Blue Earth County, Minnesota - Chapter 9: The Jviapleton and Welsh Colonies and Other Settlements of 1856, 1901

Chapter 9: The Jviapleton and Welsh Colonies and Other Settlements of 1856

Claim jumping was one of the great evils of pioneer life. No neighborhood was free from it and nothing seemed so effective to stir up the baser passions of men. Friends were made bitter enemies. Communities, churches, societies of every nature, and even families were disrupted by the bitter dissensions engendered. Both the country and the villages suffered from the ravages of this pernicious evil. Mankato was particularly troubled by it and titles there were unsettled for years. We have already seen how the ownership of the old Mankato Claim Company began to be disputed as early as 1853 by Warren and Van Brunt. Later, rival townsite companies were formed, who questioned the old company's right to any of the land. Various private individuals took possession of any unoccupied lots they could find. Years of litigation followed in which the old company , for the most part were successful, but their victory proved a very barren one in a financial way. An important step in the final settlement of titles at the county seat, occurred on January 25th, 1856, when Hon. A. G. Chatfield as Judge of the District Court entered the townsite for tlie old company, under the occupying Claimant's Act. Under the entry a patent was issued en August, 1857, by the government to the judge in trust for the occupants of the several lots in the townsite.

The fight against the location of the Winnebagoes in the county was still kept up during the winter of 1855-6, and numerously signed petitions were sent to the State Legislature to induce it to send a memorial to Congress in the matter. The settlers who had located upon lands within the reservation limits, before the coming of the Indians, still clung to their claims. All their protests and memorials however, were of no avail and some abandoned their farms in the fall of 1855, while in the spring of

1856 all the rest were obliged to vacate their homes and move off the reserve, except Isaac Andrus and Truman Andrus, who made so vigorous a fight that the officials did not evict them until the spring of 1857. Twenty-one homesteaders in all were thus driven from their claims. Nearly all had comfortable log dwellings, outbuildings and few acres of land plowed and fenced into fields. Soon after their vacation the Winnebago chiefs went into occupation of these buildings and the squaws planted corn in the fields. The government finally paid the settlers for their improvements. The Van Brunt saw miU was within the reservation, and was appropriated for the use of the agency. Mr. Van Brunt had died in January, 1856, but his heirs were paid for the mill in December, 1858. Basil Moreland was the only settler whom the government did not settle with. He had located in the spring of 1854 on the Blue Earth rapids, just above the present Eapidan Mill, which was considered the most valuable water power in the county. He had built a good house, and in 1856 tendered the government pay for the land. This was refused because it was part of the Winnebago Agency, and Mr. Moreland evicted in the fall of 1856. The government was willing to pay him for his improvements, but nothing for his land, with its valuable water power. Mr. Moreland it is said had been offered $25,000.00 for his claim, and while in possession of the Indians, the government was offered $1,000.00 a year for a thirty year lease of the big water power. Hence, Moreland thought it very unjust to be deprived of so valuable a property without any compensation, and hence refused any offer of settlement for his mere improvements. In the fall of 1861 he managed to legain possession of his claim in spite of the Indians Agent. In 1862 he came very near getting a patent for his land. Caleb Smith, the Sec- retary of the Interior, had ordered it granted, diana. The plat has one block marked "Railand the patent had actually been issued and way station grounds," another block is designatsent to the local land office for delivery, but ed 'School house square," while a tract of 12.57 his first entry upon the land, Moreland was M. Stephens, William J. Chamberlain and Arawarded $2,213.00 by the government in set- del D. Pinkerton. Other settlers of Shelby this most of his life. He was then an old man and Hosea S. True, Milton T. Walbridge, Orliving in Southern California. lando and Eichard B. Smith, Bennoney Far-

But to return to the events of 1856. On ley, John L. Samson, William Gregory, Henry February 23rd of this year a meeting was held 11. Case, Asa P. Jacobs, Milton Eoss, Francis at Mankato to agitate the question of a mail H. Seward, William and George H. Bobbins, route between Mankato and Winona, and re- Anthony Eitterbush, Magnus Eice, Noble G. solutions were sent to Washington requesting its Eoot, Abbington Parrett, John McCabe, Edmund establishment. On February 28th P. K. John- Kingsland, Alexander Kennedy, Chas. P. Hutchson succeeded in having the Legislature pass an ins, Josiah N. Cheney, Eeuben Barrot, Levi Act restoring to Blue Earth county the south Calhoon and many others. About the same time half of townships 109 in ranges 25 and 26, be- Eev. James Hindman, Hiram Biglow, Chas. ing the territory comprised in the present Wheaton, John Kimble, Thomas J. Thorp and Jamestown and Lime. The act took efiect the some others settled over the line in Pleasant first of the following June and fixed perma- Mound. The year 1856 in fact saw all the denently the northern Jboundary of the country. sirable claims along the Blue Earth river and

