The history of Mower County, Minnesota : illustrated, Part 105

Author: Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Chicago : H. C. Cooper, Jr. & Co.
Number of Pages: 1246

USA > Minnesota > Mower County > The history of Mower County, Minnesota : illustrated > Part 105

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H. J. HANSEN

G. H. ALLEN.

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four girls and five boys, of whom eight, three girls and five boys, survive. They are: Minnie B., Osear B., Kathinka S., Peter C., Herman A., George E., Nellie R., and Gustav W. The four oldest are married. The husband of Minnie Bertha is a merchant tailor of Wahpeton, North Dakota ; Osear B. is a blacksmith at IIartford, South Dakota; Kathinka Sophie is the wife of Nels N. Bergheim, an attorney at law of Little Falls, Minnesota. Peter Cornelius is a merehant in Carver, Minnesota. In 1911 the rest of the children are unmarried. Mr. Hanson worked at his trade in Austin, besides for Brown, for Bates Bros., and G. K. Hanson, builders of wagons and carriages. In the spring of 1874 he sold his property, house and lot, to Solner & Morgan, of Austin, and moved on the farm, where he still resides. He has from time to time added to his farm until he now owns 280 aeres, which constitute one of the excellent farms in southern Minnesota. On this traet which he acquired as prairie land, he has erected a good dwelling house, fine barn, sheds, and in fact all necessary buildings for housing of his stoek, erops, and abundant equipment of tools and machin- ery. His house is supplied with telephone and other convenienees, which go to make up the comforts of a modern dwelling. Being a public-spirited man, Mr. Hanson has felt the necessity of making use of the facilities, which keep him abreast of the times, and in touch with the business world. He is a staunch Republican 'and of the progressive type. He has been repeatedly honored by publie office. For six years he was town supervisor, eighteen years jus- tice of the peace, nine years town clerk, and for several years has held his present office of town treasurer. He has been secretary of the Nevada Co-operative Creamery Association since its organ- ization and commencement of business, April 6, 1894, and still holds the office. He is a member of the Lutheran church, and joined the Little Cedar congregation in May, 1874, and with char- acteristie energy has assisted in the advancement of the congrega- tion, as being a hard worker in the church, holding the following offiees of trust in continuance : trustee and treasurer. He was first eleeted superintendent of the Sunday school, and sinee 1884 has been the secretary and still holds that office. For the oeeasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the organization of the Little Cedar Lutheran congregation, which took place November 26, 1909, hè wrote the history of the Little Cedar Settlement, and the congre- gation, and had it printed and bound in book form, out of grati- tude to the settlement and church that he loved.

G. H. Allen, retired merchant and railroad civil engineer, now living in Austin, was born in Greenfield, Saratoga county, New York, October 12, 1834. There he received his education and grew to manhood. He was reared on a farm and in his early life learned civil engineering, a profession he followed thereafter for several

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years. At twenty-two years of age, in 1853, he went to Freeport, Illinois, and worked on the railroad from Freeport to Savanna, surveying the roadbed. From there he went to McGregor, Iowa, on the C., M. & St. P. He then returned to New York state and worked on the Albany & Susquehanna, later on the Middleburg and Schoharie. After this he worked on the Oswego (New York) Midland, then on the Rockford, Rock Island & St. Louis. His last railroad surveying was on the C., M. & St. P. from Dubuque to LaCrosse. In 1874 he came to Mower county, locating in Grand Meadow, and together with his brother, George W., engaged in the general mercantile business. This they conducted for about five years. That same year he was made county surveyor, and held the office continuously until 1893, and again in 1897. He also owned and conducted a 200-acre farm in Grand Meadow township until coming to Austin in 1900. At that time he pur- chased some land on College street and built his pleasant home, where he has since lived in retirement, except for two years that he served the city of Austin as city engineer. He still owns eighty acres of his farm in Grand Meadow township, which he rents. Mr. Allen married Mary A. Specht, daughter of John W. Specht, who was a farmer by occupation, and who built the first frame house in Dubuque, Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Allen have one daughter, Jessie, who is the wife of Dr. Homer F. Peirson. Dr. and Mrs. Peirson have two children, Helen and Marion.

