USA > Minnesota > Freeborn County > History of Freeborn County, Minnesota > Part 24
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94
IV Second Battery, Light Artillery-Henry A. Symonds, cor- poral : Edward D. Rogers, artificer ; privates, Carlos Dimick, Will- iam M. Preston.
Independent Battalion Cavalry-Co. B-Privates, Charles Hutchins, Elias Hoyt.
Ninth Infantry-Co. C-Francis Merchant, first lieutenant ; Y private. Silon William's.
. Brackett's Battalion, Cavalry-Co. B-Isaac Botsford.
: Eleventh Infantry-Martin Olson.
FIFTEENTH WISCONSIN INFANTRY.
In addition to those who enlisted in Minnesota regiments in 1861. there were thirty-six Norwegians who went to Wisconsin to
5
27
217
HISTORY OF FREEBORN COUNTY
go into a regiment of their own nationality there. In order to get, if possible, these names, a letter was directed some thirty years ago to Chandler P. Chapman, at that time assistant adjutant general of Wisconsin, who, in reply submitted the names found in the list of soldiers credited from Freeborn county as far as they were recorded. He mentioned that it is not unlikely that others may have gone into other regiments.
The following are names of Freeborn county men who enlisted in the Fifteenth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry : Mons Grinager, captain ; Ole Peterson, first lieutenant ; Ellend Erickson, second lieutenant; Jens Jacobson, sergeant ; Olaus Solberg, second lieu- tenant ; Tosten Erickson, sergeant ; N. Pederson, corporal ; Ole N. Danenen, corporal. Privates-Halver Aslakson, Peder Bjuth, Christian Gulbrandson, Peder Hulgerson, Lars Jargenson, Chris- topher Johnson, Andreas Madison, Gullbrand Olson, Helge Olson, Huagen Pederson, Iver Olson, Rollof Tykeson, Elling Ellingson, Ole Evanson, Engrebet Amundson, Ole Everson, Lars Halverson, Ole T. Jenson, Jens Jensen, Iver Jacobson, Nils Nilson, Knud Olson, Jacob Olson, Lars Sebjornson, Peter Peterson, August Peterson, K. O. Bagaasen, Jee 1801
Battle Scarred Relic .- In December, 1862, the ladies of Free- born county purchased in an eastern city a regulation flag of fine material and best workmanship. A delegation carried it to Fort Snelling, and in their behalf Francis Hall, of Albert Lea, with pertinent and patriotic words, presented it to Co. F, of the Fifth Regiment Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, which was composed largely of Freeborn county men. It was gallantly received in behalf of the company by Captain White. This relic was carried through the war and is still preserved in the Freeborn county court house. The flag bears the following inscription: "Pre- sented to Co. F, Fourth Regiment Minnesota Volunteers by the ladies of Freeborn county, Minnesota. Siege of Corinth, Iuka, Corinth, Forty Hills, Raymond Jackson, Champion Hills, Vicks- burg, Missionary Ridge, Allatoona, Savannah." The names of the volunteer members of Co. F, which appear on a card which accompanies the flag are as follows: Captain, Asa W. White; first lieutenant, Wm. F. Wheeler ; second lieutenant, James Drys- dale; first sergeant, Adrian K. Norton; sergeants, Osborne J. Wheeler, Hannibal Bickford, Reuben Williams, Frank B. Fobes ; corporals, Loren Blackmer, Justice C. Stearns, Timothy J. Shee- han, Enoch Croy, Jeremiah Fredenburg, Richard A. White, Perry H. Jewett, Erastus D. Porter ; musicians, Henry House, John Pease ; wagoner, John Cottrell; privates, Chas J. Allen, Benj. B. Baker, Robert W. Beebe, Chas. Bromwick. Harrison Buckley, Joseph W. Burdick, Geo. Callahan; Henry Carroll, John Cooney, Jacob Croy, Almon II. Cottrell, Fredrick L. Cutler, Horace L.
