History of Olmsted County, Minnesota, Part 40

Author: Joseph A. Leonard
Publication date: 1910
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 736

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AARON GILCHRIST, who is now residing on a farm of 160 acres in Section 29, Elmira township, is a son of Christian and Sarah Gilchrist, who passed their lives in Lebanon county, Pennsylvania. the father dying in that state in 1900 at the age of eighty-four years and the mother later at about the same age. Their son, Aaron, the subject of this sketch, was born in Burks county, Pennsylvania, December 24, 1840, and received his education at the district schools. He left school at the age of seventeen years and then for some time he worked in the iron mines of that state. When he was nineteen years old he went to Ohio, and for a while worked on a farm. Coming west he finally fell in with a cattle drover to whom he hired and assisted him to drive his herd of cattle to Minnesota. Upon his arrival here he liked the country and concluded to make Olmsted county his permanent home. He hired out and worked at farming for some years and in the meantime saved his earnings. Later he farmed on shares until he was finally well enough off to buy his present farm. He has made farming a success and has be- come well and favorably known throughout the eastern portion of

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the county as a man and a citizen of more than ordinary worth. He has now a fine farm well provided with good buildings and im- provements. On July 1, 1866, he married Miss Maria Gardner, daughter of James and Elizabeth Gardner. They have had eight children, as follows: John. a successful farmer; Sarah, who mar- ried Leon Lilly, a farmer; George, Charles, Fred, William, Emma and Adeline.

J. A. SAWYER, one of the pioneer residents of Viola township, was born in Swanzey, New Hampshire, July 3, 1839, a son of Joshua and Lucina (Olcott ) Sawyer, who were also natives of New Hampshire, the father's birth occurring July 21. 1801. The above marriage took place on March 31. 1830. The father died on May 15, 1839. and the mother July 27, 1840. Three children, Emily, Lydia W. and J. A. Sawyer, were born to this union, and when the parents were summoned by death these homeless children were taken into the family of an uncle, Rev. Caleb Sawyer, who reared and cared for them as lovingly as if they were his own. They were especially endeared to him. as he and his dead brother had married sisters, and at the time of the adoption he was childless.

The subject of this review, J. A. Sawyer, was educated at the school of Swanzey, N. H., and on January 1, 1868, was united in marriage with Miss Laura W. Engle, the daughter of Nathan Engle, her father born October 17, 1817, and died in 1890. at Tower, North Dakota. Mr. Engle took for a wife Miss Lavina Garrison, who died in 1890. and ten children were born to them, as follows : Alvin C., born July 31, 1843. and died January 17, 1881 : Laura W .. wife of subject, born February 13, 1845; George C., born December 21, 1847, died in April. 1908: Agnes D., born July 24, 1849. died August 13, 1851 : Caroline E., born May 28, 1852, died August 11. 1853: Arabelle S., born June 12, 1854: Amelia, born February 13, 1857; Charles Edgar and Cyrus Milton, twins, born January 25, 1860, and William Garrison, born March 5, 1862. The last five reside in Enderlin. North Dakota. To Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Sawyer the following eight children have been born: Caro- line Mabel Doty, of Evota, born October 19. 1868; Andrew How- ard, born August 23, 1870: Henry Caleb, born September 25, 1872; Emily Florence, born August 27. 1874; Frederick Elvin. born April 22, 1881 : Flora Louise McMartin, born April 9, 1884. and Marjorie Amelia, born December 13. 1886. Of the above named children. Emily, Henry. Flora and Marjorie are graduates of the Elgin high school, the former being also a graduate of the Winona normal school. The latter will complete her schooling in Carlton College. Northfield. Minnesota. When Mr. Sawyer arrived in Viola township there was no settlement between Elgin and Viola. and no house was built during that year. He is at present the

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owner of 120 acres on Section 9, Viola township, fully equipped with all modern conveniences. In politics he is a Republican, hav- ing voted for Abraham Lincoln. He and family affiliate with the Methodist Church at Elgin. The family possesses numerous quaint and curious relics of olden times, chief among them being a twenty- shilling colonial paper, issued in the fifteenth year of George III, dated January 1, 1776.

