Hyde Park Township

Hyde Park Township

This town includes all that portion of government township 109, range 13 west, lying north of the Zumbro river. At the time of the government survey the township was known as Concord, that being the name of the election precinct in which it was situated. At a town meeting in May, 1858, it was given the name of Troy, but the legislature not indorsing the action, a new christening resulted in Zumbro, to correspond with the river which runs through the town. The first settlement dates back to May, 1855, when quite a number sought homes and selected claims. The town settled up rapidly, and in 1856 a schoolhouse was built, and a school taught therein the next winter by Miss Mary J. Shaw. In consequence of the inconvenience of the settlers on diiierent sides of the river getting together for elections and public meetings, the town was divided, upon application, by the county commissioners in 1862, the Zumbro river being the dividing line ; the part north of the river was set off as another town and named Plyde Park. A postoffice was also established. Mi-. Wm. Parker being postmaster. In 1866 the county purchased of John T. Rose one hundred and sixty acres of land on section 11 of this town, and located the county farm for the benefit of the poor. This was afterward changed, and a farm of eighty acres was purchased about one mile from the city proper of Wabasha and business part of the same.

MiNNEisKA claims next to Wabasha to be the oldest town in the county. One Michael Agnes came up from St. Louis and settled in the southeast corner in 1851, and Louis Krutely arrived about a month later. Some time during the same year Charles Read, of

Eead's Landing, purchased a claim four miles farther up the river, but nothing was done at either of these points except to cut wood for the boats until 1852, when Abner Tibbetts and B. C. Baldwin purchased j^ropertj at the upper yard and one Joseph Schurb settled in the vicinity of the other. In 1863 several settlers arrived at each place. Messrs. Kead, Baldwin, Tibbetts and Keppe laid out a portion of their claim into a town site the same year and called their place West Newton ; it was so named from the fact that the wreck of a steamboat was lying at that time in the river, but a few yards from the site, by the name of Newton. The boat had sunk in shallow water, and the name in large letters remained on her pilot-house above the water. A postofBce was established in 1853, and AVest Newton might have become an important point, but the land was low, and the river kept wearing the banks away, which finally compelled the town to surrender. The village site now lies mostly in the waters of the Mississippi, and all there is left of West Newton is the name. It is now considered the finest hunting-grounds for ducks and other feathered game on the river. Mr. Agnes, however, succeeded better with his settlement, and he laid out the village of Minneiska in 1854. It was named after the river which runs through the township and enters the Mississippi near the upper part of the village. "Minneska" is the Indian name for white water. Minne is water and ska means white ; the name of the river was changed to Whitewater, and the town is called Minneiska. But little improvement was made until 1856, when Mr. Putnam went there. He built a hotel in the autumn of that year, which is still standing as the back part of the Minneiska House. A large grain warehouse was built there in 1859 by Timmerman & Swart, and Mr. A. P. Foster, of Plainview, drew the first load of wheat to that warehouse that was shipped from Wabasha county. Another large grain warehouse was built in 1861 by Messrs. Bentlc}- & Yale. A steam sawmill was erected in 1856 by Biglow & Son, which was in operation about four years, when the machinery was removed to some other point. Minneiska has great note as a wheat market, although it has sufi"ered somewhat since the advent of i-ailroads. The first school taught in Minneiska was in the summer of 1858, by a Miss Adams, but no schoolhouse was erected there until 1866. The Roman Catholics built a fine church there in 1867, and the Lutherans built one in 1871. The Methodists, also, have a small house of worship. Minneiska is a fractional town, and is the only town in the county wliere a greater number of acres are made use of for the production of ha^' than of wheat, about four hundred acres being meadow-land, whole number for farming purposes under cultivation being nine hundred and twenty-five.

In the early part of May, 1855, Paris Devitt and Samuel Parker settled in the district of country now known as Hyde Park. The next day after their arrival came John Ritter, Charles Holzman, William McCloud ; and it was but a very short time until George and Seymore Fanning and the Baker families arrived and took up homesteads.

