Wendelin Grimm was born October 18, 1818 in Kulsheim, Baden, Germany, to Valentine and Marie (Adelmann) Grimm. He grew up in a farm rich area of southern Germany, learning important crops and farming practices. In 1845, Grimm married Julianna Segner (born June 15, 1821) of Steinback, Baden, Germany. The Grimms chances to own a farm were limited by the land inheritance practices of the time. Farming and crop prices were under pressure, and their future in Germany looked grim. With a growing family to support, sons Frank and Joseph and daughter Ottilia, Wendelin and Julianna looked to America for their family’s future.

After landing in New York, the Grimm family chose to continue westward in search of good farmland. They reached the Chaska on September 1, 1857. In 1859, a fourth child, Caroline was born. The same year, Grimm purchased 160 acres of land in Laketown Township (near Victoria) from John Neunsinger.

In 1872, Grimm purchased a second farm between Victoria and Chaska. When his oldest son Frank married Rosalia (Rosella) Pograbo, they took over the original farm, while the rest of the Grimms moved to the new one. On June 1, 1875, Joseph married Mary Agnes Browers, and moved to Texas, back to Chaska, then to Tampa, Florida. Ottilia married Hubert Kelzer in 1889, and lived with her parents on the new farm, which has been passed down through the Kelzer family. Youngest daughter Caroline and husband William Glatzel settled a mile north of Chaska. Wendelin Grimm died December 8, 1890, followed by Julianna on October 28, 1897. Both are buried in the St. Victoria Cemetery, in Victoria, MN.

Wendelin Grimm’ farming brought him fame. When the Grimms came to America, they packed a fifteen-pound bag of “Lucern” or “Ewiger Klee” (everlasting clover). Grimm began planting this feed crop over the winter months, saving the seeds that survived the cold temperatures, and replanting them the following year. Over the next fifteen years, more seeds survived, though the winter of 1874-1875 was so harsh it nearly caused his whole crop to die out. Grimm alfalfa became winter hardy, grown year round to keep cattle and dairy cows well fed.

At first, Grimm only sold this crop to his neighbors, as they noticed how well fed his cows were. Elsewhere in Minnesota, farmers let animals graze on vacant land or open range. The Enclosure Act of 1871 changed this. Fences were built, and feed crops needed. By 1889, Carver County was producing nearly fifty percent of all alfalfa in the state. In the 1890s, the growth of the dairy industry in the “Golden Buckle of the Dairy Belt” led to even more alfalfa being grown. Farmers wanted the hardier Grimm alfalfa for its high yields, high protein content, ability to return nutrients to the soil, ability to crowd out weeds, and hardiness in cold climates.

Over time, local farmers like A.B. Lyman, researchers like Charles Brand, and University of Minnesota Agricultural Extension Station head Professor Willet Hays (later U.S. Assistant Secretary of Agriculture) brought national attention to Grimm alfalfa. Tests comparing it to other strains proved its better quality. A.B. Lyman grew so much of it, his farm became known as “Alfalfadale”. In 1916, the Grimm Alfalfa Growers Association began in North Dakota. By the 1930s, Grimm Alfalfa was the preferred variety in the United States. In the twenty-first century, Grimm Alfalfa is the source of all modern varieties of alfalfa grown on more than twenty-five million acres of farmland in the United States. It is valued at ten billion dollars annually.

In 1924, the Grimm Alfalfa Growers’ Association honored Wendelin Grimm’s achievement with a plaque on his original farm. In the 1950s, the farm became part of a conservation land reserve. In 1963, this land became the Carver Park Reserve. In 1974, the Grimm house and farm were designated on the National Register of Historic Places. In the twenty-first century, there are tours, living history, and agricultural practice demonstrations on the site.

Turning Point: In 1859, Wendelin Grimm begins planting alfalfa fields, creating a winter hardy strain and becoming a pioneer in American agricultural history.

Chronology:

• October 18, 1818: Wendelin Grimm born to Valentine and Marie (Adelmann) Grimm in Kulsheim, Baden, Germany
• June 15, 1821: Julianna Segner born in Steinback, Baden, Germany
• 1845: Wendelin and Julianna (Segner) Grimm marry
• 1857: Grimm family immigrates to America, arriving in Chaska in September
• 1859: Their fourth child Caroline is born
• 1859: The Grimms purchase 160 acres of farmland in Laketown Township from John Neunsinger
• 1859: Grimm begins fifteen years of planting alfalfa seeds
• 1871: Enclosure Act put into effect
• 1872: A second farm is purchased between Victoria and Chaska
• 1874?: Frank marries Rosalia Pograbo and they take over the original farmstead
• June 1, 1875: Joseph marries Mary Agnes Browers, and moves to Texas, back to Chaska, then to Tampa, Florida.
• 1874-1875: Harsh winter nearly causes Grimm Alfalfa to go extinct
• 1876: Chaska brick Grimm farmhouse is built
• 1889: Ottilia Grimm marries Hubert Kelzer and they live with her parents on the second farmstead
• 1889: Carver County is producing nearly fifty percent of all alfalfa in the state of Minnesota
• December 8, 1890: Wendelin Grimm dies
• October 28, 1897: Julianna Grimm dies
• 1890 to 1900: Farmers in Carver County turn more to the dairy industry and supporting feed crops like Grimm alfalfa, becoming the “Golden Buckle of the Dairy Belt”.
• 1903: Grimm Alfalfa is officially acknowledged by the U.S. Department of Agriculture
• 1916: Grimm Alfalfa Growers Association is formed in North Dakota
• 1924: A plaque honoring Wendelin Grimm’s achievements is dedicated on the original farmstead
• 1930’s: Grimm Alfalfa is the preferred variety in the United States
• 1963: The original farmstead becomes part of Carver Park Reserve
• 1974: The original farmstead placed on the National Register of Historic Places
• 2008: Grimm Alfalfa is recognized by the Minnesota Historical Society as one of the 150 most influential things in Minnesota History.
• 2012: Grimm Alfalfa is the source of all modern varieties of alfalfa grown on more than twenty-five million acres in the United States and valued at ten billion dollars annually.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Diethelm, John A. Compiled by Vince Winninghoff. The Victoria Story. Victoria, MN: 1957.

Edwards, Everett E. and Horace H. Russell. “Wendelin Grimm and Alfalfa”. Minnesota History Quarterly,             March 1938, Vol. 19 Issue 1: 21-33. http://collections.mnhs.org/mnhistorymagazine/articles/19/v19i01p021- 033.pdf

Edwins, Steven, Principal Investigator. “The Wendelin and Julianna Grimm Farmstead: a Reuse Study”.

Project manual, joint project of the Minnesota Historical Society and Surburban Hennepin Park  District, Carver Park Reserve, August 1994.

