Chapter 19 (continues) Past & Present of Allamakee County, 1913 Lansing twp - Linton twp - Ludlow twp - Makee twp - Paint Creek twp |
LANSING TOWNSHIP (pg
267-271)
Organization dates from February, 1852, and its boundaries
include all of ranges 4 and fractional 3, in township 99 north,
exception fractional section 34 set off to Lafayette. The
population in 1854 was 440. The history of the township is
largely the history of the city, which is given a chapter by
itself. Aside from the pioneer settlers therein mentioned,
however, there were numerous settlers in the valleys and on the
ridges and prairies outside, the following occurring among the
names of those who took Government land in 1851 or earlier. Among
the earliest of these was Andrew Sandry, who came in 1849 or
50, and resided here until his death in the spring of 1913,
for sixty-three years or more. Others were: Fred Lenz, Samuel
Baumann and Peter Riser, Ernest Mueller and John Bakewell (1850),
Melchior Schindler (1850), Peter Stauffacher, Elisha Woodruff and
John Cole, 1851.
The following named were some of the earliest settlers taking
land direct from the Government or of the school fund in Lansing
township, aside from those elsewhere named. Viz: S. H. Haines,
Adam Hirth, Peter Hirth, John Soll, Henry G. Weaver, John May,
John Englehorn, John Baker, Michael Englehorn, John Carlisle,
Jacob Englehorn, John A. Hirth, John Bakewell, John Riser, Elisha
Hale.
The first enumeration of Lansing township, in 1854, showed a
population of 440. By the census of 1910, it was 666, exclusive
of th city.
Lansing township officials are at present: Clerk, H. H.
Gilbertson; trustees, Julius Feuerhelm, Henry Gramlich, Frank
Thomson; assessor, Henry Becker; justices, Edw. Bensch and P. S.
Pierce; constables, H. F. Gauintz and Stewart Cooper.
Columbus -This famous name was given to the most important point
in the county at the time, a landing place on the Mississippi
just below, or southeast of, the mouth of Village creek. It was
often called Capoli, from the name of the bluff at the base of
which it lay, which appears in the narratives of the early
explorers as Cap-a-l-ail, in Schoolcraft, or
Cape a Tale Sauvage, as in Beltrami. It became the
first actual county seat of Allamakee county in the spring of
1851, the nominal location at the old stake in
Jefferson township not having been utilized, and so remained
until Waukon was made the county seat by the commission for
relocation two years later. The first recorded term of District
court was held here in July, 1852, and for two years it was a
rival of Lansing as a business point. The proprietors of the
townsite were Leonard B. Hodges, Thomas B. Twiford, and Aaron
Chesebro, who platted the land in 1852, reserving a plot of two
acres in the center for prospective county buildings, which never
materialized. At the June, 1852, term of the County court it was
ordered that the Columbus town lots be advertised for sale, on
the terms one-third down, balance in one year, and the proceeds
be applied to the erection of suitable county buildings at that
place. Elias Topliff also had a proprietary interest in the place
about this time. L. B. Hodges, a prominent figure in the early
history of the county, later became Commissioner of Forestry of
the State of Minnesota, and had charge of tree-planting along the
line of the Northern Pacific railroad. He published some valuable
works on forest culture, and died at St. Paul in 1883.
While there was some sale for Columbus lots for a time, the town
collapsed after the removal of the county seat, and eventually
all the lots were disposed of at tax sales and are not part of a
farm owned by G. M. Kerndt. A postoffice was established at
Columbus in the latter part of 1851. And there was here at a
later date two stores, a good sized hotel, and a steam sawmill.
North Capoli -Lies half a mile to the north and west of Columbus,
and adjoins the south line of South Lansing, both now within the
coronate limits of the city of Lansing. The latter was platted by
John Haney and H. H. Houghton, February 22, 1858. And North
Capoli was platted April 16, 1860, by Elias Topliff and J. M.
Rose, as trustees of the Columbus Land Company No. 1.
Church -This place has never been platted as a town, but is a
thriving little village which has grown up in recent years, on
the northwest quarter of north east quarter of section 32, near
the southwest corner of the township, seven miles from Lansing.
Isaac Bechtel was the owner of the forty, and has sold off
building lots for stores and dwellings from time to time as the
growing settlement required. Geo. C. Coppersmith started a store
here in 1898, and was appointed postmaster. He sold out in 1903
to Benjamin Decker, who continues to do a thriving business, and
is now postmaster. Mrs. Wm Buege keeps confectionery and notions;
and Wm. Lenz is the blacksmith. The Calhoun Creamery Company is
located here, and has proven a permanent and prosperous
institution. This was incorporated March 7, 1896, with a capital
of $3,000 with right to increase to $4,000. Its first officers
were: President, Frank Stirn, vice president, A. J. Williams;
secretary, A. J. McCaffety: treasurer, Peter N. Smedsrud;
directors, Chas. P. Nierling, George Rice and J. M. Thomson.
CHURCHES
The German Evangelical Congregational Society of Lansing Ridge
was incorporated October 19, 1868, with the following named
trustees: Frederick Lenz, John Engelhorn, and Isaac Bechtel; and
other incorporators were Rudolph Baumann, Conrad Engel and Jacob
Blumer. In 1909 a reincorporation was effected, the trustees
being Isaac Bechtel, Henry Marti, and Frederick Schweinfurth.
Emanuel Methodist Episcopal church in Lansing township was
incorporated January 4, 1882, by Henry Lenz, Alexander Fischer,
and G. Michael Wirth, as trustees, appointed by the quarterly
conference in Lansing township, of the North Western German
Conference.
The Methodist church on Mays Prairie, section 20, erected a
sone house of worship many years ago. This church became
incorporated in June, 1874, by a meeting held at the stone
church, Christopher Schultz, chairman, and John Spicker,
secretary and the following named were appointed as
incorporators: Ernst Gramlich, George Murray, Peter Hirth,
Gottlieb Staak, Andrew Leppert, Frederick Reiser, and Christian
Manderscheidt. Rev. A. Panzlan serves this church and M. E.
Church at Dorchester, we believe.
The Salems church of German Evangelical Association, also
Mays Prairie, was organized July 15, 1903, by J. M. Krafft,
representing the Evangelical Association of North America in
Allamakee county, and duly incorporated with the following named
trustees, viz: Julius Feuerhelm, Wilhelm Worm, and Chas. Dee. We
believe the same pastor serves this and the churches of the same
faith of Lansing and Thompsons Corners. Rev. A Raecker,
until quite recently at least.
