Life in Greenbush MN, 1877 to 1887…told by date and event.
Life in Greenbush MN, 1877 to 1887…told by date and event.
The following is the story of the Jesmer’s life in Greenbush Township and Princeton Minnesota from 1877 to 1887. It is told in the form of dates and what was going on in the USA at that time. It was also told from the point of view of Joseph’s oldest son, Nelson Adulphus Jesmer, (My great grandfather). Nelson was a young teenage boy when the Jesmer family moved out west, many by train and steam ship. he moved away in in his twenties. This page tells of his story from 20 to 29 years old. It is not in story form, but by year. The info was taken from geneological information and info from the internet concerning news events of the times. I extended the info back three years so people can get a sense of what was happening just prior to the move.
Link to Joseph A. Jesmer page Outlying buildings, animals and fields
The Greenbush Catholic Church Old Midwest farm buildings
History of Greenbush and Mille Lacs County Minnesota
Newspaper articles about Greenbush Township 1876-1879
Joseph A. Jesmer
Oldest son, Nelson A. Jesmer and wife, Jenny
_______Nelson in his Twenties____________________________________________
10/24/1877 Uncle Adulphus Jesmer re-nominated as county commissioner.
10/1877 Allison Parisian, Nelson’s 1st cousin, child of Marceline (Jesmer) & Minor
Parisian is born in NY.
12/26/1877 Masonic dance held in Princeton.
1878 – 68.98% of tilled land in Minnesota devoted to wheat production, the high point for
wheat farmers in Minnesota. After five consecutive summers of devastating
infestations of Rocky Mountain Locusts (called the great Grasshopper Plague)
which thrived on wheat, farmers decided to diversify, and wheat production was
slowly replaced by other crops and dairy farming. A massive explosion in a
Minneapolis flour mill kills 18.
2/13/1878 Masonic Ball took place.
2/27/1878 Uncle Nelson drives a “Nice double team.”
3/6/1878 Uncle Adulphus is nominated for re-election as town clerk.
3/13/1878 Uncle Adulphus re-elected .
1878 The farmers in the French settlement are clearing more land than ever before
showing their faith in the establishment of the railway.
6/12/1878 Uncle Nelson is building “quite an addition to his dwelling.”
7/3/1878 Masonic Dance held. Uncle Nelson is on the honor committee.
8/14/1878 Uncle Nelson and other relatives chosen as Grand Jurors.
10/21/1878 Greenbush town caucus held in the Prairie School house. Uncle Adulphus is
chairman.
11/13/1878 Mr. and Mrs Jesmer (Joseph and Julia) Nelson’s grandparents, visiting. “Mr Jesmer
is 70 years old, and as spry as lots of men are at 50.” Princeton Union
12/31/1878 Dance and supper held at Nelson’s father’s farm.
1/1879 Uncle Nelson’s baby daughter dies.
1/15/1879 Uncle Nelson moves his store to another location.
1879 Nelson’s 1st cousin, Peter S. Robideaux moves out of his father’s home and
purchases a farm in Greenbush township. (HOTUMV p. 679)
1879 1st cousin, Peter Sidney Robideau, marries Sophia Elizabeth Deshaw.
4/27/1879 Nelson’s, baby sibling is born in Greenbush, but he/she dies two days later.
Taken in (See more photos here)
Headstone of the children of Joseph Jesmer and Marie Anne (Robideau) Jesmer, Greenbush Catholic Cmtry, Greenbush Twp, Mille Lacs County, MN
5/1879 Ethyl A. Parisian, Nelson’s 1st cousin, child of Marceline (Jesmer) & Minor
Parisian is born in MN.
6/18/1879 Foundation stones of Uncle Nelson’s new store are laid.
6/18/1879 Building of the new Catholic church on father’s land.
9/13/1879 Uncle Nelson E., moves into his new store. “The finest store building in
town.”
9/22/1879 Logging bee and quilting bee and dance at Peter Robideau’s farm.
10/16/1879 Uncle, Moses Jesmer marries Effie Day. Married in Princeton MN.
10/29/1879 Sewing machine purchased by J. Jesmer. (Nelson’s father.)
1/7/1880 Uncle N.E Jesmer was elected as village treasurer.
1/28/1880 Princeton Dancing club Hop was well attended.
1880 Telephone communication begun between St. Paul and Minneapolis. Potato
industry grew in Princeton..
2/25/1880 Uncle Nelson E. Jesmer had a chopping bee “with twenty choppers present.”
3/2/1880 Maggie Robideau, Nelson’s cousin, died at a young age of diptheria.
