Home Township
Home is the largest township in Brown County, including
in its limits fifty-three square miles. It is the
central northern township and is bounded on the north by
the county line and Minnesota River, on the east by
Nicollet county and Milford township, on the south by
Stark town ship, and on the west by Prairieville and
Eden townships. The Chicago & Northwestern railway runs
through the southern part of its territory, with Sleepy
Eye as its only station point. Rose Lake, George and
Sleepy Eye Lake are all found in this township, the
former in section 14, George Lake in section 4 and
Sleepy Eye Lake in sections 19, 20, 29 and 30. The
population of Home Township in 1910 was eight hundred
and sixty-nine.
The first claims were taken in 1857 by Hyacinth St.
Couturier, Matthew and William Tubbs. The two latter
located on the south Side of the Big Cottonwood, in the
southeastern part of the township. Mr. Ryan and Mary
Schmitz went to Mankato and were married in February,
1858. Their daughter, Catherine, born on April 20, 1861,
was the first to be born in this township. Mr. Tubbs was
killed by the Indians in 1859. On April 28, 1859, J. P.
Schmitz was murdered while digging a cellar; an Indian
was arrested on suspicion, but escaped before his time
for trial. The first settlers after the Indian War of
1862 were Edward Taylor, Philander Lee, John Pickle,
John Roberts, Daniel Middleton and the Current brothers
who came in 1864.
The earliest marriage was that uniting W. H. Hawk and
Mary Middleton, August 27, 1866. The first religious
services in the township were held in December, 1864, at
the house of Current brothers, by Rev. O. L. Howard, a
United Brethren preacher. It is related for a truth that
at one time, the minister failing to arrive on time, the
assembled audience not wishing any time to go to waste,
organized a dance. A violinist was secured and they were
in the midst of a "good time" when, about nine o'clock,
the minister appeared; the dance ceased and in a few
minutes they were all earnestly engaged in worship. The
first school was taught in 1866, by Miss Hattie Wright
in a log building in section 13.
Home post office was established in October, 1868, with
Joseph Libert as postmaster, with the "Office" at his
house. He was succeeded in 1869 by J. P. Current. Golden
Gate post office was established about the same date,
with Ebenezer Fuller in charge. The village of Golden
Gate took its name from the post office. The village was
situated in section 30, township 111. A store was
started there by R. B. Sommons; Horatio Werring had the
first store at that place. In the eighties, John Pickle
had a blacksmith shop there, or not over a quarter of a
mile from the store. What was styled the Golden Gate
mills were situated north from the village and were
owned by John Heimerdinger & Sons. The father built the
first mill in 1869 making all the machinery himself; in
1872 a better mill was erected and was run by both steam
and water power, and contained two run of mill-stones.
At the time of the New Ulm massacre there were no people
residing in the township, but there was a block house
located south of Sleepy Eye Lake.
Of the organization of Home township all that can now be
learned is that the first town meeting was held on June
30, 1866, at the house of Current brothers. W. H. Hawk
was chairman; D. Bertrand and John Nicklin were the
first board of township supervisors.
City of
Sleepy
Eye
This place was first known as "Sleepy Eye" and was
platted by Thomas Allison and Walter Breckenridge,
September 18, 1872, in sections 29 and 30, of township
110, range 32 west, and was incorporated as a city in
1903. It is at the junction of the Redwood Falls branch
and the main line of the old Winona & St. Peter
railroad, now controlled by the Chicago & Northwestern
system. The growth of the place was slow until 1877 when
the Redwood branch of railway was constructed, and the
company located their round-house and machine shops here
in 1878. Since which time the town has grown rapidly. In
1880 it had reached a population of thirteen hundred,
and is now supposed to contain about twenty-four
hundred.
The place was destined to become a great flour-making
center, and the excellent brands of flour that were put
up and shipped to all parts of the country, really put
the town commercially on the maps of the state.
A post office was established in 1873, with A. W.
Williamson as postmaster. The Indian word for Sleepy Eye
is "Ish-Tak-Ha-Ba," and a chief friendly to the whites,
here, died in 1860.
