History of Wabasha County, Minnesota, Part 45

Author: Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn. cn
Publication date: 1920
Publisher: Winona, Minn. : H.C. Cooper
Number of Pages: 1222

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MR. AND MRS. SAMUEL L. JENKS

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pelled to give up all his possessions, meager as they were, to General Sharpe, as he was called at that time. But through the influence of Mr. Oliver Cratte (God bless his memory), Sharpe consented to let the "Dutchman" stay if he would make him a fine riding-bridle and quilt his English riding-saddle with buckskin. This Mr. Fricke consented to do and thereby received title to his home. Mr. Fricke has often told me that Mr. Cratte was the best man that he ever came in contact with. In the spring of 1860 Mr. Fricke and family came to Plainview, landing here with everything on one wagon (owned and driven by Peter Nelson, another of God's good men). He and his family arrived in Plainview, June 28, 1860. It was raining, and the mud was as bad and sticky as it is this day (November 10, 1919). But nothing in the way of pioneer life could stop the people in those days. They turned out with the Golden Rule ever before them, and thanks to the kindness of the dear old mothers of those days, Plainview gradually became a settlement, and then a town. Everyone was happy and poor. One of the things long to be remembered and never forgot- ten was the sure sign of spring directly in front of Mr. Fricke's harness shop, and exactly in the center of the village. This was a spot of earth that would dry out sooner than any other part of the street. Just as soon as the spot bore evidence of dry dirt, one could look out and see a crowd of men standing around it-George R. Hall, William S. Baxter, big Charles Sargent, Hollis Hall, James Butts, High Butts, William N. Y. Robinson, Dan Sweeze, William Hardy, John Bingham, and many more. First on the program-jumping, then wrest- ling, and as the dry spot widened, pitching horse shoes; then foot races, 100 yards; and I wish to state that it took a very good man to put George Hall on his back, out-jump Hollis Hall, or defeat William Hardy at the horse-shoe game. The crowd of interested spectators was very enthusiastic, and, as for number, everyone was there except the women. They were busy looking after their youngsters, for in those days mothers had to make their shirts and pants out of Dad's old ones, and we kept the dear old hands busy patching, darning and washing. Mr. Fricke was a man who had very little chance to attend school outside of the regular Lutheran teaching preceding confirmation; but while in New York he did attend Cooper's Institute at night, walking five miles to do so. He mastered the English language, as we called it, in reading and writing; then, as he advanced in that, he subscribed for magazines and papers. Books were purchased freely, if they suited, but never novels or stories. He never forsook his native language, as he was a constant reader of the New York Statz Zeitung for over 40 years; and the Illustrated World, printed in Stuttgart, Ger- many, was a regular caller. English papers and magazines-the St. Paul Globe, Chicago Record, Inter-Ocean, Scribner's, Harper's, Wabasha County papers, also Plainview News. In politics he was a Democrat, but he did admire James G. Blaine, and I think he voted for him, but I cannot say for sure. He also ad- mired Judge Thomas Willson and was a personal friend of his. He often took an active part in the county campaigns. Seven children were born to this home: Augusta, New York City, 1855; Minnie, New York, 1857; Anna, Wabasha, Minn., 1859; Julius, Jr., Plainview; George, Plainview; Alfred J., 1864; Orlena, 1869. George, Julius, Jr., and Orlena have passed to the Great Beyond, George and Julius, Jr., in 1862, Orlena in 1887. Mr. Fricke passed away January 29, 1903, Mrs. Fricke November 12, 1903. Both are buried in Greenwood Ceme- tery on the family lot, marked with a plain but very substantial granite monu- ment. Thus the law of nature has been fulfilled, and removed from this com- munity two people long associated with the pioneer days of Wabasha County. (By A. J. Fricke.)

Samuel Levant Jenks, better known as "Captain Jenks," whose life in Plain- view extended over a period of ten years, from 1890 to the year of his death, 1900, was a man whose personality left a strong impress on the community which subsequent time has not been able to obliterate. He was born in Genes- see County, N. Y., in 1836, and in 1840 removed with his parents to Pennsyl-

