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 60

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 60
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 60

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. Torstenson was married on the 22d of May, 1868, to Miss Julia Olson, and they have been blessed with eight children, named

in the following order-Torsten M., Anna B., Teolena M., Julia. B., Clara O. and Wil- liam. Andrew and Charles died in early childhood. Mrs. Torstenson is a native of Wisconsin and is one of eleven children. Mr. Torstenson is one of the representative men of Elk Lake township and has held the offices of supervisor, assessor and chairman of the board of supervisors. He and his family are exemplary members of the Luth- eran churchi, of which organization he is a trustee. He is a republican in his politi- cal faith.

H. MIX, the affable and accommodating station agent of the St. Paul, Minne- apolis & Manitoba Railroad at Crookston, is one of the earliest settlers in the State of Minnesota, having located in what was then the Territory in 1852.

The subject of this personal memoir was born in New Haven, Connecticut, December 30, 1833, and is the son of Charles E. and Catharine (Upperman) Mix. Receiving his education in the private schools of his native city, at the age of sixteen he entered the col- lege at Georgetown, District Columbia, where he remained about a year. The next two years were spent under private tuition at his home, giving his attention chiefly to civil engineer- ing and drawing. In 1852 he came to Min- nesota, arriving in St. Paul on the 1st of May, when but a little over nineteen years of age. At that time there were but few settlers in the Territory, and the capital was but a mere village. From there he went to Long Prairie, then the agency for the Winnebago Indians, where lie was employed as clerk for some two years. On his trip out to this part of the country he canie by rail some ten miles west of Chicago, as far as the cars then ran, and from there per- formed the rest of the way by stage. Dur-

480

RED RIVER VALLEY AND

ing the winter of 1853 Mr. Mix paid a visit to his native land, staging from St. Paul to Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, and from there by rail, the track having reached that point.

In the autumn of 1854 Mr. Mix was appointed secretary to Willis A. Gorman, then governor of the Territory, and removed to St. Paul. In the spring of the following year he was sent to transfer the Indians at Long Prairie to the new agency in Blue Earth county, and in 1856. established him- self as an Indian trader at that point ; but in 1858 received the appointment of Gov- ernment agent at that agency. He con- tinued to hold that office until 1861, at which time he engaged in the claim business, set- tling Government claims, etc.

While in this line of business the horrible nprising of the Sioux Indians, that deluged this fair Territory in the blood of its de- fenseless settlers and swept away their homes with fire, broke out in August, 1862. The country stood aghast at the terrible sight but soon recovering themselves. the people sought means to put down the uprising and take vengeance upon the red fiends. Among others Mr. Mix enlisted in company A, First Independent Battalion Minnesota Volunteer Cavalry, and was commissioned as first- lieutenant. In November of that year he started with the command for the North and West, toward Pembina. At that time the outpost of civilization was at Georgetown on the Red River, and here the troops crossed that stream and marched north upon the Dakota side. They wintered at Pembina, and in the spring of 1864 removed to Fort Aber- crombie, where Captain Mix was command- ant of the post until the following fall. In the spring of 1865 he was ordered to St. Paul to sit upon a court-martial, and when that discharged its duties and disbanded the subject of this sketch was appointed assistant inspector-general for the Third Civil District,

with headquarters at Fort Ridgley. Dur- ing the winter of 1866-67 he received the appointment of assistant adjutant-general on the staff of Gen. John M. Corse, who had his headquarters at St. Paul. After the retirement of that officer from the service Captain Mix was transferred to the staff of General Alexander, at Fort Snelling, with the same rank. He remained with the latter officer until June, 1867, when he was mus- tered out and honorably discharged from the service.

On coming back to the paths of peace Mr. Mix engaged in farming in the neighborhood of St. Paul and followed that business until 1877. In the latter year he entered the employ of the St. Paul, Minneapolis & Manitoba Railroad Company as clerk in the freight depot at St. Paul. In September, 1879, he was appointed station agent for the same corporation at Crookston and located at that point, where he has remained ever since in charge of the railroad business.

