Lucas Township

Lucas Township

In the noi'th-east corner of the county, and bounded north by Yelk)\v Medicine and east by Redwood counties, lies the town of Lucj*s; a rich agricultural district, and one ot the fairest and best of Lyon County's twenty township;^.

The ideal Minnesota town, in the minds of those >.vho have paid attt ntiou to the topography of our state, is one where rolling pran-ies and sparkling lakes alternate with frequency, thus giving, as it were, a dappled scenery nowhere iound in such pei'fection as in the Gopher State. Lucas is one of t ho; e towns. While the prairie is mostly dry, arable land with occasional tine meadows of rich native grass, free from sloughs and swamps, the water suppl}' of the town is ample without permanent rivers or creeks, in its many beautiful lil.- tle lakes which are scattered over the whole area of the town. There are seven clear-water lakes ot respectable size, with high banks, dry beaches, well stocked with fish and the resort of thousands ot water-fowl, furnishing variety and beauty to the prairie scenery, and unparalelled attractions lo ihe settler and the sportsman.

In section 3 is Sham Lake, not very large, nor very d«ep, but a pretty little body ot water. In sections 4, 5, 8 and 9 a much larger body of water is found, called Cottonwood Lake, from several large cottonwood trees on the east cud There is also a grove of timber on the north shore. In section 11 is Lake Hamre, named from E. T. Harare, a settler near it. It has a little timber on the south side. In section 17 a small lake is named Lake Susan on the railroad maps, but called Bogus Lake by the Lucasites. On section 20 and 21 is Lady Shoe Lake named from its supposed resemblance to that ariicle. There

38 some timber on the north side. In sections 23, 24, 25 and 26 Lady Slipper Lake, somewhat the shape of the last named, but larger, sleeps amid banks bare of timber. Just why the larger should be called a slipper and the smaller a shoe is one ol those curiosities ot nomenclature that no fellow successfully tries to find out. In seotion 36 is School Grove Lake, getting its name, probably from its being on a school section and having a grove on its east end.

These lakes are not, like the lakes of the country south of Minnesota, surrounded by swamp, but have beaches of sand, gravel and stone. There is usuall}' a deposit of bouhiers aroua'd a part of them. The lakes, too, make very little waste land. I^ucas has scarcely any waste land, but is considered one of the best towns for agricultural purposes in the west. The W. & St. P. R. R.[Co. appreciated this fact to such an extent that they fixed the price of their lands in this town higher than in other towns equally distant from the railroad. Since then they have withdrawn from market about half their lands there, reserving, for purposes best known to themselves, the land in the northeast half oi the town.

The crops ot Lucas have uniformlj^ been good, even in grasshopper years. Mr. R. H. Price states that his lowest average of wheat, even in those times was nine bushels per acie. In 1883, according to the assessor's returns, there were 2,187 acres of wheat sown, 698 acres of oats, 362 acres of corn, 127 acres of barley, 20 acres of potatoes, and other crops sufficient to make up a total acreage under cultivation of 3,418. By the same report the town had 191 milch cows, 153 sheep witii ayield of 1,268 pounds of wool. These last faijures were considerably increased during tlie summer of 18S3. There are 132 acrea of forest treej planted and growing, and 317 rods set out on highways. This promises well for the future fuel supply of ttie town, and it is an industry that will be more largely' entered into in coming years. The benefits ot cultivated limber on our praiiies, both m furnishing luel, beauiifying the tarm and enhancing real estate values, is becoming better recognized and acted on each year.

The chief obstacle to the rapid settlement and development of Lucas heretofore has lain in its distance from railroad markets. This has been cousiderablv overlooked because of its superiority of soil and lake attractions, and ttie town makes a good showing in its farm and home improvenients, but with a near railroad it would liave been much more sought alter and have made a much better record than it hae. This want ot the town is now in a fair way to be remedied. A line of railroad from the south via Worthington and Tracy was given a preliminary survey in 1883, and will probably run into or very near Lucas. This is one of the projected lines ot the Rock Island system.

and will probably be built to a northern connection with Fargo by the way of Big Stone Lake, [f built soon it must in all events, greatly benefit i.<ucas bj giving it a n«ar market and better facilities for settlement.

