History of Douglas and Grant counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume I, Part 16

Author: Larson, Constant, 1870-
Publication date: 1916
Publisher: Indianapolis, Ind. : B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 588


USA > Minnesota > Douglas County > History of Douglas and Grant counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume I > Part 16
USA > Minnesota > Grant County > History of Douglas and Grant counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume I > Part 16


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47


1910


1900


1890


Brandon village


276


272


225


Carlos township


537


597


435


Carlos village


167


Evansville township


474


589


580


Evansville village


389


483


452


Forada village


66


Garfield village


160


Holmes City township.


682


761


746


Hudson township


492


561


509


Ida township


729


910


746


Kensington village


244


207


La Grand township


850


859


545


Lake Mary township


610


709


506


Leaf Valley township


674


672


614


Lund township


634


687


627


Millerville township


552


690


673


Millerville village


150


Miltona township


117


399


228


Moe township


689


763


672


Nelson village


157


Orange township


418


456


343


Osakis township


623


703


479


Osakis village


924


S15


472


Solem township


590


622


714


Spruce Hill township


602


673


530


Urness township


513


616


641


Total


17,669


17.964


14,606


1


f


1


1


1


1


I


1


I


NATURALIZATION RECORDS.


A large majority of the settlers of this county who came here from abroad have become naturalized citizens of this county by due process of law. The first step in naturalization is for the applicant to make declaration of his intention to become a citizen of this country, and is known as taking out the first papers. The first person to apply for first papers in Douglas county was John Nelson, from Sweden, who appeared before county clerk J. H. Van Dyke on February 28, 1867. The second was Thurston Severson, on March 4, 1867. Halvor Halvorson, from Norway, also came on the same day. The fourth man was Thomas Oatmason, on March 15, 1867, and the fifth was Erick Peherson Eng., on March 20, 1867. In 1867 there were 97 applicants for first papers, of whom 59 were from Den- mark : 3 from Austria, and I from France.


The first applicant for second papers, or final proof of citizenship, in Douglas county, was Henry Blackwell, a native of England, who appeared


160


DOUGLAS AND GRANT COUNTIES, MINNESOTA,


before county clerk F. B. Van Hoesen on October 5, 1870. Mr. Blackwell had taken out his first papers in Meeker county. The second applicant was Peter Stranstrup, on October 5. 1870, who presented an honorable dis- charge showing he had served three years in the Union army during the Civil War. The third name on the records is that of Ole Brandon, who also appeared on October 5, 1870, and also presented an honorable discharge showing three years' service in the Union army. The fourth man was Thomas F. Cowing, a native of England, who had made his declaration of intentions in Dane county, Wisconsin, and secured his final proof of citi- zenship on October 6, 1870. On that same day Thurston Halvorson, a native of Norway, applied for his second papers, having taken out his first papers in Stevens county.


In 1870 and 1871 there were 95 applicants for second papers in Douglas county, of whom 61 were from Norway and Sweden; 29 were from England : 3 from Prussia: I from Denmark, and I from Russia. In 1896 it became necessary for minor aliens to make application for citizenship on a separate form. This applied to those who came to this country before their eighteenth birthday, but the law was changed in 1906. The following table sets out the naturalization record since the organization of the county :


First Papers.


Second Papers.


Minor. Aliens.


First Papers.


Second Papers.


Minor. Aliens.


1867


97


1892


63


17


1869


382


1894


180


17


1870


470


6


1895


18


16


1871


592


89


1896


214


280


21


1872


194


82


1897


27


352


75


1873


98


157


1898


44


334


79


1874


141


1899


25


106


30


1875


62


134


1900


25


100


23


1876


92


157


1001


15


32


7


1.577


28


64


1902


31


60


14


1878


24


51


1903


32


20


11


1879


30


32


1904


44


18


1880


92


28


1905


38


16


7


1881


198


18


1906


39


26


4


1882


318


1907


27


13


1883


74


22


1908


21


12


1884


224


21


1909


23


20


1885


61


13


1910


28


18


1886


130


28


1911


26


21


31


1912


23


0


1888


1.80


20


1913


32


19


1889


34


23


1914


44


18


1890


132


12


1915


27


4


1891


34


13


12%


1893


36


21


41


I61


DOUGLAS AND GRANT COUNTIES, MINNESOTA.


