Borrowed the county’s cashThe following was printed in the Rose History in 1911:"In the early days of Rock County’s history incidents sometimes occurred which may be classed as remarkable in the light of present conditions. Should the county treasurer of this day loan the county’s funds to a private individual without authority from anyone, one can imagine that such action would be considered highly improper. Yet an event of this kind occurred in the early days without causing a ripple of excitement. The man who negotiated the loan — still a resident of Rock County — told me the story. It was during the terrible grasshopper scourge that the wife of the settler in question was taken ill and it was decided to have her go to her old home in Iowa. In common with nearly all the residents of Rock County of that day, the family were without means, but the desire to give his wife the benefits of the more congenial surroundings of their old home led this homesteader to make an effort to raise the money among the neighbors. He spent a day canvassing the country in a futile attempt to borrow enough money to pay the railroad fare, but not a cent did he obtain. Disheartened, he proceeded on his way home, but on the way stopped to chat with a neighbor who was also the treasurer of Rock County. The county official sympathized with his friend, but was likewise without means. He stated that he had in his possession the funds of Rock County, which reached a total of just about enough to meet the necessary expense of the journey, and remarked that it was a shame this money could not be put at his disposal. "What security could you give if I should loan you this money?" asked the county treasurer. The settler replied that he had 14 sacks of seed wheat, and then and there the loan was made. The wheat was hauled to the county treasurer’s home with the understanding that it was to be sold in case there was a call for any of the county’s funds; otherwise it was to be returned when the loan was paid. Within a short time money was secured from Iowa and the county treasurer of Rock County was again in possession of funds. The credit of the settler who made the loan is as good today as when he borrowed the county funds, and he could today give security to the extent of several choice quarter sections of Rock County land."Donations to the Rock County Historical Endowment Fund can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, P.O. Box 741, Luverne, MN 56156.Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.
