Blue Earth County, Minnesota - Chapter 23: Mankato's Golden Jubilee - Eb Cent Events - in Conclusion, 1901 (part 1 of 4)

Chapter 23: Mankato's Golden Jubilee - Eb Cent Events - in Conclusion

30, 1903, a celebration of the fortieth ariiiiversary of the Jackson Lake Norwegian Lutheran church was held at the Anderson Grove and at the church. It was largely attended by the people who had been connected with the church and their children, and was in every way a successful gathering.

During -the same month the "I'irst National Bank of Lake Crystal" was organized, largely through the efforts of J. J. McQuire, who became its cashier. A fine brick block was erected by it this year costing nearly $20,000.

An event of special prominence this year was the celebration of Mankato's Golden Jubilee. The program covered five days - June 30 to July 4th. The first day was devoted to Church histories, the second to the "Educational Growth of the City," the third day took up the "Industrial Growth of the City" and the fourth was denominated "Old Settlers Day" and was the great day of the feast so far as the crowd and outward display wore concerned. A magnificent parade, headed by a number of brass bands, proceeded to Sibley Park. In it were Governor Van Sant and his stafE, ex-governor Ramsey, City ofiicials, old settler organizations, Representatives of the State Historical Society, a large number of distinguished guests from various parts of the state, gorgeous floats emblematic of the city's progress, etc. At the park there was a good time generally, and in the evening a splendid banquet was served to over 300 invited guests. The last day was the nation's natal day and was devoted to patriotic doings. The main fourth of July speech was given by Dr. J. Merritte Driver. The festivities had been in charge of a committee of nine, namely: Gen. J. H. Baker, Dr. J. W. Andrews, Geo. M. Palmer, Thos. Hughes, P. M. Currier, M. B. Haynes, H. P. Jenson, J. E. Reynolds and August Marchner. An important feature of the Jubilee was the "Relic Room" which occupied the entire lower floor of the Pay building, now used as a candy factory. So valuable were the papers presented at this jubilee that the committee concluded to publish them in book form and Gen. J. H. Baker, Thos. Hughes, C. A. Chapman and M. B. Haynes were appointed a publication committee. Within a year the book was published by the Free Press Printing Co. under the title of "Semicentennial of Mankato." Besides the excellent historical papers referred to, there was added a large collection of portraits and biographical sketches of eminent Mankato people past and present. A feature of the old settlers' day progTam was the presentation of a large granite monument by James Gilfillan of St. Paul to mark the last resting place of Senator ilorton S. Wilkinson in Glenwood Cemetery, Mankato.

At Mankato in 1902, B. D. Pay and Son transformed their new livery barn into a candy factory and the "Pay Candy Co." was started, which has since grown into an important enterprise. The National Bank of Commerce wiis, also, started at Mankato this year. C. L. Oleson being the main instigator and has since been its manager. The Mankato State Bank, also, remodeled its corner into a fine modern three story building. In July of this year J. E. Reynolds succeeded C. Hobart on the editorial staff of the Mankato Daily and Weekly Free Press.

October 1, 1902, a new rural route was established from Good Thunder, and on April 1, two new routes had been started from Madison Lake. At Mapleton this year (1902), Fred Gerlich erected a $10,000 hotel; the village put in a sewerage system at a cost of $7,400 ; an addition was built to the school house costing over $7,000 and an elegant new Catholic church was constructed at an expense of over $10,000. This church is unique in its architecture. It is circular in form and tasty and commodious. It was dedicated on June 23, 1902, by Bishop Cotter. At Lake Crystal, beside the new Bank building and new Mill, an addition was made to the high school, costing $7,000.

December 15, 1902, tlie first train over the new extension of the Chicago, St. Paul and Milwaukee Eailway reached Le Sueur Center from Mankato and on August 15, 1903, the first train over this road reached St. Paul, and the following February the Union depot for it and the Great Western Eailway was finished at Mankato.

In December, 1902, a new telephone line comneeted Mapleton with Cream. In January, 1903, "The Willow Creek Telephone Co." was organized, and in March of same year the "Minnesota Valley Parmers ' Mutual Telephone" was built in the JSTorthwest corner of the county. In June of the same year the Maple Eiver Telephone was organized. By August 1903 more than half of our county was supplied with the free delivery system and in a short time the entire county was so supplied. When the Nineteenth Century closed no farmstead in the county had mail delivery or a telephone. In three or four years thereafter every farmer had his daily mail delivered at his gate, and hundreds of farm houses in every part of the country were supplied with telephones. The long isolation of farm life was at last a thing of the past. The old time postoffice and Weekly paper are now no more, but each farmer takes his daily paper and visits or transacts business in town or country by telephone.

In January, 1903, "The Pioneer Mercantile Co." of Lake Crystal was formed with A. W. Johnson as president and C. C. Jenkins as manager. In March of the same year the First National Bank of Mapleton was organized by W. A. Hanna, L. Troendle, J. E. Norton, Wm. Strobel, E. E. Hanna, and John Steel. M. W. Mattecheck was a prime mover in the organization. Frederick H. Morlock was made ite cashier.

June 22, 1903, the corner stone of the present commodious German Lutheran school building at Mankato was laid, and on September 20, the present large church edifice of the same denomination was dedicated.

In October, 1903, the Mapleton State Bank found itself in trouble, through the misconduct of its cashier, x\. A. Buck, but was able to adjust its affairs and re-open on November 3, with T. B. Taylor as its new President. The year 1903, witnef^ed at Mankato the death October IC, of Ira P. Schissler, Judge of the Municipal Court, and the appointment of Wm. N. Plymat as his successor; the building of the new Malt house; the Lamm and Lankam- ]ner block; and the gift to ihe city by M. G. Willard of the park along Glenwood Avenue.

In January, 1904, the cojitract was let by the county for a bridge over tlie Minnesota river at Judson. February 22, Ernest E. Brown resigned as captain of company IL, which position he had held since June 16, 1901. He -Has succeeded in the captaincy on March 21, 1904, by Fred E. Day. In 1903, a Civic Improvement ment League had been organized at Mankato, which on March 7, 1904, held its -first annual meeting and Mrs. J. H. Eay was chosen president.

In March of this year a telephone company was formed in Medo, with James Hawkins as president; and in McPherson the St. Clair and Belleview Telephone Company was organized, with S. S. Babcock as President and Henry Thielman, manager. At Amboy the Farmers Elevator was sold to a stock company of which Thos. Eandall was president.

The last of March of this year (1904) a new paper was started at Madison Lake called the "Tribune." It was the fifth venture of the kind in that village. Geo. T. Swearingen became its editor, and Geo. Southwick had charge of the printing department. Southwick in a short time became sole proprietor.

In May a new E. P. D. was inaugurated out ^ (.f Smiths' Mill, and another from Mapleton, and July 15, saw the seventh route start from Mankato. In June of this year (1904) Judge

Daniel Buck completed and published his book on "Indian Outbreaks in Minnesota." It treats almost wholly of the Sioux massacre of 1862, but does not pretend to give a complete history of that event. Though rather sketchy in character, it is quite a valuable work.

In this same month of June the St. Clair creamery was burned, but was rebuilt soon thereafter on a larger and better scale than ever. In August the "Farmers Center Telephone Co." was organized at Rapidan, with Chas. Sparlich as president. September 12, a big Labor Day demonstration was held at Mankato, where nearly all the wage earners had been fully organized by this time.

In the fall of this year (190-1) F. G. Toland opened a second commercial school at Mankato, under the name of 'Toland's Business University." Prof. Chas. C. Owen was put in charge and thereafter became its owner. The school has grown into an important educational work. The last of December, Geo. E. Traub sold the "Mankato Post" to a stock company, and August Blissenbach became its editor.

During 1904, the present Y. M. C. A. building at Mankato was erected at a cost of $32,- 934.46, and on January 2, 1905, duly dedicated - the main address being given by Bishop Joyce. It is one of the best equipped structures of its kind in the state.

About the first of January, 1905, Harry E. Carney purchased the Mankato Cement Works, which he and his father had operated for some years. The same month "The Good Thunder- Mapleton Telephone Co.,"' was organized with Jl Gainor as president.

March 1, 1905, the Welsh people held at Mankato another of their big Eisteddfods, -which was largely attended. March 13, the Glass Block was burned, but the proprietors, Richards Bros., nothing daunted by their loss, during the summer erected their present big block in its place.

April 19, the sensational trial of Dr. Koch for the murder of Dr. Gebhardt at New Ulm, and transferred from Brown to Blue Earth County, was begun. It resulted in a disagreement of the jury, and on the second trial in July in the acquittal of Dr. Koch.

On May 25, 1905, occurred the death at Mankato of Judge Daniel Buck, the Nestor of the Mankato bar. August 30, of the same year E. D. Hubbard died, who for j-ears had been the king of the millers of our county. This sam.e month a lightning bolt burned the Cable Mill. In less than a month E. L. Honk and Walter Redfern built at Good Thunder a new grist mill to take its place, and a year later a new mill was erected on the old site by Jos. Ivreuer.

April 19, 1905, a bill was passed by the Legislature creating "Minneopa Park" and appropriating $5,000 to purchase the necessary grounds. In October Gov. Johnson, Atty. Gen'l. Young and State Auditor Iverson inspected the proposed park and in connection with a committee of the ]\rankato Board of Trade composed of Dr. J. W. Andrc-wti, Thos. Hughes and C. N. Andrews arranged the purchase of the famous falls and about thirty-five acres of laud adjoining. This was increased a few months later by the purchase of about twenty-five acres more from the town of South Bend. J. B. Hodge was appointed its first superintendent, and in 1907 he was succeeded bv Wm. R. Williams. This year (1905) v/itnessed a change in the railway depot and tracks at Lake Crystal; the celebration of its golden jubilee by the Salem Congregational church of Cambria, on Nov. 10; the remodeling of the Union Hall building at Mankato into the Heinrich Hotel; and the organization at Mankato of the "Southern Minnesota Fair Association."

