City, Hennepin County

Independence, Hennepin County

Official Community Website

From "1868 - 1968 Maple Plain Garden Club Past - Present" published by the Maple Plain Garden Club. Submitted by Claudine Pearson. ClaudeP@aol.com

BRIEF TOPOGRAPHY OF INDEPENDENCE

The Big Woods embraced a part of Independence. The firs survey of Independence taken June 11 to 25, 1855, tells of the trees that grew here: ironwood, sugar maple, linden (basswood), elm and ash. In the western part of Independence chokecherry trees, red oak, white walnut (probably butternut), hickory, burr oak and aspen (poplar) were listed.

The men who made the survey crossed a stream thirty links wide, which would have been Pioneer Creek. The surveyors classified Independence land as a second rate soil, grayish clay with top black soil. The survey read, "Quality of land-rich, very wet, a large portion unfit for cultivation." They found the land mostly rolling except for an area around Maple Plain. Six lakes were recorded: Sarah, Rebecca, Independence, Haughey, Mud Lake (Robina), and Lake Tom. These lakes were inhabited by fine fish. (The above facts were selected from a copy of the First Survey of Independence, which was done before settlers could come to stake a claim, June 1855.

DEATH RECORDS (Misc. records submitted by Eugene Barnes)
1881
1882
1883
1908-1909-1910

DEATH RECORDS (Misc. records submitted by Claudine Pearson. ClaudeP@aol.com
1870-1879

CHURCHES
From "1868 - 1968 Maple Plain & Independence Past - Present" published by the Maple Plain Garden Club. Page 23 ClaudeP@aol.com

METHODIST - The first religious meeting in Independence was held by Rev. J. J. Camp, Methodist Episcopal minister. A Methodist society was organized in the home of irvin Shrewsbury in 1855. Local preachers were Jacob Batdorf, Irvin Shrewsbury, J. J. Terwill and Abraham Gross. Services were held in the Armstrong schoolhouse until the Methodist Church was built in Armstrong in 1892, and dedicated in June of that year. Later it burned down. It was rebuilt and in recent years was sold to the English Lutheran Church in Long Lake.

ADVENT CHRISTIAN CHURCH - The next church to be organized was the Advent Christian Church. In 1867 Dr. O. R. Fassett and Mrs. L. E. Fassett arrived in Minneapolis and shortly thereafter were persuaded by friends to hold a few meetings at the Armstrong school house. A church society was organized and a church building was erected near Lake Sarah, nearly opposite the home of the Dunwoodys. The Dunwoody house was originally the Dr. Fassett home. The Armstrong Advent Christian Church was organized at the home of Sam Briley, Dec 8, 1891. The Church was built in 1892. Elder J. Nelson Potter was the first pastor and organizer of the Armstrong work. The first officers were as follows:
       Trustees - Sam Briley, G. Johnson and H. L. Bowen
       Deacons - Chas. Nelson and W. C. Batdorf
       Secretary and Treasurer - W. C. Batdorf

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF INDEPENDENCE was organized June 4, 1871, by the Rev. CharlesThayer. In 1872-73 a substantial frame building, 26 by 40 ft. was built, well finished on the inside. Twice since, the church as been remodeled with additions and is in use at the present time. The first elders were George W. Smith and Charles W. Ingerson. The first year there were twelve charter members, followed soon by seven more. They were Anthony Yerger, George W. Smith, Harriet Smith, John B. Perkins, Deborah D. Perkins, Elizabeth Bradford, Emeline P. Ingerson, Bethia H. Barnes, Barbara Walker, Mary Fogleman, Eliza Ann Bud, Rachel P. O. Lily, Mary O. Wapon, Ashbel Ingerson, Ellenor Yerger, and Sarah Wapon. During most of the years for 1890-1953 Maple Plain shared a pastor with the Presbyterian churches in Long Lake and Crystal Bay. The manse was next to the church in Maple Plain, but this is now the Christian Education Building. A new manse was built in 1961 north of Maple Plain.

GOTALUND SWEDISH CHURCH (NOW CHRIST LUTHERAN) was organized in the home of Jonas Moline, by Rev. Jonas Alm, on Dec 27, 1875. Services were held in the Moline log house until the church was built, in 1879. At this time there were twenty-three adult members. The church was 26 x 22 ft wide. An acre of land was donated by Jonas Moline. The cost was $194.92. In 1886 the organ was purchased. In 1890-91 two additions were built on. IN 1920 a parsonage was acquired.

The charter members of the first Lutheran Church were: Mr. and Mrs. Jonas Moline, J. N. Moline, Mr. and Mrs. Carl Ekstrom, Peter Hogstedt, Mr. and Mrs. John Stromberg, Mr. and Mrs. N. s. Anderson, Mr. and Mrs. John Hillstrom, Mr. and Mrs. John Noreen Mr. and Mrs. A. Noreen, Mr. and Mrs. John Bergstrom, Carl Laurell, Mr. and Mrs. E. Bergman and Mr. and Mrs. Ole Nelson

Up to WWI the services were in Swedish, gradually replaced by English. In January of 1925 it was decided to build in Maple Plain. The corner stone of the new church was laid that same year. The name was changed to Christ Lutheran Church and the first meeting there was held on October 27, 1926. Through the years building improvements have been made. In 1953 the narthex addition was completed and in 1959 a new parsonage was built and dedicated.

No City information available at this time.

If you have Independence genealogical data to contribute to this page, or links other pages, please contact me schumanC@comcast.net

Site last updated: October 6, 2007

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