MANKATO.

ITS FIRS'f FIF1~Y YEARS.

Containing Adcln::sses, Historic Papers and Brief

Biographies of Early Settlers and Acti,·e

Upbuilders of the City.

P1rnPAHED FOR THE FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE

SETTLEMENT OF MANKATO.

1852-1802.

F1n:r-.: PRESS PRINTINc; Co. Maukato, Ivfinn.

J[)O~

HSTtiODOCTOl-.?V.

!11 jll'l'c-'('1Ili11g (!1is Yolu111e to tlw puiJJi(', (!1(• l'ulilic;,d.iou

Co1n111ilfo(• 11,Hild J'('sp(·('1J11lh sla(c, tl1at Ll1l!_\i liavc• J'ai(l1/'ullv a111!

a,-;siduouslv Li!H)I'('(' lo hl'ill,c!' logl'l'IH'I' 111;111_1· or 111(' ('c'S('ll\inl J'ncls

louclii11g UH; Jo111Hli11g ,llld d('\'(•lop111('ll( or Olli' [·il.1·, ('()\('l"ing ilH:

::r"t fil'ty _n',tl'cS ol' it,s (•xisl('ll('('. We ,m• µTati/il'd (o !1(; ,ilile 1o pn:­

~\·11L :-;1wlt n n·1w11·k,1hll' colli•dio11 ,>I· ltis1oril·,il, lil-sl'i'iphYc auil :,;La­

( is(ical [):li'l'l':-i, ill11:-;[rnli11g llll' :-;(on· or Olli' ('i1y. TIH·.r \\'l'l'C carc-

1':il.l.1· Jll't:[1,ll'l'rl for Olli' :-:l'llli-( 't•Jlil'llllial ( \•il'!Jrnlio11, I)\· Jll('l] or <·apa('ity and ol' largl' l',p(']'il'll('l' in tltl' 111ntll•r:-; of ,rltil·li tlwy

11'l',d, tlil' /'ad:-; a11d sbttistic:" an• 1 lto1'nt1glil_1· rdiahll:, and tlw

J'uturl' hish1l'ia11 in ('011strudi11g !tis his1ori(' ('(lifiC'(', rnnv plant

Ii irnsel /' upon tlt(•111 n,s u pou ,t rnck. \r(• ha I'(' sought to rnn'l' all

l'la:-;s(•:-; o/' /'ads ,rnd ;;LalistiC's, so llial i'llll in/'orniation may lw

Jnu1l<l (ot1l·hi11g all 1mdlns iu ou1· l'arlil•I" ltidorv, cm tll('y [H:ri:sl1.

TIH· piolll'l'I' gin's till' slon· oJ' !tis nlln•ntun•:-; and lrnrrlships.

'!'It('!'(';)!'(' / .. di111p:-il'" ol' 111(• l:l'd 111('11, ll'iiO:sl' ]l)(';i] histi1n' is intirn,1tc­

\\' intl'!'ll'll\'<'!l ll'itli ollr 01rn. Fact" ;1" lo il1l' fonniliug and rnpirl

il'll'lop11)('id ol' i11q1orL1nl i11d11:sfri<·", nn· ;_;T;qil1ic,1lly 1.old. Willi

pio11:-; (";Ii'('. 11·1· ln11·(• n•l,1ll'd ll!l' :-;Ion or Olli' (•,irli1•:-;t "<·11 !('.l':-i, ,llld

.-l!ltglil. lo Jil'l'Jll'lt1;11l: th<'ir nn111l'" :111d ll(•('ds i11 a 111,llllll'I' 111on·

,111rnhle U1,m 111ari>le.

Tlii'I'(' ill'l' 111Hl1ntl>h·illy Lliose ,rhoH• 1rn111t':s ,llld portraits an·

,111inh•11tio1rnll1· on1iltl•<I _: anrl a:-; to oll1<•rc-: it is the /'au!L ol'

L11t•111:s1•!1·r•s 01· llH•ir friend:,,, in failing lo respond Lo the repeatl:<I

i<;]iciiatin11s ol' tlit• C'o11rn1i1.ic•P. We• claim !'or lllll'"cl\'l·s a (;(l!l­

~l'it•11tious p<•rf'r1rn1,rnee of' Olli' 1llllil's, wl1il·lt were wliolly without

!'('('Olll!H'l1Sl', (1\(·l'pt in !lie ~nl.i,;faction of loval scnice to the 1·i(_v

oJ' our ]oil'.

CONTENTS.

Adcln•;;;;, Oplming-J. H. Haker....................... !:I

,\llrlre,;s oJ' Welcome, (Old Scttlns Day),-,J. If. Baker.... l;t;l Agrieulturc, llcveloprncnt of-K T. Cltatuplin........... 118 Banking-W. D. Willard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11;:l

Biographies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ms Churcli, BaptiHt-F. E. R. 1\·lillcr...................... 42

l'lrnrcb, Congrcgational-K L. Hccrntancl' ............. . Church, Catholic-A. Schaub ......................... . Church, Christian-II. D. Williams .................... . Church, Episcopal-G. H. Davis ... : ................... . Church, German Lutheran-Johancs Sehulzc ............ . Church, JHcthodist Episcopal-I<'. B. Cowgill ............ .

17 5.2

Church, Prcsbytcrian-G. H. Brewster and Cl. vV. Ihvis.... 1;3 Church, Svveclish Luthcran-l\. (). I~bcrhart. . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Church, Welsh Cal. Mcth.-W. E. I~nms................ lil) Frontier Preacher, Remarks on-J. W·. Powl'll. . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Le Sueur, l<'irst Explorer of' :\[inn. Valley-W. Upham... l:lO

Letter from Hon. J. B. Wakcfielrl .'.................. . . . . 157 Letter from Hon. C. D. Clilfillan....................... lGl Letter from I-Ion. ,J. B. Hubbell. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . l(jJ

Mankato, Fonnlling of-Thos. Huglw~. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1:-l-1-J\fanufaeturcs-i'vf. G. Wilhml....... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88

Hamscy, Hon. All'xanclcr-Ikmarks Ii_,................... 12c;

Higgs, D. D., Rev. A. L.-Uemarks by. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12\J

School, Commercial-II. D. Williams. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 School, German Catholic-A. Schaub. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-l

School, German Lutheran-,/. H. Schallm·. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8'.J

School, l'uhlie-L. G. 1\f. Fletclter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6:l

Sd10ol, State N onnal-C. H. Cooper. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . G9 Surveys, Early-'I'hos. Simpson. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150 Trade, Grnwth of-C. A. Chapman.................... 83 Wilkinson Monument, Hcrnarks on Unveiling-D. Huck. . . 156 Williamson, D. Tl., Rev. J. P.-Remarks by. . . . . . . . . . . . . 127

PREFACE.

Tlw year l 1)02, being the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the City of j\fnnkato, it wa:- c:nggc,-;frtl thnt ,-;o impc,rtant an event he worthily rnmmcmorated. ,\ccnnlingly a call for a mass meeting to be hel<l at the City Hall on the ncning of :May Gth,

1 \JO:Z, wa:-; :-;igne(l liy the i\layor, the l'n•si(lcnt of the Blue Earth County Tnritorial Association nncl the Pre:-;illent of the Blue Earth County H ii-;toricnl Socidy.

'l'his call met with a hearty response on the part of the people, arnl it was unanimously voted to hold a Semi-Centennial celebra­tion, and the matter was put in charge of an ]~xecutive Com­mittee of nine, three of whom (H. 1'. ,Jensen, Thos, Hughes and August Marsclmer) were selected at this meeting. The remain­ing six were appointed, two ( Gen. J. H. Baker am1 Dr. J. W. Andrews) by the Territorial Association, two ( M. B. Haynes and .J. K Heynold:-;,) by the Historical Society, and two (C. N. Andrew,-; and Geo. :M. Palmer,) by the Boan1 of Trade. This committee organi7,c•d by electing Gen. ,T. H. Baker, president, Hon. J. E.

Reynolth;, see;retary; arn1 Hon. :F. l\'L Currier, treasurer. The lat­ter was also made a member of the general committee. The matter of street amusements, indu<ling bands and fireworks, was put in charge of the Mankato Loclge of Elks, and the city gave them valuable street privilegef\ to help defray the expense, nnd also pnt $800.00 in money at the disposal of the committee. The 30th of June and 1st, 2ml, :Jn1,arn1 .Jth of July, were fixed upon as the time of the celebration, and elaborate programmes arranged for each of the five clays. rl'he first day was clevoted to Church Histories, the second (lay to a review of the Rrlucational Growth or the City, the thinl <lay, to the story of its J rn1ustrial Development. 'l'he public gatherings for each of these days were held at the :Man­kato Theater. The fourth <la_y was c1enominatetl "01<1 Settkrs' na_,,," and was the grent clay of the feast

rrhe fosti vi tics of this rncrnorahk clay opcne<l ,rith the largest arnl most mag11ificPnt ;;ired para<k l\fanlrnto <iYer ;saw, hcarlc<l hy

tlw Cm·prnor of tlie Rtatc-, and hi;; Stnff in full nniform, followed

l'n:facc.

by carnages filled with llistinguishec1 guests anCl prominent citi­zens, City Officials, Old Settler Organizations, gorgeous float <1is­playing the City's im1ustric's, numerous bands of musir, ctc.-all extending miles in length. 'l'his splendid and imposing pageant of our natal <1ay, was in charge! of Col. C. K ,Johnson, as Chief Marshal, with H. P. Jensen, :Martin Wiltgen, Geo. A. l\IcKinley, F. ,J. Busch, W. ,J. Deusc!r, Col. (ko. \\". i\feac1, C . .T. ,\fachdh, Uus 'I'. _i\lmrnon and F. K Day as assisbmts, and marche(1 to Sibley Park, whrrc exercises the mo;;t imprccsivc an(1 appropriate were lH'l(1 arn1 a bountiful picnic dinner Slffve<1. The c1i11rn'r was presi<1ec1 over by a committee of laclies con::;i::;ting of Mesl1amcs: Fre<1. Kron, Chairman, H . .T. Fullc)r, John Klein, H. P. Christensen, ( 'athcrinc Harnlall, L. (l. M. Fletcher, and Miss J-kkn Wise; arn1 the splcrn1id success of this important part of the (fay's rejoicing was mainly due to. their efficiency. All prominent gucHt;; arn1 ter­ritorial scttkm, were decked with souvenir badges, clesigne<1 especial­ly for the occasion.

A pleasing incident of this day was the unveiling of a massive granite monument to the memory of tlw late clistinguishcr1 senator, ]Vforton S. Wilkinson-the munificent gift of' his friend, 1-I?n. C. D. Gilfillan of St. Paul. The presPntation was nuufo by Judge Daniel Buck. In the evening a barnpiet was tendered to over threP lmrn1rec1 imitcrl guc,;ts in the A. 0. U. W. Hall, at which, interspernec1 with mnsic, toa::;ts were resporn1e(1 to by Hon. '!.'hos. Simpson, Hon. II. P. Hall, ,1lH1gc M. ,J. Severance, Hon. G. S. Ives, JlHlge Lorin Cray, Hon. Mark H. Dunnell, Hon . .T. K Brnwn, and Hon. P. K. Johnson. The mu:c;ic, other than instrumental, was furnished by a male quartette, composed of Prnf. C. H. Trnvis, Hon. A. 0. Eber­hart, I. N. Griftith aml J~van Hughes.

Another most important feature of the Great ,Jubilee waR the Hcst and Helie Room, which occupied the whole lower floor of the Pay building on Hickory street. Herc an immense collection of valuable and interncly interesting curios arn1 relics of every kind had been gathere(l by a committee of ladies, consisting of JYies­(lamC'f;: ,1. H. Beatt_v, Chairman, Siimuel Walker, Am1rcw Hanna, B. D. Pay, J. q. A. Marnh, H. J. Fnller, and Clement Schrocr1er. 'l'lwse rooms w<'n' (laily throngcr1 with Yisitors aml no part of the e<'lPhration was more thoroughly cnjoyc<1 anr1 apprcciaterl.

The frstiYitiPR closer1 with a ClraTH1 Fourth of July Celebra­tion, the prineipa 1 fratun's of whiPli were.: ;\ monster parade of

Pre/ace.

the fTatcrna1 societies, an adclress by .T. Merritte Driver D.D., and a brilliant diqih1y of fireworks.

On no other o<'casion W\iTC there Emch mnlbtm1es of people gathered in Southern l\limwsota, as on the la,-,t two (fays of this great fe,-tivnl. 'l'}ie papers an(l a(1drrnses presented 1wsscsscil sueh s1icei,,l h1,,.foYie,,l valu0, tlmt Hw committee conclu\1cd that they should lie prcscncrl-lience this \'O]urne, The stenographer faiic<l to take J)r_ DrivN's nclclres,; anrl that oI Oov. Vnn Sant was sent to his JIJxl:ellency for rcvifiion, an<l hy him accid(mfall_y rnislai<.1. All the otlwrs arc here offerc<l to the r<i,llkr.

SlBLEY MOUND--on the top of which the exercises were held,

ADD.RESS OPENING SEMl=CENTENNIAL CELEBR-A TION.

BY GEN. JAMES 11. BAKEQ.

I am here by the authority of the Executive Committee, who are eharged by the people of the city of J\lankato with the work of conducting the Semi-Centennial ( 'elebration, arnl a:,; their vhairman, to call this meeting to onlc-r, and to state liricf­ly its purpose. What I have to say upon the opening of the jubi­lee, will be said by direction of the committee, at Sibley Park, on the morning of July 3rd, when the "Old Settlers" will be gathered for the purpose of .enjoying thernsel vcs, and listening to adclrcsscs and papers expressly prepared for thern.

In outlining the work of the celebration, the committee thought it proper that each great factor in the city's growth and development, should have a proper place in the programme. So they rnry wisely assigned the fir;4t and opc~niug day, to the prc·­sentation of Church Histories. The object of this meeting, there­fore, is formally to present tneir histories, which have been pre­pared by the authorizeil pastors and laymen of thP di fien·nt chmelws se as to give them a place in the published proc(•edings of tlw celebration, and thus preserve the earlier local history of each of our churches, before they are lost. As the Bible and Christianity lie at the very foundation of our civilization, so the Committee as­signed these church histories to the first and favored place in the opening of the jubilee. It was not intended, or expected that this occasion would be given to speeches or addresses of an ornate or elaborate character, but simply to give formal opportunity for tht> reading: of the histories, that they may go, in this eom'E'lltional way, into the general record and be preserved for future nse anrl reference.

'l'hese histories, in connection with other mlclresses and papers will be publishecl hercaftC'r in pamphlet or book fol'm. FnrtliPr remarks by me at this time arc wholly 1mncccssary.

I now declare, in the name of the Executive Committee, that the Semi-Centennial Celrbration of the City of Mankato, is rlnly and formally opened.

l ' RE S !W T E I<IA N C ll l ! I<C I-1 AN D P .\ STO R S.

l { E v . J o 11N B ,\ 111:0 1· 1< l<n·. Gi-:c ,. C . Po u .o c: K. R E \ · . TH US . MA l{S H ALL .

I< 1•:Y . c ,.·11 . 'vY. D A \ ·1s . 1{1-:\·. j. 13. f . ITT LI·: .

H. i::Y . L u: \ V. B E A T TIE.

CNORCN t1ISTORIES. Renuwks on the Frontie,~ p,~eachcr.

Hy l~EV . .J. 'W. POWELL.

Some :;ix Wlid::-, or two ll10nU1s ago 1 \me< a;;kc<1 to gin, you a

;-;pccch on tlw mrly pn',iclwrs oI this town arnl county, and 1 feel that it is hut right to rccogni;1,c the churt:h by giYing it the honor

of opening tlw edcbrntion o( mu· city's organization. Prcsiclcnt l?orn,l'\'l'lt in a "ill'<'('li mad<' in );l'\I' York citr a ,-;liort timl' ago, ,:;aid

that in orn' illlniln•d yc•,m-; Wl' had ('Oll'!Ul'n'd a (·ontiw'nt and brought

it into a Rtatc of civilization. This is especially true of the west.

Snell a rapid settlement without tlw UoRpd i;-; not possible. The aim of tlic church is not to bnilcl up materially or finan­

cialh·. It' i:-; to make mc•n, and_ thi,-; i,-; what lllakes our nation

gniat. Sn1tH' look ,ritli eontl'lllpt on tlw pn•ar:lwr~, hnt they helped to bnil<l our cou11t1·y. J frcl proud today to say that J helped to

!mild Mankato. 'J'he first sermon ,,·as prcadwd in this town by Re,·. C'lrnuncy

Hobart* in '5:l, 01w year after the town was laid off. He preached

the first sermon to a popn lation of probably two hundred people, here in :Mankato and the country around. I clicl not know there

wc:re so many then.

'!'he first resident preacher was Brother B. Y. Coffin. ** There

may have been a preacher here before. J clo not know. But he

came in the spring of 'i'i5, and settled on a claim at Spring Jslarnl,

only one-half mile from my borne. B. Y ., came to this country

for his health, but became very active as a preacher, preaching all over the county. He preached in this City. Then he preachell at Vernon Center ancl JVIaplcton. J don't think we ever appreciatell

H. Y. Coffin ~s we onght to have clone. He di eel in Mimwapol is

two years ago. 'J'ltc•n, is anotlt('I' alllong us now wlto c·a11w lil'n' in ';ifi, l S<!e

* This is <lonbted by wany of the old settlers. =!::f, Rev. Jas. Tomson had residcrl. at rvrankato over a year before Rev. H. Y, Coffin came

o IVIi11ncsota.

I2 J/an!mlo--//s First Ii"fty i·ears

liim present today, I rnean Brother Priec. He cn.rn(i in '5ii and took drnrgc of a ·welsl1 mission in South Berni.

The ne:-;t pre,1c·her that O(uns to rnc wa~ .John Km·ns. He came and took a claim like all other preachers. Brother Kerns was a noble man. In the fall he held a quarterly conference. I received my first appointment in '5G under John Kerns. He was a good preacher. He came to us from Indiana and gave his active life to this state. He preacl1ed in this town in 'GO, the time Sen­ator Wilkinson went to the Senate. He turnerl his house over to Brother Kerns. He said, "MoYe right in and lini on my earpets and l1se my stores. There is a woodshed of wood. Just take pos­session ancl kl•cp hon"P until I C'Ollll' honw fron1 \Vashington."

Another preacher that came to om state as a frontier preacher was Albert G. Perkins. I want that name to go into history. He followed Brother Kerns as presiding elder. He settled in LeSueur County and lived upon a small salary. He was a great reader. His business in Indiana was a hatter. He preached in this town at a camp meeting.

One other I wish to mention, who preached in this county, bnt. 110t in this town. He was then stationed in St. Peter. This was Brother 11. A. Judc1. :Vlinnesota wa::; not settlecl by the lower class of J>Mple. It was settlerl by the best hloo<l from the East. EYCiry man that hac1 grit an<l sense enough to leave New England came to Minnesota and the preachers came along too. We should honor Brother Judd. He was the son of a New England preach.er and a noble young man. I wanted a man to go to Blue Earth City to preach. I was the only preacher in the Blue Earth Valley and I gues::; theonly one wc•st to the l'acifi(' ocean. [ "ent to Brotlwr Juclcl, saying, "ATC you willing to leave your work and go to Blue Earth City without a salary?" His an,;1H'r wa:-; '"l'dl Rrotlwr Powell I have just been waiting for the call." There was a man nJtcr my own heart. He built the fin;t church arnl l ha(1 tlw honor of furnishing the trees to make the lumber. He used to work on that church all day without his dinner. The people were living on johnnie cake and potatoes in 1857 and he was ashamed to go ancl eat what he thought they needed themselves, so he would go into tlw woods and fast l'or hi" <limwr, and th(•n go honH' for l1i" supper.

Orn· otlwr nanw l ,;hall nwn!ion lwforn l vlo"<', \\'hivh lll<Hlc-,;h forbids nw to say rnncli aliont.. I might ,;av that on tlw rnntc>rnni :oi<l<• 1 c·a!lw from 1,;ngli"h lilno<l of ~forth Carolina, nrnl on the pa-

First /'resbyfrrian ("lwrd1

ternal side I came from the Welsh hloocl of Pennsylvania, but I,

myself, was born in Indiana chiefly, in 182:!. I came to this town

in '55. I was induced to come through Brother Coffin. He wrote such glowing lett<>rs of Hlne Earth <'Ollnty that I :-<nppost>d it to be a large scttll'ment a.rn1 a fine farn1ing countrv and sol came. I caiur•

(1own Agency Hill on October 10, 1855. I staid at Coffin's that

night. Brotfwr Kerns appointed me preacher at Mankato and I

am here yet. I remember one winter the snow was very deep. '!'here were no side\\·,dks and no ,rnr of ('!earing the s110\\· frorn the

streets. It was impossible for people to get to ehurd1. Henry Shaubut took his team of oxen arn1 a hoh slei1.d1, and brought me a

congregation. I hnn• preaelwd all oYer the ( 'ount_r, and now tlwy

<'all me "preacher at large." I preached all the way from forty to scvenh S(•1·mons a yPar. I was among the firnt preachers in

Mankato and I wish I could give twenty years more of my life in

lwlping to build it.

FIRST PRESBVTERIA.N CNURCtt. COMPILED FROM PAPERS WRITTB:N BY ELDER GEO. H. BREW­

STER AT THE LA YING OF THE CORNER STONE IN 1893, AND

BY REV- GEO. w. DAVIS AT THE SEMI-CENTENNIAL ANNI­

VERSARY OF MANKATO IN 1902.

'L1hr First Presbyterian Church of Mankato is the p10necr

Protestant drnrch of the Minnesota Valley. In June 1853, Elder .TanwR Hamu, who <·anw frorn tlw Presbyterian churclt of Heynold,;­

hurg, Ohio, organized the first Sabbath school. In the spring of

1804 Rev . .Tames Thomson of Crawfordsville, Indiana, arrived and

began preacl1ing, arn1 as a result of his labors the Chnrch was or­gani;,:cd Aug. ;n, 18:55-three years prior to the organization of'

t lw Synod of :.\{inne,;ota. Tlw following seventeen perrsons reeei\'l·d

by ldter from eastern churches constituted the membership of the new church: Maria H. Thomson, ,Juliet Thomson, Mary Ann

Thonrnon, Wm. H. Thomson, Amos D. Seward, Pleiades B. Seward, Fre<1 Dwight Scwar(1, Henry Schuler, Jonathan B. Stanley, Nancy

Hanna, l\Jnrgarst Ann Hanna, Sarah .Jane Hanna., Cornelius Van­nie<-. Susan \'anni<·(•, (!Po. ('. Clapp, :.\laridta ('Japp and Sanil1

i\faxfiel<l. A. D. Seward was cleetetl Rlder, and was the only elder the

'-I- .1/a11/wto-/{s l·i·rst hjty i·care

chnrch ha'1 until February 1st, 1860, when tl1ree acklitional elders were elected.

Tn tlw 1\ntmnn of 1855 the log school house was built where

the l 1nion school now stnrnh;, all(l for 1iearly ten years the clrnr<·li n:wcl tliis lmi]iling as a place of' worship. In 1858 the clrnreh had

grown to a mcmher:-sliip nf' fort\. An attempt was then made to liuild a !Hnu;p of' won,hip, hut the linancial crisis through ,d1ich the country was llwn passing not only lkfcnb•1l this projl'd but also s<'attcrcd thl' !iH'llll>er:s until thl' 11H·11ilwr~liip ,ms r<'dll('<'d to 1warlr om•-half. In ,Januar_1· lS(i:!, Fatlwr 'l'Iiornson, who had :-sc•rw•d tlw

clmrc.h as ifo minisfor sin<'e the beginning in 1s:;:;, dose,l his labors

with ii. lfp to thi:c; time tlw church had n·cPi\'C•<I no ai11 from tll<'

_i\fo.;simrnry Boanl, and lw liad Hl'<'cptccl only :such conipcn:,;alion as ilie nwrnhers frlt able to giYc him.

Jn the Fall or 1:-\(i:l, the l'hurd1 canw urnkr tliu can· of the

~lissionar_y Hoard, which sPnt to it Ht>,·. J!nrnb II id::s. :--icw hop,·s

being· now awakened, a lot was purchasl'd--Lot l in Hinck :l-t-at· a co,;t of ;;mo. arn1 the fonrnlntion for a bnil<ling was laitl. It was

intended to build on tlw rear ol' the lot, fronti1,g· on lfickon· stn·Pt, lrnt later, on the petition o[ rnarn· of the suh:.;eribers, thi,;

foundation was taken up and re-laid on the front of the lo(:. Jn tlw Autnrnn of' rnc;;3, l\ir. Hi(•ks was cnn11wlled h_y reason of foil­ing health to gin· up his ,rnrk here, arnl retnrn to tlie 1':ast, wlwrP

he di-<.•<l soon aftvnnu1l. The da_vs follml"ing l1its dqrnrh1n· \\'l'l'l\ tlw

(larlm,t in the history o[ the church. lt is sai(l that. cluring the winter o-f 18G:{--t there was neither church service. prayer meeting

nor Sunday sd10ol.

In niay l8G4, Rev. A. G. Ruliffson, synoclical mi:c;sion:n_\·,

visited the field, to firnl a discourag-0il clmrdi in a town of 1,rioo inhabitants, all(l not a Protestant church lrnilcling in the place.

Hnt nncler his encouragement active work waf" again commenced.

Aid was prnmif'cd from the Boal'(] of Church Erection, and huiltl­

ir~ wns at once resnme<l. The chnrd1 raised what furnls it ,nis nhle to, othN ('itizcns s11hserihe<l, an<l in J)eeembcr 18(i4, lkv.

'l'hnnrns lVfarslrnll came as its pastor, bringing with him as a Christ­

mas gift l'i·om the l\ladif-'on Square l'rc,sli_dl'rinn ('hur<'li ol' :-Jew

York, one tl1ousnnd ,lollar;-; to hl'lp JJHY for (he <'llllreh lmilding, whi<'h was compktP(l in ts(,;; nrnl 1kdi<·ntPd on tlw ,th ol' Sl•pt1•n1-her of that year.

At \.he snm<, <!ale Rev. 'l'hornas J\'farshnll was installecl as itR pastor. rTc was its flrst pastor, as .fames 'J1 homson and Marcus

First l'rcsl>yt,,n·,rn Cllllrclz

l--!icks ,n•r<' not instnll(•d, but aded ratl1l'!' a,: 111issionaril'S. At this t.inll' ,tlso the church Yoted to p<1y the pastor a salary of one thous­and clollars, and to reccirn no further aid Jro111 tlw i\li,;sionary Board, and from that ti11H' it has IH'l'll ,c•II' ;.:nppnrting. Mr. Mar­shall sontinucd liis pastnrat<' until ;\la_r, 18(i\J. During this tinH' nindy were rreeirPtJ into the c·lrnrch on confession of' f'aith, a]l(l one hunclretl ancl two by letter.

Thosci who 110\\' sit in onr ,1·arm and co111fortahle el111rel1 can ha rd ly realize the• incom·l'llicnl'es \\'Ii ich our J'ric•1l( I;; su ffored in tlw old l'irnn·l1. Jt was heated by t\Yo ho.\ si.01·c•s, \\'hich stood in tlw hro J'ront corn(•rs, from \l·hich :stnn• pipl's ran the wlrnl(• length ol' tlHi lrnilding to the chinme_rn in the rr•ar. In the• colcle,,t w<'ather they ,1·en· not snlfieient to make the room ('Otnfodablc-, <·specially t1nder f'oot. 1-'0 sqnan• blnC'ks of hard wood ,1·t•ni proYided and ill',ltPcl nt th<' stows on Snndav mornings so tlwy could hr taken into the lll'WS and nsr,l as font warmers. l t soon lwenrne the regular habit for the hcarl of the family to take as rnm1,1· of these blol'ks as lw had laclirs with him, aml carry them np the aisle to his pew. ,\fter so111c years a great improY(•ntent was rnarfo b_,· digging a cellar under tlH' lmilding, in which the sto1·es were placed, and hot air conyeyed into the arn)ic·nre room by long narrmY slit::; cnt in the floor of each pl'\\'. TlH•,;c ]10,.n•n•r \\'l'rt' found ,;nmc•,1·hnt ineom·c·ni('Ht wlll'n

C'hildrcn drop1wd tlwir pennies on the floor. J n Odoher 18G0, ReY . .Joseph B. Little lwcnmc the pa::;tor, and

tlw snlan· was raisecl to ij;l,500. Jt was with some rnisgiYings that this was clonP, but at the (m<l of the year it wa~ fonncl that they had not only paid' tlw pastor\ salar~· promptly, lrnt lwd also pnid up a clrnrd1 rlcbt of about il\2,200, n111] hacl raised in all for salary, tlc•ht anrl henernlences nearly $i'i,000.

Tlw first four years of J\Jr, Little's pa1<torate m're years of .in­en·asecl adivih in both church aml Sunclny school. The clrnrch 1rn:-:. r<'\Hlin•d at a eost of about ~2,000, and at tlw sa111e tinH' tlH• f'Ontributions wcr(' largely inc:rC'ase(l, and rnan_r nrlrlitions made to it~ 11,ernhcrship. Bnt th<' _YC'ar 1:-;:·--1 pas>'('d without onl' aclclitio11 •in c-odession or l'nith. '!'his was a _\.(',lr of spiritual dearth through­out the wholl' s_rnorl, whiL·h lecl to the lwlcling ol' a clay of fasting-, lrnrnilialion nncl prn_Y('r by all the f'lmrchcs. Soon after this H.ev. ll. P. Wellon,- an c•vang<'list, canw to nssist the pasi.nr for a :few W<'('b. GrPat interest was aronf'c•d hy his cffort.s, so that 'Y8 new

111c•n1bers wore reccivcl into the church. Mr. Litll<''s pnstnrat(• ('onti11t1<'ci 1111fi_l .July 1, 1Ki-l1, a JH!riocl of

.1/anlwto-Its First Fifty J ·ears

nearly twche years. There were received into the church during this period .226 on confession of faith and 161 by letter. On Feb. 21, 1870, Rev. Father 'I'homson, who still remained· a member, was made Pastor Emeritus.

t )n the firRt ~unday in Fclinrnry, 1H82, 1-le\·. Geo. C. Pollock <'nl(11·cd upon his work as pastor. His term continuec1 until May, ] .C:Si'. During these years there wa;, steady growth, and there were a1l1lc<l to the church 112 rnemhcn;-(i7 on <·onfos,:ion and 4.'i hy letter. Aftn }Ir. Pollock\:. resignation the elrnrch was without a 1.•astor for fifteen months, during the first fonr of which, the pulpit was supplied by Rev. Ralston D. Irwin, who came from McCor­mick Seminary, being at the time under appointment to work in tlw foreign field in the Autullln of that year, and in September, 1887 he left for his mission work in :Mexico. But he died Feb. !J, 1888.

In August 188~' Hope Mission wm: organized in the north part of t~ris town, where it now hm: a neat chapel, and is a branch ol' the mic:sionary work of the church. In August 1888, Rev. ,John Bar­bour comrneneer1 his pastorate which continuecl to March 1, 1893. During hit-i minii-Jry tlwru were added to thP c-hurch 128 on con­fession and 715 by letter.

The chureh building was now found to be too small for the growing congregation. :-len·rnl projects for Pnlarging it were dis­cussed, hut the majority seemed to be in favor of buildi_ng a new church of more modern design. At length a subscription was ~tarted, and th(• amount subscribed-about $:25,000-seeming to warrant the expense, the lot on which the church now stands, front­ing 99 feet on Broad street, ·was purchased, and the old church site was sold. 'Nork was immediately commenced, and the corner stone was laid with appropriate ceremonies on July '.l, 1893. The last :-:enice in the old ehurch was held ,1uly 13_, 189-!. The congrega­tion then moved into the lecture room of the new church, which they occupied until 18% when the main auditorium wa:-: complete<l.

On Oct. 30, 1893, Rev. Lee W. Beattie was installed pastor. On Sept. 27, 18!JG, the ehnreh buil<ling being now finished, was (lcdicatccl. 'I'hrcc of its former pastors were present: ,J. B. Little, Geo. C. Pollock and .T olm Barbour, and assistecl in the serviceR. 'l'hP c:errnon wa:-: preachec1 hy He,· .. \ndrpw B. 71fol<1rnm.

l\fr. Beattie resignC(1 March 8, 1900. aml on May 21, Rev. Geo. W. Davis, was nnanimm'isly elected pastor, hut as he was then en­gagPll in pn:-:toral work in Paris he deelinctl. He had occnpic<l

lite Cal lwlic Clturclus

our pulpit during the winter of 18%-7, while Mr. Beattie was incapacitated by reason of illness. During the period from June 1900 to August 1901, the church was without a pastor. The pul­pit wa~ supplied liy rnrion:-; rnini:-;ter:-;, and in tlic :-;u111nier of moo by Rev. Chas. R. Adams, who had been engaged to take charge of Hope :\fission. Feb. 28, 1901, He\'. U!'O. W. U,nis was again 11nani111ou:-:­IY elected, and thi~ tirnl' lw acccpkd, 1n·oyid!•d tlic eli11rcli \\'ould wait until his engagement in Paris should terminate the next suH1-

rncr. During a large part of this i11h•ri111. tli!' pulpit wm: stqipli,•d by Rev. Dr. Kirkwood. In the latter part of August 1901, Mr. Davis arrived and was installed Oct .. 24, lDOJ.

The membership of the church April l, 1902, numbered 50.5; that of the Sunday school 465. The contributions for all purposes during the year ending at that date amounted to $4,292.73.

The Catholic Churches. By ARTNlJR- SCNAlJB, Es<J.

When we speak of history, we generally mean the story of the birth, growth and fall of nations. But we who have gathered to­gether this week, for the purpose of looking back but fifty years to the time when our beloved little city was born, cannot but be im­pressed with the fact that even in this half-century, and in this humble locality, e\'l'nts han' taken place, and 11H'll ha\'c lirnd and toiled for human advancement, whose memory should not die like the leaves of summer, which in spring bud forth like a dream of beauty, and in auhmm lie seattcrecl arnl neglected Ly evcr_v road­side. And as we live in a Christian land and in a Christian era, it is indeed most proper for m; this Yer_,· first day of our semi-centen­nial to remember and recognize the work clone by the churches of this city. Among these there is not one whose history is of more absorbing interest than that of till' Catholic church.

It was the knowledge of this fact that prompted me several years ago. to tlw publication of n work \\'hieh would prescnl' to future generatim1s the memory of the most important facts of that thrilling history. It is the know l1"dge of this fact that prompted me again to accept the inritation of tlw <'on1111iltP!; to is)WHk to you today on this subject.

1S Jlanhalo -Its J,i"rst 1-i'fly )'cars

Fifty yc•nrs ago when Uiu fir:-st 8Cttlrrs came lwrc to live, there

Wl'l'l: two Catholics among them: ,/acob (ineutlwr and l'L·tcr Hracn­;,;cl. The following year, came the following Catholics: Bern­hard Brnggt•rn1,m, ,John Bnwl,;, ,Joc1<'ph Frolnwrt. Hln,;iu:-; Yoli,;t, l,pyj l,ottl10ff nncl ( 'IL·tncnt,; h:ron, who 01w1wd the first hotP] lwre.

ST. PETER'S AND ST. PAUL'S CHURCH.

In thl· ;.cpring nlld ;.cnmnier of 18.i-J, the list of Catholics w,1s

innc,n;ctl by M iehad Kauffmann, ,\dam Frcunlll, Anton ,Jacoh.1· 11·itlt wife nnd litth: 1lm1ghtcr(nnw Hr;;;. HPhnstinn Zirnrnrrman, of' thi:-; city) and Henl'V Hnntng.

Howeyrr it was in the fnll of 1851 tlrnt ,t strnng impetus wns

gi \'\'ll to 1 IH: C,ttl1ol ic c·n11se in M nukato, wlH·n scw:n thoronglily

Tiu: :'at!zolic- C/1urc/1cs

Catliolic rnen wl10 were perrneate(l with a warm ieal for the faith

they profossed, having already had :Mankato and vicinity pros­pcd.cd U1rnugh one Anton llg whom they had sent before them,

left their homo at St. Charles, J'llo., aml set out for Mankato, with

tho intention of making it their pcrmaucnt home. These seven

11w11 11·cre: Davill Hcit1winkcl, Pder Sdrnlte, Frank Borgmeier,

i\lichael llnnd, Philip Ho<lnpp, Jlemy \"able aml Leo Lamm. or these stanm·h arnl trudY nH:n lmt two lian) lin:d to sec this jubilee,.

Frank Borgrneier and Philip Hodapp. The latter\; robust form,

unbent by age and the hardships of piouec'l' lifo, we see here in the

illi<bi of Oll/' g·atl1eri11g eridcnilr a:s fresh and lll',ll'l._l" a:s ()11 the dav

wh('ll lw ldt St. Charles nearly a half centllr,Y ago.

Tra1·eling in those days was greatl_1· <liirl'n'nt from 1diat it is

t()(la_1·. Although this part_v ldt St. Charles on Aug. ;zs, the? did

not anirc at J\fanlrnto until Oct. 1.3. Dming that time they cn­

cmmterec1 clangers, privations, hanhil1ips and difficulties innumer­able. 'l'hey hac1 withstood a severe attack of tho cholera, had been

shipwreeked on the Mississippi, and long \\'eeks of fatigue and trav­

el harl worn clown their robust frames.

\Yhen they arri wd here they found ffrc log houses aml t1rn

frame shanties. It was JHankato in all it:s glory. On nll ~ide,: strt'tclwd out i 111 penetrable fores ti-'.

'l'lw_r \H'rc in tlw mifld of tlie gTent wil<lel'll('c<<'-tlm'c da_\"l-'

di:stant from St. Paul wlH'llvc all prnrisio11s a11d supplie:s had to IH_, frtclH'll. Xo clrnrch and school awaited them lien•. )/o priesl

had P\'CI' bc(!ll here to giro their jJl'Pd<•l'<'cSSor:,; the ,·ou"olations o[

their rl'ligion. Other than Olll' ot· t\\'o zealous missionaries who

hall tntYeled orcr this, as l,,u·y other wilderness of Amcriea, with

the burning desire to ·wrest from c1arkncss the souls of the Hcd

lll('ll, no priest had ewr sd foot on this soil.

'J'o tho everlasting credit of these seYen men from St. Charles, and their pre<lecessors also, b(, it Rpohn that although as _vet tlwy

were in a wilderness where a ruc1o block house was considered a

mansion, although they lacked all of the comforts of life and near­

ly all its necessaries, although ~urrournlc<l by tlicse rnst forc>sts filk<1

with Indians, altl1ough years of patient work cutting clown these

mighty forests ancl clearing the brush had to ho done before the soil ,rnul<l yield tn th1,m1 tlic first liarr<'st, altlio11gh RllrromHl<'<l by all

these hardships, all these clangers, their rirst thought was to fourn1

a chureh for themselves ancl their suece;.;:-;ors. Tlic Ji.rst meeting for

this purpose was hold soon after, on the Sunday between Christmas

,2() Jfanlwto·- Its h'rsf l;~lty rears

and New Year, the 30th of December 1854, at Kron's Hotel, a simple log house. This was, we may say, the fourn1ation of the Catholic congregation of Mankato, and it seems but jnst to mention those present. They were Frank Horgmcier, John Bruels, Peter J<'raenzel, Karl l<'rolmert, Jacob l+uenther, David Heidwinkel, Philip Hodapp, 11Iicluwl Hurni, ,\nton ,Jacoby, 13lasius Yobst, ( 'lemenh\ li. ron, Peter Schulte, l-lenr.v Sontag and Henry \rah le.

Rirnilar meeting~ were ht>ld <1uring the spring aiicl summer of 185!3. The first step to take was lo hnv a site for a church. The presm1t Fifo was soon seled('fl, and l'. K. Johnson generously do­nated one-half of it; the other half was bought for $200 with money a(lvance\l by Michael Hund, a gentleman who was truly the leader arnong those who founder'l our congregation, who was always will­ing to give his sen-ices and money for the purpose of advancing the interests of this work. It was he also who donated to the congre­gation in this year 1855, for the purpose of having the same serve as a church, the log house on the claim right owned by him about one mile ea,,t of present location of drnrch, on the Agency road. This hlod: housp lrnilt of lwwn logs, :.!-1 foet long and rn feet wicfo, smToundcd by forests on every side, was the first church of Blue Earth County.

The first mass read in the county was read by Father A. Ra­rnux, who will ever be remembered as the Indian missionary of J\Iinnesota. It was read in the log house oecupiecl by Michael Huml, three and a half miles from this city on February 2nd, 1855. Father Rayoux wais on one of his great and arduous tourn through the forests and on'r the prairies of :\finnesotn, S<'Pking the salvation of souls among the red men and hanly pioneers. He stopped as H ~uest at Michael Rurnl',; for the night, an<l in thl' 1110rning, afte~· reading mass, again departed. Tims it ":as that but few of the Catholics here had an opportunity to attend.

The latter part of June, 1855, a great eYent occurred in the historr of thP congregation. Bishop ,Joseph Crdin, the first bishop of :Minnesota, like the good Z.l!ttlous shepherd that he was, came to look after his little flock at :Mankato. His journey from St. Paul was made in a common wagon arawn by a team of horse", with but one companion, a rlerical st\Hlent. lfo remained several days and arlministere<l the consolation:-; of rrliµ;ion to the faithfol band of Catholics at 1\fankalo nn<l <'n<·ourngPd tli<'lll in ilwir rPsolntions to build a church. On .June 2-lth, lie, celebratet1 the first public mass in Blue Earth county. It was attended hy all the Catholics in this

'//I(· catlzolic ( J1urdl(•s

,·i('iuity. 'I'l1cy ('1lltll' from far ,1rnl rn•ar in illl'ir 1n1gons, rnmd.h

drawn by oxen. As there were no scats in the log house which scned as a clrnrch, those who could not dispense with· that great luxury, brought their chain, with them. All the arrangements for this august occasion ,vcrc of the most primitive and crncle kind,

lrnt oh! how willing were the hands that made them. At this mass ,J olrn Hrncb and Henry Sontag offieiaterJ as a c:hoir, singing n choral maf's. 1 need not say i.lrnt their only accompaniment ,_-ere

Uic little binls twittering on the trees outside. !11 tlw afternoon of tlw same clar Bishop ( 1rdin bapti,;ed dL·rc•11

chil<ln1 11; am'ong them ,Josq,11 Kron, said to l>e the first male 11·liitl'

l'!iild horn in OJ!!' cit,r. AJter this he liar! a long l!l'art to !wart talk ll'itli the llll'll of his little iio<'k; lH' tlH•11 l'!lconrngcd thl'lll in tlw ,rnrk of building, and prorni;sefl to f'Clld a pastor as ;,oon as IH· p<N,ilJly ccmlcl.

As night camc·on Lefore he had finished his work here, he arnl his companion spread their Llankets and coats upon the floor of the log house and slept as peaceably as upon a bed of down-while Henry Sontag relieved his feelings after his musical effort of tbe 11wming, hy rni>'ing a huge smudge all niglit long, to keep away tlw trnul,h,:-;orne mosqnitos from tlw rncfo hut ,rherc l'l'poc:cd the find. ( 'at.holic Bishop of 1[imwsota.

'!'lie next rno1·ning, aJtcr haring again rL•,ul 11rn>",:;, ,tnd aftc•r ha ring partaken of a lnxmious breakfast eonsisting of boiled po­tatoes all(] bacon, the precious remnants of which were cardnlly

saxcd up for the rl'turn journey, the noble bishop nm1 his assistant (fopartecl. On his way lw halted at the farm of Philip HO(lapp nncl baptized Philip's el<1est son, John B. Such was the simple self-sacrificing lifo of Minnesota's first Catholic bislrnp.

11 is risit hen' wm; of gniat i rn1inrtanr·c'. 1-1 is ,rnnls, hut r•n•11 rnore his cxamplL•, sti11llllatecl the Catholics hl']'(' to pnl('.l'l'<l with all dispatch in the ronstrnetion of a church building.

There is an inh'rc:-:ting mcmoraiHlnm book still extant, uow the prnperty of .Mrs. Philip Hoclapp, which in early <lays wa8 kL,pt li,v ,John Brnels, Sl'l'l'l'tarr of tl1<• tir,;t lrnilcling co111inittL'<'. This show,; that irnmcdiatelyo,1/'kr tlw bishop's visit a snhseription list was started; arnl alrca<ly on the 2"2m1 or .Tuly, 18,>:i, work \\·as eOJ11-

mencr<l upon n '.storn, church. Luclwig Voh ha<1 the <'rmtrnrt for the st.one \\'ork, a]](l Clot t fried Hohel had !ht' c·ont nt('t lo clc>l i \'l'r the I nm hrr arnl frn nH· 1rork. A 11 tli<' l 1mtlH'r nsr,l was h_y Ji im and his

men sawed by li:md; ns there ,nm as _yd. no sa11· mill here.

,Vankato-lts l·irst Fi/ty ) "curs

Tlw work prngn'l-'1-'l'(l slowly for lack of rPaciy money. To

undPrstaud the sacrilic:l'S tlwse early sdtlPr:-; rnade you mnst re­

llH'mi>l•r that as _\'l't tlw1· werl' cll',iring- tlw f'orc,st prirnl·Yal, and that

no rich lrnn(•sts had glnd(kned tlic:ir lwnris an(l rcwar!1cc1 their hhors. '!'lw rn'l'essari(•s of life liad to lH' brought from St. Paul hy 1rngo11; as tlwn· \\'('1'\' no Hom 1nills, tlw little wlwat they ha(l, had

io lw grournl in tlwi r coffee rn ills. l 'nder siwh ei renmst.ancl's the lrnildi11g ol' n slorn, l'llllr('li, cYen though it WM, a <"lllall one, ,ms in­

d()('(! a great \llH krt nking. Luckih Uw _\'l'Hl'>i 18,"i;i arnl 18:i(i hrong·ht n large nHmher ol'

( 'a.tholic sdtlns lo ~[nnlrnto. Hn(l tlii;; not been tlH· ca::;c', the ,rork

ilrnt handful ol' llll'll ha<l so bol<lly 1rn<krtnkeu c011ld not lnwe he('n

,lc<·ornplislie<l ,,·itliout tlw rno;;t lH•roie saerific<•s.

Dming this time lfoY. Yirnldi, tliu Indian 1llis,-,ionary station­

l'd at the '.Vinnl'hago ,\gL·ney, on RCYeral Ol'easions read mas,; for the

Mallkaio C'Ol\c(T<>.gation in their log clmrcl1. ITc also marrie<l Sl!\"­

Pral couple,; of onr congregation. 'iY<· fintl no mention am·,,·hcn'

of the riC'h attire n[ the briclesrnai<lf', for in tlw place of that de,lr nll<l preciou:c; co1111110(lit.1· of lll()(kn1 life, rnen ha(! to be e1nployecl

as witm•;,se,; o( the (•('l'l'll,ony.

:\fareh Hith, 18:')(i is n gala day in tlw history oJ 01u· c011grL•­gatio11, for 011 that dn_r m-ri,·ed the pastor so long de;,ired-Fatlwr

Yall'nti1w Som111l'I'l'iscn, who l'('mai1wd l1ere J'or OY('l' 1-b _\'l>.ars, building 11p ,rith a Z(>.al \\·01·tl1y of nn npnstll' not only tlw rnngrc­

g•1tio11 at :\lnnkalo, lint dozl•ns or otlwrs in :-loutlH'rn }limwsoia; Jl('rforming work which at the pre:oent time, in spite of mmkrn ('()!l\'('Jli('ll('(':-' Hlld ('Oll\'('_\'nll<'('t-,, Sl'('}ll;-, to Ill' lJl'YO!ld tlw ]JO\\'('}" of an1·

Olll' 111,rn, IH'H'I' allowing him:-;ell' a 111nllll't1t ol' r(•st, lwrdt. of all t]I('

luxmic'f-, all thr cornfortt! of Ii fe, whose Ii f'e tlie morr I study it thl· more I admire as the type of the Christian 8lwphcr<l 11·hose one anfl

only th011ght i;; for the flock Christ has cntrnskcl to his care.

His fiel<l of work lay in ;rn towns and Yillagcs in H cli/forrnt

countie:s, and all tlie nist territory lying bd\\·ccn them. He visit­rd all 01· tlH'8l'. :'\o railroad connt'l'ted them in thosl' (lays. i\lost of his hips Wl\l'{' nu1<fo on horseback over dangerous paths arn1 roa<ls.

A trip o[ on'r a lnmclretl miles to sec a lrnrnlful of pioneers in the

fore:-;ts w,l:-; n fr<,q1wnt O('l'\11Tl'l1Cl' with him. !low lrnnrnn natun•

eonld hear up undl'r sll<·h work all(l priYations, it is hanl for us in this <iaY to nrn]er;.,bmrl.

,\s lillld1 of l<'atlH•1· Solltlll!'l'l'isPn\ tillt<' w,1s t.akl'n ll]l liy thl'H' l<nH•Jy and <laugcro11:-; trip;;, lll' at lirst n·nd 1m1;;s at -:\lankato 011h

Tiu Catl,olic C/111rdus

011c Surnlny in eadi 1uo11Lh; later on cn'r.)' bro \\"eek:;; ancl after new sheplwnls umic in to cliYi1le Lhc large iicld with him, he wa::; here every Surnlay.

Of cirnrse the prie,;t needc:il a parsonage; and as the log liou:-c on .\genc-_1· Hill ,ra;-; still 11,;(•d a,-; t]a, church and it could not hl~

spared, a ~mall conwr in it-largl' e110ugh f'or a HJHll to lie dmrn in, was a,;,;igne<l to !Jilli. Tlwn• he lin•d, cooking hi,; mrll 1ucab,

which nr(' ,;aid to ha1·1• h<'l'Jl ,;o simplP that tlH•y were barely :,;uffie­irn t to keep liod,r and c<ou l !og<"tlwr.

FATHER SOMMEREISEN.

,\11d l1c•n• nllmr 1111· to dign•:-s J'ro1u n1y :-uhjl·d long l'llllllgh to .-,ay, that whcll I 11w11tion ,;uch wum•,; a,; Bi,;lwp ( 'rdin, Fatlwr

Harnux, Fath('r Son1n1nl'i,;en, I inrnluntarih· <'all to lllind all the hundreds and lmndrcds of zealous Catholic pri<~Hh; 1rho in the early time" of our hi;;torY, d(•YotPd tlwir ]in•;; to tlw ctlllSl' ol' ( 'hristiauitl" in the wil<ls of America. H it i;; heroic to lire in the wihlcrness IH•rpfi ol' th<' <·rn11fort" ol' Iii'<•, to a:-"ol'iat<• 1rith tli<• "antgt'" of tlH• l'or(•"t~, lo trarer;;l' l:hc wilds ill the face oJ diHicultil's and dmig<'I"",

2.J ,J/a11/w/o-/Ls FirsL "Fz/ty ) "cars

to suffer hardship;; vari011s an<l inrn1111e1·alile, for the purpose oC bringing \rn('k to ('lirisL a f<•w lost soul:-:, il' l\iis is li,•roic, ll1l'11 t\w

Catholic Chnn'.h in .\u]('rica is rich in hc,roc>:'. Our history "Will prolinhlr 11w11tion ln1t a f<·11· oi' tlws<' limn· lllt'll: liut I do lil'iit•vt• that kint1 angels aboYt! an! faitld\111r writing thf'ir history, anti

wlH·n it is openctl to UH' gm-:c o[ mankirnl, the splf'rn:lor oI s011w of tlw liriglit<1st naJll<':-< in liistor'" 1rill h,·<·0111t' dirn,lli'sid<' that ,d' 11n111<':-<

long since forgott,·n ancl Ull n!rnrrn hnl'il.

Thn'c months after Fatl1c•r Somm,'rC'iSL'll'::, arrintl a110Uwr n/\­r,rnc-<' \Y,lt-' m,ul<'. Tlw ('lillr('lt and p:1rsonag<• \\'t'I'<' 1nnrt'd; in otlwr words, the log house on J\gcncy Hill 1rns torn down, the roof sawed

into four parts, nrnl all the paris <lrnggcd to a place imme<liatcly back of the stone clrnrch in course of construction; anc1 there it was again pht together.

'!'he work on tlw nc\\' church ,,;till prngrc•s,-;ptl. Frnn1 Scph'lll­bcr 21 to 29. 1856, Father Weninger held the first mission in J\Ian­kato. He expressed the wish to be able to gi 1·c his last sermon in the new church, and the idea was enthusiastically seized upon hy all. The men of the parish, the sermon OH'l', went to work with a

will. The church was finished and the closing c:ercmonil's of the mission were held in the new church. 1t was a solemn occasion. The people marched in procession from the old church to the new. The men had brought their guns, and as the procession proceeded the men turned facing Main Street am1 c1ischargec1 their glms as a

joyous :-;nlntc. Prornl men they ,n·n, that clay. The new clrnn11

thereafter ,vas usc1l for all sen-ices and the log l10nsc bnck ol' it lw­

came the spacious rc~i<l<'ncc of l11 ntlwr Sommcreiscn. He ot·cupi<'tl it as sucli for nine years.

As yet no deaths hatl occurred in the parish, all(1 therefore no thought had been given to the purchasing of a cemetery. But on January 4, 1857, Mary Eschbach died, the first death in our par­ish. To provi<h• for a church U'llll'krY tlwr now bought f'i\

acres of land on North Sixth Street, which for many years served the congregation for a burial place.

W c ha vc alrca<ly seen that John Brncls and Henry Sontag, t'ould wlwn oc<•n,,;ion n'qnin•tl, act as a choir. Tlicv, togetlwr with .John Pohl., and other occasional assistance, constituted the choir for some years after the stone clrnrch was completed. Later a me­lodeon was pnrc-hased ,rn<l .T. B. Wicdmrnrnn became organist, and the choir nl,;o wns ronr;idcrnhly 0nlarge<l. nr. l). Follnrnn of this city, for a nurnl)('r or ycarr; nl:<o ndl'd as organist.

'/1/,t c·u1/wlh ('/1urdlf's

Tlw original stone c-lmrcli ,ms -JO red long awl .:W fed wick. It ,;oon pro,Td too ,;1°1al!, and an addition ::,· fed long· mid -l(i frL•I ,rid<• ,rn,; ,Hldl'cl lo it, and tile ol<l pnrt was rnised to l,rn stories. 'l'liis 1w1r part 1rns in cour::;c• o[ (:011,cln1dio11 from 18,i!J to 18(i:2.

One l'l'HH>ll for <·nlargiug ilH• church wns lo :-'C'('llrc• room Jor a ,;c]wnl. 'l'h<' find: s(ory of the lrni Id i ng sc•1·1 \'11 as a sl'hool ,1 nd a rc,;id<'1w11 /'or ti}(' :-:-,isl<-rs; ilw ,;(•1·011<] ,ms u~c•d as a (']l\ll'('h.

l[a:s it t•1·<·r IJt•t·n l1rnu; . .d1t ho11w to yrnt lio11· mm·h or in(f'n•:sting lii,;h)i'_I' ('HJI ('lt1s1.cr a1·011111! (Ill(• ina11i111nl1: olij1•d r .i\lanr _l"l'Hl'c' ago

a lwll 1rns i111ported l'rn111 Uern1any !'or a cht11'(·h in t.lw western part ol' tlH· lf11ilt•rl Sbttt•,-;. It 1rn:-; lirouglii all t!H: 11nr lo the, Mississip­pi a11il then, c·111IHirke1l. Jlmn'l"l'I' ill(: boat on ,rlii('h ii 1rns CHl'l'icd

l'oundt•rc•1l and ll'itli it tlH• IH•ll 1\"Pllt dmYn to tlie bottom oJ' tile ,rnl(•r. 'l'lic•r(• it n•11ini11erl !'or ,;011w ti11H·, 1tnl:il soHw pt,ople liYing on th<• hnnk,; dis(·on'l'L•d ib wl:t•n•:tl>nuts, rnist•cl it, mid sold it ,1s :-salrngt'. H 1rns bought ln· Fatl1i•!' Yirnlcli, tlw ln(lian rnissicmnry aL tl1<1 Winnclingo .\g(•nc-y. 'l'lwn· !'or s(•1·t•rnl )Cars it calk•i1 the Indian:-> to rt'ligious sc·rYic,•.,, llo1n•1·,,r, timt•:s changed, though tlw

hell did not c-h,mg-c·. Tlw \\'imwhago I udians rno1·t•d fnrtlwr on. TlH• mission was thL•rd1Jrc discontinued. The lwll ,ms again fol' snh•. Fntlwr So1n!lll'l'<'ise11 ho11glit it for tile, clll!reh at Mankato. For sonH' tinw it ,ras ;:;u,;pendcd on a wooclc•n sb'll('tuw L>ac-k of tlw dlllrch irnrn(•dintel_,. in :front oJ t]1(' log lionse, the first (';itholiC'

chur(']i of ?dm1kaln. Lat<'r a :sll't']ilP \\'as lrnilt for it on the stone, ('!111n·h arnl there rol' rnmiy }('Hrs it !11111µ: nrnl c,1lle<l tl!e wliitt, man In ti!(• :-;,nm• n•ligi011:s s,•nil'L's it had cnll,·cl ilw rl'd llHlll.

But still ti11H'S c-li,mgt•(L altlwugh tlw l>C'll cli<l no(. A m•1r l'li11n·li ,ras lmilL a l,trg('I' ])(']] s(•(·ttn•d: and nmr our liUlc IH•ll Jrnlll

( ;c•1·111111.1· 1n1s quilt- c-ont,•nt to ,;c•n·,, as a sc-liool b(•l l. I r('lllt'llll>l'r its so11rnl Yl!l',V \\'(•ll. When it call!'cl 11,; ont to play, its tones :::ec•111e(l (']1•,1r am} fresh; yet o[lc-n 11·hcn it callec1 us back, its doleJ'ul sounil 111adl• 11rn11y a littk ,;inm•r wi,-<11 that the Fathc!' or "\Yatcrs still held it i11 l1is strong Pmhrnc(~. Arnl yc•t tirncs chnngc,l, nltl1011gh the hell ,·linnge(l nnt. An(l now wlwn yo11 apprnaeh onr ccrnd.cry in the sad pro~T,-,sion that ,\('('Olllpani(•s tht• l>odr ol' a ( 'niholi(' to ib last n·sting­p1,H·('; ro11 lwnr tolling rn~1l,\" on t!w n•rndl'r:\' l·1rnpd that :-;anw li,•ll that l1a,; gone through sn 11urny Yic·issilu(les. lVLmy of' our cnn­grq.(ation has it (·,1llt-cl lo prn.1·t•r, 111am· lo all<·1·1rnl(' pln1· mu!

:-d wl_,·, arnl rnany to dcnrn l l'<'St. 'J'irnc• (ltH'S not allO\r Jill' to r•\plnin 1rlrnt part our peopk iook

in tlw lndi,rn irou\ik,; 1d1i('h !'ollo\\"L'tl. Onh one 1',1ct 1 cannoi

,llankato -its First F(fty ) ·cars

pa:-;:-; 01·f'r. At the time tlw tliirty-l'iglil Indian:-; 11·cn• iu1pri,-;onPd hl'J'(! prior to their l'Xl'l'.ntion Fatlwr l(ayoux, 1Yho111 WP han• aln•ad.1·

11w11timwd ,-;ewrnl 1.illll'", 1ra,-; :-;ent lien• to bring to tlll'll! the light of Co(l's truth if they would accept it. His infltw11cc arnl popularity

among the lndiarn; was so great that he snccccflecl hcyoncl his own

expectations. On Christnrns clay 18G'~ lie lrnpti ✓,ed thirty of tlw conclf'nlllf'll [Jl(lian:-;, Father Som11wrcit<<'n actin;{ as :,;pon,-;or. TIH:

1rnrnes of these Indians Wl:l'l: enterecl by Father Sommereis<'n into ihe baptismal rcgistPr of onr congregation, 11·liere ol' comsc they arc still to be seen. A fae simile of this entry can lw found in tlw history written by Father de Pakiscl1 and pnblislml b} me.

In Augu;;t, 1X(iK. l<'nthn ZwingP lwld tlw Sl'<·01Hl mi:-;:-;ion lwn'. On this occasion it became ap1Hn<>nt to all that the stone chmch was again getting too small for the needs ol' the congregation. The hnilding of a new clrnrch bcC'anw at once the snhjcct of serious con­sideration.

On tinn<la_Y, ,\ngm-t "2'2, 1N(i\J, at Fatlwr :-,0111111l'l'<'isl'n',-; requp,st,

the rnc-n of the parish hclrl a 1110eting at ,vhieh it was rcsoln'<l to lmilcl a new church. The follmYing nine men were elcctccl as a building Committee: Henry ·wittrock, prcsi<l<'nt; Wl·nclnl Ho­clapp, sPcretary; Steplwn 1,nrnrn, treasnrcr _; Ge0rgc Kiffe, :;\[i('luwl I-li1rnl, A ng,1,-;t W cnner, .To,-;eph Eder nrnl ,J. H. Hurke.

Father Somrncrcisen was a man who al\\'a_rs ]ookrcl far into tlw

future anrl made hi,-; arrangl·lll<'nt:-; ,H·<·or<li11gl_Y. The fntnn· 1wn•1·

on a single occasion bdic(l his cl<•ar ;.;ight<)<l jrnlgrnent. The Ger­

man Catholic clrnrd1 as it nm,· 1<tarnl" in thi,-; <·ity i,-; not tlw (·lrnn·h originall:v planned lJy hi111. That in ar<>a awl heaut~· both f'ar ,;ur­pnsserl the present onc-lrnt the ('Ost of builc"ling il \\·onlcl of cnnr,-;(' hnw been proportionately greater.

In the fall of 18G0 the f01111<latio11 o[ tlll' clrnrd1 a;,, planned

Ii~- Father Sommert>ist>n was \ai<l. In the spring ol' lH'~O. ho11·(•n•r, the work wa/;; not eontinuecl. An nnhappy rnriance of opinions

Jll'e\'ailecl in tlw congregation. One partv ,rnntec1 the \'hmch huilt as Father Sornrnereiscn had de::;ignc(l, tlw otlwr 11·,rnterl it eon,-;idN­

nhly rcc1ucecl. While }'athrr Somrncn•isPn was employing all that 1rnndednl l'lll'rg_1· of hil-', trying lo hrnn!\('11 tlw narro\\' Yision ol' th:• latter pnrt,r, lie was 1mfortn11at<:ly cnlle(I to Alsace. hi,.; w1ti1'<' ('Onnh_\', h_,· prr:-:onal 11rnttcTs. 1 [nnll_Y hn<l lw ,1niw1l thc•n! wlwn t.lw [<'ranco-l'rn,;sian ,rar broke out. 'l'ronh]r,so11w eomplicnti011s nmi, arose for him, ns he had left in his youth \\'ithout ha\'ing fir,sl

Sl'l'\'('<1 in tlw Frcn('h ,Hlll ,·. '!'Ill' r<•:-;u 11 11·a,, !hal IH' wa;; i nddinitt,l\'

Tiu Catlwlfr Cl,urdll's

c1t'tainl'c1. Hi,, phw<· hl'r<' had lH'<'ll kinporaril_Y fillvd h,· n _1om1g prie,;t nanwd Fatlil'r Ilob:er. H ,rn~ a tittH' wlwu our l'ongregation gn•atlr 1wPciPcl a n•gular pnKtor, and n•,1li;,:ing tliiK l'ad, auil not klloll'ing 1rlwn Fatlt<•r Nomillt'r<'iKl'll 1roul,l l'l'tlll'll, till' Bi,;lwp ,;t•ni our t·ongrt•gation as pa,-;tor the Ht•\'. .\11gu,;ti1w \\'irlli, who anin·d llt'rl' about ,Januar_,. 1, rnn. Fatlwr \\'irtli \\'HK a llHlll or g'l'l"lt

t'lll'rp;r conil1i1wd 1rith <·011,-;u1n1iH1h• tad. lit> l'fft•dt•d a t·ompro1ni~t• lic•hrt•<·n tlw tll'o l'ndion,; tit' tlw <·ongt·,·;.':<ltion, and the 11·ork 1ra,-;ag,1in (akl'n up with c•ntlrnsia,;u1. Tlw original plan,-; 11·c·n• nwdifit•il t·on­

,-;idt•t·ablr. Tht> clrnn·h wa,-; redlll'l'ci in ;;izt•. and trnforlunakh· al"o ,1!,'l't•ntlr in1p,1ired in t-'rn1111etrr and IH•,rntr. llacl tlw 1ri,-;c• cottll'-'t'I ol' tlw l'ar-~t•<•ing Fatlwr No11111H•n•i,-;pn pn•rniled ho11· 1nuc·l1 lidtc r it 11·onlcl lnn·c• lH•t•n.

FATHER vVIRTII.

Father \Vi rth prn<'<'P<il'd ,·igorou"ly 11·ith the• \\'ork of bu i l(I illg 1lw dlllrc-h. Frorn Felinta1·y 1.J to J(i, tlw pnri,-;h ]wld a haznnr which ndtrd ll<'HJ'i_l' lj,·t.ouo arnl \\'Hci hy 1hv !IC'\'i('\\' o[ that <latv prononm·Pcl the gn•ah•:-;t thing or ii~ kind Pvr•r ~l)l'll at 1lankato, 11p to that ii111<'. .\ 1H•1r liuilding· 1·011111li1l<·,, ,rn~ ,-;t.Jc.dvd, and tlw

nnmlwr of the committee reclnced to three: John Klein, p1·esiclent; W cndcl Hodapp, secretary and Stcplien Lamm, treasurer. The cormr stone was lai(l with great solemnity on ,J nly 2:l, 18, 1, in the )H'rsenc·c of Bishop 'l'hornas Grace.

A parsonage \\·as also built this }Car at the conH:r of J\lnllwrry arn1 Si:d.h slrc<'ls. Frnm Deccrnhcr !Jth !.o Dccelllbcr lit\1, anoUH'r ba:;1aar was hd(l. lt was JH,]d in the clrnrch \l'liich was prndically c·ompld('<l. 1\U,OOU wns rcaliz('d from this bazaar which is snid to lia1·c, ht'l'll tii(' lnrge,'1 cn'r h<'ld in tilt• Stall• 11p tn tl,nt tinll' .. \llwng· tlw articlrs disposc11 of by loti.(!l'}' were six l1or;;r~, tPn cows, Jive wngons, a hob sleigh, several sets of liarnes;s, ,;addks, a Lnge nurnlH'L'

of stoYP>', nncl other nscful as well as ornnrne11tnl gootl,,;. ,\ rter lhr c,lrnrch was completed arn1 in slinpc to hold se1·yices

in, a rnis,-,ion \\'as iiPld ii(']'(' !Jy FathL•rs ]-.;:_,1rl,,;Lwttl•r, Knn1p, and Sdmibder, nll rnernlwrs of tlw societ_v of .Jesus.

On >;oYt'mher :2:l rn~·:1, the cliurch \\'Hs dl'llicntr-<1 \\'ith 1111-prcssiye cerl'1nonie;; by Bishop Thomns Grace. It rccein\<1 tlw name or St. Peter ancl T',rnl. Prior tlwrdn onr 1rnri,-;li ,ms rnllP<l St. Philip's.

!•'at.her Wirth hac1 been srmt lwre to !Juil<l the churd1. His \\'Ork was 1lo11r. 'J'hr mamwr in \l'hi<'h it ,1·ns <lorw n•flects grc•n ;­erc-1lit upon him. He fully rrnliz<'cl tha!: ilw c·ongn'gntion ,ms tno larg\' l'or ont• prit,sl to C,HC for; and Ii<' n'c·orn111ernlt-cl that c:011w (hck·1· be irn·il.<'d to tnke charge n[ it. .\ecor(lingly tlH' ,Tec:11it FnllH'l'S were af;k<'<l to 1lo so, a)l(l tlwy C(mc-'<'llk(l. On .Tnnnary :Z'Hh, Fnther Schnitzler arriwd here. Hr wag pn,-;tor of the churl'l1 for t\\·Phc years. ITe was (]c:e;enell]y populnr, nrnl .I cnn re111emher

how much the whole congregation n'grd1Pi1 hi,-, dqrnrturn 011 Fch­nrnr_y H, 18SG. How jll(]ic·io11s it ]mil lircn to sclPct the ,lP,rnit J;"nthcrs for the work llC're hns \w('n wry eyiclPnt l'ro111 the 11.ly ilwY nrriYe<l to the present moment. Fath\'r Selrnitzlrr was s\H'C't'l'<l<'d hy Fntht>r Gottfried Fricl(:rici; on Septt>mlicr (i, 1801, he in tnrn ,ms snct•f'C'tlc>t1 liy Fnthc'r ,\lo_\'~ Sut\'r; nrnl since Octn/Jer 18\l(i tltP prt'SPnt pastor Fnllwr ,John H. \c•u,;til'h has hern in clinrg<'. All o[ the~e pastors 1mm ]incl nt thl'ir ,;i1le 1rorking \Yitl1 the111 able a;;­

sishmts. T)uring (hi,-, 1i111I' thP i111p1·01·e11H'11ts rnndl' i11 th\' <'lllll'(·h 11·1']'('

so mrn1Prnm,; nrn1 \',ninus, font I (',111 onh ;:,:i1·<' :1 gn1wr:1l s11111rn:n_y

nl' Uw most import.:mt o[ Uwrn. On Non'mlicr :rn, JR~G ,vns 11rst ll>'<'d tlw pr<',;c'n{ pip(• organ,

in place of ihc 11wlo(kon fnr111erl\' in nse.

/'/"· C((//,o!i,- C'/111rdll·s

In the year 18"1'8 the splcnclid l1igh alt1r and hrn ;;ide altar:,; were placed in the church.

]n the year 1881 were erccbxl the ;;tone :,;l.t)p;; lPacling to tlw

cm trance . .T,muary '20. rnx1 the ('httrch mi;; for the !ir;;t (illl(' Iii lir gas. During the spring ancl su mmr'r o I' J x8(i tlH' i 11 l<!rior \\"H l]:.; o I'

(lie ('hurch were painted. The furnace's ,1·cn' plncPrl in tlw cllllrC"h in ilH' year lH!)l.

In 180:l the present bcantil"11I chirnes ,rc·rc• pul'(·linst'rl arnl pbH·(•<l in the ;;tr'P)lle, ,rhicli !ind to lw n·1H11n(r•<I io hr• nlilr• to l>e:1r ihc ailclitional bunlcn.

'l'lw /'our stall!('>' :sr·r•n in l'rnnt nl' (lie ('llllr<'h arr· !lir• \\"ork o/' ,/o;;eph j\fa;;bcrg of this <"ity and \r<'n! macle in ]:-;!)-J. a11<l 18!l(i :111d

pn•Rentcd to the churcli. 'l'l1r!y nrc a cn!<lit to tlic artist. Dnring- 18% and 18\J~· lll<' nl!ar:s in ill<' <"lil!r('h ,n·rr· n·-g·ildr•rl

ni. a co:st of ;j;l ,JOil.

Hccentl_Y tlw cliurcl1 ha;; ii<'l'll l'('-(·01·r·n·<l 1ri!li a rnor ol' gnl1·,111-iied iron.

Many other impro\'cments ham hr;Pn rnarlr! which lack o[ time prl'n·nts rne from enu111erating. Sutlin· it to ,;ar the· i1llpro1·r•­rnrnts in the interior of our elmrch hare cost i11orc llHmr·_y than (IH'

lrnilding of tlw churl'h ilsPlf', 1rhil'h 1rn:s nlH>ut *-J.')',000; and today !Ii(']'(' is not n l'liurl'h in ilH· s!.d(•, or prnliahl_1· ill llH· :-.:o,·ill\\'<'"t, :s11 richly ('quippc•(l as St. Pl·t<'r and l'aul:s ( 'hur('li o/' Mankato.

In November 188f> tllC' pn•sent r·e111dcry c,011,;i;;ting of forty H(']'CS was bought. Jn J8!J;j a hanrlsouH: cliap1•l was built on ii.

In (·onnc•etion 1rith the hi:ston· of our l'lrnrC'h :should lJp llll'll­

tionerl St. .Tosepli\ Ho:spital. I•~rl'dr'd in 1WHl hv tlw Si:ste1·s ol' tlw F-\orrowfol j\fotlwr it has aln,a1ly sPc·1m·rl an rnyiahle n·p1dation 1 hronglwut Soutlwrn i\'I inneso(a anrl <'\"('n J'a I' ht'_\'l)rnl ilw c·on flnr,s o[ onr state.

On :-.:01T11ilH'r :21' anrl ·rn, li"iDf,. onr parish cC'll·hrnfrd tlw :sil1·(•r :j11hi1t,e o[ the <lc•llication of tl1Pir splendid el111rch; in t,,·o yPnr;; llHll'l' the_y will celclm1te e,·l'n rnon· <'lahorni<'ly the golrkn _juhilr·c· o/' tlw fonndatinn of tlw parisl1.

{'p to the prr,~t'llt tin1<' 1 ha1·l' conli1l<'d 111_1· n•1rn1rb to 111<· nr,1·­J11an<1atholic clnm·h, for this n'ason that tlw l1i;;tory o[ this ch11rl'l1 is !lie hi;;tory of holh tlw Catholic d1urdlC',; lil'!'('. '1'11('!'(' wnR up to il1<· _\'<'Ill' 188~ lrnt one l'Ongrc'gation and rnw chnrC'l1. limn:\"l'l', it IH•(·a111<' appan·nt. on ac·r·mmt ol' langung·r· onh·. (lint an l<;n;,.:li:sli elrnrch m,i<le J'ro111 ilic other would lie a !Jcncflt. Father John

.lfankato---fts First l1ftv L·ars

Prior came here in June of that year. Until a nmv church coulc1 be, c:rC'dPc1, he l'(!H<l mnss for the English speaking Catholics in the ('liapC'I lH'!l('ath tlw ,whoo! liou,-;p_ On _',;erernbcr ~-l-. 188-J. tlw coz·m•r

ston<' ol' :-lL .lohu':,; c·lrnrc·h wns lnid. On ,June :20, 188/i, the clrnn·li

wm-; <kclivnh'(l hv Hi,-;hop 1 reln.ncl. The drnrch has been s11ccessf11l and pro,-;pt·rnu:s. Fatlwr Prior was suu,ecclell by Rev. Daniel lluglw,-;, ,rnd lit• in turn by hi,-, lirotlwr, l(c·1·. l{olwd Hughes, tll\' pn'H'lll pa,-;ior.

:\ly friPncls, 11H' story ol' tlH• foundation ,lnd Parl_,· progress of the Catholic \·ongTt•gation in :\lankato i:-, a story of self-sacrifice ,rnd t•arnc•,ct deYoi.ion ,rnrth:,· of 1;mulntio11, worthy indeed of our ad111irntio11 antl prnist>. !t is a sion· or poYc•rt_,- giYing willingh and ungrndgingl_,· of tlw litfo, it hncl to ilw cause, of Ooc1, the l10rn-:c oi' (/()(!. lt i:- n stor_v o/' rncn who with ('lltlrn,;ia,:;m and unsel{i,-li­lll'SR toill'<l to the end that tlwir l'hil<1rrn might lta1·p a church anr1 :-:c-liool of ,rliich they might nhniys lie jm-:tly pron<l. ::./1,1r that we !:Ii<' _munger generation arc at last nwnkc11ing to a <Ille sen:'-le ol' tl1P grl'nt <ll'iit W<' owe them, too nrnn_1· of tlwH• clcrnt<·d a]l(] ,;tnnneh pinJH'l'l'" ltaYc pru-:secl beyond lwai·ing of our prni;;e. Only a small nu1nlH•r n'main of that l'aiiltfol lrnrnl wl10 toile11 so lianl for tlw

fir,-;t lH·ginning. But wlwtlw1· th\·1- ,\I'\' l1t'l'l' or h,nc pns,-,c'c\ to n hc•tt<•r lift:, o[ nll o{ tlwm T wish to sny: Their work 1rns well (lorn• and ,-drnll not h<• l'orgotic•n. .\,-: long as 11·t· hn1·t• in our mi<bt tlH• i>lP:sc:ings or our c-hun·h and :-,c-hool wn shall al\\'n~·s l'l'.lllt'IJ1l)('r with µ:ratih1d<· the 11wn who lahorc!d clay and night, and IH'l'\'It thc·msclrc,s or nrnn_\' eornfoi-ts arnl c1·pn rn•c-1•:s,-;n1·il's 01· lift', that tlws(• hlt•,;:-;ings

might he oms.

ST, ]OSEPll'S HOSPITAL.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL Cl10RCt1.

By REV. FMANK B. COWGILL.

In tlH· s1111nn,·r ol' 18.i:l, !he Ht,1·. ('lrn1111i•y llolHut yisifr,;l :\lankato, SL Pckr, Tnl\L'r:--e clc•:-s Sioux, Li• :-;11lit11·, Ifondl!rson, and i"ilrnkoppu, holding sc>niet•:-- and arra \\'ith prnpridors of land

in the sen·rnl towns l'nr from hvo to six Jot;; in Pa(·li for cliurcli

JHll'!JOSPs _; tll('SC to lw rn,1rkcd 011 ph1ts ns so donnh•d. nnd to he rc·­c1mlerl m; ,;oon ns rrworder\, ofli(•(•,.; Wf'n; c\,.;tahli,;lwd. :\lt'11wnu1<la or

t!H•s<' <lonntion,; wPn· handed to Da1·itl Brooks, 1"110 lientnie pn•-:-;iding <•lder or tii<• :\limm,ni.1 Di:-;tril't in 183:l.

.ln the wursc of liH· tour ahor<: nwnti01w<l, ::Ur. Hobart p1•pached tlw first j\[pthO(list S(•r1uon in :\1/\nlrnto, to a co1nlllllllity of nr·ady two lnm\lr<·(l on tile fir~l Hunday in ,luly, 183:l. In September 1 Lc\\'is Bell was appoi11tcd to the :i\[ankato mi;;­;;ion whid1 (•mlmwcd Mankato, Nt. l'dn. LL• Nrn!tH, lkllc Plaim·, Trnn'l'f'l' <ks :-,io11.\, h:a;;ota awl Ht>nclt>r,.;on. 1t l'P<piirPd l'onr wee-ks to hold seni('('il at: all the p1·\'aching point,.:. There are no arnilahlu JTtnrd,.; to :-how tfoit aJlY qn,irkrh· l'"nfpn•1H·1• 1n1:,; lwld on thir: l'ir­c·11it. Jll'<'riou,; to Sc•pk111lwr 1:-lti,>.

In {lie sHmrner of 18ii:\ J\l 1'. HPll organized liis following at }fmikato into ,l clasr<, and since U1Ht J-inw ~kthodi:,;m haK had toll­tim1011s organized c·xist(•11u• in ihis city. ]n 8(•ph•mhr•r 185.'.i, tlw eirenit \rhid1 ~Ir. BPI! hncl tr,m·r>'('d \nts di,idPd, and th<· pnrt to \\'hich :uank,1to bC'longPd Wilt' l<·l'l to be· suppli(•(I hr tlw ing Pl<1<'1', .John J,;:prn,;, ThP lntfor appoillh•cl ,I. W. Po11·l•ll to tliat ,rnrk in OctolJcr lR;i;). .Jolrn Kt•rn ',; dishid e:dc•n<l(•d frorn St.

Panl to thP l'('lllntl',;t pn•a<"hing point on tlw l\limw~nta Hin•r. :\fr. J>om•ll\; cirenit cmhrae(•d South Brn(l, .i\fanlrnto, Eureka arn1 Dn­kob1. The following HI'(' now rellll'lllhl•n•d h\· ,), W. Pmn•ll as 1rn•111-li\'l's of his clas:- at :\lanknto: }Ir. and ".\frs .. \. ('. Panott, :\II'. and }lrf\. n. Campht>ll, }Ir. and ~lrs. Hrilton. Mr. nrnl Mrs. Gc•orge ('lark, 1frf\. I!Pn1-y Shanhut, :\!rs. L(•wis B1•n1Js011. :\Ir. ,\. C'. Par­rot!' was class kadcr.

Xn •111nrt!'rlY llH·Ptingl-' npprnr to h,11·(• lir•pn lt(•lcl 011 \fr. Po1~­<•ll's until :\lnr('h '2;./nil an;l :t:lr!I, 1:-i,ili, \r]wn (L l\L Kil­pniri(·k npp(•ni·s 011 thP n•(·orch ,is l'l'!'"icliug- id,kr. '!'hi,-, i:-< \'.\­plnin<'d h_1· :i rc•(fodrihnt ion ol' dislTid work 1l'hil·l1 took pla('P in tlH• spring of Jf:l;iG, tl1e .i\lliHkatn ri1·(•11it then heiHg put. over into tlH'

CEl\:T E N,\R\' :\f. E. CHl' HC II - PIONEER PASTORS.

1{1,:v. DAv11> B1W o1is . !{EV . S . (;, CALE.

l{E\' . TH us. i'v!cCLE.-\ln" .

RE\' , J. \•V .. l'o\\'E LL .

R1•:\· . !) ,\\ ' Ill TI C E.

REV. E. R. LA THIW I' .

l{E\-', ll. \'. CClFF IN H.1,: \· . C. \ V. SAV IDGc.

.J/ctlwdist Ffisu,;,al C11urc!,

Hell Wing 1listrid, while Jolin Kerns c.;011Li11ul'd io lH! l'rc,-;iding

Elder of Uic country along the lower J\Iinnc•sota Hivcr, including St. l'aul. 1t appears from tl1e records of this QuarV11·l_y Confer­('!l(·L' tkit :\Ir. 1'om•II',.; n'r-l'ipbd11l'i11_g· iii(' qwirfrr li,111 l>i'l'll *10, nllil Iii• ,-;a_1·,-; tliat thn· \\"('J'(' *]()() /'or (Ii(' l'lliil'(\ r1·ar.

111 .'I. 11gu,-;(: l h,i(i. tlic• :II illlll'H)\;] ( '011 r('l'(')i('(' \\";l,-; ol'ga11 i;r,1•d.

,/olm Kl'rns !Jc•i11g J're,-;illing El1ll'r of tile• krriton· along till' :IIiu-111•,-;oin Hi1·1·r. SL l',llll li,11·i11g· lH'l'll L1k1•11 0111 or Iii,-; di,-;1rid. Till'

lier. CIJHrlC's E. Ki<ld1·r 1rn~ rnarle p,1do1· o/' the ::\Lrnknto CirrniL wliir-li Iii• "l'r\"('d ror ,-;ix 111011tli,;_ \\"ll(•]l iii' ldt tlii• ('harg1·. :\Ir. IL

,J. 8ilil1i_r 1ra,-; nppointl'il to ,-;1•n·<• ilH• 1:lrnrgc as past.or for the: n•,-;t

ol' ill(' _r<'ar. It n•q11irl'd 1111·<·(' \\'l'l'b 1o H'l'\"l' ,ill tlir point,; 011 till' i'il'(·llit, 1\'liir-li (•111lirnc('d :IIn11kato. ()l1'11d,1l1•, Ka,-;0L1. \\"n,-;hinglon.

Frcrnont nrnl l'rrstnl Lnke. a,-; Sahlini.11 nppointml•nb, nnd Ch.•01-gi·­town as a 11·crk !Ja1• .ippointmrnt. ;\ti.his tirne the i\Lmkato class <·onsistcc1 of sevl.'11tren nwn11Jers a]](l two prnllntimiers, \Vrn. A. \\'oOL1 hl'ing <'la,-;:-: ll'a<kr; I?. ,J. :-;ilil<•_,·. lncnl pt·11nch<!J'; \\'rn .. \. Wood,

nhort<-r; ]),mid C1nmpbel]. I. X. Jlritton nnd CPorg·1• (ioodsi'll,

being· slcwnrcls. 111 Anp;nst 18.'Vi', the Ecv. E,-;ilra:-; Smith wns nppointe<l pa,-;lor

of the :i\Lmlrnto arnl Kasota :\Iis:-;ion, ,Jolm Kerns bC'ing· l1i:-; pn!sid­

ing <•Ider, nrnl the first qnart1•rh· <·011/'en·n(·<' of till' n•ar. wlii<·li 1ni,-;

the second q1rnrterly confen•rn·e hl'ld at. :i\Lrnlrnto, bring h1•l<l Sep­tcrnlier Mli, 183 ,·. 'l'bis mission inc·l udP<l, besides tlH! a.born Jll('ll­iionr<l place,-;, South Bend, Washington Lnke, and ( 'lerela]J(l. [ 111dl'r tlw pnstorate of :\fr. N111itli. a sur-ce,-;s/'ul >'l'ri<•,; ol' nH'l'ti11gs

1rl'1·e l1<'l<i, ii<·ginning ,Lmwn1· l, JN:i8. i 11 tlw illnson ic JI a 11,on'J' a

store, ,rliere Lamm & Shroeder now are. An ol<.l reconl mention8 Hrntlwrs Cl unn, ::\Iilnor anrl Kerns as lia Ying· ,1s,-;istt•<l i 11 ti i<'Si' 11H•1•l­ings, all<l tlic following persons joi1wrl the clrnrch as a result of tll(•111: Kt•ill_1· \\'illiarn,-;. Nolornon Ilnrtsell, 8,111111el aud ls•ik·I Hobertson, OliYe Hoc, John Qninline, ,Joseph, Eli_;rnlwth and Charity Younce. The onlinanl'e of baptism was at1rniuiskru1 b_y Pas!m· Smith in the case of Dani<'l Milnor a]J(l I{atl1erine Britton. The 111C'mli<>rs of the first qnarti,rl_1· c-ouf'pn•uce of th<> war 18,Vi'-8

1rerr, besides tl1e past.or ancl pr<•siding el<ler, n. Camplwll ancl I. N. Britton, stmrar<ls; Wm. Wood. <•:s:lwri<•r arn1 lea<for; Brother Fowler, l1•a<kr; H . .T. Siliky. lo('al pr<'nl'IH•r: 1'. F. :\I ii nor, local 1leac·ou. 'l'ho111ns 8tl'l'iH, arnl Brnlh1•r,-; \<•1"011 and I)rnrr W<'J'(' al,-;o

elederl s1e11·arrk J\fr. Smith wa,: suc:ecl'<lP<l in il1<' l),is1nratc of i.h1• 1Hanlrntn

3-1- .Jfa11kato-~fts First hjry )'cars

d1111·d1 liy 'I'. S. Cmrn, and he appc'at·s to lian\ ht't~n :-;uceL'cde1l in tlw spring of 18:i8 hy B. Y. Collin, who was teaching at the \Vi11-1wlrngo Indian ,\g1'l1<'_Y, at ~t. Clair, r;omc kn 01· t11•elye miles mn1y.

In the fall of lS(iO, tlw Hl'\' . .Tolin Kerns, lwemne pastor of

the Niankato chnrch, nnrl scrn'(l as Slleh for one year. Tra<1ition :-says that lw wa:-; n strong prl'acher of llw old l'a:-sh ionet1 J\fothOlli,d. :-;ort, taxing l,oth lung and fist in tlw carnl':-;tnL'"" ol' his expostnla­tion" and L'ntn,nti<':-s, ancl hnd,ing 11p hi:-; pulpit \l'ork with fc,rwnt prnycrs mlll l'Xhortntion,-; in the hollll'S o[ the p<'oplc. B. Y. Cofiin, his prctlc,ccssor, is nl,-;o l'l'llwntl>t:l'l'll as a \'l'I'_\' [prvcnt aml cffodin: prt'adwr, po11·tTl'ul in l'\'1·inll 1rork, m1<l ol' a H'I'_\' ,-;11·<'d mu] \i(',rnti­t'ul spirit. Mr. Coll-in ,rn:-; horn nt Paoli, lrnl., in 18~'2, t\clu(;atPcl at C:n'L'l1 C,1stk Fnil'('rsity, nnd t'ntercd the ministry in 18-18, i'<'rYing 1w1·c,ral _1·c',n,-; in Tncliana, n111l then n'llloYing 011 acconnt o[ ill lwaltl1 to ~I innesota. Eclll'ard Egg](,:-;ton, or lih'rnry fame, wn,-; t·on1·('l'i<'<l 111ll!Pr hi,-; mini:<trY nt Yem, lncliarn1. :\Ir. Coffin llid 11nwh :<l't'Yie0 in Jlirn1l'tsota in co1m<'ction ll'ith th<' ln<linn agl'Jll'~­,rnd school, and at thl' outl>rl'ak ol' t.lH' Sioux lnclian:-; in 18(;·,

,-;('f'\'l'<l as n soldit'r, mul pnrti<·ipaktl in thP linttk of ;\('\\' l'lrn. 'l'hough pn'nching nrncli. it ,rn,- not until 1K(i~ that lH' lil'nltm' a

111\'!llht'l' or tlit' :\[ illllC':-;ob\ ( 'onfL'\'\'\l('('. .\ rtt,r ,ll)ll'l'Hllll\lHlion, he· lin·d at ( 'arndl•n plm·(\ :\l inne,qrnli,-;, 1Ylll'rl' lll' diP<l in 18!HI.

,John \\'. l'mrell, alolH' or tho!:'(' c•,trh pa:-,tor,-;, rc111ains, a ,-;ttpl'l'HllllllUll'd llll'lliill'l' or tlw :\I illlll':<Ota ( 'm1i'l-l'('lll'(', lllli\'('J'S,\\]_1· IJt,]o\'l'<l hY hi,; hrl'th1·t'll. It i,; clollhtl'ul ll'lidhur the 1linnl':-;ola ( 'on 1·('1·c•1Jl•<':< t'\'t'I' hail a rnon' gt'll in I and :-,unny nn h11·t' Uwn hi,. To gol)(l r\'a,-;oning fm'.ttltic':-;, lit' acldl'd an illlnginaiiY<' and orntor­it·,11 tt,111pern1m,nt, rich lrnrnor nncl a 1-'hnrp \1·it, sonncl prndic,d judg111l'nt, and 1,1ul'h tad in dl'aling \\'ith p<'oplt', :-;o that hi:-; nm'1'r

in the ministry ha,-; hl't'll a wry llc<l'ful arnl honornblu out'. In thl' a11t\lllll1 ol' 1K(il, ,John i,nn,-; IVHc< :'11('('\'l'd('(l hr .\. (;,

S111ii.li, for a singlt, y<'HI', lw !wing followt'cl h1· L. ,\. Chllblrnck for one _Y1'HI', Mr. Chulihul'k li<'i ng f'ollo11·t'd Ii_\' 'l'ho111as Day, who Sl'l'Yl'd

for two V<)tu,-,. Mr. Day 11·;1,, an Englislitnnn, who had been trniu­t'd for hH,-,iu1'ss in tlw l'c<tnlilish111<'11t or Sn11111el Bu<lgl't, whom tlH· l'nnrnn,-; \i'm .. \rtlrnr <'11iogiz<'s as "A Suc:<•u;-,f-Jul }fcrchant," in a SundaY :-ll'liool hook whi<'h wns YL'l'_\' popular more than a gener­ation ago. :\Ir. Ila_,, 11·afi wr_\' s_ysi.emntic and cardul in hi,; at­tc,11tion to nil ddail,-; of pari,-;lt work, and it ,ms in l_1is time that tli1' loi \\'nS ,-;c•(•j\l'('d ll jlll\l \\' Ji i1·li j lH' ,rdliod j,;t ( 'Ii lll'l'li 110\\' fihtrnll-'.

\\'liilc· (Iii: old l'iilll'Cii l'('llll'(l,-c ,;ho\\' il l'nirh U:0()(1 ill(']'('Hc'l' or

.1/dlwdist Ffiscoja! ('/mrclt

11H•111licr;-;!Jip tlirougli convcrsiou.~ and couf<·ssiou:-; of raitli, tlw large n11mlwr l'Cl'Civ<•rl hy ldkr in the first l<•n yc•ars ol' the cl1urc·h',-; org·,mizc•d <•xi;-;tt•1H·<· indient!'s tlie larg<• i111111igT,ilion ,ii' pt',>Jilc• into this cou1m1mity.

During· thest' _n•ar,-; the :\ldliodisb lrntl no cliun·li l'difict• of tl1t·ir 0\\'!l. Thl',\' 1rnr;-;hippt•d a part or tll<' iillll' in tli(' old log s('liool ho11s<· 1rlwn• tlw ( :niun sdwol no\\' ;-;tarnls, a part or t!H• ti111e in ti)(> ~[a;-;onit' hall 01·<·r a c<torc\ a pnrt or ilw iinw iu tilt• Citv l1all. '1'11(•1· abo 11st•d a /mil t'all<•d ( 'ouct•rt l1al]. mul for a time lwld rcl'irnl rnedings in a ln1il1lin1::· 011 :\fain stn•L•i IH'hn·c•11 hrn saloons.

Da,·id Tiet' IH·t·,111w paslo1· of tlH• t'iturcli in lS(i,>, and i11 lS(i(i

ti](• foundatious of tlil' pn•st·11t <'dili<·t• ,n•rt• l,1icl, and d11ring· tilt' h\'o n•ars oJ' Mr. 'J'icc.'s pastorate• tlw lJasc·nwnt wa:,; lini:-d1cd off /'or ust·. K H. Lathrop follo\\'ecl DaYicl 'J'ic-e Jor hrn year;-;. lie is n•u1<•111-bcred as a pn!adwr of uuusual alJiliLy, information and logit'al powm·.

:-;_ (!. Ualt• IH'CHIIH' pa,;ioi- in lSii'.J. Ilt• ll('gotiatl'd ,I lo:111 frn,n

tlH• Churc-b K,ien8ion society, and co111pldt•c1 the :-;11pL'l':sl!'lldt11·t• o[ the prl':-;l'nt t•clifil'<•. The C't•ntrnl ~I. I•:. Church or Winona j)l'<'­sl'l!tt'd 1.he 1\Ja11lrnto J\L K ( 'IHm·li ,ritli tlie pulpit, Bili!!' m11I chamldit•r:-; which hare been in use• cH•r :-;iH<·c·. :\Ir. Ualt• is 1·e-111e111lJC•rt>d ,1:-; a rnan of gc•Hilc ,-;pirit and ingrnLiatiug 11ia1111c•r,-;, \\'ho attendccl faithfulh· to pa:-;toral 11·ork, and 11ia11ifr:-;tt•d a dt•t•p intcre:st iu tlw l'amily Ii/'e of hi:-; parish, al](l ,dw 1rn,; ,m ,HTt'phd>lc, prnu·IH•r. 'l'IH• cliun·II was at (Iii:-; (i111t• in a pros1H'ro11:-: c·o11ditio11, i lwugli ca rr,1·i11g a t·on:-;iderahle dt•bt.

.\l'tc•r S. U. Uale, tlH' Ht'\". ,/. 1/. ( 'n•iglit.011 sc•1·1ed till• ch11rch for two _1·parn, and wm; followet1 IJy ,J allll'>' Door, in a hrn _H!ar:-; pac<torak, 11·ho 1rn:-; /'ollow<•d In· Tlrn11rn:-; :\ld.'lan·. :\la11r 1woplc· still reme111 l>er Thoma,; J\k Clary arnl hi,; work. :'/ o pn·1 iou:-; pa;-;­tor sec1rn; to hare comrnanclcd tlw aHl'ntion of 1.he cm1111111nih· a:-; did Tliorn,1:-; Mc Clary. lrnaginatil't', poetical, 1lra11rntit·, l1u1nor-011s and highly emotional, he filled tlw church to 01t•rllcmiug, bringing sucli crowrls that the nid nl' tlw poliec 11·as ,;onH•time,.; n·­

qnircd to prcsc\n·e order. He d<>lil'<•rc•cl sermons and fa•nlJH'rnnct· il't'turp,; often to great <·rmrd;-; in tlic• ;-;trcc>t. lfis pnstoratt• 1rn,.; 1nark­cd by a great reyival, resulting i11 many ac-ct!~~ions to the cliurcl1. But he <li<l not suCC<!etl in relitiving i:])(' chur('h of it,; ,u:rowing in­,lr•ht-('<hw;;s .

.J . .IJ. :\laco1ulwr JollO\rcd :\Jr. jld 'lary ror a si11p;le .,c•nr. aucl

.1/anlwto-/ts 7'irst Fifty rears

Cliarles W. SaYidg<, followed him in the fa.11 o[ 18,U. J\Ir. Savidge \\'U>-' au 1111marrit·<l rnnn, arnl 1we<ll'<l hut littl<) ;salary, and it was be­lierccl hy his presiding elder, ,J. \\'. ~Lutin, that lw coulcl raise tlw r-hurch d<·lit. ~Ir. Sa1·idge ,slrnn·d this von(idt·ll<'t', and said ht· ,rould ]HI_\' off tli<· dt·lit if Ii" had to saw 11·01HI to nii:,;c• rn011<;_1·. 1-k sur1fficeed en·rrlwd1· h1· tlH· cetll't'l'>-'S lll' had in tsPl'llriug contrilrntion,.,, Hill] although tlH' debt had grown from $-J-,000 to $G,000, he suc­Cl'<·<frd in rni"ing· it, so !hat for tlw first ti11w :;inc<: the c-hnr('h mis lwg1111 iu 18(i(i. tlH: c·lrnrch 11·,1,s out n( 1l<•lit.

The li,;t or pastors since the ti111c of j\Jr. ~-hn·i<lgc is as follows: ,/. W. ;1Jartiu, 18N'2-:l; .\. \\'. ],~dwards, lNN:l---1; ,J. C'. Oglt•, lNiH-(i:

<L n. llair, 1NNfi-~': IL ;11. l'arfrr. lNN~-N; F. JI. Hul<·, 1NNN-!):l:

,J. F. Stout_. 18fl:l-.'i; IL.\. Clen·lau<l, l8U5-"i'; C. K Line a por­tion of the _war lN!J';"-8; ,John J\Ierritte Drin!r, lSUS-01; ancl F. H. ('owgill, the ]Jr<'c't'nt pastor, came to his appointment in Odoher 1801 .

• \11 hut bro ol' th<· paston; mrnwt1 in the prec:c<ling paragraph ,11"<' li\·ing, so far n:c; this writur knows, tlie two exceptions are: ,T. ('_ Oglt! aud n. H. Hair. 'l'hcsc wc•r<: faithful arn1 efficient men, of unh1Pmislw<1 rrpntation. ;\Ir. Ogle was a man of large frame ,iud rntl:er i111po:-i11g appt':1:·autT. ha\'ing a good <·n11rn1cmd of hi1nsl'l I' an1l his ,nird,s, a 1rarn1 arnl brothnly nature, who:;e s_n,­t<•11rntih<'<' all(] tlwughtfnl o-;<'rn11m,s cdifh,<I tht' pl'opk•. Jlr. Hair i,; 1-e1n<·mlH•rc•1l ll,Y hi;; hrdhn•n all(] pari:,;hioncrs as a scholarly arn1 i,;hl<lio11,; 1mrn. lHn·ing ll<·cille<l literary instincts am] a fine library, grnl'ions in hc•aring, g<•nial in couycrsation, mu1 dliciPnt in his pul­pit 111ini:-trnti011:-. F. ;1I. Hnll' ha,; thl' distinction of haYing <'11-jo_yl'<l the longest pastorate in tlw histon· of this church, having li<'t'll rrry popular with his <mn 1wople and the public generally, and i;-; gT:1tdull1· rt'ltH•::ilic'rl'd b1· a host ol' frit•rnls. ,T. F. Stout',-; pastonit<· mis nrnrkcc1 hv a re,·ival which lwlc1 the attention of the p<·opl<'. and cnnnlec1 tlw altar of tlw chtuTh en•ry night for many wc,ck:,;, k•aring as a n•,-;ult of it a long list oI members who arc still faithful and ns<'ful. J\lr. Cll~vdarnl is r<!lllPmlwre<l as a man o[ 1·xquiceit(' lih:rnry taste and ability, a µ;rent scholar and hrilliant prc•ar-lwr. ,J. ~I. llrin:r i:; ,1 j)]'t!aclwr who:-<l' ed1w1tion, rpr,;atilil_v. and orntorirnl g<•uius haYc: gin•u him c:rowtlccl housL)s in eYer.1· <·1·11rc-h l1 t· !Ja,s s<Tn·d. and lrnH• lit•t•n ru!h· rrcognizl'd and l'rankl_1· ac·kno1rl1•1lg('(I iu p1·err c-011 f1'rt'll<·<• in ,rhich he ha~ lwd n. 11H,mlwr­sh i p.

TIH· L·lioir lort and pastor's ~tt11ly or tl11· pn·,wnt. church 11·ere

RECENT PASTORS OF CENTEi'iA l{Y M. E. CHl : RCll.

!{1-: v . J. :\·l1rn1n-r-ri-: DR IVEi<, D.D. Ri-:v. J, C. ()(;1.1-:. Ri-:v. II. .-\. C1,~:v1-:LAND, D.D. R r,:v. F. !vi . R uu-:

Ri-:1·. J. F1uN" :-j-ro l"'I'. Ri-:1". (;1-:0 . R. ! l,111,

!{1-:v , F1uN1, B. Co\\'1;11.1.i

,J/a11!wto-/ts First h/ty i·ears

added in 1889 during the pastorate of F. M. Rule. 'l'he parson­age was built in 188G during the pastorate of J. C. Ogle.

Before concluding this sketch, perhaps it should be aclcled that the German J\Icthodist Church in this city was organizccl in 187:3, the RcY. C. J. Jahn being paRtor. Their church buikling was erected in 1877. 'rlie Swedish J\J. E. Church in Mankato wac organized September 5, 188G, by the ReY. J. D. Amlrcws. 'l'heir church building was completed in April, and rledicatccl April 20, 1\J02, hv Bislrnp J. 1\'. Joyce.

TNE EPISCOPAL CHORCN.

By RECTOR GEORGE ti. DAVIS.

The :first Episcopal service ever held in Mankato was conduct­ed by the Rt. Rev. Jackson Kemper, D. D., Missionary Bishop of the northwest, on the evening of May 18, 1855. The bishop had been making a visitation of the Minnesota Valley, accompanied by the Rev. Timothy Wilcoxson, missionary in the valley. Hold­ing services in the new towns along the river, they reached J\fan• kato, then the limit, or nea.rl_y so, of settlement, where the Bishop preachecl and the Rev. Mr. Wilcoxson assisted in the service. The record of this service appears in the diaries of both Bishop Kemp­er and Mr. Wilcoxson.

In 1855 the Rev. K Steele Peake, tutor of the Biblical litera­ture at Nashotah house ancl rector of Zion church, Oconomowoc, Wis., accepted an appointment as missionary for the Minnesota Valley and took his residence at Shakopee where he anived No­vember 2, 1855.

Tuesday, January 15, 18:"iG, Mr. Peake made his :first journey up the Minneso:a River and after holding service at several points walked from St. Peter to 111:ankato, where he made an appoint­ment for service arnl spent the night, but without holding service. On Tlrnrsclay, February 21, he held his first service at Mankato at seven o'clock in the evening. '11his scni(•e was held in the log school house erected in 18/55 where the Union school h011sc now ~tarnfa.

No further service was hrld in Mankato until '11lrnrsclay, ;\pril :1nl, when )[r. Peake ,nitcs ''\'i;.;ikd :vrankato in min and

77ze Episcopal C!mrclz 39

mud; walked to Kasota and borrowed a horse and saddle from. Dr. Humphrey. On the way was thrown over the horse's head but es­caped without injury."

In October, 185G, the Rev. Ezra Jones became resident mis­sionary at St. Peter, and for a time was the only missionary in the valley of the Minnesota. In a report printed in August, 1858, is the following statement: "At Mankato, twelve miles distant, tlicre is one church family arnl services have been several times held there." Mr. Jones closed his labors in the valley November (i, l<"l59, arnl no further services are known to have been held in .:\fankato nntil the following spring. In the Mankato Hecon1 of s\pril 1, mun, an annonncenwnt iH made that the Hev. Mark L. Olds of Minneapolis, will hold services on the evening of '11hurs­day and Friday, April 12th, and 13th. The bishop thinks of appointing this as a station with Mr. Olds as minister." No ar­rangenwnt of thi~ kirn1, ho1n1 HT,, was rnal1e.

On June 27, 18G0, Bishop Whipple made his first visit to Mankato and lwl<l sen·ice in the public hall. An arrangement was made at this time to unite Mankato with St. Peter, the Rev. Mr. Livermore holding services twice a month. Sunday, December lG, the bishop again held service and preached to a large congrega­tion. A faithful woman had at this time gathered a few children into a Sumlay school. l\fr. Livermore continued to hold services from time to time.

Sunday, May 5, 18Gl, Bishop Whipple held service and ad­ministered the Holy Communion in the public hall. Jn the even­ing of November 9th, the Bishop again held service in the public lial ], baptized two ell i lclrcn and om· adult, and confirmed thrc•c per­sons. May 18, 18G2, the Bishop again preached in Mankato and celebrated the Holy Communion. "This", he says, "is one of the most important villages in the \'alley of the Minnesota and the church must have a missionary soon".

