The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1911-11-10
"HIsTORY OF MADISON Lake"
[BY j. M. BARCLAY1

The village of Madison Lake is
situated on section "a, town 100,
range rs west. This land was pat
ented to Rodger Wells, Jr., by the
United States on September Z, 1858,
little over fifty-three years ago,
and three years before the outbreak
of the Civil war, while slavery yet
existed as an institution within the
southern states of the Union and
while James Buchanan was presi.
dent.
At that time the Indians roamed
through these forests and fished in
Madison Lake and hunted on it's
shores The Indian name for Mad
isOn Lake is Waukensika, meaning
Mystery or EVIL Spirit" The
great Indian outbreak in 1862 had
not occurred and many of the old
settlers can recall the sudden and
unexpected visits of the mocasined
red men to their cabin. doors. FL
nally, the outbreak came and this
vicinity gave it's full quota to the
forces sent by the government to
effect it's suppression and to pro-
tect the settlers whose farms here
and there dotted the prairie and
wood.
Those of us whose heads are whit
ening with age and whom the muta-
tons of time have chastened into
sober reflection; those whom edu-
cation and observation have given
the power to appreciate great his
tOric' facts, must always seriously
regard this passing away of a race.
Our people are given to levity and
to many of today the Indian is a
joke, the subject Of the caricaturist
and the plaything of the story writ
err, but the Indian was no joke in
1862 nor in many another years
war in which he has gone down
to defeat with unfailing regularity.
Historians of the Future.
These days of which l now write
will be written of by some histo-
rian of the long distant future as
the history of yesterday wrote of
the gradual encroachment of the
Goths upon Roman territory or the
spread of Mohammedanism in the
east. But the social, domestic, finan-
cial and moral features will be over
looked and the sufferings and priva-
tions of the participants will be
eliminated, whether of white or of
Indian.
Rodger Wells held title to lots 2
and 3 of section "a, town 100, range
25, west. From the granting of the
patent in 1858 until the 3rd day of
October, 1881, when this land where
the village of Madison Lake now
stands was decided to l.. S. Barclay,
the deed being filed for record on
the 18th day of November, 1881.
This deed covered all of the pres
ent site excepting the ]. X. Knapp
addition, and the Point" SO called,
which extends over into LeRay
township and on which part of
Point Pleasant summer resort is
now situated.
Naming of Village.
So far as the name Madison
Lake" is concerned in its applica-
ton as the name of this town, to
Lewis Pitcher and Margaret his
wife belong the credit of choosing
it. They are to be congratulated upon
having founded and christened the
brightest, liveliest and most up-to-
date little city in Southern Mime
sofa. The land which they plated
comprises the north seventy-five acres
of the tract purchased of ROdger
Wells by the Barclays. The entire
business portion of the town and
most of the residences are built upon
this plat and the building in which
this meeting is held is within it's
borders.
The deed to this land sold to Mr.
Pitcher, was filed for record Febru-
airy L. 1883, about fifteen months after
it came into the possession of the
Barclays. The plat of Madison Lake