To the reader of local history this chapter is of general interest, but to the pioneer, himself, it is more. Here he sees himself and friends and neighbors, as in the dim past they first sought out these western wilds and fought for existence in the wilderness. See him, as he takes the book in hand slowly, critically poring over every word, recalling in his mind the pictures of a vanished past at the mention of some well known name, or smiling, as recollection brings back some ludicrous adventure of the early days. His old associations, the trials and tribulations, the battles against hunger and cold, while the settlers were scattered almost a days journey apart. All these rise up before him as he reads. Even now, in memory, he hears the wind blow around the humble cabin that first sheltered him, and hears the wolves howl as they did in days of yore. The picture of the past rises up vividly before him, and he once more rejoices in the pride of youth. Then again he thinks, with satisfaction, that by and through his efforts this land has emerged from its state of wildness, and bloomed and blossomed as the rose, and he has lived to see it dotted with thrifty towns and villages and fertile farms.

But perhaps the brow will cloud and the eye dim as memory's mystic voice recalls the dark and painful side of those early experiences. The loved wife of his bosom fading slowly away before the breath of the cold destroyer, or some laughing, prattling babe, the joy of the household, laid away under the sod, in solemn silence, by the hands of rough but sympathizing neighbors. Time has closed these wounds, but today, as memory is fast unlocking the chambers of the mind, the silent tear will well itself to the surface, and drop as a tribute to the loved and lost of that bye gone time.

Notwithstanding the cares and adversities that clustered round the cabin door of the pioneer; these hardy Argouavts led a happy life. Here all were free and equal, and the absence of the restraining presence of wealth and position was to him a source of comfort and satisfaction. The rough hospitality, the hearty feeling of brotherhood, among these vanguards of civilization were the spontaneous overflow of hearts full of regard for humanity, and was practiced more as the natural promptings of their nature than from the teaching of a Christian duty.

Prior to the advent of man, in 1853, the territory now known as Worth county was part of the neutral ground, that then, by the policy of the government, stretched a band of some forty miles wide across the State of Iowa, and separated the Sioux on the north from the tribes of Indians on the south, known as Sacs, Foxes, Winnibagoes and Iowas. It was a vast expanse of prairie, with some few scattered groves of timber along the principal water courses. Game, both large and small, abounded, and the red hunter roamed its grassy plains, and reveled in the abundance of nature. No traces of villages of the red men have been found within the limits of the county, as far as known, nor were there any who tilled the land. A vast hunting ground was all the untutored savage looked for here, and he found what he has sought without limit.

In the early summer of 1853, a party of four men left the infant settlement of Scandinavians, that was about to be planted in Mitchell county, that year, by the Rev. C. L. Clausen, at St. Ansgar,and journeyed westward. Bold Vikings, of that northland race, that centuries ago overrun all medieval Europe, and left their trace on all our later civilization, these adventurers came into Worth county and settled on the land, making the first settlement within its boundaries. These men were Gulbrand O. Mellem, Aslak Larsen, Lars Aslaksen and Ole Faergerbaken. Larsen and his son, Lars, took up a claim at or near the grove above North wood, and after helping Mr. Mellem to put up his house, got out the timbers for their own cabin, dug the cellar and did some breaking. But growing discontented, went back to St. Ansgar, to work on the saw-mill, at that place, and never returned. Faergerbaken did not make any claim, but being unwilling to settle so far in advance of the actual settlements returned to Mitchell county, settling at Rock creek. But G. O. Mellem had come to stay, and taking up a claim on section 32, which embraced a portion of the present site of the town of Northwood, and the water-power adjacent, with the intention of opening up a farm and improving the power when circumstances permitted. Here, with the aid of his two or three companions, he built a large cabin, comfortable and commodious within, strong and secure without. That summer he did some little toward tilling the land, ploughing up the virgin soil of the prairie that had lain untouched through the lapse of centuries. After the departure of the co-voyagers, who had come with them, for the settlement at St. Ansgar, Mr. Mellem and his young wife settled down to pass the long and dreary winter far from the haunts of man, far from the companionship of their fellow-creatures. Here in this log cabin, eighteen miles from their nearest neighbor, was born to them a son, the first child in the county. The little stranger was warmly welcomed and the name of Ole given to him. Now these fond parents no longer dreaded their loneliness, for they had the companionship of this child, whose infantile movements were a constant source of joy and content. The wind blew and whirled the snow in wreaths and drifts without, throughout that long and cheerless winter, but they heeded it not, for they were warm within and were content to watch, with tenderness, the growth of their boy.

