July 2, 1850, Ole G. Johnson settled on the southwest quarter of section 31. Among other early settlers were Christopher Evans, June 15, 1851, on the northeast quarter of section 32; and Nathan Drake, the same year, on section 7, where he is still a prominent and public-spirited citizen. Ole P. Rocksvold, Henry Kniss and Lewis L. Cook and wife, settled in 1853. Geo. C. Windship and wife, now of Decorah, and quite a number of others in 1854, and the settlement was afterwards rapid. The graded road bed of the proposed railroad extension from Waukon to Decorah, which may yet be built, runs through the northern part of the township.

SUMNER TOWNSHIP.

This is the western township of the fourth tier from the north. Population, 863, in 1880. The Turkey River flows southeast through the northeast part of the township. The nearest postoffice is Spillville, just across the eastern line. It was divided from Lincoln and made a separate township in 1862. There is no village nor even store in Sumner township. It is purely agricultural. A. Tracy, now of Decorah, who went there in 1858 and settled on section 29, where he lived until a few years ago, was the first settler on the open prairie, which he describes as marvelously beautiful, being a rolling sea of many hued flowers, with frequent springs. There was a Norwegian settlement in the northeast on the Turkey River before Mr. Tracy came. The Germans, mostly in the eastern part, also came before him. The Bohemians came later, and comprise a large portion of the inhabitants. The north half of the township is rolling and generally pretty well timbered. The south half is open rolling prairie, except where trees have been planted, with plenty of springs. All is good soil.

CALMAR TOWNSHIP-CALMAR, SPILLVILLE AND CONOVER.

Calmar township, with total population in 1880, 2,043, has three villages and postoffices. Calmar, the railroad center of several branches of the C., M. & St. P. Ry., with a population in 1880 of 617, is a little over a mile from the southeast corner of the township. Spillville, on the Turkey River which flows through the western part of the township-population, 340; and Conover the junction of the Decorah branch of the railroad, and situated near the center of the township-population, 168. The first voting precinct of the township is at Calmar and the second at Spillville.

Calmar village is situated on a high rolling prairie and in the center of a beautiful and productive country. It is on the main line of the Iowa & Minnesota division of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railroad. It is the starting point of the Iowa & Dakota Division, also of the trains on the Decorah branch via Con

over, and of trains on the Davenport via Jackson Junction. Some eighteen trains arrive and leave daily, making the movement of thirty-six trains. The important business of the station is under the capable charge of S. V. Potter, agent. T. Ahern, roadmaster, T. W. Hazleton, foreman of the round house, and Sam Kelsey, foreman of repair shop, and Conductor Hoxsie, of the I. & D. Division, have their homes here, as do quite a number of other railroad men. S. V. Potter several years ago, put up a large and handsome residence, and fine residences have also been erected by T. Ahern, and other railroad men and citizens.

Calmar is now well supplied with churches. The Norwegian Lutheran Church, built of stone in 1857, but since enlarged, has been for twenty-five years a prominent landmark; the Catholics erected a handsome frame church building several years ago, and the erection of a frame edifice for the Methodist Church, to cost $3,000, has just been commenced. The graded school, with two distinct departments and two teachers in summer and three in winter, has a commodious and handsome new building-attendance, 160. C. S. Boyce is principal, and Anna Stanberg assistant. John Scott, postmaster and express agent, has a large general merchandise store. The Excelsior Wagon Works of Miller, Geisen & Co., are an important enterprise. C. W. Geisen runs the lumber yard, Meyer & Dortal a good general store, and McEwen & Stiles the drug and book store; while in the same row with P. Olson's dry goods store, occupying a district recently burned out, are V. E. Strayer's handsome new brick hardware store, and L. O. Moen's fine new brick building for his furniture store. Some fifteen dwelling houses have also been erected in Calmar this season. Beside the Railroad Hotel there are the George House, the Ferguson House and the American House. The other branches of business are well represented. The present city offi

cers are:

Mayor, C. W. Geisen; Recorder, J. B. Kaye.; Treasurer, P. Olson; Councilmen, J. S. Roome, A. E. Stiles, F. L. George, H. Miller, Jr., J. H. Constantine, and V. E. Strayer.; Marshal, Geo. Miller.

John B. Kaye, Justice of the Peace, and prominent attorney, is also a poet of no mean ability, and a general favorite. His second volume, "Songs of Lake Geneva, and Other Poems," is now in the hands of the publishers.

Calmar's first newspaper, the Winneshiek Representative, published by T. B. Wood, commenced in 1870, lived about a year and removed to Ossian, where it soon died. The Calmar Guardian commenced April 19, 1876, ran about two years. Sam S. Haislet, the publisher, now has a paper at Heron Lake, Minn. The Calmar Critic, commenced in June by W. C. Eaton, now represents Calmar in the newspaper world, besides Calmar departments of the Decorah newspapers.