It was the rolling farm-land, dotted with poplar groves, which attracted these men, some of whom came from northern Pennsylvania, while others from Maryland. The close of the summer of 1855 found almost every quarter-section "claimed," and a log cabin erected to shield the pioneer from Minnesota's wintry blasts. The winter of 1855-6 is a notable one in the history of the country as the "cold winter," and the early settlers suffered greatly since they were so far from mill and market, besides their means were very scanty. Many tales of hardship are related of that "cold winter."' When the snow became so deep and the weather so cold that it was impossible to get the grain to mill, the old coffee mill was used, and the words " Flannigan's Mill" bring back to many old settlers recollections of pioneer life in the winter of 1S55-6.

At the time of the government survey the tract of land now included in the townships of Zumbro and Hyde Park was called Concord. This name, however, for some reason, did not suit the people, and at a meeting held in May, 1858, the name Troy was chosen. The legislature would not accept this, however, as another town in the state held the same name, so it was named Zumbro, after the river which divided it. The larger part of the population lived on the south side of the river, and all township elections and meetings were held on that side. This was a source of trouble to the north side people, for at the spring and fall elections the river was swollen so much with the rains that they could not cross but with a risk of their lives, so a general feeling of dissatisfaction arose, which culminated in the spring of 1862, in dividing the township by the river, the south part retaining the name Zumbro. At the first meeting held north of the river the name Hyde Park was suggested by an Englishman, so that the township is named after one of the most famous places in London. This is only a fractional township containing about ten thousand acres, four thousand and eighty-nine acres being under cultivation.

The land is varied. Along the Zumbro river, and extending two miles northward from its banks, the land is very rough and hilly. Dense forests of heavy oak cover the ground, and even at the present day the fox, wolf and deer are found, with an abundance of smaller game. In the north part of the township may be found fine rolling farms suitable for grain and corn. The present population is largely Irish. Tiiey are kind and hospitable, and their apiireciation for learning is shown by the character of the schools. The}' are

The first settlers of this township coming from centers of christian influence, were not unmindful of spiritual things in tiieir new lionies, and with the foundations of their log cabins they erected altars of ]i raver and praise. As early as 1856 religious services were held in the cabins of the farmers, and people old and young came to the meetings. The first preaching services in the township were held at the hon:e of John Ritter, and the minister was the renowned pioneer Jas. McArdell. These meetings were continued for several years, but no Protestant church has ever been established, and at the present time there are but few Protestant families in the township. There is a Eoman Catholic church at Hammond. It was erected in 1881, and is a frame structure 26x36 feet, with a wing 12x16 feet, and twenty-two feet high. The membership consists of about eighty families, and services are held every two weeks, at which a priest from Lake City officiates. At a very early day Sunday schools were established, and through the earnest efforts of some good ladies the work still goes on.

Agriculture is the chief occupation of the people. Minnesota has always been called the great wheat state, and as good crops have been raised in this township as in any part of the state. The past four years have been rather unfavorable to wheat-growing, and the farmers are now turning their attention more to corn and barley growing and to the rearing and feeding of stock. The following is a summary of the products of the year 1882 : Wheat, 16,271 bushels ; oats, 23,223 bushels ; barley, 20, 525 bushels; corn, 19,773 bushels ; potatoes, 2,950 bushels ; apples, 203 bushels ; hay, 427 tons; butter. 9,550 pounds; wool, 152 pounds.

Hyde Park has an I.O.O.F. of which she is justly ]3roud. The first movement toward organization was begun in the summer of 1S77. and public interest in the lodge became so intense that before the summer was half over it was organized and started with a large and effective membei-ship. It is generally conceded that Scot Foster was the prime mover in the organization of the lodge, largely aided by the venerable John Eitter, who held the first office of Noble Grand. The name of the lodge is the Hyde Park I.O.O.F., although many of its members are residents of Gillford and West Albany townships. The place of meeting is in Gillford township, at a place called "Grange Comers," where they have a pleasant room 18x22 feet, and comfortabl}' furnished. The lodge holds weekly meetings and is in a very promising condition. The following is a list of its charter members : Scot Foster, Fred Foster, Albert Foster, Clarence Foster, Geo. A. Roberts, Joe Roberts, Wilson Roberts, Albert Roberson, Louis O'Harra, L. A. Doty, Robert Disney, John Disney, David Williams, J. Clark, E. D. Southard, Russel Warren, Frank Warren, Samuel La Mont, Ed. CliflPord, John Ritter.

