"History of Freeborn County", 1882
Freeborn Twp. Biographies
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RUSSELL D. BURDICK was born in New York on the 27th of January, 1830. He attended the common schools near his home, and afterward an academy in Madison county. In 1855, he came West to Dane county, Wisconsin, and two years later married Miss Luransa Champlin, also a native of New York. They have had four children, one of whom died on the 4th of May, 1876. In 1865, Mr. Burdick brought his family to this place and has since made it his home, his farm being located in section one of this township. He was one of the organizers of his school district and has since been one of its officers. In religious belief he is a Seventh Day Baptist.
ALFRED CRANDALL is a native of Rhode Island, born on the 14th of April, 1814. When an infant he removed with his parents to a farm in Madison county, New York, and at the early age of twelve years left home and began working for his own support. When twenty-two years of age he moved to Massachusetts and found employment in wagon shops. In 1840, he married Miss Almira Day, a native of New York. They came to Dane county, Wisconsin, in 1846, and to this place in 1863. For ten years Mr. Crandall had charge of different mail routes from Freeborn, going to Geneva, to Owatonna, to Albert Lea, and from the latter place to Waseca. He is one of the old and respected citizens, and has been instrumental in the organization and growth of the place. His farm contains two hundred acres. Mr. and Mrs. Crandall have a family of eleven children.
FRANCIS D. DRAKE was born in Cortland county, New York, on the 2d of November, 1833. When thirteen years old he came with his parents to Dane county, Wisconsin, where they lived on a farm. He was married in 1858, to Miss Alma Richmond, and they have a family of seven children. At the outbreak of the war Mr. Drake enlisted in the Seventh Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, Company C; in March, 1862, joined the Army of the Potomac under General Grant, and took part in the battles of Pittsburg Landing, Shiloh, and several other important ones. He was honorably discharged in 1864, and returned to his home in Wisconsin. In 1867, he came to this township and bought a farm of two hundred and eighty acres, to which he has since added, and it is now well improved. He is the father of seven children.
CHARLES H. DERBY, another native of the Empire State, was born in Otsego county on the 7th of October, 1832. When ten years old he removed with his parents to Pennsylvania, where they resided until 1854, then came to La Crosse county, Wisconsin, but the same year went to Virginia. In the latter year Mr. Derby was united in wedlock with Miss Harriet E. St. John, a native of New York. They have been blessed with three children. In 1857, he returned with his wife to Wisconsin, and soon after moved to St. Paul. He has been a prominent resident of this place since 1863, owning a well cultivated farm of two hundred and forty acres.
STEPHEN FULLER, one of the pioneers of this place, is a native of Orange county, Vermont, born on the 2d of May, 1828. He attended the common schools in Vershire, his native town, completing his education at the Thetford Academy, and afterward taught school for several years in Vermont and New Hampshire. In 1852 he married Miss Luvia M. Carpenter, also a native of that State, by whom he had three children. They came west in 1859, and located a farm in sections fourteen and twenty-three, where Mr. Fuller has since devoted his time. His wife died in 1861, and he has since married Miss Elizabeth M. Aughenbaugh, of Freeborn. They have a family of four children.
SAMUEL J. FULLER was also born in Vershire, Orange county, Vermont, his birth dating the 15th of July, 1834. He assisted his father on the farm until twenty years old when he entered the academy known as the New London Literary and
Scientific Institution, at New London, New Hampshire, where he took a scientific course, learning the theory of surveying and civil engineering, which, however, he never practiced. In the fall of 1856, he emigrated to Keokuk, Iowa; the winter following taught school in the old Mormon town of Nauvoo, Illinois. The following spring he became one of the pioneers of Freeborn, and staked out a claim in sections twenty-three and twenty-four which has since been his home, dividing his attention between farming and school teaching. He was married in 1865, to Miss Sarah A. Turner, a native of New York, and they have been blessed with two children, both boys. Mr. Fuller served three years in the army. He has been a member of the board of Supervisors several terms and Clerk of his school district for the past twelve years.
