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 33

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 33
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 33

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HOMAS B. GILLESBY, one of the prominent members of the farming community of the Park Regions of Minne- sota, is a resident of section 30, Logan town- ship, Grant county, Minnesota. He is a na- tive of Canada, born in Wentworth county on the 8th of February, 1847, and is the son of Bernard and Agnes ( Hutchinson) Gillesby, natives of England. The parents of our sub- ject came to this country at an early day and settled in Canada. They were the parents of the following children - Thomas B., George, John, Margret, Robert, Mary Agnes, William Bernard, Albert Andrew, and Sarah A. King. Robert was drowned at the age of twenty-six years.

The subject of this biographical sketch spent his school-days in his native land, and at the age of nineteen years left the school- room and for the next four years helped his

father on the home farm. He then went to Michigan, where he remained ten months and then settled in Wisconsin, where he en- gaged in farming for one month. Mr. Gillesby then removed to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he remained for three or four years. He then entered the em- ploy of the Northern Pacific Survey Com- pany, and during the summer of 1872 crossed the plains and the succeeding summer surveyed on the boundary line, returning to Minneapolis. After remaining in Minneapolis for a short time he returned to his native land, remaining there for some little time visiting the scenes of his child- hood. Soon he returned to the United States and again settled in Minneapolis, where he lived until 1879. In 1879 he went to Grant county, Minnesota, where he settled on his present place on section 30, Logan township. He at once commenced improve- ments, breaking the soil and putting up sub- stantial building improvements. He has since devoted his attention exclusively to general farming and stock-raising.

Our subject is one of the representative men of his township, and takes an active interest in all public and educational matters He has held the offices of supervisor of his township and also roadmaster. He is a member of the Masonic order, and stands high in the community in which he lives, both as a neighbor and an exemplary citizen.

Mr. Gillesby was married June 25, 1874, to Miss Catharine McLaren, and their union has been blessed with six children, as follows -Emma, born March 17, 1875, died Septem- ber 19, 1878; Agnes E. and Maggie E. (twins), born April 28, 1877, died in August, 1877 ; Robbie A., still living ; Kate B., born February 9, 1886, died June 16, 1888; and William R., living. Mr. and Mrs. Gillesby are regular attendants of the Methodist church.

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PARK REGIONS OF MINNESOTA.

OHN M. RUGGLES, register of deeds in and for Richland county, North Dakota, is one of the leading citizens of Wahpeton. His birth took place in Orleans county, New York, on the 15th day of March, 1847.

Mr. Ruggles' parents were Darwin D. and Annie (Vallance) Ruggles, natives of New York State and England, respectively. In his younger days at Holley, Orleans county, New York, the father was engaged in the business of wagon-making and later in life became a pattern-maker. He made the first patterns of the Curtis iron beam plow at Albion, New York. He was of an inventive turn of mind and was one of the inventors of the gang and iron plows. In 1867 he removed to Michigan, where he is now en- gaged in the firm of Smith Brothers & Ruggles, dealers in carriages, wagons, sleiglis and cutters. Darwin Ruggles' parents were Martin and Annie (Janes) Ruggles, natives of Connecticut, the father being a millwright by trade. Martin's father was Timothy Ruggles, also a millwright, the latter being a son of Rev. Edward Ruggles. The family is of English descent.

The mother of the subject of our sketch was the daughter of John and Lucy (Lan- grage) Vallance, natives of England. They came to America in 1832 and settled at Hol- ley, Orleans county, New York, where Mr. Vallance followed the milling business.

Darwin D. Ruggles had a family of two children -John M., wliose name appears at at the head of this sketch, and Edward J., a farmer in Richland county, North Dakota. The mother died at Hillsdale, Michigan, January 16, 1867.

The subject of our sketch attended school in Orleans county, New York, and also in Noble and Elkhart counties, Indiana. His spare time out of school was occupied in work in his father's factory. When but seventeen years of age, May 10, 1864, he en- listed in Company B, One Ilundred and

Thirty-eighth Regiment, Indiana Volunteers. He enlisted for one hundred days, but re- mained for seven months, doing service on guard duty between Chattanooga and Nashville. After his service in the Union Army was completed he returned to his parents' home in Indiana, where he re- mained until he was twenty years old. He then engaged as foreman for R. M. & W. S. Lockhart, of Waterloo city, in the lumber business, with his head- quarters at Ligonier, Noble county, Indiana. He continued with this company for three years, during which time he traveled exten- sively over the State, looking for and buying lumber and having under his constant super- vision a large force of men. July 4, 1873, Mr. Ruggles came to Richland county, North Dakota, being among the very first settlers in that region. He at once located on a quarter section of land two miles west of where the city of Wahpeton now stands. For five years he remained on the farm and gave his time and attention assiduously to its cultivation and improvement, in the meantime adding eighty acres more thereto.

