USA > Minnesota > Stearns County > History of Stearns County, Minnesota, Volume I > Part 43
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Fred Schilplin, manager, part owner, secretary, and treasurer, of the Times Publishing Company, was born on his father's farm, in St. Joseph township, this county, May 27, 1868, son of Frederick and Elsie (Kieser) Schilplin, the pioneers. He attended the rural schools of district 10, of which his father was the teacher, and also studied a year in a special school in Switzerland, completing his schooling with a two years' course in the St. Cloud State Nor- mal school. In 1888 he began his career as an apprentice boy in the "Times" office, and has since remained with that paper, having at one time or another filled every post on the paper and being gradually promoted to his present position. In 1902 he purchased a part interest in the "Times" and became business manager. In 1907 when the Times Publishing Co. was incorporated, he became the secretary and treasurer. That same year, 1907, he assisted in organizing the Security Blank Book & Printing Co., one of St. Cloud's strong- est business concerns, of which he has since been continuously secretary and treasurer. In connection with his journalistic work he has become prominent in several newspaper associations. At the present time he is vice-president of the Northern Minnesota Editorial Association, and president of the North Star Daily Press Association, which latter association covers Minnesota and North and South Dakota, excluding the three Minnesota cities of St. Paul, Minneapolis and Duluth. Since early manhood he has taken an active inter- est in political matters, his allegiance being given to the Democratic party. In 1898 he was elected sheriff of Stearns county, and served in that capacity for four consecutive years. For many years he was either chairman or secre- tary of the Democratic congressional committee for this district, and at vari- ous times served as a member of the Democratic State Central committee. Perhaps one of the things which will stand the longest to his credit is the ex-
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cellent and enthusiastic work he did as chairman of the Citizen's committee in charge of the campaign which resulted in the establishment of the com- mission form of government for the city of St. Cloud. Another thing which he did for the good of the city, was the "boosting" of the Commercial club project, a club of which he was one of the organizers, and of which he was elected president in May, 1913. Fraternally he is a member of the Elks, the Masons, the Knights of Pythias, and the Modern Woodmen. He has been a trustee of St. Cloud Lodge, No. 516, B. P. O. E. for many years and served in that capacity during the building of the beautiful home of that lodge in St. Cloud. He and his family are members of the Presbyterian church.
Mr. Schilplin was married June 14, 1899, to Maude Cumfort Colgrove, of Minneapolis, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles H. Colgrove, of that city, and this union has been blessed with one son, Frederick Colgrove Schilplin, born October 20, 1900.
Albertis Montgomery, born in South Canton, N. Y., January 13, 1833; came to Minnesota in 1857; settled in St. Cloud in 1862, engaged in mercan- tile business, contraeting and building, and later owned and managed a stave and chair factory.
Charles S. Mitchell, journalist, born at Allegheny City, Pa., November 13, 1856; came to Minnesota when an infant; was graduated at the University of Michigan, 1880; was assistant editor of the St. Cloud Journal Press until 1894, and later was editor and proprietor of the Alexandria Post News.
Silas Marlatt, druggist, born in Yates, N. Y., July 8, 1826; died in Minne- apolis, September 13, 1903. He settled in St. Cloud in 1857.
F. E. Levanseler, born in Boston, Mass., April 11, 1850; came to St. Cloud in 1864; was graduated at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology ; returned to St. Cloud in 1872, and erected the Novelty Wood Works there in 1876.
George N. Lavaque, pioneer, born in Milwaukee, Wis., February 8, 1843; died in Duluth, Minn., October 10, 1906. He eame with his family to St. Cloud in 1861; served in the Indian and Civil wars; settled in Duluth in 1870; en- gaged in the painting business; was county auditor, 1891-97.
C. W. Hyde, educator, born in Franklinville, N. Y., July 13, 1838; served in the Civil War in the 53d Illinois regiment, gaining the rank of lieutenant ; came to Minnesota, 1867, engaged in educational work; was superintendent of schools at Le Sueur, 1868-69, and at Shakopee, 1869-73; assistant principal of the Mankato Normal school, 1873-76; one of the proprietors of the Minne- sota Business College, 1876-79; professor of history in St. Cloud Normal school, 1879-93; assistant state superintendent of public instruction, 1893-99; editor, History of the Great Northwest and Its Men of Progress.
Allen E. Hussey, architect, born in Green county, Ohio, in 1828; died in St. Cloud, December 21, 1900. He settled in St. Cloud in 1856; served in the Seventh Minnesota regiment, in the Civil War. Attained the rank of second lieutenant.
