USA > Iowa > Dickinson County > History of Emmet County and Dickinson County, Iowa, a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume II > Part 9
USA > Iowa > Emmet County > History of Emmet County and Dickinson County, Iowa, a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume II > Part 9
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38
WILLIAM O. HOWARD.
William O. Howard, editor of the Armstrong Journal, was born March 10, 1874, in Drakesville, Davis county, Iowa, and is a son of George O. and Susan F. (Seay) Howard, natives of Ohio and Iowa respectively. The father, who was a shoemaker by trade, died in 1878, and the mother then removed to Clarinda, Iowa, to make her home with her father, the Rev. Isaac M. Seay, who was a pioneer Baptist minister of the state.
William O. Howard was reared and educated in Clarinda, and at the early age of twelve years entered the office of the Page County Democrat, where he quickly acquired a good knowledge of the printer's trade. At the age of sixteen years he established the Bradyville News and became the youngest newspaper publisher in Iowa. On disposing of the business there he worked at his trade in Minnesota for ten years, a part of which time he was in the employ of Brown & Bigelow, art calendar publishers of St. Paul. In 1908 Mr. Howard located at Forest City, Iowa, and for three years owned the controlling interest in the Forest City Summit. On selling out there he purchased the Wall Lake Blade, which he published until the spring of 1916 when he sold out, and in the fall of that year became a resident of Armstrong, Emmet county. Here he bought the Armstrong Journal which he now pub- lishes. He has a well equipped office and being a thorough newspaper man undoubtedly will meet with success in his new field of labor.
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On New Year's Day of 1897 Mr. Howard was united in marriage to Miss Sadie Peterson, a native of Norway, and they have become the parents of four children, namely : Harold M., born May 6, 1898; Morton O., July 3, 1899; Francis E., June 22, 1901; and Ruth M., September 17, 1904. Fraternally Mr. Howard is a member of the Masonic order and is also identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. In politics he is a progressive republican, taking a commendable interest in public affairs and supporting all worthy enterprises for the benefit of his town and community.
MRS. SARAH GUNDERSON.
Mrs. Sarah Gunderson is well known in Emmett County, where she has long resided, her home being now on section 12, in Twelve Mile Lake township. She is the widow of Andrew Gunderson and is a native of Columbia County, Wisconsin. Her parents were Knut and Olive (Isaacson) Knutson, who were natives of Norway, and her father made farming his life work. Coming to the new world, he established his home in Wisconsin and was there residing at the time of the outbreak of the Civil War. Responding to the country's call for military aid, he joined Company A of the Second Wisconsin Vol- unteer Infantry and went to the front, serving until honorably dis- charged on account of illness. He never recovered his health and died three years after leaving the army. He had three sons who were also in the service: John, who was wounded while at the front but recovered ; Thomas, who was killed, thus laying down his life on the altar on his country, and Isaac, who died from illness in a hospital during his term of service.
Mrs. Gunderson spent her girlhood in her native state, was con- firmed in Iowa and pursued her education in a Norwegian school in Wisconsin. When eighteen years of age she gave her hand in marriage to Andrew Gunderson and two years later they left Wisconsin for Iowa, taking up their abode in Twelve Mile Lake township, Emmet County. Mr. Gunderson purchased the northwest quarter of section 12 and later the northeast quarter of section 11, but afterward forty acres of the farm was sold to his brother, L. L. Gunderson. Andrew Gunderson was born in Norway, June 1, 1843, a son of Louis and Lena Gunder- son, the former a shoemaker by trade. The son attended the common schools of his native country and when eighteen years of age came to America with his parents, the family home being established in Dane County, Wisconsin. The father followed shoemaking in Lodi, Wiscon- sin, and there he and his wife remained until called to their final rest. Their family numbered four sons and three daughters. Andrew Gun- derson became familiar with the trade of shoemaking and worked with his father up to the time of his marriage. He then started out inde-
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pendently and, as previously indicated, became interested in farming in Emmet County, securing a tract of land which he converted into rich and productive fields. He annually gathered golden harvests as a reward for the care and labor which he bestowed upon his place and became recognized as one of the foremost agriculturists of his district.
