USA > Mississippi > History of the upper Mississippi Valley, pt 1 > Part 49
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W. W. HANK is a native of Trumbull county, Ohio, and was born on the 24th of June, 1815. He remained in his native eounty until 1853, when he came to Minnesota, and settled on a farm in Hennepin county, but two years afterwards, eame to Anoka, lived two years in the town, and then removed to a farm on Coon Creek, where he re- sided seven years. He then came to his present farm, which contains eighty-two acres, mostly prairie, and is located in seetion thirty-two. Mr. Hank was married to Mrs. Helen M. Fuller. They have six children, five daughters and one son.
S. C. HUNTER is a son of Joseph and Esther Curry Hunter, and was born in Livingstone county, New York, in the year 1855. When quite young, he came with his parents to this township, and has lived here over since. His father is now dead, and the subject of our sketch carries on the old farm, which is located in section twenty-two, and contains one hundred and sixty acres.
JOHN HARRISON is a native of Ireland, and was born on the 17th of December, 1822. When he was but five years old, his parents came to Amer- iea, and settled in St. Lawrence county, New York, where the subject of our sketch was raised, and re- ceived a common school education, In 1850, John left home, and after spending a mmber of years in the state of Louisiana, and Canada, came to Minnesota and settled in this township, in 1866. Mr. Harrison's farm is located in section fourteen, and contains one hundred and sixty aeres of good land. He was married in 1857, to Miss Mary Loar, a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, now deceased. Of two children born to them, but one is living, a girl of thirteen years.
MRS. LUCY KELSEY was born in Ashtabula county, Ohio, on the 25th of February, 1825. She received a good'common school education in her native county, and at twenty-three years of age was married to Peter Kelsey, a native of New York State. In 1856, they came to Minnesota, and pur- chased the farm on which Mrs. Kelsey now lives, of J. C. Frost, who was one of the pioneers of this
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BIOGRAPHICAL.
township. Mr. Kelsey came to this State, hoping to recuperate his failing health, but died in 1865. They have had seven children, and all are living, three daughters and fonr sons; Jackson, the young- est son, is now carrying on the farm. Porter P. and Claude L. are carrying on a brick-yard at the head of Round Lake, where they manufacture abont one million brick annually.
THOMAS KELLY is a native of Ireland, born in the year 1829. He came to America when about twenty years old, and settled at Ovid, Seneca county, New York, where he learned the shoe- maker's trade, and followed that occupation about tive years at that place. He then came to Anoka, and worked at his trade for fourteen years, after which he removed to this farm, and has lived here ever since. He owns about three hundred acres of good farming land in the county, besides a number of city lots in Anoka. Mr. Kelly was married in 1858, to Miss Mary Leddy. They have had ten children, nine of whom are living.
GEORGE S. LAPHAM was born in Cumberland county, Maine, in the year 1831. He received a common school education in his native county and, also learned the shoemaker's trade. When about twenty-five years old, he went to Kansas and took a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres, and was engaged in stock-raising there for nearly four years. He came to Minnesota in 1861, and bought the farm on which he has since lived, it is located on section twenty-seven and was formerly the prop- erty of Moses Frost. Mr. Lapham was married in 1866, to Miss Sarah E. Cates, a native of North- tield, Maine. They have two children, u son and daughter.
JAMES MCCAULEY dates his birth in New Bruns- wiek, in the year 1832. When about eleven years of age, he went to live with an muele ut Machias, Maine, where he was subsequently engaged in lumbering. In the fall of 1856, he came to Min- nesota, and settled on a farm on Rice creek, a few miles above Minneapolis, where he lived for twelve years, coming thence to his present farm. Mr. MeCanley was married in 1855, to Miss McCor- mick. Of eight children born to them, but seven are living, six sons and one daughter.
V. C. PRATT was born in Dover, Maine, in the year 1838. His native State claimed him as a res- ident until 1856, when he went to Towa and fol- lowed farming for sixteen years. In 1872, he cume to Anoka, where he lind charge of a planing mill for seven years, removing to his present farm
in 1879. Mr. Pratt was married in 1865, to Miss Fuller, a native of Massachusetts. This union has been blessed with six children, three boys and three girls.
S. J. Powenn was born near Adrian, Michigan, in the year 1845. He remained in his native State until 1857, when the family came to Anoka, and the following year, to this township, settling on section twenty-five. In 1862, the subject of our sketch enlisted in Company C., of the First Minne- sota Mounted Rangers, under Captain Henderson, serving one year. In 1864, he again enlisted, this time in Company I., of the Second Regiment, was in "Sherman's March to the Sea," in Captain Stout's company, Colonel Bishop commanding the regiment. He was honorably discharged at Fort Snelling, returned to his home, and has lived in this township ever since. He owns two hundred acres of land and is one of the most prosperons farmers in the neighborhood. Mr. Powell was married in 1878, to Miss Eva Haskell, a native of Maine. They have one child.
