USA > Iowa > Hancock County > History of Winnebago County and Hancock County, Iowa, a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume II > Part 41
USA > Iowa > Winnebago County > History of Winnebago County and Hancock County, Iowa, a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume II > Part 41
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C. N. Anderson largely acquired his education in Mitchell county, Iowa. He was but a young lad when brought by his mother to the new world and he after- ward attended the district schools until he reached the age of thirteen years when his textbooks were put aside that he might give his entire attention to the task of assisting his father in the work of the fields. Following his father's death he purchased the interest of the other heirs in the old homestead, to which he acquired title in 1907. It is a tract of one hundred and sixty acres which he has carefully developed and improved, and in addition to carrying on general farming he holds stock in the Farmers Cooperative Creamery, in the Farmers Elevator and in the Farmers Telephone Company. His business affairs are all wisely and carefully directed and in their management he displays sound judg- ment and keen sagacity.
Mr. Anderson votes with the republican party, which he has supported since age granted him the right of franchise. He filled the office of township assessor for eight years and was township trustee for one year. He has also been seere- tary of the school board and he is interested in all those forces which work for
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the betterment and upbuilding of his community. He belongs to the Norwegian Imtheran church and is one of the respected and valued residents of this section where he has now lived for thirty-seven years, remaining throughout the entire period upon the farm which is still his home.
WESLEY G. LENZ.
Wesley G. Lenz, actively engaged in general farming on seetion 15, German township, was born on the 8th of February, 1879, and Hancock county has for a considerable period numbered him among its progressive agriculturists. He is a son of Fred and Lena ( Rolfus) Lenz, natives of Germany, who are still living in Hancock county, but the father has retired from active business life after long connection with the agricultural development of this district.
Wesley G. Lenz was reared as a farm boy, receiving the usual instruction of the district schools, while his business training was that which he received under his father, whom he assisted in farm work until he reached the age of twenty- three years. Ambitious to engage in farming on his own account, he then pur- chased one hundred and sixty acres of land on section 15 .. German township, for which he paid sixty-five dollars per acre. He has since owned and occupied that place. which is today a well improved and highly cultivated farm. Its neat and thrifty appearance indicates his careful supervision and his practical and pro- gressive methods. He studies the question of soil fertility, practices the rotation of crops and conducts his farm work according to modern methods. He is also a stockholder in the Farmers Cooperative Creamery at Garner.
In 1902 Mr. Lenz was married to Miss Matilda Greiman, a daughter of Fred and Dema ( Katter) Greiman, natives of Germany, who came to America in early life. They are yet well known residents of Hancock county. Mr. and Mrs. Lenz are the parents of four children: Ruth E., Norma E., Clarence A. and Lois D., all yet at home.
Mr. Lenz votes with the republican party and keeps well informed on the ques- tions and issues of the day. Ile has served as school director and as school treas- nrer, filling the latter position for a period of six years, and he is now road boss. lle is ever willing to give his aid and cooperation to movements for the general good and stands for progress and improvement in public affairs as well as in busi- ness. lle and his wife hold membership in the German Reformed church, and their loyalty to its teachings has won for them the favorable regard of all with whom they have come in contact.
HERMAN E. HAGEN.
Herman E. Hagen, who is successfully engaged in agricultural pursuits on section 36, Norway township, Winnebago county, Iowa, was born in Norway on the 2d of February, 1851, and is a son of Elling and Marie ( Lilliandahl) Botlsen, who spent their entire lives in that country, where the father followed
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farming and also worked at the blacksmith's trade. Herman E. Ilagen is the youngest in a family of six children and of this number only two came to the United States, the other being his sister Breta, now Mrs. Torsten Hanson, living near Clarkfield, Minnesota.
Mr. Ilagen of this review was nineteen years of age when he came to the new world, and after spending a short time in Long Prairie, Illinois, became a resident of Winneshiek county, Iowa, where he worked as a farm hand for about eight years. In 1878 he arrived in Winnebago county and, having saved his earnings, was able to purchase one hundred and twenty acres of land on section 36, Norway township, where he has since made his home. IIe has made many improvements upon this place and the land is now in a high state of cultivation.