In October, 1855, Eev. John W. Powell, a Jackson lake in Shelby taken. Methodist minister from Shelbyville, Indiana, In the winter of 1854-5 a school teacher, townsite, which was to be platted in the midst ol the new settlement^ which was certain of being a big town; and having a well settled communit}' at once, instead of the isolation incident to the ordinary pioneer life.

Mr. Murphy had organized a similar colony before, and therefore had experience, besides a natural gift in that direction. During his summer vacation he made a trip through the west in quest of a suitable location. He reported in favor of Southern Minnesota, but did not determine upon the particular locality. During the winter of 1855-6, it was found that Robert Taylor, who had become a member of the Association, was but recently returned from Southern Minnesota, where he had in 1852 planted the "Rolling Stone Colony" above Winona. He was at once delegated to proceed to Southern Minnesota, and spy out the best location for this new colony. He went to the Crow iiiver country first and was inclined to take the colony there for a time. Then he came to Blue Earth County and with the aid of L. G. M. Fletcher, who had helped make the survey, stlected the lands along the ilaple river and around Lura Lake, in Sterling and Mapleton Townships, where as yet there were only two or t]iree settlers. These were all in Sterling, and comprised, besides V. A. Highland, his two brothers-in-law, Barnabas W. Simmons and Horace M. De Wolf, who were located just north of Sterling Center. They were all originally of New England stock, and Simmons had located first on October 11th, 1851, just across the line in Section 33 of Lyra. Mr. De Wolf came to Sterling in 1855 and claimed in sections 9 and 10. In the fall of 1855 a Dr. Hiram Harrington had made a claim in section 22 of Sterling and put up the logs for his shanty and gone back to his old home in Iowa for the winter. He returned to his claim in the spring and lived there for a time.

Through its advertising the colony had attracted much attention and its membership was drawn from nearly all the northern states though the majority were from New York. From a list preserved by Gilbert Webster, the last secretary of the Association, it seems there were 239 persons entitled to the benefits of the society (see foot note for names). The main body of the colony left New York about the middle of April, 1856. They contracted with the railroad to carry them to Dunleith, opposite Dubuque, Iowa, for $11.75 apiece for adults and half that price for children. There were six carloads of people, and their baggage filled six other cars. Dunlieth was then the nearest point to Minnesota reached by the railroad. Our colonists crossed the river to Dubuque, where a meeting was held to explain away some misunderstanding-s, which had risen between some of the members and the ofEicers. A grocery association was also formed here, which purchased $2,000.00 worth of provisions. Committees were appointed to secure wagons and other farm implements for such of the colony as wanted them. Many of the colonists especially from Illinois, Indiana and Iowa made the trip overland with wagons and stock. The main body of the colony, after completing all necessary arrangements at Dubuque, embarked on the City Belle for St. Paul, and thence to Mankato on the Eeveille. The latter was a good sized boat for the Minnesota, still it was well crowded, since the party numbered over 300 persons, men, women and children. A St. Paul paper of that date states that there were 350 adults and 90 children in the party. Early on the morning of Monday, the 5th day of May 1856, they landed in Mankato, the largest company of immigrants, which had arrived at one time in the state. Luckily they were not dependent on the accommodations of the village, which were far too limited for such overwhelming numbers. They had brought with them several tents, which they pitched along the levee. Soon after their arrival one of their number named Wall, died, and was buried near the river bank below Main street. Like most all the rest of the company he was a young man, who had come west to seek his fortune. Years later the river cut into the bank, exposing his coffin, and the remains were removed to the old cemetery below town. After spending a few days awaiting their conveyances our colonists started for the promised land, which Mr. Taylor had selected. They followed the old trail by the site of Ft. Le Huillier, but there was a freshet tu the Le Sueur river so the teams could not ford it. A number of the men crossed in canoes and continued their journey on foot carrying their bedding and provisions on their backs. Passing through Eapidan and Lyra and using the cabins of the evicted settlers for stopping places, they reached Mr. Highland's home, on the south boundary of the reservation, on the second day. They gazed with longing eyes upon the beautiful country they passed through, but it all belonged to the wards of Uncle Sam. At last, however, they had reached their land of

