USA > Iowa > Audubon County > History of Audubon county, Iowa; its people, industries, and institutions > Part 66
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John G. and Fannie ( Mitchell) Dimick were the parents of ten children, eight of whom are now living, namely: George G., lives in Hamlin town- ship; Elvira, lives in Syracuse, New York; Horace, deceased; Mary, married Edward Dryden, of Hamlin township; Calvin I., the subject of this sketch; Julia, married W. M. Cress, of Hamlin township; Jessie and Ella, live at Boone, Iowa; John M., a stock buyer at Exira, and an infant deceased.
Calvin I. Dimick received his education in Johnson county and after leaving school, took up farming on his father's place. He remained on the farm until he was twenty years old and then engaged in ditching land in Nebraska, Colorado and Kansas, which occupation he followed for three years. He then moved to Audubon county, and, after a time, began farming on eighty acres of land which he had purchased. He fenced and drained this land and improved it otherwise and lived on it for about six years. After a time he moved to Brayton and there purchased a hotel which he operated for a short time. He then bought the place upon which he now lives. Mr. Dimick raises seventy-five acres of corn and approximately one hundred acres of small grains. He feeds about sixty head of hogs every year and has been very successful with mixed farming.
On November 15, 1892, Calvin I. Dimick was married to Eva J. Beers, the daughter of David and Lola (Lacy) Beers. Four children have been born to this marriage: Harry Russell, Kathleen, Mildred and Mozelle. David Beers was a native of New York state and one of the first settlers in Audubon county, having come overland to this county. David and Lola (Lacy) Beers were the parents of three children, as follow : Eva J., Nellie, married Samuel Budd, of Atlantic, Iowa : and Lona (deceased), married Nora Lyons.
Mr. Dimick is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America. He has served as township supervisor for a number of years and is an ardent and enthusiastic Democrat.
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AUDUBON COUNTY, IOWA.
CHRIS C. PETERSEN.
It is no small accomplishment to have immigrated to a foreign land and to one where the customs, manners and speech are unfamiliar, to have provided one's self with a splendid education in the schools of the adopted country and to have become the owner of ninety-four acres of land in the comparatively short period of twenty years. Yet this is what Chris C. Petersen, a farmer of Exira township, Audubon county, has accomplished in that length of time.
Chris C. Petersen was born in Denmark, January 16, 1876. He is not yet forty years old, yet he has made wonderful progress in his adopted country. Mr. Petersen's father and mother are K. S. and Carrie (Swent- sen) Petersen. Chris C. was educated at first in Denmark and after leav- ing school there, he worked as a farm hand for three years. When he was nineteen years old, he came to America, arriving in this country in 1895. He located at Elkhorn, Iowa, and after working at various positions for some time, he entered the Danish Lutheran College at Elkhorn, where he pursued his education. From the Danish Lutheran College at Elkhorn, Mr. Peterson went to Avoca, Iowa, and after living in Avoca for fifteen months and doing various work, he rented a farm. After this he purchased the farm on which he now lives. It is located in Exira township. Mr. Petersen has invested twenty-five hundred dollars in improvements upon the place. He raises about thirty-five acres of corn each year and sells from the farm approximately seventy-five head of hogs. Mixed farming has proved to be very profitable to him, especially as he has been able to raise live stock in connection with various grains.
Chris C. Petersen was married on October 22, 1898, to Lena Jessen, the daughter of Peter and Mary Jessen. To this union four children have been born, Marn, Hilda, Kate and Ruby, all of whom are living at home.
Mrs. Petersen was born in Germany and her parents were also natives of that country. They came to America in 1893, and located near Elkhorn, where they lived on a farm for one year. They then moved to Exira town- ship and lived on a farm in this township until 1904, when they retired and moved to Exira. Mrs. Jessen died in July, 1914. Peter and Mary Jessen were the parents of nine children: Marten, Jens, Peter M., Chris, Andrew, Niss, Mary, Kate and Lena, all of whom are living. Mr. Jessen is still liv- ing in Exira.
Chris C. Petersen is an independent voter. Mr. and Mrs. Petersen are members of the Danish Lutheran church and active in the affairs of this denomination.
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AUDUBON COUNTY, IOWA.
DANIEL D. SAMPSON.
