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 105

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 105
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 105

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of 1887 opened a livery stable in partnership with J. W. Harris. They remained together until March, 1888, when Mr. Tripp bought out his partner's interest, and also bought the business of Mr. Bolton, who was also engaged in the livery business in the vil- lage. Since March, 1888, our subject has been running one of the best livery stables in the county keeping twelve excellent roadsters.

Mr. Tripp was married in Dundas, Decem- ber 26, 1870, to Miss Almeda Empey, and this union has been blessed with the follow- ing-named children-Robert, Nellie and Phillip. Our subject and his family belong to the Episcopal church. He is one of the solid and prominent business men of the place, and any laudable home enterprise re- ceives his hearty support. . He is the village constable, and has held other offices in the township, town clerk, etc. He is a man of the strictest integrity.

ON. LARS. K. AAKER, ceiver of the United States land office at Crookston, Minnesota, is a native of Norway,born Sep- tember 19, 1825, and remained in his native land until he was twenty years old. In 1845 lie emigrated to the United States and lo- cated in Dane county, Wisconsin, and for the succeeding few years worked for his father. In 1850 he engaged in farming and for seven years was a prominent and repre- sentative citizen of Dane county, Wisconsin. In 1857 he removed to Goodhue county, Minnesota, where he pre-empted a farm in Holden township, and in 1859 was elected to the State legislature, and was re-elected in 1861. Before the legislature convened, however, he enlisted in defense of his country in Company D, Third Minnesota In- fantry, serving until the spring of 1862, when, on account of disability, he resigned. He

then returned to his claim and met with the extra session of the legislature. In 1867 he was again elected to the legislature, and re-elected in 1869. In the spring of 1869 he was appointed receiver of the land office at Alexandria, in which office he remained until 1875, when he was suspended for political reasons by W. S. King. In 1874, in part- nership with M. L. Johnson, he established a general store in Alexandria, and soon after purchased Mr. Johnson's interest, and in 1879 took in another partner. Our subject still retains his business interests in that place. In 1880 he was elected to the State senate from the Thirty-ninth Senatorial Dis- trict, and served a term of four years. In August, 1884, he was appointed receiver of the land office in Crookston, which position he still holds. Mr. Aaker has always been an active and prominent adherent to the republican party, and in 1856 was a delegate to the first republican convention held in Wisconsin. He is one of the first and lead- ing citizens in the Northwest, and his name is indissolubly connected with the political and official history of the State.

B ARTHELMY SIVIGNY is a carpenter and a leading citizen of Red Lake Falls, Polk county, Minnesota. He was born in Quebec, July 28, 1859, and is a son of Oliva Sivigny, also a native of Quebec. Bartheliny's mother died when he was quite a small child, and he lived with his grand- father until he was nine years old. He then came to Minnesota with Francis Bedard, who settled near Benson, Swift county, on a large farm. Here he remained until he was twenty-one years of age, when Mr. Bedard gave him a farm of 160 acres. He worked the farm during one season, then rented it and went to Benson to learn the carpenter's trade. He continued at work in Benson

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until the spring of 1888, when he sold his farm and removed to Red Lake Falls. He bought twelve lots, upon one of which is a two-story building 20x30 feet and well built.

October 22, 1888, at Benson, Mr. Sivigny was married to Miss Carrie Cota, a daughter of Francis Cota, who now lives with her. Her mother died some years since.

Mr. Sivigny is one of the most competent mechanics in his line in the city. In all his building work he has proven himself a man of practical ideas and possessed of a thor- ough knowledge of the details of his trade. Himself and wife are members of the Catholic church.

NDREW WALKER, who is engaged in the loan and real estate business in Grafton, North Dakota, is a native of Canada. He was born near Lindsay, On- tario, Canada, January 12, 1832, and is the son of John and Catharine (McDonagh) Walker, natives of Ireland.

Mr. Walker remained at home, attending the district schools and assisting his father on the home farm until he was sixteen years old, when he commenced in life for himself. At the age of twenty-three, after assisting his father from the age of sixteen, he took an adjoining farm, and for the next twenty- three years was engaged in general farming operations. He then removed to Essex county, Ontario, where he farmned for four years, when he emigrated to the United States, and in May, 1882, located in Graf- ton and made arrangements for locating and building. He then returned and brought his family in August, 1882. In the fall of 1882 he engaged in the brick-yard business, and in 1885 embarked in the loan business, in which he has since been engaged. In 1886 he took his nephew into partnership and they have since remained together. In addi-

tion to this business he is actively engaged in the real estate business, owning consider- able land and building property in the neighborhood and village. He is highly esteemed by all who know him.

