The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-04-14

MAsroRyILLg, MlsS,, March n, 1853.

MASrogyiLLK, MINI, March u, 1859.
Editors Pioneer aud Democrat
GEsrLEMKS In compliance with your
request send You the following facts In
reference to the settlement. progress, and
present condition Of Dodge County.
The first settlement Of Dodge County
was made simultaneously at Mantorville and
at Concord, in the month Of April, 1854.
The first settlers Of Mantorvills were PxrxR
MAsroR, GEoRgH W. HLoCun, WV. w.
Fowler. Eli =. WArxRNAS, JoHS GARRi.
BON, and others At the same time JANIS
NJ. SUMNER made claim and commenced
improvements on the present site Of the vii
Dage Of Concord. During this summer and
fall large number OF claims were made 10
the County and perhaps forty or City fami.
lies win,ered in the County during the FOL.
lowing vii Ter. In the TALL Of 1854, j. n.
SmoBER opened tho first store Of goods
brought into the County, at Mantorvillo.
The County was organized 10 July. 1855.
The first election for County officers and
members Of Legislature took place in Ocio-
Der, 1855. JoHS Is. IIuBbKi.L Was the first
Representative fron this County.
The FIRST assessment was made in 1856.
Total valuation Of property Sl53.69l
Total valuation for 1858. &9l3.257 90.
Dodge County originally embraced Towns
l05, LOG, l07, los in Ranges l6, IL, IL, 10.
making sixteen townships, but the lfgisa.
ture Of 1856 cot of the western range OF
towns, thus leaving but twelve townships.
Perhaps no County 10 the State offers
greater attractions for settlement than does
ours The surface Of the country Is just
sufficiently rolling TO be most favorable TO
cultivation and productiveness. The soil il
rich loan, perhaps 'rfie more sandy than
In generally found 10 Southern Wisconsin
and Northern Illinois.
The entire County is abundanty watered
by springs and streams Of the purst water
Three forks Of the Iumbro river bead In or
near the west part Of The County, and each
in lis passage through 1t, affords humber
VI fine water powers.
There Ia an abundance Of lumber in the
vicinity OF The streams, besides several ex.
tensive groves not bordering on the rivers,
The most common kinds OF wood are oak,
elm, bass, sugar maple, ash, poplar, black.
walnut and butternnt, and along the streams
sprinkling Of pine and cedar.
fIcellen, qusrries Of superior building
stone are numerous throughout the eastern
and csptrsI portions OF the County. A good
articI. OF limestone "a also found III various
points.
The principal villages IN She County are
Msntoryile, Wasioja. Sacramento. Concord,
Buchanan, Rice Lake City, Ashland and
HsllDwel.
Man,0ryille is the county seat, and Is the
leading business town 0f the county. " n
situated 10 the eastern range Of towrships,
and near the centre Of the county from north
70 south. The middle branch of the /nm-
bro pasSss through Il. furnishing several "
cellent water power two u which have
bsen improved by ID, erection Of saw mill,
and two fine large Touring mills. The vii
isge now numbers soroe five hundred inhab
itan,s II has two botsb oDe built u stone
three stories 10 height, and one Of the finest
Dnldings 10 the State three dry goods and
grocery stores, a hardware store, drug
store, chair factory and iarg' number
Of mechanic. sbops. I, has a large and e.
cyan, tao story school house, built Of stone,
and spacious hall, occupied by the Ma
sobs and Good TempIars, and Congrega-
t,ons church n IN proo'ss Of erection. In
=, haos,lbls qssries Of erceilen, building
stone, and god article Of stone TOT the
manufacture Of Inns aboBbds within the
town plat, Red wing and Lake City are
tbs neare, river town. being le,s than for.
~ mic. distant The scenery IN the vlcini
~ 10 ysr,egstsi AID charming
Next 10 order Of baalDes aud population
/. wsioja. situated far miIes northwest Of
Msnirvi.le. aud % tie .ame stream I,
~. Hnafiny mil! and another water nov.