USA > Iowa > Howard County > Lime Springs > History of the Welsh in Minnesota, Foreston and Lime Springs, Ia. gathered by the old settlers > Part 17
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BOWEN, EVAN -- Born February 3, 1821, at Bank Flosfelen, Llangyndeiren Carmarthenshire, Wales. Emigrated to Blos-
Hon. T. N. Bowen. DULUTH, MINN.
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Hon. Owen Morris. ST. PAUL. MINN.
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Hon. J. M. Jones. REDWOOD FALLS, MINN.
Hon. Job Lloyd. . LLOYD, MINN.
WELSHMEN, WHO HAVE WON LEGISLATIVE HONORS.
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burgh, Pa., in 1840. In 1847 he married Miss Jane Edwards, at Charleston, Pa. Moved to Nicollet county, Minn., reach- ing the old townsite of Eureka on October, 27th, 1855. Within a few days he located on a claim about a mile west of this then promising city. In the summer of 1865 he purchased and moved to the farm still owned by the family, in the pres- ent town of Cambria, Blue Earth county. In 1867 he was elected sheriff of Blue Earth county. He was a man of much natural ability and force of character. Impulsive at times, almost to a fault, yet of a very kindly and generous disposi- tion and the memory of his warm friendship still lingers in the bosom of many an old settler. He died January 3, 1871, leaving him surviving, his wife and six children, namely: Miss Mary J. Bowen, for years a most successful teacher in a . number of the High schools of the state, and now editor of the Idaho Springs News, at Idaho Springs, Col .; Thos. E. Bowen, (see below ); Mrs. Margaret Roberts, of Denver, Colo- rado, formerly a very efficient teacher in our public schools ; John E. Bowen, merchant at Courtland, Minn. ; David E. Bowen, of Cambria, Minn., and Miss Esther Bowen, a very successful teacher in the Wisconsin and Minnesota schools.
BOWEN, MRS. JANE-Widow of Evan Bowen, was born at Llan On, Bryn Maen, Carmarthenshire, Wales, May 21, 1820. Her father's name was David Edwards, who in 1841 emigrated with his family to Charleston, Pa. Wise, careful and affec- tionate; she has ever been much loved by her children and acquaintances. She still resides on the old homestead in Cambria.
BOWEN, THOS. E .- Journalist, son of Evan and Jane Bowen, was born October 13, 1849, at Blossburgh, Pa., and came to Minnesota in 1855 with his parents. Began his edu- cation in the country schools ; then at the age of sixteen went to the High school at Mankato and afterwards to the State Normal of the same city. He taught school for a few years, and then began his career as a journalist at Sleepy Eye, Minn., where, in February, 1879, he founded and for a number of years published the Sleepy Eye Herald. November 1, 1877, he was united in marriage to Miss Emma E. White. In 1886 he was elected state senator from Brown county. About 1890 he removed to Duluth where he edited the Daily News for a few years. Since that time he has had editorial charge of a num- ber of papers in Duluth and vicinity. He is an able and ready writer and a fearless defender of his convictions.
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BOWEN, DANIEL T .- Born in Nicollet, Minn., February 17, 1862. Son of William T. and Gwendolen Bowen, who came to Nicollet from Spring Green, Wis .. in June, 1859. The father was a native of Llangyndeiren Carmarthenshire, Wales, and the mother of Cardiganshire. They were married at Blossburgh, Pa., and moved to Spring Green in October, 1855. In 1864 moved from Nicollet to Judson, where the father died October 1870. Daniel received a good common school educa- tion. Married Sarah, daughter of Evan Davis, Judson, in 1886. She died in 1888. Married again in 1890, Mrs. Bar- bara Blake, daughter of Adam Menton, of LeSueur, Minn. In 1890 he was appointed deputy sheriff of Blue Earth County by W. J. Glynn. In 1894 he was elected sheriff by a large imajority on the Republican ticket.