JOHN GIERIET, proprietor of the Tremont House at Grand Forks, North Dakota, is one of the most popular and best-known hotel men in the Red River Valley. He was born in Tavetsch, Switzerland, February 6, 1829, and is a son of Jacob and Barbara Catherina (Berter) Gieriet. His father was a hotel keeper, mayor of the city and sena- tor from the district in which he lived-and in fact he held some city office during most of his life. Our subject remained at home and attended the common schools until nine years of age, when he took a three years' course at Dasatas College. He then for four years was at Chur, State of Graubünden, Switzerland ; then returned home. At this time the rebellion was in progress in Switz- erland, and his father, who was a member of the legislature and a very prominent man, of course made many political enemies. Some of these circulated the report that he (our subject's father) was a traitor, and he was tried and fully vindicated and further honored before the legislature. During this rebellion our subject carried dispatches between the armies. It was dangerous and perilous work, as he was required to cross the mountains through a hostile country in the night. He went as often as four times a week for three weeks, and received $25 per trip. After remaining at home about two months he went to Lyons, France, by coach. He could not speak French and hired out in a hotel to wash dishes. He soon learned to speak the language and was promoted to waiter, then head waiter, and held this position for nine months in Café La

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Perle. He then went into the Hotel Impe- rial as head waiter, and a short time later became head clerk and steward. He served in this responsible position for seven years, attending to all the buying, and during the last three years he had entire charge of the whole house during the summers, the pro- prietor being away. In 1854 he came to the United States, and first stopped in New York City, where, on the second day after his arrival, he secured a position as waiter in the Germania Club, in the Bowery, an organiza- tion composed of importing merchants. Nine months later, through the kindness of the president of this club, he was introduced to General Thomas, and was engaged by him to go to Washington, District of Columbia, as his steward, remaining with him for thirteen months. The general wanted him to accompany him to France, but he declined and General Thomas secured him the position of steward in the White House for President Franklin Pierce. He remained in the White House until one year after the beginning of Buchanan's administration. Mr. Gieriet then went to Stillwater, Minnesota, and a short time later bought the Minnesota House, which he ran for about three years. He then sold out and went to Hastings and bought the Minnesota House there, which he ran nearly four years, when he sold and returned to Stillwater, re-purchased his old house and ran it for two years. At the expiration of that time he started the Star Billiard Hall, which he ran for some time. About four years later he went to Minneapolis and for two years was engaged in the grocery business, losing some $7,000 by this transaction. Selling out he went to St . Paul and started a saloon, which he ran for eight months, then sold and returned to Stillwater, where he opened a saloon and restaurant, which he ran for seven or eight months. He then sold out and went to the Black Hills, prospecting, and opened a saloon at Miles City. After

five months he was taken sick and went to Bismarck, where he started a restaurant and remained for seven or eight months. He then sold out and went to Fargo, where he opened the first fruit stand in the city, it being called "The California John." He also built the first ice house in Fargo, and remained in business there for about four years. He then took his sick son to the mountains of Colorado prospecting, and while there took several claims and still owns several of them. After remaining there one summer he returned to Fargo and started a saloon and restaurant in the Union block. After two years he sold out and went to Red Lake Falls, Minnesota, where he bought property and erected, fur- nished and opened a hotel at a cost of $14,- 000. As the business did not pay, eighteen months later he closed his hotel, shipped his furniture to Duluth, and opened what was known as the Hotel La Perle, which he conducted for about two years. At the expiration of this time he returned o his hotel at Red Lake Falls and eighteen months later, in December, 1887, shipped his furniture to Grand Forks, Dakota. A few months later he leased the Tremont House, and furnished and opened it. He still runs this hotel, which is one of the best in this region, and has an excellent trade. He still owns the hotel at Red Lake Falls.

Mr. Gieriet was married January 27, 1859, to Miss Mary Genelin, who died in Still- water, October 31, 1876, leaving the follow- ing children-Andrew, Katy and Nellie. Andrew and Katy are deceased.

