Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-09-02
the farmers own hand separators and

the farmers own hand separators and
sell their cream. :ss
In passing we made brief call at
the Hystad residence. Nels @. 5Hy-
stad arrived in the county in 1866.
His mother, Mrs. Brita Hystad, who
resides with him is probably the Old.
est person in Norway Lake. The .Hy-
stads have two children, John N. and
Lena, who live on the farm. John is
a thresherman, owning an interest in
a rig. He takes a good deal of inter-
est in public fairs.
We drove on east and south until
we arrived at the pleasant home of
Nils Peterson on the shores of North
Norway Lake in section &C.. Here we
were treated to good dinner, and
had an interesting interview. Mr..
Peterson was one of the. earliest SET
tiers, arriving in 1859. His home
stead lies in Colfax, across the lake
from where he now lives. AS did his
brothers, who, arrived in the county
later, Mr.. Peterson made a speciality
of trapping during the early: years.
His father, Peter Nilson,. spent two
years inthis country and ,preempted
50 acres in Norway Lake, but died
while on trip to Norway to dispose
of his interests there. All four BROTH
ers, Nels, Hans, Peter and Christian,
enlisted with the Mounted Rangers
during the Indian war and the latter
died while in the service. The other
three now live in Norway Lake and
their descendants number sixty three,
as near as could be learned.
On hill near the Peterson home
can be traced the end of a fortifca-
ton that was the headquarters for
company of soldiers stationed here,
to protect the frontier in 1864. Both
Mr.. Peterson and wife gave US inter-
esting information regarding the mill
tary occupation of this spot. The fort
contained stables for so head of hor-
ses and two block houses, in one of
which the captain and wife resided.
Daily communication was kept up bv
scouts with a fort near Solomon Lake
on the south and one at Lake johann
ma on the north. Only one corner of
the rife-pit that formerly surrounded
the fort is yet to be traced, as the bal
ance of the hill has been broken for
many years and has yielded crops to
the pursuits of peace. We took
view of what is yet to be seen of the
fort and view towards the lake from
the commanding position. Our pleas
ant and interesting stop at the Peter
son home ended this visit to the town.
ship of Norway Lake. Next week we
will continue our work into the town.
ship of Arctander, if the weather per-
mits.
On arr wing at Willmar, we found,
as result OF large correspondence,
large amount of historical matter.
We wish especially to mention two
items. From Roseville we received
the first school record of Monongalia
county. containing the records of Dist.
No. for ten years, including the pro-
ceedings of the first school meeting
held in that county. T. H. Moore,
the present clerk of the district man
aged to find this record. The second
i was the original commission bv Gov.
Marshall appointing J. w. Burdick,
Peter E. Nordin and Even Railson as
the first board of county commission
ers of Monongalia county, dated Jan.
Is, 1866. This valuable document was
kindly loaned us by Mr.. P. E. Nor
din who now lives at Turtle Noun
tain, N. D., through the good Offices
of his son Judge A. F. Nordin of this
county, V. E. L.