Illustrated album of biography of Southwestern Minnesota : containing biographical sketches of hundreds of prominent old settlers...:History of Minnesota, embracing an account of early exploration...and a concise history of the Indian outbreak of 1862, Part 1

Author:
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Chicago : Occidental Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 814


USA > Minnesota > Illustrated album of biography of Southwestern Minnesota : containing biographical sketches of hundreds of prominent old settlers...:History of Minnesota, embracing an account of early exploration...and a concise history of the Indian outbreak of 1862 > Part 1


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org.


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105



5M 10-1-54 W. P.CO.


The Benralagiral priety Library


No


52885


Date


Aug. 1955


GEN


ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01944 9757


Gc 977.6 IL58


ILLUSTRATED ALBUM OF BIOGRAPHY OF SOUTHWESTERN MINNESOTA


1


28-01


Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2018


https://archive.org/details/illustratedalbum00unse


AUG 23 1955


LLUSTRATED ALBUM BIOGRAPHY . . OF ..


-OF-


SOUTHWESTERN MINNESOTA


CONTAINING BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF HUNDREDS OF PROMINENT OLD SETTLERS AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS, WITH A REVIEW OF THEIR LIFE WORK, THEIR IDENTITY WITH THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF THIS REGION ; AND REMINISCENCES OF PERSONAL HISTORY AND PIONEER LIFE.


HISTORY OF MINNESOTA,


EMBRACING AN ACCOUNT OF EARLY EXPLORATIONS, ORGANIZATION, A REVIEW OF THE POLITICAL HISTORY, AND A CONCISE HISTORY OF THE INDIAN OUTBREAK OF 1862.


PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES,


EMBRACING BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES AND A FULL-PAGE PORTRAIT, OF EACH. GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF THE CHILD OF JESUS CHRIST


ILLUSTRATED. OF LATTER DAY SAINTS


52885


CHICAGO : OCCIDENTAL PUBLISHING COMPANY 1 1889


977.6 Min: tto


Allen County Public Library Ft. Wayne, Indiana


"Biography is the only true history."-EMERSON.


I


COPYRIGHT, 1889, BY OCCIDENTAL PUBLISHING CO. CHICAGO, ILL.


PRINTED AND BOUND BY DONOHUE & HENNEBERRY, CHICAGO.


ONTENTS


PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES.


PAGE.


PAGE.


George Washington. 9


John Adams. 14


Thomas Jefferson 20


James Buchanan. 80


James Madison. 26


Abraham Lincoln 84


James Monroe.


32


Andrew Johnson. 93


John Quincy Adams 38


Andrew Jackson 47


Martin Van Buren. 52


Wm. Henry Harrison


56


Chester A. Arthur. 113


John Tyler.


60


Grover Cleveland.


117


Benjamin Harrison.


1


120


HISTORY OF MINNESOTA,


CHAPTER I.


LOCATION, TOPOGRAPHY, &C. 123


Location. 123


Resources. 123


Topography


123


Railroads.


124


Population Statistics.


124


CHAPTER II.


HISTORY FROM 1660 TO 1889. 125


Early Explorations 125


During the Seventeenth Century. 126


During the Eighteenth Century. 128


During the Nineteenth Century


129


Organization as a Territory.


131


Organization as a State


131


Chronological Events


132


CHAPTER III.


THE INDIAN MASSACRE


133


Indian Tribes. 133


Bloodshed. 135


Battles ..


138


Surrender of Indians.


138


Execution of Thirty-eight Indians.


139


CHAPTER IV.


TERRITORIAL AND STATE OFFICERS.


. ..


140


CHAPTER V.


REPRESENTATION IN CONGRESS AND CREATION OF COUNTIES. 143


Senators 143


Representatives.


143


Creation of Counties.


144


James K. Polk.


64


Zachary Taylor


68


Millard Fillmore. 72


Franklin Pierce. 76


U. S. Grant. 96


Rutherford B. Hayes 102


James A. Garfield. 109


Southwestern


Minnesota


DESCRIPTIVE AND HISTORICAL INTRODUCTORY.