Mr. Gieriet was married a second time in Fargo, June 28, 1881, to Miss Mascalin Burn- ham, a daughter of Gilbert and Melvina (Rubert) Burnham. Her father was a sol- dier for three years in the Union army dur- ing the Rebellion. After he was honorably discharged he was poisoned and robbed, but reached home before he died.

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ENRY T. WALKER is a resident of the village of Buffalo, Wright county, Minnesota, where he is engaged in the mili- ing business. He is a native of Canada, born in Hawksburg, Ontario, on the 14th day of September, 1832, and is the son of William and Agnes (Cunningham) Walker.

Mr. Walker, the subject of this bio- graphical article, received his education in the excellent schools of his native land. After leaving the school-room he learned the miller's and carpenter's trade. In 1856 he removed to the United States and located in St. Paul, Minnesota, on the 14th day of Octo- ber, 1856. He removed to Hastings, Minne- sota, where he remained until March, 1857, then starting for Forest City, stopping two weeks at Monticello. On the 8th of March he arrived in Forest City, where he took charge of the steam saw-mill for J. H. Robinsan, and also worked at the carpenter's trade. On the 28th of July he went to St. Paul, where he paid a visit and again returned to Forest City, where he remained in charge of the mill until the winter. Early in 1858 he returned to Canada, where he remained five years. At the expiration of that time he returned to Minnesota and located at Monticello, where he worked three years on the construction of the Sioux City Railroad, and then proved up on his homestead in Meeker county.

In 1877 he took a saw-mill outfit and crew and went to the Black Hills, and after running it one season returned across the plains, sold out, and removed to Buffalo, Wright county, Minnesota, where he pur- chased an interest in a saw-mill. He also operated a saw-mill for three years and then moved to Minneapolis, where he lived until the fall of 1888, then returning to Buffalo, where he has since remained.

Mr. Walker was married January 1, 1858, to Miss Ann B. Byrant, and this union has been blessed with eight children-Agness,

Melissa, Charity and Narcissa (twins), Adelaide, Ambrose, William and Stewart.

Our subject and wife are members of the Universalist and Methodist church, respec- tively. Politically he affiliates with the democratic party. He is actively interested in local enterprises, and is highly esteemed by all who know himn.

ON. C. L. BROWN, of Morris, Min- nesota, is judge of the district court of the Sixteenth Judicial District, and is one of the most prominent citizens of northern Minnesota. He was born in Goshen, New Hampshire, and is a son of Hon. John H. Brown, of Willmar, now judge of the Twelfth Judicial District and one of the most able jurists in the West. Our subject entered his father's office in boyhood, and it may be said has spent his life in legal study and associa- tion. He was admitted to the bar in 1876 and opened an office in Willmar, Minnesota, removing in July, 1878, to Morris. In March, 1887, he was appointed judge of the district. He is a genial, warm-hearted gen- tleman, one of the best read lawyers in the State, a hard student, and his record on the bench has been highly creditable to himself and satisfactory to all concerned.

R. EVERETT W. FISH, of Glenwood, editor and proprietor of the Central Minnesotian, is one of the most highly edu- cated, intelligent and able men in that part of the State. He is a native of Living- ston county, New York, born December 2, 1845, and is a son of David B. and Pru- dentia (Pattison) Fish, who were natives, respectively, of New York and Vermont. The father was engaged in the mercantile business for years in New York, and later in

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the wholesale tea trade in Detroit, and died in Michigan in 1886. The mother died in Canada in 1847. They were the parents of two sons-Everett W. and Charles P. The latter died in New York City.

Everett W. lived with his grandparents, Dr. and Mrs. Pattison, from the time he was four years of age, attending school and receiving an excellent education. He was graduated from the Union Seminary at Ypsilanti in 1863, and prepared for the uni- versity at the State Normal. Before finish- ing his university course, however, he took a scientific course in the medical and labo- ratory department, spending six years of faithful work and study in this. institution. In his youth he learned the printing busi- ness, and when eighteen years old became an editor on the staff of the Detroit Daily Free Press. Subsequently he published the Cincinnati Medical Advance and became the professor of chemistry in the Pulte Medical College of Cincinnati. He also published his text book on qualitative analysis. After practicing medicine for five or six years he was called to Chicago to publish the scien- tific monthly, the Illustrated Cosmos. Within this time he had brought out the first two editions of his work on the Great Pyramid of Egypt, and translated what is known as the Taurian Myth. For some fifteen years he was an invalid from a surgical disease, and devoted his time to scientific study and to the translation of antiquarian work and inscriptions, often taking the lecture field for scientific societies. , In 1881 he was subjected to a surgical operation at the hands of the celebrated Dr. Gunn, of Chicago, which was successful, and he was restored to active life again. Upon his recovery he went West to engage in out-door pursuits and invested in a stock ranch on the Missouri bottoms, in western Iowa. This he followed for three years, but did not meet with finan- cial success. In the winter of 1886-87 he