Municipal History
In February, 1878, the village was incorporated as
"Sleepy Eye," named from the Old Indian chief of early
day fame. The name was subsequently changed to "Loreno,"
and later changed to "Sleepy Eye Lake," but when it was
incorporated as a city was again changed to "Sleepy
Eye." As incorporated in 1878 the town comprised about
two and one-half square miles of territory. The first
election was held on March 19, 1878. The Officers then
elected were: Francis Ibberson, president of the
council; Louis Hanson, T. F. Talbot and T. J. Murfin,
trustees; R. H. Bingham, recorder; Peter Runitz,
treasurer, and M. C. Burnside, justice of the peace. L.
Pease was appointed constable, on account of a tie vote
for such Office.
Sleepy Eye was incorporated as a city in 1903, the first
city Officials were: I. M. Olsen, mayor; J. L. Keifer,
recorder; C. Overson, treasurer. The officers today
(1916) are: Dr. J. B. Wellcome, mayor; A. D. Bertrand,
recorder; H. C. Domeir, treasurer.
The persons serving as mayor since the place was
incorporated have been I. W. Olsen, C. P. Cutting,
William C. Steinke, C. P. Block, Albert Hansen, J. W. B.
Wellcome. The city has its own electric lighting plant
and water works, combined in one, and under the same
roof is the city hall. The cost to the city was about
thirty thousand dollars. The waterworks department
consists of two electric pumps; deep wells are used and
excellent water is obtained. The water is forced to an
elevated tank. The electric lighting department consists
of an A-C lighting system, eleven hundred volts,
seventy-five and one hundred and twenty generators; two
Corliss engines run by steam power, one is a
seventy-five horse power and the other one hundred and
fifty horse power.
There is a very well trained volunteer fire company in
Sleepy Eye, with a membership of twenty-six.
Business Interests
The first store in the village of Sleepy Eye was built
during the autumn of 1872, by William Robinson. The
first hotel was that built by Chris Emery, the Lake
House. Hyacinth St. Couturier, a Canadian Frenchman,
came here in the fall of 1857, locating on the east side
of the lake from which the village derives its name. It
was formerly called by the Indians "Big Wood Lake." He
was the first settler in what is now the city of Sleepy
Eye. He kept his claim during the 1862 Indian uprising,
and remained away three years; returned, located on his
old claim and remained a permanent citizen. His
daughter, Mary, born on December 6, 1857, was the first
birth in the present city.
By 1882 the place supported the following lines of
business and professions: One bank, five hotels, eight
general stores, two drug stores, two hardwares, two
furniture stores, one boot and shoe store, one merchant
tailor, four millinery establishments, two harness
Shops, two shoe Shops, Six farm implement dealers, two
wagon Shops, Six blacksmiths Shops, one bakery, three
restaurants, two meat markets, two liveries, one feed
store, one cigar store, one news stand, one grain
elevator (capacity of one hundred thousand bushels), two
warehouses, three lumber yards, two barber Shops, two
photograph galleries, one brewery and twelve saloons.
There were also two good weekly newspapers, two law
firms and four physicians; also a circulating library
and reading room. All this Showing had been made in the
first decade of the town's history.
Sleepy Eye Business
Directory, May, 1916
Auto-garages
S. A. Woold
Rick, P. Fischer
Knause & Larrabee
Grimes & Wiedman
Attorneys
Albert Hauser
L. G. Davis
A. M. Berg
Banks
First National
State Bank
Farmers & Merchants
Barber Shops
J. L. Keifer
A. H. McMaster
Ed. Weigel
Bakery
Richard Moll
Joseph Haas
H. P. Peterson
Blacksmiths
John Ebenhol
E. C. Remmele
George Schloegee
Brick and Tile
Sleepy Eye Paving Works
Creameries
Sleepy Eye Creamery Company
Sleep Eye Farmers Creamery
Clothing
Glotzbach & Claused,
Nelson & Reide Clothing Company
Gehrke & Evans
Dentists
James & Rounds
J. R. Hollister
Drugs
A. F. Kuske
H. H. Meyer
Dray Lines
C. C. Hanson
W. A. Davey
Elevators
Farmers Elevator Company
Feed Mill and Store
A. J. Pietrus
Furniture
L. E. Wheeler
A. G. Jenson
General Dealer's
Fred Seifert
C. A. Fierke
Zell Brothers
Berkner Brothers
Standard Company,
August Schroeder
Jenson Mercantile Company
Groceries
F. E. Palmer
Hardware
R. H. Bingham
Robert Hose
J. B. McNeill
A. Z. Jenson
W. A. Murphy & Company