The year 1906, saw Immanuel Hospital built at Mankato, by the German Lutheran churches; the organization of the "Mankato Commercial club," with W. L. Hixon as President, to succeed the old board of trade; the organization in July of the "German American State Bank" of Mankato, with W. C. Henline as cashier; and the formation in July of the St. Clair State Bank," with Nick Juliar as president and Henry Thielman as cashier.

This year and the following year witnessed the building of the Alphabet Railway as a branch of the Milwaukee system from Albert Lea through Medo and McPherson to St. Clair, the first train arriving at the latter point in

In August, 1907, the Lake Crystal Milling Company failed and in 1908 the plant was purchased by Christian S. Christensen of Madelia. In the summer of 1907 the M. E. church of Mankato erected their present elegant house of worship at a cost of $30,000. The building was dedicated with appropriate services December 8, 1907. December 20, 1907, St. Clair voted to incorporate as a village by a vote of 40 to 9, and at the election held January 2, 1908, the following ofOicera were chosen: Trustees, Henry Thielman, president; E. A. Deumeland, P. H. Bowe, and J. W. Chase; recorder, Chas. O'Connor; treasurer, M. C. Dalton; Justice, Chas. O'Connor and Christ Aeters; constables, Henry Luedke and A. T. Andrews. The assessor's returns for 1907 showed that the county possessed 11,744 horses, 28,G77 cattle, 6,931 sheep, 15,444 hogs, 745 melodians and organs, 867 pianos, 45 automobiles. Within a year the number of the latter have more than doubled.

an elegant bank and office building; and it has seen the old Shoemaker Hall building replaced by the fine four story Hickey-Coughlan Block, now occupied by Fred Kruse. A large new building, too, has been added to the Normal school and a splendid electric street ]'ailway system has been in operation since May, ]908. So while the city was visited during July and August, 1908, by a typhoid fever epidemic, which killed about forty of its people, due to an accidental contamination of its water supply, yet as we close this last page of our county's history our county seat is rapidly growing in numbers, wealth aijd power, as becomes the metropolis of Southern Minnesota. The great county of Blue Earth has, indeed had an eventful history during the fifty and more years it has been settled by white people, but much more eventful, doubtless will the historian of the future find its annals for the next fifty years. From its commanding position, natural resources and many splendid advantages this charming "Undine region," as in the past, must in the future be the center of the wealth, power and influence of the southern half of our great commonwealth.

With Chapter XXIII ends the general history oi the county; but having on hand a mass of material, mostly pertaining to special neighborhoods, we concluded to use it in a history of each township in the county. Moreover each town has its own peculiar local history and it seemed iitting that each be told separately. Since these township histories were printed some important data relating mostly to Lime, Old Mapleton and Sterling Center has come to hand. For the information regarding Mapleton the author is indebted to J. H. Cornell and Wm. Wilde and as to Sterling to Josiah Hussell of Pasadena, Cal. and G. B. Doty of Spicer, Minn. Mr. Wilde now resides at Alameda, Cal., and has passed his 89th birthday, yet his mind seems as clear and vigorous as ever. We append the data furnished that it may be read in connection with the histories of the respective towns.

abundant lime stone found therein. The first school was taught by Rev. B. Y. Coffin in District No. 9 (now N"o. 44) in the winter of 1856-7. A log school house had been erected the previous fall a few rods east of the present building in section 29. In the winter of 1857-8 Asa C. Barney taught the school. He

Then beginning with the winter of 1862-3, A. C. Barney became its teacher again for three successive terms. The old log school house was used imtil 1866, when the log house of David Steel was purchased and served as school room until the erection of the brick school house in 1875. A copy of the school . roll for the term beginning Nov. 9, 1857, has been preserved by Mr. Barney and is as follows:

Henry Goodrich was chairman of the school board and under the law of that day had to examine Mr. Barney on his qualifications to teach before employing him.

Lime has one railway station called "Benning," located in 1903 at the Junction of the "Great Western" and "Milwaukee" railways, and used by both roads.

OLD 5IAPLET0N (Page 271). The Colony store was first kept by Albert A. ^^'essells at his home on section 7, Mapleton township. About March 1, 1857, Jlr. Wessells resigned as manager of the store and Jarvis R. Harrington was appointed to close out what remained of the stock. Vincent Wessells was a son of A. A. Wessells but he kept no store.

In 1857 Russell B. Franklin had a double log house, about where the residence of the late Robert Taylor in section 18 of Mapleton stands and one part of the house was used for two or three years as a school room. It was known as the "Franklin School House." Here was organized the Sterling Congregational church and here Jarvis R. Harrington taught the first school. In 1858 Jabez B. Clemonts bought a small tra-ct of land in Old Mapleton of James Cornell, Sr., and built thereon a log building for a hotel, which he so occupied about two years and in January, 1861, sold it to Wm. Wilde, Ira Annis and R. B. Hall as trustee of School District No. 45. This building was thereafter used as a school heuse until 1867, when a new edifice was erected.

STERLING (Page 295). The first store in Sterling was opened about 1863 (or may be earlier) by Wm. Russell, Sr., at his home in Section 15 on the west bank of Rice Creek. In November, 1863, Mr. Russell sold his farm to William B. Buell, reserving a- small tract in its northeast corner, just east of the creek. Here he built him a new home to which he removed, in 1864, his store and the post office as stated in the history. The Colony store was never in Sterling. The first mill at Sterling Center was built by Gideon B. Doty and his father, Geo. W. Doty, on Providence creek, about 80 rods above its mouth. The second mill in this location was built in 1864 by Geo. W. Doty and his son, Hiram B. Doty, on the Jlaple near the mouth of the creek. This mill was sold in February, 1866, to Fuller and Miller as stated in the text.

Prior to 1862 Henry Spickerman had built a mill near the westerly shore of Lake Lura on the farm of the late James Ellis, Sr. A ditch was dug from the lake into a marsh for the mill race and u. windmill erected to furnish power in dry weather. About 1862, Spickerman sold this mill to Alpheus M. Hewitt, who had Gideon B. Doty run it.

The mill of McCormlck and Smith mentioned on page 295, was located at Middletown on the old Wm. Randall fa,rm. In the fall of 1872, McCormick and McQueen moved this mill to the Cobb river in Beauford and later sold it to David Hanna.

The first school in Sterling Center was taught on the second floor of the Doty store building about 1866, by H. Baker. The first sermon was preached in the same room by Rev. J. E. Conrad.

This town was a part of the Winnebago reservation until the removal of these Indians in 1863. It is drained by both the Little and Big Cobbj which form a junction near the center of its eastern half. Below this junction there is ciuite a bodj' of timber along the united streams. On the eaist boundary is located Perch Lake a body of shallow water nearly a mile in diameter.

In 1858 the County Commissioners named the town "Winneshiek" after a prominent chief of the Winnebagoes. At a meeting held in the winter of 1865-G, preparatory to the organization of the town, it was decided, at the suggestion of Albert Gates, to change the name to 'T3eauford" after a town in the east, from which some of the settlers had come. Accordingly at a meeting of the County Commissioners held March 13, 1866, on petition of Chap. McBeth and twenty-six others, the town was created under the name of "Beauford" and the first town meeting appointed to be held at the house of John Prey in April.

The first actual settler was James Morrow, Sr., who came to Danville from Ontario, Can., :March 17, 1864, and during the summer claimed the northwest quarter of section 35, Beauford, upon which he went to live with his family about September 1, 1864. They were an excellent Scotch family, and the names of the children, some of whom were then grown up, were: James, John, Jane, Mary, (Mrs. Miliken,) Jeunette (Mrs. Alec Ellis), Agnes (Mrs. M. Hanna), Barbara, (Mrs. Thos. Hanna), William, Robert and Margaret. Many of these and their descendants are still among the prominent residents of the town. Other settlers of 1864 were Albert J., Arza, and Seth C. Gates, and Josiah Rogers, who located in the northern part of the town.

Among the settlers of 1865, were John Frey, John Rath, Samuel Larkin, John L. Larkin, Matthew McCarthy, Patrick Howley, John Laff;,', Peter Sprager, John W. Brill, Chas. N. Nelson, Samuel D. Brown, Chas. Cowley, Colin and Chas. McBeth, Ole Larson, John Maygue, James Gordon, Frank Peters, John Biedenkopf, Johakim and Christian Meeske.

Among the settlers of 1866 were: Thos. Hislop, Andrew Little, Franklin Child s, J. Dumbeck, John Hanna, and George and Jacob Kaufman. In May 1865 a saw mill, built by Dr. W. F. Lewis, Basil Moreland and others, and in charge of Abel Keene, began operations. It was located on the Big Cobb river on the southwest quarter of section 4 and for one or two years did good service. In February, 1867, a new mail route was established running from Wilton in Waseca County to Garden City, which crossed the Cobb near the residence of Pranlclin Childs, where in the spring of this year, a new postofEice was established with Mrs. Frances Childs as postmistress.

In June, 1868, a second postofEice was established called "Perch Lake,''" with Albert J. Gates postmaster. The. office was supplied by a mail route running; from Minnesota Lake to Mankato. It remained at the home of Gates, on northwest quarter of section thirteen imtil

1871, when Henry Natley was made postmaster, and the office moved to his home in section twenty-four. This office was discontinued in August, 1875.

School District No. 86 was created by the County Commissioners October 1, 1866, on petition of Pranklin Childs and others; District No. 94 February 36, 1867, on petition of John Frey and others, and on the same date District No. 95 on petition of John Beidenkopf.

The first school was taught by Miss Ackerman of Medo in the winter of 1866-7 in District 86. It was kept in the Moreland saw mill building near Franklin Childs home. The next school was taught in a log school house in District No. 95 by Elizabeth Keys in the summer of 1867 and the next in the winter of 1867-8 in a frame building belonging to District No. 94.