FINANCIAL STATEMENT.


The following financial statement is taken from the report of the county auditor for the year ending December 31, 1915 :


Assets.


Court house and grounds


$ 34.700.00


Jail and site


14,900.00


Woodlots and barn


1,500.00


Office and vault furniture and fixtures.


3,500.00


Ditch liens, assessed but not due


105,023.81


Ditch liens, acerned but not assessed


4,490.79


Balance cash in ditch fund.


42,998.92


Balance cash in revenue fund


3,537.27


Balance cash in incidental fund


132.45


Balance cash in mortgage registry fund


1,960.99


Balance cash in county sanatorium fund


7,629.55


Balance cash in assurance fund


ยท 7.26


Due from state of Minnesota, road refund.


2,804.42


Due from state of Minnesota, wolf bounty.


229.50


Taxes for the year 1914 due and unpaid


7,261.10


Uncollected taxes for 1913 and prior years, estimated


4,936.43


Fuel in yard and basement


165.00


$235,777.49


Liabilities.


Claims filed and not audited


$ 1,144.37


Ditch bonds issned but not due


101,800.00


Warrants outstanding


4,435.86


Road and bridge fund overdraft


1,213.73


Assets and liabilities


127.183.53


$235,777.49


(II)


CHAPTER VII.


OFFICIALS OF DOUGLAS COUNTY.


Mention has already been made in the chapter on county organization of the officers appointed during the temporary organization effected in 1859. During the Indian outbreak in 1862 the county was almost deserted, the organization was abandoned and the records lost. It was not until the spring of 1866 that permanent government was established in the area now known as Douglas county. Governor William R. Marshall appointed J. H. Van Dyke, James F. Dicken and Donald Stevison as a board of county commis- sioners to organize the county. This board met at Alexandria on June 15, 1866, and appointed the first officers of Douglas county under the permanent organization, as follows: J. Mont Smyth, auditor; Charles Cook, judge of probate; J. Mont Smyth, register of deeds; Thomas F. Cowing, sheriff ; J. Mont Smyth, clerk of the court; William Shaw, attorney; T. W. Moore, surveyor ; Thomas F. Cowing, treasurer ; Robert Wyman, coroner.


COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.


The board of county commissioners has always been one of the most important official bodies of the county government. The first board pro- ceeded to divide the county into townships, also into commissioner districts, established school districts and roads and ferries. The minutes of the meet- ings of the board as kept by the county auditor, who is clerk of the board of commissioners, serves as a record of the organization and development of the county. Following is a complete list of the county commissioners, the first name being that of the chairman of the board; beginning with 1886 the names are given in the order of their respective commissioner districts :


1866 -- J. H. Van Dyke, James F. Dicken, Donald Stevison. 1867-Donald Stevison, James F. Dicken, N. B. Johnson. 1868-S. T. Russell, O. G. Lincoln, N. B. Johnson. 1869-E. G. Holmes, Levi E. Thompson, O. G. Lincoln. 1870-Levi E. Thompson, Warren Adley, T. Evenson. 1871-Levi E. Thompson, N. S. Worden, T. Evenson.


163'


DOUGLAS AND GRANT COUNTIES, MINNESOTA.


1872-Levi E. Thompson, N. S. Worden, T. Evenson.


1873-Levi E. Thompson, N. S. Worden, O. Amundson, C. F. Kings- land, S. Thompson.


1874 -- Robert Angus, K. Rustad, O. Amundson, A. H. Taylor, M. Gordon.


