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 50

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 50
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 50

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Mr. Lewis was married in 1880 to Miss Jennie D. Moore, the daughter of Charles D. Moore, of Minneapolis. Three children have blessed this union-one daughter and two sons. Their names are --- Laura, William M. and Charles L., Jr.

The subject of our sketch has been very successful in all his business and professional transactions in Fergus Falls. He has been prominent in politics, careful in his profession, and has rendered valuable aid in all that las tended to the improvement of his adopted city. He owns a fine cottage residence which he built in 1880 in the western part of the city. His property is beautifully located on a rise of ground overlooking the city.

R. G. VIVIAN is one of the leading physicians in the city of Alexandria, Minnesota. He came to this place in 1869, and is the oldest physician now a resident of Douglas county. When he settled here there were only two other physicians in the county, since which time these two have gone away or died. Coming to the county

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in an early day the Doctor has had ample opportunity to see the growth and improve ment that has taken place, and has himself been a factor in the building up of the city and county.

Dr. Vivian is a native of Wales. He was born on the 7th of March, 1839, and is the son of Nicholas and Marguerite (Godfrey) Vivian, the former a native of England, and the latter of the island of Serk, one of the British possessions. The grandfather's name was Nicholas, and the grandmother's, Eleanor (Duncan) Vivian, both of whom were natives of Cornwall, England. The grandfather was a geologist and an expert miner, and in that capacity visited many of the different countries in Europe. He raised a large family, lived to a ripe old age and died in England. Much of his early life was spent in the British navy. The father of the subject of our sketch was a civil and mining engineer and followed this business throughout most of his life. He came to America in 1847 or 1848 and settled in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His profession called for considerable travel, and while engaged in it he visited and was employed in many parts of the United States. He came to Alexandria, Minnesota, in 1869 and died there in 1880. Dr. Vivian's mother died in Michigan in 1864. There were only two children in this family, one of whom died in early childhood, and the other is the subject of this sketch.

The Doctor spent his younger days at a school in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, com- menced the study of medicine at Ontonagon on Lake Superior, in 1856. Here he remained for five and a half years, in the meantiine attending the University of Michigan for two terms, and graduated in 1862. He also attended Bellevue Hospital Medical Col- lege, New York City in 1875 and 1876 and received a second diploma. He commenced the practice of his profession on Lake Super-

ior, in Ontonagon county and soon after- ward removed to Keweenaw county where he remained until 1869. During this time he held the position of mining surgeon for several copper mines. In 1869 he came to Douglas county, Minnesota, settling at Alex- andria, where he has since been engaged in active practice. The Doctor belongs to the Minnesota State Medical Society and is also a member of the American Medical Associa- tion. In the government of the county he has held several positions of trust. He was coroner and county physician for some ten years, and in the first few years of his resi- dence here was overseer of the poor; and for fifteen or sixteen years was United States examining surgeon for pensions. He was also employed by the Manitoba Railroad Company as their physician and surgeon, having held that position while the road was building and ever since. Dr. Vivian is known all over Douglas and the adjacent counties, and his professional trips have extended for a radius of over fifty miles from Alexandria. This applies more especially to an early day when such trips were generally difficult and sometimes dangerous. He has purchased land and improved it, and set out the first and only vineyard in this vicinity. He built and owns his office opposite the Letson House, and also a modest residence on Eighth avenue and D street.

Dr. Vivian was married in 1861 to Miss Clara E. Merryweather, of Lake Superior, Michigan. They have five children living- the eldest Frederick G., being one of the editors of the Alexandria Post ; Marguer- ite C., Mary C., Ellen A. and Clara A.

Dr. Vivian holds the office of postmaster of Alexandria, and is a member of the Min- nesota State board of corrections and chari- ties. He was first appointed to the latter position by Governor Hubbard and re-ap- pointed by Governor McGill. He is a mem- ber of the Episcopal church.

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In politics the Doctor has been and is now a democrat, liberal in all things and free from partisan bigotry. He has many friends among the republicans, as shown by the grand test-votes-having obtained large majorities in towns almost entirely repub- lican.

