Raymond Emerson (1819-1904) in Irving Township

Ed's Day Wednesday

Dear FOLKS,

Happy Wednesday to you. Today my plan is to continue telling the life story of Raymond Emerson (1819-1904) who was born in Vest-Agder, on the southern tip of Norway and died in Irving Township, Minnesota, USA. Raymond was one of my late cousin Ed Ostrom's great-grandfathers; his mother's father's father.

Last week I wrote about Raymond's military service during the Civil War, a private in Company C, Second Regiment of the Minnesota Infantry. He served from May 1864 until August 1865. During his service he spent many months in military hospitals from bouts of dysentery and chronic rheumatism. You can read about his service history by clicking here.

Raymond's health was still poorly when he was released from the hospital in July, 1865, and returned to duty just long enough to move with the regiment to St. Paul, Minnesota where he was honorably discharged and the regiment was disbanded.

It is not known exactly what Raymond did immediately after being discharged and while he had his final government pay in his pocket, he was clever enough to know it wouldn't last long.

Raymond's longtime acquaintance Inger Tobine was at this same time experiencing life altering events. Her husband Ole Lindeland died on 30 June 1865 from typhoid fever, leaving her with two small daughters. An earlier story I shared with you told of Inger's hardships in the Sauk River, Wisconsin area where she and Ole had started a homestead. She had severe hardships with providing for her girls. For how long? Well we know the hardships remained through at least one winter, 1865-66. But maybe longer.

We also have learned that Raymond and Inger stayed in touch with each other as in a letter shared last week, some twenty-four years later, Inger writes to the U.S. government about Raymond's pension earned from military service. In this letter, Inger tells that the first time she saw Raymond, after his discharge was in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Raymond stayed in the St. Paul only a short while. In the 1905 Kandiyohi History Book, page 250; "The Homesteaders" section is this entry:

Name: Emerson, Raymond
Section: 2
Date: 18 October 1870
Remarks: Born Flekkefjord N, 03 No 1819; enlisted in Co. C, Second Minn. Reg., 30 May 1864; mustered out 10 Aug 1864; came to Irving same month; married Inger Tobine Tollackson; five children, living in Irving.

Soon after Raymond applies for a homestead in Irving Township, Kandiyohi County, Minnesota; roughly ten miles south of the homestead that he had purchased and sold in St. Martin Township, Stearns County, Minnesota prior to his military service. One family story is that Raymond received land for serving the the Union Army.

The Act of Congress approved 20th May 1862, also known as the Homestead Act of 1862. Homesteaders were required to live on their claim for five years and make improvements to the land. At the end of the five years, they received the land deed. The law stated that if you bore arms against the United States, you were not allowed to participate in the Homestead Act. Civil War veterans had the added incentive of deducting military service from the five-year rule. So, if you were a Union veteran you could get free land years of service off of it.[1] Since the Homestead Act was passed in 1862, it is apparent that Raymond Emerson joined the Union Army with the anticipation he would be able to use his service to help obtain land enough for farming.

IMAGE: Raymond Emerson built this barn from

trees on his homestead in Kandiyohi

County, Minnesota. Photo from the family

photo collection of Edwin J. Ostrom.

Is it possible that Raymond was familiar with the area of Irving Township and had planned to request this area for his homestead? It is possible, after all he had farmed in that area in nearby Stearns County. A number of his early neighbors were also Civil War veterans. The 1890 U.S. Census Veterans Schedule tells that within Irving Township had five veterans listed. One of these neighbors was Benjamen C. Benson, who had served in a Wisconsin regiment. Benjamen had the section of land immediately north of Raymond's land. Benjamen would soon become Raymond's brother-in-law. Also Raymond and Benjamen received their completed homestead certificate on the same day, 18 August 1871. There is a record that tells that Benjamen applied for the homestead in December, 1866, so his homestead was finalized in under fives years. I am sure that Raymond's was also finalized in less than five years.

