USA > Minnesota > Wright County > History of Wright County, Minnesota > Part 32
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MR. AND MRS. PATRICK DOHERTY, JR.
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the Modern Woodmen of America. Mr. Cantin was married November 22, 1886, to Ovida Jolly, daughter of Eli and Filamen (Gravel) Jolly. Eli Jolly now lives at Iron River, Mich., at the age of seventy-two years. Mrs. Eli Jolly died April 1, 1885, after a long illness. Mr. and Mrs. Cantin have had nine children : Edward was born August 25, 1887, and now lives in Saskatehe- wan, Canada. George was born January 5, 1889, was married September 12, 1911, to Rosa Bruins, and lives near his father. William was born January 20, 1891, and lives in Saskatchewan, Canada. Emma was born September 11, 1894, and was married September 22, 1914, to William Worm, Jr., of Corinna township. Peter was born May 23, 1896; Annie, July 22, 1898; Leo, July 12, 1901 ; Louis, July 8, 1905; and Leona, October 30, 1906.
Patrick Doherty, Jr., a scientific farmer of Albion township, was born on the homestead in section 26, in the township where he still resides, October 3, 1874, son of Patriek and Ellen (Murphy) Doherty, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work. He attended the district schools, grew up on the home place, and was reared to farm pursuits. At the age of twenty- eight he bought eighty acres in section 22, Albion township, and farmed there two years. Then he sold out, and bought 130 acres in sections 2 and 11, Albion township, where he still lives. He carries on general farming and makes a specialty of Poland China swine. He has been very successful in raising Marquis wheat, which yields twenty-five per cent. better than the common varieties. In 1900 Mr. Doherty was elected supervisor of Albion township, a position he filled with mueh credit for three years. In May, 1903, he became town elerk, and in that capacity he still remains, having ably occupied the office and given general satis- faction to his fellow citizens. He has also been a member of the school board for a time. The Catholic Order of Foresters at Maple Lake counts him as one of its valuable members. Mr. Doherty was married June 24, 1903, to Catherine Hannon, and they have had six children: Patrick Allen, born July 14, 1905; Catherine, born August 6, 1907; Malachy, born Mareh 10, 1909; Mathew, born January 16, 1911; Patricia, born July 26, 1913: and Mary Ellen, who was born May 27, 1904, and died July 26, of the same year. Catherine Hannon was one of Wright county's most popular teachers. She attended the district schools and the splendid schools of Minneapolis, after which she attended the St. Cloud State Normal school. Then she taught ten years in the schools of Wright county. She was born May 16, 1877, the third child of Michael and Bridget (MeNulty) Hannon.
Patrick Doherty, Sr., an honored resident of Albion township, was born in County Galway, Ireland, in March, 1839, son of Patrick and Ellen (Flaherty) Doherty. He came to America in
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1860, his first location here being at Summit, New Jersey. For about a year he was in Louisville, Kentucky, but he soon again returned to New Jersey, and there remained some five years. Later he lived about five years in Chicago. It was in 1871 that he came to Wright county, and purchased forty acres in seetion 23, Albion township. He erected a log house, 18 by 24 feet, and eleared all the land. His first live stoek consisted of a pair of steers and a eow. He raised a few potatoes and a little corn, but for the first two years he supported the family largely by working on the railroad. He is now one of the prosperous farmers of the township, and has a well improved place, the result of his hard work and untiring energy. He owns 120 aeres in section 23, and successfully carries on general farming, with the assistance of varions members of his family.
Patriek Doherty, Sr., was married May 15, 1866, to Ellen Murphy, daughter of William and Ann Murphy, the former of whom was a shepherd in Ireland. Nine children were born in the Doherty family. Nellie was born February 26, 1867 and died January 4, 1875. Owen was born October 19, 1868, and died Jan- uary 28, 1875. Both died of diphtheria. William was born November 2, 1872. He married Mary Gorman, and their children are Bessie, Frances, Nellie, Catherine and Regina. Patrick Jr. has already been mentioned. Owen was born December 20, 1876, married Margaret Seanlon, and has two children, Ralph and James. James, the next child of Patrick Doherty, Sr., was born April 19, 1878. Elizabeth was born April 5, 1880, married Thomas Mooney, and has five children, Helen, James, Russell, Franeis and Elizabeth. Nellie was born June 2, 1882, and married Ed- ward Scanlon. Ann was born June 14, 1886. The family wor- ships at St. Charles' Catholic church in Chatham township.
