This county, established February 20, 1855, and organized March 1 and November 8, 1866, was named for Joseph Renville, a "bois brule" (son of a French father and Indian mother), of whom Dr. E. D. Neill gave an appreciative sketch in the first volume of the Minnesota Historical Society Collections. Renville was born at or near the Kaposia village of the Sioux, on the Mississippi a few miles below St Paul, about the year 1779. After a few years at school in Canada, he became a voyageur for an English company in the fur trade of the Northwest. In the war of 1812 he received the appointment and rank of a captain in the British army, and led a company of Sioux warriors against the United States frontier. He was employed by Long as the interpreter of his expedition to the Red river and Lake Winnipeg, in 1823; and Keating, the historian of the expedition, derived from him a large amount of information relating to the Sioux people. Afterward, having become an agent of the American Fur Company, Renville erected a trading house at Lac qui Parle, and resided there until his death, which was in March, 1846.
He was a friend of Rev. T. S. Williamson, who came as a missionary to the Sioux of the Minnesota valley in 1835. "Renville warmly welcomed him," wrote Dr. Neill, "and rendered invaluable assistance in the establishment of the missions. Upon the arrival of the missionaries at Lac qui Parle, he provided them with a temporary home. He acted as interpreter, he assisted in translating the Scriptures, and removed many of the prejudices of the Indians against the white man's religion."

Townships and Villages.
Information of names has been gathered in "History of the Minnesota Valley," 1882, having pages 798-848 for this county; "The History of Renville County," compiled by Franklyn Curtiss Wedge, 1916, two volumes, 1376 pages; and from Charles N. Matson, judge of probate, and Hon. Darwin S. Hall, each of Olivia, the county seat, interviewed during a visit there in July, 1916.

Bandon township, first settled in April, 1869, and organized January 4, 1871, was named by its Irish settlers for a town in southern Ireland, on the River Bandon, about twenty miles southwest of Cork.

Beaver Falls township, organized April 2, 1867, and its village, platted July 25, 1866, and incorporated January 21, 1890, received their name from Beaver creek, which is a translation of the Sioux name, Chapah river, noted on Nicollet's map in 1843. This village was the first county seat, until a very long contest, begun in 1885, was finally decided in October, 1900, by removal of the county offices to Olivia.

Birch Cooley township, organized April 2, 1867, and its former village, platted in June, 1866, but burned in 1871, were named for their small stream. "Coulee is a French word meaning the bed of the stream, even if dry, when deep and having inclined sides. The original name of the stream in the coulee was La Croix creek, but the vicinity was known from the early days as Birch coulee, and this was finally corrupted to Birch Cooley, now the official name of the township." (History of this county, 1916, p. 1290.) This name was translated from Tampa creek of the Sioux, as it was mapped by Nicollet, referring to its many trees of the paper or canoe birch, which in this vicinity reaches the southwest limit of its geographic range.

Bird Island township, settled in the spring of 1872, was organized October 21, 1876; and its railway village of the same name, platted in July, 1878, was incorporated March 4, 1881. The name was derived from a grove of large trees, including many of the hackberry, in section 15, about a mile west of the village and on the south side of the railway, surrounded by sloughs, like an island, whereby it was protected from prairie fires. This grove, named Bird Island for its plentiful wild birds, was a favorite camping place of Indians and trappers, and it supplied timber for the early settlers.

Boon Lake township, organized September 6, 1870, bears the name of its largest lake, probably given in honor of a pioneer settler.

Brookfield township, settled in 1871 and organized April 7, 1874, has a name that is borne also by a city in Missouri and by villages and townships in twelve other states. Buffalo Lake, the railway village of Preston Lake township, platted in 1881, is a half mile south of the picturesque little lake whence it received this name.

Cairo township, settled in 1859 and after the Sioux war again settled in 1864, was organized April 7, 1868. It was at first called Mud Lake township, for its lake on Mud creek, but received its present name July 8, 1869. This name, derived from the capital of Egypt, is borne also by a city of Illinois and by villages and townships in ten other states.

Camp township, organized April 2, 1867, needs further inquiry for origin of its name.

Crooks township, the latest organized in this county, December 9, 1884, was named in honor of H. S. Crooks, who settled here as a homestead farmer in 1870. Danube is a railway village in Troy township, founded in 1899 and incorporated in 1901. This name, received from the large river in Europe, is borne also by a township and village in New York.

Emmet township, first settled in June, 1869, and organized September 21, 1870, was named in honor of Robert Emmet (b. 1778, d. 1803), the Irish patriot

Ericson township, settled in 1871 and organized January 27, 1874, was named in honor of Eric Ericson, a prominent pioneer of this county, who served as county auditor and during many years was the county superintendent of schools.

Fairfax, the railway village of Cairo, platted August 22, 1882, and incorporated January 18, 1888, was named by Eben Ryder, president of the Minneapolis and St. Louis railway company, for his native county in Virginia.

Flora township, first settled in the spring of 1859 and again (after the Sioux war) in 1865, was organized April 2, 1867, receiving the name of "the first horse brought here after the massacre by Francis Shoemaker."

Franklin is a railway village in Birch Cooley township, platted in 1882. Eighteen townships in so many counties of Pennsylvania, and also townships and villages or cities in twenty-nine other states, bear this name, with counties in twenty-four states, mostly in honor of Benjamin Franklin (b. 1706, d. 1790).

Hawk Creek township, organized April 2, 1867, received the name of its creek, translated from its Sioux name, Chetambe, noted on Nicollet's map.

Hector township, settled in 1873 and organized June 30, 1874, was at first called Milford, but was renamed a month later for the township and village of Hector in Schuyler county, New York, whence many of its settlers had come. The railway village of this township, bearing the same name, was platted in September, 1878, and was incorporated February 23, 1881.

Henryville township, settled in May, 1866, and organized March 16, 1871, was named in honor of Peter Henry, one of its pioneer farmers.

Kingman township, settled in May, 1877, organized September 3, 1878, was named by S. T. Salter, the first township clerk, in honor of W. H. Kingman, his former fellow townsman in Winn, Maine, who removed to Wisconsin and purchased much land in this township, but did not settle here.

Martinsburg township, settled in 1873, organized September 3, 1878, was named for Martin Grummons, whose father, W. F. Grummons, of this township, was then a member of the board of county commissioners.

Melville township, settled in 1872 and organized January 1, 1878, needs further search to learn the reason for its name.

Morton, a railway village adjoining the Minnesota river in Birch Cooley township, platted in 1882 and incorporated in September, 1887, was named by officers of the Minneapolis and St. Louis railway company.

Norfolk township, settled in the fall of 1868 and organized July 26, 1869, was at first called Houlton, but on January 4, 1871, was renamed Marschner, which in 1874 was changed to Norfolk. This name, derived from a county in England, is borne also by counties in Massachusetts and Virginia, and by townships and villages or cities in these states and in Connecticut, New York, and Nebraska.

Olivia, the county seat, a railway village in the west edge of Bird Island township, platted in September, 1878, and incorporated March 4, 1881, was named by Albert Bowman Rogers, an eminent civil engineer, who located this railway. "The first station agent to be placed at Ortonville, Minn., was a woman. Her name was Olive. She was a particular friend of Chief Engineer Rogers, and it was for her he named Olivia." (History of this county, p. 1359.) After much contention extending through fifteen years for removal of the county seat from Beaver Falls to Olivia, this was finally provided by a vote of the county October 25, 1900.

Osceola township, settled in 1875 and organized September 30, 1879, was named by L. L. Tennis, then a county commissioner, for the village of Osceola in Wisconsin. Counties in Florida, Michigan, and Iowa, and townships and villages or cities in fifteen states of our Union, are named in commemoration of a patriot Seminole chief, Osceola, who was born in Georgia in 1804, and died at Fort Moultrie, S. C, January 30, 1838.

Palmyra township, organized January 2, 1872, was named by settlers who came from Palmyra in southeastern Wisconsin. Sixteen other states also have villages and townships named from the ancient Palmyra, "city of palms," which was in an oasis of the Syrian desert.

Preston Lake township, settled in 1866 and organized September 7, 1869, was named for its largest lake, probably commemorating a pioneer settler or a hunter and trapper.

Renville, a railway village in Emmet township, platted in September, 1878, and incorporated February 19, 1881, was named in honor of Joseph Renville, like this county.

Sacred Heart township, organized April 6, 1869, was settled mostly by Lutherans, so that the adoption of a name apparently Roman Catholic in origin seems surprising. It was derived, however, from the name given by the Sioux or Dakota people to an early trader, Charles Patterson, who about 1783 established a trading post at the rapids of the Minnesota river in the present section 29, Flora, since called Patterson's rapids. He wore a bearskin hat, whence, "the bear being a sacred animal to the Indians, they called him the 'Sacred Hat' man, which gradually became Sacred Heart" (History of the Minnesota Valley, p. 817). The name so applied to the trader was afterward used by the Sioux for the site of his trading post, and thence it was given, in this accepted translation, to the adjacent township. Another explanation for the origin of this name has been told by Louis G. Brisbois, a French pioneer of Hawk Creek township. "He declared that in the early days the mouth of the Sacred Heart creek formed in the shape of a heart, and that a French missionary priest, inspired by this, had given the name of Sacred Heart to a mission of French halfbreeds and Indians that he had established here, and that the locality gradually took the name of this early mission, still retaining it long after the mission had passed into oblivion." (History of this county, p. 1332).

