dickmyers and others came not long after- ward. Among the early settlers in the western part may be mentioned Mason Phelps, Jay Phelps, - Lampher, William Height. Amos Root, - Pierce. Nelson Reed, Hugh Carson. - Winson. Ed. Kan- nedy. Henry Behrens, Ditns Rector and others. Some of them sold out during the grasshopper ravages of the middle seven- ties and moved to other localities.
In 1869 the following settlers came to Cairo: E. H. Grasmoen, Ole O. Lunder, Martin J. Asak, Jacob Peterson, Torger Moe, Hans Evenson, Torkel Evenson, An- drew Thompson, Col. C. H. Hopkins, Sam.
March, Ural Tibbitts. Charles Bird, and Charles H. Nixon. Martin Welsh settled on the northwest quarter section 8, part of the village of Fairfax being platted on his land. John Welsh bought the relin- quishment homestead rights of a Mr. Dodge, southeast quarter section 8. N. B. Christman settled in section 33; Seymour Stephens, section 33; James Fullerton, section 16; Charles Dieter, section 12.
Others who settled that year or the next were: M. A. Turner, near Fort Ridgely; Joseph Jnllins, a little east of the fort; F. Steinert, section 31; M. A. LaBarron, sec- tion 30; F. J. MeCanna, section 33; John Sallo, section 30; Henry Craig, section 20; John Buehar, section 21; J. F. Maxwell, section 19; Nels Peterson, section 8; Thomas Crone, section 6: James O'Hara, Sr., section 6; M. Finley, section 10; Feilo Dodge, section 4; Dolphus Smith, section 29; Mike Colman, section 3; William Dodge, section 3; Thomas Greer and Ed- mond O'Hara. O'Hara was one of the first representatives in the legislature from Renville county. On his homestead, south- east quarter section 5. the village of East Fairfax is located. Most of the men men- tioned in this list have sold out, and the German nationality now predominates.
In the early seventies came Seymour Stevens, Ole O. Kinde; Walter Caven, northwest quarter section 6; Peter Gun- derson, northwest quarter section 18.
The majority of the early settlers of Cairo township outside of the Rieke set- tlement were American born, many of them old soldiers. Their neighborhood was called Yankee-town, and was not abandoned until well along in the eighties. Gradually, however, the Germans replaced these early Americans.
Aside from the "Yankees" in Cairo town- ship most of the early settlers in the southeastern part of Renville county were Scandinavians. Later the Germans came in large numbers. Now the German people predominate in Cairo, Wellington and Flora.
Dr. C. S. Knapp was a notable figure of the early days. In 1873 he and his family settled on the northwest quarter section 28, Cairo, coming from Monroe county, Wisconsin. He had three grown-up sons and they attended to the farm toil, while he, an able physician and surgeon, did splendid work in a large field of practice. When Fairfax village was established he opened the first drug store there. In the late eighties he sold out and took up prac- tice in St. Paul. His youngest son, B. W. Knapp, was register of deeds for Renville county for two terms.
In 1869 and 1870 many people settled in Bandon: Peter Sather, John P. Nestande, Peter Hoimyr, Iver Brand jord, Paul Knudtson, Gabriel Nelson, T. Peterson, Martin Hagge. Hans Gompolen, Jacob Vol- lin. Mathias Kelley, Hans Carlson, Gnnerus Peterson, Peter Hornseth. Ole Anderson,
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J. Holley, Sr., Torger Rindahl, Andrew Torgerson, Louis Olson, Gustav Anderson, and Anton Johnson, all Scandinavians. In the west part a number of Irishmen set- tled: James Hurley, Patrick Farrell, James Leary, Patrick Cronin, Timothy Carline, Jeremiah Shay, Sr., Jeremiah Shay, Jr., Dennis Farrell, Jeremiah Farrell, Erland Kelly, Cornelius Ryan, Daniel Hamlon and Cornelius Desmond. The Scandinavians who came in 1870-73 were Andrew A. Dallquist and sons, O. P. Hoimyr, Nels Mork and brothers, E. O. Holley, Andrew Hanson, Iver Weikle; S. Sobjee and E. Schjee, section 33; Mareus Iverson, section 33: Ole Stefenson, section 34; Ole Knutson, section 4; E. Nelson, seetion 35; E. Schwarz, section 1; O. F. Schwarz, sec- tion 1: Louis Kaester, section 12; L. K. Knudson, section 12; Ole Lee, section 33.
