USA > Minnesota > Rice County > History of Rice and Steele counties, Minnesota, Vol. II > Part 70
USA > Minnesota > Steele County > History of Rice and Steele counties, Minnesota, Vol. II > Part 70
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HISTORY OF RICE AND STEELE COUNTIES
farming. Mr. Stoos was married in 1904 to Floy, daughter of H. B. Chambers, of Owatonna. The fruits of this union are two children, Everett W. and Ruth H., who are both living with their parents. In politics he is affiliated with the Prohibition party. In religions faith he with his family belongs to the Baptist Church. He has served as clerk of the school board in district No. 21 for the past nine years.
Carl Schmidt, an esteemed farmer of Wheeling township. has reason to be proud of the record he has made as a pro- gressive citizen. He was born in Germany, November 19, 1847. He is the son of Gotfred and Hanna Schmidt. The father was a farmer, which occupation he followed until the time of his decease in 1884. The mother died in 1889. Carl was educated in the schools of Germany. Leaving school, he worked on a farm until 1869. when he emigrated to America and located in Michigan, where he worked in the copper mines, which occupa- tion he followed for a year, and then came to Minnesota and located in Rice county, township of Wheeling, where he worked on a farm. In 1877 he bought eighty acres of farm land in sec- tion 26 and ten acres of timber land; remaining there until 1883. He increased his farm by an additional purchase of eighty acres in section 26, on which he made extensive improvements and carried on general farming until 1908, when he retired from active life, renting his farm to his son Carl. Mr. Schmidt was married June 15, 1877, to Caroline, daughter of Louis and Wil- helmena (Lange) Hansing, natives of Germany, who emigrated to America in 1846, locating in Illinois, where the father worked on a farm until 1856. They then moved to Minnesota, and lo- cated in Rice county, township of Wheeling, where the father was engaged in farming until the time of his decease, in 1876. Mrs. Hansing died in 1898. The union of Mr. and Mrs. Schmidt was blessed with three children: Carl, who is married and lives on the old homestead; Wihelmena died at the age of five; Her- man died when six years old. Mr. Schmidt has served on the school board for five years as director. Hle is a stockholder in the Nerstrand Creamery. In politics he is affiliated with the Republican party. In religious faith he belongs to the German Evangelical Church.
A. B. Story, a farmer of Richland township, first saw light in Essex, Mass., November 27. 1852. 1Ie is a son of Andrew and Lucy Story, natives of Massachusetts. The father, a ship- builder, worked at his trade until 1862, when he moved West with his family and located in sections 2 and 3. Richland town- ship, Rice county, where he did general farming up to the time of his decease, which occurred in the month of December. 1900. The mother is also dead. Our subject was educated in the dis-
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trict schools of Richland township, also in the public school at Kenyon. Leaving school, he worked on his father's farm until 1876, at which time he bought 160 acres of land in Dodge county, on which he carried on general farming, but continued to reside with his parents. He later sold this farm and bought another 160 acres, which he still owns. He makes his home on the old homestead, and has about 460 acres of land in all. Mr. Story was married March 4, 1890, to Annie, daughter of George and Celia (Howard) Wheeler, natives of King county, Illinois. Mr. Wheeler's occupation was that of a farmer. He came to Min- nesota in 1857 and located in Richland township, where he bought 160 acres of land, on which he farmed until 1865. 1Ie then sold this farm and bought eighty acres or railroad land, on which he farmed until 1875, at which time he again sold and bought another farm in the western part of Richland township, remaining there until 1897, when he again sold and bought what is known as the Lockwood farm, where he remained until 1907. He then gave up active work and moved to Kenyon, where he expired April 18, 1909. Mrs. Wheeler now makes hier home with her daughter, Mrs. Christ Dahl, who lives in Rich- land township. Mr. and Mrs. Story have three children, Andrew H., Albin Loyd and Annie Laurie, who are all living at home. Mr. Story believes in the principles of the Republican party. In religious faith he is affiliated with the Universalist Church. He has shown an active interest in public affairs, and has aided in a number of progressive enterprises in his community. Hle served as director on the school board for six years; also as director and treasurer of the Richland Creamery from 1906 to 1908. He is a stockholder and director in the Farmers' Ele- vator in Kenyon. He is also a director and one of the members of the board of examining committee of the Farmers' State Bank at Kenyon. He also served six years on the board of supervisors.