IMAGE: 1886 Map of Irving Township in  Kandiyohi County,
Minnesota. Notice R. Emerson land in Section 2. Provided
by Historical Society in Willmar, MN to Ed's "cousin"
margiel. Thank you margiel.

Raymond Emerson would begin to make improvements, and soon Inger Tobine and her daughters would come from Wisconsin and join Raymond there in Irving Township. The two would marry in September, 1867 and begin to grow their family. In the meantime Inger's next older sister Olene Tallacksdatter came from Norway to visit, maybe to attend the Emerson's wedding. She would stay and in October, 1867, one month later, she married the next-farm-over neighbor, Benjamen Benson. These sisters continued to be very close. As did the fellow veterans.

IMAGE: This house was built by Raymond Emerson on his homestead.
It was built from logs cut into lumber from trees on the property. Circa
1880. Raymond placed his own initials (RI) on to some of the lumber.
Photo from the collection of Edwin J. Ostrom.

Raymond Emerson was also interested doing what he was able to insure that youngsters in Irving Township. In 1872 Raymond was the Director of the School District, there in Kandiyohi County. Raymond's signature is found on a teacher's contract. Likely he participated in other civic activities. We have read in Inger Tobine Emerson's memoirs, the hardships and fear causes by anticipated Chippewa and Sioux uprisings. The article containing her memoirs can be read here. One wonders how long after did their fear from harm of that sort subside.

In 1903 a series of articles in the Willmar [MN] Tribune were written by Victor E. Lawson, the paper's editor. The series was published during that summer and ran over several weeks. It was titled "A Trip Through the County." The Wednesday, 5 August 1903 edition, page three contained the article, "A Trip Through Irving Township."[2] Here the editor tells how he had the pleasure of making a trip through the township last week, while securing facts and data for the county history book that was soon to be published. He tells of stops along this trip, what he saw, who he visited and the substance of these visits.

"Continuing our way northward through "Norway" we came to the corner of the township. The corner monument marks the corner of Stearns and Meeker counties. It is a township, county and judicial corner, and for years was a congressional corner. It is also, by the way, a corner of the farm of Paul Olson, who in common with  most Irving people, reads the news twice a week in the WILLMAR TRIBUNE. A beautiful view of Bad Duck Valley with Cape Bad Duck in the distance was secured from this point. Another view down the valley showing Lake Korosis at a distance was secured from the other side of Mr. Winther's place. Next we made our way to the Benjamin C. Benson place. Bernard T. Benson, the oldest son, who has charge of the farm, is clerk of Dist No. 24. Mr. Benson formerly attended Willmar Seminary, and is an able and bright young man. The old gentleman is an old soldier, having enlisted in the 25th Wis. Vol. Inf. and served under Sherman during the last year of the war. In company with Raymond Emerson, Mr. Benson was the first settler of Irving after the outbreak. The two "bachelors" married two sisters early in 1867 and a daughter arrived at the Benson home and a son at the Emerson home on the same day, Nov. 3, 1867,—the two first children born in that Norwegian-American community. But these with other interesting facts, will all appear in its proper connection in the history. Our stay at the Benson home was a very pleasant one to us. The old people retain the spirit and brightness of youth."

Sources:

1.) Chris Dunker, "Homestead Act and Civil War Intertwined," Beatrice NE Daily Sun.com (http://www.beatricedailysun.com : accessed 30 May 2017), published online 16 April 2011.

2.) Victor E. Lawson, Willmar MN Tribune, "A Trip Through Irving Township," Chronicling America.loc.gov (http://www.chronicilingamerica.loc.gov : accessed 30 May 2017). Wednesday, 05 August 1903, page 3; Image provided by: Minnesota Historical Society; Saint Paul, MN.

I appreciate you for stopping by to read today's article. I hope you enjoyed this chapter of Raymond Emerson's story. Stay well folks and I look forward to seeing you here next week.

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