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 35

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 35
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 35

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Mr. Ketcham was married on the 10th day of October, 1877, to Miss Minnie Wethey, and this union has been blessed with one child, Koyla, born September 11, 1884. Mrs. Ketcham is a native of New York State, and received her education in Michigan, at the high school at Cassopolis, where she was married. She is a daughter of A. Wethey, a farmer of Grant county, Minnesota. The subject of this sketcli is a republican in his political belief and takes an active interest in all public and local affairs. While in Mich- igan he was elected to the office of Circuit Court Commissioner, which position be held for six years. He is a member of the Ma- sonic fraternity and one of the most popular and highly esteemed citizens of the county. He is a man of the strictest honor and in- tegrity and stands high in the community in which he lives.

ALTER E. TRUAX, M. D. Among the successful and leading medical practitioners at Breckenridge, Wilken county, Minnesota, is the gentleman whose name heads this article. Dr. Truax is a native of Wisconsin, born in Racine county, June 10, 1848, and is a son of Walter D. and Sarah F. (Gibbons) Truax, natives of Vermont and England, respectively. The grandfather of our subject (John Truax) was a native of Vermont and of German descent. He was

a manufacturer and moved to Canada in 1820. where he engaged in the manufacture of scythes and axes until the latter part of his life, when he returned to his native State, remaining there until his death in 1840. · He was a soldier in the War of 1812, and was a sturdy representative of the pioneers of his day. The parents of Walter E. Truax's mother (Sarah Truax) were John and Mary (Harding) Gibbons, natives of England. They came to this country in 1830, and set- tled in State City, New York, where John Gibbons carried on the occupation of boot and shoe manufacturing. They moved to Wisconsin in 1845 and settled at Waterford, Racine county, where they remained until 1870. They then removed to Floyd county, Iowa, where the father remained until his death in 1882. He was a republican in po- litical matters. He, with his wife, who died in 1881, belonged to the Methodist church. The father of our subject moved to Floyd county, Iowa, in 1863, where he lived until his death in 1886, at the age of sixty-eight years. The mother of Dr. Truax is now liv- ing in Floyd county, Iowa, and she is the mother of ten children, seven of whom are living - Amanda, now Mrs. Knapp; John H., Dr. Walter E., Laura E., the wife of Mr. Hunt ; Nellie, Clara (married to a Mr. Rob- erts) and Charles. The parents and children are members of the Baptist church.

Dr. Walter Truax, the subject of this bio- graphical sketch, remained at home attend- ing school until he was fifteen years of age. In 1863 he enlisted in the Forty-eighth Iowa Battalion (Infantry) and served one hundred days. After his honorable discharge he re- enlisted in Company B, Sixth Iowa Cavalry, and was in the service sixteen months. He was at Memphis, and later participated in several engagements with the Indians on the plains of Dakota and Nebraska. After his return from the war he commenced the study of telegraphy at Marshalltown, Iowa,

305

PARK REGIONS OF MINNESOTA.

and remained one year working in the train dispatcher's office. Until 1870 he was en- gaged as an operator for the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad, also the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Railroad. During this time he worked in the commerical offices for these companies in Omaha, Chicago and St. Louis. He then received an appointment on the Northern Pacific and remained with. them for thirteen years. He was the second station agent appointed at Moorhead, Minne- sota, and held that position for five years. Prior to this he studied medicine, attending the Minnesota University, and was admitted in 1883. He commenced the practice of medicine in Todd county, where he remained one year and then settled in Battle Lake, Otter Tail county, Minnesota, where he remained engaged in clinical work for two years. In 1885 he moved to Breckenridge, Wilkin county, Minnesota, where he has since been actively engaged in his profession.

Dr. Truax was married in 1869 to Miss Alice A. Judd. This union has been blessed with five children, as follows-Percy E., Sadie A., William E., Lotta E. and Walter D. Mrs. Truax is a native of Illinois and the daughter of William and Elizabeth Judd. Dr. Truax has traveled extensively and is a man of thorough and versatile knowledge. He has written two works on draughts, one while a resident of Chicago and the other while in Breckenridge. He is a democrat in his polit- ical belief and is a member in good standing of the Grand Army of the Republic, Masonic fraternity and the Ancient Order of United Workmen.

EORGE E. PERLEY, a successful attorney at Moorhead, of the firm of Wellcome & Perley, forms the subject of this biographical sketch.

