USA > Minnesota > Olmsted County > History of Olmsted County, Minnesota > Part 46
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Seminary, at Red Wing, now with her parents; Charles, born De- cember 8, 1891, now attending Gales College, Wisconsin.
WILLIAM L. MERCER, superintendent of schools in Olmsted county, was born in Kalamazoo county, Michigan, October 8, 1873, one of four children, all living, born to the marriage of Francis and Lulu (Lloyd) Mercer. His father was a farmer by occupa- tion, and served his country during the War of the Rebellion as a member of Company F, Twelfth Michigan Volunteer Infantry. When peace was declared he was honorably discharged by the War Department of the United States Government. He died June 20, 1910. His son, William L. Mercer, was reared on the home farm in Kalamazoo county, Michigan, and after attending the public schools, pursued a course in the high school at Vicksburg, Michigan. This was supplemented by a one year's course in the University of Michigan, and in 1897 he was graduated from Kalamazoo College. From the latter institution he received the degree of Bachelor of Science, and the year following was given the same degree from the University of Chicago. For a time, Mr. Mercer taught in the country schools of Michigan, and after completing his high school and college courses, he was offered and accepted the position of principal of the school at Climax, Michigan, where he remained two years. For the succeeding seven years he was at the head of the Buchanan, Michigan schools, and then, for a period of three years, was a principal of the high school at Rochester. Upon the resignation of George F. Howard as County Superintendent of Schools in 1909, Mr. Mercer was appointed to succeed him by the County Board on October 15, that year, and has officiated in this capacity ever since. In politics he is a Republican, and he is identified with the Masonic fraternity, in which he has attained the Royal Arch degree. August 15, 1900, he was married to Miss Elizabeth Gardner and they have three children, Anna Louise, Lulu Helen and Catherine Ruth. The family are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
KNUTE CHRISTOFFERSON was born in Norway, November 21, 1857, and is a son of Christoffer and Beret who were farmers and well to do citizens of that country. Their son, Knute, passed his early life on his father's farm at hard work and in the mantime secured a fair education. He remained in that country until he reached the age of twenty-four years, when he came to America and bought a tract of 80 acres in Section 12, Rock Dell Township, and on this place he has resided ever since. He has now a fine farm, well equipped with up-to-date machinery and implements, and well stocked with good animals. He is engaged in raising live stock and in growing the small grains, and is regarded as one
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of the best agriculturalists of the township. His farm is well improved and has good and substantial buildings, fences, etc. He is a Republican and a member of St. Olaf's Church. On August 8, 1888, he married Sara Johnson, the daughter of an adjoining farmer who settled in this township at an early day. Mr. Chris- tofferson suffered the loss of his beloved wife April 12, 1901; she was buried in St. Olaf's cemetery from the church where she was confirmed and where she had ever worshipped.
HON. KERRY E. CONLEY, president of the Conley Camera Com- pany, at Rochester, is a native of Fillmore county, Minnesota, his birth occurring September 1, 1866, and a son of Thomas J. and Diana E. (Huston) Conley. Thomas J. Conley was of Irish descent and a native of Vermont, and always followed farming. In the early fifties, when yet a young man, he located in Fillmore county, Minnesota, and was among the early pioneers of that locality. He remained there until 1876, and then came to and located on a farm in High Forest township, Olmsted county, but ten years later removed to Spring Valley and thence to Verndale, Minnesota, where he died in January, 1908, preceded by his wife in 1906. They were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and had seven children, five of whom are yet living.
