Thursday, January 27, 2011

Volume 98; Number 33

www.bladepublishing.net

A community newspaper serving Browerville, MN and surrounding areas. USPS 067-560

Joseph, Edward, Commissioners approve revised
and Jacob Sutton: flood plain ordinance
Craftsmen, Farmers, By Tim King
The Todd County Board of
Commissioners approved a revised
and Entrepreneurs flood plain ordinance at their
Tuesday, January 18 meeting. The
ordinance will go into effect the
beginning of February. The revi-
sion was mandated by the federal
government and has been highly
controversial.
Commissioner Randy
Neumann, who voted against
adapting the ordinance, told fellow
commissioners that it was time to
start saying no to state and federal
mandates that cost taxpayers and
local units of government money.
Neumann, whose district includes
parts of Lake Osakis and Sauk
Lake, said some of his constituents
were having to pay a surveyor to
prove they were not in the newly
defined flood plain.
Following the meeting, Zoning
Administrator Garry Johanson
said the federal government knew,
and admitted some parts of the
new flood plain map were inaccu-
rate. He said the result of the inac-
curate maps is some people are
being placed in a flood plain that
will likely never flood. In an effort
to avoid higher insurance costs,
those people are hiring surveyors
to prove they are not in a flood
plain. Johanson said the County’s
75¢
GIS department has been assisting
residents in the complex process of
proving they aren’t in the flood
plain.
If the county failed to adapt the
federally mandated revised ordi-
nance people who are in a real
flood plain would likely have had
trouble getting insurance. The
ordinance was adapted by the com-
missioners on a four to one vote.
BERTHA SWINE BARN
Commissioners approved a con-
ditional use permit for Minnkota
North, LLP, to build and operate a
swine rearing facility in Bertha
Township. The facility will include
Continued on page 16

CentraCare Health System - Long Prairie

supports Donate Life initiative

Joseph and Martha Johnson Sutton

By Rin Porter
A caravan of members of the
Sutton family came to Todd
County from Randolph County,
Indiana, in 1871. They were part
of a large group of settlers from
that same place, some of whom
we will present in future stories.
After they took homesteads here,
they were known as the Hoosier
Colony.
Joseph Sutton, born in 1841
to Thomas Sutton and Martha
Johnson, came from Indiana to
Ward Township with his covered
wagon, his parents, his brothers
Edward and Jacob and their
families, and his wife and family
at the age of 30.
O.B. DeLaurier, writer for the
Long Prairie Leader in the 1930s
and 1940s, reported in the
BiCentennial book Todd County
Histories that Joseph Sutton
“was a cabinet maker and a
wheelwright by trade. On arriv-
ing in Ward, he settled on the
claim abandoned by George
Case. In setting up a blacksmith
shop, he was under the necessity
of making it and his tools from
materials within his reach. He
built a mill where he ground feed
and meal for all the country
around, the mill being entirely of
his own construction. The mill-
stones used in grinding, he cut
from a granite boulder, with
tools which he made and tem-
pered at his own forge (p. 78).”
His brother Edward J. Sutton,
born in 1845, took a homestead
of 160 acres in Section 28 of
Ward Township, then moved to
Section 33 in the late 1870s. He
bought a number of other
parcels, including one in Section
4 of Hartford. He was active in
school affairs, and served for a
time as treasurer of the school
district. Ward Township records
show that in 1878, he was CentraCare Health System – Long Prairie was recently presented with an award of appreciation for partic-
appointed assistant clerk of elec- ipating in the 2010 Minnesota Hospital Association and LifeSource strategic initiative to increase organ and tis-
tion, and was paid $2.00 for his sue donation awareness.
services. In 1879, he served as a Fifty-six hospitals throughout Minnesota participated in the campaign, and were involved in increasing the
road supervisor, and as a town- number of registered donors in Minnesota by 85,000 in 2010. While those numbers are impressive, they still
ship supervisor. In 1880 and fall short. More than 100 individuals died in Minnesota in 2010 waiting for an organ that never arrived. More
1881, he was elected chair of the than 40% of Minnesotans still are not registered donors.
Ward Township board of supervi- Staff and administration at CentraCare Health System - Long Prairie make donation a mission, supporting
sors. In 1883, he was elected a families through the donation process every time the opportunity is presented. Since 2005, there have been 11
road overseer for district 2. In tissue donors from CentraCare Health System - Long Prairie, helping over 550 people.
1884, 1885, 1887, and 1888, LifeSource Hospital Liaison Barb Nelson-Agnew was on hand January 12 to present Jodi Hillmer, Director
township records show E. J. of Patient Care and Dan Swenson, CEO the certificate of appreciation for supporting Donate Life Minnesota
Sutton being elected treasurer of Hospital Campaign.
the township. In 1885, he, in part- To find out more about donation or to register your wishes, please visit www.donatelifemn.org" or www.life-
Continued on page 16 source.org.

WEEKLY WEATHER REPORT

Wed. Jan. 26 Thur. Jan. 27 Fri. Jan. 28 Sat, Jan. 29 Sun. Jan. 30 Mon. Jan. 31 Tue. Feb. 1
Partly Cloudy Mostly Cloudy Snow Showers Snow Showers Partly Cloudy Mostly Sunny Clouds/Sun
16°/5° 29°/23° 32°/9° 11°/-8° -1°/-7° 2°/-1° 7°/6°