PAGE


PAGE


SURFACE FEATURES. 149


SOIL, DRAINAGE, ETC 150


FIRST SETTLEMENTS 151


GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT


153


BIOGRAPHICAL.


PAGE


PAGE


PAGE


Abbott, S. J. 721


Bennett, John L. 380


Bugbee, Dr. L. H. 765


Ackerman, L. V. 734


Bennett, Charles H. 651


Burdette, F. F 789


Bussey, Fred. 216


Butman, Eugene S. 263


Anderson, Lars.


252


Bergstrom, Gustof. 670


Bullard, Charles H. 291


Anderson, H. C. 660


Becker, M. J 689


Budd, William H. 308


Anderson, Gustaf. 697


Bitley, W. D 778


Butts, Jacob M. 354


Butts, R. J 453


Burger, Nicholas. 417


Buell, John E. 436


Buss, Oscar E. 533


Carr, Dr. E. M. 774


Carnegie, G. A. 771


Campbell, Robert. 721


Campbell, William C 358


Carpenter, A. H. 637


Carpenter, Fred J. 514


Carson, James R. 304


Cadwell, Mason N 30℃


Canfield, E. H.


409


Bartley, Adam. 751


Brandt, A. G 703


Cass, John L


429


Barker, Ezra P. 198


Broun, Andrew, G. T 192


Casperson, Hans


499


Bathrick, Jeff.


300


Bradley, William H. 199


Chapman, W. A. 208


Baldwin, Fred H.


327


Barlow, William W


360


Briggs, Henry E. 381


Chadderdon, Chas. 321


Christensen, Jens H. 389


Christenson, Chas 565


Christman, C. C. 704


Bernardy, J. B. 763


Brown, Lorenzo W 516


Chase, Allen F. 562


Benbow, Wyatt H. 227


Bressler, C. N. 446


Clark, Hon. John 157


Berdahl, Anfin J 362


Bristol, Joseph


672


Clark, James H.


457


Baxter, Nathan 402


Brown, Hon. W. B. 402


Baxter, George. 545


Brown, F. P. 667


Brown, T. M. 551


Barr, Myron. 430


Boulton, John P. 601


Boomhauer, Roswell. 611


Boomhower, C. M. 646


Barrows, S. 719


Blaisdell, H. M. 443


Blackmun, Hon. S. 445


Aslakson, Ole


749


Blackmun, W. M. 625


Austin, Seth 386


Bloom, Fred 459


Avery, Samuel. 585


Bailey, Z. 583


Blenkiron, Alfred. 755


Arneson, E. J. 790


Armstrong, John A. 424


Black, Thomas A. 162


Armstrong, M. K 678


Ash, Caleb D


245


Bigham, Jos. A 420


Annis, A. W


673


Arvesen, Gotfred 527


Bigham, E. D .. 533


Anderson, A. W. 703


Bisbee, John. 276


Billings, Joseph A 408


Anderson, A. O 775


Bernard, John I. 400


Agnew, Robt. Vans. 261


Ahsenmacher, Henry 249


Bentley, Edgar M. 482


INDIAN TROUBLES 151


"GRASSHOPPER TIMES "


152


Bronson, Rev. E. H. 356


Cheadle, Chas. B 247


V


TABLE OF CONTENTS.


PAGE


Cleaveland, James R. 404


Cleveland, G. E 687


Eickholt, Theodore. 618


Elg, Charles. 773


Grass, Henry C. 271


Grau, Hans T. 442


Greenman, D. S 571


Grant, Jacob F 591


Grant, Angus 791


Gray, W. W 662


Gross, John. 714


Grinager, Capt. Mons. 680


Graling, Henry. 725


Gurley, Geo. H. 282


Gunsolus, M. M. 573


Gunn, Rev. D. G 654


Haug, John P. 674


Hart, Isaac L. .. 200


Hamlin, James G. 232


Halbert, William H. 286


Haberman, F. K 330


Halsey, P. D. 713


Harrison, William


502


Hagedorn, W. F 733


Hammcro, H. N 784


Hanson, John. 786


Hanson, Simon. 676


Hanson, Henry E 378


Haney, Herman H. 535


Hawes, Hon. Philo. 539


Haight, W. Z. 592


Heilig, Charles 206


Hemenover, Albert 228


Hedman, Daniel 234


Herrick, Seth F 332


Herrick, Nelson A. 781


Heineman, Henry 716


Henton, G. H. 727


Heathficld, Charles. 785


Heck, Wendelin. 448


Heggerston, E. E


480


Heath, Caleb. 497


Herren, Robert. 589


Hiles, Gideon W 183


Hills, T. E 204


Hill, Ira C. 279


Hinkly, Dr. B. H 207


Drew, Charles C. 181


Drew, Oliver.


