Medo Township

Medo Township

Medo is an Indian name meaning ''Small Potatoes" and was applied to the locality first by the redman. As early as April, 1858, the County Commissioners officially designated the town by this name. Until the departure of the Winnebagoes in Maj', 1863, the town formed a part of their reservation. The first settlers were Alonzo W. Barron and Samuel Goodwin, who arrived in the town with their families in May 1863, on the very day the Indians left it. They were followed immediately by Chas. Remington, George Dolan, W. J. Atcherson, Hiram H. Stratton, B. Dane, S. E. Stebbins and James Patterson. Other early settlers were Wm. Ledbeter, Thron Hoverson, James H. and Andrew Quinn, C. P. Merickel, August Beise, Robert C. Ward, A'apoleon B. Moody, Geo. W. Rogers, D. C. and Andrew Weston, David Weaver, Barney Olson, Ole T. Ingebretson, John W. \'ars, John, Patrick and Thos. Murray, Wni. and M. C. Ackerman, Isaac Amy, Jr., F. \\. and J. W. Atcherson, S. B. Babcock, Thos. Cary, Samuel Clapsliaw, Alfred Davis, Tilton Eastman, Seth Gilbert, Dr. J. W. Bently, Daniel A. Mandago, Francis and Joseph Neller, E. B. H. Norton, Stark Peterson, Ferdinand Plageman, Louis Siverson, Sanford E. Terwilliger, Edward L. Taylor, Ira and Wm. Ward, J. Lee, L. Breke, S. Germo, A. Andrson Sr., A. Anderson Jr., Torris Knudson, Lars Folkedahl, 8. N. Meg and others. Most of the settlers were from Wisconsin. By July 4, 1863, about forty families had settled in the town and on that date nearly all gathered for a picnic in the grove. Here it was determined to organize the town and call it "Oak Grove." As there was another town of that name in the utate, it was decided at a meeting in August, to change the name to "Cambridge." When it was found that name, also, had been taken, the old designation of "J\ledo" was adopted. At the same Fourth of July picnic, on the suggestion of Mrs. A. W. Barron, it was decided to start a Sunday school. Mrs. Barron was elected the first superintendent, and she collected $5, that day, which she sent to the Bible society for Bibles, and received $15 of books. She also, wrote to her sister, who was a member of Henry Ward Beecher's Church in Brooklyn, and received from that church a $200 Sunday school library. The Sunday School was held in the grove, except on rainy or cool Sabbaths, when an Indian bark hut was used, and in the winter the services were moved to Mr. Goodwin's house.

The sensation of that first summer was the appearance in the neighborhood of a monster snake, 16 to 20 feet in length, which finally made its lair under Mr. Barron's cabin. Teased by dogs, it is claimed to have committed suicide. It was evidently a python which had escaped from some traveling menagerie.

September 8, 1863, the town of Medo was organized and the first town meeting held at the iiouse of Hiram H. Stratton, September 19, 1863. The first town board were : H. W. Barron, Chr., S. E. Stebbins, and A. Bagley; and Hiram Stratton, Clerk. The first white child born in the town was Hiram, son of H. H. Stratton, born September, 1863. The first marriage was that of D. Allen and Lovina Webster in the spring of 1865. The first death was that of Eifie, a four year old daughter of Samuel Goodwin, who died in February, 1864. The first school was taught by Mrs. L. W. Barron at her own home in the summer of 1864. In the early spring of 1865 a log school house was built in District 58 and the first school in it taught that tummer by Miss Arvilla Keyes (Mrs. Napoleon Moody). The second school in it was taught by aMrs. Sue Stedman and thereafter B. F. Stedman taught in the same school for nine successive winters. The first school in District 57 was, also, taught in 1865 by Miss Amelia Ackerman, at her father's house, M. C. Ackerman. The to^TO now has nine school houses. A number of the boys and girls of these schools have taken prominent places in life. Among whom are Dr.

C. J. BeisCj Dr. R. A. Beise and Attorney G. W. Beise, sons of August Beise; Judge James H. Quinn, son of Andrew Quinn; Dr. Tlios. Murray, son of Patrick Murray; Attorney Prank Murray, son of John Murray, Dr. Wm. Will, son of David Will; Dr. Chas. Germo and Attorney Thos. Germo, sons of S. Germo and many others whose names we did not learn.

Two murder cases form a sensational chapter in the early history of Medo. Peb. 20, 1864, John Gill shot and killed Levi Matthews in a (]uarrel over some timber. He was threatened with lynching by twelve of Matthews neighbors from Danville, but was exonerated by the Court OD the ground of self defense. The next unfortunate event occurred on the evening of Peb. 23, 1876, when a widow, named Jane Gilbert, was shot through a window and killed at her home by Andrew Weston. The murderer was convicted and sent to the penitentiary.

