Kasson Mantorville High School - Komet Yearbook (Kasson, MN)

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August 25. The County Board authorized a bounty of $2.00 on each wolf killed in the county. 1863 January 20. Dodge County was divided into militia districts and citizens eligible to serve as soldiers were invited to meet Feb. 21, following and choose their offi- cers. March 18. Thirty citizens of Dodge County joined the First Regiment of Mounted Rangers for service against the Indians on the frontier. July 14. On this date occurred the sale of school lands in Dodge County. The prices received were $5.00 per acre for prairie land and from $6.50 to $10.00 per acre for timber land. Two hundred and ninty- four acres were sold. November 28. Evergreen Cemetery Asso- ciation was organized at Mantorvillc. J.E. Bancroft, secretary. 1865 March 8. It was voted by the citizens of this county to issue bonds in the sum of $8,000.00 for the erection of a Court House. This vote was authorized by a special act of the Legislature. April 18. The Board of County Commis- sioners located the site for the erection of the Court House on Lots 1,2, and 3, Block 22, in the village of Mantorville, with the understanding that the citizens of said village would pay for and deed the lots to the county, and also that A.D. LaDue would quit claim to the county the balance of the west half of said block. C.T. Mix, of Milwaukee, Wis., was chosen as architect. Samuel Willson and Thomas Marshall composed the building commit- tee and William Collum was appointed to take charge of the erection of the build- ing, counseling with the committee. June 30. The population of Dodge Coun- ty was 6,222. September 5. William Collum, superinten- dent of the erection of the Court House, reported that he had received from the County Treasurer $6,404.50, and had disbursed on the new building $6,357.22. He returned to the County Treasurer the money remaining in his hands and re- signed, and Samuel Willson was appointed to fill the vacancy. October 13. The original plat of the vil- lage of Kasson was filed in the Registrar of Deeds office. November. The first railroad train on the Winona St. Peter Railway reached Kasson. Kasson owes its existence to the Winona St. Peter Railroad which came into the area in 1865 at a time when the Civil War was drawing to a close. Jonathon Owen, J.H. Kasson and JJE. Bunker platted the village of Kasson and together with the Winona St. Peter Railroad were joint owners. The station was named in honor of Mr. Kasson, a native of Susquehanna County, Pa., who had come to Mantor- ville Township in June, 1865. He was an Abolitionist who worked hard to end slavery in the United States. The Winona and St. Peter Railroad was completed to this point, and Jabez Hyde Kasson, John Eldridge Bunker, and Jonathon Owen platted the village, which was named Kasson in honor of the man who did much to secure the location of the depot. These three men were joint owners with the railroad company. The road was lo- cated through Kasson’s farm, a distance of one-half mile or more. For the con- sideration of $500.00, he gave the com- pany the right-of-way across his premises and an undivided half of 100 acres of land where the village of Kasson now stands. In return the railroad was to build a depot and grain elevator. Messrs. Owen and Bunker each also gave an undivided half of 20 acres to be added to the village. Since the original plat was made, Mr. Owen added 20 acres, and William Powers about 20 acres. During the first few weeks after the advent of the railroad, Mr. Kasson’s house and every other with- in reach was crowded to the utmost capa- city until Mr. Goodell built an eating house, which he soon sold to a Mr. Vin- cent. Porter Van Allen, Jacob Leuthold, and Patchen Williams built stores, stocked with general merchandise in 1865. 1866 January 3. The County Board made an appropriation of $1,000.00 to finish en- 9

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members. It was the first of that denom- ination in the county. The bridge over the Zumbro River on Bridge Street at Mantorville was ac- cepted by the township and the debts against it were assumed by the town. September 7. The first camp meeting ever held in the county was on this date and under the auspices of the Methodists. The camp grounds were situated in the woods three-fourths of a mile west of Mantor- ville. The Rev. D. Cobb, presiding elder, and the Rev. E.R. Lathrop were in charge. September 10. A petition signed by four hundred and fifty voters, asking for the privilege of voting for or against the removal of the county seat from Man- torville to Wasioja, was presented to the County Board. The petition was granted and notice was given that the question would be submitted at the next general election, to be held Oct. 11th. October 11. The vote on the question of the removal of the County Seat from Mantorville to Wasioja resulted in favor of Mantorville by a vote of 621 to 412. 