Mons Anderson, now deceased, was a law-abiding, honest eit- izen, and his memory is still held in reveranee throughout the community. He was born in Sweden in 1851, and was there reared. Upon coming to America he lived several years in Colorado. It was in 1878 that he came to Albion township and bought sixty-five aeres in seetion 33, where he died January 8, 1892, as the result of being kieked by a horse. Mr. Anderson was married June 27, 1879, to Annie Johnson, daughter of John and Mary (Anderson) Johnson, and this union was blessed with six children: August, who was born September 30, 1881, and oper- ates the home farm; Josephine, who was born July 17, 1886, and married Emil Wirsen, of Duluth; Nels, born September 5, 1888. who lives at home, and three who died in infancy. Mrs. Annie Johnson Anderson was married November 17, 1893, to Andrew Marseh, and they have five children: Albert, born Angust 29, 1894; Osear, born January 22, 1897; Charles, born March 22,
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1899; Mabel and Frieda (twins), born May 1, 1903. John John- son and his good wife, Mary Anderson, were born in Sweden, came to America in 1873, and located on forty aeres of land in seetion 28, Albion township, in 1880. He died in October, 1910, while the mother died August 31, 1905. They were the parents of six children: Andrew, who lives in Spieer, Minn .; George, who lives in section 28, Albion township; John, deeeased ; Annie, now Mrs. Andrew Marseh; Christine, living in New York ; and Betsey, now Mrs. Andrew Dahlgren.
John B. Fashant, a leading farmer of Albion township, was born in Eden, Wis., July 8, 1860, a son of Alexander and Mary B. (Terion) Fashant, the pioneers. Alexander Fashant was born in Belgium and was there married. In September, 1855, he eame to America, located near Eden, Wis., and farmed there for some years. It was in 1863 that he came to Wright county and located on seventy-two aeres in seetion 19, Albion township. None of this traet had been eleared. On it, however, was the place where 150 Indians had their maple-sugar eamp, and from which they earted sugar to Elk River and Monticello. The old fire kiln which the Indians used is still standing on the place, and has been preserved as a historie relie of almost forgotten days. Alex- ander Fashant set at work and ereeted a log cabin 16 by 20 feet. The roof was of split logs and the floor was of trampled earth. He brought his family here in 1865. The Fashants were fortu- nate in having two horse teams, a plow and a harrow. They had brought good furniture with them from Wiseonsin. Provi- sions, however, were searee, and hardships were many. At one time the father hauled a barrel of flour from St. Paul, for which he had paid $16 in eash. Alexander Fashant died in Wisconsin, Mareh 4, 1910, at the age of eighty-seven years. His wife died in Annandale, this eounty, March 27, 1904, at the age of eighty- five years. John B. Fashant eame here with his parents and remained with them until their death. He bought the home farm in 1897. Only twenty aeres had at that time been eleared. He has developed the land, added ten aeres more to the original traet, and greatly improved it, and now earries on general farm- ing on an extensive seale. Aside from the usual erops he raises Jersey and Shorthorn eattle, Poland China and Jersey Red swine, Buff Wyandotte, Plymouth Roek and Black Minorea fowls, Sur- prise plums and Hybernal, Wealthy and Northwestern Greening apples. Mr. Fashant is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and the Woodmen of the World. The family faith is that of the Christian Advent Church. Mr. Fashant was married January 10, 1900, to Josephine Burehette, daughter of Merideth and Mary (MeCoy) Burehette, of Albion township, and this union has been blessed with three children: Golden Tillou, born Decem-
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ber 26, 1900; Irene Josephine, born October 24, 1902; and Ailey Elizabeth, born July 18, 1905.