437


Drueke, Anton H.


592


Dressen, M. 715


Dunn, Hon. A. C. 158


Dustin, Geo. W. 352


Dyer, Francis M. 388


Eastwood, Carl S.


343


Easland, M. J.


440


Edwards, John B.


284


PAGE


PAGE


Edward, Charles. 467


Goodell, R. S 699


Grout, Thadeus P. 264


Cone, Hcman A 198


Cowin, James. 211


Coyle, William.


372


Engebretson, E. A. 397


Enke, Henry. 695


Cooper, Henry


511


Cook, John H.


519


Cook, Edward B


530


Cook, Moses. 764


Coburn, Larned


580


Constans, H. P


244


Crane, Geo. W.


392


Crofoot, John C


405


Cronin, Patrick.


745


Currie, Sr., Archibald.


257


Currie, Neil.


247


Curtis, John H.


382


Cutler, Jerome


517


Cullen, Michael.


577


Dawson, William H


172


Day, Edwin W. 175


Day, Zadok.


260


Day, Hon. F. A. 392


Day, D. A.


630


Daly, Francis


544


Daly, Peter


762


Davis, Williamn M. 452


Davis, Charles P.


184


Davis, Geo. W 493


Davis, D. C ..


638


Davies, E. W. 299


Danielson, H. B 515


Detienne, John P


224


DeMong, Jacob.


348


Dean, William E


596


Dean, E. Carter. 428


DeWolf, M. T 711


Denhart, D. J. 741


Dibble, Geo. W 226


Disch, John B


636


Dickson, J. M. 691


Dorwin, M. L.


481


Gilmore, William B.


444


Gilbert, Eli.


608


Gibson, F. S


645


Gilronan, James


488


Gilronan, John.


706


Gieselman, Heinrich.


600


Goodrich, Judge James A.


218


Goodrich, Hon. D. F 382


Goertz, H. P. 479


Goble, William W. 384


Gowin, Mrs. E. A. 601


Goss, Howard M


604


Gorecki, Jacob


633


Iloag, N. P.


383


Erickson, Andrew E. 476


Erickson, Halgrum 532


Erredge, W. T. W.


622


Eyland, Jr., George C. 505


Fairbairn, D. M. 503


Fehring, F. W. 231


Fering, John L .. 425


Ferguson, Carlisle. 463


Fiddes, Hon. Alex 161


Fjeseth, L. I. 718


Fling, Lewis. 339


Flage, Lars. 351


Fletcher, A. C. 681


Foote, Allen. 267


Forbes, Charles H. 296


Forbes, Dudley 403


Fowser, Daniel F. 575


Fowser, Edwin T.


432


Foster, Brigham. 597


Freeman, Hon. O. W 184


Francisco, Georgc E ..


217


French, Professor H. E. 259


French, W. S 626


Fry, William B. 688


Funk, William A. 193


Fuller, Levi H. 328


Gardner, Mrs. E 547


Gatcs, George


582


Gerber, J. W. 450


George, D. H. 707


Gilson, Oscar T.


341


Gillam, Charles W 364


Gillam, Samuel S. 523


Gilham, Edwin.


748


Gildea, Patrick.


491


Gilmore, Horace H. 421


Doak, James E 498


Doeg, Geo. W. 559


Hinkly, Ray B. 238


Hildreth, Chas. W 288


Hinds, U. F ,09


Hines, James 761


Hiebert, Jacob G. 758


Hirschy, Louis.


Hitchcox, Jairus 409


Hodge, Squire S. G. 191


Hodgman, James HI


377


Embury, Charles W 609


Cox, Dr. Albert J 483


Vi


TABLE OF CONTENTS.


