Meeker County

On the morning of the second day of September another detail of twenty soldiers and twenty citizens was sent out for the purpose of rescuing the family mentioned before, and as all could not be mounted it was thought best to go in wagons. The detail had proceeded as far as where Hoken Peterson formerly resided when they halted for dinner. Some of the boys being near home obtained leave to visit the house about one mile from camp, on promise that they would bring back watermelons for the whole company-after being gone a short time one of them came …

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Union Grove; was first settled in 1856 by Lyman Allen, Andrew Hamilton, and by two other men by the names of Baker and Haywood. Allen and Haywood returned to Massachusetts in 1860. Baker is dead. Mr. Allen named the town, wherefore or for what is unknown. We have been promised a sketch of the early settlement and incidents of this town, but have thus far failed to receive it. This town was duly organized April 18, 1866. Cedar Mills; this town took its name from Cedar Lake, situate in that locality, and the lake received its christening at the hands …

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The first Presbyterian Church and society organized in the county was at Forest City by Rev. J. C. Whitney, who came to Forest City in the spring of 1858 and organized a Presbyterian so ciety Sept. 25th, 1859 and styled “The trustees of the Westminister Presbyterian Society of Forest City.” The first trustees were I. C. Deltmater, Richard Pool, A. C. Smith, J. W. Griswold and A. W. Angier. The only one of these men now remaining in the county is A. C. Smith. In connection with this organization Rev. J. C. Whitney labored until the fall of 1862. Lots …

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Rev. T. G. Crump commenced holding Episcopal services in the Masonic Hall in Litchfield in July 1870. At the time of the morning service on Sunday the 5th, and 12th, days, of March 1871 notice was publicly given for a meeting of the male members of the Protestant Episcopal Church and congregation to be held in the Masonic Hall in Litchfield Saturday evening the 18th day of March A. D. 1871. Rev. T. G. Crump presided at such meeting and D. E. Potter was chosen secretary. A permanent organization was had, the following persons were elected church wardens and vestry …

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Rev. John Robson preached the first sermon in Forest City, November 1856. Mr. Robson continued to preach in Forest City during the winter of 1856-7 and through the sum mer of 1857. In May 1857, Wm. Walker, organized a Sunday school, Wait H. Dart Superintendent. Rev. Thomas Haiwood was the first preacher on the Forest City circuit, in 1857. Rev. S. F. Sterritt, of Monticello, Presiding Elder. First Quarterly Meeting held at Kingston, October l0th, 1857. Official members present, Rev. S. F. Sterritt, P. E. Thomas Harwood, P. E. and E. H. Whitney, L. E. and B. Lyford. Stewards, E. …

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Our history will be but a shadow, and the names of Ripley, Hall, Whitney, DeCoster, Campbell, Fitzgerald, Weymer, Salisbury, Dougherty, Atkinson, VanNess, Mitchell, Dorman, Taylor, Evans, Skinner, Jewett, Kennedy, Stevens, Harvey, Piper, Caswell, Angier, Willis, Dart, Whitcomb, King, Greenleaf, Branham. Fitch, Ball, Hoyt, Griswold, Grayson, Stanton, Robson, Richards, Gorton, Wakefield, Heath, Warren, Willie, Kruger, Ralston, Schultz and a score of others will soon be enveloped in doubt and fiction, like those of “Romulus and Remus of Charlemagne.” Prior to 1855 the country now embraced within the boundaries of Meeker and Kandiyohi counties, in the State of Minnesota, was occupied by …

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The whole classed as Undine (or Spiritual) region; while the entire country west of St. Anthony, and north of the “Minnesotah” was known as the M-de-wa-kan-ton country, a little west of the center of which, in latitude 45, and longitude 95, Nicollet retained as the most beautiful lakes in Minnesota, the romantic Indian name of Kan-di-yo-hi. The terms St. Anthony, Fort Snelling, Mankasa, Le Sueur, Lac qui Parle, St. Peter, Kandiyohi and Blue Earth, all find a location on Nicollet’s old map. The Coteau du Greene Bois, ranging north-west and south-east through the centre of the State, constitutes the height …

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On the 23d. Mark Warren Esq., county Atty. for Meeker county, was arrested at Monticello and returned to Forest City under guard, on the grave charge of being a “Copperhead.” Copperheads were supposed to be in league with the Indians as well as the South. Warren was furloughed at Forest City. On the night of the 27th, while Jesse V. Branham jr., was standing guard at the creek just out of Forest City on the south, A. C. Smith, E. S. Fitch and Mark Warren taking a circuit of the guard, came up to sentinel Branham, and while conversing with …

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Manannah; was organized as a township, April 5th,1858, and originally embraced the west half of 120–31, 120-32, 121-31, and 121 32. On the 15th of November, 185.5, Chris Davis, Green Sykes, Ziba Caswell and Nathan C. Caswell left Monticello, Wright County in search of a mill-site and farm-land, passing through the “big woods,” so-called, and struck the prairie near the present site of Darwin, thence north to what is now Forest City, thence down Crow River about t o miles, and thence on a straight shoot back to Monticello. Trying it again, on the 10th day of December 1855. Ziba …

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