Fifty Years In The Northwest by William H. C. Folsom
1858. He was married to Helen M. Olds, in New York, in 1840. Their two
1036 words | Chapter 193
sons are Charles and Edward.
MAJ. THOMAS MCLEAN NEWSON was born in New York City, Feb. 22, 1827, of
Scotch-Irish parentage. His paternal grandfather was paymaster in the
army during the war of 1812. His father, Capt. George Newson,
commanded a military company in New York City for seventeen years.
Three uncles were in the war of 1812. His father removed to New Haven,
Connecticut, in 1832, and both parents died there in 1834. The son,
after his parents' death, was placed in a boarding school. When he
left the school he learned the printer's trade, and on arriving at his
majority entered into partnership with John B. Hotchkiss in the
publication of the _Derby Journal_, in Birmingham, Connecticut. During
this period he wrote poetry, delivered lectures, and took an active
part in political affairs. He was secretary of the first editorial
association in Connecticut, and started and conducted for a year the
first daily penny paper in the State. He was one of the originators of
the reform school and an efficient promoter of its interests.
He came to St. Paul in 1853, where he was first associated with Joseph
R. Brown in the editorial department of the _Pioneer_, but the
following spring, in company with others, started the _Daily Times_,
which he edited until 1860, when he leased the material to W. R.
Marshall. The _Press_ was the outgrowth of this movement. He was one
of the founders of the Republican party in the State and was sole
delegate of his party in Minnesota to the Pittsburgh national
convention.
At the outbreak of the Rebellion he entered the service of his
country, was commissioned commissary of subsistence and subsequently
appointed acting assistant quartermaster, with the rank of captain. At
one time he was chief commissary at St. Cloud. He left the army with a
splendid record for honesty and capacity, with the brevet rank of
major, conferred for meritorious service, and the offer of a position
in the regular army, which he declined. In 1866 he was commander and
president of a company which explored the Vermillion Lake region
prospecting for precious metals. He was the first to assay the iron
ores, now so famous, in that region. In later years we find him
prospecting amongst the Black Hills, enjoying the wild life of the
frontier and devoting some attention to literature. While there he
wrote a drama of "Life in the Hills" and delivered lectures at various
times and places, achieving in this line an enviable success. Since
this period he has written and published an interesting work, entitled
"Thrilling Scenes Among the Indians," drawn from his own observation
and experience; also "Pen Pictures and Biographical Sketches of Old
Settlers of St. Paul, from 1838 to 1857," a rich and racy book of
seven hundred and thirty-two pages, in which the driest biographical
details are enlivened with amusing anecdotes and witty comments, in
which naught is set down in malice, but every line glows with the
genial spirit of the author. He has in contemplation another volume on
the same subject. He has also published "Heleopa," "Indian Legends"
and "Recollections of Eminent Men." Maj. Newson is a man of varied and
miscellaneous gifts. He is a ready writer, a fluent and eloquent
speaker, a journalist, a historian and the oldest editor in Minnesota.
He is corresponding secretary of the National Editorial Association,
and the first and only honorary member of the State Fire Association;
he is a geologist, mineralogist and assayer, a member of the G. A. R.,
of the Masonic and Odd Fellows lodges, and of the Junior Pioneers. He
is broad-gauged and popular in his views and positive in the
expression of his opinions. He was married to Miss Harriet D. Brower,
in Albany, New York, in 1857, and has a family of five girls and one
boy, May, Hattie, Nellie, Jessie, Grace, and T. M. Newson, Jr.
[Illustration: MAJ. T. M. NEWSON, THE OLDEST EDITOR IN THE STATE.]
[Illustration: CAPT. HENRY A. CASTLE, ONE OF MINNESOTA'S PIONEER
EDITORS.]
COL. ALVAREN ALLEN was born in New York in 1822; came to Wisconsin in
1837, and to St. Anthony Falls in 1857, where he engaged in the
livery, staging and express business. In 1859 he followed railroading;
in 1873 he bought Col. Shaw's interest in the Merchants Hotel of St.
Paul, for $40,000, and Col. Potter's interest for $275,000, property
now held at $500,000. In 1887 he rented the property to Mr. Welz. Col.
Allen is a genial man, and has friends all over the continent. He was
the second mayor of St. Anthony Falls, and has held various public
positions in St. Paul.
[Illustration: H. P. HALL.]
HARLAN P. HALL.--The writer has been unable to obtain any sketch of
the history of Mr. Hall. We have to say that he has been an
enterprising journalist in St. Paul. He was the founder of the _Daily_
and _Weekly_ St. Paul _Dispatch_; also of the St. Paul _Daily_ and
_Weekly Globe_. He is a fluent, versatile writer, and a genial
associate.
STEPHEN MILLER, a native of Perry county, Pennsylvania, was born Jan.
7, 1816. Being in straitened circumstances he early commenced a life
of toil, supported himself and to a great extent educated himself. In
1858 he removed to St. Cloud, Minnesota, and engaged in mercantile
pursuits. In 1860 he served as delegate to the Republican convention
at Chicago that nominated Lincoln for the presidency. In 1861 he
enlisted as a private soldier, but rose rapidly from the ranks, being
commissioned as a lieutenant colonel of the First Minnesota Infantry,
then as colonel of the Seventh Minnesota Infantry. He was in command
of this regiment at the execution of the thirty-eight condemned Indian
murderers at Mankato. In 1863 he was commissioned as brigadier general
but resigned to accept the position of governor of Minnesota. In 1871
he removed from St. Paul to Windom. In 1873 he was in the Minnesota
house of representatives. In 1876 he was presidential elector. In 1839
he was married to Margaret Funk, of Dauphin county, Pennsylvania. They
have had three sons. One son was killed at the battle of Gettysburg.
Gov. Miller died in 1878, at Windom, Minnesota.
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