Renville County, Minnesota - Biographical sketches (2 of 2 so headed), 1916

Biography

Burton H. Bowler was born at Nininger, Minn., November 7, 1871. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Bowler, took him with them to their new home near the present site of Bird Island, Minn., early in the summer of 1873. He resided at Bird Island until August, 1994, with the exception of the years 1892 to 1896, spent at school in .Minneapolis. Was graduated from the Bird Island public school in 1890. Taught school in Palmyra in 1890 and 1891. Worked in the office of the Renville County Union from September, 1891, to May, 1892. Taught school in Melville in fall of 1892. Attended the Central High School of Minneapolis from December, 1892, to June. 1894. and the University of Minnesota from 1894 to 1896, when he was admitted to the bar. Practiced law at Bird Island from 1896 to 1904. when he moved to Minneapolis, where he since has practiced. He married Abbie G. Walker, of Minneapolis, in 1910. Mr. Bowler has not held or sought office, but since boyhood has been actively interested in public matters. He is a Baptist, a Mason, an active member of the Saturday Lunch Club of Minneapolis. He serves on the State Board of die Minnesota Anti-Saloon League and the Children's Home Society of Minnesota.

Harold Baker was born in .Madison, Wis., 1S79. He attended the public schools of Stillwater, Minn., and the Normal school at Winona, Minn. At eighteen years of age he entered the Northwestern University. He is a graduate of the St. Cloud State Normal school and the law department of the University of Minnesota. In 1913 he came to Renville and engaged in practice as a lawyer.

G. T. Christianson was born near Deertield. Wis.. Nov. 3. 1885, and died in Minnewaukan, N. D., Jan. 29. 1910. He came with his parents to western Minnesota in 1862; studied law at Iowa Universitv. and was admitted to the bar in 1S79; settled in Renville, was county attorney for Renville County. 1883-89 and 1891-93; removed to Minnewaukan in 1901. when he was president of the First National Bank.

J. M. Dorman was born in Rockbridge county. Va., 1814; was admitted to practice in 1846, came to Minnesota in 1865. living in St. Peter, New Ulm and Beaver Falls; was elected county attorney from Beaver Falls in 1S70 and served several terms; removed to the village of Renville in 1881. H. C. Giltner was born in Tompkins county. New York. From 1843 to 1860 he lived in Wisconsin and during a part of this time served as deputy United States marshal. Before the Civil war he came to McLeod county, this state, was admitted to practice and was elected county attorney. In 1880 he settled on a farm in Martinsburg township, this county.

A. U. Hamrum was born in Camp township, this county, February 29, 1884, and here grew to manhood. He attended the public schools of his native town and of Fairfax, and in 1904 graduated from the high school at Le Sueur, Minn. For a year he taught school in District 1, Renville county. In June, 190S, he graduated from the College of Law at the University of Minnesota, was admitted to the bar, and in September opened an office in Franklin. In 1909 he became associated with A. V. Rieke under the firm name of Rieke & Hamrum, at Fairfax. In July. 1912, the office of the firm was moved to the Metropolitan Life building, Minneapolis.

Charles L. Kane was born in Green Isle, Minn., in 1869 and after finishing school went to Fairfax, October, 1889, and started the publication of the "Fairfax Crescent," the first newspaper published at that place. He removed from Fairfax in May. 1891. to undertake the practice of law and was admitted to the bar in 1896. He then returned to Fairfax to practice, remaining there until his removal to Benson in Swift county in 1899, which is his present location. He has been twice elected mayor of Benson and is enjoying a satisfactory and lucrative practice. He was married in 1911 and has two children.

William W. McGowan was born at New York City. March 12. 1840. His parents were James McGowan and Louis A. (Anderson) McGowan. He came to Minnesota September 20, 1861; served in Company I, First Minnesota Mounted Rangers and Company H, Second Minnesota cavalry; was clerk of the district court four terms, probate judge two terms and registrar of deeds one term and was admitted to the bar by examination November 22, 1911. He came to Beaver Falls September 20, 1870, and now resides at Morton.