Sylvester N. Dunn, a leading farmer of Albion township, was born in Warren county, Ohio, April 24, 1850, son of James and Lucy Ann (Fairchilds) Dnnn, who took him to Wells county, Indiana, in 1851. The father died in 1853. When the Civil war broke out, Sylvester N. desired earnestly to enlist. Finally on October 27, 1864, when he was but fourteen years of age, he swore that he was eighteen years of age, and enlisted in Co. II, 119th Indiana, under Captain John M. Moore and Colonel John Peter Clevershanks, one time governor of Indiana. Mr. Dumm partici- pated in the Guntown raid, so-called, from Memphis, Tenn., to Guntown, Mo., lasting nearly a month. He also took part in the fight with Ford's guerrillas at La Grange, Tenn. Although twenty-five ont of the detachment of forty were killed, he escaped without a wound. In the winter of 1864 he was one of the command of 8,000 men who entered the great swamp near Gaines Landing, Ark. The troops were thirty days in crossing this swamp of seventy-five miles diameter, thus making less than three miles a day. During six of these days Private Dunn was without food. Portions of the swamp were seemingly bottomless, and the passage was most difficult, 1,300 men being lost during the thirty days. Of 1,500 negroes who followed after them, only 500 survived. After his return from the war, Mr. Dunn worked for a time as a farmhand. IIe was married at the age of eighteen, and then continued farming in the same neighborhood for two years. In 1879 he went to Clay county, Nebraska, and purchased a farm which he operated for seven years. In 1877 he sold out and moved back to Indiana. It was in 1879 that he came to Wright county and bought eighty acres in seetion 12, Albion township, where he now resides. This was all wild land, and he started as a pioneer. He built a one-story log house, 18 by 24 feet. The roof was of shingles and the floor was made of boards. He cleared all the land, the only help he had being a man that he hired for one day. After he had cut off the trees, he put in his crops as best he could and allowed the stumps to crumble away. He now has a well-developed, well-improved place, with good buildings, and an excellent equipment, and carries on general farming and stock raising. He is a member of the G. A. R. The family faith is that of the First Day Adventist Church. Mr. Dunn was married in 1868 to Christina Gaskell, daughter of Samnel and Catharine (Glass) Gaskell, who were Indiana farm- ers. Mr. and Mrs. Dunn have had eight children. Nancy is the wife of J. E. Williams, of Frederick, Wis. Solomon lives in Minneapolis. Catharine is the wife of M. E. Smith, of Alexandria, Minn. Oscar lives near Maple Lake. Frank is attending the
MR. AND MRS. SYLVESTER N. DUNN
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University of Minnesota. Isaae lived at Melrose and died in 1909 at the age of 36. Two died in infancy.
Henry N. Schaefer, an extensive and prosperous farmer, dairyman and stock raiser of Albion township, was born in Rob- insdale, Minn., November 20, 1868, son of John and Susan (Orth) Schaefer, and grandson of Nicholas Schaefer. Nicholas Schaefer, one of the worthy pioneers, was born in Germany, of a sturdy old family, and came to Ameriea in 1853. locating on a farm in Hen- nepin county, this state, where he died in 1881. John Schaefer came to America in 1854 and drove overland to California, where he remained five years. In 1859 he bought his father's farm in Ilennepin county, this state. There he lived and labored until 1892, when he bought 313 acres of land in sections 1 and 12, Albion township, this county, where he lived until his death in 1896. He was a good citizen, and his loss was sincerely mourned. Henry N. Schaefer was reared in Hennepin county, and there remained until twenty years of age. Then he went to the state of Washington and remained there three years. In 1891 he came back to Hennepin county and rented a farm for a year. After this he rented the home farm in the same county for five years. His next move was to purchase a farm of 280 acres in Morris county. Minnesota. In 1901 he sold out there, bought 160 aeres in Maple Lake township, this eounty, and farmed there six years. In 1907 he rented the home farm in Albion township, where he still remains. He carries on general farming along the latest improved lines, and is one of the leading men of the town- ship. His home is a sightly one, the barns and sheds are in the best of condition, and a special feature is the large silo with a capacity of 145 tons. Among other livestock on the place may be mentioned 109 head of cattle, of which thirty are milking cows; 100 Poland China swine, and six horses, as well as some sprightly barnyard fowl. Mr. Schaefer is a popular member of the M. W. A. and the A. O. U. W. He was married November 14, 1903, to Anna Gorman, daughter of Ilenry and Mary Ann (Butler) Gorman, pioneers of Maple Lake township. Mr. and Mrs. Schaefer have six children: Irving, born May 17, 1905; Evelyn, born November 4, 1906; Lillian, born September 11. 1908; Albert, born December 4, 1909; John, born December 2, 1911; and Melvin, born March 14, 1914.
Reinhold Koepke, one of the active young agriculturists of Albion township, was born on the old homestead in section 34, Albion township, January 28, 1889, son of Martin and Caroline (Schultz) Koepke. Like the other boys of his age and time, he passed through the district schools, and worked summers on the farm. When his father died he and his brother Rudolph took charge of the home farm. In 1913 he bought the place and has
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since conducted it. He owns eighty acres, carries on general farming, and raises Holstein cattle and Poland China and Jersey Red swine. Mr. Koepke was married November 12, 1913, to Aluna Sandmann, the third child of Henry and Magdalena (Behneke) Sandmann, who own a farm near Webster, in Scott county, this state.
