USA > Minnesota > Fillmore County > History of Fillmore County, Minnesota (Volume 1) > Part 9
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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 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56
Wabashaw county, as "erected" by the act of October 27, 1849, comprised practically all of the southern part of the present State of Minnesota. Its northern boundary was the parallel run- ning through the mouth of the St. Croix and the mouth of the
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Yellow Medicine rivers; its southern boundary was the Iowa line; its eastern the Mississippi, and its western the Missouri, and it also included the big peninsula between the Missouri and the Big Sioux rivers, and all of what is at present southeastern South Dakota. Of this vast country the present Fillmore county was a part.
Chapter 1, Revised Statutes of Minnesota of 1851, divides the territory in Benton, Dakota, Itasca, Cass, Pembina, Ramsey, Washington, Chisago and Wabashaw counties and defines their boundaries. Under the revised statutes, all the territory west of the Mississippi river and east of a line running from Medicine Bottle's village at Pine Bend, due south to the Iowa line, was erected into a separate county to be known as Wabashaw. This included in Wabashaw county a portion of what is now Dakota county as well as all the present counties of Goodhue, Wabasha, Dodge, Olmsted, Winona, Mower, Fillmore and Houston. The line south from Pine Bend in the Mississippi strikes practically the eastern boundary of Freeborn county and the western boundary of Mower county, the exact line being impossible of verification as the Medicine Bottle tepees were differently located at various times, always, however, being within a few rods of the bend in the river.
The first justice of the peace appointed by Gov. Alexander Ramsey for Wabasha county was Thomas K. Allen, of Minnesota City. Mr. Allen, in order to qualify, went to St. Paul. By an unauthorized vote of the people of Minnesota City, expressing their preferences, Mr. Allen was elected justice of the peace; Josiah Keen, constable; James Wright, assessor, and August A. Gilbert, notary public. These men were duly recommended to Governor Ramsey, for the various offices to which they had been elected, and were by him appointed. O. M. Lord, John Iams and Hiram Campbell were elected road commissioners for the colony or precinct, and thus was initiated the first movement toward the building of good wagon roads in the county.
Fillmore county was created by an act of the territorial legis- lature, approved March 5, 1853. Its sister counties which were created or had their boundaries altered at the same time were: Dakota, Goodhue, Wabasha, Fillmore, Scott, Le Sueur, Rice, Blue Earth, Sibley, Nicollet and Pierce. Section 4, Chapter 15, General Laws of Minnesota, 1853, gives the boundaries of Fillmore county as follows: "Beginning at the southwest corner of Wabashaw county; thence southeast to the Iowa state line; thence east on the Iowa state line to the Mississippi river; thence up the middle of said river to the mouth of the Minneska or White (White- water) river; thence up said river and on the south line of Wabasha county to the place of beginning."
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The boundaries given in the act of 1853 are vague, and no township surveys had been made. It is therefore impossible to define the exact boundaries of Fillmore county as created at that time. In laying out Goodhue, Wabasha and Fillmore counties, the legislature started at a point at the "southwest corner of Dakota county." From this point they drew a line due southeast to the Iowa line. Starting at the "southwest corner of Dakota county" the first twenty-five miles of this line was the western boundary of Dakota county, the next twenty-five miles was the western boundary of Wabasha county and the remainder of the line was the western boundary of Fillmore county.
A point twenty-five miles due southeast of the "southwest corner of Dakota county" was designated as the southwest corner of Goodhue county, and the southern boundary of that county was a line drawn due east to Lake Pepin.
A point twenty-five miles due southeast of the southwest corner of Goodhue county, and fifty miles due southeast from the "southwest corner of Dakota county" was designated as the southwest corner of Wabasha county, and from this point a line was due east until it reached a point where the law-makers supposed it would intersect the source of the Whitewater river. Thence it followed that river to its mouth. This would supposedly be a description of the northern boundary of the county which was created under the name of Fillmore.
It will be seen that the location of all these boundary lines depends on the location at that time of the southwest corner of Dakota county.
