History of Rice County, including explorers and pioneers of Minnesota and outline history of the state of Minnesota, Part 66

Author: Neill, Edward D. (Edward Duffield), 1823-1893. 1n; Bryant, Charles S., 1808-1885. cn
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Minneapolis : Minnesota Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 626

USA > Minnesota > Rice County > History of Rice County, including explorers and pioneers of Minnesota and outline history of the state of Minnesota > Part 66

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I. N. DONALDSON dates his birth the 10th of December, 1841, in Westmoreland county, Penn- sylvania, where his ancestors were among the pio- neers of that section, taking a prominent part in the early history and development of the county. When he was eight years old his parents moved to Wells county, Iudiana, remaining until 1862, and then came to this county, locating in Bridge- water. The subject of this sketch assisted his father on the farm till 1871, then engaged in the mercantile business in company with his brother, at Dundas. In 1875, he was appointed Post- master; in 1877, elected Register of Deeds, and is now serving his third term in that office. On the 31st of January, 1872, while on his way to business he met with an accident on the railroad

track, the cars running over his right leg which made amputation necessary. Mr. Donaldson was joined in marriage on the 12th of November, 1861, with Miss Sarah A. Decker. The union has been blessed with six children.

H. N. DALE, M. D., one of the pioneers of Can- non City, was born in Hamilton, Butler county, Ohio, and removed to White county, Indiana, when but five years old. He attended an Academy near his home until eighteen years old, then became a pupil at the Asbury University, where he remained two years, and subsequently engaged in teaching school and studying medi- cine. He entered the office of Dr. Haymond at Monticello, Indiana, and shortly after graduated from the Eclectic Medical Institute at Cincinnati, Ohio. In the fall of 1856, he removed to Cannon City and commenced practice, and in 1867, came to Faribault. In 1868, he spent one winter in Cin- cinnati, Ohio, in the Medical schools and Hospitals. The winter of 1875 and '76, was spent in the Chi- cago schools, and the entire years of 1876 and '77, in attendance at Rush Medical College and Cook County Hospital. In 1879, Dr. Dale was married to Mrs. E. M. McCauley. He has been County Coroner two terms and County Physician three years since coming to this city.

L. W. DENISON, M. D., was born in Clarksville, Madison county, New York, on the 17th of Decem- ber, 1819. His father died when our subject was eleven years old, after which he worked at the mechanic's trade in Whitestown and vicinity two years; then studied medicine in the former place and at Brookfield. He attended lectures in the medical department of the New York University, also in Vermont, where he received a diploma. After attending lectures in Buffalo, New York, be came to Jefferson county, Wisconsin, in 1849, and practiced two years, then went to California, where he remained until 1855, when he came to Faribault. In September, 1855, Miss Julia Frank- lin became his wife. Mr. Denison practiced his profession until the last few years, since which time he has been engaged in mercautile pursuits, also has some fine farming land in this vicinity. He has been twice elected to the Legislature, and an active member of the school board since 1857, besides holding local offices. He is the father of four children, three of whom are living.

J. D. DENISON, one of the pioneers of Rice county, was born in Brookfield, Madison county,

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HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY.

New York, on the 5th of August, 1810. When twenty years of age he commenced learning the wagonmaker's trade, and afterward opened a shop in his native place. He was married on the 15th of August, 1833, to Miss Chloe Cately, a native of Massachusetts. In 1848, he removed to Onondaga county and in 1856, came here working at his trade in the first shop of the kind in the place. The same year he erected a building for a shop, and in 1858, built a second, which was the begin- ning of the Faribault carriage works of the present day. He owned and operated them till 1876. Mr. and Mrs. Denison have had four children, of whom two are still living.

