Brown County MN Archives Biographies.....Bingham, Reginald H. 
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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 November 25, 2014, 11:33 pm

Source: See Below
Author: L. A. Fritsche

REGINALD H. BINGHAM.

    The late Reginald H. Bingham, founder of the well-established, progressive
and enterprising firm of R. H Bingham & Sons at Sleepy Eye, this county, was a
native of Canada, having been born on a farm just across the line from Vermont,
son of Amherst Bingham and wife, both of whom were natives of Vermont, who moved
back to the Lake Champlain district of Vermont during the youth of the subject
of this sketch and remained there a number of years, at the end of which time
they emigrated with their family to Minnesota and became pioneers of the Winona
neighborhood. Amherst Bingham was a substantial farmer and he and his wife were
largely influential in the early days of the community in which they settled in
this state. They were the parents of thirteen children, of whom nine grew to
maturity, as follow: Amherst W., Marow A., Horatio S., who was killed by the
Indians in Montana; William E., Frances, Alice, Sapho, Emily and Reginald H.

    Reginald H. Bingham was a young man when he came with his parents and the
other members of the family to this state and for several years after coming
here he was engaged as a clerk in the hardware store of R. D. Cone at Winona. He
then went to Rochester, this state, where he took service with a big lumber
company and was thus engaged for several years, at the end of which time, in
1870, he came to Brown county and located at Sleepy Eye, where he established a
hardware and lumber business in a modest way and with characteristic energy and
enterprise proceeded to develop the same until he came to be one of the
best-known dealers in that line in this part of the state, and continued active
in business until his death in 1912, a period of forty-one years, twenty years
of which time he also was engaged in a large way in the grain business, building
up a very large trade, with connections throughout this section of the state.

     Not long after locating in Sleepy Eye, Reginald H. Bingham was united in
marriage to Jennie N. Baker, who was born in Sauk City, Wisconsin, daughter of
William H. and Mary (Farmer) Baker, both natives of England, who came from
Wisconsin with their family to this county and located at Sleepy Eye, where
their last days were spent, both living to advanced ages. William H. Baker was a
well-known and prosperous grain buyer in Sleepy Eye and was for years one of the
leading citizens of that city. He and his wife were the parents of two children,
Mrs. Bingham and William H. Baker. Reginald H. Bingham and his wife were earnest
members of the Episcopal church and were regarded as among the leaders in all
good works in and about Sleepy Eye, the family being held in high regard
thereabout. Mr. Bingham ever took an active part in local civic affairs and was
a substantial and useful citizen. In the early days of his residence at Sleepy
Eye he served for some years as city recorder and was for years an influential
member of the school board. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity and in the
affairs of his local lodge ever took a warm interest. Reginald H. Bingham died
on May 5, 1912, at the age of sixty-three years and one month. His widow, who
still survives him continues to make her home in Sleepy Eye, where she enjoys
many evidences of the high esteem in which she is held by the entire community.

     To Reginald H. and Jennie N. (Baker) Bingham six children were born, as
follow: Amherst W., who married Grace Stiles and has three children, Millicent,
Alice and Lulu; William E., who married Martha Hagen, who was born in New Ulm,
this county, but whose parents now live in Los Angeles, California, to which
union one son has been born, William E.; Alice J., deceased, who was the wife of
J. W. S. Gallegher; Reginald H., who married Helen Manning, and Charles B. and
Neil D., who are unmarried.

     About 1903 the three eldest sons of Reginald H. Bingham were admitted to
partnership in their father's business and became his successors in the
operation of the business at his death. They afterward associated with them in
equal partnership the younger sons, Charles and Neil, and their mother is also a
member of the firm which continues to do business under the old firm name of R.
H. Bingham & Sons, one of the best-known commercial names in this part of the
state. The eldest son, Amherst W. Bingham, some time ago withdrew from the firm
and moved to West Edmonton, Canada, where he is now engaged in the general
merchandise business, and since that time William E. Bingham has occupied the
position of senior member of the firm. The Bingham brothers are active,
energetic and enterprising in the management of their extensive business
interests and are held in high regard in commercial circles generally hereabout.
They are public-spirited citizens, ever taking an active interest in the common
welfare, and are very properly regarded as among the leaders in the social and
business life of Sleepy Eye.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:
HISTORY OF BROWN COUNTY MINNESOTA
ITS PEOPLE, INDUSTRIES AND INSTITUTIONS

L. A. FRITSCHE. M. D.
Editor

With Biographical Sketches of Representative Citizens and Genealogical Records
of Many of the Old Families

VOLUME II
B. F. BOWEN & COMPANY, Inc. Indianapolis, Indiana


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