| History from St. Mary's - Basswood Grove |
| With a bit of growth, it was realized that a larger
front door was needed. With the narthex came a ramp for wheel chair entries,
an extra bit of space, and an easier access to the basement. It brought
the church into the 20th Century and will carry it into the Third Millennium.
Since the start of 2001, there have been further advances. Among the latest
additions are a new wrought iron fence and a sidewalk, each running the
full frontal length of the church grounds. The sidewalk provides parishioners
and guests with a safer and more surefooted walk from car to church. |
| There are newer family names among this list, as well.
These families are doing their part to keep St. Mary's a strong and vibrant
congregation. |
|
| The St. Croix Valley was the scene of many battles between
Chippewa and Sioux Indians before the white men settled here. The many streams
teemed with fish and also offered easy transportation. The rolling, wooded
hills were of the best soil and abounded in wild game. |
| Before 1840 there was only a handful of white men in
the region. In 1849, a road was laid to the north and a year later another
was made to St. Paul. The first settlers followed trails and streams. A
treaty with the Indians in 1837 led to settlement. |
| It is not known how Denmark received it name. It was
organized as a township in 1856. By this time, there were many settlers.
It had a larger population and more houses before 1895 than for years to
come. |
| The first store at Basswood was built by John Olson
on what was later the Paley farm. The store was converted into the Paley
home. Samuel Dangerfield built the second store which burned after a couple
of years. The third and last store was built by Osa Clothier, who also built
a hall where meetings and entertainment were held. He also had a feed mill. |
| A great number of families came from what was then known
as Canada West. Some of these families were descendants of the earliest
settlers of the Hudson-Mohawk Valley and had been neighbors and relatives
for generations. The area around Cornwall, Ontario from whence they came
was rocky and hard to till. When the rich land on the middle west was opened,
they came here. This group includes the following families: Bush, Cook,
Fetterly, Hetherington, Stevens, Truax, Wright, Gallinger, Shearer, Burton,
Waldorf, McChesney, and Van Alstine. |
| There were others who came through Canada from England,
Scotland, Ireland and the Colonies as the Holt, Stotesbery, Dangerfield,
Paley, Perkins, Clothier, and Orr. |
| A group came from Pennsylvania by was as the Clark,
Davies, Coffman, Harris, Allibone, and Bennett. |
| German settlers were Bahe, Brendemuhl, Behrens, Hagemen,
Shingledecker, Herman, and Hummel. |
| Scottish settlers were Cran, Black, and McCallum. |
| Irish settlers were Delamores, O'Brien, O'Connor, Snees,
Kinneys, Stinsons, Magones, and Cooks. |
| William Dibble and Charles Henry came from New York,
William Louden from Indiana, William Keene from Maine and James Shearer
from Massachusetts. |
| All of these early families have either been members
of the church or friends of the church and have added to the spiritual growth
of the area. |