Sacred Heart railway village was platted in October, 1878, and was incorporated in 1883.

Troy township, settled in 1871-72, organized March 21, 1876, has the name of a very ancient city in Asia Minor, renowned as the scene of the Trojan war, the theme of the Iliad of Homer. It is also the name of a large city in New York, and of townships and villages or small cities in twenty-five other states.

Vicksburg, a former village in section 19, Flora, platted in 1867, was superseded in 1878 by the railway village of Sacred Heart, to which its buildings were removed. Its name was from Vicksburg, Miss., which was besieged in the civil war and surrendered July 4, 1863.

Wang township, settled in 1867 and organized July 28, 1875, was named for a district or group of farms in Norway.

Wellington township, settled in 1868 and organized June 4, 1873, commemorates the Duke of Wellington (b. 1769, d. 1852), victor over Napoleon at Waterloo in 1815. A city of Kansas and villages and townships in ten other states bear this name.

Winfield township, settled in 1872, organized December 27, 1878, was named in honor of General Winfield Scott (b. 1786, d. 1866), chief commander in the Mexican war. Winfield is the name also of a city in Kansas and of villages and townships in sixteen other states.

Streams and Lakes.

The Minnesota river flows in strong rapids over a bed of glacial drift boulders adjoining section 29, Flora, named Patterson's rapids for a fur trader, as was noted under Sacred Heart township. The descent here is about five feet within a third of a mile.

On the southwest border of this county the Minnesota river receives Hawk creek and Sacred Heart creek in the townships bearing these names, the first being a translation from its Sioux name, Chetamba, which is now given to a creek flowing into it from Ericson and Wang; Middle creek, in Flora; Beaver creek, with West and East forks, translated from the Sioux, as noted for Beaver Falls township; Birch cooley or creek, also from the Sioux and before noticed for the township named from it; and Three Mile creek, in Camp, so named for its distance northwest from the former Fort Ridgely. Farther east, in Cairo, are Fort creek and Mud or Little Rock creek, flowing into Nicollet county and there tributary to the Minnesota river respectively near Fort Ridgely and near the site of a former trading post called Little Rock, adjoining an extensive rock outcrop in the Minnesota valley.

Buffalo creek flows eastward into McLeod county, from Brookfield and Preston Lake townships. Besides Boon, Buffalo, and Preston lakes, whence two townships and a village are named, these townships have Hodgson, Phare, and Allie (or Alley) lakes, named for early settlers.

In section 23, Brookfield, Boot lake, named from its outline, has been drained; and a lake formerly in the central part of Wellington has also been drained.

Mud lake is on Mud or Little Rock creek, in Cairo.

Fox lake, formerly about four miles long, crossed by the county line at the north side of Kingman, and another lake on the north line of Ericson, have been drained. Thus too the former Pelican lake, adjoining the southeast side of Bird Island village, and Long or Lizard lake in Winfield, have disappeared.

Monuments of the Sioux War, 1862.

Through the work of the Minnesota Valley Historical Society, under the direction of its president, Hon. Charles D. Gilfillan, many localities in Renville and Redwood counties, of great historical interest in events of the Sioux outbreak and massacre in August, 1862, and of the war against these Sioux in 1862-63, were carefully identified and marked in 1895-1902 by granite monuments and tablets. A report of this work, including many illustrations and much history and biography, written by Return I. Holcombe, was published in 1902 (79 pages).

Two of these monuments are erected beside the railway close southeast of Morton village, one being in memory of the soldiers killed in the battle of Birch Cooley, September 2, 1862, and the other in memory of several Sioux who were friendly to the white people, doing all they could to rescue them from the massacre.

In Redwood county, this society erected numerous tablets in the vicinity of the Lower Sioux Agency, and also similarly marked the site of Camp Pope, about a mile northwest from the present city of Redwood Falls, named, like Pope county, in honor of General John Pope. There General Sibley and his troops were encamped from April 19 to June 16, 1863, in preparation for his expedition against the Sioux in the present area of North Dakota.

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COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
HISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY MINNESOTA Vol 1
By Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge Published by H. C. Cooper Jr, & Co., Chicago (1916) Submitted by Veneta McKinney

The county commissioners since 1869 have been as follows:
1869 — Francis Shoemaker, Newell Morse and William Emerick.
1870— R. G. Weed, E. O'Hara and Louis Kope.
1871 — R. G. Weed, Louis Kope and Bernhardt Marschner.
1872 — Louis Kope. B. Marschner, Peter Henry.
1873 — B. Marschner, Peter Henry and Ole Jacobson.
1874 — Peter Henry. Ole Jacobson, James O’Brien, M. T. Ridout and T. L. Rudy.
1875 — Fred V. Haas, Wm. F. Grummons, Peter Henry, Francis Shoemaker and Ole Jacobson.
1876 — Fred V. Haas, William F. Grummons, T. H. Sherwin, Owen Heaney and Ole Jacobson.
1877 — William F. Grummons (chairman). Fred V. Haas. T. H. Sherwin, Owen Heaney and Henry Paulson. July 16. Arnold Vincent took the place of Fred V. Haas on the board.
1878 — Henry Paulson (chairman), T. H. Sherwin, William F. Grummons, Owen Heaney and Edmond O'Hara. On July 16. 1878, J. S. Niles took the place of Edmond O'Hara. On December 3, 1878, an unsuccessful effort was made to unseat William F. Grummons on the grounds that he had removed from the district, which he represented.
1879 — Henry Paulson (chairman). John Thompson, Thos. Leary. Owen Heaney and J. S. Niles.
1880 — Henry Paulson (chairman). John Thompson. Thos. Leary, Owen Heaney and J. S. Niles.
1881 — John Thompson (chairman), Henry Paulson. Owen Heaney, Thomas Leary and Owen Carrigan.
1882 — Thomas Leary (chairman), Henry Paulson, Owen Heaney, Owen Carrigan and Louis Tennis.
1883 — Owen Carrigan (chairman), Henry Schafer, Peter P. Dustrud, Thomas Leary, Lewis L. Tennis. In May. 1883. Mr. Dustrud resigned and Peter G. Peterson was appointed.
188-1 — Lewis L. Tennis (chairman), Owen Carrigan. Thomas Leary, Henry Schafer and John Johnson.
1885 — Henry Schafer (chairman), Owen Carrigan. John Johnson. Gunerus Peterson and J. H. Reagan.
1886 — Owen Carrigan (chairman). Henry Schafer, J. H. Reagan, Gunerus Peterson and John Johnson.
1887 — Henry Schafer (chairman), John Hurst, Julius Thompson. Patrick Williams and A. H. Anderson.
1888 — John Thompson (chairman), John Hurst, Patrick Williams, A. H. Anderson and Henry Schafer.
1889 — John Thompson (chairman), John Warner. O. F. Peterson, Patrick Williams and A. H. Anderson.
1890 — A. H. Anderson (chairman), .John Thompson, O. F. Peterson, John Warner and Patrick Williams.
1891—0. F. Peterson (chairman), Patrick Williams, A. H. Anderson, Thyke Utterboe and John Warner.
1892 — A. 11. Anderson (chairman), O. F. Peterson, Thyke Ytterboe, Patrick Williams and John Warner.
1893—1, E. J. Butler ; 2, Thyke E. Ytterboe ; 3, A. D. Corey ; 4. John Warner; 5, A. H. Anderson.
1895—1, E. J. Butler; 2, A. J. Anderson; 3, A. D. Corey; 4, Ferdinand Schroeder; 5, A. H. Anderson.
1897—1, E. J. Butler; 2, A. J. Anderson: 3, C. A. Desmond; 4, F. A. Schroeder ; 5, John I. Johnson.
1899—1, E. J. Butler; 2, Norman Hickok ; 3, C. A. Desmond ; 4, F. A. Schroeder; 5, John I. Johnson.
1901—1, W. E. Kemp ; 2, Norman Hickok ; 3, W. C. Keefe ; 4, F. A. Schoeder; 5, Carl Anderson.
1903—1, W. E. Kemp; 2, Ole S. Olson; 3, W. C. Keefe; 4, M. E. Sherin; 5, Carl Anderson.
1905—1, B. C. McEwen ; 2, Ole S. Olson ; 3, Julius Patzewold ; 4, M. E. Sherin; 5, Carl Anderson.
1907 — 2, Chas. Lammers; 1, B. C. McEwen; 3, Julius Patzewold ; 4, M. E. Sherin ; 5, Carl Anderson.
1909—1, B. C. McEwen; 2, Chas. Lammers; 3, Julius Patzewold ; 4, M. E. Sherin ; 5, Carl Anderson.
1911 — 1, B. C. McEwen ; 2, Chas. Lammers; 3, Julius Patzewold ; 4, M. E. Sherin; 5, Carl Anderson.
1913—1, J. U. Hougland; 2, Chas. Lammers; 3, John Ederer; 4, M. E. Sherin ; 5, R. H. Nelson.
1915 — 1, J. U. Hougland; 2, Chas. Lammers; 3, John Ederer; 4, M. E. Sherin: 5, R, H. Nelson, Edward Paulson. R. H. Nelson resigned June 1, 1915, and died July 21, 1915.