1875-Robert Angus, K. Rustard, O. Amundson, A. H. Taylor, M. Gordon.


1876-A. H. Taylor, K. Rustad, O. Amundson, Robert Angus, M. Gor- don.


1877-A. H. Taylor, K. Rustad, O. Amundson, Robert Angus, L. H. Webster.


1878-A. H. Taylor, R. Bentson, O. Amundson, Robert Angus, L. H. Webster.


1879-A. H. Taylor, R. Bentson, Thoren Evenson, James Knapton, L. H. Webster.


1880-James Knapton, R. Bentson, Thoren Evenson, H. H. Wilson, James Fitzgerald.


1881-H. H. Wilson, R. Bentson, Thoren Evenson, James Knapton, N. B. Smith.


1882-H. H. Wilson, R. Bentson, Thoren Evenson, Robert Angus, N. B. Smith.


1883-H. H. Wilson, R. Bentson, Thoren Evenson, Robert Angus, N. L. Reuter.


1884-George W. Robards, O. Amundson, Thoren Evenson, Robert Angus, N. L. Reuter.


1885-George W. Robards, O. Amundson, V. D. Nichols, Robert Angus, N. L. Reuter.


1886 -- A. G. Johnson, Ole T. Vinkjer, Robert Angus, Rudolph Wegener, James Shinners.


1887-A. G. Johnson, Ole T. Vinkjer, Robert Angus, Rulodph Wegener, James Shinners.


1889-A. G. Johnson, Ole T. Vinkjer, Robert Angus, Rudolph Wegener, James Shinners.


1891-A. G. Johnson, Ole T. Vinkjer, Peter Sweet, Rudolph Wegener, W. H. Crowe.


1893-Ole J. Thurstad, Charles J. Johnson, Peter Sweet, James H. White, James Quinn.


1895-Ole J. Thurdstad, Anton H. Strom, Peter Sweet, S. O. Stedje, James Quinn.


164


DOUGLAS AND GRANT COUNTIES, MINNESOTA.


1897-Roald Bentson, Anton H. Strom, John F. Landeen, S. O. Stedje, Michael Hickey.


1899-Roald Bentson, Anton H. Strom, John F. Landeen, James H. White, Michael Hickey.


1901-Nels Ekblad, Anton H. Strom, John F. Landeen, James H. White, John L. Sather.


1903-Nels Ekblad, Jolin C. Egeberg, John F. Landeen, Edward A. Olsen, John L. Sather.


1905-Nels Ekblad, John C. Egeberg, C. A. Anderson, Edward A. Olsen, John L. Sather.


1907-Nels Ekblad, L. O. Larson, C. A. Anderson, C. J. Lindstrom, John L. Sather.


1909-D. J. Davidson, L. O. Larson, Louis Malmberg, C. J. Lindstrom, John L. Sather.


1911-D. J. Davidson, Peter Hoplin, Louis Malmberg, John H. O'Brien, John L. Sather.


1913-Theodore Walstead, Peter Hoplin, Louis Malmberg, John H. O'Brien, John Severson.


1915-Theodore Walstead, Peter Hoplin, Louis Malmberg, John H. O'Brien, John L. Sather.


AUDITORS.


The board of county commissioners appointed J. Mont Smyth as the first auditor of Douglas county. The record makes no mention of what his salary was to be to start with, but on January 1, 1867, the commissioners voted to pay the county auditor five hundred dollars per annum. Like the other county officers he did not at first devote all his time to the duties of his office.


Following is a list of those who have held the office of auditor, together with the years of their service: J. Mont Smyth, 1866-67; G. C. Whitcomb, 1867-69; William M. Pye, 1866-71; George A. Freudenreich, 1871-72; James Fitzgerald, 1872-73; Fred von Baumbach, 1873-80; Theodore Bord- sen, 1880-89; Fred von Baumbach, 1889-98; E. P. Wright, 1898-1909; E. J. Brandt, 1909-15; C. H. Jenson, 1915, term expires in 1919.