The Rev. R. W. Blow came to :Mankato in July of this year, leased a hall and had it fitted for church services. The Sioux outbreak soon occurred and the people fled from their homes, J\fr. Blow with others. Immediately upon hearing of the outbreak Bi~hop \Vhipple lurntcne<1 to St. Peter to assitst in caring for the wournlcd and in ministering to their spiritual wants. Sunday, December 28th, be preached in Mankato, celebrated the Holy Com­munion, anr1 al>"o spent a part of tlw <lay in n•ligious <,onvPrnation with the Indian prisoners. On the 31st he again prcachcc1, and

,;o Jfa11/wto-l!s First /·!fly ) ·cars

the ne.\t clny, ,January 1, nm:;, o{licialecl at a warriagc. During tlw year J'ollo\\'ing oc:ca~io1rnl :-;c•1·\'il't',; wern lwlrl !Jy the: Bi~hop arnl tl1e :\[l>:-;:-;r:-;. Lin•rn1on•, [l11Boi,; and Spor. l11 .\.pril tlw lt<-1. Cieorgr C. Tmrnrr of' Fnriha11lt c,mw to 11Iankato all(] i.ook charg,)

of tlw \\'Ork. Heing unabki Lo :-;c•cure a house in the Village lw ihc!cl hi,; re:-;iclc•nc·c• at South Bt•rnl. l Ii:-; ,;c•nic·c•>-' \H'n' IH•lcl i11 ti](' old log

school houH'. Shortly after, au up1w1· rno111 in a lrnilcling· on Main RtrPd 1rn:-; n•nkd J'or ,;c•n-it·c•:-; hut l!l'i11g ,;liorth· al'tt'r c·o11d\•1J11wd a,; uusafc,_ ilH• olcl :-;ton! Jorn1erlr oc·t·11piccl by ,Jolin F. :\kagll('l' a:-;

a lrnnlll"are store was sccurccl. .\.t tlii~ tillle tlw clrnrch hac] lrnt three commtmicants in tlw Yillage, but clnring the ,;11n111H,r otl1er:-; <'Hllll' until in Augu:-;t tlH•n· \\'l'l'(' H'\'t'll. L'lnn,; 11·c•1·c• l'or111erl l'or tlir• erection of a clmrch and the rmr ol' lots six mid sp1·en, block tf'n. \\'a:s :-;t•c·url'd al a c:o,;t o[ $'2:i0.00. Thi,-, prnpert_,. ,rn,; ,1rtl'nrnrcl,;

exdwugerl for the prcsc'nt site of the c·lntrch httilcling. :\Ir. Tnn­

lH'I' rd.ttnll'rl to Fnrilnrnlt in Sr•ptl•lllht•1·. ln .\pril \KiiC. ltt•1· .• \1-plwus Spor took charge of the mission. ,July !Jth, SI. ,John·,-, drnrch was organized, the r-ir:-;t 1rnrdt•u,; and 1:.l',;tr_1·i11t·11 !wing :\. Finch, senior wanlen; Dr . .J. C .. Jones, junior warclen, ancl 0. 0. Pitehcr, l'. B. Sparrm\', J. H. Ilolll'nht·ck, C. S. Dunscomb, .\. 'I'. Linclholm and F. H. Waite, yestr_rnH·n. .\11gu,;t J ,"ith. tlH' rnrmT stone of the church was lairl arnl 011 August 1 :-\th ol' tlw m'.\t Year, (18G7) the chnreh ,,·as occupierl, tl10ngh :-;till in an m1[iui,;herl state. Mr. Spor twice Yisite<l tlw East for the purpo:-;c o[ rnising· 111om•y to enable him to completP the c-lrnrch aucl pay for it. This ,ms ai lrmgth accompfo,hcrl, anrl lkcember 'Y, 18(in, the edifice was clnly con:-;c•t-ralt>ll for cliYirn! s<•ni('l! by ·Bisl10p ~\.rn1itngt' of 1Vis­c-on,;1n. 111 ,\ngu,;t 1K7'0, :'\Ir. ~por e·losr•rl Lis H'n-ic·t':-' in ~lmikalo. During l1is four yc•ar:-;' rcdor:-;liip llic! R'\L'll eo11rnllmic-anl:,; Imel in­creasccl to forty-fire; thcni liarl lll'en niudy-one lrnptis1m; mHl fort_1·­six confirmations. 'l'he chnrcli ha(! been c•n,c;frrl at a c-o:st of more

than $8,000, tlin•c•-J'ourtlts of' whic-h Imel hl't•n giYt'll l'i-rn11 almmel. Since 1870 the succcssiYc\ rcdnrships of tlw pari~li lia\'C, bt'L'll

He' follow:-;: 1·iz, The Hl'r. Cvorgc' "\\'. lhmliar, llt•t·t'nil!l'r t:i, 1 K·rn,

until NoH'lllbcr 1, 1871: '.!'he Hc1·. F'. C. Coo!lJaugh, from Novl'!il­

bcr 12, 1871, until Scptemher 2(i, 181'+; the R('\'. T. J. Yundt, frnm Jmw 1, 187:i, until (htolH·r 1K, of U1e same vear: tlw Hm·. Wrn. Hic-hmonrl, from i\lnn·h 1, 181'',, 11ntil .\.11gust 1:-i, 1881, Then came a vacancy of clen,n months aft<·r which the He\'. ,T. E. lliggins \\'as red.or for one year. Dc·c·c·rnlwr 1 G, 18it3, the Hcv. 'J1. C. Hutlson took charge of the parisl1 nrnl rcmainc•(l nntil June 1,

ST. JOI! N·s EP ISCOPAL CI!URCI-I AND RECTORS. Ri-:v. (~i-:o. C. TANNEJ<, D.D. REV . FHANK C. COOLBAIJ(;JI,

REV. Awr1-1 uR B. T AYLO JL

H1-:v . ALl'HEIJS SPrnc Ri-:v . Gr, n W. D uNnAR . R1-:,· . T. C. HUDSON.

REV . GEO. H . DAV I S, D.D

Jlfanhato-Its Fz'rst Fifty rears

J 890. June 15, he was succeeded by the Hcv. A rthnr H. Taylor, wh0 closed l1is rectorship January 1, 1895, and was succeeded in Februar)' of the same year by the present rector, the Hcv. George II. DaYis, D. D. During the incumbency of the Hev. Mr. Hmbon the rectory was erected on the rear of the church lot. During that of Mr. 'J'aylor the church was enlarged and improved b_v the a<l­dition of a recess chancel. Other improvements have since heen made. \Yhat has been acc;omplishecl in the only true work of a Church, the lrnilcling up of Rpiritual life and character, is known only to the Master. The Church now enrolls about a hundred and cightv-fi n' comnrnn icants.

TttE BAPTIST CttORCtt. By REV. F. E. R. MILLER.

'I'he history of any organization or institution is necessarily the history of those persons who have shaped its policies and pro­mote(l itf, acfo·itie~. When the institution i:s a Christian church its history will be somewhat similar to that contained in the book of the "Acts of the Apostles" a composite picture of Christ working through pastors, deacons and evangelists to rescue souls from the dominion of Satan, bring them into the Kingdom of Goel, arnl cul­tivate in them thr traits of GodlinesR.

August 21st, 1859, at 2 :30 o'clock in the afternoon, an eccle­siastical council convened at Mankato for the purpose of organiz­ing the First Baptist church. Delegates were in attendance from St. Peter, TraYersc, ,J nelson, Mankato, and Minneapolis. Amory A. Gale, the general superintendent of state missions was present. Rev. J. LaGrange, of St. Peter, was chosen moderator, and H. B. Nelson, clerk of the council. Twelve persons presented them­selves as charter members of the church about to be organized, anc1 ·after clue examination of their credentials, they were approved. The names of the twelve are as follows: ,T. R. Ash, M. ,T. Ash, A. Hazelton, lVIartha Hazelton, Mary W arcl, Eliza Ross, Jane Millard, Isaac Andrews, F. 'r. Wait, Louisa Wait, Mary Fowler. Appropriate services of thanksgiving arnl supplication of the church were eonc1uctec1 by the minis­ters present. Not until .Jan nary 7th, 18GO, did the nascent clrnreb call a pastor arn1 then it c:ecnrell the

Tlte Hajtist Clwrd,

services 01 Rev. ,J. H. Ash, a go(11y anll faithful man, who labored with the people until the Indian outbreak in the year of 1862.

The first place of rncding for the ]lllhlic wornhip of God was in the Masonic hall, then a store building on Front street, then in a building known as the "Record" printing oflkc, then in an old log ;;chool house at or near the present location of the Union school building. Thi,; was in the 1lav ol' intense n·ligions rirnlr_y, where­fore the little body of Baptists foun(l neither wckome nor favor from the other denominations of the town, so that, "having been most uneharitalil_y (lenic(l the llSC of the (blank) hom-sc of worship when unoccupied by thernscl\·es" ( as the records state) the church began to think of buying a lot upon which to build its own Bethel. What seemed, therefore, a most unlowly opposition prn,-e(l to be a source of stimulation in church expansion.

The spring of 186-! found another pastor in the person of Bev . .T. CL Craven, upon the field. Under hi8 rnini8tration tlw church was greatly strengthened, the lot on Third street was pur­chased, and the foundation for a structure was laid. In this latter work the pastor horc a large share with his own hall(ls. At a covenant meeting, held January 28th, 1865, it was voted to estab­lish a sabbath school, ancl M. :M. Prindle was appointed to super­intend it. Brother M. C. Cummings was the first clerk. His minutes are brief but accurate, and contain many sentences which throw light upon the necessities and deliverances of the brethren. "We here record our grateful acknowledgments to the American Baptist Home :Mission society for timely aid in the support of our pastor, Brother Craven, without which onr candle stick must have been rernoYed.'' "?l'loYcd that Sister Ash be appointe<l to visit Sister L-- to request her to be present at church meeting on Sabbath morning next." "We spent an honr in talking of God's love and mercy since last we met, expressing a desire to see a re­vival of the Hply Ghost's work in our midst."

F. T. Wait and lVI. L. Plumb arc mentioned as the first dea­cons, and the minutes give to the former a pre-eminent place in all the activities of the body.

August ,1th, 1867, l\Tr. Craven resigned the pastorate, and E. R. Cressy was called ::o fill the office seven months later. He was orrfainc<l on tl10 sm11P 1lay that the 110w clrnrrh lmilcling was dcd­icate(l, May :3nl, 18li8. A newspapt)r dipping of that 1late in­forms the rc•,Hkr that the drnrch Prlifice was derlicllterl in the

l{r,:\·. J-1. F. \.\f ,\1u:--,;. Ri-:\·. F. :\·I. , \ 1in1i-:1:.

H.1•: \ · . ] . W. REESE.

BAPT IST CHLJRCH - SO ME OF ITS PASTORS.

REV. \Vr!,SON WIIITNEY. R1-:\·. s. o. vVoRKs. R1-:v. F. E. R. 1\11!,Llm. l {r:Y . L. B. TEFT.

T/1c Raj>tist Cl1an·/, 45

morning. At that tiuw Rev. Amory Gale read a brief outline of

tltc histon of the cl111rch. I 11 this it wa,; stated that sim:e its or­

ganization G-4- persons liad b('en corrnectecl witli the chmch of whom

:u 1rcrc still rnembers. Onc-lhinl of the G-4- hacl bel!ll baptized into the followshlp; three hacl llie,1. Jn behalf of the church .Mr.

Clafo thanked the enterprising c:itizcns of .Mankato for their liberal

ai<l toward the erection of the pkasant little edifice. In the after­

noou tlw Lord's Supper was ohsen,•d HJ](] Hl'V . .l\l. Jloeshcr, of

Le i'lueur, preached a :oernwn in tlw German language. A large

all(lience assembled in the en•niug to witiwss tlw simple lrnt ap­priate exercises attending the ordination of Mr. Cressy.

During the 1wxt fonr )'Par;; the chnrch had three past.ors, .Mr.

Cress.r, L. H. Tefft ancl H. F. (ha_,·. H license(\ one of its rnem­

bers, Casper 1 L Christiansen, to pniaeh; rccei Ye<l ,'i(j memlwrs, dis­

cipline<l twenty, r;.\C:lnde<l fiftc•en, pai,1 its bills as they fell due rais­ing about $500 a year for this pnrpose. The spiritual strength of the h()(ly is shown in its frequl'nt rp,;ort to discipline. 1t woulc1 nnt

suffer non-attern1anee upon the sen-ices of the Lord's house, uu­

brotherly conduct, or a denial of the fundamental trutlrn of Chris­

tianity. When the Yer_v prosperous pastorat<i of He\'. .J. vV. R,;es, a

gra,luate of Brown [;ni1·ersity and of Ne1don Theological Scmi­

nar,1·, opened in May JW,:3, to coni.irn1P almost fmn years (a long time in a pioneer communit_,·) tlw population of Mankato was es­timate,1 at ;i,[iOO. Bnt tlw hand ol" Baptists m1111here,1 onl_y fort_r­sC\'('Jl co111rn1mic-ants hecam,<; of n'1110rnls all(] the use of church dis­

ci pl i1w. These fortr-seYrn were salt, howen•.r, a Gideon's band. They raisc,1 ,me! pai<l $fi00 upon the pastor's salary, (he rcceive11

$Fi00 from the Home l\Ii:-sion Society,) ga,·e liberally to benevo­

lences, and prosccute<l rc1·i vn I meetings with sm:cess. !)ming this period 1Ir. \\'. C. J)nrkee, a prominent man in

-~Iankato arnl Blue Earth Count_,. affairs, was in turn clerk, Sun­day f'ehool snpPrinten<lPnt, trnstee arn1 pastor's right hall(l advisor.

It was ,]ming this time nlFo, that l\l r. Geo. :M. Palmer was re­

cei,·e<l into mernliership an<l began his career of great nsefnlness with the ofTie<) of nslier J)eacon Hiram F. Sltaw and Brother D. .\. '!'hayer are gin·n frequ(•11t mc•ntion in the• church record:-; as

office hol<lers a]](l ,rorkc•r,; of consicforahle worth. Of honorable women there were not a few. :Mrs. l\L A. Durkee, Mrs. R. D. La­

tl1rop, Mrs. J\[oses Gates, Mrs. IL F. Shaw. 'l\rn }Pars aft.pr th i:-: pastorate lJpgan the clnm·h member-

,lfanl,ato-Its First J,yfty 1·ears

ship hac1 increased twenty-five per cent anc1 the church was able to pay $700 of the $1,000 required for the pastor's salary. The third yea1· it raised $100 more and gave largely to benevolences. But in 1877 Mr. Rees felt that he could no longer remain upon the field, that he had expended his strength in the efforts of four years anc1 must go to another field. '11

0 the regret of the church he resigned January 14th of that year. In the month of June the church sought to draw him again into the work but without success.

A prosperous pastorate, contrary to all the rules known in the experiences of churches, followed tbis one. Rev. Wilson Whitney came from Osage, Ia., to Mankato in October 1877, and remained four years. During this periOll adtlitions to the membership oc­cnred monthly, and aggressive work was done. The brethren who as­sumed the burdens of the church in addition to sonw mentioned before arc: John Goodwin, William Rees, Webster, Gibson and Bradshaw. In June 187!.l, W. C. Durkee resigned as clerk and G. M. Palmer was elected to fill out the unexpired term. He kept the books continuously from this time on until Avril, 1884, when Miss Hattie Piper was elected to the office. A few statistics culled from a church letter addressed to the association June 24th, 1880, will clemonstrate the condition of affairs: memh0,rship in 187!.l, 1-!5; increase by baptism, 21; letter, 5; experience, 2; total 28; clecreasc by letter, G; by exclusion, 14; pre::;ent membership, 158. Contributions: cnrrent expenses, $H05.00; missions, $100.30; other objects, $28.00; total, $1,033.30. 'I'hc following January Mr. Whitiwy was called into state mission work and resigned the pas­torate. vVithin six years he returned at the eflrnest solicitation of the church. The second time his work was to heal breaches and differences caused by the stormy career of a man whose mis­Rion as a minister, judged hy his work here and elsewhere, was to disrupt chnrches. During his secornl pastorate the fine, nmv, brick structure was completed ancl dedicated. In all probability, no pastor has been more acceptable to the members of the church and more successful in pastoral supervision than Wilson Whitney. For a few months of this period 1Iiss Nora Yates, later 111issionary to China, acted as city missionary.

Between Mr. Whitney's firnt ancl seconcl pastorates J. P. :;\!crriam, F. l\L Archer anrl K L. Patterson filled the pastoral office. It was the last named who worked such havoc. It is plemmrc to record that some time after he left Mankato Mr. Pat­terson re!hunerl, appeared in the Baptist pulpit, confessed his sins

'llu Rajtist Churd, -17

and begged a forgiveness \\·hich was readily and lovingly grante<l, and the transaction sprea<l npon the minute book with ew·n more care than the events of the quarrel.

In the year 1881 R D. Lathrop and J. ,W. Fowler were eleded trnstees and D. C. Evans took the place of D. A. 'l'hayer upon the hoard of <leacons. During JHr. Archer's pasiorak Mrs. M. A. Howe was elected clerk and kept the rcconl until 1892 wlwn her son, Herbert I. Howe suceec<l<'d to the office.

He,,. Jsracl Bcrg;;trorn, district misRionary for the South­western :Minnesota, 11iaking his h<',Hlquarters in ?.fanlrnto, was unanimously called to the pastoral office in March 1891. It is statc<l by the books that his preaching <lrew large congregatiorn, and that his ministry was fruitful in winning souls to Christ. During the three years he remained with the church the Kennedy Bridge branch was fonndecl and a chapel erecter], the title of which is helcl by the lHinnesota Baptist State Ccnwention. In the year 1892 the chnrch property in town was mined at $17,000 with $-1,000 debt. Contributions to current expenses $2,000. 'l'hirty­seyen members had been recciYerl arnl the total figure for the same was ] 84-. Dnring the last year of his pastorate JVIr. Berg­strom seem eel to be laboring 1m<ler gr<'at personal distress. His eomluct was erratic; his financial lrnnlcns great, so that when he resigne,1 in February IS!l-1, lw asked to haw his name <lroppecl from the church membership list. 'l'his action was taken. Two weeks later Ilfr. Bergstrom 1miterl ,rith the Protestant Episcopal church, lmt none of l1is former parisl~~ners J'ollmrc<l him.

April 22nrl of that year tlw ('hurc-h called Mr. H. F. Waring of Novia Scotia to become its pastor at a salary of $1,200. He accepted, came and ,ras orrlained June 5th. He proved to be a strong pulpit speaker and drew good audiences. He left the field October 1st; 18%. He has here many warm friends who have watched with plemmre his large success at St. ,Johns, N. B. JVIr. Waring fourn1 in Miss Ella Durkee of the Mankato church an cx­rell<mt wife whose lineage anrl experience both fit her for the Sl'rvicc into which she has cntmw1. W. S. Howe was the clerk ol' the church dnring this pastorate.

Scpternhrr -mi, 1897, Rev. S. D. ,Vorks of Hmon, S. D., be­gan a pastorate continuing iltrouglt three ymrn,. This wm; the crucial period in the life of tliC' church. Harcl times prevailccl through out the countr_y and m01wy was har<l to gC't. Yet $1,000 of the church debt was li<1uidatcd arnl about $1,G00 per yC'ar spent

in the current cxptmse fund. The second :year of Mr. -Works pas­

torate he founded the West Mankato Sunday school mHl preache<l for the church, pn!aching there e,ery Friday night for bro years. In IHD8 Evangelist 1\'kigs carne to 1'.Lr. \Yorks' a;:sisLmce and n

series of n·l'ind senices in West Mankato resulted in twcnty­

fiw or thirty conwrsion,;. Tlw ,;nnH' n•ar in Odulll'r the :\I imw­sota Baptist ::itate Con rention was <•nteriaincd in a most royal

fashion. ?\Ir. Works resig11l'rl ;\I ard1 1st, mo 1, gi ,·ing a;; ilw n•;i­son lll'rvou;.; brl'akdown and throat trouble. .c\_::; a mark or tht'

high <)stecm in which he is lwlrl Ii~· the people, till' church gave a raniwcll H'C<~ption aml prcsent('d hi111 with :--\toddan1's Complc•tl'

\\"Or!rn. ;\Jay bt, mot, n('\". F. K It :\fillt'I" iillPd th(' ]Jlllpit, hal"ing

nccPpted till' call or the chm<:h to lwcunw its pastor. During the· _n,ar past C'nme thirty-five' mellllicrs lrnn' nnikrl with the l'hnn·11. f!;'.!,:300 han) hccn paid of the debt, and an ;1,-;f;ista11t, Mr. K F. ,J ll(lwn of Chicago, has bc('ll Sl'Clll"ct1 to lwlp in tlw inisc-<ion \\"ork.

!luring a period of four years from 18D~', C'. L. llol111t'"- ,).

:-l. Holbrook, .J. K ::\luzzy and J,Jlic i\I. Ml'arl han) h(•l<l tlw d<>rk\

llffi\'(' .

. \ historv ol' thl' Baptist::; of tlw c-it_,. \\'ould he i11<·•i111pl1·1,•

11·('l"l' it to omit mention of the :-l,·m1di1rnvian Baptist church. Thi,;

organir.ation C'illllC' into ll<'ing the :30th ol' ~on·111ht'r 18D:2. Tw<'llt_\­six nanies 1n·rc enrolled upon thC' list as repr<'H'llb1tin, M tlll'

charter rnembership. 'l'lw. officers or thC' first llll'('ting m·n• :-;_

Sorenson, moderator; E. Strand, l'lC'rk; Blomquist, tn"isurcr; U. 'l'anquist and ,J. ,J nhnson, deacons. For 1:<'n years th is liody 11·or­

shipecl in the chapd of the First Baptist church. Progrc's,; ha:-; been slow lJc<_;ausc this lorntion was not sniterl to aggres;;in· work

midst the Scarnlinal"ian population, ll'hieh mak<'R its habitation nrar the Wick!] stmw quarril's. 'l'\\'o 1Stud('nt pastors, F. Holm awl DaYi<l _N_din, arn1 three ordained men, H<'l"f\. C. K i':ylin, IL

Blomgren arnl C'. F. Lindberg ha\'(, S(irH'd tlw eln1n:h dnring tlll'

pC'rio(l. To the la:st narn(•tl is due tlw cn•clit of starting a new ('ra

in the elmrch life nnd work. When 1\fr. Lindberg came to Jvfan­kato, October 2, HlOL he s,m that the most 1wec1f11! thing was to

bnilCI a honsc of wond1ip in a location 1wan'r to the home:-; of' tlw

Scandinavian pcuph•. Earn<·:'itl_v agitating this hu~in<'ss lie took

hold of the adual <'redinn of tlw illlii(ling with hiB own hand~. Slowl_Y !mt surely he f\H\\" the ch,qwl go np ancl on l\[areh 1 (i, 1902,

lw lnul the pleasure of inviting in his English speaking hretlmm

i~'crman l.ttt/zcra11 Clzurclt 1-9

to tlw ril·dicaiion. ~erenty-nine 1wn:011s liHH' belonged to this

organir.ation in till' L,•u ,\·,,ar;-. __'\011· that its go:c:pel tent is piklwcl

iii a fo,·ornhle pla,·<i tli,· (")lllr<'h l'XJH·ds to lie a rnore important

f'ador in tlie e\·a11g-,·li;rntion or the (·orn1uuuity. Sinl'e Uw first of

Uw pr,·sent year ~Ollie t<·n pnsons hare united wiLli this body. The

pn·:wnt board of de,1con~ rnnsids o/' U. 'l'anquist arnl .1ohn Gustaf­

son.

GERMAN LOTl1ERAN CMORCtt. By REV. JOHANES SCHULZE.

To lrnH: tlw Gern1an Lutlwran ( !Jn1rd1 jom with the l:iiy of

}lankato in ib jubilee celdm1tion, in a ,-;hort sketch r;etting forth

its history, i~ ecri.ainly proper and in onkr, beeau:c;e the German

Enmgelieal Lutheran Church is one of the pioneer ehurelws of thi:;

city, for its history rlatr!s baek to the early sixties. Already in

lR(iO a ,;lllall m1rnlwr of Gerrnan Lutherans !tad erected their log

l'abin lwre and chosen this their home. From 1800 to 1800, the

Lutherans here formed what is tcrrnetl a "mission place". Thev

had no minister of their own, lrnt tnncling Lutheran rnissionari,_,,-;

1 isitetl them from time to time, s11pplying their spiritual want.s. '.l'lw first of' the rni,;sionarics 11·ere the ministers HPnnccke and Wei;;~.

Though not a::; yd organi;r,ed as a LuUwrnn congregation-in fact ihc congregation ,ras not organized nntil September 1+, 18(Vi'-the

few Clerman Luthernns then living here eontributed and bought

a lot for a drnrch on tlw eonwr o( \\'11shingto11 and Third street,;

as l'arly ·as 18n(i, paying $500 for tlw sam<>. The next year, 18G~',

tlH·_Y IJnilt upon this lot. a church and parsonage combined, for the

~11m of ;f,i,oou. This auwunt was paid at om:t', with the exception

of $(i00. The cleclication of this church took placr1 October i7th of the sanJC year. In August 18G7 they received their first reg­ular minister, llev. W. Yomhof. He remained as their pastor but

a short time, till June J 8fi8, his wi fo's failing health compelling

liirn to accept another c;tll. His snecessor was Hev. A. Kulm, Sr., who also was president of the German Lutheran Synod of :Min­

nesota, for a number of years. Besidrs this congregation, Rev.

Kuhn had several other L11tliera11 parishei,; in his charge, anrl so

conld not give all his time nnd labor to this 011(' place. Tims

hallllicappe,l, the congrl'gation eoul<l not fiomish and increase so

50 /lfanhato-~Its J,frst J,ifty i·cars

wdl as if Rev. l(ulm had hacl only this congregation in charge. Still the congregation grew and became stronger. For fourteen years Rev. Kuhn was pastor of the German Lutheran church here. In 1882 he accepted a call to the Lutheran congregation at Han­over, Minnesota. After receiving a call for the sccornl time, from the German Lutheran congregation here, Hev. K. F. Sclrnlze of Comtlarnl, Minne~ota, the present pastor, accepted this call in October ] 88:!, and was. installccl as pastor of this congregation January 15, 188:L The early eightil)R wm, a time oJ new life and activity for this city in general, and certainly a time of great ac­tivity for the German Lutheran congregation of Mankato. The present healthy condition of this congregation is certainly due to a very great extent to the tireless energy its pre:c:ent pastor, spent in its behalf. When RcY. Schulze entered upon bis duties in his new parish, new and great interest took hold of the members, new life and vigor ,ms manifest on all sides. The attendance at public worship increased at such a rate that the little frame church soon became far too small to hold all the audience. A large number of them would stand in the church yard near the open windows, ancl there take part in the public worship. 'l'he same marked interest was also shown by the memlien-; in their parochial school, of which an account is given in another part of this book.

Though much vigorous opposition was brought to bear, the congregation in 188:3 finally conclucled to l.rnikl a new large church. This vigorous opposition seemed at the time not so unreasonable. There was still a debt pressing the congregation. The members were with but few exception::;, poor, some very poor. The credit of the congregation was gone, in fact not worth a dollar. The prospects that the existing gloomy conclition would change for the better, were not vcr_y bright. In the face of all this the con­gregation, nevertheless, hegan to carry out their purpose. With fear and trembling, and yet with hope and courage they bega:1 their great work on November 10, 1883. No sooner was thi8 work begnn than the opposition gradually became less Yigorous, and the in­terest arn1 enthusiasm and activity in the project, more and more general. Of course there wa8 still some c1iscontentecl grumbling to he noticed, and time arn1 again were remarks of thi8 kind to i>e heard. "Tlwy will never be ;:iblc to finish and carry out their plans." "Where arc tlwy to get the necessary furnh to erect so large a lrnilding, being poor and having no ere(lit ?" Hut in spite of the nuu1erous prophets, who prodaimed their <1oom as a foro-

German 1.utluran Clzurclz

gone conclusion, and as a fact self-evident, interest all(1 activit\' of the members did not lag. 'l'he necessary funds were forthcoming, all members doing their utmost, and contributing to the best of their means. All the work the members could do themselves, tlwv r1id and f1id it gratis. The eountry memlwrs brought forth material nid, bv cutting down trees arn1 having them sawerl into lumber-in fact the greater part of the lumber used in building i;; ltomC'­grown. In 188J the building was finished, but it still rcmainec1 to he furnished. This task the llll'lllbern accomplishecl, by having each head of the family buy a pew, while the young men bought the altar, the young ladies the pulpit, and the Sunday School scholars the Baptismal Font. In October 188J, the new church was declicatrc1, arnl great joy arnl thankfulness abounded. Excur­sion trains came on that day from Minnesota Lake, Good Tlrnmler, ?\ ew Ulm, Courtland and Nicollet, bringing a great number :>[

Lutherans from those places, who wanted to share the joy of the German Lutherans here. With the builcling of this church erect­ed on the corner of Second arnl Spring streets, and even at the present time, though built nearly twenty years ago, one of tlw largest and finest in the city, the activity ancl progress of the Ger­man Lutheran congregation, did by no means cease. Two vears later in 188G, they built a fine large parsonage in the rear of the church, at a cost of over $1,400. Some time later they placed a new, large pipe organ in their church at a cost of nearly $1,000. 'J'hey were also very active in their school.

They arc at present consiclering the plan of establishing a third school, with a third teacher. Their chnrch, their schools, their parsonage have all, in later years been furnished with the necessary modern improvements. The current expense,; of the congregation amount to about $3,000 per annum. All these fonds are raised by voluntary contributions.

'l'hus has the German Lutheran congregation of Mankato grown from a small weak chil<l, to a strong healthy man, has flonrished and prospererl so that today it stands as a mark and pillar, strong, sound, lrnalthy, in a flourishing comlition as one of the largest ancl strongest and most influential congregations in the city, and its hopes and expectation are to continue to flourish arnl prosper, and its fervent prayer is_: "J\Ia_y Goel establish the work of our hands upon us, _yea, the work of our hands may he estab­lish."

FIRST Ct-1URCtt OF CttRJST. l~y REV. Ii. D. WILLIAMS.

In the earliest records we linrl the following: '"l'lw Discipll's of Christ living in and near Mankato, Minne:-;ota, met together

on the :2:'lr(l of Ft>liruary, A. D. lH(iH, in an npiwr room 011 the conwr of .Front and Clierry stn!ds. \V(•, lieing fow in nu111ht•r, and there being no (•vangelist near m:, all we eoul(l do was to

continue steadfastly in the ;\ postlcs' <lodrinc arnl fr] lowship aud

of breaking of bread and in prayr•rs." And this wt: ditl. On the

3rd of :iHa_v, following, by nllltllal (;onscnt, we Jonncd ollr,wlll~S into an organized chnrd1. The following arc the rnrnw;; of those

who composed the church as Jirc:t organized to-wit: J anws B. Elliot, Eliiaheth Elliot, Clcnwntine Elliot, K W. Uitki11son, Anna

Dickinson, Elizabeth ( 'hc•nowith, ~Laria1n Bad ford, Hobert ~haqw,

Jessie Sharpe, ,J m,eph Powers, Ccci 11.v Powc)r,-;, Levi ~eott, .illahahl

Scott, Clementine Levan, Arnarnla 1-lolmes, Amm Brown, Sarah

Davis. For elder E.W. Dickin,:;on \\"HH rho:srm."

Of these charter members 1\Irs. ( 'lenwnti1w Hogen; awl :;u rs.

L. N. Holmes and Mrs. I~liiabdh ( llwnowith are ;:till liYing.

On the 12th (lay of ,Jnne. 1870, :urntin B. (\lltrHcil eommc11r1:d his duties as first pastor ul' the eongregation. He was a young man

full of noble JJlll'JH>:oe put inti action, who:,;e n1t•J11ory i,:; :still lwld dear in the hearts of those, \\"ho knew him. .\ftcr stayiug with

the church one year, failing health (•ausP11 l1im to resign. After the death of l\Jr. Comwil. llohm·t 1:-;lrnrpe was e::;per:iall_v

actiYe in carrying on tlw work ol' the church. The mc'rnbpn;J1ip eontimwd to increase until in .iH772 it numbered H3. At this ti111\' the first church building wm, ercdc<l on the eorrwr of Second and

Grove street:s. II. S. Goff, H. E. Carrett, ,L 1\I. Fad(lis, L. N. Holrne8 an(! C. H. Austin constituted the ottieial board o[ tlw

church. On ,Tanu.ary 1, 1874, K T. C. Bennett became the second

pastor of the congregation. He lahnrc<l with the church one year. Bclwin Rogen, the thircl pn;.,tor, took up the work Novcnmbcr

17, 187!5. ;\ftcr two _v<':u's work he resig1w(l th is position, a]l(l

wa,- at nnee elede<l an t•l<lcr. In tliiic; ll('W capacity, lte still <le­

nJtc•(I tntl('h time to 1m,aehing fol" this nrnl nc,ighhoring cong-rt>­

gation:s, nntil 1881i. ]%1er Hogc•r~ died in 18D8. His was a life

53

that by its thorough goo1lncss i1npn,spc<J many. 1\t hi:-: death

many ,rere licar11 to say in all tile fullness of the words, "He was

a goorl man."

H. W. Ste1u1son, the fourth pastor, carne to ?llnnkato in tlie

spring of 188G. J-Ie \\'as ,rith the church three years.

'IV. 'iV. Sniff began his first pastoratC' at Mankato in urno. Ht! tl1cn gave promise of superior pulpit ability, antl has since

lwco111c mw of the leading pn'achers in the hrotiH'riwod.

Jh11·id Ilu:-:liand ,ms theu pa,-;tor of the congl'cgation for a :n,m· and a half. He then entered the crnngefo;tic ficltl

!)ming tlie ministry of R ::-l. Scrgisson. who ca111c .Jnl_v 1, Hi\)~, plans were pcl'fodcd for the erection of the presl'llt clmrd1

IJnilding, which wm; cletlicatcd i1~ the _n',11' 18!),-;_

Frank H. Marshall took charge ol' the ehurch ,July H, 189:i, and continuccl its pastor until the summer of 18U7. He th,m

went to Japan as a missionar.1·.

H. D. 1Villiarns, the prnocnt pastor first came to the churl'.h

.Tune 10, 18!17', but left in the fall of 18DH to assist in Bible Chair

work at the FniYersit_y of :Michigan. Between this time and his

return in .July of moo, Sherman Hill, H . .Ja,;. Crockett, and \V. H. Will_van1 sueces:siYcly acte11 as pastorn of the congregation.

FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHORCH. By REV. E. L t1EERMANCE.

Jn Hml, l'rof. {;<'o . .:u. Uagc, tlic'n at the l1cad of the l\Jan­lrnto State Normal School, together with A. P. Tukc_v, L. Z. Torn'_v, Harvey Aicacharn and othern cornmcnc1,rl to agitate the

question of organizing a Congregational church in Mankato. A meeting was lwltl on March ;3rd, of that year at the olcl Heel ,Tacket ha]], and a eommittec, ('onsisting o1' Prof. Gage, L. ::;;_ Tor­rey arnl Harvey ::Vleacham, was appointc,l to ascertain tlw wiKlws

of people of the Congregational persuasion residing here. On .July

8th, a second nweting was held, at tlw call ol' the comrnitt<!C, and

at this timP a constitution nnt1 co1·e1111nt \\"l'I'l' adopted and prn­visional officers f'lpcfctl. L. 1/,_ Torn,_,· am] H. :'lft,nc-hau, \H'l"l!

elf>cted ])c,1<:tms. L ... \. :i\font·hnrn, l'lcrk, nnd A. l'. 'J'11kc_v, treasnn•r. A cotmt·il to complcfr, the orga11i;,:ntio11 oJ' tlte chnn·h \\'/ls

callc·tl to med nt Shocrnakc,r's hall August ~8th. Tl1e following

51 ,Jfanl,ato-lts First Fift_,, i·ears

churches wne representecl: Plymouth, Minneapolis; l'ly1uoutlt, Rt. Paul; and the Congregational churclws of St. Anthon,\', Fari­bault, Austin, (hvatomrn, Winnebago ( 'it.1·, !--lcl)]'(Jll and Vernon. Hev. Hid1anl Hall, state ,;uperintcnclent for the llome 1\[issionary Society, preached the sermon. FiJ'teen persons 1rere enrolled as

mcrnbt'rs o~ the new church, as follows: H arvcy Meacham, Geo. S. ;\feacliarn, Mrs. l\fargaret :Meacham, L. ~- TmTl'.\', 1\lrs. Harriet F. Torrey, Cleo. :'If. Clagt·, l\frs. Elizabeth Gage, .T. "L Kennedy. Mrs. Caroline Kennedy, ?vi rs. Caroline { '. Brmrn, Susie i\L D1'L'l"

(now :Mrs. L. U. 1\I. Fletcher), A. P. Tukey, i\fi,-;s Arnlwlla Olds, ;\li::;s ,formic Hayden.

The Home 1\Iissionary Society had c·o1rnnisf'imwd He\'. C. H. l\Ierrill (now State Superinternlcnt of Ycrrnont) to preach 01w

year, am! promised $800 for his support. The new churd1 pledgc·d itself to atl<l $200 to that an1ount. October '22nd, 1870, the quc·s­tion of forming a so<'icty in \·onnl.'dion with the church \\'m; farnr­ably acted upon, and on the following week of-licen; were electPd. About this time Plymouth Clrnrch of :i\linncapolis Pxtemle(l hc·lp to the new organization by a generous gift of hymn books.

On ::.l" ovembcr 8th, 18'?'0, a council was called for the pnrpo~e of orclaining 1\fr. Merrill to the ministry, arnl on this occasion the following clrnrches ,rerc represented: l'lyrno11th, :\linneapolis;

and the Congrc>gational churclws of Winnebago City, Owatonna, Rochester, Austin and \Va;;cea. Tlw fin;t permanent church offic­ers were chosl:n Uceemlicr 1st, 18','0, as follows: I-Iarvt'Y Meadiarn and L. Z. Torrey, Deacons; L.A. Meacham, Clerk; and .John H. Walker, Treasurer. Tlw nwmbership at this dat<: wm; twent_y­seven.

During the summer of l 871, the prc·sent ehnrr:h li11ilding was

erected, costing $2,-1-00. Of thii-; amount,, $ii00 was gil'lm by the Congregational Union, and $700 was raisecl by the church. The balance, with the added cost of the building site, was a heavy bur­den of debt, which oppressed the church for .n~an;. The church building was formally <foclica Ll!(l ;\' ovem lwr 1st, 1871. l'rc,.; itlent ,James \V. Strong 0£ Carleton college preacherl the ;;crmon, and the prayer of clellieation was offered by UC\. Mr. Williams of Fari­bault.

Rev. C. I-I. Merrill having refnse(1 to remain another year, a call was extendcrl to H.01·. L. W. Chane_\', 011 Scpt<'mlwr :lrrl, 1872. At thr closP of Iii,; Jirst n·ar·s lalwr here, he wn,; installer! as reg-11hu- pastor .No\'Gllllwr 18th, lS'J:J. 'l'he rnembership at that date

REV. E. !,, IIEEIOl,\NCE,

REV. I . L. c,mv. REV. C. I-I. MERRILL.

CONGRE(;AT JO:-.. \L C! Jl l l{C ll AND l'.-\STORS.

REV. F l\-1. \ VA S HU U IO, .

Rr-:v. T. M1-: 1rnILL EDMANDS .

R1•:v. H . /\. Bus11N1':LL. REV . L. w. C!-1 ,\NEY.

was sncnty-thn·t'. The years following were marked IJy a pros­perous and lwaltliy growth of both chun·h aw1 sol'id.y. ltcvival meetings <luring the ,,·inkr of 187-1-:i l't'su]h,rl in large, additions to the chnn·h, twcnty-t~ight persons uniting on mw occasion. J\lr. Chaney\; pastorak continued nearly nine years, the longec<t in tlic history of the elrnrch. His ministry was marked hy carnc'st, faith­ful labor for the cause. Jn i\Jard1 1:--\tiL he n,;;iguecl, in order to

lwMfit l1i" son's health. if possilile, liy a cliangc 'fif location. ,\II the clnrn:ht'S ol' the ;\la11lrnto c<mforencc\ l'Xccpt that of Sterling, met in cmmcil on April 19th, approYl'd this adion, all(] voted resolutions of n'spcct and goo<l wishcl:' [or l\lr. Chancy. During the lm,t year of his sta_v the standing tll'bt of the church, amount­

ing to t)l"cr ~1,700 waf- paid. For the acc01uplisl11nent of this much t1csircd Prnl the socid_v was largely i]](lebtct1 to the tact and tle­tt'nninccl energy of Mrs. L. L. Davis, then J\Iii-s Tngra111.

Hev .. J. A. Freeman of Braclbrook, Conn., followed I\Tr. Chane>_\' and prcachet1 for the year cncling June -1th. 18tii. On Jnne 15th, the church invited Her. Albert \Varren of New Haven, Conn., to fill the pulpit, with a view to becoming pal:'tor of the churd1, but the following :March his resignation ,ms tcnclere<l and accepted.

On November 1st, 1883, RcY. H. A. Ru:slmdl t·ommcncecl hi:,; labors with the church. He was ordaincc1 as pastor July 15th, 1884. He was a young man jlrnt mitering the ministry. He had an intense devotion to the 1\fastl!r'::; cause, and the church prospered under his ministry. The congregations ancl the membership in­creased, and the church engaged in actin, mission work in K ortb Mankato aml West Mankato. 1\lr. Bm;lmcll was led to do more than his clelicate ph_yRical organization woulcl permit, arnl on Sep­tember 1Gth, 1888, he resigned his pastorate because of ill-health. Under his leadership the church became for the first time self­rnpporting, having been aiclc<l 11p to 188u by the American Horne Missionary Society.

In October, HeY. A. Rt>rk, of New Hid1mon<1, Wis., was called to the vacant pnlpit, but declined. On February 10tl1, 188D, Rev. I. L. Cory began his labors, being recogniic<1 by a council called to meet September 10th., 188\l. Dnring hi:-; pastorate the church felt the loss of Rome of its most active workers arnl supporters by removal to other localities. A I\Iannnl nrnl Directory of our Church ancl Socidy wnR publi:-;hcd in urno. After Mr. Cory's de­parture in April. 189'!. tlw dn1rd1 wa,-; ll'itlto11t a pac<tnr \lntil October Hith, ,rlll'n He\". ,J. W. ;\!ar,-;Jinll cai11c to its pulpit fresh

S,C'edis!t /.11tlzcra11 lmmaJ111c! C!utrclt 57

from the S('Jninary. J-1(, ,ms O!"(lainl'rl l)cecmhl'I" ~th, 180:2, a1H1 n•1uaincd nntil .Jmw 1st, .Hrnl. lie wa:-; followed by Hev. F. :\1. \Ya~hlrnrn, ,rith a pastorntP lac-'ting until Octolier 11th, 18%.

?II r. \V,1sh hu rn 's sm·cC'~~or, UC'r. '! 1• :\krri 11 Ed ll!il!l(ls, canw to

:\[ankato, :\larch ~-th, 18!)~', Jrom a :-;uu-es:-;ful pastorat(• at Brain­l'rd, :\!inn., and remained Ji\'(, _\'<'a1·s. Tlw l(•rm of his SPnic-c lwn, 1rn:-; markt·<l !Jr a stPad1· p;rowth. Anotlwr clrn rd1 e,l i fie<, wa,-; ta]k('d or, 1rnt it was <kc-id<'<l to repair ,rnd n'nor,1t(, thC' nl<l. Tlw ('hnrC'h wa,-; in <'XC·<•lil•nt condition ,1·ht•n \fr. J,;drnarnls n·signl'd, awl, in :\larch, l!)O"s?, left Mankato to C'0111111('JH•e ,rork in a Jnrg<T field, at \Valipdon, N. J)_ .-\ftl,r hi,-; (lqmrtnn•, Lhl' pnlpit was ;;npplie,l by prc·aclwrs frolll the '!'win cities, until the arrinil or the present pasto1·, fkr. K L. 1f(•errnance o[ :Jew Jla\'(·n, Conn. :\Ir. J-l<,er-1mrncl' commc·ncc•d work on ,J urn, 8th, 190'2, and \\'as orclairn•<l ancl installed hy a council of churC'hes whid1 met on ,June 20th.

'l1 h<· Nwerli:-;h or !·kcond Congregati01rnl clrnrch ,i"·as organi"e,l in 1881). Ile\'. G. 1\. Burg- wa:-; the fir:-;t pastor and 1-\l'n-c<I tlw <·L11n·h for a nmnher of y<•ar:-;, while a :-student in Chicago :-lcminan­a,rnl aftennml lfo was follmn•rl in the pastorate by Jfoy_ Ernest "\'. Bjorklnrnl. The elrnn·h worshipperl in the old :-l\\'edit<h Lntli­c•ran building in \Ve:-;t l\fankato until 18D."\, ,rlwn the presc•nt clrnreh illlilding wa,; ne<·te<l, on Belgrade Ave., in :-,'orth 1\lankato. Ai,1 wa:-; n•c·l'in•<l Jrorn the C'ongn·gationnl Chmd1 Hnil<ling Society, am! frn111 tlw Honw illis:-;ionary Society until 1D0·2, \\·hc•H the fidcl mis yokc,l with Kasota. The present pa:-;tor i,; HeY. ,\aron ArnlPr­son, a graduate• o[ tlw !·hre<lish <il'part111<•nt of Chic-ago f-,l'minar\', who c·anH' to :\Lmkato from \'l'inona. The prl'sl'nt nwmbership i,:, ,tbnut ;;c:1·<•nty.

Swedish Lutheran lnHnanuel Church. By t1ON. A. O. EBERl1ART.

'l1 lie hi:-;tory of the Swcrli,sh Lntlwrnn Clrnrch o[ :i\Ianlrnto <late:-; lnwk tn the ~-c,nr ll-~71. In that rear llc1·. Carlson from Caner, :i\Iinn., rna<lc occa:-;ional yj:,;its to :;\lankato with the hope ol' ,1ro11,-;ing a clesi1'l' l'or religion,-; ,rork. Being an e1wrgdic toiln in the spiritual fielrl hi,-; <•ffort:,; \\'NC soon cro,1·11c•(l with ,-;uc-ec;:-;,-;, ?lfrl'tings \\"('!'(' hel<l in prim!<' lwuH'c-', llig}.('in:,;' hall and the County ,Jail. Th<' fir:-;r c·o!lllllllllirn1 :-Pnic-l' ,ms lH•l,l in tl1e ,Jail. A

Jlankalo- /ts First l·i'lty ) ·ears

few oJ those who partook thereof still recdl th is evcntfn l period in their ('hurch hi:-;tory and talk about it with enthusiasm. So they ought, for it is not oHcu that ]JL'ople, who a,-:,;(;lllhlc in ,

Cmmty jail, <lPndop into a har!llouinu~ eongn•gation of (i:50 JH',We­ful church 111(•1nliers and law-a!Ji(ling eitizl'n,-:.

During tlw years 187:i and rn·,;3, lll'L :·hrnclell frnm St. l'd<·r <·m11e nmv and tlH·n to c1H·crnragL· ilw 1w,r organi,:ation in ?llankato arnl to kinclle among its rnellllwr~ the hope of a rcsicle1d; pa,-:ior. 'l'lw,;l' lH·lpf'ul rn<•dings W<'l'C held in Slirn·1HakL'r\, lrnll loentl'<l 1war the pre,-:l'nt site of Ben T. }lon,;on's grocL!l".)' store.

ln J 87-1 the elrnrch was n•organize<l a,; the Swedish Lutheran Ernng<'lieal Chmeh of _Mankato. 'l'he first organization was not in lmrmonY \\·ith either d111rl'h or ,-:tah! laws. At this meeting Clias. F. Hallman, Louis ,\]!(lemon, and 'I'. A. Falt were ,ilcctc<l as tr us tel',-:. ,John FrcPnmn, ,J. 'l'. H llltengren and ,J nhn F. ,Tolrnson, as rleacons. Chas. F. Hallman was elede<l as secretary, a position which he lilk-<1 with crl'ilit for elen·n years after\\'ank Dming the three past years the dlisirc for a house of worship lnlll bc<:'11 skaclily groll'ing, until, in lt:Vi-1, it nwtc!rinliz<•cl in the WL'8t Mankato church, 110\\· Hsed by the \\'ct't Mankato lrnmd1 ol' the Firr-;t Baptist C'lrnreh of l\Iankato. 'l'lwi1· long nonrislw<l hope of sPrnring a re,-:iclent pastor was abo rea!i,,e<I ill the spring of 187-t, ,rhcn He,,. ,J. G. Lager,-:trom from St. J'dt!l' respontlcd to tlwir call ancl assumrd charge of clrnreh affairts. Undrr his lea<lrr­ship the church nia(]c, stl'acly progress, and in 188:2, f-'ix years ther'"­after, paid tlw lad dollar 011 the nrortgage, tlwrcby relea;;ing a

<·lrnrc·h [ll'OlH'rt.r rnlued at :j,:2.000.00. ,\t prl's<'nt $'2,000.00 woul<l not Ii<! consi<lerP(l a heaY_Y loacl, hut in tlw L•arly pioneer day;; sm·h n sum kqJt the man in clrnrge of financial alfoir,; thinking and w01T1·ing.

In 1878 after four years of sncccssful labor Hev. Lagerstrnm n'signcd. ,\ year pat:scrl by lwforc anotlin pastm was uilll'<l. ]n tlw nwantinw scrvic·<•s were held <'n·ry otlwr i"'lrmrln,· h_,· stmlent,-: from Cl. A. College, St. Peter. Prominent among thc,sc were .T. 1'. X_yqnist nn(l J. E. I-Terlbnrg. Tlw first choir \I'm; orgnni,,rcl in 18n 11·ith ,John S1neclburg as lca<lc>r, who bro }'l'Hl"s lafrr was fol­lmr<'d hy A. 1V. ,Tolmsrrn. nl r. ,Tnhn:.;011 ,ms in tu I'll :st1(•(·<•Pill'1l hy A. 0. EIH•rlrnnlL anll illl' lalkr hy \\'111. .Tnlrn:.;011, th<' pr<•,;c,n1 hold­

i:r of tlwt position. fn 1880 this clrnrch joinril ,rith ilie L11llwrn11 <·lll1rcli of B<'l­

gradc in (•ailing He,·. ,\. ,\[l(lc•r:son, ,rho U<'L'l'[Jted llir' position kn-

Szccdisl, /,utluran !J11111an11el C:lzurdz 59

derecl him at a salary of $500,00 a year, and for seven succeeding years faithfully aml con:;;cientiousl,v discharged his pastoral duties. In 1884 an organ was aclrled to tlH, church property, and Miss Emma Peterson, now :Vfrs. Charlc·y Peterson wa:-: irnlncetl to bccmnc organ­ist at a salary of two collections; one on N cw Y c,us 0vc, the other on Pentecost day. The names of those \\:ho have faithfully servecl ilic church in the same capaeity are in order as follows: J\fiss Edith Gmrntrom, now :Mrs. Andrew Lind<'r, ;\_ 0. Eberhart, and \rm. J olmson, who is the pre,;ent organi,;t.

As many members of the church livcrl 111 what is now the first ward an agitation arose to remove the church to a more cen­tral location. There was also son1e difference of opinion on the l'llforcemcnt of the constitutional clause cxcltHling members of fraternal organizations from church membership. 'l'hc agitation grew and in the latter part of 188G resulted in a division.

On the 10th of January 1887, the seceding majority organized as the Swedish Lutheran Immanuel Church of :Mankato under the temporary leadership of Hcv. S. Anderson from Waseca. This new organization, comprising 25 rnembern, at this meeting elected the following officers :-Soren Johnson, Carl Peterson and John Dahlen as trustees; John G. Magnuson, Martin Nelson and John Paulson as lleacons. Rev. 0. J. Siljcstrom succeeded HcY. Arnlcr­

son as temporary pastor. 1\ parochial sehool which was starfo<l urn1er the old organiza­

tion in 1877 was cont.inned nm1cr the new with C'. 0. Cassel, a stll(1ent of G. A. College, as teacher during Jnly and August of 1888. Mr. Cass0l also fillcc1 the pulpit eYcry Sunday in addition to his teaching work. The people met in Williams hall for relig­ious serrices prior to the erection of the present church on :Main street. C. 0. Swenson, another student from the same colleg0, :succccdc(l l\Jr. Cassel and preached alternately here and in Bel­grade during the four last months of 1888.

Rev. C. B. L. Boman was called in December 1888, but de­clinc(l. So clid also Rev. C. J. Collin, called in February, 1889.

Prof. ,J. S. Carlson of St. Peter College, now of the State Uni­v0rsit_y agreed to take charge of the congregation until a resident pador could be secured. '11his long cherished desire was attained when Hev. Franzen from 'Northington ,vas called in 188!:J. Ile was tireless in his zeal, and by Yirh1c ther!'of the prescmt church waR erected in 18\J:Z at a coRt of $1G,000. Hcv. Franzen resigned in 18!:JI a]1(l at the Pll(1 of that year was Rnccecdec1 by Rev. A. K

60 3Eanl,ato Ets l·irst Fifty i·ears

Erickson. He is the present pastor of the clrnrcl1. The church lias 2:50 conuHunicants, G:-50 mernber:,a, a Sunday :,acl10ol of 150 chilrlrcn with John llud as snpcrinternknt, and (i'i' pupils enrolled in the Parochial school.

1\. H!r_y rare and highly appreciate{] gift consi,-ting of a $1,000 pipe organ was 1·eceived the 2.2ncl of ,J unc, 1902, from Gen.Gm;taf Widell and family. J. S. llolf, ,J. A. Nordgren and Chas. Esbcrg an' ~ening as trniStees; Ole J\fon:son, A. M. Wiemar, anrl J . .Lans as dcnc-on:s; c\.. vV . .Tolrnf-'on, as sel'.rctary, nrnl .lolm (l. lHngnnson, as treasurer.

Welsh Calvanistic Methodist Church. [>.y REV. WILLIAM E. EVANS.

We arc ancl have been known as Calvini:,;tic Methodists, and the appellation is historically and doctrinally correct-on our theo­logical Ride we arc believers in and upholders of Calvin ism. Of late _years, for the sake of ecclesiastical classification, we occasion­ally Rtyle oursel\"Cs Presbyterians, ancl the term is etymologically right, ecclesiastically proper and Scripturally true. Like the churches of Scotland, in theology we are Calvinists, in chnrch goyernment Presbyterians.

'!'he ,Yelsh CalYinistic l\fothoclist church was first organiicd in Mankato, December 18G;J. '!'here is no certainty when or b_v whom tl1e first Welsh sermon was preached in thi,:: city. The Re\·. John W. Roberts of Lake Crystal was one o[ the pioneer Wel:sh preachers in this clistrict. II c nsccl to come here to preach from Ottawa, Le Sueur County, before the 1ml ian insurrection. Tlwrc we're a few vVelsh people here then-John D. ,Jones, Hobert Jones, Hugh Jones ancl their families aml possibly others. They assem-. blerl at first in the ol<l log school house. The first Snmlay school was hclcl April :rn, 18G5, at the house of John D. Jonc1o. There were present ,John n. ,To1ws arnl his family, Hngh Hughrs, 'l'homas ,frnkins, Ellis K Ellis and his wife, l\Iaggie ,Tones, (Ilomc), \Yil­liain Francis and his wife, Wm. S. Huglws, ,John H. ,Yilliarn,-;, ,Jolm .T. Erlwmcls. Hf>re they decided to keep it regularly. .Tolin n. ,To1ws ad9rl as su1wrintl'rnlent, arnl Ilngh Hughes as teacher. In ,T unc of the same _Year a petition was ;wnt to the synod, helcl at Hon'li, to organize a church here, nrnl in Decc!rnhcr, by the ai,1

1/'clslz Cab•anistic ;Jietlzodist Clwrdt

of the cleal'.ons at './;ion arn1 South Bencl this was l'.arricd out. At this time the Hcvs. H. W. ,Jones, William Hobert;;, .Joseph Hees and Jenkin ,Jenkins pn!aehed to them with some regularity.

Jn 186G they bought a lot 011 Hickory street, and in 18G7 the first Welsh church ,vas erected on it. It was small, only 2fix30 .feet, but at that time, it was quite an uncTertaking for the Jew members. However, by the kind aid of the Wisconsin Synod they were able to pay for it.

The first officer elected by the church was John l. Davic;s, who had previ011sly acte<1 as deacon at Cambria, Wisconsin. Jn 18GG scYeral W clsh families move<1 here arnl joined them, vii: Ec1. Owens, John R Thomas and his family, Evan Williams and others. From 186G-18G8, Wm. Jones, (Oshkosh), William W. Jones, Isaac Cheshire, Evan Parry a.ncl their families came here to live and they rendered valuable assistance. ln 1869 Richard Hughes and the Rev. D. l\I. Jones came here from Cincinnati, Ohio. l\fr, Jones preached here for a year.

In 1872 the Rev. Richard F. ,Jones, a unique man and an able preacher, took charge of the churches, Mankato, Zion and Carmel. His ministry lasted for eight years.

In 1877 the church elected four deacons, viz: Hugh ,Tonf'R, Owen Jones, John D. Evans, James Griffiths.

February 188-i, the Rev. John C. Jones, ( now of Chicago), accepted their call and the union lasted for ten years. When lw was about to enter on his work the church burned down. Thfr:; was a great loss, with no insuranc9 on it. But fortunately the few members were men and women oJ courage and faith, and in the same year a new church wm, erected on State street, the site of the present church. This c.ost them $2,500.00. They were all heart and soul in the work, so they managed to clear the debt and the Lorcl paicl them hountifull_v for their labor of love.

At this time Jabez Lloyd, (who was a deacon at Jerusah'rn, Juc};on) arn1 family moved here. In 18(i8, 0. K Richards, Hugh D., and Hichard Hughes were elected deacons. Later Thomas Hnghcs and Edwarcl Evans, who were deacons at Zion, arn1 H. T. Roberts, who was deacon at Bangm·, \Vis., moved here. De­r<'mhcr 18!14, the church here cxtemle(l me a call arnl T llll<lrrtook thr chnrgf' of ?vfonkato and Zion in ,January 18%.

Tn 18% we folt. that the church was too small for the eongw•­gation, so March 17th, it "·as decidf'(1 to build a new church. Peter Lloy<1, D .. J. ,Jones, Frc<leric-k Doberts, Tho:;. O. Jone,;, Griffith

Jfanlw.to----lts First Fi.ft_,, )··ears

Williams, Hugh D. Hughes, Richard F. Jones and the pastor were appointed as a bnilc1ing conunittee. In the summer of the same year our present church building was erectccl at a cost of $7,000.00, which was paid by subscriptions, on the clay of cJcclication i,1 October 189G. The clrnreh is now, for two years, free of debt. Some of the deacons mentioned dcscl'\'e great credit for their de­rnteclncss. They shall not lose their reward. Hobcrt Owens, ,James Griffiths, Hugh D. Hughes, Isaac N. Gritfitl1s have acted as conductors of the singing, arnl Ella Jones, Hannah .Jones and ,Jennie Hughes as organists. Our present organists being .Mrs. R F. .Jones, Hannah Jones arnl Hach el Jones.

Three have been raised to the ministry in this church, vi,.;: Hevs. Ed. Thomas of Tracy, John 0. Pany, of Cambria,, Wis.; a]l(l Thos.P. Thomas of Mankato.

:My ~onnection with this clrnreh for nearly eight years has been most happy. ..We lun-e lost many of our mm,t faithful mem­bers during these years, but, owing to the fact that some families have moved in from the country we luwe been able to keep np onr membership and to increase. 'l'he church now numbers about rno communicants; 30 chilclren, 200 congregation. Our services are conducted entirely in the Welsh language and owing to this fact it is with difficulty we arc able to keep some oJ our young peo­ple. We have a Christian Enclearnr Society for their benefit with a membership of 35 or 40. However, we hope to keep on; and if, after years, we shall be swallowed up in the American churches, we hope at last to appear bcforc the great .Master to reccire His greeting, "Well clone!" for the aid that we have given some pil­grims, far from their native land, to reach the heavenly shore; arnl it is our desire to praise His name for the joy tliat ,we experience here while joumcying through.

SCHOOLS OF MANKA TO.

TtlE PUBLIC SCl100LS. By HON. L.G.M.FLETCHER.

J t is at tin1c'" both pleasant and prnlitai>lc to take' a rdrnstH•d ol' tlic organizing and b11ildi11g up of auy c·11tP1·pri~('. 1t is pkas­ant for those who in the past h,wc tak<•n an adini part aiul hani borne the lnmlc·n of organization. It is profitable for those wl10 arc 1.o assunw tlw r<!sponsibilitie;; of (•arrying forward _the ,rnrk, to know what has been done in the past.

J n·gret more than I. cnn (':-;pn·~s tlrni 1 liani !wen nnabk· to

t>btain more definite· information n·garcling th(• organization or r,ur ;schools and tlie m1rnes oJ tlrnsP \\·ho fiµ:tll'C'<l in tht•ir t•nrly l1istory, but tlie book containing tlil· records up to lSCS di:c;­appl:.lrl'<l in tlrnt year (tlie war follm1·i11g iii<> linilding ol' tlw l'nion ~klwol) and it ha~ nernr lw!'n found.

E:-;c-n,;e llll) for gi,·ing tlw history of tliat Josi reconl hook. A

school lll<'l'ting lrnd I H'l'll ('Hi l<>d l'or l~ehrnary 1 ~tli, lS(iO. A Jt•11· day;; prim· to tlrnt dnt<' I 1n1;-; ,.cpntc,d in l',11T1· Brns. L\nnk office. In tlw olfict' at the! tillle 11·nl' Dumco!lll>. Uillen nnd ,YrckolL tl11·c·li 111('11 whose> m1rn0s are fnlllilinr to all old settlers. One o[ the!ll rrnrnrkl·<1 to the otlwr;s. "Let us go to the sd1ool rncding and hdp to rnte a large school tnx; it ,rill IJe popular''. l n·rnark­ecl: "Don't clo thiugs in that way and with tlrnt rnotin1. Fiml ou"t lirst how much is needed."

I ldt the ofiice with tlw c1dermina1ion to kno11· the exnd ('onc1itinn of tlH' <li~trict. In onln to do so I lrn<l to go to those who hn11 adP<l as clerks or the Jfoarc1 ol' Trnstet>s 11p to that time.

I tlwn krn·11· who had so ,H·t<·<1 and no,r n!llll'111lwr t.]l(' na111t•s or l'rn1r: C:<•o .. \. C'lark, ()1•0. W. ( 111!i11ni11g·s, Willia111 ('non nncl .\Jr i\linor. Eaeh !incl kqJt tlw n'l'ord in his own private hook a]l(l 1rh0n hil-' ll'l'lll P:-;pin•ll, the hook n•111nined in l1i,; po,;,;c•'>'Sion. I got all thl'SL' book;s togdher, bought a large IJook and recorded

,1/ankato-~Its 1-i'rst Fi/ty J -<'ars

in it, in order, tlw records qf the sd10ol district up to that time­that is to Felirnary, 18(i0. I gave that book to the school di:;­

trict aml in it were kept the reconls np to the year 18G8, in which year, as I have before state(l, it tlisappean·d arnl I have nev<~r heen able to find it. I make this full staicrnent as an excuse for not lwing able to fumish more in <1etail the early history of our ,;chooli,. The statements I make reganling that early history must be drawn from the memon of those lef't here, who were living here in that <'arly time ancl who took an inkrc·st in tile schools. It is llllH:lt likt! drawing water from a dry well. Some arc yet living in the l'acific States, bnt the great Reaper has tlonc his work we'll, only a very few are left.

The first school in Mankato was taught bv Miss Sarah ,Jane Hanna, now Mrs. John Q. A. ::V[arRh, during Rix months in the summer of 1853. The enrollment of scholars mm abont twenty­thrcc. She was paid by subscription. The school was taught in a rough board warehouse at the end of Walnut street, on the south side of where the City Hall now stands.

The next school was taught in 1854 and 185,':i by Miss :.\lary Ann Thomson, afterwar(ls :Mrs. Aaron :N. Dulm,. 'J'he number

of scholars enrolled was about thirty. This school was k~pt in tlw south room of a building on lot I, block (i, opposite where tlw Citizens Bank is now.

Miss Thomson was also paid by subscription. It was 1iecc's­sary to do this for the first assessment was not made until 185-1, and, in orcler that you may realize how small an income would have been derive(] from any school tax imposed at that time, I will read that assessment list. This roll contains all the taxable prop­erty;rral ancl personal in District Ko. :3, for the year 185-1:

I. S. Lyon ................................ $G50.00 D. C. Evans ............. , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300.00

Owen Herbert ........ , ................. : . . 40.00 Geo. D. Orton .............................. 310.00 Thomas Lamoreau ......................... 340.00 Chas. Miner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20.00 Hannah How(l ............................. 125.00

,Tohn Randolph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . :rn.oo .-\ ugustus Tidland GustaYus ,Johnson ......................... . Noah Armstrong .......................... . Lucinda Canvood ......................... .

l;).(JO

-l00.00

'.!."i0.00

50.00

Tlzc I'ub!ic Sclzools

,\ndrew l\lyrick ............................ 500.00

Elijah K. Bang". . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1'.l.00 A JHr. :Thfay. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40.00 Orliff Nelson ............................. .

Orlin ,J. Westo\'l'l' .......................... .

B. ;\lorclarnl ............................... .

\\'. Comings .............................. . L_rnian }faU1ews ........................... .

10.00 10.00

-'15.00 :30.00

200.00

Total .............................. $2,88;l.oo

tlo not know !tu,1· miu:h h·rritory i)istrict X o. ;3 induded,

hut ;;o far as property was"con('erned, it might haYe been extended

from Hochester on the cast to the Iowa boundary on the south and

westward to the boundary of the ::;tatc, or even to the Pacific coa::;t.

In the summer aml fall of 1855 was built by subscription the iin,t sr.:hool house. I would like rnuch that subscription list to

n•ad to you. I remember that A. D. Seward was very active in

the work. But the one who contt ibuted the most liberally to that

l'nterprise was John S. Hinckley, still a resident of our city. He gave the site, property now valued at four thousand dollars, being

lofo ;J and 4, Block :JS, whern the Union School house now stands.

l wish to emphasize this fact that the hearts of the community may go ont more tenderly towards the old gentleman in the closing

years of bis life. It was during the year 18:-i5 that the School District was first

organized by the election oI three trnstee:-;, two of whom were ,James 'l'homson arnl 'l'ltcron Parsons. l think the third was A. D. Seward.

In December 1855, the first examination of applicants for the school was held. There were three applicants, John Walingfonl,

K B. D. Porter and L. G. i\L Fletcher.

They met for the purpose at :Vlr. Parsons' house, a log house

;-;ituated on Lot 9, Block ;1, Parsons A.ddition, being in the same

uloek and west of where the Franklin school is now.

The examination was conducted by the three trustees. They

l'Xarnined us separately. When we got through, they told me tlwy hacl sev<'nty dollars for the winter school and that tlwy woulcl pay me at the rate of tl1 irty-J-ivc <lollars per month until that was use<l

1tp. I ta uglit the school for tlw two 1nonths and ('Ontinucd it

nf'arl~• one• rnonth more for 11otl1i11g. 'J'he enrollment \\'HS thirt_v­

oc,·c•Jl arnl they aYerng<'rl more than ordinarily bright.

()6 J/an/wto---lts First h"f!y i·ears

'!'he fin,t school huiltliug in all this part of ihc state mis

tl:at old log school house m1el that winter's term wa,;, without tloubt, tlie first school bwght in all thi;; region in a lrnilding erect­ed for school pnrpnses and paitl !"or 1ff public tax.

THE OLD LOG SCHOOL HOliSE.

'l'he next sl:honl ,rn,; taught by A. D. 8e,rnn1, for three months in Uie \l·iutt>r o[ 18:i(i and 11:137. The enrollment wa:; between fifty and ~ixty.

The m•xt ~tliool wm, taught in the winter of 18:i, and 18:i::l by L. U. 1\1. Fleteher at fi rty dollar:-; per month. The numLer or scholan; registenxl nint'ty-scn_;n with books of all kind::: u:::ccl in schools from Maine to Louisiana, and no book store, and classes ranging frotu a Primar_v class in the A. H. C. to a dass in Civil Engineering.

~Vlwn the term was through there wa8 no 111oney to pay the teacher as all the school money had heen taken by the { 'ounty Com­rnissionrrs to pay for the building of Uw old Register of Deed,; built-ling. I waited nntil the Sqitember following. Then one of the County Commir-sioner,- f'Hi(l he conltl get Uw money to pay ]11(' or.). E. 'l'ouril'llo(k ii' I \\'Ollld ,-,ig11 tlw notl', wliieh T did. Sai(l

(·orn111isKio11cr pni<l th\• note• mul lo~t se,·entl'(•n dollnn, lwfore he got hiR pay l"ront tlw County. This J made up to him artenvan\,-,.

Tiu F11Mic Sdwo!s

I mention these tl1ings io ,-;how ho,r clo;;ely all matter~ had to

be managc<l in tho;;e early time", c:speeially up io 18G1.

In 18~8 and'!) /\.If ]\finer taught tlw ;school with an assistant,

onr teaching Jorcc having been im-r<·nsed by one. From thi,; iime up to 181i7, our sdwol kept on increasing,

e:dra rooms being hired when'\'"!' tlwy coul<l be obtained for that

purpose.

By that time we felt the rn•<,d of hdt0r accommodations for school purposes. After sen•ral e.\citing meetings held in the old log school house, it was votc<l to 1wgotiate boncls for :j,15,000 to lrnilcl the i~nion School. The old log building ,ms torn down to lllake room for the new, and in the Jal! ol' 18(Vi' a corps of sen•n

teachers startecl work in the new school house.

In 1871, four _vears later, the PlPas,mt Uron-, an eight room lrnilding mis erected anrl that, too, starte<1 out with seven teacher8.

In 187-l, more room being needed, ,re a<1<1erl the Franklin and

in the fall three rooms were opcn(•cl in that lrnilcling. The West

Mankato school erected in 1885, the 11 igh Scho-1 in 1891 anc1 the

East Mankato in 18!Jii complete the present numlwr of our school buildings.

Our High f-lehool wac- startc<l in tlw _n,ar 18G~-, when the

l:nion School was built, !mt the ~ehool wa:; not strong enough an<l the scholars <lroppec1 out. Xonl' were graduate<1 nntil 187G, when a class of nine recein~d diplomas. T,n,nty-scven classes lutYe gone

forth frolll tlw ::\lankato High School and our reco1'lls bear the mimes of three lrnndrell and thirty-four graduates.

J would like· to call the na11ws ol' that noble armv of men arnl

women wl10 ha V<' IH,<'11 instructors in 011r school,; d 11ring the past but time and spnc<, will not permit.

There i:-; m11ch more that I might tell lrnt to go too nrncl1 into

detail would pro,e tiresome and statistic:-; would b11t wear_v yon.

I woul<l only suggest the contrast between that little school of twenty-three taught in the early fifties in the rough boan1 ware­

houEe and our :sc-hool:o as they are today.

Our Pnrollment now is sewnteen hundred; our corps of teach­

ers numbers fort_\'-one. The current expenses of our schools from

the beginning have amounte<l to over a million dollars. We luwe now a permanent property vainer! at one hnrnlre<1 and fifty thousand

<lollars. lt ha~ he<·n no small burden lo our people to accomplish

all this. To their crPclit, I wish to "tate, that <lnring 111_v long ser­

vice on the Boanl, at no time barn I hcan1 any great cornplaint

68 Jlanhato-lts l'i'rst f,ij"ty rears

concerning the school tax, the cause of education recc1vmg at all times the loyal support of the patrons of our schools. To the spec­ial credit of that class of our people who support schools of their own, I would say that I liaye never heard one of them complain of the school tax. 01w of that clasi, who has for many years been a heavy tax payer and is t0l1ay the heaviest tax payer of our city ,;poke worcls that should fiml an echo in every heart when he said to me: ''I nen!r feel like complaining of the school tax if I think it is wisely and carefully expended for l want good schools wlwrever l live."

In closing I wish to pay a passing tribute to some who in the past have worked faithfully to promote the welfare of our schools.

There i,; one office, the importance of which is too often over­looked, the otlice of Secretary of the Board. As a general thing our Board has been fortunate in its secretaries, but I wish to make :,pccial mention of one, no longer numbered among the living, who served continually for fourteen years, George H. Brewster. A 11,orc careful, painstaking man l have never seen. He was worthy to have any trust placed in him, and will be long and kindly re­membered by those, who were members of the Board during the time that he served.

The interest connected with our Public Schools is not a small one for it ha,; to do with the welfare of the young, and through that everchanging band exerts an unseen influence through future years and around the globe. The responsibility of doing that army of young people the greatest amount of good with the means supplied is a responsibility of no mean order.

That you may know the interest of our schools has been in good hands, it is proper for me to mention here the names of men who have served on our School Board and whose life work is now enclecl : J amcs Thomson, Theron Parsons, Frank Bunker, George Maxfield, John Shaubut, James Shoemaker, John William Hoerr, John C. Wise, John A. Willard, T. R. Coulson, Judge James Brown, J. A. Wiswell, E. B. D. Porter, Henry Hartman, William Bierbaucr, 0. 0. Pitcher, Q. Leonard, C. Hoos, J. Flachsenhar.

I have served on the Board with nearly all the men named above. It was pleasant to sNve with them for in the main you were made to £eel that they did what in their best juclgment waR fol' thc grcat<>~t good of the schools, having dnc regard for tlw m1•,ms nrnkr tlwir C"onhol, without put-ting too heavv n lmnlen on t!J<• tax payers oJ our city. Tht•v arc> Pntith•d to rnur kiuclly rc-1nembrance.

STATE NORMAL SCl100L. By PRES. C. ti. COOPER.

In 18{58 a law wns passed pro\'i(1ing for a ~talc uornial sd1ool, nnd under that· law the school at Winona was establislwd soon after. In 18/i(i om distingnislie!1 fcl low-tmrnsman, Ju(lgti Daniel Buek, was a member of the legislature, and a member o[ the com­mittee on the rerision of the statutes. Coming in the course of the work to the section on normal schools, it occmT!Xl to him that it would be a good thing to hm·e such a ::;ehool at l\Ianlrnto, ancl he moved to insert J\lankato as the place for the second Normal sehoof. Jt was carrie<l in tlw co1umitteP, lmt a hard struggle en­sued in the Honse, the measure being defoatecl two or three times by the friends of the Winona school, who wanted only one in the state. But the fight was renewed as often, the matter was recon­sidered, aPcl by duewd management and hard fighting success was finally attained. Judge Buck declares that it was the hardest task that he ever set himself to accomplish; it is with justice tbat he is called the ".Father of the Normal School.''

,Tudge Buck was immediately appointed Resident Director, i11 18(;(;, al}(l the eit,v took hold of the matter of raising the $5,000 neces,mry to 111eet the f'tatntory coll{lition, and an appropriation was secured for a school building. The Prudential Committee, whose duty it was to care for the ::;chool under the Normal Board, con­sisted oJ' Daniel Buck, Clrninnan, Jll<lge James Brown, and S. C. Harrington, who gare 111nch of their tinw aml strength, as ,n~ll a~

of their wis<lom and business ::;agacity to the work. J udgc Buck heard that the present site of the lmilding, not inclmling the apex of the triangh•, was for sale for $2,000, and not much time was

lost in securing it from its owner, a Methodist minister namcLl David Line:-;. The apex was seem'Cl1 ten years later when .Judge Buck, then in the Senate, sectue<1 an appropriation for that pur­

pose. '!'lie lmilLling conl1l not be made ready by the ti111e appointed

for the openi11g of the school, am1 it was opened in the basement of the l\fotho<list chnrch on October ,', 18(i8, with Gw>rge M. Gage as Principal, wl10 i,; d('~nilw<l in a l'!']lOl't of tlrnt year as "a gcntlc­uinn of good <:Xjl('l'i('ll('<: in a flouri,;hing Xornwl S('hool i11 ?fpw

l<Jnglarnl." Odolwr iGth, the school was remove<l to tlie seeond

Mr\NK,\ TO STATE t-;OI<.M t\L SC II OOL AND ITS PRESIDENTS.

P11Es. C1-1,, s . II. C onn:11, _l',n-:s . Ci-:o. l\-1. G ,, 1.;i•:,

P,n:s. E1Jw ,\11n SEAl!IN t , .

P 1u-:s. DAVID C. J o u:-, D.D,

slory ol' a :shlrn l)l\ilding, coJ'Jl('J' ol' ~lain and Front :s!rl'd:s, on·r what is now called the "Corner CaJe."

Thec;c quarters in the Shani mt lrnil!l ing, \\'Cl'C 100 fret long an<l 22 fod wide, llividccl as follows: First room, 2Ux22; secom1 room, 18x22; third and fourth rooms, 18x1 I) each. On the 2(ith of Ue­lobcr, the first da_r in these quarters, thurc wen_• -LO <ksks ,rith ;;·2 c;trnJL,11t:-, enrolled in tlw Normal d<•pari111<•nt and lG in the nlodel school, total, (iN. At tlw clot-;<! ol' the tcrrn there were DU <'lll'oll<•d.

'!'he :-<ecornl t<•n11 op<•ned ,Jmrnar_y (i, 18(i!J, wii.h 55 st11<lcnls in the Normal department HJ](l '.2-l. in the :\!odd ,whool. Tlw a;-;­si:sta11t::; ol' J'n:sident Gagr~ 1rerc :\Ii:ss Susie D_r!'r mHl :\liss Em111a H. Collins, the latt<:r newly employed !'or tl1Ht frrm.

:\lay 11th, 18(i9, ground \\'HS broken for tlw new bu i Id iug, arn1 011 the .22nd of ,J mic of that year tlw conH:r ;-;tone was laid with appropriate sen-ices under the anspi<·es of the 0<1<1 Fellowf-'. Prc,;idcnt Gag\! ma!le an a<ldres". September 7th, 1870, the sehool began to occupy the new huil<ling, and liy ;\pril, 1871, it war:; com­fortably aml con\'enientl_v lwu"l'd, with ample facilities Jor that <lay. Jrnlo-e Buck tell,; with 0 Teat o·n,-;to how he was ,;eore<1 hi' a

b ' M h ,

farml'r of the county for the wicked extrnrngancl' of the inanage­ment in lrnilding so enonuou,s a ,;tructun·.

The State SupPri11il•rnle11t's n•1)()rt for the yl'ar 18(i!J-,'O gin,,; the following figun~,;: ('o,st ol' Lmildiug and ground,; ..................... -~Li,,'(iS.S2 ('ost of all furnitun•, including fo1·mH·<•,;,............ +,Sll.Hl ('a,;11 rnisc'd in Mankato (!'ondition of its lorntion),.... 5,000.00 Books, 1naps, eltarts, frn1n 1rnhli,;lll'rs................ :J,000.00 s\ciual c.ost of rnnning thl' s('ltool................... (i,200.l-t Hec:ein'<I from i\lodel School....................... 702.70

\'umber or '.\Ol'IIIHI students, J.:Hi; mall'>:<, ;rn; r('nlall';;, !18.

NurnlH'r in fin,t graduating cla:--s, UVi't), 10 . .:\'umlwr of :otudenttl in tlw :--.:ol'lltnl !l<•pari11t<'nt during the

:,;econd war, l'IHling ,June, 181(), 1.:i-1; lllall'>', +:l; r<•males, l 1,1. ,\urnber in :\fodel School, fird .,·ear, JOO; second ymr, 17';"5.

In 18')2 l'r('ciidt•nt Uagl' l'l'>'ig11l'd to Hl'Cl'jlt thl' position or ;-;uperintPncll'nt of tltc· SL Paul t'<'hnols, an<I ,,·as :-;u<'l'l'l'<kd in tlH' office by :\Ii,-;:,; ,J. s\. Sl'ar:s, wlto n•mai1H•tl lmt orn' _,·t!Hr. In 187:1 Ht•\'. Jl. ( '. ,John IH•(•HlJl(' pn•sidl'nt of' tli(' S('ltnol nrnl S('l'H•fl u11til 1RNO, wlH'll ll(' n·signl'd to IH'l'01t1<' tl1t• pr<':-;i<knt or lla11ili1w Uni­versity. !11 tltat ;-;a11H• n•nr l'rofr,;sor E!hrnrtl S<•aring took ('lrnrgt' al't<'r a brilliant l'Hl'l'l'l' a,; l'Olit•_!-1;<' prnr<,~~or, author, and State Sup-

il/ankato~Jts First Fi(ty ]'ears

erintell<lcnt of Wil-'eOnl"'in. Dul"ing the p1't)l"'ideney of Dr. ,John the

number of stm1ents fell l'rorn l n in the Sorrnal department nnd 4G in tl1e 11odel Sd10ol, the m1mber in 187:J-?'4, to l'?/J in the

~orrnal <kpartnwnt and 40 in the :\Iodel School, the rrnrnlier in 187!)-80. During the sueccccling years the nurnher of students in

the ~onnal departnwnt runs as follows, not inc:lrnling tlll' Preparatory dep,ntment :-1-20, lN-\, :2:rn. '(:2::2, :l:2G, 3>l.'i, :111, :l09, .8ti8, :lO.'i, (n,ar ending in J8'.JO). In UWO the Mod<'I

School numberl·d ::::rn. I ,rill not cnrry the iignres furtlwr as they are easily acct•ssiblP. Tlw m1mlwr of teachern was five m

18?'--l ; sm·en in 1880; brehc in 1883; thirteen in 1890; t,renty rn 18/J:"i; hnmty-three in l!JO0; arn1 is twcnty-twq in lfJ02.

1 t seems to me altogether fitting anc1 prnp<•r, on this oec·asion when the history of onr city is the snhjt'd of disc,,~sion, to show something of the lwnefits that han, come to the city from having the :c;chool in operation within it llnring tlie pcist thirty-four years.

I will speak only of the financial lw1wfits Jrni11 lack of time. 1. For the present purpose we may considl,r that an awrngc of

200 students luwe been drawn hither for each of the past thirty years, making G,000 years of resi(1cncc altogether. We consi<1er $150 a fair allowance for a student's expenses; hnt if $100 be taken as the a,·erage for all, we have the rcspedablc sum of $G00,O00 ns the amount brought to :Mankato and cxpern1ed here for food, cloth­ing, fuel, washing, arn1 the other things that om merchants and citi­zens furnish for their own profit arn1 their customers' good.

2. The State of ]Hinncsota nm,· appropriates $~32,500 per an­num for the running l,xp<,nsl'S 0£ the school; during the two year,; of continuous sessiolls tlie appropriation ,ms $:J7,000. H we

take $20,000 as the a\'erage for thirty years, we shall have an amount of $fi00,000 as the cxppnc]iturc for current expense, for the most part salaries and fuel. The greater part of this large amount has gone to our own merchants and citizens for the sup­port of the teachers and their families; we can estimate th<' amount as thus brought to our city at $450,000.

:3. The building and such parts of the equipment a,; have been supplied directly or im1irect1y, by local (1ealcrs and workmen may be estimated at $100,000. IiJnm if portion~ Jin rn bt!en constrndl\(1 or snppliet1 by outsi(1e conlradors and lfoalers, the work has largc­]v heen <lone lwrP arnl tlw ,rork1nen ~llp)Jorttid liNe h.'' pun·lin,:e., Jlla(fo from 1Vlm1 kato citi%PT1S.

4. J\forc than one family lrns heen <1rnwn to J\fankato, di-

Stale ,\'ormal Sdwo! 73

redly or indirectly by the school; the c:--.:pernlitures of such fam­

i I ics, through tl1e }l'ar:-; o/' th<'ir sta_,·, for support, ('lothing, houws,

a]l(1 the thousall(1 a11(l one 1wl'ds of family ]if(•, may lie ronghly

(\stimatcd at $100,000.

Summing np ihc:,;c rnrion:-; a1;1mmts of income brought to

our city by way of trade thrnngh tlw operation of the State ?\ormal

School we ha,·e ihe noble sumo[ a million and a quarter of <lollars.

Jn these days ol' enormous figures this rnny 11ot scC'm as large as it

once woul(1 lun-e seemed, yd a L>usi1wss entC'rprisc that lins l'Xj)l'rnl­ed among _i\fanlrnto lim;i1H•s;; 11H'll and ,rork11w11 rnore than $--!0,000

per year for thirty years of the pa:-;t, a]l(l that gi\'C's promise oJ'

bringing an incn·asingl_,· larger sum l',H:h _vP:u for an indefinite

Jntun: pni()(1, wonl<1 apjH'ar to all ,rlio ani inten·sk<1 in tlw city an

enterpri!-'e to hC' valnc<l for its past licndlb and chcrislwd for the

promise that is in it for future advantage to the city.

But the financial bcndit of the Xornrnl School j,-; not cxhaust­

e<l by its trade bcn<'fit to the people. There is a din•d contri­

lrntion that it has macle to the city a~ a corporation, or rather to

thl' school district that inclnd(•s the city. This is often o,·er­

lookcd, but it slwuld be prized at its foll value. Dming the whole

of its history tlw ;c;chool has had in its gracles, or l\Ioclcl School, a

large numucr oI the ehildrcn of ::\Iankato, ,rhom it has cdueaterl

without expcnt>e to the di~trict, for ,rlwse eclneation the city would

have been oliligcc1 to pay iJ' the Xornrnl School ha<1 not existed.

Dming tlw pa.~t twelrn years the numlier of children in this c1c­partmcnt has an~raged more than three hundn·c1. Suppose that

"·e take two lrnrn1rccl arnl fifty as the an\rngc; for thirty _rears. To

P<lucate this a<l<litional n111nlwr of ::\lankato d1ililren ,1·01dd have

rcquire(l the scniccs ol' six a<1clitioirnl teachers arnl the erection and ma.intcnance of an ad<litional school building, or not less than

$100,000. So W(\ sec that the city has been saved the whole of

tl1is large sum by the State of Mimwsota through the State's as­

sumption of a port.ion of tlw 1Jllrc1c·n of erlneating 'i\fankato's child­

rPn. There is not time to speak fortlwr of this aspect of the qnes­

iion. The past has shmrn that thP people of l\lankato do prize the

?\ornrnl School; th<•sp fads ha Ye h<'f'n hronglit fonvan1 as a con-1.ribntinn to i]}(' hidory of thC' cit_y of wl1il'h ilie school forms a

!)art.

THE CATHOLIC SCHOOLS. By AI~THOI-L SCliAllB, Es,1.

It j:-; irnpos,;ihlc today to go to any country, he the same ci,·ilii­

ecl or mHciYilizcc1, when• Yo\l \\'ill not !incl n i'\ll'Pple snnnounted b_,. the crosR of ~he ( 'atholie dmrch. s\nd ,,·hen•,·er _mu fill(] a Catholi,:­

chnrch, ymt ,rill most frequently find ,l school 1war it. In fac:t in

c\'cry land beneath the ::;1m that Climch Ji11s Prcdi!<l schools; and it can be i:ruthfnlly saiil that no kingilom, empire or ri'pnhlic has

c•,·cr llllilt onc-thir<l a::; many schools as tlrnt l'.lrnrch has.

Jn many of these cmmtriPs tliPrC are no other schools, and

\n'rc it not for the intC'n'st of the Clrnrch in C'ih1cat.ion, the C'hilr1-H'll would grow up ignorant and uninstrndcd. But many of you

may wow1c'r why in this country, where we have snch an excellent

public school ;;_1·stern, Cntl10lics tshonld go to the expense of erect­ing other schools. It SCC'lllS bnt right that I shonlr1 explain this fact briefly before I gi\·c yon a skdd1 of the hi:-;tory of the ;;chool here.

lt certainly is not because wc find fault ,rith the rnethoil oi teaching secular rmbjccts in the public schools. As true Americans,

wt1 are very proucl of them, arn1 Yie\1'c•r1 from a worlrlly standpoint

only, wc helic\'<:' as mnch as any onP of :rnn that they haYc not :i

parallel in the whole wide ,vorlrl. Ho\\·cvcr, we lwlieve that eilu­

rntion to he complete must lw t\\·ofold. That it mu,;t embrace not

only the training of the intellect in the secular branches of knowl­c'dgc, hut a:-; well a training of the soul in n•ligiou,; knowlrdgc. Catholic parc>nts as 11rnch a,; ,my others, ik:-;ire to hare tlwir chilrlren Cilncatell in ewry branch of secular learning; hut fin;t and aboYe all they wish to sec lhem ,rell instrutfril in the ilogmas, principlc>s

and teachings of the faith that is in them, that they lwlil r1Parer than life. They helien! that whih! it i:-; well indcc,l to know the name a:-:trn11m11ern ha Ye gi rc•n to c1·Pr_r star, it is better to know the great creator of cwry :;;tar; that while it is well to hear and read the uevcr dying thought:-a of tlw rna,:1.cr mirn1s of the world, it is better Rt.ill to hear nrn1 renil the ,rnrrfa of (foil himself in tlw Hook

of Hook::; arn1 in the teadiings of hi;-; ( 'hnr('ll; that while it i:-; im­

porbmt to study "tlw s(•nl'i;; told h,· rol'k an<l star, hy i1ust nrn1

tlowc•1>, liy min arnl "now, hy l'rn;-;t and J-lnnw", \!\'Pl\ ll!Ol'l: important will it ('\'l'l' he to study the \\'ill and lnw,; of Hirn who rnndt> u,;.

For tlw;;<' rca;;nns ,n' l1C'iic•w. in tlw 111uochial school:-; for our

77u Catltolic Sdwols 75

children; for in them arc not only taught all the branches of se­cular wisdom, lrnt the religions training 0£ the children is abo Jll'H'r put into the bade ground, and in them the chilL1rcn are in­structe<l in that faith wl1id1 is rl<'ar to us.

H rdigion is the science of sciences-- aml, my /'ricncls, to ns it is~ then it is worthy of taking a highly honoreel placei IH',;iclP. thL· science,, of geography, algebra, geometry and all others.

You may ask, cannot this instrnction lie gi,e·n to the childn·n

aside ancl apart from their regular ,,d1oolingr We! bcliL!Ye not. 1Ve cnn ne,-er consent to make religious instruction a siclc i,,sue in

that way. It has been e1-ronrous]_\· :mppo:,;cd by many that because Ger­

rnan Catholics lrnYc beeE so zealons in ncl rnneing the interests of the parochial school, tlrny acted thus from a rlesire to have school,.; in which that language would be taught. This mav have been a

s<'cornlaTy irnlucement. We lol'c our German language, not alon<' hecm1sc it is so beautiful, so elegant, so powerful, so expressi \'C;

but bemuse the first wol'<h, of enc1earnH·nt spoken to us i,i this world wen· ntteretl in that lauguage by the lips .of the fond mother we love. Above all language;-, however, abol'e all earthly things m! lol'e ,riih a lore nrnl_ying arnl 1111cliviekd our Holy Faith. In this lorn li<is the tnw Teason of the e,,ctahlisl1111l'nt of parochial

~l'11ool:s. lTrn.lerstand 111c correctly. We haH! 110 l\rnlt to firn1 with the

public schoob. \\"c are proll(l of tlH•Jll, as tlw nohle,st of AmeTi­

can institutions. We shall ncH•T dream of inkrforiug with them or fastening any of' mir ideas upon tlie111. When the ( 'atholics under Lord Baltimore arriH·d upon the shnrl's of :'ilaryla11cl, they prnelaiuwc1 this principle: "!11 r<'ligiou;.; HIHitPrs Id e·n·ry man follow the clictates of his mrn conscience". We hl'licre in thi~ as firmly now as then; and we believe that nowhere, should that rule lie 1uon· strictly enforccel than in t.lie public ~ehool.

J kno\l· there may be many arnong you 1d10 think our rea,;ons for haYing parochial schools are not snrlieient, lmt [ arn sum there i, not one of you \\'ho (loubts for a mmuent the r1rep sincerity of thos,) who while thPv nncornplainingly arnl nngnu]giugly pay r.lwtaxes for

tlw support of the p11blie schools, at the same tinw loatl upon tlwir ,110111,lns this hc:ny a<lelitionnl lnmlc·n. a hurrl<'ll 1rhi<'h elf'nrnnds nf them, especially the poore)r C'!ass among tl1t'llI, t]l\, nimost se·ll'­s:1cri11c<' arnl <ll'rntion. n,· cloing this tlH•~(• lll('Jl ]HO\'(' al~o how

firrn and dce•p-seatPd is their bf'lid in educntio11.

Jfanlwto-lts First Fz/ty ) 'cars

After what I have said it will not Le rnrprising to note that t\S early as 18G:3, as we learn from the Daily Hcvicw of Fehruari-28, of that year, a com1nittce conc;isting of ,John Bruch;, Leo Lamm, i:eorge J.:.:ilfo and J\Jidwcl Hurn1 WlTr sdedcd by the people of our 1,nrish to gl't a Catholic 1rnrochinl school cstabfodiec1 l1cre, if possi­blC'. The gn·at_p:-;t 1]ifficnliy in their wa,\· was the lack of teaeherR. As there is no nobler profe~sion than that of tcad1ing, it is sad to have to admit that npnn this grarnl field mnch good work remains un­done for no other reason than a lack of \\·orkcrs. The teachers that the ( 'atholic;; lwrc were most an:xions to sec11re were the Sisters of Notre Dame. The fame of their zeal, their learning, their devo­tion, their success lia,1 penetrated even as far as l\lankato, at that tirnc c;lill the country of the hardy pionel,r settler.

In :iYJard1 18GJ-. f;eo Lamm, one of the School Committee, went in person to Milwaukee, where there was at that time, and still is, the 'Mother Ho1rne of these Sisters. lI e explained to the

:J\fothcr Superior with all tlw eloquence he coul(l muster, the grarn1 opportunity for Catholic e(lucational work at Mankato. The Sisters were not unwilling to go to the field which promised to be­come such a good one in course of time; yet, alas I there were no sisters to RCn(l here.

Leo Lamm returned unsatisfiecl. However, hope was not ahandone1l. In J nne 18G5, ]'ather Sornrnercisen, our pastor at that time, himself went to Milwaukee to renew the attempt. Those only who remember the ieal, energy and earnestness of that noble frontier priest can appreciate what an appeal he must have made to the Sisters to urge them to come to the field which so much needed their work. It coulcl not be withstooc1. Father Kraut­hanPr was sent to :Mankato to look over the f'ieM here. His report bPing very f,worablc, the Sisters of -Y otrc Dame consented to come.

On Wednesclny eYcning, August :30, 18Gii, three c;isters and

one carnlidate left Milwaukee for this city. They traveled .b~· rail as far as LaCrossc; from there a steamer took them to St. l'anl. Herc they were met by Father Sommereisen, who had hastcne<1 hither to giYe them a glad welcome to our State. The trip from St. Paul lwn· was rnn1le in a post chaise. 'l'hc_Y luu1 been ex­

pPckc1 to anive lwre on Saturday evening. 1lowevcr, the roadR !wing very du:st_,. arnl tlw ,n,atlwr snltry, tlwy 1n•n• clC'lay<·cl and

dill not arrirn nntil th0 PYening of th0 following <lay, Snndny. 'l'lw strC'ds of onr eih· hnd IH'Pn dPnin1tc1l with grecm boughs, flags arnl bunting. The Catholic 1wnple hac1 nssc1ubk(l, patiently await-

Tlze Catholic Sdwols 77

ing their arrival. When frolll afar was Sl'cn the chaise in which

thl'.)' wen; known to ht•, n loud shoui of joy ancl wl'lt:0111e W<'nt np from O\'l!I' a thousand people. A procL•s,;ion wa::; formed an(l the

clrnisc c-ontaining the sisters ,ms kc! in triumph to tlH· church.

A conlial wckolllc irnkecl for the :-:\i,-;ters, but one which 1 h !'()l!gh y<'ars of pati<'nt toi I tlH;y \\'l'l'C ;-:oou to l!,Hll.

\'/onl;-: fail me whl'n J ,1·i:-d1 to L'Xpres,-; to you lll,V appreciation

of tlw \\'ork of tl!C' Sist\'rs of \'otre Da111c, these lwllllik <lcrnnt

,rnnH•n \\"hosl' whol(• lifr is deH>frcl to lhL· t•<lllcatinn or youih; to

whom no salary is paid; \\'ho ha1T no choice' e\','11 as to the course

they wi,'11 to 1mrsu<·, 0111_1' obt;d iL•Jll•t• to tlw mice of the snpL•rior;

,rho lrn\'l' no l10pt>, thought or wish of a H1rct•asc of labor e1'c11

until tlwir eyes are clost>tl in lleath; who gil'c unto the canRc of

Catholic ellucation the bloom of their youth anll the last waning

strength of their ag<'; who Yolnntarily have renouncell all the plca::;ures, joys arnl lnxuric::; ol' life, the blessings of friendship,

the consolations of hearth arn1 home and family uatnrally so dC'ar

to ewry l1111nan ]wart, so tlrnt tlwy might not he lrnmperecl in their

work. Jf we extol as martyrs those who lay clown thC'ir lives for

their faith, what will you call those who thus clcrntc their lives to the cause of e<lncation.

Among the school children lies their home, their whole life.

No aspirations, hopes, <1csircs, lon·s or arnhitionR have they but

these. Tims llo I rcnH•mlH'r them ; thus will their image cYer be

vngravlm on my mPrnory. The school opened here hy these Sisters its fop ollkst parochial

school in our diocesP, the llioce,;c of Winomi. The school was optm­

ecl at once after the arrival of the sist('r:-:. The first story of the

stone bnilcling, the second story of ·which sene<1 as n church, was use<l as a school arnl at the same time re,;iclcncc of the sisters. Only

two of the four sisters who first came here were teachers, the oth('rs att.Prnl('(l to the household llnti0s. 87 chilclnm attenlle<l the

school during the first yc·ar. EYery suceee11ing year the attendance gn'w larger aml larger,

1\ ftl•r the pre;;ent dnm:h lulll been built, tlw whole of the ol<l

st01w hnil<ling Rl'rYeLl as a school an11 rC'sitlL'l1l'l' of the 1-,j1-,frn;.

Tfanlly ha<l thC' cam of otu· congregation het•11 entrush•cl to tlw ,Jl'snit FatlH'r:-;, \\'IH'n thest• zl'alous alho,·afr,; of Catholic P<ln­

eation cnmmrrn,c•d tlw t'l"<'l'tion ol' onr prl':-;<'nt spkndid ,;chool

building. Tl1P 1rnrk (·omnH'lll'l'd on April ,n·, L'-17':i. 011 ,Jul,v

11th, of the sarne year the t:orner stone was laid with iHtpre:,;::,ivc

11/cwl,ato-~lts l•irst Fzjly J ·cars

cen'rnonit'S, 011 which occasion Father, nm1" Arch-bishop, John Jreland, ,;poke extolling with his 11sual el()(pH'm·c the work that was hl'ing done here.

The c'xpcrn,e of' lmildiug this school conlll not ]iayc been mnc!t less than $7 :i,000. ]t consi~;ts o[ fonr stories mHl basement, is IGO fret long and (i 0 l feet ,ride. In it there is also a hall with stagt' which sl·n·ps fn·qncntly Jor clra111atic and musical cnkrt.ain­rnents giH'll hr tl1t' school chilcll'l'n, or tlw clifft'n'nt clul1s nnd so­c·idie,; ol' tlil' c·o11_~Tt·gatio11.

THE CATHOLIC SCHOOL.

On f-;ept< 1 11ilH 1r --L mm, sclwol was OJH'IH'rl l'or the first time in the 1w1r st·!iool linilding. The att,•n1lam·e on tile n'ry first clay 11·as u-rn. whi<'h nnmlH'r 11·as im·n•asc•<l clnring the ~-ear. On the rin,t or Odnlier thl' S:lllll' rear, tlH1 lJ('\\' S('honl 1rns fonnnllr cledi­l':ih1<l hr Bi,d1op ln·land. Frnm now 011 a rnalt> s<'lwol teaclH'r was a l,;o <'111 plo_Y<·d !'or t hP h ight•r cl nss o I' hoys. Tlil' first was ,1nsPph Km·!, sncc<'cded in rn;~ l1y Nicl1olas il,Lm•,-;, \\'ho in turn (in 18£18)

'J'/u Catlw!h Sc!ioo!s 79

was succeeded by Frank Suellentrop. Jn 1880 the attendance ,vm,

37:l; in 1890, 502; at the present time it iH over (WO. In 188G the Sisters ac<ruired their present commotlions and

beautiful home; they were enabled to purchase arnl improyc it

through the generosity of Stephen Lamm, all(l other members of

the congregation.

The present superior is Sister Uieron_yrno Sdll'agc; she haE

btught school here for 2G _years, and has been supc1rior since 18DG.

She is assistc<l by thirteen sic:krs and hrn cawliclatcs; sc·n•n of

these teac:h cac:h a class 0£ c:hill1rcn, one devotes all her time to

giving instruetiorn; in rnusie. Besides tlw onlinary branches taught

in public schools religious instrnction is given, <Jerman is taught,

and the Sisters take especial pride in teaching the girls every kind

of fancy work. Specimens of this work made by the children

have regularly been exhibitecl at the public exarninati0ns which are

held in the spring of every year, and have always he<'n gTcally all­m irccl by the ladies present on thrn;e occa,;ion~.

My friends, the Church has always been the friellll of educa­tion. It was she that brought to all the heathen lands not only

the light of the gospel, but as well the light of hnman knowledge arnl 1,cicnees. When with a great conn1lsion the great lloman

Empire fe]l, and barbarians threatened to <lestroy erery vestige of

civilization, science, literature arnl the arts clung to the protecting

arms of the Church that they might not perish from the earth. And the Church undertook the great work of civilizing and c'dn­

cating tlw world. J f you wish to 8(!(! the evidence of thi::;, go to Hnnw. 0 I'

eourse yon will go to see the ruins of the wondl'rful Coliseum. when!

a bloody pastime has saturated the ground with human blood; you will go to sec the ruins of the Fornrn whieh echoed once to

the thrilling eloquence of the immortal Cicliro. Bnt f-inallv :-·,H; will turn away from these ruins, nncl no matter how many Yisions they may awaken of the might.y Pagan worlrl that is dea<l, _ronr

heart will feel nnsatisfie(l. Then from the Home o[ the dead, yon

will turn to the Home of the living; from the Home of the past,

yon will turn to the Home of the lffL'SPnt. Yon will go to the Vatican; anrl there the beating of yonr heart will qnieken; for then!

~-on RtaJ1(1 hdore the wonclc·rl'ul immortal pro<lndions ol' Hnpl1nd ancl other great ma:sters of the bru,-;h and l'hi,-;(•l ; tlwn• yon lwhol,1

on th<• walls of tlw Sistine Chapel that li,,ing st•ri11011 whil'h

i\lich,~c•l AngPlo with hi~ pfnrm·l'nl hrn,-;h put there that it 1uay spt•ak

.1/anlwto~lts First Fifty 1·ears

to all generations the last .Judgment Dav. "\l1<l tlic·rc vou will sec

tlw \.VOrnlcrful statutL·:--, before ,Yhich you :-stand ,ritli awe, holding

your hn·ath, and say: "ls it po~siblc that the:-;c forms so warm,

s_vmmdrir·al arnl eloqlwnt haw IJ('l'll chisdll'<l out of tlw cold in­

animate marble.'' ,\nd you Pllkr tlw Vatican library, onr· of tlw

most wornlr·rh1I lihraric's of tlw world, ,rherc yon will find the

works of tlic great ma;-;tr·r mincb o[ tlJC' worlcl, all the living

thoughts that tlw rn iglit_v lka<l haw ldt for our im;trnction ancl

plc·a:sun·, a lihrnrr al01w worth 1uon' to 11,; than the whole King­

dom of Ttal_r. Anrl you will say: "What docs this all mean.'' 1t nwans my fricl1<ls, that the Clrnrc-h lrns ncnir forgotten tlw

cm11marnl: "(lo forth, anrl k,wh all nations''; arnl her grnJdul

sons hav<' in rl't.nrn ,l<lonw<l the ho11H' of lwr pontiff witl1 thl'Sl'

the miglitic·st triurnphs of till' human intc·llr·d.

GERMAN LUTHERAN SCl100LS. By PROF. J. t1. SCtlALLER..

The German LnthPran Clrnrch was fonncled in 18(i7. The first two mini3krs were He,·. ,rornhof anrl Hev. E:uhn. They had

c·hargc of seYeral other rnngregations uear J\lanlrnto and could not <ll'votc much time to school \l"ork. It was impo,;sihlc to get teach­

ers e\'lm if the_Y ha<1 the morw_v to pay them. In 188:2 He,·. Kulm

h,wing acecpk<l a eall to H,moYcr, J\tinn., He,·. K. F. Nclrnlzl' or Conrtlarn1 was enllc;<l, accepkc1 anrl was ins ta llc<l .T anuary Li, 188:l.

lfo opPlll'll school next clay, .Tannary l(ith. The enrollment of

i-eholars was hnt thirteen, but he pnt all tlw timl', labor ancl energy

possible to increase· the numlwr of pupils. He rna<le a vigorous

house to honse canYaRs ancl spoke to tlw pan·nt.s, a~king them to srnr1 their children to sdiool. AR a rl'~ult of his lahor the school inerem;er1 from thirteen to ninety-six.

In 1Rft1 the (•ongT<'gation calle<l a teacher hy the name of Thro. Dies1wr. This rnan prow,c1 a tot.al failure. '!'he school

<lirniniRhing until in J\larc-h 1R1n, hci had hut thirty-two sdwlar::; ldt. 'l'lw cnng-rc·gation aRk<·<l him to rC'sign, which he <lid. Rev.

S<·lrnlzc' tlH·n took charge of the \\Ork again and taught eontin• 11onsl_Y until 1 SS;\ <lming that timr the m11lllH'l' of scholars m•• crease<l to nindv-sen'n.

Commercial College

111 J\lay Jl-l:-\\ IL J. F. HrocknH•n•r, who had been ealll'd Jrom

SL Louis, took charge or tlw cedwol. Ile proYed to be the right

lllHll arn1 worked with great su<·cc•ss. Thl' :c:chool f'tark<1 with

11i1l<'ty-1s<•1·p11 ;;<"holars and the nnmlwr stcadil_1· inneased until in 18l-JK he had O!lf! lnmdre<l and forty-six scholarn. Then a seeornl

teal'her was calk•<l, W. Sc·herber. A s<!con<l ,:dwol w,1s !milt. All

this 1rns dom• under great dittirnltiL•:c:. J\lnm· of tlw !llemliers op­

po0vd tl1e 0<·houl \mt still it 1vas ,l ,-cue1.;ess. ;-\i1we that time quite n nu111lwr or teachers ha\'e worh•rl in tlw schoob, ,·ii:: :\ll'hr,;taedl.,

Uossweill'r, lkirn, Heukr, (Bowll', \\'a<"l10ltz, \'olkert, ,1·liik· sttl(l­L'llb), Taggab: and Bode.

The cad10ol now hati bro clacesl's aml h\'o lrnrnlred ,wholars.

l~vcr f'inee thP hn1 elass<'s lnne been estalJlishcd there has lieen a

scl10larnhip of two lnmclrcd or more and tlw attcrnlancl' was good

and reg-ular. The annual cxarnination:c: are helcl <luring the week

precl'cling Easter. Since teaclwrs ha\'e been appointeL1 for the

sehool the instrnction has bel'n in Clern1an arn1 Bngli;-,li.

J now turn to the :second part of my ad(1rcss to ,;how yon why

1 think our German Lutheran School is a good thing for tlw City

of J\'fankato. WP do not call onr scliool a Ckrman sd10ol. lt is

tnw that the UL'l'llHlll language is taught there. Om fatlwn; came

from Germany ancl could not speak the gnglish languag-e arnl so

the Oenmm langnage was originally taught altogdlier in th;, school:-;. \\'e consider it of adrnntag<' to know rnore than onl'

la11gm1ge awl now German is taught as well as English.

Some people Ray, why do you not alJolish Gc·rman ,;choob arn1

lie 1-,atidkd with the 1rnblic schools. 'vVc explain it in this way.

T<·al'h c·hildrc·n all the wed, in other subjects al1<1 take orw day to teach aritlniwtic-. X o chilcl ,rill ]parn arithmetic in that way .

. J nst f'O with rl'l igion. l n 011 r ~ehools we instruct onr d1iltlren in

the faith which we love and train thelll up to make go0l1 llll'll arn1 women for the State.