ILLIAM W. CAMPBELL. A good citizen is not only he that is obedi- ent to the laws, discharges his elective fran- chise and adds to his own material fortune, but rather he that helps build up the com- munity in which he lives, seeking the welfare of his fellow-men, and ever ready with purse or personal endeavor to advance the interest of the town or village, where he makes his home. In this sense of the word, perhaps, there is no one in the village of Ada that has earned the title of one of its best citizens, more than has the gentleman /whose name heads this memoir.

Mr. Campbell is a native of Cattaraugus county, New York, born February 22, 1832, and is the son of James and Maria (Jaques) Campbell. At the early age of thirteen he was left an orphan. Three years later, in company with his brother, James V., the two being the only ones left of a family of eight children, he started for Wisconsin, and on reaching that State, took up claims in Port- age county. That section of country, then a part of the vast wilderness of the North- west, had been but a short time before an Indian reservation, but had been bought by the Government. The land had not been opened for settlers, and but a small part of it was, as yet, surveyed. On the piece of land on which he had settled, Mr Campbell opened up a farm, and there made his home until November, 1861, when, fired with a holy patriotism and a lofty desire to defend the principals of the republican form of govern-

ment, he left his wife and family and all the ties of home, to enroll himself among the heroic " boys in blue " that sprang to the defense of country and flag. Enlisting in Company E, Eighteenth Wisconsin Infantry, he was mustered into the United States ser- vice in the early part of 1862, at Milwaukee, and remained with the regiment in that city until March 30, when the command was ordered to St. Louis, where they expected to go into camp and drill in the manual of arms, they having, as yet, no experience in that respect. On their arrival in that city, how- ever, their officers, being afraid that the reg- inent would not receive their share of the glories of the war, reported the command as ready for duty, and they were at once for- warded to the front, arriving at Pittsburg Landing on the afternoon of April 4th. After unloading their equipage they moved a few miles from the Tennessee river and went into camp, having no suspicion of an attack from the enemy. During the night the rebels formed their line of battle in front of the unsuspecting federals, and before day- break, attacked the sleeping camps. Then followed the sanguinary conflict, known to history as that of Shiloh or Pittsburg Land- ing, the annals of which have been most fully written. During that direful and bloody day, Mr. Campbell, who was color bearer, and in the first charge of the rebels the entire color-guard, eight men, were shot down except himself, so starting with the colors to the rear he soon found himself sur- rounded by his comrades, who had been compelled to fall back.

The regiment passed through that awful baptism of fire, being in the battle all day, and as night was about falling, after having lost their colonel and most of the field staff and line officers, in one fierce charge the rebels swept off some 2,200 prisoners, among whom were about 250 of the Eighteenth Wisconsin. Mr. Campbell was one of the

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unlucky ones, and with his fellow prisoners was marched to the rear of the rebel lines, and were camped that night in a plowed field, with nothing to eat. Just a week since they had left the quiet North. The follow- ing morning they were marched through the mud and rain to Corinth, and there loaded into box cars so thick that they could scarcely move, and could not sit down, and taken to Memphis. On their arrival in that place, on the 8th, they were placed in an old stone warehouse, but were not given any- thing to eat, notwithstanding the fact that they had been without food since the 5th. On the next morning, after being furnished with some crackers and raw corn meal they they were again placed on the cars and taken to Mobile, and from that point to Tuscaloosa, on barges, arriving at the latter place on the 16th. There some 400 prisoners were put into close confinement in an old paper mill, without blankets and with nothing to eat except corn bread and putrid mule meat. They were under the charge of the afterward notorious Captain Wirz, who was tried and hung at the close of the war for cruelty to prisoners at Andersonville, and who gave orders to the guards to shoot any prisoner who put his head out of the window. Here the unhappy men were compelled to stay for six weeks, enduring many hardships and privations, under which many of them sunk into untimely graves. They were then sent to Montgomery, Alabama, but three weeks later were taken to Macon, Georgia, where Mr. Campbell was kept in confinement until October 9th. While there he employed his time in making rings and trinkets from bones, which, finding a ready sale among their guards, procured provisions of a better quality, and delicacies for his sick comrades. During their incarceration in that place some 250 of their number died, succumbing to the heartless treatment of their inhuman captors. After suffering untold hardships, on the 17th