Luther N. Griffith, better known as " 'Squire Griffith," is one of the venerable figures of Mower county. He came here with the early settlers and has lived through the greater part of the stir- ring events which have gone to make up Mower county history. Although well past the four score mark, he is still hale and hearty and venerated alike by old and young. He was born in Pike, Allegany county, New York, November 18, 1824, son of Ebenezer Griffith, a pioneer, sheriff and hotel keeper of Ohio. L. N. received a good education in public and select schools, farmed a while and then engaged in the hotel business in Elyria, Ohio. In 1856 he came west to Chatfield, Minnesota, and on July 1, 1856, came to Austin, and with J. L. Davidson and L. S. Morgan, purchased eighty acres, a part of which was laid out. Mr. Griffith was suc- cessively saw mill man, postmaster and justice of the peace in the pioneer years. From 1872 to 1882 he was again justice of the peace. He was also a councilman, and city recorder in the early days. The most of his time, however, has been spent on his 200- acre farm in Lansing township, which he now rents, his home being in the city. Mr. Griffith was married July 13, 1849, at Grass Lake, Michigan, to Triphena Austin, daughter of James Austin and Tamer Chapin, both now deceased. This union has been blessed with two children: Edward James, who was born in

JOHN C. HAWKINS

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Austin, August 31, 1861, and Ella L., who was born May 31, 1850, and died June 25, 1869. Edward J. conducts the home farm. Ile married Jessie Simpson, and has two children: Lloyd N., and Leah Triphena. 'Squire Griffith has been a life-long Democrat.

John C. Hawkins, horticulturist, agriculturist, and lecturer, is one of the most prominent of Mower county citizens. For years he has gone up and down the county and state preaching the planting of apples and plums, and his efforts have seen fruition in the many successful orchards that have been cultivated through- out southern Minnesota. John C. Hawkins was born in Center county, Pennsylvania, June 2, 1833, son of Vincent and Annie (Crowell) Hawkins. He learned the trade of carpenter and joiner, served an apprenticeship of three years, and after his marriage followed this vocation for several years. He enlisted August 5, 1861, in the Second Ohio Light Artillery, under Captain Carlton, and served in the Southwest under John C. Freemont. In 1862 he was discharged for disability and reënlisted in the Second Ohio Heavy Artillery, thus seeing service in Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee. He was discharged in August, 1865, and was mus- tered out at Nashville. Then he came directly to Mower county, reaching here September 5, 1865. He settled on a farm in Win- dom township and there continued to reside for many years. IIe built a fine home and suitable barns and also erected two school- houses. Throughout the period of his residence on the farm, Mr. Hawkins continued to carry on horticultural and agricultural operations in a scientific manner, thus gaining the valuable expe- rience which makes him in such demand as a speaker at all farmers' meetings. Mr. Hawkins is a member of various horti- cultural and agricultural societies and has served as an officer in many of them. He is at present secretary of the Mower County Old Settlers' Association. While in Windom he served in various offices from supervisor down. He is a member of MeIntire Post, No. 66, G. A. R., and of other organizations. The subject of this sketch was married June 18, 1854, to Sarah C. Woodward, of. Richmond, Ohio, daughter of John and Cornelia (Turner) Wood- ward. Five children have blessed this union: V. J. Hawkins, M. D., of St. Paul; Anna, wife of M. J. Gregg, a farmer of Windom township; Susan, wife of James Philbrick, a farmer of Windom township; Millie, wife of Norman Gregg, of Austin ; Joy, on the old homestead. Vincent Hawkins was a native of England. He came to the United States in 1818 and located in Phillipsburg, Pa., where he was a master miner, an occupation he followed until his death. He married Annie Crowell and of their children five are living : John C. lives in Austin; Ellen is the widow of John Burris; Mary L. is the wife of Charles Skinner, of Ludlow, Mo .: I. N. lives in Washington, D. C., and J. K. lives in Canon City,

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Col. In 1900 John C. Hawkins retired from aetive life and moved to Austin, where he has since resided. Aside from his eity prop- erty he owns 160 acres of highly improved land in Windom township.

