History of Fillmore County, Including the Explorers and Pioneers of Minnesota, Part 100

Author: Edward D. Neill
Publication date: 1882
Publisher:
Number of Pages:

USA > Minnesota > Fillmore County > History of Fillmore County, Including the Explorers and Pioneers of Minnesota > Part 100

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B. F. LANGWORTHY is a son of Cyrus Lang- worthy, a native of Windsor county, Vermont, who, after serving as a volunteer through the war of 1812, located in Richland county, Ohio, where B. F. was born on the 20th of January, 1822. He attended the schools of the native town until 1834, when his parents moved to Illinois, and in 1846, the subject of this sketch left the parental roof and engaged in mercantile pursuits in Oshkosh, Wis- consin. In 1849, he was married, at Green Bay, Wisconsin, to Miss Sarah M. Clemans, of Cleman- ville, in the latter State. The result of the union is two children; Emma C., and Forest E. They moved to Dubuque, Iowa, in 1854, from whence they came to this county in 1856, and for two years Mr. Langworthy was connected with the Banking house of Langworthy, O'Farrall & Co., in the then new village of Chatfield. He then purchased a farm in Mower county, upon which he lived until 1875. In the fall of 1859, he was elected to the Legislature, and served one term. Iu 1875, he accepted a position as Rent Agent in the R. M. S., then running between La Crosse and Winnebago City, and remained in that occupation four years. In 1880, Mr. Langworthy and his son established the "Grand Meadow Mercury" in Mower county, six months later moved to Austin and changed the name of the paper to the "Mower County Mer- cury," which they continued till April, 1882, when they returned to this county, and have since con- ducted the "Spring Valley Mercury."

S. CRIPPEN LOBDILL, one of the oldest merchants in trade here and the only one in his line of busi- ness, is a native of Ohio, where his birth occurred on the 6th of June, 1844. In 1855, the family

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moved to St. Charles, Minnesota, where they were pioneers, and his father's was the first death of an adult person in the place. After that Crippen returned with his mother to Ohio, enlisted in the Twenty-fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Company G, and served sixteen months. After his discharge he returned to St. Charles, and in 1863, went to Wabasha county, where he was employed in a hardware store. On the 8th of September. 1865, he was joined in matrimony with Miss Josephine Farnam. They had seven children, six of whom are living. In 1868, Mr. Lobdill came to this place and opened his present hardware store, in which business he has since continued aud has a good trade. He also owns a fine brick residence in the village.

MATHEW R. LONG is a native of Centre county, Pennsylvania, born on the 20th of June, 1822. In 1837, the family moved to Venango county, where Mathew was engaged in the manufacture of iron furnaces until 1860, then devoted his time to farm- ing. He was married on the 26th of March, 1846, to Miss Abigail J. Craig. They came to this place in July, 1866, and located in section eight, where Mr. Long has since resided. His wife died on the 12th of February, 1880, leaving a family of nine children. What Mr. Long regards as a remark- able coincidence occurred a few years ago. On the 31st of July, 1875, just nine years in the same hour from the date of his arrival here, bis house ; caught fire and was destroyed with a large por- tion of its contents, but with commendable energy, Mr. Long was living in a new house in just eight days after.

W. LouCKS was born in Schoharie county, New York, on the 27th of June, 1822. His father died a few weeks before our subject was born, and when he was ten years old he began working for farmers, and also learned the shoemaker's trade. In 1843, he came to Wisconsin, and the following year bought a farm in Walworth county. He was mar- ried on the 13th of September, 1844, to Miss Lulan L. Conable. Mr. Loucks was employed on the railroad two years, afterward farmed, and in 1861, enlisted in the Thirteenth Wisconsin Volun- teer Infantry, Company C, and served three years and ten months. In 1866, he came to Fillmore county and located in Sumner township, driving. from his former home in Walworth county. In 1867, he bought a farm of wild land in this town- ship, but now has it well cultivated. Mr. Loucks

has been a member of the board of Supervisors for the past two years and held other local offices. Mr. and Mrs. Loucks have had nine children, seven of whom are living.

M. LAWRENCE was born in Jefferson county, New York, on the 10th of December, 1843. When young he learned the harness maker's trade, at which he was engaged and finally opened a shop in his native county. In 1860, he came to . Minnesota and opened a shop at Frankford, Mower county, and in 1879, erected his prosent store in this place, where he has since carried on his business. Mrs. Lawrence was formerly Miss Hulda A. Boyer. They have had nine children, seven of whom are living.

