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 61

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 61

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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time he presided over his own "bache- lor's hall," being cook, chambermaid and all combined, a great portion of his food being sent to him by his parents. He completed a three years' course in two years, and became a graduate of that institution. After com- pleting his education he returned home and accepted the agency for a subscription book, which business he followed in connection with work on the home farm He was quite successful in this line, and in five days' can- vassing cleared over fifty dollars. Shortly after returning home he was requested by the county superintendent of schools to at- tend the teacher's institute and apply for a teacher's certificate. He did so, and wrote for a second grade certificate, and in most of the branches stood one hundred, his low- est grade being eighty per cent. This was a remarkable record, and it was publicly no- ticed that the doctor passed the best second grade examination of any which appeared before the institute. And had he attempted passing the first grade, as he intended, but did not do so from lack of time, by writing on three more subjects, he could undoubtedly have passed creditably and without doubt would have received the best standing of all the applicants for certificates. He received the papers which granted him permis- sion to teach on Saturday night, and on the Monday morning following he commenced teaching in district No. 9, in the vicinity where he lived and where he had attended school from infancy. He taught in that district for nine months, and during that time commenced the study of medicine with Dr. C. H. Cutter, his father's family physician. He continued his studies for about one year. His teaching was quite remunerative, and he received for his service $30 per month, and at the end of the year he had saved about $270. One great con- sideration with him, over which he was con- siderably worried and exercised in mind, was

as to which school of medicine he should adopt for his future practice, allopathy or homœopathy. He had a bias toward the latter school, and intended all the time of the first year's study to adopt homoeopathy as the guide of his future practice, although during that year he studied with an allopathic physician. He went to Ann Arbor in the fall of 1884 for the purpose of studying homœopathy, but after hearing the various schools of medicine discussed, and after giv- ing the matter careful thought, and weigh- ing both sides well, he became convinced that there was only one true theory, that of allopathy. Continuing his medical studies at the medical school at Ann Arbor for about one year, he passed the freshman and junior classes, and left the institution with thirteen certificates of excellence in the branches through which he had passed. Returning to the farm, he engaged in work for his father until the fall of 1885. He then entered Rush Medical College, at Chicago, having to borrow money from friends to defray his expenses. He also had to go in debt for the clothes he wore. He gave notes without security in order to obtain means and clothing with which to commence his studies. It is to his credit that it may be stated that all these obligations have been paid and none of the benefactors in those times, none of those friends, have had it to say that our subject defrauded them of one cent. Continuing his studies he graduated from Rush Medical College in the spring of 1886 and came directly to Tyler, Lincoln county, Minnesota, where a location had been found for him by his old preceptor. Here again our subject had to obtain assistance from his friends, who aided him liberally to get his start in his new location. He had to borrow twenty dollars to pay his railroad fare to the place, and had only fourteen dollars when he arrived on the 22d of February, 1886. But it seemed that success

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was with him and his future was destined to be favored with good fortune. He had not been in the village three days when he had his first patient, and since that time he has been going constantly day and night attend- ing to the wants of his many patients. IIis professional duties take him into all parts of the county, where he is esteemed and re- spected as a physician and a man. Soon after coming to the village he borrowed $175, for which he gave his individual note without security, and put in a small stock of drugs in company with J. W. Kendall. This partnership was carried on with large success until the spring of 1889, when the doctor sold out his interest to Mr. Kendall.

Dr. Cox was married in Tyler, June 27, 1887, to Miss Mary J. Bigham, a daughter of John C. and Mary (Hannah) Bigham.

The life of the subject of our sketch since coming to Tyler has been one of continued successes in every direction and in every line in which his faculties have been directed. He is a man of excellent education, and being of a social turn, has become prominent in the social circles of the village and vicin- ity. In all matters tending to promote the general welfare and to develop the business or society interests of his adopted town he has taken a hearty interest and has aided materially in various ways in the up-building and strengthening of good local government. As a man and citizen he is highly respected, and as a physician and surgeon he stands at the head of his profession and has built up an extensive and profitable patronage.

