Fifty Years In The Northwest

August J. Anderson was born near Wexico, Sweden, in 1860; came to America with his parents in 1869, and to Franconia. At thirteen years of age he commenced clerking for C. Vitalis, with whom he continued until 1873, when he associated himself with him in the mercantile business. He visited Europe in 1883.

Frank N. Peterson. – Mr. Peterson came to America in 1865, and in 1866 settled in the valley of the St. Croix. He attended school at Carver, Minnesota, one year, when he became a traveling salesman for Leopold & Co., of Chicago, and in 1881 settled in Franconia. He organized the lumbering firm of Borens Brothers & Peterson, which continued until 1886, when a new organization was formed, called the Franconia Lumber Company, consisting of P. Jordan, Sam Mathews, of Stillwater, and the subject of our sketch.

Mr. Peterson has been the president of Franconia since its incorporation. In 1869 he married Miss Ingur Johnson, daughter of Eric Johnson, a pioneer of St. Peter, Minnesota, and is the father of two children, Axel, a promising son, who died in February, 1885, at fourteen years of age, and Maria, now a student in the Ladies' Seminary at Faribault, who is developing marked ability as a pencil artist. Mr. Peterson owns one of the finest houses in the valley, romantically situated, which is supplied with pure spring water. It is a pride to the village and attracts general attention. He is also the inventor and patentee of the Lindholm & Peterson adding machine.

HARRIS

The town of Harris contains twenty-four sections of township 36, range 21, the four western tiers of sections. The soil is a sandy loam with clay subsoil. The town is well watered and drained by Goose creek, which entering the town from the northwest, and bending at first southward, then eastward, leaves the town near its southeastern line in section 22. The timber consisted originally of oak openings and pine; 10,000,000 feet of the latter have been removed from the southeastern portion. Luxuriant wild meadows are found along Goose creek. The first improvement was a farm, made by W. H. C. Folsom in sections 21 and 22 in 1854. The first permanent settler was Henry H. Sevy, who located on this farm in 1856. The town of Harris was organized in 1884.

HARRIS VILLAGE

A charter organizing Harris village was granted by the district court, under the general law, in 1882. A question arose as to the legality of the act. A subsequent legislature, by legislative act, confirmed all similarly organized villages in the State. The supreme court decided the organization of such villages illegal and the legislative act sanctioning it unconstitutional. It was subsequently organized legally. The village was surveyed by A. D. Miller and platted in May, 1873, in the south half of section 21, township 36, range 21, Philip S. Harris and N. D. Miller, proprietors. It derived its name from Philip S. Harris, a prominent officer of the St. Paul & Duluth railroad. Fred Wolf was the first settler, in 1870, and first merchant and first railroad agent, in 1873. He acted as postmaster subsequently and filled other offices of trust. His interests are intimately blended with those of the village. Isaac Savage was the second settler and merchant. He was the first postmaster, in 1873. The first school was taught by Mary Gwinn, in 1873. The first marriage was that of M. P. Smith and Charlotte Swenson. The first child born was Brague, son of W. D. Sayers. The first death was that of Isaac Morrill. A good school house was built in 1877. The village is rapidly growing. It has an extensive trade in hay, wood, ties and piles. Wheat shipments are large. It has four stores, two hotels, three elevators, three hay presses, two wagon and smith shops, one agricultural warehouse, one skating rink, one livery stable, two saloons, one meat shop and a railroad depot.

LENT

This town includes the whole of township 34, range 21. It is well watered and drained by Sunrise river, but has no lakes. The soil is a sandy loam; the timber chiefly oak openings. The early settlers were Harvey Lent, from whom the town derived its name, William Robinson, James Buchanan, who raised the first crops in 1855, Joshua Dawson, Jesse Moore and others. The town was organized in 1872. The first supervisors were Dawson, Moore and Robinson. The first post office was established in 1875, at Stacy, a railroad station on the St. Paul & Duluth railroad, which traverses this town from south to north. Frank Dawson was the first postmaster.

NESSELL

Nessell includes township 37, range 22. The surface was originally covered with a growth of hardwood, with some pine. Of the latter, about 10,000,000 feet has been cut. The soil is adapted to wheat culture. It is well watered. Rush lake occupies a nearly central position, and is a beautiful sheet of water with about fourteen miles of meandering shore line, crystal clear, and deep, well stocked with fish, and bordered with groves of maple, oak and linden. The town was set off from Rush Lake and organized in 1870. The first supervisors were Wm. H. McCray, John H. Breit and Matts Colleen. The town is settled by a class of industrious, upright people. There are three churches, with prosperous societies, the Swedish Baptist, the Swedish Lutheran and German Lutheran. Martin Linnell was the first child born. The first marriage was that of Wm. Vanetta and Anna Johnson, in 1861. Alice Draper taught the first school. Rev. Cedarstam preached the first sermon.

