Silver Creek Excerpts from:Farnham's History of Wright Co., MN ========================================================================= 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: Rebecca B Frank ========================================================================= Silver Creek Excerpts from: Farnham's History of Wright County. Delano Eagle, Publishers. Delano, MN. Call No. #: 977.6 F23d (Originally publish in 1880 by the Delano Eagle and written by Daniel Ross Farnham.) Pages 403-413 TOWN OF SILVER CREEK Silver Creek is in the north part of wright county - the north half of township 121, range 26, the south half of township 122, range 26, and the fractional sections 14, 15, and 16 on the right bank of the Mississippi river. The town is bounded on the north by the Mississippi river, east by Monticello, south by Maple Lake, west by Corrina and Clearwater. The surface of the town is uneven or rolling, but not hilly. The soil along the Mississippi is sandy, but at a short distance back from the river it is a dark loam and clay subsoil There is some prairie land along the river, and Thrall's prairie on sections 15 and 20, town 122, and Sauborn's prairie in section 28. Nearly all of the town was originally brush land and timber. The wind storm or hurricane of the 9th of August, 1859, prostrated a large part of the heavy timber, and that is called brush or grub land. The town is watered by many small lakes, and Silver Creek has three branches, one through the center of the town, and one taking its rise in the west part of the town, and one in the east; they are united and empty into the Mississippi in section 15, township 122, range 26. There are 15 lakes covering 2,500 acres. The largest of which are Locke's lake in section 21, Limestone lake in section 31, Millstone lake in sections 17 and 18, Lake Ida in section 12, Eagle lake in sections 14 and 15, and Lake Mary in section 4. THE FIRST SETTLERS The first actual settler was Archie Downie, who was connected with the Winnebago agency at Long Prairie, and looked after the Indians when Wright county was an Indian reservation. He took a claim in section 15, near the mouth of Silver creek in August 1854; was one of the first board of county commissioners in 1855, but sold his claim to A. B. Descent in May 1856, and left the county. John O. Haven was one of the first settlers, and was clerk of the county board of 1855. Joseph S. Locke took his claim in Section 21, the 4th of July 1855, and was about the first permanent settler. Then came Jonah B. Locke, Franklin Wood, Paul Kennedy, Chester Dunklee, Samuel Earle, Henry Ferguson, Re. Moses Goodrich, George B. Bradbury, James Show, W. W. Day, Ambrose Trall, and others in 1855 and 1856. FIRST BIRTH, MARRIAGE, DEATH AND SCHOOL The first child born in the town was Wealthy Ellen Thrall, daughter of Ambrose and Jeanette Thrall, born November 5, 1855. The first male child born was David A. Melrose, son of Thomas Melrose, born Dec. 10, 1855. The first persons married were A. E. Hulet and L. Jane Thrall, married January 7, 1856, at Monticello. The first marriage celebrated in town was Hiram D. Locke and Anna Hayes, married November 16, 1858, by W. W. Day, Justice of the Peace. The first death was John Peterson, died March 18, 1856. The first school was commenced August 1, 1856; the teacher was Jeanette Dunklee. The school was kept in a dwelling house at the townsite of Fremont. TOWNSITES - FREMONT The townsite of Fremont, was laid out at the mouth of Silver creek, in section 15, township 122, range 26, in April and May 18556; about 100 acres were included in the townsite. The town proprietors were A. G. Descent, George E. H. Day, Samuel Earle and Chester Dunklee. Mr. Dunklee is a native of Vermont, and still owns and occupies a part of the townsite as a farm. Samuel Earle was also from Vermont, and returned to that state in 1857. George E. H. Day resided at St. Anthony and was both lawyer and banker, and during three or r four years loaned large amounts of money in Hennepin and Wright counties to pre-emptors at 3 percent per month. Hundreds of mortgages were foreclosed in 1858 and 1859, during what is called "the hard time". Day and Earle were the heavy moneyed men at Fremont, but agreed in only one thing, and that was to get the beast end of all bargains. Fremont had a boom, many lots were sold, but the pretended proprietors never had a title to the land, so the sale of lots was a swindle. A large steam mill was erected at the townsite in February 1856, with a shingle mill, lath and edger. The engine was 60 horse power, and it was in every respect the best mill on the upper Mississippi; but about the time that it was finished the town proprietors fell out and the whole concern went into a long course of litigation, and the mill only ran a short time, and finally went to ruins. Some of the mill and machinery was standing in 1860, but the most of it had been carried off by anybody that wanted it. A store, hotel and blacksmith shop were started, a postoffice established, A. B. Descent, P. M., but in 1858, all had left except