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 39

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 39
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 39

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By his own exertions he has raised himself from poverty to comparative affluence, and is one of the most highly esteemed and re-

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spected business men of Ada. His example is a bright one to the rising generation, showing fully the chances that a young man has of raising himself in the world by the exercise of sobriety, industry, faithfulness and honesty.

Mr. Hampson was united in marriage April 5, 1883, with Miss Katie Waterbury, a native of Lexington, Michigan, daugliter of Charles and Ellen (Nettleton) Waterbury, and niece of Gen. A. B. Nettleton, of Minneapolis. They have one child living, named Henry Oscar.

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A LEXANDER ROBINSON, a respected citizen of Polk county, Minnesota, is a resident of the city of East Grand Forks, where he is engaged in the blacksmith's trade. He is a native of Canada, born in Lanark county, on the 14th of March, 1853, and is the son of Andrew and Jane (War- rington) Robinson, natives of Ireland.

Mr. Robinson, the subject of this article, attended the common schools of his native land until he had reached the age of fifteen years. At that period in life he commenced for himself by learning the blacksmith's trade. After learning this trade he moved to Moberly, Lanark county, Ontario, Canada, where he followed the trade for four years. He then removed to North Sherbrook, where he worked about one year. On the 15th of

October, 1877, Mr. Robinson removed to Wisconsin, and during the following winter was engaged at his trade. In the ensuing spring he went to Grand Forks, Dakota Territory and opened a blacksmith shop. He remained there for four years engaged in his trade, and in 1881 removed to East Grand Forks, Polk county, Minnesota, opened a shop, and has since remained there follow- ing his trade. He is prepared to do all kinds of smithing and fancy shoeing, and gives the

best of satisfaction to all his customers. He owns a substantial shop and a neat and commodious dwelling-house.

Mr. Robinson was united in marriage on the 26th day of December, 1880, in East Grand Forks, to Miss Margaret Mullally, the daughter of James and Phema (May) Mul- lally, natives of Ireland and Scotland, respect- ively. Mr. and Mrs. Robinson have been blessed with the following-named children- Gertrude, Jane, May and Andrew.

Mr. Robinson is an active participant in all local movements, and is an adherent to the principles of the republican party. He is a worthy member of the Independent Order of Odd-Fellows at Grand Forks, having joined the organization in Grand Forks in 1879.

PETER F. McCOLLOR is one of the many "brave boys in blue" who have found homes in the fertile Park Regions of Minnesota, and it will fully re- pay the reader to carefully examine the sketches of such men as the subject of this memoir, who have passed through life's many changes and vicissitudes, finally set- tling down to quiet lives in the fertile prai- ries of Northwestern Minnesota.

Mr. McCollor is a native of the Pine Tree State, born in Somerset county, Maine, July 2, 1833, and is a son of Patrick and Bridget (Brennin) McCollor, natives of Ireland. Mrs. (Brennin) McCollor was the daughter of Barney Brennin, a farmer of Ireland. Pat- rick McCollor was the son of Edward Mc- Collor, also a farmer of Ireland. The par- ents of our subject emigrated to the United States in 1812, settling in Maine, where they lived the remainder of their lives. They had a family of twelve children, named in the following order-Bernard, Nancy, James, John, Catharina, Patrick, Edward, David, Peter, Michael, Phineas and Thomas. Ber-

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- nard was in the Mexican War, and died in New York City from a disease contracted in the service. James, who was engaged in · the bakery business in Chicago, Illinois, died there in 1876. Michael was accidentally killed in the woods near Moosehead lake in 1880, leaving a wife and child to mourn his loss.

Peter McCollor, the subject of this me- moir, attended the excellent common schools of Anson, Maine, until he was twelve years old, when he removed with his parents to Lower Canada. He attended school until he was seventeen years old, at which time he returned to Maine with his brothers, where he was engaged in the lum- bering business until 1856. In 1856 Mr. McCollor went to California, where he remained for three years engaged in mining. While in Coloma, on the south branch of the American river, Mr. McCollor saw the first piece of gold found in the State. It was dug .out near Sutter's mill and weighed twelve dollars. In 1859 he returned to Maine, and there lived for nineteen years. In 1878 he moved to Minnesota and settled in Grant county, in May. He took a homestead of 160 acres in Roseville township on section 14.

