The following appeared in The Rose History in 1911.
Rock County Village (continued from 12-17-20 edition of the Star Herald)
The matter was brought to a conclusion at the meeting of the commissioners on January 8, 1903, when a request signed by twelve of those interested in the proposed incorporation, asking for a withdrawal of their original petition, was presented. Although no later attempt has been made to bring about the incorporation of Kenneth, there is every reason to believe that in the near future the town in Vienna township will be in a condition to successfully inaugurate such a movement.
Kenneth’s growth has been slow but substantial. It experienced a setback during the years 1903 and 1904 because of the destruction, by hail and rains, to the crops in that section which finds its market in Kenneth. Since that time, however, the town has maintained its own and is still unsurpassed as a grain market and trading point.
Kenneth’s school history began almost with the founding of the town. In April 1901, a petition asking for the creation of a new school district to include the town of Kenneth was favorably acted upon by the board of county commissioners. Following this action, on May 2, a meeting of the citizens of Kenneth was held and the organization of the district perfected. B. Halverson was elected director, J. L. Hogan, clerk, and George Watson, treasurer. At a meeting held later in the same month it was voted to raise $2500 for the erection of a school building. The edifice, two stories in height, 28x40 feet, was erected by Hackett & Robinson, of Luverne, and was completed in time for the opening of the winter term on December 6, 1901. School opened on that date with Nellie Morse as teacher and with an enrollment of thirty-two pupils.
Two church organizations are maintained in Kenneth, the Catholic and Evangelical Lutheran, and both possess church edifices. The Catholic church building, which formerly occupied a site in Lismore township, Nobles county, was moved to Kenneth early in 1903. The Evangelical Lutheran church was erected during the season of 1907.
The Kenneth State Bank is an outgrowth of a private institution which began business July 1, 1901, as the bank of Kenneth, with R. B. Hinkly, president, and A. D. Parker, cashier. The bank erected a building of its own during the summer of 1903. The Kenneth State Bank, following the reorganization, commenced business July 10, 1907, with capital stock of $12,000. The incorporators were Andrew Messner, A. D. Parker, John Engebretson, John Wonderle, L. W. Johnson, Chris, Haiback, B. Halverson, Kittil Olson and L. Kreun. The first officers and board of directors consisted of Andrew Messner, president; A. D. Parker, cashier; John Engebretson, assistant cashier; Chris Haiback.
The story of the village of Steen will begin in the Dec. 31 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.