3/10/1880 Uncle A.D. Jesmer was elected town clerk of Greenbush.
3/10/1880 Uncle Minor Parisian purchases a lot in order to build a house in the spring.
4/28/1880 Uncle Minor Parisian gets timbers ready to build his home.
12/22/1880 Sister, Louella is born in Greenbush MN.
6/3/1880 Uncle Nelson E. Jesmer, “looming up as one of Princeton’s leading
business men.”
7/4/1880 July 4th celebration at Greenbush. Parade, baseball game, dance at Nelson’s
father’s (Joseph Jesmer) farm, “37 dance tickets being disposed of.”
7/29/1880 Uncle Moses Jesmer, building a home next to Uncle Nelson.
8/26/1880 Uncle Moses’ home is nearing completion.
8/26/1880 Uncle Minor Parisian is finishing building the Greenbush Church.
8/26/1880 Catholic Church at Greenbush to be completed. “…In 1880, they had
completed a new church nearby, which has been used at somewhat
irregular intervals since.” (Hx of The Upper Mississippi Valley. p. 676.)
“The Greenbush Catholic cemetery was attached to the St. Francis de Chantel Church located approximately five miles west of Princeton, Mn and a few miles south of Hwy 95. In the 1930’s, the church use was discontinued, their congregation split between St. Lawrence Church at Duelm and St. Edward’s at Princeton.” (Jeane Reckinger 205 N. 13th Avenue, Princeton, Mn 55371 (763-389-1088)
Greenbush Catholic Cemetery, Greenbush Twp, Mille Lacs, MN from above
Taken in (See more photos here)
Greenbush Catholic Cemetery, Greenbush Twp, Mille Lacs, MN, taken from a plane.
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Fall 1880 “A post office –Estes Brook- was removed from the town of Milo, and
established at the residence of William Huggins, in section six…” The Bank of
Princeton was started.
10/7/1880 Uncle Peter Robideau getting ready to build a new home.
Peter & Julia (Jesmer) Robideau family. Probably taken at a celebration of their 50th Anniversary in Mille Lacs Co, MN, but unable to verify. 13 children, not all have been labelled.
http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=1503461677&size=m
10/7/1880 Uncle N.E. Jesmer is building a large hall over his store.
10/1880 Roland A. “Rollo” Parisian, Nelson’s 1st cousin, child of Marceline (Jesmer) &
Minor Parisian is born in MN.
11/4/1880 Dedication dance at Uncle Nelson’s Hall.
11/25/1880 Uncle Nelson’s Hall is complete. Thanksgiving Ball to take place. Hall is
“one of the best this side of Minneapolis.”
12/2/1880 “8 to 12” dancing club hosting a hop at the Jesmer Hall.
12/9/1880 Uncle Peter Robideau’s home had burned down and people were
contributing to a relief fund.
12/9/1880 Sitting Bull and his tribe come back to the USA from Canada.
12/23/1880 Three of Uncle Peter’s children are sick with diptheria.
1881 Formation of the Princeton volunteer fire department. School on section 4
was replaced with a new building. (Greenbush)
2/17/1881 Dance held at N.E. Jesmer’s Hall to celebrate Washington’s B-day. “40
couple enjoyed the dance.”
3/31/1881 Maggie, Nelson’s 1st cousin, daughter of Joseph & Kate Robideau, died at
11 years old. Buried in Greenbush Cemetery.
3/31/1881 “Dances in Jesmer’s hall are of a weekly and semi-weekly occurrence, and
still the pleasure loving youths and maidens want more fun.”
4/7/1881 Uncle Peter Robideau had his stables and barns moved along his new
house in Greenbush.
4/14/1881 Uncle Nelson is selling some work horses.
5/17/1881 Willie, Nelson’s 1st cousin, sister of Joseph & Kate Robideau, died at 7
years old. Buried in Greenbush Cemetery.
8/5/1881 Dance at Jesmer’s Hall.
8/26/1881 Dance at Jesmer’s Hall.
Taken in (See more photos here)
Headstone of the children of Joseph Jesmer and Marie Anne (Robideau) Jesmer, Greenbush Catholic Cmtry, Greenbush Twp, Mille Lacs County, MN
There were many children who died of diptheria at this time. Could Joseph’s and Marianne’s children have died of diptheria? They were also buried at the edge of the cemetery. Could this be that the children died before being baptized?
