The courts held prior to this organization are referred to elsewhere. The first territorial court in Washington county was held Aug. 13, 1849, Judge Aaron Goodrich, presiding; Judge David Cooper, associate. It continued in session six days. There were sixty cases on the calendar. Harvey Wilson was clerk of court; A. M. Mitchell, of St. Paul, United States marshal; Henry L. Moss, district attorney; John Morgan, sheriff. The lawyers present were H. L. Moss; M. S. Wilkinson, M. E. Ames, A. M. Mitchell, L. Babcock, and David Lambert. The second court house (the first under the new organization) was built in Stillwater, corner of Fourth and Chestnut streets, in 1849, at a cost of $3,600. This was the first court house in the territory of Minnesota. The lot was donated by John McKusick. In this building were held all the courts from 1849 to 1867. In that year Churchill & Nelson donated a city block on Nelson Hill, a fine location overlooking the city and lake, and the county erected upon it a fine stone structure costing $60,000, including jail and ground improvements.
The first election was held Nov. 26, 1849. The following board of county officers was elected: Commissioners, John McKusick, Hiram Berkey, Joseph Haskell; treasurer, Socrates Nelson; register of deeds, John S. Proctor; judge of probate, Harvey Wilson; sheriff, Jesse Taylor. At the same election the following persons were elected justices of the peace in their various precincts: St. Croix Falls, Jerry Ross; Point Douglas, Martin Leavitt; Stillwater, Albert Harris and H. K. McKinstry; Marine, James Moore and W. H. Johnson.
The territory of the county has been from time to time divided and subdivided for the organization of new counties. Washington county, however, was divided but once. In 1852 the county of Chisago was set off in the north, since which time its boundaries have been, Chisago on the north, the St. Croix river and lake on the east, the Mississippi river on the south, Anoka and Ramsey counties and the Mississippi river on the west. It includes the following townships: From 27 to 32 inclusive, ranges 20 and 21, and fractional parts of townships 31 and 32, range 19, and fractional part of township 26, range 20.
AFTON
Was organized as a town in 1858. Joseph Haskell, G. W. Cutler and H. L. Thomas were the first supervisors; Minor H. Thomas, clerk. It includes a fractional part of township 28, range 20. It is well watered by Bolles and Valley creeks, streams tributary to the St. Croix. The southwestern part of the township is rolling prairie, the remainder somewhat broken. The soil is all productive and the streams afford good water powers. The township had French settlers as early as 1837,—Baptist Fornier and others. Joseph Haskell commenced his farm in 1839. Prior to 1850 A. Mackey, L. Bolles, P. J. Carli, T. F. Randolph, E. Bissell, N. H. Johnson, James Getchell, and A. McHattie located in the town.
The first crops were raised by the French settlers. The first marriage was that of Andrew Mackey to Mrs. Hamilton, in 1844. The first child born was Helen M. Haskell, daughter of Joseph Haskell. The first death was that of Paul J. Carli, in 1844, accidentally drowned in the lake. The first road was located between Stillwater and Point Douglas, in 1847. A military road was surveyed from Point Douglas to Superior through this town in 1850. Lemuel Bolles erected a flouring mill on Bolles creek, in the winter of 1845-46, the first to grind wheat north of Prairie du Chien. The old mill was long since replaced by a new one, and the mill property has changed owners many times, Emil Munch being the last owner. The present mill is a fine structure with a capacity of fifty barrels per day. The first post office was at the old mill; L. Bolles, postmaster. The first organized school was in the Haskell district, in 1855. The Scandinavian Methodists have a church in section 18, built in 1885. The German Lutherans have a church in section 6, and a parochial school.
AFTON VILLAGE.
In May, 1855, Afton village was surveyed and platted by Haskell, Getchell & Thomas, in section 23; Emerson & Case were the surveyors. The village is beautifully located on the shore of the lake and contains one hotel, one church (Congregational), one school house, an academy building, and several stores, shops and dwellings. The academy, known as the St. Croix Academy, was established in 1868, and the building, a handsome three story brick structure, erected the same year. Mr. Gorrie was the first principal. Simon Putnam was the first pastor of the Congregational church.
SOUTH AFTON
Is located one mile south of Afton, on the shores of the lake. It has an elevator, store, warehouses and other buildings. A saw mill was built by Lowry & Co., between Afton and South Afton; in 1854, and rebuilt in 1855 by Thomas & Sons. The Getchell Brothers built a mill in 1861, which was burned.