History of Rice County, including explorers and pioneers of Minnesota and outline history of the state of Minnesota, Part 89

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 89

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WELLS GRANGE .- This fraternal society was instituted in Wells township in January, 1873. It commenced with about thirty charter members, among whom may be mentioned John McCartney, A. B. Cowan, John H. Passon, T. B. Owens, John W. Cowan, Mary Hassinger, Sarah J. Owens, Elizabeth Kirk, Sarah F. Passon, and Emma R. Hankins. Meetings were held once in two weeks in the schoolhouse of district No. 18, and also in the residence of S. D. Benedict. The society grew stronger, and at the last meeting in Feb- ruary, 1876, there were sixty members. They have not disbanded, but at present no meetings are held.

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HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY.

CATHOLIC CEMETERY .- This burial ground was laid out in 1858, and contains ten acres in the southern part of section thirty-five in the south- eastern part of the town. The bodies of Catholics who were buried in Faribault have since been re- moved to this place, and there are now many beautiful and costly tombstones marking the final resting places of departed friends and believers in the old Romish church.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

ASA BEBEE, one of the pioneers of Rice county, was born in Monroe county, New York, on the 9th of April, 1829. When six years of age, he removed with his parents to Will county, Illinois, where his father died eight years later. He then returned to New York and resided with his grand-parents three years; attended school there and finished his education at the district schools of Illinois. Iu 1850, he went by overland route to California, and was engaged in mining twenty-two months, tben re- turned home. Miss Mary J. Wood, a native of Monroe county, New York, became his wife on the 10th of November, 1853; and May 1, 1855, he came to Faribault, Minnesota, remained till 1860, then sold his farm and made a trip to Colorado, where he spent the summer mining, returning in the fall to Illinois. In 1861, he enlisted in the army, but did not serve on account of ill health, and in the fall of the same year came to Faribault. In the fall of 1862, he bought an interest in Rob- erd's Lake Mill, and in August joined a volunteer company going west to meet the Indians. They went to St. Peter and thence to Swan Lake,finding a number of the citizens wounded they conveyed them to St. Peter for medical aid. In thirty days they were relieved by government troops and our subject returned home. The next year he pur- chased a half interest in a portable saw-mill and set it up about three miles north of Faribault, near the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad; con- ducted it two years, then sold that and also his interest at Roberds' Lake. He moved to Fari- bault, and in 1871 made a trip south to Tennes- see, but finding that Minnesota was the best place, he returned and bought land in Wells, section twenty-six, adjoining Faribault on the west, where he now resides. He has one hundred acres of cleared land, an orchard of five hundred trees, and many varieties of small fruits.

WILLIAM BRAUN is a native of Germany, born oui the 29th of July, 1840, and received his edu-

cation in his native country. In 1866 be married Miss Louise Malott, and three years later emi- grated to America. They landed in New York, then came to this State, and one year later settled in Faribault, where he was engaged on the rail road for tbree and a half years. He then came to Wells and bought laud on section twenty-one. He has six children : Annie, Minnie, Fritz, Willie, Ed- ward, and Lydia. Mr. Braun has been connected with the Methodist church twelve years.

JOHN BULTMAN, was born in Germany on the 1st of January, 1828, and attended school until fourteen years of age, then for eight years follow- ed the sea. He came to New York and commenced to learn the baker's trade, working at it three years, after which he was engaged in fishing two years, and at the expiration of that time removed to Fox Lake, Wisconsin, where he carried on a farm. In 1859, he came to Minnesota and bought land in Wells in section twenty-seven, where he remained until 1872, then sold out and bought on section thirty-three, which is still his home. In 1866, he married Miss Mary Sullivan, and their children are: Willie, Charlie, Hannab, Mary J., and George C. In 1881 Mr. Bultman built his present frame house.

OSCAR F. BURGESS was born in Corltand county, New York, on the 12th of October, 1819. When eighteen years old he learned the carpenter and joiner trade, at which he worked seven years in his native State, and afterward engaged as a mill- wright for a time. Subsequently, in the spring of the year, he shipped rafts loaded with lumber and boats with vegetables and provisions down the Susquehanna river to Harrisburg, at which business he was engaged nine seasons. In 1865, he came west and settled in Decorah, Iowa, where he worked at his trade until 1873, then came to Faribault, and in December, 1874, moved to Wells and located in section twenty-six. The next spring he commenced his present business of raising veg- etables for Faribault markets, having been in sim- ilar business during the last five years of his resi- dence in New York. Mr. Burgess' first wife was Miss Elenor Moore, whom he married in February, 1845. She died in May, 1850, leaving two chil- dren, Louisa and Edward, and our subject was again married in February, 1851, to Miss Harriet Maria Nichols, who bore him three children, Clarence, Clifford and Herbert, and died the 26th of July, 1881, at the age of fifty-nine years, His

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present wife was Mrs. M. A. Cobb, whom he mar- ried the 6th of July, 1882. His oldest son, Ed- ward, enlisted in the army in February, 1864, and died at Jacksonville, Florida, on the 20th of March, the same year, aged sixteen years and eighteen days. Herbert died the 27th of September, 1862, aged three years and two months, and Clarence died the 13th of October, 1881, thirty years of age.

