Document - Historical information/data - History of Eagan from Prehistoric to modern times - 1/1/1980Patch T/
Transfer Patch
•
History Manuscript
as prepared by
the History Committee
•
•
Content Order
•
0
Preface, Introduction, Forward
Geology
GII c is ] To po gr phy
Poems
Fort Snelling
1896 Plat Lap
I'aribz.ult
:: tge, Huard, Lemay, Beaudette, Perron, Cha.pdelaine, Desiauriers,
Letendre
Irish immigrants
Eagan, U' Neill, Quigley, Shields, Diffley, Fee, NcCarthy,
Reid, Mooney, Slater, Kennealy, Scott
Holz, Trnpp, Rahn, Ghmann, Hawermann, Cld Timers, Rueger, Oster,
Polzin, Sell
St. Peter's Church
Trinity Lone Cak Church
Churches serving Eagan
Schools
Treffle luge, Ferryboat Cpera for
i4.endota and Cedar Avenue Bridges
Stagecoach in Eagan
Eagan Mendota, Gnion Capital
Shields' Sorghum Mill
Snowplowing
Farming
Roads
Nicoll Depot and Hall
Moonshineaand Revenuors
Lone Cak Tree
Family photos
Anecdotes: Patrick Diffley, Blizzard of 1876, U.S. Mail, Airmail,
B.L. Baker, Wescott, Sioux Uprising, Gentlemen, Early Lunkers
Town Hs l l
Envy' government
Herbert Polzin
Fire Dept.
Police facility
Cedar Grove i►ail
Part of the history of Eagan Township
•
•
PREFACE
Loyalty of every kind is more intense when it is intelligent.
Loyalty to country is rooted in a knowledge of its history.
The character of its institutions, and the purpose and spirit of
its environment.
In order to foster civic pride and loyalty in the pupils in our
schools, along with the many manifestations in those intrusted with the
education of all our children must, that in keeping with the common
effort develop more intelligent and loyal citizens. It is also
devotionally proper to make a study of our city and the rich heritage,
we in Eagan can so proudly associate ourselves.
The customs and our cultures here in Eagan has blended into a
harmonious atmosphere of determination, to do good, to better our
contributions and develop a greater sense of hope and charity to our
fellow citizens.
The administrators and instructors of our youth, must continue with
their attention and purpose, expected of them in their positions to
care. To see that we have good schools, clean schools and to assist the
student that has fallen. To advise against the pitfalls of life and to
appreciate, that an educator can become a stewart in advising them
against the vicissitudes which can and often do overwhelm human nature.
We must train our youth to respect our country and our flag. To
weigh the evidence before they join, or condem, and to teach with
dedication and above all loyalty.
In truth, we grow to love persons with whom we become well acquainted.
It is true also, that our youth should look back on their years of
educational preparation for life as truly worth -while enjoyable days, and
with solidarity a new enthusasism, that will find an expression, the
greater devotion and loyalty from every girl and boy for our country.
Francis J. Dembroski
I NTPCDUC ^_ION
Historians recall three major migrations of human beings.
The first was the barbarian sweep over !urope and the capture
of Rome.
The second wa a the Mongolian invasion of the Western
world led by Genghis Kahn.
The third vas during the century following 1v20 when near-
ly twenty-eight million people crossed the Atlantic Ocean to
seek a new home in America.
These human beings, and those who preceded them, took
part in the largest population movement in human history.
The march from !urope to America changed thecourse of events.
This new venture brought more human beings into the sparsely
settled North American continent, and fostered the growth of
a dynamic group of settlers that had to adjust continually to
the frequently changing conditions. Besides, the exceptional
exodus from Europe, relieved the political pressures caused by
the Industrial Revolution and the over crowding of the old
world.
Between 1650 and 1950 the population of Europe grew from
100 Million to 560 million, not including the 40 million in-
dividuals who emigrated to America.
In our book, we write about three distinct nationalities
who% came to America and 7agan because of troubled times.
The French Canadians of Canada, by their refusal to be
dominated by British Rule.
The Irish, because of crop failures and the insensitivities
of the British, and the Ger=ans nn less inspired by a militar-
istic regime.
Francis J. Dembroskl
FORWARD
As early as 1680, fur traders, missionaries and voyageurs had
traveled through the wilderness of Minnesota. The reputation of the
abundant game, numerous lakes, forest and agricultural potential,
rapidly spread throughout Quebec.
By the mid I800's economic and political circumstances in
Canada especially in French speaking areas, had deteriorated to the
extent that emigration provided the most attractive solution to the
immediate problems.
Hundreds of French-Canadian families migrated to Minnesota,
beginning in the 1840's and continuing until the turn of the century.
The oldest settlement in Minnesota is Mendota, which served as the
main center of commerce and the artery from which further settlements
in Minnesota spread. Ossoe, Anoka, White Bear Lake, Centerville,
Hugo, Stillwater and Somerset to name just a few.
While the French Canadians did some pioneering in Eagan, many of
the farms were cleared by the Irish, who immagrated into Eagan in
the early 1850's. The German's in the early 1860's 70's and 80's.
The scandinavians made their appearance around the turn of the
century and a little later.
Mendota and Eagan were considered a governmental unit until
1860, this should cause us to appreciate the great heritage given to
us by these early settlers, and to be conscious for the great influence
they have had on the development of the area.
We hope you will find this book interesting and informative.
Many, many hours have gone into the History of Eagan. Letters have
been written and permission granted to utilize certain pertinent
information used in this book and I especially want to take this
opportunity to thank Ronald F. Eustice for his tremendous assistance
on the history of the early French Canadians, without this assistance
it would have been impossible to assemble the unique history of these
incredible early French settlers.
Thousands of calls were made and received. Co-operation has
been excellent and we of the Eagan Historical Committee, thank you
most sincerely.
Francis J. Dembroski
THE GEOLOGIC TIME SCALE*
ERA PERIOD
i
CENOZOIC
QUARTERNARY
TERTIARY
CRETACEOUS •
MESOZOIC JURASSIC
TRIASSIC
PALEOZCIC
PERMIAN
PENNSYLVANIAN
MISSISSIPIAN
DEVONIAN
SILURIAN
ORDOVICIAN
CAMBRIAN
EPOCH
RECENT
PLEISTOCENE
PLIOCENE
MIOCENE
OLIGOCENE
EOCENE
PALEOCENE
MILLIONS OF
YEARS AGO
(APPROX.)
0•1
1.12
12.28
28.40
40.60
' 60.130
130-155
155.185
185-210
210.235
235.265
265320
320360
360.440
440.520 •
DURATION IN
MILLIONS OF
YEARS
(APPROX.)
1
11
16'
12
20
70
25
30
25
25
30
55
40
80
80
PRECAMBRIAN
UPPER
MIDDLE
LOWER
Although many local subdivisions
are recognized, no world-wide sys em
has been evolved. The Precambrian
lasted for at least 2Y billion years.
Oldest dated rocks are at least 2,700
million, possibly 3,300 million, years old.
RELATIVE
DURATIONS
OF MAJOR
GEOLOGICAL
INTERVALS
CENOZOIC
MESOZOIC
PALEOZOIC
PRECAMBRIAN
•
•
•
ORDOVICIAN OUR GEOLOGIC HERITAGE
Historical geology is a mental excursion through the vastness of
prehistoric time.
The purpose of this introduction explaining the topography of the
Eagan landscape is to assist our citizens, by careful explanation, the
progress of our geological landscape development and pre -historic events
that the limestone bastions in our midst, to a certain degree, survived
for posterity.
There probably is no better time in the geological timetable in
our area than to commence with the Ordovician period of time.
The rocks and formations of the Ordiovician are quite prevalent along
the banks of the Mississippi River at Mendota, the Shiely Quarry, Lilydale,
the north end of the I-35E bridge at the W. Seventh Street exit and the
north end of the Mendota Bridge turning right down the exit to the west
Seventh Street bridge into St. Paul.
At these various locations we can get a real serious glimpse of
the prehistoric past. Gazing upon the St. Peter sandstone, the Platteville
limestone and shale which has hidden fossils for our discovery, imagination
and pleasure, that takes us back into the geological timetable almost 500
million years or one-half billion years into the past.
This chapter on the Ordovician period to the present day in our
vicinity requires a certain amount of technical words and phrases for its
description, however, do not become disturbed by their presence.
One of the processes in attacking large words, is breaking them
down to their constituency to other words, phrases and sounds.
Let us take the word "foraminifera". Phonetically, we discover
what words really are. This short exercise will assist out younger
readers in mastering the reading of this chapter in a very short time
and will make reading a pleasure instead of a challenge.
Let us go back to the work "foraminifer. FOR AM IN IF ERA.
See all the words you know in its construction? Now all you need is
the rythym to put them together. Most words can be attacked in the same
way.
Foraminifera is an important order of one -celled animals, protozoa,
that have left an extensive fossil record in rocks of ordovician and
younger age capable of fossilization. Being small, their remains are
readily discovered from drilling well cores and cuttings and have become
very important in correlating oil bearing rocks.
Thousands of fossil species have been discovered and they are
especially useful as guide fossils in rocks.
The ordovician period holds the answer to almost the infinite
past in the thinking of time. It has preserved some of the first small
shelled animals on earth, the BRA CHI OPODS, and the invertebrates
belemnites and CEPH ALO PODS.
Cephalopods include the giant squid made famous by Jules Verne's
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. The octopus, with its writhing arms,
keen eyes and intelligent behavior, indicates a high degree of development.
Last, but not least, one cannot forget the pearly chambered natilus whose
shell has long been one of the supreme prizes of the shell collector.
It is believed that the cephalopods developed a jet propulsion type
of locomotion in the ordovician, but it is doubtful if it was as efficient
as it now is among such shell -less animals as the squid.
Other creatures of the ordovician were graptolites, floating
organisms that could be carried by the current, and the blind trilobite
was a dumbell like looking specimen, head and tail similar in size and
outline, it died out in the ordovician period.
In our ordovician rocks, horn coral and BRY OZO ANS can be found
in abundance in the shale at the south end of the Mendota bridge.
It was during the ordovician period that a sea covered most of
southeastern Minnesota and at the same time, the sea bottom was accumula-
ting fossils in quite a variety of specimens that was forming the limestone
that we see today.
Limestone is a sedimentary rock consisting chiefly of calcium carbon-
ates. It is a solid rock and is formed mainly by the shells and skeletal
material of lime secreting plants and animals. The greater amount of
shells in the composition of limestone the more durable it is as a
building product. One short piece of road outside of the City of Rome,
has a limestone surface that has been in existence since early Roman times,
composed of small shells.
Geologists have calculated that the average rate of accumulated
sedimentation for the forming of limestone is approximately 2200 years
for each foot of rock. The thickness in our vicinity, including the top
shale, is between 16 and 18 feet thick. With a little mathematics we can
7
•
i
•
discern that the sea in this area and the surrounding territory was here
about 35,000 years. In passing limestone will effervese when it comes
in contact with HC 1, when cold.
Information this far has given us evidence of the animal inverter-
brates but little else in the animal kingdom. However, it was a period
of great physical disturbance within the earth. It was during the
paleozoic era of which the ordovician period is engulfed that the Rocky
Mountains or the cordilleran geosyncline in the west and the Appalachian
geosyncline in the east that the down sinking in these two prominent areas
of the earth appeared.
The earliest known fossil of a bony animal was a small jawbone about
1/3 of one inch long found near the end of the ordovician period in rocks
in Missouri and is the oldest known evidence of fish. So far, late
ordovician has yielded very little information about vertebrates.
Unlike the other continents a great deal of oil and gas is derived
from ordovician rocks in North America and ranks third among systems in
known oil and gas yields and reserves.
This ends the ordovician period, now kindly remember the limestone
citadels that were mentioned in the beginning of this chapter, for
history that has passed since their creation has done so in their presence.
While there was seven periods in the paleozoic era and the ordovician
was the second, we now enter the five remaining periods consisting of
approximately 175 million years.
We begin with the silurian period, which was much shorter than the
ordovician, its layers of sedimentation follows closely to the ordovician,
but are not so thick or widespread. This period is responsible for the
salt deposits in the states of New York and Michigan and these beds are
extensively mined today. Huge deposits of potash were discovered in the
very heart of Saskatchewan during oil drilling operations from this period.
At the close of this period an extensive mountain building interval
called the caledonian revolution affected various parts of the earth,
with considerable activity in northwestern Europe.
The devonian was the period that the vertebrates really made their
debut on earth, for this period is known as the age of fishes. About
4000 different fossil species have been defined by science. Fishes and
fishlike vertebrates make up about 50 per cent of the eight classes of
vertebrates. Fish are the earliest known representatives of the vertebrates
and are considered to be the basic stock of all so called higher elevation
of animal forms.
Fish were so prevalent during this period that devonian experts have
had great difficulty in properly classifying them. They range in size
from very minute forms to giants of thirty feet long. Sorpions, centipedes
and perhaps insects assisted the fish to become amphibians during that
period.
Scientists have described over 20,000 living species of fish in
existence today.
The following periods are known as the Mississippian and the
Pennsylvanian or Mississippian referred to as the lower carboniferous and
the Pennsylvanian referred to as the late or upper carboniferous or the
coal making periods. The evidence that has been gathered indicated that
the coal beds consist of altered plant remains. All stages of the process
of alteration has been thoroughly studied from green plant life to
decomposition.
Today we find that peat is still in the process of formation. Coal
has four ranks; lignite, sub -bituminous, bitumious and anthracite. A
rank depends upon the conditions to which plant remains have been
subjected to after they were buried.
Higher ranking coals contain greater density and less moisture and
volatile gases, consequently they have higher heat value than the lower
ranks in coal. Anthracite is a hard coal.
Peat is the parent material for coal and begins as a spongy water
soaked mass of vegetation. In making coal the greater the pressure, and
higher the heat, better the coal. These two periods of geologic time
have served our industial development most handsomly in the fields of
lubricants and energy.
Most petroleum consists of 82 - 87 per cent carbon and 11 to IS
per cent hydrogen.
The Mississippian and Pennsylvanian periods are usually mapped to-
gether. In regard to sedimentation, the most complete and continous
accumulation of the Pennsylvanian and permian rock is in Utah, where one
formation, the oquirrh, is over 30,000 feet thick.
The permian period is the last of the Paleozoic era. It is during
•
•
•
•
the late paleozoic that plants with seeds began to replace those with
spores and the dependancy of water was noticeable. Seeds were becomming
more adaptable to the climate and were superior to spores because they
contained concentrated food. This supply greatly increased the embryo's
changes for survival.
The vertebrate of the late paleozoic is closely tied to the evolution
of the forests. Amphibians depended directly or indirectly on plants for
survival and protection. The transition from amphibians to reptiles was
a distinct advance, thus showing the weakening attachment to water. Moist
skins were substituted for scales, and the appearance of the shelled egg
enabled the land animals to survive with less moisture. While the verte-
brates made terrific progress during the last stages of the paleozoic era,
they were matched and even overshadowed by land dwelling arthropods, such
as insects and arachnids. The arachnida is a class of annulose,
wingless animals, intermediate between the insects
including spiders, mites and scorpions.
A short description on the amphibians at this
our readers in visualizing their many types. They
and the crustacea,
time should assist
ranged from lizard -
likes in shapes, some resembling snakes, others much
larger with contours
resembling crocodiles and salamanders. Last, but not least, let us not
forget the tadpole stages.
This ends the palezoic era, a measure in time that we have covered
thus far is approximately 255 million years.
FOOTNOTE:
1. A geo-syncline is a long trough, like a deep valley some times
wide and other areas narrow that accepts sediments from the parent conti-
nent and with this terrific load, the earth's plastic surface is warped
down during long periods of accumulation.
2. By the end of the paleozoic era, the Appalachia geo-syncline
was rather advanced, and it is belived that it had begun its Orogeny,
the formation of the mountain chains.
The next era, the mesozoic period, contains three divisions in
geologic time. The triassic, jurassic and the cretacous and these three
time zones cover approximately 125 million years. Three significant
changes occur during this era:
I. Plant life
2. Dinosaurs and birds
3. Mountain building
The mesozoic era was a time of transition and change in the plant
kingdom. Late cretacous vegetation bears little resemblance to triassic
flora. Truly revolutionary changes occurred during these periods. By
comparison, the changes between late cretaceous and present day vegetation
are relatively minor. Plants such as seed ferns, lycopods, and horse-
tails -- all common in carboniferous coal forests -- are represented in
the mesozoic only by small, insignificant species. It was during the
cretaceous that the flowering plants reproduced by means of flora structure.
This is when the seeds are fertilized by pollen and developed within
special protective coverings.
Angiosperms are diveded into two groups: The dicotyledons and the
monocotyledons. The dico-tyle-dons include such diverse plants as oaks,
maples, buttercups, sage brush, peas and violets. The mon-coty-ledons
are grasses; palms, lillies, iris, orchids, bamboo is a grass.
It was in the mesozoic era that the dinosaur has attained a position
of popular fancy unsurpassed by any other extinct group. He was the most
spectacular of all prehistoric animals. The first dinosaurs walked on
their hind legs and were balanced by a huge long tail.
The dinosaurs are reptiles like the crocodiles, turtles, snakes and
lizards. It is believed that they were egg layers, cold blooded and
without hair of feathers.
During the jurassic period, dinosaurs were unquestioned masters of
the lands. The landscape was of shallow seas, low lying swamps and vast
alluvial plains. It was during that period, however, that became the
high point in dinosaur evolution for now the suaropods were the most
characteristic forms. They had change from the small, to the long-tailed,
long -necked, four footed dinosaur, exceedingly Large and lizard like in
shape. They were adapted to live in marshes, rivers and lakes. They
browsed on abundant vegetation, growing larger and larger with the passage
of time until they became the greatest creatures to ever walk the earth.
The dinosaur, being a reptile, kept on growing until he was buried by
huge land or rock slides or was killed. The duck-billed dinosaur was •
a cretaceous creature with as many as 2000 teeth and as they wore down
•
q
•
•
•
other teeth were growing underneath so it could have three layers of
teeth, one on top of the other.
Up to this point, we have been mentioning mostly herbivores; plant
eating dinasaurs.However, there were some very ferocious carnivores
that reached tremendous size and fought herbivores devouring them for food.
Tyran-no-saurus was a meat eater and other dinosaurs were his meal,, but
breaks and scars in fossilized dinosaur bones indicate that fierce battles
did take place and he apparently did not win every contest. During the
cretaceous, other monsters came on the scene and one was tri-cero-tops,
late cretaceous, carrying two frontal horns and an armoured plate body,
ground relinquished by this beast usually must have been on his terms.
The St. Paul Science Museum has a skeleton of tri-cero-tops that
was discovered by members of the Geology Department at the University of
Minnesota. Dr. Robert Sloan of the Department and one of my professors
was a member of that discovery team. This skeleton of tri-cero-tops was
found and dug out of shale in the Montana wilderness. Some instruments
used to dig out this monster were actually as small as dental picks.
This is one area of prehistoric investigation that blasting powder is
out of the question.
Dinosaurs disappeared at the close of the cretaceous and as a group
are strictly confined to the mesozoic era, which ended about 60 million
years ago.
These reptiles were dominant on earth for 125 million years.
Paleontologists believe that there were over 500 species of dinosaurs, but
that may be a minor fraction of the total. It is believed that it may
have taken several thousand or several million years for them to com-
pletely disappear and then again a cooling climate sped by the effects of
and exploding super nova, may have done them in.
The first birds appeared in the fossil record during the late
jurrasic period, or approximately 125 million years ago. It was at this
time that the feathered birds and the leathery -winged reptiles called
ptero-bactyls took to the air. The ptero-dactyls appear in the fossil
record slightly before birds and if their remains are a reliable guide,
they outnumbered birds in the jurassic and perhaps also in the cretaceous.
The fossil record of both ptero-dactyl and birds are rare since each
had light and delicate skeletons and were apt to live and die in places
that were unfavorable for burial. The ptero-dactlys ranged from sparrow
size to giants with a wing -spread of twenty-seven feet. A comparison of
the wings plainly reveals why birds succeeded and ptero-dactyls failed.
The ptero dactyl's wing was formed of membrane and was difficult to repair
and was adapted soley for gliding, but a bird's wing is composed of many
individual feathers that can be renewed and replaced as needed to keep
the wing in a state of constant efficiency and permit true flight.
Some scientists theorize that the chicken has a reptillian ancestry,
possibly the dinasaur.
Birds may be characterized broadly as warm-blooded, egg -laying,
feathered bipeds. Over 7000 species have been identified. The earliest
birds known are the archae-opteryx and the archernis are truly immediate
between reptiles and birds and if their skeletons were not accompanied
by clear impressions of well developed feathers, they would have probably
been classified among the reptiles.
A key adaption in the evolution of birds was the growth of feathers,
for feathers constitute the unmistakeable trademark of the entire group.
Mammals, like birds, arose from reptillian ancestors during the
mesozoic. Mammals are warm blooded vertebrates that have a covering of
hair, bear their young alive, and supply their young with milk during
their youthful stages. The smallest of the group is the 1/8 ounce
mediterranean shrew, while the largest is the 50 ton sulphur bottom
whale. Over 3,500 living species and 3,700 fossil species of mammals
have been classified. No fossil remains of the land ancestors of the
whales have been discovered as yet, but blood tests indicate a relation-
ship with artio-dactyls, the group to which cattle belong.
The geologic time table we enter into now is the cenozoic era which
began approximately 60 million years ago. This era is broken down into
two periods, the teritary and the quartenary. The tertiary has a time
span of approximately 59 million years and this time is made up of five
epochs; I. paleoncene, I. eocene, 3. oligocene, 4. miocene, 5. pliocene.
The eocene was a transitional period in which archaic mammals were
rapidly eliminated and modernized forms began to spread. Thus, the
oligocene fauanas are notably different from eocene types. A few
indestructible forms such as the oppossum, has changed little in the last
50 million years. Moles and shrews continued to survive and were joined
by ohther small animals such as the beavers, rats and mice.
•
•
•
•
Two extinct rhinoceroses were abundant in the eocene and the
oligocene and both were relatives of the horse. Creatures resembling the
hippopatomus has its ancestry back in the oligocene and is also related
to the horse. The inefficientcreadonts dissappeared in the oligocene,
but few families appeared among the artio-dactyls and peris-socactyls; and
horses, deer, tapir, rhinocerous, camels and antelopes as well as true
cats and dogs were clearly recognizable. Theplio-hippus, probable
ancestor of the modern horse and a common inhabitant of the American west
is evident during the pliocene and the early pleistocene, the first epoch
of the quartenary beginning about one million years ago.
The giant redwoods of the North American west were making their
debut on earth in the middle of the cretaceous and the fossil records
disclose that they have been on earth some sixty million years.
The primate, monkeys and apes made their appearance during the
paleocene - eocene and have been efficient enough to withstand the
fissitudes of nature to the present day.
The greatest problem of all it appears is to place the advent of
man. While he goes back in time several million years, one thing seems
recognizable; men in appearance are more ape like than monkey like.
While being classified as a mammal, man seems to be the only vertebrate
that can think when he talks, but that doesn't necessarily mean, that
because he talks, he always makes sense.
While science struggles to unravel the mystery of man, and science
is divided on the occurrance of man on earth, it is within, the keeping
of many, that Genesis also acceptable for man's appearance on earth.
While man seems to have made his entrance on earth with the anthro-
poids, many scientist can give you a strong rebuttal, for after all,
modern man can swim, run and climb trees.
Many ocurrences in the scientific vernacular remain unsolved.
Do we equate, however; that Genesis, the first book of the Penta
teuch of Moses, describing the creation of man, the Deluge, and the call
of Abraham, equally important too solving our heritage in the beginning?
This article has been written by special permission from Prentice -
Hall Inc. Their text on "Essentials of Earth History" as an Intro-
duction to Historical Geology. For this I extend to them my many, many
thanks.
1%
Ordovician is the result of months of study from sources highly
accredited in the Scientific Field of Geology. Facts have been held in
their highest esteem, and written without knowledgeable personal opinions.
The student should find this material precise, factual and interest-
ing.
Hours spent well, are well spent. For greater effeciency in
understanding the vast timetable, that reaches back to the Ordovician,
the Geologic time scale at the beginning to the article will assist you
immeasureably to understand the various Era's, Periods and Epoch's.
By Francis J. Dembroski
•
•
•
•
•
OUR GLACIAL TOPOGRAPHY
The ice age in Minnesota began during the cenozoic era, the
quarternary period and the recent epoch, or about 500 thousand years
ago.
The most significant event of the quarternary period was the
ice age. Researchers have tended to regard the onset of glacial
conditions as marking the beginning of the period, but because of the
extremely diverse effects of glaciation in different areas, this time
plane is difficult to establish.
disagreement
a few years
CO
a close,
among geologist over
There is
even greater doubt and
the Pleistocene Epoch
ago, most investigators
and subsequent time was
itself. Until
believed that the ice age had come
included in a later epoch, the
recent. In other words, the ice age constituted the Pleistocene
Epoch; all post glacial time fell within the recent epoch. Most
Geologists today hold that the ice age is not yet over,
that we are merely in an interglacial state between two
In view of this new development, the basis for a recent
however, and
advances.
epoch seems to
be weakened, and geologists are more or less divided over whether it .
should still be regarded as a full-fledged epoch. You should under-
stand that the term "recent" is used by some investigators and not by
others purely as a matter of personal preference.
0f the four invasions, the Wisconsin glacial invasion left its
topographical development in our area. This invasion lasted about
100 thousand years and came to a halt about 9 or 10 thousand years ago.
During the ice age, it has been estimated that the glacier was
about 2000 thousand feet thick, which resulted in enormous weight.
We can appreciate more fully the intensity of the glacial
action by considering the force exerted, when a thick mass of ice
passes over a rock surface. Since 1 cubic foot of ice weighs about
57 pounds, a glacier 2000 feet thick would exert a pressure of
approximately 56 tons per square foot or 500 tons per square yard.
So vast was the glacier that it extended from the Ohio river on
the east, to the Missouri river on the west. This covered most of the
area in the midwest and a large part of Canada, covering approximately
4,500.000 square miles.
The first glacial development of our river beds was the glacial
stream that created the Keller Chain and the Lake Phalen Basin. This
river ran south eastward in the Johnson Parkway area on the east side
of St. Paul. It flowed east of Mounds Park and created the gorge
from Mounds Park to Prescott.
Geologist today, seem undecided, as to which river is the oldest,
the early Phalen flowage or the St. Croix River from Lake Superior.
Indications are that the St. Croix River is a very old river. The
glacial work by water and grit at Taylors Falls under -scores the
glacial action there for thousands of years. The cutting of the rock
gorge was one of a long and mighty force. The rock is igneous, basalt
which is the result of several lava flows, and its wide valley from
Franconia to Prescott is witness to its superiority and age.
We have seen how the Phalen river basin dug the gorge between
Mounds Park passing Grey Cloud Island and on to Prescott. We shall now
see another glacial river flowing into the gorge at Gray Cloud Island
as if by design.
The first Mississippi river was a part of Lake Agassiz and it
ran west of the present Mississippi river, thru the Minneapolis chain
of lakes and further west. It crossed into Eagan between 35W and the
Cedar Avenue Bridge, then followed a south easterly diagonal pattern
back and forth across Eagan until it flowed over a precipice creating
a water -fall approximately 80 feet high above Gray Cloud Island, about
five miles south of South St. Paul. This river channel to many is
known as the Wescott Channel the plunge basin in the area of the falls
had reached a depth of about 400 feet above sea level. The elevation
at Northview School is 938 feet above sea level. this tells us that
an enormous amount of glacial action occured later to fill this basin
and form the various valleys hills and ridges to prominent thru most of
Eagan. While the steep hills and gullies are numerous, they are also
our choice building sites and demand a large investment for the build-
ing sites alone.
Due to the excessive nature of the terain, great additional cost
becomes an added premium to each lot, for street development and sewer
and water installations.
•
•
•
•
While considerable farming has been done in Eagan in the past, the
land was fertile for crops, some land had many rocks that antagonized its
cultivation, other areas are hilly and were dangerous when using farm
equipment. Other patches of land were good for crops but were easily
flooded and some lowland held water almost the year around.
Eagan shows the affects of a glacial terminal moraine, and is
charactized by a typical knoll and kettle topography. The glacial drift
has played a great part in Eagans landscape to the extent that Eagan alone
has in excess of "25" loam varieties. These loams run from a silty clay
loam to fine sand loams and silt loams of various variety and proportions.
Red lobe clay, covers most of our city, it is the clay just below
the various loams, and is the result of glacial waters bringing this
material here by 'glacial waters flowing out of the Lake Superior region.
In Eagan the clay runs from a few inches to large deposits that are
hundreds of feet thick.
Clay is the result of glacial action by crushing and grinding of the
felspars in rocks which include granites and giant granites called
pegmatites. The feldspars in rocks are divided into three types
according to composition, cleavage and crystal structure. The Quartz
in the granites give us our sand and the Feldspar gives us the clay.
Feldspars are used in the cermamic industry for making glass, porcelain,
tile, enamel and glazes.
The glaciers have left a considerable variety of material for
collection by the "Rockhounds". They include the world re -known Lake
Superior agate and the thompsonite. Several varieties and colors of
jasper. Minerals include chunks of raw copper and psylomilaine an
iron bearing ore, fossilized algea on the river bottoms and rocks of
a great assortment and description.
There is no remaining evidence of limestone outcrops in Eagan.
All limestone was crused and washed away by glacial waters, while some
huge boulders are buried deep beneath the glacial drift.
The third glacial river to enter our countryside was the river
Warren, today known as the Minnesota River. Its development was due
to the northward slope of the valley of the Red River of the north.
After the glacier receded over the divide between the River Warren
and the Red River of the north, the water accumulated along the south
and west margins of the ice, as the ice continued to retreat, the
lake increased in size and depth until it eventually reached a height
in water level sufficient to flow over the crest of the Contintental
Divide, and creating the River Warren at Browns Valley, Minnesota. At
its maximum extent, Lake Agassiz was about 700 miles long combined
area of all the present great lakes, Lake Winnipeg in Canada and Lake of
The Woods on the international boundary occupy depressions in the bed
of this ancient lake.
While the glacier continued to block the northern drainage so
that Lake Agassiz received glacial water, the overflow into the River
Warren, produced a broad turbulent stream, and cut its channel 50 to
90 feet below the present elevation of the Minnesota River. At Fort
Snelling it was forced to turn eastward and as it plunged into the
Phalen River gorge, it created a water fall approximately 90 feet
high and 11/2 miles wide, from Mounds Park to the west side of St. Paul.
Gradually it washed away all the rock and sediment and dug out the gorge
east of Fort Snelling to Mounds Park.
Pike Island is a Delta of the Minnesota River.
Our fourth great river to intrude into our landscape was the
Giant Mississippi. This river also, was formed from Lake Agassiz as
the glacier blocked certain passages water ran in another direction
entering further north and east than the original Mississippi River.
Now it is entering the River Warren basin at Fort Snelling thus
creating a water fall almost 100 feet high, by the (Jest 7th Street
Bridge,.
The Mississippi River has its source in the Itasca basin, more
than 566 miles northwest by river from Mendota. Its length from the
Itasca basin to the Gulf of Mexico, 2553 miles, by the time it reaches
St. Paul it has traversed a lettle Less than one foruth of its way to
the Gulf.
Its headwaters are 1535 feet above sea level, when it reaches St.
Anthony Falls in Minneapolis its elevation is 782 feet. From its
beginning in Itasca basin to St. Anthony Falls it has dropped 753 feet
in elevation. From St. Anthony Falls to St. Paul it has lost another
100 feet, and its elevation at St. Paul is 680 feet above sea level.
•
•
•
•
•
FORT SNELLING
Fort Snelling at the junction of the Mississippi and the Minnesota
rivers, lies opposite the S.W. corner of St. Paul. Half of the area
over the Mississippi river connecting the city with the Fort is with-
in the jurisdiction of that city.
The site of Fort Snelling was bought from the Sioux by Lieutenant
Zebulon M. Pike on September 23, 1805. Fort Snelling, the Falls of St.
Anthony and the St. Croix River were the principal objects in our dis-
cussion said Lt. Pike. The area covered 100.000 acres for the sum of
$200.000 dollars. This deal was replied to by three chiefs.
Although the Louisana purchase and the war of 1812 had put an end
to British claims south of the Canadian border, the London government
complied reluctantly with the agreements entered into with the American
government. As late as 1815 and later British influence was almost sup-
reme from Prairie Du Chien to Lake of the Woods, and from Lake Superior
for hundreds of miles westward.
Because of the British, it was not until 1819 that the federal gov-
ernment took any active steps
military post was established
village side of the Minnesota river, in the area
cemetary. At that time the village was known as
also the name of the Minnesota river.
Long had led
sites
to create a military post. The first
by Col. Henry Leavenworth on the Mendota
of St. Peter Catholic
St. Peter, this was
The year before,
an expedition into the Minnesota region to
designated in the Pike
Major Stephen
examine the
treaty, and the tract at the junction of
the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers was recommended as being a proper
location for the construction of an American Military post.
In August, 1819, Lt. Colonel Henry Leavenworth arrived here with
98 men, having left Detroit with orders to build a fort in this vicinity.
Shortly thereafter, new recruits increased the number of men to 200,
but the first winter 1819-1820 was a very severe winter and the people of
St. Peter, (Mendota) suffered considerable hardship, among the soldiers
scurvy broke out, and about half of them died. Medical aid was hundreds
of miles away. The post was almost in danger of being wiped out. The
disease was not only attributable to the lack of suitable food, but
Note. This now cantonment was ca11Pd Fort Coldwat.r.
also the villainy of a number of army contractors, or their agents,
in order to lighten their boat loads of supplies, upon leaving St. Louis,
poured the brine from the barrels of salt pork and replaced it with
river water.
In the spring of 1820, indians brought large quantities of spignot
root, (an aromatic medicinal root) used when dried and ground, most likey
the root of moum of Baldmoney which put an end to the disease. To
prevent a recurrence of this malady, gardens were planted, as soon as
the weather became favorable, and the abundant supply of vegtables
raised, put new life and confidence into the survivors.
In the summer of 1820 Colonel Josiah Snelling replaced Leavenworth
as commander, and it was under his direction that the building of the
fort progressed. The corner stone was lain on September 10,. 1820,
with construction lasting six years, although the soldiers were able to
begin to occupy the fort late in 1822.
Construction of the fort was done by the soldiers themselves,
who at the same time raised crops on the surrounding land to supplement
their food supply. The normal size of the garrison stationed here at
that time was around 300 men, and they received about $5.00 per month as
regular army pay plus 15q per day for their work in building the fort.
Colonel Josiah Snelling selected the present site, perhaps the
most beautiful location of any settlement along the whole course of the
great river, yet the present location is perhaps the most exposed place
to winds, storms and tornados within 50 miles of the twin cities.
'•'Ca 1820 the ferry boat crossing the Minnesota river from Mendota to
Fort Snelling began its operations. A man by the name of Mr. Finley was
its first operator. Minnesota Historical Society records disclose that
there were two structures on the Mendota side by the landing. One was
the ferry boat house, the other a small cabin for his family's living
quarters.
The ferry consisted of a large type barge, with a rope tied to each
end of the ferry, these ropes ran up to pulleys that ran on a rope strung
across the river and anchored to solid objects on either shore such as
a tree. The rope hung about 8 to 10 feet above the water.
•
•
•
•
In the early days when the ferry made a crossing the rope on the
rear end of the boat would be given more length, than the front end of
the ferry was slightly headed up stream, and the current would push the
ferry and its load across the river. Returning to the opposite shore
the procedure on the ropes or chains would be reversed.
Another ferry began operation in 1823. This ferry crossed the
Mississippi river from Fort Snelling to the east bank which was St.
Paul.
Abraham Perry was this ferry boat's first operator.
In 1823 the first flour mill began operation at St. Anthony Falls.
While the ferry at Mendota in the beginning ran at certain hours
during the day, this created hardships for the soldiers at Fort Snelling.
Many of them were eager to visit Mendota, because in those days it was
the hub of entertainment and culture.
Mendota was rarely known, if ever to be without strong spirits, nat-
urally it had its affects on soldiers losing their equilibrium, so
getting back to the fort was no easy task. As the story has been told
down thru the years, upon reaching the ferry, many tried rigging a
contraption, whereby they could hang from the ferry's main rope across
the river by a pulley and rope and try to propel themselves to the
opposite shore. Some were successful, others became entangled, lost
their understanding of the situation and fell into the river.
History descloses that because many could not swim, recordings at
the Minnesota Historical Society, reveals that soldiers died by accident-
al drowing.
The oldest non Indian dwelling in the state was the commandant's
residence. Col. Josiah Snelling the fort's commander, had the residence
built in 1823. The Col. wanted it built out of wood, but he had a sur-
plus of masons and a shortage of carpenters, so he built it out of stone.
Zachary Taylor, 12th President of the United States, was stationed
at Fort Snelling from 1820 to 1829 and lived in the house for part of
the time. When Zachory looked out over the winter scenery of the Minnesota
and the Mississippi rivers, he wrote that it was the most miserable and
uninteresting country imaginable.
Several of the commanders who succeeded Taylor, such as Simon
Bolivar Buchner, wound up as Civil War Generals, most of them for the
Confederacy.
Later Captain Tecumseh Sherman would be sentencing a half breed
soldier at Fort Snelling, to two weeks in the guard house for violation of
military regulations. Sherman became second in command of the Military
forces of the United States - - _ during the Civil War for the Union
Army.
In 1836 Dr. Emerson, an army surgeon was stationed at Fort Snelling,
with him he had taken "Dred Scott" his slave from Missouri, a slave state
to Illinois a free state, and afterwards to Fort Snelling, then in
Wisconsin Territory a part of the former north west territory which was
also free territory.
Dred Scott, a negro, the plaintiff in the famous Dred Scott case,
the most important slavery case in the history of the United States was
in Fort Snelling from 1836 to 1838. While Dred Scott was in Fort Snelling
he married Harriet Robinson also a slave.
Back in Missouri Dred Scott had been told by interested persons
that his residence in a free state or territory made him a free man.
He sued for his freedom in 1846 and the Missouri State Circuit Court gave
a verdict in his favor, but the Missouri State Supreme Court reversed the
decision. Eventually it reached the United States Supreme Court. The
actual verdict of the Supreme Court was simply, it had no jurisdiction in
the Dred Scott case.
As a slave, he was a citizen neither of Missouri or the United
States. Therefore he could not sue in Federal Court. The court might
well have stopped at this, but seven of the nine Justices were Democrats.
They seized the chance to record the opinion, that the Missouri Compromise
was unconstitutional and that slavery could not be excluded from the
territories.
The announcement of the 7 to 2 decision by Chief Justice Roger B.
Taney on March 6, 1857 aroused a violent public reaction, and increased
the tension between the North and the South. It was one of the important
factors leading to the Civil War.
In 1861 the state of Minnesota was the first state to offer troops
for the Union Army.
Having just finished this article at 10:30 P.M. January 7, 1981 a
news bulletin over T.V. informs us that the Commandant"s house that was
built in 1823 is on fire. I will wait until morning for the extent of
•
•
•
•
•
its damages. January 8, 1981 all that remains is the stone exterior, the
roof is gone and the interior gutted. Most of the antiques and the glass
ware was saved. The fire was brought under control about 3:00 A.M.
Robert Bender a Coast Guardsman on active duty with the Marine
Safety Office in St. Paul, spotted the flames and ruled to the V.A.
Hospital to sound the alarm. Back at the compound he then climbed the
fence to open the gate to let the Fire Department in, while doing so he
sprained his ankle for his efforts and needed attention.
* About $200 worth of rum and presents were given to the Sioux at
the time the Pike treaty was signed in 1805, on Pike Island, with an
unspecified amount to be paid at a later date. Congress provided for
an additional $2000 worth of trade goods, but it was not until Leavenworth
arrived that these goods were distributed.
** Within the fort a "commissories and Quarter Master's Store
capable of containing four years supply of provisions" (later put to
other uses because of its exceeding dampness); a stone workshop build-
ing accomodating "Blacksmiths, carpenters, wheelrights etc. and the
bake house"; A schoolhouse which later served as a chapel and billiard
room; a guardhouse with "two cells for solitary confinement"; a valted
double roofed powder magazine with walls six feet thick; (and) a sutler's
store (similar to today's PX).
References:
Minnesota Historical Society
David Wiggins
St. Paul Location -Development and Opportunities by
F. C. Miller
Robert Bender USCG. Inver Grove Heights, Minn.
By: Francis J. Dembroski Eagan, Minn.
/S /C•
.'/.J FJ.ec' 4 %7&XJ7s C.w.7r
,c� t✓ y
Scale 2 Inches to the Mile.
J
•
Le
••`' D lf..7166r6cu
a!
•
-a r•rr...,
if
AL.
r ho I ''
ly
t
c. '4
ea
__!•!!
I•. Z'
!
•te1a.
l' 4 I T.••
r al
C.o.Seo/[ L.D]!,:•ti
,10 Yi • • I4n • �
Il.r•SI /•.•� ' /
SO
• 1'LAT 431' cs•
• Tow isliip 27 North. Range 2:1 West.
Z.D. lfh
J
ces—
•aJ
Be ill
JSS x /I
YIC0j.5 S t: -
�.aayy_/: An•:Rahn
enrlvn
Rause,
IrCO
nu•
R.6i.va
Q b
Cha.. S. SI•m
•
12 % u,•Waa.
f4:9
y N
4 x
R • $
N
a
59 '
N i,.IL)).0
J aye Jso
]tlet, L n.nl.rt
T.oDD
:�•
%—
of the 4`' Principal Meridian.
• irvu \.u, i 1GWA HMI I l F n,nrsnHN
L • G1.I: 1.J xY
1���p
J . ".0 • celb.C„ . 7 hr lr. . 2 ram n,
H D •e, r" \ 11. . I R 4.1 =TT
..s.
9 i
•
3'
! a
O-•
J
• t Ger JA.O�
A..71• ur
NWw
ay-
4
:.. a
2,44.4
gvrl.Arlr o_�
Pi ro
2J,cn0ol••..l • ltL_ •. y
\\ '> —'
IAS»
• 0
Prank S.II,goo
'm Fefadrly Trap
l7.lrn7,h,
•,vo
J7,. FQED/y
DOS1Y
^tea y5 se 3 N a
• 4fr09 $ r:
T -
:•Sw .
,4-
2
i\a:{s• : T.S.
L. C Goer
A';;.99 9
' 12 h fr:l.Ar.°
C. r. Tuyler I yk':.•11 • �c'i
eo iJY-ad a•
, } v i •
4.I
rr w a ,
• Z'
A , '°a
4•'
a it: T&h' l
P �< d'
ea
i.R
?Pall
id -
•
Con phom, XJ1!Ca.ur
seBO
J
Clan., TDro,neluz
',ulna?'
eo n
are JL•ryet
no
Taylor 1.�r IT. ]7auny
eG
t
5•' l a•
t P S! p S
—3 V Sy g� • n
III
see
Seen
to,DOS..a•..:.••, s::y r2••yt '. as. •co
oI •r rm
1.V
t
9
N
R
•
1�
Teen a•rn.
so
N4
de
pl
:
S•I
S.opolr.
G a ant in
Sn,kr:rp
- •e
22 :yd.../ e,pLLu^.
90 f..
D.
.... John Cony Rau
'elleA• RLL•I A'Nagva
Me,.ev..
lterld..r
A.T f%pp
la 0
1:n n —•
T. 2.4.
S a'J CA..ato
i ,.}•T�: tip+ a .o 'c-\
2.
.
mJ •� .5b5, T, R.S '/I✓'.
e R• '-N.
I der L ire, S, i. C.2I•hrermet
e • • Wa Tomes Wes colt
ro n r;•� rr.2i':..ne WESCIITr ST.V'IO1\
tlan
9 1
,— —k3aca
At. ti n.1 3 _ °
/• •2. a
Trten,
Sb1pg
a �a s 13 a
5v,)y�'f�_�
I I ,• t 412 e0L.
•
•
'lire,..,/, a ry
Rory sliz Jar,
•
Pa[. Q•..ji yX.e
50
ICU
'V.," •
nJ•mane.
•
141,3 eL./•0n,
rid
'Co
r,
C:
9:. 1, P. va.A. )�
P.1.4�
n
FI a
IJ.]7nry Bata Lary l...�
.1 t I.` Ta �L[s.vnan �Tu_
• ti.r� J RJJ
t
J ..Ll
Y. Y.N•II. �A S yD...me
v
•
a I 4r
o.11 alrA pa•1a• 4.
