"A History of Western Murray County" by Robt. B. Forrest, Pages 84-99, Murray Co., MN Published 1947 ========================================================================= USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is obtained from the contributor of the file. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written consent of the contributor, OR the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. If you have found this file through a source other than the MNArchives Table Of Contents you can find other Minnesota related Archives at: http://www.usgwarchives.net/mn/mnfiles.htm Please note the county and type of file at the top of this page to find the submitter information or other files for this county. Made available to The USGenWeb Archives by: Robert B. Forrest III ========================================================================= Note: Use your "Find and Replace" option under "Edit" to search this file. Where there is noted (Picture) there is a picture or darwing that you can view. The file name (ex: 004.jpg) can be found on the TOC in the description box next to the file you are viewing. Just click on the picture file name or you can view the book in HTML format at: http://www.usgwarchives.net/mn/murray/history/home.htm where the pictures are placed within the book. Special thanks go to Robert B, Forrest for sharing his Grandfather's works. Be sure to read: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mn/murray/history/western/preface3.txt ================================================================================ Early W. Murray Co. MN Hist., pages 84-99 buggy days, perhaps a bit old fashioned compared to the fast moving scenes of the present, but they brought out the best that was in men and women. In the '80's this was a sportsman's or rather a hunter's paradise. Ducks, geese, brants, plover and snipe were shot from the lake shore. The men from Maine, who came here in the employ of Wilson in 1883, had a wonderful time. They built sail and row boats for the lake which had 15 feet of water. When fall came the boys had a building about l2x14 on the lake shore and it was literally filled with brants, geese and ducks. They were shot in the freezing days of the fall and kept until the holidays. The first depot agent was Chas. Bragdon. J. W. Bragdon was the first postmaster. J. W. Parshall was the first school teacher, walking in four miles from his farm nearly every morning. Ted Humble was the first lumber man. The first Christmas tree was a bare ash from Bear Lake. The willows along (Picture 084.jpg) First airplane to fly in Murray County, June 1915 Otto Timms of Windom was the pilot. There was a canvas placed around the plane after the flight and a fee of 10 cents was charged to see the new machine. —84— the lake shore were planted by M. E. Lang and H. Uebesigitzig in 1884. Bill Sabin was the first man to work in Lake Wilson; he helped dig the first cellar. The first postoffice was located on the Flannery place west of town. The postmaster was Wm. Luce. The first religious service in Lake Wilson was held in the third story of the big store building. This hall was also used for dances, parties, and lodges. Amusements were simple, consisting of literary societies, which always included a debate, taffy pulls, dances (sometimes a one man fiddle affair), stringing the cranberries and popcorn for the Christmas tree, the Christmas programs, quilting bees and skating and sleighing parties. When death came to a home, the shades were pulled down and the neighbors in pairs, took turns in sitting up with the corpse. The revivalist held down the school house for two weeks and sometimes we had some of our own who soon forgot and started chewing tobacco and cussing the minute the revivalists had gone. We used to have a pool as to who would be the first to backslide. Magic lantern shows would make the town once a year and a phrenologist would hold forth at the schoolhouse for a couple of nights reading our heads. In the early '80's a picturesque looking foreigner would make the rounds with a dancing bear who climbed the telephone pole, danced and wrestled with the keeper. Hunting did not take up much time in the fall. There were no game laws and everybody had all the game he wanted. The lake has been dry at three different periods (that is, completely dry). The earliest was before the '60's (so an Indian told Hans Nelson, pioneer resident). Train service especially in the winter was terrible. One winter in the late '80's we had no service here from December until April. The wheat was green in the fields by the time the train came. We got our mail and merchandise from Chandler that winter. Bill Sabin was mail carrier. Bids were taken for the job. When the bids were opened, Bill's bid was ninety cents so he had the job. When sickness came, doctors came from Slayton