USA > Minnesota > Meeker County > Album of history and biography of Meeker County, Minnesota > Part 13
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Henry M. Rice, who was mentioned as a colleague of James Shields, served as United States Senator from May 11, 1858, to March 4, 1863, when Alexander Ramsey succeeded him, and retained the position until March 4, 1875. S. J. R. McMillan became United States Senator on the day last named, and occupied the position for two full terms - twelve years -being succeeded March 4, 1887, by Cushman K. Davis, one of the present Senators.
REPRESENTATIVES IN CONGRESS.
The territorial delegates have already been
spoken of. When the State of Minnesota was organized,it was entitled to two represent- atives in the House of Representatives of the United States. This state of affairs con- tinued until 1871, when a reapportionment was made, and the State was allowed three members of the House. At that time the State was divided into three congressional districts -No. 1, embracing the southern, No. 2 the central. and No. 3 the northern portion of the State. In 1881 another ap- portionment was made, by which the State secured five Representatives. This is the present status of the representation. The State is divided into five congressional dis- tricts, as follows : The first district includes Houston, Fillmore, Mower, Freeborn, Steele, Dodge, Olmsted, Winona and Wabasha counties ; the second district includes Fari- bault, Blue Earth, Waseca, Watonwan, Mar- tin, Cottonwood, Jackson, Murray, Nobles, Rock, Pipestone, Lincoln, Lyon, Redwood, Brown, Nicollet, Yellow Medicine, Lac qui Parle, Sibley and Le Sueur counties ; the third district embraces Goodhue, Rice, Swift. Dakota. Scott, Carver, McLeod, Mecker, Kandiyohi, Renville and Chippewa counties ; the fourth district includes Washington, Ramsey, Hennepin, Wright, Pine, Kanabec, Anoka, Chisago, Isanti and Sherburne coun- ties, and the fifth district includes Mille Lacs, Benton, Morrison, Stearns, Pope, Douglas, Stevens, Big Stone, Traverse, Grant, Todd,
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HISTORY OF MINNESOTA.
Crow Wing, Aitkin, Carlton, Wadena, Otter Tail, Wilkin, Cass, Becker, Clay, Polk, Bel- trami, Marshall, Hubbard, Kittson, Itasca, St. Louis, Lake and Cook counties.
The following is a list of the various gen- tlemen who have represented Minnesota in the lower house of Congress, with the years during which they served. With one or two exceptions, the term of office began and closed March 4th.
W. W. Phelps, 1858-9; J. M. Cavenangh, 1858; William Windom, 1860-1-2-3-4.5-6-7-8 ; Cyrus Aldrich, 1860-1-2; Ignatius Donnelly, 1864-5 6-7-8; M. S. Wilkinson, 1869-70 ; E. M. Wilson, 1869-70; John T. Averill, 1871-2- 3-4; M. H. Dunnell, from 1871 to 1883; II. B. Straight, 1874-5-6-7-8; William S. King, 1876; J. H. Stewart, 1878; Henry Poehler, 1879-80; IT. B. Straight, 1881-2-3-4-5-6; W. D. Washburn, 1879-80-1-2-3-4 ; Milo White, 1883-4-5-6; J. B. Wakefield, 1883-4-5-6; Knute Nelson, 1883-4-5-6-7-8 ; J. B. Gilfillan, 1885-6; Thomas Wilson, 1887-8 ; John Lind, 1887-S ; John L. MeDonald, 1887-8 ; Edmund Rice, 1887-S.
CREATION OF COUNTIES.