6`Iy ,1 w• n• .x
Corcoran-
e -r•'".
J.T r site;
L •
. 0
•
•
•
JEAN* BAPTISTE FARIBAULT
Jean Baptiste Faribault, the original settler of Mendota was
born at Berthier, Quebec in 1775.
His father, Barthelmy was a lawyer and a member of a prominent
LeMons, France family. In 1752 at the request of the French government,
Barthelmy went to Canada as secretary of the army which at that time
was under the command of the Marquis de Auguennes.
With the victory of the British on the plains of Abraham before
Quebec, September 12th and I3th 1759, the successfull General Wolfe
fell, and the defeated General Montcalm was also killed. Both
dying only hours apart. The subsequent surrender of Montreal and
Canada, with all its dependencies, on the 8th day of Septmeber 1760,
by the Marquis de Vandreuil, to the British Crown, was the opening
wedge to a change in history. The Province of Michilimackinac was
transferred to Britain:and the French inhabitants remained, but the
effects
day.
of their civil institutions and religion are evident to this
The Lake Indians were
to English. Their repoire
personal
relations.
One
dissatisfied
with the
reason for
with the
French rule changing
French dominion gave them better
this preference, is said to have
been that the French people were accustomed to pay respects to all
Indian's religious or superstitions and observances, whereas an English-
man or an American was apt, either to take no pains to conceal his
contempt for their superstitions or to speak bluntly against them.
After the defeat of the French army in 1759, Barthelmy went
to Berthier where on September 3, 1761 he married Catherine-Amable
Veronneau by whom he had ten children.
In 1761 the French surrendered the island to the British.
After gaining control of the French Empire in North America in 1763,
the British had tried to restore their authority over the American
colonies and to tax them more heavily. The Americans, who had
enjoyed a large measure of self-government, wanted even greater
freedom from the British control. Theyrefusedto pay the Stamp Tax
of 1765 and the Townshend duties on imports in 1767. Citizens of
Boston organized a "Tea Party" in 1773 to dump incoming tea into the
harbor rather than pay a tax on it. The British were furious and
sent troops to supoort its authority. The British built Fort Mackinac
on the island in 1780. In 1796, the United States gained the island.
In the meantime Jean -Baptiste Faribault was educated in the school
of Berthicr and then worked for a firm of importers in Quebec.
He became an employee of the Northwest Fur Company in the spring of
1796 left Montreal by canoe, together with a party of 13, for the
mackinac region. He arrived in the western country in 1798 as a
trader working from various posts in Illinois and on the Des Moines
River. In 1803 - 1804 he was assigned to a trading post at Little
Rapids on the Minnesota River, in what is now Carver County,
Minnesota. A year later he was present on the island where Lt.
Zebulon Pike made a agreement with the Sioux Indians to purchase
land for the United. States. Jean -Baptiste could speak French,
�% . JAW .cu nt
English nd t c &ios Language, y he was oie-.,f the
transalator6 for Lt. Pike. Jean Baptiste was a staunch supporter of
the U.S. during the War of 1812 and was arrested and held prisoner by
the British militia on this account. Almost without exception, traders
of the period sided with the British and accepted commissions from them.
As a consequence of Faribault's allegiance to the U.S., the British
destroyed his property at various outposts.
In 1820 Jean -Baptiste built a log cabin on Pike Island and
began to cultivate several acres of land. In June 1822, the island
became flooded and he was forced to move his family to the east bank
of the Mississippi River. Later he moved his residence to Mendota,
then called St. Peter's where the Family continued to live for many
years. He was a medium size man of strong constitution and good
health. He is described as intelligent, urbane and dignified. He
was trusted by Indians and White settlers alike and was deeply
religious.
He married Pelagie, daughter of Francois Kinie, the widow of
Major Manse. In later years Jean -Baptiste usually spent his winters
•
•
•
•
•
at the Little Rapids Trading Post operated byhis son Oliver.
Jean Baptiste and Pelagie had 8 children.
You have noted that the U.S. had gained Mackinac Island in
1796. The British recaptured it in 1812, in 1815 the British re-
turned the island to the U.S. The Island than became the headquarters
for the John Jacob Astor American Fur Company.
Fort Mackinac is the second oldest fort in the United States.
Lt. Zebulon Pike was born in Lamberton, N.J. January 5, 1779.
Exploring the Upper Mississippi River, he signed the Sioux treaty on
Pike Island in 1805.
In 1806 as an explorer, won fame for his discovery of Pikes -
Peak in Colorado.
He began his military career at the age of 15, in the war of
1812, he became an American General, led a successful advance on
York (Toronto) Canada, in which he lost his life.
The United States weather bureau maintains one of the highest
meteorological stations in the world on Pikes Peak.
Ref:
Ronald Eustice, Windsor, Wisc.
Minnesota Hist. Society
St. Paul Public Library
Francis J. Dembroski
r rr„I
Courtesy 7,i-itranneear ?agan, Mn
Children of DositoiA g. Sr. and Julie Beaud.t, Married Jan. 10, 1926
Bottom row left to right
James Bnrn July 25, 1939 Died May 15, 1919
Camille
Marri=d Joseph Lenny Died in Siinnepeg, Canada
Joseph Bnrn Oct. 11, 1936 Died Oct 10, 1910
Top row left to right
Dosite Jr. Bnrn 1729 Died 1919
Treffl. s 1929 u
..uc; . 13. 1523
George " Dec. 14, 1932 II 1917
•
•
•
THE AUGE FAMILY
The Auge family of Mendota is originally from Lotbiniere County,
Quebec. This branch decends from Jean Auger dit LeBaron born in 1623
and Louise Grisard, who came from France and was born in 1623. There
were several Auge (Auger) imigrants from Quebec to Minnesota, but the
family of Mendota descends from the Canadian immigrant pioneer, Dosite
Auge Sr.
Dosite Auge, son of Joseph Auge and Marie-Francoise Auger was
born near Lotbiniere. On January 10, 1826, he married Julie, daughter
of Joseph Beaudet and Barbe Belanger at Lotbiniere. Following this
union six
Dosite Jr.
Treffle
George
Joseph
James
Camille
children were born.
Born
1828
1829 M Dulise Cinq-Mars
1834 M Mary Dunn
M Marie -Virginia Bernard
D. Aug 13, 1922
D. Oct 10, 1910
D. May 15, 1918
D. Winnepeg,
Manitoba, Canada
Following Julie's death Dosite Sr. married Marie -Elizabeth, daughter
of Francois Houde and Francoise Boucher on February 20, 1843 also at
Lotbiniere.
In 1850 Dosite Auge together with his second wife, daughter and
five sons left Quebec for Sheboygan Wisconsin, where they remained two
years. During this period the family engaged in commercial fishing.
In 1852 the Auge family began their westward trek to St. Paul, first travel-
ing over land to LaCrosse, Wisconsin, then by steamboat up the Mississippi
to St. Paul.
In the spring of 1853, Dosite Sr. staked a claim on the south side
of section 4 Eagan Township. Here he farmed until his death on December
22, 1871 at Mendota. He is buried in the St. Peter Cemetery.
Dosite Auge and his family lived and grew with the Northwest.
The five brothers always dwelt within calling distance of one an other
and were seldom separated for more than a few evenings for half a
century.
When Dosite Auge Jr. reached Mendota with his parents in 1852 it
was the only town in the new territory, except for St. Paul, which was but
It
It
14 Dec
I1 Oct
25 July
1836 M Louise
1838 M Louise
M Joseph
Dupuis
Cournoyer
Lemay
a small village with a population of about 1300 inhabitants. Ca/ 1954
he married Marie -Virginia Bernard, she was born in France May 28, 1835.
Dosite Jr. and Marie had six children.
Omer Born May 8 1856 Died Nov 10 1901
Marie Virginia " Sep 23 1858
Louis " Nov 29 1860
Emilie Jul 16 1862
Alphonse Apr 5 1864
Edmund Is the father of Mrs. Lawrence
(Justin Auge) Oster.
Dosite Jr. died in 1918. Marie Virginia died August 12, 1892 both
are buried in St. Peter's Cemetery at Mendota.
George Auge arrived in Mendota with his parents, in 1852. At an
early age he learned the blacksmith trade, an occupation that he
followed throughout his life. In May 1867, he opened a blacksmith shop
on the west side of the Mendota Road in the Southwest corner of section
4. He continued to operate this shop for many years.
George and Mary had seven children.
May and Marie Twins Born June 27 1858
George Edward May 27, 1860
Nellie and
Josephine Helen twins June 20 1862
Elizabeth
Joseph S 1867
Mary Auge died in 1894, George died January 10, 1917, both are buried
in St. Peter's Cemetery at Mendota.
James Auge born July 25, 1838 at Lotbiniere, Quebec arrived in
Mendota with his parents in 1852. James was the youngest of the five
boys. He was a veteran of the Civil War. Returning to Mendota he
married Louise Cournoyer daughter of Claude Cournoyer and Marie-
Pelagie. She was born in Mendota January 10, 1851. They had four
daughters Anne, Julia, Lillian and Jennie and three boys Henry, Oliver
and Ernest.
James died May 15, 1918 at the age of 80. Louise died August
25, 1932 at the age of 81. Both are buried in St. Peter's cemetery
Mendota.
•
•
Joseph Auge, arrived in Mendota with the family in 1852. He
was sixteen years old when he came to Minnesota. His first job was
employment with Jean Baptiste Faribault, and while on that job he
learned the Sioux language. Later he and his brother George learned
the blacksmith trade, he only briefly followed that career and soon
took up the study of law with his brother in law. Although he was
never admitted to the bar, he did serve as justice of the peace in
Mendota for 45 years. He served as Mendota's village recorder for
12 years and in one of his proudest moments was appointed postmaster
by President Abraham Lincoln. Ca. 1855 he married Louise Dupuis,
born January 10, 1841. She was the daughter of Hypolite Dupuis and
Angelique. Louise was a niece of the famous Indian Chief Little Crow.
Little Crow (Le Petit Corbeau) and Wabasha were two of the most
conspicuous Sioux Chiefs at that time. Both signed the Pike Treaty in
1805.
In the mid 1850's Joseph opened a tavern at Mendota, for a time
it was the only place of its kind west of Chicago, on the trail into
what was America's frontier. It was frequented by men who watched as
Minnesota became our 32nd state in 1858.
Joseph was a businessman. He dealt in the fur trade and packed
tons of pelts into bales which were then hauled each winter by sled
down the ice -covered Mississippi River for shipment on ward to east-
ward points.
Characteristic of his early French Canadian training, Joseph was
thoroughly acquainted with the ways of the woods, and trails. A good
woodsman could leave Mendota with some matches, a knife, rifle, a
package of dried buffalo meat and a small amount of salt and travel to
Winipeg, Camada cross country on foot in 12 days. By oxcart it usually
took 45 gruelling days.
This woodsman was often asked to accompany hunting expeditions in-
to the wilderness. He was a personal friend of Governor Henry H. Sibley
and had accompanied him on many hunting expeditions.
In earlier years Henry Sibley led many hunting expeditions of
Indians and trapppers to the north and northwest of Mendota usually
giving his followers a great feast before departure. On one occasion,
he entertained with a bounteous feast something like 1,000 Indians
including women and children. In 1841 accompanied by 150 Indian Warriors,
he headed an expedition to a hunting field about 200 miles from Mendota.
0n this seventy day trip his party killed 2,000 deer, 60 elk, Many bears,
a number of buffalos and 6 panthers.
Joseph knew several Indian languages and gained their trust and
respect. At the time of the Sioux uprising the Auge brothers remained
in their homes as other white settlers packed their belongins and fled
to Fort Snelling. Although the Auges' were completely surrounded by the
warring Sioux they sufferred no harm.
Mr. Auge was a true pioneer, he was one of the makers of Minnesota,
he helped to make the history of our state, his descendants can be proud
of him.
At one time Joseph was the owner of a tame elk which he purchased
from an Indian. It was later trained to wear a harness and pull a wagon.
This novel beast was a well-known sight on the roads around Mendota
for several years, and occasionally this unpredictable steed gave his
master close calls with serious injury.
Joseph and Louise were the parents of ten children.
Joseph Auge died October 10, 1910 at the age of 75. Louise
Dupuis Auge, born January 10, 1841, died February 7, 1918 at the age of
77. Both are buried in St. Peter's cemetery in Mendota, Minnesota.
Treffle Auge, was born in 1829 '... _..; at Lotbiniere, Quebec Province
Canada.He too accompanied his parents, Dosite Auge Sr. and his step-
mother, four brothers and his sister Camile to Mendota in 1852, where
he settled permanently.
On June 9, 1856 he married Dulisse Cinq-Mar in Lotbiniere,
Quebec. Dulisse was the daughter of Abraham and Marie Douin, Cinq Mar
of Quebec, Canada. Records indicate that they had nine children.
Eugenia Born 1857
Eusebius Marie " 1858
Marie Georgia Jan 24, 1860
Bruno Andrew June 28 1861
Marie Julie June 28, 1861
•
•
•
•
Marie Louise
Emil
Born Nov 4, 1862 fl? 1
Grandfather in Mrs Raet '1
(Mary Hines) Grant.
James
Alfred
Treffle's first wife Dulisse was born 1829 and died in 1880, she
is buried in St. Peter's Cemetery in Mendota.
On February 9, 1892 Treffle married Celanire Pelletier in
Lotbiniere, Quebec. She was tbie widow of Emery Auge.
Treffle first became an employee of Henry Sibley and began to
operate the ferry between Mendota and Fort Snelling in 1853.
Treffle's son Emil married Odile Beaudette and they were the
parents of Clarice and Rauol. Clarice married Thomas Hines and they
are the parents of Mrs.LRussell:(Mary Hines) Grant. Secretary to Father
Arms, Pastor of St. Peter's Parish in Mendota 1981.
Eugenia married Esdra Bernier, the onion baron and produce dealer
in Mendota for many years. Esdra was an uncle to Tom Bernier residing
in Mendota Heights.
In 1838 Henry Sibley was appointed justice of the peace, the first
civil office in what is now Minnesota. In 1848 he was elected a
delegate to congress and succeeded in having a bill passed that established
the territory of Minnesota. In 1855 Dakota County elected him a member
of the territorial Legislature. After Minnesota had been admitted as a
state in 1858 Sibley became its first Governor, but continued to reside
in Mendota until 1862 when he moved to St. Paul.
In 1862 Governor Ramsey appointed Henry Sibley commander of the
Minnesota Militia, their duty was to supress the Sioux outbreak. He
defeated the Indians, released the white captives (aout 250, one of who
was still living in St. Paul in 1928). He took about 2,000 prisoners.
0f the 303 Sioux condemmed to death, because of their fearful cruelty,
38 were executed.
Treffel Auge related an incident that happened during the early
years as a ferry boat pilot in the employ of Henry Sibley. Soldiers
usually went to Mendota during their time off the military reservation,
but it was necessary for them to return to Fort Snelling by ferry. One
evening a group of inebriated soldiers seized him and threatened to
throw him overboard. Treffle had been instructed to carry a gun by
Henry Sibley, he raised his gun to shoot, but immediately lost courage
and actually threw the gun over -board, so he could not shoot the soldiers.
In 1861 Treffle Auge purchased the ferry from Governor Sibley
and continued to operate the ferry until 1892, when his son James took
over the business.
Later after C.J. Clarkson, who purchased the ferry from James
Auge in 1904 and had also ended a family career that had lasted for
45 years, found a gun in the river, cleaned it and kept it in a shed
near the ferry.
One day Treffle, while visiting Clarkson, recognized the gun as
the one he had thrown overboard more than 40 years before. In the
1920's Treffle Auge rode the ferry for the last time, the one that he
had operated for almost four decades. When asked for his impressions
as he stood on the eastern landing, he lamented "it wasn't like it used
to be".
Treffle died in 1923 at the age of 94. He is buried in St. Peter's
Cemetery in Mendota.
A continuation of the ferry boat business by Treffle Auge will be
found in the Industry section of this book.
By Francis J. Dembroski
Ref: Ronald F. Eustice Windsor, Wisc
Mrs. R ichard(Mary Hines) Grant Mendota Hts,
Minn. Hist. Society
William Oster and His Nephew Paul Oster
•
•
•
•
THE ALEXANDER HUARD FAMILY
Alexander Huard was born June 27, 1818 at St. Nicolas, Quebec to
Charles Huard and Josette Lmabert.
In 1848 he came to Minnesota and resided at Mendota until 1855
when he moved to a farm at Inver Grove. In 1865 he opened a grocery
store and saloon in Eagan at the crossing of the Mendota and the St.
Paul roads. This establishment was and had
first relay station out of St. Paul for the
middle part of the building at the half way
been for some time the
stage -coach line. The
house as it has been
called for over a century is part of the original building.
In 1854 Alexander Huard married Jane McDermott, a native of Ireland.
This is the first recorded christian marriage
Alex and Jane had two daughters, Mary Ann
Ann married Adolph Perron and were the parents
They are the parents of Mrs. Florence Kennedy
in Eagan.
and Ellen Huard. Mary
of (15) fifteen children.
90 years old of Mendota
Heights and her brother Elmer along with their brothers and sisters.
This makes Florence Kennedy's children the great grand children of
Alexander and Jan Huard.
Ellen Huard Married Alexander Perron Brother to Adolph and William.
William Perron married Adiana Tousignant, they are the parents of Albert
Perron of Eagan. -
Alexander Huard died November 19 1894 and his wife died four months
later on March 21st, 1895.
They are both buried in St. Peter's Cemetery at Mendota, Dakota
County, Minnesota.
Ref: Ronald F. Muatic,
Francis J. Dembroski
!'Y.f
•- MENDOTA PIONEER HAS SEEN ST. PAUL
GROW FROM TOWN TO LARGE CITY.
LLLLLLL W.'
Immigrated to Old Trading Metropolis —
From Canada 74 Years Aga
•
Courtney: Martin Des Laurinrs
TlLZSPHOR3 MMAY
95 YEARS OLD THr, MR 1926
•
•
•
•
•
THE LEMAYS OF EAGAN
In 1852 Telesphore Lemay than 21 years old, imigrated to
Mendota from Lotbiniere Province (Trois Riviere) Quebec, Canada.
The young french canadian did any odd job he could find around
Mendota.
At that time Mendota was a center of culture, with a flourish-
ing fur trade in the wilderness. The palatial home of Henry Hastings
Sibley was in the prime of its distinction and hospitality being only
17 years old.
In January of 1854 fourteen months after his arrival in the
territory, he married Vitaline Lemay (no relation). For their
wedding they drove to St. Paul in a stone boat drawn on the river ice
by a team of horses.
The ceremony was performed by Bishop Cretin.
The next ten years are eventful years of Mendota Eagan recorded
history
Four years before Telesphore's arrival in Mendota, Henry H. Sibley
was elected to congress and succeeded in having a bill passed that
established the territory of Minnesota. He was re-elected in 1849
and again in 1850. In 1855 Dakota County elected him a member of
the territorial legislature. In 1849 President Taylor appointed
Alexander Ramsey Governor of the Minnesota Territory.
In 1850 St. Paul was the territorial capitol, with a population
of 1294.
The common currency consisted of cranberries and fur pelts,
and the only method of transportation was the steamboat, Red River
two wheeled ox carts and horseback. The steamboats burned wood and
stopped along the shore to chop wood and refuel.
The Minnesota Democrat of July 13, 1951, said: "the great
river caravan will be here on Thursday or Friday". It consists of
102 carts laden with buffalo skins, moccasins, leggings, coats,
ornaments, curiosities and pemmican (dired lean buffalo meat).
In 1851 Alexander Ramsey succeeded by the famous treaty of
Traverse Des Sioux (St. Peter) in obtaining from the Sioux about
25,000,00 million acres of land.
St. Peter's stone church in Mendota was built in 1853.
0n March 4, 1854 St. Paul was incorporated as a city and during
the navigable season of that year, as many as 500 to 600 passengers
are said to have arrived in one day. This was also the year that
two german immigrants started their blacksmith shop and made and
repaired vehicles of the day, under the name of Mitsch and Heck. This
company stayed in the
Paul Heck still lives
family
in St.
name well
over
Paul, Many of
and Eagan had their wagons and buggies made
100 years.
A grandson
the old timers in Mendota
by these people, but
much of their trade came from the hill district of the elite in
St. Paul.
In 1856 there were 838 boat arrivals, 216 of which were steamers
running up the Minnesota river by Mendota and Eagan. One May day in
1857 24 steamboats were lying at the levee, all crowed with passengers
and baggage.
Minnesota was admitted to the Union as a state in 1858, Sibley
became our first Governor, and St. Paul the capitol, the Wabasha
bridge was completed that year, from 2nd street over the Mississippi to
Harriet Island.
The first and last woman was hanged in St. Paul, June 3, 1859.
The wilderness was in a near state of convulsions. Henry H.
Sibley had six children, all born in the same house and in the same
room, but the political boundaries were so changeable that each child
was born in a different political
the state of Minnesota.
By 1860 St. Paul had reached
Telesphore and Vitaline were
raised nine childredn, celebrated
unit. The youngest being born in
a population of 10,275.
busy raising their family, they
their golden wedding anniversary
in 1904. Five children survived him at his death October 9, 1926.
Interment was in St. Peter's cemetery in Mendota at the age of 96.
0n June 14, 1866 their son Reuben was born in Mendota township,
when he was one year old the family moved to the Eagan township
farm in section 10 by Lemay Lake. The Lemay farm until recently had been
in the family since 1868, when purchased form General Sibley.
•
•
•
On September 9, 1889 at the age of 23 Reuben married Millien
Perron from Wheatland. They were the parents of twelve children, two
of whom preceded their parents in death. After the death of their
father, Reuben and Victor continued farming the homestead. Reuben
passed away in 1957 on the old homestead on Highway (19) Pilot Knob
Road, where he had lived for 89 years. He died at the age of 91.
He was survived by ten children, Mary, Octovia, Julia, Clara,
Joseph, Euban, Anthony, Ernest, Lee and Alphy, forty one grand children,
and 85 great grand children.
Alphy Lemay decided to stay on the farm homestead. In 1923 he
married Agnes Roeller in St. Matthews Catholic church in St. Paul.
They raised five children, Richard and his sister Lucille, Mrs George
Amell still lives on part of the old homestead. Lawrence in Roseville,
Lorraine, Mrs Callan Carter in Eagan and Lois, Mrs Bean resides in
Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Alphy passed away July 2, 1980 at the age of 75. He is survived
by his widow Agnes, 5 children, 25 grand children and 4 great grand
children.
Alphy Lemay, his father Reuben and his grand father Telephore
are all interned in the St. Peter cemetary in Mendota. Reuben and
Alphy had been life long parishioners of St. Peter's parish in
Mendota.
Ref:
Richard Lemay
Rowald Eustice
St. Paul Oppnrtunitias F. C. Millar
St. Pail. Public Library
Francis J. Dembroski
es
THE BEAUDSTT? FAMILY
Octave Beaudette was born ca. 17RR and was an original
settler at Mendota. He died May 15, 1075 at the age of 87
and is buried in St. Peter's Cemetery, Mendota.
Flavien Beaudette and Odile La Fleur were pioneer im-
migrants from Quebec. Their Son Louis Phillip Beaudette was
one of the first white children to be born in Mendota, July
11, 1855.
Louis Philip served as a railroad station agent at
Mendota for 53 years until his retirement in July 1936. He
died June 5, 1938.
Ref. St. Paul Pioneer Press June 7 1938.
Flavien Beaudette born ca. 1R16 in Quebec was a wagon
maker in the village of Mendota.
Flavien and Odilets other children were:
Sadie born ca. 1849
Napoleon s ca. 1853
John Joseph s October 25, 1857
Marie Rose De Lima April 1R 1880 M Henry Frederick Siever
Ref: Mitchell 186g
U. S census 1R50 1860 Pariah Records (Menlo)
Ferdinand (Fred) Beaudetto was born December 23, 1R61 in
Quebec Province. He vas the eon of Pierre Napoleon Beaudet
and Julie Maynard.
He emigrated to the U. S and settled at Mendota in about
1R76. In 1R87 he married Lumen, daughter of Eugene Lemay, he
was engaged in farming throughout his lifetime.
•
•
Al. Jean Beaudet
b. 1650 France
A2. Jacques Beaudet
b. 16S8
d. January 4, 1750
A3. Jacques Beaudet
b. 1738
d. May 31. 1783
A4. Jacques Beaudet
b. June 22. 1765
d. November 24, 1849
A5. Isaii Beaudet
(Capt. of Militia)
b. December 11
BFAUDBTTE GFNAALOGY
M. September 29, 1670
Quebec City
M November 26, 1720
St. Croix, P. Q.
M. April 19. 1751
St. Pierre Les Bequete
St. Jean Deechaillons
M. August 18. 1789
St. Pierre Les
Becquets
M
16. Pierre -Napoleon M
Beaudet
b. May 27. 1827
d. November 20, 1893
A7. Ferdinand Beaudette M 1887
b. December 23. 1861
d. December 8. 1946
St. Peter's. Mendota
Marie Grondin
b. 1651 France
Marie Angeline
Lemay
b. 1700
St. Croix
Cte Lotbiniere
d. March 13, 1742
F'lizabeth Brisson
Widow of
Pierre Mailhot
Marie Anne
Trottier
Marguerite Mailhot
Julie Maynard
b. 1826
d. March 23, 1911
Lumens Lemay
Parents of Fosstin and Ephraim
Joseph Beaudetto Operated a Blacksmith and wagon shop at
Mendota in 1868.
Ref. Mitchell 1868
Theodore Beaudette was a ferry boat inspector at Mendota .
later he ran a paper press.
Their children were:
Emeline Born M. Fred Ragemeister
Foestin M. Agnes Judge
Rosareio M. Mary Judge
Mathilda M Carl Genz
Corrine M. Galen Swank
Ephraim M. 1.
Cosmos
Martin
M
M
2.
3-
(Adelanto, California)
Their father Berdinand died December 8, 1946 and was buried
in St. Peter's Cemetery.
He was survived by a sister, Mrs. Emeline Tremblay of
Manchester, H. H. in addition to his wife and daughters and
eons.
Ephraim resides in Prior lake in his nineties, 1982.
Bosetia and his son Gordon were well known for drilling
wells in this area.
Ephraim was known in the area for sawing lumber and
wood for the kitchen and living room stoves.
•
•
•
Courtesy Eileen (Kennedy) Ayd
THE ADOLPH PERRON FAMMILY
1st Row: Elmer Perron
2nd Row: Joseph Perron,
Elizabeth Perron Tousignant, Charles
Perron, Irene Perron Dittel, Adolph Perron, Mary Ann Huard Perron
Helen (Nellie) Perron Letendre Valencour Jeanette, Earl Perron.
jrd Row: Fred Perron, Henry Perron, Omar Perron, Jennie Perron
Letendre, Florence Perron Kennedy, ndalor Perron, Alexander Perron,
William Perron.
The Mother Mary Ann Huard, was the daughter of Alexander Huard
and Jane McDermott. Alexander Purchased the Halfway House in 1P65.
This establishment was the first stage —coach relay station nut of St.
Paul on the way to Dubuc°, Iowa. Fresh horses were always kept in
the corral here
and exchanged with teams that came off the road.
G/:
Courtesy of Ronald Fustice Windsor, Wisconsin
Joseph and Marie Chapdelaine Perron
Joseph and Marie were married November 11, 1r56, when Marie was
fifteen years old. They were the parents of nineteen
children.
Their first child Joseph was horn October 22, 1a5¢.
child Omer was born November 1p, 1rF5. Amon„ the births
sots of twins, but from each set one died in infancy.
These are the living twins: Mtllien, Mrnr Reuben Lenay died March
3. 1949 at the age of 79. Henry died May 13, 1952 at the age
and Medrick died in 1939 at the ace of 56.
The last
were three
of 77,
ti
•
•
THE PERRON FAMILIES
MENDOTA AND EAGAN
Eight sons of Francois Perron and Charlotte Leclair emigrated from
the Contrecoeur St. Ours area of Quebec to Mendota, Minnesota territory
in the early 1850's. They were among the early pioneers of Mendota and
Eagan and Wheatland, Rice County. There is no record to indicate that
either of the parents accompanied the sons to Minnesota. The father,
Francois, was born at Contrecoeur on December 4, 1797 to Pierre Perron
and Helene Bourque dit Laliberte. Charlotte Leclair was the daughter of
Antoine Leclair and Marie Angelique Audet dit Lapointe of St. Ours.
At least 5 of the brothers remained in Minnesota, 2 returned to
Quebec and one, Francois -Xavier, seems to have disappeared. Four of
them have descendants in Minnesota.
Francois -Xavier born March 27, 1822, at Coutrecoeur. He married
Luce Leboeuf at St. Ours on March 3, 1851. He was farming in the Eagan
Mendota area in 1857, living with his wife and two children, Adeline 4,
and Xavierl. Also in the home were Alexis and Charles Perron, aged 25
and 19 respectively, probably brothers. Francois -Xavier left the area
prior to 1860 and there is no further trace of he or his family.
Edward Perron, born April 27, 1826 at Contrecoeur, traveled to St.
Louis, Mo. in 1851 and arrived at Mendota the following spring. He
immediately purchased a farm from Pierre Felix, who had pre-empted the
claim. In 1854, Edward returned to Quebec where at St. Ours he married
Louise Cournoyer on August 20, 1855. Two years later he returned to
Mendota with his wife and infant son, Adolph. In 1857 he worked as a
ferryman on the Minnesota River while he continued to farm at Mendota.
'He then moved to Eagan and for 6 years had charge of a farm owned by
Henry Hastings Sibley.
In 1874 he returned to Mendota, raised his family and lived out
his lifetime. In 1877, Edward was elected Mendota Township supervisor.
The 1860 census lists Edward Perron's real estate at a value of
$1600.00 and his personal property at $450.00.
Louise died March 18, 1905, Edward passed away September 1, 1905.
Both are buried in St. Peters, Cemetery, Mendota. They were the parents
of six children, four of whom survived to adulthood;
THE CHILDREN OF SDWARD PERRON AND LOUISE COURNOYER
Adolph b. June 28 1856 M. Mary Ann Huard d. Sept 25. 1927
Mother of Florence
Perron. (Mrs. Milne
Kennedy.
Alexander b. March 1858 m. Rllen Huard d. Nov. 1 1913
William b. 1860 m. Adina Touoignant d. 1932
Mary Exire
,. . -Parents of Albert,..'
Perron.
b. Jul 1. 1863 m Frank vaillencourt d. Jan. 6 1896
TIM CHILDREN OF CLEMENT PERRON AND DZLPHINE MARCOTTE
William b. m. d. Jul 27 1890
Mary b. m. Charles Marcotte
Mar. 24 1883
Francis b. m. Molly-Dohertj ,.t
Mose b. m. Margaret Pheland
Nov. 21, 1917
Amelia b. m. Albert Dore
Johanna b. March 1 1873 m. Thomas Brunelle
David b. Feb. 20 1875 m. Aurelia Duffney
June 26 1900
Aurelia b. May 21 1577 m. George Barnette (Shields)
Jan 15. 1897
Odella b. Novl 1882 m. Maurice J Walsh
Nov. 22, 1904
Xavier b. Feb. 1878 m. Mary Limberger d. Feb..1 1956
Jan 19, 1909
The 1870 U. S. Census provides a glimpse of pioneer Minnesota
farming and also a description of the lifestyle of the Clement and
Delphine Perron Family. The homestead consisted of 75 acres of
which 20 were conaidered improved. The land was valued at S700.00
Miscellaneous farm equipment vas worth S50.00. Clement reported
two horses, two working oxen, two milk cows, four other cattle and
five pigs valued at a total of 3575.00.
In 1869 the farm produced 160 Bushels spring wheat, 50 bushels
corn, 60 bushels oats, 70 bushels barley, 450 lbs of butter and 13
tons of hay.
•
•
•
•
•
Adoi
William
O
orn—June48 , 1856
AlcAendcr Born March 1358
1860 tlarj Exise " J"ly Iri863
4p- T..ly 23 1872
Clement Perron, born Ca. 1827, probably near Contrecoeur, applied
for U.S. citizenship at Mendota on February 25, 1856 after arriving in
the U.S. about Sept. 1855, and pre-empted a claim in Erin Township,
Rice County, section 3 on October 6, 1856.
On January 28, 1861 at Mendota he married Delphine Marcotte, born
December 28, 1841, and soon thereafter moved to his claim near Wheatland.
They became the parents of at least 10 children.
Clement Perron died at Wheatland after 1900. Delphine Marcotte
died October 31, 1925 and is buried in St. Lawrence Cemetery, Faribault.
The 1900 census indicated that Clement spoke only French.
Alexis Perron was born March 27, 1833 at Contrecoeur. On April 16,
1860 he married Philomena Marcotte at Mendota. He later staked a claim
in section 3, Erin Township, Rice County near those of his brothers,
Clement and Joseph. Later he moved to Wheatland Township, where he farmed
throughout his lifetime. He died February 10, 1907 and is buried in the
French Catholic Cemetery at Wheatland.
Alexis Perron and Philomena were the parents of at least fifteen
children.
Joseph Perron, twin to Alexis, was born March 27, 1833 at Contrecoeur.
Very little is known of his childhood in Quebec, but certainly his contact
with voyageurs returning home on the St. Lawrence from distant places
called Prairie du Chien, Fond du Lac, Lac qui-Parle and Traverse
des Sioux influenced his
arrived in Mendota about
Marie Chapdelaine in
Peter's. He applied
15, 1857, pre-empted
fascination with
October 1855 and
a ceremony performed
for U.S. Citizenship
160 acres in section
the western frontier. He
on November 11, 1856 married
by Fr. Augustine Ravoux at St.
February 2, 1856 and on May
3, Erin Township, Rice County.
Joseph and Marie transferred this property to Pierre Chapedlaine, June
9, 1864 for the sum of $500.00. On this homestead they raised their
family before moving to Cannon City in 1906. Joseph is remembered as an
honest, industrious man of considerable stamina. He is reported to have
led a cow from Wheatland to the South St.Paul stockyards walking the
entire distance overnight.
Joseph Perron and Marie Chapdelaine were the parents of nineteen
(19) children.
Joseph
Melvina
Anne
charles
Joel
Jeremiah
Millien
Clement
Meillide
Carrie
Henry
Louis
Emma
Marie
Clemence
Edward
Medrick
Omer
Note:
B Oct 22, 1858 M Delima Lemieux
B May 1, 1860 M Anthony Plaisance
B May 31, 1861 M Peter Felix
M St. Martin
M Ducharme
B Jan 18 1862 14 Amy Lambert
B Feb 12 1865 M Julia Auge
B Apr I, 1867 M Clara Sullivan
B Aug II 1870 14 Reuben Lemay
B Aug 11 1870 Twin to Millien dies
B May 21 1872 M George Caron
B 1874 M Peter Lacroix
B Aug 15 1875 M Lena Becker
M Amy Lambert
B Aug 15
B Apr
B Sep 10
B May
B May 10
B May 19
B Nov 18
Oct
Jun
Jan
12 1920 D
7 1882 D Dec 15, 1935
8 1877
Sep 28 1897 D Dec. 18 1934
Feb 20 1900
D 1942
Sep 9 1889 D Mar 3 1949
as an infant
Nov 18 1894 D Jan 30 1928
Feb 15 1898 D
Jan 30 1899 D May 13 1952
- Widow of Charles Perron
1875 Twin to Henry dies as an infant
1878 M Tim Doyle
1879 dies as an infant
1881 M William Garrity
Feb 5 1907
Mar 7 1905
1883 Twin to Medrick dies as an infant
1883 M Lenora Condon Jun 5 1915 D
1885 M Florence Bibault Jun 29 1909
M Emma Remillard Nov 13 1912
1939
D Sept 16 1965
The 1860 Census of Eagan Township, Dakota County lists Maragret
Plante aged 72 residing with Joseph and Marie Perron. This is actually
Marguerite Antaya Plante, Born Oct. 30, 1788 at Sorel, and Maternal
Grandmother of Marie Chapdelaine. She was the daughter of Joseph Antaya
and Genevieve Vandel.
•
•
•
•
•
Henri Perron does not appear on Minnesota census records but a
letter written by his daughter confirms his presence in the state
before 1869.
On May 16, 1849, Marie -Anne Perron (Mrs. Sergius Millier) writes
from St. Antoine-sur-Richelieu in a letter addressed to the post-
master, St. Paul, Minnesota.
Mon pere avec
ily avait beaucoup
revenue en Canada,
Je me souvien quon
six de ses
freres son
de sauvage. Mon pere
mais les
ecrivaux
autre
a St.
aller
avait
sont tous
Paul et a
par
pas
rester
la en ce
temps la
aimer cela it est
dans
Wheatland.
les
alentours.
Marie Anne Perron's letter translated from the French.
My father with six (actually 7) of his brothers went there
(Minnesota) in times that were very wild and
My father did not like it there and returned
others all remained and had large families.
many descendants. I remember that he wrote
there were
many Indians.
to Canada, but the
Therefore there must be
to St. Paul and to Wheatland.
Hermidas Perron, born April 6, 1845 at St. Ours, was very young
when he arrived in Mendota. He married a girl named Aurelia at
Mendota. They owned a small farm near Mendota on what is now
Highway 3. Their marriage was childless.
Hermidas died Oct. 31, 1915; Aurelia born March 4 1848, died June
26, 1921. They are buried in St. Peters' Cemetery, Mendota.
Ref: Ronald Eustice
Windsor, Wisc.
Francis J. Dembroski
TR FDWARD P!RRON FAMILY
^dward and Louise Cournoyer Perron were the parents of Adolph,
Alexander, William and Mary '!xi re .
William born in i 60, married Adina Tonsignant and they had
five children. Albert, v'rneat, Louise, Ernestine and Bernadette.
The William Perron children attended classes in School Dist-
rict #4, with the Lemays, Beaudettea, Touaignant, Trappa, Vidals, Leclairs
and children from other Perron Families.
Albert Married Mary Coffey from Burnsville and they had four
daughters. Sara (M) , _ Irrthum, Lois (}) Richard Cangel,
Mary (M) Pineur and Frances (M) Richard Lannon.
Albert like his father was also a farmer, farming approx-
imately
imately 100 acres of land in section 3 and 4. o�%'
Potatoes and vegtables
were grown and sold to residents in
West St. Paul living on the river bottoms. Onions were also grown,
this crop however was loaded on railroad freisght cars and one year
they delivered eleven car loads of onions for Shipment.
In later years Albert and his father went into the dairy bus-
iness, having approximately 40 head of (Holstein) cattle and a
milking herd of 20 to 25 milk cows.
Albert remmebers the years when the Twin City Ice Company had
two huge ice houses about one half rile up the Minnesota River
from the Mendota bridge. During the winter months ice crews would
cut ice from the Minnesota River and stack them -and bury then with
saw -dust inaded the buildings for use during the warmer seasons.
•
•
•
William Perron Cont'd.
One spring a large flood destroyed both buildings. they
were never replaced. The ice box business was dying out and
refrigerators were making their debut.
houses
Other ice ,i. were still being used they were in Lily -
modernization
dale. But as the years changed with mndeaoar and ever in -
creasing techonlolgy, by 1930 refrigerators were becoming a
new innovation in many urban homes. 7
When the REA was estaalished in 1935, fewer than 11 of
every 100 farms in the United States had electric service.
By the early 1960ts more than 97 of every 100 farms had
electricity.
In 19)49 the RSA recieved authority to lend money to
rural telephone systems. The 1950 census showed that only
about a third of the farms in the United States Had telephone
service. Today almost ninety percent of the farms have tele-
phones. Most of these are dial telephones, so the owners can
call directly, without help of an operator.
Albert and his family has been a parishinor of St. Peter's
Parish in Mendota all his life and an usher in the church for
many years. 14any Perrone' are buried in St. Peter's cemetary.
FeF:
Albert Perron
Ronald Eustice
By Francis J. Dembroski
This Louie Des Laurier° first new milk truck
it is a 1924 Graham Truck and was purchased
at Bernier Motors, in Mendota.
Ton notice the postal address, many people
in pagan had a Mendota Post Office address.
At one time there were throe and four trucks
operating on the Des Laurier° milk route.
•
•
CourtAsy
Mildred Smith
ca. 1aR0's
CL' M NT AND VICTORIA' CHdPD^LAI:rD^S LAURI9 S
THE D1'S LACRIERS OF EAGAN
The name of Deslauriers can be traced back in Prance to
the sixteen hundreds.
Clement DesLeuriers was born in 1g37 and was married to
Victorine February 11, 1H61. At that time Tictorine was fif-
teen years old. Their eon William was born in 1866. He mar-
ried Martha Chapdelaine, Martha was born in 1976.
William and Martha farmed 160 acres of land on Yankee
Doodle in sections 9 and 16. They were the parents of
Felix bora in g79 married Elizabeth Rowe Born in 1990
Albert married Stella Rowe
Adalore, born 1991
Ma • ed Leoni Labby born in 1992
The were the parents of Wilfred DeaLauriers of
Adalore died in 1945 Leoni in 1953.
Angeline
Clement and Ernest
Louie born bn Apri 3
✓
Margaret v Qvd\glei$ bo
married June 20, 1923.
William died is 19440 Martha in
Peter's Cemetery in Mendota.
Louie went to echnol in District #12 and attended school
with Martin and Art Shields and Sigfried LeTendre.
Approximately 1920 Louis began hauling milk for the
mere in Eagan and the Mendota Heights area. Horse■ were
Mendota Heights.
married
Pat Corcoran
vA,upriret Grove Loni s mariled
nfiagan Neyt'ch , 1900,, they were
194g, both are
buried in Ste
far -
used
to pick up the milk cans from the farms, then rmloaded onto
•
•
•
•
•
trucks to be taken to the creameries in St. Paul.
About 95 farmers Were involved in producing milk in
the area at one time. The average farm in the early days produced
between 10 and 15 gall of milk per day. Many of the farmers also
rasi.d garden vegtables such as potatoes, onions, cabbage,
cucumbers and berries. reheat and other grains were also grows.
During the winter months horses were the only means of travel
and Luis hauled the milk to St. Paul with horses as the roads
were not passible for a truck, because of snow and mud.
Louie DeeLauriers married Margaret Quigley on June 2Q, 1923
They made their home and farmed 40 acres in section 9, later
expanded to g0 acres.
Complex and the Bunker
In December 1923,
work and reside at the
This is now known as Fox Ridge Apartment
Hill Apartments on Yankee Doodle Road.
at th4 a6e of 17, Leonard Garrity began to
Louis DeaLauri era home. Leonard Garrity
was a very important person in the milk hauling business. He
would pick up milk from the farmers with horses and meet Louis
DesLauriers with his truck. '?'hen reload the milk to be hauled
to St. Paul. It wasn't unuaaxal in the winter time for Leonard
and Louis to leave home befor sunrise and not return until after
dark in the evening.
Horses along with trucks were used until approximately 1931
at that time trucks were mainly used. Roads became much im-
proved. Over the years production of milk increased and three and
four trucks were used each day.
Leonard Garrity remained an employee and member of the Des-
LauriPrs family until 1939 (Bixtaen years).
Mr. Garrity married Alice Fee and made their residence in
Mendota Heights along with three daughters.
Louie Des Lauriers continued to haul milk and other farm
products such as wheat , onions and potatoes until 1949.
suffering from a stroke. he sold the milk hauling business to
his three eons, Louis William, Martin and Richard, they contin—
ued hauling milk until 1956. In 1956 only 52 farmers produced
milk. The milk can became obsolete and bulk tank and bulk trucks
took over, In 19g1 there is one remaining farmer producing milk
.;r\
in Zagan, Francis-og on Deerwood Drive.
Between 1919 and 1923 Margaret Des Lauriers became a school
teacher and taught school at District #12 and 414 and the Rich
Valley School in Inver Grove Heights.
Margaret and Louis Des Lauriers raised ten children throe
boys and seven girls.
Margaret Mary, Helen, Louis William, Della Rose. Mary Lat i,e
Martin, 3athleen and Richard. !ileen and Alice Jean.
Louis died in 1960 and Margaret Passed away in 1961. both are
buried in the St. Peter Cemetery in Mendota.
Marie and Martin Des Laurirre
•
•
•
•
THE PIERRE CHAPDELAINE FAMILY
The Pierre Chapdelaine family arrived in St. Paul, Minnesota on
the 31st day of October, 1848, thus becoming some of the first non-native
permanent residents of Minnesota. When they arrived in St. Paul there
were only a few frame houses of haphazard construction and livestock
freely roamed the streets.l It was the year that Henry H. Sibley was
elected to Congress and succeeded in having a bill passed that established
the territory of Minnesota.
