The history of Mower County, Minnesota : illustrated, Part 94

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

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C. T. Bussell, a descendant of the Maine family of that name, spent some fifteen years of his life in Grand Meadow, and as he ivent in and out among the people acquired a reputation for honor and integrity that won him the honor and respect of all who knew him. He was born in Mt. Vernon, Me., September 19, 1828, son of Joseph B. and Mary (Chapman) Bussell, honored residents of that place. He acquired such education as the schools of that period afforded, and remained at home until eighteen years of age, at which time he started to learn the hatters' trade. This business he followed until 1861, when he went to Aroostook county, Maine, and remained two years. In 1883 he came west, settled on a farm in Bennington township for a short time, and in 1885 came to Grand Meadow village, where he spent the remainder of his days, dying in 1903. Mr. Bussell was married, September 5, 1849, to Emeline W. Davis, daughter of Levi and Dorothy (Batchelder) Davis, the former of whom spent his life as a farmer in Maine. Mr. and Mrs. Bussell were

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blessed with seven children. Charles E., Mary E., Joseph H. and Emily A. are dead. The living are Herbert E., Harry B. and Abbie G. Abbie G. was born in Oakfield, Aroostook county, Maine, married Gulick Hestad, and has two children, Joseph A. and Helen E.

William Cooper, Jr., a pioneer, was born in Lincolnshire, England, and married Mary Jackson. She died in 1839, and he . married Ann Bennett, of Surrey, Kingston, England. In 1853 this couple crossed the briny deep to America, and lived three years in Kane county, Illinois. Then they lived a while in Fill. more county, this state, and in 1858 came to Bennington town- ship, where William Cooper pre-empted the northwest quarter of section 24. Later he acquired the northeast quarter, thus making 320 acres. On this tract he followed general farming, and he and his good wife underwent all the trials and privations of pioneer days. He died in November, 1887, and his wife in March, 1888.

William Cooper, retired farmer, now living in Spring Valley, is one of the pioneers of the county, having come here as a boy of seventeen. He was born in Lincolnshire, England, November 5, 1841, son of William and Mary (Jackson) Cooper, and was brought to America by his father and step-mother in 1853, living with them in Illinois and in Fillmore county, this state, before coming to Bennington township in 1858. He was reared to agri- cultural pursuits and remained at home until his father's death. Then the farm was divided between him and his brother Robert, William taking the northwest quarter of section 24. To this he added until he now has 400 acres in section 24 and the north- west quarter of section 23, a total of 560 acres. Here for many years he conducted general farming, making a specialty of Dur- ham grade cattle. At the time of his father's death, William rented out his part of the farm, but continued to live on the place until 1906, when he moved to Spring Valley and purchased his present home. Mr. Cooper is an independent voter and has served on the school board for several years. He is a man of sterling character, greatly respected by his neighbors. The subject of this sketch was married, January 20, 1906, to Sophia Guy, daughter of Henry Guy, an early settler of Bennington.

Peter Christenson, a farmer of Grand Meadow township, was born in Denmark, April 19, 1837, son of Christian Peterson. With his wife and son he came to America in 1872 and located in Lyle, this county. After three months there, he worked for the Hon. Charles J. Felch for a year. Then he rented land in Racine township and farmed four years. In 1877 he came to Grand Meadow, settled in section 2, and lived there two years. Then he lived in various places in the township until 1901, when

WILLIAM COOPER

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he took up his location on section 3, erected a home and out- buildings, and has since carried on general farming, owning a quarter section of good land. The subject of this sketch mar- ried Mary Rasmussen and they have eight children : Chris, Mary, Clara, Alfred, Tena, Theodore, Alice and Peter. Mary is the wife of Thomas Jacobson. Tena is the wife of J. C. Christianson. Clara is married to Henry Faubel.