CARL RICHTER, who is now residing in St. Charles, Winona county, is the owner of 240 acres in Elmira township and eighty acres in Dover township, Olmsted county. He is the son of Carl Frederick and Hannah Richter, both of whom are deceased, and was born near Kemnitz, Saxony, Germany, on July 8, 1841. He attended the local schools up to his fourteenth year, and then for three years served an apprenticeship at the carpenter trade and thereafter for four years worked at his trade, continuing thus until he was twenty-one years old. He was then conscripted in the army and saw six years of hard and dangerous service in the wars of 1863 and 1864, participating in the battles of Donnerwerke and Duebblershauzen, and during the war of 1866 against Austria was in the engagements of Zietabin and Konigratz, suffering severe disability in a little skirmish between the two places. After his return from the war he resumed his trade of carpentering and so continued until 1870, when he immigrated to the United States and came west to Minnesota and settled for a year or two in St. Charles. He then bought eightv acres of his present farm and after ten years of hard work and saving bought the other 240 acres in Elmira township, completing the purchase in 1882. His life in Olmsted county was filled with industry and characterized by success and honesty. Assisted by his large family, he acquired a large and valuable property and can now look back on a career wisely and profitably spent. Soon after his arrival in this county he took out naturalization papers and ever since has been a warm friend and citizen of this country. He is a Republican and has served as clerk of the board of education and as a director for thirty-five years. On December 24, 1869, he married in Germany Miss Pauline Miller, daughter of Frederick and Juliana Miller, and they have had a family of nine children, five boys and four girls, as follows: Herman, a farmer; Ernest W .; Annie; Rosa, who married Henry Berg, a farmer; Charles A .; Otto; Henry, finishing his education; Hattie, finishing her education.

ERNEST W. RICHTER is a son of Carl and Pauline Richter, who are now residing in St. Charles and a sketch of whom will be found elsewhere in this book. He is now residing on a farm of 160 acres in Section 20, Elmira township. He was born July 2, 1872,

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in North St. Charles, Winona county, and in youth attended the district schools in Dover township. He went to school off and on up to the eighteenth year of his age and during that time received several diplomas. While yet a boy he went to work in earnest on his father's farm and thus continued engaged up to the time of purchasing his present property. During this time he managed to work out to the neighbors and was enabled to acquire considerable property. During this time also he purchased a threshing machine, which he operated in the fall of each year. Also during the win- ters he earned considerable in special jobs for the farmers adja- cent. He was thus enabled to buy his present farm in 1905. He is now rapidly adding to the valuable improvements of the place. He is engaged in mixed farming and in raising live stock. He is a Republican and a member of the Methodist church. On Novem- ber 22, 1905, he was united in marriage with Miss Bertha, daugh- ter of Gust and Wilhelmina Giese, prominent farmers of Elmira township. They have two children: Milo and Bernaldo, the for- mer a boy and the latter a girl.

CHARLES AUGUST RICHTER was born in Dover township on April 22, 1878, and is a son of Carl and Pauline Richter, a sketch of whom appears above in this work. He is now residing on a farm of 240 acres owned by his father in sections 3 and 4, Elmira township. He acquired his primary education at the district schools near his father's residence, and finished by attending the high school at Dover. Quitting school at the age of twenty-one years, he began the active duties of life for himself. While attending school he worked during the summers for his father on the farm. He rented a farm of eighty acres from his father and continued to cultivate the same until 1905, when he enlarged operations and rented a total of 240 acres of his father, and is still in charge of the same. He raises large quantities of the small grains and con- siderable live stock for market, and is making money. His methods are up to date and his live stock are of good grades. He is a Republican and a member of the United Brethren church. On October 12, 1909, he was wedded to Miss May Emmerson, daughter of John Emmerson, a farmer of Wisconsin.

HON. JOSEPH BROWN KENDALI. is one of the best known men in the western part of Olmsted county. He is one of five children that grew to maturity born to the marriage of Dr. Stanton B. Ken- dall and Fanny Fellows, and is a grandson of Ephraim and Lu- cinda (Brown) Kendall, who were natives of England .. Ephraim Kendall came to the United States at an early date, settled in Ver- mont and served the United States in the War of 1812. He went to Bradford county, Pennsylvania, in 1830, at which time Stanton

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B. was about twenty years of age. He subsequently learned car- riage making, but at the age of thirty abandoned that occupation owing to ill health and took up the study of medicine. From 1853 to 1856 he practiced his profession in Bureau county, Illinois, then moved to Ashland township. Dodge county, Minnesota, and pre- empted land from the government. This he sold in 1862, and the succeeding three years lived on a farm he had purchased in Kalmar township, Olmsted county. In 1865 he moved to Byron, where he practiced medicine and his face, name and fame were soon fa- miliar to those living within a radius of fifty miles. He was ex- ceedingly active, abstemious in his habits, a Whig in early times and later a Republican, and was always honored and respected. His death occurred November 9, 1898.

