USA > Minnesota > Jackson County > An illustrated history of Jackson County, Minnesota > Part 47
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Mr. Gilbert owns 440 aeres of land. He has stock in the Jackson Telephone company and in the Petersburg Creamery company. IJe is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church.
On September 27, 1869, Mr. Gilbert was united in marriage to Mary Olson and to them have been born five children: Gilbert H., Al- bert, Bertha, deceased; Esther and Louis.
MAJOR IHRAM S. BAILEY (1865), deceas- ed. In the early days of Jackson county's history there were few men who took a more important part than did the gentleman whose name heads this sketch. In political matters he was a leader and played a most important part in the organization of the county.
Major Bailey was born in Montgomery, Vermont, in 1829. Ife received a common school education in the towns of Montgomery and Waterville and completed his education in an academy at Bakersfield. In 1853 he came west and located in Dodge county, Wisconsin, residing on a farm near Waupon until 1856. That year he settled on a farm in Fillmore county, Minnesota, where he resided until the breaking out of the civil war. lle enlisted in 1861 in company A, of the Second Minnesota infantry, and served four years and three months in the army. He enlisted as a pri- vate, but promotion was rapid and he was
mustered out of the service as major. Major Bailey took part in some of the important en- gagements of the civil war and in the Indian campaigns. He assisted in the trial of the four hundred Sioux at Mankato in 1862 and was present at the execution of the thirty- eight who were hung.
In 1865, after his di-charge from the army, Major Bailey came to Jackson county, where he resided until his death. Earlier in his career he had assisted in the organization of Mower county, Minnesota. and when he came to Jackson county. he. more prominently than any other, assisted in the reorganization of Jackson county. The first county election was held at his home, in his log cabin, near the village. In partnership with Welch Ashley le platted the town of Jackson and was ae- tive in the promotion of enterprises and the settlement of the county. Among the offices he held were county commissioner. court com- missioner, superintendent of schools, mem- ber of the board of education and justice of the peace. Major Bailey died at Jackson April 20, 1901.
Major Bailey was married at Bishford. Ver- mont. March 10, 1852. to JJane Wheeler. They had five children: Sidney, who died at the age of one year; Frank E., of Jackson: Wal- laee M., who died at the age of twenty-one; Freddie, who died at the age of eighteen; Brownie H. (Mrs. W. IJ. Dunstan), of Spokane, Washington.
WILLIAM V. KING (1866). One of the best known residents of the county is William V. King. a pioneer of forty-three years standing. who now lives a retired life in the county seat village, after having spent many active years in publie life.
In Oldham, England, on September 26, 1831, our subjeet was born, the son of John and Hannah (Hilton) King. On the first day of April. 1835. the family set sail for the new world and upon their arrival located near Utica, New York. There until he was ten years old William lived with his parents, attending school and working for a short time in a fae- tory. In 184I he went to Walworth county, Wisconsin, and that was his home until his thir- tieth year. During these years he was en- gaged in farm work and teaching sehool. Mov- ing to Crawford county in 1861, he engaged in farming, and the same year, upon the out-
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break of the civil war. In took a position with the government as enrolling officer. In 1861 he enlisted in the 43rd Wisconsin volunteer infantry and served as first sergeant of his company until his discharge from the army, which occurred at Nashville, Tennessee, in July, 1865.
In the fall of 1865, soon after leaving the army, Mr. King took up his residence at Austin, Minnesota, and in May, of the following year, became a resident of Jackson county. He lo- cated in what is now organized as Wiscon- sin township and took as a homestead the southwest quarter of section 28, upon which he lived until 1873. Having been elected to the office of county auditor that fall, he moved to Jackson to assume the duties of the office. With the exception of two years spent in Hun- ter township. Jackson has been the home of Mr. King over since.
During thirty-one years of his residence in the county Mr. King has held county office a record held by no other man. Prior to his removal to Jackson he held the office of judge of probate six years: he was superintendent of schools two years: was county attorney two years; and held the office of county au- ditor twenty-one years. Hle owns property in the village of Jackson and eighty acres of land in section 24. Hunter township. Fraternally he is associated with the Masonic and Grand Army of the Republic organizations.
Mr. King was married in Walworth county, Wisconsin, March 27. 1856. to Antonetie E. Porter, who died in Jackson March 26, 1896. To this union were born the following named children: William P .. Nellie G. (Davies). S. S. and John L. The second marriage of Mr. King occurred June 22. 1898, when he wedded Leonora E. Chittenden at Fairmont, Minne- soła.