Tt1E COMMERCIAL COLLEGE. By REV. t1. D. WILLIAMS.

Thi~ school was Courule<l .June 10th, 18!> 1, and ha:-; had a

~teacly and n-rnarkahlP growth to tlw pre~cnt tilll<'. H liq.?;an with

abont n hall'-tloi:Pll :--;iud<·llb and vlos<·rl it~ lac<\. y<•m· \\'itli an <.>nroll­mellt or n(•nrly l'oue huuc1re<l. Thi::s pheuo111e11a1 growth has been

tlu<', not to uuwanantcd mctl10tfa and extravagant advertising, but to that snlistantial work that depcrn1s on it;c; fruits for its incrca~c.

In other words, the graduates of th is school ha vc been, am1 arc yet, its :-;tanding au<l liYing at!n)rti:-icrncnb,.

The l'ountln o[ the ;;clwol wa,, _;\Jr. H. L. Hrn:kcr who t)Ill­ployt'd .I. H. Brandrup and 2.\ir. }latter as teachers. These men

t·onrlul'tl•d tlw school a few moi1th,:; and bought the entire intcre:-;t of ;'d r. Hue kn. Brand mp am\ _Matter continuetl as partners in the st"!10ol till 18!Hi whcu J'roL W. K Freeman bought out j\:Jr. J\lnttl'r. Pro!:. Frt•t•nian ,ms with the sd10ol two yeart:'_, retiring at ilw tin1e of his c[pc·tion a,; Superintendent of Public Sdwob in Blut• Earth ('ounty. Prof. Brandrup was ;;ole proprietor from JSD~ to 1K!l!J when, in ,July of that year, Geo. K ~ettleton bought a half intlire:-;t in the school. Since that time the school has bem1 run untler the Jfrm name of Brandrup antl X cttleton, and under their n1crnage1m•nt has attained its greate:-;t efficiency and largest attt•ndanl'e.

The pn•st'nt l'al'tilty l'onsists o[ ,I. LL Brandrup, Grn. E. ::'\ L·ttlcton, ( '. E. Ball, Carrie Hawc·s, ,I o:,;ephine Pyrne, Hah\rJr

Olson, Ueo. F. Thacker and V. S. Owen:s. The various depart­rncnt:-; of tlw sl'hool arc Bookkeeping, Shortharnl, l'emuanship, Typewriting, and Engli,;h 'l'raining.

'l'hc rapid and substantial growth of this school is due cl1iefl_v to two things. Fir;;t. it Ila,-, liat_1 hone:st, cllicient, thorough, and ,;ub:;bmtial managenwnt. Second, there• is a growing dcmarn1 for business et1ucation. Tlw day of the specialist is at hand. Bu;;i-1wss, a,; ,1,cll as all other things, mrn,t lw done in the best poiSsible way. The slipshnt1 lmsinPss mctholls of a new country are passing away. As better carpenters, bcttn 111ct,:;ons. better lawyers, and lwtkr teachers are tlcmarn1e<l., so hctkr lrnsi1wss methods arc t·alk•d for. :!\!en untrained in the print:iple,- and llldhoch, of lm,-inc:,;s arc

greatly handicappcrl. The J\lankato Commer<:ial C'ollegt_'. hafi rnd with :,;ut_•cctis be­

ean,;c it has :,;upplied this demand of the ti tll('S mo:;t efiieiently and at reasonable cost. The city i,:; rightly proud of this institntion all(\ confidently expects it to deYelop to mnch larger proportions though it is al rend y one of the leading lmsinc:;s colleges of the WPst.

INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT OF MANKATO.

(irowth of Trade Fron, 1852 to 1902. Hy CIIAS. A. CIIAPt\JAN.

Jt is diflic11!1 1o 111;1h• a11r ('()llljJ)ll'i:,,J]l li<'l\\('('11 tli(' lrnd(' ol'

JH:i:2 in :\laukato arn1 that ol' l!J0-2. In l'ad !IH•1·t• i:-; no c-0111pari­;;ou, any rnon• tha11 lwllH'l'll Zl'l'O and a ddinik 1n111il){>r. From tlw iirnt store in tlw nmr l'nd of a log l11H1st• ll'il!i its dirninuii,l' :-stock ol' a little flour, a little molass<'s, a doz,•11 or ilrn nl' t',llllll<',; and a fell' pie,·,•,; of tlw c!H)apc~t kinds or dr.\' p;ood,;, to tl1P grl'at ,,·1101<-­:-;ale a)](l retail C'Stabli:shlll<'llb or lhl' j)l'('S('llt dar i,-; a \'('I'_\' !,mg ;c;lc>p. }Ioreovcr, no rernrds han• to111t' dmrn to 11s ()j' the Yol1111H• of the bu:-;ines1,, of tho~c rnrlicst tratlt•rs. \\'P onh· lrno,r that all tl1{, 1,,tores in tll(JSL' piom•t•r dnn; \H'l'l' ,rlrnt an• uillt•d gt•nt·ral store:-;,

krt•ping l'H;rdhing, hut tlwy were till' gt'l'lll f'ro111 1rlii('h lrn,; dt•­\'elopcd the rniglity tfopnrt111P11t stort; of the pn'H•nl <ln,·.

'J'lwrc is hmrnn•r, or shoul<1 lie•, in tlw oflicl' ol' ilw ( 'ounty Auditor, a book rnntnining till' accounb kepi IJy om• ol' tlH·se trad­<•r,-; in lHiii, ~nppleu1ented by mim1iv:s of lhc prot·<·l'dings of the

ftr,-;t lioanl of County C'ornn1issio1wrs. Frn111 tliv cl1,Hg"l':-; in thi,-; hook, some of which tlo not appear to han) ii<'l'n >'l'lilt·d, and a1·t• probably liy thi;; time outlmred, "'<' obtain an i11,-;ight as to \\'hat om· piorn)t•r:-; <·oru,idercd to lil' tlw rn·<·t;",-;itil's or Ii fl', !'or, ;;n]l(hl'idwd

lidwec·n charg<'s for dried apple,-;, lil'nns, nail", l'tc., \\'l' li11d at n·n· frequent inkrrnb the thrl'l' ik1n,;, whi,-;ky, tobacco and cank It is safo to ~ay that the,-;e thrl'e rnrn1110ditil':-; haY<' hl'ld thl'ir m,·n 111

the trade of :Mankato frnm that time to this. The first year with which m1y aecurate co11qmr1son mu l><;

made; is the year IS(iK, the rear in ,rhich the l'ity was inl'orpor­atPd, for tlwn the Board ol' TnH1e pnbllslwd it;; first report. Tak­ing this first rqJort am1 t.hc last, that ol' 1 !JOO, a;-; ;;t.andard,-; !'or comparison, we 111ay sl10,,· the innc•asl; of' 111t•n·a11t.il<· liu,-;im•,-;,-; prac­

tically du ring the ,rhok <'X i,-;tem·r ol' i lie ci ti·. I II lH(iN tlH• c<a lt•,-; of llll'J't.:handisc /llllOllllkd to * 1, L"i7 ,(; l !). lu moo to *(i,~ 1-J ,-mo,

84 J/anlwto--lts First Fifty 1·cars

an inncasc oJ' rnon' than ~:rn per cp1t. while tl1(1 populaton of the

city increased during the same time ;!:2(; per cent. So it will he ,;een that the bu,;iHec;s of the eit_y has grown nearly twice as nrnch

as the population. During this same interrnl the railroad busi­

ness increa::;ccl 5H7 per cent. The fi:;·ures showing the lialanee oI

export;; and illlports arc very suggestive. In the year l'rnling :-kp­ternlwr 1st, 18Ci!J the railrmul receipts exeec(bl the shipments l1y

i:J,(iOO/HlO potm(k while in moo shipmunts excec<le<l receipts lJ_v :!Vi,'1'00,000 pounds. These figures of thl'lllselYes show plainly the

growing importance of Jlanlrnto m; a johl.Jiug anrl maiwfac:tnring

~entre and distributing point. Our exports luwe grown nearly

ten times as much as onr imports. a\ go()(l index of the pros]Jerity

0f a town as well as of a nation.

Examining again the figure,; gin•n in thPsc reporb, \\'C find

that the li1wR of lmsiness whic·h ha\'l' grown more than the +3Ci per

cent. of the whole' town arc•, taking tlwm in an ascernling series.

Groceries, whiL·h llave increa,.;ecl 17',i per cent; Fann Machines 556

per cent; WL•aring apparel, including Clothing, Boots aml Shoes,

D70 pc"r cent; Fniit, 1,400 per cent; while furniture shows the as­tonishing inc-n•atie o.f 1,fil--! per cent.. lt mnst be borne in mind

howe,·er, that tlw:ol! figures represent (lollarn, not Yolunw of sales,

for if wu eompare furniture for instance with its l,(il+ per eent. of

inerease with clry goocls, which haYe grown only 107 per cent. we

11mst take into account that prieeH o[ dry gooch hase Yery greatly

de<:reat-e<l, while in furniture the more <'xpem,ire articles which

now adorn our houses ancl which famili<'H of even mo<lerat.e means

think they cannot clo without, were hardly knmvn among us in 18(i8. So to n·pr<'R'nt tlw actual proportions of goodR solcl, an

unknown factor comrn into the account, obliging us to multiply

the proceeds of (lr_v go()(l,; by the difference in price, and diYide

those of furniture by the extra cost dne to the growing luxury of

the people.

Sc!n'ral other li1m, nf merchandise wonlcl show as great per­centage,; of incrca,;e as any of tlw abo\'e if we lrn(l any llata for

cornpanson. But they did not (!Xiflt or were too small to mention

in 18G8. For Pxarnpll' WL' may llll'ntion lrntkr all(] <'g:gs, a lnrni-

1wss which in lil(i8 was too small to n'port, hut in moo hacl grown

to ;,hi pnwnts of 840.000 clown <'ggs, nrnl morn than 400,000 pounds

ol' butt.er. Bi<·ycl(•,c; nnd Piano>' and Organ,; which now make a

nispc•dahl<; shmring ,1·c•n• not important ('ll(lltgh in 18(i8 to lw l'<'­

ported. J\lany other kinds o[ lrn,;ine~:; han; ::;tarted into existence

Growtll a/ Trade

since 18G8 which, being in the line of JlHlllufacturcs, arc without the scope of this article.

Until 18G0, the year m which the railroacl was extended be­yond us, our outside trade came almost entirely from farmcrR. Farmers' teams were probably as numerous on Front Street then as they arc now. 'l'his was the wheat market, aml farmers bring­ing loacls of wheat to town carried back loads of mcrchamlise . .Many thought that the building of railroa,ds, and the consequent establishing of local markets along their lines woultl ruin the business of Mankato, because the farrners would find markets for their products so HnH;h ncanT home. It iR true there was a great falling off in this rcganl, for before this time and in the steam­boating days, farmers came here to trade eYen from as far off as the Iowa line. B11t onr objectors di<l not realize· that while the railroads might be the means of curtailing the sales of a few traders, they were also the means of starting and building up many other lines of business, both mercantile and manufacturing, which otherwise could not exist here. :Farmers' wagons are very good to citart a town, or support a village, but they will never build a city. For that we must have railroads and the more the better.

The history of tra{le in nearly all cities shows that the centre of b1rniness, like that of the population of the United States, is a

movable point. In thC' case of ;\[ankato liowevcr, this centre has so far re111ai11ed nearly stationar_v. It was fixe<l at first by the ],)­cation of the steamboat lanrling. Block 14 was for years the only important lmsine,-;s block of the town. Jt now lias to share that distinction with others, and thl' center of mercantile business, taking into account rnlume of business as \\"ell as geographical dis­tribution, has probably moved a little to tlw south. It is {liflicult to locate it with exactnesR, but we may say that the position of the hanks gives us some hint of its whereabouts, and they wouW make it not far from Hickory Street. 'l'his r(•fors to mercantile lmsi­ness alone, exclusive of manufactm·Ps. Tn the case of the lattl!r the cPnter !urn certainly '11wvcd far to the north. It seems pro liable that within a few _years the growing railroad traffic, with its noise and smoke, will <lri vc many of the rda il ston's off from Front Street, and the centre of that trade may then HHffe sll{ltknl_y to Secornl or even to Broa(l f-lbw•t. H11t if the l"t>ntre ol: trade has not moYe<l J'ar fro111 its original location, its circnmft•n•ncc has greatly enlarge(l. When Harvey Bradley lrnilt his slnrc on the corner of Cherry street, where D. L. Clelllcnts' grocery store n,J11·

.J/an!wtu - Its fi"_!:sL h/ty r,,ai-s

starnls, many pcopll' thought lw wa;; crazy to thiuk of selling goorl:-;

so fa1· out of town. Yd a1o it prmr•!l, he did a good liusi1wss then'.

X ow groecrie:-; arc :-;ol!l at cl i:-;bmces from the centre of from halr to thn•r•-quartl'n, of a mile.

The fir;;t storr lrni\di11~ nsrrl <'\pn•ssly as such was \Jnilt by

ll .• \. Hohert;;on 011 U,L· come'!" o[ Frnnt and :.\lai11 Stn)ds on Block

1."i arnl was occupi('d with a dm·k or ,;ood;; 1>_1· Ernns Goodrid1. !' !,. ,Johuso11, '!'hos. l)_ \\'arrl'll ,rnd sornr, othr•r;; lrn,1 brought sllrnll

stol'kc< ll'hich tlwy ,;old in their housr•,.;, hut this 1rn;s thr fir,-,t n•gulal'

,,ton•.

From lK,"i-Z to aliont lHliO JH:arh all oJ the storl's \\·en, on

Front ;-1tl'Pd, lll'tween 1'l11rn arnl .Lwkso11. Yerv fow if an\' wr·n~ out,-,idr• these lirnit:-;. A. rpport to Dun & l'o., rnnde ,1mw 1:i, 18ii>-:,

gin•s a nearly· r·o111pld(' list of t.lw trad<•rs of :Mankato at that

tim('. From that report, suppll'nl('nkd h\' the adverti;;ing colrnnns

of the ~fankato lndq>t'IH1c•nt :for rn."i8 nrnl lS."iD tlw follo\\'ing li:-;t i,; llHHk up.

Kitchin Brother:-;, (;-1amu0l C., all(] Pax,;on) kept a ge1wrnl

store in the "City Hall" lmil<ling so calle!l; a frame lrnil<ling on

the site now known as ;)l(j S. Front i.;treet. A. K. Duke,-: had a

store in Hloek 1--1, near the mi<l<lle of the block. .J . .J. & H. Sh,rn­

but were also in Block H, on the com<'r of :\fain street. }larsh & C'o., were locate(] on the nortlrn·r•,-:tl:•rly conwr of Front arnl iVfnl­

herry strrds; they were among the earli<'st tra!lers in l\fnnkato.

Steplwn Lamm',; ston• wa:-; sitnate<1 at what is now 228 K. Front

street. White & l\farks ha(l ston•s both at l\fankato arnl tlw Win­

ndrngo .\gem·y. Tlwy were Indian trnrlcr,;. Their JV[ankato store

was in the lmil<ling still starnl ing at 1 '!:.l ;-;_ Front street. On tlw

wrnt side of Front street where Patter~on \; wholesale groer,ry no,r

starnh; was the ston! of A. F. Hawley & C'o. ,J. H. C'len~lancl hall :1

store on the corner now oecupiecl h_v the American Express Co. TIP callerl it the "Empire City" store, arnl ha<l a Yer_,. florid athertise­

ment in the In!lepernlent in which wa,; a long l)(Wlll in Hiawatha

metre, heaclecl N nshka- X nshka.

Prael & D11Buisson's store was situatr•d on the corner of Front

arnl Walnut Rtreets, in the lrnil(ling occupiPc1 h_v P. Follman. Geo.

T. Boynton har1 in rn:rn a store in HloC'k 7; I~. W. Bra<lle_v opened a store in West l\fankato, lrnt snhseqn('ntly rnovPrl it to the north­

erly corner of Pront arnl Chl'rn- streets. These m•re all general

st.on•:-, kc•t•ping nn a,;,;ort11w11t o[ .!]J"O<·<·ri!•S, <11'_\' goocl~, pr()(lnr•(' anrl

_:rnial I r1nantities of tin all(l iron ware,, nails, patent llll'c1 icinrs,

Ciro,,•! I, of Trade

hoot:-; and :-:hoes, stationery, de. 'l'hev wen; rated in Dun's re­

ports for 1858 ancl 185!) as having capital invested in stocks of

goo<1s oJ from $1,000 to $8,000, noue on'r $8,000. 'J'hc a vcrage

stock was valued at $5,!00.

Other pcrnons an<l firms in rnereautilt' lrnsines:-; in thos0 years

11Tn; a:-; follow:c;: Pnnwll & Stutz kept tinware and "to Ye~, op­

posite tlw foot o[ Walnut street. Ja:-:on F. Wickersham had a drug store IH',ll' the prv"cnt site of the Fin-:t :'-Jational Ba.nk. Jn the

Autumn of 18:i\J he :-;old out to Andrew Hanna, and the stock wa,;

mm·ccl aero:-;:-; the stn,et to the corner ,,·lwre the Williams building

now :-:tarnk ,J as. H. Hubbell solt1 clothing. His :-;tore ,vas

,rlwre 110w :-;hmcl:-; Patterson':- 11'110lesale grocery.. Fuller &

Jlernkl1,on kept the '' Empire State Clothing I-fonse" in

Leeeh's frame lmil<ling on the corner of Front and Main

streets, arnl in 185'.J 1110\'e<I to the Bergl10ltz Block, and tlF! Leech building was tlwn occnpiel1 by J olrn :-r. Hall with a general stock. A. D. Seward & Co., sold lumber, and had a saw mill near

the foot of ,Jackson street. Geo. IV. Lay also had a mill and lumber yard near where is now the Cit_v pumping station. Robert

Wardla\\· kept the "Farmer's Exl·hange Store'' at the upper or

south ern1 of tl1e Le\'ee. He clot<ed out hi" stock in the Spring of

]858 and went into the lime lrnsine""· Philip Blatt had a meat

market on Front "trc,et between Walnut ancl Hickory. }Irs. H. J. Sibley 01wnecl a millinery "tore opposite the l\Iankato Honse. Leo

Lamm k\'pt bo\it:-; and shoes and hanhrnre ,,n the conwr of Front

and Plum strePtt<. The l:'ite is ;;till oeeupiecl by his sons. ,Tames

T. Besser operwd a general store in ,Jmw 1858 at "vVardlaw's oltl

stand;'' which he called the "Banner ,-tore." James B. I-Iubbell's

store mentioned alJove he callct! the "Clothing Emporium.''

Charles Thompson in 1s:rn opened his ''Emporium of Fashion''

for the sale of clothing. .T. S. Littlv solcl lime at tl1c "Mankato

Lime Houc;e," opposite White & :Harks. 'l'a.rlor & Hotaling open­

vt! a tin ,;hop in l8i58 in the Hergholb; Block, but the 1wxt Yenr

lllOH'd to A. :\'. Ilnkt•s' ol<l stan<1 on Blol:k 1-L ,J. 'I'. Williams kept

a book store in thc• SHIil(' hlock in 185!!. Samul'! Randall hac1 a

lumber ·yard on the eonwr of Front arnl Clwrry stn:ds, arnl ?II a­

thaniel Woll'lH·n sold hoots au<l ;;hew~ 011 tlw wrst si<ll' of Front

Street, h1•t11·(•('ll Ilickorv and ,JnC'krnn. Of all thr~e rnen only r-:ewn

still l'<'1m1in i"n Jlnnknto, tlir otlll'rc' HI'(' all cleat1 or 11Hl\'<'t1 a11·ay.

Sixteen of iJH'm ,ire' k1101111 to lurre <1ie<l. The :-eren who remain

ss

arc ,J. (2 .• \., and Ueo. IL Man-di, ,James IL 'l'inkeom, of' the [in11

of A. F. llall'll'.Y & Co., Cleo. T. Boynton, Edw. Brnc1k•y, .J. ~. Hall nnll Stephen Lamm. But only 01w of thesl!-Ellw. Bradley­

is still in tlw mereantilt' Jiu,-iness.

MANOFACTORES. Hy M. 0. WILLARD. Esq.

Sc\ \V 1\1 ILLS.

Xaturally !t1111hLT i,; <me of the fir,-t corn111oditil'R neL'dell in a new co11rn1unity, and i r transportation fm:i I ities are lac:king, it

must be ma<le on the :-;pot or there i:o no growth. At a somewhat earlier date the \'an Brunt .:\lill lia<l been operatl'<l ,;e1·eral miles to the :-lontheast, but the fir,:;t f'aw 111ill nm in Mankato wa;; a ,,tc~arn

saw mill built in 18iiG u,v Ueo. W. Lay, near the ril'er, a little below the present pumping :otation. After a n'r.1· Jc,w years Mr. Lay sold the Mill but it was nm by otlwr parties until ahout UHit or 18G5, when it burned.

In 1857, A. D. Seward and ~\lid nnd ,Josiah Keene built a

saw mill on the low ground at tlw foot of Cherry street. Those men liacl reacl their Bibles c•nough to ban) known better, for the "floods came" and rlicl them no enrl of llamage. Part or all of them, probably on a<:c:ount of these Io~~es, sol cl mit to Aaron X. Dnkes. .One night in: August 18(i-2, a company of solrliers-rnw

recruits-1\Iankato'::; first citizens in two Sl'11,;c,;, lrn<l drilled, arnl

after agreeing to start in a few hon rs for X cw lTl m to meet the massacreing Indians, dispcn;c(l. Two hours later someone gave

the alarm of fire. Soon it was whispered all m·c'r the village, "t.he

Indians arc huming the town." :\ few of the bnwcst, as ther thought at least, made, for the fin', which 11',i,; on the New l'lm side

of town, but it prm·ed to be Duke;;'s ::VIi ll. Hight royally and long tbey fought flames and worked to save tlw lmnher, aml tired ont sought their heels for a little rest before starting on their long trip to :New Ulm. Whm they awoke the sun was f'k_y high anrl their Company many rnile:c; away towanls Xew Ulrn. Some say this Mill c·atm:trnplw prolialilr aeconnt~ for tlwre hL•ing a111ong ns lmlay, :t

later gt'ncration of Barne_ys, \Vi lla]'(]s, Christenscms, an<l others. Before the Lay mill burnecl, H. I(. Lee was interested in a saw

mill in 'Nest Mankato uear tlw bridge, and ,Jacob Hierbancr anfl

Wrn. H. Hockr>y built orn· in low<'r town, which they :sold to Hcgley

& 1-Icnlein about 18(;fi, who flnaJl_y tnnwd it into a flour mill,

knoll'n a,; S. \\". Uleason's ''City :\Iii!'' in af'kr year~.

Later Saw :Hilb were operated liern by Henry and Fred

Boegen Brothers, and br C'hrif-'b1in Hoos arnl probably others. But

tlw passing of the Sa\\' :Hill is a n·mini~(·l'lH:<· only, in :\fanlrnto,

(!Hll"JllOre.

l'lJMl'S .

. \lplwus ]\lilkr cmlllllPllCPd to make 1rn111ps m }fankato by

harn1 in 11 is ~hop on the north Ride of Plum street., near Second,

about J 8Gi5. Two _Fam later, W. D. 'l1ornpkins arnl G. N. l'he!Ds

bought him out arnl went to making puuqJ,; by machi1wry, putting

in steam power in J 8!>D. Tompkins contimwd the lmsines~ there

until 18,';J when he lmilt a large shop oppo,-cite tl1c Court Hons<·.

At times lw had four teaim; on the road; lrnt wat<'r got to be too

f'ar from the surface of the ground for woo<kn Jlllllljl:-l, all(l lw <p1it

lrnsincss kn .)'l!ars ago.

W,\CO.\" i\L\KING, ETC.

Henry HimllH'lrnan arn1 ffonn· Borgml'_Yl'r began makin,.;

wagons, sleighs, etc., in 1:-ti:i. :\lr. Hi11rnwlman continm·d a11<l

enlarged his lrnsincs,-; on the c-onwr of St·cond an<l Plum streets,

until the a<hent of the first railroad in JK08, when, thinking he

coul<l make more mom·y that way, he turned his ,-;hop into the

"City I lo tel." Henry !Iille,;hcirn bL'gan to nwk<' ,raµ,-rm,-;, sleighs, etc., in 18(i5

and discontinued in 1887.

N ic Theisscn com mt•ne<i<l in HVi O and con tinucd for o\'er

twenty _years. Hoth were located on Front strcd, north of Elm,

arnl man_,. lumber wagons arc still coming into j\fonlrnto with th,·ir

name on.

Anton :Ml'_wr, father arn1 son, have eornlucfo<l a Wagon Shop

on Second street, north of Plum for twent_v--firn or thirty years.

In 18(;7, H. F. Shaw and A. :i\L Smith opene<l a wagon t-hop

on Front :-;trect, 1war Liberty, where Prcslev's store now stancls,

making lumher wagon,-;, huggie,;, sll!ighl-', l'LC'. The first hearse

used in Mankato was made liy tlH·111 in 18(Vi', for -:\f('Graw Bros.

The white woo<l for the hearf-'P cost thl'lll $1:18.~';i pl·r tl1011sarnl.

A year or two later Mr. Suiitli went into lrnsiness alorn' on Hickory

J/anlwto---Its First Fifty }-ears

street, building arnl occnpying two brick :-;hops. Herc lw did quite an c:dcnsivc bl1sim•:-;s, l'lltplo_\'ing hn•ln· or Ii l'h•l'll men, wit.Ii t11"0 forgl'S and :-;l•lling hi:-: wagon:-:, t"arriages, and ,-:]r·iglis all ort•r South­western :\linncwta and X ortliern Iowa. Il(~ diJ not wholly dis­continue until 189,'i; but scnffal years before found he could not

compete with the 'J\1·in Citic:-; hcc-ause freights were so much high­er from nlankato to Southern Minnesota and ]owa pointf.;, than from tlwre, that hi:-; oltl cnstomcrs were compelled to pass him by and buy thC'rc.

Ahont J8(Vi' or 18G8 Jolin H. Harr built a large bri<'k ;;hop on

Cpper Front st.red, (now ocenpicd by J. H. Thouias, a:s a furni­ture store), and commenec(l the mannfac:tnre of plows and wagons on a large scale. His health failed almost imrne<liatc,ly arnl death 30011 deprivecl Mankato of one of her most promising rnannfactnrers as well as of thi:o promising business.

C. P. Williams and A. D. Beach, as Williams & Beach, began the manufacture of i1ne carriagc•s, wagons, sleighs, etc., in 18G9, and have continne<l tlw lrnsim•,;s ll'itliont change at their brick shop on 1-: pper Front street down to tlw prese•nt time. H. 1'. J em,en arnl Aaron :Miller, as J enscn & Mill er, started a shop in 18'/2. Two years later ,Jensen bought out :Miller and nm the business alone a few year::;, selling to ,J. W. Hoen, and then buy­ing back again. Later he sold a half interest to ,T. D. Firestone, and the firm of ,Jensen & Firestone did qnite a large business until the death of the latter. For abont twenty vcars the business wa,;

~;arried on at the corner of .Jackson and Seconcl streets. About 18!>0 Mr. ,Jensen mon•d to his present location.

About tl'n years ago Carl K nehne comrnl'llcecl to make wagons 1t the old Dauber shop on Main street. ] n '98 he mon!d into his iaTgc brick shop on the site of the Henry HOl'gen Sn\\' Mill, corner Mulberry and Second streets, with his sons, continuing the lmsi-1ess as Carl Kuehne & Sons. Since his rlPath in 18!Hl, hiR sonR ;;arl and Ferrlinand haYe carrier] on the lrn,;inPsR a,; Kuehne Wagon ~'o., employing fiyc or six men.

f◄7UJlNITTTRE, CABINET :i\lAKT~G. OFFICE FIX'l'UHES. 0. E. Gillen ma<le the fir:-;t 1rno<ll'n chairs hem, in a little shop

m Waf'hington Park, in lo,n•r town, in tli(• Fi ftit•:-;, till he cln:-;C'd 1i;.; :-hop arnl ,-tnrtP(l Sontli, joining his <·0111ra<ks in tlH' patriotie ·drain "\Ye• are C'nming FatlH•r ;\brnlrnm a hnrnln'd thou,;arnl nore.''

ln 18li0 Gl'o. awl .1ohn Loring :-;b1rh>rl a shop iu this line on

,llaJ111/ad1in's

Walnut strcd, about where Phillips' livery now stands, mairn­

faduring hy lrnrnl and l'oot [HJ\l'l'I'. ,J olrn ,rent to the war about

hrn yearn later, after which the busiiwss was carried on principal!,·

by C. J)_ lfrrH'V, until about 1870.

( 'has. lfrilborn started earlil'l' still about 18,'j,' ,mcl for sen·ral

:yearn liid quitl· a large lrn;;i1m-::-; f'or tl10,:;(! dan, in his log shop on

Hickory :-;tn•d, ahont wlH·n• ;,'lr. Dim:·:-c ollic<' 11011· ;;tand:;. Hen•

was made that !Jig de;;k for ,Jolin :::. !!all ll'hivh had to he sawccl

in two bdorc• it ('ould lit• gottPn out ol' tlw shop, f-Ic•illiorn showing

le;;,; frm•,-ight than the shocnrnb•r ,rho ,rent out:-ic1e to lllake tlrnt

pair of big boots. Still I leillwrn\, lrnsi1wss prospc·n·d for a time,

so that in 18(i(i hl• l)l]ilt a large hrn ,-tory shop and warehouse on

the eonwr wlH·n· the ·Young }kn',; J 11 restinent C'o., bu ii cling now

lic,s. Later, about 1870, lie ,;olcl a part i11tc·rc•:st to \Vrn. X. Pratt. They clid a large lrnsin('ss, emplo_,·ing thirty men for a time,

but for some lmexplai1wd rc•nson both Inst iil•avily, Jfrilliorn lcaY­

ing hl'l'l' orcr tll'l'nty-lirl' years ago for ilw l'ac:iJic· c•o,1st and Pratt,

aft<'!" C'ontinuing the lrnsirn•ss a Jc•1r n·nrs longt•r, going to the

Black Hills.

,Joshua NpPm·c•r clid a ,:nrnll l'ttrnitnn' lrnsinrn::; from 187:1 011

a f'l'v1· years in a shop on \\'aln11t stn•d.

n. S. arn1 G. Y. }[dlra\\· built mH] <'quipp<'cl tlH'ir forniturc·

fador_\' in 18(iG on uppc•r Front stn•d, n<•ar \\'arn•n crcl'k, costing,

a,; d1ronicl<'d in 18(i7, $(i,000.00. Here the·_,. ilid a large lmsine"s

l'or thos(' thirs. It ,1·,is no hass,rnod furniture that tlwy macfo

Pithcr. That is, not Pxcl11sin•ly, for the writl'r kno,r,; that lidore

187J, tlwy arnl IIPilborn har1 bought up Jll'arly all tlw black ,rnlm,t

lumber and timber within hauling disbnl'C' of ;,lankato, paying

a,; high ns $"10.00, $1i0.00. H'S, and $80.00 pPr thonsanc1 for it. The

failnr<' of the local suppl_1· of gooil lrniilil'r 1rns one• cause; of the

c·lnsing of their lrnsiness in 187\l.

,\bout 1870 ,John Klein bl'gan lo lJl' n factor in }lankato'n

furniture lrn,;i1wss although lH' clicl mo~t of l1is 1na11Hfaduring in

NL l'der. Some eight or tl'u .)'Car:-; latc•r, hmn•yc•r, liu commencecl

fil<' ninnufadun• ol' hank and ottic<' fixturl'~, etc. This fratnn' of

tht• furnitHrl' lrn~irn·s~ ha~ ht•c•11 tlt•H•loped and l'arric•cl on qnifr

c•.d.c•n,;i n'ly Jor th(' past l'igh(c't'll yt•ar~ by Odja rd & I, noff. Th Pi r

l1t1:,;inc•,;:,; PXtPncls al I O\'l'l" Sontll\rc•slc•rn ;,I in1H•soht, :\'ortlinn lnll':L

and Nonth [)akoh1. -:'lltl<'lt till' snllH' husim•:,;,; ,1·as liq!;Hll in thC' olcl

:i\JcCra II' t:'hop nrnl ca rricd on 1 ,1·0 01· Ui n•c• 1·c•a rs liy I\ or:-;Jrn,; &

<)2 11/anl,ato-fts First Fifty !'cars

:Norsdahls Bro;;., arnl later hy i\I. 0. 8nndt, as the Lofo(fon JVIfg. Co.

SASH, BLINDS AND li'lTBlUOH WOHK.

One of the largest manufadorics ercr started in Mankato was

tlic Nash and Blincl Factory built by Henry Wolfram on Second

street, lwt\\'ecn l\fain and ::\'fulberrv streets, about 18'71. I hare but yery meagre <lata for tltc opcratiorn of this concern, but for the two or three years it was ('arriecl on by Wolfram, it <lid a large lrnsi1wss. Latn Power Hro\;_ nm it \\'ith less vigor and succc:-ss

till it clos<>cl. And the most there is ldt to tel I the story of its fornwr greatnc>ss arc the serc>ral tenant honses whid1 :Fred Kron has fittc>d up from a part of the faetory.

J~lc>inscl11niclt Hro';;. who established tlwir business in 1898 on lower Fourth stn•et, arc already <loing a large business in in­terior work of re:,;iclcnces and public buildings, rivaling many of tho best concerns from abroad.

S'l'AYE;:, A'.\ll HEAlllNU.

In 186G A. B. Barney arnl 8. F. Barney, brothers, the latter furnishing the capital, built and equipped a factory for the manu­facture of staYcs and heading east of No. 3, Knitting :Mill on block 1:3'1', C. W. Barney & Co., furnishing the power. 'They di<1 a large business here under the style of A. R Barney & Co., for two years, when they found there was not a sufficient local supply of suitable lumber for stavr:c; to warrant the continuance of the businc~s.

COOPERAGE.

Elias Beckman starte(l a coop0r shop abont 18(j0, on Second

street, between Spring and Washington. He continued the business till abont 18?'G, when he sold out to one Schwartz, who soon after cliscoutinucd the businesfi .

.A. M. Karmany operated a cooper shop, part of the time quit<~ extensively, on lower Second street, from 1875 to 1878.

In 1880 ,Vm. Pearson commenced to manufacture flour bar­rels, occupying two or three large shops on the corner of Second arnl vVashington streets, employing a flozcn nwn and turning ont :150 barrels per (lay. ln ten years he exhaustc<l about all the ,;uit­ablr hoop tirnhrr in this lornlity, an,l lrnrnl work got to he too ex­

pensive. A<lam Hichanl (li<l riuite a large coo1wrag<\ lmsiness on upper

Front strc>ct, nPar Byron, for sevc>ral years until snccrede<l by J.

,1/anufactui·,•s

A. Masters in 1890. He employed five or six men largely making

barrels for Cas~idy Packing Co., till in the abt'cnce of local timber, freights got to he so mnch against hirn that he wa:-; obliged to quit

in 18%.

Jn 18\10 a large shop wm; t~rcctt>d near Huhlnrnl',; Mill and

harrl'l machinery pnt in. Since which time about all the fionr

barrels usc<l here ha re lJern 11rnmifacture<l there; at Jirst by a J\fr.

Dow<l, and later by contract under snpeni:,;ion of Hubbard :Milling Co., from material shippt•cl in and furnished !J_v the Company.

In the lakr St-wnti<·s 1\'. W. Woodartl ~tarted a steam eoopt·r­

shop on .Jaekson street, near Fourth, for the manu f'actun· of hntkr

tubs, candy pails, etc. Within a _year Chas. 1\'1. :Marsh enteretl into

partiwrnhip with him. Tlw business grew so tliat larger t[Uarters

were nee<1etl, an<l in 18:-\2 a large two story brick bnilcling was

erected on ran Brunt strce.t, between Carroll arn1 lfocorrl. Wooclar<l

dropped out about this timl'. In 188-l the manufacture of' tight

cooperage, as oil barrels, pork barrdR, de., was ad<lc(l. In 1888 it was partially (lcRtroyed by fire, but wns Tdrnilt from street to

strel't, 3~30 fed long, lwsi(lc•s boiler house, dry kilns, de., aml after­

wanls operate<l by the Creamery Package l\Ifg. Co. About 1890

the plant was again bnrne<l and again n·hnilt, except a ::;cction in

the rnilklk·, and has bel'n running foll blast eyer sinct~. It is now

employing forty harnls arnl is tnrning ont the innm·nsc pr0<lnetion

of l ,fi00 bntter hib,; pN rlaY. It is oJf the rai lroacl aml has to

ship in all its materials. This is a poinfrr as to what our pre;sent

shipping facilities can clo for l\fanlrnto J\lanufnctnrcrs.

FLO UH MILLS.

'l'he Keene-S(•wanl-nukcs Sa,1· }\'I ill of which \\'<' have alrcatly

learnecl was enlarged abont 1 :-\(iO, awl a ;;ct of mi 11 stones atldecl,

tlrns lwcorning a flour mill also, or in the language of that <lay

"grist mill." About 18G2, ,Jat:ob Bicrbauer arnl Wm. H. Rockt·:v built their

stone mill at the corner of Hock arnl "Willow streets. ;\ few years

later Bicrlrnuer solcl his int.Prest to Prael anti Du Buisson, after

which it was operate<l for many _ypars hy W. H. Hockey & Co., and

Pnlargecl to a one lnmrlr('<l barrel mill. Lnt<'!' it ha::, lwen run h,v rnrionf' partil's till burned down two or thr('e y,·ars ago, and last

year relrnilt by Ivlayer Bros., a,, a fournln. In 1 SG:i or 18(i(i, lfq.;1Py arnl IT,·n lei n acl<lecl a I'll 11 of stonl':-:

to their saw mill back o[ the Ho('key Mill and turned out about

,1/rrnknto -Its Firs( F,fty ) ·cars

twenty lwrrPl8 a lla_y. This mill also clrnng<xl hands many times,

being nm the longl':--t by 8. 1V. Ulen::;on as the "City :Mill," arnl

winding np its career a:, a feed will. In 1R79, R. D. H nblmrd eredccl his nrntchless four story

flour mill on tlw corner of Front arnl W,ishington strcctc<. He

equipped it in the cmT<'nt fa,-;hion "·ith bun:-; or mill stones. The

Ycry next _n!ar, ho1n'1·0r, the rolkr systPm ,ms introdncc<l into the

lm,t mills. Jn the mi(h,t of 1d1ispers of "failure! failure!" all

about him, i\lr. l'11hhanl, with his charnderistic ncn<', tore ont

his ne11·., yet in om• n·ar, ,mtiquak,1 mad1i11cry, ,md suhstituh·d

the roller prnees,;, ancl all <+,<'. at all timr:--, that has been neces­sary to prnrlucc the best results, most monc_y and best flour. lTndcr

this m,magcmenl, \\"ith :\Ir. Jh,hlianl as pn1.cti<·a ll_y sole mrm•r, it

has grown from a thn•p hundrl'd lrnrrl'l 1wr clay mill to a fifteen

lrnrnlred harrd mill. :\Ir. llublrnnl is no\\· presiflPnt, Gcoa :\T. Palmer, tl'l'asnn•r and .Jay Hublrnnl, ~ecrdary, ol' tlw Hubbanl Milling Company, inrnrpornte<l in ltlD7.

LINSEED Oll,.

SomcwhC're about 18G,\ ,\nthon_v Phillips began to manufact­

ure LinscP<l oil lwrc•. The Board of 'J'ra<le report for 18G8 snrs

only ;WO gallons ha<l be,~n made dnring that yl'ar, Yalue(] ,1t $-1-00.00, but that the :\lill eonl(l 8upplv all tributary territor_,·.

In 1872, howewr, a ehangc umH', and ,J. A. \\'illanl, H. D.

Hubbard and ;r_ A.a Hubbell organized the ::\lankato Linseed Oil

anrl Tow Co., an<l built a larg<\ briek rnill at the head of Elm

street. The idea of the mnwr,; was quite ns much to carry on the

lrnsin<'"" ol' Tow manufacture as of oil. ~\rnl thev built tow mills at rnriou,; points through the country. }lor;t o[ ,rhieh burned

~ooncr or later, mostly sooner, with great los;.; to the owners. 'l'lw

oil lrnsinef-'~, ho\\·en>r, was not a failure. 'J'he capacity at fi mt

wns ahout GOO gallons pn <lay with four pre,;srs. This was in­

crease<l in lat.Pr year1-, Jin\ or knfolcl till it became a truly imnwnf'P

irnlustry. In 187;3 Hublwll sol<l out to Willard nrnl 1-luhbard arnl

in 188:1 Huhbanl sole] out to Willanl and CL F. Piper. A special

point \\"HS rna<le to manufnd.ure thL• i><'st of nil, arnl tlwy dicl it.

Mankato Lin>'<'<'d oil li<·c·nm<· lmmrn nrnl cl'lPhrnt<•cl in all parb of

the Fnikll ~tat<•,; and sought aftPr in prefrr<'ll('<' to all other

brands. Lnkr l'ip<•r ,sold out to Willard, who conrlucte<l it for

S<'\'Pral war,;. Hut ,rlien it I'd! into th<' ltarnls of the Tru~t, or

Xational Lin:--c•ec.l Oil Co., it:-.: (Jays \\'l!re numbered. 'l'hc claim

.l/a11u/acturrs J 95

being nwck tlrni it:-< situntion ,ms not rnch a:-; to make it as great a rno1wy 111akc;r a,-; ,-;0111t' otlwr ll1ilk Bnt no legitimate, business e,·er coirn·rl rno1w_1· l'asl<·r in ib palrni(•,-;t dnr,-;. It wa,; finally dosed

ont Ly the irn,-;i in 18DD. A mo<lerate :-;izc·d oil rnilJ hem nm,·, run on tlw sanw prin('iplPs ns tlH· old 01H', ,rould <lo a lttt'l'atin, ]rn:-;ine,-;s.

:\fankato's fir:-;t I~n'\\'('l'_I' ,rn,; liuilt b,· Win. l\il·rliaiwr ancl ,JacolJ J-:\i(•rballl'I', lirnt]H;r,-;, on lo1r<'r Frnut :-;tn•d, near Ho('k. arnl

('01lllll('l1('l'd operation,; in tilt' Spring of u:;;:. About 18(i2, \Ylllia111

bought out lii,; brother and rnm·ed to tlie pre,;ent c:ite at the hcnd of Hock street. lfr ran the Jrn:-;i1ws,-; 11ith great Sllccc•,-;,; 1111til his <kath in 18\):J, ,-;inl'c whieh it h:rn liet•n nperate1l by his :oorn, Albert,

HlHlolph arnl 1\'illiarn. 'l'o judge· nf its importann: and extent it j,; only m·c•p,-;:-;ary to ric•w the 1na,-;,-;in• ;;trndnn•,-; on the bluff, re­

rnind ing one ( who has not sec•n tlH·111) of ''( 1astles on tlin Hhinc."' At a cornparatin'l_r earl_,· date thPn' ,rem bni breweries in

Wec1t l\Iankato. 'l'hc one at the t'ntrancc to the Bhw Earth bridge mvned b_y the rctlouhtablc Peter 1relch. Hoth of them having sern·<l tlwir clay and generation lrnrncd to the ground, as did al$o the Ibach Hre\\'l'ry of a later date, loeatc1l in Tinkcom's a<ldition.

The Stanclarcl Bn·1rcry Corn pauy 11·as organized ahont t\\'o _n~ars ago with Henry llimnwlman, .Ir., a,; pr(•,sident arnl :::.. Wil­hartz as rnanagel'. They bought, n•n1011Plc1l arnl e:dcrnlcd the old :Mankato Linseed Oil Co111pan_,.·,, plant and ar(' alreath <loing an

cxtc•n,-;i re lin"inc·s".

In 18(i~' S. F. Bam1•_1·, ('_ \\'. Banwy and .r. ,\. \\'illanl IJC'gan

tll!' manufactun• of' Fanning :\Jills in the present Ko. -J. lrnil<ling of :\lankato }dills ('o. In 18(i8 thcr tunwd Ollt. nliout ;;oo mill:,;, ('lll­

ploying f'nrtr 01· ii fty nwn. Tl1cr tlwn di"<·ontinuPcl the lrnsines,-;. 1 think bel'ansc of tlw >'('arcitr of snitalii<' timber, the poor trans­portation faC'ilitic·s, the spare!_,· sPttlPcl condition or the• co1mtrY. and the poverty of the Jarnwrs; iJllt their bookkt'C']Wr sar,-; they qnit IH•t•,rn:-;c• thrrc wa" 111or<' rnmw,· in 1Vin11Pbngo lands. ,\nrl he ma_,· hP right, for I kno,r Willard & Barn(•_,. 111ade rnotw_,. l'nstc>r and

ea;.:ier than 1 did eolkd.ing tho"v Fanning :\fill noti•", for 111n11y of

tlw111 111111g on fi1·1• or l1•n Y<·nr,; anll tlH'll pron•d 1n1rtlil1'""· 'l'IH' Fnnning :'I! ill li11,;i1w,;,.; "till \\'Pllt 011. hm1·ey1•r. 'l'ht>odor0

Scattergood ,-;h1l'fr1l nl>oul th<' ,-;,rn1e time, a:-; ( '. \\T. Bnnwy & Co., and the 1wxt year ,-;old a half inlcre;ct. to 11. P. Chri~kn,.;en. 'J'lie_y

96 3/anlwto - Its l·irst h'(ty ) ·,,ars

built a factory on 11pper State street, near Willnrcl. rl'hey manu­

factured milk safes as well here for a year or two when Christen­

sen sold 011t and tlw elder Scattergood c,mw into the Iirrn. In 187'0

they built their large factory on Byron :-ctrcd, where the Salisbury

houses now stand, arnl contim1etl the business se\'cral yearn as rl'.

Seattergoorl & C'o., until 'l'lwodorc bc<:atll(' troubled ,rith the po­litical be(; and mis eh;dc(l County Auditor.

FOUNDRIES AND 1\IA<l[II>IE SIIOl'S.

In rnr;;;, Carlton W. Bamey, Wm. I<'. Hailey arnl P. ,J. Huter,

practical mechanics, and N. F. Barner, capita]i,-t, enkrerl into co­

partnership as ('_ W. Hanwy & ('o., mul built a hrn dory brick

foundry and machine shop on tlw corm>r of \\'illow and Elm streets,

being a part of tlw pn;spnt .i\Ianlrnto l\Iills Co., ~o. --!-, building.

This historic lrnilding liten1ll_1· gTL!\\' out of tlH• grouncl, the clay

being <lug from the lot and bunwd on the c<pot into brick, b.r Con­

rad Trout. In li:lGG a brick engine hou~e and round smokestack,

sixty-two feet high, waH arlrk(l to the plant. This 11·as the first

machine shop and fonnclry built in Southwestern Minnesota, awl

the writer thinks that is still the best and handsomest little smoke­

stack in that territory.

In 18(Vi' Huter ancl Bailey sold th('ir interest to John ;\. Wil­

lard, when as C'lsewhere relate(l, tlw fanning mill business was

starte(l. The fournln· and machine sl1op \\'HS nm for scycral years

nrnll'r the abo1·e narn<'. After rnrying fortunes the property was

sold to the Mankato r ron ancl X orclty Works, which operated the

fonndry ancl machine shop, lmt was organi:ce(! especially to manu­facture iron fence posts nnd(•r the I•~\'an 's patent, nn enterprise in

which the writer arn1 many other stockholders rlic1 not gd rich. In

188/5 the trustee of this conn•rn c'old the whole property to the

Standard Fiberware Co. I lack data to (lescribe folly the plO\r ,rnrks of _;_\fohr am1

Dauher nncl Danher, Kenne.1· & Co., on i.\fain street, ,rhcrc Fre(l

l(ron's store now stands. At one ti111c they (licl quik a large busi-

1ieR,-, al1l1 a f'mallC'r business was clone by other ,;hops.

Fn•enrnn Holwrds, Cleo. Wt•an•r, arnl H. 'I'. \\'olfolk abo did

quite a lmsiness on npper Front stred, 1rlivre Laird, Xorton _yarrls

ar(' now loeate(l. i 11 1 lH' rna mi /'adnre of plows, rotn r_r harrows,

cSt1lky hanak('ts, etr. This wns fr-0111 J Nm to 18,:'-1.

ln 187':l tlw i\lankato i\lfg. ( 'o., \\';t;-; incorpornterl and built

it;; large rnat,Iiine ~hop on Poplar ;;;tn•d., ,rith Geo. Wearer as its

,1/a 1111/itcf II n·s 97

first prc:-ident, and IL K. Lee as ;-:uperintc•1Hll'nt for lllany _year,-;. It has nm· almost eon,-;tautly for hninty-fire _)'earf-S. 1t was a se­rnre blow J'or it when !.hn~c o/' it,-; IH'd workmen, Wilcox, l'rowsc and \lol'gan dl'c11· 011t and c•sL1blislH·d tiH) i\lnnkato Iron \Yorks, at m·ar the fool of ,Jae:k,;011 slnd, \\·hen! they ]milt up a good bu,-;i-

1wss. l 11 18!LJ t]l(',-;e thr('e 1Hc11 bought nllt c'0111e of' the :-;tockholr1-c·rn or the old Cnrnpan.1· and rdnrnecl to tht!ir (ir;.;L low. Besides a lal'gl' a11101111t of rl'gulnr founcln· and 111al'lii11e :-hop ,,:ork, anc1 other SJK'l'ialiti,•~. tlwy ha\'e dmiug tlH· last t·iglit _\'en!',-; !milt over eight lrnndred of tliroir Itlcal l'llgin<'"· W. H. \\'ii.cox i,-; now prL·si­dent arn1 superinkndent.

'J'C'n }l'HI';.; ago, Louie< and La1nunl·<· ;\fayer started a little ma­chine shop on Yim· :,;!red, near Front, m, nhiycr Bro:,;., arnl worL,d liarcl there fol' two _1·<~arn~''They l\\·o ancl no more·." 1 n 18'.J4 thes erected a founclry. 1 n 1 :-rn;; the_,, pat<'nkd their trip ha1111ner and ,soon colll1nr;ncec1 itR rnanufacturu in addition to a rapidly incre:1-;­ing machine shop and foundry businv,-;!-', 1n V!Ol thev bought the old Hockey mill and refittecl it into a monllling shop. In 1901 they built one lnmclred and forty-<'ight trip ha111111crn, and in the first six months of this \'car they han· !milt {he hunclrl'cl, employ­ing over forty hands. This yc·ar tht·,r lrnYc also ercctecl a rww fire­proof brick shop (iO feet by ~00 frd, two stories, The,, are also builcling gas engines. Their grvat sucu·:-s makes it certain that iron tools aml i1npl<'ments can be malk with profit at ~lankato.

WOOT,E\ l\f!LL.

A bvo story stone woolen ?vii II ,ras lrn i It on \' im· strt!d, ne:1r Front by ,Jacob Hierlmuer and eornn1em·e<I operations about Niarch

18(Vi', with Tho:,,. Bennett as superintendent. This mill turned out

doth,;, blankd;;, yarnt< and rollR, nncl was quite successful for ab011t fiv<' yearn until 1lr. Bierhauer'" health failecl. In 187-1- a stock company with about 01w hundrecl stockholders was formed, witl1 a capital of about thirty thousand dollars, which bought and run tlw mill, Chri;stian Hoos being the nurnagc~r. '!'his concern contim10d the same line oi' 111am1l'nd11rc and adclrod, in a rnoclerate way, man­Hl'adnre- oJ' clothing. Jn a short time the stock was about all

bought up by J\lr. Hoos, hut he· did not prnsper greatly, and a:bont

1880 lw discontinuli<I tlw husinl'ss. Th<' 1\'1 ill was later h1rnc!cl

into an <'gg mu! hnttcr pricking and eolc1 Htornge <fopoL

Jfanlwto /ts First f!fty i·cars

K~ITTIXCI :;\Jll.,LS.

'!'lie :.\lnnbtto Knitting ::Hills m1s incorpornkd m 18!):! by .T. A. Willard and :.\!. U. \Yillard as prin('ipal ,;tockholdcrs, capital stock ij,100,000.00, ,7. .\. \\'illard, l'ri•sid(•nL ;\I. U. \\'illanl, Treas­urer and :\lanag('I', all(1 C. K. Wi Ila rd, Nendary. TIH·y fir"t bought out th(' stnl'k aud 111achi11err ol' tlw :\fezomanic (Wis.) K nittiug :\I ill,;, and sl't up and sta rt(•d tlw l!1ach i ncn· in the jll'('St'nt Ko. +, brick lrn iltl ing. (·onH'I' El Ill il!Hl Wi llo\\· sh-(•t;b, Block l :r;. They imme(liakly put sall•S11H'll on thl' road sl•lling tliC' olt1 stock

anc1 that rnad(• 011 till· ol([ lwll(l lllaeliin(':s.

'!'hen a three stnn· brick lH1ilding, costing ;J;:20,0UO.OO, of llw slow burning ":.\!ill <·011:s!rndion," ,ms built on Uw sa11w block, anrl complded l'arl_,. in 1 Wl:l. On•r ij,(i0,000.00 \\·orth of the latest and most automatic machinery wa,-; put in place au<l stnrtetl juc;t before the financial pmiic of '!1:l parnl_ned ihe irnln,:,tries of the whole country. TIH' h11:si1w,-;,-; \\'as <'Ontiinwd l10,n'H!r \\·ith a stop­page of only about six weeks, and was carrietl on with goorl sueccss, hut little profit, on account of the ln1dnes,-; ol' tlw timct-, until De­cember '!>7. whl'n suits by Easfrrn creditors l'orcctl it to assign. But a force of ahout eight.r hand,- \rt'rt' kt>pt at work all thromd1 th(' hard ti11H•s arnl a good lmsiness t•,-talili:slwd in tL•n ,-;taks.

'J.'be plant, stock, and IJu,-;iness wa:s lmught up by a trudcc for certain cn'<litor:-< who ran it two or tlm·e months irnliffcrently and in J ul_v, 1898, :sold it to :\fankato :;\] i I ls ( 'o., a corporation 1\'i tli $100,000.00 capital "'ith W. L. Hixon, W. Jl. \\'illanl, :\L CL Wil­lanl, ancl E. ( '. Willanl as stockholder:s. Standartl Fibcnrare Company's plant wa,-; abo atldl'd to till' Knit.ting :Mills plant as well as a large amount of rnadiinery. The 111<1m1fact11n' of mittens and lcgp;ins mis a(l(k<l tlie n('xt year. In moo it,-; rnpital stock \ra,-; increased to ijil."i0,000.00 arnl its ernplo.n•e,-; in 1 !lOl to 150. Tb

la,-;t year\; lrnsiness aggregatl'd iji:2.:J0,000. In the Fall of 1001, W. D. \Yillard sold out to the other stockholders to take the cashicr­

,-;liip of tlw First National Bank, and in c\pril last, the other \Yillarcl8 sold out to\\'. L. llixon and ;1[un,-;on Burton.

,Just lwJ'orL' tlw n•(·t•nt fin· in :"\o. 1 mill, 11iaehiner_,, was in-8tal ll'd for tin' rnanu f'ndu l'l' of 01·t•nil b. '!'lit• Ii l'l' lll'l'l',-;sitated tlH! re-liuildin~ of tlie grl'atn part of this liuildin,ct. ,\ Ill'\r and c-nrn­modio11~ brick pi('kt•r lioust! i:s nl:so bt•ing liuilt.

Both 11·ill ht• bllilt 011 tiil' slO\r li11rni11g· ''\[ill r-011st1'11dio11'' plan. a111l 111,H,l1im•r.r will a( Olll'c' lil' ,Hl<il'd to rnamd'adu1·e 100

Jfa11ufad11n's 99

dozen o\"eralls per cfar, tlw capa!'it_,, ol' tlw Ifo,-;ier_1· clqmrtrnPnt

being .500 dozen ]>C'r day arnl ol' the lL·gging department twehc

dozen per day. STU:0:E.

Tlw tir;;t ;.;i.onc quarry in )fanknto 11·ac< opctll'(l in the lilu[I bc­

l\1·(•(111 Front arnl Second streets in l ti,°'i:) or 18,i~ !J_r <leorge "i\Ia'.:­

field. He enlarged the lmsi1w,-;::; a,-; the de1rnmd increa::;,_.d, and con­

tinued to pro,-;ecnte it for O\"<T thirty .)"l'nrs and nenrl_1· to the time

of his death .

. \,-; soon a,-; lw rdunwd frnrn tlw 11·,ll' for thL• l'nion, his :-;on-in­

law, .John H. Beatty, OJH'lled a quarry in the hluff on the left hand ,-;idl' of Front stnid. Thi,-; ha,-; b<•<·n \\'(ll'ked continnousl_,· un­

til the present time. So11H' iift<·rn vPar,-; ago it ,ms renkd il_y

Captain Beatty to Tl10ma,-; H. L'onglilan, who ,-;ubsec[l1cntly 1rnr­

chasc(l it arn1 is now operating it extensiYely. In this qnarr~· sto]l('

arc now being cruslwd which am going into the Broall ,-;trcet aKplrnlf

]lavcment.

:Mankato stone were first usl!<l for !wan· hridw• work in ltiS:2

by Thomas Saulpaugh, the huil(lt•r of the "Saulpaugh Hotel."

Soon after, this particular branch of tlw qm11T~'ing lmsi1w><;-; w,1~ taken up and extensivcl_v carried on h_,· Fred Wi<kll. Since hi:;

death, his brother, G11st Wi(lel!, has prosecuted th<· lm:-;i1m.;;-; with

great rigor ancl success. Before the Wick-II,-; ;-;tartccl, and sine,·,

the C. & X. W. Hailway ha:-; qmnriecl large amount::; of ·1iridg<'

tstonc for its own llt-,C from its }lankato quarry.

About ten or fifteen years ago W. B. Craig, who O\l'Ill'<l 'l

<,11arry west of ('oughlan's, put in a ~t01w sawing plant, \\0 hich ha;;

been enlarged until it has two finr• gangs arnl is eonsiden,d om• of

the best stone gang saw mills 'in the State.

Be:-ir]e;-; these mcntionecl, quarries haw• hccn opl'Ite(l and opl'l"­

atcd here by Frank Fowler, Mankato Stone arnl Lime C'o., Ada111

,Jefferson, Fowler & Pay, Johnson and others; and although there

Hn, over a tltmJRancl men employed in the quarries, in arnl rwnr

;\fanlrnto, many of UR believe the industry here is in its infancv.

'!'he olcl Srnator Wilkinson house, now George :;u. Palmer's resi­

(lence, postoffice arn1 court house IH•n·, are standing proof of th,, c1nrabilitY, rnrietv, ancl beaut_,, of }[ankato building stone.

LJMK While Uw fir,-;t. lime 11sPcl in :\Lrnkato wa;-; not c•:rnttly ho111<·

rnnde, being made by G. U. Clapp near Kt1soht, Geo. ;\[axfidcl and

IOO

Adam ,Jefferson appear to he the fir:;;t to manufacture lime in .Mankato. :Mr. :Maxfield was the iirst shipper of liine by rail. Yery soon after the war, Capt. Beatty ereeted an improved lime kiln. Jn fa('t tlw lime in<1nstr_v in ::\lankato owe:-; \"cry much to Capt. Beatty. It was thought for rnany years that stone for lime making was prcs<•nt here in very limited quantities, but Cape. Beatty, after tireless experinwntation, found that by pursuin,~ (·ertain methods of burning, li111itle,.;,; qnantitie,, of stone W('re present for the nnmufadun) of the strongest of brown lime.

While there are two or thre<~ other kilns within the cit_\' limits, Fowler & Pay nnc1 'l'. H. Coughlan are now the large,.;t manufacturers arn1 shippers of lime, their ,mnnal production be­ing oYcr one lrnndrcd tl10usarn] barrels. And still many considi!r ~l one of our infant industries.

The first brick making was a failure, and seems to be bctt(!r authentic,,ted arn1 remembered than man.v of the sucecsses. About l8;i5, Adam Frcndell made some ,·cry hanrlsome brick from clay taken from the bhtffs. A few of them went into a chimney and when the firtit smart shower came, thcr crumbled, burst, and went ''down the flue." Limestone pebbles· wen• in the clay, and burn­ing the brick changed them into lime, the rain slacked the lime and the bridrn went to pieces. Hence :i\lankato must be a slai) c1ty, unless someone can fincl a better brick elay.

SeYeral prosecutcc1 the search sueces;;folly, but Charles Schlat1,, ,;ccrn,.; to haYe lwen the first man who made good merchantable brick here, of river clay in 185G. Martin :Ilfoihofcr, Conrad Trout, nrn1 Joseph 'J'11ornpson followed him closely. Many of us kno,v nnl('h about all these, except the last. He illustrates how the west has been settled and its cities built. During the Forties and early Fifties, in the city of Portland, Mc., ,Joseph Thompson plied his !tumble express business, in sumnwr and winter, as well throug!1 rain anc1 snow as in sunshine, industriously pushing his hand cart through the streets. Tlrn;; he earne(1 a Jew, albeit a very Jew, thousand (lollars, and brought it to Mankato, wl'nt to making briel.;: irnd with part of them built the first bi·iek house here on the

<·orner of Hock aw1 Ek(:onc1 ;.;trc,ets, lakr known nR the Hockey lionR<'. It was built lwfon~ l8;i8, ,md so is "krritorial"-an "01,1 Settll'r,'' and is a good one t()(1ay, like the othcrn,-~good house, I mean.

.1/a111t/actur,'s

Then Mr. Thompson went back to Portlaml after his wifo tnd son. But they rdnsecl to go wc;;t, so we eau only feel sorrow for son, who refused to "go west young man'' and becorne one of

our principal capitalists today. Briek rnaking, however, went right on a,rn1 flourished in lower

town and almost wholly north of Elm street. ~

About 1870, ,J. W. Gregg arnl \V. B. Griswol(1 started a yar,1 :11 the other end of' town west of Front street. A year or so later ,John ,Jagger op('lll'd another nl'ar by. He was sueecec]e(l hy his brother Fritz, the two running the yanl about firn years with capital fnrnished hy t]JL• late .John A. Willar(l, thi,: being an early c·xpression of hiR innate <lesire to pr0<lncc something-to construct -huil(l up. lfo then bought out ,Jagger, and with Fre(l Polchow, ,1 practical brick maker, formec1 the firm of Willard & Polchow, uH1 were the first who went into brick making in a large way. They soon openecl another yan1 · in the extreme lower end of the city employing nearly forty hands and burning scYeral millions oJ brick each year. Jn 1885, D. G. Willan1 purchased a quarter mterest, all(l rnanagcc1 the lmsines,\ till the close of 1897, when the working out of the elay beds, and the hard times succeeding the panic of 18!):3, eompclle(l the dosing of thc:oe :yards, after being ~neccti,;:fully operated for twenty-five years.

The l\Iankato Brick Companv rncmage(1 l,y 0. H. 'Mather, was the next, largef\t manufactmn. ,\ ltogethcr there must luwc been m·er a hunclred men ernploycd in this industry chtTing much of this pcriocl, ancl some years as many ,ls nine million Lricks rnaclc. lt aclded greatly to the prosperity arnl importance of J\fankato, as these bricks wc•re shippec1 North, South, East and \Vest through­out this and adjoining states and tenitories.

Ju 18!)0, Fowler & Pay opened a _nml in LeHillier, west of the Blue EartJ. Hi\·er, arn1 somewhat earlier as well as later, Wheeler &. Bennett, and others opcne(l yards in North lVIankato . .But we can searcel_v hope for a large Lriek business in the future, as in man_y of the snrronnc1ing towns bTick making lias reeentl_y 1,een cstahlishell.

'l'ILE AND FIRE T-mWK.

S. F. Allicrger commenced making fire brick and tile here from clay procurecl from the Le Sueur River hank, where erossecl by the C. M. & St. l'. Railway, in about 188-I, continuing his ex­periments until in 188G, when the Mankato 'Tile, Fire Brick and

JO..?

( 'lay ( 'o., ,1·a:-; incorporatec1, witl1 ,John IT. Har, prcsi(1c•nt; Geo. 'L Barr, irt•a,-;1m•r, and ,J olrn ( '. :-.;; oc•, ,-;t•crd,H·_y, aml S. F. Alberg­

er as 1mmager. 1\ plant wa,; lJ11i!t in \Vt•,-;t :\fanlrnto with rnfficicnt Lilns, m·pn,-; all(1 rnad1inc•r_v to do a largl' husine,-;s. But in about two vcar:-; ,\!h('J'g('r thought lw conld do liettpr hi1rn,elr clscwl1crc, fnd the indu:-;tn· wa,; di,-;contirntt•,1. But rn.,t lrnulrn of rdrador,r

clay n'11iain. l'O'l'TEHY.

II. I'. !,auffPr and T. FittlcT built a ,;111all pottt•ry plant on ] ·omth stn·d, m•ar \Yarn•n, in th\' early sixtic,-;. Fittler ,;oon ,;0]1l

out to l,aulfrr, who nm it d01n1 to t!H· latt•r Sc\'\•ntics, when it

mts allmrcc1 to fall into innocuou:-; llcssndndl'. Wlwrc l\m1ff<cr pro­

cm·e(1 his c1ay I m•\"t'l' learnec1. About tlH' time he quit Aw1rnr Uapter, an expert potter

erected kilns in Harnlall's ar1dition. cornt•r :Fourth and Lafayette ,;treets. In 18Hl or JHH.2 he applie11 to the writer for a,;sistance, :;aying his capital waf; too limikc1 to ean_v on the bnsiness. ,John A. Sarnborn came to his assistance ancl tlH·_,. cornluctec1 the busine;,;s

for a time. foreman.

Gaptcr soon sold out to Samliom, but continued as

In 1882, .J. A. Willan1, G. F. l'i1wr, and j\(. G. Willarr1 C'ach bought a quarter intcn·8t. In rnH;l, Smnborn soh1 out his interest to M. G. \Yillarcl. The lrnsinc,-;s mrn eonsiclerahly clc­

Yelopec1 arnl it:,; stoneware shipJwd to 1muw snrrournling town". The vVillan1s bought a block of larn1 in vYest Mankato, at th,J ,hmction of the two railroacl:s, on ,rh ich to erect a large plant-.

But aftpr inn•stigation personally hy the i\Tikr of the pottery

t-usiness am1 the clay her1s of the c·n~t ant1 rnitlrll(! west, they concli1decl that stoneware clay <could not be fournl here in sufficient

quantities to warrant lnrge outlay, and the business was thcrcfor8 ·.i isi;ontinuccl.

Sewer pipe, n·ry large as wel I a~ srnal 1, was for several yea1·~

manufactured at the e(•mcnt work~ of cement and graYel. Whil,:

Yery seniceahle for small culverts and ot.lwr op('ll work, cement pipt! ha,, 110\\'hl·re lJL'l'n a success against sewer gas.

CBMI1!:-J'l1•

The hn1raulic cement lirn-:i1ws,-; in :\fa11knto O\l"<'f' it:-; e.xi;-:ten('c to Capt. H('atty. In liis ('.\fl('l'illH'llt \l'iil1 lin11•,-;t01w arnl the ]wc,t

:c,tonc arnl llll'iliotls for burning lillll', he: li<'cnme conviucccl that

JJiam1/adures 10,j

cement of high grailc co11ld Le made from Mankato stone, if he

co11ld onl_v locate it a)l(l properly rnanipnlate it to make rr goocl

article. l\lr,-;. Beatty, better than am'olH' else, can tell of the num­

ern11~ burning,-; of rnultitudinon,-; Rtoncs and the rnorc rn11ltitrnli-

110u:-; manip11lations carried on in the l10u,-;c~11rnch to lier di::;corn­

-J'ort. But she conl<l not help rl'jo]('i11µ: with him when 1-,he finally

Leard our geologi,-;f,-; cry "Eureka.'' The re,-;nlt was that I-Iartford.

( 1onnc!C'ti\'11t capital i:-;t.,-; hccanH' intcn•stc(I. arnl in 188..J built tlie

i 11111H,n::;c• plant of the Standard Cc•11H•nt Com pauy i11 W List ?\Ian­

kato, with .J. S. Pan-:ons, aR prp,-;ident a111l U. ( \nnrnings, as rnan­

nger, and latPr F. K. Merrill, 111anag<'l'. The business grew apace,

11 ithin three years rl'ad1ing a ]rn)l(lrecl ancl tm•nt_v-fiye tlwusarnl

barrels ann11al ly. The disa,-;tcrs, or \\'orsr•, that befoll some of the

c,wncrs a few _war:-; later, was more the cause of the partial stoppage

,,£ the work:;; than lack of cement stone. '!'he la8t few years it kis

been carrie(l on in a smaller way by I'. 11. Carney & Sons.

CEl\IEKT S1DKWALKS.

Starnlanl C'crnent Compan_\· started the laying of Cement "i<le­

walki, about fifteen years ago, but soon <1iseontinncfl it. Some of

their work ma,· he sc•en aronn(l Lincoln park all(l l'lsc\\'here in

i1exagonal hlock:-;. The rerrl thing, howcvl'r, was started by Ny­lioh11 & Carlson in l8!Hi. Thev sold in 18DS to :Nels A. Johnson

,;ml ,John Asplund, who haYe pushed the lrn~i1w:ss under the name

of l\'lankato Sicll',rnlk ( 'ompam· a:-; the miles of walk bearing this

legend tctc\tify. Tn HJ0l, thcy (li<l a lmsin<•:-;,-; amounting to $17,000,

and will llonblc that thl' prc,-;ent _,·r•ar. Fowler & l'a_v com11wm·crl

t(J lay cement walk:c-: in HIS!), arnl ha,·c• <lone a large lrnt;incss eyer

;,incl'. Both firms also lay rl'111e11t curbs arnl gnttc>rs and both

bl\'e crew::; abro,Hl in other towns cngagc•rl in si rnilar work.

JVIAHBLE wom-,:::-;. About the earliL•st l can gain an_y lrnowlcdgc of as to mom1-

1,wnts and Ccmckr_v works was .T. M. Sullivan in 1871:.l. Later C S. Tc•rry was admitted to the firm, thereafter known as Sullivan

& 'l'crr_v. In 1877, they built for their bnsi1w~,-; thc''Marbln Block,"

a::. they called it, corner Hickory and Sl'coll(l streets, the secornl

story of which i:--: the Masonic Lodge rooms. After se\'eral years

Jlr08JJeron~ lmRinc>s,-; Snnirnn left arn1 tl1c lrn:-:ine,;s languished arnl

finally die<l.

A. H. Eckle co1H11ienecrl the busiIH':-.;fi in n ~rnall way on Frnn!.

10-J

,,tred Ill rn.·~·. .J aektmn ,;treet. requiring 01·er double building.

Jlanlwto--lls First l·ifty }'ears

'!'he 1wxt year, lw 11w1·ecl to his present site ()Ji His hnsine,;;; pro;;perecl frorn the start, at time,,;

fiftc•en men, until last year, he creC'tecl his fine

A. G. Meyer, c·on1rncneecl liis rnarhle nnc1 µ;ranitc lrnsiness in Jlankato in 1888 arnl has uiarlc! it n sm-ec•ss, ,ls his works on Hil'k­

ory i.;treet will show . . Josc·ph Jinsl,erg sta rt<'cl Iii;; 11rnrb k! works on Korth Front

;.;ired about twelw vear::, ago, aml i:s also :;till doing a pro,;perous

J\l. Herghob: and Uottlieb Sd1111idt openec1 a harncs;; shop in the "Berghob: Block,'' a, little north of the present Mankato State Bank in 18Fi9. On the cleath of Bergholz about 18(i9, Schmidt moved to Hickory street, when' Pay's barn now stanc1s and eon­tinue<l till 1872, when lw !milt his large ;;hop and store on Front street, over the spot where he hacl starte1l thirteen years before. Since his death the bmiiness has lwcn c:aniec1 on at the olcl :;tancl by his son, Oscar.

Guth Rro's. operwc1 their shop on lcmer Front stred, in 1'8G4, and it is still c1oing its share of busim•:,;s, for nuui_y years past lrnv­ing been eonclucte1l by Henry, one of the original Bro's.

In 18(i5, W. B. Walker am1 ,T. D. Jones started n harness shop nearl." opposite the present Rational Citizen:, Bank. A year later, Jones went nnt of the firm and \Valker moved to the Dr. Clark building, about where Kruse's store is now. Later he built a shop where the Savings Bank is now, corner -Front and Cherry streets, remaining there about fil-e yearn. Then about thirty years ago, he built on his pre,;ent location, ancl W. B. Walker & Son, are stil I c1oing a fine lrnsinCS8 at the old stanc1.

The writer is not quite certain when W. R Liel'\loff startecl the harness shop nearly opposite the Clifton House, but sometime in the ScYenties. At his cleath, John Krost bought out the lmsi­ness and conducted it there scYeral years, and then moved to block fourteen, and after a year or two closed out. As in other in-1lustries, so in this, there have been several in business whose names arn1 history the writer coulc1 not obtain. At one time there were no less than eight shops running here.

JlaJ1u(actures IOj

BAKERIES.

With all the other business the 1woplt• oJ .Mankato ham tlone

a great tleal oJ eating, more than hotels and private famili<·s conld proYicle for, hence the lll\U'S8ity of bakurics. Although Louckt·s &, Loring wun) rnnning a bakery on Front :,;treet, nearly opposite the pre:,;cnt lkYiew ottic(', in the :sixtit\s and sornc later, Charles Ifoinz0

was no tloubt the earliest and t;hid haklir hen! for rnanv year~. Ile startccl in tlw Spring of 18(i:2, in tlw historit; Bergholz Block.

About two years later, he eredl'rl hi,; hrn ;;tory hriek opposik, said to be tlw ;;pcornl bnilt in tlw cit\". llt•re he carried on the

business for ten years, when, desiring to t>xpand his business still

more, he bu i It a two storv brit;k on the cornn of Second and \Valnut streets, antl rnrnlnctccl it till his brother, J11cnlinanrl honght him out in 187!). The latter cli<l his baking there till 1881, when he built a bakery on Front street, north of }I nlbP1-r,r :-l!n!ct. He sole] out here and in 1885 moved his bakery to his prt's_ent Pal,1c,!

Hestmnant, South of ,Jaclrnon street. Fred Eichhorn after working for C'harl0_1· Heinze nine years

gnc1, for Ferclinarnl firn years, startec1 a bakery of his own on Nor~h Front street, fifteen years ago, moYing to his present location in 18});1, his career showing that with tl1rift nntl inclush,1· none Jll'cd

tle,;pisc the clay of small things.

CAKDY ?IL--\KI?\C.

The cancl_y business in a forge way was fir:-t started hem in 18!)() by C. A. E1·crhart, Ernest Hosenbergcr and H. ,J. Kuhn at

the corner of Front ancl Poplar :-;trcets. Two years later, Hosen­hcrgm· sol<l out to H. A. Patterson. 'J'lwy acl<letl cracker machinery

arn1 continue<1 the brn,iness as Mankato Cracker and Candy Co., until 189.'i, when they solcl out to representatives of' the Kation:1] Biscuit Co., thongh they were then um1,van· that they wern selling out to the trnst. The business was run along till about moo, wh·!n

it was closed out by the trust. After he sold ont, Rosenberger fornw<l a partnership with

,John C. Noble;; all(l in 18D:1 starfo11 a new l'H!l(ly lrnsirn'ss on Prnnt street, near P. K. \Viser's jewelry stol'('. :-iobles ,:old his inten\,t

in the Fall of ISH:'5 to F. JW. CnrritT, Two ypar:-; later in 18!!?',

ilwv huilt tlwir larg<! up-to-elate faC'tory comer of Second a111l Walnut streets. Here their bnsinPss has incrcase<1 till thc_v arQ

0mplo_ying about ;35 hands arnl shipping tht•ir pro<lnct: all. over Southern Mimwsota, Northern Iowa, and South Dakota.

w6 .Jfan!wto-lts First hfty ) ·,.ars

l'IGA H MAKJNG.

Cigar making has never been a very large busin0ss in Man­kato, but has been continuons since Clrnrl(!S Schikllmccht began it in 18G(i, opposite the Clifton House, where he remained till he mon:cl over to old fighting Block 14, where he has remained eY(;r smce. In later years he makes nothing cheaper than 10 cent cigars, n]ways having aimed to make the best rather than the most, ne\·er having u1orc than four employee:,; .

.N ic Peterson & ,Jarchow nuulc cigars from 187 5 to 188t.l.

J-1. H. Wiecking commenced the next year anJ is still in the lrn;-;inesK near the Clifton llou:-s(', in later years b,wing gom: mo~·c into the jobbing business.

1<'. Pfriffer (Jirl r1uite an c-xtC'n~ve bnsinei::s in eigar making for seyeral _years, arnl is continuing it in a smalkr way on Second street.

Schweitzer Bros., conductcrl a cigar factory in Block 14 about five years and at nuious times seYcral others were engaged in the lnrniness.

Chas. Selleek is now making cigars in the old M,utin store near Byron street. Joseph Binapfl started in the business ten _\'l'ars ago on Front street, near Elm, and .Miller & ~igg three :ir fonr years ago on the opposite sirle of Front street.

Chas. Timmerman, located on Front street nearly opposite Hubbard's :Mill, is now the larg-est eigar manufacturer here, em­ploying eight or ten hands.

About a }'l'ar ago Geo. W. Achanl Jauncherl the Mankato Cigar Company in tlie Mills lmilcling on Front street sonth 01' Cherry.

TAN.NKRIES.

A Mankato newspaper rlate(l October 2:l, 18G0, says that Porter & Co., lrn\·e gone to work at their tannery. This was .J. ,J. Porter. The location wa:,; on 1\'arren Creek, Front street. .\ frw years later, in 18G.2, the tannery was ow1wcl aml operated hr ,Tos. A. Clrnreh down to 187,i. Eel. Grnhh ran a ,;mall tamwry from 18(i8 till about 188;'; on Cllt•nwood aY<•nue.

SOAP }[AKING.

Alimlt rnn, l'oolt• Bro;-;., startel1 a 8oap foetory, which a lit.tk latr>r was carried on hr RincP & f'onlL·. In 187:1 they solrl to A. C. Banwy nrnl l\f. G. Wi]Jar(l, who enlarged their plant in Le-

.Jfa1111fact 11r,•s 107

Hillier, the stone buil(1ing lwyond ilie Blnc Earth bridge. They c<mllll<'JH'C'(1 ,hipping their go()(],; abroad. making a ,;pecialtv nf "Sarnn Commercial:· alHl llc'i!lg what lin,; bl'en called the lrnrn1-so1n(•;st label ()\·er Sl'('ll on a c'oap box.

It soon bec,rnw C'Yid(•nt that th<· 1!0111<' ,;npply o[ tallm,· wac; in­~ullicient for ,1 large h11,;i1H''"''"'; ;;till tiler ,rnuld haw rnntimwd i+, lmt in le;;;; than a year ('on:,;b111ti1w Ei;;<'lt came at them with rnch n!JWated and lih(']'al off<•r,;, that they could not r<•,;i;;t, awl [,;i:,;l'lt tlwn and thne lwe,rnw "olc proprietor of .:\fankato's soap

rnanufactor\'. ]le imincdi,li:eh· cm1c'id<'r<'<I that hi,; fortune 1v,1.s

made and pro<·C'eded to spend iwarlr all hi,; tinw in the saloon. The cmTent chroniell'r ;;a\'f, tlwt i11 a n'rY frw \\'C('ks lw nrn tile

c<oap hn:,;inC':-;s into tlH' ground, hut l in:-;i:,;t that lw rnn it <10\rtl

hi:,; throat.

B1WOMS.

,'\t Yanons times Brooms haYC' been rnan11f'adurc,t1 at ;\fan­

kato. That irn1ustry has hl'cn carrit>d on with much Yigor arnl ,:nc­

ccss for about ten years past in W<,,,t :\lanlrnto, 1war the watering t rnngh by Hachcrh Bros.

BOILim ;\L\h:I:'\C.

,\bout 1880, one <'hilson starkrl tstl'am boikr making at the conH'r of Poplar and Pike :street"· ,J. l)_ 1--1 an1ing & { 'o., boug·M him nut t\l'o _vi'ars lafrr arn1 inrn•ased the lrnsi1wss. 'l'lw,· sold nut in 188(i to C. ('. (2ninn, who lal'g<'ly incn•,1:,;e<l the lrnsines,;. In 180+, lw ,:old nut to Url'r!n arnl otlwrc', who collllncted the lmsi1wss in a rnor1l'rntc, way till l!JOl, wlwn tl1('.\' disrnntimwd. Sh•aJ11 hoilcrs arP now 111arl<' by both tlw :i\Tankatn i\fanuf'nctnring Co., an.J }[a1·er Bros.

FIB EH WJ\ HE.

On SqJternlH'r liith, 188;";, haring bought out thr nl<1 :\[ankato Iron anr1 ,'\oyeJty Works, anr1 otlwr property adjoining comprising tlw most of Block 1:l,, .J. A. Willanl arn1 :u. CL Willan1 com­/ncnc<i<1 work, arn1 before Christmas ha<1 bu i It a briek , actory 1.'iO

l'<>d long ,together with another o\'l'r half as large anr1 another rnllch smaller, anrl latc·r organized Ntan<lnn1 Fihl·r 1Ynrr C'ompan,·, 11 itl1 a ;.apital :-;tol'k of :fi.'i0,000, with ,T. j\_ \Yillnrd, a;; prl'c'i<ll'llt. r:nd hl'ilc'llr<'t <1rnl :\L Cl. \Yillanl, n,; :-;l'<:rPtnn· anll manag-1•1. Earlv tlw ll<':d _\'<'ill' th(•_v lirgnn in tnrn out ·'flax-iih<•r" ,niter pail~ rrn1 1n1~h lrn~ins. ,Viii]<! tlw indu,-;ln 1rn,-; nt lir:-;t- ;;0111(•wlrnt ex-

I08 ,1/anl~ato- /ts h"rst hfty i·ears

perimcntal, the waterproofing and Laking processes were so 1111-

provcd that the ware became in great llemand. Dairy and Fire

pails were a(lcle(l to the manufacture, also cuspiclors, milk pans, floor arnl table mats arnl other articles, employing about fifty han(k

The product was shipped to all parts of the United States, also to

Cann(la, the West Indies and South Africa. It went down in the fall of 1897, with other irnlnstrics corn1uctcc1 by the same parties,

as a result of the lrnnl tinws foll01ring the panic of 18D3, al1l1 of the impatim~c of a few creditors, and it should be added perhaps

partly because the owners llll(lertook too much. Though poor con­solation for the parties interested, it is better for the city that

rnc•n mHlertake too much than that they undertake! nothing.

BO'l'TLJ NG.

The Bottling irnlnstry ·was carried on here for several years

before by Peter Backe,;, but was taken up in a large way by our present mayor, Nie. Peterson, in 1887; yet he was his only employee for two or three years. Now, at his brick works on Front str.:11Jt

below Hock, he employs six men bottling temperance drinks and mineral water and ships his goods to most all points within one

h1l1<lre<l miles. A. l'aegcl started a similar business in 1895, and put up his

brick bottling works on Spring street, near Front in 18D?'.

nL\.LT.

] n 1892, Oscar and H crrnan Hierbauer, brothers, organir,,•tl

nuder the style) of Mankato Malt & Grain Co., for the manufacture of malt for making soft drinks, rnaltrinr, malt extracts, brrakfast foods, beer, etc. 'l'he_y doubled the capacity of their works on Rock

street in 189--J., and expect to double it again ·within a _year. Tlny are now manufacturing 150,000 bushels a year.

BOOTS AND SHOES.

Leo Lamm cornrnencerl to make boot,; and shoes in 18.'ifi 1t

the corner of l!~ront and Plum streets, where the lmsim'8s has re­mained C'Yer since. By thrift and industry he ]milt np a goo(l lrnsinc,;s arnl made money, liesi<lcs raising a wry large family of children. He tlie(l in 1898, since which time the lnrniness has be:·n Parric<l on by hiR son, Simon C. Lamm.

K .T. Ogle-shy opened a ;-;hop in 18G5 anrl contirn1erl to do a

~mall husinef'f' near the foot ol" Clwny c:tn,et fnr twenty or thirty ,cars.

11/anufact urcs 109

B. Kohler comnwncccl business in 18;'.'iG, after working for Lamm a year. He also built up a profitabl<' businm,s an<l continu<'d it at his large shop on :Front street, below Plum until he retired in 18%, after forty years of business Ii fo.

Cltauntt\)' H. Austin commem·e(l shocrnaking in 1838, on the corner of Front arnl Hickory streets, no,1· the \Villiaim, Block. Not many years later he movc<l south to the middle of the block, l·etwecn ,Jackson ancl Cherry strc•cts. Herc lw sa,·c,l, and worke(l, ,mcl ma(le money, and built his ,lonhle st.on•, and finally quit man­nfacturing and went into jobbing of boots and. shoes with his son, Charles, as C. H. Austin & Son, ;;elling ont aml going to the Pacific coast in 1900.

Peter Larson opcnc,l his shop about 18fi0, <-onwr of Front ancl .Jackson streets, wlwre Nyquist & lvcn,on arc no,,· locatc,l, and continue(l the business about fiftpcn years until ·Jie went upon a

farm. R :J obnson has been running a l ittlc shop many years on

.T ackson street next to the Odrl F('llows Block. Se,·cral othl'r shops haYe from time to time clone something along this line, but to no considerable extent, except ,T.G. Grielwl and G. P. Griebel, who as Griebel Bros., commenced mannfaeturing in 18(i5, later lmilding their two-story brick shop two or three cloors north of the Clifton House. 'l'h('y continued to do a good business here for twenty yearR, then G. P., sold out to his brother, who soon began manufacturing quite C'xtensi \'Pl.v. His lnrnines1, expamle<l so that he was crow<forl out into other quarter,, with part of his manu­facturing arnl employed as many as thirty hancls cluring the next six or eight _vc,us. For ,;omc• reaf\011 not gin~n he contracted his lmsiness in 1S£J:l, but continued nH11111fadming until his ,leath in 1901.

MEHCHA>l'l' TAlLOHl?\G.

,Jas. B. Hubbell seems to ham bcen about the first to start this indu1stry in lVlankato, although not a tailor himself, in con­

nection with his clothing ,;tore in Huhlwll &Hawleys' Block, near­ly oppo~itc the Clifton Honse. Fro111 about 1857 until elected Hcgister of DcPcls two or three yc,ars h1tcr, he employc,l Wm. Irving as tailor. Mr. Jrying continued tlw ]m,;iucss and later rc111ove(l to his corner, Front. arnl ,JaC'kRon, where the American J<]xprC'ss C'o., is now loeatcd, contin11i11g in ln1,;iness until his re­tirement oYer twenty years ago.

110

Ikntinger & Tnwb wen, in l>usincss in the early sixties and up

till about 18,0, on Fl'ont strPet. \\'lwre tlw .T. f. Case lmil(ling now ;-;tarnk Lakr Tnrnh sold out all(l Louis Dentinger eontim1ed tlw liusinl's,.; at rnrious pointf\ down to about 188:5.

'!'he first brick tailor shop \\'as lrnilt hv J. C. Hanson about 1871, 011 Second stn'l'i, just south of the City Hotel. Although

not iirnling it a n'r_Y farnrnhle lol'.ation Han,:;on rmuained there sonH, kn or Jift('('ll n,al"R, afh>r which he was loc:atecl at yarioJJs

point!-\ on Front stiw,t mdil he rnoyed to \\'i;;consin in 1901.

For (1uite a goo<l many yearti, up to about 1871". M. Schwarts had a tailor shop a littlt• south of wlll're 1.hc National ('itiiens

Bank now starnls. Jn 18(iD, .J. A. & J. l'. :Mdicnry co111rnencc·<l to prosecute

quite an exk11;.,ire lrnsi1wss in this line in a frame building i,1

Block 1-+, north of wlwrc J)r. Follrnan's ston) is now. They proh­

ahl_1· urnlertook too much for the time arn1 place, and continued only about three years; bnt a munber of our later Scandinal"ian

ta i I ors seem to lrnxc made their start with them. Harn1all & Smith were probably the next largest operator,;

in thi:-; line in an early tlay arnl g,n-c employment to several Scan­

<lirnn-ians already llJPntionc(l. At their old stancl, two doors south

of the old Frescholtz stand, arnl later in their brick building one (loor :-;outh, they dill a go0(1 bu:-;incss in this line, in connection with th('ir clothing lrnsinc•s;;, down to abont 188:2.

l\L 0. Sun<lt started for himself in 181:l, on Jackson street,

when, the Free Pn'c<i-i building now stancls. In 1887, he built and lllO\'l'<l to his pn'scnt location 1war Walker':; HarnesR shop, and

prospen!(l. \Vl'IHlall II twttl openl'!l a shop on the corner of Front and

Washington stred;; in 18'/-1, arnl has kept this location ever since,

arnl is now <loing a prosperon,.; ln1siness in his new brick shop. Hi,, cousin, Peter 11 udtl opene!l shop lower <lown in 1890 al1(1 is now locatccl on Front street near Elrn.

Hans ,Jorg<'nsen startcll for himi,;clf on .Jackson soon affor 1880, arnl in a y<'ar or two ll!O\"l'<l to Front 1-,trect, where the south part o[ tlw Clla"s Block now starnk ,\ fe,y years later he Rold to

L'on<I Bro:4., arn1 tl1Pn hccallle a lll<'miwr of tl1e firm of Pornl Hn>R. & .Torµ;<'llS<'ll. Nlost of' thP time for th(' next twelve or fifteen

_YP,H;; Ii<' \nl>' !'onn(•de1l ,1·ith l'ornl Bros. The company at timns crnployc•d as 111,rny a" l'ight or ten journP_\"lncn tailorR.

11/an u;·ad 111-cs

About three years ago Mr. Jorgensen with Otto Olson arnl IL

Haugen formed the :Mankato Tailoring Co., and OjH'lll•(l 11p a "hop on Front streel just ;;out.Ii of the 1\'illiarns Block, wh('re tlwy still

remain. Ole :i\'liekel:->on opern·d a "hop about 18')'8 and has occupic·d

several good locations on Frnnt strl'd, no11· oc(·upyiug a shop m·,u

the ol(l ~\nstin shoe store. Ole Monson after working /'or :\Id [(•1irv and othcrn Ojl('lll'<l ,~

f-irnall shop on Front ;;b-c·d, just ,outh o/' thl' ( :Ji l'lon lTouse :n 1887, where he (lid a goocl bnsinc!ss until ll(' sold out in 18\J-I, since which he has been out of bnsim•fSs or locatecl c·ls(•ll'lwre until ;1

year ago, when he occupied the hri('k ,hop Jl('arly oppo,:ik th,,

~ ational Citizeus Hank. Th is shop had IH·en OC('U pic·rl by ,J. S.

Holf for ten years, who then mo1·Pcl into his 11<·1r shop just be,l'o11<l

the briclge, in )forth Mankato. Arnlrew lHaclson after ,vorking s0111<"ti 11w for ]\fr. ,l orgen,wn

opened a shop of his own about tl'n _l'l'ars ago arnl ocenpying 1w1·­

eral locations, the last on ,Jaekson ,;trcd. Tt is urnlel'stood that 1w

is just ahont to sdl out aIHl go else1rlwrc.

GAS .\-YD ELECTI:IC LlnllT.

'J'hc 1\fankato Gas Light Co., waR organi;,;e(1 in 188:l, with L.

Patterson ancl 0. C. M cCurcl_v as principal stockhol<lcr:-:. .:\IcCurcly being manager. 'l']wy at once hnilt a ;;nhtstantinl plant at tlw corner of Elm arnl ,Vi !low ;;treets. l'atten:on tsolcl ont to l\fcCnnl,r. Jlnring tlw early _vears of its hic'ton· it ,ms n'r~· unfortunate ancl ralle<l a ",\Jan Killer." l\fd'urdv and ,Jos. Presley ha\'ing hoth

heen asphyxiated at the 1rnrks during th<' sa111e _1·<•a1·. After his <leath, the l\[cC'mrl,v interest was ,;old to L. l'atkrson, ,J. B. l\fragli­er, H. lVL Hamilton, arn1 H .. K Brown.

About 188-4, a little <'lectric liglit plant 11as starkcl by F. L.

Watters and C. M. Marsh at the l\farsh eoopc·r shop. Soon after it waR rnoYe<l to tlw 1-lubliarcl l\·lill and np<'rntc·<l and <·xpandecl by

Huhbarr1 arn1 Watters until 1888, wlrnn 1Y,1tters sold out, ancl tlw Eledric Light ancl Gas C'mnpanies were conisolidatccl into the

::VIankato Electric Light arnl (!nf; C'o. The elrdric light~ continuvcl to he operafa,<l hy I-Iubhar<l at hi,-; mill, although lw ,-;old out to .T. B. }[raglwr in 18!!7. In 1!)00, the C'n111J1<lll_1· m1~ n·organiwcl, Nfason, Lrwis & Co., of C'hicago, lH'('OJning largt·ly int<'rc·stecl: Tn that year, extrnsi\'(• i111prm'<•m<'11ts 11·('!'<' co11111H·n<:l'<l in the plant ~o that it now on·11pie,-: the \\'hole ha]/' block ou Willow street frnm

lf2 ,1/anlmto---lts First hfly ) ·ca,·s

Elm to Rock :stiw•t, the electric light plant being removerl there from Huhhan1'8 and largel.v increa:set1. The gas plant has been

practically relmilt arn1 greatly enlargct1. This is also true of the J,;lectric light branch of the plant. Two one hundred kilowat

ge1wrators each with a capacity of :!JiOO, Hi C. P. lights were in­

stalled last year: also thirt,v-two open arc dynamos, and four large gas enginrs to furnish power, combinr<1 being ;'l.50 horse power. H. A. Pattn;son 1s pr<'sid<•nL and IL K Brown, secretary, treamir-~r

an,1 rnanagcr. ('ONCLF810K.

Tlw fon·going hi,.;tor_v of J\Iankato's mannfac-tures <1nring her

firnt fifty years is ratlwr imp<•ri'<'ct anrl incomplete. It has not

been possible to gd the necessary factfs, and no doubt, some things have been girnn incorrectly. I hope this may be a starting point or hasi;; for fullt!r hi;;tnriPs of sorne of the more important

in<lnstrics. Some that I ha H' given considerable space to see1t1

hanlly worthy to be namP<1, yet have hacl their place in the city's t1c\'elopment. The gTeat nmnhcr that haYc c1iRappearcd naturallv

fon<l to <1epreR::; us, an<l leac1 us to imagine the ":\fight have been's" of this history, an<1 of this citv.

Of course., a limite<1 number of our manufactures have gor,c' clownbccnuseof lackof means,insnffieient experienceand innate bad management. Still it has stn1ck the historian that more failed in onr earlier (layR heeansc! of intern1wratc· habits of the owners t!:nn from any other Ringle cause.

There is no <1onbt but some of thcst• an<l other manufactures might have heen pnshc<1 to success here. Others ,rerc doomed to fall when they hat1 nm their necessary conrse, for the <1evelopment

of a new country. Some were t1onbtless throttled by unjust arn1 c1iscriminating frright rates against J\Iankato. Although few re­alize it, this process of killing the smaller townR ,it the expense of

the larger, or more favoretl, was stayccl to a remarkable extent by the Interstate Commerce Law, arnl also somewhat by local stat0 laws, RO that in,lnstries that conlcl not thrive here twenty y0ar,;

ago may now he snccesi-;fnl, as our railroad a<lvantages are at prc:.;­<'nt surpassed by frw wcRtern towns; ant1 there are fow hettcr di<­

lriht1ting point::; in the west than Manknto.

BANKING. By W. D. WILLARD, Esq.

/, kng 1rith the ChunJ1 all([ the School IHJLl~l~ in th· ne11

sdtlement of the far 1vr8t gocis the bank. We of this gcm•ratiou

lrnn1ly rcaliie how IH!cessar_v an n<1junct of rncJllern Jrn;;incss life the hank is. Only when financial sfrc•ss, or other cause• deprives us

of this great <listrihutor of tlw lifo Llood oJ' c;0111111crce, clo ,re

appreciate how lwrn tiered wc•rc our forefathers by the lack of hank­ing facilities, or the prim tin~ nature of snch as they had.

Jl,Jankato was settlecJ in tlll' c·losing da.1·s of the era of "Wild

Cat" banks, in the days when s<·wral of the States allowed the establishment of banks, whose sole pmpo;;ci of existence seemed

to be to issne paper money against assets, the character of which no one knew, or apparently care11. Thc~re was a grm1t race among such

banks to see who could get ont the most currency. The <1uestion of redemption neYer entered into consi11eration. 'l'hese issues of

paper money had value in gohl, all the way from Zl'ro up to par, acconling to the arnrice or honesty of the issuing bank. A nun

who ham1lec1 money nee<1ed a big rnlnme giving values before he dared take currency. The great i;cheme of these issuing banks

was to send their currency as far from home a::; possible so th,tt it wonlrl not soon find its way back again.

Jn 1857, so great had been this evil that hills of' one of om neighbor Atates had Rtmk to 17 cent,, on the· dollar.

All of thi;,: was done away bv the e,;tabli:,;Jnnent ol' National

Banks and the taxing out of existence of the State Bank issues.

Traclition says tlrnt sometime about 18."ic!, our ol(l friem1, Geo. A. Clarke came west with a big grip of bcautifnlly printed bills bearing the name of The Mankato Hanle Tlw:;c bills were

to be the capital of the first bank at :Mankato. My mother says she remembers Yery clearly l\fr. Clarke's coming into their house, he was their next door neighbor back in Eric, Pa., anc1 showing

them with great pride the newly printer1 bills. He was jm,t start­ing \Vest. For some reason tlii~ bank never c1id any bnsinct<s though some $HO.on of the bills got into cirC"nlation. Nevcral of the old settlers remember having se(!n them. TliC'_\' \\'Ul'(\ $1.00 bills.

Of conrsP, cwn from the first sett]('nwnt, there ll'l'J'e rncn wlio loaned money, arnong whom .J. H. Tinkco111, who is still living with

Jla11!wto - Its First Fzj"/y J ·cars

us, and c;c1wral ,J. K 'l'ourtdloUc, who ha:-; not been forgott~n. But

the iir:-;t rrnl hank, which took <lcposits, an<l !Jonght ancl ,;old e;;:­

ehnnge, wa;.; the l'nrry Bros., Edwarcl H., and Richan1 Randolph Parry. Tlw1· opem·d up in tlw rnonth of :i\larcli, 1857, and having

in Odohc•r, li-\,':i(i, on their first arrival at :\Ianlrnto, eontractec1 to pt11Thar-;t\ or S. h.iklwn, a lot, they built a small building where is now part of till• :\kaglwr lrnilding, :irn South I<~ront street. The Parry fnmih wa,z \\"Palthy arn1 the opportunity for making money

out 1re:-;t 11·a:-; uuli!nifrd, the onlinary rate of interest being 3 per

ct!nt 1wr rnonih or :Hi per ccmt per _1un: and for anything hut

strictly llr:-;t cla~:-; loan:-:, ;"iper cent per month till due and 8 per

cent tlwrpaftn, and all loans mrn,t be :-;ecurel1. The ordinary loan

011 n section of land wa:-; $:200.00, tlie amonnt it took to pay up the

Goyernmcnt. l'arn· Bros., is:-;ued <lrafts on the l\{anufactures & 1frehanies Hauk, Phila<lelphia, and on X cw York Bankers, arn1

al,-o draft,.; on tlwir fathC'r in Phila(lelphia, an([ witli the slow trans­

portation of those clays, it 11·as sometimes months before these

drafts eame to lw paid, making the lJi1siness Yer_v profitable.

:.\lr. Lamm t<>lls how at the lwginning of the Civil war in 18(il,

Ill' wa1-, going to 8t. Louis, to buy goodts for his store and hacl about $1,ii00.0O in lll<>lll\Y. Parry Bros., asked him 2 per cent for

a draft on the East, which he <fol not care to pay and in spite of

lii:'i wife's prnte,;ts, and Pan,v Bros., suggestion of the danger of

robbery, he took the money with him in a belt next to his bocly. 1\'hen at St. Louis, the banks pai<l him a premium for the money, SO!ll() or which was goltl.

With the war the bank dm,ed enrly in 18ftU~<lwanl R. Parry,

l\lay 1-J., 18lil, ret:ei1·e<l a commission as First Lieutenant 11th U.

States lnfontry, and Hidianl R. Parry going back home to Phila­

(ll'lphia in 18(i~. Edwan1 R Parr_v <lic<1 in 187±, a l\Iajor in the

ltegulnr Army, nrnl Hichanl Parry still lin\s back in Pennsylvania, and Rti 11 owns proiwrty hl're in Mankato.

Ju 18(i0, ,John \V. Davis, of Fox Lake, Wisconsin, brother to

W. W. llaYit-< of thi,; citY arnl uncle to the Cashit!r of the l\1ankato

Ha1·ing,; Rank, nwYe1l a hank, he had ,,tartc(1 in Garden City, to

:\[ankato. llv OJll'JWd up in tlw building which stoo<1 next to

what i,; now Dr. Follmnn',; l'orner, lint thC' 1wxt _Yl',1r, he went back to Fox Lak<•.

For tltc• 1wxt two y<•ar:-: tlH'J·c wns no bank. Then in the fal\

or lHG:l_, ,I. H. Tinkco111 arn1 i\lajor K l-1. Smith openecl np a bank

nt ;~08 South Front street, in a building "tarnling wlwni Krns()

Bros. store now is. Arter n year·:-, L');JH'rience they cliseonti1rncd,

withol1t profit it is said.

:\'[one_\· ha<1 been a n·rr snin·L• arl i(· le for Sl'\'('l'H l _1·(•,1rs frn111

ihe panic of H,;;7, till the papL·r issue,; or the 11·ar l1ega11 to 111ak'i

rising prices arnl "Good 'l'imPs."

In l8Gti, ,J . .J. Thornton & ( 'o., O[H'IH'L1 a lmnk in tliL· sL•eowl

stor.1· of tlw lrnilding nm1· mnwd liv lJr. Foll111an. 'J'lw firn1 wa.~· cornpo,;ed of ,T. ,r. 'l'lwrnton, late Scnalor }l. S. 1\'ilki11.,on, h:atie c\. H11hhell, wife of ,Jam<!s B. Huhlwll and ,John ?\. Hall. In 18(i(i the_Y moYcd to the corner Inter purchasL·<l !Jr tlw First ~a­

tional Bank, by wliorn it lrns hel'll occupiPd to this rlar. On

September 10th, 18(;R, their ln1sin(',.;s wns turncd onir to tin·

J17irst National Bank. Jn the mL·,mtime in 1 f-:(;(i, the Banking

firm of Lewis & Shaulmt, eompo>'e<l of Wm. F. Lewis arnl 1-fonrr Shanbut, began lrnsinet;s. Jn l 8(i7, .Tolin J-1. Ban, Jath('r ol'

Hon. GC'o. T. Barr, Pnkrl'<1 the firm and thc>_r built for a hanking

house, the building adjoining the Williams Block. J\la_v :nst, 18G8, Ilfr. Barr withdrew and tl1e firm of Lewis & Shaulmt con­tinued business till OctohcT 2rnl, 187(>, when ]\fr. l-kmy ~I. 1-Iarn­ilton came into the firm. In 1877 the_v honght the building, :2:W

South Front shed, now 011·1wr1 b~' f-lpm•gt· B. Owen. }Jr. l-fnmi I­ton rdired in 1881. In 18i-l:l, :i\Il'. Ceo. 'I'. Barr lieca11u· a partner

,m(l the firm again became Lf'wis, Slrnulrnt & Barr. Mr. Cl(!O.

H. Clark acte<l aH ca:shil'r for the firm from I 87'(i to 188:l, and Mr. G. T. Jhrr after that. On Octolwr (ith, 188(\, tlie J\faukato

Xational Bank sncceetkd to their bu>'incss.

The First National Bank lwgan lmsim•sH S(•ptc111IH'r 10, 18GS,

with a capital of $60,000.00. c\mong tlw inc-orporators \\'l'r,1

,Tames B. Hubbell, John X. Hall, A. C. Wolfolk, Stvplwn La111111, ,John l<'. Meagher, J. T. Williams, Daniel Buck, L. C. Harring­

ton, brother to Dr. Harrington, John ,J. Slrnnlmt, John A. Wil­

lard, Hen Ty Foster, T. N. Boynton and K P. Freeman. A. ( 1.

Woolfolk, Stephen Lamm, ,J. B. Hubbell, ,John F. l\'feagher, ,Jolm

B. lVlnrph,v, J. A. Willarcl, L. C. Harrington, Ilanid Huek, and

J. 'l'. Williams were tlw first Hoan1 of Din:ctors. St(•plien Lamrn

and I-Tenn· Foster han~ bet>n continonsl_1· cmrnedd with tlw liank ;.;ince its organization and ,John,\. Willanl war, until hif' d(•atl1. Tlw first officPrs \r<'re ,\. ('_ 1Vooll"olk, l'rPsid(•nt; ,John F. }f<•aglH'r,

\'ic('-Presi<lent; John N. Hall, Cashier. A. C. Woolfolk wa~ pres-

JI6 Jfa11/wto-.!Ls First l'i'/Ly ] -cars

ident from September 10, 18(i8 to J\farch 29th, 187.·!; ,J. B. Hub­

bell until ,January 1-lth, 1878; ,John A. Willard nineteen year,;

to llccemlier :Z.Hh, 189G; Stephen Lamm from that time to date.

l\lr. Hall was succeeded as cashier on April 1st, 1880, by Fre<l Husch, who, on J\fay 1st, 1881, resigned and his place was

taken b_,- the late H. ( '. Akers, who helcl the otTic~ for two :year::;

and was ;;uceccdcd liy Ueo. H. Clark, who came over from Lewis,

::-;haubut & Barr. JI r. Clark aftr·r fourfa\l'll years service gilYe

plaec on .January lc<t, 18!)')', io }Jr. L. ,\. Linder, who for ten

years had !wen ac<sistant eac<hicir. Mr. Linder died Septembe:·

:2 bt, mo 1, and his plaee wa;;; taken Kovember 11th, HJOl, b_v W. D. 1\'illard. The first published statement of the First ~ationnl Bank that I have been able to find October 18G9, shows $50,000.00 deposits; $l00,000.00 loan,;; the la,,t report, deposits $!Hl8,000.00; loans, $8:21,000.00.

fn lkecrnlwr, 1871, :\Ir. John F. :\fragher left the First Na­tional Bank arn1 in April, 1872, organized the Citizens National Bank. s\ mong the incorporators Wl!n! John F. l\feaglwr, Chas­

F. Mansfield, Henry Wolfram, Ueo. A. Clarke, Clark Keysor, Perry Wysong, J. A. ,James, Xieolas \Veis, .'\lonzo 'Messl'r, J. H.

