Francis Mccormick Cockrell

FRANCIS McCORMICK COCKRELL, who for many years was engaged in the hotel business in Winona, and was one of the most popular landlords of southern Minnesota, is now living retired, enjoying a well earned rest. A native of Kentucky, he was born in Bourbon County, on the 28th of February, 1814. His grandfather, Peter B. Cockrell, was one of the heroes of the Revolution. Removing to Missouri, he settled in Cooper County, where he spent his remaining days, dying at an advanced age. The family was early founded in Jefferson County, Va. His son, John Cockrell, became the father of our subject He manner a lady who came from a prominent Virginia family, and his last days were passed in his Kentucky home at Maysville. Five children were born to them, but only two are now living. F. M. Cockrell when a boy was thrown upon his own resources, and the success which he has achieved in life is due entirely to his own efforts. He therefore deserves great credit, for he has worked his way upward from an humble position to one of affluence. He entered upon his business career as a clerk in a store in Maysville, Ky. He afterward engaged in the same business in Cincinnati, whence he came to Winona in 1866. Here he became proprietor of the Huff House, which was built by H. D. Huff in 1866, and on the 6th of June was opened to the public by Willis <fe Hawthorne. Not long after Mr. Willis sold out his interest to Messrs. Cockrell and Williams, and business was conducted under the firm name of Cockrell & Co. until 1861, when Mr. Hawthorne sold out and the name of Cockrell & Williams was assumed. For thirty-five years the Huff House was the leading hotel of Winona, and one of the most popular inns of southeastern Minnesota. E. D. Williams, Mr. Cockrell's partner, was a native of

Maine, and an enterprising and progressive citizen. He continued his connection with the hotel until 1872, when he was instantly killed by the explosion of gas in an old gas generator. He was at the head of the first gas works built in Winona, and was largely interested in many of the leading enterprises of the city.

On the death of his partner, Mr. Cockrell became sole owner and proprietor of the Huflf House, and there carried on business until 1888, when it was replaced by the Winona Hotel. Since that time he has lived retired. He is a pioneer landlord of the Northwest, and for years did a most successful business. His constantly increasing patronage led him to enlarge his hotel, and brought to him a handsome competence, which now enables him to live retired.

In 1842 Mr. Cockrell was married, but in 1845 lost his wife. In his political views in early life he was a Whig, and on the dissolution of that party joined the Democracy, which he yet supports. He has been actively interested in the welfare of Winona, and has done much for the advancement of those enterprises which are calculated to promote the general welfare. He has for some time been a member of the Board of Trade, a stockholder in the Winona Gas Light Company, and for more than half a century has been a Master Mason. He is a very popular gentleman, and his familiar figure is seen upon the streets every day. The distance is indeed short that he can go without being accosted by an acquaintance. He has many warm friends who hold him in the highest regard, and their confidence and esteem are well merited by this worthy gentleman, who is numbered among Winona's pioneers.

Charles A. Qile.

eHARLES A. GILE, the efiScient and popular City Treasurer of Winona, and a member of the insurance and real-estate firm of Smith, Posz & Gile, has the honor of being a native of Minnesota. He was born at Money Creek, in Houston County, November 27, 1857, and is the eldest in a family of eight children, six sons and two daughters, who graced the union of John R. and Jane (Howard) Gile. A sketch of the father appears elsewhere in this work. He was born in Addison, Steuben County, N. Y., April 19, 1829, and is a son of John F. Gile, a native of Providence, R. I., born in 1805. In early life the grandfather removed to Hoboken, N. J., and for many years was engaged in logging and rating on the Susquehanna River. For a long time he made his home in Addison, Steuben County, N. Y., and there all his children were born. Later in life he removed to Wisconsin, and about 1853 came to Minnesota, locating in Wilson, Winona County. For years his was the only house between La Crosse and Chatfield, and the old log cabin was used as a tavern and poetofiSce. He was recognized as a prominent man among the early settlers of Wi-

Google nona County, where his death occurred id 1872, at the age of sixty-eight years.

John R. Gile, the father of oar subject, was a youth of about twenty when, with the family, her became a resident of Baraboo, Wis. There he lived for several years. He first came to Winona in 1850, and a year later made a settlement in Wilson Township. His education was acquired in his native state, and in early life he taught school for several years. After coming to Minnesota he was editor and publisher of the Winona Daily and Weekly Democrat for some time — the largest newspaper enterprise at that period in the southern part of the state. Subsequently he engaged in the grain and fruit commission business in the city, but afterward was overtaken by reverses, and then removed to his farm in Wilson Township, where he remained some twenty years. He lived the quiet life of an agriculturist. About 1891 he came to the city where he is now living retired. For some time he was recognized as one of the leaders of the Democratic party in Winona, and has ever been a stanch supporter of its principles. His wife, who has been to him a faithful companion and helpmate on life's journey, is also living. She is a daughter of James Howard, who was born in Canada, and was of French descent.