On the 15th of September, 1862, he enlisted in the Twenty-fourth Maine Infantry and served until 1863, when he was honorably discharged in August. He entered as a pri- vate and was mustered out as a sergeant. He participated in many battles and skir- mishes, including the siege of Port Hudson, during which he received a wound in the left arm. He was discharged at Augusta, Maine.

Mr. McCollor was married April 15, 1861, to Miss Margret McGarity, and this union has been blessed with ten children - Angelia, Jennie, Ernest, Leon, Albert (deceased), Alfred, Claud, Winnifred, Ivan and Margret. The wife of Mr. McCollor died on the 20th day of January, 1884, being

forty-one years of age. Our subject has held the following offices in his township : Supervisor, six years ; justice of the peace, four years ; and has also held various school offices. He is a republican in his political belief, and is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic. He has a fine farm on which he carries on general farming and stock-raising.

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RICH C. F. HANSEN, of the business firm of Hansen Bros., butchers and packers, at Moorhead, Minnesota, is a native of Germany. He was born in 1854, and is a son of Erich and Christena (Suver- krubb) Hansen, also natives of Germany. The father was engaged in brewing and farming in his native country, where he now lives a retired life. He was also a public character, having been on the police force and was sergeant for twenty-five years from 1864 to 1887, inclusive. His father was named John J. and his mother Juliana (Hansen) Hansen, who were also life-long brewers and farmers. Erich, Sr., had a family of eleven children-John, Erich C. F., Peter, Magretha, Christena, Ever, Doris, Juliane, Fritz, Carl and Heinrich. The father was a man of much importance, and gave all his children a fine education. His religious belief was that of the Lutheran church.

Our subject, Erich C. F., came to America in 1873, his brother, John P., having arrived a year previous. They both went to Duluth, and there worked at any business that came along. Erich C. F. re- mained at that point for four weeks ; his brother operated a grocery business there for two years. After leaving Duluth, Erich C. F. went to Eagle River, Michigan, where he worked in a copper mine for about six months, then engaged in the butchering

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business, which trade he had mastered in his native country. He served at this for three years, remaining at that point about four years in all; he then went to Willmar, Min- nesota, where he engaged again in butchering for one year, after which he went to Red Wing, Minnesota. He then worked in a flour mill a short time, and from there he went to St. Paul and attended private school for three months. He again went to butcher- ing until 1878, then came to Moor- head and Fargo, butchering in the latter place for about six months, and then engaged in the same business in Moorhead, he and his brother, John P., commencing business in company, building their present fine business block in 1882. It is 45x90 feet in size, on Front street, and is a massive brick building. A part of it is occupied by Eckert & Simonson, dealers in clothing and boots, while the upper portion is rented for families to live in. They also built another block across the street, 20x50 feet in size, which is used as a hardware store. Our subject has a beautiful residence property, which he erect- ed at a cost of $3,300, on Williams and Fifth streets. He also owns, in company property, a twenty-acre lot near the city limits.

Mr. Hansen is a man of strong personal character, and has been prominent in the upbuilding of Moorhead-as evidence of this may be mentioned here that he . was one of the organizers of the Moorhead Southeastern Railway, is director of the Driving Park and Agricultural Association, also has been chosen as alderman from the Second Ward in Moorhead and is a member of the board of health.

Politically he is an independent voter. He belongs to the Masonic and Odd-Fellows orders, and, with his family, attends the Presbyterian church.

Mr. Hansen was married, in 1878, to Miss Hattie Pritzel, daughter of Charles Pritzel, of

Germany. Mrs. Hansen was born, however, in Martinsville, New York. Their children are -Hattie, Eric, Lillia and Charles.

OHN G. TWEETON, a successful and prominent business man of the Red River Valley, is a resident of the village of Barnes- ville, Clay county, Minnesota, where he is engaged in the lumber business, handling all kinds of lumber, also windows, doors, blinds, cement, lime, brick, paints, binding paper, etc .- in short, everything which comes under the head of building material. He is a native of Norway, born May 24, 1859, and is the son of G. I. and Mary (Lofthus) Tweeton, natives also of the " Land of the Midnight Sun."

