Houston County, Minnesota - Biographical sketches (9 of 9 so headed), 1882

Donald R. Chisholm is a son of Alexander Chisholm, who was bora in Nova Scotia on the 23d of September, 1808. He visited Yucatan in 1863, and in September, 1865, brought his family, consisting of his wife and ten children. He located in section thirty-three, which was his home until his death, which occurred the 16th of July, 1874. His wife, youngest son Alexander W., and two daughters, Ann and Jennie, reside in Rushford, Fillmore county. Donald was born on the 4th of October, 1039, in Nova Scotia, and came to this place with the family in 1865. He was married to Miss Eliza Low on the 18th of December, 1867, the fruits of which union, were nine children, only three of whom are living; Deborah E., Catharine A., and Donald A. Mr. Chisholm resides on the old farm in section thirty-three, and is at present Justice of the Peace. He has, beside those previously mentioned, a sister Mary, who is married and resides in Rochester, Minnesota; a brother, John, living in California; Duncan, a blacksmith at Spirit Lake; Kate, the wife of P. Reynolds, of Lake Benton ; J ane, the wife of James Hargraves, residing in Spencer, Clay county, and Angus, now in Montana.

John Elliason dates his birth in Norway, the 1 0th of April, 1847. He has maintained himself since about twelve years old, and at the age of nineteen came to America. He remained during the first summer in Madison, Wisconsin, and in the fall of 1866, came to Houston county. He afterward went to Nebraska and pre-empted land, bat on account of grasshoppers soon abandoned it and returned to Minnesota. In 1876, he was united in marriage with Miss Carrie Hemanson. She has borne him two children, Herman and Mary. In 1877, Mr. EUiason purchased a farm in section thirty -four, Yucatan, and has since lived on this farm.

Hiram Howe is a native of Essex county, Vermont, born on the 25th of April, 1801. In 1840, he moved to Ohio, locating in East Liberty, Logan county, where he was among the first settlers. He came to Yucatan in September, 1856, and bought of Edwin Stevens a tract of land including the present site of the Howe mill. Mr. Stevens had come here a few years before and commenced a mill, in which Mr. Howe made numerous alterations and improvements after purchasing. He was the first Assessor under the State organization. His children are Charles B., now in Missouri; Nancy, wife of Dr. S. James, in Ohio; Emeline, wife of C. H. Chatraan, in Ohio; Mary E., wife of P. Larr, of this place; John, who was a soldier in the war; Placentia, wife of A. Comstock, in Broome county, New York; and Edwin.

Edwin B. Howe dates his birth the 6th of September, 1848, in Ohio. He came to Yucatan with his father, Hiram Howe, in 1856. In 1870, he was joined in marriage with Miss Amelia Hoff, the ceremony dating the 8th of September. Their children are Grace, Hiram, and Lydia. Mr. Howe has filled the office of Town Treasurer for the past four years. Since 1871, he has operated what is known as the Howe mill.

Ole Jacobson was bora in Northern Norway in December, 1812. Since the age of twelve years he has maintained himself. He was married to Miss Betsey Olson in 1849. In 1850, they came to America, locating in Dane county, Wisconsin, and remainedfive years. In the spring of 1855, Mr. Jacobson came to this place and took a claim of one hundred and sixty acres in section thirty, upon which he erected a small log house, which he occupied until building his present residence. Of nine children bora to him, four are living ; Rachel, wife of Knud Hanson, Susan, John, and Andrew. .

Fallis E. Knox was born in Mercer county, Illinois, on the 5th of November, 1855. He came with his father, Hiram Knox, to this town when about eight years old, and the same year moved to Sheldon. In the latter place he was united in marriage with Miss Maria Mitchell, the ceremony taking place in April, 1880. They moved to Yucatan which has since been their home, residing on a farm in section twenty-three. The union has been blessed with one child, named Vernie L.

James Kelly, one of the pioneers of this section, is a native of Scotland, bora in Twynholm, Kirkcudbright county, on the 31st of March, 1822. When about sixteen years old he commenced learning the carpenter's trade, and in 1845, moved to Manchester, England, where he was engaged at his trade. He came to America in 1849, locating in Massachusetts, first in Boston then in Dedham. On the 7th of October, 1857, he was joined in matrimony with Miss Charlotte D. G. Carson, of his native town. They came to Minnesota in September, 1855, resided in Brownsville until the following April, when they came to Yucatan and took a claim of two-hundred and

After living here about five months Mr. Kelly left his farm in charge of his father, and for two years was engaged at his trade in Chatfield, Fillmore county. He then returned to his farm and erected a log house in which they still live, but is at present engaged in the construction of a fine stone building. Since his residence here he has held all but one of the local offices, the present being the only year he has not held one or more. Mr. and Mrs. Kelly have been blessed with one child, James C, born on the 28th of October, 1857. Hugh Kelly, father of the subject of this sketch, died on the 5th of January, 1871, aged eighty -two years, and his wife followed the 18th of July, 1874, aged eighty-five years.

