Becker County, Minnesota - Chapter with an unread heading (no. 1 of those read), 1907 (part 10 of 16)

The village was incorporated in March, 1881. The judges of the first election were appointed by the Secretary of State, Fred Von Bombach, and were, O. I. Berg, R. H. Abraham and Dr. J. O. Froshaug. The first election was held March 15th, 1881. Thirty-five votes were cast and the following village ofificers were elected : President, Thomas C. Hawley ; trustees, O. I. Berg, M. Mark, J. E. Chase; recorder, A. C. Dean; constable, L. E. Norby; justice, J. A. Bemis.

Lake Park Times Salutatory

"According to the eternal fitness of things" every booming town in this most booming country has its advantages sounded through the medium of its newspaper. We have looked over the ground and have decided that it is time for Lake Park to show its hand, as it were, and take its place among other towns of its size, able and ready to support its own newspaper. We do not take this step hastily, for we have watched the steady and solid growth of the village for four years and know, therefore, what we do. Possessing the finest agricultural district in the state, already thickly settled by thrifty farmers, it is destined to advance by a rapid and substantial growth.

It has been intimated that the Times has been established as a campaign paper in the present fight in progress in the fifth district. This assertion we wish to contradict at the outset and assure our patrons that we have come to stay and mean business. We may have our personal preferences on the subject, but the Times will take no part in the matter. It will always be in the interest of the growth and prosperity of, first the village of Lake Park; second the country surrounding. In short, the Times is to be a local paper in the full sense of the word. It is not owned or controlled by any political party or faction and all fears on this point may be put to rest at the outset.

Lake Park, situated in the western part of Becker County, has the finest country tributary to it of any town in northwestern Minnesota. To the north the country is thickly settled for twenty miles and it includes the garden spot of Becker County. The famous Wild Rice Region, twenty miles northwest of Lake Park, finds its outlet here. No town in this part of the state has so large an area to depend upon for support and the quantity of grain which finds a market here is enormous and fully half of what Becker County produces. We have a gently rolling prairie with just enough timber to supply the farmers for years to come. Splendidly watered by the Buffalo River and its tributaries, which furnish the pure water free from alkali, the Buffalo valley, in point of excellence far surpasses the Red and James River valleys. And that the town is alive to all these facts is shown in the marked improvements which are going on in every direction. Buildings are going up in every direction and it is safe to say that Lake Park is destined to become, in the near future, one of the largest and most flourishing cities in northwestern Minnesota. This year there will be harvested one of the finest crops ever secured in the county and the fact of Becker being the champion wheat growing county in the state will no doubt be demonstrated, as has heretofore been the case.

Francis Marion Higley was born in Coudersport, Pa., Dec. 17, 1843. At nine years of age he, with his parents, moved to Warren, 111., and in 1856 removed from that place to Olmstead County, Minnesota, where he spent his early manhood. November 5, 1861, at the age of eighteen years, he enlisted in the service of his country in company C, Brackett's battalion of cavalry, and was mustered out May 24, 1866, making a service of over five years. February 12, 1867, he was joined in marriage to Mrs. Elvira Bogue and in 1870 moved with his family to Becker County, arriving here June 10, and has since made his home here. He died November 4, 1899, of heart failure, at the age of 55 years, 10 months and 17 days.

Thomas H. Canfield

Thomas Hawley Canfield was born March 2nd, 1822, in the city of Arlington, Vermont. He was a descendant of Nathan Canfield. one of the pioneers of that state. A history of Mr. Canfield's life is to a large extent a history of the inception, inaugurartion and completion of that great enterprise, the Northern Pacific Railway. Educated in his native state he early attracted the attention of prominent financiers and business men, and after a few years of successful business life in the town of Williston, he became manager of the large manu- facturing and shipping firm of Follett & Bradley in Burlington, Vt. This firm was at that time changed to Follett & Canfield. About this time he also built the Rutland and Washingon Railway, of which he became president and lessee. Early in the fifties the idea of a continental railroad occurred to Mr. E. F. Johnson, then the foremost railway engineer in America. Mr. Canfield, then about thirty years of age, was so convinced by Mr. Johnson of the practicability of such a road to the western coast, that he resolved to make it the business of his life and to devote his time, energies and talents towards the accomplishment of that object. The first active steps were taken in '52 when he, with Mr. Johnson, built the Chicago, St. Paul and Fond du Lac Railway, known now as the Chicago and Northwestern. The feasibility of continuing the road to the coast became more apparent as time went on. On account of opposition which was encountered chiefly from Hon. Jefiferson Davis, then secretary of war, nothing could be accomplished at that time towards extending the road. War breaking out about this time everything was at a standstill. In 1865, however, a charter was granted to a Mr. Perham of Maine, who transferred it to a company of Eastern men, who appointed Mr. Canfield director and general agent of the company. Of the twelve original directors of the company two only were Minnesotans - William Windom and William S. King. And so it happened that fifteen years after its inception the plans were laid for the building and organization of the Northern Pacific Railway. But almost untold difficulties were thrown in the way of those interested by those who desired a southern or middle route to the coast, and but for the courage, faith and determination of those twelve directors there would have been no Northern Pacific road to-day. The project was ridiculed as impossible; its advocates called it crazy and visionary; but they persevered in their efforts. Twice was the charter on the point of being lost, and the second time the bill amending it in some points was signed by the president one day only before the charter expired. The history of the actual building of the road would form a thrilling and exciting story of adventure and difficulty. Several expeditions conducted personally by Mr. Canfield, sometimes on horseback, sometimes on buckboards and wagons, traversed the country from St. Paul and Duluth across the Rocky Mountains to the very ends of the route. Through tracts of land inhabited by hostile Indian tribes; across almost unsurmountable obstacles the surveys were made, until finally in 1869 the route was finally determined upon, and the construction of the road commenced. At this time a company was also formed, having Mr. Canfield as president, called the Lake Superior and Puget Sound Townsite Company, which was empowered to buy lands, build boats and do most any kind of business to further the interests of the railroad company- This company under Mr. Canfield's direction located, platted and laid out along the line of the railroad the towns of Aitkin, Brainerd, Motley, Aldrich, Wadena, Perham, Audubon, Lake Park, Hawley, Glyndon and Moorhead, and later Fargo and Tacoma. In 1870 two expeditions were made on horseback by Mr. Canfield, accompanied by Gov. Smith from St. Paul to Dakota, passing through most of these towns. There was at this time only one house in Detroit, and thai a log one built by Mr. Tyler. For the next three or four years numerous expeditions were successfully made under the personal guidance of Mr. Canfield. for the purpose of perfecting the plans and efficiency of the undertaking. For twenty years he labored in the interests of the road until in 'jz^ when the bankruptcy of the road occurred, he resigned from the directorship and also from the presidency of the Puget Sound Land Co. During this same year he purchased about 3,000 acres of farming land in the neighborhood of Lake Park, where he spent for the remainder of his life most of his time. During the last twenty-five years, in fact ever smce he resigned from the railroad, he was ever closely identified with the growth and development of the Northwest. His name is associated with the history of the state and nation. In the words of his biographer: "He was a man of broad ideas, wonderful vitality and energy, unconquerable will and indefatigable determination, and the history of the gigantic enterprises in which he was concerned demonstrate the characteristics of the man; of strictest integrity, kind and courteous, of extensive reading and observation, endowed with the keenest foresight and executive ability, he has indehbly impressed himseh' upon the history of the great undertakings with which he had been connected. ]Mr. Canfield was a member of the Episcopal church, holding the important position of the secretary of the diocese for over thirty years. He was delegate to the General Convention on five different occasions.

He was twice married. His first wife was Elizabeth A. Chittenden, great granddaughter of Thomas Chittenden, first governor of Vermont. She died in 1848, and he subsequently married Caroline A. (daughter of Rt. Rev. Bishop Hopkins of Vermont,) who, with three daughters, Emily, Marion, and Flora, and one son, Thomas H., still survive him.

The town of Cormorant was first settled in 1870. Dugald Campbell was the first settler. He came and settled in Section 36, May i8th, 1870. Dugald Campbell was born in Glasgow, Scotland, August ist, 1819, and emigrated to St. John's, New r>runswick, in 1825 with his parents, where he lived until 1848, when he went to Massachusetts where he followed the sea for one year. In 1849 ^^^ came to Stillwater, Minnesota, where he followed the lumber woods in winter, and was a raft pilot on the jNIississippi River in the summer for six years. In 1859 l''^ ^^^^ the river, and settled on a farm in the town of Florence, Goodhue County, ^linnesota, where he lived until April 22nd, 1870, when he took his team and came to Becker County. Mr. Campbell was married to Julia Furman, ^larch 24th, 1861, at Red Wing, Minnesota, and of this union one son was born, Hubert B. Campbell, on Alay 20th, 1862. Mr. Campbell lived on his farm until his death which occurred March 13th, 1891.