Robert Nessell was the oldest settler. The town was named for him. He was born in Germany in 1834; came to America in 1847, and to Minnesota in 1854. He was married at Sunrise to Kate Torbert, of Shafer, in 1856, and the same year located his present home. Other early settlers are John H. Breit, John Lindsey, P. Kelley, and the Jarchow brothers.

Stephen B. Clark made Nessell his home in 1867. Mr. Clark was born in Vermont in 1830; came to Marine in 1851. He served three years during the Rebellion in the Second Wisconsin Cavalry. He removed to Rush City in 1856.

RUSH SEBA

Rush Seba comprises township 37, range 21, and fractional part of township 37, range 20, consisting of about ten sections, irregularly bounded by the St. Croix river. It is timbered with hardwood, has good soil, chiefly a black clay loam, with clay subsoil, and is well watered by Rush river and Rock creek and tributaries. Wild meadows and marshes are intermingled with the timber. The town was organized in 1858, with George B. Folsom, Robert Newell and Timothy Ward as supervisors. A post office was established in 1859, in section 14, George B. Folsom, postmaster. George B. Folsom was the first settler, raising the first crops in the town in 1855. The St. Paul & Duluth railroad traverses the town from south to north. It was built in 1868, and a branch road to Grantsburg, Wisconsin, was built in 1884. Josephine Blanding taught the first school, in 1856. The first death was that of James Ward, who died from accidental poisoning.

RUSH CITY

In 1868, at the completion of the St. Paul & Duluth railroad, a depot was built and a station established at the crossing of Rush river, around which rapidly grew up the village of Rush City. It was surveyed and platted by Benjamin W. Brunson, surveyor, in January, 1870, in the northeast quarter of section 21, township 37, range 26. The Western Land Association, L. Mendenhall, agent, was proprietor. Thomas Flynn was the first settler, he having in 1857 pre-empted the land which afterward became the site of the village. Among the improvements in 1869 was a steam saw mill, built by Taylor & Co. This mill was burned in 1879, at a loss of $13,000. Rush City was incorporated in 1874. Frank H. Pratt was president of the first village council. Rush City has now a commodious town hall, an exchange bank, one elevator, one foundry, a good school house, built at a cost of $3,000; a good graded school, under the supervision of Prof. V. D. Eddy; a lodge of Ancient Order United Workmen (No. 42), a board of trade, a Woman's Christian Temperance Union Association, a Sons of Temperance lodge, a post of the Grand Army of the Republic (Ellsworth Post, No. 58), and a masonic organization (Jasper Lodge). The following denominations have churches and societies: Catholic, Episcopalian, German Lutheran, Swedish Lutheran, and Swedish Evangelical. The Catholics are building a church at a cost of $10,000.

Thomas Flynn was born in county Mayo, Ireland, 1828. He came to America in 1831, and lived in Canada East until 1857; when he located in Minnesota, pre-empting the northeast quarter of section 21, township 37, range 21. His farm became the site of the village of Rush City in 1868, and in 1869 he built the first frame house in its limits. Mr. Flynn has been married three times, losing each of his wives by death. He has two sons living, James H. and Frank A.

Patrick H. Flynn was born in county Mayo, Ireland, in 1829; came to America in 1831; lived in Canada East until 1857, and coming to Minnesota pre-empted the northwest quarter of section 21. He was married in 1857 to Margaret Kelly, of Illinois. They have two sons and two daughters living. Mr. Flynn, in 1880, erected the Globe Hotel in Rush City, where he now resides.

Rufus Crocker was the second settler in Rush Seba. He was the first justice of the peace and held other offices. Mr. Crocker was married to Miss Mercy Hewson, of Isanti county. He is now a citizen of Rock Creek.

