Compendium of history and biography of Minneapolis and Hennepin County, Minnesota, Part 90

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 90

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It was in this period that two steamboats were built on the Red River of the North, and were operated between Breckenridge and Winnipeg. With them flatboats were run, and on these hugh quantities of groceries and supplies were shipped, and sold direct from the boats at many places along the river. Mr. Hyser became interested in this trade, which proved a lucrative one, sometimes as high as $20,000 worth of groceries being carried and disposed of at good profit. Mean- while he ran the best hotel along the route. Later the rail- road was extended to Fargo, N. D. About this time Mr. Hyser married, and in the summer of 1880 he built the Arlington hotel at Wayzata, the first big summer hotel on Lake Minnetonka. He was led to erect the Arlington at the instance of James J. Hill. Mr. Hyser found it a losing venture, and in the winter of 1880-81 he went to clerk in the Nicollet House in Minneapolis, under Col. John T. West. In 1884 he went with Colonel West to the West hotel, and was the first clerk in that hostelry, which was for many years one of the famous liotels of America. Later Mr. Hyser built the hotel at Third Street and Second Avenue South, now known as the Allen. He ran that for five years, and then he went to Fourth Street and Nicollet Avenue and remodeled the building into the Hotel Hyser. He conducted that hotel for eight years, and then retired in 1907. Thus Mr. Hyser was identified prominently with the hotel business of the Northwest for thirty-six years and acquired an acquaint- ance almost uncqualled in the state.

It was in 1880 that Mr. Hyser married Miss Alice M. Bowen of Minneapolis, daughter of a contractor who was one of the best known politicians of his day. To them were born two children; a daughter, Alice Maude, now the wife of Warren Leslie Wallace, superintendent of Lewis and Clarke High School in Spokane, Wash .; and a son, George W. Hyser, an electrician in Minneapolis. Mr. Hyser is a member of Masonic orders, the Scottish Rite and the Knights Templar. His home is at 1 Orlin Avenue, Prospect Park.

MICHAEL W. HACKETT.

Michael W. Hackett was born near Darwin, Minnesota, on June 29, 1860, and died in Minneapolis on May 26, 1912, lacking just one month and three days of being 52 years of age. He was wholly the architect of his own fortune and made his way in the world by his own unaided efforts. His father died while the son was still in his boyhood and the mother married a second time.

The son therefore started the battle of life for himself at an early age, and in the pursuit of advancement among men came to Minneapolis. Here was employed by Geo. Elwell as a furniture salesman both in the city and outside for a number of years, after which he became manager of the, Webster Chair Factory, with which he was connected in this capacity until his death, a period of about eight years. He was careful with his earnings and invested them wisely in

farm loans and real estate, becoming the owner of a farm of 314 acres near Campbell, in Wilkin county, this state. His business absorbed his energies and attention to the exclusion of almost everything else. But he took an interest in fraternal life as a member of the Order of Knights of Columbus and was also a devout and consistent member of St. Lawrence Catholic church. To his home and family he was warmly attached, and in his hunting and fishing trips and his occasional outings at the lakes, always insisted on being accompanied by his wife or some other member of the household.

Mr. Hackett was married on January 8, 1884, to Miss Ida May Jester, who was also a native of this state. She died on October 19, 1907, leaving a family of six children, Mabel, Ida May, Grace Arvilla, Rollie J., Adelaide Olivia and Rosalia. Mabel is the wife of H. J. Lane, who is connected with the Russell-Miller grain commission company in the Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce. The home of the family for the last. twelve years has been at 1004 Seventeenth avenue southeast.

The mother's early death left the family largely to the care of the second daughter, Ida May. The older daughter was married and Ida had just entered upon her high school course. But she abandoned this in order that she might give her whole attention to caring for the younger children. They have found in her a devoted motherly companion and helper. Her father was thus ably assisted by her, and when his own end approached, found great consolation in the fact that he would be able to leave those who were dependent on him in such excellent hands, and that the comfortable competence he had accumulated for them would be judiciously employed for their benefit.

GEORGE E. HUEY.

A pioneer in three of the Northwestern states, one of the founders of at least two great industrial and commercial centers, and a successful operator in several important lines of business, the late George E. Huey was born in Steuben county, New York, December 19, 1819, being the son of John and Susan (Minier) Huey, who were taken as children from Pennsylvania to New York. Abram Huey once owned the land on which Harrisburg now stands.