and Pipestone; not very often, though, as it cost money, something we did not have to burn. Groceries all came in barrels or boxes, no cartons. At first there were no paper sacks and we had to pour the sugar out on —85— a flat piece of paper and tie it up. Everything but canned goods came in boxes or barrels. Even the snooze was kept in a jar and had to be weighed out by the ounce. Before the stockyards came, farmers butchered their pigs and brought in the carcasses. They were laid on a box and you could buy a quarter, a half or a whole hog. Dressed beef sold for 3 to 4 cents the pound. We had no movies, no ice cream parlors, no study club, no bridge club, no lodges, no beer halls; yet we got by and were more contented than we are now. The village of Lake Wilson was incorporated June 23, 1900. One of the staunch friends of Lake Wilson in the early days was B. I. Weld of Slayton. He was president of the State Bank here during the fire of 1911, and when plans were being drawn for the new bank building a majority of the directors were in favor of erecting a one story building. Mr. Weld, however was insistent that the new building should have two stories and finally won his point. Ever since the bank was built the upper story has had a tenant. In many other ways the late Mr. Weld lent his aid and assistance to Lake Wilson and his help was duly appreciated by the folks who knew and loved B. I. (Picture 086.jpg) "In the Days of Steam" —86— BATHING IN LAKE WILSON IN in 1910 (Picture 087.jpg) Latest styles in bathing costumes that season. One of the ladies is now the wife of a well known Chanarambie twp. farmer Another Slayton man who was always a sincere friend of Lake Wilson was the late Senator J. V. Weber. Vin started coming to Lake Wilson in the early Farmer's Days. He used to sell wienies, and he made good at that, as he did in everything he tried. He was always willing and able to aid us in every undertaking. Spoke here on Commencement Days and Decoration Days, in fact, whenever we were in need, we called on "Vin" and he never failed us. The title of most successful man in the history of Lake Wilson, no doubt, goes to L. J. Kaplan. He came to Lake Wilson in 1920 and started up a store on a meagre line of merchandise. The goods were all right but they were few and far between. He and his wife, Sylvia, buckled down to work and put the old —87— Engebretson store building into shape. The man and his wife had some experience in dry goods. They soon expanded, moving into the building north of the State bank. Here they grew and prospered. Louie had everything in the sales line. He bought flour, peaches, apples, salt, etc. in car load lots and his trade increased far beyond the Lake Wilson territory. His success here attracted buyers and the Kaplans sold out here and moved into Iowa. Locating in Storm Lake, he operated a chain of stores throughout Iowa and southern Minnesota, and branched out into the wholesale grocery business while residing in Storm Lake. They moved the wholesale business to Sioux City, Ia. and expanded their retail stores. In 1929 they adopted a four year old girl, Doris, and in 1932 a son, Jay, was born to them. Doris was married in August, 1944, to Allan H. Rolfe, of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Louie never lost the human touch for his Lake Wilson friends—something that is greater than fame or honor. BASEBALL "CAME" TO LAKE WILSON IN "GAY NINETIES"; Baseball as it was played here in the late eighties was a pretty crude sport. We used to play in the pasture just south of the Bobbie Smith home. Bill Mooney, who lived over in Leeds twp. was an ardent baseball fan. He came from Iowa. Bill asked his nephew Hugh Mooney to come and visit him. He was a curve ball pitcher and a good one. We were playing the Sod Grabbers that day, a team from over Buffalo Ridge way, and a quaint bunch they were. The town lads were decked out in pants of blue, yellow and scarlet. The Grabbers wore overalls and their catcher had feather beds for mitts. He had one for each hand, big affairs they were, stuffed with chaff and feathers. When he caught the ball he had to stop and take off one mitt and then the other, and by that time the runner, like Greenberg, was on third. Hugh fairly stood the Grabbers on their heads. They were bowing and bending like a head waiter at his curves and the score ended 67 to 3 in favor of the curve ball. Hugh is a cousin of Ed. Scully of Hadley. Bill Mooney still lives at Waverly, Iowa. —88— CHURCH HISTORY OF LAKE WILSON THE GERMAN EVANGELICAL CHURCH The first church in Lake Wilson was the German Evangelical. It was organized in 1898 by Rev. Hahlen. Among the organizers were the Theo. Roeseler, Fred Kuist, Julius Nepp, Otto Bauman, Carl Rickgarn, Robert Koplein and J. Plambeck families. Services were first held in the old schoolhouse. Then a small church was