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 68
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William was educated, mainly, in the common or public schools of his neighborhood, but he also attended at Saquoit Academy, in his native county, for some time. He was brought up a farmer.
In 1857 he was married to Miss Frances F. Lapham. They have had two children.
In 1858, Mr. White removed to Dodge county, Wisconsin, where he bought a farm. Here he remained some three years, when he sold out and emigrated to this State, in April, 1561, locating in Mower county, where he rented a farm. In the fall of the same year he came to this county and settled in Walnut Lake township, where he took up a quarter section of land under the pre-emption laws, but subsequently changed to a homestead entry. Ile "proved up" on this tract. and still owns it.
Mr. White, while a resident of Wisconsin, was town clerk of Beaver Dam township, one term. and was also a justice of the peace one term, while a resi- dent of Walnut Lake township. In the fall of 1868 he was elected county aud- itor, as we have seen above, and removed to Blue Earth City in the spring of 1×69, to assume the duties of the offlee, and here he has resided during his term of otfler. He was a member of the village council of Blue Earth City, one term. Mr. White has always been a republican in politics, and he and Mrs. White are members of the regular Baptist church. After retiring from office. Mr. White returned to his farm in Walnut Lake township, where he remained some years, and then removed to Owatonna, Minn.
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W. W. WHITE.
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FARIBAULT COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
SECTION EIGHT.
THE COUNTY TREASURY AND THE TREASURERS.
Briefly stated, the duties of the county treasurer, as defined by law, are to receive and safely keep all public moneys, directed by law to be paid to him, and to pay out the same, only upon the order of the proper authority. He is required to keep fair and accurate books of account, showing the amount, the time when, by whom and on what account moneys are received by him, and the amount, time and manner of all disbursements. His accounts must be so kept, that they will show what has been received and paid on each separ- ate and distinct fund, or appropriation. The treasurer is not only the depository of the public funds, but is also now the collector of all the taxes. Formerly the sheriff was the tax collector.
The treasurer is required to make a full and complete settle- ment with the county auditor, every four months, in which he ex- hibits the balance aud condition of each fund in his hands.
His accounts and funds are also subject to examination at any time, without notice, by the State examiner and by the board of au- dit, consisting of the clerk of the district court, the chairman of the board of commissions. and the county auditor. The treasurer's term of office is two years, formerly commencing and ending in March, but now in January. He is required, before entering upon his du- ties, to take the usual official oath, and give an approved bond for the faithful performance of his duties, in such sum as the board of county commissioners may direct. The treasurer is paid by a cer- tain percentage on all funds coming into his hands, which he is al- lowed to retain.
THE FIRST TREASURER.
The first treasurer of this county was Louis P. Grout, of Blue Earth City, appointed by the county board April 6th, 1857. He immediately filed his official bond, and entered upon the duties of his office, which were not onerous, as it appears that he never re- ceived or paid out any public funds, as treasurer, except one dollar. which he paid some one for writing his bond, and that he paid in trade. In the absence of anything further to say of the first treas- urer, it may be recorded here, as an item of historical interest, that Mr. Grout, in partnership with his brother, Isaac E. Grout, au individual of some note in the early days of the county, kept a small store in Blue Earth City, for some years, in which the principal articles of merchandise were calico, salaratus, soap, tobacco, cod- fish and whisky.
This store was not the first, but the second mercautile estab- lishment at Blue Earth City, and was kept in a one story log cabin,
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1.1x20 feet, which stood nearly opposite the Constan's hotel. The building was roofed with "shakes, " and was chinked and mudded up in the usual manner, and had a puncheon floor, two doors and three half windows. It was divided into two rooms, the rear room being occupied by the families of the proprietors, as a dwelling, and the front room was devoted entirely to commercial purposes. Herc, in the dignity of his office, stood the treasurer of the county, engaged in mercantile pursuits. And here, too, in this hovel, it may be re- marked, was many a "wassail." held of early settlers, when "joy was unconfined." The old building has long since disappeared, and the first treasurer has passed to his final account.
