USA > Minnesota > Meeker County > Album of history and biography of Meeker County, Minnesota > Part 51
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Mr. Wood was united in marriage August 18, 1850, with Miss Elizabeth J. Fisk. By this union there have been seven children, four boys and three girls, all of whom are dead except one-Isaac L., born June 1, 1860.
In 1884 Mr. Wood came to Meeker county, and took up his residence in Darwin town- ship.
- ILLIAM MILLS CAMPBELL, the present United States marshal for the district of Minnesota, is one of Meeker county's most prominent citizens, and has been identified with its interests from pio-
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neer days. Ile was born in Philadelphia, Pa., April 11, 1839, and is the son of Edward and Eliza ( Mills) Campbell. The father was a native of the city of Londonderry, Ireland, born in February, 1808. He came to the United States in 1834, and in Philadelphia learned and followed plumbing and gas fitting. In 1837 he married, moved to Rutland. Kane county, Ill., in 1842, and shortly after purchased a farm near Elgin, where now stands the village of Gilbert. The mother of our subject was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, and died in 1848, leaving five children, namely-William M., Edward Augustus, Louisa, now Mrs. John Fitzgerald, Fannie, Mrs. Michael J. Flynn, and Eliza M., Mrs. C. F. MeDonald, of St. Cloud.
William grew to manhood upon the farm and received his education in the district sehools of the day and county, which he at- tended during the winter sessions. In 1858, hearing excellent accounts from Minnesota, from friends here, who had come in 1856, on the first of May. he started alone for Mecker county, walking the entire distance from St. Anthony to Forest City, arriving there the same month. Ile was for some two years engaged in working on the river and in saw mills.
In 1860, his father, induced by the de- scriptions of the son, sold out and came to Meeker county, and William helped his father get settled, and took up a claim himself, the southwest quarter of section 26, Forest City township. This he lost, however, by enlist- ing in the service. At the time of the In- dian outbreak, in 1862, Mr. Campbell was temporary in Iowa, but hurried back, and as- sisted in organizing a force of young men, stacked and took care of all the grain they could find cut and helped some thresh. Ile then enlisted in Company A, First Minnesota Mounted Rangers, and accompanied Sibley in the campaign to the Missouri in 1863, par- ticipating in all its dangers, and in all its
battles. Returning, he re-enlisted in Com- pany D, Second Minnesota Cavalry, and was a part of the expedition under General Sully, and served two years. He was mustered ont December 5, 1865, and returned home.
The following year Mr. Campbell entered into mercantile life in company with his brother Edward; not liking that line, quit it and engaged in farming, opening up a large farm in company with Michael J. and Daniel Flynn, his brothers-in-law. In 1868 he pur- chased a place on seetion 34, in Harvey, to which he removed the following year.
In 1869 our subject was elected sheriff of the county on the democratic ticket, over- coming a republican majority of about 500. He was re-elected to the same office in 1871, and then removed to Litchfield. At the con- clusion of his second term he commeneed the sale of agricultural implements, a business he followed until 1877, when he sold out, and in company with W. HI Jones, became general northwestern agent of the Gammon & Deering harvester machinery. In the fall of 1877 Mr. Campbell was elected to the State Legis- lature. to which he was re-elected the next year. In 1880 he was elected to the State Senate, Garfield carrying the county at the same time by a majority larger than the whole democratic vote. Two years later he was defeated for re-election by fifteen votes. His record in the House and Senate is highly creditable, and he then assumed the position of a leader in the democratic party in this State, from which he has not receded. Ile was a delegate to the national democratic convention at Chicago, in 1884, and received his appointment of United States marshal in February, 1886, and then moved to St. Paul.
June 11, 1866, Mr. Campbell was married to Miss Lizzie A. Flynn, and they are the parents of ten children -John A., Millie, Edward Bennett (deceased ), Anna, Grace, Edward, James, William Lewis, Michael B., and Mary.
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AMES NELSON is a prominent and wealthy farmer and stock-raiser, who resides on section 23, Union Grove town- ship. To avoid repetition we must refer the reader to the chapters devoted to the Indian trouble, and also to other sketches for many of the most interesting features in the his- tory of Mr. Nelson. He took a very active and prominent part in those trying days.
