USA > Minnesota > Nobles County > An illustrated history of Nobles County, Minnesota > Part 42
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Un Sept. 9, 1865, at Houghton, Mich., oe- curred the marriage of Mr. Sundberg to Johanna Matilda Wallin. Mrs. Sundberg i- a native of Sweden and came to the U'nit- el States on the same boat which carried her husband-to be. They are the parents of nine children, rien of whom are living: Annie (Mr -. Svante Kall), Worhtington; Frank; Ellen (Mrs. Frank Bowman), Brins- made, N. D .: Minnie (Mrs. J. Schechter, .Ir.), Elk township; Amanda (Mrs. John Boberg), Worthington: Selma (Mrs. Carl Bostrom), Lewi-burg. Minn .; Esther, at home. The first born Carl -- died at the age of one and a half years. Hilda Josephine, born Jan. 21, 1879, died Ang. 11, 1900.
WILLIAM DWYER. Among the few sur viving pioneers of Nobles county whose date of arrival aniedates the coming of the rail- road is William Dwyer, who has made his home on hi- Lorain township farm since the summer of 1871. He is the oldest settler of that township, and has passed through the period of grasshopper visitation, Indian scares, blizzard-, prairie fires and other ex. jwpriences of pioncer life.
Mr. Dwyer was born in county Limerick, Ireland, and was the son of Tom Dwyer and Mary (Plumen) Dwyer, both of whom died in their native country. When about 20 years of age young Dwyer came to America. Ile ro- mained a few weeks in New York city look- ing for work, which he was unable to find. From the metropolis he went to Burlington, Vt .. where he succeeded in finding work, and where he remained four months. We find him next in the vicinity of Buffalo, N. Y., working on the railroad. He remained there only a short time and then went to Chicago, when that place was a frontier vil- lage, and when there was not a mile of rail-
road west of there. He went to LaSalle, Ill., and for seven years was employed on a packet boat, working at railroading and other occupations. One winter was spent at Inde- prudence, lowa, and one at Marshalltown, and a short time at Cedar Rapids. At the time of the outbreak of the civil war he went to Ottumwa, lowa, making the trip afool. ' Ile remained there part of one sum- mer and then returned to Illinois, locating near Freeport. During the short time he was there he worked at teaming, owning a team at that time. Hle next went to Beloit, Wis,, and worked near there one win- ter. The next year was spent at MeGregor, lowa, the next at Hokah, Minn., near La- trosse, Wis., and in 1869 be moved to Albert lea, where he remained two years.
In June, 1871, he and his oldest son, Dan- iel, came to Nobles county and secured work on the St. Paul and Sioux City rail- road, then building through this part of the country. During all of his previous life he had never settled permanently; when he came to Nobles county and saw the pos- sibilities of this new country he decided to take a home here, and as a result of that de- cision he has been a resident of the county thirty-seven years. Ile took as a homestead the southeast quarter of seetion 10, Lorain township. and in the fall of the year went back to Alhert Lea, and brought his family to the new home. During the first year he broke out forty acres and commenced farm- ing, which he and his sons have continued "Vor since.
Mr. Dwyer was married at LaSalle. III., in the summer of 1856 to Mary Ryan. She died at the family home in Nobles county in 1877. To them were born eight children, as follows: Daniel, unmarried, resides on the home farm; Thomas, a line repairer of Butte, Mont., where he has lived 25 years; William, who resides with his father on the home farm; John, at home: Bertha, at home; Annie (Mrs. Peter Williams), residing in California; Katie, (Mrs. lugh Gallagher), Moscow, Idaho; Mary (Mrs. John Gallagher). ( hattaroy, Wash., near Spokane.
CHARLES J. FOX. a retired farmer of Rushmore, is one of the pioneer settlers of the county, having lived here since the summer of 1872.
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Ile is of Dutch-Scotch descent. Ilis grand- father, Peter Wermoth Fox, was born in Holland and came to America in 1784 with a colony that settled the Mohawk valley in New York state. One of his sons was John P. Fox, the father of the subject of this sketch. Ile was born at Palentine, Montgom- ery county, N. Y., in 1807, and died Jan. 1, 1852. 1Jis wife, the mother of the Mr. Fox of this sketch, was Mary (McKay) Fox, who was born at Fall Hill, Herkimer county, N. Y., in 1808. She died in August, 1905, at Scriba, Oswego county, N. Y., at the ad- vanced age of 97 years. She was the daugh- ter of William and Margaret MeKay, the former a native of Scotland, the latter of Dutch. descent.
