USA > Minnesota > Nobles County > An illustrated history of Nobles County, Minnesota > Part 39
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EDWIN R. INIMISTON. retired contract- or and builder of Worthington, is one of the very few residents of that city who was present at the founding of the town. From the fall of 1871 to the present day he has residel continually in that city. and no man in Worthington is better en- titled to a place in this history than is Mr. Humiston.
Mr. Humiston was born in Great Bar- rington. Mass., May 6. 1827. a descendant of colonial settlers. The founder of the American branch of the Unmiston family came from England after the fall of Crom- well, and became prominent in American history. The father of our subject was Caleb Humiston. who was born in North Haven, Conn .. in 1779: his mother was Polly (Todd) TImiston, who was born in the same Connecticut town, and who was of Scotch-Irish descent. The father died in Tludson, Ohio, in his 76th year, while his mother lived to the extreme age of 9] years, dying in Cleveland, Ohio.
The family moved from Massachusetts to Hudson. Summit county,. Ohio, in May. 1833, and there Edwin R. Humiston grew to
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manhood. He secured an education in the couimion schools of the Ohio town and in Iludson academy, and made himself use- ful in a brick yard, of which his father was the owner. lle also served a three years apprenticeship at the carpenter trade there. In the fall of 1855 Mr. Ilumiston moved to Dubuque, lowa, where for one year he was employed by the Galena Pack- ing Co. and the Dubuque Improvement Co.
In 1856 Mr. Humiston moved to St. Peter, Minn., where he erected a large grist and saw mill for Col. B. F. Pratt, and where for two years he served as mill- wright and engaged in machine work. It
was during his residence there that the Spirit Lake massacre oecured in 1857, and Mr. llumiston was one of forty men who volunteered at St. l'eter on April 12 to go out and punish those Indians who had participated in the massacre. The volun- teers spent some time on the trail, but were unsuccessful in overtaking the hos- tiles. Mr. Ilumiston moved to Cleveland, Lesueur county, in 1858, and there he re- mained until he became a resident of No- bles county in Is71. During the years he lived there he engaged in contracting and building, and served one term as county commissioner of Lesueur county.
In the fall of 1871 Mr. Ilumiston moved to the village of Worthington, then just starting, of which his brother, Prof. R. F. Hlumiston was the founder. For several years he did contracting and building and erected many of the first business and resi- dence buildings in the city. For the past twenty years he has been retired from active pursuits.
In 1888 he was elected register of deeds of Nobles county and served two years. He has been an ardent republican ever since the birth of that party. llis first vote was cast for Martin VanBuren, the Freesoil candidate for presi- dent, and he has voted for every republican nominee for president, with one exception, when he was a resident of St. l'eter, Minn., in 1856, Minnesota then being a territory.
Mr. Humiston was married at Cleve- land, Minn., May 13, ISSS, to Mary A. Davis, daughter of John and Catherine Davis, of Licking county, Ohio. To them have been born six children, as follows:
Fred L., clerk of court of Nobles county, born Feb. 14, 1859; Willis I., born in Cleveland Dee. 25, 1860; Henry S., born in St. l'eter Ang. 27. 1862, died Ang. 27, 1904; John D., born in Cleveland Dee. 7, 1865; Edwin Ray, born in Cleveland March 29, 1868; Mary K. (Mrs. Arthur Jones), born in Cleveland Oct. 2, 1870.
DR. GEORGE O. MOORE, president of the State Bank of Worthington, was one of the very first of the colonists to arrive in Nobles county, and Worthington has been his home ever since January, 1872.
Dr. Moore was born in Iowa City, Iowa, March 28, 1842, the son of Benjamin P. and Emily (Bliss) Moore. The father was of Irish descent. Ile was born in Bradford, Vermont, Sept. 20, 1801, learned the car- penter trade, and moved to Iowa City, Iowa, in IS41. There he assisted in the erection of the Iowa capitol building, which is now the state university building. Later he mov- ed to Delphos, Ohio, where he engaged in the mercantile business, and where he died of cholera July IS, 1853. Our subject's mother was of Scotch descent. She was born in Vershire, Vermont, Feb. IS, 1807, and died Feb. 4, 1895.