built. With the coming of other churches the membership began to dwindle and the church was sold in 1920 to the members of the Catholic church. THE LUTHERAN CHURCH The Lake Wilson Lutheran church was organized at the old school house in Lake Wilson on the evening of April 17, 1903, the Rev. L. O. Fossum of Slayton acting as chairman of the meeting. The Lutheran Christians in and around Lake Wilson organized by adopting a befitting constitution in which (Picture 089.jpg) Dedication of the First Lutheran Church in September 1906 —89— An early Ladies' Aid Society (Picture 090.jpg) Mesdames: Jensen, Sackett. Lavalle, Osborne, Bean, Lang, Pattinson, Paxton, Uebersetzig and Forrest they named the congregation "The Rosendahl Scandinavian Evangelical Lutheran Congregation of Lake Wilson, Minn." Martin Westwick was secretary and Peder Engebretson was treasurer of the meeting. Andrew I. Olson, T. T. Bondhus and Peder Engebretson were selected as trustees. The trustees also served as deacons. Rev. Fossum was the first pastor; he was installed July 11, 1933. The charter members were Peder and Turena Engebretson, and Hervida, Lawrence and Mamie Thorbjorn, Margretha Bondhus, and John, Gunnar, Herman. Zella, Martin, Arent, Thorn, Lars, George; Thorvald and Cecelia; Andrew I. and Lena Olson, and Bernt, Oscar, Ernest, Chester; John and Sina Lane, and Selma, Jennie, Antoinette, Clifford; Lewis and Lottie Tokle, and Andrew and Arthur; Iver and Mathilda Moen, and Clarence, Carl, Mabel, Ida, Ellen; Theodore and Martin Westwick; Lars and Jim Sande. Eight families totaling forty-six souls. Church was held in the old schoolhouse for the first four years. In 1946 with the Rev. M. D. Hinderlie, pastor, the congregation numbered 385 —90— souls. A missionary to China is supported in addition to many other benevolent and educational enterprises. THE METHODIST CHURCH The first preacher to visit this section was Rev. Stockdill of Windom, an itinerant preacher who made visits to the outlying districts in this section of the state. He came on horseback, and the first services held were at the home of Elder Phelps in Chanarambie township. There was no Methodist organization in Lake Wilson until 1907 when Rev. Ellis effected an organization. The members purchased the old schoolhouse for church purposes. Here is a list of the names of the members who organized the church: Mr. and Mrs. H. W. Anderson, Alex, Henry and Helen Anderson; Mr. and Mrs. A. L. Partridge and son, Ivan; Mr. and Mrs. G. O. Balcom; Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Osborne, Eunice and Rowena; Mr. and Mrs. M. H. Blood and Ruby; Mr. and Mrs. O. G. Grier and family; Mr. and Mrs. L. L. Grier and family; Mr. and Mrs. F. L. Sackett; Mrs. J. M. Ganschaw; Herbert and Blanche Sackett; Mrs. R. D. Sprague and Dora; Mrs. Sadie Triplett and Eva. THE CATHOLIC CHURCH The Catholic church was organized in Lake Wilson in 1916. The members who took part in the organization of the church were Mr. and Mrs. Gasper Goeppel, Mr. and Mrs. Carl Manderscheid, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Nett, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Nett, Mr. and Mrs. Herman Nett, Mr. and Mrs. Casper Rademacher, Mr. and Mrs. Michael P. Flannery, Mr. and Mrs. E. W. Hook, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Berreau, Mr. and Mrs. Phil Flannery. The first mass was said by Father O'Regan of Slayton. The church property was purchased from the German Evangelical organization. ============================================= The name of the post office two miles west of Lake Wilson was named Limestone. The name of the lake now called Lake Wilson was formerly Sand Lake. The lake at Hadley was called Summitt. —91— THE LAKE WILSON Co-OPERATIVE ELEVATOR AND LUMBER COMPANY No history of western Murray County would be complete without the story of the Lake Wilson Co-operative Elevator & Lumber Company, the heaviest local taxpayer in Murray County. The unsatisfactory prices paid for grain in the early 1900's brought about the organization of the Lake Wilson Co-operative Elevator. This institution was started Feb. 18, 1905, when a notice was placed in the Pilot asking all farmers who were interested in a farmers' elevator to meet at Brekke's hall on March 4th. A. I. Olson was elected temporary chairman and Philip Flannery temporary secretary. After a discussion of grain market conditions in Lake Wilson the meeting was adjourned until March 11, 1905. At this meeting, the following officers The Lake Wilson Farmers Co-op. E1evator & Lumber Co. (Picture 092.jpg) This is the first office. lt was taken in 1914 —92— (Picture 093.jpg) This is a view taken in 1946. Buildings are so crowded that it is impossible to get all the buildings in one picture were elected: President, A. I. Olson; Vice Pres., L. Triplett; J. J. Mihin, Treasurer; and George Vallance, Secretary. At