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 85

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 85

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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Lyon county, Iowa, eighty miles north of Sioux City, and located a colony and laid out a town on the Rock river known as Rock Rapids. It was in an unsettled and wild country, but unsurpassed in loveliness and fertility, and from the glowing descriptions sent to him from his brother, and from the fact that he had determined to buy no more land, he was induced to go and see it for himself. In the summer of 1872 he made a visit to his brother at Rock Rapids, and was so well pleased with the country that he sold out, and in the fall of the same year moved to Lyon county, Iowa, and made a settlement on Little Rock river, fifteen miles east of Rock Rapids, by taking the last eighty acres of homestead land in the county. He imme- diately commenced improvements by build- ing, planting fruit and other trees, as he had always done on the six other farms which he had bought and improved with so much hard labor. And here, in Lyon county, Iowa, was multiplied to him all the evils fourfold which he had heretofore passed through. That section of the country was visited in 1873 with countless millions of grasshoppers. It was as though all the grasshoppers in the world, including those of Egypt in Pharaoh's time, had come. They covered the surface of the earth, and ate up everything but the grass, and packed the earth so full of eggs that the plow would leave them on the surface like sown oats. And for three years they devoured the land and left the inhabitants in want and despair. The subject of this sketch was left in utter destitution, with a large family, and was forced to tramp hundreds of miles to find employment. No one but a parent can un- derstand the feelings of hopelessness and despair that fill the heart when leaving home and loved ones in the uncertainty of relieving their wants or of ever seeing them again. Mr. Whitehead remained in Lyon county for about eight years, being engaged

in different kinds of employment, generally in farming for himself. In 1874 was born their fifth child, a daughter, named Evalina. In the same year, with his brother, Dudley, he came to Pipestone county, and in April of that year located the claim where he now lives. His brother located on the quarter section where the Milwaukee depot now stands. The subject of our sketch did the first breaking in the entire county, and has been identified with the interests of this locality ever since. In 1878 he brought his family to his new home, where they have lived ever since, occupying a prominent and leading place in the social movements of the town in which they reside.

In politics Mr. Whitehead is a union labor man, heartily indorsing the principles of the Cincinnati convention, and will support no man for office that does not believe in and advocate those principles. He believes in free homes for all mankind ; they must not be subject to taxation, judgments nor execu- tions; that national banks are more dan- gerous to our liberties than foreign foes ; that our money should be a full legal tender paper money, without redemption ; that the amount be increased to one hundred dollars per capita ; that the supreme court of the United States is a dangerous and unneces- sary power, as is also the senate of the United States, composed of millionaires, lawyers and bankers ; and that the people- the government-should own and control the railroads. In short, he believes that the pro- ductions belong to the producers, as does the sunlight, the air, the water and the earth, which is man's inheritance-the free gift of nature.

Mr. Whitehead has lived a long life of usefulness, and with an incredible amount of work has improved and built up eight good homes, with houses, fences, fruit and other trees for some other happy inmates. And by careful attention to his business matters,

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by thrift and energy, together with econom- ical habits, has made for himself a confort- able home, with trees and fruits and flowers, and now enjoys the happiness usually brought by a long and well-spent life. He is a man of high character, and has the re- spect and confidence of all his fellow-towns- men."

HARLES H. BENNETT. This gen- tleman is one of the most enterprising business characters of all Pipestone county, and he has done more in the upbuilding of the financial and other interests of Pipestone City and vicinity than any other resident. He is energetic and full of practical ideas, and he has assisted in financial and all other ways possible in the development of the financial institutions of his locality. He has been looked up to for years as one of the mainstays of the business element of the city, and has built up for himself a wide- spread and enviable reputation. He is at present engaged in operating a very fine drug business and also in dealing in city property in Pipestone City. He came to the county in the latter part of August, 1873, with a view to starting a town. At that time he found himself in a treeless, uninhab- ited county, and had a choice of fine loca- tions. In April of 1874 he came to where Pipestone City now stands, bringing with him a load of lumber from Luverne, in Rock county. Of this he built the first habitation in the city or county, just across the street, east from where the old Calumet hotel stood. After building his shanty he ate his dinner, and looked upon this day's work as the com- mencement of his town enterprise. He at once returned to Le Mars, Iowa, at which place he was engaged in the drug business, and where he had settled in 1869. In that city he was one among the first settlers,

