Fifty Years In The Northwest Part 36

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 cla.s.s. 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 sh.o.r.e 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 ill.u.s.trious 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 sh.o.r.e 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 p.r.o.nounced 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 ill.u.s.trious 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 cla.s.s, three storied flouring mill on Lawrence creek. A saw mill, erected in 1854 by the Clark brothers and Ansel Smith, has pa.s.sed 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 1852. Henry married Margaret Smith, daughter of David Smith. During the Rebellion he served in Company C, Seventh Minnesota Volunteers. He moved to Florida in 1886. Leonard P. was married to Mary Mitch.e.l.l in 1856. He died in 1874, leaving a widow, two sons and two daughters.

His widow (in 1886) is the wife of Henry Wills, of Osceola.

HENRY WILLS was born in 1829, in Illinois, and married his first wife in Missouri in 1856, who died in 1878, leaving nine children. Mr.

Wills was one of the first farmers in Franconia, and has been active in promoting improvements in his town and county. He moved to Osceola in 1886.

THE CLARK BROTHERS came from Maine and located in Franconia in 1854, where they built the first mill in the village. Subsequently they became citizens of Taylor's Falls, engaging in the mercantile, livery, saw and stave mill business. James, the oldest, married Carrie Jellison in 1863, and moved to Windom, Minnesota. Rufus, the next in age, married Kate Strand in 1860, and died May, 1880, leaving a widow, three sons and one daughter. Charles, the youngest, was married to Martha J. Gray in 1868, and removed to Fergus Falls.

DAVID SMITH was born in Scotland. He came to Franconia in 1855, where he has now one of the best farms in Chisago county. His youngest son, James, lives on the old homestead with him. His second son, John, has made his home in Rush City. Andrew, his oldest, served during the Rebellion in company C, Seventh Minnesota. His oldest daughter, Margaret, is the wife of H. F. Day. His daughter Nancy is the wife of N. H. Hickerson and resides in California,. Barbary, the third daughter, is the wife of John Grove of Burnett county.

JONAS LINDALL was for many years an enterprising and prosperous business man in Franconia. He opened up an extensive wood trade with St. Paul, in which C. J. Vitalis is his successor. Mr. Lindall represented his county in the senate of the fifteenth and sixteenth state legislatures. He was accidentally drowned from a barge of wood at Hastings in May, 1872. His widow is married to Chas. J. Vitalis.

WM. PEASLEE came from Maine to the St. Croix valley and settled in Franconia in 1857, and followed mercantile pursuits at that place and at Taylor's Falls. He died at the latter place in 1876. Mr. Peaslee was married at Palmyra, Maine, to Sophia E. Harriman, who, with Clarence, an only son, survives him. His widow resides in Taylor's Falls and superintends a millinery and fancy store. Clarence succeeds his father in the grocery and dry goods business at Taylor's Falls. He married Rosa, a daughter of Patrick Fox.

CHARLES VITALIS was born in Smolland, Sweden, in 1843; came to America in 1868 and settled in Franconia village. He was for five years employed as clerk. In 1873 he embarked in the mercantile and wood business. In one year he shipped 13,000 cords of wood, and has averaged for the last 14 years 7,000 cords, making a total of 100,000 cords. He was married to Josephine Nelson, widow of Jonas Lindall, in 1873. They have three children. Elof, John, Elias and Hans are brothers of Charles Vitalis, residing in the town of Franconia.

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 a.s.sociated 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.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FRANK N. PETERSON.]

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 unconst.i.tutional. 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 sh.o.r.e 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 cla.s.s 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.