TOWN HISTORIES OF GOODHUE COUNTY
CONTINUED
Excerpts taken from History of
Goodhue County, Red Wing, MN 1878
RED WING
The honor of placing the standard of
civilization on the site of the present city of Red Wing belongs
to Reverend S.F. Denton and Reverend Gavan, who came here in 1838
as missionaries from the Evangelical Society of Lausanne,
Switzerland to the Dakota Indians. Previous to that time, the
entire country west of the Mississippi river was a savage, wild,
which had never been distracted by the presence of civilized
mortality. In 1846, in consequence of the failure of Denton's
health, the mission work was given up and remained unoccupied
until 1848, when it was re-occupied by the American Board of
Christian Missions, who commissioned Reverend John Alton and
Reverend J.W. Hancock to take up the work of educating and
Chritianizing the Indians where Denton and Gavan had left them.
Denton came in 1848 and Hancock in June of 1849. Mr. Hancock and
his wife arrived at Red Wing village on the 13th day of June,
1849. At that time there were about 300 native inhabitants in the
village. A school for the Indian children was commenced soon
after Mr. Hancock's arrival. Martha Marie Hancock, the wife of Mr.
Hancock did not live to share the missionary labors of her
husband quite two years, departing this life the 21st day of
March, 1851 at the age of 31 years. At her own request, she was
buried on Indian ground. Many years before Denton and Gavan came
to found the mission, Scarlet Wing, the head chief of a party of
Indians that had split off from the Wabasha band, selected this
place and called it Hham-nechs, meaning a place of hill, wood and
water. Non-resident Indians called the place Hhoo-pa-hoo-doo-ta,
after the chief of that name, who was probably so named from the
color of his robe and the celerity with which he swept over the
hill and prairie, through the forest to surprise and conquer his
enemies. When the whites began to come in and occupy the country
the place came to be universally called Red Wing. In the fall of
1850, a man named Snow, secured an Indian trader's license and
built a trading house near the present steamboat landing where he
kept a stock of goods. In 1851 Calvin Potter became a partner
with Snow. Soon after the partnership was formed, Mr. Snow died
from cholera in St. Paul and Mr. Potter succeeded managment of
the business. John Bush, U.S. farmer for the Indians and Calvin
Potter made a claim to the land included and occupied by the
Indian village and their cornfields. Early in the spring of 1852,
William Freeborn and Dr. Sweeney became interested in building a
town on the site of the Indian village and Freeborn purchased the
claim right of Bush and Potter. Dr. Sweeney purchased a claim
held by a French half-breed named Young, adjoining the Bush and
Potter claim on the west or upper side. These are the earliest
pioneers and missionaries who settled the township of Red Wing.
There has been much written about the history of Red Wing. For
further historical data on this town, see History of Goodhue
County, Red Wing, MN, 1878.
ROSCOE
The first settlement was made in
Roscoe in 1854 by James Haggard and W. Wilson, both locating
claims in section 5. Wilson subsequently returned to his home in
the east, but Haggard remained until his shanty was burned, where
he returned to Brown County where he still resides. Fletcher
Hagler numbers among those of the old pioneers of the town,
having selected his claim in 1855 on the site of ground where the
village of Roscoe now stands, and where he erected the first
frame house in the township. He was also the first postmaster.
Oliver Webb, a descendant of the pilgrims came in 1875 and pre-empted
on section 18. He is still in the enjoyment of good health at the
age of 74 years. John G. Hepner, the representative blacksmith of
Roscoe village selected his claim in 1856. The Dickinson brothers
came in 1856; G.G. McCoy, H.B. Powers, B.W. Halladay came soon
after. The north portion of this township is settled mostly by
Norwegians. Prominent among them appears Frederick Petersen, who
settled in this township in 1863. Among others are Lars Hovland,
Erick Johnson and John O. Hanson, the village blacksmith of
Roscoe Centre. The first religious service was held at the house
of Mrs. Stevens in the fall of 1854, the Reverend John Solomon
Officiating. In the spring of 1855, Mrs. Haskell Burch while
living in a covered wagon, awaiting the completion of a better
habitation, gave birth to twins, being the first natives of the
sod to see the light of day in the township. H.C. Emery and Mrs.
Mabala Sacket were the first united in marriage in July of 1856.
The first death occurred the same year - a Mr. Fry. The first
school house was erected in 1857. The first school was taught by
Sophia Blanchard, now Mrs. John Gove in the spring of 1858. The
fathers of this township are slowly being called to their better
home, and their places are quickly filled by marching flocks of
Norwegians, Swedes and Germans, that swarm to the great America
wheat fields of the West. The township is watered by the Zumbro
River, which runs from west to east through the southern tier of
sections. History of Goodhue County, Red Wing, MN 1878.
