USA > Minnesota > Mower County > The history of Mower County, Minnesota : illustrated > Part 74
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Charles E. Pitcher, successful drayman of Austin, was born in
MR. AND MRS. H. N. PETERSON.
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Waseea county, this state, August 12, 1872, son of Almon and Hannah (Conkrite) Pitcher, the former a native of Illinois and the latter of Canada. Charles was reared on the parental farm, and at the age of seventeen started out in life for himself, holding various positions, including situations with the Arlington and Grand hotels, in Austin. He is now conducting a prosperous business of his own, in light draying, having for the past twelve years held the contraet for carrying the mail between the post- office and all incoming and outgoing mails. Mr. Pitcher married Lulu, the daughter of Benjamin and Abigail (Detwiler) Hilker, and they now live in a comfortable residence at 105 South First street, in Austin. The subject of this sketch has one brother, Wallace J. Pitcher ; one sister, Hortense, now Mrs. Edd Englehart ; one half brother, Clark Bevins; and two half sisters, Mabel and Flossy, both married.
W. H. Palmer, one of the oldest postmasters in the state, has served the public of Brownsdale since 1897, when he first received his appointment. He was born in the town of Hector, Schuyler county, New York, January 15, 1833, son of Henry and Patience (Cornell) Palmer, the former a native of Columbia county, New York, and the mother of Taunton, Mass. W. H. Palmer was taken to Ohio by his parents at the age of thirteen, and at the age of eighteen came to Grant county, Wisconsin, where he was teaching school at the outbreak of the Civil war. He continued to teach during the stirring years of 1861-63, and then in 1864 enlisted in Co. B, 43rd Wis. Vol. Inf. When he returned from the army he resumed teaching, and eontinued that vocation some thirty years in Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota. For some years W. H. Palmer has been chaplain of the Henry Rogers Post, No. 11, G. A. R. By his first wife, Julia Manchester, he had three children : Clarissa, Clarence and Julian. After her death, in 1873, he married Letitia Requa, daughter of Alexander Requa, and they have four children: Fannie, Arthur, Dora and Edith. Fannie married Rev. I. B. Wood and Edith married Frank Poston.
Homer F. Peirson, M. D., one of the physicians and surgeons of Austin, was born on the "Mile Strip," so called, in High Forest, September 11, 1867. Ile attended school at Grand Meadow, and later took a course in the University of Minnesota, graduating in 1891. Then he entered the Rush Medical College, in Chicago, and after graduating from that institution received the necessary hospital practice as an interne in St. Mary's Hospital, Minneapolis. He commenced the practice of medicine in Austin in 1906 and has since been actively engaged in this city, building up a large practice. He belongs to the national, state and county medical associations, and is affiliated with various Austin fraternities. Dr. Peirson was married in 1898 to
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Jessie E. Allen, daughter of G. H. Allen, who for a number of years was surveyor of Mower county. Dr. and Mrs. Peirson have two children: Helen and Marion. F. M. Peirson was born in Chittenden county, Vermont, in 1834. He moved to Illinois with his parents in 1841, and later moved to Columbus, Wis. In 1854 he came to High Forest, Minn., and followed farming till 1874. Since that date until his retirement in 1895 he was engaged in the hotel business for a period of three years in Rochester, Minn., and the remainder of the time in Grand Meadow, Minn. He was married in 1860 to Catherine Keyes. Two children were born to them : Alonzo, dying in infancy, and Dr. Homer F. Peirson.
Alfred C. Page, a progressive real estate and insurance man, of Austin, is well known throughout the county and state. Dur- ing the Spanish-American war he served as first lieutenant in Co. G, 12th Regt., Minn. Vol., and at the present time he is serving as regimental adjutant of the Second Regiment, Minnesota Na- tional Guards. He has been grand master of Fidelity Lodge, No. 39, A. F. and A. M .; has been eminent commander of St. Bernard Commandery, No. 13, Knights Templar, and has also been promi- nently identified with the B. P. O. E. His interest in the com- mercial progress of Austin is shown by the fact that he has joined the Commercial Club, and the confidence of his fellow citizens is well exemplified by the fact that he is now the alderman at large in the city council of Austin. Alfred C. Page was born in White- side county, Illinois, October 6, 1865, son of Thomas S. and Caroline M. (Abbott) Page, who between then and 1888 lived in Mitchell county, Iowa, and in Howard county, in the same state, in both of which counties Alfred C. attended school, completing his scholastic days with a course in the Cedar Valley Seminary, in Osage, Iowa, from which institution he graduated in 1886. After arriving in Austin he entered the office of Lyman D. Baird, with whom he has since been engaged. In 1890 he was admitted to the bar by examination, but he has never taken up the practice of this profession.