The subject of this sketch has passed through many troublesome experiences with the Indians in this Territory and State, a full detail of which would be beyond the scope of this work. In 1854 he was appointed to take the Chippewas of Red Lake and Pem- bina to Washington, but the Indians refused to go. During the winter of 1863-64, while in winter quarters at Pembina, Captain Mix was selected by the commanding officer to go to Fort Garry and confer with Little Crow's band of Indians, and to him some 150 of them surrendered themselves and were sent to Rock Island. He also took Little Six and Medicine Bottle, two noted chiefs, from Pembina to Fort Snelling, where they were hung in the spring of 1864. In August, 1862, a trader at St. Paul wanted to return to Yellow Medicine, and fearing trouble induced Mr. Mix to return with him, as a witness as to any conversation between him and the Indian agent. On their way to

48I

PARK REGIONS OF MINNESOTA.

Fort Ridgely they met the messenger carry- ing the news of the outbreak to the governor, but pushed on. They arrived in the neigh- borhood of the fort about sundown just as the Indians were retreating from the attack on the post, and our two friends, being per- ceived by the redskins, retreated, but were chased for some sixteen miles by the mur- derous fiends. They met Sibley's column at St. Peter and returned to Ridgely with him. Mr. Mix, a few days after went out with the party sent to bury the dead at Birch Covley, and helped inter some sixty victims of that massacre.

In company with Justice Ramsey and Joel Bassett, Mr. Mix was appointed commissioner to locate what is now White Earth Reserva- tion for the Chippewas, and to appraise the value of the old Sioux reservation between Redwood Falls and Big Stone lake. He was also one of the commissioners who took the Sioux delegation to Washington, to make the treaty for their present reservation, the others being Joseph R. Brown and Benjamin Thompson. While at the national capital Mr. Mix was appointed special agent to take supplies to the destitute Indians of the Sioux reservation, and remained with that tribe some six months.

Mr. Mix was married July 22, 1856, to Miss Helen White, of St. Paul, and is the parent of three children-Charles F., cashier of the freight depot in Crookston, and Cath- oran and Caroline, who now reside with him.

The subject of this history is one of the active citizens of the city and county; is president of the Cemetery Association ; is a member of the Masonic fraternity having been made a Mason in Ancient Landmark Lodge, No. 5, in St. Paul, in 1856, exalted in Royal Arch Chapter No. 3, in the same city, and joined Damacene Commandery, No. 1, R. A. M. He is still a member of Ancient Landmark Lodge of St. Paul, and is a mem- ber of Pierson Chapter and Constantine

Commandery of Crookston. He is also Master of Hiram Lodge, No. 78, A. O. U. W., of Crookston.

ILLIAM G. GOULD, who is en- gaged in dairying business at Moor- head, Minnesota, came to the place in 1884, since which time he has been closely identi- fied with the industry and business interests of his city and county.

He is a native of England, born April 9, 1849. His parents are Abraham and Mary (Gould) Gould. His grandfather was John Gould. The parents of Mary Gould were William and Jemimah (Stokes) Gould. Both grandfathers were farmers. Abraham had a family of nine children, eight of whom are now living-Mary, William G., Amy, Ada, Edward, Edwin, Harry, and Alice. The parents belonged to the Episcopal church and gave their children a liberal education. The father was an extensive farmer and handled blooded horses and cattle. He died in 1864. His widow still lives near London, England, aged sixty-four years.

Until twenty years of age our subject, William G., remained at home, assisting on his father's farm and going to school. In 1869 he thought America afforded better and broader fields for a young man starting out in life, so he crossed the ocean and settled in Ashtabula county, Ohio, remain- ing one year, after which he returned to England and lived in London five years. He traveled two years for a wholesale house, and was checker on the railroad three years longer. He again came to America in 1875, and stopped at Marengo, Illinois, for about a year, and then went on a farm and worked another year. His next move was to Lake City, Wabasha county, Minnesota, where he was made foreman on the large farm of J. Hagerty ; he remained _with him two or

482

RED RIVER VALLEY AND

three years, and in 1879 took a homestead of 160 acres in Cass county, Dakota Territory. He partly improved and lived on this land for five years, at which time he proved up his title, under the homestead act, and in 1884 came to Moorhead, Minnesota, and in com- pany with G. Cooper, purchased a butcher shop, which they operated a year. Our sub- ject then went into the dairy business, starting in with fifty-five head of cattle. He was associated with his brothers Harry and Edward for three or four years, and then they closed out. In May, 1888, our subject again started in the same business. He now keeps twelve cows, and runs a safe, paying business.