Promise. All that fair and fertile region along the Maple and about Lake Lura, South of the Agency line^ was the rich inheritance they had been seeking. Through the aid of L. G. M. Fletcher, who had accompanied them for the purpose (as he had been on the government survey), they blocked out the land into claims of 160 acres each. Only 65 claims could be found having the required amount of timber. Three of the head ofEicers were allowed the first pick. The rest of the claims were numbered and divided by lot, but as there were 139 persons present entitled to claims, more than half the tickets were blanks. The result was great dissatisfaction. Many who drew good claims were young men without families, whose only purpose was speculation, while many heads of families drew blanks. A general row followed and much claim jumping. Most of the disappointed scattered, some went into the timber country near j\lankato, others crossed the line into Faribault County and elsewhere, while quite a number returned home disgusted. The northwest quarter of section seven of Mapleton and the northeast quarter of section twelve of Sterling were chosen for the townsite, which was surveyed and platted July, 1856, by M. B. Haynes, a young civil engineer, who was a member of the colony. It was named "Mapleton" after the ilaple river. The plat was signed by Eobert Taylor, James Cornell and John Mund as proprietors. The town lots were divided among all the members by a drawing. Nothing came of the townsite project, and the land was jumped in a short time by two enterprising claim hunters.

In April, 1856, Uriah Payne had located a claim in Sections seven and eighteen in Mapleton township, probably the first claim taken in that town. He then returned to Wisconsin to prepare for moving to his new home. There he fell in with a colony of settlers from Fond du Lac, who were drifting westward in quest of new homes. They were Ira Annis, wife and five children and ]iis sister now (Mrs. J. W. Sprague) , Azra Annis and wife, Asa P. Sherman, wife and two children, E. B. Hall, wife and one child, Eussell Franklin, wife and one child, Charles Durkee and Jonathan Holbrook. The company, including Mr. Payne and his three sons, comprised

25 souls, and were conveyed in six or seven covered wagons, all but one, drawn by oxen. As the colony had no special destination, Mr. Payne piloted them towards his claim on the Maple. At Owatonna a halt was made, while a few of the men went forward with Mr. Payne in a light wagon, drawn by the only span of horses in the company, owned by Ira Annis. After viewing the country on the Maple all were well pleased with it and returned after their families. The party finally reached the Maple on June 20th and settled in Mapleton and Sterling. They were soon joined by Joel Holbrook. This company observed their first Independence day with a celebration at their tent. Guns were fired. Captain E. B. Hall delivered an oration, and the best dinner possible was served. Emil Buecard and family, also, settled in the present town of Mapleton the same summer.

In the counties of Jackson and Gallia, Ohio, there was a large ^^^elsh settlement, which had emigrated mostly from Cardiganshire, Wales. They were mostly farmers, but their Ohio location was ill adapted for that calling, as it was a very rugged and sterile country.

Iron ore was discovered in. the hills and a number of the farmers united into a company under the name of "Jefferson Furnace" to manufacture iron. In those anti-bellum days ihere was little demand for iron, and our farmer stock holders saw no dividends, and were becoming doubtful if they ever should see any of the capital they had invested, as the company's indebtedness amounted to $75,000.00. They had read Eev. Eichard Davis communications in the Welsh periodicals regarding the fertile farm lands of Minnesota. Edward Thomas of South Bend had lived among them for a time, and his personal letters increased their interest in the new Welsh settlement in Blue Earth County.

On October 8th, 1855, a delegation of six persons arrived at South Bend from Jackson, Ohio, to inspect the country. Their names were David P. Davis, Sr., John I. Jones, Thomas Jones (Cooper), Eichard Morgan, Evan Williams and James Morgan. They were greatly pleased with the beauty of the land and the fertility of its soil. After investing in some lots in South "f^?nd for fear they would be aU gone by spring, they returned after their families, and to bring a favorable report to their neighbors. The result was that by the spring of 1856 a large number of Welsh people from Jackson and Gallia Counties were ready to emigrate. They started in April, from Portsmouth, Ohio, down the Ohio river and thence up the Mississippi to St. Paul on the steamer "Granite State."' They reached the latter place only a few hours later than the Mapleton colony, but were obliged to tarry there three or four days before they could get a boat up the Minnesota. They finally bargained with Captain Samuel G. Cabbell to take them in his boat, "H. T. Yeatman." The colony numbered 121 souls and with their baggage made a fair sized load.

