The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1885-01-15


set on an open prairie. Those were the
good old days when the people all came
together to one church service, one
school, one temperance meet
ing, one concert, or whatever it was
that called them together, and before
they began to hate esch atheE aud sep.
arate into church sects, and warning
parties upon political, temperance.
theological and other issues. Then
there was no public hall or church
building in the town, and meetings
and gatherings were held in store
rooms, ETC., rs fast as they were erect
ed. The building where r. F. Baker
now is was built for saloon. AS soon
as the floor was in, Bro. Crever took
possession and "dedicated' it by SER
mon and Sunday school. The same
Was done with the building where the
Record now is published, and which,
was also built for 4 saloon. Peter
Thompsons 8 store on 9th street was
dedicated" in the same manner.
What is now Otis Bigelow's stable was
then G. Anderson's carpenter shop, in
which for several months all kinds Of
meetings were held, lectures delivered,
and entertainments given, including
legerdemain shows.
But to return to Mr.. Thayer, driver
of the first spike, and builder Of the
first building. Below is a letter re
ceived the other morning which tells
the story in detail and which we ven
ture to publish in order to put the
matter on record, although the letter
Was not written for publications:
LIBERAL, Mo-, Jan. 9Th, 1885.
EDITOR WORTH1NGToN ADVANCE
AS stepped into the "Liberal'' Office
this evening my eyes fell upon 1.-The
Worthington Advance" the first copy
l had seen, and thought to myself
"Wonder if that man A. p. Miller
would not like to hear from the man
that actually drove the first nail in
Worthington.''
On looking over your paper, recog
niZed but one name that sounds famil
lar to me, and that is the name of Dan
iel Shell. If am not MISTAKEN
built a livery stable for linn.
The first nail was driven with the
following ceremonies:
First, l will go back a little that you
may understand it. l at that time
(Aug. to Sept, 1871. was living on =
claim in Jackson county (the n E / o1
section 81, 4 1O2, Il 36), and had beer
living in Jackson. Had done some
building for one W. s. Kimball Of thai
place. At this time said Kimball had {
nephew cUme from Illinois, who wa.
t" start Il kind of branch hard ware
store ut WOrthinglOn, which at thi:
time was an uninhabitel prairie, not ;
stick or house within some distance
the r.. Il. not yet completed to w
So on Saturday afternoon, Aug. 31st
1871. said nephew (Herb. Kimball)
came to my claim ''shanty" with ,
span of horses and wagon loaded viii
lumber for the commencement of hi
new hardware store at W. He hat
with him carpenter from Jackson b.
the name of Stephen Ford, who was t.
assist me in the erection of the build
ing. AS 1t was getting late in the aft
ernOon and 1 had some arrangement
to make in order to leave my wife ant
one child comfortable, prevailed oI
the ''ship's crew" to stay with mi
over night, and take fresh start ~
Sunday morning, which was done. O,
Sunday morning all was ready and w
set out for our long journey, (some 8
miles or more) across the wild prairie
with shotguns, carpenter tools, lumber
wagons and horses, with plenty of th'
necessaries of life for a week or SO. o.
we went. Noon came and yet we wer'
on wild prairie. Stopped and fed
took a lunch, and on we went t0War>
the New Jerusalem. On. on, on, unit
about 5 or half past we passed kim
of swamp lake, and on a beautiful
southern slope of another little shee
of water and very close to 1t We stop
ped. 1t was most beautiful evening
and also beautiful spot OF ground
Nothing to be seen except land and va
ter. Then arose the question IN wha
manner we could best fit up our tenn
porary quarters until We could get ou
building enclosed. or partly 80. sue
gested the wedge-shaped shanty, wit
ridge pole, which was adopted. Now
for a couple of stakes to rest our ridg
pole on, but 10! We were not in a tim
bered country. So we took a piece 9
2x4x14 and cut it iD two, sharpene
the end of each, drove them into tt,
ground. Then for a ridge pole too
another of the same 2x4. Here it wa
found that it would require 2Od spik
TO fasten the ridge to the posts of on
building. 50 out of the wagon va
rolled keg Of spikes, and Mr.. X. SUI
Rested that inasmuch as / was u Cal
penter had better do the mailing.
took the hammer and nail and steppe
upon the key which had been placed Z
the foot of the post, it being a little to
high to reach. At this moment 1t o.
CURED to me that was to be the ma
to drive the first nail in the (what w
to be) City of WorthingtOD. So wit
these remarks ''sent the nail home
that fastened the ends of the first tw
pieces Of wood together in your city.
Remarks:
9e it recorded, and by these witness
es III. Kimball and $. FOrd), rememb',
that ], Solon Cass,us Thayer. who W;
born in Bloomfield, Ohio, on the 21s da
of Aug., 1843, now carpenter and joi,
er, and having no faith whatever in Il
popular Christian religion, Gods I
Devils, but do believe in doing iusti,
1T all times and in all places. and +,
the purpose of the up building Of a Ii
tie city that may bud and blossom +,
the good of its Inhabitants. do on tn
beautiful Sunday evening. this 1st d,
Of Sept. 1871. drive the first na,l TIN
shall fasten the ends of two pieces
wood together for the protection Of i
inhabitants from the weather.
OH and up went the three hats al
cheers for the city Of Worth!ngto
Taken from Diary Of 1911
On the next morning We went at tl
framework Of the new store, while 81
X. went to Heron Lake for more lur
Der. About the time We got our fran