Warsaw Township

Warsaw Township

In 1858 the township of Warsaw was organized. It is bounded on the north by Lillian, east by Leon, south by Holden, and west by Northfield, in Rice county. It is watered by the Little Cannon River, has some timber in the southeast portion, while the remainder is rolling prairie. The market towns are Hastings, Northfield, and Red Wing.

The first settlement made in the township was in June, 1855, by Moses, William, and Edwin George, Robert McCoskel, E. H. Sumner, Washington King, R. B. Wilson, J. E. Wright, and Francis McKee. These gentlemen'made claims in the northern portion of the township, and at once began turning over the sod and preparing the soil for a crop the following season.

In 1856 a child was born to Mr. and Mrs. Washington King, which in those days was celebrated as an event of greater moment than the birth of a new star in the firmament.

John Chambers was the first man to lay down his shovel and go over the " dark river." He died in 1856. Rev. Isaac Waldron held the first religious services at a room in the house of Alex McKee, in the summer of 1858. The first school was taught by Miss Emma Babcock in a room hired of Alex McKee, the summer of 1859.

The business enterprise other than agriculture in Warsaw was a blacksmith shop, put in operation by Mr. Johnson in 1864. Others have since been added, and the various branches of business have multiplied as the necessities required, until to-day these people are virtually independent of all save God and each other. They have a beautiful section of country, remarkably rich in the elements of natural productiveness, and on every hand it is teeming with thrift and prosperity. Timber and water, soil and climate, well-tilled farms and comfortable homes, both for man and beast, are some of the many blessings that cluster around this people, the fruits of their labor and the gift of the Great Giver.

CUNNINGHAM, PATRICK, farmer, sec. 10, P. 0. Cannon River Falls. Was born in Ireland in 1833. Came to America in the spring of 1850, and worked on a farm near Utica, N. Y., until 1855, when he came to this county, and resided at Cannon Falls until 1861, when he moved to this farm, consisting of 280 acres. Married Bridget Fagan, July 4, 1861. She was born in Ireland in 1837. Their children are - James P., George, Anna and Ellen. The family are members of the Catholic Church.

FAGAN, JAMES, farmer, sec. 5, P. 0. Stanton. Was born in Ireland in 1834. Came to America in 1849; settled in N. H. Came to this township in 1861. In 1863 settled on this farm, which consists of 80 acres.

Married Mary Flanagan, June 10, 1855. She was born in Ireland in 1832. Their children are - Anna, Patrick and James. The family are members of the Catholic Church.

FAGAN, MICHEAL, farmer, sec. 6, P. 0. Stanton. Was born in Ireland in 1821. Came to America in 1847, settling in Mass. In 1857 he came to this county, and in 1868 settled on his present farm, which consists of 160 acres. Married Catherine McColl, in 1860, she is also a native of Ireland. Their children are - James, Catherine, Eliza, Mary, George and Margaret. The family are members of the Catholic Church.

FLESCHE, B0T0LF 0., of the firm of Melhuus & Flesche, merchants. Was born in Norway, Nov. 4, 1846. Came to America in 1853, with parents, they settling in Dane county, Wis. ; in 1858 they removed to Columbia county, Wis., where he married Ellen L. Fedge, March 21, 1877. She was born in Dane county, Wis., Dec. 4, 1852. In the summer of 1877 he moved to this township and engaged in his present business. They are members of the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church.

GANNON, JAMES, farmer, sec. 18, P. 0. Northfield; was born in Ireland, Sept. 29, 1822, came to America in 1847, and settled in Mass., where he married Mary Brophy, May 9, 1850; she was born in Ireland in 1825. In 1865 they came to Minnesota and settled in this township, and 'in 1867 on this farm which consists of 154£ acres. His children are Michael, James, Mary A. and William.

MAGEE, ROBERT, farmer, sec. 11, P. 0. Cannon River Falls; was born in N. J., Nov. 27, 1835. In 1856 he came to this township and settled where he now lives; owns 160 acres of land. Enlisted in Co. D, Brackett's Battalion, Feb. 11, 1865, to defend the frontier against the Indians; served one year; was honorably discharged and returned home. Married Eliza, youngest daughter of James and Rebecca Wright, Aug. 17, 1864; she was born in Indiana, Jan. 30, 1846. Their children are, Lizzie M., James S., Alice E. and Walter W.

MELH0USE, MIKKEL A., farmer, sec. 10, P. O. Cannon River Falls. Was born in Norway in 1844. Came to America in 1864 and settled in this township. Married Anna G. Lea, March 7, 1871. She was born in Dane county, Wis., in 1854, Their children are Andrew and Anna Maria. Mr. M. owns 160 acres of land. The family are members of the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church.

MELHUUS, T0STEN A., of the firm of Melhuus & Flesche, merchants. Was born in Norway, Oct. 26, 1845. Came to America in July, 1864, and settled in this township; was farming until July, 1877, when he engaged in his present business; was appointed postmaster of "Wangs" P. O. in Dec, 1877. Married Sigred 0. Flesche, July 21, 1869. She was born Oct. 31, 1850. Their children are Martha T. and Sevrine T.

RAMER, PETER, farmer, sec. 10, P. 0. Cannon River Falls. Born in Ind., Feb. 19, 1822. Married Margaret Johnson, Oct. 9, 1845. She was born in Beaver county, Pa., Feb. 3, 1826. Their children are - Nancy, now Mrs. Huestis; Rachel, now Mrs. Wright; Minnie, now Mrs. Sheets; Robert W., Alice A. and William W. He came to Winona county, Minn., 1855, where he farmed until 1866, when he came to this county, and settled on this farm, which consists of 160 acres.