The next settler was Sandore Olson, who came to the town of Cormorant about June ist, 1870, and settled on the farm now owned by Murdock Pattison. Mr. Olson owned a farm at Evansville, Minnesota, at the time ; he stayed here until after the town was organized in 1872, and then sold out to Mr. Pattison and moved back to Evansville.

The next three settlers were Nels Erickson, Knut Matson and Mats Xelson, who came here together June 8th, 1870. Nels Erickson and wife Eliza moved here from Carver County by ox team. They have a family of five children, Mary, Eliza, Carrie, Erick and Daniel, their son Erick l)eing the first male white child born in the town. He was born December 25th, 1870. Their daughter Carrie was nearly killed at or near the place where S. D. Riders farm is now in the town of Scambler. Otter Tail County. As they were unyoking the oxen one night thev had one ox freed when the other turned quickly, swinging the yoke which struck Carrie, knocking her down, and for a while they thought her dead, but she recovered, and afterwards married Ole Erickson, and is the niotiier of four boys and six girls. Ole Erickson is one of the early settlers; he came here in 1871. Air. Nels Erickson gives us some hard luck stories of his early days in this town and of the hardships endured by some of the early settlers, himself being among the number. He is one of the foremost farmers in the town.

Knut Alatson is also one of the prosperous farmers. lie and his wife, Anna, also came here from Carver County. They have a family of eleven children, Mary, AFats, Julia, Ole, Erick, Carrie, Emma, Clara, Alina. and two died when babies. Julia Knutson was the first white girl l)orn in the town, December 8th, 1870.

Severt Olson moved by oxen and wagon from Wisconsin. He was married to his present wife by the Rev. Mr. Hagebo, November 24th, 1873, this being the second marriage in the town. They have two children, Oscar and Clara. Oscar vS. Olson was born May i8th, 1875.

Peter A. Severtson was married to Gunheld Severtson on Nov. 15th, 1871, by Minister E. A. Berg, who lived about 15 miles southeast of Fergus Falls ; this was the first marriage ceremonv in the town. They had a family of five children, Isaac, Zachariah, Josephine, Sena and Gena, of which all are living except Gena.

Ole Hoveland was the first to die in the town, also the first one buried in the Lutheran graveyard. He was drowned in Lake Ida. May 31st, 1874.

Olk Kkickson And Family

Severt Hokland settled here July ist. 1870. Ole Erickson and Nels Estenson about Septeml)cr ist. 1870. (iabriel Hanson, Lorenz Olson and Andrew Erickson in the spring of 1871. Peter Anders in the summer of 1872. Tom Olson in 1875. Ole E. Olson is also one of the old settlers. He came here April ist, 1871. They had a family of six children, Isabel, Edward, vSimon, Henry, Olaus and Sarah. Their daughter Isabel was the second girl born in the town. Mr. Olson left Norway and went to Australia and worked in the gold mines as day laborer until he had accumulated $1,800, which he invested in a mine of his own, from which he realized nothing. AMien he had lost all, he l)egan to work by the day until he had raised mone}' enough to take him to California, where he worked a while and became sick and his sickness cost him all he had before he was able to work again. He then came to Minnesota, got married and settled in Cormorant. Of his children, Edward and Olaus are both dead. Mr. She.rbrook married Isabel Olson.

The first town election was held February, 26th, 1872. The first township officers were as follows: Chairman, Dugald Campbell ; supervisors, Samuel C. P. Brandt and Ole E. Olson ; clerk, David Merry ; assessor, Severt Hokland ; treasurer, Sandore Olson; justices, Dugald Campbell and David Merry; constables, Charles T. Hanson and Patrick Liddy.

Severt Olson, Peter A. Severtson and Ole Hoveland had the first sawmill in the town, which consisted of an old fashioned whipsaw which they bought at Alexandria. They sold the lumber for the fioors of some of the first buildings that were built in Detroit, for which they received $30 per thousand.

At first there was but very little land under cultivation, and so all the unmarried men would go south for having and harvest and would work on their farms here in the winter and early spring. It was often a hard matter to make both ends meet. The first crop that Severt Olson raised he worked nearly all summer for the seed and had to haul it from the southern i)art of the state. He did not get his grain threshed, but he had it stacked and ready, and had sent for the threshing machine when a prairie fire came along and burned up all his grain and his hay. He had worked on the Northern Pacific Railroad and had spent what money he made for a yoke of oxen, so he had to cut down a crooked tree, and make himself a pair of bob-sleds. He worked in the woods northeast of Detroit all winter, and the next year when his t^rain got to he al)out a foot high the grasshoppers came and took every bit of it. The next year he got part of a crop and the grasshoppers took the rest of it. He had just enough to live on and had to buy seed for the next year again. He thought it strange that he should have such a small crop when his neighbors all around him had more per acre than he did, so he asked Peter Severtson why this should be, and Peter told him that if he had been a married man and had a family he would have needed more and would have got more, but as he was single he did not need it, and so did not get it. Severt got married the next year, and his crop was good accordingly.

To show the scarcity of money we will relate a story of Peter A. Severtson, who took grist to mill at Alexandria in the fall after snow began to fall. Of course, it took quite a while to make the trip with the oxen, and he had to camp out at night. One night his coat caught fire and there was a big hole burned in the back when he awoke. He had no money to get it repaired and none to buy a new coat with, so he had to get along the best he could the rest of the way to town and home again.

niorant village. The name of the firm was [Murdock, Pattison & Co. This property changed hands until \\\ \^^ AIcLeod became a sole owner eventually. He ran it several years by waterpower, and after that failed he \n\t in a steam plant and remo\ed the old burrs and put in a complete set of rollers which worked well for several years. It afterwards changed hands several times, each party taking what they could out of it, but most of them sinking some money, until lately it was purchased by Berthold Kroll, who was a man of experience, and he has so far given satisfaction and has secured a good trade.

The first store was started about the time that the mill was built. The firm name was McLeod & Davis. They sold out to S. A. Halgren, October nth, 1880.

The nearest post-office when the first setlers came was Fort Pomme de Terre. After the Northern Pacific Railroad was built, then Audubon was the nearest, then one was started at Pelican Lake. The citizens of this village wanted a post-office at Cormorant, and sent in several petitions but they seemed to do no good, the neighboring villages working against it and it seemed impossible to do anything further. During the time that W. D. Washburn was stumping" the district for congress some of the patrons thought that it was an opportunity that they ought not to lose, so W. \\\ McLeod wrote to A\'. D. Washburn, stating" that there were a nund)er of voters here that would like to support him in his campaign, but they were of the opinion that the favors should nc^t be all on one side as we were in need of a postoffice. If he would use his infiuence in our behalf we would do what we could for him. In just nine days the commission came for John A. Davis as postmaster.

The First Settlement Of Lake Eunice

In the spring of 1870. W. W. Rossnian with myself and my brother WilHam left McLeod County for Becker County. We came with teams as there were no railroads at that time. We made the trip in about two weeks, and arrived at Cormorant Lake the ist of June and took claims on Section 29. The second day we went fishing and caught as fine a string of bass as you would wish to see. Rossman and I were cooks ; he would make the slaj^-jacks, and I would fry the lish and make the cofTee ; we built a log cabin and covered it with bark and sod and the floor was made of earth. This we thought was a good house, but the mosquitoes were awful that summer, and I expect we used some cuss words about them. Our nearest place to buy anything was at Alexandria, about 100 miles away, but we brought enough stutif to eat so that we got along with catching lish and shooting game until fall. Then we went back to McLeod County to get the families. We made the trip without any mishaps. John McClelland came l)ack with us. He located at Lake Eunice. In the fall of 1871 Sidney Buck was born, the first boy born in Lake Eunice. At that time we started the city at Buck's mills, and it has been starting ever since.

I was born in Orange County, Vermont, in 1833, and came to Minnesota in 1851. I went to California in 1858, and was in New York City at the time of the completion of the Atlantic cable. There was a great blowout at that time. I came back to Minnesota in i860 and was here during the Minnesota massacre in 1862. In McLeod County I saw a whole family that had been killed by the Sioux Indians, and all had their heads cut off.

In the year 1871 my brother William Buck and myself moved to Section 31, in Lake Mew Township, where we built a sawmill the succeeding year. S. S. B.

Mr. And Mrs. John Mcclelland

All history except that of wars is usually made up of little things, incidents, waifs floating" on the stream of time, seemingly of no account as they pass, hardly worthy of record, and yet in the fitful passage of a century, the historian looks back for those little incidents with the interest that would surprise us could we realize a tithe of their importance in the estimation of those who shall come after us.

Lake Eunice was named by the United States surveyors in honor of Eunice McClelland, who was the first white woman to settle near the lake. She was the wife of John McClelland.

Among" those who came in 1871 were Thomas Bardslev, Alonzo Fogg, John Dispennet, Thomas J. Alartin, Conrad Glaum, Peter Glaum, Conrad Glaum, Jr., Jacob Shaffer. Warren Horton, R. A. Horton. iVIyla Converse came in the spring of 1872, and George W. Grant, Andrew Rydell, John O. Nelson, \Vm. Blake and James Blake came in the spring of 1873.

