USA > Minnesota > Hennepin County > Minneapolis > Compendium of history and biography of Minneapolis and Hennepin County, Minnesota > Part 135
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In 1856 Miss Hulet became acquainted with Mr. Walker. They were in school together, and later, when Mr. Walker was employed as traveling salesman, the daughter was her father's bookkeeper and secretary, and so there was. ample opportunity for frequent and continued intercourse between the young couple. Their acquaintance ripened into a more tender feeling, and on November 19, 1863, after an engage- ment lasting five years, they were married in her home city of Berea, Ohio. Mr. Walker then came on to St. Anthony and prepared the way for establishing a home here, after which he sent for his bride. Six years later lie built a new residence in Minneapolis, at Ninth street and First avenue south, which was then so far up and out of town that he felt obliged to keep a horse for transportation between the city and his home.
.During the first twelve years of her married life: Mrs. Walker devoted her energies to her growing family and gave little time to any work outside her home. Her husband was engaged in surveying for the government and the new rail- roads planned for this region, and was absent from home for months at a time. Their means were limited, too, and the letters that passed between them reached their destinations with difficulty. In addition to her burden's, of privations and responsibilities, the constant danger of Indian outbreaks in the region where her husband was working gave Mrs. Walker a heavy and continual weight of uneasiness to bear. But she accepted her lot with fortitude and cheerfulness, and per- formed her every duty with fidelity.
About the end of the period mentioned above, Mrs. Walker began to observe closely the condition of the poor and the oppressed, and to engage in active work for their relief and betterment. Since then her philanthropies have been so numerous, far-reaching and voluminous, that only a brief summary of themu can be given here. She has founded be- nevolent and helpful institutions and established them on permanent bases, investing considerable sums of money in their- maintenance and development. These institutions an- nually give succor in sickness and misfortune to hundreds of men, women and children, and do it in the quiet and unosten- tatious way which true benevolence always seeks to follow.
Mrs. Walker was a member of the first organization of the Women's Christian Association of Minneapolis, which at the time of its inception was given the care of all the poor of the community. A few years later she joined with other ladies in organizing and managing the Sisterhood of Bethany, an association for the care of erring women and their infant children, which has become a wonderful power for good throughout the whole Northwest. . She has served as its
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HISTORY OF MINNEAPOLIS AND HENNEPIN COUNTY, MINNESOTA
secretary or president since its organization thirty-five years ago. Out of this institution grew the Northwestern Hospital Association, which was organized to care for the worthy poor who are ill. Mrs. Walker has been its president from the beginning of its history. The association began operations without a dollar in cash or credit. Its hospital was started in a poorly furnished house, and its facilities were meager, primitive and of very limited utility. Today this hospital is fully equipped and skilfully conducted, it has capacity for one hundred patients and carries on a training school for nurses with thirty pupils. The buildings are now free of debt and the association has an endowment fund of $40,000. Since 1901 the hospital has been open for men as well as women. The success and growth of this institution alone is sufficient to fix Mrs. Walker's fame as a lady of great business ability and strong devotion to the service of her fellow beings who are in need.
Other philanthropies with which this noble woman has been actively connected are the Women's Christian Union, thc Newsboys' Home, the Kindergarten Association and the chil- dren's Home, the last named being an outgrowth of the Sister- hood of Bethany. In her temperance work she conducted meetings in her church and published the data she gathered in tracts. This and her lecture on the Keeley cure for in- ebriates, which she read at the World's Temperance 'confer- ence at the Columbian Exposition, have been widely copied and distributed in this country and many others. Her philan- thropic work is donc systematically. She has regular office hours and employs a stenographer to assist her.
One of the most beneficial results of Mrs. Walkers' great public spirit and intense devotion to the wants of the needy, especially of her own sex, is the establishment of police ma- tronship in connection with the city government of Minne- apolis. Through investigations in the Eastern cities she be- came fully convinced years ago that all women prisoners in the 'custody of the police ought to be under the care of a woman. Great opposition was encountered to the movement for this beneficent reform when she started it, but she was not to be called off or frowned down, either by the police authorities or by other Christian workers who did not ap- prove of the suggestion. She kept warm in the pursuit of her purpose, and through her persistent and well directed efforts the office was established. The police could not but know her singleness of desire and loftiness of aim in the matter, for she had long been on call at their headquarters at any time of the day or night for the assistance of young women and girls.
