USA > Minnesota > Meeker County > Album of history and biography of Meeker County, Minnesota > Part 20
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Grand Army of the Republic, and has taken a prominent part in its history. Ile is a Mason, being a member of Golden Fleece Lodge, No. 89, Rabboni Chapter, No. 37, and Melita Commandery, No. 17, and has held various offices in each organization, filling all positions with credit to himself and honor to the fraternity. Mr. Koerner and wife, with their family, are members of the Christian church. Their family consists of three chil- dren - Mamie, Carney and Pauline-all of whom are living at home. They have lost three children by death.
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AMUEL COSSAIRT, the managing partner of the general merchandise firm of S. Cossairt & Co., and one of the most active, enterprising, energetic business men of Eden Valley, is a native of Vermilion county, IH., born February 12, 1863, and is the son of Silas and Alvira (Swisher) Cos- sairt. In 1866 his parents and others of the family came to that part of Meeker county lying in the vicinity of Eden Valley, and settled here , the pioneers of this region, as there were no neighbors between them and Manannah or Forest City. The parents of our subject still live upon the original home- stead.
Samuel was reared upon the parental farm and remained beneath his father's roof until he had attained the age of eighteen years, drawing his primary education from the district schools of the vicinity. In 1881 he commenced attendance at the Normal school at St. Cloud, Minn., where he remained about a year and a half, and for the succeed- ing three years was occupied in teaching school, in which he made quite a success. At the age of twenty-three he, in company with E. L. Parker, opened a store in the village of Litchfield. Three months later the firm started a branch at Eden Valley, of which
our subject took charge, and operated until March, 1888, when, having purchased the interest of his partner, a new firm was formed, consisting of Samuel Cossairt, his father, Silas, and brother G. B. Cossairt. They car- ry an extensive stock of all the various lines that go to make up an establishment of this kind and are doing an ample business.
In October, 1886, the subject of this memoir was appointed postmaster of Eden Lake, and when the office was changed to Eden Valley was reappointed and now holds that office.
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HARLES MANGUSON. This gentle- man is a thrifty and respected farmer who resides on section 33, Litchfield town- ship. He is a native of Sweden, born on the 3d of February, 1834, and a son of Magnus and Katrina Nelson. When he was seven- teen years of age he enlisted in the Swedish Artillery and served about two years, when he received his discharge on account of an injury received in cannon practice. In 1857 he came to the United States and after living about three years in Chisago and Kandiyohi counties, he settled in Meeker county. In the spring of 1862, he was married to Mrs. Anna Colberg, widow of Nels Colberg (deceased), and they settled on a farm near Lake Harold, where he was living when the Indian outbreak began. Upon receiving the warning he started with his family for Forest City, but when they had arrived within two and a half miles of that place, darkness came on and a terrific rain storm set in. From necessity, therefore, he and his wife and their four children slept all night on the prairie in the beating and drench- ing rain. The next day they got to Forest City, and after remaining there and at Kingston for several days they went to Anoka and made that their home for two years. In the fall of 1864, Mr. Manguson moved back to
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Meeker county and took up a homestead near the present site of Litchfield village, and after living there for six years traded the homestead for his present farm on section 33. In 1870 his first wife died. In 1872 he was married to Siso Swanson, who was born in Sweden November 29, 1831, and who came to the United States in 1871. By this marriage they have had four children- Johanna, William, Mathilda ( deceased ), and Mathilda.
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OHN E. DIME, farmer, of Swede Grove township, is a native of Sweden, born November 13, 1842, and a son of Carl and Catharina (Born Janson) Anderson. IIe came to the United States in 1868, and first stopped at Ishpeming, Marquette county, Mich., where he worked in the iron mines until the spring of 1884, when he came to Swede Grove township, Meeker county, Minn., and purchased 160 acres of land on section 32, where he has since lived.
Mr. Dime was married on November 15, 1873, to Miss Johanna Johnson, and the couple have been blessed with the following named children-Erick Adolphus, who was born August 16, 1874; Samuel Edward, born October 17, 1876; Hannah Elizabeth, born July 31. 1880 ; Ernst W., born October 10, 1883 (died same day); and Oscar Em- anuel, born February 18, 1886. Mr. Dime's sister is married to John J. Berg, a resident of Pope county, Minn. Mr. Dime has been very successful since coming to this country, as he was so poor when he left the old coun- try that he was obliged to borrow money to pay his passage. Ile now has a good farm and a comfortable home, while in the way of stock he already has a good start.
