Nobles County MN Archives Biographies.....Modisett, C. F. 1861 - ************************************************ 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 sdgenweb@yahoo.com October 23, 2006, 12:57 am Author: Arthur P. Rose (1908) C. F. MODISETT, proprietor of the "Rose Hill farm" (north half of section 31, Bigelow township), located within the corporate limits of the village of Bigelow, is an early day settler of that village. He was born at Terre Haute, Indiana, May 25, 1861, the son of Charles Cole and Margaret (Lyons) Modisett. The father was born in West Virginia. He drove through by ox team to Indiana in the late forties and became a homesteader in the Hoosier state. He died in Vigo county, of that state, in 1863, when our subject was eighteen months old, aged 55 years. Margaret Lyons was a daughter of Captain Lyons and was born on Fort Harrison prairie, in the Wabash valley. She died in Vigo county, Indiana, in 1881, at the age of 51 years. On a farm near Terre Haute, C. F. Modisett spent the first eighteen years of his life. Then he went west and first located in Sac county, Iowa, where he spent one year on a farm. Going from there to Wayne county, Nebraska, he bought a farm. At the time of making the deal he had only five dollars, which he deposited to bind the bargain until he could return to his old home in Indiana. There he sold a piece of brush land, by which he raised enough money to make the first payment on the land. In Wayne and adjoining counties Mr. Modisett lived several years. Then he moved to Alton, Iowa, and worked in a flouring mill. In 1883 Mr. Modisett moved to the village of Bigelow and for one year ran the elevator of the Iowa Land company—the first steam elevator of the village. The next year his headquarters were at Alton, from which village he traveled on the road for the mill company. Returning to his old home near Terre Haute, Mr. Modisett started a feed mill. The venture proving unsuccessful, he lost everything he had. We next find him in Fillmore county, Nebraska, trying to recoup his fortunes by working at farm work. In July, 1887, Mr. Modisett returned to Bigelow, and that village has ever since been his home. He took a position in the general store and elevator of John DeBoos, the pioneer merchant, which he held twelve years. He bought his present farm in 1898, and the following year moved onto the place, and has ever since resided there. In addition to his duties in the store Mr. Modisett wrote insurance and dealt in real estate. He served as postmaster seven years, receiving the appointment during President Cleveland's first term. He was clerk of Bigelow township eight years and chairman of the board of supervisors three years. He was a member of the village council during 1901, 1903 and 1904 and has been village recorder since the spring of 1907. Fraternally, he is a member of the M. W. A. Mr. Modisett was married in Bigelow May 24, 1888, to Louisa B. DeBoos, a native of Arena, Wis., daughter of John and Theresa (Gray) DeBoos, early day settlers of Bigelow, now residents of Sibley. To Mr. and Mrs. Modisett have been born the following children: Charles C., born July 13, 1889; Leona B., born Aug. 11, 1891; Cecil B., born Sept. 11, 1893; David, L., born Nov. 8, 1895; Dorothy J., born Oct. 14, 1897; John D., born Nov. 1, 1900; Margaret L., born April 5, 1905, died June 3, 1905; Alma L., born Feb. 17, 1907. Additional Comments: Extracted from: AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF NOBLES COUNTY MINNESOTA BY ARTHUR P. ROSE NORTHERN HISTORY PUBLISHING COMPANY WORTHINGTON, MINNESOTA PUBLISHERS 1908 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mn/nobles/bios/modisett126gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/mnfiles/ File size: 3.9 Kb