New Avon Township

New Avon Township

New Avon township is located in the central part of Redwood county, and embraces Congressional township 111-36. It is bounded on the north by Redwood Palls, on the east by Three Lakes, on the south by Willow Lake, and on the west by Vail. The surface is level or gently rolling. The Evan-Marshall branch of the Chicago and Northwestern crosses it from east to west in the southern part. Its only station is Rowena, consisting of an elevator, a store, a school house, and several homes. The trading centers are Morgan and Redwood Falls. There are four school houses. The predominating nationality is German.

The original survey was begun July 7, 1858, by James L. Nowlin, U. S. deputy surveyor. It was finished Sept. 2, 1858. This township had some marshes and ponds and one small lake in section 6. The surface was found to be quite level but rolling in some places, and the soil was first rate, generally speaking. There were no roads and no timber.

Beginning with the organization of the county, this township was considered a part of Redwood Falls township. Avon township was created with the present boundaries of New Avon, Sept. 4, 1872. There being another township of this name in the state, the name was changed to New Avon on Jan. 7, 1873.

A number of claims were filed in 1868-69, but the first actual settlements were made in 1870. George I. Davis, at present a resident of the township, passed through this region in 1870, but did not remain. Later John Turnbull, Henry Blanchard, James Johnson, and Ira Holliday settled in the township. These people were all there when J. S. Towle arrived with his wife and three children, May 15, 1871. He had spent the previous winter in Redwood Falls. April 20, 1871, George I. Davis arrived. Other settlers this year were D. L. Scriven, Daniel McPhee, John McPhee, J. L. Duncan, and Thomas Wolverton, all of these people were of Scotch, English and American ancestry. Jacob Werder, who arrived in 1872, was the first of the Germans who have since so thickly settled in the township. Mr. Johnson had a log house, the others were of board, though the house of Mr. Davis and several of the others was reinforced with sod. The roof of Mr. Towle 's house was one which he took with him from Redwood Falls, where he had roofed over a cabin for winter habitation.

In 1873, on the afternoon of the great blizzard, Mr. Towle and his young son, William, and Mr. Davis were getting rails on the Minnesota bottoms some three miles from Redwood Falls. The day was unusually warm and the men were working without their coats. Suddenly the snow began to fall so thickly that the tops of the trees were obscured. The three took refuge in Redwood Falls, where the Towles stayed for two days. Mr. Davis, after spending the night in the village became so worried about his family and his stock that he set our during the terrible storm and reached his home in safety.

The first town meeting in New Avon was held Sept. 5, 1872, at the home of J. S. Towle with some ten or twelve voters in attendance. The following officers were elected : Supervisors, J. S. Towle (chairman), James Johnson and Ira Holliday; clerk, John Turnbull; treasurer, Henry Blanchard; assessor, David Worst; justice of the peace, J. P. Towle. Of the men who attended this meeting, only Mr. Davis and Mr. Towle are now living.

The New Avon postoffice with J. S. Towle as postmaster flourished some twelve years. It was not on the regular stage route and the mail was supposed to be brought in a sack from Redwood Falls twice a week. There was often, however, considerable irregularity, as whoever was driving to the village usually brought out the mail.

The first religious services were conducted by Rev. Taylor, a Presbyterian, in the summer of 1873. In September, 1879, the Methodist society was organized ; services are conducted by Rev. Pemberton. The first meetings were held in 1874, under the leadership of Rev. Smith. The first school was taught by Flora McNiven, in 1872 ; there are now three frame school houses in the town. The first marriage was George Davis and Ellen Winslow, Dec. 24, 1872, by J. S. Towle. The first birth was John, son of James Johnson, in 1872. The first death was that of Isabella, daughter of D. M. Scriven, Jan. 21, 1874. For a time a creamery flourished in the southwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section 28.