While Mr. Dime was not here at the time of the Indian massacre, so as to have an ex- perience in the war against them, neverthe- less he has his adventures to relate from the
mines when his life was endangered, and he had some narrow escapes. One instance, when a part of the Lake Shore Iron Mining Company's mine caved in, filling up Mr. Dime's working place with 22,000 tons of rock, he had to run for his life, while the rocks rolled in after him. Another time he had a very narrow escape from a falling rock from the back of a tunnel where he kept his tools; he was engaged in looking over the tools, when a solid block, one and one-half tons in weight, fell down close to his side, touch- ing his clothes, but not hurting him in the least. Another time his tender dropped the contents of a smoking pipe right in the hole on the naked powder, when he (Dime) was charging up for a blast, but God, the Almighty, led the fire so as not to come in contact with the powder, and no accident happened.
Still another time, God, who leads the fates of men, kept his hand between, when he went back after due time after blasting, to find out the cause of a missing hole. He stepped right up to the missed blast, touched the fuse with his hands, but suspecting something wrong went out of the pit, going well out of danger. The blast exploded, throwing the rocks after him, and he had great cause to thank God for his deliverance.
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ATRICK F. ARMSTRONG, a well- " known and substantial farmer and stock- raiser, residing on section 28, Harvey town- ship, is an old settler who has done his share toward the development of Meeker county's resources.
Mr. Armstrong is a native of Prince Ed- wards Island, Canada, and was born on the 16th of March, 1846. Before Patrick was a year old, his parents removed to the United States and settled in Will county, III., where they remained for ten years, and then came to
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Meeker county, Minn., and settled in Harvey township, where our subject still resides. The parents, whose names were William and Teressa Armstrong, were both natives of Ireland. When they came to Meeker county the family consisted of the father and mother, four boys and two girls. The father and mother are now living in Mannanah township.
Patrick learned the cooper's trade and fol- lowed that for six years when he was a young man ; he also followed railroad work for two years, but the balance of his life has been spent in tilling the soil. He was mar- ried December 2, 1879, to Miss Anna Corri- gan, and they are the parents of four chil- dren, whose names are as follows: Michael, Thomas, Arthur and Patrick. Mrs. Arm- strong's parents are also natives of Ireland ; they are now living in Harvey township. Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong are devout mem- bers and active supporters of the Catholic church. His political principles are demo- cratic.
Like all the old settlers, their farming operations were interrupted and abandoned at the time of the Indian outbreak. At the time of the massacre at Acton, in August, 1862, Patrick Armstrong was at Empire City, south of St. Paul. Hearing of the Indian depredations, he at once started for home to learn whether or not they had all been killed. Ile found them at Forest City, all well, and on their way to Minneapolis, so he went with them to that place. They lived in Minneap- olis until 1866, when they returned to Har- vey township, where Patrick F. Armstrong has since lived.
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HARLES H. STROBECK, the present probate judge of Meeker county, is a native of West Parishville, St. Lawrence county, N. Y., born October 8, 1841, and is the son of Henry and Fannie M. (Willis)
Strobeck, natives of the Empire State and New Hampshire, respectively. The father was originally of Würtemberg stock, and the mother's ancestors were among the Puritan pilgrims of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The father died at Litchfield, Meeker county, December 17, 1887, having come to this place the summer previous. The mother is still living with her son. The judge was reared and received his primary education in the county of his birth, assisting his father in the labors attendant upon farm life until he was some nineteen years of age. At that time he entered the St. Lawrence Academy, where he remained during the spring and fall terms from 1860 to 1863, teaching school during the winters. During the winter of 1863-4, he took the place of the professor in the mathematical department of the same acad- emy, and filled the post creditably.
On leaving school, he entered the law office of Judge IIenry L. Knowles, as a stu- dent and clerk, where he remained until October, 1865, when he was admitted to the bar in a class of fourteen, at a session of the Supreme Court of New York, at Canton, the county seat of St. Lawrence county. About the 1st of December, the same year, Mr. Strobeck came west to Chicago, and from there to Red Wing, Minn., where he located, and commenced the practice of law, and wrote fire insurance until coming to Litch field. The latter branch of the business was carried on in partnership with W.C.Williston.
