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

by William H. C. Folsom

Augustas Armstrong, a younger brother of the foregoing, and a prominent citizen of Albert Lea, died in 1873.

Moses K. Armstrong, another brother, has represented Dakota in Congress.

James B. Wakefield was born at Winstead, Litchfield county, Connecticut, March 21, 1828. He graduated at Trinity College, Hartford, in 1846; studied law, and was admitted to practice in 1851; came to Shakopee, Minnesota; practiced law two years and removed to Blue Earth City. He has been called to fill various and responsible public positions. He was a member of the legislature several terms, serving as representative in 1858, 63 and 66, and as senator in 1867-68-69. He served as deputy Indian agent at the Lower Sioux agency from 1856 to the Indian outbreak, and in 1869 was appointed receiver of the Winnebago land office, which position he held six years. From 1875 to 1879 he served as lieutenant governor of Minnesota, and from 1884 to 1886 as member of Congress. He served as a delegate to the Republican convention which nominated President Grant in 1868, and to the convention which nominated President Hayes in 1876. Mr. Wakefield was married in August, 1864, to Miss Nannette Reinhart, of Blue Earth City.

William Wallace Braden was born in Iberia, Ohio, Dec. 3, 1837. He was educated in the district schools and reared as a farmer. In November he came to Fillmore county with his father, and engaged in farming. He was a member of the legislature in 1866-67, and has served three terms as county treasurer. During the Civil War he served three years with the rank of lieutenant, and then of captain in Company K, Sixth Minnesota Volunteers, and was for some time detached from his command as provost marshal of Southern Missouri, with headquarters at Springfield. Capt. Braden is prominent as a Mason, and as a Republican takes an active interest in the politics of the State and nation. He was elected state auditor in 1881, and re-elected in 1885. He was married March 7, 1866, to Addie Griswold, of Pennsylvania.

Reuben Butters was born in Union, Lincoln county, Maine, May 26, 1816. He received such education as could be obtained at winter schools, and employed himself chiefly in clerking and mercantile pursuits until 1851, when he came to Minnesota and became the first permanent settler in the Minnesota valley above Shakopee. He made the first claim at Le Sueur, having, in connection with Messrs. Thompson and Lindsey, a station at that place, also at Kasota. He has been engaged chiefly in farming. He has also a stone quarry and store in Kasota, and does a fair amount of trading. Mr. Butters was a member of the first state legislature, and has served seven or eight sessions since. He was county commissioner many years. In politics he is a Democrat.

Mr. Butters has been twice married, first in November, 1847, to Elizabeth Hill, of Cleveland, Ohio, and second in May, 1861, to Mrs. Mary E. Rogers, of Maine. He died March 29, 1888.

Michael Doran, a most successful business man and prominent in political affairs, having served six terms in the state senate, was born in the county of Meath, Ireland, Nov. 1, 1829. He received but little education before coming to this country in 1850, when, although over twenty-one years of age, he obtained two years' schooling. He landed in New York City, remained in the State about a year and removed to Norwalk, Ohio, where he farmed and kept a grocery store. In 1856 he came westward and located at Le Sueur, where he engaged in farming. In 1860 he was elected county treasurer and served and held the office eight years. Since 1870 he has been engaged in banking, farming and real estate operations. He is also one of the owners of the elevator and flouring mill at Le Sueur.

In politics he is a Democrat and was an elector on the McClellan ticket. His senatorial terms were from 1872 to 1875 and 1877 and 1879. He has been twice married. His first wife was Ellen Brady, of Norwalk, Ohio, married in May, 1855. His second wife was Catherine J. Grady, of Le Sueur, married Feb. 10, 1864.

Andrew McCrea was born in New Brunswick in 1830, received a common school education and learned the business of farming and lumbering. His father having died early, the support of a mother and crippled brother devolved upon him. He was married to Jane Murphy, in New Brunswick, when he was twenty-one years of age. Mrs. McCrea died in 1878. He married a second wife in 1880. His family consists of eight sons and one daughter. He came to Minnesota in 1854, removed to Stearns county in 1858, and to Otter Tail county in 1872, where he now resides in the town of Perham. He was a member of the legislature of 1876-77, and of the senate of 1878 to 1882, inclusive. In 1885 he was appointed one of the commissioners to locate the second state prison.

John W. Blake was born in Foxcroft, Maine, in 1839. His parents moved to Wisconsin in 1840. He received a good education in the common schools, in Milton Academy, and Wisconsin State University, and became a civil engineer. He served as a soldier during the war of the Rebellion. In 1872 he came to Minnesota, located at Marshall, Lyon county, and the same year was elected a representative in the legislature. He was a member of the senate during the years 1875, 1876, 1882, and 1884.