The following in regard to the early history of Calmar, as well as incidentally of Conover, is gleaned from a contributor to Sparks' History:

"In the early part of the year 1854, the first building was erected in Calmar by Peter Clawson and Alf. Clark, natives of Sweden, who came from California about that time and located at this place. This building was little more than a shanty, but served the double purpose of a variety store and dwelling house, Clark & Clawson being the occupants and the first merchants of the town.

"John P. Landin, my informant, tells me that the town site, surveyed a little later in the season-himself helping to carry the chain-and was then platted and dedicated to the public, by Clark, the owner of the land. On the completion of the survey it was found that the store stood in the center of Main street. Before winter, however, Clark & Co., had erected three other buildings of more pretentions-a hotel, the Calmar House, which burned down in August, 1873, a store, on the site now occupied by P. Olson's building, and a saloon, which stood on the ground now occupied by the Huston House.

"Clark & Co. ran the new store, one Henry Miller the hotel, and Hans Gulbranson the saloon, while Landın served for some time in the capacity of hostler in the hotel stable. On account of the scarcity of shingles in the river markets at the time, the hotel was roofed in the first instance with canvas, or sheeting, and so remained for several months. Landin dug the first well in town, during the same year. It was sunk in the public square. On the 9th of July, 1854, says Landin. before I ever saw Calmar, or the site where it stands, I stopped at Fort Atkinson, ate supper, stopped over night and breakfasted next day with Squire Cooney. After hoeing corn awhile as an equivalent, I inquired of the squire if there was any of my countrymen in the vicinity, and he told me that there was one by the name of Clark keeping store at Whisky Grove, and I came up here. It was my first day in Calmar. Whisky Grove, it appears, was a name often applied to this locality in those days.

"The town was by Clark named Marysville, and went by that name for about one year, when a postoffice was located here, and, on account of there being another Marysville in the State, the name was changed to Calmar. This latter name was also of Clark's choosing, and was given in remembrance of his native town of Kalmar, situated on Kalmar Sound, on the southeast coast of Sweden. Clark was the first postmaster, and his successors have been P. M. Stanberg, D. S. Lovejoy, and John Scott, the present incumbent.

"In the year 1855, Landin erected a wooden building on the site now occupied by the Clawson & Landin Block. In that building he opened up a grocery business and sold whisky and beer-the latter he brewed himself in an underground cave near by. A large percentage of his sales were paid in butter and eggs. At that time he paid from six cents to nine cents per pound for butter, and three cents per dozen for eggs. Whisky sold for five cents per glass, so that for only one dozen and eight eggs a man could get a 'square drink,' and if a customer wanted a 'nog' it was common for the trader to throw in the egg 'free gratis.'

"In the year 1868, work was commenced on the Iowa & Dakota branch of the Milwaukee & St. Paul railroad, with Calmar as its eastern terminus and junction with the main line. During the year, track was laid as far as New Hampton, considerably increasing the trade of the town, and adding to its importance as a shipping center as the road was pushed further into the interior. During the next year the Decorah branch was built, but for a year thereafter the trains of that branch did not run farther east then Conover, since which time Calmar has been the eastern end of their run and the point of passenger transfer. But, as already stated, these trains still make a stay at Conover.

In the year 1869, under the provisons of the Municipal Incorporation Act, Chapter 51, Revised Statutes of 1860, Calmar was made an incorporated town, and was duly organized by the election of municipal officers in March, 1870. John Scott was elected Mayor, and was re-elected in 1871. In 1872 John W. Tower was elected Mayor, and in 1873-4, the citizens chose S. V. Potter to fill

that office. In 1875 the mantle was worn by A. E. Manchester, and E. Pennington is the present incumbent. Since the incorporation of the town, several miles of sidewalks built, Town Hall erected, and many other public improvements made.

"The Free Masons have a lodge in Calmar with a membership of forty-five. Their hall is over the post office, and is neat, commodious and well furnished. The lodge is out of debt, and its growth and influence in our town has been rapid and beneficent. The Sons and Daughters of Temperance also have a lodge here, and although organized only about a year ago, it has about forty active members, and is doing a good work. Their hall, on the upper floor of the Anderson-Landin block, is large, and well arranged."

The flush days of Conover village, which is nine miles from Decorah and three from Calmar, and situated where the Decorah branch leaves the St. Paul and Minneapolis branch of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Ry., are pictured in the preceding description. But it still has 168 inhabitants by the census of 1880, an elevator, a general store, hotel and other business. C. J. Thompson is railroad and express agent.

