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 18
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 18
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and from this place again removed, settling at Herman, Grant county, Minnesota. In January, 1883, he opened an office in Herman, and at once began his professional life in this Western town. He has since been engaged in his medical work, and now commands a large and increasing practice. He is rec. ognized as one of the leading medical prac- titioners in that region of the State, and is a man of careful judgment and honest decision.
Dr. Hand was united in marriage on the 30th of March, 1885, to Miss Jennie Hugunin, a native of Minnesota, and now the mother of one child, Lillia May. Mrs. Hand is a graduate of the excellent high school at Owatonna, Steele county, Minnesota, and prior to her marriage was a school teacher by profession. Dr. Hand is one of the promi- nent citizens of Grant county, and takes an active interest in all local and public affairs. He is a republican in his political belief and has held the offices of recorder, deputy coroner, health officer, etc. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity and one of the leading and influential men of Herman vil- lage.
ORMAN A. BASSETT, a prominent and prosperous farmer of section 35, Moland township, Clay county, Minne- sota, is a native of Pennsylvania. He was born in Bradford county, March 10,. 1820, and is a son of John and Clar- issa (Kellogg) Bassett, natives of Rhode Island and Vermont, respectively. The father was a farmer, tanner and boot and shoe manufacturer. He settled in Penn- sylvania in an early day and was married there. His death occurred June 27, 1842, and his wife died in 1881 at the advanced age of ninety-six years. There were nine children in the family-John W., Charles R., Orville P., Sarah A. (now Mrs. Aldrich),
Chauncy, Susan (the wife of Mr. Todd), Norman A. (our subject), and Julia C. (mar- ried to Mr. Cogshell). Two of the family are ' deceased.
Norman, the subject of this memoir, spent. his early childhood on a farm. When he was eight years of age the family removed to East Smithfield, Pennsylvania, where he attended the common school until he was sixteen years of age. He then entered his brother's wagon shop, and after remaining as an apprentice to that trade for some eighteen months, he entered in the milling. business with his father. He was engaged in this until 1843, when he moved into northern Illinois, and from there went to Lee county, Iowa, remaining with his brother, Samuel, during the winter. He. then returned to Illinois, settling in Carthage, Hancock county, where he remained six months. He next settled in Boone county, Illinois, where he followed his trade until 1851. While in Carthage, Illinois, Mr. Bassett was a witness to the death of Joseph Smith, the Mormon, and at that time he (Mr. Bassett) was a member of the Carthage Guards, and doubtless he is the only person now living who witnessed the killing of that notorious personage. In 1851 Mr. Bassett. removed to Independence, Iowa, and pur- chased ninety acres of land near that place. He then engaged in general farming, and also worked at his trade, until he moved to Chatham, Iowa, where he remained about five years. He next removed to Clay county, Minnesota, and settled on the land which composes his present residence, and where he has lived ever since. He was one of the earliest settlers in his township, and has done. a great deal to promote all public and educa- tional interests.
Mr. Bassett was united in marriage, in 1849, to Miss Keziah Hale, who was born in East Smithfield, Pennsylvania, and is a daughter of Mason and Almira (King) Hale.
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RED RIVER VALLEY AND
They came west in 1842, and settled near Belvidere, Boone county, Illinois, where the father was engaged in farming for a number of years. They next removed to Waterloo, Iowa, where the mother died in 1870, and the father in 1883. Mr. and Mrs. Bassett are the parents of the following children -- Florence II. (now Mrs. Spragg), Clara O., N. Arthur, John M., Franklin H., Charles A., C. Howard, Bertha M. (the wife of Mr. William Osborn), and Julia M. Franklin is teaching in Japan, and Florence, Clara and Bertha were all school teachers.
Mr. Bassett formerly supported the repub- lican party, and was one of the delegates to the first republican convention held in the State of Iowa. At present he is an advocate of the principles of the prohibition party, and it was Mr. Bassett who cast the first and only vote for St. John for president in Mo- land township, Clay county. He has held various offices in the different localities in which he has resided, and was the first town clerk in three different townships, in three different States. He holds the office of justice of the peace in his resident township, and has helped organize three townships, one in Illinois, one in Iowa, and one in Minnesota. Mr. and Mrs. Bassett are members of the Methodist church, of which organization he is recording secretary.
