Redwood County, Minnesota - Chapter 41: The Pioneer Period, 1916

For nearly two years after the Massacre, Redwood county remained without settlers. It was, however, by no means deserted. Camp Pope, in the river bottoms near what is now North Redwood, was the center from which Sibley set out on. his Indian expedition. A garrison was still maintained at Ft. Ridgely. Both of these posts were in the patrol line established for the protection of the frontier, and the soldiers were constantly passing to and fro.

With the lessening of the Indian danger, Redwood county presented an ideal spot for the location of settlers. Considerable land had been broken for the Indians by the government farmers, and was ready for the growing of crops. Here and there were scattered neat cabins of hewed logs and also a number of brick houses, which had been erected by the government for the Indians.

Col. Sam McPhail, Civil war veteran, Indian fighter and frontiersman, was quick to see these advantages. He decided, therefore, to establish a townsite which would include the waterpower on the Redwood river, at the fall of which the government had established a sawmill as early as 1855. Accordingly, the present site of the village of Redwood Falls was selected as the location of one of the patrol posts.

In the center of what is now the block bounded by Jefferson, Washington, Second and Third streets, a stockade was erected of prairie sod, reinforced with poles and logs. The wall was some eight feet high, with a ditch around it. At the center of the east and west walls were plank gates, the drive connecting these two gates and running through the center of the stockade, being along the line of the alley now dividing the block. Here and there in the walls portholes had been cut, through which guns could be fired in case of attack.

Inside of this stockade McPhail, with the help of the soldiers, erected his now famous cabin, which is still standing in the Ramsey State Park. In this cabin McPhail, with the soldier patrol and a few pioneers, started the settlement of Redwood county.

There is evidence in Col. McPhail's letters, that the few Indians still remaining in the vicinity kept the little colony constantly on the alert during the whole of this first summer. On May 24, to Col. Pfaender in command at Fort Ridgely, he says: "There are in this vicinity six or eight straggling Indians. If you could send up ten or twelve cavalry for a few days, with our aid I feel confident we could capture them." On June 2 he wrote to Gen. Sibley : ' ' We are and have been greatly annoyed by small bands of prowling Indians. We would respectfully ask, if not inconsistent with the public service, that you grant us a small detachment of troops." Again, under the date of June 14, to the adjutant general, Oscar Malmros, he says : ' ' Send me to Fort Ridgely twenty Springfield rifles, also 1,000 round ball cartridges. Should we use these cartridges, we will pay for them with scalps, that is, if the bounty of $200 still holds good; if not, then charge them to the good of the service." The authorities responded to the appeals by sending guns and ammunition on July 28.

In addition to the constantly passing patrol, detachments of soldiers were assigned to the stockade at various times as sentinel squads. It is said that in December, twelve former Confederate soldiers were stationed here for that purpose. During the summer, McPhail kept the merits of his new town constantly before the public by articles in various newspapers. In this connection a story of McPhail 's characteristic humor is told by the old settlers. McPhail, in writing up a Fourth of July celebration for a Mankato paper, spoke of the large and respectable audience present. Afterwards, upon discovering that only one person besides McPhail was present at the celebration, the editor of the paper took him severely to task for his deception.

"Well," said the Colonel, in his characteristic, squeaky voice, "I wrote you the exact truth about it. I am large and Martin is respectable, so we had a large and respectable audience."

On July 12, 1864, the little community began to feel the want of a postoffice and petitioned the postmaster general, setting forth that they were twenty-two miles from the nearest office and praying that an office be established at Redwood Falls, which petition was granted in the fall, Saml. R Thompson being appointed postmaster. The mail was brought by the soldiers from Fort Ridgely. During 1864 pioneer were constantly going and coming. Sometime in the spring or summer, William Post and Frank Kennedy are said to have arrived, taken a claim west of the river and planted some potatoes, corn and melons. They did not, however, remain permanently.

