Le Sueur County MN Archives History - Books .....Le Sueur County History 1882 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mn/mnfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 August 15, 2015, 11:01 am Book Title: History Of The Minnesota Valley LE SUEUR COUNTY. CHAPTER LXII ORGANIZATION-SETTLERS — CHANGE OE COUNTY SEAT—STATISTICS. Le Sueur county, one of the first in the Minnesota valley to be claimed by the whites, is situated on the eastern bank of the Minnesota river, bounded on the north by Scott county, east by Rice, and south by Waseca and Blue Earth counties. Its first organization as a county was on March 5, 1853, when, by special act of the Fourth territorial legislature this and several other counties were created. To provide officers for the county until the first regular election, which was to take place the following fall, Governor Ramsey made the following appointments: Wallace Swan, register of deeds; K. K. Peck, John E. Christy, and Thomas McDonald, commissioners; Tim Beone, sheriff, the embryo village of Le Sueur being made the county seat. From this date forward the county has enjoyed a steady, healthy growth and now stands among the most prosperous of the state. In 1852, when the hand of civilization was reached forth to reclaim it from the red savage and wild beasts, a heavy cloak of dense timber covered nearly its entire surface, oak, maple, elm and basswood abounding. Bordering the Minnesota river from one extremity of the county to the other is a range of high bluffs, partially covered with scrub oak, while back and below is a range of prairie varying in width from one half a mile to four miles. In the valley, that portion subject to annual overflow is very productive, in many places having a rich surface soil from one to ten feet in depth. One farmer, Mr. Winegar, of Ottawa, during the spring flood of 1881, had three feet washed from the surface of his bottom lands, and it did not lessen its productiveness. From the bottom lands and banks of the river to the high bluffs, there extends a strip of less productive land; the surface soil is sandy, and but slightly sprinkled over a peculiarly tinted red sand stone, commonly known as "Kasota" stone, and more fully treated of in another portion of the work. This peculiar deposit extends from Ottawa, which is near the center of the county, from north to south, to the southern boundary. The wooded portion of the county has a deep, rich loam, which years of cultivation fails to exhaust. The land is undulating, interspersed with numerous creeks, and a large number of clear crystal lakes; there are no extensive marshes. Originally this vast expanse of territory was-thickly covered with heavy timber, but the hand of the early pioneer has left its imprint, and we now find large and well cultivated farms, many of which do not contain a solitary stump, as an index to the earlier history. Of the numerous lakes so well distributed throughout the county, and all well stocked with fish, Jefferson is the largest. It extends along the boundary line between Cleveland and Washington, in the north-western portion of Elysian township. It is more irregular in shape than any of the larger lakes. Next in size come Tetonka, extending two-thirds across the center of Waterville township. Washington in Washington, German m the northern portion of Elysian, Dora in northern part of Kilkenny, Gorman in eastern Cordova, Scotch in central Cleveland, Clear, in northern Lexington. These lakes cover from 500 to 1,500 acres each, and afford an abundant supply of fresh water. There are three streams of water affording power for a number of saw and grist-mills. Le Sueur, Cherry and Chankaska, all of which empty into the Minnesota river. It is needless to enter into a minute account of the early trials of the pioneers since they are similar to those mentioned in other portions of the work. One point is, however, worthy of special mention. In those early day when few stages, no railroads, and very seldom steamboats afforded the settlers opportunity for procuring goods, or leaving their homes to earn money in the distant cities, a new industry was started by the establishment of a market for ginseng, and many of the farmers with their entire families made a business of gathering this root. One man in speaking of it said, "It was a Godsend to some of us, as it brought ready money and enabled me to buy my first stock. I had three children who went into the woods with me, two looking up the plants and showing them to me, when I chopped them out with my grub hoe and the third child picked them up and shook off the dirt." The price then paid ranged from six to twenty-five cents per pound. It was not until the 3d of June, 1853, that the county commissioners appointed by the governor held their first meeting, the minutes say "for the purpose of taking into consideration the county's affairs, and appointing a chairman." The meeting was held at the hotel or boarding-house of Peck & Bean, in Le Sueur city. J. E. Christy was appointed chairman, D. C. Smith county surveyor, and John McKee district attorney. The first property of the county was ordered at this meeting, it being a desk for the register of