History of Township, Villages, and City's of Rice County Minnesota
Rice County
This county is named after Henry M. Rice, First U.S. senator in congress from Minnesota.
Bridgewater Township
Was formally organized in 1858. Jacob Emery, T.A Upham and B. Lockerby were chosen as supervisors.
Little Prarie Community
Some early settlers were, Jacob Emery
Dundas
Dundas was founded in 1857 by John Sidney Archibald, he named it after a Canadian county near his birth place.
Cannon City Township
Settlment started early 1854.
Faribault
Founded by Alexander Faribault, he was a fur trader and established a trading post.
Erin Township
Settlement of the township was in 1855.It was named after the Ireland Immigrants who came and settled there.
Forest Township
Settled in 1854 by James Fizsimmions, he then sold it the following Spring to George W. Miller.
Millersburg
This land was plotted out in 1857 by George W. Miller.
Morristown Township
Named after early pioneer, Johnthan Morris. After his death in 1855, his wife Sara Starbuck Morris platted the town April 19, 1857.
Northfield Township
Northfield
John W. North founded the town in 1855, he was not the first settler to the area. Some of the first settlers were, D. Kirkendahl (Kuykendahl), Alexander Stewart and Johnathan Alexander. On September 7, 1876. Jessie James and Younger Brother's attemted to rob The First National Bank.
Richland Township
Was named after its rich soil.
It was Settled in 1854 by Four Norwegian immgrants, Halver Halverson, Erik Gunderson, Ole Larson and Osten Olson. It was called the "Norwegian grove".
Shieldsville Township
General James Shields laid out the village.
Walcott Township
Was named in Honor of Samuel Walcott. The frist settler to the area was Edward H. Cutts, he came in December of 1853.
Warsaw Township
From 1850 to 1854 the township was named Sargent at the suggestion of Dr. Charles Jewett, but after a while the town was named Warsaw, after a town in New York where many of the early settlers had come from.
Webster Township
The first settler to arrive was and Irishman named Martin Taylor, He settled there in November of 1855. Later that year Ferris Webster and his sons settled in Webster and because of his prominent role in the townships development, it was decided to name this township in honor of Ferris. This township had many other names in the begining, First it was named Mimmemanda by goverment surveryours, and later it was known as Carroltown, then Pigtown, named after Magnu Olson's large pig farm.
Wells Township
Named after James "Buddy" Wells.
Wheatland Township
Veseli
Lonsdale
Founded in 1902, The Chicago Milwaukee and St.Paul Railroad was the reason for the early settlement.
Wheeling Township
Settled in 1854.
Nerstrand
Founded by Osmund Osmundson in 1855, he was born in Norway in Nerstrand (near the strand) near the city of Stavanger.
I am still working on this page, It is not complete. If you have something to add, I would love to hear from you.