was invited to visit Glenwood, Pope county, Minnesota, to publish a paper, and seeing a fine opening he established the Central Min- nesotian in the following May. He is an energetic, enterprising man, a forcible writer and thoroughly conversant with all the details of the newspaper business. He has met with merited success.

Dr. Fish was married in 1871 to Miss Elizabeth A. Patterson, a daughter of Hon. J. C. Patterson, a prominent politician and canal shipper of Brockport, New York, and later of Michigan. Both Mr. and Mrs. Fish are people of high literary attainments, education and refinement, and are held in high esteem. Dr. Fish is one of the most able and forcible writers in the State, and his paper is as widely known and quoted as any journal in the Northwest.

HOMAS HAWLEY CANFIELD. No man is more worthy of an extended and creditable notice in a volume devoted to the eminent men of northern Minnesota than Thomas H. Canfield, who will form the subject of our present article. He is a resi- dent of Lake Park, Minnesota, although on account of extensive interests in Burlington, Vermont, much of his time is spent in the East. A history of his life is, to a great extent, a history of the inception and inau- guration of that great enterprise, the North- ern Pacific Railroad, as he was one of the founders, and to him, more than to any other one man, was due its organization and getting it into some practical form and sys- tem in its early days. He has, therefore, been closely identified with the growth and devel- opment of the Northwest, and his name is indissolubly associated with the history of both State and Nation. A man of broad ideas, wonderful vitality and energy, incon- querable will and indefatigable perseverance,

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the history of the gigantic enterprises which he has inaugurated and placed in shape for successful consummation demonstrate the characteristics of the man. A man of the strictest integrity, kind and courteous, of extensive reading and observation, together with his keen foresight and executive abili- ties, he has indelibly impressed his individu- ality upon the history of the great under- takings with which he has been connected. The generation in which we live has scarcely furnished a more worthy subject for the pen of the biographer.

GENEALOGY.

James De Philo, a French Huguenot and citizen of Normandy, France, in the six- teenth century, in reward for meritorious services to the crown of England, received honorable mention, a new cognomen and a grant of land on the river "Cam," county of Yorkshire, England, to which he removed and afterward occupied as a loyal subject of the crown. He received the cognomen of "Cam," in distinction of the land grant. Subsequently from "Cam De Philo" the name was changed in England in the six- teenth century to "Cam-philo," then to " Camphilo," and by his descendants in 1639, in New Haven, Connecticut, to "Camphield." Later in Milford, Connecticut, in 1680, to " Camfield," and still later in Milford, in 1720, to "Canfield," which has since been retained by the descendants in the United States.

One of his descendants, Thomas Canfield, and Phebe Crane, his wife, came to Milford, Connecticut, in 1646, and he died there August 22, 1689. His son Jeremiah, who was born in 1660, resided in Milford until 1727, when he removed to New Milford and died in 1739. He had ten children. The ninth son, Zerubtahel, in 1733 married Mary Bostwick, and they became the parents of eight children. Their third child, Mathew,

was born July 28, 1739, in New Milford, Connecticut, and removed to Arlington, Ben- nington county, Vermont, in 1768. For his first wife he married, November 14, 1765, Lois Hard, a daughter of James Hard, by whom he had four children. After her death he married Betsy Burton, by whom he had seven sons and one daughter. Sam- uel, the sixth son, was born in Arlington, July 2, 1792, and died September 28, 1840. He was the father of the subject of this sketch.

