USA > Iowa > Shelby County > Past and present of Shelby County, Iowa, Vol. 2 > Part 34
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Jacob A. Bruck was ten years of age when his parents came to Jones county, lowa, from Germany, and consequently he received part of his edn- cation in his native land and completed it in the schools of Jones City, Iowa. After leaving school he worked in the stone quarry with his father. He operated a hoisting and drilling machine and continued working in the stone quarry until his parents moved to Shelby county in 1900. He was then
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eighteen years of age and after coming to this county he found employment upon the farms in Westphalia township. In 1901 he began working for his father on the home farm, remaining with his three years, after which he moved to Earling and engaged in the livery business. He continued in this business until 1907. when he and Paul Kenkel bought the Earling Mutual Creamery Company's plant and in its management have made a remarkable success.
Mr. Bruck was married July 12, 1909. to Barbara Betz, the daughter of Michael and Mary Betz, and to this union one daughter. Lucile, has been born. Mrs. Bruck's parents were natives of Germany and came to this country and located in Stone City, Iowa, where they lived the remainder of their lives. Mr. and Mrs. Betz were the parents of two children, Barbara, the wife of Mr. Bruck and Matthew, who died in young manhood.
Mr. Bruck and his family are loyal members of the Catholic church and he is a member of the Roman Catholic Mutual Protective Society and is now the secretary of the organization. Politically, he is a Democrat, but owing to his business interests, has never taken an active part in political affairs.
CHRIS J. HANSEN.
The citizens who have come to Shelby county, Iowa, from the little kingdom of Denmark have contributed in no small measure to the material, moral and educational prosperity of the county. Conditions in their native land are such that it requires the strictest economy and the application of the closest attention to one's business in order to succeed. The farmer of Denmark is fortunate if he has a tract of ten acres, and it can be readily seen if the farmer in Denmark can make a living on a farm of ten acres that he wouldl soon become wealthy in Shelby county, Iowa, where he had the opportunities to secure hundreds of acres of good land at a low price. One of the many excellent Danish citizens of Harlan, Iowa, is Chris J. Hansen, who has been engaged in the implement business in the county seventeen years and for the past eleven years in Harlan. Previous to that time Mr. Hansen had been engaged in farming and in the implement business in Clay township and had met with no inconsiderable success in the tilling of the soil. In fact, at the time that he retired from the farm. in 1903. he was the owner of over one thousand acres of excellent land, six hundred and forty acres of which was in Shelby county.
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CHRIS J. HANSEN AND FAMILY.
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Chris J. Hansen, the son of Peter Carl and Marie Hansen, was born March 14. 1871, in Denmark. Ilis father was a small farmer in his native land and came to America in 1873, bringing his family. Five children were born to Peter Carl Hansen and wife: Hans Jergen, who died at the age of four years; one who died in infancy: Chris J., the subject of this brief re- view; Mary, the wife of C. N. Christensen, and Alfred. who died in 1912, at the age of thirty-three. He was single and a farmer of the county.
Chris J. Hansen was only two years old when his parents came to America from Denmark and consequently all of his education, which was limited, has been received in the district schools of this county. Mr. Han- sen farmed with his father in Clay township and helped his father increase the paternal estate to four hundred acres. His father then retired to Har- lan, where his death occurred in 1911, his mother still being a resident of Harlan. Both of his parents were members of the Danish Lutheran church.
Chris J. Hansen began farming for himself at the time of his marriage, in 1896, by buying one hundred and twenty acres of land in Clay township. As a farmer he has been remarkably successful and now owns not only six hundred and forty acres of land in Shelby county, but also three hundred and twenty in Saskatchewan, Canada, and eighty acres in Missouri. While he has been actively engaged in the implement business for seventeen years, yet he still maintains a close supervision over his extensive estate. He moved to Harlan in 1903 and has since devoted the major portion of his time to the conduct of his implement business. His store is well stocked with farm implements, automobiles. vehicles, harness, hardware, pumps, gas engines. seeds, oils, etc., and by his courteous treatment of his customers and his honest methods of dealing. he has built up a large trade with the farmers of the county.