In 1847 the non -Indian population of St. Paul stood at 50.
Pierre Chapdelaine, son of Francois and Gennevieve Norman was born
at St. Ours, Quebec on June 29, 1807. He married Marguerite Plante,
Daughter of Antoine and Marguerite Antaya at St. Pierre De Sorel on
October 29, 1838. Five children were born to them before they left Quebe
during the early summer of 1838.
The family resided at what is now the corner of tenth and Wabasha
in St. Paul, until 1853, when Pierre traded this 80 acre claim for a team
of freighting oxen. The traded property eventually became the site of
the original Minnesota State Capitol. He then purchased land in
sections 12 and 13 of what later would become part of Eagan Township,
Dakota County from Edward Bibaux (Bibault) and Felix Ake.
CA 1857 while still
Pierre to reach his
in St. Paul
claim. Mr.
the Minnesota River rose
F. Lebret took advantage
In the spring
too high for
of the absence
and "jumped" the claim. However the 1896 Dakota County Plattbook
identifies Pierre Chapdelaine as owner of 110 acres in section 12 of
Eagan Township, evidently the property dispute was resolved in favor of
Pierre Chapdelaine.
After LeBret had jumped his claim, Pierre pre-empted 120 acres
further south in section 24 of Eagan Township and section 18 0f Inver
Grove near the Westcott station.
He first erected a log cabin and later a more permanent dwelling
and farm buildings. He pursued a general line of farming simlar to that
which he had known in his native province. By 1881 the Chapdelaine
family operated 160 acres. In the I860's he also owned property in Erin
Township, Rice county near Wheatland.
Pierre Chapdelaine swore his intention to become a U.S. Citizen
at Mendota January 19, 1855.
Pierre and Margerite had twelve children.
Margerite B M Oliver St. Martin May 29, 1860
Marie B May 30, 1841 M Joseph Perron Nov 11 1856 D Mar 10, 19
Peter B Oct. 30, 1843 M Dorothy Christian Apr 17 1870 D Mar 30 I91!
Victorine B 1846 M Clement Deslauriers Feb 11 1861 D 193
Sophia B 1848 Single
Felix B 1849 M Mary Labby Jan 8 1883 D May 193:
Serafina B June 28, 1850 M Louis Christian Mar 28 1869 D Jan 20 190S.
Joseph B 1853 M Elizabeth Bennett
Charles B 1854 Single
Alexis B June 14, 1858 M Rachel Plaisance Mary 1885 D Dec 193:
Desire' B Feb. 2 1862 M Alphonsine Plaisance Jan 24 1911 D Jun 23, 192
Emma B 1864 M Paul Cote' D 193E
Peter Chapdelaine and Dorothy Christian were married on April 17,
1870. They were the parents of four children. Fred, Albert, Louis and
Martha.
Their son Louis, married Sylvia Walsh in 1910. They had eight
children. Four girls and four boys. Marie, Loretta, Edith and LaDonna.
LeRoy, Louis J, Joe and Donald.
Louis passed away on April 6, 1961 and Sylvia passed away on June
2, 1973, both are buried in St. Peter's cemetery in Mendota.
Ref: Ronald Eustice
La Donna Chapdelaine
LeRoy Chapdelaine
By Francis J. Dembroski
•
i
•
ABI'.ARAM AND HARRI?T L' r?fDR^
ca. LQa7
Courtesy of Martin DeaLauriars
•
A.
Front Row
Second Row
THS HMA1111rL L^T'NDR! FAMILY
Genevieve Married John Brnns
Mary " Henry Hnlnan
Emanuel Father
Smma Mother
Philnmene Married Henry St. Martin
Agnes " Felix Tonsig ant
Arthur n Catherine Ocnnnell
Henry Si114;le
'Eugene D 1931 Married Minnie Holman
Emil " Bertha Siedel
Sigfrid " Teresa Schreckenberg
Edmond s Jenny Perron
Edmond & Jenny are the parents of Mrs Joseph (Lillian) McCarthy
Courtecy Mru Joseph (Lillian) McCarthy
Martin & Marie DesLauriers
•
•
•
TH7 'LL`TS:NDR! FAMILY
The story you are about to read is from the Wednesday April
17, 1929 edition of the South St. Paul Daily leporter. It was
contributed by Francis Letendre, South St. Paul, whose grand—
father is the subject of this article.
Abraham Lotendre came to Dakota County with his parents in
1g65 from Montreal, Canada, and settled with his brother John,
who came here in 1R5g. After spending three years with John, Ab—
raham enlisted in the government service as a member of govern—
ment surveying expedition at Fort Snelling. Re made several Jour-
neys through Red River Valley and alon the Missouri Pivor, as far
west as Powder River, as a "chauffeur" on a covered wagon.
The great Northwest then was'. still a land of the red man.
A few forts at strategic points were the only signs of civiliz—
ation in the territoy now comprising Montan, North and South Da—
kota, and northern Minnesota. Using these
forts as headquarters,
the government parties spread out to survey and explore the vast
area for agriculture. There being no railroads, the forts had to
be supplied by the caravan which started from Fort Snelling early
in spring each year and returned late in fall.
TE? BIG 7XP7DITION
During his second year in the service, t4r Letnndre was a mem—
ber of "The Rix expedition". Over 200 teams of six mules each start—
ed from Fort Snelling that spring. At. St. Cloud the train was
joined by about 75 morn teams. Several companies of troops led th•
procession' as the big parade wound its way into the wilderness.
"We had to take enough provisions to last us nine months", ex—
plained t4r Letendre
c
We e.'ven took a herd of cattle along for meat, because we
couldn't depend upon our guns for wild game on the prairies.
Fleur, salt, sugar, coffee, blankets, ammunitions, tools, in-
struments, everything had to be taken along - and I'll never
forget the hardtack. We hauled that by the wagon load to supply
the forts along the way." Mr Letendre exercised his jaws str-
enously as if chewing a piece of the sea bread.
"It was a great spectacle to ape the big train mace and
break camp", he continued. "The train was split up into more
than one camp to facilitate watering the animals and to have
enou.;h grass for their pasture. The average distance covered
in one day was about fifteen piles."
CARAVAN DWI„DLTD
"'Ruch week the procession grew smaller since several com-
panies of soldiers were stationed at various forts along the route,
together with the surveying crews. Several teams were also kept
behind to haul fuel for the winter and do other work such as haul
material for building and sometimes to transport a sick man to
another fort. Of course there were one or two doctors along with
the train, but after we started working nut west, they were often
100 miles away".
Wail routes were established in several localities; letters
and newspapers being delivered about once a week by pony express.
Stage
coaches drawn by four horses, were used in delivering the
nail. Horses were changed at 1nt-.rvals along the route - about
every ten miles.
During the year of "The Rig Rxpedltlon" which Mr Letendre
remembers as having been 1n 1°70 great strides being made
-+des were
•
•
in settling the new territory. The railroad was completed to
Breckenridge, Minnesota, and settlements were springing up
throughout the Red River Valley.
That fall the larger forts, such as Fort Tolten and Fort
Abercombie, were maintained throughout the winter, while
settle-
ments at Fargo, Devils Lake, Breckenridge and other points were
well protected, and were growing radldly.
The most exciting expedition of which Mr Letendre was a
member was made the following year. This one took him about
eight hundred miles away.
"When we got into Montana," he related, "it was still a
wild, wild country. !very once in a while, we were fired upon
by Indians hiding in ambush. They always waited for their op-
portunity to pounce upon a man who strayed away from the train".
Mr. Letendre paused for a few moments. "I was trying to rem-
ember the name of that one officer who was shot by the Indians."
Re vent on: "we were on our way back from an expedition to the
Powder River and had crossed the Yellowstone. Three teams were
sent out, accompanied by two or three companies of snldiera, to
move some sick men from one of the forts. I was driving one of
the teams, and I guess we had been gone from the command for
about three days. One of our officers, contrary to military rules,
went ahead of the trocps to do some hunting. We heard a shot and
some of the men said: "The Indians have got him! Others refused
to be alarmed and only thought the officer had shot a deer or some
other game. All of a sudden nee of our men spied several Indiana
lying flat in their stomachs on top of a high hill, we were just
about ready to pass through a -ovine beneath the place where they
were waiting. When they saw that they had been noticed by us, they
C'r.;
begun to firs. They ware, waving something on a stick as if try—
ing to show us snmathing, but we couldn't Takes out what it was.
Our men marched up the sides of the hill and succ^edad in killing
one of the Indians. Tha ether' then. fled. A company of troops
than want to lank for our loot nfficar. He was found about two
miles ir.the dirac`_inn from which wa had hoard the shot. Ha had
been killad by the Indians, and our men realized than that the
thing the Indians had tried to show us from the ridge was the
scalp of ono of our companions" The narrator breathed a deep
sigh. "We took his body back to Fort Rice and gave him e mili—
tary bur+al."
After four years of roving, Mr Letondre's term of govern —
slant service expired. Ha now had enough money to by an AO acre
farm in 'Ragan Township in partnership with his brother,^manual.
Rnanuel had come to Dakota County with his parants and his
brother Abraham in 1765. ^manual being only thirteen years old
stayed with his parants on his older brnthar John's farm.
Abraham and tmanuel later divided the, farm and each farmed
his half separately.
In 1077, Abraham marrid harriat Lomay. They had no child—
ren of their own but they brought up an orphan girl, wham they
adopted when she, was Bevan months old. Tha girl grew up to ba
a young woman and married Reinhart Pagel. Two months after giv—
ing birth to a daughter, she died. Mr. and Mrs. L tendra adnptod
the baby and brought her up as they had roarad her mother. Sha is
now Mrs. Lao Clnutiar.
Louis Letendrn came to Mendota during the summer of 1752, this
was the sane year that Tellesphone Lamay Battled in the Mondnta
Ragan area. Louis settled in the contra' part of sodtion 15, He
sold his clam not 'or= afterwards to Dr. F. R. S-tith.
•
•
•
L.
a
0
Mary B May 5, lgg9 M Henry Holman D Aug 30 1970
Emil B Apr 3, 1891 M Bertha Seidel D July 1 1974
Henry B Jul 1 1894 Single D Jul 22 1972
Genevieve B 1g97 M John Peter Brooe
Sigfried B Sep 21 1899 M Theresa Schreckenberg
During their early years Sigfried and Theresa were gardeners
and truck farmers in Eagan, selling their vegtablee to the St. Paul
City Market.
In thiir later years they ran a sservice station and grocery
superettes on Sibley Memorial Highway, vest of Lone Oak Road.
They are now both retired and living at Hampton, Minnesota.
Ref:
Sig and Theresa LeTendre
Martin & Marie Des Lauriers
Ronald F. Euatice
Francis J. Dembroskl
C
•
•
•
Jean Baotisto Latandra was the son of Joan Baptiste
and Marie Colanip Raymond. He sattlpd at Mendota in 1757.
Ha married twlca at St. Patar's, Mendota.
His first marriage was to Marie Cournoyer, daughter if
Claud° and Maria --Pelagic Harault, Febrilary 134 1760.
On March 3, 1777 he married Vict'ria Lamay. The r°cords
disclose that with hsi first wife they had ono daughter
Marie Philom4na. Born May 1761.
THE YMANJ!'L LrTTNDA,_ FAMILY
Emanuel Letandre was baptised March 24, 1752 at St.
Monique, Ntcolot, Quebec. His parents were "John" Jean --
Baptiste Lptendre and Maria—Calanie Raymond, John had
spttlad here in 1757.
0n March 3, 1777 rmanuel carried Emma Picard of
Little Canada. 'manual farmed in the Mendota area through—
out his lifetime.
Emanuel and Mario had tan children.
Philomena B. Jan 17 1779 M Henry St. Martin D Fab. 7, 1970
Edmund 3. 18g0 M J annio Perron D Aug. �967
Parents Of Lillian
Mrs. Joesaph McCarthy
ugane B.
Agnoe B
Jonnia Perron is the
daugter of Adolph Perron
and Mary Ann Huard.
1772 M Minnie Holman D. Doc. 13, 1931
1774 M Fa1ix Tousignant D Jul. 2, 1966
Son of Denary
Tousignant and
Molada Baaudatta
Arthur B 1727 M Cassia O'Connell D May 5,
•
1970
Courtesy of Mildred Smith ca. 1905
TH! JOSrPH LABB?;Y FAMILY
F. Row L. Louise St. Martin Labbey Joseph and °ucene
Marie Married Edward Miller
Leonie s Adalore Des Laurinrs Son of Clement
Father & Mother to Wilfred Des Laur-
ier', in Mendota Heights. Ma.
Augus t i ne
Clara
s
John Walsh
Adolph Holman
Marie Garceau a Cousin. She lived with the Garceau family for a
number of years after her mother died.
•
•
•
Thomas Labbey, his wife ?leanor Lemay, e a cousin of
Constant Lamay and their young son Joseph, left Trois P.1-
viere, Quebec, Canada in 1a55. With them was Fleanor's
brother Moses Lemay. This was his second trip from Canada.
Moses was married in Little Canada in 1R53. In 1R55 Moses
Lemay, the Labbey family and a friend Pierre Botechene reach-
ed Sheboygan, Wisconsin, Here Thomas and Moses worked in a
sawmill through the winter of 1R55-56. Some records indicate
that Thomas andT,leanorte second child was born here, this is
corrected later.
In the Fall of 1g56 they arrived at Fort Snelling, both
men worked in a sawmill in St. Paul that Winter. They both
appeared on the Ramsey County census for 11;57.
In the spring of 1R57 Thomas settled on 92 acres of land
in section 4, Eagan.
The Thomas Labbey and Eleanor Lemay Labbey children.
Joseph B Canada Married
Eleanor BAug g 1g57 Mend. e
Marie Silena Au43,1859 e e
Agglace BJan 12 1 61 e
Marie a
Josephine B Mar 6 1"62 M
Emily n
Thomas Jr.
Louise St. Martin
Felix St. Martin
Dominic LeTourneau
August Carceau
Felix Chapdelaine
Eugene Auge
1. Fred Paquin
2. Peter St. Martin
Jenny Auge
On November 2. 1g614, Thomas was drafted for duty in the
Civil War. HA was in Company G of the 5th Minneaota Infantry
and was in the battles of Nashville. Tennese and Fort Spanish,
Alabama. He waa mustered out at Demopolis. Ala. in September
1765, returning to Fagan, where ha lived the rest of his life.
Thomas and Ele•anor's eon Joseph, married louiae► St. Martin
of Bloomington and farmed the original homestead. Thomas
settled at the North end of the property. His home still atande.
The original house is now the Masonic Lodge.A�l
Joseph and Louise St. Martin Labbey's childPn were:
Augustine
Leoni e
Clara
Marie
EUgene
Married John Walsh
u
n
n
n
Adolph Holman
Edward Miller
Edmire Chapdelaine
Mugene continured to live on the family homestead until it
was sold in 1942.
Thomas and Jenny. Auge t yabbeyea youngest Son Thomas
and his wife had four children. They are:
Alvin
Esther Married Homer Des Lauri' ra
Justina Became a Nun Sister Co119tta
Marie Became a Nun Sister Thomaaina
Ref: Mt 1-1-1- -F44I-1-e-r /'^ u 1 4 r L h ; ll
Dalene Garceau
Little Canada
O'ieillas History only shows Thomas Sr. as a property holder in
Eagan. It does not include his civil war record, this informa-
tion waa received through the National Archives in Washington,
D. C.
•
Adlore Dna Lauriera Son of Clement
and Victorine Chapdelaine and
parents of Wilfred Des Lauriers of
Mendota Heights.
410
Francis J. Dembroaki
•
•
OUR IRISH IUNIGR4UITS
To writ° about the Irish is to write about their emig-
ration that was occasioned by repaatad failures of the pota-
to crops beginning with the your 1742. Although the years
of the greatest crop failures were in 1743 and 1746, thorn
was less dictrnss during the winter of 1045-46 bacausa the
supply of grain grown during the previous year was used as
fond. However; this eating necessity b-nught on a financial
crisis because this grain crop had bean used formerly for the
payment of rant by the small tenant farmers. The starvation
condition was intensified with the famine fever that bro$e
out in the crowded and inadaglnte labor camps sponsored by
tha Rnglish Government.
The repeal of the corn laws of 1847, lost the Irish the
privilege of selling in a protactad market.
There was sickness and chaos in the country. Low pass-
age rates were obtained on the food vassals returning to the
United States in the summer of 1¢47 and in 107. Soma of
these ships had brought cargoes of food for the starving vic-
tims. On account of the rush from the island, thera arosa
colonization plans, both in the United Status and in Ireland.
So savare wan the lamina in the 1740's that an estimated
750.600 Thousand people starved to death in Ireland.
Those were fanrn fnrtunata whose relatives and friends
halted finance their exodus from the country . During this
period the Irish ranked highest among the fives northern and
western ?urnpean countries in imnigratioz to the United States.
Frances Morehouse after comparing British and 'United States
official census figures, arrived at the exodus as follows:
Left Ireland in 1746
in 1047
in 1040
in 1749
in 1/50
92,404
196 224
173 71+4
204 771
216 041
•
Before 1747 the emigrants were mairl y those of small but
frugal farmers, often evicted tenants and laborers. Up to this
period the earlier migration was composed of Irishman often from
the north and western parts, but those during the forties and after
was predominantly from the Southern portion.
Those famine years brought all types of Irishmen to the states. •
For some it was the choice of emigration or starvation. others
used their last cent to ray for the voyage and some even begged
for pascage.
Many Irish homes were split up permanently, never to be re —
unit d with their families again, for others after long years of
toil and waiting, reunions were unbelieveable accnn?lishavda.
There are few more deplorable episodes in the history of the
world than the story of the Irish exodus to the United States.
The single common experience shared by all of us as citizens
of the United States, iu the fact, that at one time or another,
our ancestors all migrated here, from other sections of the world.
Francis J Dembroski
THE PATRICK EGAN SR. FAMILY
Patrick Eagan Sr. and Margaret Twohy were both born in
Tipperary City, Ireland. Patrick was born 1811, Margaret 1816.
They were married in Troy New York ca. 1843. Their oldest child,
Joanna was born in New York in 1844. Later they moved to Illinois
where Phillip, Patrick Jr., Mary and Bridget along with Rebecca were
born. Margaret and Catherine were born in Minnesota.
The Eagan family were among the rush of settlers into this area
during the early 1850's, arriving about 1853 or 1854. He staked a
claim of 220 acres in section 22 (S. E. of the present City Hall).
For several years he farmed and raised a family.
The records indicate that Patrick Eagan Sr. was active in local
politics. He was the first chairman of the Board of Supervisors of
Mendota Township (when Eagan town was still included).
Henry Hastings Sibley was still residing in Mendota.
Patrick was elected to the town board in 1858 and again in
1859. Also elected representative form Mendota to the County Board
in 1858 (when there were 24 members). After being elected in 1860
as chairman of the Board of supervisors of the newly established
Town of Eagan, he was re-elected in 1861-1862-1863 and again in
1869 and 1870.
The move west for the Eagan's appears to have been similar to
that of thousands of other families who came to America in the 19th
century.
Because of his political activeness the town of Eagan was
named after him. Little is known of Patrick Eagan Sr. from 1886
to the time of his death in 1891 in St. Paul. Records disclose that
he owned one plot of 6 graves in St. Peter's cemetery in Mendota.
THE PATRICK EAGAN SR. CHILDREN
Their son Phillip died as a young man.
Patrick H. Eagan Jr., records disclose that he was born in
Illinois, his daughter says Pennsylvania. He served on the Eagan
town board for two terms 1884 and 1885. After 1886 he moved to
Shieldsville, Minnesota, Julia's hometown. Later he moved to St. Paul
•
where he worked as a day laborer.
Julia was the daughter of Sylvester Smith and Sarah Brady, she
was born September 26, 1859 in Shieldsville.
Patrick Eagan Jr. and Julia were married January 20, 1891.
Witnesses were J. Green and Mary Smith. Rev. Peter O'Neill
officiated at the ceremony in St. Michaels Catholic church on St. Paul's
West Side.
Patrick died in St. Paul June 2, 1924, Julia died December 1943.
Both are buried in St. Peter's Cemetery in Mendota.
Mary Eagan and her sister Catherine never married. Mary died
November 19, 1934 at the age of 85 years, 8 months and 6 days.
Catherine died in 1945 at the age of 87. Catherine owned 2 plots of
6 graves each in the St. Peter Cemetery, they are both buried there.
Bridget married a man whose last name was Gorman, there were
no children.
Patrick Eagan Sr. and Julia, had three daughters who became
nuns.
Rebecca, born in Illinois, entered the convent in 1868, took her
vows in 1870, became Sr. Mary of the Sacred Heart, she was quiet,
sensitive and genuine, "how rare were the qualities of mind and
soul with which she was endowed".
She taught children for 55 years.
The last years of her life were in great physical suffering.
When asked what she thought about during her long hours of silent
suffering, she answered, "eternity".
She died September 23, 1931, in Hancock, Michigan. Her place
of burial is unknown.
Margaret Eagan, born in 1856 at Mendota. Entered the convent
December 21, 1879. This is the year the St. Peter School held in
the Sibley House closed.
She took her vows on December 21, 1881. She taught at Holy
Anglels Academey in Minneapolis, at St. Marys' school in Waverly
and at St. Michael's School in Stillwater. In 1892 she was made
•
•
•
•
superior of the new foundation, St. John's Academe}, in Jamestown,
North Dakota. She was there for 18 years, building up an excellent
grade and high school.
In 1910 she was made superior and principal of St. Anthony School
in Minneapolis.
In 1918 she was transferred to Watertow South Dakota. In
1920 she went to St. Joseph's Academly in St. Paul where she stayed
until she retired in 1929. Due to failing health for many years
she was a semi -invalid at St. Marys, St. Joseph Hospital and St. Joseph
infirmary. She died May 26, 1949 on the Feast of the Ascension. She was
93 years old. She is buried in Resurrection Cemetery in Mendota, Mn.
Patrick Eagan Sr. and his wife Margaret of the family of eight,
Jo Anna was the oldest child. She was born in 1844 at Troy, New York.
She too was destinelto become a teaching sister.
She became Sister Mary Austin with the Sisters of Cprondelet.
Entered the convent August 15, 1862, made her vows August 31, 1864. She
taught school in the Assumption School of St. Paul. Was known to be
witty with a sense of humor. After she took her vows she was sent to
teach at a parish school in St. Anthony. Teaching within a few weeks of
her death. The Pastor Rev. F. Tissot and Sr. Austin thought she would
recover. Her death was sudden. Fr. Tissot was persuaded to give her the
last rites - he read the services for the dying and raised his hands to
give absolution, when Sr. Mary Austin looked at him and other members
of the community who were kneeling around the bed, then closed her eyes
and died December 11, 1870 at the age of 26.
Fr. Ireland preached at the funeral Mass. She was the first sister
buried in St. Anthony's Cemetery.
THE PATRICK EAGAN JR. CHILDREN
Sylvester John - preferred to be called John Sylvester was born
January 15, 1895. Served in the Marine Corp. From August 2, 1917 to
August 13, 1919. Died October 24, 1967 buried at Ft. Snelling.
Elmer died December 23, 1959 and is buried in St. Peter's
Cemetery in Mendota.
Vincent died December 20, 1959 buried in St. Peter's Cemetery
in Mendota.
•
Margaret (Eagan) Larkin died February 21, 1974.
Marcella (Eagan) Gallagher died November 26, 1979.
Cecelia (Eagan) born May 26, 1893 in St. Paul. Also known as Maude.
Cecelia Eagan marries Edward Thomas Kirby.
Edward Thomas Kirby was born May 17, 1879 at Bedford, Mass. He
was a Spanish American war veteran. He became a fireman with the
St. Paul Fire Department on May 9, 1905. Married Cecelia Eagan June 10,
1912, he was promoted to captain June 3, 1924 and retired May 17, 1945.
He lived at 252 Cathedral Place in St. Paul.
Edward Thomas and Cecelia had six children. Cecelia Mary, 5
children, Gertrude 2 children, Ellen Rose 3 children, Theresa Rose 5
children, Edward John 3 children.
Patrick John born March 3, 1923 was never married. During World
War II, he was a paratrooper in Co. B 1st Para Btn. died missing in
action November 29, 1943 on Bougainville the Solomon Islands. His
cousin in the same conflict, is today John J. Kirby, Ramsey County Municipal
Court Judge in St. Paul, Mn. 1981. He was in Company C.
Edward Thomas and Cecelia (Eagan) Kirby were married in the Cathedral
of St. Paul June 10, 1912. Witnesses were Elizabeth B. Kennedy and
Delia Tracy. The Rev. Joseph A. Heinz officiated at the ceremony.
Edward Thomas died December 26, 1963 and is buried in the firemens'
plot in Calvary Cemetery, St. Paul.
Cecelia (Eagan) Kirby died January 8, 1966 and is buried in
Resurrection Cemetery in Mendota Heights, Minnesota.
Edward Thomas Kirby's parents were John Kirby and Ellen Powers,
both were born in Waterford, Ireland.
John Kirby was born in 1843, Ellen Powers was born in 1854.
John died April 14, 1926. Ellen died December 21, 1921, both are
buried in Calvary Cemetery in St. Paul.
The name Kirby is Anglo-Saxon (English). Derived from Kirkley
meaning "church city".
The Kirby's first entered Ireland around the I200's when Ireland was
under English control.
In Boswell Field, England there is a "Kirby Castle".
North of Waterford by the lakes of Clarney the name Kirby
is very common.
Ref:
Sandra Kirby St. Paul, Mn.
History of Dakota County
Francis J. Dembroski
P.S. The correct spelling for the
Eagan Family Name is Egan
•
•
•
•
••"1•••F
. .
:•••••4..P •,-1-• • ••••••• •
• • .
..,.....s.1,... -,ft. . ., -9. • ...-"P--. ': • ••••• . '••••••••
.10,0•41;if 4. '111....4 • '''•4:','•j. •-ft 1 . ; "7- ' • c .,•"' • •
; 4,-*-1,,‘•••: ...--•• k • ...... ._. ,.. .• .....-
oit'a;•4.:4 x It4'.•1:-!:*"..t. 1,7 i•;-:f. -..., .*.-• , 7.4' ..
' A le "rim ••• `f..21;:- • .1' 4.: J•47;1": , g . Of • • . • .- •,r.,. I, -,--•:::. ,....-4,7-( ' -... • - , ...f 1 •-, ., ..... ..--•
r.,.. -... ,....::-..-.4 .. -, ,zi.Ass•:._..........„.,....... ,,, ' . .... „., ..
P• 134-.; 4 ..:1.' 6 " ,.. '1;41 r • - •••-• - . I., - •
Pii'''' • .... sir .,',.er. r • f/ 0 ‘ • • s re • . •
ar •.. • • • •?' --- -er 44.- • ; ,. , , .. ...,.::- ,4.7.1,*,-..:....r ..,,,......•
..•• •
"•••-••'•-"rs.,4--,,if .5 J:.,:.-.-;:.,4:41.!--. -....-- • .,..-..c_:a......-. _
CA. 1920
These two women are from truly early pioneer stock. Catherine
Iagan. balancing the 12 Ga. shot -gun was born in Fagan in 1F5g and
died in 1945. Shp was the daughter of Patrick magan, and chairman
to !ikon's first town board in 1g60.
•
Her friend is Margaret (Coniff) Quigley, wife of Patrick
Quigley Jr.
She was the mother to Margaret (Quigley) Dos Lauriers
and the Maternal Grandmother to Martin Des Lauriers.
Margaret Coniff was born in 1R55 in P.oeemeunt and died in
1945.
One wonders for an explanation looking at this picture.
Two women out in the paattre with a third party. One toting
a 12 Ga. shot -gun.
Were they hunting partridge or ducks. I doubt that it
would have been for protection againiet Revenoore.
Probably they were having a friendly conversation about
local politics or gun control.
Francis J. Dembroski
•
•
•
THE ROBERT O'NEILL FAMILY
Robert O'Neill vas born in Ireland, July 29, 1811. At the
age of seven, he and his parents moved to America.
Taking the advice of friends hie father moved to Perth, On—
tario, lover Canada, remaining there until 1828. From Perth,
they moved to Buckingham, lover Canada and settled on a farm.
In 1850 Robert came to Minnesota and was engaged in lum—
bering for three years.
In the meantime he purchased 230 acres of land in section
2 from Henry H. Sibley for $0.25 twenty five cents per acre. And
moved on the property in 1853.
During the fall of that year he was elected First Chair—
man of the Board of Commissionero, and in 1857 he became a mem—
ber of the Territorial Government. He held several other offices.
In politics he vas a 'tauaeh Democrat.
Miss Catherine Forbes vas born on the Beautiful Isle of
Montreal.
Hobert O'Neill married Catherine Forbes and they had twelve
children. Eight of who were still living 1881. The children were.
Mary O'Neill Married MacDougal
Catherine ■ ■ Sing
Susan ■ ■ . M. F. Kennedy
Arabella ■ ■ Forbes
John ■ Never Married
William H. Sr. ■ ■ Frances Silk she
vas Scotch— Irish
their children were.
Robert, Mary and
William Jr.
Children Cont'd.
Laura O'Neill Never Married
Helen ■ e
Agnes e e
Charles Forbes married Arabelle O'Neill, and when the O'Neill
Estate vas parcelled out, about 1890 they received the parcel
of land across the road, West of the Old Dodge City Trail in
section 2.
The Forbes name in this instance is of Scotch ancestry.
Charles Forbes Sr. became a government surveyor and Wil-
liam O'Neill sr. became an assistant on his surveying crew a-
bout 1916. As a surveyor he surveyed much of the land in this
area, and he surveyed many of the trails for roads in northern
Minnesota.
Upon his death Charles Forbes er. was buried in St. Peter's
Cemetery in Mendota.
William O'Neill sr. married Elenore Conzemuis In 1933. They
had three children.
William Jr. Married Marlene Nutzman Eagan
Thomas a Mary Trettle
Frances a Mike Terry
William O'Neill er. had made the homestead hie home all his life.
He died December 21, 1981 at the age of 81, He too is buried In
St. Peter's Cemetery in Mendota.
•
•
•
TRM PATRICK QUIGLEY FATMILY
Patrick Quigley was born in Kilkenny. a town in the S. W.
part of the Irish Republic. 1829 — 1894.
Margaret (Quigley) O'Gorman was born im the same torn in
S. W. Ireland. 1g26 0 191g
•
Patrick Quigley came to the United States Ca. 1850.
He married Margaret O'Gorman in Galenna, Illinois and came
to Eagan , Minnesota in 1851. This about the tiMe that
the stage -coach lines started to run between St. Paul and
Galenna. It waa also making its first atop at the Half-
way House in Hagan on the intersection known today as 149
and 55.
In Hagan they settled and built a homestead in section
27. The original homestead was eighty acres and later was
expanded to three hundred and tweaty acres in sections 26
and 27, located on the corner ofIexington Avenue
Road and including part of Quigley Lake.
Patrick and Margaret (OGorman ) Quigley raised a family
of seven sons and 44 datytil tera: -.Irl .. u-stduithood . Sev-
eral other children died in infancy.
Their children were:
John Quigley Eagan Porn 1852 Died 1931
Mary (nee Quigley) Enright " u 1855 W 1923
Michael Quigley M M 1856 M 1888
Patrick M M M 1858 M 9-22- 19441
Janes " u q
1870 r 12-17-1958
Julia (nee Quigley) Diffley M M 1865 M 1931
Thomas Quigley M M 187n M 1-20-1963
David M M w 1869
" 9-3-1951
Joseph Williaa u " 1977 M 11-3-1896
and Diffley
•
•
•
•
•
•
Margaret Quigley ?,agar Born 1SS1 died 1900
Catherine
s e 1871 ■ 1S92
Patrick and Margaret lived and farmed here the rest of
their lives. Several of the Quigley sons continued to farm
in Sagan 'until approximately 1945.
Catherine (Quigley) Shields and Svelya (Quigley) Curtis
granddaughters of Patrick and Margaret Quigley, recall Mar-
garet the grandmother tellil them of the Indians coming to
the Quigley homestead during their hunting trips. Mrs Quigley
was very much afraid of them. When the Indiana wanted any-
thing they simply pointed to chicken, bacon, bread, etc. and
she would give them anything that that wanted, and then they
world leave. When the Indiana had finished hunting and fish-
ing in the area, they would return to the Quigley home and
leave furs and meat bdfore returing to their camp.
Margaret Quigley vas always afraid of the Indians. how-
ever, Patrick had a frigidly relationship with them and during
the •yew Ulm Masacre", all the white settlers in the area were
warned and told to go to Fort Snelling for protection. H
N -
the Quigley family was assured by these friedly Indians and
their chief that they would be protected and safe from t- he - hos-
tilities if they remained at their residence.
Patrick Quigley and his family which incl: 0d his w- ife and
five email children remained at their residence daring the time
r3iciyi���4=.
of the uprising and massacre, and the friendly Indians remained
around or near the Quigley homestead and protected them from the
hostile Indians.
The following is as it wao told to Mrs Allen (nee McCarthy)
Kalal by her mother, Mre Flori (nee Reid) McCarthy, related that
their grandmother, Mrs Michael Reid and Mre Patrick Quigley would
walk two miles through the woods, that is now part of McCarthy
Park to visit each other.
The Michael Reid homestead was looated is section 9, which
is Pilot Knob and Yankee Doodle Road, where the present Univac
park is looated. They would tie pieces of white cloth onto the
bushes and trees to mark their path through the heavily wooded
area.
Patrick Quigley Sr. died April 11, 1894.
MargarAt (O'Gorman) Quigley died May 1918, both are burled
in St. Peter's Cemetery in Mendota.
•
•
The Patrick H Quigley Jr. family of Eagan
Patrick H Quigley Jr. was born in ragas December 26, 1g5g in
section 27. He was one of seven sons born to Patrick and Mar-
garet (C'Corman)Qaigley.
Margaret Coniff was the daughter of Michael and Catherine
Coniff andah. was th. first white girl born in Heeecount, accord-
ing to the History of Dakota County Book Pnbllshed in lgg6.
I(ARGAP.ET COMFY QUIGL?Y
Margaret's parents were Michael Coniff born in 1830 and died
in 187R. Her Mother Catherin,, was born in 1R22 and died in
1874.
Patrick H Quigley Jr. and Margaret Coniff were married
in 1886. They raised three children.
Patrick Joseph the III born in Eagan Sec. 22. Born. 1R92
Died in 1972
Catherine (nee Qu.:gley) Joseph Shields Sec.22 "5-9-1a94
Margaret Veronica (nee Quigley) Louis Des Laurier,
was born in section 22 on March 3, 1900 and died May 22.
196i. She was a school -teacher and the Mother of Martin
Des Lauriere.
Petrick Joseph Quigley the III and his sister Catherine
farmed the homestead at Lexington Avenue and Diffley Road until
1945. Patrick never married and lived with his sister.
After Belling the homestead, Patrick aka, eP "Joe" worked
for some time with the Dakota County Highway Department.
On May 11, 1955 Catherine Quigley married Joseph Shields,
he was born in 1883 and the brother to Martin and Art Shields,
both reside in Eagan. 1982.
Catherin and Joseph Shields resided on SO acres in section
9 in Eagan. which vas later sold to Univac, now known as the
Univac Industrial Park.
Upon selling their property to Univac, they moved to St.
paul. Joseph Shields died in October of 1967 and Catherine
Still resides in St. Paul.
Patrick J. Quigley the III died in 1972 at the age of Se,
and is buriod in St. Joseph's Cemetery in Rosemount. Minnesota.
Martin Des Laurier,
•
Courtesy Martin and Arthur Shi°lds
MICHS!L SHI?LDS BRIDf:^T FURY SHP:LDS
LABELS USED by the Shields sorghum mill included ,IFt'
Shields' Cane Drips, Shields' Mendota Sorghum and Min-
•
Courtoay Arthur Shialde
MICHAEL AND BRIDGET SHIELDS NINE SONS
ARTHUR MARTIN
VINCENT GEORGE MICHAEL
WILLIAM JOSEPH THOMAS JOHN
•
�U 1/2,
THE JOHN SHI?LDS FAMILY
John Shields was a native of Ireland and came to the United
States in the Mid 100's. First living in Pennsylvania, there he
met Bridget Broderick also a native of Ireland and they were Mar—
ried in 1R4R.
They were the parents of seven children. Michael B. was
born October 1, 109, in Illinois.
Having spent several years in Ohio and I111nois, the Shields
family came to Mendota in 1g54. Michael B. was then five years
old. Eia other brothers and sister, were John, Margaret, Mary A.
Thomas ?dward, who became a nationally known clergy, Henry and
Francis.
Arriving in Mendota in 15154, John purchased a farm from Hen—
ry H. Sibley. They lived on this property for a short time, then
they resided on the Henry H. Sibley farm for thirteen years.
•
Memorie are not always accurate, but it was about this period
in Fagan's history, that Michael and his father helped Henry Sib—
ley dig an open well in section two, West of what is now called
Dodd Road and South of Blue Gentian Road. This well was dug for
drinking water and neighbors from quite a distance around would
come to the well with various types of vehicles, loaded with con—
tainers to carry water home for their domestic use. This well
was on the Forbes property and in later years was rented as a
farm to the Schindeld=c:cer'o. rlroy Schindeldecker, remembers
as a young boy, how they tried to fill the wall with sand and
gravel, but the water at the bottom of the well kept washing the
fill away.
•
•
•
Large boulders were finally used to fill the well and it finally
filled the well permanently.
In 1R6g Michael B. was nineteen years old, he had received
some training as a carpenter and built a house on the land orig-
inally purchased in section 9. Part of that building is still
standing today.
In 1g72 Bridget Furey booked passage on a paddle wheel steam-
er with a friend, Mary O'Donnell, together they left St. Louis and
came up the Mississippi River to St. Paul.
Michael Shields married Bridget Furey in 1a73, and in 1g74,
Mary O'Donnell became Mrs. Patrick Fee.
It was in the house that Michael built, that the fourteen
Shields children were born. Five girls and nine boys. The girls
were: Mary, Margaret, Rose, Frances and Edith. The boys were:
Michael Jr. Joseph, Thomas, John, William P. George, Vincent, Mar-
tin and Arthur. Of all the children, only threw are living today.
Vincent lives in Washington D. C. Arthur at 13R2 and Martin at
1396 Lone Oak Road Respectively.
Henry Shields, an uncle of Martin's was the first state dairy
and fond commissioner for the state of Minnesota in 190" under
Governor Johnson. In those days John had a dairy route in St. Paul
and delivered butter and eggs to the mansions along summit avenue.
Alfred B. another of Martin's relatives operated a dance hall
on the shores of Lake LeMay. This enterprise was continuous from
about 1930 to 1940.
•
Eagan produced a nationally known educator, Father Thomas
Edward Shields, A. M. Ph. D and lid, a son in the John Shields
family. He lived from 1062, the beginning of the Souix up-
rising until his death in 1921.
He was professor of psychology and education in the Cath-
olic University of America, Washington, D. C. Founder and dean
of Catholic Sisters College and served as president of the Cath-
olic Educational Press.
In 191 he was ordained a priest in St. Paul by Archbishop
Ireland. He took degrees at John Hopkins University among others.
He taught at the St. Paul Seminary and went to the Catholic Uni-
versity in 1902.
In 1062 the Archdiocese of St. Paul became the owner of the
Henry E. Sibley House in Mendota. It opened as a sisters school
in January 1g69.
Archbishop Ireland decided to sell the furniture and furnish-
ings in the Sibley House in 1073.
At the time of the sale of the furniture and furnishings in
the Sibley House, the Michael Shields family purchased a large
quantity of the furniture and furnishings for the their new home
in the northeast corner of section 9. It was in the Sibley House
master bed, that all fourteen children of Michael Shields were born.
When the St. Peter's School closed in 1070, the St. Paul Arch-
diocese decided to give the Henry H. Sibley House to the Daughters
of the American Pevolution in 1910. After the Sibley House was in
the custody of the D. A. R., they were interested in getting as
much of the original furniture returned to the Sibley House as pos-
sible.
•
•
•
•
•
So in 1911 the Michael Shields family donated all of the furniture
and furnishings they had purchased from the Sibley House in 1R73.
Some of the furniture and furnishings you see in the Sibley House
today came from the Michael Shields family.
There apparently is no other record of this mass transaction
within our community.
In 1924 Martin became a radio salesman for Noyes Brothers and
Cutler, where he stayed four years. In 192g he became an inspector
for the state health department, and held the position throughout the
depression and until 1944. Martin said he felt pretty darn lucky to
have a job at all, let alone having one that good.
On May 27, 1943 Martin and Myrtle arickson were married, and have
reared five children.
Michael a professor at the University of New Hampshire.
Cathy a special education teacher in Denver, Colorado.
Mary Alice a non practicing R. N. in New Prague, Minnesota.
Seven, the manager of Lee's Highland Inn, St. Paul.
Betty, manager of Sambo's restaurant in Winona, Minnesota
In 1944 Martin resumed farming full time. While farming he was
on the board of directors of the Dakota electric Ass's. He Served as
secretary for four years. He was a member of the soil conservation
districk for approximately thirty four years and was chairmam the
last twelve years.
In 1959 Martin left farming and Joined SSPA, Suburban ?lectric
and Power Assn, where he worked for ten and one half years. His Job
was to get business into the ?agan area.
Martin is credited with bringing in the following industries.
Sperry Rand. Univac, Blue Cross- Blue Shield, Gould Inc. Jerry Raunn-
horst and his ragandale Industrial Park. United Properties and its
Industrial land along Pilot Knob Road. Clyde Pemble and Bruce Thomp-
son, the original Pemton, and their major housing project in Burns-
ville near the Black Dog Pland, giving jobs to thousands of people.
In 1979 Martin Shields was the City of Kaganse man of the year.
A receipt signed by General Henry H. Sibley, showing that Mart-
ins' father Michael, had paid in full the homestead in section 9,
dated October 29, 1Kg9 is a prize possession of Martin Shields.
Arthur attended Cretin High School when it was located at
sixth and Main street in St. Paul, graduating in 1922. His brother
Martin recalls, that it took the sale of two pigs to pay the tuition
in those days. When going to school, Art remembers taking the ferry
or risk walking the railroad trestle at Mendota to save a nickel.
In his early years, Art was a traveling salesman for Washington
and Cutting. .3t radio, a firm which owned W L A G., later W C C 0,
when Washburn Crosby purchased it and changed the call lettere.
He sold headphones and speakers for two years, hie next job was
with R. C. A. Victor selling phonographs when they were a nov'lty.
There was much static on early radio and some families preferred the
phonograph for home ontertainnent.
From 1926 to 1931 Art. was branch manager for Philco Radio in
Butte, Montana. He recalls a Caribean trip in the company of an
early personality, by the name of Boake Curter.
For twenty five years Art was a liquor salesman for the Phillips
Company. For eleven years he was a sales manager in charge of country
sales in Minnesota.
•
•
•
•
Art roturned to Eagan in 195g. He and his wife Frances live
next door to daughter, and Martin and his wife Myrtle.
As a youngster Martin was an altar boy at St. Peter's in Men—
dota, and has been a parishioner their all his life.
All the Michael Shields children went to school in District
4" 12. This school was located on highway 13 near Control Data'a
present location. The school has been removed in recant years.
In their early years, Martin and Art played baseball on the
same team in the Dakota County League. Martin was the pitcher
and Art was the catcher. The teams were made up with boys from
Eagan, Farmington, Hampton, Rosemount, Lakeville and W. St. Paul.
Michael and Bridget Shields passed away within months of one
another.
Bridget passed away on December 10, 1910.
Michael paused away June 2f, 1911.
Both are buried in St. Pet'r'a cemetary in Mendota.
Ref: Martin Shields
Arthur Shields
Francis J. Dembroski
In the summer of 1912 a picnic vas given by the Shields of
Tagan, entertaining chucrh dignitaries, friends and neighbors.
Bishop Turner from Washington D. C. was in attendance a
close friend of Father award Shields.
Sometime before the picnic, Rose Shields was given a broach
type gold watch that fasten to clothing at the shoulder. shortly
after the festivities had begun. Rose took a friend on a tour of
the premises allowing the visitor the grounds and the garden.
While she was showing her friend around she lost her watch. The
family spent many hours searching for the watch put it was not
found.