Now to trace the genealogy on the mother's side : Joseph Hanley, who was born in Derby- shire, England, in 1603, came to Stratford, Connecticut, and died in 1690. He had eight children, five sons and three daughters. His oldest child, Samuel, was born in Strat- ford, Connecticut, in 1647, and married for his first wife, May 20, 1673, Mary Thompson, grand-daughter of Governor Welles of Farm- ington, Connecticut. They had six sons and one daughter. After her death he married a second time, and had four sons and one daughter. He died August 24, 1734. Eph- raim, the oldest child by the second mar- riage, was born in New Milford, Connecticut, in 1690, and married, October 5, 1711, Sarah Curtiss, of Stratford, Connecticut, and removed to Arlington, Vermont, where he died in 1771, and was buried in the church- yard adjoining the church. They had eight sons and two daughters. Their oldest child, Jehiel, was born in New Milford, Connecti- cut, February 14, 1712, and married Sarah Dunning, March 30, 1731, and removed to Arlington, Vermont, about 1764. They had five sons and five daughters. Andrew, their oldest child, was born June 22, 1732, at New- town, now Bridgeport, Connecticut, and married, January 2, 1757, Ann, a daughter of James Hard. He died June 24, 1801. They had ten children-seven sons and three daughters. Eli, their oldest child, was born in New Medford, Connecticut, November 20,

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1757; removed to Arlington, Vermont, and married, November 4, 1787, Mary Jeffers of Chaleur, Lower Canada, and died at Alton, Illinois, January 19, 1850. They had four sons and one daughter, Mary Ann, who was born November 6, 1795, in New Carlisle, on bay of Chaleur, Province of Lower Canada, and was married to Samuel Canfield, in Arlington, by the Rev. Abraham Bronson, October 29, 1820, and died July 22, 1825. They had two children, one a daughter, Marion, born January 2, 1824, in Arlington, and married to the Rev. Fletcher J. Hawley, D. D., by the Right Rev. Bishop Hopkins, in Burlington, Vermont, November 2, 1853, and now residing at Lake Park, Minnesota; the other a son, Thomas Hawley Canfield, the subject of this sketch, who was born at Arlington, Bennington county, Vermont, March 29, 1822.

Vermont, especially that part west of the Green mountains, was mostly settled by peo- ple from Connecticut, commencing about 1760, who received the titles to their lands by charter from Benning Wentworth, the colonial governor of New Hampshire. Sev- eral families had come to Arlington to make it their home, among them the Can- fields, Hawleys, Hards, Allens and Bakers, the most prominent. The new settlers went on to improve their lands and fix up their new homes, when they were startled, July 20, 1764, by a decision of the crown that the territory was adjudged to be under the juris- diction of New York, supposing that the great seal of a royal governor was a sufficient guarantee that their titles were valid. Hence there arose at once the great question of the conflicting claims of New York and New Hampshire, and the territory known as Ver- mont, in which each State attempted either to control the whole or at least to divide the territory between them, and thus obliterate Vermont completely as a separate Territory and from ever becoming an independent

State in the future. This involved a long and bitter controversy between New Hamp- shire and New York, which, together with the increasing feeling among the colonies of hostility to England, placed the settlers in a very unpleasant, not to say dangerous, situ- ation. Bordering, as Vermont did, upon Canada, subject upon the slightest provoca- tion to attacks from the British, and with Lake Champlain upon her western bor- der, which was the great route of the English between New York and Montreal, her territory became the battle- ground between the three contending parties, with England upon the one hand endeavor- ing to prevent her from joining the other colonies in their movement for independence, while New York and New Hampshire de- sired to blot her out entirely. Under such circumstances the situation of a mere hand- ful of settlers was very trying as well as dangerous, and required not only great bravery, patriotism and courage but great wisdom, forethought and prudent action in the management of their affairs, bringing to the front men of the most varied ability and different views. Some turbulent spirits like Gen. Ethan Allen, Remember Baker and Col. Seth Warner were ready to declare open hostility against all the claimants, while others like Chittenden, Hawley and Canfield, of a more mild, conservative and prudent character, were disposed to move more cautiously, awaiting the development of events. Arlington was the great central point of all operations. Here was the head- quarters of the "Council of Safety," which had unlimited powers for government of the State; here resided Thomas Chittenden, its president, the George Washington of Ver- mont, who was afterward elected governor of the State for twenty years. Here lived Gen. Ethan Allen, the hero of Ticonderoga, who, with a handful of Green Mountain boys, demanded its surrender in the name of the

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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 105

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