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to Decorah, and in about six weeks enlisted in Co. G, 9th Io., and served until the close of the war. Mr. Engbretson then returned to Decorah and followed his trade until 1875, when he was obliged to abandon the same on account of physical disability, caused by exposure while in the U. S. service. He has since been dealing iu farm machinery. In 1866 Mr. E. returned to Norway, and was married to Miss Jorgim S. Hauser, who died in Decorah in July, 1867. In 1872 he married Margaret Evenson. Mr. Engbretson is an active worker in the ranks of the republican party, and is at present a member of the city council.

James H. Easton, president of the First National Bank of Decorah, stands conspicuous among the successful business men of the northwest. He is a son of the late William L. Easton, president of the Bank of Louville, N. Y., and therefore early in life was educated in banking and mercantile pursuits. In 1862 James H. Easton, then a young man, with a small amount of money, but a large stock of good judgment, enterprise and business activity for capital, came to Decorah and took the management of the old Decorah Bank as sole proprietor-an institution well known by all early settlers in northern Iowa, which passed successfully through all the panics of stump-tail currency and war times, always ready to meet every call and pay one hundred cents on the dollar on demand. When the National Currency Act was passed, he converted the old Decorah Bank into the First National, becoming its first and only president-an institution that has ever kept pace with the growth of the city and county, constantly inereasing in capital and in the confidence of the community, under his management, until now it is everywhere regarded one of the solid financial institutions of the west.

The Savings Bank of Decorah is a natural outgrowth from the remarkable success of the First National, and to the prudence and conservative financial wisdom of its originator and president, Mr. Easton, is also due the high credit it enjoys.

In 1869, when the railroad was pushing westward from Decorah, his quick judgment saw opportunities for his successes to repeat themselves, and, in company with A. E. Bigelow, Esq., of New Hampton, he established the Chickasaw County Bank, under the firm name of Easton & Bigelow. This enterprise, from small beginnings, has proved no less a success than the First National of Decorah, now using a capital of nearly one hundred thousand dollars.

The extension of the Minneapolis & St. Louis Railway to Forest City furnished another opening for his enterprise at that point, and the Winnebago County Bank sprung into existence, with James H. Easton president, and J. F. Thompson, a rising young attorney, as cashier. Easton & Thompson are doing a large and prosperous business. History repeats itself.

While being so largely engaged in banking, it has not prevented his quick eye detecting the "opportunities" found only in the west for fortunes in real estate. He has always coupled the two, which naturally, in a new and growing country, go hand in hand -banking and real estate-and there is hardly a county in northern Iowa, along the railroad lines, but his name is a familiar one on the books of titles to real estate, his acreage being numbered by thousands.

Monuments of his enterprise and public spirit are seen in the First National Bank building at Decorah, the Chickasaw County Bank, and the Winnebago County Bank-all models of beauty, elegance and safety, and schools of design in architecture.

Mr. Easton was married in 1861 to Miss Mary N. Loy.

T. E. Egge, county auditor, is a son of Erick G. and Berit J. Northrop Egge, both natives of Norway, who emigrated to the U. S. in 1850, and first settled in Dane Co., Wis. Here, in July, 1851, the subject of this sketch was born, and when he was but two years of age the family came to Io. and settled in Madison tp., Winneshiek Co. The son helped till the soil, and received a good common school education. Subsequently he taught until March 26, 1877, at which date he entered the county auditor's office and served as deputy until January 1, 1882, during which time, in the fall of 1881, he was elected to the office, which he now holds. At the election there were 2,497 votes cast, of which Mr. Egge received 1,699. Mr. Egge was also town clerk during 1880 and 1881. He was married May 19, 1880, to Lillie B. Limbeck.

William L. Easton, merchant tailor and dealer in ready made clothing, etc. The subject of this sketch is a son of William L. Easton, and was born at Louville, Lewis County, N. Y. He was bred to mercantile life in the store and banking house of his father. In the spring of 1865 he came to Decorah. He did not confine himself to any regular employment for a few years, but in 1868 formed a partnership with R. F. Gibson, and continued the same two years. Mr. Easton then established his present business. He was united in marriage in 1874 to Louisa Manville, of Watertown, N. Y.