Mr. Perley is a native of Lempster, New Hampshire, born August 19, 1853. His par-

ents were Asbury F. and Sarah J .. (Dodge) Perley, natives of the same State and county. The father is engaged at farming, which has been his life-long occupation. The mother died in 1883. Our subject's grandfather Perley was named Edmund, and his wife was formerly Sarah Bailey. They were natives of Salem, Massachusetts, and were the par- ents of a large family of children-ten in number. Our subject's ancestors are of Welch descent, coming to America and settling at Ipswich, Massachusetts, in 1634. Sarah Dodge's parents were John and Rebecca (Gould) Dodge, natives of Lempster, New Hampshire, and Westminster, Vermont, re- spectively. The father was engaged in farming and milling. His father was John, a descendant of the Saxons. Our subject's grandfather Edmund, was a strong Methodist churchman, as was his son Asbury, always taking an active part in church matters.

Our subject is a graduate of Kimball's Union Academy of Meriden, New Hamp- shire, also of Dartmouth College, leaving the latter famous place of learning in 1878, after which he taught in the high schools of his State for over two years. He then studied law at Claremont, New Hampshire, in the office of Hon. Ira Colby, graduating at the New Hampshire bar in 1883, being admitted the same year at Boston, Massachusetts, where he practiced his chosen profession until he came to Moorhead, in 1884. Here he has practiced law and attended to loans and real estate business, forming a partner- ship with J. B. Wellcome, and they are now among the leading law firms of Moorhead. They are the local attorneys for the St. Paul, Minneapolis & Manitoba Railway. Our sub- ject also carries on a farm of over four hun- dred acres, in Clay county.

Mr. Perley was married in 1884 to Miss M. E. Jones, of Windsor, Vermont; she is the daughter of Asa and Clara Jones, of the same place in Vermont. They have one child

306

RED RIVER VALLEY AND

-Grace. Mr. Perley is a radical republi- can in politics. He belongs to the First Presbyterian church of Moorhead, and stands very high, both among those of his profes- sion and with the citizens of Clay county.

HOMAS C. SHAPLEIGH, who is one of the justices of the city of Crooks- ton, Minnesota, has occupied quite a promi- nent position in the history of the territory and State of Minnesota, where he settled as early as 1855. He was born in York county, Maine, July 7, 1824. He received the rudi- ments of an excellent education in the schools of his native county, and while yet a young man commenced an apprenticeship to the trade or craft of ship carpenter in the navy yard at Kittery, not far from the place of his nativity. Three years he served and then followed the trade as journeyman until the spring of 1855. Then he determined to seek a new home in the West, and with that intent, in April of that year, came to Minne- sota, among the earliest pioneers of this region, and for a time located at St. An- thony. In June following he went to Monti- cello, Wright county, where he assisted in building the first steam saw-mill west of St. Anthony. After the mill was completed he took charge and operated it until the fol- lowing February, when he returned to St. Anthony. There he took charge of a saw- mill, and from that time until 1864 he had charge of saw-mills in Anoka, Mendota, and Wacouta. Then he returned to Monticello and engaged in farming. But the quiet life of a farmer was not to his taste, and in 1867 he accepted the appointment of assistant United States revenue assessor, under Gen- eral McLaren, which position he held two years.

In 1872 he went to the point where the Northern Pacific Railroad was to cross the

Missouri river, near where Bismarck, Dakota Territory, now stands, and there had charge of the business of Burleigh & Keith, who had a contract for the construction of fifty miles of the road. He remained in that capacity until the work was completed. In the month of March, 1874, he received the appointment of register of the United States land office at Detroit, Minnesota, and took possession of the office in that capacity. In 1879 the office was removed to Crookston, whither he came. . He remained in that responsible and onerous office until December, 1881. Dur- ing the following year Mr. Shapleigh acted as land agent for the St. Paul, Minneapolis & Manitoba railroad, but in the fall of that year received the nomination and election to the office of the clerk of the court of Polk county, and served in that capacity for the succeeding four years, enjoying the confi- dence of the people of Crookston ; on the ex- piration of his term of service he was offered and accepted the position of city justice, a post which he is worthily and satisfactorily filling the current year (1888).

