This document contains the text of a bill that was passed by the Minnesota Territorial Legislature in 1857 to transfer the capital of Minnesota from St. Paul to St. Peter. This document has been determined to have been written at that time, but it is most likely a working copy of the document that was passed by the legislature. Joseph Rolette, a member of the legislature who was opposed to the transfer of the capitol, disappeared with the original bill and failed to return it in time for it to be properly signed by Territorial Governor Willis Gorman, who had, in the meantime, signed a copy of the document that Rolette had taken. Governor Gorman's action was declared to be illegal by a Judge R. R. Nelson, thus ending the attempt to move the capitol.
This photograph shows the Land Office building in St. Peter. The Land Office was located in St. Peter from 1858 until 1870 in several locations. The building shown in this photograph appears to be on the east side of Minnesota Avenue.
This is a photograph of Nicollet County Civil War veteran James Magner. He served as a captain in Company I of the 28th Massachusetts Regiment. On May 18, 1864 Magner was killed during the battle of Spotsylvania.
This is a photograph of Nicollet County Civil War veteran James Magner. He served as a captain in Company I of the 28th Massachusetts Regiment. On May 18, 1864 Magner was killed during the battle of Spotsylvania.
Portrait of Lt. Matthew F. Magner, a member of Company F of the 43rd Battalion of the Virginia Cavalry. This unit served with Mosby's Rangers in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. The Magner family settled in Nicollet County prior to the war.
Portrait of St. Peter resident Lt. John Kinsman Hezlep, a member of the West Point Class of 1865 (where he graduated #14 in a class of 68). He was the son of George Hezlep, one of the members of the St. Peter Company, the group of men who founded the community of St. Peter. Hezlep served in the U.S. Infantry and Engineers and died in service of Yellow Fever on August 13, 1867 at Fort Morgan, Alabama.
Members of Captain Eugene St. Julien Cox's Company E of the First Mounted Rangers signed this document stating that they had received blankets and that they were responsible for their care and safe keeping. The document is dated November 22nd, 1862.
This muster roll of Company E of the First Mounted Rangers dated December 10th, 1862, lists Captain Eugene St. Julien Cox of St. Peter as its commander. The roll also contains the names of additional officers and the names of non-commissioned officers. 75 men are sequentially numbered as privates, and two additional names, without numbers, were apparently added later to the list.
On December 27th, 1862, Phiney Wells signed this document in St. Peter to enlist in the First Mounted Rangers. Wells stated that he was born in New York and that he was 25 years and eight months old. He listed his occupation as a farmer. Wells had blue eyes, dark hair, a light complexion, and was 5 feet 10 inches tall. The document was signed by D.R. Kennedy, who was the quartermaster of the regiment. Wells was obligated to serve for up to 12 months.
The Commissary Officer of the First Regiment of the Minnesota Mounted Rangers, First Lieutenant Edward D. Cobb, wrote this note to Captain Eugene St. Julien Cox, Captain of Company E of the Rangers, from Fort Snelling on March 21, 1863, in response to a request for supplies from Cox. Captain Cox had requested a number of items, including horses, tents, jackets, socks, boots, haversacks, canteens, axes, kettles, spades, mess pans, hatchets, and picks. Cobb informed Cox that some of the items were available, but that some items could not be supplied at once. He also said that Cox was to take the lame horses from his company to Fort Ridgely, where they would be inspected and certified as lame. Cox could then submit a requistion for additional horses.
This document, dated May 11th, was sent to Eugene St. Julien Cox of St. Peter, who was the Captain of Company E of the First Mounted Rangers. The document addressed Cox as a major, but various records indicate that his highest rank was that of captain. Cox was ordered to include Sibley County in the sub-district for which he was responsible. He was also informed that a new squad had been organized in New Ulm, and that ""trappers report Indians plenty west of here."" The letter was sent from Mankato by Second Lieutenant and Adjutant George A. Clarke. The document appears to have an 1865 date, but Cox served from December 10, 1862, until November 11, 1863, and Clarke served from December 20, 1861, until December 20, 1864. It therefore appears that the document was sent in 1863.
This photograph shows the Nicollet County Poor Farm in Granby Township, which was located on the north side of Swan Lake, south of the Fort Road, which is today's County Road 5. It was on the west side of County Road 4.
This photograph shows soldiers from St. Peter's Company I of the Second Regiment of the Minnesota National Guard at their mess tent at an encampment in Winona.
Members of Company I of the 2nd Infantry Regiment of the Minnesota National Guard at their camp in Winona in 1883. The company was based in St. Peter. Names of the soldiers appear on the reverse side of the photograph.
Members of St. Peter's Company I of the 2nd Infantry Regiment of the Minnesota National Guard in front of the home of Gideon S. Ives in St. Peter. The names of most of the soldiers are on the reverse. The company existed from 1883 to 1893.
This photograph shows Jared W. Daniels in his uniform as a member of St. Peter's Company I of the Second Minnesota Infantry Regiment. This National Guard unit was based in St. Peter from 1883 to 1893.
This photograph shows Paul Haesecke in his uniform as a member of St. Peter's Company I of the Second Minnesota Infantry Regiment. This National Guard unit was based in St. Peter from 1883 until 1893.