Hay, Daniel Buek, ,J. 'l'. Williams, 1rm. Thonws, .Jno S. Hinck­

ley, T. ::--,;_ Boynton, H. 1-i:. Cole, X. W. Dickerson and 1Vm. Condon.

ThP first Bmml of Dircetors was compostd of the following: H.

Wolfram, D. Buck, J. W. Bishop, ,) . F. Meagher, JVI. Schwartz,

Jno. A. ,Jamee<, ('hac<. Mansfield, ,J. J. Thompson, J. T. Williams, 1Ym. Thomae<, anr1 \Vm. Cornlon.

III r. ,J. F'. l\foagher, was President from 187:2 until his death

in 18D7, when his place was taken li_y W. U. Hoerr. J. W. Bishop was thc first 1'icc!-Presi<k·nt; ,John H. [fay, was Cashier from

187:i to 188:l. W. G. Hotirr was Cashier from 1883 to 1897, when he was sueccelk·d for a Rhort time b_y John B. Meagher and later hy H. K Swan. '?lfr. Swan's recent rcRignation left a place

which was filled b,v the election of James A. Ewing. When the Bank'~ fir~t charter expired, in 18!J:c, the name was changed all(l tlw Bank rc-organiz:el1 as the National Citizens Hanle

The first published statement of the Xational Citizens Bank

daterl October :lrd, 1872, show~ cleposits $:28,000.00; loans $-1-:3,-

000.00. Th<~ la,-t pnbliRlied ,.:tufornent, depoHits $l,l(i8,000.0(); loans, $87') ,000.00.

Jn Oei:,iber, l88Ci, the Mankato National Bank sueceedccl

117

Lt•wi:-:, Slrnulrnt & Harr. DaniC'I Buek was Prcsidt•nt, i. G.

Harrington, Yice-l'rt',-;idt'nt arn1 Jno. lL Thomas, l'a:-:hier, capi-1:al $100,000.00. The fir:-:t Board ol" Jlirt'ctor:-: incllH1l'd ,rith tk· ahore, M. ,J. Se,·t•ranee, H. :i.\I. ltarnilton, Wm. F. Le,ri:-:, H(•nr_1·

Shaubut, (~t•o. I-:1. Marsh, Geo. T. Bo_rnton, Wm. Fri:-:hie, ,\,/ic:. Lang, L. l'atternon, C. L11lsdorf, Dr. Dornlwrg, ,Jno. A. LPw 1s

and Freel I-i:ro11. Two yearn later, ,Jolin H. Hay liet:anw l're,-i<1ent

of the bank, l"rom which tinw then· hat-; been no change in tlw oftic<•r:-:. .1 ulv 1 :2th, urn:-:, the :\[ankato ~-Hat<' Bank wa:-: organi:r,e.J with the :-:ainc officers and ])iredor,;, all(1 the l\'lankato Xational

Bank w<•nt into liquidation. ThC' rea,;on for thC' change wa:-: tlw largt•r Iilierh of loaning enjon•,1 under tlw State Law:-:, \lational

Bank:-: not being allmn·d to make n•al e:-:tat<! loans. At the c;au1e

time the eapital stock was rechie<•c1 to $.i0,000.00.

'l'lw :;\lankato Sa\'ings Hank was organi:r,ecl m l8D2, under

the 111utnal law of th<' State•. L. G. M. FIC'tchcr has been l're,;i­dcnt since the beginning. '!'his hank has been n•ry sncccssfol since starting. Deposits being now $2Hi,OOO.OO.

A cornpari:,;on bv ,lecacles of the <1qmsits arnl loans of till' bank,-; of thifl city wi 11 be ,·ery interesting.

1872 DC'posib, $ Vi."i,000.00 Lo;m,-;, $ 2;;0,000.00

1882 Deposit:-:, -l-00,000.0U Loani'\, -1-;;0,000.00

18H2 Depo;;it:-:, 1,;no,000.00 Loans, 1,2fi0,000.00

rno2 1kposifo, 2,200,000.00 Loans, :i,(,80,000.00

In the sa11w ti111e inten•st rah•s ban• gone (1own from ;J p(•r

t·c•nt pC'r month to {5 per cent jllT annum., and today, }linnc:-;ot.l

is tlH· clwa1H•;;t ph1t:c• in Ameri<:a to borrow 111one1· arnl the banks of this <:ity an• going to NPw York to get loan:-: becan;;l' they can gd bdter raks there than at ho1uc•.

AGRICOL TORE IN 1852 AND ITS DEVELOPMENT.

By tlON. E. T. CtJAMPLJN.

Presidl•nt Urant in one of his llll'c<sagc:-, tl:-'ed thi,-, <.'.\jll'Cs,-,ion: Agriculture i:s the ground work of our prospnity, a fad in

l1lOrL' way:; than one, that will he rt!,Hlily conceded. '!'hat state-

11wnt espe,·ially applie:, to tlw ( 'ity of }lankato.

Those rc::;olute pioneer:-; who lil"t_v _warn ago pushed on to thi:-;

remote part of the territory, found wlwn! we now arc a vast forest

stretching away to the north Hll(1 ca::;t in its \ril<1 grandeur, un­touched by the lrnrnl of ciYiliiation, and majestic in its solitude. To the rnnth an<l ,,·c,.;twanl ,,·as a houn1llcss prairie, !"l!ad1ing eYen

to the gulf on the sonth, arnl to the great uwuntain chain on the

west, an empire, magnificent in its .i,•.Tt>at po,.;:-;ibilitics 'Jf <1eYelop­llll'nt arnl ,realth.

Jforc when• plain and f'orp,.;t, met, they fonml nature\, finest

hantliwork, wlwrc rich prairies cipread tlwir Howc!r tleeked faces to the sun, \\'here riYcr all(1 ,voodlaml, arnl lake, lending their beantics to the srene ma<le a pidnni of ,;nqJa,.;,.;ing loveliness.

Within the boundaries of this cit_v, in the year 18n:;, George

\- an Brunt, plowed the ground and plantc<1 a ticl<l o[ corn, near

tlw present Pleasant Grove school, on gronrn1 now crossc•d by State strcd. This was the beginning· of agrienlture in thi,.; connt_v. I 11

18;i..J., qnite a muuber of immigrants arrived arn1 loeafod in differ­

ent partl" of what is now Blue Earth County. Their name,; were:

Hout. vVardlow, S. T. J\lills, Wm. Wood, C. N. Gilchrist, Ccorge

Lamberton, Eel. Thmnp,.;on, L. 0. H nnt, .T. IL Ifohinson, Calvin Webb, ,John ,Jolrn:,;on, S. lI. Thonw, and po;.;sibly a fow oth(irs, They ,n•re actual f'armtT,.; who nndn tlw most a<ln'rR<! circunrntancc,;, and facing all tlw oh:--taC'les that nature throws acroRs Uw path of the

pion<'<'!', lwgnn tlw work of' rvilnc-ing a wil<lc•rrn!,.;s to the nRes of

civilization. Asilll! from tlwir mrn strong nnns, oxen wrere the

Ar:-r/cult u rt'

prop(•lling power, and npon those patient beasts foll the lrnnlen

of iirnt opening tlte l:Ouuiry Lo agriculture. The irnplcmentti in

u::,e at that tirne for farming purposes were very crude, con,sisting

ol' the ol<l fashioned plow that liad been in n,-;e for ccntnric,;, the

rigid "A., ,-,!Japed drag, the c-rad It•, the hoe, the han<l rake, thu

:-;cythe, the fork, the aw, tlw iiail, tliat had not ,vd altogether be•2:1

tliscanled. \\'ith a yob• of o:;en an ane, or HCl"l' and a half, conld

be plow(•d in a clay. The seed was ,;01rn by hand and the groun,l

harrower! 1rith that a11ci<'nt i1npll'IJH•nt lidon, alluded to. The grain

1rn,; lrnn·l•i:ded with a cra<11c·, arnl bound by hand, T\\'o to three

acres condituted a day':-; ,York for a man in cutting or birnling.

The prnL·css of stacking wale\ nearly the same a" that of the presL,nt

ti1n<', and I might add, that it it' about the only work on the

fann, that hats not rnd with a radical change. In 1855,-iifi, and

."i7, a large 1rn1lllwr ol' sdtlerts arrin·<l and locatell in all part::; of

the county, t•xeepting thl\ to\\'ns :VlcL'lwnson, Deeoria, llapi<iau,

Lyra, lkanl'ord, al](1 :\fc•do, thl'>'e townships ha1·ing bc•t•n ::;et apart

by the gO\·c·rrntH'nt as a re,-t•n·ation for the Winnebago Indian::;,

\\'ho or:cupie<l it until n•1110\'e<l in 18(i3.

With the influx of population in 1K,i7, rarne the threshing

rnachim0, ron,;isting of a h\'o l10rse tn•,Hl power and a eor-retspornl­

ingly small separator. One hundn•d and fifty Lmslll'ls of wheat

per day wats about itts capacity. Hor>'l'S now began to gnulually

take the place of o:;en, arnl the thL'll recently inn•nkd reaper macle its appearance for th(! fir,st ti11H) in 18,"i\J. The reaper nf that time

was a lrnngling apparatuts 1Hissessing lrnrel_,. c•n,mgli a(lrnntage to

st1persed<' tlw cradle; the• grain 1,·hen c:nt foll upon a platfonn,

back of the sivkll', from which it wats pitched or rakcll hr a man

ricling npon the mal'h ine, and bound 11 l' in. lrnnd le,; by men follo\\'­

ing the reaper. In 18Gl, as 111an_\' as ,si:; different kinds of reap­

en; were in l'01tipl'tition at the eonnty fair. Seeder,; W<'re now (1i,-,­

placing till' old nieth()(l of hand tsowing and an imprnl'ed threshing

machirw, the f;\\'('L'[J hor:-e power. greatly increasing the alllount

of grain thre:-;hed per da,v wa,,; introduced. With thesl' ·Hlvantages

in farm machinery, agricnltnn• n•cci\'C·d a great impdui:; and man,· thought Wl' ha(l about arri H'<l at the l i ni it of invention in labor

sil\'ing machines, and that lnrninn ingt,nnit,r was ncarl_v c:;hausfrd,

but other deYiC'l'f; 80011 followed, cllllOllg tlH'lll th<' S<'lf-rakirw:

reaper of n1rions mo<klts. EvPJJ tlH'St' Wl'l'l\ soon :,supertse<le<l by hanesters, ffrst introdue<'<l in 1 H(i8, and upon wh il'h two nwn r()(k

and bound the grain as fm;t as it was cut. It ,ms not Jong until

120 .1/((Ji/calo Its First F1/ty Years

the win: hinder :-:upplanll'<1 the lrnne;:;tn ancl soon that gan! way to the li!On• compll't.c twirn• bindlT of toda_v.

In tlw grnKing of our gn•at cc•real, wheat, as well a,-; of other grain,-; tlw Prnlution ha,-; !wen truly a,-;toni,:l1iug. The man who :swung tile uad!P tifi_,· years ago coul,1 hardh haye·Jwen irnluce<1 lo lwlie,·c-liacl it lin·n pos,;ih!P for him to haYe :,;cen onl'-that till' hirnln of today wa:-s 11,-;<•d l'or tlH• purpo,-;l' of' <:u!ting antl binding grain. Tho clrnnge in tlm•,d1ing i:-: quit<' a,-, wonderful from ilw fiail to tlw ,;tt•a1t1 tlm•,-;lwr capal>l<• or U1n•,-;hi11p; two or thn•c• thon:-;and l>u,;liel,-; a clay. The ,-;arnc clt•wlopment i,-; ju,;t a,-; noticeabl<- in other foah1n•:,; of Janning. Take Jor in:-stancc till' prnc-l'"" of making arn1 :-storing ha,·, forn1erly the gra,-;::: \\'a,-; cut with a sc-ytlw, not unlike tlw one pidur('d in tlw hand,-; o[ old Father Tinw, the hay, when 1·m·c·cl ,ra:-s rnkl"d hr ha.nd, or a re­Yoh·ing hor,-;c• rake, that tri<•d tlw Jiati<•ut·e of tho holder, it was then pitclwd hy hand nnti l tlL•po,;ifrd in :stack or barn. :\' ow the farnH'r riclcs into the fil'ld arnl mow;; the grn";;, lw ridt•,-; and rakL·s the hay, and with a machine lm1<1er lie rides antl loads and de­posit,; the load in the barn without the aid ol' a fork. The eulti­rntion of L·orn is a striking examplt· in thi,,; line of im1n·o\'ement and. is in it;;clf a revolution; formerly the corn ,ms plante<l with a hoe, cultirntL•d with a cnltirator hcltl by hand, and hoetl by hand. 2'<ow the farmer ricles while plowing with gang or sulk_v plow, he ridc•s while planting the corn, he riclt)>' while cnltiYating it, he ricks with Wt!ecler, and wcetls it, an<1 with corn harvester ri<ks and cut:- arnl bincls it. It is pos:-ible to grow a crop of corn withont setting foot upon the ground, arn] after it i,; grown he c,an husk it by machinery, and at the same time shred the stalks.

The ehangc',; in clair_ving have al:::o been very great. Butter arn1 cheese factories haYe largcl_r ,-;neceedc<l tlw <lairv work on thL! farm, and the ercam ,-;qiarator tlw ,-;[ow arnl nnprotitablti procc:-;s of setting the milk in pan,;. The olc1 timP up and down churn has hc•en rclcgatccl to ohliYion, and without a sigh from those, who when lio_vs, n'gan1c<l it as an in:-;trmnpnt of torture, and who, afkr an honn, spaf\mo<lic labor in the min Prnleavor to bring the golden prize, with arn1,; an(l hack aching, wi:-hL•d till• i11Yl'ntor wa:-s :-;1dfor­ing the horror;; of Plntonia.

ln claw, gnne hy it wa,; c;onsi<l1ffod JH;c(':-:sary to clclay the lien in her work, for tlw 1rnrpof.t; ol' lrnkhing t·hickcns, but h_v a ll)<)(krn prm·c•,-;:-, tlw,· arc· tHnwd out !iv tlw lrnrnlrod:-s, aud tho h~;n ic< sparL·d the monotonou,-; la,-;k oJ setting for loug 11·cary 11·(•eks,

1.31

and ean now apply IH1rscH to tlw <ll'ligl1tful lrnsi1wsc- of laying eggs.

] shall not atkrnpt to go into static;tic>', alH1 m•ary you with an arra_,. oJ' figun•s, npon tlH· 11nrnlH'r or car loads of stoek grown, nor rnillions or lmc-lwls of grain of rnrions, kinds prodm·c•<1, 1witlwr shall 1 dwell npon 1m•,,,•ut conditions m1d<·r,tnod h_1· all. Nuftiee it to sa1· that thirty-fi\'e thou:c<and lrnpp,Y, prnsp<•rous arnl <·<mb•nkd ]>\'nple, here enjo1· th<· full m<•asnn• of all that go(',:; to 111ake an adrnn<'erl ciYilizat.ion, l1ronght about h.r 111strn111(•ntaliti<·, that W<' properly tnH'<' hal'k to th<• soil rrorn wh<•nc<' th<·.1· sprung.

I Jrnye hnl'l'iedly 1m•c:e1il<•<l agril'tiltun• in its condition fifty y<•ars ago, and lrnni notPd c-Ollll' of t.lw steps along tlw line of its a<hnnce1n<•nt to tlw prest'nt time. '['hat th<· <·li,m,t!;t's aru \'lll')'

great, !JO 01w can <i<•nr, and ll'lwn W<' con:-<idcr, that 111an_1· of tlw appfomc<•s in us<• in those ,•ad.,· rlars, \\'l'l'l' the f'clllll' that W('n'

used before thl' J\fayflower sailed /'or .\meric·,1, the r<'sults appear still rnon• wonrlNfol. The mdl10d of s<minp; grain in rngue with our carl,1· settlers wa,; i<lentical ,rith that in us<• along thl' \'ik lwforr tlw pyramids rnit,;<•d their conn·rging h<'ights alion• tlH' plains of EgYpt. '!'he lill'lllon· of 111cm_1· of you will not be tax<•(l to n•o1ll the 11111mwr or thn,,,hing in tlH· davs n/' _,·0111· _rnuth, :rou I dare ~ay han• a n•r.,· <'lear reeollt•ction nf that ingenious contri,·­ance for heating the grain from the straw. <'<mKisting or two stiek~ fastcne<l tog<•tlwr with ,string,;, a n·ritalilr· hl'irloom that had li<'<'ll harnlcd dO\rll l'rn111 fatlwr to son, l'rn1i1 n•1110t<• ng<•s, tlH· tlail. It would not be snrpri~ing that sonw ll'ho ,ll'l' ll<'I\' tod,1_1', should bear sou1·l'nirs upon thl'ir hands, i11 tlw ror111 or sl'ars 111ad<• !J\'

that aneil'nt i111pk111cnt, the grnin sickle, the sn111<> ns ihat HH·d

liy the sandal fook<l patriarchs of old ,Jnd<'a. ('011trnsti11g rnndition~ ol' a half cc•nh1rr ago \\·ith thos 0

of tod,1_y, \\'l' arp Jorcl'rl to the coneh1sion that far grrat<•r progre~s has been rnadc <lllring tlw past fifty years in ap;ricultnn· than 11·as

mad<· in nll thl' preel'fling centnrit,s. 8m·,<'ying the pre:wnt, rcricwing the iwst, arnl <·onh•llljilat­

ing the foture, W<' rail l'H'll in our 1110:-t \'iYid i111agination to l'Oncx•in' ,)f anything of a likt• progn•,;s in tlw <·0111ing fifty _wars. 1-Tmn;vcr, agrirultural scl10ob arc· doing a gr<·at ,rork alon1.(' mon· sciPntific lines, and tillll' 111ay l'OllH' wlH•Jl tlH' f'arn1<•r will tnk<• a liandful of soil, analYZ<' it, arn1 <1d<'l'lllirw it<- «mstitu<•Jlt <'k'­lll('llt.:-, and it" adaptation to th<' gT01ring· or <'<'rbtin c'!'opc<, and then•lir fix its market rnlm· per acre•.

122 ,1/an/wfo- -Its F-irsf h"/ty l ·ears

In thi:c; year of rno2, with evc•ry antilabh1 acre o[ land under

cnltirntion, with rich pastures with their (inc herds, and hixm­iant fields of grain on every hancl, with gra!led highways ancl streams spannccl with bri<lges of stone or steel, we compare the

present status with the past. When• the rncle log ea!Jin, 1rith

punclwon floor nrnl rnof of 1:,hakes, once stood, thc•n the outpost of

ci\·ilization, Wl' now find the statc•ly 11rnm;ion wc)II appointed, with its groYes, orclianl:-;, arnl hnil(lings, a ho111c in keq>ing with the industrial sitnation oJ' the prespnt, 11·lwrc th(• lnxnries of' the pa;;t

Jmye hceoml' necessitiec<, and where the privations incidPnt to c•,nl,\· :wttlenwnt arc lint reminif-Cl)nc•c•:-; or traditions. Tlw daily mail

arnl the kl(•ph01w han• in a uwasun, o\·en·o111<• the isolation of farm

life. When, the Indian i'kulke(l., rifle in hand from hi;; tepee, to

ki 11 some l11ekless bi]'(l or hcai-;t., there now f'tarnlts the sclwol horn,e,

with ifa trainc<1 teaclwr arnl 11HH!crn appointnwnts, where a hctkr el1ueation can lw obtaine<1 than in fhe Ea,-krn academy of fifh years ago. It is something of a gratification to know that in

accomplishing the rc•sults ahoYe mentimwll, we luwe not heen oh­ligr<l to go acroRf\ the f'ea, or to foreign lands for any of our ma­

chinl'r_Y or appliances, that haYe been such ai<lR to our preR<.'llt high position in agrieultnre, they are all the ,rnrk of American

genius.

OLD SETTLER'S DAY. JOLY 3, 1902.

ADDl2ESSES AT SIBLEY PARK.

Address of Welcome by GEN. J. tl. BAKER, President

of the Celebration.

It is fitting that upon this, our fiftieth natal day, we should properly t:debrate the opening 0£ our valley, ancl the founding 0£ our city, with observances the most impressive. Therefore with anthem and eulogy, with elaborate papers and orations, with ban­ners and badges, with music and song, we proudly commemorate the (lay and the men, who started us on the voyage of life.

Fifty years have fled, since a few brave men, poor in every­thing, but that lofty Anglo-Saxon spirit, which dares all things and accomplishes all things, planted, in primeval solitudes, the rude foundations of this American colony. Tn this hour of our n;joicing, our thoughts, and our sympathies run back to that clay, when onr altars were first reared, and our civilization had its fin;t lo(lgment in the upper valley of the Minnesota river.

While we enjoy the abounding present, and indulge proud hopes for the future, yet, for this day, we will, for the greater part, live in the past. vVe will ascend the stream of time, and mingle our thoughts and our feelings with the rude life of the frontier; we will feel its wants, and its deprivations, we will be· hold its i;olitucle and savage environments; then following the new-born rinilet, as the beginning of some mountain stream, we pursue its sinuous course, now amid verdant scenes, and then over rocks of dange1· and grief, till we emerge into these happier clays of peace and prosperity. On this day, too, we may indulge the feeling of local pride on the achievements, which have been wrought, upon the victories, which crown our brows with an hon­orable measure of success. That feeble beginning has been pro-1luctivc of the happiest results.

A great battle excites admiration, and inspires songs of epic praise. But how much better for the happiness of mankind, was

I24 J/,Jan/w.to-/ts First Fifty Years

the planting of a civilized community in a great wilderness, where justice, law, liberty and refinement might find a perpetual home.

In its splendid consequences, the historical event we this day celebrate, is really worth more to the world, than scores of great battles, which shine, with lurid light, on the pages of history. As we regard the actors in that original drama, we find the tomb has closed over many-too many-of those adventurous spirits, who created our earlier history. Hanna, Goodrich, Warren, Tl10mson, Jackson, Van Brunt, Shoemaker, and other mernorabll! men, are beyond the stars. Their familiar forms arc not to be seen in this rejoicing throng. W c lovingly recall their memories and summon their spirits to behold this joyous scene. Ambition dicl not disturb their quiet and stainless lives:

".b'ar from the madding crowd's ignoble strife, Their sober wishes never learned to stray; Along the cool, sequestered vale of lifa, They kept the noiseless tenor of their way."

Upon their graves, we here and now scatter the flowers of sweet remembrance.

But there are still those among us, whose lives have been bounteously lengthened out to behold this happy day. Here sits P. K. Johnson, the typical "Old Settler," still foll of life, anJ abounding in humor. As Walter Scott, says:

"Olcl age ne'er cools the Douglas blood." Herc too, are ,John S. Hinckley, Hiram Fuller arnl W. W.

Pac1c1ock, all of the immortal era of 1852. Time's "effacing fing­ers" have spared both their bodies and their minds. They shall be the first to be decorated with the memorial souvenirs given by the people of Mankato, to our Territorial pioneers. These, and others of that early colony, have come to gaze again upon the scenes of their early struggles, to hear "that sweet story of olrl," and to receive a hearty out-pouring of respect from this superb audience. To paraphrase the words of Webster, on a most august occasion." "'l'hcy have outlived the hardships, they have outlive<l the clangers of the frontier, they have outlive<] their contempor­aries, hnt they 11cvC'r can outlive the affection and gratitn<1r, in 1Vhieh they arc held by their fellow citizens."

In the presence of this bright scene of the twentieth eentnry,. ive can realize that the day of the frontiersman, has pa.s:c;erl a.way. There is no longer a frontier. 'l'hat uncertain anrl shaclowy l inP, 1Vhich once cxi.stc<l between civilization, the wilderness an(1 t.he

Old Settler's Day.

barbarian, has vanished from the land. And that wonderful bord­er life, so full of wild incidents of perils, with only barbarians for neighbors,-that era in American history, no longer exists. The bold frontiersmen, who were the picket guards of civilization, have been relegated to history; they were the grand fore-runners of states and empires. Bnt their mission is accomplished. The surface of America is now dotted with people, from ocean to ocean. rrhc early pioneer hereafter will be the interesting victim of the novelist, as well as the subject oi the historian. The literary ferret will hunt their lives for romances, and their exploits will be cele­brated in story and song, with

"Talcs that have the rime of age." It is fitting, on this noted occasion, that we. should have here

assembled, an audience becoming the men and the event we cele­lJrate. Here is the first Governor of .Minnesota, ripe in years, splendid in achievement, the great historic character of our Com­monwealth, the Nestor of them all.

Here is the chief magistrate 0£ the Stab, accompanied by bis staff, to grace and honor this occasion. Here are worthy rep­resentatives of that august body, the Supreme Court, and of the Circuit Court. Here is the President of the Board of Hegents of the State University. Here is that distinguished body, the His­torical Society, represented by its officers and Executive Council. Here is a distinguished array of men, conspicuous for worth and influence, from every portion of the State. They have come to join us, and congratulate us, on this memorable jubilee.

It is made my agreeable duty, to welcome these distinguished guests to our celebration and onr hospitality. W clcome, thrice welcome! Welcome from all kindred cities! Welcome from all this great valley! There arc no strangers in Mankato today. We are loy­al citizens of Minnesota, and our hearts are one. For this day's work, most appropriately indeed, we stand on historic groun<l. Within a few rods of where we arc now gathered, passed that in­trepid French voyager, LcSuenr, more than two hurn1red years ago. It was a cold September day, when he turned the prow of his fclucca into yonder river, which divides this nrn11ncl. On this ground, ~cvcnty-fivc years before the Declaration of Independence, these clnring aclventnrcrs carnpc<l, and like Cortez and Pi7,arro, here in­dulged their <lrcams of gol<l.

On this very gronnd, in 1837, campccl the <listinguisherl French scientist, Jean lVL Nicollet, and from this very eminence, with

I26 Jliankato-.Tts First .Fifty Years

hiR instrmuenti-;, took the latitndc aml longitutle of the month of yonder Blue Earth river. Accompanying him, was that gallant Pathfinder of the West, Gen. ,John C. Fremont. Here, and on this mound, that notable Baron of the Border, Henry Hastings Sibley, camped in the fall of 18°W, arnl chose this place as a-site for one of his trading posts, arnl the log building stood on the very spot where this platform now stands. Since that time, it has been eallccl Sibley's Mound. On the other Ricle of the river, two centuries ago, Le Sueur says there was a Sioux village, and on this side of the river, there was an lmfo{n village sixty years ago, with a chief whose name was lVlahkato. This confluence of the waters of the Blue Earth and Minnesota rivers, was a noted spot, in the years of the long ago, and throbbed with barbaric life. The very atmosphere of this mound is perfumed with recollections of wme of the earliest and most romantic events,· recorded in the history of our state. It is, therefore, a consecratetl and venerable spot, which we have chosen as the scene of this historic celebration. But to conclude: These fifty _years ha Ye passed as a tale that is told. This occasion itself, will soori pass into history. Certainly not we, and but few of our children, can expect to behold its retun1.

Who shall stand here fifty years hence, to celebrate the Cen­tennial of Mankato? What Governor, what illustrious men of the state, then a;; now, shall grace the oceasion with their presence? We cannot anticipate that day; we cannot penetrate the distant regions of futurity. But whosoever they arc, they assuredly will recount the proceeding;-; of this t1ay. 'l'hcy will celebrate then as we do now, the story of our common pioneers, and the planting of this city. Whosoever they may be, we bid them welcome to these groves, to these healthful skies, to these verdant valleys, to these everlasting hills. May the rounded century find them in the enjoyment of go()(l government, of civil liberty, of perpetual peace, with an opulence of culture, and all crowned with the genius of Christianity itself.

REMARKS BY HO~. ALEXANDER RAMSEY, FIRS'l' GOVERNOR OF

MINNESOTA,

Ladies antl gentlc111cn, I congratulate yon upon the beautiful spot that you have i-sclcdc'd for this oeca;-;ion. In all the broad State of Minne~ota (arn1 fifty ycarR of it l have Reem) I know of no place, that at all compares with thi,;.

I h~1ve not llllH.:h to say here today. Indeed I do not think

Old Setthrs Day

I shoulrl he callc<1 upon to rnakc a speech. I ,1111 too olc1 an(l

_vou are too young. J have a rem cm hrance of this spot in 1851, when a co11m1isRion, of which 1 was a rncmlwr, came to 'l'ravc•rse

des Sioux ,to make a treat_y ,vith the Indians arnl secure the open­

ing of these larnlR for settlement. I recolled upon that occasion

that a company left in eanocR to go up to the Blue Earth rirer. '!'hat

was then a di:-tant and nukno\\'n land which IIH'n would :-ct•k to

find.

What tlwr <lid thnc and what lhey thought of tli<' land I

ne,·cr knew. \'ow se(' what has been aecomplishecl in tho,-c fnr

yearn. How populorn; is thi;.; State• of Nfinnc•sota !low many

large and lwautifnl town;;. I congratulate yon, who live here', tlut

yon han' one of the most heauti fnl towrn; in the State of :Minne­

,-;ota. In carh days I came her<! freqncntl_v. In later <layf- I do

not come, lrnt l can assure you, that 1 am ,wwze<1 at the great

ehange that has tak<•n plaec m t.lw fc.,r ~·ears that 1 haH; ht•Pn

absent.

One thing I ha\'e notice<l in your city, ;rnd am plcasc•d to Rec,

is its 0<lncational inf-titutions. They an' <'H'rn-vhcre a gre,1t

strength. vYc have here a great state and tlw,w inRtitntions han'

pcnetrakd e\'cry part of it and al'(' fonrnl in all its new c-onntic'R.

They have hdpe<l to lrnil<1 it up to its present gn•atness.

You n·collect the time \l'h011 :Vfirnwsota was first sdtlPcl, anrl

tlw immigration was equally great to tlw gold fields of California,

and tlw pre<liction \\'HS then, that the <'Oast \\·mild rim! the :'forth

Star Stat(>, lint WP have snqmssP<l it in population, and we shall

continue to llo ,;o. All these thing;; 111m,t hr gratifving to _rnn. l

fr<·l almost a;; proll(1 to he lwre tOlla_v a:s I wonl<l to be in the

h<•ttcr regions aho\'r. '!'he next to that place is this larnl. '!'hanking yon for the kind attr,ntion anrl n•ception you han,

girnn me, I will close.

ADDRESS BY REV. JOHN P. WILLIAMSON, D.D.

:\Ir. Chairman, fellow citizens, arn1 yon who were the

early settlers. I am happy to lw here. 1 am gla<1 to

he rcmembere<1 on such an occasion. f am probably the first

white ehil<l horn in this rnlley al)(] my mother wa;s the first

11ihite woman that cn'r ,adtle<l. in it. My parrnts cmue h<•n1 in

18:l i, when tlwre wa;;s only a ismall portion of tlw fitate opc•ne<l to

Rettlerts and all thiR part of it waf- inlrnliite(I only by lrn1ian:-.

Those ,rho canw here fir~t <lid so for varionR reasons. Fathc)!'

12S }fanlwto Its f,i"rst hj!y i ·,·ars

1-Iemwpin anrl L<' Sutiu,· t·ame onh· a~ di:-;c•oy('n'rs arnl :-;oon tlc­parterL Otlwrn earnr• like my parent:-;, to prepare thl' way for

corning ci vi I i ✓,ation. Thcv canw that tlit'.Y might teach the lrnlians ,md prcpan! tlwm ror thl' change which ,rn,; to come. Tlwy came be­

t·,rnst' tlwy :-;aw thi;; lanrl wa,; to lw('ome a gn•at country anrl it should lw 1m•pared for its spll•ndirl rl<'stiny hy kaehing the alior­iginl's of ( 'hrist. If the work harl been rommr·ncr'rl carlil'r, J hl!· lit•H' a great deal of thr• trnnble with the Indians wonld han• !Jl'en anJirled. It wa:s only ,w,·r•ntPr'n _vt•ars, from tlw time that tlw~,( iPaclwr:-: o/' ('hri:-:t first :sd root npon this land, bdore the Indian rnastHH'l'l'. Su<'h a ,;hort tinw wa:-; not :-;utti('icnt to n'gc'neratl' a harlrnron,; rnc,c .

.'\ow mv frit•rnl,; ju:st a ,rnrr1 11pon tlw condition of this cmmtr>· at the time my parPnts tir,;t came into it. (hr·n wen' m,e,l HJllll' at that ti11w to traYd 11·ith. \Vlwn moYing from one place to another tlw Indian:,, mrnl<l bkr' tlw tqwe, fa1:,tl'n it to tlw l'Il'1 of sonw po]p,; arnl, if they had a ponv, would fastPn the poles on the pony',; back arn1 RO tnwcl. ?vfost Jnrlians were too poor to han, ponies. In that case the squaw mrnl<l roll tlw tepee• np with what eooking uten:sils slw harl, strap it to lwr back, arnl, if she ha<1 a papoos<>, that won!(] Ill' strappP<I on top, while tlw man wonlrl walk alwad, carrying onh· his weapon.

I n'lll<'mlwr n•r.Y well 1-'l'l'ing Little C'rnw. lfo was then n young man. He came up where we liYed with a ,;toek of blankl'f,-, to sec-un' a wifr. The lnrlians had a sclwol tlwrP, arnl an lnrlia', girl, tlw <laughter of tlw chief, tanght tlw school. Nlll' was ,1.

prr'tty yonng woman. Little Crow visitc<1 tlw lrnlians anrl got

on good terms with them anrl then he tolrl tlw objE·ct of hi:-; visit, arnl ask<•rl tlw ol<l c-hil'f for his rlm1ghkr. He :s<'<'lll'l'rl the <langhtl'r, anrl no\\· I \\·ill jnst continue the ,;ton·. Little· Crow wa,; so w,•ll satisffo<l with the la<ly that he wanter! more of the family. With­in two years he was back after tlw third <laughter.

1 rli<1 not conw lwrl' to makl' an_,, great speech, lrnt permit 11H1

to arlrl a. wonl. \Vh<m T was a ho_,. I <lirl not internl to he a mi,;­sionan· when I gr<'W np. I ha<l Rt'<'n John {'_ FrP111ont and ~ icol­let tran•l through lwr(' nnrl greatly a<lmirPrl thPm anrl thPir work. }[_1· ambition 1,·as to ht' a gr('at <'xplnrl'r and natnrali,;L Hnt mr

fatlH'r \\'as growing nlrl anrl ,rho would r-ai-r,· nn the• work that 1rn,; jnst ('Olllll\l'llC'\'rl. It. takes years to lrnilrl c-harar-tcr and The­I i<·1·p(l ~011w on(• "lwulrl rlo it, :sn I gaY<' up 111y first Ion, arn1 took tlw plan• or my fatlwr.

Old S,·tl!,·1 s /Jay

I belien! 111on• and 111ore the oldt•r I grrrn· ll,at the ('hristian

rl'ligion makes 1110m to\\'ard tlw <'ll'ili;:ation of mankind than all

other <:allc<l'S put. together.

ADDRE;SS .BY REV. AI.FRED LONGLEY RIGGS, D.D.

,\ eomm1mity is cnri<.:hcd by tlw rnrieiy ol' ,·l<•11wnts that .'2.·o

to make up it,; population. 11 is al:,;o enricJ1c<1 lw its contri­

butions to other rnmm1mitil•s-h1· tlw intiu<!llt:<'S thai. Im\'(' gone out

l'rom it, and the people it has contributed. One dl'IIH'nt _l'(>ll m:1_\' not han! thought of-the lnclian. lfot the Indian is a rnluabl,·

lii;.;tori<.:al asset of this ~linnesota Hiver Vall<·y. You hal'li lH'l'll

brought into mo,;t intirnak rdiltinn to him. Ht• occnpicd tlwst•

fair lands before you, and ha,; left his Wlllll'S on 111any of _vou r

bright lalm, and :;tn•ams. Hi:,; relation to you is not onl_v reeorded

in the name•,; on your geography, but in tlw per,;onal history of

many a home; in blood and fin-, and :-,1dfrring it has lwl'n n·eo]'(1ed.

As you have been in the past, snare you ,;till relaterl to him. Th,_!

Indians whose homes and hunting grournlc< were here, wei·c• clri\'l!ll

forth b,v their own mac1 folly. They were taken cl:sewlH'rc to lil!­

gin a new life, aIH1 you are signifil',mtl,v related to this new lifr.

Tlir execution of thm,e Indians in ING~, was not, a,; manr

seem to rnn:,;ider it, a legaliil'<l revenge for their san1gc !iarbaritics

'l'hough many ineiclentt; of that occm,ion refieet no honor on tho:-;,,

connedecl with them, ancl will be sorely regrettc•d by the next

generation if not b_v ns, yd it was a jm1gment of righteousness,

hmveYer imperfectly ac1ministcrncl. It was }[anlrnto',- contribution

to tl1c• new lifo of the Indian of toc1a_v. Tlw lesson was known

auc1 pondered from the Mississippi to the Ilock1· Jlmmtains, awl

to the Southwestern plains. That prison which wHs the <leath

trap for some, came to lw thu door of hope for man v nwre. Ther0

tlwv abanclone<l their heathen go<b and acceptcc1 tlH• Christian's

fait!1. When tliev WP]'(! finally earrie<1 to their nuw !io!l1es along

the Missouri Hiw•r, they went a:c, rvgcncrafr<1 men, and there

have liYcd faithful and consistent Christian lil'Cfi, :-;l'n<ling forth

arnl ,rnpporting ( 'hri,;tian mi:-;:,;ionarics of tlwir own. 'l'lrn:-; the

me;;sagt• of la\\' arnl love ha:,; gone forth to other trih(•:,, 1111til all are

infinencel1 arn1 redcienwd. i\o greater social n•1·ol11tion ha:,; taken

place' among anv peopk than ,unong the Ill(lian t.rilH•s of our

l'.01mtr,r within the la,;t. fiftv .n'ars. 'I'h(• 11('\\' Indian or today i:-; lorn! to Olll' go\'(']'l]]ll('llt and

Dllf tiag. 1-lis children :,;ing 1rith onrs "Hail ('oluinbia'' and "The

.1/a nl,ato•-lts J,z'rst Fifty 1 ·cars

8tar ~pangled Bauer." His ambition is no rnon· to kl·Cp up the

traditions of hi:- father:,c, hut to co1J1e into fnll participation in our

citi,1,r•rnhip. He pays taxet<, rnk:-;, work:- the roall1o., ho1<11o otfice

more willingly and intelligently than tlw aYeragc of n!ceutly matle

citizens of foreign birth.

Time and again in the, history of tlw world gorcrrn111mts 1W\''" !wen overthrown, fruitful cmmtrie,-; niade dP:-;lirt, and nations ob­likrnted. lfobht•r,-; and harlrnrian,-, can do tlw,-;c thing,-;. But to

make the <1e,-,crt hlo,-;so111 ngain, to tiKtabli:-<h bt·nl'ficicnt laws, arnl

abcwe all to lift up a 1wople from a lower grad(! to a higher, tlwsr•

are achievcmcnb onlv of the highest Chri:-tian ci1·ilization.

My fri<!mls, ,-;vmpathi:w with the Irnlian yon have lwlped to :,;;11·(•. Honor hi111 for the progn•,-;s hl· i,-; making in the facl' of so many llitticultic:-. Encourage him; belicYc in him; C'orn,idcr as

one of your !llo>'t nil uable hiRtorica \ a;;sets, _your share in the re­

demption of the;,e Indian tril>ec-.

LE SUEUR, THE FIRST WHI'l'E EXPLORER OF THE: MINNESOTA

VALLEY, BY WARREN UPHAM, SECHETARY OF THE MINNE­

SOTA HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

Jn this celebration of the completion of fiftv )'l'ilrt< from 1.h,\

Joun<ling of ;\[ankato, it ii,; well that we look back for a fow

rninntl's to tlw time, a little more than two centuries ago, when

this fertile region of the ;\linnc;;ota Hiwr rnlley wa,; tirf't seen In­

white men. The name of the first explorer here, Le Sueur, is pre­

scn-ed for all time to come in the naming of n county, a town, and a river. He was the h!a<ll'r of the greatest enterprise under­

taken in the area of Minnewta b_v the French t1uring their period of exploration and ownership of thi,; n•gion, in coming up all th,!

length of the i.\'li;;;;issippi rin·r, with a party of about thirty men,

to the Blue Earth or 11ahkahto rin!r in the year 1700, for mininl.\" what he thought to bl! an ore ol' copper. His camp dming the winter of 1700-1701, close to the locality of hi~ mining, was only

a few milec: from thi,-; city. Ll·t us tlwrcforp review ;<omewhat

briefly the life of thi,; leader in exploration of thi,, Minnesota river aJl(l \'alley.

Pierre Charles Le Sueur was born in 1 (i57, of parents who had

emigrated to C'anarla from Artois, Franr·P. He c,lllle to the Mi:,­sissippi, prnhahlv ll'ith )/icolas Pc•rrot, hy war of the Wi:-l'on;;in

ri,·er, as we karn fro111 La Harpe, in 1(i8:l, his age being thc11

Old S,•tlfrrs ()uy i_i'I

iwenty-c<ix .rear:,;. The remaining yearn of the eeniury, \'XeepLing

l'Xl)l'dition:,; for till' :-;ak• oJ fur:,; in Jlontrnil and ab,;t·11ee in n>yagl'S

to FnrneL;, ltL• ,;pent principalh in the eountry of the Sioux (the

Dakota:,;).

He ,nl,; at Fort St. ,\ntoi IH\ on tlw <:•n,;t :,:hore of Lake Pepin,

\\'ith Perrot, in 1(i8D. ,\t Wlltl' time within a frw H'Hl'S pnic.:Lidin<,;·

or follo\\'ing that dak, lw 111adt• a nmot• triJJ far up the :\li,;,;i:,;,;iJJ1>i,

thi:,; hl'ing tlw tir:-st rt'\'ordt•d t:xploration of thL' eour:,;p of th,;

"Father of Water:,;" through tlil' ct•ntra\ pal't ol' our :statl'. Lr!

Sm,ur :mid that he a:-sct:nded tlw rin•r 11wn· than a l1undn,d league~

above the fall:o of St. Anthony, •.rhil'li :,;tak1lll'J1t, according to Hon.

,J. \'. Brower, place,; the nortlwrn limit of his L'xplorntion in the

Yil'inity of Sanlly Lake.

'I' pry prolia!)l.,· CharkYi Ill', who:-:e nanation or a :-;i Ill i lar earl\'

expedition of a lrnndretl ll•ague:s on that part of the i\Ii:s,;i:;:;ippi is

pre,;ene<l by Jlu Prab:, wa:,; a companion of Le SuC'ur, "o that

the two accounts relate to the ,;ante canoe trip. Charlcvi Ile said

that he was accompanil'd by two Canadian .Frenchmen arnl hvo ]mlian~; and it is remarkable that Charlnille, like, Le Snenr, was

a rclatin· of the brothers lbenille arnl Bienl'ille, who afterward

were go,·crnor:-; of .Louisiana.

]n 11rn:l, Le Sueur ,1·as statione!I. h,· onkr of Frnnknae, the

governor of Canacla, at C'hcquamegon bay, on the ,;outll\nist sicl~

of Lake Suiwrior, for maintaining peace bd11'l'l'n the Ojilnvays

and the Sioux, his infinem·(• with the latter being great.

Two year;; a1'tenrard, in accordai1ce \\'ith Frnnkun(·'s orckr,

he estahli;;hed a tra<]ing post on l:sle Peke, or l'rni1 ic• i,;land, west of the main channel of the ;\] is;;is:sippi rin·r, betW<,cn Lah, Pepin

arnl the mouth of the St. Croix. ln the ,.cum111n of the same

year, l(i!J.\ he went to Montreal, taking with hirn a Sioux chief,

thl' first of his people to ;.;cc Canada.

Sailing thence to France, Le Sul'ur took :,;oml' or tlte blue or

gn)cn earth whid1 he ha<l obtaine<l from the HlLw Earth river,

arnl L'H uillier, one of the king',; officers, assayed it in lG!Hi. 'l'he next year Le Snl'nr was eon11n i:-;sionecl to open mines in the region

whieh is now J\Iinncwta. But <lisa8h>rs and obstal'k,; cldl'lT('cl

him from thi;; project until three years lat<-r, ,vlll'n, ha\'ing come

from a ,;eeoncl visit in France, with thirtv minl'rs, to Biloxi, near

the month of the Mi;;sissippi, lw ase<milrd thi:- ri\'<'l' in the year

1700, using n sailing and rowing \'l'R,-c•l a111l two c,mo<'S.

Corning fonrnrcl along the lHimH;~ota ril'er, lie reached the

J/a11/;:ato Its l·irst Fifty )'rars

111outh of the Blue Earth on the la8t day in September. Half of tlw party built arnl fortified a camp, which was named Fort L'Huil­licr, i;;ituate(l be8idc the Blm• Earth river a lengne from its mouth, and near the jnnction of it" tributary, tlw Le Sncnr riYer. 1t was

in the well watered, partly tirnlwred, l>nt mostl_v prairie district or thi,-, Blue Earth county, which Jot:\eph ?\ . .'.\icollet, two-third,; or a cc·ntnr_\· ago. cnllPd the l'.ndine Bcgion. Othcr8 of the part\' ,n·nt to hunt lrnffa\o('>-', of whid1 four hundred were killc<l, ;;kinncd, quartered and placed on scaffold:,; in the fort, to lw Jrozen aml

thu,-; kqit a,-; th<! principal provi,-;ion,s for the winter. Jn April, l?'Ol, Le Sm·ur';~ partv mined, according· to the r1_•­

latio11 of l'enicant, <llll' of thl; m1mher, rnon· than :rn,ooo ponn<ls ol' the :s1tppo,-;ed on•. They "ckded -1-,IJOO pomHl:-; of it, which Le Sueur onlure<l to lw carried to the l'ort and brought away on his return. Lea\'ing a garrition at the fort, he again narigatecl nearh· the whok length of the M i;;:-;i::::sippi arnl arriV(!d at the Gulf of ~foxico in February, 170:2. Thence, with 1 bel!Yill,\ the governor of Louisiana, who was a cou,-;in of Le Sucnr's wife, he :sailed for France on April :lOth, taking 1.Le on', of which, howcyer, nothing more is known. It wa:-; a peculiar <lark green shale, which out­

crop,-; in the bluffs of the Blue Earth riYer, or perhaps an equally remarkable blue earth of the ,-;ame vicinity, which the Sioux used a,; a pigment, in either cat:\e worthlc"s a:s a 8om·ce of copper or any

metallic procluct. Le Sueur, in lea ring tlw 1lahkahto rin•r and mine, took twche

of his men in the tiailing awl rowing YPssel, with the cargo of green or blue earth. Thirteen other8 of the French remained at

Fort L'Huillicr, app,lrentl>' with the intention to make this a per­manent trading pm;t or colonv. But thc_v were soon attackecl by Jiaskoutin and Fox Jnd ians, three of the French being ki lied, whieh caused the others to aharnlon tlw fort, hicling their mining tools arnl whatever the>· coulcl not carr\· away, and to tll'ticencl the Minnesota and t\lississippi rin·rs in their canoe::;. ()1w of the rno,st intt~rcsting que"ts for· hi"torian;; arnl antiquaries in M inne::;ota i,: to sean·h in the vicinity or the olll Fort L'H uillier, about fin: 111ilPs sonthwe,-,t ol' :\lankato, for the artick8 of the old French eamp tlrns hidden ju,;t two lnmdred wars ago.

(h·n . .T,um•,-, H. HakPr, of thi,-; city, inronu:s rnc that lw and otlwrs han· gi\'l•n m1wh tin1<' to such l'Xalllination ol' tlw Bhw Earth n1lll'_Y lll'ar thl' dl'cSl'rilH•tl Fort L'Huillil'r, without. b(•im~· ab!(' to i,Ic,ntifr the exad location,s of L'itlwr t.lw fort. or thL' mine.

Old Sl'lt!crs Day

from which a closer search for the concealed mmmg tools, etc., might be urn1ertaken with nrnch expectation of finding them.

Reconls in Canada preserve the date of Le Sueur's marriage, at Bouchcrville, March 29, lG\10, to :Marguerite Messier, whose mother, as Dr. Neill, the historian of :1'1'iinncsota, a,.;certained, was a sister of lbenille's father. Le Sueur had four children, three daughters arnl a son. A letter of C'aclillac, written in 1712, cited in the M argry Pa1wrs, stat.es that after the appointment of lber­,·illc to Louisiana, L<' Stwur harl his family n·mo\'C there, and that they were then Jiving in Lonisiana, where Le Snem hac1 clied or sickne1ss. .\notlwr ac<'.mmt indicates that he died c1uring his re­turn from Prancl'.

1t ,ms probably his son, .Jean Paul Le Sueur, born in Canada, ,Jnnc 1, 1Gll7, who was active in the Natchez war, in 17:rn ancl 17:H. Chnrlcrnix, as translated by Shea, said of this Le Sueur that he "ha(l come when quite young from his native Canada to Louisiana, and had grown up among these tribes (Choctaws, ~ atchei, and others.) With great toil he visited all the villages ( of the Choctaws) ; he was well receiYetl everywhere, and had no great difficulty in forming the corps of seven humlrcd warriors­whom he led :straight against the Natchez." Sl1ea and others have not clearly di8tinguishct1 this Le Sncur from the explornr of Minnesota; but, as before stafo(l, Pierre Charles Le Sueur is sai<1 by different author,; to haYc c1iec1 before 171:Z, arnl the work done in the Xatcher, war, at\ here noted and attribnted to Jean Paul Le Sueur, seems im possiblP to anyone at an age of more than sen·ntr years.

Within the first fr,1· yt>ar:-; after Lt> Sueur came to the uppl'l' i\lissi8f;ippi arn1 to the area of this state, he had acquirecl acquaint­ance with tl1c language of the Sioux, arnl hac1 almost certainlv tra velecl with them along the nl innesota ri vcr. l~ro111 his fir~t Christian nalllc, Pierre, as :Neill and Wirnor think, with ,vhom I full_v coincide, came the French name St. Pierre, in English, St. Petl'r, by which this rin,r was known to the white people through 111on• than a lrnncliwl ancl fifty .\'ears. In l(i89, when Perrot, at his ·Fort St. ,\ntoine, took ceremonial possession of this region for France, Le Sueur was one of the witnesses, and the riH·rs St. Croix an(1 St. Peter were mentione<l with theRc nameF.

We possess little of Le Sucur's own writing, but good ac­counts of his life and work han, come (lown in the narrations of ,1thers. He was a man to be relied on for successful lca!lcrship

:lfan!wto-fts First Fi/t_\· i·cars

in great and <1ifficult enlt'rJH'i:se~, 11ot indi1w<1 lo ])()ast, anil a strict adherent to truthl'ulne,;,;, 1111likc ,;ornc othc•rs of his tinws, a~ Hennepin, La Hontan, and Sagcan. Hc> i-;urpas:-;e(l any olher man, <Jming that lrnrn1rc(1 year,; of Fre11d1 ocn1pation of' what is now :Minnesota, in the extension of gl!ographic k1:mrkrlge 0£ its area, in his a('qnaintanl"l' ,rith the Dakota pcopk a1111 infln('nce in their connci],,, and in the estab]i,,hnwnt of lhc I'm trn<lc arn1 otlv,t commercial deniloprnent of this region.

THE FOUNDINC: OF MANKATO, BY 'l'HoS. HUGHES.

The month of the ]\:lahkato, or Blue Earth riYt'r, at tlw grl'at bend of the JHinnc:-;ota, \\'as a p(>int whiC'h naturally attractet1 the attention of the pioneer or fifty y('ar:s ago.

Rivers and lakes were about the only objeds tlw maps of the peri()(1 had to show, and in those <1ays, wlwn they formed the main avenues of cornnierce, it is no wornll'r they arrested the settlers' attention. A point so far from the month of the Min­nesota, where its main tributary hranehecl, mrn,t nce(1s be the main terminus of the river's traffic. ProYidcnce ha<1 cYiclently intend­ed that here should be an important city. The gc·ographical im­portance of the spot ,ms what mainly impresse<l the early settler.

We of to<lay, from the vantage of half a cPntnr_y's develop­ment, can see other indications of the diYinc purpose-in the piling here of inexhaustible stone-quarries; in the depositing here of vast beds of da_y already mixet1 for the bride kilns; in the planting here of great <1uantitic's of lime and ceml'nt roPks; in making here the trysting place of the grm1t prniries of' the West and the vast forests of the East, where the \\"ealth of both should gather.

In the winter of 1851-2, there n)si<k'<1 at St. Paul two nwn­

brothers in law-who were anr1 ha<1 been prominent in the early history of the capital, namely: Hemy .Jackson aml Parsons K. Johnson.

The former hac1 come to St. Paul in ] 84:2, and lmt1 been it-; foremost trader, first postmaster, member of its f-irst conncil; mv1 both ha<1 been members of the first Territorial Legislature.

These men had nokcl tlie geographical at1vantagcs of the month of the Blue Earth, and ,vhile on a steamboat excursion in 1850, ha(1 1JCen greatly impr<',;St'<I ,rith tl1e beauty arn1 fertility of the ('Ollntr_y about it. When, thPrc,fore, the larn1 was cc<1ed j:o tlw whites by the great Sionx treaties oC 1851, and there was a

Old Settlers Day

rush of settlers into the Minnesota valley, ilfossrs. Jackson and Johnson concluclecl to plant a townsite in their favorite BlLw Earth region.

Accorclingly on Saturday, tlie :31st (lay of January, ] 8,1'2,

having associatecl with thein in the project an(}tlier St. Paul resi­dent, named Daniel Williams, they started for their chosen locality. Jackson nnd Johnson led the ·way in their cnttcr and Daniel Williams an(l t,rn hire<l men follo,,·ecl in the sleig·h of Louis Dl\

7\forcau, a St. Paul teamf-'ter, who ltatl been l1ircll to carry them and the goods and provisionf-'. \\Tith the party, abo, went \V. W. Pa,ldock to sec the country.

Old Winter, which the ,reek before !ia.(l sent the mercury 30

degrees below, had Sllll<lcnly ]c;st his grip arnl tlie weather wns as balmy as April. The sno,,· having mo,,tly disappeared, our travellers' progress was slow and tedious. 'rhe first night was ~pent with the olrl Indian interpreter, Hugh Quinn, just abo,·e :Ft. Snelling. The seeoml night they lOflgecl with Tom Holmes, who had jnst built the first log cabin on the present site of Shako­pee. The third night found them at the tralling post of Nelson Hobert, a mile or two below the present city of Belle Plaine. Here Jackson was taken sick and retnrrn:e1 home in the cutter, with one of the hired men. The rc·st of the party pres8cd on, and campecl the fourth night, where the city of Le Suenr now starnls. Herc l\fossrs. Cathcart arnl ( 'hristic, had :just locater] a townsite and they were greatly exercised by ihc a(hcnt of ,Johnson's party, fearing they would jump their valuable claim, and spent all night nn!ler arms, staking the grouml and building pole shanties in the brush. By noon next tlay Traverse des Sioux was reached-then the principal point in the M inncsota nillm·-whcrc the year before the great Sioux treaty had been held. Dal"id Faribault ancl Alex­anller Graham hacl trarling posts lwre, · and :Na than Myrick ha<l opened a store at this point since tlil1 prcYious .l\overnher, in charge of his brother, A. J. :Myrick. Here too were tlw three neatly paint­c(l .Mission lrnilrlings of the A. B. C .. F. lVf., and a fow log houses, giving the place an air of ci\·ilization.

After (linner our party pnH·c·cdccl a:-; fnr as Jo,~l·[>l1 ProvPn­cel !e's trading post, about where the St. Peter A~vlum now stands. The rin·r hacl to lw r0erossc<l lil're, b11t Uw l'l'Cl'llt tl1nw <ldainerl them at the cabin of Prorencelle's, or TA! H!ane, as he was nsnallv caller], until morning, when tl1ey 1rnsse<l m·rT 011 the l'n!sh fornwd ice.

,1/au/,afu -Its lir.,t Fi/I_\' i·,·urs

N"o c-<><>nc1· wa;-; the Kasota ,,i<lc rl'nched, than the prog1\'ss of our party wa,; ,irre,-;ted by a morL' ;sL•rions obstacle, in a Yast camn

of 1ndians. Tile cliid, ''i:'lleepy Eyes'' declared that hi,: young men

would not pl'l'lllit the wliit<.•s to ,;dtlL• at thL• rnoHth of the Hltw Earth, a,; it was tlw kl'_\' to their he,;t lnmting grmmds, and there ,nu; locatt•d onl' of' their principal wga1· camps. To the ,;t1ggestion that the Indian,; l1y the n'l'L'llt treat.1· had :-\old all these lands to

the white's, tlw old chi<'I' an,;w<•n·<1, that thl'_1· had not .n·t n.•ceiYul

tlll'ir mom'_1·. :\latkrs wen: looking dulJioms, wlwn the happ_,· thought ,-;tnt<'k }Ir. ,Johnson ol' introducing a lobby into the court ol' hi,; red :\lajl'st_1·. '!'he intcirprder on this occa,-;ion mis Jo<!

l'roYencl'llc, the half brec'd tra<ler, with whom .Jolmson'f, party had

stayed the prcviou" night. He 11·a,-; a :son-in-law of Sleepy Eye:-. Calling him asid<· ,Johnson <!xplaincd, that if the Chief permitte<1 them to procee<l, they must hire him to help transport their load to its destination, because oJ the thm1·, mH1 a tempting price wm, offcrerl. '!'he lohbv 11·as suct'c,;,-;fnl, and it rlitl not take ,Joe long to pcrsna<lc his father-in-law to allow his c<pecial friend, ,1 olm,-;on, to settle on the coYctetl spot. Jolmson g,l\'C the chief, al,;o, an onlcr upon ,1 aclrnon :for a barrel of pork, which hc1pcc1 to seal the

friendship of his higlmcss.

Piloted hv Prnnmcellc, the founders of onr city J'l)adw<1 their

<lestination on the afternoon of Thursday, February :'ith, 18:'i:,, anrl camped on the cast hank of tlw Blue Earth, ~lt tlw smith foot of Sibley J\lonnd. Classic in many an Indian lcgcrn1 anrl French

achentnrc was the gronncl they stood upon. J mt acrnss the! Blue Earth was the site of an aneimt l!l(lian Yillage, where the ol<l

chief, Mahlrnto, held sway. Here was tlw home of Akitchdah­rlntah, whose sacl tale of paternal lm·c i1-< worthy of immortal song. Here the Irn1ian mai<len Hapan. had JHJlll'P<l ont lier la11H'nt and

life for her unfortunate lover. Herc had lived the Indian chief, Oukantape, who, in Hi!J:'i, ha<1 ace0111paniP<l Le Srn•nr to ;\fon­

treal and died there, after twentv-two <lays i ll1wss; ,m<l here, fin:

years later, Le Sueur hacl met sixteen of his weeping relatives.

A mile or two up the Blue Earth ,ms the sit<• of old Ft. I/Hnillier,

built bv Le Sueur in the antnmn of 1 'l'OU, whik hnnling- for eoppl'l' in the claye_Y hank8 of the riwr. ml(! wlwre to this day the goml, am\ tools of his garrison are 01<:hPrl. Xc·nr b)· i1-< the ,1eposit of hi ue or gr<•c·n cla_v, famed as pigment 11111011g all the ,1 horigines, arnl whirh gaYe th(• ri\'l'I' it" lrnlian 11a11H• "l\fahkato," li_1· us trnn><­)ak<l "Blue Earth." Not far off is tlw "Hauntc<l Valky,'' the

Old St'illcrs Day

scene oJ' the romantic legend of War Ja;ag-Jc and !1is Uhip1ww,1 bride ~a story worthy of a Cooper.

Upon examination, Jlr. ,Johnson rli~cm·ererl that the land ad­joining the Hine Earth 11•a,; tsnhject to O\"()rtlow, awl Jienc:e thl'

narrow strip oJ' prairie, lying along till' rin·r fro111 Warren's creek to the stolll' qnarry bc11d1. was sdc<·tl'd a,: the site for" tlH· fnture cit_,·. A beautiful ,;pot it was_, c·o1·0n•d with tall gra;,;-;, which wan·cl in the breeze' like a lir:ld of ripC'ned grain, interc-pc•rs(•d lt!'l"l' and tlwrn with c-lrnups of trees. On on(• side thl' rin•r afforcll-d ,1 crm­

nmicnt landing just aiJon, hig!twatcr 111ark, while on the other side tlw great forest dimiJcd in tcrrn(·es up tlie high bluff and far lw­_roll(l. In the edge of this forest ,,·a~ a pornl nJ' 1rnkr, encircled by a gron, of tall graceful poplar~, the l'l'Ut!!l' o/' which was alJOut where the fire 8b1tion now stands. At thl' south c•11d of this pond,

near the present site of J\lasonic flail, thC' lirst camp was pitclwll on the sixth ol' :February, 18;"i.2 .

• Htr·r l1a11ling togetlwr a frw logs, Ill• ;'\loreau nnd l'addcwk returned to St. Paul, Jeal"ing ,Jolwrnn and \Yilliarns, a11d ,John

.Tames, a hire<l laborer, to fa:-hion the !.'aiJin. Xo great nrcliited­urnl skill was displayecl in its eonstnwtion. A low log shanty, twehe fret square, plastered ,vith bind: loa111, gathered from lulf thawed gopher hills, bark roofrd. and earth tloor, it stoo(l on tlw

rear of lot_ J, Blo!'k G, just bac-k oJ' Scott's ,econd lwrnl ,,;ton•. '!'he single opening in its c-asterly l'!ld s<T1·!'d, /'or c•c·nnnrnr's sakl', the clouble 1mrpo:-:e of door and windmL

While ,Jolrn~on and hi:- cornpanion:- 1n•n• c,rec·ti11g thi:- first ecliflcl' in the new cit:v·, ,Jackson m1s lrno111iug t!te futu1·c) metropolis in St. Paul. Hy Februar:,· 1-Hlt, he had add<•rl c('H'n new 111(111ilH•r,-; to the tnwnsite compa11_1·, making kn in all, as follmrs: Hc•11r,· .Tackson, P. K. ,Johnson, Daniel \\'illiam,-;, C'ol. D. j_ 11olwrtson. ,Justus C. Harnsa_v, John S. Hinckley, Hohl'rt 1(Pnnedy, ,T. M. Cast­ner, D. P. Bra\\'ley, all(l \Yrn. Hartshorn. A day or two lakr ,Jackson, Robertson, Hinckle_,, arnl Ernns Uoo!lri!.'h ldt Ht. Paul to Yisit the new settlement ancl !'HJT_\' prorisions for it. After :six­tPeu cla_rs spent in inspecting the new town arnl exploring the ad­joining counb-~-, the first three and ;\fr. ,Jolmson rdmnerl, ]paving Goodrich, Willia111:< and Jame,-; to holcl tlw tO\rnsitc,.

'!'he honor of christC'ning thC' futme citv was ac<·orclerl to 1\frs. P. K . .Tohn,-;on arnl ~Irs .• Jackson, who calkcl it ":\fanlrnto," upcm the suggrstion of Col. Holwrtson. HolH'rtson lrncl 1akC'n the• na111<)

from Xicnlld's book, in which he c:omparc-cl the ".l\fahlrn.to'' or

Co 1,. U . A. Ro1JERTSON .

Joi-IN S .. J-:IINCKI.EY. ;vI. H. U 1rnGHOLTZ .

PIONEERS OF 1852.

JACOB GLIEN THEI(

vv. \V. PAnn oc:K. EVANS GoODHICII. -

I-I. A. Ft:LU: R.

Old Sdtltrs Day

"Blnc Earth" rin·r, ,rith all its tributaries, to tlw water nymphs

in tile legend of llmline. Tlirouglt sonw strange misund<'rstand­

ing of the frxt, lw thought the nnIm' to be that of a Ucrrnan

nyrnph, when in fad it mis the Jrnlian 11aI1w of the Hine Earth ri,·(ff, so gi1·(•11 from tltc fa111011,-; Indian ,pig1J1cnt found upon its

hanks as 1n: ltn\"<: ,stated. Though in a \\'.l_l' unintc•ntinnal, 110 uion~

appropriat<' nnIIH' ('ould hal'e IH'('H gil'l'll our ('il_l', (!tan tltat. of the

noble ril'<'J' at \\·ltn:,;e llloutlt it i,-; lornted. lu tlH' ;,;pring o[ 1:-1,1:!, tll(' 'l'mrH,-;il(' (·o:il]JHU\' iudlleed Captain

~lax\\'cll to make tltree trips ll]> tltt• :lli111wsota ril'l'r in his steamer, "Tigr•r;'' to eal'J'y settler,; a!lll proYisio11s h1 their Ill'\\' town. '!'he

~t('arner arri rl'd at j\J ankato 011 IH'r Ii r~t. trip 011 ,\ pri I ;::lrd, and on

her third trip about tli(! :20th of May. I'. K .. Jolmson, Jknry ,J ackRon and J a111t'i'l llalil in, ,rnn' atnong tlw Ii r,-;t pa,::,;(•ngc·rs, and immediat('ly on their arriYal_, thC'y Liegan the Predion of the ,-;econd

lug cabin, whicJ1 stood on Blo('k :l, tH'ar the fir:-;t Northwestern depot. This building was largc·r than tlte fir;;t, and had a window and floor. _i\Jrs. ,Jatll('8 lfahlin, the first ,rltite woman to c-ome to the new to\\'n, joirwd lwr hu:,;liand on the ,.;peo1Hl or third arrinil

of the "Tiger,'' arnl went to housekeeping in this second :-;hanty,

and did the eooking for rno,-;t o[ the whitl' population of ;\fankato that s11111mer awl fa] I.

On each trip thP 'l'ig('I' lmrn1.J1t a ('l'<nnl of l101tH'S('('k('n; to tlH'

new town, while others cam(' on foot and by ka111. On Apri) 8th,

a party of Clermarn,; ine]ll(ling ,Joseph Wt>inlwirnPr,- Philip Krn111-rnel, ,Jacob Guenther, l'drr Frenzel and another, wltos(' name we clid ·not learn, attrmpte<l to go from ~t. l'aul to :Uanlrnto in a

;,mall hatteau of their own construction. When they had gone

about fiftren miles up the :\linu('snt.a ri\'('J', tlH,ir mast l'aught in an o\'erhanging branch and rnpsizl'd (lw boat. \Veinll<'iJJH'r ,ra;;

drowrwd but the other J'onr clung to the O\'('l' tunwd wreck, Hntil l'('Sened by some J ml ians. Tl1l':,;(' :--u n·i \'ors, nothing d,rnntPd by this sad catastrophl', rdllrning to SL l'aul l'or fresh :-;Hpplic•~, rca<'h­e(l Mankato in :i\'Ia ,, on font. OtlH•rs, wlto (·allw the sauie Rprin_g

were: Henry n. ,J. J..::oons, Willia,n C., an(l Blair Crcenway, ,Josiah

B. and Henry S. Umnp, and 111anr 1110n•, mo::;t of whom took claims in the Yi<'initv. 'l'hl' <JH111p arnl (heemrny boys nrn(1c tlwir claims where l\lanka(o ('ity 1ww :-;inuds, and during t.hP snrnml'l'

sold them to Henry l\lcKPnt_v, or St. l'aul, who plalfr1l the• ;,,rn11e as a rival townsite.

In May, 18:3:Z, tlie Mankato cmIIpm1y had a sun·('.)" arnl pbt

.llanl,ato-Its First Fzj ty ) 'cars

macle of their property by S. P. Folsom, and in July the steamer Blackhawk, Captain H. P. Hall, made three trips to their townsite. On her first voyage the boat carried besides freight, forty passeng­ers, fifteen of whom were booked to the Blue Barth town, among them Col. Robertson. She reached her destination early July 5th, just as tlw new city was n'covering from its first Fourth of Jnly celeliration, at which our friend I'. K. ,T ohnRon, lrncl orate(1, through his interpreh•r, Enms Cloor1rich, to a nrnltitm1c of gr:nuine Ameri­can:,;. During his visit, Col. Hobcrt;;on explored the country ancl publishe<l in his paper, the Nt. Paul J)emoc:rat, glowing accounts of it and tlw new town.

At thi:s time one J.M. ~on•cong, anin,cl from Rolling :-:ltonc, 1rnar Winona, seeking to locate a higlnva,\' route between the _Mis­sissippi arnl the mouth of the Blne Earth. 'l'he labyrinth of forest, lakes and sloughs, with the boggy, mirky condition of the soil, be­tween here and ,Janesville, had well nigh despaired him of snccc-.;:s.

Col. Robertson had discovered an ol<l roa<l, cut in ltlcl--4- from the present site of Mankato_, through the timber, up Bunkc,r hill arnl across the Le Sueur to the Decoria prairie, hy a military expediti()n from Ft. Atchinson. He suggestecl that by following this nl<l rlragoon roacl, as it was calle<l, to the prairie south nf the Le Sueur, a practical route might thence be fonnd to the east. With a mule to carry their camp outfit, Rolwrtson arnl Norecong explored the proposed route, passing through :McPherson into Waseea county, ancl thence down the valley of the ( \mnon, aml up to St. Paul, which th<ciy reacheil on ,Jnl_v 18th, after eight days of adninturons wan<lering. As a result of this exploration, two months later a highway -was snncyell and loente(I along this route from Ree<1's Landing to J\Iankato by :Messrs. R<ecd, 1'hompson and Kennedy, under the authority conferrecl by a special legislative act of the previom; winter, and for many ycarR the main thoroughfare from our city to the east, passed round through St. Clair aml Alma City, being a portion of this same route.

In May, Daniel Williams had solcl out his interest in the town­Rite to Gen. Samuel Leech, of Warsaw, Ill., a man of some promi­nence arnl means, who had been the first HcceiYer of the Stillwater Lnncl office. He took a special interest in his IVIanlrnto propert.\', arnl contriliuterl not a little to tlw early developnwnt of the town.

l\fr. ,Johnson opeMcl the first i;tore in the spring of 1852, with a small f\tock of Indian goo(ls that Henry .T nekson sent him from St. Paul. During this summer, :Mr. Johnson erccterl for himsPH,

Old Sett!,,,-s /Jay I .fl

on Lot one ( 1) Blod:: H, a comfortalile house 01 lic:wu logs; anu later in the season Mr. Jackson bnilt a similar residence on Lot i'i, of the same block. Col. Ifobertson tlw same year put llp a log

store on Lot cl, Block 1:\ the interior of which was finished by Hirarn ,J. Fuller, on his arrirnl in Xovcrnlwr, arnl placed in it that

winter a stock of Indian goo(ls in charge of I~rnns Uoodrich.

Among others ,\'110 came to i\l anlrnto in the ,-;um1ner arnl Lil I of 18:i2, ,n·re: :i\'L H. Bergholz, ,J olm 1:'lchroe<1er .. J olrn 'J'rcnhaus­

er, J,]phraim Cole, Lewis H. 1Ninclslow, ~l'limml ::.\lill:3, ,James C!. Hanna, Noah Armstrong and ,John K Harrison. Abont December l 852, the Townsite company contracted with Will(lslow to build a

large frame hotel, the same afterwarcls known as the ".Mankato

Honse.'' He sublet the contract to ;.Hinan] J\lill,-;, who cluring the

winter got rea<ly sonw of the fra111e work, and on }fareh 1-hth, 1853, more<l with his wife (now Mrs. U. Lullsdorff) to the new

town and occupied the secol1(1 claim Rlrnnty, recently Yacatc>d h_v

:i\fr. Jame;; Hablin. In February, 1H5:l, Hobert \\'ardlaw arnl

\Yilliam vVood arriw:ll with a small :::tock of good,-;, hal'ing come in

sleighs upon the ice all the way from 1 h1l.rnque. For a short time

they occupied the first claim shanty, which NL. H. Bergholz hacl purchased the prel'ions Jnly, bnt on the rdurn of the 011·ner in tlw spring, l\ifr. Wanllaw rcrnowd ,rith his store to ,l claim he had mac1e lwlow town, at the month of tlH· nn·ine, ll'hich still bears

his name. 'J'hc first boat in 18:i:3, was the Greek Nian', which arrived on

April 7th, bringing the families ol' I'. K. ,Johnson and ,John Hen­(lerson and a nnmlwr of others. On April Hith, .Tames Ifann,1, George 11:axficlrl and Basil 1lorclan<l arrircd and :;\Ir. Hanna pur­chased of J\'linard J\-IillR the frame of a warehouse, he had just be­gun erecting on the R<rnth end of the Le,·ce, where Young & Otto's

grocery now starnls, an(l finishing it off for a residence, had it. oecupiecl two weeks later by his and 1Iaxfiel(1's families.

Philip Krununel had built a log eabin near where Hockey & ]He Kinley's feed store now starnls, and, having rnarriecl the widm,· of the late vVeinheimer, on May ;;th, he brought his briclP and her

four chil<ln'n, of wl10m are Louis and <'lrnrh·s C:raf, to their 1ww

ho111e.

S(•ttkrs were now arriring alrno:-d: <hlily, a!l(l tlw steamers,

Clariou an(l Blackhawk ran regularl_v bPtwePn St. Paul all(l i\Jan­kato all thi~ spring anll f'llllllllPr, m1cl hrn or three· oilt<T boat~

llliHle frvqut>nt trips lid1ree11 the ~anH· point~. Alllong those not

MRS. Jn11i- Q. A . M ,\l!S H. T11ns . D . \V ,,RIU·: N .

:\fos. j o l!N s. ] ) IN C l,LE\".

PIONEERS or 1853.

M11s. 0 . 0 . Pnc 11r-:R. M11s. P. K . j O HNSnN. MRS . TIJOS. D . \VAIWEN .

Ml(S , CATHEHINE COLE.

Old Sdt!ers /Jay 11-J

named, 1rho sdtl<•d al :\lankato ihis spring, 11'<'1'<': Iloxic Hatli­Lmrn, UL•orgL· W. ( 'umn1ings, lvl icha(•l l(auffrnan, Jfonry .J. Sontag, Dr. ,Tames W. lkatl1, John Hrnb,, Ucorgc W. Lay, Ucnry t}ood­rich, Blassi1is Yob1;t, :\lidHwl Sykr, Josiah Keene and Edwin

Ilm1-·(•. The last tlrn :,;dtl<'d in ;\Ja11kato Cit_1·, \\"hC'rc l(c<'JW opeiwd a blacksmith sl101i, and How<• a log· t.an•1·n, \\"hit·l1 lw d(•:-;ignah•(l '"l'lw :\[ankato City 11 otel."

,\bout the lirnt of- ,J tlllL', 'l'lio111as D. \\"aJTL'll and U<'orge ,r. \'an Brunt ca1J1<', follmred by tli(•ir fa111iliL•s about a 11·L·ek later, and locatt•(l upon the arlclitions 11·hich rn111· IH'nr their m111ws. Mar:-drnll T. ( 'omstock ,md ,Jame:-; :.\fc-:\lurtrie t·a11w 1rith \"a11 Bruni. ,\ f'rn11w arldition was put up alongsirll' of Ilmrna':-; houst• on the le1·c'P and WaIT('ll cornhwforl a small :-;ton! in it for a short time. June 1 ~th, 1S5:J, arrivecl Clement:-; ](nm nnd L1111ily m1d tliv Hathhnrn J'arnily.

Early in ,Jun<', }Ir. Hamm, 1rho had iJl'<'ll a Pre:sli_vtl•rian elder in his Ohio home, organizl'rl the Jir,:;t relig·ions mo\"l'lllL'nt in to\\"11, in tlw form of a Snn<lay school, ,rhieh nwt at his l10111c·. Prraelting services were also helcl at the same place, whencYcr a gosp<•l rn in­istPr happened to stray thus far into the wilclcnm,s. "\\'ho preaeh­crl first is yet in (lonlit, though, when the question wa,; asked at a lvceum held here as early as 1Sii7', it was determined b,· tlw old srttlPrn then to ]rnl'(i !wen a He\". Brown, a l'rrslivtc·rian, l'ro111

C'len•lan<l, Ohio. A fr\\" old settlers c\i:,;pute thirs (kcisinn oJ Jatt•, a]l(l claim the honor for :'\' orris Holiad, and others for Cham1ecy Ilobart. lloruHwntan· c•Yiclence farnrs thl' latter, 11·ho prcac!te(l

here on ,Jnl_v :3rd, HL"i:l: lrnt it is not eonc·lnsin•, a;., a Her. Brown r isitPrl St. Paul a m011th earlier ancl IH· rna_Y ha 1·c· , isitet! 11Iankn to

too in Jmw, as claimed by the old settlc•rs. Jn J\'la_v_, tlw contract \\"ith Wi]l(lslm1· to !mild tlw holl'I lrnving

IH•<'n ram·rllerJ, Gc•11. Lec:ch arrill'cl \\'itli a boatload or lllluber ancl laborers from St. Pan!, arnl pnslwd till' work \\'ith 1·igm·, hnt ill lit>alth compdle<l hi111 to aliandnn tlw <·cmtrad in ,July, a/'ter gd­

iing the bnilcling ('nc:lnsed. It mrn a brn story fra11w ,,tructur<', :l2 fed li_v 50 J'L•d, with a wing ](; feet by ~2-1 fod. In ,Jnlv a (la_v-sdrnol with 2--1 S('holars mis c<tartPtl in ilH· iring of J\fr. Hanna·~ honse on the• lP1·c•e, ll'ith j\!i;-;s Snrnh ,J. lfmma, (now ::\frs . .Tolrn /). A. Marsl1), a~ tPaeher. During t.lw sn111(• 111ontl1, Captain Henn with a corps of' ll. S. c•ng·in<'('l'S s11n·<•.\'(•(l 1l1rn11gh town a 1niliLarr

road from tl1e month nf' tlw Big Sioux rirPr · in _iVle11<lota. 'l'lw construction of' tl1is rnad f'ro111 So11th Hc•ud to St. l'a11l a VC'Hl' or

THE OLD MANKATO H QL:SE IN 1864.

Old Sdt!,•rs Oay

iwo lakr aJfo]'(1ell a 11111ch 1wc•dcd rncaus of laud tm1111n1niu1tiou

with the capital city.

On _March 5th, rn:i:J, tlic c·o1mty oJ Blue Earth wa" created,

comprising, in addition to ib pre~ent limit,-,, tlw hllrnship o[ Ka­

sota and all the conntrv soutl1 to tlw lowa line and west to the

1/ocky j\J ountains. Jts first Hoard of C'ollniy Crn11111 issiom•rn were:

,Jame~ Hanna, Clrnirimm: ,John S. H inl'kh•.r, of' ;\Janka to, and J. W. HaiJC'ol'k, of Kasob1. '!'he Hoard held its first rneding at ::\Ir.

Hanna's l10use in nlankalo on ,\ugnst (itl1, 1 :-:;J:l, and diridcd

the county into two c•lcdion precincts-:\Iankato and Kasota

Milb-for ead1 of wliil'h election olli('ers ,n,r(~ appointed. ,T. Mc­Mahan Holland, a young h,wycr who ha(l just located in town,

was chosen Jirnt ] listrict , \ ttorm•y and Ii is salary iixed at $100.00

per annum. ,Jurors were also (lnnn1 for the first term of court,

which convened the Jirst Mornlav in Octobr.r, 18ti:l, in tlw 1m­

linishcd hotel building, with Juclg(' ( 'lrntfield on the lwnc-lJ. There

being no business, the court adjonrnecl after a hriel' sm,sion.

The first political conwntion rnd on August :27th, rn:i;l, arnl

a list of countv officers nominate<!, but the slate was ba<1!1· smashed

at the elec:tio~, which occnfu<l on Odolier 11th, following. Tn

llfankato precinct ihe polling place was the hotel lrni!(ling, and :21

Yotes were cast, anc1 ten votes W<'rc east in the Kasota prL•cind.

Hiram ,T. Fullrr was tht! 111ost popular eandic1nte, receiving thirt_,.

rotes for County 'l'reasurcr, against one nite for his opvonent, llr.

Jeffrey T. A(lams. A strange freak of this first t:!cction was the

sp]eet.ion of Henry ,Jackson, a tra(lc•r, as 1li~trict Attor11c_1·, orcr .r. :Vlt·:\falwn Hollarnl, a. laW_)'l'r, by twenty-two votes to three rot<,s. Other successful carnli(lah•,-; 11·err,: Basil ~loreland, Nlwriff; J'.

K. ,Johnson, Begister of Deeds; JI imml Ill i !Is, .J rnlge of l'rnba te;

D. L. Turpin, Snrn·.rnr; l'ltilip Krn111111cl, Coroner; arnl Ephram Cole, ,T. \\T. Babcock all(] .J acoh C 1wntll('r, County Co1n111i,ssioncr~.

In Jlec:<m1ber, 185:l, P. K, Johnson wa8 appoiutl'd flrst post­

master at Mankato, arn1 dming the smnmer of 1 :-i;3;l, tlw bo;lt,-;

brought mail fairly regnlar, hut after mwiwition dos(•(! the postnl

scn-iee was quite hap-hazard.

Among the settlers of lfl:i3, not alre:1.J.1· nwntinrw(1, wen•: ,Ta­re(] Lewis, George H. lHarr-;h, ,John C. Lnyton, Dr . .Tef!'rey '11.

A(la111s, 0. C. Herliiel(l, Benj. Frib:, Bernhard Brugg-Prmann, ,fospph

Fronnert, Levi Kotthoff, 1\fariin i\fritlt·r, .John Frescholb, Hvron

W. Colllstock, H. \V. f--:tanrnrnl, .T,rn1es 'l'al111aflge, Mn\" l<'n•rnll<',

lVfo·had Kauffman, Christian Roos, Uriah S, I,ar111anv, nnd John

1,;.6 Jlankato--/ts First Fifty !'cars

Trenhanscr, arnl at South Bern] : D. C. Evan::;, Lyman 3Ia.lhcw", 1.

S. Lyons, and 01rcm Herbert. Jn the fall 0£ 18:-5:3, Basil l\lm·Plarn1 cm~de<l a Jrnme building

on Lot 2, Block G, in which the school 1rns kqit for a time that winter. A flourishing lyceum was orgnniied here this winter, which for some years furnislw<l Lltc people of the village tlieir main

entertainment. I-fore, abo, was hd<l the second term of Conrt and most of the pnblic gatlierings.

lhuing the winter of .18:5:l-1 ilw st11all .'.\fanlrnto settlement narrowly escaped an Indian rnassaen,. The sub-chief of the Sisse­

ton ban<l, which claime<l thi~ s1wcial locality as its home, was Sin-to­mirn1nta, (red-all-over). The old settlers <lcscribe him as a fine

looking ln<lian, tall arn1 well pmportio1wc1, with features and fore­hmvl resembling the pictures common of Henry Clay. In the autumn he hac1 pnrchasecl twenty-five, <lollars worlh of goods of:

the old pioneer, T. n. Warren, anc1 hypothecatecl his crop of wihl rice for the payment, which was to be macle from the first annuity money. This money, howen'r, went for something else, and when winter brought hunger to his door, the cl1icf began calling for his rice. Warren cxplaincc1 that he cou1<1 get it as soon as he paic1 the tl1·enty-fi1·e dollars, lint not before. The chid said he had no 1110ncy, al1ll therefore coulcl not par, lint that hiR squaw arnl pa­pool"cs were starving arn1 so urnst haw the ricl'. 'l'he chief earricc1 a fine rifle, ,rhich had thP reputation among the Jrn1ians of never missing whatever it was aimed at, anc1 Warren proposed that he won1c1 giYe him the rice• and ihc dollars to boot for the gnn. Sin­to-mim1uta agree<l to this, but that cYening, when he ancl his brother, with their :sqnaws carne to take the riee, the.v pretcn<lc,cl to haYe forgotten the gnn, arnl saic1 they woul<1 bring it next morning. \Varrcn was too shn,wrl for such a trick arnl insistec1

they conl<l not han! tlH' rice' until the gun was brought. On the ::;upper table lay a long bla<lc<l knifo. 8ci½ing it like a flash, thr chief branclislie<1 it oYer hif\ hcacl arnl <lcdarrc1 he ,vonl<l have his rice whether or no, arnl f'tartl'CI to climb into th0 attic, where it

was store<l. vVarrPn 1rns a large athletic man, \\'ho knew no fear. Instantly lw grahlw<I tlw ch id ln· hoth wrist::;, arnl, shaking the knife· out of his harnl, f'lW\'P<I lii111 out of tlw <lorn· with a parting kick. ThP Tndianf' at om·ci took tlwir clC'partur<' ll'ithout further trnuh!C' and nothing rno1·(• ,rn~ l1ranl of' tlH'ltl f'or two weeks, ,rlll'll '1'0111 LatJl('l'('H\lS, 1rho \\'Hf; HC'('[J~to111<'d to vif'it the rrnlians,

cam<' Lo \Varnin's cabin one night 11·ith the intclligc11ee that he

Old Settlers Day

had jtd; cornc from the Jrnlian Yillage, that the warrior;-; were

holding a ,rnr dance aud Uie sq11a1n-; had 11·,trnt•d him Jro1ll tlw

camp, as tlw braves were \'l'ry ugly to11°al'(b Uw 1rl1ites arn] \\'(,re

going to kill thcrn all in the morning. Next day alwut niuc o'clock

,\. ll'f., thl' people of Mankato ,rl'I'(' surpri,sed and startled to ,-;1,c'

so11w -J'ort,· Jndian;.;, all armcll arn1 dl'ckcid jn ,rnr paint and i'l'ath­

n~, 1wll'ch up Front Rtrcet in single file. 'l'lw sC'ttlcrs l1urricd

from their cabins to inquire tlic meaning n/" this 1111w1mtcd savage

,1cmonstration. The school chi Id rl'n sa 11' the t<tnrngc prncc;-;sion

as it pa,ssc<l the Moreland building and Collowc,1 with childish

curiosit_r. Straight to Wanen's c·abin, 1rliieh f'i:oo<l at the rear

nf Dr. Harrington\; )ll"C'Sl'llt re,;idl'lll'l', grimly marelw,l the line of

dusky ,rnrriorn. Warrl'n and a _YOllllg rnan 11arne<1 Cleorgc \V. (\m1mings were chopping fire,rnod IJ_r the ,loor, ,rl1cn the Irnlians

approachcrl. C'urnrning~ cloclgccl into tlw l10u;;c arnl he and Jfrs. ·warren seizC'd a couple of gnns. Warren facc<l tl1e foe like a lion,

arnl c'lcnumtlet1 the why of tlieir tlrns crrn1 ing. The hi conic word

"rice" was tlie only answer as the hraws formed into two l incs in front of the door. Not seeing the chid' at once, Warrc•n askell

where he was. Then seeing hirn stnnlling at the further enl1 o/'

the two columns of paintec] hraws, he scize11 a s1el1 stake and

marcherl straight down betwixt the sarnge lines anJ dl'HHUHlerl tlw

gun. Sin-to-111i1Hluta eyecl his antagonist keenly for a rnonient,

then turning the barrel of his gun upsirle rlown he emptiell the

contents into the palm of liis harnl an,l showing \\!arren the lwlf

dozen ngly slugs, which had form ell tile charge, he 8aic1 "white

man, these were intcrnled for you, hnt yonr heart is bran•." So

saying l,e replace(] the charge anrl Jlrecl it into the air arnl lianrkr1

the gun to vVarren. Warren's co11rage was all tlrnt saved him anr1

tl1e other settlers nf JHankato that 1lny. Had he shown the slight­

est fear the massacre planned wou lr1 have taken place. The T n­

(lians always reverenced courage H8 something s11pcrnaturnl, anrl a

trne exhibition of it selclom failcrl tn en 11 forth their respect a]l(l

a.,·e. Henceforth Warren was calle(l bv them the "Bear," nnc1 Sin­

to-min-duta, the "Sacred one," arnl they said "the Bear h,1cl huggcc1

the Sacred one very c1ose that ,lay.'' \Varrcn innnecliatelv paid

the chief the fire dollars, arn1 hitching his ox<'n, hanle,l tl1e rice

down to his lodge arnl pliace arnl goo,l \\'ill pn·,·nil<'rl OH(·(\ rnore.

On February 2Fitl1, 1851, Her. ,Jn111(•s 'l'liornwn, a l'resby­

krian minister arrived, having l:ornc all the way from Wabasl,,

Jfau/w!o---lts l·irst l-{/fJ' ) ,·,,rs

111(1., 011 honoeback. He was the first minister to locak in town

and preached his first sennon next clay at Mr. Hanna's house.

In :May, 18:i4, the Towrniite company solc1 their hotel bnihling

to Henry ~haulrnt, ,vho complctecl it that season, bnt did not oc­

cnpy or open it to the public 1mtil the following spring.

In the rncantinw most of the Alllcrican travelers found ac­

co111n10dations ,,·ith :Mr. Hanna, whih· most of the Ucrrnans Jound

a lodging place with l'lcnwnts Krnn, ·who in 1:-\:i~J, credc<l a sccornl

hotd known a,; the J\'I imwsota 1-[ousc·.

Jn .i\Jay 18:i+, .Tohn Q. A. J\fnrsh, arrin•cl, bringing with him

a stock o[ general mercharnlisc, \\'hich his brotlll'r, (korgc H. Marsh had onler<~d. mHl the two ope1wd in the Hanna building on

the lcn•e the fin,t store having otlH'r than 1rnlian goocls. A month

or two later they l!10\·ecl to tlwir O\\'ll building on Lot ii, Block rn. On October 13th, of th is Yeai·, ( 1:-\:i 0J), a colony of prominent

Uerrnan farn1ers fron1 St. CharkR, Mo., arrivecl anc1 locatccl upon c-laims nrar the Yillagc. Thc·y \\'('J'l' l'hilip Hodapp,Pcter Schulte,

David lfriclwinkle, l\licliael HmHl anll Frank Bnrtrncir, with their falllilief-', and Henrv \'able arnl Leo I,a11t1ll, then single men. The

same fall W. P. Coffin arnl Joel C\011(1 npt'ncd a store in the Hanna lrnilcling on tlw k,·c('. Others who settlecl in -:\lankato in 18,i-l,

were: Theron Parsons, ,J nclge LewiR Branson, Daniel T. Bunker,

S. ]\f. Walker, (.'has. Mansficlcl, Aclarn Frenrnlh\ L. G. l\L Fletcher,

Columbus Ballarcl, Henr.1· Humphn·y. Cleo. A. Clarke, Morton

Laflin, B. \V. Stannarcl, .Antoin ,Jacob.,·, ,Jacob arnl Henry Sontag,

and rnan,v otliun;. 'l'hc _vea1· 18:-i!'i saw the adjne(•nt r·otmhy filling up with

sdtlers. It also ,saw a large tract o[ larnl twenty-four miles Jong

hy twehl' mikfi wide within fmir miles of our city withdrawn :from

ciYiliiation awl gin,n a" a rcscrrntion to two thommml vVinndrngo

lrnlians, who took pos:;cssion in ,Tune ol' this year, against the vig­

orous protest of our people. With the Winnclrngos earnc Me:,;srs

White ancl l\Iarks and opem•cl a sion• in C'!iarge of the latter in a

log huil<ling on tlw corner of Sccornl and IIickory streds. Kitchen

Brothers, also, started a store in a framl' lntilcling jn,;t fmi,;hel1 hy Clcn'l. Leach, wherl' Frc\cl K ron's :store now stancls. 'J'his yPar,

( 18:i'i), c,aw. also, the organiiation of tlte two fi n,t drnrchcs in

town-tlw 1'1·eshdcrian nrnl Catholic-an(! tlw building of' the fin,t H·l10ol hons<'-a log ;;tnidnn• on tlte site• of the present

l'nion h11ilding. ;\fay :ith, 1:-\:i(i, the l\fapldnn Colony, mtmlwring n ... •arlv 400

Old Settlers Day IJ9

soul:-; arrinid ,l!ld sdtle<J d1idly in Sterling and l\fapletou town­

ships, and ifrc days later a Welsh colony, 121 in number, reached here from ,Jackson, Ohio, a!l(l scttlccl mostly in South Bend, Jud• wn and Butternut \"alley, all tribntary to j\[anlrnto.

The first saw mill in town, ow110cl by Geo. ,V. Lay, began

operation this year, arnl in the fall Gen. Leach began the erection of a large thre(' stor_v store hui ]ding of cut stone on Block 15, arnl White & ]Harks started a similar building on Blot:k 1-1-, both of which were finiRhecl arnl oec:upied by the Fall of 1857', and for years these imposing ,;trndurcs remained tlte prominent building

l'catures of the town.

In the spring of 1857, occmrcd the lnkpmlutah 11wssacre with

it;; ar-eornpanying exeitement and terror, and l\Iankato on April 11, ;-;ent thirty-eight voluntc•c•rs under Dr. Lewis to the defence of the Watonwan settlements.

On June l:Hh, 1857', :l\[cssrs. Hensley & Gunning ~tarted the "Jrnkpendcnt," our tirnt nem,papcr in a little frame building on the corner of Thin1 and Walnut streets. Two years later on July 5th, the late, lamented John C. Wi;.;e, issued the fird number of

the l/econl, from an office in the White & Marks' stone building Both papers still suniYc under other names as the leading journals of our city, arnl have done much to promote its welfare.

On ,Jnl_1· 13th, 1858, l\Iankato was incorporated as a village,

and on l\larch fith, 18G8 it was rnacle a city. fn the mean time oecured the stirring times of the Civil War, when the fife and (lrum and the lrnrr_v of mnstl'ring feet were heard in the street. In the mid1st of this dill and distraction earne the awful erash of the 1 nclian• rna,,sacr<\ and Mankato becallle the center of operations

against t.he hostile san1g(', where the armic:s gathered, where the c.aptin•s were iniprisonecl, and where the cornlenmecl were hung. Tillie will not allow further particnlars of our city's history.

l'errnit me in closing to give a fow figures briefly indicating ifa.; clcYelopment. In 185:3, the nm11lwr of rntes cnf't in Mankato was 21, in 185-l, -i5; in 1855, 1D; in 18iJG, 11;3; arnl in 1857, 465.

The census reports show l\fankato'f-( population to have been as follow:-:

1857 18G0 18(i;"j

1870

Increase. 822

l!\Gl G3D 1 D'l':l -J.12

3482, l!\OD

187,"i

1880

188,J

18!)0

.1/ankato-Jts f'i'rst Fi/ry ) ·cars

:iH.~ ."i,."j.'i()

, ,871

N,?t38

l!);.l()

2:in !H(Vi)

!N!):i ........................................ 10,17':l I;J;;5

moo ........................................ 1 o,,>!)!) -1-·w To the lacet Jigun' :-;Jiould he ad<1erl !J:rn~tlw population or

North j\:fankato, which is a:-; much a part of the city as any of it:-; addition:-;. Th(' a:-;:,;e:-;:-('d nlluation of our city in rnurnl nnrnber,:, was in 18(i(), ipl(i:i,000; U-Vi'I), $882,UOO; 1880, $1,7:.:7',(lOO; J 8!)0,

$:.:,78:l,OOO; l!)()(), $:l,OV8,000; mo:.:, $:l,;i00,000.

Threl' years from its founding, }[ankato as:-u11tl'll ih- po:-;ition a:-; the leading eity in popnlation anrl wealth in the Mimwsota Valley and it .:;tancfo so to<la_\·. Of thrilling interest i:-; it:,; !tii.;tory and worthy of commemoration the rnlorous <lec<ls of ii,,; pioneers. Splenclid was the battle tlwy fought in the desperate :c;trugglc with savagery, animate arnl inanimate. Wonrlcrfnl the transf'ormation they han' made in turning the wildcrne,;s rna:w into a great orderly emporium of trade. The lonely Indian trail of fifty years ago has becmne a busy street, boun<kd with magnificent marts of trade, the fore::;t clad hillsicfo has bcc:onw linerl with statel_v halls of learning and jnstice, the :-;wa111py valley, flon<l-torn arnl thickct­tangled, has become beautiful with palatial homcf' arnl magnificent sanctuaries, and the rlcath-like stillne;;s of a rlrn;olate wa:c;te has been marle to pulse with commercial, eclucational anrl spiritual life. All honor to the founders of this metropolis of Southern Minne­sota, anrl to all the time-scarrecl niterans of the Wilderness-the heroes of the log cabin-whose toi I, l'.Ourage and saerifiec have be­queathed to us such a splernli<l heritage.

* EARLY SURVEYS-BY HON. THOS. SIMPSON,

As I had, to some extent, personal supenision and l'harge ol' the r,;urveys of public lanrlR in lVJinnesota in 185:J, 1854 and 185;i, J may be pardoned, if hereinafter in this paper, it may be neces­sary to make some few references of a personal nature.

Minnesota at that time was included with lowa, anrl Wiscon­sin in 11 snnc_vor general's district. The office of the suneyor gen­eral was at Dnbuqne, Iowa. ,vanwr Lewis was surve_\'or general. The boun<lary I inc between Iowa all(l :M imwsota rms run anrl estab­liRhed by Capt. Talcot of tlw 'l'opographieal Bun•nu in 1852, the

*The·committee would have b~en _glad to print the \\:hole of this excellent paper1

but want of space and the fact that 1t dtd not rel He specially to Mankato. compeiled the omission of a portion of it.

Old Settlers Day I5I

year, 1 think, when the Indian title to lands in Southern lVIinnesota was extinguished by treaty.

In Jannar_v, 1853, Surveyor General Warner l,ewis, gave a contract to Elisha S. Norris to run the firnt, second and third guide meridians in Minnesota, west of the JV[ississippi Hivcr and the first, ,;ecoml, thircl, fourth, fifth, sixth ,m<l seventh intersecting Standard Parallels-he was to be pai<l by the Government ten dollars per mile for Guil1C J\iericliam; arnl eight dollars per mile for Starnlanl Parallels. i\'lr. ~orris had been my preceptor under whom 1 had .studied Civil Engineering and Snrve_ying. I came with him into :\linnesota as one of his assistants.

T n the lieginnng of this work, in the remote southeast corner of the Territory, Mr. Norris had the misfortune to get his solar compass out of adjustment in passing through a dense thicket, slight] v bending both the declination and latitude arcs thereof. He did not discol'er it until the Inspector of Surveys, who was following closely on the line with his solar compass and chainrnen, called his attention to it and at once reported the blunder to the Surveyor General's office. Mr. Norris was recalled. A great clamor of envy and jealousy on the part of the other deputy sune_yors of the office, compelled General Lewis reluctantly to relieve him and, because of the general clesire to make the matter as agreeable as possible to Mr. Norris, and because of the well known partiality of the Surveyor General for m,vsclJ, together with some political influence from fricnd:o ( we were all Simon pure democrats then), the supervision of the surveys was given to me, before I attained my majority, and 1 established the:;c guide mcri<]ians ancl starnlarcl parallels in 1853, 18:-5~ and 1833.

Tlw first line cstab]i;;lwd was not a guide meri<lian, Rtrictly, but rather a line beginning on the Rtate line, on the east of Range _Four, running north thereon until it intersected the iVIississppi Hiver, at or near where the city of La Crescent is now situated.

After completing this line, we went back thereon, and on the Rtate line west --l-2 miles to a point thereon, between ranges 10 and 11, ancl ran the first guide mericlian North between these ranges, making the rcquirecl offsets e,·cr_v twent~1-four miles. This first guiclc meridian intersects with the Mississippi Hivm· at the foot of Lake Pepin just a little above Heerl's Landing. Retracing this guide mericlian, to the State line, we measnrwl west thereon 42 miles to a point on the same between Hange:o 1~' and 18, from

,J/an/wto-Jts First Fzjly !'cars

whenui tlH· :<ecmHI rneridia11 was nm north lwt\\'e<ill U1L·se Hange:,;, making the niquired offset:,;, till it inkrnected the Mississippi River at Hastings. Bcturning on this :<ecornl guille merillian, to the state line, 1m•a:<mL•<l wL•~t tlwrPon J2 111 iles to a point bdwcen Ranges 2.J and 2,\ where the south point of third gnidc meridian was estab­lished, nm11ing tlH! san1e north bd,1·L·en ranges '!-± and ·~;'i, till its intersedion with the Mississippi Hi1w at l\fontieello.

So careful was the government in the estahlish1nent of these base lines, that the instructions \\'l'l'() lll<Hlifietl as to running the third guide meridian, requiring that it shoulll be nm llurjng the winter sea~on, after the large nmnlwr of lakef<, wli ich were snpposecl to be thereon, were frozen soli<l so that the chainrncn conlll aetnally llleasure this line thercover, RO as not to trust to mathematical cal­culation, triangulation or otlwr 111dho<ls of determining Llistanees acro::;s irnpatl::mble place:,;. I was engaged in establishing this me­ridian nearly five months, from some time in November, 1853, to some time in April, 185-1-. I ran the starnlanl parallels, intersect­ing these gui<1c meridians. Afterward I cli<l some township and section work and terminate<] my connection with the Surveyor General's office at Dubuque, January 1st, 185G, at wh ieh time I came to resi<lc in Winona, where 1 han, e,·<•r since lived.

Perhaps it would not he out of place at this point to make some reference to a few incidents, of more or less historic arn1 personal interest, which I met with at the time of making these rarly Gov­ernment sur\·eys, and to make ,;ornc reference to m_y acquaint-· ance at that time with some of the earliest pioneers of Minnesota.

ln running a line some llistance south of Hastings one very bright summer day, we canw upon a white sandstone pillar on the smooth open prairie. It was quite high and impressed us as peculiar, being in that locality without any other similar formation near it, glistening in the bright sunlight. Some of my Company clambered up this natural olieli1,k far enough to find cut in the sand1,tone the name of Nicollet arnl the date 18:37. The Govern­ment ha<l furnished me with copies of Nicollet maps of the topo­graphieal survey he had malle in this country, and we examined them ancl found this pillar of white sandstone incl icatcd thereon. 'l'hat Nicollet had carved his name there in 1837, I have for good reasons lloubted, but that he visite(l there anll took note of what is now known ns Ca;;t]e Hock, thPn• cannot he a sha<low of' a llonht.

1 want to bear testimony to the wornlerful fidelity arnl accuracy

Ohl Settlers Day Ij.J

of this savant arnl explorer, in making the topography of this sec­

tion of the country as shown in his 1m1p::-:.

Before darting out to nm the thinl guicle mcricfrm, I mrn

a(hised that ii' the line .1rnst-:c!d thr0l1gh or nl'ar the place where the Winnebago lndianc: w,!re located, I arn1 rny men might ha,'e trouble, as tlw,;e I ll(I inns were gn!atly rl isc:ati:-dic·d about :-;mm-thing, and I

wm, aswn·<l hy the Departmc·nt that a mc•s:-.;engc!r sl10ulcl be :-;ent west from Fort ~nelling to apprise 11H' of the c•x,wt stall' of affair,­

with thl' Winnelrngo Jrnlians, and if there was danger, J should al>an(lrm the line. i\o nwsscnger e\'Pl' GlllH', or if he rlid come, he

failed to finrl me, so the alarm and fear of rny men anrl myself,

eighteen in all, can readily be imagined when we reached a place on the line, where the snow wa:-; all trnnqwcl clown-unmistakable r11'idencc· of human !wings hc~ing in the vicinity. 1t was late in the

afternoon and in a dense forest, and, if my recollection is right, it was on the Crow Hiwr. 1 set my compass, and my men came np and ,re stood for a fow minute':-: in enn:-:nltation, when out from behind a tree! near us, came an Indian, gun in hand, white blanket

on, anll otherwise comfortably <lresRed. He spoke to 11:-:, saying in English, "How do yon do.'' Soon other Jmlians came out from be­hind the trees and the others in such numlwrs that we were rcacly

to believe literally, "that the woO(ls were full of them.'' They were womlerfull_y interested in my compass and :-;nn'eying outfit, the chain, tally pins, ete. They tole\ us as best they COl1lcl, that hear­ing the noise we marle, coming through the woo(ls, they took us

for an attac.king party nf Indians, hut tllC'v wne glacl to know we were white· men. I aske<l who they were, and they said \Vinnc­lmgocs and that Winneshiek their chief was farther clown. We

ramped, and taking one of m_Y men with llll', and after passing through a 1nost awfol cordon of yelping clog:-:, called on \Vinneshick that erening. Wlwther this wa,; a title or a name, I know not, but lie n•cciYccl us kindly, speaking in fair [s;ngfoh. He complainc-(1

bitterly of hi:-: treatment hy the Indian Comrnissioners :mcl other 00Yern11H·11t Ottieiali-: who, he! sai<l, ha<l either cleposccl or wanted to depose him, anrl get another to give away his lanc1. I assured him

l lrnd nothing to rlo with snd1 rnatt('r:-: ancl joirwrl him heartil_Y in his righteoni-: indignation at thl' 1wmm·r lw was being ontragecl. Ill' not only mack u,-, no irouhk, hut 1wxt moruing, when we 1mss1.!cl through on the I i1w, il1r<'c' rods ,n·st of his tqwe, hl' ga Ye !ls a largr·

quantity of" fi1w vc•nit,;on for a rea,rnnable co111pc•nsation. I wa~ led

I54 Manlwto-/ts h'rst Fifty Years

to believe that this was a large band of Winnebagoes hunting off

their reservation.

An incident illustrating "that necessity is truly the mother of invention,'' in which I take some credit to myself, evincing some ability on my part, I think at least, as a mechanical as well as ciYil engineer, occurred as follows:

On the Fourth of July, 185:3. while extending the first star.clan! parallel between the first and second guide meric1ians, and at a point where Chatfield is now located, we discovered that ~lmost my entire corps of assistants hac1 been practically denuded of t!Hiir clothing, while coming through some dense thickets ancl in·rn,h through which the fire had swept. What to do was the question. We had brought with us a large quantity of bed-ticking very wide. I conceived a plan of making pants, at least, for my men out of this, so we spread the bed-ticking clown on the grounrl and tb_!!L had one of the largest men lie clown on it. Then we took a pair of shears and cut all around him, his legs and body, a little larger than he really was. We took that piece thus cut out arni laid it on another breadth of bed-ticking and cut another piece out, exactly like the first. We then sewed the edges of both all around nrn1 thus made nether garments for the boys, myself inclnr!ed, b1_,L .ve had serious trouble while we wore these peculiar garmen' ", to lmr;11· from observation, at times, whether we were coming or going.

You will h,wc observed that the field of my operation as a goYernment surveyor, covered a very large part of what we now call Southern :Minnesota; which is that part of our State lying west of the Missis;;ippi HiYcr and so11th of the Har;tings and Dakota Railroad, anc1 of which yon justly claim your splendid city as its .Metropolis.

