The pioneer history of Pocahontas County, Iowa, from the time of its earliest settlement to the present time, Part 82

Author: Flickinger, Robert Elliott, b. 1846
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: Fonda, Iowa, G. Sanborn
Number of Pages: 1058

USA > Iowa > Pocahontas County > The pioneer history of Pocahontas County, Iowa, from the time of its earliest settlement to the present time > Part 82

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

. tory of Grant township.

1. Clara married Eric P. Rude (see Rude).

Henry, James, Aaron, Edwin, Mary (Smith), Rhetta (Rake, Johnson), Em- iline and Elizabeth.

Larson Torkel (b. 1845), owner and 2. Mary married Lewis Wold, a occupant of a finely improved farm of

610

PIONEER HISTORY OF POCAHONTAS COUNTY, IOWA.

240 acres on Sec. 29, is a native of Nor- these lands were sold that year. Wm. way and came with his parents, Lars C. and Louie J. then in partnership and Maggie (Thompson) Larson, to bought the NW} Sec. 20, 160 acres, Rock Co., Wis., in 1862. Two years Grant township. later they moved to Worth Co., Iowa, Louie J., two years later, bought where his father lived the remainder the NEĮ Sec. 19 and built a good house of his days. Torkel in 1870 married Helen Shirley, of Rock Co., Wis., and the next spring located in Grant town- ship, buying the homestead right of Fred Steendorf on Sec. 26. He im- proved and occupied this farm until 1882, when he moved to his present one. He keeps his premises in fine looking condition and has achieved good success as a farmer and stock raiser. He is one of the best citizens in the township and has taken a lead- ing part in the management of its af- fairs, having served as treasurer four years and as a trustee twelve years. He was one of the original promoters and has since been one of the leading supporters of the Grant Creamery As- Mrs. Louisa Lieb. sociation and Norwegian Lutheran church at Rusk. He is also a good upon it, having married the previous singer and serves as chorister for the year Sophia Spielman. He still occu- church.

His family consists of five children, Horace Mue (b. Wis. 1871) and Ira L. buildings, orchard and groves. He (b. 1873), the two oldest, own and oc- cupy a farm of 340 acres on the S3 has been treasurer of the school funds since 1893. His family consists of Sec. 17. Cora L. in 1898 married Ira seven children, May, Adelbert, Louis, Hunter and lives on their own farm Florence, Vincennes, Frederick and in South Dakota. Ella M. and Ivih Dorothea. Adelina are at home. William C. increased his farm to 360

Lieb Louisa, widow of Jacob, ac- acres and improved it with large and companied by her three youngest sons beautiful buildings. The barn, 56x60 and one daughter, located on the SW} feet, built in 1897, is one of the best Sec. 33 (McKillip's farm), Cedar town- in the township. He raises horses ship. The next year they secured a and cattle and has the reputation of homestead of 80 acres on the NE} Sec. having the best draught horses in that 12, on which a cabin 12x16 feet had section of the county. He was one of been erected. Five years later they six that paid $2,500 in 1885 for Match- bought 80 acres more adjoining. In less Wonder, an imported English 1882 she died and the next year Fred- Shire horse. He is now a trustee of erick, the oldest son, married Louisa the township and served as clerk eight Lichtenburg, of Dubuque county, and years. His family consists of eight William C. married Helen Halder. At children, Louisa, Ida, Josephine, this time they had acquired 240 acres. Clemens, Theresa, Francis, Allouise In view of the changes just mentioned and Margarite.

pies this farm, having increased it to 280 acres and improved it with fine

611

GRANT TOWNSHIP.

Magdaline, their sister, in 1873 be- of trust in the township. His family came the wife of Louis Fuchs (see consists of eleven children, Henry, Fuchs). Ellen Maria, who in 1900 married John

Henry, their oldest brother, is a Peterson and has one child, Earle; druggist at Alton, Iowa. Frederick Hannah A., who in 1896 married Oscar located on a farm near Alton and died Peterson and has three children, Myr- tle S., Herbert L. and the baby; Se- bert, Albert, Nellie, Clarence, Robert, John, Theodore and Bertha. there in 1897, leaving a family of seven children. Otto is keeping store in Alton and Cornelius is in Texas.