COUNTY OFFICERS.
Auditor. Charles K. Eldridge was elected auditor of Renville county in the fall of 1866. January 15, 1868, he resigned, and Carter H. Drew was appointed. In the fall of 1868, Darwin 5. Hall was elected. He served four years. Eric Ericson was elected in the fall of 1872. He was suspended by the Governor, August 20, 1878, upon complaint of H. M. Knox, .state examiner. September 3, 1878, Patrick H. Kerwan was appointed by the county commissioners. He served until January 1, 1891. Ed. De Pue, the next auditor, served from January 1, 1891, to January 1, 1895; J. T. Brooks, from January 1, 1895, to January 1, 1903; H. J. Lee, from January 1, 1903, to January 1, 1909. J. L. Johnson has served since January 1, 1909.
Register of Deeds. Robert W. Davis was elected register of deeds of Renville county in the fall of 1866. William F. Van Deyn was elected in the fall of 1870. As it was discovered after a while that he was not a citizen, an act legalizing his act was passed by the legislature February 26, 1872. He removed from the county and on October 2, 1871, James S. Chapman was appointed. He was elected in the fall of 1872. In the fall of 1874. William W. McGowan was elected. Carl A. Mork was elected in the fall of 1876. In the fall of 1882, Bradner A. Knapp was elected. Gunerus Peterson was elected in the fall of 1886. He served until January 1, 1891. P. B. Olson served from January 1, 1891, to January 1, 1895; Peter Erickson from January 1, 1895, to January 1, 1901; Theo. A. Nellermoe from January 1, 1901, to January 1, 1905. T. H. Collyer has served since January 1, 1905.
Treasurer. Henry Ahrens was elected treasurer of Renville county in the fall of 1866. Hans Gronnerud was elected in the fall of 1872. In the fall of 1884, William D. Griffith was elected. Hans Listerud was elected in the fall of 1886, and served until January 1, 1891. Frank Poseley was treasurer from January 1, 1891, to January 1, 1893. Then Hans Listerud was treasurer again from January 1, 1893, to January 1, 1901 ; then William D. Griffith was again treasurer from January 1, 1901, to January 1, 1913. Since January 1, 1913, Amund Dahl has been in office.
Sheriff. James W. Graves was elected sheriff of Renville county in the fall of 1866. When the commissioners met, April 4. 1867, he had not qualified, so James Carrothers was appointed. However, a short time afterward, Mr. Graves qualified, and served several months. He resigned and on November 30, 1867, Henry J. Witcher was appointed. In the fall of 1868, W. H. Jewell was elected. James Carrothers was elected in the fall of 1870. He resigned, but his resignation was not accepted. He left the county, however, and on February 21, 1872, the office was declared vacant. The next day, Jerome P. Patten was appointed. James Arnold was elected in the fall of 1872. In the summer of 1874 he removed to New Ulm, and July 29, 1874, Martin Jensen was appointed. He served for many years. Hans O. Field was elected in the fall of 1882 and served until January 1, 1891. William Wichman served from January 1, 1891, to January 1, 1901; N. L. Headline from January 1, 1901, to January 1, 1907; John A. Vick from January 1, 1907, to January 1, 1913. O. T. Sunde has served since January 1, 1913.
Judge of Probate. Nelson Frazier was elected judge of probate in the fall of 1866. George Bowers was appointed April 4, 1867. He was followed by N. D. White, who in turn was followed by Moses Little. George H. Megquier was elected in the fall of 1873. He tendered his resignation to the board of county commissioners, April 7, 1874, but that board doubted whether it had the power to accept or the power to appoint a successor. William W. McGowan was elected in the fall of 1875; Hans Gronnerud in the fall of 1879; John Garrity in the fall of 1886: Francis Shoemaker in the fall of 1888: .John Garrity in the fall of 1890 again; Perry W. Glenn in the fall of 1894; and George P. Gage in the fall of 1902. Charles N. Mattson has served since January 1, 1911.
County Attorney. The records are somewhat vague regarding the early county attorneys. It appears that, "a vacancy existing," P. H. Swift was appointed September 1, 1868. Apparently John M. Dorman was elected in the fall of 1870. He resigned and G. H. Megquier was appointed. S. R. Miller was elected in the fall of 1884: Gabriel T. Christianson in the fall of 1882; S. R. MilIer again in the fall of 1884. In the fall of 1886, Gabriel T. Christianson was again elected, and served until January 1, 1891. Since then the attorneys have been: R. T. Daly, January 1. 1891, to January 1. 1893; S. R. Miller, January 1, 1893, to January 1. 1899: A. V. Rieke, January 1, 1899 to January 1, 1903: Frank Murray, January 1, 1903 to January 1. 1911. L. D. Barnard has served since January 1, 1911.
Clerk of the District Court. Edward Trevett Tillotson was elected clerk of the district court in the fall of 1866. Lane K. Stone was elected in the fall of 1869. Darwin S. Hall was appointed November 30. 1872, by Judge M. G. Hanseom. He was elected in the fall of 1873 and 1877, but resigned March 6, 1878, being succeeded by William W. McGowan, who was appointed by E. St. Julien Cox, district .judge. William AV. McGowan was elected in the fall of 1878, and served a long term, retiring January 1, 1895. Following him came E. E. Cook. January 1, 1895, to March 30. 1902; Carl O. Brecke, appointed by Judge Gorham Powers, April 3, 1902; elected January 1, 1903, to January 1, 1907; and A. P. Heaney, January 1, 1907, to January 1. 1911. C. O. Brecke took office January 1, 1911, and is still serving.
Surveyor. In the early days surveyors and viewers were appointed for each road ordered laid out. Marlow S. Spicer was elected county surveyor in the fall of 1866. Possibly Charles G. Johnson was the next county surveyor. At least he was serving in the early eighties. J. C. Garland served in 1874; Marlow S. Spicer from January 1. 1885, to January 1, 1889, and E. A. Dieter from January 1, 1899 to January 1, 1901, but with these exceptions Mr. Johnson served until January 1. 1911. John A. Dahlgren served from January 1, 1911 to January 1, 1915 and T. S. Hewerdine has served since January 1, 1915.
Coroner. Jacob Hawkins was elected coroner in the fall of 1866. He did not qualify, and James Butler was appointed April 4, 1867. Francis Shoemaker was appointed March 19, 1870. In the fall of that year Dr. T. H. Sherwin was elected. Dr. F. L. Puffer was elected in the fall of 1878. Since then the coroners have been: January 1, 1883, to January 1, 1887, Dr. A. G. Stoddard; January 1, 1887, to January ]. 1889, Dr. Willis Clay; January 1, 1889, to January 1, 1891, Dr. W. Smalley; January 1, 1891, to January 1, 1893, Dr. A. G. Stoddard; January 1. 1893, to January 1, 1895. W. H. Jewell; January 1, 1895, to January 1, 1897, Dr. E. M. Clay; January 1, 1897, to January 1, 1903, A. G. Stoddard, M. D.; January 1, 1903 to January 1, 1911,. E. M. Clay, M. D.; January 1, 1911, to January 1, 1918. Harry L. D'Arms, M. D.; January 1, 1913, to January 1, 1915, F. W. Penhall, M. D.; January 1915 to January 1. 1919. A. A. Passer, M. D.
Superintendent of Schools, Marlow S. Spicer was appointed superintendent of schools April 4, 1867. William Emerick took office January 6, 1870: Carter H. Drew, January 1, 1872. He was followed by G. H. Megquier. In 1877, J. S. Bowler served. Iver S. Gerald was the superintendent in the years 1878, 1879, 1880, 1881. 1882 and 1883. Eric Ericson took office in 1884 and served until January 1, 1891. Following him came F. C. Greene for two years. Then Mr. Ericson served for four years. F. A. Schaffer served from January 1, 1907, to January 1, 1915. Amalia M. Bengtson has served since January 1, 1915.
Court Commissioner. John M. Dorman filed his bond as court commissioner January 6, 1871. C. H. Drew took the office May 31, 1877. James Greely was appointed July 25, 1881. Henry Kelsey was elected in the fall of 1881. He served until January 1, 1893. Then came J. J. Durrell from January 1, 1893, to January 1, 1895; followed by John M. Freeman, January 1, 1895. His unexpired term was filled by Henry Ahrens, who was followed by John Kelley. S. R. Miller took office January 1, 1905, and has held the office continuously since that time.

