James B. Cutler, Frankville.... Newell & Derrick, Decorah.. 15 78 15 73 14 82 14 32 14 30 13 81 13 59 13 04 12 76 12 29 11 27 11 24 11 17 11 13 11 13 11 05 10 83 10 72 10 09 This table indicates that the wealth of the county then centered on Washington Prairie. Decorah with her presert capital certainly makes a poor showing. The population, too, was most numerous there. This the following table, showing all the names to which land is assessed, will more clearly show. Although the majority of those named have passed away, there are enough familiar names to make it interesting reading, and worth preserving: BLOOMFIELD. Samuel Allen, G. B. Abbmar, Charles Anderson, Geo. Blake. John Braumire, Samuel Clark, John Cowen, Wm. Clark, Grace Cohen, Jonathan Dean, David Duff, Abner DeCow, Wm. Elliott, Samuel N. Faint, Gideon Green, Levi Grundy, Adam Garen, Charles Hawthorn, Benj. Hawk, John W. Jenkins, Samuel B. Jones, Tasa T. Kendt, Maria Lacy, Henry McSwain, John McMartin, Nathan McKinley, Henry Noble, Andrew Stewart, Margaret Slaught, Kund Thompson, Richard Thom is, John Thompson, Moses McSwain. FRANKVILLE. J. T. Atkins, Antin Anderson, Robert Angers, Christ. Anderson, Lucy Adams, Henry Brandt, John C. Buckley, Benson Egbert, Thomas Beard, Benjamin Beard, Wm. Beard, Wm. Birdsell, John Bennett, Besalid Bennett, Isaac Calender, William Cummings, James Cutlip, Edward Carter, Francis Carlton, David Duff, Emanuel Dean, James Dunn, Francis Durst, H. D. Evans, J. H. Gellelan. Egbret Gulbranson, Joseph Gordon, Ole Hulverson, J. H. Hawk, Isaac Hawk, John Halver, Levi Hubbell. Samuel Hood, Elizabeth Joiner, Matlen Johnson, James Kilgore, Edward Knight. Benj. Knight, John Krauder, Alanson Loomis, Ole Anderson Loma, J. D. McKay, John McKay, Miron Dean, M. McSwain, John Martin, Drury Mays, John F. Neider, Erick B. Olson, Erick Oleson, Knud Oleson, Robert Pierce, Samuel Peterson, Harris Reed, D. Ritchie, J. H. Ransom, Dwight Rathbun, John W. Smith, James B. Schenck, Andrew Stewart, James Smith, S. Schrekner, Josiah T. Tuttle, George Teeple, Francis Teabout, Knud Toleffson, Elizabeth Tuttle, William Woods. Oliver F. Woods, Walter Rathbun. MILITARY. John Anderson, Mary Ashby, Chauncy Brooks, C. E. Brooks, Dólvy Howard, John O. Porter, Geo. Bechel, Martin Bechel, John L. Carson. Geo. A. Clark, Wm. H. Fulton, John Gardner, Lewis Harkins, Joseph Huber, Wil liam J. Peck, Andrew Sharp, T. H. Semiss, Jacob Smith, Tolef and Lars Tosten, Charles K. Wood, Jas. C. H. Miller, Andrew Meyer, John S. Neal, Francis N. Palmer, Harvey P. Waters, Gardner Waters, Aaron Young. SPRINGFIELD. Jacob Abrahamson, J. B. Cutler, Knud Gulbranson, Ole Gullikson, Egbert Gulbranson, Halvor Halvorson, Erick Clements, O. A. Lomen, Ole Larson, Wm. Lansing, Michael Omlie, Thomas Simonson, T. Holverson, Ole Tostenson. Joseph Spillman. JACKSON. DECORAH. Jacob Abrahamson, Thos. P. Parker, Ann Bowie, John L. Carson, William Day, Claiborne Day, Nathan Drake, Adams Dexter, O. W. Emery, N. S. Gilbert, Thor. Gulbranson, Geo. W. Hazel, Adam Heckart, W. F. Kimball, Daniel Kuykendahl, M. A. Meintner, Philip Morse, Joseph McGehee Newell & Derrik, K. G. Newland, Engebret Peterson, Amasa Perkins, William Parker, Thomas Robertson, Joseph Reed, A. Simmonson, Jason Tuttle, John R. Townsley, Abraham Taxell, Geo. A. Wigeland. MADISON. H. Anstenson, Ole Asleson, John Evenson, Jane Fletcher, Ever Gulbranson, Ole Gunderson, Peter Jamison, Chas. McLaughlin, H. Oleson, Wilson Smith, Tolef Tuleston. BLUFFTON. Benjamin Disbie, Philo S. Curtis, E. Chapmen, Geo. A. Clark, Emery Burritt, Geo. R. Emery, S. E. Fairbanks, Bernard Harmon, M. A. Meinter, Levi Moore, Geo. Smith, Robert Stockton, James Turner, Daniel Wheeler, Henry Wilson. CANOE. James J. Ackerson, John Robinson, David Bartlett, Samuel Bolinger, Jas. B. Cutler, Wm. T. Cochrane, J. Freedenberger, B. F. Giles, N. S. Giblert, Michael Gatlin, Lorenzo Gates, Joseph Harper, H. Holverson, J. Hornson, L. Iverson, Thos. Kennedy, John Knudson, David Kinnison, S. M. Leach, E. B. Horton, Elizabeth Potter, Ole Snear, Wm. Shirley, N. Updegraff, Wm. B. Updegraff. GLENWOOD. J. T. Atkins, Robert Angus, Philander Baker, John Barthel, Levi Barnhouse, John C. Buckley, David Bender, Daniel Becknell, L. Carmichael, Chas. Benjamin, Julien Dougherty, F. M. Fuller, Torkel Hanson, Permany Hantly, C. N. Hatch, Nels Johnson, German