Joseph F. Skluzacek was born in Wheatland township, March 18, 1868. He is a son of Joseph and Katherine Skluza- cek. He attended the district school at Wheatland, spent four years in the parochial school at New Prague, about seven months at La Sueur, and five months at the parochial school at Fari- bault. After leaving school he farmed with his father, and in 1891 his father deeded to him 120 acres. He has added to this and now has 270 acres on which he has done general farming up to the present time. He also raises pure-bred Percheron horses and mixed Shorthorn cattle. He was married in 1891 to Eliza- beth Trnka, and eight children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Skluzacek : Ludmilla, Joseph, George, John, Jaroslav, Edward, Theodore and Frank. In politics Mr. Skluzacek is a Democrat.
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and in his religious belief he is a Catholic. Hle is a member of the Society of Catholic Workmen, Z. C. K. J .; clerk of the school board, and president of the Rice County Farmers' Elevator Com- pany at Lonsdale, and also secretary of the Wheatland Horse Company.
Herbert W. Tuttle, retired business man of Faribault, was born in the city where he now resides, July 9, 1869, son of Lyman and Ruth (Boynton) Tuttle, New Englanders by birth and ancestry. Herbert W. received his education in the public schools and at Shattuck school, graduating from the latter insti- tution in 1890. He thien entered the employ of the Faribault Boot and Shoe Factory as bookkeeper. In 1896 he accepted a similar position with the Security Bank, later being promoted to assistant cashier. In 1904 he resigned his position and took charge of his father's business until 1907, when he sold out and retired. A Republican in politics, he keeps well abreast of all the public questions of the day, but has never been an aspirant for public office. Ile has shown his interest in Faribault by joining the Commercial Club, and he also belongs to the Royal Arcanum and other fraternities. Mr. Tuttle was married July 27, 1898, at Faribault, Minn., to Jane E. Weston, born in Bur- nett. Wis., October 30, 1872, daughter of Charles Weston, who died May 17, 1908. Mrs. Weston is still living.
Lyman Tuttle, a pioneer, was born in New llaven, Conn., August 23, 1836, being one of the well-known Tuttle family of that place. When seventeen years of age, he entered the employ of a mercantile house, and remained until 1856, when he came to Faribault, and located, identifying himself with the meat business. From that date to 1864 he had different partners in the business, the market being known as the Excelsior Market. In 1864 he became sole proprietor and so remained up to the time of his death. He was a strong Republican, taking a great inter- est in public affairs. He served as alderman from the Third ward and was a high degree Mason, being a member of the Knights Templar. He was unusually public-spirited, always helping in a financial way any enterprise that might be for the benefit of his town or a help of its citizens, and always giving generously to charity. He was married October 14, 1868, to Ruth Boynton, who died January 19, 1894, leaving one son, Iler- bert W. Mr. Tuttle died September 14, 1906.
August Timm is a leading and influential citizen of Rice county, Minnesota. He was born in Germany in 1854, and there acquired his schooling. He came to the United States in 1873 and settled on a small farm in Dodge county, Wisconsin, and lived there ten years, in the meantime, in 1881, having mar- ried. his wife's maiden name being Anna Wolf. In 1884 Mr.
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and Mrs. Timm moved to Grant county, South Dakota, but nine- teen years later returned and lived in Warsaw township, Rice county, Minn., two years, and in 1905 bought from Mr. W. C. Knauss two farms of eighty acres each, and one farm of eighty acres from A. G. St. Dennis, in Morristown township, where he has since made his home. These farms, comprising 240 acres, are all under cultivation, and finely improved with good build- ings and modern equipments. Since settling here Mr. Timm has remodeled the barn and erected a silo. a commodious wagon shed, and granary, and among other modern appliances has put in a fine feed mill, operated by engine power, and constructed a system of waterworks which by windmill power supplies water to his elegant and substantial farmhouse. Mr. Timm has three sons, George R., Ervin L. and William F., the two first named being associated with him under the name of August Timm & Sons, as proprietors of the Pleasant View and Cedar Lawn Dairy Farms, which are stocked with registered and high grade Holstein-Friesian cattle and Poland-China swine. Mr. Timm is also president of the Morristown Telephone Company. Since 1872 he has been affiliated with the German Baptist Church, and is an active church and Sunday-school worker, having been Sunday-school superintendent for more than twenty-five years. In 1886 he began preaching the gospel, in addition to his other activities, and preached his first pulpit sermon at Big Stone City. S. D. He also supplied the pulpit of the Baptist Church at Morristown for two months during the illness of the pastor, Rev. Reynolds. Mr. George R. Timm, the eldest son, married Lydia Witte, and they have one child, named Evelyn, who is the only grandchild of our subject. Mr. Timm is a man of sturdy character and strong convictions, and is recognized as a leader in the community and in all that makes for the elevation and betterment of his fellows.