PAGE


PAGE


PAGE


Howe, Charles 337


King, Selah S 352


Marcellus, G. L. 493


Holden, John J 365


Kirk, Dr. T 347


Marshall, John C ... 518


Hoffman, John. 772


Kiester, Hon. J. A. 643


Mazany, M. A. 557


Macomber, John L. 586


Mc Arthur, Hon. Daniel. 671


McNaughton, Alex. 677


Mckinstry, A. P. 685


Hutton, John .. 172


Huntington, Simon. 202


Knudson, Ole O 779


Mckenzie, John. 661


Huntington, E. C.


370


Kroeger, John 236


McHench, Hon. James 170


Humiston, Edwin Ray.


306


Krall, Peter. 698


McCready, James.


784


Humes, Dr. J. P


316


Kurth, Adam H .. 242


McNair, Daniel W.


179


Husselton, A. S 335


Kurth, Fred H. 274


McDonald, Prof. Wm.


221


Humphrey, Hosea J 546


Kurth, Henry J. 369


McColley, Nathaniel.


253


Hubbell, Wheelock 583


Kufus, John C. 376


McVey, James. 255


McQuoid, Francis 320


Hynes, John 549


Kutchin, D. W 710


McIntyre, S. P


331


Ingebretson, Ira.


485


Lange, L. M. 272


McHarg, John .. 538


Jacger, Edward J. 570


Lang, M. E 534


Lane, Charles


579


McCarter, Warren


617


Janes, F. L. 416


Lavesson, Hans 363


Larrabee, Erick 471


Larson, Arnt. 504


Mennie, Frank L.


524


Janzen, John.


44-4


Lahart, Richard. 613


Merrill, Dr. H. W.


712


Jackson, Mrs. M. E. 634


Lamport, H. E 632


Meinzer, Fred. 506


Milne, Andrew 675


Miller, John G. 678


Jaycox, Abraham 736


Lagerwall, A. R. 782


Leland, Hon. M. N. 167


Miller, Herbert J 160


Jenness, Thos. L. 297


Le Suer, Erastus P. 314


Miller, Hon. S. A. 416


Miller, William A 475


Miller, Uri D. 537


Minion, N. P 565


Mihin, John J 585


Minet, Nelson. 603


Mills, Edward S 215


Mikkelsen, Dr. M. 726


Morse; James P 663


Mott, Victory G. 238


Mott, Orrin 248


Mohl, Fred. 241


Moberly, R. W


243


Jones, Harvey 513


Jonas, John C. 738


Low, Hon. B. M. 350


Lott, . 490


Lunder, Anton O 515


Mahoney, M. C.


743


Morrill, Thomas.


593


Murphy, Capt. W. W 188


Myers, W. F. 185


Mylius, Charles. 656


Nason, Orrin. 281


Naramore, J. S. 463


King, William O 214


Mason, Lorain.


298


Naramore, Chas. S


464


Nelson, Lewis S.


260


King, William V. 275


Livermore, F. S


189


Johnson, John G 687


Lindquist, Frank D 615


Lincoln, A. 791


Lounsberry, F. M. 243


Loveless, Capt. C. B. 311


Lock wood, William 627


Lowry, Andrew J


346


Moe, Seward J 225


Moore, P. W 268


Morton, Richmond. 391


Moulton, Hon. J. P. 164


Kendall, Philo. 209


Keegan, Peter. . 235


Marsh, Z. W. 754


Matthews, A. C 165


Matthews, Joseph V 558


Maxwell, Jesse A. 190


Kellom, H. S. 700


Mackay, Fraser. 294


Macredie, H. S. C.


