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Welcome...to the
Jackson County MN genealogy website!
Jackson County is located in southwest Minnesota and borders Iowa.
Wood brothers marker
located along North Highway, Jackson
Randy Wendel photo, 8Jan2010
Most of the information on these pages is visitor-submitted and I rely much on what you may have to share. In most cases, the most I can do to help is simply be here to post items you have or steer people in a direction that may help them find some answers. I still enjoy your emails...I have had several email exchanges with visitors to this website and I have even become quite interested in some of the information they were or are seeking, so don't be shy and I'll try to do what I can...even if all I can do is admit I don't have any information you might be seeking. At least I'll know people are stopping by here. Addtionally, if you happen to have anything that might be of interest to others including books and publications related to people and history of Jackson Co, I would be happy to add you to the list of lookup volunteers!
I left the Twin Cities at 7am after filling my coffee mug at the convenient store. Down Hwy 169 through Mankato to Hwy 60 and I was met by a road closure on Hwy 60 at Madelia...of which several 18-wheelers were parked along the shoulder. I knew there had been some road closures but the road didn't appear that bad...in fact...it was fine in my opinion. Since it had been years since I had actually traveled through downtown Madelia (via the "old" highway route), I decided to drive around a bit in town. I worked my way through what I remembered to be the old route, and low and behold I found myself back out on the south end of town right onto Hwy 60 and away I went. This continued until I arrived in St. James. Same story, went into and through town, back out onto the south side and I headed down Hwy 4. Only a few minor snow drifts here and there along the west side of the road. No big deal.
Arriving in Trimont, I knew I-90 was closed ahead since I had dialed in the Windom radio station. They said it would open by noon. It was about 10am now. I headed west on a county road and way out along the "Trimont wind farm" and the 2-lane county road was quite full of snow drifts. After several miles, I turned south on another county road that would bring me right down to the Alpha exit on I-90. This stretch of backroad was chock full of drifts...some of which I took turns passing while an oncoming motorist waited their turn...only a few along the way. At the Alpha exit, I turned from this county road and hopped onto I-90. I headed west and shortly thereafter arrived at the Jackson exit, the cross arm blocked the interstate at that point forcing me to exit. That was OK, I wanted to find a place to get rid of my coffee which I had now been carrying over 3 hrs. The area had received a lot of snow recently, and I couldn't believe the intersections...the snow was so high on the corners you had to creep out to see if any adjacent traffic was about to share the same intersection.
After a phone call and a few quick stops in town, I was still determined to make my way to Worthington to visit an aunt before arriving back in Lakefield at the historical society. Taking another county road west of Jackson, I arrived near the Lakefield exit on I-90. I drove up to the ramp and found I-90 still closed. Deciding to continue west on another County road which passed our old farm, I found the drifting to be extremely bad. After nearly a few miles, I turned around. Back to Hwy 86 near I-90 exit, I found MNDOT putting up the gate. It was 11:30. Finally, I got onto I-90 and proceeded west. A few major drifts had been cleared off the north side of I-90. Otherwise, the road was in great shape.
Arriving in Worthinton, I-90 was being opened up and many 18-wheelers were proceeding their turns onto the interstate. I arrived and visited a few hours with my aunt, then headed back to Lakefield. I stopped at the Windmill Motel to get my room around 2:30pm, topped off my gas tank at Hage's, and went down to the museum. I walked in, and Mike said "I just tried to call and tell you the meeting has been cancelled." Just - my - luck.
Around 6pm, I told Mike I was hungry and was going to go get supper, etc. I said I'd be back in the morning for awhile and would likely head back home after that. I went to the motel for a short while then headed down to the VFW. I met up with an acquaintance who was there having a cold one and some supper. He'll be 80 yrs old soon, but you'd think he was 20 yrs younger. Great guy. I got comfortable, and spent the next few hours there before I went back to my room. The next morning, I was down to the Hilltop Cafe at 8am...walked in finding my (grand) uncle there, and the other familiar usuals trickled in. Breakfast, coffee, and some dice-shaking for coffee was the routine. By 9am, you have to get out so the lady's group can take over (this has gone on for years). I went down
to the museum where I resided just until noon...in time
to quickly make my stop at the Butcher Shop before they closed.
A few short photo stops around town, and I was on the road
by 12:30 headed back to the Twin Cities...arriving 2 and a
half hours later. Yes, the trip home went much faster.
The meeting was postponed another week and I decided not to make a 2nd trip down. Mike of the historical society did state that around 40 people attended and the guest speaker gave an interesting historical overview of the American Indians around 1860. Mark Diedrich has written a number of publications and you can likely search them on the internet.
