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 67
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Jo. L. Weir was born in Robertson county, Tennessee, in 1821. He received his education in the common schools and at the Franklin college, Tennessee, which he attended for some time, but did not graduate. He studied law in his native county and was there admitted to the bar, and practiced his profession a short time. In 1857, in company with his brothers, George and Daniel, he came to this county and settled near Winnebago City, where they took lands under the pre-emption law. Mr. Weir engaged to some extent in the practice of the law in this county, but gave his attention principally to farming. During the "school examiner" system in this county, he held that offlee for some time In his commissioner district. Mr. Weir never married. In 1867 he returned to Ten- nessee, where he now resides.
On the fifth day of March, 1860, the county board declared the office again vacant, and by resolution authorized the county officers to employ attorneys when necessary.
Mr. Wakefield now re appears as the law officer of the county. having been elected attorney in November, 1860, and qualified No- vember 17th. Norman B. Hyatt, of Blue Earth City, editor of the Blue Earth City News, elected to the office in October. 1861, succeeded Mr. Wakefield.
Mr. Hyatt, it is believed, came to this county early in 1861. He engaged in the practice of law at Blue Earth City, and subsequently became interested in the Blue Earth City News, of which paper he was the editor for some time. lle afterwards enlisted in the military service of the United States, and became the captain of his company. After retiring from the service, he finally located at Webster City, Iowa, where he engaged in the practice of his profession.
The office becoming vacant by the enlistment of Mr. Hyatt, the county board, on the twenty-eighth day of May, 1863, appointed Andrew C Dunn, of Winnebago City, to fill the vacancy. At the next general election held November 3d. 1863, Mr. Dunn was elected for a full term which he served.
Mr. Dunn was born in New York City, October 9th, 1834. He received his education mainly from his father, Nathaniel Dunn, who was for many years a noted educator, at one time principal of Wilbraham Academy, Mass., and for many years professor of chemistry in Rutger's Female College, N. Y.
Andrew commenced reading law under the direction of Edward Standford, Esq., of New York City, at the early age of fifteen years. He came to Minne- sota in April, 1854, and was admitted to the bar by the Territorial Supreme Court, practiced a short time at Sauk Rapids, and then located at St. Paul.
He came to this county in 1856, and he, with several others, founded the village of Winnebago City, being one of the original town site proprietors, and built the Arst house in that village. In 1858 Mr. Duon was one of the special commissioners, appointed by the governor, to divide this county into town- and name them. On New Year's day, 1859, he was united in marriage to Miss D. J. Smith, of Blue Earth county, in this State. Seven children have come to them, but only three of whom are now living.
Mr. Dunn, since his Arst location in this county, has made the practice of the law his chief business and life work, and he is the oldest resident practicing lawyer at the bar of this county.
A. C. DUNA.
641
FARIBAULT COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
He was secretary of the first State Senate of this State, (which convened in December, 1857). In 1863 he was one of the commissioners appointed to take the vote of the soldiers then in active service at the south.
Mr. Dunn was chief clerk of the House of Representatives of this State in the years 1864, 1865 and 1866, and was elected representative of this legislative district in 1880, and attended the memorable sessions of 1881, and was one of the counsel on the part of the House in the impeachment proceedings had against Judge E. St. J. Cox. lle has, from time to time, held various local offices, and has always taken a large interest in the public affairs of the State, and especially of the county.
Mr. Dunn was a democrat in early life, and during the rebellion was a union democrat and has since affiliated with the republican party. Ile and his family are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and for many years Mr. Dunn has been superintendent of the Methodist Episcopal Sunday school at Winne- bago City.
At the general election of 1865, Mr. Wakefield was again elected attorney, and also representative for the twentieth district, in the State legislature. He accepted the latter office, and the former be- came again vacant.
On the third day of January, 1866, J. A. Kiester, of Blue Earth City, was appointed attorney by the county board, and was re-ap- pointed on the nineteenth of March following, and served until the next January. In the meantime, Mr. Wakefield, elected attorney in November, 1866, appears for the fourth and last time in this par- ticular branch of the public service, but having been also elected State senator, at the same election, he accepted the latter office. leaving the attorneyship to be otherwise provided for. A bio- graphical notice of Mr. Wakefield will be found elsewhere in this work.
On the third day of January, 1867, Mr. Kiester resigned the office, and it became again vacant. A brief biographical sketch of Mr. Kiester will be found in another part of this book.
