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 34

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 34

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).

Mr. Forbes was married, in November, 1859, to Miss Arrsteen Franklin, a native of Cattaraugus county, New York. She was born in the town of Leon, and resided with her parents in that place until she was eight years of age. Then they removed to Fond du Lac county, Wisconsin, where she received her education. She was a daughter of Icha- bod Franklin, a farmer and influential citizen of Fond du Lac county. Mr. and Mrs. Forbes have two children-Willie Eugene and Ella. Emily died at three years of age.

The subject of our sketch has always taken an active part in the local affairs pertaining to the government of the township and county, and has served in various official po- sitions. He has been chairman of the board of supervisors for two years, treasurer of school district No. 81 for six years, and has always been one of the representative and substantial men of the county. His political 1

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faith is in the principles of the republican party. Formerly he was a member of the Free Will Baptist church, of which society he was deacon for two years. His wife is still a member of that society.

HOMAS L. JENNESS is a leading merchant and is engaged in the fur- niture business at Windom, Cottonwood county, Minnesota. He made his location in the county in 1878, and for some time engaged in work at the carpenter and joiner's trade. After two years he built his present place and engaged in the cabinet and furniture trade on Tenth street and Third avenues. He is the only cabinet- maker and furniture dealer in the village and carries the largest stock in the county.

The subject of our sketch is a native of Orange county, Vermont, where he was born September 27, 1836. He is the son of Thomas and Clarrissa (McGlothlin) Jenness, the former a native of Vermont and the latter a native of Massachusetts. The father was a farmer by occupation and in 1855 removed to Vernon county, Wisconsin, where he remained until his death, which occurred in 1868. The mother is now a resident of Windom. There are four living children in the father's family-John S., Thomas L., Robert R., and Abbie A., now Mrs. Masterson.

The subject of our sketch remained with his parents in the State of his nativity until fifteen years of age. He assisted in work on the home farm, and was given the educa- tional advantages furnished by the district schools. At fifteen he hired out to work on adjoining farms, and continued in that line of business until coming with the father and family to Wiscon- sin in 1855. Soon after, in company with his brother, John S., he went to Menomonee and commenced working in a saw mill

owned by Knapp, Stoughton & Co. After a year had passed thus he went to Waubeek, where they assisted in the building of a large steam saw-mill. They also built several other buildings in the neighborhood, and worked at building and contracting until the break- ing out of the war. Then our subject en- listed in Company I, Twelfth Wisconsin In- fantry as a private. He served three years and two months, and was slightly wounded in the left leg at the battle of Baker's Creek. He was engaged in a great many battles, among them being that of Vicksburg, under the command of Sherman. Being mustered out of the service at Chattanooga, he re- turned home by way of Louisville, Kentucky, where he was paid off. Returning to Ver- non county, he purchased a piece of land and resided thereon for five years. In company with James Wagner he purchased a steam saw-mill and operated this business in con- nection with his farming during these five years. In 1871 he sold out all his interests in Wisconsin and went to Sibley, Iowa, where he settled on a soldier's homestead of 160 acres. He resided on this place raising stock and grain until 1878, when he came to Cottonwood county.

The subject of our sketch was married in 1858 to Miss Ann E. Masterson, of Vernon county, Wisconsin. She was the daughter of John and Maria Masterson, prominent farmers of Vernon county. Six children have blessed this union, five of whom are living- Thomas E., John W., Charles L., Josephine, and Stella.

In politics Mr. Jenness affiliates with the republican party, and, by virtue of his gallant service in the Union army, is an influential member of the Grand Army of the Republic. He is receiver of the Ancient Order United Workmen lodge of Windom. Mr. Jenness is a man of good business qualifications, and has built up an extensive and profitable busi- ness since locating in Windom. He is a man

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of good character, and is held in high esteem by all who know him.

