Page:History of Goodhue County, Minnesota.djvu/194

 CHAPTEE XII. TOWNSHIPS AND VILLAGES. Organization and Original Names — Belle Creek — Belvidere — Burnside — Cherry Grove — Central Point — Early Settlement. Goodhue county received its name in honor of James M. Goodhue, the pioneer editor and printer of the state, who at the time of his early death, in 1852, had already won for himself name and fame as well as influence in the new territory. It con- sists of twenty-three townships, all of which are practically the same in area and name as when first constituted in 1858. They are: Welch, Burnside. Wacoota, Stanton, Cannon Falls, Vasa, Featherstone, Bay Creek, Florence, Central Point, Warsaw, Leon, Belle Creek, Goodhue, Belvidere, Holden, Wanamingo, Minneola, Zumbrota, Kenyon, Cherry Grove, Eoscoe and Pine Island. Red Wing formerly had a township organization. Pre- vious to 1858 precincts had been established, but townships were not laid out as regularly organized political divisions until that year, when, under a new ad passed by the legislature, Martin S. Chandler. William P. Tanner and Jesse Mclntire, the three gen- tlemen selected, defined and named the townships in Goodhue county as follow^. Where no note is made of subsequent changes, the township at present remains as at that time con- stituted.) Belle Creek, all of township 111, range 16. Cherry Grove, all of township 109, range 17. Central Point, all of that part of township 112, range 12, lying in Goodhue county. Cannon Falls, all of township 112, range 17. Featherstone, all of township 112, range 15. Florence, all of that part of township 112, range 13, lying in Goodhue county. Holden, all of township 110, range 18. Hay Creek, all of township 112, range 14. Kenyon, all of township 112, range 18. Leon, all of township 111, range 17. Pine Island, all of township 109, range 15. Eoscoe, all of township 109, range 16. 142