E. S. ROGERS was born in Brownsville, Maine, on the 5th of October, 1839. When he was six years old, the family removed to Hampden, where the boyhood days of our subject were spent. In 1855, the family came to Minnesota, and after a six months' residence in Sherburne county, re- moved to this township, settling on section twenty- one. In 1868, he went to Anoka, and the follow- ing year, located his prosent farm, living here ever since. Mr. Rogers was married in 1867, to Miss Frank Isabella Logg, of Chicago; she was born on the 5th of August, 1850. They have tive children.
JONATHAN SANGER is a native of New York, bnt went to Michigan in 1835, and remained in that State until his removal to this township in 1854. Mr. Sanger has devoted his time to ngrienltural pursnits since coming here, and is also prominent in local politics, having held a number of township offices. He was married in 1853, to Miss Jane Turner. She was born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1833, and came to America with her parents, who settled in Michigan, in 1841. Of ten children, the result of the union, eight are living.
WILLIAM STAPLES was born in York county, Maine, on the 27th of May, 1815. When he was about cighteen years old he went to Boston and learned the trade of brick-mason, remaining there abont seven years. He then went to Charleston, South Carolina, but after a few months, returned to his native county, and was married to Miss Me-
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IIISTORY OF THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY.
Kenzie, on the 14th of June, 1840. A few years later he removed to New Hampshire, and after a ten years' residence in that State, came to St. All- thony, Minnesota, and thence to this township, built a cabin on his present farm, and moved his family here in 1855. Mr. Staples helped to build the first brick building in Anoka. Mrs. Staples is also a native of York county, Maine, and was born on the 19th of February, 1822. They have had twelve children, only seven of whom are living, four girls and three boys.
EDWARD STACK is a itive of Ireland, and was born in the year 1832. He remained in the Emer- erald Isle until eighteen years of age, receiving a good common school education. He then came to America, and after remaining in New York three and a half years, removed to Minnesota, and was employed for a time on the farm of Charles Brown, near Minneapolis. He was then engaged in the pincries one winter, coming to his present farm in the spring of 1855. Mr. Stack's farm contains one hundred and sixty-six acres, and is located on section thirty-three. He was married in 1860, to Miss Ann Senlley, who is also a native of Ireland. Their family consists of six children, five sons and one daughter.
WILLIAM H. SHEPARD was born in Warren, Massachusetts, in the year 1830. When abont twenty-five years of age, he came to Rice county, Minnesota, and took a farm of one hundred and sixty acres, pre-empting it at one dollar and a quarter per acre, In 1862, he enlisted in Com- pany C, of the Sixth Minnesota Volunteer Infan- try, was engaged in the Sioux war, taking an ae- part in the battles of Wood Lake and Birel Cooley. After three years service, he returned and settled on section fourteen, Grow township, but after eight yours' residence there, removed to fiis present farm. Mr. Shepard was married in 1855, to Miss Jennie S. Thompson, who is a native of Utiea, New York. They have five children, four daughters and one 801.
CAPTAIN NATHANIEL SMALL, one of the pioneers of Grow township, was born in the state of Maine. in 1822. He received a good common school edu- cation, and at the age of twenty years went to Angusta and engaged in ship-building, superin- tending the construction of thirty-two vessels at that placo. He then went to New York and shipped us second mato on the ship " Race Hond," was attacked with yellow fever at Rio Janeiro, South America, where thirteen of the pas-
sengers died. He then visited the coast of Chili, and while there had the pleasure of renewing an acquaintance with Mr. Kent, the nminister to Chili, and formerly Governor of his native State. Went to San Francisco, California, and built a vessel in which he made a trip to the Sandwich Islands and Alaska. After several years spent in coasting on the Pacific, he returned to Angusta, Maine, and again engaged in ship-building. In 1855, he came to Minnesota and settled on his present farm, which consists of four hundred acres of land, a large proportion of which is in a high state of cul- tivation. Mr. Small was married in 1848 to Mary E. Jones. They have had four children, three of whom are living, two daughters and one son.