From 1880 to 1881 there were so many dances held in Uncle Nelson’s hall. This might have impressed young 23 year old Nelson. Maybe he spent many weekend evenings at these lively dances. A desire in his own heart, might have been born, to be the center of attention, to have his finger ,”on the pulse” of what was happening in the community, just like his uncle Nelson E. Jesmer.
1881 St. Paul is destroyed by fire. >
“By 1881 the amount of cultivated land had jumped to nearly 4,000 acres, still small in comparison to counties to the west and to the south, but a substantial gain from earlier levels. As a probable result, less food needed to be imported from other parts of the state, which at that time was expensive due to the relatively primitive state of transportation facilities in the area. The crop statistics for 1881 show wheat the major crop, followed by oats, corn, and barley and rye in small amounts. Potatoes were a major crop as well. Other products included sugar cane, tobacco, wool, butter, cheese and honey. At this time, agricultural production was almost exclusively concentrated in the southern townships of Princeton, Milo, and Greenbush.”
9/8/1881 Uncle Moses Jesmer has a paper and magazine shop at the Brick Store. (Uncle
Nelson’s store.
9/16/1881 Dance at Jesmer’s Hall.
9/27/1881 Threshing begins on Father, Joseph Jesmer’s farm.
10/18/1881 Jean Phillippe Soquet, Jenny Jesmer’s father, brought before the Justice on
burglary charges, by sister-in-law. The Tale Of A Portrait Julia Francart Englebert Her Untold
Untold Story” by John Henry Mertens 1990.
1882 1st cousin, Julia Robideau marries Amedee J. Asslin in MN.
3/1882 Gurden R. Parisian, Nelson’s 1st cousin, child of Marceline (Jesmer) & Minor
Parisian is born in MN.
9/13/1882 Jean Phillippe Soquet, Jenny Jesmer’s father, fined $10.00 and a cost of $5.67 for
assault and battery. The complaint made by his wife. He drank beer and whiskey. Jenny Soquet is 23 years old. The Tale Of A Portrait Julia Francart Englebert Her Untold
Untold Story” by John Henry Mertens 1990.
10/28/1882 Nelson’s sister, Mary Jane, marries Louis Robideau in St Cloud MN.
“…With the construction in 1882 of the Minneapolis and St. Cloud Railroad, a branch line of the St. Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba, from St. Cloud to Duluth, Mille Lacs County obtained its first direct railroad access to the rest of the state.”
11/1882 Soquet got drunk and beat a fellow farmer and “Soquet went home to raise the
devil with his wife and children.” The Tale Of A Portrait Julia Francart Englebert Her Untold
Untold Story” by John Henry Mertens 1990.
1883 Joseph Mallotte and wife, Rose, move to Greenbush from Hogansburg NY.
Rose would be the future wife of Joseph Jesmer and Nelson’s step-mother.
(Rose’s obituary)
7/1883 Leo P. Parisian, Nelson’s 1st cousin, child of Marceline (Jesmer) & Minor
Parisian is born in MN.
12/10/1883 A Frank Jessmer was arrested in Minneapolis. He was convicted of being an
incendiary and a horse thief and wanted for burning David Perry’s barn in
Bloomfield township in October, 1879. Jessmer’s – descendants of Francois
Dahaut dit Jasmin, Nelson’s great great uncle.
(www.usgennet.org/usa/topic/historical/winneshiek/win_26.htm)
There might have been some talk around the Jesmer community on how some “Jessmer’s” from New York were giving the Jesmer family a bad name in the Minnesota area.
4/15/1884 Nelson’s brother, Hubert is born in Greenbush MN.
1884 The town of Bessemer MI was founded.
7/1/1884 Nephew, Harvey L. Robideau born to Mary Jane (Jesmer)
8/15/1889 “All kinds of English, German, French, Swedish, Bohemian, Irish and other
foreign tongues spoken by clerks at the Brick Store.” The Princeton Union
It has been said that Nelson knew five languages. (In a history written by Jessie Jesmer, wife of Carl) He also operated many businesses wherever he moved to. Could he have learned to have a business sense and some of these other languages while working as a clerk in his uncle Nelson E. Jesmer’s store?
1884 Minnesota iron ore begins to be exported heralding the dawn of iron mining in
Minnesota. Over the next two decades mines spring up on the Mesabi, Cuyuna,
and Vermilion iron ranges, spurring the rapid growth of mining cities such as
Evelyth, Chisholm, Virginia, and Hibbing, Minnesota as well as the port cities of
Duluth, Minnesota and Superior, Wisconsin.
