Individual Details

Gertrude Braat Vandergon wrote "Our Pioneer Days in Minnesota" a series of letters and recollections to her children about the early days of settlement of Wright County. Her family settled at Silver Creek, Wright County in 1867.
p 136-137
She describes early Buffalo Township:
Around Buffalo the land was nearly all covered with timber when we arrived in 1867. The soil, too, was a rich dark loam. There were many meadows and lakes. Buffalo Lake, from which the town derives its name, lies partly in Buffalo.
Lake Pulaski is about two miles to the northeast and Pelican Lake extends into the northeast corner of the town of Monticello. These are the largest lakes. The town was named by Indian traders on Account of the large number of Buffalo fish found in that lake. The Indians fished in summer and gathered cranberries; in the winter they hunted deer. The neighbors told us that in 1855 the entire space where the courthouse now stands was covered with tepees. There also was a trading post.
In 1851 a Mr Brissette, an Indian trader, living at Lake Calhoun near Minneapolis, with several pioneers cut a road through the timber from Lake Calhoon to Buffalo by way of the west side of Medicine Lake and Lake Sarah, crossing the Crow River at Rockford.
The first man to locate in this township was Augustus Prime, on section nine, April, 1855. Solomon Hatch came the same year. Amasa Ackley and G. Overton arrived in the fall. They took claims on section 30. James Griffen took a claim on section thirty-two. Mr Griffen was a colored man. In the spring of 1856 Moses Calkins, David Calkins, Daniel Gray, Thomas Smithson and S.B. Culver settled in the community of Buffalo. The first white child born in the town was Wm Smithson, son of Tom Smithson, May 1856. The first marriage took place 1857. James Gilbert and Jennie Prime. The first real dwelling was built in 1856.
The town of Buffalo was organized May, 1858. Also the first school district was organized. Mrs. D. Blakely was the first teacher.
In 1862 there was an Indian outbreak and most of the settlers fled to Monticello. Many returned to their homes in six weeks. However, in June, 1863, the Dustin family was murdered, which created quite a panic.
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The 1880 D.R. Farnham's History of Wright County, p 32
The board of county commissioners met at Monticello, April 6, 1857. A petition was received and granted, and Solomon Hatch and J Odell were appointed to locate and survey said road.
(This was probably #25 that goes from Buffalo to Monticello now. It goes by the Hatch farm.)

On p 145 while talking about the early settlers of Buffalo Farnham says John Hatch, Geo. R Covart and W.G. Leonard have about the only prairie farms in town.
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History of Wright County Vol 2 p 680
Talking about Buffalo twp...
The first man to permanently locate in this township was Augustus Prime, who settled on section 9 in April 1855. He was followed by Soloman Hatch, a native of Maine, who came here in May, of the same year, purchased a claim that had been previously made on section 5. He brought his family to their new home in October of the same year, and resided there until his death, which occurred in January, 1874.
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There is a Cyrus (E M ) Hatch mentioned on p 501 of History of Upper Mississippi Valley
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MN Land Records

Solomon W Hatch
Land off Jackson
Doc #146
Total Acres 160
Misc doc #3581
Signature yes
Issue date 16 Aud 1871
Homestead Entry original
Land description 1- N1/2 NE 5th PM No 103N 29W25
2 - E1/2 NW " "
Martin County

Birth	3 Oct 1811	Gardiner, Kennebec, Maine, United States
Marriage	3 Jun 1840	Hennebec County, Maine, United States - Hannah Kinsman
Death	27 Jan 1874	Monticello, Wright, Minnesota, United States
Census (family)	1850 US Census	Windsor, Kennebec, Maine, United States - Hannah Kinsman
Census (family)	1840 US Census	Windsor, Kennebec, Maine, United States - Hannah Kinsman
Census (family)	1857 Minnesota Territorial Census	Buffalo, Wright, Minnesota, United States - Hannah Kinsman
Census (family)	1860 US Census	Buffalo, Wright, Minnesota, United States - Hannah Kinsman
Census (family)	1870 US Census	Buffalo, Wright, Minnesota, United States - Hannah Kinsman
Census (family)	1865 MN State Census	Buffalo, Wright, Minnesota, United States - Hannah Kinsman
Property		Martin County
Occupation		farmer
Burial
Census	1855 MN Territorial Census	Wright County, Minnesota, United States

Spouse	Hannah Kinsman (1814 - 1895)
Child	John W. Hatch (1849 - 1939)
Child	George S Hatch (1847 - 1865)
Child	Sarah L Hatch (1845 - 1857)
Child	Hannah Ellen Hatch (1843 - 1922)
Child	Charles Hatch (1850 - 1950)

Father	Solomon Hatch (1761 - 1840)
Mother	Huldah Andrews (1775 - 1863)
Sibling	Deborah Hatch (1796 - 1849)
Sibling	Mary D "Polly" Hatch (1798 - 1868)
Sibling	William Hatch (1800 - 1802)
Sibling	Huldah Hatch (1802 - )
Sibling	Frances Hatch (1803 - 1904)
Sibling	Thankful Hatch (1805 - )
Sibling	Caroline Hatch (1819 - 1860)
Sibling	William S Hatch (1808 - 1857)
Sibling	Trustam M Hatch (1815 - 1835)

Notes