USA > Minnesota > Rice County > History of Rice County, including explorers and pioneers of Minnesota and outline history of the state of Minnesota > Part 51
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Mr. Hulett, who was very anxious, rode over to Morristown, but Mr. Morris assured him that the precinct was solid for Faribault, and as that in- terested precinct was true to itself, the ticket was successful. Mr. Morris showed his visitor his mill dam, which he had just completed, and expressed the utmost confidence in its stability, asserting that nothing but the finger of God could remove it, but in a few weeks an inordinate volume of water proved to be one of the agencies he had overlooked, and it went out and the mill also was much damaged.
To return from this brief digression, the board thus elected proceeded to establish the county
seat, and the various other officers assumed their duties.
THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
While Minnesota was still a Territory, in the winter of 1855-'56, Rice county was set apart from Dakota county, and the first county election was held in the fall of 1855. Prior to this, as early as 1854, the county of Rice was made a part, by common usage, of Dakota county, but this was never accepted as legal by the citizens of Rice, and they refused to recognize any proceed- ing of the "consolidated" county as lawful. In 1855, a tax was levied upon personal property in Dakota county, but the citizens of the territory, now of Rice, rebelled and refused to pay the same, and but few in the entire county paid it.
In the latter part of 1855, Dakota county was divided, and Rice county formed. An election was held in November, 1855, the following officers being elected: Register of Deeds, Isaac Ham- mond; Sheriff, Charles Wood; Judge of Probate, Isaac Woodman, and board of County Commis- sioners, F. W. Frink, Andrew Storer, and George F. Pettit. The government of the county was at first vested in this board of County Commissioners, a session of which august body was dignified by the name of "court."
When the county governmental wheels were actually set in motion, and the organization of Rice county a matter of fact, steps were taken to obtain the records when in connection with Dakota county, and the Deputy Register of Deeds, C. C. Perkins, was directed to go to Mendota, which had been the county seat of Dakota county, and copy off all records of deeds, mortgages, and miscella- neous records pertaining to Rice county, and transport the same to the county seat of Rice. Upon this authority Mr. Perkins went to St. Paul and purchased the necessary books, and thence to Mendota, where he transcribed records as directed and returned to Rice county, delivering them into the hands of the Register, Isaac Hammond, in the early part of December, 1855, and made Faribault the county seat in a practical sense.
On the 7th of January, 1856, the first court of County Commissioners convened at the office of Berry & Batehelder, in Faribault, and was com- posed of the board which had been elected the pre- vious November; the clerk being the Register of Deeds, Isaac Hammond. At this meeting nothing was accomplished except the organization, which
286
HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY.
was effected by the election of F. W. Frink, Chair- man, for the ensuing year, and the board ad- journed until the following day, the 8th of Jan- uary, 1855.
The Court convened as per adjournment, on the morning of the 8th, and began disposing of such business as should come before it.
The first business to be laid before the Court was the organization of school district No 1, the first organized in the county. The board declared that it should consist of sections nineteen, thirty, and thirty-one, in township 110, range 20, and sec- tions twenty-four, twenty-five, thirty-six, and the cast half of section thirty-five, in township 110, range 21. This embraces most of the incorpo- rated limits of the city of Faribault. They also granted a petition for school district No. 2, to em- brace territory in township 111, ranges 19 and 20. School districts Nos. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 were formed at this meeting, and their terri- tory placed upon record, and much of the time was consumed by road petitions. The first road busi- ness entered upon record was in the form of a petition, and is as follows:
"A petition for a road by Luke Hulett, and twenty-two others, beginning at the quarter post on the north line of the town of Faribault, run- ning thence due north to the center of section nineteen, township 110, range 20, thence in a di- rect line, as near as may be, toward St. Paul until it shall intersect the Dodd road; and Charles Wood, Levi Nutting, and A. H. Butlis are hereby appointed examiners to view said road and report to the board of Commissioners at their next regu- lar session." Numerous roads were established by the board.
On the 8th of July, 1856, the board, in sum- ming up the assessment rolls from the three asses- sors districts in the county, found the aggregate assessed valuation $613,364.95.
The board met as required by law on the 5th of January, 1857, the members comprising the body being, Levi Nutting, Franklin Kelley, and Andrew Storer. The board organized by electing Levi Nutting as Chairman for the ensuing year, and then engaged in routine business.
