Petersburg Township

Petersburg Township

Petersburg is a little inland hamlet located near the center of Petersburg township, boasting a creamery, a store, school house and a few residences. In the sixties a postoffice named Petersburg was established on section 28, with Bev. Peter Baker as postmaster. Like most country postoffices it had an intermittant existence, being discontinued and reestablished several times. Andrew Everson became postmaster in December, 1876, and at another reestablishment in July, 1888, 0. W. Edgecombe became postmaster. The office was discontinued for good in 1904, and beginning with October the patrons were sui5plied by niral free delivery.

Some of the farmers of Petersburg township in 1897 organized the Petersburg Dairy association, purchased a site, erected a creamery building and started a creamery under the management of Chris Sorenson. The next year B. A. Kittleson erected a building and opened a store, which he conducted until the spring of 1\)02, when he sold to the Nasby Mercantile company. The townsite was platted April 13, 1898, by William Schroeder.

Bergen, named after a city in Norway, is a little hamlet located on sections 23 and 26, Christiania township, where is a store, creamery and blacksmith shop. It was founded in 1895 and for several years maintained a postoffice.

Other Places

Before the days of rural mail delivery there were several country postoffices in Jackson county. At other places in the county abortive attempts have been made from time to time to found towns. Among the number were Springfield, Belmont and Odessa, the history of which have been given in preceding chapters.

Des Moines City, located on the river in the north part of Des Moines township, was another early day village. Here was located the only grist mill in the county and a sawmill. Griggs & Company, the owner of the mills, platted a town in the spring of 1870, and for a time the village was a weak rival of Jackson.

Belmont was a country postoffice located in the township of the same name. It was first established in April, 1872, and Ole Tollefson was postmaster. The office was not on a stage line but was supplied by special carrier. In March, 1875, the office was discontinued, and the one at Brownsburg took its place. The Belmont office was reestablished in April, 1877, when Peter A. Sandvold was named postmaster, but it was later discontinued. Again in February, 1883, a postoffice named Belmont was established at a point two miles north of Brown's mill, with Ole Kilen as postmaster. He was succeeded by Robert Kiien. The postpffice was discontinued in December, 1886. The name is still preserved in the Belmont Creamery association, incorporated, which has its plant on section 27. The company was organized in 1898 by farmers in Belmont, Enterprise and the northern part of Des Moines townships. Following are the officers and directors: A. J. Lindberg, president; John Elf son, vice president; L. 0. Teigen, secretary; John Lilleberg, treasurer; William Johnson, Lewis Anderson, J. K. Ofstad.

The Round Lake postoffice, in the township of that name, was established in July, 1872, with W. A. Mosher as postmaster. The oflEice was supplied from Worth ingt on. W. N. Davis and J. N. Dodge later held the office, and it was discontinued when the office of the same name was established at the railroad station in Xobles county.

In 1872 parties in the interest of a French colony attempted the founding of a town on section 15, Petersburg township, but were unsuccessful.

Orr postoffice, in Hunter township, had an existence of many years. It was established in July, 1873, and Thad Rucker was the first postmaster.

Williamsburg was the name of a Jackson county village on the south shore of Tx)on lake which had a brief existence in the seventies. A townsite was surveyed on the southeast quarter of section 25, Minneota township, in October, 1874, for William McClellan. It was announced that later the site' would be made to include land belonging to Messrs. Rathban and Read and that several business enterprises would be started. Mr. McClellan

Brownsburg was a little village on the ])es Moine:? river in southern Belmont township that gained some importance. The Brownsburg postoffice was establish- ^ ed in March, 1875, having been moved from Belmont, and Ole A. Brown was the first postmaster. Brown & Company^s mill was located at that point. Brede A. Brown became postmaster in 1880 and held the office several years. A store was started in the eighties, and in 1888 it was learned the village consisted of a flouring mill, cheese^^ factory, school house and church.

Namsos was the name of a postoffice in Kimball township which existed many years. It was establif>hed in June, 1875, and Carl Frovarp was the first postmaster.

Somerset postoffice was established in Christiania township in September, 1875, with J. W. Jacobs as postmaster. It was discontinued January 1, 1876, but was reestablished in March of the same year.

Loon Lake consisted of a store and postoffice started in Minneota township in 1882. Mr. Creed was the first postmaster. The office was discontinued in September, 1885, but was later reestablished.

Elaborate plans were made for the founding of a town, Trebon by name, on the south shore of Clear lake in 1885. The plan was developed by a colony of Bohemians, headed by Joseph Trca, of Chicago. Money was raised to start the town and to build a brewery, which was to be the principal industry.^® A plat was

'-"The Bohemian vHlage on the eastern shore of Clear lake, four miles west of Jackson, will doubtless this spring: materialize into a visible surveyed in the spring and a few buildings were put up. The brewery enterprise was abandoned, and the townsite before very long reverted to farming lands.

Another Bohemian colony laid out the town of Arlington on the southwest quarter of section 27, Kimball township, in 1885, but this did not advance so far as did Trebon.

N. *C. Frederickson platted the town of Karlin October 13, 1888, on the northwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section one, Belmont township. Over 4,000 acres of land in the vicinity had fact. Joseph Trca, of Chicago, is proprietor of the townsite. He is now preparing to have the ground platted. In the center of the town wiU be a public square. 600x600 feet. The business lots will be 30x100 feet and residence lots eight rods square. A large number of families are preparing to become citizens of the new village, and the frugal and hard working Bohemians will doubtless build up a thriving and lively community. It Is intended to make the manufacture of Bohemian beer an extensive industry." - Jackson Republic, March 27, 1886.

Elm postoffice was established on the east haK of the southeast quarter of section 10, Enterprise township, in February, 1894, with Peter M. Getty as postmaster. The office was later moved and had a life of several years.

Spofford postoffice, on the northwest quarter of section 26, Ewington township, was started in January, 1895, with. J. A. Spafford as postmaster. A little later Mr. Spafford opened a store there, which he conducted several years. In the spring of 1909 Mr. Spafford again opened a general store on his farm.