USA > Minnesota > Renville County > The history of Renville County, Minnesota, Volume II > Part 67
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George H. Megquier was born September 20, 1844, in Maine, and when eight years old moved with his parents to Bangor. In 1855 they migrated to Eureka, Ill. After graduating in 1862 from the college of that place he enlisted in Company D, 108th Illinois infantry; he was promoted to lieu- tenant; afterwards served on the staff of Generals Baird and A. J. Smith, until the war closed. In the fall of 1865 he entered the Cleveland Law University, graduating in 1866 and the next year came to Minne- sota. lie married Laura Tillotson in 1869, and commenced the practice of law at Bea- ver Falls; was elected judge of probate in 1873 and the following year was chosen county attorney and superintendent of schools. In 1878 he removed to Bird Island.
August V. Rieke was born at Cairo, Minn., August 15, 1865, son of George and Sophia (Schweer) Rieke. He received his early education in the public schools of his locality and later attended the Curtiss Business College at Minneapolis. He lived on the home farm until twenty-two years of age and then went into the grain busi- ness and later followed the farm imple- ment business at Fairfax, Minn. In 1893 he entered the law office of John A. Dal- zell, of Fairfax, and was admitted to the bar February 14, 1898, and has since en- gaged in the practice of law. From 1899 to 1903 he was county attorney for Ren- ville county and from 1903 to 1907 a mem- ber of the state senate. He is now prac- ticing law at Minneapolis.
J. F. Russell was born in Belle Plaine, Minn., January 6, 1858. He was educated in the common schools: taught school in Scott, Le Sueur and Sibley counties; read law in the office of O'Leary & Hagar at Henderson, Minn .; admitted to the bar in 1881; practiced law at Belle Plaine, Minn., from March, 1883, until May. 1886. and was village attorney of Belle Plaine from April, 1884, to May, 1886, when he resigned. In May, 1886, he removed to Henderson, Minn., where he formed a partnership with S. & O. Kipp, the firm being known as S. & O. Kipp & Russell. He was ap- pointed village attorney of Henderson in 1886 and served until March, 1887, when he left Henderson and returned to Belle Plaine. He removed to Fairfax in 1890. where he has since been engaged in the practice of law. In 1898 he was elected village attorney. In 1884 he married Ellen Donovan, of Le Sueur county, and has two sons living.
William C. White was born in New York in 1846; came to Minnesota in 1872; en- gaged in teaching three years; was ad- mitted to the bar in 1875; superintendent of schools, Sibley county, for two years; settled in Hector in 1879, where he prac- ticed law until his death, August 11, 1888.
D. D. Williams was born in Kane county, Illinois, and was brought to Judson, Blue Earth county, this state, in 1855. After
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leaving school in 1877 he read law at Ma- delia, taught school a year, and then re- sumed the study of law until 1879, when he was admitted to the bar. He began prac- ticing at Bird Island in the spring of 1880.
John J. and William F. Schoregge both practiced law in Renville county, the for- mer at Olivia and the latter at Fairfax. They were the sons of Dr. Henry Scho- regge, who was born in Beilifeldt, Prov- ince of Westphalia, Germany, during the time it was under the control and domina- tion of Napoleon. Casper Schoregge, father of Dr. Henry Schoregge, was with Napo- leon's army thirteen years, and was in command of a regiment until Napoleon's retreat from Moscow. After his return be became commander of the "Black Hus- sars." Later, as the result of many wounds, he was retired and given the Iron Cross. Dr. Henry Schoregge finished his educa- tion at Heidelberg. He was married at some point on the Rhine (probably Frank- fort or Bingen) about 1840 to a daughter
of the Laydner family. In 1850 he came to Boston. His oldest son, John J., came to Minnesota for his health in 1867 and in 1870 the entire family, consisting of the parents and five children, John J., Charles, William F., Helen and Anna, settled in Beaver Falls, this county. John J. Scho- regge married Mary Langes, and was ad- mitted to the bar at Gleucoe, settling in Olivia in 1890. He died November 17, 1812. Little is known of William F. He came from Glencoe to Fairfax, was a most bril- liant lawyer, but of unfortunate inclina- tions, and finally drifted west.
Morgan J. Flaherty was born at St. Cloud, Minn., Feb. 11, 1889; attended parochial and public schools at St. Cloud, graduating from high school at St. Cloud in 1907; grad- nated from St. Cloud Normal in 1908; taught school two years; graduated from St. Paul College of Law in June, 1913, and practiced law in Duluth one and a half years imme- diately before coming to Olivia in July. 1915.
