History of Minneapolis, (Hennepin County) Minnesota United States of America

Our database does not include an historic photo for Minneapolis, (Hennepin County) Minnesota, do you have one you would like to contribute? Contact Us!

Biographies:

Horatio Phillips Van cleve, soldier, was born in Princeton, N.J., Nov. 23, 1809. He attended the College of New Jersey, 1826-27; was graduated from the U.S. Military academy, and brevetted 2d lieutenant, 51st U.S. infantry, July 1, 1831; served on frontier duty in Wisconsin, 1831-35, and was commissioned 2d lieutenant, Dec. 31, 1834, resigning, Sept. 11, 1836. He engaged in farming near Monroe, Mich., 1836-39; near Ann Arbor, 1842-54, and in Minnesota, 1856-61, meanwhile teaching school in Cincinnati, Ohio, 1840-41; serving as civil engineer for the state of Michigan, 1855, and as U.S. surveyor of public lands in Minnesota, 1856. He was commissioned colonel, 2d Minnesota volunteers, July 22, 1861, and participated in the battle of Logan's Cross Roads, Jan. 19, 1862, where his regiment pushed back the enemy. For his gallantry in this combat he was promoted brigadier-general of volunteers, March 21, 1862. He served in the Army of the Ohio, in the siege of Corinth, and in pursuit of Bragg's army, and commanded the 5th division, McCook's corps, at Perryville, Ky., Oct. 8, 1862. His division became the third under McCook at Stone's river, Dec. 31, 1862-Jan. 3, 1863. On the first day of the battle he made the initial movement, crossing the lower ford at 6 A.M., but was recalled to take a position on the turnpike facing toward the woods on the right, where his line could not open fire, since the soldiers of McCook's beaten regiments were flying in terror between them and the enemy, but later in the day he made a charge at close quarters upon the enemy and was in the thickest of the fight until most of the lost ground had been retaken. On the following day, Jan. 1, 1863, owing to a severe wound in his foot, General Van Cleve gave over the command of his division to Col. Samuel Beatty, but he was able to take part in the skirmishes at Ringgold and near Gordon's Mills, Ga., Sept. 11 and 13, 1863, and in the battle of Chickamauga, Sept. 19-20, where on the first day his division, attached to Maj.-Gen. Thomas L. Crittenden's corps, was repulsed by Stewart, and on the second day, while marching to the aid of Major-General Thomas, was suddenly thrown into disorder, and its further usefulness in that battle destroyed. He was in command of Murfreesboro, Tenn., Nov. 27, 1863-Aug. 21, 1865; was brevetted major-general, March 13, 1865; mustered out of the volunteer service on August 24, and by special act of congress restored to the regular army and retired. He was adjutant-general of Minnesota, 1866-70 and 1876-82. The honorary degree of A.M. was conferred upon him by the College of New Jersey in 1831. He died in Minneapolis, Minn., April 24, 1891.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Clarence Clough Buel, journalist, was born at Laona, Chautauqua county, N. Y., July 29, 1850, and was taken to Madison, Wis., in 1855. After two years in the University of Minnesota, he studied journalism at the University of Berlin in 1872-73, and at the University and Polytechnic of Munich. 1873-74. Upon his return to the United States he was associate editor of the Minneapolis Tribune, and then joined the staff of the New York Tribune, on which he served from June, 1875, to November, 1881, when he became assistant editor of the Century Magazine. He was associated with Robert U. Johnson in editing a series of war papers in the Century, which were afterwards collected and published in a serial subscription book under the title, Battles and Leaders of the Civil War, which was very popular.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Francis Bishop Wilson, actor, was born in Philadelphia, Pa., Feb. 7, 1854; son of Charles E. and Emily. F. (Craycroft) Wilson; grandson of Ethan Allen and Mary Wilson, and of Benjamin and Mary Craycroft. In 1864, he made his first appearance on the stage under the name, "Master Johnny," in negro sketches and dances at Sam Sanford's minstrel hall, Philadelphia, but as his parents were opposed to the theatre, he was obliged to discontinue his engagements. He ran away from home and with James Mackin as a partner, played small parts in various minstrel troupes, both becoming celebrated as negro sketch artists. In 1878, he joined the stock company at the Chestnut Street theatre, Philadelphia, playing comedy r?les, and at the end of the season joined Annie Pixley's "M'liss" company. In 1879 he returned to the Chestnut Street theatre, where he scored a success as Lamp in "Wild Oats," Sam George in "Caste," and later played in the musical comedy "Our Goblins," which he purchased and took to San Francisco. This speculation was a failure, and he formed a company playing "Pinafore," playing Sir Joseph Porter. He was comedian with the McCaull Opera company, 1884-85, and later with the Casino company, where in 1886 he made his great success in "Erminie." In 1889, he began his career as a star in comic operas, including: "The Oolah"; "The Gondoliers"; "The Merry Monarch" in 1890; "The Lion Tamer", 1891-92; "The Chieftain"; "Devil's Deputy"; "Half a King"; "The Little Corporal", 1898-99; "Cyrano de Bergerac", 1899-1900; "The Monks of Malabar" 1900-01, and "The Toreador", 1901-03. He was married at Minneapolis, Minn., in 1881, to Mira Barrie of Chicago, Ill. He is the author of: The Eugene Field I Knew; Recollections of a Player (1895); Going on the Stage, and contributions to various magazines.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Clarence Luther Herrick, educator, was born in Minneapolis, Minn., June 21, 1858; son of Henry Nathan and Anna (Strickler) Herrick, and grandson of Nathan and Laura Roby (Small) Herrick. He was graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1850; studied at Leipzig and Berlin, 1881-82, and was instructor in botany at the University of Minnesota, and served on the geological survey of Minnesota, 1880-84. He was professor of natural history at Denison university, 1884-89, and professor of biology at the University of Cincinnati, 1889-92, and at Denison university, 1892-97. He was elected president of the University of New Mexico in 1897. He received the degree of Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota in 1898. He was associate editor of the American Geologist, 1889-92; editor of the Bulletins of Denison University, 1885-89; associate editor of Baldwin's Dictionary of Philosophy, and became editor-in-chief of the Journal of Comparative Neurology in 1889. He is the author of: Mammals of Minnesota (1892); Entomostraca of Minnesota (1895); Waverly Group of Ohio, and about two hundred papers on neurological, geological and psychological subjects.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor