USA > Minnesota > Rice County > History of Rice County, including explorers and pioneers of Minnesota and outline history of the state of Minnesota > Part 69
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TIMOTHY J. MCCARTHY was born in Ireland in 1848, and came with his parents to Minnesota in 1855. The same year, in company with Gen. Shields, they came from Dubuque, Iowa, to this connty, and pre-empted land in Erin township. His father died when Timothy was twelve years old, after which he earned his own living, work- ing in different places. He finally came to Fari- bault and attended school, and in 1868, began teaching. His mother married again, and for five years he worked for his step-father, then clerked in the store which he now owns. After buying the business, from 1872 to 1875, he had a partner, but since that time has carried it on alone. In 1880, he purchased the Faribault Marble Works, of which J. H. Nightingale is foreman. This busi- ness is located on Fourth street, and the store on Third. He also owns a brick yard in the city limits northeast of Main street, keeping from twenty-five to thirty men employed during the summer seasons. He likewise owns several farms in the county. He was married in 1873, to Miss Anna C. Burns. They have four children.
LEWIS C. NEWCOMB was born in Madison, Ohio, on the 10th of August, 1843. His father was a merchant and a farmer, and in 1851, the family came to Fayette county, Iowa, where they battled with hard times, and the father died in 1877. Lewis came to Faribault with his mother and two brothers, and commenced life for himself with absolutely nothing but his activity. He clerked for a year, then, after working on a farm for the same length of time, opened a small store in Northfield, and in 1869, came again to this place and bought out M. B. Sheffield. He now carries $6,000 worth of groceries, and is doing a good
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HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY.
business. He was married on the 13th of May, 1868, to Miss Alsina Boardman. They have one child, Charles L.
GENERAL LEVI NUTTING, once Surveyor-General for the district of Minnesota, dates his birth at Amherst, Massachusetts, January 7, 1819. His grandfather was of Scotch-Irish pedigree, and his maternal grandmother was pure Scotch. His father, John Nutting, a millwright by trade, joined the Revolutionary army from Northamp- ton, Massachussetts, near the close of the war, go- ing in at the age of seventeen, and serving till peace was declared. The mother of Levi was Catharine Smith, whose father was of English descent. After receiving a very limited education in a district school, at fifteen the subject of this notice commenced learning the shoemaker's trade; worked at the business as apprentice, journeyman, and manufacturer eight or nine years; attended and taught school three years; was then employed in superintending various branches of mechanical business until near the close of 1852. At that time Mr. Nutting started for Minnesota; reached St. Paul on the 7th of January, 1853, the day he was thirty-four years old, and spent two years there and at St. Anthony, now East Minneapolis, working at the joiner's trade. During the first year that General Nutting was in Minnesota-in the month of May, 1853-he visited the site of Faribault, was greatly pleased with it; made a claim of one hundred and sixty acres, and fully made up his mind that this would some day be his home. In April, 1855, he moved hither; com- menced improving his lands, and for a few years farming was his leading business, he dealing, how- ever, more or less, in real estate, running teams, burning lime, building, etc. He is a natural me- , chanic, and there seems to be few kinds of work in a new country to which he could not " turn his hand." When farm work was slack there was a demand for his skillful hands in other depart- ments of manual labor, and no such legacy as laziness was left him. In 1865, he was appointed Surveyor-General; held the office four years; then became special agent of the custom department of the United States Treasury, and held that position six years, retiring in the autumn of 1875. He su- perintended the construction of the main building of the Institution for the Deaf and Dumb and the Blind.
General Nutting was a County Commissioner in
1861-62, and chosen State Senator in 1864, attend- ing only one session-winter of 1864-65-and re- signing to take the office of Surveyor-General, which office he held several years. In politics, he was originally an Abolitionist, one of the voting class, whose candidate for the Presidency in 1844, was James G. Birney. General Nutting was one of the "constituent" members of the Republican party, and has never abandoned it. From 1859 to 1864, he was Sergeant-at-Arms of the State Senate, and has had, at times, some- thing to do with the shaping of the policy of the party in this State. He is a man of considerable influence, considerate and prudent, and a wise counselor. The General has his third wife. The first, Miss Orvilla M. Dickinson, of Amherst, Massa- chusetts, married on the 29th of January, 1846, died on the 24th of the next December, leaving a new-born son, Maynard L., who died in 1867. His second wife, who was Miss Mary Eliza Foster, of Shutcs- bury, married on the 8th of May, 1848, and died childless on the 24th of December, 1856. His present wife, who was Miss Lnthera A. Winter, of Amherst, was married on the 12th of November, 1857, has three children living, and has lost two.