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Harness Shops
H. C. Hanson
J. P. Bertrand & Son
A. J. Spellbrink
Hotels
Hotel Berg (Berg Brothers)
Leona hotel (Fred Laudskon)
Sleepy Eye Hotel
Implements
A. R. Kehn
John M. Schropfer
Livery
Crumlett Brothers
Lumber Dealers
Lampert Lumber Company
Steinke-Seidl Lumber Company
Marble Works
Sleepy Eye Marble and Granite Company
Meat Markets
F. W. Meyer
J. A. Glassman
Merchant Tailor
H. L. Daniels
Milliners
Mrs. M. E. Beckenhauer
Mrs. Hans Stockstead
Mrs. H. Schmeltz
Newspaper
Herald Dispatch
Photographs
H. H. Hinker
Frank Scobie
Physicians
Drs. A. M. Keifer
George Schmidt
F. A. Strickler
Produce
Sleepy Eye Produce Company
Real Estate Dealers
Edward F. Berkner
Hugh McPhee
Restaurants
Depot Lunch Room
H. P. Peterson
Roy Stockstead
Stock Dealers
Farmers Co-operative Company,
Stock Buyers Association
Foster & Hose
F. W. Meyer
Veterinary
Dr. A. W. Anderson
Telephone
Sleepy Eye Telephone Company
Northwestern Telephone Company
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The city has two good public parks.
The present postal business of Sleepy Eye includes seven
rural free delivery routes and business for the last
fiscal year amounting to nine thousand eight hundred and
ninety-one dollars. The amount of deposits in the postal
savings department is one thousand dollars.
Dyckman Free Library
The city has a splendid free library, the gift of the
late Frank H. Dyckman, who established the first bank in
Sleepy Eye. It was founded on the same plan as the
Andrew Carnegie libraries, the donor gave the building,
provided the people would annually tax themselves for
the books and maintenance of the property. The building
was dedicated in May, 1901. It cost, with the five lots,
ten thousand dollars. It now contains three thousand
volumes and is well patronized. Miss Lydia Sasse is the
present librarian.
The flour milling company of the city erected a fine
monument in honor to chief Sleepy Eye, whose bones are
buried beneath the monument. He was a friend of the
white race. The brand of "Sleepy Eye Flour" is known
from coast to coast.
Woman's Clubs
Sleepy Eye has numerous woman's clubs, including the
following: The Woman's Club and the Qui Vive Club. The
former is the Older Of the two and was organized in
1888, with seventeen members. Mrs. W. W. Smith was the
first president and is now the only charter member liv
ing who belongs to the club. The membership is limited
to twenty. During its history there have been more than
seventy-five ladies enter and depart from its circle.
The club holds membership in the district, state and
general federation. Meetings are held at the public
library every other Friday. The present officers are:
Mrs. E. P. James, president; Mrs. W. W. Smith,
vice-president; Mrs. W. R. Hodges, secretary; Mrs.
Julius Hansen, treasurer.
The Qui Vive Club was organized in 1905
and has sixteen members, the number not being limited.
Their motto is "Forward till you see the highest." The
club is of a literary order. They also meet at the
library building. The officers in the spring of 1916
were: Mrs. F. Riedl, president; Mrs. Morris Christensen,
vice-president; Mrs. Frank Meyer, corresponding
secretary; Mrs. J. A. Fialka, financial secretary; Mrs.
George Cutting, treasurer.
The Milling Industry
Until recently the flouring-mills of Sleepy Eye have
been rated about second or third in the way of flour
production of any in the great flour state of Minnesota.
By all odds the flour industry has done more for the
city than any other and possibly all other industries
combined. These mills have paid out millions of dollars
annually for wheat and have shipped far and near their
choice brands of family flour. There are two of these
gigantic milling plants at Sleepy Eye, one having a
capacity of a thousand barrels daily, while the larger
concern can easily turn out into the freight cars at the
mill's doorways five thousand barrels every twenty-four
hours. These mills were established about 1882 and have:
run successfully ever since until recently, through some
unfortunate circumstances they have been closed down.
But ere long it is believed that their doors will again
open for business, under a new organization and
management of affairs.
Brown County |Minnesota
AHGP
Source: History of Brown County,
Minnesota, L. A. Fritsche, M.D., Editor, Volume I, 1916.
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