Rushford High School - Valley Legend Yearbook (Rushford, MN)

Page 15 text:

 The first school district organized in the town was in the spring of 57 and is now known as the Tenborg school. This school was taught by Miss Martha Emery in the basement of her father's house. There were fourteen scholars in attendance. The first school in the city in the winter of '57-8 was a private one of half-day session, taught by Mrs. Henry Mead in her home. The house stood where the Presbyterian parsonage now stands. The next school term was a term of three months in the spring of '58, taught by Miss Jane Waters in a slab claim-shanty owned by a widow, Mrs. Nims. She taught for the Magnificent sum of $15 per month, and boarded with her cousin, Mrs. Snell, whom she assisted with house-work to pay for her board. In the summer of '58, the first school-house was built in this city, a part of which is now the Lloyd Crandall residence. Miss Waters was engaged to teach the school during the winters of '58 and '59. The seats were long benches on either side of the room, and without desks. The boys sat on one side and the girls on the other. The following twenty-four scholars were in attendance: Thomas Snell, Fremont and Edelbert Phibriek, Frank Hulbert, Myron Walker, Albert Woodworth, George Otis, Gamaliel Nowcomb, Eric Iverson, Byron Knapp, John Lenvig, John McLeod, Duncan and Mary Cameron, Hattie Stebbins, Eva Walker, Josephine and Emma McAdams, May Stevens, Mary Otis, Elizabeth and Martha Blanchfield, Louisa Woodworth, and Mathilda Peterson. We had some very severe storms that winter, and I have a kind recollection of Mr. Stevens sending his man and team to take the scholars to their homes at such times . (By Mary Cameron West) Our first blacksmith and plow-maker was Isaac Anderson who settled on the north side of Rush Creek in the fall of 54. He brought the first horse. G. S. West brought the first buggy in the fall of '54, and it was the first vehicle driven over the territorial road to Chatfield after the survey .

Page 14 text:

 The first religious meeting held after Mr. Snell's arrival was a prayer-meeting at the home of Duncan Cameron, near the city cemetery. The house was of logs, sod-covered, with earth for a floor and hay for a carpet to kneel upon. The prayers offered up were in two languages, the Scotch Gaelic and English. On the following Sunday, he held religious services at the house of Mr. Stebbins. One of the first religious organizations in Rush-ford was that of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Reverend David Tice organized it in 1860, and it flourished for some thirty years. The church building was constructed in the same year that the church was organized, and is still standing, but it has long since been converted into a dwelling-houso. (it is known as the Eide house, and is now owned by the 0. H. haasaruds.) There were a good many of the Methodist faith in the early days of Rushford. During the most active period of this church, the Reverend M. 0. liacNiff was the pastor. The Presbyterian Church bell is not only Rushford's oldest boll, but it is said to bo the first bell metal brought west of the Mississippi River. The Reverend Mr. Snell, thor. nastor of the church (it was of Congregational denomination then) took the small sum that had been raised by the Ladies' Aid Society, collected some more from the citizens hero, and went east whore he succeeded in raising sufficient funds to buy the bell. 'William Cullen Bryant, tho American author, was one of the contributors. The bell was bought in Massachusetts, and shipped to aCrosso. It was brought from there by team by Reuben YJhittemore, my brother-in-law (by Mary Cameron Tfest). Hugh Lampuian rang the bell for tho first time on Christmas Eve in 1860. Mr. Lampman had built the belfry. The Luthern Church parish was organized in 1855 and was incorporated in 1861. Reverend Jensen, tho first pastor, served from 1859 to 1868 .

Page 16 text:

 The first frame house was b iilt by E. B. Vnalrath for S. S. Btcnnons and is now occupied by George James and family. The old Walker house was the second one, and stands oast of the John Filler home. C. G. Hulbert was Rushford1s first postmaster under Prosident Buchanan. He was removed by President Lincoln and Hiram Yialker was appointed in his stead. The office for a good many years was kept in Mr. Walker's house which still stands and is now S, Jaastad’s home. When the long-awaited railroad was built in 1867 to Rushford, it ran through what was then a portion of Georgo Steven's cornfield. In 1867, the first newspaper, the Rushford Gazette, made its appearance. S. J. Brown was the editor, and S. S. Stebbins later became a partner. The paper changed hands several times and lived about a year. The Rushford Era was started in 1869 by Frank H. Stout who moved to Kansas in 1870. Then the Journal was in existence from 1871 to 1873, and was edited by Willis Osborne. The first store was built by Otis Bathrick in the early spring of 1856. Another was built a little later by T. G. Fladeland. The first carpenters were Joshua Emery and Enock Walworth who settled here in '56. The first shoe-maker was John Iverson who did business in '58-9 in a little shop west of the Presbyterian Parsonage on the land now owned by C. C. Jenson. The first stone-mason was Edward Blanchfield . Soon after Christman Mr. Dyer was appointed Justice of the Peace and performed a marriage for a Mr. Halvor Sennes and the lady ho chose for his partner in life. The first marriage by a minister of the gospel was in tho spring of '60 when the Rov, Vi. W, Snoll united in marriage Charles W. Gore and Martha Bartley, the second marriage by Rev. Snell was that of George West and Mary I. Cameron in July, 1860. '03d