Johnson, Geo. Keatings, Wm. Kyrk, John S. Morse, Lyman Morse, Thos. Severson, W. Sanford, Tosten Nelson, Lebrend Whitney, Leroy C. Walter. PLEASANT. Benj. Beard, J. B. Cutler, H. Halverson, John Klontz, Peter K. Londgon, Ole Magneson. This completes the entire list of landed assessments, and, it will be seen, includes only twelve of the twenty townships. Of the eight others no mention is made. These were the four in the northern tier, and four out of five on the west side. The fifth has only one assessment, and that is to a resident in Calmar township. That there were dwellers or squatters on this territory is beyond question; because some of them-like Mr. Meader, D. D. Huff, and others, who came as early as 1851-are still living on the land they selected in that year. These lands, however, did not really come into market until a year or two later, so that settlers could acquire title. For this reason they were assessed, if at all, with "personality" only. A list of these will complete, what I believe to be the most perfect list that can be obtained of the really "first settlers"-those who were here and took part in the organization of the county. In the foregoing lists, as well as in the following, there are doubtless some non-residents; but these cannot, at this late day, be selected out. The names that follow are those of persons of the latter classes, who cannot be assorted into townships as a whole. Many of them, however, can be readily located by the reader: Erick Anderson, John Anderson, Toleff Avins, James Ackerson, Erastus V. Andrus, John Bush, John Brandt, William Banning, Jeremiah Brisco, Joseph Brown, Lewis Bachel, Benjamin Bear, L. W. Bisby, Madison Brown, Ole Benson, Samuel F. Brush, John Bateman, Phineas Banning Alva Chase, Richard M. Carson, Hamilton Campbell, James G. Chase, James Cross, Cornelius Callahan, Oscar C. Dexter, Thomas Dickerson, John DeCow, D. Davidson, Christian Everson, Hover Everson, Gilbert Erickson, David Frasier, Acles H. Fannon, Nelson Fisher, Orson Graudy, Benjamin Goodwater, K. Goodmanson, George Gulbranson, Josiah Goddard, George Helmer, Andrew Hoverson, Ole A. Hanky, John Halvorsen, Torger Halvorsen, Peter Halvorsen, Phillip Husted, D. D. Huff, Thomas J. Hazlitt, Anthony Huber, Geo. Herzog, H. Harkins, Ole Herbranson, Henry Holm, Benjamin Hollenbach, John R. Howard, Knud Herbranson, William Horton, Phillip Howe, Moses Hostetler, Christopher Hoverson, Halvor Johnson, John Johnson, Ever Johnson, John R. Johnson, John G. Johnson, Andrew Johnson, Martin Johnson, Michael Johnson, Raid Knudson, Andrew Knudson, Toleff Knudson, William_Klontz, A. L. Kincaid, Elmar Knudson Charles Krech, G. S. Krumm, G. L. Krumm, Theophilus Krumm, J. N. Klein, James Kelley, Ever Knudson, James Lyon, Ellick Larson, John Livengood, Knud Larson, Valentine Larkins, Halgrim Larson, Phillip Lathrop, James R. Moore, James F. Moore. George Miers, Ezekiel E. Meader, William Meyer, Casper Meyer, J. N. Miller, G. Nelson, Ole Olson. (five of 'em) Barney Oleson, Magnus Oleson, Andrew Olson, Hover Olson (two), Christian Olson, John Olson, James Oleson, George Oleson, Arne Oleson, Herman Oleson, Knutson Oleson, J. Ostrander, William Painter, Ole Peterson, D. W. Pierce, William Padden, David Reed, Daniel Reed, John Ruller, Abraham Rosa, John Reams, Conrad Riley, S. Riddle, A. Russell, John Stuart, William Sharpe, John Shafer, M. B. Spencer, M. B. Sherwin, Ole Simonson, Geo. W. Tate, Michael Townsend, Ole Thoreson, Jacob Torgrimson, Sebastian Thaat, Ephraim Thompson, Nelson Torkleson, George Thaat, Mykle Toreson, Isaac Underhill, John Vail, John H. Varnall, John Williams, Silas Wheeler, Harrison Wheeler, Justus Wilson, Anna Yans. Perhaps it would be well to follow up the list of the first taxpayers with a list of the early settlers, so far as such is obtainable. Such a list is necessarily, in a great measure, a repetition of what has been given in previous chapters. Through the kindness of Mr. A. K. Bailey, I am permitted the use of the old settlers' cards, taken as admission tickets at the door of Steyer's Opera House at the time of the organization of the Old Settlers Association, July 4, 1876. It was the object of the inventor of this mode of gaining admission, not only to make the cards serve that purpose, but also to give a condensed history of each individual; and in order to serve this purpose to