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

Faribault in 1890, looking west from Second St. on east side
preceding survey, it was thought best by the
proprietors, after a vain attempt to harmonize
conflicting interests caused by conflicting boundary
lines, to have a survey made. The plat of this survey
was not filed for record until the eleventh day of
November, 1856, but previous to that date it was a town
of sufficient force to give Faribault a lively race in a
contest for the location of the county seat.
On April 1, 1856, Mrs. Sarah Morris, mother of
Walter Morris, one of the first proprietors of the town
of Faribault, and widow of Jonathan Morris, one of the
first settlers of Morristown, filed and recorded the plat
of Morristown.
These were the first born towns of Rice County, but
speculators had dreams of more communities and
these were added to the list. Numerous additions were
surveyed and added to towns already recorded. The
new towns of Wheatland, Wedgewood, Warsaw,
Walcott, Shieldsville, Dundas, Millersburg,· East
Prairieville and Lake City were added to the list. Of
these some are still in existence and others are just a
memory.
Production Grows
While settlement in towns and villages continued to
grow, so did agricultural production. Official census
figures showed that in 1860 in Rice County 18,000 acres
were under cultivation in various fruits and grains with
a production of 260,000 bushels of wheat. By 1872, there
were 56,672 acres under cultivation and 548,000 bushels
of wheat produced.
Rice County's population also grew steadily. In
1855 the population was estimated as between 1,500 and
2,000; In 1860, 7,866; in 1865, 10,966; in 1870, 16,399 and in
1880, the official census report showed a county
population of 20,622.
As the figures indicate, settlement of Faribault
and other communities in the county steadily
increased. Schools and churches were established,
various organizations were formed, new business
firms and industries were established and agricultural
production increased.
Although settlement of the City of Faribault began
as early as 1853, Faribault was not incorporated as a ,
municipal government until 1872 when a new city
charter was adopted and the Hon. George W. Tower
was elected this city's first mayor. He was inaugurated
as mayor on April9, 1872 with pomp and ceremony.
Other city officers elected in 1872 included:
Aldermen: C.D. Ham, J.H. Harding, S.C. Dunham,
L.C. Ingram, J.H. Winter, T.H. Nutting, W.L. Turner
and H. E. Barron. Barron was elected president of the
board and Henry E. Some was appointed clerk.
Justices of the Peace named were: Joseph C. Mold,
O.F. Perkins, J.B. Quinn and J.F. Smallidge.
The mayor appointed and the council affirmed
officers as follows: Moses Cole, chief of police; James
Hunter and Charles Kiekenapp, policemen; Gordon E.
Cole, city attorney; R. H. L. Jewett, city surveyor;
William Dickinson, street commissioner; Henry
Dunham, assessor. Mr. Cole declined to accept the
attorneyship and J. C. Morrow was appointed. A. W.
McKinstry was appointed city printer.
Disastrous Fire
Historical records disclose that on June 18, 1878 one
of this community's worst fires occurred. Almost an
entire square was consumed including two banks and
10 stores. Losses were estimated at $125,000 and many
people suffered because of the conflagration.
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