USA > Minnesota > Faribault County > The history of Faribault County, Minnesota : from its first settlement to the close of the year 1879 : the story of the pioneers > Part 2
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In 1863, the Sioux and Winnebago Indians were removed from the State by the general government, to localities on the Missouri river, and their old "reservations" here were subsequently thrown open to sale and settlement, and long since became the abode of large and prosperous agricultural communities.
It is unnecessary to the purposes of this work to trace the his- tory further of this great State. It may be remarked, however, that from the beginning of the immigration and settlement of the State in 1851, the growth of the State in population and permanent im- provements, notwithstanding financial revulsions, the great rebel- lion, the Indian massacre and grasshopper invasions, for several years, has been exceedingly rapid and probably without a parallel, and attests to the vast natural advantages and resources of the State and the indomitable and progressive spirit of its people.
Minnesotans are justly proud of their State and its wonderful development, and they look forward with confidence to a future, now not distant, when the State shall be one of the most populous and wealthy in the American Union.
Here, said that far seeing statesman, Wm. H. Seward, in his great speech in St. Paul in 1860, "Here is the place-the cent- ral place, where the richest agricultural region of North America must pour out its tribute to the whole world." But he said more, hear the grand prophecy! "I now believe that the ultimate last seat of government on this great Continent, will be found some. where within a circle or radius not very far from the spot on which I now stand, at the head of navigation of the Mississippi river." Here is a splendid future foretold. Twenty years have passed away since the prophecy was uttered and the great statesman has been gathered to the fathers. In the meantime, what have we been doing? Let us take a brief retrospect. In this sketch we have been dealing with general facts, let figures now "be submitted to a candid world." They will show how broad, and deep, and strong the foundations of a great state have been laid, and how rapidly and amply the structure is being reared.
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HISTORY OF
But thirty years have passed since the territorial government was organized and we had then a population of 4,680, and in 1890, by the national census, 790,806. In 1850 the area of tilled land was 1.900 acres, in 1880, 4,503,716. And the plow lay not idly in the furrows those years.
Here is the exhibit of certain staple agricultural productions, in bushels:
WHEAT
OATS
CORN
1860
5,101,432
2,912,857
3,143,577
1865
9,475,000
4,000,000
1870
17,283,121
10,588,689
6,092,230
1575
:10,079,300
13,801,761
7,195,681
1879
31,218,634
20,667,933
12,939,900
The following is the statement of the live stock.
1879
Horses
.225,403
Cattle
.557,914
Sheep
203,791
Hogs.
.216,913
The wholesale trade is estimated at Forty Million dollars an- mually.
MANUFACTURES.
The following statistics are taken from the United States Census of 1880:
There are 124 different manufacturing industries and 3,493 establishments.
Capital employed .. $31,000,000
Average number of hands employed 21,247
Amount of wages paid during the year $8,613,094
Value of products ..
$76,065,198
Ten different classes of manufactures produced each, over $1,000,000 in value.
Truly Minnesota is destined to be a great manufacturing state.
The rapid increase in the wealth of the State, may be inferred from the following exhibit of the assessed valuation of taxable property :
1860 $ 36,753,408
1865 45,184,063
1870. 87,133,673
1875 218,855,743
1879.
242,430,439
In 1857, congress made a large graut of lands in aid of a most magnificent railroad system. The first mile of road was not com- pleted until 1862, but in 1580, 3,099 miles had been built, penetrating. as any map of the State will show, to all parts of the State and one line of which, the Northern Pacific, was designed to reach the Pacific Ocean, and has already reached its far western terminus.
T
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FARIBAULT COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
All the Christian denominations are represented in Minnesota, and the clergy compare favorably with those of any country. Many of them are men of high culture and of great eloquence and efficiency.
No other state in the Union has such a magnificent provision for common schools and free education. Two sections of land in every township in the State, are set apart for this purpose, the proceeds of the sales of which are from time to time invested in interest paying bonds, the interest on which and on deferred pay- ments on sales being applied to the support of common schools. The public school fund already amounts to $3,500,000 and is con- stantly increasing from further sales of land. In 1879 there were 3,284 school houses, 4,872 teachers and 160,867 scholars. The State has also a state university in successful operation, which has a permanent fund of $375,000, which will be increased by further sales of special grants of land.
