Then & Now: A History of Rice County, Faribault & Communities

Old court house and soldier statue, Faribault
In January, 1860 the county was divided into five
commissioner districts, each being entitled to one
representative on the county board. The boundaries of
the districts today are similar to the original ones
although there have been some changes.
The newly elected board met May 15, 1860, the
following commissioners representing the various
districts: J. H. Parker, G. H. Batchelder, S. Webster,
C. Clopson and William Thorp. J. H. Parker was
named chairman and G. H. Batchelder was appointed
to serve as county auditor until the next election, his
bond being set at $5,000. His salary was set at $400 per
annum. The only records state: "Nothing more of
importance came before the board and the balance of
the time was spent discussing the road and school
districts, together with routine business.''
The year 1826 is notable in the history of the City of
Faribault as the date of the coming of Alexander
Faribault to the site of the place which now bears his
name. Accompanied by his young wife, he established
his trading post at the junction of the Straight and
Cannon Rivers in what is now known as North
Faribault. The banks of the Straight River were chosen
for his first camping place.
Alexander Faribault was a lover of nature; and as
his eye swept over the unbounded prairie to the south,
the Big Woods and silver lakes to the west and to the
meeting of the Cannon and Straight (Owatonna)
Rivers, it was indeed to him a paradise; yet he knew
the white man and realized, with a sigh, its future and
destiny.
In reading about Alexander Faribault, the eldest
son of Jean Baptiste Faribault, we find a life
interwoven with the development of the Great
Northwest almost as closely as his father.
Born in 1806
Alexander was born June 22, 1806, at Prairie du
Chien, then within the Louisiana Purchase, and was
founder and principal proprietor of the city which
bears his name. Because of a modest and retiring
nature, much of his early life never will be known.
About the year 1820 we find him on the banks of St.
Peter (now Minnesota) River, and the following year
located permanently at Mendota, then in the territory
of Michigan, as a United States licensed trader, having
outposts throughout the territory.
It was at this time that he improved the
opportunity to cultivate his English studies through the
courtesy of the United States officers at Fort Snelling.
~ He was married Nov. 1 1825, to Mary Elizabeth
Graham, the daughter of Capt. Duncan Graham.
She was born July 15, 1805, and died April8, 1875 at
the age of 69 years, at Elizabeth, Ottertail County. He
became the father of ten children namely, George H.,
Agnes, Emely, Daniel, Catherine, Philip, Julia,
Nathalie, William Richard)and A. Leon. The spring
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