Blue Earth County, Minnesota - Chapter 8, 1901

Never did a year open more auspiciously for our county than 1855. The streams of immigration, now at flood height, all tended. to the Llue Earth country; capital was seekiag there for some of its best investments; and tiie natural wealth of its soil was budding everywhere with the assurance of abundant fruitage. But just as sometimes happens with our Minnesota weather; the morning opens splendid in promise, bright, clear and balmy, when suddenly the entire heavens are overcast, and the splendid promise of the morning is lost in a dull, damp desolate day. So that even the beauty of the morning is only remembered as a "weather breeder." So the exceptional bright prospects of our county were doomed to a sudden and unexpected eclipse.

On February 20th, 1855, the Territorial Legislature, which heretofore had been so lavish to the county in matter of territory, now, when it was ready to use it, changed its attitude. On .the ;east,- south and west the present boundaries ere adopted, while on the. north the entire township: of Kasota including also the present township of Lime and Jamestown were taken from Blue Earth and added to Le Sueur county. But this was not the worst. Seven days after the , passage of this bill by our Legislature, a treaty was negotiated on February 37th, 1855, by a few Winnebago chiefs, who had been taken to Washington for the purpose, whereby these Indians ceded their reservation on the upper Mississippi and were given iastead a reservation in Blue Earth and Waseca Counties, thirty miles long east and west, by thirteen miles wide north and south. The north line of this reservation was to pass through the juncture of the

Le Sueur and Blue Earth rivers. This point it is claimed had been falsely represented to Congress to have been twenty miles distant from Mankato. The portion taken from Blue Earth County embraced the whole of McPherson, Medo, Beauford, Decoria, Lyra and Eapidan and the south tiers of sections in South Bend, Mankato and Le Ray, six townships and a half of the very best farm lands in the county, - about onethird of its total area, - taken from its very heart and given to the Indians, while two full townships and a fraction were cut ofE from its northeast corner and given to Le Sueur county. All there was left of our once magnificent fine county was a thin shell embracing at its center a big Indian reservation. In those days before there was a telegraph or even a railroad news traveled slowly. Our people heard of their loss of territory by hand of the Legislature, however, a month or more before the news from Washington. The delegation of Winnebagoes, who had accompanied General Fletcher, their agent, to Washington comprised three chiefs namely: Winneschiek or Waunk-annchakugah (the Coming Thunder), Hoonch-ha-haykah - (Big Bear), and Hoonkhonokah (Little Priest), and three braves. These returned to St. Paul with General Fletcher by April 20th, and at once proceeded with him to the Blue Earth country, to inspect their new reservation and to accurately fix its boundaries, for the matter had been left somewhat to the agent. On arriving at Mankato about the last of April, General Fletcher employed Evans Goodrich, the County Surveyor, to run the lines of the reservation. The people raised the most vigorous protests against these confiscations of their territory. They were the main topics of conversation all that year. On the 3nd of June a mass meeting convened at Mankato to protest against the Indian reservation. Theron Parsons was chairman and Eobert Wardlaw, Secretary. Speeches were made by: Isaac Andrus, Basil Moreland, Lewis Branson, P. K. Johnson and others. Resolutions were passed protesting against the taking of their homes away from the settlers, against the putting so many savages as a menace to the lives and property of the adjacent white settlements, and against the taking so much territory from civilization, and the county of Blue Earth for the perpetuation of savagery in its midst. A committee was appointed to present the memorial to Governor Gorman. But all was to no avail so far as the Indian reservation was concerned, for their cry for redress was too feeble to be heard in Washington. About the middle of June the entire Wimnebago tribe, over two thousand strong, broke upon Mankato like an avalanche. Some came up the river in bark canoes, others came upon ponies and dog carts, and still others on foot, and were piloted out to their reservation. General Fletcher fixed upon the spot where now stands the village of St. Clair as the headquarters for the tribe, and here he had his own house and the government houses and stores erected, and the place was designated the ''Winnebago Agency."

