USA > Minnesota > Redwood County > The History of Redwood County, Minnesota, Volume II > Part 2
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of Redwood and Renville counties, mark many of the historical scenes of the Sioux Indian uprising of 1862. In the facts of this uprising Mr. Gilfillan was especially interested as the foundation of his fortune was secured from his commissions as attorney for the sufferers by the massacre, who had claims against the gov- ernment for property destroyed. In behalf of these people he labored early and late and secured from the fund sums which helped many of them to start anew in life. Mr. Gilfillan spent much time in travel and educated his children largely in Ger- many and France. Mr. Gilfillan was prominent in banking cir- cles in St. Paul, being one of the organizers of the St. Paul Trust Company and for many years vice-president of the First National Bank of St. Paul. In his later life, Mr. Gilfillan devoted his time to developing his farm in Redwood county. He carried on extensive farming and stock raising. For this purpose he built Gilfillan station and elevator and extensive stock yards.
Mr. Gilfillan was married December 28, 1859, to Emma C. Waage, daughter of Rev. Frederick and Angelina Waage. Mrs. Emma (Waage) Gilfillan died at Philadelphia, September 25, 1863. The only child born of this marriage died in infancy. Mr. Gilfillan later married Fannie S. Waage, sister of his deceased wife. By this marriage there are four children, Emma K., Fan- nie W., Charles O., and Frederick J.
Charles O. Gilfillan, son of Charles Duncan Gilfillan, is one of the extensive land owners of Redwood county and owner of the large Gilfillan estate. At the age of twenty-five he took charge of the Redwood county estate. Gradually he discontinued stock raising and is now devoting his attention largely to small grain and corn. The estate is beautifully laid out and has about thirty-five tenants. The home itself is one of the finest in Minne- sota Valley. The estate includes railroad station, elevator, stock yards, business office, extensive barns, and a beautiful home. Mr. Gilfillan is a modern and scientific farmer and carries on his operations along the latest approved lines.
Milton E. Powell, for nearly half a century a resident of Redwood Falls, is now known as the leading citizen of the county. He is the Nestor of the Redwood county bar, and for many years was the county's leading practitioner. With the county fairs in the early days, with the inauguration of a banking system in this county, with the establishment of the present school system, with the activities of the county fair in the early days, with the. old Winona & St. Peter railroad (now the Chicago & North- western), and with many other public movements he has been actively identified. His reputation in the Masonic order extends far beyond the bounds of the state. A native of New York state, Major Powell, as he is familiarly called, a native of New York, was born near Kinderhook, in Columbia county, April 17, 1840,
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of Holland descent, and is a son of Joseph Powell, whose birth occurred in the same county on December 10, 1797. His father . was a farmer by occupation, and on reaching manhood married Melinda Older, who was born in Delaware county, New York, March 20, 1804, and was a daughter of Nathan Older, of English extraction. They became the parents of six children-two sons and four daughters; two only are still living, one daughter and one son. Joseph Powell died in Sparta, Mora county, Wisconsin, November 19, 1870. His wife died December 23, 1881. The first thirteen years of his life, our subject passed in Delaware and Erie counties, New York, after which he removed with his parents to Sparta, Wisconsin, where he attended the common schools, but later returned to the Empire state and became a student in the Aurora Academy, of Erie county, where he pursued his studies for two years. From 1858 until 1861 he studied law in the office of Graves & Rice, attorneys, and on the expiration of that time enlisted in the First Wisconsin Battery, Light Artillery, with which he faithfully served as an officer for three years, taking part in a number of important engagements, including those at Tazewell Court House, Tennessee; Chickasaw Bayou; Port Gibson, Mississippi, and the siege of Vicksburg. Later he was in the ordnance department until May 16, 1865. On receiv- ing his discharge, Mr. Powell returned to Sparta, Wisconsin, where he began reading law under the direction of Hon. R. Bunn, of Wisconsin. On September 25, 1865, he was admitted to the bar at Sparta, where he at once began the practice of his chosen profession, and where he continued until his removal to Redwood Falls in 1867. Here he became one of the leading attorneys, having been county attorney of Redwood county for thirteen years, but in 1905 laid aside his professional duties and engaged in agriculture. He has prospered in his undertakings and now possesses a considerable amount of valuable property. On June 28, 1870, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Powell and Josephine Butterworth, of Sparta, Wisconsin. In Masonic affairs, as men- tioned, Mr. Powell takes a prominent part, being a thirty-third degree Mason, and belonging to the Blue Lodge, Chapter and Commandery. He was Grand Commander of Knights Templar in 1891. He assisted in the organization of the Bank of Redwood Falls, of which for one term he served as vice-president. Public- spirited and enterprising, he is largely interested in any movement to improve or to advance the welfare of his adopted county.