The west and south lines of Dakota county are described in the act as follows: "Beginning in the Minnesota (river) at the mouth of the Credit river; thence in a direct line to the upper branch of the Cannon river; thence down said river to its lowest fork." The upper branch of the Cannon river, properly speaking, is the Straight (Owatonna) river, and consequently this line which formed the eastern boundary of what were then Goodhue, Wabasha and Fillmore counties, and the east boundary of what was then Rice county, started at the present site of Faribault in Rice county and ran due southeast to the village of Granger, in township 101, range 11, Bristol township, Fillmore county. But if this was supposed to be the location of this important boundary line, the members of the legislature greatly overesti- mated the distance from Faribault due southeast to the Iowa line, for a line drawn due east from a point fifty miles due southeast of Faribault would not touch the source of the Whitewater river.
Dr. Warren Upham, of the Minnesota State Historical Society, is of the opinion that by "upper branch of the Cannon river," the lawmakers meant a small stream which enters the Cannon from
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the west in the southern part of what is now Dakota county. If this be so, then the "southwest corner of Dakota county" was north of what is now Northfield; and a line drawn due southeast would cut through what are now Rochester and Chatfield and meet the Iowa line at the southeast corner of what is now the township of Newburg (101-8). If this be a correct drawing of the western boundary line of Goodhue, Wabasha and Fillmore counties, still greater difficulties are presented in defining what was then Fillmore county.
With the imperfect knowledge of geography at the command of the law-makers, and with the lack of surveys at that time, the nearest definition of the original Fillmore county that can be made is to say that it embraced all of Houston county, all of Winona except that part west of the Whitewater river, and parts of Houston and Fillmore. It is absolutely impossible for the original Fillmore county to have embraced all of what are now Winona, Olmsted, Houston and Fillmore counties, although previous historians have often carelessly declared that the orig- inal county included all of these four counties.
In the act which created Fillmore county appears the following provisions :
That the counties of Dakota, Wabasha, Fillmore, Scott, Le Sueur, Blue Earth and Nicollet be and the same are hereby declared to be organized counties, and invested with all and singular the rights and privileges and immunities to which all organized counties are in this territory entitled to by law; and it is hereby declared to be the duty of the governor at so soon a time as practicable, to appoint all county offices, justices of the peace and constables, as said counties may be entitled to by law, who shall hold their offices until their successors shall be duly elected at the next general election. That such officers so appointed in the organized and unorganized counties shall give bonds for the faithful performance of their duties in such sums as is now required by law.
"It shall be the duty of the first board of county commis- sioners which shall be hereafter elected in any county laid off in pursuance of the provisions of this act, as soon as the said board shall have been elected and qualified as provided by law, and the said board or a majority thereof shall determine, to locate the county seat of the county, and the location so made as aforesaid, shall be the county seat of the county to all intent and purposes until otherwise provided by law."
Under this act Governor Gordon appointed the following offi- cers: Register of deeds, H. B. Stoll, of Minneowah; treasurer, Erwin H. Johnson, of Winona; judge of probate, Andrew Cole; sheriff, John Iams. The justices of peace previously appointed
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for Wabasha county were continued. They were T. K. Allen, John Burns, George M. Gere and H. B. Waterman. The county commissioners appointed were Henry C. Gere, of Winona; Myron Toms, of Minneowah; and William T. Luark, of Minnesota City.
The first meeting of the county commissioners was held at the Winona House, in Winona, on May 28, 1853. H. C. Gere was chairman and H. B. Stoll was register of deeds.
By an act approved February 23, 1854, the legislature created the counties of Winona and Houston, and defined the boundaries of Fillmore, Wabasha and Goodhue. Houston county was created with its present boundaries. Winona county was created with its present boundaries.
Fillmore county as described February 23, 1854, embraced its present boundaries, with the addition of townships 105 and 106, ranges 11, 12 and 13, in what is now Olmsted county.
By section 23, chapter 23, of the General Laws of Minnesota, approved February 20, 1855, Fillmore county assumed its present boundaries, Olmsted county being established at that date. Olm- sted county as then created had the same boundaries as at present, with the exception that sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, in 104-14 and sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, in 104-15, were cut from Mower county in May 1857, and added to Olmsted.
OLD ELECTION PRECINCTS.
A study of the old election precincts in Fillmore county is interesting in that these precincts were the predecessors of the present towns. The board of commissioners on July 9, 1853, divided the original Fillmore county into six election districts.
Root River Precinct. This precinct was created on petition of ten legal voters residing in Pleasant Valley. The election was ordered to be held at the home of John S. Looney and the judges were to be John S. Looney, Joseph Brown and G. W. Gillfillan. The precinct was a strip running the whole width of the county, bounded on the north by a line due west from the home of Nathan Brown, opposite the mouth of the Black river, and bounded on the south by a line running due west from the mouth of the Root river.