Monkelien Anton N. (b. 1845), oc- cupant of the NW} Sec. 27 and owner of a farm of 480 acres in that vicinity,

Andrew N. Monkelien, his brother, died at his home in the fall of 1880.

Norton Stephen W. (b. 1812, d. 1890), is a native of the parish of Land, Nor- one of the early homesteaders in Grant, way, the son of Nils and Mari Monkel- was a native of New York state where ien, who owned a small farm in the in 1836 he married Jane Paddock and mountain districts of that country. located near Milwaukee, Wis. A few He became inured to hard work on years later he moved to Lake county, that farm and by rafting logs from the Ill., where after a residence of three pineries in that locality. In 1866 he years she died in 1840, leaving a family came to Rock Co., Wis., where he of five sons, Herkimer, Lester, Wil- learned the blacksmith's trade. In liam, Charles and George.

1869 he married there Julia A., the

Soon afterward he married Elizabeth only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Hans Thatcher and moved to Sauk county, C. Tollefsrude. In 1873 he came to Wis., where in 1863 she died leaving Pocahontas county, Iowa, and located two daughters, Fannie and Emma. on 120 acres on Sec. 27, Grant town- In 1869 he came to this county with ship, having previously spent the sum- his son Herkimer and family and se- mer of 1870 in this neighborhood as- cured a homestead in Grant township. sisting the Tollefsrudes in breaking He participated in the organization prairie. As the years have passed he of the township, served as the first has devoted his attention to the im- clerk in 1871 and later as a trustee. provement and enlargement of his He inherited a hardy constitution and farm, and he is now the happy pos- was a member of the Baptist church. sessor of one of the largest and best Four of his sons located permanently improved farms in the county. A re- in Wisconsin and his two daughters in cent inventory of his stock showed South Dakota.

that he had then on the farm 20 head

Norton Herkimer Lewis (b. 1837), of horses, 150 head of swine and 180 is a native of Milwaukee and grew to head of cattle. He has become an ex- manhood in Sauk Co., where in 1861 he tensive feeder and each year buys married Orilla Kingsley, who has been- large quantities of grain from his a faithful helpmeet throughout all the neighbors. He has thus greatly in- vicissitudes and experiences of pio- creased the income of his own farm neer life. They were among the very and provided a home market for some first to locate in Grant township, ar- of the surplus on neighboring ones.

riving there May 11, 1869, accompanied

He is an enterprising, public spirit- by his father and their two children, ed citizen, an ardent republican and Ida and Elias. The two Parrish fam- liberal supporter of the Norwegian ilies that had preceded them were Lutheran church. He was president still living in their wagons, and when of the Grant township school board Mr. Norton's shanty 12x16 feet was two years and has held other positions completed in 1870, it was the first and

612

PIONEER HISTORY OF POCAHONTAS COUNTY, IOWA.

only frame dwelling place in the town- on a farm in Illinois. In 1873 he be- ship.

gan to occupy his present farm on the

In the fall of 1869 he found a home W+ Sec. 30, Grant township, which he for his family with Henry Shields in has finely improved and now contains Lizard township until January, and 380 acres. The buildings he has here with Nils Hanson in Bellville during erected rank among the largest and the remainder of the winter. For his best in the township. His plum or- own comfort he constructed a dugout chard seldom fails to furnish a boun- near one of the sloughs, engaged in tiful supply of delicious fruit. He is trapping and secured furs during that a man of unquestioned integrity and winter to the value of $105.00.

has filled with credit nearly all of the

In 1871 he moved to the SE} Sec. 32 township offices, including those of where as the years advanced he erect- trustee and treasurer of the school ed good improvements and planted a funds. His estimable wife died in large grove. He was postmaster and 1901, leaving a family of five children, the Shirley postoffice was located at for whose education good opportuni- this place from Dec. 1, 1881, to Dec. ties have been afforded.