Mr. Hansen was married January 28, 1896, to Dorothy Friedricksen, the daughter of Andrew P. Friedricksen and wife, Kjerstine, and to this union seven children have been born, all of whom are still living with their parents : Etna, born February 11, 1897; Fred, born May 15, 1899: Otto, born April 24, 1901 ; Chester, born October 19, 1904; Ruby, born February 9, 1907; Alice, born July 24. 1909; and Emery, born May 3, 1912. Mrs. Han- sen's parents were also natives of Denmark and came to America in the early seventies, locating in Shelby county, Iowa. first in Monroe and later in Clay township. They died several years ago, leaving two children, Nicholas, of Guthrie Center, Iowa, and Mrs. Hansen.
The Democratic party has claimed the loyal support of Mr. Hansen (47)
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since reaching his majority, but his extensive business and agricultural in- terests have been such as to require all of his time and attention. He has served as a township officer in Clay township while living there. but since residing in Harlan has not sought for any political honors. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Harlan. He is a man of pleas- ing address and his genial manner and whole-souled hospitality have en- deared him to a large circle of friends and acquaintances.
LEVI GREEN.
Among the prosperous farmers who are living a retired life in Harlan, Iowa, is Levi Green, who has a well improved farm of two hundred acres in this county. He started agricultural life by buying a farm of eighty acres, and as he prospered from year to year added to his land holdings until he accumulated two hundred acres of fine land before he retired from active farm life and moved to the county seat. He has maintained his home in Shelby county for many years and has won a definite success by means of his agricultural industries. His career has been without a shadow of wrong or suspicion of evil and he has ever commanded the confidence and esteem of his fellow men in every way.
Levi Green was born in Illinois in 1857. He was educated in the schools of Jasper county, Iowa, coming to this county when a small lad with his parents. He grew to manhood in Colfax, Iowa, and early in life began to work out on the farms in his immediate neighborhood in that county. At the age of twenty he rented a farin and began to work for himself, and for four years operated a farm alone. He then married and moved to Shelby county, where he bought eighty acres to which he has since added one hun- dred and twenty acres. His farm is well improved and ranks among the most productive of the county. He was in active service on the farm until 1909, when he retired and moved to Harlan, where he is now living.
Mr. Green was married March 28. 1880, to Julia Border, the daughter of George and Delilah (Moore) Border, and to this union have been born five children, Iva, Maude, William, Nellie and Mary. Iva is the wife of William Martindale and has five children, Ethel, Ivan, Pearl, Harold and one infant. Maude, the second child of Mr. and Mrs. Green, is deceased. William married Hannah Jensen and has two sons, Earl and Virgil. Nellie is the wife of Francis Snyder and has three children, Cecil, Dale and Goldie.
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Mary became the wife of Homer Martindale and has two children, Eva and one infant.
The parents of Mrs. Green were natives of Ohio and Pennsylvania, respectively, and came to Jasper county, lowa, early in its history. George Border enlisted for service in the Civil War at the age of twenty and served throughout that struggle. . At the close of the war he came to Jasper county, Iowa, and followed agricultural pursuits for several years. . He is now living a retired life at Sedalia, Missouri. Eleven children were born to George Border and wife, nine of whom are living, William, George, Edward, Charles, Lee, Mary, Pearl. Delilah, and Julia, the wife of Mr. Green.
Politically, Mr. Green has always given his loyal support to the Repub- lican party and has always taken an intelligent interest in its welfare. He has served as school director in his township and gave universal satisfaction to the citizens of the township. He is now enjoying a well deserved rest after a long period of active farm labor. He has always lived such a life as to command the respect of his fellow citizens.
HARRY J. MALICK.
One of the youngest farmers of Monroe township, Shelby county, Iowa, is Harry J. Malick, who was born in this county thirty-one years ago in the same house in which he is now living. His father was one of the many Civil War veterans who located in Shelby county immediately after the close of that war when land was to be purchased very cheaply. Mr. Malick is an enterprising and progressive young man and handles his farm in such a way as to secure the best results. He gives all of his attention to his own agri- cultural interests and has never been inclined to take an active part in political matters, although he gives his hearty support to all publie-spirited measures.