13 2
31
218
HISTORY OF FREEBORN COUNTY
Dow, Francis E. Drake, Lucas Echart, John Eickler, Ole L. Elling- son, Elias Farr, Wm. Fenholt, Jacob C. Frost, Mahlon Frost, Geo. W. Gile, Philip Gunnup, Barhart Habercrom, Wm. S. Hand, Wm. Hanson, Benj. H. Hathaway, John D. Hochstraser, Chester Hol- comb, Benj. J. House, Chas. P. Hubbard, Joseph A. Knapp, Henry R. Loomis, Wm. H. Lovell, Luther J. Lovell, Milton M. Luce, Alexander Morrell, Joseph Myers, Chas. C. Parirn, Orville F. Peck, Wm. C. Peck, Chas. Pillar, Geo. Querner, Richard S. Reeves, Michael Riley, Ira O. Russel, John Ryan, Stillman Sanders, Nich- olas T. Sargent, Chas. Scofield, Geo. Scofield, Martin L. Scofield, James Shields, Thomas Smith, Geo. C. Snyder, Thomas F. Sturte- vant, Alfred L. Taylor, Phineas Taylor, Wm. Oscar Ward, Chas. White, Wm. B. Walker, Geo. Winchell, Henry W. Woodworth, August Wishman, John Aylesburg, Job Arnold, John Baddorf, Michael Brazil, Freeman Brown, Levi Chase, Hans Chynous, Francis E. Collins, Timothy Canant, Chas. ,M. Eggleston, Mathias Eis, Andrew Erickson, Israel D. Felton, Dudley K. Gordon, Wm. H. Hill. Henry Holt, John Hughes, Benj. F. S. Ives, John, W. Kelly, John G. Renyon, Benj. Ketzback, Andrew Knudson, John Kruer, Andrew Languest, R. B. Langdon, Gardner Louden, John N. Morrell, Barney Neis, Wm. Nicholson, Wm. A. Parry, Orra F. Perkins, Jerry J. Perkins, Henry . Rathwell, Michael Schneider, Farmer Shaw, Jacob Steinmetz, Willard .B. Stratton, Chas. B. Swain, Albert B. Sweet, Hamilton J. Teed, John Thomas, Nathan M. Thomas, John Turner, Peter Volk, Frederick S. Woodward, John Geissler.
Siege of Ft. Ridgley .- The story of the gallant defense of Ft. Ridgley by Lieut. Timothy J. Sheehan and his brave band, has many times been told, and is a part of the history of Minnesota rather than that of Freeborn county. But in order that the names of the brave soldiers, mostly from Freeborn county, who assisted in that defense may be preserved, there is here appended the list of the members of Co. C, Fifth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, present at the siege, as furnished by Colonel Sheehan in after years. At the time of the attack on the fort, August 20, 1862, the command under Lieutenant Sheehan consisted of Co. B, 60 men. 51 effective; Co. C, 50 men, all effective ; Renville Rangers and citizens, 50 men ; orderly sergeant, 1 man ; sutler, 1 man. Total effective men first day's fight, August 20, 153 men under arms.
Co. C-T. J. Sheehan. F. A. Blackmer, John P. Hicks, A. M. Chamberlain, Z. C. Butler, John C. Ross, Wm. Young, Dennis Porter, Edward D. Brooks. James M. Brown, Joel Bullock, S. P. Beighley, Z. Chute, S. Cook, Charles E. Chapel, Chas. H. Dills, Daniel Dills, S. W. Dogan. Lyman A. Eggleston, Halvor Ellefson,
219
HISTORY OF FREEBORN COUNTY
Chas. J. Grandy, Mark M. Greer, Andrew Gulbrandson, Jerome P. Greene, A. R. Grout, James Honan, Philo Henry, Chas. Dills. Lyman C. Jones, Andrew J. Luther, Nicholas I. Lowthian, Frank M. McReynolds, Dennis Morean, Orland McFall, James H. Mead, John D. Miller, Peter Nisson, John McCall, Andrew Peterson, Ed. Roth, C. O. Russell, Charles A. Rose, B. F. Ross, Walter S. Russell, J. M. Rice, Isaac Shortledge, Josiah Weekley, Geo. Wig- gins, James M. Ybright, D. N. Hunt, L. H. Decker.