Ralph E. Crane, one of the representatives from Mower county in the lower house of the thirty-seventh Minnesota legislature, has done mueh to assist in the growth and development of Frank- ford township and Grand Meadow, and his influence and example have done much toward making farm life attractive. Ralph E. Crane was born in Canton, N. Y., April 22, 1858, son of O. W. and Emily R. (Emerson), natives respectively of Massachusetts and Vermont, and the latter a cousin of Ralph Waldo Emerson, the great philosopher. Ralph E. Crane was educated in the publie schools and in the St. Lawrence University at Canton, N. Y. Later he attended Eastman's Business College at Poughkeepsie, N. Y., and graduated in 1877. After leaving sehool he taught four years in New York state, four years in Lansing, this county, and one year in Windom, also in this county. Then he worked four years in Minneapolis as a carpenter and joiner. April 1, 1887, he came to his present location and has since followed general farming, purchasing his farm from Charles Wood in 1894. Representative Crane earries on general farming and stoek raising along the latest approved lines. He makes a specialty of Aberdeen-Angus cattle, Percheron horses and Hamp- shire swine. His herd of cattle, consisting of 100 head and known as the Cranewood herd, is noted among all cattle breeders of the Northwest. Mr. Crane's beautiful farm is known as East Crane- wood. The farm surrounding the new residence and buildings now under construction will be known as West Cranewood. Mr. Crane is a Republican. For many years he was town clerk and justice of the peace and he has also served in many other local offices. He was for nine years secretary of the Grand Meadow Creamery and was one of its organizers and builders. He was also first president of the First National Bank at Grand Meadow and has contributed largely to its sueeess. The Home Telephone also received his ardent support. It is an interesting faet that the Cranewood farm, which consists of 465 acres, upon which Mr. Crane has made all the improvements, is divided by two rural routes and two telephone lines. The schoolhouse and town hall are also in the center of the farm. Mr. Crane was married May 14, 1884, to Florence E. Wood. She was born on the site of the present farm August 29, 1860, daughter of Geo. W. and Jane (Mc Michael) Wood, natives of Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Crane have eight children: Clarenee E., Benjamin W., Maud M., Rollin E., Webb, Wade, Sydney A. and Florenee E. Clarence E. lives in Dakota. Maud M. is teaching. The others are at home.

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W. L. Van Camp, the efficient manager of the Austin exchange of the Northwestern Telephone Company and for several years seeretary of the Austin Commercial Chib, was born in Byron, Minn., September 15, 1876, son of W. P. and Dora D. (Newell) Van Camp, the former of whom was a farmer and a maker of musical instruments. W. L. attended the schools of his native place and also the high school at St. Thomas, N. D. He farmed at the latter plaee until 1897, when he began service for the Northwestern Telephone Company at Minneapolis. January 28, 1901, he came to Austin in his present capacity with that com- pany and has done most efficient work. Ile is a member of a number of the leading fraternal organizations. Mr. Van Camp was married May 23, 1904, at Austin, to Kathryn D. Mayer, daughter of M. J. Mayer, and their home has been blessed with two children: W. Leslie, Jr., born January 9, 1906, and Marcella D., born July 8, 1907.

Mason J. Parmenter was born in New York state, April 22, 1852, son of Mason and Eliza Parmenter, who came to Mower eounty in 1859, preempted land and spent the remainder of their lives, the former dying in 1877 and the latter in 1881. M. J. came to Minnesota with his parents, and at the death of his father took the home place in partnership with his brother, John E. He now owns 280 aeres and earries on general farming. He was married in March, 1891.

