USA > Mississippi > History of the upper Mississippi Valley, pt 2 > Part 9
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There were a few claims made in this town a short time before the Indian outbreak of 1862, but abandoned during that excitement.
The first permanent settlement was begun in 1865, and among the first elaimants were Henry Vessey, a native of England, who settled on see-
tion thirty-six, north, but now resides in Dakota Territory, and John Eberspacher, who settled on section three, and still lives there. James Wil- lard, William Holmes, H. Newman, and James Jardine also settled in the northeast part in 1866. J. S. Frederick settled on section seven the same summer, and was the first settler in that part of thic town.
The population has inereased slowly, but stead- ily, numbering 247, according to the last census.
This town was attached to Sauk Centre until 1870, when a separate organization was effected, and the following officers clected: Supervisors, A. M. Stiles, Chairman, H. J. Newman, and Thomas Rosier; Treasurer, William Holmes; Clerk, James Bruce; and Justice of the Peace, James Jardine.
When Ashley was organized, it embraced a strip of land lying along the whole north line, which has sinee been attached to Todd county.
There are three schools in the town. District number forty-six was organized in 1867, and the first school kept by Miss Mary Parker, in the house of F. Karell, located on the strip of land above mentioned as being sinee attached to Todd county. The first school building was erected soon after on section thirty-five, which was super- seded by a new one in 1880. A portion of this district lies in Todd county.
District number sixty-five was organized in 1868, and a log school house built on section eight the same year. The present building stands on section three, and was erected in 1879.
Distriet number one hundred was organized in 1874, and a small board shanty built on section seventeen, which served the purposes of a school house until 1876, when the present neat frame building was erected on section eighteen.
The agricultural report for 1880 shows the fol- lowing products: wheat, 11,829 bushels; oats, 7,236 bushels; corn, 230 bushels; barley, 414 bushels; potatoes, 765 bushels; wild hay, 420 tons; apples, 5 bushels; and butter, 4,325 pounds.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
JOHN EBERSPACHER, one of the pioneers of this town, was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, on the 3d of April, 1837. He was employed, when a small boy, in his father's vineyard, and afterwards went to learn the loeksmith's trade, being em- ployed in that line until twenty years of age, when he came to America and settled in Clearfield county, Pennsylvania. He learned the black-
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ASHLEY TOWNSHIP.
smith trade and remained in that county five or six years, coming thence to Olmsted county, Minnesota, and one year later, to his present farm, being one of the first settlers in the town- ship. Mr. Eberspacher has been twice married. First to Miss Sophia Hertlein, of Clearfield county, Pennsylvania, in 1862, who died in 1864. His present wife was Miss Hannah Eisenman, to whom he was married in 1865.
A. FIELDIEN, a native of Massachusetts, was born on the 2d of December, 1843. The family came to Minnesota in 1855, locating in Seott county, where the subject of our sketch worked on a farm till 1869, when he came to Todd county, and located on his present farm in the township of Kendota, on section twenty-eight, which has since been his home. In 1861, Mr. Fieldien enlisted in Company A, of the Fourth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, serving ten months, when he was dis- charged for disability. Soon after his return, he re-enlisted in the Second Minnesota Cavalry, Com- pany L, serving two years and four months on the frontier. Mr. Fieldien was married in May, 1866, to Miss Franees Warren, who came to Min- nesota in 1854. They have five children.
HENRY FIELDING was born in the state of Min- nesota. His father was a native of England, and emigrated to the United States and located in Todd county, where he died while his son was but an infant. When Mr. Fielding was nine years of age he went to live with G. W. Salmond, of Todd county. When he had attained a sufficient age, he went as a driver of freighting teams to the northwestern posts. About 1864, he enlisted in the First Minnesota Heavy Artillery, serving nine months. Then was employed freighting, and as a farm hand until he located on his present farm, in section three, in 1872, which has been his home since that date. He married Miss Rebecca Bryant in July, 1874.