ORAIN MASON is one of the early settlers and best known citizens of Mason township, Murray county, Minnesota. He resides on an excellent farm on section 12. Mr. Mason is a native of Jo Daviess county, Illinois, where he was born October 16, 1842. He was the son of Milo D. and Mary A. (Brown) Mason, both of whom were natives of Vermont. In the State of his nativity the father was engaged for many years as a stage driver, and after he came west engaged in the freighting business be- tween points in Iowa. Later the father came to Minnesota and took land in Murray county. In the father's family there were three children, of whom our subject was the oldest.

The gentleman whose name appears at the head of this sketch resided with his parents until attaining the age of sixteen years. Up to this time he had been given good educa- tional advantages and followed various kinds of work, while his father followed transfer- ring at McGregor, Iowa. After leaving home he engaged in farming for a year, and then went to St. Louis, Missouri. Here he worked for a transfer company for eight months, and in the spring of 1862, being fired with patriotic feelings, enlisted in Company B, First Missouri Cavalry. He served bravely and gallantly during the entire war, being discharged at Vicksburg, January 24, 1865. He served in the various engage- ments about Pea Ridge, and in the battle of Corinth was in the command of General Curtiss. He saw much severe service, and was in many hard-fought battles. After he was discharged he came to Minnesota, procured a team, and engaged with his father in freight- ing between Rochester and St. Paul. In the spring following he hauled freight between

Rochester and Mankato and other points in the West. He continued in this occupation until the spring of 1867, when he obtained a farm and put in a large crop. In June of that year he came to Murray county in com- pany with his father, and took the claim where he now lives. He broke a small acreage of land and then returned to his home in the eastern part of the State, re- maining until after harvest. Returning to his farm in Murray county, he put up hay for his stock and returned to Mankato, har- vesting and threshing his crop there, and in October returning with his family to his farm in Murray county. Since that time he has made a permanent settlement. During one winter, after coming to the county, he lived in a log house on section 1. The fol- lowing spring he built a house on his own land, and into this his family moved. He made the first improvements and built the first house after the Indian outbreak. He has seen some terrible times and has passed through many bitter experiences. In order to obtain provisions during the first three years, he had to go to New Ulm and Ma- delia, a distance of seventy miles. Then, too, for several years he had his crops en- tirely destroyed by the grasshoppers. These times, however, have passed, and prosperity and success have attended his efforts.

Mr. Mason was married July 4, 1866, to Miss Ann M. Boomhawer, a native of the State of New York. This union has been blessed with six children -- Eunice, Ellis, Angeline, Edgar, Laura and Lorain. Laura and Lorain are twins. Mrs. Mason is the daughter of Roswell and Angeline (Silver- nale) Boomhawer, natives of New York and Pennsylvania, respectively, and now residents of Murray county. A biography of Ros- well Boomhawer is given in another depart- ment of this work.

In early life our subject acquired a good common-school education, to which he has

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been constantly adding by careful reading and investigation through the succeeding years. In politics he affiliates with the repub- lican party, and 'has taken a prominent posi- tion in the government of the county. He has been sheriff of the county for three terms and also township clerk and constable. On coming to the county he at once took hold of the various movements in a public direction and assisted in the organization of the town. He is a man of excellent busi- ness qualities and made one of the most efficient sheriffs that the county has ever had.

W. DAVIES is the capable and effi- cient cashier of the Pipestone County Bank. Mr. Davies came to the city Novem- ber 15, 1876, and has since been a resident. The place of the nativity of the subject of our sketch is found in old England, where he was born April 5, 1855. His parents were John and Elizabeth (Owens) Davies, both of whom were natives of Wales. The father was a manufacturer of carriages and wagons, which trade he learned in England, serving some seven years as an apprentice in one of the English shops. Fifteen years of his life were spent in that employment after the fulfillment of his term of apprenticeship. The father was born in 1830, in Wales, and at the age of twenty-two years he was mar- ried to Elizabeth Owens. In 1857 the par- ents came to America, crossing the ocean in a sailing vessel, starting out from their native land on the 19th of June and land- ing July 27 in New York City. Thence they went to London, Canada, where they remained a short time, and then removed to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. After one year's residence in this latter place, they removed to Rock county, Wisconsin, settling in the village of Afton. In that place he followed his trade in connection with house-building for some years. He purchased a lot and