Mr. Albin Johnson, of Blue Earth City, succeeded Mr. Grout, being elected to the office October 13th, 1857. He qualified Novem- ber 2d, following, and assumed the duties of his office. During the following year the first tax was levied and collected, and the first public funds came to the hands of the treasurer. At that time the treasurer did not collect the taxes, the sheriff being ex-officio tax collector. The treasurer, however, several years later, became by law the collector of all taxes. At the general election, held October 11th, 1859, Mr. Johnson was re-elected for a second term, which he served.
Albin Johnson was born in Carroll county, state of New Hampshire, on the sixteenth day of February, 1817. llis grandfather and father were among the old residents of Massachusetts, originally, but removed to New Hampshire. His grandfather was a soldier in the war of the Revolution, and was at Bunker Hill and other battles of that eventful period. llis father was a farmer and blacksmith. Albin received his education in the common schools and at an academy, located at Wakefield, New Hampshire. He designed entering the medical profession, but gave it up. In his youth he taught school during the winters for some sixteen years. His occupation during the remainder of the year, was principally farming. Ile held a number of town offices in his native town. Mr. Johnson was married July 13th, 1839, to Miss Naney M. Burleigh, and they have had five children, one of whom is now dead. He came directly from his eastern home to this county, in January, 1857, and has resided here ever since. Hle first settled on a farm, where he has since erected good buildings and made other extensive improvements. When elected county treasurer he re- moved to Blue Earth City, but returned to his farm again afterwards. In 1880 he removed again to Blue Earth City and erected a large dwelling and other buildings, as a home, and continued to reside at that place, but still having charge, to a considerable extent, of his large farm, until his death. Mr. Johnson and family are members of the Presbyterian church. He was a republican in politics from the organization of the party. Mr. Johnson was twice county commissioner, and frequently held the office of town supervisor. He died at Blue Earth City, August 20, 1887.
William Dustin, of Winnebago City, elected October 8th, 1861, was the next county treasurer. Heretofore the accounts of the treasurer (not very extensive indeed) were kept in small account books, and memorandums, furnished by the treasurer, but the county having provided a full set of proper books for the office.
W'M. DUSTIN.
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FARIBAULT COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
Mr. Dustin proceeded to open and keep the public accounts, in a more convenient manner. Mr. Dustin was re-elected for a second term, at the general election November 3d, 1863, and held the office until the expiration of the term.
WILLIAM DUSTIN.
William Dustin was a native of Orange County, state of Vermont, where he was born in 1826.
His father, John K. Dustin, was a farmer by occupation, and William was kept on the farm until he was twenty years of age.
He received his early education in the common schools of the country. When about twenty years old (1847) he went to reside in Boston, Mass., where he received a practical, commercial education, which was the preparation for what proved to be his life work.
In 1854 he was married to Miss Abby Gay, of Boston. They have four chil- dren now living.
In 1857 he removed with his family to La Crosse county, Wisconsin, where he remained one year. and then, in the spring of 1858, came to this county, and settled near Winnebago City, and engaged in farming.
Soon after his election to the ottice of county treasurer, Mr. Dustin and his family removed to Blue Earth City.
Here, in connection with the duties of treasurer, Mr. Dustin engaged in the mercantile business for many years. For a time he was deputy postmaster, and was afterwards postmaster. He held the office of chairman of the board of town supervisors for many consecutive years, and was a member of the village council and of the board of education at Blue Earth City. In the spring of 1882 he removed to Holt County, Nebraska, and engaged in merchandising. Mr. Dustin was a republican in political sentiment.
Rial B. Johnson, of Winnebago City, elected November 7th, 1865, succeeded Mr. Dustin, and at the proper time assumed the duties of the office. Mr. Johnson was re-elected to the office in the years 1867, 1869, 1871, 1873 and 1875, holding the office for twelve consecutive years.
AN INCIDENT.
On the night of March 1st, 1869, an attempt was made to rob the county treasury. The treasurer's office was entered, and the safe blown open. A small. iron till in the safe, which was supposed to contain the money, was taken out and carried to a wood-pile a square distant, where an axe was found, with which the till was smashed, when lo! but three cents were found to re- ward the rascal, or rascals, for their pains.
