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 33

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 33

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).

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Railroad Company. Our subject had gone to the expense of building a mill, and was about to finish it and put in mill machinery, but in the fall of 1870 his house, barn, mill, and all his effects were destroyed by fire. These many hardships, and especially the de- struction of his crops by grasshoppers, set our subject to thinking, and he framed a law which allowed those who had been on their claims during grasshopper times to be given all time after filing, whether on their claims or not. In the spring of 1880 Mr. Hildreth left his claim and went to Nobles county, and spent one year about five miles from Worthington, where he took care of a thousand sheep. In the fall of 1880 he was herding these sleep on the prairie

when a severe storm swept over the country on the 15th of October. Many of these sheep were lost and our subject had much trouble in reaching home. In the spring of 1881 he moved to Worthington and took a herd of cattle and kept them through the summer, and the next winter he traveled through Dakota in the employ of the Bank of Worthington, looking after tim- ber land at Lake Tetonkahal. He succeeded in selling these lands and returned to Worth- ington Febuary 14th, and for the next three years was engaged in buying and selling cattle. He then became the proprietor of the McManus hotel in Worthington, operat- ing the same for one year at a loss of two hundred dollars. Since that time he has not been engaged in active business.

Mr. Hildreth has been quite prominent in political matters, has been village justice of the peace, court commissioner, and has held various other positions of trust. His first vote was cast for Henry Clay for president, and for years he has affiliated with the re- publican party. He is a member of the Knights of Labor fraternity.

Mr. Hildreth was married in Wellsboro, Pennsylvania, February 14, 1850, to Electa

Butler, a daughter of Hartford and Matilda Butler, the former a native of New Hamp- shire and the latter born in Scotland. Mrs. Butler was born in Tioga village, Pennsyl- vania, in March, 1825. Mr. and Mrs. Hil- dreth have had the following named chil- dren-Luther, Ida M. and Flora B. Luther perished in a severe snowstorm in Minne- sota; Ida M. married Henry B. Nichols ; Flora B. married Herbert Chase.

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A ANDREW JOHNSON is one of the reliable and thrifty farmers of Leeds township, Murray county, Minnesota. He resides on a fine farm on section 32. Mr. Jolinson was born in Norway, February 8, 1864. He is the son of Olaus and Ellen (Kongsmod) Johnson, natives of Norway. The father was a farmer by occupation in his native land and came to America in 1868, settling with his family in Winneshiek county, Iowa, where he lived on a rented farm until 1874. In that year he camne to Murray county, Minnesota, and now resides on section 8 of Leeds township. The mother died in 1881. There were ten chil- dren in the father's family, Andrew, our subject, being the third child.

During the most of his early life, in fact until he was twenty-one years of age, the subject of our sketch attended the district school and assisted in work on his parents' farm. On attaining his majority he pur- chased the farm where he now lives and where he lias since been engaged in general farming. He is a single man at the present writing. He has taken an active part in political affairs and has served in various official positions with fidelity and credit. He has been a member of the board of supervisors for two years, assessor for three years, and clerk of the school district for six years. In politics he affiliates with the

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republican party and is a consistent mem- ber of the Lutheran church. He was one of the pioneer settlers of his township, and having been through many trials, hardships and misfortunes, is now prepared to enjoy the prosperity and successes which come to him year by year. He is a man of good business qualifications, excellent character, and is highly respected.

HARLES H. BULLARD is a real estate dealer of Fairmont, Martin county, Minnesota. His parents were Calvin and Mary A. (Gleason) Bullard, both natives of Massachusetts.