Richard T. Daly, judge of the twelfth judicial district, was born on a farm near Watertown, Jefferson county, Wisconsin, in 1863, one of the family of ten children, five boys and five girls, born to T. G. and Martha (Reynolds) Daly, who when he was ten years of age brought him to the township of Mapleton, Blue Earth county, this state. Ile attended district school and took two terms at the Mankato Normal school, then studied law with William Plymat at Mapleton, and afterward entered the office of Freeman & Pfau at Mankato, being admitted to the bar at Mankato on December 31, 1887. Ile taught school in Nebraska until the summer of 1890, and in September of the same year he located at Renville, Renville county, Minnesota, and commenced the practice of law. The same year he was elected county attorney of Renville county and served one term. In 1898 he was appointed county attorney to fill the place of Captain S. R. Miller, the enenmbent, who was with his com- pany in the Spanish-American war. He was appointed a member of the State Board of Equalization by Governor JJohnson in 1905 and served until 1907, at which time he declined reappointment. He has held munerons village offices and was a member of the school board for ten years preceding his going upon the bench. In the early part of February, 1915, JJudge Gorham Powers, who had been ill for some time, resigned and on the twenty-fifth day of February, 1915, Governor W. S. Hammond appointed Mr. Daly to succeed Judge Powers. On March 15, 1915, he opened his first term of court in Willmar. Judge Daly was married to Lillie J. Johnson September 16, 1896, and has three children, two boys and one girl.
Lynas D. Barnard, county attorney of Renville county, was born in Kin- nikinnie, near River Falls. Wis., September 14, 1862, son of John and Franees (Vandercook) Barnard, and descended from early New England stock, the founders of the American branch having come from England to Vermont, where they participated in the stirring events of the Colonial wars and had their part in the making of a great nation. bynas Barnard received his early training in the common schools in Kinnikinnie and later attended the State
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Normal school at River Falls, Wis., to which he returned from Renville to complete his course. He subsequently taught school for two years in Ren- ville county and after that spent one year in field work as a civil engineer. Then he studied law with James Schoonaker, of St. Paul. one year and with John W. White, of St. Paul, about one and a half years, after which he entered the law department of the University of Wisconsin, at Madison, graduating in 1889. As partner of W. H. MeDonald he practiced in St. Paul until 1897, when he entered into partnership with R. T. Daly, an attorney at Renville, under the firm name of Daly & Barnard, which continued until Mr. Daly went on the district bench in 1915. Mr. Barnard has taken an active interest in politieal affairs, and has served the Republican party in many ways as committeeman, delegate and the like. In 1911 he was elected eounty attorney of Renville county and re-elected in 1913 and 1915. He has done excellent service and has won wide approval. In addition to his law practice he devotes much of his time to his fine stock farm in partner- ship with his late law partner, Judge R. T. Daly, north of Renville, making a specialty of feeding stock For the market. Mr. Barnard is a stockholder in the Farmers' Elevator Company of Renville. He is a member of many fra- ternities, such as the A. F. & A. M., the I. O. O. F., the B. P. O. E., of St. Paul, and the M. W. A. Mr. Barnard was united in marriage to Annie Turner, daughter of George W. Turner, who operated the first engine on a regular run of the Great Northern Railway to Willmar. He later became master me- chanie of the Great Northern at St. Paul. Mr. and Mrs. Barnard have two children : George and Frank.
Charles Newel Matson, Olivia, attorney, and judge of probate of Ren- ville county, was born in New York City January 2, 1856, the son of John L. Matson and Eliza (Jackson) Matson. The grandfather of John L. Matson, Nels Matson, came from Norway to the United States and for many years lived in Boston, Mass. John L. Matson and Eliza Jackson Matson died some years ago, and of their children only Mrs. Peter Haan, of Reunville, and Charles N. Matson survive them. Judge Matson was educated at Union Uni- versity and Columbia Law School and was admitted in New York in 1878 to to practice as an attorney and counselor at law and for many years practiced law at Owego, N. Y. In 1888 he was appointed a liquidator in the New York Custom House and in 1894 removed to Chicago, where he became associated with the firm of NN. Matson. After the death of N. Matson the business was sold and in 1897 he came to Renville, Min., and was admitted to practice in this state and became associated with the late G. T. Christianson. This firm was dissolved when Mr. Christianson removed to. North Dakota in 1902, and since that time Mr. Matson practiced law in Renville until elected to the office of Judge of Probate of this county. Mr. Matson was elected the first judge of the Municipal Court of the city of Renville and held that office until 1910, when he was elected judge of the probate court of this county, which office he now holds.