The postoffices of the settlers of Lucas are Vmeland, Wood Lake, Silliards ia Yellow Medicine Co. and Marshall. Sham Lake postoffice was kept up for Bome years by Mr. R. H. Price who also formerly had a store there, but the trouble of running it overbalanced its benefits, and it was discontinued some two or three years ago.^

The town has no native timber except that on the lakes before mentioned, and most of the fuel is bought in Marshall, the trading point for the town.

Settlement was first made in Lucas about thirteen years ago. In June of 1871 Wm. H. Slater and R. H. Price came up from Olmstead county and took the first claims taken in the town. Mr. Price built the first house, and is still a resident of the town. Mr. Slater removed to Pelican Rapids. During the same year AUend Christiansoo, Peter Oliason, E. T. Hamre, H. Dahl and Jas. Wardrop took claims and settled in the town. Other settlers soon followed, and the question of organizing and naming the town began to be discussed. Ia 1873 an organization was secured under the name of Canton. This name, though seemingly a good one, was uot satisfactory, and it was changed to Lisbon, another good name, but no more satisfactory than the first. Tlie name of Moe, after one of the supervisors, was then tried, but was again changed lo Lucas, which name seemed to stick.

In 1873 the cause of education was proved a factor of the public mind by the openi'Jg of the first school taught in the town in a small building built by li. H .Price on section 2. The teacher was Ella Williams.

The first child born tu the town was Albert Erwin, Feb. 37, 1873; the first marriage that of D. R. Burdette and Alice M. Price, July 16, 1873; the first death that of a son of John Krog in winter of 1873.

The first sermon preached was by Rev. Joseph Williams, a pastor of the United Brethren society. How much of the seed thus sown fell on stony ground or by the wayside, we have no means of accurately measuring; but there arose an awakening of interest in the subject of the latter end of man. early in the town's history, and there were soon formed two church orffanizatious. the Norwegian Lutheran and the United Presbyterian. Rev. J. Hunzi-

There are quite a nuiul)er of Scotch settlers in Lucas, largely irora Canada and Nova Scotia. In the north part ot the town there are several Scandinavians There are also some German settlers and a good many Americans. The iarms generally are thritty, and the farmers prosperous.

The settlement is pi-incipally on the even sections, having been largely taken as government claims. The odd sections, belonging to the W. & St. P. R. R. Co. by a land grant, have not yet received many settler, though considerable land has been sold.

The present town officers of Lucas are Ole Hattlestad, chairman; John Mc- Lennan and E T. Hamre, supervisors; E. S. Reishus, clerk; J. C. Gray, treasurer; J. A, H, Dahl, justice; Chris H. Dahl, constable.

Sec. 2. West halt is owned and occupied by R. H. Price, who has a fine farm on Sham Lake. Iver Nelson occupies the west half of the east half, and N. Nelson lives on the north east forty.

Sec. 8. C H. Dahl, northwest; A. Barstad, southwest; A. Anderson, soutkeast- Mr. Conrad, northeast. There is also a .school house in this section.

Sec. 32. Robt. Cummlngs, northwest; Wm. Stewart, southwest; John Mc- Lellan, northeast; Thos. Chalmers, southeast. There is a school^house oa north line of 33.

Town Of Vallers

Tho town ot Vallers is town 113. range 41, and is bounded north by Yellow Medicine county, cast by Lucas, south b}' Fairvievv and west by Westerheira.

The town was surveyed early, but the surveyor neglecting to make proper mounds, the stages were mostly burned down by prairie fires, and settlement iu the town was, without doubt, delayed considerably by the fau*; that the section corners could not be found.

In 1872 Ole O.Brenna Sr., Michael Knudson and A. Malde located farms, and in 1873 N. L. Jones, N, M. Fiske, Isaac Olsen and perhaps one or two others took up government land in the town, and efforts were made to get an organization. It could not be effected, however, till 1876 when the first town officers were elected at an election held in O. Brenna's house. They were, S W. Laythe, chairman; John Anderson and M. K. Snortum, supervisors; Ole O Brenua Jr. clerk and justice; Ole O. Brenna Sr. assessor.