The Yeatman was a stern wheeler, rather large for the Minnesota river, and this was her first trip on this stream. Though the water was high the boat had much difficulty in making ihe many sharp curves. Her smoke stacks were knocked down by overhanging trees, and her sides scratched, so her progress was necessarily slow. At last the tired passengers were all landed safely at the South Bend levee on Saturday the 10th of May, 1856, almost one month after leaving their Ohio liomes.

The hospitality of the village in spite of all prior preparations was taxed to the limit, to accommodate such a crowd. Three or four families occupied the log school building, and every house and shanty was packed to the attic. They were a religious people who had not failed to observe a single Sabbath on their long and weary journey. The first Sunday after their arrival, an open air meeting was held in a grove beside a small pond called "Llyn Tegid." Kev. Eichard Davis preached, and the hymns of old AVales were sung with much zest and gladness in this God's first temple.

Most of the workmen employed on the government bridge, just completed over the Blue Earth, were young fellows from St. Paul and elsev/here, who had no intention of taking claims in Blue Earth County. Hearing that a b^'g Welsh colony was due in South Bend in a few days, they concluded that here was a fine opportunity for speculation in land. They accordingly scattered through the country and took possession of every desirable tract of land they could find and, when the colonists arrived, they asked them $300.00 per claim for their right. The Welsh anxious to settle in one neighborhood so as to secure the religious and social privileges to which they had been accustomed. Weeks were spent by them tramping over the country looking for suitable claims, but between the squatters and the Indians the desirable land had all been appropriated. About one fourth of the colony at last went to Le Sueur County and took claims there in Sharon and Cleveland Townships. The squatters at last began to get impatient, as they had no thought of even filing on their claims, and they sold for whatever they could get. Our colonists now settled mostly in the vicinity of South Bend and Minneopa Creek, and in Cambria Township. Among the latter were Dr. David Davis, and his sons David, John and Peter S. Davis, Darid P. Davis, Sr., and his sons Daniel, John, David and Eben P. Davis, David Price and family, John Walters and his sons, John, Stephen, and David Walters, and his sons-in-law, William P. Jones and Thos. D. Lloyd, and Eichard Morgans and his sons, James, Isaac and William Morgans. Among those who located in the vicinity of Minneopa Creek were : Isaac Woods, and his son Walter A. Woods, Evan Williams and his son, William B. Williams, Thomas J. Jones, (Cooper) and his son David J. Jones, and John I. Jones, and his family.

About July 1st, 1856, Eev. Jenkin Jenkins arrived and located in Cambria Township, then called the Cottonwood Settlement, and took charge of the Congregational church. Practically all the colonists from Jackson and Gallia Counties, Ohio, were Calvinistic Methodists, and on July 3rd, a church of that denomination was organized in Cambria, at the log cabin of David P. Davis, by Eev. Eichard Davis, with about 22 members. It was called "Horeb" after a church to which most of the membership had belonged in Jackson.

On July 7th, 1856 a new election precinct was organized comprising the territory now embraced in the Townships of Shelby and Pleasant Mound and Koble, G. Eoot, James McCannahan and A. B. Parrot appointed Judges of Election; A. B.

Parrot, Justice of the Peace, Wm. A. Clark, Constable, and Horton Nelson, Eoad Surpervisor. It was named "Shelby" at the suggestion of Eev. J. W. Powell after "Shelby, Indiana." On July 9th, 1856 the seventh election precinct in the county was created, called "Mapleton," after the Maple Eiver. It embraced the present Townships of Sterling, Mapleton and Danville and its first ofEicers were: Judges of Election: Vespucius A. Highland, James Cornell and 0. E. Marsh, Justices of the Peace, Robert Taylor and Albert A. We>isells, Constables, John Dixon and James Dobin, Road Supervisor, Wm. Wildes. The same territory was on the same date made into a school district and numbered 5.

The year 1856 saw the coming of the first settlers into the present town of Danville. Hector Sharp is generally accredited to have been the first settler. He located in section 27 in Jlay, 1856 and a month later came Nicholas J. Kremer, who had been living at Wabasha, Minn., about a year, and with him came Francis and Bernhard Phillips, George Mosser and Micheal Schaller. The Phillipses and Mosser were from Erie County N. Y., while the Kremers were from Fon Du Lac, Wis. They built their first cabin in Danville together in June 1856, on the Phillips claim in section thirty-four. Francis Phillips, Sr., Joined them about the first of September, and John Kramer, Sr., and his wife and their three sons, Peter, J. P. and John arrived in October. All lived in the same cabin for a short time. In October came also William Larabee and his son, Samuel Larabee and wife and four children. During the same summer and fall came Isaac Sherman, Nelson Gray, Stephen. Kelly, Noadiah W. Towne, Ahijah H. and Amos Chambers, John and Josiah Rogers. All these located along the Big Cobb river, which passed diagonally through the town of Danville, and is fringed with a narrow belt of timber.

