Jackson County, Minnesota - Chapter 14: Politicai^-1858-1882, 1910

JACKSON county's political history covers a period of time from 1858 to the present, excluding the years 1862 to 1865. The county was organized in 1858 and its organization continued until the Sioux massacre of 1862; then the county became deserted and, of course, the government was discontinued. The second organization was brought about in 1865 and has continued without interruption to the present.

As has been stated before, very little is known of the first organization or of the government under that organization. With only a few exceptions, all its records have been destroyed, and there is no one now Uving who was intimate enough with the local political afifairs of that day to give us any reliable data; we must content ourselves with the meager records that have been saved.

When the first settlers came and founded the Springfield settlement they were under the local government of Brown county, but there is no evidence to show that these pioneers had any county business to attend to, and it is doubtful if the county officials at New Ulm, the county seat, even knew of the existence of the little settlement on the extreme southern edge of their county. The act of the legislature of May 23, 1857, created Jackson

There were only a few residents of Jackson county at the time of its creation, and no effort was made to bring about its organization until some time in 1858. Then the people of tlie new county chose John B. Fish, Alexander Wood and a Mr. Britton to act as commissioners to perfect the organization under the act of 1857. But that act had provided that the governor should name the commissioners, and the state official did not recognize the commissioners named, but appointed others, and these, in turn, named the other county officers, and tlie political machinery of Jackson county was started. Who the first officers of the county were is unknown; in fact, the names of only a few of the officers under the first organization are known.

The first election was held in the fall of 1858, when a full set of county officers was chosen, who succeeded those holding office by appointment. Of these officers the name of only one is known - Charles W. Clark, the sheriff.^ By the time the presidential election of 1860 came, there were thirty-two electors in the county

'Jackson county order No. 89. dated September 9, 1862. a short time after the massacre, was for 128.50 and was drawn in favor of Charles W. Clark "for services as sheriff of said county for 1859."

who voted (out of a total population of 181) - and all were cast for Abraham Lincoln for president.*- Tlie polling place was at the village of Belmont, which then served as the county seat. A full set of county officers was chosen at that time, including the following: H. JR. Trobridge, chairman of the board of county commissioners; Edward Davies, commissioner; Simon Olson, commissioner; Stiles M. West, sheriff (although he was only nineteen years of age) ; C. 0. Whitney, clerk of the board; and James E. Palmer, assessor of Danby township. Tliose officers, according to a scrap of record preserved, were serving during the summer of 18G1. Tlie same record would indicate that the following were the election officers for the 1860 election: D. M. West, H. R. Trobridge, James E. Palmer, B. McCarthy and C. 0. Whitney, judges; Edward Davies and C. 0. Whitnev, clerk.s. Another election seems to have been held in 1861, for during the months of November and December of that year bills were paid to Ole Burreson and Josepii Thomas for services as judges of election, and to S. T. Johnson as clerk of election. During 1862 Joseph Thomas was county auditor and Ole Peterson was treasurer.

When tlie massacre occurred in August, 1862, the county officers fled with the other settlers, and tbeir records were either lost or destroved. At the time of the attack the treasurer buried the county's money in tlie timber and fled without it. However, he returned at night and secured it. From that time until late in the fall of 1865 (when there were 234 people in Jackson county, according to the census of that vear) the residents of the countv were without local government.

Under the legislative apportionment of 1860 the counties of Faribault, Martin, Jackson, Cottonwood, Nobles, Pipestone, Eock and a part of Brown were made to form the twentieth district, entitled to one senator and one member of the houhe. The district was so constituted until 1866 and was represented by the following legislators :

A slight change was made in district No. 20 in 1866, it being then made to comprise the counties of* Faribault, Martin, Jackson, Cottonwood, Murray, Pipestone and Rock,^ and entitled to one senator and one representative. This apportionment was in force until 1871. Under it the district was represented as follows:

In 1871 the counties of Martin, Jackson, Nobles, Kock, Watonwan, Cottonwood, Murray and Pipestone were formed into the thirty-eighth district and so remained until 1881. The district was given one senator and three representatives and was served by the following gentlemen :

The apportionment of 1881 created Jackson and Martin counties into the sixth district, entitled to one member of each ]iouse. Thev remained in this district until 1899 and were represented as follows:

The present fourteenth district, comprising Jackson and Cottonwood counties, was formed in 1897, is entitled to one senator and two representatives, and has been represented by the following:

