USA > Minnesota > Freeborn County > History of Freeborn County, including explorers and pioneers of Minnesota, and outline history of the state of Minnesota > Part 56
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 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96
Fitzsimmons, H. W. Allen, and E. C. Stacy, the latter being chairman.
William Morin was the first County Auditor, and also recorder for the county board.
1859 .- The board met in annual session on the 13th of September. The members were as follows: William H. Goslee, Asa Bullock, Theop. Lowry, Michael Brennan, Edwin C. Stacy, Isaac Baker, I. W. Devereux, A. C. Wedge, N. H. Ellickson, Horace Greene, Mathias Ander- son, Patrick Fitzsimons, and E. D. Rogers. Edwin C. Stacy was elected temporary chairman, and Theop. Lowry, permanent chairman.
About this time the towns began to be detached from their partners to set up for themselves.
1860 .- The bond of the Treasurer was fixed at $13,000. The compensation of the clerks and judges of elections was fixed at $2 a day, and ten cents a mile one way, making returns.
The School fund for the year 1859 footed up $983.10, with 793 children of school age.
Ole S. Ellingson was the Second County Treas- nrer.
A committe reported the expense of the district court to be as follows:
September term, 1858,. $248.48
April, 1859 75.85
September, 1859, 199.10
At a meeting in January it was moved that a jail to hold six persons be built, not to exceed a cost of $500, which motion was not agreed to.
The board gave specific instructions to asses- sors as to their methods of procedure to secure uniformity and accuracy.
On the 5th of September, 1860, the Treasurer had on hand funds to the amount of $4,115.26. The whole amount of county orders issned np to that date was $8,364,18.
At a meeting on the 18th of September a peti- tion was presented to allow the people of the county to vote on the question of removing the county scat to itaska. But, as a question as to the legality of the election already beld on that subject was already in the courts for adjudication, it was laid on the table. Several propositions were received making generous offers to the county in consideration of having the county seat in some specified locality, and the one of Albert Lea was entertained. A more full account is given of this business in the article on the contest for the county seat.
.
313
COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
On the 20th of October the petition in relation to the vote on county seat, in obedience to the order of Judge Atwater, was favorably considered and the order issued. At the same meeting the town of Pickerel Lake was attached to Manches- ter for election purposes, and Alden to Carlston. A petition of citizens of the town of Freeman ask- ing to have township 101, range 21, organized for town purposes under the name of Green, was granted and the 5th of January fixed as the day of holding the first town meeting.
1861 .- The Board got together on the 1st of January. James E. Smith was elected chaiaman. At the meeting the next day the bills of D. G. Parker as Attorney for the State in the Kreigler murder case, and of Augustus Armstrong the prisoner's counsel, were allowed at $120 each. Numerous other bills for witness fees in the same case were presented, and the District Attorney was requested to furnish his opinion as to the liability of the county. The bill of James A. Robson, the Sheriff in this case, footed up to $207.50. On the 9th of April the bill of expense in this expensive trial, presented by Steele county was $1,125.09.
The cost of printing the delinquent tax roll was $300, done by A. D. Clark, who agreed to com- plete the year's printing free.
In April the salary of the Auditor was fixed at $800 per annum, and that of the County Attorney at $150. Up to this time the expense of the Kreigler trial, exclusive of the Steele county bills, was $888.17.
At the September meeting the bill of F. O. Perkins for professional services in defending Henry Kreigler, to the amount of $200, was laid over for further consideration, and at a regular meeting in October the account was allowed at $75.00. Up to the first of January, 1862, the bills audited in the Kreigler case amounted to $1,579.29.
1862 .- Asa Bullock was chosen chairman of the board. Nothing of especal note occured this year, rontine work taking up most of the time.
1863 .- Asa Bullock was chairman this year. At a meeting in July it was resolved that the law licensing dogs and for the protection of sheep be complied with in this county.
The State law requiring the militia to be organ- ized by districts was complied with as far as pos- sible, and elections ordered for the 18th of July. This movement was not a phenomenal success, al-
though it may have served to keep up an interest in military affairs.
In November the question of building fire proof county offices was introduced.