Dr. Arthur Taylor, osteopathic practitioner of Northfield, has won for himself a worthy position in the community. Among other achievements, he organized the "Science Circle" in the state of Minnesota, and is the present state leader. He was born in Red Wing, Minn., September 10. 1879, a son of Benja- min and Margaret (Featherstone) Taylor, the former a native of Canada and the latter of Pennsylvania. The father died June 12, 1903, and the mother still makes her home in Red Wing. Arthur was the youngest of three, the others being Lily, of Kirksville, Mo., and Clarence T., of Red Wing. The subject of this sketch received his education in the public schools of Red Wing, and also took a normal course in that city. He then went to the Still College of Osteopathy, in Des Moines, Towa, where he graduated in June, 1903. Ile at once
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commenced the practice of his profession in Winona, Minn., remaining three months, after which he came to Northfield, where he has since remained, building up a large practice, being now one of the esteemed citizens and professional men of the city. Fraternally, he is a member of Social Lodge. No. 48, A. F. and A. M .; Northfield Lodge, No. 50. I. O. O. F .. and Northfield Camp. No. 701. M. W. of A. Dr. Taylor has held the office of vice-president of the Minnesota State Osteopathic Association for four years. and has also allied himself with the National Association. He was married May 4, 1904, to Lavina M. Hawkins, born in Red Wing. April 25, 1880, a daughter of O. Hawkins, of Red Wing. The Taylor home has been blessed with two children: James A., born September 24, 1905, and Lloyd W., born September 2, 1909.
James W. Trenda, an energetic and live citizen of Faribault. Minn., is a native of Veseli, Wheatland township, Rice county, Minn. He received a public-school education at Veseli, then entered St. John's University, where he took a commercial course, graduating in 1900. He was a student at the Mankato high school for one year, and directly after leaving that institu- tion taught a term of school at Veseli. A year in the State Normal School at Mankato completed his education, after which he taught two terms in Wheatland township. Mr. Trenda has always been a loyal adherent of the Republican party and poli- tics now claimed his attention. September. 1905, he was ap- pointed deputy county auditor, and held that office until Janu- ary, 1909, when he was elected county auditor, which position he still holds (1910). Mr. Trenda was married to Miss Margaret B. Healey, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. E. J. Healey, of Faribault, August 25, 1908. They have on child, who was born September 15, 1909. Mr. and Mrs. Trenda are members of the Catholic Church. Mathias and Josephine (Kasparek) Trenda, parents of James W. Trenda, are natives of Bohemia. They emigrated to America in 1867, first locating at Shakopee, Scott county. Minn., thence removing to Webster township, where they pur- chased 160 acres of land, and followed farming for a short time. In 1878 they moved to Veseli, where they now live, and carried on a general mercantile trade till their retirement in 1903. Mr. E. J. Healey, father of Mrs. J. W. Trenda, died December, 1905. Mrs. Healey still survives and lives at Faribault.
George C. Thorpe, a citizen of Northfield, was born in Ver- mont, December 23, 1834, to George and Christianna (Ball) Thorpe, both natives of that state, where they passed their lives. After attaining his majority the subject of this sketch settled upon t tract of land near the present villageo f Dennison, in Northfield township. He carried on farming there until 1877,
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HISTORY OF RICE AND STEELE COUNTIES
when he moved to Ilancock, Minn., where he carried on an extensive business in real estate, insurance and loans until 1905; in that year he retired from active business and moved to North- field. He still owns several farms in Stevens county. which he leases.
A man of broad sympathies, Mr. Thorpe has always had a wide influence in public affairs. In the early days of Rice county he served on the first elected board of supervisors, and was asses- sor for the township of Northfield, which then included the vil- lage of Northfield. In Stevens county he served as chairman of the county board, as president of the village of Hancock, as county commissioner, treasurer of board of education, and for eight years as a member of the state board of equalization. When he left that position his many friends and associates pre- sented him with a beautiful loving cup as a token of their high regard. Mr. Thorpe is an active Mason and is next to the earli- est surviving initiate of the Northfield Lodge. In politics he has always loyally espoused the Republican cause. He is fond of travel and spends much time visiting relatives and friends from the Atlantic to the Pacific coasts, passing his winters for the most part in California.
