Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-09-23
VII. Green Lake.

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VII. Green Lake.
We were able to spend but three
days in the county history work dur
ing the past week. We were unable
to complete our work in Green Lake
during that time and will resume our
travels there next Monday morning.
AS usual we began our work in the
town by visit at the town clerks Of
fee. Mr.. David Hagenstein is the
clerk. We were rendered all possible
assistance. The records are compare
lively complete since the organization
in 1868, at which time Green Lake town
ship was set of from New London
town. Among valuable records found
were copies of election returns from
Green Lake in the county elections of
Monongalia county in 1868 and 1870.
The first general election was held at
the house of Joseph Cable and 36
votesswere cast. It is interesting to
note that on proposed constitutional
amendment abolishing the grand jury
system there were IS in favor of re-
tanning the system and only l vote in
favor of the amendment. OF the Sc
voters registered the number now re-
naming is small. We were most hos
pitably entertained at the Hagenstein
home. Mrs. Hagenstein is collector
of old Indian relics and curios of ma
ture, which have been plentiful on the
shores of Green Lake. Our artist ar
ranged one or two collections and
photographed them. Mr.. Hagenstein
showed US his grape orchard. He
successfully raises four varieties of
grapes.E OF these the Delaware has
proven the most prolific bearer. The
method of caring for the vines was ex-
planned. While there is some trouble
and labor connected with the culture
of grapes at this latitude, there is
much satisfaction to the successful
grower, not least of which is plenti-
full supply of the luscious fruit. The
Hagenstein home stands in a natural
grove of young oaks. Our host
pointed out a row of trees which
looked as if they were planted in that
way by design. Whether a freak OF
nature or not, is the question. Mr..
H. has been informed that the early
surveyors had been furnished acorns
by the government to be strewn about
occasionally on the prairies, and be-
lieves that many of the natural groves
to be found have this origin. One OF
the curios on the place is a pair OF
antlers of an elk. The skeleton OF
this monster was discovered through
the ice on Woodcock Lake by the
boys while spearing rats. We closed
our interesting visit at Hagenstein's
in the evening, and drove on to the
home of F. o. Swanson.
Here the writer is one of the family,
Mrs. Swanson being his elder sister.
With the memories of childhood the
motherly loving care of sister Carrie
are indissolubly linked. The Swan
son home is blessed with five children.
Albin has entered G. A. College at St.
Peter, Alma will again attend the New
London school, Lawrence, Enock and
Victor are at home. Mr.. Swanson's
farm is part of what was Fem B.
Woodcock's old homestead. A.
though an early lsettler this Wood
cock was no relative of E. T. Wood
cock, the first settlers of Green Lake
and of Kandiyohi county. The place
was later owned by o. F. sSperry, now
of Lisbon, N. D. The people of this
neighborhood have made practice
of .threshing their grain from the
shock. The rainy season of this year
interfered with the program, and the
circuitlwas only finished the day We
arrived about two months after har.
vest. ....,.. 1910 ,..:.... ~.
In the morning we drove to the
home of John Dalziel, clerk of School
Dist. No. %. Mr.. Dalziel is one OF
thasearly settlers, takes q leading part
in township matters and is witbal an
intelligent and wellread gentleman.