Judge Huey, a local justice of the peace, and later first. police justice of Great Falls, Montana, was reared on a farm in his native state and educated in a country school. He was in business for two years in New York, and in 1851 reached the Indian agency at Long Prairie, Minnesota, where he was employed by the agent for one year.

In 1852 he returned to New York, but within a year he returned, soon coming to St. Anthony Falls. Here he engaged in rafting logs and cutting them into lumber. He assisted in the organization and operation of the Minneapolis Milling company, which superseded the "Old Government Mill" in 1856.

He was the first secretary and superintendent of the board of directors of the old Canal company, which took a leading part in rivalry between the lower city, and Bridge Square as to which should become the business center.

He took a valiant part in this struggle in favor of the milling district, and in furtherance of determination to make- that section the business center, he built the Cataract house, at what is now the intersection of Washington and Sixth

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HISTORY OF MINNEAPOLIS AND HENNEPIN COUNTY, MINNESOTA

avenues south, and which led the opposition to the Nieollct house.

In 1854 Judge Hney was elected the first county register of deeds for four years, and in 1855 was made a justice of the peace, rendering valuable services in establishing law and order. By 1865 the humber industry had grown to such importance that in association with R. P. Russell and others, Built a large planing mill where later the Model mill stood.

In 1861 R. P. Russell and O. B. King built the Dakota flour mill. In 1879 he moved to Central City, Black Hills, where he operated stamp mills, and finally selling his interests immediately sought new fields of enterprise.

In 1884 he went to Great Falls, Montana, where not sev- enty-five persons were then living, but its natural resources and promise for the future were inspiring, and it is now a busy, progressive city of some 25,000. Judge Huey took up a pre-emption claim on land he felt the town must soon eover, and after sceuring title platted it as Huey's Addition to Great Falls.

He took a great interest in the development of the town and was elected first poliee magistrate, his firmness enabling him to handle the tough element that still abounded.

About 1901 he returned to Minneapolis and died at Ex- celsior, April 17, 1904. He was a lifelong Democrat, and was a devoted Freemason and Odd Fellow. In early life he was united in marriage with Miss Mary E. Ticknor. Their dauglı- ter is the wife of Byron Dague of Deadwood. Her mother died young, and in 1858 he married Miss Corolene Tay- lor, a native of Painesville, Ohio. Four of their children are living. George T., a railroad man; Arthur S., of Chicago; Frank, who lives in Montana, and Douglas, a resident of Mexieo.

One son, Albert (twin brother to Arthur) died in Mexico where he was in business, in August, 1903. A friend at Judge Huey's funeral said: "He used his time in useful labors and won for himself a warm place in the affectionate veneration of the people. One of the patriarehs of the city he helped to found, he could look baek over his long connee- tion with it with pleasure unmarred by the recollection of any interest neglected, any duty slighted or any wrong done con- s'ciously to any person."

CHARLES F. HAGLIN.

It was in 1873 that Charles F. Haglin, one of the leading contraetors and builders of Minneapolis, came to this city and began his very creditable and successful career here. He started in business in this locality as an architect, having been well trained in the technique of the profession by previous study and practical work in architeets' offices farther East, and having also brought to this Western country the spirit of enterprise and self-reliance required for advanee- ment among men in its strenuous activities, large engage- ments and great wealth of opportunities.

Mr. Haglin's life began in the village of Hastings, Oswego county, New York, on April 7, 1849, and there he passed his boyhood and early youth on the farm of his father, Joseph Haglin. He was educated in his native state, and, having a special aptitude for drawing, became a draughtsman in an architect's office in the city of Syracuse. A few years later he eame to Chicago, and there he was employed for two years

in the office of Messrs. Yorke & Ross, architects, with an ex- tensive business in that city.

When he came to Minneapolis the old city hall was near- ing completion, and he decided to wait until he could secure an office in that building before beginning operations here. He formed a partnership with F. B. Long, under the name of Long & Haglin, and they were associated in business three years. At the end of that period Mr. Long sold his interest in the firm to F. G. Corser, and the firm name was then elianged to Haglin & Corser, the new partnership enduring until 1879.

In that year Mr. Haglin, having found that there was a better field for him in the domain of building than in that of architecture, formed a new partnership with Charles Morse, and they immediately began contraeting and building. They erected the Globe building and the Washburn Home in 1882; had eight of the leading contracts for the construction of the new court house and city hall, and built the union station in Duluth and a number of briek structures in Brainerd.

During the construction of the Minneapolis court house and city hall Mr. Haglin severed his business connection with Mr. Morse and conducted his operations under his own name alone, Hc continued to do this until 1909, when he formed a partner- ship with B. H. Stahr, and they carried on their business under the name of the Haglin-Stahr company. During the time he was alone in business he built many of the city's prominent business and residence structures and a number of the largest grain elevators in this section of the country. Some of the larger buildings put up by him are the Sixth street addition to the Glass Block, the Northwestern Tele- phone building, the Security National Bank building, the Wyman-Partridge building, the Patterson-Stevenson building, the Minneapolis Gas Light building, the Orpheum theater, the Northwestern Miller building, the Chamber of Commerce, the Chamber of Commerce annex, the Security Warehouse, the First National Bank building, the Plaza and Radisson hotels, the Pence building at Hennepin avenue and Eighth street, the Studebaker building and the F. E. Murphy building, and there are others almost as important and imposing.

In the line of private residences this firm also has a long and impressive record of its eredit in the way of construe- tion work. Among the fine residences in and about Minne- apolis which it has erected are those of John Edwards, Frank H. Peavey, George W. Peavey, C. M. Harrington, George Partridge, L. S. Donaldson, Frank T. Heffelfinger, A. S. Brooks, Mrs. L. R. Brooks, F. B. Semple, Franklin Crosby and John Crosby, in the city proper, and those of George H. Porter, E. W. Decker and John Birkholtz at Lake Minnetonka, and that of Frank H. Peavey at Highcroft.

The list of grain elevators and warehouses built by Mr. Haglin includes the Peavey elevator in Duluth, one for the American Malting company in Chicago, one at New Ulm for the Eagle Rolling Mill company, a flour mill and elevator at Waseca, the Washburn- Crosby elevator, the Concrete elevator, . the International Sugar Feed company's house in Minneapolis, two warehouses for the J. R. Watkins company in Winona, one for the same company at Memphis, Tennessee, the Minne- apolis Sewer company's plant, a machine shop and several warehouses for the Minneapolis Threshing Machine company at Hopkins, besides many other large structures in different localities in this and neighboring states and others in other sections of the country.

Being deeply interested in the enduring welfare, rapid

O. J. Haylin

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HISTORY OF MINNEAPOLIS AND HENNEPIN COUNTY, MINNESOTA

progress and wholesome improvement of the city by both natural tendency and the character of his business, Mr. Haglin has given practical and serviceable attention to all under- takings involving or contributing to its good in any way. He is the owner of the Minneapolis Cornice and Iron Company, and is president of the Minneapolis Stone company and the Oklahoma Gipson company, of Prim, Oklahoma. He belongs to the Minneapolis, Commercial, Auto and New Athletic clubs, being a life member of the one last named. He is also a member of the Masonic Order, in which he is a Noble of the Mystic Shrine in Zurah Temple, Minneapolis. On January 22, 1880, he was united in marriage with Miss Emma R. Smith, a native of Racine, Wisconsin. They have three chil- dren, Edward, Charles F., Jr., and Preston.

Mr. Haglin's record as briefly outlined in these paragraphs is almost wholly one of results accomplished by his own efforts or under his immediate direction and supervision. But he has also been a potential force in inspiring other men to activity and achievement by his example and stimulating ad- vice and encouragement.

CURTIS L. HARRINGTON.

This estimable gentleman and excellent business man has been in business in Minneapolis for years and a resident of the city, with but temporary absences, since 1899. He was born in New Richmond, Wisconsin, April 29, 1876, and is the son of George N. and Effie M. (Lyman) Harring- ton, whose names stand high on the records of our sister state across the Mississippi. The father was a farmer and dairyman at Hayward, in Sawyer county, that state, and the mother, who was a teacher in her young womanhood, has been county superintendent of schools in that county for twenty-four years, being the oldest lady county superin- tendent in length of continuous service, it is believed, in the United States.

The son was graduated from the high school in Hayward and came to Minneapolis in 1899. Here he pursued a course of special training in a business college, and then entered the Northwestern University, at Chicago, to prepare him - self for the Christian ministry. The uncertain state of his health, however, interfered with his design in this respect, and he returned to Minneapolis and became a student in the Law Department, University of Minnesota. He worked his way through this institution, and was graduated in the class of 1904, and admitted to the bar of the State of Minne- sota in June, 1904.