When ten years of age, Kerry E. Conley, the subject of this memoir, was brought to Olmsted county by his parents. His early education was acquired in the public schools of Fillmore and Olmsted counties, and this was supplemented by a course in Darling's Business College. He then pursued a course in opthal- mology at the Chicago Opthalmic College and Hospital, graduating therefrom in 1891. At this time Mr. Conley was engaged in the jewelry business at Spring Valley, and his study of opthalmology had been made with the view of aiding his work in fitting those calling for glasses. His brother, Fred V. Conley, was also asso- ciated with him in the business at Spring Valley, and they carried, in connection with their jewelry line, a full stock of cameras. They devised and patented a magazine camera which they en- deavored to market, but failing in this they began manufacturing at Spring Valley. They had no previous knowledge of manu- facturing or of factory work of this kind, and being thus handi- capped, had, for a number of years, a struggle to make both ends meet. However, they eventually succeeded in manufacturing a complete line of cameras and this proved the foundation of their present success. In 1904 they moved their establishment to Roches- ter, incorporated as the Conley Camera Company, and ever since success has been assured them. Their capitalization is $50,000, their annual business amounts to about $150,000 and they have now about 175 employes in their establishment. Kerry Conley
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is a Republican in politics, has filled several minor political posi- tions and in 1908 was elected by his party to the Lower House of the State Legislature. He is a Knight Templar Mason and a member of Osman Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, and is identified with the Knights of Pythias, the Modern Woodmen of America and the Baptist Church. On September 21, 1892, at Spring Valley, he was united in marriage with Miss Sadie I. Dodge, and two children, Walter H. and Irene M., have been born to them.
JAMES MAGUIRE has resided on his farm of 260 acres on Section 12, Orion township, since 1874. He is a son of Michael and Mathilda Maguire, both of whom passed their lives in Ireland, in the County of Cavan, and both finally died at the great age of - ninety-four years, after having passed their lives in usefulness and honor.
James Maguire, their son, was born January 6, 1840, in the County of Caven, Ireland, and in youth attended the public schools. He continued to remain with his father until the age of twenty- five years, when he came to America, going first to Quebec and then to New York. He then went to New Jersey and there worked for two months, at the expiration of which time he came to Minnesota and worked at various jobs for six years. During all this time he had saved more or less of his wages for future contingencies ; so he now bought a farm of 80 acres near Chatfield, which he improved much and after four or five years added to it until he had a quarter section, where he now resides, besides the original purchase. Later he bought another tract of 100 acres and continued to improve all to a high state of cultivation. For the last seven years he has rented the greater part of his farm, though he still continues to farm a small tract near his residence. He is a man of strong convictions and usually votes for the man, rather than for the party. He has occupied various positions of trust and honor and for the last twenty years has been treasurer of the board of education. He also served as roadmaster. He is a mem- ber of the Roman Catholic Church, at Chatfield. On November 18, 1872, he married Miss Mary Maguire, daughter of Charles Maguire, a prominent farmer of Fillmore county. They have had one son and two daughters: Mathilda living with her father; Charles who is railroading in Iowa; Josephine who is a stenog- rapher in St. Paul, a graduate of Rochester College. Mr. Maguire owns a town residence at Chatfield. For many years he was one of the most prominent and successful farmers in this part of the county. He usually kept on hand large herds of live stock of the best breeds. Now he is taking life easier.
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JOHN B. BLICKLE, for thirty years one of the best known busi- ness men of Rochester, is deserving of more than passing men- tion because of the success he achieved under adverse conditions. Born April 26, 1850, at Hohenzollern, Germany, a son of John and Antonia (Aberley) Blickle, both of whom were natives of that country, he was there reared to manhood and educated in the public schools. Prior to attaining his majority, he was appren- ticed to the jewelers trade by his father who, agreeable to the customs of the time, was compelled to pay an indenture fee and the tuition. After four years' service he was presented with a jeweler's and watchmaker's certificate, succeeding which he passed several years in Switerland, working at his trade. He then went to Scotland, and locating at Greenock, resided there eight years, and during this time, on November 22, 1872, married Miss Sophia Bang, who was a native of Baden, Germany. Having decided that he had better opportunities for advancement in America, he immigrated to this country in June, 1879, and locating in Rochester, Minnesota, found employment for a time with the jewelry establishment of E. Damon who had a place of business where the Qvalle drug store is now located. His apprenticeship and years of work at his trade abroad had made him master of his line of work, and having saved sufficient means for that pur- pose, he opened a jewelry establishment of his own, on September I, 1884, in the Cook House Building on Broadway. By strict attention to business and by conscientious and honorable dealings with the public, he succeeded in building up a large and profitable business. Mr. Blickle was a man of retiring disposition, but of fixed principles and sound judgment, and was a member of the Masonic fraternity. He lived a clean, wholesome life and died January 11, 1909, with the respect and esteem of all who knew him. The business so well founded by him is now carried on suc- cessfully by two of his sons, Theodore and Henry. Two other children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Blickle: Bertha, the wife of George S. Hannon, and Carl, a druggist.
