Lyon County, Minnesota - Chapter 15: Ghent and Taunton 1878-1912, 1912

Chapter 15: Ghent and Taunton 1878-1912

NOT far from where the North-, western railroad crosses Three- Mile creek, on the northwest quarter of section 15, Grandview township, seven miles northwesl of Marshall. is the little village of Ghent. Its elevation above sea level is 1173 feet and its population 210. Ghent is the trading point for a populous and thrifty community, made up for the most part of Belgian and French settlers, and is one of the most progressive little villages of Lyon county.

When the Winona & St. Peter (now the Northwestern) railroad was built in 1872 that part of Lyon county northwest from Marshall was thinly settled, but there were a few homesteaders near the point where the new road crossed Three-Mile creek and they made an effort to have a station located at the crossing. Conditions warranted the establishment of only one station in Lyon county at that time, the settlers near the crossing- of the Redwood made a more active campaign, and the railroad officials located the station there instead of at Three-Mile creek. Thus the lead-

JThe Grandview office - the predecessor of the Ghent office - was re-established in 1878 with J. M. Vaughn as postmaster. During the year of its establishment it was kept in the store of A. P. Ray and was then moved to the home of Mr. Vaughn, two and one-half miles northwest of the village. It was moved to the station in January, 1881, and a little later the name was changed to Ghent. R. F. Laythe became postmaster and was succeeded by Mr. Capistrand, who left in the summer of 1883. Aime Van Hee served as

In time more settlers located in the vicinity of the crossing of Three-Mile creek, and to furnish them mail facilities a postoflice was established early in 1S74. It was named Grandview, after the township, and Harrison A. Irish, a homesteader on section 14, was the postmaster. The office, supplied from Marshall, was maintained for a couple of years and was then discontinued, to be re-established at a later time.1

It is the village of Grandview with which we have to deal in chronicling the early history of Ghent, for prior to 1881 that is the name the village bore. Grandview was founded in the spring of 1878. In April of that year A. P. Ray erected a store building and engaged in the grocery business. The venture was not a success and the store was discontinued in October. The Grandview townsite was platted by the railroad company on July 5, 1878, the survey having been made by Arthur Jacobi.2

2Twenty blocks were included in the plat. The streets running northwest and southeast were named Green, Barber, McQuestion and Burlingame; those northeast and southwest, Bladwin, English, Chapman, Loomis and Maskell. There have been no additions platted.

view during the seasons of 1878 and 1879 for Van Dusen & Company, and for some time after the closing of the Ray store that was the only enterprise on the site, and that did not boast a building to shelter it. Although the site had been platted and some business enterprises had been started previously, the practical founding of Grandview came in 1880. That year the first of the Catholic colony located in the vicinity and supplied the stimulus for the building of a village.

During 1880 Van Dusen & Company erected a grain warehouse and John Fodness was employed as grain buyer; Jerry Fagan, one of the colonists, opened a store but closed it the next year; William Heinmiller engaged in the blacksmith business; Burl Story moved a little shack from his homestead and kept boarders, also erecting a barn; one of the residents also sold lumber at the youthful village. While this list of improvements for 1880 cannot be considered large, a start had been made and Grandview was placed on the map. A correspondent to the Marshall Messenger of December 17, 1880, wrote: "We don't look for a city here very soon but hope to see more business done at our station hereafter than in the past. . . . Six months ago there was not one individual living in this village; now we have seven buildings."

Progress continued during 1881, due principally to the arrival of a large number of Belgian colonists. A depot was erected during the summer and Mr. King installed as agent, a telegraph office being added in September. The same month, upon the petition of residents, the name of the postoffice was changed from Grandview to Ghent,3

3"This lively little place has changed its name to Ghent. It is growing and bids fair t© be quite a village." - Ghent Correspondent to Marshall Messenger, September 22, 1881.

named after the city in Belgium, and the station was later also given the new name. Burl Story erected a hotel building and founded the Ghent House. R. F. Laythe put up a building and engaged in the general merchandise business, selling out later to Capistrand & Soucheray. A Mr. Hayden opened another store the same season. John Fodness erected- an 18x26 feet store building and one of the colonists built a dwelling house.

