Compendium of history and biography of Minneapolis and Hennepin County, Minnesota, Part 130

Author: Holcombe, R. I. (Return Ira), 1845-1916; Bingham, William H
Publication date: 1914
Publisher: Chicago : H. Taylor & Co.
Number of Pages: 1190

USA > Minnesota > Hennepin County > Minneapolis > Compendium of history and biography of Minneapolis and Hennepin County, Minnesota > Part 130

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KIMBALL SCRIBNER MORGAN, D. D. S.

When Dr. Kimball S. Morgan paid the last debt of nature, December 20, 1912, the oldest dental surgeon in years in Minneapolis passed away after many years of continuous and active practice in the city.

Dr. Morgan was born at North Armett, near Portland, Maine, in 1849. He entered mercantile life as a commercial salesman, continuing in this employment for a number of years. His business duties brought him to the Northwest and becoming enamored of Minneapolis determined to make it his homc. He had previously, however, acquired a technical and practical knowledge of dentistry, aud at onee began practicing his profession.

He adhered steadfastly to his profession, won high reputa- tion as a skilled dentist, and accumulated a competeney. He was active, energetic, and enterprising and gave careful atten- tion to his pursuit to the last. When he came to Minneapolis lie brought with him his mother, who was his housekeeper until her death August 7, 1894, at the advanced age of eighty- They lived in a handsome new residence which the

two.

Dr. K. S. Morgan

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HISTORY OF MINNEAPOLIS AND HENNEPIN COUNTY, MINNESOTA

doctor had built on Richard avenue, but the Doctor's latter years were passed at his late home, 1511 3d Avenue South.

The doctor was deeply interested in boys and young men. Several dentists now prominent in the profession owe their start to his kindly advice and encouragement. He would see alertness and aptitude possibly in a new immigrant who might be doing chores, would give him a cot in his office, arrange for his board, and show him how to do for himself. His interest in his proteges was lasting; in a few instances he left legacies to their children.

Doctor Morgan possesed a valuable estate, and in its dis- position acted with judgment and discrimination. He remem- bered a Methodist church in his boyhood home to which he was attached, provided for a niece and an intimate personal friend, and left the bulk of his property, including the home in which they lived, to his widow. . This lady, for four years before the death of the Doctor's mother, had assisted her in her household duties, which her advanced age made burden- some. And after the mother's death the Doctor made the former assistant his wife. Her maiden name was Emma J. Westeburg, and she was born and reared in Sweden. When the Doctor died she accompanied his remains to his old home in Maine and saw them laid to rest in Walnut Hill Cemetery, at Nortlı Armett.

The Doctor adhered to the Republican party from its organization, but he was always broad and progressive, and in the last Presidential election cast his vote for Woodrow Wilson. He was never an office seeker himself.

WILLIAM EUGENE SATTERLEE.

Mr. Satterlee was born at Viroqua, Vernon county, Wis- consin, on April 2, 1861, a son of Rev. William W. and Saralı (Stout) Satterlee. The father was an itinerant Methodist minister, and at the time of his son William's birth, was stationed at Viroqua. Two years later the family moved to Elysian, Lesueur county, in this state, then, at the end of the father's pastorate there, to Waseca, in the county of the same name, and in 1869 to St. Cloud, in Stearns county. The next move was to Minneapolis, and was made in 1871. Owing to these conditions, the education of the son was necessarily interrupted and somewhat irregular. But he at- tended the public schools in the various places of the family's residence, and finally completed the course in one of the Minneapolis high schools.

After leaving school Mr. Satterlee at once entered the employ of Salisbury, Rolph & Company, beginning his service for them in 1880. He was attentive to his duties and studious of the business, soon becoming master .of all the knowledge available concerning it in all its departments. In 1887 he was taken in as a member of the firm, and several years later, in association with Fred R. Salisbury, he formed the Salisbury & Satterlee company for the purpose of carrying on the same business. This company has since been incorporated, and its present officers are: Fred R. Salisbury, president; William E. Satterlee, vice president, and H. W. Yerxa, secretary. The company carries on a general industry in the manufacture of mattresses, bed springs, pillows and other articles of bed- ding in its line, and iron and brass bedsteads. It sells its products at wholesale, and now has a trade that covers the whole Northwest and has many patrons in other parts of the

country. Its output is first class in material and workman- ship, and always up to date in style and make-up.