Peter Peterson, an extensive land owner of Marshall township, was born in 1841 in Sweden, his father bearing the same name as his own. The subject of this sketch was reared in the old country, and in 1870 came to the United States, locating in Kansas City, Mo., where he was employed at railroad work three years. Then he worked in the lumber business in Marshfield, Wis., for some- thing over three years. In 1876 he came to Mower county and purchased eighty acres in Marshall township, on which with energy and pluck he started farming. That his efforts have been crowned with success is shown by the fact that he now owns 400 acres of as good land as is found in the county. He has a fine farm, well furnished house, commodious, well equipped barns,
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modern machinery and other aids to intelligent farming. Peter Peterson married Louise Carlson, and they have six children: John, at home; Alma, now Mrs. Adolf Lyndell, of Windom; Albert; Louis; Alfred and Hilda, the latter four being also at home.
Martin Pederson, a Marshall township dairyman and farmer, was born in Iowa in 1872, son of Peter and Inga Pederson, natives of Norway, who came to America in the seventies and purchased eighty acres in Fayette county, Iowa. In 1891 Martin came to Mower county and purchased eighty acres of land in section 23, Marshall township, later adding another eighty in the same sec- tion, in 1903. He has a fine farm, and keeps a herd of Shorthorn cattle. His farm is well equipped with modern machinery, and his operations have been most successful. Mr. Pederson is a Republican in politics and attends the Lutheran church. He married Julia Johnson, in Iowa, December 22, 1895.
George D. Pearce, an early merchant of Dexter, and a veteran of the Civil war, now retired, was born in Gloucestershire, Eng- land, June 24, 1844, son of Daniel G. and Ann (Smith) Pearce. When he was nine years of age, he and his mother came to America, following his father who had come the year previous. They joined the father in Albany, N. Y., and there remained one year, after which they went to Chicago. After a year in Chicago, the family went to Windsor, Dane county, Wisconsin, and lived on a farm. There George D. remained until 1863, when he enlisted in the 35th Wis. Vol. Inf. and served in Co. H until mustered out at Brownsdale, Texas, in March, 1866. Mr. Pearce has many interesting stories to tell of his experiences in the Red River and Marmaduke campaigns in Arkansas, of raids up Chafilie river in Louisiana, of the capture of Mobile, Spanish Fort and Fort Blakely, of the trip up the Tombigbee river and the capture of a rebel fleet, on one of the boats of which, named the Jeff Davis, Mr. Pearce returned to Mobile, and of the enforced departure from the Rio Grande of a French flect which was there for the purpose of operating against Mexico. After his honorable dis- charge, Mr. Pearce returned to his father's farm in Wisconsin, and in the fall of 1868 came to Austin. In time he purchased a farm near Otranto, Iowa, and there lived until 1876, when he came to Dexter, where his father had engaged in the mercantile business two years earlier. In 1877 he purchased two stores of his father. One of these stores, which was devoted to the sale of hardware, Mr. Pearce rented to David M. Vermilea as his father had done, and in the other store he carries on business himself. selling drugs, dry goods and groceries. In May, 1897, the stores were wiped out by fire, and since then Mr. Pearce has led a retired life. Ile is a member of the G. A. R. and has belonged to both the
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Grand Meadow and the. Brownsdale posts. The subject of this sketch married Henrietta Beach, in March, 1873, and to this union was born Charles D., June 13, 1874, and Iva Murtle, October 11, 1888. Mrs. Pearce was born in East Troy, Walworth county, Wisconsin.
Daniel G. Pearce, first assessor and township clerk of Dexter township, and pioneer merchant of Dexter village, was a native of Gloucestershire, England, born December 30, 1814. In 1852 he came to America, engaged as cutter and salesman in a clothing store at Albany, N. Y., and remained two years, after which he went to Chicago. and was similarly employed eighteen months. He then went to Wisconsin, and bought wild land in the town of Windsor, Dane county. In 1869 he came to Mower county, and bought land in section 22, Dexter township. In 1874 he came to the village and engaged in the mercantile trade until 1876, when he went to Worth county, Iowa. In 1883 he returned and again engaged in trade. He married Ann Smith in 1841, and raised a family of seven children: Eliza, George, Mary, Edith, Charles, Frank and Sarah.
