USA > Minnesota > Meeker County > Album of history and biography of Meeker County, Minnesota > Part 15
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Doctor Kennedy was first married on the 19th day of July, 1849, to Miss Julia A. Rudisell, who died July 13, 1854. This union was blessed with two children, one of whom is now living, Julia A., wife of Nim- rod Barrick, who lives at the Doctor's origi- nal claim in Meeker county. Dr. Kennedy was again married, on the 2d of July, 1860, to Caroline Rudisell, a sister of his first wife.
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They have three children now living- Milford P., who lives on a farm in Dakota ; Ilarry M. and Lewis H., who are attending university at Minneapolis.
Doctor Kennedy is an active member of the Grand Army of the Republic. At the annual encampment in 1887 he was elected medical director for the department of Minnesota and served for one year. He is also a member of the Masonie fraternity, having joined Golden Fleece Lodge in the fall of 1875. He is prominently identified with the State Medical Association and is recognized as one of the best educated and most experienced members of the medical pro- fession in this part of the State. During late years, however, he has devoted his attention chiefly to his extensive farming interests, having 360 acres in this county all of which is improved ; and 640 acres in Dakota, with 400 under cultivation.
CARL NELSON, the subject of the pres- ent biographical notice, is a respected and enterprising farmer and stock raiser, who resides on section 10, Danielson town- ship. He is a son of Nels and Karen Madson, and was born in Denmark on the 20th of August, 1849. Ilis early life was spent in his native land, where he remained until 1866, when he came to the United States with his parents, and settled in Steele county, Minn. A year later, in July, 1867, they removed to Meeker county, and the father took a homestead on section 8, in Danielson township, in which township there was only six settlers at that time. Here the father died in October, 1872, and the mother in April, 1885.
After his father's death, Carl went to St. Paul and worked at different kinds of em- ployment for about two years, when he re- turned to the homestead and remained with his mother until the 4th of June, 1882, when
he was married to Miss Anna Marie Mad- son. She was born March 19. 1860, and is a daughter of Martin and Anna Marie Mad- son, who are residents of Danielson. By this marriage, Carl Nelson and wife have been the parents of two children-Minnie, born June 11, 1883, and Nels, born Novem- ber 30, 1885. The family are members of the Presbyterian church.
Mr. Nelson now has a valuable farm, of which he has considerable under cultivation, and has a comfortable home. Ile has the farm well stocked and devotes his energies to diversified farming and stock raising. By economy and industry he has placed himself in comfortable circumstances, and is justly rated as one of the leading citizens of his township. He has taken an active interest in township affairs, and has held various local offices, including those of supervisor and road overseer.
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HE WELL-KNOWN and able editor the Litchfield News-Ledger, W. D. JOUBERT, is a native of Fon du Lac county, Wis., born in September, 1852. Ilis par- ents were Stephen and Elizabeth Joubert ; the father of French descent, but born in Montreal, Canada, and the mother a native of New York. Stephen Joubert was a car- penter by trade. He was one of the pioneers of Hudson, Wis., but is now a resident of Traverse county, Minn.
W. D. Joubert had but little schooling ad- vantages, until he was nine years of age, but from that time until he was fifteen, the most of his time was spent in school. When he was fifteen he began life on his own account and began learning the printer's trade with Daggett & Rose, at Wabasha, Minn. He remained with them for three years and then went to LaCrosse, Wis. Later we find him at Minneapolis, where, for several months, he worked on the Minneapolis News, then
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edited by George K. Shaw. From there, in April, 1872, with Frank Daggett, the man under whom he had learned his trade, he came to Litchfield, and started the Litchfield Ledger, which has since become the News- Ledger.
Mr. Joubert was married December 3, 1881, to Miss Ida Kline, of Kingston, Meeker county. They now have one child-Ethel,. who is five years of age. Mr. Joubert is a member of the Masonic fraternity, having joined the Golden Fleece Lodge in 1873, and is quite active in promoting the interests of the organization. He is also a member of the fire company, and was one of the princi- pal workers in getting that organization established. Besides these he is a member of the military company, and was one of the charter members of the dramatic association, which was organized in 1873. Mr. Joubert is a staunch republican in political faith, and is recognized as one of the ablest editorial writers on political questions in this part of the State.