J. G. Huber, born near Bern, Switzerland, December 24, 1821; died in St. Cloud, September 13, 1903. He came to the United States in 1850, and settled in St. Cloud in 1857; engaged in mercantile business, and after 1870 in insurance and real estate.
1
MR. AND MRS. JOSEPH VOLZ
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Oscar E. Garrison, civil engineer, born at Fort Ann, N. Y., July 21, 1825, dicd on his farm, in Crow Wing county, Minn., April 2, 1886. He came to Minnesota in 1850; explored Lake Minnetonka, and built the first house upon its banks; surveyed and platted the village of Wayzata in 1854; removed to St. Cloud in 1860; served in the Northern Rangers against the Sioux, 1862.
Ambrose Freeman, born near Culpeper Court House, Va., February 25, 1823; was killed July 24, 1863. He came to Minnesota in 1857, settled on a farm near St. Cloud. At the beginning of the Indian outbreak in 1862, he or- ganized the Northern Rangers and was their captain. The following year he accompanied General Sibley's expedition as first lieutenant of the First Min- nesota mounted rangers, and was shot by an Indian on the plains.
Joseph Edelbrock, pioneer and merchant, born in Westphalia, Prussia, in 1826; died in St. Cloud, September 26, 1907. He came to the United States in 1847; settled in St. Cloud, 1855; was sheriff of Stearns county two years, and register of deeds four years.
Aloah Eastman, journalist, born at Lovell Center, Maine, August 22, 1858; came to Minnesota in 1880, and resided at Anoka, where he published the Anoka Herald until 1891; was a representative in the state legislature in 1889; removed to St. Cloud in 1892, and established the daily Journal-Press; was receiver of the United States land office at St. Cloud, 1898-1907; president of the State Normal school board.
Joseph Volz, was born in Wurttemberg, Germany, October 28, 1831; son of Anton Volz and Marian Von Hildenbrandt. As a youth he learned the trades of cabinet-maker and carpenter. He sailed for America August 19, 1851, and upon his arrival went at once to St. Louis, where he pursued his trades. He reached St. Cloud August 17, 1854, remained here a brief period, then went to Burlington, Iowa, and shortly afterward returned to St. Louis. But find- ing the yellow fever raging there, he again came to St. Cloud, where he entered the employ of Wolfgang Eich, a brother-in-law of his, and a contractor at that time. Two years later Joseph Volz and Nicholas Weber, a brother of Mrs. Anna Volz, opened a brickyard two miles west of St. Cloud, where they man- ufactured red brick, which were used for the present Catholic Immaculate Conception church on St. Germain street, and also the present court house and the residence of the late Joseph Edelbrock, now owned by John Zapp. Two years later he sold his interest to Nicholas Weber and moved to the city and took up the carpenter work again with Peter Schmidt in partner- ship. Mr. Volz worked with Peter Schmidt in building the first State Normal school at St. Cloud, also the present Union school building. Among other structures which Mr. Volz assisted in erecting may be named the Central House, the Parish house of the Cathedral, and the fine residence of the late Thomas C. Alden, all at St. Cloud. July 26, 1859, Mr. Volz married Anna Weber, daughter of Peter and Barbara (Binran) Weber. Anna Weber Volz came with her parents in 1857, from Germany to Quebec, Canada, whenee they went to Illinois, where the father and brother worked in a brickyard, after which, in 1858, they came to St. Cloud. Mr. and Mrs. Volz had nine children. Katherine married Peter Roth and they have nine children. Barbara married Dominic Grin, and they have five children. Nickolas lives in St. Cloud. Mari-
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anna and Granzi are dead. Peter has not been heard from for a long time. Joseplı lives in Montana. Frances lives at home. Anna married Mathew Hall and they have nine children. Joseph Volz died June 1, 1907, aged seventy- six years. He was a member of the St. Joseph society, and one of the first members of the St. Cloud Volunteer Fire department. Mrs. Volz lives at 829 Fifth street, North, in St. Cloud. She is a well preserved woman of seventy- seven years, and a most interesting person to meet. Having in her girlhood her full share of immigrant and pioneer experience in Quebec, Canada, and Minnesota, her memory is as clear as that of a person half her age and she en- joys relating detailed stories of the early days. Her grandchildren, her chil- dren, her neighbors and her friends all delight in coaxing her to tell stories of the days of the early settlement, and her knowledge of such events is both cor- rect and valuable.
