USA > Mississippi > History of the upper Mississippi Valley, pt 2 > Part 11
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School at Mankato, and for the last three years has been teaching school.
RODERICK R. SARGENT, a native of Washington county, Vermont, was born in the year 1830. When a young man, he followed railroading for about twenty-three years; first as a brakesman, then baggage master, and for the last fifteen years of his railroad life as engineer on different roads. He was a soldier for three years; came to Mime- sota in 1873, stopping four years in Clearwater, working in a harness shop and livery stable, then for a time was running a stationary engine. In 1880, came to Fair Haven, and is now engincer in Linscott's mill. His wife was Mrs. Mary Kimball, the marriage taking place in June, 1880.
Smas C. STRour, a native of Maine, was born on the 22d of April, 1831. lle was a farmer boy; came to Wisconsin at the age of twenty-four, and ten years after, to Maine Prairie, Stearns county, Minnesota, locating on a farm until 1868, when he removed to Fair Haven and engaged in merchan- dising for six years, since which time he has been in the hotel business. He married Miss Maria L. Getchell, of Maine, on the 1st of November, 1852. They have four children; Frederick L., Charles E., Eugene S., and William P.
JOHN B. VANDERVORT, a native of Clinton county, Ohio, was born on the 9th of December, 1839. After attaining manhood, followed farming for a living. In 1861, he moved to St. Francis, Anoka county, Minnesota, where he remained till fall, then went to Maine Prairie, where he remained one year on a rented farm, and in 1862, came to Fair Haven, and for five winters taught school, having an interest in a saw-mill during that time. After 1868, he engaged in the merchandise busi- ness, the firm being Partridge and Vandervort. At the expiration of one yenr he sold out, then farmed for two years, after which he went to Waukesha, Wisconsin, and took charge of a department in the Industrial School, but after one and a half year's teaching, was compelled to resign on account of declining health, and for a few years he engaged in no permanent business. In 1877, he moved to Maine Prairie and worked in a store for about one year, then returned to Fair Haven and conducted the co-operative store until it closed out in 1880, to the firm of J. B. Vandervort & Co. This firm is composed of Mr. Vandervort, J. H. Lock, and J. H. Baldwin. Mr. Vandervort married Miss Ve- lona M. Partridge on the 23d of May. 1866. They have one chill, Herman L.
416
HISTORY OF THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY.
RICHARD M. VANDERVORT, a native of Ohio, was born in the year 1842. He came to Fair Haven, Minnesota, in the spring of 1861; farmed one year, then worked at the carpenter business for two years, and the next two years, drove stock to Bis- marek; he then engaged in the merchandise busi- ness, which he has followed to the present time, being now in the employ of Grinols & Cooper. He married Miss Alma C. Webb, daughter of O. D. Webb, on the 24th of May, 1866. Their children are, Homer W. and Charles H.
FARMING.
Farming is situated not far from the geograph- ical center of the county, and embraces township 124 north, range 31 west
The surface is undulating, and in some places hilly. The Sauk river erosscs the southwest cor- ner, running in a southcasterly direction, and in that vicinity there is some prairie, but the balance of the town is chiefly covered with brush. There are a number of small lakes, the largest of which are the Big Rice Lakes in the eastern part.
The first settler was Nicholas Evans, who came about 1858, and settled on section thirty-one. The next spring, John H. Terfear, William Korte, and his brother settled in the town, but very little improvement was made till after the war. Since that time there has been a slow but steady in- crease in population, umtil the last census showed an aggregate of 285 persons, nearly all living in the south part of the township. It has an area of 23,040 acres, of which 1,539 are under cultivation.
Farming was organized in 1873, and the first clection held on the 11th of March, at which the following officers were elected: Supervisors, Ger- hard Brunner, Chairman, Patrick Cavanagh, aud Mathias Thelen; Clerk, Valentine Garding; and Assessor and Treasurer, Christ Nichaus.