In following the advent of the Winnebagoes into the county we have omitted many other lesser events, which we now will return to chronicle. The office of sheriff in those early days was. not as much sought for as in subsequent years. Daniel P. Bunker as sheriS elect should have taken office on January 1st, 1855, but he sent his resignation to the County Board instead and Edwin Howe, who had served under appointment during the latter half of 1854, was re-appointed for 1855; and on February 21st, Lewis Branson was appointed County Attorney. The County Commissioners for this year were Bphraim Cole, Chairman, D. C. Evans and Joseph W. Babcock; but, by cutting Kasota from the county of Blue Earth, Mr. Babcock was legislated out of office on April 1st, 1855, and the county had to get along with two commissioners for the balance of the year. Since the spring of 1854 most of the county offices had been located in the Moreland building on lot 3 block 7, where most everything of a public nature was conducted. Here Father Thomson preached twice every Sabbath; here Sarah J. Marsh, and, after her. Miss Mary Ann Thomson tfiught the day school, here was held the lyceum and debating society. On top of the building Father Thomson had rigged a large dinner bell, he had brought with him from Indiana, to caD the people to church. This bell during the hot summer months, when routed from their beds by mosquitoes, the young men used to ring at midnight to the great annoyance of the rest of tiie town.

On January 5th, 1855, South Bend was organized into a separate school district, designated No. 3 and it was reported that there were eighty persons between the ages of four and twentyone in Blue Earth County aside from Kasota. Even the snow and cold of winter did not stop immigration altogether. About February 10th, John A. Jones, David J. Lewis and Evan J. Lewis arrived in South Bend from Emmet, Wis., having made the journey mostly on foot. They, found claims in the vicinity of South Bend and, after building temporary cabins, returned early in March to Wisconsin after their families and neighbors. In March, William P. Coffin and Joel Cloud located upon section five of Eapidan. Francis Veigh, David B. Backus and Frank Obale also took claims early in the spring in Rapidan. This was before they had any knowledge of the Winnebago reservation covering these lands.

In the early spring Mankato and vicinity bad a small Indian scare. Messrs. Callen and Mansfield, who had been domiciled on claims by Rice Lake, came hurrying into town one day saying they had been attacked by Indians. A company was formed and started for the seat of trouble. On the Le Sueur they met an Indian lad, about eighteen years old named "Joyce," who was quite friendly with the settlers and a favorite among them. The whites asked him about the matter and he burst into a big laugh, and explained how he had been out hunting with other Indians on Eice Lake. 1'hat in some way he got separated from his companions and to signal them had fired his gun three or four times. Thus ended the scare and the company marched home.

Before navigation had fairly opened in the spring of 1855, hundreds of settlers were pushing VTestward. Some came by teams but the great majority journeyed on foot. On the 18th of April Humphrey Jones, Thomas Y. Davis, William C. Williams, William Jenkins, Ed. Pierce, John Watkins, William Jones and Anthony Howells arrived at South Bend from Ohio and Illinois and soon located upon claims in the northwest corner of Judson. When they came the ice was yet firm in Lake Pepin, though the river, both above and below, was open and the boats running. They with hundreds of others walked from the foot of the lake to its head a distance of thirty miles, to catch a boat at that point for St. Paul. The water in the Minnesota continued very low during the spring of 1855, and few boats were able to ascend beyond the rapids at Carver, until the June rains. John Menne and John Pohl reached St. Paul from Dubuque, Iowa, in April before the ice was out of Lake Pepin. Meeting John Fresholtz at the capital city, they were induced to come to Mankato and take up claims in its vicinity. On the 17th the first boat passed through Lake Pepin. On board came Edward Brace, who with a companion footed it from St. Paul to Mankato, and that fall took a claim near Jackson Lake. He was the second settler in Shelby. Norman Jackson who had been obliged to abandon his claim in Lyra because it was on the Winnebago reservation, preceding Mr. Brace as first settler of Shelby only by a few weeks. About the middle of April Evan D. Evans arrived at South Bend with his family from Blossbury, Pa., and on the 27th of the same month came Evan Evans (Pant) and John Jones (Maes Mawr) from Waukesha, Wis. April 22nd was held the first prayer meeting west of the Blue Earth. The place was the cabin of John Jones (Oshkosh) on Eush Lake and those present were: Mr. Jones and family, William C. Williams, William Jenkins, Humphrey Jones, Thos. Y.