Chester H. Loveridge, deceased, was born in Erie county, New York, in November, 1826. He learned the miller's trade when young, and was engaged at the same until coming west. Miss Jemima Blanchard became his wife on the 15th of January, 1857. They came to Yucatan in 1868, and purchased the farm upon which the family now reside. Three children were born to him; Emmet H., Elmer E., and Chester E. Mr. Loveridge died on the 15th of January, 1871, mourned by all who knew him.

John O. Lee is a native of Norway, born in Nordland, on the 7th of September, 1839. He came to America with his parents who located in Dane county, Wisconsin. The following year they came to Sheldon, Houston county, and took government land upon which they lived until 1875; then moved to Bed River where his father died the 23d of December, 1881. John resided with his parents until 1868, when he was married to Miss Margaret Christianson, the ceremony dating the 17th of May. He then purchased land in Yucatan and now owns as fine a farm as any in this section, having a good house, barn, granary, etc. He held the office of Supervisor four successive terms. His children are Holver, Gilbert, Christian, Emma, Gina, and Ole.

David MoCoNNEiiii was born in Twynholm, Scotland, on the 12th of October, 1817. At the age of eighteen years he went to Cambridge, England, where he was employed as clerk in a dry goods store; afterwards purchased the same and continned in business there twelve years. In 1854, he came to America, and for a year resided in Dedham, Massachusetts, then to Yucatan, and soon after to Birch Coolie, Renville county, where he pre-empted land, upon which he resided with his mother. At the commencement of the Sioux massacre, while his mother was alone in the house, it was entered by two Indians. After plundering the house one of them would have killed her with an axe, had the other not stopped him, on account of previous kindness shown him by the old lady. The following night she with her son walked twelve miles to Fort Ridgely. His nephew, Thomas Brooks, a lad thirteen years old, and brother-in-law, Fred Clauson, fell victims in the bloody massacre, and Mrs. Clauson and her two small children were taken prisoners and kept six weeks. Mr. MoConnell was engaged in defense of the frontier three months, after which, in the fall of 1862, he came to Yucatan. In 1874, he was married to Miss Anna Messerall, who bore him two boys, James and David, and died three weeks after the birth of the latter. Little David died when he was four years old.

Herrick Persons was born in Sheldon, Wyoming county, New York, on the 16th of April, 1832. When he was thirteen years old his parents moved to Erie county, and in 1853, to Bloomington, Illinois. During the fall of that year Herrick came up the river to Lansing, Iowa, thence across the country, stopping two miles below Houston, where he spent the winter engaged in trapping in company with a friend. In the spring he returned to New York, and in April, 1865, was married to Miss Marion Blakely. In September, 1858, they came to Yucatan, where Mr. Persons bought land and remained until 1861, when he returned again to New York, remaining but a few months. On his return to this place he sold his former farm and bought land in section twenty-three, which he still owns. In the spring of 1865, he moved to Sheldon, and the following year opened a general mercantile store in the southern part of this town, but the same year, by a sudden rise of the stream caused by the breaking of a water-spout, he lost the store and all its contents, with the exception of about thirty dollars. He then returned to his farm, and in 1867, moved to Lake City, where for two years he was engaged in the grocery business. He has since resided on a farm, and in 1875, purchased his present land in sections thirteen and twenty -four. Mr. Persons has always be< n interested in local affairs, and is at present a member of the board of Supervisors, has also held the office of Assessor five terms, Justice of the Peace three years, and Town Clerk several terms. Mr. and Mrs. Persons have been blessed with six children; Julia, George, Don, Emma, Ruth, and Henry.

Ole Knudson Sinus is a native of Norway, born in May, 1822. His parents both died when he was young. He came to America, and in the summer of 1854, to Sheldon, where he was employed by farmers in the vicinity. In 1857, he was married to Miss Susana Torgerson. He purchased a farm in section twenty-eight, Yucatan, the same year, and has since made it his home. His wife died in October, 1872, and he has also lost four children, Gunder, John, John, and Gurina. Those living are Rasmus, Charles, and Knud.

