A Budding Rivalry

It was the late 1850s. Though the exact date is not recorded, one can presume the event happened during a warm weather month, and on a pleasant day (you’ll see what I mean). For the sake of a good story, and bearing in mind that I’m at the end of my rope in regards to winter, we’ll place this narrative in the spring of the year – on a lovely day with plenty of sunshine, songbirds singing, budding flowers on the prairie, and a temperature of no more or no less than 73 degrees. It was on such a splendid morning that A. P. Fitch found himself driving his wagon toward Hutchinson.

Hutchinson was, at the time, a town on the rise. Its dirt streets were lined with several homes and budding businesses attractive to settlers looking for a place to lay down their roots. Its founders were of New England stock, steadfast in their desire to promote the ideals of nineteenth century progressivism. They, along with several of the town’s co-founders and leading citizens, fervently worked toward securing a prosperous future for their community.

A.P. Fitch did not live in Hutchinson, but on this day was compelled to take a ride into the town for the sake of attending a church service. In those days, few frontier settlements had buildings designated as churches. Most towns, as did Hutchinson, employed a circuit preacher who would travel from settlement to settlement and perform service in one of the larger community homes. Oftentimes, guests were invited to a place at the hosts dinner table when the service concluded.
Mr. Fitch was a relative newcomer to the area, and a first-time visitor to Hutchinson. It just so happened, that on that day, the service was held in the home of Asa Hutchinson, one of the town’s founders and most prominent citizens. Mr. Fitch was graciously welcomed by Asa, who with the utmost passion, promoted his community to the newcomer. Asa did his best to elevate the town’s points of interest, applaud its potential, and even confided in Mr. Fitch the plans he and others had for advancing the town’s interests.

The conversation continued at Asa’s dinner table, where Asa revealed to Mr. Fitch, that he and a group of committed town leaders had been meeting in private to hatch a plan that would wrestle the county seat away from Glencoe, McLeod County’s largest community. Mr. Fitch listened closely, and with great interest as Asa revealed the details of their plan.
With the dinner concluded, Mr. Fitch said his goodbyes and bid his gracious host farewell. He began his ride back home, pondering the events of the day – the service, the meal, and the news of Hutchinson becoming the new seat of McLeod County. Ordinarily, a guest in someone’s home would not divulge a private conversation with the host, but Mr. Fitch had other plans. It’s likely that his return was made with a bit of haste. Unlike the morning journey, A.P. Fitch did not take time to take in the soft springtime afternoon. Instead, his mind raced. He had to get home and share the news with everyone he knew, because after all, everyone he knew lived in Glencoe.