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 65

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 65
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 65

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. Compton was wedded in 1866 to Miss Louise Gould, of Pennsylvania, daughter of Nathan Gould. By this marriage there have been three children-Mary L., Margaret G. and William G.

Mr. Compton is one of the leading citizens of Otter Tail county, in fact of the State. He has occupied many positions of trust, not only in his county, but in the State as well. · He is a prominent republican, a member of the Masonic and Odd-Fellows fraternities, and is senior vice-commander of the Grand Army of the Republic of the State of Minne- sota. He is a member of the State Senate in 1882 and re-elected in 1886. He is a member of the State Board of Equali- zation for the Seventh Judicial District of Minnesota, in which capacity he has worked since 1876. He occupies the position of secretary of the Page Flouring Mills, of

which company he is vice-president and a large stockholder. He and his wife and children are members of the First Presby- terian church of Fergus Falls, of which society he is an elder. He lives in a beauti- ful home, fitted with all modern improve- ments, on Union avenue. His grounds about his residence are covered with fine orna- mental and shade trees, and are the most beautiful for location and adornment in the city. Financially Mr. Compton occupies a leading position among the business men in Fergus Falls and vicinity. . He is able, wise and generous, and in all things that have to do with the growth and prosperity of the city he takes a deep interest, backing up those financial projects, not only with his counsels and words of encouragement, but also with his means. He enjoys the respect and esteem of all his fellow-townsmen.

LISHA K. MORRILL is the editor and proprietor of the Richland County Gazette, the leading newspaper in Wahpeton, North Dakota. His native State was New Hampshire, and was born July 6, 1825, in Springfield, Sullivan county. His parents were Stephen and Susan (Dean) Morrill, natives of New Hampshire.

Stephen Morrill was the son of John Mor- rill, a native of the same State and of English descent. Stephen was a farmer, as was his father before him, and lived and died in New Hampshire; his death came in 1852. The mother of our subject was born in Graf- ton, New Hampshire, February 9, 1801, and died in Charles City, Iowa, January 6, 1873. They had five sons, two of whom are living- Rev. William S., and the subject of our sketch. Susan (Dean) Morrill was a daughter of Isaac Dean, a native of Connecticut, a farmer by occupation, and probably of Dan- ish descent.

515

PARK REGIONS OF MINNESOTA.

The subject of our sketch remained beneath the parental roof until he was twenty-one years of age. He received an excellent practical education at the New Hampshire Conference Seminary, a Meth- odist school located at Tilton, that State. He taught some fifteen terms of school in his native State, and then, in 1862, came west to Iowa, settling in Chickasaw county, where he purchased land and commenced farming. He improved his land and lived thereon for about ten years. He was held in high esteem by the citizens of Chickasaw county and held several important offices. He was appointed one of the county commissioners, and at the two following elections was elected to that office, holding the same for five years. He was also secretary of the school board and township clerk eight or nine years, and taught school for two terms. In 1872 he removed to Floyd county, Iowa, locating in Charles City, where he resided for over seven years. While there he was the first pro- hibition candidate for the office of council- man to receive suffrage in that city, lacking but five votes of being elected. He then went to Northfield, Minnesota, where he purchased a printing office outfit and started a newspaper, which he ran for a few months. Then he removed his material to Wahpe- ton, North Dakota, where he purchased the first and only paper in the county, the Rich- land County Gazette, which he has since published, and which has ever been the lead- ing newspaper in the county.

He has purchased several pieces of city property and built a large printing office on the principal avenue and a good residence on Third street south, where he now lives.

Mr. Morrill was married June 2, 1858, to Miss Susan R. Barney, daughter of Otis Barney, of Canaan, New Hampshire. Three sons have blessed this union-Myron H., Milo T. and Harlon J. The two younger sons are now attending school, one at Carlton

College and the other at Hamline University. The oldest, Myron H., was married August 25, 1882, to Miss Ida M. Anderson, by whom he has two living children-Ralph B. and a babe unnamed. Myron H. is employed as foreman in his father's printing office.

Mr. Morrill is a thorough republican in politics and is one of the most influential and highly respected men in the county.

GENEALOGY.

The subject of this sketch is of the eighth generation from Abraham Morrill, who came from England about 1632, and finally settled in Salisbury, Massachusetts, where his pos- terity became very numerous, and are now dispersed throughout the country, and some have gone to other countries.

Abraham's son, Isaac, was born in Salis- bury, Massachusetts, May 10, 1646 ; died October 17, 1713.

Isaac's son, Jacob, was born in Salisbury, Massachusetts, May 25, 1677.

