Page:History of Goodhue County, Minnesota.djvu/278

 222 EISTOBY OF GOODHUE COUNTY Nils Brant, of Oconomowoc, Wis. The first public religious service was held the same mouth by the same clergyman. The laud selected for the preacher was for many years occupied by the Rev. B. J. Muus, who came in 1859 and for about forty-five years remained the pastor of several churches in that locality. "A few American families came to this town in 1855 and made claims in the southern portion, on the Zumbro river. One of the settlers. James Brown, platted and laid into lots forty acres of land for village purposes and called the place Wana- mingo, the name of a heroine of a novel popular in those days. A store was built by J. T. Wright in this village. •"Tlie first settlers had some difficulty the first year in adjust- ing the boundaries of their several claims. Not knowing how many acres one person could hold and pre-empt, their farms were unusually Large. Everyone wanted timber, prairie land and running water. This was in the latter part of 1855, before they found that each could hold but 160 acres, in adjoining 40-acre lots. In some cases their first buildings would be a mile away from their breaking, as the late comers were obliged to claim a patch here and a patch there to satisfy all needs. So there were troubles to raeel and overcome when they went to the land office 1" purchase their lands from the United Slates gov- ernment after it came into the market. Many had hard strug- gles to encounter in that settlement during the first two years. They had not the means to pay their passage over the sea and were obliged to devote t heir earnings to that outlay. But for the fact that a few had money and could furnish work for others who had none, there would have been much suffering. The people frmn Norway seemed to be well fitted for pioneers in a new country. As farmers they have proved themselves t.i be mere successful than any other nationality, perhaps, who have come into the county. With no other means than a willing- ness to work at any labor to be done, with stout arms and faith in God and their fellow men. many of them are now reckoned among the wealthiest of our citizens in every branch of business now carried on. The farms and farm buildings in the town of Wanamingo at the present day show a degree of thrift and industry equal to the best in this county. The first wheat crop was raised here in the year 1856. There being no flouring mills near, it was all kept and used for seed. This town has the honor of being the first to build up and sustain the Norwegian Lutheran church, which has become the most numerous of the Christian churches in the county." James Brown is said to have taught the first school in the township. The first store was probably opened on section 4. by