In 1880 occurred the marriage of Mr. Hagen and Miss Gurina Kaldal, a daughter of Hans and Anna Kaldal, whose home was near Northwood, in Worth county, Iowa. To this union have been born six children, as follows: Edward, who is now engaged in farming on a place adjoining the old homestead in Norway township; IIelmer, at home; Anna, a resident of Mason City, Iowa; Mary, the wife of Edward Kramer, of Estherville, Iowa ; and Ella and Josie, both at home.
The family hold membership in the United Lutheran church and by his ballot Mr. Hagen supports the men and measures of the republican party. He is one of the self-made men of his community and all that he has acquired has been secured through his own unaided efforts and good business ability.
JOIIN B. GEVING.
John B. Geving, proprietor of a garage and machine shop in Lake Mills and one of the representative business men of Winnebago county, was born on the 18th of January, 1871, in Winneshiek county, Iowa, and is a son of Benjamin and Engeboranne (ITill) Geving, now residents of Decorah, Iowa. The parents are natives of Trondhjem, Norway, and on their emigration to America in 1870 located in Allamakee county, Iowa, but later went to Spring Grove, Minnesota, where they spent six months. At the end of that time they became residents of Winneshiek county, lowa, where the father opened a blacksmith shop and engaged in business along that line for five years. He then purchased land and followed farming with good success until 1912, when he retired from active labor and removed to Decorah, where he and his wife are now living, surrounded by all the comforts and many of the luxuries of life.
John B. Geving was reared and educated in Winneshiek county and during his boyhood learned the blacksmith's trade under the able direction of his father. He remained under the parental roof until twenty-two years of age and then went to Waukon, Iowa, where he worked at the machinist's trade. On the 2d of Jan- uary, 1895, he removed to Lake Mills, Winnebago county, where he started a machine shop and has since eondueted the same. He erected a fine brick building on Main street for a garage and shop and here he now carries on business with marked success. Ile handles the Maxwell cars and is enjoying a large patronage. Mr. Geving is also a stockholder in the Lake Mills Lumber Company. the Lake
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Mills Telephone Company and the Farmers Elevator Company, also of Lake Mills, and is today one of the leading business men of the town.
On the 18th of October, 1894, Mr. Geving was united in marriage to Miss Paulina Amundrud, who died July 10, 1915. after a lingering illness of three years. There were seven children born of this union, but Annie died September 12, 1915. at the age of nineteen years; Lewis died in 1899 at the age of two years : and Olga died February 6, 1917. at the age of fourteen years and seven months. Those still living are Benhart O., Palma J., Josephine N. and Geneva M.
Since attaining his majority Mr. Geving has affiliated with the republican party and he takes a deep interest in public affairs. In religious faith he is a Lutheran. He is a wide-awake, energetic business man of known reliability and commands the respect and confidence of all with whom he is brought in contact.
C. W. TRAVELUTE.
C. W. Travelute is numbered among those who have made Hancock county a very rich and productive agricultural section, for he has been busily and success- fully engaged in farming on section 31. Madison township, for many years and still gives personal supervision to the operation of his farm, although he is now nearing the eightieth milestone on life's journey. He was born in Pennsylvania, August 31, 1838, and is a son of John and Julia ( Nolan) Travelute, the former a native of Germany, while the latter was born on the Atlantic while her parents were en route from their native Ireland to America. After living for a long period in Pennsylvania, John Travelute removed with his family to Ogle county, Illinois, in 1855, and there resided on a farm up to the time of his demise.
C. W. Travelute began his education in one of the old-time log schoolhouses of pioneer days. The little temple of learning was indeed a primitive structure. Not only was it built of logs, but its floor was made of puncheons and it was seated with słab benches, while the methods of instruction were almost as crude as the furnishings. After mastering the branches of learning therein taught Mr. Travelute became a teacher in the same school, but followed that profession for only two years. Hle then turned his attention to farming by renting land in Ogle county, Illinois, but in 1882 he removed to Hancock county, Iowa, where for ten years he continued to cultivate land which he leased. In 1891 he pur- chased his present home farm of one hundred and sixty acres, on which he has now resided for more than a quarter of a century. He has carefully and per- sistently cultivated his fields until he has transformed the tract into a valuable farm property from which are annually gathered good harvests.