J. J. Dow, Superintendent of the Blind Institu- tion, was born in India, on the continent of Asia, the 15th of February, 1848, his father being a missionary from East Givermore, Maine, to that country. M. Dow's ancestors were among the early New England settlers. J. C. Dow, the father of the subject of our sketch, was a Free-will Bap- tist minister, and returned to Maine while J. J. was an infant, where the latter grew to manhood. In 1863, he enlisted in the Second Maine Cavalry, Company F, serving two years. In 1866, he came to Olmsted county, Minnesota, where his parents had previously moved, and three years after en- tered Carleton College, from which he graduated in 1874. He and Miss Myra A. Brown, who be- came his wife on the 25th of December 1874, com- posed the first graduating class from the above College. He then became Superintendent of the public schools of Austin, Minnesota, and in August, 1875, hecame principal of the department for the blind in the Deaf, Dumb, and Blind Insti- tute. In 1881, he was made Superintendent of the Blind Department, when it became an institu- tion of itself. He has since filled the office with credit to himself and makes the Asylum an honor to the State. He.has a family of four children.

P. G. DENNINGER, M. D., is a native of Berlin, Germany, born on the 20th of January, 1848. His father, Adolph, was a Lutheran minister. In 1862, the family emigrated to America, located in Washington county, Wisconsin, and P. G. en- tered the Northwestern College at Watertown. In 1869, he began the study of medicine at the Ho- meopathic Hospital College in Cleveland, Ohio, then entered the office of Dr. D. H. L. Bradley at Horicon, Wisconsin. In 1871, he came to Eyota, Olmsted county, and commenced practicing. The

same year he married Miss Susie Wagner, the ceremony taking place on the 12th of June, and in 1876, they removed to Spring Valley. He graduated from the Hahnemann Homeopathy Col- lege of Chicago in 1878. His wife and two chil- dren died the previous year of diphtheria, and he again married on the 16th of May, 1878, to Miss Cora Gunwald, who has borne him one child. He came to this place in 1881, where he has a steadily increasing practice.

REV. JAMES DOBBIN, of the Shattuck school, under whose good management and supervision it has grown to its present prosperous condition, and to whose energy is due most of the success of the institution, is a good man in a good place. He Was born in Washington county, New York, on the 29th of June, 1833, and reared on a farm. When eighteen years old he left home and prepared for college by studying at Salem and Argyle, working his way up by his own energy and industry. In 1855, he took charge of the school at Argyle, where he remained till 1857, then entered Union College, graduating in 1859. He came to Fari- bault and taught in the first parish school one year, then returned to New York and once more conducted the Argyle Academy, and one year later the one at Greenwick. In 1864, he returned to this place and commenced the study of theology at Seabury Divinity School. In 1860, he married Fannie I. Leigh, the ceremony taking place on the 12th of December. She died after five years of married life, on the 29th of December, 1865, leav- ing one daughter. In April, 1867, Mr. Dobbin commenced his charge of Shattuck school, to whichi he has since given his whole time and has made it a credit to the State. He was ordained as minister of the Episcopal church in May of the latter year. He was again married on the 9th of April, 1874, to Elizabeth L. Ames, who has borne him one child, a son.

MAJOR WILLIAM H. DIKE, a resident of Minne- sota since 1857, and one of the most energetic business men of Rice county, is a native of Rut- land county, Vermont, being born at Pittsford on the 18th of May, 1813. His father, Jonathan Dike, for many years High Sheriff of that county, was born in Chittenden, Vermont. His great- grandfather was in the first war with England, and his father in the second. The latter reached Plattsburg while the battle was progressing, but not in season to take part in it, and re-