- DWIN C. SCHOW, the efficient post- master at Ashby, Grant county, Min- nesota, is also engaged in the jewelry busi- ness in that place. He is a native of Nor- way, born in Varal, on the 4th day of Sep- tember, 1837, and is a son of E. C. and Guline (Johnson) Schow, natives of that same kingdom. The father of our subject immigrated to the United States in 1855 and settled in Waupun, Wisconsin, where he died in 1886. He was a farmer through life.
The mother came to this country in 1857 and died in 1861. They were the parents of thirteen children, four of whom are now living. Andrew and Christian were killed in the late Civil War. The names of the remainder are - Gilbert, Mrs. Olson, Mrs. Baulson and our subject.
Mr. Schow, the subject of this biograph- ical review, spent his school days in Christ- iania, having gone there when he was four- teen years of age. While there he learned the watchmaker's trade. Ile then followed his trade for six years and in 1857 came to the United States, and after a voyage of ten weeks landed in Quebec, Canada. He then went to Waupun, Wisconsin, where he re- mained until the time of his enlistment. In August, 1861, he enlisted in the Fifteenth Wisconsin Infantry and served until the time `of his honorable discharge in October, 1862. He entered as a private and was discharged as orderly sergeant. Mr. Schow served in the following battles - Island Number 10 and Union City, Tennessee. He was in many minor engagements and skirmishes, and was confined to the field hospital at Camp Ran- dall, Wisconsin, for some time with measles. After his discharge, he returned to Waupun, Wisconsin, where he remained a short time, and then went to Rochester, Minnesota. In the year 1882 he closed out his business and removed to Grant county, Minnesota, settling at Ashby, where he has since re- mained. As soon as he settled there he opened a grocery and jewelry store, and has since carried on those lines of trade.
Mr. Schow was married in 1863, to Miss Mattie Olson, and this union has been blessed with the following named children - Charles E., Manton, Emma, Alfred, Amanda and Nora. Charles is married and lives in Fer- gus Falls, Minnesota, engaged in the cloth- ing business. Our subject is a democrat in his political affiliations, and takes an active interest in all public matters. He, with his
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family, are devoted members of the Lutheran church. He has held various offices in the township and village, including the follow- ing - councilman, president of the village council, village treasurer and postmaster of the village since July, 1888.
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OHN H. ALSTEAD, a prominent busi- ness man of Evansville, Douglas county, Minnesota, engaged in the real estate and insurance business in that place, is a native of Norway. He was born in Roraas in 1849, and is the son of Iver and Ingeborg (Ode- gaard) Alstead, natives of that kingdom. The father came to the United States in 1856, and is now living in Douglas county, Minnesota.
John H. Alstead remained in his native land until about nineteen years of age, when he came to the United States. Up to the age of fourteen years he attended school, and then secured a position as clerk, which he held until he left his native land. In 1869 he embarked in a steamer bound for the United States, and after a voyage of eleven days landed in Quebec, Canada. From there he went to Detroit, Michigan, then to Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, and from there to Red Wing, Minnesota, by the Mississippi river. During the next fall he hired out to a farmer, and in the winter attended school, also clerking a few months for a Mr. Monson. Mr. Alstead then went to St. Paul, Minnesota, where he hired out as clerk to a manufacturing company. Remaining in their employ until 1877, he went to Douglas county, Minnesota, and located at Evansville, and for six months was on a farm with his father. He then established himself in the pump business in Evansville, afterward adding flour, farm implements, buggies, cutters, etc. In 1879 he opened the first real estate and insurance
office in that place, in which business he has since been engaged.
Mr. Alstead was united in marriage, in 1873, to Miss Anna C. Johnson, a native of Sweden. By this union two children have been born - Henry E. and Victor H. Mr. Alstead, with his family, belongs to the Lutheran church. - Ile is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, and is an adherent to the principles of the demo- cratic party. He is a man highly honored and esteemned by all who know him, and has held the offices of justice of the peace for six years and township clerk for four years. He is also notary public.
