James Holt

As printed in 1894

JAMES HOLT, a prominent farmer and stock-raiser of Winona County, now living retired in the village of Utica, was born on a farm in Somerset County, Me., November 19, 1825, being the second of six children born to the union of Timothy and Betsy (Smitt) Holt, also natives of Maine. The children in order of birth were: Sarah, Mrs. Stephen Judkins, deceased; James, our subject; Mary J., the wife of Taylor Davis, a farmer of Maine; Mehitable, Mrs. George Shaflon, also of Maine; Alvira, wife of Otis Emerson, a matter residing in Methuen, Mass.; and one that died in infancy.

The Holt family originally resided in England, but emigrated to America in an early day and settled in Maine. The parents of our subject were very poor, and in 1863 they came to Minnesota, where they' made their home with their son James until they died. The father departed this life in 1874, and the mother passed away in 1879, being laid to rest beside her husband in the Utica Cemetery-. Both were consistent members of the Reformed Church. In politics he was a Democrat, and a Arm believe in the principles of that party.

July 14, -1853, James Holt married Miss Thirza, daughter of John 6. and Thirza (Smith) Dugley, natives of Maine, and of English ancestry. The family removed to Wisconsin in 1850, and settled in Green Lake County, where Mr. Dugley bought some land and proceeded to make a home for his family. That county" was then in its primeval condition, and its clearing and cultivation necessitated a large amount of hard labor and perseverance. The father was called to the land be'ond May 21, 1876. The mother is still living and is quite active for one of her years (eighty-five). Mrs. Holt was born in Franklin County, Me., April 25, 1835, and is an amiable and estimable lady.

The family of Mr. Holt consists of four children. Newton M., who was born May 24, 1854 was a carpenter and bridge-builder, and formerly was with the American Bridge Company, but is now living retired in California. Leroy J. was born September 6, 1855, and now resides on the old homestead in Winona County. Alvira was born January 27, 1858, and is the wife of D. M. Brown, a stenographer of Minneapolis. Willard F., whose birth occurred May 23', 1860, is a carpenter and builder of Sioux Falls, Iowa. Walter E. was born June 24, 1873, and died January- 17,

In 1849 Mr. Holt started westward from Maine, and the following year reached Wisconsin, stopping in Green Lake County. He was young and energetic, willing to work at anything honorable whereby he might get a start in life. For eleven years he remained in Wisconsin, being employ'ed at various occupations during that time, but mainly engaged as a farmer. By industry and economy he was enabled to save a neat sum of money, and when, in 1861, he came to Winona County, he was enabled to purchase one hundred and seventvfive acres on section 12, St. Charles Township. The land was in its primitive state, and all the improvements now on the place were put there by our subject. In this undertaking he was very successful, and added from year to year to his possessions until he became the owner of three hundred and thirty-tive acres of as valuable farm land as can be found in the county. One hundred and seventy-five acres of tins he still retains, the remainder belonging to his son Leroy.

For a number of years Mr. Holt carried on general farming and stock-raising, making a specialty of sheep and Norman horses. In this line of industry he was one of the most successful men in the county, and also became widely known in the state. In 1882 he retired from active farm life, giving over the management of the farm to his son Leroy. For some time after coming to Utica he employed his leisure time in working as a blacksmith, which trade he had learned in his youth; He IS not obliged to work, having accumulated a sufficient amount of this world's goods to keep hun and his family in comfort for the remainder of their days, but it is an utter impossibility for him to remain idle. Politically he is a stanch Populist. He is public spirited and ever ready to assist in all the needed improvements of his home locality, and is highly esteemed in the community in which he lives.

Mrs. Ruth M. Cogswell Rowell.

is a direct descendant of the Rt.-Hon. Sir Humphrey Cogswell, otherwise Lord Humphrey Cogswell, of England, to whom, in 1447, was first granted the coat of arms which appertaineth to the name of Cogswell. Paintings of these ensign armorial are still retained in the family. She is of the seventh generation in descent from John Cogswell, who was born in Westbury, Leigh, County of Wilts, England, in lo92, and who married, Septembei 10, 1615, Elizabeth Thompson, daughter of Rev. William and Phillis Thompson. Kev. William Thompson, the father of Elizabeth Thompson (the great material ancestor of all the descendants of John Cogswell), was vicar of the Westbury parish church from 1603 to 1623, the time of his death. Westbury parish church was very ancient, dating to the time of William the Conqueror. Westbury, England, was granted its charter of incorporation l\y Henry IV. The place is of great antiquity. It occupies the site of the old Roman military and trading station, Verlucio. It is ninety-eight miles from London. The name is of Saxon origin, and here, according to tradition, was the pal.ace that belonged to the West.Saxon kings. The inhabitants are supplied with water from springs and a small stream that flows into the Avon. On the register of the Westbury parish church are found recorded at this date the marriage of John Cogswell and Elizabeth Thompson, as also.accounts of the baptisms and burial of their ancestors.

