Grove City City

Grove City City

Grove City was laid out and platted by the St. Paul & Pacific Eailroad Company, on the northeast quarter of section 3, of this township, in the summer of 1870, the plat of which was filed for record with the county register of deeds, August 26, 1870. One addition has since been added to the original site bv the same corporation, the plat of whicii was filed September 11, 1877.

Among the. very first settlers of the village were Olaf Levander, A. P. Nelson, Swan Hokanson, George Okeson, Mark W. Piper, A. S. "Wilcox, Andrew Okeson and E. P. Eklund.

The first dwelling-house on the site of the new village was erected by Olaf Levander, in the spring of 1870. About the same time a house was put u]> by the railroad company for the section hands, and the next one was built by Swan Hok.anson.

The business life of the village commenced the fall of 1869, when Ilines, Kimball & Beedy, of Kingston, ])ut uj) a store building and opened a stock of genei'al merchandise, uniler the charge of M. W. Piper. Two years afterward this was sold to W. "W. Hobbs, who finally died, when the pro]>erty was ])urchased bv Nels Luberg, and the goods by Nels Elofson ; the latter closed them out shortlv after.

The second store was opened in 1870, by Larson & Dahlquist. A year or two after, Louis Larson purchasing his partner's interest, became sole proprietor, and thus operated it for three years, and then closed out the goods and moved to Atwatei'.

0. H. Peterson started a store in 1876, and in Jul}', 1878, was succeeded by Peterson, Nelson & Co. This firm was succeeded, on the death of Mr. Peterson, by Dudley & Nelson, and in their hands it remained some three j'ears. I. Hooper then became a partner, but was bought out again, and A. P. Nelson disposed of his mterest to O. L. Dudley, who, in turn, sold out the business. Eeitan & Christensen are the present proprietors.

The first hotel, which was known as the Swede Grove House, was erected bv Louis Olson in 1874, and run by him until his death ; afterward his widow rented it to M. J. Paulson. The latter purchased the property in 1879, and continued the landlord of the Grove House, for he ciianged its name, until the spring of 1888, when he leased it to S. D. Kingstrom, the present host.

Redin, Nels Lagergren and Nels Elofson, saloons; E. N. Hanson, wheat buyer and flour depot ; Swen Hawkinson, jewelry, clocks, etc.; Dudle}' & Nelson, insurance ; and the three elevators of Dudley & Nelson, C. E. Sundberg and the Northwestern Elevator Co.

The village of Grove City was incorporated as such, by an act of the State Legislature, passed February 14, 1878. At that time tlie Secretary of State appointed C. J. Erickson, Nels Paulson and A. S. "Wilcox as commissioners to issue the notices for the first election, and to govern the balloting at the time. At this election there were chosen the following officers : A. S. "Wilcox, president of the village board ; Nels Paulson, recorder ; C. J. Erickson, treasurer ; and N. Loberg, C. C. Eeitan, and P. J. Malmquist, trustees. The first meeting of the new government met March 1, 1878, when most of the officers were duly sworn in. The government of the village is vested at present (spring of 1888) in the following gentlemen : O. N. Lindell, president ; P. J. Malmquist, Otto Dersch and A. O. Lawson, trustees ; John N. Gaynor, recorder ; A. P Nelson, treasurer ; N. E. Hanson and N. Loberg, justices; and J. J. Hartstad and Olaf Ask, constables. C. C. Eeitan was president of the village board for three terms, Init prefers to eschew politics for the present.

Hanson, receiver; J. W. Jamison, G.; P. N. Engstrom, I. W.; A. W. Larson, O. W. Tlie lodge is in a very healthy condition, and is one of the noble benevolent orders that are of so much benefit to the families of the members in cases of sickness and death. The present officers are: A. P. Nelson, P. M. W.; O. N. Lindell, M. W.; D. A. Roos, O.; N. N. Waylander, F.; J. N. Gaynor, R. ; C. C. Reitan, receiver ; A. O. Lawson, fin.; J. J. Harstad, G.; P. Paulson, I. W.; H. Simonson, O. W., and J. Christensen, D. D. G. M. W.

There are three churches in the village, all having neat and tasty edifices for worship. They are the Swedish Baptist, Swedish Lutheran and the Norwegian Lutheran.

The ])ostoffice, whicli is the old Swede Grove postoffice, brought to the village by Olaf Levander in 1870, has been presided over since his administration by Nels M. Holm, N. P. Olson, H. P. Stark and John Gaynor. The latter is tlie present incumbent of the office.