A. J. Eddy, sec. 8, Orleans township; was born in Grandisle County, Vt., in 1832. In 1852 he emigrated to California, where he remained four years; after which he returned to Vermont, and in 1856 came to Fremont township, this county, and located on a farm, remaining until 1868, when he removed to his present farm of 240 acres, which is valued at about $35 per acre. Mr. E. is a

son of Clement and Eliza Eddy, the former a native of Connecticut, and Mr. Eddy was married to Rebecca Youngs, who is also a native of Grandisle County. Vermont; their children are Austin, Alice, Jennie, Florence, William and Melvin. They are members of the Congregational Church.

D. B. Ellsworth, P. O. Decorah; retired merchant; son of Benjamin and Roxana (nee Packard) Ellsworth; was born January 10, 1822, in Lewis County, N. Y. His parents moved to Cattaraugus County in 1830, which was then considered "out west," his early occupation being on the farm, where he received but a common school education. On the 29th of March, 1848, he was married to Miss Amanda Denison, and the same year started for the west. He came to Galena, Illinois, and stopped with an uncle that season, and prospected in quest of a suitable place to commence business; and in 1849 he built a store building in Argyle, Lafayette County, Wisconsin, in which he put a good stock of general merchandise, it being the first in the place. He continued business there till the spring of 1855, when he sold out and came to Decorah, Iowa, the town then being in its infancy. The same year he opened up a general store in company with Mr. A. A. Akin, and at the expiration of one year he bought out Mr. Akin, and continued the business alone until 1858. In 1859 he again engaged in general merchandise in company with Mr. Landers, this partnership continuing until 1874, when he sold out his interest for the purpose of resting from the long confinement of the store. After being out about a year he again engaged in business with C. N. Goddard, continuing until 1879, when, on account of ill-health he retired from the business. Mr. Ellsworth's wife died in 1876, and he was again married to Mrs. Harriet Bennett Norton, widow of C. L. Norton, of Chautauqua County, New York. Mrs. Ellsworth has four children by her first marriage-Lauraette, Martin, Orinda and George 0. Mr. Ellsworth has one daughter by his first marriage, Florence, now the wife of Stephen A. Lothrop, of Boston, Mass. Mr. E. is at present engaged in running a stone quarry, just across the river, north of Decorah. He has some of the finest building stone in the country, which he is shipping to points on the C., M. & St. P. R. R., and some to eastern cities. Mr. Ellsworth has the honor of being an uncle of the justly famous Col. E. E. Ellsworth, whose martyrdom to the cause of his country at Arlington Heights in the early part of the rebellion, will never be forgotten by his patriotic countrymen.

W. R. Emslie, farmer, section 25, P. O. Cresco.; owns 200 acres of land valued at $30 per acre; was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, in 1827; is the second son of Alexander and Elizabeth Emslie. At the age of 28 he left Scotland and came to Waukesha, Wis; stayed there fourteen years; then removed to Winneshiek Co. in 1865. He was married at the age of 28 to Miss Ann Walker, a native of Scotland. and has ten children, Anna, Alexander, Elizabeth, Isabel, William, Ruth, Sarah, Susan, Lillie and John.

Richard D. Evans, farmer, Washington tp.; owns 160 acres of land and resides on section 20; was born in Menonethshire, Wales, in 1834; came to America in May, 1856; lived a few years in

Utica, N. Y., and learned the trade of mason; then came to Io., located at Fort Atkinson, followed his trade ten years; then bought the farm he now owns; has thoroughly improved it, has it well stocked, all under fence, good buildings, etc. He was married in 1857, in N. Y., to Miss Jane Williams, and they have seven children, Evan, Edward, Laura, John, Mary, Matilda and Ida. E. E. Earl, farmer, section 9, P. O. Cresco, owns 125 acres of land, valued at $30 per acre; was born in Jefferson Co., N. Y., in 1838; is the fourth son of Horace and Fanny Earl. At the age of 28 he removed with his family to Winneshiek Co., and has been a resident of that Co. ever since. He was married in 1866 to Miss Minnie Root. a native of N. Y. Mr. Earl has no children, except an adopted daughter, Delia Fanny. Mr. Earl has been tp. clerk five years, collector three terms, and assessor one term.