In this connection we present a list of the counties of Minnesota, together with the date on which they were created by the terri- torial or State Legislatures, viz .:
Aitkin, May 23, 1857, Marshall, February 25, 1879,
Anoka, May 23, 1857, Becker, March 18, 1858,
Martin, May 23, 1857, Meeker, February 23, 1856, Beltrami, F'bru'ry 28, 1866, Mille Lacs, May 23, 1857, Benton, October 27, 1849, Morrison, Febr'ry 25, 1858, Big Stone, F'br'ry 20, 1862, Mower, February 20, 1855, Blue Earth, March 5, 1853, Murray, May 23, 1857, Brown, February 20, 1855, Nicollet, March 5, 1853, Carlton, May 23, 1857,
Nobles, May 23, 1857, Carver, February 20, 1855, Norman, Nov'mb'r 29, 1881, Cass, September 1, 1851, Olmsted. February 20, 1855, Chippewa, F'br'ry 20, 1862, Otter Tail. March 18, 1858, Chisago, September 1, 1851, Pine, March 31, 1856, Pipestone, May 23, 1857. Polk, July 20, 1858, Clay, March 2, 1862. Cook, March 9, 1874, Cotton wood, May 23, 1857, Pope, February 20, 1862, Crow Wing, May 23, 1857, Ramsey, October 27, 1849, Dakota, October 27, 1849, Redwood, February 6, 1862, Dodge, February 20, 1855, Renville, February 20, 1855, Douglas, March 8, 1858,
Rice, March 5, 1853, Faribault, F'br'ry 20, 1855, Rock, March 23, 1857, Fillmore, March 5, 1853, St. Louis, March 1, 1856, Freeborn, F'br'ry, 20, 1855, Scott, March 5, 1858, Goodhue, March 5, 1853, Grant, March 6, 1868, Hennepin, March 6, 1852, Sherburne, Feb'y 25, 1856 Sibley, March 5, 1853, Stearns, February 20, 1855, Steele, February 20, 1855, Stevens, February 20, 1860, Swift, March 4, 1870, Todd, February 20, 1862, Travers, February 20, 1862, llouston, Feb'ry 23, 1854, Hubbard, Feb'y 26, 1883, Isanti, February 13, 1857, Itasca, October 29, 1849, Jackson, May 23, 1857, Kanabec, March 13, 1858, Wabasha, October 27, 1849, Kandiyohi, March 20, 1858, Wadena, July 11, 1858, Kittson, February 25, 1879, Wascca, February 27, 1857, Lac qui Parle, Nov. 3, 1871, Washington, Oct. 27, 1849, Lake, March 1, 1856, Le Sueur, March 5, 1853, Lincoln, March 6,1873, Lyon, November 2, 1869, McLeod, March 1, 1856,
Watonwan, Nov. 6, 1860, Wilkin, March 6, 1868, Winona, February 23, 1849, Wright, February 20, 1855, Yellow Medicine, Novem- ber 3, 1871.
MEEKER COUNTY,
MINNESOTA.
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BIOGRAPHICAL.
ÉTOILE DU NORD
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BIOGRAPHICAL
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ON. WILLIAM H. GREENLEAF, a prominent lumber dealer of the village of Litchfield, is one of the early pioneers of Meeker county who has risen to prominence through his own unaided efforts. He is a native of Allegheny, now Livingston county, New York, born Decem- ber 7, 1834, and is the son of William and Elmira (Sanford) Greenleaf, natives of the Empire State and Vermont, respectively. The Greenleaf family is of respectable antiq- nity in this country, the chain of ancestry having been traced back as follows: William Greenleaf, the father of our subject, was the son of Tilly Greenleaf and was born Decem- ber 23, 1797. Tilly was the son of Israel Greenleaf, and born March 25, 1770. Israel was born March 28, 1732, and was the son of Dr. Daniel Greenleaf, who was born No- vember 7, 1702, died July, 1795, and was the son of Rev. Daniel Greenleaf. The latter was the son of Stephen Greenleaf, Jr., and was born February 10, 1680, and died Au- gust 26, 1763, his father's birth having taken place August 15, 1652, and his death October 13, 1743. Stephen Greenleaf, Sr., was born in 1630, and was the son of Edmund Green- leaf, and died December 1, 1690. His father,
Edmund, was born in the parish of Brixham, Devonshire, England, about 1600, and came with his family in 1635 to this country and settled at Newbury, in the colony of Massa- chusetts Bay. He was the lineal descend- ant of an old French Huguenot family, who left their home in La Belle France on account of religious persecutions early in the sixteenth century, the name Greenleaf being a literal translation of their French name, Fuillevert.
