Pierce County, Wisconsin Biographies
Edward Barnett
Source: Little Sketches of Big Folks in Minnesota. (Publ. 1907) Transcribed by Marilyn Clore
BARNETT Edward DeForest, St Paul. Res 1374 Summit av, office 100 Endicott Arcade. Investment securities. Born Sept 1, 1851 in Arcade N Y, son of Joel and Adelle C (McKay) Barnett. Married May 27, 1875 to Marietta Rogers. Educated in the public schools and academy at River Falls Wis. Left home when of age and engaged in banking business in Chippewa Falls Wis. Removed to St Paul 1892 and was cashr of Commercial Bank at time of re-organization in 1896; engaged in brokerage investment securities and timber lands business 1901 to date.
Joseph Eichten
Little Sketches of Big Folks in Minnesota (Publ. 1907) Transcribed by Anna Parks
EICHTEN Joseph John, Stillwater. Res 215 W Pine, office 101 N Main. Merchant. Born Jan 2, 1855 in Loshim Germany, son of Peter and Katherine (Balter) Eichten. Married Feb 1880 to Annie Schroeder. Educated the public schools of Minnesota. Variously employed in Stillwater 1870-83. Moved to River Falls and engaged in wholesale liquor business 1883-87; returned to Stillwater 1887 and purchased Phillip Potts’ wholesale liquor business and has continued same to date. Organized Connolly Shoe Co 1905 and is pres of same. Member board of alderman 1889-95; pres of same 1892-95; U C T; Sons of Herman and B P O E.
Julius C. Gilbertson
Source: Progressive men of Minnesota. Published by The Minneapolis Journal (1897) submitted by Diana Heser Morse
Dr. J. C. Gilbertson is a successful physician of Luverne, Minnesota. He is a native of Norway, but has lived in this country ever since he was six years of age any by education and assimilation is thoroughly American. His ancestors were of the Norwegian peasantry. Engebret Gilbertson, his father, was a farmer and was very poor when he came to America in 1867 with his wife and young family. He settled in Goodhue County, Minnesota, but after two years moved across the river to Pierce County, Wisconsin, where he still lives in comfortable circumstances, having become independent and at the same time raised a large family. Young Julius went to the district school in the neighborhood in the winters and worked hard on the farm during the rest of the year. In 1880, when nineteen years old, he had advanced so far as to be able to secure a certificate to teach in the county schools. However he did not avail himself of this opportunity but entered Red Wing Seminary the next year and graduated in 1884. At this time his father offered to mortgage his farm in order to secure the means for Julius to further pursue his studies but the son would not hear of it, and went to teaching school, at the same time studying as much as might be in his spare time. In the spring of 1885 he opened a small general store at Esdaile, Wisconsin, but after two years he tired of mercantilism and sold his business to Mr. A. A. Ulvin. He attended special lectures at the University of Wisconsin the following winter and in 1888 entered the medical department of the University of Minnesota. Three more years of hard work ensued and in 1891 he graduated, receiving the class honors. After graduation from the University and having passed successfully the examination of the state medical board, Dr. Gilbertson settled in Luverne and at once engaged in the practice of his profession. He has been very successful and has built up a large and lucrative practice--probably as large as any in that part of the state. He has no specialty and his practice is general, but he has been especially successful in the treatment of nervous disorders. Dr. Gilbertson was married on November 27, 1895, to Miss Thea H. Helgeson at Blair, Wisconsin. He is a member of the Lutheran church. In political belief he is a Republican. He has never held an office except that of town clerk in Wisconsin from 1885 to 1887.
Harold Harris
Little Sketches of Big Folks in Minnesota (Publ. 1907) Transcribed by Richard Ramos
HARRIS Harold, St Paul. Res 731 Osceola av, office 209 German-American Nat Bank bldg. Lawyer. Born Nov 21, 1857 in Pierce county Wis, son of Gilbert and Anna (Gunderson) Harris. Received his education at country schools and State Normal School at River Falls Wis, graduating in 1882. Entered Univ of Wis and graduated B S 1886; law course B L 1889. Has been engaged in practice for 16 years in St Paul making a specialty of real estate law. Sec of Park Region Land Co and dir Wis Blue Grass Land Co; v pre Polk County Land & Imp Co; sec Truant Gold and Silver Co Helena Mont and member of the firm of E E Sutton & Co.. Member Commercial Club of St Paul and I O O F.