J. B. Dunham is one of the respected residents of Spring Val- ley, and is held in high regard in Bennington township, where, for so many years, he was a leading citizen. He was born in Indiana, December 11, 1837, son of Henry and Mary (Walker) Dunham, natives respectively of Ohio and Indiana, who came to Mower county in 1856, pre-empted 160 acres of land, and followed farming in Frankford township the remainder of their lives. J. B. Dunham came to Mower county with his parents, but shortly afterward went to Decorah, Ia., where he worked out by the month, three years. Then he returned to Bennington township and purchased 120 acres in, section 2. To this he later added forty acres, making in all 160 aeres in the northeast quarter of section 2. Here he built his home and the necessary outbuild- ings, and engaged in general farming. As the years passed, he flourished and prospered, and in time added another eighty just over the line in Frankford township, making in all 240 acres of land. In 1911 he sold his farm and retired. It is worthy of note that in the early days Mr. Dunham planted a grove of cotton woods, and the trunks of some have already reached a circumfer- ence of nine feet. Mr. Dunham has always been an active worker in his township and county, holding many offices of trust and honor, greatly to his own credit and to the satisfaction of his fellow citizens. He served his township as chairman for a good many years, and was on the school board for many terms. At the time of his father's death, Mr. Dunham purchased a home for his mother in the village of Spring Valley, and in this home he now lives. The subject of this sketch married Ann E. Williams, born in New York state, April 1, 1844, daughter of Apollos and Betsy (Adams) Williams, who came west in 1861 and located in Pleasant Valley, this county, and engaged in farming the re- mainder of their days. Mr. and Mrs. Dunham are the parents of nine children : Ella is now Mrs. Charles Taylor, of Michigan ; Minnie is now Mrs. Ralph Davis, of Breckenridge, Minn .; Edith is a school teacher in Spring Valley ; Myrtle is Mrs. L. G. Haasrud, of Whalen, Minn .; Bertha, now Mrs. Clyde Edgerton, of Spring Valley; Roy married Bessie Smith, of Minneapolis; Emma is now Mrs. J. C. Olson, of Spring Valley ; Ray is now living in Seattle, Washington ; Ernest also lives in Seattle, Washington. Edith and Minnie are both graduates from the normal department of the

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Northern Indiana Normal College at Valparaiso, Ind., and Myrtle and Roy graduated from the Southern Minnesota Normal College at Austin. All the daughters have taught school.

Frank P. Dawes, a successful stock buyer of Austin, was born in Waushara county, Wisconsin, October 30, 1864, and came to Mower county in 1885 to marry Lania Chandler, after which he returned to Waushara county with his bride and remained five years. Then he again came to Mower county and located in Udolpho township, farming there five years. Since 1902 he has been located in Austin, where he buys and sells live stock in large quantities. Mr. Dawes is a Republican in his political views, and the family faith is that of the Methodist Episcopal church. He is a popular member of the Austin Commercial Club, and also affiliates with the Masonic order and with the M. W. A. Mr. and Mrs. Dawes have had one child, Chester Inman, who died at the age of four months.

Stephen Chandler was born in Canada, and was married in Austin to Abigail Mehatable Richardson. They came to Lyle township at an early date, and there their daughter, Lania, now Mrs. Frank P. Dawes, was born, March 28, 1862. In that same year, Stephen Chandler joined the Union army, served in several important engagements, and was finally captured and imprisoned in Andersonville, where he was starved to death by his cruel cap- tors. His widow came to Austin later and was married to I. J. B. Wright.

Alfred Richardson, one of the earliest pioneers of Mower county, was born in New England, and came to Austin from Iowa by ox team, in 1856. Here he farmed until 1880, when he went to the Dakotas, later moving to Tennessee, where he died: He built one of the early houses in Mower county, hauling the lumber sixty miles by ox team from West Union, Ia. He was the father of Mrs. Albert Hart, Mrs. Stephen Chandler, and grandfather of Mrs. Frank P. Dawes.

Philip T. Elliott, vice president of the Exchange Bank, at Grand Meadow, has been clerk of the village two years, member of the village council three years, and clerk of the school board four years, and in these several capacities has given general satisfaction. He was born in Fox Lake, Wis., January 19, 1865, son of Ford T. and Phoebe (Olive) Elliott. He came to Grand Meadow with his father in the fall of 1878, at the age of thir- teen, and five years later, at the early age of eighteen, engaged in the hardware business on his own account. Six years later he sold out, and entered the employ of G. F. Greening in his bank and store. When the Exchange Bank was organized under state laws in 1906, he became vice president, a position he has since retained. Mr. Elliott is popular among his fellows, and

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is a chapter Mason. He married, October 1, 1890, Anna S., daugh- ter of Samuel Rodman Stout and Jane Hibbs, his wife. This union has resulted in two children, Roland P. and Janette.

Ford T. Elliott was born in Sunderland, and for many years followed the sea. He made his first trip to America in 1856, and thereafter erossed the Atlantic many times until 1859, when he took up his permanent abode in this country. He learned the blacksmith trade at Portage, Wis., stayed there a few years, then followed his trade in Ripon, in the same state, some eleven years. He took up his abode in Grand Meadow, October 10, 1878. His wife died April 26, 1897.