GEORGE C. CHAMBERLIN (1866), deceased. In many respects George C. Chamberlin was one of the most prominent men of Jackson county during the pioneer days. He had a large acquaintanceship, was popular and be. loved by all who knew him. He played a lead- ing part in the county's political and social life.
Mr. Chamberlin was born in Newbury, Ver- mont, February 25, 1837. the son of AAbner and Mary (Hazelton) Chamberlin. He was edu. cated in Newbury seminary and learned the
printer's trade, later engaging in business at Bradford, Vermont. Hle enlisted in the union army at the outbreak of the civil war and served until its close.
In 1866, just as the little town was being founded, Mr. Chamberlin located in Jackson, and on February 26, 1870, he founded the county's first newspaper. the Jackson Republic. Later he sold out and bought a paper at Man- kato, but because of failing eyesight he was obliged to give up newspaper work, and he retired from active pursuits. He became en- tirely blind. He represented Jackson county in the Minnesota senate, was county anditor, prosecuting attorney, and held other county offices. He lived in Jackson until 1893; then he returned to his boyhood home, Bradford, Vermont, where he died in November, 1896.
THOMAS GOODWIN (1866) and wife, who now reside in Wilder, have lived in Jackson county for the last forty-three years and are among the few surviving pioneers who came as early as 1866. Mr. Goodwin was born in Liverpool, England, November 12, 1839, the son of Thomas and Mary (Rowin) Goodwin. These parents came to America in 1840, lived in Elmira. New York. foar years, in Williams- ville, Pennsylvania, four years and then in Farmer- Valley, MeKran county, Pennsylvania, in all of which places they were engaged in the hotel business. The mother died in Farm- ers Valley January 12, 1897, aged 81 years; the father in August. 1906, aged 89 years.
When his parents came to America in 1840 our subject did not accompany them but was brought up in the family of his grandfather, at New Town. Wales. At the age of fifteen years he left the home of his grandparents and crossed the Atlantic. He joined his par- ents in MeKean county. Pennsylvania, and until his twenty-fifth year, in 1864, he was employed on a farm owned by his father.
Mr. Goodwin was married May 3, 1861, at Portville, New York. to Betsy Elizabeth Bar- rett. who is the daughter of Thornton and Rebecen (Brewer) Barrett, and who was born in MeKean county, Pennsylvania, January 24. 1813. They are the parents of the following named children: Mary (Mrs. W. F. Ridge- way), of Jackson, born JJanuary 25. 1866; Lewis L., of Mosier, Oregon, born June 28, 1868: Cora A., born December 3, 1869, died No- vember 27, 1897; Elmira A., born May 14,
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1873, died September 10, 1874; Fred L., of Le- land, Washington, born October 3, 1877; Laura E., of Parkston, South Dakota, born August 16, ISSO.
In October, 1866, Mr. Goodwin came to Jackson county and took as a homestead claim the northwest quarter of section 6, Middle- town township, and the next year moved onto the place with his family. At the time the nearest railroad point was Owatonna, 120 miles away, and neighbors were scarce. There were only three families between his place and the present site of Luverne, in Rock county. The first three years of the residence of this family in Jackson county were spent living in a "dugout," and thereafter for several years in a log cabin. Incredible were the hard- ships endured in this frontier country during the "starvation period" and the terrible grass- hopper scourge. Mr. Goodwin remained on the claim and weathered the storms of adversity. Ile lived on the farm until 1890, when he re- tired from active pursuits and moved with his family to Wilder.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Goodwin are members of the Methodist church. Mr. Goodwin served as a member of the school board in Middle- town township several years, and has served as a member of the Wilder village council sev- eral terms.
CHARLES H. SANDON (1866), judge of the probate court of Jackson county, is one of the pioneers of the county and one of its best known residents. He is an Englishman by birth, having been born in Northampton Oc- tober 7, 1845, the son of Thomas and Eliza (Goodwin) Sandon.
When the subject of this biography was four months of age the family emigrated to Ameri- ca and located at Burke, in Dane county, Wis- consin, and there our subject grew to manhood. At the outbreak of the civil war he enlisted in company G, of the First Wisconsin cavalry, and served until November, 1864, having been discharged at Calhoun, Georgia. After the war Mr. Sandon returned to his old home at Burke and made his home there until the fall of 1866. He then came to Jackson county, bought land in Wisconsin township, and returned to spend the winter in his old home. He came back to Jackson county with his family in the spring of 1867 and has ever since been a resident of the county.