Kelzer, Frank. “The History of Grimm Alfalfa”. Chaska, MN: September 1, 1957.

RELATED RESOURCES

Secondary:

Balmer, Frank E. “The Farmer and Minnesota History”. Minnesota History Magazine, September 1936, Vol. 7 Issue 3: 199-217. http://collections.mnhs.org/MNHistoryMagazine/articles/7/v07i03p199-217.pdf

Brand, Charles J. “Ancestral Home of Grimm Alfalfa”. Fertiizer Review, September-October 1954, Vol. 9 Issue 4: 8-10.

Edwins, Steven, AIA. “The Wendelin Grimm Farm House Stabilization”. Project manual, Carver Park     Reserve, 1994.

Holcombe, Maj. R.I., editor. Compendium of History and Biography of Carver and Hennepin Counties,   Minnesota. Henry Taylor and Company: Chicago, 1915.

Lofstrom, Ted and Lynne VanBrocklin Spaeth. Carver County: A Guide to Its Historic and Prehistoric       Places. St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society Press, 1978.

“The Annual Meeting”. Minnesota History Magazine, March 1938, Vol. 19 Issue 1: 63-70. http://collections.mnhs.org/MNHistoryMagazine/articles/19/v19i01p063-070.pdf

Tremblay, Ruth and Lois Schulstad. Images of America: Carver County. Arcadia Publishing: Charleston, South Carolina, 2011.

Warner, George E. and Charles M. Foote. History of the Minnesota Valley: Carver County. Minneapolis: North Star Publishing Company, 1882. Republished 1986.

 

 

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“This article used with the permission of MNopedia, operated by the Minnesota Historical Society, under a Creative Commons License. No changes have been made to the article’s content.”

A prime example of entrepreneurial spirit, Susie Schmitt Hanson was a pioneer for Minnesota women in business. As the owner of one of Waconia’s longest-running businesses, she remains a prominent figure in the history of that town.

Susan “Susie” Schmitt was born on August 13, 1860 in the village of Chaska. She was one of eight children of John and Rosina Schmitt. The others were Andrew, Casper, Anna, Caroline, Bernice, and twins Joseph and Josephine.

Schmitt was a talented seamstress from a young age. She turned that gift into a career spanning nearly seven decades, working on quilts, dresses, hat, hat pins, and more. Susie Schmitt first entered the millinery business in 1888 as an apprentice for four years in the city of St. Paul. Afterward, she returned to Chaska to run a dressmaking business. That business operated for 12 years.

In 1898, Schmitt opened her own dressmaking and millinery shop in Waconia. Four years later, she moved the shop to a prime location on Main Street after purchasing the A. Ed. Kauder property for $2,300. At this new location, the store focused on millinery. Schmitt operated this business for forty-eight years, until she sold it to Mrs. Elva Ellison in 1946. She continued making and remodeling hats in a smaller shop. Schmitt also maintained scrapbooks of newspaper clippings of weddings, obituaries and key events, which are now in the Carver County Historical Society collection along with many of her photographs and examples of her work as a milliner.

In July, 1912, Susie Schmitt married Charles Hanson, a local carpenter born in March 1861. The couple never had children of their own, leaving Schmitt to care for and spoil her nieces and nephews. After Hanson passed away on June 16, 1932. Schmitt outlived him by twenty-three years, until her own death on October 7, 1956 at the age of ninety-six.

Turning Point: In 1888, Susie Hanson enters a millinery apprenticeship in St. Paul, beginning a lifelong career in that industry.

Chronology:

• August 13, 1860: Susan “Susie” Schmitt is born to John and Rosina Schmitt of Chaska.
• March 20, 1861: Charles Hanson is born.
• 1888: Schmitt enters an apprenticeship in millinery and dressmaking in St. Paul where she remains for four years.
• 1892: Schmitt returns to Chaska and opens a dressmaking and millinery business.
• 1898: Susie Schmitt moves to Waconia and opens a dressmaking and millinery shop.
• July 1912: Schmitt marries Charles Hanson in Waconia.
• June 16, 1932: Charles Hanson dies.
• June 1946: Schmitt sells her Waconia business to Mrs. Elva Ellison.
• October 7, 1956: Susie Schmitt Hanson dies at age ninety-six.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

“Miss Susie Schmitt Married,” Waconia Patriot, July 5, 1912.

“Mrs. Hansen a Milliner 40 Years,” Waconia Patriot, July 12, 1928.

“Mrs. Hansen Sells Millinery Store,” Waconia Patriot, June 13, 1946.

“Purchase Property,” Weekly Valley Herald, January 29, 1903.

“Waconia’s Oldest Citizen Died Sunday,” Waconia Patriot, October 11, 1956.

RELATED RESOURCES

Primary:

“Obituary.” Susie Hanson Scrapbook no. 14.

Susie Schmidt Hanson Scrapbook Collection.

Scrapbook Collection, Carver County Historical Society, Waconia

Description: 19 scrapbooks of newspaper clippings.

Secondary:

Ben-Yusuf, Anna. The Art of Millinery: A Complete Series of Practical Lessons for the Artiste and the Amateur. New York: Millinery Trade Publishing Co., 1909.

Powell, Vee Walker. How to Make Hats and Accessories. Garden City, NY: Garden City Publishing Co., 1946.

Schilling, Trish Carney. Millinery Preservation : Storage, Display, Tools, Steam, Felt, Straw, Fabric, Trims, Repairs-Hat Bodies, Repairs-Wires & Headsize Chart. Minneapolis: Minneapolis Millinery, 1999.

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“This article used with the permission of MNopedia, operated by the Minnesota Historical Society, under a Creative Commons License. No changes have been made to the article’s content.”

There have been many pioneer families who chose to make Carver County their home. Perhaps one of the more well-known families in the Watertown area, the first settlers at Swede Lake, was the Justus family.

Daniel Justus was born in Gavle, Gavleborg, Sweden on April 2, 1816. Raised in farming, it would be his lifelong trade. Daniel Justus married Anna Olofsdotter, from a nearby county, on January 6, 1837. While still living in Sweden, the couple would have 3 children: Daniel Lars (Delos), Pehr Olaf (Peter), and Anna Danielsdotter. Having little opportunity to own their own land, the couple made the decision to try life in America.

The family made the 14-week trip in spring of 1850, arriving in Quebec, Montreal, Canada. At one point, their ship was trapped in ice of the coast for a number of days. After a brief stay in Canada, the family journeyed south, first to New York state and then to Sugar Grove, Pennsylvania. The family settled in Pennsylvania for 6 years, with three more children joining the family: Daniel Ferdinand (Ferdinand), Rosella, and James Christopher. As the family struggled to save money to someday buy land, while feeding their growing family, tough decisions had to be made.