One of the influential citizens of Audubon county, Iowa, is the gentle- man to whose career the attention of the reader is now directed. Daniel D. Sampson, an enterprising and successful farmer of Viola township, Audubon county, Iowa, is ranked with the leading farmers of this township and county. He is a man of excellent endowment and upright character and has been a valued factor in local affairs. Throughout his life he has commanded the unequivocal confidence and esteem of his fellow citizens, and has been loyal to the upbuilding of the community in which he lives. He has been and is ever vigilant in his efforts to further the interests of Audubon county. Mr. Sampson is just completing a term as a county supervisor, to which important office he was elected in 1910 and the duties of which he assumed in 1911. As a county supervisor, Mr. Sampson's administration has been creditable to himself and satisfactory to the people of Audubon county.
Daniel D. Sampson was born, May 4, 1852, in Iowa county, Wisconsin, and is a well-known farmer of Viola township, who now farms three hundred and thirty acres in this township, although at one time he owned six hun- dred and fifty acres. He has resided in Viola township for thirty-five years. Mr. Sampson is the son of Henry and Elizabeth ( Baker) Sampson, natives of England, where they were born and reared. Henry Sampson was born in 1815 and came to America early in life, arriving here in 1842. His wife, Elizabeth Baker, came in 1842 also, and they were married in Wisconsin. Henry Sampson died in Wisconsin in 1893 and his wife in 1863. They were the parents of four children, Francis, Cyrus, who lives in Audubon; Daniel and John.
Daniel D. Sampson came to Audubon county in 1879 and located on a farm. He lived with his brother and worked land which he had previously bought. He purchased one hundred acres at ten dollars an acre and, sub- sequently, in 1880, purchased sixty acres at ten dollars an acre. During the succeeding years, Mr. Sampson bought additional land, paying from ten dol- lars to sixty-two and one-half dollars an acre. As he acquired the land, le planted trees upon it, erected buildings and otherwise improved his holdings. During his entire life, he has been engaged in raising stock and has always been successful. He still sells fifty head of cattle and more than one hun- dred head of hogs every year. Mr. Sampson at one time owned six hundred and fifty acres of land. He gave to each of his three sons eighty acres of land and his daughter a like quantity, and they have all been quite successful.
Daniel Sampson was married on December 15, 1882, to Anna Neff, the
DANIEL D. SAMPSON
CHILDREN OF DANIEL D. SAMPSON
0
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AUDUBON COUNTY, IOWA.
daughter of George Neff. Mrs. Sampson was born in Pennsylvania in 1864. Mr. and Mrs. Sampson have been the parents of four children, Allie, the wife of Harley Emley; Allen, who is a farmer and lives at home; John, a farmer ; and Wilbur, who is also a farmer and married Myrtle Callow and has one son, William Daniel.
John Sampson, who is farming in Viola township, and who owns eighty acres of land in section 33, given to him by his father, was born December 6, 1888, in Viola township, and is the son of Daniel D. 'Sampson, the subject of this sketch, who has lived in this township since 1878. John Sampson was educated in district school No. 8, of Viola township; he also spent six months in the schools of Audubon. He has always lived on the farm where he now resides. Mr. Sampson is a Republican and, religiously, he is a mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal church. Although he owns eighty acres, he is farming one hundred and sixty acres. He built a new bungalow in 1909 and erected a new barn in the fall of 1912. John Sampson was married on December 31, 1909, to Bessie Ruth Edwards, the daughter of J. M. Edwards, of Melville township.
Daniel D. Sampson is a Republican in politics. He was elected county supervisor in the fall of 1910. He took office on January 1, 1911, and is now serving the last year of his term. Religiously, Mr. Sampson is a mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal church. Few men living in Viola township are more highly respected than Daniel D. Sampson and few men living in Audubon county are better known than he.
CHRIS PETERSEN.
A representative of the second generation of his family in America, - Chris Petersen is a son of Jens and Thomine (Christensen) Petersen, who came to this country from Denmark in 1890, locating temporarily in Bray- ton, Iowa. They owned a small farm in Denmark, and this they cultivated until they came to America, when the farm was sold. After living in Bray- ton, Iowa, for one winter, the parents rented a farm the next spring, and then purchased eighty acres in Oakfield township. The father was engaged in farming until his death on April 10, 1909.
Chris Petersen, who was born on December 4, 1872, in Denmark, is one of eight children born to his parents, Jens and Thomine (Christensen)
(44)
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Petersen. The others are as follow: Mary, Peter C., Stena, Sena, Thomas, Lena and Hannah. Hannah is the youngest of the family.
