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 26

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 26
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 26

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Mr. Cahaley spent the greater part of his

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life in the city of Brooklyn, and his younger days were spent there in obtaining an excel- lent education, attending the unrivaled schools of that city and Cornell University. In 1876 he entered the Columbia Law Col- lege, and in 1877 was graduated from that institution with high honors. After the day of his graduation, he engaged in professional life in Brooklyn and for seven years devoted the energies of body and mind upon his life's work. In 1884 he decided to seek new fields for his labors and wider scope for his talent and accordingly made a visit to the compara- tively new Northwest. Stopping at the beautiful and busy village of Barnesville, Mr. Cahaley was particularly pleased with the business prospects and pleasant surround- ings of this western town, and decided to make it his future home. In that same year and shortly after his visit, he opened an office for the practice of his profession and has since been actively engaged in a general law business, paying also special attention to real estate matters and insurance. He is a prominent man of the village and county. In political matters he is a democrat, and he was chairman of the county committee, a delegate to both the county and state con- ventions in 1888, and always takes an active interest in the party's campaigns. He is a thorough business man and his name is prominently associated with all movements calculated to benefit either the village or county. He is highly esteemed and honored by all who know him. He possesses one of the most complete and valuable law libraries in the county, comprising 400 volumes.

AMES K. VAN DOREN. Prominent among the successful business men of the famous Park Regions is the gentleman whose name heads this article, a merchant of Herman, Grant county, Minnesota.

Mr. Van Doren was born in Steuben county, New York, September 8, 1844, and is a son of Isaac O. and Sarah Maria (Bush) Van Doren. The parents were both na- tives of New York State. They settled in Wisconsin in 1854, where the mother died in 1873, and there the father is still living. The parents had a family of nine children, five boys and four girls, all of whom grew to man and womanhood - Adelaide, J. K., J. H., Alfreda, Ella, Wheeler O., Frank L., Charles L. and May.

The subject of our present sketch, J. K. Van Doren, as above indicated, spent his early boyhood days in his native State, and when about ten years of age, removed with his parents to Wisconsin, where he grew to manhood. He received a thorough practical education, and. then took a commercial course at Milwaukee, finishing his education and graduating when twenty-two years of age. He then went into the hotel business at Oshkosh, Wisconsin, for two years, with his father, and at the expiration of that time secured a position as book-keeper for a lumber firm at Butte des Morts, Wisconsin, remaining with them for four years. Clos- ing his engagement with them, in 1872 he embarked in the mercantile business at Win- neconne, Wisconsin, in partnership with George Lefaver, but, five months later, bought out the interest of his associate, and continued the business alone until 1879, when he came to Grant county, Minnesota, and engaged in the mercantile business at Herman, opening a complete stock of dry goods and general merchandise. He has since carried on the business at that point, and his upright business methods and strict integrity have won him an extensive trade, and placed him among the most prominent and reliable business men of the county in which he lives. He has extensive property interests in his region, owning several farms in Grant and adjoining counties. Liberal

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and enterprising, he has been prominently identified with the growth and development of the locality in which he lives.

Mr. Van Doren is an ex-Union soldier. He enlisted in September, 1861, in the First Wisconsin Cavalry, and served until Febru- ary, 1865, when he was honorably discharged at Madison, Wisconsin. He saw very active and severe service, and few veterans have a more creditable " war record." He partici- pated in a number of important engage- ments, besides many skirmishes, and spent over eight months in the famous Anderson- ville and other rebel prison pens of the South,

Our subject was married in 1877 to Miss Bessie I. Simmons, and they are the parents of five living children-Edward M., Earl J., Le Roy, Ward Reynolds, and Jennie M. Two are dead, Miles W., who died in 1879, aged one year, and J. K., who died in 1884, at the age of seven months. Mrs. Van Doren is a native of Bangor, Maine, and a daughter of James Simmons, a lumberman of the Pine Tree State.

Mr. Van Doren is an honored member of the Grand Army of the Republic. He has always taken an active interest in public af- fairs, and has held various local positions in the community in which he resides.