Davis and others of their party. April 39th the first prayer meeting in South Bend village was held at the home of D. C. Evans, then occupied by Evan D. Evans. The service was partly in Welsh and partly in English, both nationalities being present. Those taking part were Evati D. Evans, Owen Herbert, Joshua Barnard and Evan Evans (Pant). A Sunday school had been held the preceeding February, when D. C. Evans, Joshua Barnard, Owen Herbert, John A. Jones, David and Evan J. Lewis with others would gather on Sundays at Mr. Evans' house, and read chapters of the Scriptures, each commenting and questioning upon his own verse after the Welsh method. Mr. Barnard, a religious man, who thereafter became an efficient minister of the M. E. Church, usually began those Bible studies with prayer. None of South Bend pioneers at that time had much musical ability, so Mr. Barnard, who had learned to play the violin in his youth, would lead the singing by first thrumming the tune over on an old bass-viol, then all joined in with lusty voices. On the 5th of May Edward Thomas Sr., arrived with his family from Pomeroy, Ohio, and on the second Sabbath of that month was started the first regular Sunday school in South Bend, with Dr. E. Thomas as superintendent. Dr. Thomas was, also, a music teacher, and he supplied the village beyond the Blue Earth with their lack in this line. He had the whole community soon organized into singing classes. May 21st, Thos. M. Pugh and Thomas Phillips reached South Bend from Dodgeville, Wis. They made the journey from Shakopee on foot in company with two Germans. Failing to reach a house by night, they had to lodge under the twinkling stars. The four laid down in a row, on a blanket, Pugh on the outside, and being tired, soon fell asleep. Towards midnight Pugh was awakened by the loud howling of the wolves in the surrounding forest. After listening a while to their dismal cries, at times sounding viciously near, he began to think his outside position not the most desirable. Next to him lay a sleek fat German and getting up, Pugh crawled in on the other side of him, saying as he pushed the Teuton outward, "The Dutch- man first Mr. Wolf." The early settlers well remember how numerous the wolves were during the first few years, and how they made night hideous with their howlings. As a rule they were a small harmless kind, though, and so timid as to be seldom seen by day, and with the settling of the country they almost entirely disappeared.

The foreign elements which came to Blue Earth County in its pioneer days were not only tJirifty and honest but as a rule devoutly religious. The majority of the Germans belonged to the Catholic faith, and soon aifter their arrival they began to long for the worship of God after the custom of their fathers. As early as December 30, 1854, a few of the faithful oiies gathered at the log hotel of Clements Kron tj consider the founding of a Catholic congregation at Mankato. Among those present were: Micheal Hund, John Bruels, Philip Hodapp, Peter Schulte, Frank Borgmeier, David Heidwinkel, Peter Frenzel, Carl Prohnert, Anton Jacoby, Blasius Yobst, Clements Kron, Henry Sontag and Henry Vahle. In the spring of 1855 a church building lot was bought of P. K. Johnson for $300.00. The first mass in the county was read by Father A. Eavaux, the Indian missionary, on February 2nd, 1855, at the log cabin of Micheal Hund, where the worthy father was stopping over night. With the Winnebagoes came to the county a number of white employees connected with the agency. Most of these were of French extraction and largely Catholic in religion. Many of the Indians, also, belonged to that faith.

In the latter part of June, 1855, Bishop Joseph Cretin drove by team from his home in St. Paul to visit his Mankato flock, and on June 24th, 1855, celebrated the first public mass in Blue Earth County. It was held at a log cabin donated for the service of the church by Michael Hund, and located about a mile east of the present Mankato church on the Agency road. I'his service was a privilege greatly enjoyed by the Catholic brethren and they gathered from the Winnebago agency and from all parts of the county to hear the good bishop. He encouraged the Mankato congregation to build a church and a building committee was appointed, of which

John Bruels was secretary, and subscriptions obtained, and by the 22nd of July the work on the foundations of a stone church were begun. Ludwig Volz had the contract for the stone work and Gottfried Eobel for the lumber. Among the baptisms administered on this visit by the bishop were, Joseph Kron, the first white male child born in Mankato, and John B. Hodapp, now and for many prior years the City Eecorder of Mankato. About the first of August the very Eev. Francis De Vivaldi, apostolic missionary to the Winnebago Indians, held services at the agency.

In the train of the Winnebago Indians came a few men, who at once took a prominent place in the business affairs of the county. Among these were Isaac Marks, Asa White and Henry Foster. The last two located at the agency, but Mr. Marks opened a general store at Mankato, and for years the firm of White and Marks was the most prominent emporium of ti'ade in the county. In the spring of 1855 the U. S. government advertised for bids to construct the military road, surveyed by Captain Eeno in 1853 between Mendota and the Big Sioux river. Three contracts were let covering the portion of this road between South Bend and Mendota, and two went to Captain William Dodd of St. Peter, who on June 14th began work with sixty men and eight or ten yokes of oxen. The construction of this important highway greatly aided travel between our county and St. Paul.

