Arrived in Brainerd in September 1872.

•See Anton Mahlum.
•See Isaac T. Dean.
•See Minnie Tucker Onstine.
•See Anna Steege Ferris Young.
•See Nicholas Heller.
•See Carrie Lagerquist.
•See Beulah Allen Ferris.

Civil War Veteran—Grand Army of the Republic
CONGDON, JOHN C.—Age, 19 years. Enlisted, October 7, 1861, at Lawrenceville, Pa., to serve three years; mustered in as private, Co. F, 86 New York infantry, October 9, 1861; wounded in action, August 30, 1862, at Bull Run, Va., and June 21, 1863, at Fairfax Court House, Va.; transferred to Veteran Reserve Corps, March 1, 1861. [Contributed by D. Curtis]

      ENLARGED DUTIES.—We are pleased to learn that our friend, J. C. Congdon, Esq., who has for so long been the accomplished painter for the Minnesota Division N. P. R. R., has recently had the L. S. & M. Division placed under his care, in the artistic department. Mr. C. is not only an artist, but also a most worthy gentleman and estimable citizen, and we are pleased to note his merited success. (Brainerd Tribune, 20 December 1873, p. 1, c. 7)

      J. C. CONGDON, Esq., the accomplished foreman in the N. P. Paint Shops here, has (during the absence of his good wife on a visit to friends in the east) been remodeling and beautifying his residence, adding a bay-window, etc. Mr. C. now enjoys one of the coziest homes in Brainerd. (Brainerd Tribune, 24 October 1874, p. 1, c. 7)

       J. C. Congdon, with his son, Master Harry, intend starting east on Friday, the 7th inst., via the Lakes, for a Centennial visit. He will visit friends in New York and Pennsylvania until the 16th, when he will proceed to Philadelphia to meet with the Annual Convention of the Master Car Painters' Association, and the R. W. G. Lodge of the I. O. O. F., which meets the same week at Philadelphia. (Brainerd Tribune, 02 September 1876, p. 1, c. 7)

      A NARROW ESCAPE.—Miss Mattie Congdon, a young lady about eighteen years of age, sister of J. C. Congdon, of the N. P. Shops met an accident on Tuesday evening of last week that came very near resulting in a most horrible death. She was alone in the house, her sister-in-law, Mrs. Congdon, being out at a neighbor's, and was preparing supper when her apron took fire from the cook stove by some means unknown to her, and must have burned for some time before she observed it, for when she discovered that her clothes were on fire a large hole had burned in her apron and dress. She hastily tore the blazing apron from her person and threw it upon the stove, burning her fingers somewhat in doing so. This alarmed her, and as a woman always will do under these circumstances, she ran from the kitchen through the house out the front door, and around the house in the yard. The moment she struck the open air the flames burst up about her, doubtless quite depriving her of all self control or presence of mind, and in a few moments more she would have fallen another charred victim to the fire fiend, when a wood sawyer in the back yard in the employ of Mr. Congdon discovered her, and with great presence of mind caught her in her mad flight, and with considerable difficulty extinguished the flames and saved her unharmed from the terrible fate she had so nearly approached. Her dress and skirts were almost entirely consumed on one side from her waist down, but her person was fortunately not even touched, excepting her fingers, which were slightly blistered in removing her apron. To say that joy and thankfulness to the poor wood sawyer welled up in the heart of the young lady and those of her family and friends upon learning of her fortunate escape, but feintly [sic] express it. (Brainerd Tribune, 19 May 1877, p. 1, c. 7)

      THE DROP.—The painters have completed the drop curtain in Bly’s Opera House, and it is, of a truth, “a thing of beauty.”
      A rich landscape view adorns the mean, showing the estuary of a broad river, dotted here and there with sails of various sizes, and skirted on either side by jagged rocks, precipices, ravines and promontories; a rocky eminence in the far distance—a miniature Gibraltar—is capped by a quaint old castle of medieval mien; a moss-coverd church of Gothic type graces a little plateau between the hills in the foreground; on the left a peasant’s or fisherman’s cottage, suggestive of romance, nestles between the rocks in a quiet nook opposite, and the halo of a mellow Italian twilight on a balmy summer’s evening hovers over the scene, which for beauty, elegance and artistic skill, excels an oil chromo, and is equal to a $500 oil painting. A rich curtain of crimson damask, heavily fringed, is looped back on either side of the scenery in perfect imitation of the real, and capped by a heavy, rich drapery heading, which gives tone and prominence to the picture, unequaled.
      The whole design—which was entirely impromptu—is chaste, and its execution, which was off-hand, is superbly grand, and adds the only missing link required to make this as complete and convenient a stage as the State affords.
      The work was designed and the painting done by Messrs. J. C. Congdon and Chas. Netterberg, of the Northern Pacific paint shops, and they have certainly distinguished themselves in their fine art and Bly’s Opera House for its beautiful drop. (Brainerd Tribune, 06 January 1877, p. 1, c. 6)