Jacob's son, Abraham, was born in Salis- bury, Massachusetts, December 22, 1703; died December 16, 1780.

Abraham's son, Jabez, was born February 15, 1745 ; died August 26, 1800.

Jabez settled in Weare, New Hampshire, where his son John was born June 29, 1770. He was the second child but the oldest son ; he located in Springfield, New Hampshire, where he died April 30, 1862.

John's son, Stephen, was born in Spring- field, New Hampshire, May 22, 1798, and died in Canaan, New ampshire, January 27, 1852.

Stephen's son, Elisha Knowles, was born in Springfield, New Hampshire, July 6, 1825.

Nearly all the ancestors in the direct line had large families-Abraham had nine chil- dren ; Isaac had ten; Jacob had eleven ; Abraham, five; Jabez, eight; John, five; Stephen, five; and Elisha K., four children.

A few items concerning E. K. Morrill's ancestry, on the mother's side, will be of interest :

516

RED RIVER VALLEY AND

Walter Dean, the supposed ancestor of the Dean family, was born at Chard, England, in a valley called Taunton Dean, on the river Tone. He is supposed to have been born some time between the years 1615 and 1620. Walter and his elder brother, John Dean, emigrated to America, and were among the earliest English settlers at Cohanet, that was soon called Taunton, in Massachusetts. Walter was a tanner by trade. (His wife was Elanor, a daughter of Richard Strong, of Taunton, England, and she was a sister of Elder John Strong, who came with her to America in the ship " Mary and John" in 1630.) Walter and John Dean took up farms on the west bank of Taunton great river, about a mile from the Green. They opened a street through their lands, which has been known as Dean street to this day.

Jonathan Dean's son, Isaac, was born in Taunton, Massachusetts, May 31, 1744, and died July 1, 1819. His second wife, Eunice Backus, was born October 23, 1755. They were married October 13, 1795. She died September 16, 1814. They were blessed with two daughters; the youngest was born Feb- ruary 9, 1801.

Stephen Morrill and Susan Dean were married November 11, 1819, and Elisha K. was their second son.

Samuel Backus was the second son of Joseph Backus; he was born January 6, 1693, and died November 24, 1740. His wife, Elizabeth Tracy, was the daughter of John Tracy, who was the son of John Tracy of Norwich. She was born April 6, 1698, and died January 26, 1769. They were married January . 18, 1716. Of their eleven children, Isaac, the fourth, was born January 9, 1724, died November 20, 1806.

Isaac Backus was married to Susan Mason, November 29, 1749. She was born in Reho- both, Massachusetts, January 4, 1725. They had nine children, Eunice, who married Isaac Dean, being the fourth.

HARLES CAVILEER, the "father of Pembina," Pembina county, North Dakota, is the oldest living settler of that locality, and has been prominently identified with the local business, political and official interests of the Northern Red River Valley since 1851. His name has been indissolubly connected with the prosperity and progress of Pembina, one of the most thriving and vigorous cities in the Northwest, and to him belongs the honor of laying the original town plat, supplementing it with an exten- sive addition as soon as the railroad commu- nications, in 1878, decided the future pros- perity of the embryo city.

Mr. Cavileer is a native of the State of Ohio, born in Springfield on the 6th day of March, 1818, and is the son of Charles and Rachel (Trease) Cavileer, natives of Maine and Pennsylvania, respectively. Our sub- ject's boyhood days were spent in his native city, with the usual educational advantages of the common schools, until he had attained his seventeenth year, when he removed to Mount Carmel, Illinois, where he served an apprenticeship to the saddler's trade, until he was twenty-one. Then, until 1841, he served as a journeyman, and at the expira- tion of that time went to Red Rock, six miles below St. Paul, Minnesota, where he remained a short time, and the succeeding year traveled round about Duluth and Lake Superior, and then again returned to Red Rock, across the country, with no trail and only the sun as a guide. He then worked about one year on a farm near Red Rock, and in 1845 went to St. Paul, and opened the first harness shop in the State. In 1847 he sold out, and in the following year, in company with Dr. Dewey, established the first drug store in St. Paul and in Minnesota. They remained together for two years, when our subject sold out to the Doctor, and was appointed by Governor Ramsey as first Ter- ritorial librarian, which position he held until

517

PARK REGIONS OF MINNESOTA.