BUMFORD, RICHARD R .- Born at Mount Pleasant, Ra- cine County, Wis., October 26, 1856. His parents were David and Eleanor Bumford. The mother died in May, 1860. Rich- ard was educated at the district school of his native place and at the Racine High School. Came to Blue Earth County in March, 1876, where he remained teaching country schools for two years. He then removed to the Welsh settlement in Lyon County, and in 1882 was elected register of deeds of that county, which office he held for six years. Since that time he has been engaged with great success in the real estate, loan and insurance business at Marshall, Minn. Married Miss Lucy Lewis, of Wyoming County, N. Y., in June, 1886.
CHESHIRE, ISAAC-Born at Caernedde, about four miles west of Oswestry, Shropshire, England, in 1830. Offa's Dyke passed through his father's farm. He emigrated to Ra- cine, Wis., in 1846. About 1860, at Racine, Wis., he married Miss Ellen Davies, who was a native of Denbighshire, Wales. For two or three years during the war he was employed in the Department of the Interior at Washington. He then held the position of deputy revenue collector at Milwaukee for about a year. In 1866 he removed to Mankato, Minn., where he worked one year in the employ of Isaac Marks. He then formed a co-partnership with William Jones, as Cheshire & Jones, in general merchandise. The firm dissolved in 1875. and Mr. Cheshire was employed in the auditor's office of Blue Earth County, and for a few years prior to his death was dep- uty county auditor. He had a very remarkable talent as a bookkeeper, being one of the best accountants Blue Earth County ever had. He was also a fine singer and a member of
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the famous Cambrian quartette, of which Prof. John P. Jones, of Chicago ; W. W. Davis, of South Bend, and R. J. Thomas, late of Mankato, were the other members. He was a patron and ardent admirer of the Eisteddfod and of all musical and literary societies. He died suddenly of heart disease May 21st, 1882. Miss Mary E. Cheshire, of Cincinnati, O., is now his only surviving child.
DACKINS, DAVID-Born August 9, 1834, at Llanidloes, Montgomeryshire, Wales. Son of David and Elizabeth Dack- ins of Lower Green Llanidloes. September 1851 emigrated with parents to Utica, N. Y., where they lived two years ; thence for one year to Columbus, O., thence for a short time to Memphis, Tenn., and St. Louis, Mo., thence in August, 1855, to St. Paul, Minn., and from there in April. 1856, to Judson, Minn., where he, his father and brother, Edward, lo- cated on a farm. November 1860 married Ellen, daughter of Edward and Jane Edwards, then of Butternut Valley. Aug- ust 18th, 1862, enlisted in Company E, Ninth Minnesota, and was with his company until the battle of Guntown, Miss., but in the retreat from that disastrous campaign he was separated from his regiment and once taken prisoner, but through his shrewdness escaped, and after days of wandering and untold hardships reached the Union lines. Ilis health, however, was badly shattered so that he was unable thereafter to rejoin his company. In 1874 he removed to Mankato and followed the occupation of carriage painter. He has always taken a lively interest in politics, being one of the very few Welsh Demo- crats. Never seeking an office himself, he has always taken pleasure in helping those he deemed worthy, without regard to party. His wife died May 29th. 1880. Their children are William, John, Edward and Jennie.
