Shelburne Township

Shelburne Township

The first religious services were held in the fall of 1876 by Rev. Mr. Eglaud a Norwegian Lutheran. That society built a frame church on section 20 in the fall of 1880. The society sold the tirst church building to school district No. 58, since which they have built a large and very commodious church, which is an ornament to the town. The first school district was organized in 1880, including the whole town. The first school was taught by Miss Sadie Uartlett in 1881, The town has now three school districts.

Shelburne has one railroad running through it, the Dakota Central. A station has been established about 60 rods west ol the Redwood river, called Redwood.

The surface is rolling prairie, splendid soil, as good as can be found in the state, and is well adapted tor dairying or stock raising. Hay is plenty and can be put in the stack to cost not exceeding one dollar per ton. The town is watered by the Redwood River and numerous small lakes. By digging from lo to 25 feet good water can be obtained.

The westei'n part of the town is settled by Norwegians, a very industrious classs of people who are acquirino^ fine homes. The eastern part is settled mostly by people from the New Eu^^land states.

With th« completion of the Duluth R. R. Shelburne is quite likely to o-et a station near its cast line, which will give it the best of market taeilities.

Shelburne is a new town and rather scantily populated. The last rote of the town, that on the question ot aiding the Duluth railroad, was 23, of which 20 were for the bonds. This should give the town a probable population ot about 130.

The 'assessor's report for 1873 gave the town 1241 acres of improA^ed land, of which 540 were wheat, 313 oats, 89 corn, 255 barley, 20 potatoes, 18 flax.

Town Of Monroe

The surface of the town is level prairie with nothing to obstruct the vision. There is scarcely any waste land, and the soil is of the best quality. In the assessor's report for 1883 the town is given 3,410 acres under cultivation, of which 1,105 were wheat, 946 oats, 780 corn, 310 barley, 43 potatoes, 218 flax.

In 1871 the lirst settlements were made by David Stafford, E. W. Healy, and George White. In 1872 J. L. Craig, Ole llialson, E. L. Starr, Edward Glynn. and perhaps a few others came into the town. The town did not improve very rapidly lor two or three years though tie VV. & St. P. R. R. was built through the town m 1872 and located a station near the east line, called Shetek Station, lake Shetek lying a few miles south in Murray Co. and the ship- I)ing of that settlement being then made here. The postollice of Shetek Sta-^ tion was first in the township of Summit in Redwood Co. The station for a time appeared on the maps as Summit. The station was moved to section 23 in 1874, and that and the postoffice changed in name to Tracy in February 1877.

The first school in the town was taught by Stella Cleveland in tlie summer of 1875 in the Presbyterian church at Tracy. This church had been built that . spring by a society organized by Rev. Ransom Waite who became pastor. The fiist religious organization in the town was a Congregational Sabbath school in 1874. Before the building of the Presbyterian church those of that persuasion had held servicej at the house of E. L. otarr, as far back as 1873 under direction of Rer. Waite.

There are thi'ee lakes in the town, two of them being so near together, on section 19 and 30 that the name of Twin Lakes covers both. On section 34 is lake Sigel, which by pipes supplies the railroad water tank in Tracy. There is no natural timber in the town.]

Dealer Ix

I have reimired many machines in the last 12 years, and have never been able to find one worn out. There are no worn out sewing machines. Get the worst old sewing machine you can find, bring it to me, and if the necessary parts are in market, I will put it in order or forfeit $20. I have never failed to successfully repair one yet.

At Low Prices

If you want the best «oods in the market, he can supply you. Several years experience enables him to always give satisfoction, and furnish better goods for the money than you can get elsewhere.

Brick, Lime, Plasterng-Hair

We always keep a largo assortment of men's and boys' suits, trunks and valises, hats and caps of every style, gloves and hosiery, underwear, <fec Our goods are selected by a thoroughly competent clothing man and our prices cannot be beaten in the west for the same quality^f goods. Our clothing is kept in such

Source changes here: from An Illustrated History of Lyon County, Minnesota, by Rose, Arthur P, published 1912; 722 words in this source stream.

