~ Florence Township ~

Florence constitutes all of township 112, range 13, lying in Goodhue County. A portion of Wacoota bounds it on the north, Lake Pepin forms its northeastern border for a distance of many miles. Central Point also lies to the east. At the south is Wabasha County, and on the west is Hay Creek. The township was organized under the general act of 1858, with its present boundaries. It was named in honor of Florence Graham, daughter of Judge Chris. Graham, of Red Wing.

The surface is broken and hilly, with deep valleys running westward from Lake Pepin. In sections 3 and 8 there is considerable peat, and it is probable that this deposit in various parts of the township is much more plentiful than is generally supposed. The soil is fertile, well-watered by Wells' creek, which, with its many tributaries, has a general course from west to east. The farmers of the township pay particular attention to stock raising and dairying, and have achieved some remarkable results along these lines.

The early history is identical with that of Frontenac, and reaches hack to the middle of the seventeenth century. The following is a list of the township officers in the earlier days of its organization, the first named under each date being the chairman, the next two supervisors, and the last the clerk:

1858-L. H. Garrard, F. Z. K. Munger, L. Utley, Peter Grant.
1860-H. F. Simmons, William Arnold, E. Z. K. Munger, Calvin Potter.
1861-H. F. Simmons, E. Z. K. Munger, William Arnold, J. A. Owens.
1862-E. Z. K. Munger, J. C. Bennewitz, John Wear, W. E. Lowell.
1863-J. O. Bennewitz, S. R, Merrill, J. D. Spinney. W. E. Lowell.
1864-J. C. Bennewitz, J. D. Spinney, Rufus Dennin, W. E. Lowell.
1865-G. Terwillinger. O. P. Francisco, L. H. Garrard. H. Lorentzen.
1866-G. Terwilliger, O. P. Francisco. Jeptha Garrard, H. Lorentzen.
1867-Calvin Potter, N. O. McLean, David Walker. H. Lorentzen.
1868-G. Terwilliger, D. Walker, R, Menzel, II. Lorentzen.
1869-G. Terwilliger, D. Walker. R. Menzel, H. Lorentzen.
1870-G. Terwilliger, R. Menzel. J. Holliday, H. Lorentzen.
1871-Eliab Munger, E. C. Eaton, D. Walker, J. C. Bennewitz.
1872-Eliab Munger, E. O. Eaton, John Nute, H. Lorentzen.
1873-John Nute, William Stroup, John Colby, H. Lorentzen.
1874-John Nute, John Colby. D. G. Heggie, H. Lorentzen.
1875-Same as previous year.
1876-D. G. Heggie, John Sauter, H. J. Merch, H. Lorentzen.
1877-G. Terwilliger, John Sauter, John Colby, II. Lorentzen.
1878-G. Terwilliger. John Sauter, John Nute, H. Lorentzen.

Those who enlisted in the Civil War from Florence were:

  Goodhue County |Minnesota AHGP 

Source: History of Goodhue County Minnesota, Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge, H. C. Cooper Jr, & Company, Chicago, 1909.