Geneva Township

Geneva Township

This is on the northern tier of townships in the county, the second from Mower county on the east, Newry lying between. Steele couny is on the north, Bath on the west, and Riceland on the south. Like all the other towns in the county, the integrity of the original government survey has been maintained. Most of the sections from 25 to 36 were originally slough land, and covered by college and railroad scrip. The remainder is rolling prairie, with a black sandy loam, which on some of the ridges is mixed with clay and is very productive. Nearly all the timber in town, when first entered for settlement, was on sections 17 and 36. Geneva lake is the only one in town. It is in the western part and occupies parts of six sections. It has an irregular outline, with an area of perhaps three sections, and is three miles long and a little over a mile wide in its widest part.

Early Settlement, 1855. Milton Morey is said to be the first settler in town. He took a claim in 1855, built a cabin and did some breaking that fall. About Christmas his dwelling was burned, and as he could not put up another, he took his family in an ox team and spent the winter in Austin, returning in the spring and putting in some crops. After a time he went to Dakota and settled near Yankton.

1856. Elmer Eggleston was the next settler. He was a native of Ohio but had come from Galena in 1856 and soon found Mr. Morey, who later assisted the young adventurer to stake out a farm in section 8, which he opened up and cultivated until 1863, when he sold out. In August of the same year Eliab Eggleston and his family joined the son. In May, Robert P. Farr, a native of Missouri, came and located in section 14. Along with him came Joseph W. Burdick, a native of New York, who selected his place in section 10, and there he established a home, in which he dwelt until his death, which occurrred April 24, 1877. Henry King, who was born in Canada, took up his residence in section 23. E. C. Stacy secured a place in section 7. He was one of the first three county commissioners appointed by the governor of the territory. Isaac Lyon, from Illinois, took a claim in section 8, which he soon disposed of to Jones & Robson. He afterwards lived in Steele county, and later in Warren, Ill. Samuel Woodworth came here from the Badger State and planted his boundary stakes in section 26, and there he remained until 1866. Nathan Hunt got his real estate in sections 15 and 16, went into the army, and on his return located in Faribault county. Walter Drake, from the Nutmeg state, procured his slice of Minnesota territory in section 30. John Reed, from Kent county, England, located in section 22. In February, 1862, he enlisted in the Union army and went to Fort Snelling, but in one month was mustered out. Thomas Cashman, of Ireland, came from Iowa, and cast his lot on section 13. Alexander Schutt, a native of the province of Quebec, Canada, came here from Ontario, and his choice was in sections 11 and 12. Burdette and Charles, sons of Eliab Eggles¬ ton, were early settlers, but both died young. John Hines was here a short time, but pushed on to Dakota. O. G. Goodnature, of Canada, arrived in June and transplanted himself in section 14. Patrick McDonald also came this year. Late this year two enter¬ prising men from New York state, James F. Jones and James A. Robson, arrived, secured a beautiful spot and located a town. Hans Eustrom, a native of Sweden, came here from Boston and located in section 4.

A large settlement came in 1857, among whom may be men¬ tioned the following : Bernhard Schacl, an enterprising German from Red Wing, arrived and at once went into the blacksmith and wagon business. John Heath, Sr., took a claim in section 7, but afterwards removed to Albert Lea. Charles Henion, from New York state, came here from Wisconsin and secured a foot¬ hold in section 4.

Some of the arrivals of 1858 were : George Osborne, a native of Ohio, who spent a winter here and afterwards lived in Steele county. In about two years he returned to Geneva. He was in the army and afterwards for a time postmaster. He is now dead/ Thomas Hines, of Vermont, settled in section 16. He removed to Faribault county in 1864 and lived there until 1872. Robert Hill, a native of Pennsylvania, pre-empted a place in section 10 and afterwards lived with his son-in-law, Robert P. Farr, until his death, which occurred in 1865.

Among other early settlers whose names have been identified with the township were : Michael Fenton, who came in 1859 ; Lucius Gibbs and John Walaski came in 1862; Harvey Partridge came in 1864; Harrison Davis, in 1866; Dr. Willis Twiford. in 1873; Charles Vinton, in 1875.

Historical Sketch. The following in regard to this town was published in 1877: "It was first settled by Milton Morey, in the fall of 1855, who immediately constructed a log house, which was burned down on the Christmas following. To him also be¬ longs the honor of opening the first farm, which he did in the spring of 1856. E. C. Stacy, who settled in June, 1856, was the first lawyer, while his wife, who arrived in August following, was the first doctor. Robson and Jones were the first merchants and commenced the sale of goods in July, 1857. Schad and Drommerhausen, blacksmiths and wagon makers, were the first mechanics. In the same summer of 1857 a Mrs. Clark taught the first school in a log shanty at the village. The first schoolhouse was built by district No. 3, in 1858. In the summer of 1857 Rev. Isaac McReynolds held the first religious service. In 1858 the Catholics organized the first religious society, and built the first church in 1861. The postoffice was established in the winter of

1856-57, which was supplied by special service from Austin. E. C. Stacy was the first postmaster. The first child born was Ralph Freeborn Drake, July 30, 1856. 'William Robson and Atlanta Smith were the first parties married, John Reed performing the ceremony in the summer of 1859. The first death was that of Mrs. Welcome Bacon, which occurred in February, 1859. James A. Robson opened the first hotel in June, 1858, although Judge E. C. Stacy had thrown his house open to the public ever since his first settlement. The first board of officers was elected May 11, 1858, consisting of E. C. Stacy, W. S. Bacon and John Bren¬ nan; H. Eustrom, clerk.

Early Events. The first child born in Geneva township was Irwin Burdick, born September, 1856 ; the second was Anna Schad, born September, 1857, the first girl in Geneva ; and the third child was Eli Goodnature, born in September, 1857. The next two were Henry Eustrom and Harvey Robson, both born in February, 1858, and the next was George Reed, born in April, 1858. Seymour E., son of Eliab and Esther Eggleston, died December 24, 1857. The wife of W. S. Bacon died in the winter of 1857-58. Burdette E., son of Eliab and Esther Eggleston, died November 28, 1857.

1858, when the new constitution went into effect. The super¬ visors were : E. C. Stacy, chairman, W. S. Bacon and John Bren¬ nan; clerk, Hans Eustrom. The earliest records are lost, so there are no particulars as to what was done, or of the names of the other officers.

Early Mills. In 1858 Deacon Brant started the manufacture of shingles on section 8. The establishment was a marvel in its way and displayed a genius that should have been handsomely rewarded, for it was the missing link between hand labor and machinery. The blocks were cut the proper length by a cross¬ cut saw and they were then boiled to soften them and then were slashed up into shingles by a knife attached to a lever. In the fall of 1856 Bacon & Eggleston put up a sawmill on section 36 and kept it vibrating until the summer of 1857, when it was transferred to section 17, where Bacon run it for two years, having, in 1858, added a grist mill, which did good business until

Cemeteries. Geneva cemetery was situated in section 8, town¬ ship 104, range 20. It was surveyed by Chas. T. Andrews and the plat filed for record in 1885.