The report that the first school was taught by J. L. Robinson is incorrect in the sense of a public school. He taught a private school on his claim in 1879 tor the benefit of his brothel's and sister's children. The first public school was taught by Miss Lavina Day in 1880. A school house was built the same year on the north line of section 29.

Church services were first held in 1877 at the house of Ole O. Brenna by Rev. Kmid Thorstenson, a Lutheran, and a church society was soon after organized.

The first birth was John Anderson in 1872. The first marnanje was that of Ole O. Brenna Jr. and Anna Olson, Dec. 23, 1877. The first death was that of Ole J. Engen in August 1877.

The only postoffioe in the town is atOIe O. Brenna's on section 4. It wa« established soon alter the settlement of Mr. O. Brenna, who has been postmaster since its establishment. The name of the office, by some misspelling, became Brenner and so remains.

The name of the town has undergone a similar change, probably from the same cause. The Norwegian word Vala, meaning a valley, was intended tor it, given by the O. Brennas, we understand. But as the name was not plainly written or properly spelled it was thought to be Vallers, and so named. To one familiar with the topography of the town the appropriateness of the name does not instantly appear. Di-ained by Three Mile Creek on the south line and the Yellow Medicine on the north, the town of Vallere occupies the high land between these two water courses, and is about as lar removed from a valley as any point in the county. The name may however have been intended as a reminder ot some vala in Norway.

Vallers has two organized school districts. The northwest quarter of the township constitutes No. 56, with 19 pupils reported, Theie is a school house on section 8. The southwest quarter of the town forms district No. 48, with 11 pupils reported. School house on section 29. The east half of the town is not yet organized.

The town has at present no trading p.oiut, Marshall being its market town; but the proposed railroad line from Diiluth to Yankton will undoubtedly give the town a station at or near its southeast corner.

On section 29 and adjoining sections Ihere is a large marsh, called the Big Slough, which is the home of thousands of water fowl and the resort of sports men in proper season.

(Considerable state land, mostly university land, is still viieawt in the towa, and the Southern Minnesota R. R. Company have some sections there *Mll u

«old. These make a vacauttra^t of country through the central and ea.ter» portions that the mhabitants would like to see settled. The town of Val lers ^ Ltled mostly by Norwegians, who are. as a general thing. ^1^-^^;^^;-;^^ ? -omfortable homes and on good tarms. There are one or two Iceland ta.mlies here, and m the south part of the township a few Americans have taken farms. The settlers are located as follows:

Durin- the Indian war of 1862 some of the skirmishing, it is thought, extended into this locality, as a skeleton was dug up on section 34 some two or three years ago whioh was supposed to be that of a soldier. A mask thought to be once a soldier^sc.p rested over the face, and other signs convinced the liuders that It was the skeleton of one ot the scouts or soldiers ot the Indian

"" Section 34 has been a historic section in Vallers, and has furnished much material for gossip among the denizens of that "vallev" N. B. Langdon took up the east half of the section several year. ago. opening thereon the "Brookheld farm " stocked it with fine sheep, erected good buildings and made the farm famous as a sheep farm. There was not much domestic harmony however.

chlorulovn in the room. No especial re.ison was ever discovered for the step at that time, but the coroner's jury brought in a verdict of suicide. Thjs shocking event gave rise to much talk in the town and out oi it. Mr. Lan^- fro^ that Umo tell into b»bits of dissipation, from which he ha<l for several years kept free, andthe stoek Urn, oegan to lose its fame through neglect A short time after the suioMe of h,s "J^^ J-^f went to St. Paul, and while there married a Mrs. I arnngton. Th.. m«- riage was not a happy one. Langdon repented of it before the week was out, and returned to Vallers alone, where his new wife soon followed him, detei'mined not to be shaken oflf from her husband and her acquired interest in the Urookfield farm. A domestic fight that became the talk of the country ensued and ended every night, like a Ledger story; with a "To be continued.'" Mrs. Langdon was a woman of remarkable grit, and dared death and destruction for her rights, sticking to the farm through threats ot everything terrible and some actual assault and battery, out of which grew law suits, and finally desertion of the field by Langdon and peaceable possession by Mrs. L. except by law suits to exclude her. The tarm was stripped of everything saleable, and the Brookfield stock farm is now but an episode of history.