In emergencies, Mrs. Walker acts promptly and wisely. When the terrible cyclone swept over Sauk Rapids with such disastrous results and so much loss of life, she received notice from the mayor's office at 10 o'clock one morning that there was urgent need of more nurses in the stricken territory. At 3 o'clock that afternoon she went to the front with twelve nurses, all but one or two from the training school of the Northwestern Hospital. She remained at the place of tlie dreadful visitation two weeks, taking charge of one of the hospitals, and several of the nurses remained two and some three months, doing all they could to relieve the suffering.
It is not to be supposed that because of this generous lady's attention to outsiders who have needed her help she has neglected her home or its duties. She has been a close and sympathetic companion of her husband in all his under- takings, and she reared her eight children to honorable man-
hood and womanhood. In fact, if her work outside of her own household has had any effect on her conduct within it, it has only intensified her devotion to her home and its duties and made her more zealous and diligent in attending to their requirements. She has given Minneapolis one of the noblest and loftiest examples of Christian womanhood and mother- hood it has ever had, and in all sections of the city "her works praise her in the gates."
REV. ISAAC WILSON JOYCE, D D., LL. D.
Rev. Isaac Wilson Joyce, D. D., LL. D., the father of Col. Frank Melville Joyce, and one of the bishops of the Methodist Episcopal church, was one of the most eminent and conspicuous clergymen of that denomination. He was born in Hamilton coonty, Ohio, October 11, 1836, the son of James W. and Mary Ann Joyce, natives of Dublin, Ireland. As a youth the doctor found many obstacles in the way of his education, but he was an enthusiastic student and persevered in spite of them. He taught school to pay his way at Hartsville, Indiana, the denominational school of the United Brethren church, and finally secured the degree of A.M. from De Pauw (then Asbury) University. Some years later Dickinson College con- ferred on him the degree of D. D., and he received that of LL. D. from the University of the Pacific. He was licensed to preach as a United Brethren minister, but in 1857 united with the Methodist Episcopal church, and in 1859 was admitted to the Northwest Indiana Conference.
As a very young preacher Dr. Joyce became pastor of some of the leading churches in the Conference, and at the age of thirty-three was Presiding Elder of the East Lafayette dis- trict. He was next pastor of Trinity church in Lafayette. Failing health necessitated a change of climate for him, and he was induced to fill the pulpit of Bethany Independent church, Baltimore, for one year. His health improved, and, although Bethany earnestly solicited him to become its settled pastor, he returned to Indiana, and in 1877 was appointed to old Roberts Chapel, in Greencastle. Hcre he built a commo- dious church edifice which is a monument to his zeal, energy and fine business ability.
In 1880, at the close of his pastorate in Greencastle, he was elected to the General Conference, which was held in Cincinnati. This led to his transfer to the Ohio Conference and first appointment to St. Paul's church in Cincinnati. In 1886 he was official representative to the Methodist Episcopal Gen- eral Conference of Canada, which met in Toronto, and in 1888 was elected Bishop by one of the largest votes ever given for a candidate up to that time. For eight years his Episcopal residence was in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where he made a deep impression by his power as a preacher and his skill as a leader. During this period he was Chancellor of Grant Univer- sity for five years, and of the Epworth League for four, and also presided over conferences in Europe and Mexico. The General Conference of 1896 transferred him to Minneapolis, which was his home until his death in July, 1905, following a stroke of paralysis suffered by him on Sunday morning, July 2, 1905, while preaching at Red Rock Camp Meeting.
During the first two years of his residence in this eity lie was under appointment to visit and supervise the churchics in the Orient. His duties led him through Japan, Korea and China, and into many regions never before visited by a bishop.
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HISTORY OF MINNEAPOLIS AND HENNEPIN COUNTY, MINNESOTA
His administration in China resulted in a spiritual quiekening unsurpassed anywhere in modern times. On his return trip he visited Malaysia, made a zigzag journey across India and met the Central Conference at Lucknow. He was married in 1861 to Miss Caroline Walker Bosserman, of La Porte, Indiana, who died at the home of their only child, Col. Frank M. Joyce, in Minneapolis, in 1907.