the best advantage, printed cards, with blank spaces to fill, were used. The person gaining admission by this means was obliged to fill the blank spaces left for that purpose, and which, when filled, would give his age, when married, to whom and what year, and the date of his settlement in the county, as well as the number of the section on which he settled. The following list of the very early settlers is quite complete: Hamilton Campbell and his wife, Sarah, came to Winneshiek County June 7, 1848, and settled on sections 23-26, Bloomfield Township. Hamilton Campbell was born in 1802, and married in 1838. Gotlob Krum and wife came to Winneshiek County on the 29th of June, 1848, and settled on the N. W. Q. of Section 17, in what is Washington township. Gotleib Krum, June 29, 1848. Washington. David Reed and wife settled on the N. E. Q. of Section 25 August 15, 1848, Bloomfield Township. Daniel Reed settled on the N. E. Q. of Section 25; August 15, 1848, Bloomfield Township. John N. Topliff settled on the S. E. Q. of Section 25, of Bloomfield Township. April 1, 1848. Andrew Meyer and wife came to Winneshiek County on the 1st of April, 1849, and settled in Washington Township on Section 23. Phenas Banning settled on the N. W. of N, W. Q. of Section 5, in what is now Bloomfield Township, in June, 1859. William Day and Elizabeth, his wife, came to Winneshiek County and settled on what is now Decorah, on the 10th of June, 1849. John F. Day, same. Richard V. Day, same. Claibourne Day, same. Ö. W. Emery came to Winneshiek County on the 20th of August, and settled on the N. W. Q. of Section 17, Canoe Township Josiah Goddard, Jr., October 10, 1849, Decorah. The following are settlers who made a permanent settlement in the county in 1850: David Kinnison and his wife Henrietta, who settled on the N. W. Q. of Section 7. John DeCow and his wife Mary D., who settled on the N. E. Q. of Section 1, in Bloomfield Township, June 29. A. O. Lommen and his wife, Seigie, who settled on the E of N. W. Q. of Section 2, in Springfield Township, June 12. Erick Anderson settled on the S. E. Q. of Section 24, Springfield Township, June 12. A. K. Anderson came to Winneshiek County on the 20th of June, and settled on the N. E. Q. of Section 23, Springfield Township. Tolef Simianson and his wife Betsy, came to Winneshiek County July 2, and settled ou the N. E. Q. of Section 1, Springfield Township. Russell Dean, April, Bloomfield Township. Ole G. Johnson settled on the S. W. Q. of Section 31, Glenwood Township, July 2. Nelson Johnson and his wife Hannah came to Winneshiek County on the 2d of July, and settled on the N. E. Q. of Section. 36, Decorah. Orin Simmons came to Winneshiek County on the 3d of July, and settled on the N. E. Q. of Section 23, Decorah Township. E. G. Opdahl came to Winneshiek County on the 4th of July, and settled on the N. E. Q. of Section 14, Springfield Township. Albert Opdahl settled on the N. E. Q. of Section 14, Springfield Township, July 4th, and his wife, Mary H., settled on the N. W. Q. of the N. W. Q. of Section 13, Decorah Towhship, July 25. John W. Holm came to Winneshiek County on the 30th of July, and settled on the N. E. Q. of Section 33, Canoe Township. Benjamin L. Bisby came to Winneshiek County on the 1st of August, and settled on the S. W., Q. of Section 29, Hesper Township. Peter K. Langland and his wife Emma, came to Winneshiek County in August, and settled on the N. W. Q. of Section 10, Pleasant Township. John Evanson came to Winneshiek County on the 25th of September, and settled on the N. E. Q. of Section 32, Madison Township. Christopher A. Estrim and his wife Juger Caroline, settled on the S. half of S. E. Q. of Section 5, on the 3d of September, Frankville. John Fredenburg settled, the 20th of October, on the N. W. Q. of Section 6, Canoe Township. William Padden and wife settled 25th of November, Section 28, Frankville Township. John Rosa came to Winneshiek County with his father, and settled on the Washington Prairie. Jacob Duff, Frankville. Edward Tracy, Decorah. Walter Rathbun and his wife Welthie came to Winneshiek County in March, and settled on the N. W. Q. of Section 16. The following is a partial list of the pioneers who came to the county in 1851: E. C. Dunning and wife settled on settled 16, Decorah Township, June 20th. Geo. Blake, April, Bloomfield Township. |