built a home for himself in the village, and also invested in other properties, remaining in that locality for about ten years. While in Rock county he occupied an influential position among his fellow cit- izens, and held several offices of trust and responsibility. On the 11th of May, 1869, he came to Jackson county, Minnesota, and settled on a homestead of 160 acres, which he thoroughly improved, and where he built a good dwelling house and other farm buildings. He lived on this homestead for some seventeen years, and, in this locality too, he made his influence felt in the affairs of the government of the civil division in which he lived. He held the office of town treasurer for some time, and was county judge of probate for some two years. In 1886 he moved into the village of Jackson, where he built a snug little residence, and is now living there. He had a family of five children, of whom our subject is the only one . now living. The father and mother are both exemplary Christians, and are members of the Episcopal church.

The early life of the subject of our sketch was spent principally at Afton, Wis. In that village he was given fair school advan- tages, and on removing to Jackson with his parents in 1869, he was allowed to pursue a course of study in the graded schools in the county seat of that county. Until twenty- one years of age he remained with his par- ents, giving to them the benefit of his labor in work on the home farm. After attaining twenty one years he attended school some two terms, and then was engaged by J. W. Cowing as clerk in a general store in the village of Jackson. He engaged with that gentleman for one year, and then entered one of the county offices as deputy treasurer. He continued working in the treasurer's and auditor's offices for about two years, and then found employment in the management of a lumber yard of C. L.

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Colman. August, 1879, Mr. Davies started the Lakefield lumber yard, and was the originator of the name of that town on the Milwaukee railroad. In August of that year he built the first building on the town site, and established the first lumber yard. He remained only three months, however, being transferred to Pipestone in November, 1879, to take charge of the interests of Mr. Colman. Our subject opened and established the lum- ber yard, built buildings for the purpose of storing lumber, and was manager of the business for seven years. This was the pioneer lumber yard in Pipestone City, and our subject built up an immense trade. At the end of the seven years just mentioned, Mr. Davies retired from the lumber business to accept a position as cashier of the Pipe- stone County Bank, the president of which is T. A. Black, a biography of whom is given in another department of this work. Mr. Davies has held the position of cashier ever since with honor to himself and satisfaction and profit to the institution with which he is connected. In 1888, in company with E. A. Sherman, J. M. Poorbaugh, T. A. Black, and J. M. Spicer, our subject purchased 1,300 acres of land on the St. Paul, Minneapolis & Manitoba railroad, and platted forty acres of it for the village of Jasper. They have since platted forty acres more, making eighty acres in all, and have named the company (which is regularly incorporated) the Jasper Improvement Company, with a paid-up capital of one hundred thousand dollars. Besides these various business enterprises, our subject has also branched out to some extent in the newspaper business and, in company with S. S. King and T. A. Black, established the Jasper Journal, a repub- lican newspaper, devoted to promoting the interests of the village of Jasper and the sur- rounding country. Our subject has pur- chased considerable land in Pipestone county and in the city, and has built several impor-

tant business places. Another business ven- ture in which our subject is reaping large profit is an extensive lumber trade at the village of Jasper, where he is engaged in that line in company with J. H. Taylor and T. A. Black. Our subject is also engaged in the mercantile business in company with L. W. Coombe in the village of Jasper, of which Mr. Coombe is the general manager.

The subject of our sketch was married in January, 1881, to Miss Nellie G. King, daughter of W. V. King, county auditor of Jackson county, Minnesota. Mr. and Mrs. Davies have two children living-Kittie A. and Burr.

The subject of our sketch is a leading Mason and Knight Templar, and is a man of excellent business capabilities, has a clear head, and is noted for guiding all financial enterprises to success. His association with some of the strongest financial institutions in the county has been of remarkable profit to himself as well as to the other members of these concerns. By his gentlemanly and courteous manner he has made many friends in his position as cashier of the Pipestone County Bank, as well as to successfully carry forward the financial affairs of that institution. Mr. Davies is a man of excel- lent character and is respected by all who know him.