George ^^^ Grant was a veteran of the Civil War and the hero of many battles. In later years he has held many important positions in the Grand Army of the Republic.

The lands in this town are much diversified, affording every facility for farming that the husbandman can desire. The western and northern parts are generally timbered with oak, maple, linden, poplar, etc. The balance of the land is prairie with groves of timber skirting the lakes. The surface is gently undulating, and the soil a rich black loam.

The first child born in the township was Sidney Buck, in October, 1871, son of William Buck, and is still a resident of Becker County. The first marriage was that of Alonzo Fogg to Miss C)rlora Britt, by W. W^ Rossman. justice of the peace, of Detroit. They now live in Washington. The first "husking bee" was at Mr. Britt's, where the boys got their pay for husking by kissing the girls every time they found a red ear of corn.

The first settlers of this township went through all the hardships incident to the settlement of a new country. Goods of all kinds were high and money scarce. Everything had to be hauled by wagons from Alexandria, about ninety miles, the first summer. In the winter of 1871, Fletcher & Bly, of Minneapolis, opened a store at the Big Cut, three or four miles west of Detroit on the

Northern Pacific Railroad, after which goods could be obtained at a more reasonable price. At this time lumber was out of the question. The houses were all built of logs with sod roofs. Some had glass windows, and others had none. The more enterprising settlers had logs split and hewed on one side, which they laid down for their floors. Others spread hay on the ground, which had to be taken up every few days to prevent the fleas and mosquitoes from becoming too plenty. The fleas and mosquitoes will be long remembered by the early settlers of this township.

Some time in April, 1872, while ]\Irs. John ]\IcClelland was out in the dooryard raking chips, two Indians suddenly appeared before her, and asked in Chippewa wdiere her husband was. Although taken by surprise she did not answer, but kept right on raking chips. Finally the other Indian asked in good English where her man was, and she told him he went to "Oak Lake." Almost before the words were out of her mouth the Indian said '"Good." This so frightened her that she was almost ready to run to one of the neighbors, but remembering the three children, she kept on with the rake, and showed as little fear as possible The Indians after conversing awhile in their native language, started in the direction of Oak Lake. This event took place shortly after the Cook family murder, about five miles north of here. It required a great deal of nerve to pass through such an ordeal at a time when it was thought a general uprising of the Indians might take place any day.

A half crazy Dutchman by the name of Jacob Schaft'er came into the townshij) in 1871. Jake was naturally of a thieving disposition and would steal everything he could lay his hands on. He would steal from one neighbor and give to another, auAthing from an ox yoke to a load of lumber. C)n one occasion he was known to steal a load of lumber in Detroit and give it away before he got home. The last we heard of poor Jake he was dangling from the limb of a tree in Montana for stealing horses.

L. G. Stevenson was another queer specimen of humanity, who came here in 1870. "Steve." as he was called, was as cute as a fox, a first-rate neighbor, and a clever fellow all around. The first civil case tried in the township Steve was employed as counsel for the defendant and John McClelland for the plaintift".

As the justice of peace before whom the case was tried was not very well posted in Blackstone, he was at a loss to know how to open the court. Steve told him to repeat after him what he should sa}\ "Proceed sir," said the justice of peace. "Hear }e, hear ye," said the justice of peace, "the justice court of Lake Eunice is now open, all persons having business in this court must appear and be heard. God save the Queen." "God save the Queen, be d - d if I'll do it," said the justice of peace, "there is something' not right about that. We don't have a Queen in this country." After a sharp skirmish by the attorneys it was decided to call ofif the Queen and the case went on trial.

The plaintift" won the case, and as Steve did not tell the justice of peace how to close the court, the probability is, it is still open. Steve was for a long time the political Moses of this part of the country, and when the Republican party wanted to concentrate public sentiment and obtain full delegations from Becker Comity in the district conventions, they had but to call Steve, and the thing was fixed. Steve was a singular genius ; the world would not have been complete without him.

A man by the name of Thomas McDonough took a claim on Section 22 in 1870, and afterwards sold his right to Alonzo Fogg. Tom had no fingers or thumbs on either of his hands, having lost them by hard freezing. He, however, could do almost any kind of work, was an expert horse teamster, and could handle the lines as skillfully as a man with a full set of fingers.

A man by the name of Frank Yergens bought the northwest quarter of Section 23 from John King, who had pre-empted the place after a close contest with the Northern Pacific Railroad Company. The same place is now owned and occupied by Alfred Nunn. Yergens, or r3utch Frank, as he was usually called, was a peculiar specimen of the genus homo. Knickerbocker's description of AA'outer \'an Twiller, the first I3utch Governor of New York, would ajjply equally as well to Dutch Frank. He was a man specially noted for the symmetry of his physical proportions, being exactly five feet six inches in height and six feet fi^'e inches in circumference. He was one of nature's noblemen, a man with a noble head - an immense head, a head that no ordinary neck could support, so nature came to his relief by placing his head on top of his backbone, squarely between his shoulders without any neck at all.

One dark, rainy night he took old Uncle James Blake, who was making his way home on foot from Detroit carrying a brass clock that he was taking home to repair, into his wagon to ride but afterwards made him get out and walk the rest of the way through the mud because he could not play him a tune on the clock.

About the later part of June, 1870, Archibald B. McDonell and family composed of a wife and nine children, five sons and four daughters - Duncan the oldest of the boys was married a short time previous to leaving Canada, their former home - arrived in St. Paul. On the 22nd day of June, they went from St. Paul to Shakopee, Scott County, and remained there until the 5th of July, when Mr. McDonell and three of his sons left for Becker County to seek new homes, leaving his wife, Donald, and Finlay, his daughters and daughter-in-law at Shakopee, until he and the boys could erect a home on the wild prairies. They went by way of Carver, Young America and Glencoe, stopping with some friends from Canada a few days, who had settled on some lands on the Buffalo Creek, McLeod County. Then they left for Pelican Lake and the proposed Northern Pacific Railroad by way of Litchfield, Benson, Alexandria. Pom me de Terre, Fergus Falls, Pelican Rapids and arrived at Pelican Lake on the 20th day of July, the whole country traversed between Pomme de Terre and Pelican Lake being destitute of any houses, except one on the west end of Pelican Lake, owned by Robert Scambler, but in every direction a covered wagon and a little group of children could be seen. P. S. Peabody had started to build a house on the north side of Pelican Lake, which A. B. ^McDonell and sons helped to finish by hewing out basswood slabs for floor and room meanwhile looking about the country between Pelican and Cormorant Lakes for suitable lands to take as homesteads. The most attractive land had been staked out by parties who went aht-ad of the "Boom" on purpose to sell their rights to the newcomers in a short time. Men, horses and oxen w'ere busy hauling logs for shanties, and plowing the prairie to get sods to cover the houses which made a very good and warm place to live in. The lands were not surveyed at the time when each man marked out the piece of land he intended to claim, but some time in the latter part of August, George l'>. Wright was sent by the government to survey the counties of liecker and Clay into townships and sections, which made a vast difference in the situation ,of some of the homesteads, .\bout the first of September the other meml)ers of the McDonell family arrived at Pelican Lake, where A. B. McDonell had built a comfortable sod covered shanty after the fashion of the country. Before the cold weather set in not less than twenty families, composed of Swedes, Norwegians, Scotch, French, Irish Americans and Germans Avcre settled around Pelican and Cormorant Lakes. In the days of the early settlement at Pelican Lake, fish could be caught in abundance at any point around the lake by dropping the hook into the water. Bait was plentiful, frogs, horse-flies and grasshoppers, and fishermen were sure of a pickerel, ])ike or black bass ever\- time his hook struck the water. P'ish and game wardens were unknown in the days of early settlement. At and around the Pelican country also partridges, prairie chickens, wild ducks, geese, ])elicans, swans and sand-hill cranes were in countless numbers. Inhal)iting the country then were deer, elk, common and jack rabbits, which went far in assisting the homesteader to stick to his claim during the seven years of grasshopper troubles. In the fall of 1870 and the winter of 1S71, the nearest market to the settlement was Alexandria in Douglas County, something over one hundred miles distant. Lintil the Northern Pacific Railroad was iDuilt, P. S. Peabody had a few staple articles at from three to five five hundred per cent profit. Salt pork, 25 cents per ])oun(l, tea from $1.00 to $1.50 per pound. Calico at 25 cents per yard and e\'erything else in proportion. But we must admit that it was about as easy to pay for the necessities of life in those days as it is to-day in 1894, as money was plentiful, work suflficient and good wages at any kind of labor, and the job hunted the man and not the man the job as it is now. Most of the settlers have passed away.

The old settlers will doubtless nearly all remember John McClelland. He was the first register of deeds ever elected by the people of this county, and held the office for six years, and as he was always obliged to walk on his knees he was for a long' time a familiar figure in Detroit. He now lives in the state of Washington.

