Page:History of Goodhue County, Minnesota.djvu/855

 HISTO'EY OF GOODHUE COUNTY ] t5 of Holm & Beekmark, and on April 1, 1907. when the Beckmark .Shoe Company was formed, he took entire charge, having since that date built up a successful trade, enjoying a large patronage. For nine years Mr. Beckmark was a member of Company G, serv- ing as commissary sergeant. He has seen public life as a member of the school board. He is a. member of the Commercial Club and of several fraternal organizations; independent in politics and an Episcopalian in religion. On January 3, 1893. Charles E. Beckmark was married to Caroline Hawkins, of this city, daughter of G. "W. and Mary Hawkins, of whom a sketch ap- pears in this work. This union has been blessed with two daughters— Phyliss G., born July 6, 1897, and Margaret L., born April 17. 1906. ■ Heman M. Bird, dealer in general sporting goods at 301 Main street, Red Wing, has done much to further the athletic interests of Red Wing and vicinity, and is an active patron of all out-door sports. He was born at Hampton Mills, this state. March 28, 1867, son of Almond and Julia (Ambler) Bird, the former of Scotch-Irish and the latter of German-Scotch descent. The par- ents, who were natives of Michigan, came to Minnesota in the early days and located first in Winona county, where the father followed his trade as blacksmith, carpenter and millwright. Later he went to the Indian Territory where he died. The mother died in Elgin, Olmstead county, this state. Heman M. received his early educational training in the public schools of his neighborhood, and finished w T ith a course at D. D. Darling's Business College at Rochester, Minn. He learned the trade of barber and at this worked for several years in St. Paul. Later he went South, worked at various labor, and in 1893 returned to St. Paul and learned the machinst trade. After six years' employment in this capacity, he came to Red Wing, September 15, 1899, and started in business for himself. He handles and repairs bicycles and motor cycles, and deals in fishing tackle, guns, baseball goods, talking machines and other sporting equip- ment. Mr. Bird is a Republican in politics and belongs to the Red Men and Equitable Fraternal Union lodges. The English Lutheran Church embodies the family religious belief. He was married April 9, 1898 to Evaline Peterson, of this city, daughter of Gustaf and Dena Peterson, natives of Sweden, who came to Red Wing and here ended their days. To Mr. and Mrs. Bird have been born three children — Burney B., Richard M. and Alice E. Gustave C. Beckmark, second miller at the La Grange Mills, Red Wing, was born in Sweden, May 10, 1863, a son of Conrad and Johanna (Swanson) Beckmark, also natives of that country. The father was a machinist and engineer, an occupation he fol-