Town Of Westerheim

Westerheim is one f)fthe north tier of towns, lyino; south ot the line of Yellow Medicine county and Ijounded east by Vallers, south by Grundview, west by Noidland. By government survey it is town 113, range 42.

The town is watered by *.he Yellow Medicine river which runs into the towa Irom the west and flows across the town, going ont at tlie northeast corner.

The town is well watered by this and the small water courses that lead into it, and it is one of the bf st tracts in the county for eitlier grazing, dairying or general agnculture. Though it has several miles of river there is no native timber except one large cottonwood on section 19, a land mark known as the lone tree. There was another similar tree on section 8, but it fell a sacrifice to hard times during the bloikade and fuel famine of 1881.

In June 1874 the first marriage, a double one, was celebrated, H. A. Nfland and Ingi^r Olson, and T. A. Huso and Carrit; Olson being theparLies most interested. Mr. Nyland's wife died in September of the same j'ear, being iho liret death in tlic town. The first birth was a daujrhter to John llstad in 1873.

I.Yon County

Prior to the taking of several sections of railroad land iu this town by Bishop Ireland for the use of his Minnesota colony the settlement of Westerheim was aln^ost exclusively Scandinavian, mostly from Norway. Some Icelanders have settled in the town, and in the south and southeast portions a few Americans. Belgian and French have located homes.

There are now two oi-ganized school districts. All of the east half ot the township except sections 34, 35, 36 constitute school district No. 3, with a reported scholarship of 47. District No. 54 is formed ot sections 4, 5, 8, 9, 16, 17, 20, 21, 28, 29 with 27 pupils. The school officers of the district are Snori Hoffnason, director; O. L. Orsen, treasurer;©. I. Leeland, clerk. Both districts have built school houses, and the educational intei'ests of the town are properly looked after.

District No. 3 has a school house on section 11 which is 18 by 24, seated with the Racine perforated seats. Capacity 40 pupils. District organized in 1877. Present enrolled scholarship, 41.

The name of the town, meanino; Western home, was very appropriately chosen by a people who appreciated the word home, and who saw in tlie fertile acres ot the town the requisites of successful farm life. There are many thrifty farms in the town, and good buildings, which indicate that the settlers have come to stay.

The assessor's report of 1883 gives the town 2,905 acres under cultivation, of which there are 1,607 in wheat, 514 oats, 208 corn, 528 barley, 26 potatoes, 22 flax. There were by same report 70 acres ot cultivated trees, 415 rods set on highways.

Its present town officers areOle L. Orsen, chairman; J. C. Rogde and Snori Hognason, supervisors; Ole I. Leeland, clerk; Oluf L. Orsen, treasurer; O. J. Moe, assessor; Geo. Richardson and Ole I. Leeland, justices; Wm. Marshall and EllingOxaas, constables.

Near center of east line of section 8 the Yellow Medicine river is spanned by a truss bridge 128 feet long. This bridge was built by L. Jacobson. Fund* were appropriated by the state legislature in 1883, under supervision of O. L. Orsen, O. I. Leeland and Snon Hognason.

O. L. Orsen has on his farm in section 18 a flowing well, perhaps the only artesian well in the county. It is, however, but ten feet deep, and the water was found alter boring through a stratum of soapstone underlying six or sereB feet of blue clay. The water is strongly tinctured with iron it is said.