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GEORGE CUTLER STORER.
Mr. Storer was born in Portland, Maine, on September 29, 1860, and died in Minneapolis on March 13, 1913. As a child of seven years he was taken by his parents to live in Boston, the father was a wholesale dry goods merchant and busy operator in financial affairs. Eight years later the family moved to Madison, Wisconsin. Later he was a student for four years at the Shattuck Military school in Faribault in this state.
When he finally left school he inclined to farming as his occupation, and with this in view he moved to Grand Forks, North Dakota. But during the next two years his views as to employment were entirely changed, and at the end of the period mentioned he changed his base of operations to Chicago and his occupation to merchandising, becoming connected with the wholesale coal trade in the city last named. He remained in Chicago until 1893, when he came to Minneapolis and organized the Commercial Loan and Adjustment company, over whose destinies he afterward presided, and which he conducted to a high rank in the business world, considerable magnitude in its operations and pronounced success in all its undertakings.
In the course of a few years this company was doing business all over the Northwest and also in California and other Pacific coast states. Charles Fowler was associated with Mr. Storer in the management of it, and its requirements received sedulous attention from both these gentlemen. But Mr. Storer in particular watched and worked for the progress and expansion of its business with sleepless vigilance and tireless energy. The company's transactions occupied his time and powers largely, and they opened the way to other avenues of prosperity for him. Through the opportunities they laid before him he soon began investing in city property, and on parts of what he bought he erected business blocks.
In the purchase of real estate Mr. Storer exercised good judgment, buying only in localities making or capable of rapid improvement and sure of speedy enhancement of values. He did not hold all the property he purchased, but turned a considerable amount of it over rapidly at ready profits, and with the fruits of his shrewdness and business acumen he still further enlarged his operations and augmented his revenues. At the time of his death, however, he still owned a number of income producing properties and left an estate of large value.
It is easy to infer from what has been stated that Mr. Storer was a very busy man. But he was never indifferent to the substantial improvement of his home city, and never with- held his support from any worthy undertaking in which that was involved. He also took an active part in public affairs locally, not as a political partisan, but wholly as a good citizen animated by a strong desire to aid in securing the best government and the greatest good for the people around him. Fraternally he was a Freemason and a member of the
Order of Elks, and earnest though not enthusiastic in his devotion to their welfare and all the good work they were doing.
Mr. Storer was married at Baraboo, Wisconsin, in 1883, to Miss Fannie King, a native of Monroe in the same state. Three children were born of their union, all of whom are living. They are: George L., a lawyer, who has charge of the collections for the company of which his father was the head; Catherine, who is the wife of Ivan J. Kipp and a. resident of St. Paul, and Mary, who married with Raymond M. Gillette and has her home in Minneapolis. Like their parents, the children are well esteemed for their genuine worth and have a strong hold on the confidence and good will of the people where they live. The force of character and strict integrity for which their father was distinguished and the graces of manner and purity of life for which their mother is revered are exemplified in them in all their daily activities and all their relations with their fellow beings.
His parents, George L. and Mary F. (Johnson) Storer, natives of Sanford and Portland, Maine, both died at Madison, Wis., the father in 1906 and mother in 1908. They had two sons and three daughters, all living but our subject. The father was a prominent man and was a son of John Storer, a pioneer of Sanford, Maine, and one time mayor, and was in lumber trade. He endowed Storer College at Harper's Ferry, a colored college.
EUGENE L. TRASK.
Eugene L. Trask, an extensive and prominent dealer in Minnesota lands, has been a resident of Minneapolis contin- uously since 1876, except during a few years which he spent in Montana. He was born in Springfield, Maine, in 1864, the son of Albion K. and Melissa (Nettleton) Trask, the former a native of Maine and the latter of Ohio. She came to Min- neapolis with her parents in the sixties when Dubuque, Iowa, was the terminus of the railroad. Her father was Samuel D. Nettleton, whose old home was on the site of the present block at the corner of Nicollet avenue and Fourth street. He died early in the seventies at the age of sixty. His widow survived him many years, and in 1877 was living at 913 Hennepin avenue.