TREASURER.


The commissioners also appointed the first county treasurer, Thomas F. Cowing, at their meeting on' June 15, 1866. Naturally, there was 10


165


DOUGLAS AND GRANT COUNTIES, MINNESOTA.


money in the treasury upon the organization of the county and the early expenses were met by issuing orders or warrants on the credit of the county. These orders were discounted at the local banks, sometimes as low as sixty per cent on their face value, and as they could later be cashed in full they returned a very satisfactory profit to the purchaser.


A complete list of the treasurers of Douglas county is here given : Thomas F. Cowing, 1866-69; J. H. Van Dyke, 1869-71; T. W. Sprague, 1871-75; H. K. White, 1875-79; John Kron, 1879-87; John C. Thornstad, 1887-89; Erick Erickson, 1889-91; Theodore Bordsen, 1891, present term expires in 1919.


REGISTER OF DEEDS.


During the first organization of Douglas county the record books were kept at St. Cloud, the county seat of Stearns county; but in 1866, upon effecting the permanent organization, they were sent to Alexandria. The first record made regarding land within the limits of Douglas county bears the date of July 25, 1862. It is a deed from A. D. Campbell and wife, of Dakota county, to H. T. Welles, of Hennepin county, conveying the west half of the northeast quarter, and the west half of the southeast quarter, of section 19, township .128, range 37, and the southwest quarter of section 19, township 126, range 37, in all three hundred and one acres. The consideration was two hundred dollars. The first mortgage recorded in Douglas county bears the date of June 17, 1867. Robert Thomas was the mortgagor and J. C. Bodwell was the mortgagee. The land mortgaged was the southeast quarter of section 34, township 128, range 36.


The following have served as register of deeds since the organization of the county: J. Mont Smyth, 1866-67; G. C. Whitcomb, 1867-69; F. B. Van Hoesen, 1869-71: A. J. Ames, 1871-77; Theodore Bordsen, 1877-79; W. F. Canfield, 1879-87; Nels E. Nelson, 1887-1900; Oscar Erickson, 1909-15; John Nelson, 1915, term expires in 1919.


SHERIFFS.


The duties of the sheriff of Douglas county have never been very difficult in the way of dealing with criminals, though there is considerable work in the line of civil duties. Some of the early sheriffs were thought to favor the saloon element too much, and on one or two occasions a sheriff was removed by the governor on account of being a too liberal patron of the saloon himself.


166


DOUGLAS AND GRANT COUNTIES, MINNESOTA.


A list of the county sheriffs is here set out : Thomas F. Cowing, 1866-67; A. Robinson, 1867-68; Lorentz Johnson, 1868-69; G. W. Harper, 1869-71; Magnus Lundgren, 1871-72; Nels A. Nelson, 1872-73; Ole Amundson, 1873-77; Ole Urness, 1877-86; John A. Thordsted, 1886-87; Ole Urness, 1887-88; T. J. Barros, 1888-89; A. W. DeFrate, 1889-99; J. E. Lundgren, 1899-1911 ; L. S. Kent, 1911, present term expires in 1919.


COUNTY ATTORNEYS.


On March 10, 1868, the board of county commissioners voted "That the salary of the county attorney be fixed at one hundred dollars for the year 1868, and in addition thereto the board will, in case of an accumulating amount of business, entertain favorably a bill for extra charges." On March 9, 1869, the salary of the county attorney was fixed at three hundred dollars per annum. Increases in salary corresponding with the increases in business have been made at various times since that date.


The following have served as attorney for Douglas county: William Shaw, 1866-69; F. B. Van Hoesen, 1869-71; John Randolph, 1871-73; Knute Nelson, 1873-75; Nelson Fulmer, 1875-79; George H. Reynolds, 1879-83: H. Jenkins, 1883-85; C. J. Gunderson, 1889-1903; Constant Lar- son, 1903-13; Hugh E. Leach, 1913, term expires in 1919.


