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 56
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ana. On being discharged from the service Mr. Heck returned to Buffalo county, Wis- consin, where he engaged in farming for two years. Sickness, however, occasioned a ces- sation of hard work on the farm, and to avoid this he commenced learning the car- penter's trade. He continued in this line until coming to Minnesota in 1879. More or less of his time during his residence in Pipe- stone county has been occupied in working at his old trade.
April 14, 1868, Mr. Heck was united in the bonds of marriage to Miss Paulina Huth, a native of Pennsylvania, where she was reared and educated. The marriage took place in Buffalo county, Wisconsin. Mr. and Mrs. Heck have eight children- John C., Willie A., Paulina W., Ella Nora, Emily, Anna, Frank and Elmer.
Settlement in a new country is not with- out its privations and difficulties. Scarcity of schools, long distance from market, many miles from neighbors are among the few trials which have to be met by the first set- tlers of any locality. These were all met and conquered, or rather lived through, by the subject of our sketch and family. On locating in Elmer township he at once com- menced his agricultural operations, breaking twelve acres and building a small house, and thus getting ready for himself, his wife and children a home on the beautiful prairie. The growth of the prosperity of the county has not been without its effect upon the wel- fare of Mr. Heck. He, too, has grown in wealth, and has surrounded himself with the necessary comforts and appurtenances of a well-managed farm. He has a comfortable home and a pleasant family, and is himself one of the most genial and whole-souled in- habitants of the township. In politics he is an independent, believing that the best ends of government are served by supporting and voting for the best men. This belief he puts in practice by being, in politics, an in-
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dependent. He is now a member of the Lutheran church, although having been reared a Catholic. He belongs to the Grand Army of the Republic, Simon Mix Post, No. 95.
ULIUS AUGUST FERDINAND SCHWIEGER, of Delton township, Cot- tonwood county, Minnesota, is the son of Ferdinand and Frederica (Moss) Schwieger, natives of Prussia. Julius was born in Rod- gard, Prussia, March 3, 1840.
The subject of our sketch resided in his native land, working on various farms, be- tween the age of ten and seventeen. He continued in his native country until March 28, 1868, when he came to the United States, landing in New York City on that date. He then went to Peotone, forty miles south of Chicago, and employed his time at agricult- ural pursuits for a year, when he came to Brown county, Minnesota, and took a home- stead some two miles south of Sleepy Eye. He made this his home for some nine years, when he sold out and came to Delton town- ship, Cottonwood county, settling on a tree claim on section 22, where he has resided ever since. He has seen hard times, but has gradually overcome them, and is now in good circumstances. The grasshoppers took seven crops, and during these years he had but little grain. His people, however, were in good circumstances, and during these try- ing times assisted him somewhat. Had he not obtained this assistance he could not have obtained enough for his farm to sustain his family. Mr. Schwieger is a man of good character, and is esteemed by all his fellow- citizens as a man of honor and integrity, and one in whom confidence can be profitably reposed.
Mr. Schwieger was married in Brown county, Minnesota, in December, 1869, to Wilhelmina Gent, daughter of John and
Anna (Bastion) Gent, natives of Prussia. This lady was born in that country August 20, 1851, and has borne her husband the fol- lowing-named children-Augusta (deceased), August, Julius, William, Emma, Charles and John. The family are members of the Lu- theran church.
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W. GERBER, one of the solid and finan- cial citizens of Luverne, Minnesota, is engaged in carrying on a large business in hardware, stoves, tinware, oils, paints, cop- per ware, etc. He made his advent into the city on the 23d of February, 1878, and at once engaged in his present business, in which he has continued ever since. He has now the oldest business in this line in the city. He has built an excellent fire-proof business building, in the rear of the store, which he uses for a tin shop and for storing oils, paints, nails and wire. He also carries on an exten- sive jobbing trade in powder and sporting goods, carrying the most approved and modernized Winchester stock. In this latter line he is the only one engaged in carrying a wholesale stock in the city. He has an excellent location, a good building and is doing an extensive trade.
