From Trygg Historical Maps, Trygg Land Office, Ely, MN www.trygglandoffice.com/maps.html b=bottom land, m=marsh, p=prairie, s=swamp

Basic Facts: Township 132N, Range 36W Government survey 1871 First Settled 18?? Organized Jan 2, 1877

History

[Copied by Lory Brasel, lbrasel@leagent.net, from the book "History of Otter Tail County" Volume I - 1916 by John W. Mason]

Woodside township was organized as Wrightstown on January 2, 1877, in response to a petition signed by a majority of the legal voters of the congressional township 132, range 36. The house of J. H. Aldrich was designated for the first election, the same to be held on the 22nd of the same month.

This petition was dated November 6, 1876, and contained the following names: Thomas Ward, Rollin Dutcher, David Adams, John H. Rease, Elmer Rease, John E. Rease, Edson Rease, A. M. Rease, E. Wright, W. Wright, Y. Wright, Felix Wentrell, James Pilop, Samuel Blodget, Henry Sharp, John Solman, Wan Harkam, Henry Goodall, Dwitt Vanguilder, J. H. Aldrich, William W. Dutton, John Hawkins, Harry Johnson, E. Wilson, Berten Young, Andru Stebeng, Jason Newell, Origin Bates and David Morehouse. It was evident that the township was not organized in pursuance of this order of the commissioners, since on March 22, 1877, a second petition asking for the organization of the township was presented and passed. This second petition was dated at Parkers Prairie, January 31, 1877. The following is a list of the signers, a majority of the legal voters of the township: P. W. Dutton, G. K. Aldrich, William Haskcom, Dwitt Vangilder, James Haskcom, H. Goodale, Andrew Stebbins, Samuel B. Young, William H. Wilson, 0. G. Davison, J. Davison, E. D. Wilson, Origin Bates, T. Goodale, James Parlit, Jason Newell, John Hawkins, Wesley Wright, Tom Ward, John E. More, Henry Johnston, Samuel Blodgett, H. W. Sharp, John E. Rease, David Morehouse, John Mindwuoll, John More and E. Goodale.

The second petition asked that the township be called Woodside and also designated the house of J. H. Aldrich as a suitable place for holding the election. With the election on April 11, 1877, of the proper officials, the township took its place among its sister townships in the county.

Woodside township contains as much farming land as any township in the county, being one of the very few without lakes. It is drained largely by Wing river, which enters the township in section 19 and takes an easterly course through the township, leaving it at the center of section 25. Practically all of the township is level and none of it is so rugged as to prevent its cultivation. The soil is largely black sandy loam and, under the careful tillage of its excellent farmers, produces good crops without artificial fertilization.

The first village in this township answered to the name of Wrightstown and stood in the western side of section 2. A store, postoffice, blacksmith shop, with an additional house or two, made up the village as it appeared thirty-five years ago. Wrightstown has never been platted and today it presents a no more flourishing appearance than it did forty years ago. Not being on a railroad it has not been possible for it to become a trading center, and with the introduction of the rural free delivery a few years ago it practically lost its right to exist. The first sawmill in the township was on the farm of M. S. Dockstrader, in the eastern part of section 10. P.M. Wright also had a sawmill on the corner of his farm in section 12. Both of these mills were in operation before 1880 and proved a great benefit to the surrounding farmers. The town hall is in the center of the township in the southeastern corner of section 16.

The present township officers are as follow: Supervisors, J. T. Wagner, Andrew Johnson and Joe Dohson; clerk, Z. Wright; treasurer, H. S. Aldrich; assessor, R. V. Smith; justices, E. W. Smith and William Edes; constables, G. B. Wynn and William Zimmerman.

Population

Population totals in state and federal census summaries.

	Woodside
1870
1875
1880
1885	378
1890	329
1895	452
1900	542
1905	506
1910	428
1920	592
1930	573
1940	601
1950	434
1960	362
1970	316

Places of birth for Woodside Township in the 1905 state census.

Native (USA)	141	28%
Minnesota	308	61%
Foreign	57	11%
Germany	17	30%
Sweden	10	18%
Norway	14	25%
Canada	4	7%
Ireland	2	4%
Denmark	5	9%
England	3	5%
Poland	2	4%
Finland	0	0%
Russia	0	0%
Scotland	0	0%
Other	0	0%

Land Maps

Names

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