There is a German Catholic church on section thirty-two. It was built in 1880, and the first service held'on the 6th of June, 1881. A priest from Richmond visits this place semi-monthly.
About six years ago, Christ Meyer taught the first school in the town. There are now two school houses, which belong to joint districts.
The agricultural report for 1880 shows the fol- lowing products: wheat, 19,074 bushels; oats,
8,764 bushels; corn, 1,890 bushels; barley, 40 bushels; ryc, 130 bushels; potatoes, 1,136 bush- els; cultivated hay, 8 tous; wild hay, 562 tons; upplos, 3 bushels; wool, 844 pounds; butter, 4,075 pounds; and honey, 115 pounds.
GETTY.
CHAPTER XCVII.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION-EARLY SETTLEMENT-OR- GANIZATION -SCHOOLS - AGRICULTURAL STATIS- TICS-BIOGRAPIIICAL.
Getty is situated in the northwestern portion of the county, and is chiefly a rolling prairie, the ex- ceptions being Getty's Grove in the western part, which extends into the town of Raymond, and Pesheck's Grove in the eastern part. Its area is 23,040 acres, of which 4,478 are under eultivation, and is contained in township 125 north, range 34 west.
The soil is principally a rich black loam with a clay subsoil, except in the northeast corner, where a light sandy loam is found, caused by the Sauk river, which crosses this portion of the town in a southeasterly direction. There are also a number of small lakes and some good hay meadows.
Jolin J. Getty, in honor of whom the town is named, was undoubtedly the first permanent set- tler. He came on the 6th of July, 1857, and settled on section nineteen, in what has since been known as Getty's Grove, and still resides there. John H. Layman accompanied Mr. Getty, and took land in sections eighteen, nineteen, and twenty, but did not remain long, and is now in Michigan. A. J. Bennett, now of Melrose, settled in section one, about 1858. Franz Pesheck, of Bohemia, lived on Mr. Getty's farm in 1862, and the following year, made a claim in section fourteen, but now re- sides in Dakota Territory. Jacob Hurley settled on section nineteen, about 1863, but has since va- cated the claim.
The town was but sparsely settled prior to the Indian outbreak, but since the close of the war the population hns steadily increased, numbering, according to the last census, 538 persons.
This town was organized in 1865, and embraced all of the present territory of Raymond, but was redueed to its present limits on the organization of the latter town in 1867. .
GETTY TOWNSHIP.
417
The first ollieers were: Supervisors, Jacob Hur- ley, Chairman, Robert Watson, and Newton San- ders; Clerk, Jacob Church; Treasurer, F. Pesheck; Assessor, A. J. Bennett; and Justices of the Peace, M. 11. Palmer and Samuel Haulenberry.
On the 6th of September, 1875, a Post-ollice was established at the residence of G. Gilbertson, on seetion nineteen, but was discontinued after an existence of about four years.
The town is divided into four school districts. The first school was established mainly through the efforts of J. J. Getty, and was held in a log school house on section nineteen, by Mrs. Hattie Viele. This district was organized in 1867, and numbered fifty-three. The old log school honse was burned down in 1876, and a neat Trame build_ ing has since been erected on the same site.
Distriet number fifty-four was organized the same year, and the first school held in B. A. Vec- der's residence. In a few years a log school house was built on seetion fourteen, which was removed, some years later, to section ten, where a Trame building, creeted in 1880, now adorns the site.
District number sixty-one was organized about 1868, and the school house located on section twenty-six.
District number eighty-two was organized in 1871, and the first school held the same year. The buikling is situated on section five.
