Meeker County MN Archives Biographies.....McIntyre, Frank 1832 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mn/mnfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 December 30, 2019, 7:59 pm Source: Alden, Ogle & Co. Author: See Below FRANK MCINTYRE, a well-to-do and prosperous farmer of Manannah township, has his beautiful home upon section 26, and is surrounded by his magnificent estate of 440 acres of as fine land as any in the county. He is a native of County Cavan, Ireland, born May 12, 1832, and is the son of James and Mary (Clark1) McIntyre. He remained in the land of his birth until nineteen years of age, when perceiving the impossibility of getting ahead in that landlord-ridden land, he emigrated to the New World, landing in New York city, staying there a year; in the fall of 1852, came West, and located in Joliet, Ill., where he was employed in the stone quarries until 1865, a good share of the time as foreman. In the meantime, however, he spent four months in Cuba, laying the first street-car tracks in Havanna. In June, 1863, Mr. McIntyre made a trip to Meeker county with the intention of taking up a homestead. Part of the way was made on foot, notwithstanding the warnings and expostulations of the parties along the line of his march, as there was a fresh Indian scare that summer growing out of the killing of Captain Cady. Arriving at Forest City, the water was too high to cross, so on the advice of F. McCusker, lie decided to take a homestead on section 26. This was the first claim made north of the Crow river. He returned to St. Cloud, and filed his entry on the homestead, and returned to Joliet, where he staid until 1865. In July of that year be brought his family by team as far as LaCrosse and then he returned to Joliet to finish some work. The family continued their journey from LaCrosse in company with his wife’s brothers and father, and upon arriving here the wife stayed with the McCusker family — (her brother-in-law). A cabin was commenced on McIntyre’s claim, which was the first house erected in the township north of the Crow river. October 18 the cabin was raised —those who helped being James and Peter McIntyre, Owen Quinn, Peter McMahon, Fergus McCusker, Edward Murphy, Michael and James McNulty and possibly a few others. Mrs. McIntyre cooked their dinner under an oak tree. On the 22d of November Mr. McIntyre arrived and at once began finishing the cabin, but it was not finished with doors, etc., until the 20th of December. In the meantime, however, they decided to occupy the cabin, so he waded the river and brought over his wife and they accordingly “moved in.” One of their first mishaps was the loss of their only pan of bread dough which their dog made a meal of, and Mr. McIntyre had to go hungry until his wife went to McCusker’s for more provisions. During the following winter, 1865-6, he completed his stable, finishing it about dark New Year’s day. His horses refused to go into it for the first time in the dark, so he was obliged to blanket them and let them stand outside till daylight. A storm came up which made it severe for the dumb animals, but they could not be forced into their new quarters until light gave them confidence. As he was the first settler on that side of the Crow river, he was often cut off from neighbors by high water. He at once went to work to develop the place, and from this humble beginning, by incessant labor, natural business tact, and commendable frugality, has built up his present fortune. Mr. McIntyre devotes considerable attention to stock, having now a fine herd of about sixty head of cattle, besides horses. His building improvements are among the finest in the township, being surrounded by a fine natural grove. The subject of this sketch was married August 20, 1856, to Miss Mary McNulty, a native of County Tyrone, Ireland, who is the mother of four children as follows— Mary, born May 9, 1857 ; James P., born March 9, 1859; Charles F., born December 6, 1862; and Rosa A., born August 25, 1864. The first Catholic services in the township were held in the log cabin referred to above, by Father Anthony, of the Benedictine Order. This was on the 3d of August, 1866, when Michael McNulty, the father of Mrs. McIntyre, died. Additional Comments: Extracted from: Illustrated Album of Biography Meeker and McLeod Counties, Minnesota 1888 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mn/meeker/bios/mcintyre94nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mnfiles/ File size: 4.7 Kb