Clayton Township
CHAPTER XX - CLAYTON TOWNSHIP.
Clayton township comprises congressional township 102 north, and range 15 west of the fifth principal meridian. It is bounded on the north by Grand Meadow township, east by Bennington township, south and west by Lodi and Marshall townships. The township IS mostly prairie, except in the southwest corner, where is found a small belt of timber. The soil is a dark rich loam, which is adapted to all kinds of grasses and cereals.
Deer Creek takes its rise in section 9, running in a northerly direction to section 2, from which section it enters Grand Meadow township.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
John Johnson settled in the southwestern part of the township in 1864. He was then followed by Hiram Thompson. This was one of the townships whose lands were thrown onto the market at an early day and bought by speculators, the result of which was that the settlement was greatly retarded, and but few settled in the town until the year 1870, when a good share of the land owned by speculators was bought up and placed under cultivation, but many buying land on time failed (owing to failure of crops) to pay, when the lands again fell into the hands of the speculator. Although the town is sparsely settled there are a number of large farms in the townshIp, viz.: W. Z. Clayton still owns 960 acres, 500 of which are improved; D. B. Colman owns 1,280 acres, 900 improved; C. A. Merrill owns 800 acres in sections 9 and 16.
ORGANIZATION.
The township was organized June 20, 1873, and the following officers elected.
Supervisors, W. Z. Clayton, chairman; W. F. Mathews, John O. WoId.
Clerk, Charles B. Kennedy.
Treasurer, Sever O. Quom.
Justices of the Peace, J. B. Miller, S. Harolson.
Constables, J. W. Powers, O. C. Lather.
NAME.
The township derived its name from W. Z. Clayton, owner of a large tract of land in the township. He was a native of Maine. He had lived a few years in Winona, and for several years spent the summer months in the township. He is now State liquor agent in Maine, with headquarters at Bangor.
PRESENT OFFICERS.
Supervisors, J. M. Gibbs, chairman; Peter Coniff, Theodore Stockbrand.
Clerk, James K. Sheaver.
Assessor, C. C. Carl.
Treasurer, Erick Johnson.
Justice of the Peace, C. P. Clayton.
EDUCATIONAL.
The first school in Clayton township was a summer term, kept at the house of W. S. Root, in 1872. Miss Mina Hanna has the honor of being the teacher.
District No. 74 has the honor of building the first house for educational purposes in the township. The house was erected on the southwest quarter of section 28, and cost $500. The first teacher was Henrietta Bevier; attendance 12.
District No. 83. The second school house in this district, was erected in 1876, its location the northwest corner of section 32, and cost $800. Miss D. K. Lee was the first teacher.
District No. 109. The school building is located on the northwest corner of section 13. It is a frame and cost $600. The first teacher was G.G. Dallen.
CEMETERY.
There is but one cemetery in the township, which is under the management of the Norwegian Lutheran Society, the location of which is in the northwest quarter of section 31, and contains one acre.
FIRST MARRIAGE.
The first marriage was that of a Mr. Trumbull to Miss May Priest, a stepdaughter of J. W. Powers. The ceremony was performed by J. W. Powers, Esq., in 1874. They now live in Wisconsin.
Decatur B. Colman, one of the most extensive farmers in Mower county, was born in the town of Springfield, Otsego county, New York, September 21, 1826. He was reared to agricultural pursuits. His early education, received in the district schools, was advanced by three terms at Oriskany Academy in Onondaga county. At 17 years of age he commenced teaching. He was thus engaged the greater part of the time for twelve years, in New York, Ohio and Wisconsin. He had, during the meantime, been engaged as clerk in a general store one and a half years. In 1855 he dealt in horses, buying in Ohio and shipping them west. In 1857 he moved to Iowa and located at Burr Oak, thirteen miles north from Decorah, and there engaged in mercantile trade. He continued in trade there two years, then in 1859 moved to Preston, Fillmore county, Minnesota, where he was a pioneer. He there opened a store with a large stock of general merchandise, and was, with Conkey Brothers, the leading merchants of Preston for many years. In 1874 he opened a branch store at Grand Meadow, the first in the place. In 1868 he purchased two sections of land, viz.: sections 15 and 22, town of Clayton, on which in 1869 he commenced improvements. In 1877 he settled on the farm, and has since devoted his time to the improvement of the same. He was joined in marriage January 22, 1856, to Minerva E. Thayer. She was also born in the town of Springfield, New York. Two children blessed this union, Clarence and Claudine. Clarence, their first born, died at the age of two and a half years.
Mr. Colman has always taken an active interest in public affairs. He was a member of the town board in Preston and held the office of county commissioner in Fillmore county. He has been several times elected chairman of the board in Clayton.