LINTON TOWNSHIP
(pg 271-272)
This originally included all of Post, Franklin and Fairview at
the time of organization in 1851, as before stated. Its present
area conforms to that of congressional township 96-4, except that
portion in the southeast corner set off to Fairview as shown in
the chapter on that township. The name of Bunker Hill was first
considered for this township, but Linton was finally adopted in
honor of the Lintons, Dr. John Linton, manager of the Old
Mission, and Thos. C. Linton, the organizing sheriff of Allamakee
county. There was another brother, Wm. C. Linton, who came from
Kentucky and located with his brothers in this township, but
removed to Clayton county in 44, later to Mitchell county,
and in his old age made his home at Pasadena, California, where
he died January 21, 1899, aged ninety-four years. He was a
soldier in the Mexican war.
Ion - The first village in Linton, was first called Bunker Hill,
but when it was platted into town lots, January 1, 1855, an
opposition developed to this name, and the original proprietors
agreed to select the name by lot, each writing his choice on a
slip of paper and drawing from a hat. Our long-time county
surveyor, H. B. Minor, is authority for the statement, that
Sewell Goodridge, one of the proprietors, having recently read a
novel in which he had admired a character by name of Ion, and
nothing more suitable occurring to him at the time wrote that
name on his slip, which was the one drawn, thus establishing the
name of the village. The survey and plat were made by D. W.
Adams, for the owners, Sewell Goodridge, Chas. W. Cutter, and
Abram J. Kennison, and Ion postoffice was established about this
time, with Sewell Goodridge postmaster, it is believed. Down to
1860, Ion was in Linton township, but by the setting off of
section 24, in that year it was placed within the jurisdiction of
Fairview, of which township it has ever since formed a part. The
postoffice has continued here without interruption, we believe,
until superseded by the rural delivery. Andrew Kean, postmaster
in 1892, died in the summer of 1013. This vicinity is now served
from Waterville. A postoffice called Egan was in existence in
section 2, Linton township, for several years prior to the rural
service, with James Egan postmaster.
Ion was another of the good milling points on Yellow river in the
early times. Indeed, it was at one time the most important in the
valley. Girts and Colegrove in 1874, built a new flouring mill,
which they put into operation January 1, 1875. There is not a
general store at Ion Kept by Olive G. Grady; and Geo. M. Hulse is
the shoemaker. Mr. A. E. Colegrove, miller and farmer, came here
in 1860, but served in the Civil war, which service cost him his
eyesight, and when his sight entirely failed he removed to
Waukon, where he resided for many years, until his death in 1902.
Buckland - Was the site of Buckland Mills, also on Yellow river,
near the center of the township. It was laid out April 28, 1858,
by Austin and Harriet L. Smith, John and Lucy Davis, and Asa and
Cordelia Candee, and plat acknowledged before James H. Stafford,
justice of the peace. The town plat was vacated May 10, 1881.
There was a postoffice here in 1892, E. I. Cahoon, postmaster.
Staudingers Mill on Suttle creek was running to its full
capacity in 1868, in the west part of Linton township. In the
spring and summer of 1872, Wm. Staudinger built a 40 x 50, two
and a half story flouring mill on the west branch of Suttle
creek, a tributary of the Yellow river, about a mile further up
than the old mill. This was on the route of the proposed narrow
gauge railroad from Monona to Waukon, which was then being
surveyed. An old map published early in 59 shows a mill
located on Suttle creek, in section 30, known as Knabbs
Mill. Also Newcombs Mill, situated on a creek in section 6,
two miles north of Yellow river. The Staudinger Mill is now used
as a barn.
The following named early settlers were among those who came in
1854 or sooner and took land from the Government, or the state,
viz: Jacob Welliver, Samuel Denning, Robert Elliot, Lawrence
Byrne, Marshall S. J. Newcomb, Thomas Dunn, James Adams, Thomas
Crawford, Mathew Glynn, John Kelly, Lawrence Maloney, John
Denning, Seth N. Stafford, John B. Sutter, Selden Candee, Charles
Miner, Chas. Reidel, Henry Wiethorn, John Plank, Lewis
Renzihausen, John G. Rupp, Anthony Gass, Samuel W. M. Moody,
Allen Scott, Jacob Sawvel. Of these, but a very few are still
living in the township.
The Methodist Episcopal Church of the Yellow river and Clayton
Mission in Linton township, was incorporated, August 11, 1859,
John Plank, Jr. Geo. Koch, Henry Peitzman, and Bartheld
Liebenstein, being the incorporators.
About the year 1860 the following there was an active Baptist
church organization at Ion, served a part of the time by Elder
Poole, of Rossville. They bought a small building at Ion for a
house of worship, which they sold to George Hulse when the
organization was broken up.
The First Methodist Episcopal Church of Ion was incorporated
December 28,1868, the trustees being at the time, S. C. Hulse, H.
B. Miner and Charles Miner. J. H. Gile was also one of the
incorporators.
Ion, Volney, Monona, and McGregor at one time composed the
Ion Circuit, served by such later well-known
preachers as J. F. Hestwood and Nathaniel Pye. The latter resided
at Ion for a number of years.
The population of Linton township in 1854 was 225, and in 1910 it
was 581. At the first enumeration it had a much larger area than
now.
Linton township officers in 1913: Clerk, E. Pufahl: trustees,
John Huffman, Chas Topel, Mike Peters; assessor, Jas. Egan, Jr.
LUDLOW TOWNSHIP
(pg 273-274)
The commissioner to organize this township was Ezra Reed, a
pioneer of 1850, on section1, and the organizing election was
held on Monday, April 1, 1852. The population in 1854 was 208; in
1910 it was 777. No villages have ever been laid out in this
township, but it has the reputation of being the wealthiest
agricultural township in the county, having the largest area of
tillable wealthiest agricultural township in the county, having
the largest area of tillable land, being mostly prairie. A
postoffice called Ludlow was kept at the house of H. G. Grattan,
postmaster, on the Waukon and Postville, road, in section 10, for
about twelve years, being discontinued prior to 1882. The
township is fully covered by free delivery now. It is noted for
its churches and schools, creameries, and a local store has
generally been kept in one part of the township or another. At
present the only one is located on the southeast corner of
section 8, owned and managed by John E. Maier. There is but one
creamery now operating, the Ludlow Cooperative Creamer y Company,
incorporated April 11, 1894, with a capital stock of $5,000, the
first officers being A. G. Winter, secretary and treasurer. It is
situated on the south line of section 9, a quarter of a mile east
of the store. On early maps of Iowa published in 1857 a little
village called Grantville is laid down in the southeastern part
of Ludlow, but we have been unable to ascertain that there ever
was a settlement or postoffice of that name in the vicinity.
