Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1907-06-19

name might have been Berger Thor
son, but says that in the first settle
ment he was simply referred to as
Baggle. At the land office his
name was recorded as Bergerst Toll
erson, and this is the name we
have used. He was bachelor of
about forty-fve to fifty years of
age. He had no relatives among
the first settlers in the settlement,
and his close friends, the Olof o.
SONS Hagen, were all killed by the
Indians. 1t is thought by the sur
viving Norwegian settlers to the
north that he came from the same
place in Norway as the Olsons,
namely Bire, and it is quite certain
that he made his first acquaintance
with American frontier life at
Trempealeau, Wis, from which
point the Olsons later came, probab-
~ on representations made by this
first lonely lnhabitant of the city of
Wlllmar- With this clue, it is not
impossible that something further
may be learned about him by any
one who will patiently investigate
the matter. The character of our
first inhabitant speaking of the
city, may be judged to some extent
by his doings. He must have pos
sessed bold and restless spirit to
make his way out here all alone.
The claim he chose was veritable
outpost, farthest to the southwest
Of all the settlements and near
where the large Indian camps were
made. We're anything further
needed to prove his courage, Swan
Swanson might be quoted when he
tells Of having. with several others,
to bodily restrain Tolerson from go
ing after the Indians alone with his
rifle shortly before the outbreak
when band had insoIently killed
some cattle belonging to the set
tiers.
We have a right to credit him
with some foresight as to the prob
ability Of his claim becoming a part
Of a future TOWNSHIP. It was known
that the railroad would likely pass
south of Foot lake to avoid the
hills, and the survey line was so
traced on the early plats. His
selection Of part Of what became
later the original townsite and
which was quite marshy and unfit
for agriculture at that time, would
Indicate that he was wise in assum-
ing that town would be built on
the southern bend Of the road. He
had the whole country to pick from.
This hardy descendant Of the Morse
Vikings had no doubt acquired some
knowledge Of the American from
tlerman's life in Wisconsin. He
grew restless at the reports Of the
explorers Of the park regions of
Minnesota Territory. Up the river
he came on the tlre-canoe; pushed
on past the laughing waters, thru
the shady lodges of the sugar maple
bush and out to where the smiling
pralries beckoned to civilization to
press onward towards the setting
sun. Imagine the appearance of
this country when Berger Tolerson
first saw it in the height Of sum-
mer fifty years ago. The prairie
stood decked in its finest array of
wild flowers, and the old settlers
tell Us Of a later generation who
have become accustomed to see the
prairie as a cultivated field, that
we have no idea of the gorgeous
splendors Of the Minnesota pralries
IN their virgin state. The orange
lilies, the white and yellow daisies,
the phlox, the wild roses, the gold
enrod, and hundreds Of other varie-
ties colored up the landscape in all
the tints of the rainbow. The rank
grasses beloved under the summer
breezes like a rolling sea. Wild
ducks reared their young in every
pond, geese, chickens and other