USA > Minnesota > Waseca County > Child's history of Waseca County, Minnesota : from its first settlement in 1854 to the close of the year 1904, a record of fifty years : the story of the pioneers > Part 72
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MR. SAMUEL DODGE.
was among the early settlers of this county, having moved near Wilton in 1856. His family came the next year. He was born in the state of New York about 1823. He married Myra Azuha Dix, who was horn in Pennsylvania about the year 1827. They were the parents of eleven children five of whom are living: Hon. D. J. Dodge, of Janesville; Mrs. P. C. Bailey and Mrs. N. Garland of Waseca; and Mrs. Myers and Mrs. Draper of California. Mr. Dodge started from this county to Missouri, but died before reaching his destination. There has always heen some suspicion that he was murdered on the road, although no official inves- tigation was ever made.
MR. SETH W. LONG,
one of the most popular sheriffs Waseca county ever had, was born in the state of New York, June 29, 1821. He married Sarah Broughton December 6, 1842. She was a native of England, horn June 23, 1821, and died at Janesville, March 8, 1876, of congestion of the lungs. Nine children were born to them-three sons and six daughters-four of whom are now living. Mr. and Mrs. Long resided upon a farm on the east shore of Lake Elysian, afterwards kept a hotel at Okaman, and in 1863 moved to Wilton where they kept hotel. Mr. Long was elected sheriff in 1868 and held the office for ten consecutive years. He was not a money-getter, but he was an honest man and a good neighbor.
MR. GEORGE WILFRED STRONG
is a son of Nathan E. Strong, one of the very early settlers of Waseca county, who now resides in California. The maiden name of G. W. Strong's mother was Sarah Ide. She was one of the 1855 settlers of Minnesota. G. W. is one of the "Wilton group" of four boys, and was born in Wilton May 31, 1867. His parents came to Waseca soon after and remained here until about 1885 when they removed to Pomona, California, where they still reside. George W. returned to Waseca in 1897, and entered the mill of Everett, Aughenbaugh & Co. He and Miss Jennie Aughenbaugh were united in marriage February 8, 1898. They are the parents of one son, Harry. Mr. Strong is still in the milling business as miller. He is
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also president of the Water and Light commission of Waseca and is well qualified for the position.
MR. JOSEPH CLAYTON.
This gentleman is one of the pioneers of Woodville, having come to the romantic shores of Gaiter lake in April, 1857. He was born in England, July 24, 1830, and came to America in 1852. His father Matthew, came over to America in 1851, and they made their home at North Lee, Mass., where Joseph engaged in the manufacture of woolen cloth. He afterwards resided at Uxbridge.
In 1856 there came to the New England residents glowing accounts of Minnesota as a very paradise, and Joseph and his father decided to come West and get land. They left their Massachusetts home April 7, 1857, in company with ten others. Three days after they started, a number of the company got homesick and returned. The others came on and reached Lake Pepin, which was still closed by ice. There they were compelled to transfer from Reeds Landing to Red Wing by stage. At Red Wing they met posters issued from the Pioneer office calling for volunteers to fight the Ink-pa-du-tah band of Sioux Indians that had murdered over forty people near Spirit Lake and carried four women into captivity- Mrs. Marble, Mrs. Noble, Mrs. Thatcher and Miss Gardner. Of these, Mrs. Thatcher and Mrs. Noble were killed and Mrs. Marble and Miss Gardner were afterwards released. This report of Indian fighting was too much for all the company except the Messrs. Clayton, and all save them re- turned to Massachusetts. The Messrs. Clayton came on and took a half section of land, less that portion of Gaiter lake included in the half section. They arrived here the latter part of April. They did some early breaking and planted corn, potatoes, etc. The elder Mr. Clayton re- turned in the fall, leaving Joseph to bachelor housekeeping and pioneer life. Joseph knew little or nothing of farm life or farm work. Every- thing went awry. The oxen that he bought would run away on slight provocation and he was obliged to lead them with ropes. He had never done any chopping timber or felling trees, and when he went to "hooking" government timber with the other fellows, on the island, the "Yankees" had some sport at his expense. His trees wouldn't fall where they ought, and when he came to loading his first load of logs, he lost all patience. After finally getting the logs on he went only a short distance when his sled broke down, and he was compelled to leave his load. It was only by the most persistent perseverance that he accomplished his farm work. The winter of 1857-8 was a very cold one-nobody knows how cold. Along about the first of March, Mr. Clayton greased his shoes and put them under the stove to dry when he went to bed. The next morning he found them burned to a crisp. He had no other shoes and was obliged to go without for a time. When at work out doors he used to draw his pantaloons down over his feet and tie them over his toes with a cord. On one occasion, in March, 1858, he had nothing but potatoes to eat.
