Westline Township

Westline Township

"Westline township is located in the northwest part of Redwood county bordering on the west side, and embraces Congressional township 111-39. It is bounded on the north by Underwood, on the east by Granite Rock, on the south by Gales townships, and on the west by Lyon county. The surface is generally rolling, but marshy in some places. The Evan-Marshall division of the Chicago and Northwestern passes through it in a northwest direction in the central part. Its only village is Milroy. The trading centers are Milroy, Lucan and Redwood Falls, in Redwood county, and Marshall in Lyon county. There are five school houses. The predominating nationality is German, Scandinavian and American.

The orginal survey of this township was begun July 15, 1867, and finished July 30. 1867. The work was done by Richard H. L. Jewett and George G. Howe, IT. S. deputy surveyors. They described the soil as of the first quality in two-thirds of the township ; the remainder being light and sandy. Most of the marshes were full of water although the surface was generally

Beginning with Sept. 4, 1866, Westline was included in Yellow Medicine township, and after Yellow Medicine county was organized, March 6, 1871, was considered a part of Redwood Falls township. Westline was created by the county commissioners, Sept. 25, 1878, with its present boundaries.

The History of the Minnesota Valley published in 1882, says : "Settlement began in 1872. In May, of that year, Michael Murray and his sons, Thomas and Garrett, with families, came in and located in section 14, where they still remain excepting Thomas, who went to Colorado in 1877. John Cole came in 1873. The town was organized Oct. 14, 1878, at the house of H. N. Eggleston. The following officers were elected : C. West, chairman ; Garrett Murray and James Shaw, supervisors ; Benjamin C. Frost, clerk ; Hugh Curry, treasurer; H. N. Eggleston and N. B. Weymouth, justices; and William Arnold, constable. There are three frame school houses in the town. The first school was taught by Ada Chamberlain during the spring of 1879. West Line postoffice was established in the fall of 1878, N. B. Weymouth was appointed postmaster and the office located at his house in section 26. The office was discontinued in the summer of 1880. A Mr. Webster and Jane Shaw were married at the house of G. M. Shaw in the spring of 1879. This was the first marriage in the town. The first birth was that of Patrick Murray, in February, 1875. He was a son of Thomas and Honora Murray. The first death was that of Oscar Eggleston, a son of H. N. Eggleston. He died December 13, 1881, and was buried at Marshall, in Lyon county."