DANIEL, R. E .- Born in Llangeitho. South Wales, May 18th, 1844. Parents, Evan and Mary Daniel. Emigrated with par- ents to Racine, Wis., 1848. Mother died in 1850. Lived on farın with grandparents, Roderick and Catherine Evans, for six years, then worked for other farmers ; afterwards went to Ra- cine and learned the blacksmith trade. Enlisted in Company "F," Twenty-second Regiment, Wisconsin Volunteer Infan- try August 9th, 1862, and served until end of the war. . Mus- tered out at Washington, D. C., June 12th, 1865. Engaged in real estate and insurance soon after close of war. Married Mary E. Lewis, Berlin, Wis., June 27th, 1867, and lived in Oshkosh, Wis., for twenty-one years, Mr. and Mrs. Dan-
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iel, three sons and two daughters, moved to Minneapolis in May, 1887. Mrs. Daniel died December 1st, 1887. Mr. Daniel married Jeanette M. Jones, of Berlin, Wis., June 11th, 1890. He is now and has for the past fifteen years - been engaged in the business of adjuster of fire insurance losses. He is interested in music and has taken prizes as a so- loist and conductor in several musical conventions, and has " served as adjudicator of music at the Minneapolis Eisteddfod. DANIEL, T. R .- The subject of this sketch was born October 7th, 1846, at Llangeitho, Cardiganshire, South Wales. In 1848 he came with his parents, Evan and Mary Daniel, to Ra- cine, Wis., and spent several years of his boyhood with his grandfather, Roderick Evans, at Mount Pleasant. When eighteen years old he went to Fox Lake, Wis., where he lived for fifteen years and was engaged in the mercantile business. In 1869 he married Mary I. Trimble, and ten years later went to Oshkosh, Wis., where he remained for two years, engaged in the insurance business. In March. 1882. he took a travel- ing position with the North British and Mercantile Insurance Company, and the following year moved to Minneapolis and was given the state agency for Minnesota and North and South Dakota for the same company, and is still in the em- ployment of the company. From 1889 to 1894 he had charge of the company's office at Minneapolis. also the company's local business. Mr. Daniel takes great interest in music, and was a member of the duet which secured the prize at the Ra- cine Eisteddfod in 1882. He also belongs to the Masonic fra- ternity.
DAVIS, CHARLES E .- Born in Montgomeryshire, Wales, in 1844. Emigrated to Le Sueur, Minnesota, in 1865, and thence to Lake Crystal in 1869, where he engaged in the gen- eral mercantile business. He was very popular and successful and soon became the leading merchant of that town. Ile also formed a partnership with W. P. Marston and P. A. Larson in the banking business there, under the firm name of Mars- ton, Larson & Davis. In 1892 he sold out his mercantile busi- ness and removed to Minneapolis to engage in the grain com- mission business, forming a partnership with R. D. Hubbard and Geo. M. Palmer, under the firm name of Davis, Hubbard & Palmer. Married Miss Sylvia O., daughter of Thomas Raney, of LeSueur.
DAVIS, HON. CUSHMAN KELLOGG-Senator, born June 16th, 1838, at Henderson, N. Y., of Welsh ancestry, who
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Hon. Cushman K. Davis, (U. s. SENATOR.)
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had originally come from South Wales to Massachusetts. His parents removed to Waukesha, Wis., about September. 1838. His father, Horatio N. Davis, was county treasurer of Waukesha county for several terms ; was state senator from Rock county, Wis., two terms, and was a captain in a Wis- consin regiment during the civil war. He is now 84 and his es- timable wife is 81 years of age. Both are still vigorous in mind and body and reside at St. Paul, Minn. Their distinguished son, Cushman K., was educated at Carroll college of that town and graduated from Michigan University in 1857. Read law with Governor Randall, and was admitted to practive in 1859 at Waukesha. Enlisted in the Twenty-Eighth Wisconsin Vol- unteers in 1862 and was made First Lieutenant of Company B and soon promoted Assistant Adjutant General on the staff . of Gen. Willis A. Gorman, but after two years service was obliged to resign his commission on account of ill health caused by an attack of typhoid fever. In 1865 he settled in St. Paul and resumed the practice of his profession in partner- ship with Gen. Gorman. In 1866 he was elected to the Min- nesota legislature and from 1867 until 1873 was United States district attorney for Minnesota, and in the fall of the latter year was chosen governor of the state. He served with great acceptance to the people, but declined a renomination. He again resumed the practice of his profession and soon won the deserved reputation of being one of the best lawyers in the state. In 1880 he married Miss Anna M. Agnew, of St. Paul, January 18, 1887, he was chosen United States senator and re- elected in 1893. His vast erudition. especially in jurispru- dence and modern foreign languages, make him an invaluable member of the prominent Senate committees, and his great ability as an orator, lawyer and statesman put him in the fore- most rank of the present great men of our nation, and he is prominently mentioned for the presidency.