A Pathetic Chapter

The story of suffering from cold and hunger of Dr. Ripley and John McClelland in the spring of 1856 resulting in the death of the former and the loss of his legs by the latter comprises a pathetic chapter in the history of the times. John McClelland had reached Glencoe prior to the month of March, 1856, but at what particular time whether in the latter part of 1855 or the early spring of 1856 cannot now be recalled. In the month of March 1856, Dr. Ripley of Shakopee, and John Mc- Clelland, then of Glencoe, were employed by Bell and Chapman to go to Cedar City a point now known on the Hutchinson and Litchfield road, about thirteen miles distant from Hutchinson and nine miles from Litchfield for the purpose of constructing a log house to be occupied as a temporary country hotel or stopping place for new comers, and also for the accommodation of others who might conclude to settle or engage in business at the new townsite which had already been, or which was about to be laid out at that point. The snow was rapidly disappearing at the time of starting, the weather was comparatively mild and the indications were that spring was near at hand. In view of the mild weather, moccasins which had been worn during the winter, were exchanged for boots, and the two men left Glencoe with supplies of food sufficient to last but ten days, at the end of which time their employers promised to send or come with additional supplies.

Upon their arrival at the new townsite. they threw together a few logs for a shelter in which to live while engaged in the construction of the main or hotel building, supplying a cover for that portion of the shanty only, under which stood their improvised bed. After their arrival and within a few days a fierce snow storm prevailed and the weather changed to bitter cold. They remained fifteen days and until all their food except about a pound of dried apples and a cpiart of rice was exhausted and no one appeared with additional supplies. At the expiration of that time they started for Forest City. The snow was deep and drifted and their progress slow. They had matches with them and when night came they took shelter in a grove and started a fire.

The next day they traveled until nearly noon, when they discovered tliat they were lost, and their matches having become damp in the meantime they would not burn. They undertook to return to the shanty which they had left and to retrace their footsteps to the place they stopped the first night in the hope that the fire of the previous night had not died out, but in this they were disappointed, the fire was dead and they spent the second night tramping in and about the ashes in order to keep from freezing. When morning came they resumed their tramp and wdien within about seven miles of the shanty the doctor laid down exhausted from exposure, cold and hunger and said he could go no farther. He was urged and encouraged to make another eflfort, but finally gave up entirely, and as Mr. McClelland left him the doctor requested that in case the latter reached the shanty and was able to return, that he do so. and bring back some matches. Shortly after the separation Mr. McClelland fell through an air-hole while crossing the north fork of Crow River, got his feet wet, and they immediately swelled so that he had to cut ofif his boots, and the remainder of the way he walked in his stockings. Upon reaching the shanty an efifort was made to procure water, from a nearby lake in which to bathe his feet to withdraw the frost, btit the lake was frozen to the bottom and no water could be procured. He then built a fire and as soon as his feet were placed near the fire he became wholly unable to walk. During the following eighteen days, and until relief came, he started a fire four times, only. His entire food supply during those 18 days, after three days on the road without a morsel of any kind of food, consisted of the remnants of dried apples and rice before referred to. John McClelland was brought to Glencoe and from thence taken to Shakopee, where both of his legs were amputated, one four and the other eight inches below the knee.

Dr. Ripley's remains were found two months after the last separation from my brother, about half a mile from the place where he was last seen alive, his hat hanging on a bush near by and a bottle partly filled with chloroform by his side. Lake Ripley, located near Litchfield gets its name from the circumstances narrated above, as well as the hotel in Litchfield by the same name. My brother's misfortune was the occasion of my father's removal from Indiana to McLeod county which occurred shortly thereafter, after a stay en route of about six weeks in Shakopee, where the family was detained in caring for brother John while recovering from his injuries, Glencoe was reached on the nth day of June, 1856. At the solicitation and with the assistance of friends my brother, shortly after the occurrences narrated pul^lished a small book or pamphlet entitled "Sketches of Minnesota," in which was incorporated the story of his own and the doctor's suffering and the circumstances surrounding the latter's death. Miss Katie Gibson who has before been referred to as the first teacher in the log schoolhouse was understood to have been the doctor's afTianced at. the time of his death, and she visited my brother after we had removed to the farm to make inquiry as to whether the doctor had spoken of her before his and the doctor's last parting.

Loss of life or limb by freezing was not an unusual occurrence during those early Minnesota winters, due to the severit)' of the climate. Snow fell to the depth of from two to three feet and the thermometer registered from 30 to 40 below for weeks at a time, and owing to the dry, steady, cold atmosphere and the entire absence of any thawing, the great snow storms which prevailed, drifted into heaps, rendering travel with teams on the prairie, sometimes impossible, and at all times attended with danger.

But notwithstanding the risks and dangers to which the early settlers were exposed life among them was not wholly monotonous, nor devoid of interest. They hoped for better things and enjoyed the anticipation. Hospitality and generosity one with another were among their commendable virtues. There were no church bickerings, nor society factions among them. They all joined together in whatever of pleasure or amusement the times ard circumstances afforded.

Geo. W. Britt

Uncle Britt, as he was always called by his friends, was one of the first settlers in the town of Lake Eunice, and without doubt the first corn-husking bee in Becker County was held at his house. The writer was there and never will forget the hearty welcome he received and the splendid New England supper that was spread for the hearty settlers. It was a supper never to be forgotten; no lack of food at that table. Uncle Britt was raised in the forests of Maine. When a young man he was a lumberman, a sailor and cruiser to locate pine lands in }ilaine and Canada. It was his boast that he had driven the rivers of Maine and Canada for 27 springs, and his accounts of some of those drives and varied experiences in the forests of Maine and Canada were very interesting. He was a very kind hearted man; no one needing food or shelter was ever turned from his door.

To Mrs. Jessie West, Detroit. Minn., Dear ;Mad.\.m: .At your request I give you these fevv- items of the early history of Becker County. I left Boston, Mass., on the 9th day of May, 1871, going by the cars to Newport, then by boat to New York, then via the Erie Railroad to Buffalo, where we took the boat J. R. Coburn for Duluth. We were in the first boat that left for Duluth that spring and were nine days in the passage, carrying a large amount of freight as well as passengers. It was a very pleasant trip. We stopped in all of the principal ports, and at last reached Duluth, where we found a new town. The principal street ran north and south, the buildings were all one style facing the street with square fronts. There were two elevators and tlie railroad station was one mile from the lake. There were no regnlar trains, the railroad being in the hands of the construction company. We remained at Duluth one week. Here we made the accjuaintance of the Rev. ^Ir. Gilfillan, who was a resident minister. We found the railroad in a bad condition. There were numerous trestle works which were dangerous. They did not dare to trust the engines over some of them, and so the cars were detached from the engines and pushed across the trestle and another engine took them on the other side. We reached Thompson the first day and had to remain there over night. Here my connection with the Grand Army of the Republic was of benefit to us, for I found some comrades among the railroad men, and they gave us material aid. Thompson was a hard place; being the beginning of the Northern Pacific Railroad, it was filled with railroad employes and that class of people that follow a railway crew Nearly every other building was a saloon or dance hall. Gambling was openly carried on, and the town could boast of its houses of prostitution. In the evening, one would think bedlam was let loose.

With profanity, screaming, ribald songs, and shooting, we passed a sleepless night. The next day, Sunday, we loaded our goods on a Hatcar and started for Brainerd. The day was warm and the sun was hot. The engine burnt wood, the sparks came and fell on us in showers, sometimes setting our clothing on fire. At last we reached a place called Aitkin. Here we had to leave the train and all o\ our heavy goods, for there was a sink-hole in the traek. and the train could not cross it. so we got our trunks on a handcar, and women and children, and in addition to our company, we were met here by Superintendent Hohart and some other officials of the company. We pumped that handcar for about eight miles over a road bed that resembled a snake both in its wanderings up and down pitchings as well as its curvings. At last we reached the sink. Here the earth had entirely disappeared, the track held together, and we had a suspension bridge about half of a mile in length. I should think it was about ten feet to the water, and the rails hung down to within a foot of the w^ater at the center. When we got there we walked around, and they let the car go. It was carried by its own momentum down the incline and half way up the other side, where it was seized by men stationed there and pushed up the remainder of the way. Here we for the first time in our lives saw mosquitoes. I had previously met a few, but without any exception there were more to the square inch going round that sink-hole than I ever saw before, and this was our experience to be followed up by day and night, till cold weather put an end to them. After getting around the sink we entered a passenger train and in about one hour reached Brainercl. Brainerd was headquarters for the Northern Pacific Railroad, and the description of Thompson answers for Brainerd. Mr. Hobart directed us to go to the Pine Restaurant, and we found a most excellent family, but there were no beds and we had to lay on the floor; of course, the mosquitoes and the eye watering smudge were there. Three days in Brainerd. and then wc took a train to Crow Wing River, that being as far as the iron rails were laid. We stopped two days with James Campbell, now a resident of Richw^ood, who kept a tent hotel at this place. Here we hired teams, and after three days of travel we reached Detroit Lake, camping where the small stream empties into the lake near the club house. The next morning we drove into Tylerville. We remained here a few days, and June 15th, I selected my present homestead. It hardly seems necessary to mention the struggles and hardships, loss of crops by hail and grasshoppers, as well as the makeshifts to get along. These experiences are common to all new communities, yet we experience pleasure in speaking of them.