During the winter of 1864-65 there was quite a little settlement inside the stockade. MePhail's family at that time consisted of his wife and his children : John and Etta. The family of J. S. G. Honner consisted of himself, his wife and his three sons, Edward, Howard, and William. In the Honner cabin, later enlarged, was kept the first hotel in the country. The family of Saml. R. Thompson consisted of his wife and three children. Jacob Tippery's family consisted of himself, his wife and three daughters and two sons, Miles and Jacob. Mr. Tippery was here through the winter, the wife and family here for a while then went away and finally came back to live in 1865, in which year they were joined by a son, Miles, who had been serving in the army. Edmund Forgate and family also spent that winter here and erected the first house on the town site outside of the stockade.

Among the men here without their families that winter were O. C. Martin, T. W. Caster, George Charter and "Pom" Angel. David Watson spent the winter here and erected, inside the stockade, the first frame house on the village site, the other five houses were of logs. J. W. Harkness was here in 1864. He and his brother, Daniel, located here in 1865. Birney Flynn also visited here in 1864.

The only people who lived outside of the stockade that winter were George Johnson and his son, Marion Johnson, who came in October, 1864, slept one night in the stockade and then located on the banks of Tiger lake, on the town line of Homier and Paxton.

In 1865 the families in the stockade began to move outside. Some remained on the town site and took claims in the neighborhood. Others moved out into the country.

In the spring Dr. D. L. Hitchcock moved into the McPhail cabin. This made three families living in the McPhail cabin, the Thompson family living in a "leanto" on the west, the Hitchcock family on the east side, and the McPhail family in the center. A few days later, Birney Flynn brought his family here. Mrs. Hitchcock and Mrs. Flynn were a distinct addition to the social life of the community. The only ladies who were here when they arrived were Mrs. Honner, Mrs. Thompson, Mrs. McPhail and Mrs. Fosgate.

In the same year came the families of 0. C. Martin, George Charter and David Watson. The Charter family consisted of Mr. Charter, his wife and children, Emma, Solomon R., who soon died, November 22, and Elizabeth. A son, Henry F., was born to Mr. and Mrs. Charter, December 27, 1867. Emma Charter married Samuel R. Thompson.

By July 4, 1865 quite a few families were living in Redwood county. A big dinner was served in what is now the city park. The oration of the day was delivered by Col. McPhail, and a flag manufactured by the ladies was proudly put into service.

The first marriage was that of William Morrill and Hattie Tippery, the daughter of Jacob Tippery. The ceremony was performed by Col. McPhail as justice of the peace in July, 1865, at the home of the bride's parents. Mr. Morrill, who had previously

Previous publications have stated that the first marriage took place under the falls, April 10, 1865. The contracting parties were George Coffee and Amanda Cole, 0. C. Martin, justice of the peace, presiding. The contracting parties are not known to the early settlers and early historians have failed to state their authority for the statements concerning this marriage.

As already noted, the first hotel in Redwood Falls was kept by J. S. G. Honner, in his cabin inside the stockade. The next hotel was kept by "William Mills, the mail carrier. The first regular hotel, however, was opened in 1867 by James McMillan on the present site of the county jail. This inn, called the <' Exchange Hotel," was the pioneer social center of Redwood Falls for some years.

The first mail, with Saml. R. Thompson as postmaster, was brought from Fort Ridgely every other day by the soldier patrol. Later William Mills, who succeeded J. S. G. Honner as hotel keeper, brought the mail from St. Peter once a week. Still later, Mr. Mills was the mail carrier between Redwood Falls and New Ulm. An amusing story is told in connection with his encounter with a bear in the early days. One morning on his way toward Fort Ridgely with the mail, he had reached a point near the old Sioux Agency when he met a large bear. With his gun, which he always carried with him, he shot the bear and evidently stunned him. Thinking Bruin dead, Mr. Mills approached him for the purpose of taking his skin, when the animal arose, made a leap at his throat and put up a most vigorous fight. The bear was finally killed, but in the meantime Mr. Mills was almost entirely denuded of clothing and had to return to Redwood Falls scratched and bleeding with the bear's pelt, but decidedly in need of covering for himself.