DRA INGEBRETSON is the popular and efficient postmaster of Lake Wilson, Murray county, Minnesota, where he is also engaged in the general mercantile business, in partnership with his brother. The firm name is Ingebretson Brothers.

Our subject was born in the kingdom of

Norway, November 26, 1852. His parents were Andrew and Emily Ingebretson, natives of the same country. The father was a farmer by occupation, and came to America June 23, 1853. Landing in Quebec the family passed through to Spring Grove, Minnesota, arriving there November 1, 1853, being among the first settlers. The family removed to Iowa October 4, 1883, and June 6, 1884, settled in Fillmore county, Minne- sota. The father died October 24, 1883, aged fifty-nine years. The mother still lives on the old honiestead, having reached her seventieth birthday October 29, 1889. In the father's family there were nine children, four sons and five daughters, our subject being the third in order of birth.

Our subject was attached to his early home and resided with his parents until he attained his majority. He was given good educational advantages, and mastered the course of instruction provided by the district schools. When not in school he assisted in work on the home farm. At twenty-one years of age he started out for himself, and engaged in various kinds of farm labor in the vicinity of his parental home. He con- tinued there until March 28, 1878, when he left by team for Murray county ; arrived in Murray county, April 1, 1878, and located a homestead on section 6, Leeds township. He resided on that claim engaged in farming until March 23, 1885. Then, in company with his brother Peter, he established a gen- eral store in Lake Wilson, where they have been located ever since. They carry an excellent and finely assorted stock of goods worth somewhat over two thousand dollars. April 13, 1886, our subject was appointed postmaster of the village, which position he has creditably held ever since.

Mr. Ingebretson was married December 18, 1882, to Miss Carrin Simonson, a native of Norway. This union has been blessed with one child-Effie Josephine, born July

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22, 1886. Mrs. Ingebretson is a daughter of Hans Simonson, a native of Norway.

Mr. Ingebretson is one of the most public- spirited men of this part of Murray county. He has always been willing to aid, both in word and deed, every project which tended toward the development and improvement of the locality in which he resides. He has assisted in the management of public af- fairs and has held various official positions, among them being that of supervisor, con- stable, etc. In politics he affiliates with the republican party. His business qualifica- tions are of a high order and he has met with merited success in all his financial enter- prises.

EORGE W. SNOOK is at present liv- ing a retired life in the village of Luverne, Minnesota. He came to Rock coun- ty in 1882, bringing with him considerable means, and purchased over two thousand acres of beautiful prairie land. Prior to his coming to Rock county he also invested largely in Dakota lands, where he owns somewhat over one thousand acres. At present his landed interests cover the immense amount of four thousand acres, a great portion of which is under cultivation. Our subject has a great many tenants on his lands and carries on ex- tensive farming of a mixed character.

The subject of our sketch is a native of Maryland, where he was born in the year 1822. His parents, John and Eleanor (Mum- ford) Snook, were also natives of that State. The father was engaged in farming through- out the most of his life, but was a man of limited circumstances although a man of large influence and was respected by all who knew him.

The boyhood days of the subject of our sketch were spent by him on the home farm, where he continued with his parents until he was about sixteen years of age. Up to

this time he obtained somewhat limited ed- ucational advantages in the district schools. On attaining the age just mentioned he commenced life for himself. Without a cent of money, and with but very few friends, he took hold of the duties of life which then presented themselves to him with earnestness and the purpose to accomplish life successful- ly. His first year's labor for himself closed August, 1839, at which time he was located in Clark county, Ohio. The first year's labor of our subject was spent on the turnpike, for which he received sixteen dollars per month. After the first year he engaged in work on various farms and made his first purchase of land with his savings in 1848, in Miami county, Indiana. He purchased this land with the purpose of holding it for higher prices, and this he continued to do until he sold it to excellent advantage. In 1842 he engaged in farming for himself and contin- ued principally at this until 1847 in Miami county, Ohio. Leaving his own farm he commenced working out in different places in Ohio until 1854, remaining in Miami county until 1861. In this year he came to Logan county, Illinois, and purchased a con- siderable tract of land. soon after making another purchase in McLean county, same State. At this time he engaged extensively in farming and had charge of over 2,000 acres of land, continuing farming in this ex- tensive way until 1882. At this time he made his removal to Rock county, Minnesota, and made the investments referred to in the opening of this sketch. Throughout his life Mr. Snook has been very successful in all his financial ventures and has made a profitable business of farming. He has grown in means and everything to which he has turned his attention has prospered. While in Illinois he assisted in the organization of the First Na- tional Bank at Farmer City, in De Witt county, and while there held several posititions of trust and responsibility within the gift of his

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fellow-citizens. Among these offices were those of assessor, trustee, etc.