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vania, and thence to Walworth County, Wis., where he grew to manhood and acquired his education. In 1864 he came to Winona, Minn., and in the spring of 1865 located on a tract of 80 acres in Quincy Township, Olmsted County. The land was all wild and Mr. Jenks was confronted by the problem, so familiar to the pioneer, of developing it into a paying farm-a problem that could only be attacked in the spirit of conquest and determination, backed by iron muscles and inexhaustible patience. In such a spirit, and with such resources to back him, Mr. Jenks attacked it, and in the end was conqueror. Though the fight with nature was long, the end was never doubtful, provided life were spared. Step by step he progressed, grubbing and breaking the land and erecting build- ings, and, not satisfied with his original 80 acres, he enlarged his task by the purchase of additional tracts until his farm had an area of 280 acres. A large, part of his attention was devoted to stock raising and buying, and of all kinds. of stock he was an expert judge, his reputation extending for many miles. around. Moreover, his honesty was on a par with his knowledge and expe- rience, and no one ever had cause to say that he had been cheated in a stock transaction or business deal by Mr. Jenks. He stuck close to the Golden Rule,. and men had confidence in him. They believed what he told them in all mat- ters of trade, and knew they could afford to do so. He paid a fair price for what he bought, and when he sold the buyer knew that he was receiving full value for his money. In 1890 Mr. Jenks moved to Plainview, and, purchasing. lots on Jefferson street, erected a fine house for his personal residence. Here he continued in the business of stock buying, being associated therein at dif- ferent times with H. K. Knowlton and George A. Hollenbech. He also served as a member of the town board and school board, and as constable. His rugged honesty and genial disposition made him friends everywhere, and every boy on the street saluted him familiarly as "Capt. Jenks." For ten years he was one of the honored citizens of Plainview, and then, on November 8, 1900, came the final summons, and his family and friends gazed for the last time on the face of him whom they loved. Mr. Jenks was married in 1860 to Alice A. Leach, who was born in 1837, and who survived him 17 years, passing away in April, 1917. They were the parents of three children: Marcus E. and Edith Marcia (twins), born November 17, 1861; and Vanie J. P., who died at the age of 14 years. Edith Marcia, who graduated from the Winona State Normal School, was for several years a school teacher, and later was employed as a typist in St. Paul and Minneapolis, being more than usually competent. Mr. Jenks was a mem- ber of the Masonic order, Illustrious Lodge No. 63.

Marcus E. Jenks, now living retired in the Village of Plainview, was born in Walworth County, Wisconsin, November 17, 1861, son of Samuel Levant and Alice A. (Leach) Jenks. In his boyhood he attended school in Little Valley, Olmsted County, Minn., and remained on the parental farm until he was 24 years old. Then for several years he was engaged in the livery business at Plainview. The rest of his active career was spent in general farming. He is now occupying the old Jenks home on Jefferson street, Plainview, which was built by his father, and a part of which he rents to a tenant. He is a member of Illustrious Lodge, No. 63, A. F. & A. M., Plainview; the Commandery at Rochester (Home Commandery No. 5) ; Winona Consistory No. 4, and Osmund Temple, at St. Paul.

George F. Duerre, proprietor of a fine hardware store in Plainview, who has also rendered efficient service as a county official, was born at Read's Land- ing, Wabasha County, Minn., May 16, 1865, son of Henry and Pauline (Lutz) Duerre. He acquired his literary education in the public school of his native village, and was subsequently a pupil for two years in a business college at Minneapolis. In 1892 he became a candidate for the office of county treasurer, and was elected for a term of two years. His service in that office giving gen- eral satisfaction, he was re-elected and filled out another term. Then in 1901 he came to Plainview and engaged in the hardware business, in which he has

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since demonstrated his ability as a merchant. He has enlarged his store, and carries a complete and modern line of shelf and heavy hardware. He is a mem- ber of the Masonic order. Mr. Duerre was married in 1895 to Mabel Cassidy, daughter of William W. and Jane (Blair) Cassidy. He and his wife are the parents of six children : Paul, Donald, Lucy E., William George, Thomas Henry and Charles L. Paul, who married Nan Napier, is now a resident of Chicago. During the recent World War he trained five months at the Great Lakes station, and was 22 months on the battleship Nebraska, in the quartermaster's depart- ment. Donald, during the war, took a course in the student's training school at Hamline. Lucy E. is a student at Stout University, Menominie, Wis. Wil- liam George is attending the Plainview public school.