l11 1871-75 Bandon township was well
settled up. Among those who came may be mentioned: R. O. Ness, northwest quar- ter section 25; 1. A. Mundahl, south one. half section 25: Hans Mundahl, southwest quarter section 36; Eric Iverson and 1. E. Mundahl, northwest quarter section 36; Frick Iverson and S. O. Korsmo, northeast quarter seetion 36; - Murnane, southeast quarter seetion 36; Ino McGinty, southeast quarter section 24; Peter Lund, southeast quarter section 12; Osolf Olson, southwest quarter section 12; Andrew Dahlquist. southwest quarter seetion 11; O. O. Anden- gard, section 10; O. O. Kelergard, section 15: Thom Semingsen, section 3; Eric Elevold, section 3.
Bandon is now divided between four na- tionalities, Irish, Germans, Finns and Scan- dinavians, the Scandinavian, possibly pre- dominating.
In 1872-73 quite a few settlers, for the most part lrish, took up their homes in the west part of Wellington township. Among them may be mentioned: M. Igo and his son John, section 19; William Fahey, section 8: Patrick Fahey, section 18; - McLane and - Donnelly, section 30: Patrick Garrity, seetion 32; Michael Ruddy. section 20; Patriek Lavalla, section 28: Dennis Cready, section 30; John Fahey. section S: Michael Fahey, section 20; Ed. ward Hanna, seetion 6; William Maxwell, section 5. Thomas Maxwell got over the line in sections 31 and 32. A little later William Carson came to Wellington and settled in sections 15 and 22. The east half of Wellington was settled by Germans. At the present time the town is remark- able for the number of families bearing the name of Kieeker.
As the years passed people got further back on the prairies. Wellington, Martins- burg and Palmyra began to be settled, mostly by Norwegian and Swedish people. Palmyra was noted for its number of An- dersons. In the early times there were no less than twenty Andersons settled in one group. It would be almost impossible to name them all. Besides the Andersons
the pioneers of Palmyra in the early seven- ties were - Gerard, O. A. Erickson, Ole Tinnes, Swan L. Tinnes, Anton Christian- son, Eric Erieson, - Aahl, and J. M. Blad. A feature of Palmyra life in the pioneer times was the sod houses, built of tough prairie sod, plastered with clay mortar in- side and out, whitewashed with lime, par- titioned, roofed with heavy blue cambric hay, and provided with floors, ceilings and windows. From a distance these struc- tures looked like frame houses. The barns were of the same material. The people in Palmyra were active in starting schools and improving their farms and soon had a splendid community.
C. A. Mork, for several years county register of deeds, was an early settler of Palmyra township. He located in the southwest quarter of seetion 10. Others who may be mentioned were: O. O. Nords- kog, seetion 16: Carl Daniels, section 31; Ed. Olson, section 33 (be established the Eddsville postoffice); Swein Bergman, see- tion 15; Ole D. Nordskog, section 18; O. Halvorson, seetion 30; Gilbert Mattson, section 12; E. M. Ericson, seetion 11; An- drew Anderson, section 13; John Anderson, section 13; Berndt Anderson, section 34; John Anderson. seetion 34; August Ander- son, seetion 34; C. Landerson, seetion 34; A. W. Anderson, section 24; Swan Pear- son, section 25; J. O. Anderson, section 36; A. Anderson, section 36; J. B. Ander- son, section 36; J. B. Johnson, seetion 26. During the latter part of the seventies the homestead land was taken up, and atter the H. & D. railroad came through the railroad land was taken.