Mr. Ruggles was wedded on June 14, 1868, to Miss Rosa A. Arnold, a daughter of John P. and Martha B. Arnold, natives of Ohio. One daughter, Leora, blessed this union. Mrs. Ruggles died in 1880. Mr. Ruggles' second marriage was to Miss Mary K. Mulvey, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, by whom he has had one child, Darwin Wahpe- ton, the first male baby born in the town of Wahpeton.

Mr. Ruggles is a leading citizen of his town and county and the confidence placed in him by his friends and fellow-citizens has been signally manifested in various ways. He has been honored by being placed in many positions of trust, and in every case has proven a capable and trustworthy officer. In 1876 he was elected register of deeds for Richland county, which position he now

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holds. In 1881 he was elected clerk of the courts and for two years attended to the duties of that office. For four years he held acceptably the position of county superin- tendent of schools. He is a loyal republican and is a member of the Masonic fraternity and the G. A. R. He helped in the organi- zation of the county and has at all times since been a warm supporter of everything that tended toward its prosperity and finan- cial development. He lives in one of the best residences in the city.

HARLES A. DALEY is a dealer. in boots and shoes and gents' furnishing goods in Fergus Falls, Otter Tail county, Minnesota. He is also president of the Ot- ter Tail flouring mills at Fergus Falls, and is one of the directors of the Fergus Falls National Bank. His business house is located at No. 227 Lincoln avenue east.

Mr. Daley is a native of Cortland county, New York, and was born on the 2d day of June, 1849 He is the son of Charles L. and Jane (Spence) Daley, the former a native of Connecticut and the latter of Vermont. The father was a miller by trade. He camne to Sauk county, Wisconsin, in 1855, and there followed the mercantile business until 1870. He has extensive landed property, and is now in the business of making loans, and since 1870 he has also been in the agricultural im- plement business. In the father's family there were two sons-Charles A., thesubject of our sketch, and Thomas R., now an ex- tensive stock-farmer in Wisconsin. The fam- ily have all been successful in business, and have acquired considerable fortune.

The subject of our sketch spent his younger days under the parental roof, and at fifteen years of age engaged in the mercantile busi- ness. He first started in this line in Sauk county, Wisconsin, where he remained

in active business for ten years. In the years 1867, '68 and '69, he was in Milwaukee, and from 1873 to 1880 was in business in Madison. In 1881 he came to Fergus Falls, Minnesota, and having considerable means, he at once engaged in business, building a large brick block twenty-five by ninety feet, where he opened his present establishment and where he has since continued. He has one of the most extensive trades in Fergus Falls. Soon after coming to this city he built a fine dwelling on the corner of Broadway and Lincoln avenues, in which he put all modern improvements. This to-day is indeed a beautiful home. He has extensive landed interests in this county besides the capital he has invested in other business. He was one of the organizers of the Otter Tail County Mills, which were established in 1886. This mill has the largest capacity of any in the city.

Mr. Daley was married in 1877 to Miss Jennie M. Phelps, the daughter of D. R. Phelps, of Sauk county, Wisconsin.

Mr. Daley is acknowledged to be one of most progressive citizens of Fergus Falls. In all matters tending to the financial im- provement of the city in the way of estab- lishing new lines of business or improving city property he has certainly no peer. He has been one of the most liberal supporters in the way of helping to build up public insti- tutions that is to be found in Otter Tail county. He has always contributed largely toward the support of schools and churches. He became associated with the Bank of Fergus Falls in 1884. In politics Mr. Daley is a republican, and is now alderman of the Third Ward of Fergus Falls. He is a promi- nent member of the Masonic fraternity, and is a member of the Congregational society. In his mercantile business Mr. Daley has made an excellent success, carries an exten- sive stock of goods, employing two clerks, and does a large and increasing business.

