Mower County, Minnesota - Chapter 47: Nevada Township, 1911

Chapter 47: Nevada Township

Nevada comprises congressional township 101 north, range 17 Avcst. It is bounded on the north by Windora, east by Lodi, south by Mitchell county, Iowa, and west by the town of Lyle. The surface in the north part of the town is quite level, and does not drain readily, while the south part is gently rolling. Six Mile grove (so called) is located in this township, covering portions of sections 21, 28, 29, 30, 31 and 32. This was, in an early day, heavily timbered. The most of the virgin timber has been cut and the ground is now covered with a flourishing second growth. The soil in the south part of the town is a black loam. In the north part of the town the soil is a very dark alluvial deposit. The soil in all parts of the town is very rich, and grows all kinds of cereals and grasses. The surface of the township is drained by Otter creek, which has its source in this town. One branch rises in the southwest quarter of section 26. It passes across the corners of sections 35 and 34, then courses northwest through sections 27 and 28. It then takes a southwesterly course to section 23. thence through sections 30 and 31, leaving the town from the southwest corner of the latter section. Another branch rises in the north part of the town, flows in a southerly course and makes confluence with the main branch in section 28.

Early Settlement

When the town Avas first settled the nearest market place was ^IcGregor, Iowa. The first permanent settlers of the town Avere natives of Norway. IMost of them brought some cattle and hogs to town with them, but the raising of pork was not as profitable as now, for oftentimes after teaming the pork to ^McGregor, a distance of 120 miles, they were obliged to sell for one and onehalf cents per pound, dressed weight. McGregor was for a time their wheat market. The settlers were generally provided with ox teams, and a trip to market generally consumed ten or twelve days, but in stormy weather and bad roads it would take much longer. It was the custom in pleasant weather to take provisions along and camp on the way, but this would not answer in cold, stormy weather and they were obliged to put up at the hotels along the route, which was rather expensive. AVheat often sold as low as forty cents per bushel, and sometimes the expense of the trip Avould be more than th,e returns for the wheat. In that case the tired granger would return home with empty pockets, and worse than all, had left bills behind to pay on the next trip. As to the change that has taken place no one can fully realize, except those who have experienced it.

This was one of the first settled towns in the county, having been first settled early in 1854. The first man to make a claim in the town was one William Allen, formerly from ]\Iassacliusetts. He claimed the southwest quarter of section 29, which was valuable on account of the timber and water. Here he erected the first house in the town, if it can be called a house. It was of logs, 8x10, and covered with basswood bark. Mr. Allen made no improvement whatever, but waited patiently for some one to come along and buy his claim. In October of that year he sold to Gunder Halverson. He, however, remained on the place until the spring of 1855, when he moved to the town of Lyle, where he stopped for a time, then went to Oregon. The first permanent settlement in the town was made by Thor Olson, early in tlie spring of 1854. Olson was a native of Norway, who stopped for a short time in Mitchell county, Iowa. He first made a claim in section 29. He then built the second house in town. It was also a log house. A few months later he sold that claim and located another in sections 32 and 33. He afterwards sold that and bought land in sections Ki. 17 and 21. He remained a resident of the town until 1872, when lie sold and moved to Becker county, where he died Septemlier 21, 1874. Andreas Andresou, Martin Hanson and Peter ]\Iartin came in June, 1854 ; in the summer came Ole and Knud Anderson, Aslak Olson, Thrond Richardson, Ole Sampson, Swan Gorganson and Hans Swensoii. In 1855 came James Gerard, Knud Tolleffson, Nels Olson; in 185(), Thove Larson, Alak Knulskaas, Francis Hersh, II. K. Volstad and others; in 1857, J. W. Gregg. David Austin and D. B. Nye formed the first settlement in the north part of the town. Other prominent settlers who came later were L. F. Stark, "W. P. Stewart, J. P. Jones, Lyman St. John, O. C. Brown, H. F. Deming, J. H. and C. DeRemer, E. C. Dillingham, A. C. Bisbee, Jesse and Ches-

First Events

The first white child born in the town was Andi Olson. She Avas born in Tlior Olson's shanty, July 28, 1854. The second birth was Anna Sampson, August 25, 1854. The tirst death in the town was Alak Knulskaas. His death occurred in April, 1856, at forty-five years of age. His family returned to Iowa. The first marriage in the town was Francis Hersch to Helen ]\Iartin, February, 1856. The first suicide in the town was "William Rowlins, who shot himself early in the spring of 1857. Andrew Peterson hanged himself in 1882.

