Some of the earliest land entries in the county were effected within Highwater township. Without regard to who might have been first, second or third, the following brief transcript from the public records show many of the early land entries. Most all of the persons who thus homesteaded or pre-empted land in this township in the seventies and eighties became permanent settlers and reared families, and much of the land originally entered is still held by members of the family, while not a few of the settlers are still residing in the places in which they located more than a third of a century ago.

Andrew Larson claimed, as a homestead, land in the north half of the southwest quarter and the south half of the northwest quarter of section 26, of this township, at the New Ulm land office, under President U. S. Grant's administration and signed by him on January 10, 1878.

John Larson claimed land under the homestead act of 1862, in the north half of the southwest quarter and the southwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section 2, September 14, 1878, signed by President U. S. Grant, and the entry was effected at the New Ulm land office.

Jeremiah Lott homesteaded land in the east half of the southwest quarter of section 14; it was patented to him by President U. S. Grant and dated August 20, 1875; it wjas entered at the land office at New Ulm.

Francis M. Smith claimed, under his homestead rights, land situated in the southeast quarter of section 24, and it was patented to him hy President U. S. Grant, dated September 15, 1874; it was entered at the land office at Jackson.

Halvor Knudtson homesteaded land in the west half ol the southeast quarter of section 18; it was patented to him on January 20, 1881. and the instrument was signed by President Hayes, the entry being made at the land office at New Ulm.

Knud Olson homesteaded land in the west half of the northwest quarter of section 28. and it was patented to him by President James A. Garfield, dated June 20, 1881. This land was entered at the land office at Tracy.

Elias Warner homesteaded land in the south half of the southwest quarter of section 18; it was patented to him on February 20, 1882, by President Chester A. Arthur; the land was entered at the land office at New Ulm.

Frederick Jauck homesteaded land in the north half of the southwest quarter of section 10; it was patented to him by President Hayes and dated February 10, 1881; it was entered through the land office at New Ulm.

Ole Esteson located a homestead in the west half of the southeast quarter of section 18, and it was patented to him by President James A. Garfield and signed on June 20, 1881; it was entered at the land office at Tracy.

Frithjof Riis selected a homestead in the east half of the northeast quarter of section 28, and it was patenied to him by President Hayes and dated January 20, 1881; it was entered at the land office at New Ulm.

John Olson homesteaded land in the west half of* the southwest quarter and the southeast quarter of the southwest quarter of section 24. It was patented by President James A. Garfield and signed by him on May 3, 1881; it was entered in the land office at New Ulm.

George B. Walker homesteaded the south half of the northwest quarter of section 30, and it was patented to him by President Hayes and was signed by him on June 24, 1878.

Alse H. Ophime homesteaded land in the north half of the southeast quarter of section 28; it was entered at the land office at Tracy and was patented by President Chester A. Arthur, who signed it on November 1, 1881.

Wilhelm Jeick homesteaded land in the south half of the northeast quarter of section 10, and it was patented by President James A. Garfield.

Hartman Loomis homesteaded land in the southwest quarter of sectioa 6; it was entered at the land office at New Ulm and was patented by President Chester A. Arthur, signed by him on June 20, 1882.

Svend S. Loeny had patented to him a homestead, signed hy President U. S. Grant, March 1, 1876, the entry being made at the land office at New Ulm. This land is situated in the -north half of the northwest quarter of section 32.

Lars Halvorson homesteaded the northwest quarter of section 14, the patent was signed by President Hayes, February 10, 1881, and the land entry was at the land office at Worthington.

Christian Oleson claimed, under the homestead act of 1862, the south half of the northeast quarter and the northeast quarter of the southwest quarter of section 24; it was signed by President James A. Garfield, June 20, 1881, and was entered at the Tracy land office.

Andrew Overson homesteaded the north half of the southeast quarter of section 30; it was patented by President James A. Garfield and signed by him on June 20, 1881.

Ole Nelson Beck had patented to him the east half -of the southeast quarter of section 26, the land was entered at the land office at New Ulm during President Hayes' administration and was signed by him on January 20, 1881.

Peter Pettersen, at the Tracy land office, secured land under the homestead act, the same was described as being the south half of the northeast quarter of section 34. This homestead was signed by President James A. Garfield on June 20, 1881.

Aslask Torgerson, at the land office at Tracy, had patented to him by President James A. Garfield, the west half of the southwest quarter of section 18; the instrument was signed by President Garfield on June 20, 1881.

William Geik, at the New Ulm land office, claimed under the homestead act, land in the south half of the southeast quarter and the south half of the southwest quarter of section 10; the patent was signed by the hand of President U. S. Grant, October 5, 1873.

John Roth homesteaded land in the northeast quarter of section 22, and had it patented to him by President Chester A. Arthur and signed on February 10, 1883.

Andreas H. Rongstad, at the New Ulm land office, secured his right to a homestead in the east half of the northeast quarter of section 34: the patent was signed by President James A. Garfield, May 3, 1881.

Andrew Pederson homesteaded the north half of the northeast quarter of section 34, at the Tracy land office and had his patent finally issued by President James A. Garfield on June 20, 1881.

Ole A. Thollongbakken, at the Tracy land office, entered as his homestead the north half of the northeast quarter of section 6, and he had the same patented to him by President Grover Cleveland, who signed it April 25. 1885.

Ollare Hanson, at the Tracy land office, entered his homestead in the north half of the southwest quarter of section 34, and had his patent issued to him by President James A. Garfield, June 20, 1881.

PRE-EMPTION CLAIMS

Jens Jacobson pre-empted the land in section 2, of this township, the entry being filed at the land office at New Ulm, and the papers were signed by President U. S. Grant, May 20, 1874.

. Lowitz Larson Tatdal, at the New Ulm land office, pre-empted the. south half of the southwest quarter of section 32, and his papers were signed by President U. S. Grant, in May, 1874.

John A. Monson, at the land office at New Ulm, pre-empted the northeast quarter of the northwest quarter and the northwest of the northeast of section 8, his final papers being signed by President U. S. Grant, November 10, 1875.

Martin Erickson claimed land under the pre-emption act at the land office at New Ulm, and his papers were signed by President U. S. Grant, May 20, 1874.

A. Torgerson, at the New Ulm land office, pre-empted the south half of the southwest quarter of section 18, the same being issued to him by President U. S. Grant, May 20, 1874.

Henry A. Bredli, at the New Ulm land office, pre-empted the land in this township and his papers were signed by President Hayes, January 20, 1881.

A. G. Quale pre-empted land in the west half of the southeast quarter of section 8, the papers being signed by President Hayes on January 10, 1879.

Christian Olen, at the land office at New Ulm, pre-empted land in the south half of the northwest quarter of section 22, the papers being signed by President Hayes on May 24, 1879.

Lars Larson Evanger, at the land office at New Ulm, pre-empted the east half of the southeast quarter of section 24, and had his papers verified by President U. S. Grant, April 10, 1875.

Ingeborg Erickson pre-empted land at the land office at New Ulm, the same being the west half of the southeast quarter of section 20; the papers were signed by President U. S. Grant, May 20, 1874.