Page:History of Goodhue County, Minnesota.djvu/267

 111STOKY OF GOODHUE COUNT? 211 of a better habitation, gave birth to twins, being the first white children to sec the light of day in the township. II. ('. Emery and Mrs. Mahala Saeketl were the first couple united in matri- mony, the ceremony being performed in July, 1856. The first deatli occurred the same year, that of William Fry. The first school, erected in 18-">7. was taught by Annette Leek the same year. J. T. Mitchell, who came in 1856, assisted in starting a pioneer school on the southeast corner of section 11, later known as McCoy's district. This school was first taught by Sophia Blancharcl, in the spring of 1858. Miss Blanchard afterward became Mrs. John Gove. The township settled up rapidly. The predominating people in the town are now Americans of Norwegian descent or birth. There are also many residents of Swedish and German birth or descent, and there still remain a few of the descendants of the old eastern families, but these latter for the most part have moved away. The town is pre-eminently one of prosperity, rich land, beautiful homes, and a progressive, contented people. The second generation is for the most part well educated, and the third generation is making rapid strides in the public schools. Two calamities which occurred in the early days have fixed themselves firmly in the minds of the people. The first hap- pened in 1860. Jeremiah Kay, one of the pioneers, had followed the rush of the gold seekers to Pike's Peak, leaving his wife and children. He prospered in his new location and was contemplat- ing sending for his family, when ocurred the sad accident which robbed him of his recently-born twins. In the month of June the family residence was stwick by lightning, and at once burst into flames. Mary Jane Shields, a girl living in the household, succeeded in getting Mrs. Ray and the two older children out of the house. Mrs. Ray, however, although still ill, saw that her twins had not been saved and rushed back into the house. Blinded by smoke and weak as she was, she was unable to rescue the babies, and they perished in the flames. George Lantz, after escaping the murderous rain of shot and shell on the battlefields of the Civil War, perished in the following manner: In the winter of 1865-66 he went to Mantorville, Dodge county, about twelve miles from his home, on horseback, and returning in the timber he was warned of his danger and told that it was prac- tically impossible for him to reach home. He persevered, how- ever, and was found frozen to death the next morning within a few rods of his own home. He had reached a fence. ;md in endeavoring to climb over made a misstep and fell back, to rise no more. The horse was found at a neighbor's barn. It is supposed that he let the horse go, hoping that by walking he
 * evening a blizzard met him. While passing through a grove of