In the fall of 1865 the population of the unorganized county of Jackson had reached nearly three hundred people, and prospects for a large immigration the following year were so good that steps were taken to bring about a reorganization under the original act of 1857. Another reason that led to the undertaking at that time was the desire of the voters to participate in the state and district elections that fall. Upon the petition of the residents. Governor Stephen Miller appointed Israel F. Eddy, Charles Belknap* and Jared Palmer commissioners, vested with authority to call an election for November 7, 1865, for iiie purpose of choosing county officers and of voting for state and district officers. These commissioners were not to act as a law-making body ; their duties were simply to call and preside over the first election.

Events so shaped themselves that election day very nearly passed without an election being held. So isolated was this settlement in Jackson countv that it actually did not know the date of the general election, and only for a fortunate circumstance were the people of the new county ko])t from being disfranchised. Major II. S. Baily has written of this circumstance : but instead of calling the election for the 7th, as the governor directed, they calh'd it for the 17th of November. I happened to go down to Winnebago City in the lirst week in November and learned that out in civilization the election was to be held on Tuesdav, the 7th. T arrived home on Saturday evening, the 4th. On Sunday I went to see Mr. Eddy and asked his authority for calling the election for the 17th, afid he replied that the governor directed it. He brought the governor's letter and was surprised to find that he had read it wrong. So on Monday he went through the settlement and notified the voters that there would be an election the next day.

*Major H. S. Bailey, jn an article written in 1888. stated that I. N. BcHtnip was the com- TTiIssioner; the records show that Charles Belknap served as judge of the election, indicating that he was the commissioner.

Many difficulties beset these pioneers in their efforts to organize the county. The election was to be held at the home of Jared Palmer, who lived on a farm a^short distance south of the present village of Jackson. When it came time for the opening of the polls, Mr. Eddy, one of the commissioners, was absent. In his place Major H. S. Bailey was chosen by the other commissioners to act as one of the judges; W. C. Garratt was selected clerk of the election board. In the whole of Jackson county there was not a man who had authority to administer an oath, and the judges were confronted with the serious question of how to qualify. Some time previous Major Bailey had held the office of justice of the peace in another county, and he took the responsibility of swearing in the other two judges and clerk of election, although he had no legal authority to do so. One of the other judges then administered the oath to Major Bailey.

No convention had been held, no canvass made, and the election was a quiet affair. Thirtv-six votes were cast and the following officers elected: H. S. Bailey, Simon Olson and M. S. Clough, county commissioners; Clark Baldwin, auditor; William Webster, treasurer; W. C. Garratt, register of deeds; Orin Belknap, judge of probate; I. F. Eddy, sheriff; James E. Palmer, surveyor; John McCormick, county attorney; Joseph Price, clerk of court ; Peter Baker, coroner.

After the election the question of what to do witii the returns arose. No provision had been made for canvassing the returns or issuing certificates to the successful candidates. There was no person in Jackson county authorized to do so, and, as the county had once been organized, it was now attached to no other county, the officers of which might perform this service. It was finallv decided to send the returns to Martin county, and Major

Bailey was chosen to take them to the county officials at Fairmont. The auditor of Martin county, Galiten Brown, at first refused to accept them, but he was persuaded to do so, and Jackson county's vote for state and district officers was counted. The auditor, however, refused to issue certificates of election for the new officers of Jackson county, believing that such a course would be exceeding his Authority.

There was nothing to be done but wait, and the formal organization of the county was postponed until there had been legislative action. James B. Wakefield, who had been elected to the lower branch of the legislature, was informed of the situation, and he promptly introduced a bill to legalize the election of November 7 and to authorize the auditor of Martin county to issue the necessary certificates. The bill was passed and became effective in January, ,1866, being among the first bills passed by the Minnesota law making body that, session. Upon receiving notice of the passage of this bill Major Bailey made another trip to Fairmont, took the oath of office as commissioner, and brought back with him the election certificates af the other officers.

So, after many discouraging setbacks, eveiything was in readiness for the formal beginning of county government. The first meeting of the board of county commissioners was held at the home of Major H. S. Bailey, dated Des Moines, Minnesota, on January 27, 1866. Major Bailey presided as chairman. The only business transacted at this initial meeting was the appointment of a few officers "to fill vacancies of the officers not yet qualified.^' Nearly all the officers elected took the oath and entered upon their duties, but a few did not. William Webster, who had been elected treasurer, refused to have anything to do with so responsible an office, and P. B. Lyman was appointed to the position, holding the office two years nnder the appointment. Joseph Price did not qualify as clerk of court, and B. H. Johnson was appointed to the office. Peter Baker did not qualify as coroner, and Jared Palmer was named.

