USA > Minnesota > Meeker County > Album of history and biography of Meeker County, Minnesota > Part 49
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Mr. Doyle has given a great amount of attention to mixed farming, and is authority with those who know him best in respect to
his calling. His success since coming here is entirely due to his persistent labor and good judgment, and is an excellent example. There is no flowery road to success, nothing but diligent work, and Mr. Doyle has proven that he has found it so. He is a striet mem- ber of the Roman Catholic Church. In pol- ities he is a sincere and abiding democrat, believing that in that party lies the safest rules for the preservation of our National existence.
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OHN WISE, who is successfully engaged in farming and stock-raising, upon sec- tion 29, Kingston township, is a native of Miami county, Ohio, born April 8, 1835, and is the son of Samuel and Barbara (Shope) Wise, who were natives of Lancaster county, Penn. Ilis father emigrated from the " Buckeye State," in his later days, to Indi- ana, where he died at the age of seventy-nine years nine months and thirteen days. The mother died in 1869. Both were members of the German Baptist Church, and were the parents of fourteen children, who all grew to manhood and womanhood. Their names were-Jacob, John, Samuel, Andreas, Levi, Isaac, Abram, Henry, Daniel, Elizabeth, Sallie, Teena, Barbara, and Mary.
John Wise was reared in Miami county, Ohio, upon the paternal farm, where he lived until attaining his majority, receiving in the haleyon days of youth the elements of a good education. Hle commenced farm- ing in his native State, and from there moved over into Indiana, where he lived until 1879, when he came to Minnesota, locating in Meeker county, on the place where he now lives.
The subject of this historical notice was united in marriage, January 2, 1855, with Miss Sarah Christian, a native of Pennsyl- vania, and daughter of Solomon and Pollie
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Christian, natives of the "Keystone State" also. By this union there have been six children born, namely-Samuel, living in Wisconsin ; and Anna, Fannie, Elizabeth, Barbara, and Sara Jane, all of whom are married, but the son. In his politics Mr. Wise is a steady adherent to the principles of the republican party, and is a representa- tive man of the township.
ELS EKMAN is a farmer on section 34, Swede Grove township, where he carries on general farming and stock raising. Mr. Ekman is a son of Swan and Ingra Swan- son, and is a native of Sweden, born on the 2d of October, 1853. He came to the United States in 1871, and made his way directly to Meeker county, Minn. He worked for farm- ers in this part of the State until about 1877, when he bought a farm of Peter Elofson. Two months later he traded this for a farm in Douglas county, but did not move on to it, and soon afterward traded it for a farm near Grove City, in this county. Two months later he sold this and went to Devil's Lake, where he worked on the railroad one summer, and then returned to Swede Grove. In the spring he bought a farm of George Okeson, where he now lives. He has 120 acres of land on sections 33 and 34, his build- ings being on the latter section. By industry and economy Mr. Ekman has secured a good start, and is in comfortable circumstances. He was a poor man when he came here-so poor, in fact, that he owed for his passage from his native land to the New World, and he worked for two years to pay the debt. Mr. Ekman was married to Miss Ellen An- derson. a daughter of Bengt and Betsy Han- son. They have been blessed with two chil- dren-Betsy, born March 21, 1884, and An- drew, born February 2, 1887. Mrs. Ekman was born in Sweden on the 28th of Novem-
ber, 1859. Her mother is dead, and her father lives in Swede Grove township. Mr. Ekman's father is dead, and his mother is still living in Sweden, her native land. In political matters Mr. Ekman is a republican.
HE SUBJECT of this sketch, W. J. WHITTINGTON, the proprietor of the Litchfield greenhouse and market garden, is a native of Sussex, England, born December 28, 1863. From the time that he was old enough he spent his time in a greenhouse and garden in his old home, on the south coast of his native land, until he was about fourteen years of age, when he came to this country and located in Union Grove township, in this county. He passed some three years in that vicinity, and then removed to Litchfield. The first six months he was here he spent in attendance at the high school, after which, for about four years, he was employed at farm labor. In the fall of 1885 he leased two town lots on the corner of Third and Hol- comb streets, with the intention of establish- ing a floral and plant conservatory for local and shipping trade. He broke the first ground for this enterprise September 12, 1885, and by his energy and perseverance soon built up an active trade and an enviable reputation. These grounds proving too small for his rapidly increasing business, in the fall of 1887 Mr. Whittington purchased some five aeres of ground in Greenleaf's addition to the town, a portion of which he is laying out as a private park, for the purpose of floral dis- plays, which is to bear the name of Garfield Park. In this our subject proposes to show the growth and culture of the various flow- ers and plants susceptible of outdoor exposure in this climate, and exhibit some features of landscape gardening. It is the intention to hold annual horticultural shows and festivals here, given by the generosity of the propri-
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etor to his friends and patrons throughout this section of the State. In connection with this Mr. Whittington carries on market gar- dening, and being connected with the business part of the city by telephone, can make deliv- eries at short notice. He also handles all the varions tools used in gardening, pots, and in- structions as to the cultivation of plants and flowers, and is prepared to furnish bouquets and floral decorations for weddings or other festive occasions.
