WILLIAM HENRY FLETCHER. This well known citizen and prominent business man of Sauk Rapids is one of Minnesota’s pioneers, and has been identified with the territory and state for the past sixty years. Mr. Fletcher has spent most of his active career in Benton County, has been in the insurance and real estate business at Sauk Rapids since 1878, has been identified with a number of enterprises which are directly associated with the local betterment and improvement, and has filled with honor and credit several county and local offices.

William Henry Fletcher was born in Muskingum County, Ohio, February 27, 1842. His parents were William and Emma (Ellis) Fletcher. His father was a miller by trade, moved out to Minnesota, in 1855, first locating at St. Anthony Falls, and in 1858 constructed the first flour mill at Little Falls, Minnesota.

William H. Fletcher acquired his early education in the public schools at Beloit, Wisconsin, where his family lived before coming to Minnesota. While growing up he acquired an expert knowledge of the milling business under his father, and was afterwards located at St. Cloud and in the wagon manufacturing business there and at Sauk Rapids for about twenty years.

Mr. Fletcher served in the office of county treasurer from 1874 to 1878, was county auditor of Benton County from 1894 to 1896 and since 1900 has been a member of the board of county commissioners, and with the exception of two years has been president of the board. He was the first village recorder of Sauk Rapids, held the office a number of times and for many years was on the village board. For ten years he served as clerk of the district school board. Mr. Fletcher has taken an active part in republican party affairs, and has been frequently honored with the office of chairman of the Republican County Committee. He is a director of the Benton County Cemetery Association, of which he was one of the organizers. These various positions together with his business as a real estate and insurance man has kept him busily employed for many years and though past the age of three score and ten has not yet retired from the active list.

Mr. Fletcher was married April 27, 1879, to Alda M. Everest, who was born in Ohio. Mr. Fletcher has for half a century been affiliated with the Masonic order, having taken his first degree in 1865, and is now a member of North Star Lodge No. 23, A. F. & A. M. (Vol. 3, p. 1790)

WILLIAM H. FLETCHER is a native of Muskingum county, Ohio, born on the 27th of February, 1842. At an early age, he removed with his parents, to Chicago, thence, to Beloit, Wisconsin, and in 1857, to St. Anthony, Minnesota, where his father had located two years before and engaged in the milling business. In 1858, the family removed to Little Falls, Minnesota, but only remained one year, coming to Sauk Rapids, where the subject of our sketch has since resided. When a young man, he learned the trade of wagon making, and since 1868, has been engaged in their manufacture. During the last few years, Mr. Fletcher has devoted much time to bee culture. Commencing in 1872, with one swarm of bees, he has gradually increased his stock, until at the present time he has upwards of one hundred colonies. He also manufactures hives and all kinds of apiary material, and is rapidly extending his business in this line. Miss Ada M. Everest, of Ohio, became the wife of Mr, Fletcher, in 1879.

History of the Upper Mississippi Valley (1881) p. 347 [Sauk Rapids]