Lyra Township

Lyra Township

Lyra is traversed by both the Maple and Blue Earth rivers and is rich of soil and beautiful for situation. The first white settlers were Noble G. Root and Barney Simmons with their families in the fall of 1854. Early in 1855, the Winnebago Reservation was located by the government in Blue Earth County and made to include the present town of Lyra, and these two settl- eis were obliged to abandon their claims early in 185C. April 16, 1858, the County Conunissioners named the town "Tecumseh." On the removal of the \Vinnebagos in 1863, the town "was restored to white settlement and was attached to Mapleton for ofEicial purposes, fciome time before the Indian removal, Jiarnabas Simmons had moved back to his old claim, in Section 33 and lived with the Indians undisturbed. The first permanent settler after the Indian removal was Marcus L. Plumb, who located on Section 2S in the spring of 1864. The same year Lysander Cook settled on Section 5, Jason and Calvin M. Drake on Section 4, Eev. Jesse M. Thurston on Section 3, Gottfried Glaucke on Section 14, Chas. ISl. Plumb on Section 28, Ean Blossom on Section 18, Ered and William Hilke on Sections 32 and 16, Volney Crandall on Section 28, Levi Hauk on Section 10 and Jos. C. Harlow on Section 3. In 1865-6 came Gilbert Webster, Marion Hills, Simon and Thos. Garvin, Ephraim Palmer, John G. Morris, Martin Schroeder, Johnathan Townsend, Clark Puifer, Joshua Burgess, , Geo. E. Beals, Geo. Wilson and Harvey Case. In 1867-8 came 0. Cassody, Andrew L. Heaton, John B. Eadcliff, Eev. Fredrick, A. Pratt, Benj. S. Hawes, and Wm. and Patrick Mountain and Thos. Benedict.

May 29, 1866, the County Commissioners granted the petition of Marcus L. Plumb and twenty-six others for organization of the town and a meeting for the purpose appointed for the first Tuesday in July, at the house of Martin Schroeder. Through some defect of notice another date had to be set. Accordingly on September 1, 1866, the Commissioners appointed September 22, as the date for the first meeting at Martin Schroeder's house, and at the same time the name of the town was changed from ''Winneshiek" to "Lyra." The new name had been suggested by Eev. J. M. Thurston, after a town he had come from in the east. The name had long been applied to places in a number of states. It comes to us from ancient mythology and was originally used to designate a northern constellation under the Ptolemaic system, as it was supposed to represent the lyre, carried by Appolo. The first town officers were: Supervisors, Gilbert Webster, chairman, Clark Puffer and Volney Crandall; clerk, Lysander Cook; treasurer, Gottfried Glaucke, justices, M. L. Plumb and Ephraim Palmer; constables, Martin Schroeder and Chas. N. Plumb.

Meilicke, celebrated at the house of M. L. Plumb, in Section 28, by Eev. J. M. Thurston in December, 1865. The first religious services were conducted at the same house by the same minister in the fall of 1864. The first school was taught by Miss Elvira Eew in the summer of 1867, in a log school house located on the present site of Good Thunder.