JUDGES OF PROBATE.


It was not until the county offices were moved to the present county grounds in 1876 that the judge of probate had any regular office, and not until several years later that he was in his office as often as one day a week. It was not long, however, until the work of the office increased so that the incumbent devoted all his time to his official duties as at present.


The judges of probate in Douglas county have been as follows : Charles Cook, 1866-71; H. S. Boyd, 1871-73; William S. Best, 1873-77; William McAboy, 1877-85 ; James S. Fitzgerald, 1885-93; A. G. Sexton, 1893-1912; George L. Treat, 1912-13; George P. Craig, 1913, term expires in 1917.


SURVEYORS.


The land in Douglas county was first surveyed and the corners of all sections located by government surveyors. Occasional mistakes in measure- ments, however, have caused some difficulty in running some of the lines,


167


DOUGLAS AND GRANT COUNTIES, MINNESOTA.


though the original work in Douglas county was done better than in some other counties of the state. Besides determining section lines the work on the roads and ditches requires the attention of the surveyor.


Following is a list of the surveyors of Douglas county: T. W. Moore, 1866-69; Henry Blackwell, 1869-71; L. W. Rima, 1871-75; Charles L. Thompson, 1875-79; John Abercrombie, 1879-83; Henry Blackwell, 1883-89; John Abercrombie, 1889-1907; E. R. Lausted, 1907-1911; John Abercrom- bie, 1911, present term expires in 1919.


CORONERS.


In the early years of the county government it was not customary as at present to choose a physician for coroner. The duties of the office were extremely light and it was not then considered necessary to make a, careful inquest should a fatality come under the consideration of the coroner.


The coroners in Douglas county have been as follows: Robert Wyman, 1866-71; Daniel Shotwell, 1871-73; Godfrey Vivian, 1873-81; S. W. McEwan, 1881-91 ; H. J. Boyd, 1891-93; S. W. McEwan, 1893-99; E. A. Hensel, 1899-1903; H. J. Boyd, 1903-07; E. A. Hensel, 1907-II; A. D. Haskell, 1911-15; M. B. Ruud, 1915, term expires in 1919.


CLERK OF THE COURT.


The records of the board of county commissioners show that J. Mont Smyth was appointed as the first clerk of the district court. He evidently did not qualify nor serve for the earliest papers in the clerk's office bear the signature of J. H. Van Dyke as clerk whose name appears on case No. I and also on the naturalization and other records.


Following is a list of those who have served as clerk of the court for Douglas county : J. H. Van Dyke, 1866-69; F. B. Van Hoesen, 1869-73; James Purden, 1873-79; W. E. Chidester, 1879-81; H. K. White, 1881- 1903; W. F. Sundblad, 1903, present term expires in 1919.


COURT COMMISSIONERS.


The court commissioner has jurisdiction in certain matters when the court is not in session in this county, and some of his duties are similar to those of the judge of probate.


Those who have served as court commissioner in Douglas county are


I68


DOUGLAS AND GRANT COUNTIES, MINNESOTA.


as follows: N. B. Patterson, 1869-73; Charles Schultz, 1873-91; W. E. Chidester, 1891-99; Joseph Gilpin, 1899-1901; J. A. Mckay, 1901-07; George P. Craig, 1907-13; C. H. Jensen, 1913, term would have expired in 1917, but W. F. Sundblad is now acting as court commissioner.


SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.


The early superintendents of the county schools had no certain office room and were usually paid so much a day for the time devoted to their official duties. Several of the early incumbents in this office were appointed by the county commissioners.


Following is a list of all who have served as superintendent of schools in Douglas county : John A. Mower, 1869-73; Smith Bloomfield, 1873-75; W. H. Sanders, 1875-87; E. T. Carroll, 1887-91; A. D. Gaines, 1891-95; A. W. Curtis, 1895-99; C. W. Van Dyke, 1899-1903; Godfrey T. Englund, 1903-07; Theodore A. Erickson, 1907-15; George Susens, 1915, term expires in 1919.