HARLES RIDLEY, the editor and pro- prietor of the Osakis Observer, in Douglas county, Minnesota, is a native of Minnesota. He was born in Wright county, on the 29th of April, 1868, and is the son of Alvah and Mary Elizabeth (Day) Ridley, natives of Maine and New York, respect- ively. After their marriage, the parents of our subject settled in Wright county, Minne- sota, where they have since lived They are the parents of the following named

children -Charlie, Effie, Willie, Georgie, Bertie, Vernon, Nellie, Elsie and Gracie.

Charles Ridley, the subject of this article. received his education in his native State, and, when fifteen years of age, entered the excellent schools in Clearwater, Wright county, Minnesota. He completed his edu- cation from that school in 1SSS. During his school attendance in Clearwater he learned the printer's trade in the vacations and odd hours of his school-days. On the 31st of October, 18SS, Mr. Ridley removed to the village of Osakis, Douglas county, Minne- sota, and leased the Osakis Observer, from H. Cossairt. Mr. Ridley has since operated the paper, and has materially improved it, both in appearance and contents. It is a bright, newsy periodical, a six-column paper, and is non-partisan. It has a large circula- tion, and is a representative newspaper of the county. Mr. Ridley is a prohibitionist in his political affiliations, and takes an active in- terest in all local affairs. Although a late set- tler in the county, he is rapidly growing into prominence, both as an editor and an exem- plary citizen. He is highly esteemed by those who know him, and is one of the ris- ing young men of the county.

ARVEY M. WEBSTER, the propri- etor of the livery, feed and sale stable in the village of Fisher, Polk county, Minnesota, is a native of Illinois. Ile was born in Rock Island, Illinois, on the 21st day of May, 1863, and is the son of Calno and Mary (Carothers) Webster, natives of Mas- sachusetts and Pennsylvania, respectively. As a sketch of the parents of the present sub- ject will be found in another department of this ALBUM, their history need not be spoken of in this connection.

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Harvey M. Webster, the subject of this biography, remained in his native State until 1865, when he removed to Wisconsin, and settled on Maxvelle Prairie. He remained at that place until 1875, when he went to Hudson Prairie, Wisconsin, where he re- mained two years, and then journeyed west- ward. He landed at St. Paul, Minnesota, and in the following spring, on the 4th day of April, 1878, removed to Polk county, Minne- sota, where he has since remained. He re- sided on the farm with his parents until he was about twenty-one years of age, and then commenced in life for himself and removed to the village of Fisher, where he estab- lished his present livery, feed and sale stable. When he first settled in Polk county, he operated a steam thresher for three years, and bought a farm of 160 acres of railroad land, which he still owns. His farm lies about two miles from the village, and is un- der good cultivation, and has the best of building improvements. He is one of the substantial and prominent business men of the village, and is highly esteemed by all who know him.

Mr. Webster was united in marriage on the 18th day of May, 1887, to Miss Jennette Brownlee, the daughter of James and Ellen (Richardson) Brownlee. Mr. Webster is a republican in his political affiliations, and evinces an active interest in all matters cal- culated to benefit either town or county.

- EORGE N. LAMPHERE, editor and proprietor of the Moorhead News, is one of the most prominent newspaper men in the Red River Valley. He was born at Mystic, New London county, Connecticut, on August 23, 1845; father's name, David; mother's, Mary Ann, oldest daughter of Dr. John B. Houche; father descended from the Scotch, mother from the French. The

subject of this sketch received his education from the common schools. He resided on a farm until his sixteenth year, when he en- tered the office of the Hartford (Connec- ticut) Post, which was published by his uncle, James M. Scofield, but before completing his trade, he enlisted for the war, joining the Sixteenth Regiment, Connecticut Volun- teers, he being at the date of his enlistment one month short of seventeen years of age. He shared the fortunes of that regiment in its every march, siege and battle, losing not a day's service or a duty until April 20, 1864, when he was wounded at Plymouth, North Carolina, and taken prisoner. His left arm was amputated while in the hands of the enemy, May 22, 1864. He remained a pris- oner of war six months, having been con- fined in Raleigh (North Carolina), in hospi- tal, Libby prison, Salisbury (North Carolina), and Columbia (South Carolina). He sur- vived the loss of his arm and all the priva- tions of prison life, and was exchanged, somewhat broken in health, in November, 1864. In the following February he was hon- orably discharged from the military service at Baltimore, Maryland. After his discharge he went to Washington, and was at once appointed a shipping clerk in the office of Captain E. S. Allen, assistant quartermaster at the wharves, foot of Sixth and Seventh streets, with a compensation of $75 per month. He was afterward transferred and promoted a clerk of Class 1, with compen- sation at the rate of $1,200 per annum, in the office of the quartermaster-general of the army, where he remained for several years and then resigned. He was a clerk also in the United States census office 1871-72. In June, 1872, he participated in the first competitive examination held under the celebrated civil service rules, and was one of four of a class of forty who received appointments as clerks of Class 1, in the treasury department, July 1, of that year, he. being assigned to

