Meeker County, Minnesota - Chapter 20: Forest Prairie Township, 1888

*HE town of Forest Prairie lies in the extreme northern part of the l^ county, and is technically known as township 121, north of range 30 west. It comprises 2?,807 acres of surface, 51:2.47 acres of which arc, however, covered by the waters of the several lakes. It is situated in a portion of "The Big "Woods," and much of it is still covered by the primeval growth of "century-old"' timber. In this, the industrious hand of the sturdy pioneer has cleared up farms, and tlie soil, thus denuded of its leafy covering, is of a wonderful richness and fertility. In its pristine state there was not one acre of prairie in it, but it was entirely covered by trees, hence the late date of its settlement, the earlier pioneers prefering to take up their homes and till the soil of the prairie, already fitted to their hands.

The pioneers of this part of the county were Merritt B. Case, Charles T. Grote and James Ilooser, who came in LSiiH, and here found the homes they sought. They learned that " here, too, lands could be had for the asking, and forests of timber with a few blows of the axe were hewn and framed into houses," and in the primitive structures thus erected settled down to the hard labor of clearing the heavy timber off the land, and opening up farms in the " forest primeval." Following them came R. K. Beecham. Hiram Bentley, Benjamin F. S]iaukling, Perry D. Bentley, Charles F. Spaulding, Monroe Abbott, the widow Waldron and her son Sylvester, George Smith, J. W. Polk, M. J. Roach, William Keilty, John Mayer, Sidney Webb, Sidney Scribner, J. S. Reynolds and a few others, who also settled in the " Big Woods."

Among the more prominent arrivals of the year 1867, in what is now Forest Prairie townshij), were the following named, most of whom iierinanentlv located here - W. D. Stores, H.R.Williams, Casper Hawkinberry, Peter Keilty. Stephen Cornwell, Dennis Monroe, Daniel Duffy, William Wertz, Austin Brower and quite a number of others, for as soon as the way was led to these leafy shades, the tide of immigration followed fast, and quite a number of claims were taken chat summer. The hard and laborious work of clearing off the umbrageous covering, the digging and grubbing out the roots, iiad long deterred the settlers from opening up these lands, but with the close of the war, another class of immigrants came. These were the sturdy woodsmen from the forests of Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and A'irginia, and these preferred the timber lands. Their untiring energy has brought its reward, and their thrift has enabled many of thena to advance themselves well toward an easy competence.

The first birth within the limits of the town is believed to have been that of twin children, born to Mr. and Mrs. George Smith, in the fall of 186(5.

The town was duly organized July 10, 1867, at which time the following named took a jn'ominent part in the proceedings: M. B. Case, C. T. Grote, James Hooser, B. K. Beecham, C. F. Spaulding and nearly all the settlers at that time within tlie limits of the subdivision of the county.

The present officers are as follows : Supervisors, J. T. Ilagan (chairman), James Brower and Theodore Ackerman ; clerk, Wm. M. Abbott ; treasurer, Michael Hesse ; assessor, A. R. Fisher ; constable, C. F. Spaulding ; justice of the peace, M. J. McCarthy ; road overseers, John Ilarjjer, J. T. Hagan, Stephen Feucker, Thomas Casey, John Boden, H. R. "Williams, A. R. Fisher, Joseph Teller, Thos. Keilty, Nick Bauer, Peter Pagan, Louis Wertzburg, Martin Thelan and A. R. Vossen.

The village of AYatkins was laid out by Danville D. Spaulding, Alonzo Spaulding and the railroad company in June, 1887, and the plat filed for record August 22, of the same year. It is located upon the east half of the nortliwest quarter of the southeast quarter,

Joseph Vossen and A. D. Spaulding were the pioneer merchants commencing here before the inception of the village in 1887. Six months later Mr. Vossen bought out his partner, and now runs it alone. This, the lumber yard and grain warehouse constitute the business of the place, but it may gi'ow to considerable importance in the future, as its location is an excellent one.