Mt. Vernon Precinct was created at the request of twelve legal voters. The judges of election were to be James Kirkman, Louis Krutzle and A. P. Hall. This precinct, speaking in general terms, took in a strip measuring some five miles north and south, and extending the whole width of the county, the northern boundary being a line due west from the mouth of the Whitewater river. The description of the northern boundary of this precinct gives an idea of where the commissioners believed the northern bound-
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ary of the county at that time to be located. The election was to be held at Mt. Vernon.
Minnesota City Precinct embraced the settlement known by that name, although the boundaries are not given in the records. The judges of election were to be II. B. Waterman, O. H. Houck and E. B. Drew.
Minneowah Precinct embraced the locality known by that name. The judges of election were to be James F. Toms, Willard B. Bunnell and William Hewitt.
Winona Precinct was to embrace "Wabasha Prairie" only. The judges of election were to be Harvey Hubbard, O. S. Holbrook and Dr. George Childs.
Brownsville Precinct was created August 27, 1853, at the request of twelve voters. It embraced all that part of the county lying south of a line due west from the Root river. The election was to be held at the public house of David Brown in Browns- ville, and the judges were to be Charles Brown, Samuel MePhail and M. C. Young. This precinct embraced practically all of the present Fillmore county except the northern tier of townships.
Langworthy District. This precinct was created March 14, 1854, out of the Root River Precinct. It consisted of Townships 105 and 106, ranges 9 and 10. The judges of election were to be Lewis H. Springer, J. W. Bentley and B. Langworthy.
April 7, 1854, the county having been curtailed to its present limits (with the exception of six townships in the present Olmsted county), the commissioners divided the then limits of the county into five election precincts. The names given these precincts were: Chatfield, Alzina, Warpeton, Tillotson and Elliota. Of these names, that of Chatfield only has been preserved in Fill- more county township nomenclature. The boundaries given, as is often the case in the early county records, are uncertain and vague but, generally speaking, the precincts were as follows:
Alzina Precinct took in what are now the townships of Spring Valley and Sumner. The election judges were D. D. Frazer, S. A. Stears and Jacob McQuillan.
Tillotson Precinct embraced the present townships of Amherst, Preble and Newburg and the eastern half of Canton. The election judges were Franklin Tillotson, James Kelley and Albert Nichols. Franklin Tillotson was also appointed justice of the peace for the precinct.
Elliota Precinct embraced the western half of what is now Canton, and all of what is now Harmony. The election judges were J. W. Elliot, David Dickenson and After Hoag.
Chatfield and Warpeton Precincts occupied the remainder of what then constituted the county, Chatfield being to the north and Warpeton to the south, the boundary line between the two
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being drawn along the south of sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 in Fillmore township; sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 in Fountain town- ship, and sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 in Carrolton township, and along the east of sections 12, 13, 24, 25 and 26 in what is now Carrolton township. The judges of elections in the Chatfield Pre- cinct were James Munday, James McClellan, Jr., and Philo Curtiss and those in Warpeton Precinct were James M. Sumner, Thomas Watson and Edwin Pickett.
August 28, 1854, six election precincts were created. They were Richland, Elliota, Warpeton, Elkhorn, Chatfield and Curtiss.
Richland Precinct included all of what are now the townships of Arendahl, Rushford, Holt, Norway, Amherst, Preble and New- burg. It also took in all of what is now Canton township, except a strip one and a half miles from east to west and six miles from north to south, along the west edge; that is, all of Canton except sections 6, 7, 18, 19, 30 and 31 and the eastern halves of sections 5, 8, 17, 20, 29 and 32.
Elliota Precinct. Previous to this date this word had appeared in the records spelled with one "1." This precinct included all of the present townships of Bristol and Harmony, the east half of what is now York, sections 25, 26, 27, 34, 35 and 36 in what is now Forestville, and sections 25 to 36 inclusively in each of what are now the townships of Carimona and Preston; that is, a strip two miles wide and twelve miles long across the southern third of these two townships. The precinct also included the strip six miles by a mile and a half, already mentioned, in what is now Canton.
Warpeton Precinct took in sections 1, 2, 3, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 22, 23 and 24 in what is now Forestville, the east half of what is now Fillmore township, all of what is now Fountain, and all of what is now Carrolton, except the south halves of sections 33, 34 and 25 in 101-10 and sections 6 and 7 in 103-9.