The products of Getty, according to the agri- cultural report of 1880, were: wheat, 48,704 bush- els; oats, 28,614 bushels; corn, 5,039 bushels; barley, 1,412 bushels; rye, 25 bushels; polatoes, 3,472 bushels; cultivaled hay, 53 tons; wild hay, 2,324 lons; uppkes, 34 bushels; wool, 658 pounds; butter, 13,132 pounds; cheeso, 200 pounds; and honey, 190 pounds.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
HIRAM BELLINGER, a native of Fulton county, New York, was born on the 5th of March, 1828. When an infant, the family moved to Oneida county, where the subject of this sketch grew to manhood. In 1854, Mr. Bellinger moved to Wisconsin, locat- ing on n farm in Dane county; then in 1865, re- moved lo Minnesota, and located on section ten, Getty township, where he now resides. He married Miss Sarah A. Logan in 1848. They have five living children.
J. H. BRUCE, a native of Montgomery county, Indiana, was born on the 22d of March, 1833, where he grew to manhood, engaged in farming
pursuits. After attaining manhood, he purchased a farm in the same county, making it his home until 1863, when he moved to Minnesota, and pur- chased a farm two miles cast of the present village of Sunk Centre, and lived on it for ten years. In 1873, he located on a farm in scetion eighteen, Getty township, where he still resides. He has a large farm, well furnished, affording himself and family a good home. He was Chairman of the board of Supervisors of Sank Centre for four terms, and has filled the same olliee in this town- ship for three years. He married Miss Sarah E, La Follett, on the 10th of October, 1854. They have seven children living.
H. N. CARPENTER, son of Horatio Carpenter, who served in tho war of 1812, was born in Leba- non, Columbia county, New York, on the 18th of December, 1842. When a boy, commeneed to work on a neighboring farm. In September, 1861, en- listed in Company M, of the Sixth New York Cav- alry, serving until August, 1865. After being discharged from service, he returned to his home in New York, but soon after, made a trip west, spending the first winter in Michigan. The fol- lowing spring (1866) he came to Minnesota, and took a homestead in section eight, Getty township, where he is living at this writing. He married Miss Nancy Veeder, on the 30th of November, 1867. They have three living children.
JOHN JEROME GETTY, the first settler of the town that bears his name, was born in Onondaga county, New York, on the 15th of September, 1821. His father was one of the pioneers of the county of his birthplace. Mr. Getty, Though living on a farm all his life, has found time to read and acemulale a store of knowledge, making him one of the most affable and genial men of lhe town. He lost his molher by dealh when quite young, and his father brought into the household a step-mother, so that at the age of eight years he left home and began to work on the Erie canal, and continued in that occupation until about twenty-two years of age, when he came west. In 1843, he opened a new farm in Peoria county, Illinois, where he lived ten years. In 1853, le came to Minnesota, and spent abont one year on the present site of Minnenpolis, in the employ of Martin Layman, as a helper on the farm, and on the 31st of October, 1854, was married to Miss J. Layman, and immediately returned to his farm in Illinois, where he lived till 1857, when he returned to Minnesota. During the same year, took a farm
27
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418
HISTORY OF THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY.
in section nineteen, Getty township, where he still resides. During the war, the family lived in Min- neapolis for about four years. He filled a number of offices, in the county and town. He has two children; Fannie E. and Margaret A.
ABNER M. LAMB, a native of Bucks county, Pennsylvania, was born on the 28th of April, 1833. The family moved to Newtown of the same county, when the subject of this sketch was about eight years old. He took an active part in the labors of the farm till about sixteen years of age, then went and served an apprenticeship to the stone-mason's trade, which he followed for some years. In 1857, he moved to the state of Maryland, and the fol- lowing year to Iowa county, Wisconsin, and em- ployed his time in farming and working at his trade. In 1863, he visited California, returning in 1865, and immediately moved to Minnesota, taking a homestead in section eleven, Getty town- ship, where he has one of the best improved farms in the town. He lived in Sauk Centre for five years, while educating his family. . Was married to Miss Rachel E. Vanhorn, on the 18th of Janu- ary, 1855. They have two sons living.