Frank H. Pratt was born in Skowhegan, Maine, in 1836. His father, Henry P. Pratt, a veteran editor, who had served twenty years on the Kennebec Journal, and later was connected with the Somerset Journal and Skowhegan People's Press, came to St. Paul in 1854 with his family, and was associated with John P. Owens as assistant editor of the St. Paul Minnesotian. On Sunday, May 6, 1855, Mr. Pratt went on board the steamer Royal Arch, which had landed at the St. Paul levee that morning with a cargo of passengers, sick, dying and dead of cholera. Thirteen had already died on the boat. Mr. Pratt, Sr., went on board to alleviate the sufferings of the sick and dying, and in consequence, within two days, himself sickened and died. The writer and his family were passengers on the Royal Arch, and witnesses to these scenes of suffering and death and Mr. Pratt's heroic self-devotion. After his father's death Frank continued in the office of the Minnesotian as printer. He worked also in the offices of the St. Paul and St. Peter Tribune and the Prescott Transcript. In 1858-59 he served as local editor and foreman in the Transcript office. In 1860 he removed to Taylor's Falls, and established the Taylor's Falls Reporter, the first newspaper published in Chisago county. In 1862 he enlisted in Company C. of the Seventh Minnesota Volunteer Infantry; was commissioned second lieutenant, and served until he resigned his office in the latter part of 1864, having been promoted to the captaincy of Company C. After the war he located in Sunrise City, and engaged in mercantile pursuits. In 1872 he removed to Rush City, continued in mercantile business, and took an active part in all enterprises looking to the welfare of the city. He built a store, elevator and a fine residence, which was burned in 1881. Mr. Pratt represented his district in the sixteenth legislature. He was married to Helen A. Bossout, at St. Paul, in 1858. They have one son, Fred, and three daughters. Mr. Pratt moved to St. Paul in 1882, where he died, March 25, 1884. Fred, his son, succeeds him in business in Rush City. He is married to a daughter of Jonathan Chase, of East Minneapolis.

Voloro D. Eddy was born in Java, Wyoming county, New York, Sept. 7, 1840; received a common school education supplemented by two years' attendance at Griffith Institute, Springfield, New York; gave up his school to enlist in his country's service, as a member of the "Ellsworth Avengers" (the Forty-fourth New York Volunteers). The regiment was mustered into service at Albany, New York, Aug. 8, 1861. He served in this regiment until June 5, 1864, when he was taken prisoner at Old Church, Virginia. He endured the horrors of prison life until Feb. 26, 1865, and was discharged from service May 20, 1865. In 1868 he came to Taylor's Falls and engaged in teaching, which he has made his profession, having taught continuously since 1869. He has been county superintendent of schools for twelve years, during which time he has resided at Rush City. Mr. Eddy was married to Frances Cowley, at Taylor's Falls, Sept. 30, 1868. Mrs. Eddy died June, 1881. He was married to Anna R. Olmstead, July 25, 1883, at Arcadia, New York.

Ferdinand Sweedorff Christianson was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, April 18, 1837; came to the United States in 1866, to Minnesota in 1868, and to Chisago county in 1870. He was married to Selma A. Willard, at Red Wing, Minnesota, Dec. 12, 1869. He represented Chisago county in the legislature of 1878. He was assistant secretary of state from 1880 to 1882. In 1882 he established the Rush City Bank. In 1883 he was appointed member of the state board of equalization, and in 1885 was one of the committee for selecting a location for the Third Hospital for the Insane.

SHAFER

Comprises all of the territory of township 34, range 19, excepting the plat of Taylor's Falls, and fractional sections in the northeast corner of the township. It was at first heavily timbered with hardwood, interspersed with marshes and meadows. The soil is good. Lawrence and Dry creeks drain the greater part of the township. It is now well settled, and has many fine farms. A Swedish colony settled here in 1853, consisting of Peter Wyckland, Andros Anderson, Eric Byland, Tuver Walmarson, and others. The town organized first as Taylor's Falls, but the name was changed to Shafer in 1873. John G. Peterson, John Nelson and John Carlson were the first supervisors. The first school was taught by Ella Wyckoff, in the Marshall district, in 1859. The first marriage was that of Peter Abear to Kittie Wickland. The branch St. Paul & Duluth railroad passes through the southern part of this township. The township contributed to this road $3,000 in bonds. A railroad station in the southwest quarter of section 32 bears the name of Shafer, derived, together with the name of the township, from

Jacob Shafer, who, as early as 1847, cut hay in sections 4 and 5. He seems to have been in no sense worthy of the honor conferred upon him, as he was but a transient inhabitant, and disappeared in 1849. No one knows of his subsequent career. The honor ought to have been given to some of the hardy Swedes, who were the first real pioneers, and the first to make substantial improvements.

Peter Wickland came from Sweden in 1853, and settled in the northeast quarter of section 26. He moved to Anoka in 1860, and was drowned in Rum river in 1880. His son Peter is a prominent merchant in Anoka.