J. S. FREDERICK was born on the 22d of March, 1829, in Orange county, New York. He lived with his father on the farm until twenty-two years of age, then commeneed to farm for himself. After five years, he concluded to try his fortune in another State, and came to Minnesota in 1856, remaining for a short time in Scott county, but afterwards located on a farm in Rockford town- ship, Wright county, which was his home for seven years. Then sold out and returned to Scott county for two years, when he enlisted in Com- pany E, of the Fourth Minnesota Volunteer In-
fantry, serving seven months. On his return from the army, came to his present farm, on which he has lived since that date. He has been Chairman of the board of Supervisors for two years. Mr. Frederick was married to Miss Mary J. Smith on the 19th of December, 1850. They have ten chil- dren living. 1917100
JAMES JARDINE, a native of Scotland, was born on the 7th of April, 1813. When about twenty- four years of age, left his father's home and went to the southern portion of England, where he was time keeper for railroad companies about fourteen years. In 1848, he came to Quebec, and in a short time settled in Upper Canada, where he was em- ployed in agricultural pursuits. In 1849, he left Canada, and after a time, located in Rock Island, Illinois, where he was employed in a saw mill. In 1851, he came to St. Paul and was also engaged in a saw mill at that place. After a time he took a claim in Scott county, making it his home until 1866, when he came to his present farm in section thirty-five. He is one of the oldest settlers in the town, was the first Justice of the Peace, besides filling the office of Assessor and Treasurer. He was married to Mrs. Mary Whitter, of St. Paul, in 1854. They have one son.
JOHN MCGUIRE, a native of Leitrim county, Ireland, was born in the year 1821. When a small boy he went to live with his grandfather, and when about twenty years of age, emigrated to America, and located in Lower Canada, where he engaged in farming, making it his home until 1872. He moved to Minnesota soon after, and purchased a farm in section twenty-one, Ashley township, on which he still resides. He has held the office of Justice of the Peace two terms. Mr. McGuire was married in May, 1841, to Miss Hes- ter Bowan; of six children born to them, but three are living.
A. M. STILES, a native of Steuben county, New York, was born on the 10th of April, 1838. In 1853, the family came west and located in Indi- ana, making their home on a farm until 1858, when they moved to Adams county, Wisconsin. In 1862, Mr. Stiles went to Rochester, Minnesota, making it his home until 1864, when he made an overland trip to the Pacific coast, and was engaged in mining in Idaho for about two years. In 1866, he returned to Minnesota, and located on a farm in section eleven, Ashley township, where he still resides. He was Chairman of the first board of Supervisors; was elected Town Clerk the following
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HISTORY OF THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY.
year, and filled the office till 1880; was also a member of the House of Representatives from this district in 1879. He married Miss Mary W. Toeters, and they have four children.
JAMES WILLARD, a native of St. Lawrence county, New York, was born on the 1st of Janu- ary, 1835. The family moved to Wiseonsin, lo- eating in Roek county, in 1850. In 1855, the sub- ject of this sketch left the home of his parents, and located in Iowa, but soon removed to Fillmore connty, Minnesota, where he purchased a farm on which he lived until 1866, when he came to his present home in section thirty-three, where he still resides. Mr. Willard has been twice married; tirst to Miss Harriet Small, on the 16th of January, 1851, who died in 1871. His present wife was Miss Elizabeth Beach, to whom he was married on the 6th of May, 1879.
FRANK A. STILES, a native of Steuben county, New York, was born on the 11th of November, 1852. His parents moved to Indiana, in 1854, and five years later, to Adams county, Wis- eonsin. Mr. Stiles lived in the last named place and in Marquette county, till the spring of 1862, when he came to Minnesota, first stopping at Holmes City, Douglas county; thenee to Sauk Centre, Stearns county, and soon after, located on a farm near the latter town. Here he lived till five years ago, when he bought a farm in section sixteen, Ashley township, where he still resides. He was elected Town Clerk in 1880. Mr. Stiles was united in marriage with Miss Ida Martin, of Sauk Centre, on the 14th of January, 1879. They have one child, named Laura C. Mrs. Stiles' father, one of the old settlers of Sauk Centre, died in January, 1869, from injuries received by an accident in a lumber mill. Her mother is now Mrs. J. W. Johnson, of Sauk Centre.
AVON.
CHAPTER XCIL.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION -- EARLY SETTLEMENT - OR- GANIZATION - - SCHOOLS -AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS -BIOGRAPHICAL ..
Avon is situated in the northeastern portion of the county, and is contained in township 125 north, range 30 west. It is chiielly covered with
timber, except where removed for agricultural phr- poses. It abounds in small lakes and marshes. The principal lakes are, Pelican Lake, in the northwest portion of the town, and Spunk, Kop- per, Anna, Lemman, and Minnie lakes, iu the vicinity of Avon village. The most beautiful of these is Spunk Lake.
The St. Paul, Minneapolis & Manitoba Railroad passes through the southern portion of the town, where there is a station, and village named Avon. This little hamlet contains several stores and sa- loons, a blacksmith and carriage. shop, school, Catholic Church, and a stave factory.
