Millerville History
Millerville Township, Douglas County, Minnesota, USA
ALEXANDRIA
MILLERVILLE.
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A Drive Through Some of the Finest Farming Lands in the County.
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THE LAND MARKS BY THE WAY.
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The Villages of Garfield and Millerville.--Beautiful Views.
A Thrifty People.
"Two of us on the front seat, and our women-folks behind."
Alexandria Post News
Alexandria, Minnesota
© Thursday, May 13, 1897
Page 1
On Friday we had the pleasure of a drive with Col. Ward to
Millerville. There may be finer scenery than was seen on that
drive, there may be finer farming country than is to be seen
in Brandon, Leaf Valley and Millerville, there may be more
beautiful lakes and more picturesque than those of LaGrand, Ida,
Brandon, Millerville and Leaf Valley, just as there may be
more delicious atmosphere than Minnesota's, but we do not
believe it. This drive is a constant revelation of the prosperity
and possibilities of Douglas county farms to those living here
and who have not been that way, and it would certainly be a
mind opener to an eastern visitor. It was a June day in May, and
the Colonel drives good horses. He also knowns pretty much every
one who lives in the county, and Mrs. Ward prepares delicious
lunches. Take this drive and you will come home an enthusiast for
your own county, and as this is but a glimse of a vast region of
richness, you will be satisfied that if the United States of
America ever suffers from "hard times," it must come from
artifial causes or ignorance. The riches are here, we have only
to know, to take them.
The way out lay past Garfield and old Brandon. Leaving Alexandria
and the Baumbach homestead with its beautiful grounds overlooking
lakes Agnes and Henry, we passed the Walker farm. The next beauty
spot just outside of the village limits, is the Aaker farm, the
old Capt. Whitcomb place bounding on lakes Darling and Cowdry.
Over the bridge that sadly needs repairs, over sandy roads that
need clay and over the hill we came to men and teams at work on
the hills just this side of Peter Sweet's pretty place on lake
Louise. At last this worst of all roads leading to Alexandria is
being worked to advantage. It needs hundreds, yes thousands of
dollars between here and Garfield, and Alexandria's help and
influence should be given to urge on the good work. And it may
not be out of place just here, to say, that Alexandria can do
nothing better for its own good than to see that every road
leading from the country is kept in the very best condition, at
least to the extreme village limits. If the scraper goes a little
ways beyond the limits it will do no hurt. On Mr. Sweet's farm
was found a new granary and on the hill is seen the house built
by Robt. Smith, a rich and eccentric Scotchman, now dead. Just
beyond was the farm of James Dicken, one of the oldest of the
old-timers. He lives now in a big, handsome, white, frame house,
and near by stands the original log house of James Dicken the
pioneer, and between the two the modest, weatherbeaten frame
of later years. Three generations of buildings as it were, each
doubtless a model in its day. Off to the north can just be seen,
that other old-time homestead, the Bedman place. A little further
on is the home of the elder McCord, a good-sized, comfortable
house, with everything around it as clean and shining as its
own white paint. It is the home of an evidently prosperous man.
At the end of a winding slough is Chas. Peterson's place, another
good looking home. Then is a strip of stony land that looks like
an old lake shore tipped up on edge, which may be it is. The way
is along the old stage road which accounts for so many old
settler's homes being found in that direction. It follows the
high land all the way, doubtless to avoid the undue familiarity
of the Indians, so far as possible.
On entering Garfield there is more evidence of excellent road
work though the roadway is too narrow for safety and the town
may someday have a damage suit to answer. Garfield is a thrifty
place, and since the creamery has started, it has greatly
improved as a trading point. It was early and yet there were a
half dozen wagons to be seen, each with from two to six large
milk cans. Milk is received every day, and Mr. Winkjer, who is
in himself the whole creamery, as far as its success is concerned,
said he was getting 4,500 pounds of milk a day and netting 14
cents for the butter. A drink of delicious butter-milk was a
convincer. Garfield also has two general stores, M. Fuhr & Co.'s
and Bergsten & Son's, a couple of elevators, a good two room
school house and all the et ceteras that go to make a complete
trading point, while to its credit be it said, there is no saloon.