In the spring of 1979 her brother Martin vas polowing the
garden plot and her brother Arthur was raking the newly plowed
garden preparing it for seeding.
While raking Art notice a emall shiny objedt mostly cover—
ed with dirth. Re became inquietive, eo he picked it up and it
was the gold watch that his slater Rose had loot 67 years earlier.
Relating the incident to a friend. the friend too became in—
quistive and asked if the watch was still running.
Ref:
Martin and Art Shields.
Francis J. Dembroski
•
•
•
THE DIFFLEY'S OF EAGAN
William Diffley and Katherine Corcoran were both born in
Ireland. William was born in Roscommon County, in 1823.
Katherine. was born in 1822. They were married in February
1851 at Providence, Rhode Island.
Their daughter Margaret was born in 1852, son J am.a 1853
and Patrick in 1855, he lived to be nine years old.
They came to Minnesota in 1855, where William pre-empted
a claim in section 24 and 25 in 1855. This homestead has been
in the Diffley family continuously for the last one hundred
and twenty five years.
William and Katherine had twin boys in 1856, but both died
in infancy. Thomas Diffley, James T. Diffley's father was born
in 1857.
James Diffley, James T. Diffley's uncle was the lant in the
family to arrive. He married Julia Quigley.
William D. was elected the first Eagan town treasurer in
1860, along with Patrick Eagan as chairman. The meeting was
held on the Michael Comer farm bordering the Diffley property to
the north and east of the eighty acre homatead.
William died in 1900 and Katherine in 1909. Both are buried
in St. Patrick's Cemetery in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota.
Their *aria Thomas married Ann O'Halloran, whe was a school
teacher in th. Rosemount school district in the late 1800's.
Their daughter Mary began nursing at St. Jos.ph Hospital
is 1922. She joined the army at the start of World War 11, spent
•
four years overseas during the war and was with General Patton'e
army from the very beginning in Africa. When she returned to
the states she continued as an army nurse and retired as a
Lieutenant Colonel.
William was a farmer, worked for sth state highway depart-
ment for about ten years. Began as a sheet metal worker to 1944
and continued in that trade for about 25 years until his retire-
ment. He built a home on part of the old homestead and resides
there with hie one daughter Patricia. Williams wife Ann Wiecher
was from St. Paul, is now deceased.
James T married Elizabeth Nicholson from Burneville. They
have four daughters. Rosemary (Diffley( Stearns liven on the
homestead, she's the fourth generation to live here. Other daugh-
ters are Kathleen. Jeannie and Margaret.
In 1954 Jim built a new home on the old homestead and still
lives there. He worked an a heavy trailer mechanic and became a
real estate broker in 1965. His wife Betty has been with him in
the sale of homes and other property ever since.
Thomas married Corinne Belair from Minneapolis and had five
children. John, Thomas, Martin, Theresa and Ellen.
After highschool Tom became a barber, but also worked at
different trades. He built six or eight homes on the old home-
stead, including a four plex in which he used on section for a
barber shop for several years. His last shop was in the McKee
Addition . He died suddenly in 1972 and is survived by his wife
Corinne. He is buried
•
•
•
•
•
Thomas Diffley born in 1S57, and Sone, Thomas, James and William.
Agnes joined the Sisters of the Visitation in St -Paul in 1930.
She is now known as Sister Mary Angela Diffley, at their school and
convent in M'ndota Frights.
Margaret worked as a secretary for several years. She married
Aubrey Conrad from Minneapolis, they operated a grocery store. Later
selling it and then formed the real estate firm of Conrad & Conrad.
She was associated with it until her death.
Julia, the last of the family to cone and the first to go was
born in 1916 and died in 1924.
Thomas Diffley Sr. and Ann (0/Halloran) Diffley are both buried
ir. St. Joseph Cemetary in Rosemount.
By James Diffley
Not long ago county highway 30 had been renamed Wildwood
Lane.
On August 4, 19R1, the City Council for Pagan had been
asked by pstition by the Diffley neighbors and friends to
rename Wildwood Lane. After conoideration by the Fagan City
Council it was decided to rename Wildwood Lane, Diffley Road.
Thus immortalizing the Diffley's of Fagan.
Francis J. Dembroski
•
•
•
i
Court..sy of Alice (F.P) Garrity
TH! PATRICK p7n FAMILY
CA 1910
lat Row: Elsie, Patrick Fee. Mary 0/Donnell Fee, and Pat.
2nd Row: Isabelle, Alice, William (Bill) and Agnes.
3rd Row; James, John, Alice Garrityls Father, Dennis,
Father Fee ' s father, Huey, Catherine and J oeseph.
•
THE PATRICK FEE FAMILY
Patrick Fee came from County Cavin, Ireland, and landed in Michigan
in 1849. He worked on the railroad and worked his way to Minnesota.
Mary O'Donnell, the young lady he was to marry later, came to Minnesota
in 1872. She came to St. Paul by river steamer from St. Louis. Patrick
and Mary were married in 1874 and raised thirteen children, seven boys
and six girls.
In 1875 Pat Fee bought 160 acres of land in Sections 12 and 13 along
the Old Dodge City Trail, now known as Dodd Road or T.H. 49. The. _land at
that time was purchased from General Henry Hastings Sibley. General
Sibley died in 1891, seven years after Hugh Fee was born. After the
purchase of the 160 acres of land, it had to be cleared and plowed for
cultivation. while considerable acreage was like a prairie, free from trees
and brush, some of the property did have quite a heavy stand of black
oak which is difficult to clear because of its tough root system.
In the early years, the Fees were rather extensive potato and
onion growers. They raised as much as seven acres of onions and ten
acres of potatos. Some years the crops were so bountiful that it wasn't
unusual to haul onions and potatoes to the Wescott station with two wagons
and weigh and unload enough of these vegetables to fill two box cars in
one day.
The Wescott station, in those days, had a passenger depot and
farmers were able to take the trail to Rosemount for 14C. The railroad
was known as the Milwaukee Road in those days, today it is used by the
Chicago and Northwestern Railway Transportation Company.
•
•
•
The Fee children all went to school in District 93 in Inver Grove
Heights. The school was a one -room school house. All the classes were
taught by one teacher teaching all eight grades and, at times, with as
many as 50 children in the school. Pat Fee remenbers when he went to
school there. At times, there were as few as 15 students in the whole
school. This drop in attendance could have been for two reasons: Lone
Oak Trinity Lutheran Church had a school and another school was in the
vicinity of Dodd Road and Wagon Wheel Trail near Dr. Lloyd Edward's house.
This school had a teacher named Rogers, who later became Dr. Rogers.
This name was later given to Rogers Lake.
Wood was used as fuel in the stove for heat and kerosene in lamps
for lighting in the school.
Wood was used to heat the Fee home for many years. In the later
years coal was used. Kerosene lamps were used for lighting the home and
to study. Later, electricity was available and used rather extensively.
It is not remembered how much canning was done, but it was easily in
the hundreds of quarts of canned fruits and vegetables. Beef was killed
in the fall along with six or eight hogs, depending on the size. The
pork was then smoked and some of it was put away in crocks and was known
as salt pork. Salt pork could be used in a variety of ways. It could
be cut and fried like bacon or used as meat and also was a great supple-
ment to flavor baked beans.
In the fall, four and sugar was purchased for the winter. This
consisted of 15 or 20 one -hundred pound sacks of flour and four or five
one -hundred pound sacks of sugar.
Religion was an important part in the lives of the Fee family.
In the early days, they would sometimes walk four miles to St. Peter's
2
Church in Mendota. In winter, they would go to church by sleigh and
in summer by wagon, as did many others in those days. It was not unusual
to see forty or fifty wagons and buggies tied to post and rails outside
the church during services.
The first cars to be used was about 1916 or 1917.
Pat Fee Sr. died in 1914.,. His wife, Mary, lived on the homestead
with some of her children until she passed away in 1943. Hugh and Pat
farmed the homestead until 1964. At that time they sold the land to a
real estate dealer. This ended the Fee homestead that had been in the
Fee family for 90 years.
Hugh and younger brother pat reside in the City of Eagan.
HUGH AND PAT FEE
By: Franciu J Dombrnski
P.S. Hugh says it was not unusual to hear wolves howl at night when
he was a boy.
•
•
THE JOHN McCARTHY FAMILY
It was a scant 50 years after the Lewia and Clark expedition
of 1K04-06 that John McCarthy filed his claim on 160 acre in sec—
tion 22 Fagan township, September 1, 11755
The Minnesota Territory was still making treaties with the
Sioux tribes for land between the Minnesota and the Mississippi
rivers.
Land was being offered for homesteading by Henry Hastings
Sibley for $1.25 per acre.
Mendota was the Dakota County seat.
The McCarthy family originally came from Abbey Field, Dublin
County Cork, Ireland, in the mid 1g40's and settled in Chicago.
Son John came to Minnesota by steamboat in the late summer of
1S55.
He made three trips to Chicago, before he stayed. For two
years after the spring thawing, he came by riverboat to Mendota
and walked to his homestead site. There he cleared the land for
planting and building. In the Fall he would go back to Chicago
and work as a cab driver during the winter.
In the spring of the third year 1K5g, he brought his bride
with him and stayed
The first log cabin was destroyed by fire and the second
cabin was built in 1g60. This cabin is still standing in silence
within the existing house on the land which is now Fagan Park.
Shortly after establishing his homestead. John divided his
land in half with his brother James.
June 2. 1903
This is the wedding picture of Flory McCarthy and
Mary Ann Ried. The best man wan Dan McCarthy and
the bridesmaid was Margaret Ried (Mrs Pat Mooney)
•
•
•
•
THE JOHN McCARTHY FAMILY
Jahn -McCarthy cast
0ettltd on-R6 aer:riu n,: a,z�t>;rt,�,eaQw
John married Bridget Ellen Keefe, both came to Fagan
from Ireland. As did John's brother James.
Their children were:
Flori
Dan
Henry
Married Mary Reid a sister to Margaret.
s
Mae Burns
remained single
Dave Married Elizabeth Burka
Mary a
Mike O'Connor
Flori McCarthy and Mary Reid's children are:
John died in infancy
Jospeh Married Lillian Letendre
Edward " Bertha Hawermann
Mary " Joseph %alai
James was killed by a street car at the age of 22
Ellen Married Edward Kalal
Henry died in infancy
Martin Married Arlene Dobrantz
The children all went to school at school Deit. #14.
Flori and Mary farmed the homestead all their lives.
Flori passed away March 29, 193g
Mary passed away November 26, 1946
Both are buried in St. Peter's Cemetary in Mendota,
Ref: ?lien Kalal
John kept the AO acres on South Lexington, James farm lies in
between South Lexington and Pilot Knob Road.
Decendants of both brothers still reside on the land.
Mrs. Patrick (nee O'Gorman Margaret) Quigley was midwife and
Mrs. James (nelly) McCarthy were attendants for the births in
the Flory and Mary Ann (nee Ried) family.
Flory was born October 1, 1R70 and Mary Ann(Ried) Mc-
Carthy was born May 31, 1977.
Flory and Mary Ann were the parents of eight children, 31
grand children, 45 great grand children and 34 great, great grand
children.
While being a farmer all his life, Flory, for many years
graded the roads in Eagan, making them in better condition and
for better usage for traffic. Flory was also quite deeply in-
volved in the construction of Wescott Road.
Ellen Kalal remembers going to St. Peter's church in Men-
dota by horse and buggy with a top and side curtains. The ac-
quired a car in the 1920's.
Ref: Ellen (nee McCarthy) Kalal
and her daughter Jean.
Francio J. Dembroski
•
•
•
•
THY JAlMMES MC CARTHY FAMILY
James McCarthy came to Eagan ca. 1g50, from Abbey Field,
County Cork, Ireland. He came to this area by steamboat from
Chicago.
At first he settled on an g2 acre parcel of land in sec-
tion 22, adjoining the property of his brother John, in the
same quarter of section 22. John's land:•,; was facing Lexing-
ton from the West.
In 1R53 James went to Chicago and married Julia Mahoney.
She too was born in Abbey Field, County Cork, Ireland.
Their children were:
Dennis, he died at the age of
twenty from Pneumonia.
James Married Ellen Brennen
John remained single
James Jr. and Ellen (Brennen) McCarthy, are the parents of
Julia McCarthy, she married William Naughton, they are the par-
ents of Helen
(Naughton) Lemay. Helen Naughton can be found in
a school District #14 picture taken in 1920 along with her cou-
sins: James, Ellen, Mary and Edward McCarthy.
Dennis remained single
Michael Married Rose Graham
Catherine Married Bryan McGroarty
Owen married Ruth Weigle
James McCarthy Sr. died at the age of 93, he had been a
farmer all his life. James McCarthy Sr. and Julia (Mahoney)
McCarthy were the great Paternal Grand -parents of Helen Naughton
Lemay. James Sr. and Julia are both buried in the St. Peter
Cemetary in Mendota.
James McCarthy and Sllen (Brennen) McCarthy are the Maternal
Grandparents to Helen (Naughton) Lemay.
James died October 4, 1943.
Ellen (Brannen) McCarthy died March 21, 194E.
Helen (Nau_hton) Lemay(s father william's life time vo-
cation was a clerk with the United States Postal Service for
forty-eight and half years in the down town post office.
He lived at 205 Goodrich Avenue in St. Paul for almost
seventy five
y=ars.
Julia died October 27, 1912 and was buried in St. Peter's
Cemetary in Mendota.
William died March 16, 1965 and was buried in Calvary
Cemetary in St. Paul.
Ref: Helen (Naughton) Lomay
Owen McCarthy
Francis J. Dembroski
•
•
•
•
•
THE MICHAFL MID FAMILY
Michael Reid arrived in Fagan in the mid 1g50e8 and home-
steaded property on the S. s. of the S. 7. 4 of section 9.
Michael and his wife reared five children.
Robert, Laurence and Nicholas and two daughters, one be-
came a nun and the other daughter Katherine, married James Berry.
Robert Reid bought the farm f ron his father, Michael on May
29, 1g77. Robert married Ann Quirk. The Quirk family owned
property in section 30 and had come to Fagan with the rest of
the Irish migration.
Robert and Ann had four children:
Mary Ann
Michael
Margaret
Katherine
Married
N
M
Flory McCarthy June 2, 1903
Bridget Shields Jan. 17 1906
Patrick Mooney Nov 23, 1905
Joseph Rowe
Ann (nee Quirk) bas born in 1g54. In 1M she died with
her child in child birth at the age of 34.
Robert Reid was born in 1g49 and died in 192, at the age of
72.
Katherine. Michael Reid's Sres daughter married James Berry
and their children were:
Frank Remained single
Lillian died in her twenties
Laurence Married Edna
Michael Reid Jr. stayed on the farm and married Bridget
Shields and reared nine children.
Laurenc Married Pearl Jensen
Mary a Tom Luelic
William !I Violet Strasey
Joseph n Mary Flynn
James Died in infancy
Arthur Married Lorraine Turner
Helen a Laurence Stuffel
Katherine a William Haskins
Edward a Florence Yetaer
Edward stayed on the farm until it was sold to Univac.
The original Michaels Reids walked back and forth to Mandnta
each morning and night, because they were to afraid of the Ind—
ians to stay on the homestead at night.
Ref:
Ellen (McCarthy) Kalal
and her daughter Jean.
Francis J. Dembroski
•
•
•
•
•
•
THE; THOMAS MOONTY FAMILY
Thomas Mooney arrived in Tagan during in 1?50's and settled
on property in section 22. in the southwest quarter.
Thomas Mooney married Margaret and they reared four
children.
Patrick married Margaret Reid on November 2S, 1905
Michael „ Katherine O'Halloran
Mary " Henry Hankie
John " Stella Gillam
Patrick Mooney stayed on the farm and married Margaret Reid, and
reared f_ « children:
Thomas married Agnes Keller, Thomas died in September 19R1.
Marie " Charles Kjalson
Charlet " Arnie Thomas
Joseph " June
In the 1930's Patrick Mooney was an Tagan township supervisor
with Jake Beck=r and Gustav Polzin, Herbert H Polzin's father.
At that time Andrew Denzer was Dakota County Commissioner from this
area. for a period of seventeen yearn.
Ref: Mien (McCarthy Halal
Francis J. D.mbrnski
Court•ey: Rog.r Slut.r
JAMS SLAT':R
ia56 1941
•
•
•
SLATER FAMILY
James Slater (1856-1941) was born in Eagan in a log cabin. He
remembered a thousand Indians living nearby under Chief Black Dog,
trapped animals and sold pelts to General Sibley, who owned most of
Mendota township and the north half of Eagan. The Indians lived a
few miles west of Cedar avenue and as far as Mendota village. Eagan
had heavy oak timbers, and provided space for deer. Indian burial
grounds may be seen on the Minnesota river bluffs. Skeletons, guns and
Indian trinkets would be found when plowing for the first time.
Mr. Slater's father, James Slater, Sr., left County Limerick in
Ireland in 1849, spending five years in New York and British Columbia,
coming to Eagan in 1854. The homestead was a 160 acre tract south
of the former Thomas Slater farm. He and his three brothers and two
sisters were born there.
James Slater, Jr., married Margaret Corrigan at St. Patrick's
church, Inver Grove township, February 6, 1888, and the pair celebrated
their golden wedding. Their children were Joseph, Thomas, John. Edmund,
Frank, Mary LeMay, Eugene, Raymond and Lillian, the latter two dying in
childhood.
The Slater home was near Highway 13 and Cedar avenue. It was
razed when the late Eugene Slater built a new home. It presently serves
as an office for the Cedar avenue freeway project.
James Slater was a well known farmer in the early days of Eagan.
His home was near Highway 13 and Cedar avenue, and the family also owned
land near the Mendota bridge which they farmed as well. It is now part
of Fort Snelling Historical State Park. They also had land now platted
as Slater's Acres, off Cedar avenue. Slater Industrial Park is now
being platted.
The Slaters are mentioned in history books as early as 1862.
Rodger Slater is a grandson of James Slater.
Elizabeth Kenneally
•
RICHARD IT:NNIALY
•
•
•
WILLIAM HOLZ RESID^NCE 1Ra7
L To R. William Holz Sr. Mar;;aret Holz Rahn, Otto Holz Sr.
Julius Holz, Edward Holz, Mrs Eliza Holz and
William Jr.
Driver on buckboard with horses (hired Man)
•
THP, WiILLIAM HOLZ SR. FAMILY
•
William Holz Sr. came to the United States in the 1g7O's
settling in Fagan before 1gg0. Buying eighty acres of land
in section 24, he established a blacksmith shop in We tcott.
His trade had prepared him to repair farm equipment and to
sharpen tools for hie neighbors in the country side.
William Holz Sr. married !liza nee Dreher, she was
born in Pittsburgh, PA. They were the parents of William
Holz Jr. Born May 19, 1'R6 in 7agan. Anna (nee Sell) was
born July 25, 1590. William Holz Jr. and Anna (nee Sell)
are the parents of Agnes Holz Polzin, Mrs. Albert (Dorothea)
Kirchener and Mrs. Kenneth (nee Ann L.) Jacobsoa.
William Holz Sr. was a founding father of the Lone Oak
Trinity Church in 1gK0.
parents are
Agnes (Holz) Polzin?s paternal great grnd / William
Holz Sr. and M1iza nee Dreher. Agneses' maternal grand
parents were Frank Sell Sr. and Bertha (nee Rahn) Sell.
Her paternal aunts are Mrs. Carl (margaret) Rahn, Mrs Ber-
thold (Anna) Dareon, and Mrs. William (^mma) Braun. Paternal
uncles are: Otto Holz Sr., Edward and Julius Holz.
Agnes (Holz) Polzin'n maternal aunts are Mrs. John (Adela)
Frunzm.ier, Mrs. Charles (Louise) Pahr. Her uncle are, Henry.
Charles, William, Walter. Fred, !mein and Frank Sell Jr.
Anna (nee Sell) Holz died November 13. 1969. William
Holz Jr. Died September 19. 1976. Both are interned in the
Trinity Lon, Oak Church Cemetery in 4agas, Minnesota.
Pef: Agnes (Holz) Polzin
Francis J. Dembroski
� L.
THE TRAPP FAMILY
We have seen how the French in Canada came to the United States
to solve their problem with the British.
Irelands famine and degradation of its people by the British,
force the lands population to exodus to the United States in the 1840's
and 1850's.
We now see that in the 1860's and I870's that the natives of
Germany became restless. When the old bund was restored thousand of
Lerman liberals came to the U.S. to seek personal freedeom. In
1861 King William I was placed on the throne of Prussia and chose
Count Otto Von Bismarck- Schonhauson as his chief Minister. In 1861
Bismarck placed Prussia at the head of the movement for German unity.
He dismissed the Prussian Parliament, threw out the Constitution, and
enlarged the Prussian Army. He united the German people under the
government of one Empire. He declared that the great problems of his
time must be settled by "Blood and Iron" instead of by speeches and
resolutions. It now became apparent that Germany was going to have a
militaristic regime. Boys twelve years old being trained for the
military. They got guns for further training at 16 and were expected to
soldier until 21, with the possibility of giving service to the nation
at practically any age.
Early German pioneers who redeemed the wilderness was the Louis
H.C. Trapp family, they came in 1859 they had nine children and settled
on a farm in Dakota County. Of these nine children, eight reared
families in Eagan and Mendota. Mrs. F. Beulke was the only one who was
inclined to traveling and she never got beyond St. Paul.
Before buying the 80 acre farm later to be known as the John Wagen Kecht
place from General Sibley, the Trapp family lived in St. Paul where the
father worked as a day laborer to earn enough money to make a down
payment on on a piece of land. They lived in a small shack well out in
the "Sticks" at that time - where Tilton Street crosses Wabasha.
August Trapp one of Louis H. C.'s sons picked hazel nuts with his
brothers on the hill where now stands the State Capitol Building with
its polished surroundings.
In the 60's, 1870's and 80's the entire district, now known as
Riverview was part of Dakota County. A toll bridge at Wabasha street
linked Dakota and Ramsey Counties.
In return for free Bridge service, Dakota county ceded the strip of
land lying between the present Annapolis street and the Mississippi
River to Ramsey County. The section of Riverview surrounding Winifred
street of today, was then a big Marsh. August then a 13 year old boy,
worked for a dairy farmer in this district for a time, watching cows.
When ever a cow be came mired, he summoned help to pull her out of the
mud.
The Trapps lived on their first farm for ten years, and then sold
it to John Wagen Knecht. Who heads another strong Dakota County family.
They purchased another of General Sibleys farms. Sibley had
obtained possission of almost all the land around Mendota and the N.W.
part of Eagan, by buying up the farms which the Government had given to
the Half breeds by Treaty. These farms were called "Indian Scripts".
The Half-breeds, needing money, offered their farms to Sibley, who
later sold them to the on coming pioneers.
There was one farm in particular upon which Louis H.C. looked
with eager eyes. It was General Sibley's home farm. John Pfeiffer
whom Sibley had "imported" from Pennsylvania, operated the farm.
(Pfeiffer was the Grandfather of the Nachtingal family in Eagan),
besides being one of the finest pieces of land in the country, the farm
had one of the most up to -date log houses on it, being finished with
siding.
The farm was offered for sale in 1879, and Louis H.C. immedeatly
bought it. Louis H.C. died in 1898. The mother (nee Frederika
Gerber) survived him by six months.
William who was the oldest was born of a former marriage to
Louis H.C. Trapp in Germany. William's mother died when he was but a few
years old. The father was married again in 1857 to Frederika Gerber and
in 1859 the family emigrated to America.
Like his father William married twice. By his second marriage in
1886 Albert Trapp was born. His second marriage was with Helena
Frank (1887) who was the mother of Mrs. Bruno Franzmaeier Mendota.
Henry Trapp Hastings and Edward Trapp owned the old homestead in
Mendota at highway 110 and Lexington. Fred Trapp was a second generation
of Trapp pioneers, he was actively engaged in farming in Eagan, on the
farm adjoining the old family homestead, which he purchased in 1898.
•
•
•
•
In 1926 he moved to West St. Paul to take things a bit easier.
When Fred married Bertha Schmidt in 1880, his wifes folks asked him
to stay with them a while, they like him so well that they kept him for
18 years. Two children were born to them. Minnie and Otto. Otto
died in 1917 leaving his wife (nee Mary Nachtigal) and four boys. Another
boy was born a few months later.
After Fred Trapp came his brother August, he married Bertha
Pommerening in 1887 they had two daughters, Adela and Clara.
Next in line is Charles. He too showed a weakness for Berthas
which his two older brothers had manifested in selecting their wives.
In 1891 he married Bertha Franke, sister of his oldest brothers wife.
They built a home on the south 100 acres of the homestead. They had
3 children Mrs. Charles Sell, Louis F. And Alma. Mrs. Sell lived near
Nicols and Louis was a farmer near Rosemount.
It appeared that boys were becoming somewhat monotonous, for in
1865 Minnie was born. The next two children were girls also, making
the count more even. Minnie grew up and became the wife of F. G. Heuer,
a farmer. Minnie was the mother of six children all residents of Eagan
and West St. Paul. Mrs. Louis Motz, Fred and Herbert lived on farms
in Eagan. Mrs Herb Lau lived in West St. Paul, and then there was
Arnold and Esther. Mrs. Frank Beulke, known as "Aunt Mawdy", is two
years older than Mrs. Heuer. She is the only one in the entire family
who could be convinced that there was a better place than Dakota
County. She was the mother of two children. To "Anne" Mrs. M
Englert goes the credit for raising a larger family than her brothers
and sisters, seven boys and two girls.
Louis B. Trapp, who is perhaps the best known of the family, L.B.
was a traveling salesman. Although he was not the pressure type, he could
hold his own when it came to quoting words from the dictionary. Not
content with being able to speak German and English, he also mastered
French, while working as a clerk in Bernier's store. He was married
to Esther Kruger in 1902. Five children were born to them, one married
Erwin Sell.
Mr. Trapp L.B. was not a pioneer in this county, but he is a true
native. He was born in 1871 two years later, the youngest of the generations
was born, Bertha. The family refer to her as Bertha the fourth. She
married Gustave Polzin lived on a farm in Eagan, she was the mother of
three children Herb, (Esther single) Florence Rahn.
The direct desendants of Louis R.C. Trapp, with whom we stated
our story number well over 100, and at one time 95% claimed their home
in Dakota County.
R.f: 71ditorial from Daily Roportnr 1926
Francis J Dembroski
•
•
•
•
•
•
■
•
•
■
•
• ■
MAKrRS OF DAKOTA COUNTY
PION117RS WHO Rt'D'?UrD TH^ WILUTRNI:SS
WILLIAM, JOHN .um CARL RAM
•
■
■
•
•
■
•
Discontented with the oppression of greedy landlords and pro-
longed military service in Germany, a young roan, 27 years of age,
was on his way to America, early in 1Q70. He had spent the best
years of his life in the army, having served in the Prussion wars
of 1Q64 and 1v66 againist Denmark and Austria respectively, and he
had visions of brighter days in America. The young man's name was
John Rahn. With him was his sister Minnie, later to become :lrs.
George Cersting.
For several years he had dreamed of going to the "land of
promise", but he was bound by contract to work for a feudal land-
owner, who owned the services of the entire Rahn family in Pommer-
ania. Upon gaining his freedom from military obligations, he bid
his sweetheart farewell with the promise that he would send for her
as soon as possible. His destination was Inver Grove township,
Dakota county, Minnesota.
"S?NT FOR Ski' !Tn ART"
7dward Rechenberg, an old family acquaintance,
had written him
to come here to make his fortune. Upon arriving in his new surround-
ings, he worked on a farm in Inver Grove for two years, during which
time he earned enough honey to pay off the money he h;d borrowed for
his trip across the ncean, and to rant a farm In ^agan township. Ha
Sant transportation to " tho girl ho left behind" who soon came to
,join him here.
As typical Minnesota pinnaers, they cnnvortnd a thick wnods
into ono of the choicest pieces of land in the surrounding terr-
itory. Theysaw the evolution of farm machinery and farm methods.
During their first years of farming, rutabagas and wheat
were the principal crops. The I'bagasil were marketed much on the
order that potatoes now aro being disposed of. Single families
ordered as high as 10 bushels at one time. Wheat was cut by hand
with the cradle. Leat.r the reaper anpoarad, and then the harvest-
er. Mr. Rahn lived to see the perfaction of the binder and the
threshing machine.
Mrs. John Rahn died in 1917 and her husband John in 1923.
Their farm now is operated by Reinhold Rahn, the younger of
his two sons. It is one of the most up -to -data in the country with
modern buildings and conveniences.
Right across the hill lives August F. brother of Reinhold, on
a farm which his father purchased in 1293. The two brothers are
also brothers-in-law, having married sisters. August's wife .was
formerly Louisa Schwanz. Hor sister, or sister-in-law, was T.mma
Schwanz.
The latter has four children, while the former has throe, the
eldest of whom, ^dwin, has reached voting age.
NOW OLD"ST ?'SIDTNT
Turning back 56 years, we again pick up the thread of the story
of William Rahn whom wo loft nn a suall farm in ^agar in the begin-
ning of the sttry. William was two years older than John. He was
32 years old when coning hare_ His wife, whose maiden name wag Anna
Hoeppner,
•
•
•
a sister of Mrs John Rahn, is now the oldest resident of ?agan
township and the surrounding territory, bring 09 years old,
the year 1926.
She has vivid recollections of e::parienc=s she has had
since childhood and early womanhood in Germany. Twice her hus—
band was called away to war: once in 1066 Againist Austria, and
again in 1070 againist France. Immediately following the later
war, they emigrated to America, as has previously boon told.
The family rented for 14 years, before buying a farm of
their own. In 1R R they bought 160 acres of land near Nichols.
There were eight children in thp family, all of whom wore living
in Dakota county in 1926.
Mrs. Frank Sell, now living in West St. Paul, smiled as she
recalled the early days. "tte planted j`acr=s of potatoes in one
year", she said, "all by hand. And we dug them all by hand, ton".
Her father and oldest brother, August, hauled to market for over
two months, getting
111)
at one o'clock each morning to feed the
horses. No outside help was required to dig the 1,000 bushels,
which was the yield from the j acres.
When the grain became a bit over —ripe, thp family went out
early in the morning to cut while the straw was damp with dew. Mrs.
Sell, than but a young girl, would prepare breakfast, and carry it
out into the field.
"The women wnrked just at hard as the men in those days," Mrs
Sell went on. "but we were happ.ier, it seems, than people are now.
Peonia worked just as hard in the old country --for sncsbndy else
while :ere they could work for themselves.
Accompanying the young wnman, who was Augusta Hneppner, on
her voyage were two brothers of Hahn, Carl F and William. The
latter brought his wife
and three children. The wife (nee Anna
Hoeupner) was a sister of the bride to be. Anton Hoeppner, a
brother, also came with the -migrant party.
A happy reunion was held with John, and they viewed with
satisfaction the surrounding country, which was to provide a
home for them. They knew that there would be hardships to en-
dure, but they were extremely happy, for they knew that soon
they would have a home they could call their own.
John and Augusta were married soon thereafter, and William
settled on a small farm with his household, where they set out to
clear land. The price that was paid for clearing land was about
$20.00 an acre. They thus earned a meager Existence until they
could afford to put in a crap themselves, -on shares with the
owner of the farm.
John purchased a farm after three years of renting. It con-
sisted of 70 acres, and was all densly wooded. During the first
year on this farm, he succeeded in clearing 25 acres with the help
of his younger brother , Carl, and other pioneers who were trying
to het a start.
One of the older inhabitants of the community
re-
marked, "that Hahn must have the devil helping him".
DIrHTEHRIA CLAIMS CHILi3":1
Mr. and Mrs Hahn experienced much trying hardship and grief.
Of their eight children uix died in early childhood. In 1°72. five
children died of diphtheria within a few days. However; they were
fortunate enough to raise two sons. August F. and Reinhold.
•
•
•
I
•
•
•
The farm was paid for within a fQw years and buying land
became a hobby for Rahn. HP purchasod anoth.r farm about 1092,
which August took ov.r in 1094. Two more farms, 160 acr.s
each, were bought in Nichols, on. of which was later occupiQd
by Carl and the other by Fr.d.
Hard work had brow ht succoss to th' rpstl'ss pion..r and
his last f'w years war. spent in .asp. A small comfortable
home was built alongside Fred's home, whpr. he was cared for by
his wife and daughter, Anna. William did in 1916.
Th. childrAn are: August L, Bertha, Anna, Minnie, Carl, Fr°d,
Louis. and Otto.
August is living with his son, William F.m in tho heart of
L'agan. His wifa (npp Augusta Schwolow) di.d in 1921.
Refprancps
Dakota County editorials of 1926
Francis J. DPmbroski
CARL F BARN FAMILY
Carl Rahn came to Eagan with his brother William and
William's family in 1g74. After working for his brother
john for several years he married Herminnie Burrow and
owned a farm (200) in section 25. The Old Dodd Road ran
through the farm from North to South. The south section
line was Diffley Road in the S. W. quarter of the section.
Carl and Herminnie had nine children:
Ferdinand Married Emma Craft
Helen s Walter Doehling
Minnie u Otto Pieper
Marie s Rudolph Krieger
Julius a Louise Cliff
Albert s Emily Scherer
Tina
Bertha
Olga M Hugh Lau
There doesn't seem to be much known about Carl's
immediate family.
•
•
•
•
TH? JOHN R,1HNi FAMILY
John Rahn coming to America in the late 1R7O'e purchased
160 acres of land in section 11 on the S. E. corner of Lexing-
ton and Lone Oak Road.
Having lost 5 children during the dipthteria epidemic the
Rahn's later raised two boys. Reinhold and Anguat F.
August married Louise Schwanz. They had three children
Edwin Rahn Rosemount
Willard Eagan
Lucille (Rahn) Wagenknecht Glendale Arizona
Reinhold married Emma Schwan , Louises& sister. They had
four children.
Helmuth Mendota Heights
Hildegard Eagan
Arnold W. St. Paul
Marvin Eagan
Marvin still lives on part of the old homestead on Lexington
and Lone Oak Road.
Helmuth Rahn
TIM WILLIAM RAHN FAMILY
William Rahn, his wife Anna Hoeppner and their three children
came to 2agan in 1S74. They farmed land and made it their home-
stead on property that is now owned by Blue Cross -Blue Shield Inc.
This property is in section 17.
William died in 1916 and Anna in 1931.
Their son Williammarrled Annflonppher:. : and they reared
eight children.
1. August. Married Augusta.... gimpy arpn
p ,..-t.✓,... N a r .
Schwainw �
2. Bertha " Frank Sell Family History on an-
other page.
3. Anna Single
4. Minnie Married Frank Berfelz
Children:
Lillian " Otto Burrow
'Edna " Jack Jacobson
Minnie
Louise " Kenneth Treise
Clarence • !leannr
Willard " Gertrude Fritche
Alfred " Avis Johnson
5. Carl Rahn " Margaret Holz
Their children were:
Walter
Adela
!dith
Margaret
Was Agnes (nee Holz) Pnlzin's aunt
Agnese' father's sister
Reinhold Dittman
•
€A. M
•
•
•
•
E1Qer Married Lydia Becker
Jake Becker's daughter
.,--;Arvid 1i Bernice Frank
6. Fred Louise Becker
Sister to Jake Backer
Their children:
Gilbert
Arthur
Loretta
Elsie
Fred
7. Louise
Their children:
Elsie
Hugo
Otto
Hertha
g. Otto Rahn
Their Children
Alfred
a
If
It
a
a
to
a
a
a
711a Dehrer
Clara Englert
Herbert Englert
Henry Genz
Henrietha Boche
Otto Holz
Agnes (nee Holz) Folzints Uncle
Herbert Heuer
Florence E'nglert
Ella Trapp
Harold Schwanz
Minnie Lau
Hilda Rahn No relation
Arthur Rahn
TR^ HTINRICH ORMMIN FAMILY
Heinrich and Elizabeth Ohmann came to the Unit.d States from
Germany in 1g60. With them were their daughter Anna, and their
four eons. John, Henry, Herman and Gerhardt F. W. "Williams who
was only three years old.
The Ohmann'o traveled by boat from Hanover, Germany to New
Orleans, and •after their arrival in the United States, made their
way to New Ulm, Minnesota by river boat and ox cart.
During the two years they lived in New Ulm, the Ohmann's fan-
ny befriended the Sioux Indians by giving them bread when they
needed it. Because of this friendship, Indian squaws warned the
Ohmanna of the coming uprising in 1862. That night after throw-
ing their belongings in the cellar, they headed for New Ulm Prop-
er. They arrived before day -break and found the town nearly des-
troyed.
Because of the unrest between the Indiano and the settlers
the Ohmannws moved to Inver Grove.
Gerhardt F. W. ',William" grew up in Inver Grove. On July
17, 1g90, William married Dorothea Greiger, from Inver Grove they
moved to Eagan and bought a farm from his brother Herman.
William had a barn, machine shed, granary and other farm
buildings built using stone found on the farm for the building
foundations. Horoan had built the actual farm house. In this
house Williams sons, were born "third generation" William, Herman
and George. Three other eons didi not survive beyond infancy.
•
•
•
The George Ohmann
George Jr. Eagan Mn.
Tmilie "nee Ohmann" Burow Mendota Mn.
Florflnce "nee Ohmann" O'Brien Farmington n.
LaVerna "nee. Ohmann" Lehmann Eagan Mn.
Marcella Hnee Ohmann" Schindeldecker Apple Valley
Viola „nee Ohmann" LeMay ne Lakeland, Mn.
Darlene HH
Oivaann Lehmann Roaemount,Mn.
The Herman Ohmann and Marie "nee Linkertl Ohmann Family.
Herman Jr. Northfield
Reinhardt Bloomington
Christine "nee Ohmann" Karlaon Baldwin, Wisc.
Ludwig Farmington, Mn
Marie "nee Ohmann" Thoelke Deep Haven, Mn
Martin Randolph, Mn
rdwin Apple Valley n
|»
.
Jsr 2.150
Garhardt 7. W. ohm= and Dorothea Mary Grieger on their
Wedding Day.
•
•
•
ti
Harman Bnrn March 27, 1093 George born 194
William Ohmann Sr's sons Herman standing and George.
William Sr. died in 1909 at the age of 52 leaving his widow and
throe teenage sons. After his death, Herman and George began
threshing grain in !organ, Lebanon and Rosemount Townships.
William's widow lived on the farm until her ddath in 1953.
Courtesy Tdwin Ohmann
L. To R. The Herman Ohmann children.
Herman, Reinhardt, Christine, Lundwig and Marie.
The two girls on the left are Ruth Carlson and
her sister Barbara. They are the children of
Arnold and his wife Anna (nee Linkert) Carlson.
Herman married Marie Linkert in a double ring
ceremony in 193R, with Arne and Anna.
•
•
•
Martin and rdwin 1953. _dwin is holding the baby chick.
Sheol) on the Ohnann farm. On the Patrne left 1s a
genuine black sheep.
Herman inherited the homestead. Four of his seven children
were born in the same house he was. His children are: Herman,
Reinhardt, Christine, Ludwig, Marie, Martin and rdwin.
George Ohmann inherited the farm on Pilot Knob Road. Hie
son George Jr. plowed snow in Fagan township with a caterpillar
tractor which still runs. George Jr. isa mechanic and owns his
own garage. With the help of his family, he ran an Antique Steam
engine show from 1969 to 19SO.
William Jr. inherited 240 acres around Holland Lake, but sold
the farm and moved to North Dakota. He paced away in 197K.
This ie about a 1925 Aultman- Taylor gasoline tractor used for
threshing. George is on the machine.
•
•
Threshing from grain shocks, Hugo Goers farm section
16, in 1935. Gasoline,
Extreme left is
New Ford Truck
a Model
Herman's Daughter Hari.
Job boss.
tractor is used for power.
A Ford. Next to it is a
Hermann Ohmann
I Wonder
i
u:
. -�� — • - - ....:: - , ---
.err fir * Ysi'• yY si
.
George Ohmann Snow Plow, a 1935 International TD 40
This machine
ran on endless steel trucks, called belts.
This3one of the early-pieceu of snow equipment of this
design to be used in the area, for plowing snow.
Many people called this machine a caterpillar
But this one only operated like one.
t^actor.
Thrashing on the George Linkert farm in Rosemount in 1935
Ray Wilson in the fore -ground without shirt.
Threshing on the George Ohmann farm on Pilot Knob Road
in 194K. Horses were still used to a great extent.
This threshing separator iB quite a large machine and
can take bundles from both sides of the machine. Bundles
are picked up from shocks in the field. Straw stacks some
ticee remained In the barnyard several years. It usually
depended upon hoe much of the straw was used for bedding
the livestock in the barn.
•
•
•
THE HBtAN HAWFRMANN' S OF RAGAN
Herman Hawermann was born in Germany November 12. 1R65. Re
came to america in 14v6 at the age of 21.
For a number of years Herman worked in the South St. Paul
packing plants. He also worked on farms in the Dakotas.
On duly 25th 1R99 he bought F0 acres of land from Michael
and Hose Corcoran in section 24.
Anna Maria Greiger was born in Germany November ig, 1R72
and came to America in 1RR9 at the age of 17. She worked for
the wealthy on Summit Avenue in St. Paul.
Anna did the family laundry by hand on a rash board
starting at 4:00 A. M. at 5:30 she would atop washing and
get breakfast for the family, then she went back to the laundry
to finish her work. Her pay was room and board and $3.00 per
month.
In 1901 Hermann Hawermann married Anna Maria Greiger, they
had four children, three daughters and one son.
Herman bought a steam engine and threshing machine in 1912
and did threshing in !agan, Inver Grove and Rosemount until 1926.
Herman retired in the late 1930'e and passed away June 12, 1949
at the age of 64.
Anna Maria passed away November 2, 1973 at the age of 100
years, 11 months and 15 days.
•
•
•
•
•
•
OLD TIMERS OF PAGAN
One Frenchman who was important in the early days was
Alfred Auge who lived in Mendota but was Eagan's mail car-
rier for many years.
Louis DeuLauriers was a pioneer milk hauler in the area.
All his life he played an important part in the life of
yagan.
He began hauling milk about the time the Twin City Milk Assn.
was organized ae a co-operative marketing co-op. The members
were limited to farmers living within 4o miles of St. Paul
and Minneapolis. In the winter he had to break a trail on
the roads as there vas no snowplowing. If the weather was
very severe. the farmers in the far end would load up and come
to meet him. In the minter if there vas a snow atorm, he would
break a trail then people who ranted to go out would wait until
Louie had gone past. Many times farmers would catch a ride to
town and return with him. He picked up the milk from most every
farm on Pilot Knof and the other side roads for the length of
Eagan.
Mike Kennedy was a mailman out of Mendota for many, many
years. He had a buggy in the summer and a cutter In the winter
until the roads were improved enough to graduate to a trusty
Model "T". There never was such a thing as the weather being
too bad for him not to make his route. He was within minutes
of the same time most every day. If a farmer walked a mile to mail
a letter, he wanted to take the day's mall back with him. Mike
and his horse had lunch every day at his brother in law'a Tom
Connelly who lived about one half mile south of the city hall.
Lawrence Oster also traveled the roods of Eagan every day
for many years delivering the St. Paul Pioneer Prebe and Dis-
patch. He covered many townships from Mendota to Savage and
Prior Lake twice every day. He would wear out a car every six
months. He and his wife and their 14 children lived on Pilot
Snob close to Hi hview Ave. all their lives.
Pat Mooney farmed 160 acres on the northeast corner of Co.
Rd. 30 and Pilot Snob. He was on the Fagan town -board for a long
time and chairman for many years.
There are now two churches on his farm, St. John Newman,
Catholic and Beautiful Savior. Lutheran.
William Taylor farmed on County Road 30, one half mile West
of Pilot Knob. He had formerly been a school teacher and was
justice of peace for many years. He drew up deeds for land that
was sold in Eagan and hand wrote them in caligraphy.
Bill Ohman was an early large scale farmer who farmed about
700 acres on both sides of what is now cliff road. He was one of
the first to have large steam and gasoline tractors. He always
hired anyone
who name walking through looking for work. He would
take a load of farm produce every day to the St. Paul market
to sell Bummer and winter. Grain, hnge, cattle. hay, wood, and
straw. To get to the city market from Eagan, he would have to
leave at 4:00 A. M. to get home the Dame day. The help at home
would have another load ready for him to take in the next day. He
died of cancer as a young man.
•
•
•
•
The Eagan Threshing Bee is put on each September by Georg•
Ohman, Jr., a grandson who lives on part of one of the original
Ohman farms. George Ohman Sr. still lives on his farm and en—
joys tinkering with steam engines.
