Simeon P. Child

HON. S. P. CHILD. Simeon P. Child was born November 16th, 1835, in Medina county, Ohio. His father was by occupation a farmer, carpenter and millwright. When Simeon was about three years old his father removed, with his family, to St. Lawrence county, New York, where they remained until about the year 1843, when they returned to Ohio and located in Lake county. In the fall of 1845 they removed to Dodge county, Wisconsin. Simeon and his brother, James E. Child, came to Minnesota in 1854, and located in Waseca county, in January, 1855. Waseca was then a part of Blue Earth county. In February, 1855, Simeon started to visit Ft. Ridgly alone, but when he had got as far on his way as about fifteen miles west of St. Peter, he found the snow so deep that he could not proceed, and started to return, and was caught in a fierce snow storm, and his lower limbs and feet were quite badly frozen; but he worried through and at last got home. His brother went to get a physician, but owing to the deep snows and intense cold, he was gone seven days. During this time Mr. Child suffered intensely, and was entirely alone. As a result of the freezing, his toes had to be amputated.

In the spring of 1856, he was employed on the Winnebago Indian reservation, in Blue Earth county. Here he had charge of a large number of breaking teams. He remained on the reservation until the fall of 1857, when he returned to Wisconsin, and there spent the winter. In the, spring of 1858, he returned to Waseca county, and was married to Miss Clarrissa Armenia Northrup, on the eighth day of August, and commenced farming for a living. In the fall he went to merchandising at Wilton, in Waseca county, but returned again to the farm, where he remained until the breaking out of the Indian massacre in 1862, when he enlisted, in the military service. He served here until in the following winter, when he went into the quartermasters department and went South with the federal army. He was placed in charge of the Little Rock and Memphis railroad, running the road and keeping it in repair. In the spring of 1864, he returned home, his health having failed, and was ill for two years, and not engaged in any business.

In 1866, he removed to Blue Earth City, where, under the firm name of Baldwin & Child, he engaged for a number of years in banking, real estate and collections, and also opened a brick yard. He was a member of the House from this county, in 1872 and in 1873, and State senator in 1874 and 1875. In the fall of 1875 he was appointed assistant postmaster to the United States senate, and acted in that capacity until June, 1878. In the meantime, however, he was again a member of the House from this county, in the session of 1877. In 1878 he was appointed United States post-office inspector, an office which he held until the year 1893, and in the performance of the duties of which office, he visited Kansas, Indian Territory, Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Dakota, Oregon, Montana, and in fact all the states and territories west of the Missouri river, and many of the southern states and old Mexico, his special work being the collection of evidence in the famous star route cases. Mr. Child has always been a republican in politics. After retiring from the office of inspector, he was engaged as the general agent of the American Surety Company of New York, and opened an office in St. Paul, to which city he removed his family in 1893, but still retained his property interests in this county, which he still deems his home. (The History of Faribault County Minnesota, From its First Settlement to the Close of the Year 1879, J. A. Kiester, Harrison & Smith, Minneapolis, 1896, Page 671)

Page 784. Mr. Child was mustered out November 9, 1863. He returned to his farm for a few days and then went into the quartermaster’s department and went South with the Federal army. He was placed in charge of the Little Rock & Memphis railroad, where he encountered more dangers than when in the ranks. He was engaged in the transportation of men and supplies and in keeping the road in repair. He returned home in the spring of 1864, with his health much impaired. He remained ill for nearly two years, but finally got better, sold his property in Waseca County, and removed to Blue Earth City, where he engaged in private banking, real estate and collections. He also opened a brick yard and manufactured brick for a number of years. He served in the state legislature as a member of the house from Faribault county in the years 1872, 1873, and 1877, and as a member of the senate in 1874 and 1875. He was appointed assistant postmaster to the United State senate in 1875, and held the position until June 29, 1878, when he was appointed postoffice inspector. He held this position continuously until June 30, 1886, when he resigned.

He was requested by Postmaster General Vilas to serve in the Department of Justice to aid in the prosecution of the star-route thieves and he remained in that capacity until January 14, 1887. The latter years of his service as inspector were largely devoted to the work of detecting and bringing to trial the star-route rascals, and in that work he traversed large portions of New Mexico, Texas, Kansas, Nebraska, Indian Territory, and California. In New Mexico he drove one pair of horses over one thousand miles in searching for witnesses and looking up evidence. In 1887 he came home and gave attention to his private affairs, remaining until July 27, 1889, when he was again appointed postoffice inspector. This time he held the position until April, 1893, when he resigned to accept the agency of the American Surety company of New York, with headquarters in St. Paul. This position he held for then years, resigning November 30, 1903. While holding this position he had supervision of portions of Wisconsin, Iowa, all of Minnesota and all of the two Dakotas.

Page 785. Since that time he has devoted his attention to the management of his large farm, five miles east of Shakopee, known as the Barden farm. Mr. and Mrs. S. P. Child have been the parents of six children, four of whom are living. Ruth, now Mrs. Forrester, of St. Paul; Eugenia, Mrs. John McLoughlin, of Blue Earth; Edith, Mrs. Andrew Bottleson, of Blue Earth; and Hugh Child, mail route agent between St. Paul and Omaha. (Child’s History of Waseca County, Minnesota, James E. Child, 1905, The Owatonna Chronicle Press, Minnesota)

Simeon P. Child, Died 26 May 1912, Scott County, MN