A biography of Henry Harrison Sumner, the brother of Second Great Grandmother Zellah Sofia Sumner Crane from
History of Chippewa and Lac Qui Parle Counties Minnesota, by L. R.
Mayer and O. G. Dale, Volume II Illustrated; B. F. Bowen & Co. Inc.
(1916).
Henry Harrison Sumner, one of the well-known and successful farmers of Maxwell
township, Lac qui Parle County, was born in Exeter, Scott County, Illinois, on
November 29, 1844, son of Ebenezer and Adaline (Niles) Sumner, both natives of
Vermont, the former born at Wells in 1806 and the latter in 1813.
Ebenezer and Adaline Sumner were educated in the public schools of their
native state, later moving with their respective parents to within twelve
miles of Buffalo, New York, where they were married. Some time after their
marriage they left the state of their birth and early life and removed to
Illinois in 1837. There they located in Scott County, where Ebenezer Sumner
engaged in milling, shoe making and saw-mill work for some eighteen years. He
also for a time was engaged as a steam-boat cook, and while thus engaged went
through with the first boat that went through the Erie canal. In 1855 they
came to Minnesota, and here preempted one hundred and sixty acres of land in
Olmsted county, where they remained until 1874, when they came over to this
part of the state, settling in Lac qui Parle County, where they homesteaded
one hundred and sixty acres in section 2, Maxwell Township. They developed and
improved the farm and made their home there. Substantial buildings were
erected and a grove was planted, much being done to improve and beautify the
tract. There Mrs. Sumner died in 1892, at the age of seventy-nine, and there
Mr. Sumner continued to live until the year 1900, when he moved to Dawson,
where he continued to reside until the time of his death, in 1904, at the age
of ninety-eight years.
Ebenezer and Adaline Sumner were the parents of the following children: S.
Durain, George W., Albums Perry, Mary Rosina, Zella Sophia, Sarah Hannah, H.
H., Martha Louisa, Julia Frances, Ella Arminda, Silas Daniel, Ezura Olive and
Rosilinda Ellen. George W. Sumner, at the time of the Civil War was in the
South and was there pressed into the Confederate Army. Albinus Perry Sumner
was a soldier in the Union army and saw active service in many of the
important battles of the war. He died at Sharpsburg, Maryland, and was buried
at that place.
Henry Harrison Sumner received a limited education at home, having no
opportunity to attend school. As a boy and young man he remained with his
father and assisted with the work on the farm. At the age of twenty-seven
years he began to work for himself and on July 1, 1872, he arrived in Lac qui
Parle County and there pre-empted land in Lac qui Parle Township, which he
later sold. He then moved to his present home in Maxwell Township, where he
preempted one hundred and sixty acres of a tree claim. The land at that time
was all unimproved and undeveloped, and much work was needed to be done before
the tract could be at all productive. Mr. Sumner walked to Benson and back to
file on his claim. After much time and many days of hard work, Mr. Sumner has
succeeded in making his farm one of the best in the township and has most
excellent buildings and a fine orchard. Here he is engaged in general farming
and stock raising, and is most successful. In addition to his home place he
has one hundred and twenty acres in Hubbard County, which he homesteaded. He
also owns a valuable dwelling block at Dawson.
On January 21, 1876, Henry Harrison Sumner was united in marriage to Sarah
Lake, a native of Pennsylvania, born on October 13, 1850, daughter of Chester
and Mary Lake. Chester Lake was born and reared in Rutland County, Vermont,
while Mary Lake was a native of Alleghany County, Pennsylvania, where she was
educated and where she grew to womanhood and was married. Soon after their
marriage they settled in Illinois and later moved to Dodge county, Minnesota.
In 1854 they moved to Moore County, this state, where they died some years
ago. John Johnson, a half-brother of Mrs. Sarah Sumner, was a soldier in the
Civil War, having served more than three years and taking part in twelve
battles. A brother of Mrs. Sumner, Alva Lake, was for over two years engaged
in the Indian Wars and saw much service, being under the command of General
Sibley.
To Henry Harrison Sumner and wife have been born three children: Sylvia
Aditha, Perry W. and Manley C. Mrs. Sumner and daughter are members of the
Christian Science Church. The family takes part in all social activities of
the community and are prominent and influential members of the township. Mr.
Sumner has always taken an active interest in local affairs and has served his
township as a justice of the peace.