J. S. WHITNEY, for many years prominent in agricultural and mercantile pursuits in Pleasant Grove township, is a native of Maine, born in Franklin county in 1844. His parents, John C. and Lucy C. (Soule) Whitney, were of Puritan ancestry, their advent in this country being at a time when the colonists were a dependency of Great Britain. In fact, George Soule was of the Pilgrim fathers, landing at Plymouth Rock from the Mayflower. Both the Whitney and Soule families became prominent in the affairs of New Eng- land and members participated in both wars against the mother country. In boyhood J. S. Whitney attended the district schools in his native state, subsequently taking a special course in business
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and music at Downer College, Fox Lake, Wisconsin. He came with his parents to the Badger state in 1854, and upon attaining his majority started as a teacher of music and a dealer of musical instruments. This he continued until 1869, when he settled on a farm in Pleasant Grove township, this county. The property com- prises 200 acres of finely improved land, on which his son now re- sides. In 1895 he moved to the village of Simpson, where he has since resided. He was the first postmaster of Simpson and filled the requirements of that office several years, under both Republican and Democratic administrations. For years he was engaged in and operated a lumber yard, but since 1908 has conducted the hotel and livery stable. In addition to his farm, Mr. Whitney is the owner of considerable valuable property in Simpson. He is a Re- publican, a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, and one of the wide-awake, progressive business men of the county. To his marriage with Miss Phoebe J. Harris, which occurred at Ran- dolph, Wisconsin, on February 22, 1865, one son, Harleth H., was born. In July, 1879, his wife died, and in May, 1885, again he was married, at White, South Dakota, to Miss Mary Haden. To this union one daughter, Lucy K., was born, who now resides at home.
WILLIAM HENRY KNAPP, president and business manager of the Rochester Milling Company, has been a resident of Rochester, Minnesota, for the past thirty-five years, and is one of the well known business men of the county. Born, educated and reared to manhood in the state of Pennsylvania, he is the second in birth of a family of five children, his father being William H. Knapp, after whom he was named. He was born November 23, 1854, at Troy, Pennsylvania, and received his education in the public and private schools of his native state. He began his business career at Aurora, New York, as bookkeeper for a carriage woodwork manufacturing establishment, and subsequently continued in a like capacity for a wholesale and retail crockery establishment at Rochester, New York. In 1875 he came to Rochester, Minnesota, and for a period of fourteen years was bookkeeper for the old established firm of J. D. Blake & Company. Following this he was connected with the firm of Leet & Knowlton for about a year, and the succeeding twelve years was business manager for the Rochester State Hospi- tal for the Insane, at Rochester. Upon the organization of the John A. Cole Milling Company, in 1905, to succeed to the milling business carried on by John A. Cole, Mr. Knapp, by reason of his superior business qualifications, was called upon to accept the posi- tion of treasurer and business manager of the new corporation, which position he held until August 1, 1910, when the name of the corporation was changed to that of the Rochester Milling Company, Mr. Knapp being then elected president and manager. This mill
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is one of the pioneer land marks of Olmsted county, having been erected in 1855 as a water power mill. Numerous changes have since occurred in its physical make-up and ownership, but to the present management belongs the credit of its excellence today. Mr. Knapp is a Republican in politics, a member of the Congregational Church, and is a Knight Templar Mason and also a member of the Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of Mystic Shrine. To his mar- riage with Mary Georgiana Kelley, solemnized January 20, 1887, two sons have been born-Harold Wadsworth and Spencer Moore- head, both of whom are now associated with their father in the milling business. Mrs. Knapp is the daughter of Dr. Lewis H. Kelley, an early physician of Rochester, who built the first brick building in the city.