Mr. Snook was married, in 1842, to Miss Mary Fuller, of Clark county, Ohio, a daugh- ter of John and Mercy Fuller. Mr. and Mrs. Snook have six living children-Nancy M., now Mrs. Forest, of McLean county, Illinois; Joseph L., who married Miss Sarah Cush- burn, and now resides in Rock county; Walter H., married to Sarah Johnson, and settled in Rock county; Henry Q., who married Emma Barnett, and now lives in Rock county; Will- iam W., married to Hattie Dickerson, and now residing in Luverne, and Ella, now Mrs. Humphrey, also of Rock county.

In politics the subject of our sketch affili- ates with the republican party. He wields a wide influence in the local affairs of that or- ganization. Our subject is perhaps one of the most notable instances of prosperity and influence in Rock county. He is a man of very large means to-day, and has gathered it not by any sudden revolution of fortune, nor by wild speculations. Throughout his career he has been a man of thought and action, and he has continually acted upon the idea that, if he could not get one dollar per day, rather than remain idle he would work for fifty cents per day. Following this line of thought and action he has been continually active, and has gradually gathered together his means, which, by care and thrift, have doubled many times. He started out in life with but little money and large ideas of what might come to him with care. He knew that a few cents saved each day would, if carefully put away, in time make him a for- tune. He has, therefore, been saving. He has abstained from the use of tobacco and liquors of all kinds throughout his life. It has never been his desire to become suddenly rich, but he has taken exceeding good care of every daily opportunity, has lost no time, but has engaged in constant daily toil, and has been economical with all moneys which

have come to his possession. He has been upright in all of his business transactions, and he is looked upon as being a man of the high- est integrity of character. His life has been one of the most active and also one of the most useful kind. Now, when he is nearing his threescore years and ten, he looks back upon a long career of business success and benefit to his fellow-man. Although so well along in years, to-day he has the look and activity of a man of forty years of age, so well has he preserved his physical organism. Since com- ing to the county he has been one of its very best citizens; loyal, progressive in all respects, he has made many warm friends, and his re- moval, when such shall come, will cause many heartfelt regrets among his fellow-citi- zens in Rock county.

OUIS ZARN, one of the prominent German farmers, came to Pipestone county, Minnesota, in April, 1879, and was therefore one among the pioneer settlers of Grange township, where he now lives on section 22. Mr. Zarn was born in Germany, October 24, 1842. He is the son of Freder- ick and Helena Zarn, both of whom were natives of Germany. The father's family came to America in 1849, and first settled a short distance north of Milwaukee, Wis- consin. The mother died in Germany in 1851. The father throughout most of his life was a farmer by occupation, and died near Rochester in 1874.

The parental roof gave shelter to our subject until he was about seventeen years of age, up to which time he had assisted his father in work on the farm and attended district school whenever he could be spared from the farm work. At the age just mentioned he went to Minnesota, locating on a farm near Rochester, where he con- tinued in agricultural pursuits until Septem- ber 20, 1861, at which time he enlisted in