Mr. Mellem is a native of Norway, and was born at Hollingdahl, in that country, the 13th day of November, 1829. For a few of the earlier years of his life he was a shepherd, among his native hills, but his parents having emigrated to this country, in 1845, set him thinking that he would like to follow suit, so in 1849 he set sail for the New World. His parents had, in the meanwhile, settled in Rock Co., Wis., and thither he directed his steps. He staid with the old folks about a year, when, having a desire to see the world, he, during the winter, worked on the lower Mississippi river, rafting, etc., visiting the southern States of Mississippi and Louisiana in particular. During the summer months he was back in Wisconsin, working on a farm. In the fall of 1852 he united in marriage with Caroline Evanson, also a native of Norway, and in the following spring he came, with the Rev. C. L. Clausen and the Scandinavian colony, to St. Ansgar. Not liking the show for a farm, he, in company with his companions, as stated, came on about eighteen miles further west and settled. He has made several removals since he has been in the county, but has always resided within its limits. He is still living on section 31, in Northwood township, as fine a specimen of a landed proprietor and as genial a soul as one would wish to meet. Fortune has dealt fairly with him, and as the result of many years of toil and exposure, he can point to his many farms scattered throughout the county with pride.

The spring of 1854 had hardly dawned, the snow had scarcely disappeared, when Simon Rustad,Christian Ammandsen,Ole Solimetien and Andrew Peter Nelson made their appearance and settled in the immediate vicinity and made full preparations to open up farms. Mr. Rustad located upon the northeast quarter of section 31, upon which he now resides.

A. P. Nelson was not long an inhabitant of this county, dying, with the leaves, in the fall.

Later in the summer three brothers, by the name of Hart, came into the county, and, after looking over the country, purchased the improvements made by Mr. Larsen, who had bought them from G. O. Mellem. These claims were in the neighborhood of the grove north of where the town now stands. On this spot they settled down, but did not remain long, selling out the next spring to David H. Phelps, after whom the grove is now called, and who, in company with Tilly McWithy, Hiram Bliton and the latter's two sons, Permeno and Willard J., who had just entered the county with the intention of making a settlement, Mr. Phelps divided up his land and timber claim with his companions, and all settled down to the hard life of pioneers. They immediately proceeded to erect their rude cabins and get under shelter ere the rough blasts of surly winter overtook them. Breaking the turf, they turned it over, and proceeded to place within the keeping of mother earth the precious seed, and patiently awaited the harvest thereof.

In the late fall of 1854, when the snow began to fall, William Burgert, a trapper and hunter, came into the county and settled, taking up a claim close to Mr. Phelps'. Mr. Burgert had visited this locality some ten years previous, while on some hunting excursion, and was struck with the beauty and apparent fertility of the land. He was a peculiar man, given to much profanity, although not over and above sociable, but when well acquainted could, and would, tell some wonderful hunting stories. In the fall of 1855 he married the widow of Andrew Nelson,who had died in 1854, and lived happily with her. A few years since he emigrated to California, and has dropped from the remembrance of many. To a few friends, however, his memory is very sacred, as his friendship was as sincere as it was hard to gain.