William H. Gold, banker, leading citizen, man-of-affairs, has taken his part in the development of the financial, agricultural, religious and social life of Redwood Falls, and is regarded as a . valuable citizen in every respect. Born in Davis, Stephenson .. county, Illinois, March 20, 1865, he was the son of Aaron and
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Ellen (Cahoon) Gold, people of sturdy eastern stock, natives respectively of Pennsylvania and New York and descended on the paternal side from German ancestry. The parents came from Pennsylvania to Illinois in 1855, where the father died in 1890 at the age of sixty-nine and where the mother passed away in 1874 at the age of forty-six. Reared in this home, William H. Gold grew to healthy boyhood on a farm. At the age of sixteen he learned the art of telegraphy and subsequently worked in this line for some ten years in Illinois, Iowa, and Minnesota. It was in this capacity that, as a young man, he came to the upper Minnesota Valley, which was designed to be the scene of his future activities. While station agent for the C., M. & St. P. at Sacred Heart in Renville county, he was impressed with the business possibilities of this region and consequently in 1886 he became interested in the lumber business, eventually resigning his railroad position to devote his entire time to that line. In 1887 in company with his brother, Frank O. Gold, he purchased a lumber yard at Sacred Heart, which he conducted for some years. Gradually the brothers established other yards, until they owned six flourishing establishments. In 1894 William H. Gold moved to Renville, where he gradually became interested in the grain, banking and land business in connection with his brother, Frank O. Gold, and H. N. Stabeck. In 1895 W. H. Gold became vice-president of the Security Bank of Renville. In 1896 he became president and retired permanently from the lumber business. In 1902 he was succeeded by H. N. Stabeck. The fol- lowing year, when the First National Bank of Renville took the place of the Security State Bank, W. H. Gold was retained as one of the directors. In the meantime, in 1898, Mr. Gold had organized the Gold-Stabeck Land and Credit Company at Ren- ville and had conducted it for several years. This company moved in 1901 to Minneapolis and is one of the larger concerns of its kind in the Twin Cities. Among its other interests, this company controls a chain of banks. In 1901 five of these banks were located in Redwood county. They were at Redwood Falls, Belview, Revere, Vesta, and Wabasso. It was in that year that Mr. Gold came to Redwood Falls to take charge of all the Gold- Stabeck interests in this county. In 1904, he sold out his interests in the Gold-Stabeck Company and took over all their interests in Redwood county. With John P. Cooper, he organized the Gold-Copper Securities Company with Mr. Cooper as president and Mr. Gold as secretary and treasurer. This company owns a controlling interest in the State Bank of Redwood Falls, State Bank of Vesta, and the Marietta State Bank, each of which Mr. Gold is the president. In 1910, in partnership with R. W. Sears, founder of Sears, Roebuck & Company, he organized the firm of Sears and Gold, now succeeded by Gold, Wise, and Gold. This
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concern owns a number of farms in Redwood county and makes a specialty of breeding Holstein cattle. While one of the purposes of establishing the famous Sears and Gold Holstein herd was to make money, nevertheless, it was also its object to improve dairy- ing conditions and raise the standard of stock in this county by selling to the farmers pure bred cattle at a nominal price. This object has succeeded and many of the farmers of the county are using stock from this famous herd to improve their own breed. In church work, Mr. Gold has been especially active, being an ardent supporter of the Methodist Episcopal denomination. A member of the board of the local church for many years, he in 1904 represented the Minnesota conference at the general con- ference held at Los Angeles. For ten years, he has been treasurer of the Minnesota Relief Fund Association of the Minnesota Con- ference and during that time has handled and invested a sum of $100,000. In Sunday school work he has been superintendent of the local school for some twelve years, was president of the Red- wood County Sunday School Association for several terms and for five years was president of the State Sunday School Associa- tion. As a crowning achievement in this line, he has done efficient work for several years as trustee of Hamline University, Ham- line, Minnesota, and of Parker College, Winnebago city, Minne- sota. Fraternally he is affiliated with the Masonic Order. In a quiet unostentatious way, Mr. Gold has done much for Redwood Falls. As a banker it has been his aim to develop rural resources. As a citizen, he has used his influence for every movement that has for its object the betterment of the community. As a home builder, he has created one of the substantial residences and sightly grounds of the city and as president of the Commercial Club, he has done much to promote the interests of Redwood Falls throughout the state. Coming to Sacred Heart with but little capital, save his ambition, energy, and optimism, he had made himself one of the successful men of the Northwest and the work he has accomplished is in itself the highest ecomium that could be written of his work. In spite of his unusual success, he is affable and approachable and his friendship is freely given to any worthy object. Mr. Gold was married May 15, 1889, to J. Winnifred Bennett, born January 3, 1868, daughter of C. A. and Margaret (Lee) Bennett. C. A. Bennett, pioneer newspaper man of Minnesota, founded the Granite Falls (Minn.) Journal in 1880 and published it until 1914. He is now living in retirement at Granite Falls. Mrs. Bennett died in 1872 at the age of twenty- two years. Mr. and Mrs. Gold have been blessed with seven children : Glenn W .; Donald W .; Lois and Lola; Margaret ; Rhoda and Charles. Glenn W. was born April 24, 1890, and is general manager of the Gold, Wise & Gold firm. He married Josephine Griffith, of Alexandria, Minn., and lives in Redwood Falls. At the