Martin V. Kellar has written the following description of war conditions in Freeborn county :
The Rebellion was a very sad and gloomy period for the people of Freeborn county. She was yet but thinly settled and in fact did not know prosperity until after the close of that fearful struggle. Their nearest market was yet at points on the Missis- sippi river, mainly McGregor, Ia., 140 miles away. All goods received and produce marketed was over roads much of the time well-nigh impassable owing to many sloughs not bridged. Prices of provisions of all kinds during the whole of that period were extremely low. At no time could wheat, our main product, be sold in Albert Lea for more than 75 cents per bushel, and dressed pork was hauled and sold in Red Wing during the fall of 1862 for $2.25 per hundredweight, while goods of all kinds reached almost prohibitive prices-green tea, $2.20 per pound, coffee 60 to 80 cents, coarse salt $7.00 per barrel, kerosene oil, very poor quality, 60 cents, best 90 cents per gallon, while cotton goods reached almost beyond vision, common calico 50 to 60 cents per yard, cotton sheeting of the most frail quality 85 cents per yard, and other things in proportion.
When it came to the' sinews of war, Freeborn county made a noble sacrifice as nearly all of her able-bodied men wore the blue. In a radius of five miles of her county seat but five men who could have passed a medical examination remained at home. Co. F, Fourth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry and Co. C, Fifth Minne- sota Volunteer Infantry were almost wholly from this county, while Co. E, Tenth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry and Co. C, First Minnesota Heavy Artillery, were mostly from Freeborn county, and quite a company of sturdy Norwegians, filled with love for their adopted country, enlisted in a Wisconsin regiment which was composed almost wholly of this liberty-loving race. The worry and anxiety at home was most keenly felt, and they were intensified by our slow communications, as all mail in the whole state was yet at the mercy of the slow stage coach. St. Paul dailies, our only source of news, were three days old when received, and that but three times per week via Austin.
Albert Lea was the news distributing point for the whole county and when that mail was due, people were sure to be on
220
HISTORY OF FREEBORN COUNTY
hand intently listening for the blast of the big tin stage horn, always given at the old dam. Postmaster Samuel Eaton would hastily open the mail and call out the names on the letters, when "Here," "Here," would be heard throughout the throng. One would take his neighbor's mail if not present, as quickly as his own, and seldom indeed would the postmaster have a letter left to place in the call box.
In August, 1862, the Sioux war began. Thought many of our first settlers were used to the Indian they had never known him as a blood-thirsty demon. Fear was depicted on many faces and their timidity was intensified by outrageous exaggerations and falsehoods, and seeing so many fleeing, had no quieting effect on the timid. News reached here that New Ulm and Mankato had been taken, Blue Earth City and Winnebago City were in ashes, and all whites in those places were slain. The old Blue Earth road was the biggest thoroughfare it had even been. For two days there was almost an unbroken caravan-wagons, loose cattle, sheep, dirty, half-clad women and children lined the road.
It seemed as if there were enough men on that road alone, had they had the courage of an Albert Lea bird-dog, to have held the whole Sioux tribe in check. Armstrong had suddenly been placed beyond the pale of the white man-not a white family to be found this side of the Pacific. Many of those refugees were in a really deplorable condition. The noble people of Albert Lea, ever considerate to the needy and afflicted, furnished clothing and provisions to many. A large portion were leaving never to return, but so far as nearly all were concerned it was only "an Indian scarce, " as but very few indeed of those who came through here had been in any. danger, as no Indians appeared near their neighborhood. None, so far as known, left our county, but many had "picked up their things to go."
GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC.
Robson Post, No. 5, G. A. R., was instituted in the winter of 1880, and was named in honor of Capt. James A. Robson, of Co. E, Tenth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry. The present officers are: Commander, D. R. P. Hibbs ; senior vice commander, Alex. McNeill ; junior vice commander, W. J. Horning ; quartermaster, Ellend Erickson; adjutant, C. B. Kellar; surgeon. Myron Rey- nolds; chaplain, A. J. Luther ; officer of the day, H. H. Lukins ; officer of the guard, H. H. Freeman.
