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Bandon Township
The History of Renville County, Volume 2
Compiled by Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge
Chapter XLI
p. 1305-1306

Bandon township embraces township 113, range 33. It is bounded on the north by Palmyra township, on the east by Wellington township, on the south by Camp township, and on the [west] by Birch Cooley township.

It has been said that the straggling settlers entered Bandon from Birch Cooley as early as 1865. However, no permanent settlers located in that township until late in that decade. The story of the early days in this township is told elsewhere by Nels O. Berge.

Bandon township was organized January 4, 1871, and an election held a few months later at Jeremiah Farrell's house, section 18. The first officers elected were: Supervisors, Timothy Carline (chairman), James Hurley and Jacob Anderson Volen; treasurer, John Reagan; assessor, Jeremiah Farrell; clerk, Jeremiah Desmond; justice of the peace, Timothy Carline. Gunerus Peterson was elected clerk the second year. He did not qualify and was again elected the third year, after which he served some twenty years. Ivar Brandjor was also an early officer.

The town hall was erected in May, 1885, in the southeast corner of the southeast quarter of section 16.

The present board is constituted as follows: Supervisors, James C. Cronin (chairman), Gilbert Torgerson and C. P. Sather; clerk, Henry Frickson; treasurer, O. M. Hage; assessor, C. H. Frickson (resigned).

The first real estate assessment of Bandon 113-23, was made in 1874. Those assessed were: Jeremiah Farrell, section 18; Louis Hanson, 32; Syvert Kelly, 30. In 1875 there was added to this list: Anton Hesse, section 8; Dennis Farrell, 20; Jacob Anderson (Volen), 28; Martin Johnson, 28. In 1876 there were added to this list: James Hurley, section 18; Lars Hanson, 18; Nels Hanson, 26; John O'Brien, 20; Iver Jerimiason, 22; Tollef Peterson, 22; Iver Weiklee, 22; John P. Nestande, 26; Peter Olson, 26; Lars Olson, 26; Martin Johansen, 28; Jacob Volen, 28; Iver Brandjord, 32; Peter P. Sather, 34; A. G. Nelson, 34.

The first personal property assessment made in Bandon (township 133, range 33), was in 1871. Those assessed were: John Anderson, John Anderson (two of them given), Ben Anderson, Aug. Anderson, Iver Brangard, John Collins, Tim Carline, Cornelius Desmond, J. Desmond, Con. Desmond, And. Dahlquist, John Erickson, Louis Erickson, Dennis Farrell, A. J. Franklin, J. Farrell, D. S. Green, Lewis Hanson, Nels Hanson, Ole Halvorson, Halvor Halvorson, James Hurley, Daniel Hanlon, Catherine Iago, Michael Iago, Iver Iverson, Ole Johnson, Martin Johnson, J. B. Johnson, Iver Jeremiahson, Elenson Kelly, Ole Knuderson, Michael Kelly, Anthony Kelly, John Kelly, Paul Knudson, And. Lawson, Gabriel Nelson, Patrick Nolan, Jeremiah O'Shea, Lewis Olson, Peter Olson, John Olson, Edwin H. Olson, Karl Olson, John Peterson, Tom Powell, Peter Peterson, Gunerus Peterson, Tolf Peterson, John Reagan, Con. Reagan, Cornelius Ryan, Peter Sotter, Lars Tolfson.

Gunerus Peterson's Reminiscences. - In the spring of 1871 my brother (now deceased), Peter Hornseth and I set out from Fillmore county to Renville county with a yoke of oxen which we owned in partnership. In our company were also Ole Knutson, Lars Tollefson, Hans Carlson (all now deceased), all driving oxen. We came to this wild prairie July 16, 1871, and settled in the wilderness about ten miles from the Minnesota river in Bandon township, which has then just been organized. We chose this location on account of being near timber land. As soon as we were settled the grasshoppers came and stayed with us for four years, destroying everything, and we had to work hard for a subsistance. The first money I borrowed after I had proved up on my eighty I secured at twelve per cent, being obliged to pay in advance and was glad to get it at that. Our nearest markets were New Ulm, Glencoe and Willmar. Beaver Falls was then the county seat but had no railway and only a few stores and a blacksmith shop.

During the first years of our settlement it was a very rare thing to see a span of horses. If we saw a team of horses and buggy coming across the prairie we were sure that it was either a machine agent, a collector or a constable. Many of us were heavily in debt on account of the bad years caused by the devastation of the grasshoppers and rather dreaded to see such visitors.


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