390


McCollum, Madison 598


McPhail, Col. Samuel 639


Jahnke, John A. 418


Jahnke, Lewis. 542


Jacobsen, William 657


Laveson, John 758


Jacobs, Peter. 723


La Due, Jay. 769


Lewis, Chester N 616


Lewis, Washburn. 621


Lewis, Hans P. 683


Johnson, Andrew. 290


Johnson, John B. 315


Leder, Heinrich 767


Johnson, John A 606


Lemon, Thomas. 690


Johnson, Albert. 666


Johnson, Peter. 540


Johnson, John E 770


Johnson, E. E 781


Jones, David. 373


Jorgenson, Mads 578


Kaupp, Otto 702


Kenety, William H. 482


Kervick, Rev. F. P 521


Kennen, Richard. 567


Kikul, Godfrey 716


Holley, Hon. H. W. 456


Klaassen, Jacob 760


Howard, Elias 512


Knowles, John. 423


Hosford, J. F 631


Kniss, Hon. P. J 509


Kniss, Geo. W. 500


Mckinstry, Henry 435


Hyslop, Robert. 205


Kurz, Ferdinand. 462


Hyke, Frank A 717


Laing, Geo. N. . 663


McDowell, N. V 494


Mennie, Geo. P. 413


Miller, Joseph K. 702


Jajeski, Rev. H. 776


Jenness, Robert R 338


Jennings, E. O. 426


Jeffers, Albert N 438


Lee, Shepard. 667


Jaeger, Philip A. 305


Houghtaling, J. A 393


vii


TABLE OF CONTENTS.


PAGE


Nelson, John (Pipestone Co.) 278


Nelson, Herman. 283


Nelson, Peter. 498


Ramlo, C. J. 552


Rees, George.


556


Smith, Charles. 374


Smith, William H. 560


Smith, I. B. 612


Snook, Geo. W. 486


Southwell, Oran M. 427


Sorenson, B. H


674


Spaulding, William P.


394


Spornitz, H. E.


423


Springer, A. E. 737


Stow, George F. 361


Story, William S. 374


Start, Asa A. 705


Stegner, W. J. 706


Stegner, John A 461


Stedman, Guy S. 574


Stedman, Squire B 315


Straw, Dr. Daniel. 211


Stauffer, William.


340


Stoughton, A. L. 431


Stevens, William H. 448


Stevens, John L. 504


Stone, J. W. 478


Stine, William B. 525


Stilson, S. F. 569


Stoddard, W. E 574


Stringer, Joseph


607


Swan, John 759


Swartwout, B. A 708


Sweet, D. E ..


779


Sweet, Lorenzo L.


432


Taarud, Nils S. 285


Talbert John A 381


Taylor, J. H. 436


Taylor Dr. W. J 746


Taylor, W. L. 766


Tainter, John. 451


Tarbot, Benjamin 686


Terry, Alfred.


547


Terry, Frank.


670


Tesmer, Charles. 747


Thompson, Daniel. 223


Thompson, Seth W 313


Thompson, B. B 602


Thorndike, David. 227


Thorsness, John H


458


Thorson, Thomas 742


Thorson, Helga. 771


Tilford, Dr. J. H 349


Torjuson, Thorb 610


Topel, Earnest. 750


Toresdahl, B


755


Ramsey, Wm. W


334


Skyberg, P. O.


330


PAGE


Smith, Henry. 712


Smith, Hon. C. H. 169


Smith, Clark W 230


Nelson, John (Murray Co.,). 629


Nelson, Nels


684


Nisbet, Wheeler.


578


Reynolds, Thomas H. 288


Renshaw, C. M. 692


Reek, Julius. 465


Reipke, Chas. H. 508


Rempel, Wm. P. 732


Ring, Christian I. 492


Riee, Hon. Henry N


526


Riee, Ezra. 554


Rivers, John N. 553


Richardson, L. P. 568


Richmond, O. T. 730


720


Orvis, Myron. .


566


Parrott, William


605


Parker, J. H. 635


Paulson, H. P


739


Paulson, Peter


441


Paul, Hugh.


371


Pcek, A. K.


239


Pcck, William D. 322


Peterson, Carl.


241


Peterson, Hon. P


342


Peterson, Carolus.


293


Petersen, C. N


250


Pearson, John.


366


Pcarsall, Powell. 412


Pemberton, Hon. John. 555


Pease, Charles M.


581


Perkins, Hon. A. D. 658


Perrigo, Dr. E. Stella. 600


Phipps, David L.


543


Picket, John Q.


