Whatever the population of this town, it is certain it bears an English name. It lies in the second tier from, the north and also second from the "western line of Freeborn county. Its contiguous surroundings are, Hartland on the north; Bancroft on the east; Pickerel Lake on the south; and Carlston on the west. It contains 11,689 acres less than a full congressional township, because of the "correction line" of the survey, and has thirty-six sections, comprising the territory of Town 103, Range 22, in all about 22,923 acres.
Originally the greater part of the town was covered with timber of small varieties, such as burr and black oak, maple, basswood, black walnut, butternut, ash, and elm, interspersed with natural meadows and prairie land. The southwestern part of the town was principally burr oak opening land, except in sections twenty-eight and twenty-nine, where is found the sugar maple which is still, to a considerable extent, intact. The greater part of what was originally timber land is now under a high state of cultivation. The principal parcel of timber now in the town is black and burr oak, the latter being the most plentiful. The entire northwest portion of the town is a rolling prairie, and is among the best of farming land.
The soil, as a rule, is a dark rich loam of from two to three feet in depth, and underlaid with a subsoil of clay; but this is particularly applicable to the timber land, as on the prairie a lighter tendency is apparent, while the subsoil is of clay and sand. All the land is very productive and well adapted to the mode of cultivation and crops of the latitude. The prairie land is made picturesque by groves of domestic poplar, which have been planted and well cared for by the thrifty settlers.
The township is well watered and has its fall complement of small lakes and water courses. A cluster of small lakes is found in the southwestern part of the town, and on the map appear the names of Lake Peterson, Sugar Lake, Silver Lake, and Lake Whitney, which are all near together on sec�tions twenty, twenty-one, twenty-eight, twenty-nine, and thirty. The only one of these having an outlet is Lake Peterson, from which a small stream taking a southeasterly course finally leaves the town via- section thirty-six, and enters Ban�croft township. South of this cluster of lakes, in section thirty-two, Spring Lake infringes upon and covers a few acres of land. A small body of water known as Gun Lake is located in the eastern part of section nine. School Section Lake is loca�ted in the southeastern portion of the town, in section thirty-six.
There is but one village in the township, Manchester, located in section fifteen, on the Minneapolis & St. Louis Railroad, which crosses the township from north to south, bearing a little southeasterly.
The surface of the town is rolling, and although, in places, inclined to be rather abrupt in its modulations, is not hilly, or in any place broken sufficiently to be detrimental to agriculture. The town is well adapted to agricultural purposes, and has a large cultivated area yielding good crops of the cereals.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
The earliest attempt at settling this town commenced in 1856, when, on the 6th day of June of that year, S. S. Skiff, a native of New York, came from Wisconsin and took a claim in section twenty-six, where he remained until 1858, and then returned to Wisconsin where he stayed until 1860. This year he again pushed his way back to his newly made habitation and settled down in earn est. He made this his home until 1880, and then removed to the town of Alden, where his light still �holds out to burn.� He, it is claimed, was the very first settler, and there is a preponderance of testimony to uphold it. He had been here about one week, when, on the 15th of June, 1856, there arrived a party from Iowa, which soon took the name of Winneshiek county settlement as they came from their Norwegian homes by way of Iowa and had stopped for a time in the county indicated.
Among this party were Gunie Thykeson, who secured a place in sections nine and ten, upon the banks of the miniature lake which received its name after him, and he may still be found upon the place, evidently well satisfied with his venture.
N. N. Wangin, who planted his stakes upon a part of Uncle Sam's domain in section seventeen, where he may still be found.
Rollof, a brother to Gunie Thykeson, made himself at home in section fifteen, where he remained until 1879, when he took up his abode upon a place in sections nine and sixteen.
Stiner Mickelson also settled in section fifteen and remained until 1864, when he disposed of his farm and removed to Blue Earth City, where he still lives.
Ole O. Klappe, who settled in section twenty-two, and remained until 1858, when he went to Bancroft, and in 1864, went to the south.
This comprised the original members of the Winneshiek county settlement. They were all natives of Norway, and they have since been joined by countrymen, who have thronged in until they constitute the greater part of the town's inhabitants.
In the latter part of the same month that the above settlement arrived, in June, 1856, a party known as the Rock county settlement, all natives of Norway, who had sojourned for a short time in Rock county, Wisconsin, came to the town, and their names and movements are chronicled as follows:
Thor Anderson, Andrew Everson, and Ole Kittleson all took claims in and about section ten, where they still remain.
Peter O. Fossum planted his hopes on a tract in section fourteen, and is still bustling around there.
Ole Peterson commenced a sojourn which he still perpetuates in section fifteen.
