The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-06-29

| banks of Llyn Tegid, small point ir
the village, to worship God. Rev. Rich
ard Davis preached and a memorable
meeting was had full of Welsh fervor.
The coming of this colony had been
much talked about beforehand at South
Bend and number of young men who
had been employed during the winter
and spring in building the government
| bridge across the Blue Earth and opening
the Mendoza and Big Sioux military
road, heard of it and just before Jack
son immigrants arrived scattered Through
the country and squatted on every de-
sirable tract of land within twenty
miles of South Bend and asked from
$500 to $4OO apiece for their rights.
Consequently our colonists spent weeks
tramping the country over looking in
| vain for the free government land they
had expected to find. Many had not
the means to purchase claims while
others indignant at the trick played up
on them. would not buy of the squat
| tiers. A few Welsh families had settled
| in lie Sueur county very early, and
among them was Thomas Davis, who
had come from Ohio and was an ac-
quaintance of some members of the col
ony. Two of these paid Mr. Davis a
visit and were favorably impressed with
the big Woods" country where he liv-
ed especially Cleveland and Sharon
! township, which they found to be most
| ly then unclaimed government land. A
| number of the colonists, among them Ed
ward Morris, David Lloyd, John D.
Jones (saddler), Thomas j. Jones. Will
lam Z. Jones, Evan L. Jones, David
Jones, Lewis and John C. Jones, David
and Lewis Hughes, David and Evan Nor
gan, David f. Evans, Evan Griffiths and
| David and Thos Griffiths, nearly all
heads of families, at once removed to
these townships in LIE Sueur county and
; located upon claims there. This move
| brought the squatters to terms at once
and they offered their claims for $75
and $50 apiece or whatever they could
get. Among the families who purchased
claims near Minneopa creek were Evan
Williams, his son, William +. Williams,
Thomas j. Jones cooper, Isaac Woods
! and son, Walter Woods, and John T.
Jones and sons. The balance of the col
ony purchased farms in Cambria town.
ship and vicinity. They comprised the
following heads of families. Rev. David
Davies and his sons, David, John and Pc
ter S. Davies. David p. Davis, ST.. and
his sons; Daniel, John, David, Eben and
Henry P. Davis; Richard Morgan and
his son James Morgan; John Walters
and his sons, John, Stephen, and David
Walters; William p Jones, Thomas
Lloyd, and David Price.
This was the largest Welsh colony
that ever came to Minnesota. They
were a hardy, thrifty, Godfearing people
who contributed much to the upbuilding
of the communities where they settled.
In religion, as devout and strict Cal
vinists they left lasting impression on
the churches of our Welsh settlements.
In politics they were strongly anti slav-
cry and as such nearly all were staunch
republicans. By avocation they were
nearly all agriculturists and as such
did their full share in subduing the saw
age wilderness and bringing our farm
lands into their present high state of
cultivation. Their numerous descend
ants today form an important element
in the population of Blue Earth, LIE
Sueur and Lyon counties, while many
have immigrated to other part of our
country and some have attained prom
inence as teachers, preachers, musicians,
merchants, and farmers
The fathers and mothers of the col
ony without hardly an exception have
by today ''gone the way of all the EARTH
but their memory is green and their
works remain blessing posterity.