Dassel

L. W. Leighton moved to Globe, Arizona in 1899 and in 1903 to Los Angeles, California where he lived for a number of years. At the time of his death, June 11, 1919, at the age of 69, his home was in Altadena. California. He was one of Dassel’s most outstanding men in business; in his day our only insurance agent, full of old and interesting stories. Here are some of them; The early street commissioners of Dassel built up the streets of our village so they are now kept in good condition without much labor or expense. The first …

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The railroad was first called the Saint Paul & Pacific Railroad but in 1879 it was changed to the Saint Paul, Minneapolis & Manitoba and then in 1390 to the Great Northern. Our first station agent was Charles J. Atwater, who was also postmaster with the post office in the depot, 1869; then George D. Breed, 1881: Pat Doran, 1881; A. J. Whitaker, 1887; O. B. Knapp 1887; S. F. Smith. 1895; P. J. Walen, 1896; O. B. Knapp, 1901; W. W. Howard, 1903; O. B. Knapp, 1903, and A. H. Probst, 1904, curing the period from 1869 to 1904. …

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In the year 1890, Horace P. Breed, a former President of the Council and pioneer business man of Dassel donated Block Seven of Breed’s Addition for a park, to be known as Breed’s Park. It has been improved and is now a popular place for our citizens and visiting strangers. Horace P. Breed was the Saint Paul & Pacific Railroad’s first conductor and in charge of the trip, Saint Paul to Minneapolis when the line was opened for traffic to that city. Wednesday afternoon, June 28, 1862. The train was drawn by the pioneer engine, Wm. Crooks No. 1, Wm. …

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On July 4, 1891, C. L. Phifer held a popularity contest to select the four best liked citizens of the village. The Meeker Co. Cigar Factory then placed a new cigar on the market with the picture of B. A. Records, L. M. Norgren, J. H. Kauffman and John Riordan on the box lid which soon proved to be their best seller; they were the four highest in this contest. John Riordan died March 29, 1923, his age was 69. Herman Quady had the first confectionery and lunch room, opening it for business October 1, 1882. In the early days …

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We are presenting this book as written, the author just tells about people and items of interest.  Scattered through out the pages are listings for deaths and births.  Use the search on the right to search the Minnesota pages. About the Author Death Notices Outstanding Citizens Village Council 1880-1900 Most of the early settlers of Dassel and its vicinity came from Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Virginia and, last but not least, Sweden, especially from Vastergotland and Varmland. And some energetic families came over from Hutchinson and Kingston, which were thriving little villages at that time. In those early days they had …

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Griswold Lodge No. 218. A. F. & A. M. of Dassel was granted a charter by the Grand Lodge. January 16, 1896, which was adopted by a vote of the lodge on May 4, 1896. The charter members consisted of Linzay Pankake, B. A. Records, J. H. Kauffman. L. G. Adkins, E. E. McGrew. Fred C. May. L. W. Leighton. Matt Delong. Chas. B. Dunn. J. C. Thomas. Wm. Frederick, L. L. Sisson. Chas. L. Phifer, R. T. Elliott H. F. Ames, C. W. Sidnam, A. L. Gordon, Nip Lunsford, Thos. Skeen, Isaac Vervalen, B. E. Sherwin, W. W. Jewett. …

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J. Norgren died January 15, 1907, age 78 years. John O. Belin died June 2, 1926, at the age of 79. L. M. Norgren died here July 12, 1923, age 59 years: J. W. Norgren died November 3, 1926, his age was 77. Joseph Olson died September 14. 1933, age 56. Louis Palmersten died February 15. 1906. at the age of 72 Nels Rudberg died November 12, 1912. S. O. Lindgren died June 12, 1892, age 35 John Thompson, August 18, 1934, he was 87 years old. Nels Erickson died September 7, 1910, at the age of 81. John Osborn …

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A few years ago, Blake Haddon of The Minneapolis Tribune, gave its readers ‘”Gopher Tales of Minnesota”, with suitable illustrations. Dassel was given a few of these interesting old historical events and here they are: When the Dassel-Hutchinson mail carrier became lost in the blinding blizzard of 1873 and wound up in Litchfield instead of Hutchinson he was docked a day’s pay which was later restored to him through the efforts of Senators Alexander Ramsey and William Windom. On July 18. 1886, a farmer’s ox fell into an old well in Dassel, Minnesota. A resourceful citizen rang the fire-bell and …

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Louis Osterlund, coming from Sweden in 1881, became the assistant postmaster in 1882 and a clerk in the store. Peter Wicklund bought an interest in the company and became a member of the firm December 1, 1882. The store was operated for three years and with a big closing out sale, it went out of business; the building was then used for Dassel’s roller skating rink. In 1887, the property was sold to J. Norgren & Co., and used by them in the general merchandise business until it was destroyed in the big fire of January 12, 1900. Other prosperous …

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M. A. Scheldrup opened the Lion Drug Store in 1887, selling out to Anton Heedles in 1889 who operated the store until 1891, then moving it to Minneapolis. R. C. Trudgen started a drug store here in 1900 which he kept going for two years when he moved the stock to Shell Lake, Wisconsin. Peterson Bros, opened a drug store in 1905 which is still operating in its original location. In the early days, our drug stores received most of their merchandise from Noyes Bros. & Cutler, and the Lyman-Eliel Drug Co. In the old days, villages had harness shops. …

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