Joseph B. Kendall was the third child born to his parents, his birth occurring April 13, 1838. in Bradford county, Pennsylvania. His business career began at fifteen years of age, when he was employed in the lumber mills of Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, and he was thus engaged until twenty-three years old. May 13, 1861, he enlisted in Company K, Fifth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, and participated in some of the most hotly contested campaigns and battles of the Civil war, among them being the engagements of Yorktown, Fair Oaks, Fredericksburg, Chickahominy, Antietam, Second Bull Run, siege of Fort Magruder and Chancellorsville. At the latter he received a severe gun shot wound in the right thigh from which he is yet a sufferer and which effectually put a stop to his further military career in the field. Succeeding his partial recovery he served four years in the office of the quartermaster general at Washington, and three years of this time he attended a commercial evening school and grammar school, thus fitting him- self for a commercial career. He returned to Byron in 1868 and engaged in merchandising, continuing thus twenty-five years. He then engaged in brick manufacturing until 1909, when his plant burned. entailing a loss upon him of $18,000. In 1904 the State Bank of Byron was organized, of which he has been president since its inception, and which, under his able management, is one of the solid financial institutions of the country. He is a mem- ber of the Odd Fellows and the Grand Army of the Republic, and as a Republican in politics was twice elected to represent Olmsted county in the state legislature. in 1895 and 1897. For twenty- five years he acted as a justice of the peace and also served as town clerk and postmaster of Byron. Mr. Kendall has been twice mar- ried and has five children.

JOHN MAGUIRE, who now resides in the town of Chatfield, re- tired from the active duties of life, is the son of Michael and Martha Maguire, who, during their lives, were residents of County

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Cavan, Ireland. The family traces its origin far back in Irish his- tory and seems to have lived for many centuries in the north of Ireland, where they were among the leaders of thought and action. John Maguire was born in County Cavan, Ireland, on August 12, 1824, and in youth attended the free schools, continuing until he was fifteen years old. Immediately thereafter he began learning the linen weaver's trade and having mastered it made that his sole occupation until he was twenty-seven years old. He then concluded to try his lot in the new world, and accordingly crossed the Atlantic to the United States, landing in New York, but going thence to Can- ada and remained there until 1856, when he came to this country and located at Chatfield. It was so small then as scarcely to de- serve the name of town or village. For five years Mr. Maguire did anything honorable to get ahead and make money. He did considerable teaming with a yoke of oxen, hauling wood to Chat- field and hauling grain to Winona before the railroad era. As soon as he had accumulated sufficient funds he pre-empted eighty acres and began to clear the same, and afterwards continued to add to this tract until in the end he owned a total of about 1,000 acres. In recent years he has divided much of this land among his children, but he yet holds considerable property in the town of Chatfield. It would make interesting reading could all of his experiences, trials and hardships be told in these pages. He has now reached a great age and is one of the very oldest of the living old settlers of the county. He was a man who stuck closely to his business and did not care for local office, though he did not shirk his duty as a citizen. He struggled to make money in order that his children could have a better chance in the battle of life than he had had. He is a member of the Roman Catholic church at Chatfield. On January 13, 1861, he married at Chatfield Miss Margaret Killelac, daughter of Martin. They have had eight children, two dying in infancy-Eliza and Robert. Mary married James Donahue, a farmer ; Katie, living with her father; Maggie, living with her brothers on the old farm: Michael; John; Ellen, also living on the old home farm. The Maguires are among the most prominent people in this portion of the county. They have led steady and industrious lives and at all times have maintained their self-respect and have held the confidence of their neighbors.

CHARLES STOPPEL, son of Frank J. and Mary ( Schwab ) Stop- pel, was born on the old Stoppel homestead in section 8, Rochester township, Olmsted county, Minnesota, on March 16, 1859. His boyhood days were passed in assisting his father with the work on the home farm and in attending the district schools. He early in life decided to follow farming and has always been successfully engaged in that line of business. His farm consists of a finely

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cultivated tract of 160 acres, which he devotes to the raising of small grains, and he also owns a fine herd of milch cows. On September 29, 1888, Mr. Stoppel was united in marriage with Miss Sophia Strobel, also a native of Olmsted county, and the daughter of Fred and Christina Strobel, and to them have been born the following six children: Otto C., born September 10, 1889: Frieda E., born April 17, 1892; Laura M., born November 22, 1893; Roy R., born September 14, 1895; Ralph F., born August 30, 1898: Helen M., born May 23, 1902. Although of Democratic tendencies, Mr. Stoppel generally votes for the man regardless of party affiliation, and takes an active interest in all local movements of importance. He has served as school treas- urer of his district for a number of years, and socially is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. He and family are communicants of the Church of Peace at Rochester and are highly regarded in the community where they reside.