It has been claimed that this marriage of William Burgert and Mrs. Nelson was the first to occur in the county. The fact is, that they were the first residents of the county to enter the matrimonial state after coming hither. But as they went to St. Ansgar to have the nuptial knot tied by the Rev. Mr. Clausen, it can hardly be called the first marriage in the county. Tradition has it, however, that the first solemnization of the marriage rite within the present limits of Worth county, was that of Arthur Bolton to Felinda Bliton, which took place on the 11th of July, 1856. Some of the old residents remember well the occasion and speak of it as of that of yesterday.

In 1855 Edmund Wright located at what was called Glen Mary, but the following spring, in company with his two brothers, who had then joined him, he removed to a more favorable locality, in Hartland township, called Wright's Grove.

On the 19th day of May, 1855, Charles Johnson made a claim in the western part of the township near Rice's Lake, in what is now Bristol township. The succeeding fall Mr. Johnson received an addition to his settlement in the "persons of Chauncey S. Lane, afterwards one of the first county officers, Benjamin Bloker and John M. Bennett, the latter of which brought his family. These pioneers were soon after joined by Hascal Skinner and his family, and formed the nucleus for the colony that soon grew up and blossomed out into the considerable village of Bristol, they had, at first, all settled near the east end of Rice's lake, but when the spring of 1856 had come they broke up and permanently located about a mile further east, at or near the present site of the village. Here they began to till the soil in earnest, and as the ground was rich and fertile, they raised a large amount of various products, which, together with the abundance of game which was hunted by the settlers and brought in, made quite a luxurious living for the infant settlement.

In the meantime the Norwegian settlement in the eastern and northern portion of the county had received large accessions, among the most prominent of whom were: John S. Mark, Aslak Lee, Ole Lee, Elling E. Svensrud, Ole and Hans Aslaksen, Syver Syverson, Ole Hansen, Halvor H. Breckeq, Abraham Christopherson, G. Jorgenson, Michael Paulson, Amos Leverson, Sever Johnson, L. O. Anderson, G. Ryerson, Gulbrand Gulbrandson and Hans Tollefson.

Some American and English settlers also located in the eastern part of the county this same year. Among them were: Dana Phelps, McWithy and the Blitons mentioned before. The others were, as far as could be gathered, as follows: Arthur T. Bolton, William Senior, John Elliott, Thomas Lowthian, Francis Cope and Edward Ripley.

Sketches of the early settlers appear in their proper place in the history of the township in which they elected to locate. Some of the early settlers of the year 1856 are here given,also,but details will be found on reference to the township histories. These were Otis and Henry Greeley, Dr. James Keeler, Isaac M. Bolton, Alonzo Frink, Lars Larsen Lobeig, Kittel Olesen, Benjamin Eyer, O. Gulbrandson, Samuel Egbert, Joseph M. Molsberry, Stephen and Jonathan Wright, Martin V. and Amos Bentley, C. K. Hundeby, Isaac Cummings, Mr. Clemmer, Horace Crandall, Andrew Henryson, Madison Rice, Chauncy Bliton, Martin Hanson, Knudt W. Johnson, Ole Torstenson, J. S. Loveland, Darius Gardner, T. K. Hundeby, William Rhodes, John Bickel, William H. Pritchard, Joshua W. Thomson, N. W. Emery, W. Senior and Mr. Vredenberg.

In 1857, among the arrivals were: G. H. Atwood, Soren Lah, Joseph Hultz, Hulver Olson, Martin Hanson, William H. Perkins, W. Henry Russell, John Butler, David Wright, Charles Wardall, L. Dwelle, B. H. Beckett, John M. Slosson, Robert Nicholson, John E. Towne, Albert L. Towne, William Anderson, Samuel D. Green, D. D. Franklin, S. H. Franklin, David Ayers, William Dixon, Enos Smith, Edwin Stevens, P. C. Towne, Asa Franklin, E. S. Winans, William Frankell and David Perry.