Educated in the common schools of his native land, Chris Petersen came to America with his parents in 1890. During the first two years of his residence in America he worked on various farms, and finally with his father. Before his father's death, Chris purchased the farm of eighty acres. He has made commendable progress in his life's vocation. The farm was purchased nine years before the death of Jens Petersen, or in 1900. Chris Petersen ordinarily feeds out about fifty head of hogs every year, and sometimes a few cattle. He has invested about two thousand dollars on his farm since purchasing it.
On November 29, 1901, Chris Petersen was married to Mary Petersen, and they have had six children, Albert, Henry, Harold, Esther, Emma and Clara, all of whom are living at home with their parents.
Mr. and Mrs. Petersen and family are members of the Danish Luth- eran church, and Mr. Petersen is a prominent member of the Danish Broth- erhood. He is also a member of the Modern Woodmen of America. A Democrat in politics, he has served as school director in Oakfield township, and has filled this office with credit to himself and to the people of the town- ship. A man who has been honorable and upright in all of the relations of life, he well deserves the confidence and esteem of his neighbors, which as a matter of fact he very generally enjoys. He is cordial, dependable and frugal in his daily living, a combination of traits which have made him a good man and a good citizen.
SOREN P. DAUGARD.
One of the highly-respected farmers and citizens, who is now living retired on his farm in Oakfield township, is Soren P. Daugard, who owns a farm of one hundred and twenty acres in this township and also one hun- dred and sixty acres in South Dakota. Born on May 19, 1857, in Den- mark, Soren P. Daugard is the son of Swenton and Christena (Birk) Dau- gard, the former a native of Sweden and the latter a native of Denmark. Swenton Daugard, a farmer by occupation, lived upon a farm in Denmark until he came to America in 1887, after which he lived retired with his chil- dren until his death. His wife is also deceased. They had six children : Soren P., Dorothy, Ellen, Hans, Anna and Anna Marie. The father was a veteran of the Danish-Prussian War.
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Soren P. Daugard came to America seven years before his parents. Before coming to this country he had been in school for some time, and after leaving school had learned the blacksmith's trade, having worked in a shop from the time he reached maturity until he came to America. Upon coming to this country in 1880, he located on the farm where he now lives, purchasing at first forty acres of land, which he has gradually increased to one hundred and twenty acres. During the active period of his career, he was engaged in general farming and stock raising, but is now living retired on the farm.
In 1880, the same year in which he came to America, Soren P. Dau- gard was married to Anna Knus, the daughter of Chris and Anna Mar- garett (Ivisen) Knus. Nine children have been born to this marriage: Margaret, Christen, John, Fred, Henry, Theodore, Christena, Mary and Serena. Only one of the children, Margaret, is married. She married John C. Larsen and has five children: Soren, Louis, Anna, Catherine and John. The remainder of the children are living at home and are unmarried. The mother of these children is a native of Germany, as were her parents.
Mr. and Mrs. Soren P. Daugard are members of the Danish Lutheran church, and Mr. Daugard is a trustee of the church. A Republican in poli- tics, the only office which he has ever held is that of school director, an office, however, he filled with rare efficiency.
Mr. Daugard is a man of modest and unassuming manners, who has lived a quiet life and enjoyed a satisfactory measure of success. He is comfortably situated and is well prepared to enjoy his declining years in ease and comfort.
NELS C. JENSEN.
Nels C. Jensen, a very successful farmer of Oakfield township, who owns a farm of two hundred acres, was born in Denmark, February 26, 1862, and is the son of Jens P. and Mary K. (Lostetter) Jensen, both of whom were natives of Denmark. The former was a farmer in his native land and, after coming to America, followed this occupation. After coming to this country, he located in Shelby county, Iowa, temporarily, where he rented a farm for one year. He then moved to Audubon county and pur- chased eighty acres of land and farmed until his death in 1900. He was a veteran of the Danish War of 1848. Jens P. and Mary K. Jensen were
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AUDUBON COUNTY, IOWA.
the parents of four children : Nels C., Jens L. and two who died in infancy. After the death of the mother of these children, Jens P. Jensen married Mary Sophia Nelson and to this union there have been born six children: Hettie, Charles, John, Chris, Sophus and Petrea.
After completing a limited educational course in the schools of his na- tive land, Nels C. Jensen worked for a short time on a farm in Denmark, his wages being thirty dollars a year. He then came to America. Settling first in Shelby county, Iowa, he worked as a farmi hand for one year and then moved to Audubon county and worked as a farm hand until his mar- riage. After his marriage, Mr. Jensen rented a farm and farmed for him- self for one year, after which he purchased eighty acres of land which con- stituted the nucleus of the two-hundred-acre farm he now owns, and on which he lives. Here he has invested about ten thousand dollars in various kinds of improvements, including a residence which is thoroughly modern, and outbuildings, drains and fences. Ordinarily, he raises seventy acres of corn a year and thirty acres of small grain, feeding one hundred and fifty head of hogs a year and milking twenty head of cows. Mr. Jensen raises only purebred Poland China hogs and has won many prizes at state and county fairs.