G. Fred Baird, undertaker, was born in Austin, December 25, 1859, son of George Baird. After engaging in business in Austin for a time he went to South Dakota. In 1889 he came back to Austin and became interested in the furniture business. He is now Austin's leading undertaker and funeral director. He was married in 1889 and has two children: Lyman S. and Stanton. He belongs to a number of fraternities and organizations.

John H. Anderson was born in Windom, this county, July 29, 1872, son of Sven and Anna C. Anderson. He received his ednca- tion in the Austin schools and on February 1, 1888, started to learn the marble business. In 1896 he became interested in busi- ness with his father. The concern now does a general implement, marble and automobile business, the story of the growth of the industry being told elsewhere. Mr. Anderson is senior warden of the Episcopal church at Austin. He is a high degree Mason and has served as worthy master of the blue lodge, worthy patron of the Eastern Star, high priest of the Chapter and generalissima of the Commandery. Ile has also served as secretary of the Carnegie Library board since its organization. Mr. Anderson was married January 21, 1903, to Mande Morgan and they have one son, Rex.

Philip Schleiger, druggist of Grand Meadow, was born in

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Washington county, Wisconsin, March 9, 1852, son of Jacob and Barbara (Brandt) Schleiger. He came to Grand Meadow in 1878. In 1894 he engaged in his present business. He was married October 28, 1875, to Kate Christgau, and in the family are four children : Lydia A., Albert F., Edwin G. and Hilda. Mr. Schleiger is a prominent citizen, has served in a number of offices and belongs to a number of fraternities. He is also a stockholder in a several successful enterprises.

William W. Patterson, for many years an honest and respected blacksmith of Austin, was born in Chautauqua county, New York, April 15, 1832. There he was reared on a farm and lived there until fourteen years of age, at which time he was taken by his parents to Beaver Dam, Wis., where he completed his education in the public schools. He then learned the blacksmith trade. In 1866 he came to Austin, erected a shop and here followed general blacksmithing until his death, February 20, 1892. He prospered as time passed and accumulated property, so that at the time of his decease he owned a block of land within the city limits as well as a fine brick residence, where Mrs. Patterson now resides. He was married April 15, 1853, at Beaver Dam, Wis., to Ardelia Hudson. She was born May 5, 1836, at Waterbury, Washington county, Vermont. There she attended the public schools until thirteen years of age, at which time she was brought by her parents to Wisconsin, where she completed her education; grew to womanhood and married. Mr. and Mrs. Patterson are the parents of six children. Two, William W., Jr., and Mrs. Martin, are dead. O. D. lives in Grand Forks, N. D. Mrs. Mabel Sterling lives in Minneapolis. Charles C. lives in San Francisco. Mrs. Maude Cutter lives in Austin. Mr. Patterson was a member of the Universalist church and of the Legion of Honor. Mrs. Patterson is a kindly old lady, greatly esteemed for her many excellent traits. Her husband was a substantial God-fearing citizen, of upright character, honorable and straightforward in every way.

William D. Bassler, Austin's popular haberdasher and clothier, is of eastern birth, having first seen the light of day in Central Bridge, N. Y., August 13, 1872, sixth child of Benjamin F. and Gertrude (Baker) Bassler, natives of New York state. His father was a farmer in the early days and later became a glove manu- facturer at Gloversville, N. Y. This business he continued until the time of his death, in April, 1900. Mrs. Gertrude Bassler, mother of William D. and wife of Benjamin F., is still living in Gloversville, N. Y. Benjamin F. Bassler and his wife were the parents of nine children. Nellie is Mrs. H. L. Smithi, of Glovers- ville, N. Y. M. I. lives in Austin, and travels for Lets, Spencer, Smith Company, of Mason City, Iowa. Eva is now Mrs. William Starr, of Albany, N. Y. B. F., Jr., is in the grocery business in

WILLIAM W. PATTERSON.

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MR. AND MRS. H. S. HAMMOND.