Fred Dahlke who lived. on Cliff Road built a barn for Bill
Ohman in 1905 (Fred was a carpenter). This bara stood until it
was torn down in 1979. It was a very large barn built at a to—
tal coot of $600.00 including $120 for Dahlke's carpenter work.
The lumber for the barn lone sent by train to Wescott from Rhine—
lander, Wisconsin. The laBt year that the barn stood, it was
inhabited by a deer which was tame enough to eat out of people's
hands.
County Road 30, was ofiened in 1902. Herman Reinke worked
several months filling a very deep ravine just west of what is
now Thomas Lake Road. There being a very deep ravine at that
point. For the next 20 years, Eagan appropriated $25.00 to $50.00
a year to improve the road so that it could accomodate horse drawn
vehicles with at leash small loads.
School District # 13 could hold about 20 pupils. It is in*
eresting to note that itwaa the site of the first discount
price war in Eagan. For many yearn firewood was priced at #3.00 a
cord. delivered to the school, however on year a farmer bid $2.99
a cord. and by lay had to be given the entire bid for the echoal
supply.
About 1916 'Eagan was invaded by the first minority grow.
By strange coincidence, Two Swedish famileie sad one Dane bought
l&:nd adjoining each other on Pilot Knob (then called Tri-State
Road becauee it vas a main telephone pole line road). The first
vas Frank Nelson who had been s railroad man with Great North-
ern for 35 years and then W. T. Carlson who purchased the south
half of Frank Nelson' a farm (his father in law). Then John Jen-
wen who had been a chef at the Minneapolis padisaon Hotel for
many yeara moved in. Next came Ludwig Nelson who had a Jewelry
store on Bloomington AvA. and Lake street which wa then the
aou'th end of Minneapolis.
The Germane and. the Irish laughed when these city people
moved on the farms because they paid they did not know which end
of the horse, to harness so they did not think they would makp it
farming.
Jesen was elected assessor for many, many years until he re-
signed and had Jensen Lake named a Federal Lake. It was then
named Jensen Lake and sometime later a mixup occurred and it was
called Thomas Lake. The name Jensen Lake was given to Lake George
which is one mile south o. Pilot Road.
C. K. Frickstrup purchased the John Jensen farm in the early
194+01 s The original Jensen home is still standing having been
extensively remodeled by :Trio !rickatrup who still reaides in it.
In 1960, C. K. Frickstrup proposed to build a 300 apartment co -on
erativn retirement manor on Jensen Lake.
in about 1922. John Jensen had stored 400 bushels of onions in
W. T. Carlsons basement because he had all storage full at home.
•
•
•
•
•
The best offer he could get for them was 10¢ a bushel delivered
To St. Paul including the Backe. Be told the buyer to go to H..
and hauled them out in the fields in the spring for fertilizer.
In WW 11 across the .road from where Eorthview School is now;
there was a several hundred acre training airport on the Ohman
and Trapp farme. The electric line from Lexington eaat one mile
had to be buried underground on account of low flying planes.
This was the first underground high voltage electric line for
Dakota Electric Co-op. The part of Eagan south of Lone Oak toad
had no electricity until 1937. Dakota Electric was organized
then mainly through the efforts of C. H. Gelder of Farmington who
was the first manager, Line man, meter reader and most everything
else. The cost of electric was prohibitive until the co-op was
organized. The system was built at a coat of approximately $1.000
per mile by Langford Electric of Minneapolis. Poles were all dug
in by hand. Before that the only electric in Eagan was either
Delco light plants or wind powered generators.
By Arnold A. Carlson
CHARLES RUEGER
Charles Rueger, who died recently, was another of the prominent
farmers in the Highway 13 Cedar avenue area. He moved from Bloomington
to property now occupied by Cedar Grove homes, being a general farmer
and dairyman. He moved to Beau d' Rue drive and later built a new
home in the 1950's nearby. His daughter Doris and her husband, Lawrence
Christian, also live nearby. Mrs. Rueger was a member of the Haeg family
of Bloomington. Mr. Rueger was one of several area farmers who formerly
trucked malt from St. Paul breweries as cattle feed. They had an
organization and gave dances annually. He had a fine garden and was
known for his garden produce. Much of his farm is presently developed
commercially.
Elizabeth Kenneally
•
•
•
•
•
•
L. D. HAUSE
Another prominent farmer in Eagan was LD. Hause, who owned
900 acres of land in Eagan. He was a native of New York State, his
property including the Black Dog village, according to history books.
His son, Ludwig D., also engaged in farming the home place until
his death in about 1936. J.A. (Pete) Adelmann bought the farm about
1945 and it presently contains the Seneca plant of the metropolitan
waste control commission, and an industrialized area near highway 13.
None of the Hause family lives in Eagan Today.
Elizabeth Kenneally
i-•
TIi9 PETF2 OST?R SE. FAMILY
Peter Oster Sr. and Father Anatole Oster were first cousins.
They were both born in Alsace -Lorain a region in the Northeastern
part of France, on the French, German border. Meet of the inhab-
itants belonged to the Roman Catholic Church. For hundreds of
years the residents have been born either French or German, both
languages were spoken.
The name Oster was given as a German name, although many nay
that their parentage ie just as much
Aleace-Lorain is a country that
of times before 300 A. D.
When Peter Oster Sr. came to America in the 1S50'e he first
settled in Sheboygan Wisconsin.
Peter Oster Jr. vas born about 1F60, moving to Farmington
Minnesota he became a farmer. Here he married Hannah Friel and
they had eight children: William, Lawrence, Dibrell. Irene, Pose
James, Maynard and Daniel.
Peter Oster Jr. and Hannah Friel Oster are both buried in the
cemetery in Farmington, Mn.
Here we enter the Edmond Auge family.
Edmond Auge, eon of Dosite Auge Jr. married Mary Lo_ulaeiRedding
They had three daughters: Louise, Justine and Celia.
Louise married John Furey, Celia married William Oster and
J aitine married Williams' brother Lawrence.
Lawrence Deter was barn April 20, 1R97 in Farmington.
Justine Auge was born July 16, 1R99 en Doeite Aug. Jr's
homestead property in Eagan. in section (4) four.
French.
dates back from the earliest
•
•
Lawrence and Justine Oster raised fourteen Children.
Lawrence was a part time farmer most of his years but in 1929
he embark on an occupation that was to earn his lively hood
for the next (32) thirty two ) years. This was delivering
the St. Paul Dispatch and Pioneer Press for a considerable
area in Daknta County.
The following io an article written by Oliver Towne,
011y" Wednesday May 31. 1961. Upen Lawrence Oster retire—
ment from the route.
SBF4'i'R BID�LIS
In the 32 years that Lawrence Oster carried the news to
the doorsteps and roadside boxes from Hest St. Paul across the
sinding hills west to Prior Lake. he never made any himself.
The other day he retired and became one of the most unus—
ual of the many legends history will tell about those who have
delivered the Dispatch and Pioneer Press.
Where statistics are drab, his are vital. Since that day
in 1929 when he loaded hie first bundle of St. P aul newspapers
into the back of the family car, Larry has driven more than a
million miles. averaging 165 a day, and used up 57 Chevrolets --
almost tie a year,
His paper route net only earned him a livilihsod, it also
paid for the rearing of 14 children. all but three of whom have
grown up and married. providing Larry with 32 grandchildren as
of this date.
But what brought letters by the dozens piling up in his
own mail box last week from satisfied but saddened customers
was something which in the Marine Corps, they call "Semper Fidelis"
ever faithful. No Marine was over more faithful to the corps than
Larry Oster was to his job. He never missed getting the Dispatch
and Pioneer Press to his subscribers seven days a week.
Anytime the avow was more than two inches deep in the drive-
way, Larry put on his chains. When even the chaines wouldn't pull
the car through a storm, he harnessed a horse and sometimes a trac-
tor. Some springs subscribers along the river road under the Mendota
bridges were isolated by flood waters. Larry tied their pavers into
waterproof bundles, then dropped them over the Mendota bridge to
waiting boats below.
This faithfulness was part of growing up in the Oster home.
The children all learned to take their turns on the route when Larry
was ill or needed a lift with the papers on days the bundles were
extra weighty.
"Het many fathers have a job :that. can teach their Children
the value of promotness and traffic safety like mine," said Larry.
" In all that million miles, I've had only three accidents and those
were minor."
Like an old fire horse, Larry still wakes up out of habit at
3 A. M. when he used to start on his morning deliveries. And at
1:30 P. M. he gets a little jumpy because that's when he'd go down
to the crossroads and pick up his Dispatch bundles. Instead he
goes out and rune the tractor up and down the five acres behind his
new home at 2N65 Pilot Snob Road.
"I always looked at it this way", he said. "I took a lot of
little acorns each day and they made it into a mighty oak.
Courtesy of
Leonard and Alice Garrity
OLLY
Lawrence and Justine were married September 29, 1920.
The fourteen children of Lawrence and Justine Oster.
Mary Ruth
Wilford
George Lloyd
Eileen
Luella
Paul
Lawrence
Justine
Bdwin
Rita
Martin
Marvin
Anita
Monica
Married
N
N
a
N
N
N
N
Lloyd Zephirin
Mari Anne Becker
Betty Smith
1 Fournier
2 Luthsinger
Arthur Smith
Rheta Perron
Lillian Jorgenson
Lester Thill
Marlon Frieling
Single
Died in infancy
Janet B jorkland
Robert Thill
Thomas Connelly
Lawrence and Justine celebrated their golden wedding
anniversary September 29, 1970.
There ar 50 grand -children and 32 great -grand children.
Lawrence passed away on July 11 1979, Justine November 11,
19to. Both are buried in St. Peters Cemetery at Mendota, MA.
Ref: Mary Zephirin
Wi11inn Outer
•
Francis J. D•mb ro ski
THE HENRY POLZIN FAMILY
Henry Polzin came to the United States in about 1872 and
settled in the West St. Paul area of Dakota County, where he
was a farmer.
He married Minna Volk and they had three children. They
were the parents of Gustav Polzin (9-15-1876) to (10-13-1937).
Gustav* purchased a homestead in section 2 in Eagan township on
February 4, 1903.
Gustav married Berth Trapp (6-24-1875 3-18-1949 on
April 4, 1903, and they had three children.
Herbert H. (5-27-1906 - 6-12-1981) Esther M. Mrs. Hel-
muth Rahn (6-1-1909 and Florence M (6-9-1914). Thee children
attended school in District #11 on the Northwest corner of Lex-
inton and Lone Oak Road.
. Their Materal grandparents were Ludwig Trapp and Fredericka
(nee Gerber) Trapp. Their maternal Aunts and uncles were Minna
(Mrs. Fred G. Heuer), Amanda (Mrs Frank Beulke), Anna (Mrs. Mich-
ael Englert) and William, Fred, August, Charles and Louie Trapp.
Their Paternal uncle and aunt were Henrylolzin and Bertha
(Mre August Pommerening).
Gustav ?olzin served three terms as a township supervisor
for Eagan, from 1929 until his death in 1937.
Herbert H. Polzin was born and rfhred on the family home-
stead on Bite Gentian Road in Section 2. He married Agnes Holz
daughter of William and Anna Holz, on February 15. 1941, and they
had one son. Herbert William who married Carol Kubicek daughter
of Dr. and Mrs. William Hubicek on June 1. 1968.
Today it is Dr. Herbert William Polzin.
•
•
Herbert Wm. and Carol have•two children, Mathew and Lindsay
Marie.
Herbert H vas farmer all of his life, but he also served as
a relief man on a rural mail route from 1929 to 1972. He Agnes
and family lived on the old homestead until 1974 when they built
a new home at 1015 Blue Gentian Road. on acreage of the original
Polzin farm.
Herbert served in some official capacity in Eagan since he
vas 21 years old when he acted as an election judge. He also
served as moderator at many annual town meetings. He was town
treasurer from 1944 until he was elected the first mayor of the
village of Eagan in 1972. He also served the next two cone —
cutive terms for the newly created City of Eagan from 1974 to
January 197g.
Herbert was also instrumental in organizing the Eagan Town
ship Advisory Planning Commission and was member of this commis—
sion from 1956 until he was elected mayor. He served as chair—
man of the APC from 1968 to 1972.
He was named 'Man of the year for 1977 by the Dakota County
Development Association at their annual chrietmae luncheon. This
honor was bestowed on Herbert for his 50 years of public serried
in Eagan.
Herbert° nickname was Ntiny' because of his size, but many
people called him ■ Mr. Sagtia" because if there was scything you
wanted to know about Eagan, Past, present or future he had the answer.
He passed away on June 12. 1981 and is interned, :in Acacia Cemetery,
Mendota Heights. Mn.
Ref: Agnes (Holz) Polzin By Alice Bolke
TH7 FRANK S°:LL SR. FAMILY
Frank Sell Sr. married Bertha nee Rahn. and raised
ten children. Two died in infancy.
In the early 1F701s Frank sell purdhased 100 acres
of land in the south—east corner of section ten. This
was his home until he sold the farm to his eon Fred.
Frank Sell Sr. had been a supervisor for the town—
ship of eagan from the early nineteen hundreds until 1925.
His children were:
1. Henry Sell Married Clara Wegenknecht
Children
?dwin Sell
'Edna
2. Anna Sell
Children
Dorothea
Agnes
Ann
3. Charles Sell
Children
Stanley
!lien
4. William Sell
Children
s: ote.r
Florence
William
s
It
s
s
x
n
e
Dorothy:. Kirchner
Donald Lesher
William Holz
Albert Kirchner
Herbert H. Polzin
Kenneth Jacobson
Elsie Trapp
Lucille Boesel
Jay Thompson
Alma Franzmeier
Cordon Kirchner
?arl ^uther
Lois R'ieger
•
•
5. Adele, Sell Married John Franzmeier
Children
Hilda " Elmer Beulke
Tthel " Arthur Volkert
Rev. Wilber " DoloreCSchmtdt
6, Walter Sell " Lydia Goetzke
Children
Leone " Ted Wachter
Richard " Marjorie Laatch 7. Fred Sell " Frna Dittman
Children
Harry Marion Dickhnudt
Dolores 7':11 Roberts
Troy Norma Waldow
E. Louise Sell " Charles pahr
Children
Laverne " Leroy Smith
Charles
Richard " Janet Falk
Harold " Marjorie Falk
9. Ervin Sall to Louise Trapp
Bernice " Elroy Beulke
Marvin " Sylvia Molkenbur
Tvelyn Archie Glaser
Eugene " Janet Cordes
Sandra " Duane Herme
Virginia " Harold Rohne
10. Frank Sell Married Lora Sacho
Their children:
Larry a Carol Pfenning
11. Berth Died in infancy
12. Agnes Died in infancy
Frank: Frederick. William son of John Sell and his wife
Sophia, was born November 4, 1765, at Cnestlin in Prussia,
Germany.
H. died at the age of 79years 4 months and 29 days, on
Tuesday April 3, 1945. He was survived by his wife and ten
children. two died in infancy.
His wife Mrs. Frank (Bertha nee Rahn) was born February
14, 1769 in Germany. She died on March 30, 1947 in the River-
view Hospital
Ref:
Agnes (nee Holz) Polzin
Francis J. Dembroski
•
•
THE CHARI.iS PARRS' SILfl ANNIVERSARY
Front Row
Erwin Sell Married Louiee Trapp
Anna Sell N William Holz
Louise Sell N Charles Pahr
Adela Sell John Franzmeier
Frank Sell Lora Sachs
Back Row
Henry Sell N Clara Wagenknecht
Charles Sell N Elsie Trapp
William sell N Alma Franzm.ier
Walter S.11 N Lydia Goetske
Fred S.11 N Erna Dittman
•
Courtesy Alma "Nee Franzmeier Sell
Arthur Rahn
This picture was taken in September 1917 on the Frank Sell Sr.
Homestead on Yankee Doodle Road.
In the picture from L. To R. Alma "Nee Franzmeier" Sell, William,
Frank,Irwin, and Fred the person hiding behind Frank is unknown.
The boys were all Williams brothers. Alma hadn't really met
these youngsters up too this time because she and William were
married in June of that same year.
There was several acres of onions grown here.
Francis J. Dembroski
•
•
•
BERTHA SELL GERBER
Court.ey: Agn-e ?olzin
BERTHA (RAHB) SELL
BRANS SELL SR.
FRED SILL
Fred Sell fifth son of Frank Sell Sr. and Bertha "nee Rahn"
Sell still lives on the old farm homestead purchased in 1RR7 on
Yankee Doodle Road.
I had a delightful visit with Fred, at R2, he is a color —
full gentleman. Sadly though he told me that he lost hic wife
in 1976, ehe was the former Erna Dittman.
All the Frank Sell children were born here. Fred resides
in the family home built in 1fSRR. It has seven rooms three rooms
upstairs and four rooms down with an attached porch.
The barn was built by Mr. Ward from Rosemount in 1906.
Fred told about the eating arrangements around the big
round oak table. the Beating arrangement wan set to control an:t
help the youhger children. There was the mother, and tow boys,
an older brother and two boys, the father and two children and
so on around the table. Imagine the food it took and most of
them still growing.
Frank Sell Sr. was an Eagan Township supervisor from 1g99
to 1924, a period of twenty five years.
A Ctitt S.
In 1512 William Holz father of "Nee Holz" Polzin painted
the barn on the Sell farm. On the West end of the barn was a
bump on the ground making it very irregular for setting up a
ladder. The ladder was 401 long, so William could reach the
peak at the roof, which is about 459 from the ground. To shore
the ladder to give it proper balance because of the ground vari—
ation, William took some 2 JCR planks to do this and this made
•
•
•
•
the ladder sturdy and would assist in preventing accidents.
William climbed to the top of the ladder to paint the peak,
while others left to do their chorea. But what William
soon found out was that there was an old BOW that ran loose
at times, and it discovered the planks and the ladder. It
proved just the thing for rubbing and scratching. William
realized the ladder was wiggling and look down to see the
intruder, he became so petrified he could harly scream.
Help Boon came.
Fred. still plays the accordian. he use to play for
.for dances in 'Eagan, sometimes they would wake him up to
play, he always like to play for partioe because he usually
got $3.00 and was allowed to eat the party food.
Freda' father bought the accordian for $20.00 and over
the years it became almost competely deteriorated between
the bellows. It became unusable so Fred put it away in a
closet upstairs. years later, Fred was looking for his old
accordian but was unable to find it. Hp asked his mother if
she knew what had happened to nit ehe said she did, but made
him promise not to say anything to hin brother because he had
sent it away for repairs.
Well Fred was all excited. his accordian was being repaired
and he would be able to play it again, he would play the old
tunes. Take me out to the ball game, The old spinning Wheel,
lazy bones, turkey in the straw and etc.
Hp finally got the accordian. but the big surprise was
that the repair bill was $75.00.
Francis J. Dembroeki
THr SELL HOME BUILT IN 1888
The foundation and cellarwalls
for the house were built with
rocks picked from the fields
and split by Frank Se11's fath-
er Ferdinand Sell
THE SELL BARN BUILT IN 1906
Fred S.11 and his accordian
July 2. 19R2
•
•
•
OCTOBER 6, 1g9g
Albert Stiff
1g69— 1951
Anna " Hawse" Stiff
1g76 — 1953
Albert Stiff son of George and Anna Harper Stiff married
Anna Hause daughter of lodowic and Alice Hause, at Eagan in
1g9g.
Albert and Annie's farm was in theN. H. Quarter of section
g Eagan, between Highway 13 and the railroad tracks consisting
of about 90 acres.
Albert and Annie had seven boys; .
Leslie Albert
Orlin Raymond
Quentin Erroll
Howard. All living July 21, 19g2
rrl it e
THE GORGE STIFF FAMILY
George Stiff was born in Gloucester, England September 6,
1837. He came to America in 1g55 and moved to Minnesota in
1957. On July 15, 1g60 he married Anna M Harper at Eagan,
Minnesota.
The marriage ceremony was officiated by her father William
Harper a justice of the peace for Eagan township.
George was a Civil War veteran having served with Company
"C" 2nd Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, in the battle far Atlanta,
The march to the sea, and the cempaign of the Carolinas.
In 1g72 George purchased 260 acres of land in section 25,
Eagan, from Ira Bidwell for $1,000.00 dollars. He farmed and
operated a mill sometime between lgg6 and 1g96. Another 100
acres of land was purchased from H. Fairchilds.
George
and Anna "Harper" Stiffs children were:
William born 1861 M Elizabeth Hoffman 1g91
M Ellen Clark 1g96
Mary F. " 1g63 M 1. Loomis
2. Boo'khause
Edward L. " 1g66 M Mary H. Harrison
Albert " 1g69 M Anna Hause Oct. 6, 1g95
Robert " 1R72 M Ella Castilla
George Jr. " 1g75 M Ida Bahr Brock
John Henry " iR7g M Alrika Bahr Parents of Hartland
Stiff and his 5 brothers
and 6 sisters.
Charles
18g3
In 1g9R, in ill health George retired and moved to West
St. Paul where he died in 1910.
His wife Anna was fluent in the Sioux Indian language.
Ref: Patrice Payson
White Bear Lake
•
•
The Stiff children attended the old brick school in
District $ 12 that was built in 1903. The old wooden
structure was torn down and the brick building was built
on the same location. The land had been donated by
Lodowic Hause. The new school was dedicated in 1903.
Albert Stiffs farm actually surrounded the school
preperty on three sides.
Albert was a tax assessor for more than 16 years, and
a member of the farm bureau. He and his sons did threshing,
silo filling, corn shredding and feed grinding for them
selves and their neighbors.
They raised five acres of onions for years, topping
them by hand was a slow job, so Orlin made a tractor powered
topper that topped 100 pounds of onions a minute.
Lodowic Hause and his eons were considered wealthy, and
at one time owned approximately one thousand acres of land in
Eagan.
Lodowic and „lice Hause had (16) sixteen children,
Hof: Patricia Payson
White Bear Lake
Francis J. Dembroski
THE WILLIAM HARPER FAMILY
William Harper was born in England ca. UO2. His rife
Charlotte was born in England ca. 1R1R. Their children were:
Hannah M "Anna" Harper born in Yorkshire, England
February 16, 1A43. She married George Stiff July 15,
1R60 in Eagan and died in St. Paul June. 19, 1931.
Jabez Harper was born in New York in 1853.
Jeanette Harper was born in Minnesota in 1R56.
So the Harpers came to Minnesota between 1853 and 1R56.
Sidney Harper was born in Minnesota in 1R62.
Fred Harper was born in Minnesota in 164.
Sidney Harper was married to Susan M. and their children
we re:
Roy Harper B. 18A4 Married
Raymond B. 18R6
Herbert 2 1RRA
Milton B 1A93
Leslie B 1195
William Harper settle in Eagan in 1R56, in section 21 on the
South end of Black Hawk Lake, this property was in the N. E.
quarter and adjoining Michael Downing property in the 9. W.
quarter of section 16. Ha owned 132.20 acres and the Harpers
69.20 acres.
William Harper recored the census in 1R57 and 1R60.
H= was also Justice of the peace for Eagan in 1860 and Offi-
ciated at the marriage of his daughter Anna to George Stiff.
William Harper's property was later sold to His son
Jabez a Harold a Harper.
•
•
•
•
•
William Harper died on Christman Day 187R. His wife
Charlotte passed
away in laa5. Died in Eagan
Henry Harper owned land nn the West side of Highway
13, about 3/4 of a mile South of Annapolis street.
Fred Harper had land in section 30 Rosemount.
Michael Downing was a school teacher who taught Anna
Harper. He was also elected town clerk for Eagan Township in
1861 and held that position for 31 years.
The Harpers were remembered as being 51 6" tall or near
that and on the husky side, and spoke with a pronounced Eng—
lish accent.
Fred Harper wore a long black fur coat in the winter. He
was a huge man, and his nephew Will Stiff,
n
would ask" what
did they have to shoot to make that coat for you?.
Rof: Patrica Payson
Whi t° Boar Lake
Francis J. Dembroski
GEORG!" STIFF
BORN SFPT. 6 1g37 — 1910
Courtesy Patricia Payson
ANNA °HARPER° STIFF
1s43 — 1931
• •
ST P?TIR'S CATHOLIC CHURCH
M?;NDOTA, MINNPSOTA
Courtney St. Peter's 1R53
archives. Peg Coonan
In 1935 The United Statue Department of Interior, de—
clared the St. Peter's church worthy of pres.rvation.
St. Peter's stone church is listed in the national
archiv.a
•
in Vaehington, D. C as a national monument.
ST PETER"S CHATHOLIC CHURCH
MENDOTA
The fiftieth anniversay of the builiding of the St. Peter Church
at Mendota was celebrated Tuesday September 29, 1903. Replete with
historic memories, it recalls the days when Mendota was the metropolis
of the northwest, and St. Paul the suburb.
Old settlers, some of them among the builders of the historic old
church, were present at the ceremonies. Their faces beaming with pride
at the achievements commemorated.
It was a great day for Mendota. The members and friends of the
congregation gathered from miles around. The picturesque old village
was enlivened by the crowds which thronged about the old church.
Several of the former Pastors of the church were there. A dozen
neighboring Priests assisted Monsignor Oster, the Pastor in the cele-
bration of the event which has a unique significance to the Catholics' of
Minnesota and particularly of the region which was once included in
the Parish of St. Peters'.
Monsignor Ravoux, who built the church in 1853, was not able to
be present. However; his work as a pioneer received full and grateful
recongnition.
THE CELEBRATION
The ceremonies commenced at 10:00 O'Clock with a processional
from the parsonage to the church, headed by acolytes with candles. Rev.
Thomas F. Duane of Anoka, a former pastor of St. Peters preached the
sermon. It was an eloquent tribute to the heroic missionary priests
to whom the church and community are indebted for the church. He
pictured the sacrifice of Monsignor Ravoux, leaving his home in France
at the appeal of Bishop Loras, to come to a wilderness full of perils,
hardships and lonliness. Comparing his career with that of LaFayette,
of whom he was a neighbor, the preacher found the missionary the nobler
in his daring and his fidelity. Rev. Duane went through the list of
pastors of the old church, eulogizing each.
Rev. Lucian Galtier founded the church organization about 1840.
After him came Rev. Augustine Ravoux, who replaced the old plank
church which stood at the bottom of the hill, with the present solid
•
•
•
•
•
stone structure. He was succeeded by Rev. Anatole Oster in 1857
who was pastor until 1859 and now after forty five years has returned to
his old charge with the added dignity of Monsignor. The old record
book of the church was started by him at the age of 22, and now at the
age of 69 he is still using it. Entering now the baptisms of the
grand -children of those he baptized before.
THE EARLY PASTORS
Following Rev. Oster in 1859, was Rev. Robert, who served the church
until 1866 and was still living in France. The fifth pastor was Rev.
Claude Genis, who was present at the celebration, singing the Mass and
preaching to his old flock in French in the afternoon.
Rev. P. G. Glennon was pastor from 1868 to 1877, Rev. A. Payette,
from 1877 to 1878. Rev. C.A. Carufel to 1881, Rev. W.P. Murray for a
brief period, his grave being in Mendota where he died; Rev. C.L. Egan
until 1883, Rev. Louis Cornelius to 1886, Rev. T.F. Duane until 1891,
Rev. John Gemeiner until 1894, Rev. Martin Mahoney, pastor until 1902
was also present. Finally Monsignor Anatole Oster, who was the reverend
pastor at St. Peters in 1903.
After the sermon, solemn High Mass was celebrated. The simple and
statelt Gregorian Music was largely used by Monsignor Oster in this
of which Rev. Genis was the celebrant, Rev. P. O'Connor the
master of ceremonies, Rev. John Kennedy the deacon and Rev. John O'Brien
the subdeacon.
The processinal after the Mass was very impressive. A Dozen
priests surrounded Monsignor Oster, who was resplendent in rich vestments
and purple cassock. The clergmen participating were Rev. E. Monge of
Faribault, Rev. P. R. Heffron of St. Paul, Rev. H. Bonnefous of Rice
Lake, Rev. P. O'Connor of Inver Grove, Rev. H. McDevitt of Rosemount,
Rev. A. Bluit of Shakopee, Rev. T. F. Duane of Anoka, Rev. Claude Genis
and Rev. Martin Mahoney.
After the morning exercises, dinner was served on the lawn between
the church and the parsonage. Among the old settlers present, were
Au e
Dosite7Sr's five sons. Dositc Jr. Treffle, George, James and Joseph.
There is also a daughter Camille. This family came to Mendota from
Lotbiniers, Quebec Province, Canada in 1852.
service,
C
J
Telesphore Lemay from the same region, arrived in Mendota in 1852.
He worked as a stone masons's helper on the old stone church, and was
later to become the Great Grand -father of Richard LeMay and his sister
Lucille, Mrs. George Amell both present parishioners of St. Peter's
Parish Mendota. 1981.
While the celebration was indeed a personal tribute to Msgr. Oster,
in a larger sense it honored all the pioneer priests who had spent their
lives in service to God's people. Among them were men like Father Joseph
Goiffon, Msgr 0ster's Associate from 1905 to 1908.
In 1860, in returning from St. Paul to Pembina where he was stationed
he was caught in a blizzard. This storm began November 3rd and continued
unabated thru November 8th. Snow, howling winds and extreme cold caused
one of the greatest individual tragedies in American history. During the
storm the horse became paralized with the cold and to save himself, it
has
been said, that Father Goiffon killed his horse and cut the horse's
stomach open, cleaning the cavity and crawling inside to get protection
from the storm and surviving on frozen horse meat until hunters found him
frozen so stiff that he could not stand or walk.
After he had been taken to shelter for medical assistance, he lost
his left leg below the knee and the foot and ankle on his right leg.
After this crucial ordeal, one of the first person's Father Goiffon
recognized was Joseph Lemany, he was apparently with the immigration
service. He is no doubt the Joseph Lemay who married Camille Auge.
Francis J. Dembroski
Ref:
St. Paul Pioneer Press Sept. 29, 1903
Fr. Weller Keeper of the Keys to the
Archives of the St. Paul Seminary
St. Pual, Minn.
•
-•.[ �' s.r;,:.s
- •
y
L Y {vim � ' i�.T.�t .,.4 z. ! a.
•
.- ,r_ =y YLy; i fy` cS. Tie. f' ,y !N,8y
This picture taken about 1904, presenting some of the contributors to
the fund for the stained glass windows for St. Peter's
dota. Courtesy Hugh and Patrick Fee
From Left to right
1. Patrick and Mary (O'Donnell) Fee
2. Adolph and (Mary Ann Huard) Perron
3. Hugh and (Mary Walsh) Burns
4. Michael and (Z.ary Burns )Callahtut
5. Father Anatole Oster Paster
6. M1cha.1 and (.11phnnsino Augo) i:•zutedy
7.
Thomas and (Cann•viovo Aug.) Lab.y
R. Joseph and( Louise St Martin) Labey
9. !sdra and (rugenia Aur, ) Bernier
10. Janos and Margaret Corrigan Slater
Back Row: Clara Burns, Rallis Burns Corrigan
Miss Rowan, and Mrs. Nike Berry
church in Men-
TO TIIE CENTENNIAL
Monsignor Oster remained at St. Peter's until 1907, Father
Joseph Goiffon had been his assistant since 1905 and would remain
as an assistant to Father Francis A. Serpaggi.
All of the priests who served St. Peter's were involved in religious
education of both adults and young people in the parish.
It was characteristic of Pioneer priests, that they wished to
have a "Sister School" in their parish. The Mendota priests were
no exception. Father Claude Genis, who came to St. Peter's in
1866 was instrumental in bringing the sisters of St. Joseph of
Carondolet to Mendota.
The school called the Convent of the Immaculate Conception,
was located at the Henry Sibley House. After the civil war the
structure was sold to the Diocese. Having no use for the Sibley
furniture and furnishings they were sold to various interested parties
in 1873.
Having completed the new house on the Michael Shields farm,
much of the furniture and furnishings were purchased by the Shield
family for their new home.
Classes began in the Sibley douse in 1869. The Sibley parlor
served as the main school room and double doors led to another room
which had been Mr. Sibley's office. A parlor where music lessons were
given was arranged in the entrance hall. A Chapel and dormitory were
located upstairs.
When the school opened in January of 1869 there were three
sisters present. Mother Pauline LeMay, Sister Ignatius Loyola Cox
and Sister Columbia Auge. The Sisters remained in Mendota until June
1879, when they left because of declining enrollment and financial
difficulties.
But a new institution took its place; the Catholic Directory of
1880 lists under its heading of charitable institutions an industrial
school for girls, staffed by the Sisters of Mercy. This school seems
to have ended in 1883.
The parish changed considerably during the years between 1903
and 1953. Monsignor Anatole Oster remained in St. Peter's until
1907 and his assistant Father Joseph Goiffon from 1905 to 1908.
•
•
Father Patrick J. O'Connor from 1908 to 1913.
Father Martin Mahoney from 1913 to 1931. During this period a
great change was taking place in the life-styles of the residents in
Mendota and Eagan. More buggies were being used for transportation.
The platform buggies were usually pulled by two horses the single horse
buggy was used by small families. In some parts of the country, they were
known as a buckboard.
About 1916 the automobile made its debut, and by the mid - I920's
cars had almost become an necessity. The old hitching post by the
side of the church was becoming a thing of the past.
On November 12, 1930 at 2:00 A,M. Father Martin Mahoney wakend
the village by ringing the church bell and called them to put out a
fire that was threatening the church. A bucket brigade carrying water
from the rectory well doused the flames.
In 1935 the U.S. Department of Interior, declared St. Peter's
church worthy of preservation.
In 1936 St. Peter's parish hall was built by Father William J.
Harrington.
In 1940 a celebration was held for the parish centennial.
In 1946 St. Peter's became the center for Cana Retreats. The
Cana and Pre Cana days were sponsored by the Archidiosean committee
on family life. Monsignor Richard T. Doherty of the St. Paul Sem-
inary conducted the retreats aimed at deepening a christian appre-
ciation for the sanctity of marriage and family life.
St. Peter's remained the retreat center until 1958 or 1959
after which they were held at the various deaneries of the Archdioceses.
Over 12,000 couples participated in the 375 retreats that were held at
St. Peter's.
In 1949 Father Ernest H. Muellerleile became pastor of St. Peter's.
In the 1950's church schools held a high priority in most
parishes and St. Peter's was no exception. Father Muellerleile provided
the impetus for the construction, staffing and financing of the proposed
school. On November 25, 1956 the laying of the cornerstone occured.
Its contents included the restored Holy Week Book, Program of
liturgical week, and pictures of Pius XII, Archbishop Murray and
Archbishop Brady, common coins, stamps, Catholic and secular newspapers,
a brief history of the parish current financial report, names of families,
•
•
R':V. ERNEST H. W LL_RL?II.T
FATHER MUELIZ.RLEILI'S LAST BUILDING
PROJECT COMPLP;T?'D 19g0
ST YLIZABYTH ANN SEATON CHURCH
AND ST PAUL MINI CENTER
IN ANCHORAGE. ALASKA
•
•
19213
Rev. Martin Mahoney served St. Peter's parish in Mendota
on two pastoral occasions. In 1R94 he b=came the 15th pastor
of the parish and held that office until 1902, succeeded by
Rev. Anatole Oster.
In 1913 he came to St. Peter's as their20th pastor, holding
that pastorate until his death in 1931.
He is buried in St. Peter's camotery in Mendota.
donors and members of the building committee, and brief history of the
Precious Blood Sisters, a scroll of the summer school 1956 and
Photographs of children.
The stone for the school exterior was obtained from the Shiely
Quarry in Mendota, and many parishioners helped load the stone on
trucks with their bare hands. This sedimentary rock known as Ordovician
Limestone is in the area of 400 Million years old.
The cost of the school was $400,000.00 four hundred thousand dollars.
The structure was formally dedicated in the summer of 1957 to the
memory and ideals of Father Thomas Edward Shields. The dedication
began on the Feast of St. Peter, Saturday June 29 and lasted until
July 1, the Feast of the Precious Blood, Uniting the parish and the
Sisters in a very special way.
On September 3, 1957 the new school opened under the direction of
three sisters and the enrollem ent of 112 pupils. By the Mid 1960's over
300 students were enrolled in the school.
Father Muellerleile was unable to continue his involvement with
St. Peter's and the new school. In 1957 he was transferred to St.
Catherines' in Redwood Falls, Minnesota and was replaced by Father
Harvey F. Eagan.
A convent was built in 1960 and the sisters continued to live in it
until 1973.
Ironically, St. Peters School was fated to undergo the same
problems of the school located in the Sibley House, approximately a
century earlier. Rising cost of education, shortage of religious
personnel, following their decline after Vatican 11, caused rethinking
of parish priorities and deficit spending, forced the parish administration
to close the school. This was no easy decision to reach, because
parishioners, with children in school voiced their opinions, that if the
school was to close, many of them would accept heavier tuition by
attending the school of St. Joseph's in West St. Paul. This they
did, many of them were some of the ableest contributors at St. Peters'
and many have remained in St. Joseph's their new home. Father James A.
Remes the Pastor, accepted this wandering flock as if they were his own,
and the transferees were completely overjoyed by his decision and
friendship.
•
•
•
•
•
•
In 1974 the pastor and church council at St. Peter's decided to
renovate the school making it adaptable to the liturgical needs for
the parishioners of the parish. The development and construction
began in June of 1974.
Upon completion the new church has a seating capacity for 600
people, a small chapel for reservation of the Blessed Sacrament,
confessionals with the option of screened or open confession, a
baptistry and a mother's room. The area is completely carpeted air
conditioned and furnished with modern pews.
In September of 1978, St. Peter's of Mendota celebrated their
125th year of the building of the stone church.
The church had been completely renovated inside, the stain glass
windows were releaded, it had also undergone extensive roof repair,
along with one contributor spending many thousands upon thousands of
dollars on the rehanging of the bell, new copper and cornices on the
steeple and the resetting of the cross that stands majesticly in the
wind.
This old structure as it stands today takes you back to the
pioneer days of 130 years ago.
St. Peter's stone church is listed in the national archives in
Washington D.C. as a national shrine. This dedicated building over
the years has with -stood the vicissitudes of time.
May people from all walks of life, enjoy its beauty for an -
other 130 years.
Ref:
Fr. Ernest H. Muellerleile
Fr. John T. Bauer
Francis J. Dembroski
A considerable amount of information was usf'd from 'iA HISTDRY OF
ST. PL'.T;'R' S CHURCH. 14 NDOT.1, MIN1T SOTAU BY FR. JOHN T. BAUM
PRIESTS OF ST. PETER"S
1. Bishop Jean Mathias Loras - 1839
2. Father Lucien Galtier 1840 - 1844
3. Father Augustin Ravoux 1844 - 1857
4. Father Anatole Oster (1) 1857 - 1859
5. Father J. Claude Robert 1859 - 1866
6. Father Claude Genis 1866 - 1868
7. Father Patrick F. Glennon 1868 - 1877
8. Father Joseph Anthime Payette 1877 - 1878
9. Father C. Arthur Sicard De Carufel 1878 - 1881
10. Father William P. Murray - 1881
11. Father Constantine L. Egan 0.P. 1881 - 1883
12. Father Louis Cornelis 1883 - 1886
13. Father Thomas F. Duane 1886 - 1891
14. Father John Gmeiner 1891 - 1894
15. Father Martin Mahoney (1) 1894 - 1902
16. Monsignor Anatole Oster (11) 1902 - 1907
17. Father Joseph Goiffon 1905 1908
18. Father Francis A. Serpaggi 1907 - 1908
19. Father Patrick J. O'Connor 1908 - 1913
20.. Father Martin Mahoney (11) Died 1931 Buried 1913 - 1931
SPC
21. Father Stephen J. Cassidy
22. Father Thomas P. Ryan
23. Father William J. Harrington
24. Father Ernest H. Mucllerleile
25. Father Harvey Egan
26. Father John Flaherty
27. Father James B. Namce
28. Father John T. Bauer
29. Father Raymond Marshall
30. Father Michael Arms
1918 - 1929
- 1931
1931 - 1956
1949 - 1957
1957 - 1965
1965 0 1969
1969 0 1970
1970 - 1975
1975 - 1977
1977 -
•
•
•
•
•
•
IMPORTANT DATES IN ST. P T?R'S HISTORY
1839 June 26 to July 9 visitation of ete by Bishop Loras of Dubuge.
1840 April 26 Father Galtier appointed first pastor of St. Peter's.
1840 May 3 First baptism Marguerite Marie Pepin.
1840 Oct 10 First burial Olivier Emile Feribot (Faribanit).
1841 Jan 19 First marriage between Charles Perray and Emilie Brouie.
1841 Nov. 1 Father Galtier dedicates log chapel at mission of St. Paul.
1842 Oct 2 dedication of log church of St. Peter by Father Galtier.
1845 & 18}47 Father Ravoux visits the western limits of the pariah on
the Missouri River.
1848_1849 "Think Well On Ito: series of lectures given by Father
Ravoux in reply to Dr. Williamson.
1852 1853 Father Ravoux and parishioners build our present atone
church. Known pioneer assisting in its construction was
Tellssphore Lemay".
1855 St. Peter's church property title cleared by President of the
United States, Franklin Pierce.
1g56 Church debt paid. Cost of building the church 0,425.50.
1858 Ca. Father Oster installs present altar in St. Peter's Church.
1858 July 18 Timothy Corbett, future Bishop of Crookston, baptized
by Father Goiffon a temporary assistant to Father Oster.
1862 Sibley House and lands sold to St. Peter's Parish.
1863 184 Indiana from Fort Snelling baptized.
1867 to 1878 St. Joseph's Sisters School and Convent of the Immaculate
Conception opened by Father Claude Genia. In the Sibley House.
1869 Old log church dismantled to make way for laying of the railroad.
1874 Sept 13 organization of Temperance Society by Father Glennon.
1877 Father Payette adds side galleries inside church.
1S79 to 1883 the Sisters of Mercy come under Father Carafells pas-
torate to conduct an Industrial School for Girls, the Academy
of our Lady of Sorrows.
1881 Rectory built by Father William P. Murray.
1887 Father Duane remodels church: new sacristy extension, altar
built up, new belfry and steeple added, side galleries removed,
new stations erected.
1891 March 15 First Mass of Father Thomas Edward Shields, pioneer
of modern parochial education.
1902 Father Mahoney removes center aisle from church, puts in new
slanting floor, pews, and choir loft. Furnace installed.
1904 Monsignor Oster installs new windows about the time of the
Aug. 20 cyclone. Also builds a horse barn.
1906 Dec. 16 Celebration of Monsignor Oster's Golden Jubilee.
1909 sea.H Father O'Connor has new hitching poste erected, new
wallas and new steps laid leading to the village. Also ob-
tained new stations, aide altars and statues, and decorated
the interior of the church.
1910 Sibley and Faribault houses and lands presented by the parish
to the D. A. R. for restoration.
1930 Nov. 12 Father Mahoney saves thn church records from n 2 A. M.
fire.
1935 St. Peter's Church declared a n Historical monument by the U.
S. Department of Interior.
1936 St. Peter's Parish Hall built by Father Harrington.
•
•
•
•
i
•
1940 Sept Celebration of the Parish Centennial.
1946 Sept. 22 First Diocesan Cana Retreat held at St. Peter's.
1951 July 20 Steeple destroyed in windstorm.
1953 1954 new furnace installed and new steeple and bell tower
erected. dedicated March 28 by Archbishop John Gregory
Murray.
1955 Jan 26 Golden Plate Dinner opens new school drive«
1956 May 10 Ground breaking for the new St. Peter's School by
Reverend Mother M. Gorgia, C. P. P. S. Mother General of the
Most Precious Blood.
1956 Nov. 25 Blessing of the Corner Stone by Right Reverend Mon—
signor James M. Reardon, P. A..
1957 New School opens under the direction of three sisters and an
enrollment of 112 pupils.
1960 Building of the new Convent. Cost S134.000.00
196g St. Peter's institutes the Parish Council.
1972 St. Peter's closes its school after 14 years.
1974 Renovation and construction for a new house of '.*Worship with—
in the new school building. for a seating capacity of 600.
197E Dedication of new steeple and interior renovation of the church.
LONE OAK TRINITY LUPH3RAN CHURCH
MAY 1902
•
•
•
Courtesy of iplps (Holz) Polzin
Ev. Luth. Dreieinigkeits Schule. Trinity 'Tv. Lutheran School
1923
1st Row: L to R. Richard Braun, Siegbert Becker, Robert Darsow, Alwin
Schwanz, Willard BerfPlz, arwin Groth, Clarence Schwanz, "Tdwin '!nglert,
Elmer Darsow, Herman Doehling Jr, Leonard Pieper.