Jennie McBeth was probably the first white child born in the town. Her birth occured in the fall of 1864. Margaret, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Morrow, was the second white child, born June 17, 1865.

About 1868, John McCormick and Andrew Little, purchased and fitted up a saw mill on the northwest quarter of section four and operated it for about five years. After laying idle aboiit two years it was sold to McEJibbin and again operated for a time.

In October, 1874, John Kimpton purchased a small tract of land in the northwest quarter of section nine and built thereon a small store 12x20 feet. His stock at first consisted largely of tobacco and bitters, and his customers mostly were wood choppers and haulers. In June, 1881, he sold out to Leander F. Fihlev, who built a new store building adjoining the old one, and made a hall above the new part. The old Beauford post office, which Franklin Childs had kept for some years had been discontinue's in July, 1875, and the town had been without a post office for six years. In Julv, 1888, L. F. Pinlev was appointed postmaster of a new office called, "Beauford," which had just been established at his store.

Childs and others. The preaching was supplied usually by ministers of the United Brethern. After a season of special revival the church which had been organized before, was legally incorporated February 9, 1884, by the election of the following trustees : Sarah F. Childs, Chas. Wing and Wm. Hislop. It was called the "United Brethren Church of Beauford." Eev. Simon George was pastor and Eev. J. W. Fulkerson. Presiding Elder. A lot was secured near the store and a fine church building 34x40 feet erected during the summer. In the fall of 1885, the interior was finished and furnished with pews. June 20, 1886, occurred the dedicatory services, Eev. Tibbetts preaching the sermon. Many new members had been recently added, and Eev. Fairchild was then pastor. There was much rejoicing over the new building.

Under the United Brethren system the pastors have frequently changed. In 1899, a lady. Miss Edith Gates, filled the pulpit with much acceptance; part of the time the church has been yoked with Vernon, part of the time witH Alma City, in' its pastoral service. It has a Sunday School and Ladies' Aid Society. The church is still doing splendid service, and is the only one now in the township. Preaching services and Sunday Schools have been held off and on in school houses Nos. 94 and 95 ever since they were built.

The Germans began holding services in private houses and in the school house from the earliest period. April 16, 1884, "Salems Church of the Evangelical Association" was organized at the house of Geo. Kaufmann, and the followin? Trustees elected: Herman Dumpke, Frederick Limberg and Jacob Kanfmann. This church kept up its services for years, but of Inte vears has disbanded and the members gone to other churches. In Julv, 1885, Leander F. Finlev sold his store to Calvin A. Fleming, who, after one vear, rented the store to Chas. Drake, who ran it until July, 1887, when Ambrose F. Tenney purchased the building and stock. In March, 1889, Tenney disposed of the stock to Ealph Healev and the building to Fred Cramer. Tn lyfar. Mr. Healev was appointed postmaster and served in that capacity for many years. In was called). He was succeeded by Wm. Sher- Lyceums and debating societies were frequent, man. Then came Mr. Johnson, and he was especially in district No. eighty-six for many followed by Edward Kuhnke, who ran a black- years, and a band was organized in the town smith shop until 1897, when Adolph Laui sue- in 1877. A Town Hall was erected in the late ceeded him. About 1887, Frank Nitzel started fall of 1903. A local telephone company has a second store at the "Corners," which he ran pressed the lightning into service to bear tBe for about a year and was followed for a few farmers' messages, and the ring of the telemonths by Amer Eeinhart and Sulbeck. Al)out phone bell is now everywhere heard, where forty- 1894, Elmer Getty started a new store at the five years ago there was but the whirr of the Corners, and in 1896, built his present store rattle snakes tail, building, where he still continues. In Septem- BUTTEENUT VALLEY. her, 1897, he succeeded Mr. Healey as postmaster. In the earlier years the mail service For the organization and early history of the had been weekly, in the early nineties it was township, when Cambria formed a part of it, tri-weekly, and by 1896, it became daily. Au- see history of latter town. Not having any timgust 15, 1904, the Beauford postofEice was dis- ber within its borders, except small groves, continued, as its place had been supplied by around two or three lakes, the town was mostly the Free Delivery system. avoided by settlers for the first decade of our ty, making from $30,000 to $37,000 worth The first settlers came in 1857; In the early of butter each year, besides supplying patrons, fall of that year Andrew Strom, a native of In October, 1904, Healey sold his stock of Norway, located with his family on the northgeneral merchandise to Omer Mullen, who east bank of Strom Lake in section nineteen, built a new store building opposite the creamery About the same time Evan Peterson settled and moved the goods therein. "Beauford Cor- with his family on the east side of lake Armners" now contains two stores, a blacksmith strong in section twenty. The same fall Thomas shop, a creamery, a church, and a number of Thomas and his family moved upon their residences. claim on the south side of the lake, which bears The fourth school district, No. 149, was their name in section six, and Geo. W. Smith and organized November 5, 1889, on petition of Joseph 0. Smith located upon their claims in E. E. Fuller and others, and a school house section two. Which of these was the first actual erected that winter. District No. 94 built its settler it is bard now to determine, as all came present school house iji 1895. A number of about the same time. Andrew Strom has genthe boys and girls of the Beauford schools have erally been given the credit, but there is much become prominent in educational work and ground to believe that Geo. W. Smith was the other lines. Among them may be mentioned first settler, though it is by no means certain. Guy and Ernest Childs, who are principals of A year or two thereafter Knut Strom located in schools, and Ed. Sherman, who is a preacher section nineteen and in 1863, Wm. J. Jones of the U. B. Church. Among the citizens of and Wm. Griffith located in section one. As the town is Chas. Hawes, who for over thirty far as known these weTP all the settlers until

1863, when the settlement of the tdwn may be said to have begun. This year came Chas. H. Shelby and Ole Siverson to section ten, Olens Solberg to section eight. Christian Erickson, Lars JI. Thorstad and Lars Halverson to section twenty-two, David A. Davis to section two and George M. Keenan and John Samil to section 4. In 1864, came Tolaf Holverson, P. 0. Hovey, Wm. E. Jenkins, Ole P. Lieberg, Owen Pritchard, Kidal Easmussen, Simon Eoland, Benj. T. Kilby, and others. In 1865, came Lars Christopherson, E. Kettleson, Thos. J. Evans, Gilbert Gunderson, H. Holverson, Joel Haycroft, Addison Jones, Billings and Lewis Johnson, Ellis Owens, Lars Thompson and others. In 1866, came Andrew Tweed, H. Hendrickson, Johanness Taarnd, Thron Peterson, Ole Stone, Martin Osten, Nils Thorstad, Anton Melby, Fredrick Hanson, Helge Hellekson, H. P. Felch, John E. Jones, Thos. E. Evans, Evan J. Evans, John, Edward, Samuel, William and David Evans.

Odin A., son of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Strom, born in the fall of 1858, was the first white child. The first school was taught at the home of Andrew Strom in 1860, and at present there are six school districts, with a good school house in each. The first religious services were conducted by the Norwegians about 1864, at private houses, but during the first few years they were not very regular as there was no resident pastor. Lutheran ministers from Madelia and Mankato, generally officiated. During the seventies and until the erection of the present church edifice in 1883, an occasional service was held in the Strom school house (Dist. No. 13.)

Rev. Lars. Gren of Madelia and Rev. H. Heggerness of Mankato in those early years ministered to the church. It was organized in 1882, under the name of "The Norwegian Lutheran Church."

The church building is brick veneered 30x50 feet with a fine steeple and built as stated in tbe summer of 188^. It is located on the northwest corner of the southwest quarter of section twenty-one, and has a cemetery attached.

1866 a Sunday School with fourteen scholars was organized -at the log cabin of Thos. E. Evans, with John E. Jones as Superintendent. The first prayer meeting was held at the same place in the evening of the same Sabbath. Preaching services were held during the winter of 1866-7 at the same house by Revs. E. W. Jones, Wm. Eoberts and John W. Eoberts. The Sabbath school was moved for a short time to the home of Soloman Evans; thence to the house of Wm. S. Hughes, and thence in the summer of 1867, back to the home of Thos. E. Evans, where it remained until the erection of a house of worship in 1870.

The church was organized as a Calvinistic Methodist body in May, 1867, at the house of Wm. E. Jenkins, by Eev. E. W. Jones. It adopted the name "Bethel," and the charter members were John E. Jones, Wm. E. Jenkins, and wife, Thos. E. Evans and wife, Evan, J. Evans, Mrs. Mary Francis, Mrs. Elizabeth Evans, Mrs. Eobert D. Jones, Mrs. Ellis Owens, Mrs. Eobert H. Hughes, and Wm. A. Jones and wife. The first deacons were John E. Jones, Wm. E. Jenkins, and Thos. Eichards. For three years the church met at private houses, like the Sunday school, mostly at the house of Thos. E. Evans. In the summer of 1870, a church building 20x26 feet was put up near the southeast comer of section four, which was opened with a quarterly meeting September 14 of that year. For pastoral service "Bethel" was yoked with "Horeb" church of Cambria in 1871. Eev. D. M. Jones was the first settled pastor of both churches. The churches have continued as one circuit ever since. The old building becoming too small, a new edifice was erected in 1887. About 1890, the church numbered about 100 members, but since that time the membership has been reduced nearly one third by death and removals.