Samuel Rodman Stout was a native of Bensalem township, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, and his daughter, Anna S., was born in Philadelphia. Samuel came west in 1886 and located in Grand Meadow township, where he bought a section of land known as the Grouse Ridge Farm, the south half of section 28 and the north half of section 33, where he farmed until January, 1903, when he came to Grand Meadow village, where he died May 17, 1903. His wife, whose maiden name was Jane IIibbs, died November 15, 1902.

Caswell Fairbanks, a retired farmer, now living in Austin, was born July 25, 1835, in the town of Antwerp, Jefferson county, state of New York, son of Hiram and Effie Fairbanks. Caswell Fairbanks lived at home until of age, working on the farm, and attending school in winter. In 1856 he married Miranda Tyler, daughter of John and Huldah (Warren) Tyler, and this union has been blessed with three chidren, Charles E., Jennie B. and Burton, the latter being dead. In 1857 Caswell Fairbanks came west and located in the town of Springfield, Dane county, Wis- consin; worked the farm until the war of the rebellion broke. out. In 1861 he enlisted in Company G, First Regiment of Ber- dan's sharpshooters, and is now a member of the MeIntire Post, No. 66, C. G. A. R. In 1864 he drove a team across the plains to the gold fields of Montana, remaining two years. Then he came back to Davis county, lived there some years, and then moved to Mower county, Minnesota, in 1876, purchasing a farm of 240 acres, which he still owns. While at Dexter he was town treas- urer and school treasurer, and assessor for a long period. His son now manages the farm in Dexter township.

Luke B. Fairbanks was born in Vermont, March 26, 1838. When he was seventeen years of age he went to Iowa to join his brother in Mitchell county, and spent three years with him in Mitchell and Howard counties, then came to Austin with him. His brother purchased an interest in a steam saw mill. and later added a flour mill. He assisted his brother in the mill there until 1860, when he sold out and bought a farm in

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Windom. He spent the summer with his brother here; then in the fall returned to Vermont. He enlisted there, in May, 1861, in Company F, Third Vermont Volunteer Infantry, and with the regiment joined the Army of the Potomac. The first battle in which he participated was the battle of Lee's Mill, in which he was wounded. As soon as he was able to make the trip he was granted a furlough and visited home. He joined the regiment after an absence of three months. His health was not good at the time, and he was detached for the recruiting service in Ver- mont. He again joined the regiment in December, and was with them until after the close of the war, having veteranized in 1863. Among the many battles in which he participated, we mention the following: Second battle of Fredericksburg, Wilderness, Pe- tersburg, Cold Harbor, Spottsylvania, was with Sheridan in the Shenandoah Valley, and participated in the battle of Winchester, was in New York City at the time of the riot, and in the battles of Gettysburg and Cedar Creek. He was mustered into the serv- ice as a private. He was promoted for gallant and meritorious conduct, May, 1864, to first lieutenant, and soon after to captain. He was discharged from the service with the regiment, July, 1865, and returned to Vermont and bought a farm. In 1869 he sold out there and emigrated to Kansas. He took a homestead and bought some wild land in Washington county. He built a stone house and improved a portion of the land, living there until 1872, when he sold and came to Mower county and bought wild land in the northeast quarter of section 29, Windom town- ship. He was joined in marriage in 1863 to Caro Bowen, also a native of Vermont. They had seven children, named Samuel, Henry, Eugene, Guy, Dan, Leila and Florence. In 1893 Mr. Fair- banks sold his farm in Mower county and removed to southern California, where he remained two years. He then returned to Austin, where he resided until his death, October 24, 1907.

Patrick Geraghty, now deceased, was one of the substantial residents of this county. He watched Austin grow from a village of 400 inhabitants, and lived to enjoy the ripe old age of eighty- eight years. He was street commissioner eleven years, and treasurer of St. Augustine church many terms, digging the cellar, grading the grounds and carting the stone for the new edifice now occupied by the people of that parish as a house of worship. The subject of this sketch was born in Ireland, in November, 1822, and came to this country in 1851, landing at Castle Garden, New York, in 1851. He went at once to Fairmont, W. Va., and was employed there one year by the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. Then he went to Janesville, Ill., in 1855, and was there married to Ellen Barrett, daughter of Edward and Rose (Gibbons) Bar- rett. They went together to Freeport, Ill., and lived there six

C. F. GREENING.

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years. Their next stopping place was MeGregor, la., where Patrick Geraghty resumed his oceupation of railroad work by becoming a contractor, and assisting in the construction of the C., M. & St. Paul road from MeGregor to Austin, this work taking abont three years. Mr. Geraghty then settled in Anstin, and a year later, in 1868, purchased a farm of eighty acres, which he retained until 1905, when he retired. To Mr. and Mrs. Geraghty were born nine children : Lawrence, who married Alice Shannon ; Elizabeth, deceased; Ellen, now Mrs. Jacob Shook; Mary ; Rose ; Charles E., who married Jennie Hattlestead; Sarah P., now Mrs. F. Tichein ; John P .; and Thomas F., married to Flossie Wagner. Mr. Geraghty died in the fall of 1910.