To these parents at Mendon, Montgomery county, N. Y., was born Charles J. Fox on Oct. 25, 1831. The county of his birth was his home until 1856. There he received a good common school education in the country and graded schools. When a boy eight years of age he went to live with a relative who was engaged in the mercantile business in Fort Plain, Montgomery county, N. Y., and during the time he was going to school he helped in the store. After his school days he became a salesman in the store and was . thus employed five years. Ile was then made constable of Mendon township and served several years. In 1852 he received the ap- pointment of deputy sheriff of Montgomery county and served in that capacity for three and one-half years.
In the spring of 1856 Mr. Fox decided to cast his fortunes with the west, and located near Watertown, Wis. There he bought an 80-acre tract of timbered land, started to clear it, gave up the job, and after owning the property about one year, he sold it. He then secured a position as elerk in a store at Concord, Wis,, at which he was employed until the outbreak of the civil war.
lle enlisted Jan. 1, 1862. at Milwaukee in company D. of the 9th Wisconsin infantry, and took part in some of the severest fight- ing of the west in the army under command of General Fremont. Ile was mustered out with his regiment in the fall of Is63 when only 284 men were left in the regiment. Dur- ing this enlistment Mr. Fox served as cor- poral and most of the time his duties were in the commissary department. Mr. Fox
reenlisted Jan. 4, 1864, in company D, of the 35th Wisconsin infantry, under the command of Col. llenry Orff. The regiment took part in the Red River expedition, and it was dur- ing this campaign that Mr. Fox was wounded in the ankle. From that campaign the regi- ment went to New Orleans and then to Port Hudson, and was later sent in pursuit of General Price. The battle of Duvall's Bluff was participated in by the Wisconsin regiment and for eleven days the soldiers were under fire in the Mobile campaign. During this fighting Mr. Fox was wounded in the head quite severely. After the sur- render of Lee the regiment was sent to Brazos, Texas, and there did garrison duty until it- muster out. Mr. Fox was taken sick while there and sent to the hospital. Soon after he enlisted the second time the subject of this sketch was made sergeant, and dur- ing the greater part of his enlistment was arting orderly sergeant and drew the pay of that office. Ile was mustered out Ang. 1, 1866.
After receiving his discharge from the army Mr. Fox returned to Wisconsin, re- mained there only a short time, and then re- turned to his ohl home in New York state. There he was engaged in farming until 1872. Again the western fever seized him and he returned to Wisconsin. There he met parties who were about to set out on a trip to the new country still farther west, and he went with them. Ile arrived in Worthington June 23, 1872, and decided to locate in Noble- county. He immediately took as a soldier's home-tead a quarter section of land on sec- tion 26, Olney township, two miles west of the pre-ent village of Rushmore, and there he made his home until 1891. Besides farm ing, he also engaged in carpenter work, and many of the first buildings in Rushmore were erveted by him. In 1891 he retired from ac- tive work and moved to Rushmore. where he has since resided.
Mr. Fox was married at Fort Plain, Mont- gomery county, N. Y., Jan. 4, 1854. to Miss Rose Fornerook, eldest daughter of William L. and Sarah (Waterman) Fornerook. To them have been born seven children: Mary. died in infancy; Charles; John A., Keokuk. lowa: Martha E. (Mrs. George Morton), St. Paul; Ervin, died in 1891; Flora (Mrs. C. B. Andrews), Rushmore: Cora, residing at home.
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
Mrs. Fox died at her late home in Rush- more Jan. 9, 1908, at the age of 71 years and 7 months.
Politically Mr. Fox is a republican, and very few men have the party record he has. He cast his first vote for JJohn C. Fremont, the first republican candidate for president, and his last for Theodore Roosevelt. In his township and school district he has held many office- during his long period of resi- dence in the county. He is a member of Stoddard Post No. 31, G. A. R., and of the Rushmore Methodist church.
HENRY HOLMES. Among the few sur viving settlers of Nobles county who came prior to railroad days and who suffered the hardships incident to those days is Henry Holmes, who has resided continuously on his farm there sinee the spring of 1871. Mr. Holmes is an Englishman by birth, hav- ing been born at Sandgate, Kent county, in November, 1846. Ilis parents were William and Mary Elizabeth (Darel) Holmes, the former dying in England July 5, 1882.