A number of Welsh families Had located along the east line of Butternut Valley, too far south to attend Bethel church. In connection with some Welsh families along the west line of Judson they began holding religious services as early as 1868. In the winter of 1868-9 a Sabbath school was formed at the house of Richard R. Williams in section 13, with Mr. Williams as superintendent. Preaching and prayer meeting services were, also held quite frequently at the same place, and at the house of Cornelius Williams. The fact that the families were divided between two or three denominations delayed the church organization for a time. As the majority belonged to the Calvanistie Methodists, a church of that dehomination was finally formed in March, 1870, by Eev. Wm. Eoberts, assisted by Elder Evan H. Evans, of Zion Church. The organization took place at the house of Eichard E. Williams, and the charter members were: John D. Thomas and wife; Cornelius Williams and wife, Eichard Lewis and wife, Eichard Williams and wife, Evan D. Evans and wife, John H. Hughes and wife, and Mrs. Martha Jones. The church was called Moriah and a chapel was started this year. In 1865, a little misunderstanding had arisen in the synod of the Cal. Methodist churches, which soon became a serious quarrel and rent all the churches of the synod into two factions, one of which united with the Presbyterians,, and a number of churches of that denomination were started in the Welsh settlement. In 1870, the disaffection was at its height and the center of the disturbance was in the vicinity of this Moriah church. This year the Presbyterians were induced to erect a $2,000 building on the center of the east line of section eighteen of Judson. This delaved the completion of the Moriah chapel until April, 1873, when the church took a new lease of life, completed its organization bv electing John D. Thomas and Cornelius Williams, as its first, elders, moved its chapel three fourths of a mile south, to the north quarter stake of the east line of section 24, in Butternut Valley and put it in shape for occupancv. The name of the church was also changed to "Salem." Bv 1881-2 the quarrel in the Cal. Meth. churches had become a thing of the past: and the Presbyterian churches among the Welsh evervwhere disbanded, and the people returned to their first love. This left the big new edifice on section eighteen, Judson, empty on the hands of the Presbytery. In 1886, the Salem church purchased it, and disposing of their other building, which was much smaller, moved it to the present site.

Ministerially the church has been on the same circuit with Jerusalem and Lake Crystal, in charge of Eev. David Edwards, of the latter place. Number 12, was the first school District organized in the town. District No. 78 was organized March 13, 1866, on petition of Eobert H. Hughes, and others. District 114 was organized on June 23, 1868 on petition of Wm. Prancis and others, and No. 115 on the same date on petition of H. P. Pelch and others.

In the spring of 1894, the Lake Shore Creamery was started on the southeast corner of section twenty and in June of the same year a new post office was established there called 'T3utternut" with Christian Strom as postmaster. About the same time a co-operative store was opened at the same point in charge of Charlie Johnson. In July, 1895, Gilbert Guttersen became postmaster, and in January, 1899, he was succeeded by Ole Eoudestvedt. A feed mill, blacksmith shop, harness and shoemaker shop, meat shop, livery, hotel, town hall built in 1897, together with the Norwegian church, creamery, store, and postoffice made "Butternut" quite a center for the town. The postoffice was discontinued five or six years ago and the town supplied by rural routes with daily mail, and a farmer's telephone company supplies all needs in that line. The town is one of the most fertile and its people are prosperous.

Cambria and Butternut Valley were one municipality until 1867, under the latter name, but until after 1862, the settlement was confined almost exclusively to the portion now called Cambria, along the Minnesota and Little Cot' tonwood Eivers and Cambria Creek. The advantages of timber, water and drainage which these three streams afforded, made this fractional township more desirable to settlers, and no town in the county is more picturesque. The first claims were located about June 6, 1855, by Morris Lewis, David A. Davis and David Evans on parts of sections 25, 26 and 35; but the first to build a cabin and actually settle in the town was John E. Davis. He and liis family, consisting qI his wife, a grown up soil,

William E. Davis, two daughterSj Sarah (now Mrs. Wm. E. Lewie of Lake Crystal) and Elizabeth (widow of the late Eichard Jones of Cambria) drove in a covered wagon from Big Eock, 111., and arrived on the west line of Judson on the 12tli of June. Mr. Davis at once located his claim on the southwest quarter of section 26, built a small log cabin and moved thereto about the 15th of the same month.

About July 10, 1865, came David J. Davis and David J. Williams from near Palrdyra, Ohio, and made claims on the Minnesota bottom, at the mouths of Cambria Creek and the Little Cottonwood. The families reached their new homes the following November, coming all the way from Palmyra in covered wagons, a tedious journey full of many adventures.

The Williams family at this time consisted of David J., William J. and Daniel L., three bachelor brothers, who lived with their mother. July, 1855, John Nicholson located upon the "Little Prairie'" with his family. In August of this year George Gilley and family, Alfred S. Van Patten, Samuel B. Shaw and Peter Bandy located in the northwest corner of the town, north of the Cottonwood. A daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gilley named Hattie was the first white child born in the town. Her birth occurred February 11, 1856, but she died in childhood. Catherine, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. David J. Davis, born April 7, 1856, was the second white child. She is now Mrs. Toothacker, of Martin County.

In July, 1855, David Y. Davis, took a claim in Section 20, and in the spring of 1856 his brother, Evan J. Davis, made a claim in the same section and the two brothers, with their mother, located there about August of that year. In the fall of 1855 Hugh R. Williams and family arrived from Wisconsin. May, 1856, came John Shields and his family from Pomeroy, Ohio. In June Henry Hughes, who had located in Judson the previous fall, took a claim on Cambria creek and removed thereto in July. In May, 1856, a large Welsh colony had arrived at South Bend from Jackson and Gallia Counties, Ohio, and a large portion of it in June settled in the present town of Cambria. Among these were: Dr. David Davis and wife and their grown up children, David, John, Peter, and xMary S. Davis; Mr. and Mrs. David P. Davis and their children, Daniel, David, Eben, Mary and j\largaret and two younger sons, liichard Morgan and wife and their grown up children, James, Isaac, Elizabeth and Mary, John Walters and his family, William P. Jones and family, David Price and family and Thos. D. Lloyd and wife.

Early in July of this year came Eev. Jenkin Jenkins and family and David ilorris and wife. During the summer Wm. Hughes, Griffith Thomas, Samuel D. Shaw, Jolm JSTickelson and families located in the town.

The first religious service was probably held the latter part of June, 1856, in a shanty on the claim of David Y. Davis, temporarily occupied by John Shields and family. July 3, 1856, at the log cabin of David P. Davis, Section 19, was organized the first religious body. It was the present Welsh Calvinistic Methodist church of "Horeb," so named in honor of a church in Ohio, from which most of its members had come. Eev. Eichard Davis, then of South Bend, was the officiating clergyman. The charter members as far as known were : Dr. David Davis and wife and their children, Jolm, Peter, and Mary S.; John Walters and wife, and their son, John, David P. Davis and wife and their children, Daniel and John; John Shields and wife, William P. Jones and wife, David S. Davis and wife, Thomas Lloyd and wife, Eichard Morgan and wife, their son, James Morgan, and his betrothed. Miss Mary Davis, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. David P. Davis. Eight after the organization service James Morgan and Miss Mary Davis were united in marriage at the same place and by the same clergyman, being the first marriage in town. The first death occurred in August, 1856, in the family of David Price. While this family were busy moving from their first claim shanty to a larger log cabin, one of their little children managed, when alone for a few moments, to set fire to itself and the shanty, and was so badly burned, that it died in a few hours.

Sabbath after the manner of the Welsh. In the morning a sermon or prayer meeting, in the afternoon a Sunday school was held. The first year these services were usually held alternately at the homes of David P. Davis and John Walters, but in 1857 a vacant cabin on the claim of Evan J. Davis was used. In a grove near this cabin was held June 24 and 25, 1857, the first quarterly meeting in the town.

The winter of 1856-7, as we have noted in our main history, was extremely cold, and the only cases in the Welsh settlements of death by freezing occurred on the evening of the sixth of January, 1857. That day Wm. Hughes and GrifEith Thomas had gone to New Ukn, ten miles distant on foot to get some provisions for their families. Before returning they foolishly indulged in some liquor. This, with the bitter cold, brought upon them a deadly stupor, and the next day their bodies were foimd within a mile of home, just where the old Ft. Eidgely road crossed the head of Bennett Creek, on the present farm of James Price. The sad event cast a gloom over the whole neighborhood, and the spot of their burial, eighty rods west of the Horeb church, was long known to the pioneers as "The Grraves."

During his residence at Eevena, Ohio, David J. Davis had operated a saw mill, and he knew of a second hand steam saw mill, with a small corn grinding attachment for sale cheap, and at his suggestion David P. Davis returned to Ohio this winter and purchased it. On arrival in Cambria late that summer the mill was set up in the Cottonwood valley on David P. Davis' farm, and, with the aid of David J. Davis, who understood milling, it was started, and during the winter of 1857-8 quite a little lumber was cut and com roughly ground for the johnny cake and hasty pudding of the period. About the first fruits of this mill was lumber for Horeb church. This church was erected during the summer and fall of 1858, by Andrew Friend at a cost of $800 and was 28x35 feet in size. Its frame was heavy white oak and good for centuries. It was all made of the best native lumber and for many years was the

December 25, 1856, a Bible society was formed at the house of Davis P. Davis, with Dr. David Davis as President, Eev. Jenkin Jenkins secretary and David P. Davis, Treasurer, called "The Blue County Welsh," which the first year raised $46.30 as a donation to the New York society. This society has held its annual meeting on Christmas day ever since, has sent over $2,000 to the Bible cause, and is still flourishing.

In those early years the locality was generally called the "Cottonwood Settlement" from the Cottonwood river. At a meeting of the inhabitants held in December, 1856, preparatory to being organized as a separate election precinct, the question of name came up. There was a strong disposition to call the municipality "Davistown"' as about half of the residents then bore that name, and the first settler was John E. Davis. Col. S. D. Shaw suggested the name "Butternut Valley" as especially appropriate because the town contained so many valleys, which were full of butternut trees. He, also, called attention to the word "valley" as being a synonym for "fertility" and how valuable a timber was the "Butternut." The colonel's eloquence prevailed, and the name "Butternut Valley" was adopted. Some time afterwards it was learned that Col. Shaw had come from "Butternuts" N. Y. which at once explained his partiality for that name.