Col. Samuel McPhail was born in Russellville, Ky., May 2, 1828, and died near Taunton, Minn., March 6, 1902. He served In the Mexican war, later coming to Minnesota, where he founded the town of Caledonia and with David Carrothers laid out the town of Beaver Falls in 1866, selling his interest in 1867 to William C. Essler. He was admitted to the bar in 1867 and was one of the attorneys in the first case tried before the district court in the county. Some time after selling his interests in Beaver Falls he removed to Redwood Falls, a few miles across the river. He served in the early part of the Civil was as captain of scouts in Missouri and in the Sioux war of 1862-3 as colonel in the First Minnesota cavalry.

George H. Megquier was born September 20, 1844, in Maine, and when eight years old moved with his parents to Bangor. In 1855 they migrated to Eureka, 111. After graduating in 1862 from the college of that place he enlisted in Company D, 108th Illinois infantry; he was promoted to lieutenant; afterwards served on the staff of Generals Baird and A. J. Smith, until the war closed. In the fall of 1865 he entered the Cleveland Law University, graduating in 1866 and the next year came to Minnesota. He married Laura Tillotson in 1869, and commenced the practice of law at Beaver Falls; was elected judge of probate in 1873 and the following year was chosen county attorney and superintendent of schools. In 1878 he removed to Bird Island.

August V. Rieke was born at Cairo, Minn., August 15, 1865, son of George and Sophia (Schweer) Rieke. He received his early education in the public schools of his locality and later attended the Curtiss Business College at Minneapolis. He lived on the home farm until twenty-two years of age and then went into the grain business and later followed the farm implement business at Fairfax, Minn. In 1893 he entered the law office of John A. Dalzell, of Fairfax, and was admitted to the bar February 14, 1898, and has since engaged in the practice of law. From 1899 to 1903 he was county attorney for Renville county and from 1903 to 1907 a member of the state senate. He is now practicing law at Minneapolis.

J. F. Russell was born in Belle Plaine, Minn., January 6, 1S58. He was educated in the common schools; taught school in Scott. Le Sueur and Sibley counties; read law in the office of O'Leary & Hagar at Henderson, Minn.; admitted to the bar in 1881; practiced law at Belle Plaine, Minn., from March, 1883, until May, 1886, and was village attorney of Belle Plaine from April. 1884, to May, 1886, when he resigned. In May, 1886. he removed to Henderson, Minn., where he formed a partnership with S. & O. Kipp. the firm being known as S. & O. Kipp & Russell. He was appointed village attorney of Henderson in 1886 and served until March. 1887, when he left Henderson and returned to Belle Plaine. He removed to Fairfax in 1890, where he has since been engaged in the practice of law. In 1898 he was elected village attorney. In 1884 he married Ellen Donovan, of Le Sueur county, and has two sons living.

William C. White was born in New York in 1846; came to Minnesota in 1872; engaged in teaching three years; was admitted to the bar in 1875; superintendent of schools, Sibley county, for two years; settled in Hector in 1879. where he practiced law until his death, August 11, 1888.

practiced law in Renville county, the for- Beaver Falls, this county. John J. Schomer at Olivia and the latter at Fairfax. regge married Mary Langes, and was ad- time it was under the control and domina- from Glencoe to Fairfax, was a most briltion of Napoleon. Casper Schoregge, father liant lawyer, but of unfortunate inclinaof Dr. Henry Schoregge, was with Napo- tions, and finally drifted west, became commander of the "Black Hus- from high school at St. Cloud in 1907; gradsars." Later, as the result of many wounds, uated from St. Cloud Normal in 190S; taught tion at Heidelberg. He was married at law in Duluth one and a half years imniesome point on the Rhine (probably Frank- diately before coming to Olivia in July,