In 1861 Mr. Thorpe was married to Adelaide Corinne Car- penter, daughter of Mckenzie and Juliaet ( Walker) Carpenter. all natives of Vermont. Of the surviving children of this mar- riage, Arthur, a graduate of the medical department of the University of Minnesota, is a leading physician and surgeon in Los Angeles, Cal. ; George C., Jr., an alumnus of the college and law department of the New York University, is a major of marines, having entered the Naval Academy in 1894; and Clar- ence McK., the youngest, is a Western representative of an Eastern drug house. The mother of these children died in 1897. Mr. Thorpe contracted a second marriage with Mrs. Margaret Johnson, the mother of two children by a former marriage.
George W. Tower, the first mayor of Faribault, and one of its most honored citizens, was born in Seneca county, New York, June 7, 1822. 1Ie received his early education in the dis- trict schools of his native locality, completing with a course in the Burleigh Academy of Beloit. Wis., after his removal West in his youthful days. Leaving school. he went to the state of fowa and engaged in farming a tract of wild land, learning by actual experience what it meant to be a pioneer. A year later, in 1854, he came to Faribault, then but a rude village, far dif- ferent from the present metropolis, and started a general mer- cantile establishment, which he managed with much success for over sixteen years, becoming widely known as a business man of the strictest integrity. During the rush to California after
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the discovery of gold in 1849, he caught the fever, joining the pilgrimage and spending four years on the coast as a gold miner. He is now conducting a land business at Faribault. In polites he is a stanch supporter of the Republican party, and has served the community in many positions of trust, being his city's first mayor, and having held the office of county treasurer six years and that of city treasurer four years. Mr. Tower was also president of the board of directors of the State Deaf and Dumb School five years. In 1855 he was married to Jane E. Morse, of Iowa, who died in 1904, leaving two children : Mary, wife of E. A. Taylor, of Faribault; and Carrie Belle, connected with the St. Paul "Pioneer Press." The family attend worship at the Congregational Church.
Nicholas Travis, one of the oldest pioneer residents of Fari- bault, Minn., was born in Saratoga county, New York, April 24, 1824. Here he passed his early boyhood and acquired the beginnings of his education in the district schools, coming West with his parents, at the age of nine years, to Ohio, where he finished his schooling. Ile then worked at the shoemaking trade with his father till he reached his eighteenth year, when he started a shop of his own, continuing to follow this line of business for three years in Ohio, and for two years after his removal to Faribault, Minn. Farming then claimed his atten- tion, and so he pre-empted a quarter section of wild land which he cleared and cultivated with the rude tools of those early pio- neer days, gradually improving his land until he had a model farm, which he is still engaged in working. The farm is very desirably located, being partly inside the city limits. Mr. Travis has never sought public office, other interests demanding all his time and attention. He is a follower of the teachings of the Spiritualists. October 28, 1848, he was united in marriage with Mary E. Hoover, at Washington, Ohio. She is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Hoover, who were engaged in farming in Ohio till 1855, when they migrated West, settling in Cannon City township, Rice county, Minn., where they followed farming for the remainder of their lives. Samuel and Elizabeth (Orr) Travis, parents of our subject, were natives of New York, where the father followed shoemaking till his migration West in 1855, first locating in Ohio, where he remained, engaged at his trade, for twenty-two years, thence going to Cannon City township, Rice county, and from there back to Bristol township, Trum- bull county Ohio, where he followed his trade till his death, at the age of ninety-three years and nine months. The mother died ten days atfer her eighty-eighth birthday.