January 6, 1857, the town was created into a separate election precinct, under the above name, and the following officers appointed; Judge of Election, Geo. Gilley, Eev. Jenkin Jenkins and David J. Davis; Justices of the Peace, Eev. Jenkin Jenkins and David P. Davis; Constables, David J. Williams and David A. Davis. The first election was held in the spring of 1857, at the house of David P. Davis. At the general election held in the fall of that year the town cast 38 votes, 31 Eepublican and 7 Democratic. In 1857, came to the settlement Wm. E. Jenkins, James Edwards, Lewis D. Lewis, Evan Jenkins, John Eees, Geo. W. Porter, Neil Porter and others. A debating society was formed in the winter of 1857-8 which met usually at the house of Evan J. and David Y. Davis, and at which Evan Jenkins, an odd genius, figured prominently. There were temperance societies, einging schools and Fourth of July celebrations, and the community was noted for the interest manifested from the start in things religious, political, social, literary and educational.

In 1856, the town was divided into three school Districts each two miles in width east and west. This did not suit, and after more or less squabling as to location of school houses the town was cut into two school districts, cdrresponding with the present Districts Nos. 10 and 11, and in 1869, a log school house built in each.

The first school was taught in No. 10 in the summer of 1859, by Miss Elizabeth Davis, (now Mrs. Richard Jones), and the first school in District No. 11, was kept in the late fall of the same year by Miss Mary S. Davis (afterwards the first wife of Thos. Y. Davis.) It was started in a vacant log house belonging to Evan J. Davis, and on completion of the log tchool house was moved thereto.

A second congregation of those whose views did not coincide with Horeb church was formed about 1858. They met at private houses, mostly at the log cabin of Henry Hughes, and were ministered to by Dr. David Davis and Henry Hughes, who preached alternately. This congregation was formed into a Congregational church on March 13, 1860, at the house of Henry Hughes by Rev. Samuel Jones, a congregational preacher from La Crosse, Wis. The church continued until the Indian outbreak of 1863.

In 1857, Col. S. D. Shaw was appointed postmaster of the new postoffiee of "Butternut Valley," but for several months he had to carry the mail on his back from Judson, before the Mankato and New Ulm mail route was established. May 21, 1863, Evan J. Davis succeeded him as postmaster, but enlisting in the army three months later, he was succeeded by Henry Hughes. January 5, 1867, Evan Bowen became postmaster and was succeeded on June 25, 1869, by Mrs. Elizabeth Burgess, who kept the office for five or six years, when it was discontinued. February 13, 18G3, the saw and grist mill of David P. Davis was burned. Being the frontier town of the county, Cambria suffered more than any otlier from the Indian outbreak of 186:i, but those incidents have been detailed in the history of the county. It also suffered the most from the grasshopper scourge, first in 1861, and again tor four successive years (1874 to 1877) inclusive. We have also spoken elsewhere of this trouble. By 1867, the prairie portion of tlie town, embracing all of township 108 was becoming well settled, and these new comers were getting more numerous than the first settlers, who occupied the fractional part of 109, and outvoted them in the town meetings. This displeased the old timers, and on petition to the County Board, they were severed from Township 108, and permitted to form a new town, under the name of "Cambria."' This was suggested by George Owens, because the inhabitants were nearly all Welsh (Cymri). The new town organized June 3, 1867, by the election of the following officers: Supervisort, John S. Davis, Chr., Wm. P. Jones and VVm. R. Lewis; Clerk, Wm. P. Davis; Assessor, Evan Bowen; Treasurer, Thos. Y. Davis; Justice, S. D. Shaw and Edward Rowe; Constables, David Thomas and David L. Harris. This first election was held at log school house No. ten, thereafter most of the elections were held in school house No. eleven. In the latter district a new frame school house was erected in the summer of 1867, and through the efforts of Henry Hughes and David J. Davis an excellent school was maintained for a number of years. January 15, 1877, the school house of this district burned. Through Hon. Wm. P. Jones, then a member of the Legislature, a special act was passed authorizing the district to borrow money to rebuild, which was done at once. A number of the pupils of this school have risen to some prominence, among them; Hon. Owen Morris of St. Paul, Thos. and Evan Hughes of Mankato, Albert B. Hughes of Wadena in the legal profession, and Thos. E. Bowen, late of Duluth, Journalist, and a number of teachers, and business men. A frame school house was built in District No. 10, in the seventies. Early in the seventies a portion of the town with a portion of Butternut Valley was organ- ized into school District J^o. 78, but the school house of this district was over the line in Butternut Valley. Judge of Probate, Wm. E. Hughes, and former County Attorney, Byron Hughes, both Cambria boys, were products of this school. The first school house in this District burned February 24, 1885, but was rebuilt soon thereafter.

Early in the seventies a school District was formed in the southwest corner of the town and lying partly in Butternut Valley and partly in Brown County. It is designated No. 138 but usually called the "Goshen" school. Its log building was replaced with the present frame in March 1883. This school house stands in section thirty-one of Cambria. October 14, 1856 Eev. Jenkin Jenkins had started a Welsh Congregational church in Judson township. In 1858, this church removed its services to the home of Deacon John E. Davis, in Cambria, and about 1859, to the log school house in District No. 10.

About 1866, a Sunday School was organized by the members of this church at the log house of Evan Bowen, with David T. Davis .as superintendent. About 1867, the preaching services and Sunday school were both removed to "the log cabin of Wm. Harris. Here they remained until the Pall of 1871, when a neat frame chapel was erected near the center of section twenty-eight. This edifice was remodeled in 1905, and the Golden Jubilee of the church celebrated with a splendid program, in which a number of prominent divines from abroad took part, most prominent of whom perhaps was Dr. Lloyd Eoberts of India. Among the pastors who have served this church are: Eev. Jenkin Jenkins, Philip Peregrine, T. G. Jones, (Tavalaw), Humphrey Jones, John E. Jones, T. 6. Griffiths and E. J. Thomas.

In 1900, the Horeb Church erected their present house of worship at a cost of $1200. Prominent among its pastors have been Eevs. David M. Jones (specially noted for the interest he awakened in literary societies), Griffith Eoberts, Thos. B. Hughes and John D. Jones.

About 1873, Eev. P. Peregrine began preaching to a few families of Welsh congregationalists living in the southwestern corner of the town and in Brown County. A Congregational

Church was organized there in April^ 1876, under the name of "Goshen," and a church building erected. But after a few years, so many removals and deaths occurred, that it disbanded. The church building was destroyed at the time of the New Ulm cyclone.

Por more than thirty-five years Cambria has not failed to observe the Pourth of July with an appropriate program of a literary and musical character and a picnic dinner. Wagner's Grove has generally been the place, and the interest in these annual gatherings on the part of young and old has never fagged. A year or two after the building of the Northwestern Eailway from St. Peter to New Uhn in 1874^ Courtland became a market place for the town, and its postofEice. About the nineties a creamery was started there, which drew about half of its patrons from Cambria.

In the spring of 1900, when the Northwestern Eailway built a short cut up the Minnesota Valley it passed through the town, and Cambria station was located therein with a neat depot and express office. A store and postoffice were located there during the summer by Earnest Hughes. A creamery was, also, built, which has had a good patronage from the start; and a wheat elevator was constructed by Jennison Bros. In 1905, a Woodman's hall was built there. Eural mail routes from Lake Crystal and New Ulm, besides Cambria postoffice, supplies the town with daily mail and the Farmers Telephone Co., penetrates with its lines into every neighborhood.

The roster of those who enlisted in the Civil war from "Butternut Valley" (of which the present town of Cambria was really at that time the only settled portion) are as follows:

Ceresco forms one of the west tier of townships. The Watonwan flows through its northern end, and Perch Creek through its center. The name was suggested by Isaac Slocum, who had come from Ceresco, Wis., and was intended by him for the present town of Lincoln, where he resided. Tlie name intended for Cerecso was "I^x Lake'' which had been suggested by John and Miles Porter after Pox Lake, Wis., their recent home. Both towns were named by the County Board at a meeting held April 6, 1858, but through some blunder the two names got misplaced and the error was never corrected. The first white people to loeate in the Town were W'm. D. Gray and Fellows D. Please, who built a small log cabin on section eleven juit above the mouth of Perch Creek in the spring of 1885. Both were young men, who had come from Iowa. They did some trading with the' Indians, and kept in their cabin a few Indian goods, consisting mostly of beads, powder, lead> a barrel of whiskey, and a few bolts of gaudy cloth, which they used in trading for furs. They were joined within a year by Benjamin Pease, a brother of David, and Samuel Pease, their father, both of whom took claims in the vicinity.

In the fall of 1855, Arza B. Barney and David Shaw settled on section 1. Among the settlers of 1866 were: Chas. Thurston on section 32, Eufus Thurston on section 20, Wm. Wells on section 3, John Poster on section 20, James Bowles on section 10, Aretas H. and Wm. H. Armstrong on section 26, John Devlin and Wm. Hoover on section 14, Francis and Hugh Eeynolds section 10 and 11, Geo. Eice section 22 and Eli Waite on section 14. In 1857, came John and Miles Porter to section 25, John Jessup and John M. ilead to section 83. About the same time came Owen and Peter McAllen to section 8, Leman Pratt to section 24, Alfred Waite to section 22, Alfred

T. Eussell and J\Iicheal Eussell came in 1862. During the early sixties came, also, John C. Thompson, John Hughes, E. L. Fogg, Patrick Eussell, Andrew L. Thompson, Herman Zempel, John Schwartz, James Cooling, John Delany, John Anderson.

