Fifty Years In The Northwest by William H. C. Folsom
1884. There is also a good school house. The village was incorporated
3526 words | Chapter 113
in 1882. In December, 1884, the store of Singleton & Bonnafon was
burned; loss estimated at $15,000, with but little insurance.
HENRY L. INGALLS was born in Abingdon, Connecticut, in 1804. In 1832
he was married to Lavina L. Child, of Woodstock, Connecticut, and with
his wife and younger brother emigrated to Illinois, settling at
Chandler, Cass county. There he remained seventeen years, when, his
impaired health necessitating a change, with his son Henry he went to
California. In 1853 he returned and settled on Sunrise prairie, then
an unbroken wilderness. For seventeen years he lived on his farm and
kept a popular country hotel. In 1870 he removed to North Branch and
built a large frame residence, where he lived until his death, which
occurred Sept. 2, 1876. Mr. Ingalls left three sons, Ephraim, Henry
and Van Rensselaer.
MRS. LAVINA L. INGALLS, whose maiden name was Childs, was born in
Connecticut in 1806; was married as above stated in 1832, from which
time she cheerfully and uncomplainingly shared the fortunes of her
husband in the West, undergoing the usual toils and privations of the
pioneer. While at Sunrise, during part of the time she had no
neighbors nearer than Taylor's Falls. The first post office in Chisago
county north of Taylor's Falls was at her house, and was known as
Muscotink. She and her husband, during the later years of their lives,
were Spiritualists, and derived great comfort from their peculiar
phase of belief. Mrs. Ingalls was a talented and kind hearted woman,
charitable in act and beloved by her associates. She died Dec. 29,
1879.
CHISAGO LAKE.
The town of Chisago Lake includes the four western tiers of sections
of township 33, range 20, and township 34, range 20. A permanent
characteristic of this town is its unrivaled lake scenery, rendering
it not only attractive for residences but a favorite resort of
visitors. Its principal lake has already been described. The first
settler was John S. Van Rensselaer, who located on an island opposite
the present site of Centre City in the spring of 1851, and raised a
crop of corn and vegetables. He built him a cabin and lived there
three years. Eric Norberg, a prominent Swede, came to the lake from
Bishop's Hill, Illinois, in April, 1851, and being pleased with the
locality, came back with a colony of Swedes, including Peter Berg,
Andrew Swenson, Peter Anderson, Peter Shaline, Daniel Rattick, and
others. They came by steamboat, landed at Taylor's Falls June 24,
1851, cut a road to Chisago lake and took undisputed possession of its
shores, finding no trace of human occupancy save some deserted Indian
tepees and the claim cabin of Mr. Van Rensselaer on the island. Mr.
Berg settled on the west part of lot 3, section 35, and southwest
quarter of southwest quarter of section 26, township 34, range 20.
Peter Anderson on the east part of lot 3, and northwest quarter of
northeast quarter of section 35, township 34, range 20. Andrew Swenson
on lot 5, section 27, township 34, range 20. Mr. Norberg had come
first to the country at the invitation of Miles Tornell, who was
murdered in 1848, near St. Croix Falls, by some Indian assassins,
hired to commit the deed by one Miller, a whisky seller. Mr. Norberg
originally intended to make his home at Chisago Lake, but died at
Bishop's Hill, Illinois, while on a visit in 1853.
The colony in 1852 raised the first rye, barley and flax in the
county. They also raised potatoes, green corn and vegetables, cut out
roads, cleared timber, and made other improvements. Peter Berg raised
flax and made linen thread in 1852, the first made in Minnesota.
Settlers came in rapidly. Among the arrivals in 1852 and soon after
were the Petersons, Strands, Johnsons, Frank Mobeck, Dahliam, Porter,
and others. A post office was established in 1858; A. Nelson,
postmaster. The town was organized in 1858. The first supervisors
were: Ephraim C. Ingalls, chairman; Frank Mobeck and Daniel Lindstrom.
The first church organization in the county was that of the Swedish
Evangelical Lutheran, in 1854. Here was built the first church edifice
in 1855, a frame structure subsequently enlarged, but in 1882
superseded by a fine brick building, costing $30,000. Its dimensions
are 116 × 66 feet, ground plan, and the spire is 135 feet in height. A
fine organ was purchased at a cost of $1,500. This church building is
an ornament to the town and the State, and would be creditable even to
our great cities. The first pastor was Rev. P. A. Cedarstam. His
successors are Revs. C. A. Hedengrand and John J. Frodeen, the present
incumbent. The communicants number about 1,300.