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They soured in his stomach, so he and his neighbor, Mckinstry, took some seed corn to one of their neighbors and ground it in a coffee mill, thereby enabling them to indulge in corn bread made of water, salt and meal. But soon after, two of his cows commenced to give milk, his hens pro- duced some eggs, and he lived off the fat of the land.
In the fall of 1858, having enjoyed batching alone for over a year, he concluded to return to the land of steady habits. There he again engaged in the manufacture of woolen goods. He was superintendent of woolen mills at Lowell, Mass., for eleven years. He then took a trip to Europe, visiting his old home in England. He came to Minnesota again in 1875, spent a short time here and then went to Rhode Island where he accepted the position of superintendent of the Carolina mills, owned by Roland Hazzard, a very wealthy man whose wife was an Indian woman. He remained there until 1877. He then spent some six months in Laconia, N. H., and three months in Philadelphia, working at his trade. In 1878 he returned to his land in Woodville and began improvements on it. C. I. Woodbury, a nephew of Mr. Clayton's second wife, came out with him. They cleared and broke a quantity of land ready for a crop for the ensuing year and erected a large farm house and other farm build- ings. Soon after, Mr. and Mrs. C. I. Woodbury were married and moved to the farm here. Mr. Clayton then accepted the position of superin- tendent in the Lawrence, Mass., woolen mills where he remained until 1881, when he came West to Jacksonville, Ill., and took charge of the Jacksonville woolen mills. He was in charge of these mills until 1886, when he bought an interest in a large grocery store with his son-in-law, Mr. Wm. A. Jenkinson. They soon after changed it into a wholesale establishment and are now running it as such.
Mr. Clayton married Miss Urania Taft, his first wife, March 31, 1857, by whom he had two daughters-Mrs. Susan Woodbury, of Waseca, and Mrs. Ellen Jenkinson, of Jacksonville, Ill. His first wife died in May, 1865.
He married his second wife, Miss Harriet Ann Chase, at Pelham, N. H., January 1, 1872, by whom he also has two daughters, Annie Urania and Maud, both of whom are at home.
John Taft, who works his Woodville farm, is a nephew of his first wife.
For a number of years Mr. Clayton has spent his summers in Minnesota and occasionally rehearses the experiences of his first two seasons on his farm in Woodville. He tells a story of a kinghird that lived during the winter and spring in an old treetop that he had hauled up in front of his cabin. The kinghird, as is well known, is a great fighter, and Mr. Clayton took great satisfaction in watching his pet pitch into the hawks that hovered around watching for chickens.
Mr. C. I. Woodbury, who married Susan Clayton, is a nephew of Mr. Mr. Clayton's second wife. Mr. and Mrs. Woodbury have purchased one hundred acres of the original half section, and Mr. Clayton has added to it fifty-two acres.
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CHILD'S HISTORY OF WASECA COUNTY.
MR. AUSTIN VINTON AND SONS.
Austin Vinton, whose life, public services and death are noted else- where, was born in 1816. He settled in Woodville, September 29, 1856. He had two sons. Wilfred Vinton was born in Ellington, N. Y., Decem- her 11, 1843. He married Ada M. Beebee in 1874. She was horn at Mt. Vernon, Ohio, in 1849, and died in 1892. One son was born to them, Herbert W., in 1879. Wilfred enlisted in Company F, First Battalion, Minnesota Volunteers, March 22, 1865, and was mustered out July 14, following.
