Illustrated album of biography of Southwestern Minnesota : containing biographical sketches of hundreds of prominent old settlers...:History of Minnesota, embracing an account of early exploration...and a concise history of the Indian outbreak of 1862, Part 101

Author:
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Chicago : Occidental Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 814

USA > Minnesota > Illustrated album of biography of Southwestern Minnesota : containing biographical sketches of hundreds of prominent old settlers...:History of Minnesota, embracing an account of early exploration...and a concise history of the Indian outbreak of 1862 > Part 101

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The subject was born in Russia and was educated and reared in his native country until he was seventeen years of age. At this time he came with his father to the United States, and located with him on sec- tion 12 of Carson township, as already stated. He lived with his parents for four years, and in 1879 was married and then purchased his present farm of eighty acres, on which he has lived ever since. He has made good improvements on his farm and is engaged in general farming and stock rais- ing. With his father he was one of the early settlers of the county, and took pride in set- ting out trees about his place.

December 4, 1879, Mr. Klaassen was mar- ried to Miss Mary Loeven, a native of Russia, who came to America when she was eight- een years of age. She was reared and edu- cated in her native land and was the daugh- ter of David Loeven, a school teacher and also a farmer for two years before coming to America. In 1876 her parents came to the United States, settling in Carson township, where the father engaged to some extent in farming. He is also a local preacher, and attends to the ministry in his church in con- nection with his other duties. Mr. and Mrs. Klaassen have four children-David, Mary, Nelson and Anna.

761

SOUTHWESTERN MINNESOTA.

Perhaps no man in the township takes more active part in public affairs than does the subject of our sketch. He is always ready and willing to share in the establish- ment and upbuilding of general interests, and always takes an active interest in politi- cal matters. Being a republican in politics, he has been chairman of the board of super- visors for about a year and a half, at the end of that time resigning his office to attend to other duties. For three years he was asses- sor of Carson township, and has been road overseer and supervisor for some years. In every official capacity he has proven his in- tegrity and efficiency, and is esteemed by all who know him. He has labored hard and energetically on his place to make it one of the best in the township, and his success is evinced by the excellent buildings he has thereon and the high state of cultivation to which he has brought his land.

TAMES HINES homesteaded his present place on section 22, of Fountain Prairie township, Pipestone county, Minnesota, in 1879. The year before he had visited this part of the country in company with nine others, and at the time located his land, broke two acres, built a small shanty and re- mained a short time. Commencing on his farm in a small way, building small build- ings, he has kept increasing in means and making improvements until he now owns good barns and out-houses and a comfortable dwelling-house. He has met with several dis- asters since coming here, having had a large barn burned in 1882 and losing, among other things, eight hundred bushels of grain, some stock, farm machinery, etc. At that time he also lost by fire his dwelling-house. Despite these unfortunate occurrences, and others which have come of late years, he has by careful management accumulated consid- erable means. He has been fortunate in

having excellent crops and this has done much toward replacing the losses which have come to him in the various ways re- ferred to. Among those who came to the township with Mr. Hines may be named Mr. Malony, Charles Chaffey, Mr. Hirschy, Patrick Sweeney, E. Link and C. Sizer. Our subject and Mr. Hirschy are the only ones of that company remaining in the township. Our subject assisted in the organization of the township and was deeply interested in the proper commencement of the public affairs of his civil division. The first meet- ing was held on section 21, on land which was then in the possession of Mr. Hines. Mr. Sizer was the first clerk and Mr. Heath the first chairman of the board of supervi- sors, Mr. Link being a member of that board. Patrick Sweeney was the first assessor, and Mr. Heck township treasurer. Mr. Hines has been identified with the official history of the township in various ways, and his abili- ties have been called into play in the office of township treasurer, which he held for three years, and also in that of treasurer of school district No. 24, which position he held for two years. With the growth of the general prosperity of the township Mr. Hines has also grown in wealth, and is now acknowl- edged to be one of the leading and most sub- stantial farmers in the township. He is one of the largest farmers and owns six hundred acres of land, and besides his extensive farm- ing has also invested largely in Norman and Percheron horses. His lands are located in different localities, eighty acres being on sec- tion 8, of Grange township, forty acres on section 3, of the same town, 160 acres on section 21, of Fountain Prairie township, and the balance on section 22, of the latter town- ship.

Mr. Hines is a native of Ireland, where he was born April 16, 1850. His father was Thomas Hines, a farmer by occupation, who died in 1876, in Steele ' county, Minnesota.

762

SOUTHWESTERN MINNESOTA.