DAVID LOVE (deceased) was born in Somerset county, Maine, on the 29th of April, 1851. His father was a farmer and enlisted in the Thirty-first Maine Infantry, serving eighteen months. After returning from the army in 1866, the family moved to Minnesota, locating on a farm in section thirty, Getty township, where they still live. Mr. Love died soon after coming to the State, since which time his son David has owned and con- trolled eighty acres of the original farm. He married Miss Mary P. Bruce, daughter of one of the oldest settlers in this section, on the 16th of November, 1879. They have one child, named Arthur B.
JOHN MINETT was born on the 6th of December, 1852, in Ozaukee county, Wisconsin. He left his father's home at the age of twenty years, and en- gaged in the cooper business at Lake Superior, Michigan, for about three years. Then eume to Minnesota and located on n farm in section five, Getty township, which he has since made his home. . Hle spent some time working on the extension of the Manitoba railroad, and in freighting to Dakota Territory. He married Miss Mary Gaid, on the 1st of March, 1881, and has lived on his farm since that time.
BENJAMIN W. VEEDER, a native of Fulton conn- ty, New York, was born on the 9th of September,
1835. At the age of eleven years, his parents moved to Dane county, Wisconsin, where his father died the same year, the family continuing to reside on the farm. In 1863, Mr. Veeder came to Olmsted county, Minnesota, farming and teach- ing school while a resident of that county, and filling, with credit to himself, several town offices. In 1866, he came to Stearns county, and located a farm on section sixteen, Getty township, where he now lives, engaged in farming, teaching school, and acting as real estate agent and Notary Pub- lic. He has held some local office ever since being a resident of the town, and is now Town Clerk and Justice of the Peace, having held the former office five years.
GROVE.
CHAPTER XCVIIL.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION-EARLY SETTLEMENT-OR- GANIZATION -- SCHOOLS - RELIGIOUS - AGRICUL- TURAL STATISTICS-BIOGRAPHICAL.
Grove is situated in the northwest part of the county, and embraces township 125 north, range 33 west, and is chiefly prairie, although contain- ing a number of oak groves with an undergrowth of hazel brush. The soil varies from a light sandy to a black loam, and is very productive. Its area is about 23,040 acres, of which 4,360 are under cultivation.
The first to settle in this township were Henry and Xavier Schacters and Joseph Maly, in the fall of 1858. The Schaefers brothers took land in sections seventeen and eighteen, remained about eight years and moved to Iowa, where they now reside. Mr. Maly settled in sections five and right and still lives there. The population was augmented the following spring by the arrival of Henry and Herman Meyer and their widowed mother, August Illies, G. P. Steward, and Joseph Nahte. Henry Meyer located in section twenty, his brother in section nineteen, Mrs. Meyer in sec- lions seventeen and eight, Angust fies in spe- tion thirty, and G. P. Steward in section six. During the following year n considerable mimber of settlers arrived, and since then the growth las been steady, the population numbering 726, ac- cording to the last census.
This town was organized by the County Com- missioners in 1867, and the first election held on the fourth of April, 1868, in the house of Peter
419
GROVE TOWNSHIP.
Herbrand, then residing on seetion twenty-nine. The result of that election was the following of- ficers: Supervisors, Gerhard Terhaar, Chairman, Charles Pfeffer, and John Priunis; Clerk, James Duncan; and Treasurer, Barney Schwieters.
The town is divided into three school districts, number fifty-one being the first organized, about 1866.
Owing to the organization of new districts, the old school house, formerly in number fifty-one, is now in number one hundred and three, and located at the little village of Meire's Grove.
There is also a German Catholic Church at this place, Father Meinulph Stnekenkemper being the priest in charge.
