Towns of Meeker County

118-31-Greenleaf; named after Hon. Wm. H Greenleaf, who first commenced improvements by the erection of a mill dam on the site of the village of that name, and the subsequent erection of a flour and saw mill. The first settlers of this Congressional Township were three brothers Wm., Herman and Charles Kruger, in the spring of 1857, originally attached to the town of Ness-organized as town of Greenleaf, August 27, I859, including 118-29, 30 and 31, except sections 1 to 6 inclusive.

When we first saw Wm. H. Greenleaf, he was standing up to his knees in the mud in the outlet of "Lake Willie," artistically laying up the sods with his hands, in a fruitless endeavor to prevent water from running down hill ! We are glad to say that he has had far better luck at other business since.

Lake Willie was named after U. S. Willie, Esq., a young lawyer who lived a year or two at Forest City, and died there.

Two gentlemen by the name of Orcutt and Pratt effected a settlement in this town in 1856, on land now owned by Vincent Coombs. They plowed about 3 acres, and while at dinner one day the Indians killed one of their oxen, which broke up their team, and becoming disheartened deserted their claims and went to Forest City where they, remained till fall when they left the country. Branham and Whitcomb settled in 1857 and the McGannons in 1858.

118-30-Danielson, originally part of Acton, was organized distinctively March I2th, 1872, and named after Nels Danielson, who settled in this town in 1561, where he continued to reside till his death in 187o. His family still reside there.

Noah White, Esq., first settled in this town in 1857 but abandoned it in 1858, removing to Kandiyohi county where he has ever since resided and still resides. Noah, was the political Moses " of Kandiyohi county for about 16 years. In long years gone by, when the Republican party wanted to concentrate public sentiment and obtain a full delegation from Kandiyohi county in State and District conventions, they had but to look up Noah White and the thing was fixed.

The native mosquitoes and fleas of Kandiyohi County will be long and pleasingly remembered by various politicians of Hennepin County during the past decade.
Having occasion to spend a beautiful moon-light Autumn night on one of these occasions, watching the Republican politicians, we enjoyed a nights rest on the soft side of a log with the bark on and an oak chip for a pillow, and as the silent watches of the night drove sleep from our eye lid, out position called to mind the words of a great philosopher:
Life is an inconceivably beautiful thing, so soon as we reach that point whence we can look out upon it through a clear conscience and a character well buffeted by experience. The one diffuses a pure, heavenly light over all the strange and complex mass which meets the eye, the other tones down our enthusiasm without destroying the vigor."

Meeker County