About June 1, 1855, Morris Lewis and David A. Davis, located claims in the present town of Cambria and on the 12th of the same month, John E. Davis and family arrived, having come in a covered wagon from Illinois. He was the first actual settler in that town. He was soon followed by John Nicholson and family and George Gilley and family. In July, David J. Davis, David J. Williams, David Y. Davis and others located in the same town, then known as the Cottonwood settlement.

A Welsh preacher, named Eev. Eichard Davis, whose home had been at La Crosse, had done much to arouse the interest of the Welsh people in South Bend and Blue Earth County by articles in the periodicals of that nationality. In

July he removed to South Bend being the first minister to settle there. In June, John A. Jones, Evan and David J. Lewis returned to South Bend bringing their families and a number of their neighbors. Of this colony were, besides the families named Evan H. Evans, Hugh Edwards, William J. Roberts, John Pugh, Sr., Griffith Eoberts, Eobert R. Williams, Thomas J. Jones (Bryn Llys), and David Evans, all from Emmet near Watertovra, Wis. They came across the country by way of La Crosse and Rochester in eleven covered wagons with their families, household goods, farming implements and cattle, making a great company, so that David Lyon of La Crosse told D. C. Evans, who happened to be there a few days after they passed, that there were thousands of them. They were six weeks making the journey. A religious people, too, were they, who in all their weary journey did not forget the worship of God a single Sunday. Crossing the Mississippi opposite La Crosse on Saturday, they halted over the Sabbath, May 34, 1855, and had Eev. Richard Davis come across in a skiff and preach to them there in the wilderness. This was the first Welsh sermon in Minnesota, and probably the first west of the Father of Waters. Near the Straight river they were overtaken by a detachment dfi several hundred Winnebagoes from Wisconsin, on their way to their new reservation in Blue Earth County. The sight of KO many savages and the thought that they were to be such close neighbors, rather intimidated our immigrants and they halted some days in doubt whether to advance, retreat or go elsewhere. The majority concluded to go ahead and the others soon followed. Arriving at the top of the Main street hill overlooking Mankato, they adopted a novel method of letting their loads down the steep bluff. A number of trees were chopped down and one hitched behind each wagon. They answered the purpose of brakes most successfully. This colony located along Minneopa Creek.

On June 24, 1855, Rev. William Williams, a Baptist preacher from Big Rock, 111., visited South Bend and preached there the first Welsh sermon in Blue Earth County. About July 8th,

Eev. Richard Davis removed from La Crosse to South Bend and was the first Welsh minister to settle in the county. On the 1st of August, 1855, he organized at his own cabin in South Bend village the first Welsh church in the county. It was an Union church with five deacons and forty-three members. Rev. R. Davis was pastor; Edward Thomas, Sr., Secretary, and the Deacons were: Evan H. Evans, Evan Evans (Pant), William R. Price, William J. Roberts, and Edward Thomas, Sr. As far as known this was the first regular church in the county. Regular Sabbath services were held thereafter at South Bend village.

On August 31st, 1855, the First Presbyterian church of Mankato was formally organized by Rev. James Thomson at the Hanna residence, in the rear of the lot now occupied by the First National Bank. The following seventeen persons, each bearing a letter from an eastern church comprised the charter members of the new church: Maria H. Thomson, Juliet Thomson, Mary Ann Thomson, William H. Thomson, Amos D. Seward, Henry Schuler, Jonathan B. Stanley, Nancy Hanna, Margaret Ann Hanna, Sarah Jane Hanna, Cornelius Vannice, Susan Vannice, George C. Clapp, Marietta Clapp and Sarah Maxfield. A. D. Seward was chosen elder and was the only church officer elected for years. At the Methodist Episcopal conference held in June, 1855, Rev. Lewis Bell was appointed to have charge of preaching stations at ]\rankato, Le Sueur, Traverse des Sioux, Shakopee and Henderson, making quite an extensive parish. He preached his first sermon at Mankato on July 1st of that year.

On the evening* of July 4th, 1855, the opening of the Mankato House was duly celebrated with a big supper and ball to which the settlers gathered from far and near, and a royal time was had.