The official roster of Ludlow township in 1913 is: Clerk, Paul
Hagen; trustees, A. I. Steffen, F. H. Dipping, Chas. E. Regan;
assessor, Ed Ludeking; justice of the peace, J. H. Simmons.
Of the early settlers in Ludlow township the following came in
1851 or before: Ezra Reed, Luther Howes, Reading Woodward and
Benj. Woodward, Wm. Trotter, Wm. Dunn, Charles Ragan, James
Shaff, Wm. Rankin, David J. Miller (1850), Daniel Jaquis; also
Schenck, Beard and Cutler, who made, their homes on the
Winneshiek side of the line, and C. J. F. Newell, who sold his
claim and took another in Makee township. Others who followed in
rapid succession were: L. W. Goodrich, John Letchford, James
Vile, Absalom Thornburg, S. I. Cochran, Jacob Overholt, D. A.
Sackett, John A. Taggart (these two latter identified with
Waukon), J. W. Granger, N. E. Hobble, David and James Rankin,
Nicholas Wettlofer, Frederick Hagen, P. G. Wright, Moses Shaff,
Stephen Meriau, Francis Bryant, and others. Warner Howard, who
died in Ludlow in 1880, is said to have located here the year the
Indians were removed, which was in 1848, but whether in this
township we have no define information.
The German Presbyterian church of Ludlow, situated on the north
side of Section 9, is an outgrowth of the church of the same
named organized in Waukon, in the year 1856. During the pastorate
of Rev. John Renskers in 1864. The church divided, and those
living in this vicinity in 1865 erected a church building here,
under the administration of Rev. S. Elliker, who soon resigned,
and was succeeded by C. H. Schoepfle, and he by Wm. Shover, in
the summer of 1868, who served until January 29, 1871. Rev. Henry
Knell was then called, who preached his first sermon here.
February 12, 1871. Under his pastorate a new church edifice was
erected, and the old building was thenceforth used as a
schoolhouse. His resignation took place November 5, 1877, and he
died a few years later. He was succeeded by Helder Smit, who
remained only eleven months. After him Rev. E. Schutte was
called, first preaching January 26, 1879. The church was organize
with very few member-among the most active being Simon, Conrad
and August Helming-but increased very rapidly, its active members
numbering 233 in 1882. In 1895, March 13th, the church was
reincorporated as the Zalmona German Presbyterian Reformed
church. The then pastor was Rev. J. H. Stark, and at the present
time Rev. Ferdinand Zissler serves this church.
The Reformed Salem church of Ludlow was organized February 11,
1895, and incorporated June 1st, with the following named
constituting the board of trustees: Henry Kiesau, Henry Ludeking,
Simon Struckmann, and Herman Schnittger. Others prominent in
effecting the organization were: Simon Kiesau, Fred Krumme, and
George, Simon, Fred and Herman Becker, and others. Dr. H. A.
Muehlmeyer, president of the Reformed Seminary at Sheboygan,
Wisconsin, effected the organization, by request of members of
the Presbyterian Zalmona church who lived two, three, and as far
as five miles west and southwest of that church. The Reformed
church is a sister church to the Presbyterian church, the former
originating in Switzerland and Germany, the latter in Scotland,
both from the efforts of the reformer Calvin and others in the
sixteenth century. The charter members, nearly all from the
reformed province Lippe, in Germany, in organizing, preferred to
connect themselves with the Reformed church in the United States
of German origin. The congregation in harmony and peace soon
bought grounds for a church and parsonage site of Henry Ludeking,
on which the buildings were erected in the northwest corner of
section17, and for a school and a cemetery of George Becker in
the southeast quarter of section 7. A picture of the church
accompanies this article. The first pastor called from the
seminary at Sheboygan, was Rev. L. C. Kunst, serving the
congregation from July, 1895 to May, 1903. The second pastor was
Rev. Julius Gaenge, serving from July, 1907 to June, 1908. The
third was called in Sept. 1908, and served them till this date,
March, 1913. The congregation flourished from the time of its
beginning, and has a bright future. It now numbers 190
communicant members, and contributes freely toward all missionary
and benevolent purposes. Already their present church edifice is
becoming too small for them, and there is talk of erecting a more
appropriate building for their needs in the future. (We are
indebted to the retiring pastor, Rev. Edward Vornholt, now about
leaving for a new field, for the data regarding this church.)
The Bethlehem church of Ludlow township (Presbyterian), filed its
articles of incorporation on November 4, 1898, the trustees then
being August Klein, Simon Nagel, and Edward Bechtel, and a church
was built on the north line of section 27. Rev. H. F. Sinning is
the pastor of this church.
MAKEE TOWNSHIP
(pg 274-277)
The formal organization of this township was accomplished on the
first day of April, 1852, but we are as much in the dark as to
the officers elected here as in the other townships. We quote
from Judge Dean:
At the March term, 1852, of the County Court, held at
Columbus, the legal voters in Township 98, Range 5, petitioned
for organization as a civil township under the name of Makee. The
Court granted the prayer of the petitioners and appointed Israel
Divine as commissioner to call an election for purposes of
organization, which he did. The election was held in April
following, in the log house on the c. J. white farm, and resulted
in the election of a full set of town officers; but in
consequence of scanty records and the faulty memory of the
participants we are left to guess who they were. We only know
that John A. Wakefield was chosen constable, and in consequence
of his refusing to serve Sanford C. Marsh was appointed to fill
the office.
Makee Ridge, as it was afterwards called, had among her
early settlers a large per cent from Maine, and being shrewd,
prudent and enterprising Yankees they soon grubbed out, fenced
in, broke up, and cultivated farms, built themselves frame houses
which they painted white, made a turnpike road through the
village one mile in length and were so far ahead of the
surrounding country in style and improvements that they soon were
dubbed by the settlers who came in from Hoosierdom, with the
sobriquet of Nobscotters, and the ridge with the name of
Penobscot, and this name like the lingering fragrance of the
faded rose hangs round them still.
It has been established that Thos. A. Minard and C. J. White were
the first justices of the peace in the township.
The first log cabin in Makee township was built by Patrick Keenan
in 1848, where the county farm now is (southeast quarter of
section8), as related in the chapter on the pioneers. The second
a mile and a half east of Waukon by Prosser Whaley in 49;
and the third, or about the same time, the Shattuck cabin on the
site of the future Waukon.
The first school was taught by L. W. Hersey in the fall of 1853,
in the log cabin built by Azel Pratt for a dwelling in the fall
of 1850, he meanwhile having built a frame dwelling in 53.
Mr. Hersey was followed by F. M. Clark, in the same house, with
such pupils as Hersey and John Pratt, Lib Bearce and others. Mr.