2nd Row: Rev. C. F. Walther, Agnes Holz Polzin, Esteher Braun Plan,
7 11a Goetzke Englert, Alice Braun Schwanz, Wiola Braun O'Connor,
Frieda Dittmann Hagan, Anna We enknecht Wachter, rileanora Wagenknecht
Bertha Doehli g Kath, Felicia Walther, Lora Pieper Wagenkncht, Hilde—
gard Rahn, . Prof. Arthur H. Schulz.
jrd Row: Louise BerfPlz Tr?isP, Florence Sachs Cliff, Olga Doehling—
Danner, Myrtle Pieper Darsow, Ages Dittr ann Carbone, Otilia Pieper
Groth, !dna Franzmeier Warnke, Hilda Goetzke Huseby, Hertha Hawemann
McCarthy, Anna Hawemann Miller, Dorothea Holz Kirchner, Theodora Walther
Henke, Louise Englert Waldow.
4th Row: 7dmund Schwanz, Robert Braun, Clarence Rnrf.lz, Clarence
Gershwill, Alfred Goers, ?rneot Greuning, Louis Englert, Herman
Greuaing Jr., Otto Schwanz.
5th Row: Williard Rahn, William Wunder, Harald Schwanz, Wallace
Braun, Irwin Becker, Franke Sell Jr. Helmuth Rahn, Kurt Renker,
Lambert L'nglert,
•
•
•
•
Lutheran church services in Eagan were first held in the home of
John Rahn in 1880. They were conducted by the REv. E. H. Volgert, Pastor
of the Emmanuel church of Inver Grove. During that year services were
held either in private homes or in a public school house in Mendota, just
north of the Eagan line. Plans were soon made to establish a local church,
and in February 1881 Trinity Lutheran Church was organized, with 21
charter families.
The founding fathers: Herman Raddatz, J. Klabunde, August Blossey,
M. Englert, August Goetzke, August Nachtigall, E. Reckenberg, John
Rahn, Ludwig Trapp, F. Sass, F. J. and C. Wagenknecht, Wm. Holz, Herman
Genz, John Bremer, F. Bartz, J. Wolk, Julius Schwanz, Carl and William
Rahn.
These early church services conducted by the REv. J. N. Volkert
from 01d Emmanuel
Parishioners were
There was no
people meeting in
of Inver Grove, were vastly different from these.
accustomed to in 1980.
church building, no bell, no organ; but there
the farm home of John Rahn, and in the public
were
The
school
located by the John Wagneknecht farm. By January 15, 1881, the urge to
expand became a reality with a resolution to purchase two acres of land
from A. Nachtigall as a site for their first church. Mr. Nachtigalls
gift to the new congregation was the donation of one acre of the two
acre site. Never has any church expansion been easy, during the 1880's
times were financially difficult, but the membership of Trinity in those
days had faith and vision.
They felt their new congregation would flourish and flourish it
did to a present communicant membership of 550, with baptized souls
distributed among 253 families.
Just a brief six months after the congregation's meeting, the
corner stone of the infant church was laid. The first building
committee (Ludwig Trapp, J. Waganknecht, John Rahn had moved rapidly to
make the congregation's vision become a reality. This historic event
drew many to give thanks for this large first -step leading to a build-
ing where growing numbers of Christians would be able to gather for
worship, prayer, and adminstration of the sacraments; a place where the
honor and glory of God dwells. This first house of worship which
was to be built on the present cemetery site was a simple frame
structure 26 x 16; costing about $1,470 — not a large sum by today's
standards; however, a large amount in 1881. one of the first
challenges faced by this small group of 21 voting members and 70 souls
had been met.
In January of 1882, this temple of the Lord was dedicated to the
service of the Triune God, and served the members for 20 years as their
sanctuary. But tragedy struck! In September of 1901, this building,
constructed by August Wille, was truck by lightening: and was so
severely damaged that it was deemed unwise to attempt to repair it. The
bucket brigade had failed in their effort to save this house of the Lord.
Little time was lost before more land was purchased for a site for
an enlarged church which was to be 36 X 54 X 18 with an added chancel.
This is the church we see in 1981 sitting high on a knoll, visible for
miles around, beckoning many to worship the Lord. Even though the period
from 1890 — 1905 over a conflict as to which synod to join, these
problems were eventually resolved and the work of the Lord still forged
ahead.
Less than year had passed from the destruction of the first church
to the laying of the cornerstone for the second church which was laid in
May of 1902. Building this church was not an easy job. Besides laboring
on their farms without modern equipment we have today, milking cows by
hand, and many tasks needing to be done by lantern light, members
found time to haul rocks for the foundations in their farm wagons. It
was not an easy endeavor, but by working together, sweating together, the
deed was done.
Originally, all services were conducted in German. But, starting
about 1918 divine services were conducted in English in the evening;
and then in the afternoons. In 1925 it was decided that one service per
month would be conducted in English. In 1929 the German service was
alternated with the English. As fewer and fewer people and pastors
became fluent in German, these services gradually faded away.
The bell we hear in each service was purchased and installed in
1905 as the result of a special youth project. For many years the
tolling of this bell was used as a form of communication. Some today
0
•
•
remember the slow tolling of the bell to inform the surrounding area of
a death in the congregation. In 1955 chimes were added. The pipe organ
installed in the summer of 1914 at a cost of $1850 has beautified
services for 66 years as the congregation sung praises to Him and given
thanks for the many blessings. Although we all dislike seeing an old
friend pass away which has so faithfully served us these past years,
it has been replaced by a $30,000 new pipe organ. Also, serving us
faithfully, as organist, was Mr. Herman Danner. He agreed to help out
when we were in need of an organist in 1961 and stayed on untill 1977.
The inside of the church has been renovated with repainting, recarpeting,
and the moving of the communion rails to the main landing. The warmth of
the sunlight filtering through the stained glass windows reminds one of
the peace found in Christ.
EDUCATION - PAST TO PRESENT
Just as the faithful founding fathers were concerned with enrich-
ing and spreading the word to all nations, the lambs so dear to the heart
of Christ - the children - were not forgotten. For Christ said, "suffer
the little children to come unto me and forbid them not for of such is
the Kingdom of God". Mark 10:14.
About 96 years ago, in the fall of 1883, a room was set aside
under the balcony at the rear of the church. All members were required
to pay 75c per month for school maintenance; of which Mr. Pommerening,
the first teacher, received $10.00 per month plus board. Unlike today ..
with our nine month school year, children then only attended school
Novermber 1 to May 1. A six months school year. The remainder of the
time their help was needed on the farms.
Just as the church grew, so also did the number of children
attending the Christian Day School. Many prayers and dreams became
realities when, in just seven years, the first separate school was
errected on a 3 acre site pruchased from Mr. Nachtigall in 1887 for
$200 per acre. Part of this site, which was across Hwy 49 and north of
the present Lone Oak Road, was also the location for the first parsonage.
Three years later, a new addition for the lower grades measuring 16
X 24 X 12 was added to the former frame structure of 18 X 34 X12.
In 1908, the building was enlarged and changed soemwhat. For many
years the enrollment grew to a peak of 86. Various lay people were
hired to assist: however, by 1940 the enrollment took a sharp drop to
a low of only 27 of 83 possible school age children attending the school.
Periods of time through history seem to have peaks and valleys,
again a period
1954. Two and
of steady growth began with another expansion needed in
one half acres were pruchased from Mr. Groth near the
present church site. The former shool was sold, and on July 25, 1954,
the cornerstone was laid for a second school which was dedicated on
November 14, 1954.
Again this school with its three classrooms and gym was out-
grown. Another dream, another fulfillment, another school became
reality. In 1971 a modern brick structure was built down the knoll
east of the church consisting of five classrooms and a finished area
for Sunday School and the Youth Group. Realizing the importance of
early Christian learning and training, not only do we have grades 1 -
8, but also kindergarten and nursery school with an enrollment of 110
in 1980.
Always bearing inmind the command to reach out, to spread the
Word the congregation was farsighted. Education grew in other ways
besides the actual school room instruction. In 1940 release time
religious instruction was begun. The classes were held in members'
homes. Through the strong leadership of Pastor Paul, an old frame
school building was prchased in 1951 and placed on a two acre site on
the Harold Motz farm just north of the Village of Rosemount near the
site of the present Rosemount
High School. For some
as a central point of release - time instruction not
but also for Old Emanuel, Christ and St. John's Rich
it was sold with the $10,000 realized being put into
Extension Fund.
Adequate space for Sunday school had been continuing problem
until construction of our present school. Many members worked faith-
fully to finish off the basement providing a permanent learning environment
for worship and classes. Todays students number 90 with Philip and Romona
Broman serving as Sunday School Superintendents. Faithful teachers
since the early I950's are Mr. d Mrs, Walt Dammer, Donald Holz and the
late Richard Seger.
n
years this served
only for Trinity
Valley. In 1970
the Church
The Youth Group too saw a challenge and a need. They raised funds
and finished off one large room to be used for worship and sharing of
fellowship with fellow confirmands For many years Rolly Johnson donated
his time to lead this group during which the young people enjoyed
contact with other youth groups throughout the Twin City area. Each
summer many participated in a "roughing it" youth retreat in addition to
the many softball, volleyball games and other activities during the
years.
In 1979 Rolly was honored for all his time, love, example, and
service to the young people with a festive celebration completely planned
and conducted by those he had so faithfully led. In our present society
the need is great for the youth not only to worship together but also
to play together in a Christian atmosphere.
PARSONAGES AND TEACHERAGE
Another challenge — another step. The needs for a place to worship
had been met in 1882. A God centered education had begun in 1883. Yet
to be accomplished was to supply these growing lambs of God with a
shepard to lead them. By 1890 the growing congregation felt that they
could support and provide for a residnet pastor. But before issuing the
call to C. Robert Kaiser, the congregation made a decision to build a
parsonage. Shortly before the arrival of the new pastor, the frame
structure was completed on the site which had been purchased from Mr.
Nachtigall in 1887 which was adjacent to the first school. In an effort
to keep the parsonage warmer, it was brick veneered in 1894. For 59
years many sad and joyous events took place in this home as four pastors
raised their families and counseled the troubled and needy. Additional
land was purchased in 1926 on which a teacherage was built, and then in
1949 a new parsonage was built adjacent to it. During the years following
the construction of the teacherage and new parsonage, Eagan had been
growing rapidly. With the growth and improved roads came a tremendous
increase in vehicular traffice both on the east and the north. No
longer was there a quiet, peaceful setting. In 1954 the first school
and parsonage were sold; and in 1979 the teacherage was sold and in
1980 the second parsonage was sold.
Would our 21 founding fathers ever have dreamed that 100 years
later the rural farm area picked for the site of their church would be
so transformed? Could they have forseen that Trinity sitting high on
the top of the knoll would be the only light of tranquillity standing
serene and quiet oblivious to the sounds and rush of "progress"?
Almost like another buttress against "progress" stands the Old
Lone Oak tree. Not just any tree, but one important to the history of
the area and our church. This stately oak quietly standing about
300 feet north of the Highway 55 - 149 intersection, not only divides
four lanes of busy traffic, but was also the central location for dropp-
ing off milk cans and posting of notices affecting the community.
Although it still stands today after being saved in the lenick of time"
by Pastor Krenzke and the school children from its first assault by
the Highway Department, natural causes may signal its sad demise - and
old friend so well known to all, the reason why our church is called
Trinity Lone Oak Lutheran.
The ceremony giving Heritage Tree Status to the Lone Oak Tree was
on April 30, 1976. The Lone Oak Tree is the second tree in the State
of Minnesota to be so named by the State Horticulture Society.
•
•
•
PAS T O R S
The Rev. J.N. Volkert served and guided the congregation for a
year and a half. Then Pastor F. Wendt was called to serve Trinity
and Emanuel. He was installed Sunday February 19, 1882. He worked
faithfully building the congregation to numbers fornineyears. Then
the first resident Pastor, Rev. C. Robert Kaiser was called from
Kansas, and installed on April 15, 1891. He served Trinity until
February 1895, at which time he accepted a call to Cologne, Mn. A child
of the Kaiser family lies buried in our cemetery. Trinity was growing;
its membership continued to increase.
The second resident pastor was Rev. C.F. Walther, installed on
May 19, 1895. Pastor Walther served Trinity congregation over 41 years.
He addressed himself with great zeal to the task of building Trinity.
He was the grandson of Pastor Otto H. Walther of the Saxon emigration;
also related to one of the great founders of the Missouri Synod, The
Dr. C. F. W. Walther of St. Louis, Mo. Besides his pastoral work, he
also served the Minnesota District as member of the Mission Board, and
played an active part in the missionary expansion program of the north-
west and Canada.
Pastor Walther became ill in 1936, and departed this life March 18;
1937. He is buried in Trinity cemetery.
The next pastor to serve the congregation was Rev. P. J. Seltz,
installed April 4, 1937. He came from Bemidji, Mn. While he was
pastor, the present double services were begun, the present envelope
system introduced, the parsonage and teacherage modernized. Under his
guidance both the missionary and educational tasks of the church were
stressed.
Pastor Seltz was called to Good Thunder, Mn. in 1943.
Pastor Seltz was succeeded by Rev. V.A. Ostermann, installed
September 26, 1943. He had previously ministered to the congregation
at Carver, Mn. for 13 years. In 1949, after serving 6 years at Trinity,
he accepted a call to Sauk Rapids, Mn. Presently Pastor Ostermann is
retired, living in St. Cloud, Mn. Like the former pastors, he was very
interested in Christian education, it was during his pastorate that the
Sunday School was begun. The work on the new parsonage begun and a
second teacher was employed in the parish school.
Following Pastor Ostermann, Rev. Berthold 0. Streufert of Lester
Prairie came to Trinity and was installed August 14, 1949. But in July
1950, he was asked by Minnesota's Governor Youngdahl to accept the
appointment of Chaplain of the Farbault State Hospital. After much
consideration, he felt called to the ministry.
Rev. Herman Paul from Janesville accepted the call and was in—
stalled as pastor on December 3, 1950. He stressed the missionary and
educational work of the church.
Under Pastor Paul's guidance release time classes and a Vacation
Bible School program were begun. In 1954 a new frame school was
erected next to the church and was dedicated November 14, 1954. It
had 3 class rooms, a small office and a basement gym with kitchen
facilities. In August 1963 Chaplaincy program;. which he is retired, at
present he is living in a nursing home at Fairmont, Mn.
Succeeding Pastor Paul, Pastor Franklin Wesselius was installed
on September 29, 1963, coming from Forbes, North Dakota.
During his
stay the congregation built the present school, with four classrooms,
kindergarten room, nursery room, youth room and Sunday School rooms in
the basement.
The old school building was then turned into church offices,
meeting room, and church library. In January of 1972 our present
secretary, Lois Sell, was hired. Previous to that volunteer work was
done. 0n July 9, 1972 Pastor Wesselius left to serve a dual parish
in Lolo and 'gstevensville, Montana.
0n January 28, 1973 we installed Rev. Richard L. Krenzke as
our Pastor. Pastor Krenzke came to Trinity Lone Oak after serving
as Director of Lutheran Child and Family Services in Belleville,
Illinois. While Pastor Krenzke served at Trinity we hired Rev. Glen
Baumann as an assistant pastor, while he was teaching at Concordia
Academy. When he left that position to serve full time at his own
parish, Dr. Willard Kehrberg was hired as an assistant to Pastor on a
part time basis on August 1, 1974. In September 11, 1977 he was
installed as Associate Pastor. Dr. Kehrberg served twenty years in the
parish ministry, eight years teaching psyschology at Concordia College
in St. Paul and for a number of years has been employed by the Veterans
Adminstration as a clinical psychologist in the Psychiatry Department
at the Medical Center.
•
•
•
•
Pastor Krenzke accepted a call to St. Martins Lutheran Church in
Winona, Mn. His farewell sermon was on June 11, 1978.
Pastor Reuben F. Meissner became pastor of Trinity Lone Oak
Novermber 19, 1978. He graduated from Concordia Seminary in 1953.
Since then he served parishes in Braham, Rush City, Appleton, Glencoe,
and South St. Paul, Mn.
SONS OF TRINITY LONE OAK
Seighert Becher was born in 1915. He is married to Helnn Bertram.
They have four sons and one daughter. He was ordained into the
ministry at Trinity Lone Oak in 1937. At the present time he is Professor
at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary at Mequon, Wisconsin.
Deane E. Detlefsen was born June 2, 1935 to Frank and Ruth
Detlefsen. He completed elementary grades at Trinity Lone Oak. He was
ordained into the ministry in 1960. His first parish was in
Saskatchewan Canada. All of his ministry has been spent in Canada.
His present parish is at Grace Lutheran, Locksley, Ontario. He
is married to the former Shirley Erickson and they have five daughters.
Daniel C. Hauschild, son of Mrs. Agatha Rauschild and the late
Ernest Hauschild, was ordained on July 22, 1973 at.Trinity Lone Oak.
He accepted a call to a Springfield, Nebraska church. He is now
serving as Pastor at Peace Lutheran at Arvada, Colorado. He is married
to Agneta Kaey and they have two sons, Christopher and Jason.
"And His gifts were that some should be apostles,
some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and
teachers, for the equipment of the saints, for the
work of the ministry, for building up the Body of
Christ until we all attain to the unity of the
faith and of the knowledge of the Sons of God, to
mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of
the fullness of Christ."
Ephesians 4:11-13
TEACHERS
Christian education was a prime necessity with the founding
fathers in rearing and training their children.
Trinity began her parish in her early history. Mr. Pommerening
taught until 1887. He was folowed by August Nachtigall, one of the
founders of the congregation. The first pastors taught school when-
ever possible.
Lady teachers were engaged. A permanent and resident teacher was
the ambition and aim of the membership. This ambition was realized in
1908.
The first teacher was called in April 1908. This call was dir-
ected to Mr. A. H. Schaus, a graduate of the teacher's college at
Addison, Illinois. He taught and supervised the educational work
until 1942. The school flourished, and before the depression years of
the 30's, reached an enrollment at times of over 80 pupils. This
servant of the Lord labored at Trinity for 34 years. His influence
was far reaching. He served as organist and choir director. The
Schaus family moved to California after leaving Trinity. Mr. Schaus
was called to his heavenly reward July 1, 1943.
Mr. Schaus was succeeded by Mr. E. M. Grimm from Long Prairie,
Mn. Mr. Grimm taught and supervised our school until the summer of
1954. During his 12 years at Trinity the enrollement again began to
increase. A second teacher was needed, and engaged. Mr. Grimm
accepted a call to Claremont, Mn. At present they are living in
Owatonna, Mn.
We extended a call to Lester A. Mattson, a graduate from Concordia
Teacher's College, River Forest, Illinois. He was installed August
22, 1954. He was at Trinity until June, 1956.
Mr. Robert Wolf came to Trinity in September 1956. He served as
principal at Trinity until August 1961 when he accepted a call to St.
Martin's Lutheran School at Winona, Mn.
We sent a call to Arnold Burron on Manitoba, Canada. He was
installed in September, 1961. In 1964 he left Trinity to finish his
study toward a doctorate degree. The Burron family now lives in
Greeley, Colorado.
•
•
•
•
•
•
Mr. Burton was succeeded by Otto Hatstaedt, from St. John's
Rich Valley in September, 1964. He left in December, 1966, accepting
the call to become minister of education in Kettering, Ohio.
Our present principal is Curt Stoltenow. He was a midterm graduate
of Concordia College, St. Paul. He taught the remaining months of the
year, and was installed on August 6, 1967.
The teaching staff of Trinity has expanded to six teachers -
4 teachers for the 8 grades, one for kindergarten and one nursery
teacher.
Other teachers who have taught at Trinity Lone Oak are; Rhoda
Boemhildt, Renata Schwandt (Rahn), Helen Nauman, Helen Timm, Virginia
Berkholz, Janet Mueller, Delbert Roth, Lorna Cloeter, Helen Klahn,
Eunice Kurth, Jeanne Aeschliman, Louise Wesselius, Jeanner Weber, Robert
Kaul, Shirley Blaker, Ann Blaido, William Spielman, Mary Oscarson,
Susan Schutte, Ruth Lassanske, Pamela Tatge, Steven Schutte, Marla
Kube, Nadine Brandt, Mark Stoltenow, Peter Gergmann, Dave Golnitz,
Lillian Barnes, Jean Lower, Maureen Bergmann, Bill Sauza, Sharon Marg,
Pat Von Hagel.
"So then, brethren stand firm and hold to the traditions
which were taught by us either by word of mouth or by letter."
2 Thessalonians 2:15
STATISTICS
During the past 100 years many sacred acts have been performed.
The complete baptismal, confirmation, marriage and death records
reflect the trends within Trinity during its growth, survival during
the great depression in the 30's, the bouts with diptheria around
the 1890's, and the deadly flu around 1917.
Beginning with one baptism in 1880, up to 1980, a grand total
of 1,704 have been baptized. Looking at a 20 year span of baptismal
records, they reveal the changes which have occurred in our society.
1880 -1900 343; 1901 - 1920 /417: 1921 - 1940 /280: 1941 - 1960/
383: 1961 - 1980/280.
Confirmation records began in 1898 with 11, and grew to a total
in 1980 of more than 1,128.
From 1883 - 1980 a total of 456 marriages have been performed.
From 1898 - 1980 a total of 438 funerals have been recorded.
In 1910 a daughter congregation was established about five miles
southwest of the present church at Nicliol's Station which became
independent in 1914. This congregation served also by Rev. Walther
until 1937 eventually became Christ Church in Nichols.
ORGANIZATIONS
From its early beginnings in 1880, the congregation realized that
move could be accomplished by everyone's working together for the glory
of Cod. Work grew out of their faith. However, just as now in the
I980's, evidently there were problems in achieving full participation
with everyone using his God given gifts to promote God's kingdom.
Faith can produce miracles and growth can occur, but man's ways are
not Cod's ways.
February of 1924 saw the beginning of the Walther League Young
People's Society. The first officers were Charles Pahr, Arnold Walther,
Fred Trapp, Robert Walther, and A. 11. Schaus as librarian. By 1960 the
Membership had grown to 55. Today we have approsimatcly 25 partici-
pating. The present officers arc Amy Rucger, Diane Rahn, Jeff Wachter.
•
•
During the 56 years of its existence, the young people's group has
enriched the growth and work of the church.in many ways by raising funds
to help in many worthwhile projects while growing in Christian know-
ledge and service.
The Ladies' Aid Society was organized in the 1930's. The first
officers in the original Ladies Aid were Mrs. Walther, Becker, 0. Holz,
Dittman. Later the Ladies Aid combined their meetings with the Men's
Club which was founded in 1936. Although there have been attempts to
revive the Men's Club, it is no longer in existence. Today the Guild
Leader is Ramona Broman, with treasurer Renata Rahn. The Guild
consists of three Circles: Mary -Martha Circle - They visit new members;
are in charge of Mission Bazaar and pot -luck dinner. Co -leaders are
LaDonna Sachs and Barbara Hanson.
Education Circle - They are in charge of the church library;
tract racks; serve annual recognition dinner for teachers. Co -leaders
are Margaret Alsip and Joan Wachter.
Dorcas Circle - Serve and annual Senior Citizen Communion Service
held twice a year; serve for funerals; and visit shut-ins. Co -leaders
are Adela Trapp and Dixie Cliff.
LW11 - Many ladies of the congregation are members of the Lutheran
Women's Missionary League which promotes mission projects throughout
the world. Glenda Holz is secretary for our Lyndale East Zone.
Delegates are Agatha Hauschild and Barbara Hanson.
Altar Guild - They are in charge of altar furnishings, make the
banners and baptismal napkins, etc. The leader is Gladys Dammer.
Uncertainty exists as to exactly when the first Parent -Teachers'
Organization was established, but because there has been such a concern
shown in past history for providing the opportunities for the young to
be instructed in God's Word, it is likely to have been in existence for
quite a number of years. Christ cautioned to raise up the children in
the knowledge and nurture of the Lord. The members of the PTO have not
just sent their children off to school, but have put forth much effort
to enhance the instructions of the school. Funds have been raised
•
for the support of many projects including purchases of buses, play-
ground equipment, projectors, and others to numerous to mention.
Besides supplying the sweat and funds for finishing off the basement of
the third school, they have lent support in anyway possible to assure
the continuance of the opportunity for a God -centered education from
the past to the present.
It is unknown when the first choir was organized, however, over
the years music has become a vital part of the worship service. today
we are served by a Senior Choir, (Virginia Flo, Director and Polly
Johnson, Organist,) Junior Choir and the Parochial students form Kinder-
garten through eighth grades in our worship services. Praising the
Lord in song gives invitation to these dedicated people in their
efforts to show their love to the Lord. They not only are active in
worship service but last year began and annual social fellowship day.
Trinity Lone Oak has three representatives in the Lutheran Laymens
League. Henry Genz, Nick Rueger and Herb Trapp. The primary function
of the LLL is the promotion of national radio and television ministries,
the most popular being the Lutheran Hour radio program heard weekly
throughout the world.
•
•
•
•
1 9 8 0 OFFICERS, BOARDS AND COMMITTEES
CHAIRMAN - Marvin Ratzlaff
SECRETARY - John Banttari
ELDERS -
Arne Buecksler
Haldor Goetzke
Don Holz
Ken Kube
Kent McDonough
Bill Sell
Chuck Wachter
Walt Wosje
Les Zinnel
SOCIAL MINISTRY - Lloyd Heuer
FINANCIAL SECRETARY - Roger Schaaf
TELLERS - Marvin Rahn
Wayne Rahn
Clyde Roe
Vernon Schaaf
YOUTH MINISTRY - Ray Sell
CEMETERY SEXTON - Roger Weierke
CENTENNIAL COMMITTE CHAIRMAN - Francis
Trost
VICE CHAIRMAN - Lester Siedschlag
TREASURER - Gordon Rahn
TRUSTEES -
Leonard Perron
Willard Berfelz
Lloyd Sachs
Stuart Weierke
STEWARDSHIP - Bill Anderson
Nick Rueger
Walt Stutve
Francis Trost
BOARD
OF EDUCATION
Russ Johnson
Chuck Anderson
Daryl Buecksler
Ken Greene
Dennis Grover
Paul Heuer
WORSHIP COMMITTEE
*Arne Buecksler
Gladys Dammer
Walt Dammer
Virginia Flo
Jane Greene
Polly Johnson
Renata Rahn
Marvin Rahn
CENTENNIAL SERVICES
September 7 - 8:00 & 10:30 A.M. Services
Theme: Christian Education
Speaker Dr. G. Hyatt, Concordia College President
September 14 8:30 & 10:30 A.M. Services
Theme Mission
Speaker: Rev. B. Lutz
September 20 7:00 P. M. Saturday Evening Service
Theme Confirmation Reunion
Speaker: Rev. Richard Krenzke
September 21 8:00 & 10:30 A. M. Services
Theme: Praise and Thanksgiving
Speakers: 8:00 A.M. District President Dr. 0.H. Cloeter
10:30 A.M. Rev. V.Z. Osterman
2:30 P.M. German Service
Speaker: Rev. B. Streufert
7:00 P.M. Informal Gathering
Speaker: Rev. Franklin Wesselius
September 28 8:00 & 10:30 A.M. Services
Theme: Reconsecration
Speaker: Rev. Reuben Meissner
From the Trinity Lone Oak Church Centennial Records and historical
writings from 1880.
With the assistance of Rollie Johnson, Parishioner.
By Francis J. Dembroski
•
•
•
CHURCHES SERVING EAGAN
1. Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church (Wis. Synod)
4150 Pilot Knob Road
Eagan
2. Bicentennial Community Church
No given address
Rosemount
3. Cedar Grove Baptist Church
County Road 30 & Rahn Road
Eagan
4. Christ Lutheran Church (Mo. Synod)
1930 County Road 30
Eagan
5. Christus Victor Lutheran Church (LCA)
750 Palomino Drive
Apple Valley
6. Easter Lutheran Church (LCA)
4200 Pilot Knob Road
Eagan
7. Episcopal Church of the Nativity
2400 W. Highland Drive
Burnsville
8. Faith Covenant Church of Burnsville
12921 Ncollet Avenue
Burnsville
9. First Baptist Church
14400 Diamond Path West
Rosemount
10. Heritage Lutheran Church (ELS)
13401 Johnny Cake Ridge Road
Apple Valley
11. Lutheran Church of Our Savior (Mo. Synod)
Highway 42 & Deamond Path
Rosemount
12. St. Joseph's Catholic Church
Butler & Seminole
W. St. Paul, Minn
13. Mary Mother of the Church (Catholic)
3333 Cliff Road
Burnsville
Addendum:
14. Mount Olivet Assembly of God
14232 Cedar Avenue South
Apple Valley
15. Mount Calvary Lutheran Church (ALC)
3930 Rahn Road
Eagan
16. Peace Reformed Church
4300 Nicols Road South
Eagan
17. Presbyterian Church of the Apostles
701 East 130th Street
Burnsville
18. River Hills United Methodist Church
11100 River Hills Drive
Burnsville
19. Rosemount United Methodist Church
14770 Canada Avenue West
Rosemount
20. Royal Redeemer Lutheran Church (ALC)
1960 Lexington Avenue South
Mendota Heights
21. St. John Neumann Catholic Church
4030 Pilot Knob Road
Eagan
22. St. Joseph's Catholic Church
14375 So. Robert Trail
Rosemount
23. St. Peter's Catholic Church
Highway 13 & Mendota Bridge
Mendota
24. Trinity "Lone Oak" Lutheran Church (Mo. Sunod)
Highways 49 & 55
Eagan
25. Prince of Peace Lutheran Church
13801 Fairview
Burnsville
By: Richard M. Bland
Eagan, Minn.
•
•
•
Courtasy (Stophans) Sachwitz
SCHOOL DIST. $ 106 YTAR 1915 OR SPRING 1916
First Row:
L. to R. Dan Fury, Walter Hawormann, Harman Holz, Tom Diffloy,
Leonard Garrity, Ray Brown.
Second Row: L. to R.
Agnes Phalan, Irene Furey, ?lsie Jahnka, Jim Diffloy, Jam s
Furey, William Diffloy.
Third Row: L. to R.
rdna Brown, r'thyl Obarg, Helena Sachs Teacher, Lillian Obarg,
Freda Obarg, Maurice Phalan.
•
-.3ti y. . g a r... ----,r
• .., � �, ya±F?jH '.. ii Y1 a!1al.... • .. y`-.^_• s CILC ttL
Courtesy
Patricia Payson
This was the first school house in School District #12 aagan.
Picture was taken March 1903, then torn down. New school was de-
dicated in 1903
This picture is inside the school. Annie Hause Stiff is the
0
1
•
third from the left.
CHRIST LUTHERAN SCHOOL
Courtesy Loretta Englert and Fred Basal
L. T. R. Richard Scherer, John Haus, Ted Goers, Henry Goers,
John Scherer, Herman Benke, Elmer Rahn, Caroline Haus, Art
Rahn, Loretta Rahn, Edith Rahn.
2nd Rows Gilbert Rahn, Fred Dahlke, Bill Dahlke, Fred Boesel,
Herman Heuer, Laura Happens'', wily Haus, Louise Boesel, Em-
ma Boesel Fred Gerhard, Margaret Rahn. Laura Dahlke, Carrie
Scherer, Rudy Uhl, Emil Goers, Marie Benke, Walter Rahn.
~ems
School District414 Year 1920
Courtesy Martin Des Lauriers
Teacher Margaret Quigley
let How: Alfred Johnston, James McCarthy, Tom Cunningham, Floyd
Sanick, Helen Naughton, Ellen McCarthy, Marie Mueller, Sara
Connolly.
2nd Row: George Johnston, Joseph Cunningham, Mary McCarthy,
Alice Johnston.
3rd Row: Louise Mueller, Lenard Kanick, Bert Mueller,
!Edward McCarthy, Mary O'Connor, Mary Connelly,
!dna Johnston.
The Teacher became Martin DesLauriers mother.
•
Courtnst , 411a Sachwitz and Jams Diffley
SCHOOL DIST 106 ca. 1914
let. row L. To R.
Maurice Phelan, Hugo Holz, James Diffley, Otto Holz, svelyn Trottman,
Agnes Phelan, Hu1da Kirchner, Irene Buret', Tthel Oberg.
2nd. Row L. To R.
Michael Phelan, ?mil Chapdelaine, Ada Mricicson, W111ian
Diffley. James Furey, Lillian Oberg, Lena Hawermann.
3rd. Row L. To R.
Mary Diffley, Freda Oberg,
Alma Kirchner.
The teacher ie believed to have been dues Sachs.
There are 21 children named above, 22 are in the picture. Walter
Hawermann, Tom Diffley, and DanielFurey were enrolled in the school.
Agnes Walter, Lydia Weinrice,
0
Courtesy: Elizabeth %ennealy
DISTRICT # 104 " OLD BLAC%DOG SCHOOL
This was a joint district which included a part of both
Eagan and Burnsville. It was commonly referred to as the "Old
Blackdog School", and the echoolhouae was located by the pre-
sent intersection of Beau Di Rue Drive and Gold Trail.
These local school districts generally provided instruction
for the first through the eighth grades. Aa late at 1910, there
were still only three high schools in Dakota County: at Hastings, ::m
South St. Paul, and Farmington. Actually, it was not uncommon
for school children from Eagan to travel into St. Paul to attend
high school during these early years. Mr. Art Shields attend-
ed cretin High School in st. Paul, before 1920.
By the 19501s, consolidation of the common schools was grad-
ually occurring as Independent School Districts were formed. In
Fagan, Districts 11 and 12 became part of the hest St. Paul Dis-
trict #197 in October 1949
0
Courtesy Helen Slater
District #104 Fagan. Nov. 1946
Teacher Mrs. Coral Meixner
First row R. to L.
Laura Priebe
Jerry Dittman
Gloria Rahn
Lorraine Slater
Robert Rahn
Jerry Slater
2nd Row jrd Row
Bill Savers Frances Adelman
(Albrecht)
Eileen Slater Tommie Slater
Grover Doebel Dorothy Slater
Billy Slater Lorna Rahn
Roy Bueger Howard Adelman
Eldorie Rahn Loren Dittman
4th Row
Teresa Slater
Herbert Adelman
Charles Lehman
Harold Adelman
I
Courtesy: Roger Slater
SCHOOL DIST # 104 ca. 1905
Front Row L to: William Bradshaw, Marie Bradshaw, Susan Scott,
Mary Wenzel, Paul Wenzel, Albert Wenzn1, Joe Kennea1y, Elizabeth,
Barry, Eddie Barry now (Rev. George Scott.
2nd..George Wenzel, Alice Hauae, Mayor, Slater, Ed Slater, Man Kenneally.
Third: Howard Pepin, Cliff Pnpthn, Mollie Scott, Jimmie Scott, Lodie
Hause, Jon Slater, Tom Slater, John Slater, Joseph Kenneally, Tom
Kenneally, Lucy Barry, Ann Barry, Della Pepin, Catherine Barry.
Fourth: ?lizabeth Hauae, Mary Barry, Olga Wenzel, Nellie Scott,
Elizabeth K-nneally, Bridget Scott, Mathilda O'Brian.
Teacher James Slater, Tom Kenneally Sr. and Mike Barry (Trustees)
•
School Diet ¢tli Picture 1R9R
L To R. let Rowt George LeClair, Adalor Tousignant, Florence
Perron Kennedy, Marie Tousignant Kollofski, Louise Tousignant
Lillian Auge Marlin, Blanche Auge, Corrine Beaudette Swank,
Olive Tonetgnant Dunnigan,
2nd Row: Justine LeClair, Florian Fournier, Raymond Perron,
'Ephraim Beandette, Richard Bernier. Hose Tatum, Gerald Perron,
Clairice Fournier.
•
J
3rd Rows George Perron, Nelson LeClair, Fostin Beaudette,
Victor Touaignant, Teacher Mary Kennedy, Lucy Tousig-
nant, Philomene Auge, Rosario Beaudette,
4th Row: Louie Bernier, Felicit LeClair, vas Toueig-
nant Valenconr, Rilds Tousignant Auge, Elizabeth Perron
Tousignaat, Emma Fournier, Josephine Perron Fee.
Courtesy of
Flordnce (Perron) Kennedy
Moen (Kennedy) Ayd
Francis J. Dembroski
•
•
•
-
C /
SCHOOL DIST. # 14 1923
First Row:
Mary McCarthy Marie Mooney HP1en Naughton (Mrs Anthony Lemay)
Sara Cnnnelly — Mary Connolly's Sister
Welrke !the'
Stainer Anna Coors (Frank Goers' Daughter) r11en Mc Carthy
U. K.
SPcnnd Row:
Jameo McCarthy (Brother to rd and Joe) Waltar Gnat's Frad
Goers Frank Gnaro Louis Metz.
Ce11 Fallon (Shialds) Taachar
Courtesy of Mildred (Pouts Schindnldecker
Picture of School Dist. #11 192Q Class Picnic.
let Row: L. to R. LeRoy Chapdelaine, Violat Gontzke , Hazel Grau, Grace.
Blatzheim, Mildred Post, Louis John Chapdelai n .
2nd Row: Clarence Schwanz, Tdwin Tnglert, Len Trapp, Irwin Groth, Len
Lemay and George Poet.
jrd Row: George Grau, Robert Blatzheim and Otto Trapp.
4th Row: Bertha Dnehling, Hildegard.* Rahn, !llu Goetzkn, Flnrenc.* Polzin,
Tdith Chapdelaine, Marjorie Post.
5th Row: Frieda Grau, Fay Blatzheim, rileen Burns
(guest)
•
•
•
r7i
.
•
Eisw.4.441.0t ;;;Irir''Zgg:ti
•
_ . . `.a. ._ .+•�yl .vrlT-...y'r: _ �,.�.�;J-A.;nt1i:\ �.+►.i �-T.-':+'f•1w1.w`=t ��f�..... Kt.-�1._!i.Cam.Zs.0. r'.. "..t-
W._• �w:1~T{ti�,9 ').;:Y:-..-.<1.41Y2R;...�/.L,�T Z. .:._+.+.w+e? ..y_•••r v....-- ._ _-te.-
mot`:?_ _ ' �_ ..=
`
•
Courtney: Florence Pnlzin School Picture 1925 School Dist. #11
Lexington and Lone Oak Road, T:agan
/ / .
SCHOOL DISTRICT +11
District # 11 was organized in October of 1P60. Classes
held in the house of Robert O'Neill for one month, and then at that
time the school classes were taaght by Mrs. O'Neill. Than the sal --
vices of Miss !lizabeth McDermott were secured, and she continued to
teach in the district a number of terms. The next spring an old buil—
ding was fitted up and used for a school house, until a long house was
built, in the northeast quarter of section 11. This building was
burned during the spring of 1S65. A new frame building was erected
soon after at the same location.
The locality was not convenient and the house was subsequently
moved about a mile further West, and during the month of March, 1RF1,
suffered tha same fate as its predecessor.
This was replaced by a new building in the Southeast corner of
section 3 (Lone Oak Road and Lexington ;.venue.). It measured 1R X 26
feet with a seating capacity of 40 students, built at a cost of $600 00
and at the time was said to have been the °finest school building in
the township.
ware
•
•
•
This picture is of Boy Students, Dist #11 School Taken 1921
Courtesy George Post: Hammond, Wisconsin
lat Row L. to R. Roy Motz, Leo Lemay, George Post, Unknown,
Irvin Motz, and Louie Motz.
2nd Row: Anthony Lemay, William Heuer, Phil Heuer, ?lmer Hauer.
jrd Row: Teacher Mies Murphy, Charlie Burnes, Reinhold Heuer,
!'rnest Lemay, Unknown, and Allan Fournier.
•
School Picnic District #14 Year 192j Teacher Cecelia Fallon
Courtesy Martin Des Lauriora
1st Row:
II K
Ellen McCarthy
II E
II H
II E
II %
Ester Mots, Louise Mots, Erwin Mots, James McCarthy.
2nd Row: II g
II F
Mary McCarthy,
Marie Mooney, Sara Connelly.
jrd Row: Margaret Quigley, Mrs James McCarthy Sr., Mrs Patrick
Quigley, Mrs Floyd McCarthy, Mr. Dave Quigley, Margaret
Diffley, Catherine Quigley, Mr. James McCarthy.
17 S
•
•
This school is for district # 14. built in 1090, the picture was
taken in 1916. School District #14 was the first school district
organized in *agar, this was done during the winter of 1059-60.
Clases were taught by Michael Downing in a small log house
141 x 161 owned and constructed by Thomas Farman in tha north-
west corner of Lexington Avenue and Yankee Doodle Road in section
14.
For a new school district the attendance was unusally large
consisting of about 40 pupils. School was taught in the log house
for about two years. A new one was built about 1062 and located
in the southeast corner of the Southwest corner of section 23, on
land owned by Patrick Quigley. This building was used until about
1075, when a new structure wa • erected at the same location.
Courtesy Cecelia Fallon
Teacher Hilda Rosenberger and student Cecelia Fallon
who latter was a teacher at District $ 14
Date of this picture 1916
•
•
•
•
This is the currant site of the Northoiew Elemetary School.
The new school was a frame structure with dimensions
of approximately 1P' X 261 with a seating capacity of about
4o pupils. This building contained patent school seats.
Another building was erected in 1FY and was used until the
consolidation of schools in District #196.
Courtesy of Cecelia Fallon
School District *14 Picture taken in 1916 Teacher Hilda Rosen -
burger.
1st Row Joseph McCarthy Reinke, Edward McCarthy,
Harold Mots.
2nd Row: Reinke, Margaret Quigley, Cecelia Fallon.
Both girls became teachers and taught school hero in 1924 & 1g2h_
Courtney Martin Shinichi
These children worn the otudentN attanding School Dist *12
year 1907.
Front row:
Harman Schmidt, hlb°rt Stiff, Vincent Shinlds, Lecli° Stiff.
Second row:
'dith Shi°ldu, Albert Schmidt, Clara Schmidt, Ganrge ;htAldu,
Henry Burrow, Frances Shields, ^ut°r Labey,
The teacher waat:mma Cross.
District # 12— was or„aniz°d in 1969, and s schoolhouse. was built.
The building was about 16 X 24 feat. It wau the niiall°at District in
the township in raspect to the ni.nber of scholar°.
A Brick, school hnuse waa built in 1904 on Highway L' 13.
Children school Dist. +12 School year
190g
Front Row:
Arthur Shields Leslie Stiff Albert Stiff Herman Schmidt - S a
Martin Shields Louie Deo Lauriers
Second Row:
Florence Dee Laurier° Genevieve Le Tendre Alice Dee Laurier°
'Edith Shields.
Third Row:
Alice Olson (Teacher) Louise Aug- Mary Burnw Frances Shields
Vincent Shields Henry Le Tendre Onar DeoLauriers George Shinlde
•
fit! 'Li T
Q l cncirL
•
t . .wee..-:•.. .:.-•:.. 1... men wan _
hi
...
m .., � �, . 4:
F71.
rtrrJr, aazs -enrv{
en et-- MOc
..a:
raC\ .�A
These children were
rnta...c., .,.c
nataa rem.-T-1�1Tai.�...rl-- ir i
c>EISC37 r 1trir .v
°eor��-l�slr vtr
c ®mm��,�,.-
zar ciataaliatenlE,42:
ememu "u mvre- r:• near
•�a�-^nsw macr-
Courtesy George Miller
the students in the Dist. Y 12 school in 1923,
this school stood on the site now occupied by the Control Data Corp. on
Highway #13 known as the Sibley Memorial Highway in the city of Fagan,
Minnesota.
Front row left to right:
Robert pierce, 7ugene Labey, Joseph Peid, Gordy Pierce
Second row Left to Right:
Dorothy Pierce, Lorraine Des Lauriers, Lourlla Tounignant,
Irene Tousignant, Anna ?nglert, Lucille Pierce, Marie Iabey,
Julia Tousignant, Bernice Touoiolant.
Third Row Left to Right: Stanley Hurley, Leo Tousignant, Willie,
Reid, Dva1d Stiff, Laurance Tousignant, Henry Delln, liillie Lynch,
John Hurley, Howard Stiff. The teacher was Miss Mary Shea.
•
•
•
•
These children_
were
the students that attended School District
$106,192j. This school was located in the Westcott Station area.
let. Row: Julia Diffley, Loretta Desluuriers, ?lla Stephens, Melin—
da,Stephens, Bertha Dehrer, Mary Hale, !velyn Stephens, Rosemary Hale.
