USA > Minnesota > Polk County > Compendium of history and biography of Polk County, Minnesota > Part 41
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to O. Moreau & Son but continues to be the owner of the building in which it is located. Upon retiring from the mercantile field, his interest turned to other financial activities and in 1901, in company with A. D. Stephens, he opened the Bank of Mentor and has since given his attention to the direction of its af- fairs. In 1908 it was incorporated as the First State bank of Mentor, with a capital of $10,000. Mr. Stephens became president; Mrs. Tagley, vice presi- dent; and Mr. Tagley, cashier; in which capacity he has become well known in financial cireles through the substantial results of his management. A more exhaustive comment on the merit and activity of this institution is made elsewhere in this work. Mr. Tagley also has extensive land interests in the state, owning some two sections in Polk, Clearwater, and Rosseau counties, over one-half of which is in Polk county. All of his Polk county land is being operated by Mr. Tagley through tenants. Ilis agricultural interests have been mainly centered on grain and stock farming and he has given much attention to the improvement of stoek, keeping a high grade and breeding Holstein cattle. He has further been identified with the business interest of the community in his association with A. D. Stephens, in the estab- lishment of a ereamery in 1900. Under the manage- ment of Mr. E. Axelson, this proved a valuable enterprise to the farmers of the territory. This led to the organization of a new company upon a co- operative basis which has now ninety stockholders, of whom Mr. Tagley is one. The importance and suceess of Mr. Tagley's interests have inevitably eon- tributed with the confidenee and respeet of his fellow citizens to make him a foreeful factor in publie af- fairs. In official capacity he has served as township elerk, village president, and in other local positions
JOSEPH TAGLEY
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and was postmaster under the Cleveland adminis- tration. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, having served as Venerable Council for fifteen years. Mr. Tagley has recently made a notable addition to the residence distriet of Mentor in the fine modern home which he has erected, which in addition to its architectural attractions, is provided with all the modern conveniences with which the vil-
lage has not yet supplied its citizens, including an electric light and watering plant, power laundry, and hot water heating system. Mr. Tagley was married in 1895 to Milla Olson, of Fisher, Polk county, the daughter of Evan Olson, a retired business man of that place. They have one child, Elmer J. Tagley. Mr. Tagley and his wife are members of the Congre- gational church.
RICHARD MULCAHEY.
Having been engaged in productive, progressive and profitable farming, live stock raising and dairy- ing for sixteen years in Polk county, and having also taken a helpful part in promoting the development and improvement of the county in general and the township of Fairfax in particular, Richard Muleahey, who is now living retired in Crookston, has rendered this part of Minnesota good service and justly earned universal esteem and good will. His home farm com- prises the west half of Section 17, in Fairfax town- ship, and is just two miles southeast of the corpora- tion limits of Crookston.
Mr. Mulcahey was born about seventy-five years ago and reared in the province of Ontario, Canada, and followed farming in a general way there until 1897, when he came to Polk county. He bought 480 acres of wild prairie, paying $16 an acre for 320 aeres and $23 an acre for the other 160 acres, and going in debt for nearly all the purchase price, as his capital, consisted of three horses, two cows and less than $100 in cash. He broke up the land and began raising grain and keeping horses and cows. In time he put up comfortable buildings, and by in- dustry and good management has made it worth at least $100 an aere. He also bought a quarter seetion of land north of the city, for which he paid $7 an acre. This he broke up and improved, sunk an arte- sian well, and then sold at $23 an acre.
The stock-raising industry which Mr. Mulcahey carried on was rendered very successful and profit- able by his excellent system of operating also an
active dairying business in connection. Keeping fourteen milch cows and makes butter for private cus- tomers. His daughters became expert butter makers, and one of them took many prizes at the county fair for the best butter. The father made a specialty of having live stock of a high grade, and he also made exhibits of products at the fairs. A deep artesian well furnishes an abundant supply of excellent water for stock and other purposes. He has experienced, however, some mishaps. One season being so wet that he was unable to cut his grain and another was so that he could do no plowing at the proper time. Two crops were also destroyed by hail.