SHEETS, GEORGE, farmer, sec. 4, P. 0. Cannon River Falls. Was born in Canada West, July 26, 1811. Married Elizabeth Fikes, July 23, 1833. She was born Dec. 25, 1813. In 1872 they settled in this town; in 1874 on this farm, which consists of 165 acres. His children are - Mercy, now Mrs. Markell; John; Mary, now Mrs. Ross; George, who married Rebecca Underwood in 1869; Hiram; Nelson Gr., who married Minnie Raymond, Sept. 19, 1877; James M., who married Minnie Ramer, May 17, 1877; and Edith, now Mrs. Austin.

SHEETS, GEO. E., farmer, sec. 22, P. 0. Northfield. Was born in Canada West, Nov. 12, 1837; came to the United States in the fall of 1856, with parents, and settled in this township, and in the fall of 1865 moved on his farm, which consists of 173 acres. Married Sarah Stranahan in 1868. She was born in St. Lawrence county, N. Y., March 9, 1843. Their children are - Fred., Solomon, Eva A. and Willie.

Source changes here: from Goodhue County, Minnesota, Past and Present, by [Hancock, Joseph Woods], published 1893; 247 words in this source stream.

Warsaw Township

This town is bounded on the north by Stanton, east by Leon, south by Holden, west by Rice county. The Little Cannon river, passing along the eastern border, gives it a broken woodland appearance in that part ; but the greater portion of the town is high rolling prairie with a deep rich soil.

The first settlers came in 1855, among whom were: Moses, William and Edwin George, Robert McCorkle, Washington King, R. B. Wilson, E. H. Samuer, J. E. Wright and Francis IMcKee.^ They made their claims in the northern part of the township, broke up the soil, and commenced raising the golden wheat.

The first school was taught by Emma Babcock, in the summer of 1851). Tlie first birth was a child to Mr. and Mrs. Washington King in 185(5; the first death that of Mr. John Chambers. Rev. Isaac Waldron was the first preacher, who held religious services in the house of Alexander McKee in the summer of 1858. There is a Baptist church in the northern part of the town. The people in the south part attend the Holden Lutheran church.

There are three post-offices, one at the railroad station in the west, called Dennison ; one at Wangs, in the center; the other at Sogan, in the eastern part of the town.

The southern part of this town was settled by people from Norway in the year 1856, among whom were Anders Anderson, Nils Gunderson, Ole and Hagen Knutson and Andrew Thompson.

Source changes here: from History of Dakota and Goodhue Counties, Minnesota /, by Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn, published 1910; 636 words in this source stream.

Warsaw Township

Warsaw lies on the eastern border of Goodhue county and comprises township 11, range 18. It is bounded on the north by Stanton, east by Leon, south by Holden and Avest by Rice county. The Little Cannon river passes along the eastern border, and in the valley of this river appears some timber, particularly noticeable in the southeastern portion. The larger part of the surface, however, is rolling prairie, with deep soil, and consequently many fine farms.

"Happy is the land that has no history," says an ancient writer. This is true of Warsaw. Agriculture has been the important industry in the township, and from the earliest settlement the story of Warsaw has been one of increased cultivation, where the people live in peace and contentment, free from the disputes and stirring events Avhich, Avhile they made interesting reading, do not always tend to the real benefit or growth of a locality. In June, 1855, the northern part of this township was settled by a party of Americans consisting of the brothers, Moses, William and Edwin George. Robert McCorkle (sometimes given as McC'oskel), E. II. Sumner, Washington King, R. B. Wilson, J. E. Wright and Francis McKee. These men at once started farming, and while they endured the hardships always incident to pioneer life, their first crops Avere good, and from some of the Avorse privations they were spared. In 1856 a child AAras born to Washington King, a truly important event, and duly celebrated by the pioneers, who all wanted to take a peep at the little stranger. The following year, 1857, John Chambers died and the funeral Avas attended by the entire population of the settlement. In the summer of 1858 Rev. Isaac Waldron conducted the first religious services, in a room of a house owned by Alex McKee. In the same room Emma Babcock kept the first school, in the summer of 1859. Mr. Johnson built the first blacksmith shop in 1864, and later others Avere added.

The settlement in the southern part of the township was started in 1856, by Anders Anderson, Nils Gunderson, Ole and Hagen Knutson, Andrew Thompson and others. Soon a Nor- Avegian colony greAV up around them.

Beautiful, well furnished and well appointed homes, commodious barns, sleek livestock, rich acres, an educated and cultured people, tells the story of Warsaw of the present day.

Dennison is a village of 170 souls situated on the western boundary line 'of Warsaw township, being about one-third in Rice county. The name is derived from- an early settler who originally owned considerable land where the village is now located. The population of the village is about three-fourths Scandinavian. The first men to start in business in the village were Karl A. and Guilder Bonhus, who conducted a general store. After eight years they were succeeded by A. K. Lockrem. The Methodist Episcopal church was built in 1883, blown down in 1885 and rebuilt the same year. The railroad came through in 1884, and was operated by the Minnesota North western. The line was then sold to the Chicago, St. Paul & Kansas City, and subsequently passed into the hands of the Chicago Great Western. The first blacksmith was J. AY. Downing. The first hardware and implement store was that of Bunday & Ferguson, established March 10, 1887. The school house is a comfortable building. 42x45 with four rooms, built of brick. It provides for the children living in the incorporate limits, the districts' having originally been 34 and 155, respectively, in Rice and Goodhue counties. The village now has a bank (branch), one hardware store, one lumber yard, three general stores, a harness shop, a postoffice with two rural routes, a barber shop, tAvo blacksmiths, one meat market, one farmers' elevator, a pastuerizing milk plant, a Methodist church and a public school.