Mr. Tweeton, the subject of this article, remained in his native land attending the excellent common schools of that country until twelve years of age. He then emi- grated to the United States with his parents, and settled in Iowa county, Wisconsin, where they lived until 1877. In May, 1877, our subject, with the family, consisting of his father, mother, brothers and sisters, started with a team and covered wagon for the noted Red River Valley. They came direct to the town of Tansem, Clay county, Minne- sota, where they bought a tract of land. The subject of this sketch remained at home but very little after settling in Clay county, but was employed on the railroad or at whatever work he could procure until the fall of 1880. In that year he secured a posi- tion with P. E. Thompson, a merchant of Barnesville, and remained in his employ for over six years. He then purchased the lum- ber yard of Thompson & McGrath, and since that time has been engaged in this line at Barnesville. He has placed himself in excel- lent circumstances. He is a prominent and esteemed citizen of Clay county, and has

PARK REGIONS OF MINNESOTA.

held the offices of village recorder for two years, clerk of the school district, and, while with Mr. Thompson, was deputy postmaster for five years. He is a member of the Inde- pendent Order of Odd-Fellows, and in polit- ical matters is an adherent to republican principles.

HARLES F. WILLIS holds a position of chief engineer for the Fergus Falls Water Works in that city, Otter Tail county, Minnesota. He is a native of Hartford, Connecticut, and was born July 10, 1852. His parents were Ephraim and Clarrissa (Chapman) Willis, who were natives of Con- necticut. The father was a general business man, living and dying at Hartford, Con- necticut, his death being recorded in 1860. The mother is still living at Hartford, Con- necticut. They had a family of six children, five of whom are still living - Mrs. Eliza Ray, Mrs. Adella Bigelow, Mrs. Nellie Shields, Parley H., and Charles F. The mother's parents were Horace and Emeline Chapman, natives of Connecticut. He was an extensive farmer, and remained in Con- necticut throughout his life. He reared a large family of five sons and five daughters. He was a prominent member of the Congre- gational church, and was deacon of that society at Ellington, Connecticut.

The subject of our sketch remained at home attending school at Hartford, Con- necticut, and also in Pittsfield, Illinois, until twelve years of age. At this latter place in Illinois he was living with his uncle, Clark P. Chapman, and after remaining with his relative for three years returned to his parents in Hartford, Connecticut. At this time, when fifteen years of age, he started out for himself, first working in a machine shop in Hartford, where he received as com- pensation $3 per week and boarded himself.

He worked in this business until he was sev- enteen years of age. At this time he was placed in charge of a 100 horse-power engine run by the Weed Sewing Machine Company at Hartford. He worked for this company for about two years, receiving $65 per month. Then, in 1870, he came westward, stopping at Springfield, Illinois, where he found employ- ment as locomotive fireman on the Wabash Railroad. Until in 1875 he continued work- ing in this line, and in that year he was pro- moted to the position of engineer on the Canadian Southern at Grosse Isle, Michigan. He continued in the employment of locomo- tive engineer until 1883, at which time he accepted his present position as engineer of the Fergus Falls Water Works.

Mr. Willis is a thorough machinist, and is of an inventive turn of mind, having pat- ented two different machines-the automatic telephone call, and the automatic circuit controller. He is now at work upon several other inventions, which he expects to com- plete in the near future. He holds a license as chief engineer from the State inspector of the State of Minnesota. He has had a large and varied experience in the machine busi- ness since boyhood, and has acquired a wonderful skill in all lines of machine work.

In 1882 Mr. Willis was united in marriage to Miss Mary Van Dyke, of New Lisbon, Wisconsin, daughter of Abraham and Mary (Warren) Van Dyke, both of whom were natives of New York. Her father was by profession an engineer, but is now retired from active business life. Mr. and Mrs. Van Dyke liad three children - Julia (now Mrs. Skeed), Charles and Mrs. Willis. Mr. and Mrs. Willis have a family of two children - Gertie and Leslie.

Mr. Willis' office is in reality a museum of curiosities. He has turned his inventive genius to the adornment of his quarters, and has many articles of beauty and value. His office is lighted by electric light, the appli-

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ances for the making of which he was the inventor, and the power for the manufacture of which is obtained from the city engines. He has an invention of a red curtain, which is placed on the outside of his office building. In case of fire there is an automatic appli- ance which, by telephone connections, causes this curtain to drop, and the dropping of this curtain can be seen a long distance. In this way Mr. Willis can keep continual watch over his office, as in case of fire the curtain would give him warning. He also has a curious contrivance which represents the old- fashioned water works of Fergus Falls in 1882. This representation is a woman oper- ating an old-fashioned pump, and water run- ning from the spout into a small pail. The movement of the figure is very life-like. Mr. Willis has purchased and improved sev- eral lots in the city, and is one of the leading business spirits of Fergus Falls. He is a man who holds the confidence and esteem of his employers, and of the city at large.

