It was while these conditions prevailed that Beaver Creek became an incorporated village. In the summer of 1884 the residents petitioned Judge Severance of the district court for an order declaring the village incorporated. The court heard the petition August 27 and on September 19 issued the necessary order. Colonel Harrison White, J. M. Park and Abram Osmun were named a committee to call the first election, which was set for October 2. Forty-two votes were cast at the first election. Following is a list of Beaver Creek residents who have been elected to office from the date of incorporation to the present time:8
1884—President, Harrison White; trustees, Abram Osmun, C. C. Cox, Andrew Obele; recorder, John Park; treasurer, James D. Campbell; justices, Oliver A. Hume, George B. Roderick; constable, John Carney.
1885—President, Harrison White; trustees, A. C. Goltz, C. C. Cox, Andrew Obele; recorder, George B. Roderick; treasurer, J. O. Brictson; justices , Oliver A. Hume, J. B. Obele;9 constable, John Carney.10
1886—President, Harrison Whit; trustees, A. C. Goltz, Andrew Obele, John Carney; recorder; George B. Roderick; treasurer, J. O. Brictson.
1887—President, F. D. Ressegieu; trustees, J. H. Gibson, Fred Ward, A. W. Hadwick; recorder, C. H. Humphrey; treasurer, J. O. Brictson; justice, Sam Henderson.
1888—President, F. D. Ressegieu; trustees, J. H. Gibson, Fred Ward, J. A. Shaver; recorder, J. B. Obele; treasurer, J. O. Brictson; justice, W. H. Leavens;11 constable, C. C. Cox.12
1889—President, Harrison White; trustees, Fred Ward, J.W. Leslie, Thomas Weston; recorder, J. B. Obele; treasurer, I. H. Burt; justice, A. J. Daley; constable, B. F. Gibson.
1890—President, Fred Ward; trustees, J. W. Leslie, Thomas Weston, G. C. Tunstall; recorder, Olaf Skyberg; treasurer, J. P. Richardson; justices, J. H. Adams, Leon Carr; constables, C. C. Cox, R. Reetz.
1891—President, Harrison White; trustees, Theodore Winchell, Thomas Weston, G. C. Tunstall; recorder, J. B. Obele; treasurer, J. P. Richardson; justice, James Marshall; constable, G. C. Mather.
1892—President, Fred Ward; trustees, E. H. Moreland, Jacob Hettinger, Andrew Obele; recorder, J. B. Obele; treasurer, J. P. Richardson; justices, J. H. Adams, James Marshall; constables, C. C. Cox, A. B. Price.
1893—President, Harrison White; trustees, E. H. Moreland, Jacob Hettinger, E. F. Baker; recorder, H. J. Smelser; treasurer, J. P. Richardson; justice, L. H. Owen; constable, A. E. Jordahl.
1894—President, Harrison White; trustees, E. H. Moreland, Jacob Hettinger, G. H. Worley; recorder, L. B. Sage; treasurer, I. H. Burt; justices, J. H. Adams, A. B. Vines; constable Theodore Winchell.
1895—President, Abram Osmun; trustees, W. T. Berry, Ira Crawford, Theodore Winchell; recorder, J. H. Adams; treasurer, O. B. Bratager; justice, L. B. Sage; constables, A. E. Jordahl, E. C. Conant.
1896—President, Abram Osmun; trustees, Ira Crawford, Theodore Winchell, G. C. Pluedeman; recorder, A. B. Vines; treasurer, O. B. Bratager; justices, J. H. Adams, Seth Crawford; constables, A. E. Jordahl, John Carney.
1897—President, Abram Osmun; trustees, Theodore Winchell, G. C. Pluedeman; E. J. Dunbar; recorder, A. B. Vines; treasurer, O. B. Bratager; justice, E. C. Brooks; constable, F. E. Welker.
1898—President, E. J. Dunbar; trustees, Theodore Winchell, J. S. Crawford, John Carney; recorder, W. J. Kinne;13 treasurer, O. B. Bratager;14 justice J. B. Obele; constable, F. E. Henton.