D. O'BRIEN, one of the first business men of the place, was born in Killenaule, Tipperary county, Ireland, on the 24th of June, 1819. He learned the shoemaker trade in his native place and moved to Halifax at the age of nineteen years. He came to America and settled in New York when twenty- one years old, moved to Rochester when twenty- seven, to Wisconsin when twenty-nine, and came to Minnesota at the age of thirty-five years. He was married in New York in 1846, to Miss Mary Sheay. Since first coming to America Mr. O'Brien has been engaged at his trade. He came with his family and two yoke of cattle from Wisconsin to this place in 1854. Having met with many amus- ing as well as dangerous incidents in crossing the country from Hastings, they arrived in Faribault and settled on the claim he had taken the preced- ing April, a mile and a half south of the present city. He immediately erected a log house, the Indians assisting him in rolling up the logs, and here the first boots and shoes in Faribault were made by him. He soon gave up his claim there, located one on East Prairie, which he sold and in 1855, erected a store on his present site, whichi was one of the first frame buildings in the city. Mr. O'Brien's present brick block is the third build-
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ing erected on the same site by him, and he now carries on an extensive boot, shoe and leather store, also deals in hides and furs.
H. W. PRATT, Mayor of the city of Faribault, was born in Chautauqua county, New York, on the 8th of August, 1834. His father was a farmer and at times dealt in merchandise. H. W. removed to La Porte, Indiana, in 1854, where he taught school one year, then, having previously read law in the East, he prosecuted the study in the office of Col. A. D. La Duc. In 1856, they both came to Mantorville, Dodge county, Minne- sota, where they bought a one-third interest in the town site. Mr. Pratt was admitted to the bar in 1857, and practiced in the latter county ten years. He was married on the 24th of November, 1862, to Miss Imogene A. Theyer, who has born him two children. In 1867, they removed to Owatonna, where he engaged in the grain trade, doing an extensive business along the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railroad and coming to this place in 1877, where he carries on the same business. In many of the towns on the railroad from Blooming Prairie to Jim River the elevators are owned by Mr. Pratt. He was Judge of Probate of Dodge county from 1857 to 1862.
C. C. PERKINS, one of the pioneer attorneys of Faribault, was born in Stowe, Lamoille county, Vermont, on the 22d of May, 1833. His father dying when he was about three years of age, he was left with six other children, to the care of his mother, and in a few years to the care of himself. Until sixteen years old his time was divided be- tween farm life and the public schools, and from that time until twenty, between teaching and academical studies, attending first Bakersfield and afterward Barre Academy. He then commenced the study of law in his native town with Hon. H. H. Bingham and after two years, in the spring of 1855, he emigrated to this place. Having been admitted to the bar at the first term of the Terri- torial District Court, he practiced his profession abont two years in partnership with his brother, Hon. O. F. Perkins. Retiring from the firm at the end of this period, he devoted a year to further study at the Cambridge law school. After his re- turn the partnership of Berry, Perkins & Perkins was formed, with which C. C. remained until 1861. From this time for six years, he presided at the Justice Court for most of the litigation in the county within its province, and from 1864, for
four years he held the office of Clerk of the Dis- trict Court. During the decade he was also en- gaged quite extensively in the real estate and insurance business. In the fall of 1869, in con- sequence of ill health he retired from active busi- ness and devoted a year to traveling in the old world, visiting most of the cities and other places of interest in Great Britain and on the continent of Europe. He never again resumed the practice of his profession, and for the last twelve years has divided his time between traveling and the care of his private business. In all his journeyings the state of matrimony seems to have been entirely overlooked.
C. F. PALMER was born in Onondaga county, New York, on the 18th of August, 1844. He at- tended school in his native county and also at the Oneida Conference Seminary, where he prepared for college, but his eyes failing him he returned to his father's farm, and afterward clerked for a time. In 1869, he married Miss Emma Wood, a native of Onondaga county, New York, the cere- mony taking place on the 27th of January. The same year they came to Warsaw, this county, where he engaged in farming two years, then re- moved to Faribault and opened a book and sta- tionery store, the firm name being Andrews & Palmer. In the spring of 1875, he sold out and the same fall was elected Clerk of the District court which office he has since held. Mr. and Mrs. Palmer have three children.