The subject of our sketch was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, May 4, 1833. He was given a good common school education and engaged in business with his father in the State of New York until 1858, when they sold out and the father moved to Kingston, New Jersey, where he purchased a farm and engaged in agricultural pursuits. Our sub- ject remained in New York until July, 1861, when he enlisted in Company H, First New York (Lincoln) Cavalry. He continued in the service of the Union army until July, 1865, when he was mustered out of the ser- vice with his company. He was with his regiment during the entire war and was always in active service-his regiment from September, 1861, until Johnston's surrender in April, 1865, always had pickets out against the enemy. His regiment was all through the peninsular campaign in 1862, was at the battle of Antietam, from which the regiment was ordered to join General Kelley's forces in West Virginia. December 25, 1862, he was with the forces that captured Martins- burg and joined General Milroy at Winches- ter January 1, 1863. He remained with these forces until being driven out by the rebel forces under General Lee, June 13, 1863. His company and one other were detailed to guard

the wagon train when on its way to Winches- ter. Being cut off by the Rebels the train took the road to Martinsburg, thence to Hagers- town, Maryland. Sergeant Bullard was left at the toll gate south of Martinsburg with seven men with orders to hold the gate until relieved. When finally ordered back they found them. selves entirely surrounded by the enemy, but it being nearly dark the Rebels mistook them for their own scouts and they safely passed through their lines. They could not rejoin their company, so they fell back to Williamsport, Maryland, which place they reached about midnight. The wagon train was in the park there, but was soon started out on the road to Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, after which the exhausted troopers lay down to rest. At daylight they were driven out of their bivouac by the Rebels and continued their retreat to Hagerstown, where they found Captain Boyd of Company C, their regiment, with some sixty of his men. Bullard decided to join Boyd and continued with him until they reached Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, with the train, without the loss of a single wagon, where, by the order of the general command - ing the department, he and his little squad were attached to Boyd's company during the campaign. This little force of less than seventy men were all the force Cauch had that had seen service between the Rebel army and Harrisburg, and more ar- duous duty troops never performed than was done by these rough riders during those eventful three weeks previous to Gettys- burg and during Lee's retreat. Boyd was promoted to colonel of the Twenty-first Penn- sylvania Cavalry and Lieutenant Knowles to lieutenant-colonel for their services in that campaign. They were both gallant men and deserved it, and every non-commissioned officer in Boyd's company received a com- mission, and the privates were corresponding- ly promoted. Soon after Gettysburg his com- pany was detailed as body-guard of General

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French, commander of the Third Army Corps. In the fall of 1863 his company was ordered to join the regiment in the Shenandoah Valley, where they remained participating in the various expeditions until General Sheridan took command of the Valley in 1864, at which time the regiment and brigade were attached to Custer's division, taking part in all the battles of that year in the Valley as well as in the devastation of that historical section in the fall of that year. February 28, 1865, Sheridan's forces left the Valley, to join Grant before Petersburg, by way of Waynesborough, Charlottesville and North Anna river to White House landing, thence to Petersburg, the trip occupying nearly six weeks. They immediately left the latter place for Five Forks, circling the right flank of Lee's army ; thence to Sailors' Creek and Appomattox Station and Court House, where Lee surrendered April 9, 1865, where the company was detailed as body-guard for General Merritt, commissary of prisoners. After the prisoners were paroled the regi- ment returned to Petersburg, learning on the way of the assassination of President Lincoln. From Petersburg Sheridan's cav- alry was sent to reinforce General Sher- man, who confronted Johnston, who refused to surrender but did so as Sheridan's forces were crossing the line into Carolina. The command then returned to Petersburg and soon after to Washington, where they took part in the grand review, the First New York (Lincoln) Cavalry leading the column. The regiment was soon after sent to New York and on July 7, 1865, was paid off and discharged from service. Mr. Bullard well remembers the review of the troops by the President at the close of the war and thinks it the grandest, most impressive congrega- tion ever gathered together in the country. The troops were three days passing the grand stand. Our subject was in all the bat- tles of the seven days' fight around Rich-