The subject of our sketch is a native of Oneida county, New York, where he was born November 12, 1854. He is the son of George P. and Catharine (Paphf) Gerber, the former a native of Germany and the lat- ter a native of France. The father left his native land in 1835, came to America and settled at Whitetown, Oneida county, New York, where for some years he engaged in farming. In 1856 he removed to Durand, Wisconsin, and built the first frame building in that village. Here he engaged in the hotel business until 1865, and then retired from active life, being still a resident of Durand. He made many fortunate and finan- cial moves in his life, and is to-day one of the
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wealthiest and most substantial citizens of the county in which he lives. In the father's family there were six children, only three of whom are now living-Alonzo, who is now a resident of Portage, Wisconsin; George P., a resident of Durand, same State, where he has been extensively engaged in the real estate business for a number of years. He is one of the substantial men of the village, and owns considerable property, stores and dwelling-houses, which he rents. Our sub- ject is the third son living.
The early days of the subject of our sketch were spent beneath the parental roof in Wisconsin. He received a good high school education in the Durand schools, and at fif- teen years of age commenced learning the tinner's trade. Three years of apprentice- ship were successfully passed through, after which he engaged as a journeyman tinner until coming to Luverne in 1878. On com- ing to Luverne, in company with A. Ross, he purchased the hardware stock of J. S. Wheeler, and continued a partnership under the firm name of Gerber & Ross until 1886. At that time Mr. Gerber bought out Mr. Ross' interest, and has continued the busi- ness alone ever since. Besides lis financial interests in the city, he is also largely in- tercsted in farming lands. In 1878 he pur- chased 320 acres of land in Denver town- ship, on which he has made excellent im- provements. He also owns 164 acres in Red Wood county, which he has under good opera- tion. He purchased considerableproperty and invested in various city enterprises for the purpose of assisting in developing the financial side of Luverne's existence. Every project which has had for its object the maintenance and upbuilding of the city has found in lim an earnest and substantial sup- port. He is a stockholder in the Security Bank, and is also largely interested as a stockholder in the red jasper stone quarries of Luverne. He owns considerable stock in
the Luverne building and loan association, and also operates well-drilling machines. He makes a considerable specialty of this latter enterprise, and employs a large force of men in operating two machines in the south- western counties of the State. He has a complete outfit of well augers, drilling ma- chines and hydraulic jetting machines. He has considerable money invested in this business, which is one of the most benefi- cent and necessary to be found in the county. Farmers and citizens of the southwestern corner of Minnesota would do well to more thoroughly investigate this manner of putting in wells.
The subject of our sketch was married in 1879 to Miss Etta G. Dilley, of Lake City, Minnesota. This lady was a daughter of M. Dilley, a prominent citizen of that place. Mr. and Mrs. Gerber have one son-Her- rol W.
In political affairs our subject affiliates with the democratic party. He has held a position on the village council for two years, and has in other ways assisted in the govern- ment of his locality. He is a Knight of Pythias, and interests himself actively in the affairs of this civic society. Mr. Gerber is a man of excellent ideas, is a thorough-going, energetic business man, and has become one of the most influential and substantial citizens of Luverne and Rock county.
OHN TAINTER, one of the prominent farmers of Lincoln county, Minnesota, filed on a homestead and tree claim on sec- tion 20, Royal township, March 18, 1878. He made a permanent location on this claim in the fall of that year, and has since made that his residence, where he has been en- gaged in general farming and stock-raising.
John Tainter was born in Lapeer county, Michigan, October 29, 1845. His parents were Loren and Mary (Norton) Tainter, na-
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tives of Vermont and Connecticut respect- ively. Our subject was reared on the home farm, remaining with his parents in his na- tive State until about 1856, when his father went to Missouri, and our subject and his mother removed to Benton county, Missouri. Here the father had purchased a farm, and our subject made his home with his parents in Missouri until 1862, when they removed to Winona county, Minnesota. Here the family resided on the farm until the fall of 1863, when they moved into the village of Homer, where the father, or one of his sons, had purchased a house and lot, and where the family lived until his father's death, which occurred in January, 1864. Our sub- ject was married in 1867, and continued living with his mother until the spring of 1868, when he settled on a farm in Dodge county which he had purchased in 1867. Con- tinuing his agricultural pursuits in Dodge county until the fall of 1878, he removed to Lincoln county, and settled on his claim, which he had taken in March previous. On starting out for himself in life, our subject had but little to depend upon but his own labors. His father had willed him some land in Missouri, which he traded for a 160-acre farm in Dodge county, Minnesota. Of this our subject deeded sixty acres to his mother and twenty acres to his brother Loren, leaving himself but an eighty-acre farm. In June, 1884, his mother came to Lincoln county, and made her home with our subject. She died January 27, 1886.