Chester Dunklee, and the town of Fremont was annihilated and known no more. Samuel Earle lost the most money; and no one made much out of Fremont. ORGANIZATION On the 9th day of April, 1855, the first board of county commissioners of Wright county, consisting of J. McDonald, Archie Downie and J. D. Taylor divided the county into precincts. The first was names Big Bend, and the present town of Silver Creek was included int hat precinct. The dwelling house of Selah Marham was designated as the place of holding the election. John C. Dow, Selah Markham and Joan Oakes were appointed judges of the election. John C. Dow and Archie Downie were appointed justices of the peace, Oscar Dow and John Lowell were appointed constables. The boundaries of Big Bend Precinct were as follows: :"on the east by a line running due south from John O. Haven's northwest corner on the Mississippi river to the south line of the county; north by the Mississippi river." A county road was surveyed and laid in July 1855, from Monticello to Eldorado City, near Clearwater, at the month of the Clearwater river. TOWN ORGANIZATION On the 6th day of April 1858, the board of county commissioners proceeded to divide the county in to towns, and the town of Silver Creek was established, embracing the north half of township 121, range 26, and all that part of township 122, range 26, Wright county. In 1862 sections 7, 8, 17, 18, township 122, range 26, were set off and became part of the town of Clearwater. The first town meeting was held in Silver Creek, May 11, 1858, and the following named persons were elected town officers: Supervisors - John O. Haven, Chairman; Moses Goodrich, James Shaw Town Clerk - George B. Bradbury Justice of the Peace - W. W. Day GRASSHOPPERS In 1856 and 1857, Silver Creek was very sadly affected by the grasshopper raid. The north part of the town along the Mississippi was well settled, nearly all of the land was taken by actual settlers, but very few had pre-empted or paid for their lands, and many of them having settled in 1855, had good farms and quite large crops of wheat, oats, corn and potatoes growing when on the 20th of August, 1856, the grasshoppers began their work, and in a few days nothing was left but bare fields. And in the spring of 1857, when the hopers commenced to eat up everything as soon as it showed itself above ground, many of the first settlers abandoned their claims and left the town never to return. The lands fell into the hands of speculators and the railroad company, and a large part of the land along the Mississippi is still held by speculators and is wild land, and whilst the south part of the town has increased in population and wealth, the north part has remained stationary for many years. SILVER CREEK IN THE GREAT REBELLION AND INDIAN WAR OF 1862 & '63 In March 1861, before there was any call for soldiers by the government, a military company was organized under the state laws; the company was named the "Silver Creek Rifle Co." Captain W. W. Day, First Lieut., J. N. Fox, Second Lieut. Geo. Brokkins; Third Lieut., J. I. Fisher. The company did considerable drilling, and nearly all of the young men who afterwards enlisted in the U. S. Army from this town, took their first lessons in military tactics in the "Silver Creek Rifles." The company did not go into service in a body, although they offered to go in April when the first call for 75,000 three-months men was made, but they were not accepted, yet nearly every member enlisted. The enlisted soldiers form Silver Creek were: Nathaniel Drew, Co. D., 1st Reg't Franklin Devergill, Co. D., 1rst Reg't C. D. Moline, Co. F., 2nd Reg't Temple Ephraims, Co. H., 2nd Reg't David Lewis, Co I, 2nd Reg't Matthew Wardwell, Co I, 2nd Reg't C. Mealey, Co. A, 3rd Reg't W. P. Mealey, Co. A., 3rd Reg't J. N. Fox, Co. A., 3rd Reg't Salisbury Rowel Co. A., 3rd Reg't Isaac Carter, Co. A., 3rd Reg't Jonas Thomas, Co. A., 3rd Reg't Harvey S. Brookins, Co. E, 8th Reg't Asel E. Hulst, Co. E, 8th Reg't G. W. Carpenter, Co. E, 8th Reg't Dexter E. Collins, Co. E, 8th Reg't Joseph I. Fisher, Co. E, 8th Reg't J. N. Locke, Co. E, 8th Reg't Elisha C. Sabin, Co. E, 8th Reg't John C. Allen, Co. E, 8th Reg't During the Indian scare of 1862, nearly all of the citizens of Silver Creek left their homes; many of them went to Monticello, some to Minneapolis, and for many of days the town had no inhabitants. But the first of July, 1863, several Indians were seen in town. Co. J. S. Locke saw six one evening while looking after his cows near Sanborn Prairie. These Indians stole two horses belonging to Henry Ferguson; they were followed by citizens first for many miles, then by the soldiers, to Swede Grove in Meeker county, and the horses were recovered after a fight with the Indians in which Captain Cady of the Eighth Regiment, was killed. Ferguson's old mare carried the marks of one of Cady's bullets across under her jaw until her death. Of course, the fact of Indians being in the town caused a wild stampede, and the town was, for a short time, depopulated and crops of all kinds went to ruin. A few heads of