Claphase Brun, a substantial farmer of Albion township, was born in Montreal, Canada, April 21, 1859, son of Paul and Aurelia Brun, of French birth. Paul Brun came to St. Paul, Chester county, Province of Quebec, Canada, in 1861 and died there in 1895. The mother died at Saco, Minn., in 1907. Claphase Brun was reared on the home farm in Canada, and came to the United States in 1879 and secured work in the Michigan woods. In 1888 he came to Minnesota, found his way to Wright county, and seenred 104 acres in section 10. Eight acres of the tract had been cleared of trees, but the stumps were still standing. His first act was to build a log cabin. This was a primitive affair, but much better than the eabins of the earlier days. It was built of hewed logs, with a board floor and a shingled roof, and was 24 by 26 feet in size. When he came here, Mr. Brun had one cow. He bought six swine and a pair of oxen and thus began his farming operations. His trading point was at Maple Lake. With this beginning Mr. Brun has become a prosperous farmer. He has a well improved place, and carries on general farming, raising blue stem wheat, yellow dent corn, Shorthorn cattle, Poland China swine and Plymouth Rock fowls. Mr. Brun was married January 27, 1880, to Victoria Possion, daughter of Marcel and Mary Charity Possion, of Canada. In the family there are eight children. Paul was born February 5, 1881, and died April 8, 1883. Delphine was born January 14, 1883. She was married June 23, 1908, to William Gagnon, of St. Cloud, and they have two children, Philip and Bernice. Albert was born April 8, 1884. Clara was born April 21, 1886, was married September 24, 1912, to John Fouquette, of Chatham township, and died May 7, 1913. Annie was born November 14, 1887. Alphonse was born April 7, 1889. Mary was born January 4, 1892, was married October 26, 1910, to Joseph Jude, and lives two miles east of Maple Lake, and has four children, Catherine, Marvin, Frederick and John. Josephine was born September 17, 1894, and lives at home. The family faith is that of the Catholic Church.
Andrew Hillman, a prosperous business man of Albion town- ship, was born in Wester Jötland, Sweden, April 26, 1865, son of Jonas and Annie (Johnson) Hillman, who came from Sweden to America in 1873, lived in New York state a little over seven years, and in 1881 came to Wright county and purchased eighty acres in section 28, Albion township, erected a log house 16 by 20,
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MR. AND MRS. MICHAEL HANNON
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HISTORY OF WRIGHT COUNTY
cleared the land and developed a good farm, on which the mother still lives at the age of eighty-one, and where the father died November 6, 1910, at the age of seventy-seven years. Andrew Hillman was brought here by his parents and remained at home until about twenty years of age. Then for three years he worked at Lake Minnetonka, in this state, and three years in Kansas City, Mo. Then he came home, bought the home farm and oper- ated it for two years. Then he and his brother, August, pur- chased a threshing machine and a portable sawmill which they operated in partnership for fourteen years. In 1907 he bought his brother's interest, and since then he has successfully eon- ducted the business alone. He also does considerable work in digging and drilling wells. He is a prosperous citizen in every respect and is one of the best known men in the community. He bought eighty aeres in section 28, Albion township, in 1909, moved on this farm in 1910 and still resides there. For six years he has been on the school board of distriet 107, and sinee the spring of 1912 he has been a township officer. Mr. Hillman was married November 10, 1909, to Tillie Lundsten, and they have one son, Arnold V., born August 1, 1911. Tillie Lundsten was born October 15, 1877, the daughter of Andrew and Sarah Lundsten, who came to Wright county in 1878. Andrew Lundsten died in June, 1881, at the age of fifty-nine. His wife died in 1878 at the age of sixty-two. The family worships with the Herman Swedish Lutheran congregation in seetion 28, Albion township.
Michael Hannon, for many years a leading farmer of Albion township, was born in Kings County, Ireland, February 24, 1842, and was there reared. In 1868 he came to America and took up his residence in New York City. It was in 1873 that he came to Wright county and purchased eighty aeres of land in section 23, Albion township. He eleared, broke and " grubbed " the heavy timber land, ereeted a good set of buildings, and there sueeessfully farmed until 1885, when he sold out, and purchased a farm of 120 aeres in seetion 11, likewise in Albion township. Mr. Hannon has been a very prominent and influential cit- izen in Albion, taking his part in every move which he believed to be for the best interests of the people. He served as assessor continuously for twenty-four years, and later he served two more terms in the same office. For ten years he did good service as elerk of his school district. The family faith is that of St. Timothy's Roman Catholic Church at Maple Lake. Mr. Hannon was married August 15, 1873, at New York City, to Bridget MeNulty, who throughout their married years has proven a devoted and capable wife. Mr. and Mrs. Hannon have had seven children: John died in infaney. Mary is the wife of Patrick Flaherty. of Tenny, Minn. Catherine A. is now Mrs.
