Ericson township embraces township 116, range 37. It is bounded on the north by Chippewa county, on the east by Crooks township, on the south by Sacred Heart township and on the west by Wang township.

The first settler in Ericson township was James H. Wilson, who came in about 1870 and erected a cabin on section 8. He lived alone and was at his cabin for a short period only. He left soon after the influx of 1871. In the days of the early settlement large game was not plentiful in the prairie region of Renville county, but it is related that a certain large moose often came to Mr. Wilson's haystack.

In 1871 Ericson received many settlers, all of whom arrived within a few days of each other, about June, and rapidly filled the township. Peter P. Dustrud, who is still living in Sacred Heart, was one of these. A short time ago Mr. Dustrud prepared a list of this colony, which is as follows: Peter P. Dustrud, wife and mother (Dorothea Sanderson), section 28. Ole S. Lanning, wife and one son, section 28. Martin Jacobson, wife and two children, section 22. Johannes Siverson Lanning, single, section 28. Mr. Lanning is still on the farm where he originally settled, Halvor Skonberg, wife and three children, section 32. Skonberg had been a tailor at St. Peter. He worked at that trade here for the early settlers and then went to Minnesota Falls. Ole Gilbertson Knestang, single, section 26. Anders Gilbertson Knestang, wife and three children, section 26. Gabriel Osmundson, wife and three children, section 26. His father and mother settled in the same section. Eberhart Louasen, wife and two children, section 34. Ole Berget Skomager, wife and one child, section 34. Ole was a cobbler and took his name from his occupation. Olaf Kortgaarden, wife and three children, section 34. Johannes Wee (Wood) and wife, section 22. Johannes Hanson, wife and three children, section 26. His original home was on the present site of the school house. Simon Christenson Engen, wife and one child, section 30. Hans Hanson Roli, wife and three children, section 22. Ella Olson, a widow with one son, Iver, section 20. Peter Christianson Engen, single, section 30. Paul Killi and wife, section 20; John Trostal and wife and four chilren, section 20. Ole Hanson Tunde, an old soldier and single, section 32. Peter (Gulbrandson) Fieldhammer, wife and three children, section 32. Mr. Fieldhammer is the only one of the early settlers who is still actively operating his farm. Lars Hanson, wife and family, section 19. An interesting story is told of Mr. Hanson's adventure with a deer. This deer lingered about the place in the fall and did considerable damage to the hay stacks. One day the dog chased it out onto the ice and Mr. Hanson followed it. After a terrific battle the deer escaped.

All these people came as already noted in May, 1871. A few people came that fall, among whom may be mentioned Peter Gerde and Ole Helgeson. Early in the spring of 1872 came Peter O. Doseth and family, now living in Sacred Heart.

Others who arrived at about the same time as these earliest pioneers are: Ole Wolstad, Hans Rosaasen, Carl Gerde, Finger Hoff and lver Olson.

Among other early settlers may be mentioned: Ole O. Reiten, Jorgen Voldeng, Ole H. Agre, Tosten Walstach, A. A. Skjefte, S. S. Lanning, C, H. Rolie, Ole K. Holien, Emil E. Erickson, O. H. Docken, John P. Lien, Hans H. Sagness, Hans S. Lanning, Lars Milsten, I. C. Barnaal, Ole C. Stavig, Berger Ingebretson, Christ Evenson and Per Kolberg.

When the township was organized the whole town constituted one school district. The first school was taught in 1874, at Iver Walstad's house, by Mary Bovee. Peter P. Dustrud drove to Beaver Falls and persuaded her to take charge of the school. All the books used the first term were books which Mr. Dustrud had owned as a boy. In 1875 a school house was built on the Dustrud farm. Mr. Dustrud and others going to Willmar after the boards which were used in putting up a shack, which did service as school house and church.

The township was named in honor of Eric Ericson, prominent pioneer of Renville county, who served in the early days as county auditor and was for many years county superintendent of schools. It was he who drew up the petitions for the organization of the township and school district. These petitions were circulated by Peter P. .Dustrud and by him and others presented to the county commissioners. The name of Ericson was suggested and the citizens consented.

There are two churches in Ericson, the Dutch Reformed and the synod church of the Norwegian Lutheran Evangelical faith.

Ericson township at one time had a postoffice bearing its name. It was kept by Frederick Walstad at his mother's home, in section 32. He also kept a small stock of goods.

The first marriage was that of Lars H. Milsten and Ingebor Hanson in 1875. The Norwegian Lutherans began holding meetings as early as 1873. The first death was that of Emma H. Walstad, in 1873. The first cemetery was on the farm of Peter P. Dustrud and a number of bodies are still interred there.

Ericson township was organized January 27, 1874. The following officers were elected: Supervisors, Henry Paulson (chairman and constable), Peter Gerde and E. H. Walstad; clerk and justice, Henry Paulson; treasurer, assessor and constable, Peter P. Dustrud. This meeting was held in the dugout of Peter P. Dustrud in section 28. A heavy storm was raging and only about seven men were present. There is a town hall in the center of the township.