He began his business career in the office of H. E. Ladd, a real estate broker, in whose employ he remained three years. He then formed a partnership with R. C. Wyvell in the same business, and this also continued three years. At the end of that period he associated himself with A. V. Skiles in the real estate and insurance business under the name of the Harrington-Skiles company, incorporated, and also engaged in the practice of law which he still continues. In 1911 Mr. Skiles withdrew from the company, and the name was changed to the Harrington Sales 'company, the one under which the business is now carried on.

This company conducts extensive operations in building and selling on a commission basis, in addition to handling its own properties. The company has erected about 240

houses, and business buildings and because of specializing in down town property handles some of the largest deals in Minneapolis.

Mr. Harrington is a member of the Minneapolis Athletic club, the Rotary club and the Minneapolis Civic and Commerce association and St. Albans Club. He also retains active mem- bership in his college fraternity and is a zealous adherent of the Masonic order. He is an ardent devotee of his busi- ness and never neglects it on any account. But he seeks relief from its burdens and cares in hunting, fishing and other out- door enjoyments when he has opportunity. He is also fond of athletic performances and always takes a cordial and help- ful interest in their promotion.

On September 2, 1903, Mr. Harrington was united in mar- riage with Miss Mary E. Willis, a daughter of H. B. Willis, president of the Brydwell Manufacturing Company of this city. Mrs. Harrington was born in Rochester, Minnesota, and educated in the Central High School and the State University. She and her husband are the parents of two sons, Wayne E. and Willis L.

LEASON EDWIN HOLDRIDGE.

This estimable gentleman, whose early death in Minne- apolis on November 27, 1889, in the forty-eighth year of his age, widely lamented, was a native of Northampton, Massa- chusetts, where his life began September 15, 1842. On June 3, 1868, he was united in marriage with Miss Sarah Parish at Poughkeepsie, New York, where she was born Decem- ber 25, 1847. They came to Minneapolis in 1881. Mr. Hold- ridge was a wholesale dealer in crockery in Poughkeepsie, and in this city returned to that line of mercantile enter- prise, although, for a short time, he was a bookkeeper in the First National Bank.

The state of his health obliged him to leave the bank, but he soon afterward took another position as bookkeeper, this time in a grocery store. A little later he became man- ager for C. W. Foss in an extensive crockery trade, and also 'conducted a real estate agency. He built a home for his family at Twenty-seventh street and Hennepin avenue, one block removed from the home of R. P. Russell, who lived at Twenty-eighth street and Hennepin avenue, there platting the Holdridge subdivision. In this home he died in 1889, as has been noted, and in 1901 his widow had a summer residence erected at Meadville, Excelsior, on Lake Minnetonka, where her life ended on February 18, 1909. They were both charter members of Lyndale Congregational church, and Mr. Holdridge was its first treasurer. After the widow's re- moval to the Lake she continued to be an active worker in this church as long as her health permitted.

Three children were born in the Holdridge household. James Parish, the only son, who was a stenographer, died at the age of twenty-seven, and Mary Dibble, in childhood. Rachel Harrington Holdridge, the only survivor of the fam- ily, remained with her mother until the death of the latter, and still resides in the home on the lake. It is beautifully located on Lake Minnetonka, about one mile distant from that village, and on the opposite side of the water.

Miss Rachel Holdridge was a charter member of the Sunday school of Lyndale Congregational church, and she is now an a'ctive member of the Excelsior church of the same denomina-

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IIISTORY OF MINNEAPOLIS AND HENNEPIN COUNTY, MINNESOTA

tion. In February 1912, in company with Miss Ella Strat- ton Molter, she established the Minnetonka circulating library at Excelsior, in rooms rented for the purpose, the ladies hav- ing their home together at the Holdridge residence. They have about 1.200 volumes in the library, and during the year and a half of its usefulness about 5,000 books have been read from it by its patrons. It was founded for the pur- pose of elevating the taste of the community, or gratifying it where it was already manifest, and is admirably filling this want. It is kept supplied with the best literature, and has become a very popular and highly esteemed social center. The ladies at the head of the enterprise are their own super- visors and conduct their business according to their own judg- ment. But they are studious of the needs of the comunmity around them and zealous in their efforts to supply them in the pleasing and beneficial line of their work. They are well esteemed for their genuine worth personally, and widely commended for their courage in undertaking a work so use- ful and attended with so much risk, as well as for the agrecable manner in which they perform the duties they have so reso- lutely taken upon themselves.