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JOHN P. COOPER
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present time, he is sergeant major of the Third Battalion, Second Infantry M. N. G. on the Texas border. Donald W. was born January 7, 1893, was graduated in 1916 from the Wesleyan Uni- versity at Middletown, Conn., and has entered the state bank of Vesta. Lois and Lola, born September 1, 1894, are now students at Hamline University. Margaret was born November 4, 1900, and Rhoda was born December 23, 1902. Charles, born January 31, 1905, died February 4, 1905.
John P. Cooper, financier, agriculturist, and man-of-affairs, is descended from sturdy New England ancestry, from whom he derives a staunch vain of integrity and love of rural endeavor which have been characteristics in his splendid success. John P. Cooper was born not far from Sparta, Monroe county, Wis. March 15, 1859, the son of Isaac W. and Elizabeth (Decker) Cooper, natives of New England. He was reared on the home farm, received an excellent education in the common school and. at the age of nineteen years completed the academic course in the Sparta High School. Thus equipped, he taught school for a while. Then . he went to LaCrosse, Wis., and secured some sound business experience in the employ of P. S. Davidson, a dealer in lumber and boat supplies. Returning to Sparta, he there spent another year. It was in 1883 that he came to Red- wood county with four others still in the employ of Mr. David- son, who at that time owned some seventeen thousand acres in this vicinity. In charge of this farm and a large corps of men he farmed for Mr. Davidson for several years. He saw, however, a field of wider opportunity in the business future of Redwood Falls and consequently in 1886 came to this village and in com- pany with S. O. Mason, under the firm name of Mason and Cooper purchased the furniture store of O. W. McMillan. A year later Mr. Cooper bought out his partner and continued to conduct the business alone until 1888 when he sold out to H. N. Bell. For several years thereafter he engaged in the real estate business and also sold musical instruments, having a large business in piano-fortes and organs throughout the county. During this period his prosperity increased to the extent that he realized the great possibilities of the banking business in Redwood Falls. Therefore in 1903 he allied himself with the Gold-Stabeck inter- esta, together they purchased the Bank of Redwood Falls and consolidated it with the Gold-Stabeck State Bank and conducted it under the name of The Gold-Stabeck State Bank until 1908, when the name was changed to the State Bank of Redwood Falls. At the time of consolidation Mr. Cooper retained the position of vice president, an office which he has now occupied continuously since 1903. In connection with this banking institution the Gold- Cooper Securities Company was organized in 1907 with a capital of $25,000, subscribed entirely in Redwood Falls. Of this com-
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pany Mr. Cooper is the president, Glenn W. Gold, vice president, W. H. Gold, secretary, and R. A. Cooper, treasurer. Another of the Cooper interests is the State Bank of Vesta of which Mr. Cooper is vice president. Since early boyhood, Mr. Cooper has been vitally interested in farming. He owns a number of farms in Redwood county, makes farming a hobby, carrying on stock farming on an extensive scale, makes a specialty of beef cattle and gives his personal attention to the management. While toiling early and late and achieving more than a man's usual degree of success Mr. Cooper has not neglected his duties as a public man and citizen. For seven years he was chairman of the board of county commissioners; for three years he was mayor of Redwood Falls and he is now serving his thirteenth year as treasurer of the board of education. He is a charter member of the Redwood Falls Lodge No. 42, Knights of Pythias and is also an active worker in the Commercial and Automobile Clubs. John P. Cooper was married November 1, 1880, to Ida M. Gar- rett, who was born February 7, 1856, daughter of Albert A. and Mary (Brooks) Garrett, the former of whom was a pioneer sad- dler of Sparta, Wis. Mr. and Mrs. Cooper have two children : Myrtle and Robert A. Myrtle was born August 21, 1881, married Alfred M. Kvello, a leading attorney of Lisbon, N. D., and has one child, Avis. Robert A. was born October 30, 1883, married Ruth Lyman, daughter of Dr. E. A. Lyman of Redwood Falls and is cashier of the State Bank of Redwood Falls of which his father is vice president. Isaac W. Cooper, father of John P. Cooper, was born in Connecticut and was married in Massachu- setts to Elizabeth Decker, who was born in that state. After their marriage they moved to Pennsylvania and from there came to Monroe county, Wis. After farming there for some years they retired to the neighboring town of Sparta. There Mrs. Elizabeth Cooper died in 1892 at the age of sixty-five years. Her husband survived her three years, dying in 1895 at the age of seventy-five. They were pious christian people attending the Methodist Episcopal church.