REV. WILBUR FISK was born in Sharon, Windsor county, Vermont, on the 7th of June, 1839. He is the son of a farmer and arrived at manhood in his native place. In 1861, he enlisted for three years in the Second Regiment Vermont Volunteer Infantry, Company E; went South, joined the army of the Potomac, and re-enlisted as a veteran before his first term had expired; was in active service with that army till the close of the war. In July, 1865, he received an honorable discharge, having served nearly four years, including six months off duty on account of sickness. He was married to Miss Angelina S. Drew, of Tunbridge, Vermont, and in September, 1865, they removed to a farm he had purchased in Kansas. Mr. Fisk was here led to commence ministerial labors in his own and contiguous neighborhoods. In 1875, he received an invitation to come to this place and devote his whole time to the work of the ministry, which call he accepted. He was ordained and installed pastor of the Congregational Church of Freeborn on the 13th of June, 1876. His labor is under the auspices of the American Home Missionary Society of the Congregational denomination, and his field includes, with Freeborn, places in Hartland, New Richland, and Lemond. He has four children living and one buried in Kansas.
ORVILLE S. GILMORE was born in Ripton, Addison county, Vermont, on the 17th of February, 1844. He resided at home until the age of eighteen years, then enlisted in the army and served six months. In the fall of 1865. he came to Dane county. Wisconsin, from whence he soon after came to Freeborn county, and located in Freeborn township. In 1871, he came to the village of Freeborn, and for two years clerked in the store of T. A. Southwick, then bought out the business of A. A. Munn, deceased, and has since conducted it, having a good trade. On the 29th of September, 1874, Mr. Gilmore was married to Miss Jennie E. Leonard, and they have three children. He has held several local offices and is now Treasurer of the town and also of the school district in which he resides. He is a member of the M. E. Church. His father was born in Bristol, Vermont, in 1802, and now resides with him.
JASON GOWARD was born in Croydon, New Hampshire, on the 19th of November, 1820, and lived with and worked for his father on his farms until arriving at the age of twenty-one. He then began for himself, working at different occupations for two years; then went south to Acton, Massachusetts, where he engaged to carry on a sash and blind factory, buying the same after three years. In 1849, he married Miss Charlos Dean, who bore him five children. In 1852, he sold out his business in the latter place and made a trip to California where he engaged in mining two and a half years. He experienced all kinds of luck, at some times being worth several thousand dollars and at other times several hundred worse than nothing, the latter being occasioned by a protracted illness. On his return to his native State, he located on a farm which he purchased previous to going west. In September, 1857, he sold his lands and the following spring came to this section of the country. After a two weeks sojourn at McGregor, Iowa, he started for the northern part of that State and southern Minnesota and while at Brownsdale in Mower county, he made the acquaintance of a Mr. Bigelow and his son-in-law, in company with whom he bought a yoke of oxen and wagon, supplied themselves well with provisions and started west with high hopes of future success. They drove to Freeborn, a distance of thirty miles, in four days, and Mr. Goward staked out a claim in section twenty-five. He immediately erected a small frame dwelling and then returned for his family. In July, 1858. he opened a store which he carried on for ten years, during all of which time he was Postmaster. He now owns about eight hundred acres of farming land in the county and is also interested in the coal and gypsum mines. He was one of
the leading men in the organization of the first schools in this place, and has held nearly all the local offices, having for the past eight years filled the office of Town Clerk. Many of the old settlers remember Mr. and Mrs. Goward (the latter of whom is lying in the Freeborn cemetery, having died on the 29th of March, 1882) with gratitude for the aid rendered by them during hard times in 1859.
JOHN G. HARRISON was born in Derbyshire. England, on the 18th of March, 1827. When he was an infant his parents moved to Liverpool and in 1837 came to America and located in Canada West, Durham county, where they were pioneers. They returned to England in 1840, remained four years and then came to this country, settling in Dane county, Wisconsin. In 1851, Mr. Harrison was joined in marriage with Miss Mary J. Pierce and they have six children. He became one of the pioneers of this place in 1857, having been to the State two years previous residing one of the years in Iowa. Immediately after coming here he staked out a claim in section twelve, which has since been his home.
NELS HANSON, a native of Denmark, was born on the 11th of January, 1845. When twenty-two years old he joined the army and served eighteen months, receiving at the end of time, an honorable discharge. In 1870 he came to America and located in Indianapolis, Indiana, where he was engaged in the blacksmith trade for about ten years. He was married in 1874, to Miss Christina Hanson, also a native of Denmark. The result of the union is two children. They came to this place in 1880, and own a farm in section twenty-six.