In 1913, he gave up active work and took up his residence in Crookston, where he owns a pleasant home and other valuable property. While he has always manifested a deep and serviceable interest in the welfare of his township and the county, he has had no taste for public affairs and has never dabbled in polities or sought or desired a political office. Ilis private affairs have so absorbed him that he has de- voted his time and energies to them. He is a member of the Cathedral congregation of the Catholic church.
At the age of twenty-six Mr. Mulcahey was united in marriage with Miss Mary Jordan, who was, like himself, a native of Canada. She died on the farm January 13, 1910. They were the parents of seven children, two of whom are living in Canada and four in Polk county. A daughter, Agnes, died in this county while still in her teens. The living children in Polk county are: Francis, who is managing the
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farm; Andrew, who is living with his father; Eliza, who is the widow of John Larsen and is also living
at home, and Minnie, who is the housekeeper for the family.
IGNATIUS KINGMAN.
Ignatius Kingman, of East Grand Forks, proprie- tor of the Kingman Pharmacy and one of the prom- inent and progressive business men of the county, is a native of Holland, born at Bakhuizen, in the Province of Friesland, July 3, 1865. He was edu- cated in his native land and remained there until twenty-four years of age, when he came to the United States and located in St. Paul and there fitted him- self for his subsequent successful career as druggist. In 1896 he left St. Paul for Grand Forks and spent a number of years there, employed as a prescription druggist and in 1903 removed to East Grand Forks and engaged in his present prosperous enterprise, which as the only pharmacy in that town and as one of the best equipped and most efficient in the north- west, enjoys a wide reputation and patronage which notably attests to the competence and ability of Mr. Kingman as a druggist and business man. Mr. King- man is a registered pharmacist in Minnesota and
North Dakota and has proven himself amply fitted to conduct his business interests in a manner that insures a lasting prosperity and redounds to the sub- stantial accomplishments in the community. The Kingman Pharmaey occupies a fine brick bloek and handles a complete line of drugs and the usual aeces- sory lines of the drug store, to which has recently been added an attractive stock of victrolas and sup- plies. Mr. Kingman is the secretary of the Saered Heart Catholic church of which he is a prominent and influential member. Ilis influence is readily of- fered in every activity affecting the general welfare of the community and he is a well known member in elub and fraternal circles, being affiliated with the Knights of Columbus, the Elk lodge and the Commer- cial club. His marriage to Johanna Ribbentrop, of St. Paul, occurred February 17, 1897, and they have three children, Gerhart, Josephine, who are members of the high school classes of 1916 and 1918, and Henry.
JOHN PERRY.
Although he bought the farm on which he now lives as an investment, with no intention at the time of locating on it himself, Jolin Perry, one of the prin- cipal farmers and leading citizens of Andover town- ship, soon afterward became a permanent resident of the county, and has never had occasion to regret the circumstances which induced him to do so. Ilis fine and highly improved farm is Section 15, Andover township, five miles southwest of the Crookston eourt- house, and near the Girard elevator, embraces 632 acres, the whole of the section except the railroad right of way, and is one of the most desirable in the county.
Mr. Perry was born in Polk county, Missouri, November 26, 1873, and reared on farms in Boone
and Story counties, Iowa. In 1902 he came to Polk county, Minnesota, and bought the farm on which he now lives. It had been a grain farm and possessed only a small house and other inconsiderable build- ings in the way of improvements. He intended to operate it as a tenant farm, but not being able to rent it satisfactorily he located on it himself in the spring of 1903. The land was in a foul condition, with many varieties of weeds greatly injuring the grain it produced. He paid $35 an aere for it, and he now determined to himself develop his purchase into a first-rate investment.
For four or five years he devoted his energies to raising wheat, then began the raising of live stock, corn and potatoes. Hle put fifty acres in corn and
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COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY OF POLK COUNTY
more in hay, timothy, clover and alfalfa, these being now among his principal erops. Ile also handles a great deal of young live stock and milks ten cows to supply an active dairy trade. In 1912 he erected a new eleven-room dwelling house, with full base- ment and installed an acetylene gas lighting plant. He has two barns having stabling for all stock. One of these was built in 1915, being erected as a special horse barn.