LOUIS B. STARKSON was born in Salem township, this county, in 1871, and is a son of Baar and Ingeborg Starkson. He spent his boyhood on the farm assisting his father and in attending the local schools, from which he secured a common school education. He finished his education by attending Darling's Business College, Rochester, for two winters and then was prepared for the duties of life. Soon after reaching his majority he began to rent the old homestead of his parents, and so continued until 1899, when he bought ninety acres in Section 26, Salem township, and here he has since resided, engaged in raising grain and live stock. He has im- proved the place very much since taking possession and is now in good circumstances and is prepared to enjoy life and get ahead very fast. He is well known over the township and has the con- fidence of the community. He is wide awake and modern in all his farm operations. He breeds Short Horn cattle and Poland China hogs, and raises considerable grain and hay. He deserves great credit for the work he has done for the betterment of the local schools. He is a member of East St. Olaf's Church and the Sons of Norway, and is a Republican. He is popular and has a host of friends. His progressive views and determined efforts for the im- provement of this community are fully appreciated in this vicinity. On October 13, 1898, he married Miss Emma Larson, whose parents were pioneers of Rock Dell township. To this marriage the following children were born: Ida, born May 25, 1900; Agnes, born July 15, 1901 ; Nellie, born March 9, 1903; Verna, born June I, 1905; Elma, born February 10, 1910.
EdWARD F. Cook, the present cashier of the First National Bank of Rochester, is a native of Minnesota, his birth occurring at Rochester, December 9, 1866. He was the fifth child in a family of six born to the union of Martin and Mary (Benedict ) Cook, who were born in Canada and Connecticut, respectively. The father
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came to this country when a young man, and in 1858 located at Rochester, where he spent the remainder of his life engaged in fruit growing and the nursery business. He passed away on March 7, 1897, and was followed by his wife on November 26, 1902. Both were of English extraction, and were highly respected residents of the county.
The education of Edward F. Cook was acquired in the public schools of Rochester, and after graduating therefrom he entered, on January 9, 1885, the Rochester National Bank. He carefully mastered all the details of that line of business and gradually worked his way up to the position of cashier. This he held until August 1, 1905, when he became associated with the W. J. Eaton Egg Com- pany, and remained thus connected until May 1, 1908. He then removed to Spearfish, South Dakota, and was identified with the banking interests of that place until April 1, 1909. At that date he returned to Rochester and has since officiated in his present position. April 12, 1893, he was united in marriage with Miss Laura, daughter of A. D. Leet, of Rochester, and to them two children have been born, named Donald and Helen. In his political views Mr. Cook is a Republican, and for eight consecutive years he was elected to the office of city treasurer by that party. Socially, he is identified with the Masonic fraternity, the Knights of Pythias and the Ancient Order of United Workmen. Mr. Cook has long been associated with the banking interests of Olmsted county and has always commanded the respect and esteem of his fellow men.
JEROME C. KETCHUM, who died March 17, 1910, was one of Olmsted county's most prosperous farmers and one of its oldest pioneers. He was born May 13, 1834, in Clarksburg, Berkshire county, Massachusetts, and when he started out in life for himself his total capital consisted of thirty-five cents, the clothes he had on his back and an abundance of courage and energy. The spring of 1855 he came to Olmsted county, Minnesota, and preempted a quar- ter-section of land from the government on Section 5, Dover town- ship. He built a cabin and grubbed, cleared and improved the place. The fall of 1861, in his native state, he married Mary E. Chesbro, and, bringing his bride back to the home he had prepared, they lived happily together until the fall of 1862, when, through an un- fortunate accident, Mrs. Ketchum died. A son, Willis J., since deceased, was born to them. March 22, 1866, Mr. Ketchum mar- ried Ellen Sames, of Viola, and seven children were born to this union : Della May, Frank E., Orville M., Merton A., Holly E., Ida and Harry. Mr. Ketchum was of the heroic type of which pioneers are made. He met misfortune with fortitude and never faltered in his onward march. In early years it was nothing but work, the pleasurable portions of his life being in the domestic
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influences of home and the companionship of neighbors with whom he had ploughed the rugged fields of life. He confronted adversi- ties with courage and wrested success from seemingly unsurmount- able obstacles. To his original purchase of land he made addi- tions from time to time until he became the owner of 1,000 acres and other valuable holdings. He was a member of the Masonic fra- ternity at Eyota, was at one time county commissioner, and was a man who will long linger in the minds and hearts of his many friends and neighbors. His widow survives him at the age of sixty-six years.
