Forest City Archives

Biography of Dr. Frederick Noah Ripley

Dr. Ripley arrived at Shakopee, Scott county, Minnesota, in September 1853, and resided at that place, boarding at the “Warren House” during the years 1853-4. He came from New York city, where he was educated, and where he left a mother and an intended wife. In 1855, he first made his appearance in the small village of Minneapolis — a slightly built man, of refined and gentlemanly appearance; possessing copious stores of useful and instructive information; richly endowed with all the natural gifts of an enlarged mind and liberal understanding; full of high hopes and vigorous promise, who in his […]

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A random historical sketch of Meeker County, Minnesota title page

Supreme Court of Meeker County

Meeker County / A random historical sketch of Meeker County

Something is due to our “Supreme Court,” presided over at times by Judges Butler, Ritchie, Geo. Frid, Robson, Griswold, Atkinson, Stevens, Walker, Campbell, Hutchins and a host of others. Jurisdiction depended somewhat on who got hold of the case first. In 1859 a case came before Judge Ritchie of Acton. Mark Piper and Nathan Butler acted as attorneys. Piper made a motion to “quash the summons” on the ground that the letters, s. s. were not attached to “The State of Minnesota Meeker County.” This was a poser for Butler and his argument therein was not the most lucid, but

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Indian Troubles in 1862

Meeker County / A random historical sketch of 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

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Presbyterian Church, Meeker County, Minnesota

Meeker County / A random historical sketch of Meeker County

The first Presbyterian Church and society organized in the county of Meeker was at Forest City by Rev. J. C. Whitney, who came to Forest City in the spring of 1858 and organized a Presbyterian society 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.

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Methodist Episcopal Church in Meeker County

Meeker County / A random historical sketch of Meeker County

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 summer 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. H.

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M-de-wa-kan-ton County

Meeker County / A random historical sketch of Meeker County

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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Mark Warren Esq. Arrested

Meeker County / A random historical sketch of Meeker County

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, Meeker County, Minnesota

Meeker County, Wright County / A random historical sketch of Meeker County

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, 1855, 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 10 miles, and thence on a straight shoot back to Monticello. Trying it again, on the 10th day of December 1855. Ziba Caswell

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