Dr. Moore received a common school edu- cation and then entered the medical depart- ment of the University of Michigan, from which he was graduated with the class of 1867. Then he entered upon the practice of his profession, which he followed five years in Indiana and Ohio. On the 26th day of January, 1872, Dr. Moore arrived in Worth- ington, coming as a member of the colony, and that village has been his home ever since. Ilis decision to join the colony and come to Nobles county was reached through the influence of the late Rev. Robert Mc- Cune. Ile first hecame acquainted with Rev. Robert MeCune while that gentleman was pastor of a church in an Ohio town. Later when the preacher became managing editor of the Toledo Blade and the colony company was using that paper to advertise the col- onization scheme, Rev. MeCune urged Dr. Moore to join the colony and locate in the new village of Worthington.
In the village of Worthington Dr. Moore praetieed medicine until 1883. Since that time he has been connected with the Bank
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(now State Bank) of Worthington, at first as cashier and later as president. He was one of the organizers of the Minnesota Loan & Investment Co., and became its secretary. Dr. Moore is a prominent and influential member of the Union Congregational church of Worthington, and was one of the charter members. He has never held public office, has never used intoxien ing liquor as a bey- erage, nor tobacco in any form, and has never been kept from active duty a single day on account of illness.
Dr. Moore was married Dec. 2, 1869, to Clara F. Foster, of Masonville, Delaware county, N. Y. To them have been born one son George k., born in 1872, and now en- gaged in business in Chicago.
ISAAC HORTON (1822-1890). Among the hrst settlers of Nobles county, and the very first to settle in what is now Indian Laht township, was Isane llorton.
Mr. Norton was born in Oneida county, V. 1 .. in 1822. In a very early day he moved to Michigan and was there employed as a millwright. Returning to New York state, he was married, and then came to Minnesota, settling on Indian land near Lake City. Later he moved to Ohnstead county, where he purchased land. In the year 1867 he moved to Spirit Lake, lowa, rented a farm near that place and for two years en graged in farming.
It was during his residence near Spirit 1.ke that Mr. Horton first became ac- quainted with the country which was later to be organized as Nobles county, and so early as 1867 he visited the Indian lake country hunting elk, in the taking of which he was always successful. llo liked the look- of the country, and decided that sonne day he would make it his home. On May 6, 1569, at a time when there was not a settler in the whole of Nobles county out side of Graham lakes township, he came to the county and filed a preemplion claim to the past half of section 34, on the ea-t Share of Indian lake. On October 3. of the came year, he brought his family from Spir- it Take, erected a log house (18x21) of oak log out from his claim, and for seventeen yours made his home there. He then sold onl purchased the southwest quarter of see tion 22. Indian Lake, erected a good house
thereon, and resided there with his family until his death. which occurred in October, 1590. Although Mr. Horton would never av. cept an office, he took a prominent part in the affairs of the county during the early days. The first county election in which the people of Indian Lake township partiei. pated was held at his house.
The widow, Charlotte (Ilare) Horton. re- sides al Round Lake and is 77 years of age. To Mr. and Mrs. Horton were born the fol- lowing children: John (deceased), Elvira (Mrs. J. P. Stevens), Little Falls, Minn .; Edna (deceased), Hattie (Mrs. Al. Tygall). Corvallis, Oregon; Cora (Mrs. F. 11. Wells), Salem, Oregon; Frank 11., Round Lake; Charles, Round Lake; Luey (Mrs. Henry MI. Anderson), Bloom township; Clara (Mrs. Elmer Tripp). Round Lake; Emma (Mrs. Dan Bixby), Worthington; Herbert, Worth- ington; Lottie (Mrs. Herman Miller), Round Lake.
WILLIAM WIGHAM, of Adrian, is the old- est resident of that town, having been among the few who engaged in business in the little village in the fall of 1876. lle is also one of the carly settlers of the county, and has made his residener here sinee 1873.
In Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, on Sept. 28, 1837. William Wigham was born, being the son of William and Catherine (Platt) Wigham. In the year 1850 the fam- ily moved west and settled in lowa county. Wis, There the head of the family bought a farm, and on it the subject of this sketch was raised and made his home until 1862, when he entered the army.
William Wigham was twenty-four years of age when he raised a company of infantry in his home county, which was designated company G, and was assigned to the 27th Wisconsin volunteer infantry. He was made captain of the company, his commission being dated Ang. 15, 1862, and served in that ca- parity until August, 1865, when he was mus- tered out of the service. Captain Wigham and his company were first sent into Ken- lucky and Tennessee, where for some time the troops were engaged in skirmishing. In May, 1863. they took part in the siege of Vieksburg, going up the Yazoo river and get- ting in the rear of the eity. After the capitulation of the southern city, in August,
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1863, Captain Wigham with his eommand was sent to Ilelena, Ark., where preparations were made for the Arkansas campaign. Ile took part in the capture of Little Rock, and dur- ing the fall and winter of 1863-64 partiei- pated in a number of small skimishes.