C. A. WHEELER is a native of Waterville, Maine, and was born on the 21st of March. 1835. He attended school in his native town during boy- hood, and was afterwards salesman in his father's grocery store until twenty-three years of age. He then went to the oil regions of Pennsylvania, where he was engaged as engineer for six years. He came to Anoka county in 1872, and after living successively in Ham Lake, Manomin, Minneapo- lis, and Anoka, came to his present farm in section thirty-four, in the fall of 1879. Mr. Wheeler was married, in 1859, to Miss Melissa A. Bragg, of Somerset county, Maine. They have six children, five sons and one daughter.
HAM LAKE.
CHAPTER LIX.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION - EARLY SETTLEMENT ORGANIZATION -- RELIGIOUS -SCHOOLS-AGRICUL- TURAL STATISTICS-BIOGRAPHICAL.
Ham Lake is situated near the center of the county, and is especially adapted to stock-raising, on account of its large acreage of level land and good hay meadows. The higher land is generally covered with a light growth of black oak, the soil being light and sandy. Lying partly in the town, and near the northeast corner, is Coon Lake, which is a large and beautiful sheet of water. Lakos Nattic and Ham are beautiful lakes, near the con- ter of the town, with fine sandy beaches, and sur- rounded by timber.
Ham Lake township has an area of 23.010 acres, of which 677 are under cultivation. The populalion, according to the census of 1880, was 235.
281
HIAM LAKE TOWNSHIP.
As early as 1855, a member of men were living in the southern portion of the town, who devoted themselves, chiefly, to Imunting. In 1856, some capitalists undertook to start a town near the western line, but after breaking some land, und building seven or eight shanties for settlers, the project was abandoned. The names of these pio- neers will, probably, never be recorded, as they seem to have remained but a few years, and soon left the country.
A man, named Spenee, made a elaim in the southern portion of the town abont 1856, but dur- ing a temporary absence, it was "jumped" by two brothers, named Lambert, who fenced one hundred and sixty aeres, but moved away soon after. Jolm Seully, a native of Ireland, made a claim on seetion thirty-one, in March, 1858. Josiah Hart located on section six, on the present Bethel and Anoka road, in 1857; he was a native of Vermont, and was the first settler who remained any considerable length of time. He died on the old homestead in 1876.
The majority of the present population is Skan- dinavian. The first of this nationality to settle here was Mats Gilbertson, who came in 1866, and settled on setion twenty. He was soon followed by H. M. Titterud, A. B. Livgard, S. Olson, and others, all natives of Norway and Sweden.
This town was formally a part of Grow, but was separately organized, by the County Commission- ers, on the 21st of February, 1871, and named by them, " Ham Lake," no name having been chosen by the people. The first election was held on the 11th of March of the same year, at which, the following officers were elected: Supervisors, John Rowe, Chairman, A. B. Livgard and C. Olson; Clerk, Charles Rowe; Treasurer, D. C. Money; and Justice of the Peace, J. Hart.
Religious meetings were held for several years by the Swedes and Norwegians together, in priv- ate dwellings, but in 1874, a separation was effected, and two churches organized, known as the Nor- wegian Evangelical Lutheran, and the Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Churches. Each congrega- tion erected a church the same year, the former, on sertion twenty, and The latter, on section four
There are two school districts, in which school is kept quite regularly.
District number twenty-four was organized in 187t, and school held in the farmers' houses until the erection of the present school-house on see- tion twenty-two, in 1877.
Distriet number forty-two was organized in 1878, and the school-house on section eight, ereet- ed the same year.
The agricultural statisties of 1880, show the products of this town to have been: wheat, 4,639 bushels; oats, 2,103 bushels; corn, 2,990 bushels; rye, 974 bushels; potatoes, 1,019 bushels; beans, 64 bushels; sngar eane, 105 gallons; enltivated hay, 2 tons; wild hay, 122 tons; apples, 24 bush- els; tobacco, 30 pounds; wool, 250 pounds; and butter, 12,600 pounds.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
GEORGE M. BLAIN is a native of Ingham county, Michigan, and was born on the 6th of February, 1855. His father dying when he was quite young, he eame with his mother to Oak Grove township, Anoka county, in 1867. He received his early education in his native State, und in 1874, entered the Minneapolis Business College where he stnd- ied one year. He soon after settled on his present farm, where he has given considerable attention to the improvement of some valuable cranberry marshes located on his premises, rais- ing one hundred and fifty bushels in 1880.
JOHN CONLIN was born at Longford, Ireland, on the 24th of June, 1816. When but twelve years old, he came to America with his parents, who settled in Vermont, where the subject of our sketeh lived until twenty-one years of age. He then went to New York State, bought a farm and lived there until 1869, when he came to Min- nesota, and the following year, selected the farm on which he now lives. Mr. Conlin's means were very limited at the time of his settlement in this township, but by care and good management, he has now one of the best farms in Ham Lake. Ile was married in 1843, to Miss A. Wallace. They have six children living, and two are deceased.
