Prairieville Township

This township is in congressional township 110, range 33 west. It is situated south of Eden, west of Home, north of Leavenworth and is on the western line of the county. This township is crossed by the main line, as well as the Redwood Falls branch of the Chicago & Northwestern railway, the two forming a junction in section 36. This is a prairie township and has many fine farms. Its villages are Cobden and Evan. The population of the township in 1890 was seven hundred and thirty; in 1900 it was about fifty more, but in 1910 had fallen off to five hundred and sixty nine. It once belonged to Leavenworth Township, but many years ago was made a separate township.

While it was not entirely embraced within the Indian reservation, no settlers found their way into its borders until 1866, after the Indian and Civil Wars had ended.

During that year came Rev. Andrew Johnson and Nels Alexandersen, who claimed a part of section 1. They were members of a party of Danes, most of whom settled in Eden Township. Mr. Johnson was a Baptist preacher, and held services soon after his arrival. Ann, a daughter of his, was born in the fall of 1867, the first in the township. The first marriage in the township was that uniting James Johnson and Anna Knudson, in November, 1869. The pioneer school was taught by Miss M. L. Lang in the summer of 1871.

In 1881 the Danish Lutherans were holding services once each month in a house of worship owned by them in section 16.

The township held its first meeting at the house of Rasmus Nelson, on section 15, in March, 1870. The first officers elected to attend to the township's business were as follow:

G. N. Dayton, chairman
Gustav Plath and Julius Krueger, supervisors
J. F. Barton, clerk
C. H. Christenson, assessor
John Liddell, treasurer
C. H. Christensen and J. F. Barton, justices of the peace
H. J. Knudson and Edwin Ricker, constables

Among settlers who have not already been named may be recalled these:
Oliver Cole, a Vermonter
Lars Fred Erickson, a Dane
Fred Kissner, a German
Louis Lamp, a Dane
Alexander McBain, a Canadian
Alexander McIlreavie, Sr., a Scotchman, and nine children
Daniel Stage, a native of Prussia

Village of Evan

Evan is a small station point on the Redwood branch of the Northwestern railway system, in section 8, township 110, range 33. It was platted as Hanson Station in May, 1887, by Nels Hanson, and became an incorporated village in 1904. While it is a new village and not very large, it is growing and serves a well-to-do farming section as a handy trading place and market town for many things produced on the farms surrounding it. Peter Hanson, of Sleepy Eye, erected a grain warehouse here in 1885, and the same year the first store was opened by Mr. Norseth, of Stillwater, who was soon made postmaster. A creamery association was formed in 1895 and a large creamery plant installed.

Evan had a population of one hundred and twelve in 1910, but has made material growth since that date. It was incorporated as a village on March 22, 1904, with first officers elected as follow:

H. P. Thorkilsen, president;
Jens Mickelsen, Lars Lamp and H. L. Hanson, committeemen;
Jens D. Hansen, recorder.

Since then the presidents of the village have been Christ Jensen and Wallace Hageman. The present Officials of the village are: Wallace Hageman, president; G. L. Hansen, J. C. Foster, A. L. Madsen, councilmen; A. C. L. Christensen, recorder.

The village supports a private electric lighting plant, known as the Evan Electric Light Company. It has a volunteer fire company consisting of thirty members. A gasoline pumping system is used for securing water for fire uses. On April 1, 1916, it was stated the village only owed the sum of twenty-five dollars.

The post office was established in 1885 in Prairieville Township. The amount of business transacted in this office during the last year was five hundred and fifty dollars. In 1908 the office was robbed and a small amount of money taken, the safe injured materially, but no conviction followed. The postmasters have been: N. A. Norsett, 1885-87; George Knudson, 1887-91; Emil Rasmussen, 1891-1916.

Evan Business Directory, 1916.

The Light and Power Company furnishes the village with lights. There is what is known as the Evan Co-operative Creamery Company located here.

Village of Cobden

Cobden is situated in Prairieville Township, section 31, township 110, range 33 west, and was platted on February 16, 1901, by Thomas Peterson and S. O. Frederickson. Its population in 1910 was given as eighty-five. It is the first station west of Sleepy Eye, on the Chicago & Northwestern railway.

Cobden became an incorporated village in 1905. The first set of village officers included these: Thomas Peterson, president; A. Newdoll, A. G. Klein, Herman Altermatt, councilmen; J. F. Brodish, recorder. During the present year a contract will be let for the erection of a village hall. The village now has a debt of six hundred dollars. The place has an excellent set of gas street lamps and is tile drained throughout. There is a very efficient volunteer company for the fighting of any fire that may occur in the village; it has sixteen members, and is aided materially by use of a chemical engine.

The following have served as presidents of the village since its incorporation: Thomas Peterson, 1905; S. C. Fredericksen, 1906 to 1911; D. N. Jenkins, from 1911 to 1912; A. Newdoll, from 1912 to 1914; S. C. Fredericksen, 1914 to present date.

The 1916 village officers are:

S. C. Fredericksen, president;
R. A. Apperman, R. Jorgensen, Nels Nelson, councilmen;
J. P. Ed Bertrand, recorder.

Cobden Business Directory, 1916

The post office did business during the last fiscal year amounting to three hundred and ninety-six dollars. The postmaster is H. J. Zieske. I. N. Davis is the village blacksmith.

  Brown County |Minnesota AHGP 

Source: History of Brown County, Minnesota, L. A. Fritsche, M.D., Editor, Volume I, 1916.