In the year 1856 was formed the first society that ever was instituted on the soil of what now constitutes Worth county. Owing to the encroachments of certain parties, an Old Settlers' club was organized for the mutual protection of each other, and was especially designed to assist one another in the occupation of half a section, or 320 acres of land. William Burgert was elected as president, and Samuel Egbert, secretary. A constitution was adopted and the society had an existence of about a year, until the necessity of it having passed away, the association was allowed to lapse. For the sake of preserving this relic of pioneer days, the contitution of the association is here given in full, as taken from the original book of the secretary, now in the possession of Samuel Egbert, of Northwood, who filled that office. It was adopted July 15, 1856, and is as follows:

First. - Resolved, That we approve of a person holding two distinct pieces, provided the one be timber and the other prairie, and the timber not to be more than eighty acres separate from his prairie, and the whole claim not to exceed 320 acres.

Second.—Resolved, That whenever a person sells a part of their original claim, we will not tolerate them in making other claims to keep good their 320 acres, which would be speculating, and we will not approve of it.

Third.— Resolved, That in making a claim, which we will approve of, we require the person making it to do $10 worth of improvements within ten days after the first is made, if together, if separate, that they be allowed to make the improvements on either piece, by noting on the register, the prairie or timber to which they are intended to belong, and as soon us may be, after the improvements are commenced, he shall take one person with him and trace out and mark off the boundaries of his claim, after which he must have it registered by the person appointed for that purpose.

Fourth.—Resolved, That it be the duty of the secretary to call the members of this League together, if occasion requires, and inquire into cases which may come before them, and, if necessary, to remove the offending parties, if they resist, after the matter has been duly investigated and explained to them. It shall also be the duty of those residing within the limits of the League to present to the register the numbers of their respective lots, which he will minute down, within twenty days from the date hereof, and that they present to the register, within three days after the date of their claim.

Fifth—Resolved, That every member of this League after making $25 worth of improvements on his claim, be allowed the privilege of leaving it for three months, in order to allow him ample time to get back to his claim. If not back in that time, or no notice from him to the secretary, he is to forfeit his claim: Provided, he be allowed thirty days grace on the above resolution.

Sixth.—Resolved, That we elect a man to act as register, who shall have a fee of twenty-five cents, for the same, to be paid by the person claiming, and that the same shall be treasurer.

Seventh.—Resolved, That three public notices be posted, containing the necessary resolutions of this meeting.

Eighth.—Resolved, That we adjourn to meet for further business, if any should be necessary, in four weeks at this place, viz: the house of William Burg ert.

To this original document was ap pended the following signatures as members thereof: Christian Ammandsen, Simon Rustad, Michael Paulson, Johannes Syverson Mark, William H. Pritchard, Isaac M. Bolton, Arthur T. Bolton, John Bickel, P. A. Bliton, Aslak Lee, Tilly McWithy, Gulbrand Olson, Kittel Olsen, Ole Torstenson, W. J. Bliton, Joshua W. Thomson, Thomas Lowthian, Nelson W. Emery, Ole Aslaksen, Hans Aslaksen, William Senior, John Elliott, Benjamin Eyre, Francis Coop, Knudt Johnson, William Burgert, 0. Gulbrandson, David H. Phelps, Syver Syverson, Samuel Egbert, Andrew Henryson, Amos Leverson, Sever Johnson, Ole Lee, Ole Hanson, Halvor Halvorson, Abraham Christopherson, G. Jorgenson, Soren Lars, G. Gulbrandson, G. Ryerson and Halvor Olsen.