In 1880 the St. Paul & Duluth railroad extended a branch road from
Wyoming to Taylor's Falls. This passes through the town of Chisago
Lake, from west to east, crossing three arms of the lake. To secure
this road the town gave $10,000 in twenty year bonds. It obtains in
exchange an outlet for the products of its farms and forests. The
bridge across Chisago lake was built in 1857, at a cost of $1,500. It
has since been made an embankment bridge at an additional cost of
$1,600. Of this the State furnished $1,000 and the county $600.
CENTRE CITY,
The county seat of Chisago county, was platted May, 1857, on lot 5,
section 27, township 34, range 20; Andrew Swenson, proprietor; Alex.
Cairns, surveyor. It is located on a peninsula midway on the east
shore of Chisago lake. Few villages are more beautifully situated. It
contains two hotels, three stores, a saw and feed mill, two church
buildings, a Swedish Lutheran and Swedish Methodist, a school house
and many pleasant residences. The court house was built in 1876, at a
cost of $5,000, on a promontory commanding a fine view of the lake.
The depot of the branch of the St. Paul & Duluth railroad is located
half a mile south of the village. Summer excursionists assemble here
in goodly numbers, and the location bids fair to become very
attractive as a summer resort. During the Indian outbreak in 1862, and
the period of uncertainty as to the probable attitude of the Chippewa
Indians, the people of Chisago Lake built breastworks for protection,
on the isthmus connecting Centre City with the mainland, and planted
cannon upon them for defense. The remains of these old fortifications
may still be seen.
ANDREW SWENSON.--Mr. Swenson, the founder of Centre City, came to the
shores of the lake in 1851, and made his home on the present site of
the city. He was born in Sweden in 1817; came to America in 1850, and
remained a short time in New Orleans before coming to Minnesota. He
was a farmer and a member of the Methodist church. He was married to
Catharine Peterson in 1838. He died in July, 1887, leaving two sons
and two daughters.
JOHN S. VAN RENSSELAER came to Chisago Lake in the spring of 1851, and
settled on an island, where he lived three years in hermit-like
seclusion, raising corn and vegetables. His cabin, always neat and
tasteful, was furnished with a choice library. In 1854 he removed to
Sunrise Lake, where he lived fifteen years, engaged in farming. He
removed thence to Sunrise City. Mr. Van Rensselaer was the founder of
the first cheese factories in the county, at Sunrise City and Centre
City. He is an honorable and upright man, whose high aim is to
exemplify the golden rule in his life and deportment.
AXEL DAHLIAM settled on the west shore of East Chisago lake in 1852.
Mr. Dahliam had been an officer in the Swedish Army. He was a
cultivated gentleman. He died in 1869.
NELS NORD was born in Lindhopsing, Sweden, in 1819. In his eighteenth
year he enlisted in the Swedish Army and served twelve years. He came
to America in 1855 and located on Chisago lake, in the northeast
quarter of section 32, township 34, range 20. He was married in Sweden
to Lisa Anderson. They have one son, John P., who has been for seven
years the popular and efficient auditor of Chisago county. He was
married in 1878 to Hildah, daughter of Rev. C. A. Hedengrand. They
have one daughter.
JOHN A. HALLBERG was born at Smolland, Sweden, in 1830. He came to
America in 1853 and to Centre City in 1854. In 1872 he purchased a saw
and feed mill of Shogren Brothers. In 1876 he built a hotel. He has
held the office of justice of the peace many years and has served four
years as county commissioner. He was married to Matilda E. Carlson in
1870.
CHAS. A. BUSH is of German descent. His father, Wm. H. Bush, lived in
Wyoming. His great grandfather came to this country in 1765 and fought
on the side of the colonies. Chas. A. came to Minnesota in 1869 from
Pennsylvania. He has served as treasurer of Chisago county four years.
LARS JOHAN STARK was born in Sweden in 1826; came to America in 1850,
and settled at Chisago Lake in 1852. He was married in 1865, and again
in 1870. He has eleven children living. In Sweden he served as clerk
ten years. In his American home he has followed farming chiefly. He
has served as justice of the peace and county commissioner, and has
filled some town offices. He was engrossing clerk of the house of
representatives in 1864. He was a member of the house in the sessions
of 1865 and 1875. In 1868 he moved to the town of Fish Lake, and in
1877 to Harris.
FRANK MOBECK was born in Sweden in 1814. He came to America in 1851,
and in 1853 to Chisago Lake, where he settled on lot 5, section 34,
township 34, range 20. His home is on a beautiful elevation, on a
point of land projecting into the lake. Mr. Mobeck served in the
Swedish Army seventeen years. He has raised a large family of
children, all of whom are good citizens.