1860 January 5. A school census for the county showed the number of children of school age to be 1,175. June 1. The population of Milton Town- ship was 600; of Canisteo, 360; of Man- torville, 760; of Dodge County, 3,797. The valuation of taxable property in Mantorville Township was $68,493.00. June 9. R.B. Miller, of Ashland Town- ship, opened a large general store at Mantorville. June 14. The current price of wheat was 50 cents per bushel at Mantorville, and 65 cents per bushel at Red Wing. 1861 January 4. About noon, a heavy sound, as of rolling thunder, seeming to pass directly overhead, was heard in various parts of the county. The sky was clear and there was no wind. April. A few days after the firing on Fort Sumpter, the following enlisted as privates in the First Minnesota Volun- teers: Joseph R. Garrison, David Marshall, M.B. Milliken, George A. Milli- ken, Charles F. Mason, William L. Paul, Edwin Paul, and J.M. Underwood. April 4. Thomas C. Christie, of Clare- mont, enlisted in the first battery of light artillery, Minnesota Volunteers. He was the only member of this organ- ization from Dodge County. July. Seventy-two men from this county were mustered in as volunteers in the Second Minnesota Infantry. The regi- ment in which they belonged was order- ed to Louisville, Ky., in October, 1861. They were discharged from service at Fort Snelling July 11,1864. July 21. James M. Underwood, Co. F, First Minnesota Volunteers, who en- listed from Concord, was killed at the battle of Bull Run. This was the First death of a Dodge County soldier. September 6. John Row and Charles Globe commenced the erection of a sawmill on the Zumbro River one mile east of of Mantorville. October. Twenty-two recruits from Dodge County joined the Third Minne- sota Infantry. They were mustered out Sept. 2,1865, and received their dis- charge at Fort Snelling. December 20. The first brass band in Dodge County was organized at Mantor- ville by Henry Naegli, Sr., who was its leader. During the summer the Dodge County Brewery, a large two-story stone build- ing, with two vaults 30 x 70 and 40 x 90 feet in size, respectively, excavated into the bluff at the rear of the building, was completed and opened for business by Charles Ginsberg. 1862 January 6. The first license in Dodge County permitting the sale of intoxi- cating liquors was granted to B.S. Cook, in consideration whereof he paid into the County Treasury $15.00. August 22. The County Board voted to grant a bounty of fifty dollars to each soldier enlisting from this county, and, in case a man should be drafted, the bounty would be doubled. The Legis- lature was asked to pass an act empow- ering the County Board to levy and collect a tax of $12,000.00 with which to pay said bounties. August 24. Regarding the Indian out- rages on our frontier at the date above noted, we quote from the Mantorville Express: “We have received, from day to day since our last issue, news by the St. Paul papers and by individuals traveling from the West, in reference to the progress of the disturbances on the frontier. The outbreak has assumed serious proportions, and we have reliable information of the slaughter of a large number of men, women and children inhabiting the extreme border. The num- ber killed is estimated by those having the best means of judging at not less than five hundred.” Under the caption “Panics” the following appeared in the same issue of that paper: “Indian panics have been the order in a good many localities in the state during the past week. A very respectable specimen was gotten up a few miles south of here last Sunday afternoon. A report was raised that a large body of Indians were approaching on the south prairie, which was believed by many, causing a pell-mell rush of a number of families to Mantorville, while many others were prepared to go at a moment’s notice to seek protection in the stone hotel building. The nearest point of the outrages yet perpetrated is about 100 miles, and it is next to certain that the Indians will not be allowed to come any nearer, but that they will be driven be- yond the borders of the state and never 8

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closing the new Court House and to com- mence the inside work on the same. February 27. The total number of en- listed men from Dodge County during the War of the Rebellion was as follows: From Mantorville, 105; Wasioja, 104; Concord, 59; Milton, 58; Ashland, 40; Claremont, 38;Canisteo, 16; Ellington, 15; Ripley, 10; Vernon, 6; total, 451. April 1. Upon the death of her husband, Mrs. C.E.F. Bancroft took charge of the Mantorville Express. She was the only lady editor in the state. She successfully conducted the paper for upwards of three years. May 6. The Presbyterian Church at Kas- son was organized by the Rev. Sheldon Jackson and Elder Ncwhall, of Ashland Township. There were but three members -all females. The church was erected in 1867. July 21. The Baptist Church at Kasson was organized with a membership of eleven. The Rev. E. Wcstcott, pastor. The church was erected in 1875, and dedi- cated the first Sunday in March that year. October. St. Peter’s Episcopal Church at Kasson was organized by the Rev. P.S. Ruth, rector. 