February 9, 1865, Captain Louis Robert arrived in Redwood Falls with a stock of goods and the next day opened the first store in Redwood Falls, inside the stockade. He made his first sale to Julia Williams, the school teacher, selling her ten yards of calico for $6.00. In the fall of that year Captain Roberts erected a store outside the stockade. It occupied the present site of the Red Stensvad garage, about on lots 4 and 5, block 10, on the south side of Second street, between Jefferson and Washington streets.

and Mill streets, about on lot 4, block 15. A. M. Northrup was put in charge. Later the firm built a store on lot 12, block 16, where the First National Bank is now located. The first blow toward erecting the original building was struck July 17, 1865, and the building was ready for occupancy on the 24th, the first goods being sold that day. The building was 18x30 feet, one and one-half stories high. A dance held on the evening of the 24th celebrated its completion. The third store in Redwood Falls was opened in 1868 by Stickle & Scott, on lot 6. block 10, the present location of the State Bank of Redwood Falls.

Colonel McPhail's claim included the fractional north half of the north half of section 1, township 112, range 36, and the south half of the southeast quarter of section 36, township 113, range 36. T. W. Caster's claim covered a portion of the north half of section 1, township 112, range 36. The town site was located on the claim of Colonel McPhail and a portion of that of Caster. MePhail bought of Caster his part of the site and late in 1865 he platted it, employing David Watson as surveyor. Philip Osborn was McPhail's holding agent and many of the abstracts in the village bear his name as the original owner. McPhail had an interesting method of disposing of his lots. He sold 20 lots for $100. A person buying these lots did not know the exact location of the lots he was acquiring. The purchaser paid his $100 and waited until the day of the drawing. On that day the numbers of all the lots in the village were placed in a box and twenty numbers drawn therefrom at random in the name of the various purchasers. Thus each man owned twenty lots scattered in various parts of the village. It is said that McPhail sold more lots than he had platted, and that as the day of the drawing drew near he was compelled to hastily plat a few more blocks in order that all might receive the number of lots that had been paid for.

The early assessment rolls still preserved at the Redwood Falls courthouse are illuminating in that they give the names of the pioneer property owners. The first assessment rolls on file are those of August 1, 1868, when returns were made for Redwood Falls and Yellow Medicine townships. These two townships then constituted the whole of Redwood county, which at that time extended to the state line. The assessment in Redwood Falls township was made by Robert Watson.

Morgan. John A. Willard and O. P. Whitcomb owned land in section 1, Frederick Evertsbury and Geo. B. Wright, in section 2; Isaac P. Olmstead, Geo. B. Wright and John Shillock, in section 3; Geo. B. Wright and Wm. F. Davidson in sections 4, 5, 16 and 21; Wm. F. Davidson in sections 6, 7, 8, 9, 17, 18, 19,

20, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 and 34 ; John Shillock and Wm. F. Davidson in section 10 ; Geo. B. Wright and Chas. Shumacker in section 11 ; Christopher Burton and Chas. Schumacker in section 12 ; Mark Howard in sections 13, 14 and 23 ; Geo. B. Wright in sections 15 and 22; Mark Howard and Geo. B. Wright in section 24.

Sherman. Lahiva G. Clough and Henry W. Lamberton owned land in section 15; Henry Muller, Lahiva G. Clough and Henry W. Lamberton in section 16 ; John M. Little and Henry W. Lamberton in section 17; Andrew T. Hale and Geo. B. Wright in section 18 ; Andrew T. Hale, Chas. E. Vandelbergh and Henry K. Olmstead in section 19 ; Henry K. Olmstead and Geo. B. Wright in section 20; Andrew T. Hale, George B. Wright, Henry Muller and Henry W. Lamberton in section 21 ; Jacob Muller, Henry Muller, Henry W. Lamberton, William S. Root and Edward McCormack in section 22; Jacob Muller, Lahiva G. Clough, Charles T. Brown and Edward McCormack in section 23 ; Sarah M. Dresser in section 24 ; Sarah M. Dresser, J. Fredrick Putnam and Henry A. Swift in section 25; Sarah M. Dresser, John Willard, Orlin P. Whitcomb, Andrew T. Hale and Edward McCormack in section 26; Andrew T. Hale, Henry W. Lamberton and Edward McCormack in section 27 ; Andrew T. Hale, Chas. E. Vandelbergh, Geo. B. Wright and A. A. Knowlton in section 28; Chas. E. Vandelbergh, Amelia E. Tucker, Geo. B. Wright, A. A. Knowlton and James Graham in section 29 ; J. W. Paxton in sections 30 and 31; Amelia E. Tucker, Lahiva G. Clough, Chas. T. Brown and Geo. B. Wright in section 33 ; Amelia

E. Tucker and Geo. B. Wright in section 34; Andrew T. Hale, Henry A. Swift and Geo. B. Wright in section 35 ; and John A. Willard, Orlin P. Whitcomb and Henry A. Swift in section 36.