Charles S. Palmer, department store merchant of LeRoy, was born in the old town of LeRoy, October 10, 1868, son of Cady and Sarah (Cornwell) Palmer. The father, Cady Palmer, came from Chatham. N. Y., and with Uncle Judson was among the first set- tlers of the old town. Judson put in the first sawmill, and Cady Palmer built the bridge across the little Iowa river which to thie day is called the Cady bridge. Charles S. was raised on the farm and attended the local schools of the neighborhood. At the age of seventeen he started clerking for Porter & Young for $15 a month and boarded himself. In this position he remained six years, long enough for him to become thoroughly conversant with the busi- ness. Then he started in the general mercantile line for himself. His store, which is divided into departments, is one of the finest of its kind in southern Minnesota. A pleasant feature of the store is a "rest room" where the women of the county may rest, write letters or visit while their husbands are transacting business about town. Mr. Palmer is a Mason and a member of the M. W. A. He married Martha D. Jones, and they are the parents of two children : Robert E. A. and Helen. Mr. Palmer is an able business man, and in building up his own store has contributed to the commercial prosperity of the county.
James M. Plum, yardmaster for the C., M. & St. P. at Austin. was born in Iowa City, Johnson county, Iowa, July 1, 1865, son of Aaron and Harriette Plum. He received his education in the public schools, and remained on the home farm until 1882, when he became water boy on a construction train of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific road for two years. Then after another year in
JAMES M. PLUM
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the service of the same road, this time as brakeman, he returned home and worked on the farm a year, after which he entered the employ of the Iowa Central as brakeman, being promoted for merit to conductor. Afterward he became yardmaster for the Great Northern at Wilmar, Minn., for eight years, and still sub- sequently worked a year at Marshalltown, Iowa. On August 26, 1895, he came to Austin in the employ of the C., M. & St. P. as a brakeman. In 1904 he was appointed yardmaster at Austin, which position he still faithfully fills. Mr. Plum has associated himself with the B. R. T. and the A. O. U. W. He was married January 3, 1886, to Ada Currier, of Milan, Ill., born September 2, 1870. This union has been blessed with four children: Harry, Russell, Clara and Frank. Harry was born November 9, 1887, and was killed at LeRoy, February 23, 1906. He was working as a brakeman, and was knocked from a swiftly moving train by an elevator grain spout. Russell was born August 23, 1889, and was brakeman 'for the C., M. & St. P., making his headquarters at Austin, and was killed at Northfield, December 13, 1910. His foot was caught in a crossing plank while cutting off cars and he was run over. Clara, born April 12, 1894, is dead. Frank was born July 31, 1895, and is still at home, being a student in the Austin high school. The family faith is that of the Presbyterian church.
Aaron Plum was a native of Ohio and went to Iowa in the early days. Ile was a soldier in the Civil war, serving throughout that confliet in the 22nd Iowa Vol. Inf. After the war he returned home and continued farming until his death, in August, 1909. His wife died in March, 1907.
Gideon S. Pitts, one of the younger bankers of Mower county, is cashier of the First State Bank of Taopi. He was born in Orange. City, Iowa, on July 14, 1883, where he lived until his fifth year, when his folks moved to Alton, three miles away. He graduated from the high school in Alton, Iowa, and spent the following year roughing it on a farm in Norman county, Minne- sota. A two years' course at the Iowa State College, Ames, Iowa, came next, after which he spent four years as bookkeeper in the Bank of Northwestern Iowa, at Alton, in which his father is interested. Tiring of office work, the following fall and winter was spent in teaming for a sawmill and lumber yard in eentral Washington. April 1, 1910, found him in Taopi as assistant cashier of the bank. He and his father, who has considerable real estate adjoining Taopi, bought Mr. Bourquin's interest in the bank in October and G. S. Pitts then assumed his present position as cashier. Mr. Pitts is a Republican, a member of the Masonie and Eastern Star orders and an attendant of the Congregational church. He was married to Gladys M. Christensen at Speneer, Iowa, on September 1, 1910. G. W. Pitts, his father, a New
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Yorker by birth, has been practicing law and has been actively interested in several of the banks of Sioux county, Iowa, for about thirty years. He married Eliza A. Sheldon, a native of Ohio, at Excelsior, Minn., in 1880.