Organization

The town was organized at a meeting held in May, 1858, at the house of P. A. Bailey, or at the hotel. The town records are not complete and we cannot give a full list of the first officers. John W. Gregg and Gunder Halverson were members of the first board of supervisors. P. A. Bailey was the first town clerk. The following named held offices in the town in the early days: H. C. Anderson, Knud Amundson, David Austin, L. F. Stark, Francis Hersch, W. P. Stewart, J. P. Jones, Lyman St. John, Ole Sampson, D. B. Nye, 0. C. Brown, H. Knudson, D. P. Baldwin, H. F. Deming, C. DeRemer, E. C. Dillingham, Peter Martin, A. C. Bisbee, Jesse Rose, S. Clow, T. Olson, Recker Austin, John Ulwelling, T. Gotomson, Ambrose Thompson, P. F. Rooney, Henry Smith, Herman Eddy, C. J. Searles, G. E. Bisbee, Ole Aslackson, Sam Enerson, C. Meyer, Nels Rasmusson, C. A. Newman, H. K. Yolstad, 0. N. Nelson, William McFarland.

Six Mile Grove

Fifty-four years ago Six JNIile Grove was a forest undisturbed by tlie European emigrants. The first Norwegians to settle in this part of the state arrived in 1854 and a few made their homes in Nevada township.

Thor Olson Ovesaker came to Six Mile Grove forest in the year 1853 and was gone during the winter, but came back to settle here in the spring of 1854. The following Norwegians moved and settled into this forest in the course of two years: IIrus Swenson and son Christoffer, Trond Richardson and son Ole T., Martin Hanson, Aslak I-'"']atin. Torges Olson, Trond Bonde, Ole Sampson, Fredrick I\rartin, Joiiannes Mai'tin, Knut Qualey, Ole K. Qualey, Svend Trasiniot, Peter ^Martin, Gunder Halverson,

During the following two or three years came : Herman Amundson and son Kuute, Knut Hage, Franeis Herch, Thor Larson, Halvor Volstad, Torbjorn Enerson and sous, Sam and Nels, Andrew Bergeson and sons, John and Hans, Richard Olsou, Jaraud Olson, Richard Lunde, Nels Olson and son, Ole X.

The following settled here between the years 1858 and 1868: Gunder Kuutson, Ole Rue, David Nelson, Torger Lee, Lars Meyer and son Chris, Knut ToUefson, Sven Jacobson, Jacob Jacobson, Knut Jacobson, Jacob Knutson, Knut Stoe, Ole Stoe Sr., Ole Stoe Jr., Jens Stoe, Knut Lasteen, Dreng Augundson, Bjorn Jergenson, Lars Olson Tuve, Gulbrand Haslebrek, Ole Severson, Andres Veslehagen and sons Erick and Nels, Lars Arneson, Gunder Austenson, Talletf Ostenson, Andrew Fimreit and son Ingebret, Gulbrand Morstad and son T. G., Ole Lasteen, Andrew Peterson, Johannes Arneson, Even Evenson and Ole Evenson.

These well-known people had all belonged to the Lutheran State church in Norway, and while some probably had no spiritual cravings, others were yearning for the bread of life and looked prayerfully for a servant of God who could preach to them the word of salvation and administer the sacrament of the Lord. The nearest Lutheran church was at St. Ansgar, Iowa, where the first pioneers were obliged to go with their infants for baptism and the young people for instruction in religion, preparatory for confirmation. Bridegrooms also went with their brides to get the blessings of the church. Pastors, however, visited the settlement several times and gathered the people for devotional services. Among these pastors were Reverends Preus, Clausen and Otterson.

During the war the following brave men enlisted: Rev. C. L. Clausen as chaplain, Corporal Knut Amundson, Johannes Martin, Sam Everson, Christoffer Swenson, Jacob Jacobson, John Bergeson, Even Evenson, Ole N. Nelson and Thomas Johnson.