At the session of the court on the 17th of Feb- ruary, reports were received from the various school districts in the county, showing the number of scholars in attendance in each district. The several reports are given below :
No. of Dist. Clerk.
No. of
Scholars.
1. R. Thayer.
268
2. Daniel Bowe 34
3. D. B. Turner. 44
4. H. M. Matteson 36
6. T. H. Willis.
41
8. James Anderson
30
11. T- B. Van Eaton
30
12. Ezra Carter
41
13.
E. S. Drake
44
14.
William Burbeck 74
16. Nathan Colestock. 22
Total number of scholars in the county. . 664
The board then ordered that the sum of $2 be appropriated from the county funds for each scholar, and apportioned to the various school dis- tricts for school purposes. The list of districts was then made out, showing the amount due each district, as follows:
Dist. No.
Scholars.
Am't due.
1
268
$536
2
34
68
3.
44
88
4.
36
72
6.
41
82
8.
30
60
11.
30
60
12.
41
82
13.
44
88
14.
74
148
16.
22
44
654
$1,328
The board then took into consideration Asses- sor's reports from the different districts, and found the total assessed valuation $2,107,770. District No. 1 reporting $722,865; district No. 2, $1,143,353; and district No. 3, $241,552. The total amount of tax raised for Territorial, County, and School purposes, in 1857, was $15,810.42.
During the year 1858, in which the territory of Minnesota was admitted as a State, nothing of special interest or note was accomplished by the board. They met on the 5th of January, and or- ganized by electing Levi Nutting, Chairman, the other members being Franklin Kelley and Andrew Storer. Charles Wheeler, the Sheriff elect, pre- sented his official bond, and it was approved. John Hoover presented his bond as Assessor, and other county officers presented bonds, which were duly approved.
Reports were received from the various schools in the county, and it was found that in the thirty schools reported there was an attendance of 1,489
287
COUNTY GOVERNMEMT.
scholars. The apportioned school fund of this year was sixty-five cents for every scholar entered upon the rolls.
A new book in which to record the proceedings of the County Commissioners was purchased.
In the summer of this year the government of the county was subjected to a change by an act of the Legislature, and the management of county affairs was vested in a "Board of Supervisors," consisting of the chairman of each board of town- ship supervisors-one member from each town- ship. On the 14th of September, 1858, the first meeting of this board was held in the city of Fari- bault, and was called to order by J. A. Starks. The roll was called, and the following gentlemen representing the towns set opposite their names, answered to the roll:
G. L. Carpenter. Webster
L. Barlow Richland
W. A. Pye. Wheeling
Daniel Bowe. Northfield
Isaac Woodman Walcott J. A. Starks Cannon City
B. Lockerby Bridgewater
Miles Hollister Wheatland
Thos. Kirk Wells
E. F. Taylor.
Forest
Isaac Hammond
Morristown
J. Hagerty Shieldsville
John Conniff .
Erin
G. W. Batchelder Warsaw
They then proceeded to ballot for Chairman, and the result was one vote for Isaac Woodman, and eight for J. A. Starks; the latter was there- upon declared elected and took the chair. John C. Gilmore was appointed clerk of the board, and, one of the dissatisfied proposing it, he was re- quired to give bonds to the amount of $500. The board then proceeded to business by appointing eight or nine committees to attend to the various matters that should come before it.
On the 15th of September, the committee ap- pointed to consider a petition for assistance in building a bridge at Dundas, reported that they did not consider the county finances in shape, nor able to assist in building the bridge. The peti- tion was therefore tabled. At the same meeting a note was presented by Nicholls & Buckley, which had been given by the board, but could not be paid. The interest on the same was 23 per cent. per month.
An apportionment fund of ninety-five cents per scholar was made from the county fund in favor of the school districts Licenses were regulated at $50 for "liquor" and $25 for "beer." On the 27th of September, the board appropriated $100 for the upper, and $100 for the lower bridge at Faribault, over Straight River.
The year 1859 dawned upon the county, and the same board still held the reins of the county. government. On the 8th of January reports were received from thirty-seven of the school districts, and showed an attendance of 1939 scholars. At a session of the board on the 17th of February, the first coroner was appointed in the person of J. B. Wheeler, who afterward resigned, and E. J. Crump was appointed in his stead.
From the record of the proceedings it seems that something was wrong with the management of finances and county orders, for, at a session of the board on the 17th of February, it was declared by a resolution that all county orders issued by the former board of County Commissioners as voi d, and repndiated and forbade the County Treasurer paying any of the same. This resolution, how- ever, after investigation of the matter, was re- scinded, and the former chairman of the board, Levi Nutting, was requested to deliver up all notes and matters pertaining thereto into the hands of the board.
