Walcott Township

Walcott Township

DiSTBK'T No. 12 was rrganized at the bouse of Edward Jones in 1856, in section twenty-four, and in the spring of 1857, a log house was got up on the same section, with two half windows for lighti and Miss Arminta Newcomb called about twenty pupils to order. In 1872, a frame house was constructed in section thirteen, near the town line and so it is a union district.

District No. 38 came into existence on the 25th of June, ] 858, in section nineteen. A tax of $150 was raised to build a log house, which was 18x20 feet with six windows, one door, and a cottage roof, located on section eighteen. James Denison was the first instructor. In 1862, the house was moved to section twenty. The schoolhouse now standing was constructed in 1878. Miss Mary Auldon had the honor of wielding the rod of authority. The school now has twenty-five scholars.

It is quite likely that a new district will be formed from the eastern part of No. 50, as it is so inconvenient for many to get across the river to school. In 1882, a private school with fourteen pupils was taught on this side in a granary owned by Bartlett Smith; Miss Maggie Foster was the teacher.

District No. 17. - This district was organized in 1856, in the house of Isaac Woodman. The house was built the same year, of logs or slabs, and was 16x24 feet and had four windows and one door and it was got ready for school purposes the next year when Susie Frisbegwith taught the first school. This buiUUng served until 1875, when the district constructed a frame edifice, 18x28 feet, in section eight, at a cost of $500. Miss Hattie Howard inaugurated the first classes in the new house.

Biographical

Laurits Andersen, a native of Denmark, was born on the 22d of October, 1845. He emigrated to Wisconsin in 1868, and one year later married Miss Anna C. Johnson, the ceremony taking place on the 9th of April. They have one child. In 1871, they removed to Steele county, Minnesota, and four years later to Rice county, where, in 1880, he purchased his present farm of one hundred acres in Walcott, in sections eight and nine.

Jesse C. Castle was bom in Rome, Oneida county. New York, on the 21st of July, 1858, and removed to Minnesota in 1879. In 1881, he purchased his present farm of one hundred and twenty acres in Walcott, sections tweuty and twenty-one.

Chandler O. Castle was also born in Oneida county. New York, on the 3d of June, 1826. He was married in 1851, to Miss Elmira Knotgrass, the ceremony taking place on the 20th of November. In 1878, he removed to this county where he has two hundred acres of land in Walcott, sections twenty and twenty-one. Mr. and Mrs. Castle have had four children, three of whom are living. James Denison was born in New York, on the 3d of May, 1820, and while young removed with his parents to Ohio. In 1840, he was united in matrimony with Miss Mary McCochran, the ceremony taking place on tbe 13th of March. They removed to Indiana in 1842, and in 1855, came to Minnesota and located in Walcott, where he preempted one hundred and sixty acres of land to which he has since added one hundred and forty acres. He has had a family of nine children, but five of them are now dead. Mr. Denison was Treasurer of the town in 1856, and Assessor and Collector in 1859, and is the j^resent Chairman of the board of Supervisors.

E. O. Denlson, a son of James and Mary Denison, was born in Indiana, his birth dating the 1st of April, 1850. He came with his parents to this township in 1855. He was joined in marriage with Mi3s Barbara McEachran, on the 30th of April, 1874. They moved to Redwood county, but soon returned, and in the spring of 1881, purchased eighty acres of land on section eighteen adjoining his father's. His house was burned the same spring, in April. Mr. and Mrs. Denison have a family of three children.

Frank Decker was born in Tompkins county. New York, on the 15th of July, 1848, and in 1864, came to Minnesota, where he purchased land in Walcott in section seventeen. His farm was rented until three years ago, previous to which time he was engaged in a feed store in Faribault. His mother and sister reside with him on the farm.

H. E. Eastling was born in Canada on the Ist of January, 18 - and removed to Michigan in 1862, and one year later to Rice county, Minnesota, where he purchased eighty acres of land in Walcott, section twenty-nine. He was married in June, 1865, to Aliss Ellen Jane Kenslow, who has borne him seventeen chDdren, but eight of who m are living, three girls, triplets, and five boys.

