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 29
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R OBERT SHERIN is one of the lead- ing and influential business men of Winnebago City, Faribault county, Minne- sota. He is a native of Peterborough, Canada, where he was born in 1824.
The subject of our sketch is the son of Henry and Eliza (Warren) Sherin, natives of Scotland and Ireland, respectively. They came to America when quite young, and the father in his early days was a chaplain in the English army. He was educated in the classical institutions of his native land, and was prepared for the Episcopal ministry. His entire life was spent in preaching the gospel and in teaching school, fifty years 1
being given principally to the ministry. He died at the age of eighty-three years. The mother died at eighty-seven years of age. In the father's family there were eight children, six of whom are now living -- Henry, Thomas, Robert, John, Samuel and Rebecca.
The gentleman whose name appears at the head of this sketch spent his younger days at home beneath the parental roof, receiving good educational advantages. He came to the United States in 1854, and located at St. Johns, Michigan, where he engaged in the real estate business. Prior to coming to the United States he worked for some years on various farms, and had also to some ex- tent engaged in the harness business. He also gave somewhat of his attention to car- pentering, and also to the cooper's trade, being also engaged during several years in the real estate business. On coming to St. Johns and engaging in the real estate business, he made his home there until 1860, when he removed to Fox Lake, Wisconsin, continuing in the same line in which he had engaged in St. Johns. In 1868 he came to Minnesota, loca- ting in Faribault county and purchasing a farm two miles south of Winnebago city. He resided on this land for several years and in 1872 moved into the city of Winnebago, where he has since been engaged in the real estate business. He has made numerous valu- able improvements and has assisted in the development of Winnebago city and vicinity. He built his present residence in Wallace's addition on Cleveland street.
Mr. Sherin was married in 1846 to Miss Susan McCarl, a native of Canada. This union was blessed with four children-John H., editor of the Winnebago City Press-News, of whom a sketch is given in another depart- ment of this work; Robert W., a farmer and real estate broker; Carrie A., now the wife of Mr. Quiggle, a druggist of Winnebago, and Milton J., a barber located at Blue Earth
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City, Faribault county. John H. married Emma Postlethwaite, by whom he had two children. Robert W. married Maggie McKee, and has one child, Cecil. Carrie A., now Mrs. Quiggle, has one child, Harry S. Milton J. married Delphine Pareso, by whom he had one child, Clara H.
In politics the subject of our sketch affili- ates with no particular party but believes in taking an independent course and voting for the men best fitted for the various official positions. Mr. and Mrs. Sherin are both members of the Methodist Episcopal church. The subject of our sketch has taken an active interest in public matters since coming to the village and has become one of the prominent and substantial citizens of the county.
UGENE S. BUTMAN is a prominent well-to-do farmer of Troy township, Pipestone county, Minnesota, and resides on section 12. He has an extensive farm of some four hundred acres, and is engaged largely in raising cattle. He was born in LaCrosse county, Wisconsin, October 4, 1856.
Mr. Butman is the son of Stark and Mary J. (Lynn) Butman, both of whom were na- tives of Ohio. The grandfather's name was Alexander P. Butinan, a native of Pennsyl- vania, a farmer by occupation and a promi- nent man in the early days in which he lived. Mr. Butman's mother was the daugli- ter of Sylvester Lynn, a native of New York. The parents of Mr. Butman came to Wisconsin in 1852, or thereabouts, and lo- cated in LaCrosse county, and in 1858 traded the farm for land in Trempealeau county, where they still live and where they are held in high esteem, being well-to-do and influential farmers.
Until the age of twenty-three Eugene S. remained with his parents, assisting in the work on the farm and attending the district
school during the months of each winter. In June, 1879, he came to Pipestone county, Minnesota, and settled on the place where he now lives. In those days there were no railroads in this part of Southwestern Min- nesota, and coming to the city of Marshall, from there by team and on foot he com- pleted his journey to his present place of residence. Having located his land and re- mained thereon a few days, he returned to his home in Wisconsin, and remained until in November of that year. Then return- ing to his land, he remained three weeks, making some light improvements, after which his absence from the farm dated until the following April. At this time he con- cluded to make a permanent settlement on his land, and, hiring a car, he put therein all his household goods, also four mules and two cows, and started for his future home. But eight months were spent on the farm, how- ever, and soon after the terrible October blizzard of that year, he started with his teams and drove across the country to his old home in Wisconsin. In May, of the fol- lowing year, he returned to the farm, where he has since lived. The pioneer experience through which he passed during those days of early settlement was indeed severe, and it was because of that experience that he was obliged, at times, to leave the farm and en- gage in other employment. His settlement, however, has been permanent since 1881.
