Page:History of Goodhue County, Minnesota.djvu/976

 838 HISTORY OF GOODHUE COUNTY Anna M. married Anton Hofstad, of Minneapolis, and now lives in Spokane, Wash. ; Andrew A. manages the home farm; Johanna married Ole B. Hofstad, of Minneapolis; John is a clerk in Spokane, Wash.: Nels O. assists his brother on the home farm; Christine died in 189:5 and Bertha lives at home. The mother of this large family is still living, and occupies the old homestead, her declining years made happy by the love and care of her children. J. S. Brock, of Florence township, was born in New York state September 18, 1839, son of Smith and Abigail (Norton) Brock, who came to Wisconsin in 1851 where the father died shortly after. The mother died in Iowa. J. S. Brock came with his parents to Wisconsin and later to Minnesota in 1864 settling in Florence township where he bought land which he broke cleared and cultivated. He has built a line house and other buildings and carries on general farming and dairying. He has 160 acres of which 100 is under cultivation. He was married in 1866 to Anna White, daughter of James and Jane White, natives of Scotland, who emigrated to this country and settled in Rock county. Wisconsin. Mr. and Mrs. Brock have seven chil- dren: William <>f Central point: Bert, of Idaho; Margaret of North Dakota: Abbie of North Dakota; Flora of North Dakota; Arthur living at home; and Frank of Lake City. E. N. Lewis, born in Pennsylvania. Aug. 18, 1844, son of Lot and Clarissa Lewis, came to Frontenac in 1854 with the first set- tlers and has since made this his home. The parents took up a claim June 23, 18.">4. and the father at once set about cultivating the wilderness, lie planted the first orchard in the county, and according to family traditions made the first furniture in the county, at the old Pos1 mill in Wacouta. For a number of years he followed genera] farming, and died September 6, 1887, his farm being purchase, 1 by his son who had at thai time managed it for several years while his father lived in retirement. In 1862, when a mere youth he enlisted in Co. F. 6th Minn. Vol. Inf., under ('apt. Horace B. Wilson. He took part in the Indian cam- paign, then went to Arkansas, and spent the remainder of the time in the south, being present at the capture and surrender of Mobile. He was honorably discharged and returned to his farm, August 18, 186.1. Since that time he has continued to conduct farming operations on his place, eight miles from Red Wing, where he owns over 450 acres. Of this 80 is under the plow and 200 is timber land. A rich bed of peat underlies the lower part of this farm, covering about 100 acres; and realizing the rapid decrease of the fuel supply of the country Mr. Lewis justly has hopes that the peat will sometime be of considerable value. Upon the productive portions of his land he carries on general