There were but few duties for many of these first county officials, and some of them had absolutely no duties during their entire term. One blank book was purchased for county use, and that sufficed for all the records. The principal duties fell upon the county commissioners, Clark Baldwin, the auditor, who drew a salary of $50 for his services for 1866; I. F. Eddy, the sheriff; James E. Palmer, the surveyor, who took the oath of office February 12, 1866 ; W. C. Garratt, the register of deeds, who gave bond on February 22, 1866; and the justices of the peace, H. S. Bailey, Martin D. Metcalf and Simon Olson, who took their oaths early in April.

The second meeting of the board of county commissioners was held March 13, 1866, at which time the county was divided into three commissioner districts. The first district was composed of the southem tier of townships; the second, the tier just north of it ; the third district comprised the whole north half of the county. When the division was made it was found that all three of the commissioners were from the same district. They continued to serve, however, until the first of the year 1867.

To choose new .commissioners and a few officers who were then elected in even numbered years, provision was made for holding an election on November 6, 1866. A county convention was held at Joseph Thomas* hotel on the hill in September, when a partial set of candidates was put in nomination. At the election Bev.

Peter Baker,*^ of Petersburg, was chosen commissioner from the first distict;' B. H. Johnson, of Des Moines, from the second; and Simon Olson, of Belmont, from the third. Mr. Johnson became chairman of the board and served during 1867 and 1868; Mr. Olson served a two year term; Mr. Baker resigned after serving less than one year and John Bichardson, of Minneota, was appointed to fill the vacancy. Mr. Johnson's election as commissioner caused a vacancy in the office of clerk of court, and Joseph Price, who had been elected in 1865 but had failed to qualify, was named for that office. H. S. Bailey was appointed '^examiner of teachers and visitor of schools" for the year 1867, and thus becaine the first superintendent of schools for Jackson county, the office not being an elective one at that time.

As the majority of county officers were chosen in odd-numbered years during the early days, the election of November 5, 1867, was an important one, and many

*"I well remember the first time I ever saw that grood man [Rev. Peter Baker]. Where, friends, do you think it was. Actually presiding at a political convention instead of a prayer meeting*. It was up at the old log hotel in Jackson. I remember him as he sat by the table - had on his blue army overcoat with brass buttons, I presume all the coat he had in the world. There were but four organized towns in the county - Petersburg, Minneota, Des Moines and Belmont. Major Bailey was making the motions, the elder putting the questions, and they were conducting the convention by very fair parliamentary principles or rules. JThe delegates occupied the chairs and benches, and the rest of us stood up or sat on the floor. I remembetr I sat flat upon the floor, close to the muddled-up flreplac^e, when, imagine how suddenly puffed up I became - actually nominated for county attorney of Jackson county. Three weeks a resident of the county, and knew just about as much of law as Allen of the Republic knows of theology; and Jackson county at that time needed a county attorney about as much as a Methodist minister needs a safe." - George C. Chamberlln in speech delivered September 5, 1889.

"As I was the flrst settler In the town of Petersburg. I well remember when the county was organized. Mr. Johnson, Mr. Wood and myself were the flrst commissioners. As Mr. Baldwin was auditor, we met at his house to transact business. How wise and dignifled we 'county dads* looked. I must confess that I knew nearly as much about law as a horse does about grammar."

new county officers were chosen. Those elected were: George C. Chamberlin, auditor; Joseph Thomas, treasurer; Joseph S. Ei\ton, register of deeds; William V. King, judge of probate; A. Miner, sheriff; Jania-^ E. Palmer, surveyor; W. S. Kimball, clerk of court.

There were a few changes in administration during the next two years. George C. Chamberlin resigned the office of auditor October 9, 1869, and M. A. Strong was appointed to complete the short unexpired term.'^ Owing to the removal of Joseph S. Eaton ifrom the county, the office of register of deeds became vacant, and John W. Cowing was appointed September 22, 1808, to serve until the first of the next year. William V. King served by appointment as superintendent of schools during 1868, and Eev. E. Savage during 1869.