Thomas J. Grimes, who is ably serving as mayor of Grand Meadow, after sixteen years on the village council, was born in Milwaukee, Wis., July 5, 1858, son of James and Bridget (Wha- len) Grimes. He came to Grand Meadow in 1879 and worked for John Peterson, the pioneer blacksmith. In 1882 he became a partner in this concern and in 1891 became sole owner. He now has one of the best appointed shops in Mower county and does a large business. He is a popular member of the M. W. . A. and stands well throughout the county: He and his wife, who was Maggie Dugan, of La Crosse, occupy a pleasant home in the village of Grand Meadow. James and Bridget (Whalen) Grimes came from Ireland, and in 1852 James located in Milwaukee, where for many years he was employed in a grain elevator. It was in Milwaukee that his son, Thomas J., was educated and learned the blacksmith trade.

Charles F. Greening, a distinguished citizen of Grand Meadow, was born in Worcester, England, January 20, 1844, son of John and Maria (Kelly) Greening. He came to America in 1846 with his parents, and landed at New Orleans, from which city he came up the Mississippi river in the steamer Eclipse to Galena, Ill. From there the family went by lead wagons to Farmersville, now Mazomani, Dane county, Wis., and located in the old English colony at that place. Charles F. Greening farmed with his parents and spent two years learning the tinsmith trade. In 1863 he enlisted in Co. A, Eleventh Wisconsin Volun- teer Infantry, and served through the war. After the battle of Mobile, which was practically the ending of the war, he re- turned home and finished his apprenticeship as tinsmith. Later he came to Mower county with a hope of benefiting his health, war service having reduced his weight to less than 100 pounds. After his health was partially restored, he started work for Corbett & Allen, hardware merchants and tinsmiths at LeRoy. and in this employ he continued until the firm was burned out.

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Then he began his employ with Daniel Caswell. For fifteen months he worked as night clerk in Caswell's hotel, and then went with Mr. Caswell on a farm. Mr. Caswell was killed by the accidental discharge of a gun, and Mr. Greening settled his estate, after which, in 1871, he came to Grand Meadow and started a tin shop and hardware store, also engaging in private banking. In this business he continued thirty-three years. In 1904 he disposed of his shop, but still retains his banking inter- ests and also engages in farming. Mr. Greening's career as a banker began in 1871, and for four years he conducted a private banking establishment. Then the banking house of Greening & Warner was established and continued until 1882. In that year Mr. Warner sold out and the business reverted to Mr. Greening. In 1906, Mr. Greening organized the Exchange State Bank of Grand Meadow, which was incorporated the same year, and is now doing a flourishing business, with Mr. Greening as president. In 1910, the institution took up its home in its beau- tiful new building, which is one of the architectural ornaments of the village. Mr. Greening has done his community marked service in various ways. In 1876-77, he served in the lower house of the Minnesota legislature, and through his efforts the herd law was passed. This particular bill contributed greatly to his popularity, and the following election he was named for the state senate, but declined the honor. Mr. Greening is senior vice- commander of the G. A. R., a charter member of Lodge 121, A. F. & A. M., a member of the Royal Arch Chapter of LeRoy, and a charter member of St. Barnard Commandery, No. 14. He is also vice-president of the Minnesota Bee Keepers' Association, and has served various other societies as officer or director. In addi- tion to this, he has held various local offices, in village and town- ship. The subject of this sketch married Clara E. Caswell, daughter of Daniel E. and Sarah M. (Taylor) Caswell, and they are the parents of five children: Nanna M. is the wife of W. D. Lockwood; Elgar F. is cashier of the Exchange State Bank of Grand Meadow; Josie E. is the wife of Samuel M. Croft, post- master in the Congressional Library, Washington, D. C .; Charles W., cashier of the First Bank of Melstone, Mont., lives in Grand Meadow, and Elmore, the youngest, was named from the Elmore estate in England, from which the Greenings originally came.