The business has been active and exacting, but it has not absorbed all of Mr. Satterlee's time and energy. He has used the surplus in promoting other business enterprises, aiding in the direction of civic affairs and heightening the enjoyment furnished by the leading social organizations of his community. He was one of the promoters and organizers of the East Side State Bank, and is now one of its directors. He was also a member of the city council of Minneapolis and chairman of its ways and means committee from 1904 to 1908. He has always been a Republican in political affilia- tion, and has long had a strong influence in the councils of his party. He has also been active and very serviceable in his membership in the Minneapolis club, the Minneapolis Commercial club, the Minneapolis Whist and the St. Anthony Commercial club. In October, 1907, he was elected president of the organization last named. Fraternally he is united with the Masonic order, Elks, and the Modern Woodmen of America.

On Aug. 30, 1883, Mr. Satterlee was joined in wedlock with Miss Lillian M. Barton of Minneapolis, whose father, Reuben F. Barton, was a Minneapolis pioneer of 1857. Three children have brightened the Satterlee household, and all of them are living. They are: Gertrude, who is now the wife of Howard WV. Yerxa; Roland E., who is associated with his father in business; and Dorothy, who is now the wife of F. G. Fisher.

During the father's residence in this city he was pastor of the First Methodist Episcopal church. The last five years of his life were passed at Athens, Tennessee, where he was in- structor in the Grant Memorial University in that city. But he returned to Minneapolis to surrender his trust to the great Disposer of events, and died here in 1893.

JOHN HEBARD SESSIONS. -

Jolın H. Sessions was born in Randolph, Orange county, Vermont, November 6, 1848, the son of Milan H. and Caroline C. (Chandler) Sessions. The father was a lawyer there, re- moving in the fifties to Waupaca. Wisconsin, where he con- tinued practice until 1880, when he came to Minneapolis. He died in 1895, leaving an enviable reputation as an able coun- sellor, a cultured gentleman and a respected citizen. -

His father, John Sessions, was born in Massachusetts, settling in Vermont late in life. In early manhood he was a whaler and became a stock drover and farmer. The ancestry of the family runs back to the Pilgrim Fathers, and repre- sentatives have been prominent in every line of endeavor in the history of New England.

John H. attended the common schools of his native town and graduated from the Randolph Academy at age of 20. In 1868 he went to work for the Milwaukee & La Crosse, now the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad in its offices at Sparta, Wisconsin. He came to Minneapolis two years later as a clerk in the local station. In 1872 he became agent for the Atchison & Nebraska Railroad at Lincoln, Nebraska, and later at Atchison, Kansas. Returning to Lincoln for a year, he then entered the employment of the Indiana, Bloomington & Western Railroad as its agent in Indianapolis, two years later becoming general agent at Columbus, Ohio. At the end of eight years he was transferred to Peoria, Illinois, as as-

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HISTORY OF MINNEAPOLIS AND HENNEPIN COUNTY, MINNESOTA

sistant general freight agent. One year afterward he became general freight and passenger agent for the Terre Haute & Peoria Railroad at Decatur, Ill., later being made assistant general freight agent at Peoria, of the Peoria & Eastern Railroad, which position he held until 1893. In November of that year he was made Northwestern sales agent for the Philadelphia & Reading Coal and Iron company, and has built np for this company a vastly increased trade, and has also won general confidence and esteem. He has charge of docks at Milwaukee and Superior and all sales of about 800,000 tons through the Northwest from Lincoln, Nebraska, to Winnipeg, with 150 employes. He is a member of the Auto and Lake Harriet Commercial clubs and a Freemason as a member in Zion Commandery, Knights Templar, and Zurah Temple, of the Mystie Shrine. In religious affiliation he is an Episcopalian.

At Lincoln, Neb., December 30, 1877, Mr. Sessions was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth T. Wilson. They have two children, Mary, wife of Harry Wilkins, and Dr. J. C. Sessions, both residents of Minneapolis. The home is at 4644 Lake Harriet boulevard, and it is widely popular as a center of neighborhood hospitality.

AUGUST SCHWERDFEGER.

Among the German born citizens of Minneapolis, there is no more noteworthy specimen than August Schwerdfeger, who for thirty years has been a resident of the city, and who illustrates what can be accomplished by young men of stamina and possessing proper views of life.