John Tainter was married March 26, 1867, in Steele county, Minnesota, to Miss Sarah E. Hitchcock, a daughter of Dwight and Helen J. Kingsley Hitchcock, natives of New York. Sarah E. Hitchcock was born in Badger township, Portage county, Wiscon- sin, November 21, 1850. When in her four- teenth year she removed from Wisconsin to Minnesota, and lived with her parents at Homer, Winona county, Minnesota. After
about a six months' residence there the fam- ily removed to Rice Lake, Dodge county, Minnesota, and in 1864 her father took a claim in Steele county, where she was living at the time of her marriage. Mr. Hitchcock died January 17, 1881. Mr. and Mrs. Tain- ter have been blessed with the following named children-Laura A. Dell, John Ed- ward, Myra Elvira and Mary Leona.
Since coming to Lincoln county the sub- ject of our sketch has held the following offices: County commissioner, to which he was elected in the fall of 1886; township clerk, serving two years; supervisor, two years; chairman of the board of super- visors, two years; school clerk, and in in fact, the only school clerk since the or- ganization. He assisted in the organization of the school district, No. 19, and has taken an active interest in its affairs. He was elected first assessor of the township when it was organized. He is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons relief lodge, No. 108, of Dodge Centre, Minnesota. He is a pleasant and sociable gentleman, and has an agreeable family.
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ILLIAM M. DAVIS, a real estate dealer and prominent citizen of Fulda, Murray county, Minnesota, is the son of Alban N. and Jane (George) Davis, natives respectively of Kentucky and Ohio. Our subject was born in Jo Daviess county, Illinois, May 13, 1842. When he was thir- teen years of age, his parents removed to Faribault, Rice county, Minnesota, whence they moved to Morristown, where they re- mained two years. Steele county became their next location, where they settled on a pre-emption and where the mother died in 1859. While they resided in Morristown in 1855-56, the majority of the people were Indians, there being three white families to five hundred redskins.
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The early life of our subject was spent with his parents in their various locations, where he was given good educational advan- tages. While his people resided in Morris- town he was thrown into the society of Indians and acquired the Indian language. He remained with his parents until in April, 1861, when he enlisted in Company G, First Minnesota Infantry for the three months' service. After the expiration of that time he re-enlisted, October 14, 1861, in Company I, Fourth Minnesota Infantry, and re- enlisted again January 1, 1864, in the same company, from which he was discharged August 9, 1865. He rendered his country gallant service, and was made first sergeant and drill sergeant of his regiment for three years. He was wounded May 22, 1863, in the left knee at Vicksburg, Mississippi, and also in the spine at Mission Ridge, November 25, 1863. He was in all the battles of his regiment, and saw much severe service. After his discharge and on his return home be purchased a farm in the woodlands of Le Sueur county, Minnesota, where he resided for some seven years. He then sold out and came to Murrray county, locating in Bondin township, where he be- came the first settler. He took a homestead on section 24, where he lived until 1880, when he moved into the village of Fulda. He was the first to build on the original vil- lage plat. In 1883 he moved on to the Davis addition and built on the bank of the beauti- ful lake. He still engaged in farming for some time after moving into the village. Since 1879 he has been engaged, to a large extent, in the real estate business and also in handling farm machinery. He has been a prominent man in public affairs, and has held various official positions, among them being that of township clerk, which he held nine years, assessor one year, chairman of the board of supervisors one year, justice of the peace five years and notary public
twelve years. He has been of great as- sistance in obtaining pensions for old sol- diers, for he has always been willing to as- sist them in every way in his power. He is a man of excellent business qualifications, is warm-hearted and public-spirited, and has always rendered material aid in everything which tends toward the development of his locality. He is well known and highly re- spected all over the county. The subject of our sketch has been commander of the Grand Army Republic Post of Fulda for five years and has been adjutant for two years.