He was married November 19, 1884, to Miss Matilda Ogden, daughter of William and Sarah Ann (Rigby) Ogden, natives of England. The father was a blacksmith, but is now engaged in the real estate business. Their children are Kate, William, Matilda and Sarah A. Our subject and his wife are the parents of three children-Guy O., Gilbert L. and Lois K.

Politically Mr. Gould is a democrat, and both he and Mrs. Gould belong to the Episco- pal church.

ZRA F. ELLIOT, the county super- intendent of common schools of the county of Polk, is a resident of Crookston, Minnesota, the seat of justice of that sub- division of the State. He is a native of Somerset county, Maine, born July 13, 1852, and is the son of James and Mary (McIn- tire) Elliot. His childhood's days were spent in the place of his birth, and he drew his primary education from the common district schools of that locality, whose excellence was on a par with those of any for which New England is noted. In his earlier man- hood, after a course of training and disci-

pline in the Farmington Normal School, he, in 1878, entered upon a course of study at Colby University, one of the oldest institu- tions of learning in the State of Maine.

Remaining in that part of our country until the spring of 1881, during the long vacation of that year he came to Minnesota, having decided to take reiterated advice of the "Sage of Chappaqua," the able journal- ist, Horace Greeley, and come West and grow up with the country. He located in Polk county and spent the summer upon a farm some twenty miles from Crookston, and in the fall returned to his alma mater, and his studies, and in the summer of 1882 was graduated with honors by lis college. On receiving his testamur or diploma he came at once to Polk county and took up the duties of life, farming and teaching school. His ripe scholarship and able meth- ods of imparting knowledge to the rising generation drew upon him the attention of the discriminating portion of the community, and in the fall of 1886, while engaged in his professional labors he was nominated for the office of county superintendent of common schools upon the republican ticket and was elected with a handsome majority.

When entering upon the duties of his office he at once gave his whole attention to the increasing of the educational facilities of the county, and the raising of the grade of the schools under his control. Being himself a proficient in his profession and an active worker in the cause of education, he has accomplished much good in this direc- tion, inducing the various directors of the schools to demand a higher grade of teach- ers and a more active interest in the work on their part, and bringing the parents of pupils to take a greater interest in school matters. In his hands the office has been indeed a public trust and his efforts being appreci- ated by the community, he was renominated in the fall of 1888 and re-elected. An ear-

483

PARK REGIONS OF MINNESOTA

nest, active worker in the elevation of tlie youth of the county, he stamped with his individuality the community to a marked degree.

OVER JOHNSON. Among the prominent members of the farming community of the famous Park Regions is the gentleman whose name heads this biographical article, a resident of section 26, Elk Lake township, Grant county, Minnesota. He is a native of Norway, born near the city of Tronhjen, on the 30th of August, 1839, and is the son of John and Anna (Bjorn Daughter) Iverson, natives also of that kingdom. The parents emigrated to the United States in 1866, and settled in Spring Grove, Houston county, Minnesota, where they remained for two years. At the expiration of that time they removed to Grant county, Minnesota, where the father died in 1874. The father devoted his life to farming. The mother is still liv- ing in Grant county. They were the parents of the following-named children-Iver, Inge- bar, Anna, Ingebor A. and Bjorn. They were faithful members of the Lutheran church.

Iver Johnson, the subject of this sketch, spent his younger days in his native land, attending the common schools. He left the school-room at the age of fifteen years and commenced in life for himself. Until he had reached the age of twenty-one he worked on a farm which his father owned, and from that time on until he was twenty-seven, worked out for different parties. In his twenty- seventh year Mr. Johnson emigrated to the United States with his parents. After a voyage of seven weeks the party landed at Quebec, Canada, and from there at once journeyed to Spring Grove, Houston county, Minnesota. There our subject worked on a farm for two years, and in 1868 went to

Grant county, Minnesota. In the following year, 1869, he took a homestead of 160 acres on section 26, Elk Lake township, and at once began to make improvements. He planted a goodly number of trees which have flour- ished, until now they serve not only as an ornament to his residence, but are valuable as a wind-break in winter. Since his first settlement here he has gradually added to his property and now is the owner of a well- cultivated tract of land, comprising 260 acres. He devotes his attention, exclusively, to general farming and stock-raising.