About August 1st, the Sioux Indians gave their new neighbors, the Winnebagoes, a great reception feast at Mankato, which in number of guests and the demonstrations held, far outdid the opening of the white man's wigwam. The streets, the woods, and the river literally swarmed for several days with these dusky denizens of the wilderness. Their e&stumes, consisting almost wholly of paint and feathers, were gorgeous. Their principle gathering place was in Warren and Van Brant's Additions. Four or more of the largest teepees were joined together to form the feast lodges. The sound of the tom toms and dance songs was scarcely hushed day or night. Our old settler friend, \Y. P. Coffin, remembers coming to Mankato during the days of this feast from his Eapidan claim. As all the pioneers well recall, cattle were much afraid of Indians, and would scent them from afar and run from them. Mr. Coffin had a pair of very young steers and the smell and. sight of so many Indians had put them in a quiver of excitement and terror. A mischievous young buck noticing the frantic behavior of the oxen slipped o-i his blanket and, with a yell that might have split Gibralter, smote them on the back. A modem runaway on Front street would have been a tame affair compared to what that thoroughfare then saw, and it took Mr. Coffin a long time to find his oxen and wagon again. In those early days the Indians were very numerous in the land and were regarded with much distrust and fear by the settlers before they became used to them. Frequently a number of dusky braves, much to the terror of the women and children, would come to a cabin, peer in at the window or door, walk into the room unbidden, and drawing their blankets about them, sit on the floor in a row against the wall, smoking their long stone pipes in silence. Then rising, by signs and Indian speech they would beg for something to eat, which usually would be given them if there was a morsel in the house, in order to get rid of them. After a while every settler provided himself with a good savage watch dog, which from religious veneration, the red man seldom killed. When on a drunken spree or when holding their wild dancing feasts, the Indians were very noisy and demonstrative, and often in the weary watches of the night would the poineers shudder as he heard the tumult of their revelry. One beautiful night in July, 1855, as Humphrey Jones, Thos. Y. Davis, Owen Eoberts and Morris Lewis were sitting in their newly finished cabin in the northwest corner of Judson, they were startled by the most blood curdling yells and shrieks and pounding of drums and firing of guns in the direction of an Indian camp, situated in the edge of the timber about a quarter of a mile distant. Eunning out they could see that the whole village was in the wildest commotion. Men and women running, leaping and yelling like raving demoniacs, and beating upon kettles and Indian drums, with a hubbub like pandemonium. Our friends, newly arrived from the coal mines of Ohio, spent a night of terror in their hut, expecting every moment to be murdered by the savages, who, all night long with unabated fury continued their hideous riot. Carried by the breeze the noise ever and anon seemed to approach close to the, cabin, then it would recede again. When morning came at last all was quiet and peaceful, and our four friends found their scalps had not been disturbed. During the day an Indian boy, disposed to cultivate the acquaintance of the palefaced strangers, paid them a visit, and of him they inquired the cause of the night's uproar. "Sick; so big" (measuring with his hand about two feet from the floor), was the laconic reply. They finally understood that a papoose had been taken very ill during the night and the savages thought that the Evil one was prowling around trying to steal its soul, and the noise was made to scare him away.

Another obnoxious occupant of the land, more numerous than the wolves or Indians, and much more aggressive in their hostility, were the mosquitoes. N'one but the oldest pioneers can form any idea of what a plague these pests were in the early days. The rank grass of the prairie, encircling so many lakes and sloughs, and the thick underbrush of the forests, with the many bogs, brooks and rivers, bordered by dense thickets, seemed a very paradise for these blood-thirsty little vampires. Should it be cloudy, one could hardly endure them during the day; but when evening came, the atmosphere was alive with them, a million to every cubic inch, and as ferociously hungry as though they had fasted for a year and a day. The rude huts of the settlers, without the many protecting

