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 46

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 46
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 46

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The subject of our sketch remained at home on the farm and at ten years of age was sent to the academy at Flemington, which school he attended until he was seven- teen. He then commenced to read law with R. S. Kuhl, in Flemington, remaining in

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that gentleman's office for four years, when he was admitted to the bar before the supreme court. For one year thereafter he engaged in the practice of his profession, and at the end of that time he struck out for the Great West. He engaged with a survey- ing corps, and worked for eight months on the survey of the Northern Pacific Railroad from Bismarck, Dakota Territory, to Helena, Mon- tana Territory. May 1, 1872, he landed in Wahpeton, Dakota, where he engaged in the law business, being the first practicing lawyer in the place. He also opened a branch office in Breckenridge, Minnesota. In 1880 he was appointed deputy district attorney, and in 1881 clerk of the lower house of the Territorial legislature. The same year he was appointed county attorney. In 1882 he was elected to the Territorial legislature, serving two years. He was president of the city council during 1884-5, and at present holds the office of city attorney.

In 1883 Mr. Pyatt was wedded to Miss Sarah A. Rich, of Wahpeton, and daughter of Morgan T. and Elizabeth (Fredericks) Rich.

Mr. Pyatt has been a careful investor and has purchased several farms in Richland and Wilkin counties, the latter in Minnesota. In politics Mr. Pyatt is a republican and a warm defender of the principles upon which that party is founded. He is a man of excellent legal abilities and stands at the head of his profession in his town and county.

- ASPER SAND, the' well-known pas- senger conductor on the St. Paul, Minneapolis & Manitoba Railroad, is one of the most active and public-spirited citizens of Crookston, and a short sketch of his career is necessary in this connection.

Mr. Sand is a native of Norway, born June 30, 1851, and is the son of Hans and Olia

(Anderson) Sand. He remained in the land of his birth, attending school until he had reached the age of sixteen years, when his parents brought their family to the United States with the laudable ambition of better- ing their lot in this world. The old folks, with their four boys, on landing on the shores of this republic, came at once to the great and growing Northwest and settled at La Crosse, Wisconsin. Here the subject of our sketch, with his brothers, hired out their services to farmers in that vicinity. Fulfilling their duties while in that sphere, in the fall of 1869, by clubbing their savings, they were enabled to purchase a yoke of oxen and a wagon, and by the help of these came to Kandiyohi county, Minnesota, where their father had come the year previous and set- tled at Eagle Lake. The two elder boys took up claims close to their father's, but Casper was at that time too young. The country was then comparatively new, and as the boys could find no employment they were compelled to mortgage their oxen and wagon to find money to buy their winter's bread.

Early the next spring the subject of this sketch engaged the employ of the St. Paul & Pacific, now the St. Paul, Minneapolis & Manitoba Railroad Company, as a section hand, and remained in that capacity for about three years. In 1873 he was promoted to the position of brakeman on the Brecken- ridge division of the same road. He remained on that part of the Manitoba system until the railroad was completed to Glyndon and Fisher's Landing, when he was transferred to this part of the line, and after a month or six weeks spent as brakeman here was given charge of the train as con- ductor. At that time the train was only run every other day, spending the alternate days at the Landing. He continued to have charge of the train until the winter closed the river, when traffic was suspended. Mr.

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Sand then returned to the main line and resumed his old position as brakeman, in which he continued until the opening of navigation the following spring, when he again took charge of the train on this divis- ion, and has remained here ever since. He is the oldest in service of any conductor on the Northern division, and there are but two older on the whole line. He has never missed a pay day since he first started as a section hand, nor ever had a "lay off," except at his own request.

On the 13th of February, 1878, Mr. Sand was united in matrimonial bonds with Mrs. Mary Harkness, nee Christianson, of Wil- mar, and putting up a small house at Fisher's Landing, made his home with his wife there for about a year. At the end of that time he removed to Crookston, and, erecting a small cabin on the railroad right- of-way, resided there for another year, and then purchasing two lots in the city erected his present residence. In the spring of 1888, in company with his brothers, he established the Sand Bros.' meat market, which is carried on by his brothers, he still continuing in the railway employ.

