From Trygg Historical Maps, Trygg Land Office, Ely, MN www.trygglandoffice.com/maps.html b=bottom land, m=marsh, p=prairie, s=swamp

Basic Facts: Township 137N, Range 36W Government survey 1870 First Settled 18?? Organized Mar 21, 1882

History

[Copied by Lory Brasel, [email protected], from the book "History of Otter Tail County" Volume I - 1916 by John W. Mason]

Paddock township (township 137, range 36) is located in the extreme northeastern part of the county and is upwards of seventy-five miles from the county seat. A petition, asking for organization and signed by L. A. Paddock and others representing a majority of the legal voters of the township, was presented to the commissioners on March 21, 1882, and at once granted by the board. The first election was set for the 4th of the following month at the mill of Paddock in whose honor the township was named. The records state that this mill was located on section 32.

The petition asking for the organization of Paddock township carried thirty-seven signatures, as follow: William Everts, Harry F. Smith, H. G. Lewis, L. A. Pollock, A. A. Buckland, William Pratt, N. A. Britt, A. D. Reed, Joseph King, C. W. Smith, A. J. Phillips, Eli D. Robinson, David Traille, Silas Munn, J. Gallagher, J. A. Russell, S. C. Honeywell, John Johnson, David Perkins, R. W. Calwell, R. B. Shelp, Jones Smiley, Frank Rodgers, Charles Stan, Willis Scott, Albert S. Gore, Levi Storkwell, John Daly, J. B. Hankman, E. S. Johnson, David Shelp, D. J. Wilson and Charles Hodge.

There are only two lakes of any considerable size in Paddock township, one in sections 14 and 15 and the other in sections 19, 20, 30 and 29. Red Eye river runs through the township from west to east and flows through sections 18, 17, 21, 22, 23, 26 and 25. The surface of the township is gently rolling and practically all of it is capable of being cultivated.

Several years ago there were two thriving little trading centers in the township, Red Eye and Paddock. Red Eye was in the center of section 17 and at one time contained a store, sawmill, hotel and cemetery, and a few houses. Today there is only a store. The name of the post office at this point was later known as Hill View, but it is now discontinued. Paddock boasted of more than half a dozen buildings thirty years ago, among them being a store, blacksmith shop, sawmill and a few dwelling houses. A postoffice was maintained at this place also for many years. At the present time the only store in the township is at Hill View, the former Red Eye, of section 17.

The first church was located in the northern part of section 20, but it has also disappeared. The only church in the township at the present time is found in the southeastern corner of section 26. The town hall is in the northeastern corner of section 14.

Olaf James was the last postmaster of Hillview. This little hamlet has a hotel called the Hillview Hotel with L. C. Anderson as manager. The Hillview Creamery is located at this point and is managed by Isaac Anderson. There are at present some twenty-five inhabitants in this hamlet.

The present township officers are as follow: Supervisors, Leander Niska, George Warner and John Tontti; clerk, C. H. Hattlestad; treasurer, Matti Raatikka; assessor, Charles Beldoniemi; justices, M. O. Egg and E. D. Hall; constables, J. P. Nevola and T. J. Parrish.

Population

Population totals in state and federal census summaries.

	Paddock
1870
1875
1880	14
1885	222
1890	317
1895	427
1900	495
1905	599
1910	563
1920	706
1930	684
1940	649

Places of birth for Paddock Township in the 1905 state census.

Native (USA)	107	18%
Minnesota	284	47%
Foreign	208	35%
Germany	6	3%
Sweden	21	10%
Norway	23	11%
Canada	9	4%
Ireland	1	0%
Denmark	8	4%
England	1	0%
Poland	0	0%
Finland	134	64%
Russia	4	2%
Scotland	1	0%
Other	0	0%

Land Maps

Names

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