1864 .- C. H. McIntyre was chairman. In March a committee consisting of William Morin, Frank Hall. and Augustus Armstrong submitted plans and estimates for the construction of a fire- proof building for offices and court room, as fol- lows:
Brick at $6. $1,320.00
Fire proof roof. 300.00
Laying brick and furnishing lime. 550.00
Eight thousand feet of lumber at $20. 160.00
Doors, nails, sash, glass, and putty 400.00
Carpenter work. 300.00
Plastering and lime. 300.00
$3,330.00
Various petitions were presented against the issue of bonds for county buildings. A resolu- tion, however, was adopted to issue and appro- priate bonds to the amount of two thousand dollars toward erecting fire-proof buildings for the county offices, with the understanding that Albert Lea shall appropriate one thousand dol- lars to add a suitable hall for court purposes. Messrs. Hall, Morin, and Armstrong were ap- pointed commissioners to sell the bonds and to erect the building.
Two parties who were reported as selling spiritnous liquors without a license, it was or- dered should be prosecuted. In July George S. Ruble was appointed Overseer of the poor.
The first bond of $1,500, was issued, and cashed by Joseph Hall. It bore 10 per cent. interest and was dated the 16th of March, 1864. The location of the Court House was agreed upon, provided a strip six rods wide and extending to the next street south could be secured free of cost. On the 6th of September Mr. Asa Bullock, a member of the board, having died, suitable res- olutions were engrossed, presented to his family, and spread upon the records.
1865 .-- The first record with any reference to the war was on the 6th of September, when assistance was voted to several families of soldiers at the front, which will be mentioned more fully in the war history of the county. On the 8th of Sep- tember the tax on the property of the county was ordered assessed as follows:
314
HISTORY OF FREEBORN COUNTY.
State tax, 31 mills.
Interest on State debt, 1 66
Sinking fund,. 1
County purposes, 4
Poor tax,
1
Special for county building,
The cost of printing the delinquent tax list andited and allowed at the April meeting was $323.85. In June action was taken in regard to vacating the town site of Baneroft. The lots in the village of Itaska, delinquent since 1863, were ordered sold. On the 22d of June James F. Jones, Asa Walker, and E. P. Skinner were added to the building committee. The Court House was going up, and provisions were made to pay the bills as they occurred.
1866 .- The new board organized on the 2d of January. Clark Andrews was chairman. On the 3d of January the town of Mansfield was organ- ized. In March the town of Alden was organized. On the 6th of September the county board ap- pointed Samuel Batehelder as Superintendent of Schools at a compensation of $2.50 per day.
1867 .- The annual meeting of the board this year was on the 1st of January. William White was made chairman. The salary of the County Superintendent was adjusted at $300 per year.
On the 14th of March the following appears on the records: Whereas, the two churches holding divine service in Albert Lea have got at logger- heads in relation to occupying the Court House for meetings, and submitted the matter to the board, both churches being ably represented by Capt. Hagaman on the one side and Colonel Eaton on the other, therefore,
Rexolerd, That the Congregationalists be al- Jowed to use the Court room in the forenoon of the next Sunday, and the Baptists the Sunday follow- ing, and so on alternately, reserving the use of the room for other denominations in the afternoon.
In September, 1867, Sheriff St. John having removed from the county, John Brownsill was ap- pointed to fill the vacancy. The county at this time was divided iuto five commissioner districts.
1868 .- The board of County Commissioners met on the 7th of January and consisted of Mons Grinager of the first distriet; Stephen N. Frisbie, of the second district; Henry N. Ostrander of the third; Jedediah W. Devereux of the fourth, and William H. Moore of the fifth.
J. W. Devereux was elected chairman for the ensuing year.
At this time the license had got up to $100 per annum.
In March the Court House was insured for $2,500.
Nothing of a startling character ocenred during this year in connection with the board.
1869 .- J. W. Devereux was re-elected chair- man. The other commissioners were Mons Grin- ager, S. N. Frisbie, H. N. Ostrander, and W. H Moore.
On the 8th of January a committee was ap- pointed to attend to the planting of trees in the Court House grounds, and otherwise improving the appearance of the location.
The town site of Bancroft village was on the floor this year, and the County Attorney was in- structed to perfect the title of the county in the property.
1870 .- The board this year consisted of J. W. Devereux, chairman; William H. Moore, Mons Grinager, Adam Christie, and H. N. Ostrander.
This year was uneventful as regards the county government. There were various road matters to receive attention, Sunday School districts to be rearranged, certain railroad lands to be assessed, taxable property to be equalized, bills to he andi- ted, and all the routine work of such a board to receive careful supervision. In the winter of this year the law in relation to agricultural statisties had to be enforced.