CATH4BINE GRANT was bom in Canada on the 5th of May, 1812. She was married to William Grant in 1829, and removed to Ohio in 1861. Her husband died in 1865, and the following year she removed to Minnesota with her six children, three of whom are now married. She resides with her son, D. W. Grant.

A. M. Hareis, a native of Lawrence county, Pennsylvania, was born on the Ist of February, 1839. He was married on the 24th of Februaryi 18G6. In 1868, they removed to Minnesota and purchased eighty-eight acres of prairie land in Walcott, section two, and Mr. Harris has since devoted his time in improving the same.

J. N. HowLAND was born in Barnstable, Massachusetts, on the 10th of May, 1838, where he resided until 1852, then went to sea, was on the water six years, and on his return engaged at the blacksmith trade. In 1862, he enlisted in the Fortieth Massachusetts Infantry, Company E, served fourteen months, then went to Boston, where he engaged in gas fitting. Fe married Miss Jane H. Mayhew, who died on the 27th of February, 1862, and in 1868, he was again married, his bride being Miss Ellen P. Weeks, the ceremony taking place on the 20th of January. In 1869, Mr. Howland came to Iowa, and in the spring of 1872, returned to Boston, and two years later came to Minneapolis. In 1878, he purchased his present farm in Walcott, section thirty-two. Of a family of five children, only two are living. He was Assessor in 1879.

W. J. Johnstone was born in northern Ireland on the 20th of June, 1830, and there prepared for college, and in 1842, emigrated to New York, where he finished his education at Union College. In August, 1852, he married Miss Jessie Mills, and the same year went to Freeport, Illinois, where he taught a district school, Luther W. Guiteau being one of the trustees, and his son Charles J., then eleven years old, one of his pupils. In 1854, Mr. Johnstone turned his attention to theology, and in October, 1855, was ordained as a Presbyterian minister at Eock River, having charge of two parishes for ten years, then changed his views and became an Episcopal clergyman. He came to Faribault, assisted Dr. Breck in the schools, and was the first to propose the graded system in that place. In 1866, he was rector of the parish, the next year went to Rochester and assumed the same duties, then returned to Freeport, Illinois, and in 1871, went to Chicago. After the great fire which destroyed his parish there, he came, in July, 1872, to Stillwater on account of failing health, and in 1874, to St. Paul. He returned once more to Freeport, and in 1876, came to his present place, where he has since been engaged in farming. He has one son now living in St. Paul.

George W. Marks, deceased, was born in New York on the 3d of May, 1819. He was married in 1842, to Miss Phebe Jane Smith, the ceremony taking place on the 4th of July. In 1854, they came to Minnesota and pre-empted land in Walcott, in section eleven. They had two children, one of whom is living. The father died on the 29th of November, 1875. His widow and only child, Charles W., are living on the old homestead. Charles was born on the 22d of March, 1846, in New York and came to Minnesota with his parents in 1854. In 1863, he enlisted in the First Minnesota Mounted Rangers, Company H, and in 1864, re-enlisted in the Third Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, Company H, and was discharged in September, 1865. On the 23d of October, 1875, he married Miss Phoebe Jane Fish, who has borne him one child.

John E. McLean was born in Quebec, Canada, on the 27th of October, 1833, and when ten years old moved to Upper Canada. In 1845, he removed to Ilhnois and in 1850, to Faribault, where he remained until 1864, then came to his present farm in Walcott. In 1866, he lost his house by fire, then returned to Faribault, and in 1868, came again to this place. He married Miss Catharine Faribault, who was born at the old trading post of Meudota, and is a daughter of Alexander Faribault, the first settler in this county.

F. Mandell was born in Hardwiok, Massachusetts, on the 4th of April, 1852, and remained there until 1874, when he came to Minnesota and located in Walcott in section twenty-nine. On the 30th of October, 1879, he was married to Miss Leuora Nichols, who has burne him two children.

John M. Myers is a son of Nathaniel Myers, a native of Washington county, Pennsylvania. The former was born in Ohio on the 8th of January, 1828. On the 4th of July, 1854, he landed on his present place in section twenty-eight. Mrs. Myers was formerly Miss Hannah Dring. Of twelve children born of this union, nine are living.

