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 78

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 78
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 78

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Mr. Selby was united in marriage on the 12th day of August, 1875, in Franklin, Penn-

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sylvania, to Miss Martha J. McCaughtry, the daughter of John and Catharine (Grove) McCaughtry, natives of Mercer county, Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Selby have been blessed with one child - Mary L., born in Emlenton, Venango county, Pennsyl- vania. Our subject is a member of the Masonic fraternity, Hillsboro Lodge, No. 32, A. F. and A. M., and also belongs to the Royal Arch Chapter in Grand Forks. He is a hard student, a safe counsel and an able advocate.

APT. WILLIAM C. ROBERTS. The subject of this biographical sketch is en- gaged in the meat-market business in the vil- lage of Detroit, Becker county, Minnesota. He is a native of Massachusetts, born in the city of Boston, on the 12th day of May, 1835, and is the son of William and Ruth (Bowker) Roberts, natives of Massachusetts. The father was engaged in farming in active life, and in his younger days worked at the boot and shoemaker's trade. He is now living in Weston, Massachusetts. The mother died in 1840. They were the parents of two children-Harriet and William. The ances- try of our subject were of English descent.

Captain Roberts, of whom this article treats, received his education in Boston, where he attended school until he was sixteen years of age. After completing his education, he engaged in the provision and fruit business in Boston and Cambridge, until the outbreak of the Civil War. In 1862 he enlisted in the Forty-fourth Massachusetts Infantry, and after serving nine months as a private was promoted to the rank of second lieutenant, for bravery at the Battle of Rawles Mills, North Carolina. He was assigned to the Fifty-fifth Massachusetts Colored Infantry, and remained in that regiment from 1863 until September 1865. He was promoted to first lieutenant in June, 1864, and later to the

rank of captain, and at the close of the war was presented with a brevet commission by the President. He participated in the fol- lowing battles-Siege of Little Washington, Kingston, White Hall, Goldsborro, James Island, Olustee, North Carolina; besides Honey Hill and many skirmishes. The Fifty-fifth was the first regiment to enter Charleston at the evacuation. In front of Charleston, on Fally Island he received a sunstroke and contracted malarial fever. At that time he was on the staff of General Alfred S. Hartwell. He was detached from his regiment and sent to Branchville, South Carolina, with his company in June, 1865, where he had charge of the contracts between the planters and negroes. He was mustered out with his regiment in September, 1865, at Charleston, South Carolina. The same fall he returned to Boston, Massachusetts, and engaged in the meat and provision business, running three stores in the city. He remained there in business until 1871, and during that time was a member of the Boston City Govern- ment. He was connected with five different military organizations in the city and was one of the committee on building the army and navy monument on Boston common. He was also agent and treasurer for the New England Emigration Society and was active in all local movements. In 1871 he removed with a colony of soldiers to Minnesota and settled in Becker county, Minnesota, where they took claims. Captain Roberts took a farm of 160 acres, to which he has since added 160 acres. He erected the first hotel in the village of Detroit, known as the New England House, afterward known as the American House, which he operated until 1887. He laid out the original town plat, and in the fall of 1871 located the Northern Pacific Railroad depot. In 1887 he opened his present meat market and has since been engaged in that business.

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Captain Roberts was married on the 7th day of May, 1866, to Miss Mary F. Bowker, and this union has been blessed .with the fol- lowing-named children-Willie Montgomery (deceased), Harriet Emma, Ruth Mabel, Alice Cary, Daisy Burnside, May Lucretia, Harry Wheelwright, Lillian Louise (de- ceased), Grace Hartwell, Florence Mildred (deceased), Eva Maud, Geneveive, Lin- coln, Olive Safford and Allen Lorimer. Captain Roberts is a republican in political matters. He and his family belong to the Baptist church. He is a man of the strictest integrity and is highly esteemed by all who know him. He is a prominent member of the Grand Army of the Republic and is the present commander of the Park Regions Encampment Association. He made applica- tion for arrears of pension in 1880, but it has not reached a settlement as yet.

