History of Ramsey County and the city of St. Paul, including the Explorers and pioneers of Minnesota, Part 111

Author: Warner, George E; Foote, Charles M., joint author; Neill, Edward D. (Edward Duffield), 1823-1893. Explorers and pioneers of Minnesota. 1n; Williams, J. Fletcher (John Fletcher), 1834-1895. Outlines of the history of Minnesota
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Minneapolis, North Star Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 684

USA > Minnesota > Ramsey County > St Paul > History of Ramsey County and the city of St. Paul, including the Explorers and pioneers of Minnesota > Part 111

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Louis Wespieser, a native of France, was born in 1852. He attended school. there, and graduated in both French and German, also speaks English. In 1878, he came to the United States, and in January, 1879, located at St. Paul.

He became associated with Oscar Matter in the liquor business, under the firm name of Matter and Company. The partnership was dissolved in October, 1881, and Mr. Wespieser opened a liquor store and sample room at 432 Wabasha street.

Joseph A. Wheelock, chief editor of the Pioneer- Press, was born at Bridgetown, Nova Scotia, February 8th, 1831. IIe was educated at Sack- ville academy in New Brunswick, and in June, 1850, came to Minnesota. For about two years he was employed as clerk in Franklin Steele's sutler store at Fort Snelling. From 1854 until 1858 he edited the Saint Paul Real Estate and Financial Advertiser. IIe was associate editor of the Saint Paul Pioneer in 1859, and the year following was appointed commissioner of statistics of Minnesota. In 1861 he was concerned in establishing and ed- iting the Saint Paul Press. The same year his marriage with Kate French, of Concord, New IIampshire, took place. In 1862 he succeeded William R. Marshall as editor of the Press, and continues to fill that position.

Truman Stevens White, of American parentage, was born September 23d, 1841, at Oxford, Butler county, Ohio. Mr. White received his education at the public schools. He arrived in St. Paul, July 3d, 1855, and since 1866 has been engaged in the wholesale paper and stationery business. During the rebellion he served three years ; was captain of company C, Ninety-third Ohio volun- teer infantry. His marriage occurred May 10th, 1867.

John II. Whyte, a native of Scotland, was born in 1832, in Dundee. He was given a liberal edu- cation, and learned the machinist's trade. In 1855 he came to America, and located in Chicago, where he worked at his trade until 1869, at which time he removed to St. Joseph, Michigan, where, until 1872, he was engaged for himself in the foundry and machine business. Ile was then in the employ of the Northern Pacific Railroad Com- pany until 1877 ; being foreman of their shops at Brainerd, Minnesota. From that date until 1879, he was foreman of the shops of the Missouri, Kansas and Texas railroad company at Sedalia, Missouri. Afterward he was foreman of the Manitoba shops of the St. Vincent division, until 1880, since which time he has been em- ployed in St. Paul, as engineer at elevator A.

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In 1853, he married, in Dundee, Margaret Gras- sict, who has borne him eight children. Six are living.

Laurentz Wiklund was born October 31st, 1859, in Sweden, where, at the age of fifteen, he began the study of chemistry, with a view to learning photography. In November, 1879, he came to America, and for a short time worked with L. M. Melander and Brothers, at Chicago ; then, after a short residence in Cambridge, Illi- nois, came to St. Paul, in May, 1880, and the June following purchased his present establish- ment. Mr. Wiklund is succeeding admirably in his business as photographer.

F. J. Wilcken, contractor, was born Decem- ber 9th, 1847, in Germany. When about five years of age he came with his parents to America. They resided in Chicago three years, then removed to a farm near New Ulm, Minnesota. During the massacre of 1862, they were driven from their home, but returned when the troubles were ended. At the age of seventeen years, he began his trade in New Ulm; worked there two and one - half years and one year in St. Paul. For a time he was in Hudson, then in Afton, and finally returned to this city. Since 1870 he has been in company with F. J. Romer. Mr. Wilcken was married in this city, December, 1873, to Bertha Weber. Their children are Adolph and Fredrich.

Joe M. Wild, a native of Switzerland, was born in the canton of Glarus in 1854, and remained there until the age of eighteen years. He came to St. Paul April 30th, 1872, and was employed by different parties in the butcher's trade until 1876, when he began business at his present loca- tion, 336 East Seventh street. H. Metz was his partner until 1879; since that date Mr. Wild has been the sole proprietor. His is the only meat market on the east side, and he is having a rapid- ly increasing trade.