The State has also three state normal schools and these have also a grant of 225,000 acres of land. In addition to all this, there are some sixty denominational schools, some of which rank very high. As a part of the educational system of the State, and as indicating something of the intelligence of the people, it should be stated that many excellent newspapers and periodicals are published in the State, almost every county having one, or more.
Among the other great public institutions, it must not be over- looked that the State has now two hospitals for the insane, an institution for the deaf, dumb and blind, a reform school and a state prison, all admirably conducted.
In all this but a very general exhibit is presented of the marve- Icus development and present condition of the State. It is a source of pride and hope and reviewing it the thought is suggested, what, at this rate of progress, with the vast possibilities evidently here, shall be the grand totals, which may be written, at the end of another quarter of a century?
And now we close this sketch with the testimony of a non- resident, impartial and well informed-witness:
"I will venture the general statement that no state in the Union has today the same proportion of people to its entire population, more thoroughly educated and refined; that no such proportion of fine churches, splendid schools and educational appliances of so complete a character and such general provision for everything, which pertains to healthy civilization and generous social culture elsewhere exists, as in Minnesota. The railway, the telegraph, the newspaper are everywhere. Everything is bright and fresh and new, and the gigantic and wonderful progress, which is here uni- versal is universally stamped with such elegance and beauty, as have ouly come with half centuries in older communities."
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HISTORY OF
The writer is indebted for much of the substance of the above sketch, to Neill's History of Minnesota, Minnesota as it is in 1870, Footprints of Time, American Cyclopedia, United States Statutes, Tit. Treaties, History of St. Paul and Ramsey County and several state and other publications.
The foregoing statistics show the progress of the State up to the closing period of this history, 1879, soon after which time they were compiled.
But many years have passed since that date, and it is, there- fore, proper to add now, a few additional facts and figures. exhibit- ing the advancement of the State, up to the present time-the year of publication of this work.
Population of the state in 1895, 1,574,619
Assessed value of real estate. $553,157.461
Assessed value of personal estate. 104.012,823
Total. $657,170,284
STATE INSTITUTIONS.
University of Minnesota, including Department of Agriculture and Experiment Station.
Four State Normal Schools.
Eighty eight State High Schools.
Over Six thousand District Schools.
There are also many denominational Schools and Colleges in the state.
Permanent State University Fund ... . $1.034,067. Permanent State School Fund . $11,000,000.
And these funds are constantly increasing.
Institute for Defectives, embracing School for the Blind, School for the Deaf, School for the Feeble-minded. Faribault.
Three Hospitals for the Insane, and a fourth one to be erected immedaitely.
State Public School for Dependent and Neglected Children. Owatonna.
State Agricultural Society, possessing extensive grounds and buildings.
State Reform School. Red Wing.
State Historical Society, having a Library of over 50.000 vol- umes. St. Paul.
State Soldiers Home. Minnehaha Falls.
State Library of 25,000 volumes, which is in fact the great State Law Library. St. Paul.
State Reformatory. St. Cloud.
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FARIBAULT COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
State Prison. Stillwater.
There are now 7,000,000 acres of cultivated land in the State and 100,000 farms.
Production of three great cereals. (Taken from latest report of the U. S. Department of Agriculture.)
Wheat 41,210,000 bushels.
Corn. 24,192,000 ..
Oats. 43,578,000
By this report Minnesota is the greatest wheat growing state in the Union, except one.
NUMBER OF CERTAIN LIVE STOCK.
Horses, all ages. 523,205.
Cattle, including cows. 945,490.
Sheep
352,347.
Hogs 278,251.
There are six thousand miles of Rail Roads in operation in the State.
There are 146 State Banks and 79 National Banks, and numer - ous private Banks.
There are also many State Boards, Societies and Commissions, which we cannot name here.
IRON MINES.
Within the past decade it has been discovered that Minnesota possesses the greatest iron ore district in the world and to-day a great number of mines are open and worked, from which a vast output is shipped to the large iron manufacturing centers. The business is yet but in its infancy.
MANUFACTURES.
According to the national census of 1890, there were then em - ployed in the State 79,629 persons, working iu the manufacturing establishments of the State, to whom there was paid, as wages, $38,189,239.
One of the great industries of the State is the manufacture of flour. The production of flour exceeds that of any other state in the Union, and in fact nearly equals the output of all the other states combined.