On December 27, 1886, Nels C. Jensen was married to Anna K. Pet- erson, and to them have been born eight children: Mary, Marten, Arthur (deceased), Lawrence, John, Clarence, Daisy and Elmer. Mary married Peter Jacobsen and has one child, Alice. Lawrence married Dorothy Mad- sen.
Anna K. Peterson was a daughter of Peter and Mary (Jurgersen) Peterson, both natives of Denmark.
Mr. and Mrs. Nels C. Jensen and family are members of the Seventh Day Adventist church. In politics Mr. Jenson is a Republican and the only offices which he has held are those of school director and road su- pervisor.
Nels C. Jensen has always taken an active interest in public affairs and public movements and his support in behalf of worthy public enterprises can always be depended upon by the people of his community. Popular with his neighbors and fellow citizens, he has never had an ax to grind with anyone, but has gone on from year to year diligently in his own business and paying strict attention to his own affairs. He has done worthily his part to transform the raw prairie of Audubon county into farms which produce the good things of life.
693
AUDUBON COUNTY, IOWA.
HANS A. NELSON.
Hans A. Nelson is a successful farmer of Exira township, who owns one hundred and sixty acres of land. Mr. Nelson is a native of Iowa, hav- ing been born on November 28, 1877. Although most of Mr. Nelson's life has been devoted to farming, during a part of it he was engaged in business at Exira. Not finding the business to his liking, Mr. Nelson traded his business interests for the farm he now owns.
Hans A Nelson is a son of L. P. and Mary (Peterson) Nelson, both natives of Denmark. L. P. Nelson was a farmer in his native land and came to this country before his marriage. He traveled over the country for a few years and then located at Des Moines, where he worked in a brick yard. In 1878 he moved to Elkhorn, Iowa, and bought a farm near there which he operated for two years. He then moved to Audubon county and located three miles west of Exira, Iowa. Here he is now living, although he is retired. He is a prominent member of the Danish Lutheran church. L. P. and Mary Nelson were married in 1864. They had nine children : Anna, Rosa, Hans A., Ida, Martha, Mary, Ray, Arthur and Albert. Anna married Gilbert Nelson. Rosa became the wife of John Nelson and lives southwest of Brayton. Ida is the wife of Soren Nelson. Martha married T. M. Rass- mussen. Mary is single and lives at home. Ray married Agnes Nelson. Arthur married Emma Hanson. Albert is single.
Hans A. Nelson attended school in Audubon county and after leaving school farmed with his father until he was twenty-seven years old. He then sold eighty acres of land which he had previously bought and moved to Cass county, Iowa, where he purchased one hundred and twenty acres of land and farmed there for four years. He then moved back to Exira and engaged in the implement business for one year. He traded this business for the farm which he now owns.
On March 20, 1902, Hans A. Nelson was married to Susie Huyck, the daughter of George and Sarah (Rudge) Huyck. To this marriage five children have been born, Garland, Ava, Vera, Floyd and Marjorie. Mrs. Nelson was born in Exira. Her father was a native of Indiana and her mother of England. Her father grew to manhood in Indiana and was twenty years old when he came to Iowa, since which time he has farmed, but at the present time lives in Exira. George and Sarah (Rudge) Huyck were the parents of six children : Roxie, Hattie, Susie, Charles, Grace and James. Roxie married Roscoe Clark. Hattie, who is deceased, was the
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wife of Charles McCord. Charles is unmarried and lives in Wyoming. Grace became the wife of Alfred Esbeck. James married Hattie Struthers.
Mr. and Mrs. Nelson are members of the Christian church. They are both prominent and influential in this church. Mr. Nelson is a trustee. Mr. Nelson generally votes the Republican ticket, but is not especially active in politics. The only office which he has held is that of road supervisor of Oakfield township. Mr. Nelson has never had any ambition to hold office, but has been devoted to his business and his family.
JOHN W. MARTIN.