Truman M. Gibbs was born in Trempealeau county, Wisconsin, August 17, 1857. He lived at home until twenty-two years old, and received a common school education. He left home in 1879, and came to Clayton township, Mower county, and settled in the southwest quarter of section 26, and is now the owner of 240 acres of land, nearly all being under cultivation. He has a fine natural grove on his place, consisting of 35 acres. He was married in Trempealeau county, Wisconsin, April 30, 1879, to Louise Lewis. She is a native of Norway. They have one child, Alma G. Mr. Gibbs is a Republican, and is Chairman of the Town Board, and is also one of the prominent men in the township.
C. P. Clayton was born March 4, 1843, in the town of Freeman, Maine. He received a common school education, and remained at home until he was 17 years old. He then worked on a farm for one year, and September 21, 1861, he enlisted in the first Maine Calvary for three years. He served two months and five days over the three years, and was honorably discharged November 26, 1864. He came home and cast his first vote for Abraham Lincoln. M. Clayton participated in many battles, and was the only one in his company but was shot, taken prisoner, or had a horse shot from under him. After leaving the army he worked for five years for P. Jewell & Sons, manufacturers of Belting and Harness Leathers. Was foreman two years and nine months of the five years. In April, 1870, he went to Bangor, Maine, and engaged with a brother In the leather business, furnishing all kinds of harness and belting leather. In 1876 he sold out to his brother, and engaged again with Jewell & Sons for five years. He came to Clayton township in 1881, and settled on section 34. He was married to Francis M. Millson, of New York City, December 30, 1867. They have five children, Henry B., Ralph C., Ida C., Florence F., and Clara Bell. Mr. Clayton has been a lifelong Republican.
Charles Austin was born In Watertown, Wisconsin, October 21st, 1846. His parents were Buel and Lucena (Mead) Austin, both natives of the East. His father was at one time a manufacturer of buttons In Connecticut. Charles received a common school education, and remained at home until he was twenty-eight years old. He owned with his brother 108 acres of land in Wisconsin. He sold out his interest and moved to Taylor county, Wisconsin where he took a homestead of eighty acres and bought eighty acres, and worked it for six years, when he sold and moved to Trempealeau county, Wisconsin, and remained a few years, and then moved to Clayton township, and purchased the northeast quarter of section 1. He was married August 25th, 1876, to Selma Revo, a native of Germany. They had one child, Arthur Austin, aged six years. Mr. Austin is a Republican, and is a prominent man in Clayton Township.
Clayton township comprises congressional township 102 north, and range 15 west of the fifth principal meridian. It is bounded on the north by Grand Meadow township, east by Bennington township, south and west by Lodi and Marshall townships. The township IS mostly prairie, except in the southwest corner, where is found a small belt of timber. The soil is a dark rich loam, which is adapted to all kinds of grasses and cereals.
Deer Creek takes its rise in section 9, running in a northerly direction to section 2, from which section it enters Grand Meadow township.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
John Johnson settled in the southwestern part of the township in 1864. He was then followed by Hiram Thompson. This was one of the townships whose lands were thrown onto the market at an early day and bought by speculators, the result of which was that the settlement was greatly retarded, and but few settled in the town until the year 1870, when a good share of the land owned by speculators was bought up and placed under cultivation, but many buying land on time failed (owing to failure of crops) to pay, when the lands again fell into the hands of the speculator. Although the town is sparsely settled there are a number of large farms in the townshIp, viz.: W. Z. Clayton still owns 960 acres, 500 of which are improved; D. B. Colman owns 1,280 acres, 900 improved; C. A. Merrill owns 800 acres in sections 9 and 16.
ORGANIZATION.
The township was organized June 20, 1873, and the following officers elected.
Supervisors, W. Z. Clayton, chairman; W. F. Mathews, John O. WoId.
Clerk, Charles B. Kennedy.
Treasurer, Sever O. Quom.
Justices of the Peace, J. B. Miller, S. Harolson.
Constables, J. W. Powers, O. C. Lather.
NAME.
The township derived its name from W. Z. Clayton, owner of a large tract of land in the township. He was a native of Maine. He had lived a few years in Winona, and for several years spent the summer months in the township. He is now State liquor agent in Maine, with headquarters at Bangor.
PRESENT OFFICERS.
Supervisors, J. M. Gibbs, chairman; Peter Coniff, Theodore Stockbrand.
Clerk, James K. Sheaver.
Assessor, C. C. Carl.
Treasurer, Erick Johnson.
Justice of the Peace, C. P. Clayton.
EDUCATIONAL.
The first school in Clayton township was a summer term, kept at the house of W. S. Root, in 1872. Miss Mina Hanna has the honor of being the teacher.
District No. 74 has the honor of building the first house for educational purposes in the township. The house was erected on the southwest quarter of section 28, and cost $500. The first teacher was Henrietta Bevier; attendance 12.