The county auditor was the first in the morning to learn of the attempted robbery, and supposed that a large sum had been taken, and, while examining the safe, Mr. Johnson, the treasurer, came in. After viewing the safe a few moments to see what had been done, he quietly remarked, that "the burglars didn't seem to have known that that was not the safe in which the funds had been deposited, and that it required the auditor's warrant and not an ap-
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plication of gunpowder to draw the funds." The treasurer had the public funds, to a ceut, entirely secure, and the county lost nothing. No attempt was made to discover the burglars, nor has anything transpired to this day to indicate by whom the burglary was at- tempted. The commissioners, meeting soon after this event, passed a resolution of thanks to Mr. Johnson for his care of the public funds.
Mr. Johnson is a native of New Hampshire. He was born October 22d, 1827, in Grafton, Grafton county, of that state. When ten years of age, he removed with his parents to Vermont. His educational advantages were such as were furnished, in that day, by the common schools of New England. He early learned a trade, which he afterwards found to be of great advantage in life. In 1856, he came west, and settled in Berlin, Wisconsin, where he carried on the shoe business, until his next removal. Here he was married, in 1857, to Miss Ellen Daylin. They have had two children, a son and a daughter. In the spring of 1858, he came to the township of Verona, in this county, and engaged in farming, and, in 1862, he removed to Winnebago City, this county, where he engaged again in the shoe trade. and also merchandising. until his election to the office of county treasurer, in 1865. In the spring of 1866, he became a resi- dent of Blue Earth City, and has continued to reside ever since at that place. After retiring from the office of treasurer, he was, in 1878, elected state senator for the sixth district, for four years, which he served. He was our first senator under the biennial system. Mr. Johnson has held various local offices, from time to time, as president of the village council of Blue Earth City, etc. Since leaving official life, Mr. Johnson has been largely engaged in farming opera- tions, and has, for many years, dealt largely in real estate. Ile was the origin- ator of the abstracts of title, in this county, a work on which he spent a large amount of labor, time, and money, and subsequently sold. The same abstracts now belong to the county. Mr. Johnson has been a republican in politics since the days of Fremont. He became a Mason in 1867, and has always taken much interest in the fraternity, and was, for two terms, Worshipful Master of Blue Earth City Lodge, No. 57. He is also a member of Mount Horeb Chapter, No. 21, Royal Arch Masons.
Otto Kaupp, of Blue Earth City. is the next in order of the treasurers. He was elected in 1877 and assumed the duties of the office iu March following, and served one term.
It was in Wirtemburg, Germany, on the first day of December, 1842, that Mr. Kaupp was born. His father was a physician. He died in 1855. The sub- ject of our sketch received his education in the public schools of the city. In 1857 he came with his sister to this State and located at Mankato. Here he engaged in farming until 1860, when he commenced learning the tinner's trade and worked at the business seven years in Mankato. In the spring of 1867, he came to this county and located at Blue Earth City, where he engaged in the hardware business, in which he has continued ever since. He was married to Miss Mary J. MeLaughlin, October 29th, 1468. They have Ovo children. He wastown treasurer in 1877. town clerk from 1850 to 1886. President of the vil- age council of Blue Earth City in 182, and village treasurer in 1885 and 1886. Mr. Kaapp is a member of the Roman Catholic church and a democrat in poll- ties. He was appointed postmaster at Blue Earth City in the fall of 1857. Mr. Kaupp was also president of the city council of Blue Earth City, a number of years in succession .
R. B. JOHNSON.
OTTO KAUPP.
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FARIBAULT COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
Anthony Anderson, of Delavan, succeeded Mr. Kaupp. He was elected treasurer in the fall of 1879, and was re-elected in the years 1881, 1883, 1886 and 1888.
Mr. Anderson was born in Washington county, New York, August 18th,
. 1833. His father was a farmer, and Anthony remained at home most of the time assisting his father on the farm, until he was twenty-one years of age. His early education was acquired in the common schools, except one year, during which he attended Castleton Seminary, Vermont. When he left home, he went into the mercantile business at Putnam Landing, Washington county, New York, and remained at that place until he came west. He was married in July, 1865, to Miss Mary E. Wright. They have had two children. In August, 1866, Mr. Anderson came to Blue Earth City and engaged in merchandising. In 1871 he removed to Delavan, in this county, and took charge of Mr. Coleman's lum- ber yards, where he remained until his election to the office of county treasurer, when he returned to Blue Earth City, and has since resided at that place. Mr. Anderson has held various local offices, as town supervisor in New York, justice of the peace of Delavan township, and member of the village council of Blue Earth City, and of the school board for many years. He is a republican in pol- itics, and he and his family are members of the Presbyterian church. Latterly, for a number of years, he has had charge of a lumber yard at Blue Earth City and has, also, been largely interested in the Farmers and Merchants Bank, at that place.