On a former page we spoke of Edson Gerry m.aking a claim on the Watonwan in the fall of 1854 in company with George Lamberton, Edward Thomson and others. This claim has quite a history, a brief outline of which we shall now give.

music teacher by profession. The claim he took in Blue Earth county was the Northwest quarter of section twenty-six of Garden City, township, the site of the present village of that name. He put up a log claim shanty near where the Baptist Church now stands. Finding there were a number of excellent water powers on his claim he conceived the idea of founding a city thereon and utilizing the water power for mills and factories. He also procured to be entered by third parties two other quarter sections adjoining on the east and south, which he paid for and had conveyed to him later. In the spring of 1855, he built a log house on the claim in the Northeast quarter of section twenty-six, which had been preempted by him in the name of Elizabeth Olds, and broke quite a tract of land. This sujnmer occurred the first known cyclone in this locality. It unroofed his house and uprooted a strip of large oak timber across his claim and along the Watonwan. As he had used his preemption right in Wisconsin, Mr. Gerry knew he could not hold, or prove up on his original claim himself. So in the fall of 1855 he returned to his Berlin house and procured a mulatto named, Nelson W. Askins, a musical acquaintance of his at Berlin, to go with him to Garden City and make the necessary filing and payment to secure a patent for the land, and then on January 23, 1856 had Askins convey the title to Gerry's brother-in-law. Rev. Anthony Case, a Baptist minister, then of Fox Lake, Wis.

At this time there resided at Boston, Mass., one Samuel M. Folsom, who had been engaged in a large mercantile business, but had recently failed. His stock was sold by the trustee to one Farnsworth, who was friendly to Folsom, and the latter managed thus to save a few thousand dollars from the wreck of his fortune. Early in 1856 Mr. Gerry happened on one of his trips to meet Folsom, who pretended to be quite a capitalist and manufacturer. The two men soon entered into a verbal agreement, whereby Gerry was to cause to be deeded to Folsom a three fifth interest in his townsite on the AVatonwan in consideration of the latter putting in several thousand dollars capital for its development. Accordingly Mr. Folson took possession of the claim early in June 1856, and on the 15th of that month had Mr. A. D. Seward survey and plat the land into a townsite, under the name "Fremont." This plat was signed by Anthony Case as nominally the sole owner.

Hardly had the town been platted when Benjamin H. Seabujy brought a few groceries in a covered wagon and opened the first store there in a tent. In a few days he sold out to Josiah N. Cheney, Lyman C. Harrington and Emery Z. Harrington, who were originally from the same place in Vermont, and had been in the mercantile business together at Manitowac, Wis. This business they had just disposed of before coming to Fremont in June 1856. Cheney stayed in charge of the new store, while the Plarringtons returned to Manitowac to bring the families and goods to their new home on the Watonwan. Lyman C. Harrington and his wife's brother, William H. Watts, drove across the country in a wagon from Manitowac to Fiemont, where Harrington and Cheney engaged in business for a number of years. The Harringtons were brothers of Dr. Harrington of Mankato, and L. C. Harrington and Cheney ivere brothers-in-law.

About the middle of September Mr. Folsom began the construction of a mill dam across the Watonwan, but did not put up the mill until the next year. In the fall of 1856 Eri P. Evans, a Boston acquaintanije of Folsom, whom the latter induced to join him in this Western enterprise, removed to the new town and at once began to take active part in its development. He started a small store, had a postofEice created at Fremont, and himself appointed as its first postmaster. The same fall witnessed the building of another mill dam on land adjoining the Townsite on the west. John Dilley, George W. Atwell and Jehiel Aber were the parties interested in this enterprise. Others who located in Fremont in 1856 were Amos Warner, J. H. Preston, John B. Skinner, Jeduthan P. and Albert M. Kendall, James G. Thompson and others whose names we did not learn.

