Fillmore County, Minnesota - Geneical De.s(!k£pt10n Pilot Mound Early, 1882

Settlement Manufacturing Political

The township bearing this name is next to the northern boundary of the county, and the third from the etistem line. Its immediate surroundings are Winona county on the north, Arendahl on the east, Carrolton on the south and Chatfield on the west. The town contains 22,995.57 acres, and is well settled with people of various nationalities, but they are honest, industrious, and intelligent from whatever part of the world they came.

Physical Features

Pilot Mound is made up of ravines and ridges. In the northern part there is prairie land with dark rich loam, further south the ridges are more narrow and the soil is of a lighter clay, but is very productive. When first settled there was considerable fine timbar in the township, but wheat, barley, corn, and oats have taken the place of most of the grubs. A little more than two-thirds of the land is under cultivation at the present time.

There is plenty of wat?r in the town, not however evenly distributed. It may be said to be well watered, but not with well water. The north, or larger branch of the Root River goes through the lower part of the town in a tortuous course, working toward the east, and its course will be briefly described. It first crosses the western line of the town into section seven, and flows south and west into section eighteen and back into Chatfield, returning into town in section nineteen, thence through section twenty it swings round into section twenty-nine and then into twenty-eight, then dips into thirty-three, and back into twenty -eight and twenty-seven, and there forms a loop involving sections twenty -seven, twenty-two, twenty- three, twenty -six, and thirty-five, where it runs southwest through thirty-four into Carrolton, to re-enter the town in section thirty-five, and doubling on itself in section thirty- six gets out of town headed toward the west. This description should give a good general idea of Root River which certainly ^^boxes the compass"' if any inanimate thing ever performs such a nautical feat.

This town corresponds with a government survey, except that one- half each of sections thirtythree, thirty -four, and thirty-five, are in Carrelton. It is said that some political purpose was to be subserved in transferring this territory to the latter town some years ago.

The next most important stream is Trout Run, which comes into town in section five, and with few deflections to the right or left^ very becomingly flows south to make a confluence with Root River in section twenty. There are several good mill privileges on this stream, only one of which is improved.

Money Creek is the next largest stream. It rises in section three, and, flowing nearly parallel with Trout Run, discharges into the Root River in section twenty -seven.

Pilot Mound. - The elevation from which the township takes its name is in the southwestern part of section eleven. It is a mound containing thirty-five acres at the base and about twenty -five at the top, about twelve acres of which is tillable, the rest is limestone and ledgey. It forms a prominent and striking object in the landscape, and formerly guided many a weary traveler as he wended his way toward the West.

Eably Settlement

The first white man to lay claim upon the broad acres of Uncle Bam in Pilot Mound, was Arthur B. Bowe, a speculative Yankee from the Green Mountain State, who had been hving in the adjoining county of Houston, and had stopped awhile in Rushford. In 1854, he came over on this virgin soil, and staked out a claim in section seven, and in fact laid claim to all the land unoccupied in southern Minnesota, whenever a prospector made his appearance. He would show a new comer an eligible location, and offer to sell his right, title, and interest for as much as he could get, and it is said that he actually sold the same lot a second time and thus got into trouble, and had to leave for a more desirable county. Of course the purchaser would have to enter his land at the land office, and pay $200 for every 160 acres.

The next man to place himself, north of Boot River, in this town, was Nelson Frost, also from Vermont. He at first bought a claim of Bo we, consisting of 160 acres in sections seven and eight, for which he paid $75. Afterwards he bargained for another claim of Bowe, on Trout Run, in section nine, where he put up an unhewn timber abode, the first house in this part of the town. His land had to be paid for to the government.

The same year Mr. Erick Torkelson and Ellin g Miller, from Norway, located in the south part of the town. They had previously lived a few years in Wisconsin. Torkelson took his land in section thirty-two, and Miller in section thirty-one.

James McKeown, of the Emerald Isle, came over here and out to this township, and got a place on section ten. He had lived one year in Jordan in this county.

Under the territorial government, Henry Rouse was Justice of the Feac^, and a case was once tried before him where both parties were so obviously at fault that he fined both, the complainant and the defendant dividing the costs* The popular verdict approved the sentence, and the men went home satisfied.

