This is a township lying in the western tier of Freeborn county towns, and containing an area of thirty six sections or square miles, making 23,040 acres. Its immediate surroundings are Freeborn on the north; Manchester on the east; Alden on the south; and the county of Faribault on the west. As will of course be imagined, this is a prairie town, the only places in which a show of timber is found being in the northern part, in the vicinity of the lake. The town is watered by a lake and several small streams which bisect the prairie.
Freeborn Lake, taking its name after the same gentleman in whose honor the county received its
name, is one of the largest and most beautiful bodies of water in the county, and lies mostly within the limits of this town, only extending into the town north a few rods. It is situated in the northeastern part, and covers about 2,240 to 2,400 acres, or three and a half sections, being about three miles long and, at the utmost, about a mile and a half wide, while its depth will not exceed twelve feet. The water of the lake is soft and of rather a muddy hue. Originally it abounded with fish of all local species, but in the winter of 1868-9, which was very severe, the lake water froze very deep, and remained a solid mass of ice for six months. After the thaw came, thousands of dead fish washed upon the shores, and so thinned the supply that to this day the spawning has failed to replenish the ranks of the tinny tribe. The shores are covered with a small growth of timber, mostly burr oak, this constituting the timber land of the town, the balance being prairie of a rolling nature.
The Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul railway line traverses the southwestern corner of the town.
entering from the south in section thirty-three and taking a northwesterly direction leaves by way of section thirty, to enter Faribault county. There are no villages in the town, except to the extent to which the village of Alden extends from the town bearing the same name into section thirty-three of this town. This village is located wrong upon the map published by Warner &
Foote in 1878, it being one mile further west than shown on said map.
The town contains many valuable and well improved farms and is among the best agricultural towns of the county, but then this is unnecessary, as its agricultural resources are well shown by the article upon statistics, published in another place. The inhabitants are mostly Swedes and Danish.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
The following is a sketch of the early matters in this town, published several years ago by the Old Settlers Association, in the Albert Lea papers. It should be stated that the matter was all gathered by correspondence, and errors may, and probably have crept in.
CARLSTON was first settled in 1855. by Robert Miller. Miller built of logs the first house, in 1855, and opened the first farm in the same year. John L. Melder, a blacksmith, was the first mechanic. H. B. Collins opened the practice of law in 1860. The first school was taught by Martha Taylor in I860, and the first schoolhouse was built by District 61. in the fall of the same year. The first religious service was held by Rev. Mr. Marsh. United Brethren Minister, at the schoolhouse in District No. 15 in 1861. The Seventh Day Baptists effected the first church organization. in November, 1863. The first parties married, were David Horning and Mary Jane Elliott, who were united by H. Melder. Esq.. on the 24th of December, 1861. In 1856 the first child was born to Mr. and Mrs Melder. The first death was that of Elias Stanton, who froze his feet, suffered several amputations, and finally died in the spring of 1858. The first title to land was acquired by Robert H. Miller, on sections ten and eleven, on the 21st of April, 1856.
But setting this aside we will turn our attention to the earliest comers in the township. The first settler in the township was Robert Riller, who came in the spring of 1855, and settled on a claim in section fifteen on the banks of Freeborn Lake, where he erected the first house and did the first breaking. He did not remain long, as he was discovered selling liquor to the Indians and was obliged to leave to avoid trouble. The land he took is now owned by John Larson.
Shortly after the arrival of the first, the second settler put in an appearance in the person of Theodore L. Carlston, after whom the town was named. He erected a house in the same spring that he arrived, and "bachelor's hall" until the time of his death in 1858. He was drowned while crossing the lake in a boat in company with three others, one of whom, Mr. Johnson, also found a watery grave. Carlston's body remained in the lake until the following spring.
The next to arrive was Elias Stanton, who also located on the shore of Freeborn lake, in section fourteen; he likewise put up a log house and commenced keeping "bachelor's hall." In 1857, during the winter, he was caught in one of the noted Minnesota snow storms, and frozen so badly that after several amputatons he lost his life. His original place is now occupied by David Horning.
Thomas Ford arrived in 1856, and was another of the first settlers in the town. He located in section fifteen; the land as yet not being in market, and remained until 1859, when he left for parts unknown.
Elias Stanton, upon his arrival, was accompanied by a gentleman named Huyck (Houk) who also settled in section eleven and remained for a number of years.
L. T. Walker; a native of Vermont, drifted into the township in the spring of 1858, and located in section thirteen, where he opened and commenced cultivating a valuable farm. He remained here for a number of years and then moved to the village of Alden, where he is now running a store. He is Postmaster and a prominent man.
Mr. Henry Collins came to Carlston in 1859, and located in section twenty-seven, where he
remained cultivating and improving the farm for about eleven years, when he removed to the village of Alden and engaged in the pursuit of his profession, that of law. He has recently opened a fine store, and is a most public-spirited man.
David T. Calvin and family came in the spring of 1861, and settled upon one hundred and sixty acres in this town. He brought with him horses, wagon, and several head of cows, and purchased a corn crib of Mr. Howard, in which he and his family made their home for some time. He now lives on section thirty-six, well located and comfortable.
Charles Sweet was born in Allegany county, New York, in 1828, and in 1863, came to Minnesota, to the township of Carlston, locating in section thirty-two. He came to his death in 1880. He was returning home from the village of Alden with a neighbor, and while crossing the railroad track a train struck the wagon in which they were traveling, inflicting injuries upon Mr. Sweet from which he died shortly after.
POPULATION.�The census of 1870 gave Carlston a population of 378. The last census, taken in 1880, reports 500 for this town, showing an increase of 122.
RELIGIOUS.
There is not a church edifice in the township. There is one organization, and a number of denominations which occasionally and irregularly hold services in the various schoolhouses.
ALDEN UNION ASSOCIATION CEMETERY.�This burial ground is located near the central part of section thirty-four. The association was organ�ized on the 17th of January. 1877, with the fol�lowing as their trustees: John A. Hazle, A. T. Briggs. J. E. N.. Backus, W. A. Clark, and L. M. Hall. The first burial here was of the remains of Justin, a son of Henry Ernst, who died on the 27th of June, 1871. The grounds now contain the graves of many departed ones, and has been the scene of many sad and sorrowful events of parting and farewell. The cemetery contains three acres.
DANISH LUTHERAN CEMETERY.�This �village of the dead" occupies a few acres in the eastern part of section twenty-two, adjoining the schoolhouse of District No. 61, and it often goes by the name of this district. The association controlling it was organized in 1874, the trustees then being John Rasmusson. Christ. Johnson, and Peter Iverson, and they still hold their positions. The first burial here was the interment of the remains of Hans Paulson in 1874.