In 1880 Mr. Sand induced his father and two of his brothers to leave Kandiyohi county and move to Marshall county, where they all took up claims, and, being the first set- tlers in the town, Sandsville was named in their honor. There they all in company carry on a large stock farm, controlling some 800 acres of arable farm land, besides nearly two sections of swamp land pasture.

Mr. and Mrs. Sand are the parents of three children - Cecil B., Carl H. and Olive M.

IRAM T. EAMES is a member of the firm of Eames Brothers, proprietors of the city meat market and dealers in fresh and salted meats. Their business is located on the corner of Lincoln and Court streets,

Fergus Falls, Otter Tail county, Minnesota. Mr. Eames is a native of Henderson county, Illinois, where he was born in the year 1852. He is the son of Obediah and Mary A. (Bigelow) Eames, both natives of New York City.

Mr. Eames' father was for twenty years engaged in the business of steamboating on the Mississippi river, after which he turned his attention to farming in Minnesota. Later in life he was engaged in the man- ufacture of barrels and barrel stock, having his business located in Red Wing, Minnesota, where he lived until his death, which occurred in 1881. The mother now lives in Red Wing .- The father was a republican in politics and was an attendant and supporter of the Methodist Episcopal church. He had a family of seven children-Hiram T., Clara, now Mrs. Neudeck ; Olivia, now Mrs. Taakar ; Jessie, now Mrs. Nelson ; Harry O., Paul and Blanche.

The subject of our sketch spent his younger days on the home farm in Goodhue county, Minnesota, in Hay Creek township, where his father was extensively engaged in farming. Here he received excellent train- ing and experience, his father being a wealthy man and having in his employ from fifteen to twenty men. In 1873 Mr. Eames removed to Red Wing, where he worked in a meat market for his father, who was engaged in this business in that city for five years. The subject of our sketch, in partnership with another young man, pur- chased his father's business and continued running that for some time, when Mr. Eames became sole proprietor. He continued in this line in Red Wing until January 1, 1881, at which time he purchased his father's stave and barrel business and ran the same for three years. At this time he sold out his business interests in Red Wing and came to Fergus Falls, opening a meat business with a Mr. McKinstrey. For eighteen months this part-

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nership was kept up, when, at the end of that time, Mr. McKinstrey sold out to Mr. Eames and the latter continued to run the business until November 1, 1888, at which time his brother Paul became junior partner. They do the most extensive business in the city.

In 1877 Mr. Eames was united in marriage to Miss Hattie Cox, daughter of James and Ann E. (Colwell) Cox, natives of New York. Mr. and Mrs. Eames have a family of three children-Maude E., Ray T., and Jesse F.

Mr. Eames affiliates with the republican party and is a prominent member of the Ma- sonic fraternity. He is one of the live, active business men of the city, and keeps three men employed. Their business is not confined to the retail line alone, but they do a large wholesale business, shipping stock to St. Paul and Minneapolis. Mr. Eames is a successful business man and is alive to everything that tends to build up the financial interests of Fergus Falls.

- HARLES PULLMAN, the efficient and accommodating hotel proprietor and livery man at Herman, Grant county, Min- nesota, is a native of the State of Michigan. He was born in Niles on the 8th day of July, 1841, and is a son of Nathaniel and Nancy (Smallman) Pullman, who were natives of New York State. The parents of our subject were married in New York State on the 6th of March, 1828, and remained in that State until 1835, when they removed to the State of Michigan, where they remained for about ten years. In 1855 they removed to Iowa, and later settled at Colesburg, Iowa, where the father was engaged in the hotel business. From the latter place they went to Howard county, in the same State, where Mr. Pullman, Sr., engaged in the mercantile business, and was

one of the earliest settlers in that region of the country. He had to have his stock of goods hauled from Dubuque, a distance of 125 miles. He moved from Howard county, Iowa, to New Oregon, Iowa, and there. engaged in the same business until, finally, on account of old age, he gave up active life, and soon went on a visit to their son, our subject, where the mother died in 1884 and the father in 1887. They were members of the Baptist church, and were the parents of the following children - Frances, born Nov- ember 25, 1831 ; Eveline and Emeline, twins, born in 1828; Theodore, born July 4, 1830 ; Elizebeth, born December 22, 1834 ; George, born March 4, 1837; Minerva, born Octo- ber 22, 1838, and Charles, born July 8, 1841. Frances, Elizebeth, Minerva and the subject of this sketch are the only ones remaining. Frances is the wife of Dr. J. H. Bowers, of Wisconsin ; Elizebeth married Dr. C. O. Paquin, of Pine City, Minnesota, and Minerva is now Mrs. J. H. Powell,of Appleton, Minne- sota. Her husband was sheriff of Howard county, Iowa, for eight years, and is now engaged in farming.