The subject of this personal memoir, Will- iam H., when he was but eight years of age, removed with his parents to. Jefferson county, Wisconsin, which in that year, 1843, was but a new country, where his father settled upon a farm. When he had attained the age of seventeen, William II. commenced attending school at the Fort Atkinson Academy. his earlier education having been derived from the common schools, and remained at that institution some two years, after which he acquired a knowledge of civil engineering. In 1856, during the Kansas troubles, he made a trip to that territory with a company raised by Prof. Daniels, for the assistance of the Free Soilers. He returned to Wisconsin where, in 1857, he was engaged as surveyor on the Wisconsin Central railroad. In the
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spring of 1858 he came to Meeker county and located upon section 30, Ellsworth township, where he put up a saw mill and improved the water power. He also took up a homestead on section 25, in Greenleaf township, which township was named in his honor. A his- tory of his business operations while in the vil- lage of Greenleaf is given in detail elsewhere in this volume. While a resident of that place he was awakened at four o'clock on the morn- ing of August 18, 1862, and told the dread- ful tidings of murder and rapine that her- alded the terrible massacre of that eventful year, and as soon as possible took his wife and ten-months-old child to St. Paul for se- curity, and then returned to help make a stand against the red fiends who were depop- ulating the border. He stopped at Hutchin- son, where he went through the experience of border warfare with the people of that vil- lage and remained that fall. IIe then went to Minneapolis, where he made his home un- til March, 1864, and then returned to this county, where he has lived ever since. In the spring of 1872 he removed to Litchfield, and put up some of the first buildings in that town. In 1871 he entered into the general merchandise business in that "burg" in which he continued until 1876. In 1874 he was appointed receiver of the United States Land office at this place and continued in that office, having been reappointed in 1878, until 1879, when he resigned. In 1878 he purchased the lumber yard of M. J. Flynn, and in 1880 that of II. B. Brown, and consoli- dated the two, thus establishing his present business. In 1882 the present firm was formed by the admission of his son, Charles A., to a full partnership.
In the fall of 1870 Mr. Greenleaf was elected by the people of this district to rep- resent them in the State Legislature, and served continuously for three sessions in that capacity. In 1882 he was sent to the State Senate and for four years was a member of
that angust body, looking sharply after the interests of his constituents. He was united in marriage September 27, 1859, with Miss Cordelia J. DeLong, the daughter of Hiram and Maria DeLong, the latter a niece of the celebrated revolutionary general, Ethan Al- Jen. Her father is still living at Greenleaf village at the ripe old age of eighty-nine years. The result of this marriage has been four children-Charles A., of whom a sketch is given elsewhere; Jessie A., now Mrs. H. S. Branham ; and twins, Frankie and Fred, de- ceased.
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ORRIS Y. TAYLOR, an enterprising. prosperous and reliable farmer of Ellsworth township, has his home upon see- tion 17. He settled on this place on coming to the county in 1874, and has now a fine farm of 246 aeres of excellent arable land for the most part, 110 of which is under a high state of tillage. He carries on general farming, but gives considerable attention to dairy in- terests, keeping about thirty head of cattle, mostly of Holstein strains.