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

John Cogswell with his wife and children embarked on board a ship, May 23, 1635, at Bristol, England, and sailed for New England. He took with him from England farming implements, housekeeping utensils, valuable pieces of carved furniture, embroidered curtains, damask table linen, much silver plate and a Turkey carpet. He also brought several farm and household servants, and sums of money. lie settled in Ipswich, Mass., where in 1636 we read of a giant of three hundred acres of land being given him, as also deeds of lots for building purposes. Mrs. R. M. C. Ro well's great-grandfather, Nathaniel Cogswell, was a leading merchant and prominent citizen of Ilaveriiill, Mass. He married, January 31, 1740, Judith Badger, the only surviving daughter of Joseph and Hannah (Peaslee) Badger, her father being also a merchant in Haverhill, Mass. Her mother was a woman of culture, having been a member of the first high school taught in Boston, Mass. Nathaniel Cogswell was a man of integrity and business capacity, and deeply religious, as was his long line of ancestry. His wife was a person of commanding figure and cultured manners. After a successful business life he retired in 1776, and settled in Atkinson, N. H., where he at once became active in establishing religious and educational institutions in the town. Prior to the completion of the meeting house (to which completion he contributed freely), meetings were conducted in his own house. During the Revolutionary War his patriotism was shown by his advancing large sums of money to provide equipments and provisions for the soldiers. These loans of money, by reason of a depreciated currency, proved almost a total loss. Besides providing money, Mr. Cogswell gave eightsons to the array, who served with distinction, and fulfilled an aggregate term of service of more than thirty-eight years, said to be the longest rendered by any family in the country. They were tall men, their aggregate height measuring fifty feet. They all survived the war and became prominent in professional and civil life.

Mrs. Rowell's grandfather, Hon. Thomas Cogswell, was born in Haverhill, Mass. He married,

February 26, 1770, Ruth Badger, daughter of Gen. Joseph Badger, of Gilmanton, N. H. They at first resided in Haverhill, Mass., but at the close of the war he purchased a farm and built a frame house (said to be at that time the best house in the state) neaihis father-in-law in Gilmanton, N. H. The house is still standing, with furniture in it furnished by him, and all in good repair and occupied by Cogswells.

Hon. Thomas Cogswell was a commissioned officer in thearmy of the Revolution during the whole war. He was Captain, then Major (January 1, 1777), then Lieutenant-Colonel (November 26, 1799) and afterward Wagon-master General. He led a company in the battle of Bunker Hill, was present at the siege of Boston, and continued in the service until peace was declared. We subjoin an extract from a letter penned by George Washington:

"Majoi Cogswell has always been represented to ine as an intelligent, brave and active officer."

"Given at headquarters, June 7, 1881.

(Signed) "George Washington."

At the close of the war his country called him into another sphere of action. When peace was declared, as a citizen he displayed such firmness and benevolence, with all that goes to characterize a good statesman, that he was at once called upon to hold offices of trust. He was twice nominated for Representative to Congress from New Hampsliire. He filled with dignity and honor the office of Judge of the Court of Common Pleas from 1784 to his death in 1810. His great generosity to the first Congregational Church while living (donating them a sacramental service, as well as other presents), and respect to his memory', induced the church to erect a stone to mark the spot of his burial. (For confirmation, see the book entitled "Cogswells of America.")

Rev. Frederic Cogswell, the father of Mrs. Rowell, an ordained minister in the Cliristian Church, was the son of Hon. Thomas Cogswell, of Gilmanton, N. H. He commenced his work in the Gospel ministry while a young man. He married, May 18, 1817, Hannah Rogers Peavey, daughter of Col. Anthony Pcavey, of Farinington, N. H.

Mrs. Rowell was born in the town of Pike, Allegany County, N. Y., March 3, 1821, in which slate her parents then resided, her father being engaged in evangelistic work, in company with his cousin, Joseph Badger, editor of the Christian Palladium, and his brother-in-law, John L. Peavey. When she was two years of age her parents returned with her to New England, where she was reared and educated, her parents and all her people being New Englanders. When she was nine years old she gave her heart to Christ in a meeting led by her father (in the house of Robert Foster, editor of the Christian Herald) in the city of Portsmouth, her fatiier being pastor of the Christian Church in that city. In the schools of Portsmouth she received mucii of her early education, which was afterward continued in the academy at Rochester, N. II. While attending this school she had the privilege of being with her father's only sister, the wife of Hon. Nathaniel Upham. Mrs. Upham was a noble woman, and did much to would the character of her niece. She was the mother of Prof. T. Upham, of Bowdoin College, and several other illustrious ciiildren.