The hard winter of 1856-7 is yet a theme on which the old settler likes to dwell. The slightly built cabin with its clay or puncheon floor and hastily chinked walls was an insufficient protection against the inclemency of that phenomenal winter. Many cases of the loss of limbs from freezing are yet quoted and stories are told of belated travelers overtaken by the numerous snowstorms and bewildered by the obliteration of all landmarks, perishing on the wind-swept, snow-wreathed prairies. Women and children too suffered, huddling over their puny fires, and woe to the luckless wretches whose fuel became exhausted. A history in detail of these days would indeed be a catalogue of ghastly horrors. Among these stories of death by the intense cold of that horrible winter that stand out with vivid distinctness in the grim picture is that of William Rice, who drove on the road from St. Ansgar and Albert Lea, carrying the mail. He started from the former place all right but a storm came up which, by piling the snow up in drifts and winrows, obliterated the track and the blinding of both man and horse by the furious storm caused them to lose their road. He wandered around all night and in the morning was somewhere in the neighborhood of Rock Falls. Huddled in a heap in a slight ravine he was found by some parties but nearly dead from the cold. He was brought to the cabin of one Olsen, where efforts were made to reanimate the frozen man but with no avail, and that evening he gave up the struggle and succumbed to the grim king of terrors.

A son of David H. Phelps, of North wood township, on a rather warm, rainy day in December, 1856, started from Mitchell county for home. He waded the Cedar river near Newburg, for it was not then locked in winter's icy chain, and got his clothes wet. After he had come part way it commenced to rain which kept his already wet clothing from drying. Before long the rain turned to snow and the air grew chilly and cold and the clothes that hung about the boy grew stiff with ice and frost. Still he man fully trudged on, the snow falling faster and faster and the atmosphere growing colder and colder until it became in tense. What the little martyr suffered in that terrible journey will never be known as he had to give up the struggle ere he reached shelter and die. His father, on his non-appearance, started in search of him but passed his body and went on toward Mitchell county, looking on every hand. The body was found by G. O. Mellem near the present courthouse n Northwood, accidentally, after two or three days had elapsed. Evidences were plenty to show that the poor sufferer had crawled the last half mile of his fearful journey on his hands and knees. The anguish he suffered, the pain that he endured, must have been terrible and we hasten to draw the curtain over the tragedy and trust that no more will this country be visited by such another winter.

HISTORICAL ITEMS.

The first white child born within the limit of territory now known as Worth county, was a son of G. O. Mellem, the first settler. The advent of this little stranger, who was christened Ole G., was a joyful break in the monotony of the pioneer's life; a subject of rejoicing over the birth of the first born. The date of this auspicious event was Nov. 23, 1853. His father would fain have called in the neighbors to help him celebrate, but as the nearest of these lived some eighteen miles off, in Mitchell county, he concluded to await the natural course of events and celebrate at some future time. The young Ole grew to manhood on his native heath and now resides within the bounds of his native county.

The second child born in the county was Samuel Rustad, a son of Simon Rustad, of Northwood township, who first saw the light on the 14th day of July, 1854.

The first marriage within the county has been said to be that of William Bur gert and Mrs. Andrew Nelson, in the spring of 1856; but as the parties went to St. Ansgar to have knot tied it can hardly be called the first in the county. The first that took place within its limits was that of Arthur T. Bolton to Miss Felinda Bliton, which took place on the 11th of July, 1856.

The first marriage of which any record exists upon the county books is that of Elling Ellingson Svensrud to Ann Abramston, Sept. 18,1858. For this latter the license was issued by James Keeler, the then county judge, who also at the same time solemnized the rite matromonial. .

The first death that occurred in Worth county has been supposed to have been that of Andrew P. Nelson, which occurred in the fall of 1854. A diligent search, however, in the musty records of the past, reveals that prior to this, death had visited these beautiful prairies. The name of the man was Hall, and he is said to have been an Irishman by birth, a cook for Pennybaker's surveying party, who was drowned in June, 1854, about four miles west of the present site of Northwood village, in Beaver creek, at a place once called Hall's Grove, near John Olsen's house.

The first regularly laid out road in the county was one running from Bristol to Northwood,and was opened in September, 1857. Samuel Egbert was the commissioner to locate the same, and James Trumbull the surveyor.