552


Pickering, Joseph


614


Plank, F. L. 691


Plotts, R. B. 318


Pooeh, Chas. G. 326


Poorbaugh, John M. 359


Poorbaugh, P. F. 385


Potter, William A.


403


Potter, Wilber.


696


Porter, Amos


624


Pratt, David. 223


Pride, C.F. 759


Pumpelly, Samuel D. 324


Quaekenbush, Albert.


599


Quevli, Andres 695 Sigvaldson, Arni. 608


Sinclair, H. W. 354


Raph, H. H.


668


Sinelair, John 1.


278


Silvernale, Floyd.


251


PAGE


Ramage, John B. 398


Rakness, Peter O 473


Redding, J. G. 684


Oker, William


548


Olson, Mathias


220


Oleson, Gilbert B.


536


Olson, John A.


734


Olsen, Amund


419


Oliver, C. E.


728


Oliver, Myron H 323


Olin, Rev. D. P. 471


Open, Ole.


458


Ostrom, P. N.


730


Orton, John W


270


Richmond, T. C.


Riekerman, Geo. L. 570


Robinson, Edward.


192


Robison, Geo. F. 395


Robertson, John S. 236


Ross, Angus. 521


Runals, Maj. D. E. 194


Rueker, Prof. Eugenc.


719


Savage, Joseph ..


676


Satterlee, Dr. N. D 507


Safely, Miss Agnes E.


460


Scott, Thomas.


743


Sehroeder, William


233


Seriven, Albert C.


266


Sehwartz, Joseph F. 359


Schwieger, J. A. F.


450


Schwieger, F. W


595


Searf, Robert. 664


Selleck, Francis 729


Seeor, Hon. David. 177


Searles, David P. 179


Scvatson, Hon. E.


389


Shell, Daniel ... 669


Shoemaker, Hon. J. F. 693


Sherman, Paul F 724


Sherin, John H. 230


Sherin, Robert.


262


Shaver, J. A. 757


Shawver, James B.


302


Shepard, Dr. N. P


399


Shields, James


541


Shattuck, C. T. 654


Sicmund, Henry


528


Siverson, Ole.


576


Rank, Calvin. 254


Randall, F. M.


310


Torgerson, Knute.


756


viii


TABLE OF CONTENTS.


PAGE


PAGE


PAGE


Tobert, Jacob 769


Walker, Sarah J.


561


Winzer, Charles. 186


Toevs, Franz. 777


Walshe, Edward. 590


Wing, H. C. 768


Turner, Israel. 317


Welch, John H. 203


Williams, W . 787


Turner, S. H. 752


Webb, Dr. W. S. 233


Willman James.


629


Twiss, Dr. A. H. 722


Weld, Chas. E. 280


Wickersheim, Jacob.


529


Underwood, W. D. 389


Weld, Zebina. 325


Works, Frank .. 329


Works, Charles H.


365


Vanderwarker, Isaac. 587


Weeden, Royal C .. 628


Wollaston, Percy.


410


Van Nest, Robt. A. 622


Werner, John W. 735


Woolstencroft, B. W 466


Vine, Peter O 609


Weber, Nicholas


745


Woodman, D. R. 682


Woodman, Albert E. 522


Way, Daniel E. 222


Whitehead, Job.


646


Woodard, Major Francis 619


Walkup, Chas. C. 254


Whitehead, H. O. 468


Woodruff, A. E.


780


Wait, Geo. S 257


Whipple, John G. D. 476


Wornson, Thomas O. 564


Wakefield, Hon. J. B. 383


Whitman, Charles. 659


Young, Jr., James 379


Warner, Elias


399


Whigam, Daniel B 474


Young, John D


496


Warner, G. M. 669


Wilson, George W. 187


Young, Stewart. 665


Zarn, Louis. 487


Zimmerman, J. J. 531


Znel, William W 212


ILLUSTRATIONS.


PAGE.


Adams, John 15


Adams, John Quincy. 39


Arthur, Chester A. 112


Hayes, Rutherford B. 103


Jackson, Andrew. 46


Jefferson, Thomas. 21


Johnson, Andrew 92


Lincoln, Abraham


85


Madison, James.


27


Monroe, James.