The subject of this sketch is one of the prominent and leading citizens of the county, identified with its growth and development by a thousand ties. Besides his handsome resi- dence in the city, he is the owner of consid- erable real estate in the county in the shape of good farming land. An active, energetic business man, of sterling integrity and hon- esty of purpose, he holds a high place in the opinions of the people of the community, and is deservedly one of the most popular men in Crookston. He is an active member of the Masonic fraternity, having been made a Ma- son in St. Andrew's Lodge, No. 56, at Ports- mouth, New Hampshire, in 1852, but is now connected with Crookston Lodge, No. 141, and has held the office of D. G. M. for the northwestern part of the State. He is also a prominent member of Pierson Chapter, No. 40, R. A. M., of which he is past most eminent

307

PARK REGIONS OF MINNESOTA.

"high priest, and is the present eminent com- mander of Constantine Commandery, No. 20, K. T., of Crookston.

Mr. Shapleigh has been married, but his wife is deceased. He has a family of four children.

ICHAEL B. SHEPPARD. The subject of this biographical sketch is a prominent and esteemed member of the farming community of the Park Regions, and is a resident of section 20, Logan town- ship, Grant county, Minnesota. He is a na- tive of Ohio, born in Montgomery county, on the 18th day of June, 1851, and is the son of Joseph and Mary (Lyon) Sheppard, natives of Maryland and Ohio, respectively. The father and mother of our subject were married in Ohio, and after remaining there for eight or ten years, removed to Iowa. They settled at Cascade, where they lived for six years, then removing to Delaware county, Iowa, where they have since contin- ued to reside. The father is engaged in agricultural pursuits and is one of the rep- resentative men of Delaware county, Iowa. They are the parents of nine children, whose names are-Johnson, Michael, Mary, Will- iam, Maggie, Richard, David, George and Joseph. Even and one child (who died in infancy) are deceased.

Michael B. Sheppard, the subject of this biographical sketch, spent his younger days in attending school in Delaware county, Iowa. Leaving school at the age of seven- teen he remained at home, helping his father on the farm for one year. He then engaged in life for himself by driving the stage from Manchester to Marion, and to Elkader, Clay- ton county, Iowa, for a period of two years. Mr. Sheppard removed from Clayton county, Iowa, in the spring of 1878, to his old home, where he remained for a short time, and in

the same year went to Grant county, Minne- sota. Upon his arrival there he homesteaded a tract of land in Logan township, on sec- tion 20. Prior to his settling on his present place he took a pre-emption right from a Mr. Belding, who went to Grant county at the same time as our subject. Since that time Mr. Sheppard has lived on his present place on section 20, where he has been en- gaged in general farming and stock-raising.

Mr. Sheppard was united in marriage to Miss Mary Harrison on the 22d of April, 1881, and this union has been blessed with two children, named-Roy E. and Edna G. Mrs. Sheppard is a native of Iowa and the daughter of John Harrison, a farmer of Iowa. The mother is still living. The father died when Mrs. Sheppard was a small child. She is one of five children-George, William, John, Martha and Mary. Mr. Sheppard is one of the prominent and repre- sentative citizens of his township, ever tak- ing an active interest in all public matters. He has held the offices of assessor and su- pervisor and is a member of the Tariff Re- form Club in Herman. He is a man of the utmost honor and integrity, highly esteemed by all who know him, and his word is con- sidered as good as his bond. Mr. Sheppard is independent in political matters.

APTAIN JOHN W. GREGG is the deputy county auditor of Richland county, North Dakota, and lives at Wahpe- ton, the county seat of that county. He is a native of Rock Island, Illinois, where he was born, September 1, 1841.

Mr. Gregg's parents were Dr. P. and Sarah L. (Wheelock) Gregg, the former born in Ireland and the latter a native of New Hampshire. The father was a graduate of Trinity College, Dublin, and came to Amer- ica in 1831, settling first in Philadelphia,

308

RED RIVER VALLEY AND

Pennsylvania, where he attended a course of lectures at Jefferson College. In 1840 he removed to Rock Island, Illinois, where he was married and was for years the leading physician and surgeon. He has a family of seven living children - John W., Mary, now Mrs. A. C. Dart; Joseph K., Sarah, Carrie, Spencer and Fannie.