Tuver Walmarson was born in Sweden in 1812. He was a member of the Swedish colony of 1853, settled in the northwest quarter of section 26. Mr. and Mrs. Walmarson reared a fine family of children. Nelson Tuver Walmarson, the eldest son, inherits the industry and frugality of both parents. By hard work and close attention to business the family has prospered abundantly.

Andros Anderson came also from Sweden in 1853 and settled in the east half of the northeast quarter of section 34. Mr. Anderson moved to Taylor's Falls in 1859 and died there in 1873. He left but one child, the wife of Daniel Fredine, of Shafer. Mr. Anderson was a born humorist and fond of practical jokes. On one occasion his ready wit was exercised at the expense of a man to whom he had mortgaged his farm. Deeming the house in which he lived his own, in the absence of the mortgagee he removed it to Taylor's Falls. The mortgagee, E. W. Holman, told him that he had stolen the house and must replace it. Anderson told Holman to take the house and replace it himself, but if he took his (Anderson's) family along with it he would have him sent to the penitentiary. Mr. Holman did not see his way clear and the house was not disturbed.

Eric Byland, another of the Swedish colony, settled in the west half of the southeast quarter of section 23. In 1860 he sold out and moved further west. The farm he left is now owned by John Nelson and is one of the finest farms in Chisago county.

Jacob Peterson was born in 1847 and came with his parents to Chisago county in 1854. They located on a beautiful spot in Franconia, on the shore of a small lake, where they made a farm and where Jacob passed his boyhood and youth. In 1881 he commenced business at Shafer station as a merchant and dealer in wood. He was the first postmaster at Shafer. He was married in 1881 to Mary Heline.

Ambrose C. Seavey was born in Machias, Maine, in 1824; was married to Elizabeth Ayers, in Crawford, Maine, in 1846, and came to St. Croix Falls in 1848. In 1852 he removed to Taylor's Falls, and opened the first blacksmith shop. He was absent two years in Colorado, and when he returned settled on a farm in the town of Shafer. He has a family of four sons and six daughters.

SUNRISE

The town of Sunrise includes the two eastern tiers of sections of township 36, range 21, one whole and eight fractional sections of township 36, range 20, and all of township 35, range 20, except the two eastern tiers of sections. It is well watered by the St. Croix and Sunrise rivers and their tributaries. The latter river rises in Washington county, having for its principal source Forest lake, and flows through the town in a northerly direction into the St. Croix. It has three considerable tributaries from the west known as North, Middle and South branches. St. Croix river has, as tributary, Goose creek, which flows through the northern part of the town. The soil varies from a rich sandy loam to a sandy soil. The town contains many fine farms. The old government road from Point Douglas to Superior passes through the town.

Sunrise was incorporated as a town Oct. 26, 1858; Isaac A. Parmenter, David Lovejoy and A. C. Mattison, supervisors. A post office was established in 1856; George S. Frost, postmaster. The first marriage was that of Robert Nessell and Kate Torbert, by J. D. Wilcox, Esq. The first child born was Joshua Taylor Gallaspie. The first death was of an unknown man who died from the kick of a horse. Wm. Holmes, the first settler, located on Sunrise prairie in 1853, and raised crops on fifteen acres that year. John A. Brown and Patten W. Davis cultivated thirty-five acres the same year on Sunrise prairie. Messrs. Brown, Davis and Ingalls made a wagon road from Sunrise to St. Paul in 1853. John A. Brown, in the same year, built a hotel and opened a store. The hotel was built of logs, the store was a frame, the first erected in Sunrise. In 1855 he built a saw mill. His hotel was burned in 1856. These buildings were the nucleus of Sunrise village.

SUNRISE VILLAGE

Was platted July, 1857, in the north half of the northeast quarter of section 8, and the west half of the southwest quarter and the northeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section 4, and the southeast quarter of the southwest quarter of section 9, all of township 3, range 20. The proprietors were John A. Brown, J. S. Caldwell and C. L. Willis; surveyor, W. F. Duffy. It contains a first class roller flour mill, a saw mill, both owned by Caspar Spivac, two stores, a school house and several shops and dwellings. In 1857 a colony from Western New York settled in and around Sunrise village. The Wilcoxes, Wilkes, Collins, Gwynne, Smith, and others were of this colony. The village has suffered greatly from fires. The buildings lost at various times were one flouring mill, valued at $10,000, four hotels and several private dwellings. The flouring mill was the property of Mrs. J. G. Mold. Two lives were lost at the burning of the mill.

