|
|
|
Spruce Hill Township
Compiled and written by Ginny Swartz
The first election was held 9 March 1875 in the School District #51 building. The odd numbered sections in the township were part of the St. Paul and Pacific Railroad land grant.
Three villages - Spruce Center, Spruce Hill, and Rose City, were thriving centers in days gone by. Spruce Center had a dam on Spruce Creek, forming a mill pond where a flour mill stood for many years. Each village had a general store and a post office. By 1950, Spruce Hill was a virtual ghost town with only a couple of houses left. No railroad came through the township.
|
|
|
Churches in Spruce Hill Township included Evangelical Free Church and cemetery located in Section 12 on the north side of the village of Rose City. The Swedish Lutheran Church and cemetery were established in section 34. Both of these churches are still active. There are several other cemeteries: Oak Hill/Scriven in Section 17, and Rose City Free church Cemetery in Section 29. The Olson Family Cemetery is located acorss County Road 3 from the Free church Cemetery and has two people buried there.
 |
School districts included District #51 located in Section 12; District #65 in Section 25; District #64 in Section 17; and District #66 is Section 28.
According to records located in the Recorder's Office at the Douglas County courthouse, the following individuals were the first owners who received a patent from the U.S. Government on land in Spruce Hill Township. The year noted is the year the patent was recorded; often the individuals had been on the land one or two years prior to recording the patent.
Peter Erickson - Section 1, 1883
Samuel Hasbrouck - Section 2, 1878
Uri L. Lamphrey - Section 3, 1891
Stephan Stekicker - Section 4, 1876
Uri L. Lamphrey - Section 5, 1891
Joseph Friet - Section 6, 1875
Railroad - Section 7
Michael Barta - Section 8, 1875
Railroad - Section 9
Ole Janson - Section 10, 1878
Railroad - Section 11
Tracy Bardwell - Section 12, 1878
Uri L. Lamphrey - Section 13, 1891
Thomas Primrose - Section 14, 1875
Charles W. McDaniel - Section 15, 1892
Sarah F. Scriven - Section 17, 1885
Gilbert F. Scriven - Section 18, 1877
Frank Hanizle - Section 19, 1887
John Costello - Section 20, 1872
Alfred Lundgren - Section 21, 1888
Alvin Milligan - Section 22, 1879
Lars Blinder - Section 23, 1885
Elijah Haney - Section 24, 1882
Ole Hanson - Section 25, 1886
Chester H. Bardwell - Section 26, 1878
John August Petterson - Section 27, 1887
Martin B. Hagblad - Section 28, 1875
Mary Peterson - Section 29, 1886
John W. Primrose - Section 30, 1878
William F. Corum - Section 31, 1887
Hans Matson - Section 32, 1875
George W. Gordon - Section 33, 1878
Andrew Lustig - Section 34, 1875
Peter Hanson - Section 35, 1883
Fred Hedlund - Section 36, 1885
BIBLIOGRAPHY: Constant Larson's History of Grant and Douglas Counties, Plat Books for 1886, 1912, and 1940, and Minnesota Geographic Names by Warren
Upham.