Albion Trask came from Maine to Minneapolis and engaged in lumbering on Rum river, sending logs to the Minneapolis mills. He was married in this city about 1860, and then returned to Maine, where he followed lumbering until 1876, when he came back to Minneapolis and resumed his lumbering operations, which he continued until his death in February, 1902, at the age of sixty-eight years. He was not a lumber manufacturer, but bought timber lands and worked cutting crews year after year until 1900, by which time the timber was nearly all cut and the lumber well nigh exhausted in the Rum river country. After his purchases were denuded of their trees he sold them, disposing of land at $3 to $4 an acre which is now worth $65 to $75 an acre. He attended religious services at the Church of the Redeemer.
Mrs. Trask, the mother of Eugene, is still living. She and her husband were the parents of four sons, three of whom are living: Eugene L., Berney E., who is a graduate of the engineering department of the University of Minnesota and was for some years professor of engineering in Eastern colleges
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HISTORY OF MINNEAPOLIS AND HENNEPIN COUNTY, MINNESOTA
but is now engaged in merchandising in Minneapolis; and Clarence, who is a resident of the state of Montana. The other son, Charles, was cashier of the West hotel until his death in 1898.
Eugene L. Trask obtained a high school education, and at the age of nineteen went to Montana, where for a few years he was employed in office work, principally as bookkeeper in a wholesale house. In 1895, having returned to Minneapolis, he started a produce commission business in the old Bridge Square distriet, which he carried on there for five years, until the business operations of that character were transferred to another location. Abont 1900 he began dealing in land, handling farm and mineral tracts in large quantities aggre- gating over 200,000 acres, the greater part of his dealings being for homes in Northern Minnesota. He still has control of several thousand acres, some being mineral lands, and owns a great deal of the expanse himself.
Mr. Trask belongs to the Commercial, Minikahda, Lafayette, Interlachen and Auto clubs. He was married in 1886 to Miss Anna C. Deatherage, of Illinois. They have two children : Marian, who is a graduate of the Ely School at Greenwich, Comecticut, and Louise, who is a student in that school.
SWAN JOHAN TURNBLAD.
Proprietor and publisher of the Svenska Amerikanska Posten, probably carries a more potent influence throughout the State and the Northwest than does any other foreign born citizen. His newspaper is the recognized mouthpiece of Swedish-American thought; and, being published in the Swedish language covers an important field not otherwise cultivated.
Mr. Turnblad was born in Tubbemala, Sweden, Oct. 7, 1860, being the son of Olaf M. and Ingjard Turnblad; who brought the boy to a farm near Vasa, Goodhue County, Minnesota, when nine years old.
While yet in school Swan became interested in and learned the printer's trade. soon buying a small printing plant. When but seventeen he had printed an arithmetic. of which his school principal P. F. Lindholm was the author. Looking for a wider field of activity, Swan came to Minneapolis becoming a typesetter on the Minneapolis Stats Tidning.
In 1887 he was asked to take the management of the Svenska Amerikanska Posten, a weekly newspaper established primarily as an influence in the prohibition work throughout the Northwest. Without sacrifice of its original purpose, it was broadened in scope, being made such a paper as is needed in every household.
Its pages were filled with not only general domestic news but also gave due attention to world happenings, especially to those matters directly interesting the Scandinavian population. It soon became an influence that did much to shape conditions, ever laboring for what was elevating and tended to better citizenship. Independent in politics, it has not served to advance its editors personal political fortunes; but with abso- lute loyalty to American institutions, has been a power for good in the development of the best citizenship.
Mr. Turnblad's abilities are generally recognized; and he has been accorded suitable honor, Governor Lind in 1895 naming him a member of the State Reformatory Board, where he did valuable service. Abuses that had crept into management of its institution were eradicated, incompetence replaced and a
line of policy adopted whereby the aim is to turn out eitizens rather than confirmed criminals. His services were of such moment that Governor Johnson placed him upon the State Board of Visitors to all the state institutions, an honor con- tinued by Governor Eberhart. An ardent temperance worker, his advocacy by pen and voice has done much to advance .prohibition, every other movement for clean living, as well, finding in him a champion.