15, 1887 (p. 285), when it was discon- Matilda H. married Mati Milligan tinued. He continued to live here and lives in Wisconsin. Martinius T. until 1896, when he moved to Fonda. is at bome. Alma Emilie married

He circulated the petition and as- Ernest J.Chingren, a real estate agent, sisted in the organization of Grant and lives in Fonda. Magnus E., Olaf

township in the fall of 1870. He was A., Laura L., a stenographer, Arthur one of the first trustees and a member R., Mamie A. and Abraham Clarence of the first board of school directors. are at home. During the 27 years of his residence

Mrs. Mary A. Omtvedt, his mother, in the township he became widely died at his home in her 90th year in and favorably known as one of the 1893. leading citizens of the township.

Parrish Isaac Eldridge (b. 1840), His family consisted of five children: and Felix Worden (b. 1844), his broth- Ida F. married Ira G. Vaughn (see er, the first settlers in Grant town- ship, were born near Louisville, Ky.,

Elias Stephen, proprietor of a chop and are sons of Edward Nelson and house at Laurens, in 1890 married Frances Parrish. On May 3, 1869, they Viola Eaton, who died in 1897 leaving and their families located on home- two children, Ray and Frances Viola. steads of 80 acres each, near each In 1900 he married Alice Reddington. other in Grant township, the former

Effie May married George Riley, a on the E} SE} Sec. 26, the latter on traveling salesman, lives in Fonda and the S+ NE} Sec. 36, and four days later has three children, Hazel, Basil and the first breaking was done on the Denzel.

homestead of the latter.

Isaac E. married Helen Miller, who

Nathan L., a druggist, in 1896 mar- ried Sybil Farnsworth and is now lo- in 1900 died at Fernando, Cal. Their cated in Fonda. family consisted of four children, Alice, Frank, Cordelia and Frederic,

Dottie is at home.

Omtvedt Anders Thorgrimson (b. and all of them live in California.

1835), is a native of Norway and in 1863 Felix W. in 1867 married Matilda came to Chicago where he found em- McConnell and two years later located ployment as a shoemaker. In 1867 he in this county. About 1885 he moved married Beata Hanson Rude (b. Nor- to Polk county and in 1899 returned to way 1842) and three years later located this county, locating in Sherman

Vaughn).

613

GRANT TOWNSHIP.

township, near Havelock. He was

Rake Asher W., County Super- president of the Grant school board visor in 1871-72, in 1870, came from two years, 1882-83. He has been a Bureau Co., Ill., and located on Sec. live-long and faithful member of the 36. The township was organized at his home that fall and he served as one M. E. church.

His family consisted of eleven chil- of the judges at this first election. He dren:

taught the first school in the town- Mary Frances married Oscar Wil- ship in a sod house erected for that cox, a farmer, and lives near Moville. purpose. In 1871 he served as the first

Charles Edward (b. June 30,1869), the secretary of the school board and as first child born in the township, mar- one of the first justices. In 1879 he ried Amanda Bleam and lives near moved to Knox Co., Neb., where he Ware. died a few years ago. His family con-

Martha married Frank Morse and sis'ed of five children, Joseph, Samuel, Elmer, Caroline (Allen), who died in

lives in Arkansas.

Thomas J., a farmer, married Hat- Oregon in 1899, and Isabella.

tie Doty and lives in North Dakota. Reamer Thomas (b. 1839), resident Louisa Victoria married Philip D of Grant from 1870 to 1892, is a native Wile, a farmer, and lives near Fonda. of New York. In 1859 he came to William J., John M., Joseph E., Jones county, Iowa, where in 1862 he Henry C., Kittie E., Bessie E. and married Margaretta Titus. In April, Bertha A. are at home. 1870, he located on the homestead of

Peterson Carl (b. 1841), owner and Samuel Jeffrey on Sec. 26, Grant town- occupant of a farm of 160 acres on the ship. He erected the first improve- NEĮ Sec. 15, is a native of Sweden. ments on this homestead, which con- On coming to this country he located sisted of a stable for his team and a in Boone county, Ill. In 1882 he be- small shanty for himself, wife and came a resident of Lincoln township, three children. He experienced all this county, and soon afterward of the hard times of the early settlers Grant. In 1885 he purchased 80 acres but overcame them in a spirit of no- of his present farm and, locating on

ble heroism. He was an industrious them five years later, has now a finely and thrifty farmer, enlarged the farm improved farm of twice that size.