To Mr. and Mrs. Gunderson were born eleven children, of whom nine are yet living. The eldest, Lena, became the wife of George Wigdahl and died in 1896, leaving her husband, who is now a resident of Colton, South Dakota, and two children: Oberner, a resident of Chicago, and Lawrence, also of Colton, South Dakota. The second child of the family was George Leland, who died in infancy. The others of the household are: Olive, the wife of Henry Beucus, of Monee, Illinois; Louise, who married Otley R. Westfall, of Chicago; Hans, who married Bertha Ellingbo and is now living with his mother, for whom he cultivates the homefarm; Knut, at home; Ellen, the wife of John Christman, of Chi- cago; Emma, the wife of Clay Foley, of Chicago; Andrew, who married Ada Waldo and is living in Monee, Illinois; and Hazel and Alma, both residing in Chicago.
The death of the husband and father occurred December 11, 1894, and he was laid to rest in Riverside cemetery at Wallingford. He served as a member of the school board in Twelve Mile Lake township and was much interested in the cause of education, recognizing the fact that the public school system is one of the bulwarks of the nation. He voted with the Republican party but was never an aspirant for office. His religious faith was that of the Norwegian Lutheran Church. He won material success in life through his indefatigable industry and perseverance and at his death he left to his family not only a comfort- able competence but also the priceless heritage of an untarnished name. Mrs. Gunderson, surviving him, is numbered among the old-time resi- dents of the county, having long made her home here, so that she is familiar with the history of its development from pioneer days to the present.
DON H. SPAULDING.
Don H. Spaulding, who is connected with farming interests in Emmet county as the owner of a good tract of land on section 26, Center town- ship, was born on the 11th of February, 1875, in Carroll county, Illi- nois, of the marriage of Harris and Frances (Knox) Spaulding. The father was a native of Pennsylvania and the mother of Wisconsin, and in early life they removed westward to Illinois, living for a time in Carroll county, while subsequently they became residents of Grundy county, Iowa, where they continued to make their home until called to their final rest. They had a family of two children, both of whom are yet living.
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Don H. Spaulding was largely reared and educated in Grundy county and through the period of his minority he assisted in the work of the fields, thus becoming well qualified by practical experience to under- take work of that character on his own account after he had reached man's estate. He continued to engage in farming in Grundy county until 1909, when he came to Emmet county and subsequently he pur- chased the farm upon which he now resides on section 26, Center town- ship. This is a tract of two hundred and forty acres, now well improved. He tills the soil according to most modern methods, practicing the rota- tion of crops and recognizing the need of the soil in every way. In addition to general farming he engages in stock raising and is meeting with success in that field.
In 1900 Mr. Spaulding was married to Miss Marie Smith, a native of Grundy county, lowa, and a daughter of Thomas and Eliza (Dubert) Smith. Her mother is now deceased, but the father yet survives. Mr. and Mrs. Spaulding have twins, Wayne and Wava, who were born June 26, 1910. Mr. Spaulding is a democrat in his political views but has no time nor inclination for office, preferring to give his undivided atten- tion to his farming interests, which are of growing importance, making him one of the representative and successful agriculturists of the com- munity.
ARTHUR EMANUEL ERICKSON.
Estherville, with its varied and growing business enterprises, may well be proud of the one which Arthur E. Erickson has developed in its midst, for he is there conducting the finest photographic studio in north- western Iowa. Familiar with all the latest processes and improvements of photography, his work ranks with the best to be found in the larger cities and at all times he keeps abreast with the highest standards of the art. A native of Illinois, he was born at Kensington, Chicago, May 23, 1885, his parents being Lars August and Johanna Mathilde Erickson, both of whom were natives of Orebro, Sweden. They became residents of Chicago in 1871 and the father was employed on the building of the foundation for the Pullman car shops at Pullman, Illinois, where he has worked continuously since. In 1917, however, he will be pensioned by the company as a recognizition of long, capable and faithful service. His wife died in 1900.
Arthur E. Erickson acquired his education in the West Pullman school, from which he was graduated on the 23d of June, 1899. He took up the study of photography and became a traveling photographer, in which connection he traversed the country from Canada to Texas. Con- tinually he has progressed in his chosen field of labor and the excellence of his work has been the basis of his growing success until now he is owner of the finest photographic studio in northwestern Iowa. He has
ARTHUR E. ERICKSON AND FAMILY
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been located at Estherville since 1915, drawing his patronage from a wide territory.