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fused to draw a pension. The wife of Jonathan Dike was Tamizian Hammond, a native of Pitts- ford, Vermont. The family moved into the vil- lage of Rutland when William was about six years old, where the son attended school a small portion of each year until he was thirteen, when he left home, and lived for many years with two mater- nal uncles, Charles F. aud John C. Hammond, of Crown Point, Essex county, New York. With them he clerked until he was eighteen, with six months' schooling during this time. The Ham- monds were engaged in lumhering as well as mercantile pursuits, and for a period of several years Mr. Dike had the oversight of this branch of their business. They had also a blast furnace, and were extensive manufac- turers of iron, in which business Mr. Dike had an interest with them for six or seven years, also in the store. In the spring of 1857, he left Crown Point, settled in Faribault, and commenced banking, real estate and milling business, in con- nection with other parties. He built what is known as the Dike mill, and the first flour shipped to Chicago and New York frem Minnesota went from his mill, which was built in 1858, the year Minnesota entered the Union in her sovereign robes. At an early day people came a long way to get their grist ground, usually with ox teams; a distance of forty, fifty, and sixty miles was not uncommon, and one time two men, with two yoke of oxen and grists for half a dozen families, came from the southern part of Blue Earth county, a distance of more than eighty miles. Soon after the First National Bank was opened Mr. Dike be- came its cashier, resigining at the end of a year or two. The last few years he has spent in taking care of his property, which is somewhat scattered. Besides his homestead of eight or nine acres in the southern part of the city, and several small bodies of improved land in different sections of Rice county, he has unimproved land in Houston, Waseca, Watonwan, Dodge, Blue Earth, and Le Sneur counties, in the aggregate two thousand acres or more.

A little episode in his life occurred when the civil war broke out, in April, 1861. He raised a company in two days for the First regiment; went in as Captain of Company H; was made Major be- fore leaving the State, participated in the first battle of Bull Run, and on that disastrous day was one of the last members of the regiment to quit the field, hunting up, just before leaving, the body of

Captain McKune, securing his sword, belt, and watch, and kindly sending them to his widow. Just after this battle a gentleman residing in Washington thus spoke of his heroic bravery and that of Lieutenant-Colonel Miller on that occa- sion :

" Major Dike's conduct is especially mentioned by all as having heen cool, unexcited, and really brave. He was among the last to leave, praying, beseeching, and imploring the men to stand. If one-half appeared in the newspapers that I hear of him, he would be the Roderick of the battle. He goes home to-morrow intending to recruit the somewhat thinned ranks. He is a heavy artillery, anyway, either as a man or a soldier-as popular as a man can be wherever he goes, and as modest in speaking of his own exploits as though he ran at the first fire."

About the same time another newspaper thus spoke of Major Dike:

"This gallant officer has won the plaudits of the brave men he had the honor to lead, in part, to battle on the fatal 21st of July. It was his big heart and genuine love of the stars and stripes that prompted him to take up arms, and the good account given of him is just what was expected by all who knew the man."

The St. Paul "Press " of the 21st of August, 1861, thus spoke of Major Dike just as he was re- turning to the Potomac, after a brief visit to Fari- bault to look after his private business;

" While all accounts of the Minnesota regiment whether in camp or on the field, have attested the fidelity, coolness, and bravery of Major Dike, yet there are some further particulars of the man and his valuable services to the regiment, to which we desire to refer. His energy and efficiency as a man of business, concurring with his individual liberality, were of immense service in the organi- zation of the regiment, as every one familiar with the events at Fort Snelling will attest. We are not surprised to hear that since the battle at Man- assas the wounded of the Minnesota regiment have received constant proofs of his warm-hearted sympathy. He would be sure to make the cause of every sufferer his own."

The private business of Major Dike was so pressing, that at the end of six months (October, 1861,) he resigned, and returned home. In poli- tics he was originally a Whig, and of late years has affiliated with the Republicans. Against his wishes, and in the face of his refusal to go before

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the convention, be was nominated by the Repub- licans and war Democrats for Governor in 1861, but peremptorily refused to stand as a candidate for that high office. Here is his modest letter, re- fusing to stand as the nominee:

" CAMP STONE, EDWARD'S FERRY, MD., "September 12, 1861.

"O. BROWN, EsQ., EDITOR FARIBAULT "CENTRAL REPUBLICAN."

