COKATO MUSEUM
  • History
    • Akerlund Studio
    • Cokato History
    • The Museum
    • Blog
    • Videos
  • Events & Exhibits
    • Annual Events
    • Online Exhibits
  • Research
    • Genealogy
    • Archives
    • Resources
    • Educators
  • Support
    • Cokato Historical Society
    • Membership
    • Volunteer
    • Donations >
      • How to Donate
      • Wish List
  • Contact/Hours

In the Midst

Use the Categories menu on the right to search through our many exciting articles on Cokato History.

THE BLACK EAGLE COMES TO COKATO

11/5/2022

 
Mike Worcester "The Black Eagle Comes To Cokato." In The Midst Of, Cokato Historical Society (February, 2017) vol. 37 no. 1.
​Each fall, from 1903 through 1915, the Cokato Street Fair took place. We have written about those before. We also have two files of images from those events. One of those images came to us in July 1996. It was an undated postcard view of a speaker at one of the fairs. The image, seen be-low, showed how community events in those days functioned. The caption reads: “SPEECH, BY, SEN. M.E. CLAPP, “COKATO FAIR” COKATO MINN.”
Picture
Questionable punctuation aside, the caption was intriguing as the author of this article, despite think-ing he had extensive knowledge of Minnesota political history, had never heard of Senator M. E. Clapp. Thankfully there was a copy of the Minnesota Legislative Manual nearby (it was 1996, no Internet yet) and sure enough, there he was — “Moses E. Clapp, Republican: January 23, 1901 to March 4, 1917”.

Born in Delphi, Indiana on May 21, 1851, Clapp and his family moved to Wisconsin at an early age, where he graduated from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1873. In 1882, he moved to Fergus Falls to establish a legal practice. His legal and oratorical skills did not go unnoticed, and friends of legendary Minnesota Senator Knute Nelson, worked to secure Clapp as the Republican nominee for Attorney General of Minnesota in the 1886 election. One of the candidates Clapp best-ed for the nomination was Frank B. Kellogg (remember that name).

After three terms in the A.G.’s office — terms in those days were two years, not four — Clapp moved back into private practice, this time in St. Paul. His eloquence kept him busy on the Republican speaking circuit, and he stood for nomination for governor in 1896, but was not successful.

​Five years later, U.S. Senator Cushman Davis died in office, presenting another opportunity for Clapp.
How U.S. senators were chosen at the time is quite different from the modern era. As proscribed in Article I, Section III of the U.S. Constitution, Senators were to be chosen by the legislatures of each state. When a vacancy came due, the majority caucus of the legislature would choose their candi-date. As such, the Republican caucus in the met to fill out the remainder of Davis’s term. Out of six hopefuls for the office, Clapp was chosen and began is service on January 23, 1901.

Comments are closed.

    Cokato Museum

    Blog articles are subject to copyright.

    Categories

    All
    Akerlund
    Amusements
    Businesses
    Crime
    Disaster
    Downtown
    Hwy 12
    Lost Cokato
    Medical
    Men
    Military
    Organizations
    Parks
    Politics
    Religion
    Schools
    Sports
    Surrounding Communities
    Technology
    Transportation
    Weather
    Women

    Archives

    October 2024
    June 2024
    April 2024
    January 2024
    September 2023
    August 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    October 2021
    September 2021
    June 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    December 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019

    RSS Feed

We Would Love to Have You Visit Soon!

E-mail:
[email protected]

Telephone:
320-286-2427

Address:
175 Fourth Street SW, Cokato, MN 55321

Hours:
Tues-Sat: 8:30-4:30
Sun-Mon: Closed


​Closed Most Holidays

FREE Admission


© 2025 Cokato Historical Society
Picture
  • History
    • Akerlund Studio
    • Cokato History
    • The Museum
    • Blog
    • Videos
  • Events & Exhibits
    • Annual Events
    • Online Exhibits
  • Research
    • Genealogy
    • Archives
    • Resources
    • Educators
  • Support
    • Cokato Historical Society
    • Membership
    • Volunteer
    • Donations >
      • How to Donate
      • Wish List
  • Contact/Hours