1851. We then reach the period from which our subject has been connected with the his- tory of the Red River Valley. In that year he was appointed United States revenue col- lector of the customs, and the duties of that office in those days, although not necessitat- ing very close application of the incumbent, were, nevertheless, of a rather varied nature. Besides being collector of customs he had to manage the postoffice arrangements, give some attention to signal service business, and, in fact, was representative of every branch of the United States civil service. These various duties Mr. Cavileer performed for four years, and at the expiration of that time he moved westward to St. Jo and engaged in fur trading, and afterward he moved to Fort Garry (now Winnipeg), where he was engaged in quite an extensive general mer- chandise business. In 1864 Mr. Cavileer returned to Pembina, and a regular postoffice being then established there, he received the appointment of postmaster, which he retained until 1884, when he resigned in favor of his son, who is the present postmaster. In 1853, in addition to his official duties, he engaged in the fur trade in partnership with Com- modore Kittson and W. H. Forbes, with whom he remained three years. At the expiration of that time, Forbes having drawn out, Kittson and Cavileer formed a partner- ship with the following gentlemen included in the firm, viz .: Kittson, Culver, Farrington, Sargeant and Cavileer. This continued for two years. In 1863 Mr. Cavileer engaged in haymaking for the Government, employ- ing fifteen men and two machines.

Mr. Cavileer was united in marriage on the 13th of March, 1857, to Miss Isabell Murry, the daughter of Donald and Jane (Heron) Murry, and this union has been blessed with the following children -Edmund K., the present postmaster ; William M., Albert D., Lula, Belle, and the oldest child, Sarah, who died at the age of four years. William

married Jennie Bradshaw, and resides in Pembina. Edmund and William were at Kildnan, then Prince Rupert's Land, at the time of the Reil Insurrection, and helped Scott run bullets some time previous to his murder.

In the early days of his settlement in Pembina he was a regular correspondent to the Smithsonian Institute, Washington, District of Columbia. From his first settle- ment Mr. Cavileer has taken a deep interest in the progress of the district, and since the formation of the village no man has done more for the building up of the same. He is a public-spirited citizen, and one who is highly esteemed and respected by all who know him.

Mr. Cavileer is a stanch republican in politics. He voted for General Harrison in 1840, and now that North Dakota will soon become a State he may possibly live to vote for the grandson of the old General for a sec- ond term. It would be a strange coincidence if the only two votes he ever cast for President should be cast for the two General Harrisons.

- -

JOHN WILLIAM SCHAFER is the pro- prietor of the Decorah Hotel in Stephen, Marshall county, Minnesota. He was born in Rathshausen, Spaichingen, Wittenberg, Germany, July 30, 1858.

Mr. Schafer is a son of Joseph and Eliza- beth (Riede) Schafer, natives of Wittenberg, Germany. They came to the United States in the fall of 1872, and spent their first winter in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, whence they went to Zumbrota, Goodhue county, Min- nesota, settling on a farm in that vicinity. The parents lived there until their death. The father died March 23, 1882, and the mother January 21, 1887. They had a family, of nine children-Paulina, Isidore, Constant, Antoinette, John W., Sabina, Gustaf, Leo and Barnhart.

518

RED RIVER VALLEY AND

The subject of our sketch remained at home with his parents in Germany and received a good common school education, attending school for seven consecutive years. He came with his parents to the United States in the fall of 1872, and the following spring came with them from Williamsport, Pennsylvania, to Goodhue county, Minne- sota. He lived with them, but worked for neighboring farmers until 1878, when he went to Swift county, making headquarters in Benson. IIe pre-empted a quarter section of land in Lac-qui-parle county and proved up in 1879, and then worked in the Aldridge House till in the summer of 1881, when he went to Kerkhoven, Swift county, Minnesota, and opened a saloon, which he ran for six months. Hethen started on a trip, in search of a location, through Montana, Idaho, Washington and Dakota Territories, being gone about two months. He then returned to Minnesota and stopped in Crookston until the spring of 1882, working in the Com- mercial Hotel. That summer he came to Stephen, bought a lot and built a house, also opening up a saloon business, which he is still running. In the spring of 1888 he pur- chased the Decorah House, and is now run- ning a first-class hotel.

Mr. Schafer was married in Stephen, May 29, 1884, to Miss Sarah Hanson, daughter of Ole and Anna (Alma) Hanson, natives of Norway. She was born in Alma, Buffalo county, Wisconsin, and is a sister of Hans O. Hanson, a leading hardware merchant of Stephen. Mr. and Mrs. Schafer have two children - William Howard and Mabel Sabina.