Amherst Holcomb Wilder is of English descent, and the grandson of Amherst Wilder, who moved from Vermont and settled in Lewis, Essex coun- ty, New York, in 1821. He is the son of Alanson Wilder, who married Evaline Holcomb, who had two children: Amherst H., born on the old home- stead of his grandfather in Lewis, on the 7th of July, 1828, and IIelen Marion, now the wife of John L. Merriam. Amherst spent most of his youth in securing an education; finished his school

studies at the West Poultney, Vermont, academy; at twenty commenced business for himself, en- gaging in the manufacture of iron, and merchan- dising at Lewis, in company with his father, con- tinning that business till the spring of 1859, when we find him at St. Paul in the firm of J. C. and H. C. Burbank and Company. The business of this house was merchandising, commission, stor- age and forwarding-a house whose trade soon spread over a wide territory, and which showed a strong disposition to push things with remark- able enterprise. It put in operation the first line of steamers that ever ran on the Red River of the North. Mr. Wilder continued in this firm until 1866; a little later was in the wholesale gro- cery business one year, in company with Chan- ning Seabury, since which time he has been en- gaged here in government contracting and trans- portation in connection with John L. Merriam. In connection with John H. Charles, of Sioux City, Iowa, he has a steamboat line on the Mis- souri and Yellowstone rivers. He is also con- nected with the post-traders at Forts Keogh and Custer, and in a merchandising and out-fitting house at Miles City, near Fort Keogh, Montana. Mr. Wilder is a stockholder in the St. Paul Foun- dry and Manufacturing Company. He is also a stockholder and director of the First National Bank of St. Paul, and the Merchants National Bank of the same place. For years he has taken great interest in the several railroads centering in St. Paul or tending to further the interests of this city. He is a director of the St. Paul and Sioux City, the Sioux City and St. Paul, (being vice-president of the latter company) the St. Paul, Stillwater and Taylor's Falls, and the Hudson and River Falls Railroad companies. On the 18th of September, 1861, Miss Fanny Spencer, daughter of Hon. Joshua A. Spencer of Utica, New York, became the wife of Mr. Wilder, and they have one child, Cornelia Day, born at St. Paul on the 24th of June, 1868.

Robert C. Wiley, son of Robert and Mary Wiley, was born in 1827. in Lewis county, New York. When he was quite young his parents moved to St. Lawrence county, and he lived there on a farm until nineteen years of age when he commenced learning the trade of carpenter and joiner. In 1853 he came to St. Paul, and that summer went with R. B. McGrath, to where the

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village of Excelsior now stands, and there erected the first bark shanty and afterward the first log house in that locality. Tiring of this kind of life he returned to St. Paul and worked on the old capitol building. The following winter, in com- pany with C. F. Hill, he began contracting and building. In the spring of 1863 Mr. Wiley went to Faribault and superintended the building of Shattuck school, St. Mary's hall and Bishop's church. In 1869 he returned to this city and worked for the St. Paul and Duluth railroad com- pany, building depots along the line. Since 1875 he has been contracting in this place. IIis pres- ent partner, J. M. Carlson, became associated with him in the spring of 1881. In 1859 he was elected alderman of the Third ward, served three years and was re-elected; after one year he resigned and went to Faribault. Mr. Wiley was elected to the legislature in 1877-'78 and '80. He married in St. Paul in 1860, Marion Salsburry. They have one daughter, Fannie W.

A. P. Wilkes was born in 1846, in Connecticut. When twelve years of age he went to Hartford, and after following telegraphing three years en- tered college; he remained about two years then went to Bridgeport, Connecticut, and engaged as clerk in C. G. Pendelton's drug store, remaining with him five years. In August, 1869, he came to St. Paul, was two years in the employ of Noyes Brothers and Company; then until December, 1873, he was with Jenks and Bird; he was about thirteen months with Dries and Mitsch and after- ward with R. T. Hand until his death. In July, 1876, he purchased the building where he is now engaged in the drug business. The store is of brick; it is 22x60 feet, and three stories in height. Mr. Wilkes was a member of the First regiment, Company A, Connecticut National Guards. IIe has held the office of notary public two years in St. Paul.

John W. Willis, a native of Minnesota, was born July 12th, 1854, in St. Paul. He received his preparatory education in the schools of this city, and graduated at Dartmouth college in June, 1877. Mr. Willis was Latin instructor in the St. Paul High school from September, 1877, until June, 1879. He studied law with Gilman and Clongh, of this city ; was admitted to the bar by the supreme court of Minnesota, October 18th, 1879, and now has a very successful law practice.