From the spring of 1867 until 1891 Mr. San- don engaged in farming in Wisconsin township. In November, 1889, he was elected judge of probate and has held the office ever since, hav- ing been reelected nine times. His present term expires January 1, 1911. While a resi- dent of Wisconsin townsbip Judge Sandon served in various official capacities. He was the first assessor of the township, serving dur- ing the years 1867-G8; was township clerk sixteen years, and was justice of the peace from 1886 to 1890. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, the Odd Fellows and the Workmen lodges. Ile owns 205 acres of land in Jackson county and real estate in other parts of the country.
Judge Sandon was married November 28, 1865, to Miss Sarah J. Fields. To this nnion have been born the following named children: Elbert J., born December 22, 1867, died Decem- ber 5, 1888; Ethel H., born June S, 1870, died January 2, 1889; Viola A., born April 27, 1873, married October 12, 1898, died in 1899; Stella A., born September 18, 1875, married December 29, 1897; Nettie F., born November 4, 1878, married October 28, 1908; Ilarry H., born February 6, 1SS1; Samnel E., born De- cember 24, 1883; William A., born March 30, 1886; Robert Cassius, born August 8, 1888.
WILBUR S. KIMBALL (1867), deceased. In the early days of the history of the village of Jackson no man had a wider acquaintanceship or took a more prominent part in the affairs of the village than did W. S. Kimball, one of the pioneer merchants.
He was born in Chelsea, Vermont, in 1835, and early in life moved with his parents to Illinois. After reaching his majority he moved to Austin, Minnesota, where he engaged in the hardware business. He enlisted in the Fourth Minnesota regiment of volunteers in 1861 and served until the close of the war. At the close of the war Mr. Kimball returned to Austin, and during the summer of 1867 came with his family to the new village of Jackson. He erected the town's second building and opened a small hardware store. Beginning with a small business, he prospered and was soon doing an enormous business. He was a most liberal and enterprising citizen and devoted much time to the upbuilding of the little city. He was in business many years.
With the building of the St. Paul & Sioux
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City railroad much of the trade territory from which he had before drawn was cut off; then vame the hard times during the grasshopper period, and Mr. Kimball failed. After retir- ing from business he took a position as a traveling salesman, and some time before his death he retired and lived a quiet life at Jackson. Mr. Kimball died at Jackson Deeem- ber 13, 1892.
WELCH ASHLEY (1865), deceased, was one of the founders of the village of Jackson and one of the town's prominent men in the early days. The Ashley family is one of the old American families, Robert Ashley having come to the new world from England in colonial days and settled in Massachusetts. Welch Ashley's grandfather, David Ashley, was born in West- field, Massachusetts. He was a soldier in the French and Indian war, serving eighteen months. IJe also served seven years in the revolutionary war and was with Colonel Ethan Allen at the capture of Ticonderoga. rose to the rank of major. Welch Ashley was born in llanvoek, Delaware county, New York. on the first day of the year 1807, the son of Forest and Harriett (Welch) Ashley. Forest Ashley was born June 2, 1771, at Pittsfield], Massachusetts, and died in Mainesburg, Pennsylvania, August 15, 1856. He was mar- ried in Hancock, Delaware county, New York, in 1791. He was a carpenter by trade.
At an early age Welch Ashley moved with his parents to Troy, Bralford county, Pennsyl- vania, where he lived a number of years. Ile served as sheriff of Bradford county a number of years. Later he moved to Tioga county, in the same state, where he was married and where he lived until he came west and settled in Jackson county. Mr. Ashley was always very patriotic and a strong union man during the civil war. He contributed to the cause and three of his sons were in the union army.
It was during the month of September, 1865, that Welch Ashley came to Jackson county and bought the ohl Wood homestead, upon which had been enacted the tragedies of the Inkpaduta massacre more than eight years before. At the time there were only a few families living in the whole of Jackson county, and these only recently returned after the fear of the Indians had been removed.
In 1866 Mr. Ashley and Major HI. S. Bailey laid out the town of Jackson, Mr. Ashley being
the proprietor of all that portion of the town included in the original plat lying north of White street, About the same time he built the first saw mill erected in the county, which was located on the east side of the river at the site of the present dam. At this mill much of the lumber used for the construction ot the first buildings erected in the new town was sawed and prepared.