Mr. Charles Pullman, the subject of this biographical sketch, spent his school-days principally in Michigan, and at the age of ten years moved to Howard county, Iowa, where he attended school until he was nine- teen years of age. He then was employed by Mr. Johnson, of Rochester, Minnesota, and drove a "four horse Yankee notion wagon " through Minnesota, Iowa and Wis- consin. After working three years at this occupation, he went to Wisconsin, where he was superintendent of the stage route beween Durand and Eau Claire, for three years. He then removed to St. Paul, Min- nesota, where he was employed as agent for the Minnesota Stage Company, for four years, the last two between Breckenridge and Win- nipeg. At the expiration of the four years he removed to Grant county, Minnesota, set- 1

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tling at Herman in 1873. At that time there was only one store in the village, and he at once commenced to handle wheat. From 1873 until 1877 he carried on this occupation and in connection ran a machine shop; he also operated a farm of 320 acres near the village. In the year 1881 Mr. Pullman opened up the hotel which bears his name, and in connection he runs a first-class livery stable. He has since carried on the dual business and is one of the best and most favorably known business men of Grant county.

Mr. Pullman was joined in marriage on the Sth day of December, 1873, to Mrs. Bertha Elmer, and this union has been blessed with the following named children - Viva F., born November 17, 1875; Nina, born Sep- tember 28, 1877; and Minnie A., born Novem- ber 4, 1882. Mrs. Pullman is a native of Wisconsin, born at Oshkosh. Her parents, who are now dead, were Germans, and the father was in the War of 1812. He was in the battle of Waterloo and also in the late Civil War, and a man of much more than ordinary ability. He was eighty-nine years old at the time of his death.

Mr. Pullman is a democrat in his political affiliations and is a member of the Masonic fraternity. The well-known Pullman of Pullman Palace car fame is a cousin of our subject. Our subject has held the offices of school director and member of the village council, and is one of the representative men of Grant county.

OBERT COULTER. No class of men nor family have done more toward the settlement, progress and development of the western part of Polk county and the Red River Valley, nor figured more promi- nently in the history of the progress of that county than the Coulters, and a well-known

and highly respected member of this family is Robert Coulter, the subject of our present sketch, who resides on section 27, Hunts- ville township, Polk county, Minnesota.

Robert Coulter was born in Ontario, Can- ada, June 14, 1844, and is a son of Christo- pher and Elizabeth Ann (Lee) Coulter, who were natives of Scotland. He grew to man- hood and received his education in the Prov- ince of his birth. Early in life a man's labor devolved upon him, and since that time he has been the architect of his own fortune, being a self-made man in every particular. He made his home with his parents, "off and on," as the expression goes, until after his marriage. In March, 1866, he came to Min- nesota and located in Winona county. He was employed at working for farmers and lumbering in the woods. In 1871, in com- pany with William Fleming and T. L. Mc- Veety, he came to Polk county, Minnesota, and they made their way to Huntsville township. The party drove through with ox teams and were the first settlers in the western part of Polk county. Times were very hard with the pioneers for a time and they endured many hardships and disadvan- tages. At that time, during the winter the mails were carried on sledges drawn by dog teams ; and when many of the old settlers did any traveling in the winter it was with dog teams. When Robert Coulter came here his earthly possessions in the live stock line consisted of an ox team and one cow, and during the first year he earned the most of his living with his gun and his traps. He has attended closely to business, however, and his excellent management and energy have placed him in excellent financial cir- cumstances. He now owns 300 acres of land, which is under a high state of cultivation, forty acres of which is good timber land. He has a fine residence and other building improvements located in a substantial oak grove on the banks of Red Lake river, and

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also owns a store building in Mallory village. A portion of that village is platted on his land.