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duty in the appointment division of the office of the secretary of the treasury In less than one year thereafter he was pro- moted from Class 1 to Class 3, at $1,600 a year, on a competitive examination, and to Class +, at $1,800 a year, in January, 1875. In August, 1875, he was promoted to the position of assistant chief of the appoint- ment division, with a compensation of $2,400 a year. He served faithfully in this capacity until April, 1879, when he was elevated to the position of chief, wherein he served until January, 1882, when he resigned ; a change of administration, by the death of the great and good Garfield, the retirement of Hon. William Windom as secretary of the treas- ury, and the accession of Hon. Charles S. Folger in his place, making it agreeable for Mr. Lamphere to vacate his position.

Mr. Lamphere has read law, and has for many years been a contributor of articles for the press. He is the author of a book entitled "The United States Government," which was highly commended by distinguished au- thority as the most complete and valuable book of its kind which had ever been issued at the time it was published, in 1880. Three editions were sold, and it is now out of press.

In March, 1882, Mr. Lamphere removed with his family from Washington to Moor- head, Minnesota, where he has since resided. His first business after reaching the West was real estate and fire insurance, in which he gained moderate success.

In April, 1883, at the solicitation of lead- ing business men, he purchased the daily and weekly News, of Moorhead, the daily edition having been just previously suspended, and took charge thereof as publisher and editor, reviving the daily and publishing both daily and weekly editions. He has continued in that employment ever since.

In April, 1868, George N. Lamphere was united in marriage to Miss Sarah C. Jones, of Philadelphia. They have had born to

them eleven children, nine of whom survive, namely - Charles S., aged nineteen; George N., Jr., aged sixteen ; Nellie R., aged fifteen ; Gertrude C., aged thirteen ; Ralph Leo, aged ten ; Joseph Sherman, aged nine; Eugenie M., aged seven; Addie, aged five; and Allie, aged three. Charles, the oldest, is now foreman of the job department of the office of the Daily Chronicle, Spokane Falls, Wash- ington Territory. All the others are at home.

ILLIE N. BRONSON, a member of the firm of Bronson & Dahl, dry goods merchants in Evansville, Douglas county, Minnesota, is a native of Iowa. He was born in Wyoming, Jones county, Iowa, August 26, 1859, and is the son of Samuel M. and Anna (Nicholson) Bronson, who were natives of Connecticut and Pennsylvania, respectively. The father, who was a Con- gregational minister, received his education in New York State at Fayette University, where he was employed as a minister and teacher. He came to Douglas county, Min- nesota, in 1878, locating at Alexandria, where he was employed as a local preacher for two years. He then removed to Evans- ville, Minnesota, where he remained for some time, and then settled in Dassel, Minnesota. In the spring of 1887 he returned to Evans- ville, where he died January 27, 1888. Mrs. Anna (Nicholson) Bronson is still living, and is the mother of six children, as follows- Willie (our subject), Nellie, Stella, Gertrude, Clement H. and Oscar.

Mr. Bronson, the subject of this article, spent his school-days in Floyd, Iowa, and at the age of eighteen years graduated from the high school at that place. After teach- ing school for one year he moved to Alexan- dria, Minnesota, and for the next seven or eight years was employed as a school-teacher

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in various localities. In May, 1886, he en- gaged in his present business in the village of Evansville in partnership with Mr. Dahl. The firm is one of the strongest and best known in the village, and carry a full stock of dry goods and general merchandise. Mr. Bronson has held the office of village recorder since 1887, and is one of the enterprising and esteemed citizens of Evansville. In political matters he affiliates with the repub- lican party. Enterprising and public spirited, he takes an active part in every move calcu- lated to aid in the growth and development of the locality in which he lives, and his business capabilities, as well as his character and integrity, are unquestioned.