Thus amid Indians, wolves, mosquitoes and wild nature in general, our sturdy pioneer began the work of bringing the savage Wilderness into civilized subjection. A great work too itwas, much greater than we of today can ever appreciate. No houses, no lumber, no fields, no .fences, no farming implements, no seed, no schools, no churches, no highways, no bridges, no mills, no money, no food, no towns wherein to buy the necessaries of life, and no railway to bring in a few hours these things from afar; but with a slow ox team plodding through the tall grass of the prairie and the thick tangled underbrush of the unbroken forest, now fast in some bottomless slough, and having to carry on his back the load and the wagon out by piece meal, now descending at the peril of his neck into some ravine, and again with much labor climbing the steep precipice out of it, here having a narrow escape from drowning in attempting to ford a river, there almost dashed in pieces by the upsetting of the wagon over the precipitous edge of some narrow hillside trail, ever from one adventure and peril to anotber, on the long, long journev of one hundred miles to St. Paul after a little flour and provisions. Three week? are spent in going^ to this nearest market and back, without shelter from summer's heat and rain, and from winter's cold and stormy blast. TTp mav Tierish in the snow and storm, his family in the little bark roofed shantv mav perish from cold and hnnsrer. Then when in response to their hard toil the (rround bejran to vield her increase and their flocks to multiplv. there was no market for their little surnlus and for manv a year all their labor and sacrifice Yielded but scant reward. All honor to the sturdy nioneer! Wortbv are thev of lone remembrance! "NTohlv thev suffered, bravely they stma'a'led in the strife with savage nature and savage men. ninched bv novertv, around under the heal« of one advprsitv after another: vet with heroic faith and fortitude thev faced each foe ; and one hv one ere scarce the battle ceased, they fell covered with the scars of toil and hardship, leaving to us who follow the fruits of their glorious victory, in happy homes, fields smiling with cultivation, cities bustling with trade, churches, schools, manufactories, transportation facilities, a commonwealth rich and prosperous. The modern pioneer preceded by railroads, telegraphs and all the modem conveniences, knows little of pioneer life fifty years ago.

The year 1855 saw a number of settlements started in various parts of the county. We have seen how the Germans were occupying the timber farms of ilankato and Lime Township, how the Welsh colony from Emmett, - Wis., took possession of the county along Minneopa Creek, while Welsh immigrants from Ohio, Illinois, and Pennsylvania settled along the timber of the Minnesota in Judson and Cambria. Besides those we have already named, Eev. William Williams, a Baptist preacher, settled with his family on Judson Bottom. David T. Davis and family, Henry Hughes and family, Evan .T. Davis, and many others settled in Judson and Cambria this year. Just across the river from Judson village located David J. Williams (Bradford) and Evan Bowen and families. Later they moved into Blue Earth County.

We, also, noted how the previous year settlers had located along the Maple in Eapidan and near the junction of the Watonwan and Blue Earth. The year 1855 saw a number of accessions to the settlements on the Watonwan and the claims adjacent to that stream taken as far as Ceresco and Lincoln. Among the settlers of that year to locate in Garden City were: William P. Thompson and family, John C. Thompson and family, Joseph Derby and family, John Derby and family, John B. Skinner and family. James Gale and family, Edsort Gerry, Mr. Esmond, Georg-e Atwell. Gehiel Abar, David D. Hunter and family, Ithimer Town and family, Abraham Lvtle and family. J. H. Greenwood and Warren Greenwood. In Ceresco, Fellows D. Pease and William D. Gray had located in the summer of 1855, on the north side oi the Watonwan, a little above the mouth of Perch Creek. Mr. Gray kept a small store of Indian ffoods. In October of the same year A. B. Barney and D. K. Shaw made claims in

Ceresco, while Charles Barney at the same time settled in the northwest corner of Vernon Township. Other settlers who located in Vernon this year were Isreal Wing, James Taylor, Marquis L. Plumb, Eobert Marley, Zenas Scott, George M. Keenan, Joseph W. Darling, John A. Darling and Thos. Doke. These settled along the Blue Earth. In Shelby, besides Korman W. Jackson, his son Eli N. Jackson, son-in-law, Hiram Luddington, and Edward Brace, who made claims by Lakes Ida and Jackson, a number of people located this year along the Blue Earth. Among these were : Tobias Miller, John Doke, Wrn. Clark, Sanford Allen, Kasper, Geo. J. and Simon HofEman, Chas. C. Mack and Jesse Jdack, Eudolph, Joseph and William Crandall. In the summer of 1855, Verpucius A. Highland became the first settler in Sterling. He and his family drove across the country in a covered wagon, from Illinois, and located on sections three and four. He had brought with him a fine drove of cattle and the balance of the summer was largely taken up in putting up hay for the coming winter. As all hay in those days had to be cut with a scA-the and gathered with a hand rake, it was not an easy task to provide food enough for a herd of cattle to last a long Minnesota winter. Mr. Highland had finally got his hay all put up in stacks near his cabin. On the l-ith of October, the smoke of a big prairie fire rose in the southwest in the vicinity of Jackson Lake. The wind was blowing a hard gale from that direction and the grass was like tinder. Soon the hurricane of flame and smoke came leaping and bounding across the prairie straight for the Highland home and haystacks. Fortunately between them and the oncoming wave of fire was a strip of breaking. This bit of plowed land parted the wall of flame and it swept swiftly by on either side, lashed to fury by the wind, and leaving a trail of black desolation behind. But the grass was so dry and abundant that a fire now began working in from both sides in the rear of the plowed land, and every effort to extinguish it proved futile, and in a short time all that remained of the stacks of hay, which had cost such labor and on which so much depended, were three or four

