Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1913-04-02
HISTORICAL FACTS REL TING 70 THE
FOUNDING OF THE CITY OF WILMA
Adam s. Leib Frs. Merchant and Postmaster Tell. 81 the
Beginning. Here--A Visit ~ Leon Willmar, Who
Represented the Dutch Bondholders Of the ST Paul
& Pacific, Forty-Four Years Ago.

Represented the Dutch
& Pacific, Forty-Four I I
Hollywood, Cal, Dec. 13, 1910.
To the Honorable, the Secretary OF
Minnesota Historical Society, St.
Paul, Mimi:
Sir: Il. .l= 5s5. sss 4.
In compliance with your request,
(but after greater lapse Of time
than I had intended = now proceed
to give you a few facts relative to
the early settling Of Willmar, the
causes which made the consolidation
into one County, Of Monopgalia and
Kandiyohi Counties. It was in Octo-
Der Of 1867 that my brother-in law,
formerly Of Mantorville, Dodge Coun-
ty, Samuel H. Adams, determined to
put stock of general merchandise
at New London, the then county seat
Of Monongalia County, and where
there was found to be one Of the best
small water powers, in Central Min
nesota. In this enterprise ! joined
him. Mr.. Adams, however, at same
time, with others, began the construc-
ton Of a grist mill, on the site where
formerly had been a small saw mill.
Two years later it was whispered,
that the st. Paul and Pacific R. r.
Co. would at an early day, push their
road through to the Red River OF the
North. Being DESTROYS Of locating up
on the line Of some railroad I took
occasion to visit st. Paul, where I
made the acquaintance Of Mr.. Her
mann Trott, the Land Commissioner
Of said road. Through Mr.. Trott l
became measurably certain, where
the first Division point west Of ST..
Paul would be. Acting on this inform
alton (warily given), I determined to
sever my partnership with Mr.. Ad-
ans, disclosing to him what I had
determined upon. This new scheme
met with serious objection, but my
purpose was not to be thwarted in so
important move. I visited the prob
able locality in July. I found large
lake near by called Foot Lake
| around which and north Of, was con-
| siderable Of timber. The proximity
of abundance Of timber and water,
gave to the locality greatly added
| value, a value everywhere readily
recognized. I arrived on the location
or near it, with lumber for a small
| store, in the early days Of August.
In about twenty days I was selling
goods to customers, far and near,
some coming as far as sixty miles.
The scene was to say the least, rath-
er forbidding. Very little timber on
the immediate site almost limitless
and treeless prairie to the southeast
and west. The numerous marshes
we're peopled with hundreds Of frogs,
numberless muskrats, and myriads Of
mosquitoes, of the most exasperating
sort outside Of purgatory. My con-
nection with the army was bloodless,
but not my early settlement at Foot
Lake. Col. DeGraff had force of
men grading the roadbed, al several
points between Darwin and Atwater,
or where Atwater was subsequently
located. His men added materially to
my sales. The need of a post Office
was daily becoming more urgent,
whereupon in September I drew up
several petitions, directed to the
Postmaster General. It was not diff
cult to enlist the aid Of the settlers
in circulating these far and wide, and
by October we had authority to open
a post Office and I was named the
first postmaster, with a nominal sal
airy Of $1,000 per annum. By this
time the construction trains reached
Foot Lake, and the name Willmal
began to be mentioned, although not
yet plated as town but was soon
after. ,S~s.sS,< s.s "a s'SSs. HIS
i With the advent Of winter, work or
the railroad was practically suspen.
ded, but my business increased be.
lyond expectations. Money wa!
scarce but furs was abundant, be.
cause of the fact since the fearful
massacre Of 1862, when the settler.
were driven out wild animals wer'
not molested and therefore multiple,
enormously. Furs were to a large ex
tent the circulating medium. Thi
was greatly to the advantage Of tn
Il :. IL