He belongs to all the Masonic bodies, is an Odd Fellow. an Elk, a member of Phi Beta Kappa, honorary Scholastic Fraternity, and of Alpha Delta Phi. He is a communicant of St. John's Episcopal Church at Olivia.
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Samuel R. Miller, attorney, Olivia, was born in Mansfield, Ohio, January 17, 1841. He is of Scotch ancestry, his father, Dr. S. G. Miller, and his mother, Naney J. (MeEwen) Miller, being children of Seotch parents who emigrated to this country previons to the Revolutionary war, the father's people settling in Washington county, Pennsylvania, and the mother's in Center county of same state. Mr. Miller's maternal grandfather, Capt. Francis MeEwen, served during the Revolutionary war and after its close was in command of a company acting as a guard to the government engineers who laid out the National Pike from Washington through the Virginias. He lacked but eight days of rounding ont a century at the time of his death. Mr. Miller had four sisters and four brothers, making a family of nine in all: one brother, Geo. F. Milier, of Minneapolis, and three sisters survive at this date.
Samuel R. Miller received his early education in the district schools, one year at Porters Academy, and two years at Vermillion College, afterwards Wooster University. Wooster, Ohio. In April. 1861. he enlisted in Company H Fifteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry for three months. After his discharge he went to La Grange. Indiana, and accepted the position of superintendent of the city school, but in July. 1862, resigned his position and re-enlisted in Company C. 100th Indiana Volunteer Infantry for three years or during the war, and thereunder served until the close of the war. He participated in over forty general engagements, including the battle of Bentonville, where Gen. Joseph E. Johnson surrendered to General Sherman. For one year and eleven months he was in command of the "Scouts" doing secret service with the army of the Mississippi, reporting and attached to General W. T. Sher- man's headquarters. He was captured twice and both times managed to eseape. Ile held the position of First Sergeant until the close of the Vicks- burg campaign, when he was commissioned a lieutenant. He taught school in 1865-6 and then began the study of law in the offices of "Col. Billy Will- son" of Lafayette. Indiana, where he remained until fall of 1868, when he entered the University of Michigan and graduated in the law department in the spring of 1871. He began practice of law at Lake City. Minn., with Col. C. A. Wood, and was later appointed assistant postmaster at Lake City, under General Francis Seeley. He held this position until spring of 1874, when he resigned to take up practice of law in Renville county. Ile located at Beaver Falls, then the county seat of Renville county, in the summer of 1874, where he remained until the county seat was removed to Olivia, when he removed to the latter place and has ever since resided there. He retired from practice about 1907 on account of failure of hearing. Mr. Miller was elected and served seven or eight terms as county attorney in this county and has successfully prosecuted or defended in five of the six homicide cases tried in this county since its organization. After his retirement from active practice Mr. Miller was appointed as examiner of titles for Renville county and still holds that position, also that of conrt commissioner for Renville county. He was also city attorney for Olivia for some five years and president of the board of education for over twelve years. In 1897, at the request of the citizens, he organized Company HI, Third Regiment Minnesota National Guard and was commissioned its captain. Thereafter
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he worked for and seenred the construction of the old Armory. In 1898 he organized Company II of the Fourteenth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry for service in the Spanish-American war, and was commissioned its captain and again entered U. S. service as such. Hle remained with the company until the latter part of July, 1898, when growing defective in hearing he was compelled to resign. Ile was a charter member of the G. A. R. Post at Delphi, Indiana, which claimed to be the second post organized. He is also a member of the Loyal Legion of this state, an organization made up exclusively of commissioned officers of the civil war. He was a member of the old Beaver Falls lodge (now not existing) I. O. O. F. and was through all its chairs. He is now associated with Olivia lodge No. 220, A. F. & A. M. Mr. Miller has been twice married: in 1892 to Jennie M. Frazer and in 1912 to Mary C. Peterson, his present wife. One son, Rock- wood P. Miller and one grandson, Howard W. Miller, survive.