The following veterans have been members of the Post ; «James Q. Annis, Company B, Seventy-second New York ; Andrew Anderson, Company G, Twelfth Indiana : Arne Anderson, Com- pany F. Seventy-fifth Iowa; John Anderson, Co. G, Eighteenth Wisconsin : Gilbert Barden (D), Company E, Tenth Minnesota ;
221
HISTORY OF FREEBORN COUNTY
August Bremer, Company B, Third Iowa; George A. Boye, Com- pany A, Fifteenth Wisconsin; H. Bickford (D), Company F, Fourth Minnesota ; Simon Beighley, Company C, Fifth Minne- sota ;Isaac Botsford (D), Company B, Brackett's Battalion, Cavalry; Woren Blackmer, Company F, Fourth Minnesota; Robert H. Boen, Company E, Tenth Minnesota ; Horatio D. Brown & (D), Company C, Fifth Minnesota; Frank A. Blackmer (D), ~ Company C, Fifth Minnesota ; George H. Briggs (D), Company I, Eighteenth Wisconsin; David TiColvin, Company H, First Min- nesota Mounted Rangers ; Benjamin H. Conklin (D), Company I, Thirty-seventh New York; Seward H. Cady(D), Company C, Forty-first Wisconsin; H. A. Crandall, Company C, First Minne- sota ; Jeremiah Callihan, Company C, First Minnesota Heavy Artillery , John B. Claybourn, Company. E, One Hundred Thirty- sixth Illinois ; Albert C. Chapman, Company A, Second Wiscon- sin ; Edward Cook (D), Company E, Thirty-third Wisconsin ; E. F. Connor, Company E, One Hundred Thirty-fourth . Illinois ; F. W. Drake, Company L, First Minnesota Heavy Artillery ; Francis D. Drake, Company E, Sixteenth Wisconsin; H. M. Davis (D), Company C, Second Minnesota Cavalry ; D. Dills (D), Company C, Fifth Minnesota; C. H. Dills, Company C, Fifth Minnesota ; Charles Dills (D), Company C, Fifth Minnesota; John A. Dahl (D), M. M. Dodge (D), Company D, Fortieth Wisconsin ; Joseph D. Dudley (D), Company C, First Minnesota Heavy Artillery ; Elling Ellingson (D), Company F, Fifteenth Wisconsin ; Ellend Erickson, Company K, Fifteenth Wisconsin; Ole I. Ellingson (D), Company F, Fourth Minnesota ; Ole Evanson, Company K, Fifteenth Wisconsin; Jacob C. Frost, Company F, Fourth Minne- sota ; A. R. Foster, Company F. Twenty-first Iowa; F. B. Fobes (D), Company F, Fourth Minnesota ; Wm. Fenholt (D), Company F, Fourth Minnesota ; O. B. Fobes, Company M, Fourth Wiscon- sin; H. H. Freeman, Company K, Thirty-first Wisconsin; C. H. Farnsworth, Ninety-sixth New York; Victor Gillrup, Company G, First New York; G. Gulbrandson (D)} Company G, Twenty- first Iowa; G. W. Geesey (D), Company A, Thirteenth Iowa ; John M. Geissler (D), Company F, Fourth Minnesota; J. G. God- ley, Company C, Fifth Minnesota ; Elbridge F. Gage, Company K, Eighth Illinois; W. A. Higgins, Company A, Thirty-ninth Wis- consin ; D. W. Hayes (D), Sixth Wisconsin; Thomas I. Holton, Company A, Nineteenth Wisconsin; H. A. House (D), Company F, Fourth Minnesota; G. A. Hauge, Company G, Twelfth Iowa; David R. P. Hibbs (D), Company F, One Hundred and Fourth Pennsylvania ; William J. Horning, Company C, Fifth Minnesota ; Patrick Honan, Company F, Seventy-fifth Illinois; Orville D. Hudson (D), Company E, Thirty-fourth Illinois; John Isacson, Company A, Sixteenth Iowa; Gunvold Johnsrud, Company C,
222
HISTORY OF FREEBORN COUNTY
First Iowa; John G. Johnson, Company F, Third Iowa; Iver Jacobson, Company K, Fifteenth Wisconsin ; Erick C. Johnson, Company E, Tenth Minnesota : William Jenkins (D), Company C, First Minnesota Volunteer Infantry ; Jens Jensen, Company K, Fifteenth Wisconsin; David Jameson, Company K. Twenty- seventh Iowa; Curtis B. Kellar, Company C, Fifth Minnesota ; Stephen Kelley (D), Company I. Forty-sixth Wisconsin ; Peter Keenant, Company C, Ninety-fifth Illinois ; Joseph A. Knapp (D), Company F, Fourth Minnesota : John Kirkpatrick, Company C. Eighteenth Wisconsin ; William H. Lowe, Company E, Tenth Minnesota : Jacob Larson, Company C. Second Minnesota Cav- alry ; William H. Long (D), Company C, Fourth Minnesota ; Mil- ton M. Luce (D), Company F, Fourth Minnesota ; H. H. Lukins, Company K, Twenty-ninth Wisconsin ; James Lair (D), Company E. Tenth