Harry J. Malick, the son of Jeremiah and Elizabeth ( Lewis) Malick, was born in Monroe township, Shelby county, lowa, April 11, 1883. His parents were both natives of Snyder county, Pennsylvania, his father's birth occurring on July 6, 1836, and his mother's in IS41. They both grew to maturity in their native state and were married there several years before the opening of the Civil War. As a young man Jeremiah Malick learned the milling trade and was engaged in that occupation when the Civil War opened. He enlisted in 1862 in Company G, One Hundred and Forty-seventh Regi-
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ment Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, and was mustered in as a corporal. He served nine months and was then discharged on account of disability arising from a severe attack of the typhoid fever. His brave young wife was with him much of the time for the nine months he was in the service, and even traveled with the army for a time in order to be near her husband. While he was in the hospital she nursed him back to health. After remain- ing home about six months he again enlisted in the Two Hundred and Eighth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry and served as a corporal until the close of the war. He was with the Army of the Potomac and partici- pated in the siege of Petersburg for nine months and was present at the Grand Review at Washington, D. C.
Immediately after the close of the war Jeremiah Malick moved with his family to the west, and in the fall of 1865 located in Iowa. They came by rail as far as Boonesboro and then went by stage to Harlan. From that place they walked twelve miles southeast to his brother's farm in Monroe township and located on an adjoining farm. They built a log cabin that fall in which they lived until they were able to provide a better house. Jere- miah Malick first bought fifty acres of land in Monroe township from the government for one dollar and a quarter an acre, and later added eighty acres to this for which he paid three dollars and a half an acre. He farmed this for a short time and then bought one hundred and sixty acres in Fairview township. this being part of the farm of two hundred and twenty acres which Harry J. Malick now owns. Subsequently. Jeremiah Malick increased his holdings until he was the owner of two hundred and twenty acres at the time of his death, January 28, 1913. There were six children born to Jeremiah Malick and wife: Clement, who married Elizabeth Forgotter; Fred, who married Fannie Hurles; Blanche, the wife of John Findley; Aikron, who married Bashie Anstine: Mae, the wife of Edward Campbell, and Harry J.
The education of Harry J. Malick was received in the schools of Mon- roe township, and after leaving school he assisted his father on the home farm for six years. His father then retired and moved to Harlan and Harry J. took charge of the home place. The farm has sixty-five acres of native timber, a feature which adds not a little to the value of the farm in view of the fact that timber is very scarce in this section of the state. He devotes most of his attention to the raising of corn and hogs. In the summer of 1914 he had one hundred and thirty head of hogs on the farm.
Mr. Malick was married September 14. 1908, to Meta Cook, and to this union two children have been born, Gaither and Gerald. Mrs. Malick was
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born in Germany and came to this country when twelve years of age to make her home with her unele, William Cook, of Harlan, Iowa. Mr. Malick's mother is still living.
Politically, Mr. Malick is a Democrat but is not a partisan in any sense of the word. He prefers to be classed as an independent Democrat, feeling that it is to the best interests of his township and county to cast his ballot for the best men, irrespective of their political affiliations. Successful in his own private affairs, Mr. Malick is also interested in the welfare of his con- munity, and gives his unreserved support to every enterprise looking to the advancement and welfare of his fellow citizen.
JESSE P. BENGTSON.
Many nations are represented in the cosmopolitan population of Shelby county, but a preponderance of the number of foreign born citizens are of Germanic descent. These citizens have been large contributors to the ma- terial, moral, educational and religious advancement of the county, and have rendered their adopted country as true devotion as have the native born citizens. One of these German settlers who has been actively engaged in farming in Clay township is Jesse P. Bengtson, who has taken an active part in the life of his community since he came here more than twenty years ago. He has filled various township offices, and in the administration of the duties connected with them, has shown that rare citizenship which is the stamp of the true American citizen.
Jesse P. Bengtson, the son of Andrew P. and Ellen (Lange) Bengtson, was born in Schleswig. Germany, in 1873. His father was a native of Sweden, born in 1849, and his mother was born in Denmark in the same year. His father was a merchant and real estate dealer in Sweden and died in that country in 1914. Andrew P. Bengtson was twice married. His first wife, the mother of Jesse P .. died in 1880, and the four children born to this first marriage are now all deceased with the exception of Jesse P. In 1893 Andrew P. Bengtson was married to Bernardine Carlson, who was born in Sweden in 1864, and is still living in her native land. Two children were born to this second union, one of whom is deceased.