S. J. PETTITT was born in Dutchess county, New York, on the 25th of October, 1829, and grew to manhood on a farm. In 1854, he removed to Illi- nois, opened a lumber yard and remained till 1856, then came to Mantorville, Dodge county, Minnesota, and operated the first saw-mill in the place and afterward carried on a farm and also a flour mill. On the 14th of February, 1863, he married Miss Hattie L. Pratt. In 1874, he met with reverses in business, then came to this place and was employed in a flouring mill, but in 1875, he was caught in the gearing of the mill and both of his arms were crushed so badly as to necessitate amputation near the elbows. He then started a small confectionery stand, and in 1879, took a part- ner; the firm name being Pettitt & Hill. They carry a fine stock of fancy groceries and fruits. Mr. and Mrs. Pettitt have had four children, two of whom are living, both danghters.
C. P. PIKE is a native of St. Lawrence county,
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HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY.
New York, born the 22d of February, 1828. When about fourteen years of age he went to New York ^ City and attended school three years, then was employed in the tailoring establishment of J. Newer & Co. with whom he remained nine years; was theu in various places in the East till 1858, when he came to Wisconsin for his health. In 1861, he removed to Faribault and has since con- ducted a merchant tailoring house, carrying also gent's furnishing goods. Miss Cliloe Deni- son became the wife of Mr. Pike in 1865. They have had four children, three of whom are living, one girl and two boys.
J. A. PETERSEN, an old resident of this State and one of the pioneers of Owatonna, was born in Schleswig-Holstein, in the northern part of the Prussian province, on the 15th of August, 1827. He attended school in his native town and when sixteen years old began to learn the cabinetmaker and joiner's trade. From 1848 till 1851, he served in the war against Denmark and then entered the Danish army and remained in Copenhagen one year. In 1854, he was married to Miss Johanna C. Cook, the ceremony taking place on the 9th of July. They came to America the same year, di- rectly to Minnesota and located on a farm in Owatonna where they. remained six years. In 1863, Mr. Petersen came to Faribault, opened a stock of general merchandise and in 1879, erected his present fine brick building on the corner of Fourth and Plum streets.
E. B. PETERSEN, a brother of the subject of our last sketch, was born in the same place on the 27th of May, 1831. When young he learned the shoe- maker's trade and in 1854, came with his brother to America. He also took a claim in Owatonna, the same year, but three years later came to this county and opened a shoe shop in Warsaw. While there he married Miss Annie Caplan on the 29th of November, 1859. She died the same year and he married Miss Margaret Sell on the 2d of June, 1661. They have one child, a son. In 1865, Mr. Petersen came to Faribault, opened a stock of boots and shoes and afterward added groceries, but in 1881, sold out his boot and shoe business and now carries groceries alone.
MILAN N. POND is a native of Erie county, Pennsylvania, born on the 24th of March, 1830. In 1839, he removed with his parents to Ohio, thence in 1844 to Janesville, Wisconsin, and re- mained on the farm until the age of twenty-one
years. He then commenced traveling through the State, selling dry goods and notions. In 1852, he was married at Union, Rock county, to Miss Clara Ide of that place. Mr. Pond came to Minnesota and located a clain in East Plainville in 1854, but a year later removed to Faribault where he was one of the pioneer settlers. At the first election held in the county he ran for Sheriff and was said to be elected, but was never qualified. In 1857, a paper was started kown as the "Neutral" and Mr. Pond and his brother purchased it, changed its name to "The Free Soil" or "Abolition" they being strong abolitionists, run the same for some time and added to it considerable type and working material and made numerous other improvements. He has several times been candidate for Represen- tative and once for Treasurer. His children are: Eda, Minnie, Milan, Hattie, Libbie Ethel, George, Eddie, and Marshal. His wife died on the 24th of March, 1881.
THOMAS H. QUINN was born in Berlin, Wiscon- sin, on the 6th of November, 1854, from which place, in 1865, he removed with his parents to Faribault where, with the exception of a portion of the year 1872, during which he was engaged with a party of engineers in locating the boundary line from Pembina to the Lake of the Woods, he has since resided. During his residence at Fari- bault, and prior to commencing the study of law, Mr. Quinn attended school and worked at various occupations, including clerking, bookkeeping, teaching school, etc. In December, 1875, he com- menced the study of law in this city with Judge John B. Quinn, his brother, and was admitted to practice in November, 1876, since which time he has continued to practice his profession. He is now a member of the law firm of J. B. and F. H. Quinn.