of October Mr. Campbell was taken to Rich- mond, Virginia, and exchanged, and on his arrival in Washington was forwarded to St. Louis in the latter part of December. Pro- curing a furlough of thirty days, he went home to recuperate, and on the expiration of his leave rejoined his regiment at Lake Providence, Louisiana. He remained in that locality until March 31, 1863, and from then until the middle of May the command was on the move up and down the river in the neighborhood of Vicksburg. Coming on the rebel forces near the city of Jackson, they chased them through the streets of that place, capturing some artillery and small arms, and went into camp in that city. On the 15th of March he par- ticipated in the battle of Champion Hill, where some twenty-five of his regiment bit the dust, but took a number of guns and 1,500 prisoners. The command to which our subject belonged lay for forty-eight days in front of Vicksburg, so close to the rebel works that their sharpshooters could hit the gunners when the latter attempted to load their pieces. On the 4th of July he took part in the ceremonies attending the surrender of Vicksburg, being one of those on duty that day, guarding prisoners, etc. Being a prey to rheumatism, our subject remained at Vicksburg until September 27th, when, with the regiment, he went to Memphis and there went into camp. On the 17th of October they were again put on the march and continued in active duty until winter. During this time he participated in the battle of Mission Ridge and Lookout Mountain. His regiment led the charge, crossing the Tennessee on pontoon boats, and in the charge on Mission Ridge.

During the winter Mr. Campbell served as one of the provost guard at Huntsville, Alabama. In the spring of 1864, he vet- eranized and marched with Sherman throughout the campaign that ended at

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Altoona Pass, Georgia, participating in all the engagements that marked its course. Three companies-D, E and F-were left to guard the railroad bridges, but while here Mr. Campbell, with the whole attachment, was again captured by the rebels, under Hood, and sent to the prison-pen at Ander- sonville. On his arrival at that point, in company with some of the Andersonville prisoners and all of the new ones, lie was taken to Millen, Georgia, and there incar- cerated for several months. As some of the sick prisoners were about to be paroled, the examining physician informed Mr. Campbell that he would pass several others as nurses if they would pay him $50 apiece, and, hav- ing secreted his money, he paid it over cheerfully and was transported to Annapolis, Maryland, under parole.

After a furlough of thirty days the subject of this sketch joined his regiment at Gains- boro, South Carolina, on the 3d of April, 1865, being the only representative of Com- pany E in the regiment. At the close of the war, and after participating in the grand review at Washington, Mr. Campbell was honorably discharged in August, 1865, and went to Brown county, Illinois, where his family were then living, and with them returned to his old home. Purchasing some property in the village of Plover, he lived there for a few years, and then exchanged for a farm, where he carried on agriculture until 1874, where his wife died, after which, after spending a year in the village, at the solicitation of friends, he returned to the Empire State, where he made his home until 1878. While there his! eldest daughter was married, and leaving his other children with her he started for the West, coming to Ada, Minnesota, where he settled. He had im- paired his health in the service and during his double imprisonment, and being much incapacitated for work for some time, he was, financially, in bad shape. Arriving in

Ada, February, 1879, he soon took up a claim within two miles of the village, put up a log cabin, and niade such improvements as he could, and then hired out in the town at whatever work he could find to do. That fall he started a small restaurant, with a capital of $27.50, which he had borrowed, on the site of Thompson's billiard hall. This venture proved an amazing success, and by Christmas he returned to New York and brought on his children. He continued in the restaurant business until the fall of 1881, when he was appointed agent for the St. Paul & Pacific Railroad Company's lands, and devoted his attention to them for the next four years. He invested quite largely in village property, putting up good, service- able buildings to rent to such as could not buy, in which to do business, drawing a number of merchants to this place, and selling lots at a low figure to induce settlers. He lias ever striven to increase the town's advantages, and takes a front rank among its active and public-spirited citizens. He has met with but one serious loss, a livery barn and his own three horses, but has generally succeeded well in a monetary point of view, and is ranked among the well- to-do members of the community.

Mr. Campbell was married in 1854, to Miss Mary Squire, of Frankenfield, Catta- raugus county, New York, who died, leaving three children.

Our subject is an active and prominent member of the Grand Army of the Republic, of Ada.