Our subject is a native of Illinois, born in Vermilion county, October 8, 1850. H commenced life young, for when but sixteen years of age he hired out to work for ten dol- lars per month. His next move was to work for his board and go to school, with the set purpose of making up for the lack of earlier opportunity. In this way he acquired the elements of an excellent education, taking a course or more in the higher branches, in the schools at Perrysville, Ind. He now com- menced farming in the neighborhood of Bis- marek. In the spring of 1870, having had an attack of some lung disease, he came to Minnesota and was engaged in lumber yards at Stillwater, but a few months later he moved to St. Paul and was engaged as chainman by a party of Government surveyors. This kind of business recuperating his health and being
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agreeable to him, he continued to follow it seven years in one capacity or another until he rose to be superintendent in charge of the party. The north shores of Lake Superior, the White Earth reservation, the Red River valley, and the Leach Lake reservation were all the scenes of his labors. In 1877 he gave up his wandering and came to Meeker county, where he had settled, or rather bought a farm and worked it between his surveying expedi- tions. Here he remained until 1880, when he accepted the superintendency of the "No- bles county farm," of George I. Seney, of New York, but the next year transferred his ser- vices to the executors of the Horace Thomp- son estate in the same capacity. For three years he managed one of their farms, and then came back here and has remained ever since.
Mr. Taylor was married May 3, 1881, to Miss Fina Shuart, a native of Geauga county, Ohio, and daughter of William and Mary Ann Shuart, and by this nion there have been three children-George S., Wilford B., and Marion.
In his views Mr. Taylor is entirely free politically, and independent of party lines. Ile was elected to the office of town clerk in the spring of 1888, and still holds that office.
AMES SHELLEY. Among the promi- nent pioneers of Darwin township, and well-to-do farmers, there is none that has more influence in the community in which he lives than the subject of this sketeh. IIe has his residence upon seetion 26, on his fine farm of 500 acres, 120 of which are under a high state of cultivation, where he carries on agricultural pursuits.
Mr. Shelley is a native of Ireland, born in County Tipperary, in the parish of Lough- more, where his fathers and ancestors had
lived from time immemorial. In 1848, that eventful year in Irish history, he left his na- tive land and disembarked at New York after a long voyage, and for over seven years was employed at Wilberham, Mass. At the ex- piration of that time he came West, and after one week spent in Wisconsin, settled in Meeker county. April 29, 1857, he took a claim by preemption, the northeast quarter of section 22, Darwin township. At that . time there were but eight or ten men settled here and the country was in its wild and primitive condition. 3 After putting in his erop of potatoes, corn, etc., and working around some, he went to Minneapolis and fired on board the steamer H. M. Rice, then plying upon the river. Returning to his farm, he passed the winter here and made this his home until the Indian troubles of 1862. Before this he had been accustomed to trade with the Sioux and found them peacefully inelined, although they would steal whatever they could lay their hands on. When he heard of the outbreak he was har- vesting, but at once went to Forest City, and the next morning started for Clearwater, where he went to work for Eugene Baldwin. Shortly after he came back and procured some of his things and returned to Clearwater. He was back and forth several times, and in the fall took some of his stock to Minneapolis, and then returned and passed the winter here. He then went to Minneapolis and remained nearly all the time, occasionally coming to his place to see about it, until the spring of 1865, when he came to stay and has lived on his place ever since.
Mr. Shelley was married in 1866 to Miss Mary Vaughan, in Minneapolis, and by this union there have been born four children- William, John, Daniel, and James, all of whom are still living. Both Mr. and Mrs. Shelley are members of the Roman Catholic Church and prompt in the fulfillment of their religious duties.
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C. MARTIN, ex-judge of probate of Meeker county, is one of the most prominent attorneys at Litchfield. He is a native of Tuscarawas county, Ohio, where he was born on the 20th of January, 1843. His parents were Samuel M. and Martha (McGrew) Martin; the father a native of Pennsylvania, but who had come to Ohio when young; the mother a native of Ohio. They both died when the subject of this sketch was six years old, and N. C. went to live with his grandmother, who was carrying on a farm. In 1864 she removed to Indiana and our subject remained on the farm, except the time he spent in the army, until he was twenty-eight years of age. On the 2nd of June, 1862, N. C. Martin enlisted in Com- pany G, Eighty-sixth Ohio, and served dur- ing that year in West Virginia. Ile was then mustered out of that regiment, and enlisted in Company B, One Hundred and Twenty-ninth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, on the 20th of June. 1863. IIe served in West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia. He never missed a day's service during his army life, and was finally mustered out as orderly sergeant on the 5th of March, 1864.