mond in June and July, 1862, was at Antie- tam, Gettysburg, Winchester, Cedar Creek, Fisher's Hill, Waynesborough, Dinwiddie Court House, Five Forks, Sailor's Creek, Ap- pamattox Station and Court House, besides two or three hundred other fights and skir- mishes. In 1864 for nearly three weeks his regiment and brigade were constantly in line of battle, exchanging shots with the Rebels from three to four times a day and some days it reached the proportions of a pitched battle. He was hit by Rebel bullets eight different times, one bullet taking off all the beard from the point of his chin, just drawing the blood, and was knocked insen- sible by a volley at close range from a con- cealed regiment of Rebel infantry during a charge at the battle of Winchester, but in spite of his dangerous position and exposure he received no very severe wounds. After his discharge Mr. Bullard went to Columbia county, Wisconsin, and there joined his wife. He commenced work on a threshing ma- chine; met with an accident by which his foot was badly crushed, causing him to be confined to his bed for some six months. He remained in Wisconsin until in May, 1866, and then came to Minnesota, settling on a home- stead of 160 acres six miles northeast of the village of Fairmont. Residing on this place for seven years he engaged in farming to a large extent, but also gave considerable of his attention to the duties of various offices to which he was elected. In the fall of 1867 he was elected sheriff of the county, but re- fused to serve. He was elected again in the fall of 1868 and entered upon the discharge of the duties of that office. He was re-elected in 1870, again in 1872 and again in 1874. He resigned his office January 1, 1875, on ac- count of other business. He resided on his farm until 1873 and then moved to the village of Fairmont, the county seat, and in partner- ship with Frank A. Day established the Martin County Sentinel, July 4, 1874. This

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partnership was continued until 1880, when our subject sold his interest to Mr. Day, who still operates the paper. Our subject then engaged in the real estate business exclu- sively, which line he has followed ever since. In 1883 he was appointed postmaster, and in October, 1885, another man was appointed who was more in harmony with the political ideas of the party then in power.

Throughout his entire military career Mr. Bullard showed his efficiency and capability, not only as a soldier in the ranks, but as a sergeant in command of his company, hav- ing been several times complimented by his superior officers. At the battle of Waynes- borough, in March, 1865, he captured the Rebel General Early's headquarters wagon with a large amount of correspondence, together with one large and one small map of the country around Richmond. This map proved of great service as, by its aid, he piloted the regiment out of danger, and doubtless saved it from capture. This map was one made by Rebel engineers, and was strictly accurate. The large one was loaned by our subject to General Capehart, com- manding the brigade, who promised to return it but never did. Mr. Bullard still possesses a small portion of this official corre- spondence, including an autograph letter from General Lee to General Early, and the small map. He also has a revolver, holster and belt, which he captured from Colonel McDonald, commander of Virginia forces at Lexington, Virginia, on Hunter's raid to Lynchburg, Virginia, in 1864. Mr. Bullard is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, Post No 18, of Fairmont, in which he has held every office, and of which he is the present adjutant. He is first lieutenant of Company D, Second Regiment Minnesota National Guards.

Mr. Bullard was married in New York City, on June 24, 1854, to Miss Mar- garet Rowland, daughter of Robert Row-

land, a native of Wales. This lady was born in Remson, Oneida county, New York, in the year 1835. Mr. and Mrs. Bullard have been blessed with the following-named children-George A. and C. Frederick. George A. was a gradu- ate of the Iowa Law School, and was ad- mitted to the bar. Afterward he became a conductor on the Southern Minnesota and also the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha railways. He was accidentally killed October 7, 1885, by falling from his train. C. Frederick Bullard married Marillia Snow, a daughter of E. S. Snow, and is engaged in farming near Fairmont. They have the fol- lowing children-Leliah, Hazel and Floyd.

Ever since coming to the county our sub- ject's qualifications as a business man have been recognized by his fellow-citizens, and he has been called upon to serve in various official capacities. In every instance he has served with credit to himself and to the satisfaction of his constituents. He has been justice of the peace, court commissioner, county commissioner, and has held some office ever since locating in the county. He is a man of good character, and is highly respected by all.

AROLUS PETERSON is a leading farmer of Highwater township, Cot- tonwood county, Minnesota, and resides on section 30. He settled on this section in 1867, and has resided in the county ever since. Mr. Peterson is a native of Helge- land, Norway, born May 26, 1827, his par- ents being Peder Olson and Ellen Tamine Coldevin. The parents were farmers, and the father died in his native country some years ago. The father had a family of eight children.

In 1866 the subject of our sketch conclud- ed to try his fortune in the new world. So, taking ship, he came to the United States,

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and stopped one winter in Dakota county, Minnesota. Early in 1867 our subject came to his present location, and became one of the first settlers of Highwater township.