MATS GILHIERTSON, one of the first Skandina- vians to settle in Ihum Lake, was born in Norway, on the 14th of May, 1828. He was reared on a farm in his native conitry, and followed that oe- cupation. until coming to America in 1860. He first settled in Pierce county, Wisconsin, but in 1866, moved to the farm on which he now lives. Mr. Gilbertson was married on the 26th of Dec- ember, 1852, to Lenn Christopherson. The union has been blessed with six children.
FRANK HART is a son of Josiah Hart, one of the pioneers of Ham Lake, and a native of Rutland, Vermont, born in the year 1807. He moved to
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HISTORY OF THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY.
New York State, and theuce to Chicago and St. Panl, and finally to Ham Lake township, settling on section six, in 1857. He was a prominent man in the community, and died on the 23d of March, 1876. The subject of our sketch was born in Rochester, New York, on the 23d of December, 1854. He came with his parents to this township when he was but three years old, and with the ex- ception of four years spent in St. Paul, has lived here ever since; he is Justice of the Peace and Town Clerk, and has held other local offices of respon- sibility. Mr. Hart was united in marriage with Miss Ada L. Purmort, ou the 27th of March, 1878.
H. H. HILL dates his birth in Washington county, Maine, on the 13th of October, 1816. He was raised on a farm, and engaged in that oceu- pation and Imbering until coming to Minnesota in 1870. He settled on his present farm the fol- lowing year, and has occupied a prominent posi- tion here ever sinee. He has has held the position oľ Chairman of the Board of Supervisors, for six consecutive terms, besides holding other local offices. Mr. Hill was married on the 13th of Octo- ber, 1810, lo Miss Abby D. Maker, of Maine, who died on the 19th of October, 1871. They have had six children, fivo of whom are living.
WILLIAM JOSLIN was born in Hillsborough county, New Hampshire, on the 30th of Novem- ber, 1844. When about seventeen years old, he left his native State, and spent three years in New York, Indiana, and Canada, returning again to New Hampshire. In 1866, he eame to Minne- sota, and settled on a farm in Maple Grove, Hen- nepin county, which was his home until removing to his present farm in March, 1881. Mr. Joslin was united in marriage with Miss G. Morehouse, in September, 1869. Six children are the result of this union.
A. B. LIVGARD is a native of Norway, born ou the 2d of May, 1840. After arriving at maturity, his ocenpation was logging, lumbering, and farm- ing, until coming to America in 1865. After a brief period spent in Michigan and Wisconsin, he came to Anoka county, and settled in St. Francis township. In 1867, he purchased the farm 'on which he now lives, moving From St. Francis in 1872. Mr. Livgard was a member of the first Board of Supervisors in Ham Lake, has held other offices sinee, and is now Assessor. He was mar- ried in Angust 1870, to Miss Caroline Gilbertson. They have six children.
ANDREW NELSON dates his birth in Sweden, on
the 1st of April, 1836. He was reared to farming pursuits, and followed that occupation until com- ing to America in 1869. He first took a home- Ntcad in Grow township, Anoka county, but soll it four years later, and removed to his present, farm. Mr. Nelson is a member of the Board of Supervisors, and held the same position last year. He was married in 1861, to Miss Mary Munson. They have eight. children.
H. M. TITTERUD was boru in Norway, on the 12th of February, 1838. He was raised on a farm, and followed farming and logging until he came to America in 1866. He first located in St. Fran- cis township, Anoka county, but the following year, settled on his present farm. Mr. Titternd lias held the office of Treasurer six terms, and is now a member of the Board of Supervisors. He was married on the 22d of April, 1866, to Miss K. Livgard. They have six children living, and one is deceased.
LINWOOD.
CHAPTER LX.
DESCRIPTIVE-EARLY SETTLEMENT. - ORGANIZATION -MILLS-RELIGIOUS-SCHOOLS -AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS -- BIOGRAPHICAL.
Linwood lies in the northeast corner of the eonnty, and has an area of 23,040 neres, of which 600 are under cultivation. The population, accor- ding to the last eensus, was 227.
The sonth half of the town is flat and low, a large portion being swamp, and either covered with grass, water, or tamaraek, while the high land, between the marshes, has a good growth of timber and some large pine trees. The northern part of the town is higher land, and more rolling, with some tamarack swamps and hay marshes. The up-land is a light sandy loam, and covered with timber, except where removed by the settlers.