Sunday-School

SUNDAY-SCHOOL. July Qth, 1871. - The following named persons met in the grove, where the Maple Grove schoolhouse now stands. Mr. and Mrs. David Mix, Annis Mix, Charles Mix, Capitola Mix, Frank Mix, Lillie Mix, Louise Mix, Mr. and Mrs. L. C. Averill, Mr. and Mrs. S. Woodwortn, Mrs. Sylvester Moore, Flora Moore, Henry Moore, Lecela Moore, William McD9nough, Edward McDonough, Mr. and Mrs. T. J. Martin, Pennell Martin and Charles W. Martin for the purpose of organizing a Sunday-school. David ^lix was chosen superintendent, T. J. Martin assistant. Teachers, bible class, T. J. Martin; young ladies, Mrs. Moore; young men, S. Woodworth; infant class, Mrs. Mix. Sunday, July 23rd, we received a visit from Mr. Mason, Sunday-school missionary. He said this was the first organized school he had found in the county and gave us five dollars towards a library. Whether Mr. Mason organized any other school earlier than this date. I do not know, but think we can take the credit of being the first. The name was the Maple Grove Sunday-school

Religious Services

Religious services were held at dii^erent places in the county by the Rev. "'Father" Gurley. I think at that time he was a Methodist, but he became later on connected with the Episcopalians. The first religious service held in Maple Grove was in the fall by the Rev. Mr. Wood, of Detroit, who reorganized the Sunday-school on that day, and also united James Hanson and Annis Mix in marriage. November 8th, winter set in, the snow never disappearing entirely till May 3rd, 1872. On April 9th we gathered maple sap and made maple syrup, the first run of the season. On April 13th, 1872, Marion Martin was born.

Grand Army Of The Republic

THE BECKER COUNTY VETERAN ASSOCIATION. - THE GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC. Through some neglect on the part of the department officers, the Grand Army of the Republic lost its position in the National Encampment and all G. A. R. work was at an end, as there was no department we could not work. So the members of the G. A. R., and old soldiers formed themselves into the Becker County Veteran's Association.

Brickmaking

BRICKMAKING. In May, 1872, Mr. Norcross, uncle of William A. Norcross, of Detroit, started a brick-yard near where the Detroit House stands. Those pond holes near there are where he dug his clay. He made good brick earlier in the same season near Mud Lake, where another yard was started, Giles Peak furnishing the supplies for carrying on the work. In 1873 W. Norcross burned a kiln in the yard. His uncle started and also made brick east of the Pelican River on the Rand place. In 1875. a yard was started by Shaw and Kindred. In July of that year Kindred sold out to T. J. Martin. The first attempts were failures, but later they succeeded in making good brick. In 1880 Martin sold his interest to Shaw, who carried it on for two years more and then burned out.

Sylvester ]\roore was born at Trunil)ull, Ashtabula County, Ohio, on the 31st day of December, 1820. In the year 1852 he was married to Miss INIary Jane Teachout at Darien, Walworth County, \\'isconsin.

Mr. Moore came with his family to Becker County on the 14th of June. 1871. He took a homestead on Section 12, in Lake Eunice, where he lived the remainder of his days. In the early days of this county he took an active part in the affairs of his town and county, and in tliis connection he earned and enjoyed the confidence and esteem of all. Sylvester jMoore was a man of unimpeachable character, honest in word and deed, well informed and a man whom it was a pleasure to meet and an honor to call a friend.

Sylvester ^loore died on the 2nd of November, 1899. Mrs. ]\Ioore and four children survive him. They were Mrs. S. B. Curtis, Airs. O. V. Alix, Henry Moore of Shell Prairie, and Leslie G. Aloore, of Lake Eunice. - Detroit Record. Mrs. West.

This township was organized in March. 1872, and the first township election was held on the 12th day of that month at the log cabin of A. B. Simmons on Section 10 of that township.

Chairman of board of supervisors, J. W. Brown ; supervisors, W. J. Martin, Eugene Holyoke ; township clerk, Stephen Woodworth ; treasurer, Joseph H. Abbey; assessor; C. H. Sturtevant ;

Edward McDonough, on southwest quarter Section 18, in June 1st, 1870; William McDonough, on northwest quarter Section 18, in Sept. 5th, 1870; Lars Eckland, on nortliwest quarter Section 30, in Sept.. 1870; David Mix, on southwest quarter Section (), in October 1870.

O. V. Mix, on Section 6. in Oct., 1870; S. B. Dexter, on northwest cjuarter Section 6. in May 30th, 1871 ; Sylvester Moore, on Section 6, in June 14th, 1871 ; Steven Woodworth. on northwest quarter Section 18, in June 14th, 1871 ; Joseph Abbey, on southwest quarter Section 14, in July ist. 1871 ; Charles H. Sturtevant, on southwest quarter Section 4, in August 5th, 1871 ; Marshall J. Lewis, on southeast quarter Section 10, in August 29th, 1871 ; J. B. Simmons, on northeast quarter. Section 10. in September loth, 1871 ; James W. Brown, on northeast quarter. Section 4, in 1871 ; John Rutterman, on northeast quarter, Section 14, in 1871 ; George Martin, in 1871 ; John Whalen, on Section 14, in 1871 :

Anthony Miller, on southeast quarter, Section 12, in 1871 ; H. Gerry, on northwest quarter. Section 4, in 1871 ; John McGilvery, on Section 22, in 1871 ; Harvey Judd, on northeast quarter, Section 8, in 1871 ; Charles Harvey, in 1871 ; Thomas Corbett. on northeast quarter, Section 20, in September, 1871 ; Eugene Holyoke, in 1871 ; Daniel Webster, on northeast quarter, Section 12, in 1871 ; James Dupue, Section 22, in 1871 ; Nels Munson, on southeast quarter. Section 6. in 1871 ; Thomas Glenn, on Section 22, in 1871 ; W. H. Martin, on Section 22. in 1871.

The township was first name(l Lakeville at the suggestion of Mrs. C. H. Sturtevant. l)ut there l)eing" another township by that name in the state, Mrs. Sturtevant suggested Lakeview and that name was chosen, as there were so many lakes in the township and so many pretty views from them.

The first white child born in Lakeview Township was Nellie Mix, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. David Mix, who was born on the 24th day of August, 1871.

The first Lakeview people to get married were James Hanson and Miss Annis Mix, who were married by the Rev. J. E. Wood on the 22d of October, 1871. This was also the first marriage of white people in Becker County.

The first people who died in the township were Mr. and Mrs. John Rutterman, an account of which is here given in an extract from the Detroit Record of June 29th, 1872:

Mr. and Mrs. Rutterman, who lived alone on the south side of Detroit Lake came to Detroit in a "dugout" canoe on the 25th and left Archie McArthur's on tht-ir return Thursday evening at 7 o'clock the distance home being about three miles. ^Ir. McArthur's family saw the boat well on the way across the lake, then saw some indications of a storm and the wind blew so hard that they closed their door. They were seen still later by a .family at the engineer's headquarters on the lake shore. When the storm became severe, they closed their door and they saw the frail boat nearly across the lake by the south shore and in line from that point with Mr. .[Miller's house. Mr. and ]\Irs. Rutteman were accompanied by a small dog. and later in the evening some of the r^Iiller family saw the dog pass on its way home. The storm causing this accident, hung in the north and the northwest for some time, and then suddenly approached with a strong wind and grew dark. It is believed the Ruttermans had almost reached the shore by Miller's house when their frail boat capsized, and both were drowned, the dog alone reaching the shore. Next morning Mr. Miller found the canoe upset and Mrs. Rutterman's hat and basket on the shore near his house. This was the first suspicion of the fatal occurrence. ^Ir. Miller came directly to Detroit and a posse was organized to search for the missing. The lake was dragged with hooks on Wednesday and Thursday night aided by torches, but to no avail. Some parts of the lake were over eighty feet deep. Mr. Rutterman has resided here for about one year, and his wife since last November, and both were highly esteemed. Mr. Rutterman was about 42 and his wife 32. Both were born in Germany, coming to this state from Missouri.

Mrs. Rutterman's body was found the first day of July and on the 9th, INIessrs. Noble Sanders and another gentleman of Detroit found the body of John Rutterman floating in the lake not far from where Mrs. Rutterman's body was found. Coroner Brown assisted by Charles Doell took the bodies in charge and gave them burial on the eastern shore of the lake. Captain Doell's efforts and sympathy for the orphan children will not soon be forgotten by citizens and friends of the deceased.

