The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1939-08-17
First Vote Exceeded
Roster of Settlers


Redwood Falls was at one
time the county seat of a much
larger area than the present
county we know. BY the legis-
lative act of 1862 Redwood
county was established and con-
tanned all the present counties
of Lac qui Parle, Yellow Medi-
cine, Lincoln, Lyon and two
townships in Brown county, be-
sides Redwood county as it now
exists. Previous to the presiden-
tial election of 1864 the pioneers
of Redwood Falls petitioned
Governor Miller for the estab-
lishment of an election district,
in pursuance of which the gov
ernor set off the whole created
county as above described as
such a district. The election of
1864 was held in the house of j.
S. c.. Homer; the election board
consisting of o. c. Martin, T.
w. Caster and Ed Mcconnell.
Colonel McPhail says: eve cast
IS votes all straight Republican
no intimidation no bull doz-
ing" The IS votes are somewhat
problematical, as the roster did
not show that humber of per-
manent settlers at the time. It
was under the authority of this
act of Governor Miller that the
people of all the unorganized
area in the county continued to
vote in Redwood Falls for Is
years or more after the county
was in full operation.
Not only did the people Of the
county hold presidential cleo
ton in 1864, they also elected
county officers an act which
later had to be legalized-for no
election of county officers had
been authorized. These first
county officers were auditor and
surveyor, T. w. Caster; Register
of Deeds, J. s. C. Homer; Judge
of Probate and County Auditor,
Colonel Samuel McPhail; Clerk
Of Court, Birney Flynn; Sheriff,
John R. Thompson; Treasurer,
Jacob Tippery. The first action
taken by the county board to-
wards securing quarters for
county offices was in September
1865 when 0. G. Martin was
authorized to secure a suitable
room for the transaction of the
county business. Martins office
was used for this purpose for
several years. The first county
officers kept their books at their
homes or at their regular places
of business. Later some secured
small offices. The early courts
were held in various buildings.
In 1869 the board of COM
nissioners decided to purchase a
lot and erect county building
at a cost not to exceed $500
but short time afterwards, DR..
p. L. Hitchcock and c. p. Girls
void offered to erect a suitable
building and to rent it to the
county for SIS a month. This Of
fer was accepted and the officers
moved into the building early in
HOW. liz pICOS1C C0uIt IiO0SC
square was donated to the coun-
ty by Colonel McPhal and
IN 1872 plans were begun for
the building of a courthouse.
This building cost $3.50, was
later enlarged and used until the
early nineties when the present
structure was built.
The early county commission
ers of Redwood county deserve
mention in any record Of the
city. The first commissioners
meeting was held in the audi
t0r's office in April 1865. One.
item of business transacted that
first year was the decision to
borrow money from Colonel Nc
Phail by issuing him county or
ders at IL per cent discount. The
first work of the county COM.
missioners was of course, or
sanization. In 1877 the present.
boundaries of the. county were
settled, thereafter the scope of
activities of the commissioners
was narrowed. The only contro-
versy over boundaries was be-