Winona County, Minnesota - Biographical sketches (1 of 4 so headed), 1883 (part 2 of 2)

Mr. Cockrell is a native of Kentucky, born in 1814, and has been engaged in liotel business lor nearly half a century, having opened his tirst hotel in his native state in 1835. Was in hotel business in Cincinnati for some time, and came from there when he located in Winona. Mr. Cocki*ell is a member of the board of trade and one of the ten stockholders of the Winona Gas Light Company. He is also a Master Mason of forty -live yeai's' standing.

Christian Dbinohahan was born in Miokleburgh, Germany, in 1820, and came to this country in 1852, when he worked on a larm in Wisconsin, and afterward working on a railroad in Indiana. He went to California, where he remained three years, seeking his fortune in the gold diggings. In 1855 he came to Mount Vernon, taking up land by the river. He purchased his present farm in 1860. Mr. Drinchahan has been remarkably successful, and is one of the wealthiest citizens in the township and probably the largest landowner. He was married in 1855 to Miss Doris Fhirot, and has a fine family of six children. He is an active re))ublican and a Lutheran in religious opinions. There are few other settlers in the township that so thoroughly enjoy the respect and esteem of the citizens generally as does Mr. Drinchahan.

James Montgomery is of Irish descent, his fathei" emigrating to this country in 1820. James was born at Rochester, New York, in 1830, moving west with his lather's family in 1840 and settling in Elinois. During the winter months he attended district school, working on the farm in the summer. He remained with his father until 1855, when he married Mary, daughter of Isaac Pomeroy, of Illinois, and moved into Mount Yernon, on the place he now resides. Mur. Montgomery experienced all the vicissitudes and hardships of a first settler, and wiis often brought into rather disagreeable contact with the redskins. On one occasion, during the absence of himself and wife, they completely cleaned his shanty out, leaving them nothing but the clothes they stood in. He has two sons, James and John, who assist him in the care of the farm.

Nick Bartholme was born in Luxemburg, Germany, in 1824, emigrating to this country in 1849, visiting the states of Missouri and Illinois before finally settling in Minneiska in 1855, when he landed on the island opposite where the village now stands. Mr. Bartholme suffered every privation incident t<^ first settlement. One year, owing to malarial att'ection, was only enabled to earn $21, and tluit was by cutting twenty-one cords of wood, and he had to support himself and family on that a whole winter. Mr. Bartholme is identified with the village of Minneiska from its first inception, engaging in every and any occupation that presented itself. He has a snug homestead in Mount Vernon, adjoining the village, and is now, and has been for many years, employed in the grain elevator of Brooks ]3ro8. He was married in 1851 to Miss Mary Waggoner, and has a family of seven children.

Enoch Brown was born November 15, 1843. He does not know where, neither does he know the names of his parents or any of his family history. He was bound to a man by the name of Fennan Drake when he was very young, and came with him to Minnesota, where they landed in the fall of 1855, and settled in the township of Homer on Homer Ridge. On July 25, 1862, he enlisted in Co. A, 6th Minn. Inf., and served with his regiment in quelling the Indian outbreak in Minnesota. He then went south, in the spring of 1863, and served the term of his enlistment for three years and was discharged at Fort Snelling. He was wounded slightly in his right hand and severely in the left leg at the battle of Birch Coolie, the ball passing through ( ne bone. He had several shots through his hat and clothing. He is now drawing half pension, and has applied for an increase, which will probably be granted, as his disability becomes greater as age advances. He was one of those honest soldiers who was always at his post of duty. In 1866 he was married to Miss Livina Downing, daughter of B. F. and Malinda Downing, by whom he had eight children: the eldest, Benjamin R., born January 27, 1867; Flora, born April 9, 1869; Fred O., born April 25, 1871, died August 2, 1872; Emma M., born August 17, 1872; Ora E., born July 22, 1874, died June 21, 1878; Warren L., born January 31, 1877; Goldie, born January 31, 1879; Clifford R. D., born December, 1880. Mr. Brown owns a small farm seven miles from the city of Winona; runs a threshing machine, and is an honest, well-meaning citizen, and a republican in politics.