Mr. Butman was united in matrimony January 1, 1883, to Miss Elizabeth A. M. Stellpflug, a native of Wisconsin. Three children have been born to this marriage - Mary J., Nettie L. and Leroy E., all alive at the present time.
In politics, Mr. Butman is a believer in the principles of the republican party, and has taken an active interest in local politics since coming to this county. He has held several minor official positions, and in all cases has held them with credit to himself and benefit
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to his constituents. In 1882 he held the office of member of the town board of trus- tees, and is at present treasurer of the school district, which office he has held for some seven years. He has held other positions, among them being that of pathmaster. Mr. Butman is a leading spirit among the farmers of his locality, and enjoys the respect and confidence of all who know him.
HADEUS P. GROUT is one of the most reliable and most widely re- spected citizens of Rock county, Minnesota. He is engaged extensively in farming, and re- sides in the village of Luverne. He made his location in the county in the spring of 1873, settling where he now lives and building one of the first frame dwellings in the village. He was one of the earliest settlers in this region, and has been intimately identified with the better interests of Rock county throughout his entire residence. He took one of the first timber claims taken under the "timber act." Of this claim there were 160 acres, and adjoining it he also took a homestead of the same number of acres. Later, in 1874, he purchased 160 acres on the same section, and now has 480 acres of fine farming land in one body. He has been active in improving this farm, and has branched out to a considerable extent in stock raising, being the owner of some fine Polled-Angus cattle, and a number of high- bred horses and sheep. Adjoining the city limits he now owns 240 acres of fine lands, where he carries on a large stock-raising business. He has invested considerable in county and village property, and has made considerable money in investments in farming lands in various parts of the county. His farm of 240 acres just adjoin- ing the city limits is one in which he takes a great deal of pride, having it under his own personal supervision. It is a beautiful loca-
tion and is well supplied with excellent water. In connection with his farming en- terprise, in an early day he engaged consider ably in loaning money.
The subject of our sketch is a native of Jefferson county, New York, and was born at Natural Bridge in the town of Wilna, on the 7th day of February, 1837. His parents were Elijah and Eleanor (Pool) Grout, the foriner a native of Vermont and the latter of New York. The father was an extensive farmer in the Eastern States and came to Wisconsin in the spring of 1855, settling in the town of Fountain Prairie, Columbia county. Here he engaged in agricultural pursuits until his death, which occurred in 1860. The mother died in 1870. The parents were loyal Christian people and were ex- emplary members of the Methodist Episcopal church throughout the most of their lives. In the father's family there were four chil- dren-Ambrose, who enlisted in Company B, Eleventh Wisconsin Regiment, and died in the service in 1862; Eli L., an extensive farmer residing near Beaver Creek, Rock county; John E., who now lives near the old homestead in Columbia county, Wis., where he is engaged in farming, and Thadeus P.
The gentleman whose name appears at the head of this sketch received his early train- ing as a farmer's boy, being given the educational advantages of the district schools in his native State. Later, on making a location in Wisconsin, Mr. Grout attended the Lawrence Univer- sity in Outagamie county. He remained with his parents until he was twenty-one years of age, at which time he took charge of the home farm, and conducted the same from 1859 to 1873. In the latter year he sold out and came to Rock county, mak- ing a settlement, as was stated in the open- ing lines of this biography. Throughout his career he has taken an active interest in all matters of a public nature, and has been
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elected to various local offices. While in Wisconsin he was a member of the board of town supervisors, and exerted a strong influence in local governmental affairs. Since coming to Rock county he has also held positions of responsibility and trust, andin all such matters has proven a valu- able acquisition to the county in which he has lived.
