Waseca County, Minnesota - Chapter 22: Wooda^lle Township, 1887

Chapter 22: Wooda^lle Township

[lIE teiTitorj' known as Woodville lies in the second tier of town^ ships from the north line of the county, on its eastern margin. It embraces all of congressional township 107 north, range 22 west, and contains about 23,000 acres, 2,000 of which are covered with the pellucid waters of the lakes that dot its bosom. The surface is most beautifully diversified ; gently undulating in some places, it becomes nearly flat in others ; prairie interspersed with timber, and in some places, notably in the vicinity of the lakes, heavy groves make up a picture of great natural beauty. The lakes, most of them of considerable size, are generally of clear water and enhance the peaceful loveliness of the scenery. The principal of these bodies of water. Clear Lake, lying partially in sections 8, 9, 16 and 17, is about a mile and a half long by about three-quarters of a mile wide. Loon Lake, half in section 7 and half in section IS, is less in size. Goose Lake occupies part of sections 11, 14 and 15, and Rice Lake, part of which, onl3% is in this township, fills up a portion of sections 3 and i ; Watkins Lake on sections 2 and 3, Gaiter Lake, on the corner between sections 16, 17, 20 and 21, and two smaller ones lying between sections 20 and 29, make up the complement. The soil, equal in productiveness and fertility to any in the State, is the dark, rich loam that predominates in this portion of Minnesota.

to west, on sections 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18, and the Minneapolis & St. Louis from north to south, on sections (i. 7, 18, 19, 30 and 31, intersecting on the northeast quarter of section 18, at the city of Waseca.

Early Settlement

Obediah Powell came to this count}' from Rice County, arriving on the 6tli of May, 1856. The next day he picked out a piece of land upon Avhich he filed his claim on the 9th of the same month. This was the southeast quarter of the southwest quarter, and the south half of the southeast quarter of section 5, and the southwest quarter of the southwest quarter of section 4. Only a forty of the original homestead is now included in his fine farm of 160 acres, on section 5.

Obediah Powell is a native of the State of New York, born February 1, 1828. He is the son of Hiram and Mary (Carpenter) Powell, both natives of the Empire State. His father died in Januar}', 1859, but his mother is still living. Mr. Powell started out for himself about 1850, first as a farmer in his native State, then in Pennsylvania. In 1855, he emigrated to the State of Minnesota, locating for a few months in Rice County, when he came to this county as above mentioned. On the 5th of July, 1857, he and Miss Mary Jane Gray were united in the bonds of holy matrimony. Mrs. Powell is also a native of New York, born March 22, 1836. They are the parents of nine children: George, born May 11, 1858; Norton, born July 25, 1860; Amalyor, born March 5, 1863 ; Julia, May 7, 1865; Hiram, June 10, 1868; Frost, December 15,1870; Augusta,

March 30, 1867; Elmer, April 20, 1873; Rutherford, March 4, 1877 ; Hattie, June 8, 1879 ; Mary, May 23, 1875. Of these two are deceased. Augusta, died April 11, 1867, and Mary February 26, 1876. Mr. Powell has been quite prominently identified with the interests of Waseca County, was chairman of the board of supervisors of the county in 1858 and 1859, and has served for five years as county commissioner for the 1st district. He is one of the leading Republicans of this county, and merits and retains the respect and esteem of all with whom he comes in contact.

Eri G. Wood and his brother, Loren Clark Wood, came here early in 1856, and took up claims. The last named, enlisting in the army for the suppression of the rebellion, contracted disease from the effects of which he died.

Eri G. Wood, a native of Franklin County, N. Y., was born in 1832, and is the son of ISTathaniel and Almeda (Cochrane) Wood. His parents removed to Iowa in 1845, and settled in Clayton County. Eleven years were spent there, and in 1856, when he was some twenty-four years of age, in company with his brother Loren became to what is now Woodville Township, taking some good land. A portion of this claim is that upon which considerable additions to the city of Waseca are laid out and built upon. In point of fact Mr. Wood lives upon the same spot where he first built his pioneer cabin. He was, while a resident of Iowa, united in marriage with Mary L. Stevens. They are the parents of seven children : Loren G., who was born August 5, 1856, who is now married and resides in Waseca ; Sumner E., Luman L., Isabel, Robert Q., Florence A. and ]Srelhe,born August 6, 1878, died February 7, 1879.

