Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1899-06-21
new LONDON IN the PAST,
That Thriving Burgh was Once County
Seat Of MononRalia County.

That Thriving Burgh was Once County
Seat Of Monongsiis County.
The townsite of the present thriving
ana picturesque little city of New
London forty years ago was a dense
jungle OF underground and timber.
Louis Larson first located a claim
there, having discovered the falls in
tne Crow river, which gave promise of
valuable water-power. Samuel
stoner located there in 1861 and built
a sawmill. In 1867 the mill-d am broke
out. Mr.. Adams and c. J.sperry pur-
chased an interest in the water-power
ana grist-mill was erected where the
city water-works now stand. New
London became very lively place in
'nose days. Farmers for sixty miles
around-even from the Minnesota river
country-would drive to the New Lon
don Touring mill with their grain, and
1t became quite a trading post for
trappers.
The pioneer merchant was W. w.
Kinney. He was succeeded by Orlando
sperry, and he, in turn, by Johnson
Bros. The old building in which
these gentlemen successfully conducted
their business has been remodelled and
Is now owned by c. E. Krause, who
occupies it with his hardware business.
Another early merchant was Mr., Ad.
ans, whose business was purchased
later by the firm of Swenson g. Bro
berg: This firm subsequently also
purchased Mr. Adams interest in the
mill, The mill property was finally
all transferred by purchase to Messrs.
johnson & Pinney, who are it's pres
ent owners.
The first physician TO locate in New
London was DR.. J. S. Gibson. now of
Atwater. The first blacksmith was G.
U. Anderson. The first minister of
the gospel to come to the town was F.
h. Dahl, Lutheran.
After the Indian outbreak Monon-
gala county was reorganized and the
county seat relocated at New London,
Irving having previously been so
designated. She retained the county
seat until 1870, when the two counties
OF Monongalia and Kandiyohi were
consolidated. The old records of
Monongalia county are lost.
On August "A, 1884, the first copy of
the New London Review was issued.
Its first publishers were D. P. r.
Strong, Henry J. Ramsett and w. A.
Krause. The advertising columns
show the following firms to have been
in business there at that time:
Blacksmiths-C. E. Krause, VIM.
Fiers.
Carding Mill-Sperry & Swenson.
New London Mill Co.-Sweuson &
Broberg, Louis Larson and G. J.
Sperry.
General Merchandise-Swen &
Broberg, johnson Bros, D. Peter
son & Son.
New London HOTEL. J. johnson.
Tinner~-D. P. r. Strong.
Gunsmith-G. P. Mossberg.
Shoemaker.-N. A. Skeie.
Real Estate Broker-J. H. Neer.
Painter-C. Grandelmeyer.
Apiary---Lyman Chandler.
Meat Market---Charles Young.
Justices of the Peace---H. J. Ram
sett, H. Swenson.
observation-disclosures Ekman.
Stages ran to New London from
Willmar and Atwater, VIM. Allgood
and L. McLouth being the drivers.
W. A. Krause afterwards started
the Ksndiyohi County Expositor,
which he later removed to Paynesville.
The following year Gale g. Crosby, of
the Willmar Gazette, began the publ
cation of the New London Times,
which has often changed hands but is
still issued.
The advent of the railroad gave to
New London a new impetus, and a
i goodly number Of substantial build
in2ggss have been erected and other i'm
proy'ee|m7 7H made, INCLUDING splen-
did system OF water-works. The town
is handsomely loca t7qq and is a pleas
ant place in WHICH to liye: IT'S trades
men are doing satisfactory business
and the village Is prospecting. Her
business men are extensively repre-.
sented in this cold Settlers Edition {"
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