On the resignation of Mr. Kiester, John H. Sprout, of Blue Earth City, was appointed (January 3d, 1867) attorney, and immedi- ately qualified.
At the next general election, held in November, 1867, he was elected for a full term, and was re-elected in the years 1869, 1871, and 1873, and held office during nine consecutive years.
JOHN H. SPROUT.
Mr. Sprout was a native of Attica, Wyoming county, New York, where he was born December 16th, 1836.
His father, Col. Hosea B. Sprout, a resident of Attica for fifty years, was a farmer by occupation. John II. obtained his education in the common schools and at Warsaw Academy, and Genessce Wyoming Seminary. He subsequently engaged in school teaching in his native county.
In 1857 he emigrated to Dodge county, Minnesota, and engaged in farming for awhile. In the fall of 1857 he went to Columbia county, Wisconsin, where heread law with Hon. O. C. Howe, until the next spring, when he returned to
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HISTORY OF
Minnesota again, and engaged somewhat in farming. In the autumn of 1859 he returned to Wisconsin, and engaged In school teaching for about three years, after which he came to Minnesota, and engaged in farming for about a year and a half, and then went to Juneau, Wisconsin, where he resumed the study of law under the direction of Messrs. Billinghurst, Lewis and Friebert, and then attended, for some time, Michigan University law school. He was married, in 1861, to Miss Caliste L. Nichols, of Dodge county, Wisconsin. He was admitted to the bar in the last named county, where he commenced the practice of law, and in the latter part of the year came to this county, locating at Blue Earth City, where he has since resided, engaged all the time in the practice of his profession. He was county attorney, as above stated, and has been justice of the peace a number of years, twice president of the council of Blue Earth City, and, also, president and member of the board of education at Blue Earth City, a number of terms.
For several years he was postmaster at Blue Earth City. Mr. Sprout is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and he is a republican in politics.
M. W. Green, of Wells, elected in 1875, succeeded Mr. Sprout. Mr. Green was elected in 1877 for a second term, which he served. Mr. Green, after the expiration of his term of office, removed to Fargo, D. T., where he has continued in the practice of the law.
Morton S. Wilkinson, of Wells, elected in November, 1879, was our next county attorney. He held the office one term.
Mr. Wilkinson was born at Skaneateles, N. Y., on the twenty-second of January, 1819. He received an academic education, and taught school some six months. He read law at Skaneateles, and was admitted to the bar in 1842. lle came west and settled at Eaton Rapids, Mich., where he practiced law till 1847. and then came to Stillwater, Minn. Mr. Wilkinson was twice married. His first wife died in Michigan, his second in Minnesota.
He was elected to the first territorial legislature, which assembled in the fall of the year, 1849. Ile made St. Paul his home from that time, engaged in the practice of the law, until 1857, when he moved to Mankato, Minn. About this time he was appointed, with others, to draft and report a code of laws for the State, which work he did in 1859.
The legislature of 1859 elreted Mr. Wilkinson United States senator for the State of Minnesota for six years, which term he served. After the expira- tion of his term in the senate he was (in 1868) elected representative in congress and served one term. Subsequently he represented Blue Earth county, in the State senate, in the years 1874, 1875, 1876 and 1877.
Senator Wilkinson came to this county in 1878, and located on a farm near Wells, but has all along continued in the practice of the law, appearing occa- sionally in our district courts, and also, lately, before the supreme court of the United States, at Washington, D. C., in a number of important suits.
He was a republican in politics until late in his career, when he atliliated with the democrats. He died at Wells, February 4th, 1894.
J. H. SPROUT.
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FARIBAULT COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
SECTION SIX.
THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS .- THE OFFICIAL DUTIES OF THE BOARD AND THE NAMES OF THE PERSONS WHO HAVE BEEN MEMBERS OF THE BOARD TO THE CLOSE OF THE YEAR 1879.
The board of county commissioners constitutes the legislature of the county. As defined by law, the duties of the board, briefly expressed, are to examine and settle all accounts of the receipts and expenditures of the county, the care of the county property, the management of all the county funds, and the transaction of all the business pertaining to the county, except as otherwise provided by law.