Clark was the eldest son of John T. Clark, the pioneer lawyer,
and he was engaged in business in Waukon later, and in other
towns, finally establishing himself in a banking business at Lime
Springs, where he died but a few years ago. About the time of
this school Mr. D. D. Doe taught for a while in a log hut east of
Waukon. He was later a prominent business man in Waukon, where he
built the fine residence in the east part of town that was in
later years the home of G. W. Hays for a long time. Mr. Doe then
went to Lansing where he resided until his death. His daughter
married Mr. Dick Haney, of Lansing, who went to South Dakota and
was until quite recently a member of the Supreme Bench of that
state.
In the summer of 1854 the Makee schoolhouse was built, the first
one in the township; but before it was fully enclosed came the
great hail storm and tornado which moved it a few feet from it
foundation; and we may add, entirely destroyed the crops which
had been put in, in that vicinity. This was a good sized frame
building, with a steeple. It served its purpose for half a
century, until replaced by the present brick schoolhouse erected
in 1905. The first school in this old house was taught by Eugene
K. Barnett, in the winter of 1854-5.
The Makee postoffice established in 1852 on the opposite side of
the road, to the west of this schoolhouse, was discontinued
sometime in the sixties, and about that time a postoffice was
established in the northeast corner of the township called
Lycurgus. This was discontinued in January, 1868, but was
reopened two years later at the house of C. O. Howard, on section
8. Later it was removed to its former location, about 1872, in
charge of Chas. Nees, in connection with his store and hotel.
Since his death Mrs. Nees had continued the business at the old
homestead, and kept the postoffice until the introduction of the
rural delivery system a few years ago.
C. O. Howard and his brother Alvin G., with their aged father
Azel, came to the ridge in the early fifties. The father died
many years ago. C. O. Built the first elevator in Waukon upon the
advent of the railroad in 1877, and continued a prominent
business man here until his death in 1904. A. G. Went to
Nebraska, in 1883, and after 1905 made his home with his son,
Willis, at Clarkston, Washington, where his wife died, but he
remains well-preserved in his eighty-ninth year.
The St. Marys Catholic church at Lycurgus was established
at an early time, and was presided over for many years by Father
M. K. Norton, now in charge of the Waukon parish. They have a
very fine property, but the edifice, which was of stone, had
became insufficient for the needs of the community, and has this
spring of 1913 been razed to make place for a fine new structure
which which has been contracted at a cost of some $20,000. The
plans call for a building of mission design, with a
superstructure of hollow tile and pebble dash, a tile roof and
trimmings of copper. This church organization became duly
incorporated December 11, 1911, with Rev. T. R. Campbell pastor,
and Peter Plein and Patrick Whalen lay directors, associated with
Archbishop Keane and Vicar General Roger Ryan composing the
board. Rev. Father McNamara is the present pastor.
Of the earliest settlers in this township the following took
government land in 1850 and 1851, possibly some of them in 1849,
viz: John A. Wakefield, north part of section 2, whose biography
appears on another page. Hugh Norton later owned this farm. The
stone schoolhouse on this farm was built in 1868. Wm. M. Dibble
took the northeast northwest section 19, in 1850, but soon sold
to W. R. Pottle and he to Alvin G. Howard, who lived there many
years. It is now the Kasser home. Abram L. Bush, southwest
quarter section 20, 1850: Gunder Hanson, northeast quarter
section 22, 1850; Charles Krieger and Andrew Kosbau, sections 32
and 33: C. J. White, section 20; Knudt Knudtson, section 15;
Landolin Haas, Section 3; A. J. Hersey, section 7, 1851, Geo. W.
Randall, section 9; Moses D. Bush, northeast southwest and
Richard B. Charles northwest southwest section 19; Uriah Whaley,
section 27; Thos. A. Minard, sections 29 and 32; Samuel M.
Stevens, northeast quarter section 29; David Whaley sections 19
and 30, north of fair grounds, a little log house he built was
standing until a few years ago; Wm. Niblock, section 33.
The following took school lands, in or previous to 1854, and the
date of settlement is difficult to ascertain. Some of them were
here in 1851. Jacob Marti section 1 and 2; Allen and Job
Blanchard, C. J. White, Halvor Peterson, Jehial Johnson, Halvor
Oleson, Chas. Paulk, Jas. B. Conway, Enoch Jones, Wm. Escher,
Henry Ruegemeier; also Chas. Drawis, L. J. Nichols, Wm. And
Joseph Burton bought lands.
The very earliest settlers, including Prosser and Archa Whaley,
the Pratts and Herseys and others, are mentioned more
particularly in another chapter. Jackson Gould settled what has
recently been the Fourt farm, northwest section 19.
The iron lands on section 17 were entered from the government by
Frost Gerry, in June, 1852, and were sold to A. H. Hersey in the
January following. The main portion of them composed the
Stoddard farm, from 56 to 62 owned by N. Taylor
and G. W. Stoddard. Dinah Randall owned this a short time, then
Geo. W. Hays for three years, who sold to Geo. Griswold, and he
to John M. Barthell in 1875, who owned it during the prospecting
and development of the mines.
The population of Makee township was 470 at the first enumeration
in 1854. It was 811 exclusive of the city of Waukon, by the 1910
census.
The township officers ain 1913 are: Clerk, F. E. Kelley;
trustees, Chas. Johnson, Robert Connor, and W. H. Ebendorf;
assessor, Fred Hansmeier; justices, T. T. Ericson and P. J.
Quillan; constables, D. R. Walker and Scott Jones.
PAINT CREEK TOWNSHIP
(pg 277-288)
The township was organized under an order of the County court in
April, 1852, Mr. James Bryson, Sr., being appointed commissioner;
but not until the December 1853 term were its boundaries
officially designated, it being taken from Taylor township. Two
election had been held prior to this, however. It was rapidly
settled up in the meantime, so that by the enumeration in 1854
its population is given at 414. The census of 1910 shows 881. By
action of the court its name was on May 7, 1855, changed to
Waterville, but two years later, March 2, 1857, the first name
was restored. The following account of its settlement is copied
from an article prepared by John S. Bryson in 1880, with
additional matter from a family history he later wrote, which was
printed in a booklet for private distribution in 1901.
On the morning of the 8th of May, 1850, James Bryson and family
arrived at what was then called McGregors landing, now the
city of McGregor, with teams and baggage, and at once started for
Garnavillo, the county seat of Clayton county, seeking a home.
After resting here two days, they, in company with part of Robert
Moores family, who had made a claim on Paint creek, started
for Allamakee county, following the trail via what is now Monona,
then called Sodom (inconsequence of its whiskey trade with the
Indians), then down Hickory creek to Clarks ford on the
Yellow river, then north to the old stake in
Jefferson township, now the farm owned by Elias Pettit, and a
short distance east of his house, and down on to Paint creek,
where they camped May 11, 1850.