deeds. At the second meeting, held in July, the first county orders were drawn, being in favor of the commissioners themselves for per diem, to the amount of $4 each. At the same meeting a license was granted B. Marion to operate a ferry across the Minnesota river, to pay therefor $5 per annum. This was the first license granted in the county. The first assessor of the county was appointed at a meeting held August 10, 1853, J. M. McKee receiving the appointment. The first election, in the fall of 1853, was held in the open air near K. K. Peck's house, in Le Sueur city; it was the only voting precinct which existed at that time. At this election county commissioners were elected as follows: Thomas McDonough, chairman, Julius A. Turrill and Maurice Wright; George Reisdolph, assessor; Patrick Cantwell, treasurer. At the first meeting of the newly elected commissioners, January, 1854, the county was subdivided into three election districts; was again sub-divided in 1856, and so remained until April, 5, 1858, when the commissioners organized the county into townships. The first financial report of the county, made January 2, 1854, showed a balance on the wrong side of the sheet: Receipts, $22; expenses, $80.25. The first grand and pettit jury was selected April 3, 1854. The first returns of the assessor in the spring of 1854 showed a valuation of $20,679, and the rate of taxation was fixed at 2 1/2 per cent. It cost the county $17.50 for the first election returns. During the spring and summer of 1854 the county commissioners were flooded with petitions for county roads, and two roads along the Minnesota valley were partially opened. The first school districts were established in 1854, there being two—Nos. 1 and 2. Probably the first saw and grist-mill in the county was built by J. W. Babcock in 1852 and 1853. He also established a ferry crossing the Minnesota just above the present site of St. Peter, which, it is claimed, was the first. The oldest inhabitant built the first house near the present site of Kasota village. Reuben Butters, who is now one of the influential citizens of the county, and resides at Kasota, claims that honor. K. K. Peck was the first postmaster, and the first office was established at Le Sueur city in 1853. The death of the stranger, Jake ______, at Le Sueur in the fall of 1852 was probably the first in the county. Mary Le Sueur Peck was born in Le Sueur city, 1853. Hers was the first birth on record. She was named in honor of the village in which she was horn. On September 26, 1853, the first court convened at Le Sueur, Judge A. G. Chatfield officiating. After swearing in the grand jury, the first indictment found by that body was against one of its own members, Charles Gadwa, charged with selling liquor to the Indians. He gave bonds in the sum of $500 to appear at the next term of court. The register of deeds performed his first duties by recording a quit-claim deed from N. Myrick to J. E. Christy, conveying thirteen lots in Le Sueur city for a consideration of $20. The date of this document is April 14, 1853. Other legal papers had been previously drawn, but this is the first filed. Nothing of special interest aside from facts already given transpired until the meeting of the county commissioners on April 5, 1858, when the county was organized into townships, as follows: Kasota was the first in order, comprising the territory east of the Minnesota river in township 110, range 26 west. Next in order were Le Sueur, Hillsdale, Young Town, Cleveland, Washington, Elysian, Cordova, Lexington, Buggies, Lanesburgh, Kilkenny, Waterville, and township 109, range 26 west, Troy. At a meeting of the board of supervisors held the following September the south one-half of Lanesburgh township was set off by itself and called Jackson. At the same meeting the name of Ruggles township was changed to Derrynane. At the January meeting, 1859, Hillsdale was changed to Tyrone, and Jackson to Montgomery. In 1860 the north one-half of Troy township was added to Kasota. The first meeting of the board of supervisors under the township organization was held at Le Sueur, September 14, 1858. In the spring of 1858 an attempt was made by the town of Cleveland to have the county seat removed from Le Sueur to that place. A majority of the voters of the county had voted for the removal, hut owing to some informality in the call, Judge Chatfield before whom the case was taken, decided adversely to the Cleveland people. Again in September, 1859, a second attempt was made to remove the county seat. This time there were two petitions, one for removal to Cleveland; the other to Lexington. This attempt was also unsuccessful and the Clevelanders felt so indignant that they formed an armed company of about one hundred men, marched to Le Sueur, and secured a few maps, an old desk and a very few of the county papers. The Le Sueur folks had been notified of the approach of their indignant neighbors, and removed and hid the documents and effects of the county in a store which was filled with armed men. The Cleveland party, after finding themselves foiled, took it in good part and retreated to their own town, escorted a portion of the way by a large party of Le Sueur