The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1904-06-24

history of the life of James Hervey
Greenwood at the funeral services held
over the remains last Tuesday after
noon in the Christian church at Garden
City. Mr.. Shellenberger said:
"James Hervey Greenwood was born in
Susquehanna county, Pa, Jan. 6, 1888.
Here he grew to young manhood. At the
age of eighteen, he decided to try his
fortune in the west. Accordingly, the
year 1851 found him in Juneau, Wiscon-
sin. Here he remained until 1855, and
once more started for the west. He con-
tinued his westward march, until he
finally settled on the Watonwan river, a
few miles above Garden City. Here he
took his claim and began the building of
a home.
"To say that Mr.. Greenwood was q
Ipioneer too vaguely tells the story. Only
his contemporaries can fully comprehend
the meaning of that term. He was one
of the genuine pioneers of the eastern
part of Blue Earth county. He was not
that sort of pioneer who could not bide
the approach of civilization. Rather did
he come into this then waiting wilder
ness, bringing civilization with him. He
came equipped with determination and
integrity of character. He pre-empted
his claim of l60 acres, not for the pur-
pose of proving up and selling out, but
to build home. The men who did this
are the men to whom we are most large
ly indebted for the Blue Earth county of
today. They made possible the ease,
comfort and even luxury we are enjoy
ing today.
"When Mr.. Greenwood and his contem-
poraries came to this country, three
things were sought in choosing claim,
viz: Good land, plenty of wood, and
water power. This fact reveals to us
the secret of his settling at what is
now known as Butterfield's Mill. Here
claims could be had which gave to the
settlers the three things sought for,
wood, soil and water. Mr.. Greenwood
and his two brothers were among the
very first to begin the tanning of the
wilds of what afterwards became known
as Watonwan.
"The bridge which now spans the Wat
onwan river at Butterefld's Mill occu-
pies the same site occupied by the very
first bridge ever built across that river.
This first bridge, Mr.. Greenwood was
instrumental in building. Associated
with him were his two brothers and Mr..
Conklin. They built saw mill, which
stood where the Butterfield Mill now
stands. This mill proved, not only a
means of partial support to the own
ers but blessing for the outlying coun-
try.
GIN course of time Mr.. Butterfeld be-
came the owner of this mill When we
remember that settlers came from Spirit
Lake, Iowa; jackson, Mimi; Fairmont,
Madelia and even from the remotest
edges of civilization on the Cottonwood
prairie to this mill, we get faint idea
iof the loneliness and hardships of from
tier life. 1t was not unusual for set
tiers to use two weeks in going to the
mill with their OK teams in those days
Many time have sat and listened in.
to the wee hours of the night, to the
wierd, heart-rending story of expert.
ences in the fearful billiards, of the
lprairie people, while going to or return
ing from the Butterield Mill.
''The mere mention of these expert
ences bring visions before Mr.. Green
woods contemporaries. Even yet the
memory of them deepens burrows il
their time worn brains. Those are days
, this generation never can know, and mel
ther can it appreciate them. Those were
the days when the foundations of oul
present homes were laid-laid deep upo1
the rock of pioneer character, and ce
mented with the very blood and braiI
and energy of such men as Mr.. Green
wood.
"When Mr.. Greenwood settled her,
there was no Garden City. Mankato was
a little village. Wagoning grain to st
Paul and bringing back general merchan
lise was part of the autumn's doings
Then came the long winters-the fear
full winters. the winters that had to b.
lived through in log houses. Such wer
the times and conditions in which Mr.
Greenwood began his life as citizen o
Minnesota.
! "Only in Imagination can I picture hin
him-hair silvered and form bent. Blu
in the days when he was fighting witt
the wilderness of this valley, he wa!
straight, strong, full of energy and am
bition to conquer.
"Four years of unremittant and well
Iplanned work placed improvements OF
his claim, of which he and his neighbour
, were justly proud. Then he turned bacl
{ across the Mississippi and the ALE
ghenies to the place of his birth. There
lived that for which all this work haC
been done and for whom this home hat
been built. The object of his affection
was Miss Jane Barnard. On the 26tl
day of April, 1859, they were married
! and Immediately started for their west
ern home. They came by the cars t.
Prairie du Chen, thence by boat tc