The agricultural report of 1880 shows the fol- lowing products: wheat, 47,406 bushels; oats, 28,- 379 bushels; corn, 5,692 bushels; barley, 743 bushels; rye, 129 bushels; buckwheat, 2 bushels; potatoes, 5,244 bushels; beans, 11 bushels; sugar cane, 35 gallons; wild hay, 1,351 tons; apples, 26 bushels; tobacco, 143 pounds; wool, 978 pounds; butter, -16,750 pounds; cheese, 30 pounds; and honey, 75 pounds.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
JOUN BLONIGEN was born in Fond du Lac coun- ty, Wisconsin, ou the 6th of January, 1856. His parents came to St. Martin township in 1860, and located near the village, where they are still liv- ing. John attended school at St. Martin until thirteen years of age, after which he worked on the farm until about nineteen years of age; then attended the Normal School at St. Cloud for three years, completing nearly a full course. Mr. Blon- igen has since devoted himself to school teaching in different parts of this county. He was united in marriage with Miss Mary Walz, a native of Illi- nois, on the 28th of February, 1881.
JAMES DUNCAN, one of the oldest settlers, and the first Town Clerk of Grove township, is a native of Scotland, born on the 17th of March, 1816. His father was a merchant, and pursued his calling in different portions of Great Britain, until his death, which occurred in Ireland, when James was but an infant. He learned the shoemaker's trade in the old country, while yet a boy. In 1833, he came to New York City, where he served an ap- prenticeship to the trade of plasterer and stone and brick mason, and in 1837, began business as a contractor and builder. Meeting with reverses, in 1841, he went to Sullivan county, New York, where he arrived with less than ten dollars in his
pocket. He soon found work at his trade, and in 1849, had accumulated sufficient means to enable him to purchase a mill and some land. Mr. Dun- can resided there until 1862, when he came to Hastings, Minnesota, and thence, in 1864, to his present residence. He was married to Miss M. Hamilton, in New York City. Mrs. Duncan is also of Scotch parentage.
G. W. DUNCAN, son of James Duncan, was born at Forestburg, Sullivan county, New York, on the 18th of February, 1851. He came with the family to Grove township in 1864, and still resides on the old homestead, having charge of his father's farm. In 1872, he was elected Town Clerk, which posi- tion he held four years and is now Justiee of the Peace. Mr. Dunean was united in marriage with Miss Fannie E. Getty, daughter of J. J. Getty, one of the first settlers in this portion of the county, on the 31st of October, 1877. They have two children; Jennie Permelia and James Jerome.
ANTON ELTRICH, a native of Bavaria, Germany, was born on the 11th of December, 1842. He re- ceived a liberal education in the public schools of his native country. He enlisted in 1857, in the Papal Army in the city of Rome, in a company of Grenadiers belonging to the staff. His term of en- listment was four years, but after serving two years, there being a ecssation of war for a time, lie was mustered out of service. After this he went into a company of cavalry of the army of Bavaria. Here he spent six years in active service, and was mustered out in 1867. Then he acted as a servant for Count Von Hoeslin for three years. In 1870, he emigrated to the United States, and after a short stay in New York, went to Detroit, Michigan, where for several years he was engaged in various pursuits. He eame to Minnesota in 1872, and soon after, to St. Cloud. Commenced teaching school in 1876, and continues in that profession. He married Miss Mary Fisher, on the 4th of May, 1875, who was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. They have four children.
Avausr Tumaes, for twenty-two years a resident of Grove township, is a native of Westphalia, and was born in Angust, 1824. When a young man he went to work on a farm, which was his employ- ment for twelve years at an annual salary of from sixteen to eighteen dollars. He thus saved enough money to pay his passage to America, whither he came in 1856, settling in Clayton county, Iowa, where he lived three years. In the spring of 1859, he came to Grove township and located his pres-
420
HISTORY OF THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY.
ent farm, there being at the time but two residents in the township, and Mr. Illies was the first man to perfeet a claim title. During the first winter, owing to scarcity of provisions, he was compelled to subsist for a time on roasted corn and game. Mr. Illies was married on the 12th of February, 1868, to Mrs. Annic Stevens. They have had nine children, seven of whom are living.
