Mower County, Minnesota - Chapter 41: Frankford Township, 1911

Chapter 41: Frankford Township

Location and Soil - Early Settlement - Frankford Village - Bear Creek - Norw^egian Settlement - History of Township and Village by Mrs. Ralph E. Crane.

Frankford township includes congressional township 103 north, range 14 west, except the northern tier of sections, which belong to Racine township. It is bounded on the north by Racine, west by Grand ^Meadow, south by Bennington, and east by Spring Valley, Fillmore county. The surface is rolling, the soil is a dark loam, underlaid with a clay subsoil. It is one of the most fertile and productive townships of Mower county. About one-third or the surface of the township was originally covered with natural timber, while the remainder was prairie. The township is drained by Deer and Bear creeks.

Early Settlement

Many interesting facts cluster around the first and early settlement of 1his township, w^hich will vividly be brought to mind by the mere mention of those pioneer days. The difficulties attending the first settlement of a county cannot be fully realized, or tlie Jiardship and privations that one must pa.ss through to seciu-e a home. The first settler to east his lot within the borders of this township Avas Ijewis Patchen, who settled on section 13, township 103, range 14, May 30, 1854. He was born in New York state, and came to Iowa in the spring of 1853 ; remained one year, then moved to Frankford township and preempted 160 acres of land. The second pioneer was Byron "Woodworth, of New York. He and his family settled on section 22, where he lived for three years, tiien inoved to Nebraska. The third settler was Bartlett Leathers. He settled on section 21. He lived on this place until his death in 1874.

There came in 1855 Samuel Scribner. In 1856 came Charles Lamb, Naamau Goodsell, Philip Howell, Francis Tebout, Griffin Fryer, T. M. Chapman, Samuel Metcalf, James Gorman, John and George Rymal. In 1857 came the Donaldsons, S. Bostwick and "\V. F. Grummons. Among the other early settlers were S. A. Sherman, D. D. Frazier, Aldrew P. McCabe and George Anchor. Among the prominent citizens of the eighties were S. E. Boyes, G. W. Dean, D. L. Quackenbush, 0. O. Finhart, H. L. Lockwood, D. L. Bush and G. "W. Wood. The story of the Norwegian settlement is told elsewhere.

Frankford Village

The village of Frankford was situated on the northeast of Frankford township, on sections 13 and 24. It was laid out by Jacob Oleson in 1856. Francis Teabout built the first house and store. Samuel Metcalf built the first wagon shop, and James Gorman the first blacksmith shop. Charles Hanson was the first shoemaker. John and George Rymal built the first grist mill. This Avas located on Deer creek. This mill property passed from the Rymal Bros, hands to Charles Lamb, who ran it until 1861, when it burned down.

Nothing reniains of Frankford village but history. The story of the location of the county seat here and its removal to Austiu is told elsewhere.

Norwegian Settlement

One of the first buildings erected in the nortlieastern part of the county is still standing, and is used as a corn crib on the farm o^' Sever Temanson, in section 5, in Racine township. July 1, 1854, there began arriving in this county a party of Norwegians, numbering thirty-seven in all, who had left the old eoiint.ry to seek their homes in America. In this party were Hans Anderson, Ole 0. I'inhart, Knud (Hougestven) Nelson, Sever Olson, Ellen Olson, Ole Simonson, Ole 0. Hovda, Andrew Anderson L3^1)eck, Amond Johnson Lindelin, Ole 0. Severeud, Amond Johnson Klastole, Plans Julson, Nels Severson Moen and their families. Ole Simpson, the oldest member of the company with a family, was given the first choice of location, and selected the southeast quarter of section 5, once a part of Frankford, now a part of Racine. Mr. Simonson was known as "The Blacksmith," and he it was who erected the building mentioned above. He was assisted in constructing the building by Nels Severson, Andrew Lybeck and Ole Severson. The building was started in July and was finished in time for two other families beside the Simonsons to spend the first winter in it. The shingles were made of bark and a large fireplace was erected. In 1860 this building was moved to a location thirty rods further south and G. H. Hanson Modahlen moved into this building. November 2, 1854, a baby girl was born to Mr. and Mrs. Nels Severson, the first birth in the neighborhood. This girl, whose name was Julia, died at the age of eighteen, and is buried in the Bear Creek cemetery. June 2, 1856, the Bear Creek Norwegian Lutheran Church was organized in this building, and the first baptismal service was held here, this ordinance being received by six children. In the years 1857-58 three terms of school were held here and also the services of the congregation as well as the prosperous Sunday school for a time.

