The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1910-01-28

church or to fraternal order, yet
there was patcrnal ism in his hand
shake and christianity in his life and
natives. lie was a good example for
young men possessing those sterling
Qualities that make for manliness and
sln-nning the vices t"at prove to be
pitfalls for too many. Studious, in
| dustrious. prudent in his financial at
fairs. vet liberal when his reason was
appealed TO, standing steadily Tor his
principles, he made success OF life.
He might have plucked more of the
lighter joys as he trod LIES pathway,
but home to him contained sufficient
of happiness, and it was not necessary
for him to stray further away. He took
Il deep interest in his home, and his
farm was to him Il perpetual JOY. 1t
was delight to mingle with his old
| time friends and nci9hbors and discuss
subjects of interest, and he was Il close
student OF the progress Of events III
the outside world.
|
Mr.. Flctchcr's death will be Iamcntcd,
ana his family will have the sincere
sympathy of all in their bereavement.
His was II rugged character coming
down from colonial and revolutionary
stock, and he was such as made the
/ successful pioneer. Their places are
being taken by others, but the west
viii always poisc to drop tear at
their graves Mr.. Fletcher's children
have the priceless Inheritance of good
educatiol5 and an unsullied family
name.
Tie members of the family were all
gathered around the death bed, i'll
'cluding Mr.. and Mrs. c. j. lockwood
OF Minneapolis.
The following biography of Mr.. Tlet-
cher was taken from "AIankato-Its
First Fifty Years issued by the com-
mittcc that had charge OF the semi
centennial celebration in 1902.
Father Of Education in Mankato.
| L. G.. NJ. Fletcher was known as the
{ father OF education in this city, lie
was born i'll Stockholm, st. Lawrence
county. New York. February l3, 1880.
His parents were Adolphus and Sarah
! (Wcllington) Fletcher. Both his par
cnts were of English descent through
colonial families noted i'll the yearly
history of New England. His father
was a native of Walpolc, New Tam
shire, born in 1905, and served rs II
private soldier in the War of 1872. His
grandfather, Luke Fletcher, served
through the War of the Revolution,
fought at Newton, and, winterin9
at Valley Forge, was present at the
Surrender of Yorktown. The Fletcher
family came from England in 1890
and settled Lowell, Massachusetts.
He spent his younger days on his
fathers farm. attended the common
school and later the st. Lawrence aca-
deny, at Potsdam, and the Ogdens-
burg Academy, and taught school win
tiers from the age of nineteen to TWEEN
ty-four. His father died at the old
homestead in 1851 and his mother in
1873. In May, 1854, he started out to
see the world. He stopped at Dubu-
Ique, Iowa, and while there met party
of government surveyors, and engaged
to go with them. Being active, ener-
Igetic, and quick TO learn, he soon ac-
quired fair understanding of sur
veying. They started the survey July
6, 1854. at the southeast corner OF
NIL
the first standard parallel, reacllin.
Mankato about August Is, of the same
lycar. lie was So much pleased with the
country that he concluded to locate
there permanently, and he was the
only one out of II party of forty men
that remained. He immediately made
la claim, north of the present town
site, where he built a homestead, and
where lie resided for more than fifty
years. He spent much of his time in
those carly years in locating new cor
lncrs, surveying claims and making out
papers He located the Maple River
colony and surveyed the land; he al.
SO surveyed and laid out several ad
ditions TO the city Of Maikato. He
!engaged i'll farming, grain storing, and
in the real estate business and bank
ing and has built many substantial
business bucks in Mankato.
Identified With Savings Bank.
! He was of the original incorporation
of the Mankato Savings Bank, and
has been its president since its or
ganization. He was also one of the di-
lrectors OF the Mankato Manufacturing
company, and has been interested in
various business institutions He was
one OF the original five who organized
thc republican party in Alankato, in
1856. he was member of the school