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 14

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 14

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).

sketch affiliates with the republican party and has become one of the leading local rep- resentatives of that organization. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity and is one of Windom's leading and wealthiest citizens.

Mr. Clark was married in the year 1860 to Miss Hannah A. Stearns, a native of Hop- kinton, Massachusetts. This lady was a daughter of Alanson Stearns, a prominent citizen of the place just named. She is a lady of much culture and is held in high esteem by all who know her.

ON. ANDREW CLARKSON DUNN, one of the first settlers of Winnebago City, and the pioneer lawyer of Fairbault county, Minnesota, was born in New York City on the 9th of October, 1834. He is the son of Nathaniel Dunn, for forty years an eminent educator and the first principal of the Wilbraham Academy of Massachusetts, and for many years professor of chemistry in Rutger Female College in New York City. The Dunns are an old Maine family and of Scotch and English descent. The maiden name of Andrew's mother was Charlotte Till- inghast, the family being quite prominent in Rhode Island, to which State they came from England in about 1642. Our subject's father is still living in New York City, at the hale old age of eighty-nine years. He has always followed the life of an author and public educator, and has risen to high eminence in his profession. The mother was a lady of high literary attainments, was also a pro- fessional educator, and died in 1838. In the father's family there were three children, two of whom are now living-Mary (now Mrs. Rushmore, of New York City) and An- drew C.

The subject of our sketch was educated by his father and commenced reading law when about fourteen years of age with Edward Sandford, Esq., and also with Judge Camp-

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bell, of New York City, and for some time taught school at Fordham, New York, be- fore coming to Minnesota in April, 1854. After coming to Minnesota he was ad- mitted to the bar in the autumn of that year at a term of the territorial supreme court held at St. Paul. He practiced in the legal profession for a few months at Sauk Rapids, and then located in St. Paul, and was there in practice between one and two years.

Mr. Dunn was one of the original proprie- tors of Winnebago City, locating the land on which the city is built in 1856 at the United States land-office at Chatfield, Minn., and building the first house on the site. He as- sisted in the organization of the county into townships, under an appointment from Gov- ernor Sibley. At the time the city was laid out there were not a hundred people in Fari- bault county, and there was but one house between this place and Albert Lea, a distance of forty miles. Strolling Indians of the Sioux and Winnebago tribes were much more nu- merous than white men. The nearest post- office was at Mankato, thirty-five miles to the north. Directly west the nearest post- office was on the Pacific coast. Provisions were.drawn from Independence, Iowa, a dis- tance of 140 miles. Mr. Dunn also helped to lay out the village of Sauk Rapids, in 1854, and assisted in surveying the site for the present prosperous city of St. Cloud.

Mr. Dunn was secretary of the first State senate, which convened on the 2d of Sep- tember, 1857, and which finally adjourned on the 12th of August, 1858, having in the interim a rest of a few weeks. This position brought him in contact with the leading men of Minnesota at that period, and he is well posted as to the status of Minnesota's statesmen of twenty years ago. He was chief clerk of the house of representatives in 1864-5-6, and was one of the clerks in the house in the old territorial days. He was a member of the lower house of the

legislature in 1881-82, and was one of the managers on the part of the house of repre- sentatives in the trial of the impeachment of Judge E. St. Julian Cox. He has also held various local offices, having been county at- torney for two or three terms, and has done much valuable work on the local school board. By this record it will be seen that Mr. Dunn has been prominent in the politi- cal affairs of the State, and in these places has occupied a high place among his fel- lows.

In politics Mr. Dunn was a democrat in early life, was a war democrat while civil strife reigned at the South, and since then has acted with the republican party. He is one of the stanch supporters of that party in the State. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, of the degree of Knights Templar, and is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which society he has been super- intendent of the Sunday-school for the past seventeen years.

