Bio of Dwelle, Thomas L. (b.1805) Wabasha Co., MN
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Made available to The USGenWeb Archives by: Barbara Timm
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This bio comes from "HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY" 1920.
Check out Barbara's site for more great information on this book:
http://www.rootsweb.com/~mnwabbio/wab3.htm
There are also some pictures and information from descendents for some 
of the bios on her pages.

Dwelle, Thomas L. (page 341), one of the honored pioneers of Lake City,
was born in Greenwich, New York, January 2, 1805, son of Abner Dwelle,
born in Massachusetts, and Miriam (Martin) Dwelle, born in New York State,
and grandson of Abner Dwelle, a sea captain, born in Scituate, Mass. The
family comes of a long line of English and Colonial ancestry, the father
and grandfather having both been soldiers in the Revolutionary war. The
subject of this sketch was reared on his father's farm, and received such
education as the schools of his neighborhood provided. As a youth he
learned the wool carding and spinning trade. In 1837 he brought his family
from Onondaga County, N. Y., to Kalamazoo county, Mich., where in Texas
Township, he cleared a good farm. In 1854 he again set out with his
family, this time bound for the newly developing upper Mississippi region.
By the laying of half breed scrip, which he had purchased, he secured for
himself and his family, three quarter section s on sections 4, 8 and 9,
Lake Township, moving into a log cabin purchased from a mixed-blood on
section 4. Two years later, in 1856, with Samuel Doughty and Abner
Tibbetts, he platted the city. About the same time, a short distance from
his log cabin, he erected a good frame house. This house, one of the
pioneer structures of the county, is still standing, and still occupied by
members of the family. Mr. Dwelle remained on his original claim the
remainder of his life, devoting most of his attention to farming. He lived
to a good age, and saw the village he platted grow into a thriving little
city. During his residence in Michigan, he was an active worker and deacon
in the Congregational church, and retained this title the remainder of his
life. In his later years he was a Spiritualist. Before the war he was a
Whig and an Abolitionist, but with the organization of the Republican
party, gave that party his political allegiance. Mr. Dwelle was married in
Onondaga County, January 8, 1829, to Electa C. Lawrence, born June 22,
1810, and by this union had nine children, of whom seven survived. Mrs.
Electa Dwelle died in Michigan in 1847. February 17, 1849, Mr. Dwelle
married Zilpha Knapp, a native of Chase, N. Y. The seven children were: M.
Carrie, Elijah, G. Merrill, Henry, Thomas L., Albert and Helen J. M.
Carrie was born March 11, 1831, and now lives in the old home at Lake
City. Elijah was born April 30, 1833, and died at Lake City, October 8,
1917. G. Merrill was born March 13, 1835, was an officer in the Civil War,
died at Melbourne Beach, Fla., April 9, 1915, and is buried at Lake City.
Henry was born May 9, 1837, served in the Civil War, died at Chattanooga,
Tenn., March 18, 1903, and is buried at Lake City. Thomas L., was born
September 12, 1840, served in the Civil War, has devoted his life to
farming, and lives in Lake City. Albert was born December 2, 1841, died at
Chicago, February 29, 1912, and is buried at Lake City. Helen J. Was born
April 26, 1845, and still lives on the old homestead.