part is covered with hardwood timber and has rich soil. The northern

part has oak openings and prairie, with soil somewhat varied, in some

places more or less sandy. It is well watered and drained. Thornton

Bishop, the first settler, came in 1846, and located a farm on the

banks of the St. Croix, at the head of the rapids, in section 34.

Richard Arnold settled on Amador prairie in 1854, and was followed by

James P. Martin, Carmi P. Garlick and others. Garlick was a practicing

physician, but engaged in other work. He built a steam saw mill and

made many other improvements, among them laying out the village of

Amador in section 9, township 35, range 20. H. N. Newbury, surveyor,

not succeeding in his undertaking, issued the prospectus of a paper to

be called the _St. Croix Eagle_ and to be published at Taylor's Falls.

This failing he removed to Osceola.

Amador was organized in 1858. The first supervisors were C. P.

Garlick, R. Arnold and James Martin. A post office was established in

1857; Henry Bush, postmaster. Mr. Bush had a small farm at the mouth

of Deer creek, where he built a large public house, two stories high.

This house burned down. He established a ferry across the St. Croix.

He had a large family of boys who roamed the woods freely until one of

their number was lost. The other boys came home as usual but of one

they could give no account. Parties were organized for the search,

which at last was given up as unsuccessful. A year afterward the bones

of the missing boy were found some miles away, by the side of a log,

where the little wanderer had doubtless perished of starvation and

exposure. Mr. Bishop raised the first crops of the town. The first

marriage was that of Charles S. Nevers and Mary Snell, by John Winans,

Esq., Feb. 23, 1860.

THORNTON BISHOP was a native of Indiana. He came to St. Croix Falls in

1841 and was married to Delia Wolf in 1842, by Rev. W. D. Boutwell, at

the Pokegama mission. This wife was a well educated half-breed. They

raised a large family of children. He came to Amador in 1846 and

farmed for some time at the head of the rapids, when he sold his farm

and moved to Sunrise. In 1880 he removed to Kettle River station. In

1883-84-85-86 he served as commissioner for Pine county.

WILLIAM HOLMES came to Amador and settled on a farm at the head of the

rapids in 1848. The farm is now held by John Dabney. Mr. Holmes

married a sister of Mrs. Thornton Bishop. She was educated at

Pokegama mission. They raised a large family of children. In 1852 Mr.

Holmes removed to Sunrise and thence to Trade River, Wisconsin, in

1875, where he sickened. His brother-in-law, Bishop, came to his

relief, removed him to his own home and cared for him till he died,

May, 1876.

JAMES M. MARTIN was one of the first settlers in Amador. He came

originally from Missouri, where he was married. He died July 17, 1887;

Mrs. Martin dying some years prior. Their sons are James M., Harvey,

Charles, Isaac, and Theodore. Their daughters are Mrs. Cowan, Mrs.

Wilkes, Mrs. Nordine and Mrs. Lanon.

BRANCH.

The town of Branch, occupying township 35, range 21, was set off from

Sunrise, and organized in 1872. The first supervisors were William

Winston, Peter Delamater and Frank Knight. A post office was

established in 1869; Geo. W. Flanders, postmaster. The surface is

mostly undulating, and the soil a sandy loam. There are oak openings,

and along the course of the north branch of the Sunrise river, which

flows through the town from west to east, there are many excellent

wild meadows. The north part originally contained pine forests; about

5,000,000 feet have been cut away. Branch contains some pretty and

well cultivated farms. The St. Paul & Duluth railroad traverses the

town from south to north.

NORTH BRANCH STATION.

The only village in the town of Branch was platted in January, 1870,

the proprietors being the Western Land Association, L. Mendenhall,

agent. The plat includes the north half of the northwest quarter of

section 21, and the northeast quarter of section 20, township 35,

range 21. The first settler was G. M. Flanders, who opened a store

here in 1868, which was burned in 1869. Henry L. Ingalls erected a

good hotel and other buildings. In 1870 Gurley & Bros. established a

store; B. F. Wilkes built a hotel; Winston, Long & Co. established a

store. In 1874 J. F. F. Swanson built a flouring mill, which was

burned in 1878. The loss was about $6,000, with but little insurance.

The village now contains two elevators, three hotels, six stores and

the usual proportion of dwellings. There are two churches, the

Episcopalian building, erected in 1883; and the Congregational, in

1884. There is also a good school house. The village was incorporated

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

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 Mitchell 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 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.

[Illustration: 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 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