The Six Mile Grove Lutheran Congregation was not permanently organized until November 19, 1859. On that date the Six ]\Tile Grove Norwegian Lutheran church was organized and it was one of the first Scandinavian Lutheran churches in i\Iower county.

The first business meeting of the chui'ch was held under the Big Elm on the Trond Richardson farm in section 29, and was continued at Qualey's home.

Rev. C. L. Clausen organized the congregation and served this parish until 1871. He Avas succeeded by Rev. John Olson, of St. Ansgar, Iowa, who served the congregation until 1878. He was succeeded by Prof. B. Gjeldaker, of Norway, Avho served until

1882, M-lien Rev. J. Muller Eggeu took charge and served until January 1, 1906. Since that time Rev. N. N. Esser has been in charge. Services were held in private homes and schoolhouses until the year 1867, when the church was erected. The building committee was: Rev. C. L. Clausen, Hans C. Anderson, 01c Sampson and Gunder Knutson. They hastened the erection of the church so it was ready for use in 1868. Rev. John Olson dedicated the church.

The first Ladies' Aid Society was organi/.ed by Rev. Olson. This organization bought the church bell, which cost $325, and is one of the best in this section. The first session of parochial school held in the settlement was in Hans Sweuson's home and also in a log cabin on section 32.

School was held in different homes until 1865, when a budding was erected in section 28 in school district No. 11. The first parochial school teacher was Andreas Pederson, the second Lars Thaw, and the third Torger Lee, followed by Ekeland, Stuvland, Standall, Tollerand, and the present teacher, D. D. Lione.

Andi Olson was the first white child born in Nevada township, and Mrs. I. K. Everson (nee Anne Sampson) was the second. The first funeral in the congregation took place in 1856, when Aslak Knutskaas was buried, having died at the age of forty-five. The first wedding took place when Helen Martin was united in marriage to Francis Herch.

The congregation conducts a Sunday school during the greater part of the year, with an attendance of about fifty scholars and ten teachers, but relies mainly on the instruction at home and in its parochial school for the training of children in the Christian faith.

The present officers of the church are : Pastor, N. N. Esser ; teacher, D. D. Lione ; secretary, K. L. Leidall ; treasurer, Nels Hangland ; organist. Miss Bellena Sampson ; janitor, K. L. Leidall ; ushers, C. 0. Sampson and L. M. Eggeu. Deacons - Erick Anderson, Ingebret Anderson, Ed. D. Nelson, Aslak Teiman, T. G. Morstad, and Knute Jacobson. Board of trustees - A. P. Martin, Talleg Ostenson, Ole Ostenson, Knute 0. Rue, A. K. Jacobson, and Erick Ingesether.

The First Mill in Nevada. In the early settlement of the town the nearest mill was at Decorah, Iowa, sixty-five miles distant. Some of the settlei-s had no teams, and the distance was too great for one to pack a large grist -on his i)a"k. Ole Sampson thought he would mend the matter a litllc ;ui(l keep the wolf I'rom the doer. He dug out the top of an oak stump so that it resembled a druggist's mortar. In that he would put the corn and mash it by means of a solid block of wood attached to a pole, which was balanced on a post. By this means he kept his own as well as other families supplied with meal for nearly two years, and to use the words of Mr. Halverson, it Avas a Godsend in those trying days of 1855 and 1856. Gunder Halverson often in after years related the following incident that happened in an early day, when corn as well as mills were scarce: "I was going to mill and went around to the neighbors and gathered what corn they had - in all two sacks. I then proceeded on my Avay. On my arrival near the mill I found I had a stream to cross, which was so swollen by recent rains that I would not ford with the team, so I shouldered a sack of corn and started to cross on a log that had been felled across the stream for a foot log. "While walking the log I lost my balance and went into the stream, corn and all. The sack of grain was lost ; I saved myself by grasping a root. that protruded from the bank, and pulled myself ashore. I felt that I would rather have lost $100 in gold than to have lost the sack of corn at that time. I succeeded in. getting the other sacks across all safe; got it ground and returned home." Two creameries have flourished in this township - Nevada creamery in the northwest corner of section 23, and Otter Creek creamery in section 31.

Nevada village was platted in the southeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section 2, township 101, range 17, March 7, 1857, by James Jarrard.