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Chapter XXIII – Early Settlements
The History of Renville County, Minnesota, Volume I, 1916 – Transcribed by AFOFG TK

Fur trading stations were the first settlements made in this vicinity. Later came the Mission stations. Lake Traverse, Lac qui Parle, Big Stone Lake, the Yellow Medicine, the mouth of the Chippewa and the mouth of the Little Rock were all favorite points for those who had dealings with the Indians.
After the treaty of peace between Great Britain, and the United States in 1783, the influence of the Northwest Company traders led to the location of Sioux villages near the traders' posts, both above and below the mouth of the Minnesota. There were several of these as far to the south as the lower section of the Des Moines river. In the fall of 1783 Joseph Ainse (or Anse or Ans) came from Mackinaw to Mendota and distributed presents and held a council with the Sioux. Five Sioux villages were represented. In the report of this council it is mentioned that at the time white traders were operating between St. Anthony's Falls and Rice Creek, the latter in what is now Renville county; but the names of the traders and locations of the posts are not given.
The first man to locate in Renville county was Charles Patterson, a native of the north of Ireland, who about 1783 established a post in what is now Flora township, at the ripples still known as the Falls, and widely famed as a picnic grounds. It is a short distance from the old village of Vicksburg, and the contour of the land above the falls presents almost limitless possibilities for the establishment at some future date of a great waterpower on the site.
Patterson was on the Renville county side of the rapids or falls, some twelve or more miles above the mouth of the Redwood. The locality was designated in all the early maps as Patterson's Rapids.
Patterson was here for some time; it seems he came down the Red river and the Minnesota to his post. He had another post at the mouth of the Yellow Medicine, where he was visited by Ainse, in November of the next year, after the latter had held his council with the Sioux. At the time of his visit Ainse sold to Patterson a scarlet coat suitable for a chief, and entered the price in his account book as "six pounds three shillings and fourpence." After Ainse's departure Patterson created a chief of the Sisseton Sioux and gave him the gorgeous red coat to wear and a British flag to wave over his tepee. In 1787 Francois La Bathe (or La Batte) was in Patterson's employ as a clerk, and there is a hint that he was stationed at the Little Rapids, where Carver now is. His descendants in Minnesota, half-blood Sioux, were prominent in the State's early history. His son, Francois, Jr., was murdered by the Sioux at the Lower Agency the first day of the great outbreak.
Perhaps the first native of the United States to engage in trade on the Minnesota was James H. Lockwood, a native of Clinton county, New York, born in 1793. In Vol. II, Wisconsin Historical Collections, he writes that in the summer of 1816, a little more than a year after the close of the War of 1812, and when twenty-three years of age, he engaged as a clerk to "some traders" to take charge of a trading post near the head of the St. Peter's. In the fall of 1816 he came up and assumed charge of the post. Narcisse Frenier was his assistant and Sioux interpreter.
From Prairie du Chien up to the post there were in his boats a stock of goods. Lockwood himself, his boatmen and a Yankton Indian, the son of a chief called Wo-wah-she Tonka, or the Big Servant ("Le Grand Serviteur" in French), who had been at St. Louis with the Americans during a part of the War of 1812. Lockwood conveyed him to Lac qui Parle, where he was met by his uncles from Big Stone Lake.
Lockwood notes that as he came up the Mississippi he passed "Wa-pa-shaw's" village, which was where Winona now stands; Red Wing's village at Red Wing; Little Crow's village four miles below St. Paul, and Black Dog's, at Mendota. On the Minnesota (or St. Peter's as it was then called) the first Indian village above Mendota was that of Penichon, "a man of little note," says Lockwood. Where Shakopee now is was the village of the chief of that name, and of him Lockwood says: "He possessed a good intellect, but was not popular among the traders, as he was considered very dishonest." Of the next two villages he writes:
"At the Little Rapids was another village of the Indians called by the French 'Gens de Feuilles,' or Leaf People. [Wahpaytons, or People of the Leaves, according to the Sioux.] The name of their chief I do not recollect. There was a village of the Sissetons at the Roche Blanche [White Rock], and above, I remember no others."
Lockwood remained at Lac qui Parle for more than two years, or until the spring of 1819, and then returned to Prairie du Chien, where he afterwards resided until his death, several years ago.
In 1833-34, Joseph Renville, Jr., had a trading station at the mouth of the Little Rock (Mud) creek, only a few miles from the present Renville county. In 1834, it is believed, Joseph La Frambois located there permanently, having at that time been living at the mouth of the Cottonwood for two years. One authority, however, declares that it was about 1834 when La Frambois took charge of the post at the mouth of the Cottonwood river (in Brown county), that in that year Hazen Mooers opened a post on the Little Rock, and that La Frambois did not take up his station there until a few years later.
It is interesting to note that Joseph La Frambois and Hazen Mooers sleep only a few feet apart in the cemetery at Ft. Ridgely, Mooers having been buried in the government cemetery connected with the fort some years before the outbreak. La Frambois' bones were moved to the fort cemetery a few months ago from the cemetery on the old homestead at the mouth of the Little Rock.
La Frambois was born in Michigan in March, 1805. He became a fur trader on the upper Minnesota in the early thirties. In 1834 he was appointed Indian agent. He died November 9, 1856. His wife was Jane Dixon, the marriage at Traverse des Sioux, in 1845, being one of the first in Nicollet county.
In 1835, Rev. Thomas S. Williamson established himself at Lac qui Parle.
Louis La Croix, the first settler in Renville county, built a house on Birch Cooley creek, just across from what was afterward the Lower agency in 1845. Louis La Croix (Sr.) died June 16, 1874, at Big Stone Lake. His life was full of romance. He was born in St. Louis about 1800 of French parents and was an old settler in Renville county and ever since he was first known here he possessed property enough to have made him well off, but in the days of prosperity he divided with all hands and died poor.
The census of 1849 showed the following persons living at missionary or trading stations near Renville county, the name of the head of the house being given first, the number of males next, the number of females next and the total last:
Little Rock—J. La Framboise, three, four, seven; R. Hopkins, missionary, three, four, seven; A. G. Huggins, missionary assistant, three, three, six; J. Potter, missionary, three, four, seven; J. Lature, two, none, two; J. Bosorias, one, none, one; J. Provenealle, two, none, two; Alex Gealian. two, none, two: J. F. Roy, one, none, one.
Big Stone Lake and Lac qui Parle—S. R. Riggs, missionary, three, four, seven; M. N. Adams, missionary, one, one, two; J. Pettijohn, two. two, four: J. Renville, three, six, nine; A. Renville, one, four, five; Martin McLeod, two, three, five; G. Renville, one. one, two: M. Renville, one, none, one: J. Hess, one, none, one; Vetal Rayee, two, one, three; J. B. Boquet, one, none, one; F. Clouther, one, none, one; Macaron, one, none, one; Levi Bird, one, two, three; A. Roy, two, two, four; J. Dummire, four, two, six; Joseph Labelle, two, two, four; A. Fusmere, three, three, six; N. Fusmere, one, two, three. There were also scattering settlers, like the La Croix family.
In 1853 Ft. Ridgely was built just outside of the limits of the present Renville county. In the same year the Upper agency was established on the Yellow Medicine river. Soon thereafter, and not far away, mission stations were established. The Lower agency was also established across the river from Birch Cooley, six miles east of the mouth of the Redwood river. In 1854 Brown county began to be settled.