Robert A. Cooper, financier, cashier of the State Bank of Redwood Falls, was born in the city where he still resides, Oct. 30, 1883, son of J. P. and Ida M. (Garrett) Cooper. He was here reared, and passed through the graded and high schools. In 1904 he entered the State Bank of Redwood Falls, in 1907 became assistant cashier, and on Jan. 1, 1914, assumed the duties of his present position. In addition to this he is treasurer of the Gold-Cooper Securities Co. Fraternally, Mr. Cooper is Master of the Blue Lodge; a Chapter and Commandery Mason, and a member of the Knights of Pythias and the I. O. O. F. Aug. 7, 1912, he married Ruth Lyman, daughter of Dr. E. A. and Blanche (French) Lyman.
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Hans M. Aune, secretary and treasurer of the Aune & Thune Co., Inc., clothiers, Redwood Falls, was born in Norway, May 19, 1861, son of John and Mattie (Batsager) Aune. John Aune, the father died in Norway in 1875. The widowed mother then came to America, located at Red Wing, and later at Zumbrota, both in Goodhue county, this state, making her home with her son, Hans M., until her lamented death in 1886. Hans M. in the meantime attended school in Norway, and in 1880, at the age of nineteen came to America and located in Red Wing, this state, where he likewise attended school for a while. For some time he was clerk in C. C. Clausen's dry goods store in that city. Later he went to Zumbrota clerked in Mr. Clausen's store in that village. After his employer's death in 1885, he started work in the general store of Fred George, also in Zumbrota. It was in 1887 that he came to Redwood Falls, and in partnership with P. M. Ring- dahl engaged in the clothing business under the firm name of Aune & Ringdahl. In 1888, Gunder G. Thune bought out Mr. Ringdahl, and the firm became Aune & Thune. For nearly three decades Mr. Aune has occupied a commanding position in the life of the community, and his work has left an impression on official life in city, county and educational affairs. His term of office for four years as alderman and two terms as mayor were marked by great progress in this city. His work for the past ten years as a member of the board of county commissioners of which he is now chairman has been highly commended, his official policy combining conservatism of the people's funds with a desire to secure for the county the greatest efficiency and progress along all lines of improvement. As secretary of the board of education for the past seven years he has also rendered the people of the city distinguished service. His work in helping to organize the Redwood Falls Electric Telephone Co., of which he has been the only secretary and treasurer, marked a distinct forward move in the life of the city. Fraternally Mr. Aune is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias, and he is an able member of the Commercial Club as well as of other organizations. Mr. Anne was married Aug. 17, 1893, to Corrine Swain, of Madison, Wis., and they have four children: Hazel, Harold, Irene and Eleanor.