. William Wilson Cassidy, who passed from this life on Sunday, June 23, 1916, in his eighty-fourth year, was a well known pioneer lumberman who has been a resident of Wabasha County for 62 years, and had a legion of friends. He was born at Belfonte, Center County, Pa., March 27, 1833, son of John and Jane (Blair) Cassidy. When William was ten years old the family moved to Iowa and there he was reared on a farm and received his education in the com- mon schools. At the age of 18 he was apprenticed to learn the carpenter's. trade, which he followed two years. In 1854 he went to Menominie, Wis., and entered the employ of Knapp-Stout & Co., a large and well known lumber firm, for whom he worked two years at common labor in the woods or on the river. In 1857 he was placed at Read's Landing in charge of the company's lumber yards. On December 8 the same year he was married to Eliza Kyle, of Downs- ville, Dunn County, Wis. He brought his young bride to Read's Landing, where he built a nice home, and it was there that his five children were born, of whom the only one now living is Mabel, wife of George F. Duerre, of Plainview. After the abandonment of the river business Mr. Cassidy purchased a fine res- idence in Wabasha, on the brow of the hill on the west side, which he subse- quently occupied until his death. He never sought public office, but served one term as county commissioner for his district. Politically he was a life-long Republican. He was eminently just in all his dealings. His long residence in this region and the nature of his business brought him into contact with business men throughout the entire lumbering world, and probably no man was better known or had more friends than he. He was a conscientious christian, a loving husband, a kind father, and a true friend. His nature was cheerful, and though for several years he had been gradually failing in health, he was never known to complain. He is missed not only by his family, but by everyone who knew him.

Charles A. Christian, now engaged in the produce business in Plainview, was born in Illinois, October 14, 1864, son of James and Martha (Lea) Chris- tian. The family came to Wabasha County, Minnesota, in 1866, locating at Woodland in Plainview Township, where the parents were engaged in farming until the death of Mrs. Martha Christian on August 7, 1871. In the following year James Christian moved with his family to Wytoka Township in Winona County, where he followed farming until his death in 1894. C. A. Christian was brought up on the home farm, and was associated with his father in agri- cultural pursuits, finally becoming owner of the farm in Winona County. After operating it until 1899, he sold it and moved to Winona, where for six years he was employed in the Winona Wagon Works. During the next five years he worked in the boiler shops of the Chicago & Northwestern Railway Co. In 1914 he came to Plainview and engaged in the general retail feed busi- ness, building a good mill, and buying a house and lots. He conducted the feed business until 1917, since which time he has been engaged in produce buying, and is in the full tide of a successful business career. He is a mem- ber of Illustrious Lodge, No. 63, A. F. & A. M., the Modern Woodmen of Amer- ica, and the Woodmen of the World. His religious affiliations are with the Christian church. Mr. Christian was married, December 27, 1899, to Ida

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Wentworth, daughter of David and Julia (Miner) Wentworth, of Plainview, Minn., both of whom are now deceased.

David Wentworth, an early settler in Wabasha County, who did his part in the development of this section, was born at Sydenham Place, Canada, March 15, 1839. He came to Minnesota in 1860, and was married, at Winona, August 7, 1865, to Julia Miner. Shortly after their marriage they moved to Rice Lake, where they resided for four years, then came to Plainview and took a farm four miles east of town. There they made their home, with the exception of a few years spent away, until about 1910, when they purchased a residence in Plain- view and moved to the village. Here Mr. Wentworth died September 30, 1915, his death being a shock to all, as he had been about the village up to the day previous. He had been warned by his physician of heart weakness, but had ex- perienced little inconvenience from it until a slight extra exertion brought his life to an end. Mr. Wentworth was a man well known to all in the community and had many friends among the pioneers and early settlers. As a pioneer farmer in his youthful days, he had experienced the hardships common to all, but had surmounted all difficulties and accumulated a competence for his en- joyment in later years. His wife survived him several years, passing away June 25, 1919. She was 71 years old, having been born at Columbus, Columbia County, Wis., March 12, 1848. Mr. Wentworth was also survived by two brothers, Henry of Owatonna, and Chester of Nora Springs, Ia .; and by five children, Edgar, Roy, Ida (Mrs. C. A. Christian), Mrs. Hattie Bennett and Mrs. Florence Hellmich. Two other children died when quite young.