"Friend Brown: When I was in Minnesota, a great number of persons of all political parties called upon me, and urged me to accept the Union nomination for Governor. While acknowledging the compliment intended with gratitude, I finally left the matter in the hands of friends to relieve me from the necessity of declining it, by request- ing that the nomination be conferred upon some other person. When I returned to my regiment I found an engagement with the enemy imminent, and our First regiment (at the front of the post of danger at this point) close enough to hold con- versation, and hold it daily with pickets sent out to watch our lines. Under such circumstances I do not feel justified in accepting the nomination for any civil office. I cannot accept for other reasons of a personal nature, but this I might un- der ordinary circumstances, forego. I therefore beg all friends to accept my sincere thanks for the honor they would have done me, and respectfully but positively decline being run for any office by any party or under any circumstances. My pri- vate business is in such a condition that when I can see a propriety in time and circumstances, I must give it my supervision; but even that for the present must be dismissed, and my whole at- teution given to my imperiled country.

Most respectfully,

Your obedient servant, W. H. DIKE."

Major Dike has been twice married; first on the 29th of June, 1841, to Miss Louisa T. Alvord, of Rutland, Vermont, sister of Benjamin Alvord, pay- master general of the United States. She died on the 21st of March, 1855, leaving one daughter, Mary Hammond, who died on the 23d of Septem- ber, 1860. His present wife was Miss Matilde M. Bates, of Boston, Massachusetts; married on the 14th of December, 1858. She accompanied her husband and his regiment to the South; was with him during his service there, often visiting the hos- pitals at Washington, and ministering to the wants

of the wounded, sick and suffering. The night before the battle of Bull Run the Major put a one hundred dollar bill in her hands, requesting her to use it in procuring delicacies for the sick sol- diers in the Georgetown Hospital, which she did. Major Dike has been the victim of misplaced con- fidence once or twice, suffering pecuniarily from partnership connections in business, but bas a competency ; is in fact independent in his circum- stances, and in his delightful home has all the comforts to which a remarkably busy and success- ful life would seem to entitle him. A more liberal and patriotic man never lived in Faribault. When he enlisted in his company, at the opening of the war, he took the money out of his own pocket to support them till mustered in at Fort Snelling; paid out thousands of dollars during the rebellion to help on the Union cause; in March, 1865, he was appointed to solicit contributions to the great fair held at Chicago, under the direction of the Northwest Sanitary Commission and Soldiers' home; no man in the State working with more zeal to aid that grand outpouring of humane gen- erosity.

We conclude this sketch with an article which appeared in a republican Faribault paper, just after Major Dike had left the army, giving an account of what is called "his first, second and only public speeches," headed with the motto:

"Not Words, but Deeds."

"Major Dike has never been suspected of military aspirations. At the time when the late war broke out he was known only as occupying a high posi- tion in the first class of business men-kind and prompt, cheerful and obliging. When it became necessary to raise a company here for the Minne- sota First, resort was had, as elsewhere, to a call for a public meeting. The time arrived-patriotic speeches by patriotic speakers came off, all very well in their way. But there is no fighting mettle iu mere speeches-there was no powder and ball in them -- nor could they iuduce any to join the list of those "to kill or to be killed" for the honor of the country. A dark cloud of cold silence set- tled down upon the hall and the audience, till at length a cry came for "DIKE, MR. DIKE, SQUIRE DIKE-a speech, a speech!" "Mr. Dike is called for, will he step forward and favor the audience with a short speech ?" With a significant look and bearing, peculiarly his own, that gentleman in- stantly headed and signed the list of volunteer,

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and dispensing from his side pocket snfficient of the material aid to start the enterprise comfortably, he remarked, ' That is my speech.' It was his first public speech. It aroused the life blood of his fellow-citizens, who rallied at once to his stan- dard. A noble company was raised, with which he immediately repaired to Fort Snelling for dis- cipline and drill. After several weeks' efficient drilling, the regiment, under the command of the gallant Gorman, repaired to the notional capitol; and thence, under orders of superiors in command, to the battle of Bull Run, where the Minnesota First was dedicated to the service of the goveru- ment and the country in a baptism of blood. There, where the bullets were as thick as whortle- berries in August, Major Dike stopped not to inquire whether the patriotic speakers whom he had parted with at the Metropolitan Hall had reached the battle-field, to share with him and his the perils of the day, or whether they had per- chance remained behind in the pursuit of private business, or in the enjoyment of family, friends, and home comforts. He was there, and there he faced the enemy and fought out the fight like a man. This was his second public speech. He has re- mained in the service up to a short time since. When it was difficult for government to induce volunteers to enlist, and more difficult to procure snitable officers, Major Dike abandoned his own business for the time-threw his person and his influence into the crisis-volunteered and accepted an appointment, all as a matter of duty, and not to gratify any military ambition. Now, when the ranks of our citizen soldiery are readily filled up, and other competent gentlemen are found justly ambitions to fill his position, he has felt at liberty to resign his post, and return to his legitimate business; and, so here he is, surrounded by his many warm friends at home."