H. W. Taylor, proprietor of an omnibus line at Faribault. Minn., is a native of Massachusetts, and was born June 20, 1833,
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the son of Ansel and Betsey (Sears) Taylor, natives of Massa- chusetts. The father was a farmer all his life and passed away at the advanced age of eighty-four years, his death being fol- lowed by that of the mother four years later, at the same age. Our subject acquired his schooling in his native state and in 1856 went to Michigan, whence he moved the same year to Steele county, Minnesota, pre-empting a quarter section of land in Merton township, which he subdued and improved with good buildings, and where he carried on farming ten years. He also bought eighty acres, which he cleaned and improved. He was two years in the milk business, and in 1872 he started the bus line, to which he afterwards gave his attention, and in the man- agement of which he achieved marked success, continuing it till October 1. 1909, when he retired from active work. Mr. Taylor has never given any special attention to political matters more than to perform his duties as a good citizen, but has served as assessor of the town of Merton. He is a Republican in political opinion, and in religious belief affiliates with the Congregational Church. On January 1, 1860, Mr. Taylor married Leonora, daughter of Moses and Julia Kendall, who came from Massa- chusetts, their native state, in the spring of 1856 and settled on a farm in the town of Merton, Steel county, Minn., where they both passed away. Mr. and Mrs. Taylor have two sons and one daughter.
Benjamin J. Townsend, deceased, who was one of the pio- necr residents of Faribault, Minn., was a native of Shenango county, New York, his date of birth being July 28, 1834. Here he passed his boyhood and acquired his education in the dis- trict schools, coming West in 1855 and locating at Faribault, Minn., where he was engaged in gardening until his decease, March 6, 1906. In politics he was an independent, believing that nothing should dictate his vote but the best interests of the public. As to religious belief, he was a follower of the Catholic Church. October 20, 1867, he married Margaret Brady, of Steele county. Six children blessed this union, named, respect- ively : Charles, a painter, of Great Falls, Mont .; Alice, who is married to Frank Blair, of New York; Anna, who is the wife of William Powers, of Barnesville, Minn .; Margaret, of Fort Wayne, Ind .; George G., of Butte, Mont., and Will- iam, who is serving as a postal clerk at Faribault, is married. His wife's name before her marriage was Loretta Healy. They have one child, Leo. Mrs. Benjamin J. Townsend is a native of Canada, being born September 22, 1838. At the age of seven- teen, she removed to Steele county, Minnesota, with her par- ents, where the father followed farming on his farm in Deer-
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field township till his decease, January 10, 1901. The mother had previously died in 1896.
Dr. James N. Tate, the efficient superintendent of the Minne- sota School for the Deaf, at Faribault, has made what has been practically a lifelong study of the best methods of preparing deaf children for their battle with the world, in which they are obviously handicapped by the omission from their God-given faculties of the sense of hearing. Dr. Tate was born in Fulton, Mo., October 14, 1851, and after receiving his preliminary training in the public schools of Calloway county, graduated from West- minster College with the degree of Bachelor of Science in 1873. His post-graduate course was completed in 1875, when the de- gree of Master of Arts was granted him. In 1904 his alma mater bestowed upon him the degree of LL. D., in recognition of his worth and achievements. His first experience as a teacher was in the public schools of his native state, after which he accepted a situation in the Missouri School for the Deaf, at Fulton, that state. As time passed, his interest grew, and, not content with performing merely the routine duties of his position, he made a thorough study of the more profound psychological and peda- gogical aspects of his work. After several years of service he was made assistant superintendent of the institution and later became its superintendent. His success there has left an indeli- ble impression on the methods for the care of the deaf in that state. Under his charge the Missouri school rose to sixth place in point of attendance among the schools of its kind in the United States. Its magnificent buildings, its well regulated sys- tem, and its wonderful degree of efficiency stand to-day, in a great measure due to his successful management. So highly esteemed was he by reason of this work that in 1896, when the venerable Dr. Noyes retired from the head of the Minnesota School for the Deaf, the board of managers, in looking over the field, selected Dr. Tate, declaring at the time that no better man could be found. Aside from his work at the school, Dr. Tate has taken an active interest in the welfare of Faribault and vicinity and has identified himself with its progress. He is a Democrat in politics, a Congregationalist in religion, and a thirty-second degree Mason in fraternal affiliation. Dr. Tate was married August 14, 1878, at Fulton, Mo., to Mary C. McClei- lend, at that time one of the most valued teachers in the institu- tion there. Mrs. Tate has been an able helpmeet of her husband in all his undertakings. The Tate home has been blessed with two children : I. N., of Duluth, and Elizabeth, a student in the Minnesota University. Col. Isaac Tate and Jane W. (Hender- son) Tate, parents of Dr. Tate, were sturdy old pioneers of Cal- loway county, Missouri. The former was a Kentuckian and the
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