Mr. Dunn has gradually built up an exten- sive law practice, and has long stood at the head of the Faribault county bar. Not only this, but his practice in recent years has brought him in contact with the most learned members of the profession in the State, and he is acknowledged and recognized as being one of the leading lawyers of Minnesota. Thoroughly learned in the law, always a student as well as a practitioner; with not only a quick but a comprehensive mind, earnest in his convic- tions, able in his assertion of them; devoted to the interests intrusted to his keeping, he has few superiors as a well equipped practi- tioner, an able advocate and a thorough law- yer. In speaking Mr. Dunn is ready, forci- ble and yet graceful, not only entertaining his listeners, but impressing upon them his own convictions. His legal business is ex- tensive and lucrative, and a considerable portion of his attention professionally is

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taken up with railroad work. In connection with his legal duties he is also operating a farm of 640 acres, and is engaged in raising grain, horses and cattle.

On the 1st of January, 1859, Mr. Dunn was married to Miss Diana Jane Smith, a daughter of Colonel B. F. Smith of Blue Earth county, Minnesota. Mr. and Mrs. Dunn have three living children-Mary T., Alice H. and Andrew Paul. Mary T. mar- ried Professor F. A. Molyneaux, now of Cali- fornia. She has one son, Francis A.

AERBERT J. MILLER is the editor and publisher of the Rock County Herald. He located in Luverne in 1879, and has since made that place his residence.

Mr. Miller is a native of Deerfield, Wis- consin, where he was born July 13, 1855. His parents were Hon. William H. and Ann L. (Gee) Miller, the former a native of Maine and the latter born in England. The mother came to America with her parents when she was a child. The father learned the trade of tanning and boot and shoe making in early life, and followed those occupations until he was about thirty years of age. Then, in 1852, he removed to Wisconsin and became one of the pioneers of Dane county, where he engaged in farming. He was a man of excellent character and of the highest integrity, and was elected a member of the Wisconsin legislature in the sessions of 1862-63 and 1863-64. He continued his residence in Dane county, Wisconsin, until 1878, but in the meantime had removed from Deerfield to the town of Stoughton in 1867, in which latter place he had opened a boot and shoe store, continning in that line until 1878. In the last named year he removed to Florida, settling in the village of Bronson, for the benefit of his health. He made that place his home until his death, which occurred in May, 1879. The mother died at Deerfield,

Wisconsin, in 1858. The father was a man of the highest integrity of character and was esteemed and respected by all who knew him. He was honored in life and mourned in death. In the father's family there were nine children. The mother of the subject of this sketch was a lady of high education and for many years was a correspondent of the Boston Cultivator. The parents were both members of the Methodist Episcopal church in which society they always took an active mterest. They were consistent Christian people and the father held various offices in that church society to which he was a large contributor throughout his life.

Until he was sixteen years of age our sub- ject remained at home on the farm and re- ceived his early training as a farmer's boy, attending the district schools. At sixteen he entered the high school at Stoughton and graduated from that institution two years later. He then entered the University of Wisconsin with the class of 1879, and for four years pursued the course of study pre- scribed in the ancient classical course. For the most part he earned all means required to pay his expenses at college by teaching school, but before completing his course he was compelled for pecuniary reasons to leave the university and engaged in newspaper work at Reinbeck, Iowa. He continued in this line of occupation for two years and in the spring of 1879 he came to Luverne, where he has since resided, with the exception of six months, which were spent on the editorial staff on the Minneapolis Evening Journal. During his entire residence in Luverne he has been connected with the Rock County Herald of which prosperous and popular newspaper he is the editor and propri- etor. Besides being connected with this newspaper enterprise, he is also connected with other financial concerns of the city, and has served as one of the directors of the First National Bank for some time. He has

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also served four terms as president of the vil- lage.

The subject of our sketch was married in the year 1887, to Miss Lillian Crane, of Stoughton, Wisconsin. She was a daughter of Edwin and Elzada (Stoughton) Crane. Two children have blessed this union-Edna Z. and Ella B.