About the first of March, 1864, Captain Wigham started in the campaign to cooper- ate with General Banks under General Steele in the memorable Red River campaign. There was fighting and skirmishes nearly every day, one of the principle battles being at Prairie de Ann. After the union forees had cap- tured Camden they learned of General Banks' defeat. The rebels, 30,000 strong, then were enabled to turn their attention to the forces to which Captain Wigham belonged. They swooped down upon the small force of un- ion soldiers, who were forced into a disas- trous retreat. All the equipment was lost and the soldiers were in sorry plight. At Jenkins Ferry, in the line of retreat, was fought one of the big battles of the can- paign. The winter of 1864-65 was spent in scouting expeditions near Little Rock. In the spring of 1865 Captain Wigham's com- mand went to Mobile and took part in the lighting there, where he was at the close of the war.
After the war Captain Wigham returned to his old home in Wisconsin and engaged in farming until the fall of 1866. Hle was then elected sheriff of Iowa county, and served a two year term. For a short time he was judge of probate of the same county, having been appointed to complete an unex- pired term. In 1871 he went to Solomon City, Kansas, where for two years he was engaged in the Texas cattle business. After a short time spent in his Wisconsin home, Captain Wigham came to Nobles county, ar- riving on the 30th day of May, 1873. Ile took a homestead on seetion 18, Little Rock township, and a tree claim on section 12, Grand Prairie township. He engaged in farming on hi- Little Rock township prop- erty until the fall of 1876. Hle then moved to Adrian village, which was just being founded, and engaged in the mercantile and grain business. He disposed of his business interests in Adrian in 1879, and in the spring of 1880 removed to his farm, where he re sided until the spring of 1896.
During nearly all of the time he resided on the farm he hekl township office, ranging
from chairman of the board of supervisors down. On November 13, 1882, Captain Wig- ham was appointed judge of probate of No- bles county to complete an unexpired term caused by the resignation of L. S. Nelson. In the fall of 1883 he was elected county treasurer and served a three year term. Coming to Adrian in 1896, he has since lived a retired life. Ile has held the office of vil- lage assessor for the last eleven years. In 1894, when the Little Rock Mutual Fire In- surance company was organized, Captain Wigham was one of the principal stock- holders, and for twelve years was president of the company.
Captain Wigham was married at Dodge- ville, Wis., Nov. 28, 1867, to Sybella E. Bishop. To them have been born eight children. of whom the following five are living: William M., register of deeds and newspaper man of Mahnomen, Minn .; Mary (Mrs. Chas. Wombill), of Mahnomen; Charles, of Westside township; Earl, of Mahnomen; Edith, of Adrian. His son Earl was the first male child born in the village of Adrian.
ROBERT SHORE is one of the pioneer residents of Ransom township and of Nobles county. During a residence of thirty-five years in Ransom he has taken a very active part in the agricultural, official and literary life of the county, and is one of Nobles' best known men. He is a self made man. At an early age he was thrown upon his own resources, and, unaided, he has worked his way steadily upward from humble cir- cumstances.
Robert Shore was born in Rochdale, Lan- castershire, England, Nov. 24, 1828, the fourth child of Charles and Sarah (Hill) Shore. The father was a spinner by trade, and spent his entire life in England. Mrs. Shore, the mno'her of Robert Shore, died in Pennsylvania in 1875.
At a very early age Robert Shore began working in a cotton mill, and when four- teen years old he devoted his entire time to that work. Then he gave up his day school, but attended night school until he was twen- ty-two years old, thus obtaining a good edu- cation. In 1850 he married Eliza Greenhalgh, youngest daughter of John and Beisy (In- gram) Greenhalgh. Mr. and Mrs. Shore re-
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splet in England one year after their mar- tiage, anol then, in March, Isal, they took passage in a sailing vessel from Liverpool 10 New York, which reached its destination after a voyage of six weeks. Mr. Shore lo- cated at Bentoni, Lafayette county, Wis .. where for fourteen years he was employed in the lead mines. Removing to Grant county, in the same state, with the money he had saved from his carnings as a miner, he pul - chased eighty acres of land and engagd in farming and stock raising.
In February, 1865, Mr. Shore enlisted in company K. of the 11th Wisconsin infantry, under Colonel George Symmes, of LaCrosse. The regiment went to Nashville, Tenn., and theice to Paducah, Kentucky, where it en- gaged in guard duty. Mr. Shore serving as clerk at regimental headquarters. lle was mustered out with his regiment in August, 1865.