The difficulties which confronted Mr. Perry at the beginning have been removed by enterprise and de- termined industry. He has eliminated the noxious weeds and now raises excellent erops. In 1914 the yield per aere was 50 bushels of eorn, 20 bushels of wheat, 45 of oats and 20 of flax, and in 1915 his grain erops aggregated some 15,000 bushels.
Mr. Perry has spared no effort to make his farm produetive and valuable. He has dug open ditehes
through the fields and arranged to drain all pond holes. He has excellent facilities for tiling and a good outlet. He has also taken an active part in the affairs of the township, and during the last ten years has been either supervisor or township elerk. Hle was first married in Story county, Iowa, to Miss Laura Woodruff, who died in 1907, leaving five chil- dren, Clifford, Hazel, Clarence, Charles and Laura. His second marriage was with Miss Lena Grodal, a native of Norway. They have no children. Mr. Perry belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church. The present Mrs. Perry belongs to the Andover- Fairfax Ladies' elub. The latter is a social organ- ization which does a great deal to mitigate the lone- liness of farm life and furnish entertainment for its members, who are some twenty-five of the leading ladies of the two townships whose names it bears.
REVEREND WILLIAM KLINKHAMMER.
Reverend William Klinkhammer, pastor of the Sacred Heart Catholic church at East Grand Forks, is a native of Minnesota, born in Le Sueur county, April 21, 1879, the son of Peter and Louise (Wilt) Klink- hammer, who were natives of Germany. Peter Klink- hammer eame to the United States as a child and to Minnesota in 1852 and as a pioneer settler of Le Sueur county, was identified with the hardships and priva- tions of the early days and all the activities attending the organization and development of the prosperous farming community. In the troublous times of 1862 the mother suffered the loss of friends and relatives in the Sioux massaere and he gave service himself, in a Minnesota regiment, in the quelling of the uprising and was a member of the guard in charge of the thirty- eight Sioux braves at Mankato. His influence was prominent in the organization of the St. Johns Cath- olie church in his home county and in all matters of public welfare. He was elected to various offices of local importance and gave able service as a county commissioner. He is still living on the old homestead.
William Klinkhammer was reared on his father's farm and educated in St. Johns University, the leading Catholic school of Minnesota, where he was ordained in June, 1908, by Bishop Trobee of St. Cloud. His first pastorate was at Park Rapids, Minnesota, where he remained for three years, during which time the present church building was erected, and the parisli well organized for efficient service. In July, 1911, he was transferred to the Saered Heart Parish where his admirable ministrations have proven him amply quali- fied to advance the work of that already splendidly equipped organization. The Sacred Heart Parish was organized in 1893 by the Catholies of East Grand Forks and the surrounding territory and from its first establishment evideneed the vital and worthy activity which has marked its rapid growth. The loss of the newly finished ehureh building, which was ereeted through the zealous efforts of the members, by fire in 1895 only resulted in a renewed strength of purpose and from the ashes of the first structure, rose a larger and finer building. The first pastor was Father Hend-
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COMPENDIUM OF IHSTORY AND BIOGRAPHY OF POLK COUNTY
rieks, who was succeeded in 1900 by Father J. F. Greene, who served the parish until his death in Feb- ruary, 1909. It was during this period that the pres- ent parsonage was built at an expenditure of $8,000 and the furnishing of the church completed. After the death of Father Green, Father J. Hogan was put in charge and under his administration the organiza- tion of the various interests of the church advanced notably. Father Klinkhammer succeeded Father Hogan after the return of the latter to his former diocese of Duluth which had been divided in 1910 for the establishment of the see in Crookston. Father Klinkhammer combines a rarely genial and compan-
ionable personality with a marked exeentive ability which has happily forwarded and consecrated labors of his life and resulted in the inereased efficiency of the parish through the splendid parochial school which he instituted under the encouragement of Bishop Cor- bett of Crookston. The finely equipped school building was finished in September, 1912, and put in charge of seven teachers who are Sisters of St. Benedict from Villa Saneta Scholastiea, Duluth. The school now enrolls two hundred pupils and furnishes an excellent curriculum of preparatory studies for the high school. The membership of the Sacred Heart church numbers some fourteen hundred souls.
IION. TIMOTHY A. SULLIVAN.