Delos, the oldest son, found work to aid the family. The couple also made the decision to foster or adopt out Anna, who was 3 years old at this time. She was adopted by Dr. Charles Langdon and his wife as one of the family, later moving with them to Ohio. By 1856, the Justus’ had saved enough money, and made the decision to head west. They did not want to leave Anna behind, so she was picked up from the Langdon’s, who had given her a different name. Anna had no memory of the Justus’, had to relearn to answer to Anna, and no longer spoke Swedish. Her family spoke no English and her brother, Delos, helped her learn to speak with her family again.

The Justus family journeyed to Minnesota in spring of 1856. The journey was hard on mother Anna and newborn James Christopher, who would be ill for some time. The baby died the following spring. The family settled in Watertown Township, Carver County. They were the first settlers in that township- Watertown was not founded until summer of that year.

Many other Swedish immigrants followed, settling in the same area. The settlement and its nearby lake eventually became known as Swede Lake. Most new settlers passed through the Justus home, a stopping and welcoming point for them. The Justus’ were instrumental in the building and settlement of this area. Part of this involved the founding of the Gotaholm Lutheran Church, the first services of which were held in the Justus home. Sons Delos and Peter did their part for their new home with service during the Civil War.

Daniel and Anna Justus moved to Becker County in 1874. Anna died there on August 29, 1877. Daniel remarried, having to more kids with his new wife- James and Leonard. Daniel Justus died in Detroit Lakes, Becker County, on October 15, 1885. His legacy lives on in the many descendents who still live in the Carver County area, some even living in Daniel and Anna’s frame house near Swede Lake.

 

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Centennial Book Committee. MayerCenntennial, 1886-1986. Mayer, MN: 1986.

Johnson, Charlotte Mary Speikers Christensen. The History of the Watertown, Minnesota Area 1856 to 2006: 150 Years of Community Life. Watertown, MN: 2006.

“Just Us: The First Swedish Settlers to Watertown Township, the Daniel Justus Family.” Exhibit. Carver County Historical Society.

Tremblay, Ruth and Lois Schulstad. Images of America: Carver County. Arcadia Publishing: Charleston, South Carolina, 2011.

Jonathan Carver was an explorer, mapmaker, author, and subject of controversy. He was among the first white men to explore and map areas of Minnesota, and including what later became Carver County. While French explorers had been in the area earlier, they did not leave behind detailed maps or journals of their travels as Carver did.
Jonathan Carver was born in Weymouth, Massachusetts on April 13, 1710, when Massachusetts was still part of the British Empire. Carver’s father, Ensign David Carver (an honorary not military rank), a prominent public figure, held many offices such as constable and selectman (chief administrative officer). He also owned property, including a gristmill. The Carvers moved to Canterbury, Connecticut when Jonathan was still a boy, where his father again held public office. Ensign David Carver died when Jonathan was seventeen.
Jonathan Carver grew to an adult in Canterbury, marrying Abigail Robbins in 1746. They had a daughter in 1747 and another in 1748. The family then settled in Montague, Massachusetts where another five children were born. He became town selectman in Montague, before entering the Massachusetts militia in 1755. By 1763, the end of the French and Indian War, Carver had become a Captain with his own company of militiamen.

When the war ended, Carver still wanted to be of service. He signed on as third in command of an expedition to discover a Northwest Passage to the Pacific Ocean. He believed expedition organizers Robert Rogers and Captain James Tute had approval from the British Crown, with payment promised through the British treasury. This later proved false.

The crew left from Boston on May 20, 1766, with Carver as draftsman and mapmaker. They were bound for Fort Michilimackinac in the Great Lakes region. Carver kept detailed journal accounts of the expedition. By December 7, 1766, they reached the Minnesota River. There, Carver befriended a band of Dakota, whom he calls “Naudowessies” in his journal. They allowed him to winter with them, and he spent time observing and recording their customs and celebrations in his journals. This would become the focal point of his writing.

Spring 1767 saw a return east to Prairie du Chien to rejoin the main expedition. Lack of provisions forced a return to Fort Michilimackinac for winter. While there, Rogers was arrested for treason and the expedition disbanded. Carver’s remaining time was spent compiling his journals, before returning home in spring 1768.
After failing to find funding in Massachusetts to publish his journals, Carver headed to England to try to raise money in February 1769. Carver was fifty-nine, and he left his wife and seven children behind, never to see them again. Carver married a Mary Harris in London, having two more children. He repeatedly petitioned the Crown for payment for the failed expedition. He was always denied, since the government had not authorized the trip.

After nine hard years of struggle, Carver worked with Alexander Bicknell, who was never credited, to add some excitement to the journals. They were published in 1778 as Travels Through the Interior Parts of North America: 1766, 1767, 1768. They received wide praise and popularity. Success came too late, however. Jonathan Carver died in poverty on January 31, 1780.
By 1844, Travels to the Interior had greatly declined in popularity and respect. Many historians claimed the whole book was made up, written entirely while Carver was in London.

It wasn’t until discovery in 1909 of a 1767 letter from Carver to his first wife from Fort Michilimackinac printed in a 1768 edition of the Boston Chronicle that many believed the book was true. This letter contained many of the details in the book, as did his original journals, which were discovered the same year.

Also controversial was a claim from the third edition of the book. It said two Dakota had granted Carver a large tract of land, estimated around 12,000 miles, for resolving a dispute between them and a neighboring group. It has never been confirmed by other sources, however, despite later claims by Carver’s descendents.

In 1854, former Territorial Governor Alexander Ramsey suggested the name Carver for a town located along the Minnesota River, and a nearby creek, in honor of his travels in the area. In March 1855, the surrounding county was also named for him.

Turning Point: Jonanthan Carver explored the area that would become Carver County in 1766-1767, creating detailed maps and accounts of the land and American Indians still used in the twenty-first century.

Chronology:

• April 13, 1710: Jonathan Carver born in Weymouth, Massachusetts.
• 1715-1725: The Carver family moves to Canterbury, Connecticut.
• 1746: Carver marries Abigail Robbins.
• 1747: His first daughter is born.
• 1748: His second daughter is born.
• 1749/1750: Jonathan Carver and his family settle in Montague, Massachusetts.
• 1755: Carver joins Massachusetts militiamen.
• 1763: French and Indian war ends; Carver leaves militia with rank of Captain.
• 1766: Carver joins expedition to explore interior of America and find Northwest Passage.
• May 20, 1766: The expedition departs, bound for Fort Michilimackinac.
• December 7, 1766: The expedition reaches the Minnesota River; Carver camps with a band of Dakota for the winter.
• Spring 1767: Carver rejoins main expedition at Prairie Du Chien.
• Winter 1767: The expedition returns to Fort Michilimackinac for winter. Robert Rogers is arrested and the expedition is disbanded. Carver compiles his journals.
• Spring 1768: Carver returns home to Massachusetts.
• September 12, 1768: Carver places ad in Boston Chronicle requesting funding to publish journals.
• February 1769: Carver abandons family and journeys to London in search of better success.
• 1778: His edited journals are published as Travels Through the Interior Parts of North America: 1766, 1767, 1768.
• January 31, 1780: Jonathan Carver dies in poverty in England.
• By 1844: Book is widely believed to be made up and is losing popularity and respect.
• 1854: City of Carver and Carver Creek named by Alexander Ramsey for explorer Jonathan Carver.
• 1855: Carver County named for Jonathan Carver.
• 1909: The discovery of original journals and letters proves validity of Carver’s book.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Encyclopædia Britannica Online, s. v. “Jonathan Carver,” accessed December 31,2012. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/97611/Jonathan-Carver.

