“First Convention in Brookings County”

Created 1862; Organized 1871; Convention 1877

The County, created on paper in 1862, was organized July 3, 1871 and by 1877, there were communities at Lake Hendricks, Oakwood, Lake Village and Medary, and all had delegates to the nominating convention called to order by C.H. Stearns, County Central Chairman at Medary on October 6. Arthur S. Mitchell of Oakwood was named Chairman; R.W. Crawford, Medary, Secretary. The credentials committee was Martin Trystad, Medary, J.P. Heggerman, Lake Hendricks and Byron E. Pay, Oakwood.

They certified Heggerman, Henry Peterson, Peter Ingrebritson, and Julius S. Burlie of Lake Hendricks; M.N. Trystad, Lars Engleson, Erick Trystad, W. Harvey, H.I. Stearns, Charles Nicholson and Crawford of Medary; Mitchell and Pay, Oakwood and K.K. Kuel, Ole Olson, and

J.A. Fosvig, Lake Village as delegates.

They then proceeded to name the slate headed by Trystad and Pay as Commissioners; James Hauxhurst was named for Register of Deeds; Wm. Harvey, Sheriff; H.H. Simmonson, Assessor;

E.P. Smith, Probate Judge; C.H. Stearns, Treasurer; J.A. Foswick, Superitendent; D.M. Dolson, District Attorney; Ole Bogen, Coroner; Ole D. Peterson, J.L. McMasters, J.C. Beardsley and Ole Sneve were the justice nominees and Jacob Johnson, Rev. G.S. Codington, for whom that county was named; William Miller and Ole K. Olson were to serve them as Constables.

Brookings County had jumped from 163 in 1870 to 4,965 in 1880 and by 1877, a County office was worth having and hence this first convention.

Brookings County, old Hwy 77, 7 miles south of Brookings (2006)