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PARK REGIONS OF MINNESOTA.

ENERAL HORATIO JENKINS, county attorney of Douglas county, Minnesota, is one of the leading lawyers of Alexandria. He is a native of the city of Boston, Massachusetts, and 'was born March 3, 1837. He is the son of IIoratio and Mary S. (Sims) Jenkins, both of whom were na- tives of Massachusetts. Mr Jenkins, senior, was engaged in the ship-chandlery business until 1868, when he turned his face west- ward, coming to Minnesota. He settled in Wasioja, Dodge county, where he purchased land and engaged in farming for two years, after which time he came to Douglas county and settled in Alexandria, where he engaged in the hardware business with George C. Sims. He continued in this business until his death, which occurred in June, 1878. Mrs. Jenkins, the mother of the subject of this sketch, is still living in Alexandria. There were three children in this family, two of whom are now living-Charles E., of Dayton, Washington Territory, engaged in farming, and Horatio, our subject.

Attorney. Jenkins received his education in Massachusetts. He attended Yale College for two years and then went to the Harvard Law School, where he remained one year, while at the same time he read law in an office in Boston. He enlisted in the Union service in April, 1861, as a private in Com- pany I, Fifth Regiment, Massachusetts In- fantry. This was on the call for three months' service, it being the first call for volunteers that the president issued. Mr. Jenkins was in the first battle of Bull Run. This was at the close of his enlistment. After this he helped to raise Company G, Fourth Massachusetts Infantry, and took the office of first lieutenant, and remained in the service until December, 1865. His services during the war were exceedingly meritorious and his conduct was such as to receive the commendation of his superior officers. In 1862 he was appointed captain, in 1864 was

commissioned a major, and received a lieu- tenant-colonel's commission the same year. Under the request of the governor of Massa- chusetts he was honorably discharged from the infantry service that he might accept the commission of lieutenant colonel of the Fourth Massachusetts Cavalry, by order of the secretary of war. He had conferred on him by Andrew Johnson, the president, by and with the advise and consent of the sen- ate, the rank of colonel, on the 6th of April, 1865, for special gallantry at High Bridge, Virginia. On the 23rd of April, 1865, he re- ceived his commission from John A. Andrew, governor of Massachusetts, which made him colonel of the Fourth Massachusetts Cavalry. He received the title of brigadier general on the 13th of March, 1865, for his gallant con- duct and efficient services. on the recom- mendation of General Grant. It will be seen that General Jenkins received many honors for his efficient service while in the Union army, but it was not all honor that he received ; he saw much hard service. On the 6th of April, 1865, at High Bridge, he received a severe wound and was taken pris- oner, but the next morning a rescuing party from General Sheridan's command rescued him and put his captors to flight. In May, 1864, he was captured by the enemy and confined in prison for four months. He spent some time in Libby prison, also in Ma- con, Charleston and Columbia. After four months, however, he contrived to escape and found his way back to the Union lines. After the war Mr. Jenkins stopped a short time in Massachusetts. In 1880 he came to Alexan- dria, and on arriving here, opened a law office and engaged in the practice of law. He was elected county attorney in 1884, which posi- tion he has held ever since.

General Jenkins was married in 1862 to Miss Sarah L. Jameson, who was the daughter of Hugh Jameson, of Nashua, New Hamp- shire. Three children have blessed this

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union-Gertrude, Jeannie, and Horatio, junior.

General Jenkins is one of the leading at- torneys west of St. Paul and Minneapolis. He enjoys a large practice, is respected and esteemed by his fellow-townsmen, and is known to be one of the most enterprising citizens of Alexandria. He is, in politics, a republican, and on many occasions has by no uncertain sound given the people of Alex- andria and vicinity to know what his prin- ciples were. He is a member of the Masonic and Odd Fellows fraternities, and also of the G. A. R., and is post commander of the Rey- nolds post of Alexandria. Mr. Jenkins is a careful, painstaking lawyer and is one of the best orators in the Northwest.

ELS H. MYRAN, the postmaster at Elbow Lake, Grant county, Minne- sota and also deputy sheriff of that county, is a native of Iowa. He was born in Winne- sheik county on the 30th of March, 1855, and is a son of Helga and Tilda (Thompson) Myran, natives of Norway. The parents came to the United States in about 1847 and settled in Muskego, Wisconsin, where they lived for ten years. Removing from Wisconsin, the family settled in Iowa, six miles from Decorah, where the parents have since lived. The father was a farmer. He died in December; 1887. The mother is still living in Iowa. They were the parents of nine children - Nels, John, Helga, Tor- ger, Caroline, Anna, Isabelle, Tilda and Bertha.