Gelb, Norman, ed. Jonathan Carver’s Travels Through America, 1766-1768: An Eighteenth-Century Explorer’s Account of Uncharted America. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1993.

Jonathan in Chaska website. Jonathan Carver, American Explorer. http://www.jonathaninchaska.com/index.cfm/linkservid/EE2D93A4-5056-A306-AF8BB116985CAB59/showMeta/0/

RELATED RESOURCES

Primary:

“Jonathan Carver: Proposals to the Public”. Boston Chronicle, September 12, 1768. Advertisement for funding. In Gelb, Norman, ed. Jonathan Carver’s Travels Through America, 1766-1768: An Eighteenth-Century Explorer’s Account of Uncharted America. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1993.

Boston Chronicle, 1768. Letter from Jonathan Carver to Abigail Robbins Carver. In Gelb, Norman, ed. Jonathan Carver’s Travels Through America, 1766-1768: An Eighteenth-Century          Explorer’s Account of Uncharted America. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1993.

Secondary:

Buck, Solon J. “The Story of Grand Portage”. Minnesota History, 5 Issue 1 (February 1923):14-27. http://collections.mnhs.org/MNHistoryMagazine/articles/5/v05i01p014-027.pdf

Cuneo, John R. Robert Rogers of the Rangers. New York: Oxford University Press, 1959.

Fridley, Russell W. “An evaluation of documents useful to the Ethnohistorian: the papers of Jonathan Carver”. Proceedings of the Minnesota Academy of Science, 1955, Vol. 23: 9-14.

Fridley, Russell W. “The Writings of Jonathan Carver”. Minnesota History, 34 Issue 4 (Winter 1954):154-159. http://collections.mnhs.org/MNHistoryMagazine/articles/34/v34i04p154-159.pdf

Goddard, James Stanley and John Parker, eds. The Journals of Jonathan Carver and Related Documents, 1766-1770. St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society Press, 1976.

Holmes, Oliver W. “Book Review”. Minnesota History, 45 Issue 4 (Winter 1976): 157.

Lee, John Thomas. “A Bibliography of Carver’s Travels”. State Historical Society of Wisconsin Proceedings, 1909: 148-183.

Lee, John Thomas. “A Bibliography of Carver’s Travels”. State Historical Society of Wisconsin Proceedings, 1912: 121-123.

State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Proceedings,1909, p. 149-151; 1912, p. 107-120.

Parker, John, ed. The Journals of Jonathan Carver and Related Documents, 1766-1770. St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society Press, June 1976.

Parker, John. The Great Lakes and the Great Rivers: Jonathan Carver’s Dream of Empire. Lansing:  Historical Society of Michigan, 1965.

Smith, G. Hubert. “Carver’s Old Fortifications”. Minnesota History, 16 Issue 2 (June 1935): 152-165. http://collections.mnhs.org/MNHistoryMagazine/articles/16/v16i02p152-165.pdf

 

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“This article used with the permission of MNopedia, operated by the Minnesota Historical Society, under a Creative Commons License. No changes have been made to the article’s content.”

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Emile Julien Amblard, known as the “Duke of Clearwater Lake,” became one of Coney Island’s leading residents. He bought his first piece of land there in 1893. The western edge of the island and a building in Waconia would become his passion for the next twenty-one years.

Amblard was born in Paris, France on April 4, 1840. He was the son of a wealthy landowner and Mayor of the town of Périgueux, in Burgundy, France. Amblard spent his youth at the family’s country home in Burgundy and in Paris schools. As an adult, Amblard worked for F. Chauvenet and Company, distributors of fine French wine. As the company’s representative in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, a lot of Amblard’s time was spent traveling, introducing and importing Burgundy wines. After a yearlong absence to serve in the Franco-German War (July 19, 1870 –May 10, 1871) under Napoleon III, Amblard spent the rest of his days working for F. Chauvenet and Company.

He first visited the United States in 1889. The following year, Amblard visited an old friend, former German Army Officer Rudolph Steinmetz, who lived in Minneapolis. While there, Amblard was invited on a fishing trip to Clearwater Lake. He fell in love with the beauty of the area and stayed.

Emile Amblard purchased his first property on Coney Island in 1893 from Mary Orth, with an existing cabin. The following year, fifty-four-year-old Emile Amblard married twenty-two-year-old Mary Augusta Wood of Manitoba, Canada. The family, including Mary’s mother and Amblard’s daughter from a previous marriage, Marie Therésè, spent their summers on the island. In the winter, the women lived in their Summit Avenue home in Minneapolis, while Marie Therésè attended St. Joseph’s Academy. Amblard spent his winters traveling for work.

In 1898, Amblard bought more land on the island and built his main summer residence. Known as “Villa Emile,” the building was one story, with a two-story tower on one side and a veranda on three sides. The original property became known as Villa Marie, for his wife Mary. The Amblards also built Villa Topsy, a five-room guesthouse, named for their beloved dog. Over time, Amblard added a park, gardens, a boathouse, a bathhouse, a billiard room, a chess room, and gazebos. The area became known as Amblard Point and Amblard Park. When the 1904 Waconia Cyclone hit, it wrecked the boathouse, the boat landing, gazebo, and Villa Topsy. Villas Emile and Marie were left undamaged. In 1906, Amblard purchased a building on Vine Street in Waconia. Over time, he added an automobile garage, guest rooms above, and a dining room.

By 1911, Amblard’s health began to deteriorate, and the family was living mainly in their Minneapolis home. In 1912, Amblard spent weeks ill in the hospital and in 1913, he fractured his leg. Despite Amblard’s poor health, the family took a final trip to the Amblard home in Burgundy, then on to Paris, Nice, and Monte Carlo. In July 1914, Amblard entered the Swedish Hospital in Minneapolis for surgery; there were complications. Emile Amblard died in the hospital on July 15, 1914 at age seventy-four. Legend has it he wanted to be buried standing up, facing his beloved island, but he had a traditional burial in the Waconia city cemetery. His is the only grave in the cemetery facing the island (in a north-south direction), as all other plots face east to west.