Mr. Johnson was married in November, 1867, to Miss Paulena Hennington, and this union has been blessed with the following- named children-John F., Andrew, Martha, Anna, Bernard, Albert and Freeman. Mrs. Johnson is a native of Norway, born near Tronhjen, in 1844. They were married in Houston county, Minnesota. Mr. Johnson has held various offices of his township, including supervisor, constable, school clerk, and was one of the earliest settlers in the township in which he lives. He and his family are exemplary members of the Luth- eran church, of which organization he is secretary. In politics he is an independent, thinking that it is better to vote for the best man, regardless of party lines.

-- -

ILLIAM R. L. JENKS. The subject of the present article is a member . of the firm of Jenks & Vivian, editors and proprietors of the Alexandria Post, one of the leading independent journals in the Park Regions. Mr. Jenks is a native of Wright county, Minnesota, born June 6, 1861, and a son of James and Sarah (Noyes) Jenks, who were natives, respectively, of Nova Scotia and Maine. The father was for many years a traveling collector, and had charge of the collection departments for some of

484

RED RIVER VALLEY AND

the heaviest publishing firms in the United States, including that of Colonel Evarts & Co., of Philadelphia. The father is now a collector for the McCormick Machine Company, and is a resident of St. Cloud, Minnesota. James Jenks and wife are the parents of three living children-Jean E., now Mrs. Ranney ; William R. L. and James E.

William R. L. Jenks, whose name heads the present sketch, spent his boyhood-days in Wright county, Minnesota, on a farm, and received his earlier education in the com- inon schools. In 1880 he commenced a three years' course at Carleton College, in North- field, Minnesota, and after the expiration of that time he taught for two years in the Minnesota School for the Blind, at Faribault. He then returned to Wright county, and for two years carried on a stock farm. In 1888 he came to Alexandria, and in company with F. G. Vivian purchased the Alexandria Post, which had been established in 1868, by Colonel Hicks. They have since remained at the head of the paper and have materially increased its circulation and business. They are careful business men, hard workers, and pungent writers, and their paper is meeting with merited success. It is independent in political matters.

Mr. Jenks was married in 1887 to Miss Marguerite C. Vivian, a daughter of Dr. G. Vivian, of Alexandria.

JOHN P. FARMER. Among the most prominent figures in the history of the Red River Valley in Minnesota is the gentle- man whose name heads this article. He was born in Merrimack county, New Hamp- shire, on the 24th of September, 1823, and is a son of Colonel John and Sarah (Gerrish) Farmer. The father was a lumber dealer and a farmer and a prominent man in the locality where he lived, having served two

terms as representative in the New Hamp- shire legislature. His family consisted of four children that grew up, three of whom are still living-Prof. Moses G., John P. and Sally (now Mrs. C. C. Coffin).

The grandparents of John P. Farmer, on his father's side, were John and Saralı (Rus- sell) Farmer, who were natives of Massa- chusetts. On his mother's side the grand- parents of our subject were Moses and Sarah (Little) Gerrish, who were natives of New Hampshire. On both sides the grandparents raised large families.

John P. Farmer, who is the principal sub- ject of this memoir, was raised on a farm. He received an academical education and remained at home until after the death of his parents, when he became the owner of the old family homestead. There he remained carrying on an extensive farm in connection with stock-raising and lumbering until 1866, when he sold out and went to Brookline, Massachusetts, where he was engaged in the express business for the period of four years. In June, 1871, he came to Clay county, Minnesota, and settled on section 32, Moland township. He first took 160 acres as a pre-emption, and 80 acres as a homestead. IIe at once began improve- ments and remained on his farm until 1878, when he purchased a house and five lots in the village of Glyndon, where he re- mained until 1888, when he settled at Ada. Mr. Farmer was among the very first actual settlers in Clay county, Minnesota, and it is thought he is the oldest American settler still living in Clay county. This was then a vast prairie, with scarcely a sign of improve- ment or civilization within the limits of Clay county. The settlers used to go seventeen iniles for mail and provisions, and Mr. Far- iner has several times returned from the postoffice carrying a fifty-pound sack of flour on his back. From the very first he took an active and prominent part in all matters

485

PARK REGIONS OF MINNESOTA.

of a public nature. He aided in the organ- ization of that county, and was one of the three county commissioners, holding the office for three years under appointment of the Governor. In other matters he also took a leading part. He was appointed president of the Clay County Agricultural Society at the time of its organization in 1872. He taught the first singing school in Clay county at Glyndon and Moorhead.