Mr. Coulter was married on the 13th of April, 1869, to Elizabeth McVeety, a daugh- ter of James and Jessie (McLane) McVeety. Their marriage has been blessed by the fol- lowing-named children-James, Christopher, Anna, Ida, William, Laura and Jessie.

ILVA H. KIRK is the proprietor of the Park Roller Flouring Mills at Fergus Falls, Otter Tail county, Minnesota. He is a native of Broom county, New York, and was born in 1847. His parents, Henry and Fannie M. (Osborn) Kirk, were also natives of New York State. The father was a skilled boat builder and carpenter. He came west to Minneapolis in 1878 and commenced the manufacture of the "adjustable hinge" cracker box, of which he was the inventor. He was very successful in business and laid by a snug little fortune. He has now retired from active life, confining his attention mainly to the management of a block of buildings which he owns in West Superior, Minnesota. His father was Henry Kirk, whose native State was New York, where he was engaged in the business of farming.

The mother of the subject of our sketch died in 1861. Her father was Franklin Osborn, of New York. He was a man of excellent general business qualities and attained to considerable prominence in his native place. For many years he was a justice, devoting most of his time to cases in court.

The subject of this sketch remained at home attending school until he was fifteen years of age. One year later he enlisted in the Sixteenth Independent Battery, New York Volunteers, and served until the close of the war, being in a number of engage-

ments, among them the seige and capture of Fort Fisher. After being discharged from further duty, he returned to his native State and entered the Binghamton Commercial College, from which insti tution he graduated in the fall of 1865. After his graduation he filled a position as clerk in one of the business houses of Binghamton for some time ; then commenced work at mill-wrighting, follow- ing this business in the cities of New York, Boston, Buffalo and many other Eastern places. In 1871 he turned his face westward, coming to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he accepted a position as foreman with O. A. Pray, for whom he worked three years. He then entered the North Star Iron Works as draughtsman and foreman of the wood department, in which position he remained until 1878. After this, for seven years, he engaged in the mill furnishing business in Minneapolis. At the end of this period he sold out his business interests in that city, came to Fergus Falls and purchased what. was then called the Farmers and Mechanics' Mill, now the Park Roller Mills. He has made this one of the most popular mills in the country, by putting in the patent roller process and adding all modern improvements. In capacity and for water-power this mill is- one of the very best in all the Red River country. The mill is on the table-land just east of the main part of the city, and still within the city limits. Within a short dis- tance stands his handsome residence, beauti- fully located on a rise of ground overlooking the Red river as it winds its way down the valley through the city of Fergus Falls, making as grand a picture as ever tempted the genius of an artist.

Mr. Kirk was wedded in May, 1872, to Miss Nettie M. Strong, daughter of C. D. Strong, of St. Paul, Minnesota. This union was blessed with three children, only one of whom is now living -Zoe S. Mrs. Kirk

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died in 1878. Mr. Kirk's second marriage was to Mrs. Regina Browniie, of Minneapo- lis, by whom he has one child living - Albert H.

Mr. Kirk is a prosperous, enterprising cit- izen and business man, and takes an active interest in the prosperity and growth of his city and county. He is one of the finest mechanics in the Northwest, and in the past ten years has taken out fifteen patents for improvements on mill machinery. In poli- tics he affiliates with the republican party, and is at present president of the city coun- cil of Fergus Falls.

WAN E. EASTLAND, one of Clay county's most thoroughgoing farmers and stock-breeders, has been assigned a bio- graphical space in this volume, which treats of the personal life of those best and most favorably known in the Red River country of the Nortlı.

Our subject, a native of Sweden, was born in 1846, and is the only son of Erick and Mary Oleson, who followed farm life. The father died in 1858, and in 1869 the family came to America, settling in Goodhue county, Minnesota, where they bought eighty acres of land and remained for four- teen years. The mother died in 1887 in Goodhue county. In 1883 they moved to Clay county, purchasing 160 acres of land in Moland township, where they lived for three years, then moved into Moorhead, engaging in the meat business. He has since then farmed. He now has, upon his farm, sixteen head of cattle, five horses and a large number of hogs. He makes a spe- cialty of breeding fine blooded swine, and has succeeded remarkably well.