From the first Mr. Ashley entered into the business life of the town, taking an active part in every movement for the advancement of its interests. In company with his son, B. W. Ashley, he built the Ashley House, which ever since has been the principal hotel of the village and is now owned by his grand-on, M. D. Ashley, and, for many years he was its owner. Much of the material used in the con- struction of this hotel was hauled by team from Mankato. Ile was also engaged at var- jous times in the mercantile business and in farming. lle retained his mental vigor, and in great degree his physical strength until a few days before his death, and his interest in the town which he had founded continued to the last. Mr. Ashley died at his home in Jackson February 23, 1885.
Mr. Ashley was always a strong friend of religion and was a member of the Methodist church. For many years the local Methodist church was largely supported by him and his excellent wife. It was mainly through his ef- forts that the present church building of that denomination was erected, he being not only the largest individual contributor to the fund subscribed for its ereetion, but also devoting much of his time to looking after its con- struction and in the collection and manage- ment of the funds subscribed for that purpose, in which matters his experience and sound judgment were invaluable.
Welch Ashley was married in Tioga county, Pennsylvania, to Margaret Smith, who sur- vived her husband nearly twenty years and died February 17. 1905. To these parents were born seven children, as follows: George G .. Benjamin W., Mrs. Margaret Hill, Menzo L., Jesse F., Mrs. Julia F. Downey and John C., all of whom are living except Benjamin W. and George G.
ANDERS ROE (1868), ex-sheriff and ex- judge of probate of Jackson county, now en- gaged in farming in Enterprise township, is
WELCH ASHLEY (1807-1885. )
One of the Founders of Jackson and a Settler of 1865.
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTCA LENOX AND TIDEN FOUNDATIONL
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one of the county's very early settlers and a man who has taken a prominent part in the affairs of his county.
Mr. Roe was born in Norway September 13, 1844, the son of Osborn and Ragnilda (Roe) Roe. In 1852, at the age of eight years, he came to America with his parents and for short periods of time lived in Dane county, Jefferson county and Columbia county, all in- Wisconsin. He then located in Portage coun- ty, Wisconsin, where he took up government land and where he lived until coming to Jack- son county.
Our subjeet served one year in the union army during the closing days of the war, be- ing a member of the Fifth Wisconsin volun- teers, having been mustered in at Madison, Wisconsin, in September, 1864. With his regi- ment he took part in the battle of Petersburg, Virginia, on April 2, 1865, and on April 6 he participated in the battle on Sailors creek. In this latter engagement he was slightly wounded but did not leave the ranks. He also assisted in the closing days at Appomattox court house, when General Lee and his army of twenty-five thousand men surrendered. He was mustered out at Hall's Ilill, near Wash- ington, June 20, 1865.
After his discharge from the army Mr. Roe returned to his old Wisconsin home, and in the spring of 1868 came to Jackson county. The trip was made by ox team and took four weeks time. Mr. and Mrs. Roe journeyed with three other families as far as St. Charles, Min- nesota, when the party divided, all going in different directions. At the time there were on the route taken only two houses between Fairmont and Jackson. One of these was be- tween Fairmont and the present location of Sherburn and the other was near the present location of Sherburn. This point was twelve miles and forty rods east of the old Thomas eabin and was known as Lone Cedar postoffice. On one occasion the team mired in Ten-mile creek and the only way Mr. Roe could get out of the mire was by unloading. They lost their way and had traveled as far south as the present town of Tenhassen before they realiz- ed they were off the proper course. They ar- rived in Jackson county on the 2Sth day of June, 1868.
Mr. Roe on July 9, 1868, took as a homestead elaim the west half of the northwest quarter of seetion 30, Enterprise township, land which he still owns and upon which he now resides.
He engaged in farming there for a number of years. During the latter part of the grass- hopper scourge he worked for the John Paul Enmber company at their yard in Jackson. in the fall of 1879, when the railroad extended and the town of Lakefield was founded, Mr. Roe moved there and took charge of the John Paul lumber yard, which he conducted until the office there was discontinued. He then went to Sherburn, where he conducted the company's yard three years. Mr. Roe again located on his farm, where be has since resided.
In the early days of the county's history Mr. Roe served as sheriff of the county and lie was also judge of probate two years. He is a member of the Lutheran church of Jackson.
On November 27, 1866, Mr. Roe was united in marriage to Elsie Frederickson. To them were born five children, as follows: Julian, born August 15, 1868, died September, 1887; Alfred, born February 2, 1871; Emma, born December 15, 1872; Albert, born November 8, 1876; Richard H., born January 24, 1884.