SECTION NINE.
THE OFFICE OF REGISTER OF DEEDS AND THE REGISTERS.
The duties of the register of deeds as defined by law are, briefly -That he shall keep suitable books in which he shall record at large and in full, word for word, any and all instruments (duly exe- cuted), in any way affecting the titles to real estate, that may be left with him for record. Keeping separate books of deeds, mort- gages and other instruments, and shall also keep in separate books, an alphabetical index, in which he shall enter under the proper let- ter of the alphabet, the name of each grantor and grantee in any deed, mortgage or other instrument, left with him for record. He also furnishes abstracts of title when requested.
The term of office of the register of deeds, is two years. He is required to take an official oath and give bond for the faithful per- formance of his duties. He is authorized to appoint deputies, for whose acts he is responsible.
The register is paid for his services by fees, paid by the person desiring recording done. From the fact that the register of deeds is the only public official custodian of the records and evidences of all the land titles and the encumbrances thereon, that exist by law in the county, the importance of this office and the extent of the trust reposed in the register of deeds arevery evident, and comment is unnecessary.
Prior to January 3d, 1859, the register of deeds was in this county, ex-officio clerk of the board of county commissioners, and
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in that capacity performed the duties of county auditor, or in other words, the register of deeds was both register and auditor.
The first register of deeds of this county was Samuel V. Hibler. He was appointed by Gov. W. A. Gorman, on the organization of the county, his commission bearing date February 25th, 1856. He appointed Wm. Dow and J. B Wakefield, deputies. Mr. Wakefield, however, performed, principally, the duties of the office, not at that time very onerous. Mr. Hibler held the office until the general election held in October, 1856.
Mr. Ilibler was a Pennsylvanian. He came to Minnesota and located at Shakopee, Scott county, in this state, where it appears he intended to open a book and stationery store. Here he became acquainted with Messrs. Wakefield and Constans, and concluded to join them in the project of founding Blue Earth City, and came to this county in February, 1856, and became one of the original town site proprietors.
Mr. Hibler took a claim adjoining the town site and remalned here during a part of the summer, when he returned to Shakopee to arrange his business affairs there. While absent his claim was jumped. On returning, there oc- curred the unhappy affair of the killing of Brooks, more fully detailed in the history of the year 1856. After this he went back to Shakopee, and from thence returned to Pennsylvania, and sold out his interests in this county. During the war of the rebellion, heenlisted in the military service of the United States and became the captain of a cavalry company.
At the general election held October 14th, 1856. James B. Wake- field, of Blue Earth City, was elected register of deeds, aud immed- iately entered upon the discharge of the duties of this office. He continued to perform the duties of register of deeds and clerk of tho county board until the twenty-second of April. 1857, when he ap- pointed J. A. Kiester, of Blue Earth City, deputy register. who thereafter transacted the business of the office as deputy until the twenty sixth day of October. 1857. when the office becoming vacant by the resignation of Mr. Wakefield. Mr. Kiester was appointed register by the county board. He held the office by this appoint- ment until the general election in October, 1958, when he was elected for a full term.
By the act of August 13th, 1858, the county board were author- ized to appoint a clerk if they choose, other than the register of deeds, and on January 3d, 1859, they appointed Arthur Bonwell, clerk, at Mr. Kiester's request, and he then assumed the duties of auditor and clerk of the county board, and those duties passed from tho office of register of deeds.
In the year 1860 the county procured a full set of record books and indexes, and although the books containing the records up to this time, being volumes A. B. C. D. E. F. G., were most of them small, cheap books, provided by the registers, the county commis- sioners unwisely refused to have them transcribed into new books. Better books should have been used from the beginning, but the
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FARIBAULT COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
county was poor and the registers poorer. The old indexes were, however, transcribed into the new books, and made full and com- plete, and in conformity to the law.