Bear Creek Norwegian Lutheran Church

present connected with "The United Norwegian Lutheran Church of America." This congregation was organized by the Rev. C. L Clausen, of St. Ansgar, Iowa, in June, 1856. The first members had two years before moA-ed to Bear Creek from Dane county, Wisconsin, having in the years 1850-1852 emigrated to that country from northern and southern Aurdal, in Valdres, Norway. They had in the year 1854 settled down in the eastern part of Mower county, Minnesota, and their first religious meeting here was conducted by Rev. Clausen in a log house on the northern b.ink of Bear creek, on Syver Temanson's farm. Here follow the names of these old pioneers who at the meeting united themselves together as a Christian congregation for the purpose of having tlie word of God preached and His holy sacraments administered to them in accordance with the ceremonies and regulations which they had been accustomed to in tiieir old mother church of Norv;ay. They were : Hans Andersen Gamlemeen, Ole 0. Finhart, Knut Nilsen Haugstuen, Syver 0. Skarshaugen, Ellen O. Skarshaugen, Ole S. Jobraaten, Ole 0. Hovda, Anders A. Lybek, Amund J. Lindelien, Ole 0. Syverud, Amund J. Klastole, Nils S. Moen, Ole Julsen, Gulik E. Dalen, Jonas Nilsen, Halvor 0. Klastole, Aslak Aamot, Christen Tuv. After they were organized they had for a while services by Rev. Fredriksen. Later Rev. Jensen, of Highland Prairie, Minnesota, served them temporarily. Then they had temporary services by Rev. A. C. Preus, of St. Olaf congregation, Olmsted county, Minnesota, and boys and girls reading for confirmation had to go to the St. Olaf congregation to become confirmed, fifty young persons from the Avhole cliarge at one time repeating their baptismal covenant at a divine service held under a venerable oak tree in said congregation. In tho year 1861 Rev. Steen, of St. Olaf, became tlieir pastor. He preached to them every seventh Sunday and continued till 1869, when he resigned, and Rev. J. A. Thorsen became his successor and served them every fifth Sunday till 1875. In tliat sinue year Rev. 0. A. Bu, of Bloomfield congregation, Ostrander, ^Minnesota, accepted a call from Bear Creek and served them every third Sunday and continued till 1893, -when he resigned, and Rev. S. 0. Rondestvedt became their first settled pastor, and served them till 1901. Now they had more services than before. In 1901 Rev. Rondestvedt resigned, and Rev. O. G. Belsheim became his successor and served them till 1907, when Rev. A. H. Gjevre was installed as their pastor and spiritual adviser, November 10, 1907. In the year 1870 they decided to build a church edifice for their divine services. The following were chosen as building committee: Die 0. Finhart, secretary; Aslak K. Aamot, treasurer; Amund A. Finhart, Amund J. Lindelien and Lars G. Hansen, directors. In the same year a large and commodious church was erected close by a beautiful grove on the northern side of Bear creek, where they also have a fine and well-kept cemetery. On the twelfth of June, 1887, the church was brought to such a state of perfection that it could be dedicated, and on the day mentioned the dedication service was held with great joy for old and young, the dedicatory sermon being delivered by Prof. M. 0. Bockman, assisted by Prof. F. A. Schmidt and Rev. 0. A. Bu. After the arrival of Rev. Rondestvedt a fine and stately building was erected as the parsonage close by the church for the pastor and his family. In 1906 a jubilee service was held in commemoration of the organization of the congregation fifty years ago with gratitude and thanksgiving to the Lord for his mercy and gracious guidance. Following the initiative of Lars G. Hanson, the congregation in 1909 bought one and three-quarters of an acre of laud lying close by the burial ground to enlarge its size, so that thej' now have one of the finest cemeteries to be seen out in the country. This congregation is situated in one of the finest and most fertile regions of Mower county, the people are progressive and thrifty, and the Lord has blessed them bodily and spiritually. They have regular services two consecutive Sundays; every third Sunday the pastor has services in Grand jNIeadow congregation. Bear Creek congregation has a flourishing Sunday school, with able teachers, and besides they have every summer several months of parochial school in order to give the children a tiioroiigh knowledge of the principles of the Christian religion, to make them good, pious church members and faithful, loyal citizens of the state. Tn order to reach this glorious goal the pastor gives all the young people a profound and nmny-sided instruction in Christianity when they are preparing for confirmation and full mem- bership in the congregation. There are three Ladies' Aid soeictic'; in this congregation, Avith enterprising meuibers working for the weiiare of people at home and abroad. There are uiauy abh' men and women in this congregation, too numerous to mention. As members worthy of special note are the two brothers, H. O. Hanson and Lars G. Hanson, who have done this congregation valuable services. Bear Creek congregation has 375 souls, 258 confirmed and 107 voting members.