Elgar F. Greening, son of Charles F. and Clara E. (Caswell) Greening, was born in Grand Meadow, March 31, 1873. He at- lended the district schools and the Curtis Commercial college in Minneapolis. Upon the completion of his course he entered the Exchange State Bank of Grand Meadow and became its cashier, a position he still holds. Mr. Greening is a member of the Masons and of the M. W. A. He married Josie Rowell,

EXCHANGE STATE BANK, GRAND MEADOW.

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daughter of Mark and Jenc (Cary) Rowell, and they have one son, Rollin.

Carl A. Grimm, a modern farmer of Grand Meadow township, owns 120 acres of good land in section 36, and a comfortable home, a well-equipped farm, and a variety of live stock, and carries on farming on an extensive scale. He was born in Ger- many, February 2, 1870, and came to America with his parents in 1875. They lived in Iron Ridge, Dodge county, Wis., three years, and then after a short stay in Grand Meadow, located in section 12, Clayton township, where they continued to farm until the father's death in 1895. Carl A. remained at home on the farm and worked with his parents. In 1902 he came to Grand Meadow and purchased his present farm. He married Daisy Lewis, daughter of E. H. and Della (Foat) Lewis, and they have an attractive son, Raymond I., eight years of age.

Joseph E. Gee and his three accomplished sisters, Cornelia T., Harriet J. and Martha E., live on the old Gee homestead, sec- tion 1, Racine township, and constitute an interesting family of enthusiastic workers. Their farm of sixty-seven acres fur- nishes them with the usual farm produce, but their energies are largely directed to weaving, at which all have become ex- perts both in an artistic and a mechanical way. William Gee, the father, and Lucretia Gee, the mother, came to Fillmore county in 1859, and to Mower county in 1864. In the latter year, William enlisted in Co. E, First Minnesota, and served one year in the ranks. The children were educated in the schools of Fillmore county, and gradually,in the failing health of their parents, assumed the burdens of the household. Some years ago, Joseph E. began to lose his health, and many departments of farm work became too strenuous for his strength. Accordingly he took up the work of weaving rugs and carpets. In this he is assisted by his sisters, and they do excellent work, marketing their product over a wide territory. In 1903, a fourth sister, Eva L., who until then had remained at home, married William Schoppers. of Frankford. The Gees attend the United Brethren church at Spring Valley and all are strong temperance advocates.

Franklin M. Higbie, live stock dealer of Grand Meadow, was born in Green Lake county, Wisconsin, March 3, 1858, son of C. J. and Ann E. (Wilson). Higbie. He acquired his earlier education in Wisconsin, and eame with his parents to Mower county in 1878, remaining with them until 1880, at which time he purchased 160 acres of land from his father. This land, which was loeated on section 1, Grand Meadow township, was his thought and care for over a quarter of a century. Here lie built his home and reared his children, and here he successfully carried on general farming until November, 1906, when he rented

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his farm and took up his residence in Grand Meadow village. Soon after coming to the village, F. M. Higbie formed a partner- ship with F. T. Seabern, in the live stock business, under the firm name of Higbie & Seabern. This company engages ex- clusively in cattle and horse buying, shipping most of the ani- mals to Chicago and Milwaukee. Mr. Higbie is a director in the First National Bank of Grand Meadow and president of the Farmers Elevator Company, stockholder in the Farmers Co- operative Creamery Company, the Home Telephone Company and the M. W. A. Hall Association. He is a Republican in poli- tics, and while living in the township was chairman of the board of supervisors and served on the school board for years. The subject of this sketch was married, November 25, 1880, at Green Lake, Wis., to Jeanette Wilson, who was born at Rush Lake, Wis., July 6, 1861. Mr. and Mrs. Higbie are the parents of five children : Clarence W., Leland C., George F., Chester E. and Lawrence W. Clarence W. was born February 20, 1882, at- tended the district schools, the Minnesota Agricultural College at Minneapolis and a business college in Mankato, and after- wards became cashier in the First National Bank of Grand Meadow, a position he still occupies. He was married in July. 1910, to Jessie A. Bush, of Grand Meadow, Minn. Leland C. was born November 19, 1885, graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1910, and is now superintendent of schools in Little Fork, Minn. George F. was born July 31, 1888, and is now a student at the University of Minnesota College of Engineering. Chester E., was born June 9, 1890, graduated from the Grand Meadow high school, took a year's course at Hamline and is now teaching in North Dakota. Lawrence W. was born February 11, 1901.

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The history of Mower County, Minnesota : illustrated, Part 94

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