Meeker County, Minnesota - Dr. Frederick Xoah Ripley, 1877

Dr. Ripley arrived at Shakopee, Scott county, Minn., in September 1853, and resided at that place, boarding at the "Warren House" during the years 1853-4.

In 1855, he first made his appearance in the small village of Minneapolis - a slightly built man, ot refined and gentlemanly appearance; possessing copious stores of useful and instructive informa¬ tion; richly endowed with all the natural gifts of an enlarged mind and liberal understanding; full (112)

He had been induced to take this step by a col¬ lege class-mate, at that time a practicing young lawyer in Minneapolis - the late Hon. D. M. Han-

Dr Ripley was a young and talented physician but recently graduated from a celebrated medical institution in the east, and was looking through the west for the purpose of selecting a home, where he could devote his entire time to the practice of his profession.

About this time that portion of our Territory now comprising Meeker and McLeod counties had just been explored by a few eitizens of Minne¬ apolis. and considerable excitement existed in the village, in regard to the favorable reports made by the pioneers in relation to their visit west of the Big-woods.

The doctor was strongly recommended to make a visit to the new-discovered region, to look up a claim and select a home, and in doing so made up his mind to settle - expecting to locate either at Forest City or on Cedar Lake, in the county of Meeker.

necessary for the ensuing winters use, stored at Forest City, at the same time the Dr. with one John McClelland now Register of Deeds in Beck¬ er county, were to remain on the claim at Cedar Lake, where th'ey had established their camp for the winter.

It was a delightful morning - the sun shone brightly and the snow was melting fast till 9 , a. m. when a gentle breeze from the north-west started up - in a short time clouds began to appear and by 12 m. a full-grown blizzard was upon them.

They traveled as near a north-west course as they could calculate, until dark when they stopped in a small popple grove; gathering a pile of dry sticks, with which they started a fire, they camped for the night - imagination will tell how they spent the night, without food or blankets, and the thermometer down to 20 below zero and the wind blowing a hurricane, their only occupation was to hunt wood and keep up the fire till morq - ing when they again started out, as was supposed in a direct course for Forest City and traveled until about 9 o'clock a. m. through snow from one to three feet deep striking Crow River, but whether above or below Forest City they could not tell, and after a search for several hours both up and down stream the Doctor became discouraged and both started to go back whence they came - this was about two p. m. - by this time the storm had abated and the sun came out just before night.

About dark they accidently came to the place where they had camped the night before, but to' their great disappointment the fire had gone out and their few remaining matches were found to be wet, they had no fire and as they started out without food, in anticipation of getting through to Forest City the same night, hunger and cold told on them terribly. The Dr. was badly chilled - both walked the grove for some time but concluded to strike out for camp as it was quite as easy to walk on the prairie as in the timber.

Ripley showed signs of fatigue and quite fre¬ quently wanted to stop and rest - McClelland in¬ sisted it would not do to stop as he would freeze and McClelland was already aware that his own feet were partially frozen.

Ripley was evidently freezing as at every step he seemed to get weaker and less able to pro¬ ceed and finally fell down in the snow - McClel land helped him up and led him on for some dis¬ tance, until Ripley said "Me. go ahead and if the -

McClelland very reluctantly left Ripley and made as rapid steps for camp as possible, knowing full well that he was taking a last farewell of the good man on earth.

The Dr. seems to have wandered back to the grove, where his remains were ;found in the April following by Mr. William S. Chapman (now of California.)

McClelland left Ripley about 8 o'clock a. m. of the third day out and seven miles from camp. McClelland had a hard days work and got into camp about sun down with his feet badly frozen, where he lay nineteen days! before the ex¬ pected team arrived. Dr. Ripley was thirty-two years old.

When McClelland was discovered in camp,-he was in a dreadful state of prostration, was imme¬ diately removed to Shakopee and both legs ampu¬ tated above the knee.

Dr. Ripley was of pleasing address and gentle¬ manly manners, below the medium height, light hair, blue eyes and talented - and had he lived could not fail to have made a valuable citizen.

Previous to Dr. Ripley's pitching his tent west of the woods in Meeker county, he had pre-empted the East half of the South-west quarter and South west quarter of the South-west quarter of section 30 and and Lots 7 and 8 of section 31-116-22- This pre-emption bears date October 18, 1855 - the public sale taking place October 24th. 1855.