cattle were killed by the Indians, but nobody was hurt by them. The citizens made application to the governor for help, and a squad of Co. "E" of the 8th regiment, commanded by Sergeant John B. Parvin, were sent and made their quarters at Co. J. S. Locke's, where they remained for two months. It was during this time that Christopher Bailey, a member of the squad, says: "Bailey was sitting in the bushes near the path that led to the spring; he had been home the day before and had in his hand a tin cup full of honey and some cookies which he was eating. Bertram was helping to cook that day and went to the spring for a bucket of water. Coming up the bank he heard a noise and run to the house for his gun, saying he had see a bear. Several others started to go with him, but Bertram was too quick or impulsive, and went ahead of them all, and when within 30 feet of where he heard the noise, pulled up and fired into the bushes, shooting Bailey through the heart. Bailey gave on Cry and fell dead; the bullet cut the front of his right blouse sleeve and the back of the left; he sat on a little knoll when shot. Bailey was a singer of songs, and the murmuring noise that Bertram heard was probably Bailey humming to himself as was his habit. His mouth was full of cookies when shot; he had not an enemy in the company, perhaps no in the world. Mr. Locke says that he saw Bailey but a short time before he was shot and helped bury him, and is well acquainted with all the facts." CRIMES The only crime committed in town was the robbing of the town treasury in August, 1860, C. Denlinger, town treasurer and collector, had collected about $80.00 and claims that two unknown masked men knocked him down, bound and gagged him while alone in his house in the day time, and took the money; at any rate, his wife who had been visiting that afternoon and W. W. Day and wife found him in that condition, and the money gone. There was no one suspected and no effort made to find the robbers; the town lost the money. The story of the robbery was very generally discredited. CHURCHES The Baptists had an organization in 1858, but there is nothing left of it. In 1861, Mr. P. A. Locke of Lexington, Mass., made a donation or bequest to the town of Silver Creek of $500 towards building a church, with the conditions that the church should be built by the town supervisors to cost not less than $1,000. The town accepted the bequest and built the church; it is located on section 5. Another condition was that the church should always be used by the Methodists, and that the trustees of the Methodist church should keep the house in repair, and keep it insured. But the board of trustees have allowed the house to go to wreck and ruin, and do not keep it insured. The name of the present board of trustees are: A. Simmons, A. Anderson and D. Stirwalt. There is really no religious organization in town. A town hall was built in 1858, costing about $600, and has always been a bone of contention; at present, it is used for dancing parties, lectures, shows and traveling preachers. There has never been a resident lawyer of physician in town, and but one minister, Rev. Moses Goodrich, and he did not preach in Silver Creek. POST OFFICES The Silver Creek post office was established in 1856. A. G. Descent P. M. Soon after, the Bianca post office, Rev. Moses Goodrich, P.M. was established where the present office now is. In 1869, another post office, Ypsilanti, Joseph Brooks, P. M., was established; so there were three post office in town. The present Silver Creek post office is in section 8, town 121, on the Monticello and Clearwater road, J. N. Locke, P.M. MILLS There are several good waterpowers on Silver Creek, but only one improved. J. D. Chubb has a saw mill, capacity about 5,000 feet per day, and many barns, granaries and other buildings are being put up of native hard wood lumber. ROADS AND BRIDGES The roads through the town are generally well worked. There are roads running in all directions and through every section, and ten bridges over Silver Creek, average length 30 feet. The Minneapolis and Northeastern railroad was built through the town in 1881; there is no regular station, only a flag station. When the citizens can decide on a location, they can have a station, although the town voted against giving a bonus to the railroad company in 1880. SCHOOLS There are four school districts in town, and three others partly in t his town, two partly in Maple Lake and one in Monticello. Schools are well supported, from four to eight months school in each year. The four districts in town have each a good frame school house. STATISTICS The agricultural reports of 1880 show that Silver Creek had: Wheat 873 acres; oats, 162 acres; corn, 401 acres, rye 6 acres; potatoes, 14 acres; sugar cane, 8 acres; cultivated hay, 53 acres; apple trees growing, 1, 427; apple trees bearing, 388; maple syrup, 78 gallons; maple sugar, 134 pounds; milch cows, 309, sheep 316,; hogs, 58; horses, 98; working cattle, 39; farms, 60 new farms, 8. POPULATION Census 1860, 240; 1865, 192; 1870, 285; 1875, 363; 1880, 381.