Hon. Timothy A. Sullivan, well known real estate man of East Grand Forks and eminent citizen of Polk county has been most prominently identified with the progress and development of northern Min- nesota in the many interests of his career as business man and public spirited citizen and official. He was born at Ferguson Falls, Ontario, August 18, 1864, the son of Timothy and Honoria ( Enright) Sullivan, who were also natives of Canada. The former was born in County Lanark, Ontario, in 1829 and is one of the honored pioneers of Polk county, having been a leader among that notable band of men who by stalwart industry and enterprise laid the foundation for present prosperity. He came to Polk county in the fall of 1877 and located on land, two and a half miles northeast of East Grand Forks and also seeured elaims for four of his children, James T., who still resides on his farm; Michael, now living in East Grand Forks; Mary, who became the wife of James MeIlrath and whose death occurred some years ago, and Catherine, who married Edward Kennedy and lives at Houston, Texas. All of this land was located in the district, which upon its orgnization as a town- ship, received the name of Sullivan in recognition of the worthy services of its pioneer. His influence was ever directed to advancement of the country and he
was the first to insist upon the urgency of good roads, buying a road grader and making the first graded roads in Polk county. He was elected to various local offices and as chairman of the board of county commissioners gave able service for a nun- ber of years. The business interests of his career were devoted to his farm of four hundred and eighty aeres which he developed into one of the fine properties of the county and part of which he later gave to his sons, Timothy A. Sullivan and Edward J. Sullivan. In 1889 he retired and removed to East Grand Forks, where he is now residing, in his eighty- seventh year. The death of his wife occurred in 1906, at the age of seventy-six. Mr. Sullivan has always been an active worker in the political field and a zealous supporter of the Democratic party. He is a member of the Catholic church and was a communieant in St. Michaels church at Grand Forks until 1893 when he became a member of the congre- gation of the Saered Heart parish at East Grand Forks. Of his family of seven children, all reside in Polk county, with the exception of Catherine, and Anna, who married C. L. Cumings and lives at Great Falls, Montana. Timothy A. Sullivan was a lad of thirteen years when he accompanied the family in their removal to Minnesota and sinee that he has been
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COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY OF POLK COUNTY
allied in all the attainments and ambitious accom- plishments of his successful career with the activities of this section, worthily discharging the responsi- bilities of citizenship as exampled in the life of his senior. Ile received his early education in the schools of East Grand Forks and later matriculated in the State University of North Dakota. In 1891 in part- nership with his brother, Edward J. Sullivan, he entered the real estate and loan business in East Grand Forks. The active management of the business has always been directed by T. A. Sullivan and the firm of Sullivan Brothers is widely known as one of the most important and extensive operators in this field in northern Minnesota, their loans in the Red River valley having aggregated some two millions of dollars. They are also writers of insurance. Mr. Sullivan's real estate investments include farming lands in the far famed Red River valley and large interests in East Grand Forks, including several busi- ness buildings and a forty acre tract, known as the Lake Park addition, located in the most desirable residence part of the city and about half of which has already been transferred to private property
owners. The same competent management and honest dealing that have marked his business enterprises have combined with an aggressive zeal for the public wel- fare and progress, to render his services in public affairs of signal force and prominence. In 1893 he was called to official position by the election to the office of mayor, on the reform ticket. After holding this position for two terms, in 1895, he was appointed by Governor Clough judge of the municipal court and was retained in that capacity by the voters for seventeen years. He has also held many other offices, his effective services marking him as a leader in all matters of public progress and in the political arena, where he is a stanneh upholder of the Republican party, being an active worker in conventions as a member of the County Republican committee. He was also a member of the State Central committee, during the candidaey of Hans Jacobson for the gubernatorial election. Mr. Sullivan was married at Hastings, Minnesota, September, 1894, to Mary A. Shilling and they have five children, Linus, who is a student in the high school of East Grand Forks, Louis, Mary, Angela and Madonna.
JAMES MULLALLY.