OHN WYVELL. Among the promi- nent and successful business men of the famous Red River and Park Regions is the gentleman of whom this memoir treats, a furniture dealer in Breckenridge, Wilkin county, Minnesota. Ile is a native of Eng- gland, born on the 14th of October, 1838, and is the son of Jolin and Rebecca (Mathews) Wyvell, natives also of that kingdom. The father, in his younger days, was a soldier in the Royal Marines, of England, and in later days followed the business of contracting. He died in 1859, and the mother of our subject passed away in 1868. They were the parents of the following named children -Mary, Elizabeth, Rebecca, Ann, John and Thomas. The family consisted of fourteen children, the above named being those who are now living.

Mr. Wyvell, the subject of this article, at- tended school in his native land up to the age of ten years. At that period in life he entered a lead, copper and silver mine, and was employed there until 1859, when he emigrated to the United States, and settled at Portage Lake, Houghton county, Michi-

igan. He engaged at mining, and remained eighteen months. At the expiration of that time he removed to Eagle Harbor and Eagle River, where he located and devoted his time to mining, clerking and contracting. In 1870 he removed to Duluth, Minnesota, and engaged at the stone mason's trade, employ- ing fourteen men and furnishing stone on contracts. He had charge of the R. G. Coburn warehouse in Superior City, and remained in that place two years and a half. He then went to Wadena, Minne- sota, and followed carpentering. He helped build the first residence which was erected in that place, and did a great deal of work for the Northern Pacific Railroad Company, building the station house at that place. A few mouths after settling there he homesteaded 120 acres, two miles west of Wadena, in Otter Tail county, and also purchased forty acres of the railroad company. He built a house, barn, granary and other out-buildings, and made general improvements on the place. He continued to reside there for nine years, engaged exten- sively and successfully in general farming and stock-raising. In 1880 Mr. Wyvell re- moved to the village of Battle Lake, built a store and house, and engaged in the mercan- tile business, following it for six years. On the 5th day of February, 1884, his house and store were totally destroyed by fire, causing a loss of $2,000. Not to be discouraged by misfortune, he rebuilt and engaged in the same business for two years. In March, 1886, he sold out, and removed his goods to Breckenridge, Wilkin county, Minnesota; purchased two lots on Fifth avenue, and erected a substantial store, 44x50 feet in size, two stories in height, and in which he has since continued to do business. He carries a full stock of furniture, and a complete line of sewing machines, pianos, organs, etc.

Mr. Wyvell was married in 1859 to Miss Jane Peardon, a native of England, and the

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daughter of William and Jane Peardon. Mr. and Mrs. Wyvell are the parents of the fol- lowing named children - John, who married Miss Bertha Torgerson ; James, married to Miss Belle Cammeron ; Mary J., Henry G., Al- bert E., Richard C. and Gilbert F. The sub- ject of this sketch, with his family, belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church, of which he is recording secretary. He is the Sunday- school superintendent, and one of the first members of the church. He is a representa- tive man of his town and county, highly esteemed by all who know him. He has held the office of clerk of the school district, and is a man of the strictest honor and integrity. Mr. Wyvell was formerly a republican in politics, but has left that party and enlisted in the ranks of the prohibition party, being a sincere temperance advocate both in practice and precept.

ILLIAM H. BARROWS, a prominent and highly esteemed farmer of Grant county Minnesota, is a resident of section 36, Logan township, where he is ex- tensively engaged in general farming and stock-raising. He is a native of Maine, born on the 12th of March, 1857, and is the son of William and Nancy (Furnell) Barrows, na- tives also of the Pine Tree State. The father and mother of our subject were mar- ried in Maine, and shortly after their mar- riage moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where they have continued to reside. The father is a member of the lumbering firm of Merriam & Barrows Brothers, of Minne- apolis. The father and mother are sympa- thizers of the Methodist Episcopal church, and are the parents of the following children -William H., Melvin P., Jessie, Lydia F. and Eddie.