building the first store on the town site, and shipping in the first bill of goods over the Illinois Central Railroad in 1869. From this time he commenced making trips by team to Pipestone City, making some half-dozen visits each year. He continued in this way until in 1876, when he made a permanent location where is now the site of Pipestone City. He had made some improvements prior to this time. In 1874 he had forty acres of land broken, being the first breaking in the county, part of which was on the town plat, and the balance where the large groves are now found west of the city. These groves are beautiful landmarks, at present there being two of them of twenty acres each just west of the city. Some of these trees are forty feet high, were the first to be set out, and are now the finest and largest in the county. On coming to this location in 1876, he at once commenced making further im- provements. He had the original town plat of Pipestone City laid out in July of that year, and had interested with him in the en- terprise a gentleman by the name of D. E. Sweet, who is now a resident of Louisiana. After this brief view of the establishment and early history of what is now the pros- perous city of Pipestone, it can be readily seen and understood that Mr. Bennett was foremost as founder of the city, and to him as much, or more than any other man, is due its present welfare and prosperity. Through- out its history there has never been any pro- ject tending to the development of Pipestone but has found in Mr. Bennett a warm and valuable friend.

The gentleman, whose name appears at the head of this biography, is a native of Union City, Branch county, Michigan, where he was born July 2, 1846. His parents were Isaiah and Emily ('frue) Ben- nett, natives, respectively, of Vermont and New Hampshire. In his younger days the father was a Methodist clergyman

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in New York State, and later was a pioneer clergyman and merchant in Michigan. He interested himself largely in the develop- ment of the State in which he had located, and became one of the founders of the cities of Jackson, Ann Arbor, and Union City. At the birth of our subject, he was a resident of Union City, where he was engaged in the general mercantile business. In 1851 the father organized an expedition which went overland to California, returning after an absence of some two years. In 1857 he re- moved with his family to Dubuque, Iowa, and there lived a retired life until his death, which occurred November 27, 1865. The mother is still living and has reached the ad- vanced age of eighty-two years. She is at present living with her son, Charles, the sub- ject of this sketch. In the father's family there were six children, four of whom are now living-General William T. Bennett, now a resident of Australia ; Major Orson W. Bennett, now a resident of Washington City ; Charles H., and Annie E., now the wife of Silas B. Wright, a banker, insurance and real estate broker of De Land, Volusia county, Florida. The sons of this family have always been loyal and patriotic citizens, and all volunteered and served in the late War of the Rebellion, and were honorably mustered out at its close.

Charles H. Bennett, the subject of our sketch, remained with his parents through his early life, being given excellent educa- tional advantages in the schools at Union City, Michigan, and also in the high school at Dubuque, Iowa. After completing his education, he accepted a clerkship in a drug store in the city of Dubuque, in which em- ployment he remained for two years. Leaving that city he then went to Philadelphia, Penn- sylvania, where he again engaged in the drug business as a student with Professor W. M. Proctor, and attended lectures given at the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy. He con-

tinued in this city, following the drug busi- ness and engaged in the study of pharmacy, for some two years, after which he removed to Chicago and there filled the position of prescriptionist in leading drug stores. While in Chicago he enlisted in Company D, Ells- worth Zouaves, One Hundred and Thirty- fourth Illinois Infantry. This was in April, 1865, and he continued in the service for some seven months in Missouri and Ken- tucky. He was with the Union forces that cleared the rebels and guerrillas out of west- ern Kentucky, and that drove the rebel gen- eral Price out of Missouri when that gen- eral started through the State on his last raid. Closing his military career he returned to Chicago and engaged with Wilson Brothers, jobbers, importers and manufac- turers of gents' furnishing goods. He was one of the first salesmen that this firm ever employed, and he continued a satisfactory and profitable engagement with them, re- signing to engage in business on his own ac- count in Charleston. In 1866 he removed to Sioux City, Iowa, and entered the employ of Charles Kent, who operated a large drug store. During the years 1866-67 he had entire charge of this business. Then he re- moved to Le Mars, then a paper city, as has been already stated, in 1869, and became the pioneer drug merchant and business man of that city. Continuing in Le Mars principally for some eight years, he then sold out his stock and business property and removed to Pipestone City. Besides his city investments he has also become largely interested in farming lands, and now owns some four hun- dred acres, partly surrounding the present town site. Fifty-five acres of this land was laid out in the original town plat. He has built two stone store buildings -- the Syndicate and the Bennett blocks-which are consid- ered equal to any of the magnificent build- ings of the city. They are fitted with plate and stained glass fronts, high ceilings, hard