Grand Meadow Norwegian Lutheran Congregation. This little congregation is to a great extent a daughter congregation of the Bear Creek congregation, because the majority of the members have formerly belonged to Bear Creek church and moved to Or-ind Meadow. But they have still part in the cemetery of Bear Creek church and bury their departed dear ones there. They have a fine, commodious church edifice, with regular services every third Sunday, as well as a flourishing Sunday school and parochial school. The members are enterprising, intelligent people, comprising some of the leading business men in Grand Meadow. The ladies have an Aid society working for the welfare of their fellow men at home and abroad. The number of souls is 153 ; confirmed, 84; voting members, 23.

Anders PI. Gjevre was born June 9, 1852, in Vang, in Valdres, Norway; emigrated to America in the year 1871 and settled in Goodhue county, Minnesota, where he went to the English common school the first winter in order to learn the language of this country. He came to this country for the purpose of acquiring a good education, and therefore in the fall of the next year, 1872, lie entered Luther College, at Decorah, Iowa. Having finisiied the classical course he graduated from that institution in the spring of 1878 with the degree of B. A. In the fall of the same year he entered the theoretical or scientific department of n Lutheran theological seminary in Madison, AVisconsm, and graduated as candidate of theology from that institution in the spring 01 1881. November 10 of the same year he was ordained a pastor on a call from two congregations in Swift and Big Stone counties in Minnesota and one congregation at Wilmot, South Dakota ; served the last one one year and the two first three years. He resigned on account of weak health and moved to Renville county, Minnesota, where he served a congregation one year. In the year 1886 he accepted a call from three congregations in Deer county, Wisconsin. "While there he desired to make more advancement in the Hebrew language, and therefore he entered a correspondence course of Hebrew under the guidance of the great .specialist, Prof. Dr. AV. R. Harper, president of the l^niversity of C'iiicago, and Avrote a dis.scrtation on tlic i)r()pliet Haggai for which he laler received ihe degree of ^\. A. IVom his aima iiiatiT, Luthei'

College, Decorah, Iowa. lu the year 1889 he made a visit to liis fatherland, Norway, and while there he also tound his partner for life, Berit H. Leiue, born April 11, 1864. In the same majestic old church where they both had been baptized and confirmed they became united in the holy bonds of matrimony on April 8, 1890, andrsome weeks later they left the fatherland to enter upon .their duties in the congregations in Wisconsin. Mr. Gjevre continued his Avork in AVisconsin till 1893, when he accepted a call from four congregations in and around Fertile, Minnesota, where he served for seven and one-half years with the exception of a few months in the winter of 1897-1898, when he served as instructor in Hebrew exegesis and Old Testament interpretation at the theological seminary of the United Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota Being a lover of the Jewish people and their language and of the Semitic languages generally, he in the year 1900 accepted a call as missionary to the Jews in Greater New York and worked directly for the salvation of the Jews for two and one-half years, testifying early and late about Jesus as the true Messiah. To qualify himself still more for efficient work among the Jews he took a postgraduate course at Columbia University in Rabbinical Hebrew and studied also Syriac and Arabic and Oriental history under the guidance of the eminent specialists Dr. Richard Gottheil, Dr. John Dynely Prince and Dr. Abraham Yohannan, a learned Syrian from Persia. At the request of these doctors he wrote a dissertation on "Analogy in the Semitic Languages," a scientific production which the professors recognized as being of a high order and required to be printed and made accessible to the scientific world, but which the author has not been able to pri-p.t for lack of means. He liked the work among the Jews l)ut on account of sickness in his family he had to give up his direct mission work in New York and accepted a call as pastor for three congregations in Palo Alto county, Iowa, where he began iiis work in April, 1903, and continued there till October, 1907, when he accepted a call from Bear Creek and Grand Meadow congregations in Mower county, Minnesota, and moved there and Avas installed as pastor in those churclies, his present field of labor, November 10, 1907. Of his literary printed work may be mentioned the following: In 1906 he translated from the ancient Syriac language "The Doctrine of the Apostle Addai," with introduction and explanatory notes, a very interesting and valuable work from the earliest days of Christianity. In 1910 h'^ revised a great historical work, "History of tlic Syrian Nation and the Old Evangelical- Apostolic Church of the East from Remote Antiquity to the Present Time," a work likewise translated from the Syriac. And besides he has been a prolific writeifor several periodicals on doctrinal and missionary subjects. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Gjevre has been blessed with nine children, of whom three died in their infancy and six are living, namely: Maria Gjevre, born January 28, 1891, in Tanun parsonage. Door county, Wisconsin; Theodore Gjevre, born October 9, 1893, in Fertile, Minnesota; Anna Gjevre, born April 26, 1895, in Fertile, Minnesota ; Hulda Gjevre, born April 13, 1898, in Fertile, Minnesota; Gottfried Gjevre, born July 30, 1900, in Fertile, Minnesota; Bertha Gjevre, born June 18, 1905, in Lost Island parsonage, Palo Alto county, Iowa.

