USA > Minnesota > Rice County > History of Rice and Steele counties, Minnesota, Vol. II > Part 53
USA > Minnesota > Steele County > History of Rice and Steele counties, Minnesota, Vol. II > Part 53
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excellent work that is being done, has brought about the rapid growth of the Faribault Business and Normal College.
Professor Donkers is also a practical farmer, always spending his summer vacation there, and one of the great dairymen of Rice county. He takes a lively interest in affairs generally, has been secretary of the Minnesota Milk Shippers' Association for the past five years. He is Democrat in politics. a member of the Knights of Columbus and Catholic Order of Foresters, and a Roman Catholic. He is one of a family of six children, the others being John F., the eldest : Nicolas and Henrietta, who live in Warsaw, Rice county: Lamberdina, who lives in Faribault. and Dora, the youngest, who resides in Cannon City.
George W. Damp, deceased, a prosperous farmer and a vet- eran of the Civil War, was born in Ohio, May 11, 1837, going to Dodge county, Wisconsin, with his parents at the age of nine years. There he received a public school education and attended Appleton University two terms. In 1861 he joined the First Wisconsin Cavalry and served in Company B until mustered out. He then returned to Madison, Wis., and shortly afterward engaged in farming with his father in Clyman, Wis. In 1865 he came to Minnesota and located in Cannon City township, where he purchased a farm of 160 acres. To this he later added 140 acres. On this tract he conducted general farming and stocl: raising until 1899, when he sold 160 acres, moved to Faribault. purchased a tract of land and built a home, where he lived for the remainder of his days. Mr. Damp had the honor of rep- resenting his district in the state legislature, he was school treas- urer twenty years and served his county and state in other ways. Ile was interested in starting the Dean Creamery, was its presi- dent for a long period and a stockholder at the time of his death. He was active in everything that assisted in the progress of his community, and his death, November 28. 1908, was widely mourned. Mr. Damp was married in Wisconsin in 1864 to Jennie Jones, who died in 1892. leaving an adopted daughter, Elda. Mr. Damp was again married, January 5, 1895, at St. Paul, to Mary Northrop, daughter of Rev. J. A. and Harriet P. ( Parsons) Northrop, natives respectively of New York and Massachusetts, the former dying in Iowa and the latter in Duluth. Mrs. Mary Damp was born at Clymer, Wis., October 14, 1846. Mr. and Mrs. Damp reared the two children of Mrs. Damp's brother, James A. Northrop. They are Adele Northrop, a trained nurse, and Harriet P. Northrop, a stenographer.
John B. Donaldson was born in Holmes county, Ohio, August 30, 1837, and is a son of William and Eliza ( Beatty ) Donaldson. Of eleven children born to them, six sons and three daughters are now living. Four of the sons served in the Civil War. The
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father was born in Virginia, March 18, 1812, and during the early forties moved overland, with his family, from Ohio to the then territory of Indiana, settling near Eagle village. Thence, in March, 1856, he went to Rice county, Minnesota, reaching Morristown on Easter Sunday, March 23. Here he pre-empted a quarter section of land and built a log house, which served as the family's pioneer home. And here he passed the remainder of his days, dying October 29, 1859. of typhoid fever. His widow lived there till 1870, when she moved into the village of Morristown, where she died June 17, 1895.
Our subject acquired his education in the district schools, and in the early days had all the varied experiences of the pioneer settlers in a new country. Hastings was the nearest trading point, and hauling was done largely with ox teams. Times were strenuous and money was scarce and resort was had to any and all means of making an honest dollar. In 1858 Mr. Donaldson gathered as high as 200 pounds of ginseng per day, for which he received 5 cents per pound. In later years he has gathered ten pounds per hour, which he sold for 40 cents per pound. He was also a successful trapper, and his experiences in this line with Ezra Crandall, now of Steele county, would fill a volume. In 1864 Mr. Donaldson enlisted and served with the Third lowa Battery till the close of the Civil War. For many years he has dealt somewhat extensively in real estate and now owns a considerable portion of what is known as Donaldson's addition to Morristown. He is a man of commanding influence in his community and while he is recognized as a leader in local poli- tics, he has declined office, except in 1874, when the village was incorporated, he served as the first street commissioner. He voted for the first governor of the state, Ramsey, and his third vote was cast for Abraham Lincoln. Since then his political views have undergone various changes and perhaps are best expressed in the platform which he proposes for a new party : "First, honest money, the gold, silver and paper coinage of the constitution, full legal tender for all debts, public and private. regulating its value by controlling the amount in circulation. which shall not exceed $50 per capita ; second, free coinage of silver and gold at the ratio of sixteen to one, the product of American mines: third, a tariff for revenue and protection : fourth, a graduated income tax ; fifth, government savings banks ; sixth, the control of railroads through state and interstate laws : seventh, the government should never relinquish the right to pay its creditors in any kind of legal tender money; eighth. United States retail liquor tax should be $50 instead of $25, and a retail tobacco tax of $5 should be levied and the states should adhere strictly to the high license system; ninth, to ask gold
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bonds evinces an inordinate and limitless greed and to grant the request through legislation is adhering to the enemy, giving him aid and comfort."