Ten million of barrels was the output for the year ending Da- cember 31, 1894.
The flour of this State is sent to all parts of the world.
The manufacture of lumber has reached enormous proportions. The lumber cut, at Minneapolis alone, for 1894, amounted to 491,256,793 feet, besides shingles and lath.
The still existing vast forests of pine, give the assurance of the continuance of this industry for years to come.
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HISTORY OF
Numerous other manufacturing establishments exist throughout the State, such as paper makers, extensive brick yards, potteries. agricultural implement, sash and door and furniture factories, and others too numerous to mention.
DAIRYING.
The production of butter and cheese is already very great, an- nually, the former by the last report exceeded 46,000,000 pounds and the latter 2,000,000 pounds. Creameries are numerous through- out the State.
The reader may now compare these latter figures with those given for 1879, and he will be surprised and gratified at the truly wonderful advancement of the State and may indeed, say that here
"Progress swells on every breeze."
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FARIBAULT COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
SECTION SECOND.
LOCATION AND PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF FARIBAULT COUNTY.
It has been wisely said "The physical characteristics of a land should be known, to correctly understand the history of its people." It is indeed true that the skies that are over them, the scenes that are around them, the climate they live in, even the food they eat and the very air they breath, all exert a powerful influence on the lives, the character and the achievements of a people.
Faribault county is situated on the southern boundary of the State, in the valley of the Blue Earth river, and in the center of the most southern tier of counties. It is bounded on the north by Blue Earth and Waseca counties, on the east by Freeborn county, on the south by Winnebago and Kossuth counties, in the State of Iowa and on the west by Martin county.
That portion of the State, now comprised within the boundaries of this county, with much other territory, was by authority of the general government, surveyed and divided into townships and lesser subdivisions in the year 1854.
The county is comprised of townships 101, 102, 103, 104 north, in Ranges 24, 25, 26, 27 and 28 west, of the 5th principal Meridian, being twenty Congressional, or Land-survey townships, each six miles square, each township containing thirty-six square miles, each square mile being a section. Hence the county is thirty miles long, east and west, and twenty-four miles wide, north and south, and con- tains seven hundred and twenty-three square miles, or sections in - cluding fractions, and 463,184 acres of land, of which there is covered by water 9,151 acres. When the county was first formed, it embarced four more towns on the west, in Range 29. but they were detached and added to Martin County, by act of the Legislature passed May 23d, 1857.
The general surface of the county is not broken or hilly, but is slightly and desirably varied, or in other words, is gently undulat- ing, or "rolling, " thus affording natural drainage and facilities for artificial drainage, if desired. There is but little waste, or unpro-
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HISTORY OF
ductive lands. The surface of the county permits the making of good, dry roads, of easy grade and at little cost.
And here some brief observations as to the geological forma - tion and history of the land, embraced within the limits of the county, are appropriate.
The county is covered heavily by drift, or diluvium, and there is no where any out crop of the bedrock, within the county.
But some of our readers may be pleased with some explanation of the term "drift," in this connection.
The following quotations, relating to this subject, are taken from Wells' First Principles of Geology:
"The theory of the drift, which has been originated by Lyell. Hitchcock and other authorities, and which is now accepted by most geologists, is substantially as follows: It is supposed that about the close of the tertiary epoch, a subsidence of land took place in the Northern Hemisphere, which was accompanied by a great reduction of temperature, and that as in consequence of this access of cold. Glaciers formed upon most of the northern mountains and as in Greenland, at the present day, extended to the sea.
"Large islands and bergs of floating ice, laden with detritus (clay, sand, gravel and rock-masses) were also moved southerly. from the Polar regions, by oceanic currents.
"When the ice bergs and floes melted, their burdens of detritus, including fragments of rock, both large and small, which had been frozen into them. as parts of glaciers or coast ice, would fall to the bottom of the ocean and in this way boulders, as well as finer ma- terials, would be scattered over extensive areas." P. P. 304, 305.
"Finally. it is supposed. a gradual elevation of the submerged lands took place and that during their re-emergence the materials which covered them, were still further modified by exposure to the disturbing and stratifying action of waves, ice, tides and currents." pg. 305 "In America the drift extended from the Polar regions, as far south as about latitude, forty degrees." pg. 297.