Jesse P. Bengtson was educated in his native land and when he reached the age of eighteen, came to America and settled in Shelby county, Iowa. He worked as a farm laborer in Clay township for two years and then rented
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a farm for six years, after which he bought a farm of eighty-one acres. He planted a grove of fruit and forest trees on this farm and in 1912 disposed of it at a good profit and bought his present farm in the same township of one hundred and twenty acres. He has made many improvements on this farm and has just completed a beautiful country home at a cost of thirty-five hundred dollars.
Mr. Bengtson was married in 1906 to Caroline Seymour, who was born in Clay township, in ISSI. Her father, Monroe Seymour, was a veteran of the Civil War. He was born in the state of New York in 1845 and is now living a retired life in Atlantic, Iowa. Mr. Bengtson and wife have two children, Lloyd and Gladys, both of whom are still living with their parents.
The principles and policies of the Republican party have always found in Mr. Bengtson a loyal supporter. His party has called upon him upon frequent occasions to serve in an official capacity and he has never been found wanting. He served as assessor for six years, and filled the important position of justice of the peace for a period of four years. He and his family are loyal and consistent members of the Danish Lutheran church, in whose welfare they are deeply interested and to whose support they are liberal contributors.
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H. P. HANSON.
An enterprising and progressive young farmer of Jackson township, Shelby county, Iowa, is Hans P. Hanson, who is now living on the farm where he was born in 1878. His parents were both natives of Denmark and he has inherited those characteristics which have made the Danish people such successful farmers in this county. As a farmer he ranks among the best in the county and by progressive methods and close application to his business, he has one of the best improved as well as one of the most pro- ductive farms in this community. He takes an active interest in the civic life of his community and while a member of the school board, took an inter- est in the educational advancement of his locality.
H. P. Hanson, the son of Hans J. and Mary ( Erickson) Hanson, was born in Jackson township, Shelby county, Iowa, February 26, 1878. His parents were both born in Denmark, his father being born March 4, 1839, and his mother May 8, 1835. His father was educated in his native land and when twenty-three years of age enlisted in the Danish army and fought through the German and Danish War of 1864. After the war, he returned
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to his home and farmed until I8;o in the locality where he was born. In that year he came to America alone and first located in Iowa but a short time afterwards went to Michigan and worked in the lumber camps of that state. He also worked for the railroad companies of that state for several years before returning to Iowa. When he came to Iowa the second time, he located in Cass county and worked for the Rock Island Railroad Company. Later he located in Shelby county and purchased a farmi. although he had previously bought some land in this county. He was married in 1877 and at once per- manently located in Shelby county, where he is still living. Only one son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Hans J. Hanson, H. P., whose history is here pre- sented.
The education of H. P. Hanson was received in Jackson township and after leaving the school room, he farmed with his father until his marriage in 1904. He now manages and operates his father's farm of one hundred and forty-three acres and has placed about ten thousand dollars worth of im- provements upon it since taking charge of it. He has a beautiful country home which is strictly modern in every respect. The house is placed upon elevation about twenty-five feet above the level of the road and has a beanti- ful lawn surrounding it. He has excellent barns and out-buildings and everything about the place bespeaks the taste and thrift of the manager. Ile is a large raiser of hogs and cattle and in 1914 had eighty head of hogs and forty-two head of cattle upon his farm.
Mr. Hanson was married May 4, 1904, to Ella Peterson, the daughter of George H. and Ella Peterson. To this union two children have been born: Petrea, who is now nine years of age and Edward, who died in infaney. Mrs. Hanson's parents were born in Denmark, and Mrs. Hanson was born in this township. Her parents came to America before their mar- riage and were married in this county. They retired from the farm some years ago and are now living at Elkhorn, Iowa. They reared a family of eleven children, Harry, Alma, Olga, Jennie, Ella, Annie, Petrea, Peter, Matthew, Arthur and Andrew. All of these children are still living with the exception of Petrea.