The first postoffice was established in 1867 with J. W. Vares as postmaster. He was succeeded by B. P. Stedman, and he in turn by W. J. Atcherson. In December, 1878, James Paley was made postmaster and the office, thereafter remained at his store until discontinued in July, 1904. Besides the store and postoffice, a blacksmith shop and feed mill formed a small center for the town for many years near the northeast corner of Section 15. About August 1, 1875, Little Cobb Postoffice was established v,'ith Wm. Germo as postmaster. December, 1878, he was succeeded by Ole Ingebretson, and in Pebruary, 1889, Englebrit Olson became his successor. The office was discontinued July 15, 1904. John Hanson conducted a small store in connection with the postoffice near the l^Torwegian church. -He first started the store about 1880.

In 1894 a creamery was built on the southeast corner of the northeast quarter of Section 12, and a store started at the same point by Geo. L. Blaisdell. A postoffice was established here in 1895 called "Cream," in charge of Mr. Blaisdell, who was succeeded in November, 1897, by Albert Severson. About 1896 Ole Ostedahl Luilt another store at the same point, which burned in about two years. Then A. Berentson built a store there in which his son, John Berentson, and Albert Severson ran a general mercantile business for about a year, when Severson retired. Then later Simon Berentson succeeded his brother. The Blaisdell store burned in the winter of 1906-7 and the postoffice was discontinued in the summer of 1905. A blacksmith shop was started at Cream about 1895 by H. H. Johnson and about a year later 0. Moen opened another shop.

Religious services were started in Medo, as we have seen, shortly after the arrival of the first settlers. Preachers of the M. E. and United Brethren churches conducted services at private homes and school houses for years, and a Union Sunday school was maintained. During 1866 and 1867 a number of Norwegian families had settled in the town and in the fall of 1867 the first religious services for these people were conducted at the log cabin of 0. Ingebretson. A church was partly organized in the winter of 1867-8 and it was voted to hold quarterly services. The families forming this first organization were those of Thron Hoverson, Louis Siverfcon, S. Germo, S. N. Vieg, 0. Bngebretson, L. i^recke. Tennis Lakeson and Tennis Dahl of Blue Earth county and John, Owen and Tobias Johnson of Waseca county. Rev. M. Melby of New Richland became their first pastor. Services were continued in private houses until about 1869, when the first log school' house was built 'in District 63, when they were moved thereto. In a few years the log school house was replaced by an octogonal frame structure, which fj'om its odd shape was always known as the "Round School House." The "Medo Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church" continued to worship in this building, until a house of worship was completed in the summer of 1876 on a plat of ground near the northeast corner of Section 25, deeded to the congregation by Siever N. Vieg on July 15, 1872. On July 3, 1877, tJie new church building was completely wrecked ])y a big wind storm. Nothing daunted, however, the people, on the following summer erected their present commodious church edifice on the ?ame site. After Rev. Melby, Rev. M. Borge became pastor for a time, and then Rev. Melby was called to service a second time. Rev. H.

Histoey Op Blue Eaeth Couxty

Ostedahl followed and in his days, about 1887, a parsonage was built. Eev. J. A. Hammer became pastor next, then Eev. D. G. Fugleback and lastly Eev. J. Olson, the present minister. The iirst deacon was L. Brecke and the present holder of that office is J. Guddal. There are sixty-eight families now connected with this church. A Norwegian Sunday school was started first about 1867 in the settlers' cabins. After its removal to the school house, it began to as- ?ume the form of a parochial school during the vacation periods of the public school. It was usually taught by theological students. In 1892 District 63 built a new edifice and the old Eound school house was sold to the Norwegian congregation, who moved it to the northeast corner of Section 35, and have used it ever after for the parochial school. On the Waseca side of the line nearly opposite the center of Medo, stands the Congregational church of Freedom, the society of which was organized in 1887, and the building erected a year or two later. January 29, 1894, a Free Baptist church was organized with fifty-two members in the western part of the town as the result of a big revival season. An acre of ground was secured July 26, 1894, from Eobert Ward in the southwest corner of the northwest quarter of Section 19, on which a commodious chapel was built. The trustees at the time were: Wm. Miliken, Horace Greely, John Morrow, Ira Ward, John Eogers, Geo. Wai-d, Eobert Ward and Albert Gutcher. On May 10, 1897, Medo was visited by a tornado which destroyed school house No. 59, Alma City Creamery, and Engelbret Olson's house and the Little Cobb postoffice therein kept. Sept. 25, 1906, the town voted $7,000 bonds as a bonus to the Alphabet Eailway. This railroad was built in 1907. A townsite called "Pemberlon" was laid out in November, 1907, near the southwest corner of Section 1, whereon a depot, elevator, store, bank, etc., have been erected, forming a good nucleus for a village. A postoffice was created in June, 1908, with Marcus Williamson as postmaster.