In 1865 Mr. Travelute was united in marriage to Miss Mary Jane Smith, of Ogle county, Illinois, and to them have been born eight children, five of whom are yet living : Myrtle. the wife of T. R. Riehm, of Garner, Hancock county : Albert. who is living in Ogema, Minnesota ; Robin, whose home is in Tuscola, Illinois; Earl, a resident of Gladys, North Dakota; and Luh, the wife of J. A. Metz. of Ogema.
In his political views "Mr. Travelte has always been a democrat since age conferred upon him the right of franchise and in 1906 he was elected assessor of
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Madison township, in which position he has served continuously sinee. He has also filled the office of township elerk in Crystal township and he was justice of the peace in the early days of Hancock county, in which connection he rendered decisions that were strictly fair and impartial. In a word, he has been a loyal official in every position which he has been called upon to fill and his entire life record is a commendable one, for he has made good use of his time, talents and opportunities and has worked his way steadily upward.
WILLIAM F. ERDMAN.
William F. Erdman, a well known farmer and stock raiser of Hancock county, resides on section 23, Magor township, where he has one hundred and sixty aeres of good land. Upon this farm he is raising horses, cattle and hogs, and his experience has enabled him to speak with authority upon questions relative to live stock interests. le has been identified with the development and improve- ment of this section of the state since pioneer times. He was born in Germany on the 8th of June, 1860, a son of Fred and Minnie ( Kurston) Erdman, who were natives of Germany. Ile had attained his majority ere he left his native land, where he attended the public schools to the age of fourteen years, after which he was employed at home until he was seventeen years of age. Ile then became a sailor and joined the crew of a sailing vessel, with which he visited various parts of the world. He attained his majority in the year in which he arrived in the United States-in 1881. Hle first went to Baltimore, Maryland, where for three years he was employed at factory work. On the expiration of that period he removed westward to Illinois and rented land in La Salle county. Ottawa was his trading point and for sixteen years he devoted his attention and his energies to farming. Ile then decided to remove to Iowa and came to Han- cock county in 1900, which at that time was just entering upon a period of sub- stantial development. He bought one hundred and sixty acres of land on seetion 23, Magor township, and has since carried on general farming upon that place. He has, however, become well known as a stoek raiser, handling Percheron horses, Durham eattle and Jersey hogs. Ile is also engaged in raising Plymouth Rock chickens and he has good improvements, which are located upon the Boone river and include various and substantial and commodious barns and outbuildings for the shelter of grain and stock. In addition to his home place he owns sixteen acres of land in llidalgo county, Texas. At the time of his arrival here the nearest trading point was at Corwith. Kanawha had just been started and was a tiny hamlet. He took his first ride on the old Towa Central between Hampton and Algona. He has seen great changes and has contributed in no small measure to the growth, development and improvement of this section. His activities as a live stock dealer have demonstrated what can be done along that line and he has become one of the foremost leaders in the breeding and raising of horses in Han- cock county. He has membership in the l'ercheron Horse Society of Chicago.
On the 8th of February, 1887, Mr. Erdman was married to Miss Augusta Bublitz, a daughter of August and Kellan (Wagner) Bublitz, who were natives of Germany and in early life came to the new world. Mr. and Mrs. Erdman have ii-21
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two children : Emma, the wife of George Oxley, a resident of Hancock county, and William George Walter, at home.
The parents are members of the German Lutheran church. Mr. Erdman votes with the republican party and has served as road boss and as school director. Starting out to earn his own living at the age of fourteen years, he has since been dependent upon his own resources. He has never had occasion to regret his determination to come to the United States. On the contrary, he has always been glad that he chose America as his place of residence and, recognizing the fact that he has lived under the protection of its laws and benefited by the business condi- tions here existing. he has always been loyal to the interests of his adopted land.
JOSEPIT E. COLBY, D. D. S.
