This document is made available electronically by the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library as part of an ongoing digital archiving project. http://www.leg.state.mn.us/lrl/lrl.asp MEMOIRS "l' '/'IU' SATE 0 FreE s·, .\1\1> "' rtf F NINETEENTH . Legislature of Minnesota, IS C. L. :HALL, SATNT PAUL FEBRUARY. 1 II. .I {, 77 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF THE Officers of the State Government OF ~~INNE80TA., AND OF THE 19 TH MI~~ESOTA STATE LEGISLjTU~E. BY C. L. HALL. SAINT PAUL, February, 1877. MINNEAPOLIS: JOHNSON & SMITH, PRINT. PREFACE. In present\l1g these Memoirs I do so not without some hesitation. The labor of collecting the material and writing out the sketches is far greater than would seem to one not familiar with work of this character, and, indeed, it has greatly exceeded the expectations of the writer. I was fairly in the middle ofit and must go on, ere I was aware ofits magnitude. The Legislature had been in session almost two weeks before I was encouraged to undertake the enterprise. Thus it will be ~een to what extremity my time has been circumscribed. The work, it will be observed, contains two hundred of these epitomized biographies, and a glance through its pages will explain the large amount of writing it contains. With few exceptions the parties have granted me interviews, and kindly an~wered my interrogatories, thus supplying me orally with reliable data and such other facts as were fresh in their memories. For my personal remarks, ofcourse, I have had to depend upon my own knowledge of the individual, and upon information obtained from indirect sources. That the work is free from errors, or that it has been pruned as it should have been, I do not claim, but ill such a long catalogue of dates and names, prepared under so many disadvantages, who would be so inconsiderate as to look for perfection? The subjects of these pen sketches are the servants of the people, and it is highly proper that the' people should know something of the history of their servant~, at least so much of it as pertains to their public lives. Some men are oversensitive about appearing in print, but the puLlic always suspects those who strive to hide their lights under a bushel. Give us lawmakers whose characters wiII shine brightest when undergoing the most searching tests of public criticism, and the strength, perpetuity and glory of our State and nation is assured. To Hon. 'William R. Marshall, State Railroad Commissioner; ]. Fletcher Williams, Secretary of the Minnesota Historical Society, and Hon. Pennock Pusey, Gov. Pillsbury's Private Secretary, I am under obligations for valuable information and persof,al favors. In conclusion, I return my thanks to all the members for their courteous attention, and for tbe uniform kindness and encouragement they have extended me. IfI have done any of the'm injustice it has not been intentional; and they are reminded that "to err is human, but to forgive is divine." "With these brief remarks, I send it forth on its mission, and respectfully ddicate it to those whose biographies I have written. C, L. H. SAINT PAUL, February, 1877. STATE OFFICERS. I:lON. 'J0HJV S. PILLSBUR Y; Governor of Minnesota, was born in Sutton, N. H., July 29, 1828. Received a common school education in his early days, and subsequently learned the trafle of painter; but having more taste for trading and mercantile life, engaged as a salesman in a store in vVarner, at the age of 16, and remained until he was 21, when he formed a partnership with vValter Harrimon, afterwards Governor of New Hampshire, and continued in trade with him two years, when he went to Concord, where he was in business four years. He made a tour through the northern States in the fall of 1854, passing the next winter at Grand Rapids, Mich., where he had a contract for sluicing a dam. Came to Minnesota in June, 1855, and went into the hardware business at St. Anthony. In Sept., 1857, was burned. out, losing $22,000, without insurance, and in the midst of the terrible financial depression of that year. From that time to 1862 it was a continual struggle to pay his debts and re-establish his business, which he did by intense application and unremitting economy, and began doing a large and prosperous trade, becoming known in our State as one of its most sagacious and honorable merchants. In 1872 he purchased (with a nephew, C. A. Pillsbury,) a flouring mill. They were the first to introduce successfully the" Middlings Purifier process," which proved very profit­ able, after expending $14,000 before receiving a cent of return. They now carryon an extensive flouring business. Gov. Pillsbury was appointed a Regent of the State University in 1863, at a period when its financial affairs were hopelessly involved; and by his earnest, untiring work and prudent management, soon placed it on a pros­ perous footing, and its present gratifying condition is largely owing to his faithful and conscIentious labors. He represented his county as Senator in nine sessions of the Legislature, as follows: 1864-65-66-67-68, 1871-73-74-75. He wm-, elected GOY· ernor in 1875, by a vote of 47,073, over D. L. BUell, who had 35,275. HOLY. 