Mary Amblard was the sole heir to his estate, but she had little interest in the land. The Coney Island property was sold to James R. Ferris of the National Hotel in Minneapolis and became “Frenchman’s Point.” The garage and club-house in Waconia were sold to James E. Hamilton of Janesville, Wisconsin, and became the “Waconia Tavern and Garage.” Mary sold the Minneapolis home and then lived in California, Belgium and France. She died and was buried in Winnipeg, Canada in 1946.

In the twenty-first century, no Amblard structures remain on the island. The club and garage in Waconia were placed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 4, 1980. They were converted, and are now the Wishing Well Apartments. Amblard’s passion for building lives on in that structure.

Turning Point: In 1890, Emile Amblard’s visit to Clearwater Lake inspired him to buy his first property on Coney Island.

Chronology:

• April 4, 1840: Emile Julien Amblard is born in Paris, France.
• July 9, 1870- May 10, 1871: Emile Amblard serves in the Franco-German War under Napolean III.
• 1889: Amblard’s first visit to the United States.
• 1890: Amblard visits a friend, former German Army Officer Rudolph Steinmetz, in Minneapolis. While there, he is invited to fish on Clearwater Lake in Waconia and falls in love with the beauty of the area.
• 1893: Emile Amblard purchases his first piece of land on Coney Island from Mary Orth, with an existing cabin.
• 1894: Fifty-four-year-old Amblard weds twenty-two-year-old Mary Augusta Wood of Manitoba, Canada.
• 1898: Amblard expands his property on the island and builds his main residence, Villa Emile.
• August 20, 1904: The Waconia Cyclone causes extensive damage to Amblard’s property on Coney Island.
• 1906: Amblard purchases a structure on Vine Street in Waconia, adding an automobile garage, guest house and dining room.
• 1911: Amblard’s health begins to deteriorate and he spends less time on the island.
• 1912: Amblard spends weeks ill in the hospital.
• 1913: Despite Amblard’s poor health, the family takes one final trip to the Amblard family home in Burgundy, then on to Paris, Nice and Monte Carlo.
• July 1914: Amblard enters the Swedish Hospital in Minneapolis for surgery; there were complications. He dies in the hospital on July 15, 1914. He is buried facing his beloved island in Waconia, Minnesota.
• 1946: Mary Amblard dies and is buried in Winnipeg, Canada.
• January 4, 1980: The clubhouse and garage located on Vine Street are placed on the National Register of Historic Places and converted in the Wishing Well Apartments.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

“A Crew of Men Are Busily Engaged on the New Addition to the Amblard Building.” Waconia Patriot, April 17, 1908.

Anderson, Keith, “Historic Waconia Building Welcomes Changes.” Carver County News, October 4, 1990.

“E. Amblard, A French Gentleman from New York.” Carver County News, May 25, 1894.

Holcombe, Maj. R.I., ed. Compendium of History and Biography of Carver and Hennepin Counties, Minnesota. Chicago: Henry Taylor and Company, 1915.

“Mons. Amblard Property is Sold.” Waconia Patriot, August 21, 1914.

“Mons. Emile Amblard Gone to His Reward.” Waconia Patriot, July 17, 1914.

“Mons. Emile Amblard Was here Tuesday.” Waconia Patriot, April 5, 1912.

“Monsieur E. Amblard.” Carver County News, August 8, 1890.

“Mr. Amblard Left Tuesday for Minneapolis.” Waconia Patriot, September 4, 1903.

“Mrs. Marie Amblard Dies in Canada.” Waconia Patriot, April 4, 1946.

Waconia Heritage Association. Waconia, Paradise of the Northwest: The Lake and Its Island. Dallas: Taylor Publishing Company, 1986.

“Waconia’s Most Progressive Citizen, Mons. Amblard.” Waconia Patriot, May 19, 1911.

“We Are Pleased to Note that Mons. Emile Amblard.” Waconia Patriot, April 11, 1913.

RELATED RESOURCES

Primary:

“Mary Wood Amblard Marries Ruppert H. Clarke.” Waconia Patriot, February 20, 1919.

“Mons. Amblard Opens Public Park.” Waconia Patriot, June 20, 1913.

“Monsieur Emile Amblard.” Waconia Patriot, January 17, 1908.

“Waconia Now Has a Magnet for Motorists in the Shape of a Handsome Clubhouse.” Waconia Patriot, May 15, 1908.

Secondary:

Carver County: Today and Yesterday. Compiled by the Carver County Statehood Centennial Committee, 1958. A pamphlet.

Lofstrom, Ted and Lynne VanBrocklin Spaeth. Carver County: A Guide to Its Historic and Prehistoric Places. St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society Press, 1978.

Millet, Larry. Once There Were Castles: Lost Mansions and Estates of the Twin Cities. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2011.

Tremblay, Ruth and Lois Schulstad. Images of America: Carver County. Charleston, South Carolina: Arcadia Publishing, 2011.

Warner, George E. and Charles M. Foote. History of the Minnesota Valley: Carver County. Reprint. Carver County Historical Society, 1986. Originally published in George E. Warner and Charles M. Foote,               History of the Minnesota Valley, Minneapolis: North Star Publishing Company, 1882.

Web:

National Register of Historic Places. Minnesota- Carver County. http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/MN/carver/state.html

Go Historic. Emile Amblard Guest House, Waconia. http://gohistoric.com/sites/emile-amblard-guest-house-waconia

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“This article used with the permission of MNopedia, operated by the Minnesota Historical Society, under a Creative Commons License. No changes have been made to the article’s content.”

The story of Clara Judd is a story of controversy. Arrested as a female spy for General John H. Morgan, Judd spent time locked up in the military prison at Alton, Illinois. Was Judd truly a Confederate spy, or was hers a case of misplaced trust and innocence, as she spent her remaining life claiming?

Burritt and Clara Judd were early settlers to Chanhassen. Burritt Judd was an architect and builder, completing three churches in Minneapolis which gained him national acclaim. The couple also served as missionaries for the local Episcopal Church, with Burritt being only the second person to be ordained in Minnesota. After only a short time settled in Carver County, the couple moved south in 1858. Clara Judd was suffering from poor health, and it was thought the climate in the South would do her good. Burritt accepted a job at the University of the South, Sewanee, Tennessee and helped to construct some of the first campus structures. Before migrating south, they left their mark – Lake Lucy in Chanhassen was named for the Judd’s daughter.

In 1861, while on business in Nashville, Burritt Judd and one of the Judd children were killed in a train accident. Clara Judd was left a widow with seven children and no way to support herself in a country at war. In 1862, she returned to Chanhassen to mortgage the family farm and leave her three youngest children with family. In the end, they were left with a sister in St. Louis, Missouri. Work was found for her older sons in a government factory in Atlanta to provide money for the family. From then on, Clara traveled often between the lines of North and South visiting her children in different parts of the county. This is where her trouble started.