AUGUST ERICKSON, The subject of this sketch is a prominent farmer who lives on section 15, in Greenleaf town- ship. He was born in Sweden October 3, 1851, and his parents were natives of the same land, his father having been born in 1809 and his mother in 1812. His father died when he was only twelve years of age and he was early in life thrown upon his own resources. His mother 'is still living. In 1872 he came to the United States and set- tled at Brocton, Chautauqua county, N. Y. Two years later he removed to Minneapolis, Minn., and remained there about four months after which he came to Meeker county, and settled in Greenleaf township, where he has since lived. He arrived here in the fall of 1874. Ile has a valuable farm, substantial improvements and is in prosperous eireum- stanees. Ile has taken an active interest in religions matters and is a member of the Mission Friends Church.
On the 20th of July, 1873, he was married to Christina Peterson, who is also a native of Sweden, Her parents were also natives of the same country, her mother still liv- ing, but the father having died several years ago. Mr. and Mrs. Erickson have been blessed with seven children, all of whom are liv- ing, as follows- Anna, born September 5, 1874; Hildur, born June 4, 1876; Salma,
born May 9, 1878; Frida, born March 11, 1880; Agda, born February 21, 1882; Ed- ward Emil, born March 22, 1884 ; and Albert, born December 29, 1885.
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WEN PRINTY, a prosperous and well- to-do agriculturist of Darwin town- ship, residing on section 14, is a native of that gem of the sea, Ireland, born about the year 1831. Reared among the beautiful scenery of that ever-verdant isle, Mr. Prin- ty had no wish to leave it, were it not for the fact that it was almost impossible to stay there and enjoy more than the barest necessa- ries of life, so oppressed and down-trodden are its people by foreign misrule.
In October, 1860, Owen was married to Miss Alice MeGill, a native of the same country, and the following year the young couple determined to seek a new home in free America, where a man could raise his condition if he chose. They accordingly embarked, and, erossing the ocean, landed at Quebec. From there they came direct to St. Paul and St. Anthony, and in the latter city Mr. Printy remained some five or six months. He then came to Meeker county, but after a stay at Forest City of some five or six months more, he was driven back to St. Anthony by the terrible Indian outbreak of 1862. Four years later, with his family, he left St. Anthony, where they had been living, and coming to Meeker county, settled in Darwin township, on the farm where he now lives, where he has ever since made his home.
Mr. and Mrs. Printy are the parents of seven children-Ellen, Mary, Owen, Alice, John, Joanna and Michael, all living but Joanna, who died November 29, 1877. The family are members of the Roman Catholic Church.
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ICHOLAS NELSON, a highly res- peeted old settler of Litchfieldl town- ship, was born in Sweden, October 23, 1849. His father, Bengt Nelson, was born in 1815, and died in Meeker county, in 1874. IIis mother, Christine Nelson, was born in Swe- den, in 1805, and at this date (1SSS) still lives near neighbor to Nicholas. The family came to America in 1856, and lived in Knox county, Ill., till 1858, when they came to Meeker county, by way of the river to Car- ver county, and took up a claim on section 22, of what is now Litchfield township. Nicholas has three half brothers and one half sister, namely-Swan, Nels and Peter Swanson, and Hannah Swanson Vorys.
At the time of the Indian outbreak the family, consisting of Nicholas and his father and mother, were living on the old claim, about two miles from where Litchfield vil- lage now stands. After receiving the warn- ing of the onslaught of the savages on that memorable 17th of August, the family took refuge for the night in the house of Nels Swanson, and they next proceeded to Forest City. After remaining there a short time, they went to Washington county and stayed there during the winter, returning to the farm in the spring. Nicholas continued to assist his father in carrying on the farm until the latter's death, when he took the helm himself, and has operated it in a quiet, though successful way. In 1879 he was mar- ried to Emma Olson, a native of Sweden. They have four children-Charles, Josephine, Ellen and Alfred.