He was married in 1871 to Miss Emma F. Johnson, daughter of Carl Johnson, a native of Sweden. They have a family of

ten children - Ida M., Minnie A., Leonard P., Walter, Herman, Martin, Godfred, Arthur, Erick and Elof T. The name of the deceased child was Ernest A.

In his political views, Mr. Eastland is a firm believer in the principles of the repub- lican party. He has frequently been pressed to hold office of a local nature. He was steward of the Poor Farm in Goodhue county, when a resident there, also held the office of assessor and district clerk, besides taking an active interest in all public matters.

The family all belong to the Swedish Lutheran church, Mr. Eastland being both deacon and treasurer of the church to which he belongs.

DOLPH A. JUST, M. D., the only repre- sentative of the homeopathic school of medicine in the city of Crookston, Min- nesota, located in that place in 1882, since which time he has been closely identified with its interests, and steadily continued in the practice of his chosen profession. As a man and a citizen he ranks high in the respect and esteem of the people of the com- munity, and his skill and success in baffling the demons of disease and death have won him an enviable position and a large and daily growing practice.

Dr. Just was born in the county of Dodge, in the State of Wisconsin, November 23, 1851, and is the son of Carl and Helen Just, natives of Germany. His boyhood and youth were passed upon the farm of his father, and the foundation of his education was laid in the common schools of the district, " those rough cradles of learning, to whose halcyon walls the memory of so many of our eminent men revert in fond remem- brance." At the age of seventeen he entered the State Normal School, at Mankato, Min-

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nesota, his parents having removed to Blue Earth county and settled on a farm. Several years were passed in attention to his studies in that noble institution of this State. At the expiration of which, not . having, as yet, decided upon his future course in life, he went to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he devoted some time to a course in one of the noted commercial colleges of that city. While there, as by an inspiration, came the desire to become a physician, and on reflec- · tion adopted the homeopathic school by conviction. Entering the Hahnemann Med- ical College, one of the noblest institutions of the kind in the country and one which confers distinction upon its graduates, he devoted the strictest attention to the studics of its curriculum. Anatomy, surgery, ther- apeutics and materia medica, with the Organum of Hahnemann, the founder of that school of practice, received from the young student a thoughtful and conscientious investigation. His graduation with a high class diploma from that institution in 1881, after a most vigorous examination, attests his industry in study and devotion to the principles of his profession which his after- life has not contradicted.

Returning to Blue Earth county, Minne. sota, at the conclusion of his education, and locating at Good Thunder, he assumed the charge of the medical practice of Dr. A. C. Weilicke, of that place, and continued in his chosen profession there until June, 1882, when, with admirable foresight, he came to Crookston, and opencd an office.

Voltaire has truly said that a physician is the most unfortunate of men, as he is expected to cure men, and kecp them well, when they violate the very. laws of their existence every day. This is as true to-day as it was of the time he wrote, as any prac- titioner can testify, making the medical pro- fession no sinecure. But with a concientious regard for his mission, Dr. Just has bravely

battled with this weakness of his fellow-man and met with great success in curing the ailments of his numcrous patients. Pleas- antly affable in the sick-room, with a con- scious knowledge of the depths of his research and ability, he has won for him- self a large place in the hearts of the citi- zens of Crookston and the contiguous country, and his merited success in the treat- ment of disease has brought him already a lucrative reward for his labors, as well as a satisfaction in the rectitude of his choice of a profession.

Steadily devoting his entire energies to the duties of his practice, the doctor has had no time to devote to any outside business or to political preferment, but pursues the " even tenor of his way" in the path he has chosen with admirable assiduity.

ARRIS K. HARRISON. The subject of this biographical sketch is a resident of section 25, Pomme De Terre township, Grant county, Minnesota, where he ' is engaged in a general farming and stock- raising business. He is a native of Wisconsin, born in Winchester, Winnebago county, onl the 29th day of November, 1855, and is a son of Kittle and IIelga (Langrud) Harrison, natives of Norway. The father of our subject emigrated to the United States in 1850 and the mother in 1851. They settled in Wisconsin, where they are still residing, engaged in farming. They are the parents of the following-named children - Rachel, Samuel, Ole, Kittle, Henry L., John and Harris K.

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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 46

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