These frequent trips across the lines became suspicious to those in power. It was thought the frequent trips were a way to smuggle goods and supplies over the lines, count troop numbers and deployments, and provide vital details to General Morgan, who she supposedly worked for. On one such trip, she was detained in Murfreesboro, Tennessee for a number of days waiting for a pass. While there, she met a man claiming to be a paroled prisoner, offering her a ride in his buggy into Nashville. He was actually a Northern counterespionage agent named Delos Thurman Blythe. Blythe reported her to authorities, claiming her behavior as suspicious. He claimed to overhear a Confederate whisper to her, “If they won’t let you in, you can go across country, about four miles to my father’s, and they will run you through the lines anyhow.” He reported to his boss and was instructed to assist her on her journey to trap her.

From Nashville, the duo boarded a train for Louisville, Kentucky, traveling together for a number of days. Clara fell in love with Blythe, and after a brief illness, made plans to travel on to Mitchellville, Tennessee. There, both were arrested by army police, with Blythe being roughed up. Witnesses claimed Judd was more worried for her love, Blythe, than herself. Among her possessions was a bible inscribed to Blythe, meant to be a gift. Using her love against her, Judd was told that Blythe would be court-martialed, and she testified on his behalf, saying he was innocent and she alone was responsible. Unknown to her, Blythe had already been released. She never saw him again.

Clara Judd was imprisoned at Alton, Illinois for eight months on the charge of espionage. She was paroled due to poor health and ordered to return to Minnesota and stay there. Upon her return, Judd was criticized in the press, who had decided her guilty. Despite living quietly under an assumed name, Judd faced criticism and ostracism to the end of her days. Upon her release, she issued a statement claiming innocence, that she was tricked by Blythe. Her claim was that “he has sworn falsely and misrepresented other things then said jocosely.”

The truth of her tale may never be known. Newspapers at the time, and the local Chanhassen history book, claim her guilt. A recent book, Stealing Secrets, discusses her claims of innocence and being tricked by love. Was her frequent travel simply to visit her children, or was she truly a spy? Was she duped into trusting Blythe and taking the blame, or did he really observe suspicious behavior? We may never know. History always has two sides, and presented here are the facts. Clara Judd is remembered in history as a female Confederate spy, trapped and imprisoned in an undercover operation.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

“Gen. John H. Morgan’s Female Spy, alias Mrs. Clara Judd, of Carver County, Minnesota: Interesting Details of her Detection.” Chaska Valley Herald, December 5, 1863.

Hoisington, Daniel John. Chanhassen: A Centennial History. Chanhassen, MN: The Press, Banta Corporation, July 1996.

“Local Items: Distinguished Arrival.” Chaska Valley Herald, August 29, 1863.

Winkler, H. Donald. “Trapped in a Sting Operation: Clara Judd”. In Stealing Secrets: How a Few Daring Women Deceived Generals, Impacted Battles, and Altered the Course of the Civil War, edited by H. Donald Winkler, 247-251. Naperville, Illinois: Cumberland House, 2010.

Throughout Carver County’s long history, there have been many tales and people of fame and infamy. However, perhaps one of the most infamous is that of Rosa Mixa, victim, and Andrew Tapper, murderer. This case was the first and last public execution for murder in Carver County. Presented below are the facts of this tale as noted in the newspapers and records of that time.

Andrew Tapper was born in Carver County to Otto and Johanna Tapper. He remained working the farm with his parents until his father’s death in 1882 and his mother selling the farm soon after. He then spent his time working as a carpenter, bartender, and hostler. When his mother died in 1896 and Tapper began suffering chest and back pain, for which he received no treatment, accounts say Tapper turned to drinking.

Tapper and Rosa Mixa met while both were employed for the Basler House Hotel in Carver. Tapper served as hostler and part-time bartender, Mixa as cook and housekeeper. Rosa Mixa only worked at the Basler for part of the year, spending the rest of her time helping on the family farm in Montgomery, Le Sueur County, with parents Leopold and Catherine. Rosa Mixa was 19 at the time of this event. Eyewitnesses and Tapper himself recalled Tapper’s infatuation with Mixa, an affection she did not return. While walking through Carver Park one Sunday, Tapper insulted Mixa. The following Monday, he attempted to seek reconciliation, which is where our story starts.

On Monday, June 3, 1901, Rosa Mixa rose early and went about her kitchen and laundry duties. Tapper also rose early, planning to finish his chores quickly and ask to assist Mixa in order to apologize. When he sought her out, Mixa refused his assistance and apologies. Here, accounts vary. Some claim it was the refusal of his apology that sent Tapper into a rage, some claim his drinking, and others, Mixa’s refusal of his advances. Whatever the reason, Tapper, in a rage, pulled out his pocketknife and stabbed Mixa. Her screams attracted hotel owners John and Tilda Leonard, who rushed to the kitchen to find Tapper standing over Mixa with a knife.

Tapper fled to the nearby Minnesota River, and attempted to drown himself. However, the cold water instead brought him back to his senses. He returned to the hotel, saw what he had done, and was convinced by Mr. Leonard to turn himself in to the local sheriff.

The trial of Andrew Tapper began on October 18, 1901, and lasted four days. Tapper’s lawyer, W.C. O’Dell sought life in prison. However, Minnesota at this time (1860-1906) practiced capital punishment. The jury came back with a guilty verdict and Judge Francis Caldwell sentenced Tapper to be hung.

After a six-month waiting period, Andrew Tapper’s execution was scheduled for February 18, 1902. Despite an appeal filed with the Minnesota Board of Pardons by his sister Anna Benson, the execution was carried out between 12-12:30 am, attended by 150 deputies and sheriffs from around the state.

While in prison, Tapper gave one or two interviews about the incident. In them, he claimed he was not in his right mind due to drink, though he never sought an insanity plea. He said in one interview, “I do not care so much for death as the disgrace which will always be connected with my name [. . .] I do not wish to say that the verdict is an unjust one, all I wish to say is that I was not responsible at the time I committed the crime. I do not recollect anything that happened on the morning Rosa was killed.”

Whatever the truth behind why Tapper killed Rosa Mixa and how in control of his actions he was, the story remains one of the most violent in Carver County’s history. Many articles have been written over the years about the only public execution in Carver County history. The State of Minnesota repealed capital punishment in 1911, making this one of few such penalties in our history.

 

 

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

“Andrew Tapper Pays the penalty for His Crimes.” Minneapolis Times, January 18, 1902.

Barac, Lavonne. Chaska: A Minnesota River City, Volume 1 and 2. St. Paul, MN: Carver County Public Library, 1989.

Faber, Jim. “In Times of Eye-for-Eye Justice.” Chaska Herald, December 12, 1991.

“Girl Murdered at Carver.” Weekly Valley Herald, June 6, 1901.