Frank E. Ketchum is the oldest living son of the old pioneer, Jerome C. Ketchum. He was born in this township on December 9, 1867, and until seventeen years of age helped with the work of the home farm and attended the district schools. Farming has al- ways been his occupation and he is the owner of 240 acres located on Sections 4 and 5. This property, since his removal to Dover, has been rented. In politics Mr. Ketchum is a Republican, and for many years he has been a clerk and a director of the board of edu- cation. He also belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America. March 8, 1888, he married Miss Alvina Siegel, daughter of Fred and Wilhelmine Siegel, early and well known settlers of the county, and to them two children have been born, named Verna and Rex, both attending the Dover schools.
THOMAS HARNEY was born in the city of Waterford, County Waterford, Ireland, March 4, 1834, and is the surviving child in a family of two born to the union of John and Mary (Carberry) Harney. Both parents died in the old country, the mother when Thomas was a child of but two years of age. Thomas and his sis- ter Catherine were reared by their father and grandmother. They came alone to America in 1850 and, landing at New York, resided there and in New Jersey for some time. There the sister met and married James O'Neil, and she and husband resided in Blooming- ton, Illinois, for a time and afterwards removed to Lake City, Minnesota, arriving there in April, 1875, and there both of them spent their remaining days.
Thomas Harney received his education in the national schools of Ireland, and supplemented this by years of extensive reading during later years in life. He ultimately became a man of broad and extensive information. After a short residence in New York state he started west and worked at various occupations in Ohio, Indiana and Illinois until 1856. He then came to Olmsted county, Minnesota. He had saved from his earnings the sum of $1,400, and for a time after his arrival in Rochester clerked for John Head, one of the first merchants of the town. Due to financial reverses, Mr. Head later failed in business and Mr. Harney was compelled to
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accept some city lots in payment for his services. During this time he preempted 160 acres of. land in New Haven township, near Genoa, and later secured more near Lake City, Wabasha county. He subsequently removed to this place and there he and family re- sided for forty-five years. When he first came to Rochester he helped to grub and clear what is now Broadway. In Rochester he married Elizabeth Dooley, a daughter of Jeremiah and Mary (Maher) Dooley, who came to Olmsted county in 1856 and were among the pioneer settlers here. Two children, John H. and Mary Agnes, were born to this union in Rochester and eight others-Jere- miah P., Thomas S., James K., Catherine V., Daniel M., Elizabeth M., William F. and Ambrose M., were born in Wabasha county. In 1907 Mr. Harney returned to Rochester and here he and wife are now living, retired from the active cares of life. Mr. Harney began life without money, friends or influence, but he was econom- ical, worked hard, carefully invested his earnings and accumulated a fortune by his own exertions. His aid in this was his wife and children by whom he was blessed. He is an old fashioned Democrat in his political views, but not to such an extent as to become of- fensive to his neighbors. He never aspired to political preferment, although he never could be accused of shirking the duties of good citizenship. He did not obtrude his opinions upon his neighbors, but whenever called upon, assisted his less fortunate brother by good counsel and substantial assistance. In religion he and family are devout members of the Roman Catholic Church. Of their children, John H. never married and lives in Olmsted county on the old Kyran Dooley estate; Mary A. married John C. O'Connell, of Brinsmade, and is the mother of nine children; Jeremiah P., the father of thirteen children, twelve living, lives at Jarrett, Minne- sota ; Thomas S., a bachelor, makes his home in St. Paul; James K., unmarried, is a real estate dealer at Brinsmade. N. D .; Catherine V. is the wife of Thomas R. Lawler, appropriate mention of whom appears elsewhere in this work; Daniel M. is unmarried and lives on the old homestead near Lake City, Minnesota ; Elizabeth M. re- sides with her parents in Rochester ; William F. is engaged in farm- ing; Ambrose M. is unmarried and is associated with T. R. Lawler in the undertaking business at Rochester.
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