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 39

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 39

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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making fine improvements. He broke up a large acreage of land, built good buildings, and planted a fine grove of trees. In 1878 he purchased forty acres of land adjoining his farm, and from that time until coming to the city of Luverne he engaged in general farming. Prior to his election to his present office he held various official positions within the gift of his constituents. For four years he was county commissioner, during one year of which time he was chairman of that body. For six years he held the position of assessor of the township.

Mr. Skyberg is a native of Norway, where he was born on the 18th of April, 1851. His parents, Ole O. and Maren (Peterson) Sky- berg, were both natives of Norway. The father was a farmer by occupation, and con- tinued in that business throughout the most of his life until within a few years. He is now living a retired life in his native country. He was a well-to-do farmer, and held various offices in the locality in which he lived. The family were all members of the Lutheran church. The parents had seven sons and four daughters, all of whom are still living, six in Rock county, Minnesota, and five in Solor, Norway.

The early life of the subject of our sketch was spent on the farm of his father. He re- ceived a good education in the schools of his native country, and remained with his par- ents until he was nineteen years of age. Then, in 1870, he left his native country, and came to America, settling in Mitchell county, Iowa, where, for about two years, he worked on a farm, and in the winter months attended school. His next move was to Rock county, Minnesota, where he settled on a farm, as stated in the opening lines of this sketch.

Mr. Skyberg was married, in 1877, to Miss Annie H. Abrahamson, of Winnesheik county, Iowa. This lady was the daughter of Hal- ver and Annie (Austinson) Abrahamson. Her father was one of the leading citizens of the

county in which he lived. Mr. and Mrs. Sky- berg have had five children, four of whom are now living-Henrietta, Matilda, George O. and Adeline. Another child, Anna M., died when she was three years old. The family are all members of the Lutheran church.

The subject of our sketch is a republican in politics, and takes an active interest in all the affairs of that organization, being at present chairman of the county central com- mittee. He has been a delegate to the county convention of that party a number of differ- ent times, and his influence has always been felt in the councils of his party. Mr. Sky- berg is a man of excellent qualities, possessed of good education, thorough and systematic in his business affairs, and has made one of the most gentlemanly and efficient officers the county has ever had. In his farming enterprises he has been quite successful, and has laid up considerable means. He pur- chased a fine residence in Luverne, in 1883, where he now has a beautiful and commodi- ous home.

AMUEL P. MCINTYRE is a leading and well-to-do farmer of Murray township, Murray, county Minnesota. He has a good farm on section 8. This land was purchased by him in August, 1869, and in 1874 he made his permanent location. He has seen considerable misfortune and much financial loss, having passed through the grasshopper raid and experienced other hard- ships usually found in pioneer life. He was one of the first settlers of the township in which he lives and became prominent in its affairs. The first year of his settlement he broke ten acres of land, put up a hay barn and built a house in 1875, and also set out about eight acres of trees. Among the official positions which he has held may be named those of clerk and assessor, the for-

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mer for three years and the latter for one year. For several years he was county su- perintendent of schools in Murray county, and filled that position efficiently and with great satisfaction to his constituents. He was also county surveyor for four years, holding this office and that of superintend- ent of schools at the same time. He has taken a prominent part in the affairs of the township and county, and is one of the repre- sentative men of Southwestern Minnesota.

Mr. McIntyre was born in Chautauqua county, New York, March 4, 1834. His parents were Amos W. and Laura (Sether- land) McIntyre. The father was born in Madison county, New York, where he lived the life of an agriculturist, dying in August, 1879. The mother was born and educated in Vermont. She is still living. In the father's family there were six children.

The subject of our sketch was reared in his native county in the State of New York, until he was twenty-one years of age. He received a good common-school educa- tion, and when not in school, assisted his father in work on the home farm. At twenty-one years of age he gave his time en- tirely to the profession of teaching, having taught three terms before that age. He fol- lowed that profession twenty-three years before coming to Murray county, Minnesota, since which time he has taught three terms. Throughout his life he has been occupied principally in teaching school, for which he was educated and prepared by a course at the State normal school, Edinborough, Erie county, Pennsylvania. His early education was of the highest order, and he was well qualified, both by natural and acquired ac- complishments, to enter upon the duties of the profession which has occupied his atten- tion through so many years. His high- school course was taken at Chamberlain In- stitute, in Cattaraugus county, New York. For four terms he attended Waterford acad-