Our familiarity with So11thern J\linnesota makes us forget that this is an ideal land, inclcecl, wherein the best inc1ustrial and edu­cational results anc1 the highest, best civilization can be realized. I shall neYer forget the many beautiful scenes and visions which I behelr1 in the three years that I was travelling o,·er this beautiful Janel in the spring time, in the snmmer an<1 autumn, ,ldorned as it was then with the magnificPnt npholstcring of the Lord Gorl Almighty. The men ,,;ho were with me, like myself, were en­tranced with the beauty of tlwse scenes, of grmes, of prniriPs, of hills and valleys, nn<1 shining lakes and streams.

We have seen that very early there came to this r1cligbtful

Old Settlers Day 155

land large populations. A class of emigrants anil immigrants far

above the average, ancl the best people of the loc,tlities from wlrnncc

tlwy nrnH', and 1 take occasion to say here anrl now that these

people•, in their assoeiations, affiliations and blenr1ings, have de-

1·elopt'd as Jirw manly nwn, and a,; intelligent, attradin! and beauti­

ful women., as can he found ,rnywhcrc nnd<'r the protPcting folcls

of the starrr emblem of our nationalit."-'l'lwre c-amc lwrc tl1c hl'st 1woplt• from Wisconsin, northern

lowa and Illinois, }fichigan, nortlwrn lnc1iana and Ohio, from the•

great Empire and 1-i:cystonc Statr•:-; with a fine mixture of genuine

ancl improYecl Yankees from tlw Xew England State::;, who al­

though lionsidc1ring thc111sel \'l's ge1wrall_y the ll'a H)n that was to

lt•an•n the wholl' lnmp, we haw got along with thl'm very well and

tlwy ha\'e afiiliah•d and blenc1c•c1 with the others in an cxrellent

mannl'r.

Here camr a]:-;o, some from the E1nt•rald hlc and l'rom tlw

"Lancl of Cakes" and the ,;elf asserting Englishman. Hen• also

e·.ame the Teutons in quite largl' numbers, with tlwir motto of

"One Goel, one Country and the right to have zwci glas:-; of lag0r Jic,0r.''

JI('rc; abo ta111t• the fair hairl'cl Srnndina\'ian:-;, who have <1orw

mul'h more· than man_,. others to <ll·,·c•lop the rei-oun·es of Southern

}f i mw:-m ta. A few came from the ;;outh hmcl, arn1 but \'ery few inc1ecc1, hut

those• that t1id come ha re hcPn our l'l'l'_\' hPst eitizern,, and too, a

good sprinkling of Polanc1<"rs, who have lihc!rtv of all kirnls ancl

swPar by Kosciusko. And Parly, arnl rwan'r the mouth of the strc,1ms whose• watt!rs

<lrain th is country, tlwrl' ,vere :-;omc\ French people, and apropo,.;

of t]w:-;e I ought here to mention what I understood to lw the evo­

lution of the name of the beautiful streams which traverse J)odge,

OlmFtl'rl, and \Vabasha Counties. The Indian name of thes('

;;trl'ams was the Wazioja, which means crookP<lncf's, shallowness,

l'ataracts, snag,;~anything and en·rything in a stream that makes its flowagP cliAkult.

This sPdion of tlw eonntry was Yi,jtC'd in 18:J.l- by .Jean Nicol­

Id, aec0111paniPd by .John ('. Fn·rnont. ('I had the rongli maps

rnndc> by thC's<' t•xplorPr~ for my gui<lP in making the public :-;ur­

,·<•ys). \: icolld h·nmdatl•<1 tlw na111C' into Frenl'h arnl eallP<l tlH'Sl'

;;tJ•pn111s, nn<I l'Sj>Peially thr main riYPJ\ l)p:-; Embarri>' rirer, or in

other words, the embarrassed river.

1)/anlwto--lts l•i."rst hfty l't•ars

In my maps, I followed, as many of you may remember, the name given this stream by Nicollet, the Bmbarris River. I asked the French living near the mouth of the stream wh,1t river it was, and they answered me in French, which 1 <lo not understand very well, but which sounded very much like this "Des Ernbarris," and they gayc that name to the Yankees and early settlers on the stream, who although not unfamiliar to nasal sounds could not come the French very well, and hence in attempting to speak the Frcncl1 name "Des Embarris" DeZumbro shortened it in time and it became ju,-t plain ½umbro, all(] this name has remained to this clay 1/,umbro. 80 that the names of the streams which travernc the Counties of Dodge, Olmsted and Wabasha arc first a French trans­lation of the Indian name Wazioja, and scconcl a pretty free translation of a French name into English.

REMARKS AT UNVEILING OF WII,KINSON MONUMENT.

BY HON. DANIEL BUCK.

'l'hc subject of my remarks was a pioneer in the 8ettlcmcnt of this State and long a resident of Mankato. He was born on a farm in the Town of Skaneateles, in the County Onondaga, in the State of N cw York, on the 22nd clay of January, 1819. In boy­hoo<l he assisted his father in working on the farm and subse­qnmtly received an academic education. He then studi2cl law in his native town and came to lVfinne:sota in 18-Vi'. When tl1c terri­tory was organir,erl in 18-J-D, he was electe<l to its legislature, which assernblc<l in the fall of that year-Minnesota wa:- arlmittecl into the Union m; a 8tatc, May 11, 185'8, and lie served as its Unite<l States Senator from 1859 to lS(i.3, and in 18G8, he was elected as one of its Heprc~entatiYcs in Congress. Thereafter he acned one term as a 8tate Senator from Blue Earth Connty. During the Civil War while he was in the lJ. S. Senate he ably and loyally stoorl b_v the Union, c,;pccially in the days of its greatest peril, nn<l was the valued ancl confidential fricrnl of President Lincoln.

He was a man of great natural ability, of imposing mlclress, an interesting conversationalist ancl genial nature. Generous to a fault, he lackccl thrift and cliecl pennile~s in 18H4. During his whole lcgi,datiYc career, there was no dark stain of corrnption that rested upon hi,; character. ln this age of' municipal an<l govcrn-111Pntnl eorruption, no grnn<ler and nobler lt·gaey can he ]pft to t.lH' pPoplP thnn an offici,il ('haractcr ancl repntation 1111st.linc<l arnl trnsnllie<l by corruption. For that we honor him. Fault he may

Old Settlers Day

have had hnt as an incorrnptible oJlicc holcler he was an honor to

bis home, his State, and his Country.

He i~ buried in our beautiful Glenwood Cemdt'l'_'.'. Beside

him rest hi:o pionC'er wife and their two children. Faithfully aml

nohly did she ad her part in all tlw vicissitwles of frontier lift'. 'l'oday the gnwc',; of the entire family are immarked, lrnt whil<' we arc celebrating this Scmi-C('ntennial of our City at the Senator\;

ol<l home ancl among his ol<l friernls, I have, through th(' nohlu generosity of his early and tnrnted friend, the Hon. ( '. n. U ii fill an

of St. Paul, the great pleatmre of Jll'l',.;enting to yon a nnmificPHt

gift of a granite mom1rncnt, now to lie 1meon°rcd and placed on

his burial lot in Glenwo()(] Cemetery in lasting rn<'111ory of this old pioneer and incorruptible :statt>sman, Senator :Horton S. Wilkinson.

EXTRACTS FROM LETTERS,~LETTER FROM HON. J.B. WAKEFIELD.

I am deeply sensible of the great honor you have confpned 1tpon nw in soliciting a brief expression of my early (eXpPriencc in your now

hf'autiful and thriving city. 1 regret that 1 am uuable to be present to witness and partake of your rf'joicing, that you have so successfully reaehed the Semi-Centennial year of your birth, and can only express

t.hP hop<' that the few 1vmds l offer on this joyous occasion may serve to add, at least in some small df'gree, to thf' purpose which liPs at the bas<' of your n~1narkable gathering. l Yery grec1tly regret that l a1n so hank-11q.t in langnagP snitahlP to the fit c·o1nmt'momtion of the intf'resting ,,,·<•nts that haYP lwPn 11·O1·p11 by thP shut(l(, of the iast half century

inlo the many hued fabrics of all our Ii1·es Virgil, in that great and immortal Ppie which has !wen the admirntion

an,! delight of all elassica.l students for ('enlnriPs, snng of "Arrns and a ll<>rn." \\"it.h lhP hand of a skillfnl artist he porlrnyerl the eal'!IC'st slrnggles of his hero with the ,ulwrse fatPs; the faith, rkrntion arnl ill­l'erp1it('(l low of his heroin<', the inten,st of the Cods in the affai1·s of mPn and the Jina! tri11mph of a !'('Solute will O1·pr all things animate and inanimate that stood in the pathll'ay lo a better country, a more eon· genial clinw, wherein tlw altars of ,rn 11nyielcling faith ('l'Pct!'d an<•11· might stand secure.

An admiring though hnml>Ie diseiplP of tlw Roman bad, I shall s1.ri,·e to prepare a simpler Ppic in sobPr prose, whieh may Pmbo,ly some of the Plements of more heroic VPl'Se since it is the plain story of I.hos!' scPking a new home, who a.ffrr ad\'ffse lrntfrtings, W<'l'e ,lri\'Pll by no 1111· friendly fate into this hospitahlP c]illle. In the, language of the il111.s­!.rio11s poC't l ean of th('Se things of which I spP,1k most trn!.hfnll,v PX· da.im. "()na C]ll<' ipsP misserima Yidis et qn01·11m pars lllag1m fui."

This ass!'mhly of fair \\"Olll!'ll arnl hrn\',P m<'n. !his PntPrprising ei!.y fil!Pd with lrnsy wnrk<'rs, unmistakably exprPssing· b_v il!=l Phnrehes and seminaries the moral .and intellectnal character of its citi:wns; e1·e!'y

ilfanlwto-lts l'i'i-st F,fty J',,ars

thing that we now scee in ~,our beautiful eity C'>uries me, a visitor of half a century ago, hy una voi,lal,le ,u1thitl1c•sis back to the period when forty­

eight yearn ago I firnt gazed upon tlw a !most <lPsolate waste that, through

the energy and skill of its foundNs and the business enterprise and pnsh of U1C'ir suecpssors, hns brnnght. it to pass that today J\[anlrnto stands

with its 12,000 inhahitants among tlw best of the cities of second rank

in tlw :State, ln J\lnreh, 18i54., l \\'as ,t rC'sident of ])p]phi, lncliana, slowly conva­

Jpscing from a sl'Y<'n' attaek of rnalarial fever, thoroughly saturated with

tlw Yints that was perpptually oozing from the rich !llUd nnd rank, <IP­caying n•getation of the' \\'abash lo\\'lands, like• th<> invisible smoke of

the torn1ent of lost souls. \\'hill' Urns son•ly af!lictPd a newspaper was

plaepcl in my hands containing a ll'ltl'r from some one eitlwr a n•sitlent

or Yisitor at }lankato, i\linnrsota. This iC'nitory \\'hich was rnarkPd on om· early school rnaps as "Desert

Lnncl," had se0111Pd to 1110 a Htrangr•, far nwny c·o1111lry with a vigoro11H,

!Jut uninviting dirnaie, the tit habitation of. wild aucl unknown animals

and of tlw 1mtive and no le,;s wile[ inhabitant who madP tl1P111 his 1irey. This leltPr pirtm·pd a far diffrrent (·011ntr,v. The• \\Til<>r depict0cl in glow­

ing colors and with all the wannth and Pnthusiasm of the lamented

ColonPl Hewitt of SL Paul, the aclvantap;ps, m,•nta 1, morn! and physical

of this, then almost 1111known n•gion which ihe }finnesota river enriches with its atflnpnt floods. L ha1·p oftpn "·ishetl l conlcl tender my pernonal

thanks to thP writ.Pr of that communication. for it contai1wd one state­

nwnt that was of pPrnonal and ,·ital iniPrest' to m<•. The \\Titer assertecl

that thP tnrihle scourge that had hPen sapping my st1·ength for many

a rnonih was utt,:,rly nnkno\\'n in this fa.n,red land. This special item

of information, aR mny be snpposPd, was pregnant with intprpst to me

arnl I yiPlclPd to tlw presern,tin, instinct which it arnnse,! and resoh·ed

upon an imnwdiatP Pxoclus from thP Janel of my bontlag<'. Early in April, 1854, fort.v-eight ypars ago. J was 011 111_\' way to this hw,l of hope anti

prnmisP. 1 rpae\wd :',t, Paul on thP 12th of that month, and in a few

days Hf'Clll'<\d passagp for }Iankato on the ''fast scdling stean1er," Iola, as s]w \\'as billPcl, ownPd and commm1<led by C'apt. Sam Sarg,0 ,rnt with Bill

StilPs---known in J"PePnt ,Y<'arn to all pleasure SPPkern a.t \\-hite Bear

LakP in Hamse~, C'onnty, a.s Commodore StilPs-as pilot, first and second

mat,:, anti the <'ntir<' crPw. Om· littlP stPrn \\'lwe!Pr was dubbed "the fast

sailing," hy poPtic lice11sc•, l Jll'PsnmP lwcansp of }]('!' lack of spef'd-"Lucus

a. non lnl'l'rnlo." ThP fad. soon bf'PH!ll<' pa tent to thf' passengern Urnt om·

good natured co11111mnrler and his equally jolly assistant usuall.v carriPtl

morP stPam than thP light crnft they n:tvigalc,L In c!Pfiance howrYer, of

contrary winds al1ll a Yer.,· in;;nfliciPnt Pngi1w, aflpr two \\·eeks of di;;­

roln·aging progTP~H WP rPaeli0d nt 1:u..;t the rapids that \\'ere nearly abreast of what is 110w tlw lll'autiful cit_\· of :SL l'dPr, and o\"el' whi<·h mile! riffle a II thP old ryp on thP boat 1nis JHrn·c•rlPss to hear us.

Our C'apbin hacl contrndPcl lo clPlin•r us at ~l:rnkato with no rPsrr­nitions as to aceiclPnts or c·asual1iPs and hP pro1·<•cl ,:,qua] to the emer­

gt•n,·y. lk soon had us tnurnfPlTl'd to lun1her wagons that he procured

Old Settlers Day

at Traverse des Sioux, a small hamlet and Indian trading post about a mile from onr anchorage. Haying settled on a lmsis of ,1 per diem for onr board for om· unique sail \\'e bade a hearty adieu to our ,Li:;tinguished

com11rnmlPr and his gallant crew and teste,I the depth of the soil in

heayy wagons hetwePn TntYerse dPs Sioux am! Mankato. Here '""' anived late in the afternoon and were soon quartered in the frame hotPl presided oYer by :Ur. Hanna, \\·hieh stood on tlw conH'r now oec·upiP<I by the l<'irst _Natioual Hauk. After a suppc>r of salted eat-fish \l'C took ,t :;un·py of this then embryo eity, which consislP<i Jllo.stly of a fpw log eal,ins H'l',\'

ornate, but strikingly uniform in thPir order of arehiteeiure, and a fnune

building in an unfinished condition, which snbse,1nentiy ckneloped into a :;tore and ho.,telry undN the 1mtmtgernent of }lr. H,,m·y Slrnubnt, who \Ya~

foJ· H'l'.)' many .)'Pam identified with tlw lmsi1wss int,•1·psts and growth of your l'ity. _'1,ftpr a breakfast. of similar toothsome Yian,ls to thos,' l'omposing our .supper \\'C \\"Pre giYPll to underntand that our dinnPr de­pended upon two contingencies; one, that additional Hour conld be bur­rnwed so111ewhere, and the other, that t.hP fislwr boy of tile house should succeed in the effort he was t.lwn making (o inn•igle another cat­fish from the :\linnesota Rfrer. ,YP detPnnined that we eonkl not w•tit for stl('h a prohlPmatie,d meal lmt wit.h such ,•xpedition as possible started

on our return for St. Paul. The d('stinies of man often hinge upon apparently t.riYi,tl and nn­

imp01·tant cireumstanccs. Had fish and flour been in good supply ,1t Hanna's Hotel on thP memorable occasion to which I refor, it is possiblP 1 should, as one of your old citizens, be joining you in your rejoicing toda.y o,·er the wonderful deYelopment of your magniflC'ent C()l\Bty am! ti]('

groll'th of its chiPf eit.y, l\fankato. The yearf;, ltt)4-,)-U \\'ere an Prn. of Pxtrn.vagant spPenla tion in sitPs

for cities throughout the entire :;dtlPd portion of om· terntory. Prn­cce<I in whatever diredion yon wonl,l from St. Paul, yon found the stakps of tlw smTeyor, th<e condncing e1·idenc•p of the pre\'ailing rnania. Indeed, so llllH'h of our goodly soil \\'as sm·,·p_ved ,rnd plattpd into fntnre _Np"·

Yorks and Chieagos, that the h01wst iillPr of t.he soil foull(l it difficult to S<'<'llr<e enough of broad aerc>s to gi,·e him a suitable fide! for his industry.

lt was tlw ern of townsite speculation. As a not singular illnstrntion of tlw mania to whieh l have referrPd, the old rPsidc>nt.s of t.his city will re­member the town of Shelb,vville, and its founders. Alas, thp grandctu­has dcpartt><l. Its stately hnildings haw, all been rernoYerl to em­lwllish ot.hpr 1110n, fortmrntP loealities and thr ground 111arkPd out by .Messrs. St,wk an,! Porter a.s the great cntrcpot for thP t.rndP and eom­mPn'P of Sonthern ~Jimwsota is (i(•solate in,IPP<l.

In dnP t.inH' a gTPat c·hangp oec·mTPd in tlH' eharn,·t.Pr of those who ,•anw to lay the foundations of a might,,· statP. ThP PXpPriPnc,:,s of ihosP who first gat.hPrP<l about ,t few "aliins, t.hnt in lRiifi adon](',l _vonr hrauti­ful eity, Hl'P now no long<'!' possihlP, nor ln1,·p tlH'Y lwPn for many a )'PH!'. ~\lrPady t.hP mig·hty fore<' that domirn,tf•d (lw \\'orld has laid its hand of

powPr upon thP Pntir<' conti1wn(. and thP innnigrnnt "·ho sP1•ks t.od:ty new lands and an PlllargPd honw is transpori(;d to t.lH, spot. he SPPI" in

160 ,l/anl,ato-/ts First Fijry J ·l'ars

pahtee cam and JirnlK al his ellJUW all Umt he ncecls for luxurious .0,ub sistcnee until he slwll haxe Pstahli.she,l finnly npon his chosen empire hib

supreme sway. The ol,l Sl'Lti"r of your country found nothing hut the prolific soil \\'hich lw had reaclwcl by slow ,wcl tirPsome processes. He came with his slow trudging oxen, lmYing in his ,·01·pred wagon his wife and lit.lie 0110s~·,dl his ridlC's, sa1·p the \\'Paith of a bra1·e and resolute ,.,,tare, a firm aml dct('rrnined spii·it, tixe,l in an tlllfr\\'en·ing purpose to control the dPmeni,; of succ·,•ss that lay c:onc,•,IIPrl undPr the grePil sod chosen

for his home,.

J 11 l'iell' of the fact Uia t in ciPfiane,· of ln,lian mids and the inel'itablc

panics Uwy oecasio1wcl, in spitP of Uw Hnancial clisiress that, in Hh:57 and subsequent ycears, rPblnlecl or crnshpc[ grca t schenJ<•s you had formed for (ip1·elnpmPnt nml growth; in 1·iew of the fnrtlw1· fact tlrnt in the tPelh of the failtll"Ps of men arnl the obstruetin• 1·isitations of Providence you lrnH' mon•d e1·<•r on, <'Oll<[lH'ring UlP forcPs of nature and making them snhs,•1·yient to your nsPs until in the product of yonr n1rious industries you ,we fully alJl"Past with lhP othPr interior <·ounties of the st>1te; in YiPII' of all these facts, yon urny with panlonahlc pride exclaim, "Om· lines han• fallen to ns in pleasant plnc<'s aml II'<' h,wc a goodly hrritage."

Mankato and Blue J~nrth, my home for so many years, lmYe ever been generous friends aml the close conneeti,m enealt>tl !Jy ihe Omaha Road has houn,l us with bars of steel n,ry dosely together. But how long and with what impatience we labored and 11·a.itecl and hoped for sneh a consunrn1atiun. H<'re lay a vast lntct of land of unsurpassed fc1·­

tility, early oeenpiNl l>y an industrious and thrifty people, and yet, by a rPm,1rkablc <'ornbination of nncontrollable events, thPy \\'ere excluded for many yp,u·x from the advantag,•s readily extP1Hled hy capitalists to the comm1rnitics 011 ('ither side of them. \\'p apppare,l in this valley of de­light to ha1·p !wen for nrnny years in a Rip \'au 1rinkle slumbC'r. 1Yc had inclPP<l <'l'C'ded d11·Plli11gs, op<'IWd up farms and raised flocks and lwnls, but as contra,;tPd with the thrnhbiug, pulsating hcart-bPat,; of a people th,tl. h,tl'C, bC'en clri1·<-:n forwanl in their prngn•ssi1·e nwrch by the

tirel<'ss, rC'sistlC'ss power of skam, we had been slnmberiug all these many y<•ars. LikP tlw iunoc•c•nt m,1ic!,,n of the fairy tale who, chaine,l in slec•p by Uw spPII of a magi<'ian, eoukl be awak<enPrl only when the brave arnl ill'roie knight cmning to lwr dP]iY(,nlllef' had J>rPssNI npon IH'r 1rn<·onscions. lips, the kiss of Y,tlor, so waite,l slumbering for many years, this charm­ing n1lic•y till IH'r dPli1·<•rer e,tm<'.

I-I<, cam<' at last with iron tn•a,l and mrtikcl hancl, aml with a fiery, lifo­gi1·ing kiss a11·ake1wcl hN lo life and aciidty an,l loY<'. L<'t now the dead past be forgotten. LC't it bury its O\\'ll ck-ad. L,•t us so far as it is permit-1(,t[ us, <·<•asf' to l'l'llH'llllll'r that W<' lm,·e grown oh! ll'ith fruitful arnl unfruit­ful y<'ars. L,•t us, ha1·i11g h,istily looked into the to111h, whieh holds many a clisappoinlP<l hop<' aml <-rnshc•cl aspiration, n•,ioicP ill the li1·ing, aetil'e 1irc•s<·nt, thanking thP lH'HPfic•pn1, fat,•., th,1t ha1·p not ldt ns without hope for t.hP f11t111·,,, a11cl adopt as onr own th,• kincl(y sPnti111P11t of O"l'uomy, tiw 1,arcl of ~!Path as hP sings lo his hrollwr bare!, .\mln,w NkUrath, of Keny.

Old Sdtiers nay

"'l'akP my lil<'ssi11g O 111.)' fric,11,l

.\ll(l forg<'i noi Sham O'Tuorny, Ilad he ll'<'alih, hacl he ,iewds, 1-lc, would share th,•n1 all wiih yon. The hrighPst day oft follows on th,· gloom,

~-\nd Wt' shall 111eel again \\'lwn the olcl tinws corn<' a11c•,1·."

LETTER FROM HON. C. D. GILFILLAN.

I U1ank yon and your CommiUPe for the ,·cr,v kind in Yi ta !.ion to lie pn•seni with _von and tlw othpr <'iti1/.Pns of :\lankato an,\ tl,osP of Sonihcrn :\li1111psota g,•ncrally, at. UH• S,•n1i-('<•nt,•nnial ('l'll'hmtion of the founding

arnl sdUemcnt of that historic ,ill(\ r·nh'l']ll'ising Mimw~oLL eity. J beg to assm·p yon that nothing lrnt an irnfo;position of ll<'alth will

pn•,,•nt my pn•s,•nee ,,·ith yon all() my Pnjoymcnt of tlw oecasion. l can­

not w,•11 imagine anything that would gin• me more pleasure, than to med my old friends among the pionPers of :\lankato at this important 1)('riod of their history, arnl rene,,· m,r form<>!' acquai11ta1H·e and friendship with them. Pr·nnit lll(', througl1 you, to congratulate thPm upon tlw faet that they not only laicl 1.he foundation of a husy and Jll'0SJl<'l'Olls inland eit,v, IJ11t tl1(',V han, Jin,-\ to spe the glory of its (·ompletion to a splPndid PminPncP in our grPat C'ornmonwP,dth, with all h1·ight prosp<'cis for its future growth, d<'YPlopment. and f'Xpansion. .-\ml I dPsire cspcciall.v to complinH•nt them upon tlwir public spirit and Pnterprise in celebrating and commemorating this ,umiYPrsnry of the birth of their city, and to rongrntnlate them upon the success which, nrn cPrtain, will cro,,·n

thPir dforts . . -\n orcasion lik,, this makes me r<'flPcti1·p and n'mini,;cent, and my

thoughts rPvrrt to iJ", oh!Pn ti1nr. You 11·ill panlon a. fPllow-ohl-pi01H«•r for a frw Pxpn•ssions, although th('_\' may lie desultory in a.nan!Ienwnt and unimportant in character.

l eamc to ~IimH•sota two years hdorp ..\lanka!o was lai,\ out. I Jirst sn ,,· tlw place in 18,i4. and it was (!Jpn, as now, t!JP l<>ading town of !hP

,\li111wsot,1 Yall<\Y. Its prineipal citi1/.ens. like thosp of tmla.v, 11·ere 11H•n of intelligr,11,·P, pntPrpris(', and imlustry, arnl the town was thriYing aml grnwing. I \\'as then s1.ntck and ha,·p always !wen illtjll'('SSPd with the ,uh·,mtages posspsspd by the town in the partienlar of its natnral lo­cation and position in om· i',tatc.

The towns of tlw lo\\'er j\Jilltwsota \'alley \\'Pr<' all located 011 (.hp ri,·er and at important bPnds and tnrns in tlw c·oursc of ilw strP,1111. :'\t the tinw of, arnl for many yearn after, their loeation, s1.Pa111l,c»Lt 1rn,·igatio11 was the only means of commPreial eornm11nieation belwe!'n j\Jinncsol.,L all([ thP outer world. Tl!(' Minnesol.,L Hi,·,,r \\'HS mwigable, arnl the peo­ple of the ('onntry were depcndPnt upon it as thPir nrnill cmnmPrcial highway. The fournlPrs of Mankato and of eNtain of hPr sis(Pr mnnid­palities in the J)('autiful Yal!c-,,· ,lesirP,l 1.o hnild t!1!'ir towns as far inland as practif·ab!P, in onlPr 1.o ronlrnl lrn,1,• ,w,\ business in 1.hP for-reaching coullt ry 1o th,• son th all<! west, and hP1H·0 plae,•d lhPrn al. l.11!' h,•1Hls and angl<'s of Ute rin·r whid1 project,,,! into thl' eonntry lo a eonsidPralile

1 6., ,1/ankato-fts First Fifty J'ears

dist,u1c,·. This shn·w,l i,J,,a. arnl the fnrtlwr fact that the site was at the

rnouth of the Blne Earth, cnntrollctl the loeation of nfanlrnto. Jt was a wise itlea, hnt not a lt,ng,0 tlwr original. The ancient Romans

,ulopt,•d tlw same thcor.v when the.v occ11piecl the Yalley of the Rhi1w. Th<'/ ma,t,, t]l('ir pPrnuuwnt military canqrn at the be]l(]s of the gre,ti

ri,·e1· ancl at the <·011flm•ncc of othPl" streams, and in tinw. these camps b,•,·a111<· thP sitps of important eilies-as the city of Cologne, at the mouth :)f (ht• :\losPII<•; the city of :\Jainz, at the month of the :\fain, etc.

Xow. I do not mP,tn to say that Henry ,Jackson, Parsons K. ,Johnson,

.John f-i. lli11ekley, Col. JJ. ,-\. ltoliertson, ,rn,l tlwir associates, who lai<l ont :\Janka to. l,01-rowPd thPir ic!Pas from t.hP Romans, or from ttn_ybody. I per­sonally know ,.,-,.ry one of thP original members of the :\iankato town­site ,·ompm1y, and I know Pn•ry man of them wtts an intelligei1t ~-\mer­iean, "·ith conePptions and ideas of his own. lt waB simply a coincidence lhat lhPir ir!Pas \\"Pn• thosr, of the ol,l Roman all(\ Tenton city lmiklern.

Tlw 1wople of :\Iankato an, to lw eongratnlated upon certain unique f,•a lill"<'S of thPi1· cele\Jrn lion. If the fomllling of Cologne or m1y otht•r of the great cities of the Rhine wPre to be celebrated toda,y, there could not he prese11t a single animate thing that existed a.t the founding. But at the }]ankato Cl'lcbration ~•tll! ,,.ill, l trust, ]rnYc with you some of the

original propri<'tors of the town all(l Ye1y many others who helped to place 1.hP foundationB of thl' to\\'n, to ht'\\' the first shafts and lay the firnt architrn n,s, and who ean look hack m·pr the hiRtory of the cit,v and say \\'ith ~-\PnC'as. ",\II of this I sa,1· and a great part of it I was."

I ha ,·e sePn with the <'JPS of an interested obserH'r the progress of ~lanka to from a little frontier village to its 1m'scnt proportions, am\ I am t'Prtain tlwt the gn•aiest factor in its growth and deYelopment has been the :-.;tronµ; array of hn~dnP:-.s 111en whieh tlH~ town has al\\~ays n1aintained. OthPI' infilwnces, as adnrntag,•s of loeation, tlw 1.J'ibute of a :ast fertile

eountry. ete., ha\'P hPlpecl. hut thP,P. in thPms<>lnes, wonld have ttYailed hut little if there had not \wen the right me11 to seize npon them aml to makP tlw most of them.

Tlw nP\\·spapern of Mankalo ha,·c always been of great value to the to\\'n. ,\'ithout inYidious distinetion, nncl 110 other desire than to state

an hbtoric- truth, l l>PliPYe that yom late honored tt1Hl honora1Jle citizen, ~Ir. John C. "'isl', did n10r<e than any other man to Mhertise and make fan,rnhly known the stqwrior a,lnrntagPs, natural and otherwise, of :\Jankato, and to attract tlw strnng elements to the place which made it so succesBfnl. HP and l \\·ere impla.cabk• politkal enemies but intimate am\ warm 1wrnonal frientb, and I know well what he did and accomplished. For nmn_v )'Pam he publislw<l a nPwspa.per ,ieYoted to the principles of 1hP minorit)· political party of the statP. yet he did not fill it with puffs and plati(mles about polities and politicians, lrnt devotee\ it nrninly to th<' i11t,•1·ests of his town .and state, and labon'd almost with an eye singlte io thPir aclnUJ<'PmP11L En•r_v issn<' nf his papPr ,vas an advertisement of ;\"lanknto. ancl anything that offrn•<l i(.sp]f to him pertttining to the his­lor_,, of his <"it.y or sia tP alwnys found favor in his eolnnrns.

,-;o 111a11,1· of U,,. eitizPJJ.s of ;\lankato hav0 '"'"II 111.v personal friernls

Old Settlers Day ,63

that 1 may fairly lH, diargc•d with a partiality for thP town. Those whc

han~ pass,;d a.way are pPrhaps no11· most JH·ouli1wntly in my rninrl. Peace to thPir ashes and n•,·r•rence lo thei1· JIH•morif'S. To those yet in the land, may tht>y li,·e long and prosper. Your people will place a rnonunient o,·,!r th" graYe of Ex-Senator ;\forton S. \\'ilkinson, long prornint>llt ill our ,'>tatP alld sometime a citizen of J\Jaul,a.to. J ,l"ish l could be present when that is done. Senator \\'ilkillson all<! l W<'l'P intimat,.f,v acquainted a.nd J liked him well. He ,n1s ho1wst, earnest, anrl patriotic. One service he ,Ii,! for th(• country is not ,,·ell enough known. Xear the dose of President Lincoln's firnt t('J'm, a calm! or org,rniza lion of Republican Senators was fornw,l to ]H'P\"Pllt hi.s n•-,•led.ion. .\ num her of Sena tom, :some

of th<•m JH·omim•nt, were in tht> lllO\'PlllPllt, anll St•1wt01· \\'ilkinson, 1.h(•!l a, llPpubliean iUtd pro1ninPnt in U1<=> N(•na te ns a tlehater ancl worker, "'as

s1.rongl_v urgc>d to join it. But this gTea t loyal spirit not only rpfllspc[ to fa\'(Jr 1.hc• rPprelwnsiblP seheme !mt dc•nounePd it n.nd fought it and was largp]y instnmH•ntal in r]pfc.ating it, and Lincoln was nominakd and re­p]eete,l to the great scr\'ice of the Llnion and l111111anity.

The record of i\lanknto in peac•p and in war is most grati!"ying to ,di of us, and your citizens are justly proud of it. The town has ,,!ways done its duty. lt s(•nt its foll quota of niluntpc•r soltliers to the front in

the period of the great Soutlwrn RPbellion, am! l!HlllY of thPm laid down their !iYes for their country. Then in 180i, at a time when the little town was almost stripped of its brnYest. and !Jpst, who we;·e lighting to presern,

the Cnion, came thP great Sioux Imlian Uelwllion. almost upon the bordern of tlw municipalit,\'. History tPlls, all(! ot!H•!'H 11·ill n•latp to you m1teh

hettN than I can, the contluet of the little city under the trying cir­eumstanc('s. \\'onl came that the cotmtry to your \\'P.stwanl and north·

wan! was li<'ing rantgPd am! dPsolatccl by fin• and glln and tomahawk, arnl that ~'our neighbor city, Xcw l,'lm, was girt abont by a wall of Indians, l'Pdha]l(IPd from the scc>1ws of rapin<' am! slallghh•r t>bc!wh('re all([ bent on the destnl('tion of the town in flam,, and blood.

Disregarding tlwir 01Yn danger. the nH·n of ;\lankato went at onc·e to th<' n•scue. How 11·<'11 arnl suce<'ssfully the_y fought and beat off the savage> honlPs and how rnany of tlwm wprc killecl while fighting for their frllow men, history rC'latPs and the State will nen•r forget. And when New Ulm lay crippled an,! imperiled, weak and r,xposcd, fire-blackenecl and battlP·Scancd, the 1wople of Mankato OJJPIH'<l tlwir rloorn aml invited thPir neighborn to come in them for slwlter an,! prntcdion. J well re· member the tinw an,! know something of the cirenmstances, and I cannot rceall in all histor.,· an Pxample of noblc,r condnct.. mo)'(e generous and

righteous, than the action of the people! of Mankato toward their unfort­tmatP neighbors of :\'p,1• I 'Im and 1.lw smTotmding cotmtry in the terrible days of 18G2.

Our Htatc has 11u\.dP ningnitieent progress during- thP fifty _yPar;--; which ha,·p intPn'c•ned lwt,1· .. <•11 th<' elate of 1.11<• founding of }lankato and the p)'(•sent. arnl your town has kept step in tlw front rnnk of the gran,l nHu·eh. It has lH'<'ll Ill_\' pri,·il<'g<•, and I ,·onn!. i1 a distinction, ~hat i lmn• bePn, a,; an humhl<> citizen, a witness of tlw ndn1nr·<'lll<'llt rnalle, although

;lfanlwto--fts Firs/ Fifty J ·ears

I havi, not eontrilmtcd my fnll ,;lmn, io the work. You and I and our

other piolll'l'r nssol'ia tC's are gelling lo he olcl mPn now, and will be unable to

do an_vthing more for the nphuilding of om· state. "'e can only bid God­

spPl'd to those who have taken our places. l know that the next fifty

Y\',ns will aec:0111plish rnueh more than has been already done-how mueh c·nn only [,., ford.ol<l by one gifted with the spirit of prophecy.

RPgrdting that I cannot be with you in person; trusting tlmt your

C'C'lPhntlion \\'ill lie c·ompletc•ly sncePssful ,rnd in every w,iy befitting the

historic ineident it eomniemonttes, ancl with best wishes for the future

prospPrity nncl suc·c•pss of :'vbnlrnto and kindPst rc:ganls to my old friends

nnd assoeiaks of the town and for younwlf personally, I am,

Very sincerely yours,

C. D. GILFILLAN.

I,ETTER OF HON. J. B. HUBBELL.

:\ly wifl' n,1uinds me that I must send "regrcb" tlmt we can not

aitP1Hl lhP Jl,tnkato Stemi-Cc•ntPnnial, which I now do. Not the formal

sort. for form's sakp simply, hut heartfelt, that we cannot meet with the

olcl sdtlers nncl friencls, many of whom we will never have the opportunity lo lllC'Pl again. \\"hilP sojourning at this lwantiful rp;;ort (Bayfield, \Vis.),

I am oflf'n rPmincled of our old friends. Henry ]\'I. Rice, and John C. \\Tise,

who locat,•tl this town. Jlr. Rice was United States Senator from Minne­

sota, ,tlways genial and accommodating, whether on the frontier or in

\\·,,shington. Mr. \Yise was one of the very best citizens and ablest news­

papPr men to be fonnd in any comnnmity, He brought his young wifo

with him to :\lankato, who soon won the respect and affection of all, and

rl'tni1H'c\ it thrnngh life>, and was of good assistance, to her kinll-hearted husband.

I will only refer to a fow incidents and clrnrncterisiics of some of

thP Parly sdUPrs of the town, le,wing it for others more competent, to c[pscrihe thC' most important matters, such as the Indian war,

U"' grasshopp<'r plaguP, <'tc., whieh were serious calamities and draw­hacks to llH' prnspcrity of the town, The citizens generously aidPcl the

sdtlPrs in the smTomHling country ,!ming those trying times more tlmu will ,,,·,·r lw gc1wrnlly known,

Yon are especially fortimate i11 lm\'ing P. K. Johnson and Mr.

llineklP,Y ll'itl• ~'Oll among other distinguished citizens from throughout

the i-llate. ''l'. K.," as we always called him, was the almost llllanimollti

ehoieP of th" 1wopl<', n•ganlless of party for many years to ihe J11Rtice otlkc. and l donht if there was C\'Pr a better jnsticP, for he was honest

ancl eompPtc>nt lo fill any position inelmling the: presidency of the United

St,ttPs. Ii will lw too rnud1 of rt tlu;k for 111<' to nHention many of the old

sl'!llc•rs that hnn• 1»tsspcl all',t,Y, suf-!ice it to say they were generally su­

pPrior 1 o thosp us11n lly founcl upon the frontier, in intelligence:>, generosity ancl puhlie spii·iL

.\1no11g 1hc• first with whon1 I hP<'HlllP aequainted, wlH-'11 I larnlecl ,l1t1H• 1st, lHii,. 11·as Titos. D. \\"anPll, a typical V0r1110111f'r, ll'ho had crosspcl

lhP plains lo ( 'nlifornitt in "4!)." I-le had sett.IP<! upon land adjoining

Old Sdtlcrs /Jay

ihc M,wkato townsitc, ihe tiile to which was in dispute, ,rnt i\'arn,u

said his title \\'as perfect, that ihl·re had l,ppn \mt thn,0 trnnsfr1·,, the fast

from God to the Imli,ws; second, from the Indians lo the Unih•d Stat.es,

,wd third and last from the Unite,! StatPs to him.

Tlwre was ,J. TraYis Ro:--.ser, a courtly llHtHlH'H'll gr-ntle1nnn fro1n

Virginia. ,ve were visiting a camp of Sioux lmlinns on the north .side

of the Minnesota River, now :l\orth ~Jankato. ltosspr was ,ulmiring about

the most lJ<,a11tiful Indian maic!Pn I c,1·,•r .saw, who, he• said, Imel lookP<l

kindly upon him ancl he saicl he imagitwd hPr iu l,p a sc•c:oncl L'oeahontas···-1

think thosp were thee last Sioux luclians that p1·c•r c·,11npPcl lll'Hl' :\lankaio.

('has. \\'. Miller was a bright .,·onng la \\',l'<'l' from XP11' York. He enme

\\'<'st for hi,; hPalth. He lrncl c•on.snmption. ..\s illllllSPllH'lltK \l'C'l'e 1101 pkntiful, WP oecasionally mPt in ;\Jil!Pr's 1·001n to play ",Inn,· poke1·" as

ihe little excitC'nH•nt serve,! to cliYNt his rniucl from his infirmities for

the iime being, but ~tiller kept failing 11niil ht> hacl to have \\'atehcrs,

and ::\fr. Chas. Thompson. an Pldf•rl:v g,•ntleman, hacl volunteerPcl to sit up

with him, when to Thompson's s11rp1·ise ,John Hodgson ( Big .Tohn as he

was called), ""m. Reid, Pax Kitchen ancl myself filed into the room to

see how Miller wa.s getting along a.ncl to try to f'heer him up a little. He wa,; in heel prepared for the night, lrnt when he Sll\\' 11s lw raised up

saying: "by Georgc>, boys this looks rather suspicious" and got up, and 11·e played poke1· till early in the morning·, to Mr. Thompson'c; ,tstonish­

ment, who usecl to tell the story as a good joke on himself, sitting up to

see a sick man platy poke,· all night. Miller left Mankato soon after am\

I think died in Galena, where he had rplatil-es.

The times 1Yere very hare! in :\'Iankato after tlw "panic" of ':'i7, and

think I 11e1·er km'w monPy to l,p so scarf'e an~· whPrP. .-\t Inst the

string<'ne,1· \\'as rPli,•vPcl a liitk• by th<' ac!l·ent of U1c• pnrehasPrs of ginseng, who paid linsh for the roots. They 11·pre made 11·elconw ancl werf' treat<>,!

with greater eon,;idPration than 11·01J!cl lw so many millionain•s today.

As gins<>ng 11·as ple11tif11! in the "Big \\"o()(ls" many young men who had rn•1·('r 11·orkr,cl much ])('fon• startP,l ont ll'ith thPir hoes and snc·ks awl

nHule good wagt'H ''cligging sang." .John Hodgson did not fanC'y the Llu;ines:-j

arnl I jokingly said to him if he would go to work I woulcl huy him a hoc.

He R~lid ht1 would be~---if he would go to digging ":·mnµ;'' for a lh·ing, but wonlcl go back to Lake Superior coppPr rninPs wh0n, he canw from.

l-Ie did go, and as he was an PXpPrt n1i1H•r 111ach~ a In rge fortune in n,

few years nnd has been enjoying hix inronw p\·er sinc·P.

The early history of Mankato wo11lcl be ineompldc• without ,;ornd.hing

being said about Ueo. "'· Lay. I-le ow1w,l and opemte,l the first saw mill. 'Twas clrnrgPd he dealt in hornps ancl tha.t lw was not. particular how he

got then1 if tlwy ,ver<-' only good ones. He ahvn,vs hacl quite a large gang of men about, ready to do his hi,lcling, hPncc lw was an important factor

about election time and although a cl<'moerat hl' snpportf'cl mP wl11.>n I

wa.s elect('() Registpr of DePds on Uw RPJmhli<'a.n 1.iPkPt 01·,•r \Vm. R. Sarg-flnt, thP Dt11noeratic cau<liclatf'. Narg:Pni was a fine~ yo11nµ; 11uu1 and

was then llPgist,•r and a most <'X<'Pllrnt ofliN·r. and 111~· majo,·it.v in thP

County was only about 70. ..\s we were goocl fri,·nds 1 clicl not fr!'! lllll<'h

166 ;J/anlwto-lts Firs/ h/Yy )'{'ars

likP rc•joiving OV<'\' his (!Pfrnt, arnl ht- rlicl not bhune Jill', lrnt attributed his

defrat tu his on•r eon!idence. l-k went to Colorado mH! died tltL•re. t-iome

yean".i aftcrwar<lH l ea1ne aC'ro~::-; Lay in n \\·e:-;lern to\\·n untle1· arre~t for

haYing in his possession ,i 1nli1· of home,-; whieh m10Uwr man claiml'<l.

La,\' said lw was an innocent p11rclrnser and aske,l !lll' to go on his bond.

:\"otwithsia.ncling nppeaxances wne against him, he !wing nn ol<l fricrnl.

I gaH• him tht- !JPnefit of the ,lonht and ,,·ent on his bond. HP c·onelrnled not

to stand trial, an(! the last l heanl of him hl' \\'Us a prospProus, highly

respected c-itizen on tlw Pacific slope. !:fr ha\l quit th(• horse businPss. his

melhod.s !,Ping m1popular there, and l:on;e,-, \\"en• too el1C•np to make it

profital)ll•, whieh nec(•ssitated a chang<' an,l his Pngagi11g in othc'r lm~inps,;.

kato. told.

listecl

\\'hen the ( 'ivil \Var broke out there ,,·as great exeilPlllPnl in ,\l,tn-

I ·wa:-; onf' of those that "'crunp near going·" j11t;t ho\\T near 1 ]wYe Be-Yer

_:vly cleput:v, Henry \\'ykoff, a splendi(l, fine looking young -man, en­

in the eelelirnted First Mimwsota Regiment, nnd was killed nt

Ueitysbnrg. About the time \\'ykoff lh•eidecl to enlist, there was a man

that 1mHle himsplf Yl!l',Y offensiYe in talking about tlw war and Ephraim

Cole and myself were appointed to \\'ait upon him and ask him to Llesist. \Ve told him our friends were enlisting and tlutt we did not lik(' to hear

sueh talk as; he was making and asked him to take it back. He sn,id

he'd be cl--d if he would, and would say it again, whereupon I grnblwd

him around the arms and waist and Cole took him by the collar and neck.

He then discoYered we were in earnest and he recantC'cl, 1 rPekon the matter has tH•,·er been mentioned u<'fore this, a.nd those who knew ,\fr. Cole

may be surprisecl to !war tlmt the great. good 1rntnrcLl, kinrl hearlPd man

was c,·er wrought. np to such >1 pitrh; besides he was a !Jpmocrat.

E. D. BrunPr, who \\'as a surYeyor 1:111<.l nu1d<~ a new nin.p of th(• lown, went into t\w 1rn,·y. He ,,·as a grachmlc of Annapolis. and hacl se1Tcd ill

the na.,-,i' before•. The tirnt "party" (or "fnnction," l suppose th<'~' would 110w

call it). that 1 atteudPd was at ;\Ir. Bnuwr's, it was n hitter col<! nightawlhe hacl sawed and split an Pxtrn lot of woocl (e,·eryb()(l~· sawed anll split their

own wood in those tlays), hut it was all nsed np bdore midnight and

Brmwr was kPpt pretty busy ill the wood slwd nulil lwl\,•,•pJ! two ancl

three o'clock in the morning wlwn the party hrokr• up a.ncl \\'t' \\'Pili home,

after spPnding an enjoyahll, l'\'ening, and (•arly morning. ~Ir. Brnrn•r

!ms joined the; great nrnjority. He \\'as a lilw man ,uHI his wif<' was an p,;­

tinrnble lady.

1\'p lrnrl many sol'ial parlil'K nncl dnnePs, as tlH·n· \\'.ts hut litllc· pJsC'

lo llo. The finest ancl most l'n,io,vablP of all ,1·as a party gin·n h,v ilH· Tlwrstons on the \\'atonwan. There \\'ere niany young rn,uTil'cl eonp!Ps,

ancl as they luul not been in the country long Pnongh lo \\'ear out their

fitw. garnwnts, and as tlw hulies \\'p1·c the hl·lles of ihl' loc,diiies in tlw slatPs from where they came, it \\'as a brilliant affair. \\'p WPl'P 1mHle to

foe] welcome and the refreshnwnts \\'Pl'P th(• Jinpst lo hi• ha,\ past or \\'Psi,

and I \'ellilll'<' to say t]H, l'lU11ll'd fruits \\'<'l'l' thc> firs( (•,·p1· hrnnght lo Ua•

ennn(r~·. I l'HnH· rn•ar forgdting lo nwntion tit<' Pn•,;l,ytl•rian ehnrl'h l,p]\.

It should not lw o\·prfookl'd. TIH• ]a(lil's sln1ggJ,,,l hanl to rnisp th,, ll!Oll<',V

to lrn~· it am! nP,Hly P\'ery body L·o11lrilJll\Pcl their mill's toward it until

()Id Sdtltrs f)ay

it was finally larnlP,\ frolll a sframlmat on Uw lten•e on Front street, ill

the 111\Hl. H w,1s first hoisted 11pon 1.\\·o b11ndl('s of s\Jingll's ,wd wally

took a turn at ringing it, Ueorge IL i\farsh, \\'ho ,ms ihl' capitalist of tlw

tow11 and lookP<i ,1ftPr his inn•stnwnts c,ndully. sai,l he \\·onl,l give• it ;1

fc•w turns to get his eontribntion lmek. Thl' lJl'II did gr('nt ,SL'nin• fo1· all ,sorts of o,·c•,1.sions am\ 'tw,is .sai,l ih<'.1'

uspd to ring it for the boys to go in s11·inrn,ing. J s11ppos" it \\·ill he hl'ard

dming illl• Sc•rni-Centl•n11iaL r \\'otild Iii«• to lll<'ntio11 !llany of till' old .sell lers, \mt if I IH·;_:·in l will

no( gd thi,s off in tinw. and Ill," wifl' says, I an, (oo lat,, \\·iih it no11·,

so "·ith a lwariy gTPPting an(l IH•,-.;1, \\'i:·dH'~ fro111 lJot.11 l!l,\' wift• (ll!d 111_\'st•lf

to <'aeh a11<l all \\'l' hid you goodhy<'.

LINCOLN PARK,

BIOGRAPHIES. );OTE: The, portraits ,tll(l hiographiPs in lhis volt1m(• nn• not eon­

fiu~,l PxclusivPl.v to ol<t ,-,,,ttkrs. ,\ll of the llHl)'(ll'S. mnnieipal ,rnd Disiriet court judg('s, and memlwrs of the gxeeutiYe Co11I111itfr<' of 1.hP S(•111i-( 'enten­nial of our Cil)'. hav(', also, hePn i1wln(!ed, without rq..;art! to lhl· ,lat<' of their citizpn.ship. A frw c·ornparntin•lr late C'Ollll'r.s, lwsides, ha,·e hPPll a(ld,•d, who lm,·e <·ontrilmlP(l in a spPC'ial wa_,· \o lhP nplmilding of mu· C'i\y. Through laek of tim,; for a thorough .s_,·sternntie ea.nvass, many c•11titlet! to ,t plaee lwrl'in. h,\1'<' \,pen unintPnliomtlly on'rlooke,L A frw-not 01·er li,tlf a do%<'n-faile<l to re.spo11d to lliP ,·01111nitt,•P', .soli('itation. lnniri­,tl,ly tlw treatuwnt acconh;d tlH' enmmitt,,,, lrns hPen rno,t <·onrl<'o\ls au,l obliging and many of our ol,l sdtl,•r fri,•1Hls lrnYe n•ud,•r,•,l inniluable airl in g,tth<'ring photogrnphs ,11Hl biographical dabt fm· 011r thl'. Th" n<'li,·l'

and friendly inlere~t and ]l(•!p, 11'hieli mil' eitizeu.s lrnY<' gi1·,•n our 1•n1.!•rpris,•, Im Ye gn,ally alleYiatPcl the lmnh·n of ti!(• work. Tl!(• length of Uw biogrnphi,•s has llmiul_v d<'pewh•,t on thn·e things: . .\ ll!Ollllt of data fnrni.,h('d, nmiiJ",r of historical inei,1<,111.,. whid1 could lw imYO\'Pll. n1Hl the 1111nth('l· of sl'p,trale <•,·pnts pt:rtaining- to a life-s(HllP having an PYt•n tPnor, ,rl,il(' oUwrs are fu11 of change. The importance of the life itself can not therefore 1,., guagi•cl ther<'U~'. A mimber of th<' ch11rl'IH'S fllrnislwcl 11s cuts of their bnilclings an<l pastors, nn<l few of the lattPr s(•nt datas for biographies, lint press of other dutiPs lm, <lPtai1wd the cornmitt<'P from aHernpting any si)('eial can­v,tss ,dong this lin<', P)C<•Ppt in 1.he ,·asp of \hree or four of th,; pion<'ns.

C10111niitteP.

ANDREWS, CHAS. N., at tlJl' time of tlii:ca :,;ketch i,.; -1:i Years

of age, and has resi<led in Unnknto :-im·c 18!J!l, nncl i>l'l'll t•ngngl',1 in the pnll'til'l' or law. lfo is a natin· of \Yi,.;con:-;in and l'l'lllon•<l to :\I imll':Sntn m 18(,!1. Hi,-, pnrcnb an• !lOtlt

natirl's ol' Councdicnt, and he claillls to lw as near I 1·

pure blnodl'd ,\_m<'rican a,-; any, lmt th,, nnti1·t; Indian. :-lirn·t• n',-iding in i\lnnkato lw ha;; takl-n nn inilircst in

pnhlil' affairs of tlw cit_1·, and 1,-; rng,1rdc<1 a;-; an adin•

and pro_,O'<'SHi 1·11 citi,wn. He was President of the Board

of Tra<k of the Cih- at the tim<' of it~ Semi-Cent<•nnial

celebration, and as ,.;neh wa;; lllH(i<i n m,•rnlwr oC tlw g('ll-

CHAS. N. ANDREWS. l'rnl cmnmitt<'(', having in

charge Urnl celebratiou, awl <lid Iii,-; p;irt of il1e co111111iltee work.

h',·o.!/rajlzies

ANDREWS, DR. JOHN W. -Born m Rus,;c-llvill(', Ill., April G, 18--l!)-,;on of Hev. ,John IL ,\]l(lt·c•\\·" ancl l)elilah A]l(lr<'\I'"· Jlis father wa" adiYl'h <'ngager1 in thl' rninistry of the ?vf. K

DR. JOHN WESLEY ANDREWS.

rn hi!-' profession. He locatccl at

drnrch for on,r forh n•ar,;.

The fornil_r n'1Ho1·('d to St. l'l't('I', :\l i llll., i !I Odohl'r rn:rn. ])r. ,\.ndn•w,; 1rn:-; educah>d in tlw con1rno11 ~('l10ols H]l(I the· -:\[aukato '.\onnal "<"hool. Ht• al:tt'JHl<•d tlw l'niYl'l',;ih at .'urn Arbor, :\I i(•li., in Hn':i-(,,

g1·adnnt<•rl frolll Hush :Vll'dicnl Col lcge of Ch icngo, Ill., in tlw ( 'lass of 18 Vi, and from Ht•ll t'­nw Ho:spital llforlical College of Xew York City, in the Clas,; of 181-50. IT e then spent one ,reM in Europe studying in the ho8pital:- of Berlin and \'ienna. He lrns at sl'rernl different times sine<' go1w to medical ccnteri-: of the country for special study and reYiew, arnl lrns bccom<· very eminent

Marshall, Minn., for thr; first fin' .vca rs, tlH'll in A ugn:st 188:l, 1·c-rnon'<l to :Mankato, w lwrn he hac< built t1p an <•xknc<iw prndic,'. He is public tspiritc•d arn1 energetic in PHT1· 1110n>, \\'hiC'h tc•rnl;s to thC' rnatl'rial or moral growth oJ' tlH· ( 'itr. Ifr nrnnic>cl ,JenniP C. French, \relhwill(•, X. Y., .\pril -Hh, 18'i8, nnd ther liaH' mw <·hilrl, Hoy \<·wht·1T1· ,\.ndrcm,.

BAKER, GEN. JAMES fl., born at Monror', Butler Count.,·, Ohio, ;\lay(,, JH:2\), son of lfpnry and llnnnah ll<•aton Bnkl'r. His father was a natin· of Baltimore, J\Id., fortr .n'ar:-; a practising physician, nrnl ]Hlssesse<l finC' likrar,v atta irn1H·nts. II i;s grnnd­f'atherc<, 1Villiam Hakn and J)aricl Henton. wc>re both Hl'rnlution­arv soldit·r:s. Wlwn young Hak('r 1n1:-; tlm'<' _\'l':ll'f' old hi:-; parents 1noY<•rl to Ll'lwnon, Ohio, wlJ<•nc<>, 111J<m l1is 1notlwr's clC'ath, lw was sC'nt to his grandl'atlwr's honw, 1war :\fi<lclldown, Ohio, and for hrn n•ar,; atir•ncll'cl "Fi!'llinn .\nHle111_,·." JJc, crnnpldl'd his pclu­eation nt tlw Ohio Wt>slt\j'HH l;ni\'c•rsity, grnd1rnling ·,1·itl1 honor

Ilio/;raplz/t·s

in the Class of 18fi2, arnl rcceiYing, three yPars later, the ad<1itional dcgret) of A. J\I. AJtcr spending a brief period teaching, Mr. Baker pu r1_;hascd of Obray Curr_v, tlw poet, the "Scioto Uazettt,,'' of Chillicothe, Ohio, !wing the olclP:st lll''"''J>aper in the :siak. In return for the gTt'at :service rern1ercd to tlw lfopubl ican part.v tlwn organizing, lw was L'lectt'd on its tickl't, Secretary of State. Upon the expiration of hi:-; term of office he rcmm·e<1 to :Vlinnetsota, in J\Jay 18:57, and soon thereafter ,;dtl<'d on a farm ·11e,1r Can1en ('ity. 'l'akiug an adi\'l' part in politic", lw 1rn:o cleckd St•nPtnry of our Stak in 185/J, and n'-clec:tcd in 18(il. fkaring his country's call in lwr hour of peril, lw rcsig1wd hi:,; office, and rushc11 to lwr ai<1. \\'m; rnmmisc<imwd ·colonel of the Tenth l\'linn. \'ol-1mteers, ~m·. rnth, 18G2, and :sl'l'Yl'd with hi:s regiment nnc1Pr (fon.

SiblPy in 18(>:!-:l, in snppr<•:s:-;ing the Sioux outbreak. In October 18(;:1, his regiment ,ras ordered :-;onth, an<l he was a,;,;igned to the t·ornnumd of the po;;t of :-lt. Lonis liy <Jen. :-lcofield. Thi;; eom­marn1 ,1•a:-; <'nlarget1 :--nb:-;cqnentlv to embrace :-;e,·cn connties, and MnalJ_y he was ereatcd Prorn;;t iVfarshal (iencral of tlw Department of Mis,muri, a very important position, making him practically the military gm·ernor of the State. For efficienc.v in the r1i,;­charge of hi;; dutie:-; in this important position, lw was made a Bn!,·d Brigadier Ueneral, arnl was not mustered out until Octolll'r :n:st, 18(i."i.

s-\fter the ,rnr Ut•n. Baker rdurm!d to his farm in Blm, Earth co1mty. In 18"1, l'resid<'l1t Crant, appointed him i:. :-;, Com­mi:s:-;imwr of l't'n:sions, tlw dnties of which important office', lw as­;;nm<·<1 ,Jmw bt, of that year, arnl diselrnrgrd faithfully for four .,·par:-;. He wn;, tlwn mad<' 8m·,·l'_l'Or Uencral of .Minne,.;ota, arnl, :iftt•r serYing dticiently fm·· a full term, he retire<l to hi:,; home, whil'h in tlw meantime he ha<l remo,·cc1 from tlw farm to tlw City of :Vlnnkato. Whill' :-lurn',ror Oc•m'ral lw did mneh, b_1· prirnte lettnc: and pu!Jli:-;lw<l artic:h's, to call atkntion for the first tin\e to tlw g-reat iron deposit:-; of our State.

In 187D, he JJLlI'ehase<l the Union arn1 Heconl, an<1 nnite<1 the hro pap<'rs into the Free Pre:ss, which he publishec1 two years. ln 1881, lw wa:s Pkl'i<'<l Hail way ( 'ommis:-;ioner, sen-ing two krrns arnl, on creation ol' tlw Bnilway Boanl, was made its presi<lent.

Ucn. Bnkc•r, i~ one of tlHi 1110:st brilliant and forcible orntors in thr• Xorth11·e,-t, and !HJ man in tlw Ntate ha,- <ll'lil'Pl'l'<l more public a<1cln'ssPs tlrnn lw. 1-fp has lw<'n for _,·<•ars a 11H'mlH•r of the State Historical Society, ancl has publi::;he<l a nurn ber of valu-

1l/anlwto---/ts First J,i/ty i ·ears

able historical papers, mnong them: "History of Lake Superior,'' ''The Sources of the :M i,;sisisippi Hi ycr," "Transportation in Min­nesota." "History of the Minnesota Valley,'' etc.

,lm1ge Ji'larnlrau in his History, says of him: "As a 1mLlic

speaker. he is brilliant and forcefnl. In personal appearance\ six feet in lieight arnl symmetrical in proportion, moves with a quick

soltlicrly stq1, illllicatin, of his character. He is courteous in de­meanor and affable in conversation. He i,; somewhat incisive in

speech all(l i1J1pnlsiYc in action. As a valued friend of Frc!cdom, the name of Gen. Baker must ever be l10nonxl among tho:<e who han\ dcscned well of their country.'-'

He married in D0laware, Ohio, September 2G, 1851, 1Hi:<s Ilosl' Lncia TlrnrRton, who begot liirn two sons: Dr. Arthur Heaton Baker (now deceased), and Harry Bdgar Baker, 0£ Baker City, Orc·gon. 1,frs. Baker died at Washington City, Mareh 20, 187:3. Gen. Haker on Dccmnber 2;1,. 18'/D, manied liis present wifo, Zulu, (laughter of George W. Bartlett, of Paris, 111., whose grandfather was the sccorn1 signer of the Declaration of Irn1ependencc. 'l'o th is union there is lrnt on<' child: ,J nmes Henry Baker.

BARNEY, ASA C. -Born at Summer Hill, Ca_y11ga County, N. Y., September 2Gth, 1835. Hemornd with his parents to Chau­

ASA C. 131\RNE\'.

tauqua, N. Y., when four _years old. C'ame thence to Blne Earth C'onnt_r, Minn.,

on ;\'fa_y 7th, 18:37 .. and !o­cah•cl on a claim in Vernon Towrn,hip, wlwrp he contin-11('(!, until his removal to

Mankato in l8G5. Clerlrnd in a <1r_y goocls store for three years, an<1 was book­

keeper at the .'.\fovelty vVorks for two years. From 1870 to 1800 was in the in­surance anrl real estate> bm;inesfi. h a prominent nwmbm· of tlw local J\Ja::;on­ic ]0/lge, arnl for thirfa,en

y(,ars has bren recor<ler of

the l\f ankato 1odge of

Knight 'rcmplnrs. :Married

1 73

to Miss Mary C. Wood, (laughter of Abiel C'. vVoo<l, on September 12, 1870, Ly whom he has three childr('n: l\lr8. Blanche Carleton,

Paul vY., and Harry C. Barney.

BARNEY, CHAS. -Born ,Jmrnar_,· 8th. l R:l·!, at Snm111c'r Hill, Cay­uga County,?\. Y. Jl-is father, .Judiah Barn<',\', a native of Y<'nllont,

,vaR a lineal rlesccmlant of .Tacob Barney, wbo scttlcfl in Salem, Mass., in ] G:34. Hit,; rnother,Phi]nrn Cummings,a

NcwYorkur bybirth,was re­

lntcll to Benjamin Franklin,

the noted philosopher ancl statesman. In 18°10, the Barney family rcrnovell to Chautauqua, N. Y., whence the subject of this sketch came to Blue Earth County, ;\:[inn., in 1855, arriving in

Mankato on the 20th of October. 1n a fow clays he prc-crnptc<l the lancl com­prising his prcRcnt Yaluablc !'arm in S<'ction ;;ix of \'ern-on. l n 185G, he eame to :\Iankato, wlwre he was em­ployed for most of the time CHAS. BARNEY.

in the saw mill of Geo. W. Lar, until April 18.'i8. '!'hit,; Geo. W. Lay was a prnminent charnder at l\Iankato in hits day, and hi~ mill was the first indnRtn· oJ' the kind in town. lt was a g-rc•at 0ycnt, witncsse<l by nearly tlw whole \'illagl', whc'n till' mill was started in October, 18:rn, arnl thl' proprietor ,rn;; borne by a nmnher ol' nwn, in triumph through the str0ets, scatefl upon the fird

board pro<lnced Irv his mill, while tl1e popnhH'<' 11ul(lu tlH' welkin ring- with their pla11clitR.

AH<'r ,;pernling two yearn 11pon his clailll, on the Watonwan Mr. Harn<'_\' in the spring of 1:-l(iO, we11t to Witsc011c:in for two years. He was next e111plo_vl'd for fi\'l' ,\'l'arR ace a fr,ll'l'iing sall'f'­man for a C'hic·ag-o 1\frrcantilc lwusc•, arnl OIH' _\.l'ar l'or a :i\Tilwauk<·c' houf'e. For two _YPars lw was a clC'a]('l' in hon:C's. 1n 18(i!l, he n·­h1nwcl to hi;: farm in Vl'rnon Tmrnshin. 1rllC're lw has c'1·er ;;irn·.c

I74 ;l/a 11!,ato---lts First hfty J tars

resi<k<l. ;\fr. H,Hlll'Y hns a n•marka1J1_\· gooll 1uern01·_y of early days in ;\lankato and Bin<' J,:nrtli ( 'mmh, arnl take,; 111n('h inter(•st. in pre,-;cning thPir lo('nl hi,-;ton·. I!(' \\'as rn,nriP<1 i\lnr('h (Jth, 1870, to :\I iss Carri<' A. :U<Hll"<\ ol' ,Jmwau, \Vi,-;(•<m,-;in, and tlw\· hll\'(' thn•(' ('hildr<'ll: :\lark .J., :\l,rnd, ,rnd ;\lay, 11-·il't• ol' :\Ir. Wal­

ton Fril'nd, all nl' Blll<' Earth ('onnt_\·.

BARNEY, HON. SHELDON F., \\'a,-; horn Dl·C<'llllH•r -1, l:-l:l1, in (;rot.on. '!1ompki11;; ('ountl'.

~\'W York, and was hr011glit up on a l'nrn1 in ('n.n1gn ('onnt_1· Ill

the same state. llaviug a ,-;trong projl('nsity for a lq.;al carl'l'l' lw <mkred tli<' la\\' oftic;e of Warn•n T. Wordl'l1, ol' ;\n­ln,rn. ::,;- . '{ .. in 1lPu·111lHT, 18:i:;?, nrnl on lk<·('llllll'r 1:),

rn:i+, \1·n,-; ndmittPd to tlw

liar. [Iv prndic·<·d law in X<•11· York until Octolwr,

18ii;"i, when bc•coming arn­bitions for n wi<kr -field of adion lw emigrated to tlw \\',;c>t. He arrin·<1 in Bin<' Earth ('ount_v, April ·2:i, IS;;(;, and prl'-<'mptl'd ,1

e],1im, Oil whil'11 he li1·c<1 until lkc•('!nlH·r <'(i, ]8.-;~·­

\rhen lw 111on•d to :\lanlrnto f'or tlw 1n1rpo,-;c• of prndil'­ing his prnf(•,-;,-;ion. In .Tmw 1/·t,8, lw fonnl'rl :1 <·o-part-

HON. SHELDON F. BARNEY. rn·r,diip- with ,1olm ~\. Wil-

lard, and prndiu·d hm und('l' th<• 1rn1:1P of Willard & Barn<'\'.

'!'his wa,; for rnnny \'('an, thv n1ost promi1wnt lair firm in Him• Earth County, arn1 mw·ol' tlie b!'st known in tl\(' North Wc•st. He

was Pngag'l·<1 in tlw \rn,-;i1w,;s of hl\1' ahont h1·pnty-1i\'1• y<·arn. During thi" tim<', in 1 N(i l, lH· l'Ppn'sPntPd Bhw Earth arnl Le

Srn•11r C'ount it·!-' in t!H• ~tat<· S<•nat<•. In lN!i.\ in ('Onrn•<·tion with his l>rntlH'r. ( '. \\'. l-l,m1c•y, \\'111. F. Bail<'_\' and F. ,J. Hut.Pr, lie ('c>llll>li,-;lH•d (Ill' ~lnnkalo \o,·<'lh· \\'orb on ]<!!111 arnl \Vill01r ,-;tn•l'l,-;, urnkr t!H• finn n,111H' ol' ( '. \\'. llnnwy 8: ( 'o. 'l'liis wn,-; tlw /ir,-,t rnacl1inl' shop and l'oundry in Blue J~arth County. 1n _18(;~·, with

1-?iograjilzics I75

his brotlier, Aria B. Barney, he c,-,tabli,-,lied a hmTcl, ;;tan, arnl heading fador_y. Thi,-, firm wa,- lrno\\'n a:-; A. H. l\arncy & Co. He has al,-,o ,;(•rn·d 011 the :;\lnnknto ( 'it_,. ( 'nun(·il a,; Ahkrman, and

\\'as for HlllH' ti11H' a 1m•1nlwr ol' tlH' Hoard of Education. Jluring the wl10](' of Iii;; ad.in· life· IH' !ms iJe('il a (·on>'i;;tPnt an(l mwmn­

promi;;ing Democrat. 1fr 1rn,; 111<ll'l'il'd Augu;;t ·2,, 1K7·!, to Narnh ('. Wal;,:, \\'ho camP

to }lanlrnto a chil<l, in 18ti!l. The•.,· han· lrnd ;;ix children, five of whmn an• 11011· li,·ing, \'orn1a11 N., horn Ike. :ll, 187':l, died ,Jnl_y

27_, 18'1-lc; \Yillard A., horn ])('<'('111lic·r 2K, 18':':i; John('., horn .i\Iarch :!:!, J87'D; Charles A., horn ,July 2!J, 1K8l; Sarnh, horn

.Tmrnar_v rn, 188-!; Benjamin F., horn April 7, 1888.

J\.Tr. Banw,r rl'tirl'd from ln1;;i1w;;,; s<·1·ernl year,; ago, and is now liYing in his tine ;;ulmrban rl';;idencc just ont,:idc- the cit_,. limit,,, enjoying the we'll earne<l fruit,; of an honornhk c:uw;r. As

n lrn,;i1wss man he has ahrny,- had the confi<lern·P and esh-em of hi,-, J'pllow citi;,:c-n,:, and his a<hic(' in puhlie affairs, 11·ith which lie has !wen nrneh idmtified, ha,; ('HT been ernil1(intl,r reliable.

BARR, HON. GEORGE T.~Bom at Terre Haute, lnd., in 1831,

C'. p.c().

IION. GEORGE TILLOTSON DARR.

c<1ucated in the pnhl ic schools o/' his nati,,c

town, m1til coming to :\f,111kato ,rith his par­

<·nt,; in May, 18W/. H<' :c;crverl 1\'fanknto m, Al­dPn1rnn, on<' term, arn1 ns :\l ,1.ror, one il-rrn. I-!(! 11·as m('rnlwr of ib

Boanl of Trade for man.1· .n'ars arnl pre:-;i­<l<'nt of the Boanl for some time. \\'as n. N. Depnt,r Be,·enu<· <·nll('dor, dnring- 1880-KL "'as rnemh<'r of·

Hoard of' i\lmrng<'l'S of' 11H· Nbd<• N Orlll;l 1 Nd100! in 1K8-t-188.i.

11<·pn·H•11intiY<' of Blnc

,1/anlwto-lts First Fifty i·tars

11:atth Count,v in the 'l'wenty-Sixth Lcgislati\'C Session, and State Senator from HWO to lHDR. Ile was made Presitlent pro-tem of the Senate tlnring the :=ws,-;iom; of 1HDi5 ant1 HlD7. He wa,-;, for a nnmlwr of ycari-, cngagec1 in the banking lrnsinef;t<, and for a tinw ,vas a member of the hanking firm <Yi: LPwis, Shanlrnt & Barr.

J\fr. Barr hm; excellent lrnsim•f;s qualification,-;, i,-; Yt'rv acrnrak ancl sy,-;tcrnatic in l1is work, and j,-; stridl_,· l10nornblt• nncl l1ont•,;t in all his wa_n,. Ifr rnarriccl ,Jmw '.::-1, 187:.l, }li,-;s Clara L., 1laugh­tt•r or ( '. ])_ lft•rs,•Y, of Mankato. A l'hangP ol' climate ht•ing 11t'c­t•ssary for Mr. Ban',-; lwa 1th. he and hi,; exet•I IL•nt wi l'c n~mOYl'il

to Lo,-; Angelt•s, C'al., in April, l!l(J·2. Thnc lw has bt'<.:Olllt' a,-;,-;o­eiah•d with the firm of H aYckn & Lt•,,·i,-; ( 'n., i 11 tlw Sad cl l<'r_Y ll nrd­

\\'H l'(' and Carriagt• 'l'ri11m1ings lm,-;irn•,-;"·

BA.RR, JOHN HENRY.~Horn St•ptemlwr ·2, 18'28, in Lolllloun ('ounty, \'a. His father rt.'tnon'<1 to ½,mc,-;,·illt>, Ohio, \\'ht>n tlH'

snbjec-t of this sketch was but two years ol<l, arnl died tlil·n·, wlwn

JOHN HENRY !3ARR.

he \\'He nine, lP:ning a folll­

ily of fonr hoy,-;, ol' whil'li, he was the ol(1cst. He wns

hound nnt as an apprcntict' to a tolin(:coni>it, !mt so di,-:­likt'1l thl' lmsi1m,s, that lw rn·n·r fol lowed the tracl('. hnt imnw(liatpl_,- upon tlw expiration of his form, l'('­

honncl himst•lf to learn tlw traclti of honsn paintinc>:. This 00e11pntion lw followed ns workman arnl o,,·m·r ol' n shop of his own, rirst in l(t'ntneky anc1 then in 'l'l'l'TP

Hautl', Trnliann, until lw 1n1,; nbont thirty-fi\"l' _YC'ars olil. He then, about 18 18

or -ID, lH!CHllH\ nssociatc•d \\'ith his brnther m tht•

whoksail' nnd rd.ail clrng lrnsines:,; at 'l\•1TI' Hnnlt', hut failing· health compc-l!t'<l him to withrlr:1w from thi:,; bnsinl'ss, ancl n•.movt\ with his fnrnih·, in l8(i7, to ;\lankato, .Minn., whPrc' lw aniYl'd on the 1001 ol' i\lny. llt•1•p he lir:-;t l'onued a t:o-1rnrtncr,-:hip witl1

177

Will. V L(•1ri,-; and lfonry Slrn11lrnt i11 tlH' bauking bu:-:incss, a:-; Lewi:-;, Shaubut & Co., but in about cl year, he :sold out his interest to the other two partners, arnl ereding the lrnilding now occ11pic<l IJ_v the ,John H. Tl10rnas furniture store, he started a wagon and piow manufodory, which lie continul'd \\'ith good sucn;ss until l1i~ (foath, on _>iOH'Jlliil'r .snh, J8(i!l.

:i\fr. Harr wa,, a lltall o/' great cnet·gy and ,;plt•1Hli<l ]rn:-;inc:-:s q11alification:-;. I-le wa,- l'l'l'l" 11·idl' awake, lH'ogn•;;:-:in• and public spirited. The cltarnpion arnl lt;adcr o[ any llll':i:-;tirl', which tended to the lllakrial, moral or m('ial adnlll('<'llll'nt of his follow 1m•:1.

);o Olll', crmsidering till' llrid peri()(l he lil'l'd in it, t·i·t•r contributed more to the grmrtli of Mankato, or gan; its den.•lopment a more lasting impetus than he.

During the Ciril Wnr, though in poor health, he waf' contin­uously adin; in sanitar,r work, making seYeral trips to battle­fiel<ls, wit!, hospital and sanital'_Y rnpplies, arn1 he lent effieient aid to raising lrnliana\; quota of troops. At Mankato, besides hiR wagon fador_v, he im·<'St('<l in eonsi<1crable other real propertv, a]l(l built other lmsincs>< block-;. IIe was one of the prime mo1·(•1:::; in tlw organization or the Mankato Hoa]'(1 of 'l'rndl', arn1 was rnadl' its first President. lit, wa,-; a rqmillican in politics, and liberal in his n·ligiom, faith, <luring the later yc·ar,; of his lil'e a !lll'!llill'r nf" the UuiYersaJist ehurcli.

Mr. Barr wa,-; 1l!alTi<•d to :lli,-;,-; Eliza Tillotsoll, a natirt' ol' Terre Haute, ln<liana, on Ma_y :2, 1850. Slw <lied ,June ,i, 1:-rno. Five oJ' tlw sen·n children born to tl1elll still ,-;nn·in·: Prof. ,Jolin H. Barr, oI Cornell lTniYer:-;itr, S. Y.; Hon. (leorge 'I'. Barr, of Los Augele,;, ('al.; :Hrs. Sarah B. Col<•, of :i\linneapoli,-,, J\Iinn.; Mrs. J\fargard T. ,Jmws, of Seattl<·, \Vac,h.; all([ Mr,-. :\Iartha H.

Jone:-;, of Jackson County, Iowa.

BEATTY, JOHN R.-Born m Loyallia1111a Township, We:-;t­worela11d County, l'emL, .:-Jnvernlwr ii, 18:ll. His parc•nh; ,John U., arnl lsahclla Walkt•r Beatty, were of Scokh-Irish ancestry. ~Ir. Beatty came to JHinnrsota in ,\ pril, J8;i7, locating at l\fan­lrnto, the h1tter part of tile following :\lay. During 185D anl 1)-j(iO, lie c01Hlude<l a prirnte school, which wa~ alJOut Lht! (inst in wilirh high sr:hoo] sl,11<lies W<'l'l' tnugM in tile city.

Jlimz/wto-Jts f•irst J•ifty Years

JOHN R. BEATTY.

Jn ,lmw, 18Ci1, lw cnfo;tcd

in Cc). lL ~11(1. NI inn. Yol., aud ,n1,: rnalk bt Lic11tcn~ ant. July 8th, 18!\;1, he wa" pron1ott•1l Cnptain, and SL·n·,

1•d ,1·ith hie< ('ompany until hi,.; r11>"ignatiou, on 11.ardi

:w. 18(i:i.

l n 18ii(i, :'II r. 1katt,· 11 n­

gnp:ed i11 the ;;tone and li111c lrnsi1w;;,-,, He built the Jirst pafrnt lime kiln a111l ,.;liip­

\JC'd th1'. first u\1' load of limti from 1lanlrnto. As the pio­

tll'er of our lime inllustry,

lw di,l more than anyone

else in introducing 1Iankato

lime through the ~ orth

We:st. 'ro him also belongs thu ne,lit of di,-:con'ring the

_Mankato ('emcnt sto11t 1, arnl in getting the Hbmdnrd Cl'HIPllt ( 'orn­

pany interested in ib 1ll'\'dopnwnt.

ln HW7'-ii8, lw :scrn11l as ;-;1qll'rintl'llll1·nt of tlw Hint' Earth

C'ount_v tirhoob, nrn1 in ltW:-i, a,-: pn,,-:i1h:nt o[ tlw :'llanknto Board

of Pul>lie Work,.;.

He rnarrietl _Mi:-;:-; Lama K Mn:--:fa,Jd, l1'l'lmrnn liith, JHG-L and :--ix d1ih1n1n han~ lit'<'ll born tlH11\\: ,Jmn1';; :\I., Jrnlwlla, ,John U., Laura K, Anna :\!., nnll 11:mma (,;_

BECH DOLT, Prof. A. F. -Burn .'\on•rnlwt· rn, 18-W, 1wnr Karl:-;­rnhe, Grnm1 Duchy o!' Ba<1<'H, Ut1nnnn\'. Hi~ 1rnr11 nts e1Hi­grated to the United Ntnh>:-- in 1K:-i-L 11<1 grndnnl11d from IJn• pulilie t,l'\ioohi of En::;ton, Pa., mul in 1:-:1;1;, from Lara_wttt> Collegl', Pa., with the degree, A. B., mi•! in lSti!l, A. :\L J n 1S!JO, Frank­

lin an11 l\Inrslrnll Collng!' confPl'l'l't1 11po11 liirn tlH' 1'nrtl1c1r dPgr1x' of Ph. ll. After :-;pending n :r1~ar h'nc·liing in an m·,Hil'lll_\', lw

became in 181i!J, prnf'c,:-;:-;or of' ~nturnl N!'it1ll1T in ;\[pn•t1r:-;ln1rg C'ol­lC'gC', Pa. 1/p:-;igning in 1K7'(i, lw <"aJllt' \\'1 1,d and ne<·<'J>l(1tl UH' po­:-;ition o/' :-;11pPrinknd1•nt of tli1 1 ~lnnknto :-;c·hnob, nnd in J:-:80, ht'-

/1/og-rajihl('S

CHIJH' l'rofrnsor ol' ( 'ht•1;1-

i:-;try in the ::-ltatc Xorrn:tl sd1ool located iu t!Jc salllL' cit,·. Fil'c V<'ar,; later lw rdtu·1l('d io the po:-;ition of

sup(:rintemll'nt of t]l(> Cil:i

:-s1·hook J n J S!J:i, lw n'-­,-;ig·n('d to go to tlll' T'.nin'r­

,;ifr of Xortl1 Dakota, a,-;

1n·ofrs,;or of Engli;;li, arnl

in 1 S93, lie a<:cqitcd the' same prnfe,-sorship in i]l(>

Unin;r;;ity of Wa,;liington at Seattle, 1Vash. In 1901, lw resignc(l hi,; Cnirersity work, and took the position of superintendent of schools of the city of Eugene, Ore .. which he nmr holds. His

wife, whom he harl rnarril:(l PROF. A. F. BECHDOLT.

in 1871, rlie<l in 18%. lfo Jin,-; /'om ehilrlrcn: Fn,d, 011 tlw ;;taff of' the "Post Tnkllig(;uc·L'l'," of Scattle; I-lil(ln, wil'c of F. W. Srnith, ol' Fifr, \Vash.: ::lfargarl't. who has a po;-;ition a,; trni1wd nurs<, ;ti

Seattle, and ,John Enw,-;t Bechdolt. l'rof. Ikd1dolt is a ripL' s<:holnr, d('l'i> tl1inkc'r aud a ::;trnn,1~.

;;11c:cc,;:,;ful cducator.

BERGIIOLTZ, MICIIAEL fl.~Born 011 till' r11('l" llhiae in Pru~c:ia, in lSO.+. Hi;; fatlH'r 1n1,-; l"aptain ol' Oll(' o/' the llhinl' hoah; and ('Olliinll('cl to lil' ,;o ('lllplov('d lllltil YOIJllg' Ifl'llr\' \\';]:,;

si:-.:i('l'll _\'l'ar,; old, 11·hc'11 till' family n'lllOl'l'd to Coloµ:11('. "\bout ist;1, he i11rn1iµ:rai('d to tlw l 'nitl'd State'", µ:oi11µ: fir:-t to Nt. Lo11i,;, mHI tlw1wc i11 the ,;priuµ: ol' rn;;:! to NL l'aul. 'l'lw Hillie ,;prinp:

lw l'isited the Ill'\\' town :-ik or :\lankato, and 011 .July :!-1, o[ that

year, bought lot -l, block (;, on whid1 stnO!l the fir,;t claim shanty h1 :Vlanlrnto, m1d 1qion which in rn:,8, lH' built, fir:-;t of fra111C', the block of store lrnil(ling:,;, which so long hnrP hi,; name', :rnd which, a f('W _l'('ar:,; lat0r, lH' n'pla(·(•d with 1111' 11"""1'111 hri<"k ,;h-t1l'b1n':-. 1Tl' starkd tlw fir:-;t hanH':-',; ;;hop in ~lnnknlo, :rncl (·on(in11t'd tlw bu:-in(•s~ for 111a11y _1·c•a1·,;. On Non•11ii>l'J" :!U, IS/i:!, Ii<' 11·:1s 111a1Til'd

to Mn:. A po Ionia Blair, nee! Kabt!rla, 1rho cli<~d in 1 S, 0. :\Ir. Bc'rg·-

rSo 1lfa11/cato-Its J•irst Fifty }'cars

holh diecl April :?0th, 188-J, lea Ying snrviving three Llaughtcrs: Mrs. Flora Tvf. Hing, 1\1 rs. Efombcth Ucrlach ( since deceasc!cl), arnl Mrs. Eliiabeth JH. Lnlsdorfl', wifo of John Lnlsclorff.

BIER BAVER, J.•-Born in Einsclthurn, Hhine Bavaria, Au­gust 28, 181\1. He lil'eil in his nntivc town until eighteen year,;

of age, when lw went to fh,·ihc'rland, where lie engagcr1 in cahinet

JACOB BIERBAUER.

making. J n 1848, he join­L'<l th<) re!H'llion in Bavaria,

as captain of an infantry c·om pany, until the heroic effort of the Banrian pa­triots in behalf o[ liberty, was crushed in 18-1-H, when he retnrnecl to Switzerland with his two brothers, and soon thereafter all three emigrated to the Unite(]

States. Mr. Hierlmner sl'ttled

first in >Jc,,· York, where lH' ,rn,s t'lll)lloyed for two ycar,s in a piano fadory. H<' tlwn re1110H'd to Eric, Pn .. wh('re, on December 1-l. 1 N:i-1, he wns married tu Bertha, <1aughter of Dr. A.

U. Uornlwrg. Soon after hi;; maniagc li<' ,rent to Utica, N. Y., nrn1 engage<1 in the brewing lrn;;ines,;. l 11 October, 185G, he n'­rnm·c<l to l\tnnknto, and was soon joined by his brother, William Bicrlmner, and togdlwr tlH'Y :-;tart<,(1 the first brewery west of ~t. Paul, in the smmncr of 1857. ln 18fi:2, he sold out to hi::; brother his intnc:-;t in the hn:W<T_\' allll with his brotlwr-in-hnr, William

U. Hockey, bought t!w South Bernl flom mill, arn1 a flaw mill locateJ then near the )J!'eSL'nt Blue Earth ri\'l'l" hri<lgt>, both of which mills

they remove<1 to l\fanlrnto, locating the saw mill on Vine street, wc;;t of Front str('d, and the grist mill, known for years as the City :\I ill,s, on R!J<·k strcl't.

Tlw firm of B,<'rhancr & Bock<'y mu, popular arnl luul a large c-ustom tra<l<'. ln lK(,<i, ;\lr. Bi<'rh,1ll<'l" pai<l his old honw in Europ<' a ,six months' Yisit, awl on hi,; rdmn, in Junwtry, 18G7,

Biograplties

sold his milling interest to ]Hr. Hockey, and enx·ted a large woolen

factory on Vine street, cast of Front, which he opcratecl until

187'1. I-fo then sold the factory to l'bristian Hoos mid retired

from active business for a season, spending two and one-half _ycan;

in Oregon, arnl on bis return, engaged in the mannfadurc of a middlings purifier, which he had innmted. In 188;.?, he again -Look

charge of the }Vlankato City J\lill,.,, ,vhieh he ran for ten _years. He

died March 1st, 18%, leaving his wife aml six children: Oscar

Bierbauer, tlealer in grain arn1 proprietor of the Mankato Malt

Works; Mr:-<. Ida Budaw, oJ: l\lilwaukee; l\fn,. Emma Bdtingel',

of Portland; J\Iiss Alma Bierbauer, deputy Register of Deeds of

Blue Earth County; MrE. Mattie' Paddock and Herman Bierbaum·,

oJ: Mankato.

BIERB.4Ucll, Capt. William. was born in Einsclthurn,

Bavaria, February 26, 182G. He was well educ~itecl antl

~crvctl a term in the Ger­

man army. He became in­

rnlved in the German Ucv­

olution of 18-!8, with Carl

Sdmrz, and otherti, and w,1s forced to b1 ve his native

country, and landed in New York in 18+\J. He soon be­

came intr,rnstl>(l in the brew­

ery lm~incss, fiht at Seneea

Falb, and sub:-wqucntl_v at

lVIilwaulrne, with Philip

Best. In 18/i(i, he came to

Mankato, and with hi,;

brotlwr Jacob, established

a brewery, which grew to lie CAPT. WM. BIERBAUER.

a large and pro:-<perous plant. At firnt he occupied a small frame

!Jnilding ereded in 1s:rn on Sorth Front street, hut in 1873 re­

mo\'e(I to thP present site. '\Villiai11 Bi<'rb,rn('I' was a patriotic citi­

zen, arnl when the ] nr1ian outhr<'ak of 18Gi.? occmT<:<1, he promptly

raist~d a 1:0111pa11_\', of whil'll lic> was macll' captain, arnl went to the

relic£ of New Ulm, wl1erc he n;Hdcrcd rnliaut scffvice. He was a

11Janl,ato-£ts First Fifty Years

gentleman ol' filw pni,-;L•nce, goml jlHlgnwnt, ancl, with a high sense of honor.

In 1858, he was married to l\'! is,; Loni,m Dmnberg, l1aughter

of Dr. A. G. Dornbcrg, of tliis city. To this marriage, there were born seven l'.hildren, six of whom are now living, viz: Albert,

Bruno, RU(lolph, \Villiam, Adclie arn1 Ella. Capt. Hicrbauer dicll in th i:-; city uni Yer,-;ally rc:-;pcdcd and larnl'Dk<l :-l overnbcr 30, 18~3,

aml is burie<l in G !en wood cerneter_y.

BRADLEY~ ED W.-Born at Utica, N. Y., Sq1tember H, 182H. In 185;i, he \ocate<l in the Mcreanlilc hn:sinc,;:-; at Maquoketa, Iowa,

and with his brotlHff, William, n•moYed to Mankato, in October,

EDWIN BRADLEY.

185"/, where they con­<lncted a large store of

general merchandise, for many years. Dur­

ing the Sioux out­break of 18G2, he wm: a ppointcd J\Iar;;hal by Ucneral SiLlcy for the

lli~trict embral'.ing

Blue Kuth am1 tlw eountil'~ south wc:-;t of .it, a.rn1 rcnderc•,1 esel'l­

ll'llt scrvil'.l'. He was clcd.cl1 County Audi­tor 111 the fall of

18?'0. He :sl'l'\'ed 011

nlnnknlo':-; firi-;t Board

of Ald(;J'lllcn, and was

Mayor of the City for

two terms. He has

,1lso, hclcl a number oi other local offices. For the pa,;t fow ycnr,-; he has comlueted a grocery store. He rn,nrilill MisH Jennie K ('olvcn, in June, 18(i4.

:\] r. Hra(lley is higlily c::;tccnwd by hi,-; lnrge l'.irdc of friends, (or hi;; strict inlcgrity arnl filklity to duty.

BllADLrY, ti A fl V r Y. -Born at i\fillington, Conn., April 14, 1781, He spent ,-;onw yearci pcdtlling goods tl1rough the ~outhern i'.:ltate:;

Bio!!raj,lzfrs

a11d di<l a thriving lrn:;iIH'iiii. About lS:!:i, l"l'tJ1ovecl to Utiea, ~(!IV

York, and purchased a large

tract of land, upon a part of

which, mucl1 of the present

city of Utica, stands. About

18-10, he went to Whitcs­

lwro, New York, and open­

ecJ a mercantile store. He

also started an extensive bu;;inc:-;s at Mncon, Ga., in

conjn11ction with his broth­

(!!', All'in Brnllley, by whom

it wa:; conducted. In July,

1857, he visited l\iankato

and invested in some West

_Mankato property, and

three farms. In the follow­ing October, he started a

mercantile 1>torc in West J\fankato, in charge of his HARVEY BRADLEY.

:,;orn, E<lwin and William Brnclle_y. Two yearn later he mMed both building al1ll stoC'k to the corner no\\' OC'cupic<l hv D. L. Cle1rn•11t:;' :-;ton:. ;\Ir. Brndlt·_y rdained hi:,; re:-;idence in Whites­

horn for a nurnbt!r of year:-;, :-;1wnrling only hi:-; ~tu11mcr:; in :Mankato, !mt upon tlw d(•atli ol" his only rlaughkr, lie broke up his New

York honH; and 11to1'Prl to 1\hrnbitu ]H'rt1rn1wntly. He tlic<1 ,fan­

uar_v :2:l, 18')'~'- He ,1·as a man of grc•ai ('IH'rgy aml t•xe<'llt•nt busi­

mi:oi:; judgment. To Jii:-; public; :opirit and rigornus puf'h, Mankato

mvt's many or its early iml'rnve11H'nts. The Cemetery all(l Bel­

grade roads and the extension of Prnnt street through the Vnn

Brunt slough were mainly instigated by him. His store in the

early <1a_vs of l\fankato, was one of the largest and best known in

the village, resorte<l to by all the country sirles. He was a strong

and Yigorons diaradcr. Mr. Bradley was married about 18:W, at hi:-; native town in

Co111wdicut, to Mi~s Nancy Bra<lle_v, who tlied in the winter of

185G-57. Heldt suniving thn•e sons, Charles and William (both sine<~ <kceasccl), and Bdwin Bra<lley of i\fankato.

Jlanl,ato-Its First Ft/ty Years

BRANSON, LEWIS C.~Thc first district judge of the Sixth ,1nclicial Ifo:trid, wa~ horn :Marl:11 rn, 1825, near Flushing, Bel­rnont County, Ohio. He wa,.; of (1nakcr ancestry. At the age of elPn'll, the family rcmon:!l to Hcnr_y County, Irnliana, where he

JUDGE LEWIS CASS BRANSON

was seHeducatecl, andstrnly­ing law, was allmitted to the

liar. He opened his first law otlice in Wabash, Ind. But weary of the swamps and miasmatic eondition-,;

there, he took his wife antl two children, April, 185-!, and came direct to Mankato, arriving there with but two

dollars and fifty cents in his pocket. Here he buried two children; the first dying very soon after the J ndge's arrival, was the first death among the white people at l\lankat.o. 1\iay 2-!, 1858, he was clcctcll J mlgc of the Sixth Judicial District, and

~enL•tl tlw tl-rrn of ;,ewn yc·ar;s, being the first Judge of this district urnler the ~tatl• ('on~titution. It wats during his incumbency that 1warly all of the Jll!lg-L•s' <keds were obtained by the tscltlL\l"s, o[ tlw lots in tlw original town site of this city, at the concdnsion of the long litigation touching titles between the settlers and the town ~ih: proprietors.

ln Oet.ol><·r, 18tiG, he gatlwre<l up his lJClongingti and taking his family, n•rnoYe<l to the far We:,:t, settling in San Fr~-mcisco, early in 18ti7, whl'l'C he remained till 1875, practicing his profession. Health failing, lie rcmoYed to Virginia City, Nevada, but the ''~oom" L·L'a:-ing, in 1880, hl! again removed, finding home arnl practice in L,•acl vi! le, Colorado. In 1885, he made a final re­moval to S<·attk, in Washington, near where he yet li vcs. He hall aeeumulakcl quite an ill(lerwndc'n<·L•, hut the crash of 189:J, swept it nearly away.

BRETT, Geo. Everett.-This prominent m<'rchant was born nt Strong, Franklin County, lvfaine, November 2:3, 18-Hi. Hits

Biot:rrr plzics

father was Cyrus Hamlin Brett, ,vho was a clircct clescen<lant of the

notefl John Alden arnl Priscilla ancl was related to the farn-om; Phoebe aml Allice Cary, and his

Brett, was of stunly Scotch ancestr_y. motlier, Marv H nntc>r

The family canw to ]Hinncsota m 18(i2. J n

:May, 18G8, he cstablishe<l

a <lry goo<ls house in Man­

kato, and with fine busi­

ness capacity an<l goo,1

taste, his business has pros­

pcn'<I, till he became in his

line the leaning merchant

in the Minnesota Valley. He has been devotee] to his

special business for nearly

forty years. His store is a

bower 01' beauty aml goocl

taste. He has aided in the

uphuilcling of every mater­

ial interest of the city. In

the rnirl8t of a busy lifo, he

has found time to inclulgC'

his tm,te for music, and his GEORGE EVERETT113RETT.

fine tenor rnice has enrichccl our glee clnhs n11d church choirs.

HC' came naturally by his musical hrnks, for hi,-; fathl'r before him was quite a musician, posscsscrl of an cxcPIIPnt h•nor ,·nice. Ile

was a traehcr of: music in rnrimrn town,-; of this Hiatl' as wl'll a,.; of

Maine, his former home. Mr. Brett is public f'piritc,iJ and has

hcen a member of the Common Council, Board of' Trncle, nn<l oth<'r

important ciYic aml traclc boflics. March l!l, 187:3, he wa:-; married to i.\l i,,~ Lizzie Elll'n :\lax­

ficlcl, of St. Pan!. 'J'h is estimable lacly ,ms tlw cl angiitl'r of tlw

1T on . .Tam<'R 1Waxficlrl, so many _wars th<· :i\l ayor o /' :-lt. Pan l. To

this 1rnion, there were horn thn'c ehil<lreu, yjz: ,Jalll<'S Eel win,

horn .Tnly 1st, 187/i; Frank En•1·<'tt, horn August nh, 1877; nrnl Mary Jl,faxfield, hnm .Ttmt' ~(i, UVi'!). '!'Iii,-; cla11ghtf•r 1n1;- rnar-

riecl to \Vilbm Morgan Taylor, ,lnne ;2, l!lOO. Mr. Brett i,.; one of our olc]C';st business rnen arnl among the 111ost ,.;m,cc•,;sf'ul of our mer­

chants.

Jfani,ato---lts First Fifty )'ears

BROOME, JOHN M. -Born September 2G, 182G, at Alberswciler, in Rhenish Bavaria. Followed a course of clnssical cc1ncation for

some years, witb intent to hecomc an ecclesiastic, but ehanging hi;-; purpose, he cnterccl the State Normal school at Spire, from which

he graduated in 1847. His cherish eel career, as teacher in his na­tive land, was, however, cnt short by the Revolution of llhenish

Bavaria arnl Baden, in 1848, in which he took an aetive part. Having thus ma<le himself o]moxiorn; to the government, he canw

to America in January, 18,32, and for :i, few years was cngagc<l as

JOHN M. BROOME.

an instructor of language,; arn1 music in Ohio and Kcn­

trn·ky. Jn 18G0, he starte<l a German Republican pa1wr at Portsmouth, Ohio. On ,January 0rcl, 18G2, he en­liste<1 as leader of the harnl

in the 12th Kentucky Vol., arnl served in Gen. Bnell's Corp8. In April, 18G9, he came to Minne~ota, and

started the first German pa­per at St. Cloud. In 1871, lw took charge of the New 1Tlm public scl10olR arnl two )Tarn later rernove<l to Man­kato, where he embarked in .T onrnalism for the thircl

timr, publi:c;hing the "J\limw;;ota Hcohachter," the first GLTman paper in J\fankato, from rn~·:3 to .Jnly, lS~H, when owing to m­health, incident to army experience, he retired from active life.

He was married AugnRt 25, 18GG, in Ohio to :Miss J\fary Bernar­dina Von Brandt, of EsRcn, Prussia, who dicc1 June 20, 18!!7. He haR one Rurviving chilc1, i\Jrr,_ Stella Hamilton.

BROWN, HON. JAS.-Rorn :March H, 1821, at l\iilfonl, Ent­ler Connty_, Ohio, whrrr hi;; JHUC'lltA hac1 immigrate<l in 1810, from B<·l fa:-;t, 1 rdancl. Grnc1nntccl with honor;; fro111 ]\'I ia111i Col­](;gT' at O:..Jol'(l, Ohio, in tlw C'la;;;; of 18➔ :>. Unring his c-olleg~;

com·sc he Rpcnt. all hi:-; :-;par<; time in the Rtl](ly of law, arnl, 11pon gra!l11nting, rnfrre<l tlw ]aw offiee of 0. 8. Witlwrby, nrnl wa;-; a<l­

rnittr<l to the har on the 2Clh of" :March, 18-lf>, in Fnion County,

Biograj,lli,,s

fndiamt. Soon after this he opened an office in Winchester, In­diana, and began the practice of his profession.

HON. JAMES BROWN.

On September 14, 18-rn, he

marric<1 :i\Iiss Caroline fr­win, daughter of Rev. Hoh­

<Jrt Jrwin. In 18clD, lw WHS

l'lectcd to the J rn1 iana Leg­i,-datnre, and in 1 :-l.'i-1, the

g-orernor of that State ap­point0rl him ,J\l(Jgr' of the

Conrt of Common Pleas. He, also was county exam­iner of School,-; for Win­

chcskr County for years. Wm, chosen presidential

Plcctor in 18G..J., nnrl, in the fall of tlw snrne year, was

the Democratic nominee for

Congress. The health of

Mrs. Brown necessitating

a change of climate, the

family removed to i\iinne-

snta, arriving at Mankato, August rn, 18(;5. The Jollrnring year he formed a partnernhip with ,I. A. 1Vis1rell, am1 the firm of

Brown & Wiswell, continuer1 for many _years, one of the best

known in this part of the State. ,Jl](lgc Brown always took great

interest in church arn1 educational matter~, and \\'as ever active in their promotion. Wm; rcsiclent dirPctor of ~lanlrnto .:---:ormal

,School for years, and Rt'ledccl its present situ. Was member of

the Legislature in 1881. In 1885, his wife died anr1 December ;2;1, 188(i, he marriecl

again, Mrs. ,Josephine K Sheets, of Hamilton, Ohio. He <lierl

AHgust ;\ 188}), leaving surviving him, besides his secornl \\'ifr,

the following chil<lren: Mrs. l\lary Cornelia Pfau, :i\lrn. M:arcr'lla

Man, ClrnrleA I., Henry W., arn1 Hobert K Brown. The latter ha;.;

been for year" t]H! efficient 111:nrngr•r ol' the Gns nrnl J,;]<'etric Li,u;ht

Company.

BROWN, Orville.-Born Kov. 10th, 1810, in Ellislrnrg, Jeffer­son Cmrnty, Nt>w York. lfo cnnw wr•;st in 1N-J8, ,rncl wa;, <'ngaged

in railroad work in Ohio and Indiana Jrom rn;-;1 io l8DG, when

I88 Jlfanhato-Jts h·rst Fifty }"rars

he came to Minnesota. Herc lw located first at Chatfield, and started the Chatfichl "Republican." In 1858, he rcrnovecl to Fari­bault and fonn<lell the "Faribault Bepnblican''-thc first paper to

ORVILLE BROWN.

a<l \'ocatc the principles of the Republican party in Rice County-which he con­<lndcll as editor and propri­l'tor until 18G!J. He tlwn came to Mankato anrl, in connection with ,T. T. Wil­liams, purchmicd ''The Rec­ord," changrc1 it politically to a ]fopublican !mper, and was its editor arnl propriC'­

tor until 187'9, when he solcl it to Gcn'l. Baker to be merged, with the "Union,'' into the ":Mankato Free Press." ]n 187:3, he was appointed postmaster at Mankato, and continnC'rl in the office for ten years.

J\Ir. Brown was a man of strong an<l honest conYictions arnl fear­Jess all{l vigorous in their <lden<.:<'. He wieldc<l an abl,c, forcibk pen, enff rearly to champion the cause ·Jie bclien,d in, anrl a terror to its foe,;. He wa>', withal, a man of kinrlly f'_)'mpathi<'s, a true fricrnl anrl ,;lrirt in his integrity. His iir1:1t wife was Miss Ifoth Earl, whom lw rnarriecl October 1:l, 18:n, arnl by whom he hncl fonr childrrn: Mrci. Nancy l\L Xichols, of Elyria, Ohio, Pardon n., and Orville n. Brown, of St. Pan!, and Christopher, of EvC'r­dt, Washington. His first wifo dic<l in New York, December 2;i, 18--1-4, arnl on ,1 mw 1st, 1R5:l, he 111,uri<><l Miss Carrie Co]l(lit., and tlwir chilrhcn ar0: Frank 0., nrn1 Theodore l\L, of SL l'aul, Arthm H., of Duluth, arnl ClarC'nce, 1leccasccl. Mr. Br.own rlie<l at St. Panl, Minn., .January 5th, 1 D01.

BUCK, HON. DANIEL.-'\Vas horn at Boo11villc, Xe,v York, Sept.<>rnber '28, 1H2!J. He mrne of' 11.<;volutionar_v stock. Ifo was well e<hicatc1l in tlw cornmon ,wl10ols of his localih, whc'!'c he studied law and was admitted to the bar. He came to Minnesota,

Biograpliies

May 18, 18:i"I', anrl at once began the practice of law, which he

has contimied to this day. He first held his offic(' at South Bend, but in 18(i:-,, n•11101·e<l pennarwntly to J\lankato. He was

married Octohl'r '2,5, 18,i8, to i\Ii~s Lrwi~a ;\nn Wn()(l, at Elgin

IQO ,1/anlwto· -Its l•i'rst Fifty } ·ears

Illinois, and to this union tlwr<' were born three children, viz: Charles Delos Huek, born February 2.cl·, 18G4, who died N ovcm ber 27, 1882, in Califon1ia; Alfred A. Buck, now mayor 0£ Mapleton, horn April Hi, 1872, and Laura }l. Huck, now lVfrs. i\hlJolt., born ,hml' 1ri., 18'1-I. .'.\Ir,;. Buck, a most cstiniable la(ly, died December

J:l .. 18DD.

Jn<lge Buck {ill('ll 11rnn_r po,;iiions of trnst arnl honor at the lianrls of tlll' pnldic. II<' \nlS c•ledl'(l to tlw Lr,gislatnrc, in rncrn. He was chiefly instnrnwntnl in <'Stahlislting the Normal School

in this c-it~-- Ile was l'onntr ,\ttornc_y for four years. In 1878, lw was C'leete<l to the :-,tak S<'nate. He servell in many State arnl C'onnty position,; to tlw l'ntire snti:-al'action o[ the people. As a la\\·_n'r, lw has lH'<'ll prorninl'nt and <lir;tingnir;lw(l, and in 18'.t2, was <'ll'de(l a ,Jrnlge oJ the State Snpn'rne Court arnl scn-e(l as sueh from lWJ;J to 18D'.), when he n•r-:ig1w(l b_y reason of i LI health .

.TlHlge Bnck is a man of striking and commanding presence, of un­impeachable integrity, great inkll<'dnnl eapacit_y arnl always en­joying th<' confi<kncc of the people. Hc has C'Y<ff bcLm an honor to this city arnl a noble specimen of American manhoocl.

BV!lT, 6/lOVf/l C. -Born at Oswego, N. Y., :May 28th, 18°27'. When nine years old, rrnrni,·e(l ,rith his par­

rntN, James and Julia Blll't, to Hannibal, in the

:same State, where his fath­er nm a fann and kept a

\\"aysicle inn for many yea.rs. In 185G, the subject of our "ketch removed to Winne­bago City, Minn., and en­gage(] in mercantile and

other oecnpations, aml was prominent in the early his­tory of that town. In 18G)3, he came to ;l.,fankato, ancl, associate,l with l). S. Law, pmcha:-0(1 the Mankato 1-T 011:--P. In 18G5, he l>c;- GROVER C. BURT.

call!(' :-'ok prnpridor, and cmHlnckt1 tlw hotd hu:siness until 1883,

IQJ

when he leased the house to IT. 1VL Hamilton for six years. Upon

the expiration of this periorl, he re:-;nmc,cl ihe J1Hm,1gcment until

the spring of J8UO, when owing to failing health, he rdirl'cl from

lrnsincss arnl solcl the corner Joi, on which th(' nlcl part of thC'

hotel lmilding was locate<l, retaining the adjoining lot, on which

in 1881, he had erederl the present fow thn'<' :story brick block

ow1wd hy the family. 1-fo diC'<l ,Jnne 2(i, 18!10.