The first settler whose veins could lay any claim to the possession of Caucasian blood, was James Tanner, an Indian half-breed, who settled where Avon village now stands, in 1856, but has since moved away, and is now dead. John Barrett set- tled on section twelve in 1859, and still resides there. Among other early settlers were, Peter Gothard, Nicholas Theisen, Andrew Agthman, Jolm Knoblach, Mathew Solinger, Nicholas Kep- per, and his brothers, Nicholas S. and John; the last three now reside at the Station, but most of the others have moved away. The town is settled chiefly by Germans, with a few Anstrians and Polanders; the population, according to the last census, was 468.
When Brockway was organized, in 1858, it em- braced a large tract of country, and included the present territory of Avon, until the organization of the latter, in 1866. The formation of Albany, in 1868, redneed Avon to its present limits. Its area is 23,040 aeres, of which 853 are under enltiva- tion.
The first election was held at the house of Nich- olas S. Keppers, and the following officers elected : Supervisors, Nicholas S. Keppers, Chairman, Isi- dore Obermiller, and Paul Obermiller; Clerk, John Braketield; Treasurer, Nicholas S. Keppers; Jus- tice of the Peace, William Murphy; and Assessor, John Schwinghammer.
The township is divided into two school dis- triets. The first school taught was by Miss Mary Sutrup, in 1870, in the house of N. S. Keppers.
District mumber sixty was organized in 1872, and the building erected on section twenty-eight, near the station.
District mmmber seventy-two was organized in 1876, and the school house located on section uine.
The products of Avon township, according to
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BROCKWAY TOWNSHIP.
the agricultural report of 1880, were: wheat, 6,725 bushels; oats, 6,588 bushels; corn, 960 buslichs; barley, 219 bushels; rye, 90 bushels; potatoes, 1,773 bushels; beans, 2 bushels; sugar cane, 63 gallons; cultivated hay, 42 tons; wild hay, 423 tons; apples, 1 bushel; tobacco, 91 pounds; wool, 457 pounds; butter, 3,785 pounds; and honey, 500 pounds.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
JAMES NELSON HOLMES was born on the 6th of January, 1858, in the village of Monroe, Green county, Wisconsin. Here he lived with his parents till five years of age, when his father died, and his mother went to Johnstown, New York, taking him with her. After one year they returned to White- water, Wisconsin, where James N. took a full course at the Normal School. After finishing his studies, he went to Green Bay, where he was em- ployed as telegraph operator and station agent, and afterwards continued in the same employment at La Crosse, for abont four years. He is now employed by the St. Paul, Minneapolis, and Mani- toba Railway Company, at Avon Station, as ticket agent and telegraph operator.
PHILIP W. RICHTER was born on the 18th of Oc- tober, 1857, in the city of St. Cloud, Minnesota, where he spent his youth under the directing hand of kind and affectionate parents. They came from Germany in 1855, aud settled in Illinois, where they lived two years and then removed to St. Cloud. Philip received his education at the Nor- mal School of St. Cloud, completing nearly the entire course. At the age of sixteen years, he left school and engaged in the profession of teacher. His first school was in St. Wendel township, and he has sinee condneted schools in Le Sauk, Zion, and St. Cloud, and is now on his fourth year in the village of Avon. Mr. Richter is spoken of as an able and efficient teacher. He was married on the 17th of September, 1878, to Miss Maggie. Loso, who was born in St. Joseph, Stearns county, in 1858.
BROCKWAY.
CHAPTER XCIIT.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION -EARLY SETTLEMENT-FIRST THINGS - ORGANIZATION - POST-OFFICES -- RELIG- 1008 BOUOOLS . AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS --- BIO- GRAPHICAL.
Brockway is situated in the extreme northeast
corner of the county, and has an area of 33,960 acres, of which 2,438 are under cultivation.
It embraces all of township 126 north, range 29 west, the south tier of sections belonging to town- ship 127, range 29, and a portion of township 126, range 28.
Along the river, at the south, there is a fine piece of prairie, formerly known as Winnebago Prairie, but now called Brockway Prairie. Towards the north, and separated from Brockway Prairie by a light strip of timber, is North Prairie, which extends into Morrison county. Westward from the river, the surface is somewhat hilly with occasional strips of low and swampy land. The higher land of this portion of the township is heavily timbered, and as yet, but little improved.
In the summer of 1855, the first permanent set- tlers arrived, and consisted of Milo Young, George Day, Winslow Getchell and his son Nathaniel, Asa and Winslow Libby, William Gordon, and a few others, all settling on Winnebago Prairie. In the fall of that year, James Y. Demeritt and William McNeal settled near the river, on North Prairie, and were followed soon after by Andrew MeCrea and others. The winter of 1856-57 was an unusually hard one for the settlers. The cold was intense and the snow fell to a depth never since attained.