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OHN AUGUSTUS SAMPSON, who re- sides on section 4, Greenleaf township, is one of the leading farmers and stock rais- ers, and also one of the most prominent eit izens in the southern part of Meeker county. He comes of a nationality, which, through their industry and frugality, makes the most substantial and valnable citizens of Minne- sota. He was born in Sweden, on the 9th of August, 1849, and came to the United States in 1858 with his parents, Jolin and Anna Hellena Sampson. After having resided one year and a half in Jamestown, N. Y., he, with his mother and youngest sister, joined his father and oldest sister, who had gone six months before, in Minnesota, in the fall of 1859, and took up their residence with the linsband and father, on section 4, in the town of Greenleaf, Meeker county, where they
still reside. A full sketch of the parents will be found elsewhere in this volume.
John A., the subject of this biographical memoir, was reared on a farm, imbibing and acquiring from the necessities, the principles and habits of industry and economy which were so essentially a concomitant of pioneer life. As no district schools were yet in the neighborhood, he managed to attend a few months school a few miles from home, work- ing at the same time in a private family for his board. Being fond of reading and gen- eral information, he enlarged his stock of knowledge in both the Swedish and English languages, and tried in all respects to be a sel-fmade man. An opportunity offered it- self to acquire a more substantial knowledge in the winter of 1864 and 1865, when he re- solved to attend for a few months, the Ans- cary Academy, at East Union, Carver county, then superintended by his brother- in-law, Rev. Andrew Jackson.
On the 30thi of August, 1874, he was joined in marriage to Anna Elizabeth Romwall. Ilis wife was born in Sweden July 29, 1852, and came to America in 1864 with her par- ents, who are still living in Carver county, Minn. Their marriage has been blessed with five children, as follows: Freda (de- ceased), born July 2, 1875; Freda L. V., born June 11, 1877; Esther A., born June 3, 1879; Joshua Theodore, born July 14, 1881 ; Hannah N., born November 23, 1883; and Walter C. E., born June 30, 1887. The family are active and prominent members in the Beckville Lutheran church.
Mr. Sampson has taken an active interest in public matters, and is rated as one of the most substantial and prominent citizens of his township. In political matters he affili- ates with the republican party, and has held many offices of local importance, including those of township supervisor, assessor, treas- urer, etc. In financial matters, although, like others in his township, he has suffered
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some reverses, he has withal been very sne- cessful. Ile has a large and valuable farm, a great proportion of which is under cultiva- tion, and has it well stocked. His building improvements are among the finest in the township, making a home in which he may justly take a pride, and which is, in the enter- prise it manifests, a credit to the county.
In another department of this work will be found a portrait of Mr. Sampson. - -
EORGE W. HARDING, one of the leading citizens of Darwin township, and the present town clerk, is living on his fertile and highly-cultivated farm on sec- tion 21. Ile was born in Hardenburgh, Ind., October 3, 1852, and is the son of Mitchell and Mary A. Harding. He was reared and educated in the "Iloosier State" and remained a resident there until April 25, 1866, when he came to Meeker county, Minn., with his father, and settled in Darwin township, where he now makes his home.
Mitchell Harding, the father of our sub- ject, was born in Genesee county, N. Y., March 14, 1808, and came West and settled in Indiana in 1836, one of the pio- neers of that noble State. Ilis father was a veteran of the conflict with Great Britain in 1812-1815, and died at Fort Erie during the war. Mitchell Harding makes his home with his son, George, having given up act- ive business pursuits, as he is over eighty years old.
George Ilarding was united in marriage, April 5, 1874, with Miss Josie L. Smith, and by this union they are the parents of three children-Earl C., born March 1, 1875, died October 8, 1880; Jennie M., born May 11, 1878; and George W., born July 26, 1881.
Our subject is politically a republican, and has been called on several times by his fellow citizens to discharge official duties. He was elected chairman of the town board
of supervisors, and served in that capacity three terms. Town assessor and town clerk he has also been, and at present holds the two offices-clerk of the township and school district treasurer. Religiously, he is a mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal church, while his estimable wife holds communion with the Church of God, and both are sin- cere, earnest, Christian people.