Mr. Bryson located on section 17 and 18, where Thomas and Robert
Moore and John Graham had made claims about nine months previous,
while the Indians were yet camped there for their winters
hunt, this being a favorite hunting and camping place for them.
They were gone when the Bryson family came in, but the skeletons
of their wigwams remained, and the brands and ashes of their
campfires showed that the new settlers occupied as the departed.
Five of the wigwams, or teepees stood close by the finest spring
on Paint creek, this spring was covered with a blanket of moss
from two to six inches thick, showing that it had been a camping
spot for a long time, and the wild deer dare not come to eat the
moss, but they did the winter following. We cleared the most of
this off the head of the springs, and the water boiled up from
ten to twelve inches, flowing over the beautiful green moss as
clear as crystal, and as cold as if it came through a mountain of
ice.
We found here many flint arrow heads, two tomahawks or hatchets,
one dead Indian pony, and many buffalo and elk horns.
The Indians had for years dug up the wild sod in the valley in
patches, and raised a crop of what might be called squaw
corn, but we broke the first sod on what is now Paint creek
on the 15th of May, 1850.
We broke patches on each claim to secure them. Settlers came in
fast on our trail all summer. We put up a log house 14 by 18, a
store-house 8 by 12, and a pit on the hillside for potatoes, but
it was too late for other crops. There was plenty of game, some
fish, and wild deer were very plentiful. There were wolves,
bears, and even panthers.
The Government put the land into market at $1.25 per acre about
the first of October following, and found us with more claimed
than we had money to pay for, but Mr. Wm. H. Morrison, who lived
near the mouth of the creek, having been appointed agent to
select a portion of the 500,000 acres granted by the general
government to Iowa for school purposes, came around and we
entered our claim as school land; this helped us as well as many
more poor settlers by giving us time to get the money and make
our payments without submitting to the extortion of the land
sharks, as the settlers called those who speculated in land and
reaped a rich harvest, at the expense of the hard-working
pioneer.
In the summer of 1850, a large number of Norwegians came in from
Wisconsin and settled on the Prairie north of the creek, among
whom were Swen Enderson Hesla, Ole O. Storla, Ole Grimsgaard,
Thomas Anderson, Lars Knudtson, Nels Tollefson, Ole Severson,
Bennett Hermanson, who lived in their canvas covered wagon until
they could build something to get into, and the most of these
families are well-to-do farmers in Paint Creek today.
Theodore and William Moose and William McCoy came in about the
same time. James R. Conway, Reuben Sencebaugh, and others came in
very soon after and settled on the south side of the creek. In
the summer of 1850, a family named Ellis from Linn county, Iowa,
came in and selected mill sites on the creek, which were kept
running all winter, cracking corn for all who came. The buhrs
stood out of doors all winter, and the next spring-1852-they were
inclosed, and a small bolt made of book muslin, was attached for
making buckwheat flour. Then we lived sumptuously, substituting
buckwheat cakes and wild honey for our former diet of pork and
corn dodger, and people came from all quarters with their little
grists, and in all sorts of conveyances, some from what is now
Waukon, some from the Iowa river. It was here I first met Scott
Shattuck, late form California, and when I first saw him he held
in one hand a piece of raw pickled pork and corn dodger, and in
the other hand a large knife with which he was cutting alternate
slices of each for his luncheon. This was the first gristmill
ever built in the county, if ti had capacity enough to be called
a mill. I ran this mill the most of the time the first eight
months. Not long after this Nathaniel Beebe commenced getting out
timber for what is now known as the Waterville mill, and later
Colonel Spooner and Mr. Carpenter came in and joined him, and the
mill was built and started in the winter of 1854 and 1855. They
also opened a store in the spring of 1855 near the mill. In the
spring of 1851, Thomas B. Twiford, of county seat notoriety, and
Wm. McCoy built the Thomas Ellis sawmill above where
Beumers mill now stands, and it did a good business until
1860.
By this time many settlers had come in, the Norwegians generally
settling on the north side of the creek, the Irish on the south
side, with a few Americans and other nationalities sprinkled in
and among them, but the large per cent. of settlers were of
foreign birth.
The first winter we boys learned to split rails, William, James,
and I * * * and for three winters between 1853 and 56 we
fenced in forty acres each winter. It took two thousand two
hundred and fifty rails and six hundred and fifty stakes. We
raised hogs and chickens and got good prices the first three
years, In the fall, winter and spring of 52-3 I worked out
six months for ten dollars per month, and then four months at
twelve dollars. My object was to get one hundred dollars to go to
Dubuque and enter eighty acres of land, but before I got my money
the land was taken. Just then a man came along with forty sheep
and a lamb, trying to peddle them, but no one had money. He asked
from four to five dollars each for them. I offered him my hundred
dollars for them and in a few days he took my offer. The next
spring I had a flock of eighty sheep and lambs and had sold eight
at six dollars each. The Norwegian women came to buy wool,
offering thirty to forty cents for it. They took large quantities
to spin into stocking yarn on shares. I sold the yarn at one
dollar per pound. The next year I had sixty-five lambs. I now
sold enough wool and sheep to raise three hundred dollars which I
paid to Sturm on my land, and had plenty of sheep left * * * He
made me a deed for the land, and we all felt relieved and
rejoiced for we had accomplished our purpose of each getting a
farm. Our market to the new comers was about gone, and we had to
seek a market for shipments.
The county records fail to show when the township was organized
by the election of township officers, but there is an entry in
them dated December term, 1853, as follows: Paint Creek
township was organized so as to conform to the congressional
township of town 97, range 4. The trustees gave the
township its present name, and the township records show the
first election to be held in Riley Ellis mill, where the
corn cracker was, August, 1852, James Bryson, George Watkins and
Reuben Sencebaugh being judges of election, and William McCoy and
Thomas G. Ellis were the clerks. The trustees appointed William
McCoy township clerk. These are the earliest dates our records
show.
The next election was held on the first Tuesday in November,
1852, and was the presidential election. The third election was
on the fourth of April, 1853, and is the first record I find of
the election of township officers. Being for trustees: James
Bryson, Andrew Mitchell and Reuben Sencebaugh; for township
clerk, William McCoy; for assessor, James Bryson; for constables,
John Bryson and John Stull; for justices of the peace, James
Bryson; for constables, John Bryson and John Stull; for justices
of the peace, James Bryson and Reuben Sencebaugh. At this
election there were cast for county seat fifty-eight votes, of
which Columbus had forth-nine and Waukon nine. The trustees held
two meetings in the winter of 1852-3, one to appraise and divide
section 16, and the other to divide the township into road
districts, doing this work so well that the districts remain the
same to this date.