DAVIES, CHARLES W .- Engraver, born at Whitesboro, N. Y., June 21, 1854. Only son of David and Sarah (Jones) Davies. The father was a carpenter and builder and came to Central New York from Wales, in 1823, when six years old. The mother was born in New York. Both were active mem- bers of the Welsh Congregational church. Charles having finished his public school education, took a course of elective studies at Whitestown Seminary until twenty-one years old, when he went to Utica and started to learn the jewelers' trade, but having a natural genius for engraving he soon acquired a
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thorough knowledge of this art under an engraver of that city, and formed a co-partnership with his instructor, which lasted two years. He then started in the business alone at Syracuse, where he had the misfortune to lose all his property by fire. After stopping a short time at Grand Rapids, Mich., he came to Minneapolis, Minn., and without any capital save an in- domitable will, began business, with a store box for a table, as the pioneer engraver of Minneapolis. His success has been very great, and his commodious business place at 610 Nicollet avenue, is in marked contrast with his small beginning. In 1885 he married Miss Clara S. Getz, of Deleware, O , an estim- able Christian lady. They have two children, Marion and Clifford.
DAVIES, DANIEL T .- Born October 15th, 1852, at a farm called Brynawen, near New Quay, Cardiganshire, South Wales. He came to the United States from Rhymny, Mon- mouthshire, in the summer of 1869. Worked in the coal mines of Pennsylvania and Ohio for about three years and then moved to the silver mines of Colorado. In the year 1878 he left Montezuma, Col .. for Dodgeville, Wis., on a visit to his uncle, the Rev. J. D. Davies, where he met Miss Sarah, dangh- ter of Robert R. Williams, of Dodgeville, and they were mar- ried January, 1879, then removed to Kokomo, Col., where they spent three years. In 1882 he came to Minneapolis, and engaged in the meat business. In 1888 he was ap- pointed by the city council city meat inspector, which office he filled for about four years. He was elected deacon of the Welsh church of Minneapolis in 1889 and has continued zeal- ous and faithful to his trust, and one of the pillars of the so- ciety. He has served as treasurer of his church for many years, and holds that position at the present time. His fam- ily consists of four boys, namely, Eddie. Robbie, Albert and Wynne.
DAVIES, REV. DAVID-Born at Tirgwyn, Llandysilio- gogo, Cardiganshire, Wales, July 12, 1789. He was a son of Evan and Elizabeth Davies, and brother of Rev. Samuel Davis and Rev. Jenkin Davies, the latter being a very noted C. M. minister. His father was a prominent eller of the C. M. church, of Pensarn, located on his farm. The family tra- dition is that the late distinguished Dr. Samuel Davies, pres- ident of Princeton college, was a member of the same Davies family. The subject of our sketch also prepared himself for
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the ministry, though his educational advantages were few. He began preaching at Pensarn church in 1814. In 1824 he married Mary, daughter of Evan Jenkins, of Ffynon Berw, and about 1830 built him a new residence on a part of the Tirgwyn estate and called it Brynawen. In 1837 he emi- grated to Bloomfield township, Jackson county, O. There he preached to the Welsh settlers-one preaching station being near his own home, which stood on the old turnpike road, between Gallipolis and Chillicothe, ten miles east of Jackson Court House ; the other station was seven miles away at the house of Isaac Evans, in Gallia county. Both of these congre- gations were soon organized into churches, with houses of worship and flourishing Sunday schools. He was ordained to the ministry in 1840. In America his ministerial connection (until his death) was with the Presbyterian church, but he ministered mostly to Congregational churches. Being a strong Abolitionist he became a member of the Underground railroad. In May, 1856, he removed with his family to Blue Earth county, Minn., locating on a farm in the west- ern end of the present town of Cambria. During 1856-7 and 8 he preached for the Calvinistic Methodist churches of Blue Earth and Le Sueur counties, being the first regular preacher in Horeb church. In 1859 he joined the Congregational church and with Rev. Jenkin Jenkins and Henry Hughes, began (in the fall of that year) a preaching service in the vicinity of Horeb church. Here, at the house of Henry Hughes, he or- ganized a Congregational church on March 11, 1860. Rev. Samuel Jones, of La Crosse, Wis., then visiting the settle- ment, assisting. Dr. Davies (as he was generally called from his having studied medicine) continued to preach to this church, alternately with Henry Hughes, until his death, which occurred April 17, 1861. His saintly wife followed him October 6, of the same year. Dr. Davies was a great reader, a close thinker and a sound reasoner. A man of strong con- victions and of unswerving loyalty to his principles. A fast friend of all that was right and a firm foe to all that was wrong. He left surviving him five children: Rev. Evan L. Davies, M. A., of Lake Forest, Ill .; Rev. Peter S. Davies, Ph. D., of Mandan, North Dakota ; David S. Davies, late of Cot- tonwood, Brown county, Minn., John S. Davies, of Cambria, Minn., and the late Mrs. Mary S. Davies, wife of Thos. Y. Davies, who died March 3, 1871, leaving her surviving one daughter, Mary, wife of John F. Dackins, of Mankato.