The first mill in town was a water power saw mill built in the summer of 1865 by Laslibrook & Gates on the Maple river near the northeast corner of Section 28. In a year or two Eri L. Lashbrook sold out and the mill was owned and operated for four or five years by Trowbridge & Gates, and then the machinery was removed. In February, 1866, another small water power saw mill was built by Hiram B. Doty (or Doughty as sometimes written) on the j\Iaple river in the northeast quarter of Section 28. In Feb. 1868, Doty sold a half interest in the mill property to Merritt Pierce, who a year later sold it to A. M. Hewitt. Doty operated this mill until about 1876, when he removed it to Section 4, added a feed mill to it and put in steam power. This last mill he operated until about 1888. In 1868, Oren Palmer and Allen Miller built a saw and grist mill on the Maple near where the railway bridge now crosses that river. The saw mill machinery was taken out after a few years, and in March, 1881, the mill sold to E. F. Wilson, who ran it for two or three years, when it was abandoned. In 1867 Post & Doak built, on the Blue Earth Elver, in Section 18, a small water power saw and feed mill. The next year William H. and x\aron S. Post became sole proprietors. In June, 1869, they purchased of Doak the south- . west one-fourth of the northeast one-fourth of Section 18, for a mill site and in May, 1870, sold the plant to Herbert W. Dart. Dart made use of an ancient bed of the river to construct a new mill race, which afforded a much better water power and more convenient site for the mill, which now had been changed to a fair sized grist and shingle mill. In January, 1871', Dart sold the mill to Henry 0. JJ^er, who in turn sold an interest in it in October, 1878, to Thos. G. Quayle. The mill was now removed to the top of the bluff, enlarged, and operated by means of a- cable, which communicated with the waterpower at the foot of the bluff. From this device it was called "Cable Mills." It was now exclusively a grist mill. With its new machinery and under the management of two such able niiUers as Quayle and Dyer, it soon became very popular. In June, 1879, the mill was sold to Turner & Redfeam, who operated it with good success until about 1893, when they sold it to W. T. Thompson & Sons. In March, 1900, the mill was purchased by Joseph Kreuer, and ia August, 1905, was struck by lightning and burned.

About 1870, Geo. Doty built a mill on the- Maple river in Section 2, which he operated for a few years, called the "Elkhorn Mills." In the fall and winter of 1905, E. L. Houk and Walter Eedfern built a large steam grist mill at Good Thunder which burned in the summer of 1908.

During the days of the Winnebago Eeservation, an Indian chief called. Good Thunder, occupied the log buildings and field which had constituted the homestead of Noble G. Eoot in Section 10. Here was a good ford of the Maple river, which after the chief was called "Good Thunder's Ford." When the Wells Eailroad was located in 1869-70, the proprietors arranged to have a depot and town site near this ford.

In October, 1870, John G. Graham, who had been in the mercantile business with Chas. B. Prazier at Garden City, began the erection of a store building, 10x24, at the proposed new town, which he opened that fall. The carpenter work on this first building in Good Thunder was done by B. F. Webber, afterwards the eminent judge of the Ninth District. Mr. and Mrs. Graham moved to the new . building Nov.

30, 1870, and were the first settlers in Good Thunder village, ilay 6, 1871, a new postoffice called "Good Thunder's Ford" was established with Mr. Graham as postmaster.

The new town was surveyed in April, 1871, in the west one-half of northwest one-fourth of Section 10, and the plat made by Levi Houk, (^lark W. Thompson, Jas. B. Hubbell and John A. Willard, and dated August 26, 1871. It was called "Good Thunder" after the old name of the ford. The second store was opened early in 1871, by L. E. Saxton & Son, and the third settler in the town was A. S. Handy, who started a blacksmith shop there in February,

1872, Chas. Hawcs succeeded Mr. Graham as postmaster. September, 18 Tl, Oscar Cassidy was appointed postmaster and was succeeded in February, 1876 by L. B. Saxton, who had started a small drug store in town in 1871. H. Wiedenhaft opened a boot and shoe store this same year. Dr. A. G. Meilicke located there about the same time. In the fall of 1873, the village built a two story frame school house, 24x40, A. W. Barron of Medo being the contractor. The railroad was not completed to the village until the latter part of September, 1874, when a depot was built. A tow mill was built in fall of 1873. A cornet band was organized by Professor Howe in winter of 1875-6, which flourished several years. Fred Mann opened a mercantile store there in 1875, A. F. Billet started a harness shop in 1876. In 1878, John G. Graham built a three story frame building fox a hotel and hall adjoining his store, which was opened with a ball on July 4, that year. The same year Aug. Ludtke started a store, which he sold to Sohre & Wendlandt in March, 1882. In 1898, L. E. Saxton died and his son, John Saxton, was appointed postmaster in his stead. In 1881, Austin & Flannegan had a saw and grist mill at the village, and J. J. F. Graf handled hardware and farm machines. Dec. 15, 1883, a Hook and Ladder Co. was organized in the village with J. G. Graham as foreman and J. J. F. Graf as assistant, and some apparatus procured. In

