Summit Township

Summit Township

In June, 1856, G. W. Knapp, with his family, located in the town of Summit, which is the center town of the southern tier, be;ng flanked on the east by Oak Glen, and on the west by Berlin, with Somerset on the north, and Freeborn county on the south. The northwest corner of the town has considerable timber ; suflScient to supply the balance of the town with all necessary fuel and fencing. A branch of the Straight river runs across the northwest corner, in a northeasterly direction, while another branch, taking its rise in a little lake lying partly in the town of Oak Glen, flows in a northwesterly course across the entire town, making an abundant supply of water for stock. The land is somewhat rolling, of a light but very productive soil, of about the same nature of that in other portions of the county. No watfer power in the town, that is available for the purpose of driving machinery.

When Mr. Knapp made his claim, he immediately pitched his tent, which he carried with him, and Mrs. Knapp went at once to "housekeeping," two straw beds occupying nearly all the tent, but by putting one on top of the other in the daytime, a little room was left for standing or sitting down. The cooking and all other work was done in the open air in front of the tent.

One stormy night, soon after their arrival, they had five guests to accommodate with lodgings, and of course only one bed for the five ; but necessity knows no law, and no bounds, and they all undertook to sleep in the tent, each pre-empting as much of the bed as would answer for a pillow, and so much more as by dint of crowding he could obtain possession of. Yet all found themselves pretty thoroughly wetted, before morning, in consequence of the numerous ejectments that each had received from under the tent-cloth.

Mr. Kndrpp lived in his tent only a few weeks, when he built a log house and removed his family to somewhat more ample accommodations. John Bennett built a house very soon after the completion of Mr. Knapp's. There were also several families moved into the southern part of the town that fall.

The first birth in the town was that of Adelbert Heath, son of Roswell Heath, in 1857. The fir^ marriage took place in December, 1858, the parties being Benjamin Wheeler and Miss Delia Fredenburgh. The first death occurred in 1860, Mrs. Delora Fredenburgh, wife of Jeremiah Fredenburgh, being the first to pass from this to the thither shore of the dark river.

Dover is one of the eastern tier of towns ; bounded on the north by Mertou, on the east by Dodge county, south by Aurora, and west by Owatonna.

The first settlement was made in 1855 by Chas. McCarty, Wm. Burns, Wm. Close, and Robert Adair, George Dennis, Newton Parker, and D. C. Tiffany came in 1856. All commenced farming operations and built tbem houses to shelter their families.

The first birth that occurred in Dover was that of John Adair, a son to Robert Adair, in 1855, the same fall of the arrival of the family in town. The first death was that of Mrs. Newton Parker, in November, 1856. The funeral sermon was preached by Rev. Mr. Wetzel, which, it is believed was the first religious service in the township. The first matrimonial venture was entered into by Mr. Frank Hickock and Miss Elizabeth McOaslin, in the fall of 1857 ; D. 0. Tiff'any, a Justice of the Peace, and took due acknowledgment of the contract. The first school was taught in the summer of 1857 by Miss Elizabeth McCaslin, now Mrs. Frank IJickock.

Little of interest transpired within the limits of the town other than the usual round of seed time and harvest, and the labors consequent thereon. Hard times came to the pioneers occasionally, but with an unflinching determina tion to succeed they persevered and grasped each opportunity till success was the result. The Winona & St. Peter railroad runs thi'ough the town from east to west, the nearest station being Claremont on the east and Owatonna on the west. It is mostly a good agricultural district, though some portions are rather wet and swampy. There are no stores or shops in the town.