Mr. Schafer is one of the prominent and representative citizens of the town in which he lives. He is a man of broad ideas and wide experience, and his success in business has proven him a careful and thrifty man- ager. He owns a fine farm of 260 acres of land in Tamarac township, beside two other

buildings in the town. Mr. Schafer was one of the organizers and charter members of Stephen Lodge, No. 120, Independent Order of Odd-Fellows, in which he has risen to the highest honors, having passed all the chairs and being now P. G. He has also held the position of D. D. G. M. In many ways has Mr. Schafer been honored by his fellow-townsmen and in every case has he proven his eminent fitness for positions of trust and responsibility. He has been village constable two terms, town clerk two terms, deputy county sheriff one term, besides hav- ing held several positions of minor import- ance. Mr. Schafer holds the respect and confidence of his fellow citizens, and is looked upon as a leading and enterprising business man. He has an excellent hotel, and in every way strives to please and retain his guests, to whom he furnishes the best the market supplies.

ETER BROBERG is a member of the firm of Swenson & Broberg, of New London, Minnesota, one of the most exten- sive, solid and substantial business houses in Kandiyohi county. They carry a heavy stock of general merchandise, and are also engaged in the milling, lumber and machinery business. Mr. Broberg, of whom our present article will treat, is one of the pioneers of this part of Minnesota and is one of the sur- vivors of the terrible Sioux Indian outbreak of 1862. A detailed history of all his experi- ences, adventures and hardships during pio- neer days and Indian times would almost fill a volume of itself, and would be too long for insertion in this work, but we have gathered the most prominent facts in Mr. Broberg's history, and give the most important move- ments in which he has participated.

Mr. Broberg was born near Vargarda, in Sweden, on the 17th of December, 1854, and

519

PARK REGIONS OF MINNESOTA.

is a son of Daniel P. and Aunastina Broberg, who were also natives of Sweden. The parents had a family of three children - Peter, Alfred and Albert. On the 28th of April, 1861, the whole family left their native land and sailed for the New World, landing at Quebec, Canada, on the 19th of June. They at once came to Minnesota, landing at Carver, in Carver county, on the 1st day of July. A few days later they started for what was known as the New Sweden settlement in Swift county, Minne- sota, arriving there July 15, 1861. The father, D. P. Broberg, and his brother, Andrew, bought soldiers' script and each located on a quarter section of land. Here they at once erected cabins, began improve nents and engaged in farming. Everything moved along in a prosperous and unevent- ful manner until August, 1862, when the Sioux Indians began their outbreak, killing defenseless men, women and children, and burning and destroying as they went. The little settlement at New Sweden consisted of thirty souls and little did they dream of the danger so near at hand. On the fatal 20th day of August, 1862, the Broberg fam- ilies (D. P. Broberg and wife and three children, and Andrew B. Broberg and wife and four children), together with the Lund- berg family and others, had gone to a neigh- bor's, two and a half miles distant, to attend a religious meeting. Our subject, Peter Broberg, and his two brothers and two cousins remained at home to care for the stock, etc. About noon twenty-five or thirty Indians, in war paint, surrounded the cabin. They entered the house, and the children, as usual, treated them to bread and provisions. Peter Broberg escaped from the house and ran to the meeting, wliere he gave the alarm. The services were at once adjourned, and the settlers started for home. The Broberg party, together with Lars Lundberg, started for home with their ox team. They met the

Indians, and when near the house they gave the preconcerted signal and the horrible butchery began. Mr. Lundberg was in the rear with a gun, and he escaped and rescued a child. Those killed were D. P. Bro- berg and wife and two children; Andrew B. Broberg, his wife and three children. Our subject, Peter Broberg, jumped from the wagon at the first attack and escaped, running down a hill and disap- pearing in the tall grass of a slough. He con- tinued his flight until he came to the house of a neighbor, where he took refuge. The Indians continued their murderous work and began plundering and burning and finally made an attack on the neighbor's house. The family and Peter Broberg hid in the cellar, their hiding place being concealed by a neatly fitting trap door. The Indians de- stroyed the furniture and then left. About midnight the fugitives escaped from the house and spent the remainder of the night in a thicket. Finally Even Railson, now a prominent farmer of Norway Lake township Kandiyohi county, assisted them, and they were conducted to a place of safety. Lund- berg said he was fired at fifteen times but escaped unhurt.

The general history of the outbreak will be found in another department of this ALBUM, so it is unnecessary to refer to it further in this connection. The Indians were finally subdued and peace was again restored on the border. Mainly through the efforts of our subject, Peter Broberg, an appropria- tion was made at the last session of the legislature for the purpose of erecting a mon- ument to the memory of the victims of the New Sweden massacre, so that their martyr- dom will be commemorated in a fitting manner.

In 1877 Peter Broberg located at the vil- lage of New London, Minnesota, where he has since remaincd. He is one of the leading business men of that locality, and stands high

520

RED RIVER VALLEY AND

as an exemplary citizen. He served for some time as town clerk, and has always taken an active part in matters affecting the welfare of that locality. He is a republican in polit- ical matters. and a member of the Lutheran church.