Mr. Miller has always affiliated with the republican party, and his newspaper is con- ducted as the exponent of the principles of that party. He is one of the ablest news- paper writers in Southern Minnesota, and has built up an enviable reputation for liberal and progressive thought, and fear- lessness in the presentation of all those matters which he has deemed right, and for the public benefit. By careful attention to the details of his profession he has built up a large patronage and enjoys the con- fidence of a large circle of friends. He has interested himself considerably in the various civic societies of the city, and, besides be- longing to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, is master of the local Masonic lodge. His political affiliations with the republican party have been of the most cordial character, and our subject has been honored in various ways by being elected to positions of honor and responsibility. He was one of the delegates to the national convention which met in Chicago, Illinois, in 1888. He was one of the representatives of the Second Congressional district of the State of Minnesota, and was a member of the committee on credentials of the national convention. Mr. Miller has interested him- self to a considerable extent in landed prop- erty in Rock county, and at present owns 320 acres in Denver township. He is build- ing a fine residence in the city, and also constructed a fine two-story brick newspaper office. His newspaper establishment is one of the best in Minnesota. Mr. Miller is loyal and determined in his adherence to the right

and to his friends, and is one of the most important factors in the development and growth of the social and financial interests of Luverne.

ON. ALEXANDER FIDDES is per- haps one of the most favorably known citizens of Jackson county, Minnesota. He is at present engaged in the hardware busi- ness and is the postmaster of Jackson. He is a native of Scotland, and was born in Campsie, Sterlingshire, March 15, 1840, his parents being James and Jessie (Nesbit) Fid- des, natives of the same country.

Alexander Fiddes resided in the village of his birth and assisted his parents in various employments, and attended the public school until he was seventeen years of age. He then cut loose from home influence, and went to Glasgow, where he served a five years' apprenticeship, learning engineering. He then went to sea as engineer on a steam- ship, and for four years cruised among the East India islands, went to China, to Ran- goon in Burmah, and during the war between England and Abyssinia was engaged in car- rying troops and dispatches between India and Abyssinia. He was for three years chief engineer for the Bombay and Bengal Steamship Company. The company with which he was engaged sold the ship in which he was employed to the Persians, with the agreement with our subject that he was to remain with the ship for six months, and at the expiration of that time he left the ship at Bagdad on the river Euphrates. He had spent in all some seven years in the seafaring life, and in going from Bagdad to Bombay, went from thence up the Red sea to Suez, thence crossed the desert to Alexandria, and taking ship went down the Mediterranean sea to Marseilles, thence to Paris and London, and on to his home in Campsie, Scotland. On reaching this place he learned that two of his

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brothers had gone to Canada and concluded to try his fortune in the new country, so he fol- lowed them, stopping but a brief time in the country to which they had gone, and from thence in 1869, came to Jackson county, land- ing in the village of Jackson. In the fall of that year he was married, and shortly after- ward engaged in the general mercantile busi- ness in company with his wife's brother, James Hunter. This partnership was continued until the fall of 1872, when it was dissolved and our subject engaged in the hardware business, which he has followed ever since.

Mr. Fiddes was married, September 16, 1869, to Miss Agnes Hunter, daughter of James and Agnes (Cook) Hunter, natives of Scotland. Agnes Hunter was born in Perth- shire, Scotland, in 1840. Mr. and Mrs. Fiddes have had the following named children - Jessie N., James H., John S., David H. and Alexander T.

A gentleman of the highest character, possessed of an excellent education and a wide knowledge of men and the world, no man in this county has taken a more promi- nent place in general matters than has the subject of our sketch. He has interested himself heartily in all matters pertaining to the building up of his village and of the en- tire county, and has rendered valuable aid in the affairs of local government. In the fall of 1877 he was elected to the legislature from his district, which comprised the terri- tory of six counties. He was elected again in 1884, and in both instances served his con- stituents with rare fidelity and success. He has been a republican in politics throughout his career here, and is one of the leading spirits of that organization. He has been treasurer of the school board for some twelve years, president of the village council for three or four years, postmaster from 1877 to 1885, and again appointed June 28, 1889. When he started out in life for himself he had no means whatever, and nothing to de-

pend upon but his own efforts, and by con- stant and systematic labor he has accumu- lated wealth single-handed. He has a fine store, well supplied with a large and costly stock of goods, owns an excellent farm of four hundred acres one and a half miles from the village, under good cultivation and pro- vided with comfortable buildings. He owns several valuable lots in the village, and where he lives his fine dwelling stands in the suburbs of the village on a tract of five acres.