Paxton. Orvis A. Mason, Mark Howard and Norman Webster owned land in section 4 ; George P. Morse and James C. Bwins in section 5; Harvey Wingate, Elizabeth Angel, Park Worden, George G. Beardley, Elizabeth M. Robinson, Maria Mason and

D. L. Bigham in section 6 ; Anna E. Springgate, John B. Downer, Orlin P. Whitcomb and John A. Willard in section 7; George P. Morse, James C. Bwins, John B. Downer and William H. Horr in section 8 ; William B. Haslip, Andrew T. Hale, Geo. B. Wright and Julius Meyer in section 9; John A. Willard, Orlin P. Whitcomb, Joseph Brown and Henry C. Baker in section 18; J. W. Paxton and Geo. B. Wright in sections 13, 14, 15, 16, 20 and 23 ; Jacob A. Parmeter in section 12; George F. Stevens, Geo. B. Wright and Asa B. Barton in section 17; Andrew T. Hale and Mark Howard in section 18; J. W. Paxton and Sam McPhail in section 19 ; J. W. Paxton in sections 10, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 32, 33 and 36; J. W. Paxton and James W. Justice in section 30; and Wm. F. Davidson in sections 34 and 35.

Honner. William Pfaender owned land in section 18 ; J. S. G. Honner, Wm. Woodward, Wm. Harding and Wm. Pfaender in section 19 ; J. S. G. Honner and John Andrews in section 20 ; Christian Kuenzli in section 21 ; Eliva T. Jones, Hugh Casey, Christian Kuenzli and John M. Chapin in section 28 ; John M. Morton, D. L. Hitchcock, Christian Kuenzli and Ener Birum in section 29,

E. and C. C. Birum; J. S. G. Honner, Rufus C. Cole, George Houghton, William Harding, Susan Brown and Meuis Pervus in section 30; Birney Flynn, Pam Angel, Phebe E. Watson, D. Watson, Martha E. Watson, J. E. Pope and Francis Vanin in section 31; Daniel C. Harkness, Ener Birum, D. L. Hitchcock and Abigail M. Northrop in section 32; Eliva T. Jones, Giles Farmin, John M. Chapin and Mary Mansfield in section 33; Bernhardt Kuenzli, George Johnson and James A. Bailey in section 34; Orvis S. Mason and Norman Webster in section 36.

Charlestown. All of section 25 had been taken. Rachel Bean owned the southeast quarter and Wm. H. Harrison the rest of the section. A notation is made that Joseph H. Bean lived in township 107, range 38, in Cottonwood county.

Redwood Falls. Ly Brand & Thompson, Chas. Folsom, Peter Ort, John R. Thompson, Philip Osborn, D. L. Hitchcock, Sam McPhail and Wm. Beard owned land in section 1 ; Jacob Tippery, Wm. Beard, Peter Ort, J. A. Willard, O. P. Whitcomb, John R. Thompson and Wm. H. Morrell in section 2; J. A. Willard and