emy, Pennsylvania. In 1856 our subject spent one summer engaged as a civil engi- neer, surveying in the State of Iowa. While at Fort Dodge he was persuaded by several friends, hunters and trappers, to go to South- ern Minnesota and find a location for future agricultural pursuits. Though the country was occupied by Indians, he was assured that they would soon be removed and oppor- tunity given for settlement. The glowing account he then received of the Lake Shetek country was the cause of his location in Min- nesota thirteen years afterward. He came to Murray county and located his present farm. His career as a teacher has been one of the most successful, and he has held vari- ous honorable and important positions. After completing his commercial course in the Iron City College, of Pittsburgh, he was engaged to become a teacher in that institu- tion, but on account of being taken sick was not able to accept the position. In politics Mr. McIntyre affiliates with the republican party, and is a prominent and influential member of the Masonic fraternity and the Good Templars' lodge.

Mr. McIntyre was married in May, 1863, to Miss Ambrosia P. Chase, a native of Erie county, Pennsylvania, where she was reared and educated. IIer early life until her mar- riage was occupied with teaching. She was a daughter of John B. Chase, a native of, and a farmer in, New York. Mr. and Mrs. McIntyre have had two children-George P. and Edna L., the latter being at present a teacher.

ETH F. HERRICK is a prominent citizen of St. James, Watonwan county, Minnesota, where he is engaged in the hardware business. Mr. Herrick is a native of Chautauqua county, New York, where he was born November 4, 1832.

The parents of the subject of our sketch

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were George F. and Julia A. (Maynard) Herrick, natives, respectively, of Vermont and Pennsylvania. In early life the father was a machinist by trade, and later studied medicine and became one of the leading physicians and surgeons of Minnesota. Coming to Minnesota in 1856 he settled in Le Sueur county, where he engaged in the practice of his profession until 1874, when he settled in St. James. After practicing in St. James about two years he went East on a visit, and has not been heard from since. He had a family of three children-Seth F., Sarah, now Mrs. Foote, of St. James, and George H., now a merchant of Owatonna, Minnesota.

The early life of the subject of our sketch was spent in New York and Pennsylvania, where he was given excellent educational advantages. He remained with his parents until he was twenty-three years of age, at which time he was married, and then started for the West, settling in Le Sueur county, Minnesota. He engaged principally in farming for some time, locating on a pre- emption of 160 acres of land. He engaged in farming for some eight years, when he sold out and invested the proceeds in a saw and grist mill, located on the Le Sueur river two and a half miles from the village of Le Sueur. He operated this business for some four years, and then sold out and engaged as fire- man on the Omaha railroad. In September, 1862, while threshing about five miles from Le Sueur, a report came to our subject that the Indians were on the war path, and were scouring the country, killing all the settlers they could find. Mr. Herrick continued his threshing during the afternoon. The next morning another runner came and told the same story in regard to the Indians. The threshing was then stopped, and our subject started home, a distance of about two miles. He took his family and drove to Le Sueur, where quite a number volunteered to go out

and investigate as to the truth of the reports that were being circulated. Enough men vol- unteered to fill the wagon driven by our sub- ject, and they then started for Nicollet, a short distance from the village of St. Peter. Here they stopped for the night, and in the morning, their company now numbering four or five wagon loads, they started for New Ulm. After arriving in New Ulm a man came in who stated that there was a family hidden in the tall grass some twelve miles distant, and that one of the women was shot through the arm. About one hundred men volunteered to go out and rescue this family. They discovered the party and returned, but the rescue was not in time. Inflamma- tion set in in her arm, and the woman died before many hours. This company found some fifteen persons who had been killed by the Indians ; these they buried, and then returned to New Ulm. The Indians came down on the city, and for one day there was severe fighting. The volunteer soldiers, how- ever, succeeded in keeping the redskins out of the town and in killing a number of their would-be murderers. Quite a number of res- idences in the outskirts of the village were burned by the soldiers, so that the Indians could find but little shelter when they made their attacks. The next morning the red- skins made a fierce attack to capture the village, but without success, and started on up the river. The next day the soldiers and inhabitants of St. Peter all went to Mankato, our subject carrying four wounded persons in his wagon. This was one of the severe and dangerous incidents of our subject's pioneer life in Minnesota. On selling his mill he engaged as fireman on the Omaha railroad for a year and a half, and then took charge of an engine for about eight years, running between St. Paul and St. James. Our subject moved his family to the latter village on the first regular train that ran over the road, and has made his residence in that