Mr. Nelson was born in Ireland, on the 18th of June, 1837, and was a son of Robert and Ann Nelson. In July, 1840, he came to America with his parents. His father and mother settled near Montreal, in Canada East, where they engaged in farming, and remained until the time of their deaths. In August, 1856, James came to Meeker county, Minn., and preëmpted 160 acres on section 23, in what is now Union Grove township. This place has sinee been his home, with the exception of a short time during 1862-3. when they were driven away by the Indians. He then enlisted in the Second Minnesota Infantry and went South, remaining there until the close of the war, when he again settled upon the farm, and has since remained there. He has one of the most valuable farms in the township, and it is well im- proved, with substantial farm buildings.
Mr. Nelson was married on the 7th of April, 1857, to Miss Elizabeth Caswell, which is said to have been the first marriage within the limits of Meeker county. Mrs. Nelson was a daughter of Carlos and Anna Caswell, and was born in Canada on the 16th of August, 1838. Mr. and Mrs. Nelson have been the parents of six children, as follows- William, born November 24, 1858; Frank, born October 27, 1860; Anna, born May 25, 1863; James, born July 9, 1870 ; Orrin, born July 9, 1872; and Albert, born October 21, 1875. Anna married William Phillips, and now lives in Union Grove township; they have three children-Mana, Carl and Flor- ence. William married Sarah Newcomb,
and lives in Dakota; they have one child, Iva. Frank married Ella Hinds, and lives in Dakota.
In political matters Mr. Nelson is a repub- lican. He has taken an active interest in publie matters, and is one of the leading citi- zens of the county. IIe has taken a promi- nent part in township affairs and held vari- ous local offices.
OREN MORTON. The subject of this biography is one of the most promi- nent citizens of Danielson township, being a resident of section 10, in that subdivision of Meeker county. Mr. Morton is a native of Denmark, born on the 29th of November, 1836, and is a son of Morten Johnson and Johanna Skovenborg. Soren remained in the land of his birth until 1863, when he came to the United States and first located in Ripon, Wis., where he remained five or six months, having charge of a farm. He then went to St. Clare county, Ill., where he worked on a farm until March, 1864, when he returned to Ripon, and again took charge of the farm which he had previously had control of. In the fall of 1864 he came to Meeker county, Minn., and took a homestead on section 10, in Danielson township, where he now lives. After taking his claim he worked for different farmers for a time, then went to St. Paul, and remained through the winter, working in a wood-yard. The fol- lowing spring he returned to his claim, set out some trees and made some other im- provements and then returned to St. Paul. A short time later, in July, 1865, he moved his family to his claim, and has lived there ever since. He now has a splendid farm and splendid improvements. Ile devotes consid- erable attention to raising stock, together with general farming, and is recognized as one of the most intelligent and prominent
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farmers in the western part of the county. He is a democrat in political matters and takes an active interest in the affairs of his township, having held a number of the most important local offices, including those of chairman of the supervisors, for several years while Acton and Danielson formed one town- ship, school clerk for eight years, and others.
Mr. Morton married Miss Louisa Winter- lig, who was born May 22, 1845, and is a daughter of Peter C. and Christine Winter- lig. Mr. and Mrs. Morton have had six children, as follows-Sarah H., born July 3, 1865 ; Henry W., born December 28, 1867; Willie T., born June 8, 1869; Victor, born July 12, 1874 ; Agnes Myrtle, born February 4, 1877 ; and Alice, born July 3, 1884. The family are members of the Methodist Church, in which Mr. Morton is one of the most active workers, having held various offices in that organization, including those of trustee and steward, for several years.
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G. JOHNSON. The subject of this biography, a farmer residing on sec- tion 22, Greenleaf township, was born in Sweden on the 10th of October, 1857. He left his native land with his father's family in 1867, and came to Meeker county, Minn. His father was a farmer most of his life, but has now retired from active business and lives in the village of Litchfield. The sub- ject of this sketch now has three brothers and four sisters living, one brother having died.
C. G. Johnson learned the carpenter's trade in 1878, and followed that vocation for sev- eral years. In 1881 he went to Missouri and remained there about eighteen months, re- turning then to Minnesota. In 1884 he pur- chased the farm where he now lives, on section 22, Greenleaf township, and has since made that his home. Ile has a valuable farm of
160 acres, seventy-eight of which is under plow and fifty to meadow, while he has a few acres of timber. He has substantial improve- ments, and his farm is among the most valu- able in his portion of the township. He devotes his time to general farming and to stock-raising, and has a good herd of cattle on the place.
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MAICHAEL J. ROACH. Among the farmers and cattle raisers of the north part of the county, is Mr. Roach of Forest Prairie, who has his home upon sec- tion S of that township. He was born in Rockbridge county, Va., December 23, 1820, and is the son of John and Elizabeth (Peto- lomey) Roach, natives of Maryland and Vir- ginia, respectively. When our subject was but a child his parents removed to Henry county, Ind., and finally settled in Cass county, that State, where they died. The early education of the subject of this sketch was acquired in his native county, and after- wards in the schools of Indiana, which at that early day were few and far between. He was one of a family of thirteen children, the names of the others being - Lucilla, William, James N., Mary Ellen, John C., Betsy J., Margret A., Joseph, Andrew J., George, Carson, Nancy D., and one that died in infancy.
Mr. Roach was reared to manhood in Cass county, Ind., and was there married, Decem- ber 28, 1843, to Miss Sarah J. Wynn, a native of Warren county, the same State, born No- vember 4, 1832. She is the daughter of James and Pollie (Harden) Wym, who were born in Pennsylvania and Ohio, respectively. By this union there have been born a family of thirteen children - William, Michael, Sarah Jane, Margaret A., Deniza, Elizabeth, Ellen Dosh, Cinda, James, John and Mary. The latter died in infancy ; the rest are all
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living and married except Dosh and Ellen, who reside at home.
Mr. Roach came to Mecker county in 1866, reaching Forest City, on the 9th of May, and shortly after came to his present place and took up his homestead. At that time the woods were full of game and he acquired the reputation of being the best and most successful hunter in this part of the country. He made considerable money by this means, but has always given considerable attention to farming and stock-raising, preferring the sure gains of husbandry to any more allur- ing speculation or business. He was the third settler in the township. one of the old pioneers ; is a member of the Church of God, and usually votes the republican ticket.
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J ESSE V. BRANHAM, JR., a pioneer, who took a most active and prominent part in the trying times of the Indian massacre, is one of the best-known and most conspic- ous figures in Meeker county's history. IIe is a native of Jennings county, Ind., born July 8, 1834, and is the son of Jesse V. and Mary (Butler) Branham, a sketch of whom will be found elsewhere in this ALBUM. In 1847 his parents removed to Franklin, John- son county, Ind , where our subject remained under the parental roof until nineteen years of age, when he opened a dry-goods and grocery store. In 1855 he was united in mariage with Miss Mary L. Stark.
Early in the summer, of 1857, Jesse V., Jr., joined a party of pioneers, consisting of his father, Jesse V. Branham, Sr., William Branham, Levi Reed, Hugh MeGannon, and others, and came to Meeker county, Minn., our subject locating on seetion 35, of Litch- field-then Ness-township, in June of that year. He at once began improvements, and his family joined him in August. He there remained, earnestly devoting his time and
labor to developing a farm, living in content- ment and prosperity, notwithstanding the many disadvantages usual to pioneer life, until the Indian outbreak of 1862 began.
On Sunday, August 17, 1862, while Jesse V. Branham, Jr., was crossing a field with a neighbor, the report of the Jones and Baker murders were brought to him. After a hasty consideration of the matter, he con- eluded to get all the people of the neighbor- hood together at the house of George C. Whitcomb (who was absent), on account of the location, partly because of a good well in the cellar, should the Indians make an attack, and partly to protect Whitcomb's family. Sunday night, after the neighbor- hood had been notified and brought to one point, our subject, in company with his brother William, mounted his horse and started for Acton, to learn as to the truth of the reports. When within about three miles from their destination, they met a party from the scene of the massacre, who had with them a child, which was the only surviving member of either the Jones or Baker households. The Branhams then learned that all reports were true, and imme- diately returned to Whitcomb's house. Early Monday morning they all started for Forest City, where they remained inactive for a day or so, but Tuesday afternoon word was received that the outbreak was general and would extend all along the bor- der. That evening they held a council, and decided to send all women and children to Clearwater, and J. V. Branham, Jr., was ap- pointed to take charge of the train. Wednes- day morning the train started, being made up of teams of every description, and being half a mile in length. Jesse V., Jr., piloted them about half way through the "Big Woods," when he bade his family good-bye and returned to Kingston. There he talked with a number of the leading citizens, gave them his idea of the stockade, and the fol-
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lowing morning, with his team, he hauled the first log for the Kingston fortifications. Returning to Forest City, he found George C. Whitcomb with an order from Governor Ramsey to form a company of State militia, to defend the town. Our subject joined the ranks, and, as soon as possible, he, with others of the command, were mounted and started west to bury the dead and aid the wounded. They rode through the western part of Meeker county and all over Kandi- yohi county.
After this Jesse V., Jr., remained with the company until the night of September 2, when, on coming into the stockade after a brush with the Indians, they learned that Captain Strout would be in eamp at Acton that night. The whole company knew that the country was filled with hostile Indians, and knew that unless Strout was warned, his whole command would probably be mur- dered. Captain Whitcomb called for volun- teers to go upon the extremely dangerous mission of warning Strout, and Jesse V. Branham, Jr., was the first to offer his serv- ices, Thomas Holmes and A. P. Sperry soon joining him, and at sundown they started for Acton, with Jesse in command of the trio. Reaching their destination and fulfilling their mission in the night, they slept for a time, and in the morning the company started for Forest City. The Indians soon made an attack on them, and in the engage- ment, Jesse Branham, Jr., was shot through the lungs, the bullet coming out of his back, and seventeen others of Strout's company were wounded. They were taken to Hutch- inson that night, and upon arriving there, Branham got up and walked from the wagon to his room, in the second story of the hotel. When the doctor examined him, he said to those in attendance: "I can do nothing for this man ; make him as comfort- able as you can ; he will be dead in three hours." The following morning, September
4th, was the day of the attack on Hutchinson, and while our subject was lying on his cot, then unable to move, there came a shower of bullets on and through the house. Later he was carried to the stockade with the other wounded, and there cared for. Four weeks later he was able to go to Minneapolis to his family. Three weeks later the family went south to Louisville, Ky., and remained there until the spring of 1863, when they returned to Minneapolis, and the following fall, again settled in Meeker county. Jesse V. Branham, Jr., rented the mill at Green- leaf, and operated it during the winter of 1863-4, and the following spring went to Forest City and rented a farm for the season. In the fall of 1864, the county commissioners appointed him county auditor to fill a vacancy, and he was afterward elected and re-elected, serving until the spring of 1871. During this time the county seat had been removed to Litchfield, and after the expira- tion of his term of office, our subject en- gaged in the mercantile trade at that place. Since that time he has been engaged either in the mercantile trade, real estate or farm- ing.
In early days Jesse V. Branham, Jr., was one of the most active and public-spirited men in the county. When the town of Ness was organized, he was elected first town clerk; he also held the office of county com- missioner, besides that of county auditor, and various local offices. He was one of the original town site proprietors of Litchfield ; drew the bill changing the county seat from Forest City : gave Litchfield its name, and in many other ways connected his name indissolubly with the early history of the county. He drew the plan of the park in Litchfield, and to him, more than any other one man, is due the credit of planting trees and getting it into the beautiful condition of to-day.
Mr. and Mrs. Jesse V. Branham, Jr., are
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the parents of five children, as follows- Iliram S., a member of the Litchfield bank- ing firm of Stevens & Co .; Alice, now Mrs. Robert Burns; Delaney E., Lula and Thomas.
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J NORGREN & CO., dealers in general merchandise in the village of Dassel, came to the village in thespring of 1875, and established their present business, and are, therefore, the oldest house in town having a continuous existence. They carry a large and well-assorted stock, and are doing an extensive and lucrative trade. The store which they occupy was built by Louis Rud- berg, and is a handsome brick edifice, well lighted and ventilated, and presents a neat appearance from the street.