:i'rlr. Burt serYcd :-;ix _rl'ar:- as alrlerrnan of ?dnnkato, ,m<l longc·r

a:-; a member of its Board oJ 'l'rade. .Mr. l\'i:-(', of the ;\lanlrntn

Hc\vic\w, saicl of him. "He was public spirited and lih<'rnl with

hi:-; time ancl Jllll'i"l' in dl'ort:- to promote• tlw 11·pff,rn, ancl pro:-;pl'rit_v

of .Mankato, arnl in all this lw wns instigaterl l1r c•aruc•.st and un­

sl'lfish patriotism.''

He marrie<l, Dec. 2,1, 18(;(i, J\'fiss Plwehe E, rlm1ghtr!r of Mor­

ton and ,Julia A. Laflin, who had locater] in LinH' Township as

early as ,June, 185.J. He left snnil'ing liesi<ks Iii:- widow, an only

rlaugliter, Miss Nellie Hurt.

CARNl:Y, PA TRICK M. -Born ,January 18th, 1838, near

Clones, Fermanagh County,

lrdand. Emigrated to Buf­

falo, New York, in 18-!-!,

where he remained until the

Fall of J Sri(i, when he re­

moved to Lacon, lVIarshall

C'ounty, Illinois. Here he

spent fi V(! years anc1 then

went to Logarn;port, Incli­

ana, whcr2 for nearly anoth­

er five years he was clerk of

the Harnett House. Leav­

ing Lngam,port in July, lS(iG, he located at .Minne­

apolis, l\f inn., until 1871,

when he came to Mankato, whNe he has re,-,idcrl ever

,,inre. From 187'1 to 1887', PATRICK H. CARNEY.

lw was in tlw wholesale wine, liqnnr and cigar lrn:-iuesR. On Aug.

1st, lHDO, he lwcam(' rnanagl'r ol' the Mankato Starnlanl (\'nH•nt

Work:.;, and ::;ince April, 18U.J, has operated thi,, large plant under

r92 1lfanlwto-lts First hfty Fears

a lease, dernting all his time to tlw Cement intcre:c;t;;. Besides

manufacturing the celebrated _Mankato Cement, he i,; abo the

Northwestern agent for some of the b('st brands of" J'ortlnn<l Ct•­

lll<'nt. :Mr. Canwy has ht~en marri<'d b\·icl'. The first time on April 16th, 18G7, to Anna O'Neill, of Hudson, Wisconsin, who died December 22, 18%, anrl the scco]l(l time, to Mn,. :ivlnry A.

Hamlin, on Reptcrnbe1: 2:l, l!J02. ThNc were nine cl1ilclrc11 born

to him of his first wifo, :-;ix of whom are liYing, nnmcl_y: Frank, C'ora, wife of F. K. :Meaglwr; ] !any, :1lary, wi ft1 or l'rc·si<lent U. W. Bohannon, of the Dtiluth Ntak 2':ornrnl Nchool; Lt•o, and Percy.

CHANEY, REV. LUCIAN W.-Born in Bnrnarcl, Vt., Octolwr 1822, of good New England stock, which had first H:ttlccl in

Massaclrnsctts about Hi+l. He gracluatc<l from the University

of Vermont, in the cln8B of 184-L For a brief ptiriod af"Ler grnd-1rnting, he punmed tlw stmly of law, but aha11d01wcl it soon for the ministry, under tlw cmwiction that the lait<'r prn[(i~sion l"l'­

qnired his services. After spending two _y(•ar~ in an ac,1dc1n_v for

hoys in Burlington, he cnterctl Andover 'l'hcologieal ~erninar_\". His first pastoral work was with the Congregational chun:hl':-; or Hcuwlton, Pulaski, and Hutlancl, in nortlwrn _;{pw York.

In 1854, he married Miss Happy Kimw_Y, o[ Hoyalton. With

the hope of benefiting his wife's faili11g health, l\Ir. 8hn1wy came to Minnesota in 1872, and took the pastorate o[ tlw C'ongregational church at l\fankato, where after a few months l,is wife clied. llt• continued in his Mankato pastorate for ni1w years, doing moc:t

Pxcellent work. He then moved to Wascl'n, tlH•nct1 to nnmitc

Falls, Morristown arnl Mcclforcl, Minn., at t•ach nl' which phiet'S successively he ha<l pastoral charges ol' C'ongrcgational clrnr('hc>111. After forty-two years of service, he retired, spmuling the ln~t f<·w years of a most useful Ji fp in the Yillnge ol' lhrnda~. whl'ni lie tlicd ,January 1:3th, 1900.

He ldt him surviving his ser•m1<l wife, 11·hose mni,len nnme was l\[iss Sai:ah Blodgett, arnl whom lw had married in HVi':-l, nrnl

one son by hirs fin;t wife, Prof. Lucian W. ('hmwy, .Jr., of Carleton

('ollPgP, ~orthfiPld, 1\1 inn.

CHAPMAN, CHAS A.-Wais horn in Camhriclgc, Ma:-;s .. Odo­her 14, 18:J:J. He was ec1ucatccl in tlw pnhlic school ol' that town,

nrnl in tlw l ,awrPnec' Scirntific Nc·hool of 11 a rvar(] TTni vcr:-;it_y, from

which he graduated in 185(5. In the spring of that _year he came

Bio/,rrapliz"es I93

We:-;t seeking crnployrnent m; a rnilroall engineer. The hard times

then corning on eau~ed a ce~saiion oJ railroad building, :-;o having

ernigrnkd so far as Des- Moines, Iowa, he eondudecl to .,top there

and pursm• the buc,iness of a ,mrveyor. 1 n the .\ntnmn of 185G,

-CHARLES A. CHAPMAN.

lie wa;-; engaged in the sur­

\'l',\' of 11w Dl's i\foines Hiv­

cr 1 H1pro1·e111ent Company's

land grant. In the spring

of 18i5,, in co111JHU1,V with

Dr. Byron DeWitt, of Os­,,-cgo, he left De,; 1\foine:-;,

with tlw intention of ;;dtl­

ing in Minnesota. Having

pnrehased a wagon, pair of

l10r:,;cs, and the neees;;ary

stock of provisions and cook­

ing utensils, they cormnenc­

ed their jomney up the river

rrnHI, pas6ing through Fort

Dodge, Algona-then con­

sisting of only two or three

houses-Blue I£arth City,

Yernon and Garden City.

'l'h0se Wl!re all embryo town:-;, jw;t beginning to be settled. For

about fort_v rnil<'s near the honler of Minnesota 'l'crritor_y and Iowa

tlH•re was

CO!ll [HlSti.

tlll'V ]iYed

no road, and our pioneers were obliged to stc;er by the

Tlwy arrived ,1t South Bend, June l:l, 18.W, where

c1nring that sullmier at the boarding house of Elijah K. Bangs. Soon after arri\'ing here thc_y bought in company with

S('\'cral others, the farm of Noah Arn1;-;trong, oil which they laid

out the town site of Le Hillier City.

In the Fall of 1857', Mr. Chapman 111ored to :?IIankato am1

opened a surve_ycJr's office with A. D. M e8wceney in a sm,d l shanty

on the ;;pot where Patternon's wholesale grocery now stanr]s. Dur­

ing the following year he surveyed arnl platted se\'eral additions

to Mankato-Warren\:, 1-Ianna';;, Givens & Lewi,;', :i\forclam1, Free­

man & Buck's, Shanlrnt':::, Dukes', and Hoelofc,on's firnt and ;;ecom1

additions.

Mr. Clrnpn1an served one t<·1·m as Auditor of Blue Earth

County, and was the fin:t cit_y engmeer of Mankato. He was for

191 ,1/ankato-Its First Fifty !'ears

aliout twenty years Secretary of the Mankato Board of 'J1radt•, and lias been secretary o( the Mankato Cemetery Association from its organization in 18(i9 to the present time.

He married, J\Iarch :n, 185~1, Hannah A. Chapman, of Bcthd, 1\laine. They han! had three children, two of whom died in in­fancy. The third :-;on, ,James F. Chapman, was educated at Carle­ton College ancl the ::\Iass. Institute> of Technology, aml now oc­cupies a rc:-,ponsible position with the Colorado Fuel and Iron Co., at Pueblo, Colorado.

Cffll/SffNStN, C/1/l/STIAN S. C.-Born lVIay 5, 1835, in the Duke­dom of Schleswig, then the southern part of Denmark; and in H\57', emigrated to America, arriving with his brother, H. P., at

JURGEN P. CHRISTENSEN. HENRY P. CHRISTENSEN CHRISTIAN S. C. CHRISTENSEN.

Kasota, on ,·\ugust 1st. He resided on a farm five miles north

eat--t of :Mankato, until H\GO, wlwn he removell to town and f'ormcll a partnership in tlw general mercantile business with his brother.

Their stoni was firnt located in Blo('k 15, hut in 18ll2, they erecte<l, what wa;c; tlwn eon,-,illPrPd, a Ycr_v lnrgP arnl fine business house on the corner now o('cupiPcl by tlw Clla,-,~ Block. About two years later, a third brother1 Jurgen P., wa,; ac1ded to the firm, and for

/Jio;/raj,lz/cs

many years they did a very large and lllcratin· lmsi1w""· Jn 18G7, H. P., rdirl'd from the firm, tlw other two continning 1rntil 188')",

when they disposed of the store and buc<iuess. Since whic-h time the subject of tbis sketch wa~ in the real estate aml in,-:unmc:e bu;;iness with his brother, Henry l'., until his sat1 and untimely

death, February 8, 1003, by being run over by a raihvay train. He was marrietl in 18:38, to Caroline, daughter of Jacob Hub.

Slic c1icc1 January 14, 188'1. Their suniYing children are: Charles, n]1(1 Carrie, wife of L. ,J. Smith, of Mankato. }\fr. ChristL,nsen

was a <Jnid, modc"t, irnlnstriou" man, always genial, anrl incapable .of' anything mean or dishonec:t.

C/1/l/STtNSfN, MfN/lY f' .. -Bom Augu,;t ;!?, 18:J:2, at ~clilcs11ig, then the Southern part of lkmw1rk. Irnrnigrntl'<l to ,\mcrica in 1857, arriving on August 1st, at Kasota, :Ui11 11., where lie wrn, cmploye<l for the fin,t year and a half as cl<,rk for C. K Shadfor.

On _i\fa_y 10, 18:iD, he located at Mankato, aml opened a gl'neral merl'antile store in Block L"5 of' this city. Jn 18G2, !1c built a huge frame fitorc on the cor1wr now oceupie<l by the U lass Hlol'k, arnl his two brothers, C'. S. C'., and .T. 1'. Cl1rist<•nse11, h1!came a:-;­

~oeiate<l with l1im in the husi1w:ss. !11 18(i7', he rnld his int1•n•st to his brothers, a1111 nwrnd to hi;; b11"g1, form in Lincoln Town;;hip. Hduming to :i\fankato in ] 8')':J, Ji1, 01H'1w<l a renl l'statc aml i11-

sllrance olfa:c in <·orn1mn\' with C. A. ('lwp111an, 1rhil'h l'1mtinul'd for ten _Yl'arn. Since 188:l, IH! has co11tin1t!!<l nlom' in the sa1m· lmsincss, and ha,-; platt<•<l two illlporiant additions to ?lfankato: North :i\·ln11lrnto, (now a rillag1• of" l;Wo inhabitant:-;) iu 188G an<l East :\taukato in 1887 anti 18!)-1.

.Mr. Chrish,11s1m is a rnan or the stridt•st intcgrit_v :ill(l is l'll­

dowcd with /Jmmdless energy a11<l lmsi1wss plnck. The Prc:-;by­

tcrian society owe to him as mud1 as any one person the building of their first edifice and many a public enterprise he has helped push to success. While aYoiding politics, he lias servecl a nmuber

oJ times in local city and school offices. lfo married Fehrnary .24, 1870, Isabella B. Walz, and they have three chil<lrcn: Edgar

W., Isabella and Julia.

CM!l!STfNStN, JU!l6fN f'.-Born Septe1ubcr 2J, 18±/i, in Schle,-­wig, Denmark, came to l\Im1lrnto in lNCW, all(l cl!'rkcd in stores

nntil 18G'1, when he became a llll'llll><'r ol' the fi1m of Christensen

Brothers, in the general mercantile business at JUankato, where

Jlanlwto-Its First Fift)' Vea,·s

he continned with success until 18t-Vi', wlH•n the finu haring :-;old

out, he visited California, arnl Jinally in J 890, remowcl to San

Diego, that State, where lie ,,b\ \ rl'sidec', cngagl'Ll in :fruit Jnxming

and real ei:;tate. He was nrnrriL•d in li-:\(i(j, to ;\[is,; 111nry A. Wane11.

They have no i:;uniYing childn•n.

J)uring hi,-; re;-;idenc•(' in J\Iaukato, i\lr. ('hri,-;knsL'll was enir

an aetiYc promokr of the city',-; W<'lfan•. \Ya:-; tru,-;teLi ol' UIL•mrnod

eenietl'ry, nnd heltl otlH•r pn:--ition;-; ol' trn,-;t

CLARK, Dr. Wm. Wyckoff.-01w ol' J\lankato·s l'nrl:· ,;dller,; wa,; a nati\'l' of \\'eskrn l'L•Dn:sylvania from whieh plau• liL' moved

to Ashtabula County, Ohio, lJl'gan the practice of 11iellieinc, and

was marrie(l to Adaline Babbctt. In 18,i8, he mm·ed to :;\fankato a111l r-ontinm•d the pradiec of

ltis profession until the war broke out, ,,·h<in!upon he wn:-; made

one of the :surgeons of the 'l'enth J\Iinncsota Hegiment. He serv­ed throughout the war, with rnore than O]'(linary s11cccs,;, and came

out as acting Division Surgeon in the Hith Army Corps. His army

expericncc gavc him a pre- crnirn•ncc among tlw rncrnb•:rs of his

DR. WILLIAM WYCKOFF CLARK.

profession in Southern J\Iin-

1w:-;ota and his practiu• as a

::-,11rgeon at :i\fanlrnto, frorn the close of the war to hi"

d(•ath. ,JanHar_r ht, 1878,

\\'HS one of grL•at usLifulnl',-;s

and covered a large <'xpanSl'

o[ territory. At the tirnl'

of his death he was in his

fifty-sc,·enth yc•,u. Alt.!10ugh a stalwart He­

publican he repeatellly ck­clined to JHT1nit the ust) of

hi,; name a,; a eanrJidatc for

office. At Oll!! time he wa~

urged to accept the HepHb·

lican nomination for Con­grc,;:s bnt was 11111\'illing to

nliandon hi:s prol°<·>'~ional Cal'l)Cl'.

Two :-;ons wen• born to Dr. and }!rs. ( 'lark. Olll' of whom

died at the age of eight, and the other, William Wyckoff Clark

Fiograj>liics 197

is a practicing Attorney 0£ Minneapolis. His widow is still'living,

now making her home at Minneapolis.

CLARKE, Maj. Geo. A,-Born February 1, 18:32, :1t Water­ville, Maine. Went to China, Michigan, in 1s;rn, arnl thence to Watfolmrg, Penn::;ylvania, in 184D, where on July G, 1851, he

. 1narriec1 Eliza, daughter 01 Jabe;,: and :Mariah Hubbell, prominent arn1 wealthy farmers.

Jn 185·~, he came to Mankato, ,trriving on November 2ml, arnl put up at the n·si(\enee of ,J aim·s I Luma, whose h011Sl\, a one story frame, loeated where the Firnt National Bank now i;tanc1:;;, was the principal stopping place 0£ the town.

'!'he following spring he loc;atcd a claim on the Belgrade bluff, opposite the mouth of the Blue Earth, but in 185G, moved back to Mankato and engaged in bnsincss.

In 18Gl, he !Jecame the senior partner of the firm of Clarke & Keggereis, general merchants.

In the Fall of 1861, he raised a company for the defence of his country, and on September 20th, with a muster roll of 80, went to Fprt Snelling, where, with forty of these, he enlisted as private in the Fourth Minn. Vol. Infantry. On December 20,

18Gl, he was made 2nc1, Lieutenant of Co. H. of this regiment. Promoted 1st Lieutenant on August 24, 18G2, Captain on July 1st, 1863, and 1Vfajor of the Hegiment on September lG, 18G4. He scrvecl with his regiment in the hard c;arn­pa1gns under Grant and Sherman, until disdiarged by reason of expiration of service, September lG, 180--t He received special com­mendation from his super­ior officers for gallant scrv­iee, and at the time of his ilischarge was Provost Mar­

~hal of :3n1. Divi~ion 15th, A. C., on the stall' 01 Gen'!. ,J. E. Smith. On the cloAl\ of the war in 18G5, he re­turned to Mankato ancl en­gaged m tlw mercantile, MAJ, GEORGE A. CLARKE.

;lfa11lwto-/ts l'irst Fifty }'ears

real estate and immranee business until 188\), when, owing to the failing health of hinrnelf and wife, he removell to Florence, Ala., and thence in 1892 to Union Uity, Penn., where he 8till re:side~, engaged in the manufacturing business.

'I'he Major has led a life of strenuous activity, and was ever public spirited and generous.

COFFIN, Rev. Bartlett Y. -Born JHay 22, 1822, at Paoli, Im1i­ana. Hi:-; parents were Thomas arnl :Miriam Coffin, mcrnbcrs of a Quaker Colony, who were early settlers of the Hoosier State. Hie father was a cousin of Lucretia Mott, and the Coffins traced their ancestry to Tristain Coffin, who wa,; a lineal descendant of Sir Hicbard Coffin, who came to England with William the Conqueror.

Bartlett Y. Coffin was educated in Depauw University, Irnl., and was ordained "Deacon" in the M. E. church by Bishop Jane,; on October 14, 1849, and "Elder" by Bishop Waugh, on October 7th, 1851. His first ministerial appointment was to Veda, Irn1., where Dr. Edward Eggleston, the author, was converted under his preaching. In Indiana, he was, also, successively appointed to Edinburg, Bedford, Madison City, New Albany and Indian­apolis. In June 1855, he came to Blue Earth County, Minn., and located on a claim near his brother, W. P. Coffin, in South Bend Township. 'l'his move was made to benefit his health, which the malaria of his native state ,vas fast undermining. The drier air of Minnesota proved beneficial and he soon resumed his ministerial work, preaching at South Bend, Mankato and in almost every settlement in this part of the State. He wa:; located for some time in those earlier years at the Winnebago Agency, teaching school and assisting Gen'!. Fletcher, the Indian agent there. Dur­ing this time he conducted gratuitously an evening school ah;o, for the white employees at the Agency.

When the Sioux outbreak occurred in the Fall of 18G2, he wm among the first to go to the defence of N cw Ulm, where hi:< cool bravery and unerring marksmanship gave him special promi­nence in that memorable struggle with the sayage foe. On Feb-­ruary 7th, 18G3, he was appointed Captain of a :Militia Company by Governor Ramsey.

Rev. Coffin did not join the Minnesota Conference until 18G7.

as h(~ dirl not wish to be tied llown to any particular church, but preferred preaching as a missionary in the outlying districts in the log cabins and school houses of the scattered pioneers, wlw

I99

were deprived of regulnr religious senicL,s. His labors as a. mis­

sionary, evangelid and pastor were very abundant and effective There is hardly a 11eighborl100L1 in Blue 1,;arth County and vicinity, to which he did not minister in spiritual things. Humble am1

gentle in all his wa}'i-', be wa8 one 0£ the most genuine of men_. whom none knew but to Ion'. Though quiet al1l1 reserved in 1m1mier, he was \l'ithal most fcn·id and zea Jou;.; in his Master's

cau::;e, and the only pay he cared for was the joy of the service Hnmlni1ls of tlw old settler;;, who JJrofHcd b_y hi::; lnuuble am)

faithful ministr,Y bless his memory, for hi,; whole Ji re w,ls a bene-·

diction to all with whom it came in torn:h. Rev. (;otlin was a member of the Masonic LoLlge oI

Mankato, arn1 ,lid much to build up Urn on1er. He was married

at St. Peter, December 18, 18G2, to Caroline lVfarilda, daughter

nf George P. Hicks, then a merchant of that town. He died September 7'th, 1900, at JVlinneapolif', J\Iinn., where his last years were spent am1 where his widow still resicles.

COFFIN, William P. -Born in Paoli_, Jrnliana, September 20, 1832. His parents were Thos. and :Miriam Coffin, worthy mem­bers of a Quaker (;olony, who as pioneers had settled in the wilder­

ness of the H()(micr State. He first came to l\faukato in October, 1854, arn1 during the winter of that year, in connection with another _vonng man

named, ,Joel Cloud, opened

a small grocery ~tore in the Hamm hnilding, which stooc1 wlwre Young & Otto's ~tore now stand,:. The fol­

lowing :-;pring :;\fr. Coffin

pre-emptetl a claim in what is called the Spring Jsland portion of Routh Bem1

Township, arnl in 185Ci,

went hack to lrnliana. Tn 18(i(i, he returned to l\fan­kato, where he has resided en!r since, Pllg'H!!;(!tl in tlw real estati, all(l loaning busi­Ill'Ss. He ]ms le,] a quiet,

industrious life and is high- WlLLIAM P. COFFIN.

200 J/a11/wto-~lts First f,ifty J'ears

ly c:--temnell for his sc:rupulou:,; honcRty and fidelity to every tru,;t. He is a worthy member of the 1\.1. K church.

October i, 18G7, he was nnite<l in marriage to Mis:,; l\fargarct C. To(ld, who died April, 1900. Their children are: EJJen K, and Mark T. Coffin.

COLE, Mrs. Catharine.~Born .January 15, 1815, in Orwig:--­hnrg, Pa., of which State her am:estorn were among the c,ulic,st ;-;cttlers. !for parents were Christian ancl Sarah (Sall) Brob;;t. Her grarnlfatlwr, ,Jac:ob Sall, Juul his farm where i,; now Joeatcrl tlw city of Pottsville, Pa. J\Trs. Cole was first married in 18;3;2, to Hidrnrd Bruce, and lin~d at JHinenwille, Pa., where Mr. Bruce died. She was next rnarrie<l in 1838, to Hoxie Hathlrnrn, a native of Delaware Conn,ty, N cw York. After residing for a number of years in Penn;;ylrnnia, _:\fr. Hathburn removed with his family to the vicinity of Stenlw1wille, Ohio, and was employed for a year or two in railway construction. About March 18fi3, he came \Vest with his family, intending to locate at Galena, IllinoiH, but was induced to continue his journey to St. Paul. Finding employment on the boat Clarion, he left his family at St. Paul and ascended the Minnesota to Fort Ridgely in May, 1853, arnl, on the return trip, concluded to locate at Mankato. He built a claim shanty on the stone quarry bench just north of the Great Westem round­house, ancl his family arrived on June 12th, and went into posses­sion. In the Fall of 185G, Mr. Rathburn was employnd by Messrs. Babcock and Marsh to carry the mails between Mankato :md Sioux City, and, being caught by a blizzard, was frozen to lkath near ,Jackson, Minn., December 2G, of that year.

In the Fall of 18G2, his widow married Ephraim (})h', a car­penter by trade, who had first come to Mankato in 1852, and in the following year had helped builcl the Mankato House. He was a member of the first Boan1 of County Commissioners and a prom­inent character in the early history of onr town.

Mrs. Cole was a nurse by profession, and there mm hardly a pioneer household in Mankato to whose sick she did not minister. She has seen our city's growth from ifa very infancy, and still her vigor is unabated. She had two children by her first husbaml : William and Franklin Bruce, am1 four by her second husband : Mrs. Mary Goodrich, Mrs. Margaret Funk, Mrs . .T ane Fuller and Mrs. Rebecca Burris.

COOPER, Pres. Charles H. -Born in 185:-5, at La Cro:c:sc, Wiscon,;in, of New Englarnl parvntagc. Entered Dartmouth Col-

20I

legc in 187:3 ancl graduated in the cla:-;t; of 18',''i'. The first year after graduating, he was sub-master of the Abbott school, at Wash­ington, D. C. In 1878, he became teacher in the Hitchcock Free Acaclcmy, at Brimfield, Mass., ancl from 18'nl to 1882 was its prin­cipal. In the latter year he was elected tutor or Dartmouth Col­lege, arnl in the following year became professor of History and Political Scie1m,, and Librarian of Carleton Coll~ge, N orthficlll, Minn., where he contimH•(l until the close of 18!J8, when he was

clcctcrl to the Presidency of the Ntate Normal :-;cl100] at JWankato, which position he still hol<ls.

President Cooper is c1ignific<1 in prc::;encc, <lecisi vc in action, ripe in scholarship anrl high in his intt:llectual arnl moral ir1eals­an exemplary im;tructor of youth. He was nnite<l in marriage in 188:3 to Miss Caroline A. \Yhccler, of' North Woburn, ;\Ia~s. They have three chilrlrcn: Helen, Margard, and Hobert Wheel(!r.

CRAY, Judge Lorin. -ls of Scotch <lesccnt, the name it is claim­ed being a corruption of "McRea." His parents, Delevan and Charlotte (Chappel) Cray, were natives of Vermont, who had lo­eatecl at the town of Mooers, Clinton County, New York,where the subject of this sketch, was born October rn, 1814. The family removed in 1849 to Winnebago County, Wiscon­sin, and thence in the sum­mer of 1859, to Blue Earth County, :Minn., locating on a farm in the town of Pleas­ant ]Hound. At seventeen ~,ears of age, young Cray en­listed in Company D. 9th, l\Iinnesota Vol., anc1 served

in the Sioux war and Sonth­Prn Rebellion. At the battle of Nash ville, Tenn., Decem­ber 15, 18G--I-, he was severe­ly wonndc!l in the shoulder. After rcarling law for three years with ,J nrlgcs Severance and Dickinson, he was ad­mitted to the bar in 18,5, anc1

JUDGE LORIN CRAY.

opPtHxl an <dlice at Lake Cr_rstal,

202 ;1/anlwto- Its First /•1//y ) ·,ars

Minn., where he practiced until 1881, when he removed to l\fan­kato. He was attorney for the C. St. P, M. & 0. Ry. Company

for twenty-three yearn, and for the C & N. W. Hy. Company for ten years. He was also the attorney for the National Citizen's Bank of J\lanlrnto, arn1 several other large corporations for many

years. J n lf\08, he was l'lcct<·<l J ll<lgc of the Sixth J mlieial Dis­trict of Minnesota, arnl <'nkre(l npon the <lischargc 0£ his duties

on January 1st, 1 D00. Judge Cray is an alil<' lawym· and a learned, efficient .Ju(lgc.

He has been twice mmTiPd. His first wife wa~ Sarah Trimble_, to whom he wa:c: 1mite(l in HHiD, and who <lie<1 in .Tanmll'y, 181)0.

Mis:c; Lnlu, dm1ghfrr of Capt. ;\, ,J. Murphy, of Lake C\y,-;tal,

Minn., lwcame his secornl wifo in September, 18!:l:L

CURRIER, Frederick M.,-Born in Boston, Mass., December :30th, 1832. His par<'nt,- wcl'e natin•,-; of Maine, IJut after their marriage had scttlc<l in Bo,-;ton. i\Ir. Cnrricr's forefathers had

been prominent leaders in the Hernlutionary War, arnl he is the direct descendant in the eighth generation of Richard Cmrier, who settled in Salisbnry, 11Iass., in 1 (i40, and 0£ ,John Bean, who

FREDERICK M. CURRIER.

settle<1 m Exeter, N cw Han1pshirc in rnno. He was e<lncatC'<l in the Hoston public schools, and at

eighteen years, ('nterecl a

wholesale <lry goorls firm of his 1rntire city, until the spring of 187G, when he

came to HJ ue Earth Coun­

ty J\Iinn., arriYing at :Man­kato on the 5th of March.

He locate<l on a farm in lkcoria, where he rcsidc'<l

until Novernlwr 18!)3, wlH'll

he rc·movul to Mankato. 1 n 18!);\ he formc(l a eo­

partnersh i p with .J. G. Kol-ler in the grain arnl pro(lnce lmsi1w,;,;, lmt in a f('W months (lis­

pose<l of his intere~t, arnl h<'l'Hllll' a~;;ociah'<l with Rnwst Hosen­berger in the llltlllufadnrc arnl ,1·l101L•,,aling of confectionery, which

Hiograp!,ies

business they started October 10th, 1895. Quickly outgrowing their first quarters, they erected in 1897, their present commod­ious am1 elegant factory, whose capa('ity their rapi(Hy growing business is alrear1y beginning to tax,

Mr. Currier was clcctec1 a member of the Legislature in 18DO,

an<1 served with credit to his constituents and himsdf. Jn the :-:pring of 18DD, he became Mayor of :Mankato, arn1 -.;0rve<1 two years. During his a(1ministration the city's floating debt was rc•dncl'<l )!;22,000.00, and the treasury which ha<1 only )!;100.00 in it, when he took office, had ;j;J 8,000, in it at the conclu-.;ion of his term. Mr. Currier is a m<'mher of the Presbyterian church and at pre:::ent, president of its Roanl of Trustees. !Tc is, :il::so, a di­rector of the First National Bank, \'ice-Prec:ident ancl Treasurer of the Central Minnesota lrnmigration Larn1 Co., and Vice-PreRi­<lent of the Social Sci<'nC<' Club.

He was married ,January nth, 1878, to E11en L., <laughter of George To<ld, of n<'coria Town,:hip, arnl two chilrlren haYe b]P:c;Rc<l tlwir union: Guy R., and Ethel.

DA VIS, Dr. Edward J. -Son of E<hvan1 and Jane Davis was horn .July G, 18:3H, at i\forionctl1shire, Wall's. When he was an infant his parents cmigratcrl to Marcy 'l'owm,hip, Oncicla County, New York, and remoYcd thence to the village of Whitesboro, in the same county, when he was twelve years olc1. Soon after this, his father having met se\·ere financial reVl!rses, he was thrown upon his own resources in his :-;trnggles for an eclncation in the village school and Whitestown Seminary. During 18<>0, and until the spring of 18!>2, he taught at Wilson Institute, Wilson, New York, and Judge A. W. 'l'ourgee was hi:;; co-laborer and room-mate c1uring the first year. He rcturne<1 to Whitesboro in the spring of 1862, nrnl Jipgan his rneclical studies in the office of Dr. Charles K Smith. rrhc call of his country becoming urgent, he mlisterl October fl, 18(i2, as private in Co. n., 14Gth Regiment ?lrPw York Vol., arn1 soon went to the front. After two months service he was <letailed assistant hospital stcwanl, and after the battle of Gettys­burg was commiRsioned hospital Rtewarcl of his regiment. After the battle of Col<l Harbor, .J unc, 18<>4, lw was r1etailcr1 chie[ stewarcl of Secornl Division Fifth Corps, fll'lll hospital. Thi:-; rp:-;ponsiblc position Im fille<1 until :March 2, 18G5, ,rhcn he was commissionecl First Lieutenant of Company C., of his Regiment, which position lie liel<1 until clisahkcl by wotmcls at the battle of

204 11Ianlmto-fls First h'/ty )'ears

Vive Forks, Va., April 1st, 18G5. He was brevetted C,1ptain :for gallant and meritorious conduct at this battle, and was mustered out with his regiment June lG, 18G5. The following September he resumed his medical studies ancl graduated with the degree of lVL D., from the Albany Medical College in 18/jS. Jn April of that year, he came to :Mankato arnl the following :l\fay, began the active practice of his profession there, which was continued until ,June, 1900, when he removc(l to \Vciscr, Idaho, where he is now engaged in the drug lmsine,;s ,vith his son.

On June :30, 1870, he was united in marriage to Miss ChriRsie Thompson, of Wilmington, Illinois, an(l three chil<1ren have blessed

their union, two of whom survive: R<l­war<] and I<'ranc.

During his thirty­two years residence at l\Ian]rnto, Dr. Davis filled many positions of honor and trust. He was U. S. Examin­ing Surgeon of Pen­sions from 18G9 until his c1eparture from the State, except dur­ing !'resident, Cleve­land's second term. \Va,; member of the State Boanl of Health for fifteen years. As­sisted in reorganizing the State Medical So-

DR EDWARD J. DAVIS, ciet_y, of which he was made President in 1885, and to which he contributecl many valu­uable papers. Was a charter member of the l\{innesota Valley l\fodical Association and servecl as its prcRident one year. Was an active and efficient member of the Mankato Board of Education for s0-ven year:=;. Was an d<ler of the Presbyterian clrnrch from 1872 nntil his <lepartnre from Mankato arnl always took an actin~ part in all the work of the church ancl S111Hlay school. His re­moval from _Mankato, where the best part, of his active life had

Hiograjlzz'es 205

been so snceessfull_y spent, was due to the failing health of his wifo, which required a change of climate.

DAVIS, D. D., Rector George H.~Born .May :tl"th, 18--1:2, at Buxton, Maine. When he was an infant, his parents Freder­ick and Ellen (Gould) Davis, removed to Portlanll, l\fainc, when' his father became a merchant. The rector was <!<h1cah!d in the Portland schools, Philips' Academy of Exeter, N. II., am1 Kenyon, College, Ohio. After graduating from the latter institution he followed mercantile life for somp years at Newark, N. ,T., arn1 lVIilwaukee, Wisconsin.

In 18G9, he came to Minnesota and taught school one year at Elk River. He then became teacher in the Shattnek school at Faribault, Minnesota, and at the same time pursued a theological course at the Scabnr_y Divinity school connected with the same institution, graduating in 1875. Ordained to the deaconate the same year by Bishop Whipple, he became rector of the St. Clou<1 Episcopal church in 18~;G. In 1882, he took charge of St. Mich­ael's church at Boise City, Idaho. Returning to Minnesota in 1888, he became rector of St. Paul's church at Brainerd, and thence in 18%, came to St. ,John's Episcopal church of this city, where he still officiates.

In 1901, he receive(] from Seabnr_y the degree of D. D. Rec­tor Davis stands high in educational arn1 ecclesiastical circles. For the past ten years he has been a member of the stanrling com­mittee of the Minnesota Diocese and presi<knt 0f it for pa~1 seven years. For the past twelve years he has been trm.tee of Bishop Seabury MisRion, the corporation having charge of the Episcopal schools at Faribault. He was county superintendent of public schools in l(laho for five years am1 of Crow Wing County, Minnesota for one year. He was prcsirlent of Brainerd School Board for years and has hel<l a similar position on the Mankato Hoanl of Eflucation for tlw past four years. He is abo promi-1wnt in Masonic circles.

Doctor Davis has been marric<l thrice. His first wife, whom he rnarrie<1 in l\Iaine, arn1 his seconrl wife, whom he married in Ohio, both (lied in their young womanho()(l. !Tis present wife, whose maiden name was Alice C. Upham, he rnarricrl in 1874, at Elk J{iver, Minnesota. She is a natirn of New Hrnnswick. 'l'hree chilrlren luwe hlesscrl this last 1mion: ])r. Frc(1erick Up­ham, of St. Clair; Alice C., and Katherine Cl., of Mankato. He

206 ;lfanlwto-lts First F1/ry ) ·cm·s

also has a daughter liy his fornwr wifr: j\frs. l 'arric'l1• Heel way,

of Idaho.

DIAMOND, JOIIN.-H:rn in Haltiniorl', l\f<l., .Tannary 1-J., 1828, of Scotch-IriRh pan,nts. He• wa;; ldt an orphan in c•arly child­

hood, an<l rnovrrl \\'ith his

gnarclian in rn:rn to Down­

ing, Clw;;frr Cmmty, Penn.,

whne he "·orkl'tl on a farm until rn:iO, \\'hrn lw went to Lancm,t(•r Cit.,.-, T'Pnn­

sylvania. Herr he fin,t

leanwcl the tanning lrnsiness

nncl then the machinist';;

trnclt>. Hrn1ovc<l to Minne­

sota in 18:"i,, rearhing Man­

kato on l\Tay 12th, of that

year. He pre-ernptc<l a Jarm in section 31, of Ster­

ling, but reRiclecl for a num­

ber of years at Shelbyville, operating a saw mill for

Henry Stocks. In lSGO, he removed to his farm, wlwrr

JOHN DIAMOND. he resiclecl clnring the trying clays of the Indian massac1:c, in which he bore himself ·with forti­

tu<lc. In 18G9, he w,is c1ccte<1 filwriff, arnl was continue<1 in the office for three terms. He then purchnscrl a farm near the city limits in :Mankato 'l'ownship. In 188-1, he was clectc(l County ComrniFsioncr-serving two terms-and was largely inRtrnmcntal

in having erected the prcRcmt County Conrt House. Has been presiclent of the Blue Earth County Agricultural Society, and is now presi<lent of thr, Blue Earth County 'l'<·rritorial As,;ociation. fias always taken an aetiye interrRt in nll thr political anrl ,;ociol­ogical questions of the! clay.

He was married May 12, 18;1-l, to Mary, <hnghtm of .Tnhn ancl Tlfary RlmU, of l\faridta, 1'<•1111. Sile <liccl Septernlwr +, 1808.

Their ehil<lren HH': ,John Evert, AnniP Elizabeth, wife of '11• F.

Brown, of St. Pan 1; Sarah .TanP K(\ith ( rlecea,;e<l), Cahin A.,

Harvard Downing, Margaret Alice, and Lewi,; Clayton Diamond.

llio/[r'etjlr:.'es

DICKINSON, Judge Daniel A.-Horn at 1-faTtfonl, Vermont, October 28, 1839. Having earl_y lost bis parents, h(" was reared

and e(ineatc<l hy his granrl­

father. He grac1uatcc1 a.t

Dartmouth College in 18GO. I-fo stnclierl law in the office

of Smith ::\l. Weecl, at

Platfalmrgh, N. Y. He wa~

m the naval ~Prrice of the

U. S., as assistant paymast­

er in 18(;;3. Subsequently

n;signing, lw rctnrnccl to New York, when; lie prac­

ticed law with J\fr. Wec•(l,

until 1868, when he remov­

ed to l\fankato. Here he

successfully practiced lii:s profession until 1875, when

he was elected ,J n1Jge of the

Gth ,Tnclicial District. Thif'

position he helcl until .Tnn0 JUDGE DANIEL ASHLEY DICKINSON. :3rcl, 1881, when he was ap-

pointed by the Governor, Associah1 .T udge of the Snpr0rne C'onrt.

to fill a vacancy caused by the death of .Tu~ticc Cornell, to which

position he was subsequently twice elcdecl, and rcmainr<l upon thP

bench until October, 189:l. After his rdircuwnt, he rc•s11nwcl the

practicl! of law at Dulnth, where he wn:-; a,;,;oL·iakcl with a prorni­

ment firm unc1er the name of Billson, Congdon & Dickinson, which rPlation continnecl until his r1Path on the 1~2th of F'cbnwry, 1D02.

J\fay 11th, 1SG7, he was married to May K Wel'rl, anrl to thi~

union, four chilrlren were born, Sarah W., Anna M., Mattie, an1l

Daniel Ashley; one of these, Mattie, iK clcarl. He was a thorongh

lawyer, an able and conscientious jmlgr, pos:-;essed thC' nrlrnnity of

a gc>.ntlc>nrnn, and folly enjoyecl the conOckncr of t1w legal fratcrn­

itv of the rntirr Stntr1• Af' a man, n:-; n ju1lge arnl n:-; n patriot,

lw wns nn honor to thi" cit?.

00/lNBE!lG, Oil. AlBON 6.-Jbrn iu 'l'lrnringin, Cc'11tral c-:rrmany, in lROO, c'<l11catPcl at T-foirklherg, ancl pradi<·Pd rnP1lici1w in <l<•r­

rnany nn(il ] 8-17, when he c•migrntecl to AnH•ri(oH. Lou1ting at

208 11!,rnlrnto--fts First Fifty )·,·nrs

DR. ALBON G. DORNBERG.

]Vfilflnhurg, Penn., he work­

ed up a large practice dur­

ing the ten years of his resi­

dence there. In 185G, he

removed to l\fankato, Minn.,

and was the leading homeo­

pathic physician of the town

until his death on December

:20, 187'8. His wife, Chris­

tiana Dornbcrg, ha<l rlepart­cd this life on October 2G,

1874. He hacl nine child­

ren: Clotilcla, married to

Christian 1V[os8cr; Dr. Aclol­

phrn, L. Dornberg; A ugm;ta,

married to Wm. H. Rockey; Bertha, married to Jacob Bierbaum·; Alma, marrird

to Charles Heilborn; Louisa

married to iYrn. 13ierbal1l'r;

Laura, married to Herman DuBni:::r-;on; Hosa, marricc1 to Frederick

Pracl, and Leander llornbcrg, who <liccl prior to his fath~r. lVIost

of the doctor's chil<lrcn wen• located prominently at Jifankato at

the time of his death, and thre<• o[ them; ?drs. Hockr_y, Mrs .

• Jacob Bierbauci· and Mr,c;_ \Vm. Bicrlrnner, still !in· tlwrc.

DUKES, AARON N.-fo a natin· of Hanrlolph Conniy, lrnliana, where his birth occnrn·d, October '27, 18:.l I. His grm1dfatlier.

Isaac Duk0s, emigrated from England to ;\larylall(l, whence hi,.:

father, vVilliarn Dukes, remov0<1 to Rarnlol ph Cn11nty, J Jl(l iana, an<l

for many years was snec(•ssi\'(•ly l'ngaged in mvrchall(lising, milling

and' agricultural pmsnits. ln 18-rn, )ip rnoYC'<l to Miami County, Jrnliana, ancl sm·ernl FllrK later to a !'arm a<ljoining the city of Peru, lrnliana, wlwrP he rlicrl in 18J'H. J\lr. J)ukcs' mother, l\[rs.

J\fatilc1a Dnkcs, was a danghtl'r of William and .Tmw Mc!,irn, who

emigratecl to the Unite<l Staks front Jrehrncl, aho11t a ('\'!lllll'y ago.

anrl scttle<l near Chillieotlw, Ohio, lint ;suh,.:eqm·ntly rcnwvP<l to

Ranrlolph f'mmty, Jrnlinna, and UH•Jl<'P to i\l iami C'ounty, where·

they <liet1. JWr. Dukes re­

eei V<~d a good publi<.; sd10ol

education and, at the age of seventeen, a<.;cepted the po­

sition of salesman in the

merurntile house of E. H. Shirk, of l'eru, Indiana,

arnl at the en<l of a year he formell a co-partnership

with hi,; employer in a gen­

eral store in the town of

Gilca<l, in the same County. After remaining two yean, in the latter place, he dis­

posed of his interest, and, in the spring of 185G, came to

Mankato, wher_e in the fall AARON N DUKES, at the age of 22 years. of that year he erected a

store building, 20xG0 feet in Block 1-L It was constructed of basswood boards-about the fin,t product of the first saw mill in

J\Iankato, which Geo. W. Lay had then ju~t started, about where the Mankato pumping station now stands. 1\fost of the work on the buil<ling, lV[r. Dukes fli<l himself, with the ac:sistance of the late ,John A. \Villanl, whose services he repaid, by helping him

put up his law office on an acljoining lot. There being no faeil­ities for plaRtering, the store walls were lined with heavy muslin, arn1 the <.;ounters of llll(lrcs,;cd lumber c:ovcred with oildoth. In such <1uarters, then as elegant as any in town, Mr. Dukes opened what was considered a very large stock of general merchandise, which lie conducted with succcss for several years. His first stock of goods was lost in transit, through the dosing of navigation,

aml he had to spend two or three weeks, in the <1ead of winter, diasing np and <lown the Minnesota all(l :Mississippi Valleys, looking for them, arn1 then ha<l to haul them over larn1 at great

expense, so that hi8 flour ha,l to be sold at $10.00 per barrel aml other goods in proportion. Thi:,; transportation experience wa:.; ,l ~ommon one however, with onr pioneer merchants.

In 1857, he formed a co-partnership with Abel and ,Josiah Keene arnl A. D. Scwanl, in the erection of a saw mill, to which

later were a<l<lecl grist, shingle all(1 lath mill athlclnncnt:.;. Lossec;

11fan/wto--Its First Fz/ty Vears

incmTcrl from :-;pring l'rc:-;hds arn1 finally the total destruction of

the plant by fire in the :Fall of 1SG2, rendered this investment

rather unprofitable. During the great excitement incicbnt to the t:lioux war, Mr. I)ulm; was appointed provost marshal, with the

rank of taptain, and had corn11iand of the towns of Mankato and

Houth Bern1, which he put under military diReipline. When, upon the cvatuation of :New U lrn, the refugees of that town and all

the n<1jacent country, many wounded ancl sick, and all destitute, came pouring like a ftoml

into ]\fankato, the duties of

those in authority were ap­palling. The vacant :,;tores

and dwellings, whose own­

ers had fled the country, were appropriated for hos­

pitab and places of shelter, and the cattle arnl the pro­dnce of field and ganlen every where confi,;eated for food, under the law of mili­tary nececsity. i\lr. Duke:,;

wa,;, al:-m, appointe(1 com­

mis:-rnry and rernlcre<l effo:i­

ent :-;c•nicc in cw:h trying

position. U pcm tlw elo:-:c

of the Sioux war lie retnrn­

etl to Peru, lrn1_i,1na, where AARON N • DUKES. he has ever sinte rc:-idl'cl, to

form a co-partnership ,vith his Jriern] E. H. Shirk, in a large mer­cantile :-;tore at that place.

From 18(iG to 18'(0, he was engage<l in the grocery and pork p,ieking lrn:-;iness, all(] from 18'(0 to 1881, he was mm,tly employc(l

a:,; a <lealcr in real estak. He laid out two large a<1ditions to Mankato, which bear hi,; name an<1., alrn, two allc1itions to Peru, Irn1. Since 1881, he ha:-; been connected with the 1 rn1ia:1a 1Hanu­

factnring Co., of Peru, Indiana, one of the large,;t enterprises of the kirnl in thti Statc-fi.r:;t as receivc·r, anr1 now as _vice-president arn1 manager, arnl tlw s11C'ees::; of that gTr\at \J11,;i1H'S:; institution is largely <1uc to his untiring energy arn1 finamial tact.

!Ie was l!Hll"ried Sepfombcr :! ] , 1858, to Mary Ann, daughter

Rio/:-raj>ltfrs 2II

of Rev. ,Jas. Thomson, the pione;er 111inister of :Mankato, lJ_y whom

he had two chil(1ren: l1~li>ert ,J ., arnl William, the latter (lceeas­

cJ. Hi,, wife dil!<l in May, 18ll8, and in November, moo, he was

again married to Miss Mar_y Hosli Tl10mson, a niece of his firnt wifo.

DURKEE, WILLIAM C. -Horn l\fay 2?', 18-l2, at Jtedwoo<l, Jefferson County, New York. He was the son of Benjamin all(l

Jsahd (NlcCan) llurkcc>. The fatlll'r, who was known to all the

pioneers of Blue Earth County as "Dr. Durkee", wa,; a native of

.i\laclison County, New York, and a glasrniaker b_v tra<le. For a

nmnlwr of years before! coming to :\linncsota he resided in ::\Tew

,Jersey, being employecl as .l"orelllan in a large glas;; factory. Here

the mother died Nov. 20th, 185-lc. The father, after serving the

people of Blue Earth County for a number of year;; as Coroner and

otherwise, tlied January rnth, 188:l, highly esteemed by all the olu

settlers of Mankato. The subject of th is sketch removed with

his father to Mankato

in the spring of 185G, locat­

ing on a claim near town.

July 15, 1801, he enlisted

in Co. H. Second l?egimcnt

l\[inrn;~ota Vol., and was

llischarg<;d Jor di,sabilit_v,

,J mnrn1·_y 1 l, 18!>'!. On his

n'con'ry from a ,scvl;rc at­tack of typhoid fen'r, he re­

lml i:stcd in Co. E. ~inth

J\'finnc~ota \'oL, antl 1q1;;

chosen First Sargeant. Dc­cemlJC'r 28, 18(i:l, he was

discharged to accept a com­

mi~sion as captain in the

G2ncl. lfogimcnt Colored

Infantry, and on J\fay 1:3,

18G5, he was commi::;sionell WILLIAM c. DURKEE. Brevet Major. He took

part in the last battle of the Ci\'il War, fought at Palmetto Hauch,

Texas, May 1:l, Urn\ a month after Gen. T,ce had smTendPrecl,

and was discJmrgecl from the senicc 1\farch :n, 18(ifi. He then

entered the law tlepartment of the University of Michigan and

21.:? Jlanlwto-~lts First Fifty Vears

graduated in 18G8, and was admitted to the bar both m Michigan ancl :Minnesota.

In 18G9, he was elected Clerk of the DiRtrict Court of Blue Earth County, ancl hel(l the position continuously with great satitdaction until hi1o death, which occurred at Columbus, .Kansas, October 27, 1882. He was a 32nd degree ::\'.lmmn and an Odd Fellow. He was also an active, influential member of the Baptist ehurch~one of its trustees and superintl!tHlent of its Sunday School for years. He was president of the State Sunday School Association arnl Trustee of Pillsbury Acallnuy. A brave soldier, an energetic and m,eful citizen, and a true Christian, he servell his day ancl generation well. He married Mi,;s :Mary A. Davi,;, October 2G, 18G9, whom he left surviYing with four children: Emma lVL, who i8 a very capable trained nurse, residing at St. Paul, Ella, wife of Rev. H. :F. ·waring, a prominent Baptist divine of Halifax, Nova Scotia, well and most favorably known also in Man­kato, where he formerly ministerell, William Charles of Mankato, and Gertrude JVI., for four years a very suecc1osful teacher in the :Mankato Public Schools, and elected this year (1903) to a position in the Owatonna State School.

FLETC/ltll, LAFAYtTTt G. M.-The father of education in this city-Born in Stockholm, St. Lawrence County. New York, :February 1:m1, 1830. His parents were Aclolplnrn and Sarah (Wellington) Fletcher. Both his parents were of English descent through colonial families noted in the early his­tory of New England. His father was a native of Walpole, New IlampBhirc, born in 1795, and served as a private soldier in the War of 1812. His grandfather, Luke Fletcher, served through the War of the Revolution, fought at Newton, and, wintering at Valley :Forge, was present at the surrender of Yorktown. The Fletcher family came from England in 1630, and 8ettled at Lowell, Mas1oachusetts. He spent his younger clay:,, on his father's farm, attepcled the common school and later the St. Lawrmce Academy, at Potsdam, and the Ogdensburg Academy, and taught school winters from the age of nineteen to twenty-four. His father diecl at the old homestead in 1851, and his mother in 1873. ln lVIay, 18,SJ, he started out to sec the world. Be stopped at Dubuque, J owa, ancl while there met a party of government Slll'Vl\yors, aml engaged to go with them. Being active, energetic, and quick to learn, he soon ,H:c1nired ,t J'air understancling of Sllrvcying. 'l'hcy

h'io,graflt1es 2Ij

stn,rtcd the survey July G, 1854, at the southeast corner of Blue

Earth County, and nm west on the fir:,:t standan1 parallel, reach­

ing Mankato about August 15th, of the same year. He ,i•as so

much pleaseil with tliu

country that he conclml­

cd to locate thrJrc perma­

nently, and he was the only one out of a party o:f forty rn@ that r<\­

mained. He inrnwcJiate­ly mad8 a claim, north of

the present town site, where he built a home­

stead, anc1 where he has resided for over forty

eight years.. He spent much of his time in those

early years in locating

new corners, surveying 'claims and making out

papers. He located the Maple River colony and surveyed the land; he al-

LAFAYETTE G. M. FLETCHER. 80 surveyed and laid out

sc'Yc,ral nclclitions to the city of Mankato. He has ]wen engaged

i11 farming, grain storing, and in the real e,;tate business and

IJnnking ,md has built many substantial business !,locks in Man­

kato. He wa:,; one of the original incorporators of the Mankato

Savings Bank, and has been it;; president since its organization.

lfo was also one of the diredorR of the }\iankato l\fannfactnring

Company, arn1 hai-; been interested in various busine~s institu­

tion,-;. He wat- one o:f the original five who organized the Hepubs

lican party in Mankato, in 185G, and he is the only surviving

member of that quintette. He has been a member of the school

lman1 m•nrl.v all the time since 18(i0, antl bas ,wrvl\d the people

with zeal and marked capacity. He helped to build the first school

hon,;e in }Iankato, in the summer of 185/5, and he taught the

fir,;t school in it in the winter of 1855-l85G, ancl also in the winter

of 185'1-];:-,;-;8. He was elected to the State Senate in 188:3

l',fankato-lts First Fi/ty J"ears

and scnct1 for one term. In fact he has always bt)cn a pn,mi1wnt figure in the history arn1 growth of Mankato.

Success attended his efforts, as a reward for wcll-diredcd im1ustry, and with it all he sccurccl the confidence and :·espcct of his fellow citizens. l\fr. Fletcher is a gentleman of correct babitc<, positive convictions, and strong friendships. He has ever been a firm and unswerving friend of the cause of popular cc1ucation, and from his earliest citizenship in Mankato, has earnestly and unselfishly labored to promote its success. For over forty years he has been identified with the school interests of this city, and while he has, in the positive declaration of his views, incurred opposition, the carncstncsR and unmistakable honesty of his pur­pose, has comnumt1ecl the confidence and support of his constitu­ency, enabling him to wield a large influence in shaping ancl di­recting the policy of the public schools. He has always been on the side of goocl government, and for simplicity and economy in all public affairs. Mr. Fletcher's noblest monument will be his unswerving devotion to the school interests of this city. For this c1lone, he deserves, ai1cl will receive the lasting remembrance of all good citizens.

lVIr. Fletcher was married to Miss Lucina Bacon, at Canton, N cw York, December ;rn, 1858. To this marriage four children were born, viz: George Henry, Carrie D., now the wife of Chelsie J. Rockwood; Emma A., the wife of W. W. Davis; Harry E., born ,Tune 12, 1870; this child dying August 17, 1870. Mrs. Lucina Bacon Fletcher died September 17, 1870. She was a trnc anc1 noble woman, and died unusually beloved.

]Hr. Fletcher was again marriell, l\fay 15, 187~, to Susie JU. Dyer, a teacher in the Normal school of Mankato, at ~cw Sharon, Maine. To this marriage seven chilllren were born, viz: Lucina E., born April 7, 187:3, who died June 1~, 1891; Ella May, Jennie D., Nellie, who died September 10, 188--1; lHiltlred U., L. G. l\i. Jr., and Edith A.

FLOWER, Marcus T. C.-Born in Springfield, Mm;s., October 3, 1814, and cliccl in Saint Paul, Minnesota, January -I, 1U03.

His ancestors scttletl in Massachusctt,, in 1G35. His graml­fathcr, Ozias Flower, served with crellit in the vVar of the Revolution.

Mr. Flower settled in the State of Ohio in the year 1816, when the State was 011 the westerly border of civili,:ation. He recciYed a good common sel10ol education, and was a great student.

Hiograp!tics 2£._S

He married Cyliele Brnoks, whose fatlwr, Col. John Hroob, Sl'n'et1

with distiudion in the war of 1812, and whose grarnlfathcr Hanna­niah Brook,;, for three years

wa,-, a nwmher of the Conti­nental army. Mr. Flowl,r rc­

lllO\'l'd from hi,; ''\Vcstcrn

Jkscnc'' home and sct­tb1 in Chicago when that

city had a population of lc:-ss

than thirty thousand, am1 ,rnl1,wquc11tly, ill the spring of 18G(i, rcmnw<1 to the

'I\,rritory of ;\finncsota, hlking a farm in Stcelc Conniy, twchc miles west

of Owatonna, and ,1 as the

pimwcr settler of Meriden

To\\'Ilshi p. In 18fi0, Mr. Flower

bought the Clifton House.

in JHnnkato, tlwn in an un­

finisl1ccl conclition, which he MARCUS T. C. FLOWER

greatly cnlargt·cl, a]l(1 which he managed nntil 1870. The Clifton

nnder his control iiccarnc one of tlw 1nost note<l hotds of that period

in the state. For 8e\"ernl year,-; he wm, cngagPd in tl1c flonri11g lmsines,; with

1\iJr. IL C. Capwell, on the Bhw F:arth Hivcr ucar Clarden City. In 187:l, lie removed to Saint Pm1l, Minnesota, wlH·re he lw­

carne proprietor aml manager of the Jntcrnnti,•nal Hok], for a

long term of years ancl where he liYc<l 11ntil his death.

He had an extensive acqnaintance Lhro11ghouL the State,

was kind and genial in his natnre, a!1<1 had a ho:-;t of fricn!ls, who

honor his mcmm-y. l\Ir. Flower is sun-ivc<l by hi,-, ,-;on, Gt·ncrnl 1\L D. Flower,

presi,lent of the St. I'nul Union Stock Yan],; Company, ancl thn•e danglit<>rs, Mrs. ,J. J. Porter, Mr:- . .T. A. Hurndt arn1 7.'l'ln:L F. L. Kn1ypnbuhl, all of whom reside in Saint l'anl.

FOLLMAN, Dr. Peter. -Born at Eehternach, Lnxemlrnrg, Ger­many, son of 1\1 iclrnd. and Nfargardha ( nee Dierlerich) Fo1lrnan.

Stm1iel1 rne!licine at the Ecole clc Mcdir;ine, l'aris, where he grad-

216 J!a11lwlo-Jts First Fifty )'ears

nate<l Auguc;t I, lRliO. AngnRt 2J, of the :oam,:_~ yLmr, lie was ml­rnitted to practice, and was "tationcd for one year at Echternach.

There he was abo married to l\liss Catherine Schweitzer on February :z, 18tiD. He came to Anwri(·a, ]\fay 20, 18<>1, and

afo'r tnwcling <·xtcnsiYcly,

"dtled in St. Louis, l\-To., in 1t\ii:\ whcrn lie pnu:tice(l hie"

prnf<•K:-<ion nntil 18li'l', \\hen lw

rch11·1ie11 to Europe and agai11

enkrc11 Ute TI ni rPrsity of Pnri,; for J'urtliet· ;-;tuclicK.

Hc-rn]ntionary times were

brt'wing, arnl lite ,lodor again

e111lrnrkP1l for the Xc·w Worlcl

Aftn looking for a ~nitalile

location in the ea~t and micl­

clle \\'Cc<t, lie fim1lly ,;cltled at

JHnnkato in )rngn"t, 180\J.

DR. PETER FOLLMAN. Herc he ha~ re~ide,1 all(l prae-tic('d, with the exception of a frw year,; at J\fopldon, coniinnou:oly.

·when he f-in,t carne hne tlw local drnggist ,ras only capable of

filling prcsvriptions written in plain Engli,.:h, an,1 as the doctor wa:o

accustomed to write hi,; pn,,wriptions in Latin with the metrie

system, lie wa,; obliged to pnt np hi,.; l\\\!(licinc hiim;clf. To over­

come this difliculty the (lodor ,rent cast in 187:3, bo11ght a line of

11rugs a11<l cstabfo,hc<1 a clrng store. Sine,'. that time he lia" lnul

the drug business comwctc<l with his profr;;sion. He pnw­ticcd medicine until IDOO, when lw c-oncludcd to retire from hito practice, and has pn';:;ide(l over hi:s t1rug store ever since. The

doctor hall a very large prnctie,\ ail1l was freqncntly callc,1 into

the country to take charge of important and c1angcrons ca:oe:o,

whieh he alwayt\ tren,lel1 very t\UCC('ssfollY. Many of his calls cmnc from a di:stancc! of fifty miles. Dr. Follman ]urn ever taken a

keen interest in the welfare of: Mankato, ahrn_y:o lending a helping

hand when rn•ct•ssnry. Tfo is onC' of tlw promi1wnt mernlwrs of the Mankato Bnanl nf 'l'rn<k\ of whi,·h lw hns lw.l'n a rnl•m\wr anrl director ~ince 188G. To meet the dad.or is to Jm'ct one of tho;;e

217

genial, broad gauged Germans, liberal with han(l ancl hcnrt and a gentleman ahm'e reproaeh.

FOSTER, HENRY.-Horn April :22, 1W2ii, in Trumbull County, Ohio. Hernove<l witl1 hi,s pan·nt" to \Yisrnn,-:in, in 18;3',, arnl

HON. HENRY FOSTER.

sctth·<l 1war Prairie <ln Chien. Three yearn later

thl' fnrn il_,. mon•<l to Iowa,

an<l young Fo"tel' obtainccl till~ po:-;ition of assistant

blackfm1ith for the Winnc­

lrngo T nrl ians. 0 n the re­

m om! of thi::i tribe to Long

Prairie, 111 inrn•"ota, in 1848,

he went with it, and thence

followe<l it to Blue Earth County in June, 1855. He

continued in the blaek­

"mith husinc~s until 185G, wlwn lw fornw(l a eo-part­

n0r:ship with Cha:s. II. rdix, pnrehase<l a ,sto<'k of go0<l~ and engage<l in the Inclian [rack, wl1ich he continued until the rcmornl of the

Wimwlrn.gocs in 18G;l. In 185G, he was appointed fir:-;t postmaster at Winnebago Agency. In 18(;(), he ,rn;; ek<'h•rl County Co11m1if'­

sionl'r, awl in 187'2, a member of' the Ntah• Legislahm•. Ile has

held a number of town offieei,;, arnl ha:s been a dirl'rtor of the Fir,st

:National Bank of ·Mankato for on·r hr('llt_r y<•,u~. In 18(i+, he

marriecl l\frs. Ly<lia A. Has<lall, "iskr o[ ,Jndg\' 0. 0. l'iteher.

She clie<l 1farch '.2~, lflS:3, il'a,·ing thn;c childn•n: J)uaiw F., l\frll'in

R., and Hubert Hasdall. Mr. Foster is well known to a largt' circle of olLl settlers and

highly <'Sh'timetl., l-Il' :-;till n·sicks atWinnelrngo :\g<•ncy, nmv, St.Clair.

FREEMAN, Everett P.-Born ,Janunry '2:2rnl, rn:n, at llartfo]'(l, Conn. Graclnatecl from Yak College in 18(i0, arnl from the J\1-hany Law sehool in lKfil. Soon nf'tPr graclnaling, lie married Eliza I\. MorriF, of Alhanv, New York_, and rernowcl to JHankato,

ilfanlwto-lts J,z"rst hfty J"mrs

HON. EVERETT P. FREEMAN.

JVIinnesota, abont February 1st, 18G2, where he began practicing his profession. Whrn the Inllian outbreak occurred in August, 18G2, he enlish·d in Capt. Hier­bancr\; Company arnl did go()(l service in the defence oJ New Ulm. Dnring 18(i7-

G8, he sen-eel as C'onnty At­torney, an<l in the fall of the latter year, was elected to the State Senate, serving two terms. In the fall of 18Gfl, he was appointed Hegister of U. S., Land office at Jackson, .Minne­sota. He was State Sena­tor from ,T aekson County, two terms, 187'4-75. At ex-

piration of his term, he resume(l his law praetice at 1\fonkato, ancl was chosen County Attorney of Blue Earth County in 1878 and 1880. In 1888, he wm; appointed Receiwr of U. S. L;:mcl office at Marshall, l\fimwsota. }],. wns altso City Attorney of :Mankato, seYrral years. Ifo <lied Nmemlwr 2G, urn;;, leaving him suniY­ing his wife and three chilrlren: Minnesota JVL, wifo 0£ H. I. Clm·clan<l; Rlma lT., and E<lwanl.

FULLER. Hiram J.-Born at l'oml'rd., Chautauqua County, New York, April 27, 182+. Mme<l to Hipley in the same county, and thence, in October, 1852, to 8t. Paul, Minnesota. In K ovcmber of the same year he located in Mankato. At the first election for 13lne Earth C'onnty held October 11th, 185:3, he was chosen County Treasurer, June :.Jrcl, lSG:3, he married .Jane Hathlrnrn, who ha<l come to .Mankato with her parents June 12th, 18:i:3. 'l'hey rcsiclc<l on their f:arrn in Lime rrowm,hip, until the foll of 18%, when tlwy rctire<l to i\Innkato. While rc"iding in Lime, l\tr. Fuller fre<ptc-ntly ]will town oHices.

He is doubtless tl1e <,lclf'st pn·"l'nt rc:-;illent of Blue Earth County. Mr. anrl l\fr~. Fuller ]rnyc been hl<,~s<,d with eleven chil<ln·n, nine u[ ,vlwm ar,i living, 11amely: 8ha.rles N., E<lwin

Bio!{raphics 2I9

.T., Emma J. Randolph, Anna K. Brown, Bertram H., Elizabeth R., William F., George F., Grover C., Ida J\J., and Lewis W.

GAGE, Prof. George M.-Born in Waterford, :Maine, Aug1wt 22, 18:r±, arrin,cl in Mankato, August 28, lS(iS. He was not without experience in ellncational work, having heen, from 18G~­to 1808, an instructor in the 8tate Normal S<.:hool at Farmington, :Maine, anc1 from 18/i:5, its Principal. He had al~o, for several years, lw,in the editor and pnlJliRher of the i\faine Normal, :Maine's c,lucational journal, :rnll had intcrestecl hirntdf in the ,vork of general reform of the public school s_rntem of hi:-; native 8tate . .Jlr. Clage openrd the Mankato State NormalSehoolinOctober,lSGS, with an atternlance 0£ :rn, in the basement of the M. E. church. He continnecl in charge four yearn, an([ then went to St. Paul, where he had hcrn electc(l snpcrintenclent of the city schools. In 187'--l, he resigne,l his prn,ition, arnl has not since been engaged in teaching. While in the St. Paul :-;chools, i\fr. Gage wm; appointec1 a member of the Boarll of Normal School Regents, and Wds elected Pre;:;idcnt of that Board. He also became associated with Prof. W. W. Payne, of Carleton College in the publication of the Minne­Rota 'l1eacher, and was afterward the sole owner arnl manager of that periodical. In 18Gl, Mr. Gage married ]Hiss JiJlizabeth S. Weblwr, who died in St. Paul, February 21, 1899. :Mn;. Uage was a well educated lady, rcry highly esteemed by all who knew her. Their three children are living, two in Portland, Oregon, one in Boston, :tvfa:sR. Mr. Gage is now assistant manager of The Pacific :Monthly, published at Portland, Oregon, ancl at sixty­eight years of age is posscs:-;c(l of much of the vigor ~,ncl di;:;po­sition to work, which stood him in hand so well when known to the pioneers of Minnesota's flourishing inlarnl metropolis.

GOODRICH, Evans-Rom July 1;, 1828, in Ripley, New York. He rcmove,l to St. Pan], :Minnesota, in 1850, and to Mankato in February, 1852, being one of the very first settlers. He was the 11rnt County Surveyor ancl ,JnRticc of the Peace of Blue Earth County. Tn November, 18Gl, he enli:-;krl in Second Company of J\'fimw:-;ota f-lharpshooters, which afterwanls became Company L., of' First i\Iinne;;ota Volunteers, of which he waR :c;crgcant. Dis­chargec1 in Fdinrnry, Hlli:3, for ,lisahility. lie rdir<•d to his farm in Lime 'I'own:-;hip, wlwrn he rc:-;i(ll•c1 until 1877. He thPn moved back to J\[anknto arnl cngagP<l in lrn;;inl'ss.

220 /lfankato-Its First Fi"fty Vears

He married, July 21, 1855, Miss Mary Rathburn, and being

separated from her, he married Mrs. :Margaret Ann Blah, Sep­tember 8, 1800. He died July :3, 189!), leaving surviving his wife

and six cliilclren by his first wife: Frank Goodrich, of l\feclo, Minnesota; GertrU<lc, wife of Peter Pnrrier, of California; Wil­

liam Spencer Goodrich; (Hilla, wife of Geo. Rising, of Winona, :Minnesota; Harry Rathlrnrn GoO(lrieh, arnl l\lahd, wife of' Eel. K

Williams, of California.

GOODRICH, Henry.-Born at Hiplcy, New York, June 1--lth, 18:n. He rernoYetl to l\fankato, :VI inne:-mta in l\l ny, 18:i:l, and lo­cated first on what is now Dukes' Adrlition,, lint a year or two

later, having clisposed of his i'nterest in this larnl, he rnacle a claim in Lime Township, whereon he n•siclecl until about 18!1;3,

when he removed to Mankato, arnl lccl the life of a retired farmer until his death, on June 4, 1901.

HENRY GOODRICH.

Lime Township, and was a member of tl1c Territor­ial Old Settlers Association.

He was a man of: -!:he rstrict­cst integrity a11(l highly es­

teemed b~· his acquaint­ances.

He was nrnrriecl March 1!1, rn,rn, to 1[iss l\lary K

Crisp, who snniYc·s him,

with tlwir thrPc chilclrm:

,Janws A., Willinm N., and

Carrie H. Oooclrieh.

Mrs. Cfoodrich, with lwr

parents, Harri"on arnl Ehi­

ra Crisp, were among the

first sPttlers of .J rnl"on

township, where they re,-iclP1l

until after the Sioux War.

GRISWOLD, William B. -Born ?{orcmber !J, 18'.l-~, near Ypsi­lanti, Michigan. lfornorecl with his parents, in 1s:rn, to Qnincy,

Illinois, where his father, Elijah Oriswol<l, was for fi ftrPn year,:, professor of Greek and ]Vfathrmatics in Mission ln"titnte o[ that

Biog,·apldes 221

City. Young Griswold acquired his cclucation at th is school,

and at the age of sixteen began teaching.

In 185.2, he went by the overland ox team route to California a]1(1 engaged in lumbering and mining. Hdurning home to

Quincy in 1855, in the following year he enterc<l the lnw ollicc of 0. H. Browning, afterwards Secretary or the Jnkrior 11nd('l' l'n•siclPnt ,folmson, a11(l early in 18G0, wm; n<lmitte1l to the I 11 i­nois bar. The fall of the same year, he came to Minnesota and OJJ('nr<l an office for the practice of his profession at Cha,,kn,

with ,/ .A. Sargent.

At the hrginning of the Ikhcllion in 18(il, tlw loyal people

of Chaska were anxious to have a local paper Yigoron,; in its

,;upport of the A<lrninistration, arnl they indncl'1l Mr. Uri,-wold nncl his parhwr to establish the "Valley lfrral1l,'' which tlwv

conducte1l for fmir years.

] n 18Gi5, he remoYe<l to Mankato, ancl purchase<] "Tlw l\fan­

kato Union," which he pnblisher1 for about ten ~·(',HS. During

18GU anc1 1870 he ser\'ed as postmaster at Mankato. ILl\·ing :sold

the "Union" to Judge

Clevelaml, who had already

hecn intcresterl in the paper

for two or three years, he removed in 1875, to Chaska,

arn1 in partnrrship with J. W. Gregg, a practical hrick­maker, cstab]i,;lwr1 the larg­!':-;t brick yard in the state, to

\\'hich was ad(lecl a lumber

yar<l, and the firm of "Gregg

& Griswolrl" continued until

18!J0, having branch offices at

:u inneapolis and St. Paul,

nrnl many of the principal

business blocks of the Twin

cities 11·erc erected by it. Upon rli,;solution of the

firm, :i\Tr. Griswolr1 went to the Pacific Rlope arn1 en­ WILLIAM B. GRISWOLD.

gaged in the rnan11factnre of lnmlwr, having a

store at Cliit:o, California, wlH'rc he now re~itles.

ya rel a 11(1 grncral

222 ilfanlwto-lts First Fifty J'ears

He was united in marriage, November 2:3, 1862, to Mrs, Caroline lVI. Lathrop, nee Urcgg. They have one daughter, Clara B., married and residing at Santa Crui, and one Ron, ,John Vfol­cott, born at l\fankato, Non•nilwr 22, 1871, an(l now as~nciated in business with his father.

GUENTHER, Jacob.-Born at Zell, 1war Coblentz, Germany, Jan­uary 13th, 182G. He emigratcll in 18-d7 to the vicinity of i.Vlilwankee, Wiscon:-;in. Early in 18:32 he came to ~t. l'n11I, and on April 8th, 18:32, in company with ,Joseph WL,inlH'imer, Philip Krummel, .M. H. Bergholti anl1 another German, startt>cl for Mankato up the :Minnesota ri\'er in a batcan, which they had coll8trucic(1. When about fiftcC'n miles up the riycr, their mad caught in an overhanging branch an<l npset th,, boat, spilling thPm an<l all their gom1s into tlw icy flood. Weinheimer wa:,; clrowncc1, but M.r. Guenther arnl his other comra<lcs managed to cling to the wreck until rescued by sonic lrnlians. The only iil•m of their property which they savel1, m1:,; a gun, which l\Ir. Guenther hacl in his hands. Later the survivors macle the journey on foot and arrived at Mankato about l\Iay 18, 1852, arn1 located claim:s. Herc Mr. Guenther "batchecl" it in the wil<lerncss until June 11, 1853, when he was married to Chri;;foma M. Wischmeier, being the first Christian marriage in Blue Earth County. In the Fall of this same year, he was electecl County Commissioner at the fir:-;t elec­tion ever held in the County, and at the fir:;t meeting of the Hoard in March, 1854, he with his colleague, Ephraim Cole, located tlw County Scat at :Mankato and fixed the present Court Honse site.

His brother, ,foseph, was Captain of the first milita company, organized in March 1858, and built the Clifton House.

Mr. Guenther was an honest, hardworking, thrifty man arnl a public spirited citizen. He was one of the charter members of Schiller Lodge of I. 0. 0. F. He <li<'<l October lG, 18n, leaving a valuable land estate within the city limifo, and his widow <1c­partcd this life on June 11, 1D02. They left one a<loptccl chilcl, ,T ohn B. Guenther, of Mankato.

:Mrs. Gunther was a natiYc of I-Ianowr, G<•rinany, arn1 came to Hluc Rarth county in the spring of 18:3:l with tlw wife of ,To:-:cph Frmwrt, from Milwankr•P, where she a!Hl l\fr. Onentlwr first met.

HALL, John Norris-Hor;1 in Wanen,, Litchffolrl Cmmt_y, Conn., May l:ith, 1822. He comes of exct>llcnt New England stock in­ured to habits of industry, thrift nml temperance. Blessed with

Riogrcrplnes

strong constitutions, 8up­plemcntell with riglit-liv­

ing, ]1 i:,; anc;cstorn \H'rc a

long liYed nl8l'. l-Ii,-, nta­hT11al grandmoth('r reach­ed the age of ninety-nine

Yl',u:-:. ]fo i::; the youngest

ol' 1111w ('hildrcn, among

\\'l1om 110 (foath O('l'll!T('d

/'or sixty-firn _,·c,us. lfo has two sisfrrn ]iyin,c;, one at ilw ag<~ or 8:i, arnl the other HO years. His father was

a tanner arnl farmer, aml yollng Hall workcl1 at both

avocations llming the intrr­rnls of hi:-; scliool lifo arnl, after graduation from -war­

ren Academy in 183G, until

JOHN NORRIS HALL 17 years of age. Jn the spring of 183U, he went to New Canaan, Conn. Herc !JC clerked

in a store until the summer of 18-tl, when hi,; employer, haying

opened a branch store at Milan, Ohio, sent him to take charge nf

it. Hcturning to New Cauaan the next spring, he fomll'll a part­nership with hiR employer, ,,,hich lasted until ,January, rn:;o. ]n

the meantime the firm Lad opcne(1 three a(lllitionnl 1<tnrcs in

Ohio-nt Painesville, Fitc-hville and Snllirnn, two of which fell

to l\Tr. Hall's share urnler iJ1e (lis,;olution agreement.

]n the sumnwr of 18ii0, he starkd in the mercantile bu,;irm;,;

on his own account at Kew Canaan, all(l soon clos(•<l out hie: Ohio liranellC':=-:. ln 1857, hu visi1e<1 Mimwsota, all(l was so impressc(l

with what he heard of Mankato, that he c:onclndc(l to locate tlwre.

DiRpo:;ing of his lrnsincss at New Canaan, he left 11is native

stat(, on October -Uh, 18:iR, ancl renclicd 1Vinona on the !Jth, arn1

:Mankato on the 2Gth, of the sa11w month, after a somewhat cvcnt­

fnl jonrney. He continue,} in the mercantile htLsirH'f'S at Man­

lrntn 1111til A11g11st 18<i2, wh<'n he was nppoi11k(l b_v Presiclent

Lincoln, CollPctor of Jnfornal Hewnne for tlw First District of l\IinnP,;ota, embracing all the country sonth ol' St. Paul, exc1°pt four 01· live (·ountic':,;. Tlw district mis so larg1• u,; to l'L'(j1tire four-

224- Jianhato-lts First Fifty i·ears

teen deputies. lVIr. Hall s<:rvecl for the fnll term of four years,

during which tinw, at request of the Secretary of War, he was

designated to receive from the clraftcrl men in his district, who

wisherl to he rclicve<l from military service, the commutation

money ($:300.00), which C\emptcrl tlwm from the operation of

the rlraH-recciving in that capacity over $!)0,000.00.

In the fall of 18(,.'i, in connection with the late Senator JH. S. Wilkinson, ,T. B. ll nblw] l and .T. ,T. Thornton, he establishc<l

the prin1k hank- of ,T. ,T. Thornton & Co., of which he was cashier.

:Mr. Thornton was a Fnion man from Texas, and some time after

the War-ahout lfH,7-he returned to his own state, where he harl interests to look after. 'l'he bank eon tinned in business unti I Srptemher, 18G8, wlwn 1t was suecec<led by the First National

Bank, which hnrl been organi7,crl by J\fr. Hall, .T. R. Hubbell, .T. A. Willanl, ,T. F. :Meagher, Daniel Ruck, J. J. Shaulrnt and others.

Mr. Hall continuc<l as ca,;hier of the new bank until March, 1880,

when lw purchasecl of ,T. B. Hubbell, a set of Blue Earth County

Abstract books, and has ever since been engaged in the abstract,

real estate and insurance business. He was also cngagerl for a time

cgr]icr, in selling farm machinery. }fo has ha<l H. C. Howanl,

George I-I. Brewster ancl William I'. Coffin at-:Soc-iatl!ll with him

in business at different time:-;.

}\fr. Hall was marri2,l February :2Gth, lSc{G, at X onvnlk,

Conn., to Esther Mary C0111Rtock, a li1wal (kscernlant of H<•v.

Thomas Hanforrl, one of the fournler,; of lwr native town. Their

chil<lren ,rrre: Hoger L<:slic, who liil'll lkccmbcr 10th, 1887;

Emily Maria, who <liell July (ith, 18H0 _; Caroline Comstock, John

Norris, Jr., who clicll Ap1·il, 185G; Esthl'r Mary Corn,;toek, arnl

HPv. ,Tohn X orris Hall, ,Jr., pastor of the 11. K clrnrch at Chi­

cago. The two surviving !h,ughters liw with their fatlwr-;\fr,s.

Hall having (lied Rovember 1:rn1, 18%. Mr. Hall has led an ar·tiw, useful 1 ifl\ nrnl no mw hHR heen

more cnth1rniastically loyal to :i\Iankato than lw. His pnr:-:c, time

anrl thought have evc•r k•2n at her sen-ice. He \\·a;s orn• of the

founders of the Boanl of Ti arle, anrl ha;s S<'l'YC'!l on its Hmml of

Dircctorn continuously J'rnm ib organization. Jfo is the only

chartC'r member left on the Boarrl.

HANNA, JAMES.-Born in Guernsey County, Ohio, ,June 1:Hh, 1801, a]l(l ,January 1st, 18:21, married :Miss Nnnc_,. Hmlcn, who

was born in 180'i', at Lancr::-;kr County, l'a. They soDn f\cttled

JAMES HANNA.

Biographies 225

on a farm in G1wrn8ey

County, Ohio, and thence n,movlicl to another farm

in Licking County, near

ltli.Yllolclslrnrg, of the fiamc state, where the family re­

sick(l until coming· to l\1 in­

ne,;ota. In 1850 l\fr. ]Janna went to California

am1 returning lHm1e in the fall oJ lS."52, in company

with his t\On, .J. Cochrane II anna, arnl h i:o lirother-in­

lnw, Georgc, l\faxfieltl, he

went to inspL•d the country at the month of the Blnc

Earth in Minnesota. At

St. Paul, Mr. Hanna was taken sick an(] his son and

l\Ir. l\faxfil'lc1 came to l\Ian-

kato, and liking the country locatell claims in the vicinity in October, 18:52. Returning home Hanna and l\Iaxfield removed in

the s:pring with their families to Mankato arriYing there May lGth, :Mr. Hanna innncc1idely purchased of Minard Mills the

frame oJ a warehouse, which he was erecting where the Young & Otto grocery now stanl'ls, and fitting it np for a residence,

moved both families into it before the end of :May. Late in the l<'all oJ the same year, l\fr. Hanna moved his family to a new

frame dwelling he had built on the site now occupied by the First National Hanle D ntil the opening of the 1\fanlrnto House

in 18;"55, Mr. Hanna'o home was the principal stopping place for strangers.

Mr. anl1 Mrs. Hanna Wl·rc consciention:-; religiorn, people and

members of the Presbyterian church, and they were the first to

inaugurate public worship and public education in Mankato. A Sunday school was started early in June, 1853, in their house, an<l preaching services were held there whenever a minister visit­

r<l thr town. In July of the sarnr year Mr. Hanna opened the first (lay school in Mankato in a room of his lrnrnr, with his 1laughter

Sarah .T., (now Mrs. Marsb) as teacher. Mr. Hanna located a

Jfankato-lts First F,fty J ·cars

claim in \Ve:-,t JHankato, including Sihll'.)' Park ,rnd the low laml

between it arnl Front street, a part of which ha::; been piatfocl as

I-Janna's all(lition. He di·~J ]Hay 1:H11, lR5;i, and his wife in nc­c@1lwr, 1877. There m!re fmtrte;,n d1ilclren born to tlwm: i\lr:s.

Mary Ann Northrup (cleccinscrl), Ellen, John (dcceasccl), An­dnm, . ( dccca:sc,d), l\frs Sarah Jane ::\Iarsh, ,J amcs Cocl1ranc ( de­ccast>cl), :\fi·:-,. Lncirnla Cumming::; (now Nichols), i\[eli1Hla (<le­CL•a;;l'd), }largarct (deceased), Milton, l\fn•. Nanc:y Griifiths, i\Irs . .:\iargarct 'l'witdwll ( <focc•,rncd), :\Jnrtlia am1 \Villi am 0.

IIAKK/NGTON, DK. ZINA GOODELL. -Was born at Lornlonclerr_y

Yenuont, .\.ugust .:20, 18:30. His parents, Emery and Cnlysta ( Go()(il•ll) Harrington, wcni natives of Orange, l\fassaclrnsetts.

When Zina G., was about thirteen years olcl the family removc:d

to Bennington. He wa,-; educated at \Vestrivcr Academy arnl

lknnington Sc:111i1rnry. He spent three _years in Delaware teach­ing, then began hi,; mcdi,::il 1:<tmlic,; with Dr. L. G. Whiting, of Chester, V Prrnonl, and so•m ther0,after entered the Albany 1\foc:I­ical ~chool, from ,vhid1 lie gracluatec1 in ] 857. Returning to Chc,;h,r, he was there nssociatec1 for tlw next fifteen yL•,u:-; with

nr. 'Nhiting in the practice

of his prdetic:ion. During

this period lw SL!rn'<l as sup­

l'rinkrnll·nt of th,i ( 'hc:-;tc,r

public: H:hools for a 11u111-

her of _year,;. In the spring ol'

18n, he came to 1\lanlrnto,

where lw ha,; bcc•n actively

LingagL·<1 in the practice or his prol'c:s,-;ion c·Yer sincL',

,;an' that lie spent 1 !JOO arn1

HlOl nliroa\1, pas:-:ing m1wh

of hi,; time in tlH· great ho.0 -

pitals and rnc<lical schoDls of EuropP. Hdore rdurn­

ing homL' lw PxL•rnlc·cl hi:-:

tri[J willi his wife into

C:n·<'Cl', E.~·ypt alH1 the Holy DR. ZINA GOODELL ItARRlNG,oN. Land. Dr. Harrington ha,;

served on the l\lankato Uoard oJ' Aldern1c'n. lfo i:-: a 1ue111licr o[ tlw

Biographies

lVlinncsota Valley J\Iedical Association, of' which he has be~n pre:-;­idcnt. He i:-; also <:onnected with the State :Medical Assoc:iation all(l Amerium Medical Society. He i:-; genial, kirnl hearted and gen­erous, and has been emirwntly snccc\:-;:-;J'ul in Iii:,; profession. Hu was ·united in marriage on Octohc•r .~0th, 18?'1 to Mis:-; Julia K

Hobbins, of Chester, Vermont. Jn January, lDU:3, he wa:-; eludml president of the Mankato State! Bank.

HA YNES, Milton B.~Born DucemlJC'r 9th, 183-1, at Strong,willL•, Ohio. His parents, Rcub<•;1 and l'ho<'IH\ H. Hayncc<, n•moYed in 18:-d, to Oberlin, where he rcceiYe<l hi,- education. ln May, 185(i, he num• to Blue Earth County, l\1im1t•sota, locating firtst at Maple-· ton, and a year later rem wing to ·v ernon Center, where he wa:,: associatL•<l with Col. B. Ii'. Smith in a saw mill for a fow year:-;. and then pre-empted a farm in the same town, upon which he rc"i<lcd for a time. Mr. II«ynei;, however, is a surveyor and civil engineer by profcs:oion, anll many of the towu,;itt\S in Blue Earth County and vicinity, arn1 aa<litions to Mankato were surveyed and platted by him. In 1872, Lr removed to Mankato, and for several year:; was engaged upon sm·wy:o and civil engineer work for the

MILTON B. HAYNES.

N orthcrn Pacific aml Great N orthcrn Railways. He hm; served three terms as County Suneyor of Blue Earth Coimty, and eleven _years, as City Engincl'r of l\fankato. His fin,t wifo was lliss Helen Bostwid:, of Oberlin, Ohio, whom lie married October 1-±, 18ii8, and who died April 2fi,

188G. His second wife is Mrs. Flora J. Gat(•s, whom !tc married at Mankato, January 3, 1903. His c!tilcl­rcn, are: Arthur :!YL, civil engineer at Dem·,.,r, Color­ado; Manley B., bank ca:,h­ier at Seattle, Washington; Cora, wifo of Prof. T,. H.

Clark, of the State Normal School at River Falls, Wiscon:;;in, and Mabel, who rc,;icfo; wit!t her father at Mankato.

Jfa11lwto-lts Fii-st Ftfly rears

HAWLEY, ALPHEUS F.--Carne to Mankato in 1857, and was r1ssociated with ,James R '}'inkcom in a general mercantile busi­ness. Their store was in the Hubbell building on the spot where now stanrls the Patterson wholesale grocer~·. I-Iawll'y & Tinkcom m·cupiell tlw lower story, ,d1ile in the second was the printing

office of the :\fonkato lndcpemlent. ;.Ir. Hawle_l' livc<l on tlw corner of Broad a1Hl Hickory streets

on tlw lot 11ml' occupi(•<l hy l'. B. Hparrow. He was later appoint­

ell tra(lcr ,ritl1 the Winnc1rngo lmlians, and went with them when they \\·ere rcmow(l to the }Iisrnuri river.

ALPHEUS FENN HAWLEY.

Hc be.came a mc111ber of the )rorthwestern Fur Company and was Captain of their steamer "]Hiner," for sever­

al years. He was formerly from

Jamestown, Kew York, and wa,; sheriff of Chautauqua

County. He was nominat­

ed for Congress by the

"Know Nothing" party,

lmt was defeated by Reuben

K Fenton.

Mr. Hawley die<l at Cen­

trali'a, lllinois, in 1877.

He was a genial, generous,

and polished gentleman,

well liked by all the old settlers.

HEINZE, Ferdinand G.--Born at Bottendorf, Saxony, Septem­ber H, UHS. His parcnb, :Frederick and C,uoline (Hoefer) Heinze, immigrated to the United States in 1850,, with all their chil<lren, except the olLlcst, who was in the German army. They arri\·ccl at Milwaukee on A11gust 1st, of that year and located on

a farm in the vicinity. In 185G, they removed to J\!Iinnesota arriv­ing at Mankato on May :Znd, and soon thereafter located on a farm in Lime Town,;hip. Their nine children, who came with

them, all became prominent people or Blue Earth County, namely:

Tlwodorc, who live:-; on the old h01urn,tcad in Lime town, Robert

lliol;rap!iies

G ., late of this County; Charles A., late of Mankato; Pauline, wife of Henry Himrnelrnan, Sr., Frederick E., of Mankato; Her­man, of Le Ray township; .Axina, wife of Chas. Forster, of Man­kato township; Fcrclinand G ., the subject of this sketch, and Annie K, widow of the late Nicholas Lang.

The father died in Fcbrnary, 1858, aml the mother in 1898. Fcnlin~md G., came to Mankato in 18G2, aml was in the em­

ploy of his brother, Charles A., in the bakery business for eight years. He then ,vent to Watertown, Wisconsin, and was engaged as foreman in the large stmrn bakery of W ooclwarcl & Stone for nine years. Herc he was marriJtl N ovcrnber 1st, 1873, to Mary, daught­er of Emil and Christina Sehucrer ,of Watertown, Wisconsin.

FERDINAND G. HEINZE.

In 1879, he returned to l\Iankato and bought out the bakery and grocery business of his brother, Charles A., located on corn­er of Walnut and Second streets, in the building late­ly occupied by the World Stock Food Co. After spending two years in this location, he removed his business to a new business block he had built at 205 N. Front street, where he remained until 1890. He then bought and removed to his present large and convenient building, No. 405 S. Front str,~et, where ever since he has conducted

the largQst and most imporbnt restaurant and bakery in the city. ::\Ir. Heinze was a <1irector of the Mankato Board of 'l1rade for a number of years and is uow a member of the City Council. He i,; an energetic, successful business man and a public spirited citi­;,:en. His first wife died Fcbmary 12th, 1883, and he was married to her sister. :Miss l\fati lrla Schuerer, on .Tan nary 12th, 1885. His children by his first wife are: Meta, Carl and Selma, ancl by his second wife: · Williarn, Oscar, Loui:;e, Marie, Erma, Fercli­naml and Christina Helen.

230 :llankalo-lts /•irst /•1/ty ) ,•ars

HENSLEY, Clinton B. -The fir~t newspaper man m :Mankato, was born September :37, 1827, at Spencer, Jml., and was brought up on a farm in Cass County, near Logansport, Indiana. When fifteen years of age he learned the printer's trade at reru, Indiana, and subsequently graduated from a commercial college at Cin­cinnati, Ohio, where after his gracluation, he was employed for some time in a printing o[-ficc.

In 1850, he was married at Logansport, Jrnliana, to :i\liss Isa­belle l\clly, a native of New Carlisle, Ohio, where she wa" horn February l 2, 182G. '11 he young couple first located at HJoom­ington, Jndiana, where Mr. Hensley started the "Ilcralcl," his first paper, in 1850. Removing to Kokomo, lmliana, he purclia~ccl soon thereafter, of Dr. :M. H. Wickersham, the Howan1 County Tribune,

CLINTON B. HENSLEY.

From an old photo-Taken in hunting costume,

which he continued to pub­lish until he came to Man­

kato, where he arrived on De­cember 1st, 1856. He was induced to come I.hither by his old friend, Dr. Wicker­sham, who thought there

. was a good opening for the establishment of a news-paper in this flourishing new town. Receiving much encouragement to his enter­prise from the people of Mankato ( a fow Df those in business promptly pledging $800.00 worth of work be­fore hand), Mr. Hensley concludell to locate here, and upon the opening of navigation the next spring his printing press arrived.

The paper was called "The Mankato Weekly Independent" and the tirst issue bears elate, Jm12 13th, 1857. Frank W. Gunning, a practical printer, who hacl been in the employ of J\fr. Hensley in Indiana, was associated wifo him as proprietor of the Trnlepern1ent. The paper was started in r small frame builcling on the corner of Walnut and 'rhird streets, where the residence of Mrn. Wm.

/1ZO!{rapllzes 2]I

Funk now stands. ln October, 1857, it was removed to the second story oI A. 1''. Hawley's new store, where the L. Patterson whole­sale house now stands, and later it found a home in the Leech stone building.

Mr. Hensley was an able and vigorous writer, a staunch Ile­publican in politics, and the IJ1(1ependcnt at once became one of the leading newspapers of Southern Minnesota. On the breaking out of the Sioux War in 18G2, nfr. Hensley immediately volun­teered for the defense of om frontier, and was with Gen. Sibley upon his first campaign against tho savage foe, until their power was broken at tho battle 01 Wo0<1 Lake. He contracted a severe cold from tho hardships of this campaign, which brought on a complication of ailments, ,rhich resulted in his untimely death on Dccl'rnbcr 20th, 18G.2.

A brilliant writer, a tactful political leader, a true patriot and fricnrl, 1\lr. HcnRlcy's early demise was lamented by all. He left survi\·ing his llernted wife and fonr children. Mrs. Hensley and two of her children, ]Hrs. ,foftsic Robinson and Miss Emma Hens­ley, still snrvivc, and now reeiclo at Bloomington, Indiana.

tl/MMELMAN, Sr., tlenry-Born at Elsass, Germany, in 1834, and there learned the wago:1 maker':, trade. Immigrated to Amer­

HENRY HIMMELMAN, SR.

ica in 1854, and located first at St. Charles, Mo., and the following year came to Mankato, :Minn. In 185G, he open1>,cl, on the present site of. the Cit}' Ho­tel, a blacksmith and wagon makers shop. In 18G9, he lmilt ancl op01wd to the public tho City Hotel, which at once became a very popnlar hostelry, es­pecially with the farmers, who in those cai"ly years used to frequent Mankato for rnarkot purposes from a vast radius of co1rntry. A few yeam later he erected and conducted the Union Hall, Jn 1890, ho began

232 1Jfankato -fts First Fzfty Years

tho manufadure of mattresses and soon retired from the pro­prietorship of the City Hot,,] in favor of his son, Henry H i1111nol­man, Jr., who still continues to make the house a favorite resort to a large number of the tmveling public.

Mr. Himmelman served as City Alderman for fifteen yearn. Ho was married in 1858 to Paulina Heinze, a native of Saxony, Germany, and they have four children now living: :Mrs. Rosina Engelbert and Mrs. Icla Schabert, of St. Paul Park, Minn., E. J. Himmclrnan of Sioux City, and Henry Himmelma.n, Jr., the popular landlord of the Citv Hotel at Mankato. .

Mr. and :Mrs. Himmelrnan have retired from active business and now reside at St. Paul Park.

HINCKLEY, John S.-Born June 30th, 181G, at New London, Conn. His parents were Tbomas and Mary ( Scholfield) Hinck­ley. He learned the painte1 's trade ancl in 1849, removed to St. Paul, Minnesota. In February, 1852, he came to Mankato with Henry Jackson and party and was one of the original townsite company. The following y0ar he built a shanty, where the Citi­zens Bank now stands. In 1854, he pre-empted lGO acres of land on the top of Agency hill, a large part of which he platted a few years later as an addition to :Mankato. :Mr. Hinckley served on the first Board of County Commissioners of Blue Earth County.

He married in 1864, :Mrs. Henry J aclrnon, who was born April 11, 1817, at Clarence, Erie County, New York. Her maiden name was Angeline Bivens. She had been married to Henry Jackson, at Buffalo, New York, in l\fay, 1838, locating that year at Green Bay, Wisconsin, ancl on June 9th, 1842, they arrived at St. Paul, Minnesota. There purchasing a small tract of land bounded by ,Jackson, Robert, Bench and Third streets, Mr. Jack­son built a cabin-the first with a shingle roof in town, and opened therein a stock of goods, rnitable for the Indian trade, and built up a prosperous business. The following year he was made jus­tice of the peace-the first to fill that position in Ramsey County­and in 1846 he was appointerl the first postmaster of St. Paul, and in 1849, was elected to the first Minnesota Legislature. J\ifrs. Jack­son was the first white woman to settle in St. Paul, and it is claimed that her son, William, was the first boy born there of American parentage.

Mr. Jackson was one of the original founders of Mankato in 1852, ancl Mrs. Hinckley, then Jackson, removed here in tho

Hiograj,!iies 233

spring of 1853. Mr. Jackson died in 1837, and J\frs. Hinckley on January 1st, 18D4. Mr. Hinckley still snr-vivcs.

HOERR, George Peter-Born Angnst 24, 18:JO, at Hiltcrsklin­gen, }frsscn Darmstaclt, (krm:my. lrnmign,ted to Ohio in 18ii.2,

anrl thence ,vent to Indiana, whence he came in the fall of 185G, with his brother, .1. W. Hoerr, to JHankato, Minn. April 9th, 18:iS, he marriccl J\frs. Anna :Maria H 11 lib. H c wm, <lircctor of the First National Bank for many yc•,us, and hcl!l a sim­ilar position in seycral oth­<'r local corporation:-. He wa:-; a charter member of Schillcr Lodge of I. 0. 0. F. His occupation of cattle

dealer, for nearly forty years, gan, him a wide acquaint­ance, arnl he was much cs­termed for his strict integ­rity and genial disposition. He died January 12, 1901, GEORGE PETER HOERR.

leaving him surviving his wife and four children: Emma, wife of ,John G. :tvlillcr; 8usan, widow of the late Henry Walraven; Tillie, wife of John G. Gerlich, and George H. Hoerr.

:Mrs. Hoerr is a native of Rall, Prussia, where she was born

l\fay 27th, 1831. Her parents, Mathias and :Margaret ( Stinach)

Lang, with their children: Nie Lang, late of Mankato, Mathias

Lang of Jviankato township, John Lang, of Iowa, :Mrs. Hoerr,

Mrs. Mathias ,Jost, lVIrs. Adam Beaver, and the late Mrs. John

T,ancr, emigrated in 18-1-7 to Mihvaukcc, Wis. There Mrs. Hoerr

was marric<l to ,Jacob Bubb and in Angust, 185G, they came to

Mankato, where J\fr. Hubh opcnc<l a butcher shop on site of First

National Bank, but soon (licrl. Mrs. Hoerr has one chilcl by her

first lnu,ball(l: Mrs. Peter Kramer (formerly Mrs. ,Tacob Flaxen­

hat!r).

234 111anlwto-lts First Fifty Fears

HOERR, John William-Born in Hiltenoklingcn, Ilcsscn-Darm­stadt, Germany, ,June 27, lftH. In 1852, he immigratell to America, with his brother, Geo. P. Hoerr, and locatec"l in Ohio, where he followccl hi~ trade of cabinet making. In the fall oI 185G, both bTOthers came to Mankato and took claims in the vicinity of l\faclclia. J. vV. foum1 ernp lo_vment in a furnitme factory at St. Peter, for a time. lVIay 1:3th, 18:38, he married 1\ilargarct, daughter of George• A. and l\fargaret Schaefer, a native of Baden, Germany, who emigrated with her parents to Dayton, Ohio, in 18-17, thence to St. Paul, 1\'[inn., in 1854, an<l to :Mankato the spring of 18M'. Her parents, however, Joeatccl in Lime township the prcv~ous spring, upon a farm now ernlJraccd in the Widell Stone quarry.

In 185!), lVIr. Hoerr trader] his Watonwan County elnim with one "Melgcn for the Washington Honse at Mankato nrn1 began his career as a hotel keeper. After about two years he sold

the \Vashington Honse arnl rrnrchascd and completec1 the American Honse, which he conducted, with few in­termissions, for twenty-eight years, with great success.

Mr. Hoerr held many official positiorn, such as Supervisor, Justice of the Peace, Member of the Board of Education, Coun­

t_y Treasurer, ( thrcr terms) , and City Alderman. He had the faculty of remem­bering the face and name

of every person he met, and this, with his hearty greet­ing and obliging ways, ren­dered him very popular.

JOHN WILLIAM HOERR. He died August 12, 1889,

leaving him survi\'ing his wife am1 their eight children: William G. Hoerr, president of the National Citi:;,;ens Bank, of Mankato, Hotsl', wife of Iknry R Hance, the prominent lVfankat,o merchant;

.Tnlia,, wife of Frank B. Clements, Ferdinand ,T., John J., Frank P., A. Otto, anc1 Charles 0.

Riograj>!tics 2_15

HOA TL/NG, Benjamin F. -The pioneer hanlware dealer of Mankato, was born at Cayuga, N cw York, June 12, 18"W. After serving an apprenticeship as a tinner at Aurora, Illinois, he located for a while at Ottawa, Illinois, but in 1853, he moved to Hastings, Minnesota, where, in company with 0. S. 'l'aylor, he established a hal'<lware store. Fi-ve years later a branch o-f their business was put in at Mankato, the first store of the kind here, and n'Ir. Ho­taling took charge of it. In 18G0, he purchascrl the brick (by the way, about the .first rnarle in Mankato) with intent of erecting a brick block on corner of Front arnl Cherry streets, where D. L. Clements' store now stands, but changing his mind, used the ma­terial in the construction of a residence on the lot arljoining the Episcopal church, then considered the "finrn;t in the country.''

In 18G2, Mr. Hotaling was snccecllccl in business by ,John F. Meagher. A\)Out this time he became interestcll with Capt. Dick­erson, in a project to build a mill on the Blue Earth, in South

Bend township, hut the distractions incident to the Civil and Indian \Vars caused the enterprise to be abarnloned. During the Sioux outbreak he was ma(le Scconcl Lieutenant of the Mankato Home Guarcls. Mankato ever found Mr. Hotaling an active promot­er of its interests arnl in every way a public spiritell citiz:cn. Sta,rting in life as a poor hoy he climbed the ladder of success until well

to do. Then adversity came and, during the last years of his life, he follow­ell his trade of tinner. He

BENJAMIN F. HOATLING. was a man of strong JJrin-eiplcs, integrity ancl character. He was an early member of the 1\Iasonic anrl OrM Fellow fraternitic::,. He wa,; rnarriecl at Lorli, New York, Augm,t 1-1, 18:rn, to Mary Clt!,·clarnl. They ha(l seven children, of whom five arc living: Albert C., Frank C., Frell and

illanlwto-1ts l•i'rst Fifty ] "ears

John S., of Mankato, and Herbert C. Hotaling, the well lmo\Vn editor and publisher of the "Mapleton Enterprise.'

HUBBARD, Rensselaer D. -13om in Maryland Township, Ot­sego County, New York, December 1'1, 18:37'. His,parcnts, Olivm B., and Lavinia Chase Hubbard, were farmers, natives oJ Con­necticut, whose ancestry went back into Co1onial days, :1mnng

whom were some 11rominent in the early history of N cw Englarn1. His education was limitc<l to such as the <listrict school and a i'Pw months in a select school, taught by 1~rof. W. F. Perry, co11lcl furnish. At fifteen years of age he left home to earn i1is own living, arnl obtaining work with a snneying party engltged in lo­cating the Albany and Susquehanna Hailroac1-now called The Del­aware and Huc1son Canal Company. In the spring of 1854, he wcmt with a party of men to California, where he secur0•1 wor\ on a farm in the Sacramento Valley, at $50 per month, and in two yrars had saved $1,12G.00, every clollar of which su:n he ~eot i1c-me

to his par-::nts. He took a

claim and tl'iet! farming on his own h'lok .. but owing to the dn,uth his cr<)ps f.:tilec1 and hr• ;e,oon tired of the venture. In AugHst, 18~•~', he went to the }Iun,bol<lt river country, and for a few months cngage,1 in trade

with the immigrants. Tn .July, 18.'iS, he went to

Fraser river, British Co­

lumbia, at the time of the

gold excitement m that

region. In the fall of 18/SH, he paid a vi;,it to hi;;

old home in New York, re­turning in March, 18G0, to

RENSSELAER DEAN HUBBARD Sacramento, Cal., where he secured a position as clerk in a grocery store at $50.00 per month, and in four months was promoted to he hcaLl manager of the store at a salary of $1G0.00 per month. Jn January, 18G:-i, he went back to New York intending to enlist in the Union army, hut was

Bio,,rrraj>!iies 237

prostrated by a severe attack of pneumonia on the journey, whicl1 rendered him unfit for military duty. He now engaged in tobacco culture for two years at Sidney Plains, New York.

April 9, 1863, he marrie<l Mary E., daughter of Harvey W. Cook of his native village.

In the fall of 1866, he removed to Corry, Pa., and cngagP<l in the grocery business, which proved a very profitable Yentnn'~ starting with a capital of less than $;!,000.00, in fonr yenrs lw had cleared $:10,000.00. In 1870, Mr. Hubbanl went again to Cali­fornia intending to start a bank, but the cornlitions not being :is favorable as he expected, he returned and, after ,;pemling sonw time looking the country over, he :finally locate<l at l\fanlrnto. Here he built a warehouse and rmgagcd in the wheat buying lmsi­ncss until March, 1872, when in company with J. A. Willard and ,T. B. Hubbell, he organized the Mankato Linseed Oil Co., of which he was the manager for eleven years. After passing through a period of depression the enterprise finally proved a financial snc­cess. Jn 187D, he established the Mankato Milling Co., with him­self as president. rrhe mill, one o-f the largest and most import­ant in Southern Minnesota, he has ever since continued to operat0 ~the corporate name being changed :first to the R. D. Hubbard & Co., until 1894-, then R D. Hubbard Milling Co., i:mtil 18H7, and then the "Hubbard Milling Co.," since. The mill was built in 1878, reconstructed in 1879, and its character changed from the stone system to the roller process. Its present capacity is 1,200 barrels <1aily and 1,500,000 bushels of wheat pass through the mill annually.

In 1882, Mr. Hubbard, with ,T. J. Thompson, established a large live stock business in Custer County, Montana. About the same time, associated with Capt. T. P. Gere, he established cxten­siYc linseed oil works at Sioux City, which in 1887 were sold to the Linseed Oil rrrust. In 1892, he purchased the interest of S. H. Grannis in the firm of Grannis & Palmer, and organized the Hubbard & Palmer Elevator Company, which in 1897 was re-incor­porated as Hubbard, Palmer & Co., and has forty elevators on the line or, the C. St. P. M. & 0. Ry., chiefly used to lm_y and store wheat -for the mill .

.Mr. Hubbard is one of the ablest btrniness nwn in the Rt.ate arnl the magnificent plant, which hi:;; lnrnincsR capacity rm<l enter­prise has built up, has contributcrl largely to the prosperity am1 growth o-f Mankato.

/lianlwto-lts First Fifty J'cars

Mr. Hubbard's wife died April 21, 1877, leaving one son, Jay Hubbarcl, born January 8, 1872, now in business with his father. Mr. Hubbard was again married October 7, 1878, to Miss Frank Griffith, step-daughter of the lnk James Cannon. 'l'licy are the parents of two <laughters: Kate and :Mary E.