The first house erected in the county was built by Gulbrand O. Mellem, in the summer of 1853, and was erected of the logs of the forest monarchs, and in the primitive style of architecture peculiar to the frontier. This house stood on the south side of what is now Main .street, in the town of Northwood, somewhat in the rear of Fiendeisen's shop, but rather west from that building. Here it remained until in 1874, when it was razed to the ground, and its historic timbers burned in the kitchen fire. To such base uses must come all things in the utilitarian age.

The first frame building erected in the county was that built by Johnson & Turnure, at Bristol, in the early spring of 1857, and was opened as a hotel in the summer of that year, thus being the first regular hostelry in the county.

The first store in the county was opened by B. H. Becket, in the town of Northwood, on the 9th of September, 1857. The store was for several years the only one in the vicinity, and was opened in the first frame building erected in the town of Northwood.

The first saw mill in the county was erected by William Rhodes, in the spring of 1857. This was at or near the present site of the village of Fertile. Logs were sawed here as early as the 1st of July of the same year.

The first celebration of the natal day of the republic that took place in Worth county was held on the 4th of July, 1857, at the village of Bristol. People gathered here from all parts of the county, at an early hour, and an enjoyable, old-fashioned frolic was indulged in; no stiff modern affair, but jolly good times. The oration was delivered by the Rev. Mr. Strowbridge,whose flight of eloquence met with the most rapturous applause. After the regular services were over dinner was in order and all enjoyed themselves, as some have said, "better than they have ever since."

The first party who made application to become a citizen of the county of Worth and the United States, was Knudt Brandson, who, on the 1st of June, 1858, filed his "declaration of intention," as it it is called.

The first to be fully naturalized, however, were: Ole Knudson, Aaron Robinson and Soren Bansen, who received their final papers, and took the finishing oath June 1, 1860, James Keeler officiating as county judge.

The first sermon preached in the county was by Rev. Mr. Strobridge, sometime in October, 1856, at the embryo town of Bristol. It is to be regretted that no short hand reporter was present to hand down to future generations the words, as they dropped from the lips of this messenger of the Lord, bearing " the glad tidings" to perishing souls.

About the same time, sermons were delivered by the Rev. Mr Forbes, who was among the arrivals of 1856, at Bristol, and subsequently at Northwood.

Bristol was the first town laid out in the county, being surveyed and platted in the spring of 1857, prior to the organization of the county. The plat was sent to Mitchell county, for record, and the date of filing the same was May 4, 1857.

The first postoffice in the county was at Bristol, which was established Oct. 30, 1857, with Dr James Keeler as postmaster, with instruction to get mails as best he could from all accessible points, until the government could establish post roads, which was not until the following year.

The first school within the limits of of Worth county was one taught by Catharine Hostetter, at the house of Tilly McWithy, at the grove. This was during the summer of 1857, and was what was called a subscription school.

The first deed upon record, in the county books, is dated Nov. 6,1855, and was given by B. B. Richards of Dubuque, to Daniel Leroy Harrington It conveys the southeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section 36, township 98, range 22, and the consideration stated, for the forty acres, is $140. There being no separate county organization at this time, this deed is recorded first upon the records of Chickasaw county and afterwards transcribed.

The first mortgage on record is dated Nov. 18, 1857, and was given by Norman Smith, of La Salle, Ill., to James G. Beebe. The land covered by it is the east half of the northwest quarter, and the northeast quarter of the southwest quarter, of section 29, township 98, range 20.

The first entry of land was made by Joseph M. Molsberry, at the Decorah land office, and consisted of the following described property: The northeast quarter and the southwest quarter of section 30, township 98, range 19. The date is the 21st of November, 1854.

The first sheriff's sale in the county occurred Jan. 11, 1862, at which time A. L. Towne, the sheriff of Worth county, sold a quantity of real estate, the property of J. W. Button and others, to satisfy a claim held by J. W. Bliss.

The first probate proceedings of record, in the county, was the appointment of an administrator of the estate of Amos Wilcox, of Silver Lake, and who died in October, 1861. The appointment bears the date of the 4th day of December, 1861.

Transcribed by Gordon Felland, March 5, 2009