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DAVIES, DAVID J .- Born at Llangristiolus, Anglesea, Wales, March 31st, 1814. Oldest son of John and Catharine Davies, who were poor but pions people and gave their young son the rich legacy of a religious training. In early life he worked on farms and read all the books he could find. At this time a parson of the English church named Isaac Jones took much interest in the studious youth and urged him to join the English church and study for the ministry. but he was too deeply rooted in the Calvinistic Methodist faith to comply with the parson's conditions. About 1840 he went to work in the quarries of Llanberis, and there when about twenty-seven years old he united with the C. M. Church of Cefnywaen. He spent some time at Merthyr Tydfil, but in August, 1844, being thrown out of work with 300 others, he emigrated to America and stayed for some time near Racine, Wis., then at Beloit for three years, and then located on a farm in Proscairon, Wis. April 22nd, 1848, he married Gwen, daughter of the late Hugh Roberts, and sister of the late T. H. Roberts, and of the late Mary Williams, wife of the late Rev. J. D. Williams. Mr. and Mrs. Davies had always longed for the missionary field, and a door was opened for them in the call of the Presbyterian Board for teachers for the Indians of Nebraska. Leaving their farm in the spring of 1853 they crossed the wild country to their field of labor among these Indians. There they toiled faithfully and efficiently until the summer of 1860, when they returned to Proscairon. In the summer of 1861, they removed to Beaver Township, Filmore County, Minn., where they located on a farm. Mr. Davies died September 22, 1891, leaving surviving his saintly wife and three children, Hugh, Walter and Claudia ( now widow of the late William II. Thomas). Mr. Davies was a man of strong intellectual grasp, who by wide reading and careful study had become well posted in scriptural and secular knowledge. He was also possessed of a most excellent Christian spirit, which greatly endeared him to all that knew him.
E. H. JONES. DAVIS, DAVID JJ .- Born at Llanddewibrefi, Cardiganshire, Wales, December 11, 1814. Son of Thomas and Jane Davis, Penstair. Ile was a carpenter by trade. Married Hannah, daughter of David Jones, an innkeeper of Llangeitho, Decem- ber, 1840. Emigrated to America in the summer of 1837 and settled first in Cuyahoga Falls, Portage County, O. About 1844 he bought a sawmill in Edinburg Township, which he oper- ated very successfully for eleven years. In July, 1855, in com-
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pany with David J. Williams, he visited the new Welsh set- tlement of Blue Earth County and located a claim in section 16 of Cambria, to which he removed with his family the fol- lowing November. His wife died in October, 1859. He was county commissioner of Blue Earth County in 1862-3, and has held a number of town and school offices. During the terrible Sioux massacre of 1862 his eighten-year-okl son, Thomas, was killed on the morning of September 10th within a few rods of the house, and Mr. Davis and his other children, as they lled, were in view of the savages. Mr. Davis is a man of strict in- tegrity and much determination. Ile has always been a great reader and is well posted in public affairs. His children are Ann, wife of John R. Williams, of Cambria ; David J., Han- nah, Mary, wife of John Lloyd, of Tracy ; Jane, wife of David E. Thomas, of Lake Crystal ; Herbert, Margaret and Cath- erine.