Richard T. Daly, judge of the twelfth judicial district, was born on a farm near Watertown, Jefferson county. Wisconsin, in 1863, one of the family of ten children, five boys and five girls, born to T. G. and Martha (Reynolds) Daly, who when he was ten years of age brought him to the township of Mapleton, Blue Earth county, this state. He attended district school and took two terms at the Mankato Normal school, then studied law with William Plyniat at Mapleton, and afterward entered the office of Freeman & Pfau at Mankato, being admitted to the bar at Mankato on December 31, 1887. He taught school in Nebraska until the summer of 1890, and in September of the same year he located at Renville, Renville county, Minnesota, and commenced! the practice of law. The same year lie was elected county attorney of Renville county and served one term. In 1898 he was appointed county attorney to fill tlic place id' Captain S. R. Miller, the encumbent, who was with his company in the Spanish-American war. He was appointed a member of the State Board of Equalization by Governor Johnson in 1905 and served until 1907, at which time he declined reappointment. He has held numerous village offices and was a member of the school board for ten years preceding his going upon the bench. In the early part of February, 1915, Judge Gorham Powers, who had been ill for some time, resigned and on the twenty-fifth day of February, 1915, Governor W. S. Hammond appointed Mr. Daly to succeed Judge Powers. On March 15, 1915, he opened his first term of court in Willmar. .fudge Daly was married to Lillie J. Johnson September 16, 1896, and has three children, two boys and one girl.

Lynas D. Barnard, county attorney of Renville county, was born in Kinnikinnic. near River Falls. Wis., September 14, 1862, son of John and Frances (Vandereook) Barnard, and descended from early New England stock, the founders of the American branch having come from England to Vermont, where they participated in the stirring events of the Colonial wars and had their part in the making of a great nation. Lynas Barnard received his early training in the common schools in Kinnikinnic and later attended the State complete his course. He subsequently taught school for two years in Renville county and after that spent one year in field work as a civil engineer. Then he studied law with .lames Schoonaker, of St. Paul, one year and with John W. White, of St. Paul, about one and a half years, after which he entered the law department of the University of Wisconsin, at Madison, graduating in 1889. As partner of W. H. McDonald he practiced in St. Paul until 1897, when he entered into partnership with H. T. Daly, an attorney at Renville, under the firm name of Daly & Barnard, which continued until Mr. Daly went on the district bench in 1915. .Mr. Barnard has taken an active interest in political affairs, and lias served the Republican party in many ways as committeeman, delegate and the like. In Pill lie was elected county attorney of Renville county and re-elected in 1918 and 1915. He has done excellent service and lias won wide approval. In addition to his law practice he devotes much of his time to his tine stock farm in partnership with his late law partner. Judge R. T. Daly, north of Renville, making a specialty of feeding stock for the market. Mr. Barnard is a stockholder in the Farmers' Elevator Company id' Renville. He is a member of many fraternities, such as the A. F. & A. M., the T. 0. 0. F.. the P.. P. < >. E., of St. Paul, and the M. W. A. Mr. Barnard was united in marriage to Annie Turner, daughter of George W. Turner, who operated the first engine on a regular run of the Great Northern Railway to Willmar. He later became master mechanic of the Great Northern at St. Paul. Mr. and Mrs. Barnard have two children : George and Frank.

Charles Newel Matson, Olivia, attorney, and judge of probate of Renville county, was born in New York City January 2, 1856, the son of John L. Matson and Eliza (Jackson) Matson. The grandfather of John L. Matson, Nels Matson. came from Norway to the United States and for many years lived in Boston, Mass. John L. Matson and Eliza Jackson Matson died some years ago. and of their children only Mrs. Peter Haan. of Rennville, and Charles N. Matson survive them. Judge Matson was educated at Union University and Columbia Law School and was admitted in New York in 1878 to to practice as an attorney and counselor at law and for many years practiced law at Owego, N. Y. In 1888 he was appointed a liquidator in the New York Custom House and in 1894 removed to Chicago, where he became associated with the firm of N. .Matson. After the death of N. Matson the business was sold and in 1897 lie came to Renville, Minn., and was admitted to practice in this state and became associated with the late <;. T. Christianson. This firm was dissolved when Mr. Christianson removed to North Dakota in 1901', and since that time Mr. Matson practiced law in Renville until elected to the office of Judge of Probate of this county. Mr. Matson was elected the first judge of the Municipal Court of the city id' Renville and held that office until 1910. when he was elected judge of the probate court of this county, which office he now holds.