HOMAS A. BLACK is the president of the Pipestone County Bank, at Pipe- stone City, one of the strongest financial in- stitutions of the county. This gentleman is also vice-president of the State Bank of Slayton, Murray county, Minnesota. The Pipestone County Bank was incorporated May 11, 1883, with a capital of $25,000, which was increased to $50,000 the follow- ing year, and the State Bank at Slayton was established in 1884.

The subject of our sketch is a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he was born September 29, 1853. He is a son of James and Esther (Service) Black, the for- mer a native of County Antrim, Ireland, and the latter a native of Cazenovia, New York, the mother being of Scotch-Irish ancestry. At twenty-five years of age the father came to America and settled in Philadelphia where he remained throughout life engaged in mercantile business. His death occurred in 1865. The father was a man of consider- able influence among the Scotch-Irish people who at that time were the dominating ele- ment in the city of Philadelphia. After the father's death, the wife and children moved back to Cazenovia, the birthplace of the mother. This village was made her home until her death, which occurred in 1887. In this. family there were four children, only

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two of whom are now living-our subject and James S., now a hydraulic engineer in Redlands, San Bernardino county, Califor- nia.

The children in the Black family were given good educational advantages in the schools of Cazenovia, New York, the birthplace of the mother of the family. Our subject received his education at the Cazenovia seminary. During his school life he taught school for some time in his own district. After completing his school course he accepted a position in E. S. Card & Co.'s bank in Cazenovia, New York, this being in August, 1873. He remained with this firm in the banking business for four years. In the fall of 1873 he came west on a prospecting tour, traveling over Wis- consin, Illinois, Iowa and Minnesota. After some time spent in this manner, he returned to Cazenovia and made arrangements for a removal to the West. His first move was to West Union, Iowa, where lie engaged in loan- ing money for eastern capitalists, making that city his home until 1878. In that year he accepted a position in Webster City, Iowa, as teller and book-keeper in the First National Bank. After remaining a sliort time engaged in the bank, he engaged in the drug business, in which he continued about two years. At the end of that period he sold out his interest in the store, and returning to the First National Bank, accepted the position he had occupied on coming to the city. He con- tinued his connection with that institution until coming to Pipestone in 1883. On arriv- ing in the city he, in company with several others, purchased the Pipestone County Bank, and the following year built the pres- ent commodious and elegant bank block, on the corner of Hiawatha and Olive streets, at the cost of over six thousand dollars. This building is well constructed, and is built of the famous red jasper stone. Besides his city interests, our subject

owns considerable outside property, among these being several excellent farms in this county. He is secretary and treasurer of the Minnesota Percheron Horse Company, of Cazenovia village, six miles from Pipe- stone city. Mr. Black named this town in honor of the birthplace of his mother. At that place this company owns a farm of three thousand acres of land, and also about a hundred head of fine blooded horses. The farm is excellently improved, is all fenced, and contains some excellent farm buildings. The town plat of Cazenovia is located on this farm. The company employ constantly about fifteen men in taking care of their imported horses. Our subject is also inter- ested financially in the red pipestone quarry in company with J. M. Poorbaugh. This company is now opening a tract of one hundred acres from which to quarry their stone. They have a large force of men em- ployed, are daily shipping large quantities of their building stone to Eastern cities, where it meets with a ready sale owing to its rarity, beauty and practical qualities. Mr. Black is also secretary of the Jasper Improvement Company, of the village of Jasper, Pipestone county, which company owns twelve hundred acres of land on which is located the Jasper town site. Here also is found valuable quarrying stone. This lat- ter company has also opened extensive quar- ries near the village of Jasper, and employs a large number of men. The company is com- posed of J. M. Spicer, E. A. Sherman, J. M. Poorbaugh, E. W. Davies and T. A. Black.

The subject of our sketch was married, in 1880, to Miss Georgia Bass, of Benton Har- bor, Michigan. Miss Bass' birthplace and early home was Fort Wayne, Indiana, where she received her training and education. This lady was a daughter of Colonel Sion and Eliza M. (George) Bass. Mr. and Mrs. Black have been blessed with two children- Jennie and Thomas Bass.