HUBBELL, James B.-Born :March 18th, 188G, at Winstr<1, Litchfield County, Conn. His parents died during his chilclhom1 mHl he was rcaret1 by his guardian, C11pt. 1Vheelock 'J'haycr, a prqminent manufacturer. He bcliew<1 boys should be brought up to work, as he had been, and so placPd hi,, wanl on his uncle's farm. In 18-clfl, James attcrnled Howard's boan1ing school at

Warren, Conn., and the next year the .J oncsYillc Academy at J oncsville, N. Y. Foi· two years he derkecl in a country store nrnl, then be­

coming ambitious to lie a f-'Ca captain, he i-pent the f'Um­

mcr of 18G3, "before the mast'' on a n1_yage to the W<•;;t Irnlies. The hard­ships of this trip cured bit­longing for the sea arn1, on his return to New York, he was inclucec1 by a friC'ncl of the family, who "·as one of the largest merchants in the StnJc of G<•orgia, to accept a position in his store at Ft. Gaines, on Uie Chattahoo-

JAMES B. HUBBELL, chcc river. At this time the

Southern feeling against all Yankees was most bitter. 'The excite­ment, incident to the occupation of Kansas, was at a fever heat. Public meetings were continually being held and southern elo­<JUCncc was lm;hing the populace into a fury of rage against the North.

All circulation of Northern newspapers was snpprcis,;ed, ex­. cept that of the N cw York Day Bonk, the rabi<l uttnanccs and

mit-reprm,c•ntation,; of ,vhieh, but arltk<l fnel to the factional fire. Buford arn1 Baker recruited 500 men from this section of Georgia

Riograj,lzics 239

to go to Kansas. They declared that all they w.anted was one Southerner to twenty Yankees. Hubbell was about the only Yankee at these meetings, and being muscular and active, he suggested to some of those present, how one of them wonlll like to tackle twenty like him. All the men were required to do patrol duty aml it was considered a most pleasant aml patriotic sen-ice to catch and whip any unforhmatc "nigger" abroad without a pass. At last, 'old Hal,' the faithful servant of l\fr. Hubbell, was caught and ffogge<l by the vigilants, and, in his hot irnlignation, our Yankee youth did not hesitate to express his sentiments about the outrage. rrhis indiscretion might have resulted seri01rnly, had he not im­mediately loft the country for New Orleans. This was in October, 185G. He ,vas soon driven from New Orleans, by the ague, north to St. Louis, and thence for the winter to his old home in Con­necticut. In the spring of 1857, he came to .Minnesota, and after looking over St. Paul and Minneapolis, came up the j\finnesota river with hiR friend, Charles Thompson, arnl both vn'rn so capti­vated with the beauty of the surrounding country that they eon­eluded to locate at Mankato in May of that year. lt was custom­ary then for all new comers of every profession to pre-empt claims, and accoi-clingly the first thing our friends clid on their arrirnl was to stake ont farms west of Lake Crystal. Later, tliat smn­mcr, l\fr. Hubbell in connection with A. F. Hawley, lmilt a double Rtore block on the site of the L. Patterson wholesale honsc, arnl engaged in the clothing and merchant tailoring lrnsim•ss.

In the Fall of 18.50, he waR clectecl 1fogistcr of J>ee(ls of Blue Earth County, but rcsignecl in lSGl, to accept the po:-ition of licensed tra<ler to the Winnebago lnclianf'. He was with thi,, tribe• <luring the trying clays of the Sioux massacre, when the Winne­lrngoes were in a fmor of excitement, debating whether to join thcii· Sioux brethern or no. On the remornl o_f the Indians in l\fay, 18G3, Mr. Hubbell went with them to their new reservation on the upper Missouri river. The buffalo that year being too far, and no other food being available in this new Indian conntry, the government found itself in a perplexing plight, with a northern winter at the door, and thousands of Ill(1ians, tra<lers, and sol<lif'rR on its hands, with nothing to fcerl them. A contract was finally ma<]c with Mr. Hnhbell, all(l within a month he pnrchasc<l 800 hcacl of oxen in Blue Earth County and Yicinity, arnl hitching thc;-;e to 15:J wagons, loaclCll with provisions, he started from Mankato

1llanlw,to--lt s l•frst 1'1/ty r,.a,rs

about the middle of November, going across the pnuncs by way of Lake Crystal arnl Lake Shetek. 'J'he train reached over a mile in length, and it had a military escort of four companies of solc1icrs. rrhcrc was no road we::;t of Lake Rketek, but the track they then made could be c1isccrned on the plain twenty years tlwrcaitcr, in a different color of the grass. Though the newspapers am1 others predicted c1ire things and ealled it the '·Moscow Expechbon,' be­canse of the lateness of the season, the train, afkr suffering many hardships and hindrance~, finally n!ndie<l :Fort Thornpson, iti,; clestination, all safe, to the great joy of the hunger pincher[ Indians and whites.

In 18G4, Mr. I-fobbcll pun:lrnsccl of Cha>'. P. Choteau, of St. Louis, an interest in the oM Amerium Fur Company on the Upper :Mis8ouri, inclrn1ing: :Fort l'ierrc, Fort Hertholt1, Fort Union, at the mouth of the Yellowstone, anc1 Fort BPnton, at the ]wad of navigation in Montana. He abo organiz:ct1 The Northwestern Fnr Company and clernlopcd a great tnt<1e-supplying minl'r:-; at

1:<0 0Tt Benton and Helena, aclcling 1ww Irnlinn trading ]Inds, and

engaging in the transportation, by stt•aml>onfo mH1 ,rng1m trains,

of government snpplie::;, as well as the goods of the eoqiorntion, oYer a vast extent of country for ycmr:--. The Cornpnuy'::; collection

of pcltrie:-; alone amounted to 2cl)IOO lmffnlo robes per anm1m and small furs in proportion.

J\Ir. Hubbell was one of the fonn(lers of the First National Bank of Mankato ancl, with J. A. \Villard am1 H. D. lfohlmrc1, built the Mankato Linseed Oil Works. He intrOLlncecl the rni,;­ing of flax in southwestern l\Iinncsota, an<1, by repcatecl cropping. of his own farms to it, c1cmonstratec1 to the farnwrs that flax was a paying product, and that the prejudice against it as a ckstroycr of the soil was fallaciou:-;. I-le and ,J. A. Willan1 were, also, the principal promoters and huildtffH of the \\'c•lls Railway, m"i<1 in 1871, Mr. Hubbell was elected to the Legi!"'laturc and, after a iles­pcrate fight, pushed through both houses the ] nternal lrnprovcment Land Bill ( in the common parlance of the day known as the

"Lam1 Grab Aet''), which, hacl it not been vetoed by the governor, wonl(1 have insnrcr1 tlw bnilc1ing of the Wc-lh, roac1 at oncP to St.

Clonc1, anc1 given Mankato an ine:-;timahle advn11bgl' a,s a rnm­llll'rcial center.

Mr. Hnhhell waf\ married Reptrmhrr !J, 1858, to Katie A. l1cw of Connectient, anc1 seven childrPn were horn to them. After a

l]iograpliz"l's 24I

rnost aetive li [c spent in Urn devdopnwnt of the Northwest, Mr.

II ulibell sulforeil a paralytic stroke H fow yuan: ago, and now ho and his gooc1 wife live retirel1 in St. Paul.

HUGHES, THOMAS~Born at J\.fincrRvillr, Ohio, September 213, 18:"5-I. ~on of Henry arnl Eliza HngheR, who came to Blue Earth l'onnty, rdinnrrnta, in October, 18;:55, arnl locatccl on a farm in Cambria township, the following ,Jmw. He worked on his father's farn1 and attcrnlc•cl -tho district schcrnl until 1874, when he cnterod the preparatory clepartrnent of Carleton College, N orthfiekl, Minn.,

THOMAS HUGHES.

and graduated A. B., in the class of 1880. He studied

law in tho office of Waite & Porter, of Mankato, was ad­mitted to the bar in 1882, and ever since has been in the active practice of his profession. He formed a law partnership with M:. G. Willard in February, 1884, which continued until July, 1887. For the past ten years his liroth·:!r, Evan

Hughes, has lieen associated with him. He was elected County Attorney in 18%, arnl served for -I years with grnat acceptance to his con­stituents. He was attorn­ey for the lVIanlrnto Mutual

Building and Lonn A8sociation for fifteen years, and is the present attorney oI its successor, the l\fanlrnto Saving::; arnl Building As­sociation. He is preRiclcnt of the Wisconsin and Minne.-;ota Land Co., and one of the directors of the Hoard of Trn110. He is much intereste(l in historical themes aml has prepared a number of ad­clrcsc:es of great historical value for the State Historical Society arnl the Blue Earth County Territorial Association. Jn ] 8£!5, he was the author of most of the English part of a work entitled: ''The History of the Wdsh in Minnesota."

1\fr. Hughes is ali'o active in church work ancl has been for many years Trm;tee, Deacon, aml Sunday School Superintendent

242 /lfa11hato-----fts f,i"rst Fifty )"ears

of the Congregational church. He was married Novcrnucr 25, 188G, to Miss Alice 0., daughter of Arnos B., ancl Sybil (llawson) 7:Ii]Js, of Faribault, who is a graduate of Carleton College. 'l'iwy have two children: Burton E., and Rvan Raymond.

HUNT, LEWIS P.-Born in St. Lawrence County, N. Y., Sep­tcmlwr :2:2, 1834c. Jn 18G3, the parents removed to Jndepemlence, Iowa, where L. P., reeeivecl a common school eclneation. In 18li7, he entered an otlict> in JHont.icello, Iowa, where he commcnceu the

LEWIS P. HUNT.

pri1itcr's trade. Two years lat­er he took the forcmansbip of a small country office at Earl­ville, Iowa, and eYer after un­til entering business for him­self at Lanesboro, Minnesota, in N ovembcr, 1880, he had mechanical charge of several important printing offices in Iowa and Illinois. JVIr. Hunt was thorough in all branches of the printing department, mechanical aF well as editorial -aml his success therein is no doubt largely attriuntable to his knowledge of ey,"ry detail of the business.

In October, 1881, J\fr. Hunt 1mrchasecl George Chamberlain's intered in the Mankato Free Press ancl a year later uought the interest of vV. W. Woodard, thereby b<'coming sole proprietor of this well-known am1 influential journal. In 188:l, he was commissioned postmaster of Mankato Ly Presi­dent ,\.rtlrnr, sueccl'cliug 0. Brown, and retired on May, 1885, during Grover Cleveland's administration.

Tn April, 1887, Mr. Hunt organized the :Free Press Print­ing Company and started the Daily Free Press, with himself as editor an(l general manager. This institution has had a constant growth, aml now enjoys the distinction of being the leading Hc­puhlican paper in Southern Minnesota, with the finest equipped printing all(l blank book manufactory fmmcl in any city in the Uni­ted Stah>s oi' 12,00() population. Tu March, 1\)02, J\fr. Hunt dis­posed of com,iderablc of his stock in the printing company, to some

Rio,1;-raplzies 2-13

of his old and trusted employees, anr] while he :-;till retains the

presidency of the company, ancl contributes artieles to the colu11mE

of the papc\r ils hi::; time and rfo;po::;ition pcrmifo, he has surrender­

ed the active 111cmagerncnt of the brn;incs::; to others aml is lle­

voting 11rnch of his time to recreation anrl the conduct of privatu

affairs. He was President of the .iHinnesota Statu Editorial As­SO(;iation in 1889.

1\Ir. Hunt ha:-; 1:,pent a busy life. For about thirty-seven

_y(iar:-; he was confined to the "print ,,hop" arnl lrns certainly earned

a respite from the exacting duties thereof.

Jn 1890, he was appointecl an alternate :N_ational Committee­

man from Minnesota to the vVorl<l's Colulllhian Exp-i:oition at

Chicago. After the organization of the State Commission, he wm,

1111,mimuosly chosen as the CXl'cutive officer of that bocly, nml scrvec1

until the close of the Exposition in lfW;l, and the affairs of the

Commission wound np. He undertook the herculean task of rais­

ing $100,000 by contribution from citizens to supplement the

$50,000 appropriated by the legislature for the purpose of making

an exhibit that would be in keeping with the great aml varied in­

terestt-\ of :Minnesota, arnl later the legi:olatnre appropriatc<l an equal sum to reimburse those patriotic citizen:c;, who so gcneron,-;l_,, plcdg~

eel the amount for the crc<lit of their state in the grcate::;t exposi­

tion ever held.

::\Ir. Hunt was a clelegate at large to tlie Tkpnhlican Xational

Convention at St. Louis, that nominated William JHcKinley Pres­

ident of the United States, arnl has many times represented his

county in State and Congressional conventions. He was appoint•

ed postmaster of Mankato, by Prcsi<lent .McKinley in HW7, ancl

on his own volition retired from office in October, l!J02.

In the upbuilcling of Manlrnto, 1\fr. Hunt has played no in­

eon'3icleralilc part. Hi:,; enterprise has !eel him to ercd one of

the finest office buildings in the Northwest, and he has adclcd to

the needs a]l(l beauty of the city !Jy erecting four handsome re:oi­

dences.

In September, 1874, Mr. Hunt was united in marriage to ]V[i:-;s

Lisbeth Putnam, a native of New Hampshire.

/RV/NG, WILLIAM-Born in Liverpool, England, April 8, 1821, ancl immigrated to Arncrira in July, 1850. Puring the> voyage

hacl occurred the death 0£ Sir Hobert Peel, the Engli~h Prime

Minister, and Pre~idcnt Taylor of the United ~tates, rhe report

2-14 11/ankato~lts First hfty Yrars

of whid1 they first learned on landing in New York. l\t[r. Irving was a tailor by trade and spent the first two years in America,

WILLIAM IRVING.

working in the shops of N cw York and Newark, New J er­sey. He then visited N c,~ Orleans, and Cincinnati, making only a short stop at each, anc1 in the spring of 1858, landed at St. Paul, :Minnesota. There he enter­ed the employ of Winny & Cooley, whoconcluctec1about the first tailor shop in thal city. In the spring of 1854, he visited Mankato, ancl lo­cated a claim near the vil­lage of J nelson, and then went to Duquque, Iowa, to work at his tracle for over ,1

_year. In the Fall of 185G, he returned to Mankato, and the next year entered the

employ of J. B. Hubbell as manager of his tailoring business In18GO, on the election of J. B. Hubbell to the Register of Deeds office, 1\fr. Irving succeeded him as proprietor of the tailoring business. He soon removed his shop to the corner now occupied by the American Express Company. After continuing twenty four years in business, he retired about 1872, and removed to hif' present resi<knee in West Mankato.

He was married to 1\'liss Elizabeth A. Caplinger of Mankato, April lG, 18(iK, arnl they have three chilr1ren: Annie K, a teach­er in the :Minneapolis Rchools; :Mary, wife of Mr. H. Andrews, of l\Jinneapoli:.;, and ,TcRsie B., of Mankato.

Honest, thrifty all<1 indnstriom; has been Mr. Irving's life, rewan1ing bis ,1eclining years with a fair eompotcncy.

JENSEN, HANS P. -Is a native of Denmark, where bis birth occmTed NoYemlier 2G, 18+4, at the town of HyaI!csc, Fyen. He

was one of niIH\ d1il<lren, and was left :fatherless at the age of 1 '<l

years. When Hi years old he was apprenticed to learn rhe black-

245

smith trade, and in 1865, emigrated to the lfnitcr1 States, landing at New York., November 7th. He locatc(l first at Frwloei«, N Y., and thence weut to Sil­

ver Creek, N. Y. Jr: tlw Fall 0f lS(;(i, he ,'.,llll<! to

Mankato, but the followir,g

Fall went hack to Frc(1onia

for a year, retnrni,.g in the

winter of 18G8, to J'.iankato,

where he has liverl ev<~r

since. In 1872, he formed

a co-partncrnhip with Aarw1

Miller arn1 built a factory

for the mann:facturc of car 4

riagcs on the corner of

Jackson and Second streets.

HANS P. JENSEN. In 1890, lie removed to his present quarters on the corner of Cherry and Second streets, ·where he conducts an extensive carriage business. J. D. Firestone and H. H. Perrin were a:osociated in buRiness with him after Mr. Miller

at (liffcrcnt tirneR, but for the last fow years he bas nm the plant alone. In 18Di'i, he erected the business blodc which bears his

name. Mr. J cnsen is a wide awake, enterprising business rnan, aml no one is more reatly with time arn1 money to promote any

project for the uplrnikling of Mankato. He has been an aggres­si vc, cfiicient member of the Board of Trade for many years. He has also for the past thirty-three years ]wen eonnectccl with the I. 0. 0. F. Is an elder of the l)resbyterian church and superin­

tem1cnt of its Hope Mission Sunday School. On December .J, 18G9, he was married to ]Hiss Mary Schwifaer,

of Cook County, Illinois.

JOHN, D. D. Rev. David Clark.-Born J<\Jmwry 11, 1835, near Bloorn:,;lrnrg, l'a. Wa:,; brought up on a form. Began his

C!lncation in tlH· rnuntry schools, prqrnred for college at Dick­im;on Seminary at Williamsport, Pa., an(l gradnatel1 at the head

of his class from Dickinson College, C'lnlisle Pa., in .J1rne, 1859.

11fa11!cato-lts lirst h/ty )'u:"rrs

Ilad to work his own way through school,-mo,;tly by teaching. In l\farch, 185D, he was admiifo,1 upon trial, arnl ordainecl deacon of the East Baltimore (now Central Pennsylvania) (listrict Con­ference of the M. E. church, and appointed to the Cc1rlisle Cir­cuit. During 18(i0-l, he was pador of the Caroline Street Station Church of Baltimore, ~Icl.; 18G2-8, of the Bloomsburg Station, Pa., and 18G--!, of the Lewisburg Station, Pa. In l\Ian:h, 18G1, he was onlained J%Jer. Failing in health, he was obliged, after 1SG4,

to rest for a time, lint in 18G8, began ec1ucational work, as pro• fessor of Natural Science in the State Normal School at Blooms­burg, Pa., where he continued until the Fall of 1873, when he be­came President of the State Normal School at Mankato, Minne­sota. He resignecl this po:-;ition in J\fay, 1880, to accept the presi­dency of Hamline University, St. Paul, where he remained three years, and then returned again to the pastorate. In October, 1885, he was transferred to the Wisconsin Conference, with which he i" still connected. Since this transfer, he has been emphyet1 seve-; years as pastor, one year as professor, and three as president, of Clark lTniversity, Atlanta, Ga., and in October, lS£lG, was made Presiding Ehler of the :Milwaukee clistrict, serving the full term of six years, and in September, lD02, wa:- appointed Prl'sic1ing Elrler of the Oshkosh district.

He received the degrees of A. B., ancl ,\.. M., from Dickin::;on College, and in 1880, the degree of D. Tl., from tl1c same instilu~i'.Jn ancl, abo, from the Upper Iowa Uni,·erRity. He was llelegate to the General Conference of the M. E. Church in 1880 and 1881, :1nd delegate to the Centennial Conference, Baltimore, December, 188-L Member of the 1\L K Book Committee from 1880 to 188-L Hm; published three music books: "The (-}uicling Star," 1872; "'l'hc Corona," 1892; and '"l'he Evangcl," 189G.

Dr. John was first married in Augu:-;t, 18(i0, to Miss Acleline E. Wells, who died February rn, 1885, at Winona, Minne:.;ota. Four of their five children survive: Annie M., James W., David C., and William N. July 2G, 1888, t,he (loctor was unite<1 in a i,;econd marriage to Miss Sarah K Whittaker, of Frederica, Del., and they now reside at Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

JOHNSON, Parsons King-First settler in Mankato-Born at Brandon, Rutland County, Vermont, May 8th, 18 lG. T-1 is parents Charles and Eunice ( King) ,Tohn:-0011, wern prominent people of Brandon, where hi~ father held a number of local offices. His

Bi(}grajlues 2 47

mother was a <lescenrlant of Jonathan Carver, the English traveler, who claimed to have purchased of the Sioux Indians, on May 1st, 17G'1, a tract of land, extending from the Falls of St. Anthony to Lake Pepin, and thence one hundred miles to the East. An uncle of P. IC, named Wm. King, visited the present site of St. Paul in 18Hi to look up his Carver inheritance. Brandon was ah,o the native place of Hon. Stephen A. Douglas,;, and he and young Johnson were students together for a time at the village academy, urnler the tutorship of the note<1 in,;tructor, Chiprna11. boon· after the death of his mother in 1831, young Johnson was ap­prenticed to the tailor's trade at Pittsford, Vermont. In the Au­tumn of 1834, the articles of apprenticeship were cancelled by mutual consent, and Johnson entered a tailoring establishment .,t Rutland, Vermont. Remaining here only six 111ontl1s, he re­moved to 'l'hetford, Vermont, where he opened a tailor sh<ip of hi~ own, and had a number of assistants in his employ. Forming the acquaintance of the principal of the town academy, he was induced by him to take up a course of study under his private instruction. He also became much interested in the village Lyceum. Hearing much of the advantages to young men to be found in the newly organized territory of Wiscon:oin, Johnson, with a number of his companions, in the spring of 1837, emigrated to that then cl istant wilderness. Their destination was Racine, which after a long and adventurous journey, by Janel and lake, they finally reached. Racine then comprised only a few rU(]e shanties, and diJ not im­press our Green Mountain boys very favorably. JVfilwaukee, also proved ,1isappointing and they tried Chicago. Chicago then was a very tough town-full of gamblers ancl lawless people generally. A big fiµJ1t occmTcll in the bar-room of their hotel on the first night of our friends arrival. To staid N cw England _youths, such a scene was shocking, and they condrnlcfl not to stay ther'.l auoU.cr night, and started for home. At the boat landing Johnson met an acquaintance from Thctfor<1, who had just larnkd, and who irnlucccl hi111 to accompany him to Elgin, Jllinois. ]~lgin

again proved <lisappointing, !mt ,Johnson proceeded to Rockford, where he was better suited. Here he formed i partnernhip with \Vm. H. "l'inker (now of t-lt. Paul), in the tailoring busines,;, which coniinnc<1 for fonr years. ln thli spring of 18-lcl, fincling the hard times were crippling his business at Rockforrl, he removed to Prairie llu Chien, where he soon workel1 up a lucrative trade

PARSONS KING JOHNSON.

with the prosperous Indian traders of that point, and th<: army officers at :F'ort Atchinson. Here he formed the acquaintance of Hon. Hemy M. Rice, then sutler and Indian trader at the latter place, and they became fast friends. Herc, ah;o, he obtained his first taste of politics, and was appointed by Gov. Doty, Deputy Sheriff anc1 Notary Public. In the ·winter of 18'1-G-7, he rnacle a bu,;iness visit to St. Paul, an<1 removed there the following spring. He took an active pm·t in the organiiation of ]\,finnesota Territory, arn1 was a member of the first legislature.

In 18:i0, he rnarriefl Miss Laura Bivens, of St. Pan!. In l<'ehruary, 1852, in company with Hcmy .Tack~on and other:,;, lw founded the present city of Mankato, of whid1 he was tlw iir:,;t

Riograj,lzies

actual settlPr. From 185;3 to 18;3G he serve,l as the first Register

of Dee<ls, arnl first Postmaster in Blue Earth County. During

185G aml 18/i7, he represented this County in the State Legislature. }'or over fourtem years lie was village arnl city ,Jm,tiee of :Man­

kato, rfacharging the <lntic•s of the office with much ability arnl tlw strictest impartiality.

Jn the s1ffing of 18(,:;, he rc•1nove<l to Kawita, intending to en­

gage in lmsiness with Mr. Babcock. 'J'heir plans, howeYcr, foiled

to rnahm•, nnd i\Ir. Jnlmson retrn·11r<l to Mankato in the spring 0£ 18(iD.

In lR!H, he moverl to Hraincrcl, Minnesota, where his devoted wife rlied on l\fay !Jth, 18!!5, an<l where November lG, 1902, he lo:st hi;; ;,on, Frank B. Johnson. 'l'hrce children still survive:

{ 'hnrh•,; ll., who is engagccl in the drug bnsincs,:; at Brainerd, and William H. Jolm;;on arnl :;Hrs. Julia K. :McFadden. J\fr. Johnson is lHls;;c•:ssc<l of a social, genial disposition and has much native

wit. 1 n politics lw lias ever been a consistent Democrat of the ,Jacbmnian school. Ile ha,; lived to sec the city he fournlcd fifty _years ago grow to be the most important commercial center in

Southern J\Iimwsota. }Wrs. r,ama (Biren") ,Johnson, was born in 182:1, at Clarence,

Eric Connty, :-l ew York. 1 n 184-8, she came to St. Paul, Minn., to visit her sder, the late Mrs. J. S. Hinckley (then Mrs. Henry Jack­,;on). There slw met Mr. P. K. Johnson, ancl on l\Iay 8th, 1850, they were marrie<l. In April, 1853, Mrs, Johnson came to Man­kato, where she rnmle her home ( with the exception of the few years above mentione<l, when the family resit1e,l at Kasota) until 18!J+, when she arnl her hushancl rernovc<l to Brainerd to rcsir1e with her son, Clias n. ,Tohnson. There- ]Hrs. ,Johnson died, as we havp above n•cor<l('(l, at the age of 72- years. She was kirnl arnl gc•ncrons and, lih• most of our noble pioneer worncn, mneh givc'l1 to hospitality.

KARMANY, URIAH S.-Born February 18, 182'7, near the city of Lebanon, Pa. His parents, Henry and Mary (Smith) Karmany,

were of German ancp,;try, who hatl settled in Lebanon Coimty, l'a., about 200 ypars ago. The subject of this sketch spent his boy­

ho0<1 days on the farm, atternlc<1 the district school clming the winter months, arn1 at the age of lG years was ,wnt to an academy in an n<ljaccnt Yillage. The -family rernm·e<l to l\foreers:mrg, Pa., arnl a yr',11' lakr lncntc<l at EaKt Hnno\'er. In the ~pring of 185:l,

Jfa11lw!o-/ts First Fzfty J'ears

young Karrnany came we,;t to seek his fortune_, and spent a fow months with an uncle at Freeport, Illinois. In September of the same year he went to St. Paul, :Minnesota, and tl1encc to Mankato, where he arrived on December 20th, 1853. He first made a claim, on Agency Hill, but ahandonc<l it the next spring and spent the summer of 1854, in the employ of the Rm,sdl boys, who were

engage(} in nmning a fiat­bo<lt on the l\Iinnesota river for Nathan Myrick. 'J'he ,;nrnll steamer Iola wac: sub­Rtitutcd for the flat-boat in the Fall of that year, alHl :Mr. Karnrnny has many reminiscences of his river experience. After spending the winter of 18/i t-5 clerk­ing for Robert Wardlaw, who conducted a store in the Wardlaw building on Lot 1, Block G, he located a claim in the spring of of 1855, on the hill back of the Cement Works, which he afterwards solc1 to Sam­uel Walker. For a time

URIAH s. KARMANY. before the War, he was en-gaged in the butcher buRincsR, lmt July 13, 18Gl, he enfoitccl in Co. H., Second Minnesota Infantry, and on September 21, 18G:,, while detailed to hospital rlnty, at the battle of Chickamauga, he was taken prisoner and for twenty months, until the el0se of the war, suffered the horrors of lfobcl prison life-first at Libby anrl then at Andersonyillc, Savannah, Milan a,ll(l Blackshire, ancl lastly at AnclC'rs01willc a second time. Possessed of an indomitable pluck ancl a shrewd tact, he managed to smvive the teniblc ordeal, where thousarnls pC'rislml. After the clOf,e of the War, Mr. Kar­rnany was engage<! in the ment arnl grocery bnsinc'S:-\ for over twelve years, most of the time in comwetion with hi" brother, ,Janw,; 1\L Kannany.

In 187'/i, he rnarriC'<l Mm. Mary Jane FPro, nre Himnan. l\hs. Karrnany died l\fay 5, 18!HJ, leaving snniving, besides her second

J-liot.,rraplzu,s

hushall(l ,two chihlrcn by her first lnrnbaml: Dr. Claud Fero, of

MinneapoliR, arnl Mrs. F. A. Halstead, of Mankato. J\lrs. Kar­

many was a <laughter of Nathaniel Hinman, who was dcscen<led

from a prominent family of C'onnecticnt.

KARMANY, JAS. M.-lforn at Lclrnnon, Pa., May Hlth, 18-17. He came to Mankato on ,Jnly 10th, 1:-rnr;, nn(l two years lakr, opc1w<l a nll'at markd lll'n'. Since tlw opening of hi:-; first shop, in Block 15, thirty-fin• years ago, }Ir. Ji:arman1· has been in tlw

l>Usirn•sts continuousl.v, with an intermis,;ion of only 01w _\'('ar,

and is the ol<lPst IJutclwr shop ]Jroprictor in town. Ilis hat: been a busy lifo, d(•rnk<l to his elrn,-<•n ,·ocation, in which he has met

good sucee:os. His spll']l(lill record for lrnsinc:,;;· probitv, he can

justly lw prornl of, arnl it lrn,; won for him the high c:stcem of hi,;

follow citir,en. He was rnarril'd, in 187·2, to Susan, <laughter of

Henry Purri<•r, late of Lime town,-hip, arnl the1· han• three ehil<l­

ren: James ·H., Ella, ancl Eathel.

KEENE, ABEL.-Born in Clinton, l\Iaine, October 0, 182:3. He wa~ the oldest son of a large farnily arnl ha<l to enter early the

lrnttle of life to keep the woLf from tlw <loor. He b0came familiar

ABEL KEENE,

in youth with the hardships of the lumlwr camps of

Northern _Haine in winter,

arnl the llangers of the river

<lri,-e,- in tlw spring. On the <li!:'CO\'cry of gold in

California in 18-d-D, he took

the first ship, Rent by Van­

derbilt by the Nicarangua

route, to that distant land,

where he arrivel1, after

many thrilling adventures. He cli<l well in the gol<l

fielrls, lint lost nearly all

his fortune through the

failure of the Bxpre,;s

companv, to which it

harl been intrnstcd for

transportation. He earne

to Mankato in the Fall of

Jlfanlwto-lts Fi,·st hfty !"cars

1855, ancl in 1857, formed a partnership with his brother, Josiah Keene, and A. D. Seward and H. K. Lee in the construction anc1 operation of a saw mill, to which, later, a grist mill department was added. The mill proved quite a success and was the main li (c of the town for year;;_ On the night of Angnst l\J, 18G2, when tlic excitement incic11•nt to the Sionx massacre was at its height, the mill mysteriously caught fire and burned to tlic ground. There being no insnrancP, it proved a total loss. Nothing 11annted, how­ever, by his loss, in 181J5 he bought another mill in Jowa and mo\·cd it to Hebron, a point ten miles west of :Mankato on the :Minnesota river. Herc his mill was burned three times-the last time in the spring of 1885. In 18!.ll, he moved upon a farm in Belgrade, near Mankato, which he had owned before the burn­ing of the, firnt mill. He died May 22, 1D01.

Mr. Keene was thrifty, honest anrl public spiritetl.r-a man that could always be depended upon. He married Nov. 7, 18/.i0, Miss Carrie Doughty, of Spirit Lake, Iowa, am1 eight chih1ren have been born to them: HcY. Josiah L. Keene, of Cottage Grove, Min­m'sota; JWrs. Addie Thurston, of Hebron, J\Iinncsota; V{illiam S. Keene, of Dawson City, Alaska; Dr. 1falph Keene, of }Hlingfoun, Minnesota, am1 Bert Keene, Amy Fermenich, Marcia Witzel an11 I cla Keene, of North }Ianlrnto, :Minnesota.

KEENE, JOSIAH-Born November 21st, 18:27, in Clinton, Maine. In 1852, he came to Winona, Minnesota, and located upon a claim, which is now in the heart of that city. In 1\Iay, 185:3, he removed to .Mankato, all(l at the instance of Henry McKcnty, a St. Paul real estate (lcalcr, who had laid out what is known as "Mankato City,'' as a rival townsitc to Mankato proper, he openeL1 a b]ai;k­srnith shop on the stone quarry bench, near the h<:ad of Front Rtrect-thc first ever located in Mankato. Later he removed his ,;hop to Second street, near the center of town.

In the winter of 185G-7, he went to Pittsburg and Cincin­nati, and purchased a saw mill outfit, which, in partnership with his brother, Abel Kcern·, A. D. 8ewarrl nnd others, he put up and opcratetl the following snmmcr. This mill was located near the corner of Cherry all!1 Pike streets. In 18;ifl, the firm all<led ma­chinery for the manufacture o[ flour nml later a turning latlw, ,;hinglc factory, womlen-bowl Jarton, de., were ad,le,l, making an cxtensiyc mnnnfnctnring plant. 'l'lw lrni-\irn,ss wns pn~hrc1 with vigor nrnl for those rarly <fay;;, was a very important irnlu;;try,

BZO/fraj,lzi,, s

and gave employment to many people. The Company's <lnc bills, too, passed as currency in the community.

In the early social and religions life 0£ Mankato, Mr. Keene, also, took an active part. He was fond of music and phyecl well on the violin, anc1 his fine tenor voice g<merally lrd the singing

JOSIAH KEENE.

m Father 'fhomson's church. When he went East to buy the saw· mill the ladies' society of the Presby­terian church entruste<l to him the $300.00 they had raised for the first church bell in Mankato, which he purchased and brought back with him in the ~pring of 1857. In June, 18Gl, he enlisted in Co. H., 2nr1 Reg. Minn. Vol., and acquitted hi1m;elf with signal bravery, losing an arm at the battle of Chickamauga, vVhile he was South fighting for his country, the mill was <1c­stroyed by fire, and on his rdmn from the vV ar he was

incapacitated to follow hiR tralfo of blacksmith. He therefore sought arn1 obtained employment for m:my years in the U. S. Treasury Department at Washington. 'I'hencc he removec1 to California and engaged in the fruit ,m<l honey business near Sespe, where he died September 12th, 1800. He was a man of strict integrity antl kindly sympathies. He was thrice rnarrie<l and his last wife still survives with five chilclren: Kcnchll, Allen, Herman, Robert, and Helen.

KEENE, MADISON-Born in Clinton, Maine, May 28th, 183;3. His parents were J ercmiah and Rebecca ( Kernla 11) Keene. His granclfathcr, Isaac Keene, was a sol<1ier under Gen. Washington in the Revolutionary War, and his grarnlfatlwr, Davill Kendall, was a member of tl1e American army in the war of 1812. On his fother'R :sirle he is of Scotch-Irish <lescent, anrl on hi;; rnother'K si<le of English ancestry. J\fr. Keene was marriecl on ,January

:h'cl, 1854, to Miss Phoebe A. Elclridge, arnl :n June of

the following year, came to Mankato, :Minnesota, where

his hrnthcrn, Josiah, Lor­

enzo n., and Alt·n Kec•ne,

and his sister, Lorana

Keene (aftennmls Mrs.

Clark), har1 prcecrle<l him. He prc-c·mph•d a claim in

Kicollet County, arnl in the spring of rn:rn, his wife joined him, antl they began their experience as pioneer

farmers. OnJuly15th, 18Gl,

he and his broth1!r, Josiah Keene, enlisted in Company I-I. 2nd Regiment, Minne­sota Y ols., and served with

MADISON KEENE. great faithfulness and brav­

ny in many of the great battk·s of the Civil War. On the ex­piration of his term of service•, Jul.\· 14, 18G4, he returned home

arnl resurnc<l agricultural 1mnrnib. .\bout 1888, he retired from

hi,-; farm to Mankato, when! he built him a ph·nsant home• in which he ,-;till resides. His children an•: '\". l\I. Kc•c·ne, of Winnebago

City, George• K Keene, tlw well known photograplwr of l\fankato,

nrnl Mrs. Ellen l\[a:v, wife of Shl'rmnn Honse of the :-;nmc place.

KEYSOR, Capt. Clark-Born in Luzerne·, \Yarren County, New York, :May 2..J.th, 18:W, a son of Clark ancl Elizalwth (Fnwt) Ke_y­

,-;or. His grnnrlpnrcnt:-; on his fntlwr\, sicle 11·rre nati\'cs of Ger­

m,my, \\'ho larnfod in New York City abrrnt the cmd of the 18th

cPntury, wht>n' the grarnlmotlwr rlic•d, h•,n·ing the Captain's fatlwr

an infant, who, !wing arloptc•d b:,· a family nanwd vVPlls, wns brought up in Nc·w York 8tah·, where he rliecl in rn;rn. .\l'tcr his fathn's rkath, Capt. KPysor rna<lP hi,-; home wit.h his granclfatlwr Fro,-;t, in the town of Ilnclky, New York, working on a farm and attr,wl­ing tlw countn· ::school nntil lw wa,-; ;;ixtePn _Years of age. He tlwn

started <mt for him,-;elf, finrling r\m]>loymcnt flr:-;t in a ~aw mill at

Luzerrw, and the following winter in a lrnnher camp.

Hiog-ra j>/1 ic s

The spring of 1847, fimls him on a log (lrin~ arnl the fall of

that year after a visit to his mother, at Blackhrook, N ('W York, 1oce~

him appnmticcd at An ~able

Fork;.;, :--J. Y., to learn the

carpenter

track. Ile•

and jo,im•rs

fol lowed thi:s

OC<'lljlntiou for two _\'l'ars,

when hi:-: lwalth [ailing, he ll'l'l1t to North Adam,-;,

j\f ass., mH1 J'nllom,d farm­ing for a fow month:-. lfr then rdnnwd to the lurnlHT

camps of Hamilton County,

N. Y., and engagetl in tlw

l nm be ring, rnfting awl mill-wright lmsine:-:s for

son1e time. Septt•mhn 15, 1850, he marricll Amy L., (laughter of John Jolnrnon,

of East Day, N. Y. Her

father had been a soldier of

CAPT. CLARK KEYSOR. the War of 1812, and her grandfather a Revolutionary soldier under \Vashington. Jn the

Rpring of 1851, Capt. Key:c;or 1110\·etl to Caltfo·ell's Forge•, near

Plattsburg, N. Y., where he was ernployt•d as rnilhnight and mill

operator until 18:5:\ wlwn lw cngage(l in the same lrn:siness at

Plattsburg. After one year failing health c0111pL•llctl him to sc•c>k

the drier atmosphere of the We;.;t. He fi r:st stoppc(l at La Cro:-;se,

and was employed for a time in the lnmi><'r mills there. Thcncr•

he came to Mankato arriving lwre 1Iay 11th, 1858. From July

oJ thnt year until October, 185ll, he wa,-, c•ngnged a:,; rnilhrright

nrnl operator in a sawmill at Winnebago ,\µ:ency ( St. Clair). He­tu ming to Mankato he C'l1tere(l the (!111ploy o[ ,\. D. Sl•11·Jnl & Co.,

aR millwright arnl carpenter. He and on<• 'l'ho!llp:-,rm \\'l'l'e pro­

prietors for a time oJ Comcrt Hall- a plal't' for public µ:atlwring:s

in the early <lays.

fn Augn;,t, 18(i:Z, he enlistC'<l in ('o. K ::-:inth Minn. \'ol., aud

was commissione<l Fir:c;t Lientennnt. In thl' Sioux \\'HI' ]ii:-; compnn_v

rell(lere<l valuable frontic•r servicl'. 'l'lw_y \H'rr: the first to r•11tn

New Ulm, after its evacuation, and later winkn•d at Judson, until

,l/anlwto--/ts First Fifty J'cars

March, 18G3. They were then orc1erec1 successively to St. Peter anr1 Hutchinson, where the company was divided, and one-half under Lieutenant Keysor assigned to Forest City. In October, 18ii::l, his regiment was ordered South and for some tim0 had its heac1quarters at J effcrson City. 1Ho. Herc Lieut. Keysor was de­tailed on a commission to try private citizens, for offences against the miMary law there in force, until March 1st, 18G4_, when he rejoinecl his company and was engaged in active service in sever­al harc1 campaigns. Jn ,Jnmiary, 18G5, he was promoted Captain :mrl was muRkrcc1 out with his company the following August.

After the War, Capt. KeysOT was engage<1 for years at his occupation of carpenter anc1 contractor. He has frequrmtly been honorcc1 by positions of public trust anc1 responsibility. For two terms he sener1 the city a;; Al<1errnan, anc1 for two years he was its Astsessor, and such a member of its Board of Public Works. Tn 18,2 arnl again in 1877, he was a member of the State Legis­lature. He has been an active promoter of the City's E-lucational interests ancl been on its Sehool Board for years, and is now serv­ing in that capacity. He was, also, one of the local J)ircctors of the Mankato Normal School when first started.

For many years he has been a prominent Mason anc1 Knight 'J'emplar, ancl has been Master and Commander of the Mankato Lodge and Cornrnanc1ery. Democratic in his ways, earnest and honrn;t in his convichonR, strict in his integrity, Capt. KeyRor ~tanc1s high in the esteem of his fellow citizens.

To him and his amiable wife nine chilchen were horn: 1Vil­liarn Winchester, for eleven yearn ,Turlge of the District Court at Omaha, Nebraska, but sinec la~t Sepkmlwr, Professor ,1t the St. Lonis Law School-his Alma Mater; Lizzie F., wife cf J. E. Flittie, Referee in Bankruptcy of U. S. Court of the Mankato clif;trict; Amy M., widow of K :Morse; and John ,J., of Sturgis, So. Dakota. The other four are <1eceasec1-two clying in infancy ancl two, Eva 1VI., anc1 Fanny J., in more mah1rc life.

KLElfv, CONRAD J.-Born November 30, 1835, at IIrssian, near Frankfort on the Main, Germany. Emigratec1 in May, 18-48, with his parentt,, George and Catherine (Fox) Klein, to iVIilwankec, Wisconsin. Hcmover1 in 1854- to New Lisbon, Wisconsin, and for a time waR employecl in the pineries. In 18Gl, he enlisted in Co. H. Tenth Wiscmrnin Infantry, and took part in the battles of

CONRAD J. KLEIN.

2 57

Perryville, Stone Riv­

er, Mission Ridge, Chickamauga and the

Atlanta Campaign. After a long, arr1uous,

and honora]J le career in

hi:, country's Kerviee,

he was <1iscnargcc1 in Sep tern lier, 1:-l(if>. 1 n

May, l:'\(i(i, he canw to

Mankato arn1, in part­nership with Jamee! (luinn, purchased the livery lnu,i1ws;; of D. H. 'Tyner, which he condudel1 for sernrnl

years. On retiring from 1.his lrn:sinc;;s, !te became for two years

proprietor of the "]Winnesota Hou,;e,"

and in 1882, he purchased the "CliJton Hom,e," which he has e:on­

ducted with mrnch popularity ever since. On October 10, 18?'0, l\Tr. Klein watl uniter1 in 11urriage to

Margaret, r1nughfor of Henry B., and Eliza ( Montgomery) Collin::;,

al:,;o prominent early settlers of Mankato-having come from Indi­amt in 18GG. Two children were Lorn of the union: Dr. George

H. Klein, of Ottawa, Illinois an<l Laura K McIntire, who is in

the present graduating c.:lass of the State University.

I( LE IN, JOHN-Born April Gtl1, 18:lii, at Maria Hach Darf,

Nas:,;au, <lennany. fn 185-J, he emigrated to Littllc .Falls, X. Y. His brother, Wm. Klein, had come from Germany with him arnl was emplo_ye<l in the same factory. lmlrncLl with the restlc~;;nc,;:-a

eornrnon to young nwn in a new country, they both conclude<l to

go to California, in 185G, but, hearing L'Yil reports of that lam1 of golll, William came firnt to Winona, Minn., where he bought prop­erty, ancl sent for ,John and the I"L';;t of the family, who hall all in the rneantirne come from Uermany. 'l'lw

'vYinona, they all n!mon:11 111 Augn;-,t, parents not liking

l8;5(i, to St. Peter,

great boom. William :i\linn., which then was enjoying

all(l ,J olm :soon :-;Jartcrl a Jnrnitnrc factory there, Imt were greatly

lrnmpl•n;d for lack of capital at first, and paid 4 per cent per mouth for the little that they c.;oulr1 borrow. Many were the harchhip:s

they saw, but they were plucky, and not afraicl of work. Their

iin;t lonll 0£ furniture·, the_y brought on a fiat boat from Anoka.

'11 hcir olrl ernplovcr in Xew York finally came to their rescue, with µ-ood:-; arnl 1noney, and great succc:::s soon crowne(1 their effort:::.

J nm· ;Wth, 1S70, ,J olm rernoved to Mankato, where he has con­

r1uctcd th<' largPst furniture ,;tore, not only in Mankato, but in

JOHN KLEIN.

Southern JWinnesota. For a

number of years he ltas as~oci­atec1 his son, George Klein, and

his son-in-law, Frank J.Bnsch, with him in the business under

the firm name of "J. Klein & Co." Mr. Klein has been an active, public spiritcc1 citiien, who has helped to start a num­ber of linsiness enterprises in

i\Jnnkato. He has been for years dirednr and vice-presi­<lcnt of the Firt<t ~ ational Bank, a]l(l llirector of the Boanl of Tralle, arn1 of sever­al other institutions. He wa;; a member of the Boarl1 of County Commis;;ioners, when

tlH· Hlnc Earth Cme1ty Court Honse began to be constructed. Hi:-s has been an encrgetie,

lrnsy and nsd\11 life, not only in the civic and commcreial growth

of our eity, but, abo, in tlw ll<0 vclop111ent of ib religious :1m1 chari­table institutions. He has -been a leatling and influential member

of the Cat11olic elrnrch or :Mankato. He wa1:, a prime mover in the

foum1ing of St. ,Josqlh'ts Hospital nll(l has ])pen its superintendent from tlw first. He, also, was orn) of' the main instigators, and

fir:st snpl'rinknclcnt of ( 'al varv (\•111eter_r.

)Ir. h.h·in was 111arried at i\lanknto, on :\lay 18th, 181i:l to Miss Gertrudl) Fittern, a natiH' of Indiana, whm,e parrnts were Philip

and Maria (Ball) Fitterer. Scvt;u chi!tlrc'll have blessed their

Biognrfliil's.

urnon, firl' of' 11'lrn111 grew to maturity: Otill11, tlw (lcc,·ase(l ,rife

of Leo S. Lmnrn, Ucorge ,L, Uertrl[(]e, (now "Si;-;tt,r Ilnpfr,te'' of

Fort Waym', 1rnliairn); i(la :H., (now "Sidl'r GcrtnHle" nJ' Prairie

Du Chien, \Vi;-;f'.on,.:in) ; and El i,mlwtl1 :i\I., wi [u of .Frank J. Busch

of :i\faukato.

KRON, CLEMENTS-Born at TTlloffon, Baden, Gl'rmanv, in 18:!!i, ancl emigrntcll to America in 18-1 ( ►_ locating first at l'hilarlel phia,

CLEMENTS KRON.

whom he had left there, lw n',H·l1<'d 2-lth of tl1e following July.

where he followed his trac1e

of harness maker for about four yearn. He thep came to Milwaukee, where on J unc 2!Jth, 1851, he married

Miss Johanna Armbrosfor, who was a native 0£ the same town m Germany, where she had been born July 29, 1829, and whence

she hacl immigrated to Mil­

wa11kee in l 848, arriving there on the -Hh of July.

On J nne 12th, 1W5:l, :\Ir. Eron arriH'(l at Mankato li_v the boat Clarion on a vi,.:it,

and conclwlc•c] to make it his ho1i1c. Returning to St. l'aul for his family,

:i\lankato with tlwm on the

He first loeatt,(1 on a claim on ,\gency Hill, but soon sold it

arnl in the fall of 185:1, built (Indians helping at the raising) arnl occupietl a log cabin, on the site of the present store building o,nwrl by Jo:-wph Kron, No. ;30!) :\Torth Front street, whvre for

two or three years he kept a frontier tavern. About 185iJ, lw built a ;;mall frame structure on the conrnr

now occupie(l by the Stahl Hons(', where he starktl a sa(ldlcry,

but in those ox foam (la_vi,;, that busim's;-; prnved 1mprofitabk, an(l he f'rnm hrnw(l his attention to hotel keeping, arnl opcnc,(1 the l\-finnesota J-l011s('. In conrn'dion with tlw hotel he nm a liver_v

for a nmuber of years. Uommencing in ltHi-l, and for some time he

,Vanl,ato-Its First Fifty Years

had the contract to carry the mails between Mankato anc1 New Ulm.

His industry, thrift anc1 honesty brought him success in his business, and the Minnesota House was for years a very popular

hostclr:v, especially nmong the ,--------------------0 Germans. He continued as

MRS. JOHANNA KRON.

its proprietor and manager nntil his death on Christmas day, 1878.

1\frs. Kron still snrviYes and six of their children, namely: Fred, J os0ph, who was the first white boy born in :Mankato; Anna Barbara, ~,ife of J. V. Stahl, Berc1ie,

. wife of Henry Fricke ; Amelia, rnd Leona, wife of J. E. Seidle. The site of the old J'vlinnernta Horn,r, is now oc­cupied by Mr. Stahl, with a fine three story brick hotel, bearing his name.

KRON, FRED.-Born at :i\Iilwankce, Wiscom;in, August n, 1852.

Carne with his parents, l\Ir. and l\lrn. Clements Kron, to Mankato ,July ~2.J, 185:3. Upon the death of his father in 1873, he as­:,umed the management of the Minnesota House for two years. Tmning the hotel business oYcr to his mother and brother, who after conducting it for three years, leased ancl :finally sold it to ,Joseph Stahl, :Fred turned his attention to mercantile pursuits, and opened a general mercharnlii:ic store at No. 309 North Front street, which he concluded for ten years. After spending four ye,us in retirement, he resumed the same business with a new stock at the old stand.

In 1895, he erected the fine large three story business block he now occupies, on tlw eorner of Front am1 Main streets, and that fall opcncl1 therein the big department store, which he has sneeeKsiully conducted ever since.

M·r. Kron servc<l as Al<icrman of Mankato for three years, but otherwise he has refused all political preferment and devoted

FREDERICK KRON.

.R/o,,,rrajlzies

his time and energy to his great business interests, in which he has been eminent­ly successful. He stands to­day as one of the leading merchants and capitalists of our city.

He is however, generous and public spirited. He has invested extensively in Man­kato real estate, and built a number of residences thereon for sale and rent.

On May 19th, 1874, he was married to Clara, daughter of Matthias Ulman, who wa.s, also, one of the p10necr hotel keepers of Mankato.

LAMM, STEPIIEN.-Born December 23rd, 1827, at Haslach, Bmkn, Uermany. Jn December, 1851, he emigrated to the United States arn1 located first at St. Charles, l\Iissouri. Herc he was Ullitet1 in marriage on August 1st, 185-1-, to Caroline, daughter of Mr. arnl Mrs. J\fatthias Stilmirc.

In the spring of 185G, he removed to :Mankato, where he anivetl on :May 1st of that year, ancl engaged in the mercantile lmsiness continuing therein until 1885; since whi<.:!1 time he has been engaged in real estate, loans and banking. Since 1896, he has !Jt!en prc•sident of the First National Bank of Mankato.

Mr. Lamm was a member of the City Council for seventeen years arnl County Treasurer of Blue Barth County from 1857 to 18(i0. He has, also, held a number of other local offices.

School eel in economy and thrift, grounded in princi plcs of honesty ancl truth arn1 endowed with excellent bm,iness sagacity, J\I r. Lamm has been the successful architect of his own fortune. He starnls today, as one 0£ the leading financiers of our prosperous city, cmnmam1ing the respect and confidence of all; and during his long business career, mid all the ups and clowns of our Western speculative lifo, with such cautious, conscientious Gare has he

1lfa11lwto---fts First Fifty J'cars

gnanled cad1 step, that no spot has sullied his integ­rity-no trust reposecl in hi rn has ever been betrayecl or disappointed.

Among the many secular affairs which have occupied his time, l\fr. Lamm has not been neglectful of spiritual things. Prom the fin,t he has been one of the pillarR of the German Cath­olic church of our city, and liac< taken an active part as a faithful member and office bearer in all its unbuilding.

Seven children have been born to Mr. nnd Mrn.

STEPHEN LAMM. Lamm: Lizzie (now Sist-

er JH. Lamhertine) of Milwaukee, Julia, wife of Clement Schroeder, Leo S., Philip, Robert and Otto, all prominent business men of l\fanlrnto, and Carrie, ,vifc of John H. Hohmann of St. Louis, Mo.

LEE, HENRY K. -Born in Columhiana County, Ohio, in 1825. Loe;ating at Mankato in 1837, he became as:c;ociated with Abel and ,Josiah Keene, and A. D. Seward, in the operation of a large saw and grist mill, which, until its destruction by fire August HJ, 18G2, constituted one of l\fankato's most important industrie8. On the same date the mill was humcd :Mr. Lee enlisted in Com­pany E. Ninth Minnesota Volunteers, and served with his regi­ment in the Indian and Southern campaigns. He was capturecl at the battle of Brice's Cross Roads and for nine months suffered the horrors of Andersonville prison. He li vcc1, however, to be exchanged, arn1 afterwards served with his company to the end of the war.

Upon his return home, he became associated with }fr. Man­dcrfeld in the paint business, aml later entered the employ of the Mankato :Manufacturing Compauy as supcrintcnclcnt, and the suc­cess of this important plant was largely due to his effort:'\.

niJr. Lee; was honored b_y his fellow citiiens with a num-

Biograj>hi<'s

lier of local offices. In 1859, he was chainnan of the Man­kato Hoard of Supervisors, which, also, constituted him one of the Board of County Commissioners. He was afterwards elected County Auditor, am1 in 1886, he was chosen as l\fonlrnto\; reprcscntati ve in the Boar<1 of County Commissionci's and was made its chairman. Dnring his administration the present commodiom, Blue Earth County Cottrt House was erected, and the city and county owe Mr. Lee a debt of gratitude for

HENRY K. LEE. patriotie,painstaking service he then rendered them. He <1evoted to the work all his time, energy and ability, an<l no one was better fittcc1 for the task.

He <lied .Tune 1:3, 1890, 8oon aJ'kr the completion of thcl Conrt House, but before the expiration /\f his term of ofliec. He was never married.

LEWIS, DR. WILLIAM F.-Born October 3, 1829, at Clyde, New York. His parents, Dr. J olm Lewis and Elizabeth A. (Frisbie) Lewis, both died when he was quite young, and he was brought up by his uncle, Dr. K \Villard _Frisbie, of Phelps, New York. After graduating from the h igli school lw began the f'tutly of rncclicine in his uncle's office, spent two years at RuRh Mec1ical College, and gra<luatecl from the College of Physics and J\tcdicinc, of N cw York City. He then spent two years abroac1, mostly in Paris, pursuing special medical studies.

In the Fall of 185G, he came to Mankato and began the prac­tice of Ii is profes:oion. During the 1 nkpaclutah trouble, in the Rpring of 18fi7, he was captain of a volunteer company ll'bm Man­kato, which went to the clefoncc of the settlers upon the Watonwan, and luu1 an cngagcrnC'nt with a camp of Irnlians hy Linden Lake, near Madelia, on April l'.2th.

On June 15th, 1857, he married, at Btirlington, Wi~consin,

.l[an!wto --[Is First Fifty )-cars

Albertina K, (laughter of ,Joel F., arn1 l\fary A. ( l\follgrnn) Cow­ham. After his marriage he spent s0111e years at Black Hiver Falls, Wi:oconsin; .Meclfonl, Minnesota; and other places, returning to

DR. WILLIAM F. LEWIS.

Mankato in the spring of 18G4. Associated with his

conf'in, Dr. William Frisbie, who had located at Mankato the previous summer, he now t'ngnged in the drug lmsiness for three years. He tlwn embarked in the

banking business with Henry Shaulmt nml John H. Barr, am1 after the lat­ter's decease, with George T. Barr, and still later with Henry W. Hamilton-the style of the firm changing from Lewis, Sliaulrnt & Barr, to Lewis & Shaubut, and Lewis, Slrnulmt & Hamilton. The lrnsiness ,ms continueL1 until Octob-

er, 188G, since which date Mr. Lt!wis has spent his time in travel, visiting most of the important ,-,ilcs of Europe arnl America.

Dr. Lewis is a gentleman of iinc culture, plea:-mnt manners and an able financier. To him arnl his estimable wifr, five children have been horn, three of whom survive: Louisa Alber­tina, Irving C., and J olm M:.

LULSDORFF, GfRIIARD. -Horn April :25, 1827, in Cologne, PruK~ia, where he attcrnlcd school un~il thirteen yearn old, arnl was then apprcntiect1 to learn the cabinet mn ker's track, nntil he arrivetl at the age of seventeen years. During the next three years he visite(l many cities in Germany and Holland, working at his trade, until drafted for the German army. Being released from military service through the influence of fricncls, he returned to his native city, and, from 1847 nntil 185;1., was mnployccl in one of the largest factories there.

In 185:3, be emigrated to the United States, landing on May

lliO,.[(J·a,Phtcs

22ml in N cw York City, 1vhcr0 Jir, soon fonnd work as a cabinet

maker, arnl the first piece of furniture 'he was employed on took

tl1e go1c1 medal

prc·m i um at tlw Crystal Palace ex-

hihition of that city soon after. ln

18Gl, lH~ quit liis joli in tlw f'nrni­

ture factory a111l

hire1l out as a ship

huil<lPr. working

for a while in NP,1· York City, ancl

then at 'l'homaston. 1Iai1w, wlwre th<'

cutting of his foot with an ax crn·efl

his s)1ip lrnil<ling

feyer. He now re-

turned to New

York city, and as soon as able took GERHARD Ll'LSDORFF.

<'mployment in a piano factory. The company, however, failecl in a short time arnl the men were all thrmrn out of work. Mr. L11lR1lorff now ( October 185--1) took a trip throngh the Southern

Staks, locating for the winter in Nc•w Orlemrn. In the spring lie· took an cxtcndc·<l trip through the X orthcrn States, looking

for work, aml again got back to XPw York City arnl was em­ployc•cl for a time in a piano factory, until his health foiling, he eame wrn,t to recuperate. After spt>mling a short season in Wis­consin, he went to Chicago, where, after a spell of severe illne:-;s,

lw fournl work and pro,;percc1 for a year or i-o. ln the winter of

18!57-8, he fornw<l a partnership with one Theodore Schroc<kr in the lrnilcling businc,;s and had contracts in various places. Whi)(' at work on a husiness block in Tusr:ola, Illinois, both part­

ners wPre Reriou;.;ly injnrei1 by the breaking of the scaffolding. On co111pli·tion o[ tlw lrnil<ling the partnership llissolvecl and Mr.

Lnls,lorff came to St. Paul, 1\finmwita, on ,July 1!5, 18fi8, where he rernnine1l until the last of February, 18:5!!, when with three com-

,Jfa11lwto-lts r,,·,-st Fifty ) ·ears

panions he went to the Reel River com1try. There he helped to built the first steamboat, the Anson Northrop, which ever disturbed

the waters of that northern stream, iand took the first trip on it to Fort Gary (now Winni­peg), then belong­ing to the Hm1son Bay Company. Re­turning with a car­go of buffalo hil1cs to Fort Abercrom -bie, the party went to St. Paul to get their pay and a fresh supply of pro­v1s10ns. The jour­neys back and forth through the wil,l, Indian in vested country were full of

MRS. GERHARD LULSDORFF. adventures.

In 18GO, he was employed by the Hudson Bay Company as carpenter, and the following year built for the Minnesota Stage Company the first building in the present town of lVIoorhea,l. He al,-:o built several houses for the company in Georgetown. 1n 18(il, he helped buila the second boat for the Reel River. It was called the International and made its first trip in the spring of 1862. During the Sioux outbreak of that year all the em­ployees of the Company fled to British Columbia. Mr. Lulsdorff, however, was of the party, who were sent back on the perilmrn duty to look after the Company's property at Georgetown, where he remained until the spring of 1SG3, After taking the boat to Fort Abercrombie for protection, he was inclncer1 by a tinsmith he had met, to come to l\fankato anc1 go into lmsincss with him. Arriving here in August, lSG:1, he at once startel1 the harclwarc

busineRs which he still conduct:::, and which his pcrscYcranec, tlirift anc1 inc1nstr_y has <lcvclopc<1 from a small tinshop into one of the lwsl l1nrclwan! f;tore" in town. In 1887, ]1i8 son, .John A.

Lnlsclorff, who was born in :Mankato, November 1.1-, BGG, became associated with his father, antl of late years has had the principal charge of the business.

l\fr. Lulsdroff is now about the oldest merchant in continuous lrnf;inrss in Mankato, arnl no man eyer had a cleaner record fol'

liusincss fairness and honesty than he. He was manie<l, February rn, 18(ii5 to Mrs. ,Jane !VIills, ,rho

h>1<l been born Pebruary 4, 18~4, in the Pro,·incc of Quebec. She was a daughter of Philip and Hri<lget ('J'pnc•yck) Hykcnl, and had been married in l8;i0 to l\finnrcl j\J ills at ,Johmton, V cr­mont. Soon after their marriage she ancl Mr . .Mills came to Wis­consin, and thence, in tho spring of 1852, to St. Paul, and on March 14, 185:3, settled in Mankato, where :Mr. lVIills died in 18G4. ]Hrs. Lulsclorfl' has the rlistinction of lwing the first whit0. woman to permanently locate in lVIankato. Mr. and Mrs. Luls­<lorff have but one child, John A. Lulsclorff before mentioned.

McCLcA/lY IION. JAMES TMOMPSON. -The noted Cougressrnan of the Second Congressional District, was born February 5, 185:3, in Ingersol], Ontario. His father, Thompson McCleary, was an architect and builder. His mother's maiden name was Sarah McCntcheon. He was educated in the common schools of his na­ti,,e town all(l McGill University, Montreal. He came to the Hnited States shortly before corning of age and settlec1 in Wis­consin, where he followed his chosen Yocation of teacher, and in a few years was made snperintenclent of the public schools of PiNcc County. His active intere;;t in teachers' institutes soon won him considerable reputation as a champion of the newer and better methods of education, and the quality of his work stamped him as a man of mark.

In 1881, he accepted the position of State institute conductor in Minnesota and professor of history and civics in the State Normal School at Mankato, at which city he has ever since made his honw. He at once became prominent in cdncational circles and, in va­cation seasons, conducted teachers' institutes in Wisconsin, Da­kota, Virginia, Tennessee ancl Colorado. He published in 1888,

n work cm titled "Studies in Ci vies," arnl this was followed in 18D-1

by "A 1\fannal of Civics." Both of thc,;c books pos,;,_•ss much nwrit arnl are now nsocl as text books in the bc;-;t schoob of the <·ountry. Tn 188;1, lw sern'rl as Rl'Cretary of the 1\fi1mt'iob E<ln­cntional Association, and as its pn':Sident in 18Dl. His studieo

HON. JAMES THOMPSON Mc CLEARY ,

Riogi-aj!zics

of economic-al cpicstions specially fittcrl him for a statesman, ancl this was recognizec1 by the Seconc1 District, where in 18!!2, lw was nominated by the Ikpnblican party arnl elected to Congrc"", in which position he has been cnntinuccl by his constihwnts, with increas<i<l majoriti<'R, each successiYc election. His famous speC'ch on the CUJTC'llC)' qnec'tion, in tlie Fifty-Fonrt.h Congn';;,-;, was tlw abl<'st rliseu1-<sion of tlw gT<'at 111011<'_\' is:-suc• of' t.hat <lay

<·1·pr gi\'<'ll, arnl contrilrntecl more to th<' ckl'1•nt ol' the c'ill·(']' lwn•sy than m1_1· other thing, arnl l))'(rnght. hi,n at one<· to nationnl pr01ni1wncc'. Man_y of his other :-sp<•eclws, suc·h a,-; tlw one agnin:-st tli1• n·pcal or the• Fe<l<•ral J,;l<•ction Lawis, and on tlw Tariff, nia<l<· a proi'omHl impres:-sion upon tlw c·mmiry arnl lrnH' rni:-s1•d !ti111 to a position of national prominence. He is recognized a:s one o/' tlw lt•t1<li11g 1ut•mhcr,-; of tlw Lower Hm1st! of Congre:ss nrnl his enlkngut·s n·gnrd him a,-; an authority on tlw great qm•:-;tious of t.hc tlay.

:Vlr. :\k('leary wa,-; rcarecl in the Pre:-;bykrian clrnrch. Ife wais marriPd in lf-Vi'-1 to .i\farr Edith Taylor. Tlwir uni@. lrn:-' lll'l'll hlt•:ssl'(1 with Oil<' ,-;on, Lrn,lil' Taylor-, who <1ds as hi,-; fatlwr',-; prirnt(• :-wcrl'tary.

McMAMAN, DR. WILLIAM fl. -Born m Clark Connty, Kr•ntnckr.

DR. WILLIAM R. McMAHAN.

!\lay :!:J, 18l(i. When

yonng, his rrnrcnt:, removc•d to Irnliana. 'l'herc he stmli­erl lllC<licine arn1, rec-ei,,ing

his cliploma, 1mwticed his 1irofossion at Ottu 1mm arnl Dulmqne, Iowa. Ifomoving to Mankato in tlw snmm<•r of 185G, lie followed his profession with nrnrkcd :suc­cess, till preventPd by nd­

vancerl age. He waR Coun­ty PhyRician for mmH years. I{e was one ol'

the procurers of the char­ter of the l\finnesota and Northwestern Railway, and was twice its preRirlent. He w:u-: a rnPrnber o[ tlw State Merlieal Society, and

)la,1/cato Its First Fzfty rears

wa::; an examiner for pensions Ull(ler the U. S. government. He also served on the city council and in other official positions. He was noted for his generous free practice among the poor of this city. He <lied N overnber 14, l!J00, ancl is remembered by all tlH' ol<l settlers, as the "Pioneer Physician." ]-le was rnarrie<1 Marchp.0, 184-1, to ]Wary Caroline Conduit, who cliccl ,July 15, 187;3. To them, ten children were boTn. Of these, hut three are now living, viz: lsadore F., now the ,viclow of Wesley 1Iaxfiel<1; Helen, now the wifo

of Frank R. Kcnne<1y; and .James C., the _youngest son. The cfoacl arc Elizabeth, wife of William Swint; Charles C., Dr. J osoph C., William R, Agnes, :Mary and Eulalit•.

MANSFIELD, Chas. -Born July !l, 1828, m :iHonroc County, New York. He diccl March 30, 1885. Ho early camo west, and taught school in Sharon, Wisconsin. Subsequently, he went to California and Oregon. He, however, returned to New York.

In 185cl, he arrived in Mankato arnl took a claim in what is now the town of McPherson. But in 1855, he settled permanently in this city. In May, 18Gl, he enlisted in Company I-I. First Minnesota Volunteers and served until lVIay, 1864, when he was

honorably mustered out. His career as ,r, soldier of the Union

CHARLES MANSFIELD.

armywaf'highly meritorion;;. He was wounded in Firni. Bull Hun battle. He wa•,; in the great battles of /1.11tictam, Malvern Hill, Fredericksburg and Gettys­onrg. His record as a brave soldier is one of which his family ma_y justly be proud.

He was married May 27, 187G, to Miss Louisa Bnrch­ard. rro this union, there were five chilr1ren, viz: Charles, ,Tohn A .. , Mar_y Louise, Cornelia ,T.. arn1 Barbara.

His wiclow with her fam­

ily resiclcs at the olc1

homestead on Clmk street.

/-Jio,,![1>aflzzcs

MARKS, ISAAC-Born in East Prussia, January 22nrl, 1823. Tn 184-0_, he emigrated to St. Louis, ·where he re::;i\lecl until the spring of 184G, when he removed to Prairie <1n Chien, and thence to La Crrn,sc, Wisconsin.

Tn May, 18-d8, he came with the Winnebago Indians to Long Prairie, and, forming a co-partnership with Asa White, 011cmec1 a tra<1ing post. On the removal of the Winncbagocs to Blue Earth County, in .June, 185G, White and Marks came with them arn1 l'n•ctcd the first trading house at the new Agency.

ln J 85G, the firm opened a store at :Mankato in charge of l\fr. ;\Tark;:;, in a log lmil(ling on the corner of Sccorn1 and Hickory

streets. The following year they built in Block 11, a large three story stone lrnsincss house, whieh for many ye,lTs ,yas one o[ tlw ll!ost important strnctmcs of our eity.

August 24th, rnn2, Mr. Mark8 was married to Anna Schoff-man at liankatn. The Ht>corcl in announcing the marriage, says:

ISAAC MARKS. From an early picture.

"The ceremony took place when the Indian excitement was at its height, and those who attendee! to congratu­late the happy couple, were anncrl ·with rifle:=-; al1(1 musk­ets. Tt was inr1e':d a noYel sight to witness a ceremony of the kind guarded hy

bristling bayonets." Mr. Marks was generous

ancl public spirited, anrl held a number of local offices. His store for many years was one of ~'lanlrnto's principal emporiums of trade. He was the first mm;on initiated to the J\fan­kato loc1gc. Ifo <lie<! ,Jan­uary :?2, 188G, lea,-ing no issue.

MA/lSCMNtll, AUGUST. ;-Born ,July 21!, 1S7\ near Franklin, Ren­ville 8onnty, J\J inncsota. J-1 is pan•nb. l\cmhnrd ancl ,Johanna

2_72 .1/a11lwfo-lts l•i'rst 1-i/ty i·cars

J\farselmer, remm·ed to N cw lllm, whc,n A,1gust was five

Yl'arn old. Herc young Mar­sdnwr was cclncatc-<l at tlw public S('hool an<l at Martin Lu!lwr Colleg·e. Hc·n, lw, nlso, lc',ll'Jlc•<l tlH• printc•r's trnd<•. He spent brn yl'nrs as prinkr anrl I'l'pndc'l' nt h:ansas Cit_r, ?llicl-'ollri, and

thr\ 1(

1 \'l1n1~ at \Yino:ut~

:\I imrn,ota. ,\ pril lN!)S, lw C,lllH' to

:\Lmkato to as;,;11111(, llw l'cli­tori,tl e1iair o[ the "i\lankalo l'o:st,'' which he continue.,

to oecnp,· \\'itl1 rnuch nhility.

AUGUST MARSCHNER.

I fr 1rn,; 111a rrinl ,hmP ht, IR%, t.o l\[iss 1\tfartlia SC'.lmlzc of Fonntain City, Wisconsin.

MARSH, George H.-Rorn Nowmhn :2r;, rn:i:l, at Cliestcrfic•l<l, :\'('\\' I ln111J1shirl', of ,\sa 1111<1 Elizabeth J-lnll i\larsh, both worthy lH'oplc of' C'lwstPrfil'ld. lie was eclucntc•cl in the common school ancl aca.<lerny o( his natin• town, ;1!1(] at the age of sixti•en began tl'aching com1try schools. Two years later he went to Hoston to karn lmsi1wss, rrn11aining t.liere 11ntil tlw :.;um11wr of 18:i:J, whell

he C'OlH'iwled to go Wr•st to s(;Pk hi:.; forbm<'.

After a short stay at ( 'liicago, lie arrivc<l at 1\Lmkal.n on Oc­tolH'T <>, 185:3, ancl purehasC'<1 a lot on the corner of l<'ront and

Mulberry stn•c•ts, whc•n• lie erl'ct<,rl a bnl-'iI]('S:c; block the following

smnmer, Ifo onlere!l

Hoston, lrnt owing io

n11til May 20, 18G~.

at once a stock of general rnrrclrnnrlisc from

the lateness of the season it tlid not arril'e In cornwction with ]ii,; brntlwr, Juhn Q. A.

1\farnh, wl10 had c011ie on the :-;arnc b;mt with the goocls, he opl'nrd

tlw firl-'t store, haring otlwr than Tndinn goo<lR, i11 1\fankato.

For a nmnhrr of yc;nrs the firrn of' 1\farsh Brothers <1i<l an ex­

tensi Ye business, t]H,i r trncle cxfrncl ing o\"er n krritory as far

south n:s tlic Iowa line. 111 1833, Nlr. Marsh co11trndPd to can_y thl) mail bdwecn St. Paul aJ1<1 Mankato., and iu lk3fi, in cnrnpmi_y with J. W.

Babcoc·k oI E.asota, lie took a

('Ontrac:t to varr~· the nwib: bdwccn Fort Snelling mH1 Sioux City, arn1 recuived in 1rnrt paynwnt c:dL·nsivc granti-; of lnncl, which aftenrnnls proved qnite vnlnahle. l\Ir. :\Larsh f'Cncc1 as HcgiPtcr of

Deeds of Hl1w Earth Count_v in 183(i-?', lrnt 1w1·cr enterec1

politics thereafter. In Sep­tember, 1858, he married Cor­

nelia l\I. Darling, of Chester-GEORGE H. MARSH. field, New Hampshin', whose

ancc~ton, lla<l scncd in the Frcnd1 and Hevolutionary ·wars. He die<1 October 28, 1902.

MARSH, JOHN Q. A.-Horn in Clwskrfk1(1, :New Hampshil'e, Odolwr 1:l, 18-?G, or <•xc·c·llent New Englnrn1 <111<.:cstry. He was e<lncatec1 in the common school of his native town, nrnl ]\ft. Caesar ~c'minary in Swn11~t•:1, Xc11· ILimp,:hin·. .\ f'tl'r oJH'Jl(ling :-;ornc• yl'ars as a sd10ol teac:hcr, he Wl•nt into the mrrcantilc lrnsines~ in hi:-; native town, wl1id1 lll' cornlude<l /'nr fin, or six yc'ars. [11

the mean time his brotlwr, George IT. Marsh, hail come to Man­kato, anc1 a<lvisctl him to cmnc lwre too_, a" it 11·ns a finl' lrnsi1w,;s point. Packing most of his goo11R, he slrippc<l them to Mankato in the :c:pring ol' 18;"i4, with a lot of nmr rn1'n,ha11tlic\c, bought at Bo:-;ton and St. Louis, arnl arrivccl at his cJe:-;tination with most of his stod;: on the boat with him, on l\fay 20, 18:i4. Herc lie and hi" brotlH'l' ope1w<l the first store of ge1wrnl rncrc:h,11111isc in town, whi('h they conrlncted \\'ith grcnt sm·ccos until 18.'\8, wlwn tlwy snlcl out. Tn the winter of 18:i:3--J Oc•oq .. :c, 1Iarf'h hnd b<~en awar<l('<l the eontral't to carry the mail,; hdw1'l'll St. Paul and i\faukato, a long the :i\f imH•sotn. V n llcy for folll' _, ear:-;, emi mwncing .July 1, 18ti4. Thi~ contract wns per[ormccl liy both brothers jointly. At /ir:-;t the ~ervice ,me< only 0111·v a \\'Cd;:, but later it

J1a11lwto £ts First Fifty Vi·ars

was increcmell to twite a week, arn1 finally daily, and the sonthern terminus extended to South Bend, The first trip was made Ly Ueorge Marsh on foot as far as Traverse des Sioux, and thence IJ_y Irn1ian canoe to_ St. Paul. A horse and light wagon were then procured aw1 dir1 senite J'or a time, arn1 soon thereafter two horses

and a covered rig were em­ployed on the ronte. In 185G, the brothers in com­pany with J. W. Babcock, secured the contrnct for two years from J ul_y 1, 185G, to carry the mails once every two weeks between Fort Snelling and Sioux City, passing north of Ka­sota along the old Dodd road. Incident to th i.-- nm­

traet, was the privilcg" to pre-ernpt one section of lant1 for every twenty mile, of the route, which result<>d in the brothers acquirint t:m­

siderable real estak Of so little value was lcHtcl tl,en

JOHN Q. A. MARSH considercll however, that they never filed on any on the route west of Cottonwood County.

Since retiring from their mercantile business, the brothers tlernted their time to their re,11 estate and loaning interests.

The subject of this sketch, before coming to Mankato, was ~uperintenc1cnt of Schools anc1 Surveyor in his native town, and ::-ince coming here, was elected County Treasurer in 1855, arn1 has scned as supcnisor, trustee and clerk of Mankato in its early history. December 29, 1859, he married Miss Sarah J. Hanna, who was born in Guernsey County, Ohio, October 15, !833, and came to Mankato with her parents in April, 185:3, and taught tlie iird sthool here in the :,;umrner of that year. They had two children: CharlrR M., and ~far_y E., the latter of whom ,liecl in 188G.

MARSIIALL, D. D., Thomas-Born at 11:ast \>\'can•, Hillsboro County, New Hampshin•, April 4, 18:ll. El1Hcated at Kimball Union Academy, l\lericlen, New Hampshire, and at Dartmouth

Riograp!iies I75

Collcgl', where he was gracluatcc1 in 1857, arn1 at Union Theologic,11 Seminary, New York in 18G4. Hu wa,; on1ainud to the ministry in thu J'rc8bytnian church, ancl settled as tlw first pastor of that vhnrch in JVf ankato, where he anivcc1 ,Jan nary 1-J, 1805, and w,h installc(1 as pa:-;t01· September 7, 18(iii. He remained here until lS(;°!J, when he was callec1 to the High Street Presbyterian church of St. Louie', and afterward to the• Glasgow ,\ 1·cnue Presbyturian church in that cit_v. In 1888-9, he journeyed aronncl the world, to acc111aint him:-'l'lf with foreign mi~sionary work. In 18!10, he WP~

chosen Ficlc1 Secretary of the Board of Foreign Missions, whic!i office he ~till holcl~. He recein•d the degree oi' 1l. D., from Ga',_ College, \Visconsin in Hrn~, and from Darbnm1th Colh:ge in l!W;;!. He! is a lifo mernlwr of the ,-\siatie: Soeicty of Japan. He marricc1 in October, 187'1, Mrs. Louise Goodheart Schneck, who clie<1 in Scptemlwr, 1873. Dr. :Marshall crcetcd a memorial hall at Chefoo, China, in mernory of his parents, arn1 as a memorial to his wife has paid the salary of a native kacher in China for ten years. He i~ a powerful teacher, and popular lecturer on missionary work.

MAXFIELD, George-Born in :Monongalia County, 'Nest Vir­ginia, October 10, 1810. He worked upon a farm until 1829, when he went to Norwich, Ohio, and learned the wagon-making trade, which hnsiness he followed during his residence in that

GEORGE MAXFIELD.

State, mostly at the village of Etna. May 16, 1853, he came to Mankato, and acquired a claim in the north end of the city, on which was located one of the best and most accessible of our stone quarries and lime kilns, which after a year or two spent in a store, he undertook to tlevelop. The pioneer work of start­ing these now imp:_irtant in­c1ustries of JHanlrnto, fell largely to his lot. Mr. }\Ja:dielcl hcl(l man_y po­sitions of trust at the hands of his Mankato fellow citi-

Jlanlwto-lts f'i'rst Ft/ty J'ears

zen8. He wm; township snpervisor; member of the first Boa rel of Alt1ermen, and continued upon tho board for many years, until retired at his own request. Ho also S(!rvod two terms as Mayor nncl for many years as City Treasurer. Ho was a prominent rnembl~r of the Masonic lodge. In 185G, when the Mankato !oc1go was acting um1er di:::pensation, lie was its senior warden arnl a year later, when duly chartenid, he was its firnt master-holdiHg tlte position for two tonrn;, and lw was charter rnomLHff of tlw Blue Earth Chapter H. A. :M., when organizcrl in 11-W:J.

November, 1831, he was marriec1 to J\fiss S.1rah Hm1on, who was born ,July 5, 1811, in Jefferson County, Penn., aml died .June J:l, l8D:l. Mr. Maxfield died Deeember 21-, 189J. Eight chiklren smvi ved them: Laura K, wifo of .John R. Beatty; Emily .J., widow of Andrew Hanna; N ottie l\L, wiclow of B. F. Shafer; Anna M., wifo of Henry W. Robinson of Hoswell, Idaho; Wesley ( de­eeascd), George, Kinsey and Charle:,; F. :Ma:diclll, the last two of l\linneapoli:::, Minnesota.

MEAGHER, HON. JOHN F.-Born in the Connty of Kerry, Irelarn1, April 11, 1836. He emigrated to America when he was

but eleven years of age. For several years, he was on a farm in La Salle County, Illinois. When he was fourteen, he bonnd himself as an apprentice to learn the tinsmith trade at Otta­wa, Illinois. At the age of 21, he resolvecl to come to the territory of l\Iiimesota, and landed at Red Wing, September, 1857. .June, 1858, be finally removed to Mankato, where he bought out Taylor and Hotaling in 1861, in the tin ,md hard­ware business, and was speeclily established in busi­IlE'RS for himseli. He was

HON. JOHN ·r. MEAGHER from the start successful in

busim':-~, and added farm machinery to his store. In 18GB, he

Biograplzfrs

assi,;te(1 in the organization of the First National Bank, and was its vice-president till 1872, when he, with others, organized the Citizens' National Hank, of whid1 he was president, when in 1892, it was merged into the National Citizens' Bank, of which he was prcsi(1ent until his death. Mr. JWcagher was always active arnl alert in lmsincss enterprises, building many houses and acquiring much pro1wrt:L He dealt largely and profitably in lands.

On the breaking out of the Indian war, in 18G2, he enliste,l, and wa:-; marle First Lieutenant of a company, and gallantly par­ticipater1 in the lld'cnse of N cw Ulm. Subsequently he was com­missioned Captain of another military company, organized for the defense of Mankato.

Mr. :Meagher was actively interested in various companicR, which had for their object the material development of this city. In politics, he was a Dcmoc.:rat, but broad and liberal in his views. His first entrance into this field was as County Treasurer. He was elected to the legislature in 1870, 1871, and to the Senate in 1872. He made an able and Yaluable record in both houses. In 187G, he was Democratic Presidential Elector at large. He was for many years, a director in various State institutions. He was a member oI the commission for locating and erecting the New Ulm battle monument, and made the presentation address at its formal dedi­cation, August 22, 18\Jl.

I\fr. Meagher acquired a large private fortune, and in his long successful career, he cYcr ~C'c-urecl anrl mni11tai1wc1 the confidence and respect 0£ all o.f his follow citizens. He was personally a man of commanding figure, noble features, pleasing address and noble generosity. He was one ol' the tnw, strong men who laid and reared the fortunes of our city. He died June 18, 1897, and lies lmrier1 in the Catholic Cl!metery.

He was married September H, 18GG, to Miss lVIary A. Battelle. She was born March 14, 1844, _ and died at Santa Barbara, Cali­fornia, April 2-l-, 18D5. She war, a most estimable and m1iversally beloved woman. To this marriage, seven children were born, viz: John B., July 2, 18G7; Alonzo E., born December 2, 18G8, arnl <liLi<l August 2:l, 18!.J0; John William, born iVIay G, 1871, died Nlarc.:h 7, 18!)3; Felix K., born February 5, 1874; Katherine F., wife of Mr. ,Janws Spencer; Mary B.; and Agnes J.

MERRILL, Rev. Charles H. -Was born in Haverhill, N. H., June Hi, 18-15. He was graduated at Kimball Union Academy, in 18G3, Dartmouth College, in 18G7, and A11clover Th~ological Sem-

Jfaulwto-Its First Fifty Years

mary, 111 1870. The same year he waM or(lained in :Mankato, Minn., pac;tor of the Congregational church, which was organizell im­mediately upon his coming there. The following year the church lrnilcling was erected. He returned l~ast the latter part of 1872, and was installed pastor of the church in West Brattleboro, Vt., in 1873. After a pastorate of 1,1 years, he was called to be secretary of the Vermont Domestic Missionary Society in 1887, and removed to St. Johnsbury, in which position he now remains. Dartmouth College conferred upon him the degree of Doctor of Divinity in rnrn.

NEFF, George W.-Born February 29, 1838, in Uniontown, Pa., where he began to learn the printer's trade. Thence he went to Pittsburg and finished his apprenticeship, and was foreman of a

job office there for a time. Leaving the East he came to Chicago, was employed for a season in the '11ribune office. He also spent some time in St. Louis and a number of other points.

He was married in 18G4 to Miss Sarah E. Fancher at Val­paraiso, Indiana, whence he came to J\fonkato in 18GG. He was employed on the Union, as foreman and associate editor, until 1877, when he purchased the paper and ran it for over three years.

GEORGE, W. NEFF.

After disposing of the Man" kato Union, he removed to Lain, Crystal, aml, in 188:2, established the "Lake Crys­tal Union,'' which he is still conclncting with much ~nccess.

Mr. Neff is one of the oic1(•:,t arnl best known news­paper men in Southern l\'Iinne~ota arnl is one of its best printers. His paper always irnlqlernlent, vigor­ous and fo,1rless in its po­litical views, enjoys a large patronage.

l\fr. and Mm. ~eJI have three c:hil(lren: Howard T., Paul D., aml Georgia.

Riof,rraplzics

NOE, JOHN C.-Bom at Ncwlrnrgh, J\'.<~w York, J\foy 2, 18-±4, 80n of Albert Noc, a prominent merchant of the place. ,Vas a<1-mittcd to the bar in 18GG, at Poughkeepsie, New York, and practiced his profession in his native town until 1873, when he removed to Winona, Min­nesota, and thence to Mankato in the following February. He has ever since conducted one of the leading real estate and loan agencies in the city; has been president of the Board of Trade and a moc;t efficient promoter of Mankato's welfare. He is aggres­sive, public spirited and conscicntion8 in every gorn1

work. He was married at JOHN c. NOE.

Fishkill, N. Y. ,lune 23, 18G8, to Miss Anna Chandler.

OGLESBY, Edward-Born in 1823 in England, was one of the earliest shoemaker,: oJ' Mankato. He immigrated to New York in l 850, where lw remainec1 until 1853, and then went to Michigan, Wi:,;consin and ]llinois, coming to Mankato in May, 1857, wher(1 he worked at his trade until his death March 7th, 1882.

PADDOCK, William W.-Born November 4, 1828, at the towB of J\1cncc, Cayuga County, N cw York. :Ofoved in 1838, with his parenfa; to Kenosha County, Wisconsin, and thence he came alone to St. Paul, Minnesota, in 1851, and in February, 1852, joined P. K. Johnson Bml party on their first trip to the mouth of the Blue Earth to found the present city of Mankato. A year or two later he located here permanently and has lived here ever since. .For a number of years he was engaged in various mercan­tile ocrnpations-snch as grain buyer, lumber clealer, and grocery keeper-but oJ' late years he has retired from active business. He has held the positions 01 Alderman and Chief of Police of lVIan-

,')/a11lwlo--/ls First Fi/Ly l'rnrs

kato, for two terms respcdivcly, an<1 has rcprecSentc<1 the <:ity on

the Boan1 of County Commissioners for the past four :,'ears, and this year was re-elected f01: another term.

rrhe llay before the terrible Sioux massacre of 1802 began,

nfr. Paddock was at the lower Sioux Agency ancl it was only by

a mere chance that he happened to be away on the fatcfnl morning of August 18th, 18(i2. Meeting Loui::; lk i\foreau, the French

teamster, who ha<1, in 18.52, carried him awl P. K .. fohnson and

party from St. Paul to found Mankato, at Roliinl'ttc':c, tnt<ling po:-ct, on August 17th, he was irnluce<l to a('(•mupany him to New Ulm

to get a load of goocls. At noon the next <la_v, hearing of the ter­

rible tragedy, just as he was on the point of kaving New Ulm on the return journey, Mr. Pa<lclock at once eamc to Mankato, warn­ing the settlers on the way with the first new:- of the awful out­break. His host, Robinette, with all hi::s household, were among the

first victims of the mun1erous savages, and :l\fr. Parlc1ock would have sha1'Cl1 their fate~ had it not been for l)dioreau's invitation.

He was married November 7, 1SG7 to l\fiss EllCD F. Estcm,

PADDOCK, Zach.-Born at Mence, Cayuga County, New York, February G, 1824. Removed with his parents to Keno:-:ha County,

Wisconsin, rn 1838, where on April 25th, 1852, he marrircl J\fi;-;s Cynthia Skel­ton, of Hartronl, \Viscon,;in,

who was a native of Hannibal, New York. In rn.-,1·, he re­

moved to Dnlrnqne, Jowa, arnl thence· to Mankato in J ul_y, 18.58. He cStur1iec1 law in his younger <lays and was aclrnit­tc<l to the har, but never en­tered acti\'C) practice. He was

in the grocery business for a time and was a contractor for a number of years. He was

honored by his fellow citizens with a number of official po-

ZACHARIAH PADDOCK. sitions in the city and county. He was clerk of the Blue

Ef\rth County District Court from lSGO to 1869; Cotmty Coroner

Hiograj,l,frs 28I

for three terms, and :Mayor of :Mankato for one term. He died

August :27, 18Di5. He was a man of go0<1 judgment and m:cellent

character. He left snrviving his widow, who died January 21, 1D02, and their four children: N. Valentine, late of San Diego,

California; 'J'hos. N., of Cortez, Nevacla; Mrs. Emma C. Banrnnl,

late of :Mankato, and Harry Pa<1clock, the well known attorney.

PALMER, George M.-Born NO\·crnbcr l"i', J8;"i;-\ in Winnebago

Count,v, w·isconsin. His parentc< wc,rc' Jolm arnl Cor<klia (J\forri­

son) Palmer, both natires of Fayette•, Maim•, whe11ce tlwy n,mnY<'<l

to Wic<conc<in in 18+8 an<l locatc(l on a far111. On tlw paternal

,ide hi,; ancrstors were, enrly :settlers of X cw I fnlllpshire, of I~nglish

c,xtraction, locating in Maine about ] 80:l. Tfo, mother wnc< of

GEORGE M. PALMER.

Scotch drscrnt, whose' an­

eestor;;., al;.;o, were early

settlc>rs of ?\ t'\Y Englarnl.

At eight .n•a1s of ag<',

C/eorge ll'l'llt to lin· with an

uncle', and with hi:s famil_1·,

n·mnYrtl to J\Iaill'.'. He at­

ternkd the common school

arnl later the Monmouth

Academy, at lVfonmouth,

_Haine, where his uncle re­

sicle<l. In 1808, he came to

Minnesota nrnl located at

Garrlc0 City, whc·re he at­

tem1ed school for a time,

arnl then found emplo_yment

as clerk in the store of 0r. l\f. Boynton & Co. When

th is firm closed ont its lmsi-

nesR in 187:2, young l"'almer went to St. Pnnl am1 took a foll course

in a business college. Upon his return he engagec1 as hookkec•per

with the Mankato Linseed Oil Co., of which lVIr. R D. Hnhhanl

was manager. I-le hclrl this position from the smnmcr of 1873 until the Fall of 18?9, when he resigned to join Mr. Hubhan1 in

tlw lmilrling arnl rnnnagernent of the Manknto Flouring Mill, where

he Jim, since continnecl~having fnll charge of the office business.

In 1888, lw formed a rmrt.nnrship with S. II. Granni::; in the

1Jfanlwto-_fts .First Fifty Years

business of buying and storing wheat, anrl built a forge number 0f elevators along the C. St. P. 1VI. and Omaha Railway.

In 1892, Mr. Hubbard succeeded Mr. Grannis arn1 the firm name was changed to Hubbard & Palmer, and in 1897 to Hubbard, Palmer Co., of which .Mr. Palmer has been president from the first. The corporation has about forty clesators, and han<lles about three million bushel,; o[ grain annually. }\fr. Palmer has., :il:,,o, dealt cxtcrn,irely in real estate, and is a <1ircctor of the First National Rank of J\lankato. Though his time is taxed to the L1tmost hy the <lctails of his extensi\'e business, :Mr. Palmer never neglL'cts his <lutie:s to church and state. Every enterprise fontling to the material advantage of the comrnnnity, cyery reform in government, ercry movement making for the elevation of his frllow-mPn in a moral or religious way, finds him ever ready with time, money and talent to contribute to its success.

He was electec1 nrnyor of 1\fanlrnto in 1885. He has served on the Boar<1 of E<1ucation, the Board or Trade, and other positions of trnst always with energy ancl acceptance. He has for year:;: hcen a leaf1er in the Y. M. C. A., work and in the church and Sul1(1ay school of the Baptist denomination, of which he anc1 Mrs. Palmer arc faithful nwmbcrts.

1\fr. Palmer was marrie<l in 1881 to Olivia M., clanghter of William R, and JVIary E. (Fowler) Roberts, then of Mankato, al1(1 they have two children: Earl M., am1 Ruth.

PARRY, Maj. Edward Randolph-Born at New Hope, near Philadelphia, l'enn., Jnl_v 27, 1832. Came to Mankato, Minn., in October, 18G(i, in company with his brother, Hieharc1 Randolph Parry, am1 pnrchase<l some real estate, but c1ic1 not locate here until the following spring, ,vhen they opened the first banking establishment in town nrn1cr the firm name of Parry and Brother.

When the War of the Hebellion broke out, Mr. Parry was .i\fonkato 's first sol<lier for the deJcnse of the Union, arn1 on Ma.r 14, 1801, was commissioned First Lieutenant in the 11th U. S. lnfantry by hif; com:in, Major General Lorenzo Thomas, arn1 serve<1 throughout the war with great crc(lit and was the only citizen of Mankato commissioned to the Regular Anny. ln 180~·,he was macle rnptain in the 11th; afterwan1s transfcrrc<l to the 20th lk·g't., arn1 on reorganization of: the army was promoted major for gallant sPrvices. He was in the terrible fighting along the line of the Wclc1on Hailro:ic1 and hdore Pdcrslmrg, Virginia, commam1ing his regimrnt in severnl actions. .In 18H5, he was assistant Ad-

Biograj,lzics

jntant-General of the Regn­Jar Briga<lc, Ani1y of the Potomac, and served upon the staff of General Win­throp, when he was killed. At Lee's snrrencler he was attached to Army Head­quarters. In 1868, :Major Parry commanded Forts Philip and ,Jackson at mouth of Mississippi river, ancl Fort Ripley, Minnesota in 1869. He resigned on account of ill health in 1871 and clied at the "ol<l Parry lVI ans ion" near Phila<fol­phia, April 13th, 1874. He was a grandson of .Major El1warcl Randolph, who

MAJOR EDWARD RANDOLPH PARRY. served from the beginning

to the enrl of the Ifovolutionary ·war. Major Parry married, De­cember 17, 1803, Frances E., <laughter of Gen. ,Jnstin Dimick, who with one claughter, Katherine, survives him.

PARRY, Richard Randolph-Born December ii, 1835, in Phila, <lelphia, l'Pnn., second son of Oliver ancl Rachel Randolph Parry. His ,mC>estors were wealthy anrl promine1it people of Philadelphiill long before the days of the Hevolntion-the :first bearing the Parry name being Thomas Parry, gent., who immigrated from l)wllheli, Cacrnarvonshire, Wales, to Pennsylvania about 1700, a:ncl was pro­prietor of a large grant of land near Philadelphia.

The subject of our sketch was educate(l at private schools anrl Havcrfon1 College. In October, 1856, in company with his brother, the late :Major Edward R Parry, he visited Mankato, Minnesota, an1l in March of the following year located here, pur­ehasing the lot, 31G South Front street. Here the brothers crectecl a lmil<ling anrl opene<l the first banking institution in Mankato, which they continuc<l to cornlnct until the summer of 1802, when Eclwanl having entcre<l the army, Hiehard returned to his 01<1 Pcnns_y]yania home to engage in business there. October 11, 1866,

.Ha11Jwto - Its First Fifty Years

he married JV[iss Ellen L. Read, daughter of Rufus

and Martha (Gerrish) Head of Portland, by w horn he has three children: Ger­trude R, Atlelaide ·n., arn1 Oliver Randolph. Being of literary and historical tastes ]Hr. Parry has eontribntet1 a number of articles for the press and publishcr1 works, and is a member oI two 01'

three historical ,;ocicties of his native state. He has for many years been presi­dent of "The New Hope Delaware Bridge Co." He is also a prominent member

RICHARD RANDOLPH PARRY, ESQ. of the Protestant Episcopal

church of Lambertville, N. J., lJCing its senior warden. He now rc'Rirfos in "the ol(1 Parr_y Mansion," which was built for his grand­father, Benjamin Parr_y, a prominent i1wentor and merchant, in 178-J-, at New Hope (called in Revolutionary days, Corycll's Ferry), Penn.

'l'he Parry brothers during the early da_ys platted the addition to Mankato, which bears their name, and Richard has still a landet1 interest in, and many pleasant recollections of this city of 11iR early choice.

PARSONS, Theron-Born in Jefferson Connty, New York, in 1804. He published a newspaper for some time at Watertown, New York. In 1831, he removed to Illi1}ois, and, as the Black­hawk war was then in progress, he located temporarily at Chicago, until the lrnlians were quicte(1, when he scttle<l upon :1 farm rtt Halfda_y, Lake County, Illinois. Late in the Frtll of 185;3 in company with his son, L. P. Parsons, he paid a visit to the region at the hig bern1 of the Minnesotrt, r1riving with a team across tlw country. At Hastings, Rev. ,Jonathan 1\forris, a Campbellite prcachci·, kept a hotel, and he accornpanie<l 1\fr. Parsons as far as Mankato, where tlwy arrive<1 about l)('t('ll_lhl'r ;lOth, arn1 wlwn· Rev. Morris preached on Snnda_y, January fot, 185-l-. Under tlw

!Jiograjlties

gui(1ance of Amos Post, whom they had met at Shakopee, Mr.

Parsons and his son went as far as the cabin of ,Joshua Post in N icoll('t County, in whose nrar neighborhood they rnarlc claims.

Mr. Farsons also purchased or Chris Roos, a claim ad­

.101nmg the tow1rnite of l\lanki,to, to which lw

brought his Jamily early the next spring, rci1ehing hen,

on April 15, JS!:i~, in hi8 wagons drawn by fonr _yokei-;

of oxen and a span of hm'ses. Alter a few weeks

;;ojonrn in the PPtcr l"ren­zcl cabin ( about where the lvlamkrfold store now stnnds), he occupic(1 hiM own new resiclcnce, which stood a little northw~st of the Franklin school house.

Jn the fall of 185:\, hi'; wa'i!.

clectec1 a memh,r of the

THERON PARSONS. Board of County Commis-

sioners, and, upon taking his scat in the following January, was made cliairman of the Board. He served unti.l January, 1858, \\'hen the other two rnrmbern having voted to grant licenses for the

sa1c of intoxicating liquors, Mr. Parsons, who entertained very positiYc views on the subject, promptly resigned.

In April, 1857, he 1aid out most of his farm into what is known as Parsons' Addition to :Mankato. In the summer of 18G9, he removed to California, where 11c was one of the founders

of National City. He cliciJ there in SC'ptembcr, 1893. I-Iis wife, Lovina C'. ParsonP-, ha(l llepintec1 this life Rome ,vc•ars before. They lef't six children: Maria AntoinettC', wife of Hobert Wardlaw;

Hattie, wife of Davi(1 Lamb; Bilvanns D., Laura E., Jennie, wi:fe of Peleg Cfrifl'iih, m1cl JosephinC', wife of 'l'hos. Walker.

Mr. Parnons wm, a man of mm·p than rrnlinar,v ability, a great

renrkr nnd hrl<l positive corn·ietions 011 all the learling questiom: of his <h_',. He was an earnest abolitioni,;t an(l tcetotafor, anc1 took an active part in e1-ery crusmle against sla1·c•ry awl int1,mpcrance.

286 lllfanlwto-lts First Fifty rears

Honest, courteous and conscicntions, he ever commanrlcd the respect of even his opponents, while his great fidelity to duty ancl courageous advocacy of the right, won tlin admiration of his friends.

PA TTI'/lSON, LcSTc/l-Born December 24, 18H, near Alliancr, Mahoning County, Ohio, where he resided with his parents on

a farm m1til l8G:1.

In l8GG, he rnanicrl :iv1 i:-;s J\'lclissa A. Kil>ltir, of Pal­myra, Ohio. The following y(;ar he moved to Deerfield, Ohio, where he was cngagccl in the rnannfacturc of tow from flax Rtraw until 1873. He then moved to Van YVcrt, Ohio, where he con­tinued the manufacture of tow, and embarkcll., also, in the wholesale and retail grocery business. Herc, too, he became interested in banking and was rnacfo di­rector of the Firnt Nation­al Bank of Van W crt. He was one of the incorpor­ators and builders of the

LESTER PATTERSON. Cincinnati, Van Wert, and

l\lichigan Railway, which has (lcvelopcd into an imporbmt trans­portation line. In 1881 he went to Chicago and engag,xl in the boiler plate and strap iron jobbing business, until he came to lVIankato in 1883. Here with associates mostly from Van W crt, Ohio, he constructed the Mankato Gas Works, which later clcvclop­ed into the Mankato Gas and Electric Light Co., of which he was made prcsicfont arnl one of the principal managers.

Soon after his arrival in :Mankato, he maclc plans for starting a wholesale grocery houRr, which were pcrfcctccl the following April. A Rplenclid four story brn,incss block was erected for the purpose nnrl, what has since proved to be one of the largest and most sncresRfnl wholesale enterprises in the State starter].

The family lomtcrl at r.lanknto on r.Ia_y 1, 11'8-J., anrl, two or

Hiograp!zies

three years later, llfr. Patterson built for himself one of the finest residences in the city.

He is interested as stockholder and director of the National Citizens' Bank of :Mankato; is connected with the Hackney-Boyn­ton Land Co., and has recently opened a large wholesale grocery at Bismarck, N. Dakota, of which at present he has personal super­vision, while his sons, .l-I. A., and Eugene L. Patterson manage tlw Mankato business.

PAY, Benjamin D.-Born Odober :Z, 18:11, at Dover, England. His parents, William arn1 Srnmnna (Pilcher) Pay, emigrate<1 to Watertown, New York in 18;3'1', where his father was engage<] in the bakery and cracker manufactory brn,iness.

After leaving school young Pay spent seven years as a traveling salesman-iirst for his father, and then for a cracker factory at \V atertO\Yn, \Yisconsin, where he had removed in the 8pring of 1851.

N overnber 1st, 18fi3, he married Miss :Mary A., danghter of Horatio and Anna (Reed) Roper, of Juneau, Wisconsin, arn1 m the snrnmer of 1854, engaged in the livery business at Horicon, Wisconsin. ln 18fiG, he sold his business arnl moved to Blue J{}arth County, Minnesota, arriving at Mankato on October 1st, of that year. He located that fall on a claim in Vernon township, but spent most of the winter teaming between Mankato and St. Paul. In the spring of 1Sil8, he ran a livery at Mankato, but sokl out c1m-ing the year and repaired to his Vernon farm, where be rernainecl until the Sioux outbreak in 18G2. In this crisis .Mr. Pay was at once appointed deputy sheriff and rendered excel­lent service. He was active, fearless and able in the discharge of the multitudinous duties, many fraught with extreme <1anger, which then fell to that important office. He as,;istecl in building the gallows, on which the thirty-eight Indians were executed at lVIan­lrnto on December 2Gth, 1SG2. When the half breer1, ,John Camp­bell, was arrested for the murder of the Jewett family in H.api<1an towrn;hip on :May 2nd, 1SG5, Mr. Pay was mainly instrumental in <liscovering the evidence upon which he was convicterl and hung. ']'his evidence consistcrl for the most part of clothing belonging to the .Jewett family foull<l upon his person. :Mr. Pay also rern1Pre<1 eflicient service in the pursuit all<l expulsion from the timber back of Mankato of Campbell's bloo<ly companions. In those yearn

of the Sioux war he was kept busy night arnl (lay for weeks togeth-

;1/anlw!o ~Ifs First Fifty ) -,,ars

er carrying messages, or scouring the country for the t1rcadecl foe. For a time while acting as deputy sheriff, in 1862-186:1,

he was associated with Sheriff D. 11. Tyner in the livery business, but their barn was lrnrnccl in the winter of 18G:J-4, an(l

in March, Urn-I, :Mr. Pay starte(l alone in the Lusi­

m';,s, and eontinue,1 therein imtil 1 !J0:Z~lrnving tlw fin­

l'><t and 1110,st estensive cs­

tal>l ish ment of the kirnl in the cit,r. Since 1888, his ,;on, 'IY. H. Pay, was asso­ciatorl with him in the lrn,si­nP,-;s. ,\ ft<•r (li,-;p•),-;ing of

their liv(T:', :\Ir. Pay nrnl

hi,; son opt•rwd a largt'

carnly rnanufactory nt :Man­

kato in Augn:-,t, ID()::, which

they arc now conducting

BENJAMIN D. PAY. with their accustomed push and energy. Mr. Pay has sened Mankato as alderm:111 arnl as chief of its fire department. He bat> aL,o, served as tleputy for Revera! sheriffs 0£ Blue Earth County. _Mr. anll l\lr,.;. Pay lrnn) four children: William Horatio, who is associaktl in lmsiness

with his father; Benjamin F., of the well knm\n flrm of Fowler

& Pay; N cllie K, and J\fary L. Pay.

PAYNE, Erastus C.-Born January :Z5, 182::i, at Orange, Ver­mont. He stl1(lier1 for the ministry anrl was ortlained a minister of the Universalist Qlrnrch on August l:'>th, 18-±,J. He married in

1848, arnl in 1858 came West, locating fir:st in Foncl-(lu-Lac County, Wisconsin. In l\fay, 18:rn, he mon•d with his family to

B!tie Barth County, Mimwsota, sdtling on a farm near Ganlen City, ·where he clivirlecl bis time between farming aml preaching nntil 18Gl, when he was ell'ctt>,1 Hegister of llce(ls, of: Blue I~arth

County, anrl moved to :Mankato. ln 18G!1, in cornpanv with tlw late ,John C. vVise he estab]i,-,Jw(l the l\fankato Weekly Uevicw, but wltl ont his interest to Mr. Wise after one yr-ar. He lwl,l tlw

office of County Snperintcnrl<'nt of Schools for two terms, ·and, upon retiring from ofTiec in 188:2, removed to hi:,; farm in De-

coria township, wh<>re he <lied January 2(i, 18D~. lfo had strong literary tastes, was a great rea<1cr a]l(1 wdl postecl on current events. He left snrviving eight chil,lrcn.

PETERSON, NIC.-Born January 2(i, 1851, at Scb1c:-;wig­Holstcin, Germany. At the age of sixteen years he came to New York Cibc, all!l worked for a year and a half in a grocery store. He then went by the way of St. Louis, ( where he tarrie<l two months) to N<!W Orleans ancl cngagc<l in the grocery lrnsines~ there for about a year. About 18GD, lw removed to Chicago, where he was employccl in the grocery arnl other work, until 1875,

when he removcrl to Lincoln, Illinois. In 1878, he went on a

trip to Europe and visited bis olcl home in Germany. On his

NICHOLAS PETERSON.

return in the fall of the same year, he came to Mankato and eon­ducted a cigar factory for three years, when he started his present business of bottling soda and mineral waters, etc. He wm, one of the organizer~ of: the Standard Brew­ing Co., and has hl!<'n

interested in a numlwr of other lm~iness en­terprises. ln rnn, lw

was cleetecl alclcrman

of Mankato, scrvmg for eight years, arnl in lDOl, he was made

its mayor, which po­sition he held until 1D03.