Henry Watkins also made settlement in this town in the same year, coming here with the Wood family, and working for them during the summer of that year, and afterward taking up a claim on section 3, on the banks of the lake to which he gave his name - Watkins' Lake. Later he opened up a farm south and east of this. During the early part of the " seventies " he removed from this locality and is now living in Iowa.

In the summer of 1856 C. B. Lyman came here and took up some land on section 18, it being lots along Loon Lake. Before cold weather set in, however, he sold his claim and returned to New York.

Alfred C. Smith, who had come to Waseca County in 1855 with his father and located in Blooming Grove Township, although he had taken a claim in Woodville, moved to this town in 1856, and took up some land on section 5, opened up a farm whe)-e he lived until after the death of his father in JSTovember, 1872, when he removed back to Blooming Grove, where he now lives.

Another very early settler was E. K. Carlton, who came here with his family in May, 1856, and took up a claim on sections 5 and 6, where he immediately built a cabin and moved. This shanty was, undoubtedly, the first one in the township covered with shingles. However, before this, the family had managed to live in it through a dry spell with a bark roof, but the first rain drowned them out, and shingling was deemed necessary. E. K. Carlton is a native of Otsego, N. Y., born February 5, 1811, and resided there and in that neighborhood and in Connecticut until coming to Minnesota. He was married in 1842 to Mary Burdick, of Hornellsville. They have had seven children : Mary Eliza, Gertrude C, Horatio N., Luceba, Lucius, Edgar and Emily. Mrs. Carlton died July 27, 1878, but her husband is still a resident of the county.

Jacob Myers came here in the fall of 1856 and made a claim on sections 17 and 18, the site of the city of Waseca, which he afterward preempted. In 1867 he sold this piece of property to Ira C. Trowbridge, who laid out the town, and emigrated to the golden shores of the Pacific, and is now living in California.

William Dunn, a native of the Emerald Isle, came to this part of Waseca County from Indiana in 1856, and settled on section 35. He died in this county in March, 18S4 ; his wife died in September, 1871.

Daniel Egan, a native of Ireland, came to this place and located in 1857. He took up a claim and opened up a farm, where he died many years ago.

Patrick Farrell came to Woodville Township in 1857, and made a settlement on section 6, where he still resides. He is a native of Ireland, born March 17, 1832, and is the eldest son of William and Julia Farrell, who were the parents of eight children. For many years Mr. Farrell remained in the land of his birth, but finally concluded to seek his fortune in the new world, so accordingl}' set sail, and landed in New York. June 9, 1857, he was united in marriage with Julia Agen, born in 1832. They have been the parents of ten children: Lewis, Mary, Julia, William, Mary, Daniel, Mary Ann and Maggie. Of these the two first Marys are dead, the others are all living. Mr. and Mrs Farrell are members of the Catholic Church, and lie is, politically, a Democrat.

Luman S. Wood came to the town of Woodville about 1857. He was a brother of Eri G. Wood, and a native of St. Lawrence County, N. Y., born in 1836. He resided with his parents until about twenty-five years of age when he enlisted in the First Minnesota Infantry. On the expiration of his term of service, he re-enlisted in the heavy artillery and served until the close of the war. About 1867 he was married to Fannie Lansdale, and prior to leaving for Oregon, in 1872, where he now resides, one child, Edith, was born to them.

William M. Green, a millwright by occupation, came to Waseca County about the year 1857. He located in this township, and during his stay here followed his trade and ran a sawmill for about two years. He then removed to Warsaw, Rice County, and later to Wasioja, Dodge County, this State.