In the Gile family were eight children: Charles A., of this sketch; Joseph L., who is living on a farm in Wiscoy Township; Mary A., wife of T. Smith, of Volga, S. Dak.; John D., a member of the Fire Department of Winona; James B., who is yet in school; Andrew J., who is employed in the Empire Mill; Greorge W., at home; and Minnie, wife of M. Ostrom, of Winona.

The history of Charles A. Gile, the well known City Treasurer of Winona, will undoubtedly prove of interest to many readers of this volume, for he has a wide acquaintance throughout the county. At the age of twelve he began working on the farm, and during the winter season, when crops were harvested and the labor of the farm was practically over, he attended the district schools. His studious habits and aptitude for learning soon made him master of all the common branches, and at the age of sixteen he began teaching, a profession which he followed for seventeen terms in Winona County. During the summer months he would engage m farm labor, and during the autumn return to the schoolroom, being thus employed until twenty-one years of age.

On attaining his majority, Mr. Gile was united in marriage with Miss Ida Evans, of Winona, daughter of Royal B. and Mary (Parks) Evans, who were natives of Ohio, and came to this state at an early day, being numbered among the pioneer settlers of the county. Four children graced the union of Mr. and Mrs. Gile: Florence Irene, Ray J., Bessie May and Mary Jane.

About the time of his marriage, Mr. Gile entered the employ of Yeumans Bros. <fe Hodgins to scale lumber, and continued with that firm for two summers, after which he engaged with the Winona Lumber Company as Superintendent of the manufacturing and scaling department There he remained seven summer seasons, teaching school winters, whu he bought out the local fire-insurance business of H. P. Hubbell, who is now State Agent of the Springfield Fire and Marine Insurance Company. This was in 1888, and he carried on business for a year. On the ist of November, 1889, he formed a partnership with H. G. Smith and Henry Posz, and has since been engaged in the insurance and real-estate business, under the firm name of Smith, Posz & Gile. This is the leading firm in the city in their line of business.

In politics Mr. Gile has always been an earnest and consistent Democrat. For two terms of two years each he served as School Director. In 1893 he was elected City Tieasurer for a term of two years, and is now filling that position with credit to himself and satisfaction to his constituents. He is an active member of several of the secret and benevolent societies of the city, and is one of the wide-awake and representative young business men of Winona.

C. C. Beck.

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

A native of Germany, Mr. Beck was born in Goeppingen, Wurtemberg, on the 1 1th of January, 1881, and is the fifth in order of birth in a family of seven children. His grandfather, a native of the same country, carried on the business of dyeing cloth. His father was born in Goeppingen, and was extensively engaged in dyeing wool and linen goods for many years. He won success in his business, becoming quite well-to-do. He came of a family noted for longevity, and his death occurred at the advanced age of ninety-two. His wife, who was born in the same locality as her husband, died when the subject of this sketch was about five years of age.

C. C. Beck remained at home until the age of fifteen, when he began to learn the brewing trade, which he followed for about two years. He then went to Augsburg, Bavaria, where he was employed in a brewery for six months, after which he went on foot to Mainz, Baden, a distance of four hundred miles. On reaching his destination besought and obtained employment in a brewery, where he continued for six months. His next place of residence was in Stuttgart, and there he worked at his trade for two years, when, on account of failing health, he was obliged to return home. During the two succeeding years of his life he superintended his father's fruit farm, and in August, 1857, he started for America, taking passage on a sailingvessel, which, after a voyage of seven weeks, dropped anchor in the harbor of New York City in September.

For two months Mr. Beck visited with friends, and then came to the West, locating first in Dubuque, Iowa, where he had a brother living, engaged in the brewing business. For six months he worked with his brother, and then sought a home in Prairie du Chien, Wis., where he was employed in a brewery until the Uth of November, 1858. On that date he arrived in Winona, Minn., and soon after purchased a half-interest in the Gilmore Valley Brewery, which he carried on in partnership with others for three yean>, when he became sole proprietor. He then successfully carried on the business alone until 1878, when his plant was destroyed by fire, and he thereby suffered a loss of about $20,000. When this misfortune overtook him he turned his attention to farming, and began operating the land which he had purchased in 1862. For some years he then carried on agricultural pursuits, but at length turned his attention to merchandising, and in 1887 embarked in the wholesale and retail hardware business. For four years he had a partner, whose interest he bought out on the expiration of that period, since which time he has been alone. He built a three-

Google story brick store, 40x130 feet in dimensions, at a cost of tl2,000,and has it well stocked with a fine line of shelf and heavy hardware, which he sells to t.he wholesale and retail trade. He has built up a good business and is now at the head of one of the leading commercial concerns of Winona.

On questions of national importance Mr. Beck votes with the Democracy, but at local elections is not strictly partisan. For many years he served as Chairman of the Board of Supervisors of Winona Township, and proved a capable and efficient officer. Socially he is a member of Huml)oldt Lodge, I. O. O. F. He now owns a farm of one hundred and eighty-seven acres adjoining the city, and in addition to this valuable and desirable property has a beautiful residence, one of the finest in the county, which was erected at a cost of 910,000.

Esbon skinkle.

As printed in Portrait and biographical record of Winona County, Minnesota: containing ... (1895). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.