In 1856 Mr. James Beebe built a large frame hotel in Waterville,
capable of accommodating all the guests that a town of one
thousand inhabitants would furnish, but it failed for want of
patronage, and its builder is now in New Mexico (1880). In 1857
was organized in this hotel the Prairie du Chien & Mankato
Railroad Company, with the Hon. J. T. Clark, now of Postville,
for president. The object of this company was to build a railroad
from the Mississippi at Johnsonsport, connecting there with the
railroad from Prairie du Chien, and running up the creek to
Waukon, thence west to Calmar, and on to Austin and Mankato,
Minnesota. Engineer Wm. W. Hungerford was the active man in the
enterprise and devoted considerable time to it, making surveys
and locating the line from the starting point on the river to the
state line in Howard county. Most of the resident right-of-way on
the entire line was secured, and about forty thousand dollars in
subscriptions and donations to the capital stock, the design
being to donated this to the railroad company running into
Prairie du Chien if they would extend their line across the river
and over the route. The enterprise failed, the extension being
made via Bloody Run and Monona, in Clayton county.
In the spring of 1857, Spooner and Beebe started at Waterville
the first tannery ever built in the county. They purchased a
recipe for tanning with japonica, using it with hot liquor, thus
tanning the hides in a few days so that they could put them on
the market and get returns very much quicker than by the old way
of tanbark and cold water. They ran their business about two
years, but not proving profitable they abandoned it.
To return to the family experiences:
By 1860 we had actually made and put up six miles of fence,
fourteen rails to the rod and four stakes. During these years
William, James and myself did most all of this work. Father
generally took us to our work early in the morning and took a
load of rails home. We had our dinner with us, warming our coffee
at a big fire. We walked home in the evening, about four miles;
mother always had a good supper waiting for us and we had good
appetites for it. As soon as supper was over mother cleared the
table of dishes and put on the Bible, newspapers and magazines,
and we took turns reading aloud. While one was reading the others
were patching boots, fixing ax handles, churning, or doing other
little jobs, but all listening. Rossville had a postoffice and
mail was received two or three times a week. By reading so much
we were posted on the questions that then stirred the country,
the slavery question, mormonism, and temperance. Father and I
voted for John C. Fremont in 1856, and for Abraham Lincoln in
1860 * * * At this time the people were greatly excited over
attempts to open all new territory to slavery, the Mason and
Dixons line, squatter sovereignty, the Nebraska bill, the
Kansas border ruffian war, the Douglas and Lincoln canvass and
the election of Lincoln in 1860.
In 1861 the firing on Fort Sumter aroused the Nation, and James
and Alexander both decided to enlist. James, in company with Dr.
Barnes raised a company of 130 men. Not being accepted the
company was disbanded in June. James reported to Governor
Kirkwood and was commissioned in the State service and remained
in that service until mustered into the United States service
with Company I, 27th Iowa Volunteer Infantry, in August 1862.
Alexander had a bad accident to his leg, from which he never
fully recovered, but he followed his regiment to Vicksburg, was
sent back to Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis, and discharged. I was
then unfit for service not having got over my long sickness, bur
during these years I did what I could to
encourage the boys and care for a few of their families. James
served to the end of the war, and the history of the 27th
Regiment is his war record * * * My father James Bryson died
November 30, 1889, at the age of eighty-seven year and three
months. (The biography of John S. Bryson, the writer of this
sketch, will be found in volume of biographies.-Editor.)
Other settlers who took government or school land in the early
fifties were: James Fort, in sections 12 and 26; Lewis Sturm;
Chas. Beumer, sections 17, 18 and 33; Lawrence Byrne section 17;
Patrick and Edward McGuire, 19; Edward, Patrick and Mathew
McCaffrey, 19; Reuben Sencebaugh in 1850, in sections 30,31 and
32; George Watkins in 1850, in section 30; John and Chas.
Connery; Charles McKaighney in section 20; Francis McGeough
section 28; Thos. Ryan section 28; Peter Cosgrove section 25; N.
A., Jeptha and James Beebe, in northeast quarter section 22,
present site of Waterville; Wm. R. Ellis, in 22 and 23; James
Kavanaugh in 29; Willard green in 33; also Barney McGeough, David
Martin, Ole Smeby and three sons, G. C. Lyse (settled at Columbus
in 52and here in 54), John and Robert Elliott. Also
William Dunn in section 32. A daughter of S. E. Hesla, who
settled on section 10 in 1850, was the first girl born in Paint
Creek township; she married S. O. Liekvold, and died in January
1902.
WATERVILLE
This is the sixth town in the county, in size, as well as in
order of incorporation. It has grown by force of circumstances,
never having been laid out on paper prior to settlement, for
speculative purposes. Therefore it does not show the regularity
of a premeditated plat, and is not subdivided into blocks. The
lots were sold off by the owners one at a time, to prospective
builders as needed, and were platted as land lots instead of town
lots, and of varying size and irregular shape, according to the
requirements of the purchasers and the contour of the land.
The beginnings of Waterville were in the building of the Riley
Ellis grist mill, or corn cracker, a half mile below the present
post office, in 1850. In 1853 Mr. Jeptha Beebe bought out this
rude mill and improved it, and put in a sawmill the same year.
The next year, 1854, Nathaniel Beebe built a grist mill for
flour, since known as the Waterville Mill, in the present
village, in which Jeptha Beebe took an interest, but sold his
interest the same year to Col. Jeduthan Spooner, continuing
himself to run the saw mill. The three forties covering the site
of Waterville were bought of the school fund by Nathaniel A.,
James and Jeptha Beebe, being the northeast of the northeast, the
northwest of the northeast, and the southwest of the northeast,
respectively, of section 22, and they sold an interest to Colonel
Spooner and D. P. Carpenter, who made arrangements for opening a
store. Colonel Spooner returned to the east in the fall, but in
May, 55, came on again with a stock of goods, which he
opened up in partnership with carpenter.
In 1856 James Beebe erected a large frame hotel, the prospect at
that time being very promising for the future growth of the town,
possessing three good water powers, and there being a strong
probability of the early construction of a railroad along the
Paint Creek valley, which was not realized however until twenty
years later. A post office was established here in 1856. The
store and mill of Messrs. Spooner, Beebe and Carpenter made this
village for a time one of the most active places in the county,
until the collapse of the railroad project and growth of Waukon,
where a steam mill was built, as well as the building of a steam
mill at Rossville, combined to detract from its importance. In
1857, Spooner and Beebe started a tannery here, also. Soon after
this Mr. Spooners son, who assisted him in his varied
business, died, and Colonel Spooner removed to Lansing, and later
to Waukon, where he resided until his death, which occurred March
10, 1867. He was an able and influential man, highly respected by
all who knew him.