R. M. EVANS, the landlord of the popular Ogden House, is a native of Jefferson, Schoharie county, New York, born on the 21st of April, 1840. While young he spent a few winters in sash and blind factories and engaged at paint- ing in the summers. In 1861, he enlisted in the Fifty-first New York Volunteer Infantry, Company G, served eighteen months and was then honorably discharged, but re-enlisted in the First New York Engineers, serving eleven months. On the 14th of December, 1862, he mar- ried Miss B. J. Holdgridge. Mr. Evans located in Schenevus, New York, where he kept a hotel three

years, and in 1878, came to this place, opening the first Ogden House in 1879. In 1881, he opened the present hotel which is a favorite resort for the traveling public. Mr. and Mrs. Evans have three children, two girls and one boy.

GODFRIED FLECKENSTEIN was born in Bavaria, Germany, on the 20th of November, 1832. His father being proprietor 'of a brewery, Godfried was reared to that business, and when twenty-one years old came to America. He clerked in stores in New York City for two years, and afterwards resided in Cincinnati, Ohio. He came to Minne- sota, remained in St. Paul for a time, and in 1857, came to this place and, with his brother E. as a partner, opened a brewery; his brother retiring soon after, he has since conducted the establish- ment alone. He was married on the 13th of March, 1856, to Miss M. A. Ualz, in Cincinnati, Ohio. They have had eight children, six of whom are living.

E. FLECKENSTEIN, one of the early residents of this city, is a native of Bavaria, Germany, born on the 12th of January, 1834. His father owned a brewery, in which occupation our subject was en- gaged when quite young and continued at the same until 1854, when he came to America, living first in New York City and then in Cincinnati. In 1856, he came to St. Paul, and the following year to this place and immediately erected a brewery, which he carried on in company with his brother for a short time. He has since erected another building and carries on the business alone. Mr. Fleckenstein was united in marriage on the 7th of July, 1859, to Miss Sophia Dopping. They have had eight children, six of whom are living.

N. S. FLINT, one of the old settlers of Faribault, was born in Rutland, Worcester county, Mas- sachusetts. His father was a farmer and chair manufacturer. They moved to Buffalo, New York, in 1846, and three years later to Jamestown. Mr. Flint was married on the 28th of September, 1853, to Miss Emily Stephens, of the latter place, and in April, 1857, they came to Faribault. In 1866, Mr. Flint commenced the manufacture of furni- ture, and started what is now known as the Fari- banlt Chair and Furniture factory, to which he gave his whole time until 1876, when he retired from business.

The principal portion of the data for the fol- lowing sketch was obtained by the compilers of this work from the lips of Mr. Faribault himself. It may be noticed that there are some discrep-

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ancies as to dates and locations when compared with the statements in the general history of the county. This can only be accounted for by the fact that Mr. Faribault is now quite aged, and possibly may have forgotten many important events of his life, as well as the dates. The other statements referred to have been verified by old settlers who claim to have obtained those facts from the subject a quarter of a century ago.