John Peterson, for over four decades a blacksmith of Grand Meadow village, was born in Denmark, November 22, 1842, son of Peter and Annie M. (Hanson) Nelson. John remained home as a youth, and at the age of fifteen started to learn the blacksmith trade, serving as an apprentice four years. In 1866 he came with his parents to America, and upon their arrival went with them directly to Rochester, Minn., where he followed his trade four years. In 1870 he came to the village of Grand Meadow and erected a blacksmith shop. At the time of his arrival here there were but two stores, those of D. B. Coleman, and the population consisted of about fifty people, mostly railroad men, just complet- ing what was then the Southern Minnesota. In 1872 Mr. Peterson opened a livery stable in connection with his shop. Three years later he built a large livery barn and did a flourishing business. Mr. Peterson married A. Christenson, a native of Denmark, and they have four children: Elizabeth, wife of John Sanders, of North Dakota; Clara, Alma and Albert T. Mr. Peterson is a substantial and sturdy citizen, highly respected in the vicinity where for so many years he has made his home. A Mel Vining and a Mr. Hicks started a store a few weeks after Mr. Coleman. M. H. Fjelstad and J. Skyberg came later on.
Leland L. Quimby, metropolitan newspaper correspondent of Brownsdale, was born in La Salle, Ill., May 17, 1871, son of Enoch and Ellen A. (Lasher) Quimby. He came to Mendota, Ill., with his parents, and there remained until 1881, when he located in New Richmond, Wis., remaining there until 1891, when he re- moved to Brownsdale, where he published the Brownsdale Leaflet. This paper was discontinued in 1907, and since then Mr. Quimby has corresponded for various city papers. He is now interested also in the telephone business, being the owner and manager of the Brownsdale Telephone Exchange. He has associated himself with the M. W. A., in which he is a prominent member. Mr. Quimby married Emma Thompson, daughter of Luther and Adaline (Simpson) Thompson, and they are the parents of Jasper, Phillip and Joy B.
Heman B. Roe, retired farmer, has held various public offices in Lansing township, having served as assessor, supervisor and member of the school board. He was born at Chester, Ohio, son of Orson and Maria (Armstrong) Roe, pioneers. When Heman B. was but twelve years of age the family moved to Illinois, and in 1868 they moved to Mower county, and after living five years in the township of Waltham took up their abode in Lansing village.
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The subject of this sketeh worked about on farms, and then acquired one of his own. He still owns a fine place in the town- ship, but does not operate it himself. Heman B. Roe married. Katherine Diekerson, daughter of Joseph and Mary Jane (Stock- dale) Diekerson, and they have one son, Louis D., who lives at home.
Orson Roe, the pioneer, was born in Schoharie county, New York, and married Maria Armstrong. In 1828 he moved to Ohio, and in 1853 to Illinois, dying there in 1861; after which his family moved to Mower county, Minnesota. In this family were four girls and three boys, four of these children being now alive. Philo lives in Woodstock, Ill .; Elizabeth is the wife of Wesley Scranton; Charlotte is now Mrs. John Thompson, and Heman B. lives in Lansing. Joseph and Mary Jane (Stockdale) Dickerson, parents of Mrs. Heman B. Roe, were both born in Michigan. In the early days they moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and there Katherine, now Mrs. Heman Roe, was born. Later they came to Mower county. Mrs. Roe first attended school in an old log schoolhouse in Freeborn county, and later in the schools of Cedar City and Lansing. Aside from Mrs. Roe, two of the family are living: Clarence, of Canada, and Mary Ann Hagadorn, of Bluff- ton, Iowa.
Thomas A. Revord, the efficient manager of the Austin Wced Exterminator Manufacturing Company, a rapidly growing con- cern with a promising future, was born in Austin, May 18, 1866, son of John B. and Mary N. (Bero) Revord, early pioneers. He grew to manhood in Austin and attended the Austin high school, afterward taking a course in the academy at Valparaiso, Ind. He then worked three years in the law office of Henry Johns, at St. Paul, but in 1890 returned to Austin and engaged successfully in the hardware business for sixteen years. In the year 1906, after disposing of his retail interests, he became one of the organ- izers, stockholders and directors of the Austin Weed Extermi- nator Manufacturing Company. In November of that year he was appointed to his present position. While in the retail business Mr. Revord was an active worker in the Austin Merchants' Asso- ciation, and served as president of that body one year. He has also labored earnestly for the progress of the city in other ways, and for several years was secretary and vice president of the Interstate Telephone and Telegraph Company. HIe votes the Democratic ticket, and associates fraternally with the K. of C., the C. O. F., the A. O. U. W., the U. C. T. and the Austin Com- mercial Club. Mr. Revord was married November 26, 1895, at Madison, Wis., to Julia Grimm, of that place, and to this union four children have been born: Naomi, born September 18, 1896; HIelen, born August 14, 1899; Ruth, born May 29, 1901, and John,
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born April 5, 1906. The family faith is that of the Catholic church.