John Finn was born in Ireland in 1836, his parents being Patrick and Bridget Finn. In 1848 the family sailed for the U. S. The father died on board ship, and the mother with her four children (two, John and Timothy, are still living), landed at New Orleans in February, 1849. As soon as navigation opened on the Mississippi she came up the river and settled at Galena, Ill. Here the subject of this sketch commenced work at the tinner's trade: subsequently spent one year at St. Paul, Minn., and in the fall of 1855 came to Decorah; worked at his trade for other parties until 1860, since which time he has been in the hardware business, and is at present a member of the firm of Finn & Noble. Mr. Finn has been twice married-in 1856 to Miss Elizabeth Quinn, who died in 1877, after a lingering illness of seven years. She left six children. His second wife was Emily L. Lawton, a native of Conn. Mr. Finn is an active worker for the Democratic party, and takes a great interest in the education of his children. His three eldest daughters are graduates of St. Mary's Institute, at Prairie du Chien.

William M. Fannon, county recorder, one of Winneshiek's early pioneers, was born in the State of Virginia in 1825, his parents being A. H. and Mary E. Fannon, natives of Va., who settled at Freeport, Winneshiek Co., in 1849. The subject of this sketch located at Freeport in the spring of 1852, and was engaged in merchandizing until Oct., 1862, when he enlisted in Co. D, 6th Io. Cav., and served until after the close of the war, when he was mustered out as 2d Lieut. Mr. Fannon was postmaster at Freeport for about fifteen years, and is now serving his third term as county recorder.

I. S. Finney, P. O. Decorah, farmer, Sec. 18, Canoe tp.; was born Aug. 5th, 1820, in Essex Co., N. Y. His parents, Anson and Esther Sheldon Finney, were also natives of N. Y. He was married to Miss Almira J. Nichols, daughter of Ezra and Polly Nichols, April 14, 1849. In the fall of 1865 they immigrated to this county, locating on his present farm. He was commissioned postmaster of Canoe P. (). June 22, 1868, which position he held till

the office was discontinued in 1872. He has also served as justice of the peace several years. Their children are, Llewellyn C. and Minnehaha L., and they have lost one daughter, Alice E.

O. A. Foss, manufacturer and dealer in boots and shoes, is a native of Norway, and was born in 1842. He learned the shoemaker's trade, and in 1869 came to the U. S., and soon located at Decorah. Here he followed his trade in the employ of Gibbert Rustad, whom he subsequently bought out. His only sister, Ingre 0. Foss, came to the U. S. in 1870, and now resides at Chicago. In 1871 he went to Chicago, where he remained until 1874, engaged in the shoe business.

John Fredenburgh, Burr Oak, farmer, Sec. 6, Canoe tp.; son of Hezekiah and Catharine Fredenburgh; was born April 2, 1819, in N. J. His parents moved to Canada, near Niagara Falls, when he was quite young, where he remained till the fall of 1850, when he came to Winneshiek Co. and located a part of his present farm soon after. He now owns 200 acres, valued at $30 per acre. He married Miss Eliza Weeks, a native of Ill., July 4, 1853. Their children are John C. and Ralph F.

Mons K. Foss, P. O. Decorah; farmer, sec. 34, Canoe tp.; son of Knudt and Susan Mickelson Foss; was born April 6, 1828, in Norway; emigrated to the U. S. in 1849, locating at Janesville, Wis., where he worked at the mason's trade, which he continued until 1851, in the spring of which year he started for California, where he remained till February, 1853, engaged in mining. He then returned via Isthmus and New Orleans and up the Mississippi river to Galena, Illinois. The same spring, in company with a cousin, he started from Dane County, Wisconsin, on foot, came to Decorah, and continued on to Minnesota, on a prospecting tour for land. He finally purchased from the government 250 acres of land in Pleasant township, this county, and commenced improving and making a home, which he sold out in the spring of 1866, moved to Vernon Co., Mo., and purchased a farm of 400 acres; but sickness of family caused him to return to old Winneshiek Co. the following fall, purchasing a part of his present farm, which now contains 360 acres valued at $12,000. He married Miss Agnes Fossum, November 15, 1853; they have five children, Lawrence, Caroline, Michael, Sophia and Julius, and have lost one daughter, Sophia. Mr. F. has served as assessor of his township, and is a live, energetic farmer.

A. O. Flaskerud, of the firm of S. H. Moen & Co., dealers in furniture, was born in this county in 1858, and became a member of the above firm in the spring of 1881. He married Ella Wangness, a native of Wis.

Milo R. Farnsworth, farmer, sec. 3; owns 320 acres of land valued at $35 per acre; was born in New Vork in 1822; in 1844 removed to Woodford County, Illinois, where he lived four years, and again moved to Walworth County, Wisconsin, remain

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