Shelburne Township

4SThe first children born in Island Lake township were a child born to the first wife of John R. King in 1871 and Ethel Hodgkins. The first marriage was that of John R. King to Elizabeth Milner on December 24, 1878. The first school was taught by Ada Kennedy in 1879. The first religious services were conducted at the home of John R. King by a Rev. Dewey from Chicago.

pally to its distance from railroad points, and its organization was considerably delayed. The County Board took the necessary action to make it an organized township on August 19, 1879. and the first town meeting was held at the home of C. P. McCann on September 6 of the same year.

The following is a complete list of all persons who received patents to lands in Shelburne township under the homestead and timber culture acts: s0Peter Ronning, son of Mr. and Mrs. Erick Ronning, born June 27, 1873, was the first child born in Shelburne. The first school was taught by Miss Sadie Bartlett in 1881. The first religious services were conducted in the fall of 1876 by Rev. Egland, a Norwegian Lutheran minister.

51The farmers of Shelburne township in 1S84 were Allen Spink, John Olson, C. E. Dean, W. F. Randall, P. Simenson, Ole Kjelson, A. G. Hungerud, W. H. Shafer, W. N. Olin, John Murphy, E. K. Ronning, J. P. Myran, H. P. Sanden, Cornelius Peterson Myran, Filer Anderson, Christopher Johnson, C. P. McCann, P, McDowell, Ralph Hatton, E. F. Dickson, C. B.

Coon Creek. Its settlement in the early days was slow, principally on account of so much of its territory being taken up by school and University lands, as well as railroad lands. Its settlement was meager until the early eighties, but it has now developed into one of the most densely populated farming townships of the county.

The people of the township presented a petition to the Board of County Commissioners January 4. 1882, asking for the creation of the township with the name of Garfield, in honor of the martyred president. The commissioners took action on the matter, but as one township in the state already bore the name Garfield, the commissioners bestowed upon it the name of Stowe. Provision was made for holding the fir>T town meeting at the home of Louis Larson on March 7. but for some reason the people neglected the matter and Stowe township was never organized.

The matter of the organization of the township was again taken up July 17, 1883, when the commissioners named the precinct Coon Creek52 and designated the home of William Lamon as the place and August 4, 1883, as the date for holding the first town meeting.

Following is a list of the first officers of Coon Creek township: Frank P. Willard, chairman; C. A. Johnson and John E. Johnson, supervisors; G. O. Rask, clerk; Louis Larson, treasurer; William Lamon and Christian Cupp, justices of the peace; J. F. Mungerson, constable.53

Fellows, Erick Peterson, N. A. Hommerburg, Sigrid Gorseth, D. A. Aurandt, Hendrik Jorgenson, E. A. Blegen, M. L. Blegen, E. K. Ronning, I. L. Blegen, Pat McGinnis, X. Lilaquest and J. Limblum.

52The township was named from the creek, and there is also a Dead Coon lake just over the boundary line in Lincoln county. It is said that the latter was named by a corps of surveyors in the early days, they having found a dead coon on the bank of the lake.

i3The first child born in Coon Creek township was William Sharrett, son of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Sharrett, born at the home of D. S. Burt in 1870. The first death, thai of a baby of Mr. and Mrs. Burt, occurred in November, 1876. The firs! marriage occurred November 28, L877, the contracting parties being Thomas Milner and Ella Knapp. The first Bermon was preached by Rev. Ransom Wail in 1875.

the following: .1. F. Mungerson, 15. F. Bement, Nils Aii.lci-.~on. t\ A. John-. .a, \Y. M. Rice, F. Porter, Johann Siemer, 1'. Senerty, Christian Cupp, M. .Milner, Gustaf Rask, W. W. Eferrick, F. Willard, A. Johnson, William McCarthy, John Cleland, Louis Larson, John Johnson, \ \ Joy, T. -low William Lamon, .1. Fuller, I.. Hildreth, II. H. Hodgekins, D. S. Hurt, Frederick Ihde, R. Taylor and .1. .1. McDonald.