HARLES C. KNAPPEN is the enter- prising editor and proprietor of The Bulletin, of Fisher. He is the son of James G. and Elizabeth (Hulburt) Knappen, natives of New York. He was born in Columbia county, Wisconsin, February 15, 1861, where he remained with his parents until he was seven years old, at which time they moved to Iowa, where they remained one year and a half, and then removed to Minnesota and settled in Albert Lea. Here Charles remained with his parents about six years, when he com- menced learning the trade of printer with Woodard & Foss, editors of the Wells Ad- vocate. After remaining one year with them he went to Albert Lea for a short time, and then to Clear Lake, where he was engaged in the office of the Clear Lake Mirror. While in Albert Lea he, with Frank Pierce, issued his first paper, called The Will 'o the Wisp. After remaining in the Clear Lake Mirror office one year under instruction, he went to Lake Mills and ran a paper there for a period of six months, then returned to Albert Lea and ran the North Star a short time, after which he was engaged for six months in Minneapolis, with Johnson, Smith & Harri-
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RED RIVER VALLEY AND
son, book publishers. He then went to Em- erson, Manitoba, and worked in the office of the Daily International for some time, and in 1881 went to the Rocky mountains as a correspondent for different papers. He was thus engaged for one year, and then, after visiting different places for six months, he went to Fergus Falls, working in the office of the Daily Telegraph six months; from there he went to Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, and was there and at Eau Claire engaged in newspaper work for one year and a half ; from there he went to Superior and ran the Inter-Ocean one and a half years, at which time he came to Fisher, where he is now en- gaged in the same business. He has made the Bulletin a grand success, its circulation being now about 700, which speaks well for the business qualities of its enterprising and popular editor and proprietor.
Mr. Knappen was married at Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, September 2d, 1886, to Miss Etta G. Butler, the daughter of Aaron and Adrien (Edwards) Butler, natives of Maine.
The subject of this sketch affiliates with the republican party.
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ZRA G. VALENTINE, a leading and prominent attorney at law in Breck- enridge, Wilkin county, Minnesota, is a native of the State of New York. He was born on a farm near Attica, Wyoming county, New York, on the 9th day of August, 1847, and is the son of Solomon and Maria (Goodell) Valentine, natives of Wash- ington and Erie counties, New York, respect- ively. The grandparents of our subject on his mother's side were John and Ruth Good- ell, natives of Erie county, New York, and were engaged in the pursuit of farming. They were excellent people, and devoted members of the Baptist church. The other
grandparents of Mr. Valentine were Solo- mon and Mary Valentine, natives of Wash- ington county, New York. The father of the subject of this article was a practical mechanic by trade, and carried on this indus- try in Ripon, Wisconsin, to which place he had removed in 1857. He was engaged at the wagon maker's and blacksmith's trades in that place, and remained there until his death, which occurred in September, 1876. The mother of Mr. Valentine is still living at Ripon, Wisconsin. They had a family of the following named children-Chancy B., attorney at law in Parker, Dakota Territory ; Professor William H. II., of Chicago, Illi- nois, in Bryant & Stratton's college ; Annie, now Mrs. L. B. Everdell, her husband a law- ver of Breckenridge, Minnesota ; Josephine S., the wife of Mr. J. M. Beach, the State agent of Wisconsin for the Wheeler & Wil- son Sewing Machine Company ; Ezra G., the subject of this memoir, and Ella M., who married Mr. King, a conductor on the rail- road, and a resident of Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The entire family consisted of fourteen chil- dren, five of whom died in infancy, and one at the age of five years. A seventh one died at the age of twelve years. The rest grew to man and womanhood, and the above named are those now living.
Mr. Valentine, of whom this sketch treats, was placed in the school-room at the early age of four years. He first attended the schools at Varysburg, near Attica, New York, and at the age of ten years removed with his parents to Ripon, Wisconsin, where he attended the graded schools, and later entered Ripon College. IIe then attended Beloit College, in Wisconsin, and, after taking a thorough classical course, was graduated in 1869. After his graduation he was em- ployed in the State School of Wisconsin for the Deaf and Dumb, as teacher, for four years, and a portion of this time was in charge of the institution. Later he was
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PARK REGIONS OF MINNESOTA.
engaged as instructor in the Indiana School for the Deaf and Dumb, located at Indian- apolis, and was connected with that school for three years. During the seven years he was employed in the two institutions he studied law, and the last year of teaching read under General Harrison, President of the United States. Leaving Indianapolis, he removed to Chicago, Illinois, and entered the law office of Bonfield, Swezey & Smith, and was admitted to the bar in 1877. Dur- ing the same year he opened an office on his own account in Chicago, and remained there until December, 1882, when he removed to Breckenridge, Minnesota, and entered into partnership with L. B. Everdell. This firm continued until May 1, 1884, when the partnership was dissolved, and Mr. Val- entine opened an office on his own ac- count.
