Meeker County MN Archives Biographies.....Salisbury, Jonathan Burnett 1824 - 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 January 8, 2020, 8:26 pm

Source: Alden, Ogle & Co.
Author: See Below

HON. JONATHAN BURNETT SALISBURY, the present county surveyor, was born in the State
of New York, in 1824, and is the son of Dr. Gideon and Phoebe (Burnett) Salisbury.
His father died when he was a mere infant, and he was brought up under a mother’s
care. When he was about two years old she moved to New Jersey, but later settled at
Brooklyn, N. Y. His mother died in 1850.

   The subject of our sketch, in 1845, having studied thoroughly in the mathematical
line, and mastering the profession of surveyor, wont to Ohio, where, the following
spring, he enlisted in the First Ohio Regiment of Volunteers, and served his one
year’s term of service in the Mexican war, with the little column under General
Zachary Taylor. He was discharged at New Orleans, in the spring of 1847, but
returned to Mexico, in the quartermaster’s department, and was at the City of Mexico
when the war closed. He returned to Ohio, where he made his residence until the
spring of 1850, when he removed to Iowa, where he lived for six years, engaged in
public surveys in various parts of Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota. While running
township lines through what is now Meeker county, in the summer of 1855, he was so
much pleased with the country that he stuck a claim stake, on sections 18 and 19, in
what is now Kingston township. At that time there were no other people, except those
of surveying parties, within the limits of the county’. Returning to his home in
Scott county, Iowa, in October, of that year, he there passed the winter, but in the
spring of 1856  he started for his new-found Eden with his family, which consisted
of his wife, Margaret L. (Weymer) Salisbury, and one child, Frank L. They were
accompanied by his father-in-law, Jacob Weymer, Sr., his wife and two sons—Jacob Jr.
and Joseph. Mr. Salisbury had brought all his goods with him, and the trip consumed
about one month. To one large, wide tracked wagon were hitched four yoke of oxen,
and to another wagon a team of horses was attached. A good share of the time was
spent in getting through the “ big woods,” there being no other road than a trail,
and a good deal of chopping was necessary. This trail was cut so that one team could
barely get through, and is the same that for years was known as tho “Old Territorial
Road." The party, however, finally reached the claim, and their first work was to
get up a little cabin, the remains of which still mark the spot. This was one of the
very first houses erected in the county. Here they settled and here he carried on
farming for years. At the time of the Indian outbreak, he left the farm and went to
Kingston which he helped to fortify. For two weeks the family occupied a house, and
then all the refugees who had gathered there spent their nights in the grist mill, 
which was being used as a fort. Mr. Salisbury remained at Kingston for about one
month, when his family returned to the old home in Iowa, and he enlisted in the
“Mounted Rangers,” or First Minnesota Cavalry, and served through the Indian
troubles on the borders, one year. He then enlisted in Hatch’s Independent Battalion
of Minnesota Cavalry for three years or during the war, and served on the frontier.
Upon being honorably discharged in the spring of 1866, he again returned to his farm
and cultivated it until June, 1875, when he removed to Litchfield, where he has
since lived. In 1868 he was elected to represent his district in the Legislature,
and made a creditable record. In 1870 he was elected county surveyor, and has either
held that office or been deputy most of the time since. Mr. Salisbury is a prominent
member of the Grand Army of the Republic and takes an active interest in all its
affairs. He and his wife have a family of eight children.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:
Illustrated Album of Biography
Meeker and McLeod Counties, Minnesota
1888


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