Quite a number of settlers made their appearance here in 1857, among whom were James Nitcher and W. H. Houck, the latter locating on section 2 ; John Morton, on the southwest quarter of section 30 ; Andrew Jackson, who settled in the eastern part of the town ; Frances Corr, Charles Domey, Austin Vinton still a resident of the town, located on section 36 ; S. II. Drum and Samuel Knutson, who settled on what is now known as the Roessler farm.

First Items

The first cemetery was instituted on the east side of section 17, where some few were interred before the ground was survej'ed. Andrew Hicks who did the sui'veying being the first to be buried there after it \vas laid out.

Organization

The first election was held at the house of Eri G. Wood, on section 17, that gentleman assisted by Jacob Myers and William Green, acting as judges of election.

A village was laid out upon section 31, in this township, early in 1856, by some Winona parties who gave it the Indian name of Waseca. They undertook to lobby in the State Legislature to have it made the seat of county justice, but failed in their object, although the name was given to the county. There never was any building on the town site except a pole claim shanty.

In speaking of the results of the development of Waseca County, we must not neglect to mention this, one of the leading stock farms of this part of the State. It lies upon sections 35 and 36, of Woodville Township and sections 1 and 2, of Otisco, and contains YOO acres of land. It is devoted to the breeding and raising of Percheron and French coach horses and Durham cattle. The place is laid out with great judgment for convenience in carrying on the business for which it is intended, and the buildings are all that coukl be desired in that line. The house, a model in its way, was erected in 1882. to replace one built by Mr. Dunn on coming here in 1867, which although but 16x24, was then the best house in the county. It is used by James M. Dunn, the proprietor, as a granary. On the place are two large barns, one being 32x72 feet upon the ground,' with IS foot studding; the other is 32x42 feet in size, 2(i feet high, with basement underneath. Besides this are machinery sheds, etc. Mr. Dunn is the owner of Brilliant, No. 2,831, an imported Norman Percheron horse which weighs some twenty-three hundred pounds, and for points, is deemed one of the best of his class in the State; Apollo, No. 1,505, also an imported Norman Percheron, and LeDuc, an imi^orted French coach horse that excellent judges pronounce the equal of anything in the line of horse flesh of that character in Minnesota; besides a number of other thoroughbred and highgrade horses and mares, numbering some thirty-five head.

In the way of short-horn Durham cattle, Mr. Dunn has a henl of about thirty-five head of thorough and high grades with Lone Star, a bull of fine strain and imported stock, at the head. At the county agricultural fair of 1887, Mr. Dunn took some seven first and two second premiums, being about all for which his stock was entered for competition.

Hill Stock Farm, is a native of Dumfrieshire Scotland, and was born March 5 1839 He is the son of Thomas Dunn and Isabella (Lindsay) Dunn, both natives of the same place, who had a family of ten children- Ann. James, Isabella, William, George! Walter, John, Eliza, Andrew and IsabeUa! ihe first named Isabella was drowned hence the repetition of the name. All are livinoexcept John and Isabella. In 1840 the fain ily came to the United States, first locatinoin Cattaraugus County, N. Y., where the lather was engaged in farming and lumbering. In 1856 the family removed to Lee County, 111. While hving there, September 16, 1862, the father of the family was killed by a stroke of lightning. The mother and the balance of the family came to Minnesota in the fall of 1866, and in the sprino- of the following year J. M. purchased eiglity acres of land on section 36, in Woodville Township, part of his present extensive farm. From this humble beginning has grown the Oak Hill Stock Farm. Mr. Dunn was the leader in the movement to raise the grade of stock to a higher standard, bringing into this county the first imported stallion and mare. He is a Eepublican in politics, and a member of Tuscan Lodge, No. 77, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons; Waseca Chapter, Eoyal Arch Masons ; Gyrene Commandery, No. 9, Knights Tem'plar July 18, 1868, J. M. Dunn and Matilda Turnacliff were united in marriage. She is a daughter of Ferdinand Turnacliff, one of the pioneers of this county, and is a native of Ohio, born March 16, 1848. They are the parents of six children : Thomas, born July 5, 1871; Mary, born April 11, 1873; John, born March 13, 1879, and Isabella, born June 29, 1881, all living ; and Addie May, born April 25, 1879, died June 27, 1886, of scarlet fever, and an infant.