Frank Forest Smith, the proprietor of an extensive truck farming busi- ness, residing within the limits of the Village of Plainview, was born in St. Johns, Florida, October 7, 1854, son of Mr. and Mrs. Amos Smith. Left an or- phan at the age of nine years, he came under the care of an uncle at Newark, N. J., with whom he remained until the fall of 1864. Then, with his brother Jack, he came west to Fort Anacombie, and was there from October until the following harvest. In 1865 he came to Plainview, Wabasha County, and from that time until 1881 he was engaged in farm labor and also as foreman in the lumber camps of Ingram & Kennedy, at Eau Claire, Wis. In 1881 Mr. Smith rented a farm in Plainview, which he operated for one year, subsequently re- moving to another farm near the county line, where he remained three years. After that for seven years he operated rented land. His next move was to pur- chase a farm of 220 acres in section 24, Plainview Township, of which he cleared up 65 acres, and made other improvements, building a good house and a set of out-buildings and planting an orchard. There he remained for seven years, at the end of which time he sold the place and engaged in truck farming on other land, where also he remained seven years. Then, about 1906, he bought his present place of 63 acres in Plainview, where he has built up a fine business as truck farmer, also keeping some Chester-White hogs, and Jersey and Durham cattle. He raises some general farm crops, including corn, clover and oats, but his principal crops are of the truck garden kind, such as cabbage, sugar beets, onions, potatoes, pop corn, sweet corn, squash and navy beans. In 1892 he shipped a carload of yellow onions out of Plainview, and has raised thousands. of bushels each year since. He has also bought and sold for other parties on commission. His operations in general have been conducted with profitable results, but in one year he lost $10,000, owing to a large amount of produce being suddenly dumped onto the market. So successful, however, has he been, on the whole, that he is widely recognized as an authority on truck gardening, and for several years has conducted a school, lecturing on the best methods of truck raising, and the most profitable crops to raise, and giving in- structions to interested parties. His tours take him into southwestern Minne- sota and South Dakota. Although now only in his sixty-sixth year, he can boast of a Civil War record, as he served in that war as captain's boy, with Captain Davis, of Company B, Thirty-second New Jersey regiment, and was at

FRANK F. SMITH AND FAMILY

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Chattanooga, Murphreesboro, Atlanta and Little Rock, Ark. Mr. Smith was married, January 1, 1880, to Rosetta Mack, who was born in Elgin, Minn., August 11, 1859, daughter of Calvin and Melissa M. (Richer) Mack. Her mother died when she was three years old, and she was reared and educated in the home of Gen. S. L. McCarty, and previous to. her marriage taught school four years in the Leatherman, Woodland and Brown's Corner districts. Her father died in the year 1900. Mr. and Mrs. Frank F. Smith have had nine children, namely: Carl, born March 28, 1883; Bertram, June 13, 1884; Ward, September 12, 1886; Errol, December 24, 1889; Vernon G., February 15, 1892; Leslie, July 2, 1893; Paul, July 21, 1895; Ella, May 30, 1899, and Clara M., May 2, 1902. Carl is now a representative farmer of Cass County, Minn. He mar- ried Laura Wood. Bertram, who is a carpenter and contractor of Aberdeen, S. D., married Inda Jenner and has one child. Ward, who is a contractor at Pekin, Wis., married Lulu Olson, and has three children, Ralph, Lucilla and

Arbella. Errol, now an electrician at Creston, Iowa, married Rose Russell. Vernon G. is a tractor engineer at Medicine Bow, Wyo., where he owns land. Leslie and Paul are residing at home and associated with their father. Paul had a part in the World War, serving one year in France. Ella is now a talented musician. Clara M. died at the age of ten years, June 20, 1912. Mr. Smith and his family are members of the Congregational church. Both he and his wife belong to the Old Settlers' Association and the Rebekah lodge, and he is also a member of the order of Modern Woodmen of America.

Harvey Seymour was one of the hardy pioneers of Wabasha County the memory of whose life is well worthy of preservation. He was born in Chenango County, N. Y., May 17, 1818, son of Samuel and Hanna (Ostrander) Seymour, the parents being proprietors of a small farm. His education was very lim- ited, but he learned to read from the family newspaper, which was somewhat of a luxury in those days, and attended school two or three winters, his brother being the teacher. In 1840, at the age of 22, he came west to Whitewater, Wal- worth County, Wis., and was there married in 1845 to Delilah, daughter of Joseph and Phoebe (Harford) Nichols, of that place. She was born in In- diana, November 8, 1824, and was of Holland Dutch ancestry, while the Sey- mours were of old New England stock. Mr. and Mrs. Seymour resided at Whitewater until May, 1857, and then came to Lake City, Wabasha County, Minn. In the fall of that year Mr. Seymour bought for $200 of Lorenzo Mills a 160-acre claim on section 17, Mt. Pleasant Township, of which tract a few acres had been broken. On it he built a small log house into which he and his wife's family moved in the spring of 1858. They were practically without capital and the work of developing a good farm was the task of years but they attacked the problem with stout hearts and willing hands, though Mr. Seymour was handi- capped by having been a partial cripple from the age of four years. He had, however, an indomitable will and was always at work, and in time his ambition was realized in the creation of a profitable farm with a good set of buildings, where he carried on general agriculture, though for years before his death he was further handicapped by rheumatism. A natural mechanic, in early days he made with his own hands the farm tools he needed. He was the first man, or one of the first men, in the community to own a reaper, which was a very crude machine, and also owned the first threshing outfit. He had very pro- gressive ideas, so much so that he was sometimes thought to be eccentric or pe- culiar, as he prophesied to his family and neighbors that some day a practical flying machine would be invented. Though not a church member, he donated liberally to both the Methodist Episcopal and Presbyterian churches in or near his community and was noted for his generosity, which amounted to a fault, as it kept him from acquiring riches. During his early years on the farm he passed through" times of trial, due to chinch bugs, drouth and tornadoes, but they all failed to destroy his hope or relax his energy. He was a man held in high esteem, and his death on December 4, 1901, was felt as a blow to the en-