ROBERT CURRIE was born in Ayrshire, Scotland. After reaching manhood
he was employed many years as superintendent of a fancy manufacturing
company. He was married in Scotland. In 1854, after the death of his
wife, he came to America, and in 1855 selected a place for a home on
the north shore of west Chisago lake, where he lived till his death by
drowning in 1883. The site of his home was well chosen. It commanded a
beautiful view of the lake, and in the summer months was luxuriantly
adorned with flowers. Mr. Currie was a man of fine intellect, well
cultivated, and an ardent admirer of his countryman Burns, from whom,
and from Shakespeare and other masters of English literature he could
quote for hours. Mr. Currie's occupation was farming, but he filled
several offices acceptably. He was superintendent of schools, judge of
probate and clerk of district court. Though somewhat eccentric, he was
a social, kind hearted man.
ANDREW N. HOLM, formerly Andrew Nelson, his name having been changed
by legislative enactment in 1867, was born in Sweden in 1829. He
learned the trade of carpenter, came to America in 1855 and located in
Centre City in 1857, of which city he was first postmaster. He served
as a soldier during the Civil War and at its close removed his family
to Taylor's Falls, which is still his home.
LINDSTROM VILLAGE,
Located on the line of the Taylor's Falls branch of the St. Paul &
Duluth railroad, on lot 4, section 33, town 34, range 20, was platted
in 1880 by G. W. Sewall, surveyor. The proprietors are James and
Elisabeth Smith. It is situated on high ground and almost surrounded
by the waters of Lake Chisago. It would be difficult to find a
lovelier site. Maurice Tombler built the first store and elevator
here, in 1881. There are now three stores, one hotel, one railroad
station and several shops and dwellings. A post office was established
at Lindstrom in 1880; Charles H. Bush, postmaster.
DANIEL LINDSTROM was born in 1825, in Helsingland, Sweden. He had no
early advantages for obtaining an education, and spent most of his
youth herding goats amongst the mountains in the north part of Sweden.
In 1854 he came to America and located on Chisago lake, choosing a
beautiful location, which has since been laid out as a village, and
bids fair to become a place of popular resort. Mr. Lindstrom was
married first in Sweden, and now lives with his second wife, the first
having died in 1864. He has a family of three children. He has filled
official positions in his town acceptably.
MAGNUS S. SHALEEN was born in Sweden in 1796; came to America in 1855,
and made a homestead near Lindstrom in section 29, town 34, range 20,
where he died in 1869. Mrs. Shaleen died in 1873. John, the oldest
son, resides on the family homestead. He has served as sheriff of
Chisago county six years, and state senator eight years. Peter, the
second son, has served as postmaster of Centre City fourteen years,
and clerk of the district court five years. Sarah, the eldest
daughter, married John Swenson. They have three sons, John H., Henry
A. and Oscar, industrious, reliable young men, all in the employ of
the St. Paul & Duluth Railroad Company. Mary married Andrew Wallmark
at Chisago Lake, in 1856. One daughter is unmarried.
CHISAGO CITY.
The village of Chisago City is located on a hardwood ridge, between
Chisago and Green lakes, in sections 6 and 7, township 34, range 20.
It was platted by Isaac Bernheimer & Co., of Philadelphia, on lot 4,
section 7, township 34, range 20, in 1855. They built a hotel, several
dwellings, and a saw and grist mill on the banks of Chisago lake, at
an expense of about $7,000. These mills were burned in 1872. A stave
factory was built on the site of the burned mills, which was operated
successfully for many years under the management of George Nathan,
Otto Wallmark, W. D. Webb and others. This stave mill gave a new
impetus to the prosperity of the village, under the influence of which
the county seat was transferred to it. Its subsequent growth, however,
did not justify expectations. It was for many years without even a
post office. In 1875 the county seat was removed to Centre City. The
Lutherans have here one of the finest church buildings in the county.
The branch railroad depot is located one mile north, and quite a
village has grown up around it.
OTTO WALLMARK was born Dec. 7, 1830, in the province of Halland,
Sweden. In his minority he was nine years clerk in a store. He
received a common school education. In 1854 he came to America and
directly to Chisago City, where he lived many years, making a
homestead, which has since been his permanent home. He served eighteen
years as Chisago county auditor. He served several years as postmaster
at Chisago City, and in 1886 was elected state senator for four years.
His first wife was Mary Helene, his second wife, Eva Palmgreen. They
have one son and one daughter.
ANDREW WALLMARK, brother of Otto, was born in Sweden in 1826; received
a liberal education, and came to Chisago Lake from Sweden in 1854. He
has filled several town offices; has been register of deeds for
Chisago county nineteen years; was married to Mary Shaleen in 1856.
They have two sons and three daughters.
FISH LAKE.
