The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1937-05-27

scattered bands along the streams
and in the woods. And through
Camp Pope (near North Red
woody and Fort Ridgely went a
patrol of soldiers constantly pass
ing to and fro for the protection
of the frontier.
After about two years with the
lessening of the danger Brown
(Redwood) county again present.
ed an ideal spot for settlers as the
same advantages were here as
formerly and some cabins were
intact and it was easy to plant
crops on the land previously
broken and now known as Ind
ian breaking, but the Indians still
here kept any whites who might
come in a fever of alarm.
Then came Colonel Sam Nc
Phail and he was quick to see the
advantages. He had been a from
tiersman, Indian fighter and civil
war veteran and he decided to es-
tablish townsite which would
include the water power on the
river at the falls.
Accordingly Redwood was Sc
lected as a Patrol post in 1864.
The most authoritative statements
say the county took its name
from the Redwood river which in
turn was named from the red ced-
ar trees which grew in abundance
along its banks. And it already
had this name when the first
settler came. The addition of Falls
furnished a name for the town.
But some say the Redwood name
was derived from the Sioux plac-
ing a daub of red paint on trees
along routes to show warriors
following, the way and where to
fight. I like to think the first cor
rect.
Build Stockade
Colonel McPhail with the assist
ance of two other men, T. w. Cas-
ter and Captain S. A. George and
of the soldiers who camped near
here the same night started build
ing stockade Immediately in or
der to be able to repulse an at
tack.
The place selected was a. part
of what is now block 10 and what
is now bounded by second street
Washington, third street and JEFF
ferson, the east line being near
the east line of Christian church
lot. A deep ditch was dug all
around this plot and then prairie
sods reinforced with poles and
large logs stood upright on end
and here and there through the
sides of this barracuda were port
holes cut, through which guns
could be fired in case of an at
tack.
There was a driveway through
the center running east and west
with a heavy gate at either end.
Within this stockade McPhail
with the help of the soldiers err
ected his famous cabin
standing now in Ramsey State
park, the first house built here in
Redwood Falls, and in this house
he and few pioneers with the
soldier patrol started the settle
ment.
The government surveyed the
land in 1865 and threw it open
for settlement scarcely anyone
dared to live outside the stockade
and there is evidence he asked
help several times to subdue the
Indians. 1t was given from Fort
Ridgely and soldiers were also as
signed to guard the stockade.
McPhail was a booster for his
settlement and kept the merits of
his new town before the public
eye in settled communities by
sending articles to be published in
various newspaper. For example
during the summer in writing up
the Fourth of July celebration for
a Mankato paper he spoke of the
large and respectable audience
present. When the editor found
out there was only one man pre-
sent besides McPhail he took him
to task severely.
"Well, said McPhail in his
squeaky voice, 81 am large and
Martin is respectable, so 1 told the
truth"
This 0. c. Martin was the faith
er of Grant Martin who lives west
of here now and the elder Mar
tin took an active part in the or
ganization in those early days.
A postoffice was petitioned for
and established in the fall of 1864
Samuel r. Thompson was the
first postmaster and the mail was
brought by soldiers from Fort
Ridgely.
Settlers were coming and going
during the year 1864. William
Post and Frank Kennedy came
but did not remain long, though
Post later had a drug store here
for some time but Kennedy set.
tied south of Fort Ridgely.
During this first winter of 1864.
IS there was quite a settlement,
inside the stockade including Nc.
Phail, his wife and two children,
j. S. Homer, his wife and three
children, Samuel Thompson, his
wife and three children, jacob
Tippery, his wife and five child.
rem, Mr.. and Mrs. Spangler anc
Edmund Fosgate and family. Eos
gate later erected the first house
on townsite outside the stockade
The Homer cabin, later enlarged
became the first hotel in the
county and was inside the stock
ade. Men here that winter with