1856, by a Methodist preacher from Kasota, named Eev. Theophilus Drew. This cabin of Mr. Thompson was built by him on his claim in 1854 and was close by the village of Fremont. It was known in the early day as the "Boarding House" where many young unmarried men made their home. It was prominent in all the early history of the village and community. A Sabbath school was organized at this house early ia the fall of this year with fifteen scholars. E. P. Evans was its energetic superintendent. In October Eev. Case paid the townsite a visit, and during his stay of three or four weeks held regular preaching services. The same fall Eev. B. Y. Coffin preached to a few settlers at the cabin of S. T. Mills. The first move in an educational way was a petition to the County Commissioners for a school district, which was granted on October 20, 1856, to embrace the following territory: Commencing at the northwest corner of section 18, 107, 28, thence east six miles, thence south four miles, thence west six miles, thence north four miles. It was designated No. 10. In the fall of 1856 the first school was taught by Thaddeus Wright in the cabin of Edson Gerry. About this time a school meeting was held at the house of J. C. Thompson, when it was determined to erect a log school house in the village. This was finished during the winter, and the first school taught in it by John S. -Daggett.

The first saw mill on the Watonwan was built in the fall of 1856 by Neri P. Hoxie and Erastus Conklin, on the site afterwards occupied by the Butterfield Mill. James H. Greenwood and J. Williston Greenwood helped to construct and operate this mill. Beside it the following summer was built the first bridge over the Watonwan. Other settlers of Watonwan Township (now Garden City) in 1856 were Frank and Eeuben H. Thurston, Patrick Eooney, James Glynn, and many others.

At the general election, held on October 14, 1856, Blue Earth County cast 227 votes, divided among the seven precincts as follows: Mankato 113, South Bend 41, Watonwan 13, Mapleton 6, Eice Lake 19, Shelby 13, Judson 22. Politically the county went Eepublican for the first time in its history by a small majority.

Histoky Of Blue Eaeth Couxty

Mankato and Eice Lake remained strongly Democratic, but all the other precincts cast almost an unanimous Free Soil vote. Dr. P. P. Humphrey, (Republican) of Kasota received 37 majority for Senator, and S. Kenworthy, of Le Sueur, and E. Iv. Bangs, of South Bend, (both Eepublicans) received fair majorities for the Legislature, but as the district included a number of other counties they failed of election. A. D. Seward, (Eep) won as County Treasurer over J. Q. A. Marsh (Dem) by only six votes, while E. Howe (Eep) beat L. Branson (Dem) for District Attorney by only two votes. William Sargent (Dem) for Eegister of Deeds, E. D. Bruner (Dem) Probate Judge, Francis Bunker (Dem) Sheriff, George W. Cummings (Dem) Clerk of Court, were apparently elected without opposition. Mathew Thompson (Dem) of South Bend and Eobert Patterson (Eep) of Judson were chosen County Commissioners.

Thus far the County possessed no jail or county building of any sort. Offices were rented at Mankato in such vacant buildings as could be found. The townsite proprietors had donated on their plat an entire block for such buildings, but as yet it Avas covered by its original forest. We have seen how the County Commissioners as early as March 6th, 1854, had designated this block 50 of Mankato as the location of the future court house by resolution, but no move looking to the actual use of the spot was made until July 10th 1856, when a resolution was passed by the Board to erect a court house and jail. At their meeting of October 21st, 1856, it was determined to abandon the building of the court house '^because of the lateness of the season," but, because of "urgent necessity," it was decided to proceed with the building of a jail at once according to the specifications given. The contract was, on ITovomber 1st, 1856, let to Francis Bunker, the Sheriff, for $900.00, and this first county building was duly completed and accepted by the board on January 7th, 1857. The jail was 12-20 feet on the inside and 10 feet high. It was built of hardwood timber, hewed eight inches square, mth floor and ceiling of three inch oak plank. It was divided into two cells by a three inch oak plank partition. A door of the same material opened into a hall 4x6 feet, and a door from this hall led to each cell. At the farther end 01 each cell was a small iron grated window and a grated window was put into the partition. In front of the jail proper ^Aas erected a frame building 12x14 feet and of same height as jail. This building was plastered and painted and divided into three rooms, a bed room, pantry and sitting room and kitchen combined for use of the jailer.

The valuation of the personal property in the county as returned by the assessors in June, 1856, was $141,377.50 and the tax rate was fixed at 214 per cent.