Minnesota; Samuel Landis (D), Company K, First Minnesota Mounted Rangers ; R., M. Leighty (D), Company I, Twelfth Wisconsin; Isaac C. Loomis (D), Company I, Fifteenth Illinois ; H. R. Loomis-'(D), Company F, Fourth Minnesota ; Charles Leavens (D); Company D, Thirty-ninth Wisconsin ; John N. Liscomb, Company E, Fourth Wisconsin ; Andrew J. Luther, Company C, Fifth Minnesota ; Franklin,M. McReynolds. Com- pany C, Fifth Minnesota ; J. W. Murtaugh, Company H, First Minnesota Mounted Rangers; Francis Merchant, Company C, Ninth Minnesota; Alexander McNeill, Company G. Twenty- eighth Wisconsin ; Peter Magginis (D), Company F, Ninth Penn- sylvania ; Gilbert G. Manning, Company I. Thirty-eighth Iowa; Zadock Mallery (D), Company H, Eighteenth Wisconsin; Ed- ward Metraw (D), Company H, Second Vermont ; Michael P. Miller (D), Company G, Eighth Pennsylvania ; Louis Marpe (D), Company C, First Minnesota Heavy Artillery ; A. H. McMillen. Company E, Fifty-second Wisconsin; Adrian .K. Norton (D). Company F, Fourth Minnesota ; Tosten Narveson (D), Company C, Fifth Minnesota ; Ole Olson, Company F, First Minnesota ; Martin Olson (D), Company H, Eleventh Minnesota; M. W. O'Connor(D), Company E, One Hundred and Eighty-first Ohio ?. Lawrence F. Peabody, Company B, Sixteenth Wisconsin ; EliK. Pickett (D), Company E, Tenth Minnesota; D. G. Parker (D), Company F, First Wisconsin Engineers; John Peterson, Com- pany E, Tenth Minnesota ; James Peterson, Company E. Eighty- eighth Illinois; William C. Pratt (D), Company E, Thirteenth Wisconsin ; William Pickle (D), Company A, Twenty-first Iowa; Thomas Peterson, Company F, Ninth Iowa; August Peterson (D), Company D, Third Minnesota; Sylvester Payne (D), Company D, First Wisconsin ; John C. Ross (D), Company C, Fifth Min- nesota; Judson Randall (D), Company D, Second Wisconsin ; Myron Reynolds, Company G, Sixty-fourth New York; John A.
223
HISTORY OF FREEBORN COUNTY
Schoen (D), Company F, First Battalion, Minnesota Infantry ; Ole Olson, Company K, Fifth Wisconsin ; T. J. Sheehan, Company F, Fourth Minnesota; J. H. Shipton (D), Company A, Second Minnesota; W. P. Sargent (D), Company I, Eighth New York; Ole O. Styve (D), Company K, Fifth Wisconsin; Cornelius Smith (D), Company C, Twenty-second Wisconsin; Dorr K. Stacy, Company C, Fifth Minnesota; N. T. Sandburg (D), Com- pany F, Fourth Minnesota ; Giles Q. Slocum (D), Company H, Seventy-second Indiana; James Sorenson, Company B, Thirty- second Iowa; Michael Smith (D), Company C, First Minnesota Heavy Artillery; Tore Svendson, Company I, Second Minne- sota Cavalry; S. S. Stockwell, Company I, One Hundred and Eighteenth New York, O. J. Taylor, Company C, Twenty-second Wisconsin ; F. E. Towne, Company C, One Hundred and Eight- eenth New York ; Leander J. Thomas (D), Company E, Tenth Minnesota; C. H. Tallard, Company B, Sixteenth Wisconsin ; Rollof Thykeson, Cempany K, Fifteenth Wisconsin; Henry Thur- ston (D), Company F, First Battalion, Minnesota Infantry ; J. G. Tavlor (D), Company B, Thirty-sixth Indiana ; Thomas Thorson, Company F, Ninth Iowa; R. C. VanVechten, Company I, Eighth New York; John Whytock (D), Company B, Second Wisconsin ; Wiffing Wadsworth, Company C, Fifth Minnesota; A. W. White (D)), Company F, Fourth Minnesota ; F. Weiser (D), Company C, Second Minnesota Cavalry ; A. C. Wedge, Third Minnesota ; R. A. White, Company F. Fourth Minnesota ; D. Wanamaker (D), Com- pany G, Seventeenth Illinois; E. S. Wilson, Company A, Sixth Iowa ; H. E. Walker, Company K, Twenty-seventh Massachusetts ; John H. Wing, Company D, One Hundred and Forty-sixth Illi- nois ; M. L. Frost, Company F, Fourth Minnesota ; C. E. Yearian (D), Eighty-fifth Illinois; Jasper J. Bond (D), Company K, Thirty-ninth Wisconsin; Lawrence Flanagan (D) ; Fred White (D), Company C, First Minnesota Heavy Artillery ; Ole C. Larsen (D), Company F, Third Wisconsin ; S. A Longnecker, Company C, Sixtieth Ohio; Edwin Connor, One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Illinois.