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pine floors, bronze fittings, wood finish, and are erected in ornate and modern styles of architecture ; besides being almost fire- proof. They are conspicuous monuments of energy and taste, and of the abiding faith of Mr. Bennett in the future of the city. His first wood office building was put up after the construction of the pine shanty already mentioned ; it was constructed in June, 1876, the lumber being hauled by team by him from Worthington, about fifty miles distant. This building was then used as an office, and is now a part of the residence of Mr. Bennett. Later a wood store building was erected by our subject, and used by him for his drug business for some ten years. Mr. Bennett has been one of the most public-spirited citi- zens of the county, and has given liberally of his means to assist in its development. He gave some four thousand dollars' worth of property toward the building of the original Calumet hotel. The proprietors of this hotel, the finest in Southwest Minnesota, were the Close Brothers. Prior to this, Mr. Bennett donated twenty-eight acres of land to the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad Company, for the magnificent sum of one dollar, this land being granted for right of way and depot grounds in the city limits. Altogether, he has presented many thousand dollars' worth of property to the four differ- ent railroad companies which now enter Pipestone city for a meagre consideration. He has deeded to these railway companies grounds on which the four railroad depots are located. In early days of the town he also gave business and residence locations to parties who have built thereon.

The subject of our sketch was united in matrimony October 6, 1877, to Miss Adelaide B. George, of Warner, New Hampshire. This lady was the daughter of Gilman C. George, and is a lady of excellent education and rare social and domestic qualities. She has ex- hibited marked poetic genius, and her name

appears as a contributor in various leading publications.

In politics Mr. Bennett affiliates with the republican party, and is a leading and influ- ential member of the Grand Army of the Republic, Simon Mix Post, No. 95, being past commander of the local organization. He has interested himself largely in the wel- fare of the old soldiers, and was appointed the first agent in the county for the State Soldiers' Home Board. He has frequently represented the post in department, and in 1888 in the Columbus National Grand Army of the Republic encampments, and was the originator of the movement which resulted in the Minnesota legislature, in 1889, appro- priating $12,000 for publishing 10,000 copies of a history and roster of Minnesota Soldiers of the Rebellion, and presenting each survivor a copy. Our subject has held many posi- tions of trust and responsibility within the gift of his fellow-citizens. He was elected the first county attorney at the organization of the county, was the first town clerk, and one of the first members of the city council. Wherever he has lived his services have been demanded in various official positions, in all of which he has proven his capability and efficiency. While a resident of Iowa he held the position of justice of the peace, which office he has also held since coming to Pipe- stone county. He is at present one of the board of Pipestone county commissioners, and actively interests himself in all matters pertaining to the welfare of the county. He is honorably connected with the Old Settlers' Historical Society of Pipestone county, of which he is the historian. This society meets once a year at Pipestone City, enjoys an all- nual banquet and indulges in reminiscences of pioneer days. He is also secretary and one of the board of trustees of the Presby- terian church. Mr. Bennett is one of the solid and substantial citizens of Pipestone City and county, and is, without doubt, one

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of the most progressive and enterprising men to be found in southern Minnesota. He has always been willing to assist in public pro- jects, and has ever held out liberal financial and other inducements for any and all busi- ness institutions that would add to the growth and prosperity of his locality.

ALVIN T. SHATTUCK, a leading citizen and wagon-manufacturer of Worthington, Nobles county, Minnesota, is a native of Bath, Steuben county, New York, his birth occuring October 15, 1844. His parents, Daniel and Harriet (Emerson) Shattuck, were natives of New York. The father was a carpenter by trade, and fol- lowed that occupation throughout the most of his life.