1871 .- The board this year was made up of .J. W. Devereux, Chairman, Henry G. Emmons, II. N. Ostrander, Mons Grinager, and Adam Christie.
On the 6th of January the board considered the advisability of constructing a fire proof vanlt in the Court House, and in March Mons Grinager and J. W. Devereux were appointed a committee on the subject.
During this year the County Surveyor made a record of the county roads, which were fully de- scribed and engrossed on the county records.
1872 .- Mr. Devereux was chairman of the board again this year.
The Court House was repaired, including light- ning rods, to the extent of $3,140.84. Regular business requiring the consideration of the board took up the time at the various sessions.
1873 .- The County Commissioners met on the 7th of Jannary in annual session. The members
315
COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
were: H. G. Emmons, James Thoreson, Hans Christopherson and Halver Thompson. On the organization Mr. Devereux was elected chairman.
1874 .- The board met at the regular session in January. The members were: H. G. Emmons, chairman, H. Christopherson, W. C. Lincoln, Hal- ver Thompson, and James Thoreson.
An abstract of the business for the year would read: Bills, school district changed, road peti- tion rejected, poor fund expenditures, change of county road, bills, Sheriff's fees, petition for new district, equalization, taxes abated, bills, &c., &c.
1875 .- The board has been of rather a conser- vative tendency, and have as a rule been contin- ued in office for long terms, and the character of the functions have been more of an executive than of a legislative kind, so it seems unnecessary to go over the ground to furnish a detailed sketch of the transactions from year to year. Items relat- ing to the early period of course have been given in detail.
1876 .- The board this centennial year consisted of: H. G. Emmons, chairman, W. C. Lincoln, James Thoreson, W. N. Goslee, and Ole Hanson.
1877 .- Two new members appeared this year, the personnel of the board being, William N. Goslee, James Thoreson, John M. Geisler, Ole Hanson, and W. W. Johnson.
In relation to taxation, its collection and dis- bursement, which embraces the great bulk of county business, it would make this work objec- tionably statistical to particularize from year to year, but to furnish an insight into the question, which is so interesting, as to "how the money goes," an extract from the minutes of the board will be made.
The board directed the following taxes to be levied to meet the expenses of the year 1878:
State taxes in such sum or rate as the State Auditor may direct.
School tax one mill.
Special county tax for jail, $3000.
County tax of $20,000 based on the following estimate:
Auditor's salary $1,500
Auditor's clerk 880
Treasurer. 1,500
Superintendent. 1,000
County Attorney 800
Judge of Probate 800
County Commissioners 400
Jailor fees.
480
Sheriff and Deputies 2,500
Coroner's fees 100
Tree bounty . 20
Gopher bounty 500
Judge of Probate orders. 150
Watching jail. 300
Board of prisoners 400
Constable fees
170
Merk of Court and Justices 1,000
Juror fees Justice Court. 100
Witnesses Justice Court 200
Grand Jurors. 600
Petit Jurors. 1,000
Witness fees.
400
Court House repairs, &e. 800
Printing blank books, stationery, steno- grapher, &c. 1,500
Articles for jail, express, postage, insur-
ance, &c. 600
Births and Deaths. 200
Election returns. 100
Outstanding orders
2,000
Total $20,000
1878. J. M. Geisler was chairman of the board this year, with W. W. Johnson, W. N. Goslee, R. Fitzgerald, and J. A. Rodsater.
There was some action taken resulting from the fact that Mr. Batchelder, who had been County Auditor, had drawn his salary from a computa- tion made by the valuation of the property of the county for the current year, instead of the year previous as the law provided. This made a differ- ence of $777.08 in the compensation for three years in which it was so calculated, and he was re- quired to return that amount. It is known that Mr. Batchelder worked night and day, almost, in his office, doing what may be called extra work, and was allowed $1,000 a year for clerk hire, hav- ing a clerk at a low price, and a part of this was also demanded, but a decision of Judge Berry was in his interest and the claim was not pushed. The overdraft was, as believed by his friends, the result of an inadvertence, as no one could suppose anything but honesty and integrity would actuate the Auditor.
1879 .- This was another uneventful year with the county board, which consisted of John M. Geisler, chairman; W. W. Johnson, W. N. Gos- lee, R. Fitzgerald, I. A. Rodsater.
316
HISTORY OF FREEBORN COUNTY.
Charles Kittleson, the County Treasurer, re- signed in December, and Frank W. Barlow was appointed to fill the vacancy.