JOSFTH BYRNE, one of the early settlers of Rice county, was born in Ireland on the 3d of April, 1816, and reared on a farm. In 1851, he emigrat- ed to America, landed at Quebec, and went from there to Oswego, New York, thence to Buffalo, and then to Ohio, where he engaged as a foreman in a stone-quarry. In 1855, he came to Wells, and staked out a claim in section four, built a log house, which was burned, and in 1875, his second house was destroyed by fire, after which he erected his present frame house. In October, 1856, he married Miss Alice O'Brien, and they have had four children, Mary A., Joseph, Ellie, who died in 1869, aged eight years, and John.

SIMEON P. CASE, one of the pioneers of this township, was born in Ohio on the 9th of Septem- ber, 1825, and when three years of age removed with his parents to Grant county, Indiana, where he received his education, and when twenty years old learned the carpenter trade, Miss E. J. Owens became his wife in 1848, and in 1856, he came to Minnesota, taking land in Wells, section three. In August, 1864, he enlisted in the Eleventh Minne- ota Volunteer Infantry, Company D., went South and served till June, 1865, when he received an honorable discharge and returned home. In 1869 he removed to Faribault, but in 1876, came agam to this township and located on section twenty- seven. He has had nine children, six of whom are living; Elias P., William L., Mary C., Martha A., Rose A., and Elroy E.

JOHN WESLEY COWAN, one of the early settlers in this town, was born in Bourbon county, Keu- tucky, on the 25th of March, 1807, and was reared on a farm. In 1833, he removed to Jefferson couu . ty, Indiana, where, in 1839, Miss Elizabeth Bu- chanan became his wife. In 1854, he removed to Des Moines county, Iowa, where he spent the winter, and in the spring of 1855, came to Rice county, and on the 14th of May staked out a claim in Wells on section twenty-two. He cleared about twenty acres of land and built a log house, in

which he lived seven years, then sold and pur- chased the northeast quarter of the same section. He has cleared sixty acres of land, and in 1867, built his present frame house. He was the first Collector for the town. Mr. and Mrs. Cowan have had eleven children, six of whom are living, An- drew B., Martha, Elizabeth, Enoch C., Ann, and Lucinda. Andrew B. was born in Jefferson county, Indiana, in 1841, and has always made his home with his parents. He enlisted in August, 1862, in the Eighth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, Com- pany B, went West to the frontier, where he re- mained two years: was then ordered South, and was with the regiment till the close of the war. He was honorably discharged in June, 1865, and immediately returned home. He has been Town Treasurer several terms, and has also filled other offices.

JEAN LOUIS CHAVEE was born in Belgium on the the 27th of December, 1820, and learned the trade of harness making of his father, also worked on the farm. In 1858, he came to America, landed at New York, and from thence moved to Minne- sota, locating in Wells on section nineteen, where he still resides on a farm. He first built a log house, then a frame house, and is now making preparations to build one of brick. In 1861, he married Miss M. Mahagnoul, and they have four children, Mary, James L., Mary Antoinette, and Jerome M. A.

FRANCIS CHAPDALAIN DECOLETTE is a native of Canada, born in December, 1827, and was reared on a farm. When twenty years old he emigrated to America, went to Stockbridge, Massachusetts, then to Douglas, where he engaged in an axe manufactory for six years, and returned to Canada. In 1857, he came to this county and bought land in Wells, section nineteen, built a log house in which he lived till 1874, when it was de- stroyed by fire. He then erected his present frame house. He was married in July, 1858, to Miss Felicty Duchene, who has borne him nine chil- dren, eight of whom are living; Mary, Alexander, Susan, Lucy, Sherraffin, Lewis, Emma, and Felicty.

JOSEPH DECRAY was born in France, just across the line from Geneva, Switzerland, on the 22d of February, 1830. He was reared on a farm and learned the stone mason trade. On the 7th of De- cember, 1855, lie started for America and after a very stormy passage, arrived at New York on the

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HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY.

