GARFIELD TOWNSHIP, POLK COUNTY, WISCONSIN

Garfield narrowly escaped being a township. The county board organized the town January 20, 1886, setting it off from the towns of Lincoln and Osceola and ordered that the first meeting be held April, 1889. Two factions developed and one faction prevented a choice of inspectors of election but those attending in favor posted notices of election to be held April 17. The election was held at the home of James Montgomery

Officers elected were A. W. Sylvester, chairman; Martin N. Hanson and James T. Montgomery, supervisors; James E. Strong, clerk; E.
Van Worman, treasurer; F. H. Rasmussen, assessor; J. E. Strong, E.H. Olson, P. B. Lundberg and Ole Lenroot, Justices of the Peace; S. M. Hillbery, Levi Worman, and Ole Stevenson, constables. The town was divided into five road districts with J. F. Johnson, Andrew Lindberg, S. Nissen, N. H. Hagen, and Lars Egnes, and P. A. Anderson, overseers respectively. A two mill town tax, ½ mills for bridges, eight mills for roads were voted. The treasurer was allowed fees of one percent on all taxes collected before January 1.

Garfield embraces thirty sections of range 17 and six sections in range 18, township 33. Lake Wapogassett is divided on the east by the town of Lincoln and Big Lake in the southwest corner is divided by the town line with Alden
Balsam Branch flowing out of Balsam Lakeflows through the two sections into Wapogassett and a stream from Wapogassett empties into Apple River west of Little Falls

In 1887 the Minneapolis, St. Paul & Sioux Ste Marie built through the town on which road two towns were established; Dwight which later was named Wanderoos, and Deronda on the town line between Garfield and Lincoln.

Garfieldhad three post offices when it was organized, Ubet, El Salem, Dwight or Wanderoos David McCourt had Ubet post office established soon after coming to Garfield in 1860. Deronda was named after Daniel Deronda, a fictional character in a novel.

GARFIELD II

In 1876 Rev. H. N. Strongtook exception to the way El Salem was being spelled. The post office had first been named Strongafter the Strong familybut there were so many Strong post offices over the country it was changed to El Salem. Mr. Strong contended it should be spelled with only one capital, Elsalem
He said it was written El Salem for the same reason that El Paso was written with two capitals, but it was not a Spanish word but a Hebrew word similar to Elisha, Elbanan, Elkana, and like other Hebrew words it commences with the Hebrew name of God. The meaning, he said, was God’s peace, or as an acknowledgement of God and a prayer for peace.

Rev. Strong was a Universalist minister and did missionary work in Polk, St. Croix, and Pierce counties. He settled in Garfield about 1870 when it was practically a wilderness. He died at Lancaster, Wisconsin, January 1, 1890.

The first record of a church in Garfield was on March 21, 1889, when the First Baptist Church of Elsalem [met] with ten constituent members. George Wilson of Osceola was moderator. The little band had gathered through the spiritual efforts of Rev. J. C. Cain who ministered to other churches. Several Baptist members of the church at Osceola attended the meeting and Rev. S. A. Abbott of Osceola preached the first sermon.

Prominent Residents

Among the prominent settlers in Garfield was the Frank L. Corey family. He was born in Leroy,
which later became Osceola, March 11, 1859, son of Joseph S. and Pamelia (Foster) Corey who moved to Osceola in 1856. Frank married Agnes Montgomery Christmas Day 1881. George Corey, also of Garfield, married Margaret Montgomery, a sister to Agnes, daughters of John Montgomery
Edgar Corey, a brother to Frankand George, was a school teacher.

George Coreywas elected sheriff of Polk County in 1908 and served one term. Sheriffs at that time could not serve more than one term.
He died May 11, 1923, at the age of 74.

GARFIELD III

Ferdinand H. Rasmussen was born in Denmark December 6, 1847. He served in the Danish military before coming to America in 1871. He finally came to Garfield and bought 160 acres of land in 1874 and became a successful farmer. He served as town chairman and held a number of town offices. In 1900 he was elected treasurer of Polk county and served four years. A son, Roy, also served as town chairman 1944-45-46 and 1950-51-52. Rupert, another son, is now with Agriculture Department at Madison. A daughter, Clara, married William Reed of North Dakota.

David McCourtwas born December 24, 1854, in New York. His parents, John and Margaret McCourt came to Garfield in 1860 and bought a farm. He had the Ubet post office established and served as post master until it was discontinued because of rural mail service. William H. McCourt, a brother, bought a farm about the same time as David did. He later became a surveyor and served eight years as county surveyor.

The McLean’s were prominent Garfield farmers. David Rand Gardnerwere sons of Mr. John and Sarah (Turnbull) McLean who came to what is now Garfield in 1851. David married Kate H. ClarkApril 6, 1883. Gardner McLean was born September 29, 1850. He worked in the woods and on the river drives until he purchased a farm in 1874. He married Anna Siltberg A son, John, lost an arm in a corn shredder and later served as county treasurer four years and as clerk of circuit court four years. Gardner was a great deer hunter and many were the tales told of his hunting prowess and marksmanship.

Olof Mattsonwas born in Sweden in 1855. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Erick Mattson, settled in St. Croix Falls in 1869 and three years later homesteaded land in Garfield He married Sophia Johnson of Marine at Sand Lake July 3, 1895, to which union three children were born, Roy, Reuben, and Reynold

Olof Olson was born in Sweden March 31, 1856. The family came to Osceola in 1869. Olof engaged in the mercantile business at Anoka, Minnesota, ten years before buying a farm in Garfield and became a successful farmer.