ANIEL W. KREIDLER. Among the prosperous and influential members of the farming community of the Park Regions is the gentleman whose name heads this article, a resident of section 12, Maxsville township, Grant county, Minnesota. He is a native of Pennsylvania,

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born in Butler county, December 25, 1842. and is the son of Daniel and Susannah (Mc- Collough) Kreidler, also natives of Pennsyl- vania. The mother died in that State in 1854, and in 1856 the father moved to Wis- consin where he remained one year, then removing to Stillwater, Washington county, Minnesota. In 1858 he settled in Rockford township, Wright county, Minnesota. The father died in August, 1873. They were in Wright county all through the terrible Indian outbreak of 1862-63. Twice they were driven off the farm by the Indians. Once the father took the family to Minne- apolis, and at another time to Rockford, leaving everything until the scare was over. The parents had a family of the following children - John, Maria, Samuel, Mary A., Daniel W., George, David C., and Joseph. Anna, John and Maria are dead.

Daniel W. Kreidler, the subject of this biography, spent his school days principally in Stillwater, leaving the school-room at the age of seventeen. From this period until he had reached the age of twenty-one he helped his father on the home farm. On the 22d of August, 1862, he enlisted in Company E, Eighth Minnesota Infantry, Twenty-eighth Army Corps, serving until July, 1865, when he was honorably discharged at St. Paul, Minnesota. He was under Captain Heartly and afterward under the command of Captain Brookings. He was with General Sully on his expedition across the plains, battling with Indians. He was in the battle of Cedar, which lasted sixteen or eighteen days, and in various battles and skirmishes in North Carolina. After his discharge Mr. Kreidler settled in Wright county, Minnesota, where he engaged in farming until 1880, when he moved to Grant county, Minnesota. He pre-empted a tract of land comprising 160 acres, on section 12, Maxsville township, and has since resided upon it, engaged in general farming and stock-raising.

Mr. Kreidler was married on the 21st of August, 1867, to Mrs. Rounds, formerly the wife of Jerome Rounds, deceased. By her first husband Mrs. Kreidler had two children -- Charles and Anna. The fruits of the sec- ond marriage have been the following-named children-Frank, Luna B., Adelbert, David D., Iva W., Della I., and Kittie M. Mr. Kreidler is one of the representative men of his township and is an active worker in all public enterprises, whereby his town or coun -. ty may receive benefit. He is a man of the utmost honor and integrity and his word is as good as a bond. In political matters he affil- iates with the republican party and takes an active part in all that party's campaigns.

LE E. FLATEN, one of the most prominent business men, and the lead- ing photographer at Moorhead, Minnesota, is a native of Norway, born November 6, 1854. His parents were Erick and Mary (Gilbertson) Oleson, also natives of Norway. The father was a farmer and still resides in the old country. Their family had ten chil- dren, nine of whom are still living. Eight of the number are in America-Jannie, Ole E., Gilbert, Erick, George, Ove, Ole B. and Annie. The other two children are named Mary and John. The parents are devout members of the Lutheran church, and edu- cated the children in a fair manner in Norway.

Our subject, Ole E., was reared to farm labor in Norway, remaining at home until fifteen years of age. The next three years he worked for himself away from home on a farm. When the three years were up he came to America, settling first in Goodhue county, Minnesota, arriving in 1872. The next six years of his life were spent off and on at farm work in that county. He went to Northfield to learn the art of photograph-

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ing, and in 1878 went to Minneapolis to finish his study in that profession. He remained there for ten months, and in 1879 came to Moorhead, Minnesota, in the interest of his preceptor, John Oleson, and started a photographic gallery, where he is now located. He operated the business on per- centage for seven months, then formed a partnership with J. L. Skrevseth and pur- chased John Oleson's interest in the business. This firm lasted about two years, and then the business all came into the hands of our subject. The art gallery is on the corner of Fourth and Front streets, and is 30x70 feet, two stories high, equipped with all the latest modern improvements for doing first-class work in all branches. He has a large busi- ness, many coming over from the city of Fargo to get work executed at this gallery. He has made a financial success of his busi- ness, as is evinced by the property he now owns. He built a fine residence on lots adjoining his gallery in 1881.