DOUGLAS COUNTY IN THE LEGISLATURE.


Douglas county was first represented in the state legislature under the apportionment of 1860, which divided the state in twenty-one districts, of which Douglas county was a part of the third district, together with eighteen other counties. This district was entitled to one senator and three representa- tives.


The third Legislature assembled on January 8, 1861, and adjourned on March 8. Lieut .- Gov. Ignatius Donnelly was the presiding officer in the senate, and Jared Benson, of Anoka county, was the speaker of the lower house. The third district was represented by Seth Gibbs in the senate, and by Thomas Cathcart, Levi Wheeler and P. S. Gregory in the house.


Fourth Legislature-1862. S. B. Lowry in the senate, and R. M. Richardson, Peter Roy and John Whipple in the house.


Fifth Legislature-1863. William S. Moore in the senate, and L. R. Bently, H. C. Wait and R. M. Richardson in the house.


Sixth Legislature-1864. J. P. Wilson in the senate, and R. M. Richardson, W. T. Rigby and C. A. Ruffee in the house.


Seventh Legislature-1865. J. P. Wilson in the senate, and Oscar Taylor, Louis A. Evans and W. T. Rigby in the house.


Eighth Legislature-1866. R. M. Richardson in the senate, and N. F. Barnes, Thomas Cathcart and B. Overpeck in the house.


169


DOUGLAS AND GRANT COUNTIES, MINNESOTA.


APPORTIONMENT OF 1866.


Under the apportionment of 1866 the state was divided into twenty-two districts, of which Douglas county was still a part of the third. This district was now entitled to one senator and two representatives.


Ninth Legislature-1867. Louis A. Evans in the senate, and N. H. Miner and N. Richardson in the house.


Tenth Legislature-1868. C. A. Gilman in the senate, and D. G. Pettijohn and N. H. Miller in the house.


Eleventh Legislature-1869. C. A. Gilman in the senate, and Ludwig Robbers and William E. Hicks in the house.


Twelfth Legislature-1870. H. C. Wait in the senate, and John L. Wilson and Isaac Thorson in the house.


Thirteenth Legislature-1871. H. C. Wait in the senate, and W. S. Moore and Luke Marvin in the house.


APPORTIONMENT OF 1871.


Under the apportionment of 1871 the state was divided into forty-one districts, of which Douglas county was a part of the thirty-ninth, together with Pope, Stevens, Grant, Big Stone and Lake counties. The district was entitled to one senator and two representatives.


Fourteenth Legislature-1872. Ole Peterson in the senate, and F. B. Van Hoesen and G. W. Rockwell in the house.


Fifteenth Legislature-1873. J. G. Whittemore in the senate, and Warren Adley and G. W. Rockwell in the house.


Sixteenth Legislature-1874. J. G. Whittemore in the senate, and Warren Adley and Henry Foss in the house.


Seventeenth Legislature-1875. Knute Nelson in the senate, and Mar- tin Stowe and J. G. Whittemore in the house.


Eighteenth Legislature-1876. Knute Nelson in the senate, and Mar- tin Stowe and J. D. Good in the house.


Nineteenth Legislature-1877. Knute Nelson in the senate, and Michael A. Wollan and Ole Amundson in the house.


Twentieth Legislature-1878. Knute Nelson in the senate, and John B. Cowing and H. W. Stone in the house.


Twenty-first Legislature-1879. A. A. Brown in the senate, and John B. Cowing and Ole N. Barsness in the house.


170


DOUGLAS AND GRANT COUNTIES, MINNESOTA.


Twenty-second Legislature-1881. L. K. Asker in the senate, and C. F. Washburn and F. B. Van Hoesen in the house.


APPORTIONMENT OF . 1881.


Under the apportionment of 1881 the state was divided into forty- seven districts, of which Douglas county was a part of the forty-first, together with Pope county. This district was entitled to one senator and two representatives.