In 1870 Mr. Martin began reading law at Bowling Green, Clay county, Ind., with Hon. E. Miles, now of Denver, Colorado. In 1871 he was admitted to the bar and in the spring of 1872 he established the Clay County Enterprise at Knightsville, in Ind- iana, a republican paper which is still run- ning,-the only republican paper in that county. Mr. Martin conducted that paper for one year, and a short time later he struck out for the West for the purpose of locating in Minnesota. After remaining a few days at St. Paul and Minneapolis he came to Litchfield, arriving August 20, 1873, and has since made that his home. While living at Knightsville, Indiana, he was married to Miss Clara S. Ward. Upon his arrival at Litchfield Mr. Martin first engaged in the
law and real estate business, but in 1876 he established the Litchfield Independent and ran that as a greenback paper, supporting Peter Cooper for the presidency. He con- tinued in the newspaper business until June, 1877, when he sold out, and the same fall was elceted to the office of judge of probate of Meeker county on the greenback ticket. Ile was three times re-elected, the last time his nomination being endorsed by all the parties. He served from January 1. 1878. until January 1, 1887, and in the fall of 1887 was unanimously renominated, but declined. Since that time Mr. Martin has given his attention wholly to the practice of law, also carrying on an extensive real estate and loan agency. Ile has always taken an act- ive interest in all matters affecting the wel- fare of Litchfield. He was one of the prin- cipal workers in the original organization of the Frank Daggett Post. Grand Army of the Republic, and has taken an active inter- est in its progress. He held the office of commander of the post for four successive terms. a fact which speaks for itself, as the office is one which is usually held but one term. In 1879 Mr. Martin was a candidate for Attorney General on the greenback ticket and for a number of years took a very active interest in political matters. Mr. and Mrs. Martin have seven children, Myrtle, Daisy. Clara May, Belle, Emma, Nathan and an infant.
OHN M. MOUSLEY, one of the earliest settlers of Mecker county, and an hon- ored and respected citizen of Ellsworth, has his residence upon section 22 of that town, where he first settled in 1858. He is a native of England, born in Manchester December 6. 1827, and is the son of Samuel and Nancy (Mason) Mousley, natives. also, of " Albion." The family came to Canada in 1851, and settled in Elgin county, where
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MEEKER COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
Samuel died of lung disease in 1864. He was born in 1792. His wife, who first saw the light in 1795, died in England in Novem- ber, 1849. The father of our subject was a cotton dyer by trade, having learned the trade when a bov. He was an excellent citizen, a good Christian man and a kind neighbor. Both he and his estimable wife were members of the Church of England, or Episcopal Church. They were the parents of live chiklren-James, Alfred, Jane, John and Alice.
The subject of this narrative continued to make his home beneath the parental roof until the spring of 1842, when, although but fourteen years of age, he crossed the briny deep to Canada, where he had an uncle living, with whom he made his home for some eight years. During this time he as- sisted in the work upon the farm and at- tended the common schools, receiving there- from the elements of a fair education.
Most of this was obtained under difficulties, as hard and persistent work was the order of the day. He finally commenced to learn the blacksmith's trade with McPherson, Glasgow & Co., but after the expiration of his three years' apprenticeship returned to his uncle's, working for him in the summer. Ile then took up his trade in the employ of several parties, and continued thus employed until he came to this county, in 1858, as detailed above. After taking his claim of 160 acres of land, the next spring he went to St. Paul and went to work for one Frank Gilman in a foundry. With what he earned he pur- chased a yoke of oxen and the various tools he would need, and returned here and com- menced the development of his farm, and has seen it grow from pristine wildness to its present condition. He has since that, onee or twice, worked at his trade, but only for short periods.
