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 65
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in that State until 1862, when he came to Minnesota, and on the next day after his ar- rival enlisted in the Tenth Regiment Min- nesota Volunteer Infantry. He was dis- charged in 1865, at Memphis, Tennessee. Before going South he participated in two skirmishes with the Indians, at the lower Sioux agency, at the upper Sioux agency, and at the battle of Wood Lake. He had his leg broken and his ankle thrown out of joint at the Winnebago agency. His horse fell on it while he was rid- ing after Sioux Indians in the night. Being ordered South, he participated in the battles of Tupelo, Mobile and Nashville. He passed through many severe experiences, and narrowly escaped being killed a number of times. At Tupelo he was struck on the leg by a piece of shell, and was also sunstruck at this time. Here the bullets fell fast and thick, like leaden hail around him, and when the battle was over he discovered that a bul- let had found its way through his hat and another through his coat. Afterthis he was for some time an inmate of the Washington Hospital at Memphis. He was then ordered, to report to the commissary department at Fort Pickering, Tennessee. After his dis- charge he came to Houston county, Minne- sota, and lived for a while on his father's farm. His father still resides in that county. Our subject, after a short time, went to Mow- er county, and after farming for a brief period returned to Houston county. He engaged in farming and also in running a threshing-ma- chine, and in 1872 came to Murray county, where he has since lived.
Mr. Cooper was married, December 25, 1867, to Miss Rosetta Westgate, who was born in the State of New York. Miss West- gate's father was Gifford B. Westgate, a na- tive of the State of New York, and a ship builder, cooper and carpenter by trade. He is still living in Fillmore county, Minnesota. Mr. and Mrs. Cooper have seven children,
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six boys and one girl-Gifford, John, Alek, Frank, Albert, Floyd and Mabel.
The subject of our sketch affiliates with the republican party, and is an influential mem- ber of the Grand Army of the Republic. He is an exemplary citizen and a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Pioneer life has always had its ups and downs, and our subject has been visited with the various misfortunes which attend the lives of all early settlers. He has had his home de- stroyed by a terrific hurricane, and had it not been for his forethought, doubtless the whole family would have been killed. One year from the time his house was blown down, his barn, horses and considerable other property were destroyed by fire. Other dis- astrous strokes of fortune have fallen to his lot, among them being the loss of eleven head of cattle, all of which were stricken with the " black leg." He came near losing his life on one of the long trips he had to make when going to market. Besides all this he went through four years of the grasshopper siege. This was during a very severe storm in the winter. He was driving an ox team, and, losing the main road, wandered about for some time over the snow-clad prairies. Finally the oxen wandered to his brother's place, where he found shelter, but not before he had become very badly frozen. Our subject, however, has kept heart and continued steadily at work and has now surrounded himself with circumstances which betoken a prosperous and successful farm.
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LIAS HOWARD, a prosperous farmer of Murray county, Minnesota, resides on section 28, Shetek township. His loca- tion in Murray county was made in July, 1876, at which time he pre-empted the land on which he now lives. He has a fine farm, well located, and provided with excellent buildings. He has turned his attention to a
considerable degree to the culture of fruit trees, and has now one hundred apple trees and a number of currant and gooseberry bushes, etc., having met with good success in this line. Mr. Howard interests himself in the general affairs of his township, and has held various official positions. He has been director of school district No. 1 for some time, besides having held other minor positions.
Elias Howard was born in Oxford county, Maine, December 1, 1833. His parents were Thomas J. and Olive (Bean) Howard, the former a native of New Hampshire, and a mechanic by occupation. Emigrating from New Hampshire, the father settled in Maine, and later located in Ottawa, La Salle county, Illinois, where he died in 1853. The mother was a native of Woodstock, Oxford county, Maine, and is still living. In the father's family there were fifteen children. Those living are - H. B., Silvanus P., Emma, Thomas J. and C. K. Rodney, another son, died in the army, having enlisted in the Second Illinois Battery. He died at the hospital at Bolivar, Tennessee, of diseases contracted in the service. Sil- vanus enlisted at fourteen years of age and served four years. The father was also in the service as a private in the Union army. Thomas J. also served in the Union army and is now employed in a woolen factory in Dalton, Illinois. .