John A. Wilson was born in 1837, at Buffalo, New York, and learned the trade of machinist in the ship yard iron works of that city. For some time he followed steamboat engineering, running on all waters from Pittsburgh to New Orleans, the lakes. Hudson river and the Gulf of Mexico. In 1879 he moved from Michigan to Minnesota and located at Ortonville. During the season of 1880 he was master of the steamer Helen Balch ; in the fall of that year he went to Minneapolis and put in the machinery of Camp and Walker's lumber mills. Since May 3d, 1881, he has been chief engineer at the St. Paul Roller mills. His assistant is Henry Sampson. In 1868 he married, in Wisconsin, Emma Smith. George and Arthur are their children.

Robert Wilson, son of William and Lillie Reed Wilson, was born August 1st, 1848, in Stratford, Canada, where he acquired a common school edu- cation. In 1865 he went to Michigan, and resid- ed at Grand Rapids until 1878, when he came to Minnesota and worked at his trade in Faribault until March, 1880, when he removed to St. Paul, where he has since resided. Mr. Wilson is a member of the firm of Herzog and Wilson, of the Eighth street planing mill and St. Paul Fence works. He married, September 5th, 1876, Kate, daughter of Major Wise, of Grand Rapids. Boyd, a boy of three years, is their only child.

Thomas P. Wilson, of the firm of Wilson and Rogers, was born at New Haven, Connecticut, in 1842. With his parents he moved to Newport, New York. and in 1856 they came to St.Paul. Here he finished his education and followed teaching until 1861, when he enlisted in the Fourth Minne- sota volunteer infantry, company I. He was pro- moted first lieutenant and regimental quarter- master of the Eleventh Louisiana colored. After the siege of Vicksburg he was appointed general staff officer, captain and acting quartermaster. HIe participated in the siege of Corinth, battles of Iuka and Corinth and the campaign across north- ern Missouri, resulting in the capture of Mem- phis ; also many other marches, skirmishes and battles. After the fall of Vicksburg he remained on garrison duty in Louisiana and Mississippi until 1864 when he joined the main army ; after the battle of Kenesaw and the capture of Atlan- ta he was appointed chief quartermaster of the fourth division of the Seventeenth army corps :

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served in that capacity through Sherman's march to the sea. After the grand review of the troops at Washington he was placed in charge of Sher- man's army train on the march to Leavenworth, Kansas, and was afterward ordered to Colorado to superintend the building of a frontier post. IIe was appointed major in the quartermaster's department and placed on duty in Denver. In the summer of 1866 he was mustered out and re- turned to St. Paul; he engaged in lumbering about one year, and in 1868 commenced his pres- ent business. Mr. Wilson married Ella Parry, March 31st, 1880, in New York city.

W. F. Wilson, agent of the Erie and North Shore Despatch fast freight, office at 119 Third street. Mr. Wilson was born at Chicago, Illinois, in 1845. His first experience in the railroad business was in the employ of the Chicago, Bur- lington and Quincy company one year and a half; he was then for a time cashier at Chicago for the Merchants' Despatch. In 1869 he went to Oma- ha, where he worked two years as cashier for the Kansas City, St. Jo and Council Bluffs company, and in 1871 engaged with the North Shore Des- patch, as chief clerk, offices at Chicago and De- troit. In 1879 he came to St. Paul to take the position of North-western agent for the company. The agency was established here in 1872.

Hon. Wilford L. Wilson was born at Cazenovia, New York, on the 14th day of February, 1815. Was reared to manhood in that place. His father, a physician, died when he was only seven weeks old. His mother, who had been a teacher before her marriage, resumed that occupation, and continued it for more than twenty years. With a view of entering the ministry he com- menced fitting for college, and in order to prose- cute study, entered the seminary again in 1833, and remained connected with it until the spring of 1836. The first state anti-slavery convention, was held in Utica, October 21st, 1835, of which lie was probably the youngest member. The convention was broken up by a mob, and young Wilson came near losing his life in the encounter. In September, 1836, he entered the freshman class, at Hamilton college, and continued there one year. He left there and joined the Wes- leyan University in August, 1837, in Middletown, Connecticut, and continned there two years.

