Bio of D.D. STORMS (b.1839), Wright Co., MN

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Bios from:  Mitchell, William Bell, 
History of Stearns County, Minnesota.  Volume II.  
Chicago: H.C. Cooper, Jr. and Co.  1915.

Page 965 + 966

D.D. Storms, educator, agriculturist and man-of-affairs, was born 
in Hannibal Oswego county, New York, August 17, 1839, son of John 
Post and Elizabeth (Dady) Storms, natives respectively of New Jersey 
and Massachusetts.  The father was a hatter by trade, but also 
carried on agricultural operations.  He and his wife lived for 
several years in Oswego county, New York and in 1860 moved to 
Paterson, New Jersey, where they spent the remainder of their days.   
D.D. Storms received his early education in the public and select 
schools of Hannibal, and completed his studies at the Academy, at 
Rome, New York.  With this preparation he became a teacher, surveyor 
and farmer.  When he first taught he received $14 a month, and boarded 
around at the different homes.  In 1860 he came west to Onarga, 
Iroquois county, Illinois to visit his brother, and there he taught 
school for a short period.  But the Civil War broke out and he 
enlisted in the Band of the Twenty-fifth Illinois Volunteer Infantry.  
About eight months afterward the wand was abolished and Mr. Storms 
returned to New York state.  For some years he taught school winters 
and farmed summers.  In 1867 he started for Denver, Colorado, but on 
the way stopped to visit his uncle, the Rev. William Dady, who was 
then preaching at Clearwater.  Mr. Storms was so impressed with he 
advantages of this locality that he abandoned his trip to Denver 
partly on account of the Indian outbreak on the plains, and purchased 
160 acres of land in section 30, Lynden township, this county.  For 
this tract he paid $700.  The land was wild and covered with brush.  
He broke and grubbed the land, built his home and a set of building, 
and engaged in farming. He also became one of the leading school 
teachers of the county.  Thus teaching and farming, his industry, 
his strong will and his ability won him success and he became an 
important factor in Stearns county life.  His first was rebuilt from 
an old wagon shop which he moved from Clearwater.  This however, soon 
gave way to more commodious structures.  In addition to his original 
purchase he bought forty acres of railroad land and homesteaded eighty 
acres of government land.  On his large farm, thus acquired, he lived 
for many years.  In 1904 he retired from the more strenuous duties of 
farm life and turned the home place over to his son Frank F. 
In 1907-08 he was at the Standing Rock - Indian Reservation, in North 
Dakota, with headquarters at Fort Yates, as industrial teacher to the 
Indians.  In the spring of 1914 Frank F. Storms built a cottage home 
next to the old home, and D.D. Storms now resides with him.  D.D. 
Storms has taken a deep interest in the affairs of his township, 
and his opinions are eagerly sought and looked upon with the utmost 
respect.  He has served for a long period as clerk of the school board.  
For some twenty years, at different periods, he has been assessor.  
He has also been justice of the peace and town supervisor.  He is a 
member of Clearwater Lodge, No. 28, A.F. & A.M., and has been 
especially active in the G.A.R.  For six years he was commander 
of the A.C. Collins Post No. 112, G.A.R., and is now senior vice 
commander.  He has been a delegate from the G.A.R. posts in the 
Sixth Congressional District to National Grand Encampments at Salt 
Lake City, Utah; Los Angeles, California; Atlantic City, New Jersey, 
and Rochester, New York, and Detroit, Mich.  Mr. Storms was married, 
April 18, 1863 to Mary Ann Ketcham, who died December 12 1884, leaving 
one son, Frank F., who was born March 9, 1866.  Frank F. Storms is one 
of the prominent men of the township.  He conducts the old home farm 
and is regarded as a substantial and successful man in every way.  He 
was married April 9, 1886, to Laura Foster, and they have two sons, 
Lewis D. and Earl F.   Earl F. was born December 19, 1890, and 
married Pauline Kiffmeyer.  They occupy the old home residence, 
making the third generation that has lived there.  D.D. Storms 
came from a patriotic family, his grandfather had served in the 
War of 1812, and he, with four brothers served in the Civil War, 
no two being in the same regiment.  The four brothers were: L.P., 
J. C., H. and E. C.  There would have been two more, H. C. and E. G., 
but they were too young.