10 220 acres and improved it with sub-

He married Sophia Olson (b. Sweden stantial buildings and beautiful 1841) and she now enjoys with him the groves.

The house built in 1887 was results of their many years of toil and provided with all the modern conven- economy. The results have been very iences of a first class home on the gratifying and illustrate what honest farm.

hearts and willing hands, when in- telligently applied, can accomplish in this county. They have raised a trustees and school directors, served family of thirteen children.

He assisted in the organization of Grant township, was one of the first four years as the first assessor and

August married Annie M. Johnson. eleven years as secretary of the school Minnie married Fred Dilmuth and has board. In 1872 he effected the organ- two children, Carl H. and Albert. ization of a Sunday school in school John married Ellen M. Monkelien and house No. 1, now No. 9, and served a has one child, Earl. Oscar married number of years as its first superin- Hannah A. Monkelien and has three children. Andrew, Eamer, Albert, Frank, Annie, Mary, Emma, Julia and Carl are at home. tendent. He has always been a faith- ful member of the M. E church and performed a loyal part in establishing and maintaining religious services in Grant township.

614

PIONEER HISTORY OF POCAHONTAS COUNTY, IOWA.

In 1892, accompanied by his wife also its name and were called Balling- and daughter, Florence, he moved to rude. When they were filing their Pomeroy, where his wife died in 1901. claims for homesteads, at the land of- His family consisted of two sons and fice in Fort Dodge, they were induced two adopted daughters. to drop most of this long name and

Elmer T., in 1888 married Lou Alice, have since been called "Rude."

daughter of Rev. John A. Griffin, oc- In the spring of 1871 they located cupies his own farm of 160 acres on on homesteads of 80 acres each in sections 36 and 25, and has a family of Grant township. They came to their four children, Elmer Claudius, How- homesteads empty handed and just ard T., Louis Hal and Byron Vaughn. before the period of hard times. They

Elwin F., M. D., after graduating at yielded not to the discouragements Epworth Academy, Coe College and that confronted them in the early from the medical department of the days, and both accumulated a clever Northwestern University, Chicago, in competency for their large families 1894, has since been engaged in the and the eventide of their own lives. practice of medicine at Eveleth, Minn. Eric, the oldest, at Christiana in

Sarah (Young) in 1897 married John 1860, married a lady, who in 1869 came Hamerson, who in 1878 came to Grant with him to Clayton county, Iowa, township with the family of Wm. J. where she died later that year, leav- Curkeet, and entering the ministry ing one son, Peter Eric. August 23, of the M. E. church, served as pastor 1873, he married Clara, daughter of of the churches at Wall Lake, Fonda, Lars Hanson, and of their family of Schaller, Duncombe, Hawarden and eleven children, nine are living, name- Whittemore, Iowa, and is now at Can- ly, Lewis M., Ida A., Emil A., Roy ton, S. D.

G., Calvin H., Alfred L., Bert E., Mabel L. and Cornelia L.

Florence (Duer) is at home.

Reamer John A., brother of Thom-

He improved his - homestead with as, lived a number of years during the good buildings and groves and increas- 80's on Sec. 6, Colfax township. He ed it to 250 acres. He was a liberal was a member of Co. 111, N. Y. Inf. member and faithful worker in the Lutheran church at Rusk from the

He and Catherine, his wife, are now living at Perry. Their family con- time it was organized in 1878 until his sisted of six children. Eugene is lo- decease Feb. 3, 1901. He performed a very prominent part in the manage- ment of the affairs of the township,

cated in Minnesota. Eva M. married Robert M. Legg and died in 1896. Ly- dia married Frieb Legg and lives in serving six years as president of the Calhoun county. Luke is at Spencer, school board, seven as assessor, and Carrie at Keosauqua and John, the ten as treasurer of the school funds. youngest, died a few years ago.

