The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1907-11-15
From Mondays Daily.


Company I. tenth, Minnesota Infantry
died at Mankato July 10, 1907. In
sigma, 1929.
Hon. Martin Juan Severance, pio-
neer lawyer of the Territory of Min
nesota, gallant officer in the Union
Army during the war of the Re
learned and just judge of the district
court of the sixth judicial district of
Minnesota was born at Sherburn Falls,
Franklin county, Massachusetts,, on
Christmas eve, 1926.
He was of English stock, but the
family had been long in New Eng
land His great grandfather served
| through the French and Indian war,
and also through the war of the
Revolution. He was the son of Asa
and Caltista (Boyden) Severance, both
of whom were born in the "Old Bay
State" To these parents there came
five sons and five daughters, all of
whom lived to maturity.
| He had two brothers who were Kill
led in BATTLE one at Fair Oaks, Vir-
ginia, in 1862 and the other at Port
Hudson Louisiana, in 1863 Still an
other son was wounded at Arkansas,
Port, but recovered.
The Severance family were distin-
sished for courage and patriotism. Asa
Severance was thrifty farmer and look
ed well after the education of his child
rem. Martins early life was passed
like that of other New England farm
er's sons, helping on the farm dur
ing the summer, and attending the
common schools in winter, until he
was eighteen years of age. He was then
sent to the Franklin academy, and
subsequently to Williston college, at
East Hampton Mass, where he COM
pleted his course as a student.
Tn lS49. he went to Chickopee, Mass,
and for two years was diligent law
student in the office of the
Hon. John Wells, who was subse-
quently Supreme Judge of the state
In 1854 he was admitted to the bar
and for two years practiced his
profession at Cickopee.
Having decided to come west, he
came to st. Paul, May 81 1856. His
final choice of location was Henderson
Siblev county There he opend a law
office, and soon became prominent III
that frontier village. Twice he was
elected county attorney of the county
He was elected to the legislature III
1858. but owing to legal difficulties
that body never convened. In 1861, nc
was again elected and served one term
He was nominated for the state senate
by the republican party, but declined
the nomination, and the Hon. Henry
A. Swift was substituted in his place
: and the latter having been eRcteo
president of the senate, became COVER
: nor bv reason of Ignatius Donnelly
election to congress and Alexander
Ramsey's election to the senate OF the
United States. After the southern re
: bellion broke out, he enlisted, August
IA. 1862. as a private in Company
5 tenth Minnesota Infantry. 1t had beer
aoreed that he was to be captain o.
the company, when 1T was hlleu u
tho maximum. But in four days after
his enlistment. the SouiX Indian out
break occurred, and with his neon
Melted company, he was ordered to thu
relief of Fort Ridgely, and Jonins
General III. H. Sibley's forces, he wen
n the defense of the Minnesota vale.
as private Later in the year. NJ
attended the extra session OF the leSls
l,ture as member, although yet
:. nrivate soldier, the only instance OF tn
kind of which l have knowledge.
: After the Souix war in 1868, IL
went south with his regiment, an
while stationed at st. Louis, his com
t pany was filled 10 the maximum In
o writer. Immediately sent to the act
inc governor, Henry A. Swift, Tor nj
commission as captain, which bore dat
: April 4. 1864, and in this rank II
or,,od iii he was mustered out, Au
gust 10, 1865.
COMPANION Severance's war record !
ltbat of a brave and gallant soldier
: whether as private or officer. lie le,
st Iouis with his command May, 1903
ro;no first to Columbus, KY, and the
} to Memphis, Tennessee His reg
ment there became part OF the SIN
teenth army corpse under that mere
fobter General A. J. Smith. He part'
cinated in the battles about lupel'
!. Mississippi, July ID, IA, and 70, 100.
The same year he was in the "oNlor
Raid" In August, he went to DuVai
4 Rluf Arkansas, and from this un
healthy post his regiment marched
tbat long. tedious and exhaustive az
l. vance through Arkansas and ME-
souri. to the Missouri river an
back along the Kansas hne
. Arkansas. in pursuit of Genera
IS price. whom they finally defeated
tho Rio Blue. After this severe can
paipn. with the greater part OF om1.h
le corpse. his regiment was sent TO lei
ID nessee. arriving, at Nashville, NoNen
her 20. He took an active part III I'll
o+tIos at Nashville, December 10 an
IL 16 and was in the front line IN Una
II final victorious assault on Genei'
After I'll