The early life of the subject of our sketch was spent in his native county, where he re- ceived his training and an excellent educa- tion. He remained in his native place until eighteen years of age. He completed his education at Bethel Hill Academy in his na- tive county. After completing his academic course he went to Massachusetts and found employment for one summer in the Waltham bleaching works. He then went to Sutton, Massachusetts, and worked in the cloth room of the Rhode Island Manufacturing Com-
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pany for four months. His next move was to emigrate to LaSalle county, Illinois, where for three years he engaged in railroading at Ottawa. He also worked to some extent at the trade of carpentering. Removing thence he located in Wabasha county, Minnesota, where he remained from 1856 to 1875, or until coming to his farm in Murray county.
Mr. Howard was married in the spring of 1858 to Miss Martha Jane Stone, a native of Livingston county, Illinois. Early in her life slie removed to Lake county, Illinois, where she received her training and educa- tion. Mr. and Mrs. Howard have four children-Cora, at present running a dress- making establishment at Tracy, Lyon county; Fred, Olive and Alice, who are still living at home. Rodney F., a son fourteen years of age, was killed by lightning in July, 1887.
In politics the subject of our sketch affil- iates with no particular party, but always acts and votes on the principle that every person should vote for the man best fitted for the certain position to be filled. Our subject is quite a genius in his way and has done much in the way of building in his township. He has the honor of constructing the first lum- ber wagon which was built in Murray county. In 1877 this wagon was ironed by Mr. Marsh and Mr. Calkins. The subject of our sketch is a man of good character, honest in all his business dealings, and is held in high esteem by all who know him.
- ARVEY JONES settled on the north half of section 36, Osborn township, Pipestone county, Minnesota, in 1886. He has made valuable and important improve- ments on his farm, and, besides farming, has engaged largely in stock raising. He has made a specialty of the Durham breed of cattle, and has a large herd of fine animals of that stock. His horses are also of good blood.
Mr. Jones was born in Iowa county, Wis-
consin, February 6, 1861. His father, W. M. Jones, is of Welsh descent, and is still living at Barneveld, Wisconsin. The father was born in Wales in 1831, and remained with his parents in that country until he was about six years of age, when they emi- grated to the United States, settling for some time in the State of New York. In 1848 the family removed to Iowa county, Wisconsin, where they were among the pio- neers of that county. The father has lived a long and successful life, and is now a resi- dent of the village of Barneveld, having re- tired from active business. He is now fifty-eight years of age. The mother of the subject of our sketch was Hannah (Jones) Jones. Both of the parents are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. The par- ents had a family of eight children-J. W., Harvey, Martin, Sarah, Ruth, Hannah, Mary and Minnie, who died when about seven years of age.
Harvey Jones, whose name appears at the head of this sketch, was reared and given an excellent education in the State of Wiscon- sin. He attended the Northwestern Busi- ness College at Madison, in that State, for three terms, and after this scholastic course was completed he engaged in the mercantile business with his brother, J. W. Jones, in the town of Barneveld. This partnership was continued for a period of four years, when our subject removed to Nebraska, where for two years he followed the line of prospecting. Returning to Wisconsin for one year he engaged in farming, and then came to his present place in Osborn town- ship, Pipestone county, Minnesota.
Mr. Jones was united in marriage March 10, 1888, to Miss Maggie Harris, a native of Barneveld, Wisconsin, where she received her early training and education. She was the daughter of I. Harris, a prominent stock slipper and farmer of Dane county, Wiscon- sin.
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In politics the subject of our sketch affil- iates with the republican party, in whose principles he has had a strong belief for many years. Mr. Jones is well educated, is a pleas- ant, agreeable neighbor, and is one of the reliable citizens of Osborn township.
RED J. CARPENTER is a well-to-do farmer of Lake Side township, Cot- tonwood county, Minnesota. He made his location in the county in 1872, and in 1888 canie to his present location on section 8. The place of his nativity is found in Colum- bia county, New York, in Hudson City, where he was born July 20, 1848.