ERT H. PETTIT, who is engaged in the grain business for the Northern Pacific Elevator Company, is a resident of the village of Verndale, Wadena county, Minnesota. He is a native of the State of Iowa, born in Charles City on the 8th day of March, 1858, and is the son of Henry and Jane (Kellogg) Pettit, natives of Ohio. The father of our subject removed from Indiana to Iowa in 1855, and engaged in the boot and shoe busi- ness and farming. The father and mother of Bert are the parents of the following-named children-A. N. Pettit, J. C. F. Pettit, A. R. Pettit, Wm. Pettit, D. J. Pettit, W. M. Pet- tit, McH. Pettit and B. H. Pettit.

Mr. Pettit, the subject of this biographical article, received his education in Charles City, Iowa, where he attended school until he had attained the age of eighteen years. In 1876 he removed with his parents to Osage, Iowa, where his father and brother, A. N. Pettit, went into the mercantile busi-

ness. They remained there for four years, and in 1880 our subject, in company with his father and brother, removed to Wadena county, Minnesota. Our subject, with his father and brother, opened a general mer- chandising store in the fall of 1882. When the Northern Pacific Elevator Company put up an elevator, Mr. Pettit, of whom this sketch treats, commenced buying wheat for them. He has since been in their employ, and is well and favorably known throughout the farming class in the county. In addition to his wheat business, Mr. Pettit is the owner of considerable real estate in the village, Pettit's addition being owned by him. He also owns a fine farm of 160 acres near the village and two commodious residences in the village.

Mr. Pettit was married in Osage, Iowa, on the 22d day of September, 1880, to Miss Blanch Brown, of Osage. Mr. Pettit is a mem- ber of the Independent Order of Odd-Fellows, Verndale Lodge, No. 124. In political mat- ters he affiliates with the republican party. He is a representative citizen of the village, and is highly esteemed by all who know him. He has always taken an active inter- est in all matters of a local nature, and is at present a member of the village council.

LAF A. HOLTHER is the present clerk of the district court of Kittson county, Minnesota. He was born in Christiania, Norway, December 20, 1858.

Mr. Holther's parents were Martin A. and Mathea J. Holther, both of whom were natives of Norway. In 1870 the parents came to the United States and located in Minneapolis, where the father became a rail- road contractor. They remained in Minne- apolis until 1881. They are still living.

The subject of our sketch remained at home with his parents until he was fourteen

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years of age, when he went southward into the State of Iowa, with the purpose of attend- ing Luther College at Decorah. He remained in that institution for four years, then return- ing to Minneapolis remained with his parents about two years. He then went to Stephen, Marshall county, where he remained a short time, thence removing to Hallock in the year 1880. He was variously employed after com- ing to Hallock until 1886-was in the employ of Peter Daly for three months, then in the employ of C. J. McCollom in his general merchandise and drug store. In the fall of 1886 he removed to Fargo, and remained through the winter with a relative who lived in that city.

In March, 1887, he returned to Minneapolis, and on April 20th was united in marriage to Mrs. Josephine Hanscombe, the widow of O. Hanscombe, and the daughter of Albrecht Rasch, of Christiania, Norway. Mr. and Mrs. Holther have been blessed with one child-Carl Oscar Albrecht, who was born in Hallock, April 6, 1888.

After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Holther started on a bridal trip to Norway, and while gone visited Glasgow and Edinburgh, Scot- land, and other places of note and of interest to tourists. Their tour was quite extensive, and they returned to Minneapolis in Septem- ber the same year. Remaining in Minneap- olis but a short time, they then went to Hal- lock. where Mr. Holter engaged in clerking for McCollom & Suffel, with whom he con- tinued until January 1, 1889. On that date he took charge of his present position, having been elected clerk of the district court, on the people's ticket in November, 1888. Mr. Holther [has also been town clerk for some years in the village of Hallock. Both him- self and wife are leading members of the Norwegian Lutheran church. Mr. Holther is an efficient and obliging county officer, and is well qualified for the duties of his repsonsible position. He is a careful and

painstaking business man and administers the duties of his office with the utmost pre- cision and dispatch ; giving excellent satisfac- tion to all.

OUIS HENRY, a prosperous farmer of Little Sauk township, Todd county, is a resident of section 23, and is engaged in clerking in the village of Little Sauk. He is a native of France, born in the eastern part of that country on the 21st day of September, 1834, and is the son of Joseph and Magrette (Roch) Henry, natives also of France. The father was engaged in the oil business, and died in 1852. The mother died in 1884. They were exemplary members of the Cath- olic church. They were the parents of the following children-Mary, Josephine, Genevieve, Julian, Dominick, Richard, Mary, Claire and Louis, and two who died in infancy.