July 8, 1857, townships lOG and 107 were set oii by the County Commissioners from Watonwan as a separate election precinct, under the name of "Ceresco"" and S. F. Barney, Isaac Slocum and Benjamin Pease appointed Judges of election. At the election held October 13. following, at the cabin of Wm. Wells, sixteen votes were cast, seven Democratic and nint Eepublican. The first town election was held at the house of \A'm. Wells in section three on May 11, 185s. Lincoln (or Fox Lake as it was then called) was attached to Ceresco until 1805. for administrative purposes. The first officers elected by the combined towns were: Supervisors, Isaac Mlocum, Chairman, James Wilson and A. B. Barney; Clerk, C. A. Kompft'er. Assessor, J. C. Tibbil; Collector, Wm. Wells; Justices, J. C. Tibbil and E. M. Tolbert; Overseer of the poor, Oliver Pease; Constables W. D. Gray and Isaac Bundy.

The first marriage was that of A. B. Barney to Mary Wrightson on December 27, 1859. Th(. first school was taught by Miss Hattie Kingsley in a private house in District thirteen during the summer of 1859. The first religious services were conducted in the summer of 1861, at his own home in section 22, by Jacob Burgess. The services were continued that season by ^h: Burgess at his house and in a nearby grove. Services were thereafter held from time to time by different denominations at the school liouses. A Union Sunday School was maintained during the summer months from 1865 tc 1870, in a vacant log house west of A. J. Weymouth's residence in the north part of the tuwE of which Mr. Weymouth was superintendent Sunday schools were also held at various othei periods in school houses, particularly Nos. 13 and 14.

About 1868, the Germans began settling the south end of Ceresco. Among the first wert John Schwartz, John Webster, Herman Zempel Both, August Bethke, Wm. Vaudrey

G. L. Klatt, Daniel Kopischke and August Gens, all of whom resided there in the spring of 1871. These all worshipped at a Lutheran church, which had been built in the northeast corner of section two, Pleasant Mound. In 1883, this church began the erection of a parochial school building across the road from the 1808. During the summer of 1908, a very fine new school house was erected by the members of District ISTo. one of the German Evangelical Lutherans St. John's congregation, on this site. It is 30x40 feet with a high basement under the whole and a belfry 6x8 feet in front. It has an excellent heating plant and is well equipped with all the furnishings of a first class school room. The building cost about $2,600 and there are 70 to 90 children in attendance. Prof. H. C. Bode is the present principal. About the spring of 1890, a new Lutheran church was started by the Germans residing in the vicinity of the juncture of the towns of Ceresco and Pleasant Mound in Blue Earth County with Fielden and Antriem in Watonwan County, and in June of this year Fredrick Arndt sold to August Gens, Wilhelm Arndt, and August Grieger as trusiees of the "German Evangelical Lutheran Trinjly Church" a building lot in the southwest corner of section thirty-one, Ceresco. Here a good sized chapel and parsonage were erected during the year, which was the first church in Ceresco. In 1901, a much larger and finer church edifice, adorned with a high steeple, was erected beside the old building, and the latter converted into a parochial school house. The new building is labeled "Evangelical Lutheran Dreieinig Kelts Kirche"' and the pastor in charge is Eev. A. Messerlie. In the spring of 1898, another German Lutheran church belonging to a different synod was organized, with eighteen members, under the name of "Evangelical Lutheran Zion C'ongregation of U. A. C. in Ceresco." A tract of land for the church and parsonage was secured from Ferdinand Blode, in the southeast corner of section 31, being just one mile east of the other church. Here a house of worship was erected in 1898, and a good sized parsonage the following year. The first board of trustees were August Gens, Emil Wiese, and Gustav Mortz. The first pastor was Eev.

Eugene Ahl, who served three years. He was succeeded for two years by Eev. Eudolph Bugfeld; then Eev. Emil Gillmann served for three and a half years and was followed by the present incumbent. Pastor Johannes Kroeger. August Zenk is now one of the trustees with August Gens; Carl Frank is treasurer, and Fredrick Bloede Secretary. A parochial school' is maintained in connection with this church.-

In the northwest corner of the town a number of Irish families located quite early. They as a rule are members of the Catholic Church at iladelia.

Near the center of the town are grouped a few American families. Eeligious services were maintained among them ofE and on at school ho'use jSTo. forty-four. In 1901, a town hall was built on the Frank Thurston farm in section t-wenty-one, and meetings were then held at this hall. After a season of special services, conducted by Eev. C. E. Neil, State Evangehst of the Christian denomination, a church was organized in February, 1905, with twenty members. Until September, 1907, Eev. F. M. Lindenmeyer was its pastor and since then Eev. Brofl'n, being in the same circuit as the Christian churches of Louisville and Willow Creek. H. 0. Thompsoii is elder of the church and superintendent of its Sunday School. Frank Thurston and John Scott are the deacons and Geo. Cooling is on the church board. All the services are held in the town hall.

In 1876, a Fourth of July celebration was held in the grove on J. C. Thompson's farm, and other celebrations of like character have been observed off and on in the town. Grange and Alliance organizations were formed there in their day. In 1888, a post office was established there, named "Ceresco" with Michael Bussell as postmaster. It was maintained until superceded by the Rural Free Delivery system about 1905.

Madelia, Lake Crystal, Blaine and Myrna afforded mail facilities in the years gone by. H. 0. Thompson was mail carrier between Ceresco and Vernon from the fall of 1892, for six and one-half years, for the first three years of which time the mail was tri-weekly and for the balance of the period, daily, except Sunday. Dur-

The town has five good school houses and some of the hoys and girls have taken prominent places in educational and business circles. James Russell is editor of "Marquette Mining Journal" and mayor of the city, ililes Porter is attorney at Mankato.

June 5, 1880, the tovi^n was visited by a severe wind storni, which tore Daniel Kopischke's house in pieces, injured more or less three of tlfe school houses, and blew down many barns, sheds and fences. In 1898, Mr. and Mrs. H. 0. Thompson started the manufacture of cheese in their granary. They were so successful that soon they had more than they could do. March 37, 1901, a stock company was organized under the name "Ceresco Cheese Company." The incorporators were: Julius Kopischke, John R. Kobles, Chas. Russell, Frank Thurston, Gardner Mead, H. 0. Thompson, R. Bergman, George Cooling, Wm. Rieve and Thos. Rooney. This company bought out Mr. Thompson and built a large factory in a more central locality. In 1903, the company sold out to Mr. Charter, the cheesemaker, who is the present owner. The town has a fraternal organization (jailed "Equitable Fraternal Union" which holds regular meetings at the town hall.

Roster Of Enlisted Men From Ceresco And Lincoln In Civil War

Danville, situated in the extreme southeast corner of the county, is intersected by the Big Cobb river, which meanders in many a curve almost diagonally through it, having along its banks a narrow belt of fine timber.

It was the first town surveyed in the county. The first settler, it is claimed, was Hector Sharp, who located on section 27, in May 185G. The following June came Nicholus J. Kremer, Francis and Bernard Phillips, Geo. Mosser, and Michael Schaller and made claims in sections 37, 34, and 35. They built a small log cabin on the PhiUips claim in section 34, where they all batched together during this first summer. The Kremers were from Fon-du-Lac, ^\'is., the Phillips and Mosser were from Erie, N. Y., and Schaller from Illinois. Mr. and ilrs. Francis PhiUips, Sr., joined them in September, and in October, 185G, John Xremer, Sr. and wife and their sons, Peter, J. P. and John arrived. All made claims and all for a few months occupied the same cabin. In October, 1856, came, also, Wm. Larabee and his son, Samuel Larabee and wife and their four children. About the same time came Nelson Gra}-, W. and Isaac Sherman, Noadiah W. Towne, Amos and Elijah Chambers, Robert H. and John Rogers and Geo. Lamphier. In 1857, Wm. Mack, Lucius Dyer, Frank A. ^Vagner, Samuel and Stephen Larabee, Benj. Hopewell, Josiah Rogers and others settled in the town.

July 9, 1856, the town was set off with the present towns of Mapleton, and Sterling as one voting precinct under the name of Mapleton. When on April 6, 1858, the County Commissioners undertook to name every township in the county; Danville was called "Jackson''" and the present ''Mapleton" called "Sherman." The latter name was probably in honor of either Wm. Sherman a prominent early settler, who then lived on the farm afterwards owned by James McBroom, or of Asa Sherman a pioneer of Mapleton.

a resident of Danville, - became a member of the County Board, and on October 14, 1858, he had the name changed to "Danville," after his old home in Vermont.

May 18th, 1858 was held the first town meeting and the following ofEicers chosen: Supervisors, Lucius Dyer, Chairman, Benjamin Hopewell- and Samuel Larabee; Clerk, N. J. Kremer; Assessor, Hector Sharp; Justices, Samuel Larabee and A. A. Sanborn, Sr., Contables, Stephen L. Larabee and A. A. Sanborn Jr.

The first birth was that of Mary, a daughter of Prancis A. and Helena Wagner. She was born in May, 1857, and while the parents were living in a tent on their first arrival upon their claim in section 26. The first death is said to have been Mrs. John Kremer, Sr., March 10, 1857, connected with her death and burial are a few incidents which illustrate some of the hardships of pioneer life in Danville. The nearest doctor was at Mankato 25 miles away, and, when Mrs. Kremer's sickness became serious, Mr. Mycue, was dispatched there after Dr. McMahan. '^.''he weather was extremely cold and the snow very deep. The good doctor mounted his pony and started back with the messenger at once. Upon the prairies of Medo they were overtaken by a severe blizzard and lost their way. Being too cold to ride they wallowed through snow drifts all night on foot and the doctor lost his overshoes and almost perished with the cold. When finally he and Mycue reached the Kremer cabin the patient was too far gone to be much helped by medicine. When a few days later, she died there was no priest nearer than Mankato to officiate at the funeral, and no cemetery in which to enter the remains. It was therefore decided to take the body to Mankato, that it might be given proper Christian burial. The weather had now taken a sudden change. The snow was melting fast and the streams were all swollen over their banks.