W. H. Vinton was horn at Ellington, N. Y., in 1847. He married Emma Garver in 1872. She was born in Billingsville, Ohio, in 1845. They have one daughter, Julia, born in 1874.
Both the Vinton "hoys" are now residents of Owatonna, W. H. being engaged in the drug business.
MR. CHARLES N. NORTON.
of the "Wilton group of four," was born in the village of Wilton, Novem- ber 2, 1865. He is the only son of Mr. H. P. Norton, who built and operated the first blacksmith shop in Wilton. The family came to Waseca in 1868. Charles was reared in Waseca and educated in our public schools. Upon leaving school he entered the service of the American Express company and continued therein for twenty years. The last twelve years of this service he was traveling auditor in Western Minnesota and South Dakota, with headquarters at Mankato, Minn., and Huron, S. D. He married Miss Mattie Simpson, of Mankato, March 28, 1894. She was born in December, 1871. They have been the parents of two children, the older of which died some years ago. Mr. Norton has retired from the express business entirely, and devotes his attention to the management of the large estate belonging to his father and himself.
THE HONORABLE CHARLES A. SMITH.
This gentleman was born in Wilton, June 12, 1866, and came to Waseca with his parents in the fall of 1870. He received his education in the public schools of Waseca, and finished with a business course at Min- neapolis. He worked for some time in the Waseca coffin factory, but had to abandon it on account of his health. He worked off and on at the printer's trade in the Radical office for several years prior to his fath- er's death. Since then he has been engaged in the management of his own and his sister's estate. He held the office of mayor of Waseca for six consecutive terms from 1898 to 1904 inclusive. He was deputy county treasurer from 1889 to 1901 under Dieudonne, and for six months under Krassin. He is one of the four boys that were born in Wilton and are now living in Waseca.
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MR. WALTER S. BROWN,
manager of the extensive dry goods, grocery and boot and shoe store of H. A. Brown & Son, of Waseca, is a native Minnesotan. He was born at Rochester, Minn., May 10, 1870, and received his education in the public schools of that city. His father, H. A. Brown, was one of the very early settlers at Rochester, Minn., having invested in property there in 1855, and settled there permanently in 1856. H. A. Brown built the second frame building erected in that town, and engaged in the mercantile business. Walter, upon leaving school, entered the mercantile business. In 1889 he married Miss Maud A. Toogood, of Rochester, who died at Waseca in 1896, leaving three children.
Walter came to Waseca in 1891, and with his brother, R. W. Brown, commenced business under the firm name of H. A. Brown & Sons. They erected the large, double store where they have since done busi- ness. Some years ago R. W. withdrew from the firm and since then Walter has managed the business. Walter married his second wife, Miss Mary Kurkowski, of Waseca, in 1900. Her parents were among the early settlers of the city of Waseca and highly respected. The name of the present firm is H. A. Brown & Son; it enjoys a lucrative trade.
MRS. VIOLA PATCH.
This lady and her husband were residents of this county for a number of years, but now reside at Motley, Minn. The parents of Mrs. Patch- Mr. and Mrs. Orrin Pease-came to this county in 1862. Mrs. Patch writes that Mr. Pease was born in Ohio, May 1, 1813, and from there moved to Illinois at an early day. Her mother, whose maiden name was Mary J. Turner, was born in Cayuga county, N. Y., Nov. 9, 1829. Mary J. Turner first married Oscar F. Eaton, with whom she lived in Chicago until his death. Soon after his death, she removed to DeKalb county, Ill., where she met and married Mr. Pease in 1859. In 1862 Mr. and Mrs. Pease moved to this county by horse team and lived in St. Mary, not far from Wilton. Mrs. Pease had at that time two chil- dren, Wm. Eaton, now a resident of Woodville, and Mrs. Patch, who was born in Illinois Ang. 27, 1860. Soon after their arrival here, Mr. Pease's horses were stolen, but subsequently he recovered them. At the time of the Indian ontbreak, in 1862, the family went to Faribault, but shortly afterwards returned to this county. About 1865, they settled on a farm on the township line between. Otisco and Woodville, where Mr. Pease died Feb. 10, 1894, and where Mrs. Pease died Feb. 20, 1903.