28th of February, 1856, went to Ohio, thence to Kentucky and in a few months came to St. Panl, Minnesota. He then came to Rice county and lo- cated a claim in Wheatland in section thirty-one, where he remained until 1874, then purchased a farm in Wells on section seventeen, where he now resides. Miss Louisa Brognard became his wife in 1871, and they have one child, Dinah Alber- tina.

DANIEL DILLON was born in Ireland, in April, 1855, and when eight years old came to America with his father. They landed at Quebec, then came to Ohio, where they remained until the spring of 1857, then to Wisconsin, and in 1860, removed to Minnesota. They located in Wells, where his father bought land on section eleven, but soon sold that and bought on section two, where he remained until his death in July, 1873, his wife dying the previous November. In 1866, Daniel went to La Crosse, Wisconsin, and soon after engaged .on a steamboat running on the Mississippi River, and followed that employment for eight years being mate the last four years. In 1870, he married Miss Bridget Devyer. Their children are: Mamie, Agnes, Thersa, Maggie, Julia, Rose, and Johnnie. In 1877, he built his brick house on the old homestead, and in 1879, added to his land by purchasing in section two.

WILLIAM HASSINGER was born in Germany on the 10th of February, 1836. He attended school until eighteen years of age and then devoted his time to agricultural pursuits. In 1858, he came to America, landed at New York and removed to Wisconsin, settling in Winnebago county, where, in 1864, he married Miss Mary Hart, a native of England. In the spring of 1867, he came to Min- nesota and bought a tract of land in Wells, section twelve, where he erected a log house in which he lived until 1881, then built his present frame resi- dence. He has had four children; John William, who was born in May, 1865, and died in April, 1871; Nellie L., Alice A., and Frank G. Mr. Has- singer was Clerk of his school district twelve years and is the present Assessor for the town.

A. C. JUDD was born in Tompkins county, New York, on the 10th of April, 1828, where he at- tended school and worked on the farm. In 1844, he removed with his parents to Wisconsin, and lo- cated in Kenosha county, making his home with them until seventeen years old. In 1849, he bought a farm in Columbia county and in 1850,

married Miss Lucinda Squier. One year later he sold his farm and purchased one in Marquette county on an Indian reservation, where he re- mained two years and for the ensuing seven years owned and lived on a farm near by. In 1860, he came to Wells, and has since resided in the town- ship, first on section twenty-eight, then worked a prairie farm, and his present home is on section thirty-three. He bas seven children; Matilda, Martin, Fred, Asa, George, Nettie, and Eva.

WILLIAM KLATT is a native of Germany, born the 8th of May, 1838, and attended school until fourteen years old, then worked on the farm. In 1873, he married Miss Wilhelmina Kuster and the next year they emigrated to America, landed at New York, and came directly to this county, buy- ing a farm in Wells, section sixteen. In 1879, he built his present house. Mr. and Mrs. Klatt have six children; Otto, Annie, Amelia, Helena, Wil- liam, and Emil.

JOHN KRANSKE was born in Germany on the 9th of January, 1842, and reared to agricultural pur- suits. In 1869, he came to America and directly to Manitowoc, Wisconsin, where he engaged on vessels in the harbor and at work in a hrick yard. In 1870, he married Miss Wilhelmina Hohenttans, and in 1874, came to Faribault, engaged on the railroad, and remained until 1877, then removed to Wells which is still his home. They have six children; Freddie, Annie, Minnie, Emma, Eddie, and Willie.

VINCENT LIEB is a native of France, born the 20th of August, 1834, and after attending school learned the shoemaker's trade, working at that un- til 1852. He then came to America and located near Beloit, Wisconsin, where he engaged in farming one year and then worked at his trade. In 1857, he came to Forest, Rice county, aud lo- cated a claim, but in a few months went to Fari- bault, and subsequently started a shoe shop there. In 1858, be married Miss Elizabeth Hayward and in 1866, bought a farm in Wells, where he has since resided. Mr. and Mrs. Lieb have had ten children, eight of whom are living; Mary, George, Frank, Joseph, Annie, Nellie, Bertha, and Vincent. Two died in infancy.

CONELUS MAHONY, a native of Louisville, Ken- tucky, was born in April, 1847, and removed with his parents to Texas in 1854. That State not be- ing suited to their idea for a home they removed to Minnesota and located in Wabasha, where they

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were among the first settlers. In 1857, they came to Shieldsville and in 1863, Conelus enlisted in the army, but was rejected on account of his youth; he again enlisted in 1864, in the First Min- nesota Heavy Artillery, Co upany C, went to the South and served till the 17th of June, 1865, when he received an honorable discharge and returned home. In 1864, he purchased land in Wells, sec- tion thirty, and in 1867, married Miss Catharine Burkly, who has borne him five children; William, Daniel, Catharine, Agnes, and Cornelius. In 1880, he erected his present frame house.