enthusiasts, who gave them the "Bogue's March" in emphatic form, with a tin pan accompaniment. This invasion resulted in Clevelands having the honor to entertain county officials during one session, which was held in January, 1860, Le Sueur holding the precedence afterward until July, 1875, when Judge Chatfield filed an order for the removal of the seat of government to Cleveland, according to a decision of the supreme court, to which the case had been carried by Reddleu H. Everretts on behalf of the Cleveland people. At the election held in the fall of 1874, 2,490 votes were cast, a majority being in favor of the removal. During December of 1876 the county seat was again removed from Cleveland to Le Sueur Centre, where a substantial two story brick court house had previously been erected. This last removal was a compromise between the dissatisfied elements of the county, and located the seat at the geographical center, where it will undoubtedly remain, several thousand dollars having been spent in the erection of a fine brick jail and the court house, mentioned in the Lexington township chapter, which have been purchased by the county. Some time ago the county disposed of its poor farm to Michael Sheehy, who still takes care of the indigent at the county's expense. The farm is located in Kilkenny. There are ninety-six school districts in the county, several of which are but joint with other counties. Ninety-four, however, have buildings of their own within the county, and a majority of these are supplied with patent seats and paraphernalia of the latest improvements. As a rule teachers of experience and good qualifications are employed and the Le Sueur county youth are in consequence a progressive, intelligent class. The tax levy for school purposes in 1880 amounted to $18,333.70. For the number of inhabitants this is a heavy tax, but no complaints are made, and the tax is paid cheerfully. There are two independent districts; No. 1, at Le Sueur, and No. 9, at Waterville, both of which have graded schools. Nearly all of the school buildings are frame structures. There is a county agricultural society which was organized in 1857 or '58, and fairs were annually held at Cleveland, doing much toward the introduction of improved machinery and fine blooded stock. These fairs were continued at Cleveland until the fall of 1876; since that date they have been held at Le Sueur. The organization is in a prosperous condition and has the reputation of always paying premiums in full. Present officers: F. M. Ireland, president: J. J. Green, secretary; H. C. Smith, treasurer. The Old Settlers association of Le Sueur county was organized September 20,1876 with a membership of twenty-seven aud the following officers: Bev. E. Sanders, president; J. J. Green, secretary. At present the membership numbers sixty-seven. Annual meetings and a banquet are held the second Tuesday in January at Le Sueur. There are at the present time five incorporated villages, viz: La Sueur, Waterville, Montgomery, New Prague, and Cordova. Nine surveyed and platted, viz: Kasota, Ottawa, Elysian, Cleveland, Marysburg, East St. Peter, Lexington, Le Sueur Centre and Kilkenny. Early church and religious matters will be found complete in township chapters. There are thirty-six churches in the county. The Minnesota valley towns were the first visited by missionaries. Three railroads penetrate the county; the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha, formerly the St. Paul & Sioux City, which was built as far as Le Sueur in the fall of 1867, and was the first in the county; the Winona & St. Peter, built in 1873, and the Minneapolis & St. Louis, built through the county in 1877. There are three weekly newspapers, two at Le Sueur, the Sentinel, established in 1873 by J. J. Green, democratic; the News, republican, established in 1879 by E. P. Huntington and the Standard, published at Montgomery by Joseph Chadderdon, started in 1878. The Standard is independent in politics. At the general election in 1880, 3,236 votes were polled, and a democratic majority of 550 was the result. The valuation of the county in 1880 was as follows: $3,323,963; less property exempt, $339,376. A comparison back eighteen years shows the valuation as follows: 1862, $529,347; 1870, $1,139,398; 1875, $2,851,140. The total tax levied in 1880 was a fraction over twenty-one mills and amounted to $66,480.61. This rate of tax, however, is above the average, there being an extra large special school tax during that year. The average value per acre of taxable property is placed at $8.92. Population, 1880, 16,104. We here acknowledge our indebtedness to Felix A. Borer, the obliging county auditor for much valuable information. We feel bound, however, to congratulate Le Sueur county that it possesses a county auditor whose model set of books and general qualification for the office are of the high order of Mr. Borer's. Additional Comments: Extracted from History of the Minnesota Valley Minneapolis: North Star Publishing Co. (1882) File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mn/lesueur/history/1882/historyo/lesueurc77gms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/mnfiles/ File size: 15.9 Kb