JEFFERSON M. HALE.

Jefferson M. Hale, who died in Minneapolis, October 22, 1893, at the age of sixty-five, and after a residence of over forty years in this city, was born at. Tunbridge, Orange county, Vermont, September 5, 1828, and passed his early life on a farm at Stowe in that state. In 1849 he joined a party of gold-seekers going to California, by the Cape Horn route. Soon after returning to the East two years later, he came to Minneapolis, working for Mr. Northrup and other lumbermen in the mills and at other occupations until 1868, when he joined his brother George in the dry goods business, with which he was connected to the end of his life.

George W. Hale was a merchant near Boston previous to coming to St. Anthony in 1858. He was for a time toll keeper for Captain Tapper at the bridge, and after teaching school for a time, returned to the East. In 1868 he came back to Minneapolis, and in company with his brother Jefferson opened a dry goods store on Washington avenue, be- tween Nicollet avenue and First avenue south. They soon built up a large trade which necessitated the employment of several assistants. They confined their operations to dry goods, and after some years moved to the only double store, and the largest dry goods house, in the city at Third street and Nicollet avenue. Just before the business was again removed to Fifth and Nicollet, George died, and Jefferson selected John Thomas as buyer in his place, in accordance with an arrangement previously made by George. Mr. Thomas is still carrying on the business, established forty- six years ago.

Jefferson M. Hale confined his attention exclusively to the details of the business until his death. The firm name was originally G. W. Hale & Company, finally becoming Hale, Thomas & Company. Mr. Hale took no particular interest in party politics or publie affairs. He performed all the duties of citizenship conscientiously and faithfully, but never became an active partisan or sought or desired public office. He was, however, warmly interested in the welfare of Plymouth

Congregational church to which he devoted much time and attention.

He was married in 1869 to Miss Louisa M. Herrick, daugh- ter of Nathan and Laura (Small) Herrick, both from Ver. mont. They moved to Dubuque, Iowa, in 1854, four years later coming to Minneapolis, where Mr. Herrick engaged in the marble trade, at Third street and Nicollet avenue. He died in 1892, aged eighty-five, and his widow in 1898, aged eighty-eight. Of their four children, Mrs. Hale is the only survivor. Albert passed away in 1911. George died at Monticello, Minnesota, and Rev. Henry Herrick, a Baptist minister, the oldest son, died at Granville, Ohio. Prior to his marriage to Miss Herrick, Mr. Hale was married to Miss Emeline Barrows, of Vermont, who died in Minneapolis in 1867. They had one child, Jessie, now the widow of George Tuttle, of Minneapolis. Charles S. Hale, the only child of the second marriage, is president of the Peteler Car company.

Mrs. Hale is a member of the board of directors of the Pillsbury Home, having been active in the service of that ex- cellent institution for many years. She is also a member of the Women's Christian Association, which has an oversight of the Pillsbury Home, and of other charitable and benevolent organizations, among them the Puritan Colony, and various church missions of great usefulness.

WILLARD W. MORSE.

Prior to 1880, St. Paul had practically a monopoly of the jobbing trade in this part of the country, but within the decade which began with that year, enterprising and resource- ful men put forces in motion here to build up an extensive trade of the same kind for this city. The steps taken look- ing to this end were not designed to rob the sister city of any of its trade, but to secure for Minneapolis that proportion of the wholesale trade of the Northwest to which, by her location and natural advantages, it seemed she was justly entitled. This brought about a wholesome rivalry that re- sulted in vast advantages for both cities, and for the whole Northwest, as an immediate consequence. One of the men to whom these ideas strongly appealed, and who had much to do with the results which followed, was Willard W. Morse, now president of the Security Warehouse Company, of this city. He built warehouses on an extensive scale and gave manufacturing companies in other localities space in them for the storage and exhibition of their products. From these warehouses orders were filled and deliveries made that ef- fected great savings both in time and in freight charges in the delivery of merchandise to the people of the Northwest. He visited the manufacturers at their headquarters and showed them the possibilities of trade for them in the Northwest.

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Compendium of history and biography of Minneapolis and Hennepin County, Minnesota, Part 90

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