Returning from his army service, Mr. Shore continued in the farming and stock- raising business in Grant county, devoting his time to these pursuits during the sum- mer months and engaged in teaching school during the winters. He taught fifteen terms of school. During the time of his residence in Wisconsin he served several years as post- master of llarelson. In June, 1872. Mr. Shore came to Nobles county and took as a sol- dier's homestead 160 acres of land on see- tion 22, Ransom township. At the time of filing he broke some land, and then he re- turned to Wisconsin. He visited his land again in September. bought lumber and con- tracted for the erection of a house. On April 1, 1873, he and his family arrived in the county to make permanent residence, and his home has ever since been on his original homestead.
Mr. Shore and family suffered all the hard- ships of pioneer life, and the family has be- come one of the most respected in the town- ship. Mr. Shore has held many offices of trust within the gift of his neighbors. Dur- ing the whole period of his residence here he has held some township or school office. He is a republican, and in 1877 he was «Iveted county commissioner on that ticket, -erving a two year term as chairman of the board. When Ransom postoffice was estab- lished in the spring of 1896 Mr. Shore was apointed postmaster and served until the of- fice was discontinued in recent years be-
cause of the establishment of the rural free delivery routes. Both Mr. and Mrs. Shore are members the Methodist Episcopal church of Ransom.
Mr. and Mrs. Shore are the parents of the following children: Charles, John E., Robert W., Thomas E., Henry W., all Ransom town- ship farmers; Mary E. (Mrs. Coleman Guern- sey), of Worthington.
WILLIAM PARRY is one of the oldest settlers and best known residents of Little Rock township. lle has resided on the farm where he now lives thirty-six years, during which time he has taken an active part in the affairs of the community. Ile owns 480 acres of land in Little Rock, his home place being the northeast quarter of seetion 26.
William Parry was born at Anglesea, in North Wales, on March 28, 1830, the son of Richard and Elenor Parry, both of whom died in their native land. U'pon reaching his majority he came to the United States, arriving in May, 1851. Hle went to Wau- kesha. county, Wis,, remained there six months only, and then moved to Iowa coun- ty, of the same state, which was his home until his arrival in Nobles county in 1872. For a few years he engaged in the lumber business, livery business and other occupa- tions in the town of Mineral Point, and then became a farmer.
It was during his residence in Wisconsin that Mr. Parry enlisted for service in the union army during the civil war. He joined company I, of the 30th Wisconsin infantry, -Ing. 22, 1862, and served until his muster out al Louisville, Ky., just before his three year term had expired. His regiment was on provost duty during the entire period of enlistment, in which duty Mr. Parry saw service in many parts of the country.
It was during his army service that Mr. Parry conceived the idea of some day mak- ing his home in the new country of south- ern Minnesota. llis duties had called him to southwestern Minnesota, to the country north of Nobles county, and, liking the lay of the land, he decided that some day he would return and make his home there. In the spring of 1872 a party of Dodgeville, Wis .. people consisting of William Parry, William Faragher, Jr., Geo. Ilidgins, Henry Faragher, William Quine, wife and baby,
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Thomas Quine, William Jones, John Quine and John Quine, Jr., set ont for the new country. Their first stop was in Iowa, east of Sibley, where all selected land for filing. There they met a man named Hugh Jones, who told them of the beautiful country lying along the Little Rock to the north. All accompanied him to the new land and in May the entire party filed on land in what was later formed into Little Rock township.
Mr. Parry selected the northeast quarter of section 26 for his homestead. He then returned to his old home, but came back to his claim on Oct. 4, making the trip by team, and his home has been on his homestead ever since. He encountered all the hard- ships and trials of the pioncer carving a home out of the wilderness. During the grasshopper days he suffered a partial fail- ure of crops each year, but managed to har- vest a part of a crop each season.
For four or five years Mr. Parry served as postmaster of Little Rock postoffice, which was located at his home. lle was in charge of the office at the time of its dis- continuance owing to the establishment of rural mail routes. He served a four year term as county commissioner, having been elected on the republican ticket from the Fourth district in 1884. He was chairman of the Little Rock township board for several years and has served on the school board of his district at many different times.
Mr. Parry was married at Mineral Point, Wis., Jan. 2, 1860, to Elenor Frances Camp- bell. She was born in Ireland in 1837, the daughter of English and Scotch parents, and eame to the United States when a child. She died at the family home in Little Rock township Feb. 16, 1908. Mr. and Mrs. Parry were the parents of four children-Eugene, of South Dakota; William, who farms the home place; Annette and Mary (Mrs. Levi Rue).
