Rock County will celebrate its 150th Anniversary this year. The news will be the history of Rock County, townships, and communities. The following appeared in the Rose History of Rock County, printed in 1911.
County and Township Organization — 1870-1878 (continued from 04-16 edition)
Albion (Springwater)
Late in March, 1874, the citizens of township 103, range 46, and of the fractional strip in range 47 presented a petition, headed by C. W. Curtis, asking to be set off from Gregory and organized. The signers of the petition, with two exceptions, signified their choice of Albion as a name. The township was created May 5 under that name and it was provided that the first town meeting should be held at the home of George Collett, on the northwest quarter of section 22, on May 18. The change in name from Albion to Springwater was made by order of commissioners June 15, 1874, in accordance with the request of the voters of the new township as expressed by petition. Patents to Springwater township lands have been granted by the government as follows:
William A. Hackley (24), Michael Mead (26), Samuel H. Shoemaker (26), William Murphy (12r47), Thomas Murphy (8), Ernest Curtis (28-32), Frances M. Trunkey (32), Asa Canfield (24), Jacob Ashcraft (2r47), Frank A. Hyke (34), John M. Allen (32), Nelson R. Reynolds (14), James A. Claudman (12r47), Henry Munro (2), John T. Ladd (4), Alvin P. Reynolds (20-24r47), Lynn B. Cate (30), Edgar W. Eskridge (10), Wilber H. Spooner (20), George B. Collett (22), Myrta E. Curtis (28), Birch Chapin (22), Francis Rathbun (24r47), James Ryan, Jr. (12), William P Noble (2), Andrew Givens (12), Charles A. Reynolds (2r47), Lars Pedersen (11r47), Clause Nelson (32), Albert Barck (34), Lewis Barck (34-26r47), Oren R. Smith (14r47), Samuel Coss (34), John L. Marsden (4), William Givens (12), Daniel Hoppes (10-22), Wallace Cochrane (26r47), James D. Ladd (14), Cary C. Farnum (4), Chauncey L. Brock (2), Alfred Acheson (24r47), James Madison (18), Augustus R. Ladd (2), Perley Gillham (6), Nicholas E. Brennan (14r47), Augustus Birdsong (6), John A. Loeffler (8), Thomas Grimes (12), Ole Julson (26r47), Eliza A. Curtis (28), Nels Benson (30), James E. Chesley (30), Austine Grimes (10), Martin Williams (18), David Noonan (24r47), Alonzo C. Kimble (6), Oscar A. Headley (18-30), Patrick Gartland (8), Paul Ingleson (30), Martin Williams (24r47), Anthony B. Shroyer (14), John Halvorsen (26r47), William Coughlin (20), Timothy Bergin (8), John Hofelman (2), Burnham M. Pengra (22), Halsten Tvidt (10r47), Isaac Olson (34r47), August Birdsong (6), Platt Armstrong (28), Robert Phelan (12), Heirs of Charles Hall (14), Patrick Brennan (18), Michael Bergin (12r47) Henrick E. Jordahl (22r47), Clarence E. Dike (10).
Donations to the Rock County Historical Society can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, 312 E. Main Street, Luverne, MN 56156.
Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.