When our subject was about six years old the parents came to America from Ireland, their native land, and settled in Walworth county, Wisconsin. After remaining there some six or seven years they then removed to the central part of the State, locating in Adams county. Eight or nine years were spent in that locality, after which they re- moved to Steele county, Minnesota, where the mother still resides. In the father's family there were five sons and four daughters, three of the sons being soldiers in the Union army during the War of the Rebellion; John served in the Twenty-second Wisconsin Infantry ; Thomas enlisted in the Second Wisconsin Caval- ry, and died at Helena, Arkansas, from diseases contracted in the service; Dennis joined the Thirty-eighth Wisconsin Infantry and came out with his life, although being severely wounded in one of his knees. Those living in the father's family are Mary, Hannah, Maggie, Elizabeth, John, Dennis, William and James.

The subject of our sketch received his education and training principally in the State of Wisconsin, where he was given ex- cellent educational advantages in the district schools, and acquired a good common-school education. He moved about with his pa- rents in Wisconsin at the various times above mentioned, and received his education principally in Adams county. On attaining early manhood he commenced work in the pineries, following that employment through- out the months of each winter and working on the river during the summer months. This plan of employment occupied his time for some fourteen or fifteen years, when he came to Pipestone county in 1879, as was stated in the opening lines of this sketch.

The wedding day of the subject of our sketch occurred December 28, 1882, on which day he was married to Miss Anna Malony, a native of Wisconsin. Mr. and Mrs. Hines

have three children-Maggie, Thomas and Elizabeth.

The subject of our sketch affiliates with the democratic party, and is a consistent member of the Catholic church. Since com- ing to the township Mr. Hines has exerted himself in every possible way to build up the best interests of his locality. In all mat- ters it can truly be said that Mr. Hines is one of the best citizens of the township. He is a man of exemplary character, and has a wide circle of friends.

ETER G. DALY is a leading farmer of Marshfield township, Lincoln coun- ty, Minnesota. He is the son of John W. and Johanna Daly, both natives of Ireland. The parents left their native country and came to America in early life, settling in Canada, where they lived for some time. Some time in 1857 they left Canada and came to the United States. The father found employment in the Eastern States in work on various railroads. In about 1865 the family located in Olmsted county, Min- nesota, where they have lived ever since.

The subject of our sketch was born Feb- ruary 26, 1855, on a farm about midway be- tween Montreal and Quebec, Canada. He was reared a farmer's boy and received his education in the district schools. He came with his parents to the United States, and finally, in 1865, located with them in Olm- sted county, Minnesota, and continued to reside with them until he was about twenty- five years of age. In 1878 he came to Lin- coln county and purchased railroad land, which he has continued to improve ever since. In 1879 he came to the farm and staid through one season, and the following winter returned to the home of his parents. Until 1885 he came to his farm and worked during the summers and returned to the home of his parents during the winters. In

763

SOUTHWESTERN MINNESOTA.

that year he was married, and, coming to his farm, has made it his permanent resi- dence ever since.

Mr. Daly was married January 7, 1885, at St. Bridget's church, in Olmsted county, Minnesota, to Miss Hannah O'Conner. This lady was a daughter of Thomas and Mary (Lawler) O'Conner, both natives of Ireland. The fruits of this union have been-John Francis, who died when six months old, and Thomas William.

The subject of our sketch had but little means when he first located in Lincoln coun- ty. He has worked steadily and systemat- ically, however, and, being of an economic- al disposition, has succeeded in placing him- self in good circumstances, and has provided his large farm of 320 acres with excellent buildings and other good improvements. He has a good frame dwelling-house and excellent barns. Since coming to the town- ship he has taken an active interest in all matters of a public nature, and has assisted largely in all matters which pertain to the general welfare. He has been interested in the local government and has held several official positions, among them being that of township clerk, which he held four years, and also clerk of the school board. Mr. Daly is a man of excellent character, thrifty and industrious, and is widely known and highly respected.

OHN B. BERNARDY, who now re- sides on section 2 of South Brook town- ship, Cottonwood county, Minnesota, is a native of Belgium, where he was born Octo- ber 30, 1845. He is the son of Matthias and Mary Katharina (Kanife) Bernardy, both of whom were also natives of Belgium. The parents lived and died in their native land. They had a family of three children-John B., Peter and Katie.

