Jessenland Township is a township in Sibley County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 481 at the 2000 census.
Jessenland Township was organized in 1858, the same year Minnesota achieved statehood.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which is land and (3.49%) is water.
Demographics
As of the census Like many Irish immigrants escaping the hardships of the Great Famine.The brothers settled on land along the Minnesota River, establishing a small landing site known as Doheny’s Landing. Farming, particularly wheat and livestock, sustained the early community.
The area quickly developed a reputation as a vibrant enclave of Irish culture, faith, and perseverance and soon became known as Jessenland. Some historical accounts suggest the name "Jessenland" came from Jesse Cameron, an early Protestant settler, and was meant to signify “Jesse’s Land.”
While much of the original town center no longer exists, the Church of St. Thomas remains a lasting landmark. The original log church was built in 1854, and a larger stone structure replaced it in 1870. Making St. Thomas one of the oldest Catholic churches in Minnesota. The church complex consists of an 1870 church, 1878 rectory, and a hillside cemetery whose oldest tombstone is dated 1856.
Jessenland remains a rural farming community with deep Irish-American roots.