In the fall of 1862, immediately after the Sioux outbreak, and while considerable apprehension was felt as to the attitude of the Chippewas toward the white settlers, a company of volunteers under Capt. Anderson was stationed at Sunrise. This company built temporary quarters of logs, and were very comfortably fixed during the winter. They had presumably a very good time, but repelled no savage foes.

KOST VILLAGE

Is located in the west half of section 32, township 35, range 20. It has a first class roller flouring mill, owned by Ferdinand A. Kost, erected in 1883 at a cost of $13,000, and a saw mill, also owned by F. A. Kost, erected the same year. It has two stores, a number of shops and dwellings and a post office, established in 1884, of which F. A. Kost is postmaster.

CHIPPEWA

Was platted March, 1856, by Benj. Dinsmore, surveyor, in the northwest quarter of section 2, and the west half of the northeast quarter of section 2, township 36, range 21. The proprietors were James Starkey, Charles S. Patteys, Michael E. Ames, Isaac Van Etten, and Moses Sherburne. It makes a fair farm.

DRONTHEIM

Was platted in 1856, in the southeast quarter of the northeast quarter and the northeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section 1, township 36, range 20; C. C. P. Myer, proprietor. It is still a brush and swamp plat.

NASHUA

Was platted July, 1857, H. H. Newbury, surveyor, on lots 6 and 7 of section 33, and lot 5 in section 34, township 34, range 20. Proprietors, N. F. Taylor, W. H. C. Folsom, L. K. Stannard and N. C. D. Taylor. It has made two fair farms.

WASHINGTON

Was platted August, 1856, W. F. Duffy, surveyor, in the south half of section 35, township 35, range 21. Proprietors, James Y. Caldwell and L. C. Kinney. On this site the Starkey Indian battle was fought.

John A. Brown. – Mr. Brown, a native of Pennsylvania, came to Sunrise in 1853, and was for awhile quite prominent, building a store, hotel and other buildings. In 1855 he was married to Emeline Hartwell. He prospered in business, but owing to some domestic difficulties, in 1857 left suddenly for parts unknown. His property was sacrificed to meet obligations, and his wife left helpless. Mrs. Brown died in Minneapolis in 1880.

Patten W. Davis was a native of Virginia. He came to Stillwater in 1848, and soon after removed to Osceola Mills, where he lived two years. In 1853 he removed to Sunrise, and was associated in business for two years with John A. Brown. He has held the positions of postmaster, town clerk, treasurer, county commissioner, supervisor, and assessor. In 1876 he married a Virginia lady, and returned to his native state.

James F. Harvey was born in 1820, in Penobscot county, Maine. He came West in 1847 and settled at Marine Mills. In 1854 he removed to Sunrise and located in the northeast quarter of section 14, township 36, range 21, at what was known as Goose Creek crossing. His first wife, whom he had married in Maine, died shortly after their arrival at Sunrise, leaving one daughter, Maria, wife of Leonard Clark, of Stillwater. Mr. Harvey was married in 1856 to widow Patience Knight, the mother of Mrs. Floyd S. Bates, Albert S. and Frank E., of Taylor's Falls, and Ella Medora Harvey, wife of J. A. Shores, of Minneapolis. Mr. Harvey died at his home in 1864. Mrs. Harvey died at Taylor's Falls in 1871.

Floyd S. Bates, originally from Maine, has been since 1854 a prominent lumberman on the St. Croix, living first at Sunrise, and in later years at Taylor's Falls. He owns an extensive farm in Cass county, Dakota. Of his three brothers, E. Hines resides in Taylor's Falls, and J. Herrick and Charles in Dakota Territory.

Isaac H. Warner was born in New York in 1830, was married in 1852 and came to Sunrise in 1854, where he followed farming and selling goods. He has served as postmaster, justice of the peace and held other positions. He has three children. His eldest, a daughter, wife of Samuel McClure, a lumberman of Sunrise, died February, 1885. Mr. Warner removed to Dakota in 1883.

Charles F. Lowe was born in 1815 in Concord, New Hampshire, received a collegiate education and came to Sunrise in 1855. He interested himself in real estate but devoted about one-half of his time to travel, of which he was passionately fond. He made one trip around the globe, writing back interesting letters descriptive of what he had seen. He made his last annual tour in 1873, and, while sailing in a small boat in some of the waters of Florida, the boat was struck by a squall, capsized and Mr. Lowe was drowned. Mr. Lowe was a member of the Minnesota constitutional convention.