Frankford township is bounded on the north by Racine, on the east by Spring Valley, Fillmore county, on the south by Bennington, and on the west by Grand Meadow. It includes congressional township 103 north, range 14 west, except the northern tier of sections which belong to Racine. Some political move is responsible for this transaction, as well as the removal of sections from the north of Racine and Pleasant Valley townships. A small portion of Frankford township has also been annexed to Grand Meadow village. But notwithstanding the loss of county seat and territory, Frankford township is one of the most prosperous and progressive townships in Mower county. Nowhere else is the sky so blue, the grass so green, the water so pure, as just right here. The soil is the best in the world, a dark rich loam underlaid with clay subsoil and limestone rock. It is drained by Deer and Bear creeks. About one-third of the surface Avas originally covered with natural timber, the remainder being prairie land. A state road divides Frankford township into two equal parts, passing through from west to east. This road was selected by the county commissioners at Austin in the fall of 1910.

In the summer of 1870 the Southern ]\Iinnesota division of the C, M. & St. Paul R. R. was built through this township. From Grand Meadow its direction is south of east, leaving the township one and one-half miles south of state road. The Chicago Great "Western railroad passes through a small portion of the northeast corner of section 12. Two rural mail routes traverse this township. Route No. 1 out of Grand IMeadow was platted in the spring of 1900. A. J. Stewart made his first trip June 2 of that year, having been appointed first carrier on this ro;ite. This position he filled until a short time before his death, a few years later. Mr. Stewart was taken to Hamilton for burial. Along the route over Avhich his body was borne mail boxes were draped in mourning, as a silent tribute of the esteem in which he was held by the patrons he so ably and kindly served. Mr. Stewart was succeeded by Wm. Rice, who is still carrier on this route. In roplatting routes a year or so later rural route No. 2 out of Racine was established. Bert Thoma is the present efficient and oblij^ing carrier. These two routes meet and separate at Frankford Center. There are three telephone lines in this township. The Tri-Stato line follows the main route between Spring Valley and Grand Meadow. It was rushed through the summer of 1905. Tht? People's Telephone Company, of Fillmore county, connecting Spring Valley with Racine, serves patrons along its route living in the east part of the township. The first line out of Grand Meadow connected the homes of C. F. Greening, of Grand Meadow, and W. D. Lockwood, of Frankford. C. F. Greening was first owner and manager of the Home Telephone Company. The present organization was effected through the untiring eft'orts of Martin Axness, who has ever since served as its general manager. W. H. Goodsell is president of this company. The first public telephone was installed in the residence of R. E. Crane, December 26, 1898, and later that same day one in the home of S. E. Boyes. L. C. Lindsley was the third subscriber, followed by "W. H. Goodsell, and later by others until today there is scarcely a residence in this township but contains this useful means of quick and satisfactory communication, not only Avith our neighbors but with the outside world as Avell. Hot water plants are being installed into our homes and wires laid for electric lighting. Auto cars are no longer a curiosity. We can scarcely realize that our fathers were making weary journeys to "Winona and McGregor, Iowa, with ox teams to market their produce, at prices that would not have met expenses on the way had they not carried their rations with them. There are still witnesses who can testify to having hauled wheat to these markets and sold the same for fifty or sixty cents per bushel. This same wheat, be it remembered, was cradled and bound by hand. "Wages paid per day for harvest help was very high, at least $3.50 being paid. Reapers and mowers were unknown here until about the year 1867. The McCormick solf-raking reaper and the John P. Manny reaper and mower combined witii dropper Averc first in use.