The board has power to set off, organize and vacate towns, and change the boundaries thereof; organize and change school districts, lay out roads, build bridges, levy certain taxes, make appointments to fill vacancies in various offices, and, in general, to supervise all the interests and transact all the business of the county, not specially otherwise provided for by law. It is also the special duty of the board to attend to the equalization of the assessments for tax pur- poses, and to all matters relating to the poor of the county. At the annual session of each year, held in January, the commissioners elect one of their number chairman for the year, whose duty it is to preside at their meetings. The term of office of a county commis- sioner was, for many years, three years. (It is now four). They receive pay at the rate of three dollars per day, for each day neces- sarily employed in doing the county business, and ten cents per mile travel. The board, in its duties, somewhat resembles a court, and is sometimes called the "commissioners' court," and is also known as "the county board." The county auditor is ex officio clerk of this small legislature, and arranges and presents much of the business to the board for consideration. He keeps accurate minutes of all the proceedings of the board in a book denominated the "county records."
1856. The first board of county commissioners of this county was appointed by the governor of the territory, on the organization of the county, their commissions bearing date February 25th, 1856. This board was composed of the following gentlemen: James B. Wakefield, chairman, Henry T. Stoddard and Moses Sailor; clerk, Samuel V. Hibler, then register of deeds.
1857. For this year, the members of the board were: William M. Scott, chairman, Moses Sailor and C. W. Wilson; clerks, J. B. Wakefield and J. A. Kiester,
1858. C. W. Wilson, chairman, Moses Sailor and E. Crosby; clerk, J. A. Kiester.
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HISTORY OF
1859. At the session of the legislature held in August, 1858, an act was passed abolishing the board of county commissioners and enacting the "supervisor system." By this system the several chair- men of township boards of supervisors, were er-officio members of, and constituted the board of supervisors of the county. The duties of this board were the same, identically, as those of the former commissioners. These supervisors were elected in the several towus, on the first organization of the towns, October 20th, 1858. The new board met and organized January 3d, 1859, and was com- posed of the following named gentlemen: James L. McCrery, chair- man, Jo. L. Weir, Amos Preston, J. B. Wakefield, S. W. Myrrick, W. J. C. Robertson; clerk, A. Bonwell.
The regular annual town meetings were held in the several towns in April of this year (1859) and resulted in the clection of the follow- ing supervisors: Geo. H. Goodnow, chairman, Thomas Blair, P. C. Seely, S. L. Rugg, Amos Preston, J. L. MeCrery, W. J. C. Robert- son, J. A. Kiester and Lorenzo Merry; clerk. A. Bonwell.
1860. Geo. H. Goodnow. chairman, P. C. Seely, Thomas Blair, S. L. Rugg, Amos Preston, J. A. Keister, W. J. C. Robertson, Lo- renzo Merry and J. L. McCrery; clerk, A. Bonwell.
By act of the legislature approved February 28th, 1960, the supervisor system was abolished, and the old commissioner system was re-established, as the supervisor system was found to be entirely too expensive and cumbrous, especially in the thinly set- tled counties. The new law went into effect on the election at the town meetings of this year (1860) held in April. In counties having less than eight hundred votes, the county was entitled to three commis. sioners, and counties having over eight hundred votes, were entitled to five.
This county was at the time entitled to but three commissioners, and the three commissioners elected, who were chosen at large were: Thomas Blair. chairman, J. H. Welch and Albin Johnson; clerk, A. Bonwell.
The last meeting of the supervisors was held in March, and the first meeting of the new board, above mentioned, was held in June of this year.
At the general election in November, 1860, commissioners were elected again, and since that year, the commissioners are always elected by districts at the general election in November, of the year when the term for any district expires. As the result of this elec. tion, we have for
1861. Jesse H. Dunham, chairman, Thomas Blair and Wm. M. Scott. Clerk, A. Bonwell.
Mr. Wakefield had been elected, but after the first meeting resigned, when Mr. Scott was appointed in his place.
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FARIBAULT COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
1862. Thomas Blair, chairman, Ezra M. Ellis and J. H. Dun- ham. Clerk, A. Bonwell.
1863. J. H. Dunham, chairman, Thomas Blair and Albin John-
son. Clerk, A. Bonwell.
Mr. Ellis had been elected, but did not accept the office, and Mr. Johnson was appointed to fill the vacancy.