He belongs to all the Masonic bodies, is an Odd Fellow, an Elk, a member of Phi Beta Kappa, honorary Scholastic Fraternity, and of Alpha Delta Phi. He is a communicant of St. John's Episcopal Church at Olivia.

Samuel R. Miller, attorney, Olivia. Mas born in Mansfield, Ohio, January 17, 1841. 1I<- is lit' Scotch ancestry, his father, Dr. S. G. Miller, and his mother, Nancy J. (McEwen) Miller, being- children of Scotch parents who emigrated to this country previous to the Revolutionary war, the father's people settling in Washington county, Pennsylvania, and the mother's in Center county of same state. Mr. .Miller's maternal grandfather, ('apt. Francis McEwen, served during the Revolutionary war and after its close was in command of a company acting as a guard to the government engineers who laid out the National Pike from Washington through the Virginias. He lacked but eight days of rounding ou1 a century at the time of his death. Mr. Miller had four sisters and four brothers, making a family of nine iu all: one brother, Geo. F. Miller, id' Minneapolis, ami three sisters survive at this date.

Samuel R. Miller received his early education in the district schools, one year at Porters Academy, and two years at Vermillion College, afterwards Wooster University, Wooster, Ohio. In April. 1861. he enlisted in Company H Fifteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry for three months. After his discharge he went to La Orange.. Indiana, and accepted the position of superintendent of the city school, but in July. 1862, resigned his position and re-enlisted in Company C, 100th Indiana Volunteer Infantry for three years or during the war, and thereunder served until the close of the war. He participated in over forty general engagements, including the battle of Bentonville, where Gen. Joseph E. Johnson surrendered to General Sherman. For one year and eleven months he was in command of the "Scouts" doing secret service with the army of the Mississippi, reporting and attached to General W. T. Sherman's headquarters. He Mas captured twice and both times managed to escape. lie held the position of First Sergeant until the close of the Vicksburg campaign, when he was commissioned a lieutenant. He taught school in 1865-6 ami then began the study of law m the offices of "Col. Billy Willson" of Lafayette. Indiana, where he remained until fall of 1868, when he entered the University of Michigan and graduated in the law department in the spring of 1871. He began practice of law at Lake City. Minn., with Col. ('. A. Wood, and was later appointed assistant postmaster at Lake City, under General Francis Seeley. He held this position until spring of 1874, when hi> resigned to take up practice of law in Renville county. He located at Beaver Falls, then the county seat of Renville county, in the summer of 1874, where he remained until the county scat Mas removed to Olivia, wheu he removed to the latter place and has ever since resided there. He retired from practice about DOT mi account of failure of hearing. Mr. Miller was elected and served seven or eight terms as county attorney in this county and has successfully prosecuted or defended in five of the six homicide cases tricl in this county since its organization. After his retirement from active practice Mr. .Miller was appointed as examiner of titles for Renville county and still holds that position, also that of court commissioner for Renville county. He Mas also city attorney for Olivia for some five years and president of the board of education for over twelve years. In 1897, at the request of the citizens, he organized Company II. Third Regiment Minnesota National Guard and Mas commissioned its captain. Thereafter he worked for and secured the construction of the old Armory. In 189S he organized Company II of the Fourteenth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry for service in the Spanish-American war, and was commissioned its captain and again entered U. S. service as such. He remained with the company until the latter part of July, 1S9S, when growing defective in hearing he was compelled to resign. He was a charter member of the G. A. R. Post at Delphi. Indiana, which claimed to be the second post organized. He is also a member of the Loyal Legion of this state, an organization made up exclusively of commissioned officers of the civil war. He was a member of the old Beaver Falls lodge (now not existing) I. 0. 0. F. and was through all its chairs. He is now associated with Olivia lodge No. 220, A. F. & A. M. Mr. Miller has been twice married: in 1892 to .Jennie M. Frazer and in 1912 to Mary C. Peterson, his present wife. One son. Rockwood P. Miller and one grandson, HoAvard W. Miller, survive.

