Freeborn County, Minnesota - Chapter 9, 1911

Organization And Boundary Lines

Freeborn Included in the Original Limits of Wabash County - Made a Part of Dakota County in 1851 - Divided Between Rice and Blue Earth Counties - Freeborn County Created in 1855 - Organized in 1857 - Old Precincts - Township Names and Changes in Affiliation and Boundaries.

Freeborn countv was included in the original limits of Wabasha county (then spelled Wabasliaw), which was one of the nine counties created by the first territorial legislature.

Governor Alexander Ramsey, the first territorial governor, arrived in St. Paul, May 27, 1849, and on June 1, 1849, issued his first proclamation. June 11 he issued a second proclamation, dividing the territory into three judicial districts. Freeborn county, then unpopulated, was included in the third judicial district, with Judge David Cooper on the bench. Court for this district was to be held at Mendota.

July 7, 1849, the governor issued a proclamation dividing the territory into seven council districts and ordering an election. Freeborn county was included in the seventh district.

By an act approved October 27, 1849, the territory was divided into the counties of Washington, Ramsey, Benton, Itasca, Wabasliaw, Dakota, Wahnahta, Mahkahto and Pembina. Only the counties of Washington, Ramsey and Benton were fully organ¬ ized for all county purposes. The others were organized only for the purpose of appointment of justices of the peace, constables, and such other judicial and ministerial offices as might be spe¬ cially provided for. They were entitled to "any number of jus¬ tices of the peace and constables, not exceeding six in number, to be appointed by the governor, and their term of office was made two years, unless sooner removed by the governor, " and they were made conservators of the peace.

Wabasha w county, as " erected" by the act of October 27, 1849, comprised practically all of the southern part of the present State of Minnesota. Its northern boundary was the parallel run¬ ning through the mouth of the St. Croix and the mouth of the

Yellow Medicine rivers; its southern boundary was the Iowa line; its eastern the Mississippi, and its western the Missouri, and it also included the big* peninsula between the Missouri and the Big Sioux rivers, and all of what is at present southeastern South Dakota. Of this vast country the present Freeborn county was a part.

Chapter 1, Revised Statutes of Minnesota of 1851, divides the territory in Benton, Dakota, Itasca, Cass, Pembina, Ramsey, Washington, Chisago and Wabashaw counties and defines their boundaries. Under the revised statutes, all the territory west of the Mississippi river and east of a line running from Medicine Bottle's village at Pine Bend, due south to the Iowa line, was erected into a separate county to be known as Wabashaw. This included in Wabashaw county a portion of what is now Dakota county as well as all the present counties of Goodhue, Wabasha, Dodge, Olmsted Winona, Mower, Fillmore and Houston. The line south from Pine Bend in the Mississippi strikes practically the eastern boundary of Freeborn county, the exact line being impos¬ sible of verification as the Medicine Bottle tepee were differently located at various times, always, however, being within a few rods of the bend in the river.

By the same revision, Dakota county was made to consist of all that part of the territory lying west of the Mississippi river, west of the county of Wabasha, and south of a line beginning at the mouth of the Crow river and up said river and the north branch thereof to its source and thence due west to the Missouri river. Thus Dakota county then included a portion of what is now Dakota county, and portions of what are now the counties of Wright, Meeker, Stearns, Pope, Stevens, Kandijohi, and Traverse, and all of Big Stone, Swift, Hennepin, Scott, Carver, McLeod, Renville, Chippewa, Lac qui Parle, Yellow Medicine, Lincoln, Lyon, Red Wood, Brown, Nicolet Sibley, Le Sueur, Rice, Steele, Waseca, Blue Earth, Watonwan, Cottonwood, Mur¬ ray, Pipestone, Rock, Nobles, Jackson, Martin, Faribault, and practically all of Freeborn as well as all of the counties in what is now South Dakota, west of the counties named, to the Missouri river.

