Illustrated album of biography of the famous valley of the Red River of the North and the park regions of Minnesota and North Dakota : containing biographical sketches of settlers and representative citizens, Part 104

Author: Alden, Ogle & Company
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Alden, Ogle & Company
Number of Pages: 872

USA > Minnesota > Illustrated album of biography of the famous valley of the Red River of the North and the park regions of Minnesota and North Dakota : containing biographical sketches of settlers and representative citizens > Part 104
USA > North Dakota > Illustrated album of biography of the famous valley of the Red River of the North and the park regions of Minnesota and North Dakota : containing biographical sketches of settlers and representative citizens > Part 104

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Mr. Acker was married to Miss Lena L. Thorstead, a daughter of Lars. O. Thorstead of Hillsboro. They are parents of the following children-Enhart Lewis, Bertha Amelia and Norris Oliver. Our subject is member of the I. O. O. F., Hillsboro Lodge, No. 32.

W. CALKINS, of the firm of Phelps & Calkins, attorneys-at-law, Ada, Minnesota, has been identified with Ada's business interests and prosperity since 1885. When he first settled there he was agent for the St. Paul Harvester Works until 1887, when he formed a partnership with Mr. Phelps, and since that time they have been actively engaged in the practice of law. Mr. Calkins is a native of Oswego

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county, New York, born December 6, 1859, and when seven years of age removed to Randolph, Wisconsin, where he attended school until he was seventeen years old. Then after teaching school for six or seven years he studied law for three years, and after being admitted removed to Minnesota.

Mr. Calkins was married in 1883 to Miss Anna Rasmusson. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd-Fellows and is an exemplary citizen.

ON. NELSON E. NELSON, deputy collector of United States customs, at Pembina, North Dakota, deserves especial mention in a volume devoted to the pioneers and prominent men of the Red River Valley, as he is a thorough representative of both these classes. He has been a resident of Pembina since 1869, having come here when there were only two settlers, Charles Cavi- leer and collector Le May, and has been prominently identified with the history of that locality ever since.

Mr. Nelson was born about thirteen miles from Christiania, Norway, on the 25th of December, 1831, and is a son of John and Anna Knudson, who were also both natives of Norway. Before the birth of our subject his father died, and his mother died when he was about seven years of age. He was then sent to his mother's parents, Ole and Martha Knuteson. He attended the common schools until he was ten years old, and was then admitted to Lier's Seminary, from which he graduated when fourteen years of age. After teaching school in his parish for about one year he came to the United States, stopping for a short time in New York City, and then went to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. There he remained for a time doing chores and attending school to learn the English lan- guage. He then spent a short time in Prairie

du Chien, and in the fall of 1849 went to Black River Falls and was engaged at lumbering during the ensuing winter. In the following spring he went down the river on a raft to St. Louis, and then returned to La Crosse, Wisconsin. For nearly a year he did but little aside from traveling around, and in the fall commenced clerking in a store for Hon. Samuel D. Hastings, in La Crosse, and remained with him about one year. He then spent a year clerking in another store, and in · 1853 began clerking in the United States land office at La Crosse, under Judge C. K. Lord as register, and at about this time was married. In 1855 he went to Winona, Min- nesota, and helped to open the United States land office at that place and remained as a clerk for about one year. In 1856 he went as clerk in the United States land office at Red Wing, and when, in 1857, that office was removed to Henderson he went with it and continued acting as clerk until the spring of 1861. He then enlisted in Company A, of that famous and gallant body of men, the First Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, and served with that regiment through all the battles and conflicts in which it won immor- tal fame, being discharged for disability in November, 1863. He enlisted as private and was discharged as second sergeant. He par- ticipated with the Army of the Potomac in all its battles from the first Bull Run to Get- tysburg. Shortly after the last named he was taken sick and honorably discharged. He returned to his home at Hen- derson, Minnesota, and took a prominent part in public affairs there. He served as deputy county auditor of Sibley county, judge of probate two years, and register of deeds four years. In 1869 he was appointed special deputy collector of customs for the district of Minnesota, and was stationed at Pembina, Dakota, then the chief port of the district. He has held this important office ever since, with the exception of one short