33


Pierce, Franklin 77


Polk, James K. 65


Taylor, Zachary


69


Tyler, John 61


Van Buren, Martin.


53


Washington, George.


8


Grant, U. S.


97


PAGE.


PAGE.


Harrison, Benjamin 121


Harrison, Wm. H. 57


Buchanan, James. 81


Cleveland, Grover 116


Fillmore, Millard. 73


Garfield, James A.


108


Wilson, W. H. 468


Warren, Chas. F. 407


Ware, Deacon D. N. 423


Wilson, Jr. Clinton 624


Vans Agnew, Robert. 261


Wells, Hamilton 470


Vories, B. F. 679


White, Colonel Harrison 344


9


GEORGE WASHINGTON.


GEORGE


ASHINGTON.


EORGE WASHING- TON, the "Father of his Country" and its first President, 1789- '97, was born Febru- ary 22, 1732, in Wash- ington Parish, West- moreland County, Virginia. His father, Augustine Wash- ington, first married Jane But- ler, who bore him four chil- dren, and March 6, 1730, he married Mary Ball. Of six children by his second mar- riage, George was the eldest, the others being Betty, Samuel, John, Au- gustine, Charles and Mildred, of whom the youngest died in infancy. Little is known of the early years of Washington, beyond the fact that the house in which he was born was burned during his early child- hood, and that his father thereupon moved to another farm, inherited from his paternal ancestors, situated in Stafford County, on the north bank of the Rappahannock, where he acted as agent of the Principio Iron Works in the immediate vicinity, and died there in 1743.


From earliest childhood George devel- oped a noble character. He had a vigorous constitution, a fine form, and great bodily strength. His education was somewhat de-


fective, being confined to the elementary branches taught him by his mother and at a neighboring school. He developed, how- ever, a fondness for mathematics, and en- joyed in that branch the instructions of a private teacher. On leaving school he re- sided for some time at Mount Vernon with his half brother, Lawrence, who acted as his guardian, and who had married a daugh- ter of his neighbor at Belvoir on the Poto- mac, the wealthy William Fairfax, for some time president of the executive council of the colony. Both Fairfax and his son-in-law, Lawrence Washington, had served with dis- tinction in 1740 as officers of an American battalion at the siege of Carthagena, and were friends and correspondents of Admiral Vernon, for whom the latter's residence on the Potomac has been named. George's inclinations were for a similar career, and a midshipman's warrant was procured for him, probably through the influence of the Admiral; but through the opposition of his mother the project was abandoned. The family connection with the Fairfaxes, how- ever, opened another career for the young man, who, at the age of sixteen, was ap- pointed surveyor to the immense estates of the eccentric Lord Fairfax, who was then on a visit at Belvoir, and who shortly after- ward established his baronial residence at Greenway Court, in the Shenandoah Valley.


PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES.


Three years were passed by young Wash- ington in a rough frontier life, gaining ex- perience which afterward proved very es- sential to him.


In 1751, when the Virginia militia were put under training with a view to active service against France, Washington, though only nineteen years of age, was appointed Adjutant with the rank of Major. In Sep- tember of that year the failing health of Lawrence Washington rendered it neces- sary for him to seek a warmer climate, and George accompanied him in a voyage to Baradoes. They returned early in 1752, and Lawrence shortly afterward died, leav- ing his large property to an infant daughter. In his will George was named one of the executors and as eventual heir to Mount Vernon, and by the death of the infant niece soon succeeded to that estate.


On the arrival of Robert Dinwiddie as Lieutenant-Governor of Virginia in 1752 the militia was reorganized, and the prov- ince divided into four districts. Washing- ton was commissioned by Dinwiddie Adju- tant-General of the Northern District in 1753, and in November of that year a most important as well as hazardous mission was assigned him. This was to proceed to the Canadian posts recently established on French Creek, near Lake Erie, to demand in the name of the King of England the withdrawal of the French from a territory claimed by Virginia. This enterprise had been declined by more than one officer, since it involved a journey through an ex- tensive and almost unexplored wilderness in the occupancy of savage Indian tribes, either hostile to the English, or of doubtful attachment. Major Washington, however, accepted the commission with alacrity ; and, accompanied by Captain Gist, he reached Fort Le Bœuf on French Creek, delivered his dispatches and received reply, which, of course, was a polite refusal to surrender the posts. This reply was of such a character