O. P. Whitcomb and Lorenzo Darling in section 3; James S. Daniels and Geo. B. Wright in section 4; Chas. B. Vandelburgh, Geo. B. Wright and Samuel Herron in section 5 ; Geo. B. Wright, James Harvey and Samuel Herron in section 6; George B. Wright in section 7; Charles E. Vandelburgh and George B. Wright in section 8; Charles E. Vandelburg, John Gleason, Mark Howard and H. W. Lamberton in section 9; S. S. Repler, W. J. Jackson and Henry A. Swift in section 10; J. R. Thompson, Joseph Wagner, William Beard, J. A. Willard and 0. P. Whitcomb and Adie C. Austin and George B. Wright, in section 11 ; Wm. Beard, Chas. Folsom, Lewis M. Baker, J. R. Thompson, John Andrew, J. A. Willard and 0. P. Whitcomb and Pulaski Broughton in section 12 ; John Andrews, Albert H. Childs, Newell Worden, Sanford C. Baker and A. T. Hale in section 13; Crescentia Wagner, Joseph Wagner and John R. Bigham in section 14; S. S. Repler and W. J. Jackson, Chas. E. Vandelburgh and Geo. B. Wright in section 15; Calvin C. Proctor in section 16; Catharine R. Prior and Geo. B. Wright in section 17; Geo. B. Wright in section 18; Benj. Prior in section 20; Benj. Prior, Theodore D. Lyman and Leanord Prior in section 21 ; J. W. Paxton in sections 23, 25, 26, 27 and 36 ; Frank Patterson and J. W. Paxton in section 24 ; Theodore D. Lyman in section 28.

Delhi. Henry G. Abbott and G. B. Mason owned land in section 4 ; Henry G. Abbott in section 5 ; Eliza I. Dausingburgh, Geo. B. Wright and Asa G. Pelton in section 6; Mark Howard, Geo. B. Wright and John B. Downer in section 7 ; Mark Howard in section 8; Andrew T. Hale, Amelia E. Tucker, Hiram B. Petterson and C. B. Mason in section 9 ; William Brown, Hiram B. Patterson and George B. Mason in section 10 ; Carl Simonette, Tallak Broken and Hartwell Allen in section 13 ; Wm. Skinner, Geo. H. Eastman and W. G. Gates in section 14; W. H. Lamberton and Geo. I. Snitinger in section 15; Benj. P. Lamberton in section 16; Elizabeth M. Moreland, Chas. Bryant and Asa Pelton in section 17 ; George Eckhardt, Simon A. Colson, John B. Downer and Sumner Ladd in section 18 ; Oliver M. Leavens and George Eckhardt in section 19; Oliver M. Leavens and John Blair in section 20; John Blair and W. H. Lamberton in section 21 ; Daniel Jones, Benj. P. Lamberton and Mark Howard in section 22; S. S. Repler and W. J. Jackson, John S. Davies and Edwin Lloyd in section 23 ; S. S. Repler and W. J. Jackson, Asa Barton, Tallak Broken and Simon A. Colson in section 24; Joel B. Clough, Francis H.

Downer and Peter Dausnigbury in section 25 ; Lorenzo E. Darling and Chas. E. Fogg in section 26; Ezra M. Birdley, Mark Howard and Evan Williams in section 27; John A. Willard in sections 28, 29 and 30; Henry W. Lamberton, Archibald Noble, John Blair, James G. Stoddard in section 31 : Henry W. Lamber- ton and John A. Willard in section 32 ; John A. Willard and Orlin P. Whitcomb and Chas. E. Vandelburgh in section 33; John A. Willard and Orlin P. Whitcomb in section 34 ; Lorenzo E. Darling

Griswold, Joel B. Clough, John B. McMillan, Geo. B. Wright, Francis H. Whitman, Sam McPhail, Park Worden, 0. C. Martin, Mary J. Martin, Ly Brand and Thompson, Redwood Mill Co., Harrison Wilson and C. P. Griswold in section 36 ; township 114-36, Jas. M. House and Simon Gibhart owned land in section 31.

Kintire. Simon Gibhart, Asa G. Felton and Alfred M. Cook owned land in section 1 ; Israel Sheldon, Charles S. Plummer and Alfred M. Cook in section 2; Simon Gibhart in sections 3 and 4 ; John I. Parry in sections 5 and 6 ; Burnham Hanson in section 9; Burnham Hanson and Alfred M. Cook in section 10; Myron K. Drew and Geo. W. Clark in section 11 ; Jas. M. House, Alfred M. Cook and John B. Downer in section 12; John B. Downer, Hiram H. Butts and Stanford Holland in section 13 ; Jas. M. House and Mary A. Stickle in section 14; Jas. E. Morrell in section 15; Mary A. Stickle in section 22; Myron H. Allen in section 23; Stanford Holland and Phillip Hope, Jr., in section 24; Alfred M. Cook and Jas. G. Stoddard in section 36.

