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HOME > History > History Club > Lake Francis & Surrounding Area - Karen Christofferson

Lake Francis & Surrounding Area
Lake Francis website: www.lakefrancisarcc.com
Presentation to the Annandale History Club
October 24, 2004
Karen Christofferson

Lake Francis is a 921-acre lake located in French Lake Township, western Wright County, and Kingston Township, eastern Meeker County. Water flows from Goose Lake, Lake John, Lake Sylvia, and Lake Moses (also known as Moose Lake ) into Lake Francis and out to the North Fork of the Crow River near Kingston. In June of 1857 speculators platted a town called Winchester on the south side of Lake Francis in Meeker County just over the border of Wright County. 700 lots were platted. The town was unsuccessful, and the land became the Damuth farm. In 1921 Camp Wildwood Resort was started by August Nystrom on the same property. In 1951 Norman Smith bought the property and sold lakeshore lots. The area is now known as Wildwood Terrace. Part of the land was recently developed (Hidden Forest). Lake Francis had two names.

1857 - Winchester plat map called it Lake Francis. One of the founders of Winchester was Frank Reno, and it's possible the lake was named for him (Francis).

1874 - Meeker County map called it Lake Hutchins.

1874 - Wright County map called it Lake Francis.

1880 - Meeker County plat map called it Lake Francis and it remained that way.

1879 - Wright County plat map called it Lake Hutchins, and it remained that way until the 1940s (Lake Francis was on the 1945 plat map).

The following early pioneers settled on the Wright County (east side) of Lake Francis.

Samuel Bradbury Hutchins and Arvilla (Bailey) Hutchins - Samuel was a carpenter who came to Kingston from Minot, Maine, in 1856 and helped build the Kingston mill in 1856 and 1857. Six children (5 boys and a girl) accompanied Samuel and Arvilla from Maine to St. Anthony in the fall of 1855 and to Kingston in 1856. (Kingston Townsite was platted in June 1858.) Two sons, Moses and Charles, served in the Civil War from Meeker County. Samuel, Sr. and Samuel, Jr. helped defend Kingston during the 1862 Indian uprising. S. B. Hutchins homesteaded 153 acres in French Lake Township on the east side of Lake Francis in 1865. Lake Arvilla, between Kingston and Dassel, was named for Arvilla Hutchins, Lake Moses between Lake Sylvia and Lake Francis was named for his eldest son, Moses, and Lake Hutchins was named for Samuel, Sr. Samuel Hutchins, Jr. became an engineer on trains passing through South Haven. Samuel and Arvilla's graves are on the northeast banks of Lake Francis, marked by a cement stone. The top of the stone reads "Father - Mother," and has a Masonic emblem in the center. The front of the marker reads "Samuel Hutchins (1816-1892) and Arvilla Bailey Hutchins (1817-1890)." Hutchins was justice of the peace in Kingston in 1862, an officer in the Forest City Masonic Lodge (formed 1867), an officer in the Wright County Old Settlers (formed 1868), and a French Lake Township Assessor (1875).

Samuel and Arvilla Hutchins obituaries follow:

Litchfield Saturday Review, March 22, 1890, Kingston News - Old settlers will be shocked to learn that Mrs. Arvilla, wife of S. B. Hutchins, died last Monday shortly after retiring. Her general health has been rather poor the past few months, being afflicted with the Grip. Mr. Hutchins and family came to Meeker County in 1856, and lived through those times that endeared so many who suffered in common, whom later arrivals look upon as landmarks who are fast disappearing. Mrs. H. would have completed her 73^rd year in another week. The old gentleman is completely broken up, and has the sympathy of all in his bereavement. The funeral took place Friday at the home.

The News Ledger, Litchfield, February 11, 1892 - The following from the Austin Transcript tells the sad story that our old friend Sam B. Hutchins, formerly of Kingston but late of Austin, Minn., has passed beyond the trials and cares of this life: "The funeral of Mr. S. B. Hutchins took place this morning (Feb. 5) at 10 o'clock from the residence of his son-in-law, Mr. George Remore, Rev. Briggs officiating. The ceremonies were in charge of the Masons of which Mr. Hutchins was a member. The body was taken to the Milwaukee Depot and sent to Wright County for interment, where Arvilla Hutchins, wife of the deceased, who died two years ago, is buried. Mr. Hutchins was born in the state of Maine in the year 1816. He came to Minnesota in 1855 and settled near St. Anthony Falls, when Minneapolis was but a small town. Mr. Huchins and wife were blessed with six children, five of whom are still living. Mr. Hutchins has lived a wealth of golden years. He passed away in the autumn of life, and now has passed into the eventide of rest. With his beloved wife in Glory he will know no more sorrow, and will be forever in the presence of the King.