While I was away, from August, 1868, to June, 1869, many changes had taken place. The country was settling up. Hun- dreds of travelers daily were passing along the old government road, some being land- seekers who were going further west to settle, and some being pioneers on their way to and from New Ulm, the trading point. So many travelers. suffering from the cold, had stopped at the home of my uncle. Lewis Hanson, in Camp township, that he had decided to erect a hotel. This hotel, the Three Mile Creek Hotel, was nearly finished when I returned. Many pioneers remember the hospitality of my uncle, both at his eabin and at the hotel. Many were the lives saved at his place in severe storms, and many were the noses, toes and fingers thawed out at his genial hre. Later quite a village grew at this point.
In 1872 T. H. Hafsoe arrived and erected a building which he stocked with general merchandise such as groceries, drygoods and hardware. A postoffice called Renville postoffice was established with Mr. Hafsoe as postmaster, and a stage line was estab- lished between New Ulm and Beaver Falls via West Newton, Fort Ridgely, Renville postoffice and later Franklin postoffice. Hagestad & Lee, with Simon Lee as pro-
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prietor, erected a general and hardware store and conducted a restaurant and sa- loon business in connection. Ole Olson opened a blacksmith shop.
In 1873, William Pless erected a water- power grist mill at the mouth of Three Mile creek, and for several years did a rushing business. Later his son-in-law. Herman Kooke, erected a sawmill at the same place. It is interesting to note that the Pless mill stood on the very site of the old log home of Thomas Smith, who was killed in the Massacre. Mrs. Smith sold the place to Christ Slumberger, who in 1867 sold to Peter Nelson.
The postoffice at Three Mile Creek con- tinned to be called Renville for many years. But after the village of Renville station was established, a Renville post- office was also established there. To avoid confusion, the Three Mile creek office had its name changed to Camp.
About 1878, T. H. Hafsoe sold his stock of goods to Louis Thiele, who also suc- ceeded him as postmaster. Thiele sold out to S. P. Nelson, who was also appointed postmaster. Finally the store was de- stroyed by fire and never rebuilt. Only one store was then left on the place, that of H. M. Hagestad, who was appointed post- master and held the position for several years. Louis Hanson conducted the Three Mile Creek Hotel until 1877. when he sold out to parties who made a failure of it. When the M. & St. L. came through all the small trading posts faded away.
Louis Hanson was born in Granvin. parish of Hardanger, South Bergen bishopry, in 1835, and came to the United States in the spring of 1854, engaging first in agricultural work at Stoughton, Dane county, Wisconsin, and later in lumbering at Stevens Point, in the same state. In 1857 at Cambridge, Wisconsin, he married Aggie O. Drogswald. In the latter part of the same year he moved to Ettrick. Trem- pealeau county, Wisconsin, and engaged in farming on eighty acres. In 1865 he en- listed as a volunteer and served in the Union army until 1866, when he received his honorable discharge and returned home. Later he sold his farm and he and some of his comrades and friends organ- ized a colony to settle further west. In 1868 he settled on a claim of 160 acres in section 23, Camp township, and engaged in farming. As already related he opened a hotel and enjoyed a flourishing business. His wife died in September, 1877. so he sold his hotel and engaged in farming. He now lives in Greland, Ward county, North Dakota. Mr. Hanson had two sons and four daughters. Henry L. Hanson lives in Fairfax, Minnesota. Julius L. Hanson lives in Greland, North Dakota. The four daugh- ters are happily married and all have com- fortable homes.
Victor Rieke in the seventies erected a grist mill which became a famous land- mark. It was operated by water from
springs in a ravine gathered in a dam, from which extended a water flume or race about 30 rods long from dam to mill, which dropped the water on top of a 36-foot water wheel which developed the power to run one set of burrs or millstones and all other necessary machinery to make flour. The mill was operated for about twelve years and then sold out. The Victor Rieke mill was located on Spring creek on the Minne- sota river bottoms, southwest quarter of northwest quarter of section 18, a mile and a halt southeast of the present site of Franklin, on the farm of John Anderson, now owned by Engebret Thompson, who has furnished this history with consider- able information regarding these early mills. In his milling ventures Mr. Rieke had Charles Fenske as his partner. Mr. Fenske came to Cairo in 1867, and now lives in Fairfax.
