Page:History of Goodhue County, Minnesota.djvu/35

 HISTORY OF GOODHUE COUNT! 'J the early days and extended until the day of his lamented death, June 6, 1909, although he retired from the more strenuous duties of his career several years before. Mr. Blodgett came of sturdy old New England stock, the name of Blodgett being an honored one in the Colonial annals of that section. His father, Ashley Blodgett, a native of Massachusetts, married Orill Haskell, the daughter of an old Vermont family, and together they estab- lished their rooftree on a large farm in Weathersfield, in the Green Mountain State. In 1835 they moved to Middlesex, Ver- mont, and there continued farming until 1854, when they retired from active life and took up their residence in Norwich in the same state, where the mother ended her days in 1867 and the father in 1894, the latter having reached the honored old age of ninety-nine years. Elijah was born in Weathersfield, Vt., February 16, 1832, took advantage of such education as the primitive district schools of his time afforded, and supplemented this with a course in an academy at Montpelier, Vt., later learn- ing the carpenter's trade, which he followed at Windsor, Vt., from 1848 to 1855, in the meantime acquiring a knowledge of wood pattern making, which he made his occupation in, the same village from 1855 to 1866, with the exception of the year 1857, which he spent at Newark, N. J. Like many other young men of his day, he then determined to try his fortunes amid the wider opportunities of the great Northwest. Arriving in Red Wing May 31, 1866, he first entered the employ of the late T. B. Sheldon, who at that time conducted a large grain elevator. After several years of faithful and efficient service, Mr. Blodgett was admitted as a partner, the firm being known as T. B. Sheldon & Co. In this enterprise Mr. Blodgett continued until 1902, when he sold the business and retired. During his more active days he served as mayor and alderman, as president of the Red Wing & Trenton Transit Company, and as president of the board of education. He had extensive interests in the manu- facturing industries of Red Wing, and at the time of his death was a director in the Red Wing Union Stoneware Company, the Red Wing Sewer Pipe Company, and the LaGrange mills. Mr. Blodgett was married September 17, 1855, at Hartland, Vt., to Sarah P. Sturtevant, of that place, a daughter of Thomas F. and Rosaline (Taylor) Sturtevant, the former of whom was an extensive wool manufacturer. Mrs. Blodgett died March 28, 1906, and is laid at rest in Oakwood cemetery, as is her husband. At the entrance of this cemetery is a beautiful arch, erected by Mr. Blodgett in loving memory of his wife. Hon. Joshua C. Pierce, one of the sturdy pioneers who laid the foundations for the future financial integrity of Red Wing, was born near Nashua, N. H., December 8, 1830. When young