The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1921-08-19
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RECALL PAST EVENTS
Organization of the First
Agricultural Society
=. = ,
FORMED FEB. l6, 1859
Annual Exhibitions Held At
Garden City Up to the
Present Time
FRIDAY. AUGUST 10. 1921.


a. HSS%Cks a. NAHUM StSy
August "a. 25 and 26, 1921, to be
found elsewhere in this issue, re-
view OF the early history Of the So
ciety--the organization and first fair
held will be of interest to the gem
erations o. today.
During recent visit to Garden
City the writer was permitted to look
through the record book of the So
cisty which contains the minutes Of
the first meeting held when the or
ganization C. the present Blue Earth
County Agricultural Society was per-
fected. as well as to see the original
draft of the constitution and bylaws
which were fled for record with J.
B. Hubbell. then register Of deeds of
Blue Earth county during the year
1861, as we'll as other papers Of in.
terest. The original drafts and pap
ers are the property Of Mr. ]. NJ.
Chapman OF Garden City and he
prizes them highly as they are GER
tainly of historic value.
The Blue Earth County Agricul-
tural Society was organized February
1O, 4COOy ~ q 4hCStlhS Va NNeaSJ SAIA
zens held in the City Hall in Man
kato, and Lyman Matthews of this
city was the first president.
OF the first officers and signers to
the original constitution but one is
living today, Mr.. B. D. Pay Of Man
kato, who served in several capaci-
ties with the society, as treasurer an
xy;o DURING tho frct and
early days of the organization.
The first fair was held in the fall
Of 1859 and they have been annual
events from that date to the present
time, all Of the fairs being held at
Garden City, with the exception OF
one year when it was held in South
Bend. =
In looking through the record book
of the minutes of the society during
it's first days, we are republishing
items of interest that extend up to
the year 1882. In another article
which we hope to publish soon, we
will review the movements of the
society from that year UP to the
present time together with the &C.
quiring of the present beautiful To-
Gated grounds on the banks of the
Watonwan river in Garden City and
the other matters and events which
will be of equal interest to the read
ing public today.
First Meeting Held
A meeting of citizens of Blue Earth
county was held in the City hall at
Mankato on the 18th of February,
1859, for the purpose OF organizing a
county agricultural society and the
meeting was we'll attended. Upon
motion, r. J. Sibley was called to
the chair 10 preside and s. c. Kit
chen was selected as. secretary. The
object Of the meeting was explained
by Mr.. j. 5. Miller.
A committee consisting Of James
Miller, J. J. Shaubut and Lyman
Matthew'S was appointed to draft a
constitution and bylaws ard report
ut the next meeting. The commit
tee reported at the afternoon ses-
sion and each article OF the consti-
tuition and bylaws was taken up and
acteS upon separately. The meeting
tncn elected the following, the first
set OF officers or the Blue Earth
County Agricultural Society: ,Presi-
dent. Lyman Matthews; First Vice
President, G. X. Cleveland; Second
Vice President, B.: :. Smith; Third
'r:ea$ursr. Henry Shaubut; Cores
l'ondinS Secretary. j. +. Stock: Re-
cord;ng Secretary. s. G.: Kitchin;
Council--James Miller, Shelby. S.
n. Walker, Mankato; Adam Beiras,
jamestown; Z. G. Shanagher, Maple.
ton, B. Durkee, Mankato: J. L. Bur-
Vernon: E. P. Evans. Watonwan; L.
y. Hunt. Judson; l.. G. Barrel, South
Bend; and n. Powell, Shelby.
Resolutions were adopted request
ing members of the council to be-
come active members Of the society
and report names for membership;
also an Invitation was extended to
citizens Of Faribault. Nicollet and
LeSueur counties to Join in the en-
terprise. Judge Cleveland was re-
quested to deliver lecture before
the society at the next meeting to be
held on the second Tuesday OF April,
1859 in Mankato.
The Original! Constitution
According to provisions Of the ori-
ginal constitution adopted at the first
meeting and filed with Register of
Deeds, j. 3. Hubbell on the first day
OF February. A. D., 1851, at ten
O'Clock a. M, "the style of this society
shall be the Blue Earth County Agri-
cultural Society, and the objects. the
promotion OF agriculture, horticul-
ture, manufactures, mechanics and
household arts. The society shall
consist of such inhabitants of said
county as shall signify their wishes
TO become members and shall pay
on subscribing their names not less
than one dollar and fifty cents an
nually thereafter, provided that
members of the heretofore existing
agricultural society shah be mem
bers OF this society by paying fifty
cents annually and the payment Of
any surplus funds into the treasury
Of the society" -
The duties of the officers-the
president, five vice presidents, one
from each commissioner district, re-
cording and corresponding secre-
taries. treasurer, marshall, and exc
cutive committee are prescribed.
They are to be elected annually. The
treasurer is required to give a bond
to the society. approved BY the exc
cutiye committee which also decided
as 20 the amount of the same, for
The faithful performance of his duties
and Ia -