Summer 1884 The Chicago and Northwestern Railway reached Bessemer MI. The railway
platted the new town of Bessmer. The Milwaukee Lake Shore and Western
railway (later the Chicago and Northwestern) was being built from Antigo WI to
Ashland WI, by way of the new mines. First shipment of iron ore shipped from
Bessemer.
1884 Jenny’s ½ sister, only child born to her father and step mother, died.
Jenny’s brother had died at 4 years old and it was suspected that he died
at the hands of his father. The Tale Of A Portrait Julia Francart Englebert Her Untold
Untold Story” by John Henry Mertens 1990.
3/1884 Elvira Soquet went to live with Apolonie Villensse.
7/1884 Report that an 11 year old daughter was being beaten by Elvira Soquet,
Jenny’s step mother. Court removed the girl from the home and sent her
to a foster family. The Tale Of A Portrait Julia Francart Englebert Her Untold
Untold Story” by John Henry Mertens 1990.
1884 Elvira, J.P Soquet’s second wife left him to live with her sister. Several attempts
were made to reconcile, but to no avail. The Tale Of A Portrait Julia Francart Englebert Her
Untold Untold Story” by John Henry Mertens 1990.
2/28/1885 Jean Soquet assaulted a neighbor who was passing through his land, while
carrying a shotgun.
The Tale Of A Portrait Julia Francart Englebert Her Untold
Untold Story” by John Henry Mertens 1990.
1885 A boom was on in the city and people began to filter into Bessemer in
increasing numbers.Mining was the major industry and as more mines were
developed, nearly every home boarded men. Some homes had as many as 21
men at a time and a hired girl helped cook, clean, wash the miners clothes, and
make their lunch pails. The miner was paid from $1.05 to $2.00 per day, the
hired girl was paid $8.00 per month.
4/1885 Amelia J. Parisian, Nelson’s 1st cousin, child of Marceline (Jesmer) &
Minor Parisian was born in MN.
Life in Ashland, WI
11/14/1885 Miss Belle Wood visited her brother J.A. Wood in Ashland WI
11/21/1885 Nelson married Belle Wood in Ashland Wisconsin. He was a hotel keeper.
Marriage License of Nelson Adulphus Jesmer and Belle Wood
Wisconsin Vital statistics No. 97 00074
- Full name of husband…………………………………………..Nelson A. Jesmer
- Name of the father of husband……………………………..Joseph Jesmer
- Name of the mother of husband before marriage… Maryan Rubduex (Spelled wrong)
- Occupation of husband……………………………………….. Hotel
- Residence of husband…………………………………………. Bessemer Michigan
- Birthplace of husband…………………………………………. New York
- Full name of wife previous to marriage………………. Bell Wood
- Name of the father of the wife……………………………… Joseph Wood
- Name of the mother of the wife before marriage…. Allen McVechia
- Birthplace of wife…………………………………………………
- Time when marriage was contracted…………………… Nov 21, 1885
- The place, town, or township, and county where
the marriage was contracted……………………………….. Ashland
- The color of parties……………………………………………… White
- Names of subscribing witnesses………………………….. John McNeil
Mary McNeil
- Name of person pronouncing marriage…………………Rev Paulinus O.S.F.
- Residence of person last named……………………………. Ashland
- Date of certificate or affidavit of marriage……………. Nov 21, 1885
- Date of registration………………………………………………. Dec 16, 1885
Any additional circumstances……………………………………
Life In Bessemer MI
- Among the earliest settlers were P.H. Dolan, boarding house; Jeffres & Mickleson, hardware and general store; Ehrmanntraut Bros., meat market; Jesmer & Long, Colby House; and Frank Hiffing, L. E. E. Pope, and C. D. Fournier.
1886 Father Hennesy, a Roman Catholic priest first arrived in Bessemer. “Father John Hennessy was sent to look after the Catholics settling in the community. He held services in a hall above a store, but also purchased two lots, at the corner of Iron and Case Streets.” They met there for three years until the church was built. (Parish web site)
Headstone of Louis Robideau
Taken in (See more photos here)
Headstone of Louis Robideau, Greenbush Catholic Cmtry, Greenbush Twp, Mille Lacs, MN.
10/1886 George M. Parisian, Nelson’s 1st cousin, child of Marceline (Jesmer) & Minor
Parisian is born in Greenbush MN.
10/23/1886 Son, Herbert J. Jesmer is born in Bessemer MI.