2nd Row: Frank Dehrer, George Mueller, 7arl Schwanz, Willard Kroch.
jrd Row: Lillian Schwanz, Ray Mueller, Margaret Diffley, Cora Holz,
Grace Garrity, Agnes Diffley, Almu Holz, Marie Dehrer, Sophia Under.
4th Row: Russel Rowe, Paul Chapdelaine, Irvin Brown, Joseph Des—
Lauriers, Louie McCoy, Bert Mueller, 'Sidon 0herg, George Krech, Harold
Kirchener, Harold Holz.
The teacher was Mrs.
Peter Hondo.
Courtesy ?lla (Stephens) Sachwitz
School District #14 year 1923
Courtesy Martin DeaLauriers School Teacher Cecelia Fallon
lst Row: Mary McCarthy, Marie Mooney, Helen Naughton, Sara
Connelly, Florence Weierke, Cora Weierke, Anna Cores,
?11en McCarthy, U R.
2nd Row: James McCarthy, Walter Gores, Fred Gores, Leo Cores
Louis Mots.
•
Courtesy of Herbert Pnlzin Tha year is 1930
Th.s. gentlemen are sitting on tha steeps of the Dint. #11 echnnl
building at Lexington Av°nue and Lone Oak Road.
Front row: Gustay. Pnlzin, H.rb Pnlzin's father.
Second row: Pat Mooney, Jake Becker and Andrew Denz•r. Pat Moons?,
Jak.. Becker and Gustay. Pnlzin ware 'Pagan township nun-rvisnrs in
1930. Andrew D•nzer was a resident at Sunfish Lac. and was Dakota
County commissioner from 1919 to 1936 the tine of his death. His wife
Lucy was appointed county cnnnissioner, to fill out hie term.
Andr.w Denz.r was an uncl. to Mrs Francis J (Dolnr•s N. Denser) Dembinski.
Schools
Rosemount School District #196 expanded to inclued Dis-
tricts 13, 14, and 106 in July 1950.
District #104 became part of the Burnsville School Dis-
trict #191 in January 1955. As new facilities were built
and the means of transporting students improved, these one -
room schoolhouses were eventually phased out,
•
•
•
•
•
TREFFLE AUGE THE FERRYBOAT OPERATOR AT MENDOTA
From the time Treffle purchased the ferry from Sibley in 1861
business became so prosperous that the single ferry was incapable of
handling the volume of passengers who desired to travel from Mendota to
Fort Snelling and vice -versa. At times business was so brisk, that it
was usual to collect as much as $I50.00 per day. He always kept several
small flat bottom boats to assist in the pedestrian trade, this charge
was usually a nickel. Ferry rates depended upon the type of freight
being shipped across the river. Pedestrians a nickel, baggage freight
8 cents per hundred weight, sheep and pigs 10 cents, cow or horse 25
cents, horse and rider 50 cents, horse and buggy 75 cents and a team
and wagon as much as $2.50 when loaded.
Big business came after the Civil War, the eastern states became
crowded, families became separated and people were on the move.
Migration became the law of the land. The Western frontier was there
with out stretch arms to greet the settlers. The migration was on, the
Dakota's Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and Oklahoma were new and exciting,
many died on the way from disease and the Indians, whom feared the loss
of their land. Many migrants headed north to Manitoba, Sachetewan, Alberta
the prairie provinces of Canada.
So great was the prairie schooner traffic during the 31 years that
Treffle ran the ferry, he carried not less than 125.000 prairie schooners
across the Minnesota river.
Shortly after the Civil War, migration west was so colossal that
prairie schooners, herds of livestock and long lines of people bound
for the west reached far up the hill past St. Peters cemetery waiting
for a chance to take the ferry.
While migrants waited their turn, they milked their cows. House-
wifes made butter and cheese, baked bread in their wood stoves, others
cooked over an open fire. Women knitted socks and sweaters for their
children. Cattle roamed the Mendota streets, residents complained of the
dust and exposure of the animals to their small children.
Steam boats travelled the Minnesota river regularly. They were a
real threat to many people, these wooden monsters would frighten
horses repeatedly, and a blast from their steam whistle caused horses
to run -away and resulted in serious injuries quite frequently.
Life was extremely difficult under the best conditions, the •
pioneers were rugged and tough. Babies were born in the prairie
schooners, some mothers died giving birth. Serious accidents claimed the
life of many of the men folk, many children died from ravaging diseases,
but life went on.
When in season kids would pick wild berries, raspberries, straw-
berries, blackberries and thorn apples. Other wild fruit were the pinch
cherry and the choke cherries.
Than of course there were the games, little boys chasing little girls,
big boys chasing big girls and life started all over again.
The blacksmithing industry was a rushing business during the spring
and summer seasons. Prairie schooners needed new wheels and rims,
broken wagon tongues along with reaches needed replacements or repairs.
Double trees, single trees and neck yokes were equipment that needed
constant attention on long rough journeys.
Harnesses, especially tugs and collars needed constant care be-
cause of the rough roads, many horse developed neck sores and in many
instances the blacksmith was like a veterinarian when remedies were
needed to care for neck sores on a horse. The right treatment for •
horses hoofs was essential. Proper hoof trimming and proper shoes were
as important to horses in pioneer days as they are today for the sport-
ing horse.
Prairies schooners were not always pulled by horses. Many early
settlers used a yoke of oxen, they were very slow and contributed to
a cumbersome rig. Oxen in may respects had to be used because of the
scarcity of horses at that time.
It was not until the settlers had gone further West into the
Prairie and mountain states, that the new pioneers found a western
breed of horses call bronchos on the western range. These horses were
caught broken and domesticated. These horses were descendants from the
stock left to run wild by the Spanish Conquistadors of the I500's.
For thoussands of years, up until the I500's horses were unknown to exist
in North America.
Small bands of this early Spanish stock still run free on the
Western range in a few states and in the Provinces of Alberta and
Saskatchewan in Canada.
The broncho was, in many instances an extremely wild animal. He
could be as vicious with his hoofs as he could be with his teeth.
After several generations of breeding with domestic stock they
proved to be a tough and gentle horse. The early western horse was
extremely suspicious of man, and in all respect to this wild animal, he
proved by himself to be most untrustworthy and unrelieable for his
whole generation.
In concluding his conversation with Clarkson, Treffle told of how
he could carry as many as 40 mounted soldiers or 100 foot soldiers on
the ferry at one time.
His greatest elation appeared to be ferrying the Barnum and Baily
Circus over the Minnesota River. This he had done several times and
on these occasions he always marvelled as thousands of people gathered
to watch this feat performed. This movement alone could prove to be
more than could be done in one day.
When Governor Sibley moved to St. Paul, he realized that he would
have to sell the ferry. So in 1861 he sold the ferry business to Treffle
Auge. Treffle owned the ferry from 1861 until 1891, at that time he
turned the ferry over to his son James, and James ran the ferry until
1904 when it then was sold to A.C. Clarkson. General Sibley resided in
St. Paul until 1891 until the time of his death.
Ref.
Ronald Eustice Windsor, Wisc.
Dakota Co. Tribune July 15, 1927
W. St. Paul Booster Aug. 18, 1922
Parrish records St. Louis Catholic
Church. Lotbiniere P. Q. Canada
U.S. Census Records Mendota
Dakota County Mn. 1860-1870-1880-1900
Minnesota Historical Society.
•
Francis J. Dembroski
This 1e the Mendota ferry, the picture was taken ca. 1920.
From L. To R. and supposedly accurate. are.
Daniel Walsh, Timothy Walsh, A. Gus Clarkson, Henry
Holman and Enute LeClair holding the horse. The 6th
man is unknown.
The ferry was moved across the river by several different sources
of power. For a while a horse was on one side of the river and
pulled it back and forth. Other times a pole was used with a hook
to grab the cable and manpower would pull it across. Later on an
outboard motor was used for power. Travel on the ferry practically
ceased in 1927 when the new Mendota bridge was built and opened to
the public
THE IENDOTA BHIDG✓
Courtesy: City Hall
The structural engineers for the Mendota Bridge were Walter
H. Wheeler and C. A. P. Turner, a
Ural structure for the bridge.
The bridge
consultant on the architect —
consisted of 13 arches, upon•.eompletion the:
bridge was 4119' feet long 4 lanes wide and theiongeet concrete
bridge in the world.
It was 220' feet above the river and the arch supports were
submerged 70' feet below the Minnesota River bed.
Many local boys worked in the
construction of the bridge,
William Mulvehill, Francis Bagan and hie brother to name a few.
The Mendota Bridge was built in 1925 and 1926 by Hennipen
County at a cost
of $1,R70,000.00 dollars.
On the day of the bridge opening, November R, 1926 plans
had been made for huge celebration for the ribbon cutting cer-
emonies. Many dignitaries were there. Theodore Christianson
a Republican was Governor for the state of Minnesota reigning
from January 1, 1926 to January 1 1931. Thousands of citizens
from Minneapolis, St. Paul and the surrounding country side
was in attendance. A huge parade consisted of 15,000 cars of
every description.
During the day of festivities Mrs. Joseph Perron carried
her son Joseph Perron Jr. acroso the bridge to Fort Snelling
and then all the way back to the Mendota side of the bridge.
Recently the bridge has been listed in the National Re-
gister of Historic Places in Washington D. C.
I Wish to take this opportunity to thank Mr. C. P. Kachel
myer Engineer for:the Minnesota Department of Transportation
for his research and fine attitude making this information pos-
sible. Thank you very much C. P.
Not.: Floyd B. Olson
was
Francis J. Dembroski
Governor from January 1, 1931 to
January 1, 1936. Party Farmer Laborer.
•
•
•
•
•
Courtesy: City Hall
THE CEDAR AMU! BRIDCT
This bridge built in 1g90 crossed the Minnesota River from
Bloominton to Sagan at Nicole.
It was a swing bridge that was opened for river traffic,
tug -boats and river steamers for (paosengers). Four men were
needed to swing the bridge, over the river. They did this with
a turn -stile type operation.
Before the turn of the century, some summers seen more than
200 passenger steamers pass under this bridge. This bridge was
in operation for 90 years, being replaced with an eight lane
bridge connecting Bloomington and Eagan with the freeway #77.
In the beginning this bridge was built for horse drawn ve-
hiclee and cattle. Sagan and Burnsville farmers could then use
the Cedar Avenue Bridge to The 01d Shokapee
Road to Fort Snell-
ing and then take the fort road to the city market in St. Paul.
The Mendota Ferry was affected by this new route, for the lower
Eagan and Burnsville Farmers.
z/6
The first long stagecoach line was established ca. 1670
between
London, England, and 'Edinburgh, Scntland, a distance
of 392 miles.
In Colenial America, they were established about 1756,
operating chiefly between Boston, Nev york and Philadephia.
It was almost one htmdred years later that the stage —
cnash lines were established in our area., (149).
•
•
THE STAGE COACH IN EAGAN
The stagecoach was for many reasons of great importance for more
than half a centrury. Beginning in 1849, the year that the Minnesota
Territory was formed.
The stage companies played a large part in the building of roads
and bridges. They carried the mail as well as passengers. They
encouraged settlements by bringing thousands of settlers to their new
homes and they promoted businesses by transporting goods. So important
were the stage coach lines, that for several decades, the needs of
Minnesota residents could not have been fulfilled without them.
The stage coaches were built in Concord, New Hampshire, and were
capable of carrying 15 people. Nine inside the coach, three on top with
the driver and three on a rear seat outside the coach.
There were two sets of teams on the various stages, if the terrain
was level a four horse team was used, if the terrain was hilly a six
horse team was hooked up to the coach because in those days the stage
coach was a vehicle of speed.
The first stage line began in 1849 between St. Paul and the village
of St. Anthony. This was a distance of ten miles and the route followed
the east bank of the Mississippi River. This was known as the Willougby
and Powers Stage Coach line and made one trip each day. During that same
year, a man named Robert Kennedy opened a stage route between St. Paul
and Stillwater making weekly trips. During the winter of 1849-50
Willoughby and Powers set up a stage line from St. Paul to Stillwater,
and southward to Galena, Illinois where they connected with stage routes
from the East. It was not possible to build a road down the West bank
of the Mississippi and thru Eagan, now a part of southeastern Minnesota,
because land here was still Sioux Indian territory.
The people became very dissatisfied with the stage service. The
stage line had poor equipment, open and broken doors, horses not
suited for this rapid transportation system, along with burly hard cussing
drivers, many of whom should have remained loggers or farm hands.
Things really began to happen in 1851 when the Federal Government
made the principal treaty with the Indians. The land given up consisted
of nearly 24 million acres of the most fertile land in the Mississippi
and the Minnesota valleys. For this immense territory, a little more
than $3,000.000 million dollars was agreed with the Sioux Chiefs to be
paid, something like 8 cents per acre. The Indians were to be paid in
annuities.
The Pioneer of July 31, 1851 announced the signing of this treaty.
From then on the Indian had problems, because his hunting grounds were
vanishing before his very eyes. In those days and Indian family needed
something like 16 square miles, or about 10,240 acres of wilderness to
feed his family. A white man could feed his family on 40 acres.
After the treaty, citizens began to demand a road leading south to
Dubuque, Iowa. Others wanted a stage line from St. Paul thru Shakopee
Jordan, Belle Plaine and St. Peter.
In 1854 M.O. Walker came from Chicago to start his stage line in
the Minnesota Territory. He started a coach line in St. Paul, crossed
the Mississippi river by ferry boat at Eagle street and on the South
side of the river meandered up Randall Street, that was cut thru in
1853. This street was renamed Ohio Street in 1880. After climbing the
bank, the trail followed the ridge to Chippewa street and from Chippewa
to what is now known as Dodd Road, or the Old Dodge City Trail, reaching
the first relay station out of St. Paul at the Halfway House, at what is
now known as the junction of highway 55 and 149 Dodd Road.
In 1865 this building was purchased by Alexander Huard. At that
time along with the relay station, he opened a grocery store and saloon.
From this relay station the stage ran thru Rich Valley, Cannon Falls,
Rochester, Chatfield and other small localities and on to Dubuque.
Ca 1857 Benson and Pattison had sold their state line between St.
Paul and St. Anthony to a firm, that then combined with Burbank's
Company to form the Minnesota stage company. After 1860 the Minnesota
Stage Company owned and ran the chief stage lines in Minnesota and
carried the mail on all of them. This amounted to 1300 miles of stage
routes and 300 miles of pony mail. By the winter of 1865 this firm was
using 700 horses and employing 200 men as dirvers, stablemen and station
masters.
In 1871 they opened up a four horse stage route from Breckenridge
to Winnipeg. Later that year they got a contract to carry the mail
into Canada.
•
•
•
•
•
stage coach line, started from St.
at Fort Snelling, climbed the bank
took the Old Shakopee Road on the
Shortly before the Civil War, a company called the Yellow and Red
Paul, crossed the Mississippi River
south of the Officiers quarters
north side of the Minnesota River
Shakopee by crossing the river on
the stage line went thru Jordan, B
The stages always left early
A.M. The speed of travel depended
terrain, hills and weight of the load. In good weather and roads the
and
to
the Bloomington ferry. From Shakopee
ell Plaine, and St. Peter.
in the morning, even as early as 1:00
on the weather, road conditions,
driver tried to maintain a speed of ten miles
Some days the stage would travel sixteen hours. In the 1860's
the 160 miles from St. Paul to Duluth took two and a half days.
The drivers were a breed of their own, usually extremely courteous
to the point that it was not unusual to see a female passenger riding
on top of the stage beside the driver. It must have taken some persuasion
to get a young lady to ride shotgun.
One of the hardest jobs was just plain driving the horses. There
were two types of horses on each stage. The front team was called the
lead team, often frisky and shy. The back team was called the wheel
horses, they did a lot of the hard pulling and set the gait.
The stage coach horse was a special breed, he wasn't a broncho
off the western plains. This horse was well bred, good nostrils and a
heavy deep chest with good legs. When buying a horse of this type, the
purchase price was high and could demand several hundred dollars.
Many drivers drove their teams with their bare hands in rather cold
weather. If the reins were well oiled and were kept pliable, the reins
would hold the heat from the hands, but if the reins were brittle, it was
like holding an icicle in each hand.
The first thing a young driver learned while chewing tobacco, was
spitting against the wind, and many were the times a scream could be
heard from the passengers quarters if the wind was right and the windows
were open.
Travel was what you made it in those days, if the stage got stuck
the driver was quick to give the passengers orders. First class
passengers get out and walk, second class passengers get out and push,
per hour.
•
rc-re
•'Ttr
24' • 1
iYr�. t w �itl't}i .� �vlen r ...
dr •f ",d 1Ky; r��?df{ S 4
Zjf,r ,,.' �,_..
-- ..F_Q[!:' keetjtS.lsLtik {rra ' V't`_C).:M•
1909
Charlotte and Beth Hauer. with horcee and buggy.
The horse io a
fiai.itfe ronl«n.
•
•
•
third class passengers pull on a wheel.
The dirver was his own boss, much like a captain of a ship and when
it came to dining, he sat at the head of the table.
THE HALFWAY HOUSE PROPERTY
From the Dakota County Recorder's Office.
First owner of the
Conveyed to
ably
Mrs.
Mrs.
Halfway House was:
A. Faribault, Prnbahley Jean July 26, 1855
Baptiste's Faribault's son
Alexandre born June 22, 1806
Married Mary -Elizabeth Graham
November 1 1825 Alexandre
died November 28, 1882
Michael Archambault Jan. 15, 1856
Henry Hastings Sibley Aug. 3, 1857
Turnoffer P. Courteau Jr. 1863
and others (11 acres)
Alexander Huard 1865
Peter Langen
To his son Richard Langen
Jacob Schmidt Brewing Co.
Daniel Ramberg
John O'Brien
Eric Stark
The following individuals and offices have assisted immeasure-
with my research regarding the stage coach lines in
Florence Kennedy and her Brother Elmer Perron
Louis (Eileen) Ayd
Mrs. Lorraine Guertin
Mr. Martin Shields
S.W. Hart
Minnesota Historical Society
Office Secretary of State (Ass't Virginia Daniels)
St. Paul Planning Commission (Nancy West)
St. Paul Public Library
St. Paul Pioneer Press Ref.
Ronald Eustice Windsor, Wisc
Oscar Klavestad Shakopee, Minn
1885
1913
1924
1959
1968
1974
Eagan.
Mendota Heights Minn.
Appley Valley Minn.
Mendota Heights Minn.
Eagan, Minn.
Falcon Heights Minn.
Alexander Huard's daughter Mary Ann, married Adolph Perron, they are the
parents of Mrs. Florence Kennedy, Elmer Perron and their brothers and
sisters.
By: Francis J. Dembroski
EAGAN MENDOTA ONION CAPITOL OF THE WORLD
At the turn of the century, the raising of onions in the Eagan
'Mendota area became a whole new industry.
In 1871 Esdros Bernier came to Mendota from Canada. It was
he, who, introduced onion growing to the farmers in the Eagan and
Mendota townships around 1890. Between the years of 1895 to 1920
'there were from 30 to 35 farmers raising onions. They raised the
red globe variety, a large solid onion and about the only kind raised
here.
Mr Bernier would provide onion seeds to the farmers on credit
until the crop was harvested. He along with his sons ran the business,
later his son Arthur became the manager.
Esdros Bernier acted as a broker in the purchase and shipment
of locally grown produce. Orders and prices were handled by tele-
graph and the prices fluctuated like the stock market.
Most of the farmers raised between two and three acres
each year. There were some families that raised more.
Patrick Fee, father of Hugh and Pat Raised as many as seven
raised in the neighborhood
acres. William Perron, Alberts
of five acres. Total acreage of onions raised each year was about
one hundred acres. One of the big jobs was the weeding the onions.
The larger families would have all the children in the fields. As
the families got smaller and less onions were grown during the 1920's
kids would be hired to weed onions and were paid from five to ten
weeder would be paid up to twelve and half
of onions
cents
per hour.
cents per hour. (12.5)
Harvest time was really a big
about 500 bushels or about 15 tons
crop was approximately 1500 tons,
were shipped out of this area per
Mendota -Eagan territory were shipped from Mendota. The other 10% were
shipped from Westcott Station on Old Dodd Road. The Fees shiped
their onions from this station, the remainder
shipped out of Nicols down on Cedar Avenue.
father
A good
job. The average yield was
per acre. The total annual
or about 125 railroad cars that
year. 907. of all the onions in the
of the onion crop was
•
•
192FC
PICKING BLACKB7RRIF.S
L. To R.
Luella Coffey, r,rnestine Perron, Louise Perron and
Mrs. Bd Kof! ofskf
r•.���.�iW,'�F.%t'�r"Tr.�i'^^`,Ik. �?•'i['ST
"1411�7 r `f a✓y_ ,1 44 ^ .W".�.'►j3�� —44 :1 .wiGt-hN�-+r. :..:.
r,.-,t�ii§3�.<S� 1�^�1 'R:!CI`fiZiL•£7t11`X�S9fo5i�t.wtyvotsf;
LSG`.At,�d.y
r ..Yf3
� {rN
A
DOS L FAP.M
Good years onions would sell from 1.50 to 6.00 per cwt. Other
years they were practically thrown away, and before the great depression,
prices at one time reached $16.00 per cwt.
During Harvest time some farmers would haul onions to Market with two
wagons and would load two railroad cars in a day.
Since the income the farmers received depended upon the fluctuating
onion prices, it was common for farmers to store as much of the yield
as possible in their basement and then sell the onions during mid-
winter in hopes of receiving a higher price.
One winter Mr. Bernier heard that onions were coming up from
Texas and he advised the farmers to hurry and sell while he could still
get a good price, but the farmer thought that he would warehouse
them for a while and sell them later. Well the farmers held on to their
onions and when the Texas onions arrived, most of the onions in the
farmers basements were simply thrown away.
However; it was not long before growers in Texas began to raise
onions in great quantity and with the produce shipped to market
fresh from southern growers, (combined with a few years of poor harvest
here) the practice of winter storage declined. By 1930 the growing of
onions in Eagan and Mendota was pretty much a thing of the past.
When loading box cars each car was loaded with 250 one hundred pound
bags. That was 121/2 tons in each car. When the weather got cold,
heaters were put inside the cars to keep the onions from freezing. Onions
won't freeze at 32.F but they will freeze at 31. F.
Francis J Dembroski
Ref:
Albert Perron Eagan
Huey Fee Eagan
Patrick Fee Eagan
Herb Polzin Eagan
Thomas Bernier Mendota Heights
•
2 /
•
•
TH7 SHI7 LD'S SORGHUM t1ILL
One of ragan's first industries besides farming was a
sorghum mill processing sugar cane for sorghum.
Several mills had been built beginning in 105°, but
fire had destroyed to firut twn. The big operation began
in 1090, the mill was aituated by Lake Lemay, It conaioted
of a building 400-01 long and 100-01 feet wide and three
stories high. This three story mill became a familiar land-
mark to the people of Fagan.
Within this building were two steam engines with 20 and
30 foot flues in the boilers-:to,generate power for the oper-
ation.of the mill. Water was pumped from Lemay Lake for the
boilers and coal and pressed cane stalks were used for fuel.
Farmers raioed the cane for the mill, and were paid so
much a ton. Cane was grown and delivered for a distance of 50
miles around. Sorghum is made from sugar cane and at times it
grew to a height of 16-0 to 10-01 feet high.
The opening of the mill each season was a big event, with
such dignitaries as Archbishop Ireland, Junes J. Hill and the
Rev. Walter of the Lone Oak Trinity Church coming for the open-
ing cer-monies.
A crew of 6 or 7 men handled the mill operation daring the
day and 4 or 5 men made up the night crew. rath crew worked 12
hours a shift and the pay was S2.00 per day.
The capacity of the nill was 00 gallons of snrh um per day.
1904
The Shields sorghum store and warehouse on third
street in St. Paul, Mn. The filling of sorghum con-
tainers, labeling and shipping the product was accomp-
lished from this location.
The syrup was shipped to various parts of the
country while at the same time taking care of the lo-
cal trade.
•
6HItLDS TRADE MARK FOR SORGHUM SYRUP
The sorghum syrup was taken to St. Paul and marketed in five, ten
and thirty two and fifty gallon barrels. These containers were filled,
labeled and shipped to various parts of the country. They were shipped
under such names as Minnesota Valley Cane Drips and Shields Mendota sor-
ghum.
Small containers, Jugs and crocks were used to supply the local trade.
The employees lived on the premises, and Martin recalls that his
mother did all the cooking and baking for the employees and her child-
ren. One order for each day was twenty loaves of bread, which she baked
all during the sorghum season. The season uaually lasted through Sept-
ember and October. The mill finally closed down in 1912.
Ref: Martin Shields
By Francis J. Dembroski
7
Courtesy
This team of horses are pulling a blade, its a little more
than a harrow. In the spring it was used to break up ice
on the roads and
ruts and dry out
heavy clay roads
was pulled over the roads to fill in the
the roads. Sometimes it was used on
after a heavy rain. This type of work
was usually handle by the town board of supervisor and
someone was hired to do the work. With a team of horses
the pay could run up to two dollars (2.00" s per day)
Some mew: were lucky to get a job that paid so well.
SNOW5ROvriBBS
Courtesy
The six fellows are shoveling snow after a heavy snow
storm in the late 20's
They are from L to R.
William
Goetzke and Walter Goetzke.
In those days the roads were opened for the mail man and
the milk haulers. In those days mail was usually delivered
about every third day and postage was two cents for first class
mail.
•
Sell, Bill Schmidt. Gust Schmidt, Walter Sell, Julnis
Snow -plowing equipment began clearing Eagan Township roads
about 192g.
The first equipment was a caterpillar tradtor own by the
township. The first operator wau Reo Beaudette, running the
equipment for several years. Sig LeTendrn took over the snow
plowing and ran the plow until 1935.
In 1935 George Ohmann toot charge of the snow plowing and
ran the track equipment until 1952. At that time George Ohmann
purchased a 1947 FWD Truck and plowed the Fagan township roads
until about 1969. George alwasy employed help to take care of
the wing section. This was true on the caterpillar equipment
too.
Ref: George Ohmann
Francis J. Dembroski
s
A MINN!A'OLIS STI"xM TNGIn
Courtesy George Ohmann Sr.
This threshing combination was a familiar site during
the 1920's.
Apparently this equipment has moved recently frc►m an-
other farm upon completion, then again it could be the fir-
st job of the season.
The threshing cm this farm will be done, from the field,
The grain shocks will ba hauled to the thrasher from the
field depending on the farmers' need and placement of the
straw stack.
Courtesy Ted Wachter
In the early days hay vas loaded by hand.
As technology progress the loader came into
use. It was
attached to the rear end of the hay rack and following a wind-
row the hay was loaded by horsepower.
This picture shows us that the rig ie pulled by horses and
the wagon has steel wheels.
Originally wagons had wooden wheels
with steel tires around them to protect the wood.
•
•
•
•
Courtesy Ted Wachter
Here we see the progress in technology again. In this
picture the wagon is being pulled by a tractor and the wagon
has ballon tires a real bit of technology for smoother riding.
•
EAGAN FARMERS
Courtesy of Ted Wachter
In this picture the grain has been cut by the grain binder aad
pulled by horses in the background. Three horses were usually
used in this part of the country. In the prairie states where
large fields of 'grain was harvested as many as sixteen horses
would be used to palled large binder.
The three farmers with grain bundles under their arms are
shocking the grain. This was done to protect the grain from
spoiling. Two double bundles were stacked upright side by side
and Dapped with a bundle on top, this helped to protect the
grain considerably if the weather was a rainy fall.
•
•
•
Courtesy Ted`WaAtt.*.
In this picture we see where the grain was stacked in the
farm yard. this vas done earlier by bringing in the shocks from
the field. In this picture they aro threshing grain. The thres—
her is behind the grain etach and the steam engine is to the right
it cannot be seen, but
between the two pieces
a crew to thresh grain
if you look closely you can see the belt
of machinery. It doesn't take near as big
by this method.
J 1
Courtesy Ted Wachter
In this photo grain is being threshed from shocks out in the field.
•
•
.gsifri. f'7.1
C'' •T '^' � /I*w�;y' f'� �' NI!�. `IRJ; j .f*fir ,;,%l'� -mow' :y�r`.1
f J Mti 4.' 7T r'•: "!'"I 1 ) .i 1" )s : ^4'i. r .r_ r.ai.. ..4 r. •i�. /....i' '""�• •�•• t.-.
♦•�' i1Frsly ;TJ' '�:k Y..,•` .V'. ,• ste' ' •xa,a1/ "-�=.
#H e' .i6`'401 �. 1 ii 4i .=lir ..' r•_Vt1i�� •. 1. Y•�:t .•-,�- '•t?�. ,c�'�,r:l
Courtesy
etitto
This picture tells ins that threshing is being done by hauling
Brain to the machine from ihockd out in the field. The clue
is that th9 horses and vegan are along side the threshing
machine .
THR?SHING CRSW 1906
Front Row: L to R. Harman Heuer, William Holz Jr., August Goetzke
Jr., Julius Goatzke, Henry Sell, Unknwn,
Herman Doahling Sr. Frank Sell Sr. August
Goatzke Sr.
Back Row: Unknown, Berthold Daranw, Unknown, Unknown.
•
re
•
i J
At
I.se, PI�•.r-_ J - •. - aLNr
y. •
.l ti w...;.�pJi4i1 itY7 ):I'i.i r•.a ..f'" �. (v•ni••.J
tg
/ `` /� i p 'S' A n 'R r
S�' ,;•. .. "�i. .�►r, ir';�3a!
Ttr�'!L'^'�: tin IX V,11ty �%r.,� lea, ',a �l „a '�4t'il�i I�
.r (� wh a wil ry i,Y Z� i>:� )�ir•�jry. . Ay>.. T. :tlmj' F,.
%t(j%;$yi,wQVc�e
riti�A�,r.� t.1 `i' r' , '.I r�� i• i� • fit• .•� ` • t`..y� : '•¢:�►.i t .A., .,
• i, r. . r:.w1 "'Pi/7 I'� ;�',; , iJi( s •. .1 ry^ ... ,id !• . •rn'
4" (�. 1 i.y .r t S
i
'1/4•i/�•la:aJ61 T....0 . 1,.)._.i.L'.rta{4Q �.(�..1! la .. ,. J'.•.:.r. :...._S I_�► ill). fit.
Oourtesy Ted—Naai:ter u
A break in the days occupation.
The crew here is threshing from a grain stack. this 1s a forenoon
or afternoon break. If they were threshing grain from the shocks
in the field there wouldn't be that many men around the machine at
on time. Its not the dinner meal. some have a sandwich in their
hands, others a cup of coffee or another stimulant.
•
Courtesy Ted Wachter
Another break in the day. The refreshments seem to be
of a mixed variety.
This could be a silo filling crew, neighbors helped each
other by trading their labor, and equipment
•
ST PAUL FAMHRS MARH%T ca. 1905
Farmers from all directions
dairy products to this market.
Homes on Summit Avenue made
brought their produce,
purchases for
Grocery stores bought daily to replenish their
eggs
certain foods
auppliee.
Many of the old immigrants from Italy and Russia, had a
and
here.
horse
and wagon, used for calling on various neighborhoods in the city
to sell vegtablee, fruits and dairy products they had purchased
from the Farmers Market, then selling directly to the housewives
along their routes.
Street car tracks can be seen in the street. In thouse days
the street car was a horse drawn vehicle.
Courtesy: Agnee Polzin
The picture above is of Old Dodd Road making the curve in
the vicinity of the Lone Oak Trinity Church that can be seen in
a diatance banthe left through the bushes. In the center can
be seen the Halfway House and farther down the road we see the
Gopher Smelting Plant. Highway #55 was not paved until many
years later.
S77Qul-
In 1920 In its;schemeingtwas able to convince the Ramsey
County superevisors that it would be to the advantage to St. •
Paul to improve Dodd Road from
to the Ha lfway house. Trucks
roads would assure the farmers
the South end al the high bridge
were coming into being and good
market and the So. St. Paul Stock
yards good roads for moat of the year. So Ramsey County by all
indications of the Minnesota Department Highways paid for the
improvement of 01d Dodd Road.
In those days Highway #13 ran all the way to the South end
of the highbride.
Herbert Polzin is sitting on the rail.
•
•
•
i
•
Rama'y county had improved their southern highway to St.
W&S
Paul. Now itTMinneapoliaes turn to come up with a grand scheme
and they sure did. Hennipen County finance the Mendota Bridge.
in 1926 traffic could now flow from the South into hinneapolis
and it sure did. Ramsey county countered with up grading Dodd
with a bituminous serface.
Courtesy: Herb Polzin
Preparing the road bed for Highway 55 three lanes wide. In the
vicinity of Lone Oak Trinity Lutheran Church.
So in 1934 Minneapolis came up with anonther scheme, so they
Paved a concrete highway three lanes wide, from the South end of
the Mendota bridge to the Halfway House, now they were on as equal
St. Paul. These are the old rivalries between St. Paul and Min-
neapolis. And they still go on St. Paul got the New Civic Center
and Minneapolis got the Metro -Dome.
THE NICOLS DEPOT
Nicole was at the railroad tracks and Cedar Avenue in Fagan.
The Nicole railroad station was built ca 1870 when the rail-
road passenger service came to this territory.
Farmers would catch the train here and ride into St. Paul
for about .15 cents. This was usually for important business to
see the Doctor or a lawyer, banking or to do some shopping.
Art Rahn remembers when hsi father was on jury duty in Hast-
ings, he would catch the train at Nicole ride it into St. Paul
and then catch another train to Hastings. This was usually a one
day service.
Nicole also had a grocery store and a warehouse for onions
and potatos purchased from the farmers.
7
•
•
•
The rail service at Nicole was a busy part of the rail system.
Seven lines left St. Paul for the South and Southwest. There ware
countless trains of travellers and freight a --riving from various
directions and passed on through even to the Pacific Coast and Ca-
nada, making St. Paul the gateway to the Northwest.
After the turn of the century extensive trackage was maintain-
ed in the Midway District, (The Montgomery Ward area.) Here freight
was transferred from one line to another.
For years the Midway Transfer Railway Company handled about
R00,000 eight hundred thousand freight cars and 13,200.000. thir-
teen million two hundred thousand tons of freight yearly.
The mileage of railroads entering St. Paul was close to 6o,000
(sixty thousand miles) or nearly one fourth of the total railroad
mileage on the United States.
Along with this extensive railroad growth, during the decade
of the 1920'a, three great systems of passenger buses operating out
of St. Paul. They were the Northland Transportation Company, The
Mohawk lines and the Jefferson Highway System.
Along with all those transportation facilities, the cities of
St. Paul and Minneapolis had an extensive street railway system and
in 1927 the company carried Fat, 312, 315 cash and transfer passengers.
During the same tine its cars travelled a distance of 10,6/0,007 miles.
This area of the country was experiencing an interlude of pros-
perity that was unbelieveable, but in 1929 the Wall Street crash
changed that for many years. This proved to be the very valley in
our economy.
RPf : Arthur Rahn
Leonard Garrity
St. Paul, Opp. by F. C. Miller
Francis J. Demb roaki
NICOLS HALL OR BEAUDETTE HALL
Nicols Hall or Beaudette hall was located at Cedar avenue and
Beau d' Rue drive, Eagan. It was built as a grocery store with living
quarters and a dance hall upstairs. St. Peter's church, Mendota, had
its card parties there before the parish hall was built in 1937. It
was used as a schoolroom for about a year in 1932 when District 104
was burned. Agnes Kelleher of Burnsville was the teacher.
After beer was legalized in 1933, Rosario (Reo) Beaudette opened
it as the Biltmore night club. His wife Mary Judge of Hastings was
a former local school teacher. A Mr. Russell operated it, and it was
also known as Club 13. The Driscolls who had the Hook "Em Cow Hotel
in South St. Paul also operated it as a tavern, then Otto Albrecht ran
it from about 1945-1948. His daughter Dolores and her husband Kenneth
Saver also ran Club 13 until it closed. Harold Helminiak operated a
grocery store there. It is now occupied by Dakota Plumbing, Frederickson
Air Conditioning upstairs, and an insurance company. The Beaudette and
Hill families moved to California.
Reo Beaudette operated a blacksmith shop there, and would sharpen
plow shares and shoe horses. In the 1920's, a potato blight appeared
and vegetable farmers from Bloomington would bring potatoes there for
treatment. Fostin Beaudette was a well driller and sawed lumber for
house construction.
Elizabeth Kenneely
•
•
•
MAGAN' S SUB'1`,HHAIMAN INDUSTRY
THIS IS A M00NSRINT STILL
The picture you are looking at, is a facsimile of equirment
used to manufacture an intoxicant illegal drink called "Moonshine".
At one time not to far from Eagan, but still in Dakota County
500 gallon stills were in operation. SO powerfull were these plants
that at one time not far from Rosemount, one still exploded and blew
the barn clean off the foundation.
This small plant was the beginning of a vast network of illegal
operations to counter the ]. th Amendment prohibiting the manufacture
of intoxicating beverages.
In 1913 the United states Congress passed the Webb-Kenyou Law.
This law stopp.d the shipping of liquor fromk a Nwet" to a dry state.
In addition in 1917 thm Jones -Randall bill was passed, this act made
it unlawfull to use the U. S. mailer to send liquor advertising or
circulars addressed to people in "dry" territory.
'
In 1913 the Anti -Saloon League started a national campaign
for a prohibition Amendment to the Federal Constitution,
This
amendment was to prohibit the manufacture and sale of alcoholic
beverages throughout the 'Jointed States. The Amendment received
the necessary two-thirds vote in the House of Representatives
when it was submitted in 1914.
During World War I, the prohibition leaders etrenghtened
their cause through the food -control bill. The bill carried a
section prohibiting the manufacture of distilled liquor, beer
and wine. No whiskey was manufactured after September g, 1917.
No beer was manufactured after May 1, 1919 under the war time
act, no more intoxicants were sold. No saloon in America could
operate legally after that date, and still there_ was no National
Amendment to the Constitution in effect.
In 1917 Congress provided for an amendment that would make
the entire country "prohibition territory".
This amendment went into effect on January 16, 1920. The
Volstead Act was passed in 1919 to help enforce the amendment.
This measure carefully defined alcoholic drinks.
In 1929 the Jones law was passed. This law provided fines
to $10,000 dollars for offenses againiet prohibition law, or
imprisonment up to five years or both.
Many people among the citizens of our great country were
accustomed to the Intoxicant pick-me-ups and along with a new
crop of adventurers each year, it was not long before a huge
eubterrean.n industry called "bootlegging" was in full progress.
A great segment of the labor force was needed for the mon-
strous illegal operation.
•
•
Grain and corn along with sugar beets and cane had to be planted
and harvested, delivery of these ingredients for the distilleries
was
sometimes difficult, as some neighbors were always happy to
see others in a predicament with the law.
As the industry became more proficient with its manufacturing
and delivery system greater demands were made for the product.
The manufactured product was a dangerous commodity to have as
cargo, but with enough money and protected routes, it was possible
to deliver a load of "moonshine" or white lightning from parts of
Minnesota and northern Wisconsin to Chicago and St. Paul, and
Minneapolis. These saloons were known as speak-easies and were
solely in operation to sell "boozes. Three qualities were nosily
handle, because it was an illegal business, where could one go if
he was taken advantaged of.
In the early evening hours, high quality drinks were served,
ae the crowd became more inebriated, the quality would drop to
a three to one ratio. As the long evening wore on the liquor was
reached a ratio of 50/50 and sometimes less.
So diluted was the "Hootch". that, by the early morning hours
customers on their way home. realized that that they were almost
sober again.
Many of the big stills operators made the "Hootch" on a verbal
contract, and the buyer would supply all the necessary ingredients
for the manufacturing of the wanted spirit°. However should the
producer at the plant hold out and sell to another dealer. and was
caught in the act, he was given immediate justice. He was given a
fair and impartial hearing without trial. Many, men operating
stills played this side game only to end up in some back -weds,
pleading for his life on his knees, his verdict was over with a
bullet in the head.
Once the gangsters from Chicago, Cleveland and Kansas City
got into the act, it became a very dangerous game. St. Paul
and Minneapolis were not far behind in this complete illegal
operation.
Many people drank because the law prohibited it. In Wis-
consin, some counties had an estimated 20% drinking problem
but during prohibition it more than doubled.
By this time women had achieved their voting rights, and
drinking and smoking amongst many women became the law of the
land.
Ref;
S Ome of the 'Kagan Old-timers
Francis J. Dembroski
•
•
;r:
,
•
The two care in the picture are Revenuor's, apparently Mad ag
an investigation of an 'Eagan citisen. Do you recognize the farm?.
The first car with the two small windows in the baok is an early
1920 Overland, used usually in raids. the larger car up front is of
questionable,Asome believe it to be a Hupmobile or Graham —Paige
others aren't so sure. It
was a bigger, heavier car and used for
both raids and worked in pursuit of the fleeing outlaws hauling
the contraband.
•
THT E°'Y!NUOAS
You have read about 1Cagan's Subterranean industry during
the late teens, twenty's and early thirties of this century.
Prohibition had been a question of great public interest
for 15 years prior to the Civil War. Maine and twelve other
states paesed state wide prohibition lave. They were all re-
pealed later or declared unconsitutional in all the states but
Maine.
After the Civil War the liquor business developed rapidly,
and there was a strong movement again for prohibition.
Both the Eepublican and Democratic parties had refused to
consider prohibition in their platforms. So the Prohibition
party was organized in 1R69 and tried to make prohibition a
national polictical issue.
The Women's Christian Temperance Union was organized in 1g7u.
Both groups, as well as other smelled bodies did much to bring
about prohibition. Then came the Anti -Saloon League organized in
Ohio in 1g93, it was very effective. The organizers of this
group worked locally, getting, cities, townships and counties to
go "dry". This was done where state -vide prohibition seemed
impossible. On July 1, 1919, 31 etates were "dry" or had voted
for state wide prohibition on:.va definite date.
Action locally by the cities, townships and counties had
been chiefly responsible for this increase in prohibtion.
•
While prohibition had apparently won by cutting off the sale of
liquor legally, it did cause more problems for local governments
to stop the manufacture of the illegal spirits.
During the second decade of this century many households were
packed lock, stock and barrel and moved out over night to an en-
vironment conducive with a quite hospitality and tolerance of man-
ufaoturing liquor in small amounts for ones own use and local
trade. So upset were some citizens that many moved to the wilds
of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Upper Michigan only to find that they
could not earn a living under such conditions and they had to
move back to civilisation or slowly starve to death. Some moved to
escape service in World War I. Many families because of poverty
and improper food, lost several of their children, creating still
further hardship and heart -ache. In Northwestern Wisconsin, some
of the homes built in that era are still standing today after
having been vacant for over 60 years.
Back in civilization the states were plagued with mmoon-
shiners" and a delivery system that used hi -powered cars for rapid
escapes, should the revenuors be waiting on some side road to
take up the chase.
•
In 1932 both the Democratic and Republican party platforms
worked to have the question of prohibtion submitted to the people
for repeal.
Congress passed a resolution proposing the repeal in Feb—
ruary 1933.
By December 5, 1933, 36 states had ratified or approved it.
So the twenty—first Amendment by legistative compromise nul—
lified the Eighteenth Amendment and national prohibition was re—
pealed.
The states were now permitted to control the manufacture
and sale of all liquors.
By 1966 all states permitted the sale of liquor, however,
parts of many states remained dry
through option.
Francis J. Dembroeki
•
•
•
TEM LORE OAK TREE
This is the Lone Oak tree in Eagan. well over 100 years old.
For years it was used as a bulletin board. Hews was posted
neighbors to read. Advertising was tacked on the tree, th-
ings to buy. sell or trade.
The picture presents dissidents citizens of Eagan. reb-
cling, because the Minnesota Highway Department was about
too cut the tree down. The citizens won.
Years ago the farmers placed a big wooden tank with
water in under this tree. Farmers would bring their milk
to the tank in milk cans. set them in the water to keep
cool and in the shade.
Later in the morning John Rahn would pick up the
cans and deliver them to the creamery.
The Lone Oak Tree was given a plaque for its faith—
ful usefullnese.
ReF.
Mdwin Ohmann
Leonard Garrity
Francis J. Dembroeki
7 t, '•
-
Courtesy Arthur Rahn
Can you imagine standing on that log all these years.?