Mapleton Stock Farm

stock. It contains some 262 acres of land situated on sections 16 and 21, and is but a mile and a half from the city of Waseca. It is the property of H. J. Young, M. D., one of the leading physicians of the latter place, lie has'a fine place here and is continually improving it. He has here a fine herd of short-horn cattle of some of the finest and best strains Ivnown, and particular attention is given rather to quality than to size, as the proprietor deems that paramouut. At the head of the herd is the bull, Knight of Maplewood. He has one of the best thoroughbred trotting stallions in the State, Mambrino Eclipse, who has a record of 2:31-, and a trial record of 2:30, and unites in himself some of the best blood in the world, being descended from Mambrino Chief, the sire of Lady Thorn, and from Abdullah and imported Messenger. He is pronounced by excellent judges to be the peer of any horse in the State. Besides him the Doctor has other stock, all of a valuable nature, and calculated to do the county a large amount of good in raising the grade of the stock therein. Poland China hogs of pure strains are here carefully raised and brought to perfection. Take it altogether the place is a great credit to any community, and although the proprietor is in full practice as a physician, he manages to give his stock farm a good deal of personal attention.

N. J. Leavitt, the proprietor of Lake View Stock Fann, is a native of Washington County, Vt., born November 19, 1841, and is the son of Jonatlian and Sarah C. (Gilman) Leavitt. His father was born in Vermont, and his mother in New Hampshire, and they were the parents of six children, two boys and four girls: Zelotus, Sarah Jane, Nehemiah J., Phylura, Agnes and infant daughter. Nehemiah J. was but eleven years old when he began the world for himself, working at farm work, afterward learning the trade of carpenter, which he followed for about four years. On the 20th of November, 1861, he enlisted in Company C, Eighth Vermont Infantry, under Capt. Foster, as private. He participated in the battles of Fort Bisland, those of the Red Kiver campaign, Alexandria, Port Hudson and others, and was discharged September 4, 1S63, for disability, with the rank of sergeant. He returned to Vermont and engaged in wag-onmaking for about a year, when he took up farming. Four years later he emigrated to Wisconsin, and in one year fi'om tliat time, to Waseca County, Minn. May 1, 1864, he was united in marriage with Lizzie P. Sterling, who was born in Vermont, August 10, 1845. Tliey have two children : Herbert, born August 30, 1865, and Frank, boi'u June 5, 1870, both of whom are living with their parents. Mr. Leavitt is an extensive raiser of thoroughbred Holstein cattle, and has a very fine herd of those animals on his extensive farm on section 1 6. He is a Republican politicall}'.

William H. Gray was born in Lake County, 111., July 22, 1840, and his parents were old settlers of Waseca County. Tlie family removed to West Union, Fayette County, Iowa, in 1853, and in' June, 1855, came to this count}^ settling on section 35 of the town of Blooming Grove, where the father died in 1872. William II. remained at home with his parents until April 25, 1862, when he enlisted in the Fifth Minnesota Infantry, under Captain E. A. Rice, and with his regiment participating in many engagements, among which were the siege of Corinth, battle of Corinth, Jackson, siege of Vicks- i burg, battle of Mechanicsburg, Fort De ' Russey, Clarksville, Bayou Roberts, Nashville, Spanish Fort, Tupelo, etc. After his discharge he came back to Waseca Count}', and m June, 1865, he was united in marriage with Rosalia E. Ketcham, who was boi-n in Ohio, May 24, 1846. They have been the parents of six cliildren : Lura, born November 11, 1866; Isora, March 6, 1870; Emer "W., March 11, 1873, died when nine months old; Orrilla Orlett, JSTovember 15, 1874; Fred. W.,May 9, 1877, and Lelace Henrietta, January 2, 1881. Mr. Gray is a member of McKnne Post, Grand Army of the Eepubhc, and is a Repulilican in politics.