A few rods south of the Rieke mill was a carding and spinning factory, also oper- ated by an overshot water wheel measur- ing about eighteen feet. This was erected by B. Marschner. He operated it a few years and then sold out to Torvald Jen- son, who also operated it for a while and then moved it to Benson, in Swift county, this state, where he started a woolen mill. This Mr. Jenson was an inventor of a snow plow. It was not a rotary, but was equipped with a series of elevators. It was deemed an admirable invention, but Mr. Jenson did not have money enough to put it into practical operation.
A few rods east of the Jenson mill was a small store, in which general merchan- dise was sold. It was started in 1875 by Herman Rucktachel and operated for about six years, after which it was torn down.
School district No. 1, the first in Ren- ville county, was organized in the western part of Camp and the eastern part of Birch Cooley, and school was held about 1871. District 31 was organized in 1872. Each member of the district contributed two nicely hewed logs, and with little money we managed to get a nice school house 18 by 26, with floor, ceiling and roof all complete. Lottie Cliff taught some twenty-three scholars there for three months that fall.
The second annual election in Camp was held in the spring of 1870 at the home of N. Nelson. Hallek Peterson was elected chairman ; Henry Knuff, clerk; H. S. John- son, assessor; N. O. Berge, treasurer; Henry Knuff, justice; Lonis Hanson and John Zahn, constables. Forty dollars were raised that year for expenditures and ex- penses. Andrew Nelson was the road over- seer. He built the first bridge across Three Mile creek, the first bridge in town. At that time all streams had to be forded, whether the water was high or low.
The development of the county has been wonderful, No one in those early days could have foreseen the marvelous prog- ress of the present day, and no present
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HISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY
day resident, unless he has seen, as I have, the county grow from its early in- fancy, can realize what this region was when I first came here. The span between the two periods has witnessed so vast a change that one must have lived through it to be able to fully realize it.
I have seen the county when the settlers were living in a few scattered shacks near the Minnesota river. I have seen the vast caravans of immigration passing by my door. I have seen people get further and further back on the prairies. 1 have seen twigs planted on the treeless prairies and seen them develop into great groves. 1 have seen the first log school houses and churches erected, and seen them replaced by splendid, modern structures. I have seen the settlers living in sod houses, brush lean-tos and log cabins, and these I have seen give way to the beautiful homes of the present day. I have seen the settlers in blizzards and hurricanes, in drouths and floods, in almost starvation, and in privation and sufferings. 1 have seen them harrassed by mosquitoes and their fields ravaged by grasshoppers. have seen the ox replaced by the horse, and have seen the horse giving away to the automobile. { have seen home-made machinery giving place to the complicated machinery of the present day. I have seen the railroads come and towns spring up. And, best of all, I have lived to see the county one of the best and most prosperous in the state.
As I have already stated, { found that during my absence from August, 1868, to June, 1869, the country was already show- ing the march of progress, and the old gov- ernment trains presented a busy scene of arriving settlers.
In 1870 nearly all the remaining govern- ment land in Camp was taken up. There still remained the land grant of the Winona & St. Peter railroad. but even on quarter sections of this a number of settlers squatted, later buying the land from the railroad. Many dwelling houses were erected in 1870, and the township and vi- cinity began to show considerable im- provement, breaking being seen on every side. Horses were considered a luxury in those days, and to the oxen, who thrived without much attention and picked their own living from the rich grass of the prai- ries belongs much of the credit of turning the sod of this county.
It should be remembered that though the county was being well settled along the Minnesota river. where fuel. water, timber and shelter could be obtained, the settle- ments extended only a few miles back on the prairies. It did not then seem possible that any one could until many years later live far inland on the treeless prairies, where they would have to weather the winter storms. Yet it was not so many years before the government land in the
county was all taken, and the prairies teeming with human life, dotted with rich farms, beautiful homes and sightly groves.
In 1870, in company with three of my neighbors, I took a trip one Sunday morn- ing in the month of November, across Wel- lington. then nearly following the town line of Palmyra, and out into Hector, and after leaving Camp we did not see a tree or a house of any kind, yet the land was of the best quality we had'yet seen in the state.