Minnesota State Legislature. “Death Penalty”. From Session Weekly, 1992. Accessed July 19, 2014. http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/hinfo/swkly/1995-96/select/death.txt

Olson, Mark W. “Killer Hanged: County’s Only Execution Retold.” Chaska Herald, October 29, 1998.

“Rosa Mixa is Avenged.” Weekly Valley Herald, February 20, 1902.

“Shocking Tragedy.” The Montgomery Messenger, June 7, 1901.

“Tapper Feels His Disgrace.” Weekly Valley Herald, October 31, 1901.

“Tapper Must Hang.” Weekly Valley Herald, January 23, 1902.

“Tapper Pays the Penalty.” St. Paul Pioneer Press, February 18, 1902.

“Tapper to Hang.” Norwood Times, October 25, 1901.

Andrew Peterson was born Anders Petterson on October 20, 1818, on a farm in Sjoarp, Vastra Ryd, Ostergotland, Sweden. His family had financial ties to the church, so he and his brother received a better education than many farmers of the time. He had interests in music, and experimental agricultural and farm techniques.

In 1850, at thirty-two years old, Andrew Peterson immigrated to the United States, arriving in Boston on July 2. During his voyage, Peterson began keeping a daily journal. He would continue writing for the next forty-eight years, until two days before his death. Most of the early journals were unfortunately later lost. From Boston, he traveled west to Peru, Illinois, and then on to a settlement called New Sweden, near Burlington, Iowa. While in Iowa, Peterson “Americanized” his name, from Anders Petterson to Andrew Peterson.

In 1853, wanting to own land of his own rather than working for others, Peterson visited Minnesota where he filed a claim for a farm. Two years later, on May 4, 1855, Peterson left for Minnesota permanently with his sister and her family. He settled on his claim close to a community called Scandia, near Waconia. He began an orchard on his land, as well as farming more traditional crops. The farm was his by December 6, 1856. During these years, Peterson was a founder of the Scandia Baptist Church. Meetings were held in his home. A church building was erected not long after.

Peterson visited nearby King Oscar’s settlement, near the twenty-first century town of East Union, to buy more trees and grafts for his orchard. While there, he met a woman named Elsa. They married in 1858 when he was forty and she was twenty-three. They had nine children: Ida, George, John, Charles (Carl), Frank, Emma, Anna, Josephine and Oscar. He continued his daily diary, recording trips to town, work on the farm, visits with neighbors, and in 1862, his thoughts on the U.S.-Dakota conflict. His orchard was blossoming, with the farm producing apples, pears, plums, grapes, and cherries.

In 1874, Peterson joined the Patrons of Husbandry, a national fellowship of farmers. He sent apple grafts to growers as far away as Iowa. His experimental work was recognized at the January 1888 annual meeting of the Minnesota Horticultural Society. He received an honorary life membership, by unanimous vote.

At its height, his orchard produced over two hundred varieties of apples. Peterson hosted tours to leading experts in the field from nearby states and as far away as Ottawa, Canada. Later, his orchard became one of fifteen experimental fruit breeding research stations in Minnesota, run by the Minnesota Horticultural Society. His farm was located six miles from what would become the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum and Horticultural Research Center.

Peterson died on March 31, 1898. His wife Elsa Peterson ran the farm with her children until her death March 8, 1922. As their children died with no heirs, his last daughter Emma gave the farm to Sarah Peterson, a neighbor who had cared for Emma in her old age. The farm then passed into the hands of the Holasek family, who renamed it Rock Isle Farm.

The Andrew Peterson farmstead was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. His children donated Peterson’s diaries to the Minnesota Historical Society in the 1930s. Swedish novelist Wilhelm Moberg discovered them while visiting Minnesota for research in the 1940s. He used the journals as the basis of his four novels: The Emigrants, Unto a Good Land, the Settlers, and the Last Letter Home. A musical called Andrew Peterson: The Genuine Pioneer Story had great success in Sweden in 2012. In the twenty-first century, Carver County is sister counties with Ydre, Sweden, Peterson’s home county. The Carver County Historical Society restored the granary on the farmstead in 2006 with help from Swedish carpenters, and began restoration on the north barn in 2010.

Turning Point: In 1850, Andrew Peterson journeyed to America and began daily journals that would provide a unique glimpse into the life of a Swedish immigrant.

Chronology:

• October 20, 1818: Anders Petterson (Andrew Peterson) born in Sweden.
• 1850: Thirty-two year old Peterson travels by ship to America, landing in Boston on July 2.
• July-August, 1850: Peterson travels to Illinois and Iowa, where he settles in New Sweden, Iowa.
• 1853: Peterson visits Minnesota to file a claim for a farm.
• May 4, 1855: Peterson leaves for Minnesota permanently with his sister and her family.
• December 6, 1856: Peterson pays off his claim and owns his farm.
• 1858: Andrew Peterson marries a woman named Elsa from King Oscar’s settlement.
• 1874: Peterson joins the Patrons of Husbandry, a national fellowship of farmers.
• January 1888: Peterson is honored with a life membership from the Minnesota Horticultural Society for his experimental work.
• March 31, 1898: Andrew Peterson dies.
• March 8, 1922: Elsa Peterson dies.
• 1978: Historic Andrew Peterson Farmstead placed on National Register of Historic Places.
• 2006: Log granary on farmstead restored with help of Swedish carpenters.
• 2010: Work begins to restore north Peterson barn.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Anderson, Keith. “The Swedish Connection.” Waconia Patriot, September 16, 2004.

RL 2001.3.1
Andrew Peterson Diaries, 1855-1898.
Manuscript Collection, Minnesota Historical Society, St. Paul
Description: English translation of diaries. Kept by Andrew Peterson for much of his life, detailing his daily activities.

“Andrew Peterson Farm Receives Grant.” Chanhassen Villager, February 2, 2012.

Andrew Peterson Sällskapet. http://www.andrewpeterson.se/index_eng.htm

“Awarded Several Premiums for Apples and Grapes.” Weekly Valley Herald, September 17, 1891.

“Chanhassen: 4 Swedish Men Arrive to Repair Granary Roof of Historic Farm in Scandia.” Carver County News, October 12, 2006.

“County Project Gets Historical Society Grant.” Carver County News, July 27, 1978.

“Died- Andrew Peterson, Pioneer of Laketown.” Carver County News, April 7, 1898.

“Excerpts from Andrew Peterson’s Journals.” Star Tribune, March 27, 2012. http://www.startribune.com/local/west/144019856.html

“Farm Stock, Home and Apples Shown.” Weekly Valley Herald, October 7, 1886.

“Historic Peterson Farm.” Norwood Times, August 10, 1978.