During the winter vacation of three months, in 1837 and 1838, he was employed as an agent of the American Anti-slavery society, traveling in Connecticut with Tyler, Birney, Storrs, Col- ver and others, encountering a good many diffi- culties in the pro-slavery committees, but the labor was crowned by the organization, at Hart- ford, of a State Anti-slavery society, on the 28th of February, 1838. The next season, that of 1838-39, he engaged with the State society, visited many places where' abolition meetings had never been held, and received considerable rough usage. In the fall of 1839 he entered the theological de- partment of Yale college, graduated with the class in 1842, and in accordance with usage, had been licensed to preach at the end of the preced- ing year. Having married, in September, 1840, Miss Ann Perry, a former pupil at the seminary, at Newport, New York, he settled for a season at New Haven, and then returned to Newport, where he continued to reside, preaching a part of the time until the summer of 1844. Several things had conspired to prevent his ordination and full induction into the ministry, and his license having expired by limitation, he engaged in merchandising, which was carried on for several years. His first wife died in 1854, and he subsequently married Miss Abby Waterman, who was also a resident of Newport, who died in 1880. In the fall of 1856, came to Minne- sota, and on the organization of the internal reve- nue service, after the breaking out of the war, he was appointed assistant assessor for Ramsey county, embracing the city of St. Panl, and was afterwards commissioned by President Lincoln, assessor of the district, which position he held into the presidential term of Andrew Johnson, by whom he was removed because of refusal to stand by his policy. Since that he has been em- ployed in the pension office of Minnesota; has been commissioned several times for special work by the Pension Department at Washington, and during the last state administration was private secretary to Governor Davis, continuing throngh his administration. When in 1876, St. Paul was made a point of delivery for imported merchan- dise, was appointed appraiser of customs, and subsequently inspector and examiner, which position he held until July 1st, 1881, when he was appointed deputy collector and inspector, and

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examiner of customs. Mr. Wilson is now a widower, having lost his wife about a year ago.

Wilford C. Wilson was born May 5th, 1847, at Newport, Herkimer county, New York. In Oc- tober, 1856, le came with his parents to St. Paul ; coming up the Mississippi from Dunleith, on the old steamer Lady Franklin. In July, 1864, when but a boy, he enlisted in company B, Eleventlı Minnesota volunteer infantry. The following September he was promoted on non-commissioned staff, and in July, 1865, was honorably discharged at Fort Snelling. After leaving the army, he spent one month at home, and then went to Fair- field, New York, to take a course in the academy. Upon leaving school he returned to St. Paul, in 1867, and engaged with General Warren in the government survey. He afterward held the posi- tion of principal in the Lakeland school, Wash- ington county. In 1868 he became a member of the firm of Wilson and Rogers, plumbers' supplies, pumps, furnaces and stoves.

George Wirth, architect and superintendent of building, was born in 1851, in Bavaria, Germany. He attended the public schools there, and the poly- technical institute at Ratisbonne, until eighteen years of age. In 1869 he came to the United States; located first at Utica, New York; in 1875 went to Chicago, and the year following returned to Utica. In the fall of 1876, he at- tended Cornell university, as a private student of architecture, and the next year executed some work in Minneapolis and Anoka. After a visit of one year in Germany and France, he came to St. Paul in 1879, and the next spring opened his office at 154 East Third street.

O. O. Wold was born in 1856, in Norway, and when eight years of age came with his parents to America. They settled in Mower county, where he attended school, and afterward entered the high school at Austin. After leaving school, he was employed four years as clerk in the drug store of Dorr and Wold. In 1879 he came to St. Paul, and after clerking a few months for J. P. Allen, embarked in the drug business. He is located at 227 East Seventh street, and has a rap- idly growing trade.

Benjamin F. Wright, son of Thomas and Maria Wright, was born June 6th, 1840, at Utica, New York. He received his preparatory education at Sauquoit academy, and in September, 1858, en-

tered Union college, where he graduated, June, 1862. Mr. Wright received the Nott prize schol- arship, during his course. He left home first in 1855, and located at Oneida, Illinois, where he taught school. In 1865, he was assistant in Rev. Dr. Lyons' boarding school for boys, near Phila- delphia. IIe studied law one year before locating in St. Paul, in May, 1867. Soon after graduating, lie entered the United States army as private in the One IIundred and Forty-sixth New York volunteers, and was promoted to captain. At the battle of the Wilderness he was captured, and was confined in rebel prisons one year ; was ex- changed at Wilmington, North Carolina, in the spring of 1865. IIe was breveted major for gal- lant and meritorious conduct during the war. In May, 1867, he married Ola Cargile, by whom he had three children. His second wife was A. Eliza Avery, of Clayville, New York. Their marriage took place July 27th, 1881. Mr. Wright was prin- cipal of the Jefferson school of this city one year, and of the high school ten years. In August, 1878, he was elected superintendent of the St. Paul schools.

Theodore Jans was born in Germany in 1843. IIe received a practical German education and grew to manhood in a hotel. Came to America in 1868, and settled first in Cincinnati then in St. Louis, and the next year came to this city which has since been liis home. He was in the ice bus- iness eight years then opened the Washington house and ran it four years, after which he took the St. Paul house which he has since run. His building contains fifty rooms and is situated at 123 Fort street. Mr. Jans married in St. Paul in 1872, Miss Mary Windolph. They had four chil- dren all of whom are living.