Ole Torgersen Soro is a native of Norway, his birth dating the 25th of March, 1837. He was married on the 26th of March, 1870, to Miss Bridget Olson. They came to America the same year and directly to Minnesota, locating in Fillmore county. In 1876, Mr. Soro purchased a farm in section twenty -nine, Yucatan, to which he soon moved his family and has since lived. His children are Lena, Theodore, Ole, and Ida.

William Scheunert is a native of Germany, born in Saxony on the 17th of September, 1828. When fourteen years old he commenced learning the miller's trade, at which he was engaged in his native country until coming to America in 1851. For eleven years he resided in Hamilton, Wisconsin, and was married to Miss Augustina J ager, the ceremony taking place in February, 1857. Mr. Scheunert has been engaged in the milling business in Carver, Hennepin, Fillmore, and Scott counties, and came to this place in November, 1881. He purchased the Daily mills in which he intends making repairs and adding to the machinery in the early spring. His children are Ada, Leonard, Amanda, Samantha, Alma, Clara, and Arthur.

John B. Shumaker is a native of Virginia, born on the 10th of November, 1827. He came to Houston county in 1857, and to Yucatan in the spring of 1861. After coming here he had charge of the Dedham grist-mill until enlisting in the Eighth Missouri Volunteer Infantry, Company H. He served three years, since which time he has been a resident of this township, and was employ - ed in the above mentioned mill until its destruction by flood on the 6th of August, 1866. He now resides on his farm in sections twenty-nine and thirty.

Edward Thompson is a native of Ireland, born in Antrim county on the 21st of June, 1837. He came to America in 1858, remained a short time in Albany, New York, then to Dubuque, Iowa, and thence to Yucatan, arriving on the 17th of September. He resided with his brother Mathew until the 13th of October, 1861, when he enlisted in the Eighth Missouri Volunteer Infantry, Company C. He participated in the battles of Corinth, Shiloh, Vicksburg, Mission Ridge, and was with Sherman in his march from Chattanooga to Atlanta. On the 19th of July, 1864, he was wounded by a ball passing through his thigh, and was discharged after a service of three years. He returned to Yucatan and was united in marriage on the 30th of April, 1868, with Miss Anna Cornstock. Their childred are Henry and Edward.

Mathew Thompson was born in Antrim county, Ireland, on the 14th of July, 1818. When he reached the age of thirteen years he was employed in a bleaching establishment, remaining until he came to America in 1844, arriving in New York on the 2d of March. He was engaged in the latter State, afterward in Canada, New Orleans, Kentucky, Missouri, and in the lead mines near Dubuque, Iowa, until 1858, when he came to Yucatan. He purchased land in section thirty, upon which he has since resided. The maiden name of his wife was Catharine Kelly, whom he married in 1863.

Gilbert Thomas, one of the early settlers of this town, is a native of Hancock, Delaware county, New York, born on the 24th of June, 1821. Since the age of twelve years he has supported himself. On the 1st of September, 1842, he was married to Miss Aurelia Comstock. They came to Yucatan in the spring of 1856, Mr. Thomas buying his farm of J. Brown, in section twenty-eight, upon which he still lives, engaged in stock raising. Seven children have been born to this union ; W. Aubert, Edna Delphine, Stephen B., Kate, Harriet M., Frank, and Minnie.

Charles Wilsey was born in Great Bend, Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania, on the 4th of February, 1825. When seventeen years old he moved with his father to Broome county, New York. On the 26th of June, 1858, he was married to Miss Harriet Comstock of the latter county. They came to Yucatan iu 1861, purchased a farm in section thirty-three, and during the winter Mr. Wilsey hauled from La Crosse the lumber with which he built his house the following summer. In the spring of 1865, he enlisted in the First Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, serving five months. Since his residence in this place he has filled the office of Assessor for one term and is at present Postmaster, the office being located at his house. His children are Felter James, Cora E., and Willie C.

Joshua Webber is a native of Missouri, born on the 31st of December, 1849. In 1867, he moved to Kansas, and the fall of the following year enlisted in the Ninteenth Kansas Cavalry, serving eight months with Gen. Sheridan in his expedition against ^he Indians. In the spring of 1869, he moved to Missouri, and two years later, to this State, locating in Fillmore county where he remained five years. On the 17th of March, 1880, he was united in marriage with Miss Ida M. Knox of Sheldon. They came directly to Yucatan and purchased a farm upon which they have since resided. One child, Archie H., has been born to them.