Rock County as it wasThis was taken from an article printed in the Rock County Herald on July 18, 1924: "The year 1869 saw a considerable increase in new settlers, but lack of space forbids going into detail. The first birth of Rock County occurred in the month of March 1869. It was a daughter, Effie Ferguson, born to Mr. and Mrs. John H. Ferguson. The second birth was also a daughter, Lorenda Bradford. The third birth also occurred the same year, a daughter, Carrie Hawes, having been born to Mr. and Mrs. Philo Hawes on Aug. 9th. Several new settlers arrived in the spring of 1870, and when the census was taken by Aiken Miner of Jackson in the summer of that year, the population of Rock County was found to be 138, of which 120 were American born and 18 foreign born. Other interesting statistics were taken by the enumerator. In Rock County were 19 farms of which seven were between 10 and 20 acres in area, 11 between 20 and 50 acres, and 1 between 100 and 500 acres. Among the arrivals of 1870 were Geo. W. Kniss, P.J. Kniss, P.F. Kelley, Ezra Rice, Martin Webber, Ole Nelson, Ole T. Berg, Ole T. Opsata and John Martin, who was the first settler in Martin Township. In 1870 also arrived Ole Steen and family. A few details in regard to the Steen colony might be interesting. Ole Steen, who was chief blacksmith at a sawmill at Necida, Wis., together with Hans and Tom Olson and C.C. Berg, decided to move west. In 1869 Ole Steen was sent out to look up a suitable location, his selection being the lands later homesteaded and occupied by these parties moving out in 1870 as above stated. On the way west, they met Ben Evans and family, who joined them deciding to locate where they did. Mrs. Steen and Mrs. Evans lived in wagon boxes while the men went to Worthington to file on their 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).