Town Of Stanley

Stanley, which is town 112, range 40, is bounded east by Redwood county,, and north by the town of Lucas. It is a prau'ie country, having very little timber. A few trees are scattered along the two rivers which unite in Stanley, and a part of the grove on the south shore of Swan Lake, which lies on the eastern line, runs over into this town. But, as in all thrifty praine towns, the settlers ot Stanley have given considerable attention to the cultivation of forest trees, and substantial young groves that are full of future promise, can now be seen in all parts of the town.

The assessor's report tor year 1883 gives 81 acres of forest trees planted. This is not as large an acreage as is shown by Lucas or Fairview. but perhaps the assessor was weaker in addition than those of Stanley's sister towns. Au assessor with a keen vision and healthy imagination is an invaluable assistant in a town's statistics.

The reports of the United States census takers demonstrate that the estimates of local assessors are uuilbrraly too low, and that the towns are, as a rule, better off than the statistics make them.

Stanley's agricultural statistics for the year 1883 shov^^a total acreage under cultivation ot 2.17o, of which 1,269 were in wheat, 512 in oats, 224 in com, 134 in barley, 18 in potatoes, 14 in timothy, 12 in flax. This was an increa.9e over 1882 of 483 acres for total cultivation. The last average yield of wheat reported is between 14 and 15 bushels per acre; oats, neai-ly 40: corn, a fractioQ over 17; barley, about 24J; potatoes, 140, flax about 10.

The settlement of Stanley dates back to December 1867 when T. W. Caster located on section 24. His son Huoh was born in 1868 and was the first birth in the town. Daniel Munro settled on section 12 in 1870. In 1876 a town organization was effected, and an election ordered in September. The town was at this time named Delavan. This name was changed to Stanley, and an election had March 12, 1878, at which time the first town officers were elected as follows:

F. B. Patterson, chairman; C. A. Knox and C H. Currie, supervisors; D. T. Ludwig, clerk; Edward Wilson, assessor; S. C. Knox, treasurer; Duncan Mc- Kinley and Edward Wilson, justicesi Thomas Savage, constable.

The first sermon preached in the town was by Rev. E. Wilson, a Methodist, at Mr. Currie's, July 13, 1873, nearly seven years after the first settlement of the town. It is said that Caster and his neighbors during those seven years had grown lax in Sunday observance and were greatly m need ol religious instruction. -

The first school was taught by Ann Munro at the house of James White in the summer ot 1875, school district No. 29 having been organized the fall before. The school house was built in 1880.

The town ot Stanley is one of uniformly good agricultural lands, free from swamp or stony ridges, and almost every section is well adapted to general farming and grazing purposes. The hay lands of Stanley are very valuable and ample for the needs of the town.

The town is well watered by the Redwood River and Three Mile Creek, the two uniting in section 17. The Redwood runs across the town from west to east.

Swan Lake is on tha eastern edge, touching sections 1 and 12. The lake is mostly in Redwood county. It is a beautiful lake with wooded shores and a favorite resort for sportsmen and picnic parties.

There are three organized school districts in Stanley; the northeast quai'ter ©f the town being No. 34, in which 14 pupils are reported; the northwest quarter No. 29, with 18 pupils; the southwest quarter and sections 22, 37, and 84

The population of Stanley is mostly of Scotch descent m the north half of the town, and American in the south half. In thrift, enterprise, general intelligence, and all the requisite social and moral qualities, the people of Stanley are second to those of no town in the west.

Marshall is the postoffice and trading point for Stanley at present; though the town has railroad prospects that may in the near future give the town one or more railroad station and the advantages that go with such acquisitions. The preliminary survey of the branch line of the Itock Island company indicated that Stanley would yjrobably be one of the towns passed through and theDuluth, North Shore & Southwestern company's line from St. Cloud, yia Wiimar and Marshall lo Pipestone and Yankton will vta-y likely cut across a part of the town.

But with or without any other railroad facilities than those now furnished at Marshall, the town ot Stanley off'irs an attractive field to ihose looking fn- farm homes. With unsurpassed soil, rich meadows, rivers and lalie attractioni* there can bi^ little said in praise of any tovvnship of ihe county that cannot be said of Stanley. Its future as a rich agricultural town is as unquestioned as the luture of the state.