Charles Colwell Williams, a native of New York State, where he was born in 1830, and came west when quite a boy, his father settling in Iowa. Mr. Williams moved into Mount Vernon in 1855, purchasing the farm he now occupies. He was married to Eliza Plank in Iowa in 1854, and has two daughters.

Charles Clark was born in Delaware county. New York, August 15, 1838, and received a limited common school education. His father moved to Wisconsin, and kept a dairy for several years, and then to Pleasant Hill, Minnesota, in 1855, and bought out the claim of Hosea Raymond, and moved into the claim shanty 12x16 feet, without roof, floor, door or window. Here he lived with his widowed daughter and her three children (making a family of nineteen souls) from September 1 till November 1. While in this crowded and exposed condition no less than nine of the family had the ague at one time. Charles Clark was married to Eliza Johnson in 1861, and the next year he worked his father's farm, and in the early winter he moved to the city of Winona and followed teaming through the winter. In the spring he moved on eighty acres north of his father's and went to farming. He has cleared and improved his farm until at present (1882) there only remains four or five acres of unredeemed land upon his eighty. Mr. Clark has suffered considerable loss in stock ; having lost seven or eight head of horses at different times, some of them valued at $200 to $300. He has a family of six children : the eldest, Olive M. is married to the only son of Samuel W. Spalding. The rest are with their parents in the enjoyment of peace and plenty.

CuARLES Gp:rrish, |)resident of the St. Charles board of trade, is one of the old settlers of Saratoga township, where he was engaged in farming for over twenty years previous to his removal to St. Charles in 1876. Mr. Gerrish is a native of Canterbury, New Hampshire, and was engaged in farming there from his j'outh until the fall of 1854, when he came west ; spent the winter of 1854 - 5 in New Buffalo, Michigan, and the following spring removed to Minnesota. June 19, 1855, he jjurchased the Whipple claim, N.E. J Sec. 9, Saratoga township, and took up his residence there with his family, consisting of a wife and two children. In February, 1876, this farm was sold to its present occupant, J. D. Ball, and Mr. Glerrish removed to this city. Mr. Gerrish was prominently identified with all the early history of Saratoga township. The first school taught in that township, as also the first election ever held in that precinct, was held at his liouse. He was a delegate to the district convention assembled at Wabasha in 1857 to nominate candidates for the constitutional convention, was there put in nomination, and was afterward elected and served as a member of the constitutional convention; assembled at St. Paul that same year, 1857, to frame a state constitution. During the war period was township treasurer, the only township office ever held by him. He is at present a member of the city board of education, and on the organizatioTi of the St. Charles board of trade was made its chah-man. Mr. Gerrish is married and has three children, two ot tliem born in New Hampshire, one in Saratoga. Two of the children are married and settled in the county, one resides at home.

S. A. Johnson & Co., dealer in shelf and heavy hardware, stoves and tinware, and jobbers in tin and sheet iron, North End, Whitewater street. This business was established in 1866 by Marshall (liddings, and at his death passed into the hands of Charles Wells, b}'' whom it was sold to the present proprietor in 1877. At this latter date business was carried on in a storeroom across the street, and so continued until tlie erection of the present commodious brick in 1880. This building erected jointly hy Messrs. Johnson & Co., and Gates and Wardner, and the masonic lodges of St. Charles is a substantial two-story brick, stone basement, fronting 54 feet on Whitewater street, and having a depth of 80 feet, the whole costing about $7,000. The staircases, being exterior to the building, gives a clear front of 25 feet to each of the storerooms. Johnson & Co. have their warerooms and tinshop in the rear ; carry a heavy stock of goods, employ four persons, and their books show an increased trade for the season of 1882 of 20 per cent in excess of the trade of previous year. The present members of the firm are S. A. Johnson and E. C. Johnson. S. A. Johnson is a native of Massachusetts, and previous to coming to Winona county, in 1855, was in the boot and shoe trade in the east. Locating in St. Charles tovtTiship Mr. Johnson took his claim on Sec. 7 and farmed it there seventeen years before removing to the city. Has not been engaged in business here until he purchased his hardware stock, as before mentioned. Since coming here has been for several terms a member of the city government. His masonic record is good, and he is an approved member of both chapter and blue lodge. Mr, Johnson is married and has five children, all grown up.