The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1914-09-11

IN the village, was introduced, anu
briefly. but eloquently, he accepted
in behalf of the village, the gift
and said that IL would be the aim
OF the Garden City Commercial and
Civic league to aid Mr.. Welcome
in making profitable the remem
| brance.
Several selections were then rem,
dered by the Lake Crystal chorus,
and these were we'll received by
the audience. Their songs were ap.
propriate to the occasion. -.
II. c. Hotaling, editor of The
Mapleton Enterprise, was the next
speaker. He spoke In part as fol.
lows:
Never Drove OK Team.
II never drove an OK team. caught
muskrat, ground -four in a coffee
mill, wore Stark A pants, or even
lived in a log house. My life has
been spent where there was plenty
and to spare. for nothing else, since
my time, could be the lot OF a
| young man willing to work, even
though that work might not exactly
| suit the individual taste or inclina-
ton. Sometimes II has been dirty,
disagreeable work, but there has
never been q time when the man
willing to work. without first ask
ing, How much is there in it, could
not find employment
This is said in reference to Blue
Earth county, the best county in the
best state in the nation. We have
never had a complete crop failure since
my coming upon the stage of ac-
ton, although we came close to IL
perhaps during the grasshopper in
vasion, but even then there was
money for those who were willing
TO work as the county paid out
thousands OF dollars in bounties.
Parents Among Pioneers.
while my parents were among
the pioneers, coming TO the state
in 1853 and to Blue Earth county
in 1856, the county was pretty well
settled by the time / reached the
sge of understanding. Since that
time have been so we'll pleased
with conditions that ! have simply
stayed.
las far as. the fairs OF the county
are concerned, the first fair that
comes to mind was held north of
Mankato in Lime township, q little
further out than the present fair
grounds. Like the first circus that
boy attends these fairs OF years
ago loom up far beyond anything
of later years. What a rush and
jam of people, and what wonderful
exhibits and phenomenal racing. and
the side shows with the two-legged
calf. Yes, and there was some gam
bling. Strings Of race horses were
brought from long distances and the
money that changed hands at the
fair was no small amount.
No Attempt at History.
81 shall not attempt to give a
history of the fairs of this county,
others are far better able to do
so. as the fair at Garden City for
instance. was not visited by me until
the early eighties, although I have
visited it nearly every year since
that time. Reference will be made
however, to few Of the pioneers
OF the county, although the number
will be small owing to the limita-
tions of the occasion and the other
speakers
Mr.. Hotaling here spoke Of some
of the we'll known early residents
Of the county, including three Metho-
dist circuit riders, the Reverends
Powell, Perkins, and McClary. He
also spoke of Judson Jones, the
disciple of photography, who recently
died, Judge Branson, Judge Frank
lin Waite, John c. Wise, Sr., James
Shoemaker who was well known for
his accurate weather records, Major
George A. Clarke, Judge James
Brown. Orville. Brown, General James
ii. Baker, John Diamond, Joseph
Dobie, p. X. Johnson, Mankato's first
settler, Judge Daniel Buck, and Judge
Severance. Mr.. Hotaling also spoke
particularly of William Wallace Pad
dock and his brother "Zack" Pad
dock.
Numerous well known doctors were
included in Mr.. Hotaling's list of
pioneers, among whom we're DR.. w.
+. Lewis, DR.. A. L. Dornberg, DIR.
Frisbie, and DR.. w. w. Clark, and
then there were III. p. Christensen,
Henry Hartman, W. p. Coffin, Will
liam and Ed Bradley, who were mer-
chants, o. o. Pitcher and his wife,
and Rev. ]. Z. Conrad.
Time Has Wrought Changes.
Indeed time has wrought many
changes within the memories of even
those born within the confines Of
this grand old county. These pio-
neers just enumerated have, with one
or two exceptions, all passed over
the dark river to that bourne from
which no traveller returns, but they
have left behind a legacy OF adj
vancement and accomplishment. We
who have followed have benefited
by their wisdom and forethought,
their privations and their suffering.
THE changes OF half a century
are astounding. A recent meeting
with Mrs. G. p. Griebel of Sher-
burn. who formerly resided In Man
80. II