Nobles County MN Archives Biographies.....Fitch, John J. 1844 - 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com October 21, 2006, 8:18 pm

Author: Arthur P. Rose (1908)

  JOHN J. FITCH. Among the few surviving settlers of Nobles county who came

prior to colony days is the gentleman whose name heads this sketch, now living a

retired life at Worthington. For over thirty-seven years Mr. Fitch has been a

resident of Nobles county, and few are there who have a longer period of

continuous residence to their credit.



  Mr. Fitch was born in Jefferson county, N. Y., Jan. 5, 1844, and when eleven

years of age moved with his parents to Jefferson, Wis. There he grew to manhood,

and there for several years he engaged in teaming. He entered the union service

during the war of the rebellion, enlisting in company F, of the 29th Wisconsin

volunteer infantry Aug. 14, 1862. He was at once sent to the front and

participated in the battles of Port Gibson, Clinton, Raymond and Jackson, in

Mississippi, and Champion Hill. In the last named engagement, which occurred May

16, 1863, he was struck by grape shot in the left thigh and so badly wounded

that he was given his discharge in the summer of 1864.



  After his discharge from the army Mr. Fitch returned to his home in Wisconsin

and again took up his occupation of teaming. In 1871 he went to St. Paul, and

there secured the position of head teamster with Col. A. A. Allen, railroad

contractor, who had the contract for grading the Sioux City & St. Paul railroad

through this part of the state. Mr. Fitch early in the year 1871 set out on his

new duties, and supervised the work of grading along that part, of the road

which passed through Nobles county. He was the first man to drive a team through

Hersey township along the right of way of the proposed new railroad. Soon after

his arrival in this part of the country he decided to make his future home here,

and in June, 1871, filed on the northeast quarter of section 34, Hersey

township. He was among the first to secure a homestead in the new country, and

is one among the very few, if any, who still own the land of their original filing.



  For a little over two years Mr. Fitch held the position of head teamster under

Col. Allen. Then in the fall of 1873 he moved onto his homestead, and during the

next twenty years engaged in farming. He was married at Worthington July 9,

1878, to Millie Campbell, daughter of Robert and Grace Campbell. Mrs. Fitch's

parents were natives of Scotland, but both came to America when young and were

married in New York state. To Mr. and Mrs. Fitch have been born five children of

whom are living: Nettie, born in Hersey township July 15, 1882, married to Fred

North, and now lives in Larimie, Wyoming; Mary, born in Hersey township, now a

school teacher of Lorain township; Roy, born Oct. 21, 1888, now residing with

his parents.



  Mr. Fitch left the farm in October, 1893, and has since lived a retired life

in Worthington, where he owns a fine residence.



Additional Comments:
Extracted from:



AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF NOBLES COUNTY

MINNESOTA

BY

ARTHUR P. ROSE



NORTHERN HISTORY PUBLISHING COMPANY 

WORTHINGTON, MINNESOTA 

PUBLISHERS

1908



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