Rev. E. Herrmann
----Source: Colby Phonograph (Colby, Clark County, Wisconsin) Thursday, 14 Apr. 1904; transcribed by Marla Zwakman
Rev. E. Herrmann, who has been pastor of St. John’s German Evangelical church in this city and of the church in Dorchester for several years, accepted a call from Ellsworth, Pierce county, and left with his family for that place last Monday, much to the regret of many friends in and out of the church. Services will be held by the Medford pastor until the church can be supplied.
Irving Todd
Source: Progressive men of Minnesota. (Shutter, Marion Daniel, 1853-ed.) Minneapolis, The Minneapolis Journal (1897) Submitted by Diana Heser Morse
Irving Todd, of The Hastings Gazette, is one of the oldest newspaper men of the state. He came to the Northwest in 1857, and since 1860 has been continuously identified with country journalism in this vicinity. Through both parents Mr. Todd is descended from old Colonial stock of the sturdy type which made New England and the Middle States the bulwark of the Revolution. The family in America dates from Abraham Todd, who was born in Scotland in 1710, and as a Presbyterian minister settled at Horse Neck, Connecticut. He died just before the war, in 1772. Some of his descendants moved to Westchester County, New York and have for generations been identified with that portion of the Empire State. Joseph N. Todd, father of Irving, was a miller in good circumstances, living at Cross River. He married Miss Sarah A. Reynolds, granddaughter of Lieutenant Nathaniel Reynolds, a Revolutionary soldier. Her family was prominent in Westchester and, like that of her husband, thrifty and well-to-do. In 1856 Mr. Todd, in company with a brother and brother-in-law, was induced to invest quite largely in a saw mill at Prescott, Wisconsin, but in the following season--the panic year of 1857--went down in the general financial crash. However, the investment was the means of shifting the life of his son from the civilization of New York to the then new West. Irving was born at Lewisboro, New York, July 23, 1841, receiving a good common school education. In the spring of 1857 he came out to Prescott with his father to look after their business interests, and during that summer worked in the saw mill, running engine and sawing lath. He spent the following winter at the old home in New York, and in the spring the family moved West and settled permanently at Prescott. For a year or so Irving divided his time between farm work and school, in 1859 making his first acquaintance with what he has aptly called "the best school he ever attended," the printing office. June 18, 1860, he entered into a years' contract with C. E. Young, of The Prescott Transcript, at a salary of one dollar per week and board. Previous to this the young man had been fired with the desire to enter the life of a printer and newspaper man. He had read with enthusiasm Benjamin Franklin's autobiography--the first influence toward journalism. He was an apt student at the new employment. Within three months he was acting as foreman of the office, besides doing most of the editorial work and all of the proof reading. At the end of the year he was considered more than an average journeyman. The Transcript, however, had been undermined by political rivalry, and Mr. Todd secured employment as a compositor on The Hastings Conserver, then being run as a daily to supply the demand for war news. In a few months the daily edition was discontinued, Mr. Todd going back to Prescott and assuming editorial charge of The Journal, which Lute A. Taylor had moved in from River Falls. After some further experience on The Hudson Star, Mr. Todd bought the plant of The Conserver, then defunct, November 17, 1862, issuing his first paper the following Thursday. He has since been identified with Hastings. Four years later the paper was consolidated with The Independent as The Hastings Gazette, Todd & Stebbins, editors and proprietors. March 4, 1878, Mr. Todd bought out Mr. Stebbins' half interest. The present daily issue was commenced September 18, 1882, an August 27, 1887, Irving Todd, Jr., was given an interest in the business, the date being his twenty-first birthday. The firm has since been Irving Todd & Son. They have been financially successful. Mr. Todd has been an active Republican since the organization of the party. In 1867-8 he was assistant doorkeeper of the house of representatives at Washington, and was collector of internal revenue at St. Paul from January 1, 1872, to April 1, 1876. In the Masonic fraternity Mr. Todd is past master of Dakota Lodge, No.7; past high priest of Vermillion Chapter, No. 2; past district deputy grand master, past deputy grand high priest, and a charter member of Minnesota Consistory, No. 1. He has written the reports on foreign correspondence for the Grand Lodge of Minnesota since 1889. Todd's Digest, now in its fourth edition, is standard authority in this jurisdiction. July 13, 1865, Mr. Todd was married to Miss Helen Lucas. Their children, Irving and Louise, are now grown. Mrs. Todd died April 15, 1896.
