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Henry Anson Castle

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Henry Anson Castle
Born
Henry Ansen Castle

22 August 1841
Columbus, Adams,  Illinois
Died16 August 1916(1916-08-16) (aged 74)
Resting placeOakland Cemetery, Saint Paul, Ramsey
EducationMcKendree College
Occupation(s)Merchant, Wholesale Mercantile Trade/Former Lawyer, 2 Years
Known forEstablishing the town of North St. Paul
SpouseMargaret W. Jaquess
ChildrenHelen S Castle 1866–1947, Mary J Castle 1869–1946, Charles William Castle1872-1957, Harry Jaquess Castle 1874–1901, Margaret C Castle Stone 1875–1967,Anne Castle Christy 1878–1962, James T Castle 1881-1903

Henry Anson Castle (August 22 1841 - August 16 1916) was a lawyer, visionary, Civil War captain, and founder of the town of North St. Paul.[1]

Early Life

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Henry was born to Timothy Hunt Castle (1814-1880) and Julia Anne Boyd (1812-1890).[2][3] In the 1860 United States Census he listed his occupation as "student" and a year later he enlisted in the Union Army.[4]

Ancestry

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Henry's father was of English descent. His paternal 6th great-grandfather Henry Castle II immigrated to America from Wiltshire, England after 1647.[5] Henry's mother was of Dutch and Scottish descent, his material grandfather James Frazier Jacquess was a Colonel in the Civil War, which he later fought in.[6][7]

Military Career

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When the Civil War broke out, Castle enlisted in the Union Army around 1861 and was put into the 73rd Illinois Infantry Regiment.[8] He gained the rank of Sergeant Major and was discharged after being injured during the Battle of Stone River on April 19, 1863.[3] He rejoined the army as Captain of the 137th Illinois Infantry regiment and remained in the army until 1865.[9][10]

Post-war

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After the War Henry met and married Margaret Wesley Jaquess and they moved to Minnesota in 1866. They first moved to St. Cloud, then St. Paul and had several children together.[1][11]

Political career

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Birth day notice in the Newspaper (August 22, 1900)

In 1873 he was a member of the Minnesota State Legislature, and was appointed to adjutant General in 1875 and served under two governors.[11] In 1876 he became the editor-in-chief of the St. Paul Daily Dispatch and subsequently became the sole proprietor until 1885.[11] In 1892 he was appointed as postmaster of St. Paul by President Benjamin Harrison and served for 5 years before being appointed to auditor of the Post Office Department on May, 17 1897 by President William McKinley. During his time as postmaster he became president of the Chamber of Commerce, president of the Library Association, commander of the Loyal Legion of Minnesota, department commander of the G.A.R., president of the board of trustees of State Soldiers' Home, president of the State Editorial Association, and was a leading member of the republican state central committee for nearly 10 years.[11] On October 7, 1903 he retired from his post due to his declining health and personal business affair.[11]

Founding of North St. Paul

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Henry Anson Castle with his associates Mark D. Flower, H.G. Hicks, J.J. McCarty and their families

in 1872 he purchased 520 acres (210 ha) of land northeast of St. Paul and by 1884 he had purchased 1200 arches of land and was able to use his political fame to enlist investors to join him in his development venture. In 1885 the Wisconsin Central Railroad built a track going through the area and in 1887 North St. Paul was incorporated. It had "a business publication, 6 churches, over 20 retail businesses, a brick school house, 12 factories and more than 80 homes had been completed by December 1887."[1] The town suffered financially from the Panic of 1893 which it was able to recover from in 1912 in part due to the Luger Furniture Co. and Konantz Saddlery Co.[12] After establishing the town Henry wrote a book in 1915 called Minnesota, its story and biography.[13] Henry died in 1916 at the age of 75.[14][15][16][17][18][12]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "History of North St. Paul | North St. Paul, MN". www.northstpaul.org. Retrieved 2024-10-07.
  2. ^ United States Census, 1850
  3. ^ a b Reyburn, Phil (2024-02-10). "Capt. Castle and the Second Battle of Memphis". Herald-Whig. Retrieved 2024-10-26.
  4. ^ United States Census, 1860
  5. ^ England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975
  6. ^ Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001
  7. ^ "Death of Col. Jacquess". Robinson Constitution. July 13, 1898.
  8. ^ A History of the Seventy-Third Regiment Illinois Infantry Volunteers. Springfield, Illinois, 1890.
  9. ^ "Castle, Henry A. "H.A." - Legislator Record - Minnesota Legislators Past & Present". www.lrl.mn.gov. Retrieved 2024-10-07.
  10. ^ Fifteenth Legislature of Minnesota Biographical Sketches (PDF). St. Paul, MN: Press Printing Co. February 1873. p. 23.
  11. ^ a b c d e "Image 7 of Evening star (Washington, D.C.), October 9, 1903". Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA. Retrieved 2024-10-25.
  12. ^ a b Letterman, Edward J. (Spring 1972). Ramsey County History (PDF). Vol. 9 (1st ed.). Ramsey, Minnesota.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  13. ^ Castle, Henry A. (Henry Anson) (1915). Minnesota, its story and biography. Duke University Libraries. Chicago, Lewis Pub. Co.
  14. ^ "Image 4 of The Saint Paul globe (St. Paul, Minn.), August 22, 1900". Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA. Retrieved 2024-10-10.
  15. ^ "Henry A. Castle and the "Hundred Days Men"". www.hsqac.org. 2024-03-29. Retrieved 2024-10-07.
  16. ^ "Image 12 of Minneapolis tidende (Minneapolis, Minn.), August 24, 1916". Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA. Retrieved 2024-10-10.
  17. ^ “Death of Mr. T. H. Castle.” Quincy Daily Whig, June 23, 1864, 8.
  18. ^ “Henry Castle Dies.” Quincy Daily Herald, August 17, 1916, 2.