The first inland settlements in Renville county were made about Preston lake in what is now Preston Lake township. Little is known of this settlement, which consisted doubtless of people who had come down from the "Big Woods" to the northeast. According to the land office records, S. T. Darbey took a claim in section 3, J. A. Michael in section 11, and H. L. Benson in sections 14 and 15, in the fall of 1856, while Solomon Morrow took a claim in sections 9 and 10, in the fall of 1857. In 1862, Lavina Engle secured a claim in section 4.
George M. Michael took a claim in section 34, in what is now Boon Lake, in 1856. In 1861, V. P. Kennedy and M. B. Rudisill took claims in sections 7 and 8 in the same township. V. P. Kennedy was later a prominent physician and active politically at Litchfield, Meeker county, where he died a few years ago.
Little can be learned of these people, how they fared during the massacre or when they left here. The appearance of their names in the land office records sheds a new light on Renville county history, and the publication of these facts may bring forth new information on the subject.
No mention has ever been made of these people in accounts of the early days in this county. One published report, however, has said that in 1862, Dr. Engle and N. A. Van Meter, at that time living on the shores of Preston lake, went below for supplies, and hearing of the Indian uprising did not return.
While much of the prairie region of what is now Renville county was thrown open to settlement by the Treaty of Traverse des Sioux, signed July 22, 1851, ratified and amended by the United States Senate, June 23, 1852. and proclaimed by President Millard Fillmore, February 24, 1853, nevertheless most of the early settlements were along the Minnesota river and its tributary creeks. The ten-mile strip along the Minnesota river, however, was included in the Indian reservation, and until the treaty of 1858 no general permanent settlement could be made there. The presence of any white people within the reservation was punishable unless under a direct license of the government and with the consent of the Indians.
Soon after the reduction of the reservation in 1858 settlements began to be made all along the river. The inducements to settlers were various. To some the fertility of the soil was the attraction and they began to open farms; to others the neighborhood of the reservation was a reason, since it enabled them to obtain employment there at the same time that they secured a homestead on the open land. Many carpenters and builders who were employed by the government in the erection of buildings and improvements on the reserve took up land across the river.
In the early fifties, Werner Boesch settled in sections 22 and 23 in what is now Camp township, on the banks of Three Mile creek. He had helped to build Ft. Ridgely, and liking the neighborhood so much, settled near by, farmed and established a trading point, and remained until frightened away by the Indians, being warned just in time to escape the massacre. His story is told elsewhere in this work by N. O. Berge.
In 1858 came Halleck Peterson. This good man settled with his family in section 20, while John Halvorsen and John Anderson and their families settled further west up the valley. They were driven out by the Indians and Halleck Peterson was one of the defenders of Ft. Ridgely. Other Norwegian settlers in the southeastern part of the county were Ole Sampson Quam and family, John Hade and Conrad Hamm. Ole Quam and several of his children were killed in the massacre, but his wife and infant escaped to Ft. Ridgely. In 1858 settlers also came in from Poland, Antoine Bucofsky and Joseph Michelsky (Machansky ?). They were soon followed by Andrew Schott and others. William R. La Framboise secured land in section 22, Thomas A. Robertson in sections 22 and 23, and George Quinn in section 34, all in 1861.
A settlement was made around Mud Lake in the present town of Cairo. John Buehro settled there before 1859. Mr. Buehro was killed by the Indians in 1862. In 1859 came Frederick Rieke and his family, two of his sons, George and Victor, having preceded the others by a few months. Claims were also taken in the southern part of Cairo before the massacre, all in 1861, Mary Mumford and Peter LaBelle in section 31 and Adam S. Cristman in section 32.
Quite a settlement existed at Beaver Falls, then called Beaver Creek, among whom were James and David Carrothers with wives and families; S. R. Henderson, wife and family, including Jehial Wedge, Diedrich Wichmann with wife and large family, Henry Ahrens with wife and small family, Franz W. Schmidt with wife and small family; Andrew Hunter had a claim but was frequently absent; on his land was located the site for county buildings of the county organization. James and David Carrothers had claims adjoining; David on the present town site and James adjoining on the south. They were employed as carpenters by the government on the reserve. S. R. Henderson operated his claim, which joined that of David Carrothers on the north. Schmidt joined Henderson on the northeast; Wichmann joined Schmidt on the northeast, and Ahrens was north of Schmidt and across the creek from Wichmann. Andrew Hunter's claim was south of and adjoining James Carrothers. Mr. Hunter was a farmer. He had been an Indian teacher. His wife was the daughter of Dr. T. S. Williamson, the famous missionary. Jonathan W. Earle, N. D. White, as well as others, also settled in this neighborhood. A family named Shepherd settled above the Wichmann claim a few days before the massacre. John Doyle was also a member of this colony. Several patents were issued for land in Beaver Falls township in 1861; Mary Renville, section 12; Mary Martin, section 13; Sophia Renville, section 22; Mary S. Robertson, section 22; Martha C. Robertson, section 27. The next year Isaac Renville received a patent to land in section 20. This land was doubtless obtained by the "laying" of "Half breed script," and it is not likely that these people actually lived in Beaver Palls at that time. John Hayden and Benedict Eune lived a mile and a half from the Earle home.
Magloire Robideaux settled at Hawk Creek in 1859 and before the massacre Louis Labelle and Alex. Guertin had joined him. November 29, 1861, Joseph Schaffer filed a claim in section 16. Louis Robert also had a store or trading post there.
Joseph R. Brown made a settlement at Sacred Heart in 1861. He built a fine stone house which was destroyed the next year by the Indians. In this neighborhood were Charles Holmes, a single man, and J. H. Ingalls, a Scotchman with his large family, and a Mr. Frace and family.
The La Croix family at Birch Cooley had in the meantime been joined by many French-Canadians and half bloods. Among these was Francois La Bathe, the trader, though at the time of the massacre he was living at the agency. David Faribault was another prominent member of the colony. Among others who were there previous to the massacre were: John Kumro, Joseph and David McConnell, George Buerry, Jacob Mauley (his real name was Hubert Miller and he was the ferryman), _________ Peco, Antoine Young, ______ Roi, John Magner, Edward Magner, ________ Kawertewin, Peter Pereau (Paro?), Charles Clausen, Peter Clausen, ________ Piguar, Andrew Bahlke, Henry Keartner, Carl Witt, Patrick Kelley, John Zimmerman, David O'Connor, Mrs. Marie Frorip, _______ Cardenelle and others. Not far away was the Horan family (two of the sons were Kearn and Patrick).
A strip of land in Flora and Sacred Heart townships, extending from Middle Creek to Sacred Heart creek, was thickly settled by Germans, beginning with 1859 or possibly earlier. No doubt there were over one hundred and fifty persons in this settlement at the time of the massacre. Unfortunately the names of the settlers are for the most part forgotten. Many were killed in the massacre. The names of some male adults are Rev. Christian L. Seder, Johan Schwandt, John Walz, John Frass, August Frass, Gottfried Buce (Busse), Fred Lentz, Ernst Lenc (Lentz?), T. Lenc (Lentz?), Gottlieb and William Manweiler, Louis Thiele, Michael Zitzoff (Zitzloff), Charles Lettow (Lateau ?), Paul Kitzman, John Meyer, Frederick and Wilhelm Schmidt, M. Yess, Peter Bjorkman, William Smith, John and Michael Boelter, Frederick Krieger (Krueger), William Lammers, Balthasar Eisenreich, Peter Eidenfelt (also spelled Inefeldt and Eidenfiekl), August Horning, Gottlieb Zable, John Lateau (Sateau also Lotto), John Kochendorfer, Sr., John Grundmann. Other family names in the colony were: Rosler (Raessler), Urban, Gluth, Lummis, Lang, Sitzton, Sieg, Krause (Krus, Kraus), Stoltz, Schwanke, Nichols, Giest and Levant. In the same locality was Christ Schlumberger, three miles above Beaver Creek.
The following partial list of those who found refuge in Ft. Ridgely the first day of the massacre shows many names of early settlers of Renville county. According to the official reports the refugees at the fort from the various settlements were:
Beaver Creek: Ann Latto, aged forty-two, born in Germany. Husband killed August 18, 1862. F. Latto (also written Lateau and Sateau), aged twelve, born in Germany, a boy. A. Latto, aged ten, born in Germany, a boy. Augusta Latto. aged five, born in Germany, a girl. Marg. Hayden, aged nineteen, born in Canada. Husband killed. Catherine Hayden, aged one year, born in Minnesota. John Chassie, aged forty-six, born in Prussia, lame from previous injuries. R. Chassie, aged forty-two, born in Prussia, wife of John Chassie. W. Latto, aged one-half year, born in Minnesota. Ernest Lenc (Lentz), aged forty-five, born in Germany. W. Lenc, aged forty-two, born in Germany, wife of Ernst Lenc. A. Lenc, aged eleven, born in Germany, a girl. L. Lenc, aged six, born in Germany, a girl. H. Lenc. aged one, born in Minnesota, a boy. T. Lenc aged forty-three, born in Germany. F. Lenc, aged forty-three, born in Germany, wife of T. Lenc. F. Belte (Boelter), aged one-half year, born in Beaver Creek, Minnesota, parents killed, now with Fr. Lenc. C. Yess, aged forty-eight, born in Germany: woman, wounded; one girl nine years old, captive. M. Yess, aged forty-five, born in Germany, husband of C. Yess. A. Yess, aged fourteen, born in Germany, a boy. A. Levant, aged eleven, born in Germany, a boy, parents, two sisters and brother killed by the Indians. G. Cruer, aged eleven, born in Germany, boy, father and mother killed. John Cruer, aged nine, born in Germany, brother to G. Cruer. J. Kirchendorfer (Kochendorfer), aged eleven, born in Illinois; parents and sister killed. R. Kirchendorfer, aged nine, born in Illinois, a girl; parents killed, relatives in Illinois. K. Kirchendorfer, aged seven, born in Illinois, a girl; parents killed, relatives in Illinois. M. Kirchendorfer, aged five, born in Illinois; parents killed, relatives in Illinois. C. Monwiler (Manweiler), aged twenty-three, born in Germany; husband killed, no children. John Myhre (Myer), aged thirty-five, born in Germany; wife and three children killed or prisoners. Michael Belter (Boelter), aged thirty-one, born in Germany; wife and children killed or captives. Petrus B. Jorkman (Bjorkman), aged forty-one, born in Sweden.
Above Beaver Creek: T. Krons (Krause?), aged thirty-two, born in Germany; wife and three children captured.
Three miles above Beaver Creek: Christ Schlumberger, aged twenty-six, born in Germany.