There was one little .incident in their lives worthy of note. It was while all the country was flooded with water in the early part of 1867. Mr. and Mrs. Pease made a trip from their farm to Wilton, having Viola with them. When they arrived on the east side of the Le Sueur river they found the bottom lands covered with water and water running
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CHILD'S HISTORY OF WASECA COUNTY.
over the road, but they made an attempt to cross. When well out into the water, the oxen went with the current a short distance and finally the wagon struck a snag, and there was danger that the family and the oxen would be drowned. A number of men, among them Buel Welsh, who saw the accident, went to the relief of the persons in peril and finally saved them and the oxen from drowning. Mr. Pease was unable to get his wagon out until the waters subsided some weeks later.
Mr. Patch is of New England paren tage, and came to Waseca county about 1880. Mr. and Mrs. Patch removed to Morrison county about 1884.
CAPTAIN R. MILLER.
This gentleman was born in Burg, near Trarbach, on the Mosel, Rhine Province of Prussia, July 17, 1843. His parents came to America in 1848 and made their home in Fond du Lac county, Wis., where they resided until the breaking out of the Rebellion. R. Miller was one of the first of our patriotic young men to enlist for the defense of the Union. He joined the First Michigan Volunteer cavalry June 15, 1861, and served until Sept. 13, 1865, when he was mustered out. He was a member of Company E, and served in the Army of the Potomac under Generals Banks, Geary, Pope, McClellan, Burnside, Hooker, Meade, and Grant, and under Corps Commander P. H. Sheridan, Brigadier Command- er Custer, Division Commander Kilpatrick.
He was wounded in the cavalry fight at Buckland Mills, Va., Oct. 19, 1863, and was taken prisoner at Trevillion Station, Va., June 11, 1864. He was paroled Feh. 24, 1865, and mustered out of the service in September, 1865.
After the Rebellion he opened a retail store at Lomira, Dodge county, Wisconsin, and continued the business until 1872, when he came to Waseca, arriving in February. Here he engaged in the sale of general merchandise, and followed the business for twenty-seven years. He was the efficient cashier of the Citizens State Bank of Waseca from the time of the death of Mr. Swenson, in 1898, to the close of the year 1902.
Mr. Miller and Miss Julia A. Snider were united in marriage Feb. 26, 1867. Mrs. Miller is a native of West Virginia, born in 1848. Her parents and grandparents were born in Virginla, and at the time of Mrs. Miller's marriage her parents resided at Grafton. Captain and Mrs. Miller are the parents of eight children, three sons and five daughters. Of the daughters, two are married-Mrs. E. A. Everett and Mrs. E. W. Ward. John Miller, the eldest son, has charge of the New Rich- land flouring mill. The second son, Harry, is an active partner in the Lakeville flouring mills at Lakeville, Minn. Hugo, the youngest son, is with his father in Louisiana.
Since the first of the year 1903 Captain Miller has had charge of the business of the Sabine Canal Company, with headquarters at Vinton,
R. MILLER.
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CHILD'S HISTORY OF WASECA COUNTY.
La. This company furnishes water for the irrigation of thousands of acres of rice lands and receives its income from a share of the rice crop produced. James Quirk and E. A. Everett are largely interested in the enterprise.
Captain Miller aided in organizing Company K of the Minnesota National Guards and served as captain and drill master of the com- pany for some time.