Jolin McDonough Freeman, attorney, Olivia, was born in Ticonderoga, Essex county, New York. December 5, 1870, youngest of the four children of George and Mary (MeDonough) Freeman. The family moved from New York to Langdon. Washington county, Minnesota, in 1883, coming two years later to Renville county where they purchased 300 acres of state land in section 14, Hector township. While this land was being broken and buildings erected thereon they rented and occupied an adjoining farm. In June, 1897, George Freeman, was injured while riding on a road grader in the performance of his duties as road overseer, which injury resulted in his death about two weeks later, June 24, 1897. John MeDonongh Freeman received his early education at Hector public schools. While still little more than a youth he taught winter school for three years still continuing, however. to work on his parent's farm during the agricultural season. Then he read law for two years in the office of R. T. Daly, of Renville, and in February, 1896, beeame connected with the office of the United States Surveyor General at St. Paul, resigning August, 1898, having in the mean- time taken a night law course at the University of Minnesota, from which he graduated June, 1898. In the fall of the same year he opened a law office at Olivia where he has since practiced. Mr. Freeman owns several farms near Olivia. He is vice-president and director of Olivia State Bank and a stoekholder of the Mercantile State Bank at Minneapolis. He has always enjoyed a large law practice, and is one of the busy men of the county. He is affiliated with the Democratic party and has for many years been active in state and county politics. In the state election of 1910 he was the candidate of his party for the office of Attorney General of the State. In 1899 Mr. Freeman married Cora M. Gould, of Stillwater, Minnesota. They have four children: John G .. Richard S .. Alice M., and Evelyn M.
George F. Gage, attorney, Olivia, was born in Waterloo, lowa, in 1871, son of Weston S. and Mary (Kirchner) Gage. Weston S. Gage devoted his active years to farming, took particular pride in his fine stock, made a specialty of breeding a good grade of cattle, swine and horses, attained a considerable degree of success, and now lives in retirement at Fukdla, Minn.
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In the family, aside from George F., there were two children, Arthur J., a . banker, hotelkeeper and liveryman, at Fulda, and Lillian, a music teacher in that place. George F. Gage passed through the public schools, and then entered the Colleg of Law, University of Minnesota. from which he gradu- ated with the class of 1894. In July of that year he opened an office at Olivia, where he has since remained. lle is a Republican in politics and from Jamary, 1903, to January, 191], was judge of probate of Renville county. Fraternally he is a member of the Odd Fellow and Masonic orders. Mr. Gage is an influential eitizen of the village and county. He has made a success of his chosen profession, has taken an interest in many publie movements and is regarded as one of the useful men of the community. He was married at Granite Falls, Minnesota, on June 24, 1896, to Lillian E. Knox, born in Cannon Falls, Minnesota, in December, 1876, daughter of A. M. and Rebecca (Hutchinson) Knox. Mr. and Mrs. Gage have two ehil- dren : Ruth M. and Lucille M. Ruth M., a graduate of the Olivia high school, is attending Stanley Hall at Minneapolis. Lueille M. is a student at the Olivia high school.
Frank H. Hopkins, attorney. Fairfax, was born in Cairo township, November 7, 1877, son of Col. Charles H. Hopkins. He attended the country schools and later graduated from the Minnesota Normal and Business Col- lege at Minneapolis in 1899. Then he became a student at the College of Law, University of Minnesota, from which he graduated in 1903. He opened an office in Fairfax in November. 1903, and has practiced law there ever since. Mr. Hopkins is a popular and influential man and has always been greatly interested in public affairs. In 1906 he was nominated for the office of county attorney. In 1908 he was elected as representative to the State Legislature, being re-elected in 1910. While in the House of Represen- tatives he was active in promoting various bills. He was chairman of the Municipal Corporation Committee and nominated Henry Rines for speaker during the session of 1911. He was also chairman of the Corporation Com- mittee during the second session. Ile introduced the bill to limit to a minimum sum the license fee to sell liquor, was a great leader and expert on the Drainage Laws, and active in the work for a Public Domain bill and Blue Sky laws. He very ably assisted in getting Renville selected by the Federal Goverment as the Hog Cholera Experimental county. Mr. Hop- kins has also been active in the public affairs of Fairfax, and has been the village attorney for two years, president of the Connnercial Club For four years, and is a stockholder in the Citizens' State Bank and in the State Bank. Ile is a member of the Modern Brotherhood of America and the senior steward in the A. F. & A. M. Mr. Hopkins is a faithful member of the Methodist Episcopal elmurch and is a member of the board of trustees of that church. It is said of him: "He is an active leader in presenting edneation, regulation and law enforcement as a solution for the liquor question as contrasted with the prohibitory idea." As a lawyer his standing is high, but among the important cases in which he has been engaged, the one of which he is the proudest is the time when he defended his father, Col. Charles 11. Hopkins against a charge of having destroyed the telephone
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wires which he had ent in order that Old Glory might wave on the streets of Fairfax on Lincoln's and Washington's birthdays.