Mr. Schwerdfeger was born in Siefershausen, Hanover, Octo- ber 3, 1864. He came to America in February, 1881. He spent two years at Muscatine, Iowa. learning the butcher's trade. In 1882 he was attracted to Minneapolis, as a place for energetic young men and women. and, coming here, fin- ished his trade. For five years he followed his occupation with Louis Luetger, and three with Anton Schumacher. January 1, 1891. Mr. Schwerdfeger engaged in partnership with John Schmidler. a fellow employe in Schumacher's market, and bought out their employer. They had about $2,400 between them as capital. After five years, Mr. Schwerdfeger sold his interest to his partner and opened a new place of business for himself at 358 Monroe street northeast.

Mr. Schwerdfeger made important improvements there by building the corner block in which he established his business and where he continued for fourteen years. After about five or six years his brother joined him and finally in 1910 hie sold to his nephews, who have since continued the business.

Having acquired a competence, Mr. Schwerdfeger invested further in real estate and became a factor in property de- velopment in his locality. He has long taken an interest in social and fraternal institutions, as is indicated by his mem- bership in the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Sons of Hermann, and the Turners.

Mr. Schwerdfeger was married in 1887 to Miss Meta Stef- fens, also a native of Germany. They have no children. Their home is noted for hospitality, and they have given a home for years to from one to three or four children or old people. This is but one of the many reasons why the Schwerd- fegers are highly esteemed by people, of a dozen nationalities,

and this quality of generosity has made them contributors to all demands of church and charity.

CHARLES HENRY ROSS.

Having entered the banking business at the age of twenty, after some previous experience in mercantile pursuits, and having followed that line of endeavor continuously throughout the subsequent forty-three years of his life, the late Charles H. Ross of Minneapolis achieved a great success in it and became one of its leaders in the Northwest. He began his career on a small scale, but husbanded his resources, embraced all his opportunities with vigor, made the most of every aid to progress, and always found ways and means to enlarge his operations and expand his business until he owned or had large interests in some twenty-four or twenty-five banks in Minnesota and North Dakota.

Mr. Ross was born at Great Falls, Massachusetts, in 1848, and died in Minneapolis on June 16, 1911, at the age of sixty- three years. When he was but two years old he was brought to Columbia county, Wisconsin, by his parents, who located on a farm near the city of Columbus there. In addition to working his farm the father kept a country store, and so the son became familiar with the ins and outs of merchandising at an early period in his life. He remained on the farm until he reached the age of seventeen, attended local schools, and preparing himself as well as he could under the circum- stances for a university education.

At the age mentioned he matriculated at St. Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin, but left the institution in the middle of his course to begin his business career. This he did as cashier of a bank belonging to his uncle, C. H. Chadbourn, which was located at Blue Earth, Minnesota, and which is still operating and in a flourishing condition. He was only twenty when he assumed this serious responsibility, but he met its requirements in a satisfactory manner, and before long was transferred to another bank belonging to this same uncle and R. W. Chadbourn. This bank was at Roches- ter, Minnesota, where C. H. Chadbourn then lived, R. W. Chadbourn being at the time a resident of Columbus, Wis- consin. The former died some years later in Minneapolis. When the change was made William Ross, a brother of Charles H., who was then twenty also, was made eashier of the Blue Earth bank, and he is still ably filling that position.

Mr. Ross passed three years in the Rochester bank, and at the end of that period was placed in charge of the Brown County Bank at New Ulm, which also belonged to his uncles. He was connected with this bank as an official eighteen years, and during the greater part of the time had an interest in it. In 1892 he sold his interests at Rochester and moved to Minneapolis, in the meantime having become a stockholder in some St. Paul banks and in the Flour City Bank in this city. Of the one last named he was made cashier on his arrival in the city, but, while he gave its affairs all the atten- tion they required, he also began operations on his own account in a way destined to reach very large results.

In company with C. H. Davidson, Jr., he acquired control of a chain of fifteen banks in North Dakota, but had the main office of his enterprises in Minneapolis, in the Phoenix building for a time and afterward in the Security Bank build- ing. He concentrated his energies on the work of his Dakota

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HISTORY OF MINNEAPOLIS AND HENNEPIN COUNTY, MINNESOTA

banks, and kept on starting new ones until he was connected in a leading way with twenty-four or twenty-five, as has been stated. He was also very earnestly interested in the growth of the towns in which his banks were located in that state, and passed a great deal of his time in them, aiding in push- ing their advancement while keeping close watch over his banks and other interests. He was always very systematic and exact in his business and demanded the same system and exactness of his employes.