Nels, the subject of this article, spent his school-days in Iowa, attending the district schools in Madison township, Winnesheik county, until he was seventeen years of age, when he entered the Decorah Institute, re- maining there a short time. He then learned

the carpenter's trade, which he followed un- til 1880 in Winneshiek and various other counties in Iowa. He next removed to Ridgeway, Winneshiek county, Iowa, where he secured the position of clerk for Galby & Aaker of that place. After working for this firm for four or five years be removed to Minnesota, settling in Elbow Lake, Grant county, in 1884. Soon after taking np his residence in this place, he established a gen- eral merchandise store, putting up a building in which he now has the postoffice.

Mr. Myran was married in 1887 to Miss Carrie Ronning, and this union has been blessed with one child. Our subject has held various local offices in his town, as township clerk, constable for two years, and was appointed deputy sheriff of Grant county in 1885, which position he has filled with credit to himself and universal satis- faction. He and his family are con- stant attendants of the Lutheran church. In political affairs he takes an active interest in all the movements of the democratic party and is one of the representative men of the county.

ELS KJELDSON, who is engaged in the real estate, loan and insurance business in the village of Ada, Minnesota, and who is one of the most public-spirited and prominent citizens of that place, came to that section of Minnesota in June, 1879, and at that time purchased a farm some twenty miles northeast of Ada. That sum- mer he spent in its tillage and improvement, but in the fall returned to Granite Falls, Yellow Medicine county , Minnesota, where he remained the following winter. In the spring of 1880 he returned to this county with the intention of making a permanent settlement, and commenced in earnest the cultivation of his farm.

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On the organization of Norman county, in the fall of 1881. Mr Kjeldson was appointed register of deeds, and at the fall election in the year 1882 was chosen his own successor. His strict attention to the duties of his office, and his faithfulness in the discharge of them, brought its own reward, for the people of the county, appreciating his efforts, in the autumn of 1884 again re-elected him to the same office, and thus he served the people in that responsible office for full five years. At the expiration of that term he established his present business, he having during the last two or three years in office had some experience in real estate transactions, giving some attention to that branchi of business in the intervals of his duties.

Mr. Kjeldson is the owner of some 1,200 acres of land in various portions of the county, a part of which is improved and under cultivation. To one farm of 280 acres, some eleven miles northwest of Ada, of which 150 acres are under tillage, he gives his personal attention, carrying on farming there in connection with his busi- ness. Besides this large amount of land he is the owner of his place of business and a neat and tasty residence in the village, and is ranked among the prosperous and go-ahead business men of Ada. He was appointed notary public by the governor of Minnesota, in January, 1887, and is one of the justices of the peace of the village and a member of the school board.

The subject of this sketch is a native of the city of Chicago, Illinois, born June 15, 1845. While he was still but a lad his par- ents removed to Columbia county, Wiscon- sin, and settled on a farm. There he was reared and given all the facilities to avail himself of the educational advantages offered by the common schools of that district, and finished with a course in the Lutheran Col- lege at Decorah, Winneshiek county, Iowa. After spending two years in the latter widely

celebrated and most highly extolled institu- tion of learning, he removed to Watonwan county, Minnesota, in 1870, and was there employed for the next four or five years in various kinds of work, among the chief of which were farming and school-teaching.

In 1875 Mr. Kjeldson removed to Yellow Medicine county and there followed farming and teaching, varied with some clerical labor in the stores of Granite Falls, but in 1879 came to Norman county, as already men- tioned above. Since coming to this part of the State he has been highly successful in his life's work and has grown into the confi- dence and respect of the whole community. He is a zealous and consistent member of the Evangelical Lutheran communion, and is quite active in all religious work. In his business relations he is known as a shrewd, honest and straightforward gentleman, and has built up by his own efforts a large and lucrative business.

JAMES E. SULLIVAN, a prosperous and enterprising farmer of East Grand Forks township, Polk county, Minnesota, is a resi- dent of section 1, where he is engaged in gen- eral farming operations. He is a native of Canada, born in Renfrew county, Ontario, May 9, 1840, and is the son of Andrew and Ellen (Enright) Sullivan, natives of Ireland.