Rice county was created by act of the territorial legislature, March 5, 1853. Section 7, Chapter 15, General Laws of Minne¬ sota, 1853, gives the boundaries as follows : Beginning at the southwest corner of Dakota county, thence west along said county line to Lake Sakatah, thence south to the Io*wa state line, thence east along said state line to the southwest corner of Fillmore county, thence along the west line of Fillmore, Wabasha and Goodhue counties to the place of beginning.

as then constituted, was at the 11 southwest corner of Dakota county." The west and south lines of Dakota county. are de¬ scribed in the act as follows: "Beginning in the Minnesota at the mouth of the Credit river, thence on a direct line to the upper branch of the Cannon river, thence down said river to its lowest fork." The upper branch of the Cannon river is the Straight river, and consequently, this boundary line of Rice county started at the confluence of these rivers, at the present site of Faribault, ran southwestward to Lake Sakatah ; and thence south, crossing Waseca and Freeborn counties about on the range line between ranges twenty-two and twenty-three, to the Iowa line. Thence it ran along to the Iowa border to a little village called Granger in township 101, range eleven, Fillmore county. Thence it ran in a direct line, due northwest to the place of beginning.

Rice county therefore took in only a part of the present Rice county. It included the four eastern townships in Waseca county, and all but the four western townships in Freeborn countj^. It also took in practically all of Mower and Steele counties, about one-third of Dodge, a very small portion of Fillmore and Goodhue, and pssiblv a few sections in Olmsted county.

The counties created at the same time as Rice were Goodhue, Fillmore, Le Sueur, Blue Earth, Sibley, Nicollet and Pierce. The four western townships of what is now Freeborn county were included in Blue Earth county.

February 20, 1855, the counties of Freeborn, Mower, Brown, Carver, Dodge, Faribault, Olmstead, Renville, Steele, Stearns and Wright were created by the legislature, and some changes made in the names and boundaries of others. Freeborn county, as created, at that time embraced the same area as at present.

According to the land office records the first entry of land was made in January, 1855, by Nelson Everest, and thirty-four of the first conveyances by deed were recorded in Dodge county between April, 1856 and March, 1857. In February, 1859, these records were transcribed by William Morin and brought to Free¬ born county. In 1856, for purposes of territorial election, Free¬ born county constituted one district. At the first election which was held November 3, 1856, at the William Andrews home on the border line between Hayward and Shell Rock, forty-four votes were cast. In March, 1857, Governor Willis A. Gorman, pursuant to the act of the legislature, organized Freeborn county and appointed E. C. Stacy, S. N. Frisbie and William Andrews as temporary commissioners. These commissioners assembled March 3, 1857, at the house of Geo. S. Ruble, 522 Bridge street, Albert Lea, and then and later appointed the various county officers as follows : Sheriff, Geo. S. Ruble ; probate judge, E. C. Stacy; coroner, A. II. Bartlett; attorney, J. AY. Heath; surveyor.

These appointments took effect March 20, of the same year, except that of Fitzsimmons, who received his authority some¬ what later. In April AYlliam Morin was appointed register of deeds in place of Mr. Thompson, who declined to qualify. Mr. Bartlett refused to serve as coroner and the office was tendered in succession to George Watson and C. S. Tarbell. The first general election was held October 13, 1857, and 646 votes were cast. The following officers were chosen: Register of deeds, Wm. Morin; treasurer, Henry King; sheriff, J. AY Heath; probate judge, A. AY AATiite ; clerk of court, E. P. Skinner ; surveyor, H. D. Brown; coroner, A. M. Burnham; commissioners, S. N. Frisbie, Joseph Rickard, Peter Clausen. Albert Lea was chosen as county seat.