The depot is in charge of F. E. Murray, one of the popular agents
of the Great Northern.
The next notable land mark is Uncle Job Smith's place. He has
grown old and well-to-do in the old original log house and his
stables are the pioneer buildings thatched with straw; but it
all is orderly, well kept and attractive. And here the road
entered a country that for miles is full of richness, as the
Colonel said it is "fat." Black soil that gives full return for
labor and everywhere evidence that thrift had brought its reward.
The top of the home of Robt. Angus, one of the most prosperous
of Douglas county farmers, can be seen in a grove to the right
and Dan Russell, one of the oldest settler's homestead. On the
road is Fred Zieske's place, and further off is County
Commisioner Laudeen's model farm; he is one farmer whose help
quit work promptly at six o'clock in the evening. Then is the
Chris McCabe place, the old Frank Darling farm, one of the first
homesteads in the county, and then Peter Larson's and B. O.
Solberg's all with fine buildings. Peter Vaden's, John Check's,
two more well known citizens' homes are passed and then is
another old land mark the Geo. Dement place now owned by Christian
Grill, who is building a large addition to his dwelling. These
old settlers had good eyes, not one but picked beautiful locations
and fertile land. Here, too, was the old-time village of Brandon.
The John Aldrich homestead is just beyond the forks is the road,
as we turn to the right leaving in the distance lake Nelson, a
beautiful sheet of water on whose shores lives Uncle John Nelson
for whom the lake is named. On the right is the Big Chippewa lake
along whose shores the lake runs for a mile or more, and off to
the left is Whisky lake, a suggestive name said to have come
from an incident of war time when a company of soldiers camping
on its shores, got a barrel of whisky in ways that would not
bear too close inspection. The usual result followed until the
officers discovered the trouble, knocked in the barrel's head
and poured the precious fluid into the lake. Here is the old Jno.
Drever farm, "Deaf John" and still we follow the stage road past
the Brandon stockade. At the farm just at the crossing with the
Brandon - Leaf Valley road, is a fine new barn and from the crown
of the hill beyond is a magnificent view. All the way has been
through a rolling country, rolling where it did not pitch, and
here with the sky clear as it was this day, the eye reaches for
miles and miles over the most splendid land this side of heaven.
"Fair as a garden of the Lord" it truly is with the first faint
greens of early spring in the woods and on the fields, with lakes
of sparkling water nestling down among the hills, with broad acres
of rolling lands under cultivation, and over all the glory of the
bright May sunshine.
Oh! let us fill our hearts up with the glory of the day,
And banish every doubt and care and sorrow far away!
Whatever be our station, with Providence fer guide,
Such fine circumstances ort to make us satisfied;
Fer the world is full of roses, and the roses full of dew,
And the dew is full of heavenly love that drips fer me and you.
You can see to the west as far as Evansville, to the south is
Brandon, that pretty little village, only arm's length away;
miles off is the spire of the Moe church, and in the foreground
is the home of that gallant old soldier, Valentine Nichols. And
all just as far as you can see is this same grand farming country
dripping with fatness.
Passing Hogan Holling's we round a bit of bottom land where the
Hoplin dwelling is closed in with a hedge of stately box elders,
just at the source of the Chippewa river which we cross and take
the Brandon - Millerville road just at the neat little school
house of district 76. Near by in a little slough is a big muskrat
house and the top is covered thick with big, lazy mud turtles.
Just beyond is the old Geo. Freudenreich homestead, a most
beautiful location overlooking the Big and Little Chippewa. This,
too, is historic ground. Here was a stockade and here the Burbank
Bros. stage made regular stops. A large building still stands
there though it used to be much larger. It was the scene of many
a good time; a gathering place for all the settlers and the young
people of Alexandria thought nothing of a drive out there to a
dance and back by morning's first light. That was in the days
when Fred Russell and Banty Darling made the music and when Geo.
Reynolds, the now dignified St. Cloud lawyer, learned to call
the dances. Across the street was the store of Geo. Cowing, now
of Fergus Falls, who was succeeded by Capt. Martin Stowe. Mr.
Freudenreich still owns the place and has Richard Peffer as a
tenant.