STANTON
This township is located in the
extreme northwestern portion of the county. It is bounded on the
north by the Cannon River; on the east by Cannon Falls township;
south by Warsaw and west by Sciota in Dakota County. In the early
days the territory was called Prairie Creek, subsequently
organized by the Town of Lillian. It is not a full-sized
government township, being only four sections deep from north to
south, and the usual six sections the other way. The Cannon River
affords a magnificnet water power, presenting a succession of
falls or more properly rapids, not excelled by any similar
streams in the Northwest. Prairie Creek flows through the centre
of the township and on the east the Little Cannons and there are
besides numerous springs and similar streams. The first
settlement was made in 1855 by a party of emigrants from Dodge
county, Wisconsin, consisting of William Stanton, Senior, John
Standon, Norman Daniels, Robert Deskin, William Stanton, Jr,
Samuel Daniels, Geoge Gould and others. These men with their
families located claims near the southwest corner of the township
and the settlement was called Stanton in honor of the oldest
setttler, Mr. William Stanton, Sr. This section of the country is
a beautiful valley, surrounded by high lands, rendering the place
picturesque in the extreme, full of native beauty and marvelous
scenic loveliness. These pioneer settlers were largely from
Vermont and they brought with them those habits of industry and
frugality characteristic of that people. In the fall of 1855, Mr.
George Gould was married to a daughter of Samuel Daniels, being
the first marriage celebrated in the township. In 1856, their
first child was born, being the first child born in the township.
In the fall of the same year Peter Fagan, and Hugh Woden, with
his father and two sisters, came to the settlement and made
claims. Of the latter family, all have since died. Later in the
fall of 1854, John and George Season with their famlies, settled
on the Little Cannon. Alonzo and Jonathan Dipple and William
Thomas came about the same time. The wife of George Seasons died
the following winter, the first death that took place in the
township. William Cleveland taught the first school at the little
village of Stanton. Subsequently, the township was re-christened
and now bears the title of Stanton. The appelation may be more
appropriate in honor of the early settlers of that name, but
"Lillian" is more fluent and poetical. History of
Goodhue County, Red Wing, MN, 1878.
VASA
This township was named in honor of
Gustavus Vasa, king of Sweden and the founder of the Luteran
Church. It was first settled in 1853 by a company of Swedes, of
whom Hans Mattson, S.J. Willard, Peter Green, Charles Roos,
Gustaf Kemps and others were of the number. The township was
organized in 1858, at which time the following officers were
elected: Supervisors, Charles Himmelman, Charles Charleson, Nils
Peterson; clerk, Swant John Willard; assessor, Nils Swanson;
collector, John Sundell; overseer of the poor, Matt Mattson;
constables, Nils Johnson, Erick Anderson; justice of the peace, T.
Granville Person, Franklin Morrison; overseers of roads, Swan P.
Peterson, Gustus Carlson, William F. Fessenden. For the following
interesting historical sketch of this township, its religious and
educational struggles, trials and conquests and finally its
growth and development from its primitive days of feebleness up
to the present time we are indebted to the Rev. E. Norelius.
History of Goodhue County, Red Wing, MN, 1878.
WACOUTA
This township was included in the
Wacouta precinct, organized by the county commissioners June 8,
1855. It is a fractional township; and comprises only a small
number of sections of land. The places was named in honor the
Indian chief of that name, who had his residence at the head of
the lake. The town is hilly and sandy, yet there are many
excellent farms in the valleys. The first settlement was made in
1850 by George W. Bullard, who had an Indian trader's license and
established a traffic with the aborigines at that point. Abner W.
Post came with Bullard and built his house. Bullard was properly
an Indian trader, although a great share of his custom came from
the lumberman on the other side of the river. The next influx of
immigrants came along in May of 1852. In 1853 the town site was
laid out and preparations were at once entered into for having a
village that should rapidly grow into a city of some magnitude.
Bullard and Post built a saw mill, which was the first west of
the Mississippi river. In 1854 J.B. Smith erected a hotel, the
only home for travelers up to that time being Mr. Bullard's house.
The first birth was in the family of George Bullard in 1852. The
same child died in 1854, which was also the first death on the
town. The first marriage was Joseph F. Thompson and Miss Melissa
Pingrey in 1855, James B. Smith performing the ceremony. In the
fall and winter of 1854 J.F. Pingrey taught school in a hall over
a store. Waucouta, like many places of early promise, lived its
day, fulfilled its destiny and retired to the shade, to spend the
evening of its days in quietness and rural simplicity. History of
Goodhue County, Red Wing, MN, 1878.
WANAMINGO
Wanamingo is bounded on the north by
Leon, east by Minneola, south by Cherry Grove and west by Holden.
About half of the surface is gently rolling prairie with every
foot of land tilled; but the north branch of the Zumbro River,
flowing in an easterly direction through the south part of the
township causes the land to be considerably broken. Spring Creek
enters the township from a southerly direction on section 32 and
joins the Zumbro about a mile west of the village of Wanamingo.
