Vail Township

Vail Township

Vail township is located in the central part of Redwood county, and embraces Congressional township 111-37. It is bounded on the north by Sheridan, on the east by New Avon, on the south by Waterbury and on the west by Granite Rock. A small branch of the Redwood river passes across the northwest corner of it. The Vesta-Sanborn branch of the Chicago and Northwestern crosses it from north to south and the Evan-Marshall branch of the same road passes across it from east to west. The surface is rolling, but marshy in the central part. The only village is Wabasso. The trading centers are Wabasso and Redwood Falls. There are four school houses. The predominating nationality is German.

The original survey of this township was made during 1859, work having been begun by M. Black, U. S. deputy surveyor, on June 23, 1859. The soil was generally first class and rolling, except in the marshy places toward the center. There were no

Beginning with March 2, 1868, the western part of the township was included in Yellow Medicine township, and after Yellow Medicine county was organized March 6, 1871, was considered a part of Redwood Falls township, together with the eastern part which had been considered a part of Redwood Falls township since the organization of Redwood county. Vail was created by the commissioners July 30, 1879, and given the name of Center. It was found, however, that another township in the county bore that name, and on August 29, 1879, the name was changed to Vail in honor of Fred Vail Hotchkiss, a member of the county board.

The History of the Minnesota Valley published in 1882 says: "John Tabor was the first settler; he came in the spring of 1869 and located in section 4. James Longbottom came in October and settled in section 8. The next settlers were A. Milloy, M. McMillan and Henry Meyer. The first town meeting was held at James Longbottom 's house, Sept. 16, 1879, and the following officers were elected : James Longbottom, chairman, David Weaver and Archibald Milloy, supervisors; John Longbottom, clerk ; Chauncey Bunday, assessor ; Henry Meyer, treasurer ; Theodore Daub and John Tabor, justices; Henry Meyer and James Longbottom, constables. The first marriage was that of John A. Peterson and Elizabeth Longbotton. They were married in January, 1875, at the residence of James Longbottom in section 8, by the Rev. Chamberlain."