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Patrick Doherty, Jr., of Albion township; Joseph P. lives on the old farm in Albion township; James F. is in the elevator business at Temy, Minn. William F., twin brother of James E., is a banker at Hammel, Minn. Francis died in infancy.
Orestus L. Dudley, one of the well-known men of Buffalo, has had an important part in the upbuilding of the Northwest. Whether as a veteran fighting for his country's honor, a railroad constructor carrying to the wilderness the means of rapid trans- portation, or a business man working for the progress of his village, he has done his duty as he has seen it, and now in the afternoon of life he is enjoying the fruits of his years of hard labor. O. L. Dudley was born in Mt. Holley, Rutland county, Vermont, October 3, 1828, son of Asa W. and Mary (Sawyer) Dudley. The father likewise was a native of Vermont, and came to Minnesota in 1859. The children in the family were: Ferdi- nand, Ryland R., Orestus L., Lorenzo Edward, Mary Elvira, Leona A., Ellen and Alice. Orestus L., the third in this family, took up railroad work at the age of twenty, and thus had varied experiences in different parts of the country. At twenty-one years of age he helped string the first telegraph wire that ever crossed the Green mountains of Vermont. The years 1854-55 and part of 1856 found him in Delaware. His brother, Lorenzo, was at that time still in Rutland county, Vermont. Both agreed to meet at the town of St. Charles, Ill. They met there in the month of October, 1856, and started for Minnesota on the famous old "War Eagle." The boat sank on the second day of the trip. But the passengers were transferred to another boat and in due time reached St. Paul. From St. Paul the brothers walked to Monticello. in this county, and after looking about for a while selected a claim of 160 acres in Buffalo township, about a mile and a half east of the village. They erected a small cabin, kept house themselves, and devoted their time to making a small clear- ing. There were many hardships to be overcome, and the walking trip from St. Paul was many times repeated when the brothers were out of provisions. In the fall of 1860, O. L. Dudley married Mrs. Dorleski Blakely. When the war broke ont, he sent his wife East for protection and in February, 1862, he enlisted in the Seeond Battalion, Minnesota Light Artillery. The command was assigned to the Army of the Tennessee. Private Dudley served two years and four days, and showed his courage at the Battle of Perrysville, the Seven Days' Fight of Stony River and the Battle of Knob Gap, as well as in minor skirmishes. He escaped injury in battle, but had his leg broken on a long march, as the result of which he was first sent to the camp hospital at Murfreesboro, transferred to hospitals at Nashville, Tenn., thence to Lonisville, Ky., and thence to Jefferson Barracks, Missouri, where he was discharged. Upon his return his wife came back from the East
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MR. AND MRS. O. L. DUDLEY
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and they started farming on his claim. Mr. Dudley worked with an ox team, and the place gradually began to assume the aspects of a cultivated farm. In 1866 he built in the village of Buffalo the house where he now makes his home. It was one of the first frame houses in this vieinity. In the spring of 1869 he became road master on the line of the St. Paul & Pacific Railroad Company from Minneapolis to Willnar, with headquarters at Minneapolis. During this period he became a member of the Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce. In 1872, while with the St. Paul and Paeitie Railroad Company, he was chosen by Super- intendent Charles Hathway, of Cleveland, Ohio, as foreman in the construction at St. Paul of the first street railway built in the state of Minnesota. After fulfilling these duties he returned to the employ of the St. Paul and Pacific Company. In 1878, with A. P. Nelson as a partner, he entered into the lumber and general mereantile business at Grove City, in Meeker county. In 1885 he returned to Buffalo. The same year he built a large building, the upper floor of which is occupied by the Dudley Opera House and the lower floor of which he used as a store. In 1889 he sold the stock of goods to Frank Crookshank, retaining the building. The theater is now managed by his grandson, John Walter Dud- ley. Mr. Dudley has now practically retired from aetive life, though he still retains his investments and handles stoek to a certain extent. He has been an earnest friend of Buffalo and is highly respected. At one time he gave to the village the most beautiful bloek in the village limits as a publie park. Trees were planted and it seemed that the park was established. But the authorities neglected to eare for it, the property reverted to Mr. Dudley, and several business blocks have been erected on it. Mr. Dudley is a Blue Lodge and Chapter Mason. Mrs. Dudley, a most capable lady who was deeply beloved by all who knew her, died in 1895. There was one child in the family, Lasa W. He married Susan MeKnight and died in 1896, leaving two children. Frances Ina is a teacher and John Walter is manager of the Dudley Opera House.
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