DAVIES, DAVID P .- Born at Cwm May Bush, Llanrhystyd, Cardiganshire, Wales, in 1811. Married Miss Jane Davies, of Llanbadarn Fach, same shire. Emigrated to Jackson county, Ohio, in August, 1838. Came as one of six, sent by a colony of Welsh people of Jackson, to examine the Welsh settlements of Blue Earth county in October. 1855, and on May 10th, 1856, landed with his family at South Bend. locating on claims in the present town of Cambria about the 7th of June following. Horeb church was organized at his house, and he was one of the charter members and first deacons. He was not only one of the prime movers in its organization, but also in the erec- tion of its house of worship and the maintenance of its servi- ces for years. In 1857 he erected a small steam saw and grist mill on his farm in the Little Cottonwood valley. He and his sons took an active part in the defense of the frontier during the Indian outbreaks of 1857 and 1862. In 1865 he removed to South Bend and opened a general merchandise store which he still conducts with his son, David P. Davis, Jr. His wife died January 5, 1892. Their surviving children are: Daniel P. Davis, of Cambria; John P. Davis, of Tracy; Mary, wife of James Morgan, of Custer, Lyon county ; David P. Davis, Jr .; Eben P. Davis, who was wounded by the Indians in 1862 and now lives at Cambria, and Evan P. Davis, merchant on the Pacific coast. Two of their children are deceased: Marga- ret, first wife of Wm. Edwards, of Cambria, and Henry P., late of Worthington, Minn.
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DAVIES, DAVID S .- Eldest son of the late Rev. David Dav- ies, Cambria, Minn., born near New Quay, Cardiganshire. Wales, in 1829. Emigrated with his parents to Jackson County, O., where he received a good common school education. mar- ried in the spring of 1856, Miss Rachel Evans, and removed with the Jackson colony to Minnesota in May of this year, and soon located on a farm in section 13 of Cottonwood, Brown County, whereon the family still reside. He held a number of offices in his town and was a leading elder of the Horeb C. M. church for over twenty-five years. He was a great reader and very fond of Biblical study in which he was well posted. His sound judgment, wide knowledge, sterling character and con- secrated heart made his life a power for good in the church and community. He died January 2nd, 1895, leaving him surviving his wife and nine children, David E., Mary S., Ed- ward, Ellen, Elizabeth, Peter S., Katie, Alice and John.
DAVIS, DAVID T .- Born at Cwm Mawr, Llanarth, Cardi- ganshire, Wales, August 10th, 1825. He married Miss Mag- dalene Evans, of Pant-y-Rhew, in the parish of Dyhewyd, of the same shire, in 1849, and they lived in a place called F'ynon Dalis in the last mentioned parish, whence in the fall of 1853 they emigrated to Big Rock, Il. September 25th, 1855, they came to Judson, Minn., and located on the farm now owned by Rev. John W. Roberts. They were two of the thirteen char- ter members of the Salem Congregational church, organized October 14th, 1855, by Rev. Jenkin Jenkins, and Mr. Davis was made one of the two deacons of this church, which office he held with great acceptance until death. In the summer of 1863 he removed to the present town of Cambria, where the remainder of his life was spent. June 21st. 1866, his wife died. January 5th, 1869 he married Mrs. Jane Williams, daughter of David Pugh, of near Dolgellau, Wales, who had emigrated first to Utica, N. Y., then to Dodgeville, Wis., in 1850, and thence to South Bend. Minn., in 1856, where her first husband, William Williams, died. She, also, died Jan- uary 30th, 1892, and Mr. Davis followed her to the Better Land October 28th, 1894. Mr. Davis was a true, conscientious Christian, who won the esteem of all the community by his blameless life and faithful service. In addition to his duties as deacon he led the singing in Salem church for many of its earlier years. He also was fond of poetry and had no little ability as a composer of Welsh verse. He was frequently elected to various town offices, and in all places secular, social
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