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Gloversville, N. Y. Cyrus is dead. W. D. lives in Austin. Minnie, now Mrs. William Sternberg, lives in Gloversville, N. Y. Peter is dead. Lottie is now Mrs. Edison Pratt, of Gloversville, N. Y. William D. Bassler, the subject of this sketeh, received his early schooling in Central Bridge, N. Y., and afterward worked in Gouverneur, N. Y., at the glove business until 1894, at which time, looking for a wider opportunity, he left Gloversville and eame west, locating in Austin. For six years he elerked in various stores. Among those with whom he was employed were: Loueks & Hollister, general store; F. H. Palmer, grocery store, and George Hirsch, clothing store. In 1900 he went on the road for Lanpher, Skinner & Co., selling hats and furs. He remained with this company two years, his territory covering portions of the Pacific coast. In 1902 he engaged in the retail cigar business at Austin, and managed this line with much success for four years until 1906. In that year he established his present business. IIe has built up a large trade, represents some of the best firms in the men's furnishing line, and carries a large stock of all the things men need in the clothing and haberdasher line. He has personally supervised the wholesale buying and the retail selling in his store, and his own personality, together with his hard work and industry, has had an important bearing on the success with which he has met. Mr. Bassler is a popular Elk, and also belongs to the Knights of Pythias and the Commercial Club. He attends the Episcopal church and votes the Republican ticket. Mr. Bassler was married August 20, 1903, to Irene Frank, born at historie old Ft. Snelling, June, 1875, while her father, Hon. John Frank, of LeRoy, was a settler there. The Bassler residence is located at 609 Kenwood avenue, North. Mrs. Bassler is an active worker in women's circles, and is interested in the various move- ments which the ladies have inaugurated for the improvement of the city.

H. S. Hammond, retired farmer and president of the Lansing Co-operative Dairy Company, now living in Austin, was born in Boone county, Illinois, son of Henry B. and Hester (Butler) Ham- mond. He came to Mower county in February, 1874, and settled on section 16, in Lansing township. Previous to coming here he had served nine months in the Civil war, enlisting in Company B, One Hundred and Fifty-third Illinois Volunteer Infantry, at the last call for troops when eighteen years of age. He enlisted as a private, and was mustered out as a corporal, September 21, 1865, at Springfield, Ill. Mr. Hammond has spent the larger part of his life as a farmer, and is now practically retired. He kept a store in Lansing four years and was one of the promoters in company with H. B. Roe, Harvey MeIntyre and O. C. LaBar of the Lansing Co-operative Creamery Company. This concern is the largest of

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its kind in Mower county, does an extensive and profitable busi- ness, and produces 3,000 pounds of butter a week, the product being shipped to New York. Mr. Hammond married Jennie E. Hunt, daughter of Robert and Jane Hunt, both natives of Eng- land, Robert Hunt being a paper maker by trade. Mr. and Mrs. Hammond have had five children. Nina A., of Lansing village, married Alexander McLean, now deceased. Frederick T. is dead. Charles S. lives in California. Arthur O. lives in Eagle Bend, Todd county, Minnesota. Hester E. is now Mrs. Ernest Carll, of Lansing village. Mr. Hammond is a staunch Republican. He has been supervisor of Lansing township, and has served as clerk of 'his school district at Lansing. The family faith is that of the Methodist Episcopal church. Henry B. Hammond was born in Pennsylvania, and went to Boone county, Illinois, when fourteen years of age. He married Hester Butler and had four children : Lydia C. died in infancy ; Henry S. lives in Lansing township, Minnesota ; Wealthea E. married Samuel Illingworth, and is now dead; Francis T. died in 1865.