Early Settlement Of Lakeview

By Capt. Joseph Ai-.bky. I came to Becker County July ist, 1871, and took a pre-emption on the southwest quarter of Section 14, of Lakeview Township. Iniilt a good log house and cleared about twenty acres, the land being mostly covered with oak timber. In March, 1872, I went back to Michigan and got married, and brought my wife home to Becker County. We arrived in Detroit on the nth of April, a town then mostly of tents. When we got off the cars they were in a snow cut from eight to ten feet high on either side, with side cuts to get through into the city. My wife gave a sigh and asked if we had not about come to the jumping off place. W^e went straight home to Lakeview\ where we resided until November. 1873. being one of the pioneer families.

J. Lewis, J. B. Simmons and Thomas Glenn, the steam shovel man, also a man by the name of George Martin and another by the name of James Depue on the northwest qnarter of Section 15. The woods abounded with deer and other game such as bear, lynx, a few elk, and wolves were very numerous. I have seen dozens of them in packs on Detroit Lake, when I have been crossing on the ice to Detroit village. Prairie chickens, partridges and grouse were plentiful, and wild ducks too numerous to mention. I have seen them by the thousand on the lake called by my name, adjoining my old place, and when they would rise to fly they would make a noise like a train of cars. I sold my place to a man by the name of Dor, and he soon afterwards sold it to Arthur Beach. I was out of the state until the fall of 1882 when I came back to Becker County.

I taught the first school in Lakeview, and it was my first term as well. I began June ist, 1874. The school was held in a log building that Mr. David Mix had put up for a granary, but afterwards used for a dwelling. It stood in Maple Grove, near Mr. O. V. Mix's present home.

When I reached the place on Monday morning the building was there, but not a single article of furniture. Mr. Martin and Mr. Mix were making benches. I brought my own chair from home, and a little home-made pine table was brought from Mr. Mix's. The benches were finished so we had a short forenoon session. We had neither maps, blackboard nor globe during the term. There were sixteen pupils, and I think there were never sixteen more obedient, studious, respectful children gathered under one roof.

I do not think a single new book was bought. Each brought such school books as there were in their various h.ouies; books that had been used by elder brothers and sisters or fathers and mothers; some were from Nova Scotia, some from Rhode Island, some from Massachusetts and some from Wisconsin and Minnesota.

With but one exception these sixteen are all still alive, although well scattered from Minnesota to the Pacific coast. Within the last three years a daughter of one of them has been one of my pupils.

married in Milford, Mass., December 25tb, 1850, by the Rev. ]\Ir. Pond, pastor of the Congregational church, to Afiss Rachael Fisher, who was born at Emsdale, Nova Scotia, February 18th, 1 83 1. Mr. Corbett came to Becker County in September, 1871, and located in Lakeview the same year in the fall. The following- July his family came and they commenced to clear up the farm on the banks of Lake Melissa. Corbett and the boys cut out the first road down through Lakeview, from the bridge crossing of the Pelican River to near Buck's mill.

By hard work he managed with strict economy to live through the first ten years of hard times and grasshoppers. In 1881, the county began to be settled up and the general business of the county picked up, but the first ten years will always be remembered by old settlers as the hardest of their experience in the county. Mr. Corbett died April 17th, 1888.

Family Record

FAMILY RECORD. Thomas L. Corbett was born July 22nd, 1855; Mary J. Corbett was born May 3rd, 1857; Lizzie Corbett was born Jan. 13th, 1859; George A. Corbett was born Nov. i8th, i860; William L. Corbett was born September 13th, 1863; John F. Corbett was born June 2nd, 1865; Robert V. Corbett was born July loth. 1867. Mrs. West.

David Mix was born in the state of New York on the 28th of October, 1828. Pie afterwards went to Laporte County, Indiana, where he resided for many years. He and Mrs. Mix were married in Laporte County on the 27th day of February, 1850, and made their home in Lakeview, Becker County, in the spring of 1871. Eleven children were born to them and grew to maturity.

John B. Simmons was born in Foster, Rhode Island, June 26th, 1820. He was married to Miss Amy Young, January 6th, 1842. They were the parents of five children, one of which afterwards became ]Mrs. Marshall J. Lewis, who came to Lakeview with her parents in September, 1871.

S. S. Joy was born January nth, 1823, at Thompson, Connecticut. When the war broke out he was among the first to rally to the support of the nation, and served with credit through the war.

He enlisted in Company G, 51st Massachusetts volunteers, as first lieutenant and was promoted to the rank of captain, serving until July 27th, 1863, when his term expired. He again enlisted as sergeant of Company I, 14th Regiment, Massachusetts Heavy Artillery, and served till the end of the war. He came to Becker County in July, 1872, and first located on Section 5 in Lakeview Township. He afterwards moved to Section 2- i" Detroit Township, where he spent the remaining years of his life. He died on the 6th day of June, 1894. - Detroit Record.

Pelican Valley Navigation Co

In all the w^orld there cannot be found a more beautiful chain of lakes than that of which Detroit Lake is the northern link and which stretches away southwest to Pelican Rapids in Otter Tail County, a distance of nearly forty miles. The lakes in the chain differ widely in size and form. All have beautifully timbered shores, fine sandy beaches and are liberally bestrewn with beauty spots - ideal places for summer homes. The journey through them is one of constant variety and never ending interest ; streches of lake, all too short to admit of monotony, alternate with little stretches of river winding through the timbered hills, meadows and fields of the beautiful Pelican valley. It is no wonder that in the very earliest days of pioneerdom there were schemes for opening these lakes to navigation by putting- in locks and enlarging the channels connecting them so that boats might pass from lake to lake.

A company was organized in 1876, at Detroit, with John A. Bowman, president ; F. W. Dunton, of New York, vice president ; C. P. Wilcox, secretary ; and A. H. Wilcox, treasurer and chief engineer, but nothing seems to have ever been done by this com- I)any.

Articles of incorporation of the "Detroit Lake and Pelican River Slack Water Navigation Company" were published in the Detroit Record during the summer of 1882. L'nder these articles it was proposed to construct and operate a water route with all necessary appurtenances from some point on Detroit Lake in the County of Becker to Breckenridge in the County of AA'ilkin, via the Pelican and Otter Tail rivers. Lake Lida was also included in the scheme. Detroit was named as the principal place for the transaction of business. The capital stock was placed at two hundred and fifty thousand dollars and the list of incorporators were as follows: John A. Bowman, Detroit, Minn.; Homer E. Sargent and Nathan Corwith, Chicago, 111. ; Randolph L. Frazee, Frazee, Minn.: William A. Kindred. Fargo, D '^1'. ; E. G. Holmes and A. H. Wilcox. Detroit, Minnesota. Nothing was done by this cori)oration in the way of improving the channels connecting the chain of lakes in (|uestion, nor were any further steps taken to construct such water-way for a number of years. During the summer of 1888 a new corporation was organized with George D. Hamilton. Jeff. H. Irish, and John K. West as incorporators. The work of building the water-way commenced under this company on the ist day of Sept., 1888. with Thomas Richmond as foreman. A small dam was built at the outlet of Detroit Lake, which stopi)e(l the How of the stream and permitted the lowering of the chaimel tti Aluskrat Lake. At this time there was a dift'erence in le\'el of four feet, ele\-en inches between Muskrat and Detroit Lakes and of twelve inches between Muskrat and Lake Sallie, making the total fall from Detroit Lake to Lake Sallie, five feet eleven inches. The Pelican River was a shallow\ crooked, brook-like stream through which it was very difficult to move a small row boat. A dam was placed across this stream below the outlet of Muskrat Lake and a cut made through the bank into Lake Sallie in which a lock was l)uilt. A\ ork was continued until stopped Ijy cold weather. In the following spring the dam at outlet of Detroit Lake was removed and a channel dredged out into the Jake, the channel between Lakes Sallie and Melissa deepened and made navigable. This was accomplished by means of temporary dams which held the water in the lakes and permitted the pumping out of the channels so that the dredging could be done with scrapers, shovel and wheelbarrows. Permission was obtained from the town of Lakeview to raise the bridges so as to permit the passing of boats and the channel was continued to Buck's dam. south of Lake Melissa.

Late in the summer of 1889 the twin screw steamer, "Lady of the Lakes." was put in service and towed a quantity of wood from the banks of Muskrat Lake to the railroad siding on the shore of Detroit Lake two miles east of Detroit, and now known as the "Ice Track." This wood was loaded on scows and the steamer used as a tug boat. During the following summer the steamer "Lady of the Lakes" made regular daily trips from Detroit to Lake Melissa, and the cottage settlement in the vicinity received a considerable start. After the cottage season was over the steamer was used to tow cordwood from Buck's dam to the railroad until winter stopped the work. For a number of years this same thing continued. Each season the towing of wood and logs was carried on until the price of timber at Buck's dam became so high as to leave no profit in the undertaking. No towing has been done since 1899, but the boats have run regularly throughout the summer season carrying passengers to and from the cottage settlements on the lower lakes, making three trips daily and carrying a large number of passengers. It has been and is now the intention of the Navigation Company to extend the improvements of the channels connecting the other lakes in the chain until all are made navigable. This will be done as fast as business will warrant.