Halver Peterson anchored his bark of worldly possessions in section nine, and remained there until August, 1868, when, as matters, evidently, did not progress in a satisfactory manner, tired of the practical problem of world's life, solved the matter by hanging himself: his family still live upon the old place.
O. O. Fossum located on sections twenty-one and twenty-two, and remained there until the time of his death, which occurred in 1878, and his remains were sorrowfully deposited in their last resting place, in the Norwegian Lutheran Cemetery. His family still occupy the old homestead.
OFFICIAL ORGANIZATION.
The first town meeting, at which the organization was effected, was held at the house of Ole Peterson, on the llth of May, 1858, pursuant to to notice of the Clerk of County Commissioners. After the usual preliminaries the meeting was called to order, and the polls opened for the election of town officers for the ensuing year. Upon counting the ballots the following candidates were found to have the number of votes set opposite their names, as follows:
For Chairman of Supervisors, Matthias Anderson received 25 votes; E. S. Smith, 7. Supervisors, Ole Peterson and Tostin Knutson, unanimously elected, 32 votes each. Clerk, James E. Smith, 32. Assessor, Bennett Asleson, 25; Mattias Anderson. 7. Collector, Thomas Anderson, 32. Overseer of the Poor, John Ellingson, 32. Constables, Charles Oleson and David Anies, each 32 votes. Justices of the Peace, James E. Smith and Thomas Oleson, 32 votes each. Overseer of Roads, Charles Olson, 25; Ole Peterson, 7. There were in all thirty-two votes cast.
TOWN NAME.�The original name of the township was �Olborg,� in honor of the Post-office in in Norway from whence Ole Peterson came. After a short reign under this caption it was changed to Buckeye, in a joke upon Stanley and S. B. Smith, who were natives of Ohio, and a Post-office by this name was established. In 1858, at the meeting above mentioned, the matter of the name again came up, and "Liberty'' was pro�posed to take the place of the Ohio caption. The matter was put to a vote and resulted in a unanimous assent to the new name. The town then commenced its career as �Liberty�; but in a short time notice was received from the State Auditor that as there were already two �Libertys� in the State, their name must be changed. In accordance with this, in 1859, the name was again changed, this time, finally, to �Manchester.�
Thus the township of Manchester was started on its career as a municipality, and since that time the affairs of the public have been faithfully cared for. It being a farming community there has been but little expenditure of public funds, except for school and highway purposes, and the burdens of local taxation have never been excessive.
The present township officials are as follows: Supervisors, Claus Fandt, Chairman, Rolloff Thykeson, and Thor Anderson; Clerk, I. A. Rodsater; Assessor, D. H. Johnson; Treasurer. Bennett Asleson; Justice of the Peace, L. C. Larken; Constable, M. O. Whitney. The last town meeting was held in the spring of 1882, at the school-house of District No. 18.
STATISTICS.
This article is intended to convey to the reader an idea of the wealth and productiveness of the township, and to what extent the facilities and richness of soil which nature has endowed, have been utilized and improved.
POPULATION.�The census of 1870 gave Manchester a population of 701. The last census, taken in 1880, reports 784 for this town, showing an increase of 83.
MATTERS OF INTEREST.
The first child born in the township was Michael Michaelson, in September, 1856. The boy grew to manhood, was married, and now lives in Blue Earth county.
It is claimed that the first marriage in the township occurred in December, 1858, the high contracting parties being Mats Madson and Miss Opengarden. The ceremony was performed by Thomas Oleson at the residence of John Ellingson. in section sixteen. The groom died in 1880. and the widow now resides in Hartland.
The above, however, was not the first marriage of parties from this town; for on the 2d of October, 1858, a double wedding occurred in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, which united the destinies of Miss Inglebert Peterson to Ole Knudson, and Miss Sarah Kittleson to Lewis Sebertson. The cere�mony was performed by Rev. L. Clausen.
The first death occurred in August, 1858, and carried to that mysterious hereafter. Peter Johnson, aged 24 years.
The first religions services in the town were held in June, 1858, at the residence of Ole Peterson, in section fifteen, by the Rev. Mr. Brown, a Lutheran minister. The church organization was not effected until 1876.
The first house in the township was erected in June, 1856, by Gunie Thykeson, on section nine. It was a log building, 12x14 feet, and was afterward used as a stable.
Mickle Mickleson, in July, 1856, the following month, erected the second house of the same ma�terial, and this was subsequently used as a blacksmith shop.
At an early day a number of the pioneers in a rude way manufactured sorghum, by using three wooden home-made rollers, propelled by a yoke of oxen, for a press; but this crude machinery has long since been supplanted by the patent process and new machinery.
It is claimed that Mathias Anderson, who came from the town of Manchester, Boone county, Illinois, gave to this township its present name.
