LAKE BENTON TOWNSHIP

On October 22, 1872 the board of commissioners of Lyon county granted a petition of a majority of the legal voters in township 109, range 44 and 45, also a part of township 110, range 45, lying south of Lake Benton, being a fractional parts of sections 34-35 and 36, and issued a certificate designating such boundaries as a new township, naming same Lake Benton.

(On May 16, 1871 a petition was filed with the county commissioners of Lyon county, signed by G. E. Cummings and others, for road running through the county up the Redwood River to Lake Benton. On July 7, 1873 the board of county commissioners of Lyon County established the first county road, running from Marshall to Lake Benton).

The following notice, signed by two Lyon county commissioners, the deputy county auditor, and countersigned by S. G. Jones, Town clerk, was duly posted prior to November 2nd, 1872, relative to the organization of the township of Lake Benton, Lyon county (now Lincoln county):

"The legal voters of the town of Lake Benton in the county Lyon in the state of Minnesota are hereby notified that the first town meeting for said town will be held at the house of John Snyder on Saturday, the 2nd day of November, A. D., 1872, for the purpose of electing the following town officers, vis.: Three supervisors, treasurer, town clerk, assessor, tow justices of the peace, two constable.

Signed: T. S. Eastwood

M. L. Wood, Commissioners

Attest:

O. G. Gregg, Deputy County Auditor."

(Copied by S. G. Jones, Town Clerk)

Note: No record is available of the meeting held as above other than as given in the aforementioned notice.

The first available record of a township meeting held in the above mentioned township is of February 8, 1873. The meeting was held at the house of Wm. Ross. At this meeting the only business transacted was to agree to send for such record books as were needed and to pay for same by issuing an order to bear interest at ten per cent. Until paid. Signed by C. H. Briffett, Town Clerk.

A meeting was also held at the house of Wm. Ross on March 11, 1873. N. F. Berry was appointed moderator and Wm. Ross, Wm. Taylor and Thomas Lemon, supervisors, were present and sworn in. Polls were declared open but no record of the election was given. A motion was made and carried to raise fifty dollars for town expenses. Motion made and carried that horses, mules and asses shall not be allowed to run at large. Motion was made and carried that he next annual meeting shall be held at the home of Wm. Ross. Signed by Wm. Ross, Thomas Lemon, Wm. Taylor, supervisors, and C. H. Briffett, town Clerk.

At a meeting of the town board held March 22, 1873 at the home of Edgar Bentley an assessment of two days work was made upon each of those subject to poll tax. The township was divided into two road districts. Signed by Wm. Ross, J. W. Cooley and E. Bentley, Supervisors, and S. G. Jones, Clerk.

The following notice is also recorded:

"Notices of Bylaws relative to stock running at large were posted at the following places, to-wit: One at John Moore's, one at John Hutchin's blacksmith shop, one on the hill near Mr. Taylor's. Said notices were posted about the 20th of April 1873. Signed: S. G. Jones, Town clerk."

At the annual township meeting held at the house of Wm. Ross on Tuesday, March 10th, 1874, N. F. Berry was elected moderator. The following were elected township officers for the ensuing year: Wm. Ross, chairman; S. G. Jones, clerk; C. H. Briffett, assessor; J. D. Briffett, treasurer; Edgar Bentley, justice of the peace, Frank Apfeld and Ira Scott, constables.

At a meeting of the township supervisors held at the office of the clerk March 21st, 1874, J. W. Cooley was appointed chairman of the board of supervisors in place of Wm. Ross, resigned.

Lake Benton Township

Apfeld, Frank

Bentley, E.

Bentley, Edgar

Berry, N. F.

Briffett, C. H.

Briffett, J. D.

Cooley, J. W.

Eastwood, T. S.

Gregg, O. G.

Hutchin, John

Jones, S. G.

Lemon, Thomas

Moore, John

Ross, Wm.

Scott, Ira

Snyder, John

Taylor, Mr.

Taylor, Wm.

Wood, M. L.