In 1845 Mr. Farmer was married to Miss Martha Locke, a native of Rye, New Hamp- shire, and their union has been blessed with four children, two of whom are now living- Mary W. and Charles R. Mary is now Mrs. C. R. Andrews, of Ada, and is the mother of three children-Wallace F., Herbert T. and Charles R., Jr.

Mrs. Farmer's parents were Jeremiah and Mehitable (Rand) Locke. Her father was an extensive farmer. In the family of her parents there were six children, four of whom are now living-Mrs. Aphia Shapleigh, Mrs. Hannah D. Dearborn, Jeremiah and Mrs. Martha Farmer.

Mr. Farmer is a republican. The family are members of the Union church at Glyndon.

OSEPH LABLANC, the popular and enter_ prising proprietor of one of the meat markets of Crookston, Minnesota, is among the oldest settlers of that city, having made his appearance there in 1877, when it was but an insignificant village with but few inhabitants.

Mr. LaBlanc was born in the village of St. Dominique, Canada, September 25, 1859, and is the son of Charles and Julie (Jodoin) LaBlanc, and is of French ancestry. When he was but two months old his father started for California, and remained in that modern El Dorado for some nineteen years. The subject of our sketch remained at home with

his mother, who raised him, and in 1873 went with her to Rhode Island, where they made their home for some four years. In 1877 the father sent for his family, he having settled in Crookston the previous year, and upon their arrival here, Joseph purchased eighty acres of railroad land near the town site at a cost of $8 per acre. At that time the pop- ulation.of the town was less than two hun- dred, and where the main business portion of the city now is was covered with heavy tim- ber. The few stores that the village boasted then fronted the railroad, and there was not a foot of sidewalk in the place or a street cut out or graded. The farm which he bought adjoined what is now Jerome's Addition. The father purchased 160 acres of land near by, and with the family our subject remained, assisting his father in cultivating the soil until he was about twenty-two years of age.

At that time, January 30, 1880, Joseph was united in marriage with Miss Anais Faille, of Clifton, Canada, and, also, of Gallic blood, and commenced farming on his own account. In 1883, in company with Edward Barrette, he established a saloon in the city of Crookston, which they carried on in partnership for about a year, when Mr. LaBlanc disposed of his interest to his partner, and removed to Washington Terri- tory. There, for nine months, he was engaged in the same line of business, after which he rented a hotel and acted the part of " mine host " to perfection. Not feeling sat- isfied with the country nor his financial pros- pects, he returned to Crookston, and a short time thereafter, in company with J. E. Epton, purchased the meat market of D. Ladner, on Broadway, and embarked in his present business, which under the manage- ment of our subject is rapidly growing into great favor with a discriminating public.

The subject of this sketch is one of the wide-awake, energetic and public spirited business men of Crookston, who have estab-

486

RED RIVER VALLEY AND

lished such a reputation for their town and country. Beside his lucrative and increas- ing business, he still owns the eighty-acre farm adjoining the town site, a very valuable piece of property, and his present prosperous condition is entirely due to his own energy, industry and natural business tact.

Mr. and Mrs. LaBlanc are the parents of three children-Regina, George and Arthur.

- -

ON. HENRY G. PAGE, the president of the Fergus Falls National Bank, at Fergus Falls, Otter Tail county, Minne- sota, is a native of New Hampshire, and was born in the year 1832. His parents were Hon. George and Elizabeth (Ethridge) Page, natives of Rochester, New Hampshire. His grandfather was David C. and his grand- mother Sallie Page. David C.'s early days were spent on a farm in New Hampshire, and later in life he retired from active work, giving himself up to the care of his proper- ties. He held various State offices and posi- tions of trust in the government of his native town and county. Politically he was a wlig. He reared a family of six children. The latter's father was Joseph Page, a native of New Hampshire. Elizabeth (Ethridge) Page, the mother of the subject of our sketch, was the daughter of Josiah Ethridge, who was a native of New Hampshire and a prominent man-by occupation a farmer. He reared a large family, and was a respected citizen in the town in which he lived.

George Page, the father of the subject of our sketch, had a family of two children, of which the Hon. Henry G. is the only one surviving. The parents came to Illinois in the spring of 1855, settling in Carroll county, where they lived until the father's death in 1867. The mother died in 1865. He was respected and esteemed by all his country- men, and was honored by them in being

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 60

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