as to induce the Assembly of Virginia to authorize the executive to raise a regiment of 300 men for the purpose of maintaining the asserted rights of the British crown over the territory claimed. As Washing- ton declined to be a candidate for that post, the command of this regiment was given to Colonel Joshua Fry, and Major Washing- ton, at his own request, was commissioned Lieutenant-Colonel. On the march to Ohio, news was received that a party previously sent to build a fort at the confluence of the Monongahela with the Ohio had been driven back by a considerable French force, which had completed the work there be- gun, and named it Fort Duquesne, in honor of the Marquis Duquesne, then Governor of Canada. This was the beginning of the great "French and Indian war," which con- tinued seven years. On the death of Colonel Fry, Washington succeeded to the com- mand of the regiment, and so well did he fulfill his trust that the Virginia Assembly commissioned him as Commander-in-Chief of all the forces raised in the colony.


A cessation of all Indian hostility on the frontier having followed the expulsion of the French from the Ohio, the object of Washington was accomplished and he re- signed his commission as Commander-in- Chief of the Virginia forces. He then pro- ceeded to Williamsburg to take his seat in the General Assembly, of which he had been elected a member.


January 17, 1759, Washington married Mrs. Martha (Dandridge) Custis, a young and beautiful widow of great wealth, and de- voted himself for the ensuing fifteen years to the quiet pursuits of agriculture, inter- rupted only by his annual attendance in winter upon the Colonial Legislature at Williamsburg, until summoned by his country to enter upon that other arena in which his fame was to become world wide.


It is unnecessary here to trace the details of the struggle upon the question of local


II


GEORGE WASHINGTON.


self-government, which, after ten years, cul- minated by act of Parliament of the port of Boston. It was at the instance of Virginia that a congress of all the colonies was called to meet at Philadelphia September 5, 1774, to secure their common liberties-if possible by peaceful means. To this Congress Colonel Washington was sent as a dele- gate. On dissolving in October, it recom- mended the colonies to send deputies to another Congress the following spring. In the meantime several of the colonies felt impelled to raise local forces to repel in- sults and aggressions on the part of British troops, so that on the assembling of the next Congress, May 10, 1775, the war prepara- tions of the mother country were unmis- takable. The battles of Concord and Lex- ington had been fought. Among the earliest acts, therefore, of the Congress was the selection of a commander-in-chief of the colonial forces. This office was unani- mously conferred upon Washington, still a member of the Congress. He accepted it on June 19, but on the express condition he should receive no salary.


He immediately repaired to the vicinity of Boston, against which point the British ministry had concentrated their forces. As early as April General Gage had 3,000 troops in and around this proscribed city. During the fall and winter the British policy clearly indicated a purpose to divide pub- lic sentiment and to build up a British party in the colonies. Those who sided with the ministry were stigmatized by the patriots as " Tories," while the patriots took to them- selves the name of " Whigs."


As early as 1776 the leading men had come to the conclusion that there was no hope except in separation and indepen- dence. In May of that year Washington wrote from the head of the army in New York: " A reconciliation with Great Brit- ain is impossible. When I took command of the army, I abhorred the idea


of independence ; but I am now fully satis- fied that nothing else will save us."


It is not the object of this sketch to trace the military acts of the patriot hero, to whose hands the fortunes and liberties of the United States were confided during the seven years' bloody struggle that ensued until the treaty of 1783, in which England acknowledged the independence of each of the thirteen States, and negotiated with them, jointly, as separate sovereignties. The merits of Washington as a military chief- tain have been considerably discussed, espe- cially by writers in his own country. Dur- ing the war he was most bitterly assailed for incompetency, and great efforts were made to displace him; but he never for a moment lost the confidence of either the Congress or the people. December 4, 1783, the great commander took leave of his offi- cers in most affectionate and patriotic terms, and went to Annapolis, Maryland, where the Congress of the States was in session, and to that body, when peace and order prevailed everywhere, resigned his com- mission and retired to Mount Vernon.




Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.