The subject of our sketch was the only one

of the family who emigrated to America He was reared on a farm, in his native land, and assisted his father until he was seventeen years of age. At that age he went to France for a short time, and then returned home, and came to America, May 10, 1865. He first located at Port Washington, Wisconsin, and there engaged in work for a farmer for some time. He visited various places after that, among them being Appleton, Wiscon- sin, and Sandy Point, Michigan, working in a spoke factory in the former place, and also working to some extent at the mason's trade, and in the latter place working in a saw-mill. He then went to Peoria county, Illinois, and worked on a farm for a short time, thence going to Appleton, Wisconsin, where he learned the carpenter's trade. His next move was to Waterloo, Iowa, and thence to Illinois, visiting from that time on, Kansas City, Baxter Springs, Neosia, Mis- souri, and Fort Smith and Fort Sill, Indian Territory. In the last-named place he was engaged as a reserve soldier by the govern- ment. In the other places he was engaged in work at the carpenter's trade. Ten months thereafter were spent in Chicago, and then fifteen months were spent by our subject in his native country, returning to America, September 4, 1874. He then came to Cottonwood county, Minn., and pre- empted 160 acres, afterwards changing it to a homestead, where he now lives. During the grasshopper times our subject was com- pelled to go elsewhere to earn money enough to provide food and clothing. He has im- proved his farm since those days, and has now one of the best places in South Brook township.

Mr. Bernardy was married April 25, 1879, to Josephine Peltzel, daughter of Joseph Peltzel, a native of Austria, but who emi- grated to America May 13, 1875. Her father died in Nobles county, Minnesota, June 4, 1889 ; her mother still lives in that

764

SOUTHWESTERN MINNESOTA.

county. Mr. and Mrs. Bernardy have six children-Mary, John, Joe, Frank, Charley and Lewis. All the members of the family are members of the Catholic church of Heron Lake.

The subject of our sketch is a man of ex- cellent business qualities, and has been emi- nently successful in the prosecution of his farming operations. He is engaged exten- sively in farming, and also raises fine Hol- stein cattle and gives considerable of his at- tention to the raising of Norman and English draft-horses. The last year he took two car loads of stock to Chicago and one to Omaha. In politics Mr. Bernardy has affili- ated for some time with the democratic party, having cast his first vote for Seymour and Blair. Our subject is a man of excellent character, and is highly esteemed by all who know him.

OSES COOK, of whom this sketch treats, is a reliable farmer of Shetek township, Murray county, Minnesota. He came to this region first in 1866 on a hunting and fishing expedition. Liking the country, in the fall he came and homesteaded land on section 24 of Mason township. He made that his home for about five years, en- gaged in farming. He assisted in the organi- zation of that township in about 1868, and thoroughly identified himself with the government of the township. He was a member of the school board and held other offices. He made excellent improvements on his farm. Then two years were spent by him in Missouri, and after this time, in 1874, he returned to Murray county, locating in Shetek township, where he has since lived. Besides engaging in farming he has followed the well business for some two or three years.

Moses Cook was born in Rutland county, Vermont, July 8, 1829. His father was

Nicholas Cook, a farmer and a native of the State of Vermont; he died in about 1879. Our subject remained in the State of his nativity, working on a farm un- til he was eighteen years of age. He then came to Winnebago county, Wisconsin, where he remained two years, after which he found work in the pineries in Waupaca coun- ty, and employed his time in cooking, chop- ping, teaming and running on the river for some sixteen seasons. At the end of that time he came to Murray county, Minnesota, where he has since resided, with the exception of the two years spent in Missouri. He was one of the first settlers, and has been closely identified with the history of the county and township.

Mr. Cook was married in June, 1873, to Miss Effie Bull, a native of Canada. Leav- ing Canada with her parents she went to the State of Iowa and from thence, when a girl, came to Minnesota with her parents. Mr. and Mrs. Cook have one child-Ova, thirteen years of age.

Our subject has become quite prominent as a citizen and as a worker in religious lines. He is a man of stanch principles and is a member of the prohibition party. While a resident of Mason township he was a class- leader for some time. During his residence here our subject has engaged to a considera- ble extent in fishing, and has had many in- teresting and enjoyable experiences in that kind of sport. At one time, in one day, out of Bloody Lake he caught 201 pickerel, rang- ing from two to five pounds. This was done with a spear and decoy hook. Again, our subject and John Boomhower caught five hundred pounds of buffalo fish with their hands. Some of the fish weighed as much as twenty-three pounds. These fish were caught in a small slough north of Lake Sarah. During the early days our subject experienced hard times, and had to apply himself to various kinds of work in order to

765

SOUTHWESTERN MINNESOTA

provide for himself and family. He had considerable experience in hunting and trap- ping, and the next year after coming to the township caught in one night seventy-nine musk rats, which, in the market, netted him from three to eight cents apiece. The principal business of our subject has been that of general farming and stock raising. He has always met with more of less success and is now nicely located on an excellent farm, where he has provided himself with good farm buildings.