State Of Michigan 121-5-282
Department Of Community Health
Certificate Of Live Birth
_____________________________________________________________________________________
- Child name
Herbert J. Jesmer
- Sex 3. Race or Color 4. Stillborn, twins, etc. 5. Date of Birth
male White October 23, 1886
_____________________________________________________________________________________
- Location of Birth 7. County of Birth
Bessemer Township Gogebic
_____________________________________________________________________________________
8a. Mother’s Name (First, Middle, Last) 8b. Birthplace of mother 8c. Occupation of mother
Belle Wood Jesmer Canada Not given
_____________________________________________________________________________________
9a. Father’s name (First, Middle, Last) 9b. Birthplace of Father 9c. Occupation of Father
Nels A. Jesmer New York Hotel Keeper
_____________________________________________________________________________________
10a. Mother’s residence 10b. Father’s residence
Bessemer, MI Bessemer, MI
_____________________________________________________________________________________
11a. Date received by registrar
September 2,1887
_____________________________________________________________________________________
October 26, 1998
I hereby certify that the above is a true and correct reproduction of the certificate on file in the Michigan Department of Community Health, Lansing, Michigan.
Certified by: Carol V. Getts
State Registrar
11/9/1886 Belle Wood died of “child birth fever”. This is an infection acquired after giving
birth.
Transportation from Princeton to the Twin Cities was facilitated in 11/24/1886 when the St.Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba Railway built its line from Elk River north, through Princeton, to the existing line….”
1886 Population of Princeton equals 750. (Princeton Eagle Souvenir section June
4,1981)
11/22/1886 Elvira files for divorce from JP Soquet. JP Soquet ordered not to molest or
interfere with his wife. The Tale Of A Portrait Julia Francart Englebert Her
Untold Untold Story” by John Henry Mertens 1990.
11/24/1886 The first train came through Princeton. “The line through Princeton was constructed by the St. Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba railway. It connected Elk River with Milaca and then went from Milaca on to the Great Northern Line running to Brook Park and from there up to Hinkley and Duluth. (Princeton Eagle Souvenir section June 4,1981)
11/26/1886 A ball was given at the Palace Rink to celebrate the railroad’s opening. (Princeton
Eagle Souvenir section June 4,1981)
12/1886 Elvira moves out of the home of Apolonie Villiesse. (sister) She lived there for
sixty five weeks.
12/31/1886 Elvira goes to gather some things from the home, and JP Soquet threatens to kill
her. A male companion runs off and Elvira disappears, never to be found.
The Tale Of A Portrait Julia Francart Englebert Her
Untold Untold Story” by John Henry Mertens 1990.
“With the rumors abound around Green Bay and Bay Settlement most of his children moved far from the
area.”
1887
Miners in Bessemer were usually paid in gold which caused frequent robberies. This was a
problem since the Sheriff was in the county seat in Ontonagon miles away. Communication was difficult. Thus, by 1887, Bessemer was a wide open town with fifty saloons and with little regard for the law. Almost all of the early settlers were young people who were husky and were not afraid of hard work and privation. First came a group of mixed Americans, surveyors, prospectors who laid bare the iron ore deposits. Then came the miners. The Cornish, Irish, Scandinavian, French Canadian, and Polish. The latter were mainly railroad workers, also Finns and a few Jews. Bessemer was changed from a township to a village.
Conditions in the mines were dangerous and unsanitary. There was no electricity and early miners wore a candle in their hats for light. Mules were used to haul the ore out and kept in the mines so long that they would go blind.
The railroad was finished to Ashland and ore from the Colby open pit mine was hauled by horse teams to the railroad line by the First and Last Chance Saloon which is the present corner of old County Road and Fourth Street. Here it was dumped into railroad cars and shipped to the Ashland ore docks.
I think that Nelson must have been a very rough and tough person himself. He operated a hotel. This might have been simply a house for lodging, but he would have had to deal with some rough clientele. He dealt in gold. He might have had to kick out people who were drunk. He would have to be ready to protect his premises against robbers. Maybe he had a gun under the front counter, “just in case”.
2/16/1887 Father of his future wife, (Jenny Soquet) arrested in Greenbay WI, for 1st degree
murder of his wife Jenny’s mother. Jenny Soquet is 29 years old.
The Tale Of A Portrait Julia Francart Englebert Her
Untold Untold Story” by John Henry Mertens 1990.
4/18/1887 J.P. Soquet pleaded not guilty to the charges of murder.
7/12/1887 J.P Soquet was found guilty, by jury, of murder in the first degree.
The Tale Of A Portrait Julia Francart Englebert Her
Untold Untold Story” by John Henry Mertens 1990.
7/16/1887 J.P Soquet sentenced to hard labor, for life, at Waupun Wisconsin.
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