Nathaniel Stacy Tefft is a native of Hamilton, Madison county, New York, where he was born July 16, 1830. He was educated in the common schools and academy; in 1848 commenced studying medicine and received his diploma the same year at Cincinnati, after attending lectures at the medical college in that city. In 1856 he came to Minnesota and located in Minneiska, where he practiced medicine, served as postmaster, justice of the peace, and member of the legislature. In 1861 he removed to Plainview, where he has taken rank as a leading surgeon and physician in that part of the State. He has also served as member of the state senate (in 1871-72). The writer had the pleasure of meeting him in the legislature of 1858 and found him a strong opponent of the $5,000,000 bill. Dr. Tefft was married to Hattie S. Gibbs, of Plainview, Nov. 10, 1866.
James Wells.—In 1845 the writer found Mr. Wells living in a stone trading house on the west shore of Lake Pepin, on the first high ground on the shore above Lake City. Mr. Wells had a half-breed family and was very reticent in his manner. He was a member of the first territorial house of representatives. When the country became more thickly settled he went West and was killed by the Sioux Indians in the massacre of 1862.
WINONA COUNTY
Was named after the daughter of the Indian chief who, according to the well known legend, precipitated herself from the famous rock on the eastern shore of Lake Pepin, which has ever since been known as "Maiden's Rock." The county lies on the west shore of the Mississippi, below Wabasha county. The frontage of the bluffs on the river is unsurpassed for grandeur and beauty, the bluffs here attaining an altitude of six hundred feet above the river. The natural castles and turrets crowning these bluffs remind the traveler of the towns on the Rhine and Danube, and it is difficult to realize that they are the handiwork of Nature and not of man. The most striking of these bluffs occupies a position in the rear of the beautiful city of Winona, overlooking the city and the valley, and affording from its summit possibly the finest view on the river. The city of Winona lies on a spacious plateau between the bluffs and the river. In 1845 a solitary log cabin, the resting place of the mail carrier, marked the site, and a large Indian village, belonging to the band of Chief Wapashaw, occupied a portion of the present site of the city. All traces of this village have long since disappeared, and given place to one of the fairest and most flourishing cities on the river. The First State Normal School is located here. The St. Paul & Milwaukee railroad passes through, and the Winona & St. Peter railroad has its eastern terminus in this city. It is also the western terminus of the Green Bay & Mississippi. The Chicago, Burlington & Northern crosses the river here, and has a depot in the city.
Daniel S. Norton, at the time of his death United States senator from Minnesota, was born in Mount Vernon, Ohio, in April, 1829. He was educated at Kenyon College, Gambier, Ohio; enlisted in the Third Ohio Volunteer Infantry in 1846 for service in the Mexican War; had his health seriously impaired in the service; spent two years in California, Mexico and Central America; returned to Ohio and read law with his father-in-law, Judge R. C. Hurd, practiced in Mount Vernon, Ohio, with Hon. William Windom and came with him to Minnesota in 1855, locating at Winona. Mr. Norton served as senator in the first state legislature, where the writer served with him on several committees, among them the committee on the $5,000,000 bond bill, a bill which Mr. Norton strongly and earnestly opposed, predicting clearly its disastrous results. He also served as senator in the legislatures of 1861-64 and 65, when he was elected to the United States senate, which position he held at the time of his death, in 1870. He was twice married, first in 1856, to Miss Lizzie Sherman, of Mount Vernon, Ohio, who died in 1862. The second time to Miss Laura Cantlan, of Baltimore, in 1868.
William Windom, a native of Ohio, came to Winona in 1855. He had been admitted to practice in 1853, and formed a partnership with D. S. Norton in Mount Vernon, Ohio, who came with him to Winona, where they continued their law partnership. Mr. Windom has been quite prominent in the politics of the State and county, having served in the United States senate two terms, from 1871 to 1883. He was also a representative in Congress from 1859 to 1869. He served as secretary of the treasury to fill a vacancy. During his congressional career he was an ardent supporter of the Union, and won the respect of the nation for his unswerving firmness in upholding his principles. He is a man of great executive ability, and has used his talents and his wealth, of which he has accumulated a considerable share, in the interests of the public. He has been heavily interested in the building of the Northern Pacific and other railroads, and in real estate. His opportunities have been great, he has wisely employed them, and richly deserves the success he has achieved.
Charles H. Berry, the first attorney general of the state of Minnesota, was born at Westerly, Rhode Island, Sept. 12, 1823. He received an excellent school and academic education, graduating at Canandaigua Academy in 1846. He afterward read law and was admitted to practice at Rochester in 1848. He practiced his profession at Corning, New York, until 1855, when he removed to Winona and opened the first law office in that city. He was associated until 1871 with C. N. Waterman. When Minnesota became a state, in 1858, he was elected attorney general and served two years. He was state senator in 1874-75 and has been United States commissioner since 1873. He takes great interest in local and state affairs, especially in educational matters. He has been for many years connected with the city school board and for eight years its president. He was also largely instrumental in locating the State Normal School at Winona. Mr. Berry is a Democrat in politics, is prominent in Masonic circles and a leading member of the Episcopal church. He was married to Frances E. Hubbell, of Corning, New York, Nov. 14, 1850. They have one daughter, Kate Louise, married to Prof. C. A. Morey, principal of the State Normal School.
Thomas Wilson was born in Tyrone county, Ireland, May 16, 1827. He received his education in this country, graduating at Meadville College, Pennsylvania, in 1852. He studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1855, and in the same year came to Winona and entered the law firm of Sargent & Wilson, known a few years later as Sargent, Wilson & Windom. He was a member of the Republican wing of the constitutional convention in 1857. He was elected district judge of the Fourth district, taking his seat in 1858, and serving six years. In 1864 Gov. Miller appointed him to a vacancy on the supreme bench, caused by the resignation of Judge Flandrau, and in the fall of the same year he was elected chief justice for a term of seven years. In 1869 he resigned this position to resume his law practice. In 1881 he was elected as a representative, and from 1883 to 1886, inclusive, as a senator in the state legislature. He was elected as a representative to Congress in 1887.
Thomas Simpson is of Scotch parentage, but was born in Yorkshire, England, May 31, 1836. He came to America with his parents when a child, to Dubuque county, Iowa. His educational advantages were good, and he learned, when not in school, to assist his father, who was a miner, smelter and farmer. He studied engineering and surveying with E. S. Norris, of Dubuque, and was engaged in government surveys from 1853 to 1856, when he settled in Winona, studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1858, when he formed a law partnership with Judge Abner Lewis and Geo. P. Wilson. In addition to his law business he has been a heavy dealer in real estate and money loaning. There are few public enterprises in Winona which he has not actively promoted. He was a delegate to the national convention that nominated Lincoln for the presidency in 1864, also to the convention that nominated Grant in 1868. He served as state senator in 1866-67. He has been an influential member of the Methodist church. He was married Oct. 30, 1860, to Maggie Holstein, of Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. They have three sons.
Wm. H. Yale was born Nov. 12, 1831, at New Hartford, Connecticut; was educated at Sheffield Institute; came to Winona in 1857, and practiced law. He was state senator in 1867-68, 1876-77, and lieutenant governor from 1870 to 1874.