The early experience of our subject in Cottonwood county was full of interesting as well as trying circumstances. Neighbors there were none, the nearest settler to the east being thirty-two miles distant ; markets were hardly accessible, the nearest place for obtaining provisions and selling grain being at New Ulm, fifty-two miles away, and the trip to that place occupying five days and over. Later Windom became the marketing point, and was much more easily reached. Mr. Peterson built the first house in the township in 1867, and lived in the same for three years. The first year he broke up some land, put up some hay, and, for the first few years, in connection with light farming, he engaged in trapping. After 1868 our subject raised a number of excel- lent crops, in some instances harvesting as high as thirty bushels to the acre.

The subject of our sketch was married on June 8, 1853, to Miss Anna Hanson, a native of Norway. Mr. and Mrs. Peterson have three living children-H. H., Susie and Anna. The son is now married and resides in Storden township, this county, where he is engaged in farming. Those deceased in the family were Anton M., who died June 11, 1888, at twenty-five years and eight months of age, a young man of exemplary and lovable character, and a member of the Lutheran church ; Peter, who died at nine years of age; Susanna, who died aged one year; Anton, who died at six years of age, and Ellen Tomena, who married Andrew Ferring and died in May, 1880, leaving two children-Adolph and Ellen Tomena. She was a member of the Lutheran church.

Since coming to the township our subject has been one of its active citizens. He has heartily participated in all affairs pertaining

to the general welfare and has held various official positions with credit and efficiency. He has held the office of supervisor for three years, being one of the first to hold that position in the township. He has been elected to the same office several times since, has been township treasurer and treasurer of the school district. In politics Mr. Peter- son affiliates with the republican party. He is a man of strong moral character and be- longs to the Lutheran church, of which he has been trustee and treasurer.

RASER MACKAY is the owner and proprietor of the Pipestone Roller Flouring Mills, at Pipestone City, Minnesota. This is one of the largest and most impor- tant business enterprises in the county, and is deserving of the immense patronage which it now claims and enjoys. Mr. Mackay came to Pipestone in 1882, and purchased five acres of land just east of the main part of the city, within the corporate limits. He first built a mill and put in two run of stone (French buhr), and operated the same until 1885, at which time he entirely remodeled and changed his mill, putting in the patent roller process. He has now four double rol- lers, and one six-roll feed mill driven by a forty-horse steam power. He has an exten- sive local trade, and also ships his goods in large quantities into adjacent and distant counties. He is otherwise financially inter- ested in the welfare of Pipestone, being a stockholder in the First National Bank, and owning a fine dwelling, which he built near his mill in 1888. He owns other dwelling houses in the city, and has to-day from twelve to fourteen thousand dollars' worth of property.

The subject of our sketch was born in Scotland, February 15, 1841. His parents were Thomas and Rebecca (Battey) Mackay, both natives of Ireland. The father was a

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weaver by trade, and was also engaged to some extent in coal mining. He died in 1871. The mother passed from this life in about 1843. Of the father's family there are two children living-Anna (now Mrs. French), and our subject.

Mr. Mackay's early education, as far as school advantages were concerned, was somewhat neglected. The circumstances of his parents were such as to a large extent preclude his attendance at school. What early education he acquired was therefore the result of his own study, but, being of a studious turn and determined to learn, he advanced quite rapidly and gathered an extensive knowledge of general matters. He learned the multiplication table while working at the cotton mill in England, to which country he had gone when quite young. From the time he was ten years of age until he was eighteen he worked in the coal mines, but then, as he did not like the business, he quit it and secured a position firing and at- tending a pumping engine at the coal mines. He next engaged in firing and attending an engine at a cotton spinning and weaving mill in Blackburn, England. Becoming convinced that his education had been neglected, and feeling the need of it, he attended the Liter- ary, Scientific and Mechanical Institute for four years, working daytime and attending school evenings. During the "cotton famine," in 1883, he obtained a position as engineer in a large flouring mill, where he studied the art of making flour for three years. He then concluded to come to America, and, landing here, he settled at Chicago, Illinois, where he engaged as an engineer with a Mr. Cha- pin, remaining, however, but a short time in that gentleman's employ. From thence he removed to Wilmington, Illinois, and found work in the coal mines, and after continuing thereat for some time removed to Boone county, Iowa. Here, for some five years, he divided his attention between work in the

coal mines and in a small flouring mill. He - raised the first coal with steam power in Boone county. At the end of that time he moved to the country and settled on a home- stead of eighty acres of prairie land, remain- ing there part of the time milling and part of the time on the farm, until coming to Pipestone, in 1882. He at once commenced operations, as has already been stated, and succeeded in building up a fine business, his being the only flouring mill in the county.