1864. Thomas Blair, chairman, Allen Shultis and Wm. M. Scott. ยท Clerk, A. Bonwell.
1865. Allen Shultis, chairman, Thomas Blair and Wm. M. Scott. Clerk, F. W. Cady.
It appearing by the election of 1864, that the county had over eight hundred legal voters, the commissioners, on the fifth day of September, 1865, divided the county into five commissioner districts and at the general election held in November, 1865, five commission- ers were elected, so we have for the years:
1866. Allen Shultis, chairman, H. J. Neal, J. R. Sisson, J. Claggett and C. S. Kimball. Clerk, F. W. Cady.
1867. H. J. Neal, chairman, J. R. Sisson, A. R. More, Sr., Jas. Crays and J. Claggett. Clerk, F. W. Cady.
1868. H. J. Neal, chairman, W. J. Robinson, A. R. More, Sr., Jas. Crays and J. Claggett. Clerk, F. W. Cady!
1869. A. R. More, Sr., chairman, J. A. Latimer, J. Claggett, W. J. Robinson and H. J. Neal. Clerk, W. W. White.
1870. A. R. More, Sr., chairman, H. J. Neal, J. A. Latimer, W. J. Robinson and J. Claggett. Clerk, W. W. White.
1871. A. Bonwell, chairman, J. Claggett, J. A. Latimer, A. R. More, Sr., and L. C. Seaton. Clerk, W. W. White.
1872. A. R. More, Sr., chairman, David Catlin, Henry Sellen, W. W. Potter and L. C. Seaton. Clerk, W. W. White.
1873. W. W. Potter, chairman, David Catlin, J. A. Dean, L. C. Seaton and Henry Sellen. Clerk, W. W. White.
1874. W. W. Potter, chairman, David Catlin, J. A. Dean, Henry Sellen and Rob't Andrews. Clerk, W. W. White.
1875. Amos Preston, chairman, David Catlin, Rob't Andrews, E. H. Hutchins and F. W. Temple. Clerk, W. W. White.
1876. F. W. Temple, chairman, Amos Preston, Rob't Andrews, David Catlin and E. H. Hutchins. Clerk, W. W. White.
1877. F. W. Temple, chairman, Amos Preston, David Catlin, E. H. Hutchins and J. R. Sisson. Clerk, W. W. White.
1878. A. H. Bullis, chairman, David Catlin, J. R. Sisson, F. E. Cary and H. A. Woolery. Clerk, W. W. White.
1879. A. H. Bullis, chairman, David Catlin, J. R. Sisson, F. E. Cary and H. A. Woolery. Clerk, W. W. White.
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HISTORY OF
SECTION SEVEN.
THE COUNTY AUDITORS AND THEIR OFFICE.
Prior to January 3d, 1859, when the act of August 13th 1858, went into effect in this county, the duties of the auditor were performed by the register of deeds, who was then ex-officio clerk of the board of county commissioners. By reference to the history of the office . of register of deeds, it will be seen who performed the duties of auditor prior to the above date.
The duties of the county auditor are multifarious and often in- tricate and perplexing, requiring a clear head, great patience and constant attention.
He is required to keep an accurate account current with the treasurer of the several state, county, town, school district, road, poor, and all other funds, make out all the tax duplicates, draw or attest all warrants drawn on the treasury for funds, take charge of and direct the assessment of taxes and keep the tax records.
The auditor is ex-officio clerk of the board of county commis- sioners, and as such is required to keep an accurate record of their proceedings, and carefully keep and preserve all documents, books. maps, records and other papers and files required by law to be kept in his office.
The term of office of auditor is two years, formerly commencing in March, but now in January, and before entering upon his office he is required to take an official oath and give an approved bond in such sum as the commissioners may fix, not less than two thousand dollars, nor more than twenty thousand dollars, for the faithful performance of his duties. He may appoint deputies. The auditor was formerly paid by salary, but he now receives as salary, a per- centage on the aggregate assessments of the county.
The auditor is usually considered the principal financial officer of the county-its accountant, or bookkeeper, and in many respects its business agent. It may be remarked that negligence, inefficiency or dishonesty in the auditor may lead to intermidable confusion in the accounts and business of the county, and the affairs of individ- uals, and open a wide door to fraud and public plundering.
By the act above mentioned of August 13th, 1858, the county board was authorized to appoint a clerk, who. at the option of the board, might be the register of deeds, or any other person. At the organization of the board, January 3d, 1859, Arthur Bonwell was appointed clerk. By said act it was enacted that the clerks there- after should be known as county auditors, and should perform all the duties of auditor performed prior thereto by the register of deeds. Mr. Bonwell was thus the first auditor-co.nomine-of this
A. BONWELL.
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FARIBAULT COUNTY, MINNESOT.1.
county. At the general election held October 11th, 1859, he was elected auditor.