“Jan Hermelin: Meet the Real “Karl Oskar” of Moberg’s Emigrant Saga.” The Swedish-American Chambers of Commerce Currents Online, January 13, 2011. http://sacc-usa.org/currents/business/jan-hermelin-meet-the-real-karl-oskar-of-mobergs-emigrant-saga/

Mihelich, Josephine. Andrew Peterson and the Scandia Story. Minneapolis: Ford Johnson Graphics, 1984.

“Obituary- Mrs. Andrew Peterson.” Waconia Patriot, March 16, 1922.

Olson, Mark W. “Coming to America.” Chanhassen Villager, November 1, 2007.

Qualey, Carlton C. “Diary of a Swedish Immigrant Horticulturist,1855-1898.” Minnesota History, 43 No. 2 (Summer 1972): 63-70. http://collections.mnhs.org/MNHistoryMagazine/articles/43/v43i02p063-070.pdf

Salden, Jessica. “County Interested in Historic Peterson Farm.” Carver County News, October 26, 2006.

Westman, Tama. “Swedish Homesteader a Celebrity in Homeland.” Chanhassen Villager, March 17, 2005.

Zuege, Unsie. “Commissioner Visit Has Ties to County Pioneer.” Chanhassen Villager, June 11, 2009.

__________. “Commissioner Visits Homeland of Carver County Pioneer.” Chanhassen Villager, July 23, 2009.

__________. “The Swedes are Coming.” Chaska Herald, October 5, 2006.

__________. “Swedes Share Roots With Visitors.” Chaska Herald, October 26, 2006.

RELATED RESOURCES

Secondary:

Holcombe, Maj. R.I., ed. Compendium of History and Biography of Carver and Hennepin Counties, Minnesota. Henry Taylor and Company: Chicago, 1915.

Lofstrom, Ted and Lynne VanBrocklin Spaeth. Carver County: A Guide to Its Historic and Prehistoric Places. St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society Press, 1978.

Moberg, Vilhelm. A History of the Swedish People: From Prehistory to the Renaissance. Translated by Paul Britten Austin. New York: Pantheon Books, 1971.

Petersen-Biorn, Wendy. “Preserving a (Inter)National Treasure: the Andrew Petersen Farm.” Powerpoint presentation. Carver County Historical Society, 2012.

Tremblay, Ruth and Lois Schulstad. Images of America: Carver County. Charleston, S.C.: Arcadia Publishing, 2011.

Waconia Heritage Association. Waconia, Paradise of the Northwest: The Lake and Its Island. Dallas:

Taylor Publishing Company, 1986.

Web:

American Swedish Institute website. http://www.asimn.org/

The Swedish Emigrant Institute. http://www.utvandrarnashus.se/eng/

 

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“This article used with the permission of MNopedia, operated by the Minnesota Historical Society, under a Creative Commons License. No changes have been made to the article’s content.”

A.J. Carlson was like so many other immigrants to America in the 1850s and 1860s; he worked hard to save money for land, and did his service in the Union Army. What sets A.J. Carlson apart was the written record he left behind; a record of trials, hard work, social commentary, and pioneer life.

A.J. Carlson was born Anders Johan Carlsson on April 20, 1837 in Kronosbergs lan, Sweden to parents Carl Andersson (1800-1879) and Anna Isacsdotter (1796-1852). Carlson was raised with his many siblings: Rev. Peter Carlson, Ingrid Carlsdotter, Christina Carlsdotter, Catarina Carlsdotter, and Maria Carlsdotter. In 1854, at the age of 17, Carlson emigrated to America, traveling with many of his siblings. The group landed in Boston on July 22.

Over the next five years, A.J. Carlson worked in factories and on the farm work throughout Illinois, building up savings to purchase land. In 1860, he traveled to Minnesota where he purchased 80 acres of land in San Francisco Township, Carver County. He then returned to Illinois to finalize his affairs before settling in Carver County permanently in 1861. During this time, his name was “Americanized” to Andrew John Carlson.

Shortly after starting his life as a bachelor farmer, the Civil War broke out, and Carlson enlisted to “free the slaves”. He was mustered in as a foot soldier in Company H of the Ninth Minnesota on August 21, 1862. He saw service in both the U.S.-Dakota and Civil Wars for the next three years, before being mustered out August 24, 1865. He then returned to Carver County and became one of East Union’s most active and prominent citizens. Carlson worked his land, worked as secretary at the Beven’s Creek Milling Company, was a member of the County Fair Association, Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of Carver County, served as a State Senator, was East Union Postmaster from 1873-1893, and owned and operated a general store. On top of all this, Carlson was instrumental in founding St. Ansgar’s Academy in East Union in 1862, and later involved in the decision to move the school to St. Peter where it was renamed Gustavus Adolphus College. He later served on the Board of Directors for the school. Carlson was also a member of the Minnesota Scandinavian Relief Association.

During this time, Carlson wed Maria (Mary) Wilson (Oleson) on September 16, 1865. The couple had seven children: Victor E., Lydia, Elise, Levi, Carl, Ernest E., and Alice Jeannette. Maria passed away June 1, 1883. Two years later, Carlson wed Mathilda Wicklund on October 11, 1885. A.J. Carlson passed away March 20, 1909, just one month shy of his 72nd birthday.

Carlson did more than serve as an active citizen of East Union. He also kept a detailed journal of his time serving in both wars, and provided wonderful insight and social commentary about the times in which he lived. When he returned from the war, he brought home only 2 things- his bayonet and his journal. This journal was preserved in newsprint in the East Union News published by his son E.E. Carlson.

When Carlson’s son, Ernest E. or E.E. was 11 years old, he began publishing a small 4-page, 4 x 6 inch newspaper of local happenings for “fun and pleasure”. This was the East Union News. In this newspaper, E.E. published his father’s journal documenting A.J.’s time serving his country. “A Narrative of the Late War” was published over several years, beginning with the February 1, 1895 and ending with the April 15, 1897 edition. The East Union News account also included other newspapers’ articles, court documents and various personal accounts to round out A.J’s commentary.

In 2013, the CCHS was made aware of these accounts by a visitor looking to find the “rest of the story” to complete the two East Union News newspaper sections in her ownership. Very few copies of The East Union News have survived. Working with Carlson’s grandson, Howard Arneson, and East Union historian, Mike Coleman, the full account and original surviving newspapers were located. With the blessings and support of the family, and the hard work of museum staff, the News articles were compiled into a book. The title of the book, Two Wars on the Frontier, originates from the name A.J. had given for his account of the wars. A.J. Carlson was active in civil affairs, a pioneer of East Union and a foot soldier. His life in the two wars is preserved through the journals, The East Union News, and now a book documenting life during the U.S.-Dakota and Civil Wars.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Petersen-Biorn, Wendy, editor and Darlene Fasching, compiler. Two Wars on the Frontier.  Louisville, Kentucky: Four Color Print Group, 2014.