On the 1st of October, 1913, at Linn Grove, Iowa, Mr. Erickson was united in marriage to Miss Mabel May Reese, her parents being Mr. and Mrs. Henry Reese, of that place. They now have a daughter, Enid. In his fraternal connections Mr. Erickson is a Mason and exemplifies in his life the beneficent spirit of the craft. He also belongs to the Photographers Association of America. He is ever actuated by laudable ambition and he has that keen interest and delight in his work which is always the basis of successful accomplishment.
C. A. YARNES.
There is probably no man in Dickinson county more familiar with its pioneer conditions than C. A. Yarnes, who has been a resident within Its borders since September 22. 1864. For many years he was actively identified with the agricultural interests of the county, but is now living retired in Spirit Lake, enjoying a well-earned rest. He was born in Broome county, New York, November 22, 1840, and is a son of C. M. Yarnes, also a native of the Empire State, where he grew to manhood and married. During the Civil War the father enlisted in the Thirty- Seventh New York Volunteer Infantry, which was assigned to the Army of the Potomac under the command of General Mcclellan. Later he was discharged for disability and returned home, where he soon died.
In the county of his nativity C. A. Yarnes grew to manhood upon a farm, and on leaving New York went to Michigan, where he worked in a lumber camp for one winter. In the fall of 1864, as previously stated, he removed to Iowa and became a settler of Dickinson county. He homesteaded a tract of one hundred and eighty-one acres on the east side of Spirit Lake, and erected thereon a log cabin, in which he lived while opening up and developing his farm. Later he built a good frame residence, barns and outbuildings, and now has a well improved and valuable farm. He devoted considerable attention to the raising and feeding of stock for market, making a specialty of high grade cattle, horses and hogs, and as the years passed he steadily prospered and was able to add to his property until he had three hundred acres in his home place and also another farm of two hundred and forty acres of well improved land in Dickinson county, besides two farms aggregating five hundred acres in Minnesota. He is a very influential and progressive farmer and stock raiser and the prosperity that came to him was due entirely to his own well directed efforts. Having accumulated a valu- able estate, in 1901 he retired from active labor and purchased a resi- dence in Spirit Lake, where he has since made his home.
Mr. Yarnes was married in Dickinson county, September 15, 1887, to Miss Clara Lynne Snow, who was born in Oxford, Iowa, and for a
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time engaged in teaching school in Ozark, Arkansas. They became the parents of three children who are still living, namely: Charles, who is a well educated man, having studied both at Spirit Lake and Chicago, and who for the past two years has served as deputy treasurer of Dick- inson county ; and Annie Grace and Bessie, who are now attending Des Moines College. Mr. and Mrs. Yarnes lost a son, Robert, who died in 1908 at the age of nineteen years. He, too, received a good education and was serving as station agent and operator for the Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad at Emmet at the time of his death.
In religious faith Mr. and Mrs. Yarnes are Baptists, and are con- sistent members of the church of that denomination at Spirit Lake. They have always been liberal contributors to church work and Mr. Yarnes served on the building committee at the time of the erection of the church at Spirit Lake. In politics he is an ardent Republican and has been called upon to serve as treasurer and trustee of his township, besides filling other local offices of honor and trust. He can relate many interesting incidents of early life in this locality, as he came here when Dickinson county was practically a wilderness, few settlements having been made and most of the land being wild and uncultivated. He experi- enced all the hardships which come to the pioneer and bore his part in the development and upbuilding of this region.
S. H. LEE.
S. H. Lee, who owns and cultivates an excellent farm comprising the northeast quarter of section 35, Emmet township, in Emmet county, was born in Norway on the 16th of June, 1844, and is a son of Hans and Mary (Nelson) Lee, who were both of Norwegian birth and spent their entire lives in the land of the midnight sun. In their family were four children, three of whom are yet living.