MILES BIRKETT. On the 18th day of May, 1871, Miles Birkett, James Walker, now postmaster of Ellsworth; and George Barnes, now deceased, filed on homesteads in Grand Prairie township. They have the hon- or of being the first to take claims in that township as well as in the western part of Nobles county. Miles Birkett still resides on the claim he took in that early day.
Ontario, Canada, is the birthplace of MIr.
Birkett. He was born Aug. 2, 1843, and is the son of parents still living, their home being at Belmont, Iowa. William Birkett, his father, was born in England in 1820, and came to Canada when a young man. Our subject's mother is Margaret (Coleman) Birkett. She was born in England in 1822, and came to Canada when eleven years of age.
When Miles was eleven years of age the family moved to Rock Island county, 111., which was the home of our subject for seven years. He then went to Franklin county, Iowa, and resided there until he enlisted in the army. In July, 1862, he enlisted, and served until August, 1865, in company Il, of the 32nd Iowa volunteer in- fantry. His regiment was assigned to the western army, and most of his service was in the west.
After his discharge from the army Mr. Birkett returned to Franklin county and engaged in farming, which he followed there until 1871. Arriving in the new country, he took as his claim the northeast quarter of section 18. Moving onto it the same fali, he has ever since made his home there. Ile has added to his original land by the purchase of an eighty acre tract on section 17. During the pioneer days Mr. Birkett suffered all the hardships common to the times.
Mr. Birkett was married in Geneva, Frank- lin county, Iowa, May 7, 1867, to Miss Martha J. Boots, a native of Indiana, and a daughter of Martin and Rebecca Boots, bothi deceased. Mrs. Birkett was born Jan. 6, 184S. To Mr. and Mrs. Birkett have been born twelve children, of whom the following eight are living: Myrtle (MIrs. Ed. Hallis), of Salem, S. D .; Lulu (Mrs. M. R. Myers), of Beaver Creek, Minn .; Pearl, of Expan- sion, N. D .; Gertie (Mlrs. Mart Chatfield), of Minot, N. D .; Mabel, a stenographer with the Northwestern Life at Sheldon, Iowa; Lillian, a stenographer of Luverne; Artie, at home, and Jenevieve, at home.
Mr. Birkett is a member of the Congrega- tional church and of the G. A. R. and K. P. lodges. lle has held the office of chairman of the township board and has served on the school board. He was elected county com- missioner from the old third . district in 1480 on the republican ticket and served a two year term.
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When Ole Fausker, farmer, residing in Indian Lake township on the north bank of Ocheda lake, became a n-Ment of Nobles county, the settlers were few and far between. The only portions of flu county in which there were settlers were Graham Lakes and Indian Lake townships, . nd, according to the federal cersus taken must about the time he arrived (1870), there were 117 inhabitants. Mr. Fauskee ranks as one of the pioneers of pioneers, and there are only a very few men in the county whose settlement antedates his.
Mr. Fauskee is a native of central Nor- way, where he was born Oet. 19, 1842, the son of Andrew O. and Gertrude (Fortness) Fauskee. Both his parents are dead, his father having died in Stearns county, Minn., and his mother having died in Norway when her son was thirteen years of age. In his native land Mr. Fauskee resided until nearly 25 years of age. He secured a common school education, and his boyhood days were spent assisting his father on the farm. Three years before coming to America he bought a small farm aud engaged in farming for him- self.
With the hope and expectation of better- ing their condition he and his father came 10 America, arriving in Quebee, Canada, about the first of June. ISG7. Ole went at onee to Winneshick county. lowa, of which Devolah is the county cent, and there for three years he worked for wages as a faim lahorer. Many residents of Decorah and vi einity were moving west and seeking homes in northwestem lowa, and Mr. Fanskee de- vided to do likewise with the intention of becoming a land owner. Hle and his family, consisting of a wife and three children, and lis brother, Ole A. Fauskee, started out to make the trip overlind with one young ox tram. When the party arrived at a point in lowa, just south of the Nobles county line, the team gave out, and it was due to this accident that Mr. Fan-kee became a resident of Nobles county. When the team gave out he brothers deciled to look for suitable lo- ation- in the immediate vicinity and to abandon the idea of trying to reach the land for which they had started. They left the family and oxen at the point where they then were, and on foot set out for the north. They arirved at lake Ocheda, liked the looks of the country, and decided to locate. In
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