In the spring of 1882 a Ghent citizen wrote that the village had a population of 125 and that the business enterprises consisted of one general store, a hotel, blacksmith shop, elevator and lumber yard. A few changes in the ownership of business houses were made in 1883. Capistrand & Soucheray bought the lv. F. Laythe store in March and three months later Mr. Soucheray became sole proprietor. In December Kmilien Paradis bought the Jerry Fagan store building and engaged in the general merchandise business. In 1884 Francis Gits opened a hotel and tinware shop, Mr. Vergote a blacksmith shop, and Mr. Cool a carpenter and wagon shop. In 1885 Youmans Brothers & Hodgins established a lumber yard.

There was no boom connected with the growth of Ghent and at no time did it develop beyond the demands of the surrounding farming country. A special census taken on March 14, 1899, showed a population of 182. It was at that time that the residents asked for incorporation.4

A petition asking for the incorporation of the northwest quarter of section 15, Grandview township, as the village of Ghent was filed with the county auditor March 28, 1899. It was signed by thirty-two voters."' The County Board "ranted the request of the residents of Ghent and named May 15, 1899, as the date for voting on the question. A. 11. Lerschen, Alois Bergeron and A. .1. Paal were inspectors of the initial election. Of the twenty-five votes cast, every one was in favor of beginning municipal government. The first officers were chosen May 29, 1899.

1901 - President, A. H. Lerschen; trustees, Charles P'oulon, B. Brouwer, James Meaghan; recorder, Joseph Letourneau; treasurer, Joseph Kemna; assessor, A. A. Regnier; justices, Peter Fibers, John Cavanaugh.

1904 - President, A. H. Lerschen; trustees, G. I. LeBeau, Francis Gits, Alphonse Cyr; recorder, John Cavanaugh; treasurer, Aime Van Hee; assessor, A. A. Regnier; justice, Fred Lerschen; constable, Arthur Gits.

5The signers of the incorporation petition were A. H. Lerschen, Alois Bergeron, A. J. Paal, J. W. Lerschen, Frank Cotterell, Joe Lerschen, Adolph Goyette, Peter Elbers, L. L. Yalb, Evan Alsvint,

For a number of years after the founding of Ghent the nearest school was more than a mile from the village. The first school taught in the village was under the direction of Father Y. Devos. He established a free school for the education of the children and to teach the many foreign born residents the English language. Miss Hannah Lester was the teacher.

GAt theT Grand view township election of March, 1899, the license question was decided negatively by the voters, and that fact led to the incorporation of the village. The license question has never been submitted to vote since incorporation and saloons have always been licensed.

and a public school established. Francis Gits was treasurer and B. Brouwer director of the district when it was organized.7 The first teacher was Stephen Walrath8 and the pupils of the first public school were Ed. Gits, Arthur Gits, Clemence Gits. Victor Gits, Joseph Princen, Fred Green, Theodore Thomas, Minnie Thomas, Harry Regnier, John Cavanaugh, Morris Breen and John Breen. Thirty-five pupils are now enrolled in the Ghent school. Sister Loyale is the teacher.

The Church

Ghent was founded by and the tributary country settled almost entirely by Catholic- and the church of that faith in the little village is one of the strongesl in Southwestern .Minnesota. The church of St . Eloi is the only one in Ghent .