Dr. Joseph E. Colby, of Lake Mills, occupies an enviable position as a dentist, for his ability is recognized by both his professional brethren and the general public, and his practice is large and extensive. He also owns valuable farm property. from which he derives a gratifying addition to his ineome. His birth occurred in Primrose, Wisconsin, April 21, 1869, and he is a son of Eli and Helen (('harleson) Colby, who in early manhood and womanhood removed from Norway to America. After following the lather's trade in Chicago for two years the father removed with his family to Primrose, Wisconsin, and purchased land in Primrose township, Dane county. Ile took up his residence upon that place, which he improved as rapidly as possible and to the operation of which he devoted the remainder of his life, passing away March 14, 1888. His widow subsequently married Hans Groening, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work, and they now reside in Lake Mills, Jowa.
Joseph E. Colby grew to manhood upon the home farm in Wisconsin and as a boy attended the public schools. When twenty-four years of age he took up the study of dentistry under the supervision of a local dentist and subsequently entered the Keokuk Dental College at Keokuk, Iowa, where he completed the required course. In the spring of 1898 he came to Iowa and after successfully passing the state board examination, located for practice at Lake Mills, where he has since remained with the exception of nine months spent in Forest City. He did the first piece of bridge work in Winnebago county and throughout the years has kept up with the advanced thought that has been made in dental theory and practice. The gratifying success which he has gained is the direct result of his efficiency and his extreme cleanliness in his work, and his patients come not only from the city but also from the entire connty. He has invested in farm land and now owns one hundred and sixty acres in Winnebago county and eighty acres in Worth county, all of which is well improved. He takes a great deal of interest in the management of his farms and has found his investment highly profitable.
He was the first to raise sweet eorn for ensilage and put it in the silo, his being the first silo built in this section. Upon investigation he found that sweet corn stalks if left three weeks after the ears were snapped and then put in ensilage, made much better fodder than yellow corn with the ears left on. He arrived at this conclusion through scientific research and was the first one to fill silos with
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DR. JOSEPH E. COLBY AND FAMILY
This picture shows Dr. Colby and family taking lunch with the men who are delivering the sweet corn to the canning factory. He believed in feeding his men well, but in return expected a big haul. Dr. Colby's men delivered on an average from four to five tons each, per day.
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sweet corn stalks. The corn was raised for canning and the farmers considered the stalks worth nothing save that the fields were a good place in which to allow stock to run after the corn was picked. By analysis Dr. Colby found that by leaving the stalks standing for two or three weeks after the corn was picked they became matured and contained much more sugar and fattening substances. Until Dr. Colby had made this discovery, the farmers turned their stock into the fields to pick their living and over half of the value of the stalks was wasted. Dr. Colby today devotes two hundred acres or more each year to the production of sweet corn and then uses the stalks as indicated, thus conserving every particle of the crop.
Dr. Colby was married on the 24th of March, 1898, to Miss Millie Eiel, a daughter of John and Olina Eiel, natives of Norway but pioneers of Winnebago county, Iowa. The father is now living retired with Dr. and Mrs. Colby after many years devoted to agricultural pursuits. The mother died January 1, 1915. Mrs. Colby was graduated from Palmer's Business College at Cedar Rapids and subsequently studied for one year at Ames College. She began teaching when but sixteen years of age and successfully taught for eight years prior to her marriage. To Dr. and Mrs. Colby have been born five children : John W. and Eli F., who are attending college at Annapolis, Maryland ; and Joseph M., Olina S. and Hubert E., who are students in the Lake Mills Schools.
Dr. Colby exercises his right of franchise in support of the candidates and measures of the republican party and has always taken an interest in matters affecting the public welfare, although not an office seeker. He belongs to the Lutheran church and fraternally is identified with the Modern Woodmen of America and the Mystic Workers. In his professional capacity and as a farmer he has made valuable contribution to business interests in this section. Scientific research has promoted his efficiency in each connection and he not only keeps abreast with the trend of modern thought and investigation but has also been a leader in advanced methods.
PETER BENSON.