1867 January 2. The County Board made an appropriation of an additional $ 1,000, to be used in the Court House building ex- penditures. March 11. It was voted by the commis- sioners to appropriate $1,007.61 with which to pay the indebtedness incurred in building the Court House, and C.S. Knceland and E.K. Proper were appointed a committee to expend $1,00.00 more toward finishing said building, provided said amount could be borrowed at 12 per cent. April 30. The first teacher’s institute in the county was held in Mantorville. Twenty-nine persons were present. May 3. The Dodge County Republican, a weekly newspaper, was established at Kasson by U.B. Shaver, editor and pro- prietor. The village of Kasson is located about six miles of the geographical center of Dodge County. It is surrounded by a beautiful and expansive prairie, gently rolling, checkered with dense groves and beauti- ful streams of pure water, adding beauty to the landscape and value to the county. It now contains of population of close to 400, and is rapidly increasing in size, wealth, and commercial importance. Choice farming lands can be obtained in the immediate neighborhood at reason- able prices. Village lots, though rising in value are not held at exorbitant prices. This is the shopping center for the county. It has a larger trade than any other town. $24,230.00 was used and 31 buildings were erected in Kasson-all residences but four. During the same year, a capital of $98,000.00 was employed in the mer- cantile, farm machinery and miscellane- ous branches of trade. The amount of wheat shipped during the year from Kas- son “foots up” on the railroad books to 250,000 bushels. Up to this time, Kasson never had a resident physician, but before the close of the year, a doctor, dentist, lawyer and printer arrived and the first drugstore opened. 1869 Kasson had a population of 800,of which 174 were between the ages of 5-20. There were the usual stores and dwellings, as well as two millinery shops, four hotels, three blacksmith shops, one plow, seeder and cultivator manufacturing company, three boot and shoe making establish- ments, one photo gallery, four whiskey saloons, one church (Presbyterian), two oyster saloons, one marble cutter, and a sash and door factory. March 22. A petition was presented to the County Commissioners and argued for the petitioners by R.A. Jones and CoL Stearns, of Rochester, and adversely by Messrs. S.L. Pierce, Samuel Lord, and Robert Taylor, asking for a division of Mantorville Township. The petition was granted, and the township of Kasson was formed, comprising Sections 23, 24, the south half of Sections 13 and 14, and the south one-third of the original township. An election was held and officers for the new town chosen, but the Supreme Court de- clared the action of the County Board r unconstitutional. July 30. The current price of No. 1 wheat at Kasson was $1.03 per bushel; barley, 80 per bushel. 1870 January 1. S.T. Jones was appointed to the office of County Superintendent of Schools. January 7. Five hundred dollars was ap- propriated to be used in finishing the rooms in the Court House. A resolution was also passed by the County Board au- thorizing the county officials to furnish the wood for their own offices. February 24. An act incorporating the Village of Kasson was approved. The ter- ritory embraced within the incorporated village covered one and one-half miles, the east half of section 32 and all of 33. In accordance with the act, an election was held under the supervision of Jona- thon Owen, J.H. Kasson, and John E. Bunker, on the first Monday in April, 1870. W.L. Dibble was elected president; A. Bryan, William Wheeler and Jacob Leut- hold, trustees; Libbens White, recorder. April 3. Two young ladies, Eliza Smith and Lucy Irish, of Mantorville were drowned in the river at that place by the overturning of a row boat in charge of S.W. Hickok. May 31. Special town meeting was held at the Court House in Mantorville and by a vote of 334 to 123 a proposition carried to issue 7% coupon bonds to the amount of $50,000 as a bonus to the Dubuque St Paul Railroad Company to build a pro- posed road through Mantorville. The com- pany failed to carry its project through. June 15. Camelia, aged eleven years, daugh- ter of A.R. Cohoon, of Mantorville, was killed in a runaway horse accident. June 17. The Grinnell Wilbur Drug Store at Mantorville burned with a loss of $6,000. June 30. The population of Mantorville village was 622, Kasson 515, Dodge County 8,599. September 7. The County Board voted to erect a suitable stone building on the 10