Meeker County, Minnesota - Chapter 69: Greenleaf Township, 1888

\'i) which takes its name from Hon. William H. Greenleaf, comprises all that tract of land known as congressional township lis, north range 31 west, and contains a total of 24,736.07 acres, 1,958.23 of which are covered with the waters of its lakes and streams, and 22,777.84 are fine arable land or e.xcellent timbered ground. The soil, like the entire county, is a fine, rich, dark, sandy loam, and peculiarly fertile and susceptible to a high state of cultivation. The pioneer settlers in this portion of the count}' were two men by the names of George Orcutt and JMr. Pratt, who located on the southwest cpiarter of section 35, in the summer of 1850. They commenced to break up the land, and had got about three or four acres of the sod turned \vhen the Indians killed one of their oxen, which crippled their team, and growing discouraged thej' threw up the job in disgust and moved to Forest City, remaining in that village until the following fall, when they left the county.

The first pei-manent settlers were a family of brothers, AVilliam, Herman and Charles Kruger, natives of Germany, who came here in May, 1857, and located together on section 12. William is still a resident of the township, living on section 13; Herman is living near the village of Hutchinson, in McLeod county, and Charles makes his home in LeSueur county.

After these, in 1857, there came to this portion of the county the following named settlers, who here found homes - George C. Whitcomb, Vincent Coombs, Milton Coombs and Jesse V. Branhara, Sr.

The settlers of 1858-9 were John Sampson, John A. Sampson, Roland Angler, Henderson M. Angler, Charles Allen, George Mc- Gowen, Jonathan Keach, Mr. Mathews, Ira Pratt, Sr., Ira Pratt, Jr., Silas Pratt, and Mr. Malloy.

Of the settlers of the year 1860, most of them are still residents of their original claims, but some have removed from the county to pastures new, or have paid the debt of nature. They were as follows : Lewis Meagher, John McGraw, Patrick Manning, Michael Ilanley, Michael R3'an, Michael Carrigan, Pijtrick McCnnn, Thomas Reagan and Hans and Even Evenson, and others.

After the Indian outbreak of 1862, for several years, emigration seemed to have ceased, but about 1865 it recommenced and has steadily filled up the countj- with a sturdy class of citizens that is rapidly developing its resources. Of those who have settled in Greenleaf since the massacre days, but are yet entitled to the distinction of old residents are the following : John B. Pennoyer, Martin Spellicy, Hiram Delong, Martin Lawson, John T. Putzier, John Knack, Daniel Kevins, L. M. Johnson, Jacob Anderson, J. William Johnson, Leonard lloman Johnson, J. A. Nystrom, C. M. Beckstrand, Olavius Hanson and Alexander Hanson. A great many of the pi'ominent citizens of this township are noticed at length in the biographical department of this volume.

The town of Greenleaf was organized as -a civil township, at a meeting held August 27, 1859, and at that time embraced all the territory now known as ColUnwood, Ellsworth and Greenleaf, except the northern tier of sections whicli were attached to the town of Litchfield. At this organization the following named gentlemen took a prominent part : Dana E. King, George C. Whitcomb, W. H. Greenleaf, George McGowen, Jonathan Keach, T. H. Webb and Dr. Pussell AVhiteman.

The present (1888) officers are : David Shepherd, chairman ; I^els B. Johnson and Alfred Anderson, supervisors ; Even Evenson, clerk ; John Spellic}', assessor ; Even Evenson, justice of the peace ; and C. W. Anderson and Ole Oleson, constables.

The fii'st school-house was erected where the Swede church is now located, on section 10, about 1868. This was a log structure, and in this Miss Viola Dart taught the first school.

was held at various private houses and in the school-house, until 1873, when the present church edifice was erected. The first permanent pastor was the Rev: P. Backman, who settled here in 1869.