By act approved March 6th, 1860, the office of auditor was re- enacted, so to speak, new duties added, and he was made by virtue of his office, the permanent clerk of the board of county com missioners. When Mr. Bonwell took the office under the new laws relating thereto, there was much to be done to get the office into proper working order. A full set of tax and account books were to be opened, the papers, books and accounts pertaining to the office under the old system, arranged, and a system, or order of business for the future established, in conformity to the new laws, all of which was done. Mr. Bonwell was re-elected auditor in 1860, and in 1862, serving until March, 1865.
Arthur Bonwell was born in Brown county, State of Ohio, on the fourth day of July, 1825. His father was a farmer. In 1829 his father and family removed to Hyland county, Ohio, and in 1836 removed to Tippecanoe county, State of Indiana. The subject of this sketch received his edu- cation in the common schools. He has, from early youth, been a stu- dious reader. ITe was brought up in the occupation of a farmer, but com- menced teaching school when about nineteen years old, and taught many terms during his life. His health has never been very robust, and many times he has been in feeble condition for considerable periods of time. and this fact has had much to do with shaping his life. When about twenty-two years old, he went on a flat-boat expedition, to New Orleans, La., and returned as a deck passen- ger, on board a steamboat. In 1850. Mr. Bonwell, then twenty-five years old, went overland to California, where he remained until 1856, engaged in mining, trading, and ranching. In the latter year, he returned to the States, in July and August, by the isthmus route and steamship, landing in New York City, and from thence he journeyed to Butler county, Iowa, to which place his father had removed during his absence. After remaining at home for a short time, he went to the State of Texas, where he remained until spring, traveling over the country and visiting many localities in the Lone Star State. From thence he visited New Orleans again, a short time, and returned up the river to Butler county, Iowa, where he remained during the summer of 1857. In September, 1857, he came to this county, locating at Blue Earth City. Here he engaged for a time in surveying and school-teaching, and other occupations, until his ap- pointment as county auditor, in January, 1859, as above stated. While yet fill- ing the office of auditor, Mr. Bonwell was elected register of deeds of the county, in the fall of 1864. This otlice he held but one term, not desiring a re- election. He was married, in 1868, to Miss Excene Gano. They have had four children. About the year 1872, he removed to his farm in Jo Daviess township where he remained some eight years, engaged in farming, after which he re- turned again to Blue Earth City, where he erected a comfortable home, and now resides. Mr. Bonwell has, from time to time, held various town and school offices, and the office of justice of the peace, several terms, at Blue Earth City, and was chairman of the board of county commissioners, of this county, in 1879 the board of which he had been, for many years, clerk. Mr. Bonwell has been a republican in politics since the organization of that party, until late years, during which he has acted with the prohibitionists.
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HISTORY OF
Franklin W. Cady, of Verona township, elected auditor Nov. 8th, 1-64, succeeded Mr. Bonwell. Mr. Cady was re elected at the general election, Nov. 6th, 1866, for a second term, which he served.
Mr. Cady was born in Lake county, Ohio, January 15th, IS26. He attended the district schools during the winter terms, until he was eighteen years old, and then was a student of Grand River Institute, in Ashtabular county, O., for two years. He learned the art of penmanship, under the tuition of P. R. Spencer, and subsequently taught writing schools and district schools, during four win- ters. Hle removed to Columbia county, Wisconsin, where he bought a farm and commenced farming.
He was united in marrlage to Miss Ellen Waterhouse, July 20th, 1851. They have three children.
In June, 1561, he came to this county and settled on a farm in the town of Verona. When he assumed the duties of auditor he removed to Blue Earth City, but on retiring from office he returned to his farm. Having purchased a valuable tract of land near Blue Earth City, he removed upon it and resided there for some years, but having sold this farm, he removed again to the old homestead, in Verona, where he still resides, Mr. Cady has also held various town offlees from time to time, in Verona. He has been a republican ever since the organization of the party. He is largely engaged In farming and stock raising.
William W. White, of Walnut Lake township, next assumed the duties and responsibilities of the office, being elected auditor at the election held in November, 1868.
Mr. White was re-elected in the years, 1870, 1572, 1874, 1876, 1878. 1880, 1882 and 1984, during all of which successive terms he has served the county in this office.
Mr. White was born in Oneida county, state of New York, on the twenty- fourth day of December, 1825. His grandparents were Vermonters, and en.i- grated to New York State, where Willlam's father, Asel White, was born. Ile was a farmer.
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