RUSSELL L. MOORE, M. D., is a native of Ohio, born in Monntville, Geauga county, on the 31st of December, 1843. When he was nine years old his parents moved to Michigan, and soon after to Grant county, Wisconsin, where he attended school, finally entering the Platteville Academy. In 1861, he enlisted in the Seventh Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, serving till the close of the war, a period of four years. His regiment was a part of the well known "Iron Brigade" of the Army of the Potomac, and he was promoted to the rank of Adjutant. Was wounded at the battle of Spott- sylvania Court House on the 12th of May, 1864, and confined in the hospital at Philadelphia four months. On receiving his discharge he returned to Wisconsin and studied medicine at Platteville under George W. Sartman, M. D., finally graduat- ing from the Rush Medical College, Chicago, in 1869. He was married on the 17th of October, 1867, to Miss Elizabeth Howdle. Immediately after completing his studies Dr. Moore came to this county and engaged at his profession in Forestville until 1871, then came here where he has a good practice. He was a candidate for the State Legislature iu 1875 and 1878, on a Republican ticket in a Democratie district, being first beaten by a Democrat and next by a Greenbacker. The Doctor thinks that he has had enough of politics, and now devotes his whole time and mind to his profession. Has filled the office of Corresponding Secretary of the State Medical Society, and Chair- man of the Committee on Surgery, and is now President of the Fillmore County Medical Society.

M. E. MOLSTAD, son of Elling and Ragnild Nil; son, was born in Louthul, Granpaa, Haadeland, on the 16th of October, 1852. At the age of four

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years his mother died, leaving him in the care of his father who was then seventy-three years old, our subject being the only child of the third mar- riage. When eight years old his father died, leav -. ing him with but $30 as his share of the estate. He lived with his step-brother for a time, and at the age of fifteen years came to America, arriving at Winona on the 24th of June, 1867, a poor, friendless boy. He soon found a farmer of his own nationality, and with him he rode into the country where he soon found employment with Gilbert Gilbertson in the town of Fremont. Dur- ing the following winter he went to an English school, working mornings and evenings for his board. He worked at farm labor the following summer, then again attended a country school, and subsequently the graded school at St. Charles, Winona county. He continued for three years, attending school, and working during vacations, to earn money with which to purchase books and clothes. In the fall of 1871, he came to Spring Valley and clerked in the store of C. W. Taylor until the fall of 1872, when he entered the La Crosse Business College, but was taken sick at the end of eight weeks, and compelled to return to Spring Valley. He then resumed work for Mr. Taylor, continuing in his employ and that of his successors in business, until forming a partnership with K. O. Hjelle, and engaging in the mercantile business. The latter soon after sold to E. Torgrim- son, and the firm is now doing a good business with a capital invested of about $8,000. Mr. Mol- stad was married in the fall of 1872, to Carrie Hanson, who died of consumption after ne.irly four years of wedded life, leaving two children. After being a widower eight months, he was united in marriage with his former wife's sister, Miss Anne Christine Hanson. Two children have been born of this union, but one of whom is living.

W. W. MORDOFF is a native of Ohio, born in Wyoming county, on the 14th of June, 1819. He attended school in the village of Perry, and in 1835 moved to Crawford county, Penn- sylvania, with his parents, and there learned the carpenter trade. He was married on the 2d of October, 1845, to Miss Esther Rounds. Of three children born to them, one is living. Mr. Mordoff moved with his family to this township in 1864, and purchased a farm which his son operates, he working at his trade in the village. Since 1872, he has been with Whitman & Brown, general con-

tractors. Mr. Mordoff is one of the leading mem- bers of the Methodist church, and has been class leader for the past seventeen years.

F. M. MILLER was born in Tioga county, Pennsylvania, on the 20th of December, 1853. When he was about nine years old, his parents came to Wisconsin, but returned to Pennsylvania the following year. During the war, they came again to Wisconsin, and opened a store in Colum- bia county. F. M. attended the State University at Madison, and in 1872, clerked in a store in Mil- waukee. He then returned to his home, and went into business with his father, under the firm name of H. F. Miller & Son, but a year later the former sold his interest to a Mr. Morse. In 1875, Mr. Miller again engaged with his father, in this place, continued five years, then bought him out, and now does an extensive business in the dry goods line. He was married on the 9th of May, 1877, to Miss Nettie Jones. The union has been blessed with one child.