      A walk through the paint shop yesterday disclosed the fact that a greater amount of business is being done in this department than ever before. Master Painter Congdon has a vast amount of responsibility on his shoulders at present, as several different jobs have been ordered to be finished at the same time. He is the most engrossed in business of any man in this branch of work at the shops. (Brainerd Tribune, 15 April 1882, p. 5, c. 3)

           FUNERAL SET
                              FOR THURSDAY
                            _____

        Funeral of the Late John C. Cong-
             don Will be Held on Thurs-
                   day Morning From
                            _____

       THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
                            _____

   Deceased Prominent as Veteran, Mem-
             ber of School Board and in
                    Fraternal Circles

      The funeral of the late John C. Congdon, who died so suddenly on Sunday morning at Gull lake, will be held on Thursday morning at ten o'clock from the residence, 1021 Kingwood street and 10:30 A. M. from the First Congregational church, Rev. G. P. Sheridan, the pastor of the church, will officiate.
      The members of Pap Thomas Post of the G. A. R., Knights of Pythias and Odd Fellows will meet at their respective halls at nine o'clock in the morning to attend the funeral in a body.
      John C. Congdon was born December 4, 1842 [sic], at Nelson, Tioga county, Pennsylvania. When the war broke out young Congdon was among the first to enlist and when 19 years of age he enlisted October 9, 1861, Co. F., 86 Rgt. New York Volunteers, being in the First Division of the Army of the Potomac. Later he was in Co. I., 1st Rgt. V. R. C. 1864. On the expiration of his term of service he was discharged on October 21, 1864. Mr. Congdon came to Menominee, Wis., and learned the painters trade and then went to Minneapolis, working for the Milwaukee railway. Upon his return to Nelson he was married on November 25, 1870, to Miss Louisa Wright. He returned to Minneapolis in February, 1872, coming later to Brainerd as master painter for the Northern Pacific railway where he held that position for 15 years when he went into business for himself and was very successful as a painter and decorator.
      Two children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Congdon, J. C. Congdon, Jr., who was killed in 1902 and H. W. Congdon, who resides at Staples. His wife survives him. He leaves four brothers, F. B. Congdon, of Brainerd; William Congdon, of Portland, Ore.; George Congdon, of Texas; Thomas Congdon, a distinguished artist who has a studio in Paris, France. C. A. Congdon another brother, was killed in a railway wreck in the west. He leaves five sisters, Mrs. C. N. Swart, of Fargo; Mrs. G. H. Schaver, of Mapleton, N. D.; Mrs. J. L. Adams of Sacramento, Cal.; Mrs. Jerry Eddy, of Bath, N. Y.; Mrs. E. Nador, of South Tacoma.
      The deceased was prominent as a business man and in fraternal circles he occupied a high place. He was on the charter list when the Odd Fellows order was organized in Brainerd. He belonged to the Knights of Pythias at Minneapolis and when he came to Brainerd he transferred to the lodge just being started here and may, in a way, be considered a charter member of that body in Brainerd. He was a past commander of Pap Thomas post and attended the 44th national encampment of the G. A. R. at Atlantic City, in September, 1910, as an aide-de-camp. He served several terms on the school board of this city and was known as a vigorous debater. His speeches were always clear and to the point.
      Lurking back of this business exterior was a great disposition to joke and say quaint, humorous things. Children loved him and many is the sack of candy he gave the little ones. He drove about town in a buggy and had hitched to it his white horse known by everyone in town. In John's hands the animal was docile, but when others drove it on one occasion he tossed everyone out. John would never hitch up the horse when he stopped any place. The horse, standing at the curb, would patiently wait for his master. If he consumed too much time, the animal walked quietly back home and then every child in town would tell him: "Oh, Mr. Congdon, your horse has gone and left you." He petted the animal and made much of him.
      On the day of his death, Monday, July 24, Mr. Congdon and his wife were visiting Mr. and Mrs. Harry Congdon at Gull lake. He was feeling particularly well. He had slept good and was joking with everybody as was his custom. He lay down in the tent a while and also read his Bible. His wife called to him about the horse and he took him to the lake and watered him. The horse pranced around and kicked up his heels. Mr. Congdon turned to his wife and said: "Look at that horse 21 years old. He acts like a colt."
      Shortly after 11 o'clock Mr. Congdon was seen to stagger and to raise his hands as though warding off a blow. He fell near the porch as he vainly tried to hold to the corner of the house. His wife ran to his assistance and cold water was dashed on his face. His heart gave a weak flutter and the kind old man had gone to his reward. His faithful wife fell sobbing on his bosom.
      He is gone but he has made the world richer by his quiet, unostentatious ways, the good he did to children and men and even to the animals about him. He is gone but to his family, his friends, his companions and his old comrades John Congdon will never be forgotten. (Brainerd Daily Dispatch, 25 July 1911, p. 3, c. 1)