Political

The town was regularly organized on the 11th of May, 1858. H. R. Rouse called the meeting to order. The Moderator was Charles E. Rockwell; Clerk, J. H. Roberts; Judges, E. C. Degrush and H. A. Rouse. It was decided to call the township Pilot Mound, by a vote of 36 in favor to 22 for the name of Clinton. The whole number of votes cast at that election was 58.

The result of the election was as follows: Suj^ervisors, 0. W. French, Chairman, E. C. Degrush» a. vacancy; Clerk, J. H; Roberts; Assessor, S. A. Woolcott; Collector, T. J. Hammer; Overseer of the Poor, Nelson Frost; Constables, James A. Newman and H. R. Rouse.

Present Officers. - The town has uniformly had good officers, and its internal affairs have been well managed. Town officers for 1882: Supervisors, H. P. Aldrich, Cbairmtfc, Ole Carlson, and C. T. Baarnaas; Town Clerk, S. Hitchcock; Treasurer, Isaac Jackson; Assessor, H. F. Yates; Justice of the Peace, F. Erickson; Constable, T. Sorrenson; Pound Masters, F. Erickson and E. Anderson.

District No. 55. - In 1856, a school was taught in the house of Frank Whitney, and his wife was the teacher. This was in section ten; the place is now in possession of Mr. F. Erickson, and there were then a dozen or more scholars. A log schoolliouse was built in 1856, on the land of Mr. H. Jones, in section ten, Mrs. Whitney, the same teacher, also was the first to officiate here. In about 1867, this building, having outlasted its usefulness, was replaced by another. The new house cost $1,200, and a school is kept from seven to nine months each year.

District No. 56. - The school bearmg this number was organized in March, 1857, at the house of H. R. Rouse, when a site was agreed upon for the schoolhouse, which was to be within eight-five rods of the geographical center of the district. A tax of $106 was raised to build the schoolhouse, and it was to be ready for occupjincy by the first of June that year. Nelson Frost, Henry A. Spicer, and Isaac Dickinson were chosen trustees. The house was of logs, in section eight, on land owned by N. Frost. The school was opened by Miss Marietta Smith. This may have been the first schoolhouse got up in town. It had a dirt roof and it was not uncommon to see snakes on the top of the house which was green with grass. This educational institution served its purpose until 1869, when a new one was built in section seven. Miss Dilla J. Mann was the first teacher here.

District No. 67. - As near as we can learn the first school opened in this dirtrict was at the residence of Nels Thorson in 1857. Lewis Everson taught in the Norsk tongue. The next year a regular "bee'^ was held, and a log cabin put up and dignified by the name of shoolhouse. In 1878 or 1879, the present edifice was constructed in section thirty -one. The first English teacher in this district was H. H. Haden.

District No. 58. - In the autumn of 1862, a house was bought of Peter Berg, in section twentysix, for a shoolhouse, and school was commenced with J. H. Burrell as teacher, with twelve or fourteen scholars. In 1871, the district was divided, and a new schoolhouse put up in section twentyfour, on land owned by Peter Berg. The house cost about $400. The eastern part of the district retained the old number.

District No. 139 was organized in 1866, at the house of Asa Smith. Miss Mary Green first called the school to order, and kept the first term. In the summer of 1867, the first schoolhouse was built at a cost of $900. While the building was going up a school was kept in a log cabin formerly used by John Ellsbury.

District No. 159. - This district, in 1877, was organized from four other districts. The meeting for organizing was held on the 3d of October at the house of Charles Egge. Otto Haug was elected Director; Carl Egge, Treasurer; Nels T. Borgen, Clerk. The schoolhouse was built in section twenty-one, at a cost of $350, and the school

Religious

The first religious society organized in Pilot Mound, was the Methodist, on Sunday, the 23d of May, 1858, by Be v. Ezra Tucker, the preacher in charge of the Chatfield circuit of the Methodist Episcopal church, with nine members; Mr. W. Wendell was appointed class leader. The first prayer meeting was held on Sunday, the 13th of the following June. The first class meeting was held on the 4th of July, 1858. The first Sunday school was started by Rev. Mr. Tucker, on the 25th of July the same year, with Mr. Wendell as Superintendent. In a few years this society relapsed into a state of inertia.