At the election on November 3, 1868, an entire change was made in the board of countv commissioners. 0. J. Russell was elected from the first district; Nathaniel Frost, who served as chairman in 1869 and 1870, from the second ; and P. P. Haverberg from the third. W. C. Garratt, who had been the first register of deeds, was chosen for that office at this election, the election being held in an even numbered vear on account of the removal of Joseph S. Eaton.

Many new men took office at the beginning of the year 1870 as a result of the election of November 2, 1869. There were two tickets in the field at that election, and the result on some of the principal offices was close. Those elected were: M. A. Strong, auditor; J. W. Hunter, treasurer; W. C. Garratt, register of deeds;

TThere had been a contest between Mr. Chamberlin and WiUiam V. King for the office of county auditor, which was tried under the title. Chamberlin vs. Kin^. The commissioners declared the office vacant March 5, 1868. and appointed Mr. King, but a little later Mr. Chamberlin was seated. On June 27, 1868. Mr. Kln^s bill of $74.50 "for disbursements in contesting title to auditor's office" was allowed.

Anders Boe, sheriff; William V. King, judge of probate; James E. Palmer, surveyor; W. S. Kimball, clerk of court; P. P. Haverberg, commissioner third district. Of these officers, all served their terms of two years except Anders Roe. He resigned September 5, 1870, and A. E. Wood was appointed sheriff September 16, to serve until the first of the year. Of the appointive offices. Dr. C. P. Morrill was chosen superintendent of schools January 4, 1870. lie served under the appointment until May 11, 1871, when he resigned; then William Y. King was appointed and served nearly one year. J. W. Seager was named county attorney by the commissioners February 1, 1870, to serve the balance of the year. He resigned before that time, however, and on September 16, 1870, Emery Clark w.as appointed and served under the appointment until he took the office at the beginning of the year 1871 as a result of the election of 1870. There having been previously no court commissioner, G. K. Tiffanv was appointed in May, 1870.

During the entire early political history of Jackson county there was only one political organization maintained, and not until 1886 was there organized opposition to it. Nearly all the first settlers were republicans, as were the first settlers of all the neighboring counties. At most of the early dav elections there were two tickets in the field, one nominated bv the regular republican organization, the other put up by bolters, the candidates being either nominated in dn independent convention or placed on the ticket by those interested. Many exciting contests for political honors occurred under this arrangement. The few democrats generally allied themselves with the independents and were occasional! v rewarded with a countv office.

ganization and named candidates for a few county offices, but the organization was not made permanent. This was accomplished on July 16, 1870, when a few of the minority met at Jackson. Milton Mason was chairman of the meeting and J. J. Porter was secretary. The following county central committee was named : R. N. Woodward, of Wisconsin; George D. Stone, of Petersburg; R. D. Lamed, of Middletown; H. M. Doubleday, of Belmont; I. A. Moreaux, of Minneota; J. A. Myers and William Norman, of Des jMoines.

At the 1870 election 393 votes were cast. The republicans were successful in carrying the county for congressional and legislative officers and elected their county ticket with one exception. The official vote :

-Clerk of court is elected for four year term. Mr. KImbaU reslgrned In 1*74, and on October 7, of that year. Alexander Fiddes was appointed to comi^ete the short unexpired term.

-County Attorney Clark was arrested at Jackson February 17, 1871. and taken to Wisconsin to answer the charges of forgery and jail breakingr.' He was exonerated and returned to his duties early In March. He served until October 4, 1871, when he resigned; his successor was elected the next month.

There was a large increase in the vote in 1871, there being 531 votes polled. The dominant party carried the state and legislative tickets by overwhelming majorities. In county politics there were several close contests, although the organized i)arty again elected all but one officer. Nearly all the independent candidates were republicans ; their name* were placed on the opposition ticket by their friends and thev were not nominated in convcntion. The result according to the official canvass :

The political complexion of the countv at the time is well shown in the result of the presidential election of 1872, when out of a total of 020, Horace Greeley received only 50 votes. For county offices there was no oj)position to the republican ticket. Tbe vote:

The opposition to the republican machine had gained such strength by 1873 that the organized party met with a partial defeat in the election of that year. The independents elected four of the principal county officers and the other candidates gave a good account of themselves at the voting. Five hundred sixtyfive votes were polled, a slight falling off from the last election. Following is the vote each candidate received :

