Dexter Parritt Traditional Cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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The first cache in a series for Dexter, MN. I have enjoyed living here, in a 133 year old home, for a few years. Researching the history of this small town (340 residents) has been interesting.
Dexter was platted in 1874. The first settlement in the north part of the town was made in 1857 by Mahlon Parritt and his son Dexter. In the fall of that year they moved to what is now known as the town of Dexter. The father made his home there until the time of his death.
Mahlon. Parritt, one of the pioneers of the county, was born in the State of New Jersey in 1789. When quite young his parents moved to Pennsylvania, where he grew to manhood. When a young man he learned the trade of clothier. He followed this trade until 1844, when he engaged in agricultural pursuits. He was married twice. Mr. Parritt’s second wife was Mary McCammitt, a native of Pennsylvania. By this marriage there were five children; only two survived, Dexter and Mary. In 1832 he moved to Ohio, and lived there until 1857, when he came to Mower county. They traveled from Pennsylvania with one two-horse team, and a one-horse rig. They started the last day of March, and arrived in Mower county May 12th, and spent the first night with John L. Johnson. 2 days later they found their land.
The family consisted of Mr. and Mrs. Parritt, their son Dexter, then a young man, and two little children. The family lived in their wagon until the men broke fifteen acres of land and planted seed corn, buckwheat, and garden vegetables. In July they built a log stable, in which they lived until fall. In the meantime they had erected a log house on the southeast quarter of section 33, in what is now known as the town of Dexter. Mahlon Parritt died here in 1861, and his wife in 1870. Their son Dexter was born January 19, 1824. He made his home with his parents until 1852, when he engaged onboard a steamboat running on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, and remained until 1857, when he came back to Minnesota. He remained here, a prominent member of the community and becoming chairman of the first board of supervisors in the town of Dexter. He is known to live here until 1882.
We can only guess that he is buried here in Elkton because he died before the 1899 establishment of the cemetery in Dexter. No date of death is recorded.
The cache is NOT IN the cemetery. Please be respectful if you choose to find The Parritt's headstone. Permission has been given to place the cache.
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)