Old Election Precincts

Freeborn county is divided into twenty townships, five com¬ missioners districts and two legislative districts. There are also various school and road districts. The township and section lines in this county were surveyed in 1854. At the election of 1856, Freeborn county constituted one election district. The first attempt at political divisions in the county was made by the county commissioners at their first meeting held March 3, 1857. Three assessor's districts were constituted. The first district consisted of what are now the townships of Carlston, Freeborn, Llartland, Bath, Geneva and Newry. The assessor was James Drake, of Geneva. The second district consisted of what are now the townships of Manchester, Bancroft, Riceland, Moscow,

Moscow. The third district consisted of what are now the townships of Alden, Pickerel Lake, Albert Lea, Hayward, Oak¬ land, Mansfield, Nunda, Freeman and Shell Rock. The assessor was AYalter Stott.

During the early session of the board eleven election districts were created. These were the predecessors of the present town¬ ships. The first seven were created May 18, 1857. The first precinct contained the present townships of Freeborn, Hartland, Carlston, and Manchester. The election was to be held at the house of Elias Stanton, in Carlston. The judges were to be Ole Peterson, of Manchester, T. P. Page, of Freeborn, and Elias Stan¬ ton. The second precinct consisted of the present township of Bancroft, the west half of Riceland, the northwest quarter of Hayward and all of Albert Lea, except sections 25 and 36. The election was to be held at the home of George S. Ruble, in Albert Lea village, and the judges were to be Thomas C. Thorne, George

P. Hoopes, and C. C. Colby. The third precinct consisted of the ~resent township of London, Shell Rock, Freeman, the southwest quarter of Hayward, and sections 25 and 36 in Albert Lea. The election was to be held in the home of A. II. Bartlett and the judges were to be A. H. Bartlett, J. S. Corning and Oliver Andrews. The fourth precinct included the present townships of Moscow and Oakland and the east halves of Riceland and Hay¬ ward. The election was to be held at the home of R. K. Crum, of Moscow, and the judges were to be Asa Bullock, Jr., Samuel A. Beardsley and A. C. Porter. The fifth precinct consisted of the present townships of Alden, Pickerel Lake, Nunda and Mans¬ field. The election was to be held at the home of John Ruble, and the judges were to be John Ruble, Asa W. "White and William Banning. The sixth precinct consisted of the present townships of Bath, Geneva and Newry. The election was to be held at the home of E. C. Stacy and the judges were to be Isaac P. Linde, John Heath and Edward Brooks. This divided the whole county.

This division was evidently not satisfactory, for later in the same session the seventh precinct was created out of the third and fourth precincts and included the present township of London and the south half of Oakland. The election was to be held at the home of John T. Asher and the judges were to be John Aikins, Rodger P. Gipson and Benjamin Stanton. July 6, 1857, the original first precinct was split and the eighth precinct was created, consisting of the present townships of Freeborn and Hartland. The election was to be held at the home of Edwin S. Dunn and the judges were to be Charles D. Giddings, E. S. Dunn and J. P. Page. The ninth district was created September 7, 1857. The boundaries are not recorded. The election was to be held at the hopie of J. M. Clark and the judges of election were to be Erastus D. Porter, Charles Sergeant and George Roberts. The tenth precinct was created the same day out of the old second and fourth precincts and occupied all but the northwest quarter of the present township of Riceland. The election was to be held at the home of Samuel A. Beardsley and the judges were to be J. Snyder, G. P. Bracket and Samuel A. Beardsley. The eleventh precinct was created from the north half of the fifth pre¬ cinct and included the present townships of Alden and Pickerel Lake. The election was to be held at the home of Frederick Fink and the judges were to be A. AY. White, John Ruble and F. Woodward.

On April 7, 1858, the county board created twenty town¬ ships, the lines corresponding with the Congressional survey. Names were given as follows: In range 19, township 101, Asher

(now London) ; township 102, Oakland ; township 103, Guildford (now Moscow) ; township 104, Seward, also spelled Steward in the records (now Newry). In range 18, township 104, Geneva; township 103, Beardsley (now Riceland) ; township 102, Hay¬ ward; township 101, Shellrock (new spelled as two words). In range 21, township 101, Freeman; township 102, Albert Lea; township 103, Bancroft; township 104, Porter (now Bath). In range 22, township 104, Hartland; township 103, Buckeye (now Manchester) ; township 102, Pickeral Lake (now spelled correctly Pickerel) ; township 101, Nunda. In range 23, township 101, Mansfield ; township 102, Alden ; township 103, Stanton (now Carlston) ; township 104, Freeborn.