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village ever since. In 1878 he engaged in the hardware business, and now carries a finely assorted stock of hardware, stoves and shelf goods. He is doing a large and profitable business. In politics he affiliates with the prohibition party, and is a man of strong temperance principles. He belongs to the Masonic fraternity, is public spirited and an active participant in all matters pertaining to the public welfare.

Mr. Herrick was married in 1855 to Miss Alma E. Cottrell, of Fulton county, Ohio, and a daughter of Erastus Cottrell. . Mr. and Mrs. Herrick are blessed with five living chil- dren-Fannie, Clara, Herbert. who married Clara Franks, and now resides in Sioux City; Ellen, now Mrs. A. V. Merrigold, of Sioux City, and Pearl. Fannie married Mr. J. H. Magner, of Sioux City, and has two children -Frederick and David. Clara married Mr. N. F. Phillips, of Minneapolis, and has one child, Burton.

ILLIAM WALLACE RAMSEY, one of the earliest settlers and best known citizens of Lincoln county, is at present living a retired life in the village of Lake Benton. He is a native of Ohio, where he was born June 13, 1831.

The subject of our sketch remained in the State of his birth until he was nineteen years of age, and at that time removed to Adams county, Wisconsin, where he engaged in farming during the summers, and worked in the lumber woods during the winters. Removing from Wisconsin he came to Lin- coln county, and during one summer lived at White Walnut Lake. Then he home- steaded his present farm on sections 25-6, in Diamond Lake township. He was the first actual settler of that township, and com- menced operations on his farm by building a shanty 82x14 feet, located on the north side of the lake. This was in 1871, and he lived

in the shanty just mentioned during the fol- lowing winter, and assisted in the organ- ization of the township. He has identified himself closely with the governmental affairs, and has held numerous official posi- tions, among them being that of school treasurer, which position has been held by him for three terms; also sheriff of the county, which he held for three terms. Be- sides identifying himself with the political matters of his township, he has also been interested in religious and other work, and has held a stewardship in the Methodist Episcopal church for some time. He is a man of rare business qualities and has served his constituents in the various positions which we have named, with much honor and credit to himself as well as to the thorough satisfaction of all who have had business re- lations with him. Being one of the early settlers, he experienced many hardships and was an eye witness of much suffering among the people of Lincoln and adjoining counties. During the grasshopper raids which were the cause of so much devastation and suffering in Southern Minnesota, our subject carried provisions for many early settlers from Sioux Falls, Canton and elsewhere. During this time he was associated with T. Lemon and A. E. Burdick, in buying and selling them to various settlers scattered over the country. Our subject carried the first mail sack from the county seat of Lyon county to Lake Ben- ton, where John Snyder was postmaster. During the winter of 1873, an interesting in- cident is related by our subject which will illustrate some of the many hardships through which the early settlers had to pass, and it must be remembered that this is only one of the many discouragements that come to pioneer life. In the winter of 1873 Mr. Ramsey, in company with Messrs. Wood and Snyder, started out one morning to take a large number of furs to the market at New Ulm. They ate an early breakfast and left

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home shortly after nine o'clock, and were soon caught in a terrific snowstorm. The storm grew worse as the day progressed, and when night came our subject found that they had not gotten further from home than fifteen miles. After wandering around for a short time they finally came to the con- clusion that they were lost, neither of the men knowing which direction to take. The storm grew more and more terrific, and the driving snow became so thick that objects could be seen but a short distance. Not knowing what to do, nor which way to turn, they finally covered themselves with the furs they had brought with them, and in this way succeeded in passing safely through three days and nights. Had it not been for these furs every man of the party would, no doubt, have perished. As it was, our subject had his feet badly frozen, and the others were inore or less frost-bitten. This was a terri- ble experience, and will never be forgotten by those three men and their families.