If you had been watching "Find My Family" on ABC...they will be returning again sometime this year so watch for the commercials when they begin.
I was recently at the Malt-O-Meal facility in Northfield MN on some business. The main facility hosts the production of cold cereals found in 70% of grocery stores across the country. The company's early history was the manufacturing of hot cereals at the AMES MILL located at the dam along the river in Northfield just blocks from the main facility. The Ames Mill was built many years ago (1870?) and continues to be used today in the production of the Malt-O-Meals' hot cereal products. The mill is named after the Ames family who operated the facility at one time (Jesse Ames). Jesse' son, Adelbert Ames, had quite an extensive sequence of events in his life having served in several capacities of the Civil War, and lived to be 97 years old...the last surviving General that served in the Civil War.
I only mention this because I simply found it interesting and also because you may be aware Jesse James and the Younger brothers robbed a Northfield bank in 1876. Apparently the gang had been roaming around southern Minnesota and it's believed the bank in Northfield was possibly a target because Adelbert Ames' father-in-law, Benjamin Butler, owned the bank. Benjamin had previously been a hated Union General by some, and the fact he had a bank seemed like a good challenge for the James-Younger boys to acquire some $75,000 believed to be in the bank. A well-written webpage located here provides a great historical overview of the bank robbery event. Apparently Jesse James and Adelbert Ames were no strangers...having crossed paths in earlier times. I believe Jesse James was a bit surprized because Adelbert spent little time in Minnesota to begin with and I believe if he did live here, it was not for long.
In any case, mill operator Jesse Ames quickly helped organized a defensive with other nearby town folk while a big shoot-out incurred and Jesse James and the some of the Younger brothers escaped, though one of the groups' members was killed at the shootout...one who knew southern Minnesota like the back of his hand. This provided more of a challenge for the escaping men to find their way around. (where's a GPS when you need one?). The Younger brothers were later caught up with near Madelia MN, located west of Mankato. I did chuckle at the fact that Jesse Ames was fighting against Jesse James. Quite a coincidence as far as names go. Adelbert Ames (and several other Ames family members) is interred at the Hildreth Family Cemetery in Massachusetts... belonging to his wifes' side of the family. I believe the cemetery is only open to the public once a year on or around November 1.
Are you making any progress on research projects this winter? I'm not, though I haven't been trying very hard. I still need catch up on some hard-drive house-cleaning. I seem to occasionally get behind in organizing photos which I've uploaded to my computer, and soon there are so many of them. I seriously need to come up with a better method of organizing or something, though I'm always in such a hurry when I upload them. I'll put it on the to-do list for "this weekend" and see if it gets done! Does this fall into the catagory as a "round-to-it???"
The years are slipping away and perhaps you have access to some of these photos. If you are unable to donate a photo, an scan electronic copy would certainly be helpful (i.e. .tif, .jpg, etc). If you have a photo, please let me know and what district it is from. If you have a photo I could scan, please let me know. I'd be happy to scan and return the photo back to you.
The county seat is Jackson. The historical society is located in Lakefield.
Henry Jackson was born in Abingdon, VA, in 1811. He acquired only a limited education as a youth, but ultimately became a good penman and accountant through diligent self-study. Of a somewhat roving nature, he went off to serve as an orderly sergeant in the Texas "Patriot War" of 1836-7, then returned to Buffalo, NY, where he married Angelina Bivins (1814 NY) in 1838. Soon after, they emigrated to Green Bay, WI, then to Galena, IL.
When his business failed in 1842, the family moved to St. Paul, where they rented a cabin from Pierre Parrant where the family lived temporarily. Jackson purchased 3 acres of land from Benjamin Gervais which was located in the area later bounded by Jackson, Robert, Bench, and 3rd Streets, which was then a high bank overlooking the lower levee. On this property, he built a log or pole cabin, and opened a small stock of goods suitable for the Indian trade. He soon did a prosperous business, and shortly thereafter became a community leader.
During his residence in St. Paul, he held several important offices. In 1843, he was appointed the first Justice of the Peace in St. Paul. In 1846, he was appointed as the first Postmaster, and in 1847, he was elected to the Wisconsin Assembly. He was later a member of the first Territorial Legislature of Minnesota, and was a member of the first St. Paul Town Council. In 1853, he and his family moved to Mankato, MN, where he died in 1857. Jackson Street in St. Paul, and Jackson County, MN, were named for him. His real estate holdings were valued at $8,000 in 1850. He and Angeline had at least one child: William C. (1847 MN).
Jan 16 -Annual Meeting- 1:30pm
Feb 16 Board meeting 7:00pm
Mar 16 Board meeting 7:00pm
Apr 20 Board meeting 7:00pm