Twelve townships were authorized to perfect an organization on May 11, 1858. They were: Asher (now London), Guildford (now Moscow), Geneva, Beardsley (now Riceland), Shell Rock, Albert Lea, Hartland, Bancroft, Buckeye (now Manchester), Pick¬ erel Lake, Nunda and Freeborn. The other eight were attached to these twelve townships as follows : The south half of Oakland to Asher (now London), the north half of Oakland to Guildford (now Moscow), Seward (now Newry) and the east half of Porter (now Bath) to Geneva, the northeast quarter of Hayward to Beardsley (now Riceland), the south half of Hay¬ ward and the east half of Freeman to Shell Rock, the northwest quarter of Hayward to Albert Lea, the west half of Porter (now Bath) to Hartland, Alden to Pickerel Lake, Mansfield to Nunda, Stanton (now Carlston) to Freeborn. This seems to have left the west half of Freeman unattached.

June 7, 1858, the board recognized the organization of Stanton as perfected by the election of May 11, 1858. The name of Stanton (now Carlston) was changed to Springfield and that of Guildford to Moscow. Asher was attached to Shell Rock and the south half of Oakland to Moscow. At this time the board ap¬ proved the action of the citizens of Buckeye* (now Manchester) in changing the name of the township to Liberty.

September 16, 1858, Pickerel Lake was attached to Albert Lea. Oakland was granted an organization. Porter (now Bath) was also granted an organization, as was also Hayward, the name of the latter being changed to Douglass, and sections 28, 29, 30, 31, 32 and 33 attached to Shell Rock. On October 28, township 101, range 19, was granted an organization as Lindon and it was many years before the name London appears as the correct title. At the same meeting Steward (also spelled Seward in the records) was granted an organization and the name changed to Pinion. The name is now Newry. At the same meeting the name of Beardsley was changed to Riceland and Liberty to Manchester. January 5, 1859, after receiving a communication from the secretary of state, Union (now Newry) was changed to Dover : Springfield (now Carlston) to Groton, and Douglass to Hayward. On the same day a petition to renew the town of Asher as at first organized by the board, was rejected.

September 13, 1859, the board changed the name of Dover to Newry. The name of Groton, formerly Springfield, was changed to Carlston. Pickerel Lake was again voted a separate organ¬ ization, but did not accept it. Certain sections of township 102, range 20, were detached from Shell Rock, and restored to Hayward.

January 4, 1860, a petition was received to have sections 28, 29, 30, 31, 32 and 33 in Hayward set back into Shell Rock township, but this was rejected by reason that the request had not been signed by a majority of the voters. October 20, 1860, Pick¬ erel Lake was attached to Manchester and Alden to Carlston. December 17, the town of Freeman was granted an organization as Green.

September 3, 1861, Alden was detached from Albert Lea and attached to Carlston. April 10, 1861, an effort was made to have eighty acres owned by Oliver Andrews in Hayward, set off, and attached to Shell Rock, but this petition was rejected by the board on the ground that it had not been balloted upon by the voters of the town.

London was created as Asher April 7, 1858, and was granted a separate organization. To it was attached the south half of Oakland. There were too few people to organize, however, and the south half of Oakland was attached to Moscow and Asher to Shell Rock, June 7, 1858. October 27, 1858, Asher was granted an organization as Lindon and this name appears in the records for some years. Later it was changed to London.