The subject of our sketch was married, June 9, 1853, to Miss Flora Baldwin, a native of Connecticut. She was reared and edu- cated in Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Ramsey had nine children, four of whom are now living -Rufus F., Susan, James and Florence. Ru- fus F., the oldest, was married in March, 1889, to Miss Frankie Compton. He is the first engineer in the Alma City flouring mills. Susan was married, in 1878, to Nelson Acker- man, a well-to-do farmer in Blue Earth county. She has four children-Amy, Ennis, Luther and Mark. James is pleasantly situated on a farm on section 24, Lake Benton township. He homesteaded this land in 1880, and is one of the leading farmers of that township. He was married, in 1880, to Miss Ellen Maynard, by whom he has had three children-Nellie, Myrtie and Alice. Florence has been a teacher in Lincoln county for several years, and in March, 1889, was married to George Duchene, a farmer of Lincoln county.

In politics Mr. Ramsey affiliates with the republican party, and has intimately associ- ated 'himself with all matters of government. He has held numerous official positions, and has proven himself a capable and trustwor. thy officer. He is a man of high character, and, wherever known, is highly respected. He has surrounded himself with the eviden- ces of success and prosperity, and has a pleasant and agreeable family.

ZUGUSTUS S. HUSSELTON, a resi- dent of Worthington, Nobles county, Minnesota, is the son of George and Hannah (McCulloch) Husselton, natives, respectively, of Pennsylvania and Maryland. Augustus was born in York county, Pennsylvania, February 27, 1835, and when he was nine years of age the family moved to Danville, Pennsylvania. The father died when our subject was six years of age and the mother married William McClure, a cabinet-maker and carpenter.

When our subject was ten years of age he went into the iron rolling mills in Danville and worked for one year, after which he found employment on a boat. Again he went into the iron mills and continued work- ing there until the spring of 1850 when he went with his mother to Nippenose Valley, Pennsylvania, his step-father having died in 1849. Here our subject worked for his brother Benjamin in a blacksmith shop for three years and attended school during several months of each winter. Three months were then spent by him on a farm, when his moth- er was again married, this time to Mr. Show- ers. The next summer our subject left home and worked for a Mr. Shaw on a farm adjoin- ing that of his mother. He went to school during the winter and in the spring of 1854 went down the West Branch of the Susque- hanna river engaged in rafting for several months. His next employment was in a sa w-

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mill in Lock Haven and in December, 1854, he was married, after which he engaged in milling for some months.

April 22, 1861, Mr. Husselton enlisted in Company H, Sixth Pennsylvania Re- serve Volunteer Corps, and participated in the following battles: Second battle of Bull Run, South Mountain, Antietam, Fredericks- burg and Gettysburg. July 4, 1863, after the battle of Gettysburg, our subject's divis- ion started in pursuit of Lee's army toward Williamsport, Maryland, from whence they marched to Berlin and then to Manassas Gap, from whence they went to Warrenton. Next, the company marched to Rappahan- nock Station and remained there some time recruiting. After this they went across the river to Mine Run, falling back toward Cen- treville and soon advancing near Rappahan- nock Station, where they were continually harassed by the enemy. Thence the com- pany marched in battle array to Bristow Station, where they camped all winter. In the spring they received orders dated May 3, 1864, to go to Culpeper Court House. May 4 the division crossed the Rapidan and marched twenty-five miles into the wilder- ness. On the 5th, about 10 o'clock, the sound of fighting could be heard along the line in various places, and soon the firing became general and there was sharp fighting throughout the day. The next day was spent in skirmishing, and on May 7 the division marched all night, although worn and weary from their long march and fight- ing of the day before. On the 8th of May the fighting again commenced on Lawler's Ridge, our subject being in the pioneer corps and working in the rifle pits during the after- noon. The fighting was intensely severe, and many lives were lost on both sides, these few days witnessing the most severely fought battles of our subject's military career. Mr. Husselton continued on duty in the rifle pits until Sunday morning, May 14, when the