Mr. Henry, the subject of this sketch, spent his school-days in the city of St. Die, France, where he attended school until he was sixteen years of age. He then secured a position as clerk in a cotton and linen fac- tory, and after working at that one year, returned to his parents. He then clerked in an express office in St. Die, and again paid a visit to his parents. In 1853 he emigrated to the United States, and after a voyage of thirty seven days on a sailing vessel landed at New York City. After landing he secured work on a farm in Ulster county, New York, at which he worked twenty months. He then left for Buffalo, New York, and there gained employment in a livery stable. He remained there one month and then went to Danville, Canada, and after traveling around a good deal located at St. Louis, Missouri, having again reached the States. During the winters of 1854 and 1856 he worked on a farm just across the river from St. Louis,

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and in the following spring engaged in gar- dening below St. Louis. In June, 1856, he took passage on the steamer " Gossamer" for the city of St. Paul, Minnesota. In 1869 he moved to Todd county, and settled on section 23, Little Sauk township, where he has since remained. He clerks in the village of Little Sauk.

Mr. Henry was married July 7, 1858, to Miss Alice Courniea, a native of Canada. She removed with her parents to Massachu -. setts when but six years old, and to Minne- sota in 1856. Mr. and Mrs Henry have been blessed with seven children, named as fol- lows-Josephine, Albert, Felix, Prosper, Paul, Joseph and Lillie. Josephine and Felix are dead. Our subject is a republican in his political affiliations. He held the office of county sheriff from 1873 until 1875. He also holds the office of district clerk. He is a prominent man of his township and is actively interested in local matters.

OHN KEENAN, the popular proprietor of the Lyon House, in the village of Warren, Marshall county, Minnesota, is a native of the Empire State. He was born in Caledonia, Monroe county, New York, on the 30th day of March, 1841, and is the son of George and Mary (Kerwin) Keenan, natives of Ireland. The father and mother of our subject emigrated to the United States in 1830, and settled in New York City in 1837, where they were married two years later. From there they removed to Monroe county, New York, and in 1852 came West to Wisconsin. They were the parents of the following-named children - Catharine, Peter, James, George, Mary, John, William and David, all of whom are living, except Catharine, Peter and Mary.

Mr. Keenan, the subject of this biogra- phy, lived on the home farm with his parents

and attended school until he was fourteen years of age. At that period in life he started out for himself, and until he was twenty-one he worked out among the farmers and in a saw-mill, and in the pineries. He made his home with his parents, and on the 14th of August, 1862, he enlisted in Com- pany G, Twentieth Wisconsin Infantry, and served until September, 1865, when he was honorably discharged. He participated in the following battles - Prairie Grove, Vicks- burg, Yazoo City, Port Hudson, Atchathala River and with Bank's expedition in Texas. The company to which our subject belonged left Grant at New Orleans and joined Banks. Under him they participated in a severe engagement while at Brownsville, Texas, and then our subject was detailed as provost guard, and they captured Fort Morgan, Ala- bama. At Mobile he was taken sick and was confined to the hospitals at Fort Gains and New Orleans for two months. He then secured a sick furlough and returned to Roch- ester, Minnesota, and at the expiration of his furlough had it extended. At the expiration of the extended time, he reported at Madison, where he had it renewed, and returned to Rochester, Minnesota. In September he again went to Madison, Wisconsin, where he was honorably discharged. After his dis- charge he returned to Rochester and for one year was employed as bartender. Until 1882 he was otherwise employed in threshing and farming, in Olmsted and Fillmore counties, Minnesota, residing in Wykoff, Fillmore county, Minnesota. While in Fillmore county he held the office of assessor two years. In 1882 heremoved to Argyle, Mar- shall county, Minnesota, where he rented a farm and also homesteaded 160 acres on section 8, Blooms township, where he lived for about two years engaged in general farming. In November, 1886, he sold his farm and removed to the village of Warren, Marshall county, Minnesota, and until April,

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1888, was engaged in various occupations. On the 14th of April, 1888, he took charge of the Lyon House, which he has since con- tinued to operate. He has a good class of patronage and runs a good house. He is popular and esteemed both as a landlord and a citizen by all with whom he has dealings, and he takes a great interest in the cause of temperance.