Mr. Petcrnon is an enterprising, ~mTcs~ful lmsinc~s man, ancl is a prominent memlwr of several of tlw :c:ncret or<len,. He was

manicr] September 2,1-, 187-l, to 1\laric Boele, of Chicago, Illinoi~.

PFAU, ALBERT R.-Born Fc•lmrnry 1+, 1847, m Prussia, Ger­many. His parents in 184H left their native land for America,

.lfa11/cato-Its First Fzfty Years

but both died on the journey. Tlrns carlv left an orphan, he was brought 'up and educated by friell(ls in Xew York state, and studied law in the office of Judge IL S. Hart.

In 1868, he removed to Wisconsin, where he was admitted to the bar and the following spring came to J\fanlrnto. He served seven years as County Attorney of Blue Earth County, one year as City Attorney of l\'[ankato arn1 four yenrs as its )fayor.

Mr. Pfau is a lawyer of marked ability, quick ancl vigorous in the prosecution of eases arn1 possessed of an eminentl_y ready mind to grasp legal propositions. He is the local attorney of

ALBERT R. PFAU.

sociated with his father in the legal profession.

the Chicago Mil­waukee and St. Paul, and Chica­go and North Western Railway Companies. He was married in 1871, to Miss Cornelia Brown, daughter of the late Jutlge Brown, and five children have been horn to them: .James F., Albert R., Caro­line, wife of L. "\V. Pendcrga::,t; Edith and Ma:r_y. The second son, .\lbert R, 1s :as-

PHILLIPS, George M.-Born April 10, 18H in St. Lawrence County, New York. ,In September, 18(i.2, lw rnlistell in Co. B. lOG N. Y. Infantr_v anrl being injnn'l1 at Ifar[H'r's Ferry on July 1st, 18G3, he was transferrL•rl to the vett>ran He"erve Coq)s in New York City, where he was placed in the Provost Marshall GencraJ's office nnti I the close of the war. In lR<i7, he spent a year in Kentucky, then a :year at Chicago, all(] another year in Iowa. In 1871, be came to Blue Earth County, Mimwsota, and

Biograj,lzics

fouml crnplo_yrnL•nt with ,T. B. 1-Tuhliell at Lake Crystal for a time

then sdtk<l in Mankato, where he soon opened a liVL!ry; which lrnsincss he has carried on ever since with much succc~s. He was <lcputy sheriff for six years and chief of the Mankato Fire De­

partment for sixteen years.

PITCHER, Hon. Orrin Ormsby-The first municipal judge of l\Ianlrnto, was born :May 30, 1830, at Jamestown, N cw York. When nineteen years old he accompanied his parents, Orrin and l\Iiranda (Woodruff) Pitcher to Warrenville, Illinois. He attended Shurt­

liff College at Alton, Illinois, for three years and then, in 1837, came to Mankato; studied law in the office of Wilkinson and Burt, aml in 1839, was admittccl to the bar. He at once took an active ancl prominent part in all the public affairs of the com­munity. His uprightness and integrity won for him the confidence of the people and he was frequently honored by them with po><i­tions of trust. For fonr years he was County Attorney of Blnc Earth County. .He was a member of the City Council of Mankato for twelve yearn. He served as resident director of the State Nor­mal School for seven years and in 18(l8-9 was a member of the

Legislature. When the Mankato Municipal Comt was (':stabli~hc<l

HON, ORRIN ORMSBY PITCHER

he ·was_ appointed its first

judge. J:Ic was on the com­mis:;ion which appraised the

lands of the 1Vinnebago Agency. He also drafted mainly one or two of the

early city charters of Man­lrnto. He served as presi~

clent of the Board of Public \Vorks, and was :1 member of the Board of Eclucati01~ for a number of years: He was a prominent meml her of the Masonic Lmlgc, Mr. Pitcher was married m 1859 to . -Miss M.ar)' \Varrcn, who ha<l come to

l\fankato with her p,ucn~s,_ Mr. and Mrs. 'rhos. D.

Warren, early in June 1853.

i/Jant,ato-Jts J·zrst 1·1/ly l cars

Their union was blessed with three chih1ren: Plummer W., Mrs. Grace Fox and :Fannie. J udgc Pitcher <1ic(l :\larch 20th, 1902.

PORTER,JudgeJeromeE.~P,Pm ])eeemlwr :?:::, 18'12, at :Mace­don, Wayne County, New York. \\Then he was only a Jew months

olcJ, his parents moved to a farm 1war Albion, XLi\\' York, removing to that Yillagc about ten yc-ar;.; later. }fore tlw subject of this

sketch was educated at the village al'ac1c111y, and went thence to Gencs,-cc College (now Syrncnsc lTnivcrnity). graduating in the

Class of 18G3. Returning home, hn enterc<l a law office at Albion and was admitted to the bar at Buffalo in .U:WG. He ,~ontinnc<1

at Albion until 1870, when he cai11e to nTinnc:-;ota arnl finally lo­cated at l\fankato in September o[ that yenr.

In the Fall of 1872, he was Plectetl Prolrn.tc Jmlgc of Blue Earth County, which office he held for eig·lit ycarf:'. Retiring in

1881, he formed a partnership with Juclge Waite, but in the spring of the following year ( 1882), he was elccte<1 jrnlge of the }Hunic­ipal Court of Mankato. He served faithfully in this position

JUDGE JERO:'vlE E. PORTER.

for twel \'e years am1 then retired again for a brief period to the practice of his profession.

In ]Hay, 1898, i1e was ap­

pointetl Pre,;i<knt of the l\fankato Boanl of l'ublic Work:-, which ofiice lw sti 11 holds. ,J mlgc l'ortl'r i:-; au

enthusiastic rnPrnbcr of the

A. 0. U. W., arnl in 18D:3--l was cho1w11 Gran(1 l\fa,;lcr

of the lodge for Ute state of Minne~ot.a.

He was rnarrie<l Octobc•r

Gth, 18'15, to M:uion J. DeCraff of :\fankato and they lrnre U1n•c C'hil<lrcn: ,Jerome D., lforrid M , and Lulu.

PORTER, Miner-Born Fdmiar_v 22, 1:-\20, in Tompkins County, New York, whence, when he was a rhilrl, his 1rnn•11t,; remoYcd to a farm in Howard, ~tcuben County, :New York.

Biograj>lu"es

He began the study of medicine, but office confinement dis­agreeing with his health, he turned his attention to farming. April ;J, 1842, he married Miss Louisa Spaulding of Howard. His fath­er having purchased and removed to a large tract of land in Trenton, near Fox Lake, Wisconsin, in 1846, he followed him the same year, locating at the village. Here ,vith his brother, J olrn, lw cornlucted for years the leading hotel ancl store, was post­ma:,;ter, aml clicl much by his enterprise and liberality for the town.

Vebrnary 28, 18:53, his first wife cliecl, arnl on December 2D, 18:5:3, he married :Miss Mary A. Potts, a most estimable young lacly of Markesan, -Wisconsin, a native of Cherry Valley, N cw York, where she was born in 18:32. T n May, 1857, accompanied by Peter Potts, his brother-in-law, ancl Leman Pratt, now of Lake Crystal, he came to Blue Barth County, aml they located first on claims in Ceresco - township. Messrs. Porter and Potts had brought in their wagons a small stock of merchandise, and for a short time they conducted a store in their claim shanty. Later in the same year, they settled in South Bend village, where Mr. Potts conducted the mercantile business, and Mr. Porter formed a partnership with Judge Buck in a real estate agency. In 1858, Mr. Porter built the house now on the lVIinneopa dairy farm, for

MINER PORTEK

a summer hotel, and adorn­ing the grounds about it very tastefully, called it "lVIinneopa Park." Here in October, 1859, was held the first Blne Earth County Fair, with Judge Buck as orator. During 1863 and 1864, Mr. Porter was quart­ermaster under Gen. Baker at St. Louis, Mo. In the Fall of 1872, he removed from his farm to Mankato, kept a boarding house for a time, then became pro­prietor of the Barrett House, changing its name to "Minneopa Hotel." In 1879, he opened the "Mer­chants Hotel," on the pres-

,Vankato-Jts First Fifty Ycai-s

cut corner 0£ the l\'Iankato State Bank, which he concluctccl as a first class house for four years. In 1883, he engaged in the grocery business, and later in a restaurant, but in a few 7ears retired from active life. His devoted wife died on April 8, 1884. She is remembered by her pioneer friends for many excellent qualitic:s. After a few years sojourn at his old home in Fox Lake, Mr. Porter returned to Blue Earth County, where he livc(l until his <lea th February •1, 1903. I-le left surviving by his first wife one daughter, Alice, wife 0£ Horace J. Knox, of Lake Cry~tal, Min­nesota, and by his second wife, Ada, wife of 1V. H. Pfeffer, of Windom, Minnesota, aml Miss Nettie ,J. I'orkr, 0£ the firm of Porter & I'ay of this city.

Mr. Porter- was an energetic, positive character a11tl, withal, genial, sociable and public spirited, who had a prominent phtcc in the early history of our own county and of Fox Lake, Wisconsin.

POWELL, REV. JOHN W.-Born August 15, 1822, in Dear­born County, Indiana. His opportunities to gain an education in early life were limited to those of a common country school and a short course at Shelby County Seminary. His boyhood and early manhood were spent on a farm. In Fcbnrnry, 1845, he entered the ministry of the M. E. Church, joining the Indiana Conference. He was ordained deacon of that church in 1847, and elder in 1849, and did excellent pastoral work in several towns of the Hoosier State. He came to :Mankato, October 10, 1855, and was the first regular pastor of the M. E. church here.

In 1856, he helped lay out the townsite of Shelbyville, which for many years was a flourishing village, until the location of the railway necessitated its removal to the present village of Amboy. Rev. Powell made Shelbyville his home until his removal to Blue Earth City in 1859. He was busily engaged for many years preaching and organizing churches in the neighborhood of Shelbyville and Blue Earth City, and had pastoral charge of the M. E. church at the latter place several different times. In 1872, he built the first chapel there, and in 1887, he erected the present commodious church there, then the :finest in the county.

After fifty years of the most active ministerial work he re­tired in 1895 on account of his aclvancell age. Father Powell is a splendid type of that noble heroic character, to whom our Western civilization is so largely indebted-the pioneer preacher. Untiring in energy and devotion, flaming with zeal and fervor for

Biographies 2 95

the Master's cause, he heroically met every hardship, danger and self-sacrifice incident to frontier life. He was married September 27, 1847, to Miss Rhoda B. Gray and eleven children were born to them of whom only five are now living. Mrs. Powell died in 1884 at Delano, Minnesota. Father Powell now resides on his farm in South Bend township, and is much interested in berry culture.

REYNOLDS, JOS. E.-Born in Lockport, New York, November 1, 18Ci3. His father, Prof. B. M. Reynolds, has been a prominent educator all his life-having superintended some of the best city schools of N cw York, Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota, and hav­ing served as County Superintendent of the Rice County schools for some years. Joseph received a good business education, and

JOSEPH E. REYNOLDS.

has been connected with newspaper work since he was a mere lad. After working in various news­paper offices, he became in 1887, the telegraph editor of the Daily News of Ash­land, Wisconsin. In 1888, he bought out the Pioneer of Wadena, Minnesota, which he published until 1891, when he sold it to accept a position on the Fargo Argus. From 1892 to 1896, he was connected with the editorial force of the Great Falls Leader, dur­ing which period, in 1894, he was elected to the Mon-tana Legislature.

In May, 1896, he came to Mankato and was engaged as city ruportcr for the Daily Review until the summer of 1902, when he became as,;ociate editor of the Mankato Daily Free Press. He was rnarriec1 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, to Miss Alice A. J1cwiR, in 188/'i, and they have two children: Wilfred Denver, and Mary Grace Reynolds.

,lfa,zlwto-fts First Fz1ty rears

RANDALL, Samuel-Born June 2(i, 183J, in Ohio, of which 8tate his anccf'tors, especially his great gramlparcnts, Judge Find-. Icy and wife were among tl1e earliest settlers, and rmssccl through :,ill the hardships arnl perils of pioneer life. His gr13,1t grand­mother in her younger clays, when ricling on horseback to church, was waylaid by lmlians and left tomahawked by the roadside for clead, but afterwards revive(l and escapc(l. Young Randall was left an orphan in infancy and soon remo\·ccl ·with his gramlpnr('nts to Paris, Jllinois. He was taken there into the home of Col. Bal(l­win, a prominent merchant of the place, whose wife was a cousin oI Presi(lent Lincoln's wife, and received an excellent business educa­tion. He came west in 1855 and entered the Elm ploy of the Pettijohns

SAMUEL RANDALL.

at Mendota, where they ba(1 a lnnrher yard. He was soon transferred to tlie management of one of their yards at Shakopee. He 1wxt moved to Henderson to take charge of a lumber yard for Franklin Steele. Here on November 11, 1858, he mar­ried Miss Catherine Ridge­way, a teacher in 1-he Public school, whose native state was Kentucky. In June, 1859, he came to Mankato and opened the first lumber yarr1 in town, on rhe corner now occupied by the Lewis and lVIanderfcld stores. During the Indian outbreak all his lumber was appro­

priated by the military and his lnrnincss broken up. 'l'hc following year ( 18G3) he opened the fint distinctively ready made clothing store in Mankato, arnl in a year or two associatec1 his cousin, War­ham B. Smith, with him in the business. The firm 0£ Randall & Smith continued with much success until its dissolution in 1878, when Mr. Randall retired, having !wen completely prostrated by the sudden death of all his five children from diphtheria.

He scrrnd sis alderman a1Hl in other local offices and with

/Jzog-rap!ti<'s

John H. Barr, was among the first instigators of the .Mankato Board of Trade, which was organizell in tlte second story of his building. He was always enterprising anrl public spirited. He <lied Jnly G, 1882.

RAY, JOHN tl.~Born near Northoelll, Ohio, December 12, 18:JG. His parents, William antl Ellen (Baknrnn) Hay, were natives of Pennsylvania. The family 1110ved in April_, 18iil to Charlotte, :'v[ichigan, where the subject of this c'kctch, about 1857', engagPrl

in the 1m,rcantile bnsines~. Jn 18<>1, he came to Hine Earth County, arri,·ing at Mankato on May 18th, arnl soon openccl a general store at Garckn City, where he continued until 18G5. He th,n renrnn'<l to J\fankato, <'n'cte,l the store building, clesignaterl No. 410 S. Front ,street, and conclnctecl

there until 1872, a retail nn<l wholesale grocery, the firnt establishment of the Litter kind in town. In Pcbrunry, 1872, ho with others organizccl the Citi­%<>ns National Bank ,of Man­kato ( now called National

JOHN H. RAY. Citizen's Bank), and he was elected its first cashier, which position he hclcl for twelve years. In January, 1884, he 1-Yent to Minneapolis, to take charge of the :Vlanufactnrers' National Bank of that city, which, also, he hac1 helped to organize. In 1885, be retnrne<l to l\fanlrnto and aiclcrl in starting the Mankato National Bank, 01 which in 1888, he was rna<le president aml which position he continued to hold in its sncce::-sor the ":Mankato State Bank,'-' 11ntil Jannary 19, 190:1, wh<·n lie rctirccl from actirn work. l\fr. Hay has always refnsccl to enter the domain of politics, preforring the more inrlependcnt_, if ]e;.;s notorions worltl of' business, in 1vhielt he has been most emi­nently sncceRsfol, an(l where lie ha~ (1\'C'I' ti11;joyccl the esteem and

confidence of his follow men.

Jlfanlwto-Its First F'ifty Years

He was married first in December, 1859, to Miss Mary F. Williams, who died in 1882. In December, 1885, he married Mrs. Genevieve Hawley, his present most estimable wife, and they have two sons: John H., and Philip L. Ray.

ROBERTSON, Col. Daniel A.-Born at Picton, Nova Scotia, May 15, 1812, of Highland Scotch ancestry. When he was very young the family removed to Philadelphia, Pa., where he was educated and grew to young manhood. He studied law in N cw York and was admitted to the bar in 1839. Soon thereafter he removed to Ohio, where he began his career as a newspaper man. He was editor successively of the"Cincinnati Enquirer," the Mt. Vernon Banner" and other prominent papers of the state. In 1844, he was appointed U. S. Marshall for Ohio, which office he held for four years. He was a member of the Ohio Constitutional convention, but resigned his position in the fall of 1850 to come to St. Paul, Minn., where, in December of that year, he started the "Minnesota Democrat." This paper he conducted until June, 1853, when it was sold to Daniel Olmstead, and finally merged into the "Pioneer." Col. Robertson was a member of the legis­lature in 1859-60; sheriff of Ramsay County in 1863, continuing in office for two terms; member of the St. Paul Board of Educa­tion; member and an earnest promoter of the "State Historical Society" and "Academy of Science"; Director of the St. Paul Li­brary; and organized the first "Grange of Patrons of Husbandry" in the United States. He was prominent among the ten townsite proprietors of Mankato

In the Fall of 1852, he erected on lot four, in block fifteen, the first log store in Mankato and stocked it with Indian goods in charge of Evans Goodrich. Two or three years later he put up a frame store building near the site of the log one. He, also, greatly aided our infant city by calling attention to it, and the adjacent country, in his paper from time to time, and in irnlncing steamboats and emigrants to come to it. He died at St. Paul, March 16, 1895. His widow, whom he married May 29, 1844, at Mt. Vernon, 0., survives, a resident of St. Paul.

ROSE, Maj. Robert H.-Born June 30, 1831, at Susquehanna County, Pa., and in 1847, he entered_ Princeton College. His first business venture was a hardware store in Maine, which he con­ducted for three years. In 1855, he removed to St. Paul and

Biographies

thence in 1857, to Belle Plaine, where with Judge Chatfield and others, he became interested in that townsite. He enlisted No­vember 1, 18G1, in Company. I, reernitecl largely by Col. Smith in Blue Earth Connty. It was the Seconrl Volunteer Company organize<1 in the state and was attached to the Fifth Iowa Cavalry. Mr. Hose was made orderly sergeant, and later promoted for gal­lant service to a lieutenancy. At the expiration of his three years servic:e he was cornmission!'<1 :Major oJ' the Second :Minnesota Cavalry, and accompanie<1 Gen. Sully's expe(1ition to the Yellow­

stone. Afterwards he was detailed to build Fort Wadsworth, and

continued in command of this important station from 18G4 until J pril 18GG, when he was relieved to be mustered out of the service.

MAJOR ROBERT H. ROSE.

It was while in charge of Fort Wadsworth that he and :Major Brown, who had sug­gested the plan, were in­trusted with the organiza­tion and command of the friendly Indian scouts, who rendered such efficient serv­ice in stopping the raids of the hostile bands into the border settlements. He was State Senator from Le Sueur County in 1871-2. In 1872, he removed to Mankato, where in 1873, he opened a general real estate and insurance agency, which became very prosperous. He was married in 1852 to Miss Charlotte S. Ladd of Maine.

Major Rose died March 18, 1885, leaving him surviving, besides his estimable wife, three children: Fanny E., Dickinson L., who was associate(} for a number of yearn with his father in business, and

has conducted the same since his death, and Robert H. He was a

genial, wholc-so11lcd person, whom everybody likecl, an energetic, prll(lent, sncccsHful l)lrniness man arnl a liberal, public spirited citizen.

300 Jlfankato-.lts First Fzfty Years

SAULPAUGH, Thomas-Born April 7th, 1822, at Milford, Ot­sego County, New York. He learned the stone cutter's trade, which he followed for a number of years. When about thirty years of age, he went to Tennessee and engaged in railroarl con­tracting until 1856. He then removed to Rock Island, Illinois., where he former1 a partnership in the same business with K R. Reynolds, under the style of Heynoltls, Saulpaugh & Co., which continnecl for twenty-five years.

In 1881, he located at 1\finneapolis, Minnesota, and became associatcc1 with his son, C. H. Saulpaugh and one John Crubaugh, under the firm name of T. Sanlpaugh & Co. 'l'he stone deposits of Mankato soon attracted his attm1tion, arn1 for six or seven years his firm was an extensive consumer of }\fankato stone. Among the large bridge substructure contracts executed by the firm were, the one at Bismarck, N. D., for the Northern Pacific Railway Co.; the one at Minneapolis, Minnesota, for the same Company;

the one at Blair, Nebraska, for the Chicago and North Western Railway Co.; one at Sioux City, Iowa, for the same Company; one at Omaha, N ebraslrn, for the Union Pacific Railway; one at Plattsmouth, Nebraska,

for the Burlington Railway; and one at Nebraska City, for the same road. In 1888, Mr. Saulpaugh moved to Mankato and built the Saulpaugh House, the larg­est and best e(]nipped hotel in Southern Minnesota. The formal openmg of thi~ fine hostelry occurrcc1 No­vember Gth, 188!), when a

THOMAS SAULPAUGH. magnificent reception Wati given by the City in honor of the occasion. :Mr. Sm1lpaugh r-;crvcrl upon the Mankato Board of Alclermen in 1881-2. He was a slnewcl successful business man, and a stirring public ,;piritcd citizen.

He was married at :Fultonville, New York, December lG, 1850,

Biograj>lzzes JOI

to Eliza C. Vinton, who diecl December 31, 1892. Mr. Saulpaugh died on May 9th, 1893, leaving surviving his only son, Clarence

H. Saulpaugh.

Sff/SSLER, Judge Ira P.-Born at New Hagerstown, Ohio, Oc-tohcr 25, 18-'14. His parents were John L., an<l Catherine (Price)

Shissler, pro 111 i­ncnt people of his native town. After receiving such edu­cation as his home 2.chools furnishe<1, and spenrling a fow years clerking at Wellsville, Pitts­burg, and one or ;two other places, he went in 18GG, to Van Wert, Ohio, and entered the law office of his uncle, ,Judge James L. Price, now on the Ohio Supreme Bench. At inter­vals, while reading

JUDGE IRA •P. SH ISSLER. law, he taught

school for a term or two and attencled Ann Arbor Univcrcity for a time. In 18G9, he was admitted to the bar, but not satisfiecl with his legal attainments, he spent a year in the Ann Arbor Law School, graduating in 1871. Returning to Van Wert, he was associaterl with Judge Price in the practice of his profession for <1leven years, during which time he was elected County Attorney two term,;, arn1 Mayor of Van Wert, two yearn.

In April, 188'1, he removed to Mankato, ancl for two years was asic;ociated with A. R. Pfau. In 18fJ;1, he was electe<1 Munici­pal Court Judge, and assnrnec1 the duties ot the office in April, J 804, in which office he has been con tinned ever since.

,Trnlge Rhif\sler was 11nitt,c1 in marriage on Non:mher 11, 187:l, to Miss Alice ,J. Gralrnm, 0£ Van \VPrt, Ohio. They have one child: Harry G.

,1/anlwto--- lts First Fifty ) "ears

SCHMIDT, Gottlieb-Born April 17_, 182G, on the border of Sax­ony, not far from Berlin, to which city lie went ,vl1en a boy, to learn the harness making trade. In 185L!, in company with his two brothers, Frederick and August Schmidt, he emigrated to the

United States and spent a few rnonths in Illinois, and then in Iowa, before coming to St. Panl in 1855. In tlte summer of 185G, the three brothers came together to Mankato arnl located upon claims in Manka­to township. The three, though having separate trades; had kept together since they had left their German home1 and always had a common purse until they were married. Aft­e1: living for sqmc time on his claim, Gottlieb returned to St. Paul, where he worked [Lt his trade for about three years. He then came back to his claim and, about 1861, formed

GOTTLIEB SCHMIDT. a partnership with )\L H. Bergholtz in tlte sadcllery business at Mankato. The shop ha<l been started by Bergholtz abont four or five years before aIHl is the oldest in the city. During the Indian war the business of the firm was greatly augmented by government contracts, and the rapid growth of the country after the war, cont.inned its prosperity. After a few years Mr. Schmidt bought out Mr. Bergholtz's interest, and in 1887, took into partnership his only surviving son, Oscar W. Schmidt, wl10 since his father's death, March 30, 181JG, has conducted the business alone.

Mr. Schmiot was rnarrie<l April 19th, 18GJ, to Ida Goedicke, of Lime township, who, with her son above namecl, still survives,

Mr. Schmidt was an irnlnstrious, honest, public spiriterl man, worthy of the con fi<lrncr arnl respect he Pnjoyecl.

SEARING, A. M., Pres. Edward-Was horn in Amora. New York, July lfth, 18~15. His boyhood was passed mostly on a

Biograj,lzfrs.

farm, ancl the elements of his education were obtained in a country school. At the age of sixteen he taught his first term. Resolving soon afterwards to obtain a college education, he entered Courtlarnl Academy, Homer, N cw York, where he remained two years, meet­ing his expense by teaching winters. He then went to Casenovia Seminary, where his classical stn(lics wen, continued, and ,vhcre he accepted the position of assistant teacher of Latin. A year or two later he went to Michigan anrl was for a year principal of the public school at Bay City. In 1857, he went to Wisconsin arnl cornlurtec1 a private school at Union, Rock County, which attained some renown. In the fall of 18G0, he entered the Senior class of the University of Ivfichigan arnl graduated the following year.

Heturning to Wisconsin, Prof. Searing was elected to the profesf'oTShip of Latin ancl Greek in Milton College, which he helc1 until his election as State Superintendent of Public Instruction, in the fall of 1873. Re-elected in the fall of 1875, he resided in Madison until 1878, when he returned to Milton College. Two years later he was elected President of the State Normal School at Mankato, a position which he held until his death, October 2.2, 1898. The ;,cltool enjoyed a remarkable growth under his ad­ministration.

In 18G9, Prof. Searing published his well known edition of Virgil's Aeneid, which is still 11sccl in many schools over the country. For four years he was editor of the Wisconsin Journal of Ecluca­tion. He always took a deep interest in agriculture ancl horti­culture. He was possessed 01 ripe scholanship, and was <t most s11c­ccic;sfnl instructor.

Prof. Searing was twice marriccl, to Isabel Fraser, December 1:Hh, 18G5, by whom he had one son, Eclwarrl Fraser Searing, and to Mary L. Lattin, January 23rd, 18G8, who survives him. One son, Frederick Lyle Scaring, was born to his second union. Tlw Plcler son fa city editor of the Mankato Daily Free PresR, and the yo1mger is teacher 01 Latin in the State N onnal School at Mankato.

ScVc/lANCf, JIJD6c MART/Iv J,-Born December 24, 182G, at Shcl­lrnrne Falls, Franklin County, Mass. His first American ancestor, on his father's Ri(lr, came from lDnglarnl to Massachnsctts in rn:rn, ancl his great grandfather, Martin Rcverancc, made an hon­orable reconl as a soldier in the French arn1 T nrlian ancl Jlevolu­tionary wars. His parents, Asa and Cafo,ta (Boyden) Severance,

11/anl,ato-J!s .F'zrst Fifty Yt'ars

were worthy, thrifty farmers and their son, j\lfartin, re­mained on the farm until eighteen years of age, at­tending the country school in winter. Six years were then spent completing his education in the Franklin Academy at Shelburne Falls, and in Williston Seminary, ( now Williston College), East Hampton, Mass. In 1849, he went to Chicopee, an(l for two years read law in the office of .T ur1ge Wells, later on the Massrrchusc,tts Supreme bench. After fin­i:c;hing his law stlHlics at the office of Beach & Bon(l, of

JUDGE MARI'IN J. SEVERANCE. Springfield, Mass., he was m 18ii4, admitted to the bar, arn1 for two _years practiced his pro­fr•ssion at Chicopee. In May, 18tiG, he came to :Minnesota arnl loeatC'cl at Ifondcrson, where, in the fall of that _year, he was elcctccl County Attonw_y of Sibley Connt.y, serving for two terms. In lS(il

he was a member of the State Legislature.

August 14, 18G2, he enlisted as private in Co. I., Tenth J\Tinn. ·vol., ancl served with his regiment in the Sinus and Civil wars, making an excellent reconl for fidelity and courage, and on April -~, 18G4, was promoted captain of his company. When the war clm,e(l, he resumed the practice of his profession at Le Sueur and ,;oon formc,1 a partnership there with Judge Cadwell. In 1870, he rmnovc<l to Mankato and was associated for one year with 0. 0. Pitcher, arnl then with D. A. Dickinson until 1875, when the latter was appointed to the District Comt bench. In 1881, he removed to St. Paul, and formed a co-partnership with W. P. Warner, but rdurnrd t.o J\fankato in ,Tnne of that year to succeed J udgc Di<;k­inson, who had been appointed on the Supreme Court bench. Ue contin11rcl in the ,TlHlgrship of the Sixth Judicial District nntil

,Tmrnary, moo, whrn he became associated with C. N. Andrews arnl

rcsunwcl the pradicc of law, until his retirement from ~he strain

Hiograj,lzies

and am:ic,ty of active life in the Slllll!Hl'l' of rno2. Durino· his lono· O b

arnl eventful career J U(1ge Severam:e has been a prominent iignre in the history of our state. An able lawyer, an eloquent Hllvocate aml a learned jurist, he has stood at the forefront of the bar, forum

and bench of our commonwealth. Judge Screrance married June 10, 1858, Elizabeth P. Van

Horn of Chicopee, JYiass., daughter of Lester Van Horn, a <ksceml­ant of Davicl Van Horn, one of the first Dutch settlers of New York Citr. 'J'hrcc children were born to them.: vVinthrop Cl.,

who diccl at the age of ::rn years; Frank Q., engaged in railroading

in N cbraska, and Nettie J., of :Mankato.

SHEPARD, WILLIAM H. _:_Was born m New Lomlon, Nc11· Hampshire. In his youth he taught sel10ol in New York, and clerk­ed in a newspaper office in Nashville, 'I'ennessec He then emi­grated to California, and became one of the "Forty-Niners." Jn rn;rn he came to Minnesota, settling first in Dakota County, and l'arly in 1857 came to Mankato, arriYing by steamboat about June nth. For several years he kept a clrug store on the corner of Front and Hickory streets in partnership with William Frisbie. He was afterwarcls engaged in the in,;nrancc business. Tidiring from ac­ti vc lrnsincss, he has for the past few years made hiR home with his claughtcrs, :Mrs. Gere, of Sioux City, and }Hrs. Jones of i\linneapol is.

SEWARD, Amos Dudley-Born April 19th, 1815, at New Hart­ford, Oneida County, N cw York. Both of his graml fathers were Hcvolntionary sol(liers. The family removed to H farm in Ohio in 1818. Having received a grammar school Cllncation young Seward, at the age of 21 years, went to Indiana, aml, from 18:Jli to 1840, was engaged in Civil Engineering.

July 14, 1840, he married Miss Pleiatles B. BarlJer of Plea:-;­ant township, Wabash County, Tm1iana, and located on a farm spending many of his winters school teaching.

In the spring of 1855, the Seward family, in compimy with the families of Henry Shanbut and Abington Parret, re.moved to Mankato, where they arrived on the 28th of April. The town then comprised only five frame and seven log buildings.

In 1857, 11fr. Seward formefl a co-partnership with Abel and Josiah Keene and A. N. Dukes in the erection o:f a saw mill, which was operated until its destruc:tion by Jirc in August, 18G2. In

306 llfankato-lts First Fifty rears

AMOS DUDLEY SEWARD

SIBLEY, Oil. RfVBfN J.-W as a native of Ohio, where he was born in 1814. He was orclainccl in his native state to the ministry of the M. K Clrurch, and served in that sacred office nntil about 1834, when he removed to Erie. Penn. He came to j\fankato in the fall of 185G, and brought his family here in the spring of 1857. He hac1 learned the dentist's trade and for a few years he conducted a real estate am1 dental office in a small building he had erected, ahout where the Gas and Electric Light Company's ofTice now stands. He often

18G8, lie was clectec1 Audi­tor of Blue Earth County, and was continued m oflice for eight years.

l\fr. Seward has been an active member of the Pres­byterian church from his youth. \Vas chosen the first rnling elder of the Mankato dmrcli on its organization, August ,31, 1855, and has been cngagerl in Sunday school work for 83 years. On Oct. 11, 1883, Mr. ancl lVIrs. Seward removed to Ventura, California, where they still reside. Six child­ren have been born to them, fonr of whom still survive.

DR. REUBEN J. SIBLEY.

prcaclw<I arnl was very adive in the lVI. K clrnrch of' our city. Tn the spring of 18Gl, he was appointed postmaster of l\fankab

by President Lincoln arn1 conducted the office in a siw1ll frame building, -which stood just north of the Clifton House, until his cleath on April 13th, 18G4. He was a man of excellent Christian ·iharacter, ever active in promoting every good movement.

He was married in Ohio, to Miss Maria J. Eggleston, aIHl tlwir children arc: Jennie lvI., wife of John G. Dodsworth, of Granite Falls, l\Jinncsota; Anna M., widow of the late John A. vVillanl, of' Mankato; Hattie, ( now deceased) and Billings P., of Clinton, Ontario. Mr::-. Sibley died ,January 10, 1892, aged 78 years.

SHAUBUT, HENRY-Born March 22, 1822, in J<7 ranklin County, Penn. Hemovccl to Ohio in 183G, and thence in 1841, to Irn1iana. In May, 1854, he visited Mankato and purchased of the 1'ownsite Company, the "l\fankato House," then only partly finished, and in the spring of 1855, removed here with his family and opened the hotel, which soon be­came the most noted hostel­ry in the valley for some years. He was also inter­ested with his brother, John J. Shaubut, in the mercan­tile business for some years. After leasing his hotel m 1861, he lived for a time on his farm in Lime township, but in 18G7 returned to the city, and in connection with Dr. Wm. F. Lewis, and other capitalists, opened the City Bank, of which he was made presi­dent. Augnst, 1887, he re­moved with his ,rife to National City, Cal., where he died July 18th, 1895. In 1847, he was married to

HENRY SHAUBllT.

Hannah Collett, by whom he lrn<l ten c·hilr1rcn, of whom six reached maturity: Benjamin l<'., ( deceased 1897) ; Henry, Viola, wife of Fred H. Samborn; Lizzie, wife of John A.Sam born; Harry K,

308 .Jfa11lwto-/ts Fi"rst Fzjcy rears

of Scatik, Wash.; Luella, wifo of ELlgar A. Walh; am1 Grace, wife of W. U. 'l'onkin.

SHAUBUT, John J.-Born July 21, 1818, in Franklin County, Pa. Removed in 183G, with l1is parents to Richland Uount_y, Ohio, and thence in 1840 to Li!Jcrty :Mills, Wabash County, Ind.,

-- where October 3, 1S47, he married Anna, daughter of J olm Comstock. In the fall of 1856, he removed to l\fankato, where for twenty­two _years he was engaged in the mercantile business. He served on the city coun­cil and school board. Was trustee and contributed lib­erally to the erection of the first PresLyterian church. Held the . position of vice­president of the First Nat­ional Bank for years. Built the lirick block on the cor­ner of Front and Main streets, and the large rc;,;i-

JOHN J. SHAUB UT. dencenow nsrd in connection

with the Catholic hospital. He was always active, public spiritell ,md generous. In 1882, he moved to his stock farm in Belgrade, a few miles from lVIankato, where he died September G, 1887. He left him surviving his wife and their eight children: Emma, wife of Eugene Banks, and John C. Shaubut, both of Deerloclge, Mont.; Ella, wife ol' A. W. Watson, of l\Iinneapolis; Elizabeth, wife of J. H. Enearl, of Anaheim, Cal.; EYa, wil'c of J. K Craig, of Pipestone, :Minnesota; Bertha, wife of H. W. Corn:otock, of Anaheim, Cal.; Katie, wife of Hugh Grice, of Belgrade, Minn., and Guy W. Shaubut, of Deerloclge, Mont.

SHOEMAKER, JAS.-Bom June \.!th, 182:), in Monroe County, Penn., of German ancestry, whose settlement in the Qu:1ker State ante-dated the clays of the American Revolution. His parents, .Jacob arnl Hannah ShoPrnakcr, were ,rnrth_y and prominent people in_ their community. The father operated a large farm and two

:fluming mills, one in Monroe County, all(1 the other at Flatbrook­ville, New Jersey. He was, also, treasmer of l1is native county for years. 'I'he son, James, recei vcd a g.ooc1 common school education,

JAMES SHOEMAKER.

and worked on his father's farin and in the mills, until he became of age, when he went to Easton, Penn., am1 clerked in a store for four years. He was then con­nected with a foundry and stove rnannfactor_y, at the same place, for one year. His next business venture was as a pa1tner in a dry goods store at Easton, from which he retired in 1856, and in 1857, came to Man-1rnto, arriving there on the 9th of May. For a time he clerked in Mr. Bradley's store. In 1858 he was chair~ man of t1ie Mankato town boarcl,and as such, a member of the Board of County

Commissioners. In 1859, he opened an auction and commission tilore, which, after cornluding one year, he sold out and went to Pike's Peak rluring the gold excitement. After spending the sum­mer prospecting and mining with no great success, he returned to JYian1rnto in the Fall of 1860. He took an active part in the defence of the frontier dming the Sioux outbreak of 1862. Was Commissary Sergeant in Capt. Bicrbauer's company at the de­fonsc of Nc,v Ulm, and hac1 liis horse killed under him cluring the battle. Was Second Lieutenant of a Company of State Militia, organized at Mankato, August 31, 18G2, for the protection of the frontier, and hclpecl build Fort Cox at Madelia, anc1 served until his company ,ms relieved by U. S. troops, a month or two later. He built and conducted Shoemaker's Hall, a prominent place for public gatherings of every kind for many years. He published the first four directories of JYfanlrnto and Blue Earth County, the :first

being issued in 1878. Helped organize the :first Fire Department

j'IO ,iiankato-.lts First Fzfty )"cars

in Mankato. \Vas clecte<1 a member of the School Board in 18G0, and was always active in the npbuikling of the schools 0£ the city. Was the first prc:::idcnt 0£ the Board of 'l'rnstees of the Mankato Cemetery Association, and a trustee until death. Was one of the organizers of the Boanl of 'Trade and its president at the time, arn1 for more than four years immediately prior to his demise. He also organized the "Olll Settlers' 'Territorial Association" and was its president until his death. He served on the Board of J'ulJlic Works for several years,-as City Assessor !rom 1878 until 18V4, and as manager of the Mankato exhibit at the N cw Orlcam Exposition during 1884-5.

No one, during the forty-four years of his residence therein, was more actiYe or unselfish than lw in promoting the welfare of Mankato. His tragic death, by being crushed by a car in the yan1 of the C. St. P. M. & 0. Ry., where he had gone from a patriotic moti ye to inspect the railway facilities of the city, oc­curred May 22, 1901.

Mr. Shoemaker was married May 30th, 18G7, to Frances V. King, daughter of John A. King, of N cw York, who survives him. 'rheir only child, Charles J. Shoemaker, a most promising young attorney of Duluth, Minnesota, died December 16, 1890.

SMITH, Col. Benjamin F. -Born July 4, 1811, at Mount Vernon, Ohio. In early life he was assistant Clerk of Court 0£ Knox County, under his father. He was afterwards, about 1851, elected Auditor of the same county for four years, and later was a member of the Ohio Legislature. He was inspector of Militia for some time and much interested in military affairs. In the spring of 1857, he came to Blue Barth County, as the represent­afore of the Mount Vernon Colony, and with others laid out the town site of Vernon Center, so named in honor of his native place. In the summer of 18Gl, he organized a militia company at V crnon and was made its captain. In the fall of the same year, he and one Nathan Bass recruited a cavalry company for service against the Southern Rebellion, which en listed in November as Company B, of Brackctt's Battalion, and later was attached to the 5th Iowa Cavalry. Mr. Smith, hmvever, -was on November 5th, 1861, commissioned Lieutenant Colonel of the Thin1 Minn. Inf. After six months service he resig1m1 becau~e of ill-health. During the suminer and fall of 18G2, the recruits for a number

Jil

of Mi1me;,ota regiments were Tcmleivouscd at a camp in Fort Snelling, ancl soon after his return home, Col. Smith was put in

COL. BENJAMIN F. SMJTH.

charge of this camp, by Gov. Ramsey, to help organiie the men into companies and regiments. This c1uty com­pletecl, he returned to Man­kato and, in N oyembcr, 18(i:2, was elected Hegistcr of Dce<ls of Blue Earth Connty, ancl continued in the office for six years. In 18G;J, he was also, commis­sioned commarnler of the militia for the Blue Earth Connt_y District, with head­quarters at l\fanlrnto, which position he held until the

termination of the Sioux

war in 18G6. In 1869, he was el1o~l'JJ mnrnr of the city of Mankato, and during 1870 and 18?'1_, mm a llll:lllhcr of the State Senate. From 187.2 to 187G, he ,ms Hegi:;ter of the F. S. Lam1 Office at Red Wood Falls, Minn.

Col. S1nith ,nis a conspienons fignre in the politics of Southern Minnesota for manv ~·can,, an<l ,ms very highly esteemed by a large cinJc of friernlf'. He occupied a prominent and influential posi­tion in the :i\fasonic fraternity. While living in Ohio, he servel1 as (1 rnrnl 1:-iecrctary of the Cl:rand Lo<lge for eight years, and, in 185G,

was 1mHle Granll Master of the Grand Lodge. He took his 33rd lkgrce ai'ter coming to :Minnesota.

Ile was marriPll in 1830 to l\Iif;s ,Julia Stilley, who was born i11 Auguic\t, 1808, and who still survives in good health, residing in the state of Washington. They ha<1 thirteen children, seven of \\'horn live<l to mature life, namely: John S Smith, of Man­kato, l\Irn. Iliana llnnn, wife of: the we'll-known lawyer, Hon. A. C. Dunn, of Winnebago City; Mrs. Sarah Bixby, JVIrs. Eliza A. Bro\\'n, Mrf'. Henrietta Parrett, the (leceased wife of Geo. N. Parrett; ,\<ln

1A. Smith, arnl Henry W. B. Smith. A grandson,

Benjnmin D. Sn1itl1, is a lll'OJni1wnt law_ycr of Mankato, who served two terms as County Attorney of Blue Barth Cot1nty1 and

3I 2 ,1/cwkato -Its First flifty J'ears

is now, and for the past eight years has been, one.oJ' the National Directors of the j\[oclcrn W oodmcn of America.

Col. Smith was a brother of Hon. Jas.Srnith, Jr., of St. Paul, former president of tlic St. Pm1l arnl Duluth Hailroml, and of Dr. Vespatian Smith, of Dulutl1, for many year::; prcc\idcnt of the State Jfoanl of Health, aml Collector of Customs. He died December 12th, 1892.

SOMMfRr!StN, FATflfR VALcNT/Nf. -Horn at Rohrback, J%mss, May 2Fi, 182!). Jn lWi-1, FatliPr A. Ravoux, the gre:1t Indian rnissi01rnrv, went to France to get shepherds for his mi,-Hionary field in J\Iimwsota. Father So1111nereiscn, then only a theological stm1ent, was one of seven., who accompanied Father Uavonx on his return.

l~athcr Sorn mereiscn was or<laincd by Bishop Cretin, the first Catholic bishop of l'llinncsota, J\farch 8, 185G. He nrrivcc1 at Mankato as pastor, March Hi, 185G, ancl remained here in that capacity for fourteen years. His field of work at fin;t covered all of the following counties: Blnc Earth, Le Sueur, Scott, Car­ver, Waseca, Faribault, Wright, Traverse, Yellow J\Ie(licine, Hc(l­woocl, Sibley, Brown, Hen ville all(] N icollct. This field was grad­ually narrowed, while his work at Mankato grew in importance and difficulty.

In 18G9, he comrnence(1 the erection of the present splcm1id German Catholic Church at Mankato; but in Jnnc, 1870, he was called to his home in France by important matters. He was gone for a whole }'Car, being detained in ]!'ranee in consequence of the war waging between that country ancl Germany.

Upon his return to Mankato in June, 18 111, he was assigned to Yankton, South Dakota, to bniM up a new parish thcrr, in which work he had been so zealous and successful here. He died at Hays, Kansas, January 25, 1897.

SPOR, Rev. Alpheus-Was born nnd educated in England. He took charge of the Episcopal mission at Mankato in April, 18GG, being about forty years olc1. He was the builder and :first rector of St. John's Bpi,;copal church. He had been rector of a church at Cohoes, N. Y., before coming to Mankato, am1 it was the members of that clmrch, wl10 mostly ai(led TITr. Spor in the erection of the church here. He ohtainccl, there arnl at other points East1 about .6.vtl thousand dollars in money, a small pipe

organ, bell, alter, lecturn and three eha11cel winclows. The font

was an offering of his own. ilfr. Spor's old pari3hioners at Man­kato retain the kindliest memories of him and his gifted wife.

In 1870, Mr. Spor resigned his Mankato charge to become

rector of the elrnrch at Hoeliester, nfinrwsota. About four years

later he wns accidentally kille(l by a fractions horse nt Uushfor(l,

Minnesota. His sad and untimely death was long nml deeply

lamented by all who knew him, for he was gifted in his ministry

and a noble elinracter.

THOMPSON, James R.-Bom J\farch :;, 18GO, at Chmkn City, :Minnesota, son of ,Tames G., arnl Fnmces 'J'hompson. The Thomp­

sons were of goocl N cw England origin, and early pioneers of Waukesha County, \Visconsin, and Blue Earth Connty, Minnesota.

David and William R 'rJ10mpson were brothers, who :;cttlccl on the Watonwan in 1855-ti. The latter luHl tl1roc sons: ,John C.,

and 'William Thompson, now of Vernon Center township, and

George Thomp~on, of Washington State. David had two sons:

E(lwarcl, who settle<l in

(h1r(len City, in 1854, be­

ing one of tbc \'cry first,

nml James G., above men­tioner1, who came there in 18/5G from N. Y rrlic

latter was a prominrnt

solrlier in the War of the

Rebellion, enlisting in Co. R, Ninth Minnesota. He was promoted captain in

the 08th U. S. Colorerl In­

fantry anr1 afterwards Ma­jor of the regiment. After

the w a c he serverl one term m the :\'Iinncsota

Lcgislatmc; was Collector

of Customs at Rottincau,

North Dakota, for :,ix yc:trs

arnl a half, anrl An.-Ji!or of JAMES R. THOMPSON.

Hottinenu Connly for fom years, arnl (licrl in 1\lnnkato, May 2fith,

18!J!J. Iii~ :-son, the rnhjed of lhi~ skPtch, grnduall•<] from the J\Ian-

,lfmzl,ato Its Fii·st Flfty Years

kato High School in 1882. He taught school for two years, and then studied civil engineering, and was employed in Railway con­struction work for three years. From 1800 to 1894, he was County Surveyor ancl since 1897 has hc(m City Engineel' of Mankato.

He was married October 30, 1889, to Miss Nellie J., <laughter of Hon. Lysander Cook of Lyra township.

Tf/OMSON, RcV. JAMES-Commonly called ":Father 'l'homson," the first minister to locate in Mankato, was born June 1st, 1801, near Springfield, Ohio. He was of Scotch-Irish descent. His grandfather, J arnes Thomson, was born in Ireland, and an elder in the Presbyterian church there. He came to America near the close of the Revolution and first settled in Pcnnsy 1 vania. In 1793, he went to l(entucky and took an active interest in organiz­ing churches there. His son, Rev. John Thomson, became a Pres­byterian minister ancl was pastor of the church at Springdale, near Cincinnati, Ohio, for many years. He had six sons and one daughter, and four of the six sons became ministers, one of whom was the subject of this sketch. One of the other three was the celebrated missionary to Palestine, Rev. William M. Thomson, D. D., author of "The Land and the Book," anc1 other works; another was Rev. Samuel 'l'homson, Latin Professor in Wabash College, until his death in 1885 ; the third was Rev. John Thomson, for some time, also, professor at Wabash College, but, :for most of his life, engaged in the Presbyterian ministry. One of the two sons, who did not enter the ministry, was Alexander Thomson, a (listinguished lawyer of Crawfordsville, Indiana.

James completed his- literary studies at Miami University, ancl his theological course at Lane Seminary. He began his minis­terial work in 1827, at Crawfordsville, Indiana, then a frontier outpost in the wilderness. Here he organized the first Presby­terian church and ministered to it with great acceptance for fifteen years. Here during this period he founded Wabash College. It is saicl that on "Founders' Day," he with others kneelccl in the snow on the site of the college, then an unbroken forest, and in­voked Divine blessing. He livecl to see both these institutions of his planting grow strong and prosperous. During these early clays in Indiana, he clirl a great amonnt of home missionary work, trav­eling on horseback through a large section of the state, pushing forward the pimll'l:r work of organizing cl1urches among the frontier settlers.

Riop-rajltz"cs Jij

In 184'1, he removed to Wabash, Indiana, ,vhcre he spent seven years, iu two separate periods, as pastor of the Presbyterian church there. In February, 1854, he made the journey from his Wabash home to Mankato, Minnesota, on horseback, for the purpose of purchasing a whole township of land from the Government, in which to build a great institution 0£ learning, ~o be known as the University of Southern Minnesota. It was the plan to divide the land into suitable farms, and sell it only to desirable 3ettlcrs, in sympathy with the moveme1'tt, and from the proceeds 0£ these sales, to abundantly endow the University. Jt never occurred to him, until after reaching his destination at the month of the Blue Earth, that the government had no land to sell, except as it was taken up in small tracts, under the Pre-emption Act.

Father Thomson arrived in JHankato on Saturday night, Feb. 25, 185'1, and preached his first sermon here the next morning, at the home of JVIr. James Hanna. 'l'lrnugh bitterly disappointed at the failure of his great mission, whid1 had been his passionate flrcam for years, he concluded to make the best of it. He was in-11uccd to believe that Mankato, in the near future, was to be an important point in this part of the state, and the urgent need of planting here a christian church impressed him as a cluty, and ac­cordingly he removed here with his family in the following May. His labors resulted in the organization by him on August 31st, 1855, of the First Presbyterian church 0£ Mankato with seventeen members, being the first organized church in town. He continucrl as its pastor for nearly eight years. His dream of a Southern _Minnesota University still clung to bim, and he made two heroic, though unsuccessful, attempts to realize his hopes; one in 1859, when meetings were held and subscriptions taken in money and land, but the hard times discouraged the project, and again in 18G4, when he procured of Mr. Hinckley a small tract of land on the brow of the bluff, back of St. Joseph's Hospital, on which he built, what is now known as the MclVIahan house, and opene<1 therein, in the fall of that year, a young ladies' Seminary, after the plan of l\H. Holyoke Seminary. The school which was called Wootllarn] Seminary, continued for about a year, with nn attend­ance of about thirty, but the distractions, incident to the Civil War arn1 lack of furnls, causccl its failure.

ThP health of his wife, l\Taria Hall 1'homson, whom he had man-iecl in 18'.27', now lwgan to fail, mid they ldt Mankato for a

Jlfa11kato~.rts Fii-st Fzfty Vears

change of climate for a fow years, returning in 1869, but Mrs. Thomson died on August 7th, of that year. As a mark of respect for his great services, the Presbyterian church of Mankato, made him its Pastor Emeritus on February 21st, 1870, with appropriate ceremonies. On March 17, 1871, he married Mrs. Arlina A. Tew.

He died October 4th, 1873, leaving surviving four children: Juliet, wife of Rev. J. W. Hancock, of Heel Wing; William H., James S., and Mary Ann, wife of A. N. Dukes, of Peru, Indiana, all four now deceased. lfather Thomson was energetic ,mcl rigid, almost stern, in his devotion to duty. A strong and noLle char­acter, consecrated to the causes of education and religion, who left an impress for goodness and truth upon every community in which he lived.

THOMPSON, James J.-Born August 28, 18:l-t, on a farm in Madison County, Illinois, opposite the city of St. Louis, Mo., to which city his parents moved, when he was quite young. He was educated in the St. Louis schools, and then learned the machinist's trade. In 1853, he went to St. Paul, Minnesotct, returning to St. Louis, in 1855, and was in the lumber business until 18fH, when he again went to St. Paul. In November, 1863, he came to Man­kato and for a time bought furs, then went into the lumber and produce business, and. afterwards owned a brick yard. Mr. Thomp­;:;on was a member of the first city council of Mankato; Mayor from

JAMES J. THOMPSON.

1871 to 18~';;; chairman of the Board of County Com­missioners of Blue Earth County, for five years, ancl County Auditor during 1879 and 1880. ln 1881, he removed to Wyoming, and thence to Montana the next year. He was a mem­ber of the Montana Council in 1886-7. He went in 1898 to Carrico,Va., where he now resides. l\fr. 'l'hornp­son married in 18fi:3, Emma Cningnignirr, anr1 they have three sorn: Cregg A., Sayre ,T., and Norris CL

Rio![rajhie.•.; ]17

TOIJ/lTrllOTTE, COL JO/IN r.-Born in Windham County, Conn., .July 3, 1833, and educated at Brown UniversitJ, wl1ence he came to Blue Earth County, in the summer 0£ 1857. After spending a few months in South Bend and other places, where he hacl real estate interests, he finally selected Mankato rrs his home and opened a law office here, in tl-::c fall of that year. In 1859, he formed a law partnership with 0. 0. Pitcher, Esq. He had a natural apt­itu(le for military life from his youth, and, soon after his location in Mankato, became interested in the organization 0£ a militia company here, rm<], on December 2d, 1858, he was commissioned Lieut. Colonel of tl1e 11th regiment, Minnesota Militia. ..When the war 0£ the Rebellion broke. out, he at once set about to recruit a company, which he designated as the"Valley Sharpshooters," which on September 30th 1861, enlisted as Company H, d the 4th :Minnesota Infantry. J\'Ir. 'J.'omtellottc enlisted with the others as a common solrlier, bnt was immediately elected captain by the company arnl commissioned such on December 20, 1861. On August 14, 18G2, he was promoted Lieut. Colonel of his regiment,

COL. JOHN E. TOURTELLOTTE.

and on October 5, 1864, its Colonel. He comrnanclecl the regiment at the battle of Campion Hills, in the as­sault on Vicksburg, at the battle of Chattanooga, the battle of Altoona, and battle of Bentonville, and after­wards was in command of a brigade during Sherman's march to the sea; and for his gallant conduct, was rnade brevet Brigadier Gen­eral United Sta bis Volun­teers on March 13th, 18Gfi.

In the battle of Altoona Pass, on October 5, lSG-1-, with 2,000 men, he snccess­fully resisted 7,000 Con­fo<lerates urnler General French, after a cksporat.e

~trnggl<'. in wltich the lTnion loss was ',00, anc1 the (hnfeclcrate 2,000, showing how telling tlte victory was. During the progress

318 11/anlwto--lts J,i"rst hfty rears

of this battle, Gen. Sherman signaled from the mountain heights of Kenesaw, eighteen miles distant, if Gen. Corse had yet arrived, and received a satisfactory answer, from which originated the popu­lar army song, "IIolcl the fort for I am coming.' After the war CoL Tourtellotte returned to Mankato, ancl forming a co-partner­ship with Jrnlge F. H, Waite, resumed the practice of his profes­sion, but within six months was tendei'cd a commission in the reg­ular army, and on July 28, 18GG, entered as captain of the 28th U, S. Infantry. He was detailed as Superintendent of lnrlian affairs in Utah, which trying and responsible position, he dis­charged with signal success. In 1870, he was transferred to a captaincy in the 7th Cavalry, of which the lamented Custer was Colonel, but newr joined his cornrnancl, as he was shortly aftcr­war<lfl honored by an appointment as Aid-de Camp to Gen. Sher­man, with the rank of Colonel. He was, also, appointed thereafter one of the three commisRioners to revise the military tactics for the army, and the carnlry manual as now used is exclusively his work. He was detailed by Gen. Sherman, whose friendship and esteem he enjoyed in a special degree, as escort to the Marquis of Lorne, and Princess Louise, while on their visit to the United States, and <luring the six months spent upon that duty, visited most of the principal cities of onr country, and for his signal efficiency was the recipient of many valuable gifts from his distinguished pro­teges. He continued on Gen. Sherman's staff until 1884, when the latter was placed on the retired list. September 22-, 1883, Col. Tourtellotte was commissioned Major of the 'Hh Cavalry, and was retired for disability on March 20, 1885. He made Washington City his home until the last five years of his life, when his malady growing worse, he took up his abode with relatives at La Crosse, Wisconsin, where he died on July 22, 1891. He was neV8r married.

In speaking of hii'n in the Review, the late John C. Wise said: "Col. 'l'ourtellotte was an accomplished gentleman, gifted by nature with a fine personal presence, courteous and refined in his bearing, the soul of honor, and polite in an unusual degree to every one. As a sol<lier he was brave and daring, and his patriotism rendered every other consideration subservient to the welfare of his country. He was one of the kinllcst and most thoughtful of men, irnd in his latter years it was his constant aim to do good to his fellow men, all(l none hut the recipients knew of his liberality. * * * Col. Tonrtcllotte always entertainr(I the strongest affection for Man­kato, and was one of the trnest and best friends the city ever had.':

J-lio,[[rajliies

His most notable gift to Mankato, was the snm of $8,800 which he donated to it in 188~), to found Tourtellotte Hospital.

TYNER. DANIEL H.-Born June 13, 1819, near Connersville, in Fayette Connty, Indiana, where he was marrie(l October 6, 1839, to Caroline Flom. He resided on a farm in Wabash County, Indiana, from 1840 until the fall of 1848, when he removed to the city o[ Wabash, arn1 engaged in the lirery business. Here he was elected constable, and acquired much local fame for the nerve and bravery he displaye<1 in driving out the bands of horse thieves then infesting the Kankakee swamps, north of Wabash, and many thrilling adventures were had by the daring constable and his band of vigilants, in their raic1s upon these outlaws. In the spring nf 1856, he removed to Man­kato, and the following year opened a livery barn here, an<l later formed a partner­ship with B. D. Pay and for years they ·were the most prominent in that line of business. In 1860, he was elected sheriff of Blue Earth County and served two ierms, covering the turbu­lent days of the Sioux mas­sacre, and assisted at the hanging of the thirty-eight Indians at Mankato. He died February ,1th, 1877, at 1W cdicine Lodge, Kansas, and his wife on September 11th, 1887, at Mankato. They left no blood issue, but DANIEL H. TYNER.

had two adopted children: Harman H. Tyner, of Springfiel<l, Illinois, and Mrs. Margaret Alber, of Wabash, Indiana.

TINKCOM, JAMES RAY-Born January 29, 1821, at .Mayville, New York, son of Hezekiah and Anna (Sprague) Tinkcom. His father kept a hotel at Mayville for many years and was sheriff and jailer of Chautauqua County for some time. The subject of onr sketch was eclueaterl at the academy of his native town . .Jn 1841, he began the study of medicine, whid1 he pursued for two

320

years, but never actively engaged in his profession. For a short period he unclcrtook to manufacture certain mc,licinm:, then kept his father's hotel for a time, and, for the last Jive years before corning to Minnesota in 18:>G, he was engaged in the grocery busi­ness. Arriving at Mankato, November 10, 185G, he concluded to make it his future home, and, after purchasing some property, he rctunw<1 to 1fayvillc arnl, arranging his affairs tlierc, came back to :i'lfonkato onrly in the spring of 1837. Forming a partnership

JAMES RAY TINKCOM.

with f':.. ]". Hawley, whom he had known in N cw York state, they built on the lot now occupied by the L. Pat­terson wholesale house, and opened a general merchan­dise store as A. F. Hawley & Co. This partnership was dissohc<l in t!tc spring of 18Gl, a]l(1 J\fr. Tinkcom embarked in the <lrug lmsi­nc,s, soon having two drug

stores, one run by himself and the other by Jason :F. vVickersham. Having pur­chased a tract of land on the south side of town, he laid out thereon in 1873, Tinkcom's Addition to J\Iankato. Sinco 18G3, he

has derntcc1 his attention wholly to looking after his real estate interests. Mr. Tinkcorn was one of .the organizers of tho :Mankato Episcopal church. He also scrve<l one term as City Trcasmcr.

i\Iay 2nd, 18:il, he married Miss Laura A. Davis, at Sugar Grove, Pa., and they have one chil,l: l\Tary L., wife of 0. G. Lnrnll.Jcrg, of Mankato, Minnesota.

ULMAN, Capt. Matthias-Born in 1822 at NicrlPrsissen, Cologne Germany. In 1847, he cmigrate<l to America_ anc1 locaJel1 first in New Y.ork city. Here in 18-±~, he was united in marriage to Miss Efomhdh Voglitman, also a natiYc of Germany, where she was born October :27, 1827. Soon after their marriage, l\Ir. anc1 l\frs. Ulman rernovc<l to Milwankee, Wisconsin, an<l thence in the fall of 185G, to Mankato. In the spring of 183"1', Mr. Ulman began

flio,[[raj,lucs

the erection of the Union Hotel, whieh he opene<1 a,; a public

CAPT. MATTHIAS ULMAN,

;::pirited citizen, who, in the early days of our city's his­tory, took a prominent part in every enterprise tcrnling

1,o her prosperity. He was honored with various pub­li8 offices, and served on the city council for several terms. He c1ier1 February .21st, 1891, and his devoted wife, whose deeds 01 kind­ness and charity \\'ill c;imc lwr to be long renH,mbcrecl by the early pio1Pers and the poor, followed him February 15, ] 808, to the Better Land. Eleven chilrl­rcn were born to them, tea 01 whom survive: Miclmc1 Ulman, Jolm Ulman, Mrs.

hostelry that year. The second story of the buil<ling was used as a hall, arn1 there in March, 18ti8, 1rns organ­ized the first military eom­pany m JVIanlrnto, with T oseph Guenther as captain. After six months service, Capt. Guenther rcsignr<1 and was rncceedecl by Capt. Ulman, who remained in command 1mtil the spring of 186], when the company <lisbande<l. Capt. Ulman continuec1 to conduct the Union Hotel until 1880, and was the oldest laml­lorcl in continuous service Mankato has had. He was an active, energetic public

MRS. MATTHIAS ULMAN.

322 ilfankato--Its First Fifty Years

Elir,abetli Sdnveiber, Mrs. Clara Kron, John B. Ulman, Mrs. Caroline Robel, Mrs. Mary Graeber, Henry Ulman, George Ulman, and Mrs. Emma Watters.

VAN BRUNT, GEORGE M.-Born June 16, 1821, in Orange County, N cw York. Removed when quite young to Marshall, Calhoun County, :Michigan, where on December 20th, 1843 he was married to Miss Flora E. Comstock. Soon after he located

at Adrian, Michigan. Dur­ing the gold excit•oment of 1849, he went to California and was there engaged in mining and owned and ran the first line of ;;tages be­tween Marysburg and Sac­ramento. After making quite a sum of money, he returned home to Adrian in 1852, and, in the spring of the foliowing year, re­moved with his family t,1 Minnesota, with St. Paul as his objective point. On the boat up the Mississippi he fell in with Thos. D. War­ren, who having heard of .the advantages offered by

GEORGE M. VAN BRUNT. the new townsite of Man-

kato, at the mouth of the Blue Earth, induced Mr. Van Brunt to accompany him, and, leaving their families in St. Paul, they reach­ed Mankato about June 1st, and both located claims, which arc now in the heart of the city, and on June 12th, the two families arrived and took possession. With them came James McMurtrie, Marshall T. Comstock, and his sister (now Mrs. Van Blarcum).

In the Rpring of 1854, Mr. Yan Brunt built and operated the first saw mill in Blue Earth County, about four miles south of l\fankato, on the Le Sueur river. He cliecl January 5th, 1857, leav­ing surviving his wife and two daughters: Henrietta E., wife of A. T. Foster, of 'l'ecumseh, Oklahoma, and Mary E., wife of S. C. Soule, of Mankato, who occupy the old Van Brunt residence built in the early fifties, of lumber sawed at the first mill. His

Biog-raj/ties 32_J

wirlow married James McJ\tiurtric and clierl Noveml,er, 1899. His farm has become all urban property, and comprises the large aml important addition which bears his name.

WAGEN, SR., CHARLES-Born near Saubrickcn on the Rhine, Prussia in i821. He emigrated to America in 1817 am1 located at Milwaukee, Wis. On May 7th, 1857, he settled at JWankato, with his family, and from that date until his retirement in 1877, 11·as prominently engaged here in the butcher am1 cattle buying business. He was a member of the City Council one or more terms. He was twice mauiecl, first in 1848 to Julia, daughkr of the late Jacob Hubb, who died in May, 18G0, and the second time to Miss Katherine Miller. He (lied April 13th, 1887, leav­ing snniving his second wife and three children by his first wife: Charles and Jacob W agen, the well known Mankato butchers, arnl Mn,. Emma Hm'kee; and two children by his second wife: George ancl J. Herman Wagen. Mr. Wagen led an industriou1s, pros­perous and honorable life.

WAITE, Judge Franklin lf.-Bom February 28th, 1813, in Windham County, Vermont, and, when he was three ywus of age, his parents moved to Jamestown, N cw Yark, ,vherc his father, Joseph Waite, was a prom­inent attorney for many years. At the age of twen­ty years, Franklin I-I. be­gan the study of law in his father's office, and three 31ears later was admitted to practice in the Supreme !'ourt of the State. Sub­scqncntl y be held the office of postmaster at J amcs­town. He was Democratic candidate for Congress in a district hopelessly against him and was only beaten by a few voteR. In Jlme 1844, he married Arklinc Hol­man. In 18--IG, he 11·ai,; ap­poi11kcl ,Jurlge of the Com-1non Pleas am1 held the uu- JUDGE FRANKLIN H. WAITE.

,1fanlwto - fts f''irst Fifty J't'ars

sition until aLolishccl Ly the Lc,gislaturc. In 1852, he moved _to

Foml du Lac, Wisconsin, arn1 thence in the spring of 18G0 to

JHankato, where he first formccl a co-partnen;hip with Cramer

Hurt and was afterwanls associated at different tirnes with Gen­

t!ral Tourtellotte, Morton S. Wilkinson, JG. P. Freeman and J. E. Porter. After the Sioux war he was attorney for a large number

oI daimants for damages from Jndian c1cprc<lations. In 18G4, he was village attorney under i,lic Iin,t corporate organization of

J'rfankato, and exercised an important inflm,rn:l) in sliaping and

directing our local govt'rnmcnt. He remk'rcd an invaluable sel'V­

ice to our city in the able aml fearless mmmer in which he pros­ecuted a nrnnhcr of snits to recover strcds, park:-:, levet•s arnl other public grounds from private greed.

In 1867 ancl again in 1877, he wa:c; cledcd State Senator am1 served with distinction. In 18G9, at tl1e solicitation of lmnclrcds of voters irrespective of party, he became a carn1itlatc for Judge of the Sixth Judicial Di:;trict, ancl was electecl lJy a big majority. Resigning his position in 18?'4, he ran for Congress on the Demo­cratic ticket against Mark H. Dunnell, the Republican nominee, and was only beaten by a small majority though the district wa:;

overwhelmingly Republican. He died J\farch 4th, 188!, leavin/'.;

him surviving his wife and two children, Mrs. Josephine Frisbie

and Augustus F. Waite, all of whom hare sinee clietlc

WALKER, SAMUEL M.-Born at Butternut Valley, Ot:-:cgo County, N. Y., March 30th, 1811. In the spring of l8;i;j he re­moved to Mankato and the following yc•ar located on the farm still occupied by the family adjoining town, anrl comrnancling a magni­ficent prospect of the Blue Earth and Minnesota valleys. He was esteemed for his strict integrity and the acti vc, intelligent interest he took in public affairs. He was chairman of the first Board of County Commissioners under the State Constitution anc1 hclcl vari­ous other public offices. He rnarri<)c1 in New York, Miss Maria Faatz and they had seven chilclrcn: Euphemia, l\[ary (wifo of Hev. J. S. Pinney), Edwarcl, Agnes A. (wife of D. F. Ferguson), Emma (wife of John Morrow) and Gerhu<le (lleceasctl wife of Dr. B. Shepherd). Mr. Walker died June 17', li-\8(i. His widow, a noble, sweet-spirite<l woman, whose faithfulne:-::-: in lier family, clrnrd1, and cmnnrnnity endears her to all, still lives on the old

homestead.

Bio{[rtr j,ltil's

WALKER, William B.-The well-known harness maker of Man-kato, was born in Castile, Wyoming County, New York, on May

19th, 1830. He is descend­ed of good New England stock-his parents, Dyer and Phoebe Walker, being nativl'S of Vermont. Tlrn family moved to Bdinburg, Pa., in 1833, and here young Walker was apprent­iced in 1849, to learn the harness making trade. In 1852, he opened a shop of his own in Edinburg, where he continued until the spring of 1857, when he re­moved to Freeborn, Minne­sota. He engaged in the harness business there until the Fall of 1861, when, on October 11, 1861, he enlist-

WILLIAM.B. •WALKER. eel in Company F. Fourth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry. He rendered brave and efficient

~nvicc at the battles of Iuka, Corinth and all other engagements

in which the gallant Fourth Minnesota participated, until about

October, 18G2, when Mr. Walker was detailed brigade Postmaster, which important position he held until the close of his enlistment. He followed Sherman upon his great march to Atlanta, and was discharged with his regiment, upon expiration of term of service, on DccemlJer 2--1, 1864, at Savannah, Georgia. He returned by way of N cw York to St. Paul, and thence, about February 1, 1865, came to Mankato, and was employed in the sadcllery of John D. Jones for three months. He then returned to his old Pennsylvania home on a visit, and there on May 16th, 1865, was united in mar­riage to Miss Sarah A. Lay. Coming back with his young bride to Mankato he formed a partnership with Mr. Jones, his former employer, which continued for about a year. He then opened a shop of his own in a small frame buik1ing belonging to Dr. Clark, which stoo<1 at No. ;n O South Front street. In 1871, he built the brick block adjoining his present quarters and removed his

J/aukato-.lts First Fifty Yeai's

growing husim's:-l thereto, arnl in 1885, he erected the brick huikl­ing, in whid1 is located his present store, which he has ever since occllpiccl. Mr. Walker by his persistent energy, industry and push early bllilt up an extensive and lucrative trade. which his genial disposition, strict integrity and ficlclity to business have always held.

His influence has always been with every civic and moral re­form. His children arc: Dyer A., associated with his father in business since 1889, and :B7 rcc1 R Walker.

WARNER, Dr. Charles F.-Bom August 30th, 1832, at Coving­ton, Gencsl'c County, N cw York. Son of Dr. Eben Warner, who was a practicinis physician for twenty years at Covington, and for many more years at Nunda, New York, to which place the family removed, when the subject of our sketch was a boy. Erlueated at the Wesleyan Seminary of Lima, New York, he be­gan his medical studies at his father's office in Nunda and, upon his father's death, he entered Jefferson Medical College, graduating in 1854. He then began the practice of his profession :}t Nunda, where he continued until he. came to Mankato in 1869, save that during the War, he served as assistant surgeon of the 136th New York Volunteers, for a time, and later as surgeon of the 58th New

pR. Cf\ARLES F. WARNER,

York National Guards. During his long career at

Mankato he has stoou among the most eminent of his profession, and has serv­ed his fellow citizens in various other ways. He was elected Alderman in 1873, and made president of the Common Council. He was lwalth officer of the city for ten or twelve years, and also served for two terms as county physician. He was one of the prime movers in getting the city to establish its water works and to pur­chase Sibley Park. He was president of the JVIankato Driving Park Acisociation.

Biograj,lzfrs

He was one of the founders of the lHinncsota Valley Medical As­sociation, and has been its president, and is still one of its most prominent members. He has, also, been a member of the Amer­iean Medical Association for twenty years and of the International Railway Surgeons' Association for ten years. He lias been the local surgeon of the C. St. P. M. & 0. Hy, the C. & N. W. Ry., and tlie C. M. & Nt. P. Ry., for the last twenty years.

Dr. W arncr was married in J unc, 18.S--I, to Miss Estlwr S. Town, of Nunrla, N cw York. Two oI the three cl1ildrcn born to thc111 lived to maturity: Clayton K, who died in li'cbruary, l!JOl, and :Mrs. Lilhette W. Baker.

WARREN, Thomas Dustin-Born Febrnary 2, 1814, in Lud­low, Vermont. Re came of good New Rnglarn1 stock. His gram1-Iathcr, Thomas \Varren, Sr., was a captain in the army of the Revolution and fought at Bunker Rill, and his father, Thomas Warren, Jr., was a captain in the New York State :Militia from 1820 to 182G. vVhen Thomas Dustin was eight years old his father removed with his family to the town of Lt,wis, New York, where the father died in 182G. Shortly after the father's death the family moved to Johnstown, Cambria County, Pa., where Wells Warren, the oldest brother, was a contractor on the Johnstown and Pitts­burg canal. Upon the completion of this canal in 183G, the family came west and located in and about Geneva Lake, Wisconsin.

On May 12th, 1839, Mr. Warren was married to Emily, daughter of William D., and Mary Padclock, who was born at Auburn, New York, January 31st, 1819. The issue of this union, were· three daughters: Mary, born September 25, 1840, and mar­riell 0. 0. Pitcher; Emily S., born August 1st, 1843, and married to William I-IO(lgson; and Isabella J., born March 24th, 1854, and warricc1 to Frederick T. Fuller.

In 1814-9, Mr. Warren crossed the plains to the gold fields of California, returning to his home in Salem, Kenosha County, Wis­consin, by way of the Isthmus and Ne,v York city, where he landed on Thanksgiving day 1850. In the fall of 1852, he removed to Dubuque, Iowa, remaining there only until the spring, when he bought a stock of groceries and general mcrchanclisc and took one of the first boats for St. Paul, ,vherc he larn1cd the clay after the battle between the Sioux am1 Chippc•was in that city. "W cstward ho!" was still his cry and June 12th, 18fi:3, saw him land with his family at Mankato, where he locateL1 on 120 acres of land, now in

p8 /lla11lwto-lts First Fifty Years

tl1e heart oI the tity. Afkr concluding for a short time one of the iirst storcc: in JV!ankato, he <l is posed of it to Robert vVartllaw, arnl <levote<l all his time to looking after his real estate interestc:. He laid out successively Warren's first, second and thirtl additions to Mankato, which arc now covered with some of the best resi­dence and lrnsincRs blocks of the city.

Large arnl nrnscnlar oI body, clccisivc and vigorous in speech ancl action, fearless, yet generous of spirit, he was indeed a fine spetimen of mu western frontiersman of the American type.

His Iin,t wife <lied October 13th, 18G8, and some years there­after he was marriNl to his second wife, Elizabeth, daughter of Henri Leacler:c;, who ,,till survi\'CS. Her father, Mr. Leaders, 1s

also living arn] for the past six years has borne the distinction of being the oldest I'ru,;:sian soldier in the United States.

Mr. Warren cliccl May :20th, 1879.

WASHBURN, FRANCIS M.-Born in Waynetown, Montgom­ery County, Indiana, August 25, 1845. He removed in 1857, with his parents, Christopher C., and Julia A. Washburn, to Vernon Center, Blue Earth County, :Minnesota, where he resided on a farm llntil the summer of 18G7, when he entered Western College at Toledo, Iowa, graduating A. B., in the class of 1874, and receiving the degree of A, l\f., three years later. He married on June 20, 1870, Miss Martha E. Alliston, a graduate of the same institution, and the two conrlucted together a private academy at Elroy, Wis­consin, from 1874 to 1880. Mr. Washburn then entered the active work of the ministry-holding pastorates successively in Wiscon­sin, :Minnesota, Colorado and California. He had charge of the Mankato Congregational church from July 1, 1894 to October 1, 18UG. His first wife died May 26, 1890, and he was married June lG, 1897, to Miss Ellen l\L Bickford, who died September :30, 1898. On August 25, 1901, he was again married to Mrs. Briclelle C. H. Cox, a national organizer and lecturer of the W. C. 1'. U., with whom and his aged mother, he is now living as pastor of the Congregational church of Soquel, Cal.

WASHBURN, Jed L.-Born December 2Gtb, 185G, in l\fontgom• cry County, Indiana. Son of Christopher 0., and ,Tulia A. (Showen) Washburn, a piouR arn1 worthy couple, who located in the town of Vernon Center, Hh1c Earth County, Minnesota, in the spring of

1857. Th0 family passed through all the hardships of pioneer

life, and the exciting scenes of the Irnlian massacre of 1862. J. L. acquired a good academic education, and, when a young man, taught several terms of sehool, eonclu<ling his work as a teacher in the public schools of Mankato. He ha~, l1owever, kept up a lively interest in educational matters ever since, arnl was president of the Board of Education of Mankato for a number of years. His knowledge of law was acquirecl at the law office of Judge lVI. J. Severance, of Mankato, and he was a<lrnittccl to the bar in May, 1880. For ten years he pradicecl his profession with great suc­cess at Mankato, and then removed in 1890 to Jluluth. He prac­ticed there alone until 189:i, when J udgc Chas, L. Lewis resigned his position on the District Court bench to form a co-partnership with him and William D. Bailey, but left the firm in 1900 for a

seat on the Supreme Bench. Since his removal to Du­luth, 1\fr. Washlrnrn has been counsel for many large corporations and has been interested in a large number of very important real es­tate and corporation cases before the State and U. S. Conrts. His practice is one of the largest and most lu­crative in the state. He is an incessant worker and a

Yigorous fighter, h,lt always chivalrnus arnl trustworthy. Mr. Washburn was married May 8, 1882, to l\fo,s Alma ,T. Pattee, of Stockton, Wis-consin, a gracluatc of the JED L. WASHBURN.

:Mankato Normal School, arnl at one time a teacher in that in­stitution. They have six ehilclrcn: C'lancl C., Julia Genevieve, Abbott McConnell, :Mildred, Hope, arnl ,John Lawrence Washburn.

WEAVER, EDGAR-Born February 19, 1852, at Milton, Rock County, WiRconsin. Hcccivcd a go0<l business education in the common schools an<l college of his native town. From 1870 to 1872, he was a clerk in the ofliee of the Chicago, Milw.1,ukce arnl St. Paul Railway Company, at Calmar, Iowa, nncl, :from 1872 to

33° 11/ankato---lts First Fffty J'ears

18°1'9, he was in the employ of S. L. Sheldon at Maclison, Wisconsin. From 1879 to 189!), he was general agent of the ,T. I. Case Thresh­ing Machine Company. In 1891, lie was made vicc-pTcsident of the Minnesota State Agricultnral Society, which position he held until 1895, when he was made its president, holcling the office

EDGAR WEAVER.

During 1895-G and 1897, he was a mcrn ber of the State ]farmer's Institute Board and its eecrctary. He was Mayor of the city of Mankato in 1893, 189-:l, 1895, and 189G, anc1 he has been a member of the State Capitol Building Commis­sion since 189G, and Audit­or of Blue Earth County since moo. He is a prom­inent member of the Ma­somc, United Workmen, Commercial 1'ra velcr's, Elks and other fraternal so­cieties. Capable, friendly, and obliging, Mr. Weaver is popular with all classes. He was married February

13th, 1888, to Katherine, daughter of the late John C. Wise, the well known editor of "The Heview" of Mankato.

WHITNEY, Rev. Wilson-Born at Readfield, Maine. When five years old he removed with his parents to Beloit, Wisconsin, anc1 later to Winnebago County, Illinois, where most of his youthful days were spent. At the age of thirteen years he joined the Baptist church of Stillman Valley, Illinois, which chnroh later li­censed him to preach. A_ftcr two yea.rs spent in Northern Iowa, he cntereJ Cedar Valley Seminary, Osage, Iowa, in the spring oJ 18G4-, but soon cnliste<1 as a soldier in the hundred clays' service.

In 1865, he entered the ol<l University of Chicago, from which he grac1natcd in 1871. During that summer he was married, or­rlainccl as a minister, and settled as pastor of the Baptist church at Rockton, Illinois. Since that time he has been in the pastorate continuously with the exception of a fow months in 1872-3, when

Rioi:-rap!zies

in ill-health, and for three years, 1881-4-, when he was General Missionary for the :Minnesota State Conference. He has served as pastor, in addition, the following clrnrches: Osage, Iowa, :Man­kato, Minnesota ( two pastorates, during tlic latter of which the present house of worship was huilt), Carbonrlale, Illinois, Goshen, Indiana; Adrian, Michigan, ( where he baptized 208 persnns in five

years); Messiah Chnrch of Chicago, and Bc•<lfonl, 1ncliana, where he is now locaterl.

Among those who have mini~tn<'<l to tlw napti;-;t denomina­tion at Mankato, none ]rnye <lmw lwttn work or an• morn higl1ly esteemed than Rev. Whitney .

WICKERSHAM, DR. MOSES R.-Bom Jan nary Silt, 1815, at Greensboro, Henry County, ]ndiana. Ifo came of good Qnak:.!r stock-the first of the family in America, Jl'lrn Wickersham, hav­ing come from England with William Penn. This ancestor after spending a short time in Pennsylvania went to Nortl, Carolina, ancl thence to Wayne County, Indiana, where he waR one of th~ first settlers. fr· Wicker­sham received his common school education in his n'.1-tive town, and his medical cclncation and training pnrtly in the off-ice of Dr.

I<lclings there, anr1 partly at a medical institution. In his stuc1ent days he was em­ployed by a numbrr of reb:J merchants as a purchasing agent at Cincinnati and St. Louis. He began the prac­tice of his profession in Creensboro, where, also lie DR. MOSES ROBBINS WICKERSHAM.

was marrierl, October 4th, 18:39, to his cousin, Miss Anna Wick­ersham. 'l'o an active rnin<l he rnlde<l inrlnstry, perseverance aml t

great love of books, which made him a lea(ler among the young men of his clay. He early csponscd the Anti-Slavery cause, anrl was a high official of the famous "Underground Haihrny'' system of the

332 Jl:/anlwto~/ts l•i"rst l'ifty Years

qay. He established a station of the road in his own home, and many a poor fugitive he and his noble young wife aided to freedom. After a few years practice at Greensboro, he removed, in 1845 or 6, to New London, Howard County, Indiana, then a new town just starting in the wilderness. .Here he soon built up quite a prac­tice, but, as the settlers were scattered over a wiclc extent o~ country, where the miry roads could only be traveled on horseback_. and the wet, mirky soil teemed with miasrnic germs, the doctor', health quickly succumbed to the hardships and malaria, and h-, was obliged to give up active practice for a time. On .February 23, 1847, he was appointed postmaster of New London, and later, in the same year, he was induced by the leaders of the ]'rec Soil party to accept the position of managing editor of a newspapAr advocat­ing their views, at Indianapolis, but, owing to the turbulency -J.f the times, the paper was shortlived and lVIr. Wickersham returned to New London. Here in 1848, a novel experiment in the news­paper line was attempted in the publishing on the same sheet of three newspapers, under three separate and distinct editorial managements. One page was occupied by the Democrats, another by the Whigs, and a third by the Free Soilers and Abolitionists, of which last page lVIr. Wickersham was editor. The pnpcr was called the Pioneer, but its triple character did not last long, and soon .Mr. Wickersham became its sole proprietor, conducting it with ability and vigor for four or five years at New Lo•H1on, and then removing it to Kokomo in the same county, he changed its name to the 'I'ribune, and in a short time sold it to C. B. Hensley, who some years later came to Mankato. The paper is now one of the leading dailies of Kokomo, and calleL1 the "Daily and Weekly Gazette Tribune." After disposing of his paper, J\fr. Wickersham engaged in the mercantile business at Kokomo, 1tntil continucc1 poor health compelled him in 1856 to seek a change of climate in Minnesota, and he arrived at Mankato on the 12th of l\'lay that year, and the family joined him the following October. He at once engaged in the practice of his profession al1(1 also ,pt:ne<1 the first drug store in Mankato, wbich with his brother, Jason F. Wickersham, he cornluded for several years. He was quite active in political and business circles in those tlays. It was mainly through him Mankato secured its first newspaper, :for lie irnlucP<l Messrs. Hensl<'y and Ounning, the latt('I' a cousin of Mrs. Wicker­sham, to come here arnl start it in ] 85')'.

Biographies 333

In 18G2, he was appointed physician to the Winnebago Indians and he followecl the tribe to their new Nebraska Reservation the next summer, but resigned his position and returned home in a year or two. He was one of the founders of the, Minnesota Valley Medical Association. His declining years were happily spent on a

;-;mall tract of lancl within the city, where he indulged his horti­cultural tastes, in the cultivation of berries, grapes :md other frnits.

His wife died April 13th, lfl88, and his dcr,th occmecl Octo­ber 2)', 18D.8. His children were: Mary Ellen, widow of the late .J. "I'. vVilliams of Mankato; Lydia Maria Child, who was marrierl to K D. B. Porter, and who clied in Washington, D. C., DecemhPr n, 1801; Miss Sarah G. Wickersham of JHankato, Benjamin Price and Ernest Caleb Wickersham.

WIDELL, Gen'/. Gustaf-Was born April 28th, 18G2 at Li<l-lrnping, Sweclen, and emigratecl to Mankato in the spring of 1882.

For the fin,t two years he was a common laborer. During 1884 ancl 1885, he in company with his brother Freel, found c·rnplo_ymcmt in the McMullen quany. In 188G, Fred Widell startecl in the stone quarry business for himself with Gustaf as a foreman, anrl later as sup­erintcmlcnt, antl finally, in lSD-!, as partner--the firm name being "Widell & Co." Upon the death of his brother in 1895, Gustaf be­came the sole owner of the quarry and has conducted

the business with great sue-

GENERAL GUSTAF WIDELL. ccss ever sinee, giving em-ploynwnt to several hundred men eYery year. For a number of years he has securccl most of the big coutraets for railway briclge subi.;trndures in Southern Minnesota, Northern fowa, South Tla­kota and N ehraska.

Mr. Widell has served on the Mankato Common Council. In

334 Jlanlwto-fts J,irst Flf/y ) ·ears

1900, he was appointed on Gov. Yan Sant's staff with the rank of Colonel and in 1903, was promoted Brig. General. He is a 32nd degree Mason and a Past lYiat-\ter of the Mankato lodge. He is also a Knight Templar and a prominent member of several other secret orders. He was married September 21st, 1886, to Miss Clara E., daughter of Lewis S. Hurt, of Lime township. Five chil.1ren have blessed this union: Nellie 11'1., Carrie May, Eleanor C., Jncz E., aml Lewis G.

WILKINSON, Hon. Morton S.-This distinguished citizen of Mankato ,vas born in Skaneateles, Onondaga County, N. Y., on the 22~1d of January, 1819. He received an academic education, studied law, and was admitted to the bar at Syracuse, 181.'2. Prac­ticed his profession at Eton Rapi(l:,;, :Michigan, until 18-Vi. He then remoYed to Minnesota, settling at Stillwater, am1 in 18.,Hl, was eleetecl to the first territorial legislature from that place. Sub­sequently he removccl to St. Paul, where he remained until 18:rn. He permanently settled in Mankato in March, 1858. He was elect­ed to the legislature, and was a member of a commission to draft a cocle of laws for the young state. In 1859, Mr. Wilkinson was elected to the United States Senate, where he served with marked c1istinction for the term of six years. He was the close friend of President Lincoln, am1 the colleague of such men as Summer, 'vV acle, Chandler and Wilson, during the trying times of the rebellion. His patriotism was of the highest type, and his services were inval­uable to the Union cause. Failing in a re-election to the Senate, he was elected in 1868, to the lower house of Congress, sening one term. Subsequently he was twice elected to the State Scrnlt(\ 1874, and 1877.

Senator Wilkirn;on was a man of commanding prcsencP, great intellectual ahility, and an eloquent and convincing speaker. With more industry and energy, he would have become one of the fore­most statesmen of the United States. He was the first practicing lawyer, northwest of Prairie du Chien. He was a member of the fir,;t Masonic lodge organized in the stute, August 8, 1849. He was elected Hcgister of Deeds for Ramsey County in 18,31. J n 18:i:l, he was a eamlif1ate as a Whig, for Territorial Counsellor, hut was defeated. He was an earnest Whig in those days. On the form­ation of the Republican party, he became its champion in the RtatP. ln the year 1878, he removed to Wells, where he practiced his profession until the time of his death, which occurred :February

HON . MORTON SMITH WILKINSON.

,)fanlwto-fts f,i'rst hfty ) "cars

4, 1894 He wm, buried in Glenwood Cemetery, 1VIankato. A noble monument reared by his life-long friend, Hon. Charles D. Gilfil­lan, marks the last resting spot of this distinguished citizen.

He was twice married. His first wife was a daughter of the Hev. Lemuel Nobles, of Michigan, in which state slie cliec1 before he eame west. He was again marriecl in Michigan to 1\'Iiss Sallie Ann Ros~, about 1848. This noble woman, aged G3, c1iecl at Wells, .Tune 20, 1888. To this marriage, two children were born, viz: f,!!la (Brewster), who die<l at Chicago, during a surgical operation, .Tune 2G, 1894; Morton S. Jr., who <lie<l at :Mankato, aged 19 years of' scarlet fever. 'J7he entire family lies bnricc] in Glenwood Ceme­kry, Mankato. The only surviving member of the family is Mor­ton W. Brewster, a grancl;;on, of Wells, Minnesota.

WILLARD, Myron G.-Born October 23, 1842, in Trenton, Onei(la ( 'onnty, >fpw York, son of Daniel and Catherine vVilliarns Willard.

MYRON G, WILLARD,

His ancestry on the Willard side go baek to C,tpt. Simon Willard, who settlecl in New England in lGG+. He srient his boyhood days upon his father's farm. Was educat­ed at Whitestown Seminary and Hamilton College, from which latter institution he gracluafocl with special hon­ors in the class of 18G8, am1 four years later received his .Master's degree. Irnrnc<li­ately after gra<luating he , entered the law offlce of Senator Francis Kernan of Utica, N. Y. Having in addition to his regular course at college, taken, during the last three years,

a special law course, he waR able to pass the law examination at Syracuse in Odoher, 18GS, aml was a<lniittc<l to prartice in all tln· courts of tlw state. As all the rest of' the family lrn<l now removrcl to 1\fankatn, JHinnrsota, lie followt'ci them ancl anivecl there De­ccmli<)r h;f, 18(i8. On the day o[ his an-ival here he was admitted

Biog-rafl,ics

to pradic,e in the courts 01 Minnesota, arn1 opcne<l an office at onee. His spceialty was wrporation and real estatt: lnw, in whie.!t he became quite proficient and successfol. He was associafo(l for a time with A. R. Pfau Sr.,and later with Thos. Hughes, until he almmloned the law for manufacturing in the fall of 1885. In eonjunction with his Lrother, ,John A. Willard, he first built and equipped a large plant for the manufacture of Fiber ·ware, in 1885-G, antl became manager of the business, whieh was eonducted 1mder the COl]Jornte name, of "'!'he Stanclard Fiber Warl, Co." Later, in l8D2-3, he also built rmd ecp1ipped the large plant known m; "The JVlankato l(nitting Mills," for the manufacture of hosiery arn1 other knit goods. The financial panic of 1895-6 soon followed, and both these infant institutions went down in the erash early in 1897. Nothing daunted by the loss of all his savings of many years, Mr. Willard at onee heroically and persistently went to work to -rescue one at least 01 these industries from the ruin, with the result that within less than a year abundant new capital was en-1 isted, and the Mankato :Mills Company formed, with \V. L. Hixon as president, ancl J\fr. Willard, as superintendent, and the first four years of this new company have br1en eminently succe~sful. l\lr. Willard has taken a Yery active inter0st in the business, moral am1

religious development of Mankato. As member of the Board of Trade, and its efficient secretary for years, he has laborerl ince;;­santly for the uplmilding of the city, especially along the line of

"More railroatls and factories." For nearly thirty years he has been a ruling elder of the Presbyterian church, and for thirteen years was superintendent of its Sunday School.

Mr. Willard \\·as marriecl in 1870, to .Julia K TZnowlton, of Holland Patent, N. Y., who died in ,July, 187G. He remarried in 1879, Mary ,V. Willard, also of Holland Patent, and nieee of the late Gen. H. W. Halleck. He has three children, two by his first ,vife: Charles K., manager of tlw Mankato Citizens Telephone Co., and Elkins C., for the last two years assistant manager of the Mankato Mills Co., and one by his second wife: Clara E.

WILLARD, John A.-'l'his active business eitizen was born near Holland Patent, Oncirla County, New York, N ovcmbcr !J, 183;3. He was the son of Daniel S. arnl Catherine vVilliams Willarcl. The family was of English stock.

Mr. Willarcl was erlucated in the public sehoolc<, ancl latPr in an academy near his native place. When \mt sevenfoen years 01 age,

llfankato-fts First Fifty Yeai-s

he taught a public school. He studied law in the city of Utica,- and was admitted to the bar in 1855. He came to Minnesota, and lo­cated at Mankato, July, 185G. He formed a part­nership, June l, 1858, with S. F. Barney, and practiced his profession, ancl also en­gaged in real estate, until 1870. About this time he became interested in a rail­road enterprise, and was president of the company which built the road from Mankato to Wells, which is now a part of the Chicago, l\filwaukee & St. Paul sys-

JOHN A. WILLARD. tern. In 1872, he in con-

nedion with R. D. Hubbard and Jas. R. Hubbell, organi:ced the l\fankato Linseec1 Oil Co. His business enterprises now became very numerous, The :Mankato N oYelt_y Works; The Standard Fiber­ware Co.; The Mankato Knitting Mills; and the St. Paul White Lead and Oil Co., employed his remarkable energies. He aided in organizing, ancl for twenty years, was president of the First Nation­al Bank of this City. He was president of the National Bank of Commerce, Duluth, and of the Granite Falls Bank. He was also president and director of many other corporations. In fact there seemed to be no limit to his tireless energy and business capacity. His hand was felt in the best enterprises of Mankato, in whose welfare bis whole heart anc1 soul were wrapped up, He was always active in the Board of Traclc, and was for many years its president. There is probably no single man who has done more to build up the town than he. In 18:ll, he was chosen mayor of the city by unanimous vote.

In 1885 he became intereste<l in Duluth real estate. He was a promoter of great business enterpriRt·s in various parts of the country, and the Northwest owes much to his wonderful activity. In

Biograflzies 3]9

all his career he cnjoycll the con1it1cnce of om people, and his high

character was appreciated throughout the state.

The great reverse of 1mrn caught him in its remorse­less meshes, and he went down with thousands of others. His high sense of honor pre ye cl n pon his mind, and in the struggle to meet his obligations he died, December 15, 18D7. He was a sturdy fighter; a founder of important irnlu;;­trics, and great enterprise;;, all of which be cornluctc<l with tireless energy and personal integrity. He was a man of fine appearance, imperial personality arnl of a vigorous intellect. He was married August 23, 18G5, to

MRS. JOHN A. WILLARD. Miss Anna JH. Sibley; to

this union seven children were born, three dying in infancy. Emma Catherine, only <laughter, died in 18G7. The living arc William Dodsworth, born December 17, 18G7; Harold Barney, born October 1, 187G; and Hobert Sibley, born September 15, 1882.

]Hrs. Willanl is a daughter of the late R. J. Sibley, and upon her father's death, in 18G4, she was appointed to sncecetl him, in drnrge of the l\fankato Postoffice, the only one of her sex who has hel<l the position. In all w6rks of charity arnl bcnernlenc:e, in her church and city, she has e,·er taken a loading part, and her memory will lH: long cherisl1c<l by many of the poor an<l unfortunate for her deeds of kimlncss. she at present resides in Brooklyn with her son Hobert.

WILLIAMS, CAPT. HENRY H . ._One of the well-known old­time lal1(]10nls of the Clifton l10nsc, was born August 9th, 180G,

in Roxbury, l\fa:"s. He was a llirt:d de:;;ccmclant of Hobert Williams, one of the firnt settlers of Roxbury, and a grandson of Col. J oscph

11/ankato~lts First Fifty Vears

Williams, who was distin­guished in the Colonial warn with the French am1 In­dians. At the age of 1G years he went to sea as a sailor and before lte reached his nineteenth year became captain of a vessel. He continued upon sea un­til about 18+8, when be engaged m business at Boston and in 1855 came to Minnesota and located at Shakopee. During the Re­bellion Capt. Williams was a very strong Union man and tried to enlist in the navy, but was rejected be­cause of his age. He was

CAPT. HENRY HOWELL WILLIAMS. appointed deputy U. S.

Marshall and deputy Herennc Colledor for Scott County and was \·igorous in defence of the government. In 1870, he located in Mankato and was proprietor of the Clifton House until 18'18, when lie removed to ,;Valdo, Florida, and was successfully cngagell in orange culture until his death on August 9th, 1893. He was of a genial ancl generous disp9sition, and his kindly deeds were bestowed on all sides. In religious belief he was an Universalist. When living in Boston he was a particular friend of John B. Gough, the notcl1 temperance worker, and often gave him refuge ancl sympathy in his home, when a victim of the plots of enemies.

Capt. Williams was married on April 17', 1833, to J11fiss Mm·y DU<lley, ,vho was born at Boxbury, lVIass., July 5, 1807, of good Puritan stock. Their children were: Henry H. Williams, ,Jr., born March 9, 1838, served in the 1st Minn. Reg't., through the war, and now resides at Black Hills, So. Dakota; Thos D. vVilliams, born Sept. 11, 1839, carried the first dispatches of the Imlian outbreak to Fort Snelling from Henderson, where they hacl been brought at midnight from Fort Ridgely by Isaac Porter, anc1 now resides on a valuable orange plantation at Walclo, Fla,; arnl E. G. D. William,;, born July 18, 184G, and died at Shakopee, April 27,

Bio1;rapliics

1863, shortly after retnming from the ddens(' of the frontier against the hostile Sioux. Mrs. Williams died August 13, 1888.

WILLIAMS, John T.-Born at Bryn 1\fawr, B]'(x:onshire, Wales, 1\fa_y 12, 1828. His parents <liet1 when he was iive years old, and sin<.:c he was eight _year;; of age he ha<l to earn his own Jiving, by working iu the coal mi1ws, of his native country. ln 18c18 he enii­gratcd to Beaver J\foadow, Carbon Co., Pa., and work­e<1 in the coal mines there for two sunm1ers. a\ ttemlc<l sd10ol at Gib­son, Pa., in the winter of 1843-!J, and at Wyom­ing Serninary from 18-Hl to 1853. Carne to St. Paul in the summer of 185cl, and after return­ing to Pennsylvania for the winter, removed in the ;;prmg of 183G

to South Bend, }Iinn. wlicre he opened a real estate otlic(!. Was elected Clerk of the Dit-\trict Court in 18,37, and Coun­ty 'J'reasurer in 1861. In

18<rn he was appointed by Hon. Wm. Windom,

JOHN T. WILLIAMS.

Scl'.retary of the House Committee on Indian Affairs, at Washing­ton, which position he held until 1870. Was· Sergeant at Arms of the State Senate, in 1870 and rnn. Was delegate to the Hepubli­<;an National Convention in 1872, and was appointed Special Agent of the Po,;t Oflice Department, the same year, whid1 position he held until July 1878, when he was made U. S. Consul to St. Hellens England. ln 1880, he was chosen a presidential elector from Min­nesota. He was a strong Republican in politics, arnl was undoubt­edly one of the ablest and most successful leaders of his party in Southern Minnesota. In 1888, he built a large business block which bears his name. He made Mankato his home from 1858

,l/a11lwto-lts h"rst Fifty Yt·ars

until his <leath, on May 20th, lSUS. l\fr. Williams was married on ,July :lrd, 18!il, to :Mary K \Viekersharn, who survives him, with their fin~ d1ildrcn: l\In;. \'iroqua ( Borll), Wacier of Seattle, Wash., Theodore Williams, the well known insuram:e man of }fanlrnto, Mrs. Nellie Arnlrmv:s, Alice and :Florem:c Williams.

WIRTH, 0. S. B. Rev. Augustine-Was born March 17, 1828, ,it Lohr, in the J)ioce,l' of Wmzlrnrg, Bavaria. He came to Am­erica on June 5tl1, 1851, took the vow,; of a Berw<lictinc in Augud 18/5:2, and wa:,; ordained December 8th, of the ,rnme year, at Pitt:s­burg, Pa.

He as:snrned direr:tion of the St. Peter all(l St. Paul's Congrega­tion at Mankato, on Jmrnary 1st 1:-::n, arnl retained the :,;ame until February 8th, rn7 .. 1, He c;uperintended with great energy and zeal and excellent jll<lgment the erec:tion of the present large ancl com­modious church building.

For many years thereafter, Father Wirth was rector of a con­gregation at Elizabeth, N. J. In l8US he retumc<l to l\iinne:,;ota and took charge of a congregation at Springfield, where he died on December 20, lnOl.

WISER, Phillip Kimba/1-\Vas born in Carnbrillge, Ohio, Feb. 2D, 18-!0. He early learned the jeweler,; trade arnl livecl in WheL'l­ing, Virginia, remol'ing to St. Louis in lSfii. ln 18G5, he was married to Miss Belle Maxfield, of 1\!Inskingum County, Ohio. Of thitl marriage there were born two cl1i1Llrcn: Louis C., anll James M. In the spring of lS(iG, Mr. Wis<·r came to Mankato. He was l{ecciver of the lT. S. Larnl Olilce at '!'racy, urnler l're1:Si­<ll>nt Cleveland. He ha,; been in continuous business in Mankato longer than any other merchant except U. Lulsclorff.

WISWELL, Hon. James ,4,-Born Sqiternber 15th, 1828, at Wincllrnm County, Vermont. When four years old removed with his parents to Broome Count~,, New York. He graduated from Union College, Schenectady, New York, in 1853, and in J:-,5(j wm; ac1mittec1 to the legal protcssion. Soon after this he movecl to Fornl du Lac, Wis., ancl thence in 1857, to Garden City, Minn. In 18(!8 he was united in marriage to Helen M. Carey arnl in the following year located in Mankato. Soon thereafter he fornw<l a law co-partnership with .TlHlge Brown, which eon­tinue(l . for eighteen year::;, tq the time of his death-Decem-

ber 28, 188:'l. Mr. Wiswell represented Blue Earth County in the State Lcgi:sbture in 18G2, 18<i:l, UJii-1, arnl again in rnrz. vVhcn lVfankato was cn'ate(l a City, in 18G8, he was made its firnt .Mayor, and \\ ,1:-; rC-('lcctcd to the same office in 187'G, 1877, 1878 and again in 1880 anr1 H-\81, and for the two yearn im­

mec1iatcly J}l'C'C('<ling his <knth lw sen-ed the City as itR At­torney. For many years he

was 1111 efnc·iPnt mcrnh('l' of the :Unnlrnto Hoard of Eclu­

cci,tion, arn1 hclt1 numerous other offices of puhlic tr110:t rncl importanre, in all of '.vhid\ lw ,;cnc(l ·,Yer with crc(l it to himr-;clf and w1t­

isfndion to the pnblic. He

left him snniYing, his wifr

arnl one (langhter-Gcrtrrnlc

L.-both still rn,irling at

Mankato. HON. JAMES A. WISWELL

WISE, John Claggett-rI'hiR belorcd son of Mankato, was born at Hagcrntown, Md., September -!th, 18:1-L His parenb wcl'C

I

Richard and Sarah Cline Wisc, natire Marvlanr1crs. He was cdncakc1 in prirnh' schools, arnl was early apprenticed to the printing trade, which fixed his career during lifo. Before he was yet of age, he pubfo,hed the "Clearspring Whig,'' supporting Gen. Seott, for president, in 1852. On the <lcrnise of the olc1 Whig party, he became a democrat, arnl followecl the forhmes of that party with conRistency whilP he live(l. For a while he !Jccamc a «jour" printer, an<1 was 01i the Globe in Washington City. In the spring of 1855, he went to Superior, Wis., arn1 established the "Superior Chronicle." Selling this jomnal, .July 5th, 1859, he cam<' to }fankato, nn<l i:ssucd a paper cnllt'cl tlw "Heconl," '11 his paper he sole! to Onille Brown, and }fay :i5, l 8(i!J, in company with E. C. Pn_vne, he issuecl the first nnrnhcr of the "Review," Purcliasing his partner's interPst, hy his prU(font an<l skilful rn,mngc-mcnt, it hc'camc one of the most wi<lc-h- known, and in­ihwntial Dc111ocratie papcr,s in tlH' Sta tr'. His li l'e mm :Jeyoterl to the newspaper work, and he rcacht'cl anc1 behl a position second

345

to no country 1wwspaper man in 1\,1 inncsota. His paper was a model of its class and its influence was prodigious. Never an aspirant for ofikc, he yet held many positions of trust, even at the hanc1,; of his political opponents. He was twice a delegate to National Conventions, an<l twice Postwast<'r of thit:l cit_\". I-k was a large man, physically, with a fine head arn1 bright arnl elwc·rful emmtcnancc. His ,vas a grnnr1 nature, trn ly noble•, ancl ever without bitterness or rcsentnwnt. ?\o man could lw mor<' unselfish, and ·he lon'rl his home and family \\'ith singular derntion.

With love, charity arnl kirnlness for all, lw was of the highest typl' of manhood. Peace to his honorecl dust!

He was marriec1 i\Tiss Arnanrla Flory. srn'n chilclren: Harry

at Clearspring, r1lc1., ~kpt. Dth, rn;w, to 'I1o this happy union, thPre were born

Wisc, who llicd ,Jan. 18th, 18(i0. Charles K

Wise, Katherine Wisc\ (now Mm. Rclgar 1Vc-a\"er), John C. \Vi,-c' Jr., Hulen K \Vise, Flory K Wise, Mary Wit'e ,\"ho cliccl RPpt. (;tl1,

1877. l\'lrs. \rise, one of the low•liPst of her ~ex, rliecl .Tan: 11th, 1885.

•·1gST lfr)M!<: OF THI•: Fl(EE PRESS.

185•.

TIit ff(ff FRtSS-We show here a pic­ture of the small building used in the publication of the Independent ( now the Weekly Free Press) in the year 1857, which was established in June of that year, by Clinton B. PRESENT HOME OF THE FREE PRESS--1903.

Hensley. The building was located at the corner of Broad and Walnut streets, where now stands the brick residence of Mrs. W. F. Funk. It was torn down several years ago.

The present Free Press building has a frontage of Ui feet and a depth of 90 feet, three stories high; built of brick with brown stone front, and is one of the handsomest newspaper homes in the northwest. The Free Press Printing Company publishes the Daily and Weekly Free Press, has the largest

J, \\', TRUE. F. W, HllNT. M. D. FIHTZ.

Present proprietors of Tlie Free Press Printing Company.

and best equipped print­ing and binding plant in Sou the r n Minnesota. Their business extends well over the great states of Minnesota, Wisconsin and the Dakotas. Thirty­five hands are employed in the conduct of its business.

On March 1st, 1902, the present owners succeeded to the business.

THE LINCOLN P:\l{K ELM.