We have already noted how the various communities were beginning to bestir themselves along educational and religious lines. On April 8th, 1856 School District No. 4 was created embracing the present toM'ns of Judson, Cambria and Butternut Valley. July 9th of the same year the territory covered by the present towns of Sterling, Mapleton and Danville, was set apart as School District No. 5. On October 6 the present town of Cambria was divided into three School Districts, two of them numbered six and seven, and the other left undesignated. On the same date the west half of Lime was made into District No. 8, and the South two miles of Judson and the north two miles of Garden City into District No. 9. On October 20th v/e saw the organization of the Fremont or Garden City District as No. 10, and on the same date School District No. 11 (Shelbyville) was created, with the following boundaries :- commencing at the northeast corner of section thirteen of Shelby Township, thence west six miles, thence south four miles, thence east six miles, thence north four miles. Mankato and South Bend were the only points in the county in which schools were actually kept in 1856 as far as known.

On December 10th, 1856, Judson Townsite was platted by Eobert Patterson and John Goodwin, according to a survey made by Anthony D. ]\rcSweeny. The proprietors were Baptists, and named their prospective city, as well as the township, after the missionary hero of their church. Before the close of 1856 set- tlements had been started in every township in the county, where settlers were permitted. The big Indian reservation was, however, forbidden territory, into which no white man could enter. The Germans continued to come in large numbers into the village and township of Mankato and their vicinity. Among the number were: Stephen Lamm, Henry Himmelman, Wm. and Jacob Bierbauer, Mathias Ulman, Gottlieb Schmidt, Henry Guth, J. William Hoer, George Peter Hoerr, H. L. Gude, John A. Arnold, Henry Mohr, Jacob PfafE, Frederick Heinze and his sons : Theodore, Eobert G., Charles A., Frederick E., and Ferdinand G., Philip Mueller, John Eausch and his sons Jacob and Joseph C, Henry Schwarble, Anton Schipple, Joseph Krause, Jacob Traub, Henry Heinzman, Ur. A. G. Dornberg and a host of others. Besides the prominent Germans mentioned the village of Mankato added to its citizens this year a number of men, who were destined to play a very important part in its future development among whom were : John A. Willard, Aaron K. Diikes, John J. Shaubut, Father Y. Sommerisen, Dr. Wm. E. McMahan, Isaac Marks, (who located at the Agency the year before, but this year opened a store at Mankato) Dr. Wm. F. Lewis, Dr. M. 0. Wickersham, Clinton B. Hensley (the first editor). Dr. Eeuben J. Sibley, James E. Tinkcom, Daniel H. Tyner and William Irving. South Bend, also, received an important accession this year, in the firm of Bxstrom and Brown from La Crosse. The Tivoli neighborhood, on the line between Mankato and Le Eay Townsliips, began to be settled this year. In April, 1856, came Moses 0. Bennett and his brotherin-law, Hollis Whitney, from Kenosha, Wis. Mr. Bennett was a man above the average in ability and force of character. He also was the father of a large family of grown up sons and daughters, most of whom settled in the same neighborhood. Mr. and Mrs. Bennett removed to their new home in June, and with them came their son-in-low. Captain Euegg and wife. Their sons Nathan and George Bennett came by team across the country. In October of the same year arrived their other children; Edward, Charles, Lewis, Levi, Caroline (Mrs. Harvey) and Adna (Mrs. Ciarpenter). With them also came Hollis

Whitney and family, Henry B. Lane, wife and mother, David Davis and wife and son, Thomas E. Davis, and Mr. and Mrs. George Corp and three children. These journeyed from Wisconsin in seven covered wagons, spending five weeks on the road. Mr. Corp, being a blacksmith, located at Winnebago Agency, but the rest settled in the vicinity of Tivoli. Mr. Bennett was soon impressed with the need of a saw mill in his new forest home, and concluded to erect one as soon as possible. He accordingly began the construction of a dam on the Le Sueur that fall. About the same time came Captain X. W. Dickinson and family and located on Hoosier Lake in Mankato Township.