A chain of lakes extends from the center of the town, on the north, to the southwest corner, of which, Linwood Lake, from which the town de- rives its name, is the most important and altract- ive. Middle Branch crock passes through the northeast portion of the town in a southeasterly direction, and forms some good hay meadows.
The first settler in this town was Joseph Sansen, a native of Germany, who located in the southeast corner, ou section twenty-four, in 1855; he and
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283
LINWOOD TOWNSHIP.
two other families are at present, the only settlers in that part of the township.
The principal settlement is in the north part of the town. The first man who selected a home thero was W. Dickens, a native of England, who settled on section five, in 1857. About the same time, a number of young men, named Wyatt, settled on section twenty-six, but only remained a few years. Others soon followed until quite a settlement was formed, which has steadily increased ever since.
Linwood was formerly a part of Bethel and Co- lumbus, but was separately organized, by the County Commissioners, on the 5th of September, 1871. The first town officers were: Supervisors, J. G. Green, Chairman, F. McGregor and Michael Hurley; Treasurer, E. G. Smith; Clerk and Jus- tiee of the Peace, D. W. Green.
STEAM SAW AND FEED MILL-This mill was built by Shanton & Haskell in 1875, and soon after, the present proprietor, Mr. Haskell, became the sole owner. It is a frame building, 16x40 fcet. The saw mill is in the upper story, with a capacity of eight thousand feet per day, and the basement is utilized by a feed mill. An engine of twenty-five horse-power propels the machinery.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH-Meetings were frequently held by ministers of this denomination soon after the early settlers arrived. An old school house was used for the purpose during summer, but in the winter, the worshippers resorted to the more cheerful fireside of the farmer's home. In 1873, the society erected their present neat and comfortable frame church.
School district number four was organized in 1860, and comprised nearly the whole town. A log schoolhouse was built in 1864, on section flirty-four, which served its purpose until the erection of the present neat frame building in 1875.
Distriet nuumber thirty-four was organized in 1874, and is a joint district, lying partially in Columbus. There is no school-house, but the scholars attend school at Wyoming, Chisago county, using the school fund to pay the tuition. District minber thirty-five was also organized in 1874. School was kept in a rented building imtil the erection of the present school-house, on section eight, in 1875.
The products of Linwood, for the year 1880, were as follows: wheat, 3,134 bushels; oats, 2,143 bushels; corn, 5,092 bushels; barley, 25 bushels; rye, 658 bushels; buckwheat, 35 bushels; potatoes,
4,391 bushels; sugar cane, 747 gallons; cultivated hay, 1 ton; wild hay, 906 tons; apples, 65 bush- els; tobacco, 50 pounds; wool, 666 pounds; but- ter, 7,720 pounds; and honey, 20 pounds.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
S. L. ARNOLD is a native of the province of Montreal, Canada, and was born in the year 1820. When but an infant he came to Rochester, New York with his parents, and in 1835, to Portage county, Ohio, where he learned the carpenter's trade, and afterwards went to Jackson county, Michigan, where he was employed in the manu- facture of brick. He then kept a wood yard in Lewis county, Missouri, for supplying Mississippi river steamboats. He visited Minnesota in 1847, bnt returned to Michigan and lived there until coming to his present farm in Linwood township in 1866. Mr. Arnold is township Assessor, having held the office a number of terms.
SANFORD BROADBENT was born in Sonth Wal- pole, Massachusetts, on the 18th of April, 1835. At the age of seventeen years, he commenced working in a door, sash, and blind factory in Southbridge, which he continued for ten years.
On the 11th of July, 1862, he enlisted in the Thirty-fourth Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, and served two years and ten months, being se- verely wounded at the battle of Newmarket, Virginia; he was also taken prisoner and con- fined in Andersonville prison for a member of months. Returning from the army he located in Jefferson county, New York, where he lived mtil coming to Anoka in 1869. After a short resi- dence in the latter city, he came to his present farm, in 1870; his place is beantifully located on the west bank of Linwood Lake. Mr. Broad- bent was married on the 25th of December, 1857, to Miss Mary Reed. This nnion has been blessed with five children.
JACOB J. Bock dates his birth in Baltimore, Maryland, on the 13th of December, 1813. At about seventeen years of age, he commenced a three years' apprenticeship to the machinist's trade, after serving which, he went to Norfolk, Virginia, und soon after became engaged ns engineer on ocean steamers, which he followed until 1857. He then came to Minnesota, and after one year's residence in St. Paul, pur- chased a farm in Curver county, to which he ro- moved his family, he acting as engineer on Mis- sissippi and Minnesota river steamboats for a number of years. Disposed of his farm, affer a
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