Rock County as it wasThe following is continued from last week. It appeared in the Rock County Herald, July 18, 1924:In November 1867, Mr. Hawes brought with him John Lietze and family who were to maintain a stopping place, or half-way place, as it was called, on the mail route. Although both the Estey and Lietze families spent the winter of 1867-68 on the Rock River within 10 miles of each other, neither knew of the presence of the other, each family believing itself to be the only one in Rock County. At Jackson, Mr. Hawes had been told that a family has been spending the winter on the route, below his station, and on Jan. 31, 1868, while on a trip over the line, he went down to see if it were true. He found that the Esteys had lost a day in the reckoning of time, and for more than two months had been rigidly keeping Monday for the Sabbath day. When once the trail has been blazed to a frontier country and actual settlement has been established, it is not long until others follow. This was the case in Rock County, and we find that during 1868, quite a number of settlers pushed to the Rock River country and built themselves a home. Among the settlers of 1868, was Edwin Gillham who later became sheriff of Rock County. Despite the fact that only a few had arrived in the county during the first half of the year, those were patriotic and duly celebrated the nation’s birthday. Every man, woman and child in the county excepting Charlie Hawes, who was on a trip to Yankton with the mail, was present. They were Philo Hawes and family, Mrs. Deborah Estey and family, Miss Miranda J. Skinner, Edward McKenzie, Daniel Wilmont and family, S. Toul, J.C. Phelps and family, and Charles Hillman.Donations to the Rock County Historical Endowment Funds can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, P.O. Box 741, Luverne, MN 56156.Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.