Another important acquisition to this neighborhood was the Burgess family, who arrived in the fall of this same year and settled just across the line in Le Eay. John F. Burgess was a man of ability and character and had a large family of grown up children, who made claims in the same vicinity. He was a member of the Christian church and his son, William Burgess, often preached for that denomination. During the summer of 1856, Eev. Elias Clark, a young Congregational minister from Berkshire County, ilass., took up a claim near Tivoli. He had intended to start a Congregational church at Mankato, but found the field occupied by Father Thomson, a Presbyterian (the Home Missionary Society of both churches then being united). The Bennetts and their many relatives and neighbors in the Tivoli neighborhood belonged to the Congregational faith, having come originally from near Oberlin, Ohio, and Eev. Clark might have been of service to this new community, but very unwisely he at once incurred the enmity of Mr. Bennett and his family, by jumping a claim the old gentleman was trying to hold for one of his boys, then on the way from Wisconsin. After a few months Eev. Clark departed for a new field, but kept his claim for laany years. Besides the Burgess, Davis and Lane families, the country now embraced in the township of Le Eay saw a number of worthy people locate within its border. Among these were: George A. and Michael Beiries, Alexander and James Doughlass, Michael D. McNamara, William Morris, George Chapman, Eobert Has- lip, Alyin P. Reynolds, August Glockzin, Conrad Schogel, Wm. Gilfillan, Patrick Madigan, Joseph Schlingerman, George P. Lill and many others, whose names we have not learned, or who only stayed a few months. Jamestown, also had a large influx of settlers during this same year. It is claimed that John Heron was the first settler in this township locating in the fall of 1855, near Lake Wita. Others say Enoch G. Burkhurst and Henry "W. Hodges were the first and that they came in 1S.").J. All three families must have come in 1855 or at least very early in 1856, but Heron seems to have located in Lime. On May 16th 1856 the families of Albert A^olk, Charles Doran and Lawrence Bryne took claims in the vicinity of Lake Washington. The same year came the families of Lawrence, Patrick and Margaret Smith. In September came Alvin P. Davies and family. Others who settled in Jamestown this year were: James P. Ballatine, a school teacher after whom Lake Ballantine was named, Patrick Mullen, Timothy, Thomas, John and Michael Murtaugh, Bowater Summer, Hiram Wentworth, Solon Webster, James P. Westlake, John Spencer, Abner Shearer, John and Owen ]\Ieigen, Patrick McGrath, Dennis L. Maher, Andrew C. Powble and Paul Pasnacht. About the same time Samuel Kerlinger and i\Iicliael B. Parrel with their families made their homes in the same locality.

In fact, there ^-as hardly a claim in or near the timber in Blue Earth county, outside of the Indian Agency, which by the end of 1856, had not been taken by some settler.

The year 1856 had been fairly good for steamboat trafl'ic on the Minnesota. There had been 207 arrivals from that river at the St. Paul levee, an increase of ninty-eight over the previous year. The boats engaged were the Equator, Reveille, Globe, Wave, Minnesota, Clarion, Time and Tide, Berlin and H. T. Yeatman. These boats made Mankato on the majority of their trips and many went as far as Ft. Eidgely and some to Yellow Medicine. The transportation of goods and supplies by the gn\-ernment to the Indian Agencies and Port Ridgely had greatly stimulated the steamboat business on the ilinne- Bota. This increase of trade and traveling facilities, together with the money brought into the country for payment of annuities and purchase of furs were about the only benefits to the settlers from their Indian neighbors, while the disadvantages were many.

The winter of 1856-7 was a memorable one in the history of the country, and the impression its rigors made upon the settlers of Minnesota, then poorly sheltered, poorly clothed, and poorly fed, has not been entirely effaced to this day. The winter of 1855-6 had been quite long and severe, but it fell far short in length, depth of snow, intensity of cold, and frequency of storms, to this its successor. It began in the latter part of October. On December 1st, 1856, one of the "svorst snow storms ever known in our northwest set in, and continued without any abatement for three days and nights, until the ground was covered to the depth of two feet or more, on an average. ^Vfter this, one snow storm followed another in quick succession, while the blizzards filled the time between. The snow lay piled in mountain heaps; many of the big drifts being fifteen to twenty feet in depth. The snow and cold continued through all of April. Even on May 9th, there was a hard snow storm and the cold so great that sun dogs appeared. During all of May and paiily into June the fnow clung to some hillsides facing north, and even in July remains of huge drifts were found in deep, wooded glens, secluded from the sun. No wonder the settlers thought the Minnesota winters were long and cold, and that their dread fell upon the whole country.

Since July 1st, 1856, a mail route had been established between Port Snelling and Sioux City, and a contract to carry a bi-weekly mail between the two points made with George H. and John Q. A. Marsh of Mankato and J. W. Babcock of Kasota. Hoxie Rathburn one of the first settlers at Mankato, was employed by them for the hard and dangerous duty of mail carrier. About Christmas 1856 he was overtaken by one of the blizzards of this terrible winter and perished near the Des Moines in Jackson County.

Mail service over these inhospitable plains had to be suspended the balance of the year. The mail between Mankato and South Bend and St. Paul had been increased to a tri-weekly service;, but the storms of this winter interfered gTeatly with its regularity.

Early in 1857, the question of a mail route between Mankato and New Ulm began to be agitated, and the Legislature was induced to memoralize Congress to that effect in February.