Mr. Broberg was married December 31, 1878, to Christine Larson, and they are the parents of three children - Ella, Martha and Elmer P.

OTTFRIED MIGGE, the popular butcher and dealer in fresh and cured meats, in the village of Wadena, Wadena county, Minnesota, is a native of the kingdom of Germany. He was born in Margenweider on the 23d of September, 1847, and is the son of August and Augusta Migge, also natives of Germany. The father and mother of our subject were the parents of the follow- ing-named children - Gottfried, Gustaff Rinold, Wielhmemien, Paulina, Augusta and Lauria Migge.

Mr. Migge, the subject of this article, remained in his native land until he had attained the age of twenty-five years. Dur- ing his younger days he had attended the com- mon schools of that country, and after leaving the school-room had entered an apprentice- ship at the butcher's trade. After serving his apprenticeship, and in the year 1867, Mr. Migge entered the Prussian army in Seventh Company, Forty-fourth Regiment, and served four years ; served under Commander Prince Carl in the war between Prussia and France from June 16, 1870, to September 20, 1871, and took part in the principal battles during the period of this service. After the war, and in 1873, he emigrated to the United States, and after a voyage of fifteen days, landed at Quebec. He at once removed to Fillmore county, Minnesota, where he followed his trade until 1879, with the exception of a few months' work in a Mankato (Minn.) brewery.

In 1879 Mr. Migge removed to Wadena county, Minnesota, and took up a Govern- ment claim on section 2, Leaf River town- ship, which he sold in September, 1879. In August, 1879, he removed into the village of Wadena, and for six months was employed as butcher in the meat market of Mr. Cooper. In March, 1880, he, in company with Charles Batcher, bought the meat market and oper- ated it until August, 1880, when Mr. Cooper purchased the interest of Mr. Batcher and he, in partnership with our subject, operated the shop for four years. Our subject then bought the interest of Mr. Cooper and has since continued alone in the business. In addition to his business interests he owns a fine residence and eighty acres of land in the corporate limits of the village of Wadena. He is a very successful business man, and is highly esteemed for his integrity and fair- ness in business transactions.

Mr. Migge was united in marriage in August, 1881, with Miss Anna Stienboch, and this union has been blessed with the follow- ing-named children-Laura Migge, Gott- fried August Migge, Elizabeth Migge and William Grover Migge.

In political matters the subject of this article affiliates with the democratic party.

OHN KIVEL, the efficient and well known sheriff of Marshall county, Minnesota, is a resident of the village of Warren, where he is engaged in his official duties. He is a native of the State of Vermont, born in Burlington, on the Sth day of February, 1843, and is the son of Michael and Catharine (Hughs) Kivel, natives of the kingdom of Ireland. The father and mother of our sub- ject were married in Vermont, and the father was a farmer by occupation. They were the parents of the following-named children- Mary, Nancy, Bartlett, Catherine, John and Michael.

521

PARK REGIONS OF MINNESOTA.

Mr. Kivel, of whom this article treats, remained at home, attending school, until he was ten years of age, at which period in life he commenced for himself. He secured work in a livery stable and was employed in driv- ing stage for six or seven years. In 1860 he went to the lumber woods and worked there until October, 1861. On the 27th of that month he enlisted in the Twelfth Wis- consin Infantry, Company B, and served until July, 1864, when he was honorably discharged at Madison, Wisconsin. He par- ticipated in the battles of Shiloh, Corinth, siege of Vicksburg, Tallahatchee, Jackson- ville, Champion Hill, besides many skir- mishes. He was wounded at Atlanta, Georgia, and was confined at Marietta, Rome, Nashville and Louisville, then at the bar- racks at St. Louis, Missouri. He then went to Madison, Wisconsin, where he was honor- ably discharged on the 22d of July, 1864. After his discharge he went to Reedsburg, Wisconsin, where he remained a short time, then removed to Eau Claire, Wisconsin. There he engaged in the lumber business for two years, and at the expiration of that time, removed to Buffalo county, Wisconsin. There he had charge of the Beef Slough drive, for seven years. In 1878 he went to Crookston, Minnesota, and engaged in locat- ing land. After working at that for about three years he moved to Argyle, Minnesota, where he followed the same business. In May, 1887, he moved to the village of War- ren, Marshall county, Minnesota,. where he has since remained. In 1886 he was elected to the office of county sheriff and was re-elected in 1888. Previous to this he had been deputy sheriff for three years. Ile has since discharged his duties as sheriff and is one of the most popular men in the north- ern part of the Red River Valley.

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 65

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