In crossing the Little Cobb the wagon carrying the remains got beyond its depth and the wagon box with the coffin in it fioated down the stream, while the horses with the gearing part of the vehicle and the driver managed by swimming to reach the opposite bank. In the meantime E. Mycue, John Deubler and others ran down the stream and got a rope, poles, and a raft from some Indians and pushing out into the torrent managed to catch the floating box, which still held the casket, and dragged it to the north bank, where it was again put on the running gear.

The funeral cortege now preceded on its journey and after many other adventures finally reached Mankato, and Mrs. Kremer's remains deposited in their last resting place.

Michael SchaUer and Mary A. Phillips were the first couple married, but their marriage was solemnized at Mankato by father Sommerisen. Q'^he first marriage solemnized in Danville, it is claimed, was K. J. Kramer to Miss Elizabeth Wagner in July, 1861. Some claim that the first religious ' services were held by Eev. James Cornell in 1857 at the house of Isaac Sherman in section 20, others think it was conducted by Father Sommerisen at the log house of John Kramer, Sr., in June, 1858. If the date of the meetings at the Sherman home is correct (and there is strong reason to believe it is) then of course they were the first. Beginning about 1859 Father Sommerisen of Mankato began holding services at regular intervals at the houses of John Kremer, Sr., and John P. Eshbach and a Catholic congregation formed. In the spring of 1865 a Catholic ehm-ch building was erected on section 23.

Very little grain crop was raised in 1857, but that little was completely destroyed by a hailstorm. The first postoffice in the town was estaiblished in 1857 at the house of Francis Phillips in section 34, and was designated "Franklin." Mr. Phillips was the postmaster. In the spring of 1859 this office was moved just over the line into Faribault County. The main stage road in those days between Owatonna, Wilton and Blue Earth City passed through section twenty-five and thirty-five of Danville and was much traveled. Wm. M. Larabee kept a log hotel on this road just south of the Cobb crossing in the Northeast quarter of section 35, and often this hostelry was more than crowded. Squire Larabee, also, for a number of years dispensed justice in the community.

who claimed jurisdiction over matters of divorce and he issued one or two such decrees and then married one of the women. Later one of the spouces, who had thus been deprived of a wife, returned and there was trouble for both court and clients and the Danville divorce court suspended business.

There were numerous scraps and misunderstandings which served to keep the neighborhood from stagnation. The two main causes of friction were claim jumping and selling liquor to Indians. About 1859 one John Burns was shot at and slightly wounded by a Winnebago Indian, whom it is claimed he had filled with too much fire water. The Indian was taken to Mankato and boarded and lodged a few weeks at the county's expense and then was permitted to escape.

Dr. James McDuff was a prominent character in the town in those early days. His principal claim to fame as a disciple of Eschalapeus seems to have rested on his prescriptions to allay Indian thirst. In the fall of 1859 he was arrested for alleged violation of the Indian liquor law, but was also permitted to escape from St. Peter. Another character named Capt. Shingles took his ox team to Mankato to get a load of Dr. McDuff's favorite medicine, but when returning through the Winnebago Agency he suddenly and completely disappeared, with his oxen, wagon and load, and nothing of them was ever found and many suspected foul play. During the Indian outbreaks of 1862 Danville, because of its proximity to the Winnebagoes, was in much danger and terror for many days. Most of the women and children were sent to Owatonna and points east. The men formed into companies of home guards and, with such women and children as remained, gathered together usually in the houses of Wm. Larabee and James McBroom. The Sunday after the burning of 'Nev Ulm, 130 persons took refuge in the latter's cabin. Pickets were stationed each night, and every move of the Winnebagoes closely scrutinized, and their daily antics gave rise to a succession of war rumors.

picket duty at the Winnebago Agency, where the main body of the Indians were congregated. But beyond many a scare, Danville suffered no harm from the savages.

In September, 1863, Felson Gray was appointed Captain of the Danville Militia. He took a prominent part in the pioneer politics of the county and, besides serving on the county and town boards, and being commander in chief of the Danville war department, he, also, sat for some years as Judge of the tribe of Danville.

In February, 1864, the town was thrown into great excitement over the killing of John Gill, one of its most prominent citizens, by one Levi Matthews of Medo, in a quarrel over a tract of timber in the latter town. A crowd of armed men from Danville went into Medo and arrested Matthews and there were threats of lynching, but wiser counsel finally prevailed, and the accused was delivered to the authorities at Mankato. There Matthews was exhonerated on the ground that the shooting was in self defense. But so bitter was the feeling against him on the part of Gill's relatives and friends, that he soon left the country. In May, 1863, Austin Maxton of Danville was killed by lightning as he was driving along the highway. In May and June, 1862, many immigrants settled in the town and about all the government land was taken. In the spring of 1864, a post office called 'Tlomestead" was established at the home of James McBroom, who was made its postmaster. The name was soon changed to "Sherman." In 1867, Barney Cooper succeeded Mc- Broom, and the office removed to his house in section 9, where it remained until 1869, when it was suspended. A year or two later it was reinstated and Mr. McBroom again put in charge. It continued at his home until March, 1897, when it was discontinued.

About July, 1876. a new post office called 'T»anville" was established with Henry Sternenagle as postmaster. In September, 1879, Sternenagle was succeeded h\ .Tnhn Laurish and the office removed to his home in section 1. In Marcli. 1886. Mr. Laurish resi,gned and Chas. Kline was appointed his successor, but in the summer of 1891, the latter sent in his resigna- tion. Eatlier than have the office discontinuecl Mr. Laurish accepted a second appointment in September, 1891, and kept it until January, 1897, when Ira Moore, who had just opened a small store near the Star Creamery was appointed postmaster. Here it remained four or five years, when it was discontinued by reason of the free delivery system.

In the early sixties Danville had two or three preachers among its inhabitants, who held services occasionally in the town, but had no regular charges. Eev. John Kellet, was a Wesleyan Methodist, who came to the town with his son-in-law, James McBroom, in the fall of 1860, and died there about 1868.

About 1863, Eev. Egbert L. Smith, located on section 30 and remained four or five years. He was then a young man beginning to exercise his talents as a minister of the M. E. Church, and preached in Danville and vicinity. He afterwards became quite prominent and was made a presiding elder in his church. His brother-inlaw, Eev. Abner C. Waleott located on section 20 about the same time. He, also, was just beginning to preach and practiced occasionally on Danville congregations. Wo protestant English speaking church was formed, however.

About 1866 to' 1870, a large number of German 'Lutherans and German Methodists settled in the town. Eeligious services began to be held by each denomination in private hous2s about as early as 1867. The Lutherans erected their first church this year (1870) on the northwest comer of section 34, the deed for their church lot being dated March 16, 1871, and the trustees at the time were: Eobt. Degner, Carl Hubert and Wm. Tolzmann. The society was incorporated April 3, 1876, under the name "German Evangelical Lutheran St. John's church of U. A. C. in Danville." The first minister of this church was Eev. Arnard. October 18, 1885, the present church building was erected on the site of the old chapel- and -dedicated on October 18, 1885, with great joy, and' a picnic dinner and supper were served to the great crowd in attendance at the ceremonies. Eev. Schultz preached the dedication sermon. It is a fine large building, capable of seating about- 400 people and cost over $3,000. Its spire is eighty feet high.

The German Methodists erected their first meeting house about 1869 or 1870. Their deed for the two acres in the southwest quarter of southwest quarter of section 11 used for the church and parsonage, is dated January 22, 1872, and runs from Martin Hubner to John Kaus, Conrad Kaus, Henry Kaus, John Schmidt, Wm. Conrad and P. Plageman as trustees. The parsonage was erected in the summer of 1881.

The legal organization of the church occurred Oct. 4, 1874. The first class was formed by Eev. J. C. Jahn of Mankato. The resident pastor 'was G. Gebbard. The Sunday school was started early in the seventies with C. Kaus as superintendent. The present superintendent is Ered Lentz. The first church building was destrojred by lightning in 1896. When the second edifice was being constructed it was demolished by a wind storm. Fortunately it was well insured and the present large and well constructed building was erected the same year, (1897). The membership of the church has suffered much from removals, but is still a large and influential body. For some years the church has been yoked with Mankato in pastoral service.

During the seventies and the eighties Fathers Venn, Fox and Bauman ministered to the Danville Catholic- church. Terms of parochial schools were held at the home of T. Sullivan and at the church. In April, 1879, Father Yenn organized in the parish a temperance society with Patrick Feeney president, Thos. Gary, vice president, Patrick Murray, Cor. Secy., and Timothy Sullivan, Sr. Treasurer. About 1884 or 1885, the church was moved to Minnesota Lake just over the south line of the town, where a very fine church edifice has been erected.

During the seventies the grange movement was very active in Danville. C. Kaus was master of the first lodge. For a number of years goods were purchased by its patrons of the Grange Supply House at Chicago. While Danville has no village within its borders, yet the townsitc of Minnesota Lake adjoins the center of its southern line and some of the residences of the village overflow into its border. This village gives the town the full benefit of a near market and- railway facilities.

On the south line of Danville upon the north bank of Minnesota Lake stands a picturesque old windmill, without a mention of which no history of the tovni would be complete. Octagonal in shape, medieval in design, its wooden sides covered with shingly scales, its arms huge and specter like, and its grotesque figure all battered and blackened by age, it stands, a bit of Holland on an American landscape. Eomantic as is the old mill, its story is still more so. Gottlieb Shostag was a queer little Dutchman, full of excentric notions, yet possessed of certain kind of inventive and mechanical ingenuity. In' the early sixties he lived near Hoosier Lake, two or three miles back of Mankato. There he built a small mill, which he operated by windpower. It was not a great success. The log carrier was built so small, that all logs of any size had to be split in two before they would fit on it. Then when the wind blew a good gale, the little mill would work furiously, but as soon as the breeze died away, which often happened in the woods, the mill would suddenly balk. Disgusted with the antics of his wind-sawmill, he went far out on the prairie on the banks of Minnesota Lake and built him a wind grist mill. He did all the work himself, even to cutting the burrs from prairie boulders. This was in 1864.