October 22, 1869, Mr. Strobeck came to Litchfield and made up his mind to locate in the place, then in embryo, as there was only a few buildings erected at that time. He put up an office, being the pioneer attorney of the city, and has remained in practice here ever since. The judge is a staunch republican but has had but little political aspirations. He has held several local offices in the govern- ment of the village and in educational mat- ters, prominent among which was that of
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prosecuting attorney. In the fall of 1886 he was elected to the responsible position of Probate judge, which he still holds.
On the 24th of February. 1873, Charles H. Strobeek and Miss Carrie E. Phelps were united in marriage. The lady is a native of Oakland county, Mich., and daughter of William and Carrie (James) Phelps, the latter natives of the Empire State. By this nnion there have been two children-Alice J. and Henry.
Judge Strobeek is a man of sterling integ- rity, and having a mind of his own, has strong feelings in regard to what he conceives to be right or wrong, and what is more. dares to maintain them. .
ETER K. BROWN, who is one of the leading and influential farmers of Aeton township, has had an eventful and varied hfe. He was a son of Knute and Eliza Brown and was born in Denmark on the Sth of October, 1834. When he had arrived at the age of twenty-four, thinking to benefit his financial condition he started for the gold fields of Australia, and after 101 days of sailing he landed at Melbourne, and was soon hard at work in the mines. He re- mained there for seven years, and endured much more hardship and suffering than falls to the lot of mankind generally. At one time he had neither money nor provisions, and after a siege of fasting, which nearly resulted in starvation, he was fortunate enough to find gold with which he purchased something to eat. He underwent many other experiences which were fully as trying, but still he persevered. At times, however, he would enjoy a run of luck, and at one time he had about $2,000 in his possession, but he managed to leave with about $500 in his pocket. IIe then returned to Denmark, stopping at London, England, for a few days
while on the way home. He then remained in Denmark for about two years, and on the 17th of April, 1868, he started for the United States and landed at New York, during the latter part of May. Ile proceeded at once to Kandiyohi county, Minn., where his brother, N. K. Brown was living. A year later he moved to the farm in Acton town- ship on which he still lives, having purchased railroad land. As he had learned the car- penter's trade in the old country, he erected his own buildings, which are located on see- tion 29. He has excellent improvements, and now owns 250 aeres of land, a good share of which is under cultivation. Mr. Brown's mother is dead and his father lives with a brother, N. K. Brown, in Kandi- yohi county. There are several other mem . bers of the family living in the United States, ineluding R. K. Brown, of Acton ; John K. Brown, of Danielson ; and Karen, now Mrs. Paul Nelson, of Danielson ; besides N. K. Brown, of Kandiyohi county.
Peter K. Brown has taken a prominent and active part in all publie matters, and has . held many offices of a local but at the same time important character, including those of town clerk two years, chairman of super- visors two years, assessor one year ; and was elected justice of the peace but did not qualify.
Mr. Brown was married, during the year 1870, to Bertha Margrethe Madson, and they have been blessed with the following children-Mads Peter, born March 21, 1871; Albert Knuteson, born July 21, 1873; Jo- hanes, born June 13, 1875; Elizze Marie, born April 30, 1877; and Nels Christian, born April 25, 1879.
EWIS LARSON, of Litchfield, is a mem- ber of the firm of Nelson, Johnson Larson, dealers in general merchandise. Mr. Larson was born in Sweden in 1842, and
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remained in the "Fatherland" until about twenty-seven years of age. His father died when Lewis was three and his mother when he was fifteen, so he was left to care for him- self. Hehad up to that time attended school regularly and had attained a good education. When about twenty years old he entered a civil office, corresponding with the office of sheriff in this country, and he remained in this for six years. After this he went to Gottenberg and for a short time was engaged in business at that place but he finally sold out and came to America, locating in Wisconsin. At that time he could speak and understand very little English, and for one year he lived with an American family for the purpose of acquiring it, finally becoming very profi- cient. On the 31st of December, 1870, he arrived in Litchfield, and entered the store of Nelson Brothers as a clerk a short time later. In the summer of 1872 he went to Willmar and was there employed as a clerk in the store of Spieer & Larson for about three years and a half. Then, in company with HI. Paulson, under the firm name of Paulson & Larson, they went into the gen eral merchandise trade at Willmar. In 1880 Mr. Larson sold his interest to his partner and removed to Litchfield, and the present mercantile firm of Nelson, Johnson & Lar- son was formed. Mr. Larson is a member of the Masonic fraternity, having joined Golden Fleece Lodge, No. 89, in 1888.