Baptist Church. - ^On Saturday, the 28th o^ May, 1859, Rev. G. W. Fuller, of Chatfield, assisted in the institution of this society. Mr. W. Wendell, having changed his views in relation to baptism, was probably instrumental in inaugurating this movement, and united with the society. He, being already a licensed preacher, became the pastor, and was ordained the 21st of September following. This society soon subsided.

Protestant Methodist. - ^This denomination started out with quite good prospects. Rev. Stephen Jones expounded the Word to the little flock, but inanition soon overtook this denomination.

Methodist Episcopal. - In 1864, the Methodist people, having suspended meetings a few years before, rallied their reserves and reorganized as a part of the St. Charles circuit, in the adjoining county. Stephen Souther was appointed class leader to keep the faithful together. Preachin g was occasionally done by Rev. John Elepper* In 1865, Rev. H. Webb and Rev. W. C. Rice were appointed to look after this charge, and they supplied alternately. In 1869, the Pilot Mound circuit was instituted, and it was thus associated with several other places. A few years afterwards this arrangement was suspended, and the society was associated with Chatfield. Several years since the meetings were discontinued, and no service in this interest is now held.

Free Baptist. - In 1879, this society was brought into existence under the inspiring exertions of Rev. Cyrus Calkins as pastor, and this still exists as the only church organization in this part

The first and only flouring mill ever built in town, WHS by E. D. Hammer, in 1871, on Trout Bun. It is a frame building with a stone basement, and cost about $12,000. It has three run of stones, two of these for flour and one for feed. It is three stories high and is located in section seventeen. Fine grades of flour are made for custom use, and the mill is run to its fullest capacity. The canal to supply the mill is fifty rods in length.

The first saw- mill in town was built in 1858, in section four, by Charles Rockwell on Trout Run. It was a vertical saw, and was driven by water with a head of eight feet. In 1864, Mr. Rockwell sold to Lewis Foss and Brother for $1,000. They run it two years and then transferred the property to Mr. A. Currie for a like sum. After a time the mill went into disuse and the dam washed away. In 1874, the mill blew down, and thus passed away this relic of early days. Mr. Currie still owns the site.

About the year 1855, there were two blacksmith shops started in town, one by Elling MiUer, in the southwest part of the town, in section thirty- two, and the other by John EUsbury in section two.

Store

The first attempt at keeping a store was by William Van Buren, a shoemaker, who kept a small stock of goods in the shop where he worked at his trade. This was in section ten, and the building still stands near the present store. He kept this running for about two years, and then removed to Troy. The next to go into merchandising was the firm of Jones k Hitchcock, in May, 1867; starting at first with a stock of $600, in section ten, at the "Four Comers." In 1869, the business was transferred to Hammer k Newman. It changed hands several times previous to 188 1» when it was secured by the present owner, Isaac Jackson, who is still proprietor, and carries a stock of $2,500 worth of goods.

Pekik Village

in a little ravine following Money Creek. It is said that Stephen Trindall gave it the name, because, he said, the position was in such a narrow, shut up place, that you could not see it until you got right there where you could "peek in" upon it. Here is the only store in town, the blacksmith shop, and here the town meetings are held.

Post-Office

The Post-office was established in 1856, with David Billings Smith as Postmaster. It was kept in section twelve at first, and afterwards, about 1860, removed to Pekin. In 1861, E. D. Hammer was Postmaster, till 1867; George Gould was the next, and then the present incumbent, Sf^encer Hitchcock, was appointed. It is still kept in the village.

Town Hall

The Town Hall, to use a hibernianism, is a blacksmith shop, known as "Uncle Jake's," owned by James C, Jones, who gets $3 a year for its use for town meetings.

Fraternal Orders

The Good Templars were instituted here in 1867, and flouri'^hed for a time under the patronage of the best ladies and gentlemen in town, but aft^r a few years it was sufi'ered to collapse.

The Patrons of Husbandry. - This order was inaugurated here in 1873, and had a fair membership. After awhile it was allowed to go into a decline. Of course there are members of the leading orders who go to the larger villages to attend the meetings.