Elkhorn Precinct embraced all of what are now Sumner, Spring Valley, Bloomfield and Beaver and the west halves of Jordan, Fillmore, Forestville and York.
Chatfield Precinct embraced what are now Chatfield and Pilot Mound and the eastern half of what is now Jordan. It also took in all of 105-11, 106-11 and the eastern half of 105-12.
Curtiss Precinct was all in what is now Olmsted county.
The judges of election were to be as follows: Richland, Andrew W. Gray, Albert Nichols and Eddy. Election to be held in the schoolhouse in Richland Prairie. Elliota, Barnes, J. W. Elliot and David Dickenson. Election to be held at the residence of Barnes. Warpeton, R. HI. Foster, Thomas Watson and Martin Kingsbury. Election to be held at
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the home of Edwin Pickett. Elkhorn, R. A. Steere, Jacob McQuil- lan, Jr., and D. D. Frazer. Election to be held at the house of D. D. Frazer. Chatfield, G. M. Gere, G. W. Willis and H. L. Edwards. Election to be held at the house of J. W. Sturgis. Curtiss, Philo Curtiss, - Gop and Benjamin Bear. Election to be held at the home of Philo Curtiss.
Rushford Precinct was created January 1, 1855, and comprised townships 103 and 104 in ranges 8 and 9. E. H. Dyer, G. Edwards and Peter Peterson were appointed judges of election. E. H. Dyer and Peter Peterson were appointed justices of the peace, and N. Webster constable.
Six election precincts were created April 3, 1855. All but two of these bore names that are still preserved as the names of Fillmore county townships.
Rushford Precinct embraced townships 103 and 104 in ranges 8 and 9; that is, the present townships of Rushford, Arendahl, Norway and Holt, and those two sections now included in Carrol- ton which properly belong in the government township which embraces Holt. The judges of election were to be E. K. Dyer, G. Edmonds and Peter Peterson, and the election was to be held at the home of E. K. Dyer in Rushford.
Richland Precinct. This precinct embraced townships 101 and 102 in ranges 8 and 9; that is, all of what are now the town- ships of Preble, Amherst, Canton and Newburg. The judges of election were to be Albert Nichols, Andrew W. Gray and E. P. Eddy. The election was to be held at the Richland schoolhouse.
Chatfield Precinct embraced townships 103 and 104, ranges 10 and 11; that is, the present towns of Chatfield, Pilot Mound, Fountain and Carrolton, with the exception of those two eastern sections of Carrolton which properly belong in the government township which embraces Holt. The judges of election were to be A. W. Fargo, T. J. Safford and G. M. Gene. The election was to be held at Chatfield Hotel in Chatfield village. John Luark was appointed constable, July 13, 1855.
Carimona Precinct embraced townships 101 and 102 in ranges 10 and 11; that is, the present towns of Carimona, Preston, Bristol and Harmony. The judges of election were to be Edwin Pickett. Moses Barnes and Thomas Watson. The election was to be held at the home of Edwin Pickett.
Elkhorn Precinct embraced townships 103 and 104, ranges 12 and 13, the present towns of Sumner, Spring Valley, Jordan and Fillmore. The judges of election were to be Russel A. Steere, S. W. Kingsley and H. S. H. Hayes, and the election was to be held at the home of G. P. Steere. January 9, 1856, Joseph W. Main was appointed constable.
Forestville Precinct embraced townships 101 and 102, ranges
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12 and 13; that is, the present towns of Bloomfield, Forestville, Beaver and York. The judges of election were to be John Bateman, O. B. Bryant and R. M. Foster. The election was to be held at the home of Abbot.
April 8, 1856, the following precincts were established : New- burg, Elliota, Richland, Highland, Rushford, Trout Run, Pres- ton, Harmony, Carimona, Chatfield, Elkhorn, Waterford, Spring Valley, Forestville and Etna.
Newburg Precinct embraced the present townships of Preble and Newburgh (101-8 and 102-8). The judges of election were to be David Wisel, William Wier and A. W. Gray. The election was to be held at the Newburg schoolhouse. A. W. Gray was appointed supervisor, and William McHenry, constable.