In justice to Mr. Ross' father it should be stated that he was an excellent disciplinarian and developed the business trend in his son to the acuteness and vigor he displayed in it. The father also taught him the vital force and great value of system and accuracy in business, the good results of starting young men early on careers of self-reliance and usefulness, the strength of independence and the elevation, refinement and delicacy of unvarying courtesy to and consideration for women.

Mr. Ross was always a staunch adherent of the Republican party, but never a politician. He belonged to the Protective League, which was organized to aid in keeping Minneapolis clean, and the Humane Society, which was a source of assist- ance and protection to the helpless or suffering. He had great pride and faith in Minneapolis, and wished to see and help to make it a model municipality. For some years he was a member of the Commercial club, but had such an aversion to intoxicating liquors that he withdrew when the sale of them began in it. But he never tired of his membership in the Lafayette and Minikahda clubs, where he had fine opportunities for enjoying his favorite recreation, the game of golf. He indulged in no other sports except that he always kept a good horse and was fond of antomo- biling, from both of which he received exhilaration.

Mr. Ross was at all times and in the most practical ways interested in the park system of his home city, the spread of public education among its residents, the activities of its moral agencies, the progress of civic improvements, and all other means of bettering it in any way, and he was liberal in his support of all undertakings for its benefit. He main- tained a very attractive and hospitable home at 2000 Ken- wood Boulevard, which was kept up for his friends as much as for himself and his family.

The head of the house traveled extensively and made studious observations of what he saw in foreign lands. He became an expert in estimating the quality and value of Turkish, Persian, Syrian and Armenian rugs and similar products of Oriental skill, and he gratified his taste in this direction by making numerous purchases of the best of such products. He was also a connoisseur, in diamonds and other gems, in the ownership of which he also indulged to some extent, but not extravagantly.

Mr. Ross was married in 1877 on Aug. 16th at Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, to Mrs. Mary E. (Eldred) Pierce, a native of Cochecton, New York. Mrs. Ross was reared and edu- cated at Binghampton, N. Y. She had one daughter by her former marriage and an adopted son of his brother's, Frank A. The daughter, Winona E. Pierce, is now the wife of Frank L. Randall. For thirteen years he was superin- tendent of the Minnesota State Reformatory at St. Cloud, and now holds a similar position in Massachusetts, being chairman of the Prison Board of Commissioners of Massachu- setts. The son, Charles Frederick Ross, is a member of the firm of Davidson & Ross, bankers in Minneapolis. He married a

daughter of Judge F. V. Brown, formerly of this city but now living in Seattle. Mrs. Ross is a member of Lowry Hill Congregational church, in which she was formerly a Sunday school teacher, and also belongs to the Clio Literary Club. She takes an active interest in everything pertaining to the city's welfare.

OWEN T. SWETT.

Owen Thones Swett was born at Limerick, York county, Maine, on the 27th of September, 1831, and died in Minne- apolis Feb. 19, 1908. He was a scion of a family that was founded in New England in the colonial era of our national history. His father, Samuel Swett, likewise was a native of Limerick, Maine, and the family name has been long and worthily identified with the history of the old Pine Tree state. The common schools of his native town afforded Mr. Swett his early educational discipline, which was supple- mented by a course in a local academy. As a youth he was employed for a time as clerk in a grocery store at Cambridge, Massachusetts, and in this connection he gained experience that was of great value to him in his subsequent independent business operations in Minnesota.

In 1858, when about twenty-seven years of age, Mr. Swett came to Minnesota and established his residence in the village of St. Anthony, from which has been developed the city of Minneapolis. He obtained employment in the meat market conducted by Moses Hayes, and later he became associated with Erastus Hayes in opening a retail grocery store on Main street, which was then the principal business center of the town. The building had previously been occupied by Charles Andrews, whose stock of goods was destroyed by fire. Charles Straw was later admitted to the firm, the title of which then became Swett, Straw & Hayes. This alliance continued sev- eral ycars and in the meanwhile the establishment became one of the leading groceries of the town. After the retire- ment of Mr. Straw the enterprise was continued by the firm of Swett & Hayes until Mr. Swett purchased the interest of his partner. After continuing the business for several years in the original location Mr. Swett removed to the Masonic building, and later he occupied quarters in a building that stood on the site of the present Minneapolis postoffice. Nearly a score of years ago he removed his business to 325 and 327 Central avenue, where the enterprise is continued by his son. From dealing in groceries Mr. Swett finally turned his atten- tion to the dry goods business, and with this line of retail enterprise he continued to be identified about a quarter of a century, and up to the time of his retirement from active affairs. He finally admitted to partnership his only son, Arthur H., who continues the business, as already noted, and the firm name under these conditions was O. T. Swett & Son. Thus for more than fifty years Mr. Swett was one of the leading retail merchants of Minneapolis.

