Page:History of Goodhue County, Minnesota.djvu/998

 S60 HISTOKY OF GOODHUE COUNTY son of George and Mary (Hutchinson) Labbitt, natives of Eng- land and New York state. The father, a farmer, came to America in 1839 and located in New York state until 1856, when he emigrated west to Minnesota, and settled in Winona, remain- ing one year, after which he removed to Lake City and purchased 160 acres of land, where he carried on general farming until his death, December 10, 1901. The mother died November 4, 1900. William received his education in the public schools and worked on the farm until 1890, when he bought eighty acres of land in Belviclere township, later purchasing 160 acres more, making many improvements on the land and buildings, and erecting a modern barn in 1900. He raises fine horses, short-horn cattle and other stock and carries on general farming. Mr. Labbitt was married September 10. 1890, to Ella M: Brown, daughter of Walter and Mary (Pearson) Brown, natives of New York and England. The father, a carpenter and shipbuilder, came to Minnesota in 1857 and located in Lake City, where he pre-empted land and carried on general farming until he retired in 1894. and removed to Lake City, where he died July 25, 1901. The mother died .January 21. 1906. The father was a veteran of the Civil War. The old "homestead remained in the Brown family until the death of All's. Drown. Air. Labbitt's father and Mr. Brown were of the early settlers, who used shingles as currency, there being no money in circulation. Shingles denoted so much money and were considered legal tender. Mr. and Mrs. Labbitt have three children: Raymond '.. born dime 21. 1891; Ralph H., born May 30, 1896, and Herberl . born August 5, 1900. Air. Labbitt is a Prohibitionist in his political views, and has served as treasurer of school district 33. He is now serving as constable. The family faith is thai of the Methodist Episcopal church. John Martens, Belvidere township, was horn in Hanover, Germany. July 23, 1846, son of Deitrick and Alargaret (Hatrig) Martens, natives of Germany. The father died in August, 1846, and the mother passed away in Belvidere. John received his edu- cation in the public schools of Germany, after which he learned the trade of brick and stone mason, which he followed until 1865. He then went to England, where he was employed in a sugar factory, remaining nine months. In 1866 he emigrated to America, coming to New York, where he stayed for a short time, working in a sugar factory, then came west to Alinnesota, set- tling in Belvidere township, where he purchased 160 acres of wild land in section 14, which he cleared and improved, later purchasing an additional 160 acres in section 22. Here he built a home, barn and other outbuildings and now carries on general farming. He also has 160 acres in section 26 and 160 acres in