Gunder G. Thune, president of the Aune & Thune Co., Inc., elothiers, Redwood Falls, was born in Norway, May 14, 1855, son of Gunder and Gurie S. (Ekren) Thune, who brought the family to America in 1857, located on a homestead in Minneola, Goodhue county, this state, farmed until 1895, and then retired, the father dying in 1906 at the age of 74, and the mother still living on the home place. There the subject of this sketch was reared, attending the district schools and learning farming from his father. Later he studied in the public schools of Red Wing,
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and at Darling's Business College, at Rochester. For nine years he was clerk in the general store of John Anderson at Zumbrota, where he thoroughly mastered the mercantile business. With this experience he came to Redwood Falls in the spring of 1888, and bought an interest in the firm of Aune & Ringdahl, which then became Aune & Thune. Arriving here nearly thirty years ago, Mr. Thune, in the years that have passed, has become one of the prominent citizens of the city. For one term he did good service as a member of the council. In the Commercial and Automobile clubs he has been an enthusiastic "booster." Fra- ternally he is associated with the Knights of Pythias and other orders. A thorough business man he has taken his part in the growth of the city and county, and is an enthusiastic believer in the future of this region. Gunder G. Thune was married March 22, 1882, to Annie A. Brakke, a native of Norway, who early in life lost her parents. To Mr. and Mrs. Thune have been born four children : Mary, Josephine, Zelma and Florence, all of whom are now at home. Mary has been clerk in the office of the county auditor for the past twelve years. Zelma, a music teacher, is a graduate of the Northwestern Conservatory of Music at Minne- apolis. The family faith is that of the Presbyterian denomina- tion, in the local church of which Mr. Thune has been trustee since 1903.
The Aune & Thune Co., Inc., clothiers, Redwood Falls. The story of this company, now the leading clothing concern in Red- wood county is a most interesting one, embracing as it does a small beginning, a fire which nearly wrecked its hopes at a time when great success was dawning, a plucky new beginning, and finally its present prosperity. In 1887, Hans M. Aune, then a clerk in a general store at Zumbrota, Minn., came to Redwood Falls, and with P. M. Ringdahl, opened a small clothing store, un- der the firm name of Aune & Ringdahl. In 1888, Gunder G. Thune, also a Zumbrota clerk, bought out Mr. Ringdahl, and the firm became Aune & Thune. The two young men set at work with a will, toiled early and late, and by honesty, good buying, shrewd- ness, hard work and straightforward business methods, soon built up a large business. After a time they outgrew their original quarters, and in 1900 moved to their present site. But when the prospects for the future seemed the brightest, a fire came on Oct. 22, 1903, and totally destroyed their property, entailing a loss of about $30,000. But with undaunted courage, the partners set at work, erected a splendid building, and started in again, achieving a still greater measure of prosperity than before. The store is an ideal one in every way. The building is sightly and convenient, equipped with all modern advantages. The main floor is used for sales and display rooms, and offices. The stock is large and thoroughly up-to-date, while the assortment is un-
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usually full and complete. The basement is used for storage. In the basement also is the "Ideal" gasoline lighting system plant, by which the establishment is brilliantly illuminated throughout with gas. In addition to the Redwood store there is a branch at Dawson, Minn., operated by O. M. Aune, a brother of Hans M. The Aune & Thune Co. was incorporated in 1913, with a capital of $50,000, the officers being: President, Gunder G. Thune; vice president, O. M. Aune; secretary and treasurer, Hans M. Aune.
Fremont W. Philbrick. While "the race is not always to the swift nor the battle to the strong" the invariable law of destiny accords to tireless energy, industry and ability a successful career. The truth of this assertion is abundantly verified in the life of Mr. Philbrick, who is now at the head of a large general store at Redwood Falls, Minn .; and is also president of the Redwood County State Bank, of Redwood Falls, which he recently organ- ized. He was born at Fond du Lac, Wis., May 5, 1854, and is the second son of Charles G. and Eliza M. (Pinkham) Philbrick, the former a native of New Hampshire and the latter of Maine. By occupation the father was a carpenter and builder. Our sub- ject was principally reared in Minnesota, where his parents re- moved in 1856, making their home for a number of years at Rushford, Fillmore county, and there his education was obtained in the public schools. At the age of sixteen years he began teach- ing in that county, and his first business experience was as a clerk in a general store. Later he was cashier and bookkeeper at LaCrosse, Wis., for the firm of Olson, Smith & Co., wholesale dry goods, with whom he remained for six years, and on the expiration of that period formed a partnership with W. R. Put- mam of LaCrosse, under the firm name of Putnam & Philbrick, dealing in boots, shoes, hats, caps, and men's furnishing goods. .This connection lasted for two years, when he sold out to Mr. -Futnam and went to Milwaukee, where for a short time he was in the employ of the grocery firm of Ball & Goodrich as traveling salesman. It was in 1879 that Mr. Philbrick came to Redwood Falls, where in connection with C. A. Francois, he purchased the stock of general merchandise of Sickle & Wiltshire, and this Stnership continued for two and a half years, when our sub-
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