JAMES HANSEN, one of the first Danish settlers of this place, dates his birth the 7th of January, 1837. At the age of nineteen years he came to America and resided in Wisconsin until 1862, when he enlisted in the Eighth United States Infantry, Company D, and served three years. He then returned to Wisconsin, and in 1867, came to Minnesota and bought a farm in this township, remaining three years. He returned to Wisconsin and married Miss Augusta Dorn, a native of Germany, since which time his farm has been their home. They have a family of five children.
OLE JOHNSON was born in Norway, near Bergen on the 4th of October, 1835. He reached his majority in his native country, and in 1849, mar¬ried Isabelle Johnson and the issue of the union is eleven children. They emigrated to America in 1861, and first settled in Dane county, Wisconsin, where he carried on a farm for ten years. In 1871, he moved to Minnesota and has since been one of the respected and industrious farmers of this place.
HENRY S. OLIN, one of the early settlers of Freeborn, was born in Chenaugo county, New York, on the 12th of July, 1829. When but twelve years of age he began to learn the carpenter and joiner's trade which he followed in his early life. In 1852, he moved to Illinois, and in November, 1856, to Wisconsin, in both of which places he worked at his trade. He was joined in marriage in 1856, with Miss Annie P. Crandall, who was born in Madison county. New York. They have a family of three children. Mr. Olin came to this place in 1857, and has a good farm of two hundred and sixty acres. He has been Justice of the Peace and held other town and school offices since his residence here.
THOMAS W. PURDIE, a native of Scotland, was born near Glasgow, on the 3d of September, 1828. When he was five years old his parents moved to America and settled in St. Lawrence county, New York, where he reached his majority. In 1848 they came to Wisconsin, and in 1857 to Minnesota, taking a claim in section twenty-five, Freeborn town¬ship. He was married in 1860 to Miss Tilley L. Crandall, a native of New York. Mr. Purdie was one of the first County Commissioners, first Town Clerk, and in 1859, and again in 1877, was elected to the State Legislature. He is the father of four children.
JOHN B. PURDIE was also born near Glasgow, Scotland, his birth dating the 24th of March, 1830. He came with his parents to America, resided in St. Lawrence county, New York, and afterward in Wisconsin where he was engaged in agricultural pursuits. In 1855 he made a trip to Kansas, remained a short time, and returned to Wisconsin and two years later came to Minnesota. locating a claim in section twenty-five, in this township. He was married in 1865 to Miss Amanda C. Augtrendaveh, a native of Pennsylvania. The issue of the union is one child. Mr. Purdie was the first constable of this place and has filled other offices of trust.
NOYES P. STILLMAN was born in Cattaraugus county, New York. When he was an infant his parents moved to Michigan, and three years later to Dane county, Wisconsin, where they were engaged in farming. They came to Freeborn township in 1862, where Noyes was engaged with his father on a farm until he became of age, then returned to Wisconsin and entered Albion Academy, from which he graduated in 1869, and after¬=ward taught in the institution. He returned to this place in 1871, and has since taught twenty terms of school, at the same time carrying on his farm, which is in section one. In 1874, Miss Emma Benjamin, of Newport, Vermont, became his wife. She has borne him two children; Gertie Maud and Edith May.
JOHN A. SCHOEN, an early resident of this place is a native of Germany, born on the 2d of January, 1829. He came to America in 1852, and for five years lived in New York City, marrying, in 1856, Miss Caroline Herold, a native of Switzerland. In 1857. they came to Minnesota, and took a claim in this township but after two years returned to New York. He subsequently resided in Wisconsin, and in 1865 enlisted in the army, went south and joined the army of the Potomac, receiving an honorable discharge after a service of six months. Mr. Schoen always takes an active part in school and local matters. He is the father of five children.
GEORGE SEATH, one of the old citizens, is a native of Scotland, and dates his birth the 15th of October, 1833. When he was quite young he came with his parents to America, and for one year lived in New York City. The family then moved to Delaware county, and on the 9th of February, 1858, George married Miss Phoebe Larribee. He came to this township in 1861, taking a claim in section twenty-seven, which has since been his home. Mr. and Mrs. Seath have five children.
FRIETZ TACK was born in northern Prussia, on the 15th of April, 1849, and arrived at manhood's estate in his native country. He was joined in wedlock, in 1867, with Miss Mary Shodenberg. The issue of the marriage is two children. In 1869, Mr. Tack emigrated with his family to America and was a resident of Milwaukee eleven years, engaged in the lumber business. In 1882 he came to this place, where he resides with his widowed mother, his father having died a year previous to their coming. They have a good home, the farm being located in section twenty-six and is well cultivated.
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