Mr. Keenan was married June 9, 1867, to Mrs. Lottie (Howard) Lewis, the widow of Janes Lewis, by whom she had one child -- Charles. Mr. and Mrs. Keenan have been blessed with the following-named children- William Howard, Lottie, Lettie, Luttie and Nellie. Mr. Keenan held the office of con- stable while in Olmsted county, and has always taken an active interest in public affairs. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and is a republican in pol- itics. He is actively interested in all local movements, and all home enterprises receive his hearty support.

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M. BRITTS, proprietor of the Vern- dale Flour Mills, is one of the earliest settlers of Wadena county, Minnesota. He was born in Botetourt county, Virginia, on the 27th of June, 1832. When he was three or four years of age his parents settled in Indiana, and in 1848 they removed, by team, to Madison, Wisconsin. At that time there was not a mile of railroad west of Chicago. Our subject remained with his parents until he was twenty-one years of age, when he started in life for himself. He rented a flour mill at Moscow, Wisconsin, and was there engaged in milling for a few years. He then built a mill at Primrose, Dane county, Wis- consin, which he ran for two years. In 1860 he removed to Dodge county, Minnesota, and erected a flour mill, which he operated

for three or four years. At the expiration of that time he sold out and bought a flour and saw-mill at Money Creek, Houston county, Minnesota. He refitted and im- proved the property, and remained there a few years. From this time until 1874 he was engaged in the flour, saw-mill and mercan- tile business at various places in Southern Minnesota. In 1874 he went to Osage, Iowa, and was there engaged in running a flouring mill until 1880, when he decided to find a new country in which to devote his ener- gies. In the spring of that year he decided upon his present location, a mile and a half from Verndale village, on Crow Wing river, where he has ample water power. During the summer of 1880 he erected his mill, and was ready for business the same fail. He put in five sets of buhrs, giving it a capacity of 125 barrels per day. It cost at the time $14,000, as "the country was new, and both labor and material were very high." In 1885 Mr. Britts remod- eled the mill and changed to the roller system, so that it now contains ten sets of improved rollers and one set of buhrs, and has a capacity for seventy-five barrels per day. The mill does a very extensive busi- ness and there is a local demand, including a heavy " lumber camp trade," for all they can manufacture. An abundance of wheat is raised here, although during the first year Mr. Britt could not get one third enough wheat to run, as the country was so new, but since that time there has been a large sur- plus. Mr. Britt owns a farm of eighty acres inside the village limits where he lives. He also has extensive property interests in Duluth. He has taken a prominent and active part in all public moves, and during early times was one of the most active and earnest workers in securing emigration. Ever since the village was organized he has been a member of the council, except in the present year, and in 1887 was president of

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that body. He has also taken a prominent part in all moves to advance educational interests. Liberal and enterprising, every move calculated to benefit the village and surrounding country has always received his aid and encouragement; a man of the strictest integrity, he stands high in the com- munity, both as a business man and as an exemplary citizen.

In political matters he is a prohibitionist, and in 1888 his friends placed him on the ticket for the legislature, although, as is well known, the district is overwhelmingly republican.

Our subject was married to Miss Rhoda L. Corbin, of Argyle, Wisconsin, in 1856. They have a family of seven children, as follows-Charles A., Mary V., William H., Clara A., Alice C., Bruce F. and Fred T. Britts.

AVID McCAULEY, the present county superintendent of schools of Wilkin county, Minnesota, is one of the oldest settlers of the Red River Valley. He was born on the 27th day of July, 1825, in Mer- rimack, Hillsborough county, New Hamp- shire. His parents were Daniel G. and Mary (Noyes) McCauley. His ancestors for several generations were natives of the Granite State. The father was a carpenter by trade but followed farming. The parents had a family of two girls and four boys- Mrs. Mary A. Bennett and David, of McCau- leyville, Wilkin county, Minnesota, are the only ones now surviving.

Our subject supplemented his study in Nashua, with a partial coursein the Literary Institute of Hancock, Hillsborough county, New Hampshire. He left the institute before graduating, at the age of twenty. How- ever, during the years 1838 to 1841, inclus-

ive, he had served an apprenticeship as a machinist.