The subject of our sketch was given ex- cellent educational advantages in his youth and was surrounded with the influences of a refined home. He took a thorough course at the high school in Rock Island, and at its completion clerked in a store for one year. He then read law for one year in the office of Messrs. Wilkinson & Pleasants, leading attorneys of Rock Island. On the breaking out of the late war, he gave up his legal studies, and enlisted as a private in Company D, Twelfth Regiment, Illinois In- fantry, and served with that company for five months. He was then transferred, for promotion, to Company K, Fifty-eighth Regiment, Illinois Infantry, of which he was made second lieutenant. He held this com- mission for one year, during which time, on the 6th of April, at the battle of Shiloh, he was taken prisoner by the confederates and kept in prison until October 12, when he was released. During most of this time he was kept in the confederate prison at Madison, Georgia. In the winter of 1862 he was commissioned first lieutenant, which rank he held until the latter part of 1863, when he was made captain of his company. He was on the staff of General John McArthur from April, 1863, until the close of the war. Captain Gregg saw service in the following engagements-Fort Donaldson, Shiloh, Vicks- burgh, Jackson, the campaign of Atlanta, Nashville, and many minor battles and skirmishes. After the close of the war Cap- tain Gregg went to Chicago, Illinois, where for one year he engaged in the commission business. He then acted as clerk of the

board of public works of that city for a period of six years, after which for six years he worked in the postoffice department. He then traveled extensively over the Western States, prospecting, and in December, 1881, located at Fargo, Dakota Territory. . Here he found employment as advertising clerk on the Fargo Argus, and worked in that line for one year. Then for two years he was agent for the Fargo & Southern Railway Company, at Wahpeton, Dakota, where he has since resided. Resigning that position, he engaged as book-keeper for the Wahpeton Elevator Company for one year. For two years thereafter he was book-keeper for the Richland County Gazette, during which time he held the office of justice of the peace. He was then appointed deputy auditor of Rich- land county, November 15, 1888.

In December, 1865, Captain Gregg was married to Miss Margaret McArthur, of Chicago, Illinois, a sister of General John Mc Arthur, and a daughter of John McArthur, of Chicago, Illinois. Her father was a native of Scotland.

Captain Gregg is a stanch republican in politics, is a member of the I. O. O. F., G. A. R., and the Knights of Pythias. He is one of Wahpeton's leading citizens and is esteemed by all who know him.

RANK KENT is engaged in the om- nibus and dray business in Alexan- dria, Minnesota. Mr. Kent is a native of Penobscot county, Maine, and was born on the 23d of March, 1831. His father, William Kent, was a native of New Hampshire. His mother's name was Nancy (Stewart) Kent, and she also was a native of New Hampshire. The father was a cooper by trade, and fol- lowed that business in Maine during his resi- dence there, until, in 1834, he came west to Illinois to prospect, and while there was

309

PARK REGIONS OF MINNESOTA.

taken sick and died. His mother, Nancy (Stewart) Kent, died in New Hampshire in January, 1864, leaving only one child, the subject of this sketch. The Kent family are of English ancestry, and on the Stewart side of Scotch ancestry.

Frank Kent, the subject of our sketch, after his father's death was bound out to a farmer and raised on a farm until he was fourteen years old. He then went into a saw-mill to work, and remained eight years, and during the last three years had charge of the mill where twenty men were employed. In 1855 Mr. Kent came to Minnesota, and first went into the pineries at St. Croix. Here his capability for management was recognized by his employers, and he was given charge of a large driving crew and later of a rafting crew. He remained at work in the pineries on the St. Croix river until July, 1856. He then came to St. An- thony, now East Minneapolis. Again he went into the milling business and was given charge of one of the saws in a large steam saw-mill. He continued steadily at this for five months. At the end of this time, he, together with George Forbes, fitted out a batteau (a boat), and supplying it with pro- visions and tools for work started for Perke- ganny Camp up the Mississippi river. This was on the 7th day of November, 1856. They started on their cruise and succeeded in reaching an island in the Mississippi river some six miles up the river, at which place they were frozen in for three days, then warm weather caine on and they went on to clear water. Here they abandoned the enter- prise and then struck across the country, fourteen miles, to Cold Spring City, where George Forbes took a contract to build a saw- mill, and Mr. Kent took a contract to get out the timber for the same. The following spring Mr. Kent started the mill and worked in that business during the entire summer, this being the summer of 1857. That fall