Mr. Grout was married in the year 1858 to Miss Jennie Ingals, of Jefferson county, New York. She was left an orphan when five years of age, and the father of our sub- ject adopted her, and she took the family name of Grout. Mr. and Mrs. Grout have four living children-Fannie, now Mrs. Rev. P. W. Cranell, of Baldwinsville, New York ; Ambrose E. and Effie L., both students at Hamline University, near Minneapolis, Min- nesota, and George P.
The subject of our sketch has been one of the most enthusiastic and earnest workers in the cause of temperance in Rock county, and indeed in all Southern Minnesota. This activity is not confined to his later life, but throughout his entire career his life has been founded on strictly temperance principles, ever shunning the intoxicating cup, and has given his deepest thought and his most earnest endeavor toward the over- throwing of the infamous rum traffic. Hay- ing his mind and heart full of these prin- ciples of temperance, he has, therefore, of late years, been earnestly engaged in co- operating with the movements of the prohi- bition party. To him more than to any other man, perhaps, is due the present state of temperance sentiment in the south- western part of Minnesota. Wherever he lias been, at every opportunity, he has raised his voice in opposition to that base traffic which is dealing out death and destruction to so many hundreds of the flower of our nation's young manhood. Shortly after the organization of the prohibition party he
joined hands with its work, and has been ever since enthusiastically promulgating the principles upon which that party is founded. For the last three years he has been a mem- ber of the prohibition State central commit- tee, and in 1888 was a delegate to the national prohibition convention which met at Indianapolis, Indiana. For years he has been chairman of the central committee of Rock county, and his efforts and intense words in favor of temperance and that party will not soon be forgotten by the residents of the county. Early in his life he became an enthusiast on these lines and joined the Sons of Temperance in Columbia county, Wisconsin, although, to become a member of that society, the lodge had to procure a special dispensation because of his extreme youth.
Besides being such an earnest worker in the temperance cause, Mr. Grout is also one of the most ready and consistent workers on religious lines. Indeed, his enthusiasm on the temperance question is traceable to the fact that he has an intensely religious nature, and with him, being the one must necessitate being the other. For years he has associated with the work of the Methodist Episcopal church, joining that organization when he was seventeen years of age, his wife becom- ing a member of that church when she was fifteen years old, and both she and her hus- band have lived useful and exemplary Chris- tian lives. Every church enterprise which has presented its appeal for assistance to him has met with a liberal and immediate re- ponse. He has helped to establish a number of church societies, and has assisted finan- cially in the building of a number of churches since coming to the State of Minnesota. In Sunday-school work Mr. Grout has but few superiors. He has had a long experience as a Sunday-school superintendent and so well understands the needs of the Sabbath-school that the work prospers well in his hands.
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He has been the superintendent of the Sab- bath-school in Luverne about half of the time that he has been in the county, has filled that position with perfect acceptability, and has accomplished a great amount of good. When he first came to the State in 1872, on Friday, the 16th of June. there were but two sod shanties in the township near Beaver Creek. When Sunday came they had no church édifice to resort to that they might pay their devotions to the God of their fathers, so they resorted to one of the sod houses, and dedicated that for their Sunday services. Here the first Sabbath-school in the county was organized, presided over by Mr. Grout, and since then this school has been continued in that neighborhood, the people of Beaver Creek having put up a new church build- ing.
In 1873, in company with James Gillard and Rev. E. H. Bronson, Mr. Grout and others established the first Methodist Episco- pal church and Sunday-school at Luverne. This was on the 20th day of June, and since that time church work and Sunday-school enterprises have been moving forward, and the religious work commenced then has prospered, and much fruit has been gathered from the seed then sown. From time to time our subject has been president of the county Sunday-school union, and has assisted in the organization of varions Sunday-schools throughout the county.
Throughout his career in Rock county our subject has been loyal to the principles of Christianity, and has shown himself to be a man in whom all might place the highest confidence. In business matters he has been quite successful, and has accumulated a large amount of means and has a pleasant and comfortable home. He is a loyal citizen, and an earnest and enthusiastic supporter of everything which tends to develop and bring prosperity to the locality in which he lives.