PROMINENT farmer and stock-raiser residing on section 11, Cedar Mills township, is R. A. WHEELER, a veteran of the late civil war, and one of the leading citi- zens in the southern part of the county.
Mr. Wheeler is a native of Bangor, Me., born on the 25th of May, 1844, and is a son of Isaac and Martha (Norcross) Wheeler. His parents were old settlers in Cedar Mills township, and their history will be found
in another department of this work. Reuben A. Wheeler, the subject of this sketch, re- mained with his parents (coming with them meanwhile to Wright county, Minn.,) until October, 1861, when he enlisted in Company D, Fourth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry. He remained in the service until July, 1865, and probably saw more actual active war ser- vice than any ex-soldier who to-day resides in Meeker county. Ile participated in the first and second battles at Corinth. Iuka, Siege of Vicksburg, where he was wounded in the head by a piece of a shell, Altoona Pass. Savannah, Ga., and was with Sherman in his famous March to the Sea. He then, with Sherman's army, went to Washington and participated in the grand review. After re- ceiving an honorable discharge from the serv- ice he came to Meeker county, Minn., arriving in July, 1865. Ile at once located on a soldier's homestead, which his father, Isaac Wheeler, had selected for him in 1863, which was located on section 11, Cedar Mills township, where he now lives. lle at once began improving his place. and erected a log-cabin, covering it with a hay roof. Mr. Wheeler remained on his place most of the time until 1867, when he went to Green Lake, Kandi- yohi county. Three years later he went to Montana, but a short time later he returned to his homestead in Cedar Mills township, where he has since lived. He devotes his attention to general farming and stock-rais- ing, and is one of the most prominent and best-known citizens of the township in which he lives. IIe is a prominent member of the Frank Daggett Post, No. 35, Grand Army of the Republic, of Litelifield.
Mr. Wheeler was married on the 11th of November, 1866, to Miss Malvina Nichols, who was born in Racine county, Wis. Their marriage has been blessed with six children, as follows - Martha M., George R., Frank E., Harlan M .. Ray M., and Mary P. The fam- ily are members of the Presbyterian church.
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WELL-KNOWN business man of Litch- field is A. C. JOHNSON, a member of the firm of Nelsou, Johnson & Larson, gen- eral merchants. Ile is a native of Sweden, and was born in 1851.
When eleven years of age, he started with his grandparents and his uncle, B. P. Nel- son, for America, intending to come direct to Meeker county, Minn., where Andrew, a brother of Mr. Nelson, was then living. They crossed the ocean in a sailing vessel, being ten weeks on the way, arriving at Boston about August 20, 1862. There they learned of the terrible outbreak of the Indians in this country, but continued on their journey, coming as far as St. Paul, where they decided to remain for a time. Mr. Johnson remained there until 1871, when he removed to Litch- field and entered the store of Nelson Broth- ers as a clerk, and remained with them until they sold out to Alex. Cairncross. Ile was then with the latter gentleman for about two years and a half. At the end of that time, he, in company with Stephen Cairncross, a brother clerk, bought out the establishment and went into business for themselves, under the firm name of Cairncross & Johnson. This firm continued in business for about two years and a half, when the stock was sold out. In 1880, the present firm of Nelson, Johnson & Larson was formed. The other members of the firm are B. P. Nelson and Lewis Larson, and the business they do is probably the largest done in the village, in their line. They carry a full stock of dry goods, groceries, etc., and cater to the tastes of everybody. They are among the bright- est business men of the village, and are in splendid financial condition.
