Page:History of Goodhue County, Minnesota.djvu/243

 HISTORY OF GOODHUE COUNTY 191 Henning, Augusl B. Hilleg, James D. Hill, .John Hennings, An- drew Johnson, Rudolph Kruger, Elias F. Kimball. Michael Stahler, .J. G. Sc1k.11. Jonathan Thorns, William Thorns, Charles Truman, Josiah Wakefield, Alonzo C. Wakefield; Peter Wallower, Nicholas Gross, Nicholas Oleson. ( linton G. Stees, Manville Le- Weir, Anthony Stevens. Robert Millie, Leundre Isenhour, Alfred Dudley, dames R. Goodhue, Thomas Gready, John Hankins, Edward Lent. Peter McMartin, William F. Schmidt, William Smith. Lawrence Twohy, Andrew Johnson, Henry Webert, Henry Straitman. David Fresmith, Lars Oleson, Jacob Turner, Fred Westendoff, John J. Dewey, Fritz Klauser, William Piute and Christian Sempiel. Hay Creek village is a discontinued postoffice six and a half miles south of Red Wing. Mail is received by Red Wing R. F. D. Nos. 2 and 4. It is a busy little settlement, with a hotel, store, church, schoolhouse and several residences. LEON TOWNSHIP. Leon constitutes government township 11, range 17, and is bounded on the north by Cannon Falls, on the east by. Belle Creek, on the south by Wanamingo and on the west by Warsaw. It is drained by branches of the Little Cannon in the northwest- ern portion, these streams causing the land to be somewhat broken in that locality. In the valleys there is a light growth of timber. The eastern part of the township is drained by the waters of Belle creek. The soil is rich and causes Leon to be one of the most desirable farming sections of the county. The people are educated and progressive, being for the most part Americans of Norwegian and Swedish descent, although a few of the sturdy old pioneers of Norwegian and Swedish birth still remain to tell the story of their early struggles to their children. Of Leon it has been truthfully said: "Its cultivated fields, pos- sessing a soil of marvelous fertility, its broad acres of arable land, its timber and water, beautiful residences, barns and granaries, flocks and herds, and finally the health and general prosperity of its inhabitants, are the living evidences of a section of country rich in natural resources and abounding in happy homes." The first settler, Haldro Johnson, a Norwegian, came here from Dane county, Wisconsin, in the fall of 1854. He made a claim on section 20, built a rude cabin and spent the winter there. The following spring he went back to Wisconsin, and married, bringing his bride with him to the new country, where they were to establish their rooftree and live in happiness. In the summer of 1855 came the following Scandinavians and their fami-