At the annual election in the fall of this year a new board was elected, and the newly elected Commissioners took their places and oath of office at a meeting on the 13th of September, the follow- ing being members: A. Anderson, J. D. Hoskins, Isaac Woodman, L. Hulett, J. H. Winter, I. N. Sater, Benjamin Lockerby, E. Roberds, J. H. Bartlett, James MeCabe, R. M. Norton, H. Conary, and N. Paquin.
Reports to the board of Supervisors from forty of the fifty-four school districts in the county showed a total of 2,046 scholars in attendance.
On the 7th of January, 1860, the last meeting of the board was held and adjourned sine die, as the governmental principles of the county reverted to the former method, that of Commissioners. Thus was the new method inaugurated, and then discarded, while a mile post in the history of the county was auspiciously passed.
Rice county, in January, 1860, was divided into five commissioner districts, each being entitled to one representative in the county board. District
288
HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY.
No. 1 comprised the towns of Richland, Wheeling, and Cannon City; district No. 2, Northfield and Bridgewater; district No. 3, Faribault; district No. 4, Walcott, Sargent, Morristown, and Wells; dis- trict No. 5, Shieldsville, Erin, Wheatland, Web- ster and Forest.
The newly elected board met on the 15th of May, 1860, the following gentlemen representing the various districts: J. H. Parker, G. H. Batch- elder, S. Webster, and William Thorp. They or- ganized by electing J. H. Parker Chairman for the ensning year. The board then appointed G. F.Batch- elder County Auditor to serve until the next elec- tion, fixing his bond at $5,000. It also decided that his salary should be $400 per annum. Nothing more of importance came before the board, and the balance of time was spent among the road and school districts, together with other routine business.
In 1861, the board met as required by law, on the 5th of January, with the following members iu attendance: G. H. Batchelder, William Dunn, W. M. Thorp, G. Woodruff, James McCahe, and John Conniff. G. H. Batchelder was elected Chairman for the year, and the board proceeded to business. They next raised the salary of the County Auditor from $400 to $600 per year.
At a session on the 15th of January, from re- ports sent in to the board from the clerks of school districts it was found that there were 2,287 schol- ars in Rice county entitled to apportionment. The total apportionment fund for this year was $3,458.46.
In 1862, the board consisted of the same gen- tlemen as did the last, except J. B. Wheeler, who was elected Chairman. They fixed the salary of the County Auditor at $600 for the ensuing year, and that of the County Attorney at $400 per annum. The balance of the year was spent in routine business.
At the beginning of the next year, 1863, the board met as required by law, on the 6th of Jan- uary, and the records state that the full board was present, but as to the personnel of the body, the records do not give any information. The Com- missioners passed a resolution raising the Auditor's salary from $600 to $800 per year. A considera- ble portion of the Commissioners's time in this year was devoted to issues arising from the war, and making appropriations for filling the quota. An account of their proceedings with regard to
this will be found in the "War Record" of the county.
In 1864, the County Commissioners met on the 5th of January for organization, and the record of the meeting says Messrs. Jackson, Adams, Whea- ton, and Wilson were in attendance. The board organized by electing H. Wilson, Chairman. A special meeting was held on the 16th of April, for the purpose of taking into consideration the pro- priety of appointing a County Superintendent of Schools, under authority of an act of the Legisla- ture to provide for a general system of schools. After consideration they appointed Thomas S. Buckham, and fixed his salary at $500 a year.
Nothing of particular importance transpired the following year, 1865, the time being consumed by routine business. The Commissioners met in the early part of January, substantially the same board being present. They organized by electing Hudson Wilson to the chair. On the 5th of Jan- uary, the board raised the salary of the County Attorney from $450 to $500. On the 6th of Sep- tember, $400 was appropriated to take care of the county poor, that amount having been deficient in the former year's report. The board closed the year's labors by allowing bills of Commissioners for services, mileage, etc.