On the 1st of September, 1885, he, with F. E. Kenaston and J. A. Nelson, started a bank in Breckenridge, under the name of Wilkin County Bank. In June, 1888, he and others established the Barnesville State Bank, of which institution he is now one of the direct- ors. Mr. Kenaston has charge of the Wil- kin County Bank, and J. A. Nelson is cashier of the Barnesville bank. Both of these gen- tlemen are noticed at length elsewhere in this ALBUM. Mr. Valentine is the attorney for both of these banks, and has a large and increasing practice. He is an able and suc- cessful lawyer and a careful business man. He owns a good deal of landed property in Wilkin county, Minnesota, and also in Da- kota, and is vice-president of the Wahpeton Telephone Company, of which he is also cor- poration attorney. He also attends to a great deal of legal business for a number of corporations.
Ile is the chairman of the permanent committee of fifteen, who were chosen at a convention held at Crookston, Minnesota, to devise a system of drainage for the Red River Valley counties in Minnesota,
including the counties of Marshall, Polk, Norman, Clay and Wilkin.
Our subject was married on the 4th of June, 1879, at Chicago, Illinois, to Miss Ber- tha M. Alden, and their union has been blessed by the advent of three children- James Alden and Blanche M., both now living, and Maude Josephine Valentine, who died in infancy. Mrs. Valentine was born at Wilmington, Illinois, and is a daughter of James F. Alden, formerly a merchant of Boston, Massachusetts, and afterward mana- ger of the credit department for A. T. Stew- art, the dry goods king of Chicago and New York City.
In conclusion, it is but just to say that Mr. Valentine is one of the most prominent and substantial citizens of Breckenridge. He is the president of the village council, has also held the office of school clerk for a number of years and filled various other local posi- tions. Every enterprise calculated to benefit his town or county has always received his hearty support and cooperation, and no man has been more prominently identified with the growth and development of Breck- enridge than has he.
ON. IRA B. MILLS, judge of the Fourteenth judicial district, embrac- ing Becker, Clay, Norman, Polk, Marshall, Kittson and Beltrami counties, is a native of Orange county, New York, born January 14, 1851. His parents were William and Julia (Houston) Mills, who were natives of Scotchi- town, Orange county, New York. William's father was Samuel, who married Esther Still, and they were both born in Orange eounty. Julia Houston's father was John G., and her mother Susan (Bronson) Hous- ton, of the same county in New York above named. The father was a thrifty farmer, and he served in the War of 1812. These
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families were all possessed of good fortunes, and stood among the best of New York families.
William Mills had a family of three chil- dren, two of whom are now living - Judge Ira B. and his sister, Susan E. The father and his wife went to Petersburgh, Virginia, and settled, living retired until his death.
Our subject, Ira B., was reared on his parents' farm, until he was fourteen years of age. He was a graduate of Wallkill Acad- emy, Orange county, New York, in 1867. After leaving the school-room he clerked in a large grocery and feed store for a period of one year, after which he studied law with A. V. N. Powelson. Later on he attended the Albany law school, and was admitted to the bar in May, 1872. He practiced in Port Jarvis, . Orange county, New York, until 1881, when he saw broader and more promis- ing fields in the growing West, and came to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he lived six months, and in 1882 removed to Moorhead. Here he practiced law with much success until 1886, when the people of his district elected him to the office of district judge, which place he still holds to the greatest satisfaction of all. Previous to his election he was a law partner of the firm of Burn- ham, Mills & Tillotson. In the East he had served as city attorney for two years, and otherwise taken a prominent part in public affairs.
He was married September 17, 1874, to Miss Isadore Backus, of Ashford, Connecti- cut, the daughter of S. S. Backus. Mr. and Mrs. Mills have one son - Ernest B.
Politically, our worthy subject is a repub- lican, yet it may be said that he has made law his theme, more than politics, hence his success in his chosen profession. He belongs to the order of Odd Fellows and also the Knights of Pythias. In the legal profession no man in all the great Northwest stands higher than Judge Mills.
OHN PETERSON LEE, one of the prom- inent and respected members of the farming community of Grant county, Min- nesota, is the subject of this biographical sketch, a resident of section 7, Sanford township, where he is engaged in a general farming and stock-raising business. He is a native of Norway, born in the year 1836, and is a son of Peter Hermanson and Sarah (Lee) Hermanson, natives also of Norway. The parents emigrated to the United States at an early day and settled in Dane county, Wisconsin. They were farmers and the parents of the following named children- Herman, Nels, Isabelle and John.