Jarretts is a thriving little village, situated in the southeastern part of the township, on the C. M. ife St. P. narrow-gauge railroad, just thirty miles from Wabasha. Before there was an inhabitant near the present site of the town, there was a ford in the Zumbro where the old settlers in an early daj^ crossed, and since the nearest dweller was Mr. Jarrett, the place came to be called "Jarrett's Ford," and when a postoffice was established it received the name of Jarretts. The village consists of one general merchandise store with postoffice, one flouring-mill, one grain elevator, a sugar manufactory and about one dozen dwelling-houses. The town really had its birth in 1S7S, when the narrow-gauge railroad was built. Tlie tlouring-mill, run by water-power, was built in 1878 by Kimball & Kitzman, and is the only mill in the township. The elevator is a frame structure with a capacity ol' five thousand bushels, and is used as a feeder to the large flouring-mill at Mazeppa.

Hammond is a village of about two hundred population, situated three miles west of Jarretts, on the C. M. & St. P. narrow-gauge railroad. The place derives its name from a Mr. Hammond who owned the land where the village now stands. The town is divided into two |iarts by the river Zumbro, and the two parts are connected by a large bridge of wood and iron woi-k, mounted on stone basements. The first building was erected in ls77, and from the increase in the past the prospect is encouraging for its becoming a town of more than county reputation. The elevator owned by the Mazeppa Mill Co. is a large wooden structure, erected in 1879, with the dimensions 40x80 feet, eighty -five feet high. It has a capacity of seventy-five thousand bushels. This is the largest elevator in the county, and its erection and operation has greatly benefited the citizens of Hyde Park and tlie surrounding country.

There are three sehoolhouses in the township all of which have a large attendance and which are well conducted. It has always been the desire of the people to have good schools, and the trustees, realizing this desire, have aimed to secure able teachers. The results of good training are attested by the fact that now men and women educated in these schools are teaching in all parts of the county, some even holding the responsible positions as principals of the high schools of Elgin and Plainview.

The tirst schoolhouse in the township was built in the summer of 1856, on the northeast corner of section 3, on the land now owned by Robei't Fish. This schoolhouse was in the district now numbered 45. The first teacher was Miss Mary Shaw, who received twelve dollars per month for her services. There were three families in the district : Shaws, Parkers and Yorks.

The first school held in what is now known as district 46, was taught by Unus Potter in 1867 at a private house. The next year it was held in a barn owned by Mr. Peter Kelley, and the next year a log schoolhouse was built by the settlers. The first school in district S4 was taught by Miss Lucy Roberts, the date being uncertain, probably about 1859.

In 1866 the county bought of John F. Eoss one hundred and sixty acres of land in this township to be used as a county poorfarm, but for convenience it was exchanged for a farm near the county seat.

In 1856 Wm. Parker opened and stocked the first store in the township, which he operated until 1865. He was the first postmaster in the township. John Keller was the first blacksmith, and he opened the first shop in 1S58. Francis Shaw had the first shoeshop, which lie opened in 1857.

The first birth was that of Effie Woodward, born February 14, 1856. The first marriage was that of Jacob York and Mrs. Jane Shaw, Jime 22, 1856.

At the time of the construction of the narrow-gauge railroad through the township, the question whether the township should bond itself was voted upon. At the first election the "bonding" was defeated, but after a few days the decision was reversed and the people agreed to pay six thousand dollars, giving seven per cent payable semi-annually. This was a large amount for so small a township to pay but they have gained great benefit from the road, since now they have a good market close at home, whereas, prior to the construction of the road, the grain and marketing had to be taken by wagon twenty to twenty-five miles.

Politically the township is strongly democratic. The township has a population of about four hundred and eiglity-five, of whom ninety-one are voters.