 It was named Sherburne, to recognize Moses Sherburne (1808-1868), a prominent area attorney, associate justice of the Supreme Court of the Minnesota Territory (1853-1857), who retired to the county and spent his final year of life there (in Orono).The area now delineated by Big Lake Township was first settled in 1848; the small village was named Humboldt.When the county creation was announced in 1856, Humboldt was named the county seat.