Swedes Forest. Torkle Oleson owned land in section 7 ; Knud Knudson in sections 8 and 11 ; Torkle Oleson in section 12 ; Iver Iverson in section 19 ; Caroline A. Fogg in section 21 ; Charles E. Fogg in section 22; Henry G. Abbott in section 23; Alfred M. Cook in section 24 ; Alfred M. Cook, Fred Holt, Fredrick Wolte and Henry G. Abbott in section 25 ; Charles Johnson Aams, Henry G. Abbott, Fredrick Holt in section 26; Charles E. Fogg, Henry G. Abbott in section 27; Israel Sheldon in section 28; Alfred M. Cook, J. W. Sprague, H. A. Swift and H. W. Lamberton in section 29 ; H. A. Swift, Henry W. Lamberton, J. W. Sprague in section 30; John J. Parry in sections 31 and 32; Simon Gibhart in sections 33 and 34; Charles Johnson Aams in section 35; Henry J. Abbott, Asa Felton, James M. Round and Alfred M. Cook in section 36.

For publication in this work, the names of the personal tax payers of 1868 have been divided according to present day boundary lines by D. L. Bigham and M. E. Powell, both of whom were personally acquainted with nearly all the men in these lists.

The construction of the Stockade has been described. In 1865 a few frame houses began to go up about Redwood Falls. Some of the pioneers were fortunate in that they moved into log or brick houses made for the Indians before the Massacre. But for the most part the early pioneers in the vicinity of Redwood Falls built their cabins of logs, some of which were obtained from cabins ruined during the Massacre. Some of these cabins of the pioneers were thatched with bark, and the floors consisted mostly of trampled earth.

However, the government saw mill at the falls of the Redwood, which was put in renewed operations soon after the arrival of the first settlers had a strong influence on the architecture of the early houses around Redwood Falls. The Scandinavian people built mauy dugouts, especially back from the river in Swedes Forest township. The Danes in Brookville and Sundown and the Scandinavians in Gales, Johnsonville, Springdale and North Hero also had a number of dugouts. However, for the most part, the habitations in the southern part of the county were sod houses, partly underground and partly overground. Some of these sod houses were whitewashed on the outside, boarded up on the inside and made quite comfortable homes. In the central part of the county the early houses were for the most part of board, though many of these were reinforced with sod, sometimes with straw and hav. Most of the houses of the vari-

A vital influence on the type of houses in Redwood county was exerted by the fact that D. L. Bigham established in 1869 at Redwood Falls the first lumber yard in the Minnesota valley west of New Ulm, purchasing lumber at $15 to $16 a thousand, paying $10 freight, hauling it three miles from the landing to Redwood Falls and then selling it for $32 a thousand. His object was to assist in building up the country rather than to make money, and the lumber from his yard was used in cabins from Redwood Falls to the state line. The first load of lumber was brought from St. Paul in 1868 aboard the boat "Pioneer," which he chartered for this purpose. About 1870, he made a contract with a lumber company owning saw mills on the St. Croix river and that with the boat "St. Anthony," and its barge brought the lumber to the Redwood landing, from which place Mr. Bigham had it hauled three miles to Redwood Falls. The river trip was one beset with many hazards, and often Mr. Bigham 's lumber was scattered along the river bank everywhere from Mankato to Redwood landing.

Most of the early settlers came here with horses, intending to use those animals for farming work. They soon found, however, that they were not suitable for pioneer endeavor in this climate, and while a few of the pioneers kept their horses for driving purposes, most of the work was done by oxen, who could comfortably weather these cold winters and who could survive on marsh hay, wheat straw and rutabagas.