The first settlement was made in June of 1864 by the arrival of
Henry M. Falls, Toege N. Falls, Jens N. Ottum, N.K. Fenne,
Thosten Anderson, Andru Baarnhus, John Stroeme, Andrew Hesjedal,
Colboern Ektveit, Gilbert Nelson and N.J. Ottun. During the
summer and fall a number of others came and settled in the
township, all of them were Norwegians. In the spring and summer
of 1855, however, a number of American families made claims near
where the village of Wanamingo now stands. Of those early
American settlers, only one remains, K.B. Smith, who resides on
section 11. The township is now exclusively occupied by the
Norwegian people, who, since their advent here nearly 23 years
ago, have made rapid strides in agricultural and other
improvements that Wanamingo township is now the leading farming
township of the county. The first death was that of Bereth
Anderson in July of 1854. In September of 1854 the first white
child was born, named Knut N. Fenne. The first mariage was a
double wedding and the happy parties were Toege N. Falls to Mrs.
Oline Gilbertson and Johannes J. Marifjaeren to Miss Soeneva
Johnson in June of 1855. The ceremony was performed by Rev. Nils
Brant, now a minister in the Lutheran college at Decorah, Iowa.
The first school was taught in the fall of 1857 by James Brown.
The first religious service was held in June 1856 by Rev. Nils
Brant of Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. In 1858 James Brown platted and
laid out 40 acres of land on sections 25 and 26 and called the
proposed town "Wanamingo". History of Goodhue County,
Red Wing, MN, 1878.
WARSAW
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 was made June 1855 by Moses, William, and Edwin
George, Robert McCorkel, E.H. Sumner, Washington King, R.B.
Wilson, J.E. Wright and Francis McKee. These gentlemen made caims
in the northern part 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 1856. The first school was taught by Miss Emma Babcock
in a room hired of Alex McKee in 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 today 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, water, soil and climate, well-tilled
farms and comfortable houses for both man and beast are some of
the many blessings around the people, the fruits of their labor
and gift of the Great Giver. History of Goodhue County, Red Wing,
MN 1878.
WELCH
This township is located in the
extreme northern part of the county and was among the last to be
secured by the early settlers. Although claims were made in 1855-6,
they were soon abandoned for the deserted homesteads in the south
part of the county. These opportunities were eagerly watched by
the temporary pioneers of this township and not until 1857 and
1858 was a permanent settlement made. Among the early pioneers of
this township and county is William Boothroyd, a native of
England, who settled in Red Wing in 1851, where he resided until
1858; settled in this township in 1866 and on his present estate,
being the largest landholder in the town. Among those who have
been most prominently identified with the interests of the town
and county is Honorable N.C. Crandall, the only American resident
of the township who settled in Dakota county in 1861. In the fall
of 1869 he came to this county and settled on his present estate.
Has been justice of the peace for three years and is township
clerk at the present time. He represented the district in the
last legislature and has always taken a deep interest in the
welfare of the town and county. Among others of the early
settlers is E.W. Carver, Michael Henry, John Bloom, Gohcham Esta,
D.O. Swanson and others, to whom much credit is due to their
interest in the growth and development of Welch. History of
Goodhue County, Red Wing, MN 1878.
ZUMBROTA
Township No. 110, ranges 15 and 16.
Organized July 5, 1858. The first settler was William Fiske, who
located a claim in the southeast part of the township on Dry Run
in the spring of 1854. In early life he was a resident of Maine
and subsequently entered upon a seafaring life, which occupation
he followed for some years. He was a bachelor and a hermit in his
way, which is demonstrated by the secluded spot he chose for a
residence after coming to this county. He died in 1878, and was
buried at the cemetery in Mazeppa, Wabasha County, MN. John
Cameron died in December of 1856, which was the first death in
the township. William E. Winter was married in May of 1857, being
the first marriage in this township. In the fall of 1855 Rev. H.N.
Gates, a missionary, who had been laboring in Iowa, returned to
Stafford, Connecticut, where he had formerly lived and proposed
organizing an emigration company to establish a colony in the
West. The first meeting was held in Strafford, at which time the
company was organized, under the name of the "Stafford
Western Emigration Company" with Albert Barrett, of Stafford
as president and Charles Ward of Lowell, Mass as secretary. In
August of 1866 some of the members of this company came to this
part of Minnesota and after looking over the country in different
localities, Samuel Shaffee with Godard and Bailey came across the
Zumbro River Valley with the intention of returning to the east
via Red Wing. As Shafee ascended the hill north of where Zumbrota
now stands, he discovered the beauties of the valley and to him
belongs the honor of discovering the place where the company
located. The following day they arrived in Red Wing, where Mr.
Shafee was taken ill and died August 9, 1856. He is buried in the
cemetery in Red Wing. There was quite a tide of immigration to
Zumbrota, chiefly among those who belonged to the Stafford
Emigration Company in the fall of 1856 and the winter of 1857.
The village was platted on this land by the Stafford Emigration
Company in September 1856. The first house was built by C.W.
Smith. It was a log structure 14x18 and built on the bank of the
Zumbrota River. Miss Lizzie Shedd taught the first school in the
fall of 1857.