George H. Wood, an intelligent and thrifty farmer living on section 22, this township, is a native of Wisconsin, born September 29, 1849. He is the son of Ezra H. and Catherine (Gamble) Wood, the former a native of Massachusetts, born May 1, 1814 ; the latter of New York, born September 15, 1820. They had a family of six children: Theodore, Emma, George Henry, Orry E., Ella A. and Alfred A. Mr. Wood's father died October 11, 1885, of consumption ; his mother September 29, 1886. George H, began life for himself when he was twenty-one years of age, engaging in farming on the place where he now resides. He was united in marriage July 4, 1877, with Jennie Deverell, who was born in Wisconsin, December 22, 1857. They have a family of three children : Casper A., born Februarj' 2, 1879 ; Augusta A., January 6, 1883, and Frank G., September 29, 1885. Mr. Wood was elected clerk of school district No. 45, in 1870, and held that position for t^velve years.

John Curran was born near Milwaukee, Wis., November 28, 1847, and is the son of John and Mary (Roney) Curran, natives of Ireland, who came to this country in 1837, first locating in Milwaukee, but a year afterward moved to Michigan. Later they returned to Milwaukee, where the father died May 12, 1860. In March, 1874, the family came to Waseca County, Minn., locating on section 29, this townshijj, where the mother still resides with her son James. When John Jr. had reached the age of eighteen years he started out in life for himself, engaging first in the sawmill business, which he followed for seven years. He then came to Waseca County and visited for about two months, going from here to Minneapolis. Later he went to the Red River country, where he was engaged in the lumbering business, and then came back to this county and settled on section 28, where he now resides. He carries on general farming and stockraising. November 9, 1876, he and Mary Carraody were uniteil in marriage. She was born December 21, 1857. They are the parents of five children : Arthur, born September 20, 1877; John, September 23, 1879; Thomas, March 1, 1882; Harry, May 6, 1884, and Mary, Fel^ruary 28, 1887. In 1884 Mr. Curran was elected school district treasurer, which office he still holds.

James Curran, another son of John and Mary (Roney) Curran, resides on section 29, in this township. A sketch of his parents is given above, as a part of the personal history of the elder brother. James was apprenticed at and learned the carpenter trade, which he occasionally follows now. He devotes the greater part of his time to the various details of general farming and stockraising. Mr. Curran is a native of Wisconsin, where he was born Sejjtember 11, 1857, and where he resided until 1877, when he came to Waseca County. He is unmarried, his mother living in the same house with him since her husband's death, and attending to the household duties thereof. In 1883, Mr. Curran was elected town supervisor and still holds that office.

Andrew L. Dunn, whose farm of 104 acres lies on section 35, of this township, came to this county in 1866. He was twenty-two years of age when he began life for himself on his present place, as a farmer, and that vocation he has followed ever since, giving considerable attention to stock-raising. March 8, 1883, he was united in marriage with Carrie Rens, a native of Marion County, Iowa, and a daughter of John and Sarah (Fettgather) Rens, who were natives of Germany. Her father died in 1871, but her mother is still living in Wisconsin. Mr. and Mrs. Rens were the parents of four children :

Lor in A. Gage, an enterprising farmer living on section 4, this township, is a native of the State of New York, born April 11, 1838. In 1852 he with his parents removed to the State of Illinois, where they lived for many years and then came to Waseca County. His father died at the advanced age of eighty years. His mother has also been called to her rest beyond the dark river. They had a family of six children : Clarissa, Mary Jane, Jackson, Lorin, Olive and Harriet. Lorin A. Gage's wife is a native of Ireland, Catherine Collins by name. They have a good farm in an excellent state of cultivation and Mr. Gage shows by close attention to business that he understands how to farm to obtain the best results for his labor.

