Page:History of Goodhue County, Minnesota.djvu/256

 200 HISTORY OF GOODHUE COUNTY The first death occurred in the summer of 1857, Lydia Gross being unable to withstand the rigors of pioneer life. The first birth was that of George, son of W. B. Burnham, born in the spring of 1857. The first marriage was that of Freeman Colla- more and Mary Bullis, in January, 1858. The first school was taught in the winter of 1857 by W. S. Bill, who also conducted the first religious services. According to the official lists, those who enlisted in the Civil War from Kenyon were: John Bury, David Bury, Frederick Bury, John Bury, Jr., Freeman F. Collamore, Ole Engerbretson, Austin P. Felt, Lieut. Roscoe Hilton, Clark Harding, Thomas L. Johnson. Lars Neilson, Ole Otterson, Albert Otterson, Halvo Tolfson, Alvin H. Wiggins, Thomas Erickson, Chi us Hoist, Joseph Hoist. Jacob Hoist. C. D. Harding, Frederick Lachner, Lewis Mohler, B. E. Olin, Thomas H. Britton, Knut Otterson, Carl Han- son, T. Pi. Bullis. Simeon Elcock, William A. Parry, William H. Hill, Henry < '. < lollina, Peter Rourk. Peter Johnson, John Lind- quist, George Bossout, Andrew Some, John Muckenham, S. H. Bohannolm and William Stanchfield. The township was organized May 15, 1858, and the following officers were elected: Supervisors, A. Hilton (chairman), S. Bul- lis and W. B. Burnham: town clerk, S. A. linker; justices of the peace. J. H. Day and C. G. Averell; assessor, D. F. Harley; col- lector, L. A. Felt ; constables, D. F. Harley and AY. F. ( "lapp ; over- seer of the poor, F. Day. Four churches supplied the religious demands of the people in the early days. In 1870, the Norwegian Lutherans erected on section 5, a stone church capable of seating 600 people. It was one of the congregations of the Rev. B. J. Minis. On section 7, another Norwegian Lutheran church, a stone building with a seating capacity of 400 people, was erected in 1872. The first Baptist church was organized May 4, 1867, with seven members. In 1873 the Rev. Mr. Dubois of the Episcopal church held service at the village and in 1875 an organization was perfected, with the following officers: Wardens, Dr. A. W. Hewitt and E. R. Marshall; vestrymen, S. A. Bullis, B. D. Bullis. William Elcock and William Turner. A church capable of holding 200 people was erected in 1875 and dedicated July 25, 1876. Originally the population of the township was largely Norwegian, and that of the village American, but at the present time Americans of Nor- wegian descent or birth predominate throughout both town and village. Aside from the village of Kenyon, there are two stations in the township, both on the line of the Chicago and Great West- ern. They are Bakko and Skyberg. Kenyon Village lies thirty- five miles southwest of Red Wing on the Zumbro river and the C. G. W. and C. M. & St. Paul rail-