The subject of our sketch is a son of Chauncey and D. (Worth) Carpenter, natives of New York State, and whose marriage oc- curred in the city of Hudson September 2, 1840. They remained in that city until April 1857, when they removed to Green Lake county, Wisconsin, locating in Fond du Lac, where they remained about twelve years. The father died in that city June 25, 1869. He was born July 16, 1810. He was a man of excellent education, and of thor- ough business qualifications, and followed a mercantile life for many years. The widow came to Minnesota in 1873, and lived with our subject until her death, which occurred November 24, 1878. Her birth took place March 28, 1819. She was an exemplary Christian lady and a member of the Metho- dist Episcopal church. There were six chil- dren in the father's family -Jane, Emily, Margaret, Fred J., Cornelia and Anna. Mar- garet died November 7, 1858, and Jane died July 24, 1879. The grandfather of the sub- ject of our sketch was Amos Carpenter, a native of the State of New York, and a merchant by occupation. Our subject's grandfather on the mother's side was Walter Worth, a native of New York, and for some time captain of an ocean
vessel, in which occupation he lost an arm. Chester Carpenter, an uncle of our subject, was foreman of the jury on the fa- mous Tilton and Beecher trial. He was a flour merchant by trade, and after the trial became a member of Henry Ward Beecher's church.
Fred J. Carpenter was reared in Columbia county, New York, and when about eight years of age emigrated with his people to Wisconsin. He remained under the paren- tal roof until he was twenty-one years of age, and up to this time had been given good educational advantages. He received the principal part of his education in the village of Kingston, Green Lake county, Wisconsin, and after completing his course of schooling engaged in farming for some years. He also engaged in clerking in a general store and in the mill business and later as clerk in a hotel. In 1872 he came to Carson township, Cottonwood county, Minnesota. He still owns 240 acres of land on sections 8 and 9 of that township, which he has thoroughly improved. He resided on that place until 1888, when he came to his present location. Throughout his resi- dence here our subject has taken an active part in all matters pertaining to the public welfare and has actively participated in po- litical affairs. Being a republican in politics he has been with the majority, and has been elected to various official positions. He has been chairman of the board of supervisors for three years, assessor for three years, township clerk four years, and is at present assessor of the township. He has always taken part in educational affairs and has held various school district offices. IIe is president of the county agricultural society, is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, and is a representative citizen of the county.
Mr. Carpenter was married December 13, 1877, to Miss Clara McNeil, a native of
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Minnesota. She was the daughter of Nathan McNeil, a farmer. Mrs. Carpenter died Jan- uary 29, 1888, leaving three children- Alice May, Hattie Blanche and Frederick Chester. -
IRAM B. DANIELSON resides on section 15, Hendricks township, Lin- coln county, Minnesota. He made his location on this farm in 1880, and has since been actively engaged in general farming and stock raising. He has identified himself closely with the interests of the township and county, and has held several positions of responsibility.
Hiram B. Danielson is a native of Goodhue county, Minnesota, where he was born April 3, 1859. He is a son of Ilans H. and Eliza- beth (Anderson) Danielson. The father was a native of Norway, and the mother was a native of Illinois. The father came to Amer- ica in 1842, first settling in Wisconsin, where he remained until 1856. He then removed to Goodhue county, Minnesota, and has en- gaged in farming ever since. He is still a , resident of that county. In the father's family there were twelve children, Hiram being the second in order of birth. The sub- ject of our sketch remained on the farm of his father assisting in the farm work until he was twenty-one years of age. He received a good common school education in the dis- trict schools, and at twenty-one years of age, in the year 1880, came to Lincoln county and purchased a farm of eighty acres, where he now lives. In politics he affiliates with the republican party, and lias interested himself in local affairs of his township. He has served as chairman of the board of super- visors two terms, and at present holds the office of township clerk. Heis a man of good character, energetic and systematic in his farming operations, and is held in high es- teem by all who know him.
Mr. Danielson was married June 25, 1884, to Miss Amanda Sundell, a native of Goodhue county, Minnesota. This union has been blessed with- three children-Myra E., How- ard H. and Nellie I.
& INTON O. LUNDER, a well-to-do far mer and leading citizen of Murray county, Minnesota, resides on section 34 of Slayton township. He is a native of the kingdom of Norway, where he was born March 17, 1855. His parents were Olai N. and Gunell M. (Olson) Lunder, who were also natives of Norway. The father was a farmer by occupation and died at the resi- dence of our subject July 21, 1888. In the father's family there were nine children.