ALLBERT C. SCRIVEN is an influ- ential and well-to-do farmer and stock raiser of Dovray township, Murray county, Minnesota. He resides on section 34, where he settled in October, 1877. On making his settlement here he commenced making improvements, and worked hard to bring his farm up to the excellent state of cultivation which it has now attained. There were but four other settlers in the township at that time, and our subject actively associ- ated himself with all matters of a public nature, being made chairman of the town- ship board of supervisors for six terms. He has also occupied his attention considerably with educational matters, and has been school district treasurer for some three years. In his farming and stock-raising operations he has met with large success, and has a goodly number of fine stock horses of the Norman and English draft grades. He has also a number of Holstein and Short-horn grades of cattle. His farm is under excellent cultivation and contains about ten acres of fine timber, consisting of cottonwood, maple and white willow trees.
The subject of our sketch was born in Grafton, Rensselaer county, New York, June 29, 1830. His parents were John and Phoebe (Sanders) Scriven. The father died when our subject was four and a half years old. He was a farmer and mason by trade, and was born in Rhode Island. When about twenty years old he removed to New York, where he died December 15, 1835. The mother was a native of Rhode Island, where she was reared and educated. She died in about 1863 at seventy-six years of age. She was a consistent member of the Baptist church. In the father's family there were twelve chil- dren-John, Phoebe (deceased), Schuyler, Almira, Charles (deceased), Mary (deceased), Cynthia (deceased), Franklin, Irene, Daniel, Hannah (deceased) and Albert C.
Our subject received his early education
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and training in the State of New York, and remained there until he was twenty years of age, aiding his brother in the work on the old homestead. He received a good common school education, and when twenty years of age emigrated to Tazewell county, Illinois. He soon after, in fact within a few months, came to Minnesota and first located in St. Paul. After a three months' stay, engaged in work on the farm, he returned to Illi. nois and remained until the following April, when he went to Winona county and resided in Whitewater township for twenty years, engaged in farming. He then came to Lyon county, Minnesota, where he lived five years, engaged in farm- ing. During three winters, in order to obtain a livelihood, he went into the woods about Mankato, and there chopped wood. During the grasshopper raids there were no crops, and this was his only manner of obtaining a living.
Mr. Scriven was married, November 21, 1875, to Miss Maggie Talcott, a native of Walworth county, Wisconsin, where she was reared and educated. This lady is a consis- tent member of the Methodist Episcopal church, to which also her husband belongs. Our subject takes an active interest in religious matters, and is a steward of the church of which he is a member. He is a man of excellent qualities, and was formerly a member of the Good Templars' lodge. He is a well-to-do citizen, an in- telligent, public-spirited man, and is highly respected by all who know him. In poli- tical matters he is a prohibitionist, and in daily life uses neither liquors, tobacco, tea nor coffee. He voted for General Scott for president, and affiliated with the republican party until three years, ago, when he felt it a duty incumbent upon him to change, and since that time he has earnestly supported the prohibition party.
LLEN FOOTE is a machinist by trade, and resides in the village of St. James, Minnesota, where he is in the employ of the Omaha Railroad Company. He has been engaged with his present em- ployers since 1873, at which time he located in St. James, where he has become largely interested in village property.
Mr. Foote is a native of Geauga county, Ohio, being born in the village of Parkman, in the year 1831. He is the son of Andrew N. and Amanda A. (Phillips) Foote, natives of Schoharie county, New York. The father was engaged in the cloth business, and came to Ohio in an early day, and in 1844 located at Battle Creek, Michigan. For a number of years he was engaged as superintendent of the cloth department in the factory of W. W. Wallace. Later he engaged in farming in Eaton county, Michigan, where he resided until his death. In the father's family there were nine children, seven of whom are now living-Eleanor (now Mrs. Benum), Clark, Alvin, Henry, Allen, Edward and Martin.