James Mullally, of East Grand Forks, a retired railroad man and pioneer citizen, was actively asso- ciated with the development of Polk county, in the early days of railroad construction and was employed on the Great Northern road, in the vicinity of Grand Forks for almost twenty-six years. He is a native of Ireland, born in County Tipperary, July 22, 1836, and when four years of age was brought to Lanark county, Ontario. After reaching manhood he engaged in farming and in railroad work and had spent some nine years in the latter employment before coming to Polk county. On May 15, 1879, accompanied by his wife and their family of nine children, he removed to Grand Forks, where he made his home for a year, meanwhile buying a farm and taking a homestead claim in Nesbit township, about
eight miles east of East Grand Forks. In January, 1880, he entered the employ of the Great Northern railroad and. for a short time worked on the con- struction of the side tracks at Grand Forks, his experience and ability soon winning him the position of foreman over a crew of twenty men and in the following year he removed to East Grand Forks. The tracks from Fisher to the Red river had been completed and in February, 1881, after the erection of a temporary bridge, the first engine crossed the river. The crew on this historical trip were, John Burton, engineer, Peter Engles, fireman, Tom Stahl, conductor, with John Burnett and Peter Nolan, brakemen. After the completion of the main road to the river, Mr. Mullally was made foreman of a section running east of Grand Forks for six miles
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and often during the first years, personally dis- charged all the work on his section, which until the laying of new iron, required much entting and patch- ing of the track. During the summer months he was in charge of extra gangs of workmen, constructing the side tracks at various stations. Ile retired Sep- tember 9, 1897, after twenty-six years as a successful workman and efficient employee of Jas. J. Hill, the empire builder of the northwest. During these years he had thriftily availed himself of the privileges of the Employees Investment Company, Limited, which received monthly payments from the road's employees until a total deposit of $5,000 had been made and paid seven percent interest on the savings, and had also erected a pleasant home in East Grand Forks, where he is a well known and highly respected citizen. He was married to Euphemia May, on June 2, 1859, and thirteen children were born to them, of whom ten are now living. Thomas Mullally, a railroad bridge earpenter, died in Van Conver and one daugh- ter, Mary, died in her eleventh year in Ontario. The
surviving children are, Sarah, the wife of George Shannon, of Grand Forks; Daniel and Isabel, who are twins, the former, a locomotive engineer on the Great Northern road, residing at Grafton, North Dakota; and his sister, the wife of Morgan Curran, of Grand Forks, also an engineer on the Great Northern; John, of Grand Forks, and James, of Staples, Minnesota, both railroad engineers, the latter on the Northern Pacific route; Alice, the wife of Harry McNichol, the Northern Pacific station agent at Grand Forks, and a former teacher in the Polk county schools as is also her sister, Alberta, who married Gute Purcell, associated with Timothy Sulli- van in the real estate and loan business; William and Edward, residents of East Grand Forks, and Lillie, who lives at Mandan, North Dakota, the wife of Otto Wurdeman, an employee of the Northern l'acific rail- road. Mr. Mullally was one of the original members of the Sacred Heart Catholic church and is devoted to all its interests.
EDWARD A. BUCKLEY.
Edward A. Buckley, postmaster at East Grand Forks and well known citizen, is a native of Minne- sota, born at Compton, Ottertail county, July 5, 1886. His father, Hugh Buckley, was born at Chatham, New Brunswick, and was married in Maine to Catherine Moore, a native of Ireland. In 1870 they came to Minnesota and settled on a homestead in Ottertail county, where as a pioneer citizen, Mr. Buckley beeame prominently associated with public interests and was active in the organization of the township in which he lived. ITis death occurred on the old homestead in his sixty-third year. His wife survives him, making her home in East Grand Forks, where several of her children reside. Edward A. Buckley was reared on the farm and was seventeen years of age when the family removed to East Grand Forks, soon after the death of the father. IIe engaged in various employments, working in a mill Modern Woodmen of America. He was married
and with his brother, William J. Buckley, until 1906 when he secured the position of bookkeeper in the First State bank and for some six years, maintained most propitious relations with that institution, his ability being recognized with the promotion to the position of teller. During this period he spent several months in California, again taking up his work in the bank upon his return. In 1914 he received the commission to his present office, an appointment which received the hearty commenda- tion of his fellow citizens and which has been justified by the splendid efficiency of his services. Mr. Buck- ley is a Demoerat in political allegiance but party lines do not define his many friends and supporters in his home town. He is a communicant of the Sacred Heart Catholic church and in fraternal orders is affiliated with the Knights of Columbus and the
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