Kev. Jesse M. Thurston was a prominent character in the early history of Lyra. He was a Eaptist by faith, and it was natural that under his lead the hrst church in town should belong to that denomination. The services were conducted usually at M. L. Plumb's house, until the log school house was built on the site of Good Thunder, when they were transferred thither. Here in Oct., 1867, the "Maple Elver iiaptist Church" was organized by liev. Thurston with eight members. Dec. "Zl, 1874, the following trustees were chosen: Marion Hills, Henry Dyer, Chas Hawes, Thos. Garvin, Oscar Cassidy. and Gustavus Meilicke. The society worshiped in a hall until the last of November, 1884, when they first occupied their present house of worship, built that season on Lot 5, Elock 9, of Good Thunder. The M. E., aJeo, held services at school house 98, in the early days and organized in the village in 1878, under the liev. J. W. Powell. Catholic services were conducted by Father Wirth of Mankato early in 1874, at the house of Wm. Mountain on iriection 29, where they continued until 1878, when a chapel was erected at the village, costing $2,500. The church was legally incorporated as the "The Church of St. Joseph of Good Thunder" April 14, 1885, by Bishop John Ireland, Augustine Eevaux, A^icar General of Diocese, Thos. Duane, pastor; and Andrew Mc- Carthy and Wm. Mountain lay members. The first German Lutheran services were conducted by Eev. Albert Kuhl at the village school house. In the summer of 1877, a frame church was erected, and a parsonage in the fall. September, 1885, they purchased the Adventist church for a parochial school house, and a school opened in November, with Adolph Kahlo as teacher. A parsonage for the teacher was built in fall of 1886. Eev. August Wollf was prominent as its early pastor. The church was incorporated May 29, 1882, as "German Evangelical Lutheran Johannes Church at Good Thunder," with the following trustees: Gottfried Schwan, Fred Bleedorn, John Sompke, and John Bosin. June

5, 1898, the following new trustees were appointed: Ered Pautsch, Carl Matzke and Edward Malzahn, with Herman Darge and C. Breuscke presiding. In the winter of 1887-8 a split occured in the church. Eev. Applo was the leader of the seceding wing, and for about a year there was great commotion among the people. The two pastors met in a large hall to discuss in joint debate the question at issue and great crowds gathered to hear them. The seceding party incorporated July 23, 1890, as the "German Evangelical Lutheran Immanuel Church of Good Thunder," with Louis Kranhold, P. C. Witting and E. Christ Blume as trustee. A church building was erected later. In 1895, the Johannas Church erected a fine new brick building costing about $11,000. The dedication occurred September 20th of that year, when an immense crowd gathered to listen to the impressive service. A number of prominent divines were present and delegations from the Lutheran Churches of Maidcato, Lake Crystal, Eapidan, Willow Creek, Amboy, Danville and St. Clair attended the impressive services.

Early in the eighties the Seventh Day Adventists organized a church at Good Thunder. In the fall of 1883, they built a chapel which was dedicated on February 17, 1884, Elder Olson officiating. The church grew rapidly in those days, and in the fall of 1885, their chapel became too small, and it was sold and a larger chapel erected that fall. Eev. M. W. Gregory was their pastor at that time. The church is still flourishing.

May 10, 1895, Bishop Gilbert held Episcopal services at Good Thunder, when it was decided to form a church and build a chapel. The latter was erected during the summer at a cost of $1,050.

May 3, 1890, Good Thunder voted $5,000 to build a new school house. A fine two story brick edifice was completed in 1892, and Chas. Hawes was the first teacher therein. He had taught the first school in Good Thunder twenty-three years before in the old log building. Sept. 6, 1891, the Good Thunder Herald was started by Frank H. GrifEin, which paper is still doing well. January 6, 1893, the Bank

In March, 1889, C. L. Saxton was appointed postmaster. He was succeeded in Aug. 1893, by F. H. GriflEin, who in turn, August 1897, was succeeded by W. A. Wilsie. March 3, 1893, Good Thunder voted to incorporate as a village by a vote of seventy-nine to fourteen.

We have spoken elsewhere of Good Thunder as the center of the Alliance movement in our county and of its great celebrations. The place today is a live substantial village enjoying a good trade.