this meeting $4,000.00 was pledged. A motion was passed that the shares be $25.00 and the limit placed at four to a member, who was allowed only one vote. The directors elected were John Rohde, W. S. Pattinson, S. T. Campbell, Christ Erickson, and B. F. Warren. The officers were instructed to prepare bylaws and a constitution. The following is a list of the names of the farmers who purchased shares: A. L. Olson, L. Triplett, C. Erickson, L. Tokle, B. F. Warren, S. T. Campbell, John Rohde, George Vallance, Gust Nelson, Wm. Prahm, G. J. Gjervold, H. W. Anderson, J. J. Mihin, Frend Kench, Wm. Scott, J. D. Peterson, R. Harmsen, Ole Oleson, Phil Flannery, Theo. Berg, E. N. Moore, Fred Carlson, Wm. Sabin, J. A. Johnson, O. H. WilIiams, Victor Anderson, Martin Madison, J. Plumbeck, August Olson, Iver Erdahl, J. J. Low, B. Erdahl, Tom Hughes, W. S. Pattinson, A. Oberg, M. E. Blood, Theo. Roeseler, Ole Peter- —93— son, August Erickson, J. O. Gravel, A. F. Folstad, Fred Sagner, Carl Rickgarn, N. Nissen, E. Humphrey, J. Anderson, Joe Stevens, C. L. Bangson, Otto Bauman, J. F. Nepp, M. Flannery, H. Brummer, Tom Flannery, O. Erdahl, J. E. Thompson, J. Knaach, A. L. Partridge, G. Country, T. Wunderlick, Andrew Edmundson, Fred Gass, Ole Halbostad, M. Schwartz, Martin Forrest, Otto Heimness and B. O. Gravely. On June 2nd of the same year the new company purchased the Hubbard & Palmer elevator. A four bin coal shed was built in the fall. Here was the Lake Wilson Farmers' Co-operative Elevator Association born, and not a member at that time ever dreamed that it would become the largest institution of its kind in Murray County. In commenting on the new organization the Pilot of March 25 said, "Not one of the stockholders needed security or additional signers on their notes"—something unusual in those days. The history of the organization has been one of progress and expansion. In 1914, three years after the disastrous fire, the members purchased the M. E. Lang lumber yard. More buildings were erected, including a seed and feed shed, and they carry a complete line of every variety of seed as well as a substantial stock of feeds for livestock, including poultry. A modern coal shed was erected which is one of the best in this section. Naturally the company has had its ups and downs; there were years when the profits were exceedingly low, the lumber yard one year not showing a cent profit. The officers who direct the policy of the association today are: Gilbert Erickson, President; Leslie Oberg, Vice-President; John Tutt, Treasurer; Oscar Olson, Secretary; and Directors, Henry Anderson, Fred Heins and Gunder Bondhus. In charge of the company operations are: Willis F. Godfrey, General Manager, who has been with the company since 1939, and Rudy Brummer, Assistant Manager of the lumber yard, and Frank H. Nett, Assistant Manager of the grain department. These two men joined with the company in 1939. Two of the men, Godfrey and Brummer, were in the navy during World War II. —94— THE FIRST NATIONAL BAMK OF LAKE WILSON, MINN. In the development of this community the First National Bank has played its part. This institution was organized in 1919 and during the last twenty-eight years has played an outstanding part in every phase of the steady improvement and the security of this section of Murray County. The bank was opened on August l9th, 1919 with the following officers: President, John W. Erickson;vice president, A. G. Lane; J. M. Collins, cashier; Henry Groskreutz, assistant cashier and Ole Halbostad, Fred Carlson and C. E. Zeiner, directors. During the depression period this bank like hundreds of others in this section was strained to the utmost. Bank after bank was closing its doors but the First National kept its doors open and its credit good. It was the only bank in western Murray County to weather the financial storm. While the bank The First National Bank of Lake Wilson, Minnesota (Picture 095.jpg) The bank was erected in 1919 —95— (Picture 096.jpg) This is the old store building erected by J. E. Wilson, in 1883. It was the first hotel, first store, first Post office, first church, etc. It stood on the plot of ground now occupied by the bank officials were criticized at times for being too conservative, the policy of the institution proved to be a sound one. Today the bank that started with a capital amounting to $25,000.00 and $5,000 surplus, now has footings of over one million dollars and a reputation for soundness not exceeded by any bank in Minnesota. In 1947 Glen A. Swenson who had served the bank for nearly twenty-five years, sold his interests to H. R. Lexvold. Mr. Lexvold, who was born in Center Point, Iowa, has been associated with banks all of his adult life being employed in banks in Iowa, Minnesota and California and naturally has gained a wide experience in the banking business. For some time he has