Wilton Township

Wilton Township

In the autumn of 1855 a village plat was surveyed and laid out by A. B. Cornell, J. H. Abbott and W. F. Pettit, of Owatonna, and James E. Child, John Jenkins and D. J. Jenkins, of this county. Shortl}' after, James Child and John Jenkins gave up their claim to the town site and others took their place. Says a local writer in speaking of these days, of which he is fully cognizant :

"During the winters of 1855 and 1856, the first claim jumping commenced. The avarice of some of the town proprietors, and the land and town site fever of tliat time, caused some unprincijDled ones to trespass upon the just rights of some of the early settlers, and caused such a feeling of opposition to the town of Wilton, that for the first year after it was laid out, no building was completed.

" Like all other towns of that day, it was expected, like Jonah's gourd, to grow in a day, but unfortunately the prime movers of the enterprise so managed their affairs that the people of the county, even up to the boundary line of the village plat, refused to countenance the building of the new city, and even Avent so far as to oppose the erection of buildings on the town plat by force and arms.

" In the month of April, 1856, several house bodies made of logs, found standing in the village, were discovered one Sunday morning and razed to the ground. As to who did the evil deed, probably no one knows except those engaged in it. This occurrence, and the general opposition to the persons having control of the village, by the surrounding settlers, prevented any further growth during the summer."

In the fall of 1856, John C. Lie and A. B. Cornell brought in a sawmill, and Mr. Ide becoming part owner of tlie town site, the difficulties between the proprietors and the settlers were adjusted and during that winter the place began to grow. During the coldest weather stores, shops, hotels and residences were put up, so that by spring it had the appearance of a verj^ fair village.

Among those who came to the infant village during this year, 1857, may be mentioned the following: Buel "Welsh, Alva B. Hough, A. T. Peck, Micajah C. Wright, Owen C. "Waters, "W. B. Burbank, L. Curtiss, Lorenzo P. Stowell, Alva C. "Walker, Smith Lapham, Newell Morse, A. B. "Wattles, E. F. Lawton, Byron F. Clarke, H. P. West, Asa Wait, George W. Watkins and others.

Buel Welsh, came to the State in 1855, and located at Faribault, pursuing his trade of carpenter. He came there from Wisconsin. In the fall of 1856, he removed to Wilton, where he remained for many years. He was a kind-hearted man of but little education, but had picked up considerable knowledge of law and other subjects, and had practiced for about twenty-five years in the various justices' courts. On Saturday, April 24, 1886, he fell dead in a neighbor's wagon, while going from Alma City to his home in Freedom Township.

Dr. M. S. Gove, one of the pioneer physicians, came to Wilton in 1858, from his native State, "Vermont, and remained in practice in Waseca County until December 1, 1874, when he passed to " that land from whose bourne no traveler ever returns," in the very prime of life.

A. J. Woodbury came to Wilton in 1856 and put up a hotel which he called the Washington. This place he ran for man^' years, up to 1882, except some six or eight months when it was rented and operated by Joseph Doty. He is a native of Beverley, Mass., born in 1808. In 1855, he came west, after having been to Texas, New Orleans, etc., and in the spring of 1856 came to Wilton as alreadj' detailed. About 1830 he married Elizabeth Stratton, by whom he had two children : Henry C. and George H. both of whom came with their father. All three have been identified with the history of the county since. George H., however, is now a resident of Jamestown, D. T. Henry C. is the municipal judge of the city of Waseca, and his father, A. J. lives in the same city.

Another hotel, afterward called the Globe was put up and run by E. A. Eice, about this same time. Welsh and Smith were the next proprietors of the tavern, and were then succeeded by Tyrrell. Hall, Long and Gray all in turn played the part of host in this hotel, which was one of the institutions of Wilton, but, alas, the old building stands in forlorn loneliness, in the almost deserted village.

The first store was opened by Paige & Baker, in a small log shanty, in the winter of 1855-6. They came here about this time from Oswego, N. Y. Thomas L. Paige acted as the first clerk of the court, but about 1858 sold out and I'eturned to York State. His partner, Nathan Duane Baker, stayed but little longer, when he, too, returned east. Both are now among the dead.

ment. John C. Hunter who came to Wilton about this time, afterward was in partnership with him. They sold out to Isaac Hamlin, who ran it until the war broke out.

P. C. Bailey opened up in the hardware business in 1857, and ran the same for some years alone, when J. H. "Wightman went in with him, but his interest was finalh* purchased by George Watkins, and the firm of Bailey & "Watkins formed. This was afterward moved to Waseca, where it is continued to-day.

Many other stores were started after that, many changes were made in the ownership of those mentioned, but to-day there is not one store left. At one time there were some twenty stores and saloons in the place, but the glory of the place has departed. On the foundation of the city of Waseca, many of* the inhabitants of Wilton removed thither, and when the seat of justice was transferred to the former place, the rest of the merchants moved there too, and the village of Wilton relapsed into an apathy that is premonit.ory of its real demise. Silence reigns in its streets where once resounded the noise of busy commerce, and desolation broods over it.

A Masonic lodge was organized at the village of Wilton under dispensation granted June 1, 1857, with the following officers : Jesse I. Stewart, W. M.; J. C. Ide, S. W.; H. P. Norton, J. W.; E. A. Bice, T.; H. S. Edmondson, S.;T. L. Paige, S.D.;Buel Welsh, J. I), and John Magill, Tyler. For the after history of this lodge in full detail the reader is referred to the annals of Alma City, where it was transferred, under dispensation, November 21, 1883, and where it now is located. It is one of the oldest lodges in the State, being known as Wilton, No. 24.

Waseca Lodge No. 17, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, was organized atW ilton, in 1866 or 1867, and continued for many years. In 1883 it was consolidated with Comee Lodge of Waseca, most of the members having removed thither.

The first bridge built in the county was put up by James E. and S. P. Child, in this township, for which they received the enormous sum of $5, and it was not much of a bridge, either.

About the year 1862, a Presbyterian Church was organized, and lingered along for several years, when it naturally died out. Rev. William McClelland was the last pastor.