John B. Revord and Mary N. Bero, his wife, substantial old pioneers, came from their native home in Canada, in 1856, and homesteaded 160 acres in Lansing township, Mower county. They built the usual buildings and wrought many improvements, but in addition to this Mr. Revord also owned a boot and shoe and grocery store, moving into the city of Austin in 1867 and con- tinuing the business until 1877, when he sold out and retired. He died March 30, 1896, and his wife passed away January 15, 1905.
George Robertson, auditor of Mower county, has achieved an enviable reputation as a man of public affairs, both in Austin, where he performs the duties of his county office, and in Lyle, where he was for many years prominent in municipal activities. Mr. Robertson was born in Rock county, Wisconsin, and as a youth was brought to London township, Freeborn county, this state. After leaving school he worked summers and taught school winters, until 1892, when he located in Lyle, engaging in the drug. business, remaining ten years. During this time, in 1896, he became principal of the Lyle schools. At Lyle he took an active interest in village affairs, being assessor of the township seven years, president of the village board two years, postmaster of the village six years and president of the school board two years. In the fall of 1902 he yielded to the solicitation of his friends and consented to become a candidate for the auditorship of the county. He was elected by a large majority and took office the following January. He has succeeded himself every term since then, and has served with ability and distinction. An active Republican in politics, he has served on the congressional and eounty com- mittees. In 1907 he was elected president of the State Auditors' Association, and was re-elected the following year. Mr. Rob- ertson is also a member of the Royal Arcanum, the I. O. O. F., the K. of P., the Masonic order, the B. P. O. E., the M. W. A. and the F. O. E. He was married April 3, 1883, at Austin, to Saralı Marsh, of Waupun, Wis., and this union has been blessed with! five children : Burton J., postmaster and manager of the tele- phone company at Lyle, Minn .; Etta L., in charge of the musical department of the Pikeville Institute, at Pikeville, Ky., and Ross, Ora and Ralph, who are at home. The family faith is that of the Presbyterian church and the residence is at 915 Lansing avenue.
John Robertson, retired farmer and veteran of the Civil war, now living in Austin, was born in Scotland and came to this country in early boyhood, settling in Rock county, Wisconsin, where he married Margaret Campbell, likewise of Scotch birth, who also came to this country when a child. They farmed in Wisconsin until June, 1866, when they came to Minnesota and
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located in London township, Freeborn county, where they re- mained until 1893, when they retired and eame to Austin to live. Mrs. Robertson died March 17, 1908. Their son, George Rob- ertson, is county auditor of Mower county.
T. N. Roble, of Austin, proprietor of the Merle Cafe, was born in Mankato, Minn., August 30, 1875, son of Ignatius and Louisa (Warnemunda) Roble. He received his education in the pubhe schools and then learned the printers' trade with the Austin Transcript. Subsequently he worked on the Journal, in St. Peter, Minn .; and then upon his return to Austin he worked a short period on the Herald. In the spring of 1893 he went to the Columbian Exposition at Chicago, and remained through the summer, working with the Rogers-Pitkin-Hall Printing Company, on Dearborn street. In the fall of the same year, after a short interim spent at his trade in Nebraska, he again returned to Austin and worked on the Herald. In 1895 he went to Spring- field, Minn., and opened a lunch room. In 1897 he went to Devil's Lake, N. D., and eondueted a pool room and restaurant for five years; sold out and went to Granville, N. D., and engaged in the drug business ; then sold out and went to Glenburn, N. D., where he condueted a restaurant, afterwards being interested in a pool room at Noonan, N. D. In 1908 he onee more took up his residence in Austin, and opened the Merle Cafe at 130 East Mill street, where he has built up a large trade and a flourishing business, combining a first elass lunch room with an up-to-date and pleasant. pool and billiard hall. It is worthy of note that not one of the many interests in which Mr. Roble has engaged has proven any- thing but a financial sueeess. Ignatius Roble came from Germany in 1859, located in Mankato and lived there for many years, engaging in the manufacture of mateles. The factory was destroyed by fire, and Ignatius Roble moved to Austin, engaging in the milling business the remainder of his life, his death dating December 8, 1893. His wife is still living and eondaets her son's home at 506 Oakland avenue, Austin.
Burton J. Robertson, postmaster of Lyle and general manager of the Lyle Telephone Company, is one of those energetic young men whose presenee in a village adds to its progress and develop- ment. With a young man's enthusiasm he has plunged into the business life of the community, and has made his work felt. He was born in Lyle township, May 3, 1882, son of County Auditor George Robertson. He received his early education in the distriet schools of his township, and graduated from the Austin high school in 1901. He elerked in a drug store for a while and then in 1902 received his appointment as postmaster, having in the meantime assumed his present position in the telephone company. Mr. Robertson is a Republican in politics and for four years has
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