In 1867 Mr. Donaldson married Elizabeth Powers, the cere- mony being performed by George N. Baxter, of Faribault. Of four children born to Mr. and Mrs. Donaldson, the eldest, Mary Louise, born November 22, 1868, is married to Mr. George Soules, of Oregon, and has two children, Harold and Naomi : John B., the second child, died in infancy ; Alma, born in 1874, was married to Joseph Benjamin in 1896 and has four children, viz., Homer, born in 1899, Mary born in 1901, Donald, born in 1903, and Jewell, born in 1905. Their youngest child, Clement J., born in 1880, is in the railway service. He married Luella Reed and lives at Randolph. Mrs. Donaldson, who is a sister of the late Hon. John N. Powers, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this work, is the only surviving member of the Powers family. She is a woman of high ideals and fine accomplishments and a life member of the mother Christian Science church, of Boston, Mass. Mr. Donaldson lias contributed numerous articles to various jour- nals, treating especially of the silver question, of which he has made a study and on which he is regarded an expert.
Herbert W. Donaldson was born at Faribault, Minn., in 1879 and is a son of Isaac N. and Sarah A. (Decker) Donaldson. His paternal grandparents were Charles M. and Dorcas ( Felton ) Donaldson. The family of the former was prominent in the de- velopment of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, and the family of the latter lived in Huntingdon county. Our subject's father was born in Westmoreland county December 10, 1841, and there attended the district school. When eight years old he moved south with his parents to Wells county, Indiana, and lived there till he attained his majority. In March, 1862 his family settled at Bridgewater, Rice county, Minnesota, where his father bought a tract of 120 acres of land, which he helped to clear and improve. Later he bought a farm of eighty acres and cultivated it till 1871, when he joined his brothers, Robert F. and John F., and engaged in mercantile business at Dundas, under the firm name of Donaldson Brothers, which was con- tinued till 1875, when he was appointed postmaster at Dundas. In 1877 he was elected register of deeds for Rice county and served three terms, and later served one year as deputy register of deeds under Mr. M. H. Cole. Ile was elected county auditor in 1884 and served in that office fourteen years. During all the years of his residence here he has been active in the development of Rice county. He came hither when there was but one house between his father's farm and Faribault on the St. Paul & Faribault railroad, and helped to hew the logs and build many
THE WEW WUR
GEORGE DORRANCE
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of the first houses south and west of that city. In January, 1899, Mr. Donaldson took up his residence at Morristown to engage in banking and on April 5 of that year opened the Morris- town State Bank, of which he was cashier, and later on hic became its president. His son, who had been assistant cashier, becoming cashier.
On November 12, 1861. Mr. Donaldson married Sarah, daughter of Jonathan Decker, of Lebanon county, Pennsylvania. Of six children born to them, the oldest. Mary C., is married to Mr. O. F. Wilson ; Jennie R., who was married to Mr. Arthur Nichols, was accidentally killed by being thrown from a buggy at Warsaw: Samuel F. is cashier of a bank at Faribault ; Annie D. is married to Mr. E. E. Nichols, and Martha O. married Mr. D. W. Nichols.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Donaldson are loyal members of the Con- gregational church at Faribault and he is also connected with the Ancient Order of United Workmen. Herbert W., grew up in his native place and there acquired his education in the com- mon and high schools. He entered his father's bank as assistant cashier when he was twenty years of age and filled that position till April 4, 1905, when he was made cashier. He was also for nine years a partner with Mr. George Molm, under the firm name of Molm & Donaldson, in the live stock business. He takes a lively interest in whatever pertains to the betterment of the community and is esteemed as one of the wideawake and enterprising young men of his town. From April 1. 1902. till April 4, 1905, he was village recorder and rendered efficient service as such. He is active in benevolent and fraternal organi- zations, being a member of Cannon River Lodge, No. 52. Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, of Morristown, also of the chapter and commandery of Knights Templar at Faribault ; and belongs to the Ancient Order of United Workmen and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of the same city, being a charter member of the latter. Mr. Donaldson is unmarried.
