Eden Township, Polk County, Minnesota
Encyclopedia
Eden Township is a township in Polk County
, Minnesota
, United States
. It is part of the 'Grand Forks
-ND
-MN
Metropolitan Statistical Area'. The population was 215 at the 2000 census.
, the township has a total area of 36.2 square miles (93.8 km²), of which, 35.2 square miles (91.2 km²) of it is land and 1.1 square miles (2.8 km²) of it (3.03%) is water.
of 2000, there were 215 people, 83 households, and 62 families residing in the township. The population density
was 6.1 people per square mile (2.4/km²). There were 96 housing units at an average density of 2.7/sq mi (1.1/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 96.28% White, 0.47% Native American, 2.79% from other races
, and 0.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.79% of the population.
There were 83 households out of which 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.7% were married couples
living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.1% were non-families. 24.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the township the population was spread out with 27.4% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 23.7% from 25 to 44, 24.7% from 45 to 64, and 17.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 124.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 113.7 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $29,375, and the median income for a family was $32,500. Males had a median income of $24,063 versus $20,536 for females. The per capita income
for the township was $11,713. About 10.0% of families and 15.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.0% of those under the age of eighteen and 7.1% of those sixty five or over.
The township was organized in 1888 and was named Eden for one of its first settlers, Ole Edevold Sr. The first board of supervisors was Svert Larson, Axel Thorssen and Thom Thompson. Ole Edevold Jr. was clerk.
The Olga Post Office was established in 1888 and was named for the first girl born in the township, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Erickson. It was housed in the Ole Edevold farm home, until the erection of a store a short distance away, when it moved there.
There was no railroad into this inland town, so the mail was hauled out from Fosston until the rural route was established.
The Olga Store was built by Hans Pladsen in 1896. In 1932 the Pladsen store was discontinued. In 1925 another store was built by the Peterson brothers. Later a meat locker plant was added to this store, and is still in operation.(1958)
A feed mill was built, and owned and operated by Joseph Jungberg. A blacksmith shop was operated by Even Kjos—a definite must to the early pioneer, from putting on a horseshoe to sharpening a plowshare.
The Olga Creamery was located in Section 32 and was organized in 1906. The first elected officials were August Hagen, pres; N.A. Skeie, vice pres; Ole Edevold, Secretary; Ole Dunrud, treas.
Directors were John Lindberg, P.G. Bonlie, K. Skjervens and Victor Thorssen. There were fifty stockholders, and $3000 was borrowed on a joint corporation note. The creamery was then built and equipped for $2,800 and was ready for operation on May 17, 1906. The first buttermaker was Bernie Krogstad. He continued as buttermaker for thirty years. It was a cooperative creamery until 1945, whenit discontinued operation. In the early years, they paid seventeen cents a pound for butterfat, and the highest average price paid in one year was eighty-five cents a pound. August Hagen, the first president of the creamery, held various offices for eighteen years. He is the oldest living pioneer.(1958)
He sold his farm in 1957 and moved with his wife to Gully, where he purchased a home.
The first school district was organized in 1888. School was held in a claim shanty in section 19 and on what is now the Carl Engebretson farm. The school had to be moved to larger quarters very soon due to the increased attendance. The first teacher was Gertie Nelson with a salary of $20 a month.
In 1888 the pioneer pastor of the Thirteen Towns, Rev. Niccolai Heierman, organized the Zion Lutheran church. The organization meeting was held at the Ole Lund homestead, section 30, where the present church stands. At their first meeting, the name Zion was adopted by the members present. The following officers were elected: Ole Rasmussen, Pres.; Thorvold Torkelson, Sec'y; Jonas Wold, Paul Hushagen and Peter Dunrud, Deacpns; Thorval Torkelson, Ole Haugen and Ole Rasmussen, trustees. Paul Hushagen was announcer. The first church was built of logs, and as population increased, plans were made to build a new and larger church. In 1906, the new church was builton the same location and still stands as a lasting monument to early pioneers. The first pastor was the Rev. H.E. Rue. Succeeding pastors were, Rev. Olav Refsdal, Norman K. O. Hildahl, T. H. Megorden, O.M. Bratlie, and Rev. Paul Johnshoy, the present pastor. (1958) Zion is a member of the Fosston E. L. C. parish.
Salem congregation was organized April first 1891 by Rev. J.R. Vaaler at the Ole Edevold home. The first board was: Rev. J.R. Vaaler, pres.; N.A. Skeie, sec'y; P.I. Satran, treas.; Severt Larson, Theodore Larson and Bernt Engum, trustees. The church is located on section 20, tow miles north of Olga Store. This congregation belonged to the Poplar River Parish of Fosston. The Rev. J.R. Vaaler was the first pastor. Others following were, J.O. Saether, 1896-1942, T.H. Megorden, Raymond Williams, Rev. E.O. Landvik and the present pastor, Rev. Ralph Chelson of the Gully Parish. (1958).
This work was a chapter out of the 1958 Diamond Jubilee for the 13 Towns(Townships) that were opened for settlement in 1883. The book is titled, "Saga of the Thirteen Towns," published by the McIntosh Times June 1958.
Polk County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 31,369 people, 12,070 households, and 8,050 families residing in the county. The population density was 16 people per square mile . There were 14,008 housing units at an average density of 7 per square mile...
, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is part of the 'Grand Forks
Grand Forks, North Dakota
Grand Forks is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Grand Forks County. According to the 2010 census, the city's population was 52,838, while that of the city and surrounding metropolitan area was 98,461...
-ND
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
-MN
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
Metropolitan Statistical Area'. The population was 215 at the 2000 census.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the township has a total area of 36.2 square miles (93.8 km²), of which, 35.2 square miles (91.2 km²) of it is land and 1.1 square miles (2.8 km²) of it (3.03%) is water.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 215 people, 83 households, and 62 families residing in the township. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 6.1 people per square mile (2.4/km²). There were 96 housing units at an average density of 2.7/sq mi (1.1/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 96.28% White, 0.47% Native American, 2.79% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.79% of the population.
There were 83 households out of which 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.7% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.1% were non-families. 24.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the township the population was spread out with 27.4% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 23.7% from 25 to 44, 24.7% from 45 to 64, and 17.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 124.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 113.7 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $29,375, and the median income for a family was $32,500. Males had a median income of $24,063 versus $20,536 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the township was $11,713. About 10.0% of families and 15.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.0% of those under the age of eighteen and 7.1% of those sixty five or over.
Eden Township Story
The first pioneers who came to this area of the Thirteen Towns in 1883, which is now Eden Township, were Ole Edevold Sr., O. Dunrud and Andreas Engebretson from Norway and John Erickson from Sweden.The township was organized in 1888 and was named Eden for one of its first settlers, Ole Edevold Sr. The first board of supervisors was Svert Larson, Axel Thorssen and Thom Thompson. Ole Edevold Jr. was clerk.
The Olga Post Office was established in 1888 and was named for the first girl born in the township, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Erickson. It was housed in the Ole Edevold farm home, until the erection of a store a short distance away, when it moved there.
There was no railroad into this inland town, so the mail was hauled out from Fosston until the rural route was established.
The Olga Store was built by Hans Pladsen in 1896. In 1932 the Pladsen store was discontinued. In 1925 another store was built by the Peterson brothers. Later a meat locker plant was added to this store, and is still in operation.(1958)
A feed mill was built, and owned and operated by Joseph Jungberg. A blacksmith shop was operated by Even Kjos—a definite must to the early pioneer, from putting on a horseshoe to sharpening a plowshare.
The Olga Creamery was located in Section 32 and was organized in 1906. The first elected officials were August Hagen, pres; N.A. Skeie, vice pres; Ole Edevold, Secretary; Ole Dunrud, treas.
Directors were John Lindberg, P.G. Bonlie, K. Skjervens and Victor Thorssen. There were fifty stockholders, and $3000 was borrowed on a joint corporation note. The creamery was then built and equipped for $2,800 and was ready for operation on May 17, 1906. The first buttermaker was Bernie Krogstad. He continued as buttermaker for thirty years. It was a cooperative creamery until 1945, whenit discontinued operation. In the early years, they paid seventeen cents a pound for butterfat, and the highest average price paid in one year was eighty-five cents a pound. August Hagen, the first president of the creamery, held various offices for eighteen years. He is the oldest living pioneer.(1958)
He sold his farm in 1957 and moved with his wife to Gully, where he purchased a home.
The first school district was organized in 1888. School was held in a claim shanty in section 19 and on what is now the Carl Engebretson farm. The school had to be moved to larger quarters very soon due to the increased attendance. The first teacher was Gertie Nelson with a salary of $20 a month.
In 1888 the pioneer pastor of the Thirteen Towns, Rev. Niccolai Heierman, organized the Zion Lutheran church. The organization meeting was held at the Ole Lund homestead, section 30, where the present church stands. At their first meeting, the name Zion was adopted by the members present. The following officers were elected: Ole Rasmussen, Pres.; Thorvold Torkelson, Sec'y; Jonas Wold, Paul Hushagen and Peter Dunrud, Deacpns; Thorval Torkelson, Ole Haugen and Ole Rasmussen, trustees. Paul Hushagen was announcer. The first church was built of logs, and as population increased, plans were made to build a new and larger church. In 1906, the new church was builton the same location and still stands as a lasting monument to early pioneers. The first pastor was the Rev. H.E. Rue. Succeeding pastors were, Rev. Olav Refsdal, Norman K. O. Hildahl, T. H. Megorden, O.M. Bratlie, and Rev. Paul Johnshoy, the present pastor. (1958) Zion is a member of the Fosston E. L. C. parish.
Salem congregation was organized April first 1891 by Rev. J.R. Vaaler at the Ole Edevold home. The first board was: Rev. J.R. Vaaler, pres.; N.A. Skeie, sec'y; P.I. Satran, treas.; Severt Larson, Theodore Larson and Bernt Engum, trustees. The church is located on section 20, tow miles north of Olga Store. This congregation belonged to the Poplar River Parish of Fosston. The Rev. J.R. Vaaler was the first pastor. Others following were, J.O. Saether, 1896-1942, T.H. Megorden, Raymond Williams, Rev. E.O. Landvik and the present pastor, Rev. Ralph Chelson of the Gully Parish. (1958).
This work was a chapter out of the 1958 Diamond Jubilee for the 13 Towns(Townships) that were opened for settlement in 1883. The book is titled, "Saga of the Thirteen Towns," published by the McIntosh Times June 1958.