John W. Martin, the proprietor of a farm of one hundred and fifty- two acres in Audubon township, Audubon county, Iowa, was born on November 9, 1855, in Johnson county, Iowa, the son of James and Elizabeth (Goforth) Martin, the former a native of Virginia, and the latter a native of Kentucky. James Martin came, to Johnson county, Iowa, when a young man, and after farming for some time with his father, learned the stone- mason's trade, which vocation he followed until his marriage. In 1869, the family moved to Audubon county, locating in Audubon township, where Mr. Martin purchased forty acres of land. Subsequently he added one hun- dred and twenty acres to his land holdings, and on this large farm he was engaged in general farming and stock raising, besides which Mr. Martin worked at his trade as stone-mason until 1904, when he retired from active life and moved to Exira. James and Elizabeth (Goforth) Martin were the parents of eight children, of whom John W., the subject of this sketch, was the eldest, the others being Bruce, George. Blanche, Jesse, Winifred, Rod- ney and Lula, the last named being deceased.
John W. Martin, after completing his education in the public schools of Audubon county, farmed with his father until he reached his majority. He then worked out on neighboring farms for three or four years, after which he purchased eighty acres of land, and by dint of industry and careful management, gradually increased his land holdings to one hundred and fifty- two acres. He has invested about three thousand dollars in various kinds of improvements on his farm, and has brought it to a high state of cultiva- tion. He ordinarily raises about sixty-five acres of corn, forty acres of small grains, and feeds out forty head of hogs annually. Mr. Martin sells a part of the grain raised on his farm.
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AUDUBON COUNTY, IOWA.
John W. Martin was married to Minnie Littlefield, the daughter of Alonzo F. and Sarah Littlefield, and to this union have been born five chil- dren, Elizabeth, Cecil, Basil, Kermit and Cassius. Minnie Littlefield was born in Madison county, Iowa, her parents having come to this state in pioneer times and settled in the western part of Audubon county, where her father was a prominent farmer and stock breeder. Alonzo F. and Sarah Lit- tlefield were the parents of twelve children, all of whom except one are liv- ing, as follow: Thomas, Maggie, Mrs. Minnie Martin, Anna, Charles, John, William, Foley, Ernie, Nell, Roy and Alice deceased.
Mr. Martin has always been identified with the Democratic party and is the present township trustee of Audubon township. He is a member of the Yeomen. Not only is John W. Martin prominent as a farmer of this township, but he is likewise one of the leaders in the educational and civic life of the community. As a farmer and citizen he is highly respected for his honorable and cordial relations with his fellow men.
NELS P. ANDERSEN.
Nels P. Andersen, farmer and stockman of Oakfield township, Audu- bon county, Iowa, who owns a hundred and twenty acre farm in Oakfield township, was born in Denmark, July 23, 1863, the son of Anders and Kearstin (Nelson) Olsen, both of whom were Danish born. The father was a miller in his native land, and also operated a bakery until he came to America in 1894. After living at various places in this country, the family finally settled in Audubon county, Iowa, and there they remained until Mr. Olsen's death in 1906. Anders and Kearstin Olsen were the parents of ten children, eight of whom are now living, as follow: Chris, Helen, Christena, Mary, Nels J., Nora, Hans and Sena. The two eldest children, Chris and Helen, and the fourth child, Mary, are still living in their native land.
Nels P. Andersen was the first of the family to come to America. After finishing his education in the schools of his native land, he worked for a short time in his father's flour-mill, but in 1884, at the age of twenty- one, he came to this country and worked for four years as a laborer at Green Bay, Wisconsin. Removing then to Clinton county, Iowa, he worked five years as a farm hand, and then rented land for six years. In 1900 he removed to Audubon county and purchased eighty acres of land, to which
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he subsequently added forty acres, upon which he is now living. He raises an average of forty acres of corn and twenty acres of small grain every year, feeding fifty head of hogs and a few cattle.
On December 10, 1898, Nels P. Andersen was married to Carrie An- derson, the daughter of Anders and Catherine Anderson. Mr. and Mrs. Nels P. Andersen have had three children, Hans, Metta and Lydia, all of whom are living at home with their parents.
Carrie Anderson was a native of Denmark, as were her parents before her. Her father, a farmer and laborer by occupation, died in his native land, and her mother is still living there. Anders and Catherine Anderson were the parents of six children, as follow: Anders; Annie, who married a Mr. Anderson; Peter, Julia, Sena and Carrie. One of these children is deceased. The living children are all residents of this country.
Mr. and Mrs. Nels P. Andersen are members of the Danish Lutheran church. Mr. Andersen is a Democrat in politics, and a member of the Danish school board. He is also a member of the Danish Brotherhood.
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