Meeker County MN Archives Biographies.....Ralston, Robert B. 1826 - 
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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 January 8, 2020, 8:49 pm

Source: Alden, Ogle & Co.
Author: See Below

    ROBERT B. RALSTON. The subject of this biography, one of Meeker county’s most
prominent and wealthy farmers and stock-raisers, is a resident of section 14, Harvey
township. He was born in the Province of Quebec, Canada East, on the 28th day of
August, 1826, and is a son of Andrew and Jane Ralston. His parents were natives ‘of
Scotland, but both died in Canada; the father January 10, 1888, and the mother
Augusts 21, 1884.

   Robert B. left his native province in April, 1849, and went to Waterbury, Vt.,
where he secured employment on the Vermont Central railroad, and remained until the
latter part of the following December, when he returned to Canada and remained until
the spring of 1850. At that time he went to St. Johnsbury, Vt., where he drove a
team on railroad work, and in August, 1850, went to Cambridge, N. Y., and worked
about there until the following summer of 1851. He next spent a few months at
Bedford, Ind., and then went to Cincinnati, O., where he remained for four years,
being employed at teaming most of the time; after that was at work on the Cincinnati
& St. Louis railroad. In 1855 he went still further west, and spent one winter at
Oskaloosa, Iowa, and then settled at Minneapolis, Minn. That place, which was then a
mere village, remained his home until the fall of 1861, although, during this time,
in 1859, he had come west to Meeker county and purchased the southwest quarter of
section 11, in what is now Harvey township. In that fall he came here and put in his
time in caring for a few calves which ho had purchased, and also did a good deal of
trapping in various parts of this county. He was living here when the Indian
outbreak occurred. He heard the news of the massacre at Acton on Sunday evening,
while with his brother John. They at once went to moulding bullets and getting their
guns in shape, after which they went to bed, and the following morning continued
their harvesting. At noon they went to Forest City, and learned the serious
condition of affairs. They then returned to look for a neighbor, Hutchins, and his
wife, and met them, and also Joachin Schultz, so all turned and went to Forest City.
There they remained all through the Indian trouble. The following spring Mr. Ralston
returned to his claim and put in his crops, and while at work could distinctly see
the soldiers on patrol between his place and Forest City. This has since been his
home.

 He has one of the most valuable farms in the county, and carries on general farming
and stock-raising extensively.

   On the 11th of June, 1867, Mr. Ralston ay as married to Miss Melissa Pickle, and
their union has been blessed with three children, as follows— Marcia, born August
22, 1868; Elsie V., born November 4, 1872; Arthur D., born April 13, 1882, all of
whom are still living. Mr. and Mrs. Ralston attend, and Mrs. R. is a member of the
Methodist Episcopal Church. Mrs. Ralston’s parents are still living in Canada; her
father is a native of Canada, and her mother a native of Vermont.

   In political matters Mr. Ralston affiliates with the democratic party. He has
taken an active interest in everything calculated to develop the county’s resources,
and is rated as one of the most solid and substantial citizens of Meeker county.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:
Illustrated Album of Biography
Meeker and McLeod Counties, Minnesota
1888


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