The subject of our sketch left his native land with his parents and emigrated to America at the age of fourteen years. In his native country his early life had been spent in at- taining a common-school education, and as much as possible in assisting his father on the farm. Coming to America by steamboat, they landed in Quebec, and from thence went to Lake City, Minnesota, where three months were spent. From thence the family went to Fort Ridgley, same State, and the father settled on a pre-emption, where he remained nineteen years. After this he came to the home of our subject in Murray county, where he died. At the age of twenty-one years the subject of our sketch left the parental home and engaged in various kinds of em- ployment until 1879. He was then married and came to Murray county, where he set- tled on a homestead and also took a tree claim, and in all owns at present 280 acres of excellent land, under fine cultivation, and provided with excellent buildings.
Mr. Lunder was united in marriage Jan- uary 15, 1879, to Miss Minnie Evenson, a native of Iowa county, Wisconsin. This union has been blessed with five children-
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Gunda O., Hulda M., Goodwin H., Lillie A. and Rudolph.
The subject of our sketch is a man of ex- cellent qualities, is genial and warm-hearted, and is one of the most public-spirited citizens of the township. In politics he affiliates with the republican party, and has held vari- ous official positions within the gift of his fellow-citizens. He has been chairman of the board of supervisors for a period of eight years, and still holds the same; has served with rare fidelity and to the satisfaction of his constituents. He was constable for three years and road inspector for the same time. The latter position he still holds. He has re- presented his township in various republican conventions held during the last eight years. -
ORENZO W. BROWN, one of the pros- perous farmers of Faribault county, Minnesota, resides on section 31, of Prescott township, where he owns 360 acres of land. He gives attention to general farming and stock raising, and since the fall of 1856 has been a resident of Faribault county. He first located on section 13, of Verona town- ship, where he purchased 160 acres of land, on which he lived for three years. He built a log house and made improvements and af- ter three years' residence came to his present location, where he has since lived. He has been a hard-working, energetic farmer and has succeeded in making his farm one of the best in the entire county. Our subject was one of the very earliest settlers of the local- ity, there being but one other man, William Scott by name, in Prescott township. This man was located on section 29, and left soon after our subject came to the township, going to Blue Earth City, from whence he went to California in about 1882. Mr. Brown, being one of the pioneers of the county, assisted in the organization of Pres- cott township. The first meeting was held
on Mr. Scott's place, where thirteen votes were cast. Mr. Brown served on the first board of supervisors and held that office for about eight years. He has been justice of the peace, etc., and has been quite prominent in the official history of his township.
Lorenzo Brown was born in Jefferson county, New York, January 30, 1824. The father was William Brown, a farmer and blacksmith by trade, who was born in Con- necticut, near Bridgeport, and was one of the early settlers of the State of New York, in which State helived until his death. Our sub- ject's mother's maiden name was Lydia Bacon, a native of one of the Eastern States and of Quaker descent. She died when our subject was seven years old. The father married again, taking to wife a Miss Campbell, who died about ten years later, and then the father married a Mrs. Davis, of Ohio. Our subject was the only child by the first marriage. By his second marriage the father had three children-Lydia Angeline, Sophia Evaline and James Madison, the latter now living in Faribault county, Minnesota, to which the place he came in 1860. By his third wife the father had two children- . Charles and Adelbert.
Lorenzo Brown received his early training and education in Jefferson county, New York. He remained there until twenty years of age, engaged during the principal part of the time in agricultural pursuits. He then went to Syracuse and engaged as a clerk for Thurber & Co. in the wholesale and retail confectionery business. He followed this for nine years and then engaged in the cigar business, being employed for two years by Messrs. Barton & Co. At the end of this time Mr. Brown concluded to find a location somewhere in the West, and coming to Min- nesota after the end of two years traveling through the Southern and Central States, located, as has already been stated, in Verona township.
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The subject of our sketch was married in 1851 to Miss Catharine Hook, a native of Switzerland and who was brought to the United States by her parents when she was two years old. This lady died in April, 1881, having lived a long and useful life and hav- ing been for years a member of the Presby- terian church. Mr. Brown was married in June, 1883, to Miss Elizabeth Henderson, a native of Dalton, Whitefield county, Georgia. She was a daughaer of J. P. Henderson, a farmer, who still lives in Georgia. By his first wife our subject had two children -- Edward Therber and Waldwin W. The first died at two years of age, the latter is still living and a resident of Dakota. By his present wife Mr. Brown has one child-Flor- ence M.