Mr. Davis was married in Waseca county, Minnesota, April 17, 1864, while on veteran furlough, to Miss Naoma E. Fish, daughter of Benjamin and Minerva E. (Carpenter) Fish, natives of New York and Pennsylvania. Miss Fish was born in Miami county, Indiana, April 9, 1846. This union has been blessed with the following children-Leroy E., Wilba E., George W., Olive Myrtle and Hilbert G.
R OBERT JAMES BUTTS. This prom- inent settler came to Pipestone county, Minnesota, in the year 1879, settling on railroad land in section 17, Osborn town- ship, where he purchased 160 acres. He at once commenced farming operations and made other improvements in the way of building out-buildings and erecting a good farm house. He has been engaged in general farming and to some extent in stock raising.
Mr. Butts arrived at the house of E. W. Day just as the organization of the town- ship was being completed. He has since always shown his willingness and ability to assist in the furthering of the best interests of the locality in which he resides.
The gentleman whose name appears at the head of this sketch is a native of Northamp- ton county, Pennsylvania, where he was born January 5, 1831. A short sketch of his parents is given in the biography of Ja-
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cob M. Butts in another department of this work. His mother is still living, being now eighty-five years of age, and in good health. Our subject remained in the county of his nativity until he was eight years of age, at which time, in company with his parents, he went to Rock county, Wisconsin. His father died when our subject was twelve years old. Robert remained at home until he was twen- ty-one, up to which time he had been assist- ing in work on the farm and attending the district school at every opportunity. He thus acquired a good common-school educa- tion, and was fitted for the duties of any practical life into which he might be led. At the age of twenty-one he was married and worked an adjoining farm on shares for one year. At the end of this time he re- moved to Dane county, where he also engaged in working a farm for about a year. He then purchased 160 acres of land in that county, and farmed this land for about two years, at the end of which time he purchased 160 acres more, adjoining his other piece, and made this farm his home until in February, 1864. At this time he re- moved to Rushford, Fillmore county, Minne- sota, and engaged in farming for about a year. February 18, 1865, our subject en- listed as a private in Company K, First Minnesota Heavy Artillery. His company was stationed during the time of his enlist- ment at Chattanooga. Tennessee, under the command of Captain John Hammond. Our subject was discharged at Fort Snelling, October 10, 1865. After his discharge he re- turned to Fillmore county, Minnesota, and resumed his agricultural work, at which he continued for about six years. During this time he held a prominent place among the farmers of his locality and was elected twice to the office of treasurer of the school district, holding the same for a period of three years. His next move was to the township of Mur- ray, Murray county, Minnesota, where he
homesteaded 160 acres of land on section 34. He lived on this land for some eight years engaged in general farming and stock raising. In this place his services were also in demand in the public affairs of the township. He held the office of township supervisor for about two terms, was treasurer of the school district for six years, and town treasurer two years. He left Murray county in the spring of 1879, and located in Pipestone county, as ivas stated in the opening lines of this biog- raphy, but still owns his homestead in Mur- ray county.
February 15, 1852, Mr. Butts was united in marriage to Catharine Jane Miller. This lady was a native of Monroe county, Penn- sylvania. Her father, Amos Miller, in 1849, settled on a farm in Rock county, Wisconsin, where he remained until the spring of 1858, and then purchased and settled on a farm in Dane county, same State, where he remained until his death, which occurred May 7, 1863. at the age of seventy-three years. Amos Miller and wife had a family of six children -Samuel, Lewis, Catharine, Amos, Anna Margaret and Thomas. Mr. and Mrs. Butts have been blessed with ten children-Amos, Jerome, Elnora, Lorenzo, Amy, Rosella, George Washington, Hattie, Robert and John. Sarah Jane died at three years of age in Dane county, Wisconsin. Amos, Jerome, Elnora and Lorenzo are all married and are residents of the State of Minnesota.