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interval, when he represented his district in the Territorial legislature at Yankton, during the famous capital-removal times of 1882-83. He also held the position of United States commissioner for about twelve years. In 1884 he was one of the two delegates from Dakota to the national republican convention at Chicago, and supported James G. Blaine for president. In many ways he has been a leader in public affairs, and his name is indissolubly associated with the growth and development of this region. Enterprising, liberal and energetic, every move calculated to benefit this locality has received his aid and support, and no man has done more to advance the public welfare. A history of his life demonstrates the possibil- ities afforded by our free institutions. He came to this country a poor boy, unused to hard labor of any kind and unable to speak a word of English. Shortly after landing he was taken sick and soon spent what little means he had. He soon recovered, however, and the native energy, industry and fru- gality so characteristic of his race soon gave him a start, and his life, to say the least, has been much more than ordinarily successful. On the first day that the land office was opened at Pembina he entered a homestead adjoining what is now the city plat, and his entry was the first made (No. 1), and his homestead patent the first issued (No. 1) in the land district, which then included all of North Dakota. He now owns, besides other property, about 720 acres of land.

Mr. Nelson is an honored member of the Grand Army of the Republic and also of the Masonic fraternity. He established the lat- ter lodge (No. 10) at Pembina, and was its first W. M. He also is a member of the Royal Arch Masons.

Mr. Nelson was married at La Crosse, Wisconsin, to Miss Martha Hansen, and they became the parents of the following chil-

dren-Minnie E., now wife of Hon. Judson La Moure, who is mentioned elsewhere in this volume; Charles B., who died April 3, 1888; Helen V., Annie, Martha, Mary, George W., who died March 30, 1880 ; Cora I. and Lulu M.

OHN WEEKS, of the hardware firm of Green & Weeks, has been identified with the interests of Wadena, Minnesota, since the spring of 1883, when he settled in that place and engaged in the hardware business with Miller & Foss, as clerk, for three years. At the expiration of that time, in June, 1886, he formed a partnership with George H. Green, in the hardware business, which they have since followed. Our sub- ject is a native of Cumberland county, Nova Scotia, born in 1859. He remained on the home farm until he was fifteen years old. He then went to Bathurst, New Brunswick, and after remaining one year entered the tinner's trade, at which he worked for two years. In 1880 he went to Boston, then to Minneapolis, Minnesota, and from there to Wadena.

Mr. Weeks was married October 14, 1886, to Miss Nettie Dean. He is a member of the Odd-Fellows fraternity, and is actively interested in all local matters.

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REDERICK ROSENTHAL is the pro- prietor of the most popular billiard hall in Red Lake Falls, Polk county, Min- nesota. He was born in Sheboygan county, Wisconsin, October 28, 1860.

The parents of the subject of our sketch were Frederick and Ernestina (Kuck) Rosen- thal, both of whom were natives of Ger- many, where the father was engaged in the grocery business.

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Frederick Rosenthal dutifully remained at home with his parents throughout his minority, and assisted his father with the business in the store. He was given a good education in the schools of his native county. When he was twenty-one years of age he commenced buying hogs and cattle and shipped them to Chicago. In 1883 he came to Red Lake Falls, bringing a heavy team with him, intending to work in the mill yard. Getting a chance to trade his team for a saloon he accepted the trade, and embarked in the retail liquor business for two years. Then in company with O. M. Champlin he ran the Nicollet House for one and a half years. The partnership was then dissolved, and Mr. Rosenthal again returned to the retail liquor business, in which he is still engaged. He has the finest place of the kind in the village, and keeps a neat, orderly resort, where everyone is given courteous treatment.

Mr. Rosenthal was united in marriage May 24, 1883, to Miss Anna Werthman, daughter of Frederick Werthman, and a native of Germany. This marriage has been blessed with two children-Hattie and Fred- erick.

UDGE L. S. BAYRELL. Prominent among the leading and influential men of the village of Argyle, Minnesota, is the gentleman whose name heads this article, who is actively engaged in the practice of law. He removed to the Red River Valley and located in Ada on the 28th day of September, 1882, and since that time has been prominently identified with the local and political history of Marshall county. He was appointed judge of probate of Mar- shall county by Governor Hubbard, and was elected to that office in 1886. In his political affiliations he is an adherent to the principles of the republican party. He is an exemplary

citizen, and any laudable home enter- prise whereby the prosperity of either town or county is enhanced receives his hearty support.

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LIVER M. HOLMES is the postmaster of Red Lake Falls, Polk county, Min- nesota, and also ably edits and is the propri- etor of the Red Lake Falls Gazette. He was born in St. Paul, April 16, 1861.

