Nobles County MN Archives Biographies.....Torrance, F. A. 1851 - 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com October 23, 2006, 1:06 am

Author: Arthur P. Rose (1908)

  F. A. TORRANCE, member of the firm of F. A. Torrance & Son, proprietors of

Worthington's "Big Store," is one of Nobles county's early settlers, having

resided in the county continuously thirty-five years.



  Mr. Torrance was born in Bennington county, Vermont, in 1851, the son of

Andrew J. and Anna (Far) Torrance, natives of New York and Connecticut

respectively. The father died in Worthington in 1886; the mother in December,

1893. The American branch of the Torrance family was founded by the great

grandfather of our subject, who came from Scotland.



  Until he was seventeen years of age F. A. Torrance resided in his native

county. Then, in 1868, he came west and settled in Olmsted county, Minn., where

he worked on a farm one and one-half years. He returned to Vermont, engaged in

farming and lumbering there about eighteen months, and then returned to Olmsted

county, accompanied by his parents. In 1873 Mr. Torrance came to Nobles county

and took as a homestead eighty acres on section 14, Olney township, purchasing

another eighty adjoining soon after. There he lived during the whole seven years

of the grasshopper scourge, endeavoring to farm, but not once did he raise a

crop. Each year his fields were swept bare, and no season did he raise a

sufficient supply of potatoes for his own use, nor feed for his horses. One year

the hoppers left a part of a crop, but the grain that year was blighted. In 1879

he sowed one' hundred acres, but did not harvest a bushel of grain.



  Discouraged with the outlook, Mr. Torrance left the farm in 1879, moved to

Worthington, and accepted a position in the store of his brother, Henry E.

Torrance, who had begun business there in 1876. F. A. 1895, when he purchased an

interest in the business and the firm became H. E. Torrance & Bro. In the spring

of 1902 H. E. Torrance died, and from the estate Mr. Torrance of this sketch and

his son, R. H. Torrance, purchased the former owner's interest, and since that

time the store has been conducted under the firm name of F. A. Torrance & Son.

The store is the largest one in Worthington and is housed in the handsome brick

block erected by H. E. Torrance in 1892.



  Mr. Torrance was married in Olmsted county, Minn., in 1876 to Sophia Fender.

To them have been born the following children, all residents of Worthington:

Richard H., Jennie E. and Rayland C.



  Mr. Torrance is a member of Fraternity Lodge No. 101, A. F. & A. M., of

Worthington.



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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