The subject of our sketch resided with his parents in Parkman, Ohio, where he at- tended the district schools. When thirteen years of age he went to the State of Illinois, and spent some three years in the lead mines. Thence he went to Battle Creek, Mich- igan, and for two years found employment with his father in a woolen factory. For four years thereafter he was engaged as a fireman on the Michigan Central railroad. Two years were then spent on a farm in Hillsdale county, and in 1855 he came to Minnesota, settling in Le Sueur county on a pre-emption of 160 acres. He thoroughly improved this land and lived thereon for about seventeen years. Part of this time he was engaged as an engineer and also in put- ting up and repairing saw-mill engines. He served under General Sibley in the Indian war and massacre of 1862, and during part of this time was foraging for the quarter-
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master's department. An amusing incident is related by our subject of this time. He was sent to St. Peter to confiscate some hay stacks, but was driven away by several women, who used stones and various kinds of missiles in defense of their property. It finally took twenty-five soldiers to take one stack of hay from a few Irish women. Eleven of our subject's neighbors were also engaged in the service at this time at Birch Cooley, and a number of them were killed. When they started from home they went through the big woods toward Belle Plaine during the night in order to escape the attacks of the Indians. It was so dark that the teams were allowed to follow any course they might take. In 1873 Mr. Foote came to his present location, and was one of the first settlers of St. James. He has taken an active part in all matters of a public na- ture, and has held various official positions. He has been deputy sheriff of the county for four years, and has also been village mar- shal. He is a man of strong temperance principles, and has been grand councilman of the State lodge of Good Templars, in which society he still takes an active interest. He affiliates with the prohibition party, and with his wife belongs to the Baptist church, of which he is a trustee. He is also a mem- of the Masonic fraternity. Mr. Foote is a thorough master of his trade, and is one of the finest machinists along the Omaha rail- road. He is a man of strong principles, and is beloved for his strict adherence to all things which he deems right.
Mr. Foote was married, in the year 1850, to Miss Sarah Herrick, of Battle Creek, Michigan. Four children have blessed this union, of whom three are now living- Emma, George E. and Charles W.
RESBURY W. MOORE is a well-to- do farmer of Springfield township, Cot- tonwood county, Minnesota, and resides on
section 34. He was born in Vermont, July 25, 1836.
· The parents of the subject of our sketch were Trueman H. and Elotia (Walker) Moore, natives of Vermont, and farmers by occupation. Trueman H. Moore was the son of James and Mary (Brown) Moore, natives of New Hampshire, James being a miller by trade. The family originally came from the northern part of Ireland and settled in New Hampshire, whence they scattered to all parts of the country. Trueman Moore and his wife died in Vermont many years ago.
The gentleman whose name appears at the head of this sketch spent his younger days under parental authority. He was given a good common-school education, and assist- ed in work on the home farm until nineteen years of age, when he came !vest, stopping for a time with a friend in McHenry county, Illinois. In the spring of 1856 he came to Minnesota, taking a claim of 160 acres in Fillmore county. He engaged in agricultural pursuits until August 15, 1864, when he en- listed in Company I, Eleventh Minnesota Vol- unteer Infantry. He served his country gallantry and faithfully until July 9, 1865. He then returned to his farm in Fillmore county and made that his home until 1872, when he came by team and located his pres- ent claim of 160 acres in Cottonwood county. He has seen much that would dishearten and discourage the farmers of to day, having passed through the grasshopper raids, and having met with various financial reverses.
Mr. Moore was married, April 30, 1857, to Delina Freemire, a native of New York and a daughter of George and Eva A. (Borst) Freemire. The father is now a resident of Jackson county, Minnesota. Mr. and Mrs. Moore have had ten children, nine of whom are now living, one boy having died in in- fancy. The family now consists of eight girls and one boy of four years. Three of the
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girls are married, namely-Mrs. J. A. Moore, of Ballaton, Minnesota; Mrs. Alfred Blenki- ron, of Springfield, and Mrs. F. S. King's- burg, of Woonsocket, Dakota.
The political faith of the subject of our sketch is with the principles of the repub- lican party. He has taken an active interest in public matters, and has been township treasurer for two or three terms, and has been township clerk for the last ten years. He belongs to the Grand Army of the Re- public post, and is one of the most influential and public-spirited men in the township. He is engaged in raising grain, and has also given much of his attention to the raising of horses and cattle.
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