Page:History of Goodhue County, Minnesota.djvu/1167

 EISTORY OF GOODHUE COUNTY 1015 school, he secured a clerical position in the Citizens' State Bank, of that city, serving successively as bookkeeper, teller and as- sistant cashier. In 1893 he removed to Cannon Falls, and estab- lished the Servier-Bess banking house, which in 1895 was con- verted into a state bank, with Mr. Gress as cashier. He was married April 18, 1893, to Marion Heald, daughter of Charles T. and Amelia (Aiken) Heald, the former of whom is a banker of Canton, 111. Mr. and Mrs. Gress attend the Congregational church. William Spilman, oldest son of Peter and Teresa (Koester) Spilman, was born in Hay Creek township in 1876, and has always made his home here. His parents came to this township before the Civil War. took up land, and carried on general farm- ing for many years. In 1908 the father retired, purchased city property and moved to Ked Wing, where he now makes his home. Aside from William, the children in the family were Mary, Emma and Peter, born in the order named. William was sent to the district schools and acquired a good common school education. Since early boyhood he has worked on a farm, and is now acknowledged as an expert in that line, owning 160 acres of good land, about 100 of which is under the plow. He does general farming and raises some live stock. Mr. Spilman was married in 1908 to Clara Miller, daughter of George and Emma Miller. The family faith is that of the Catholic church. It is interesting to note that when Peter and Teresa Spilman came to this country they made a part of the trip in an ox cart in true pioneer fashion, bringing with them the furniture and other equipment for -starting life anew in the w^derness. They after- ward used two oxen in breaking the land and in hauling their crops, horses being a rarity in this part of the country in those early days. Lambert Skillman, a native of Reel Wing, was born April 25, 1868, son of John and Clarinda (Philley) Skillman, of New York state, who migrated west to Belchester, Wabasha county, Min- nesota, in 1859, and remained there until 1861, when they moved to Red Wing, where they engaged in the hotel business until 1868. They then came to Zumbrota and followed farming, pur- chasing a large tract of land in Lac qui Parle county, Minnesota. The father and mother spent the years 1901 and 1902 in Cali- fornia, where the father died and where the mother resided. Lambert received his education in Zumbrota, after which he car- ried on farming in Lac qui Parle county until 1898, when he went to Appleton, Wis., engaging in the machine business for two years. He then spent two years in California, returning to Zum- brota in 1902, engaging in contracting work until October, 1907, when he established a machine business which he has since con-