Stephen Streitz, a pioneer, was born in Prussia, Germany, and married Anna Kolen. In the spring of 1852 he started with his family for America, landing on the soil of the free country, May 22, 1852. For several years they lived in Illinois, fifteen miles from Chicago, and then came to Stearns county, reaching St. Cloud, November 1, 1855. They preempted 160 acres of wild land in section 21, St. Cloud township. Stephen Streitz died in 1865. Of his fam- ily of eight children, two are still living. William is mentioned elsewhere in this work. Elizabeth married John Doerner, now deceased, and has four chil- dren: John, Joseph, William (deceased), and Mary, who is in the convent at St. Joseph. In the pioneer days, the Streitz family had many experiences with the Indians. Sometimes as many as eight or ten of the natives would come along at one time, enter the house, sit around the fire and smoke. They were very friendly, and in return for crusts of bread and other scraps of food, would once in a while bring along a deer to leave with the family.
William Streitz, a retired resident of the city of St. Cloud, was born in Prussia, Germany, November 3, 1848, son of Stephen and Anna (Kolen) Streitz. He was brought to America by his parents in 1852, lived with them in Illinois, and in 1855 took up his residence with his parents in section 21, St. Cloud. After his father's death, he and his brother operated the home farm. He was a prominent man in the community, was town treasurer twen- ty-five years and school treasurer ten years. October 15, 1911, he retired and moved to St. Cloud. William Streitz married Veronica Herberger, a native of Germany. This union was blessed with twelve children. Four died in in- fancy. Mary is the wife of Louis Lehmeier, and has two children, Loretta and Mary. Rosa married Fred Hartman, and they have one son, Lawrence. Ma- tilda is now Sister Mary Antoninette, and is teaching in Sauk Centre. Edward married Emma Fern and has four children: Lawrence, Edward, Tracey and Lucy. Sophia is now Sister Mary Alexander, in the convent of St. Joseph. Lena married Casper Lesh, and they have two children, Freeman and Law- rence. Lucy is a teacher. Stephen, who was the baby and general favorite of the family, died at the age of thirteen. The mother of these children died January 23, 1912.
M. P. Noel was born at Portsmouth, Ohio, February 9, 1831. Moved with his parents to Joliet, Ill., in 1848, and was educated in the schools of Gales-
MR. AND MRS. DAVID H. SPICER
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burg. In October, 1855, he came to Sauk Rapids, and in the spring of 1856 removed to St. Cloud. He was county surveyor for thiry successive years, and much of that time was city engineer. In 1858 he taught the first public school in St. Cloud with an enrollment of thirty pupils, inaugurating the pub- lic school system of which every resident of St. Cloud is proud. This first school was called the Everett school, located in the block east of Central park, and was named in honor of Hon. Edward Everett, of Massachusetts, who had contributed a generous library.
Mr. Noel served as a volunteer during the rebellion, in the North Illinois cavalry, of which the famous General Hatch was commander, and took part in the many battles of this regiment of fighters. Returning from the war he took up engineering, and was employed by the government for some time, and also made the preliminary survey of the Northern Pacific between Brainerd and the dales of the St. Louis river.
John H. Owen, born in Cayuga county, N. Y., October 25 1825; came to Minnesota in 1855; settled in St. Cloud in 1857; was a carpenter there, and afterward owned a door, sash and blind factory.
Fred Schroeder, farmer, born in Germany in 1839; came to the United States in 1854, and to Minnesota in 1856, settling in Stearns county ; was a representative in the legislature, 1895-97.
David H. Spicer. The early residents of upper New York state were a versatile race, willing and able to turn their hands to almost anything that was necessary to their livelihood. Their forebears had come to he wilderness with few tools, and had to depend upon the skill of their hands for everything needed. They were good farmers, they could build their own houses, they were apt as traders and merchants, they were able to manufacture various articles of household necessity. It was but natural, therefore, that their descendants should become the useful pioneers of the middle West. Among those who brought the thrift and ability of this sturdy ancestry to Minne- sota was David H. Spicer.