And now a further word in reference to boulders, or lost rocks, so many of which are scattered over the surface of our county. "The boulders which are everywhere characteristic of the drift for- mation, vary in size from a few pounds, to masses of hundreds, or even thousands of tons weight. They are generally more or less rounded in form, as if water worn, and are unlike the rocks in place, which underlie them."
"In short * * the most superficial observer could hardly fail to arrive at the conclusion, that they are foreign to the localities where they occur and must have been transported from a distance. by some powerful agency;" such as that above indicated. ( Pg. 295. )
1
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FARIBAULT COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
It is, perhaps, proper to say that other theories, explanatory of the drift phenomena, have been proposed from time to time.
For what is further said here, in reference to this subject, the writer is indebted to that admirable work, "The Geological and Natural History Survey of Minnesota," volume I, chapter 14.
"The whole of Faribault county lies within the basin of the Blue Earth River, which flows northerly; *
* * while the east fork of this river, formed by Jones and Brush Creeks, in the south- east part of the county, flows west * and joins the main streamn, The middle part of the north third of the county, is drained by the bead streams of the Maple river, which is tributary to the Le Sueur and through that to the Blue Earth River. The northeastern town- ship is drained principally by the Big Cobb river, also reaching the Blue Earth through the Le Sueur river. The general slopes of the surface thus descend northward; from the southeast part of the county westerly to Blue Earth City, and from its west boundary east- erly to the Blue Earth river."
"The thickness of the drift upon this county, probably varies from 75 to 200 feet, averaging 125, or perhaps 150 feet. It is com- posed mainly of till, which encloses occasional veins and beds of gravel and sand."
"The streams have channelled from thirty to one hundred feet into the drift."
"The bottom land, five to twenty feet above the streams, is mainly from a quarter to a half mile wide, bordered by steep bluffs, that rise to the * * expanse of till' * which covers the whole county, excepting two belts of morainic hills. One of these extends from (the town of) Kiester, in the southeast corner of the county, northwestward, nearly to Delavan; and the other, which lies mostly in Iowa, includes the southern edge of Elmore and Pilot Grove."
"The mean elevation of the county is 1,130 feet, very nearly above the sea. The highest points, the hills in section 3, Kiester, are about 1,400 feet above the sea, and its lowest land, in the val- leys of the Blue Earth and Maple rivers, slightly less than 1,000."
In conclusion of this subject here, it is interesting to learn that in the Ice Age, the basin of the Blue Earth river covering almost all of this county and portions of adjoining counties, there existed a great glacial lake, dammed on the north by the barrier of the wan- ing ice-sheet of the last glacial epoch, during a considerable time, in which this was retreating northward and north westward from the south line of the State, and from its eastern moraine, until its re- cession uncovered the present avenue of drainage, to the northeast, by the Minnesota river, Until this avenue of outflow was opened, "the outlet of this glacial lake was in Kossuth County, Iowa, at the
HISTORY OF
head of the most southern branch of the Blue Earth river, where Union Slough occupies a continuous channel from the head. waters of the Blue Earth to Buffalo creek and the east fork of the Des Moines." The depth of this lake in the north part of this county, ranged from fifty to one hundred and twenty five feet.
But unnumbered centuries have rolled away since the tremen- dous "ice age," of which our knowledge at best. is but conjectural. Let us resume the description of the county, as it is known in our own time.
The county is well watered throughout, the number and distri- bution of the streams and lakes being admirable, as will appear by a glance at the map of the county. The main streams are the Blue Earth, Maple and Cobb rivers, and Coon, Badger, Otter, South, Middle, Elm, Foster and Brush creeks, and many small, nameless rivulets. There are also the following lakes: Minnesota, Bass, Maple, Pilot Grove, Ozatonka, Walnut, Swan and two Rice lakes, besides a number of small lakelets not named. Minnesota lake is the largest body of water in the county. In digging wells water is usually found in abundance at fifteen to seventy feet depth. The well water is very pure, clear and cold, and is slightly impregnated with lime. The streams are indeed "living waters, " pure and cold, and usually running with rapid current, over gravelly beds. The lakes are beautiful sheets of water, from twenty rods to three miles in diameter, and are famous for their crystal purity, reflecting in their depths the changing foliage of the groves upon their banks. and the blue and clouds of the summer skies. There is a strange fascination in the silent beauty of these placid mirror- like sheets of water with their frame-work of dark green timber borders. And when it is remembered that here the Indian, not long since, was often seen in his swift canoe skimming over the surface, and that about these lakes he lived and loved, made war and followed the chase, immagination needs add but little, to invest the scenery with romantic interest.