In 1866, the newly elected board met on the 2d of January, and was composed of the following gentlemen: Joseph Hagerty, C. A. Wheaton, Hudson Wilson, C. D. Adams, and John Close. The board organized by electing Hudson Wilson, Chairman. At the January sessiou the matter of a county poor farm was before the board, and the following is entered upon the records: "The board having in discussion the propriety of procur- ing a farm in support of the county poor, and as the demands upon the county treasury will not leave sufficient funds to purchase such a farm, in case we should deem it advisable to provide for the poor in that way at a subsequent session. The County Attorney was requested to prepare a bill to present to the Legislature at this session, au- thorizing the board of Rice county to issue honds in their discretion to an amount not exceeding $15,000, for the purchase of a county poor farm and the erection of the necessary buildings thereon." The County Superintendent of Schools, Thomas S. Buckham, resigned his position as such, aud the board appointed Myron Wheaton to fill the place. At the same meeting the salary of
289
COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
the Auditor was increased to $1,800 per year. At a later session of the Commissioners, in September, 1866, the board issued bonds, under authority of an act approved by the Legislature the 1st of March, 1866, entitled "An act to authorize the County Commissioners of Rice county to issue bonds to provide for the purchase of a county poor farm." Forty-three bonds, of denominations varying from $50 to $500, were issued, payable within eight years, with interest at ten per cent.
In January, 1867, the board met upon the 2d of the month, and consisted of the following mem- bers: Hudson Wilson, C. S. Hulbert, C. D. Adams, John Close, and Joseph Hagerty. The organization was effected by the election of H. Wilson, Chairman. They then increased the sal- ary of the Auditor to $2,000. At the September session the following resolution was passed by the board: "Resolved, That three members of this board be a committee to purchase, and are hereby instructed to negotiate for and purchase lots 1, 2, and 3, of block 43, town of Faribault, for Rice county, as an addition for the site for county buildings. The committee to consist of Hudson Wilson, John Close, C. S. Hulbert, and the County Auditor." The said committee were also author- ized to draw orders on the county treasury in pay- ment for the same.
At the next session of the board it was "Re- solved, That the Chairman be instructed to pre- sent to the next Legislature a bill authorizing the Commissioners of Rice county to issue bonds to an amount not exceeding $50,000 for the erection of county buildings."
Iu 1868, the board met as usual, in the early part of January, and organized by electing Hud- son Wilson, Chairman. The members present were: Hudson Wilson, John Close, C. S. Hul- bert, and Richard Browne. This year was spent entirely with routine business; attending to school districts, tax abatements, and allowing bills.
The year, 1869, was spent by the Commission- ers in much the same manner as the previous year. The board met on the 5th of January, as required by law, and organized by electing Hudson Wil- son, Chairman. The members present were: P. Filbert, Hudson Wilson, R. Browne, and Dr. Coe. The regular business coming before the board during the year was disposed of, and the Com- missioners closed the year by allowing two pages of bills.
The board elected for 1870, met on the 4th of January, and organized by electing Hudson Wil- son, Chairman, the members being E, Lathrop, R. Browne, P. Filbert, and Dr. S. B. Coe. Nothing of importance transpired this year.
The members elected for 1871, as a board of County Commissioners, were as follows: First commissioner's district, Peter Filbert; second dis- trict, E. Lathrop; third district, H. Wilson; fourth district, C. D. Adams; fifth district, Richard Browne. The seat of Peter Filbert was afterward declared vacant by the board on the ground that he was not a resident of the district at the time of election, and Mr. O. Osmandson was made his suc- cessor.
At a meeting of the board on the 2d of Jan- uary, 1872, Hudson Wilson was re-elected Chair- man. The members for the year being J. C. Clos- son, E. Lathrop, C. D. Adams, and Richard Browne. At this session the salary of the County Attorney was fixed at $700 per year. It was also decided that all the county buildings should be insured.
The following year, 1873, the board met on the 7th of January, composed of the same gentlemen as was in the last board, with the exception that Hudson Wilson was dropped out and T. B. Clem- ent appeared in his place, and the board was or- ganized by electing the latter gentleman Chair- man. They then spent some time in burning re- deemed county orders. The next matter taken into consideration by the board was the erection of a Court House and Jail, and a bill was drawn up for presentation to the next Legislature, to authorize the County Commissioners to issue bonds for the erection of those buildings, not exceeding $50,000 in amount, and the same to be submitted to a vote of the people. This was the same, in sub- stance, as the resolution passed in 1867. The sal- ary of the County Superintendent of Schools was fixed at $1,000 per year.