Elliota Precinct embraced the south half of the present town- ship of Canton (101-9). The judges of election were to be John Cleghorn, J. W. Elliott and Charles Kimball. The election was to be held at the home of Daniel Cheney. Charles Kimball was appointed supervisor; John Cleghorn, justice, and Andrew Cheney and William Elliott, constables.
Richland Precinct. This precinct embraced the north half of the town of Canton (101-9) and all of the present township of Amherst (102-9). The judges of election were to be James M. Graham, E. P. Eddy and E. S. Emmons. The election was held at the Richland schoolhouse. L. M. Smith was appointed road supervisor.
Highland Precinct embraced the present townships of Holt (103-9) and Norway (103-8), as well as the two most eastern sections of Carrolton which properly speaking are included in the government township which embraces Holt. The judges of election were to be G. J. Onstine, Simon Thompson and J. Grif- fith. The election was to be held at the house of Hans Olson. G. J. Onstine was appointed supervisor; Simon Thompson, con- stable, and J. Griffith, justice. February 23, 1857, G. J. Onstine was appointed justice of the peace, and N. A. Graves, road supervisor.
Rushford Precinct. This precinct embraced what is now Rushford (104-8) and the east half of what is now Arendahl (104-9). The judges of election were to be Stebbins, West and Hiram Walker. The election was to be held at the home of Peter Peterson. - Hobbs was appointed super- visor, and J. L. Ely, constable.
Trout Run Precinct. This precinct embraced the west half of what is now Arendahl (104-9), all of Pilot Mount (104-10) and those three half sections which properly belong in the town- ship which embraces Pilot Mound but which are now included in Carrolton. The judges of election were to be Nelson Frost, H.
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Jones and G. Thomas. The election was to be held at the house of J. L. Dickenson. J. L. Dickenson was to be justice of the peace.
Preston Precinct embraced what is now Preston (102-10) and the main part of what is now Carrolton (103-10), exclusive of those sections by which Carrolton is augmented, but which properly belong in the government townships embraced by Holt and Pilot Mound. The judges of election were to be Elias Hunt, Luther Preston and John Kaercher. The election was to be held at the home of Meno Eby. John Kaercher was appointed super- visor; Henry O. Billings, constable, and Elias Lint, justice of the peace. April 9, 1856, Nathan Austin was appointed a justice of the peace.
Harmony Precinct embraced the present townships of Bristol (101-11) and Harmony (101-10). The judges of election were to be After Hoag, William Walter and William Stork. The elec- tion was to be held at the home of Knud Peterson. Zara Dayton was appointed supervisor; M. C. St. John and Daniel Dayton, justices, and L. G. St. John, constable. January 6, 1857, J. S. Norton was appointed justice of the peace.
Carimona Precinct embraced the present townships of Cari- mona (102-11) and Fountain (103-11). The judges of election were to be Henry H. Winslow, Joseph Bisby and Orrin West. The election was to be held at the house of W. H. Strong. S. F. Stillson was appointed supervisor, and Benjamin Philbrick, con- stable. April 25, 1856, William B. Norman was appointed constable.
Chatfield Precinct embraced the present township of Chat- field (104-11) and a two-mile strip on the east side of the present township of Jordan (104-12). The judges of election were to be G. M. Gere, Charles Wilson and Samuel Foot. The election was to be held at the home of Isaac Day.
Elkhorn Precinct embraced all of the present township of Sumner (104-13), except that section and a half which are now included in Sumner but which properly belong in the govern- ment township which embraces Spring Valley, and the west two- thirds of what is now Jordan township (104-12). The judges of election were to be John E. King, Austin Demick and J. L. Green. The election was to be held at the house of John E. King. April 10, 1856, John H. Main was appointed justice.
Waterford Precinct embraced the present township of Fill- more (103-12). The judges of election were to be D. Y. Mosier, T. G. Pond and Robert Rea. The election was to be held at the home of Isaac Decow. D. Y. Mosier was appointed supervisor, and A. Hazlett, constable.
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Spring Valley Precinct. This precinct embraced the pres- ent limits of Spring Valley township (103-13) and also the sec- tion and a half which belong to this government township but which are now included in Sumner. The judges of election were to be Otlin Root, T. W. Cory and S. W. Kingsley. The election was to be held at the Spring Valley schoolhouse. Simeon Phillips was appointed road supervisor; Charles Carthlege, justice of the peace, and J. K. Watson, constable. July 9, 1856, Simeon Phillips was appointed justice of the peace.
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