By Hans Hanson. On the 27th of May, 1870, Hans Hanson and Tver Christenson and families left the town of Spring Grove, Houston County, Minnesota, with the intention of going northwest where they could take up land under the homestead laws. Not knowing where to go they determined to continue their journey until they found land that suited them. On July ist they crossed the boundary line between Otter Tail County and Becker County, and camped at night upon a high elevation of land near the west shore of Otter Tail River, where the thrifty town of Frazee was afterwards located. There were no buildings in sight, and the whole place looked like a wilderness. On the 2nd of July, about 8 130 a. m. we broke camp and started on, as we had been told that the land around Oak Lake was very rich and well adapted for farming. This was on the old Red River trail, and we were striving to reach that place, which we thought would be the termination of our journey. After we had traveled until about one o'clock we reached the east shore of Detroit Lake, which is about seven miles from where we started in the morning. On account of very poor roads our oxen were pretty tired when we came to the lake. We unyoked our oxen to give them a little rest while we ate dinner. At 2 130 p. m. we hitched up and were going on farther, but there was no road. The only chance to get on farther was to go right into the lake. We had to follow around the lake shore, but always came out in the water. In the evening about five o'clock, we came to dry land again on the northerly side of the lake, about twenty rods west of where the Pelican River enters Detroit Lake. Here we had to rest the oxen again as they were tired with driving through the lake as the bottom was principally sand. We then got on to the Red River trail, and that evening went across the prairie to where the village of Detroit was afterwards located. On this prairie there was not a single shanty nor a human being to be seen. That night we camped about two and a half miles northwest of where Detroit is now located. In the morning of July 3rd, we started out again and went as far as Floyd Lake, \vherc we found Samuel J. Fox. He was a blacksmith by trade, and had a small blacksmith shop near his birch bark tepee. Mr. Fox was a white man, a native of Scotland, but his wife was a Chippewa woman. This was the first white settler we found in Becker County. He was a nice gentleman and gave us quite a few hints in regard to the surrounding country. About noon, we reached the much-talked-of Oak Lake. At this place we found a family by the name of Sperry who had been there for two years. They were nice people, too, and told us all about the country. They said that the soil was fertile, and that nearly everything would grow abundantly. After eating our dinner we started out to pick out our claims, leaving our families in the covered wagon which we had occupied for nearly a month. After getting west for about five miles we found a man by the name of Tver T. Knudson, a Norwegian, who had moved from Houston County, Minnesota, and had settled on a claim on the south side of the lake where the village of Audubon is now located. This man told us that it was useless to look for claims any farther west as the land hunters were already quarreling among themselves over their claims. We then walked back to where we had left our families, and made up our minds to go back to Detroit Lake and pick our claims on that prairie. We went back over the same road by which we came and reached Detroit Lake about eleven o'clock, July ^rd. We unyoked our oxen so as to give them a chance to free themselves from the mosquitoes, which were plentiful.

The next thing on the program was to light a smudge to drive away the mosquitoes, but as soon as we lit the match and tried to start a fire those native inhabitants put out our fire three times before we could get it fairlv started. The next morning, which was the Fourth of julw we made up our minds not to work on the national holida\-. There was no brass band and not even a white person or a shanty to l)e seen an\\vhere, but we were happy anyway as we liked the place and had decided to settle there.

On July 5th, we commenced to break along the foot of the hill afterwards called Fox's Hill, which is just back of where Flotel Minnesota now stands. After making a few rounds we came to places where the ground was rather sandy. Mr. Christenson said the ground was not good for much. I agreed with him. but said that if ever the railroad should come throuQ:h there we would be almost sure to get a small town on that prairie. To my remark Mr. Christenson said that he was not looking for a townsite but for land that would make a good farm. We then drove our oxen with the breaking plough back to the wagons where our families were and told our wives that we had to pick up our things again and leave. This, of course, did not suit the women, as they thought they had been camping long enough, but this ended our settlement at Detroit Lake. On the 6th day of July we started out again and went west as far as Oak Lake, where we left our families. We then went north on the White Earth trail. Another man by the name of Iver Everson had then joined us. When we went north about five miles from Oak Lake we found some nice oak groves and good prairie land right up to the timber and this suited us. The land was so rich that the grass reached nearly up to our arms on the highest parts on the prairie. We all picked out adjoining claims that day. The country was not surveyed at that time, so that we did not know what town, range or section our claims w'ere in. Anyway we located our claims and came back to our families and wagons that same dav, and were glad that we had found land that suited us.

On Julv /th we started out again with our outfits and came to our claims about noon. We made settlements on our claims that day, and were the first settlers in the whole township which was afterwards named Richwood.

Mr. Christenson and 1 concluded to live together for a time in the same house, as we had only one stove for the two families. I went over to my claim the same day that we came out and commenced to break so as to show that the land had been taken. Then we peeled some birch bark and made a shanty. This served as kitchen and dining room. We used the wagons for bedrooms. Everything went on nicel}- until we had lived this way more than one week, when one evening we were visited by two men, who said they Vv'ere from White Earth. One of them looked like a white man, and the other like an Indian or half-breed. They informed us that all the land alongside the timber had already been claimed by people from White Earth, and about seventy of them had organized into a combination to drive away any person or persons that should try to take their claims, and that they were coming down to drive us away. I at first thought it might be so, as at the place where Mr. Christenson picked his claim there were a few furrows broken and a sign tacked to a tree. But this sign showed that there had been no one there to make any improvements for more than one year, so they had no more right to the land than we had. After the two men had been talking with us for a long time, telling us what the consequences would be if these White Earth people should have to drive us oflf, I finally told them that we had come there to stay and make a home, and if they thought fit to kill us they certainly had a chance to do so. We were not going to leave until we had to, and that our lives were no dearer than theirs. After this conversation the two men departed. I then loaded all our things into the wagon, hitched up the oxen, and myself, wife and child went over to protect our home, as we expected this crowd from White Earth would call that night. After getting over to the place where we had intended to build our house we unyoked our oxen, but they bellowed and ran back to Mr. Christenson's place on account of the mosquitoes, where we had kept a smudge every night.

I managed to start a fire, then I cut some green grass and laid it on top of the fire so as to get a good smudge to protect us from the mosquitoes. That was one of the worst nights I have ever gone through. I and my wife and child were alone, and I was laboring under the impression that the gang from White Earth was coming to kill us. I had two guns which were carefully loaded that night, and were kept under the mattress in the wagon where I was supposed to sleep. No one, however, came near us that night, which was very fortunate, as their lives would have been in danger. The next morning we left our wagon and goods and all went back to Mr. Christenson's. We had talked the matter over as to what we had better do whether to leave and go somewhere else or to try and stay where we were. Our stock had gone over towards the White Earth reservation and we had to go after them and get them back. Coming over into the White Earth road a man came along on horseback, and when he saw that we were white people, he commenced to talk and seemed to be a gentleman in all respects. His name was Dr. Pyle, and he was hired by the government as a doctor for the Indians on the White Earth reservation. We told him that we had settled there a few days ago, but had been warned to leave our claims and were told that there were a lot of men from the reservation who were coming to drive us away. He told us to stick to our claims, and not to be afraid, that he was going to White Earth and tell those people that there were some settlers who had taken claims along the groves and that they had better keep away and not bother them. This gave us encouragement and we made up our minds to stay, and as we did not hear any more from those parties, this scare was soon over. After we had been on our claims about two w'eeks, a man by the name of Gabriel Halverson, a Norwegian from Freeborn County, Minnesota, settled a little to the north of us so that his claim and mine joined. About the first improvement we had to make was to do a little breaking to get a little to live on the next fall. We broke about two and a half acres on each place, that is on mine, Iver Christenson's and Iver Evenson's. Then we had to cut hay for our stock for the coming winter. We found plenty of grass, but it was very hard to stay out and cut it for the mosquitoes were so bad that we had to keep our jackets on even in the middle of the hottest days. After we had cut and stacked our hay, we commenced to cut house logs for our shanties. The size of our buildings were to be thirteen by fifteen feet, and about seven feet high. It was now about the 20th of August, and we had some bad weather which lasted one week. It was so cold that we had to wear overcoats to keep ourselves warm even if we were in the timber cutting house logs. After this cold spell was over, we had just as nice weather as any one could wish for. About the last day of August, a swarm of grasshoppers came. They were very thick, so that they covered the ground in many places and especially on our new breaking, but as we had had no experience with these insects, we never thought of the consequences and the trouble which they afterwards caused us. Sometiiue in the middle of August a party of surveyors surveyed the town and range lines, and when those lines were run we found out that our claims were in Town 140 North. Range 41 West, but we could not tell what sections we were on. It was not until the early part of November that Alvin H. Wilcox and his crew of men subdivided the town into sections. In the month of October, ( )le Qualey and Nery Augunson came from Freeborn County and took claims, Qualey on Section 20, and Augunson on Section 8. My claim was on Section 20, Iver Christenson's on Sections 29 and 30, and Iver Evenson's on Sections -^^2 and 29. In November, Andrew Ander- son and John Anderson. l)oth Swedes from Carver County, came and settled, Andrew on the southeast quarter of Section 20 and John on the northwest quarter of Section 8. In July, a man by the name of W. W. Harding settled on the southeast quarter of Section 29. He was a native of New Brunswick. Hugh Campbell, a native of Canada, settled on Section 28. They had both been employes on the government reservation at Leech Lake, Harding- as a farmer and Campbell as a blacksmith ; both were unmarried as far as we could find out from them. In the same vear came Daniel Swanson, wdio settled on Section 18, and John Rydeen, who also took his claim on Section 18. They were both Swedes. Lars P. Smith, Immanuel Jongren, John P. Engberg, Olaf Johnson and Andrew Olund settled on Section 12, except L. P. Smith, who settled on Section 24. That same fall a man b}" the name of Sampson, a Norwegian, settled on Section 4. Henry Johnson, a Dane, on Section 4. August Stallman, a German, on Section 6, Swan Swanson, a Swede, on Section 6. About the same time. Gust. Lunden settled on Section 32. On Section 2, there was a man by the name of A. J. Haney, an American, who had picked a claim and commenced to build a dam across the Bufifalo River, just a little way from where the river empties out of Bufifalo Lake. The dam was completed that fall, and the frame raised for a sawmill which commenced operations. I must say that these few persons that had settled in the town were all nice people, and every one of us respected each other as near relatives and we got along well together. Provisions were remarkably high that fall and winter of 1870 and 1871. A barrel of flour cost $12, pork twenty-five cents a pound, 5 pounds of brown sugar for $1, butter thirty-five cents a pound, and it had about as man}' colors as the rainbow, and yet I cannot remember that I heard a single person who complained or sufifered for want of food.