District No. 83. The second school house in this district, was erected in 1876, its location the northwest corner of section 32, and cost $800. Miss D. K. Lee was the first teacher.
District No. 109. The school building is located on the northwest corner of section 13. It is a frame and cost $600. The first teacher was G.G. Dallen.
CEMETERY.
There is but one cemetery in the township, which is under the management of the Norwegian Lutheran Society, the location of which is in the northwest quarter of section 31, and contains one acre.
FIRST MARRIAGE.
The first marriage was that of a Mr. Trumbull to Miss May Priest, a stepdaughter of J. W. Powers. The ceremony was performed by J. W. Powers, Esq., in 1874. They now live in Wisconsin.
Decatur B. Colman, one of the most extensive farmers in Mower county, was born in the town of Springfield, Otsego county, New York, September 21, 1826. He was reared to agricultural pursuits. His early education, received in the district schools, was advanced by three terms at Oriskany Academy in Onondaga county. At 17 years of age he commenced teaching. He was thus engaged the greater part of the time for twelve years, in New York, Ohio and Wisconsin. He had, during the meantime, been engaged as clerk in a general store one and a half years. In 1855 he dealt in horses, buying in Ohio and shipping them west. In 1857 he moved to Iowa and located at Burr Oak, thirteen miles north from Decorah, and there engaged in mercantile trade. He continued in trade there two years, then in 1859 moved to Preston, Fillmore county, Minnesota, where he was a pioneer. He there opened a store with a large stock of general merchandise, and was, with Conkey Brothers, the leading merchants of Preston for many years. In 1874 he opened a branch store at Grand Meadow, the first in the place. In 1868 he purchased two sections of land, viz.: sections 15 and 22, town of Clayton, on which in 1869 he commenced improvements. In 1877 he settled on the farm, and has since devoted his time to the improvement of the same. He was joined in marriage January 22, 1856, to Minerva E. Thayer. She was also born in the town of Springfield, New York. Two children blessed this union, Clarence and Claudine. Clarence, their first born, died at the age of two and a half years.
Mr. Colman has always taken an active interest in public affairs. He was a member of the town board in Preston and held the office of county commissioner in Fillmore county. He has been several times elected chairman of the board in Clayton.
Truman M. Gibbs was born in Trempealeau county, Wisconsin, August 17, 1857. He lived at home until twenty-two years old, and received a common school education. He left home in 1879, and came to Clayton township, Mower county, and settled in the southwest quarter of section 26, and is now the owner of 240 acres of land, nearly all being under cultivation. He has a fine natural grove on his place, consisting of 35 acres. He was married in Trempealeau county, Wisconsin, April 30, 1879, to Louise Lewis. She is a native of Norway. They have one child, Alma G. Mr. Gibbs is a Republican, and is Chairman of the Town Board, and is also one of the prominent men in the township.
C. P. Clayton was born March 4, 1843, in the town of Freeman, Maine. He received a common school education, and remained at home until he was 17 years old. He then worked on a farm for one year, and September 21, 1861, he enlisted in the first Maine Calvary for three years. He served two months and five days over the three years, and was honorably discharged November 26, 1864. He came home and cast his first vote for Abraham Lincoln. M. Clayton participated in many battles, and was the only one in his company but was shot, taken prisoner, or had a horse shot from under him. After leaving the army he worked for five years for P. Jewell & Sons, manufacturers of Belting and Harness Leathers. Was foreman two years and nine months of the five years. In April, 1870, he went to Bangor, Maine, and engaged with a brother In the leather business, furnishing all kinds of harness and belting leather. In 1876 he sold out to his brother, and engaged again with Jewell & Sons for five years. He came to Clayton township in 1881, and settled on section 34. He was married to Francis M. Millson, of New York City, December 30, 1867. They have five children, Henry B., Ralph C., Ida C., Florence F., and Clara Bell. Mr. Clayton has been a lifelong Republican.
Charles Austin was born In Watertown, Wisconsin, October 21st, 1846. His parents were Buel and Lucena (Mead) Austin, both natives of the East. His father was at one time a manufacturer of buttons In Connecticut. Charles received a common school education, and remained at home until he was twenty-eight years old. He owned with his brother 108 acres of land in Wisconsin. He sold out his interest and moved to Taylor county, Wisconsin where he took a homestead of eighty acres and bought eighty acres, and worked it for six years, when he sold and moved to Trempealeau county, Wisconsin, and remained a few years, and then moved to Clayton township, and purchased the northeast quarter of section 1. He was married August 25th, 1876, to Selma Revo, a native of Germany. They had one child, Arthur Austin, aged six years. Mr. Austin is a Republican, and is a prominent man in Clayton Township.