The beginning of the Catholic church of Ghent was in June, L883, when father Y. Devos accompanied a large number of colonists from the old country and was assigned to the charge at Client. The pastor said. mass for the first time soon after his arrival and the church was organized.9 The congregation was not strong enough to erect a house of worship at (»nce and until the church home was secured services were held respectively at the home of Angelus Van Hee, the store of Mr. Soucheray. the home of Francis Gits, and the railroad depot.1"

7The present members of the Board of Education George LeBeau, clerk: Charles Foulon, treasurer: and C. Van Winsberghe, director. They have served

I he following named persons and their families constituted the membership of the church at the time of organization: Angelus Van Hee, Francis Gits, Charles Foulon, .Mrs. Bruno Van Hee, David Van Hee, Francis DeSutter, Desere Van de Woesteen, Gustav Vergote, Leo DeCock, Peter Buysse, Henry Maertens, Felix Delicti, Mrs. Van den Abeele, John Cavanaugh, Matthew Schreiber, Theodore Caron, Isaac Kegnier, Isaac Patenode, Joseph Regnier. Anton Paradis, Sr., Anton Paradis. Jr., Victor LeBeau, .1. I>. Letourneau,

The first church was erected in 1885 through the efforts of Father Devos.11 Later a house and barn were added to the church property. The frame church building erected in 1885 was used by the congregation until January 1. 1902, when it and the priest's house were destroyed by fire, bringing a loss of $12,000.

The present brick church - the finest church edifice in Lyon county - was erected in 1904 and 1905. The corner stone was laid June 9, 1904, by Rev. bather Walsh, assisted by eight prelate-. The building was dedicated by Archbishop John Ireland May 30, 1905. The cost was $30,000 and it was dedicated with a debt of less than $7000 against it. About $22,000 had been raised in the palish during the year preceding its completion. The building committee that supervised its construction was composed of Mes rs. Breen, Regnier, foulon. Maertens, Bot, Cavanaugh, Gits and Engels. The parsonage was erected in L905 at a cost of $6000.

The present membership of the Ghent church is 1000, comprising 140 families. Of these 140 families, twenty-two are French-Canadian, five German, four Irish, and the ret Belgian and Holland. The presenf church trustee- are Francis flits and J. Van Keulen.

10In an article prepared by Father V, Devos in 1NS4 was the following concerning the Ghent church: "There are few congregations where so many languages are spoken. When he addresses the people the pastor has to speak in Flemish, French, English and German. The Latin used in divine office is the only common language which is generally understood by all. As soon as they hear the Latin language, which they heard in their younger days and in their distant Fatherland, they feel themselves at home in their old church and they are very happy to see and hear the pious ceremonies of their worship."

llOther pastors of the church at Ghent have been Fathers DeCueninek, Straten, Jansen, Keuelinck, Van den Heuvel, Schaefer, Walsh and Van Walleghem.

Ghent Scenes

now proposed. Aboul 1 _'."> pupils receive instruction in the school. Mother Evelyn, of the Sisters of St. Joseph, is the mother superior and she lias three istants.

The Lodges

Ghenl Court No. L081, Catholic Order of Foresters, was organized March 19, 1900,12 and has had a prosperous existence. The lodge now has a membership of forty-two. The principal officers arc Henry Lord, Ed. Gits, Charles Foulon, A. D. Schaefer*and Theodore Stassen.

Camp No. 6617, Modern Woodmen of America, began its existence July II. 1906. with twenty-six charter members.13 The present membership is twenty and the principal officers are as follows: Emile Loessaert, F. F. St. Denis, E. Schutyser, John Stassen, Charles Popelier and E. Schreiber.

The Fire Department

department only, the five first named are still members: George F LeBeau, Ed. Gits, Fd. Schreiber, Theodore Stassen, J. F Rhodes, Anton Lerschen, Hector Hofman, A. D. Schaefer, A. J. Lord and Arthur Gits.

The equipment consists of a Watrous gas engine, hose cart and 1500 feet of hose. There are now twenty-eight members and the officers are as follows: George Inhofer, chief; H. Maertens, assistant chief; Charles Foulon, president;

12The charter members of Ghent Court were Charles Foulon, A. H, Lerschen, Peter Elbers, George I. Regnier, Theodore Stassen, Leo Henen, Camille DeSutter, Jacob Stassen, George DeMeyer, John Cavanaugh, J. W. Lerschen, A. J. Paal, A. Cyr, A. Van Overbokc, J. A. Gossen, August Maertens, F. .1. Lerschen, H. M. .Maertens, G. Schreiber and John Gossen .