S. H. Lee was reared and educated in Norway, enjoying the privi- leges afforded by the public schools. He had attained his majority when in 1865 he bade adieu to friends and native land and sailed for the United States, hoping to find better business opportunities in the new world. He at once made his way to Iowa and was employed as a laborer until 1878, but during that period he carefully saved his earnings, for he was ambitious to engage in business on his own account and secure farm property. In 1878, therefore, he came to Emmet county and pur- chased the northeast quarter of section 35, Emmet township. He at once took up his abode upon that place, which he has now occupied for about thirty-nine years, and he has wrought a marked transformation in its appearance by the many improvements which he has added to his farm. It is now a valuable property, made so by the efforts and pro- gressiveness of Mr. Lee, whose life has been one of untiring industry and perseverance.
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In 1878 Mr. Lee was united in marriage to Miss Christina Nelson, a native of Norway and a daughter of Nels and Anna (Olson) Nelson. The year 1874 witnessed their arrival in Emmet county, Iowa, and the father here purchased a farm on which both he and his wife spent their remaining days. Mr. and Mrs. Lee have five children, as follows: Hans N., a railway engineer, and Anna M., Carl O., Arnt T. and Louisa, all at home.
The parents are members of the Norwegian Lutheran church, and Mr. Lee gives his political support to the Republican party, with which he has voted since becoming a naturalized American citizen. He is con- versant with the leading questions and issues of the day and he has become thoroughly American in spirit and interests-one of the sub- stantial adopted sons that Norway has furnished to the United States.
GEORGE W. CANON.
George W. Canon, who is living retired in Armstrong, is character- ized by an unusual degree of public spirit and has been active in local affairs, especially in the promotion of the educational interests of the town. He was born in Sullivan county, New York, June 30, 1865, and his parents were Cornelius and Ruth (Wood) Canon, natives of Sulli- van county and Delaware county, New York, respectively. In June, 1872, the family emigrated to the west and took up their residence in Armstrong Grove township, Emmet county, Iowa, where the father homesteaded land. He devoted the remainder of his life to the opera- tion of that farm and passed away on the 2nd of August, 1895, when seventy-three years old. The mother died in March, 1902, also at the age of seventy-three years.
George W. Canon was reared and educated in this county and has been a witness of much of its development. He remained with his par- ents until he attained his majority and then farmed rented land for a year. At the end of that time he purchased one hundred and sixty acres in sections 24 and 25, Armstrong Grove township, which he farmed until 1896. He then sold that place and bought another tract of land which he operated for three years and then sold. He then came to Armstrong and for eight years engaged in the produce business, handling poultry and eggs. At the end of that period he again turned his attention to farming, purchasing land in section 20, Iowa Lake township. For five years he cultivated that tract and then disposed of it and bought a quar- ter section in Pipestone county, Minnesota, but at the end of a year sold that place and returned to Emmet county, farming land belonging to his father-in-law for two years. He then purchased five acres within the corporation limits of Armstrong and has since resided here, enjoying a well-earned leisure. He erected a fine residence modern, in every par- ticular.
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In July, 1891, Mr. Canon was united in marriage to Miss Victoria Horswell, a daughter of Richard and Doreas Horswell. Mr. and Mrs. Canon have a daughter, Winifred, whose birth occurred on the 27th of April, 189-1.
Mr. Canon is a stanch supporter of the Republican party, in relig- ious faith is a Methodist, and fraternally is connected with the Masonie Order. He was assessor for one year and for seven years has been a member of the school board. Ile was instrumental in the building of the new consolidated school at Armstrong, of which the community is justly proud, and was also a member of the board that erected the old schoolhouse. All that he has undertaken he has done to the best of his ability and his efforts have been crowned with success.
MIKE NECE.
Since 1884 Mike Nece has been a resident of Dickinson county and for many years was one of the most influential citizens of Spirit Lake township, where he followed farming, but since 1909 has lived retired in the city of Spirit Lake, enjoying a well earned rest made possible by former toil. He was born in Germany on the 9th of December, 1849, and is a son of George and Catherine Nece, also natives of that country, where they were reared and married and where the father followed farm- ing until his emigration to America in 1852. After spending a short time in Chicago, Illinois, he went to Indiana, where in the late '50s he pur- chased a traet of wild land, from which he cut the timber and sold it for fuel. Later he removed to Blue Island, Illinois, sixteen miles south of Chicago, and for a few years was employed at odd jobs but later engaged in the saloon business, which he had also followed in Indiana. He passed away over fifty years ago and his widow later came to Dickinson county, Iowa, where her death occurred.