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OHN W. TORREY. One of the most successful and enterprising farmers of Union Grove township, is the gentle- man whose name heads this article. IIe is a resident of section 25, and his enter-
prise is manifested in the substantial build- ings which he has erected, and his farm, as a whole, is a credit to the township in which he resides.
Mr. Torrey is a son of John A. and Ann E. (Diamond) Torrey, and was born forty miles west of Detroit, in Jackson county, Michigan, on the 29th of December, 1838. Ilis mother died when he was still a boy of eight, and he remained with his father until he was sixteen years old, when he started out to earn his own way in the world. In 1855 he came to Minnesota with his father, and remained here two years working on a farm, after which he returned to Michigan. Three years later he came back to Minne- sota, and in October, 1861, he enlisted in the First Minnesota Battery. and went south for service with his company. He saw very active service, and participated in the follow- ing battles-Shiloh, Corinth, second Corinth, Vicksburg, Champion Hill, Iuka, Atlanta, Columbia and Goldsborough.
Hle remained in active service for three years and seven months, and was finally mustered out at St. Paul, on the 2d of July, 1865. IIe then came to Meeker county and looked over the country, but did not locate until March, 1866, when he took eighty aeres on section 26, in Union Grove town- ship. He remained there for two years and then sold his right, and purchased forty aeres of railroad land. Ile has since adfled additional pieces, until he now owns 210 acres of land, his buildings being located on section 25.
Mr. Torrey was first married, December 5, 1868, to Miss Laura Vincent, who died March 22, 1878. She left four children, as follows-Agnes, born October 26, 1870; Hulda, born January 26, 1872; Jolliette E., born May 29, 1874; and Bernice, born May 29, 1877; died March 7, 1878.
Mr. Torrey's second marriage was with Miss Emily F. Snell, daughter of James and
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Mary Snell. She is a native of Madison county, Ind.
In the winter of 1865-6, the husband of Mr. Torrey's sister was frozen to death, and the care of his sister and her three children, devolved upon him. She was with him three years, when she removed to Litchfield, and has since married.
Mr. Torrey has met with considerable bad luck. He had some $1,400 in money when he came to the county, but lost in all in three years, from various canses beyond his control. In 1877 the grasshoppers took his grain, and one year he paid $2.50 per bushel for seed wheat, and sold his meager erop in October for 50 cents per bushel. Thus Mek ran against him until, when he bought the first forty of his present farm, he did not have a dollar. Ilis enterprise and indus- try, however, have not been unrewarded, as he is now one of the most comfortably "fixed " farmers in the township. He is a republican in political matters, and has taken considerable interest in township matters, and held various local offices, including that of supervisor for four years.
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ANTHONY WAYNE COLEMAN is one of the leading farmers of the town of Collinwood, and lives on section 31, where he has a fine farm of 180 acres. He is a native of Buchanan county, Va., and is the son of Richard and Nancy (King) Coleman, natives of Virginia and Kentneky, respect- ively. His father was a merchant in the vil- lage of Grundy, and owned a large stock farm besides. When the war broke out he joined the " IIome Guards," and while absent from home on duty was taken prisoner by the Federals. By disguising himself he man- aged to escape, but found that the Confeder- ates had cleaned him out of everything in his absence. Disgusted, he returned and
and enlisted in the federal army, and was afterward killed in battle. The family, being left destitute, removed to Louisa, Ky., where they lived until 1864, at which time the fam- ily came to Minnesota. At that time the family consisted of Mrs. Coleman and her eight children-Lewis, Joseph, Anthony, Mary Jane, Pricy, Ellen, Crosby and Carrie. They settled in Hutchinson, McLeod county, where the mother died two years later, and the children were scattered. Anthony worked around from place to place until he was about eighteen years old, at which time he commenced attending school, spending two years in the district schools, one year in the Hutchinson High School and the last term in the State Normal. Ile then came to Collinwood, and for eleven years taught a portion of each year. In 1877 he purchased the farm where he now lives, and has made it his home ever since. He was married April 4, 1878, to Miss Lydia Mckinney, daughter of John and Lydia (Hicks) McKin- ney. By this union they have five children- Lydia, born January 6, 1879; Joseph, born August 29, 1880; James, born September 13, 1882; Jane, born May 5, 1884; and Theresa, born July 7, 1886.
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ENRY C. ROWLEY. The subject of this sketch is a well-known and highly respected farmer and stock-raiser, residing on section 20, Forest Prairie township, and an ex-Union soldier.