J. WARREN RICHARDSON was born in Massachu- setts, in Franklin county, in 1844. In 1854, the family came to Minnesota, and his father rented a farm in St. Anthony one summer, then, the same year, moved to Rice county and pre-empted land in what is now Walcott township. The same year he sold to Samuel Walcott, for whom the town was afterward named, and removed to Fari- bault. Two years later they went to Roberd's Lake, located a farm on the east side and re- mained until 1862, then returned to Faribault, and Warren assisted in the farm labor until he en- listed in the Eighth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry,
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CITY OF FARIBAULT.
Company B. He served three years, two on the frontier, and one in the South under Gen. Thomas, was in seven battles, and discharged on the 20th of June, 1865. He immediately returned to Fari- bault and was employed in the elevator until the spring of 1867, when he commenced to im- prove his farm in section nineteen, which is within the city limits. Since 1879, he has been engaged in the dairy business, keeping from eighteen to twenty-seven cows. Mr. Richardson was married on the 16th of April, 1866, to Miss Elizabeth S. Kerr, and the issue of the union is three children.
BENJAMIN MILES REYNOLDS, Superintendent of the Public Schools of Faribault, was born in Bar- nard, Vermont, on the 12th of July, 1825. His boyhood was spent on a farm. At the age of nineteen years he commenced his preparations for college at the academy in Royalton, Vermont, and completed at Thetford under the instruction of Hiram Orcutt. He was graduated at Dartmouth College in the class of 1852, and immediately en- tered upon the work of teaching in the public schools at Windsor, and has followed this calling ever since in New York, New England, and the Northwest. He has always been employed in the public school with the exception of six months, when he was principal of the Academy of Brad- ford, Vermont. Mr. Reynolds has been engaged in educational educational work in this State four years; three at Northfield and one at Faribault. During the last thirty years he has been Princi- pal of the High School at Barre, Massachusetts; first Superintendent of Schools at Rock Island, Illinois; Principal of the Union School at Lock- port, New York; Superintendent of Schools at Madison, Wisconsin; and Principal of the High School at La Crosse, Wisconsin. He has acted on the visiting committees of Knox College, Uni- versity of Wisconsin, the Normal Schools of Wis- consin and Mankato, and as President of the Wis- consin Teachers' Association.
DAVID ROTH, a native of Washington county, Ohio, was born on the 23d of April, 1848. He was reared on a farm, and when seventeen years old entered a wagon shop and learned the trade. The family moved to Illinois, where David worked at his trade three years, and in 1869, came to this county and assisted his father on the farm. He came to the city and was engaged at his trade a few months, then in St. Paul until 1875, when he returned here and opened a wagon making and
repair shop, which he has since conducted. On the 7th of September, 1871, he was married to Miss Annie L. Schmidt. Three children have been born to the union; the oldest, Louis A., a bright boy of ten years, had the misfortune of losing his hearing, through sickness, when six months old.
FRANCIS M. ROSE, M. D., a member of the firm of Rose & Wood, the leading physicians in this part of the State, was born in Columbus, Ohio, on the 25th of March, 1841. Mr. Rose's grandfather visited the present site of that city in 1790, and located on a farm twelve miles south of there, where he died. Francis' father was a merchant in the same place, and remained there until his death. . Dr. Rose attended the schools of his na- tive place and the State University two years, commenced the study of medicine when sixteen years old at Starling Medical College and gradu- ated three years later. He practiced at West Rushville, Ohio, until 1861, when he was appoint- ed Asssistant Surgeon of the Forty-third Ohio Regiment; in April, 1862, was promoted to Regi- mental Surgeon, and in the fall to Division Sur- geon, being then only twenty-one years old. In 1863, he was Medical Inspector of the Seventeenth Army Corps, on the staff of General Frank Blair; in 1864, was Inspector of General M. F. Forath's division, and remained until the close of the war. He then located in Ottawa, Illinois, and in 1868, removed to Faribault, forming the present part- nership in 1874. On the 25th of November, 1876, Miss Cornelia W. Whipple became his wife. They have one child, Francis M.