The parents of the subject of our sketch were J. B. and Caroline F. (Friend) Holmes, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Pennsylvania. They came to Minnesota among the early settlers, and underwent the trials and hardships usually met with by the pioneers of every new country. The father had a sutler's store at one of the trading posts, but after the Indian troubles were over among others the post where he was sta- tioned was abandoned, and he concluded to remove to Winnipeg. So, packing his goods, he removed with a military escort to what is now the important capital of Manitoba, then but a small trading post with but few houses and a mere handful of people.

The subject of our sketch remained with his parents until he had secured a thorough education and had been prepared to grapple with the problem of life alone and single- handed. He was educated at St. John Col- lege, Winnipeg, and his success as an editor and publisher has proven the value of the excellent training he received at that institu- tion. After leaving home in 1877 he went to Detroit, Minnesota, where he learned the printer's trade, which he has followed ever since. In September, 1883, he removed to Red Lake Falls and started the Gazette, meeting with merited success from the very start. On his subscription list he has now over a thousand names, and these are being added to every week.

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December 27, 1883, in Detroit, Minnesota, Mr. Holmes was married to Miss Virginia Johnson, daughter of Col. George H. and Amanda (Jenkins) Johnson. Three children have blessed this union-George B., Oliver M. and Mary A. Oliver M. died July 9, 1887.

→→や R. D. C. DARROW, who is engaged in the practice of medicine in Moorhead, Clay county, Minnesota, is a native of Win- nebago county, Wisconsin, born in 1850, and is the son of Daniel C. and Isabella (Murray) Darrow. The doctor passed his younger days at home on the farm, and until he was twenty-one received the usual common school educational advantages. He graduated from Rush Medical College in 1SS4 and at once located in Moorhead, where he has since remained, engaged in clinical work.

DWARD J. SUTTON, a prosperous and very successful farmer of Todd county, Minnesota, is a resident of section 33, Ward township, where he is engaged in general farming and stock-raising. He is a native of Indiana, born in Randolph county, on the 24th of January, 1845, and is the son of Thomas and Martha (Johnson) Sutton, natives of Virginia and Ohio, respectively. The parents of our subject were married in Randolph county, Indiana, where they remained forty-seven years. The father died in Todd county in 1SS5, at the age of seventy-two years. The mother is still liv- ing at the age of sixty-nine years. They were devoted members of the Christian church, and were blessed with a family of the following-named children - John A. (deceased), John A., Joseph, Caroline (deceased), Edward J., Jacob, Thomas, Noah, William, Martha, Elizabeth and George.

Mr. Sutton received his education in Ran- dolph county, Indiana, and Jacksonville, where he remained until seventeen years of age. At the age of twenty he engaged in farming in Randolph county, and in 1871 removed to Todd county, Minnesota. Upon locating there he took a homestead of 160 acres on section 28, Hartford township, which has since been named Ward. He remained there eight years, and then removed to section 33, where he has since been actively engaged in tilling the soil. He assisted in the organization of the township, and has always been prominent in local mat- ters, holding the office of chairman of the town board for many years. He has a fine farm of 305 acres, well under cultivation. In 1SS5 he bought the saw-mill at Browersville, in partnership with Jacob Goodwin, and since that time they have carried on that industry.

Mr. Sutton was married in 1871 to Miss Sarah Smith, and this union has been blessed with the following-named children - Thomas, Francis, Minerva, Daniel, Rosetta, Henry, Henrietta, Noah and George. In political matters oursubject is a "free-trader." Mrs. Sutton died in 1887, and was an exem- plary lady, highly respected and beloved by all who knew her, and a devoted member of the Christian church.

EORGE P. GARRED, publisher and proprietor of the Wahpeton Times, Wahpeton, Dakota Territory, formerly the Red River Press, established 1879, is one of the prominent and successful members of the newspaper fraternity in the North west. He is a native of Lawrence county, Ken- tucky, born December 22, 1852, and is the son of Anderson and Elizabeth (Dyer) Garred, also natives of Kentucky. They left their native State in 1862, removing to

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Minnesota, and locating in Winona, where they remained a short time, and then went to Austin, Minnesota, where the father is now extensively interested in real estate transactions.

Mr. Garred remained at home, attending the district schools, until he was ten years old, when he removed to Minnesota, and completed his education in Winona and Austin. He then entered the Register office in Austin, and remained three years, learning the printer's trade. At the expiration of that time he went to Minneapolis, Minnesota, and after a two-years' sojourn there removed to St. Paul, and worked one year on the Pioneer Press. At the expiration of one year he removed to Winnipeg, Manitoba, and had charge of the Standard from April, 1877, to April, 1880. He then removed to Wahpeton, Dakota Territory, and purchased his present paper, which he has since operated with marked success.