MR. EDWARD CASTOR,
son of Mr. Jacob Castor, was born at New Ulm, Sept, 26, 1857. His father was born in Germany, Oct. 6, 1831, and settled in New Ulm in 1856. At the time of the Indian massacre, in 1862, his father was mis- taken for an Indian and killed by his friends. It was at the second battle of New Ulm, August 23, in the evening. Jacob had been fight- ing Indians all day. Towards night, while the rain was falling, he took a basket of bread from his bakery, and, throwing a blanket over bis shoulders, started to carry the provisions to some people whose houses had been burned and who had no provisions of their own. It was just twilight, the rain was falling, and some of the armed men in a building with port holes mistook him for an Indian and fired upon him while he was trying to make himself known to them. He was wounded and fell, but arose and was about to enter his own house when he was again shot. He died the next morning of his wounds. It was indeed a sad death. In 1867, Edward's mother married Conrad Zeller, since deceased. Mrs. Zeller and one daughter still reside in New Ulm.
Edward came to Waseca in the fall of 1875. Having learned the trade of jeweler, he was employed by John F. Preston, of Waseca, for whom he worked two and one-half years. In 1878 Mr. Castor opened a jewelry establishment of his own. He married Miss Rose M. Wollschlaeg- er, Jan. 2, 1882. She is a daughter of Mr. August Wollschlaeger, and was born Feb. 20, 1861. Mr. and Mrs. Castor have three sons and one daughter. Robert J., who is in the jewelry business with his father, was born Oct. 12, 1882; Florence C., was born July 9, 1884; Arthur E. J. was born Aug. 26, 1888; and Harry A., Feb. 26, 1895. Mr. Edward Cas- tor is an expert workman and a reliable business man. He keeps a good stock of jewelry and musical instruments.
MR. MICHAEL SHEERAN,
of St. Mary, one of the prominent men of that township, was born in Ireland in the year 1840. He came to America in 1860, and to Waseca county in 1862, after having lived in Michigan about two years. He made an extensive tour of Minnesota and returned that fall by way of Ash- land, on Lake Superior, to Michigan. He worked in the copper mines of Michigan until 1865 when he again came to Minnesota. This time he bought land on the Winnebago reservation, section 18, St. Mary,
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CHILD'S HISTORY OF WASECA COUNTY.
paying therefor $2.60 per acre. He later worked for some time in Faribault. Feb. 19, 1867, he married Miss Mary Dardis, of Blooming Grove, daughter of Mr. John Dardis of that township. She is also a native of Ireland and was born in 1843, coming to America in 1859 with her parents and settling in Blooming Grove in 1866. Mr. and Mrs. Sheeran have four sons and five daughters living, one daughter having died. Mr. Sheeran and his sons have taken up a large tract of land in North Dakota to which they have already secured title. He is still living on the old farm where he settled in 1867.
THE REVEREND O. A. MELLBY.
Pastor O. A. Mellby was born in the parish of Hurdale near Chris- tiania, Norway, Jan. 9, 1843. He worked on his father's farm and at- tended the parish school until his eighteenth year, when he entered a Latin school in Christiania. After having finished the college course, he went to the Royal University, where he graduated as bachelor of theology in 1872. Already having as a student received a call as pas- tor of Le Sueur river and northern Waseca congregations in this county, he was ordained in the cathedral as a minister of the gospel by Rt. Rev. J. L. Arup, archbishop of Christiania, in October; in November of the same year he started for America. Arriving at New Richland in De- cember, he found everything in a primitive state,-a small log church and no parsonage. He had to live with a farmer in a very small house the first winter, which was a very severe one. For many years he served seven congregations in Waseca, Steele and Blue Earth counties. He had to be on the road much of the time and experienced many hardships. Three pastors are now working in the same field. His present charge consists of Le Sueur river, New Richland and Berlin churches. The progress of these churches is marked by magnificent church buildings, supplied with fine bells and pipe organs, and a very convenient and commodious parsonage for the free use of the pastor. In 1867 he was married to Miss Sigrid Grunot of Christiania. They have had eight children, of whom five are living: Carl August, doctor of philos- ophy and professor at St. Olaf college, Northfield; Agnes Theodora, precep- tress at the same institution; Oscar Fredrick, M. D., of Warren, Minn .; Marie Elizabeth, music teacher at home; and Gisle Bernhard, pho- tographer, of Waseca, Minn.