Every movement for business, social or moral progress has received his approbation. He was one of the founders of the Odin Club, the leading social organization in the Northwest of Scandinavian-Americans. He is a Mason, Shriner and an Elk and belongs to the Civic and Commerce Association and the Athletic Club.
He is a communicant of Westminster Presbyterian Church. He was married in 1883 to Christina Nelson of Worthington; and they have a daughter. Lillian Zenobia.
JAMES ALVAH BULL.
Mr.Bull was a native of Jefferson county, New York, where his life began February 25, 1834. He died on his farm just outside the city limits of Minneapolis April 27, 1908, after a residence of almost fifty years on the land which is now a material proof of his skill as its cultivator. He was the son of Alvah and Louisa (Packer) Bull, natives of Vermont. On his father's farm he grew to manhood and, in the district school of the neighborhood, and Belleville Academy he began his education, which he completed at the academy in Norwich, after which he clerked for a few years.
About 1858 Alvah. Bull, the father of James, who had relatives at Anoka came accompanied by James to Minnesota to look the country over. They then bought the farm on which the son afterward lived, of William Marvin, who had preempted the land, and who received a patent for it June 10, 1857. The land was deeded to Mr. Bull, Sr., Marcb 5, 1859, who then returned to New York, where he passed the remainder of his life. His son James took possession of the farm in the spring of 1859, and some years later was followed west by his brother, Henry C. Bull, now a banker at Cokato.
When James A. came to Minneapolis he was married but had no children. He settled on the farm of 160 acres, determined to pass his subsequent years on it, which he did. At the time of his death he had it nearly all under cultivation and well improved.
Mr. Bull early became an enthusiastic member of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry, and was called upon to give a great deal of attention to its work. He was one of a committee of three to provide for rendering the agricultural school of the state more directly and practically beneficial to the farmers. This committee was first selected by the Henne- pin County Grange and afterward endorsed by the State Grange. By years of effort with the board of regents and the state legislature the committee finally succeeded in making the Agricultural College what its name indicates-a real source of advanced practical instruction in farming.
In political affairs Mr. Bull was always independent of party ties and party influence, but never indifferent to the welfare of his county or the state. His religious life was nearly that of the Friends or Quakers, but latterly his views rather accorded with the Unitarians. His first marriage took place in New York and was with Miss Mary E. Comstock.
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HISTORY OF MINNEAPOLIS AND HENNEPIN COUNTY, MINNESOTA
She died on the farm February, 1865, leaving one child, Mary L. Bull, who has been an instructor in the State Agricultural College for seventeen years, beginning her work in the institu- tion in the department of domestic science and continuing it now in that of agricultural school extension.
September 20, 1866, Mr. Bull contracted a second marriage, which united him with Miss Amie L. Cooper, a daughter of Milton and Zillah (Preston) Cooper, and born near the village of Coopersville, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. She came to Minneapolis with her parents in 1857, arriving on May 11. There were seven children in the family, of whom she was the second in the order of birth. The others who are living are: Preston, who is a resident of Edina; Elvira S., who is the widow of the late Edward Lamborn; and Barclay, who both live in this city. Anna and Morrissa died in early life and Mahlon at the age of thirty-one years. The father was a carpenter and died in Minneapolis, in his ninety-first year, having, on August 12, previously celebrated the ninetieth anniversary of his birth. The mother's death occurred Feb- ruary 20, 1879.
Before her marriage Mrs. Bull was a teacher in the Min- neapolis and Hennepin county schools for seven years. At one time she was chairman of a committee of five appointed by the State Grange to secure the opening of the State Agri- cultural College to girl students on the same terms that were offered to boys. It took years of effort to accomplish the desired result, and great striving with regents, legislators and other officials, but it was finally successful. Since her marriage Mrs. Bull has passed all except two years of her life on the old homestead. This is located a little south and west of Minneapolis, just one mile from Lake Harriet. It has recently been sold and is to be used hereafter as a home for women and children.
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