Page:History of Goodhue County, Minnesota.djvu/799

 HISTOKY OF GOODHUE COUNTY 693 schools and the Berlin Seminary. His father, Frederick (married to Mary Schmidt) was a dealer in coal and wood in his native city. In 1879 the family came to America, and lived in the town- ships of Featherstone and Hay Creek, until 1883, when they moved to Reel Wing. In this city the father died, December 21, 1900, and the mother still makes her home here. When the fam- ily came to Red Wing, Hugo, then a youth of eighteen years, started as a clerk in the store of C. E. Friedrich & Co., remaining in this capacity until 1891, when the company was in- corporated under the firm name of Friedrich & Kempe Co. Ten years later Mr. Herder was elected secretary and treasurer of the company, a position he has since retained, his record being one of honor and success. He is a Democrat in politics, and like his partners in business, he has persistently refused to allow his name to be used in connection with candidacy for public office, although he is much interested in all the great public questions of the day. April 25, 1894, Hugo J. Herder was married at Red Wing to Kate Taggart, a native of Hartland, Wis., daughter of John and Bridget Taggart, natives of Ireland, who afterward took up agricultural pursuits in Wisconsin. Her father died in 1886 and her mother ten years later. The Herder home has been brightened by the presence of two children, Justin M., born May 30, 1896, and Harry J., born December 9, 1898, both pupils in the parochial schools of this city. The family faith is that of the Catholic Church, and Mr. Herder .pays fraternal allegiance to the Masons arid Modern Woodmen. William J. Longcor, a Red Wing builder and contractor, with extensive business interests, to whose skill several of the most ornamental buildings in Red Wing will stand for all time as a perpetual monument, is a native born son of Minnesota, having first seen the light of day in Lake City, May 6, 1867. His father, Madison Longcor (married to Mary Bartron of Pennsylvania), was a native of New York state. In 1855 he came to Red Wing and engaged in his trade as millwright; removing in 1860 to Lake City, Minn., where he took up the carpenter and contracting business. In 1872 he became a contractor at Bay City, Wis., con- tinuing until his death, October 22, 1880. His widow is now liv- ing in Red Wing. William J. attended the schools of his native city and as a young man became a civil and constructing en- gineer. After locating in Red Wing in 1893 he served two years as county surveyor, later engaging in the contracting business for himself. His interests have steadily grown, and he now con- ducts a general building and contracting business on a large scale. At the present time he has in the course of construction the new Methodist Episcopal church, the new government build- ing, the addition to St. John's hospital, and other edifices that arc