John McDonough Freeman, attorney, Olivia, was born in Tieonderoga, Essex county, New York, December 5, 1870, youngest of the four children of George and Mary (McDonough) Freeman. The family moved from New York to Langdon. Washington county, Minnesota, in 1883, coming two years later to Renville county where they purchased 300 acres of state land in section 14. Hector township. While this land was being broken and buildings erected thereon they rented and occupied an adjoining farm. In June. 1897, George Freeman, was injured while riding on a road grader in the performance of his duties as road overseer, which injury resulted in his death about two weeks later, June 24, 1897. John McDonough Freeman received his early education at Hector public schools. While still little more than a youth he taught winter school for three years still continuing, however, to work on his parent's farm during the agi'icultural season. Then he read law for two years in the office of R. T. Daly, of Renville, and in February, 1896, became connected with the office of the United States Surveyor General at St. Paul, resigning August, 1898, having in the meantime taken a night law course at the University of Minnesota, from which he graduated June, 1898. In the fall of the same year he opened a law farms near Olivia. He is vice-president and director of Olivia State Bank and a stockholder of the Mercantile State Bank at Minneapolis. He has always enjoyed a large law practice, and is one of the busy men id' the county. He is affiliated with the Democratic party and has for many years been active in state and county politics. In the state election of 1910 he was the candidate of his parly for the office of Attorney General of the State. In 1899 Mr. Freeman married Cora M. Gould, of Stillwater, Minnesota. They have four children: John G., Richard S.. Alice M., and Evelyn M

George F. Gage, attorney, Olivia, was born in Waterloo, Iowa, in 1871, son of Weston S. and Mary (Kirchner) Cage. Weston S. (rage devoted his active years to farming, took particular pride in his fine stock, made a specialty of breeding a good grade of cattle, swine and horses, attained a considerable degree of success, and now lives in retirement at Fulda, Minn.

In the family, aside from George F., there were two children. Arthur J., a banker, hotelkeeper and liveryman, at Fulda, and Lillian, a music teacher in that place. George F. Gage passed through the public schools, and then entered the Colleg of. Law, University of Minnesota, from which lie graduated with the class of 1894. In July of that year he opened an office at ' Olivia, where he lias since remained. He is a Republican in politics and from January, 1903, to January, 1911, was judge of probate of Renville comity. Fraternally he is a member of the Odd Fellow and Masonic orders. Mr. Gage is an influential citizen of the village and county. He has made a success of his chosen profession, has taken an interest in many public movements and is regarded as one of the useful men of the community. He was married at Granite Falls, Minnesota, on June 24, 1896, to Lillian E. Knox, born in Gannon Falls, Minnesota, in December, 1876, daughter of A. M. and Rebecca (Hutchinson) Knox. Mr. and Mrs. Gage have two children : Ruth M. and Lucille M. Ruth M., a graduate of the Olivia high school, is attending Stanley Hall at Minneapolis. Lucille M. is a student at the Olivia high school.