ORGAN T. RICH is a wealthy and influential citizen of Wahpeton, Richland county, North Dakota. The place of his nativity was in Oswego county, New York, where he was born March 4, 1832.

The parents of the subject of our sketch vere Morgan L. and Caroline (Stearns) Rich, the former a native of New York and the latter born in Massachusetts. The father was engaged extensively in farming, and was also proprietor of a town called Sand- banks, where he also carried on a mercan- tile business.

Morgan T. received a good education in New York State, and remained at home until 1856. He then came to St. Paul, Min- nesota, where he began driving stage, making his home, however, in Red Wing, same State. Later he commenced farming near Wacouta,

where he also engaged in the lumber busi- ness, keeping a large force of men at work. In 1864 he sold out his business interests in Minnesota and went to Montana, where he headquartered at Helena. Until 1867 he engaged in mining for gold, then returned to Red Wing, Minnesota, where he lived two years. He then removed to Wahpeton, North Dakota, that is, he came to where Wahpeton now stands, as at that day there were no signs of this flourishing city of the present. Mr. Rich became the pioneer of the place, and there were no other white settlers within fifteen miles. He first called the place Richville, but later changed it to Wahpeton, after the Indians of that name, who were then wandering over the country. Mr. Rich did not bring his family with him to his new home, but, leaving them in Red Wing, he boarded himself, did his own work and built a "sort of root house " on the bank of the Red river, a short distance from where his present residence stands. He built the first log house, the first building in the village, and laid out the village in 1873. His claim, which contained 160 acres, was the original site of Wahpeton. He improved a few acres and set out a number of trees. He had located on a fine piece of land, and this, together with the fact that the Red river ran at his door, led him to believe that in the future development of this region his location would play an important part. So he bent all his energies to making a town on his land, and the present state of things shows how admirably he succeeded. He built a ferry boat in 1871, and, for several years, until the bridge was built, ferried teams, cattle and foot passengers across the Red river. He has purchased a large amount of land, and has handled considerable property for other parties. He helped to organize the county, and was one of its first county commissioners. He has been engaged act-

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ively in business in Wahpeton since its foundation, and loans large sums of money on real estate.

January 19, 1857, Mr. Rich was married to Miss Elizabeth Friederick, a native of Germany, and daughter of George Frieder- ick. Her mother died in 1844, in Germany, and the father, with his family of four chil- dren, came to America, and settled at Wells creek, nine miles west of Red Wing, Minne- sota, where he took · land and engaged in farming until his death, which occurred in 1872. Mrs. Rich has only one brother now living-Andrew. Mr. and Mrs. Rich have three daughters-Carrie E., Helen J. (now Mrs. Orcutt, of Wahpeton, who has one child-Jessie L.), and Sarah A. (now Mrs. Pyatt). Carrie E. has been blind since she was a child, and has received her education at the Blind Institute at Faribault, Minnesota. She spent eight years at that place, where she has also taught for three years.

Mr. Rich is one of the most enterprising citizens of Wahpeton, and has indeed been the father of the city. He is a man of broad ideas, is socially inclined and has a large circle of friends, who hold him in high esteem.

OHN ALDERMAN. Among the active and progressive business men that have helped establish the reputation that Crooks- ton, Minnesota, has gained for push and en- ergy, there is perhaps no better example than the gentleman whose name heads this memoir. He is a member of the firm of Alderman & Silvester, hardware dealers of that city, who carry a stock of every char- acter of goods in their line, that will invoice upward of $6,500 and is also the proprietor of the livery stable near the St. Louis Hotel.