George Dorrance, a pioneer resident of Rice county, now deceased, was born in Middlebury, Vt., in 1814. He was a son of Joseph and Esther (Martin) Dorrance, both natives of Ver- mont. Mr. Dorrance was a hatter by trade and followed this occupation up to the time of his death. The subject of this sketch was educated in the common schools of Middlebury, Vt. After leaving school he learned the carpenter's trade, at which he worked in Middlebury until 1836, when he came west and located at Green Bay, Wis., where he worked at his trade until 1842; at that time he moved to Rock county. Wis- consin, where he bought eighty acres of land, on which he carried on general farming until September. 1854. when he sold
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his farm and came to Minnesota, locating in Walcott township, where he took up a claim of 160 acres and did a general farm- ing up to the time of his death, November 10, 1882. Mr. Dor- rance was first married in 1841, to Etha Linda Lee, a native of St. Johnsbury, Vt., who was a Methodist Episcopal mission- ary to the Indians at Green Bay, Wis., coming there in 1836. She died in the year 1851. Five children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Dorrance: Esther, who married David Strang, and is now living at Bridgewater, Iowa; Ralph Lee, who died in 1874, at Fontanelle ; Cyrus, Lucy and Mary, who died in infancy. For his second wife he married Miss Hanna M. Putnam, on De- cember 31, 1853. She was a daughter of John and Rebecca (Wells) Putnam, natives of Montgomery county, New York. Mr. Putnam was by trade a furrier and skin dresser. He came west in 1838, locating in Wilmington county, Ill., where he bought eighty acres of land, and carried on general farming until 1842, when he sold his farm and moved to Rock county, Wisconsin, where he lived with his children, until he came to Minnesota with Mr. and Mrs. Dorrance, where he died, in Walcott, September 19, 1864. Mrs. Putnam died at Wilming- ton, 111., in 1838. Mrs. Dorrance was born in Gloversville, N. Y., May 1, 1832. She left there with her parents when she was four years old, locating in Wisconsin, where she re- ceived a part of her education, and the balance in the schools of Illinois. After leaving school she taught up to the time of her marriage. Four children were born to Mr. Dorrance by his second wife. Laura E. taught school until her marriage, December 3, 1888; her husband is a farmer and they live in Medicine county, Minnesota. George A. married Ineze Mc- Callum, December 24, 1902, and is a farmer living in Cass county, North Dakota. Ada M. was married in 1883 to James Kennedy, who is a farmer living near Horseville, N. D. Lonis J., who was born in 1864, and lives on the farm with his mother. Mr. Dorrance was a Republican in his political views, and was a member of the Congregational church. Before coming west he was captain of the militia of Middlebury, Vt. He was a member of the Patrons of Husbandry and master of the lodge. He held at different times all the offices on the school board, and served on the town board in some capacity from the organ- ization of the town of Wolcott until seven years before his death.
J. M. Drozda, whose parents were natives of Bohemia, was born in Wheatland, Minn., September 22, 1882. He is a son of W. and Mary Drozda. His father was a carpenter, who came to this country and located first in Chicago, working at his trade a short time, and then went to Milwaukee, where he remained
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for a number of years. He moved from there to New Prague, where he worked at his trade for about twelve years, going from there to Wheatland village, remaining there for some time and later moving to Wesley, where he and his wife are now living. J. M. Drozda was educated in the public schools at Wesley. After leaving school he entered the foundries at New Prague and St. Pani as a molder and continued there until 1900. In that year he came to Lonsdale and entered the general mer- cantile business, which he continued until 1907. In September of the same year he sold out to LeSueur County Co-operative Company, but continued with the company as its manager. In 1903 he was appointed assistant postmaster, and in 1907 was made postmaster, and still holds that office. He was married February 28, 1905, to Mary Nohava, a daughter of Michael and Katherine (Tenka) Nohava, natives of Bohemia. They emi- grated to this country and are now living on a farm in Wheat- land township. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Drozda: Julia and Marion, both living at home with their parents. In politics Mr. Drozda is a Republican, and in religion he is a Roman Catholic.