Peter Benson is the owner of an excellent farm of one hundred and sixty aeres on section 26, Amsterdam township, Hancock county, and is extensively engaged in the raising of hogs. Throughout almost the entire period of his residence in the United States he has lived in Iowa, but is a native of Sweden, in which country his birth occurred December 17, 1870, his parents being Ben and Nella (Parson) Swenson, who were also natives of that land. There Peter Benson spent the days of his boyhood and youth and had reached the age of twenty-six years when he crossed the Atlantic to the new world and became a resident of Muscatine county, Iowa. He had attended school to the age of fourteen and had then begun work on a farm. After coming to the new world he was employed as a farm hand for three years, after which he purchased ten acres of land at Dixon, Illinois, which he owned for two years. On the expira- tion of that period he came to Hancock county, where he cultivated a rented farm for eight years, during which period he carefully saved his earnings until he had
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a sufficient sum to purchase eighty aeres. The following year he acquired another eighty acre traet on section 26, Amsterdam township, and is thus the owner of a quarter section which he has carefully developed and improved until it is one of the desirable farms of the township. Not only does he till the fields in the cultiva- tion of the crops best adapted to soil and climate, but also engages extensively in raising hogs.
On the 8th of June, 1903, Mr. Benson was married to Mrs. Augusta Anderson, a daughter of Jonas and Lena ( Moody) Nelson. By her former marriage she had two children, Minnie F. and Ellen G., both of whom are married. Mr. and Mrs. Benson have become the parents of a son, Harvey, who is at home. They are members of the Norwegian Lutheran church and guide their lives according to its teachings. Mr. Benson gives his political allegiance to the republican party and studies closely those questions which are of vital interest to the welfare of his distriet, his state and his adopted land. He has never regretted the fact that he severed home ties and came to the new world, for he here found good business chances and through persistency of purpose and indefatigable industry he has worked his way upward.
ADAM BELL.
Adam Bell, whose home is on section 32, King township, is one of the repre- sentative farmers of Winnebago county, and like many of its leading citizens he is a native of Norway. Ile was born July 19, 1857, and is a son of Louis and Carrie ( Adams) Bell, who came to this country in 1861 and located in Wisconsin, where the father purchased land. After improving and cultivating that farm for some time he sold it and bought another farther south, consisting of one hundred and sixty acres, whereon he made his home throughout the remainder of his life. He died about 1895, having long survived the mother of our subjeet, who passed away in 1866.
Adam Bell was only four years of age when brought to the United States by his parents and he grew to manhood in Wisconsin. When not in school he assisted in the labors of the home farm and gave his father the benefit of his services until twenty-nine years of age. During the following two years he was engaged in farming on his own account in Wisconsin, after which he came to Winnebago county, Iowa, where he has since been identified with its agricultural interests with the exception of one year when engaged in the butchering business in Thomp- son. On locating here he purchased eighty acres of land on seetion 32, King township, and has since bought another eighty acres on section 33, so that he now has a fine farm of one hundred and sixty aeres, on which he has made good and substantial improvements, which stand as monuments to his thrift and enterprise.
In November, 1887, Mr. Bell married Miss Nettie Dahl, a daughter of Arne and Marie Dahl, pioneers of Winnebago county. Her mother is still living, but her father died in 1902. To Mr. and Mrs. Bell have been born eleven children, namely: Carrie, now the wife of Osear Syse, a farmer living south of Forest City ; Annie, the wife of L. Asmus, a farmer of King township; Carl, at home : Obert, a resident of Minnesota ; Alfred, Emily and Henry, all at home; Marie,
This picture shows Dr. Colby's teams and wagons used for hauling the sweet corn out of the field. These are fourteen feet combination boxes, which hold on an average of forty-five hundred pounds.
A two hundred acre ficht of sweet corn, belonging to Dr. J. E. Colby, and the force which cultivated it. Dr. Colby believed in saving labor by using two-row plows. This group shows three two-row plows and the boys who operated them. The older young man is Peter Trustem, and the younger men are Dr. Colby's sons, John and Eli. In the year 1912 these three boys cultivated two hundred acres of sweet corn and twenty-five aeres of field corn. This picture shows that the corn was kept clean. This can be done with a two-row just as well as with a single rower, this being the fourth time this corn was cultivated. Dr. Colby says he tried many different two-row plows and the " Bradley" was the ouly plow he could use. The "Bradley Tu-Ro" is so constructed that any child from twelve to fifteen years can operate it on side hill, also if the corn is not planted very straight. Dr. Colby seems to think, after his experience with two-row plows, that the " Brad- ley"' is the only two-row plow made that is properly constructed. He says if there are others he has not seen them. Ile emphasizes this because a two-row plow that is not properly constructed is a very expensive piece of machinery, for the reason that it will not do the work.
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