The pioneer experience of the subject of our sketch was filled with much that would interest the general reader .. Pioneer life at best is filled with hardships, and the life of our subject could not escape those things of a distressing nature which caused many early settlers to become discouraged and leave the country before success crowned their efforts. During the early times his crops were a failure. Provisions were hard to obtain. Many miles had to be traveled in order to find a market for what little pro- duce was raised; then when once found, poor prices were received. When he first came to the county Mr. Brown bought flour which was brought from Clayton, Iowa, for which he paid from six to eight dollars a hundred. After the first few years crops were better and market points were more easily accessi- ble and prices for produce were better, so that our subject was enabled to accumulate a little means and put his farm in excellent condition. He has now one of the best farms in the county and is in excellent circum- stances.
In politics Mr. Brown affiliates with the democratic party and is a leading member
of the Presbyterian church. He belongs to the Masonic and Odd Fellows fraternities, being a charter member of the Masonic Lodge of Winnebago and Blue Earth cities. He is now connected with the Lodge at Blue Earth City. He first became a member of the Masonic fraternity in the State of New York. He was master of the first Grange started in Blue Earth City, being made first deputy of that society appointed by the master of the grand lodge. Mr. Brown is a genial, warm-hearted and soci- able man, has an estimable family and one , of the most hospitable homes in the county. -
EROME CUTLER is a leading farmer and stock raiser, located on section 12, Dale township, Cottonwood county, Minnesota, where he located in the spring of 1871, on a soldier's claim.
The subject of our sketch is a native of Boston, Massachusetts, where he was born March 2, 1837. The father of our subject, Samuel Walter Cutler, was a boot and shoe- maker by trade, was born in 1SOS, and was engaged in business in the city of Boston for many years. He was married there, and after awhile went to Franklin county, Ver- mont, where he settled and made it his home until his death, which occurred in 1854. Our subject's mother's maiden name was Sarah Mace, born in Milton, Essex county, Vermont, in 1810, where she was reared until the age of twenty-two years. She then went to Boston, where she was married and lived for nearly eight years. She is still liv- ing with her children.
The grandfather of our subject on the father's side was Ephraim Cutler. He was a native of Massachusetts, and a farmer by occupation. The grandmother was Persis (Hancock) Cutler. The grandfather on the mother's side was Abram Mace, born in 1770, in New Hampshire, and a miller by trade.
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He wedded Prudence Upton, a native of Massachusetts, born in 1787.
The subject of our sketch left Boston with his parents when he was about six years of age, and going to Vermont made that his home until he was twenty-four years old. He received his education in Franklin and La- moille counties, Vermont, attending the Ba- kersfield Academy one term, and in May, 1861, enlisted in Company H, Second Ver- mont Infantry (Second Brigade, Second Division, Sixth Army Corps). He served faithfully and gallantly in the Union army and was discharged at Brattleborough, Ver- mont, in 1864. He participated in a goodly number of hard-fought battles, among them being that of first Bull Run, through the Peninsular campaign under McClellan, Fred- ericksburg, Antietam, Gettysburg, battle of the Wilderness, where he was in the com- mands of Hooker, Meade and Grant ; he was slightly wounded at the battle of Fredericks- burg. After his discharge he returned to his old home in Vermont and remained until 1867, when he started for the West, locating in Fayette county, Iowa. He remained in that State until coming to Cottonwood county in 1871, where he has since resided.
The subject of our sketch was one of the very first settlers of the township, and com- menced under difficult and discouraging cir- cumstances. For a time he had to live in a sod shanty, and had to put up with other discomforts. He set out four or five acres of trees and commenced making active im- provements. His son Morris was the second child born in the township, and our subject assisted in the organization of his civil divis- ion in 1874. He has held various important local positions, among them being justice of the peace, township treasurer and assessor, and at present he is clerk of school district No. 11. Mr. Cutler is an energetic, systema- tic farmer, and his integrity of character and earnest work in behalf of the general wel-
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