Mr. Sullivan, the subject of this biograph- ical sketch, remained in his native land, at- tending school until he was fourteen years of age. During his school-days he would work on the home farm in the summers and in odd hours, and after leaving the school-room he at once went to work on his father's farm and continued to assist his father in farming until October, 1875. Ile then determined to find a suitable place to locate and jour- neyed to Polk county, Minnesota. He

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traveled from place to place and from Polk county went to Manitoba. Not liking the surroundings up there, he returned to East Grand Forks and made a verbal contract for a farm. He thien returned to Ontario and sold the farm he had inherited from his father, and again returned to East Grand Forks. In the spring of 1876 he moved his family and took a deed of the farm where he now lives. lle has a fine, large farm comprising 1.200 acres, all well under cultivation. He has improved the surroundings, erected a fine brick dwelling- house, also a large barn and other buildings. He is engaged in a general farming and stock- raising business, and is one of the largest farmers in the county.

Mr. Sullivan was united in marriage on the 22d day of February, 1881, to Miss Bridget Hogan, the daughter of Patrick and Sarah (Moran) Hogan, natives of Ireland. Mr. and Mrs. Sullivan have been blessed with the following children-Leslie, Jose- phine, Clara and Laura. Mr. Sullivan, with his family, belongs to the Catholic church. In political matters he is a democrat.

He is an excellent business man ; a man of the strictest honor and integrity, and is highly esteemed both as a neighbor and an exemplary citizen. He is justly rated as one of the most solid and substantial citizens in Polk county.

WAN AUSLUND. In examining the biographies of the prominent mem- bers of the farming community in the noted Red River Valley and Park Regions of Min- nesota, it will be noticed that the Scandi- navian race furnishes many of the most thrifty, frugal and creditable citizens of that region of the country. The subject of this memoir is a successful and highly esteemed

agriculturist of Land township, Grant county, Minnesota. He is a native of Sweden, born in the northern part of that kingdom on the 17th of October, 1849, and is the son of Samuel and Anna (Norstrom) Olson, natives of the same kingdom. They were farmers and lived and died in their native . land. They were the parents of the following chil- dren - Olaf, Lars, Samuel, Johan, Andrew, Amelia, Elizebeth, Margret and Swan, the subject of this article.

Swan Auslund spent his boyhood days in his native land, attending the excellent common schools of that land until he had attained the age of twenty years. In 1870 he decided to seek his fortune in a newer land, and accordingly set sail for the "land of the free." After landing on American soil he settled in West Dayton, Iowa, where he remained one year, and then removed to Grant county, Minnesota. In the fall of 1871 he settled on a homestead of 160 acres of land on section 22, Land township, where he has since continued to reside, carry- ing on a successful farming and stock-raising business. He has one of the most desir- able tracts of land in the county, and is rated as one of the most substantial and intelligent farmers in the county.

Mr. Auslund was united in marriage to Miss Matilda Peterson, April 8, 1876, and this union has been blessed with six chil- dren, four of whom are living - Sven J., William L., Anna C. and Amelia O., and John F. and Oscar S., deceased.

Mr. Auslund is a stanch adherent to the principles of the republican party, and ever takes an active interest in all that party's campaigns. He has held various local offi- ces in his township, including school clerk, justice of the peace, town clerk, and was elected county commissioner in the fall of 1888. He and his family are members of the Lutheran church, of which organization he is secretary.

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PARK REGIONS OF MINNESOTA.

DWARD FAY, the efficient and pop- ular postmaster at Moorhead, Minne- sota, among other enterprising men of Moor- head and surrounding country, is entitled to a place in this connection, as he is closely identified with the people and has taken a prominent part in all public matters.

He is a native of Ireland, born in 1838. His parents were Thomas and Bridget (Devlin) Fay. The parents were engaged in farming in Ireland, where the father died in 1842. Seven years later, 1849, the widowed mother and our subject came to America, first settling in Kenosha county, Wisconsin, where they remained until 1852. They removed from Wisconsin to Pleasant Valley, Winona county, Minnesota, where. they lived until 1856 and then moved to Waseca county, of the same State. The mother died there in 1884.

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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 33

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