JAMES MEAGHER, a native of Montreal, Canada, was born on the. 7thi of June, 1856, where lic lived with his parents until 1858, when the family emigrated to the United States, and located near St. Cloud, Minnesota. The family removed to the farm on which James now resides, located in section fifteen, in the spring of 1862. His father, Thomas Meagher, died on the 15th of April, 1875. His mother married a second husband and is liv- ing in Sauk Centre, while Mr. Meagher has come into possession of the old home. He married Miss Margaret Hyder on the 26th of May, 1880. They have one child.
REV. MEINULPH STUCKENKEMPER, a priest in Stearns county for the last eighteen years, was born in Westphalia, Prussia, on the 17th of Jan- nary, 1837. When but a child, he came to Amer- ica with his parents who settled in St. Louis, Mis- souri. He prepared for college, and pursued his classical and theological studies at St. Vincents', Pennsylvania, after which he was ordained on the 20th of June, 1861. Hle then came to St. Paul, Minnesota, and thence, after a few years, to Stearns county, where lic has labored most of the time since. He built the church of the "Immaculate Conception," in St. Cloud, and also, the church of New Munich, and formed the congregation of St. Joseph's parish, in Minneapolis. Father Mein- ulph came to "St. John's Church," at Meier's Grove, in February, 1881, where he still resides.
JOSEPH MALY, JR. is a native of Bohemia, born on the 31st of March, 1839. He is a son of Joseph and Mary ( Ziony ) Maly, who bronglit the family to America in 1852, settling in Racine, Wisconsin, where they remained until 1858, and came to Minnesota, arriving at the site of their present farm on the 24th of Angust. Joseph Jr. resides on a farm adjoining that of his father. He was a soldier in the Northern army during the civil war, was mustered in in 1864, and served about thirteen months. Miss Annie Crmak became the wife of Mr. Maly, on the 17th of December, 1865; sho is also a unfive of Bohemin.
Josern NATHE was born in Westphalin, Prussin,
on the 8tli of September, 1836. At the age of twenty years he commenced to learn the carpen- ter's trade and served an apprenticeship of two years. On tlic 20th of October, 1857, he left Europe for Milwaukee, Wisconsin, residing at the latter place and St. Louis, until coming to Grove township, in October, 1859. Mr. Nathe was united in marriage with Miss Mary E. Marto, of New Munich, on the 22d of August, 1830. They have had eiglit children, six of whom are living.
CASPER NANTE was born in Germany, in about the year 1840, where he grew up on a farm, tak- ing an interest in agricultural pursuits. He emi- grated to America in 1859, locating in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for two years, then moved to his pres- ent farm in section twenty, . Grove township, in 1861. He has about three hundred acres of land, all prairie, except abont eighty aeres which is covered with a good growth of timber. He mar- ried Miss Gertrude Serfas, who was born in Ger- many. They have ten children. Their son Peter died in 1863, at the age of four years.
HOLDING.
CHAPTER XCTX.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION-EARLY SETTLEMEMT-FIRST THINGS -- MERCANTILE-MANUFACTURES- ORGANI- ZATION-SCHOOLS-AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS- BIOGRAPHICAL.
Holding is situated in the northeast portion of the county, and adjoins Broekway on the west. It embraces township 126 north, range 30 west, and the south six sections of township 127, range 30. The surface is generally covered with timber, ex- cept at Holdingsford, where there is a prairie of a few hundred acres in extent.
Two River crosses the western portion of the town in a northerly direction, passing through Two River Lake, which lies in the southwest cor- ner. Spunk brook crosses the southeastern part, 'rimming in a northeasterly direction, and a number of smaller creeks take their rise in the swamps, of which there are quite a number, and join those water courses in their passage through the town. The soil is a rich black loum, with a clay sub-soil.
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