The marriage of the subject of our sketch occurred in the year 1860, at which time he was wedded to Miss Jane E. Legget, a native of England and a daughter of James and Eliza (Gettenba) Legget. Mrs. Mackay has two sisters living now-Mrs. McCaw, and Susanna (now Mrs. D. Falls). Mr. and Mrs. Mackay have a family of six children- Thomas, Elizabeth, James A., William J., Rebecca and Nellie. Elizabeth is now Mrs. Patterson, of Kossuth county, Iowa. She has three children ; their names are Charles W., Howard F. and George. Thomas is en- gaged with his father in the mill, and James A. is learning telegraphy.

The subject of our sketch has been one of the most prominent workers in public matters in the county, and has aided materi- ally in the up-building of Pipestone City. Being of a liberal spirit and possessed of means, he has contributed largely in a finan- cial way toward the development of the business of his adopted town. He also aids willingly in every project which tends to the up building of the social or moral develop- ment of the community and has accomp- lished a great deal in making the city and county what they are to-day. In politics our subject affiliates with the republican party, in whose principles he has had strong faith for a number of years. Mr. Mackay is a man of excellent character, possessed of broad ideas, generous and public-spirited, and has a host of friends throughout the city and county.

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HARLES H. FORBES, one of the lead- ing farmers and stock raisers of Fari- bault county, Minnesota, is a resident of section 9, Verona township. He came to the county in 1857, locating on his present place where he now owns 145 acres of excel- lent land. The place of his nativity is found in Wattsburgh, Erie county, Pennsylvania, where he was born August 8, 1833. The parents of our subject were Benjamin and Julia Ann (Nims) Forbes. The father was born in Vermont, and leaving home at the age of fourteen years, went to the State of New York, in which State he engaged in shoe- making and also followed the business of a tanner and currier, and in 1838, going to Racine county, Wisconsin, he engaged in shoe- making and also in agricultural pursuits. In 1857 he removed to Faribault county, Min- nesota, and there lived until his death, at seventy-seven years of age, in 1882. Through- out his life he was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and was a broad-minded and liberal citizen. The mother was a native of the State of New York and was a daughter of Ruel Nims, a mechanic by trade. She died in 1866, after having been many years an exemplary member of the Methodist Episcopal church. In the father's family there were seven children-Benjamin Frank- lin, Charles H., Julia Ann, Charlotte, Mary, Emma and Theodore. Julia, Charlotte and Theodore are deceased.

When he was two years of age our subject's family removed to Geauga county, Ohio, locating in the town of Newberry, where they remained some three years. Remov- ing thence they settled in Racine county Wisconsin, from whence, after a period of seven years, they went to Fond du Lac county, making that their home until 1857. In the Wisconsin public schools our subject received a thorough common-school educa- tion, completing the same at eighteen years of age. After this he learned the carpenter's

trade, and engaged in that occupation until conting to his farm in Verona township in 1857. Since coming to the county, however, he has not given his entire attention to farm work, but has worked more or less at the mason's and carpenter's trades.

Mr. Forbes was one of the first settlers of the township, and passed through the grass- hopper raids and various other backsets dur- ing the early times. While the grasshoppers were devastating the country our subject was engaged in farming and also in keeping bees. He lost his crops, but his fifty-four swarms of bees made a large quantity of honey, for which he obtained twenty-five cents per pound. IIe remembers well the Indian scare of 1862, at which time he sent his wife to Wisconsin and himself engaged in carpenter work in that State for one year. At the end of this time he again returned with his family to his farm. He has been a hard working and industrious farmer, and has surrounded himself with the evidences of prosperity and success.

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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 33

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