STATE MILITIA COMPANIES.
From time to time since the war there have been military organizations of various sorts in Albert Lea, but none exist at the present time with the exception of the Grand Army of the Republic.
The Albert Lea Light Guards were organized May 4, 1882, as Company E, Second Battalion, Minnesota National Guards. Fifty- two men were mustered in by Major Joseph Bobleter. The com- missioned officers at that time were: Captain, George T. Gardner ; first lieutenant, T. K. Ramsey ; second lieutenant, C. S. Robertson.
224
HISTORY OF FREEBORN COUNTY
Company I, Second Regiment, Minnesota National Guards, was mustered into service June 31. 1895, by Col. Joseph Bobleter, of St. Paul, commander of the regiment. Forty-six young men signed the roll. A. E. Ransom was elected captain ; C. S. Edwards, first lieutenant ; S. O. Simonson, second lieutenant ; S. G. Thomp- son, secretary ; H. E. Skinner, treasurer. A committee on bylaws consisted of C. H. Day, A. L. Sawyer and C. S. Edwards.
The following is a list of those signing the rolls : Oscar Ander- son, H. A. Barek, E. M. Biglow, Albert Blackmer, Frank Cool, Henry Carlson, C. H. Day, W. S. Dalley, C. S. Edwards, A. C. Erickson, Mert Fuller, Ben Fryslie, Frank Gillrup, Charles Greene, John Geissler, C. H. George, N. H. Hendershott, J. C. Hayden, George Hanson, T. A. Hauge, H. E. Kellar, W. Larkins, Chris Larson, C. M. Lewis, F. H. Mallery, Harvey McMillen, L. Narverud, Lou Peterson, A. E. Ransom, H. C. Richardson, S. O. Simonson, F. L. Sweet, A. L. Sawyer, H. E. Skinner, Lester Spicer, Nick Sime, N. J. Sylvander, S. G. Thompson, R. B. Thompson, Lewis Torgenson, Robert Tweedy, Howard Vandegrift, Will Voigt, W. Weeks and Henry Wannemaker.
Captain Ranson recommended to Colonel Bobleter the ap- pointment of the following noncommissioned officers: N. J. Syl- vander, first sergeant and orderly; S. G. Thompson, second, sergeant; A. L. Sawyer, third sergeant; C. H. Day, fourth ser- geant and quartermaster.
SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR.