ALEXANDER FARIBAULT was born in Prairie du Chien, Crawford county, Wisconsin. The family record shows his birth to have been ou the 22d of June, 1806, but as his certificate of baptism bears the same date, and he distinctly remembers that event, we conclude he must have been born as early as 1802 or 1803. His grandfather, Bartholomew Faribault, came over from Paris, France, to Can- ada in 1757, as secretary of the French army. He was the son of Bernard Faribault and Magda- lena Hamon, the former of whom filled an honora- ble position at the court royal, and died in Paris on the 8th of May, 1741. The son, Bernard, was a highly esteemed gentleman, and his son, Bar- tholomew was born in Paris, where he was Notary Public. Two years after his arrival in Canada, after the defeat of the Canadians by the French, in 1759, he went to Berthier, where he continued his profession as Notary Public. He was married to a lady by the name of Veronneau. He died in the latter place on the 20th of June, 1801, and his wife followed him in ten days. They left nine children, the seventh, Jean Baptist, being the father of Alexander Faribault. He was born at Berthier on the 19th of October, 1775, married Pelagie Haines, and died on the 21st of August, 1860, in Torab. When a child Alexander was very fond of hunting, and can remember while on a pigeon hunt, that the British troops and Indian allies attacked the place. This must have been during the war of 1812. In the spring of 1821, he, in company with the old trader, P. La Blan, came up the Mississippi to the Minnesota river, and the latter established a trading post where Le Sueur now is. In the fall, Mr. Faribault was given the escort of two Frenchmen, and returned on the Mississippi to the present site of Hastings, and traded during the winter. The following spring they went to Fort Snelling, which Mr. Faribault remembers having seen on his previous trip. His father soon after became established on Big Island, at Mendota, as a trader, and once when the Indian chief, Wanata, or Cut Head,

living where Fort Abercrombie was subse- quently built, was wanted at Washington, he was dispatched for him, having for companions Jo. Snelling, son of the Colonel, and two French guides. They took a pack horse, and made the journey on foot, but when arriving there pur- chased of the Indians a pony, which Jo. Snelling aud Mr. Faribault took turns in riding back. The latter was appointed by Major Taliaferro, United States agent at Fort Snelling, and held the office un- til 1825. He was married in the latter year to Miss Elizabeth Graham, who is one year older than him- self. Her father, Duncan Graham, was an ex-army officer, and her mother, a half-breed, was a descend- ant of the earliest explorers of Minnesota. The same year of his marriage Mr. Faribault established a trading post directly opposite the present city of St. Peter, on the Minnesota bottom, and the locality became known as We-we, or Wet Laud. He lived there in a log house during the winter of 1825 and 1826. As the southern Indians desired a nearer trading post, he, with a guide, in July, 1826, crossed the Cannon River at the present site of Northfield, and encamped where the city of Faribault now stands. He continued his journey through where Waterville now is, and about nine miles southeast, a place now known as Okaman, in Waseca county, concluded to locate. He marked the place by putting up three stacks of hay, returned to Mendota, and in the fall of 1827, with seven ox carts, and seven French assistants, wended his way back through the wilderness, remaining at the post three winters, and living at Mendota during the summers. In the fall of 1830, he erected a trading post at Lake Sakata, near where Water- ville now is. The following fall he moved to the east end of the lake, in the present town of Morris- town, Rice county. The next year he moved about three-quarters of a mile southwest, across the Cannon River, and remained during the win- ter of 1832-33. In 1833, he followed the Indians south to their hunting grounds, locating in the present county of Faribault. The place had an Indian name, signifying chained lakes. He then traded in what is now Steele county, where St. Mary's now is. In 1835, he came to the present site of Faribault and put up a log house 15x25 feet. It was on the first bench on the east side of Straight river, between the bridge and the resi- dence of Mr. Gibson. Ever since he first en- camped here, in 1826, it had been his intention to secure the spot if it ever came into the market.

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History of Rice County, including explorers and pioneers of Minnesota and outline history of the state of Minnesota, Part 66

Author: Neill, Edward D. (Edward Duffield), 1823-1893. 1n; Bryant, Charles S., 1808-1885. cn Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Minneapolis : Minnesota Historical Co. Number of Pages: 626

Author: Neill, Edward D. (Edward Duffield), 1823-1893. 1n; Bryant, Charles S., 1808-1885. cn
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Minneapolis : Minnesota Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 626