A. I >. Schaefer, vice president : E. F. St. Denis, secretary; William C. Hess, treasurer: ( leorge LeBeau, Earl Schreiber and J. I. Rhodes, finance committee.

One banking institution, the Firsl State Bank of Ghent, is conducted in the village, it is the successor of the firsl banking house, a private institution denominated the Bank of Ghent, which was organized with a capital of .^oOOO on .March L>:;, 1903. The first officers and board of directors were as follows: John F. Burchard, president; John Breen, vice president; Charles Foulon, cashier; D. D. Forbes and M. W. Harden.

In L908 the Bank of Ghent was reorganized under the state banking laws with a paid-up capital of $10,000. The present officers and directors are M. W. Harden, president; John Breen, vice president : Charles Foulon, cashier; V. B. Seward and John A. Brewers. The elegant banking house, which with the fixtures cost $7500, was erected in 1905. The business of the institution has steadily increased, and according to a statement made May 30, 1911, the deposits were $145,000 and there was a surplus of $3000.

The smallest of the incorporated villages of Lyon county is Taunton, ft is a station of the Northwestern railroad and is in the extreme northwestern corner of the county, on section t7, Eidsvold township. The population in

13The charter members of the Woodmen cam]) were Edward F. St. Denis; Aime Van Hee, Levi St. Peter, Herman Pillotte, Henry Paradis, David Paradis, Bernard Nash, Arthur Gits, Emile Loessaert, Joe Pillotte, H. J. Bot, Levi Prairie, A. Regnier, J. A. Regnier, J. E. Regnier, Teler Charbanan, .) . I . Regnier, P. E. Regnier, Ed. Schreiber, Ed. Schutyser, Robert Stelter, W. Van Sadelhof, II. E. Regnier, T. F. Sanders, Phil Paradis and Robert Didrich.

1910 was 205. While Taunton has not become a metropolis, it has furnished a convenient market for the people of the surrounding country and has developed into a prosperous little village.

Until 1885 the site of Taunton was bare of improvements. That year the railroad company built a side-track there and the site became known as Siding No. 4. In the fall of 1885 Marfield & Company put up a warehouse and J. P. Tumelty bought grain for the firm at the new station.

The second building on the site was put up by Fred Smuhl, who conducted a small grocery store and became postmaster.14 In April, 1886, the village was platted and "Siding Xo. 4" became Taunton. The plat was surveyed by C. C. Pudor and the dedication was made April 30 by Albert Keep, as president of the Winona & St. Peter Railroad Company. Only two blocks were platted. The streets were named First, Second, Garfield, Main and Lincoln.1, business with Marfield & Company. In the summer of 1892 Nick Grengs erected a building and opened a general store. He sold the next year to E. II. Carstens, who still carries on the business. The Catholic church was built in 1895 and the same year residences were put up by Philip Ahern and Fred Smuhl. A few more improvements were made in 189616

14The postoffice was first named Lonesome, later became Rippon, and in 1886 was changed to Taunton. Fred Smuhl was postmaster from 1S86 to 1896 and E, H. Carstens from that time until 1906. Anton Heymans, Annie Ahern and Mary Franekoviak had eharge of the office for short periods during 1906 and 1907. W. S. Baldwin became postmaster December 24, 1907, and has since held the office.

15Two additions to Taunton have been platted by (lie railroad company: First Railway, on October 4, 1S1J7, and blocks 6 to 13, inclusive, on December 20, 1905. ,

In your paper of November 25 you speak of Taunton as a railroad station with but half a dozen or less buildings. You have a mistaken idea of the size of our town. Taunton has about 100 inhabitants. We have thirty business and dwelling houses; we have three firms buying grain, two elevators and one warehouse; we have a lumber yard which does a good business; three general stores and one hardware store, all doing a good business; we also have one restaurant and one boarding house and two blacksmith shops. And at present there are three gangs of carpenters busy every day, and there will be several new buildings added to the list.