David H. Spicer was born June 8, 1830, in Homer, New York. He came to St. Cloud in the spring of 1855, and was employed at carpenter work the first summer, working on the first frame house in the city. In the fall he went to Rockville township, and under the townsite act, preempted 320 acres of land, upon which he and Henry C. Waite platted the village of Rockville. He also preempted a farm near the townsite, and lived on it for seven years. In 1862 he disposed of his interests in Stearns county to Orlando Tenny, and returned to New York state, locating in Fabius, Onondaga county, where he engaged in the manufacture of cheese and cheese boxes. In 1865 he returned to St. Cloud and engaged in the furniture business, in which he continued for some years. He died June 1, 1896, at the age of sixty-six years. He was a good man, a pillar of the First Baptist church in which he was deeply in- terested, and his death was a great loss to the community in which he lived. Up to within a few years of his death he was a trustee of the church, he was a deacon twenty years and a member forty years. He was always level headed and loyal, holding to his post like a faithful soldier. During the first years of the history of the church, his home was thrown open for meetings. It was
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at his home that the church was organized, and his wife is known as the first mother of the Ladies Aid society. He always had a kind, encouraging word for the downcast, and his face was always bright, a reflection of the soul within. He was everything that a Christian man should be, an active worker in his church, a friend of the worthy, and an enemy to evil. He went to his sudden death, firm in the faith, unfaltering in his trust, unswerving in his belief. David H. Spicer was married, at the home of August Cramb, in Lower-town, now South St. Cloud, December 23, 1855, to Mary J. Marvin, and Mr. and Mrs. Spicer have always contended that theirs was the first marriage in St. Cloud. Mary J. Marvin was born in Alexandria, Kentucky, February 2, 1839, the daughter of William and Dorcas (David) Marvin. The father, a merchant, died when Mary J. was three years of age, and her mother after- ward married Rev. A. C. Maclaughlin. Rev. Maclaughlin brought the family to Illinois, where he taught school. In 1855 he brought them to St. Cloud, where he became the first Baptist clergyman. Later in life' he took a claim near Rockville, where he ended his days. Mr. Spicer was most ably assisted by his wife in all his undertakings. She now makes her home in the comfort- able and substantial residence on Seventh avenue, St. Cloud, where she has lived for over four decades. Mrs. Spicer, although a great grandmother, is a woman who is remarkably well preserved in years, and never tires telling of her children, her grandchildren and her great grandchildren, of whom natur- ally she is very proud. Mr. and Mrs. Spicer had two children, Anna E. and Clinton G. Anna E. was born August 28, 1858. She is the wife of Rev. W. E. Stanley, of Eldora, Iowa, and has three daughters, Jessie L., Mary F., and Florence M. Jessie L. Stanley was born in Red Wing, September 11, 1879, is the wife of Mr. Ford, of Texas, and has one daughter, Isabel. Mary F. Stan- ley was born April 25, 1881, married Prof. Arthur Crane, and has one daughter, Mary. They live at Belle Plaine, Iowa. Florence Stanley was born in Austin, Minn., November 14, 1883. Clinton G. Spicer was born in Rockville, Minn., March 17, 1861, married Marie Nygram, and has one daughter, Fern, born November 2, 1911.
Henry Tenvoorde, fireman, of St. Cloud, was born in the city where he still resides, April 20, 1864, son of John W. and Elizabethi (Lansing) Tenvoorde. He attended the public schools and as a youth learned the trade of a carpen- ter. He has, however, devoted the greater part of his adult years to fire fight- ing, having been a member of the local department, either under the old volun- teer days, or under the modern paid system, for some twenty-six years. Dur- ing the Spanish-American War, Mr. Tenvoorde participated in no less than twenty-four skirmishes in the Philippines, as a private in Company M, 13th Minnesota Infantry.
C. Schulten, born in Munster, Prussia, April 4, 1831 ; first came to America in 1849; later visited other countries; engaged in trade on Lake Michigan several years, and in fishing and hunting expeditions in the western states; settled in St. Cloud, Minn., in 1865; engaged in general mercantile business two years, and afterward in the drug business.
Charles T. Stearns, pioneer, born in Pittsfield, Mass., Jan. 9, 1807; died in New Orleans, La., May 22, 1898. He settled at St. Anthony in 1849; was a
J. W. TENVOORDE
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representative in the territorial legislature, 1853-54; removed to St. Cloud in 1856; lived in New Orleans and Mobile after 1864, being register of U. S. land office ten years. Stearns county was named for him.
Joseph P. Wilson, pioneer, born in Columbia Falls, Maine, March 16, 1823; died in St. Cloud, February 18, 1900. He served in the army during the Mexi- can War; settled in Minneapolis, and at first engaged in mercantile business ; was a member of the territorial legislature, 1856, of the constitutional conven- tion 1857, and of the state senate, 1864-65; was one of the original townsite proprietors of northwest Minneapolis, St. Anthony Park, St. Cloud, and Alexandria.
