Richard and Catherine Wollaston of Essex, England, spent the weekend in Fairmont, a community they felt compelled to visit after learning Richard’s great-grandfather, Percy Wollaston, was the city’s first mayor.

Their journey began 15 months ago, in February 2018, when they were driving to visit their two young grandchildren.

“We were just talking about what a very close relationship we have with our grandchildren,” Richard said. “I only knew one grandparent. I was saying, we really must do something about this. We ought to be able to tell our grandchildren about my grandparents.”

Catherine immediately got out her phone and started a Google search. She found a Major Fred Wollaston, Richard’s grandfather, who had lived in British Columbia, Canada.

Richard’s father, also named Fred, had been an eminent doctor on England but never spoke to his son about his ancestors.

“All I knew about my father was that he was born in South Africa and was schooled in British Columbia,” Richard said.

Over the next several weeks, Catherine used her knack for researching to delve deeper and deeper into Major Fred’s history. They learned he had lived in British Columbia and had volunteered for the Boer War in South Africa in 1901 as a member of the Canadian Mounted Rifles.

“That explained why my father was born in South Africa,” Richard said.

While trying to determine how the family got from England to British Columbia, Catherine traced the connection through Major Fred’s father, Percy Wollaston.

“We found that Percy, at the age of 51, with 13 children and a very long-suffering wife, had immigrated to a place called Fairmont. We said, where on earth is Fairmont? In Minnesota. Then we said, where on earth is Minnesota?” Richard said with a laugh.

“We actually had to get a map out,” Catherine said.

The modern day Wollastons, retired attorneys who have been married 48 years, have traveled to the United States several times previously but confess that the mid-America states tend to merge together for them.

Catherine’s Internet search on Percy turned up an article written by Lenny Tvedten, executive director of the Martin County Historical Society and curator of the museum. She sent an email asking for more information.

“I get emails from Australia, Canada, all over, mainly for Railway Motors information,” Lenny said. “One day, I had this very lengthy email from Catherine. I was scrolling through it and saw England so I read it again.”

He recognized the name as one of importance in Fairmont history and replied to Catherine’s email.

“You sent a photo of Percy, and I was so thrilled,” Catherine told him.

Percy Wollaston was born in England in 1825 and moved to the United States shortly after marrying his wife, also named Catherine, in 1848. They lived briefly in New York, South Carolina and Canada before moving back to England in 1851. With the exception of one child born in Canada, all of their children were born and educated in England.

Catherine’s research showed that Percy worked in Liverpool in the shipping business, which basically was the immigration business at the time. Many young Brits were moving to America, a place they considered the land of opportunity.

“I think Percy came over because he saw an opportunity. A lot of Europeans that immigrated were struggling. He came here with money and was successful,” Richard said.

In 1876, at the age of 51, Percy moved his family to Fairmont where he built a 16-room mansion on what is now Homewood Drive. There were few buildings in town at that time so Percy built a mercantile store, a flour mill operated by a 60-foot windmill and established the Merchants and Farmers Bank. He also farmed the 460 acres of land he owned.

Considered a leader of the large English colony that settled in the area, Percy was elected Fairmont’s first mayor and was later re-elected. He also is credited with founding the Episcopal Church in Fairmont, donating one of the largest sums, $400.

“If it wasn’t for the website of the Martin County Historical Society, we would not have known any of this. It’s Lenny and his colleagues that put information on the Internet,” Catherine said. “I think it’s wonderful that people like Lenny all over the world are keeping these records and getting them online.”

Tvedten said he gets inquiries from people trying to track down their ancestors.

“But not quite like this one,” he said. “This is kind of the apex. Some people want to know about their grandfather, but the great-grandson of the first mayor of Fairmont? That’s unique.”

Percy and his family spent 20 years in Fairmont before moving to Victoria, British Columbia, in 1896. He died there in 1909.

Catherine read a portion of his obituary.

“Mr. Wollaston had dignity and poise with just enough of the austere to discourage familiarity. During his residence in Fairmont, he became widely known and highly respected as a businessman of integrity. When he said he would do a thing, he made good.”

When Percy left Fairmont, he left his son-in-law in charge of the bank. Mismanagement busted the bank, but Percy felt honor bound to make things right.

“He did so with the sacrifice of his beautiful home and all the property he had on earth,” Catherine read from the obituary. “He was a poor man when he died, but he left an honored name that is worth all the houses and lots in Victoria.”

Percy had 47 grandchildren, many of whom spread out across the United States. His son, Major Fred, was the only child who moved back to England, accompanied by Richard’s father, Fred.

“They must all have had this pioneering feeling to take an opportunity wherever it was. All his (Percy’s) sons went off and did different things,” Catherine said.

Richard shares a pioneering spirit with his ancestors. He suggested to his wife that they follow in Percy’s footsteps, taking a steamer across the Atlantic and travel by train the rest of the way to Minnesota before heading to British Columbia.

“My idea was vetoed,” he said.

The couple is splitting their pilgrimage into two trips and will visit Canada in September.

Richard and Catherine flew into Chicago on Tuesday night and traveled by train to La Crosse, Wis., on Thursday before driving to Fairmont. They now will head for St. Paul before flying to Boston to visit Richard’s sister who has no idea of their historic journey.

“Having done all this research and built this incredible story, how could we not come to Fairmont?” Richard said. “What compelled Percy to make this extraordinary journey? You can’t really answer that question without coming here. When I went to see where he built his house, I have a better understanding. He got the prime spot on these lakes and thought, this is heaven.”