GARFIELD IV

Among prominent Garfield farmers were the Lindberg’s. Andrew was born in 1850 in Sweden, son of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Lindberg, and came to America in 1857. They were on the sea fourteen weeks. Two sons died and were buried at sea. In 1874 Andrew started farming in Garfield. He married Amanda Siltberg, November 8, 1883, Clinton, a son, was born August 24, 1885, and attended the Agricultural College at Madison. Abraham Lindberg was born February 28, 1849. He started farming the same year that Andrew did. He married Mrs. Ida Lovedahl by whom he had three children, Edith, Aaron, and William Mrs. Lindberg had one son, Alvin L. Lovedahl, by her former marriage.

Antonand Hans P. Hansoncame with their parents, Mr. and Mrs. Hans Hanson, from Denmark in 1882. Anton settled in Garfield on a farm as did his brother, Hans Pwho settled there in 1870. In 1891 he sold and moved to Cushing but three years later moved back to Garfield and engaged in farming.

August Gumpertwas born in Germany March 14, 1853. August later followed in the footsteps of his father as a miller. In 1896 he purchased 225 acres of land on Balsam Branchon which Ole Lenroot had a mill. August developed what was known as Balsam Branch Roller Mills (flour), built a cheese factory and started a store. He married Sarah Millerof Pittsburg, Pa., and raised eight children, Clara, Alvin, Walter, Wilbur, Ida, Edward, Carl, and William

Andrew M. Andersonstarted farming in Garfield in 1884. Born in Sweden, November 22, 1858, he married Clara Lundbergto which union six children were born, Walter H who served on the county board a number of years, Elber, Addie, Reuben, Ellen, and Alice. Mr. Anderson died January 17, 1948. A brother also died the same year, March 22.

A. P. Jerdeewas a prominent farmer near Deronda and had one of the best farm layouts in the town. He was elected assemblyman in 1904 and served one term. A brother, Mons P. Jerdee, was one of the early lawyers in St. Croix Falls He was a classmate in law school with A. J. Vinje who was circuit judge for many years and who later became Chief Justice of the State Supreme Court. A. P. Jerdee died at Deronda December 13, 1937, five days before his 87^th birthday.

THE I. O. G. T.

Among the early societies organized in the county was the I. O. G. T., or Independent Order of good Templars which sprang up in many communities. They were temperance societies organized against the drinking of alcoholic beverages. Members pledged themselves to abstain from all forms of imbibing alcoholic beverages. They provided for entertainment and wholesome programs and yielded good influence in the communities even though there were many pledges broken. Elsalem had a lodge organized November, 1877.
Officers were James E. Strong, Julia Strong, W. T. Jagd, Mary Nelson, Anna Hilbery, Eric Hilbery, and Andrew Peterson

I. K. WANDEROOS

I. K. Wanderoos put Wanderoos or rather Dwight on the map in the early teens when he started a cheese factory and operated it for a number of years. In 1917 Dwight was changed to Wanderoos in honor of Mr. Wanderoos. The little town on the Soo took on a spectacular growth and is yet a town that serves a large area of farmers.

Name Index

Abbott

Rev. S. A., 2

Anderson

Addie, 5

Alice, 5

Andrew M., 5

Elber, 5

Ellen, 5

P. A., 1

Reuben, 5

Walter H., 5

Cain

Rev. J. C., 2

Clark

Kate H., 4

Corey

Frank L., 3

George, 3

Joseph S. & Pamelia, 3

Deronda

Daniel, 2

Egnes

Lars, 1

Foster

Pamelia, 3

Gumpert

August, 5

Hagen

N. H., 1

Hanson

Anton, 5

Hans P., 5

Martin N., 1

Hilbery

Anna, 6

Eric, 6

Hillbery

S. M., 1

Jagd

W. T., 6

Jerdee

A. P., 5

Mons P., 5

Johnson

J. F., 1

Sophia, 4

Lenroot

Ole, 1

Lindberg

Aaron, 5

Abraham, 5

Andrew, 1, 4

Edith, 5

William, 5

Lovedahl

Alvin L., 5

Ida, 5

Lundberg

Clara, 5

P. B., 1

Mattson

Erick, 4

Olof, 4

Reuben, 4

Reynold, 4

Roy, 4

McCourt

David, 2, 3, 4

John & Margaret, 3

William H., 3

McLean

David R., 4

Gardner, 4

John, 4

John & Sarah, 4

Miller

Alvin, 5

Carl, 5

Clara, 5

Edward, 5

Ida, 5

Sarah, 5

Walter, 5

Wilbur, 5

William, 5

Montgomery

Agnes, 3

Frank, 3

George, 3

James, 1

James T., 1

John, 3

Margaret, 3

Nelson

Mary, 6

Nissen

S., 1

Olson

E. H., 1

Olof, 4

Peterson

Andrew, 6

Rasmussen

Clara, 3

F. H., 1

Ferdinand H., 3

Roy, 3

Rupert, 3

Reed

William, 3

Siltberg

Amanda, 5

Anna, 4

Clinton, 5

Stevenson

Ole, 1

Strong

family, 2

J. E., 1

James E., 1, 6

Julia, 6

Rev., 2

Rev. H. N., 2

Sylvester

A. W., 1

Turnbull

Sarah, 4

Wanderoos

I. K., 6

Wilson

George, 2

Worman

E. Van, 1

Levi, 1

Transcribed by Judy L.
Wester, September 14, 2007