John Hasselberg purchased the Hutchins farm from George and Sarah (Hutchins) Remore in 1898, and his descendants still own the farm. Some of the lakeshore was sold for development and is now known as Rustic Ridge.

Joseph N. Hamilton (1839-1924) - Joseph N. Hamilton came to Kingston from Maine in 1866 after serving in the Civil War. He married Mary Ella Morehouse in 1868. The family homesteaded 80 acres near Lake Francis circa 1875. The Hamilton's log house was built by S. B. Hutchins. Joseph Hamilton and his family were instrumental in starting the Lake Francis School in 1886. His son Nathan taught in French Lake Township schools, and grandson Lewis Holm taught at Lake Francis School and Meeker County District 33. The Hamilton land was sold to his daughter Belle (Hamilton) Holm and her husband Leonard. The farm was sold to Mildred and Carl Olson in 1943 and remains in the Olson family.

Hedwin Olson - Hedwin and Agneta Olson emigrated from Sweden in 1870 and homesteaded 57 acres between Lake Francis and Lake Moses. They donated land for the Lake Francis School in 1886. The Olsons moved across Lake Francis to Cedar Point and then to 140 acres near Lake Union. In 1906 Hedwin and Agneta Olson donated land for the Lake Union Mission Church (now Covenant) and were charter members. Their former Lake Francis farm is now known as the Blaness farm. There are many Olson descendants in the area.

Other Lake Francis Pioneers - Holm Larson from Norway purchased a farm between Lake Francis and Lake Moses in 1874. Holm and Johanna Larson were the parents of Leonard Holm. The farm is now known as the Christofferson place. John Oscar Snabb was also a pioneer in the area as was Lars Berg. The Berg land became the Hammersborg farm. Fred Hammersborg sold the lakeshore, which became Sunset Terrace.

Eagle Mills - The town of East Kingston was platted southwest of Lake Francis January 23, 1871. East Kingston was another town that remained just a few farms. A dam had been erected on Eagle Creek and a mill started in 1866 by Jefferson Carville and A. H. Carville. An 1873 advertisement in the Litchfield Ledger reads: "J. Carville, hardwood lumber, flour and feed, highest market price paid for wheat at Eagle Mills, Kingston." Eagle Creek flows out of Lake Francis to the Crow River.

Lake Francis School - The school was built in 1886 and completely rebuilt in 1912. Lake Francis School closed in 1964 and consolidated with Annandale Public Schools. Mildred Olson purchased the school in 1964 and used it for a summer school for special needs children. The schoolhouse is still a landmark on the east shore of Lake Francis. Note: The schoolhouse was razed in October 2010.

Road by Lake Francis - There were three versions of the road starting with a cart trail along the lake, replaced by a gravel road (County Road 2). A straightened paved road was built away from the lake in 1966.

Stanley Eddy Park - In November 1967 Mr. and Mrs. Paul Eddy, who owned a nursery in Howard Lake, donated 40 acres near the east side of Lake Francis for a Wright County park. The park was given in memory of their 16 year-old son, Stanley, who died in 1963 as a result of a fall from a tree. The Stanley Eddy Park has grown to 650 acres in three different park sections. Note: in 2007 Wright County added 181 acres to Stanley Eddy Park for a total of 879 acres.

James McGannon - 28 year old James McGannon was killed by Indians July 1, 1863. He was shot by Hi-Uka (son-in-law of Chief Little Crow) near the bridge on present day County Road 2 near Lake Union. His body was discovered by the mailman and buried nearby. McGannon's family later moved his remains to the Fair Haven Cemetery. Little Crow had McGannon's jacket when he was killed July 3, 1863, ten miles north of Hutchinson.

Resorts - There were two resorts on Lake Francis in the 1920s and 1930s. Camp Wildwood and Cedar Point were both in Meeker County. There has been a public beach and boat launch area on the northwest side in Meeker County since 1954. There is also a boat launch on the south side of the lake.

For more information about the Lake Francis area, read the following two books:

Stepson of the Forest by Lewis Nathan Holm (available through the GRRL library)
Tiny Tenacious Tilda by Mildred Olson

Annandale Online

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