T. J. Neal was born in St. Joseph county, Michigan, on the 16th of September, ISiO. In 1864, he came to this county, and 1868, bought his present farm of eighty acres in section thirtytwo, Walcott, moving on it in 1874. Twenty-one acres were covered with heavy timber, the balance was grub laud, and he now has thirty-two acres under cultivation. When he first came to tbe State he worked in a saw-mill for Charles Wood.

HiLLiARD Nichols was born in Maine on the 29th of June, 1809. He was united in marriage in 1834, ta Miss Abbie Copp, the ceremony taking place on tbe 1st of April. In 1853, he went to Massachusetts and run the express line in to Boston twelve years, then engaged in a grocery store. They were blessed with one child, Aseneth, and the mother died in December, 1855. In 1868, he removed to Minnesota, and two years after .located on his present place in Walcott, on section twentyfive. On the 20th of March, 1872, Mr. Nichols was married to Mrs. Bebecca Boyiugtou, whose maiden name was Williams. She was born in the city of New York on the 2d of May, 1812, removed with her parents to Ohio in 1824, and in 1830, to Indiana, where one year after she married Gilbert Vail whom she bore eight children, sis of whom are living. She cume to Minnesota in 1855, and after her husband's death she married David Boyington who died soon after the marriage, and in 1872, she was united in matrimony with the subject of our sketch.

IsA.^^c R. Pentz, a native of Pennsylvania, was born on the 12th of October, 1813, and removed to Indiana in 1837. Miss Elizabeth Hall became bis wife on the 24th of August, 1846, and in October, 1854, they removed to Iowa. In May, 1855, Mr. Pentz visited Minnesota and the following May brought his family and purchased one hundred and sixty acres of laud in Walcott, siction twenty-seven, and also one hundrei and sixty acres in section twenty, all of which he has now under cultivation and well improved. Mr. and Mrs. Pentz have been blessed with nine children, six of whom are living, four boys and two girls. Mr. Pentz served as Town Clerk in 1858, and was Justice of the Peace a number of years.

A. B. Sexton was born in Oueida county. New York, on the 15th of December, 1805. He was married in 1831, to Miss Eliza Castle who has borne him five children, four of whom are living. In 1859, they came to Minnesota and purchased their present farm of one hundred and sixty acres in section eight and he has since devoted his time to its improvement. He was a member of the board of Supervisors iu 1862, and again in 1866; Assessor in 1865 and 1868. His daughter, Ann Eliza Sexton, married Gaylord Sexton, wbo was born in New York on the 29th of October, 1830, and in 1867, came to this section of the country. The marriage ceremony took place on the 12th of January, 1858.

E. F. Smallidoe was born in Massachusetts on the 2d of Marcli, 1841. In 1855, he removed to Walcott, Rice county, Minnesota, where he remained three years then went to Faribault. In 1862, he was married to Miss Nellie Townseud, the ceremony taking place on the 11th of March. They have two children. In 1864, he removed to Illinois but returned in two years to Walcott, where he has eighty acres of land in section seven.

S. Baxter Thompson, a native of New York, dates his birth the 18th of July, 1830. In 1848, he came to Wisconsin, from whence he went to California in 1852, and in the fall of 1855, returned to the former State. In 1856, he removed to Warsaw, this county, and in 1862, purchased his farm in Walcott, section eighteen, to which he has added one hundred and sixty acres. He was married on the 10th of December, 1862, to Miss Harriet Woods, who bore him one child, who soon died. Mrs. Thompson died on the 30th of May, 1867. The maiden name of his present wife was Miss Emma Lewis, whom he married in 1876. They have a family of two children, both boys.

OleToeguson, a native of Norway, was born on the 15th of February, 1825. He emigrated to America in 1851, and worked in Iowa until 1856, when he came to Minnesota and purchased land in Walcott, in section sixteen, to which he has added, making an aggregate of one hundred and thirtyfive acres. He has a timber farm about half of which is under cultivation. On the 15th of March, 1860, Miss Martha Madelia Gabrielson became his wife. The result of the union is ten children, eight of whom are living.

D. C. Wood was born in Canada East on the 1st of April, 1850. In 1873, he removed to Rice county, Minnesota, and iu 1880, purchased a farm in this township of his brother, J. W. It contains three hundred and forty acres and is located in sections seven, eight, and eighteen.