Mr. Alderman was born in Dane county, Wisconsin, April 7, 1851, and is the son of

Walter and Cornelia Alderman, who were among the earliest settlers in that part of the Badger State, locating in Milwaukee, in 1839, previous to its admission to the Union. The subject of our sketch was reared to manhood upon his father's farm, and received the elements of his education in the rough log school-houses of the period. At the age of twenty-three he left the paternal roof, and for some three years was employed as a clerk in a store in the city of Stoughton, Wisconsin. Having entered into a copart- nership with O. H. Lothe, on the 8th of May, 1878, he left the latter place in a cov- ered wagon drawn by four horses, and, in company with T. II. Bjohn, started for Crookston. Four weeks later he drove into the little village that bore that name, which then contained about two hundred and fifty inhabitants. All its business houses were ranged along the railroad track, and the present site of the populous and thriving city was, as yet, covered with the primeval timber. He and his partner purchased a lot and put up a building now occupied by Olson & Timley as a saloon, and in it opened the pioneer drug store of the village. They con- tinued in trade some eight months, when, having disposed of the stock, Mr. Alderman, in the spring of 1879, returned to his native home, and after a month spent there returned to Crookston with a number of horses, which he sold during the following summer. In January, 1880, he, in company with others, opened a general merchandise store in Crook- ston, under the firm name and style of Alderman, Hensing & Co., but one year later sold out his interest therein, and, pur- chasing the Norsk Hotel, opened it as its land- lord. While in the latter place of business he made a claim on 160 acres of land on sec- tion 12, St. Hilaire township, this county, and in the spring of 1882, renting the hotel, he removed to his farm, and for some two years engaged in agricultural pursuits. At

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the expiration of that time he returned to Crookston, and again assumed control of the hotel, which he managed until July, 1888, when he, in company with S. R. Silvester, purchased the hardware stock and business of Eiken Bros., and is engaged in carrying on that line of trade. Previous to this, in 1886, he had inaugurated the livery stable near the St. Louis Hotel, which he still owns and manages. Since coming to this point Mr. Alderman has been quite successful in his financial measures, and owns considerable real estate in the county, chief among which are his farm (now within the limits of St. Hilaire), the Norsk Hotel and the livery barn. He has taken a lively interest in the growth and development of his adopted home, and is one of its most progressive and public spirited citizens, and stands de- servedly high in the respect and esteem of the people of the community. In his polit- ical views Mr. Alderman has always affiliated with the republican party, and takes consid- erable interest in the success of that organ- ization.

Mr. Alderman was united in marriage with Miss Anna Silvester on the 11th of December, 1880. They have two children- Cora E. and Wallena R.

NDREW ERWIN is a resident partner of John McCulloch & Co., lumber merchants at Fergus Falls, Minnesota. He is a native of Tennessee, and was born in Memphis, November 10, 1856.

His parents were John S. and Elizabeth (Wilson) Erwin, who were both natives of Pennsylvania. The father was a manufact- urer of sashes and doors in Memphis, and re- moved from that place to Clinton county, Iowa, where he engaged extensively in farm- ing. In 1872 he removed to Missouri and settled in Adair county, in which county he

engaged largely in farming and raising stock. He is and has been one of the lead- ing citizens of Adair county, and has held various county offices, and in many ways has been made the recipient of honors bestowed by the franchises of his fellow-citizens. He has now retired from active business life and resides in Missouri. His parents were An- drew and Mary (Stewart) Erwin, natives of Belfast, Ireland. Elizabeth (Wilson) Erwin's parents were Hugh and Mary Wilson, the former a native of Ireland and the latter a native of Pennsylvania. The father of tlie subject of our sketch had a family of five children-William D., now a lumber mer- chant at Kinsley, Kansas ; Mary, now Mrs. Anderson, of Kirksville, Missouri ; Andrew, Joseph P., a traveler ; John S., a professor at Kinsley, Kansas, teacher in the graded schools of that city. The father is a demo- crat in politics, and, with his wife, belongs to the Presbyterian church.

The subject of our sketch spent his younger days on the farm, but was given first-class school advantages. He is a graduate of the normal school at Kirksville, Missouri, and graduated therefrom in 1876, after which time he taught school in Ray county, Mis- souri, two terms, thence went west to Kansas and settled in Kinsley, Edwards county, where he was employed for two years as a clerk in a hardware store. He then went to Colorado and wound up a lumber business for the Kansas Lumber Company. Soon afterward he went into partnership with this company at Burlingame, Kansas, where they opened a yard, in which business he remained for two years. In the month of January, 1882, he came to Fergus Falls, Minnesota, and took charge of the lumber interests of that company, in which line he has since continued.

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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 39

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