The town of Fish Lake includes township 36, range 22. It was
originally well timbered, chiefly with hardwood, but 25,000,000 feet
of pine timber has been cut from it and mostly manufactured in the
town. There are some fine lakes in the town, of which the largest and
finest are Horseshoe and Cedar. The soil is black clay loam with
subsoil of clay. The town was cut off from the town of Sunrise and
organized in 1868. The first supervisors were Chas. F. Stark, Benjamin
Franklin and John A. Hokanson. A post office was established in 1868;
Benjamin Franklin, postmaster. The first settlers were Peter Olaf and
Peter Bergland, in section 25. The first school was taught by Miss
Mattison. The first marriage was that of John Hokanson and Matilda
Samuelson. The first death was that of John Erickson. The population
is mostly from Sweden. There is a good Swedish Lutheran church built
near the centre of the town. There are also a Swedish Methodist and a
Swedish Baptist society. The people are a well-to-do, independent
class. Fish Lake has a saw mill with a capacity of about 1,000,000
feet. In 1877 Hosburg, the watchman of this mill, was killed by
Priestly, an Englishman. Hosburg, in accordance with the rules, had
ordered him not to smoke on the premises. The Englishman was arrested,
tried for murder and acquitted.
PETER BERG was born in Sweden in 1801; came to America in 1850, and
settled at Chisago Lake in 1851. Some time subsequently he settled on
the north shore of Fish lake. In 1886, at the age of eighty-five
years, he is still a vigorous, active man. Mr. Berg was married in
Sweden. He has one daughter, Katharine, who married Sam Hamilton, of
Taylor's Falls. Mr. Hamilton died in 1871. She married as her second
husband Swain G. Yongren.
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, though he bears the name of America's most
illustrious philosopher, is a native of Sweden, whence he came with a
Swedish colony in 1852, settled at Taylor's Falls, and subsequently
removed to the northern shore of Fish lake. By way of explaining how
he came by his American name we add that soon after his arrival he
came to the writer somewhat puzzled as to how he should write his
Swedish name in English. He gave it as "Ben Franz Norel," but
pronounced it in such a way that it sounded rather like Benjamin
Franklin. We suggested that name as a happy solution of the
difficulty, telling him something about the illustrious man who had
made it honorable. He adopted it at once, and has never disgraced it.
He is still a worthy, industrious and honorable citizen of Fish Lake.
FRANCONIA
Includes the two eastern tiers of sections of township 33, range 20,
and fractional township 33, range 19, including about fifteen whole
sections, and four fractional. The soil is good, and originally
supported a growth of hardwood. The surface is undulating. It is well
watered by Lawrence and several other small creeks tributary to the
St. Croix, and has several small but clear lakes. Ansel Smith was the
first settler of the town and village, which he named after Franconia
in the White mountains. He came here in 1852, and located a claim on
the present site of the village, on the St. Croix river, section 10,
township 33, range 19. He did much for the prosperity of the village
and town. He raised the first crops and was the first postmaster
(1854). The town was organized in 1858. The first supervisors were
Ansel Smith, Leonard P. Day and A. J. Adams. The town is now well
settled and has many excellent farms. The branch St. Paul & Duluth
railroad has a depot three-fourths of a mile from the village of
Franconia. A German Methodist church is located near the centre of the
town.
FRANCONIA VILLAGE
Was platted in 1858, by Ansel Smith. It was incorporated in 1884. Paul
Munch, in 1860, erected a first class, three storied flouring mill on
Lawrence creek. A saw mill, erected in 1854 by the Clark brothers and
Ansel Smith, has passed through many changes of ownership. It is now
the property of Matthews & Jourdain. Henry F. and Leonard P. Day built
the first good dwelling in the village, on the banks of the St. Croix,
just above the steamboat landing. Margaret Smith taught the first
school. The first death in the village was that of Neil Monroe.
ANSEL SMITH came from Vermont to St. Croix Falls in 1850 and engaged
in teaching. In 1851 he helped erect the Chisago House in Taylor's
Falls. In 1852 he made a claim on the St. Croix river, in section 10,
township 33, range 19, and there platted the village of Franconia,
clearing away the worst of the timber with his own hands. He was an
energetic, active business man, and took an interest not only in the
affairs of his town and neighborhood, but in the country at large. He
represented his district in the fifth, sixth and seventh legislatures.
He was appointed register of the United States land office at Duluth
in 1870 and served till 1872. Mr. Smith died at his residence in
Duluth in 1878, leaving a wife and three promising sons, two of them
practicing attorneys in Duluth; one cashier of a bank in Duluth.
HENRY F. AND LEONARD P. DAY.--The Day brothers came from St. Lawrence,
New York, to the St. Croix valley in 1849, and settled in Franconia in
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