It was on the 29th day of August. 186º, thai Mr. Holmes gave up a scafaring life and turned his endeavors io less stremous occupations. For a short time he worked in a pipe works factory in Pittsburg and in a boiler shop at St. Louis. During the sum- mer of 1869 he traveled over a large part of the country, working in the harvest fields of Illinois. Missouri and about Rochester and Garden City, Minn. Thereafter he resided in Blue Farth county until the spring of 1871. On the sixth day of May of that year he came to Nobles county and joined the little colony that had settled in the Graham Lakes country. Taking a homestead elaim of eighty acres on seetion 30, he began the life of a farmer, which he has ever since followed. He has added to his original homestead claim by the purchase of eighty acres in section 31. Mr. Holmes has served several years as a member of the township board of super- visors and has also been a member of the school board.
In Blue Earth county on Feb. 19, 1872, Mr. Holmes was married to Miss Agnes Lar- kin, who was born in Green Lake county. Wis .. in 1855. She is the daughter of Pat rick and Elizabeth ( Milligan) Larkin. To Mr. and Mrs. Hohnes has been born one child -- Mary Elizabeth.
BENJAMIN F. THURBER, of Worthing- ton, is one of the pioneer settlers of Nobles county, having had a continuous residence here of thirty six years. He has taken an active part in county and local affairs dur- ing this long period and is one of the valued residents.
Mr. Thurber was born in Corning. Steuben county, N. Y .. March 20, 1838, a son of Ilazekiah and Phoebe (Calkins) Thurber. The father was born in the Empire state, the mother in Vermont, and the paternal grand- father, Amos Thurber, was also a native of New York state. Our subject was one of a family of nine children-five sons and four daughters seven of whom reached maturity. Ile attended the public schools of his native town and resided there until 17 years of age. He then went to Auburn, N. Y., in the high school of which town he completed his edu- cation, his vacations being spent working us an attendant in the Auburn asylum for insane convicts.
On the 19th of September, 1861, at Auburn, N. Y., Mr. Thurber enlisted as a private in company A, of the 75th New York volun- teer infantry, under Col. John A. Dolge, and served in the army three years, two months and ten days, being mustered out November 26, 1864. Hle served as first ser- grant, second lieutenant, first lieutenant and enplain, and in August, 1864, received the commission of major, which he held until his discharge from the army. Major Thurlar participated in many severe engagements and campaigns. During the early part of the war hi- regiment saw service in Florida and Louisiana: later it became a part of the army in Virginia. The regiment was first sent to Santa Rosa island, off the south coast of Florida, from whence it was trans- ferred to Pensacola upon the evacuation of ' the navy yard there by the enemy. In Sep- tomber, 1862, one year after his enlistment. Mr. Thurber was sent with his regiment to New Orleans. La .. and in that state he took part in several severo engagements, Among the battles there was that of Camp Bisland. lle had charge of the skirmish line that cap- tured the gunboat Cotton at Bayou Teche.
After spending the winter of 1862-63 in New Orleans the regiment of which Mr. Thurbur was a member started out on the campaign through the state under command of General Banks. It went to Alexandria and then io Port Hudson, where the forees ar-
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rived May 26, 1863. The day following the arrival Mr. Thurber took part in the charge on Port Hudson. Thereafter for forty-four days the 75th New York regiment engaged the enemy in siege, fighting almost continually, and losing about two-thirds of the command in killed, wounded and cap- tured. On June 14, during a charge on a fort, Mr. Thurber was wounded in the right knee by a rifle shot from the enemy's picket line. He was disabled and off duty until November, when he rejoined his regiment at New Iberia, La. There he took command of his regiment, having been promoted to the rank of captain. On the last day of the year 1863, he reenlisted his regiment as veterans.
Early in the spring of 1864 Mr. Thurber took a veteran's furlough and returned to his home. Later in the spring he reported at Washington and was ordered wich his regiment lo New Orleans, where he remained until June. Then the regiment was or- dered lo join General Grant at Petersburg, Va. In the latter part of July the regiment moved to Tanleytown, near Washington, where it became a part of the forces under General Sheridan. In the battle of Winehes- ter the lieutenant colonel of the regiment was killed, and thereafter Major Thurber was the regimental commander. Ile led his regiment in the fight at Fisher's IFill, and then took part in the Shenandoah campaign of General Sheridan. He participated in the fight at Cedar Creek Oct. 19, 1864, and the next month took the regiment home to Auburn, N. Y., and mustered it out.