Frank H. Hopkins, attorney, Fairfax, was born in Cairo township, November 7, 1877, son of Col. Charles H. Hopkins. He attended the country schools and later graduated from the Minnesota Normal and Business College at Minneapolis in 1899. Then he became a student at the College of Law, University of Minnesota, from which he graduated in 1903. He opened an office in Fairfax in November, 1903, and has practiced law there ever since. Mr. Hopkins is a popular and influential man and has always been greatly interested in public affairs. In 1906 he was nominated for the office of county attorney. In 1908 he was elected as representative to the State Legislature, being re-elected in 1910. While in the House of Representatives he was active in promoting various bills. He was chairman of the Municipal Corporation Committee and nominated Henry Rines for speaker during the session of 1911. He was also chairman of the Corporation Committee during the si nd session. He introduced the bill to limit to a minimum sum the license fee to sell liquor, was a great leader and expert on the Drainage Laws, and active in the work for a Public Domain bill and Blue Sky laws. lb' very ably assisted in getting Renville selected by the Federal Government as the Hog Cholera Experimental county. Mr. Hopkins has also been active in the public affairs of Fairfax, and has been the village attorney for two years, president of the Commercial Club for four years, ami is a stockholder in the Citizens' State Bank and in the State Bank, lie is a member of the Modern Brotherhood of America and the senior steward in the A. F. & A. M. Mr. Hopkins is a faithful member of the Methodist Episcopal church and is a member of the board of trustees of that church. It is said of him: "He is an active leader in presenting education, regulation and law enforcement as a solution for the liquor question as contrasted with the prohibitory idea." As a lawyer his standing is high, but among the important eases in which he has been engaged, the one of which he is the proudest is the time when he defended his father, Co!. Charles II. Hopkins against a charge of having destroyed the telephone

Frank Mtrray

October 19, 1905, Frank II. Hopkins was united in marriage to Estella J. Schramm, born March 7. 1882, daughter of Julius Schramm. Three children have been born to this union: Ora Beryl, burn October 30, 1907; Lois Meryl, April 4, 1910; Wayne, born February 16, 1913.

Frank Murray, attorney, Bird Island, man of affairs, is widely known throughout the state of .Minnesota. He was born in Medo township. Blue Earth county, this state, July 7, 1870, son of John and Honora (Virden) Murray, was reared on the home farm, passed through the schools of his neighborhood, taught school five winters, and attended the Mankato stair Normal school, lie read law during his spare time for several years and received a splendid training in the office of W. R. Geddes, of Mankato. Thus prepared he was admitted to the bar January 31, 1896, and opened an office at Janesville, this state. His work and personality at onee attracted attention, and he was elected to such offices as township clerk, village recorder, and village attorney. He lacked but one vote of being elected county attorney of Waseca county. It was on March 15, 1900, that he came to Renville county and opened offices at Bird Island. In 1910 he formed a partnership with James B. Baker under the firm name of Murray & Baker. In Renville county, Mr. Murray continued his successful career. In the fall of 1902 he was elected county attorney and served until January 1, 1911. In the fall of 1910 he was elected to the upper house of tin' Minnesota state legislature, and served with credit in the senate sessions of 1911, 1912 (special) and 1913. Locally he also held a number of offices, being village recorder two years and village attorney six years. Fraternally he is a prominent member of the Knights of Columbus and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He is a director in the State Bank of Bird Island, the Citizens State Bank of Mahnomen, and the Mahnomen Land Co. The Frank Murray Land Co., organized in 1910, deals extensively in Minnesota, Montana and North Dakota land. Mi-. Murray was married October 2, 1907. to Madeline Pratschner, born February 13, 1886, daughter of Louis ami Made line (Hausladen) Pratschner, and they have two children: Eileen, born September 2, 1908; Francis, born September 18, 1914.

John Murray, born in county Mayo, Ireland, came to America in 1850, and found employment on the Erie canal, leaving that work to take up farming, which he pursued two years in Ohio, moving from that state to Iowa, where he devoted two years to the same line of work. He then removed to Houston county. Minnesota, where he spent one year in farming, removing to Blue Faith county. December 1864, he enlisted in Company F, 57th 111. Vol. Inf., and was discharged at Louisville, Ky., July 7. 1865. He was with Sherman at Atlanta and was wounded in the hand at Nashville. He died in 1895. at the age of 7:; years. His good wife Honora (Verden) Murray, died at Bird Island, February 26, 1913, at the ripe old age of 83 years. Louis Pratschner now lives at Winsted where he has been engaged in the blacksmith business for thirty years. Mrs. Pratschner died September 10, 1888. at the age of twenty years.