EFF BATHRICK is an influential busi- ness character of Winnebago City, Faribault county, Minnesota, where he han- dles all kinds of agricultural implements and also sewing machines.

. Mr. Bathrick is a native of Racine county, Wisconsin, where he was born in 1840. He is the son of Otis and Mary F. (Miller) Bath- rick, natives, respectively, of Massachusetts and Connecticut. In early life the father was engaged in the lumber and brick busi- ness, manufacturing brick for the Michigan

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City light house. He settled in Indiana when twenty-five years of age, and was mar- ried in that State. On leaving that place he went to Wisconsin, settling in Racine county, and engaging in farming. Thence he went to Dane county, and engaged extensively in farming and raising stock. In 1855 he set- tled at Rushford, Minnesota, where he built the first store and engaged in the mercantile business. He also owned several farms, and engaged in farming. In 1857 he removed to Steele county, and purchased several farms, and remained until 1861, when he returned to Rushford to reclaim one of his farms under mortgage foreclosure. He is still liv- ing in the village of Rushford. He has been a prominent citizen of that vicinity, and has held various offices. He served in the Black Hawk War, and came by boat to Chi- cago with 109 militia men, 101 of whom died of cholera. The father in early life was a whig in politics, but later joined the demo- cratic party. In the father's family there were eleven children, seven of whom are still living -Martha, Thomas, Jeff, Mary A., Milo, Emiline and Evelena.

Until twenty years of age the subject of our sketch resided with his parents on a farm. He received a good common-school education and later taught school for a brief time. November 6, 1861, he enlisted in Company B, Second Wisconsin Cavalry. He was severely injured by an accident, having his leg broken and his right ankle put out of joint. He was therefore unable to go into service with his company. He enlisted again in August, 1862, in Company D, Seventh Minnesota Infantry, serving three years. He was on detached service during most of the time as a musician sta- tioned at Fort Abercrombie during the In- dian massacre. He crossed the plains to the Missouri river in pursuit of the Indians and then returned to Fort Snelling, after which he went South with his regiment and did

guard duty at St. Louis for a few months. Thence he went to Paducah, Kentucky, thence to Memphis, Tennessee, and then over the White river into Arkansas in pursuit of General Price. The division to which his regiment belonged then crossed Missouri and reached the Missouri river at East St. Louis. Here they went on board steamer and were transferred to Nashville, where they participated in the battle of that place. His regiment followed General Hood through Tennessee to Eastport, and then went into winter quarters, remaining, how- ever, but a short time when they were or- dered to New Orleans. The company was then sent to Dauphin Island in the Gulf of Mexico, from whence they went on an expedition to the Spanish forts, where they participated in the twelve days' siege. The. forts were evacuated by the Rebels at the end of that time to the Union army, who took possession, remaining twelve days. Then the company went to Montgomery, Alabama, remaining a few days, when they were sent to Selma and went into summer quarters. He was then sent to Fort Snel- ling, and mustered out of the service in 1865, at the close of the war. Our subject participated in a great many hard-fought battles, among them being that of Tupelo, which lasted some eight hours, and in which our subject was in the division commanded by General A. J. Smith. General Forest was in command of the Rebel forces. After the close of the war our subject returned to Rushford, Minnesota, from whence, after a few months, he went to a location about sixty miles north of Minneapolis. Here he engaged in the drug business for some time, and then went to Glencoe, McLeod county, where he engaged in the same line of busi- ness, and remained three years. From thence he removed to Minneapolis again, opening in the drug business and remaining two and a half years. Ile then returned to

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Glencoe and opened a branch store, which he operated for three years, but in the mean- time he sold his business in Minneapolis, and, after selling out at Glencoe, he com- menced casting about for a location. He finally settled in Winnebago City, in the spring of 1877, and opened a drug store, continuing in that line until January 1, 1889. His present business, however, has been conducted for the last three years, it not being given his direct attention until January 1, 1889. Mr. Bathrick is a man of excellent business qualifications, and has been quite successful in accumulating con- siderable property. He built his drug store, a brick building of imposing proportions, in 1885. This property still belongs to him, and he also owns a fine residence on Holly street. In politics Mr. Bathrick affiliates with the republican party, and is a leading and influential member of the Masonic and Grand Army of the Republic fraternities. He is one of the solid and substantial busi- ness men of Winnebago City and vicinity.