William H. Barrows, the subject of this biography, spent his school-days in Minne-

apolis, and at the age of eighteen he left school and was employed by his father in surveying timber lands. After three years in this employment he was engaged as fore- man of the shipment and receiving office of the same firm with which his father was con- nected, and served in that capacity for three years. He then removed to Grant county, and in the spring of 1881 settled on section 31, Maxwell township, where he lived four years. At the expiration of the time mentioned, he located on his present place in Logan town- ship, section 36, where he has since been en- gaged in general farming and stock-raising. He owns an extensive farm of 400 acres, and the improvements make it one of the most desirable tracts of land in the township or county. He has two large barns, 44x100 feet in size, granary, two-story house, and a 132- foot tubular well of the purest and best of water.

Mr. Barrows was united in marriage on the 3d of December, 1877, to Miss Christena Dolberg, a native of Sweden, and this union has been blessed with three children-Melvin P., Vera F. and Ever. The subject of this article is a republican in his political affilia- tions, and takes a deep interest in all that party's campaigns. He is one of the repre- sentative men of his township, and while in Maxwell township held the office of chair- man of the board of supervisors. He is a man of the strictest honor and integrity, and is highly esteemed by all who know him.

- -

ARS J. HAUGE, the efficient clerk of court of Grant county, Minnesota, is a native of Norway, born in Bergen, July 20, 1859. The parents, Jens and Ingeborg (Raae) Hauge, are natives of Norway, where they are now living, engaged in agriculture. They were the parents of twelve children, as follows - Anders, Lars, Anders, Olov, Carrie,

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Anna, Jens, Iver, David, Hans, Ragnhild and Thomas.

Mr. Lars Hauge spent his early life in the school-rooms of his native land, and after completing his education at the age of twenty years, he engaged in the profession of school teaching, which he followed for two years. In 1881 he emigrated to the United States, and after landing at New York City went to Herman, Grant county, Minnesota. Dur- ing the summer of 1881 he worked out on a farm, and the following winter attended school. During the next few years Mr. Hauge alternately worked at farm labor and attended school in the summers and winters. He then taught school for a year or two, after which he secured work on a farm and soon after returned to the vocation of a teacher. This occupation he followed until he was elected to his present office, clerk of court, in 1886, taking charge of the office in the winter of 1887.

In political matters the subject of this article is an adherent to the principles of the prohibition party. In the discharge of his official duties Mr. Hauge has not only cred- itably acquitted himself, but has given sat- isfaction to all, and he is recognized as one of the most honorable citizens of the local- ity in which he lives. A man of the strict- est integrity, he is highly esteemed by all who bear his acquaintance.

FREDERICK PUHLER, the present pop- ular postmaster of Ada, Minnesota, is among the oldest, as well as one of its most enterprising citizens, having been closely .dentified with it and its interests since December, 1879.

Born in the beautiful land of Hesse-Darm- stadt, Germany, March 8, 1855, and the son of Gabriel and Elizabeth (Knobe) Puhler, our subject was not reared amid the vine-

clad hills of his native country, beside the placid waters of the classic river Rhine, but was brought to the United States when he was scarcely two years old. The family settled in Waukesha county, Wisconsin, where the parents still reside. When our subject was some ten years of age, with the natural independence which is so character- istic of him still, he left home and went to work on his own account in northeastern Iowa. While engaged in farm labor and going to school, for he was determined to procure an education, he experienced religion, and was converted to the religion of Christ at a camp-meeting, and was shortly after- ward taken up by the Methodists of Cedar Falls, and sent to Northwestern Biblical Institute at Evanston, Illinois, to be educated for the ministry. After some two months' experience in that college, he came to the conclusion that he had missed liis calling, and that he was not fitted by nature or in- clination for the pulpit, and being now a young man, left there and went to Chicago. He entered the employ of the Chicago Trib. une as marine reporter, and remained with that great journal for nearly two years. His talents and readiness gaining him friends, he was presented by the manager of that paper with a scholarship in Clavorack Col- lege, near Albany, New York, on the Hudson river. Entering that institution, he there devoted some four years to untiring study, and, on graduation, took the special course of journalism at Cornell College, which called for three years more of toil in the pursuit of knowledge. Knowing that there is no royal road to that which Solomon declares to be " more precious than rubies," he strove man- fully to attain his ends, supporting himself during all that time by his pen. Original sketches, stories or tales, translations from the German, and other work of a like char- acter, supplied him, sparingly, with means, and at last he found his reward, being grad-

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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 26

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