Next to attract much attention is the Baumbach homestead where
our county auditor placed his stakes when he first came to
Douglas county. There is a pretty house of well hewn logs and a
lake at the front and back just as in his present home, while
the many evergreens and trees of various kinds are reminders of
his love of home life and of a fine garden. The place is now the
property of Herman Nootnagel and there is another and larger
house and other signs of prosperity and wealth. Up on the hill is
a sharp turn to the right and there spread before you lies the
first prairie land covered with splendid farms. There are the
large brick houses of the Wilkin brothers, the comfortable home
of Hagedorn and further on the blue of C. J. Johnson's pretty
house, while around each are the big red barns, windmills,
granaries and other outbuildings, and the neatness and care that
tell the tale of farming that results in a bank account. It is
said that there are no better farmers in all the Park Region than
on this prairie, beyond which some five miles away, rise the Leaf
mountains.
The road circling round a large meadow passes
Joseph Wagner's
place - let it pass, but do you stop, weary traveler, for Uncle
Joseph is a man worth knowing as his house, which looks as though
it might have been picked up in the old country and set down
there, tells.
The village of Millerville lies at the far side of this prairie
and near those biblical twins, lakes Moses and Aaron, where many
5, 6, and 7 pound bass are caught. It is a German village, a
section of Stearns county moved over into Sweden. Here is the
only large Catholic church and the only independent Catholic
congregation in Douglas county. Father Wiest is the priest, a
young man from St. Francis school in Milwaukee and ordained from
St. Joseph in Stearns county by Bishop Zardetti. A genial,
courteous gentleman, his unusual ability being best attested by
the fact that he is given charge of a congregation of 195
families. Though an ardent Catholic, he is liberal in his
intercourse with those not of his denomination. His church will
seat 500 or 600 persons and next year he expects to add to it
making it cuniform and nearly doubling the seating capacity. Opposite
is the school in charge of M. N. Koll who in his two years residence
in Douglas county has made hosts of friends who respect his ability.
At Sauer's you can always get a good meal and a good room and
there is no more accommodating landlady than Mrs. Sauer. They
have quite an establishment including the new dwelling, saloon,
dancing hall and bowling alley. The store is operated by Haskamp
& Ley, a strong firm financially and popular. Lorsung & Reger,
two hustling young men, have the blacksmith shop and there is a
harness shop kept by a Lorsung and a second saloon owned by Peter
Schwartz.
The drive home was by way of Leaf Valley "Corners" and past the
farms of Carl Rettig, Adolph Wegner, Peter Ley, Michael Comerford,
Sam'l Thompson, Mich. Kelly, Gust Guenther, the Matteson homestead,
and Dennis Maloney, as handsome places as were seen on all the
drive; with big, comfortable dwellings, red barns and everywhere
a look of prosperity. We stopped, too, to see the old gentleman
Peter Schecher and found him more than happy at having his son at
home again. Henry, too, was looking well and he and his three
brothers were hard at work on the farm.
It will be noticed that at Comerford's you pass over the boundary
from Germany into Ireland. There is quite a settlement of the
wearers of the shamrock and wielders of the shillalah and all
seem well-to-do, a credit to auld Ireland. At the "Corners" is
Flint & Venske's store, an excellent trading point where is also
the postoffice. Just opposite the store is the old Major Flint
homestead. Mr. Flint, one of the best men of the county, died
about a year ago, and it is his son, an energetic young man, who
is the senior in the firm. Turning south at the "Corners" you
pass Henry Klug's place and are at the German Lutheran church,
the center of the protestant German settlement, about the only
one in the county of consequence. Near here are the farms of the
three Brueske brothers, handsome places, as fine as any on the
road and after passing them and August Froeming's with its large
red barn, you come again into Sweden. Here the country does not
seem so rich and the settlement is later. The road runs along in
sight of lake Ida bay and soon comes back on the Garfield pike
just beyond Peter Smith's and almost in sight of Alexandria.
If you have a day to spend you can not pass it to better
advantage than by taking this drive, and if you have never been
that way before, you will come back realizing why Douglas county
has so good a name in the state and so few mortgage foreclosures.
E-mail: dwagner2@isd.net
©2003 DJW
Last Modified:
December 6, 2003