Alexandria Archives

Biography of Henry Schroeder of Clay County Minnesota

Clay County / History of the Red River Valley

Henry Schroeder, born on August 31, 1855, in Rendsburg, Holstein, Germany, immigrated to the United States in 1871, settling first in Alexandria, Minnesota, and then moving to Clay County in 1878. He established a successful potato farming operation on a 160-acre tree claim near Sabin. Schroeder became renowned for his expertise in potato cultivation, significantly expanding his acreage and gaining a reputation as the “Potato King.” By 1908, he and his sons, Edward and Theodore, cultivated 700 acres, producing 109,000 bushels of seed potatoes. Active in his community, Schroeder served as vice-president of the State Bank in Sabin and a director of the First National Bank of Moorhead.

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Biography of Charles E. Miller of Clay County MN

Charles E. Miller, born in Alexandria, Minnesota, in 1872, comes from a Norwegian heritage. His father, Sophus N. Miller, established himself as a successful businessman, representing various financial organizations and owning a well-improved farm. Charles received a quality education and gained valuable experience in his father’s business. He is highly regarded as one of Clay County’s foremost financiers, sought after for his trusted advice and guidance. With involvement in prestigious organizations such as the Northwestern Mortgage Security Company and the Hawley Mercantile Company, Miller is recognized as a progressive and trustworthy businessman in his community.

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Biography of Frank A. Catlin of Barnesville, Minnesota

Clay County, Douglas County / History of the Red River Valley

Frank A. Catlin, associated with Irving S. in the business of Catlin Brothers, was born August 1, 1857. He lived on the family homestead in Wisconsin, until twenty-three years old, and in 1881 went to Fergus Falls, and began railroading, and worked his way up, and in 1883 was put in charge of a passenger engine. His run was first from Fergus Falls to Grand Forks, North Dakota and Crookston, Minnesota, but now from Barnesville to Devils Lake, a distance of 210 miles. He has been locomotive engineer on his division twenty-five years and is the third oldest engineer in

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