H. W. MINOTT was born in Worcester county, Massachusetts, on the 15th of June, 1825. At the age of twenty-one years he moved to Niles, Michigan, then to Illinois, and thence to Sheboy- gan, Wisconsin. He was married in the latter place to Miss Elmira Hill, the ceremony taking place on the 20th of November, 1856. At the be- ginning of the war, they moved to Sparta, in the same State, where Mrs. Minott died in 1865, leav- ing two children, both of whom are now dead. His present wife was formerly Eliza Kendall. In 1870, Mr. Minott came to this place and opened a small stock of furniture, to which he has since added, and now does a good business.

WILLIAM MASON was born in Crawford county, Pennsylvania, on the 2d of April, 1850. When he was fifteen, he removed with his parents to Decorah, Iowa, and resided with them over four years. He worked at the carpenter trade at that place until 1878, then came to Spring Valley and followed the same trade, contracting and by the day. He was married on the 18th of November, 1873, to Miss Amanda Payne. This union has been blessed with two children.

JOHN W. MCNEELY was born in Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania. His parents moved to Dauphin county in the same State, and when John was eleven years old they came to Bureau county, Illinois, and in 1854, to Carimona town- ship, and located in Waukokee, where they were

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among the first settlers. In 1862, John enlisted in the Seventh Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, serving for three years in Company E, and taking part with Gen. Sibley on the plains, and then went South. He returned to Carimona, and on the 4th of March, 1866, married Miss Hester Ann Kingston. He remained on his father's farm one year, visited Missouri and Arkansas a few months, and then purchased a farm in Preston, where he lived until 1876, when he came here and located on his present farm in section thirty.

L. J. ODELL, one of the enterprising citizens of this town, was born in New York on the 11th of December, 1825. About 1830. his parents moved to what is now Chicago, Illinois, later they located about twelve miles north of there, where L. G. lived until twenty-five years old, and worked on a farm and at the carpenter trade. In 1846, he married Miss Mary Taylor. Four years later he came to Dodge county, Wisconsin, where he was engaged on a farm until 1856, when he came to Racine, Mower county, and gave his attention to the same employment. In 1868, he removed to his present farm in section four, which he had previously bought. He purchased a saw-mill and run it sev- eral years, and has since burned large quantities of lime and brick, and is also engaged in farming. He is the father of eleven children, eight of whom are living.

LUTHER PAYNE, who is a son of Almond Payne, is a native of Massachusetts, born on the 9th of October, 1815. He brought his family to this county in 1864, and located in Sumner township. Luther resided with his parents on a farm until after his marriage, which took place on the 3d of July, 1874, his bride being Miss Melissa Farnsworth. The following year he came to this place, and under the firm name of Payne Brothers, was in the livery business two years, then established a mer- cantile house, which is one of the principal busi- ness places in the village. He is also interested in livery business, the firm name being Payne Broth- ers & Ashly. Mr. and Mrs. Payne have a family of four children.

C. H. PFREMMER was born in New York City, where his father was engaged in the manufacture of boots and shoes. In 1856, he came with bis parents to this county and they took land in Cari- mona, section thirty-five, lived twenty years, then removed to Preston where his father still resides. On the . 29th of March, 1862, he married Miss

Sarah C. Smith. The union has been blessed with two children, both boys. In 1862, he enlisted in the Seventh Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, Com- pany E, and served through the Sibley campaign against the Indians, then went South, and was honorably discharged in 1865. He returned to Carimona and two years later came to this place. He is a contractor and builder.

W. A. POTTER was born in Lake county, Ohio, on the 2d of November, 1834, and reared on a farm. When seventeen years old he learned the moulder's trade, and three years later the machin- ists trade, at which he worked two years in Paynesville, Ohio. He was joined in marriage, on the 8th of May, 1856, with Miss Eliza M. Brown, of Hiram, Ohio. One year later they came to Spring Valley. In 1867, he, with W. H. Lloyd, started a foundry on a small scale, building the engine from castings received from Rochester, Minnesota. His health failing, in 1868, he re- turned to Ohio, remained about five years then returned here and has since been identified with the manufacturing interests of the town. He is owner and proprietor of the North Star Iron Works. Mr. and Mrs. Potter have had four chil- dren, two of whom are living.