1899—President, E. J. Dunbar; trustees, Theodore Winchell, J. S. Crawford, John Carney; recorder, J. B. Obele; treasurer, F. E. Welker; justices, E. C. Brooks, J. S. Crawford;15 constable, F. E. Henton.
1900—President, E. J. Dunbar; trustees, Theodore Winchell, J. S. Crawford, H. R. Ohs; recorder, J. B. Obele; treasurer, F. E. Welker.
1901—President, E. J. Dunbar; trustees, Theodore Winchell, J. S. Crawford, John Carney; recorder, J. B. Obele; treasurer, F. E. Welker; justice, E. C. Brooks.
1902—President, E. J. Dunbar; trustees, John Carney, Samuel Loe, W. A. Speed; recorder, J. B. Obele; treasurer, G. F. Chisholm; justice, Ira Crawford; constable, Knudt Loe.
1903—President, H. J. Ferguson; trustees, Samuel Loe, W. A. Speed, F. E. Welker; recorder, J. B. Obele; treasurer, M. O. Page; justice, E. C. Brooks; constable, W. A. Weaver.
1904—President, H. J. Ferguson; trustees, Samuel Loe, F. E. Welker, A. J. Tangeman; recorder, L. Misener;16 treasurer, M. O. Page; justice L. Misener; constable, T. N. Adams.
1905—President, F. E. Welker; trustees, A. J. Tangeman, S. L. Todd, F. E. Henton; recorder, F. M. Jones; treasurer, M. O. Page; justices, E. C. Brooks, G. B. Whitney; constable, O. H. Hazel.
1906—President, F. E. Welker; trustees, A. J. Tangeman, S. L. Todd, F. E. Henton; recorder, W. E. Leeman; treasurer, M. O. Page; justices, G. B. Whitney, E. C. Brooks; constable, T. N. Adams.
1907—President, F. E. Welker; trustees, H. R. Ohs, J. C. Claussen, T. A. Gout; recorder, J. R. Doan; treasurer, M. O. Page; justice, E. C. Brooks; constable, G. B. Whitney.
1908—President, F. E. Welker; trustees, J. C. Claussen, F. E. Henton, L. M. Merkel; recorder, B. R. Page; treasurer, M. O. Page; justice, E. C. Brooks; constable, G. B. Whitney.
1909—President, F. E. Welker; trustees, J. C. Claussen, F. E. Henton, L. M. Merkel; recorder, H. S. Cragg; treasurer, M. O. Page; justice, E. C. Brooks, constable, James Vopat.
1910—President, F. E. Welker; trustees, L. M. Merkel, James Vopat, A. G. Gilbert; recorder, H. S. Cragg; treasurer, M. O. Page; justice, E. C. Brooks; constable, G. B. Whitney.
1911—President, H. S. Cragg; trustees, James Vopat, Henry Nowka, Frank Loose; recorder, E. J. Dunbar; treasurer, M. O. Page; justice, F. E. Welker; constable, N. L. Merkel.
8The license question has a number of times been submitted to the voters. So early as the spring of 1878, when the town had just been started, the matter of license or no license was submitted to the voters of the township, no-license winning by a vote of 79 to 34. During most of its incorporated history Beaver Creek has granted license. Following is the result of the vote on the question at the times it was submitted (perhaps not complete): 1887, for license by 15 majority; 1888, for, 39, against, 27; 1891, for, 21, against, 17; 1893, license carried; 1899, for, 18, against, 21; 1900, license by 6 majority; 1907, for, 14, against, 35.
9A. J. Daley and J. O. Tyler were elected justices at a special election November 17, 1885.
10Resigned February 4, 1886, and was succeeded by J. B. Obele.
11At a special election in July, 1888, H. Kiffe and A. W. Hadwick were elcted.
12B.F. Gibson elected at a special election in July, 1888.
13Resigned in September, 1898, and was succeeded by J. B. Obele.
14Resigned in September, 1898, and was succeeded by F. E. Welker.
15Did not qualify.
16Resigned in June.
The story of the village of Beaver Creek will continue in the Oct. 1 edition of the Star Herald.
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.