Twenty-third Legislature-1883. F. B. Van Hoesen in the senate, and J. H. Van Dyke and Ole Peterson in the house.


Twenty-fourth Legislature-1885. F. B. Van Hoesen in the senate, and George W. Thacker and H. L. Lewis in the house.


Twenty-fifth Legislature-1887. G. W. Thacker in the senate, and M. A. Wollan and H. H. Wilson in the house.


Twenty-sixth Legislature-1889. G. W. Thacker in the senate, and H. H. Wilson and Edwin Cox in the house.


APPORTIONMENT OF 1889.


Under the apportionment of 1889 the state was divided into fifty-four districts, of which Douglas and Pope counties constituted the forty-seventh district, entitled to one senator and two representatives.


Twenty-seventh Legislature-1891. Herman A. Grafe in the senate, and H. G. Lewis and L. B. Cantleberry in the house.


Twenty-eighth Legislature-1893. Herman A. Grafe in the senate, and A. G. Johnson and John E. Johnson in the house.


Twenty-ninth Legislature-1895. A. G. Johnson in the senate, and C. P. Reeves and G. J. Strang in the house.


Thirtieth Legislature-1897. A. G. Johnson in the senate, and R. J. McNeil and C. P. Reeves in the house.


APPORTIONMENT OF 1897.


Under the apportionment of 1897 the state was divided into sixty-three districts, of which Douglas and Pope counties were made the fifty-eighth district, entitled to one senator and two representatives.


Thirty-first Legislature-1899. C. P. Reeves in the senate, and R. J. McNeil and H. C. Estby in the house.


17I


DOUGLAS AND GRANT COUNTIES, MINNESOTA.


Thirty-second Legislature-1911 .. C. P. Reeves in the senate, and T. T. Ofsthun and G. B. Ward in the house.


Thirty-third Legislature-1903. G. B. Ward in the senate, T. T. Ofsthun and H. L. Lewis in the house.


Thirty-fourth Legislature-1905. G. B. Ward in the senate, and T. T. Ofsthun and John F. Landeen in the house.


Thirty-fifth Legislature-1907. C. J. Gunderson in the senate, and E. M. Webster and E. E. Lobeck in the house.


Thirty-sixth Legislature-1909. C. J. Gunderson in the senate, and Iver J. Lee and E. E. Lobeck in the house.


Thirty-seventh Legislature-1911. C. J. Gunderson in the senate, and Iver J. Lee and John J. Anderson in the house.


Thirty-eighth Legislature-1913. C. J. Gunderson in the senate, and Nels E. Nelson and T. T. Ofsthun in the house.


APPORTIONMENT OF 1913.


Under the apportionment of 1913 the state was divided into. sixty- seven districts, of which Douglas and Pope counties were made the forty- seventh district, entitled to one joint senator and one representative from each county.


Thirty-ninth Legislature-1915. E. E. Lobeck in the senate, and Carl A. Wold (Douglas county) and Iver J. Lee (Pope county) in the house.


CHAPTER VIII.


TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION AND EARLY SETTLERS.


Douglas county is divided into twenty civil townships which coincide in each instance with the respective congressional townships, each one being six miles square. The first three townships were established by the county board, but the later townships were established by petition of a majority of at least twenty-five legal voters.


OSAKIS TOWNSHIP.


At the meeting of the county board held on June 15, 1866, the commis- sioners established the first township, to be known as No. I or Osakis town- ship. As then formed it comprised all of congressional townships 127 and 128, range 36. Its name was taken from the lake which lies on the eastern boundary of the township. The commissioners appointed the first officers for Osakis township, as follow: T. M. Works, assessor; William Shaw and Roland Sanderson, justices; Thomas Adams and Charles Gilbert, constables; William Shaw, clerk; J. Maguire, treasurer. The present area of Osakis township includes only township 128, range 36.




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