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The subject of our sketch has long affili- ated with the republican party, and of recent years has become quite prominent in the local affairs of that organization. In political movements and in the affairs relat- ing to the government of the county and city in which he lives, he takes a prominent and active position and has held several official positions. For some three years he has been a member of the school board and interested himself actively in all educational matters, being secretary of the school board. He has also been a member of the village coun- cil and has been elected to the position of mayor of the city. In religious matters he is also actively interested and is trustee of the Presbyterian and Episcopal societies. Throughout his business career, our subject has been remarkably successful. He is a man of careful, systematic habits, is of a conservative turn of mind and all mat- ters with which he is connected are materi- ally benefited when the management there- of is left to his care. He is a man of excel- lent character, enterprising, and no one in the city has been more liberal in rendering aid to public projects than Mr. Black. He is intelligent and progressive, and any project, however new, that has for its tendency the development of the financial welfare of the city invariably meets with his sanction and earnest endorsement. He is a man of the highest integrity of character, and it is a common saying among the citizens of Pipestone, that the word of T. A. Black is as good as his bond. It is therefore seen that Mr. Black has built up for himself an · enviable reputation as regards business abil- ity and integrity. No worthy man has come for financial or other aid without being granted assistance, if such was in the power of our subject. In all public matters he has been actively interested since making his location in the county, and perhaps no man has accomplished more in the development of

the city than he has. Being at the head of one of the soundest financial institutions of the county, and being possessed of large means and extensive general knowledge, he occupies a prominent place among the lead- ers in the affairs of Pipestone county.

ON. JUSTIN P. MOULTON is en- gaged in the real estate business in Worthington, Minnesota, and is also operat- ing extensive farming enterprises. He was born in Gilbertsville, Otsego county, New York, July 4, 1828. His parents were Sam- uel and Sidna (Hendricks) Moulton, natives of Massachusetts.

Mr. Moulton was educated in the district schools and was attending the Gilbertsville academy at the time of the death of his father, which occurred in 1840. At fourteen our subject started in life for himself ; learned tanning and the boot and shoe business in Homer, Courtland county, New York, serv- ing an apprenticeship for four years. For several years he served as foreman for the firm, then became a partner and engaged in the business until 1855. He then sold out, came to Winona county, Minnesota, helped to lay out and name the town of Saratoga, put up a dwelling, kept hotel for several years, and also engaged in the mercantile business. He built the first frame house in the village and resided there until 1861, when he went to the village of Marion, Olm- sted county, and engaged in the mercantile business until 1862; then rented a hotel and operated the same until 1864. Mr. Moulton purchased and moved onto a farm four miles south of the city of Rochester, and a year later moved into that city for the purpose of giving his children an education in the high schools. From 1865 our subject was head salesman and book-keeper in a large wholesale boot and shoe house. In the fall of 1874 he was appointed receiver of the

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United States land office at Worthing- ton, and moved his family to that place in January, 1875. Our subject held this im portant position until July 1881, then re- signed on account of ill-health. In the meantime he purchased several farms and had several hundred acres under cultiva- tion. On resigning his public office, he moved to one of his farms for a short time, then returned to the city and assisted in the organization of the Minnesota Loan and Investment Company, with George D. Day- ton, president ; our subject, vice-president ; George O. Moore, secretary, and George W. Wilson, counsel ; authorized capital, $1,- 000,000 ; capital stock paid in, $100,000.

Mr. Moulton was married in Preble, Courtland county, New York, April 30, 1851, to Miss Mary B. Clark, daughter of Gardner K. and Lucy (Bement) Clark. Miss Clark was born in Spencer, Tioga county, New York, August 2, 1828. Her father was a minister in the Congregational church, and came to Minnesota at an early day. Mr. and Mrs. Moulton have had two children- Justin Frank and Flora, the latter being now the wife of C. J. Smallwood, a train dis- patcher at Omaha, Nebraska, where he has held the position for eight years. Justin Frank was accidentally killed in Rochester, April 13, 1867. While boating with two other boys on a lake, he went to the forward end of the boat to push aside the branches of some willow trees, and while in the act, his gun was accidentally discharged and he was killed instantly.

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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 14

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