At the general election, held November 6th, 1860, Mr. Kiester was re-elected for a second term, and at the election in November, 1862, for a third term, and held the office until the expiration of the term, but was not a candidate for re-election.
Arthur Bonwell, of Blue Earth City, was our next register of deeds, having been elected in November, 1864. He held the office one term, declining a re-election. Biographical sketches of the pre- ceding registers will be found elsewhere in this work.
On the twenty-sixth day of March, 1865, the building, a small frame, in which the offices of register and auditor were kept, took fire accidently and was entirely consumed, but happily, all the books and most of the valuable papers of both offices were saved, though some of the records were scorched. A more full account of the event is given in the history of 1865.
Francis Lent, of Prescott, elected November 6th, 1866, suc- ceeded Mr. Bonwell. He was re-elected in the years 1868 and 1870, holding the office six years. Mr. Lent appointed Daniel F. Good- rich his advisor, assistant and deputy.
Mr. Lent was born in ,Westchester county, New York, October Ist, 1832. His parents removed from that county in 1845, to Oswego county, in that State, and in 1853, to Jefferson county, Wisconsin. His father was a carpenter and joiner by trade, but followed farming during his latter years. Francis got his education in the district schools, and has made farming his occupation through life.
He was married to Miss Phebe E. Lent, in Jefferson county, Wisconsin, August 26th, 1854, and they have one child. Mr. Lent came to Minnesota in 1861, and first settled in Olmstead county, but left there coming to this county in 1862, and located on a farm in Prescott. When elected to the office of regis- ter of deeds, he removed to Blue Earth City, and remained there until he re- tired from the office, when he returned to his farm, where he has since resided.
Mr. Lent has always been a republican in political sentiment. He has been town clerk and town supervisor a number of times, and justice of the peace of his town.
HON. DANIEL F. GOODRICH.
Mr. Goodrich was born November 13th, 1836, in the county of Somersett, Maine.
His father was a farmer and lumberman. Daniel's education was obtained in the common schools and at Waterville academy and Waterville college, now Colby university, where he graduated in 1859. After his graduation he was en- gaged in teaching and in the study of the law. Hle read law under the direc- tion of Hon. R. Foster, of Waterville, Maine. In July, 1862, he enlisted in the military service of the United States, and was ordered south. He went into the service as a private and was promoted, rapidly, to sergeant, sergeant major, second lieutenant and first lieutenant, and for awhile, commanded the com- pany. He was in the battles of the Wilderness, Spottsylvania, North Anna, Cold Harbor, Petersburgh, Winchester, Fisher's Hill, Cedar Creek and Peters-
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burgh again, and Sailor's creek. He was In twenty-two battles, besides skir- mishes. He served until the close of the war. He returned home in 1865, and was admitted to the bar In March, 1866, at Augusta, Maine, and went into prac- tice with Mr. Foster, for a short time. In 1867, he came to Minnesota and located in Rice county, for some months engaged in school teaching. He came to this county and located at Blue Earth City, In 1868, where he engaged in the practice of the law, and where he resided at the time of his death.
Mc. Goodrich held various minor offlees, at Blue Earth City, was justice of the peace there for four terms, and deputy register, as above stated. He never married.
Mr. Goodrich was elected state senator, for this district, in 1877. and at- tended the session of 1878. He was again elected to the senate in 1882, for four years, and attended the sessions or 1883 and 1885, and he was again re-elected in 1886 for four years, and attended the sessions of 1>87 and 1859. He was chair- man of the judiciary committee, during the session, 1889.
Mr. Goodrich died at Blue Earth City, in September, 1889.
Frederick P. Brown, of Blue Earth City, elected in November, 1872, succeeded Mr. Lent. Mr. Brown was again elected in the years 1874, 1876, 1878, 1880, 1882 and 1884, holding the office longer than any prior incumbent.
Mr. Brown was born in Kobbervig, Norway, August 12th, 1838. Ilis father was a sea-faring man and captain of a merchant vessel for a number of years, and he was also engaged for some years in the mercantile business at Kobbervig. He is a lineal descendant of Bishop J. N. Brown, who was a man of learning and distinction in Norway.
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