been anxious to enter the banking business in southwestern Minnesota and in a town where he —96— could make his home and he feels well satisfied with the town and the people in the community and the village. Mr. Lexvold was united in marriage to Miss Marion Lilland of Estherville, Iowa. They have two children, Roger and Shirley. Assisting Mr. Lexvold in the bank are R. E. Meyer, formerly of Mountain Lake, Minnesota and Miss Margaret Anderson of Lake Wilson. The officials of the bank are: President, Albert Amundson; vice president, H. R. Lexvold; directors: Mrs. B. O. Clauson, C. F. Lentz, and Henry Anderson, and H. R. Lexvold, cashier. ============================================ FIRST WHITE MAN TO VISIT MURRAY COUNTY WAS PHILANDER PRESCOTT Prescott, one of the adventurous white traders of his time, traded with the Indians in this section as early as 1831. Prescott with his family, voyageurs and several Indians left Traverse de Sioux (St. Peter) on September 1, 1831. He was signed as an independent trader two years before the American Fur company opened its post at Bear Lakes. They used eight ox carts to transport the party and the trade goods. Carts are not to be confused with the covered wagons. They had only two wheels and were drawn by one ox. After a seven-day journey across the prairies, they arrived at the Bear Lakes. He was so taken up by the natural resources of the spot that he was tempted to appeal to Bailly, the agent, to trade there. "We got to what is called 'The Big Clump of Woods'," wrote Prescott. "It is an island, the cause of there being timber because fire could not get at it. This point is the head of the Des Moines River. (This was an error on Prescott's part.) It is a large grassy lake and a great place for muskrat and waterfowl, and consequently a great place for Indians as there is no timber for a long distance to the south or West. At this place I almost made up my mind to winter here." Prescott was the first white man to visit Bear Lakes or the Pipestone Quarries of which there is a written record. —97— CHANARAMBIE TOWNSHIP Back in August 1879, a petition, signed by E. W. Powell and twenty-two other voters, was presented to the county commissioners asking that township 106-43 be established and that it be named Lime Stone. The petition was granted, and the first meeting for the election of officers was held on August 25, 1879, at the Wm. Luce home (now the Flannery place). Several years after, the name of the township was changed to Chanarambie, named from the creek and the "Lost Timber." This township was about the last to be organized in the county with the exception of Fenton which was the last township to be organized. The first census of the county was taken in 1875 but, as the township was not organized and no places of residences were given in the unorganized townships, it is hard to determine who lived in the township at that time. The next census was taken in 1880 but, as the census taker at that time grouped the three townships, Cameron, Lowville, and Chanarambie, together, it is impossible to separate the settlers as to which townships they lived in. In 1879 Chanarambie had a population of 131, Lowville 71, and Cameron 124. The first census of record of Chanarambie township was taken in 1885 by S. Barrows, including the village of Lake Wilson which was started in 1883. The village and the township had a population of 185. In the township and village there were only thirty- three families listed. Here are the names of the families as taken by the census taker. J. Bissett, E. Bragdon, C. Annis, O. Thompson, M. Webster, Dan McHahon, A. Dahl, Ole Olson, Mary Olson, O. Barrows, J. P. Ryan, J. Shields, A. N. Snider, Chas. Sargeant, E. Morgan, M. Gunderson, H. Stanley, Casper Lang, J. W. Bragdon, J. G. Rumet, R. F. Morley, Eric Peterson, John Conway, James Gilfillan, M. Nelson, Wm. Luce, S. Barrows, J. K. Howe, C. Dudley, S. N. Phelps, W. T. Warren, Ben Warren, Henry Uebersetzig, Hans Johnson, L. Anthonson. —98— (Picture 099.jpg) "The Very Latest" back in the days of 1905 One of the outstanding figures in Chanarambie township was R. T. Morley who had a claim west of town. He craved to be Justice of the Peace, a position which carried some dignity and a lot of cash for those days. There were twenty cases in Justice of Peace courts in the 1880's to where there is one today. A dignified old cuss was R. T. He lived in a shack about 12x14 and when you went to get out papers against a neighbor, Mr. Morley gravely asked you to step into his office. He had drawn a white chalk line across the floor near a table and when you stepped over the chalk line you were in his office. Law suits were a sort of escape valve in the summer as were revivals in the winter. The writer served as Justice of Peace in the township and during the eight years there were plenty of law suits, —99—