The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-06-16

Roads aad Bridgss-valas of Properly.
MANKAro, June, 1859.
To IA. Ediso,. Of "a. Pioneer aad Deuecruf.
SIRs Pursuant to request by your cir
cular Of interrogatories, l hasten to reply;
and will briefly state. in answer, 90 fer Us
my knowledge and experience extends, iu
regard TO the subjects Of which you Wish in
formation.
The settlement Of the County was first
made in February, 1852, by p. X. JoHs.
SON and HENRY JACKSON, who built the
first cabins 10 the present limits of Mankato,
which was laid out as Town in the sum-
mer Of 1852, by HENRY JACKSON, p. K.
JOHNSON, JGHN s. HrNcKLEY, d. A. ROB.
ERrsoN, SAMUEL LEEcH and others, all
known as among the first settlers Of Mime.
sofa.
During our early history we had rather
crude notions Of the laws Of the United
States respecting the ownership Of land, &c;
and the antiquarian may be interested in
learning that among the first steps taken by
the first settlers Of this County, was the Or
ganizipg OF Claim Company, to be called
The Blue Earth Settlement Claim Associ.
ation," with code Of bylaws which is
signed by twenty-iour persons, consisting Of
Messrs. II. JACKSON 2. X. JOHNSON, j. s.
HIScKLEY, EVANS GooDRicH and others.
Among the twenty-iour names are to be
seen those Of j. NJ. CASHIER, ID. KENNEDY
and SAMUEL LEEcH, who have never resided
here for any length OF time. II would ap.
pear tina, when any one made claim about
Mankato, or in the County, be would go to
=. X. JOHNSON, Esq, who was the Secre.
tary or Recorder for the Company, aud
have record made of the description Of the
particular locality which be claimed Some
OF these records OF claims are after Mr.. JOHN.
SONS peculiar style, and give one of them
verbatim
Evans Goodrich claimed one hundred aud
sixty O60) acres Of land about one mile north
east OF the town Of Mankato, adjoining Henry
Mckenty's claim; said claim was made about
Mr.. Goodrich resides on said claim has fine
log house erected, 2 or acres Of land broke,
some tine cabbages and turnips growing. and
is now at work putting up hay. He verify looks
comfortable.
Dated Mankato Augt. goth 1852.
p. X. JOHNSON, Recorder
The County was organized in March,
1853, and j. w. BABcook, EpHRArM Cole
and JACOB GRuSrHER were appointed Com
missioners, and EDWIN PERKINS Register of
Deeds. Mr.. PERKINS eflciated but short
time, aud on his resignation, =. X JOHNSON,
Esq, was appointed. The first election 10
this County was held in October, 1853, at
kassta, then in this county and at Man
kato, at which election, Mankato had eigh'
teen votes and Kasota ten these places be
ing the only precincts in this County. At
the next election in October 1925, South
Bend having before been established pre-.
cinct, cast five votes, Mankato forty five,
and Kasota twenty-ihree, making in all
seventy three voters in the County and
an increase in that year OF forty
FIVE voters. At the election in
October, 1855, eighty.six votes were cast.
la 1856, two hundred and thirteen, aud in
1857 one thousand one hundred and thirty.
one.
The population in 1852, the date Of the
first settlement of the county, could not have
been more than ten persons. The census
taken in 1857 shows population OF three
thousand six hundred and twenty nine,
making an increase 10 five years Of three
thousand six hundred and nineteen.
The R,Ues.--The country is well water
ed by the Blue Earth, which runs through
the centre Of it and empties into the Mime
sofa at Mankato. The following rivers
take their rise in this county and empty into
the Blue Earth: the Watonwan, lie Sueur,
Maple, Little aud Big Cob. They are
streams Of considerable size. The Blue
Earth is the largest. These rivers have an
abundance OF water power. A, Garden
City on the Wstouwsn river, there are
two mills, and one at Watonwau City. all
OF them in operation, and with an aDnb-
dance Of water to drive them at all seasons.
One OF the mills al Garden City has grist
mill attached, which is kept 10 constan,
operation. On the Blne Earth river, about
mile above Veraon, there is q mill priv.
lege, as yet animproved, and another at the
BIae Earth Rapds, about II miles from
Mankato, which Is beyond doubt inferior
only TO the one at st. Anthony Falls, bat
owing TO its being a part Of the present
Winnebago Reservation, ii has never been
IL 81. 10. Id
Basil M0rcland, 10 lisa, but he, with many
other settlers, were driven n their claims
90 the Winiebagoes taking possession OF
their present reservation. A., the same time
Van Brunt L. Co, owned mil in full ope
ration 90 the lie Sueur river, but they, too,
were driven Of the mill site By Government
officials. As The WinDebago Indians aHd
their reservation have been great blight