he rented the mill, and ran it under his own proprietorship until 1859, employing until this time, two men. In 1859 he quit the mill business and gave his attention more directly to farming, for, prior to this date, he had taken a claim for 160 acres of land near Munic. His partner, at the same time, had taken 160 acres of land near Mr. Kent's claim. Later they selected a town site of 320 acres on the Sauk river. On this town site they built a house and made other im- provements, but finding this to be a bad in- vestment they gave it up, and in the spring of 1860 sold their claim for a small compen- sation. Mr. Kent then went to Colorado, and engaged in the mining business for two seasons, but was not very successful in finding gold. He succeeded in reaching home two years later with but very little to show for his two seasons spent in the gold regions. He then came to St. Cloud, Minnesota, this be- ing in November, 1861: While in Colorado, for a part of the time he had engaged in the transporting business, and had four mules and one pony, which he brought to St. Cloud with him. In the winter of 1861-62 he engaged in the freighting business, driving from St. Cloud to St. Paul for J. C. and H. C. Burbank & Co. In the fall of 1862 he quit this business, purchased goods, and with his team drove to Georgetown, selling the goods on his way. Reaching George- town, he received news of the Indian out- break, and then drove to Ft. Abercrombie, where he enlisted with the settlers to fight the Indians. The Indians made a dash upon the fort and made their way to the stables, where Mr. Kent and E. M. Wright shot two of the Indians and captured a double-barrel gun, which Mr. Kent still has in his posses- sion. Mr. Wright is now a resident of Fergus Falls, Minnesota.

An incident occurred here at the fort which shows how nearly Mr. Kent came to losing his life. Before entering the fort the Indians

3IO

RED RIVER VALLEY AND

might readily have killed him, but they were slow in making their attack, and, by watcli- ing his opportunity, he gained entrance into the fort before their attack upon him was inade. While here he was sent with another man as a messenger from the fort, having to go to Georgetown to bring the families of the holders of the fort to that place. A body of troops escorted them for a short dis- tance through the timber, and then they started alone with their horses. They had gone but a short distance when they heard firing, and looking back saw the soldiers and Indians fighting, so they thought there would be no chance to get the fami- lies from Georgetown to the fort, and he struck out for Crow Wing, going thence to St. Cloud. The fort was re-inforced within a day or two afterward and all the citizens and their families came to St. Cloud. Mr. Kent spent three weeks in the fort prior to his leaving for St. Cloud. After remain- ing a short time in government employ in St. Cloud, he went up the Sauk river to pur- chase grain for Capt. T. D. Smith, of St. Paul. During this winter he was engaged in hauling Government supplies from St. Cloud to Ft. Abercrombie. In the spring he commenced freighting for himself and others, making several trips to Winnipeg. He followed this business from 1862 to 1866. In 1866 he bought a farm of 320 acres at St. Martin, and engaged in the farming business for two years. At this time he sold the farm and went to Melrose, Minnesota, and pre-empted 160 acres, and lived here upon this farm for a period of seven years. Dur- ing this time he did considerable freighting, making some money. In 1875 he sold the farm and moved into the village of Melrose. He then engaged in the freighting business betiveen this point and Alexandria, Minne- sota, keeping a number of teams continually for three years. In 1878 he moved to Alex- andria, which place has since been his home.

The subject of this sketch was married in 1862 to Miss Elvira M. Fadden, of St. Cloud, Minnesota, daughter of Joseph Fadden, of that place. Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Kent, their names being Charles F., Le Rona, George H., Eugene F., Lewis S. and Harry B.

Mr. Kent is one of the prominent business men of Alexandria, an industrious, intelli- gent, enterprising citizen. On coming to Alexandria he made several valuable invest- ments and purchased a valuable piece of prop- erty opposite what is known as the Letson House block. Since coming to Alexandria he has been engaged in the omnibus and dray business, keeps three men employed continually, and has practically a monopoly on the 'bus business in the village of Alex- andria. In politics Mr. Kent is a repub- lican. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and also of the Congregational society of Alexandria. In all matters per- taining to the best interests of the city, Mr. Kent has shown himself to be one of the most enterprising and most liberal of her citizens.

J AMES F. COWIE, attorney-at-law, of Fergus Falls, Minnesota, is a native of the State of Maryland, where he was born in 1854. His parents were of Scotch de- scent, and at an early age Mr. Cowie removed with them to western Wisconsin. The Cowies were in that portion of Wisconsin which was but scantily settled, and conse- quently Mr. Cowie's early life was spent as a farmer's son, in days when schools, like rail- roads, were not very numerous in that por- tion of the country. He received a common school education, and, at the age of seven- teen, began teaching in the public schools during the winter, working on his father's farm" during the summer. In this way he

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

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 35

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