The grasshoppers and the prevailing hard times had an effect on the politics of the county in 1874. Owing to these causes and the fact that only a few officers were to be chosen, not a great deal of interest was manifested, and there was another falling off in the vote - 551 being the highest number cast for any one of-, fiee. Two independents were elected ; otherwise republicans were chosen for county office. In place of the democratic ticket, for congress and the legislature appeared the ticket of the anti-monopoly party, which made a fair showing against the republican forces. The vote :

Political conditions were unique in 1875. For several years many republicans had refused to affiliate with the r^ular party organization and had been responsi- ble for the independent candidates that made the race each year; in 1875 the party organization refused to affiliate with itself. After the committee on credentials of the republican county convention, which was held at Jackson in September, had made its report, the convention broke up in a row, without naming a candidate. The Jackson Republic, in its

Upon that report commenced a disgraceful and disreputable wrangle as to the admission of a set of contesting delegates from several towns, and as to who is the guilty party or parties for this we for the present remain silent. Suflfice it to say that, after a long fight over the admission of delegates, the convention adjourned sine die, and candidates are free to go in on their muscle as independents.

From that time on it was each one for himself. Many announced themselves as candidates for the several offices, no one of whom had an organization back of him or the prestige that goes with a party nomination. Six hundred twenty-three votes were cast - the largest number ever voted in the county up to that time. The republicans had their old time majorities for state officers. ' Following is the vote .

"Mr. Durfee received a majority of the votes in the district, but owing to the failure of some of the county auditors to make return to the state authorities Mr. Thompson was seated. Mr. Durfee began a contest before the senate, and in January. 1876, was given the seat Yyy a unanimous vote.

The presidential election of 1876 was a very quiet one in Jackson county, owing largely to the hard times caused by the grasshopper invasion. Only 591 votes were cast. The result in figures:

Five hundred forty-three votes were polled in 1877. A few independent candidates made the race against the republican nominees. An independent commissioner and county treasurer were elected, there being no republican nominee for the latter office. The official vote:

Tn 1878 the republicans were again generally successful, electing the whole county ticket with one exception. Five hundred forty-.six votes were cast, and the vote in detail was as follows:

2*The office of superintendent of schools had now become an elective one. TTpon the reslgrnation of William V. Kingr as superintendent March 23. 1872, Dr. E. U BrowneU had been appointed and served until tlie first of the year 1876. Then Dr. J. F. Force received the appointment and served under the appointment until after this election of 1877.

most of the county offices in 1879, and an interesting election was the result. There was a large increase in the vote, 802 hallots being cast, although the highest number for ariv one office was 796. This was a larger vote than that cast by any other county of the thirty-eighth legislative district. With the exception of the nominees for superintendent of schools and county commi.<sioner, the republican ticket was elected. The vote:

Tlie law provided that when a county polled 800 votes it should have five countv commissioners. As that number had been ca?t at the 1870 election, the board of ,countv commissioners, on Julv 23,

1880, redistricted the county in accordance with that law, as follows: Xo. 1, Petersburg, Middletown, Minneota, Sioux Vallev and Round Lake; Xo. 2, Des Moines and Wisconsin; Xo. 3, Hunter, East, Ewington, Alba, West Heron I^ake and Heron Lake; Xo. 4, TiaCro^se, Weimer and Delafield ; Xo. 5, Belmont, Cliristiania, Kimball and Enterprise. At the

There was another increase in the vote .in 1880, and 914 votes were counted for presidential electors. In national politics the county was found to be again strongly republican. In local politics the party did not fare so well. Of the five commissioners elected, three were independents, and an independent was also elected judge of probate. The result: default and was the quietest one ever held in the county. There'were only two independent candidates against the nominees of the republican convention, and only 489 votes were cast. Although state officers were voted for, in only one precincH: (Ewington) was there a vote cast for the democratic nominee for governor. The vote follows :

For tlie first time in history Jackson county gave a democratic nominee for congress a majority in 1882. There was no opposition to the republican county ticket. Six hundred fifty votes were cast, as follows:

"Judges were elected for six year terms, but the legislature of 1885 created a new district - the 13th - composed of the counties of Nobles, Rock, Pipestone, Murray. Cottonwood and Jackson. In March, 1885, Governor Hubbard appointed A. D. Perkins judge of the new district, and Judge Severance served only until that date.