William Nettleton facts for kids

William Nettleton (April 22, 1822 – January 20, 1905) was an important American pioneer and politician from Minnesota. Many people consider him a founder of the city of Duluth. He was a member of the Democratic Party and represented the Arrowhead Region in the Minnesota House of Representatives.

William Nettleton: Pioneer and City Builder

Growing Up and Moving West

William Nettleton was born in Ashtabula, Ohio on April 22, 1822. He grew up in Ashtabula County, Ohio, working on his parents' farm until he was almost 30 years old.

After leaving the farm, William joined his brother, George E. Nettleton. They worked as traders with Native American communities at Sand Lake, Wisconsin.

Around 1853 or 1854, William Nettleton made important connections with the Superior Townsite Company. In 1854, he helped survey the land for what would become the city of Superior, Wisconsin. That winter, his brother George joined him in Superior and opened a grocery store.

Helping Build New Cities

In 1856, the Nettleton brothers, along with friends, surveyed the land for Duluth, Minnesota. For this work, the Nettletons received hundreds of acres of land in the Duluth area.

While George stayed in Superior and helped build a sawmill, William moved to the Minnesota side of Superior Bay. He opened a trading store and started a farm there.

William Nettleton was very interested in helping the Duluth-Superior area grow. He especially wanted to create better transportation links. People said he gave land to railroads for their stations, which helped both cities develop. He was also an early supporter of building a railroad between the Twin Cities and the Twin Ports (Duluth and Superior). This railroad, the Lake Superior and Mississippi Railroad, was finished in 1870.

A Voice in Politics

As Minnesota prepared to become a state, Nettleton became more involved in politics in Duluth. In 1856, he was elected as a probate judge. He also served as president of the Duluth town board in 1857 and 1858.

On October 11, 1859, he was elected to represent the 26th District in the Minnesota House of Representatives. However, the person he ran against, Robert E. Jefferson, argued that Nettleton was not qualified. Jefferson claimed Nettleton lived in Superior, Wisconsin, not Minnesota.

The House investigated and heard from many people, including William's brother George. They decided that William Nettleton was indeed a resident of Minnesota, and he kept his seat.

During his time in the Legislature, Nettleton worked on committees for agriculture, manufacturing, mines, minerals, and the state library. His main goal was to improve transportation in Northern Minnesota. However, his district was removed in 1861, and he did not return to the Legislature.

Family Life and Later Years

In 1860, while in the Legislature, William Nettleton married Helen M. "Nell" Scoville. She was also from Ashtabula, Ohio. Nell was 18 years old, 20 years younger than William.

They quickly started a family. Their only son, George O. Nettleton, was born in 1861. Their first daughter, Louise L. Nettleton, was born two years later. Their youngest daughter, Julia C. Nettleton, was born six years after Louise.

The Nettleton family lived in Duluth for another ten years. In 1871, William ran for Mayor of Duluth but lost the election. After this, the family moved to Saint Paul. They started a dairy farm on 130 acres of land just outside the city.

They farmed there for eight years. In 1880, William and his son divided the land into plots. This area became the Macalester-Groveland neighborhood in Saint Paul.

In 1883, the family moved one last time to Spokane, Washington. Two years later, William's nephew, William Ozelle Nettleton, joined them. In 1886, Nettleton bought 270 acres of land from the Northern Pacific Railroad. He, his son, and his nephew divided this land into plots, and a new neighborhood grew there in the late 1890s.

William Nettleton passed away on January 20, 1905. He was walking across the Spokane River Bridge when he had a seizure and fell from the bridge. His body was found downstream.