James B. Baker, attorney, Bird Island, born in Brownton, MeLeod county, Minnesota, September 15, 1882, the son of Augustus C. and Mary J. Todd) Baker, graduated from the Brownton school in 1902, from the Montevideo (Minn.) high school in 1905. and from the College of Law, University of Minnesota, June 11, 1908. He was admitted to the bar June 15, of the same year and formed a partnership with Frank Murray, of Bird Island, under the firm name of Murray & Baker. For four years he was village attorney. In 1910 he came before the primaries as an aspirant to the o'ffice of judge of probate, and in 1914 he was before the primaries as a candidate for the office of county attorney. He is a stockholder in the Citizens State Bank of Mahnomen and in the Mahnomen Land Co. Mr. Baker was married March 16, 1910, to Mathilda B. Putzier, born September 2, 1888, the daughter of Fred and Mathilda Putzier. They have two children : Dorothy L.. born October 29, 1911; Bradford J., born March 27. 191:!. Augustus C. Baker. born December 20. 1837. in Ravenna, Ohio, married Mary J. Todd, born July 29. 1812. Mr. Baker located in Sibley county, in 1858, operated a general store a1 New Auburn until 1878 when he removed to Brownton, McLeod county where he pursued a business in grain and general merchandise until 1890 when he retired. He now lives in Brownton. Fred Putzier married Mathilda Martin. Both are now 50 years of age. Mr. Putzier has been with the C. M. & St. P. R. R. in Bird Island for twenty years. He has served on the village council.

Oscar A. Allen, attorney, Hector, was born in Red Wing, Minnesota. June 2D. 1863, son of C. J. Anderson and Christine (Peterson) Anderson, natives id' Sweden, who came to America as young people, and after living in Indiana for a while, located at Red Wing, this state, in 1850. The father was a stone mason by trade and while in Red Wine engaged in draying. Later he moved on to a farm near Cannon Falls and became a successful and influential farmer. In 18S7 he retired from farming and moved to Maple Plain in Hennepin county where he is still living. The mother died in 1908. Oscar A. Allen attended the public schools of Cannon Falls and the Hauge Seminary at Red Wing one term, then entering the Gustavus Adolphus College at St. Peter, and graduating in 1885. During the summers of 1887-88 he took a commercial course at the Curtiss Business College in Minneapolis. In 1885 he taught district school in Nicollet county and was principal in Grove City schools in Meeker county in 1886-87. In the fall of 1887 he was elected principal of the commercial department of Gustavus Adolphus College, at St. Peter, and was head of that department until 1899. During that time he studied law under Ex-Lieutenant Governor G. S. Ives and also took up the Sprague Correspondence Law Course of Detroit, Michigan. He passed his examinations and was admitted to the bar in 1898. The same year he opened a law office at St. Peter. Minnesota. In the spring of 1899 came to Hector where he has successfully continued his practice. Since 1900 he has been largely engaged in real estate business, being a leading figure in the Hector Land Company. Mr. Allen has held many local offices. He was president of the village council in 1906. when the village hall was built, and is now president of the board of education, of which he has been a member since 1901. He is a stockholder in the Hector Telephone Exchange. Fraternally he is secretary of Sector Lodge No. 158, A. F. & A. M., of which he served two years as .Master. He is also a tnher of tin.' Slate Bar Association. Tile family faith is that of the English Lutheran church at St. Peter. Mr. Allen was married .lime 18, 1890, t<i Anna ( '. Johnson, of Stockholm, Wis. They have one child. Florence C, who was born June 21, 1894, graduated from the Hector high school, took the academic course at the University of Minnesota and the home. makers course at the Stout Institute at Menomonie, Wisconsin, and is now- a junior in the Domestic Science and Agricultural Departments of the University of Minnesota.