Mike Nece was about three years of age when brought by his par- ents to the new world and his boyhood and youth were passed in Indiana and Illinois. On coming to Dickinson county, Iowa, in 1884, he pur- chased a quarter section of land on section 25, Spirit Lake township, and there followed farming with good results until his retirement from active labor in 1909, since which time he has resided in Spirit Lake.
In the fall of 1871, at Akron, Ohio, Mr. Nece married Miss Annie Collins, who was born, reared and educated in Ireland, being seventeen years of age when she came to the United States. She died in Spirit Lake in 1914, leaving many friends as well as her immediate family to mourn her loss. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Nece are as follows : Annie, the wife of Mike O'Day, a retired farmer of Spirit Lake; Kath- erine, the wife of Daniel Sarazine, a farmer of Spirit Lake township; Lucy, the wife of Fred Smith, a farmer of Superior township; Carrie, the wife of Henry Williamson, also a farmer of Spirit Lake township;
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Rickie, the wife of Roy Cooper, of the same township; Bessie, at home with her father; George, a farmer of Pipestone county, Minnesota ; Frank, a farmer of Spirit Lake township, Dickinson county, Iowa; and Mike, a farmer of Pipestone county, Minnesota.
Mr. Nece is a stanch democrat in politics and on that ticket was elected supervisor of Dickinson county for a term of three years al- though the county is strongly republican. His election therefore indi- cates his personal popularity and the confidence and trust reposed in him by his fellow citizens, who recognize his worth and ability. He en- deavors to support those enterprises best calculated to promote the public interests, making party politics a second consideration. He creditably filled the office of supervisor and while living in Spirit Lake township also served in other local offices, including that of school director. In religious faith he is a Roman Catholic. Mr. Nece is a director of the Spirit Lake National Bank and as a public-spirited and progressive citizen has done all in his power to advance the welfare of the community in which he has resided. While on the farm he helped to organize elevator and thresh- ing machine companies in his locality and has been a strong advocate of cooperation among the farmers to promote mutual interests. His career has ever been such as to win for him the commendation and high regard of all with whom he has been brought in contact either in business or social life.
JACOB HERUM.
A valuable farm of one hundred and ninety-six acres on section 22, High Lake township, pays tribute to the care and labors bestowed upon it by its owner, Jacob Herum, who is acknowledged one of the progres- sive and enterprising agriculturist of Emmet county. He was born in Dane county, Wisconsin, January 24, 1862, and is a son of Peter E. and Bertha Herum, who were natives of Norway. On coming to the United States they made their way to Dane county, Wisconsin, in 1847 and there resided for almost a quarter of a century, or until 1870. In the latter year they came to Emmet county, Iowa, and Mr. Herum pur- chased farm land in High Lake township. He then began to develop and improve his farm, bringing his fields to a high state of cultivation. He continued active in that work until his death and his wife has also passed away. In their family were twelve children, nine of whom are yet living.
The common school system of Emmet county afforded Jacob Herum the educational privileges which he enjoyed. He was but eight years of age when brought by his parents to Iowa and through the period of his boyhood and youth his time was divided between the duties of the schoolroom, the pleasures of the playground and the work of the home farm. In fact he continued upon the home place until 1896, when he was united in marriage to Miss Ina Bauge, a daughter of Joe and Julia
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(Halverson) Bauge, natives of Norway, who became early settlers of Iowa, where they still reside. Mr. and Mrs. Herum have become the parents of five children, Percy B., Joseph G., Raymond J., Robert G. and Margaret M.
Devoting his time and energies to general agricultural pursuits, Jacob Herum is now the owner of one hundred and ninety-six acres of land, which embraces the northeast quarter of the northwest quarter of section 22, High Lake township, the north half of the northeast quarter of section 22 and the southeast quarter of the northeast quarter of the same section. He has resided thereon continuously since his marriage and is now engaged in general farming and in dairying, keeping good grades of cows for that purpose. There are excellent improvements upon his land in the way of good buildings and well kept fences, his machinery is of the latest improved models and his farm work is carried on accord- ing to the most progressive methods.
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