ANDREW C. OLSON (1868) is county commissioner of Jackson county and one of the most successful farmers of Christiania township. Ile is one of the oldest settlers of the precinct and has resided there since he was two years of age. He owns and farms 240 acres of land on sections S and 9 and has other business interests.
Mr. Olson was born in Winneshiek county, lowa, March 30, 1866, the son of Carl Olson, who died December 21, ISSI, and Ingeborg (Simonson) Oison. His parents came to the new world from Norway in 1858 and located in lowa, from which state his father enlisted and fought with the union forces during the eivil war. He was with General Sherman on his famous march to the sea and was wounded in the service. Andrew accompanied his par- ents to Jackson county in ISGS at the age of two years, and his home has ever since been in Christiania township. Itis father home- steaded land on the south bank of Fish lake, and there our subject lived until he was twen- ty-two years of age, seeuring an education and working on the farm.
At the age of twenty-two Mr. Olson was married and began farming on his own ae- count, locating on a farm on the west side of Fish lake. In 1890 he bought the farm he now owns and in 1897 he moved onto the place.
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Ile has a tine home and a well improved farm. lle has large interests in the creamery com- pany of Bergen and the Farmers Elevator company of Windom and other cooperative concerns. He is a director of the Farmers State Bank of Windom. During his long residence in the county Mr. Olson has many times been called upon to serve in an official capacity. Ile is at present a member of the board of county commissioners, was chairman of the Chris- tiania township board twelve years, elerk of his school district twenty-two years, and town- ship assessor five years.
Alr. Olson was united in marriage to Caro- lina Anton, of Christiania township, Deceni- ber 13, 1888. To this union have been born eleven children, as follows: Ella C., born Oc- tober 21, 1889; Eva M., born January 10, 189]; Clinton O., born May 15, 1892, died July 19, 1893; Bert M., born December 23, 1893; Cyril, born October 3, 1895; Irvin, born August 7, 1897, died September 5, 1897; Morris, born Angust 7, 1897, died September 3, 1907; Mar- ion, born February 21, 1901; Kermit, born December 29, 1903; Grace, born November IS, 1905; Alvin C., born May 20, 1909. The family are members of the Lutheran church and Mr. Olson is a member of the Odd Fellows and Modern Woodmen lodges of Windom.
JAMES W. HUNTER (186S), deceased, was an carly day merchant of Jackson and a man who took a prominent part in the affairs of the county. Hle was a native of Scotland and was born August 16, 1837, the son of James and Agnes Ilunter.
When eighleen years of age, in 1855, Mr. Hunler came to America. He spent three years vlerking in Dubuque, Iowa, was a short time at Wilton, Minnesota, and then returned to Scotland for a short visit. Returning to Am- erica, he located at Waseca, Minnesota, where he built a store and engaged in business with his brother. Selling out there, he engaged in business in Estherville, Iowa, two years, and in 1868 located in the new town of Jackson. In partnership with a brother he engaged in the general merchandise business under the firm name of Iluter Brothers. He continued to live in Jackson until his death, which occurred August 13, 1900.
Mr. Hunter served two lerms as county au ditor, having been elected first in 1870, and was a member of the Minnesota legislature
from Jackson county. Ile was married in Scotland August 19, 1870, to Bessie Ross. There are three children in the family, namely: Mrs. 11. B. Gillespie, William D. Hunter and Agnes Grace.
PETER P. HOLDEN (1868), of Petersburg township, is one of the oldest settlers of that precinet, having resided there nearly forty- two years. He is a Norwegian by birth and was born August 30, 1845, the son of Peter and Lilly (Olson) Olson.
Our subject resided in his native land until he reached his majority. Then he emigrated to America, arriving in May, 1866, and located in Lafayetle county, Wisconsin. Ile spent two winters working in the pineries of northern Wisconsin and then came to the new country of Jackson county, where he arrived in March, 1868. He located on land in Petersburg town- ship, and that has been his home ever since. For several seasons he spent bis winters on his place and his summers working in Fill- more and Winona counties. Ile suffered many hardhsips during the trying times of pioneer days, in storms and the terrible grasshopper scourge. Like everyone else lie endeavored to raise a crop every year during the time the grasshoppers were here, thinking that each year must be the last of the pests, and each year lost his crops. Fortunately he early turned his attention to stock raising, and so weathered the storms of that never-to-be-for- gotten period.
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