Mr. Rowley was born in Carroll county, Ohio, on the 24th of August, 1844, and is a son of William and Ann (Morledge) Rowley. The parents were natives of England ; the father came to the United States, when seventeen, and the mother, when eleven years of age. They were married in Ohio. They are now both dead; the father died June 23, 1877, in Bartholomew county, Ind.,
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MEEKER COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
aged seventy-five; and the mother died in September, 1887, aged ninety six years. They (Henry's parents) had thirteen ehil- dren.
Henry C. Rowley, our subject, spent his school days in Jennings and Bartholomew counties, Ind. On the 11th of November, 1862, he enlisted in Company I, Sixth Indi- ana Volunteer Infantry, and went into service, participating in the battles of Green river, Shiloh, Corinth, Marietta, Chieka- manga, and Atlanta, besides many skir- mishes. Ile was finally discharged at Chat- tanooga, Tenn., on the 21st of November, 1865, and returned to his former home in Indiana. As he was only seventeen years old at the time of his enlistment he resinned his schooling, after his return from the war, and attended one winter term, after which he was employed in a saw mill, and also worked at mason work, having learned that trade. In the spring of 1880 he went to Arkansas, and was on the road in the machinery business for about one year, then lived in Little Rock, Ark., for one year, engaged in the milling business. In April, 1882, he came to Mecker county, Minn., and purchased his present farm in Forest Prairie township, where he has since lived. He has one of the best improved and most valuable farms in the township.
Mr. Rowley was married at Columbus, Ind., December 17, 1868, to Miss Margaret Irwin, a native of Indiana, and a daughter of William Irwin. Her father was tanner by trade, who died when she was quite young. Iler mother married James W. Polk, and now lives in the same township as her daughter. Mr. and Mrs. Rowley are the parents of six children living, as follows- William Orien, Lula B., George, Clarence. Grace, and Mattie. One child, Nora B., died when three years old. The family are members of the Christian Church.
In political matters Mr. Rowley is a repub-
lican. Ile has taken an active interest in educational and official matters, and is one of the leading citizens of the township in which he lives.
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ERGUS McCUSKER, the subject of this personal history, a resident of section 10, is one of the most successful and enter- prising farmers and stock-raisers in Harvey township. He is a native of County Tyrone, Ireland, and was born in September, 1827. His early life was spent in the land of his birth, where he received the severe and rigid discipline of industry and frugality which was given to lads of his nationality. On the 1st of November, 1846, he sailed for America, landing at the city of New York, and a few days later went to Newburyport, Mass, where he worked in the ship-yards for sev- eral years. From there he went to Lowell, Mass., where he secured work in a cotton fac- tory and remained until 1855. In the spring of that year he started west and located in Illinois, arriving there on the 4th of April. Remaining in that State during the inter- vening time, in 1859 he came to Meeker county, Minn., and located in Harvey town- ship, where he still lives. Here he was liv- ing with his family peaceably carrying on his farming operations when the Indian out- break occurred. Mr. McCusker at once moved his family to Forest City, and a few days later to Clearwater, where he left them and he returned temporarily to finish his harvesting. In the same fall, 1862, he brought his family back, and has since made this his home without interruption.
On the 7th of June, 1848, Mr. MeCusker was married to Miss Margaret MeNulty, and they have been the parents of seven children the two oldest of whom-Charles and Charles A .- are dead. The five living children are --- James, Mary Ann, Rosella, Maggie and
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Charles. James is married. Mary Ann is now Mrs. Patrick McQuid, of Swift county, Minn. The family are active members of the Catholic Church.
In political matters Mr. MeCnsker acts in- dependent of party. By his thrift, industry and frugality he has accumulated a fine prop- erty, and now has a splendid farm of 460 acres, which is one of the best improved farms in Meeker county. His enterprise is manifested in his building improvements, which are a credit to any farming district. He has a windmill on his place arranged with the necessary machinery so that he can grind all his grain except for flour, and also does all such work as sawing wood, churn- ing, etc.