He was a man whose sense of honor was quickly perceived and he was widely known throughout the county.

Rude Eric Peterson (b. 1838, d. 1901), and Nils P., his brother, are two men that have been prominently iden- tified with the history of Grant town- son, in 1887 married Johanna Calbaken ship since 1871.

Peter E. (b. Norway 1861), his oldest and located in Clay county, Minn., where he is now the owner of a finely

Peter Erickson, their father, lived upon a small farm near Christiana, improved farm of 240 acres and has a . Norway, that was called Ballingrude. family of four children.

Both of their parents died when they Rude Nils Peter (b. Norway 1841), were young, and when they inherited in 1868 emigrated to Wisconsin where their father's homestead they received later that year he married Annetta

615

GRANT TOWNSHIP.

Mallingen (b. Norway 1838). In 1869 na, Iva, Margarite, Elwood and they came to Fort Dodge and the next Esther. spring to their homestead on Sec. 34, Grant township, which he has since improved with good buildings and en- larged to 180 acres. By working on the railroad he saved the funds that ena- bled him to erect his humble pioneer cabin. He stuck to the farm, when it meant hard work and poor pay, and is now gratified at the result. He is an active and faithful member of the M. E. church and has been a trustee

Synstelien Matthew J. (b. 1849), owner of a fine dairy farm of 160 acres on the NE} Sec. 28, is a native of Nor- way and in 1867 came with his parents to Rock county, Wis. In 1870 he came with his brother, Nils C. Synstelien and family, to Grant township, where in 1872 he entered as a homestead the W} NEĮ Sec. 28. In 1882 he married Maria Hagen (b. 1857) and has one son, Bernhard Julius.

Synstelien Nils C. (b. Norway 18- 41), came to Grant in 1870 and bought the E} SE} Sec. 33. A few years later he moved to the NE} Sec. 4, Col- fax township, where he still resides. His finely improved farm of 106 acres is used exclusively for dairy purposes. In 1881 he married Kari Amundsend and has one daughter, Julia Maria.

These two brothers are worthy citi- zens. By hard work and an econom- ical use of the proceeds of the farm and dairy, they have secured fine homes and a clever competency, and they now bless the star of fortune that guided them to the rich prairies of Pocahontas county.

Terry David (b. 1834), owner and occupant of a farm of 80 acres on Sec. 31 since 1889, is a native of Vermont, where, in 1864, he married Sarah Lane and soon afterward located in Livings- ton county, Ill. In the fall of 1872 he secured a homestead on the NEĮ Sec. 32, Dover township, which he improv- ed and occupied during the next seven

His family consisted of six children.

implement business. In 1900 he moved to Fort Dodge. In 1882 he married Emma married Millard Butler, editor Gertrude Whaley, of Oswego, N. Y., of the Kansas City Daily Journal and and their family consists of one has one child, Laura. Nellie married daughter, Effie. Walter J., in 1891, Owen Phillips, a farmer, and lives married Cora G. Holcomb, embarked near Pocahontas. William A., Arth- iu the insurance business at Pomeroy ur J., Hazel M. and Edith M. are at and bas a family of five children, Ed- home.

of the township fifteen years.

His

family consists of six children, Wil- liam, Anna, who in 1894 married Syl- vester Pierce, a stock dealer, lives at Pomeroy and has two children; Irene, who in 1896 married Robert Pierce, a farmer, lives in Colfax township and has one child, Lawrence; Milford, Del- la and Alvin.

Rude Anton Peterson (b. Norway 1858), brother of N. P., in 1896 married Lucy Anderson, a teacher, occupies a farm of 120 acres on Sec. 22, and has two children, Alvin and Florence Irene.

Smith George W. (b. 1836), resident of Grant from 1870 to 1882, was the son of John and Olive (Pearsall) Smith and a native of New York, where in 1861 he married Almira C. Henry. In 1867 he moved to Cedar county, Iowa, and in 1870 to Sec. 26, Grant township. He participated in the organization of the township, served as one of its first trustees and as the first treasurer of the school funds. In 1881 his esti- mable wife, who had been very useful

in the settlement, died leaving one years. He is a man of excellent prin- son, Walter J. The next year he ciples, an industrious worker and is moved to Pomeroy and engaged in the highly esteemed as a citizen.

