Fifty Years In The Northwest / With An Introduction And Appendix Containing Reminiscences, Incidents And Notes

by William H. C. Folsom

Mrs. Susannah Tepass, nee Burkhart, was born in Germany, Aug. 10, 1824. Her parents emigrated to America in 1847 and settled in Freeport, Illinois, where she was married, in 1849, to N. Kimmick, and the same year came to Stillwater. Mr. Kimmick died in 1857. In 1860 she was married to Frank Aiple. Mr. Aiple died Nov. 10, 1868. Dec. 9, 1869, she was married to her present husband, Herman Tepass. Her children are Mary, Herman and Frank Aiple.

William E. Thorne came to Stillwater in 1853. He has been an attentive and successful merchant, a polite and honorable gentleman, and a good citizen.

Edmund J. Butts was born in Delaware county, New York, in 1832; graduated at the Albany Normal School in 1853, and taught school awhile during his minority, and some years after studied law (in 1861), and was admitted to practice in Broome county, New York. In 1862 he enlisted in a New York regiment and served his full time of enlistment. In 1864 he was appointed clerk in the third auditor's office, Washington, which position he resigned in 1865 and came to Stillwater to practice his profession. He served some time as justice of the peace, and for ten years as judge of probate in Washington county. He was collector of internal revenue one year, and was eight years postmaster in Stillwater, completing his term of service in 1886. Mr. Butts was married to Augusta Miller in 1856. Mrs. Butts died in 1869, leaving one son and one daughter. Mr. Butts married Ida Ellsworth in 1878. They have one son and two daughters. His oldest son is in the military school at West Point.

A. B. Easton was born at Mesopotamia, Trumbull county, Ohio, March 1, 1828. His parents were natives of Massachusetts, tracing their lineage to the Pilgrim Fathers. At the age of fourteen years he was clerk in a store, but at the wish of his parents, left the store and attended school, finishing his studies by a course at the high school. Soon after he again assumed the position of clerk, in which he continued two years, when, in 1855, he took charge of his father's hotel. Two years subsequently he came to Stillwater, beginning work as a compositor for the Stillwater Messenger, A. J. Van Voorhes, proprietor. During the absence of the proprietor Mr. Easton was manager. Finally, in 1863, he and A. B. Stickney rented the paper, which they operated one year, then carried it on alone until 1865. During this time Mr. Van Voorhes had been filling the position of quartermaster, and on his return made Mr. Easton foreman, where he continued until 1868. The St. Paul Dispatch had just been established, and he was connected with the interests of this paper until his return to Stillwater in 1869. Aug. 6, 1870, he issued the first number of the Stillwater Gazette. His son William E. was taken as a partner in 1876. Mr. Easton and son have through their ability and industry made the Gazette a readable, reliable and popular paper. Mr. Easton was married to Julia Burke, Oct. 14, 1849. They have four sons and three daughters.

Edwin A. Folsom was born in Exeter, New Hampshire, June 30, 1833. He spent most of his youth with his parents in Bangor, Maine, where he was educated in the common schools. In 1856 he came to Stillwater and for six years was book-keeper for Hersey, Staples & Co. In 1862 he enlisted in Company C, Eighth Minnesota Volunteers, and was commissioned as captain. He left the service at the close of the war with the rank of brevet colonel. Returning to Stillwater, he served six years as county treasurer, and has since been engaged in lumbering and selling goods under the firm name of Bronson & Folsom. He was married Oct. 12, 1872, to Frances E. Staples.

John B. H. Mitchell.—The ancestors of Mr. Mitchell were Revolutionary patriots, originally Scotch covenanters, who settled in North Carolina, but who in after years freed their slaves and came to the Northern States. Mr. Mitchell was born Nov. 26, 1820, in Monroe county, Kentucky. His education was obtained chiefly in the printing office of H. H. Houghton, of Galena, Illinois. He came to St. Paul in 1852, and was employed two years in the Pioneer printing office. In 1854, in company with T. M. Newson and others, he published the St. Paul Daily Times. In 1855 he located on a farm near South Stillwater. During the early part of the Civil War he was in Nashville, Tennessee, and reported proceedings of secession conventions to northern papers. In 1863 he was elected a member of the Minnesota legislature. Mr. Mitchell has filled other offices of trust. He was married in 1850 to Mariana B. Fiske, a daughter of David Fiske, of Baytown.

Joseph Schupp was born in Baden, Germany, in 1831; received a college and general business education and came to America in 1852, locating first at Buffalo, New York, and thence at Toledo, Ohio, whence he removed to Stillwater in 1858, and engaged in the mercantile business. Commencing moderately, he extended his operations and now owns several buildings and blocks, and conducts a heavy wholesale trade. He was married in 1855 to Mary Fuller, of Toledo, Ohio. They have three sons living, Joseph A., Thomas O. A. and Frank.

Clifford A. Bennett was born in Portage county, Ohio, Sept. 7, 1841. He received a common school and collegiate education. He attended Hiram College during the time that President James A. Garfield presided over it. April 24, 1861, he enlisted in Company D, Twenty-third Ohio Volunteers. He was subsequently promoted to the staff of Gen. W. D. Hazen and served until mustered out at the close of the war. He came to Illinois in 1865, read law and was admitted to practice in 1867; came to Stillwater in 1868, and for ten years was in the office of the surveyor general. In 1878 he was elected clerk of court.

Samuel Mathews was born in New Brunswick, July 7, 1832. His opportunities for schooling were limited, and he is practically self educated. He came to Stillwater in October, 1856, since which time he has been engaged in lumbering, dealing in pine lands and in the mercantile business. He is a member of the firm of Mathews & Jourdain, and has been quite successful in his business undertakings. Mr. Mathews has been called upon to fill many positions of trust. He has served over twenty-five years as manager, receiving and disbursing agent of the Stillwater fire department. He served four years as mayor of Stillwater, was county commissioner for twelve years, and for many years director in the First National Bank of Stillwater. He was married to Elisabeth Foley in 1867. Their children are Samuel, Thomas, James, Mollie, Adie, Stella, and May.

John and James Mathews, brothers of Samuel, came to Stillwater in 1856, and are active, enterprising business men and good citizens. Their business is farming and lumbering.