Timber is very well distributed throughout the county for a prairie country and is found in sufficient quantities to supply the demand for fuel and other purposes for many years. The facilities for procuring coal from the South and building lumber from the North, by rail, lossens constantly the demand for native timber.
The timber is confined mainly to the borders of the lakes and streams and is of great practical advantage to the country besides adding to the beauty of the landscape in breaking up the monotony of "the billowy sea of land."
It consists of basswood, burr-oak, black oak, black walnut, butternut. cherry, hickory, ash, red elm, water-elm, ironwood. box- elder, cottonwood, poplar, hard and soft maple, hawthorn, dogwood.
23
FARIBAULT COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
hackberry, willow and several other varieties. The predominant and most useful kinds are basswood, oak, walnut, maple, cotton- wood and elm. In addition to the above, the prairie farmers, throughout the county, have set out groves on their lands, of one to ten acres of rapidly growing varieties of forest trees, which add greatly to the beauty of the country and what is more important, to their comfort and convenience, such groves affording agreeable shade in the heat of summer and protection from the storms of winter. The people of the villages too, have set out vast numbers of shade and ornamental trees, about their premises, along the lines of their streets and on the public squares. The prediction may well be made, that twenty years hence there will be more timber in the county than at its first settlement and that owing to the extent of the groves, and the long lines of trees along the highways, the winds will be tempered and the climate greatly modified, and that the whole county will present the pleasing appearance of a natural arcadia.
The soil of the county is a black loam, having a considerable mixture of sand, rendering it warm and causing a very rapid growth of vegetation. It abounds in mineral elements and is rich in organic ingredients, originating from the decay of the vegetable growth of many centuries. It cannot be surpassed in fertility and ranges in depth from two to four feet. The sub-soil is clay. The day will never come, probably, when itcan be said that the soil of this county is "worn out." Wheat, oats, barley, corn, and potatoes are the principal productions. Rye, buckwheat, beans, millet, sorghum, broom.corn, flax and tobacco are raised with success. Garden vegetables, in great variety and perfection and in vast quanties are annually produced. Clover, timothy, red-top and other tame grasses are raised successfully, but up to the present time, have not been much needed, owing to the great abundance and nutritive quality of the native grasses, which have proved abundantly sufficient, for pasturage and hay. All the cereals, grasses and vegetables raised in the middle states can be raised here and under the higher and better cultivation, which a large population and ample means will effect, in the future, this county will become one of the most pro- ductive and wealthy agricultural districts in the world. The real extent of the producing power of this soil, under high and careful tillage, is yet practically unknown, but it will be seen at no distaut day and with astonishment.
The climate of this county is that, speaking generally, of the State, but modified somewhat by the fact that the county is situated in the extreme southern part of the State. It is true the winters are usually longer and colder than in the more southern latitudes of the temperate zone, and some winters are colder, longer and
24
HISTORY OF
stormier than others, but it often occurs that there is a milder winter here than in northern New York or in the New England states. And the winters here have ever been as bright and cheerful and marked with as much business activity and social and domestic enjoyments, both indoors and out, as they have been in any country north of Mason and Dixon's line. It is also true that when great storms of wind, snow or rain occur in Minnesota, they also usually occur in states much further south or east, and are equally severe ; and while the mercury sinks very low sometimes, unquestionable records prove that the climate here is much more equable, and subject to less sudden changes, than that of many other countries, with which no fault is ever found. But whatever disadvantages, if any, there may be in the winters being longer or colder than in more southern latitudes, they are amply counterbalanced by many great advan- tages. This is pre eminently the land of health and of physical and mental activity. The atmosphere is pure, dry and bracing. There are no tainted winds ; no stagnant waters and sluggish streams ; no malaria, no fevers, agues or pulmonary diseases. The bright eye, the ruddy cheek, the swiftly coursing blood and vital energy, the abounding health, which characterize the great majority of the people of this country, tell a story worth far more than "The balmy breezes," the " soft and fragrant air," and the "Pulseless langour" of " the Sunny South."
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