Arthur Winfield Wright, attorney and military man, has taken an active part in the affairs of Austin and Mower county, and although he has already accomplished much in life, his friends predict a still broader future. He was born in Ohio, September 17, 1861, son of Cyrus and Marietta M. (Smith) Wright. He was educated in the common schools of his neighborhood, in the high school at Cambridge, Ill., and at Carleton College, Northfield, Minn. After following the banking business in the First National Bank, of Austin, he formed a partnership with La Fayette French in 1887, under the firm name of French & Wright, Mr. Wright for a time looking after the real estate end of the business. In 1898 the firm was dissolved, and Mr. Wright has since conducted an extensive law practice. He was county attorney eight years, after which he voluntarily withdrew. He was also city attorney of Austin a number of years. In the business line he is president and director of the Austin Weed Exterminator Company and treasurer and director of the Alliance Fire Insurance Company of Minnesota. He is also a member of the American Bar Association and of the Minnesota Bar Association. In addition to this he belongs to the Masonic body, the Austin Commercial Club and other organizations, and was for a time a trustee of Carleton College, at Northfield, Minn. During the Spanish-American war Colonel Wright served as major of the Twelfth Minnesota In- fantry, United States Volunteers, and he is at present colonel of the Second Infantry, M. N. G., having gradually been promoted from the position of private in Company G, of Austin. The sub- ject of this sketch was married May 25, 1885, to Agnes E. Clark, daughter of Henry D. and Nancy E. Clark, and this union has

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been blessed with two children: Winfield Clark, born in August, 1886, now with Farwell, Ozmun, Kirk & Co., of St. Paul, and Dean A., born in February, 1888, now with the Merchants' National Bank, of Billings, Mont.

John Thompson, a veteran of the Civil war, and retired farmer now living in Lansing village, was born in Yorkshire, England, in February, 1841. When he was four years old he came with his parents to the United States and settled in MeHenry county, Illinois, where his father entered government land and pursued farming. John grew to manhood in MeHenry county, and had barely attained his majority when he enlisted in Company II, Ninety-fifth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, being mustered into the service in September, 1862. He went south with his regiment and served under Grant and Logan. On account of superior merit as a soldier, he was transferred to a colored regiment and was appointed orderly sergeant. As such he participated in the mas- sacre at Fort Pillow, April 12, 1864, and was there taken prisoner. He was first confined at Cahaba, Ala., from there taken to Ander- sonville, where he arrived May 2, 1864; then to Florence, S. C., September 16, 1864; to Wilmington, February 1, 1865, and to Goldsborough, N. C. From there he was paroled, entering the Union lines February 28, 1865. He was sent to the Marine Hos- pital at Annapolis; then to the Camden Street Hospital at Balti- more, Md., and from there furloughed home. He afterward served at Ft. Federal Hill, Baltimore, at Richmond and at Memphis, Tenn. As he had never been mustered into the colored regiment, he received orders to report to his old regiment at Camp Butler, Springfield, Ill., where he was discharged. Then he returned home to MeHenry county and was there married in 1868 to Charlotte A. Roe, daughter of Orson and Maria (Armstrong) Roe, the former of whom came from Schoharie county, New York. In the spring of 1868 Mr. Thompson came with his family to Mower county and purchased a farm in Udolpho township, where he lived until 1873, when he moved to the village of Lansing, where he now lives. He is a Republican in politics and has worthily filled many public offices. The subject of this sketch has been a Mason since 1867 and is the present master of the Blue Lodge at Lansing. His wife has been the worthy matron of the Eastern Star Lodge in the same village. Mr. and Mrs. Thompson have one son, Lee Ora, of Lansing, where he is engaged in the lumber and coal business. The subject of this sketch served for thirty years as assessor of Lansing township and was assessor for Udolpho township two years. He was a constable and at one time was one of the village council of Lansing. He is now treasurer of school district 43, a position he has occupied for over fifteen years.

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The history of Mower County, Minnesota : illustrated, Part 105

Author: Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn Publication date: 1911 Publisher: Chicago : H. C. Cooper, Jr. & Co. Number of Pages: 1246

Author: Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Chicago : H. C. Cooper, Jr. & Co.
Number of Pages: 1246