Mr. Flaten was married in 1885 to Miss Clara Schow, a native of Norway and the daughter of Martin Schow. This union has been blessed by two children-Emil L. and Mamie D.

In politics our subject is a democrat. He belongs to the Odd-Fellows Order, and is one of Moorhead's most popular, thorough-going men.

IDNEY F. PACKARD. Prominent among the business men of the Red River Valley and Park Regions of Minnesota, is the gentleman whose name heads this arti- cle,the agent for the Minneapolis and North- ern Elevator Company, at Barnesville, Clay county, Minnesota. He is a native of Iowa, born in Frankville, Winnesheik county, on the 1st of February, 1860, and is the son of Lafayette and Amelia (Doty) Packard, natives of New York.

Mr. Packard remained at home attending school until he was fifteen years of age. At that period in life, he was thrown upon his own resources, and for three years worked out among the farmers during the summer and attended school in the winter. He then secured a position in a general store as clerk and worked at that until 1883. In the spring of 1883 he removed to the Red River Region and located at Fargo, Dakota Territory, where he made threshing his busi- ness until 1884. In 1884 he took charge of the elevator at Larimore, Dakota Territory, where he remained one year. In 1885 Mr. Packard removed to Barnesville, Clay county, Minnesota, where he has since remained in the employ of the Minnesota and Northern Elevator Company. In addi- tion to his business in the elevator, he deals in wood and coal, owning the only "coal market" in the village.

Mr. Packard was married on the 29th of December, 1886, to Miss Maggie Clone, a native of New York, and the daughter of John and Kate Clone. Mr. Packard, since his residence here, has taken an active inter- est in all matters of a local nature, and is an active business man of the village. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity of Barnes- ville, having joined the Pierson Lodge A. F. & A. M., in 1885. Mr. Packard affiliates with the republican party and is one of the rising young business men of Clay county.

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NUTE O. HARRIS is the manager and treasurer of the Otter Tail Flour Mills, located at Fergus Falls, Minnesota. He is a native of Norway, and was born June 15, 1836.

Mr. Harris is the son of Ole L. and Caro- line (Thompson) Harris, natives of Norway. Throughout his life the father engaged in farming, leaving the old country in 1850, he

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came to America and settled in Dane county, Wisconsin. In 1854 he removed to Adams county, in the same State, where he settled upon eighty acres of Government land. He died in 1860; the mother died in 1862. They had a family of ten children, five sons and five daughters ; only four of the children are now living - Thomas O., now in Redwood county, Minnesota ; Esther, now Mrs. William Oleson, of Red Wing, Minnesota ; Martha, now Mrs. Lee, of Colum- bia county, Wisconsin ; and Knute O., whose name appears at the head of this article.

The subject of our sketch was reared on the home farm, receiving a comparatively good education in his native county, Nor. way. He came with his parents to Amer- ica in 1850, and the first employment he engaged at here was to work with a thresh- ing machine crew at 25 cents a day. He continued to work at farming for about seven years, after which he went to work in the pineries on the Wisconsin river, which lines he followed for four years. During this time he had laid up consider- able money and he now purchased an inter- est in a flouring mill at Arkdale, Wiscon- sin. After remaining four years in this busi- ness he sold out and turned his attention to speculating in beef, pork and other articles, and in 1871 came to Fergus Falls, Minne- sota. Here he opened a flour and feed busi- ness, and in connection therewith purchased furs and hides. Afterward, with George E. Hammer as partner, he engaged in the hard- ware business for a period of eight years. He then sold his interest in the hardware business and engaged in handling machinery, principally for the Plano Machinery Com- pany. He continued in this line until 1886, and in 1887 accepted his present position. He has been very fortunate in his real estate investments in the town and vicinity; owns some land, and is engaged in raising horses.

He owns several fine houses and, lots in the city of Fergus Falls.

Mr. Harris was married in 1863, on the 23d of November, to Miss Berta Johnson, a native of Norway, [daughter of John and Susanna (Peterson) Johnson. This union has been blessed with seven children - Ole J., Charles S., Selena S., Alfred, who died in Wisconsin ; Alfred, Eugene and Bertram.

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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 50

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