In the month of April, 187 1, came Colbjorn and Engebret Void, Norwegians ; thev came from Stearns County and settled, Colbjorn on Section 10, Engebret on Section 4. Iver Larson, a Norwegian, came from Houston County, Minnesota, in April, and settled on Section 30. N. G. Roen and his brother Knut, also came from Houston County and settled on Section 30 ; that same spring Bent Johnson came from Carver County and settled on Section 30. I must here relate a trip we made down south to Otter Tail County. Iver Chris- tenson, Iver Evenson and Gabriel Halverson and I started on the 9th day of Jan., 1871, to go to St. Olaf in Otter Tail County to buy wheat and have it ground into flour at Balmoral Mill, as we could get a little more for our money that way than when we bought the flour from dealers. The first day we got as far as Detroit Lake. Here we made a good fire and camped out all night, as there were no settlers. The weather was rather cold and about six inches of snow on the ground. We had loaded hay on our sleds before we left home so as to have hay for our oxen both coming and going. The oxen, of course, were eating from the hay load whenever we stopped to give them a rest. The next day we got as far as what we called the second crossing of the Otter Tail River, about four miles south of where Frazee is now. Here we found a man who told us that a team of horses had broken into the river that forenoon, so the ice was not safe for our oxen to cross. We then came to the conclusion to unyoke the oxen and lead one across at a time, and then pulled the sleds across by hand. Before we commenced this task we found out where the ice was the strongest ; with a stick in one hand I went on the ice, but before I had gone very far I broke through and went into the water up to my arms. It was a pretty cold bath. The sun was just going down, it was cold weather, and there was no settler for about five miles ahead. This was a German family that had settled on the prairie in 1870. My clothes were frozen stifif to my body and were almost like birch bark, and they would have stood alone if I had crawled out of them. We got to the place where the Germans lived, sometime in the night, tied our oxen to the hay loads and went in to get thawed out. We went inside and warmed up some, and then went out again, but did not reach Balmoral Mill until the next evening. It was rather a small mill, run by water power, and located near Otter Tail Lake about five miles south of Otter Tail City, on a small stream of water which empties into the lake. This was the only grist-mill for a long distance in any direction, so that there were generally a lot of people waiting until their turn to have their grist ground. This was the case at this time, and we soon learned that nearly all of them were short of hay for their oxen. We made up our minds to stay out and watch our hay all night, and dug ourselves into the hay as well as we could, for it was rather too cold to stay out. All went along nicely until towards morning, when it commenced to snow, and the wind began to blow so hard that we had to leave our hay loads. We then went a little way from our loads and built a fire. Here we lay down, warmed ourselves on one side and froze on the other until daylight, when we started again on our journey. After we had gone a little way I found that the bottom of my moccasin was gone, so that I was walking on the snow in my stocking feet. I finally got hold of a piece of rope, with which I tied by moccasins, so as to keep them on my feet. The reason why they came off was because I had been too close to the fire trying to keep my feet warm. There were no stores on the way. so that I could not buy a new pair, and I had to use my old moccasins the best way I could for the next few days until I reached Otter Tail City on my way home. That same morning after we had camped about our hay loads at Balmoral Mills, we asked the proprietor of the mill, whose name was Craigie. if we could leave some of our hay wdth him so as to have hay there when we came back again to get our grist ground. He said we could leave it in his care until we came back ; we then started off south to buy wheat, leaving most of our hay at the mill. After we had left, some of those men who were out of hay went to Mr. Craigie and told him we had stolen some of their bow pins out of the ox bows, and in place of them claimed our hay, which they appropriated to their own use, so that we had not a spear left. We of course had not stolen or even seen their bow pins, but lost our hay just the same, so that we had very little reward for camping out in the snow-storm at Balmoral Mills.

Some time in the latter part of April, 1871, we sowed our patches of breaking into wheat, and had the satisfaction of seeing it come up and it looked very fine. To our surprise it never got any farther. In examining into these matters we found that there were millions of young grasshoppers destroying it as fast as it grew up. The swarm of grasshoppers that had visited us in 1870 had deposited their eggs in the ground, and were being hatched out by the sun in the spring. These young grasshoppers were so thick that they entirely covered the ground, and especially on our breaking where we had done a little planting. They destroyed nearly everything that came before them, even our clothes, if they could get at them. They stayed with us for about seven years, and destroyed almost everything that we planted every year. Potatoes and vegetables were nearly all destroyed. It looked rather blue those years. On account of their depredations, not many people came into our town to take claims during those years, and some got discouraged and left. In regard to the In- ^ dians which were around us, they seemed to be very friendly, and we were seldom bothered by them. I will, however, give an account of a little controversy that I had with some of them. This was in June, 1871. I started to go down to the railroad camp, ' near Uak Lake Cut one morning to the stores, and my wife decided to go also, as there was not a white person to be seen very often. We started out with our oxen, and coming down past Mr. 1 Christenson's, Mrs. Christenson decided that she wanted to go, too. She had a baby with her, and so had my wife. Those two women of ours went out for a pleasure trip, but it ended in the opposite direction. Everything went well until we were on our way back, about a mile or so from our homes, when we had to pass some Indians wdio were near the road, and some of them were drunk. There were two Indians and tw'o s(|uaw^s, and one of the squaws was so intoxicated that she could not stand up. One of the Indians and one of the scjuaws came up to our wagon, and asked us for "Scuttawabo," wdiich meant whisky.

We did not have any, and tried to make her understand that we had none. The Indians began to search all over our wagon, and in among our packages, and after they had satisfied themselves that there was no whisky there, they began ransacking every pocket on my clothes, and not finding what they were after, gave up the search. I started up the oxen with the thought that the scare was all over. When the wagon started to move, the squaw took hold of the wagon wheel and tried to hold us, but her hand slipped from one spoke to another and finally she dr.jpped down at the side of the wagon and we went on. After we had gone about ten rods, one of the Indians came running after us. I \vas then walking ahead in the road driving the oxen, and when this Indian was about a rod back of the wagon my wife called to me, saying that there was no hope any longer as she heard him cock his gun. I then stopped the oxen, and when I looked back this Indian was again searching among our things in our wagon, and he held his right finger on the trigger of his gun. The first thing I did was to grab hold of the gun, and to turn the muzzle away from the wagon. After this we had a squabble over the gun. and in an instant I had the gun in my possession. Then the Indian thought that I was going to shoot him, and made motions that I should fire the gun into the air and there we stood. He was looking at me and I was looking at him; I then fired the gun, as the only thing I had to do was to pull the trigger, and off it went. It was then getting dusk and it gave a nice light for an instant. It was an old flint-lock gun and heavily loaded, so that the report was something like that from a small cannon. After I had fired the gun it struck me that I had better smash it over the wagon wheel, but having heard that the Indians were very revengeful, I gave up this idea and handed him the gun back again. He then commenced to shake his powder horn and was going to reload. I stood right by him and prevented him from doing so, and when he found that he could not reload, he ran back as fast as he could towards his companions. I then picked up my little stick which I drove my oxen with, and we went on and did not see any more of them that night. It was very lucky, as the women were almost scared out of their senses.