Spillville village, three miles west of Conover, and twelve miles southwest of Decorah, is situated on the southwest bank of the Turkey River, and has 340 inhabitants. The plat was recorded by Joseph Spielman, proprietor, May 7, 1860. Joseph Spillman, or Spielman, who lived there in 1851, was the first settler, and had a mill. The flouring mill, now one of its prominent institutions, was built by Henry and Lyman Morse, the well-known Bluffton pioneers, before they left for California. It was afterward operated by Norris Miller, now of Decorah. It is now owned. by the Spillville Mill Co. Frank Nockles' brewery is another prominent enterprise. J. J. Hang, postmaster, has a general store, and there are other branches of business. S. W. Sanders & Son, Decorah, have a branch store there. Spillville is the center and headquarters of the Bohemians of the county, who flock in crowds to the large Bohemian Catholic Church there, in the forenoon, and after services all go to the beer saloons and enjoy themselves in their old country style-but there is rarely drunkness on the occasions. The Spillville band and orchestra is famous, and is often called to Decorah on public occasions.

SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP

adjoins Decorah township on the south. The C., M. & St. Paul Ry. runs across its south western corner. It has no village nor postoffice, its most convenient ones being Decorah, Calmar, and Ossian. Population, 1,837. The township was settled in June, 1850, by what are claimed to be the first Norwegian settlers in the county. An account of this settlement-that of the Erick Anderson party in June, of Nelson Johnson and party in July, and of Engebret Peterson Haugen, in October of the same year, are given in a previous chapter relating to early county history, and need not be repeated here.

FRANKVILLE TOWNSHIP AND VILLAGE.

Frankville is the eastern township of next to the southern tier of townships. The census of 1880 gave it a population of 970. Of these 158 are in Frankville village, in the southeastern corner of the township, and 12 miles southeast of Decorah. Woodside postoffice is on the road to Decorah, about 4 miles from Frankville. Spark's History says:

"In 1851-2-3 the county was deluged with a healthy immigration. They were men noted for their integrity, perseverance, and a determination to succeed. They came in their covered carts drawn by oxen, with the family support hitched on behind in the possession of a good milch cow. A great many of these men found their homes on Washington Prairie. The earliest pioneers were the Hawkes, Moses Hostetter, J. Callendar, Christopher Anderson Estrem, Wm. Padden, the Rosa family, Jacob Duff, Walter Rathbun, and others. These came in 1850 or early in 1851. Among the number who drifted into the county in the years 1851-2 were J. T. Atkins, the Beards and Cutlers, John and James D. McKay, Joel Pagin, Wm. Birdsell, Philip Husted, Isaac Birdsell, Erick Olson Bakke, James B. Schenk, and others too numerous to mention. This immigration had the effect to change the wild prairie of a year or two previous into the garden of Winneshiek County. The construction of houses was carried on until they dotted the prairie from every conceivable point

of the compass. Deer were numerous, prairie-chickens plenty, the small streams abounded with speckled trout, while larger fish were to be obtained from the Iowa River. With these, and what they were able to raise, it would seem these hardy pioneers fared sumptuously.

"Along with the tide that rolled over the country in 1851 was a man noted for his wealth. energy and perseverance. He came to stay, bringing with him a herd of cattle. Among others who preceded him was one Timothy Fuller, whose claim he purchased and settled on. This man is known all over the country as Frank Teabout, the founder of Frankville.

"In 1852. Frankville was little more than a trading point, at which lived the only inhabitant and proprietor, Mr. Frank Teabout; but about this time an event transpired which gave to it life and brighter prospects for the future. A commission had been appointed to locate the State road for the benefit of immigrants seeking homes in Northwestern Iowa and Southern Minnesota. Frankville secured the road.

The location of the road is the greatest event in the history of Frankville, for without it, in all likelihood, the place would never have been anything more than the residence of Mr. Frank Teabout. As it is, Frankville is a pleasant village, and at one time figured conspicuously in the history of the county.

It was near night when the commission arrived at Mr. Teabout's residence, and they of course accepted his hospitality until the next morning. On the next day Mr. Teabout lead the commissioners to Decorah, they declaring their line of march to be the location of the new road. There were other parties besides Mr. Teabout who studied self-interest in the location of the State road. Among the number was John McKay. He secured the passage of this desired highway through his farm. Mr. McKay had the same ambition for a town that actuated his neighbor. His first work in that direction was the establishment of a postoffice, which was effected on the discontinuance of the Jamestown office. He also secured the location of a store at this place. This town bore the name of Trout River, and at one time was a strong competitor of Frankville. The postoffice was continued at this place for nearly two years from whence it was moved to Frankville. It is claimed that this move was effected through a compromise entered into between the respective founders of the two towns.

Immediately on the location of the road, as if by magic, a town grew up about the nucleus that had previously been built, and was given the name of