Janesville Township

Janesville City

The records of this township for the first ten years of its existence are missing; and the best that can be done is to give Avhat can be picked up here and there from other sources. It is among the early traditions that the first white settlers in Janesville were a man named John Douglas and another named Hughes. They did not become permanent settlers, but removed, shortly afti.Twards, further west. The next settlers were two dissolute characters, Alfred Holstein and John Davis. Davis claimed a portion of section 28, and Holstein a portion of section 27. Their principal business was trading with the Indians, and, by common reputation, they dealt mostly in whisky and tobacco - Davis, especially, being a great drinker himself. Both of them were social, friendly, and kind hearted to all comers, but their ideas of morality and decency were not of high grade. Davis finally went to one of the Carolinas. Holstein was sent to state prison by a United' States court for stealing horses from the Winnebago Indians. A man named John Rowley settled on section 9, the same summer and became a long-time resident.

James, Thomas, John and Jerry Hogan, four brothers, came from tlie state of Kentucky in 1855, and settled in the timber on the west side of Lake Elysian. These were among the hardy pioneers that came here to make homes for themselves and their children, and they became permanent settlers.

]Mr. Patrick Moonan made a settlement in this township the same year. "Mr. Moonan was born in County Louth, Ireland, jMarch 17, 1825; came to America in 18H and settled in Janesville. Mrs. Moonan 's maiden name was Mary A. Delaney and they were married in 1853. Mr. Moonan was in business at Janes- ville for several years. He came to Waseca in 1882, and built the Sheridan House, now called the Waverly hotel, where he carried on the business until 1887, when he sold out and removed to Minneapolis with his family. He afterwards returned to Waseca, where he died November 22d, 1899. John Moonan, Esq., the well-known attorney of Waseca, is his son.

John McCue, who became a wealthy farmer of the county, and his brothers, James and Patrick, also came that summer. James remained a bachelor and died in 1885, on the McCue estate. Patrick removed to Parker's Prairie, in this state, while ^Mr. John ilcCue removed to iiissouri, where he became more wealthy than he was here. He finally went to California, where he died about 1893.

John Cunningham was one of those first-class men who settled in Janesville in 1855. He made his claim on section 29, where he resided until his death, August 30, 1870. He was one of the first to respond to the call for men to fight the Indians in 1862, and enlisted October 4th, with ten other men from this county, in Company B, First Minnesota ^Mounted Rangers, and served until the close of the Indian war. He married Mrs. ]\Iary Crawford, widow of AV. H. Crawford, one of the early settlers of this county. At the breaking out of the war ^iv. Crawford was murdered by Texas rebels for the awful crime of being a northern republican.

Janesville, or "East Janesville, " as it was platted, is one of the substantial and permanent towns of Southern Minnesota. It is in the midst of a beautiful and rich farming country, inhabited by an industrious and frugal people, who earn and command prosperity. It was platted in August, 1869, by Surveyor S. H. Mott for J. W. Sprague, general manager of the W. & St. P. railroad at that time. Nine additions have been added since. Buildings were constructed as if by magic. James Cummins hauled the first load of lumber for the first building, Baldwin's hotel. J. O. Chandler, A. W. Jennison, F. II. I\Iiner, D. J. Dodge & Co., J. D. Andrews, and others erected buildings that fall. Dr. Crai'i' wa.s the first physician, and John Bradish, Es([., the first attorney, as he was the first in Waseca county In the winter of 1869-70, several buildings from Old Janesville were moved to the now town, and in the spring of 1870 the new town was full of life and vigor. James Cummins, born March 5, 1840, in Kenosha county, AVis., came to Blue Earth county in 1857, lived in Old Janesville for a time, and soon took a hand in the business of the new town. Joseph Davison, horn in the state of Xew York, in 1834, came to Byron township in 1862, enlisted in Company D, First Minnesota heavy artillery Oct. 20, 1864, served until Sept. 27, 1865, returned to Minnesota the same year, and in 1869 went to Janesville and helped to build the town as a contractor and builder. The Banner flouring mill, now owned by Jennison & Co., was built in 1873, by the firm of Stokes, Kimball & Co. The Diadem flouring mill was erected in 1877, by Harn, Snyder & Co. They became financially involved and the mill passed to Ilillyer & Tillotson, then to J. S. Snteliffe, and finally, in 1886, it became the property of Jennison Bros. The W. & St. P. railroad company erected a grain elevator in 1S()I), which soon after passed into other hands. Among the business houses, that of Byron & Barden is very popular.

The first school house was erected in 1871, at a cost of $2,800. Another school building was erected in 1877, and a third in 188,"). The latest is a brick building costing $7,000.

The town and village together, in 1878, put up a building 45x 100 feet, which is used as a town hall and for public meetings of all kinds. It cost about $5,000, and is a credit to the place.