Calvin T. was given a good common- school education and lived with his parents until he was eighteen years of age. He then enlisted in Company F, One Hundred and Sixty-first New York Volunteer Infant- ry, and served gallantly and faithfully throughout the war. His first engagement was near Port Hudson, Louisiana, the next at Fort Donelson, and then followed Mans- field, where he saw much severe fighting. Then came the battles of Sabine Cross Roads, and Alexandria on the Red river in Louisiana, besides numerous sharp skirmish- es. Mr. Shattuck served in the Union army until October 28, 1865, when he was mus- tered out of the service with his regiment at Fort Jefferson. He returned to his home in New York and for several years engaged in carpenter work. April 20, 1872, he land- ed in Worthington and followed his old trade for a while, and then engaged in farm- ing for three years, on a soldier's homestead that he had taken on section 2, Dewald township, Nobles county. At the end of these three years he returned to the village, and working in the flouring mills, for three

years, after which he went to the Black Hills with a loud of poultry and flour, being gone about four months. Returning to Worthington he engaged in carpenter work until 1880. He then bought out a stock of groceries and operated a store for two years. He then sold out and engaged in manufact- uring wagons, which line he has followed ever since, except six months spent at the Hot Springs in Arkansas.

The subject of this sketch is a prominent citizen and has the confidence of all with whom he has to do. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic post of Worth- ington and also of the Independent Order of Good Templars. He is a genial, warm- hearted man and is possessed of a high moral character.

Mr. Shattuck was married in Bath, Steu- ben county, New York, in April, 1866, to Mary Elida Dunlap, a daughter of Edwin and Sarah Ann (Fenton) Dunlap, natives of New York. Mrs. Shattuck was born near Madison, Wisconsin, May 23, 1846. This union has been blessed with the following- named children-Minnie and Dollie. The latter died April 13, 1886.

R EV. D. GRIFFIN GUNN, one of the leading ministers and ablest divines of the Episcopal church in the Northwest, is a resident of Wilder, Jackson county, Min- nesota. Mr. Gunn is a native of North Carolina, and was born in Caswell county, March 13, 1845.

When he was one year old his people em- igrated to Alabama, locating in Lowndes county, where they resided some nine years. Their next move was to Brandon, Mississippi, where our subject remained until he was six- teen years of age and where for two years he attended the State Military School. He spent four years in the Confederate army; returned to Mississippi and completed his

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literary education by taking a private course in one of the best schools in the State. He then pursued a course of studies in the theological seminary of the Episcopal church at New York City. Leaving that institution in 1874, he then took charge of the Saint Ambrose church, continuing its pastor for four years. Our subject then turned his steps westward and located in Windon, Cottonwood county, Minnesota, where he built the Church of the Good Shepherd and was pastor of the same for some three years, then going to Worth- ington, Nobles county, Minnesota, he headed a project which resulted in the building of a neat church edifice over which Mr. Gunn had charge for about a year, on the expiration of which time he returned he returned to his former charge in Windom. Remaining in charge of the Windom church for two years, he then turned his attention to a college enterprise mentioned in another part of this sketch. In the meantime, how- ever, Mr. Gunn was instrumental in building good churches in Slayton, St. James, Ma- delia and Lake Crystal.

In 1885 Mr. Gunn laid out the site of the present prosperous little village of Wilder, where he now resides and where he owns some fourteen residences, besides numerous unimproved lots. Adjoining this village is the Breck farm and commercial college, of which our subject was the founder. Of this institution Bishop Whipple is president and our subject is secretary and attorney-in-fact. The history of this educational enterprise will be found in another department of this volume.

Mr. Gunn is a genial, warm-hearted gen- tleman, is a progressive and energetic busi- ness man and citizen, and is and able and in- teresting preacher. His management of the various important enterprises that have en- grossed his attention since he chose the Northwest as his abiding place, is indeed

commendable, and the eminent success that has crowned his work shows him to be a man of more than ordinary talent and abil- ity. Mr. Gunn is a member of the Masonic fraternity, of the Independent Order Odd Fellows, and also belongs to the Good Temp- lars Society.