The township organization was effected on the eleventh day of ^lay, 1858, and the folloAving officers elected: Board of supervisors, S. Bostwick, chairman ; ^Manoah Delling, J. J. Rymal, associates ; town clerk, Stephen A. Sherman ; justices of the peace, Philip Howell, B. F. Langworthy; assessor, Naaman Goodsell; collector, George Rymal; constables, George Rymal, Andrew P. McCabe ; OA'erseer of the poor, George Anker. The first election held in Frankford was at the store of Francis Teabout. "Within memory of the present generation it had always been in the bar- room of Lewis Pateheu's tavern, until the erection of a town hall on section 21 in the center of the township in 1890. The present officers are : Board of supervisors, S. P. Hambleton, chairman ; Carl Skogstad, George Loucks, associates; town clerk, Otto Stenseth ; treasurer, W. 11. Goodsell ; assessor, S. 11. Simonson. Kalph E. Crane and L. G. Hanson are justices of the peace. L. Y. Tebay and John Hovda are constables. W. H. Goodsell is county commissioner from the second district of Mower county. R. E. Crane is state representative for the north district of ]\lower county.

Historical. The village of Frankford (little more than a memory now) is situated on the northeast of Frankford township, on sections 13 and 24. It was laid out by Jacob Olson in 1856. Francis Teabout biiilt the first house and store. Francis Teabout went by the name of Frank Teabout ; it was for him that the township was named. Samuel IMetcalf built the first wagon shop and James Gorman the first blacksmith shop. Charles Hanson was the first shoemaker. George and John Rymal built the first grist mill. This w^as located on Deer creek, that runs through the village. The mill property passed from the Rymal Bros, to Charles Lamb, who ran it until 1861, when it burned down. The first settler to cast his lot within the borders of Frankford township was Lewis Patchen, a native of New York state. He settled on section 13, township 103, range 14, the thirtieth day of May, 1854. He built the first hotel, which remained occupied until a few years ago, Avhen it was torn down. A postoffice was established in 1856. Lewis Patchen was postmaster nearly the whole time of its existence. His widow served in this capacity until the advent of the rural routes, when it w^as discontinued. T. M. Chapman and Charles Lamb each held the position for short periods. The first lawyer was Wm. Covill. The first physician was Erastus Belden, who remained there until his death, in 1865. The first death in the township was in the family of Mr. Ho^v-ell. The first marriage in the township was performed by Squire Howell at the house of D. D. Frazier. The parties were Cyrus Titus and Miss Mary Beadle. The first birth in the township was Marion, a daughter of IMr. and ^Mrs. Lewis Patchen, I)orn March 13, 1855.

The first religious society organized was the Free Will Baptist. They built a church on section 24 in the fall of 1857, wliich they continued to use until it burned down in 1871. Elder Reeves was a well known preacher in this denomination. ]\Ieetiugs were held in this church also by other denominations. Elder Soulc was one of the best beloved pastors of the ^Methodist denomination. The first religious services held were in I^ewis Patciicn's house in 1856. The village and township is located on section 24.

It contains two acres and was platted in 1856. This silent city of the dead contains so many of our early pioneers that it is easier to enumerate the living than the dead. INIany have lived their lives here, others have been brought back by loving hands and buried near their loved ones who had preceded them to the great beyond from whence no traveler ever returns. One of the last of this number w-as G. W. Wood, Avho died in Pennsylvania, August 29, 1910. j\lrs. Wood was brought back from Indiana in 1905. They settled in Frankford village in 1857.

