(Editor’s Note: The Patriot plans to run a weekly article resurrecting some historical facts, moments, statistics and photos from throughout Sherburne County referencing our readership areas. Information was gleaned from the Sherburne County Heritage book, published in 1986. Enjoy!)

In February of 1856, Sherburne County was formed when the area known as Sherburne was set off from Benton County. A special election was provided for and was held in April of 1856 to elect three commissioners, a register of deeds, a treasurer, an auditor, a sheriff, a coroner and a judge of probate.

The elections were as follows: County Commissioners: John Stevenson, Ephraim Nickerson and Elijah Cutter. Auditor: H. T. Putnam. Treasurer: Eli Houghton. Sheriff: Andrew Boyington. Coroner: Orlondo Bailey. Register of Deeds: F. E. Baldwin.

The first commissioner’s meeting was held May 2-3, 1856 in Humboldt (Big Lake) at the home of Joseph Brown on the shores of Big Lake.

The county continued to function with three commissioner districts until July of 1886 when action was taken to establish five commissioner districts to: District #1-Village of Elk River; District #2 - Townships of  Big Lake, Orrock and Becker including the cities; District #3 - Township of Haven and East St. Cloud; District #4 - Townships and City of Clear Lake, Santiago and Palmer; District #5 - Townships of Baldwin, Livonia, Blue Hill and the Village of Zimmerman.