George W. Campbell was born in Canton, New York, April 8, 1810. He received a common school and academic education. His father died in 1826, leaving to George W. the care of the family and the management of the estate. He was married in 1832, at Cornwell, Canada West, to Margaret Harriet Robinson. He came to Point Douglas in 1848, where he has lived since, engaged in farming and lumbering. He was a representative in the first state legislature, 1857-58. Mrs. Campbell died at her home in Point Douglas in 1886, aged seventy-four years. She had been a member of the Episcopal church for sixty years. Six of her seven surviving children with the aged husband and father attended the funeral. Mr. Campbell died in 1887.
FOREST LAKE.
This town includes township 32, range 21. The surface was originally covered with hardwood timber, interspersed with wild meadows; the western part with oak, maple, poplar and tamarack. The first settlers were Louis Schiel, Wilson, Rice and Cyrus Gray. Later came Simmons, Posten, Marsh, York, and Banty. The first marriage was that of Francis Cartwright to Mary Long, in 1865. The first child born was Rebecca Simmons. The first death was that of Frederic Veith, in 1867. In 1873 the first school district was organized. A Methodist church was organized in 1876 by Rev. Adam Ringer. The Forest Lake Lodge, I. O. G. T., was organized in 1879. A post office was established in 1868; Michael Marsh, postmaster. The town of Forest Lake was organized in 1874; W. D. Benedict, A. C. York and George Simmons, supervisors; Louis Schiel, clerk.
FOREST LAKE VILLAGE
Was platted May, 1869, in the northwest part of the town, by Luther Mendenhall, agent of the Western Land Company, and surveyed by B. W. Brunson. It is beautifully located on the shore of Forest lake and is rapidly becoming a popular place of resort for summer tourists and pleasure parties. The lake is almost separated into three distinct parts by points or capes. It is five miles from the northwest to the southeast extremity and is nearly two miles wide at the widest point. Its shores are well timbered and approach the water's edge in gravelly slopes. The indications are that the lake was once much larger. In the south lakes the water is deepest, averaging twenty feet. The south lakes have also higher banks. The lake covers territory in sections 8 to 15, inclusive, of township 32, range 21.
Capt. Michael Marsh is a native of Wesemburg, Germany, and has resided at this lake nineteen years. He has done much to make it attractive as a place of resort. He has built a hotel with seventy-five rooms for the accommodation of summer visitors, and has placed a steamer, the Germania, upon the lake. Capt. Marsh was married in Germany and has a family of two sons and three daughters.
GRANT.
This town was organized in 1858, under the name of Greenfield. In 1864 the name was changed to Grant. It comprises township 30, range 21. The soil is a sand and clay loam, with clay gravel subsoil. The surface varies from undulating to rolling, and was originally well timbered with white, black and burr oak. White Bear lake lies partly within the township, occupying about 1,200 acres. Other and smaller lakes are Pine, Stone Quarry, Deep, Ben's, and Long.
The first officers of the town were: Moderator, Joseph Crane; clerk, Jesse H. Soule; supervisors, Albion Masterman, James Rutherford and Joseph Crane. The first settlers were Albion Masterman and William Rutherford, in 1849. Soon after came James Rutherford, Thomas Ramsdell and George Bennett. Albion Masterman built the first house, and his wife, formerly Eliza Middleton, was the first woman in the settlement. The first public highway through the town was the Rum river road. The first child born was Castinea O. Rutherford. The first death was that of James, son of James Rutherford. The first school house was built in section 1, in 1856. Joseph Crane taught the first school. The first sermon was preached by Rev. —— Hamlin, a Free Will Baptist, but the first religious organization was that of the German Protestant Lutheran. Rev. Siegrist was the first pastor. The church building is in section 2, and was built in 1872. The Spiritualists had an organization in 1868, of which Jesse H. Soule was president, and George Walker secretary. Summer meetings were held, and lecturers from abroad invited to address them.