Page:History of Goodhue County, Minnesota.djvu/852

 742 HISTOEY OF GOODHUE COUNTY Freeman have been born two sons — Norman Everett, September 7, 1902, and Horace Benjamin, March 18, 1908. Nels, father of Gustaf E. Freeman came to America from Sweden in 1853 and lived in Chicago, 111., six years, and in Centralia, Wis., two years. In 1861 he came to Red Wing, worked as laborer and later fol- lowed truck gardening. He now lives a retired life. His wife, whose maiden name was Betsy Johnson, is a native of Norway. She emigrated to America in 1860, and in 1867 became a resident of Red Wing. Christian J. Bender, one of Red Wing's solid and substantial business men, is a native of this city, born August 25, 1870, son of the Rev. Christian Bender. Christian J. received his educa- tion in the public schools of Red Wing, and then took the com- plete four years' academic course at Dr. Martin's Lutheran Col- lege at New Ulm, Minn. In 1893, after deciding to be a pharmacist, he went to Chicago, and there diligently pursued studies for two years in the College of Pharmacy. Subsequently he worked at the drug business five years, thoroughly perfecting himself in the art of medical and pharmaceutical compounding. In 1900 he returned to Red Wing and purchased the business of W. A. Hare at the corner of Third and Bush streets, where for so many years the old postoffice was located. His brother, Adolph, is associated with him in business and together they have built up a large trade and patronage. They handle all the usual lines customary in such a store, hut make a specialty of compounding prescriptions. They also manufacture several proprietary arti- cles for toilet purposes. Mr. Bender is - in politics an inde- pendent Republican. He is a member of his father's church, the St. John's German Lutheran, of this city. Harrison P. Rich, our of the youngest business men of Red Wing, has formulated plans which it is expected will develop into one of the county's most important industries. He was born in this city. February 5, 1884, son of John II. Rich. As a hoy he attended the public schools of Red Wing, and later took a two yeavs' preparatory course at the Mt. Pleasant Military Acad- emy, Mt. Pleasant, X. Y. In 1903 he entered Yale College at New Haven, Conn., graduating in 1907. After graduating he took a short trip abroad, and then returned to Red Wing and beca un- interested in a new enterprise, the Forest Products Company. This undertaking, which in many of its features constituted a new departure in the lumbering industry, is spoken of elsewhere in this volume. Mr. Rich is the general manager, and is now busily engaged in laying the sure foundations of a prosperous future. Henry Brown, deceased, for many years a hardware mer- chant in Red Wing, was born in the north of Ireland, and at the