Mr. Jeptha Beebe sold his interest here to his brother. N. A.
Beebe, in 1857, and purchased a farm two miles and a half west of
Rossville. Soon after he engaged as contractor of a stage line
from Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, to Chatfield, Minnesota. The
route being discontinued in 1858, by order of James Buchanan,
through the postmaster general, left him with a large amount of
stage property on his hands, which he then took to Kansas, and
securing another stage line soon after traded his interest for a
steam saw mill some fifteen miles south from Topeka, which took
fire and was burned in 1860 with quite an amount of lumber and
logs, all being a total loss. He rebuilt the mill and sold to
other parties, and came back to Allamakee county and rented the
saw mill at Waterville one year, then rented a farm near
Rossville for one year, and then bought a saw mill on Yellow
river, which he ran till 1867, then sold out and turned his
attention to farming. In the spring of 1869 he purchased a farm
near Waukon, where he continued to reside until about 1905, when
he went to California, where he died January 13, 1907. Mr. Beebe
was a leader of the Greenback party in the county during the
activity of that party.
Daniel P. Carpenter, the associate of Colonel Spooner in the
business at Waterville, continued to live in Allamakee county a
number of years, but eventually removed to Missouri, where his
death occurred in 1882, at the age of eighty-two. His son, W. W.
Carpenter, was an assistant of his father and Colonel Spooner in
the fifties. He enlisted in 1861 in Dr. Barnes Co. K, First
Iowa Cavalry, and served through the war, being promoted first
lieutenant. He is now, at eighty, still an active citizen of
Ashland, Oregon. His son and namesake, W. W., is a long time and
well known resident of Waukon.
The Waterville Mill changed hands many times, and had its periods
of alternating prosperity and discouragement. Mr. John Thomas
operated it in 1872, and later A. J. Diesen, who leased it to Ed
Neudeck in 1877. It passed into the possession of V. H. Stevens
later, and was finally run as a saw mill only.
Railroad
With the construction of the Waukon & Mississippi Railroad in
1877 Waterville took on new life, Mr. Vic H. Stevens, in company
with Mr. J. H. Hale of Waukon, erected a large store and dwelling
which became the railroad station, express and telegraph office
combined, and has so continued until this time. For many years
Mr. Stevens was the agent, as well as postmaster, and handled a
variety of other business enterprises successfully. In course of
time he bought out Mr. Hales interest, and acquired
considerable of the land in and about the village. He became
interested in telephones, inaugurated a local system, and was the
prime mover in organizing the Standard Telephone Co., now
operating throughout this corner of the state and in Southeastern
Minnesota. Eventually he branched out further and became
president of the Interstate Telephone Co., and took up his
residence in Dubuque. He retained his business interests in
Waterville, however, with Mr. G. Pederson as a partner, who has
for many years conducted the affairs of the store, railroad and
postoffice, with great popularity and success. (Mr. J. O. Jeglum
was postmaster for a time about 1892.) Mr. Stevens a few years
ago started a new town called Gregory, in South Dakota, and
continued to prosper until his sudden death within the past year.
With the advent of the railroad a grain warehouse was built and
operated by Mr. McMichael of Lansing, and immediately commanded a
large business. Other business establishments soon followed, and
the village thrived generally. Of recent years M. J. Hart has
taken a leading part in the local affairs, engaged in handling
grain and other produce, and live stock. Others now in business
here comprise the following:
Waterville Bottling Works.
Waterville Savings Bank.
Farmers Cooperative Creamery Co.
John Anderson, blacksmith.
Asleson & Anderson, implements.
J. T. Bjerke, feed mill.
A. J. Cole, restaurant.
A. J. Ellefson, hardware.
A. M. Fellows (of Lansing), lumber
S. K. Kolsrud, general merchandise.
Gabriel Pederson & Co., clothing, etc.
Henry Sieg, furniture and undertaking.
Herman Sorenson, furniture.
Spinner Brothers, general merchandise,
Postmaster, Gabriel Pederson. (Rural routes to Elon and Ion.)
INCORPORATION
Early in 1912 the leading citizens of Waterville desiring to
obtain for their community the advantages of an incorporated
town, presented to the District court a petition April 2, 1912,
asking for the incorporation of a tract described as follows:
commencing at a point 20 chains east of the common corner of
sections 15,16,21 and 22, township 97, range 4; thence east 20
chains to quarter corner, north 10 chains on quarter line, east
20 chains to eighth line, south 24 chains on eighth line, east 20
chains to section line, south on section line 36 chains, west 20
chains to eighth line, north on eighth line 20 chains, west 40
chains to eighth line, north on eighth line 30 chains to place of
beginning; containing 212 acres, and a population of 130. The
court appointed the following commissioners to hold an election,
viz: A. C. Grimsgard, A. J. Ellefson, G. Pederson, J. A. Anderson
and M. J. Hart. The election was held in Harmony Hall May 4,
1912, resulting in 31 votes for incorporation and 5 votes against
the proposition. An election was then held, June 8, 1912, for
town officers, the following being elected: Mayor, M. J. Hart:
Clerk, Joe Bjerke; Treasurer, Peter Arneson; Assessor, A.
Asleson; Councilmen, J. A. Anderson, B. J. Dillon, A. J.
Ellefson, Ole Hanson and O. G. Kolsrud.
The court, Judge A. N. Hobson, thereupon decreed the town duly in
incorporated and election of officers confirmed.
The first assessment of the corporation, in 1913, showed a
valuation for purposes of taxation of $78,584 was real estate.
The town marshal of Waterville is A. C. Grimsgard.
The Paint Creek township officers this year are: Clerk, H. A.
Hendrickson; Assessor, E. C. Dahl; Trustees, K. T. Gronna, M. T.
Jacobson, P. G. Hagen; Justices of the Peace, H. A. Hendrickson
and C. A. Robey; Constable, A. C. Grimsgard.
WATERVILLE SAVINGS BANK
This institution was incorporated June 16, 1902, for a term of
fifty years, with a capital of $1,000, and the following first
officials, viz: O. J. Hager, President; M. J. Hart, Vice
President: W. F. Nierling, Cashier; these three and A. T.
Nierling and H. F. Opfer, Directors. The present officers are the
same, with the exception of cashier, that position now being
occupied by Peter Arneson, and the directors are now O. J. Hager,
M. J. Hart, A. T. Nierling, H. A. Hendrickson and K. T. Gronna.
On February 4, 1913, the capital was increased to $10,000. The
report of this bank to the auditor of state April 17, 1913 shows:
capital paid up, $20,000; profits on hand, $1,905.78, total
deposits, $140,734.57; total assets, $162,640.35
TELEPHONE COMPANY
The Paint Creek Farmers Telephone Company was incorporated March
22, 1904, with a capital of $15,000, and officers as follows:
President, Wm. Rood; Vice President, J. A. Drogset; Secretary and
Treasurer, H. A. Hendrickson; Directors, T. G. Fagrie, P. G.