Mr. Mousley was married in April, 1864, to Miss Catherine Doane, a native of Canada,
born in 1841, who died in January, 1872, leaving four children-James Alfred, Hattie Jane, Frank M., and Alice.Ann. Hattie died in the spring of 1881, when some fifteen years old ; and Alice died August 26, 1886. Mr. M. has held the offices of town super- visor, town clerk and school clerk for years.
- ETER MARTENSON is engaged in farming on section 25, Litchfield town- ship. He is a son of Marten and Annie Isaac- son, and was born in Sweden, on the 27th of February, 1845. Peter was engaged in farm- ing with his father in the okl country until 1869, when he started for America. Hle came direct to Meeker county, Minn., and purchased a tract of railroad land on section 25, in Litchfield township. During the win- ter of 1871-2 he re-visited the fatherland, but the pleasure of his visit was marred by the death of his father on the very day that he arrived at the old home. In the spring of 1872, he was married to Ellen Larson, a daughter of Lars and Ellen Peterson, and in the following May he returned to the United States, and to his Meeker county home. Four children have been the fruits of their marriage, as follows: Louis, born October 14, 1872; John, born March 29, 1876; Henry, born September 6, 1879: and Annie, born April 2, 1882.
Like others in his neighborhood. Mr. Martenson has suffered from grasshoppers and hailstorms, but his industry and perse- veranee have enabled him to recover from these reverses and he is now in comfortable circumstances.
ICHAEL DELANEY, a prosperous and industrious farmer of Ells- worth township, residing upon section 16, came to Meeker county in 1877, and located on the place where his home now is. He had
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purchased the land some time previous to this, but he has made nearly all, if not all, the improvements here, and he has now a mag- nificent property consisting of 342 acres lying in this and Greenleaf townships. Ile is giving a large share of his attention to stock-raising, principally to half and three- quarter-bred Durham, Holstein and Jersey cattle. His home is one of the most beauti- ful in the township, and attracts the atten- tion of even the most casual observer.
Mr. Delaney is a native of Ireland, born in County Leitrim, July 28, 1828, and is the son of Bernard and Catherine (MeWeeny) Delaney, both of whom died in that "ever verdaut isle," the mother'in 1863, the father in 1873, at theage of ninety years. Bernard Delaney was a farmer and followed that business as best he could in that oppressed land. He was the parent of but two chil- dren, Bernard and Michael.
The latter, the subject of this biography, was reared among the beautiful scenery of the West of Ireland, but on attaining man- hood felt that he must seek in other countries the freedom from the Saxon's yoke that has oppressed that island for seven centuries, and accordingly, in 1852, emigrated to the United States, landing in New York. From there, after stopping a short time in New Haven, Conn., he went to the State of Virginia, where he was engaged in railroad construc- tion for four years. His next move was to Minneapolis, where he arrived in 1856. and made his home until 1877, except a year spent in Kentucky and Tennessee. At the date last mentioned he moved to Meeker county.
Mr. Delaney was united in marriage in June, 1858, with Miss Mary Garvey, a native County Mayo, Ireland, who had come to the United States a short time before. The ceremony took place in St. Anthony, now Minneapolis. By this union they have had seven children, six of whom survive: Mary, who is a teacher in the St. Paul schools;
John, teaching in Swift County, this State ; Kate, who is teaching the school in District 68, Litchfield township; Hannah, who is teaching in District 66, Ellsworth ; Nellie and Anthony William.
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ON. JAMES B. ATKINSON, one of the pioneers of Meeker county, as well as one of the most prominent citizens, is a native of Kingston, Canada, born November 13, 1822. ITis parents were both natives of Yorkshire, England, but came to America in 1821, landing in New York, from whence they proceeded to Canada, where James B. was born. About a year later they removed to Black Rock, N. Y., where they remained for about nine years. The father was a stone mason by trade, and during this time was contracting on canal bridges and other heavy work. Later, he purehased a large farm near Freeport, Penn., where he lived until the time of his death. The parents of James B. had four children, three of whom are still living-two in Minnesota and one in Kansas.
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