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Company B, Second Minnesota Infantry. He continued in the service throughout the war and was mustered out with his regi- ment at Fort Snelling in the latter part of August, 1865, his discharge being dated at Louisville, Kentucky, July 11th, previous. The war experience of the subject of our sketch was full of service at the front in the most severe battles in which his regiment par- ticipated. His first battle was at Mill Spring, Kentucky, and with his regiment he was en- gaged in the battle at Shiloh, siege of Corinth, Perryville, battle of Chickamauga, Mission Ridge and Atlanta, and was with Sherman in his famous march to the sea. During the four years of the war service of our subject, he was in the hospital only one week, that being at Nashville, Tennessee. After his discharge from the service Mr. Zarn re- turned to Rochester, Minnesota, rented a farm, and engaged in farming until April 28, 1879. On that date he started with his wife and three children to come through with two ox teams to Pipestone county. In March of the previous year he had located a claim, but on arriving in Pipestone county, in 1879, he found he had been cheated out of his rights by a man named Bailey, who had filed an entry on the land located by our subject. This being the case Mr. Zarn could not immediately locate, but had to live in his wagons until he finally found a claim on section 22, where he now lives. He at one filed on this land and commenced im- provements, building one of the first frame buildings in the township. During the first season he broke about sixty acres of his land and planted some of it to corn, and some of the lighter crops.

Mr. Zarn was married September 28, 1868, to Miss Martha Moulton, a native of New York, and danghter of Henry and Janett Moulton, who were both born in the State of New York. Her parents are both living and residing near Rochester, in Olmstead

county, Minnesota. Mr. and Mrs. Zarn have been the parents of seven children, six of whom are living-Willie E., Cora M., Henry F., Bertie A., Walter J. and Janet L. Zora, the second child born to these parents, died in 1871. Willie E., the oldest son, is at present in Washington Territory. Mrs. Zarn's father served for ten months in the army, being a member of Company H, Second Minnesota Heavy Artillery.

In politics the subject of our sketch affili- ates with the democratic party, and is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, Simon Mix Post, No. 95. During his early life Mr. Zarn acquired a good common- school education, and became well fitted for the duties which have fallen to him in his checkered life. He is a man of mnuch indus- try and energy, and is looked upon with respect by all with whom he has to do. He is a man of good character, and by thrift and industry has surrounded himself with the evidences of prosperity.

AMES GILRONAN, a prosperous far- mer and stock-raiser of Lake Benton township, Lincoln county, is located on sec- tion 18. He was one of the earliest settlers of the township, making his location there April 20, 1869. This was before the day of surveyors in that country, and our subject took what was called a "squatter's right " on his land. He is perhaps the earliest set- tler now living in the township. When our subject made his location in the township, there were but two other parties within ten or twelve miles. One was William Taylor, who had settled on section 7, and another Charles Shindle, who was frozen to death in the winter of 1870-71, while going to Flan- dreau after a supply of tobacco. The body of Shindle was not found until five or six years later. It was then discovered in Pipe- Stone county. Mr. Taylor was also frozen

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to death while going from Lake Benton to his home, and his remains were not found until four years later. The early settlers of this region experienced some terrible weath- er during the first few winters of their set- tlement in the county. Numbers of people were frozen to death, and besides these al- ready mentioned was a young Mr. Taylor, who was frozen to death while going to Red- wood Falls. He was twenty-eight years of age, and a bright and prosperous young man. Charles Taylor was also frozen to death, while going to mill in 1872, and with him were two others, who met their death in the same way. When our subject made his location in the township, he found a couple of log huts on the lake shores, apparently the work of white men. One of these was partially burned down, and our subject took some of the rails from which they were built and used them in putting up a stable. The pioneer experience of our subject was full of hardship and adventure, and he had inany narrow escapes from the Indians and winter storms. In 1869 he saw a herd of seven buffalo, and saw one killed by a Flan- dreau Indian. There were a number of the Indians in the locality at the time, and they had a rare feast at the house of Tom Robinson. Our subject was invited to par- take of buffalo roast, but thought it wiser to refuse. He did not have much confidence and did not take much stock in their ways, and concluded to stay at home. Game was abundant in those early days, and our sub- ject subsisted for some time on the various animals that he killed, and fish that he caught. The streams abounded with fish, and antelopes were seen here and there on the prairies. In 1874 there was news brought to the settlement that the Indians were attacking various settlers on the border and setting fire to their homes. This occa- sioned considerable commotion, and many people were frightened from their homes,