Charles W. Demann is a native of Minnesota, having been born in Rice county, January 14, 1859. He is a son of Chris- tian and Johana Demann. He attended the district school in Forest township, and worked on the farm until he was twenty years of age, when he went to Red Lake Falls. He farmed there until 1903, when he sold out and returned to Forest town- ship, where he again engaged in general farming. He was mar- ried in 1891 to Mary Remick and they have a family of nine children. In his political views Mr. Demann is a Republican.
J. E. Drake is a native of Bridgewater township, Rice county, Minnesota, and now owns the family homestead where he was born, January 22, 1856. He is one of a family of nine children (eight of whom are living) born to E. S. and Martha (Clark) Drake. They were married in 1853, near Milwaukee, whither our subject's paternal grandfather had moved with his family from Lake county, Ohio. After their marriage our subject's parents went to Missouri, but a year later went to Houston county, Minnesota, then returned to Wisconsin, and the following year settled in Rice county, Minnesota, on the tract of land that became the family homestead, where they endured all the privations and hardships incident to pioneer life, Mr. Drake and a Mr. Bunday being the first to stake out claims between Bridgewater and Northfield, in 1854. Their first log house was supplanted four years later by a comfort- able home. Mr. Drake was a man of indomitable courage and influence, and was appointed postmaster when the postoffice
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was established at Chester, and held it two years. He also, be- sides carrying on his farming, conducted a hotel at Chester some four years. lle attained the advanced age of eighty years and is survived by his widow, who now lives at Northfield. Our subject attended the first school organized in Rice county, known as the Drake school, and after finishing his schooling turned his attention to farming, and followed that occupation till 1904. when he retired from the farm and took up his resi- dence in a beautiful home he had built on Washington avenue, in Northfield. Mr. Drake had always shown a commendable interest in public affairs and been a leader in the community. For twenty years he had served on the school board, had served on the board of supervisors two terms, had been road overseer twelve years, and in 1908 was elected alderman. Mr. Drake was largely instrumental in the building of the Farmers' Co- operative Elevator, being one of the first to sign for the incor- poration ; and after the destruction of the elevator by fire it was he who at once set on foot the movement to raise funds and rebuild. He is a director and secretary of the organization.
In 1879 Mr. Drake married Salina, daughter of Joseph and Lucy (Fretter) Spriggs, who came from England and settled in Rice county, in 1863, and who passed their last days in Northfield. Of eight children born to Mr. and Mrs. Drake. Joseph S., lives at Hinkley, Minn .; Ella lives at home; Forest H. resides at Minot. N. D., as does also Frank E .; Cora M., a milliner by occupation, and Ralph E., reside with their par- ents, and Lyle is dead. In political faith Mr. Drake is a Re- publican, but in local elections casts his ballot for the candidate whom he deems most worthy, regardless of party affiliations. He holds membership in the Ancient Order of United Workmen and in the Auxiliary Degree of Honor to the Workmen.
Eventus O. Denison was born in Miami county, Indiana, April 1. 1850. He is a son of James and Mary (McEachran) Denison : the father was a farmer and a native of New York state, while the mother was a native of Scotland. They came west and located in Indiana and farmed until 1855, when the farm was sold, and they came overland to Minnesota, locating on Section 18, town of Walcott. Rice county, where he home- steaded 160 acres and lived until his death. Mr. Denison was educated in the district schools of Walcott. and spent one year in the public schools at Faribault. After leaving school he came back and worked with his father on the farm, which had been enlarged by the purchase of an additional eighty acres, until the year 1875, when his father turned over eighty acres to him, on which he has lived and has done general farming up to the present time. He was married in 1874 to Miss Bar-
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bara MeEachran, who was a daughter of John McEachran. Her parents were both natives of Scotland and her mother died when she was but a child. Miss Barbara came to America and located in Walcott township, Minnesota, where she lived with the Denison family until her marriage to Mr. Denison. Seven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Denison : Mary A., married to Ralph Worthley, who is a farmer, living in Mar- tin county, Minnesota; Martha U., the first girl to register and graduate from the agricultural school at St. Anthony Park, St. Paul, now deceased ; Mabel I., now deceased ; James E., liv- ing in Portland, Orc .; B. Ethel. a teacher in Martin county, Minnesota ; Ena L., also a teacher, and Donald O., who lives at home. In his political views Mr. Denison is a Republican. He attends the Methodist church and is a member of the Min- nesota State Pioncer Association. He has been a member of the town board of supervisors, treasurer of the town, and also treasurer of the school board; each of these offices he held for several years, while Mr. Denison's father was the first town treasurer in Walcott.