June 9, 18-14, the lady whose life is here given married Warren Rowell, son of Hon. Charles Rowell, of AUenstown, N. H. In 1853 they removed with their children to Homer, Winona County, Minn. In 1856 she commenced her work in the ministry, thus following in the footsteps of her ancestors, her parents both being preachers. When her maternal grandmother died it was said in a local paper that she was a mother in Israel, seven of her children having been preachers. Mrs. Rowell was for some time pastor of the Advent Christian Church in Utica, also in Winona. She at length resigned her position as pastor, and went on a number of missions West and South, having preached the Gospel in nine different states. She has written articles for publication which have been printed in nine different pajjers in different states. In 1891, from a sense of duty, she retired from the Advent Christian Church and State Conference, and by letter united with the Free-Will Baptist Church of Winona; she also became a member of the Yearly Meeting, with which she is still connected. She was a member of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union almost from its organization. In 1888 she was appointed President of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union for Winona County. In June, 1889, she was elected President of the First District Woman's Christian Temperance Union, which office she held until April, 1894, when a sad bereavement, and also a call to more effectual evangelical work in the ministry, induced her to resign that position. While holding that office she traveled largely over the four counties comprising it, organizing unions and lecturingon temperance and different departments of Woman's Christian Temperance Union work. Though now over seventy-three years old, she is still busy, preaching the Gospel of Christ from time to time, doing evangelical work, Sunday-school work, and also state and local work for the Woman's Christian Temperance Union. She is State Superintendent of Hospitals, and is also earnestly engaged in the local and quarter mission work of the Free- Will Baptist Church, having been elected President of the Quarterly Mission Board.

We subjoin the following extract from a Winona County History printed in the year 1883. "In connection with the early historjand settlement of the town of Homer, there is no name, perhaps, that figures more prominently than thai of Mother Rowell. Born of illustrious parents, she was reared and educated in all that appertains to true womanhood, and inherited from her ancestors those great moral and intellectual trails of character which enabled her in after years to field such an influence in the wilds of the West, that unborn generations will yet feel. * * * The education of the people in Christian and moral principles has been the life work of Mrs. Powell; but few women, indeed, could stand to do the amount of missionary work that she has done, and nothing but a strong will power, supported by the sustaining influence of an all-wise Providence and the convictions of right, could have sustained her in the performance of the amount of physical labor required of her in attending to her itinerant life's work; always ready at a little warning to go to the sick-room, and soothe the dying with words of cheer, preach the funeral sermon and attend the last sad rites of the dead, meanwhile speaking words of hope and consolation to the living; then again on the rostrum or pulpit, explaining the great mysteries of salvation through Christ; and when we reflect that she has done all this at great pecuniary sacrifice to herself, we must conclude she is a sincere worker in the Master's cause. Besides her ministerial duties, she has given birth and reared to honor five children, two of whom are now dead. The eldest, JNIary Adeline, graduated in the normal school in Winona, taught three years in the public schools in the city, and also taught in the collegiate institute at Red Wing. She married an estimable gentleman of that place, and now resides there. Her second child. Fred C, is also a graduate of the normal school at Winona. He taught successfully several district schools, married an accomplished young lady in Pleasant Valley, by the name of Anna M. Preston, and now lives upon the farm with his father. Her third child, Anna M., a highly educated young lady, w.is also a teacher, and for her amiable qualities was very highly respected. She married E. G. Lord, son of the County Superintendent, O. M. Lord, but their earthly lives were soon cut short, she dying in a little over a year, leaving an infant son, and he soon followed, both dying of consumption. The fourth child died at the age of thirteen months. The fifth and last, Warren C, is now attending the city schools at Red Wing, and is a very promising boy. and expects to graduate next year. Who can say that Mrs. Rowell has not done her part in the Christian work and development of Winona County, and in the education of the youth in all those virtues that adorn society and form the palladium of our civil and religious liberties.' May her life be spared to continue the good work."

Mrs. Rowell's youngest son, Warren C, has graduated with honor from the State University at Minneapolis, and has his business office at Nos. 408 and 409 Boston Block, Minneapolis, Minn.

As printed in Portrait and biographical record of Winona county, Minnesota. Containing biographical sketches of prominent ... citizens .. (1894). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.