remaining away during the entire summer. These brief reflections on the experiences of early settlement will give the reader an idea of the character of the experiences through which our subject passed. Perhaps no other man in Lincoln county has been so intimately associated with the events of its early history. Coming to the county at a very early day, and being one of the very earliest settlers, our subject has had an opportunity to witness its development from the wild, bleak-looking prairie into a country now dotted over with hundreds of excellent farms and filled with in- habitants who are now enjoying peace and prosperity. Our subject was about the third man to locate in the township, and imme- diately broke ten acres of land and com- menced other improvements, thus laying the foundations for his present comfortable and prosperous circumstances. Our subject as- sisted in the organization of the county on the second day of November, 1872, the first township meeting being held at the house of John Snyder, on section 7. Snyder came to the county in 1871 and died in 1887. His family still live in the township. Our subject had two brothers, Peter and John, who came with him and settled on sections 7 and 13. The first board of supervisors of the township consisted of William Ross, Thomas Lemon and William Taylor. C. H. Briffett was township clerk. Mr. Gilronan has identified himself most closely with the general inter- ests of the county, and has held various posi- tions of trust and responsibility. Wherever his services have been utilized he has mani- fested his abilities and has performed the duties of his various offices with great effi- ciency. In 1886 he was elected county com- missioner, and was re-elected in 1888, being the present incumbent. March 12, 1889, he was elected clerk of the township, his first election to this place being in 1874.

The place of the nativity of the subject of

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our sketch is to be found in County Cavan, Ireland, where he was born April 18, 1847. Remaining with his parents in his native country until 1865, he then came to America and located for a few years in the State of Connecticut. In 1867 he removed to Min- nesota, and in 1869 came to Lincoln county, where he has since resided. The parents of the subject of our sketch were Peter and Mary (McManus) Gilronan. The parents were natives of Ireland, where they engaged in farming throughout their lives. Both of the parents are now dead. In the father's family there were six children.

The subject of our sketch received a good common-school education in his native land, and, being a hard student and a great reader throughout his life, he has gathered an ex- tensive store of general knowledge. He is a man of progressive ideas, of excellent char- acter, and is one of the representative citizens of the township. Himself and family are identified with the Catholic church. In poli- tics our subject affiliates with the republican party.

On the 11th day of May, 1870, Mr. Gilro- nan was united in marriage to Miss Isabel Taylor, a daughter of the William Taylor mentioned in the opening lines of this · biography. She died in August, 1879, leav- ing the following children-Mary, Eunice, Agnes and James. In March, 1882, our sub- ject wedded his present wife, Bridget Gal- lagher, who was born in County Cavan, Ire- land, in 1856. This union has been blessed with two children-Annie and Jane.

LOTT resides on section 14 of High Water township, Cottonwood county, Minnesota. He took up his residence here in 1868, and was about the pioneer settler of the township, being the first to take a claim and make a permanent residence. He was practically alone on the prairie, the nearest

neighbor on the east being twenty-five miles distant. His son-in-law, Loui Roemer, came with our subject and located in the same lo- cality, on the west half of the same section, remaining one year and then going to New Ulm to work at his trade. Mr. Roemer re- turned to High Water township, and after six years' residence there went to the north- ern part of the State. Our subject still re- mains on the farm; although he has retired from active labor, he yet attends to the management of his business. Since coming to the State farming has been his principal business, but in his younger days he learned the carpenter's trade in Chicago, Illinois. Our subject's residence in Cottonwood county has been of profit both to himself and to all his neighbors. He has always been generous-hearted and public-spirited, and has assisted in every way to advance the interests of his locality. Mr. Lott was born in New Jersey in December, 1818. When he was one and a half years old his parents removed to the State of New York. He was then taken into the home of his mother's father and kept until six years of age. His father having in the meantime remar- ried, our subject was then taken back to the parental home, and resided with the father for five years. He then commenced taking care of himself, and, being of an independent spirit, although still so young, went to Chi- cago and resided there and in the adjoining country for some time. He learned the car- penter's trade and also worked to some ex- tent on various farms. When he landed in Chicago there was but one frame building there, and there were but slight signs indeed of the great city which has grown up on the site of what was then a very primitive vil- lage. After nine years, residence in and about Chicago, Mr. Lott went to Waukesha county, Wisconsin and remained there for some twelve years, engaged in farming part of the time, and some of the time being spent

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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 61

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