LUTHER MELVIN LOMBARD. one of the prominent business men of Chatfield, is a son of Abel M. and Martha Lombard. The father, who was a native of the state of Maine, came to Chatfield in 1855, and thereafter for several years traveled as a machinist; but when the rebellion broke out in 1861 he volunteered as an engineer and was assigned to duty on board a gunboat and saw active and dangerous service for one year. After awhile his health so failed him that he was compelled to retire from the service, whereupon he was honorably mustered out after brave and arduous service. He returned to Minnesota and located in Freeborn county, where for a time he served as engineer in a saw mill, continuing thus for about one year. He then settled in the town of Chatfield, where he bought a half interest in a tinshop and was thus asso- ciated for about one year, when he bought out his partner and conducted the business alone until 1872, when the concern was wholly destroyed by fire, though protected by insurance. Soon afterward he erected a new and better building and added general hardware to his other pursuit and the combination he successfully carried on until 1888, at which time he bought a third interest in what is now the First National bank, but which was then known as Lombard, Jones & Ober, a private banking institution. Mr. Lombard was thus associated for nine years, beginning in 1889. After a business career of more than ordinary activity and promi- nence, he finally retired from the stirring duties of life in 1898. Three years later, after a long life of honor, usefulness and suc- cess, he passed away.

His son Luther M. was born in Freeborn county, Minnesota. December 20, 1862. and received his primary education in the public schools of Chatfield. He finished his schooling in Darling's

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Business college, Rochester, in 1876. He then returned to Chat- field and assisted his father in the hardware store and tinshop for three years and a half. Having become in the meantime proficient in music, he concluded to see something of the world, and accord- ingly accepted a position as musician on the first electrically lighted steamboat to ply on the Mississippi river. Beginning thus at about the age of seventeen and a half years, he continued for some three years and a half, gaining much valuable experience of the great and busy world. In 1883 he returned to Chatfield and became manager of his father's shop, and so continued until the concern was sold out, after which until 1891 he did little owing to ill-health. He then occupied a position with the Hayden tinning and plumbing concern and was thus occupied for about twelve years. He next bought a farm of 160 acres and lived thereon and cultivated the same for a year and a half, succeeding which he returned to Chat- field and resumed his old place with Hayden Tinning and Plumbing Company. in the meantime renting his farm. He was the manager of that firm for one year and a half. In 1904 he established an independent business of his own as plumber and heater and has thus been successfully occupied ever since. He is well known in this portion of the county and is highly respected. In politics he is a Republican, though he does considerable independent thinking and acting. On December 8, 1886, at Chatfield, he married Miss Alda Holden, daughter of Oscar and Lizzie Holden, a successful carpenter and prominent business man of Chatfield. Mr. and Mrs. Lombard have two children: Jennie, who is now in high school, and Donald, also in high school.

JERRY J. DALY, located on section 26, Haverhill township, Olm- sted county, was born in St. Charles, Minnesota, July 27, 1868, a son of John W. and Johannah (Stack) Daly, both of whom were natives of Ireland. For a time the father engaged in farming and gardening in the old country, but while yet a young man decided that greater chances for success could be found in America and accordingly immigrated to this country. He located for a short time in Wisconsin, but then came to Minnesota and farmed at St. Charles until coming to the present family homestead in Haverhill township, Olmsted county. He bought a farm of 240 acres, made all necessary improvements, added thereto as his means permitted and at the time of his death was the owner of 320 acres of fine farm land. To him and wife five sons and four daughters were born, four in Minnesota, five in Wisconsin, and were educated in the district schools of Haverhill township. Mr. Daly was a strong Democrat in politics and a devout member of the Roman Catholic church.

The boyhood days of Jerry J. Daly. the immediate subject of

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this review, were spent in assisting his father on the home farm and attending the district schools. He early in life decided to follow the occupation of a farmer, rented land, and in time was enabled to buy 120 acres. On June 1, 1903, he was married to Anna Cooper. She was born in Sauk Center, Stearns county, Minnesota, June 16, 1872, and came to Haverhill township, Olm- sted county, when yet a young girl. To Mr. and Mrs. Daly two sons and one daughter have been born, named Johannah Vergil, Jeremiah Clarence and Clement Mathew. In politics Mr. Daly espouses the belief of his forefathers and is a stanch Democrat. . Socially he is identified with the Ancient Order of Hibernians and he and family are communicants of the Roman Catholic church.