April 16, 1898, Capt. C. S. Edwards received orders to recruit Company I, Second Regiment, to 100 men. Recruits soon swelled the company from 76 to more than 125. The company, 113 strong, was enrolled April 29, and left Albert Lea April 30 for St. Paul, went into camp at Camp Ramsey (State Fair grounds) and was mustered in as Company I, Twelfth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, May 5. May 16 the regiment left Camp Ramsey and upon reaching Chickamauga went into camp at Camp Thomas. In the early part of July Lieut. C. H. Day, Sergts. Harry Gillrup, Robert Grout, W. E. Joern and Private Hugh Cameron recruited twenty-five more men in Albert Lea. The company then consisted of the following: Captain, C. S. Edwards, attorney ; first lieu- tenant, C. H. Day, journalist ; second lieutenant, S. O. Simonson, printer : first sergeant, F. H. Cool, electrician; quartermaster sergeant. T. H. Rogers, farmer; sergeants, Howard Vandegrift, farmer: Harry Gillrup, student; A. Land, tinsmith; W. F. Ostrander, reporter ; corporals, C. E. Greene, laundryman ; Floyd Willard, plasterer ; J. H. Jensen, clerk ; Paul Wulff, painter ; Jerry Frescott, farmer : T. A. Hauge, bookkeeper ; C. A. House, student : John Pehrson, carpenter ; Fred Wing, carpenter ; Walter Christen-
225
HISTORY OF FREEBORN COUNTY
sen, student; Erick Stenrud, laundryman; Clinton C. Carberry, laborer; musicians, Robert J. Tweedy, insurance; H. M. Trues- dell, clerk; artificer, Olaf Styve, clerk; wagoner, H. B. Daniels, teamster; privates, H. W. Anderson, druggist; F. R. Anderson, student; C. S. Bartlett, farmer; A. L. Ball, shoemaker; Wm. Beckel, engineer; L. S. Burton, clerk; T. A. Bergen, fireman; J. C. Erickson, tailor; G. C. Edwards, printer; Dean Clark, butcher ; J. D. Dauterman, clerk ; Melvin Finton, musician; W. E. Flatt, printer ; Julian Fritz, farmer ; E. A. Gallagher, bookkeeper; Louis Graves, cook ; E. H. George, farmer ; S. Halvorsen, reporter ; Guy Hanna, student; C. T. Helgeson, stenographer; Martin Honan, laborer; L. W. Joscelyn, optician; E. C. Jensen, car- penter ; Henry Jorgenson, butcher ; A. G. Keck, gunsmith ; Sidney Kilmer, laborer ; P. Landers, laborer ; B. M. Latham, stenographer ; Clarence Lower, clerk ; John A. Moe, tailor; W. G. Moore, farmer ; W. A. Miller, teamster; Walter Morton, actor; James O'Nell, engineer; C. O. Nelson, teamster; Lars P. Olson, farmer; J. C. Peterson, foundryman; Roy E. Prosser, laborer; Carl M. Simon- son, dentist ; John Skalada, carpenter ; Norman Sandburg, clerk ; Arthur Thayer, student ; Peter Truelson, mason ; Nels Thompson, farmer; Wm. Venon, engineer ; John Ward, laborer ; L. L. Welton, farmer; Henry Woodville, mechanic; L. C. Wetzel, farmer; Andrew Wangen, farmer ; Peter Knudson, laborer; Wells Levens, farmer ; Ellof Pehrson, well driller; Louis Peterson, plasterer ; Charles Swenson, plasterer; Albert Jensen, barber ; Fred Bycek, clerk; new recruits, Sivert T. Wall, farmer; Louis P. Jensen, laborer; John Skaug, clerk; Julius Jensen, farmer ; Hans Ander- son, laborer ; Adolph S. Kunath, laborer ; Peter O. Styve, farmer ; Chas. M. Wilkinson, Jr., driver; George Briggs, preacher ; F. W. Carberry, laborer; Benj. C. Knapp, farmer; Anton P. Nelson, blacksmith; Albert A. West, laborer; L. O. Greene, operator ; Edwin R. Harris, farmer ; Benj. E. Baarson, cigarmaker ; Harvey M. Jewitt, laborer ; Levi Hanson, clerk; Martin Morgan, laborer ; Robt. Brown, stonecutter; Edwin P. Flindt, engineer; John A. Lertz, harnessmaker; Nels L. Jensen, mason; Jens C. Jensen, farmer; Lewis M. Louis, machinist.
In July the county commissioners appropriated $1,000 for the benefit of the company. Many private donations were also made. A society was also formed and a subscription taken for looking after the families of those who had gone to the front. About this time several members of Company I were taken ill, and Victor Gillrup, as a representative of the people of Freeborn county, was sent to Chickamauga to investigate conditions. In the latter part of August the company was moved to Camp Hamilton, at Lexington, Ky., leaving some twenty-five men in the hospital. In September came the welcome news that the regiment was to be
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.