1880 .- This year R. Fitzgerald was chairman of the board, with W. N. Goslee, I. A. Rodsater, J. M. Geissler, and C. W. Ballard.
1881. - The board this year was I. A. Rodsater, chairman; J. M. Geissler, W. N. Goslee, D. N. Gates, and E. C. Johnson.
1882 .- The present board consists of D. N. Gates, chairman, I. A Rodsater, J. M. Geissler, E. C. Johnson, and Michael O'Leary.
The county tax assessed this year was $22,000, with one mill for school tax.
A few items in this sketch are duplicate state- ments made by Mr. Parker in his Centennial His- tory, while some things that are omitted here will be found there.
THE COUNTY SEAT CONTEST.
The county seat was fixed by the County Com- missioners appointed by the Governor, and in ac- cordanee with what has been done all over the State, those interested in keeping the county seat procured the passage of a general act, prohibit- ing any action looking to a change of location within three years after its establishment. In 1860, the contest here was re-opened, but the County Commissioners declined to order an election. The Itasea people procured a mandamus through Mr. Everett, a lawyer in Austin, requiring an election to be ordered.
Itasca was at this time a flourishing place, with its hotel, blacksmith shop, shoemaker's shop, and twelve or fifteen houses all told, and a newspaper, printed in the octagon house which still stands. Its Joeation was on a beautiful prairie which had been named by the first explorers, "Paradise Prairie," which is on a platean overlooking the surrounding country, atfording a view of Albert Lea City and of the lake beyond.
The adherents to the elaims of Itasca deelare that they went into the fight on its merits and on the square. but that they were counted out; that a preeinet was established with headquarters on a stump in the township of Pickerel Lakc, that John Ruble and Charley Norton were judges of the election, and they returned 240 votes, solid for Itasea. It is claimed that compliance with a de- mand to produce the voting list would have been impossible.
The history of this Court House struggle, if it
was told in all its details, would reveal a species of which, while having analagous counterparts in other more important contests, was nevertheless an indigenons production of Freeborn eonnty soil, and displayed some peculiarities of political guerrilla warfare which might might have been disagreeable to the participants, if published and believed at the time. But now, suel a length of time having elapsed, and most of the participants having interests in the successful towns in this eventful struggle, they freely talk it over and re- late to each other the various methods which were resorted to in seenring the several advantages which finally settled the contest. It is not possi- ble, even if it were desirable, to give a detailed account of all the ineidents connected with this confliet, but enough will be presented to give a good idea of some of the courses pursued by the contending parties.
In those times the community was manonvering as to whether law and order predominated, or mere foree, with a predomination in favor of the latter. The men at Albert Lea had made up their minds to retain the county seat at all haz- ards, and to-day they claim that whatever might have happened at the polls would not have changed the result. To show the methods em- ployed to destroy Itasca, and blot it out of exist- enee, a single instance will be mentioned. A Presbyterian clergyman, by the name of Mereer, came here and was enthusiastie in his ideas as to building up institutions in his denominational in- terest in this new country, and so advantage was taken of his propagating spirit, and it was sng- gested that Itasea would be a five suburban local- ity for such a school as he proposed to establish, and he went up and purchased the hotel of Dr. Burnham, who was delighted with the idea and anxious to do what he could to aid in the work. So the transfer was made, the Albert Lea pro- prietors paying for it. and it was then torn down and removed to the county seat; the seheme hav- ing served its purpose, no more money was ad- vanced in the interest of the school, and the poor man who had been used by the ring, was frozen out, and sadly wended his way to some more promising locality.
The newspaper was fitted out by Dr. Burnham and D. F. Blackmer, Dr. Burnham having bought material, including press and fifty-two fonts of type, at Zumbrota. When the county seat busi-
317
COUNTY SEAT CONTEST.
ness had collapsed, so far as Itasca was con- cerned, Mr. Botsford and young Blackmer took the material to Blue Earth City, established a pa- per there, and run it until during the war, when one night Dr. Burnham was called up by a man who had some business with him. It proved to be Botsford, who had come to pay the $600 for the press and type, for which no security had been taken. This act should be particularly em- phasized in the history of those times, where even legal obligations were not always observed.
They all worked together in Albert Lea, it only required a suggestion of some plan which would redound to their benefit to have it instantly acted upon. The proprietors of Itasca were equally on the elert in relation to Bancroft, and the Doctor bought up the buildings in that town and removed them to Itasca. The printing office is now a part of the house of E. K. Pickett, which is located on the site of that embryotie city.