B. MEHAGNOUL was born in Belgium in Decem- ber, 1829, and there received his education, being reared on a farm. In 1857, he emigrated to America, came directly to Rice county, Minnesota, and bought land in Wells, section thirty. He built a log house and lived there till 1861, then sold out and removed to section twenty-nine. He was joined in marriage in 1861, with Miss Mary Joachim. They have seven children; Mary, Ma- loney, Julia, Louis, Annie, Emil, and Ellen.

E. MCCULLOUGH was born in Northern Vermont on the 7th of November, 1831, and when quite young removed with his parents to St. Johns province of Quebec, Canada, where they remained a few years, then returned to Vermont. When our subject was twenty years old he learned the cabinet maker's trade at Montpelier, served four years, then went to Montreal, Canada, and four years later to Chicago, working at his trade in both places. In 1855, he married Miss Madelia Marpvell, and two years later they removed to Faribault, where Mr. Mccullough engaged at car- pentering. In 1873, he removed to Wells and set- tled on a farm which he had purchased a few years previous. He has had eight children, one of whom died in infancy. Those living are; John, Marga- ret, Annie, Willie, James, Henry, and Louisa.

CLEMENT MOROW was born in the province of Quebec, Canada, ou the 18th of July, 1846. In 1857, he came to Faribault, where he engaged at brick making, mason work, etc. In 1867, he mar- ried Miss Mary St. Martin, and they have been blessed with two children, Clement and Norman. In 1870. he removed to Wells and located on sec- tion thirty-two, having cleared about fifty acres.

RICHARD MURPHY is a native of Ireland, and was born the 18th of March, 1827. He was reared to agricultural pursuits, and in 1849, emigrated to America, landed at New York, from there went to

Albany, and thence to Otsego county, where for two years he was engaged in farming. He then came to Beloit, Wisconsin, followed the same em- ployment until 1857, and removed to Jefferson county, making his home there until the spring of 1862, when he came to Faribault. In 1869, he bought a farm in this township in section thirty- five, to which he removed the next year. He has improved the land, set out a grove, which is now a beautiful ornament to the place, and in 1875, built his present frame house. He was married in 1852, to Miss Catharine Fleming, and they have seven children, George W., Frances M., Annie M., Andrew A., James J., Richard J., and Alice M. For several years Mr. Murphy was a member of the board of Supervisors besides having held other of- fices of trust in the place, but for the past two years, . because of failing health, he takes no part in outside affairs, his time being occupied with his farm and family interests.

JOHN MURRAY, a native of Ireland, was born in 1819, and reared on a farm. He worked at the carpenter trade in his native country until 1850, then came to America and engaged at the same employment in New York. In 1853, Miss May Ann Callahan became his wife, and in the fall of 1854, he came to Minnesota, spent the winter in Minneapolis, then came to Faribault, and two weeks later to Red Wing, where he engaged to work on bridges for the government. In the fall he was engaged at the same occupation across the Snake and Kettle rivers, and in the spring of 1856 returned to Faribault, was employed on the Cath- olie church, and the next fall removed to Wells and pre-empted land in section one. He built a claim shanty of logs, engaged in clearing the land, and in 1863, erected his present dwelling. He has had ten children, eight of whom are living, Josie, James M., Nellie S., John F., Lucy A., Mary F., Alice L., and Willie P. Those dead are Mary, who died in 1866, twelve years of age, and Julia M., who died in infancy, in 1868.

CARISTIAN MEILLIER was born in France on the 12th of July, 1831, attended school and was reared on a farm. In 1854, he emigrated to America, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, and in one year moved to Bridgeport, Connecticut, where he remained but six months, then came to Dodge county, Wisconsin, and engaged in farming. In 1860,Miss Margaret Des Lurzes became his wife. In October, 1861, he enlisted in the Tenth Wisconsin

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Volunteer Infantry, Company B, went south to Kentucky and Tennessee, where they were first under Buell and then Rosecrans. From the latter State he went to Alabama, and thence to Atlanta, Georgia, where he joined Sherman, and remained till October, 1864, when he was honorably dis- charged at Milwaukee. In January, 1855, he came to Faribault and in February to Wells, where he bought a farm of eighty acres on section four- teen. He now has one hundred and eighty acres of land, eighty in timber and the balance well cultivated, with good buildings. He has had a family of four children, Fabian, Helene, Jules, who died in infancy, and Mathilde.