The mill is forty feet in diameter at the base and tapering to a diameter of twenty-five feet at a height of forty feet. Each of the four arms is thirty-five feet in length, hewn from a solid oak timber ten inches square at the base and six inches at the tip. For many years it supplied a large number of the pioneers with flour, but, with the advent of the roller mills, it lost prestige and was reduced to the rank of an ordinary feed mill. In the good old days Shostag was in the habit of telling his customers, "If God makes the wind blow I will grind your grist tomorrow. If He don't, then I wait until He does make it blow." One evening back in the seventies he was visiting with two of his old cronies, who like himself, were firm believers in the devil and witchcraft. Among other things they told an ancient tale of the fatherland to the effect that the devil sometimes got into a mill in the form of a black rabbit, and if he once got out of the mill again he never could reenter it, until some one other than the owner crossed its threshold. This bit of superstition from the Ehine and the Zuder Zee, ^vitli the stories told by his friends in confirmation of it, made a deep impression on Mr. Shostag. Then it happened as he was walking home in the dusk of the evening, Lo! and behold a black rabbit ran across his path and disappeared under the mill. The next morning the mill broke down and for days everything went wrong, a sure proof that "The devil indeed was in the mill." But after keeping close watch for a fortnight _ Shostag saw the black rabbit run out from under the mill and disappear in a clump of _ bushes. "There," he shouted, "I've got the devil out of the mill."

ISTow that he was rid of his Satanic majesty, our friend was determined he should never again re-enter his property. So for thirty years, and until Mr. Shostag's death, no living person was permitted to enter the mill but himself. He carried every grist in and out alone, and made all repairs himself. Signs were put up in English and German forbidding any person to enter the mill on pain of death, and many an inquisitive rogue, who off and on attempted it, barely escaped a broken pate from the irrate little Dutchman.

The dilatory habits of the little mill and the oddities of its owner were often quite exasperating to many a patron. For instance, once on a hot July day Mr. Mycue drove his span of colts with two bags of corn to the mill, expecting of course, to get it ground at once, as he was out of food. But when the colts saw the mill with its huge revolving arms thev were fully convinced not only that the devil was in the mill, but that the mill itself was the devil, and that he was n'ust lifting his wings to fly. Consequentlv thev could not he induced to get nearer than a quarter of a mile of it. Mvcue therefore had to tie them to the wagon and carry the hags on his back throusrh the hot sun the rest of the wav. When he had got the last bag on the platform in front of the mill door, and hunted up the little miller, he asked how soon he could get the corn ground. "I think I get him ground in a month, if God make the wind blow," was the cool response. Then there was something doing and Mycue was going to burn the mill, but finally he changed his mind and carried the corn back again to the wagon and went in quest of another mill.

At another time two men from Waseca County brought grists to the mill and being likewise disappointed in getting them ground they passed two or three log chains clear around the mill and hitched their teams to it to pull the devil invested mill into the lake, and the little dutchman had to protect his property with a shot gun and there was a lively time on the border of Danville.

Then one day when the miller chanced to go on a visit to a neighboring village some niischievous boys broke into the mill, climbed up under the roof and hung outside through some port holes under the eves a circle of odd looking flags, and the little dutchman did not dare enter his mill for a week lest he should meet Old Nick.

The queer old miller, however, has gone the way of all the earth, but the old mill still stands on the Danville border a monument of the days of long ago.

Danville today is a very thrifty town with well tilled farms and excellent buildings. January 24, 1896, the Star Creamery was organized with Andrew Knutson, president, Wm. Borchart, secretary, Alexander Latourell, Thos. Cary and Barney Olson directors. The creameries at Minnesota Lake and Mapleton have, also, a number of Danville patrons.

The Latourell grove and other groves along the Cobb have been the scene of many a church, school and Fourth of July picnic. The Danville schools have supplied the legal and educational walks of life with young men and women of fine ability, like C. J. Laurish of Mankato, John and Walter McBroom and others. The daily mail delivery and the telephone are everywhere to be found, and this remote corner of the county is secluded no more.

Decoria was first so christened by the County Commissioners on April 6, 1S5.S. The name is of French origin but comes to us from the Winnebago Indians. It is found designating towns in Wisconsin and luwa, where this tribe of Indians formerly resided, and has a very interesting history.

Sabrevoir De Carrie was an officer of the French army in 1699, and Hopockaw, the daughter of a principal Winnebago chief, whom he married in 1729, is spoken of by Carver, as "The Queen of the Winnebagos." Their son Chonkeha (Spoon), bom about 1830, was known to the whites as "Spoon Dekaury." After being made chief, he became the leader of attacks on the Chippewa during a war with the Winnebagos, but he maintained friendly relations with the whites. It was principally through his influence that the treaty of June 3, 1816, at St.

Louis Mo. was brought about. He died at Portage, Wis. that same year leaving six sons, and five daughters. Konoka (Eldest) Dekaury, his eldest son and successor, v^as born in 1747. He is often called "Old Dehawry." His band usually camped at the portage of the Wisconsin river, the present site of Portage, Wis.

Mrs. Kinzie describes him as "The most noble, dignified and venerable of his ovpn, or indeed of .any other tribe. Always courteous, while his dress was always neat and unostentatious. He signed the treaty of Prairie Du Chien August 19, 1825, on behalf of the Winnebagos, and died on the Wisconsin river, April 20, 1836." "Other members of the family, whose name has been variously written, DeKaury, De Kauray, Day Kaury, Day Korah, Dacorah, and De Corrah, were noted. From Chonkeka's daughters, who married white men, are descended several well Imown families of Wisconsin and Minnesota."

Charles H. Sparks in his "History of Winneshiek County, Iowa" of which Decorah is the county seat, written in 1877, has this to say of one of the hereditary chiefs of the Winnebagos, descended from ' the French De Carrie :

"Wachon Decorah, after whom two of our inland cities are named (Waucon and Decorah, Iowa) was another principal chief. By the whites he was more familiarly called "One Eyed Decorah" having lost an eye. He, too, was a natural orator, and in his speeches would frequently boast that he had white blood in his veins. There were three brothers of the Decorahs, all men of distinction in their nation." This chief and the tribe aided the whites in the Black Hawk War, 1833. Five years later the Winnebagos were removed from Wisconsin to northeastern Iowa, thence in 1848, to Long Prairie, Minn., thence to Blu-e Earth County in 1855, thence in 1863, to South Dakota, and thence in 1866 to ISTebraska.

A prior chief of the same name (probablv the father of Wachon Decorah) died in Decorah, Iowa, when the Winnehngos lived there, and in 1876, his remains were removed to and buried in the Court House square.

chief greatly respected by his tribe, an old man, considerably bent over, with one eye put out, and his hair very gray." He was probably of the third or fourth generation from the French officer De Carrie. He lived in Blue Earth County eight years and with him two other prominent chiefs of the same family called by tbe whites "Little Decorah" or "Decoria" and "Tall Decoria."

As it lay wholly within the Indian reservation it was not open to white settlers, until the lands were placed upon the market in 1864, about a year after the removal of the Winnebagos. It was the last town in the County ta be settled and the last to be organized. The first settler was Joshua Ady, who purchased lands in sections 2 and 3 and moved his family to a log house thereon January 1, 1865. Mr. Ady for many years had been employed by the government as blacksmith at the Winnebago Agency, and came with the Indians to Blue Earth County in 1855. When the administration changed in 1861, he lost his position for political reasons, and settled on a claim in Mankato Township, whence he removed to Decoria. .\dy was followed in a few weeks by his brotherin-law, Frank Kennedy, who settled on section 3. Before moving to Decoria, Kennedy and his family occupied for a time a log house, which one Jackson had built just north of the Decoria line. This Jackson was married to a half breed Winnebago woman, who had a little education, and taugbt school among the Indians. Jackson ran the Van Brunt mill for the Indians for a season or two. He, also, had a few acres of land under cultivation. When the Indians departed, Jackson and his family went with them. In those days there was quite a large Indian cemetery on B. H. Gerlich's farm about 100 rods west of his present residence. ISTeat picket fences surrounded many of the graves, the point of each picket painted black. AVhen the settlers came one of them appropriated these fences to OHclose his garden. There were then a number of such fenced Indian graves over Decoria.

graves, one large and one small, each with a log hut over it. They stood at the head of a ravine. Each hut had a «mall door, from which a series of steps led down the side of the ravine to a copious spring of cool 'water at the bottom, A small slab of split wood had been fitted to each step. It was intended for the use of the spirits in going back and forth to the spring. When the larger grave was opened some 3'ears later, beside the skeleton of the Indian warrior were found a rusty gun, a tomahawk, a pipe and other Indian accoutrements.

Other settlers of Decoria prior to June 1, 1865 were: John S. Larkin on section 7, Jacob Muntschinck on section 1, Samuel D. Brown, Wm. Autry and John Rhodes. During 1865, came, also, S. Quimby Larkin, Asa McCullom, Abram Marble, Geo. Todd and maybe one or two others. The year 1866, saw a number of new settlers locating here. Among them A. H. Matteson, D. W. Burlison, Henry Wikox, Charles Eundquist and Calvin Smith. Other early settlers of the town were W. A. Sellers, John Eoerig, S. J. Mace, Geo. McKee, Wm. Waddell, B. H. Gerlich, Henry Webber and John Maloney.

When application was made to have the town organized there was some talk of changing its name to "Ady" or some other name, but the majority favored the old name and on September 19, 1867, the County Board on petition of Joshua Ady and others, created the town of "Decoria" and appointed the first town meeting to be held at the house of John Larkin on October 8, 1867.

June, 1868, a new postoffice was established called 'TDecoria," with John S. Larkin as postmaster, and the office was kept at his home on N.W. 14 of section 28 for the first year and