- PROMINENT among the old settlers is is A. M. CASWELL, who now resides in the village of Litchfield. He was born in Melbourne, Canada, October 2, 1833. His
father, Moody Caswell, was born in Vermont, and his mother, Hannah (Bishop) Caswell, in New Hampshire. They lived in Canada un- til he was past seventeen and then moved to Vermont, and from there to New Hamp- shire, and came to Minnesota in April, 1856. They came to Dunleath, Ill., by rail and thence up the Mississippi on the old steamer "War Eagle." There were about 700 pas- sengers on board, generally in high spirits about the prospects in the Territory of Min- nesota, where the land was rich and money plenty. They landed at St. Paul and then took the stage to St. Anthony. There was only a few houses there then and one saw- mill ; from there they came by steamboat up the river to Monticello, where they stopped until about the 1st of June, and then, hear- ing of the great chance for getting land on the big prairie in Meeker county, and as there was a party of immigrants came along, A. M. Caswell followed, and camped the first night alone in the woods about midway be- tween Monticello and Kingston. The next morning he came up with Patch's company, and camped on the bank of Crow river. The water was high, and as there was no bridge, they had to make a raft of logs. After crossing the river the company scat- tered, hunting claims. Our subject traveled to Forest City and took dinner with Thomas Skinner, a whole-souled and public-spirited gentleman, always courteous and obliging to everybody, in whose death Meeker lost one of her best men. From there he started with two others to look for claims, and trav- eled over the level prairie of Harvey, but found it generally marked, as a party had been through there and marked claims for all their relatives, some which were yet in the old country, so he left that and went above the woods in the vicinity of Manan- nah, and there the claims were vaeant, and lie marked his elaim-the first one marked in the township-and then returned to Mon-
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ticello. He was boarding at a hotel, when a party came, who had been through to the big prairie, among the party being T. C. Jewett and Captain A. D. Pierce, an old sea captain from Cape Cod, Mass., who said he had been up above Forrest City and located a town site. He gave glowing ac- counts of the country and said there was only one claim marked there and that was just the one he wanted to build his town on, and he was going to have it. He also said that he camped on the highest hill there was near there, (which must have been Tower Hill) and fought mosquitoes all night, and he fore- saw the great events of the near future ; the network of railroads that would come to and through his town. He took out his book and read the name that he found on his claim, as he called it, and it happened to be Mr. Caswell's ; he afterward tried to scare Mr. C. off, but failing to do it, he bought him off by paying fifty dollars and a watch. He afterward stated that the trade was like a horse-trade, and he was mighty sick of the horse. Mr. Caswell then made another claim where F. F. Phillips now lives, and his brother, Albert, came on and took one ad- joining, and his father, mother and sisters came the next fall. His mother was afflicted with a rose cancer, and after having it cut out died within a year, being the first woman buried in Manannah grave-yard.
But the flush times of 1856 were followed by several years of dearth, or almost a famine. There was no money in the country and scarcely any provisions, and for two or three years a laboring man could get neither money, clothing nor provisions for his work. The only way to get money was to hunt or trap for fur, which was hard-earned money. So, getting tired out or starved out, at Manannah, his brother, Albert, and himself, and Ziba and Nathan Caswell started ont for the gold mines at Pike's Peak, in Colo- rado, and were gone from the State most of
the time until after the Indian war. Our subject was at work in the mines in Colorado, and his brother and Ziba Caswell were in Nevada in the Washoe silver mines. They heard of the Indian war and started for home, and although they were two thousand miles apart when they started and neither party knew when the other was going to start, they met in Minneapolis and came home on the stage together.
The next spring A. M. Caswell was mar- ried to Vesta J. Britt, of the town of Har- vey. They kept a hotel at Coon Creek one year, then sold out and went to Anoka, where they remained about three years. They then sold out and moved to Harvey township, where they lived until removing to Litchfield in 1888. Mr. and Mrs. Caswell have two children - one a young man, twenty-four years old, and a daughter about eight
In speaking of the "old times" Mr. Cas- well says: " When I came to this county, there had never been a bushel of wheat, corn or potatoes raised here. Now nearly every acre of prairie and thousands of acres of brush and timber land are under cultivation, and thousands of reaping and threshing ma- chines are kept busy, instead of the old down reaper that took four horses, two men and a boy to operate, the grain having to be raked off by hand, and much of it left scattered on the ground. We have a machine that three horses and one man manage easily and which leaves the grain tied up in neat bundles, leaving the field clean as if it had been gleaned by the gleaners of old times. But the young men that were vigorous and strong and active are now becoming okl, bleached and gray ; but there is another generation coming on to fill our places. I have faith and believe there is a bright future for Meeker county, and that it is bound to be one of the richest and best stock-producing counties in the Northwest."
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