The prosperous times of the late nineties brought several new enterprises to the little village and in the spring of 1900 a census showed a population of L84 people living on the 1730 acres of land which it was proposed to incorporate as the village of Taunton.

Forty-nine residents of Taunton on May 1, 1900, petitioned the county authorities for village government.17 The County Hoard took favorable action that day and named W. S. Baldwin, P. P. Ahern and .1. H. Pennington ina lumber yard, grain warehouse and stockyards." - Minneota Mascot, November 28, 1896.

17The signers of the incorporation petition were John Kosmalski, F. A. Steenke, P. P. Ahern, Johann Kubiszak, A. P. Gumpolen, Johann Kopicki, Walentz Korpal, William Nicolay, John Kuszkiewiz, .Max Kosmalski, B. Bimek, George Cherpeski, Johan Krvins, Thomas Walsh, E. T. Morse, Anton Jasinski, W . F. Carstens, H. G. Conger, Kasmiez Bulmaski, Louies Coren, J. H. Pennington, James J. Moughan. M. F. Ahern, W. C. Ahern, W. J. Moughan, Anton Litanspi, Fred Packer, C. J. Traen, M. F. Spronffski, John Gorborg, John Domek, Henry Traer, W. E. Skeels, J. A. Patrowski, M. J. Salmon, E. W. Carstens, W. S. Baldwin, W. B. Moughan, E. A. Lee, Ole Kaas, A. Beeks, H. P. Jalmson, Anton Larson, John Kozinski, Ludwits Breponynski, J. J. Ahern, John A. Peterson, John Nawak and F. B. Hartwick.

spectors of the first election, which was held at the office of Ybumans Brothers A: Sodgins on June 5. At the election "for incorporation" was carried, the first village officers were selected soon after, and Taunton began local government.

lsThe license question has never been submitted in Taunton under the local option law and saloons havealways been licensed by the Village Council.

Since becoming an incorporated municipality Taunton has had a slow hut steady growth. The population was 196 in 1905 and 205 in 1910. Among the improvements of recent year,; were a saloon building erected in 1903 by Johnson A: Mootz, an implement warehouse by Emil Buttke, a brick store building by .1. W. Mach, and a school house in 1 90b.

Taunton has a good semi-graded public school. O. H. Mullar is the principal and teaches the higher grades; Annie Ahern has charge of the lower grades. The present enrollment is about ninety. The school board is composed of M. F. Ahern, clerk; P. P. Ahern, treasurer; and D. F. Salmon, director. The four-room school house, built of cement blocks, was erected in 1906 at a cost of over S7000.»

St. Cyril and Methoduis Polish Catholic Church of. Taunton is one of the strong religious bodies of Lyon county and has a membership of about fifty families. The church edifice was erected in 1895 and was dedicated June 13 of that year. The dedicatory service s were conducted by Fathers Jager, of Marshall, and Zaleawiski, Wilno, and were attended by over 1000 people. For many years the church was ministered to by priests from Ivanhoe and Wilno. The resident priests have been Fathers Buuchek, who served in 1905 and 1906, and Tomeski. who located in Taunton

The Taunton Fire Department was organized in 1907. Its fire fighting apparatus consists of a chemical engine and its membership is fifteen. John Ross is the chief.

The Bank

business in May, 1905, with a capital stock of $10,000. The officers and directors at the time of organization and at the present time are as follows: John Swenson, president; P. P. Ahern, vice president; M. F. Ahern, cashier; and Samuel Lewison. The institution does a general banking business and engages in the real estate, collection and insurance business. The bank has had a substantial growth, the deposits having increased from $15,000 in 1905 to $90,000 in 1911, and enjoys the confidence of the people.