LeCroix Creek: Ellen McConnell, aged seventy, born in Scotland; has a daughter and two children captives. David McConnell, aged forty years, born in Scotland. Joseph McConnell, aged twenty-five, born in Scotland. J. Komro (Kumro), aged thirty-seven, born in Germany. May Komro, aged thirtytwo, born in France; wife of J. Komro. W. Komro, aged six, born in Minnesota, a boy. L. Komro, aged three, born in Minnesota, a girl. F. Komro, aged three months, born in Minnesota, baby. George Buerry, aged thirty-seven, born in France. Sally Buerry, aged thirty-four, born in France, wife of George Buerry. C. Buerry, aged fourteen, born in Buffalo, New York, a girl. M. Buerry, aged twelve, born in Buffalo, New York, a girl. George Buerry, aged six, born in Canada, a boy. Emely Buerry, aged four, born in Minnesota, a girl. Mary Buerry, aged three, born in Minnesota, a girl. Martha Buerry, aged nine months, born in Minnesota, a baby. H. Kirtna (Keartner), aged twenty-three, born in Germany, husband killed. Mary Zimmerman, aged fortyfour, born in Germany, blind; husband and two boys killed, relatives in Ohio. M. Zimmerman, aged seventeen, born in Germany. Eliz. Zimmerman, aged fourteen, born in Ohio. Sam Zimmerman, aged seven, born in Ohio, a boy. Mary Froscap (Frorip), aged sixty-five, born in Germany, a widow. Eliza Froscap, eighteen, born in Germany. E. Paro (Pereau), aged thirty-three, born at Sioux Agency; husband killed. J. Paro, aged twelve, born in Canada, a girl. M. Paro. aged nine, born in Canada. R. Paro, aged ten, born in Canada, a boy. George Paro, aged eight, born in Canada, a boy. E. Paro, aged five, born in Minnesota, a girl. S. Paro. aged one, born in Le Croix Creek, a girl. E. Peco, aged twenty-two, born in Le Croix Creek; husband killed, has one girl with the Indians. C. Peco, aged one, born at Sioux Agency, Minnesota, a boy. E. Peco, aged six months, born in Minnesota, a boy. C. Witt, aged forty-five, born in Germany, wife killed by the Indians. W. Witt, aged fourteen, born in Germany, son of C. Witt. L. Witt, aged nine, born in Germany, daughter of above. C. Witt, aged seven, born in Germany, a boy. M. Witt, aged four, born in Wisconsin, a girl. A. Witt, aged one, born in Minnesota, a boy. Winona, aged seventeen, born at Winona. Louis Lecroy (Le Croix), aged fifty-five, born in Missouri. Rosette Lecroy, aged twenty-five, born in Missouri. Louis Lecroy, aged twelve, born in Minnesota. L. Lecroy, aged ten, born in Minnesota. Spencer Lecroy, aged eight, born in Minnesota. Adrienne Lecroy, aged seven, born in Minnesota. Olive Lecroy, aged one and a half years, born in Minnesota, a girl.
Fort Ridgely: M. Jones, aged twenty-eight, born in England, wife of Sergeant Jones. G. W. Jones, aged six, born in Maryland, a boy. E. L. Jones, aged two, born at Fort Ridgely, a girl. E. Schilling, aged sixteen, born in Germany, a young woman. J. Schmahl, aged forty-five, born in Germany. R. Schmahl, aged thirty-five, born in Germany, wife of J. Schmahl. J. Schmahl, aged seven, born in Minnesota, a girl. M. Schmahl, aged six, born in Minnesota, a girl. S. Schmahl, aged four, born in Minnesota, a girl. Al. Schmahl, aged three, born in Minnesota, a boy. H. Schmahl, aged one and a half years, born in Minnesota, a boy. S. Halter, aged forty-five, born in Norway; husband enlisted in Hamilton's Battery. C. Halter, aged seven, born in Chicago, son of S. Halter.
Near Fort Ridgely: N. Burh (Buehro?) aged thirty-three, born in Germany. Anna Burh, aged forty, born in Germany, wife of N. Burh. W. Burh, aged five, born in Minnesota, a girl. E. Burh, aged one, born in Minnesota, baby. Mary Machansky, aged twenty-eight, born in Poland. M. Machansky, aged seven, born in Illinois, a girl. Jo Machansky, aged five, born in Louisiana, a girl. Ant. Machansky, aged four months, born in Minnesota.
Below the Agency: Anna Sampson (Quam?), aged thirtyfour, born in Norway; husband killed and herself badly burned in escaping. Sam Sampson, one-half year old, born in Minnesota. Alex (Helleck?) Peterson, aged twenty-seven, born in Norway. Julia Peterson, aged twenty-two born in Norway, wife of Alex. (Helleck) Peterson. P. Peterson, aged three, born in Minnesota, a boy. J. Peterson, aged one, born in Minnesota, a girl.
Three miles below the Agency: Peter Klaron, aged twentynine, born in Germany. This is possibly a misprint for Peter Horan.
Mud Lake: A. Buhro (Buehro?), aged thirty-two, born in Germany; husband killed near Fort Ridgely. H. Buhro, aged one and a half years, born in Minnesota, a boy. The Rieke family. Four sons among defenders.
Although soon after the massacre the Indians were punished or transported, prowling bands still remained in the vicinity of their old haunts. On May 24, 1864, Col. Samuel McPhail, a pioneer of Redwood Falls, Redwood county, wrote to Col. William Pfaender, in command at Fort Ridgely. He says: "There are in this vicinity six or eight straggling Indians. If you could send up ten or twelve cavalry for a few days with our aid I feel confident we could capture them." On June 2 he wrote to General Sibley: "We are and have been greatly annoyed by small bands of prowling Indians. We would respectfully ask, if not inconsistent with the public service, that you grant us a small detachment of troops." Again, under date of June 14, to the adjutant general, Oscar Malmros, he says: "Send me to Fort Ridgely twenty Springfield rifles; also 1,000 ball cartridges. Should we use these cartridges we will pay for them with scalps, that is, if the bounty of $200 still holds good; if not, then charge them to the good of the service." The authorities responded to the appeals by sending guns and ammunition on July 28, and, on December 12, a squad of twelve ex-confederates for guard duty.
In the winter of 1862, a company of mixed blood scouts commanded by Gabriel Renville was stationed at Patterson's Rapids in Flora township, not far from the mouth of the Sacred Heart. Among these scouts was Joseph La Framboise.
After the Indian outbreak, a chain of forts was established for the safety and protection of the citizens in the eastern part of the state. For several years this line marked the western boundary of civilization in the state. Jerry P. Patten, a private in Company H, Sixth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, detachments of which were stationed at these posts or forts, furnished the names of the posts which extended through Renville county and vicinity. The locations were as follows: Kingston (on Crow river), Hutchinson, Preston lake, Buffalo lake, Ft. Burns (between Buffalo lake and Ft. Ridgely), Ft. Ridgely and Sleepy Eye. In addition to the companies or detachments of companies of infantry stationed at these posts, detachments of cavalrymen patrolled the line every day to look for signs of Indians. The ruins of the Buffalo Lake post are still to be seen on the shores of that lake, not far from the village. In addition to the posts mentioned the line extended across the state and well into Iowa.
When Darwin S. Hall moved to Preston Lake township there were still evidences of the soldiers' camp along the shore of the lake in section 10. On the southeast quarter of the northwest quarter of section 15 a trench had been cut through a swell of land evidently with the idea of shelter and defense.
For many years entrenchments could plainly be seen near Ft. Creek in Cairo township, some mile and a half northeast of the fort.
There were no settlers in Renville county in 1864 west of the Riekies, with the possible exception of a few half breeds in the vicinity of the mouth of Hawk creek. Here and there a trapper pursued his calling and found shelter at times in some settler's cabin left standing by the Indians, but for the most part the county was bereft of human activity from the time of the Indian Massacre to the time when a few brave souls ventured back in 1865.
That there were no settlers between Ft. Ridgely and the Redwood ferry in 1864 is shown by an experience which Jerry P. Patten relates of that year.
"In the month of May, 1864, I was stationed at Ft. Ridgely with my company, H, of the Sixth Minn. Vol. Inf. The Indians cut the rope of the ferry boat at the Lower agency ferry, and the boat came drifting down to Ft. Ridgely, where it was caught by the soldiers.
''Sergeant Libbeus White, of Co. H., was detailed with twelve men to pole the boat back up the river and with a new rope put the ferry in working condition again. The detail consisted of E. B. Speed, William Speed, James Blair, Lafe. Root, and Jerry P. Patten, of Co. H, Sixth Regiment; and six men of Co. A, Sixth Regiment. The task was performed without accident.
"Then we tore some lumber from the old government mill which stood just below the ferry and made a raft on which we floated back to Ft. Ridgely. The whole trip took three weeks.
"At that time there were no settlers above Ft. Ridgely. Neither were there any large bodies of Indians. But there were small parties of Indians scouting over our frontier. A scouting party from our regiment killed an Indian on the Cottonwood river between Sleepy Eye and New Ulm and brought his body to the fort. He was buried behind the stone quarters in lime as the physicians desired his body. The place he was killed was near the home of R. B. Hinton, later one of the first business men of Morton."
The story of the settlement of the county after the Outbreak is told elsewhere, under the head of the different townships.
An Early Map. A map of Renville county published in 1873 shows many interesting features as contrasted with the present day. Boon Lake township is named and bounded as at present. The lake bears its present name. Cornish & McKibbin are located on the lake in the extreme western part of section 8. A. Schultz is in the western part of section 12. A school house is in the northwest part of section 13. W. McLaughlin is in the northern part of section 22. A. H. Moore is in the southwest part of section 24. G. D. Stoddard is not far away, but his exact location is not indicated. H. I. White is in the northern part of section 26 and a school house is in the central part. W. D. Graham is in the northern part of section 28. Section 30 is quite thickly settled. In the northeastern part is a school house. In the east central part is J. W. Post, while in the southeastern part is T. H. Tyson. In the northwest corner is J. McKeogh; south of him is W. H. Simmons. South of him is T. McKeogh, while in the southwest corner is J. Chapman. G. Maddock is in the southern part of section 31. M. T. Ridout is in the north central part of section 32 and G. R. Green is in the northwestern part. Boon Lake postoffice is northeast of the center of section 33. East of it is I. S. Shephard. In the southern part of that section is .I. S. Niles.
Brookfiehl township is named and organized as at present. The settlers named are all in the southeast part. G. D. Richardson is in the northeast part of section 24; J. Booth, south of him, and W. H. Simmons, south of him, in the southeast corner of the section. J. Wilt is in the central part of section 26, and C. E. Porter in the northwest corner of that section. E. K. Pellet is in the northeast comer of section 24.
The present towns of Osceola, Kingman, Winfield and Crooks bear no name and no names of settlers. In Winfield township Lizzard Lake is indicated. This is the present Long Lake.
The present town of Ericson is indicated as Errickson, but no settlements are given therein. The present town of Wang is given as a part of Hawk Creek and no settlements are shown. The creek bears its present name. In the present town of Hawk Creek school houses are shown in the western part of section 4, in the southeast part of section 10. Hawk Creek postoffice is shown in the southwest part of section 8. In the central part of that section is F. W. Braseh. J. Wynn is in the northern part of section 17 and K. T. Reed in the southwest corner of section 16. M. Robidoux is in the northeast corner of section 28. A hamlet, Jeanettville, is on the river in the northwest part of that section. J. D. McRoberts is in the northeast part of section 34 and G. Kerry in the northwest corner of section 1 on the Minnesota river.