Major Thurber was much broken down in health after the war, owing to his arduous service, and for five years did not engage in active business. He then engaged in farm- ing near Auburn, and was so engaged until the spring of 1872. Hle came with the early settlers to Worthington in April, 1872, and took as a homestead claim the southwest quarter of section 14, Worthington town- ship, just north of the village, now the Geo. W. Patterson farm. There he re-ided until 1885, farming and engaging in carpenter work and contraeting. Ile then movel to the village, which has since been his home. Major Thurber has taken an active part in local affairs. For many years he served as street commissioner of Worthington, has been a member of the school board and of the
board of health. He is a member of Fra- ternity Lodge No. 101, A. F. & A. M., and served as master several terms. He has taken the Royal Arch degrees and served as high priest, and he is a member of the veteran association of the Masonie fraternity of Minnesota. Ile is also a member of the Grand Army of the Republic.
on the 14th of November, 1873, was con- summated the marriage of Mr. Thurber and Miss Jane M. Bear, of Bigelow, who was born in Ohio and in her early childhood came to Nobles county with her parents, Rev. William M. and Mary Bear. She died at her home in Worthington May 20, 1888. Ma- jor Thurber is the father of five living children, as follows: William L., a graduate of the Worthington high school and of Ham- line University, now a patent examiner at Washington, D. C .; Ilenry Albert, in the res- taurant business in Worthington; Bessie A., wife of Walter Ager, professor of the Wil- mont school; Barlow J., who farms his fath- er's farm in Bloom township; Benjamin Lyle, elerk at the Worthington hotel.
STEPHEN MUCK (1822-1897) was the first and for a lime the only settler of Nobles county. As many of the items of his life's history have been told in the historical part of this volume we shall here give simply a brief outline of his biography. He was born at Frankfort, Ky., Oct. 9, 1822, and Ken- theky was his home during his early life, where he worked as a coal miner.
Mr. Muck was married at Frankfort in 1848 to Miss Louisa Brumbau, and to them were born six children, three boys and three girls. Mrs .. Muek died in 1865. At the out- break of tlre civil war Mr. Muek left Ken- lucky and took his family to Schuyler county, Ill., where he spent several years in the coal mines. In 1866 the family moved to Dallas county, Iowa. From that place Mr. Muck corresponded with a brother, Jo- seph Muek, who was a resident of Jackson county, Minn., and was induced to come to the new country of southern Minnesota. It was in the month of May, 1867, that Stephen Muek pushed out into the unsettled country about Graham lakes and squatted on land on the bank of West Graham lake, land which when surveyed proved to be on scetion 22. There he built a log structure,
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
the first house of wood in the county. In the fall of the year he moved the family ont from Jackson, where they had been living Iming the summer. For several years he -peut his time trapping, as did the other settler- of the time, and later turned his attention to agricultural pursuits. Hle re- -ided continuously on his farm from 1867 until the time of his death, July 18, 1897.
BENJAMIN F. YOUNG was one of the earliest settlers of Elk township and is the second oldest settler now living in that town ship, having resided there thirty four years. He i- a Vermonter by birth, having been born in Caledonia county May 24, 1854. Ile i- the son of Loren W. Young, who was born in New Hampshire Dee. 7. 1803, and died Non. 30, 188, and Betsy (Harvey) Young, who was born in Vermont May 23. 1814. and died Dec. 11, 1si7. Both the Young and Harvey families are old ones in America and bath the grandfathers of our subject served in the war of the revolution.
Mr. Young lived on a farm in Vermont until 19 years of age, and then, in the spring 01 1s73, he came west as the result of a request of a relative who had a claim near Sibley, lowa. Hle first located at Sibley, but the following year moved to Nobles county and took as a tree claim the southeast qhar ter of section 6, Elk township. During the first five years of his residence here he work- ed out by the month, in order to get a start. Then, in the spring of Ists, he moved onto his farm, and there he has since re- sided. During his long residence in Elk township he has held some office almost con- tinnally, having been supervisor, assessor, justier of the peace and school director.
Mr. Young was married at Worthington Nov. 25, 1880, to Charrie E. Miller, daugh- ter of M. 1 .. Miller and Sarah (Hunt) Mil- ler, pioneers of 1872. Both Mr. and Mr -. Miller were natives of Ohio: the former died March 10. 1903; Mrs. Miller is still living. Mr-, Young is a native of Ohio. To Mr. and Mr -. Young have been born eleven child- ten, as follows: Sadie, died in infancy; Cor- ri- (Mr-, William Whelan), born June 10, 1883, residing in Elk; Mabel, died in 1901, aged 16 yeats; Ada (Mr-, Win, Melanke), born Nov. 25, 1997; Lois, born Feb, 1890; Loren W., born Dec. 21, 1892; Ora, born
The, 2, 1894: Vice, born March 1. 1897, Lloyd, born May 21, 1899; Myrtle, born Ang. 16, 1900; George, born Feb. 9, 1902.
JAMES P. CAMPBELL, of Grand Prairie township, is one of the oblest settlers living in that precinet, having resided there con- tinuously since 1976. lle owns 240 acres oh sections 26 and 27.