The first personal property assessment in Ericson township, 116-37, was made in 1874. Those assessed were: Ragnild Alertson, Ole H. Agre, Ole H. Berg, Peter Christianson, Simon Christianson, Peter P. Dustrud, Peter O. Dosseth, Eli Erickson, Christian Evenson, Ole Gilbertson, Peter Gilbertson, Carl O. Gerde, Peter O. Gerde, Anders Gilbertson, Hans Hanson, Ole Johnion, Martin Jacobson, Anders Knesting, Paul Killi, Olof C. Kortgaarden, Franz Fagerlie, Ole S. Lanning, Hans Larson, Pernille Larson, E. P. Louasen, Lars H. Milsten, Ole Olson, Gabriel Osmundson, lver Olson, Henry Paulson, S. Peterson, Magloire Robideaux, Osmund Rierson, Johannes Severson, Hans H. Sagnes, Halvor Skjonberg, lver Thompson, Johan Traastal, Ole H. Tande, John Breli.

The first real estate assessment in Ericson (116-37) was made in 1874. Those assessed were: Hans S. Sagnes, section 18; Paul Killi, 20; John Thompson, 22; Marthea Dustrud, 28; Anton Olson, 28; Hans Larson, 30; Peter Hanson, 32 (a note made gives Peter Hanson's property as having been transferred to Peter Lundberg). In 1877 there were added to this list: James H.Wilson, section 8; M. Robideaux, 24: P. Gerde, 28: Hans Hanson, 30; Ole Hendrickson, 32; Jorgen P. Flagstad, 32. In 1878 there was added to this list: Halvor Hanson, 30.

The first child born in Ericson was Carl, the son of Halvor Gundberg, in the summer of 1871. Bernt Siverson, the son of Ole Siverson Lanning, was the second. These children were baptized at the home of Peter Brickson in section 24.

Peter P. Dustrud's Reminiscences. "In the spring of 1872, I took a load of people from the town of Ericson to the home of the aged Hans Roli, on the southeast quarter of the southwest quarter of section 8. The home was a log house, which had been erected but not finished. The members of the party I took to this meeting place were Marthea Dustrud, my wife and our baby, Severin Julius Dustrud; Mrs. Martin Jacobson and her daughter, Maria Jacobson; Mrs. Halvor Ogaarden and her daughter, Berthe Ogaarden; Mrs. Ole Syverson Lanning, with her son, and Mrs. Andrew Knestand, whom we took along as a witness. Religious services were held, for this was on a Sunday, by the Rev. John Bergh. This is the first time that I ever met the reverend gentleman. There were so many children to be baptized that Pastor Bergh himself had to be one of the witnesses for our son. Bernt Larson and his wife were the others.

"I shall never forget that trip. The company of women and children filled my wagon box. The ground was still moist and the wheels often sunk deep in the earth. It was slow going. The men had to stay at home and take care of the fields to see that the cattle did not get into the crops. No fences had been built and when the crops were growing it required constant care to prevent the cattle destroying them."

In the fall of 1871 Mr. Dustrud had an interesting experience with a prairie fire. Early one morning he started for the mill at New London with grain for Ole Siverson Lanning, intending, on the way back, to purchase supplies at Willmar. When he was some ten miles from home a great prairie fire swept toward him, coming from the northwest and sweeping toward the southeast. The fire had started near Breckenridge and at a rate of sixty miles an hour had swept toward Benson and then to the Minnesota river, even in places jumping that river. Mr. Dustrud had only a few seconds in which to act. He started a back fire and by leading the plunging and frightened horses into the very flames of this back fire he managed to save them and the wagon. His whiskers and eyebrows were singed and he was nearly strangled with the smoke and flames. But he kept on and reached New London at 11 o'clock at night. There he found men who had been waiting three or four days to get their wheat ground. When the kind hearted miller learned the distance Mr. Dustrud had come he took pity on him and agreed to grind the wheat at once. So after midnight, with his flour, Mr. Dustrud started toward Willmar and camped five miles from the village he had just left. Early in the morning he continued on his way, and at about 8 o'clock reached Willmar, where he purchased some lumber, salt and provisions. He did not get started for home until 4 o'clock in the afternoon. The prairies had been burned as far as the eye could reach and all evidences of the trail had been obliterated. So Mr. Dustrud was not able to reach a hotel at which he had planned to stop, just over the line in Kandiyohi county, and was forced to again camp on the blackened prairie. The next day he reached the home of Ole Siverson Lanning and heard the story of how the neighborhood had fared during his absence.

Mr. Lanning was away from home when the fire came and Mrs. Lanning was alone. She started toward the Dustrud home and nearly perished on the way before she was helped into the cabin by Mrs. Martin Jacobson, Mrs. Dustrud and Mrs. Dustrud's mother, Mrs. Dorthea Sanderson. In order to provide against fire, Mr. Dustrud had plowed two large circles around his home, and had several times burned off the grass between the two circles, thus leaving a protected area of some ten acres about his home. The cattle for miles around sought refuge in this circle, and when Mr. Dustrud got home all the cattle in his neighborhood were grazing on his place.