Originally town meetings were held in private houses, and anywhere that shelter could be found. At present they are held in the schoolhouse of district No. 18, in section twenty-two.
The first blacksmith shop was erected and operated by a Mr. Mickleson, on the northwest quarter of section fifteen. In 1865 he sold out and went to Blue Earth county, where he now lives. This was erected in 1856.
In 1858, the next shop was erected in section thirteen, size 12x14 feet, and put in operation by Lewis Oleson. It was of logs, with a log and sod roof, and was operated by him until about 1873, when it changed hands; finally, in 1879, becoming the property of Ole O. Olson who now owns it.
SUICIDE.�In August, 1868, Halver Peterson, an early Norwegian settler living in section ten, disgusted and disheartened by the vicissitudes and uncertainties of this cruel world, departed from it, in spirit, by hanging himself to a tree. He had been sick for eighteen months, and the only excuse offered, was the old one in these cases, "tired of life."
FROZEN TO DEATH.�A Mr. Gulbrandson was frozen to death on the evening of the 8th of January, 1873. One of his oxen perished with him.
MANCHESTER'S WAR RECORD.�It cannot be denied that this town did its full share daring the war of the rebellion. Of those who volunteered
and went into the service, nine never returned, finding graves in southern soil. Strengen Benson was the only married man of the departed heroes; he left a wife and two children to mourn his loss. The rest were all single men and most of their parents resided in the town at the time. Manchester voted bonds to the amount of $4,000 for the purpose of securing volunteers to fill the quota assigned the town, which amount was duly paid and recruits secured.
BUCKEYE POST-OFFICE.�This was the first office in the township, having been established in 1858, named after the pet cognomen of Ohio, with James E. Smith as Postmaster, and the office at his residence in section thirty, where it remained, there being but little business for it, until 1860, when S. B. Smith was appointed, with a mail route from Mankato to Otronto, Iowa, under the supervision of A. L. Davis, who carried the mail by team. After a time A. G. Hall was appointed, and the office was removed to his residence in section one of Alden, where it was finally discontinued about 1870.
MANCHESTER POST-OFFICE was established in the village of this name in 1878, upon a petition gotten up by H. E. Fossum and E. H. Stensrud, and signed by a majority of the citizens. H. E. Fossum was first appointed as the Postmaster, and held the office until 1880, with a business in the meantime amounting to $6 per quarter, when E. H. Stensrud was commissioned and still holds the mail pouch key; the business of the last quarter amounted to $8.89. The office is kept in the store at the village.
FARMERS' MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY OF MANCHESTER.�This corporation, instituted for the protection of the farmers from fire and lightning, is growing rapidly each year; and, as there is not visible in this, the hand of dishonesty and trickery that is so apparent in the procedures of a great many of the city corporations, it has been, and, with the same capable management in the future that it has had in the past, will continue .to be a true benefit and assistance to its patrons. The company was organized at the Central church of the FREEBORN NORWEGIAN LUTHERAN CONGREGATION on the 7th of December, 1876, on which day
the following officers were elected; President, O. Peterson; Secretary, I. A. Rodsater; Treasurer, O. Narveson; and Directors, E. C. Johnson, K. Ingebrigtson, A. N. Teslow, I. Hammer, H. Stensnil, and John Madson. It commenced business on the 10th of February, 1877, and consisted at that time of 102 members, and the capital insured was $135.172. During the first year the company had a loss of only $10. Total losses during the first five years, $765. Last year's loss was $200. At the last annual meeting the company consisted of 338 members, with an amount of insurance of $375,000.
Present officers: President, O. Peterson; Secre�tary, Iver A. Eodsater; Treasurer, O. Narveson: Directors, C. C. Johnson, K. Ingebrigtson, A. Teslow, C. Jonsrud, H. Stensrud, John Madson.
VILLAGE OF MANCHESTER.
This is the only village in the township, and though as yet nothing metropolitan, it has a prospect of becoming a good center for trade.
It is located in section fifteen, on the Minneapolis & St. Louis railway, about seven miles from Albert Lea, the county seat, and surrounded by an excellent farming country.
The village was platted in 1882 by Ole Peterson, but had already taken a start.
In 1877 Cosgan & White erected an elevator which was moved to section twenty-three soon after its erection, and has since been moved back to the village.
In 1878, Anton Anderson erected a blacksmith shop, 24x28 feet, and commenced blowing the bellows. In the fall of 1881, an addition was erected, 12x28 feet, for a wagon shop, and an
engine house 10x12 feet, in which was placed a five horse-power steam engine to run the machinery. The shop employs three men.
In February, 1878, a building was erected by H. R. Fossum and E. H. Stensrud, and a good stock of dry goods, groceries, and general merchandise was placed upon the shelves to the amount of about 8400. In May the Post-office was established.