616

PIONEER HISTORY OF POCAHONTAS COUNTY, IOWA.

Tollefsrude Hans Cristopher (b. tions. This association was effected Jan. 1, 1822), resident of Rusk, and through the efforts of C. H. Tollefs- the venerable head of the Tollefsrude rude, of Rolfe, its secretary, who has families in Pocahontas county, is a already enrolled nearly 300 members native of Torpen, Norder Land, in America, 54 of whom, from Iowa, Norway, the son of Christoffer Hoovel Minnesota and Wisconsin, were pres- (Oct. 14, 1781-1869) and Marit (Kold) ent at the second biennial reunion, Tollefsrude, whose bones rest there held at Rusk Oct. 14, 1901. This as- beneath the sod on the Tollefsrude sociation is believed to be the first of farm. On this farm he grew to man- its kind among the Norwegians in this hood and served a carpenter's appren- country.

ticeship.

The Tollefsrude farm in Norway

In 1844 he married Bereth C. Lunde has borne the family name for several and coming to America, located in the hundred years. It consists of a small wilds of southern Wisconsin. In 1852 tract of cultivated land bordering he went to California and during the large mountain pastures that include next four years engaged in mining. a lake having good fisheries that also In 1857 he resumed farming in Wis- pertain to it. Life in these rugged consin. In 1878 he located on Sec. 28, and elevated pastures during the sum- Grant township, where he had pur- mer season is arduous and lonely, but chased 400 acres of land in 1868, and he who toils there acquires that ruddy his two sons, C. H. and E. M., had lo- health and strength that is even bet- cated on homesteads in 1870 and '71. ter than a fortune. Dairies were lo- respectively. The Tollefsrude home cated in them at which the milk from on this farm was a pretty cottage in the sheep and goats was made into the center of a shady and grassy lawn.

cheese and butter. The boyhood of Numerous groves and rows of trees H. C. Tollefsrude was passed in these were planted near it and the farm mountain pastures where he assisted was increased to 680 acres. He has those that herded the cattle and other been living in retirement since 1892 stock during the summer months. and the cottage has been moved to Breathing the pure mountain air Rusk.

while engaged vigorously in this out-

In 1865-6 he visited the place of his door employment, he acquired there birth and scenes of his youth; also that iron constitution that has car- many interesting places in Denmark, ried him through hardships to which Sweden, England, Scotland and Ger- a man less rugged would have suc- many. The Guy Mannering, the ves- , cumbed.

sel on which he went, was shipwreck- He has taken a leading part in the ed and lost off the west coast of Scot- development of Grant township since land Dec. 31, 1865, and he was one of his settlement in it. His family the few passengers saved, reaching consisted of three children, Elisha M., the Island of Iona after terrible hard- Julia A. (see Monkelien), and Chris- tian Hansen (see page 531), who re- ship and suffering.

He has been president of the Tol- sides at Rolfe.

lefsrude family association in America

Tollefsrude Elisha M. (b 1848), is since its organization at Rusk May a native of Newark, Wis., where he 17, 1900. The object of this associa- was raised on a farm. At 16 he en- tion is to gather and preserve the facts listed as a member of Co. D, 43rd relating to the history of the family Wis. Inf. and continued in the service for the promotion of family reunions until the close of the civil war. In and the edification of future genera- 1871 he came to Iowa and located on

HANS. C. TOLLEFSRUDE

MRS. H.L.NORTON.

GRANT

BERETH CTOLLEFSRUDE;

MR. & MRS. FELIX W. PARRISH.

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The pioneer history of Pocahontas County, Iowa, from the time of its earliest settlement to the present time, Part 82

Author: Flickinger, Robert Elliott, b. 1846 Publication date: 1904 Publisher: Fonda, Iowa, G. Sanborn Number of Pages: 1058

Author: Flickinger, Robert Elliott, b. 1846
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: Fonda, Iowa, G. Sanborn
Number of Pages: 1058