As a citizen Mr. Swett was loyal and liberal and he was ever ready to lend his influence and co-operation in move- ments for the general good of the community. He was a Republican in politics but never had aught of desire for public office. He was a popular and valued member of representative clubs and other local organizations of a social nature, and in a number of these he was continuously retained in the office of treasurer, as he not only had marked ability in the manage-

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HISTORY OF MINNEAPOLIS AND HENNEPIN COUNTY, MINNESOTA

ment of financial affairs but also held the implicit confidence of his fellow men, so that he was not permitted to retire from duty as treasurer of the various organizations with which he was identified. Though not formally a member of the First Congregational church, he regularly attended its services, was liberal in its support and long served as treas- urer and trustee of the church. He was for many years affiliated with Cataract Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, and he was known and honored as one of the sterling men and representative citizens of the Minnesota metropolis.

In the year 1859 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Swett to Miss Sarah Hayes, who likewise was born and reared at Limerick, Maine, and who is a sister of Moses and Erastus Hayes, prominent business men of Minneapolis in the early days. Further data concerning the family imay be found in the sketeh dedicated to Moses Hayes, on other pages of this volume. Mrs. Swett still resides in her attractive old home at 702 Fourth street, Southcast, which has been her place of abode for more than half a century. Mr. and Mrs. Swett became the parents of two children-Ella is the wife of George T. Huey, of Minneapolis, and their home adjoins that of Mrs. Swett; Arthur H. Swett, who is proprietor of the business founded by his father, married Miss Helen J. Porter, of Iowa.

LEVI WOODBURY STRATTON.

Having been one of the early merchants of St. Anthony, and proprietor of its first book store, which was on Main street, Levi W. Stratton helped to give form and direction to the infant mereantile activities, and also to build up and develop the community in many lines of progress. He was born at Bradford, New Hampshire, April 25, 1816, and died at Excelsior, Lake Minnetonka, August 9, 1881. In his young manhood he moved to Illinois and located at Alton, where, in June, 1842, he was united in marriage with Miss Pernciey Pelham, a member of an English family living at Alton.

Mr. Stratton had come to Minnesota in company with Frank- lin Steele and Calvin Tuttle in 1838; and had helped to build a mill at Marine, near Taylor's Falls, on the St. Croix river. Some time afterward he went on down the Mississippi to Illinois, but in the summer of 1852 returned to St. Anthony, arriving on June 8, on the famous old steamer War Eagle. He then opened the book store above mentioned which he condueted for several years. Later he became a traveling salesman, and about 1872 took up his residence at Excelsior. His wife died November 12, 1888, hier life closing also at the Excelsior home.

Mr. Stratton was a stauneh Republican and mingled actively and serviccably in public affairs. His wife was of a domestic turn and was devoted to her home. They were the parents of seven children. Lucy is the wife of Charles Beal, of near Los Angeles, California. Emma married William Wheeler, and died in Portland, Oregon, in 1910. John died in 1892. He was a natural mechanic and sedulous in his devotion to the printing trade. For years he was employed on the St. Paul Pioneer Press, having previously worked on the Burlington Hawkeye while Bob Burdette was its editor. Ella has been a teacher at Excelsior for thirty years, and long a noted and highly appreciated worker in the Congregational church; and, still occupies the old family homestead. Jeannette married

Clarence Molter, and their daughter Ella, a graduate of Carleton College, is a teacher and is associated with Miss Rachel H. Holdridge in the management of the Excelsior circulating library, which these ladies started of their own initiative and have sinee kept up by their united efforts. They live together at the old Holdridge home on Lake Minnetonka about a mile from Excelsior.

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Compendium of history and biography of Minneapolis and Hennepin County, Minnesota, Part 130

Author: Holcombe, R. I. (Return Ira), 1845-1916; Bingham, William H Publication date: 1914 Publisher: Chicago : H. Taylor & Co. Number of Pages: 1190

Author: Holcombe, R. I. (Return Ira), 1845-1916; Bingham, William H
Publication date: 1914
Publisher: Chicago : H. Taylor & Co.
Number of Pages: 1190