Sacred Heart bears its present name and area. In the part that embraces townships 115-37 no settlements are given. A school house is indicated west of the central part of section 19. In the part which lies in township 114-37 a school house is shown in the southwest part of section 12; O. Olson is shown in the southwest part of section 4 and Minnesota Crossing postoffice is in the northeast corner of section 8.
The present town of Emmet is given as Emmitt. The school house is shown in the eastern part of section 28 but no settlements. No name and no settlements are given for the present town of Troy. No name is given for the present town of Bird Island. The only farm shown is that of N. O'Brien in the northwest corner of section 28. No name is given for the present town of Melville. N. G. Poor is in the central part of section 18. Hector bears its present name and boundaries. W. H. Graham is in the northern part of section 2, and J. J. Clark on the lake, in the southeast part of the same section. The present town of Preston Lake bears the name of Preston Lakes. The lake bears its present name, while Lake Allie is given the name of Lake Alley. A school house is given in the central part of section 10, and a cemetery in the northeast part of section 15. H. H. Davis is in the northern part of section 7, and F. Maddock in the southern part of section 8. In the central part of section 16 is W. Eynon. Swansea postoffice is in the western part of section 14, and E. Houck in the eastern part. H. F. Bartlett is in the north central part of section 22. Buffalo lake is in the northern part of section 30 and northeast from it flows Buffalo creek.
The present town of Martinsburg is given no name and no settlers. The present town of Palmyra is given its present name, but no settlers. Palmyra postoffice is in the northwest corner of section 22. The present town of Norfolk is given the name of Marschner. A schoolhouse is shown in the southwest corner of section 28. G. W. Crouch is in the northern part of the township, but his exact location is not given. Henryville bears its present name and boundaries. M. M. Taylor is shown in the northwest part. Flora township has its present name and boundaries. A school is shown in the central part of section 35. A village, Vicksburgh, is shown in the central part of section 19. Hcrzhorn postoffice is in the central part of the boundary line between sections 35 and 2, not far from Minnesota river. F. Shoemaker is half a mile away in the northeast part of section 1. Middle creek flows into the Minnesota in the western part of section 33.
Birch Cooley, Bandon Wellington, Camp, Cairo and Beaver Falls are given their present names and boundaries with the exception that the "e" is omitted in spelling Cooley.
No settlers are given in Wellington. J. Walseth is given in the southwest part of section 31, in Bandon. In Birch Cooley schoolhouses are shown in the northeast corner of section 29, in the western part of section 23, and in the northwestern part of section 16. Birch "Cooly" postoffice was west of the center of section 22. G. McCullock is south of the central part of section 20. P. Henry is in the western part of section 8, and J. M. Eaton in the northwest part of section 4. Holder Jacobus is in section 12, near the river. Franklin postoffice is at his home.
Beaver Falls is shown as a good sized hamlet in section 22, Beaver Falls township. A cemetery is near the village. Schoolhouses are shown in the southwest part of section 8, in the southwest part of section 2, and in the western part of section 24. A mill is shown in the northeast part of section 15, owned by N. D. White. R. Butler is in the central part of section 12; B. Gordon is in the southeast part of section 1; J. Arnett is in the northeast part of section 25; E. N. Welch is in the northern part of section 20; T. H. Risinger is in the eastern part of section 8, and F. Schaller in the northwest part of section 9.
The only church shown is in the northwest part of section 10, Camp township. Schoolhouses are indicated in the southwest corner of section 10, the southwest quarter of section 8, and the northeast corner of section 26. A mill is shown in the western part of section 18, and in the western part of section 27. H. C. Jansen is southwest of the center of section 10; W. Foley is in the southeast part of section 14; N. O. Berge is shown in the central part of section 26, and C. Skielter in the southern part. O. O. Nesburg is in the western part of section 35, and William F. Grummons in the southwest part of section 36. A. Monson is in the eastern part of section 7. H. S. Johnson is in the northeast part of section 18. J. Halverson is in the southeastern part of section 18. Otto Haack is in the northeast part of section 19. Renville postoffice is near the joining of sections 22, 23, 26 and 27. Three Mile creek is indicated. Foot creek is also shown.
Three schoolhouses are shown in Cairo, in the northwest part of section 8, in the western part of section 28 and in the southeastern part of section 27. Mud lake, Mud creek and Foot creek are shown. E. O'Hara is in the northeast corner of section 8, D. E. Rector is in the central part of section 20, M. M. Buck is in the southeast part of section 29.
The map is by no means complete. The few farms selected for mention were evidently taken haphazard. Some of the towns in which no farms are given, were fairly well settled. But the map recalls many names now forgotten and gives the present day reader an idea of the appearance that Renville county made in the geographies of forty years ago.
The list of patrons of the atlas in which this map appeared is also interesting, for while many prominent men are omitted, the list nevertheless gives the names of many people who, in those days, were well known.
Marschner township (Norfolk)—Charles H. Sherwood, section 34, a farmer, born in McHenry county, Illinois, who came to Minnesota in 1856.
Elkhorn township (Melville)—Newton G. Poor, section 18, farmer, born in Warren county, Pennsylvania, who came to Minnesota in 1856.
Milford township—J. J. Clark, section 2, a farmer, born in New York, who came to Minnesota in 1871; W. H. Graham, section 2, a farmer, born in New York, who came to Minnesota in 1863; and K. Olson, section 18, a farmer, born in Wass, Norway, who came to Minnesota in 1873.
Hawk Creek township—F. W. Brasch, section 8. a farmer, born in Germany, who came to Minnesota in 1866; Carl Lewis. Minnesota Falls, a merchant, born in Stafford, Conn., who came to Minnesota in 1857; George Lewis, Minnesota Falls, a blacksmith, born in Delaware county, Indiana, who came to Minnesota in 1857; K. T. Reed, section 16, a farmer, born in Norway, who came to Minnesota in 1867; Manlore Robideaux, section 28, a farmer, born in Canada, who came to Minnesota in 1853; George Theny, section 1, a farmer, born in Quebec, Canada, who came to Minnesota in 1857; Jesse Wynn, section 8, a farmer, born in Warren county, Indiana, who came to Minnesota in 1864.