Mr. Bathrick was married in March, 1869, to Miss Zalia L. Swain, of Monticello, Wright county, Minnesota. She was the daughter of John and Mary A. (Chance) Swain. This union has been blessed with two sons-Charley and Floyd.

AMES B. SHAWVER, one of the lead- ing merchants of Luverne, Minnesota, is engaged in the hardward and agricultural implement business, and in connection with this enterprise is also engaged largely in handling live stock. He made his settlement in Rock county in the fall of 1870, in which year he settled on 320 acres of land on sec- tion 18 in Clinton township. On his first visit to the county he purchased sufficient lumber, windows, shingles, nails, and all other arti- cles necessary for building a house 14x20 feet and eight feet high. This material was

purchased at Cherokee, lowa, 125 miles dis- tant from Luverne. Our subject drove through from that city, bringing his materials with him on one wagon to which was driven one span of mules. This was in the month of December, and the trip occupied about three days, our subject camping out under his wagon each night. Our subject's step- father came with him and drove through with a team and wagon loaded with house- hold goods. With the materials thus brought from Cherokee, our subject at once com- menced building the first frame house in the county, which was on section 2 of the town- ship above named. After building his house and making other slight improvements, he returned to Le Mars, Iowa, the nearest railroad station, ninety miles distant from Luverne. Here he purchased two loads of lumber, buying out all the lumber stock which could be found in that city. He returned to his farm in Clin- ton township and built again in the spring of 1871. During the time he was absent from Rock county, a period of six weeks, he, with his step-father, camped out every night and slept under their wagons. Aftermoving onto his farm of 320 acres he made that his principal abiding place for some five years, during which time he inade excellent improvements and set out some twenty acres of timber. He experienced hard times dur- ing the grasshopper raids, but had sufficient means to enable him to purchase consider- able land south of Luverne on the river bot- tom. His first purchase was of two acres of timber land, the purchase price being forty dollars per acre. He has continued pur- chasing land during the intervening years until now he owns a fine farm of 1,240 acres, all in one body. This property is excellently improved and is provided with fine buildings. He has occupied his attention largely with raising horses of fine grade and also blooded cattle and Poland China hogs. He has his

SOUTHWESTERN MINNESOTA.

land divided into three farms and has three tenants. He has made many improvements, among them being the building of a good farm residence and other farm buildings, up to 1882, in which year he moved into Lu- verne. On moving into the city he built a fine dwelling-house on West Main street, where he now lives. He continued his farm- ing and stock-raising enterprises until the spring of 1885, when he built his present store building and engaged in the implement business. He has made himself quite promi- nent and influential in all business matters since taking up his residence in Luverne, and has connected himself with several of the most important financial enterprises in the county. He was one of the organizers of the First National Bank and is one of its directors and largest stockholders.

The subject of our sketch was born in Wythe county, Virginia, in 1847. His parents were Abner and Malinda (Johnson) Shawver, the former a native of Ohio, and the latter a native of Virginia. In an early day the father moved to Dane county, Wis- consin, and located at Pheasant's Branch, where he resided until his death which oc- curred in 1854. The father was an extensive land owner and operated several fine farms. He also was engaged largely in the freight- ing business from Milwaukee to Madison and Sauk City. This was one of the largest enterprises of the kind in the State and our subject's father employed from fifteen to twenty men as teamsters, and during the most of the time kept one hundred head of horses for use on the road in the freighting business. He was a man of considerable means and attained to wide influence in the State in which he resided. In the father's · family there were four children, three of whom are now living-Margaret, now Mrs. Henry Oben, of ()'Brien county, Iowa, where her husband is engaged in farming ; Lydia, married to William Henry, a farmer

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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 34

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