Mr. Highland made a heroic struggle to save his cattle by procuring food for them wherever he could, but many of them perished. In those days when the vast illimitable prairies were covered with a rank, thick herbage, which in the many sloughs grew to the height of eight to twelve feet, a prairie fire in the fall of the year, when all was dry, was most dangerous. Driven by the high autumnal winds amid such abundant combustible material, nothing could stay its fury. With the roar and speed of the hurricane it sped over the plains, grand, majestic and terrible, like the burning of a thousand Eomes, and struck terror into the heart of the pioneer. Many a poor settler suffered from its rage. His fences, his sheds, his stacks of hay and grain, and sometimes his little cabin home and all, would in a few moments be swept away by this besom of destruction, leaving him and his family and stock stripped of everything against the winters cold and hunger. Every autumn the smoke of these fires would darken the sun, while nightly the sky would be lit by their glow. Far off on the distant prairies night after night the long seried ranks of shining flames could be seen. A beautiful picture, when the danger was eliminated, and one that haunts the memory of many a pioneer.

On August 20th, 1855, the election precinct of Eice Lake was created comprising all of the county lying south of the Le Sueur and east of the Maple rivers. Chas. Mansfield, A. W. Callen and Joseph L. Alexander were appointed its first election judges. On the same date the precinct of Watonwan was also formed, with Chas. Gilchrist, Orlin J. Westover and S. Titus Mills as Election Judges. It had for its boundaries the Maple river on the east, the county lines on the south and west, and the Township line between 107 and 108 for its northern limits.

On this same 30th of August occurred the second opening of bids for construction of the Big Sioux and Mendota road. The largest bid was for the construction of a bridge over the Blue Earth river between Mankato and South Bend, It called for a structure eighty feet long by sixteen feet wide, consisting of five spans, to be completed by May 1st, 1856. This important contract went to S. J. Frazier of St. Anthony, who sublet much of it to T. D. Warren of Mankato, and work was started during the fall and continued during tlae winter with a large force of men. The frame work of the bridge was all completed before the spring freshet, and the floor and railings put in place soon after. This was the first bridge of any importance constructed in Blue Earth County and was a great convenience to the settlers. It cost the government $10,000.

On the 9th of October, 1855, was held the third election in the county. The main question, which concerned Blue Earth County, was how to regain the territory, which Le Sueur had taken from it tlie previous winter.' The majority were of the opinion that P. K. Johnson was the best man to send to the Legislature for the purpose, because of his acquaintance at St. Paul and elsewhere through the territory at that time. He was accordingly elected with this special commission. For County commissioners, Theron Parsons was elected for the three year term and A. W. Callen for Babcock's unexpired term of one year. Mr. Callen having moved away never qualified, and on April 7, 1856, William E. Eobinson was appointed to fill the vacancy. The board consisted in 1856 of: Theron Parsons, Chairman, D. C. Evans and (after April 7th,) William E. Eobinson. The other officers elect were : Sheriff, Francis Bunker ; Eegister of Deeds, George H. Marsh ; County Treasurer, John 0- A. Marsh ; Judge of Probate, Minard Mills ; Surveyor, Basil l\Ioreland. At this election Mankato cast 86 votes. South Bend 31, Watonwan ?2, Eice Lake 27, making a total of 186 votes in the county. On August 2, 1855, the County Board had received a petition signed by Philander Prescott and many others asking for the establishment of two voting precincts, one at the Upper, and the other at the Lower Sioux Agencies. As these precincts were beyond the limits of Blue Earth Countv the Board doubted its iurisdiction in the matter and postponed action. On the twenty-seventh of the same month a petition was received from twenty-four legal voters of Brown

County, asking for an election precinct to comprise the territory between. Blue Earth County and the Sioux Eeservation and laying south of the Minnesota Eiver. This petition, though relating to a matter beyond the county's boundary, was granted. New Ulm was designated as the place at which the election should be held and August Kisling, Fredrick Bebberke, and Albert Behnke were appointed Judges of Election; and Henry Behnke was made Justice of the Peace and Ludwig Myer, Constable. At the October election both the New Ulm and Lower Sioux Agency precincts cast theii* ballots for the Territorial and Legislative candidates, which were canvassed among the Blue Earth County precincts. There were 45 votes at New Ulm and 24 at the Lower Agency. They did not vote for any county official.