Mr. Garred was married January 2, 1882, to Miss Lena Trost, the daughter of John and Lena (Casperry) Trost. Our subject is a democrat in politics, and for the past two years has been a member of the city council. He was one of the first aldermen of the city.

HARLES R. ANDREWS, of the firm of Andrews & Co., is one of the lead- ing business men of the village of Ada, Minnesota. He is a native of Ohio, born in Cleveland in November, 1852, and at the age of two years removed with his parents to Oberlin, Ohio, where Charles attended the Oberlin College, receiving a good academic education. In 1875 he removed to Glyndon, Minnesota, where he spent a year for his health with his brother. He then went to Minneapolis, and, in partnership with Major Tenny, engaged in the safe and scale business, following that for three years. At

the expiration of that time he returned to Glyndon, and with his brother opened a lumber yard and also engaged in the machin- ery business. In 1882 they opened a branch office in Ada, which was under the control of F. L. Hampson for a year or more, when he was taken in as a partner of the firm. In 1883 a branch office was established at Hal- stad, and in 1884 our subject's brother removed to Fargo, Dakota Territory, and our subject and Mr. Hampson took charge of the business at the different places. In 1886 they met with considerable loss by fire, and in the fall of that year bought out a general store in Ada, under the firm name of Andrews & Hampson. Our subject then removed to Ada, where he has since had charge; Mr. Hampson looking after the business in Halstad and Glyndon. They are doing a good business, and are the leading merchants of the place.

Mr. Andrews was married in 1879 to Miss Mary Farmer, of Glyndon. They are devoted members of the Congregational church. Our subject evinces a deep and active interest in temperance and local mat- ters, and is a man of the utmost integrity and honor, highly esteemed by all who know him.

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P. BODINE is the able editor and publisher of the News, at . Red Lake Falls, Polk county, Minnesota. Mr. Bodine has attained merited success in the profession of journalism, in which he has received a thorough practical training. An orphan, and being thrown upon the mercies of the world at an early age, he had to battle his way alone and single-handed. For years friends were few and far between, and what- ever of success has been attained by the sub- ject of our sketch has come to him by virtue of his " grit " and energy. He is of French

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descent, his parents being Paul and Bridget Bodine, natives of France.

Mr. Bodine was born in Waupaca county, Wisconsin, June 24, 1854. When he was quite a small child his parents both died and left him to be cared for by strangers until he was fifteen years of age. He was then placed in school and continued his studies until he was eighteen years of age, when he went to Stillwater, Minnesota, and learned the printing trade in the Messenger office. Concluding that he must be better educated in order to be prepared for the duties he had mapped out for himself, he determined to enter the State University of Minnesota, and if necessary do any kind of labor to furnish the means to pursue a course of study. He succeeded well in his plans, working at different kinds of labor until he completed his course at the university. Leaving that institution he went to Morris, Stevens county, and shortly after arriving in that city purchased an interest in the Morris Tribune. The year 1885 found him on his way to Red Lake Falls, and arriving in that place he at once started the News, which he still successfully runs.

Mr. Bodine was united in marriage Feb- ruary 14, 1878, in Minneapolis, to Emily Dies. Two children have blessed this union - Elnora and Ray.

The subject of our sketch is a member of the I. O. O. F. fraternity, with which he became associated in Stillwater, Minnesota. He has a well-fitted newspaper office, and is prepared to fill all orders for advertising or job work in neat, tasty styles. His machin- ery is all run by horse-power, and all work can be done expeditiously.

EORGE EDWARD WESTON, the pop- ular and esteemed proprietor of the Merchants' Hotel in Hillsboro, North Dakota, has been identified with the hotel interests of

that place since 1886, when he located there and rented the Plummer House, and, after operating it for one year, purchased the build- ing, remodeled it, built an addition, and opened the Merchants', which he has since run. He has a first-class house, and is highly esteemed by the traveling public. He is a native of England, born in London on the 20th day of November, 1832, and is the son of Thomas and Eliza (Gray) Weston, also natives of England.

