Page:History of Goodhue County, Minnesota.djvu/824

 116 HISTORY OF GOODHUE COUNTY a young man he went to Rockford, 111., and started his business career as a grain buyer. "While in that eity he married Phoebe Herri ek, who died in 1852 in the city of Chicago, where he went from Rockford. He remained in Chicago as a grain trader several years. January 28, 1856, he married Clarissa J. Nichols, of Riga, N. Y., and together they moved almost immediately afterward to Beloit, Wis., where they remained two years. In Roscoe. Minn., which was their next location. Mr. Gates fanned for a while, and in 1862 located in Red Wing, where he conducted a trucking line between La Crosse and Red Wing, that being in the days before the railroad, when merchandise had to be brought here either by boat or drays. He continued in the draying business for many years, retiring in 1888. when he sold his extensive business to the firm of Gates & Glardon, the latter of whom still carries (in the enterprise. F,ov several years Mr. Gates was also a Red Wing grocer, under the firm name of Gates & Allyn. He was a Republican in politics, and for two years served as a member of the city council. Being a quiet man. he did not seek office, but was nevertheless interested in all public movements that had for their objed the upbuilding of the city. He died May (i. 1907, his wife having gone before him, May 11. 1903. l>y his first wife Mr. Gates had four children: Mary. Sarah and George K.. of Red Wing, and William, of Fortunia, Cal. By Ins second wife he had three children, all of whom Live in Red Wing. Clara M. is the wife of J. A. Palmer, [rving R. is the local agenl for the Standard Oil Company, and Jennie May is the wife of M. X. Gudgel, she being the member of the family to whom the editors of this work are indebted for the above facts con- cerning her honored father. Amherst F. Graves, now deceased, was probably one of the best known men of his time in ii'< Wing, his positions as post- master and hotel proprietor making him a conspicuous character. 11 is in die cerdil of his memory thai all who knew him were his friends, and his record was above reproach in both public and private life. He was born at Plattsburg, X. V.. December 26, 1832, his parents being Myron and Fanny Craves, both natives of the Empire slate. Myron Graves was a tinsmith by trade, an occupation which he followed practically all his life. In the fifties he located in Oshkosh. Wis., and there remained several years.' later coming to Red Wing, in the sixties. Here he ended his days, and his wife, who survived him, passed away a short time afterward in Racine, Wis. Amherst F.. after attending the schools of his native state, learned the tinsmith trade with his father, and worked at this vocation until 1865, when, in April of thai year, he came to i^^ Wing and entered the employ of F. L. Baker. In this establishment he remained twelve years.