division marched to Spottsylvania and halted until about the 20th of the month. They then marched nine miles across the Mattabony river and had a sharp skirmish with the Rebel forces. The next morning they also had another skirmish with the Rebel pickets and on the 22d crossed the Hay river and on that evening heard that Hancock had driven the Rebels across the stream. On the 23d the division advanced to the North Anna river and engaged in a severe battle with the enemy, after which they went down the river some two miles where our subject was wounded in the right hip, being struck by a shell. He lay on the field all night and in the morning was taken to the field hospital. On the 26th he was taken to Port Royal where he was put onto a boat and taken to Washington, arriving on the 29th of May. He was in the third ward of Finley Hospital. Afterward he was sent to New York City, where he was placed on board a boat bound for Fort Schuyler, where he entered the hospital and remained until June. He then obtained a furlough and went to New York City and remained until the 20th, after which he went to Harris- burg and obtained his discharge. Our sub- ject then concluded to return to his mother's home and went to Morris, Tioga county, Pennsylvania, where he remained until June, 1872. He then came to Worthington, Minne- sota, and after stopping a short time returned to the East and brought his family to his new location in October. He moved to his homestead, remained two years and after obtaining his title to the land moved into the village, where he has lived ever since. Since coming to the village he has worked most of the time in the Okabena Mills, first as night watchman and then as engineer until 1882. In that year he engaged in the grocery busi- ness, continuing in that line from February, 1882, until September, 1883. He then sold out and engaged in work at the carpenter's

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trade until the fall of 1887, when he became engineer in the Okabena Mills, continuing in that line until June, 1889.

December 31, 1854, Mr. Husselton was married in Nippenose Valley, Pennsylvania, to Miss Catherine Sechrist, a daughter of Henry and Sarah Sechrist, natives of Penn- sylvania. She was born in Jackson township, Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, September 14, 1828. This union has been blessed with the following-named children-Clara, born Sep- tember. 3, 1859, died October 30, 1863; Thomas H., born August 1, 1865; George M., born November 10, 1866; Lettie J., born November 22, 1868, and Hattie, born April 27, 1873, and died November 7, 1878.

HARLES T. HOWE, a thrifty and well-to-do farmer and stock raiser of Pipestone county, Minnesota, is located on the southwest quarter of section 14 in Gray township. He has been industriously occupied in thoroughly improving his farm since 1886. His settlement on the farm, however, was made January 1, 1879, he hav- ing filed a soldier's warrant on the land in February, 1878.

The subject of our sketch was born in Ithaca, Tompkins county, New York, Febru- ary 18, 1846. His parents were John W. and Sarah M. (Hutz) Howe, both of whom were natives of New York. After the par- ents' marriage they continued to reside in New York State until in 1861, when they removed to Michigan and the father engaged in dealing in horses in Chicago. The mother died in 1884, an exemplary Christian, and was a member of the Methodist Episco- pal church. The father died in Chicago in 1885. At the mother's death she was seventy-one years, five months and fifteen days old; the father was sixty-one years old when he died. During a number of years before the father's death he owned a horse

market in Chicago, and engaged extensively in dealing in horses. In the parents' family there were five children-Cordelia, Susan, Mary, Caroline and Charles T.

The parental roof furnished shelter for the subject of our sketch until he was sixteen years of age. Up to this time he had been given excellent school advantages in the common schools in the State of Michi- gan. When he had reached sixteen years of age he commenced working to learn the profession of engineer, serving an apprentice- ship until he was twenty-one years of age. He then received what was known as a grade paper, entitling him to engage in the occu- pation for which he had fitted himself. De- cember 1, 1864, our subject enlisted as a private in the Thirtieth Michigan Infantry, and was soon after promoted to the rank of corporal, and as such was discharged June 23, 1865. He served under Captain Pigny, his principal duty being that of guarding prisoners at Detroit, where he was dis- charged. After his discharge from the ser- vice, he went to his former home at Grand Rapids, and after remaining a short time, re- turned to his employment as engineer on the lake steamers. In 1875 he commenced a series of engagements as engineer in steam- boats on the large rivers of the United States. His experience in this line of em- ployment has been quite extensive, and of a diversified nature. He has been engi- neer of vessels steaming on the lakes, on the Delaware and Hudson rivers, and in and about Chesapeake bay. He continued in this line of occupation throughout his life, until in 1886, when he concluded to give his entire attention to farming in Pipestone county. As has already been stated, Jan- uary 1, 1879, he moved his family from near Grand Rapids, Michigan, to his farm in this county, where they have lived ever since. During the summer of each year, however, up to 1886, Mr. Howe was. engaged in the

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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 39

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