Mr. Weston commenced in life for himself, when he was ten years old, by clerking in a grocery store in London for two or three years. He then emigrated to the United States, and after landing in New York City, where he remained a few days, hired out to a merchant in Albany, New York, with whom he remained three years. At the expiration of that time he went to the city of Buffalo, New York, and remained during the summer, engaged in a warehouse as copying clerk. He next removed to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and secured work in a hotel for a few months, then moved to Chicago, Illinois. After remaining there for a few days he went to Kentucky, settling in Paducah, where he served as overseer on a plantation until 1856, when he went to Minneapolis, Minnesota, and took a homestead near Lake Calhoun, and which he mortgaged. After losing his farm he secured work with a lumber com- pany in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and after working three years went to Sioux City, Iowa, where he had headquarters until the winter of 1866. During that time he made several trips to Fort Pierre and Fort Abercrombie, where he remained until the spring of 1866. He then went to Devil's Lake in charge of supplies for a company who were cutting up hay. Our subject had thirty-six wagons of provis- ions, and did an extensive trading with the Indians. In the fall of that year he went to Fort Ransom, and clerked in a sutler's store

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during the winter, and in March returned to Fort Abercrombie, where he built a boat and, after putting in a stock of provisions, ran down the Red river to the mouth of Goose river, where he took a claim and remained until the fall of 1886. He was the first set- tler in the county, and his nearest neighbors were at a distance of thirty-five miles. Twenty-five miles to the south there was an Indian mission, but the country did not begin to settle up until 1875. When the county was organized he was the first county clerk and register of deeds, which position he held for five years. During the first summer of his settlement he got out logs, and was then employed by the Hudson Bay Company to take charge of a store in Georgetown, where he remained from June until the next October. In July, 1873, he joined a survey- ing party going to Yellowstone Park. This party had an escort, of 800 soldiers and a bat- tery, and had a number of sharp engagements with the Indians in Sitting Bull's country, through which they passed. At one time our subject went up the Missouri and pur- chased 800 buffalo hides, and on his return they were attacked by the Indians. They were closely pursued, but were rescued by a party of cavalry. In 1886 he removed to Hillsboro, as before stated, and since that time has been connected with the hotel interests of that place.

Mr. Weston was married in 1858 to Miss Hannah Hawkes, the daughter of James and Mary Hawkes. James Hawkes was a vet- eran of the noted First Minnesota Infantry. This union has been blessed with three children-Frederick, Edward and William. Mrs. Weston passed away in Minneapolis in September, 1864. On the 3d day of January, 1883, our subject was married, the second time, to Miss Elizabeth McDonald, the daughter of Peter and Catharine (McMullen) McDonald, natives of Scotland. Mr. and Mrs. Weston have been blessed with the

following-named children-Walter, Oscar, Thomas and Elizabeth, who died in the summer of 1888. Frederick, who now lives in California, married Rhoda Smith. Mr. Weston takes an active interest in all local matters. He is an exemplary citizen, and is highly esteemed by all who know him.

REDERICK JAMES TRIPP, the subject of this biographical memoir, is a resi- dent of the town of Warren, Marshall county, Minnesota, where he is engaged in the livery business. He is a native of Canada, born in Prescott, Ontario, Canada, on the 13th of August, 1849, and is the son of Frederick and Margaret (McGrall) Tripp, natives of England and Ireland, respectively. When our subject was quite young his father died, and he remained with his mother on the old homestead until October, 1860, when they removed to the United States and located in Hastings, Minnesota. From there they removed to Dundas, in Rice county, Minnesota, where they remained about twenty years.

Mr. Tripp, the subject of this article, secured work in the Dundas Flour Mills when he was fifteen years old. After serv- ing five years as an apprentice he worked six months as a journeyman. At the expiration of that time he learned the cooper's trade, and after working for five years at the trade went into the livery busi- ness. After four years he sold out and one year later, in 1881, removed to Marshall county, Minnesota, where he homesteaded 160 acres and took a tree claim of a like number of acres. He proved up on the homestead and remained five years, engaged in successful farming and stock-raising During this time he had resided in the vil- lage of Warren in the winters, and in 1886 settled there permanently, and in the fall

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Illustrated album of biography of the famous valley of the Red River of the North and the park regions of Minnesota and North Dakota : containing biographical sketches of settlers and representative citizens, Part 104

Author: Alden, Ogle & Company Publication date: 1889 Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Alden, Ogle & Company Number of Pages: 872

Author: Alden, Ogle & Company
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Alden, Ogle & Company
Number of Pages: 872