With the exception of the northern tier of sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, the township above named comprises the territory of congressional township 104 north, range 15. The greater part of this district is prairie land. There was, however, plenty of timber at an early day to furnish building material for the first settlers. Sections 7,. 18 and 19 in the west part of the town, and sections 11 and 12 in the northeast, may be said to have been well wooded. The surface in the eastern part is undulating and affords good drainage ; the soil there is a darkish loam, with a substratum of clay. The western part is gently rolling, tiie soil is a dark alluvial deposit, slightly sprinkled with clay. All parts are well adapted to farming purposes. The town is drained by branches of Root river, one of Avhich having its source in section 22 flows in a north by east direction through sections 14 and 11, leaving the county in the last named section. The other cuts across the northwestern corner of the township, leaving it in the center of the northern boundary line of section 7.

Tlie title of pioneer of Pleasant Valley may well be accorded to Sylvester Hills, who arrived here with his son Byron in 1854, when as yet the land was unbroken, and made a claim on section 11, going back, hoAvever, to spend the winter in Wisconsin, la the spring of 1855 he returned to INIinnesota, bringing his family, and accompanied ])y a party of three men, named Robinson,

Leavitt and Sherwin, who settled in Olmsted county. The journey was inade with ox teams, wearily plodding by day, camping by night. Mr. Hills soon built a good log house, 22x32 feet, and li feet high, on his claim, which remained his home until the time ot liis death, in March, 1862. Pleasant Valley was named by iiiia iTOin a village in the eastern part of New York, in which he had formerly lived.

The second settlement within the present limits of the township was made in June, 1857, by John Rowley, Robert Reed and Russell Hoag. Rowley settled on section 30, living in his emigrant Avagon till November, when he had completed his house. Reed settled on section 7, and lived to see the county well developed. He died in 1884. Hoag first settled on section 12, remaining but a short time, and removed to an adjoining section in Olmsted county. Soon afterward came David Wells, D. S. Ketchum, R. C. Penny, A. II. Bogart, James Grogger, D. M. AA^ells and Andrew- Howard. T. F. Wallace and the Hoppins came in 1860. A. E. Peck, Luther S. Bates, W. L. Stiles, W. J. Drake, A. W. Thornhill and A. J. Johnson were among the prominent late settlers.

Organization

The town was organized at a meeting held at the house of David Wells, May 11, 1858. R. C. Penny was elected chairman of the meeting, and Sylvester Hills moderator. The following officers were elected: Supervisors, Delazon S. Ketchum, chairman ; Byron Hills and John Rowley ; clerk, A. H. Bogart ; assessor, Robert Reed; collector, James Grogger; overseer of the poor, R. C. Penny; constables, D. M. Wells and James Grogger; justices of the peace. Andrew IIoAvard and Sylvester Hills. At a meeting of the board June 18, 185S, Byron Hills was appointed collector and constable in place of James Grogger, who failed to give bonds. At the second annual meeting, April 5, 1859, at the house of David Wells, John Rowley was elected moderator. After a few preliminary remarks bj-- the town clerk, A. H. Bogart, the following resolutions were presented and unanimously carried: Resolved, That section 2, of article 11, of the states of Minnesota, amended so as to read "one dollar and fifty cents per day" for services of the town clerk, assessor and overseer of the poor ; also any other officer of town, instead of one dollar, as it now reads ; also eighteen cents for copying 100 words, instead of six cents, as it now reads.

First Events

The first marriage in Pleasant Valley was tluit of Lydia Hills and Albert Barlow, in the spi'iiig of 'iS7)C). The ceremony was performed at the home of tlic bride's jtarcnts by T><)s Duttoii.

Religious

The German Lutheran church of Pleasant Valley was organized in 1879. A church edifice 22x32 feet and 16 feet high was erected the same year on the southwest quarter of section 13. Rev. Mr. Nichols, of Rochester, was the first pastor.

The Hoppin church, so called, of the Methodist denomination, is located in this township and is an important feature in the life of the town.

Town Hall And Cemetery

In June, 1870, five acres of laud, situated in the southeast quarter of section 15, the property of L. S. Bates, was purchased l\v the town, at .$10 per acre, for a burial ground. It is now known as the Pleasant Valley cemetery. A town hall was built in 1867, being accepted July 16 of that year. It stands on the northwest quarter of section 22. In size the building is 22x40 feet and 14 feet high. Its cost was $465. The site was presented to the town by Thomas H. Armstrong, of High Forest.