Christian Deike, a retired farmer of Wheeling township, is a native son of Germany, and was born December 13, 1834, to Henry and Sophia (Kahle) Deike. The father was engaged in the occupation of a farmer until the time of his decease. in 1866. The mother passed away in 1837. Christian acquired his education in the common schools of Germany. After leav- ing school he worked on a farm until he was twenty years of age, and then served three years in the German army. In 1858 he emigrated to America and located in Illinois, where he worked on a farm until the fall of 1859. At this time he moved to Minnesota, and became one of the pioneers of Rice county. working on a farm in Wheeling township until 1861. At this time he bought a farm of 160 acres in Section 32, Wheeling township, which he improved and continued to farm until 1889, at which time he retired from active life, renting his farm to his nephew, William C. Deike, with whom he has made his home up to the present time. Mr. Deike was married in 1864 to Friderike, daughter of William and Maria (Helberg) Grote, natives of Germany, who emigrated to America in 1847, lo- cating in Illinois. They remained in Illinois until 1856 and then came to Minnesota, locating in Rice county, Wheeling township, where Mr. Grote engaged in farming up to the time of his decease. 1871. Mrs. Grote died in 1900. Mrs. Deike, the wife of our subject, died in 1895. Mr. Deike is highly esteemed in his community, and has been identified with the public life of the vicinity for a number of years. He was a member of the town board for twenty-seven years; also served as county
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commissioner for ten years. He served as secretary and treas- urer of the German Evangelical church and school at Wheeling for twenty-five years. He also served as president and director of the Wheeling Mutual Farmers' Fire Insurance Company for thirty-two years. He was elected as the people's repre- sentative to the legislature one term, 1885 to 1887. Mr. Deike has also taken an active interest in the Mercantile Co- operative institutions, and is a stockholder in the Citizens' Bank at Faribault, and also in the Farmers' Elevator at Fari- bault. Mr. Deike is a Republican in politics, and in religious faith belongs to the German Evangelical church.
Theodore J. Detert is the eighth child in order of birth of a family of eleven children born to Il. T. and Caroline (Speck) Detert and was born at Faribault, Minn., in 1879, August 16. His parents came from Germany, their native land, and set- tled at St. Louis, Mo., where they were married. He was a harness and collar maker by trade. He also served in the Thirteenth New York Cavalry, Company H. Of this family of eleven children, the eldest, Edward T., is married and lives at Faribault ; John H. and Martin H. are both deceased: the former died at the age of thirty-five years and the latter at the age of thirty-one years. George W., the fourth child, is married and lives in Duluth, Minu. The others are, in the or- der of their birth. Charles W., of Faribault; Martha, of Du- luth; Charlotte. deceased; our subject, Theodore J. Detert ; Laura and Samuel L., of Faribault, and Caroline, of Duluth.
Theodore J. acquired his education in the public schools of Faribault and after leaving school was, for a time, engaged in farming. In the year 1900 he entered the employ of Messrs. Devery & Donohue. hardware dealers, and continued that re- lation till March 1, 1906, when he and Mr. B. Lockerly pur- chased their tin shop, and since that time has been engaged in the same. Mr. Detert gives special attention to all kinds of job and contract work in the line of sheet metal, furnaces, etc., and is well prepared with his thoroughly equipped, up-to-date establishment to meet all the demands of his constantly grow- ing business.
Mr. Detert is identified with various fraternal and other organ- izations and is independent in his political and religious beliefs. On September 3, 1909, Mr. Detert married Miss Christy Louise Naseth, whose parents were natives of Norway. They set- tled in Kenyon, Minn., where they lived till death.
C. H. Davison was born in St. Louis, Mo., October 12, 1859, son of Daniel and Maria C. (Knapke) Davison. The father was a native of Pennsylvania and the mother of Germany. He was a Mississippi river pilot for fifty years, and died at Rochester
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