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6 LE LARSON, one of the old settlers of Acton township, was born in Nor- way, on the 9th of January, 1835, and is a son of Lars and Katrina Anderson. IIe came to the United States in 1855, and settled in Illinois, where he worked for various farmers until 1861, when he came to Minnesota, and took a homestead on section 26, in Acton township, where he now lives. Mr. Larson had barely got settled in his new home when the terrible Indian outbreak of 1862 began. He visited Baker's house - where the first murder was committed-at about eleven o'clock on the night of the killing, and could hear the Indians yelling and shooting in the neighborhood, some of the bullets coming so near that he could hear them sing as they passed his head. Fearing that a large force of Indians would come he returned to his homestead, and, gathering together what few things he could readily carry, he went to Forest City. The same night the Indians burned his house, grain, and destroyed all else that they could. At Forest City he got a house to live in, and on the night of the
attack upon Forest City he went to the stock- ade for safety, and the Indians burned the house which he had occupied. After the close of hostilities he returned to his farm and has since made it his home. IIe has been very successful in his farming opera- tions and is now well off. Ile has a com- fortable house and fine farm buildings.
Mr. Larson was first married in the spring of 1861, to Miss Sarah Halverson, who died in 1870. His second marriage was with Mrs. Dora Hanson. Her first husband was Andrew Hanson, who died in Norway in 1863, and by whom she had two children - Sophia and Hans, both of whom were born in 1855. By these marriages Mr. Larson has had the following children - Betsy, born January 9, 1863; Louisa, born in March, 1865; Hannah, born March 1, 1867; and Lewis, born May 7, 1869. Betsy married A. O. Lawson, a general merchant of Grove City ; Louisa married Andrew Bjorhus, a farmer in Greenleaf township; Hannah mar- ried Olof Olson, a farmer in Acton township; and Lewis is living at home with his parents.
OHN KNIGHTS, one of the leading stock-buyers of Litchfield, is also engaged in the livery business in that vil- lage. He is a native of Eaton, Canada, born February 27, 1837, and is the son of William and Catherine (Hoburn) Knights. Both of his parents were natives of the Em- erald Isle, who had come to the Dominion several years previous. John was reared in the county of his birth, upon the farm of his father, until he had reached the age of nineteen, when he came to the United States and located at St. Paul, this State. He remained in that place and in Hennepin county for about four years, engaged in lumbering, and then moved to Oshkosh, Wis. In the spring of 1861 he enlisted in
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MEEKER COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
the First Minnesota Infantry, for three months, and on the expiration of his term of service, re-enlisted in the Third Minne- sota Infantry. He participated in the for- tunes of the regiment until March, 1863, when he was mustered out for disability. Settling in Wright county, at the time of the out- break he was made scout and guide to one of the columns, after which he served as deputy provost marshal until the close of the war. Mr. Knights remained at farming in Wright county six years, and then ran a store at Cokato for eighteen months,and after spending another year in lumbering, he came to Litchfield and went into the livery business with A. L. McCarger. Four years later he commenced the cattle business. In 1886 the firm of Ross & Knights was formed. In April, 1864, he married Miss Helen Marr Jenks, a native of Illinois, who had come to this State in her childhood. By this union there have been born nine children -Henry H., Viola E., Gertrude E., Bertha M., Win- nie M., Arthur E., Allie F., Harry M., and John A.
ETER E. LARSON, a prominent citizen of Litchfield township, was born in Sweden March 1, 1846, and came to Amer- ica and Meeker county, Minn., with his par- ents. John and Celia Peterson Larson, in 1857. Ile was sixteen years of age when the Indian outbreak occurred, but the duties of a man devolved npon him. He helped move the family to Forest City, then Clearwater, and, later on, to Anoka. While the family were encamped on the bank of the river opposite Clearwater, he started there to see them. The ferryman refused to take him across the river, the object being to keep all the men and horses on this side of the river for use in the constantly expected conflicts with the Indians. But Peter had started to
see his folks, and see them he woukl, at all hazards. So, nothing daunted, he tied his clothes on his back and swam the Father of Waters, in defiance of the mandates of the ferryman and all his men. During the fall he came back and remained at the old home all winter and the following spring and sum- mer, " keeping bach " with his brother Louis. After his father's death, in 1867, Peter con- ducted the farm, and still lives on the old homestead. On the 11th of June, 1870, he was married to Anna Oleson, danghter of Ole ITawkinson. Eight children have been born to them, two of whom-Charles and an in- fant unnamed-are dead. The others are all at home - Josephine Albertina, Alice A., George William, Alexander, Amanda and Huldah. Like his brothers, Peter has ac- quired some fine property, by dint of hard toil and close attention to business, having a splendid farm of nearly 400 acres. In addi- tion to farming, he has for many years car- ried on the business of threshing, and yearly adds a goodly portion to his earthly store by that means. He devotes considerable atten- tion to stock-raising, both native and blooded.
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