When the government survey was made, some . time after this settlement, Mr. Demeritt and his neighbor MeNeal found themselves on school sec- tion thirty-six, but fortunately, they were enabled to obtain land warrants, and thus seenred their claims at abont government price.
Sank Rapids was then but a trading post and there were but a few houses at St. Cloud, conse- quently it was several years before enough eon- centrated action could be had to open a road along the west side of the river. The population, according to the last census was 743. The first school was taught by Miss Irene Carrick, of Elk River, in 1860; it was a private school, and hold in the house of Winslow Getchell. The first preaching was also in the house of Mr. Getchell, in 1859, by the Rev. John Thompson, of Sauk Rapids. The first birth was a daughter of Asa Libby, born in 1857, and died at the age of nine months, making the first death in the town. The first marriage occurred in the fall of 1858, the contracting parties being, Edward B. Bliss and Miss Cynthia Gray.
This town was organized in 1858, and embraced
408
IIISTORY OF THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY.
a large tract of country lying west of the river, but has been gradually reduced to its present limits by the organization of new towns. The first election was held on the 27th of May, at the honse of Anson Northrup. A portion of the present town of Le Sank was included in the new town, in which Mr. Northrup lived. The officers elected were: Supervisors, Asa Libby, Chairman, J. E. Hayward, and William Gordon; Clerk, W. B. Ellis; Assessor, Reuben Gray, and Colleetor, Na- thaniel Getchell.
The town was organized under the name of Winnebago, but changed to Broekway in 1860.
Brockway Post-ofliee was established in Sep- tember, 1857, and N. Getchell appointed Post- master. About 1863, Mr. Getchell moved away and the office was discontinued, but soon re-estab- lished with Appleton Webb as Postmaster. He was succeeded by James Gray, and in October, 1879, Mrs. Alma Getehell, the present incumbent, was appointed.
North Prairie Post-office was formerly kept at the house of James Y. Demeritt, with Mrs. Deme- ritt as Postmistress, but some time ago it was re- moved north into Morrison county, which is its present location.
Some years ago, regular preaching was main- tained at Brockway Prairie, but of late years it has been abandoned. A Sabbath school is kept up at the school house on section seventeen, and also one on Brockway Prairie.
There is a German Catholic Church situated on section twenty-five, which was erected in 1868, and in which services are hell once n month. The congregation consists of about eighteen German, and forty Anstrian families. Adjoining the church, is n cemetery inelosing about four acres of ground.
A cemetery is also located on section twenty- eight, which was formerly the property of the town, but owing to some inharmonious feeling, it was deeded to the Brockway Cemetery Associa- tion, about 1866, who still control it.
There are five school districts in the town, in which school is kept during the regular terms. '
"The products of Brockway, according to the agricultural report of 1880, were: wheat, 21,936 bushels; oals, 11,513 bushels; corn, 5, 156 bushels; barley, 60 bushels; rye, 1,357 bushels; potatoes, 4,020 bushels; beans, 22 bushels; sugar cane, 288 gallons; cultivated hay, 160 tons; wild hy, 698 tons; apples, 12 bushels; tobacco, 178 pounds;
wool, 995 pounds; butter, 10,370 pounds; and honey, 650 pounds.
BIOGRAPHIICAL.
JAMES Y. DEMERITT was born in Woodstock, New Hampshire, on the 16th of February, 1822, and brought up as a farmer, which he has followed during life. In 1855, he came to Minnesota, and located temporarily on the east bank of the Mississippi river, at or near the present site of Bellevue, Morrison county. In November of the same year, he located on seetion thirty-six in the north part of Broekwny township, then wild and unsettled. Mr. Demeritt and his only neigh- bor, William McNeal, crossed the river to this place in a birch bark canoe, swimming their stoek, and thus isolated from civilization, began the improve- ment of their new homes. Mr. Demeritt was one of the organizers of the town, and has served a number of terms in most of the town offices, being one of the leading men in all publie affairs. He married Miss Lanra J. Gray, of Woodstock, New Hampshire, in June, 1851. They have two chil- dren; Isabel H., now Mrs. Robert Russell, and Eva E., living with her parents.
JOHN H. FISKE was born in Whitefield, New Hampshire, on the 12th of September, 1840. Re- moved to the south part of the State in 1861, and after three years, came to Clearwater, Minnesota. In 1873, he took a homestead of eighty acres in section twenty-six, Brockway township, to which he has since added forty acres, affording him a comfortable and convenient home.