EDWARD A. ORNE was born in Carroll county, New Hampshire, on the 28th of March, 1843, and reared on a farm. When sixteen years old he learned the shoemaker's trade, at which he worked one year, and went to Salem, Massachusetts, where he engaged in driving team, thence to Chelsea and then back to the former place. From there he went to Canada, engaged in the hardware bnsi- ness two years, then removed to Boston and in a short time came to Faribault and has since been engaged in moving buildings, hiring the work done in the city while he resides on a farm in this township, in section twenty-six. In 1881, he bought a piece of land on section twenty-seven and now has a farm of two hundred and eighty acres. He has been twice married; first to Miss Melvina White, on the 15th of June, 1863. They had three children; Rual Edward, Fred D., and Winfield Scott. Mrs. Orne died the 22d of Febru- ary, 1869, thirty-eight years of age. His present wife was formerly Miss Elbina Whitehouse, whom he married in 1870. They have four children; Mabel, Herbert F., William H., and Walter. Mr. Orne has taken a great interest iu town affairs and has held many local offices.

JOHN H. PASSON, one of the pioneers of Rice county, was born in Darke county, Ohio, on the 9th of July, 1830. He attended school until eighteen years old, then learned the millwright trade, serving three years and the last as foreman. He afterward engaged in business for himself and in 1851, Miss Minerva A. French became his wife. In 1855, he came to this State and located in Wells in section twenty-three, soon sold that claim however, and took another in section ten, and im- mediately began to work at his trade. In August, 1862, Mr. Passon enlisted in the Eighth Minnesota

Volunteer Infantry, Company B, went to the fron- tier and engaged in one battle and several skirm- ishes. In 1864. the regiment was ordered to Clif- ton, Tennessee, from whence they went to Wash- ington by way of Cincinnati and thence to North Carolina and participated in the battle of Kinston, remaining till the close of the war. Our subject was discharged at Charlotte, North Carolina, and mustered out at Fort Snelling in July, 1845, then returned home. In 1866, he sold his former farm and bought in section fourteen, and ten years later built his present brick residence. In 1874, he was elected president of the Grange Mill company and went to Faribault to build the mill. Mr. Passon has filled many local offices and represented his district in the Legislature. He has had five chil- dren, three of whom are living; Sarah F., Lenora, and Amy E. Arthur W., died in Indiana in 1855, three years of age, and Adaline M., in 1865, at the age of five years.

W. H. PEASE is a native of Madison county, New York, where he was reared on a farm, He was employed on the Erie canal eleven years and in 1855, came to Minnesota, locating in Deerfield, Steele county, where he remained four years, then came to Faribault and engaged in farming and teaming. In the fall of 1860, he moved to Jack- son county and staked out a claim. In 1861, he enlisted in the Fifth Iowa Cavalry, Company I, went South to Fort Henry and in June, 1863, re- ceived an honorable discharge on account of dis- ability-and returned to Faribault. There he en- gaged in Hill's factory one year and in a saw mill two years, after which he went to Roberds' Lake where he teamed for a time. Iu 1865, he married Miss Martha Davis and they have three children; Carrie, James, and John. In 1870, he purchased land in this township in section twenty-one, where he still resides, having built his present frame house in 1874.

WILLIAM ROBERDS, deceased, one of the early settlers in this township, was born in Ohio in 1794, and reared to agricultural pursuits. In 1828, he removed to Grant county, Indiana, where he was one of the first settlers. He bought a tim- ber farm of the government, cleared the land, erected buildings, and made his home there till 1855, when he sold out and removed to Minnesota, located a claim in Wells, and built a saw-mill on the outlet of the lake that now bears his name. In 1856, he erected a saw-mill, but in 1861, sold

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both his mills and devoted his time to farming. Mr. Roberds was twice married; his first wife was Miss Sarah Bennett, whom he married in 1815, and they were blessed with five children, one of whom is living, and that wife is also dead. His second wife was Mrs. Sarah Cochran, widow of John Cochran, and they were married in 1826. The result of the union was seven children, five of whom are now living. Mrs. Roberds makes her home with her daughter, Mrs. T. B. Owens. Mr. Roberd's death was caused by injuries received from a tree which fell as he and a neighbor were passing. Death ensued two days after the acci- dent.

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History of Rice County, including explorers and pioneers of Minnesota and outline history of the state of Minnesota, Part 89

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