John Norgren, the senior member of the firm, is a native of Sweden, and immigrated to America in 1866, landing in Carver county, Minn., on the 22d of July, with his family, which then consisted of his wife and five children. He soon afterward bought a farm of eighty acres in Hancock township, about nine miles from Carver, and moved his fam- ily to it. They remained there until 1873, during which time the farm was increased to 160 acres. In 1873 they came to Meeker county, and the father purchased a half inter- est in the saw- and flouring-mill at East Kingston. Ile was there engaged in the milling business for two years and a half, when he sold his interest to his partner, and came to Dassel, where he has since lived. He then, in company with J. O. Berlin, opened a general merchandise store under the firm name of J. Norgren & Co. The partner, Mr. Berlin, is also his son-in-law, and had the misfortune to lose his eyesight some nine years ago. Mr. Norgren has turned the active management of the mer- cantile business over to his sons, John and
Lewis. Mr. Norgren is a hale and hearty man of about sixty years of age, and still retains his vigor. He has large property interests here in the way of farms and vil- lage real estate, and has been intimately as- sociated with the growth and development of the eastern part of Meeker connty. He is the present town treasurer, and has taken an active interest in official and educational matters.
John and Lewis Norgren, who have charge of the business, are both capable business men, and their establishment commands as heavy a trade as any in the village. John has been a member of the village council for four years, while both take a prominent part in all matters pertaining to the welfare of their locality.
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TON. A. C. SMITH, for many years one of the most prominent figures in the history of the county, and one of the leading attorneys, was a native of Vermont, born in 1814. He was educated in the State of his nativity, and there studied law, and was admitted to the bar at Washington, D. C., at a session of the Supreme Court of the United States. In 1839 he removed to Mount Clemens, Macomb county, Mich., where he entered upon the practice of his profession. A short time after he entered upon a career of journalism, editing and publishing the Macomb Gazette, and the Lundmark's, the latter a Masonic periodical, and continued at this for some five years. He then occupied the judicial bench for three years, and served one term in the Michigan State Senate. In 1855 he came to St. Paul, where he established and published the Free Press, a democratic daily, which did not prove very remunerative. He then took up his law practice in that city, and made it his home until March, 1858, when,
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having been appointed to the position of register of the land office of the United States at Forest City, he came to this county, where he made his home until the day of his death, which ocurred September 20, 1880. Of his death, the News Ledger said : "We have known Judge Smith for twelve years; in fact, he was the first man we consulted when we thought of locating in this county in 1868, and our confidence in his judgment led us to settle in Forest City. Judge Smith was a man among men - hon- orable to a fault. He could not brook dis-
honesty or trickery in others. As a friend he was genial, warm and true as steel -ever ready to assist all who were so fortunate as to be associated with him. As a member of the bar he ranked among the best - was courteons and affable -always working for the interests of his clients with a will and energy which caused him to be respected by his opponents. In his death the county met with a great loss and the community of Litchfield one of its most esteemed citizens, and his memory is revered by all the early residents of this part of the State."
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HISTORICAL
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GENERAL
HISTORY.
CHAPTER I. LOCATION AND TOPOGRAPHY.
N NO portion of the great State of Minne- sota is Meeker county surpassed for its beau- tiful scenery ; its roll- ing prairies inter- spersed and diversified with natural and domestic groves; its famous lakes, meandering streams and its carpet of flowers and verdure. It lies in the cen- tral, or south-central part of the State, having for its boundaries Stearns county on the north, Wright on the east, MeLeod and Renville on the south and Kan- diyohi on the west. As an agri- cultural and stock-raising region Meeker county cannot be excelled. The soil is very prodnetive-a rich, dark loam, well adapted to all the cereals common to this latitude. It is also well suited to the pro- duetion of tame and indigenous grasses; and stock-raising, both native and blooded, at- tracts the general attention of the intelligent class of farmers that have settled here. The greater portion of the surface of the county
is made up of a rolling prairie, interspersed with oak openings ; while a considerable area is covered with a moderately heavy growth of natural timber. The surface is well watered by numerous streams, which furnish ample drainage and an abundance of pure water for stock. In addition to the streams there are scattered throughout the county hundreds of beautiful lakes teeming with fish, and at some seasons of the year the re- sort of myriads of wild fowl. These lakes add greatly to the beauty of the scenery and healthfulness of the region, and they have made the county noted throughout the State as a "sportsman's paradise."
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