In 1846 Mr. McCauley went to Boston, where he remained about four years and then removed to Manchester, New Hampshire, where he kept a stationery store. In the fall of 1858 he came West, and, in accordance with the primitive mode of travel, staged it from LaCrosse, Wisconsin, to St. Paul. Here he found employment as distributing clerk in the postoffice. In July, 1861, he came to Fort Abercrombie, being appointed by Edwin M. Stanton, then secretary of war, post sutler, and postmaster at that fort. He was also the agent of the North- west Express Company. Transportation in those days was by stage, which usually traveled with a military escort up to as late as 1866. He was connected with the fort untill 1864. Then he crossed the Red river to the Minne- sota side opposite the fort and engaged in mercantile business as well as farming. The village which now sprung up was named, in honor of him, McCauleyville. He purchased 666 acres of land on Indian script and took quit-claim deeds, but on account of defective title he lost the whole of it. He now has a farm of 160 acres, beside his residence in the village.

In 1867 he built a saw-mill at a cost of $12,000. He cut over five million feet of lumber, which sold at $40 per thousand, and which found a market in Pembina, Totten and Garry. He would annually, on Govern- ment contract, furnish the fort with from 800 to 3,000 tons of hay.

Mr. McCauley married for his first wife Miss Anna Trott, of Bath, Maine. On the 5th day of October, 1879, he was married the second time to Miss Carrie W. Whitman, of Boston, Massachusetts. She is a daughter of John N. and Milissa D.(Wolcott) Whitman. Her father was a native of New York, being born in Batavia, that State. His ancestors were Holland Dutch, who emigrated to

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America in colonial times. He served his country as a soldier, enlisting in September, 1861, in Company D, Fourth Regiment, Ver- mont Volunteers. He was discharged from the service on account of wounds received in the battle of Antietam. The mother, Milissa D. Wolcott, is a daughter of Emerson Wol- cott and his wife Hannah (Adams) Wolcott, a lineal descendent of John Adams. Mrs. McCauley's father came West permanently in 1874, and engaged in farming in the town of St. Olof, Otter Tail county, Minnesota. He and his family are now living at Thief River Falls, Polk county, this State, where he is interested in stock-raising.

Mr. and Mrs. McCauley are the parents of one child-Ethel Noyes.

Mr. McCauley has served his county as superintendent of schools for the last thirteen years, and was re-elected to that office again in the fall of 1888. He is also postmaster at McCauleyville. And he took part in organ- izing Wilkin county, as well as in organizing the town which bears his name. He has also held the usual quota of town offices, and is one of the best-known men in the Red River Valley.

EORGE WASHBURN, the present effi- cient postmaster of the village of Pelican Rapids, Otter Tail county, Minne- sota, is a native of the State of Vermont. He was born in Orleans county, Vermont, on the 15th day of March, 1838, and is the son of Louis T. and Harriett (Longley) Wash- burn, natives of Massachusetts and Vermont, respectively. The father of our subject was a soldier in the War of 1812, and in 1813 set- tled in Vermont, where he was a prominent farmer and stock-raiser. The father died in 1876 in New York State. The mother died in 1845.

Mr. Washburn, the subject of this article, remained at home attending school until he was thirteen years old, when he removed to New York State, where he remained with his brother until the war broke out. He worked at the carpenter's and joiner's trade until the 10th of September, 1861, when he enlisted in Company E, Sixteenth New York Infantry, and served until July 19, 1864, when he received an honorable dis- charge. He was wounded in the battle of Gettysburg, and from July until October was in the field hospital. He was then removed to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he received his discharge. After being mustered out of the service, he returned to New York, and settled in Bangor, Franklin county, New York, where he was appointed postmaster and in connection run a grocery store. He remained there until 1873, when he removed westward, and in September, 1873, located in Otter Tail county, Minnesota, where he took a homestead, and until 1883 was engaged in general agricultural operations. He then removed to the village of Pelican Rapids, where he has since remained. He was appointed postmaster in 1889, and has since held that position. He still retains the farm, which is under good cultivation and comprises 240 acres of fine land. He is one of the prominent men of the village, and is highly esteemed by all who know him.

Mr. Washburn was united in marriage on the 1st day of January, 1868, to Miss Louisa Hoadley, and this union has been blessed with the four following-named children - Bernice I. W., Bayard H. W., Mamie and Daisy Washburn. Our subject and his fam- ily are exemplary members of the Congre- gational church. In political matters he affiliates with the republican party, and is actively interested in that party's campaigns. He is a public-spirited citizen, and any home enterprise always receives his hearty support and encouragement.

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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 78

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