Mr. Hanson is a Republican in politics with Progressive tendencies. The only official position which he has ever held is that of school director, a position which he filled with credit to himself and satisfaction to his fellow citizens. Mr. Hanson is a man of high'ideals and has so managed his affairs and conducted his daily life as to merit the high esteem in which he is held by his fellow citizens.
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PEDER PEDERSEN.
In the year 1878 an ambitious, young Danish lad had just reached his majority. He had a rugged constitution and an ambition to do something. and as there appeared to be very little opportunities in his native land, he finally induced one of his brothers to loan him enough money to come from Denmark to America, where many of his countrymen had already settled. Upon coming to America he immediately went to Iowa and located in Shelby county, where he found employment. It had taken all of his bor- rowed money to get to this country, and this same young man who arrived here in 1878, penniless, is now the owner of five hundred acres of fine farm- ing land in Clay township, and four hundred and eighty acres of land in Canada. Such, in brief, is the history of Peter Pedersen, than whom there is no more enterprising and successful farmer in Shelby county.
Peder Pedersen, the son of Peder and Christina (Christensen) Peder- sen, was born in Denmark on October 14, 1857. His father was born in 1815 and his mother in 1822, and neither of them ever left the land of their birth, his father dying in 1867 and his mother in 1909. Peder Pedersen, Sr., followed the trade of a blacksmith in Denmark all of his days. He and his wife reared a family of twelve children, five of whom are deceased.
Peder Pedersen left his native land in 1878 to seek his fortune in America. He came to Shelby county, Iowa, where many of his fellow countrymen had previously located and found employment as a farm hand on the farms in this county. He then married and rented a farm of sixty- two acres in Clay township, but was soon in a position to buy a farm of one hundred acres in the same township. Because of his unceasing industry and good management, success met him at every turn, and the one hundred acres grew to five hundred acres, while at the same time he has been able to keep his land well improved. No less than ten thousand dollars' worth of improvements have been placed by Mr. Pedersen upon his land, and the once penniless youth is now one of the wealthiest men of the county. He has also invested in land in Canada. and one of his sons is now managing his four hundred and eighty-acre farm in that country. This son also owns four hundred and eighty acres adjoining his father's tract, making nine hundred and sixty acres in all. It seems like a fairy tale when it is recalled that Mr. Pedersen was glad to work for thirteen dollars a month when he came to this country in 1878, and yet handicapped as he was by not having any money to invest, he has prospered beyond his expectations. With good
MR. AND MRS. PEDER PEDERSEN.
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judgment he has stocked his farm with only the best grade of stock and has been especially interested in the breeding of Shorthorn cattle. It is safe to say that he is interested in everything pertaining to the development and ad- vancement of his county's welfare, and to this end he has given his hearty support to all public-spirited measures.
Mr. Pedersen was married in 1881 to Anna C. Nesby, who was born in Denmark on October 2, 1861, the daughter of Jens C. Nesby, and to this union fourteen children have been born. Of these children four are de- ceased, Edna, Lillie, and two were named Tema. Seven of the children are still living with their parents: Ida. Henry, Tharval, Agnes, Esther, George and Wilford. One of the sons, William, is living on his father's farm in Canada. Peder also lives on a half section of land in Canada, which he owns. James also owns and tills one hundred and sixty acres of land in Canada.
In politics, Mr. Pedersen gives his hearty support to the principles and policies of the Republican party, and while interested in everything per- taining to his community's welfare, yet has never been an aspirant for public office. His advice on political matters has frequently been sought by the leaders of his party, but he has preferred to give his entire time and attention to his own interests and leave the management of politics to those who have more time to devote to it. He and his family are loyal and consistent mem- bers of the Baptist church and give it their unreserved support at all times. Fraternally, he is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America.
JOSEPH FAHN.
The German farmers of Shelby county outnumber those of any other foreign country and in some of the townships constitute a majority of the population. Without exception these German farmers are thrifty and sub- stantial men of affairs and have become worthy citizens of their adopted country. One of the many German farmers of Grove township is Joseph Fahn, who by the exercise of his abilities, has accumulated a farm of three hundred and twenty acres of the best land in the county. As a farmer he keeps thoroughly abreast of the times and his farm is one of the best equipped and most productive farms of the county.
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