L. To R.
Frieda Schmidt, Herman Schmidt, Art Schmidt,
Henry Schmidt, Margaret Englert, Elsie Sch-
midt.
•
L. To R. Grace Garrity, Plphonaine Plaieance
Jerry Chapdelaine.
and her husband
L. T. R. Emory Lemay, Rich Haider and Leonard Garrity.
•
•
Grace Garrity and her brother Clarence Garrity with his
1926 Tessa with a rumble Beat. a very popular model with
the younger set. Privacy and acceptability proved to be a
winner for several years although it was not a totally all
weather car.
Some of the smaller cars during this era. were the !seem
Ford. Chevrolet and Overland.
Top speed was between 415 and 6o miles as hour and usually
down hill.
Francis J. Dembroski
•
cl
Is 1g64, Patrick Diffley now nine years old, was
playing is a pond on the neighbors property and with the
neighbors son.
Beneath the water is the pond was an open well that
was filled and covered over with water. The well had been
previously used for the farms water supply.
While the boys were playing in the pond the neighbors
wife heard a commontien from that area and realized that
something was wrong. She immediately summoned William
thr;ete.i-s
Diffley to the pond. Getting they% he eawlheTson thresh—
ing is the water and about to drowned. Pulling him from
the pond to shore where his his almost hysterical mother
was waiting. William did not realize that his non, too,
had been struggling to get to shore. Going back to the
pond he discovdred that his son Patrick had drowned and
was still in the Well.
Ref: James Diffley
Francis j. Dembroski
•
•
O
25c
•
•
TB! BLIZZARD OF 1R76
One day in the winter of 1R56, William Fiffley had
business to attend too in the city. When he had finish-
ed with his business affairs and was about to return home,
A ♦iolent blizzard swept thru the whole area, which made
it impossible for him to immediately return home.
During this violent blizzard a couple in a sleigh
pulled by oxen were making their way to the nearest town.
While the couple were huddle in their sleigh under
buffalo robes, the oxen were making their way thru the
storm. High winds, cold temperatures and heavy snow made
it impossible to see the trail, but the oxen trugged on.
When the oxen came to the Diffley cabin by the side of the
trail,they stopped as if to tell the passengers to get out.
Realizing that the oxen were no longer in motion, the stran-
ger looked around a saw a small light flickering in a window.
Getting out of the sleigh and knocking at the door, Be asked
Mrs. Diffley if he and his wife could etay in the cabin for
the night. She was happly to oblige. The stranger then
went outside to care for his oxen for the night and going
back late the cabin they were given a hot meal. Talking for
some time afterwards, Mrs. Diffley complained of not feeling
to well and within a few hours she delivered twin boys.
One died immediately and the other died the next day.
Ref: James Diffley
Francis J. Dembroski
THr U. S. MAIL
During the early 1R50's the mail service began to move
in various parts of the state.
The stage coach lines carried mail to relay stations
along their routes. From these locations the mail would
then be delivered to the back country over various trails.
One of these trails led from St. Paul to St. Cloud,
through Osseo, which 113 our present territorial road lead-
ing west of Osseo to St. Michaelis and beyond.
Over this trail, Joseph LaBonne for many years carried
the mail on foot from St. Paul to St. Cloud, a distance of
seventy (70) miles.
Joseph was described as a huge man seven feet tall,
350 pounds. At birth he weighed 19 pounds.
All the indiano were afraid of him, and probably for
ng
good reason. A you/Chippewa Warrior had been giving him
a certain amount of difficulty and harassment on the trail.
While Joseph was a patient man, this had gone on for quite
ewe time.
Finally Joseph deeid ed to end the constant desparge-
went . Caught the incorrigible and hung him in a tree.
The law in those days vas a gun and a rope.
Reft St. Vincent DePaul
Church, Osseo, Mn.
Joseph La3onne
Anoka, Mn . 19S2
S. W. Hart
Falcon Heights, Mn
Francis J. Dembroski
•
•
•
•
AIRMAIL
The first continuous regular airmail service in the
world started on May 15, 191K, with U. S. Army Pilots fly—
ing between New York City, Philadelplia and Washington D. C.
On August 12, 191g. the post office department took over
the airmail service.
The first night airmail service was flown from Omaha,
Nebraska to Chicago in 1921. Regular airmail flights and
regular transcontinental mail service by air began in 1924.
In 1921 airmail service between Minneapolis (1Vold Cham—
berlain Airport and the (Checkerboard Field ) in Chicago be—
gan.
0ne of the first planes to carry the mail from the Vold
Chamberlain Field was an English twin engine DeHaviland plane
piloted by Mickey Eversole. It vas during the summer of 1921
that Mickey had problems with hie plane and flying over section
10 in 'Fagan, he bailed out by parachute and his plane crashed
close to Lake Lemay. Martin Shields was one of the very first
witnesses to the scene of the crash.
A week of so later a two seater training plane crashed in
section 4. Most of the mail in those days were letters. and
three or four hundred letters was about the greatest volume
carried.
Ref; Herbert Polzin
Arthur Rahn
Martin Shield's
Francis J. Dembroski
;%iffs' y ..f rgnA/;r.:.4i., 7AoiuYi4. .iNrIIeeo ri rks;V4 Fl 1 '{ elt .
This is the first plane carrying mail to Chicago that
crashed in section 10, Mickey the pilot far right, is apol-
ogising. Not my fault he said, the rubber band broke.
This is the -second plane that crashed a reek or so
later in section 4. Those rubber bands keep snapping all
the time.
•
•
•
Li
•
•
•
This is What is left of the two seater training plane
that crashed in section 4. I'll bet they'll find that
rubber band yeti
B. L. BAKER
Dakota county was once the ideal camping grounds of the Indians,
according to B.L. Baker, Mendota, taxidermist, medicine man, and keeper
of a Dakota county museum of Indian relics. The thick woods, inter-
spersed with prairies and the plentiful lakes and the river bottoms
supplied buffalo, deer, fowl and fish in abundance. As many as 10,000
Sioux Indians camped in the vicinity of Mendota in one winter.
"Natural resources never diminished when the Indians roamed the
country", he said. They never cut down a green tree, nor did they
distroy food. Whenever they shot a deer or buffalo, they used all of
the meat. They did not leave it to rot on the ground as the whites
did when they came. They ate whatever they cared for, and by drying and
smoking the rest, preserved it for a long time.
"There's some dried venison right there, which won't spoil in
four years, he remarked, pointing to several strips of brown, leatherish
meat which were hanging in the cupboard.
Mr. Baker, a desendant from the Pottawatamie, and Mrs. Baker, whose
grandparents belonged to the "Six Nations" are striving to preserve the
Indian customs and traditions in every way possible. Although they are
only part Indian, they prepare their food in the same manner that
their native American ancestors did hundreds of years ago. They differ
greatly with their neighbors, when it comes to selection of choice
meats.
WON'T EAT RABBITS
"Lots of people eat rabbits and squirrels, Mr. Baker said, cutting
a small strip of the dried venison for himself and his interviewer.
"The Indians don't
squirrels to kill them?
beavers, and porcupines
like rabbits, and they are
too great lovers
He then explained that muskrats,
provide the best tasting meat you
of
groundhogs,
can find
anywhere, since these animals live wholly on vegetables and roots.
Asked whether he had ever eaten dog meat, he replied "I certainly
have, and it isn't long ago. Let me choose between your choice beef
steak from a 15 year old cow, and a steak from a fat young dog, and I
won't even notice the beef."
"Of course", he explained, "You must know how I prepare it.
•
•
•
•
Take for instance, a muskrat or beaver. If you wish to prepare it
as you do a common steak of roast, you couldn't eat it. But if you
soak it in salt water for several days, and then smoke it, it's
delicious."
MAKE FANCY MINCE MEAT
A fruit jar containing mince meat was then brought in by Mr.
Baker. "I'll tell you how we make our mince meat", said Mr. Baker.
"Your know I'm a taxedermist, and I get several deer heads, with a
good chunk of meat left on each one, to mount every year. I also get
buffalo, moose, and bear. This can of mince meat, contains four
kinds of meat, buffalo, deer, moose, and bear. We first soak it in
salt water, smoke it, cut it into small pieces, and cook it. Then we
grind and mix it with apples, citron, spices, brown sugar, and a
little cider. It is then put in cans and used for sauce or pie."
The Dakota county museum, which Mr. and Mrs. Baker maintain in
Mendota, is open for the public, and a small admission charge is made.
The building is one of the oldest in the state and was formerly owned by
General Sibley. It was then a store, with a bar on one side. It was
here that the Younger brothers, accomplices of Jesse James in the famous
Northfield bank robbery, stopped to get their liquor to brace them up
for that daring piece of work.
Mr. Baker now uses the room as a work shop for his taxidermy.
He also is a medicine man, having knowledge of medicines made from
herb bark and oil. The museum is being kept in the second story of the
frame house. A complete collection of Indian novelties has been
gathered by 14r. Baker, including a variety of flint arrowheads, skinning
knives, war clubs, beads, costumes, trinkets, a scalp, and an old
canoe, hewed out of a log.
SCALP ON DISPLAY
The scalp on display is one of 36 which Chief Jeronemo carved
for himself when he was making it hot for early white people. The
famous stone pipe of Indian Betts, General Sibley's Indian wife, is also
on display in the museum.
Few visitors will leave the place until Mrs. Baker, formerly
Ahwahneitta White Cloud, has sung her Indian lullaby. Her Indian name
means, "Bowing Flower", in our language. 14r. Baker has attracted
considerable attention with his famous dog teams in past years. He now
has only two of his original team of eight, Polar King, and Lon Wolf.
Courtesy
Letendre
Martin Des Laurier
Francis J. Dembroski
•
•
•
An early history of Dakota County mentions,that in 1860 there were
no roads in all Dakota County worthy of note, transportation, on land,
was along a few Indian trails that only todays snowmobilers would cherish.
In the spring of :1852 the U.S. Government alloted funds for surveying
and clearing what became Dodd Road running through the eastern portion
of Eagan most of which is still in use today (1981) and bears the
original name. By 1865, 65 miles were cleared and completed for travel.
Its course was surveyed by Captain Dodd which accounts for the name given
the road. Property records of title show that in 1864, Minnesota Central
Railway Co. purchased the right of way for what is now The Chicago
Milwaukee St. Paul and Pacific R.R. In 1866 Westcott Station was
established near the Southeast corner of Section 24, Eagan, which was
part of the farm then owned by James Westcott. The community has
continued to carry the name for about the last 125 years although many of
the places located in Eagan were vacated or moved including the rail-
road depot and District #106 school.
A store and Post Office established in 1881 were out of business
before the turn of the century. Radio Station KSTP established a
broadcasting station at Westcott and for a few years pushed the name of
Westcott off Minnesota maps, but "Radio Center" lasted a relative few
years and as of now Wescott again is back on the Official Map. (through
the years a "t" has been left out in the spelling".
An Electric generating plant by Broker Electric was operated for
years and provided power to customers mostly between Wescott and Mendota
they also operated a, meat locker plant where locally butchered meat was
processed and freezer lockers were rented to the many farmers and
neighbors who did not have electricity until after 1937 when a loan
through R.E.A., and built their own lines.
Never having been organized as a village, Wescott's boundries
were generally known by the boundries of School Dist. #106 (now extinct)
and/or by places that used the name from Wescott Garden Lots in the
NW to the Northern States Power, Wescott in the SE.
Today the Wescott "Corner" may not seem too important to the local
citizens who can jump in their car and be in a big city in 10 or
fifteen minutes, but to the people who lived for 50 or more years
before cars and trucks were common it was "something" to be
able to walk to the depot and ride a train instead of riding behind a
team of "work horses" or oxen, to town. The fare as late as 1917, to
Rosemount was 14c and reportedly to St. Paul via Mendota was once
less than 30c. Telegraph lines preceded the telephone and a telegram
could be sent during the years that a station agent was on duty. The
R.R. side—tracks running northwesterly from the Wescott depot were a
busy market place especially in the fall months when Mr. Wescott
bought all the farm produce such as onions potatoes and wheat that
was ::.. raised by the local farmers, some older citizens today (1981) in
reminiscing have stated that as many as two or three car —loads were
loaded there in a single day during the busy season.
Grocery or general stores have come and gone but were a great
convenience in their time.
A Blacksmith Shop, owned and operated by William Holz where
farmers got their plow shares sharpened and/or other things repaired and
of course their horses shod, was located on the farm Mr. Holz obtained
by Warranty Deed from James Westcott, dated Jan. 10, 1882. A sub—
sequent Deed shows Wm Holz to Dist. 11106 in Dec. 1897 for the property
on which the school was built.
As of beginning 1978, Eagan Industrial Park has grown and has now
been extended to Wescott Rd. which includes the Wescott farm on which
Wescott R.R. Station was established. There is now being completed a
huge branch of the West Publishing Co.
Continuing Northwesterly on Dodd Raod (49) from what was the KSTP
Radio station there is in what once was the Furey and Fee's fields of
onions and potatoes, a list of business and industrial firms such as:
Able Craft Metal, Scherman Trucking, Truck Repair and Equip., Spector
Freight, Carl A. Anderson Inc, Twin City Wire Cloth, Minn. Fence &
Iron and Gopher Smelting Co. at Yankee Doodle Rd. where used batteries
are recycled. At the intersection of Dodd Rd. and Highway 55 is
another business corner the oldest of record being, Starks "Halfway
House".
Many associate the name "Halfway house" as a place people go to
recover from alchol addiction, in early days some thought of this place
as -- where they go to become addicted, as it was a center of where to go
to get a glass, a quart or a gallon to bring home and (keep the home
r1
•
•
home fires burning".) Later state laws restricted the legal sale of
liquor to licensed places within an organized village or city, and
subsequently prohibition put further dampers on this place as a
business. But today the Halfway House has a seating capacity of about
260, music and dancing Wed. thru Sat. several game machines and eleven
pool tables. The first operater was probably Alexander Huer
(pronounced Yore) who owned the property from May 1866 until 1885 when he
sold to Peter Langan, upon his death in 1913, his son Richard Langan
carried on until 1924. Jacob Schmidt Brewing Co. is listed as owner
from 1924 to 1959, and Daniel Ramberg from 1959 until 1968 when he sold
to John A. O'Brien. Mr. Eric Stark has been in charge since 1974.
0n a more sober note, the next spot along Dodd RD. would be at
it's intersection with Lone Oak Road and of course "Lone Oak" itself.
James Diffley
THB SIOUX UPRISING
Life in ?organ was not always hard —work and peaceful living.
At times during the Indians uprising of the 1R60'c, some of the
settlers gathered at the Barry cabin in section 23 for better
protection from the Indians.
Memebers headed for the cabin would bring along a jug of
spirits for protection too against the cold. After several hours
of tipping, waiting and talking, they would become much braver
and decided to go looking for the Indians. Luckily for all con—
cerned they never found any.
The newly born tradition became so popular, that it was dif—
ficult for other neighbors to become knowledgeable as to the exact
termination of the Indian uprisings.
Ref: 1711en(nee McCarthy) Ralal
and her daughter Jean
Francis J. Dembrouki
•
•
THE CZNTLEMEN
In August of 1N76, sight travelers posing as a party of
land speculators and cattle traders;- got off th St. Paul M.
and 0 railroad in the city of St. Paul.
After spending some time with the ladies, leing some
money at the gambling tables they figured they knew enough
about Minnesota.
Having decided to travel by horseback, they each pur—
chased the beet horses and saddles and bridles and bite they
could find.
Ae they left St. Paul, they left in pairs, making a
horseback trip along the MiseissiFpi River to Mendota. When
they got to Mendota, four headed West along the Minnesota
River to Mankato. From Mendota, the other four headed south
through Mendota and Fagan. By this time the riders in Man—
kato were headed for Northfield. As the four horsemen tra—
velled south through Fagan, they cut —cross country so as not
to be observed on the 01d Dodge City Trail, and more or lees
following section lines.
When they reach the eectione lines , today known as
Lexington and Diffley Road, section lines of 26 and 27, there
was a gate to the entrance of the Patrick Quigley Estate.
Patriek Quigley was the grandfather of Margaret Quigley and
the Maternal Great grandfather of Martin Dee Lauriere.
As they approached the yard they asked Patrick if they
could water their horses. They :'sat around and talked for a
•
while. Getting ready to leave, they asked Pat Quigley if they
could cut through his property. They were told that they were
very welcome to do
so, providing they cloeed all the gates. The
travellers agreed, after all Patrick had opened the gate when
they approached his property from the North.
Patrick could see no harm in helping these travellers. after
all they had nice horses, were well dressed, and talked intelli-
gently, bidding them all good-bye.
The travellers were the topic of conversation at the supper
table.
It was not until sometime after September 7, 1876 that Pat-
rick Quigley realised he had opened the gate to his estate to
members of the Jesse James gang, and they were on their way to
rob the Northfield National Bank.
Ref:
Catherine (Quigley) Shields
eUr f, s Francis J. Dembroe:ti
•
•
•
TEEM EARLY HUNKERS
The taverns in Mendota in the early days got most of thier
Int
beer, wine and liquor, that was manufactured in the countryside
from St. Anthony later called Minneapolis.
One day when winter was over, before the turn of the cent-
ury, a tavern owner sent a driver. with a team of horses and a
sleigh with a grain box to St. Anthony for a supply of spirits
for his establishment. Having finished loading the various con-
tents in their order, the driver was on his way back to Mendota.
It had been a warm day, the river had been growling and th-
ere was trouble ahead. Reaching the Minnesota River on the Fort
Snelling aide, the driver thought he notice a slight depression
in the center of the ice, but failed to pay any attention to it
as being serioua.
The driver decided to get the horses on a full gallop, think-
ing that if the ice should give away the rig and horses would still
reach the Mendota shore.
About two thirds of the distance across the river the ice
broke in, and the driver lost the liqunr, wine and beer the sl-
eigh along with the horses and barely escaping with his life.
Ref: Mendota Tales
Francis J. Dembroski
BUILT IB 1914
Courtesy City Hall
In 1093 th first Eagan Town Hall vas built on the Shields
property, County Rd. 26 and 31. This later burned, and in 19111
the Old !agaa Town Hall was bui1T on this site, and was in use
until 1965.
We would like to give recognition to August
Rahn, former Clerk of Eagan Township, who
served from 1919 to 1950. These 39 years
of service to the Township, at this time
is unsurpassed.
•
Courtesy Martin Des Lauriers
NEW PAGAN TOWN HALL OPEN HOUSE
SUNDAY, AUOLST 22 1965
1:00 P. M to 5:00 P. M.
Cost of Building $2R,000 complete with well, land,
Architects fees and furnishings.
ARCHITECT KILSTOFTE & VOSEJPKA, INC.
CONTRACTOR TILLCS CONSTRUCTION CO .
WELL CL'NZ & RYA_!
•
FLAG PRTSTNTATION
Courtesy: Art Rahn
This flag was donated by the Vaeatka Goers V F H Poet
in Mendota. 1965.
L. Alyce Bolke, Town Clerk;_.Gohn Klein, Town super-
visor; LeRoy Chapdelaine Poet Representative, Laurence
Mahady Post Commander; and Arthur Rahn, Town Supervisor.
•
•
BOARD MEM!^RS 1965
CHAIRMAii
SUPERVISOR
SUPERVISOR
TREASUR JR
CLERK
JSUTICE OF THE, PEACE
JUSTICE OF TES PEACE
POLICE CHIEF
POLIO; OFFICER
POLICE OFFICER
POLICE OFFICER
EAGAN VOLUNTEER FIRE DARTMENT
FIRE CHIEF
1ST ASSISTANT
2ND ASSISTANT
CONSULTING ATTORNEY
CONSULTING ENGINEER
Arthur Rahn
Eduard Schwanz
John J. Klein
Herbert polzin
alyce bolke
Helen Kennedy
Silas Palmer
Martin Des Lauriere
Vernon Le Tendre
Richard LeMay
Donn Smith
ADVISORY PLANNING BOARD
Donald Van Engen
Frank lamberger
Jay Berths
Luther M. Stalland
Bonestroo, Rosene
Anderlik & Assoc.
James Klingel, Chairman
Herbert Polzin
Ted Wachter
Don Christenson
EAGAN PARK BOARD
Vernon Cole
Thomas Stearns
Jan Marten
EAGAN TOWNSHIP PROJECTION
PRESENT POPULATION 1965
YEAR 1955
Y*AR 2000
•
Gordon Beavdette
Tom Diffley
William Rydrych
Mavis Westbrook
John Coneoer
Richard Thorpe
7,000
62,000
112,300
EAGAN TOWN BOARD
Supervisors pose during the recent open house.
Prom left front row Are Mrs
Alyce Bolke, Clerk; Art Rahn, chair—
man; Ed Schwanz, supervisor; Second row John Klein, sspervisor;
and. Herbert Polzin, treasurer. 1965.
•
•
•
•
•
Recognized for their service to the City of Fagan are, from
left Arthur Rahn. Herbert Polzin and William Rydrych.
At the last city council meeting for 1977, December 20,
three men ended a total of 72 years of public servive. They
are Mayor Herb Polzin. Council Member Art Rahn, and Council
Member William Rydrych. City engineer Robert Rosene was also
honored.
All three elected officials have served Sagan long and
well, but Mayor Polzin goes back the furthest in hie public
service.Rerb began in 1944, serving as treasurer of pagan
Township and continued in that office for 2R yeare.
In 1972, Herb left hlstreasurer job because
he had been
elected mayor (the first one of the Village of sagas). In Ad-
dition to these capacities, he wao also a member of the ragan
Advisory Planning Commission from 1956 to 1972.
Art Rahn served on the 'Eagan Town Board of Supervisors
from 1953 to 1972.
Rain left his position as chairman of the town board in 1972
because he had been 'lotted a council member.
William Rydrych was appointed to the advicory planning
commission in 1965. In 1972 he was elected to the town bo-
ard and later that year he was elected to the city council.
He has served on the council since 1972.
At the close of the council meeting, Theodore Wachter
their fellow council member, thanked them forltheir service
and presented each of them with a framed certificate of ap-
preciation while commending them on their years of dedica-
tion and service on behalf of the council and the City of
Eagan.
Future Mayor Leo Murphy suggested that the gavel be re-
tired with them and placed in a display case at the city hall,
since it had been around for so long and had quite a history.
The council agreed with the idea.
Mayor Polzin noted that the carved work, Eagan, on the
gavel was whittled one day long ago by a former member who
got bored by the meeting he was suffering through and so ent-
ertained himself with his handiwork.
Polzin thanked everone for their help and tha meetin was
adjourned.
On Jan. 3. Leo Murphy will begin his term as mayor. That
meeting rill also begin the terms of council memebers Mark Par-
rento. Thomas A. Egan, James A Smith, -1 a re-elected former
member. And Theodore Wachter (also a re-elected former council
Member).
•
•
•
•
At the December 20, council meeting, Polzin paid tribute
to the city engineer, Robert Rosene. Polzin spoke of Rosene
recently being awarded the Golden Beaver (one of the highest
scouting awards). and also being named a WCCO Good Neighbor.
He presented Herb Polzin with a small framed phote of Pilot
Knob Road., amidst much clapping and laughter.
•
Eagan-5 VOMIT caay®a•, 77
Council Take Office
THE FIRST 'limiting In fagots woo held Monday. At the
council table. from left to right. an, CIerl•treo,umr Alyce
Ba1Le, amen !omen Smith, Arthur Rohn, Mayor Herbert
Poling. councilmen Ted Wachter, William Rydrych. village
attorney Paul Hauge, and engineering consultant Robert
CLERK -TREASURER Alyce Bolke is shown swearing in first
Mayor of Eagan, Herbert Polzin, Monday November 6, 1972, at
the Eagan Town Halle as councilman Arthur Rahn looks on.
The first Organizational meeting
changed from township to village
Eagan village had its first
was held as the community
status.
council meeting Monday No-
vember 6, when Mayor Herbert Polzin and councilmen Arthur
Rahn, Ted Wacter, James Smith and William Rydrych were sworn
in by Village clerk Alyce Bolke, whose power continued from
township government. She was named clerk -treasurer, in the
council's organizational meeting. Arthur Rahn was named act-
ing mayor.
The Dakota County Tribune was named the official news-
paper, and the Valley National Bank of Eagan the official
depository. The three posting places for legal notices were
designated the famous Lone OakTree, Applebaum's and the town
•
•
•
Mayor Elect
hall, Meeting dates were given as the first and third Tuesday
and other Tuesdays for special meetina. Time was 7 P M in the
winter with 7:30 P M., for hearings, and 7:30 P M., in the Bum-
mer with g:00 P M for hearings.
Marcy Anderson of 2535 Vilas Lane, speaking for the local
league of Women Voters, asked that council agendas be published
in the official newspaper. It was decided to do this.
Paul Hauge of the firm Stallard and Hauge of Eagan and
Minneapolis was named the village attorney; Bonestroo, Ander-
lik, and Associates, engineer; Juran and Moody, fiscl consultant
Dr. Erickson of Rosemount, Health Officier.
Other persons named were; Martin DeuLauriers, police chief;
Roger Sperling, on MASAC (airport noise); William Schulta, fire
chief; William Branch, publich works superintendent; Dale Peter-
son , building inspector; Wilkerson. Guthman, and Johnson. Au-
diting firm.
Present members of the planning Board were renamed. Serving
to 1975 are Jon Marble and Joe Harrison; 1974, Leo Murphy and Er-
win Hoelmken. Nominated to vacancies, one due to the death of
Thomas Diffley, were Francis J. Dembroski, 1040 McKee Street
Charles Hall presently on the town board; John Toso, 1933 Tur-
quoise; Bea Bloomquist, 2054 Copper Lane; Robert Losinski, 2F99
Fairlawn Place; and Donald Christenson, 3650 Pilot Knob Rd. A
former planning board member. Members named were Francis J. Dem-
broski, Charles Hall and Mr. Toso. Mr. Hall is to continue on the
park board as well
M ayor elect
Assessment committee memberships wre continued. Health
and hospital committee members are David Lundsten, Peg Black,
Joe Krisnik, Wayne Wineor, and Al Hauser.
Salary of the mayor was made a $175 per month, the same
as the town board chairman, and councilman will recieve $125..
per month. Township supervisors had received $150.00 per month.
Committee assignments for councilmen were: Park and play—
ground, Ted Wachter; utilities, James Smith; Street and bridges
Arthur Hahn; Public Safety, William P.ydrych. All serve on the
zoning committee.
The tax levy adopted at the October 10 continued annual
township meeting vas reconfirmed. A11 township ordinances were
adopted as law. The meeting was well attended by interested
residents.
The council meets November 14 at 7;00 P. M.
Francis J. Dembroeki
•
•
•
•
•
H?RB!BT H POLZIN ABOUT 6 MONTHS OLD
ir
tr.4g. r
H?RB?HT H AND AGM (Nfl HOLZ) POLZIN
Courtesy; Agnes Polzin
!AGM FIRM DMPARTHFAIT
•
•
•
4
•4:�-,C1 ,ZLY
w�. ...�rr•�
EAGAN BREAKS GROUND FOR POLICE FACILITY
Dignitaries takding part in the groundbreaking ceremonies
for the Eagan Police Department facility are, from the left,
Henry Mikkeleon. contractor, Ray Eklund, contractor, James Horne,
architect; Paul Hauge, city attorney, Arthur Rahn, councilman;
Rod Boyd. Dakota County Sheriff; Herbert Polzin, Mayor; Martin
DeeLauriers, Police Chief; Alyce Bolke, City Clerk; Rep. Ray
Kempe, District 53A; congressman; second District; Thomas Hedges
City Administrator; Jame° Simth. councilman; Jay Bertha. assistant
police chief; and William Rydrych, councilman.
Groundbreaking ceremonies were held on the site of the future
!egad Police Department, Friday November 4. 1977.
The new police department facility will be an g,000 sore
foot, single story building with a full basement. It allows for
future construction of a second story that could be used for admi-
istrative offices and city council chambers.
!agan's Police Facility
The new facility will be located on 20 acres of land on the
east aide of Pilot Knob Rd. acroesfrom city hall. The site allows
for future constrcution of municipal offices, a fire station, a
community building or other possible facilities ouch as a library.
The construction contract was awarded to Henry 0. Mikkeleon
in the amount of $4g7,555. The building will be funded by the use
of federal revenue sharing funds.
The completion date for the new police facility is expected
to be June 1, 197g.
•
•
•
•
•
•
One of the problems of a growing community such as Cedar
Grove le the delivery of mail. The above picture which might
at first glance appear to be a rural carrier's nightmare, is
the post office departmente's method of handling mail tempor
aaily for a new projct until the roads are surface and the
streets become more eatabliched. Above photo was taken at Ce-
dar Grove, on Cedar Avenue near Highway 13, where the situat-
0
ion changes daily. Temporary Carrier Herbert H. P11zin of 940
Blue Gentian Road, has almost 6o boxes at one stop outside Ce-
dar Grove. He has 455 patrons on his 62 miles of Route 1, St.
Paul 11. Postal officials say the problem appears inside the
poet office as much ae outside. The carriers must "case" all
mail before delivery, and the incomeing families need an inside
casing space, as well as an outside box. eventually the carrier
will deliver mall directly to the houses at Cedar Grove.
Mr. Polzin is replacing the late George Caaey who died
November 21. Officials at Cedar Grove say their goal is
2000 dwellings. And if the present rate of conotruction
keeps up, they'll no doubt make it.
•
•
•
•
•
K40)04003NOeu:r•uli
Part of the ❑istory of Eagan Township - 1963 through 1972
by John J. Klein
The period in Eagan's history from 1960 through 1972 was one of major transition
and preparation for future growth, during which the foundation was laid to accomo- •
date its development. Policies were established to build a total community in
which people could live, work, and play. All varieties of housing would be pro-
vided, and businesses and industry would not only be welcome, but they would not
be exploited. Developers were given prompt, fair decisions, and this encouraged
them to locate in Eagan thereby providing it with a 50-50 ratio of commercial and
industrial tax base versus residential. Eagan has consistently had the lowest tax
of the 70 or 80 most populous communities in the Seven County Metropolitan Area.
In 1963, Eagan was on the threshhold of highly accelerated growth, and it had no
police, fire, or public works departments, no utility program, and was operating
out of a little one room town hall with no water facilities and a one -seater out-
house. It was heated by a pot-bellied stove which either roasted you or permit-
ted you to freeze depending upon where you sat during the cold winter night Town
Board meetings.
There were about 10 rows of seats made from unpainted 2 by 12
planks, and 2 file cabinets.
Recognizing the potential for explosive growth, the Town Board established Police,
Fire, and Public Works Departments. The consulting engineer firm of Bonestroo,
Rosene and Associates was engaged to prepare comprehensive Storm Sewer, Sanitary
Sewer, and Water Supply Plans. The Luther M. Stalland Law Firm prepared the neces-
sary legal documents establishing these departments and utility programs. Eagan
was the only community in Dakota County and perhaps the whole Metro Area which had
two foot topographic maps flown and prepared for its entire area. At the time,the
$20,000.00 cost for these maps was a major budget expense, but the two foot topo
maps were essential to the engineers in establishing a sound utilities system.
Aerial photographs needed for topographic maps can only be flown in the early Spring
after the snow has melted and before the trees leaf out or in the late Autumn after
the leaves are down and before the ground is covered with snow. Potential devel-
opers and landowners would have been limited to these two times of year for topo-
graphic information.
•
The initial cost of $20,000.00 for these topo maps has been recovered many times over
through their sale at the rate of $6.00 per acre and has served as one of the many •
Page 2
ways a community can be helpful to private development.
The first comprehensive Storm Sewer, Sanitary Sewer, and Water Plans were ready
in 1965, and Eagan embarked upon building its utilities program. A systematic,
common sense approach to implementing the system made it very acceptable to the
citizens of Eagan, old time land owners and newcommers alike.
On August 22, 1965, dedication ceremonies were held for the new Eagan Town Hall
complete with modern facilities, an office, and a meeting room which could accom-
odate 200 people. In less than three years Eagan had outgrown its new Town Hall
and in 1968 built an addition to it to provide additional office space and to also
provide facilities for a greatly expanded Police Department which included lock-
up cells, squad rooms, an interrogation room, and dispatcher facilities for both
the Police Department and the Fire Department. Eagan Township had the only lock-
up cells in western Dakota County.
In 1963, fire protection for the township was being provided by contracts
the Mendota Heights and Rosemount Fire Departments. The Cedar Grove area
was the most populated part of Eagan was not adequately protected by these
departments because of the distance factor.
To provide better protection, a SMcial Fire District
by a vote of the people lying within its boundaries.
was delineated and
Implementing this
trict became impossible because Minnesota Laws prohibit taxing for
until it is providing the service, and bonds could not be sold for
equipping the special fire district.
plained the situation
Fire District
with
which
two
established
new dis-
a fire district
building and
Once this became known, the Town Board ex -
to the citizens of Eagan, and in October of 1963, the Special
420
was dissolved by the Town Board, he Eagan Volunteer Fire Department
was formed. The first fire hall was built on Rahn Road in the Cedar Grove area, and
the contracts with Mendota Heights and Rosemount continued for the protection of
the rest of Eagan until the Eagan Volunteer Fire Department grew and expanded to
adequately protect all of Eagan. A second and third fire hall were built, and
Eagan was then served exclusively by its own Volunteer Department.
In 1959 the Minnesota Legislature created the Minnesota Municipal Commission (MMC),
a three member appointed body to hear petitions for incorporations and annexations.
The law contained an exclusive method for incorporating any unincorporated area,
it
townships, into villages, and it provided for right of the people in the affected
area
Page 3
to vote on the issue of their form of government.
The MMC would hear testimony and receive evidence in cases of annexation or in-
corporation and either approve of the application and set an election for that
purpose or disapprove, in which case the request to annex or incorporate was de-
nied, and the community boundaries and governmental structure would remain the
same.
Incorporated communities (cities and villages) could annex all or parts of un-
incorporated townships, and in 1961, the City of Bloomington petitioned to annex
the area of Burnsville Township which contained the Blackdog Power Plant. This
plant provided nearly 90% of Burnsville's tax base at that time, and Bloomington's
action was a pure and simple attempt at pirating that tax base.
•
To protect the retention of the Blackdog Plant in Burnsville Township they filed
a petition with the MMC to incorporate into a village, but the MMC had already
revealed its "grand plan" to force incorporation of the five townships of Burns-
ville, Lebanon (now Apple Valley), Rosemount, Inver Grove, and Eagan into one larg4I0
municipality with a area three times the combined size of St. Paul and Minneapolis.
Another MMC philosophy was to expand existing communties at the expense of cutting
up others, so when Burnsville petitioned to incorporate, the MMC arbitrarily decided
to add 12 sections of Eagan into the incorporation order for the new Village of
Burnsville. They had to recind that order, because the residents in those 12 sec-
tions had not been officially notified. The MMC then voted to arbitrarily order
8 sections of Eagan into Burnsville, but after tremendous public pressure, this was
reduced to 2.7 sections of Eagan. These 2.7 sections contained about half of Eagan's
population and assessed value. It would have split the Cedar Grove area and would
have left the Eagan Fire Hall with 2 volunteers, and the other 42 volunteers would
have been in the new Village of Burnsville.
It was the intent of the MMC to cut up the rest of Fagan Township and annex part of
it to Mendota heights and part to Rosemount. Had the HNC p.cw.iiLcilin their Burns-
ville order, it would have been the beginning of the end of Eagan.
The MMC then ordered an incorporation of the new Village of Burnsville which in- •
cluded all of Burnsville, 2.7 sections of Eagan which was the area west of Rahn Road,
and that part of Lebanon (Apple Valley) lying west of the proposed I-35E alignment.
Page 4
The wording on the ballet made no provision for choice in the annexations, but
the people could only vote "For" or "Against" the new village as set forth by the
MMC order, and only those living within that area could vote on the issue. The
other 32 sections of Eagan were disinfranchized. All voting .was, by MMC order,
to take place
vote in their
to a
in the Burnsville Town Hall,denying the Eagan voters the right to
established voting precincts and requiring them to travel 16 miles
location unknown or unfamiliar to them. There would have been no
ascertain how
the Eagan citizens voted on the issue.
way to
The Eagan Town Board requested the MMC to permit its residents to vote in their
normal precincts, and when this was denied the Board filed an appeal with the Dis-
trict Court. Judge Bruenig ordered the MMC to permit the people of Eagan to vote
in their own precincts. The incorporation vote favored incorporation of the new
Village of Burnsville by a 909 to 625 margine, but because of Judge Bruenig's order,
we were able to determine that the Eagan residents in the 2.7 sections voted 5 to 1
(519 to 125) against. Had all of the 34.5 sections of Eagan been able to vote, the
issue would have surely been rejected.
On the basis of Eagan's vote, the MMC's order to incorporate the Village of Burnsville
was appealed by Eagan to the District Court. Judge Bruenig ordered the MMC to delete
the 2.7 sections of Eagan from its order. The MMC refused to comply and appealed to
the State Supreme Court which sustained Judge Bruenig's order. Luther Stalland, the
attorney for Eagan, litigated the entire appeal process in a superior manner. Had
Eagan not fought for its right to vote in its own precincts, no separation of the
vote would have been possible, and there would not be the community of Eagan today.
In 1969 an 8 member committee was formed to study the merits of incorporation. It
recommended that Eagan should by-pass the village status and incorporate directly
into a Charter City. To do this required special legislation, and although the
majority of the Town Board was not in favor of this, the board requested the legis-
lation in the interest of democracy so that the people would have the right to vote
on their form of government. Special legislation granted an election on the issue,
and the election was held on November 3, 1970. The Eagan Incorporation Committee
prepared a report which was distributed to every household in Eagan, and a public
informational meeting was held on the issue on October 21, 1970 in the Cedar Ele-
mentary School. Considerable debate took place between the committee members who
were in favor of the Charter City and Town Board Chairman John Klein and Supervisor
Page 5
•
Art Rahn who were opposed to it. The results of the November 3rd election were
2,050 against incorporating into a Charter City and 1,231 for.
Over the years since 1959 when the MMC was first established, each legislative ses-
sion alternately provided for a vote of the people or removed their right to vote on
incorporation matters. In 1971, the law did not provide for the right to vote,
and a petition by one hundred freeholders could request the MMC to incorporate Eagan
into a village without the vote of the citizenry. The over 400 freeholder petition
against incorporation was disregarded by the MMC, and it ordered Eagan to be incorpor-
ated into a village on October 19, 1972 without a vote of the people. Subsequently,
state legislation =_eliminated the village form of government and made all villages
statuatory cities. Today, the City of Eagan is a statuatory city.
Eagan, as a Township, was providing all of the necessary services such as police,
fire protection, public works, administrative, parks, planning, etc. and still
maintaining the lowest taxes in the Metropolitan Area. Even the 1T1C admitted this
at the hearings. The Township form of government is the only form of government
left in which the electorate set their taxes at an annual meeting. It is inter-
esting to hear various people talk about having an old time Town Hall meeting for
it suggests the feeling of true democracy, and it would have been a grand experi-
ment to have permitted Eagan to function under the township form of government as
long as it adequately provided for the needs of its people.
•
On September 9, 1965, the Dakota County Board held a public hearing on a Uniform
Street Naming and Numbering System which it intended to adopt throughout the county.
The communities which were cities at the time could opt to retain their existing
street names and numbers, or they could elect to adopt the new county system. Burns-
ville Village and Eagan Township were the only two communities which strenuously ob-
jected to being forced into the new county system which had a sterility of numerical
names for the East/West streets such as 101st St., 102nd St., etc., and a monoton-
ous and limited alphabetical series of names for theNorth/South streets. All of the
North/South streets in the first mile would be required to have names beginning with
the letter "A", all in the second mile with the letter "B", etc.
•
Eagan has always placed a high value on its heritage and history and insisted on
Page 6
•
..
•
being able to retain its historic street names such as Pilot Knob Road, Lone Oak
Road, Yankee Doodle Road, Johnny Cake Ridge Road, Rahn Road, Silver Bell Road,
Blue Gentian Road, etc. Eagan also wanted its street names to reflect its vibrance
and beauty with names such Cherrywood Court, Mourning Dove Court, Kings Wood Drive,
Blue Bill Circle, Carnelian Lane, Turquoise Trail, Oak Chase Lane, Wilderness Run
Circle, and others which not only add color to the community, but actually have a
beneficial effect on the value of the homes. Fortunately, through the strong efforts
of the Town Board, Eagan was not forced into the county system and was permitted to
retain its naming and numbering system.
Eagan Township became famous statewide, for it was unwilling to accept state laws which
were conflicting or poorly conceived, and Eagan became very visible at the state leg-
islature attempting to correct them. Laws such as those which permitted townships to
establish voting precincts, but which would require all voting to take place at the
Town Hall when a bond issue was on the ballot needed to be corrected. It was like
requiring St. Paul or Minneapolis t ronly in their city halls when bond issues were
on their ballots. Or the right to establish a Special Fire District, but deny any
way of implementing it. There were numerous bad or conflicting laws dealing with taxes,
roads, franchises, salaries, police enforcement, bonding, etc. that Eagan Township
became famous for bringing to the attention of the legislature and correcting.
In 1965, Eagan, along with many of the suburban communities recognized the need for
attending to the sewerage problem in the 7 County Metro Area, and joined with them
to find a sollution to the problem. Several sewer disricts were formed. The Minne-
apolis -St. Paul Sanitary Sewer District (MSSSD), the North Suburban Sanitary Sewer
District (NSSSD), the Southwest Sanitary Sewer District (SWSSD), and the Bloomington -
Eagan -Burnsville Regional Pollution Control District were established to cope with
the problem on a regional basis taking into account the natural topographic consider-
ations for minimizing interceptor lines and treatment plant costs while providing
maximum efficiency of treatment facilities.
Polarization took place between the Minneapolis -St. Paul District on the one side,
and the various suburban districts on the other. The MSSSD tried to force the entire
7 County Area into the one -plant concept at Pig's Eye, and the NSSSD, SWSSD, and B.E.B.
Sanitary Sewer Districts believed a more efficient, more flexible, less expensive, and
less polluting system of regional plants would be the best manner in abating the
sewerage problem.
Page 7
Eagan Township, Burnsville Village, and the City of Bloomington officially formed •
the Bloomington -Eagan -Burnsville Pollution Control District in 1966, and after three
years of battle before the State Legislature and the State Pollution Control Agency,
the B.E.B. broke the back of the one -plant concept and was granted a PCA Permit to
construct the B.E.B. Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant in Eagan on September 8, 1969.
This plant immediately treated the sewage at 95% efficiency as compared to the MSSSD
Pig's Eye Plant which was only treating at 35% efficiency.
The State Legislature created the Metropolitan Sewer Board in 1969 giving it control
of all treatment plants in the 7 County Metro Area as of January 1, 1971, and re-
in(
quiredevery treatment plant become the property of the newly created Metro Sewer
Board as of that date. The B.E.B. Plant which was fought for, designed by, and
nearly completed by the communities of Bloomington, Eagan, and Burnsville had to
be signed over to the Metro on January 1, 1971. It is the second largest plant of
its kind in Minnesota, is the most efficient, and is being used to monitor all of
sewage treatment in the 7 County Area. The B.E.B. name was changed to the Seneca
Wastewater Treatment Plant and was officially dedicated on September 6, 1972.
•
Ironically, the very people who tried to stop the construction of the B.E.B. Plant,
and who delayed its approval, were the recipient of a National Award for its
excellence and regional concept for sewage treatment
400 years ago, Sir Francis Bacon, the brilliant advisor to Queen Elizabeth I, said
there arc three things essential to the greatness of a country, 1. Fertile feilds,
2. Industrious people, and 3. Good roads to move the people and products from place
to place. The Romans knew the value of good roads. Early on, Eagan also realized
the value of adequate transportation corridors and a good thoroughfare system, and
has worked cooperatively with the Minnesota Department of Transportation (Hwy. Dept.)
and the Dakota
Plan. Eagan's
Dept. in
the development
of Eagan's Major
Thoroughfare
basicly completed, and after long
and tireless efforts a new Cedar Avenue Bridge is in place. The I-494 Bridge and
Freeway across the nothern part of Eagan will be opened to traffic in the Fall of
1982, and after a long, drawn out battle on the location at Blackhawk Lake, I-35E
is once again under way and is scheduled for completion in 1985.
County Hwy.
local roads
and the county roads arc
•
•
Page 8
With the completion of the Interstate Highway System and the elimination of
the bottlenecks at the river crossings, Eagan will grow even more explosively
than it has in the past. Fortunately, it has well prepared and provided for
its growth.