R. LEE H. BUGBEE, one of the pop- ular young business men of Pipestone, Minnesota, is a dentist by profession, and is actively engaged in the practice of that art. He located in the city in 1883, where he has since continued in business .. He is a native of Pomfret, Windsor county, Vermont, where he was born April 26, 1860.

The parents of the subject of our sketch were Austin and Betsey A. (Stewart) Bug- bee, the father being a native of Vermont and the mother of New Hampshire. The father was reared on a farm, in which line of occupation he has continued throughout his life, being now engaged in that business in Sharon, Vermont. He has been a man of extensive influence in his native place and and has held several offices, among them being that of select man, town clerk and justice of the peace. The mother died in 1864. In the father's family there were three children-Clara M., now Mrs. Frank Tacher ; Elsie I., now Mrs. Ira B. Johnson ; and Dr. Lee H. Our subject has, however, two half-sisters-Carrie A. and Minnie A. Austin Bugbee was the son of Rufus and Eliza (Henry) Bugbee, the former a native of Vermont and the latter born in Canada. Rufus was a farmer throughout his life, which was spent principally in the State of Vermont; he died in 1874, and his wife died

in 1876. Rufus had a family of whom four children are now living-Austin, Edwin, Justin and Herman. Rufus was the son of Abial Bugbee, a native of Connecticut and a farmer by occupation. Abial Bugbee set- tled in Vermont before it became a State and lived in that country until he died. He was a man of patriotic spirit, a colonel in the Revolutionary War and a soldier in the French and Indian War for a number of years, holding the military title of colonel. The Bugbee family "are of Welsh descent. Betsey A. Stewart, the mother of our sub- ject, was the daughter of Hazen and Harriet (Elliot) Stewart, both natives of Grafton, New Hampshire, near which place they were engaged in farming. Hazen Stewart removed to Vermont when he was a young man and made that State his home until his death, in 1886, his wife's death preceding his by some thirteen years. Mr. and Mrs. Stewart had a family of five children, three of whom are now living-Dr. C. L., Dr. H. E. and Maria. Hazen Stewart was the son of Gardner Stewart, a native of Scotland, who came to America with his parents when he was young and settled in New Hamp- shire.

The subject of our sketch was reared on the home farm until he was twelve years of age. Up to this time he had been given some advantages for obtaining an education in the common schools. On attaining the age of twelve years he worked out on ad- joining farms and to some extent in saw- mills, continuing in these lines of employ- ment until he was twenty-one years of age. During this time the winter months had been spent in school and he had obtained a good common-school education. On attain- ing his majority he commenced reading medicine with his uncle, Dr. C. L. Stewart, continuing in that gentleman's office for one year. He then entered the office of Dr. Abbot, a dentist, with whom he continued

766

SOUTHWESTERN MINNESOTA.

some eight months. He then came to Gil- man, Iroquois county, Illinois, where he studied dentistry with Dr. I. B. Johnson, continuing with him some six months. From thence he removed to Dell Rapids and Egan, Dakota, where he engaged in the active practice of dentistry. Remaining a few months in those places, he then came to Pipestone and established himself in busi- ness, continuing his branch office at Dell Rapids and Egan, Dakota, for some time. Our subject is the only resident dentist in the county and has built up a large and in- creasing practice.

In September, 1885, Dr. Bugbee was united in marriage with Miss Lillie E. Hood, of Sharon, Vermont, and a daughter of Amos and Betsey Hood. Mrs. Bugbee died in January, 1887, at Pipestone, and was buried in the beautiful cemetery near that city. She was an exemplary Christian lady and was a member of the Baptist church, in which she occupied a prominent place. In every way possible to her she rendered assist- ance in the work of that society. For some time she was a member of the church choir and was a member of the Ladies' Aid Society.

Dr. Bugbee is a stanch temperance man, and besides being a member of the Good Templars' Society, is an ardent supporter of the principles of the prohibition party. In social and religious circles he exerts a wide influence and is a member of the Baptist church of Pipestone. In company with Dr. Merrill our subject built his present elegant office building on Hiawatha street.

- 1

ILLIAM L. TAYLOR, one of the substantial farmers of Mountain Lake township, Cottonwood county, Minne- sota, is a native of Westfield, Chautauqua county, New York, where he was born Feb- ruary 12, 1832. His parents were of Scotch

descent and were born in Ireland. Their names were Thomas and Jane (Cosgrove) Taylor.

