Unearthing History - HJ Lasher and Pipe Lake Fort

For several months after the US-Dakota War of 1862, fear of continued hostilities between the Dakota and settlers remained. As a result, several forts and a military presence could be found across parts of Minnesota. This included Meeker County, specifically at the Pipe Lake Fort in Cedar Mills Township.

HJ Lasher's shield is displayed alongside other items found at the Pipe Lake Fort.

This was a sod fort that was occupied for several months in 1863. When the fort was abandoned, the men left several things behind. Much of this fort was lost to history until about 25 years ago, when the property owners began digging into the land’s history. While the fort itself had been reclaimed by nature over the decades, there were still plenty of items left behind. Several of the items were later donated to the museum.  

Among the horseshoes, belt buckles, nails, and even pieces of a stove, a more personal item can be seen in the museum’s display case. It is a small copper shield with a name and place hand-engraved into the medal. “HJ Lasher/ Buffalo, NY.”

Who was this Mr. Lasher? Most of the fort’s residents would have been with the army and could have come from anywhere. But as luck would have it, Lasher was from Meeker County!

Henry J Lasher was born in Switzerland and came to the United States at a young age. He grew up in Pennsylvania and later in New York where he learned to be a tinsmith and coppersmith. Based on this history, we assume the shield was made by Lasher himself.

He and his wife, Catherine (Topping), came to Meeker County in 1859 and were among some of the first settlers in Cedar Mills Township. During the US-Dakota War of 1862, Lasher helped to warn local settlers of possible danger and also worked to harvest crops and provide supplies to the people who fled their homes. When the US troops arrived, Lasher joined them and worked as a scout for the Army for the next three years.

Lasher returned to Cedar Mills and later moved to Litchfield. Over the course of his life, Lasher was part of many local “firsts.” His home hosted the first church service in Cedar Mills, and he served as the area’s first Sunday School Superintendent. In 1869, he and his family were among the first residents of Litchfield, where he helped to start the first fire department, was a charter member of the Litchfield Library Association, and played in Litchfield’s first brass band.

Lasher and his wife had eight children, four who lived to adulthood. Lasher died in 1882 and was remembered as an esteemed member of the community. One has to wonder if he ever thought about the copper shield he lost back in 1863.

As for the Pipe Lake Fort, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003 and remains on private property. Stop by the Meeker County Museum to see some of the history the fort has revealed.