John Peterson Lee, the subject of this sketch, spent his school days in Dane county, Wisconsin, where he had settled in infancy. He left school at the age of eighteen years. After leaving school he worked at general farming in Wisconsin and Minnesota until he enlisted. Special mention should here be made of the war record of the present sub- ject. He enlisted at Goodhue county, Min- nesota, in 1861, in the Tenth Minnesota In- fantry, Company D, under Captain Phelps, and was with General Sibley's expedition, which started out from Fort Snelling, going up the Minnesota river, then to Devil's Lake along the Missouri river and back to St. Paul. He then went to New York City, and in 1863 enlisted in the navy and served one year. After his discharge he returned to Wisconsin, and remained there about one year. He next went to Goodhue county, Minnesota, where he spent another year. Then he came to Stillwater, where he was employed for two years in rafting on the Mississippi river. He then went to Minneap- olis, Minnesota, where he remained one year, working in a lumber yard. He then re- moved .to Alexandria, Douglas county, Minnesota, where he was married and re- mained one year. Then he settled on his present farm in Sanford township, Grant
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PARK REGIONS OF MINNESOTA.
county, Minnesota. He was the first set- tler of his township, and did the first break- ing of the prairie soil.
For six months he was teaming between St. Cloud and Ft. Abercrombie, and then settled at farming, at which he has been en- gaged ever since. He is one of the promi- nent farmers of the town and county, highly esteemed by all who bear his acquaintance.
Mr. Lee was united in marriage in Octo- ber, 1868, to Miss Bergitha M. Holnig, a na- tive of Norway and now the mother of one child-Sophia.
Mr. Lee, with his family, belongs to the Lutheran church, and is one of the most favorably known families in the township. Mr. Peterson Lee is a republican in his polit- ical affiliations, and takes an active part in all public and local affairs.
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ILLIAM S. MOLES is a leading real estate dealer in Alexandria, Doug- las county, Minnesota. His careful, honor- able and energetic business qualities have earned for him an excellent reputation in the place where he resides.
He was born in Cumberland, in the north of England, in the year 1834, and his parents were Jolın and Elizabeth (Stephenson) Moles, his father being a native of Dumfries, Scot- land, and his mother being born in Cumber- land, England. His father was an expert machinist, and was foreman of a large manu- factory in England for a number of years. In the year 1837 the family left old England to seek homes in the United States. After a very tempestuous voyage of thirteen weeks on the Atlantic, they reached Mobile, Ala- bama, where they resided for one year. They then removed to the State of Illinois, locating in Peoria county, some twenty-five miles west of Peoria city, where the father built the first grist mill that was erected in
that part of the country. After carrying on the milling business and farming for some four years the father sold out and removed to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, whence he returned to Peoria, Illinois, in 1845. He died at the latter place in 1847. The mother died in Marshall county, Illinois, in 1872. They had a family of six children, three of whom died in infancy ; those living are William S .; Elizabeth, now Mrs. Herder, of Fergus Falls, Minnesota, and Samuel T. Moles, of Duluth, Minnesota.
The subject of our sketch was raised on a farm, receiving but a limited school educa- tion. He has, however, supplemented that by careful and systematic study in later years, and is well read on all general subjects. At the age of sixteen years he became a clerk in what is known as a general store, where he remained till he was twenty-two years old, after which he opened a mercan- tile business for himself in Marshall county, Illinois, continuing the business until 1860. He sold out and engaged in the real estate and insurance business, wherein he was very successful until 1870, at which time he sold out the business and good-will thereof.
In 1872 he removed to Alexandria, Doug- las county, Minnesota, where he took the position of book-keeper and general business manager for the Hon. William E. Hicks, now deceased, who was the owner of a large amount of real estate, including the Alexan- dria town site, Alexandria steam mills and other valuable business property.
In 1856 Mr. Moles was married to Miss Margaret J. Runnells, who was born in Dear- born county, Indiana. They have three children living-John R., Samuel D. and William H., the first two named being at present engaged in the mercantile business in Alexandria, under the firm name of Moles Bros. In 1871 the mother died. In 1873 Mr. Moles was again married, to Miss Martha Snetting, of Alexandria, the issue of this
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