ANDREW PRYTS was born in Sweden on the 28th of March, 1841. He came with his parents to Ameri- ca in 1853, and located in Chautauqua county, New York, where his father and mother still live. He learned the miller's trade and worked at it in different parts of the State. On the 16th of Oc- tober, 1867, he was joined in marriage with Miss Adaline Esty. In 1868, he came to Spring Val- ley and bought a mill site of William S. Hill, in section seventeen, on which he built a mill the fol- lowing year. The firm name is Pryts & Esty, and it is called the "Empire Mill." Mr. Pryts carries on the business, as his partner lives in Ohio. They had one child, Mattie, who died in 1881.

O. H. ROSE was born in Herkimer county, New York, on the 25th of November, 1836. In 1847, he came to Wisconsin and made that State his home until 1853, then went to Pennsylvania, re- mained three years, and returned to Wisconsin where he was engaged on a farm with his father. In 1860, he removed to Spring Valley, and on the 31st of December, 1862, was united in marriage with Miss Urania M. Root, a daughter of Orlin Root, one of the old settlers. He has since made his home principally on his father-in-law's home-

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stead. He was Justice of the Peace from 1864 to 1866, Assessor for six years, and County Commis- sioner three years. Mr. and Mrs. Rose have had six children, five of whom are living.

HENRY SCHRAUT was born in Germany, on the 13th of May, 1840. When he was twelve years old his father died, and in 1854, they emigrated to America, located for a short time in New York, then came to Brownsville, Houston county, Minne- sota, where he engaged in farming. He was a pioneer in that place and endured all the hard- ships peculiar to that life. In 1856, he removed to Caledonia where he learned the shoemaker's trade and worked at it two years, then went to St. Louis, Missouri, and in four years came back to Brownsville and soon to New Albin, Iowa, where he was engaged in a bakery and restaurant until 1879. He then came here and opened his present store, consisting of a bakery, restaurant, and gro- ceries. He married Christine Erstine, a native of Germany. They have had eight children, six of whom are living.

DRYDEN SMITH was born in Pike county, Ili- nois, on the 10th of March, 1826. His father, John M. Smith, was of Scotch-Irish blood, and a native of Pennsylvania, born in the Susquehanna Valley, in 1782. The father of the latter moved into and settled in Bourbon county, Kentucky, in the spring of 1785, where the boy, John M., grew to manhood and obtained a good education for those early frontier times. With some other young Kentuckians in 1804, he accompanied Lewis and Clark from St. Louis to Council Bluffs in their expedition to Oregon. He was intended by his father for the legal prosession but had military aspirations which the times and society in which he lived was well calculated to keep alive. He raised a company of Tennessee Riflemen and stood at their head at the battle of New Orleans, and after the close of the war of 1812, was for five years a Captain in the regular army, assist- ing in building Forts Rock Island and Peoria. In 1822, he settled on a farm in the Mis- sissippi bottom, in Pike county, Illinois, and married Mrs. Nancy Ward, a widow and the mother of three children. He commenced business at Galena Illinois, in the fall of 1827, and moved his family there in 1828. In the spring of 1830, he rode on horseback from Galena across the uninhabited prairies of Illinois to his brother's, twenty miles east of Vincennes, Indiana,

where he was attacked with a fever and died on the 18th of July, 1830. He was a kind husband, an affectionate father, a brave soldier, a lover of his country, a democrat, and a hater of aristo- cracy. Frances Smith, the mother of Dryden Smith, was of Scotch ancestry; her father was Abijah Smith, and her mother, Susannah Wilkin- son. She was born in Saratoga county, New York, on the 15th of March, 1796. She left Al- bany in May, 1817, and arrived in Illinois, which was then a territory, in September of the same year. After her husband's death she returned with her children to the old farm in Pike county, Illi- nois, where she reared them to majority, prepared their meals, made their clothing, watched over and nursed them in sickness, and was their moral, re- ligious, and intellectual educator. She was a mother. She died on the 2d of January, 1877. Dryden Smith, the subject of this sketch, was the fifth child and fourth son of his mother's family. He spent the springs, summers, and autumns of his boyhood in cultivating the old farm, and the winters in studying at home or going to school, obtaining a passable English education. In 1842, he helped a neighbor, who had a contract to fur- nish the garrison at Forts Crawford and Snelling with beef, to drive a herd of cattle from near St. Louis to Prairie du Chien. During the trip he saw much of the then wild but beautiful country of northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin. He began the study of law in 1848, and voted the free soil ticket for President. He married on the 29th of September, 1849, Miss Elizabeth A. Hines. His health failed on account of too close confinement to books during the winter of 1848 and '49. To restore it he discontinued study and in 1850 and '51, engaged in farming. In 1852, he started north to find a country with less fever and ague than Illinois, visited St. Paul and traveled over the then sparsely settled counties of northeast Iowa, and in July of the same year examined the part of Fillmore county which now constitutes the towns of Newburg, Canton, and Bristol. Mr. Smith settled in Decorah, Iowa, in the fall of 1853, was admitted attorney and counselor at law in the spring of 1854, and commenced the practice of that profession in connection with a land deal- ing business, though spending much of his time as an active assistant of the great statesman, Sen- ator Grimes, in his fight with the then pro-slavery democracy of Iowa. Mr. Smith settled in Spring Valley in 1860, a place he had visited in 1853