Beaver Falls township—Henry Ahrens, Beaver Falls, a miller, born in Germany, came to Minnesota in 1861; James Arnold, Beaver Falls, sheriff, born in Licking county, Ohio, came to Minnesota in 1867; John A. Arnett, section 25, a farmer, born in New York, came to Minnesota in 1862: Peter Berudgen, Beaver Falls, dealer in general merchandise, born in Prussia, Germany, came to Minnesota in 1859: Russell Butler, section 12, a farmer, born in Clinton county, New York, came to Minnesota in 1864; J. W. Barnard, Beaver Falls, druggist and postmaster, born in Canada, came to Minnesota in 1870; David Corrothers, Beaver Falls, a farmer, born in Mansfield, Ohio, came to Minnesota, in 1856; Wm. Crowley, Beaver Falls, proprietor of the Dacota House, born in Bradford county, Pennsylvania, came to Minnesota in 1860; Lottie A. Clift, section 8, a teacher, born in Indiana, came to Minnesota in 1857; C. H. Drew, Beaver Falls, dealer in fruit trees, born in Richmond, Va., came to Minnesota in 1850; John M. Dorman. Beaver Falls, lawyer and court commissioner, born in Rockbridge county, Virginia, came to Minnesota in 1865: Eric Ericson, Beaver Falls, county auditor, born in Jefferson county, Wisconsin, came to Minnesota in 1871: Charles W. Fleischer. Beaver Falls, millwright, born in Saxony, Germany, came to Minnesota in 1871; G. T. Gronnerud, Beaver Falls, a merchant, born in Norway, came to Minnesota in 1872; Hans Oronnerud, Beaver Falls, county treasurer, born in Norway, came to Minnesota in 1871 ; E. H. Gates, Beaver Falls, saloonkeeper, born in Connecticut, came to Minnesota in 1855: C. Henning. Beaver Falls, a merchant, came to Minnesota in 1865, born in Prussia, Germany; D. S. Hall, Beaver Falls, clerk of the district court, born in Kenosha county, Wisconsin, came to Minnesota in 1866; Henry Hipple, Beaver Falls, blacksmith, born in Perry county, Pennsylvania, came to Minnesota in 1856; P. W. Heins, Beaver Falls, dealer in hardware and farming tools, born in Hanover, Germany, came to Minnesota in 1868; Leonard Hiller, Beaver Falls, retired, born in Bavaria, Germany, came to Minnesota in 1874; H. Kelsey, Beaver Falls, editor of the Renville "Times," born in Danville, New York, came to Minnesota in 1874; George H. Megquier, Beaver Falls, probate judge, county attorney and superintendent of county schools, born in St. Clair county, Maine, came to Minnesota in 1867; S. R. Miller, Beaver Falls, attorney at law, born in Mansfield, Ohio, came in 1871; Jeppa Pearson, Beaver Falls, cabinetmaker and furniture dealer, born in Sweden, came in 1865; T. H. Risinger, section 8. a farmer, born in Indiana, came to Minnesota in 1860; T. H. Sherwin, Beaver Falls, physician and surgeon, born in Allegany county, New York, came to Minnesota in 1860; N. Stone, Beaver Falls, merchant and grain dealer, born in Canada, came to Minnesota in 1854; Frederick Shaller, section 9, a farmer, born in Germany, came in 1870; Charles A. Tripp. Beaver Falls, a farmer, born in Wisconsin, came in 1868: M. M. Taylor, a farmer, born in East Canada, came in 1865; N. D. While, a farmer and miller, born in New York, came in 1862.
Birch Cooley township—William Brennan, section 27, clergyman, born in Ireland, came to Minnesota in 1866; James M. Eaton, section 36, a farmer and judge of probate, born in New Hampshire, came to Minnesota in 1869; Peter Henry, section 8, a farmer born in Ireland, came to Minnesota in 1853; Holder Jacobus, section 12 (Camp), born in Ireland, came in 1865; George McCulloch, section 20, a farmer, born in Scotland, came in 1853.
Cairo township—M. M. Burk, section 29, a farmer, born in Vermont, came to Minnesota in 1869; Edmund O'Hara, section 8, a fanner, born in Limerick county, Ireland, came in 1866; and Datis E. Rector, section 20, a farmer, born in Schenectady county, New York, came in 1866.
Rockford township (Brookfield)—Edward K. Pellet, section 34, a fanner and teacher, born in Massachusetts, came to Minnesota in 1871; Charles E. Porter, section 26, a farmer, born in Illinois, came in 1872; George D. Richardson, section 34, a farmer, born in Delaware county, Indiana, came in 1867; and Flora E. Wilson, Brookfield, a teacher, born in Dakota county.
Preston Lake township—H. T. Bartlett. section 22, a farmer, born in Germany, came to Minnesota in 1868: Hiram H. Davis, section 7, a farmer, born in Wyoming county, Pennsylvania, came in 1856; Watkins Eynon. section 16, a farmer and carpenter, born in Wales, came in 1873: Elijah Houck, section 14, a farmer, born in New Hampshire, came in 1854; Francis Maddock, section 8, a farmer, born in England, came in 1852.
Boone Lake township—John Booth, section 24, a farmer, born in Dutchess county, New York, came to Minnesota in 1855; James Chapman, section 30, a farmer, born in Niagara county, New York, came in 1866; T. M. Cornish, section 7, stockraiser and farmer, born in New York city, came in 1872; W. D. Graham, section 28, a farmer, born in Oakland county, Mich., came in 1863; George R. Green, section 32, a farmer, born in Chenango county, New York, came in 1852; George Maddock, a farmer, born in England, came in 1857; Tim McKeough, section 30, a farmer, born in Canada, came in 1872; James McKeough, section 30, a farmer born in Ireland, came in 1871; G. G. McKibb, William McLaughlin, section 22, a farmer, born in Schuyler county, New York, came in 1853; James S. Nils, section 33, a granger, born in Indiana, came in 1855; J. W. Post, section 30, a farmer, born in Niagara county, New York, came in 1866; Moses T. Ridout, section 32, a farmer, born in New York, came in 1871; Ira S. Shepherd, section 33, a farmer, born in Cattaraugus county, New York, came in 1855; G. D. Stoddard, section 24, a farmer, born in Steuben county, New York, came in 1865; W. G. Simmons, section 30, a farmer, born in England, came in 1871; Albert Schultze, section 12, a farmer, born in Germany, came in 1868; William H. Simmons, section 24, a farmer, born in England, came in 1871; J. H. Tyson, section 30, a farmer, born in Champlain county, New York, came in 1867; H. T. White, section 26, a farmer, born in Oswego City, New York, came in 1861; John Wilt, section 26, a farmer, born in Dane county, Wisconsin, came in 1873.
The native-born population in 1870 was 1,808, divided as follows: born in Minnesota, 707; New York, 314; Wisconsin, 199; Ohio, 62; Illinois, 101; Pennsylvania, 72. The total foreign born population was 1,411, divided as follows: born in British America, 143; England and Wales,34; Ireland, 146; Scotland, 4; Germany, 248; France, 3; Sweden and Norway, 775.
The population by minor civil divisions was as follows: Beaver (now called Beaver Falls), total 569, native born, 401, foreign born, 168; Birch Cooley, total 503, native born, 306, foreign born, 197; Cairo, total 326, native born, 227, foreign born, 99; Camp, total 418, native born 154, foreign born, 264; Cedar Mills, total. 205, native born, 180, foreign born, 25; Cosmos, total 62, native born, 41, foreign born 21: Flora, total 269, native born, 186, foreign born, 83; Hawk Creek, total 253, native born, 94, foreign born, 259; Preston Lake, total 198, native born, 86, foreign born, 230.
In 1870 the assessed value of real and personal property in Renville county was $225,143, the real value $1,209,252. The total taxation was $6,084, the state, $926, the county, $4,165 and the town and village, $993. The public debt was $1,000.
Renville county, in 1870, contained 512 farms, which are divided according to their acreage as follows: Under three acres, 1; from three to ten acres, 142; from ten to twenty acres, 183; from twenty to thirty acres, 159; from fifty to 100 acres, 26, and from 100 to 500 acres, 1.
Improved acres of land, 9,728; woodland, 3,990 acres; other land unimproved, 61,084 acres. Cash value of farms, $343,490; cash value of farming implements and machinery, $30,149; total amount of wages paid during the year, including value of board, $4,920; total (estimated) value of all farm products during the year including value of board, $96,043. Value of animals slaughtered or sold for slaughter, $2,606; value of all live stock, $16,999; number of horses, 404, number of mules and asses, 20; milk cows, 993; working oxen, 823; other cattle, 936; sheep, 833; swine, 285.
Spring wheat, 43,289 bushels; rye, 511 bushels; Indian corn, 6,537 bushels; oats, 27,659 bushels; barley, 3,610; buckwheat, 399 bushels; wool, 1,735 pounds; peas and beans, 97 pounds; Irish potatoes, 14,761 bushels; butter, 40,185 pounds; cheese, 610 pounds; hay, 9,731 pounds; sorghum, 237 pounds.

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