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tire community. His wife had passed away December 24, 1894, and for nearly seven years he had been a widower. Their children were as follows: Emma, born at Whitewater, Wis., who died May 13, 1913; Alfred, born at Whitewater, Wis., October 24, 1854; Edgar, born in Mt. Pleasant Township, Wabasha County, now living at Cumberland, Wis .; Lydia, born July 4, 1861, who is residing with her brother Alfred in Lake City; Minnie and Joseph, who died within a year after their birth. The only one of the children to marry has been the son Alfred. Harvey Seymour was a Republican in politics and for a number of years rendered public service in local office. He held the office of town assessor and was clerk of the school board and its treasurer for over 30 years.

Alfred Seymour, a well known and respected resident of Lake City, for- merly engaged in agricultural pursuits, was born in Whitewater, Wis., October 24, 1854, son of Harvey and Delilah (Harford) Seymour. He was two and a half years old when he accompanied his parents to Wabasha County, of which they were pioneers. On their farm in Mt. Pleasant Township he grew to man- hood and as a boy attended the district school until the age of fifteen. Until 1876 he worked on the home farm and then started in for himself, buying the Charles Mills farm of 160 acres across the road. About 100 acres of the land had been broken, and there was a small frame house and some straw sheds for barns. Mr. Seymour set to work to improve the place, erected a substantial set of buildings, and carried on general farming there until the fall of 1890. He then sold the property and moved to Lake City, where he bought a residence in which he is now living. A Republican in politics, he served as township as- sessor, school treasurer, and in other offices for years. Mr. Seymour was mar- ried June 17, 1884, to Emma L., daughter of William and Jane (Beatty) Wills, of Mt. Pleasant Township. She died at Lake City, October 21, 1917, leaving no children, and since then Mr. Seymour's sister Lydia has kept house for him. He works occasionally at manual occupation, but for the most part is leading practically a quiet and retired life. He supports and attends the Congrega- tional church.

F. J. Cornwell, for many years an important factor in the industrial de- velopment of southern Wabasha County, as the leading drygoods and general merchant of Plainview, was born in Savannah, Georgia, in 1836, and there spent his early boyhood. At the age of thirteen he was left an orphan but with undaunted courage he took up the stern duties of life and set out to make his own living. For five years he clerked in the store of a brother- in-law, in Burk County, in his native state, and then returned to the town of his birth where he was similarly employed. With this experience in the mer- cantile line, he came west in 1856, and was successively employed as a clerk in Dodge County, Minn., Cordova, Ill., and Winona, Minnesota. In 1863 he entered the employ of J. Himsted at St. Charles. So thoroughly did he win the confi- dence of his employer that in 1865 he was given an interest in the business, and came to Plainview to open a branch store. The next year, Mr. Himsted sold out to John Taylor, and the firm continued as John Taylor & Co. In 1872, Mr. Cornwell sold out his interest to Mr. Taylor. His next employment was as an accountant for Ozias Wilcox. In 1875, while taking a vacation in the South, he was called home by Mr. Wilcox's illness. Mr. Wilcox died January 1, 1876, and on January 12 Mr. Cornwell reopened the business in the interests of the fam- ily. In June, 1876, he purchased the business and a little later moved to the brick building which had recently been erected by A. Y. Felton. This building, in 1881, he purchased. He died July 27, 1912 ..

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History of Wabasha County, Minnesota, Part 45

Author: Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn. cn Publication date: 1920 Publisher: Winona, Minn. : H.C. Cooper Number of Pages: 1222

Author: Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn. cn
Publication date: 1920
Publisher: Winona, Minn. : H.C. Cooper
Number of Pages: 1222