Whitewater Township

Whitewater Township

The su]-face is generally very much broken. On the western part, however, nearly the entire length of the township skirts on Greenwood prairie, in Wabasha county. The township lies in T. 108 N. and R. 10 W. It is bounded on the north and west by Wabasha county, on the east by Mt. Yernon township, and on the south by Elba township. Whitewater lies in the extreme northwestern corner of Winona county. There are two principal valleys - Whitewater valley and Beaver creek valley. Whitewater valley is six miles long, and runs directly north and south through the township. It is traversed by Whitewater river, which enters the township on Sec. 35 and leaves it on Sec. 1. This river attains an average width of forty feet and a depth of three feet. Beaver valley runs almost east and west ; it is four miles long and traversed by Beaver creek. This creek rises in Sec. 19, flows east, and empties into Whitewater river at the village of Beaver on Sec. 15. Timber is abundant along the valleys, and trout plentiful in the streams. There have been two village settlements in the township, viz : Whitewater Falls, now gone to decay, and Beaver. The early history of these is in general the early history of the township.

Eakly Pioneers

The following came in 1851:': Stephen Covey, John Cook, F. C. Putnam, Wm. J. Dooley, Wm. Woods and Albert Scrivens. Stephen Covey took up a claim on Sec. 15, John Cook on Sec. 34, F. C. Putnam S.W. I Sec. 23, Wm. J. Dooley on Sec. 15, William

Woods on N.E. ^ Sec. 27, and Albert Scrivens on Sec. 15. The year 1855 was marked by the arrival of the following: A. J. Mc- - Ray, J, M. Mirmegar, Albert Hopson, Pliney Putnam, Lyman Young, S. A. Houck, Oliver Porter, Nathan Fisher, J. W. Hayes, Wm. Vilander, Louis Skidmore, Leonard Robinson, C. W. Buswell and Nathan "Warner. A. J. McRay took up his residence on the site of Beaver ; J. M. Minnegar settled on what is now N. W. ^ Sec. 23 and N. E. ^ Sec. 22, Albert Hopson on Sec. 22, Pliney Putnam on Sees. 10 and 11, Lyman Young on S.E. ^ Sec. 2, S. A. Houck on W. ^ Sec. 2, Oliver Porter on S.W. ^ Sec. 1, Nathan Fisher on N.E. i See. 29, J. W. Hayes on N.E. i Sec. 15, Wm. Vilander on Sec. 15, which, by the way, he purchased from J. W. Hayes for the small sum of $2.50, Louis Skidmore on N.W. J Sec. 35, Leonard Robinson on Sec. 27, C. W, Buswell on Sec. 34, and Nathan Warner on the same section.

Beaver Village

Beaver village is situated on Sec. 15, at the junction of Beaver creek with Whitewater river. Beavers were numerous in these streams at an early day. A large dam was built by these animals in the creek near the village ; from this came the names Beaver creek and Beaver village. The village was laid out in 1856, and covers an area of forty acres. The first house in this locality, and, indeed, the first in Whitewater township, was put up by Stephen Covey in 1854 ; the iirst store was built in 1856 by Wm. Dooley ; it was a log structure, 14x20 feet, and devoted to general merchandise. Among the early residents were John Knowles, H. B. Knowles, Dr. Sheldon Brooks and J. W. Hayes.

The lirst blacksmith shop was built by Carl Pope in 1856 ; first death was that of Stephen Covey, who died in 1857, and was buried on his farm, S.E. ^ Sec. 15 ; first birth was that of Cora Knowles, born February 16, 1856 ; first marriage was that of Laura Covey to John Cheney in 1856. A private school was kept in the house of Carl Pope in 1857 ; it was taught by Sarah Pope, and had an attendance of perhaps twenty -five pupils. A sawmill was built on Beaver creek, on Sec. 16, in 1856, by Carleton and Gardner Malindy ; it was a very crude affair at first : a hollow log was pressed into service and used as a flume ; in 1857 it was converted into a gristmill with one run of burrs ; F. E. Becker is the present owner. The mill has been much improved; it is now two stories in height, is 40x100 feet in dimensions, has two run of burrs, patent rolling machinery and a capacity of fifty barrels per day ; the water-power is excellent at this point. An hotel was built in Beaver in 1865 by David Jecobis ; it was a structure half frame and half log. Beaver contains a population of 125 persons. Two stores, kept by G. G. Knowles and Samuel Detamore respectively ; two blacksmith shops, owned by R. Young and S. Card ; one wagon shop run by Peter Neiheisel, and a feedmill owned by Adam Winters. This mill grinds corn, oats, etc., into feed for stock. In the fall it is converted into a sorghummill ; great quantities of amber cane are consumed and converted into sorghum molasses. Sherman Card keeps the one hotel in Beaver ; it does a small business, as travel has fallen off almost entirely. One school in Beaver, district 45, has an attendance of forty pupils.

Methodist Episcopal Church

This was built in 1868 tlirough the exertions of Elder Clipper ; the church is frame, 40 X 60 feet, with a spire 60 feet tall ; the congregation was organized in 1858 ; they at that time held their meetings in the schoolhouse ; the prominent members were Pliney Putnam, Elder P. Richardson and George Stoning ; the first minister was Elder Wm. Sweet, now residing in Norton township ; Rev. J, Tisdale is the pastor at present writing ; they have a Sabbath school with twenty-five pupils and three teachers, and a small library of forty volumes.

Whitewater Falls

Is situated on Whitewater river, on Sees. 26 and 27. It is so called from rapids in the river at this point ; it was laid out in 1856, but gradually fell into decay ; it has a population now of perhaps thirty people. There are six district schools in Whitewater township and two postoffices - one at Beaver, with Samuel Detamore as postmaster, and another at Whitewater Falls, with A. C. Randall as postmaster.