William Hover, who has a fine farm on section 8, in this township, is a native of the State of New York, born April 30, 1S2-I-, and is the son of Cornelius and Eunice Hover. He resided in the Empire State until 1854. In 1863 he came to Waseca County and located on a farm on section 27, Vivian Township. On the 5th of November, 1863, he enlisted in Company G, Fifth Minnesota Infantry, participating in most of the engagements in which that regiment was employed. He served his country at the front until September, 1865, when, receiving his discharge, he came back to his home in Vivian Township, where he remained until 188('), when he sold out there and purchasing his j^resent place, removed thither. November 8, 1845, he was united in marriage with Susan Hill, who was also a native of New York, born August 21, 1826. Mrs. Hover died in Vivian, January 8, 1878, having been the mother of two children: Lucina D., born August 27, 1846, ami Lewis D., born December 25, 1847. In politics Mr. Hover's views coincide with those of the Republican party, which ticket he usually votes.

Thomas Kennedy was born in Ireland, May 28, 1848, and is the son of Patrick and Mary Kennedy. The sanie year he was born the family emigrated to America and settled at St. Johns. N. B., where they remained some three years, when they removed to Vermont. Two years later they came west to Wisconsin, where Patrick Kennedy engaged in farming. Thomas Kennedy started out for liimself at the age of twenty-two, and has always followed farming. October 11, 1862, he was united in marriage with Rose Reynolds, also a native of Ireland, born December 28, 1844, and is the daughter of Bernard and Catherine Reynolds. Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy are the parents of eight children : John, Mary, Rose, Thomas, Bernard, Joseph, William and Edward, all of whom reside with their parents. The family are members of the Catholic Church.

Henry Buker is a native of Germany, born May 14, 1837, and is the son of Henr\' and Gertrude (Gotmon) Buker, who had a family of five children : Christopher, Eliza, Henry, Jerry and Marv. His father died in the old country, and in 1861 the mother with her family came to America, first settling in Clayton County, Iowa, where they remained some ten years. Henry Buker commenced life for himself at the age of fourteen years, and has always followed farming. In October, 1865, he was united in marriage with. Lena Make, who was born October, 8, 1841*. In 1874 they moved to Waseca County, where they settled on section 33, in Woodville Township, where they now live, and where Mi'. Buker owns some 510 acres of as tine land as lies out doors. He and his wife are the parents of six children: AVilliam, born June 24, 1866; Katie, October 16, 1867 ; Henry, August 15, 1870; John, March 15, 1871; Mar}', October 23, 1872, and Anna, December 19, 1877. All the children live with their parents. The family are members of the Lutheran Church. Mr. Buker is a Republican in politics.

Henry F. Lewer is a native of Germany, born December 6, 1853, and is tb,e son of Henry and Margeret (Orns) Lewer, who had a famity of seven children, three boys and four girls, only one of whom is dead; the rest are living in the United States. In 1866 the

Crosse, Wis., where they only remained a few months, after which they came to Steele County, but seven months later moved to this county, settling in Vivian Township, where they mostly still live, engaged in farming and stock-raising. Henr}^ F. commenced life for himself on his marriage, November 14-, 1879, to Lena Scholljegerdes, who was also a native of Germany, born December 4, 1855. He moved to the farm on section 27, this township, where he now lives. In 1885 Mr. Lewer was elected township assessor and still holds that office. He is a Eepublican in politics. Mr. and Mrs. Lewer have a family of two children : Henry, born October 28, 1883, and John, born February 9, 1886. The family are members of the Lutheran Church.

Isaac Vickere, an enterprising agriculturist on section 33, this township, is a native of Somei'set County, Me., and was born March 12, 183Jr. He is the son of Joseph and Susan (Small) Vickere, botli natives of the same county and State. The father died November 18, 1876; the mother who was born in 1806, is still living. At the age of twentyone years Isaac began the world for himself, first engaging in the lumbering business in Wisconsin, which he followed for some eighteen years. From there he came to Waseca County, locating on the farm on section 33, this town, where he now resides, and where he has some 240 acres of well improved land under high state of cultivation. September 15, 1869, Mr. Vickere and Addle Seager were united in marriage. She was born in the State of New York, July 19, 1849. They have a family of two children : Albian, born March 8, 1875, and Mont R., born March 26, 1879. Mr. Vickere is a Republican in politics and a representative man of this township.