Shell Rock appears in the early records as one word. It was created April 7, 1858, and to it was attached the south half of Hayward, and the east half of Freeman. January 7, 1858, Asher (now London) was also attached to it. September 16, 1858, all of Hayward was cut off except sections 28, 29, 30, 31, 32 and 33. September 13, 1859, these sections were also cut off. Freeman was granted an organization December, 1860, and Asher was granted an organization as Lindon (now London) October 28th of that year. Shell Rock was organized May 11, 1858. January 4, 1860, an attempt was made to again attach sections 28, 29, 30, 31, 32 and 33 in Hayward township to Shell Rock. This attempt failed as did also that effort made April 10, 1861,

Freeman was created June 7, 1858, the east half being at¬ tached to Shell Rock. Early settlers declare that the west half was attached to Nunda, but of this no record appears. It was named in honor of the Freeman family, who were the first to move into the central portion of the town. December 17, 1860, it was granted a separate organization, and the name changed to Green, but it nevertheless continued to be called by its first title and has ever been known as Freeman.

Nunda was granted a separate organization in April 7, 1858, and to it was attached Mansfield. It Avas organized May 11, 1858. The town was named Nunda, Ill., the town from whence came Patrick Fitzsimmons. Before township days this vicinity was known as Bear Lake. Mansfield Avas cut off and granted an organization January 2, 1866.

Mansfield. Mansfield Avas created April 7, 1858, and attached to Nunda for township purposes. It was granted a separate or¬ ganization January 2, 1866.

Alden. April 7, 1858, Alden was attached to Pickerel Lake. As a part of Pickerel Lake, it Avas attached to Albert Lea, September 16, 1858. October 20, 1860, Alden was attached to Carlston. This act evidently did not go into effect, as on Sep¬ tember 3, 1861, another act attached Alden to Carlston, thus leading to the conclusion that the previous act had not been effective. January 2, 1866, Alden was granted a separate or¬ ganization.

Pickerel Lake. At the meeting of the county board of April 7, 1858, Pickerel Lake Avas voted an independent government and to it Avas attached the township of Alden. There were too feAv people for organization, hoAyever, and September 16, 1858, it Avas attached to Albert Lea. September 13, 1859, it was again granted a separate organization, but did not perfect an organ¬ ization. October 20, 1860, Pickerel Lake was attached to Man¬ chester. Although the records are silent on the subject, it would appear that after being attached to Manchester about a year, it Avas again attached to Albert Lea until September 5, 1865, when it was granted a separate organization.

Albert Lea. This township was created by the meeting of the county board held April 7, 1858. To it was attached the north- Avestern quarter of HayAvard. This was cut off and HayAvard organized September 16, 1858. September 16, 1858, Pickerel Lake Avas attached to Albert Lea. The relation of Pickerel Lake and Alden to Albert Lea is discussed elseAvhere. Alden, having been attached to Pickerel Lake, was with that town attached to Albert Lea until September 3, 1861, Avhen it was attached to

Carlston ; while Pickerel Lake was attached to Albert Lea with the exception of one year until its organization was authorized September 5, 1865.

Hayward. This town takes its name from Geo. Hayward the prominent citizen of the early days. April 7, 1858, the northeast quarter was attached to Beardsley (now Riceland), the north¬ west quarter was attached to Albert Lea, and the south half to Shell Rock. September 16, 1858, Hayward was granted an or¬ ganization and the name changed to Douglass. January 5, 1859, the county board changed the name to the original designation of Hayward. At the time of organization by the county board, September 16, 1858, sections, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, and 33 were cut oft* and attached to Shell Rock, but these sections were again placed in Hayward one year later. Various efforts, all unsuccessful, were afterward made to again place these sections in Shell Rock.

Oakland. This township was created by the county board April 7, 1857, under its present name. The designation is doubt¬ less derived from the burr oak openings which prevailed from that locality. The north half of the township was attached to Guildford (now Moscow) and the south half to Asher (now Lon¬ don). June 7, 1858, the south half of Oakland was also attached to Moscow. September 16, 1858, the board authorized its organization.

early forest fire to the appearance of Moscow in Russia when burned by Napoleon during his ill-fated Russian campaign. However, at the creation April 7, 1858, the name of Guildford was given at the suggestion of the Rev. Theophilus Lowry. In the county records this name appears spelled Guildford although the Connecticut town is spelled Guilford without the "d." To this town was attached the north half of Oakland. The name of Guildford was changed to Moscow June 7, 1858. At the same time the southern half of Oakland was attached to it. Oakland was cut off and its organization authorized September 16, 1858.