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and to which he had directed many of its first settlers. A few days after his arrival in this place, Mr. Wm. H. Seward was defeated at Chicago, which Mr. Smith deems the basest act of ingrati- tude ever done by an assembly of men claiming to have honor and to love their country and liberty. Much of faith, hope and strength went out of him when Seward was, as he termed it, "assig- nated" at Chicago. He continued to vote the re- publican ticket up to 1868, but was never, after Seward's defeat, an ardent republican worker. He was Judge of Probate of Fillmore county from 1863 to 1870. When he heard of Grant's nomi- nation for President in 1868, he left the republican party for all time. He is now engaged in the practice of law and farming.

FRANK J. SMITH was born in Caledonia county, Vermont, on the 18th of June, 1849. . When six- teen years old he removed with his parents to Or- leans county where he was reared as a farmer. In 1867, the family removed to this town and bought a wild farm on section twenty. He as- sisted his father until twenty-one years of age since which time he has conducted the farm, which is well improved and has good substantial build- ings. His father died on the 30th of June, 1877. Mr. Smith was united in marriage, on the 28th of October, 1879, with Miss Hattie N. Harris. They have two daughters.

W. H. STRONG, the pioneer of Carimona village, and one of the successful business men of the county, was born in Susquehanna county, Penn- sylvania, on the 23d of February, 1827. The fam- ily soon moved to Bradford county, where W. H. grew to manhood. When sixteen years old he learned the cabinet-maker's trade, at which he worked four years. In 1851, he was married to Miss Phoebe M. Jaques. Three years after they re- moved to Carimona, Minnesota. They lived under the wagon cover the first summer, then he built a house and store, the first on the town site. He put in the first stock of goods there. In 1855, he erected a hotel, which became known in early days as the "Carimona House. In 1855, and '56, he was appointed Sheriff of the county. One year later he built the "old brick store" in Carimona, which still stands as a monument to his energy. In 1868, he put in a stock of goods in Lanesboro, valued at $30,000, and in 1872, opened a store in Florence, Iowa, which he still runs. He was & resident of Carimona as a merchant, farmer, and

capitalist, until- 1876, when he removed to Penn- sylvania, but returned tn 1880, and located in Spring Valley. In January, 1882, he became a member of the banking firm now known as Strong & Farmer, of this place. He has filled many local and county offices. His brick residence is one of the most beautiful in Fillmore county.

D. A. SULLIVAN was born in Fauquier county, Virginia, on the 24th of June, 1845. When four- teen years old he commenced to work at the har- ness-maker's trade in Baltimore, worked there four years, and in Washington, D. C., two years. In 1865, he went to St. Louis, and the following year came to Minnesota, in the southern part of which he worked until 1869, then came to this place and oponed a shop, which he still conducts. Has been Chairman of the village Council two years, and a member of the same for four years. On the 8th of May, 1870, he married Miss Catherine Mountin. They have five children, all girls.

E. STEFFENS, one of the pioneers of Sumner, was born in Canada on the 4th of January, 1828. Ten years later he removed to Illinois with his parents, and lived on his father's farm until twenty-one years old, then went to Wisconsin and engaged in the manufacture and sale of lumber, at which he worked six years. In 1855, he came to Sumner, and took one hundred and sixty acres of land in section thirty, on which he lived until 1874, when he sold his farm and moved to this village. He has since retired from a very active life, and has a large brick house with finely kept grounds. He was united in marriage, on the 30th of June, 1869, with Miss Susan M. Johnston, a native of Canada.

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History of Fillmore County, Including the Explorers and Pioneers of Minnesota, Part 100

Author: Edward D. Neill Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Number of Pages:

Author: Edward D. Neill
Publication date: 1882
Publisher:
Number of Pages: