Just who was the first white man to set stakes and make for himself a permanent home in this township is not now well established, even by tradition. But a careful search through the books of the register of deeds of the county, shows that the following were the original land entry persons, either as homesteaders or pre-emptors:

John W. Golden, homesteaded at the New Ulm land office, the south half of the southeast quarter of section 18, January 18, 1878, and his patent was signed by President U. S. Grant, and the entry was effected at New Ulm land office.

Lewis Coville entered. as a homestead at the New Ulm land office, July 12, 1878, the south half of the northeast quarter and the north half of the southwest quarter in section 32, his patent being signed by President U. S. Grant.

David Archibald claimed a homestead in the northeast quarter of section 12, October 6, 1878, and the patent was signed by President U. S. Grant.

Mathias Stoffel homesteaded on May 22, 1879, the south half of the southeast quarter of section 26, the patent being signed by President Hayes. The entry was made at the New Ulm land office.

Charles Anderson homesteaded land under the Homestead Act of 1862, in the west half of the southeast quarter of section 10. It was entered at the land office in New Ulm and was patented by President Hayes and signed by him on January 20, 1881.

Thomas Cullen claimed his homestead rights in the west half of the northeast quarter of section 6; it was entered through the land office at New Ulm and was patented by President Hayes and signed on March 13, 1879.

Caroline Knudson homesteaded the west half of the northeast quarter of section 34; it was entered at the land office at New Ulm, and was patented by President James A. Garfield, June 20, 1881.

Thomas Coen homesteaded land in the east half of the southeast quarter of section 6, and had the same patented to him by President Hayes, who signed it on March 13, 1879; it was entered at the land office at New Ulm.

Greta Jones Dater homesteaded the northwest quarter of section 14, at the land office at Tracy; the patent for this land was issued by President Chester A. Arthur, February 20, 1882.

Olf Peterson homesteaded the north half of the southeast quarter of section 26; it was entered at the land office at New Ulm and patented by President Hayes.

John Cullen homesteaded the east half of the northwest quarter of section 6; it was entered at the land office at New Ulm and patented by President Hayes, March 13, 1879.

Christian Anaker homesteaded the northeast quarter of section 24 at the land office at Traey, and had the same patented to him by President Grover Cleveland, January 9, 1886.

Theodore P. Eickholt homesteaded the south half of the southeast quarter of section 26, at the land office at New Ulm, and received his patent from President Hayes, January 20, 1881.

Howard M. Goss homesteaded the southeast quarter of section 34, at the land office at New Ulm, and received a patent signed by President U. S. Grant, September 15, 1874.

Ogden D. Warner homesteaded the northwest quarter of section 34, at the land office at New Ulm, and received his patent from President U. S. Grant, March 20, 1876.

PRE-EMPTION CLAIMS

Theodore J, Brandt, at the Marshall land office, entered under the Preemption Act, the northeast quarter of section 20, and his final papers were signed by President Grover Cleveland, January 3, 1894.

Lemuel Randall, at the New Ulm land office, pre-empted the north half of the southwest quarter of section 8, and April 10, 1875; President U. S. Grant certified to his papers and signed the same.