MR. HARVEY S. SMITH.
Both the father and grandfather of this gentleman settled in this county in 1855, and Harvey was born in Woodville, March 7, 1859, his father being Alfred C. Smith, deceased. He attended his district school, is a graduate of the Waseca high school and of the Mankato State Normal school. He taught in the public schools of the state twelve years. He commenced carrying the United States mail on route No. 3, from Waseca, July 20, 1903, and is still so employed. He owns his
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grandfather's old farm in Blooming Grove, and one of his brothers is carrying it on. The buildings-house and barn-are among the old- est in the county. The frame barn was built as early as 1858, and the frame house as early as 1863. The frames of both are made of heavy timbers put together by mortise and tenon and fastened together with wooden pins. The buildings on the farm, though aged, are well pre- served, and Harvey is justly proud of the old homestead with its his- toric surroundings.
Harvey held the office of justice of the peace for several years and is now school district clerk. He married Miss Eugenia Owens, of Man- kato, August 28, 1900. She was born in Steuben county, N. Y., March 5, 1872, and came to Minnesota with her parents in 1897. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have one son a year and a half old. Mr. Smith's father and mother were the parents of fourteen children, ten of whom are living, namely: Mary, Lovica, Harvey S., Willis, Luceba, Nellie, Jennie, Clara, Celia, and Jasper.
DOCTOR FRED A. SWARTWOOD.
Dr. F. A. Swartwood is a native of Minnesota, born at Cannon City, Rice county, Minn., Dec. 8, 1860. His father, Hon. Henry A. Swartwood, is a native of Pennsylvania, but came to Minnesota in 1857, settling at Cannon City. Dr. Swartwood attended the public schools of his dis- trict, took a four-year elective course at Carleton College and graduated from the medical college at Ann Arbor, Mich., in 1886. He and Miss Ida M. Poe were joined in marriage Nov. 20, 1886. They moved to the city of Waseca the same fall, where they have since resided. Mrs. Swartwood was born in Rice county in 1863. They have two children: one daughter, Madeline, and one son, Harold. The doctor has had an extensive practice since his first year and has been interested mean- while in other business enterprises. He was the first president of the Waseca Savings and Loan Association; is president of the Waseca telephone company; is a stockholder of the W. J. Armstrong wholesale company of Waseca; owns a farm of seven hundred and twenty acres in Kandiyohi county; was for one term a member of the Waseca board of education; served as president of the Waseca Commercial Club in 1903, and took an active part in securing the paving of Second street. He has been postmaster of Waseca since the first year of President McKinley's administration. For many years he has been very active in party politics, and has often furnished "inspiration" for the local papers of his party. He is temperate in his habits and capable of per- forming an immense amount of labor.
MR. JOHN J. ISKER.
This gentleman was born in Buffalo county, Wisconsin, Dec. 30, 1878. His father, Rev. Herman E. Isker, was born in Holstein, Germany, Aug.
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CHILD'S HISTORY OF WASECA COUNTY.
6, 1847, and came to America about the year 1865. His mother was born in Saxony, Germany, Sept. 22, 1852, and came to America when about seven years of age. John's parents were married in Buffalo county, Wis., in 1872, and came to Minnesota about 1881. The father, being a clergyman of the German Evangelical church, has moved from place to place since. From 1886 to 1900 the family resided at Mankato, and John J. attended the Mankato high school from which he graduated in 1899. After graduating he taught school in Cottonwood county three winters. The family came to Waseca in 1900, and soon after John commenced the study of law with ex-Mayor Moonan, of Waseca. He took the state examination and was admitted to the bar in September, 1903. He at once commenced the practice of his chosen profession in Waseca. He was appointed city clerk of Waseca in the spring of 1904, and elected to the same office in the spring of 1905.
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