October 19, 1905, Frank HI. Hopkins was united in marriage to Estella J. Schramm, born March 7, 1882, daughter of JJulius Schrannn. Three chil- dren have been born to this nuion: Ora Beryl, born October 30, 1907; Lois Meryl, April 4, 1910; Wayne, born February 16, 1913.
Frank Murray, attorney, Bird Island, man of affairs, is widely known throughout the state of Minnesota. He was born in Medo township, Blue Earth county, this state, July 7, 1870, son of John and Honora (Virden) Murray, was reared on the home farm, passed through the schools of his neighborhood, taught school five winters, and attended the Mankato State Normal school. He read law during his spare time for several years and received a splendid training in the office of W. R. Geddes, of Mankato. Thus prepared he was admitted to the bar January 31, 1896, and opened an office at Janesville, this state. His work and personality at once attracted attention, and he was elected to such offices as township clerk, village recorder, and village attorney. He lacked but one vote of being elected county attorney of Waseca county. It was on March 15, 1900, that he came to Renville county and opened offices at Bird Island. In 1910 he formed a partnership with James B. Baker under the firm name of Murray & Baker. In Renville county, Mr. Murray continued his successful career. In the fall of 1902 he was elected county attorney and served until January 1, 1911. In the fall of 1910 he was elected to the upper house of the Minnesota state legislature, and served with credit in the senate sessions of 1911, 1912 (special) and 1913. Locally he also held a number of offices, being village recorder two years and village attorney six years. Fraternally he is a prominent member of the Knights of Columbus and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He is a director in the State Bank of Bird Island, the Citizens State Bank of Mahnomen, and the Mahnomen Land Co. The Frank Murray Land Co., organized in 1910, deals extensively in Minnesota, Mon- tana and North Dakota land. Mr. Murray was married October 2, 1907, to Madeline Pratschner, born February 13, 1886, daughter of Louis and Made- line (Ilausladen) Pratschner, and they have two children: Eileen, born September 2, 1908; Francis, born September 18, 1914.
John Murray, born in county Mayo, Ireland, came to America in 1850, and found employment on the Erie canal, leaving that work to take up farm- ing, which he pursued two years in Ohio, moving from that state to lowa, where he devoted two years to the same line of work. He then removed to Houston county, Minnesota, where he spent one year in farming, removing to Blue Earth county. December 3, 1864, he enlisted in Company F. 57th III. Vol. Inf., and was discharged at Louisville, Ky., July 7, 1865. He was with Sherman at Atlanta and was wounded in the hand at Nashville. Ile died in 1895, at the age of 73 years. His good wife Honora (Verden) Murray, died at Bird Island, February 26, 1913, at the ripe old age of 83 years. Louis Pratsehner now lives at Winsted where he has been engaged in the blacksmith business for thirty years. Mrs. Pratsehner died September 10, 1888. at the age of twenty years.
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James B. Baker, attorney, Bird Island. born in Brownton, MeLeod vomty, Minnesota, September 15, 1882, the son of Augustus C. and Mary J. (Todd) Baker, graduated from the Brownton school in 1902, from the Mon- tevideo (Min.) high school in 1905. and from the College of Law, University of Minnesota. June 11. 1908. He was admitted to the bar June 15, of the same year and formed a partnership with Frank Murray, of Bird Island, under the firm name of Murray & Baker. For four years he was village attorney. In 1910 he came before the primaries as an aspirant to the office of judge of probate, and in 1914 he was before the primaries as a candidate for the office of county attorney. He is a stockholder in the Citizens State Bank of Mahnomen and in the Mahnomen Land Co. Mr. Baker was married March 16, 1910, to Mathilda B. Putzier, born September 2, 1888, the daughter of Fred and Mathilda Putzier. They have two children: Dorothy L .. born October 29, 1911: Bradford J., born March 27. 1913. Augustus C. Baker, born December 20. 1837. in Ravenna. Ohio, married Mary J. Todd, born July 29, 1842. Mr. Baker located in Sibley county, in 1858, operated a gen- eral store at New Auburn until 1878 when he removed to Brownton, McLeod county where he pursued a business in grain and general merchandise until 1890 when he retired. He now lives in Brownton. Fred Putzier married Mathilda Martin. Both are now 50 years of age. Mr. Putzier has been with the C. M. & St. P. R. R. in Bird Island for twenty years. He has served on the village council.
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