Mr. Gunn was married December 19, 1865, to Miss Kate M. August, a native of Vicksburg, Mississippi. She was the daugh- ter of A. N. August, a merchant of Vicks- burg and a major in the Confederate army. Miss August was educated in the Clinton Institute of Vicksburg. Mr. and Mrs. Gunn have been blessed with eight children-Liz- zie, Griffin, Katie, Daniel, Fannie, Albert, Alford and Henry Benjamin Whipple.

THE WILDER FARM COLLEGE was founded by Rev. D. G. Gunn, of Wilder. The donors of the property at Wilder were Colonel John L. Merriam, Amherst H. Wilder and Mrs. Carrie Thompson, all of St. Paul, Minne- sota. The idea of founding a college of in- dustry, to meet the wants of the middle class, was conceived by Mr. Gunn, while in New York City in 1880, but the project was not carried into effect until 1885, when Mr. Gunn and family moved on the ground and built the first house-now used as a cheese factory, R. II. Rucker being superintendent and manager. Then he began the founda- tion upon which has been finished recently the Farm College, for young men and women. The college was opened in September, 1887, by Rev. Charles Ware and Mrs. S. B. Ware, and the work begun with eighteen pupils, and closed after a successful term. The sec- ond year was opened by Eugene Rucker, B. S., in September, 1888, and closed with success-and thirty-six pupils. The third year opened in September, 1889, and is des- tined to close with over one hundred pupils. The officers of the college are as follows : Eugene Rucker, B. S., principal ; William A. Dryden, B. S., superintendent ; Edward P.

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Coleman, B. S., secretary ; F. M. Wallace, B. S., master of accounts; Eugene Dryden, li- brarian ; Miss Thurston, musical directress ; Miss Taylor, oratory ; George H. Drury, jan- itor, and Mrs. M. F. Drury, matron. The college is something new in the plan of teach- ing, and is destined to revolutionize educa- tional work. There is no end to the possi- bilities of such a work. The trustees of the college are : Rt. Rev. H. B. Whipple, D.D., LL.D., president ex-officio; Rev. James Dobbin, vice-president, Faribault, Minnesota; Rev. D. Griffiin Gunn, secretary, Wilder, Minnesota ; Rev. Frank Millspaugh, Minne- apolis, Minnesota; George H. Christian, Minneapolis, Minnesota ; Harvey Officer, St. Paul, Minnesota; Sylvester M. Cary, St. Paul, Minnesota; Victor M. Watkins, treas- urer, St. Paul, Minnesota.

HARLES MYLIUS is president of the First National Bank of Pipestone, Min- nesota. He was a native of England, where he was born in the year 1848. He was the son of Henry and Fannie (Ripley) Mylius, both natives of England. The father was a man of considerable wealth and was engaged exten- sively in the operation of his landed estates.

The subject of our sketch remained with his parents during his early life and was given an excellent classical education, becoming a graduate of the Victoria University. After he had completed his education he engaged in the banking business in his native country until coming to America in 1883. His first settlement was made at Le Mars, Iowa, where he engaged in banking. After one year's residence in that city he came to Pipe- stone and opened a private bank, which was continued until the organization of the First National, of which our subject was made president. The First National Bank opened for public business March 4, 1889. Since . coming to the city Mr. Mylius has been ac-

tively engaged in improving his various property interests, building the famous Cal- umet Hotel and bank in 1888. This structure is one of the finest in the State and is ex- ceedingly well planned and built in the most approved modern style. From the ground up, it is the most elaborate in all its details and was built at a cost of some thirty thousand dollars. The Calumet is one of the finest hotels in the State outside of St. Paul and Minneapolis. Besides this fine property our subject erected the finest dwel- ling-house in the city in 1886, and has beau- tified his residence grounds by setting out shade and ornamental trees. Besides having invested largely in city property Mr. Mylius has also interested himself extensively in farm- ing lands and at present owns 640 acres in one body, which he uses as a grain farm. He also owns large tracts of land in adjoining counties. A brother of our subject, Edward H. Mylius, is engaged in operating the bank of Mylius Brothers & Co., at Adrian, Nobles county, Minnesota.

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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 85

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