The Autumn of 1855 saw the building of the two first school houses in the county, one at iiiankato and the other at South Bend. Both were rude log structures, but they answered the purpose in those early days. As there was no school tax raised for the purpose, the buildingf? were almost wholly erected by voluntary contributions. John S. Hinckley donated one lot and the Mankato Claim Company gave another for the site, being lots three and four in block thirtjr-eight of Mankato. Father Thomson and A. D. Seward took the lead in the erection of the building. Some were in favor of building a church, which could be used for school purposes during the week, but the majority favored the construction of a school house, which could be used for a church on Sunday. All worked with a will and the building was completed by the first of November. It was constructed of logs hewn on one side, which were laid to face inward. Its size was 24 feet bv 30 feet. It had a door in the middle of the south end and there were two windows on its east side and two on its west side. The ladies of the Presbyterian church had formed that summer an aid society and had collected a few dollars from suppers. These were expended in buying- window curtains and a stove for the new edifice, costing about twentv-five dollars. Hardly had the building been completed, when it was dedicated by a mass meeting to protest against the selling of liquor to Indians. A. D. Seward was chairman, and Henry Jackson, secretary. Speeches were made by Lewis Branson, Eev. Thomson, General Fletcher, the "Winnebago Agent, and others. Eev. Thomson, Theron Parsons, George Maxfield, Samuel Kitchen and John S. Hinckley were appointed a committee on resolutions.

It seems that a number of Winnebagoes had been to town and, getting drunk, had painted the village red. A sober Indian was not a desirable person, but a drunken one was a hundred times worse. Liquor seemed to fire all their fiendish propensities. The law was quite strict against selling any intoxicants to Indians, but there had been some flagrant violations, which had stirred the people up. On the morrow after this meeting the people turned out en masse and broke up all the liquor shops in town and poured the liquors into the streets.

For a brief period there was law enforcement at Mankato, but when the storm of righteous indignation was over, poor Lo moistened his tongue in fire water as before. The school house, soon after the exciting scenes ' of this reform were over, was put in charge of L. G. M. Fletcher, the first regularly emplo^^ed teacher in the county. The district only had $70.00 in its treasury. With this it hired Mr. Fletcher for two months at $35.00 per month, but he was so interested in the work that he donated his services for an extra month. There were thirty-seven scholars enrolled in this first regularly organized District School of the County.

The South Bend school house was started early in September, with Evan Evans (Pant) and William Francis in charge of its construction. Through lack of funds it was not completed until early in the winter. Like the Mankato building it served for educational and hall purposes during the week, and on Sunday it answered for a church. This school house was situated near the present residence of D. P. Davis in South Bend. The first school in South Bend had been taught during the summer of 1855 by Mrs. Joshua Barnard at her own home. A short term was held during the winter, with Edward Thomas probably as teacher. A literary and debating society was organized early in the winter at South Bend, which met regularly at the school house. D. C. Evans or Eev. Eichard Davis usually presided. It was a live organization in which every important question was discussed, with perhaps more earnestness than learning. But the whole country was interested, and came many miles with their ox teams, through snow, cold and darkness. Preaching services and Sunday schools were regularly observed there on the Sabbath.

D. C. Evans and W. E. Price erected a saw mill at the village, which they began to operate on the twenty-third of the following February, to the great convenience of the settlers in that vicinity. In connection with the saw mill they ran one set of burrs for grinding corn. On the 5th of February 1856 a post office was established at South Bend, with Matthew Thompson as postmaster.

In the Judson, or "Eureka" settlement as it was then called, Eev. Jenkins while on a visit on October 14th, 1855 organized a Congregational church with thirteen members at the log cabin of John Watkins. Their names were John

E. Davis and wife, David T. Davis and wife, William Jones and wife, David J. Williams and wife and daughter, Hannah, John Watkins and wife, Owen Eoberts and William C. Williams. On February 21st, 1856, Eev. E. Steele Peake, missionary for the Minnesota Valley of the Episcopal church, conducted the first service for that denomination in the county, at the Mankato log school house.

The assessors returned the total personal property of the county for 1855 at $40,000.00. The weather was very fine in 1855 until about the 18th of December when there was a sudden change to snow and cold and the year closed wHh a big blizzard. The balance of the winter was quite severe with much snow.