Background and Family
He was born on September 16, 1838 in Ontario Canada. His father was occasionally employed as a hired hand on farms. He had nine years of formal schooling. He attended Rockwood Academy for a short while, where the head gave him a free tuition. He was forced to leave school in 1852 due to the death father and find work. He picked up work with a grocer. By the time he was finished with Rockwood Academy he was skilled at algebra, geometry, land surveying, and english.
His parents wanted him to have a career in medicine. He hoped to be a physician but his eye canceled that. He traveled the wilderness by ox cart, horseback, and with dogsleds.
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He married Mary Theresa Mehegan. He had ten kids. He died on May 29, 1916 in St.Paul Minnesota at the age of 77.
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