'J. B. vVAI('EFIELD, Lieutenant Governor, was born in Connecticut, in 1828. He is a graduate of Trinity College; studied law in Ohio, commenced practice in Indiana, and came to Minnesota in 1854. He was a member of the first State Legislature, in 1857; elected to the House in 1865, and was Speaker of that body during the session of 1866. He was a member of the Senate in 1867,1868 and 1869- Appointed Receiver of the U. S. Land Office at Winnebago City in 1869; resigned in 1875,'and was elected Lieutenant Governor that fall. He was Chairman of the Minnesota delegation to the Chicago Convention, that nominated General Grant in 1868, and a member ofthe Cincinnati Convention, at which Governor Hayes 4 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES was nominated for the Presidency. Lieutenant Governor vVakefield is a man of distinguished ability. He has filled importaht public positions for more than twenty years. One among the very early pioneers, his public career is so interwoven ,,,ith the growth and development of Minnesota, that it properly belo11$S to her history. As the presiding officer of the State Senate he is dignified, impartial, and universally esteemed. His thorough knowledge of men, and his past experience at the head of deliberative bodies are relative terms in his official composition. Few men possess such a splendid physique; six feet two from foundation to dome; broad-shouldered, massive chest, large head and limbs, commanding presence, he appears the very embodiment of physical manhood. His ordinary weight is two hundred and fifty pounds. L~ke nearly all large men, he is good natured, and sometimes bubbles over with humor. HON. JOHN S. IRGENS, Secretary of State, was born in Christiania, Nor­ way. February IIth, 1832, and is descended from an old and. eminent family of that kingdom, many of whose members for several generations past, have been eminent in civ11 life and in the church. He was educated by private tutors. In 1848 he anived in the United States, and settled in New York; removed to Chicago in 1850, and to Minnesota in 1857; settled in Adams township, Mower county, and engaged in farming. Was County Treasurer of that county for four years. Enlisted as a private, Feb. 1st, 1862, in the Fifteenth 'Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, and was promoted to a Lieutenancy in June of that year. He was a member of the House of Representa­ tives in 1875, and on November 7th of that year, he was elected to his present posi­ tion. Mr. Irgens is a very efficient Secretary; talks three languages, English, French and German, besides his native tongue. He has been a Republican since the birth of his political opinions in this country. HON. O. P. WHITCOllfB, State Auditor, was born in New York in 1831. He removed to Wisconsin in 18+5, and was educated at Appleton University, that State. In 1855 he removed to Minnesota, settled in Olmsted county, and engaged in farming. He was elected County Treasurer in 186I, and held that office for a period of eight years; was President of the State Agricultural Society for three years, and in 1872 was elected State Auditor for the term offour years; was re-elected in 1876. Mr. Whitcomb is a popular and influential member of the Sbte Government, and an efficient and worthy officer. HON. Wi1£. PFAENDER, Treasurer of State, was born at Heilbrunn, Wur­ temburg, July 6, 1826, and emigrated to America in 1848, settling at Cincinnati, where he resided until 1856, when with quite a colony from that place, he settled at New Ulm, Minn., and engaged in farming. He was elected a member of the Legis­ iature (House) 1859-60, and was Presidential Elector on the Lincoln ticket in 1860. In September, 1861, he enlisted in the First Minnesota Battery, and was commissioned senior First Lieutenant. In May, 1862, New Ulm was burned, and all his property destroyed, his family barely saving their lives. In the fall of that year he was mustered OF STATE OFFICERS. 5 out of the Firsl Battery to accept the commission of Lieutenant Colonel in the Mounted Rangers, with which he served until their term (12 months) expired. He was then commissioned Lieutenant Colonel of the Second Cavalry, and served with them three years, being mustered out December, 1865.