John A. Dalzell, attorney, .Morton, was born in Waddington, New York, October 14, 1861. His father. Andrew" Dalzell, a native of Ireland, was a produce dealer and farmer in New York and died in 1896, at tin' age of seventy-four. His mother, Isabel (Ricalton) Dalzell, is still living in Waddington at the age of eighty-two. John A. Dalzell was graduated from the State Normal Training school. Potsdam. New York, on -June 29. 1880. June 16. 1884 lie was graduated from Hamilton College at Clinton, New York. He was third man in his class, stood first in mathematics, took first prize in physics, held the scholarship medal in languages, was prize speaker of his class, a leader on the baseball field and the football gridiron, and attained membership in the D. K. E. Another member of his class was George W. Hinman. formerly owner and editor of the Chicago Inter-Ocean, and now president of Marietta College. .Marietta, Ohio. Among the distinguished alumni of Hamilton college may be mentioned .lames Schoolcrafl Sherman and Elihu Root. On November 19, 1886, Mr. Dalzell was admitted to the bar at Albany. New York, and practiced for three years at Waddington.

about one year, alter which he moved to Gibbon where he stayed about five years, lie spent eight months at Minneapolis and in March, 1898, located at Morton where he still resides.

Mr. Dalzell was elected to the state legislature in 1907 and has served two terms in that capacity, lie is a member of the A. F. & A. M., at .Morton, belongs to tin' Episcopal church. June 1. 1893, Mr. Dalzell was married to Frances Marie Phelps, of Fulton. Illinois, who died April 4, 1897, leaving one child, Madge Isabel, who died November 17. 1901, aged six years. April 24, 1901. Mr. Dalzell was married to Evelyn McConnell, daughter of Alexander and .Mary (Archer) McConnell. The father was born August 4. 1831 and died February 19. 190.'!. He was one of the pioneer farmers of Renville county taking up a homestead on section :;:;. Birch Cooley township, in 1864. The mother. Mary (Archer) McConnell, was born February 18, 1834, and is living in Morton with her daughter Laura.

Lawrence M. Carlson, attorney. Renville, was born in Renville, Minnesota, November 2, 1891, the third child in a family of six children, threi boys and three girls. His father. Charles F. Carlson, was born in Bergen, Norway, in 1848, came to this country in 1s^7 settled in Renville, was married on May 22. 1887, at Montevidio, Minnesota, to (ilea Holman, who was born in Konigsvingar, Norway, in 1855, and came to this country in 1881. Law- rence Al. attended the public schools of Renville, was graduated therefrom Juue 4, 1909, attended the Academic College of the University of Minnesota; entered the St. Paul College of Law in September, 1912, Mas graduated therefrom and admitted to the bar in June, 1915, and is now engaged in the practice of law in the office of L. D. Barnard, county attorney, at Renville, lie is a member of the Delta Theta Phi law fraternity and the Phi Kappa Sigma.

Robert K. Stuart, attorney, Renville, was born in Ontario, Canada, in 1877. of Scotch-Irish ancestry. His preliminary education was received in the public schools of Owen Sound, Ontario, and at the Central University of Iowa, Pella, towa, of which latter institution his father was for a number where he practiced law for about four years. In 1910 lie was chosen secretary, with office at Belfield. North Dakota, of the Holland-Dakota Landbouw Compagnie, a Dutch corporation doing an extensive immigration and colonization business in western North Dakota. He was at the same time elected president of the First National Bank of Belfield. which position he held during his residence in Dakota. In September, 1912. he returned to Renville county to accept a position with the O'Connor Land Company and O "Connor Bros. State Bank of Renville, and has ever since been identified with those institutions. He was elected judge of the Renville Municipal Court in 1913.