W. H. STEVENS, one of the active business men of the place, was born in Scipio, Cayuga county, New York, on the 22d of May, 1814. Soon after, the family moved to Ontario county, where W. H. attended school and studied medicine with James Carta, M. D., in Geneva, commencing the practice of his profession in September, 1835. He was married in November of the latter year to Jane M. Morris, of Seneca Falls, Seneca county, New York. They moved to Michigan in 1837, where he fol- lowed his profession for nineteen years, and in 1856, came to this place. Difficulty of his throat and lungs led him to change his business, and having purchased a stock of drugs and medicines in Chicago on his way hither, he opened the first business of the kind in the city. The only build- ing he could obtain at that time was one 20x24
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HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY.
feet and one story high. He erected a more suitable one the following fall, and now carries a stock of $10,000, including drugs, books, station- ery, and fancy goods, under the firm name of W. H. Stevens & Co., his son, F. G., being his part- ner.
JOSEPH STOCKLEIN was born in Bavaria, Ger- many, in 1832. He learned the confectioner's trade when sixteen years of age, worked at it in his native country until 1854, and emigrated to New York City where he was engaged at the furniture business two years. He then came to St. Paul and was engaged in a bakery and confectionery store for a time, then to Mankato, and in 1858, came to this place and opened a bakery and cracker factory on a small scale, but soon added more stock and conducted it ten years. At the end of that time he engaged in the dry goods business, to which he now gives his attention.
ALEXANDER SMITH was born in Dumbarton, on- the Clyde river, in Scotland, and learned the tail- or's trade when fourteen years old. In 1853, he came to New York City, where he worked at his trade one year, then engaged at the same in New Orleans nine months, when he returned to New York, and a year later came to Michigan, and from thence, in 1857, to Faribault. He opened a tailor shop and the next year Thomas Carpenter became his partner under the firm name of Car- penter & Smith. Miss Annie Parsons became the wife of our subject on the 25th of December, 1862. They have been blessed with seven chil- dren, three of whom are living.
J. T. SQUIERS, a native of New York, was born on the 29th of January, 1836, and raised on a farm. When twenty-one years old, he clerked in a general store in Madoc, Canada, remaining till 1863, then followed the same employment in Chenango county, New York, and soon started a store for himself. In 1872, he came to Minneap- olis and hecame one of the proprietors of a whole- sale spice mill, remained until 1877, and came to Faribault. He immediately opened his present store in which he carries a stock of staple and fancy dry goods. Mr. Squiers was married on the 17th of October, 1858, to Miss Elizabeth J. Brown. The union has been blessed with four children, three of whom are living.
M. J. SHEERAN was born in Rutland, Vermont, on the 10th of August, 1852. When seven years old he came with his parents to La Salle county,
Illinois, and four years later to Houston county, Minnesota. He resided on a farm for a time, and re- moved to Blue Earth county. At the age of seven- teen years he went to Mankato and learned the art of manufacturing ginger ale, plain and fancy syr- ups, soda and mineral waters, cider, etc. In 1872, he came here and opened an establishment in which he conducts the manufacture of the latter-named articles, together with export bottled beer, which the added in 1877. Their goods are shipped all over the Northwest, the firm name being Sheeran & Filler Bottling Company.
Mr. Sheeran was married on the 5th of April, 1875, to Miss Maria Burke. They have five chil- dren.
JAMES SHONTS is a native of New York, born in Tompkins county, on the 14th of September, 1816. When he was an infant his parents moved to Schuyler county, where he was engaged in different occupations and in 1842, opened a farm. He was united in matrimony on the 10th January, 1840, to Miss Mitta J. Erway. The result of this union was four children, two of whom are living. In 1854, Mr. Shonts made a trip to Steele county, this State, and the following year brought his family and settled in this coun- ty, in Warsaw township. In 1856, he came to Faribault which has since been his home, and he is extensively engaged in real estate and money loaning. Mrs. Shonts died in 1873, and the mai- den name of his present wife was Theresa.Hayden.
A. J. STAUFFER is a native of this State, born in Washington county, on the 4th of September, 1856. He came to Faribault in the spring of 1869, and located on the old Hulett farm, where he has since resided. On the 30th of March, 1881, Miss Lina J. Cuvert hecame his wife.
B. SCHMIDT was born in Germany on the 25th of November, 1849. When he was fifteen years old he came to America and learned the marble cutter's trade in Wisconsin. He was afterwards engaged at the same in Chicago, then in Iowa, and in 1873, came here and continued until 1877, when he leased the United States Hotel, which he has since conducted. It is a brick building con- taining about thirty rooms. Mr. Schmidt was married on the 26th of November, 1875, to Miss Katie Staly, who has horn him four children.
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