The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1907-01-30
HOW THE TOWNS WERE NAMED.
First Response Here to Request from
State Historical Society,

ED. GAZETTE: Some time ago
you published an article in THE
GAZETTE from Mr.. Warren Upham
requesting certain information.
had given the matter no considera-
ton until a few days ago, when
was requested to write an article
for publication in response to the
request. twenty-five years ago
was very familiar with the early
political and local history of the
county, but the information sought
requires a familiarity with individ-
ual history which is obtainable only
from the person or some member of
the family. Again, in some in
stances the person is dead or moved
out of the county and state, with
no member of the family still a
PRESIDENT. The GAZETTE in many
cases follows these early residents
to their new homes, and publicity
may result in obtaining the desired
data.
For the information of those in
terested who may desire to write,
please republish the Upham article
in connection with this. The history
of the county and towns is correct
as | give it, except as to the matters
of nativity, date Of birth, settle
ment, etc.
For some years prior to the Indian
outbreak in 1862 that portion of the
county parallel with and ten miles
south of the Minnesota river was a
part of the Sioux Indian reservation.
The lower Sioux agency was To-
Gated eight miles east of the city,
the upper agency on and near the
mouth of the Yellow Medicine river
in what is now Yellow Medicine
county. The government had some
years prior to the Indian outbl eak,
in 1862, built and operated saw
mill at the Redwood falls on the
Redwood river, so named from the
fact that numerous red cedar trees
were growing along the banks and
over the granite Lodges about the
falls where the mill was built.
When the territory, now consti
tuting Redwood, Yellow Medicine,
Lac qui ParIe, Lyon and Lincoln
counties, was set off from Brown
county it took its name, froTa the
river Redwood county.
Col. Samuel McPhail set ed at
Redwood Falls in 1864. In 1866 he
surveyed and plated II town lots
what is known as the original plat
and the western addition, and named
the future city the Village of Red
wood Falls. About 1880 be sold his
property interests here and located
in Lincoln county, where he died in
1902. He was colonel of the I'd
Reg. MINI. Vol. cavalry.
The township of Redwood Falls,
the first township organized by the
board of county commissioners, took
its name from Redwood Falls
The town of Sherman was named
for Gen. W. T. Sherman, who led
the armies of the Cumberland and
Tennessee from Chattanooga to At
lanta and thence to the sea.
The town of Sheridan was named
for Gen. P. H. Sheridan, who was
selected by Gen. U. S. Grant to
command the right wing of his army
in his effort to defeat Gen. Lees
army and capture Richmond.
The town of Paxton was named
for ]. w. Paxton, an early settler
who entered some $1,000 acres of
land, the greater part of which was
located in the town. He opened up
and farmed a portion Of it, sold
his interest to O. B. Turrell and
migrated to the state of Washing
ton. He died at Los Angeles, Cal.
The town of Homer was named
for John S. G. Homer, an early
settler in the county, who arrived
here in 1867. He represented this
district two terms in the state legis-
lature, passing away at North Red
wood.
The town of Delhi was named It
the request Of A. M. Cook, after a
suburb of the city Of Cincinnati,
Ohio, where he had resided for.many
years prior to settling in this county
! i IL