Riceland. This township was created by the county board April 7, 1858, under the name of Beardsley in honor of Samuel A. Beardsley who had platted the village of Fairfield. To it was attached the northwest corner of Hayward. On October 28. 1858, the name was changed to Riceland. The northwest quarter of Hayward was cut off September 16, 1858, when the latter township was authorized to organize. The township of Beardsley was granted an organization May 11, 1858.

creation by the county board April 7, 1858. It was named from the village of Bancroft, which in turn was named from the his¬ torian Bancroft. The organization was perfected May 11, 1858.

Manchester. This town is one of the two townships in Free¬ born county whose areas of town government have remained unchanged since the creation of the towns by the county board April 7, 1858. In the earliest days this town was known as Olborg, in honor of the Norwegian postoffice from whence Ole Peterson came. At its creation by the county board it was given the name of Buckeye. This name had been applied to a postoffice established in 1857, and was given in honor of S. B. Smith who was a native of Ohio, the "Buckeye" state. At the election May 11, 1858, the name of Liberty was agreed upon. September 16 of the same year the state auditor notified the county board that the name must be changed. October 20, 1858, the designation of Manchester was agreed upon and that has since remained its title. The town was organized May 11,

Carlston. April 7, 1858, the county board created this town¬ ship and gave it the name of Stanton, in honor of Elias Stanton who was frozen to death November 1, 1857. The town was at¬ tached to Freeborn, but the voters met on May 11, 1858, and perfected an organization of their own. This organization was recognized by the board June 7, 1858, and on that same date, the name was changed to Springfield, but this name had already been chosen by another township in the state, so on Jonuary 5,

1859, the name was changed to Groton. On September 13, 1859, the voters of that town petitioned the county board for a change of name from Groton to Carlston and a separate organization. The petition was granted. L. J. Carlston, after whom the town was named, was a genial, well-educated gentleman who exerted considerable political influence in the northwest part of the county in the early days. He and a man named Johnson were accidentally drowned in Freeborn lake in the fall of 1858. It is generally supposed that the proper spelling of the name is Carlson and that "t" was added by mistake.

Freeborn. On April 7, 1858, the county board authorized Freeborn to perfect a township organization. To it, Stanton (now Carlston), was attached. Carlston was organized Septem¬ ber 13, 1859. Freeborn was named from the lake and village, which in turn had taken their name from the county. The county was named from William Freeborn, an early settler of Minnesota and a prominent citizen of Red Wing.

Bath. This town was originally called Porter in honor of E. D. Porter, who settled near Clark's Grove at an early day. At the meeting of the county board April 7, 1858, the east half of Porter was attached to Geneva and the west half to Hartland. September 16, 1858, Porter was granted an organization. The name Bath, which was adopted by the voters April 15, 1859, was given in honor of the former home of F. W. Calkins, who had lived at the county seat of Steuben county, Ohio.

Geneva. This township was authorized April 7, 1858, to perfect a town government May 11, 1858. To it were attached Seward (now Newry) and the east half of Porter (now Bath). It was named from the village which had been platted and which in turn was named from Geneva, New York. Newry was cut off and granted an organization October 28, 1858. Bath was granted an organization September 16, 1858.

Newry. This township was originally called Seward in honor of William H. Seward, the great Republican leader. In the commissioners' records, however, it is several times spelled Stew¬ ard. The board authorized its organization April 7, 1858. It was attached to Geneva for township purposes. October 29, 1858, it was granted a separate organization and its name changed to Union. January 5, 1859, the name was changed to Dover. September 13, 1859, it was given the name of Newry.

Steward. This is the spelling which appears in one or two places in the county records for Seward, an early name of what is now Newry township.