Stately Township

In the extreme southwestern corner of Brown County is Stately Township, and it was the last one to be organized in the county. In January, 1879, a petition was presented to the county commissioners for the formation of another township. It was approved of by the board and an election was held, but declared illegal on account of short no tice. On April 7, 1879, a meeting was held and officers duly elected, as follow:

D. H. Semans, chairman;
C. H. Crawford and Conrad Balbach, supervisors;
A. W. Henderson, clerk;
M. L. Haggard, assessor;
James Haggard, treasurer;
R. A. Allen and D. M. Haggard, justices of the peace;
A. B. Dickerson and F. M. Scott, constables.

 Stately township had population as follows at various census-taking periods: In 1890 it had two hundred and eleven; in 1900 it had three hundred and ninety-five, and in 1910 it had five hundred and fourteen.

The first to effect settlement in the township was C. H. Crawford, a New York man, who came here from Wisconsin, after having served in the Union cause during the days of Civil War. He arrived here with others in 1873 and at once began his operations. Among the persons coming with Mr. Crawford were Joseph Chamberlain, John Wilson, John Tyson, W. H. Fox and Conrad Balbach. The first school was taught in the summer of 1878 by Huldah Cornish, in what was later district No. 61.

Bedford Village

This is merely a siding and small station on the Northwestern railway, situated in section 12. It is but a few years old and has not yet risen to the dignity of an incorporated place.

  Brown County |Minnesota AHGP 

Source: History of Brown County, Minnesota, L. A. Fritsche, M.D., Editor, Volume I, 1916.