None of the land in the Indian reservation was subject to homestead or pre-emption entry, it was put in the market December 7, 1867. The land office was at St. Peter. In the fall of 1866 commissioners of the government appraised the lands within the reservation on which some claims had already been made. They valued the land at prices varying from $1.25 to $2.50 per acre, excepting special tracts covered with valuable timber, well situated, and lands where improvements in the form of buildings or otherwise, had been made. These lands in some cases sold as high as $7 per acre, where the government had made improvements for the benefit of the Sioux. Houses of brick or of wood had, as stated, been built at various points up and down the reservation and a clay pit and brick yard opened at Yellow Medicine. It was reasonable therefore that wide difference should be made in the appraisal of land.

In addition to their homestead and pre-emption laws, pioneers in this region had the opportunity of taking a tree claim of 160 acres. To prove up on a tree claim, it was originally necessary to bring proof that 40 acres of timber had been planted thereon and had been growing for five years. The act was several times amended and finally reduced to 10 acres. Only one tree claim could be taken in each section. It is said that only one tract in Redwood county fully complied with the provisions of the original tree claim act. In Gales township one man planted the 40 acres and at the end of five years was able to adduce proof that not a single tree was missing. In the early days, aside from securing the tree claim by planting trees, the settlers were also paid a bounty by the state for each acre of growing timber which they had planted on their claims.

The land office of the Redwood Falls land district was established in July, 1872, with Col. B. P. Smith, registrar, and Major W. H. Kelley, receiver. Several years later the office was removed to Marshall.

The census of 1870 gave Redwood county a population of 1,829. The county then extended to the state line. Sheridan and Sherman had their present boundaries. Redwood Falls township took in practically all of the remainder of what is now Redwood county. In addition to this there were a few settlers in the western part of the county, and a few in Swedes Forest. The settlers in Swedes Forest were for the most part Scandinavian. The settlers in the western part of the county were a mixture of Scandinavians, Germans and Americans. The settlers around Redwood Falls were for the most part American and Scotch. The settlers in Sherman were American, Scotch and Irish, only a few Germans having at that time arrived.

Unlike many counties of the state, the county was at that time predominantly American. Of the 1,829 people in the county 1,147 were native born and only 682 foreign born. Of the 682 foreign born, 286 were from English speaking countries, leaving only 396 from foreign speaking countries. Of the 1,147 natives there were 341 born in this state, 183 in New York state, 161 in Wisconsin, 62 in Ohio, 77 in Pennsylvania, 65 in Illinois, and the remainder in other states.

Of the 682 foreign born, 176 were born in British America (these were mostly of Scotch ancestry), 52 in England or Wales, 32 in Ireland, 26 in Scotland, 62 in Germany, 319 in Norway or Sweden, 6 in Switzerland and 9 in Denmark.

Of the 111 people in Sheridan, 52 were native and 59 foreign. Of the 691 in Redwood Falls, 492 were native and 199 foreign. Of the 67 in Sherman, 50 were native and 17 foreign. The only colored man in the whole county was in Sherman. Of the 307 people in Lac qui Parle county, 115 were native and 192 foreign. Of the 268 people in Lynd, 235 were native and 33 foreign. Of the 385 people in Yellow Medicine, 203 were native and 182 were foreign.

Many of the early pioneers were typical Yankee frontiersmen, lovers of the wilds who were ever on the front crest of the advancing tide of civilization, and as soon as settlers followed them in any number, they made their way further into the wilderness. However, many came here with a view to making this their permanent home. Nearly all the Danish people in the southeastern part of the county, the Scandinavians in the southwestern and northwestern parts, the Scotch people who made their principal settlements in Delhi and Redwood Falls, and the German people who settled through the central part of the county, as an overflow of the Brown county settlements, as well as the Bohemians who arrived later, came for the purpose of establishing homes rather than in a spirit of adventure. Many, too, of the Americans remained, and such present-day names as Powell, Hitchcock, Johnson, Bingham, Martin, Thomas, go back to the days of the very earliest settlements.

Barney Flynn, David Watson and D. L. Bigham located nearly all the early settlers in the northern part of Redwood county. Scarcely a day in the late sixties passed by without their driving some one out on the prairie for the purpose of staking a claim.

Personal testimony of Major M. E. Powell, who reached Redwood Falls in 1867. Major Powell had served in the Civil war with Col. Sam McPhail, and was his personal friend for many years thereafter. He many times heard the story of the first settlement from McPhail's own lips.