Mr Campbell was born in Ripley county, Indiana, June 13. 1855, the son of F. M. and Mary Ann (Inekstep) Campbell. The father was born in Ripley county, Ind., Jan. 1. 1828, and died in Cook county, S. D., April 14, 1907. Our subject's mother was born in the same county. She died in 1865. When James was three years old he moved with his parents to Dodge county, Minn., and there he resided until he became of age, securing a country school educa- tion and working on the farm. W. II. Kelly, who had taken a claim in Grand Prairie township. stopped at the Campbell home in Dodge comity one day and spoke favorably of the new Nobles county country. He mged young Campbell to take a look at the country, and the young man did so. It was on April Is, 1876, that he first landed in Nobles county. Hle bought the relin- quishment of Mr. Kelley's eighty acre claim and proved up on it, later adding by pur- chase the other eighty to the quarter, and about 1900 he bought another eighty acres adjoining. Ilis home has been in Grand Prairie township ever since. He encountered many setbacks during the latter part of the grasshopper scourge, but with the passing of those days came prosperous times.
Mr. Campbell was married at Sibley, Iowa, Nov. 27, 1878. to Etta Mann, daughter of Nelson B. and Lydia (Beede) Mann. She was born in Allamakee county, lowa, Nov. 27. 1865. To them have been born the following named children; Elma .I. (Mrs. W. E. Marr), of Olney township; Cora Elen, deceased: James Edward; deaccased; George F .. residing at home: . Nellie MI., deceased; Pearl, deceased; James E., at home.
Mr. Campbell is supervisor of the town- ship and has held the office nearly all the time since residing in the county. He has served four years as director of school district No. 54, and prior to that was clerk of the district for six years. Ile is a mem- ber of the \. O. IT. W. lodge of Ellsworth.
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
S. B. BEDFORD, state senator from the Nobles-Murray, district, cashier of the State Bauk of Rushmore, and prominent in the business, political and religious life of the community in which he lives, is one of the best known men in Nobles county. Coming tu the county when a boy sixteen years old he has grown up here and identified hime selt with the interests of the county as few men have.
The subject of this sketeh was born on a farm in Sullivan county, Pa., Oct. 10, 1857, the son of Jonas Bedford and Lydia (Mo- 1; nenx) Bedford. Ilis father was a native of Yorkshire, England, and came to Ameri- ca when a child; he died in January, 1899. Ilis mother was born in Pennsylvania and is still living at her home in Rushmore.
Jonas Bedford came to Nobles county May 1, 15,2. took a homestead two miles south- List of the present village of Rasumore, and remained a resident of the county until his death. The family came on April 2. 1873, and that is the date of the arrival of Sena- tor Bedford to the county. His early school- iag was obtained in the common schools of his native county . in Pennsylvania; he com- Fleteu hi- education with a four years' course in the public schools of Worthington.
At the age of ID, after quitting school, S. B. Bedford secured employment m the drug store of R. D. Barber at Worthington, and there he remained four years. Ile se- cured a diploma as a registered pharmacist and in the spring of 1880 bought out a small drug store in Rushmore, and that village has been his home ever since that event. In the fall of the same year he bought out the general merchandise store of S. M. Rushmore, that pioneer merchant after whom the town was named, in which business Mr. Bedford was engaged until recent years. In IS94 he established the Bank of Rushmore. which he conducted until the spring of 1903. when it was reor- ganized into the State Bank of Rushmore. Mr. Bedford has been cashier of the in-titu- tion ever since its founding. Besides his banking business, Mr. Bedford is interested in many other business enterprises in the village in which he lives.
Mr. Bedford has been many times elected to office within the gift of the people of the township, village, county and district in which he lives. Before the incorporation of
Rushmore ne served many terms as member of the board of supervisors of Dewald town-
From Isso to 1804 he served as postmaster of Ru-minore. he was county commissioner from 1884 to 1888. When Rashmore was incorporated in 1900 he was elected pres :- dent of the council, was reelected in 1901, 1902, 1503 and 1906. During the years 1904 and 1905 he served as trustee. Mr. Bed- tord has been a life long republican and has taken a prominent part in the political affairs of the county, attending county and state conventions in nearly every cam- paign. In the fall of 1906 he secured the no.mnation, by primary ballot, on the re- publican ticket, for state senator from the Nobles-Murray district, his opponent being Hon. Daniel Shell. At the general election he was elected, defeating John F. Flynn, the democratic nominee, and now repre- sents the district in the state house. His term expires in 1911.
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