Hagen, E. E. Bakkum, H. G. Hagen and Julius Gruber. The principal
officers are now: President, Oliver Dahl; Vice President, Frank
Kelleher; Secretary, H. G. Hagen; Treasurer, Peter Arneson.
CREAMERY COMPANY
The Farmers Cooperative Creamery Company of Waterville is a
corporation dating from February 14, 1891, the original officers
being: President, John A. Drogset; Vice President, H. Larson;
Secretary, J. F. Tracy; Treasurer, A. T. Anderson. The company
renewed its articles of incorporation February 11, 1911, with a
capital the same as at first, $10,000. At present the officers
are: President, H. C. Megorden; Vice President, Iver Thorsen;
Treasurer, O. S. Helsa; Secretary, J. T. Bjerke; Directors, Arne
Grangaard, Theo Pladsen and Geo. A. Lease.
PAINT CREEK CHURCHES
Lutheran-What is now knows as the Old East Paint Creek
Norwegian Lutheran Congregation of the United Norwegian Lutheran
Church in America is the parent of organization from which
have sprung the several other congregations of the Lutheran
denomination in this locality as well as in Lansing and
Waterville. This congregation was organized in the year 1850 with
the following voting members: J. L. Moller, O. Larson, Arne
Knudson, Lars Knudson, Halvor Ellefson, Aslag Solverson, Ole
Syverson, Osten Pederson, Ole Olson, Ole O. Kaasin, A. O. Bothum,
Ole Helgeson, Syver O. Vold, Thomas Anderson, Ole Storlag, Erik
Kittelson, Ole Armeson, Nils Botolfson, A. Knudtson, Hans Nilson,
Bjorn Hermunson, Kitel Olson, K. K. Hunstad, Syver Hermundson,
Nels T. Roe, Ole Knudson, Ole Ellefson, Lars Arneson, Aslag
Gulbrandson, Vik Sven Endreson, Sven Olson, Embret Knudson, Mils
Nilson, Ole K. Hunstad, Iver Aslagson, Helge Halvorsen.
The first birth on the records of the congregation is that of
Knud A. Knudson, July 13, 1850. The first marriage was solemnized
July 18, 1852, Helge Olson and Miss Ragnhild Halvorsen. Our early
settlers must have been unusually healthful, as the first death
recorded occurred over six years after the organization of the
congregation, March 7, 1857, the deceased being a child of less
than two years old, by name Mathea Halvorsen.
At the very beginning of its existence this congregation went to
work and secured eighty acres of land on which to erect a church
and parsonage, being the same land on which they now stand. The
first church erected, in the early fifties, was a log building,
in which public worship was conducted until 1869, when the
present stone edifice took its place.
The following ministers have served this congregation: Revs.
Magelson and Brandt until 1853; Dr. N. F. Koren, 1853-63; O. J.
Hjort, 1863-79; C. Stoltz, 1879-80; H. A. Hartmann, 1880-95; C.
J. M. Gronlid, the present incumbent, has served since 1895.
L. S. Guttebo is the pastor of the East and West Paint Creek
Lutheran Synod churches.
The Lutheran Church Association of Waterville was incorporated
April 18, 1906, by members of the Norwegian Evangelical
Lutheran Church of Old East Paint Creek and the Old
Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church of West Paint Creek,
with the following officers: President, Peter Arenson; Secretary,
Ole Hanson; Treasurer, O. G. Kolsrud; Trustees, Olaf Oleson, J.
M. Siem and Gustav Ellefson.
Catholic-The date of organization of the old Cherry Mound church,
on the Linton township line, was in the fifties, about the time
of that at Lansing. We have not been able to ascertain the names
of those who have served as pastor there. It became incorporated
under the Iowa statutes December 4, 1911, as St. Pius Church of
Waterville, with Rev. John Hehir as pastor, then as now, and vice
president of the corporation, Archbishop, James J. Kean being ex
officio president Joseph Geller and James Slattery were the lay
members of the board of directors.
Baptist - There is no Baptist church in the township at this
time, but in 1860 such a church was organized, with eleven
members. This church was no further report after that year.
However, in 1862 another new church was reported organized at
Paint Creek, with a membership of fourteen, of whom
nine were baptized during that year. In 1865 this church was
reported extinct also, the members who had not removed probably
changing their membership to the Rossville church.
PUBLIC SCHOOL
The present schoolhouse at Waterville, was built about the year
1886, but we are without data as to the first school at this
place. With the increasing enrollment it was deemed necessary to
have a larger and more modern building here, and an election was
held March 10, 1913, on the question of issuing bonds for theat
purpose, at which the women turned out to vote also, as is their
privilege, the result being in favor of the new building by 62 to
33, the womens vote being 25 for and 13 against the
proposition. It is contemplated to erect a two-room building,
constructed of roc-faced cement blocks manufactured at Lansing.
The officers of the Waterville district are: President, Jacob
Anderson; Secretary, Adolph Asleson; Treasurer, Peter Arneson.
MODERN WOODMEN
Waterville Camp No. 3470, M. W. A., was organized January 8,
1896, with sixteen charter members, viz: A. Asleson, B. M.
Bottolfson, Ed Gaynor, H. A. Hendrickson, Halvor Larson, Harold
Hanson, H. H. Larson, Dr. S. C. Myers, Alfred Pederson, G.
Pederson, J. J. Kaveny, Jonas Siem, Ole Storla, Carl Spinner,
Martin Stromme, Vic H. Stevens, of whom seven are still members
of this camp. The first officers were: Venerable Consul, Martin
Stromme; Worthy Advisor, V. H. Stevens; Banker, C. A. Spinner;
Clerk, B. M. Bottolfson; Escort, G. Pederson; Watchman, J. Siem;
Sentry, A. Asleson.
The present membership of the camp is ^3,56 beneficial and 7
social; and the total insurance now carried is $74,500.00. During
the seventeen years the camp has been in existence four members
have died, three of them by accidents. The official roster now
is: Venerable Consul, M. J. Kelly; Worth Advisor, G. Pederson;
Banker, A. C. Grimsgard; Clerk, J. A. Anderson; Escort, A. J.
Ellefson; Physician, B. J. Dillon, M. D.
~~~~~
~transcribed by Diana Diedrich
(pages 269 & 279 have photos & pages 270 & 280 are
blank)