Jackson County, Minnesota Newspaper Date Unknown
Nathaniel Frost.
Nathaniel Frost died at his home in this city on Thursday, Dec 21, 1899, at 2 o'clock after a long illness. Mr. Frost had been a sufferer for years but was not considered dangerously ill until about two weeks ago. The funeral services were held on Sunday at the M.E. church. Rev. Savage, of Windom officiating and the remains were laid to rest in Riverside cemetery.
Nathaniel Frost was born at Pipe Creek, Tioga County, N.Y., Jan 14, 1832. When a few months of age his parents moved to Tioga county, Penn., where he spent his youth and early manhood. In 1854 he came west to Michigan and later to Illinois and Iowa. Nov. 27, 1856, Thanksgiving Day, he reached the present site of Jackson, Minn. Being pleased with the location he with the Wood brothers of Monkato, started the village of Springfield now on the present site of Jackson. A log store house and log hotel were built. A few settlers were found along the river, but the Indians were merciless and the settlers were driven away or killed. While Mr. Frost was away at Mankato after a load of provisions for the store, the Indians fell on the settlers, killed the Wood brothers and when he returned forty warriors had possession of the store. The Indians told him that they had killed the Wood brothers and showed him where he would find their bodies. In those days provisions had to be brought from Mankato or Sioux City. An ox team was the only conveyance, and frequently the snow was so drifted that it was impossible to travel in this way. Then the settlers would bring supplies on hand sleds. Mr. Frost made frequent trips on foot from Mankato to Sioux City to carry the mail and bring supplies to settlers. He was indeed one of those early pioneers who endured hardships, privations, dangers and never shirked a duty.
One time on returning from Mankato where he had been for supplies, he found that the Indians had attacked the settlers and a number had been killed. They had forted in a log cabin on the Thomas place for protection. But when they learned that the Indians at Belmont and further up the river were planning a second attack, the settlers started in their ox carts for Ft. Dodge settlement for safety. In their hurry to escape, they left behind a young man of twenty-two years, John Henderson, who had crawled away in the attic of a log hut for protection. When Mr. Frost returned, he and the two or three settlers who remained buried the dead and then chanced to find this young man whom the Indians left alive after shooting both his legs off near his body. Mr. Frost took care of him, drew him to Mankato on a hand sled and begged enough money to send him to his relatives in Illinois, where he was educated for the ministry. In 1888, Rev. John Henderson, a Baptist minister, came from the east to visit Mr. Frost, such a visit only the recording angel can describe. These are only a few of the many hardships Nathaniel Frost has passed through in Jackson, where he has resided for more than 44 years, with the exception of 4 years spent in the Civil War, two years at Haboth, Minn. and 4 years in Caldwell County, Mo.
Jan 2, 1861 he was married to Maryette Root Benson,; Rutland Co., Vt. He returned with his wife immediately to Jackson, where he served in the home guard under Capt. West, until he was called to go south. For about 4 years he served in the army in Co. E, 4th Minn. Infantry, where he won the esteem and respect of his comrades and superior officers. He fought on 16 of the bloodiest battlefields of the rebellion and was with Sherman on his famous march to the sea.
He leaves behind his wife, one daughter and two sons to mourn the loss of a true friend, a devoted husband and dear beloved father.

Biographical History of Jackson County, Minnesota
NATHANIEL FROST deceased, was one of the very first residents of Jackson county. He took part in many of the stirring events of the early days and after the county became settled, became a prominent citizen.
Mr. Frost was born in Pipe Creek, Tioga County, N.Y., Jan 14, 1832. During the first year of his life the family moved to Covington, Tioga Co., Pennsylvania, and there our subject spent his youth and early manhood. In 1854, he came west locating in Michigan where he lived 8 months. He then moved to Hardin Co., Iowa where he lived nearly two years. Going to Webster City in Hamilton, Co., Mr. Frost met an old friend, Jareb Palmer, and with him drove to the future Jackson County, settling near the present site of the village of Jackson. He arrived in the county in company with Jareb Palmer and Bartholomew McCarthy on the twenty seventh day of November, 1856. Some of the life history of Mr. Frost during these early days is told in the historical section of this work, and in a brief biographical sketch of this kind we can only touch on the principal events.
The massacre of 1857 drove Mr. Frost temporarily from the county. In 1862 he enlisted in Company K of the fourth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry. He was ordered to St. Louis where he was about two years. After his tour of enlistment had expired, he reenlisted as a veteran and served until the close of the war. He took part in sixteen important engagements of the Civil War and was with General Sherman on the march to the sea. With the exception of the four years spent in the army, two years spent at Kasota, Minnesota, and four years at Caldwell, Co., Mo., Mr. Frost was a resident of the county until his death, which occurred at Jackson Dec. 21, 1899.
Mr. Frost was married Jan. 2, 1861 to Maryette Root of Benson, Vt. and to them were born three children: Flora J. (Mrs. Wagner), John and Moses.