The subject of our sketch resided on a farm with his parents and attended the dis- trict schools until he was twenty-one years of age. He then commenced working at the carpenter's trade in the vicinity of his home in New York State, to which State the parents had come in early life. After a year our subject removed to Belvidere, . Illinois, and worked at his trade there and at Rockford for two years. In September, 1856, he went to Winona, Minnesota, where he was married the following year. In the spring of 1858 he removed to Wabasha county, and March 12th pre-empted govern- ment land and resided thereon for six years. In the mean time, however, he engaged to some extent in work at his trade in the city of Rochester. After the six years had ex- pired he sold his farm and purchased prop- erty in that city. In 1873 he came to Cottonwood county, trading his Rochester property for farming land on sections 13 and 14 of Mountain Lake township. He has now about two hundred acres of land, with one hundred and twenty acres under cultivation, five acres of a fine grove of trees of his own planting, and good farm build- ings. Our subject has devoted his time to farming ever since coming to the township, with the exception of four years during the grasshopper raids, during which time he worked at his trade in various localities. Our subject has taken a prominent interest in all matters of a public nature, has been chairman of the board of supervisors four years, and has also been county commissioner and school treasurer. He is a man of strictly temperance principles, and is an old-time republican. He is a member of the Metho- dist Episcopal church.

Mr. Taylor was married September 15, 1857, to Miss Julia Griffing, daughter of

767

SOUTHWESTERN MINNESOTA.

Charles D. and Zelinda C. (Dennison) Griff- ing, natives of Kentucky. Miss Julia Griff- ing was born in Ashworthı, Kentucky, Sep- tember 13, 1836. This union has been blessed with the following-named children- Edith J., Mary A., Clara I., Lettie M., John H. and William E. Edith married William Mc Mahill, and resides in Blue Earth county, Minnesota. Mary married J. B. Jones, and is now a resident of Garfield county, Wash- ington Territory.

EINRICH LEDER, a resident of Mountain Lake township, Cottonwood county, Minnesota, is the son of Christof and Caroline Leder, natives of northern Germany. He was born in Dohnsen, Ger- many, July 23, 1831. His early life was spent on a farm with his parents. Until fourteen years of age he attended the public schools and then assisted his parents in work on the farm until 1855. In this year he came to the United States, first locating at Cape Girardeau, 150 miles below St. Louis, where he worked at his trade, that of a stone. mason, during the winter. In the spring he came to St. Paul and during the summer worked at the mason's trade, and in the fall and winter was engaged as a plasterer. This he followed until the fall of the next year. He then went to Le Sucur county, Minnesota, and bought eighty acres of land, on which he lived until 1871. He then sold out and came to Cottonwood county, purchasing 160 acres of land in Mountain Lake township. He also took a homestead of eighty acres on the same section where he now lives. He has made valuable improvements and has a comfort- able frame house and commodious and substantial stable.

Mr. Leder was married near Cape Girar- deau, December 25, 1855, to Christine Ha-

mann, daughter of Henry and Sophia (Gravae) Hamann, natives of Germany. This lady was. born in that country Decem- ber 8, 1835. Mr. and Mrs. Leder have been blessed with the following-named children- Albert, John, Emil, Henry, Frederick, August, William, Philip, Caroline, Sophia, Charles and Christian. All of the children are living except Albert, Emil, August, So- phia and Christian. Albert and Emil were frozen to death, the former being thirteen years old and the latter eleven. These two sons were with their father drawing wood on the 12th of February, 1872. They were hauling wood from the timber nine miles distant, and had drawn it all home except one small load. The two boys desired their father to let them go after this last load. The winter weather had been very severe and the father feared to let them go alone for the wood. He did not want to go him- self, as he could earn two dollars a day shov- eling snow on the railroad. The boys, how- ever, insisted and finally overcame his scru- ples, and he agreed to let them carry out their plans. On thinking the matter over, however, he again hesitated, fearful lest his sons might be lost in case a storm came up, and withdrew his consent, but again they persuaded him and insisted that it was best to go at once, for by waiting a few days longer the roads would be drifted full of snow. He again reluctantly gave his con- sent, and started for his work on the rail- road. He had not gone far, however, until he became so worried over this matter that he returned to the house and advised the boys not to proceed on so dangerous a jour- ney. They were very anxious, however, to carry out their plan of going for the wood, and he withdrew his objections and allowed them to proceed as they desired. Mr. Leder went to his work and labored with a heavy heart during the morning hours. After noon he consulted with one of his fellow-

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Illustrated album of biography of Southwestern Minnesota : containing biographical sketches of hundreds of prominent old settlers...:History of Minnesota, embracing an account of early exploration...and a concise history of the Indian outbreak of 1862, Part 101

Author: Publication date: 1889 Publisher: Chicago : Occidental Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 814

Author:
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Chicago : Occidental Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 814