Stephen Tenvoorde, proprietor of the Tenvoorde Garage, St. Cloud, was born in the city where he still resides, December 25, 1865, son of John W. and Elizabeth (Lansing) Tenvoorde. He attended the schools of his native city, and as a young man learned the blacksmith trade. In 1895 he opened a bicycle shop. It was in 1899 that he became interested in the motor business and brought the first automobile to Stearns county. The machine was a great curiosity and attracted wide attention and much notice. From this begin- ning, Mr. Tenvoorde has built up his present large and widely patronized business. He makes a specialty of the Ford car, and has been successful in placing many in this vicinity, both in the city and in the rural districts. Mr. Tenvoorde is a member of the Elks and of the Catholic Order of Foresters. He married Rose Door, a native of St. Cloud, and they have four children : Crescent, Walter, Lloyd and Cyrill.
John W. Tenvoorde was born in Westphalia, in 1823; came with his par- ents to America, and worked for a time as a teamster in St. Louis. Later he went with them to Evansville, Ind., where the father and mother died. In the summer of 1854 a colony of people living in Evansville, determined to seek their fortunes in the Northwest. Accordingly they sent the subject of these notes to look over the land, select a location, and prepare the way. After rendering a report to his friends in Indiana, he purchased a stock of goods, and with his wife, and his son, William J., he took up his residence here. He opened his store in a building on the northeast corner of Fifth avenue and St. Germain street, the present location of the First National bank. Here Mr. Tenvoorde carried on business successfully for a number of years. Later he and his brother-in-law, Lot Robbins, opened a refreshment and entertainment place in a storage warehouse which he had erected on St. Germain street, next to his store. A few years afterward the entire corner was destroyed by fire. Then Mr. Tenvoorde purchased a frame building which he moved to St. Ger- main street, opposite the Catholic church. In this building he engaged in the mercantile business. The undertaking prospered, and he was enabled to erect a brick building on the corner of St. Germain street and Ninth avenue. After a while, however, he gave up business, owing to the fact that his credit ac- counts assumed too large proportions. For a time, until 1892, he was a trav- eling salesman for the McCormick Harvester Co. He died May 4, 1894. His wife died in 1912.
Peter R. Thielman, vice-president of the Farmers' Loan and Investment Company, is a life-long resident of St. Cloud. As a boy he played in its streets
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and attended its schools, and as a young man he took an active part in its busi- ness progress. Born October 6, 1872, son of Leonard and Mary (Ruf) Thiel- man, he entered his father's hardware store as a youth, and was continuously employed there for eight years. Then for many years he did an extensive business in the sale and repair of bicycles. In 1900 he engaged in the real estate business. Aside from his position with the Loan and Investment Co., he is a director in the Farmers' State bank. He is also a director in the St. Cloud Commercial club, and a member of the Elks.
Leonard Thielman was born in Prussia, January 15, 1844, and after com- ing to America lived for a time in Erie, New York. In 1861 he enlisted in the 49th New York Volunteer Infantry, and served a year, later entering the navy. In 1865 he came to St. Cloud. In 1881 he engaged in the hardware business. He carried on this establishment for many years and then turned it over to his sons, Frank J. and George F., who still conduct it. Mr. Thielman married Hattie A. Schwab, daughter of Philip and Hattie A. Schwab, and they have three children, Philip L., Mary, and Harriet Ann.
Stephen Miller, governor of Minnesota, in 1864 and 1865, was a native of Perry, once a part of Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, and was born on the seventh of January, 1816, his parents being David and Rosanna Darkess Miller. His grandfather, Melchor Miller, came from Germany about 1785.
Stephen was educated in the common schoods of his native county; in youth learned the milling business, became a forwarding and commission mer- chant at Harrisburg, in 1837; in 1849 was elected prothonotary of Dauphin county ; re-elected in 1852, and 1855 was appointed by Governor Pollock, flour inspector at Philadelphia, holding that position till 1858, when he removed to Minnesota a confirmed invalid; located at St. Cloud and engaged in mer- cantile business; so continued till the war broke out. In the spring of 1861 Mr. Miller enlisted as a private soldier; was appointed lieutenant-colonel of the 1st Minnesota Infantry ; served in that position in the army of the Potomac till September, 1862, when he was appointed to the command of the 7th Min- nesota Infantry, and rushed with his regiment to the frontier of Minnesota, where the Sioux were slaying, indiscriminately, men, women and children. In December of that year he caused the execution of thirty-eight of the captured Indians, by hanging them at Mankato.
In the autumn of 1863 Colonel Miller was made brigadier-general of vol- unteers and the same autumn was elected governor. He was in the executive chair during the closing years of the rebellion, and in many ways showed his patriotic impulses and his zeal for the salvation of the country.
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