George B. Young, fourth son of the late Rev. Dr. Alexander Young, was born in Boston, July 25th, 1840. IIe graduated from Harvard college in 1860, and from the law school in 1863. Then read law in Boston and New York, and was ad- mitted to practice in the latter city in November, 1864. Removed to Minnesota in 1870 and practiced law in Minneapolis until April, 1874, when he was appointed associate justice of the supreme court of the state, which office he held until January, 1875. In May following he removed to St. Paul where he has since been engaged in the practice of law. He is a reporter of the supreme court,

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and in 1878 edited a compilation of the general statutes of Minnesota. Mr. Young was married in September, 1870, to Ellen, daughter of the late Daniel Pellons, of Edgartown, Massachusetts.

Harry H. Young, secretary of the State Board of Immigration, is a native of Virginia, born October 16th, 1825. His parents were citizens of Baltimore, Maryland, but had to take refuge in the country during the prevalence of an epidemic in the city. Having lost his parents when quite young, he removed with the family of his guar- dian to Indiana in 1839. His education was re- ceived chiefly from private instructors, and in 1843 he apprenticed himself to learn printing, in Cincinnati, with a view of preparing himself to publish a newspaper. He also read law with IIon. William M. Carry of that city. In 1850 he went back to Baltimore and for nine years was connected with the press of that city and Wash- ington. In 1859, impaired health induced him to come to Minnesota and he engaged publishing the Henderson Democrat, and during the cam- paign of 1860 issued the North Star, a daily cam- paign sheet published in this city. During the war he was army correspondent of the New York World and the New York Times, in Virginia. Coming back to Minnesota in 1867, he engaged three years later in the publication of the Roches- ter Federal Union, an anti-monopoly organ. Af- ter running this four years he sold out, when his party was absorbed by the democratic party, and in 1875, he took charge of the Grange Advance in Red Wing, which he conducted three years as a republican paper. In 1878 he sold his interest there and removed to St. Paul and was appointed to his present position, the only public office he ever filled, the following spring. Notwithstand- ing his conceded ability as a writer, Mr. Young's newspaper enterprises have not been successful because he has devoted himself too closely to the editorial management of his paper to the exclu- sion of the financial department. Besides his newspaper articles Mr. Young has written a num- ber of magazine essays upon topics of current in- terest which have been published over a fictitious name. In 1857 he married Mrs. Mary A. Hender- son, of Maryland.

B. F. Zahm was born in Germany, in 1845. His parents came to America and spent one year

in Sandusky, Ohio, then came to St. Panl in 1858, where young Zahm was educated in the public schools. He began his business career by clerk- ing for Justin and Forepaugh, wholesale dry goods dealers, with whom he remained four years. He next worked for Cathcart and Company and for D. W. Ingersoll and Company, and began business for himself in company with Messrs. Lindeke and Scheffer under the firm name of A. H. Lindeke and Company. After the dissolution of that firm he began business for himself and in March, 1879, took as partner H. E. Mann, and the firm was known as Zahm and Mann. In the spring of 1880 Mr. Mann withdrew and Martin F. Brugge became a member of the firm, which is known as B. F. Zahm and Company. They are located at 157 and -161 West Seventh street and do a large business, requiring the services of twelve salesmen.

Charles A. Zimmerman was born in Strasbourg, France, in 1844. Came to America in 1848 and in 1856 came to St. Paul. At the age of fourteen he made his first attempts in the art of photogra- phy, by the aid of a few books and a rude camera constructed by himself. He entered the Whit- ney gallery as a boy, working for eight dollars per month, and gradually worked his way to owner- ship. Subsequently he purchased a building on Third street, the four stories of which are devoted entirely to photography, making it one of the largest galleries in the United States. In 1871 Mr. Zimmerman was awarded the Philadelphia gold medal for photography, and in 1876 the cen- tennial gold medal for the same. His literary works embrace contributions on light optics, and the chemistry and the working of processes; pa- pers to children in St. Nicholas; papers on out- door sports and rod and gun abound in the columns of Forest and Stream, Chicago Field, and Scrib- ner. His best known water color paintings are, "The Light Shell," "Trying for a Double," "In the Gloaming" and "Interupted." The copyright for the first two netted $3,000. Ilis largest painting "Damascus Commandery Encampment" was finished July 1st, 1881. Mr. Zimmerman has held the office of secretary and treasurer, of the St. Paul Sportsman's club, for a number of years. In 1881 he purchased and placed in successful operation a fleet of fine pleasure steamers on Lake Minnetonka.

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