CARLOS B. SLEEPER, owner of what is known as "The Zumbro Valley Stock Farm," in section 31, Farmington township, was born in Clinton county, Iowa, November 27, 1853, his parents being Amasa and Caroline (Hatfield) Sleeper. The father died in 1860 and the mother subsequently married Mr. Calvin Davis.

In the year 1873 Carlos B. Sleeper came to Olmsted county, Minnesota, and engaged in farming, and a few years later began his career as a farmer on rented land. In 1894 he bought his present farm of 160 acres. on which he has since resided. Mr. Sleeper is a Republican. He was married November 17, 1881, in Lyon county. Minnesota, to Miss Josie S. Schmitz, who was born in Chicago, Illinois, the daughter of Peter and Katharine (Story) Schmitz. Clarence George Sleeper, born April 8, 1884, is the only child of Mr. and Mrs. Sleeper. He was primarily educated in the public schools, finishing at Rochester. He is unmarried and makes his home with his parents, and his farm of ninety-two acres adjoining the 160 of his father's makes a joint tract of 252 acres, which father and son operate as one. They are among the best farmers and stock raisers of Olmsted county, and their herd of grade shorthorn Durham cattle is a credit to the stock interests of the community. The senior Mr. Sleeper, aside from his farm- ing interests, is a stockholder. in the Ringe Co-operative Creamery Company, of Farmington township, of which he was one of the organizers.

MRS. HONORA MANAHAN is a daughter of Timothy and Kath- erine Halloran, well known and prominent people of this com- munity. She resides on a farm of 300 acres in section 30, Elmira township. He father was born in 1832 and is still living and is yet quite hearty. He came to this township in 1854 and was thus one of the first settlers. During his long career here he became well off in this world's goods and occupied many positions of trust with faithfulness and credit. Katherine, his wife, died September

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30, 1909, at the age of seventy-seven years. She was a most exemplary pioneer woman and reared her children to lives of usefulness and industry. John Richard Manahan, husband of subject, died June 2, 1898, at the early age of thirty-eight years At the time of his death, he was postmaster. He was a man of much natural ability, was kind to his family and considerate of his friends and neighbors. He was the son of Joseph and Kath- erine, who came from Ireland and were among the first settlers here. He married Honora Halloran at Chatfield, November 28, 1888, and the issue of this marriage was five children: Richard D., a graduate of St. Thomas college, St. Paul, now studying law in St. Paul; Raymond, John F., Anna Marie, and Barbara-all with their mother. Mrs. Manahan since the death of her husband has shown herself to be an excellent business woman.

JACKSON V. HICKS, a veteran of the Civil war and one of Kalmar township's well-known citizens, was born May 20, 1836, in Ontario county, New York, and is the only living child of a family of eight born to Elias and Eliza (Witherspoon) Hicks, who were of English ancestry. Elias Hicks was a native of the state of New York ,and died at Elkhorn. Wisconsin, in 1885, his wife having passed away forty years previously. He came to Wisconsin in 1837 and settled in Walworth county. He was a man of unusual force and character, a Universalist in religious belief, a farmer by occupation and, as a Democrat of the Jackson school, was elected to the Wisconsin state legislature. Jackson V. Hicks remained under the parental roof, assisting in the farm work and attending the district schools, until eighteen years old, when he started out to make his own way in the world. He worked as a farm laborer at $12 a month until he had saved $27, then for a time engaged in various occupations and eventually began buying and selling real estate and dealing in live stock. In 1862, when rebellion threatened the disruption of the Union, he enlisted in Company I, Twenty-eighth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, and was assigned to duty in the Army of the Tennessee. He partici- pated in the fighting in and around Memphis, the engagement at Helena, Arkansas, at Yazoo and the siege of Mobile. For six months he was sick in the hospital and after his recovery was with his regiment at New Orleans, and was finally honorably discharged at Madison, Wisconsin, in August, 1865. December, 1859, Mr. Hicks removed to Olmsted county, Minnesota, buying a farm in Salem township, where he lived until 1886. He then moved to Byron, where he still resides. Besides his beautiful home in Byron, he is the owner of other property in the village and well improved farms in the immediate neighborhood, and is regarded as one of the public spirited men of the community. Mr. Hicks was mar-

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History of Olmsted County, Minnesota, Part 40

Author: Joseph A. Leonard Publication date: 1910 Publisher: Number of Pages: 736

Author: Joseph A. Leonard
Publication date: 1910
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 736