Bandon, however, had received quite a few settlers in 1869-70.
In 1871 the people got a little further back on the prairies. In 1872-73 the great tide came. No one who did not live in those days can imagine the thousands of prairie schooners that constantly passed to the westward. In 1868 the government road was in reality a common trail. In 1872-73 it was widened to a road ten to fifteen rods, worn by the immigrant trains and live stock of all kinds. By 1874 this county was fairly well settled for many miles back from the river, and the people continued to pass on to Yellow Medicine, Chippewa, Swift and Lac qui Parle coun- ties. Still they streamed in, for on these great prairies there were homes for all.
Much grain was hauled to New Ulm, especially after the railroad reached there in 1871. Steamboats also carried wheat on the Minnesota. Two boats I might mention were the "Tiger" and the "Otter," oper- ated by Captain Jacob Hinderman, of New Ulm, as far up the river as Redwood land- ing. So there was always a ready market for surplus crops. The land had proved its richness and the settlers were well sat- isfied with their lot. More and more land was put under cultivation, more and bet- ter crops were raised, wheat. oats, barley and other small grains were raised in abundance and were of good quality.
Many land deals and changes in owner- ship were made in the early days. Before legal titles were obtained these deals were called relinquishments. This was espe- cially prevalent on the military and on lands afterward called railroad lands. Sometimes this resulted poorly for the pur- chaser, but in most cases the squatter was fairly treated and received pay for his im- provements.
The large majority of the early settlers were poor. They had little capital to start on and were almost absolutely dependent on their hard work and good will. As a rule, the men with families started with a wagon, a pair of oxen, and a cow or two. Whenever a man needed help the neighbors all loaned a helping hand. That is the way a new country is settled up. Mutual helpfulness was the motto of the early days in this county. Now it is changed and too many think only of themselves and render service only when they expect a greater service in return.
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HISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY
The grasshopper years, 1874-77, were dis. astrous ones for the settlers. At the be- ginning of the year 1874 everything was running smoothly. The prairies were being settled, trees were beginning to grow, more and more land was broken. But on July 3 came the grasshoppers, a plague of which the settlers had never heard of out- side the Scriptures. The next day, July 4, was a pleasant sunshiny day, but at about 10:30 a. m. the hoppers swarmed like a blizzard, seemingly dropping from the skies, and appearing in such clouds that that the skies were darkened. At about 4 o'clock in the afternoon they de- scended on the earth and ate nip every- thing. A week later they departed, after having laid their eggs. The settlers hoped that the hoppers would be killed by the se- vere winter and in the spring of 1875 the prospects of good crops were promising. But in the middle of May, the insects be- gan to hatch. In five minutes they started eating, and in the three days there was not a spear of green in sight. Even the fence posts were partly devoured. In 1876 the pests came again. The year 1877 saw the last of them, as, by a miracle, they all disappeared in a single night.
Of course the continued ravages of these creatures for four years greatly retarded the growth of the county. Many people hecame discouraged and left. But, never- theless, even during these four years, many improvements were made on the home- steads. Fortunately there were bumper crops in counties not visited by the hop- pers, and Renville county men were en- abled to earn money in the harvest fields.
One of the greatest drawbacks was the fact that so many of the settlers had bought machinery and implements on credit. When the settlers were unable to pay, the companies demanded a bonus of fifteen per cent for every six months that the debt was renewed. So if a man owed $100 at the beginning of the year, lie would owe $142 at the end of the year. So it took the settlers many years to get out of debt.
But after the grasshopper plague was over conditions began to brighten. The hardships and sufferings were soon forgot- ten. About 1878 came the H. & D. divi- sion of the C., M. & St. Paul. Stations were established along the prairies and a new era was inaugurated.
Following close on this, in 1882, came the M. & St. L. through the southern part of the county. The southern part of the county had then long been settled, but the railroad was a great blessing. The strug- gles and trials were over; we were now in the midst of civilization and were reap- ing the rewards of the early hardships. Everything changed. Horses, though more expensive than oxen, were needed for mod- ern machinery, and gradually the lighter and swifter animal took the place of the
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