Mr. Butts is a republican in politics, and takes a prominent place in its local coun- cils. He is a member of the Grand Army Republic Post, of which he is the present chaplain, and, during the year 1878, held the office of commander. For a number of years he has been an active member of the Sons of Temperance society, and has been an earnest worker in the pro- mulgation of temperance ideas. In his finan- cial affairs he has been quite successful, and has accumulated a comfortable competency.
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He owns several fine farms, in all 480 acres, and his farm is one of the largest in the township. In 1886 he purchased 160 acres on section 17, the same section on which he now lives. Throughout his career our subject has been a hard-working and ener- getic man, and, in spite of many failures which have fallen to his lot, he has retained courage and'kept constantly at work recruit- ing and building up his fortunes. He relates several instances to show into what straits the fortuns of the pioneer settler may fall. His first crop in Murray county, in 1872, on which he had expended much time and labor was totally destroyed by the grasshoppers. This same experience was passed through the following year and the same insects totally destroyed the second crop. The fol- lowing year this hard experience fell to his lot again. He had sowed some fifty bushels of wheat, and after the "hoppers" had visited the fields his harvest yielded him 150 bushels. All other grains being destroyed in about the same proportion. The next year the grasshoppers took about half of the oats, and all the barley, but wheat yielded in great abundance, testing sixty-two and a half pounds to the bushel. Still again, the following year, he was met with disappoint- ment, and his wheat crop was a total failure because of the " blight " which took the crops all over the country. The following year, and, from then on, our subject has had good crops, and, in spite of those early discouragements and backsets, has gradually grown in wealth and prosperity. Another interesting anecdote is told of early settlement in Murray county. The first year of our subject's residence there he was instrumental in originating the petition for the organization of the school district. The district was organized, but the following year there were not enough male residents to occupy the offices provided for by law, because of the exodus there had been on account of the grasshopper
raids. Mr. Butts held the office of treasurer of the school district, and his wife was one of the trustees and a lady by the name of Youngs, from an adjoining district, was clerk of the board. The first school was held in a shanty, owned by one Williams, on section 4, the teacher receiving $35 as compensation for the term taught. When our subject set- tled in Murray county on his homestead, in 1871, the nearest neighbor was many miles away, and in September he returned to Fill- more county and brought his family to his prairie home in October. He traded a horse for one hundred bushels of potatoes and seventy-five bushels of wheat and prepared to go to the mill at Ibury. Winter set in quite early, however, and debarred him from taking his trip to the mill, and, from the 1st of December until the following July, the family had to do without mill-ground flour. This trouble, however, was overcome, to some extent, by a primitive method known to most early settlers. Forty bushels of the wheat were ground in a couple of coffee mills, and by this tedious and laborious method sufficient flour was obtained to last the family until the following July, and, strange as it may seem, the family relates that this flour, made in this primitive way, although coarse, was good and wholesome. Mr. Butts says that in July of the following year he succeeded in getting to the mill at Ibury, a distance of some fifty or sixty miles, and on his return with the flour obtained there the family then lived "like white folks." One more incident of the hardships subject of pioneer life through which Mr. Butts passed, and we shall close. On going to Murray county he purchased twenty head of cattle, but on account of the hard times he was forced to sell all but six head in order to furnish subsistence for his family. He also brought four horses and one pony to Murray county on making his settlement there. Winter came upon him and he had
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no grain for feed, and the horses were starved to death. The pony, however, being possessed of more horse vitality, perhaps, lived through the ordeal and has proven a profitable invest- ment to his owner. From this pony Mr. Butts has raised fourteen head of horses, which has certainly repaid him for the trou- ble and worry of sustaining the pony's life through the hard winter of 1871-72.
Mr. Butts first joined the Sons of Temper- ance in Dane county, Wisconsin, and was there elected to several offices in the order, such as conductor, financial scribe, worthy patriarch, etc. He next united with the order at Currie, Murray county, Minnesota, where he held the offices of sentinel, chaplain, etc. While living in Murray county he was a member of the Murray County Agri- cultural Society, and otherwise indentified himself with matters of a public nature.
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