At a session of the board in May, the building committee was authorized to purchase lots six and seven in block forty-four, of Patrick McGreevy, at a cost not to exceed $5,000; they were also di- rected to advertise for bids on the same. In July, the contract of completing the stone work on the basement of the Court House was let to Pfieffer & Co., for the sum of $9,615. The bid of Babcock & Woodruff was accepted. They agreed to do carpenter work in the basement, also to fur-
19
290
HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY.
nish everything and complete the building from the water tables up, according to certain plans and specifications, for the sum of $26,515.
At a session of the board in August of this year, it was resolved as follows: "That the board of County Commissioners of Rice county acknowl- edge themselves and the citizens of Rice county under great and lasting obligations to the Hon. H. M. Rice, of St. Paul, from whom our county takes its name, for a large and valuable collection of books and documents, consisting of upwards of 200 volumes, recently presented by that gentle- man, the same being the first contribution to our county library."
At the August session of the board, the building committee reported that they had advertised for bids, and let the contract for building the addi- tion to the Jail, according to plans and specifica- tions made by C. N. Daniels, architect, to Messrs. Sibbald, Hatch, Johnson and McCall, to be com- pleted on the 1st of October, 1873. A contract was also made with Henry Peltier for brick at $8.25 per thousand. Bradey & Greenslade con- tracted to furnish iron work on the jail for $2,300.
On the 1st of July, 1873, the County Commis- sioners issued fifty bonds of the denomination of $1,000 each, and payable from ten to twenty years from date, with interest at 9 per cent, in payment for county buildings.
In 1874, the Commissioners met on the 6th of January, with the following in attendance: T. B. Clement, H. H. White, J. G. Scott, J. F. Healey, and J. C. Closson. The board organized by electing T. B. Clement, Chairman. At a ses- siou in March, $400 was voted to improve the buildings on the County Poor Farm. Considera- ble time was spent discussing county buildings.
The board elected for 1875, were: T. C. Adams, H. H. White, T. B. Clement, J. F. Healey, and J. G. Scott, and they met on the 5th of January, and organized by re-electing T. B. Clement to the chair. Messrs. Scott and Adams were appointed by the Commissioners as a committee to borrow for the county the sum of $5,000, payable in one year.
The following year, 1876, was spent by the board without any important disclosures, nothing of especial interest being transacted, and tax matters consuming considerable time. The Com- missioners for the year were: L. W. Denison, J. G. Scott, T. C. Adams, H. H. White, and M. Han-
ley. The board held their first meeting on the 4th of January, and organized by electing L. W, Denison, Chairman.
The board in 1877 were: A. P. Morris, Charles Sweetzer, T. C. Adams, M. Hanley, and L. W. Denison, and they met for organization on the 2d of January. L. W. Denison was elected Chair- man. They spent some time in discussing and attending to the bills from pursuers of the North- field bank robbers.
In 1878, the board first met on the 2d of Jan- uary, and was attended by Christian Deike, A. P. Morris, L. W. Denison, Charles Sweetzer, and M. Hanley. The Chairman elected was L. W. Den- ison. At a subsequent meeting the board author- ized the Chairman to provide a suitable book- case for the library presented by the Hon. H. M. Rice.
In 1879, the County Commissioners were D. Cavanaugh, Mr. Morris, M. Hanley, Charles Sweetzer, and Mr. Deike, and D. Cavanaugh was elected Chairman.
In July a petition was received for aid in build- ing a bridge across Straight River on the line be- tween Steele and Rice counties. A committee was appointed to meet the Commissioners of Steele county, and get them to bear a share of the ex- pense. Nothing of any importance to the general reader has transpired since. Below are given the Commissioners who have served since the above:
Commissioners for 1880: D. Cavanaugh, Chair- man, John S. Way, Charles Sweetzer, M. Hanley, and Mr. Deike.
Commissioners for 1881: D. Cavanaugh, Chair- man, John S. Way, Charles Sweetzer, M. Hanley, and Mr. Deike.
Commissioners for 1882: Charles Sweetzer, Chairman, T. O'Grady, E. J. Healey, Mr. Deike, and John S. Way. The last meeting was held by the above board in May, 1882.
REGISTRY OF DEEDS. This office was opened in 1854, in Mendota, the county seat of what was then known as Dakota county, the territory then embracing the county of Rice. It was kept in Mendota until late in 1855, when Dakota was di- vided and Rice county formed; the records per- taining to Rice county were then transcribed and moved to Faribault. Isaac Hammond was first elected Register of Deeds of Rice county; C. C. Perkins was appointed deputy, and did most of the registering.
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