NATHANIEL GETCHELL was born in Wesley, Maine, on the 9th of November, 1828. He came to Minnesota in 1852, settling in St. Anthony for three years, when he, with a few others, came to This township and opened a farm on section thirty- three, on Winnebago Prairie. He served thir- teen months during 1862 .63, in the Union Army, as a member of the Mounted Rangers. He was one of the founders of this lown, and the first Collector. Since that lime, he has filled some of the principal offices in the township, being Assessor for three years. He married Miss Alma M. Wing, of Vasselborough, Kennebec county, Maine, on the 21st of May, 1861. They have four chil- dren; Annie M., Carrie A., Ernest A., und Her- bert W.
JOHN McGEE was born in St. Jolm's, New Brunswick, on the 9th of May, 1816. He resided in his native city until 1850, when he removed
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BROCKWAY TOWNSHIP.
near Hamilton, Canada, which was his home for five years. In 1855, he came to Minnesota and located at Little Falls, Morrison county, but after two years, crossed to the west side of the Missis- sippi, where he made a claim and remained until settling on his present farm in 1864. Mr. McGee has divided his time between farming and Inmber- ing since coming to the State. He has been twice married; first to Miss Mary Gallop, in St. John's, New Brunswick, in November, 1840; she died in December, 1863, after having borne him nine children, seven of whom are yet living. They are named, Amos, Caroline E., George R., Benja- min O., Jolm D., Emma E., and William M. Lydia S. died aged three years, and Mary A., aged eighteen years. Mr. McGee's present wife was Mrs. Sarah MeDongal, to whom he was mar- ried in September, 1877. She became the wife of Donald MeDougal in June, 1849, and removed to Bellevne, Minnesota, in 1855, where her husband died in January, 1874. Their children are, Peter B., William J., Marjery M., Kate C., Susan A., John L., Donald G., Archibald, and Edward F. They are all living in the vicinity of their old home, except William J., who went to Montana seven years ago.
WILLIAM MCNEAL ( deceased ) was born in New Brunswick on the 1st of May, 1830, and came to the United States in 1851, spending several years in the state of Maine, and two or three years in Michigan, from which place he removed to Min- nesota. After spending nearly four years in St. Paul and the adjacent country, came to this town with Mr. Demeritt, in 1855, in whose family he lived till his marriage, in 1858, with Miss Harriet Crumb, of Sherburne, New York. Mr. MeNeal was with Northrup and Brown at the hanging of the three Indian murderers, near Little Falls, in 1857. He died on the 11th of September, 1879, leaving his widow a fine rural home, where she still resides. During the Indian exeitement of 1862, when all the people fled to St. Cloud for safety, Mrs. MeNeal remained at home, and was the only woman in the settlement for two weeks. Bravery nsnally wins, though it may seem pre- suming to risk so much.
BENJAMIN O. McGEE, a native of New Bruns- wick, was born on the 2d of August, 1850. Ro- moved with his parents in early childhood to Can- ada, and in 1855, to the United States, locating at Little Falls, Minnesota, where he remained abont four years; then to Pike Rapids, where he remained
till 1861, when he removed to this town, and in 1870, located on section twelve; then in 1877, purchased a farin on section seven, where he now resides. He has been engaged in the log-driving business for the last sixteen years. He married Miss Cora Crosby, of this town, on the 15th of July, 1870. They have had seven children, two of whom are living; Wilbert R. and Frank E.
ROBERT L. RUSSELL was born near Glasgow, Scotland, on the 24th of May, 1844. He came with his mother and other members of the family to America, landing in Minnesota in 1851. His father, Robert Russell, having come to this country three years prior to this time, was known far and near as "Scottie," being the only Scotchman among the pioneer fathers. He lead an active life, and was several times called to fill positions of publie trust in the county and township. In 1860, he went to Pike's Peak, where he was killed by a blast in the mines. Mrs. Rus- sell also died in 1877. Robert L. lived in Benton county from the time he came to the country till 1873, when he purchased one hundred and sixty aeres in section eighteen, this township, where he now lives. He married Miss Hannah I. Demeritt, daughter of James Y. Demeritt, in September, 1874. Mrs. Russell was born in New Hampshire, in 1856. They have four children; John A., Lanra A., Ella E., and Jessie.
COLLEGEVILLE.
CHAPTER XCIV.
This town lies east of the center of the county, and adjoins St. Joseph on the west. The surface is undulating, with considerable swamp and marsh land. The southern part is covered with light brush, and the northern part contains some heavy timber.
The first settlers were George Scherer and Jos- eph Jonas, who settled on section twenty-six about 1858, and are now living there. John Obermul- ler settled on section two abont the same time, and a number of others made claims in different por- tions of the town soon after. The population, ac- cording to the last eensus, was 318.
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