Chapter 58
-- Compiled by the Cumberland Women's Club
and Published by the Cumberland Advocate
1874-1974
(used by permission of the Cumberland Advocate)
Donated by Linda Mott
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Some Cumberland "Firsts"
The first government on the island was a Township Government. In January 1876 the Township of Lakeland was organized, but in September 1878, it was changed to Cumberland.
A.J. Cook was the first chairman of the Town of Lakeland. In 1882 the Village of Cumberland was incorporated.
J.F. Fuller was the first Village President. George Washington Napoleon Corsor was the first Town Clerk. In 1885 the City of Cumberland was incorporated.
L.B. Royce was the first Mayor of the City. First occupants of the island were the Chippewa Indians. In 1874 the first settlement was made by Gunder Dahlby and O.A. Ritan.
September 10, 1876--Miss Mae Hodgkins was the first white child born on the island and was named by the Indians "Lily of the Woods." Little Pipe presented her with a pair of moccasins and always thereafter took the liveliest interest in her welfare.
The first chief occupation of the people of Cumberland was lumbering with the sawmills of William Hunter and the B.D.L. Company.
The first Baptist Church Society was the first to hold regular meetings on the island. Elder Gibson was the first pastor. (January 1882). The first church built on the Island was the Methodist: First pastor--Reverend J.H. McManus. (May 1883).
Dr. W.B. Hopkins came to Cumberland on July 2, 1880 and was the first physician to locate on the island. Dr. W.C. Pease moved to Cumberland in 1881 and built the first drug store here.
In 1878 the first hotel was the Cumberland House, built by Nels Jacobson.
In the spring of 1914, Dr.G.G. Grinde, realizing the need of a hospital, established one in the W.N. Fuller residence, but in a few months, though the building was modern and well-equipped with a capacity for handing a dozen patients, it was found too small for the needs of the place.
Hugh McDonald fourteen years old, a son of Alex McDonald, was the first person who died on the island.
The first hotel was kept by Jack Collingwood, who afterward built the Collingwood House.
In 1877 the first dry good store on the island was built by a man named Gregg; the first grocery store was by David Ingle.
In 1878 the first blacksmith shop was built by Elmer Wisner of Clear Lake.
The Cumberland post office was established in June 1876 at the homestead of L.L. Gunderson who later moved to Cumberland, bringing the postoffice with him. (Mr. Gunderson lived in Section 10).
The first bank was started in 1883 by J.F. Miller and Jeff Heath.
The Grist Mill was built in the winter of 1890 and 1891 by O.A. Ritan, O.W. Mosher, S.W. Hines and F. Algeo.
A heading mill situated near the Omaha Railway was first built in 1895 by D.H. Keyes.
The first paper published in Cumberland was called the "Cumberland Herald" and was edited by M.P. Morris. He afterwards sold part of the business to the first lawyer who settled in Cumberland--C.A. Lamereaux, who would write articles for the paper while waiting for cases.
In the summer of 1884 a fire engine house was built on Main Street and a fire company of about 50 men organized.
The first railroad stake was driven in what is now the City of Cumberland in December, 1878.
The first
train of cars that came on the island caused quite an excitement, the people
turning out in full force to see and welcome it. A young man named Roberts,
who was working with the engineers, sent a request to John
A. Humbird, president of the road, asking
that a special whistle might be blown when the train reached the island.
This request was complied with and
the
whistle blew, the people cheered.
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