While the county seat question was being agi- tated, in 1860, the leading citizens of Itasca, to secure if possible the county seat there, executed a bond in the penal sum of $6,000, pledging themselves to build a Court House according to certain plans and specifications, within two years, and also to furnish suitable offices for county purposes, including the building then there, 24 x 50 feet, and two stories high. The building was to he of brick, two stories high, in the octa- gon form, forty-eight feet or more in diameter.
The plan was a good one, giving good, large sized offices, jail room, and a court room twenty- four by twenty-eight feet, with snitable jnry rooms. The parties who executed this bond were: A. M. Burnham, C. C. Colby, J. G. Sanborn, R. J. Franklin, E. D. Hopkins, Samuel Batchelder, Charles Dunbar, J. Dunbar, J. Colby, J. D. Adams, and J. S. Longworth.
This was signed in the presence of Isaac Bots- ford and Hannibal Bickford, and certified to by Ole J. Ellingson, clerk, per Samnel Eaton, deputy.
The citizens of Albert Lea, not to be outdone by the liberality of other aspiring places, agreed to furnish othices for the county officers and a jail for three years, free of cost to the county, and the following named gentlemen executed a bond in the penal sum of five thousand dollars for the faithful execution of this promise: A. B. Webber, George S. Ruble, William Morin, A. C. Wedge,
James A. Robson, Samuel Eaton, John Brownsill, A. Armstrong, and H. D. Brown: which proposi- tion was formally accepted.
A brief recapitulation of all the stories told in relation to that contest, which, after considerable legal quibbling, was set for the 6th of November, the day on which Abraham Lincoln was elected president of the United States, and Albert Lea carried off the prize, and to-day there are really few, if any, who regret the result of the struggle. The several horse races which are briefly alluded to in the "events," are connected in the old set- tlers' mind with this contest, and at the old set- tlers' reunion in September, 1882, Dr. Ballard, the Mayor of the City, read a humorous poem largely devoted to the details of that memorable race, just a sample of which is spread on these pages.
* *
* *
* *
*
"So, conning o'er the aspects of the case. They came unanimously to this conelusion: That public morals required another race; Advantage should be taken of the delusion That Sheriff Heath's Red Tom conld always win. By heating him they'd bring to dire confusion The folks in Albert Lea; 'twould be no sin, They said, to cheat those sinners,
Especially if Itasca's men were winners. They'd buy Old Fly, a mare of reputation, Whose four white feet for years had earned the fame Of being the fleetest feet in all creation.
They'd paint those feet, and then they'd change her name. And shave her tail, and otherwise adorn her Until she looked like misery's last mourner,
And then they'd challenge Heath's Red Tom to run,
And banter Albert Lea to betting high ;
They'd let the country people in the fun, And take with them all hets against Old Fly.
They'd win that race in just a half mile h at- They'd bankrupt Albert Lea, and with the money Buy votes enough to win the county seat. * *
* *
*
* * * # "To make a long story short, and the list quite complete, People bet all they had on this half-mile heat. People in town and out, and all over the county; Old soldiers put up the last cent of their bounty, Boys, women, and girls, they all took a hand, And tremendous excitement reigned over the land. The day was appointed, the place had been named. The hour was set-through the county it flamed In staring great hand-bills of all colors and sizes, Inviting the people to come and win prizes."
According to the legend the Albert Lea horse, which had been secretly tested one night with the. Itasca animal, won the race and threw confusion into the Itasca camp, won all their money and most of their valuables, and effectually destroyed their ability to carry on the contest for the connty seat, because they were thus deprived of the means to buy votes. Of conrse this is what the exultant ones told, and perhaps believed. But
318
HISTORY OF FREEBORN COUNTY.
enough has been said to give an idea for all com- ing time that this was one of the great con- tests of the period.
"Of all the words of tongue or pen, The saddest 18, it might have been."
EDUCATIONAL.
The school district system of the county, like all other valuable institutions, has been a matter of growth from the smallest beginnings: and while it is proposed to give a local sketch of each school in the county in connection with the town where it is situated, yet, the difficulties, in the ab- sence of record knowledge, in obtaining the dates of the organization and of other events ,are much greater than would be supposed, when we remem- ber that most of the men who helped create and sustain these schools are still alive.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.