Other Meeker County Townships

116-30-Union Grove; was first settled in 1856 by Lyman Allen, Andrew Hamilton, and by two other men by the names of Baker and Haywood. Allen and Haywood returned to Massachusetts in 1860. Baker is dead. Mr. Allen named the town, wherefore or for what is unknown. We have been promised a sketch of the early settlement and incidents of this town, but have thus far failed to receive it. This town was duly organized April 18, 1866.

117-31-Cedar Mills; this town took its name from Cedar Lake, situate in that locality, and the lake received its christening at the hands of Nicollet and Fremont, from the fact of an island in the lake covered with red cedar. It was hence designated on the old map as Ran-ti-tia-wita, the Indian for Red Cedar Island Lake."

This town was first settled in 1856 by Daniel Cross, who was killed by the Indians in 1862. The widow and family of three children still reside on the old claim.

In 1857 R. J. Brodwell, O. S. Merriam, Philander Ball, Geo. R. Jewett and a few others settled here. Mr. Nichols built a flour mill at this point in 1858, with three run of stone-capacity, 60 barrels per day.

116-32-Cosmos; was named by an eccentric gentleman, an early settler by the name of Hoyt, who was frozen to death four years ago last winter, in an effort to go on foot to the Minnesota River.

Dr. Kennedy says the word "Cosmos" is Greek and the Dr. knows, and that it signifies "the universe." The Dr. is an original Greek scholar ,and if he has deceived us, we shall never forgive him never. We think the Dr. is right, for the Greek order of architecture pretty generally prevails in this township, mostly off the plain Doric, which was invented by the Greeks, and it was in this very town that the rigor of the seasons obliged the settlers to construct shelters from the inclemency of the weather, and here they first learned to plant trees on end and then lay others across to support a covering. The bands which connected those trees at top and bottom, first gave them a clear idea of the base and capitol of pillars.

Mathews and Eddy were among the early settlers, but it was not much settled till after the Indian war. This town and Cedar Mills were voted from McLeod county, and became legally attached to Meeker County in 1871.

This town is now settled up with, a hardy, enterprising people.

Meeker County