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VENNING JOHNSON is a respected and successful farmer, who resides on section 21, Danielson township. Like a majority of the most thrifty and enterpris- ing farmers of his township, Mr. Johnson is a native of Sweden, where he was born November 3, 1831. His early life was spent in his native land, but in 1869 he came to the United States, and first settled in Illinois, where he remained for two years, working for different farmers. At the end of that time, on April 24, 1871, he came to Meeker county, Minn., and purchased forty acres of land on section 21, in Danielson town- ship, where he has since lived. He has since bought 140 aeres more, so that he now owns 180 acres, 100 of which are on section 21, and eighty on 29.
Mr. Johnson was married May 2, 1862, while still in Sweden, to Johanna Larson, and their union has been blessed with the follow- ing named children : Amanda, born April 18, 1863 ; Augusta, born September 9, 1864 ; Lewis, born August 28. 1867; August, born September 26, 1869; Hattie, born Sep- tember 1, 1872, and Emel, born July 28, 1874. Amanda and Augusta are working in St. Paul. The son, Lewis, has general charge of the farm, as his father is now well along in years, and is spending the evening of his long and useful life, partially retired from the active participation in farm labor. The family are members of the Methodist church.
When Mr. Johnson came to the United
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States he was a poor man, and it was only by the hardest labor and strictest economy that he secured a start and was able to sup- port his family. Hle persevered, however, and is now in very good circumstances, hay- ing a comfortable home in which to spend the latter part of his life, and is possessed of a comfortable property.
OHN YOUNGSTROM, a farmer, resid- ing on section 28, Litchfield township, is one of the most intelligent and best-posted citizens in his portion of the county. He is a native of Sweden, born on the 1st of February, 1845, and is a son of Andrew and Christine Youngstrom. John grew to man- hood at the home of his parents, and at an early age embarked in the mercantile busi- ness, continning it until 1868, when he came to the United States. Shortly after his arrival he decided to locate in Meeker conn- ty, Minn., and accordingly purchased parts of sections 21, 28 and 29, in Litchfield township. His farm at that time was one of the largest operated by one man west of the " Big Woods," but after about ten years' trial, he became convinced that it was not quan- tity of land which was essential to success in farming, but sagacity and business taet in management. Accordingly, he unloaded a good portion of his huge farm, and has since been operating on the safe side. Although the grasshoppers, hailstorms and drouth have caused him serious backsets, entailing the loss of three crops in four years, he bas man- aged to come out of it all in pretty good financial shape.
Mr. Youngstrom was married in 1871 to Mary C. Kjellander, a daughter of John Kjellander, and a native of Sweden, born in 1844. Four children have been born to them, viz .: John Oscar, Ililder Mary, Olga and Axel H. Although Mr. Youngstrom has never been caught in the maëlstrom of polit-
ical office seeking, he has ever been a close student of political economy, and has lent a considerable amount of time and all his influence to the remedying of existing evils in governmental affairs, and is an unyiekling foe to monopoly and all manner of oppres- sion and harmful influences.
RANK E. DAGGETT, deceased, was at one time one of the most prominent citizens of Meeker county, and during his residence at Litchfield, figured conspicuously in its history. He was a native of Vermont, but when quite young he came West to Fond du Lac, Wis., and in 1853, went to Hudson, in the same State. He learned the trade of a printer when still a boy, at Hudson, Wis., and Stillwater, Minn. At an early day he went to Kansas and Nebraska, and as a journalist, took an active part in the anti- slavery movements, being one of John Brown's most active associates, and expected fully to accompany Brown on the Harper's Ferry expedition ; but he went home to visit his mother, and as the move took place ear- lier than was planned, he did not get back in time to participate in it. After that, he went to St. Paul and began working at his trade on the old Pioneer. From there he returned to Rutland county, Vt., and in 1860 was married. Before he started West again, war was declared, and he enlisted for three months in the First Vermont Regiment. At the expiration of his term of service, he came to Minnesota and enlisted in the Sixth Minnesota Infantry, and was ordered to the frontier to participate in the Indian warfare. After the close of the Indian troubles, he went before the examining board at St. Louis, and having passed the examination, was ap- pointed lieutenant in the 117th United States Regiment [colored], and was assigned to the Army of the Potomac. In the summer of 1861 he was taken sick and ordered to resign.
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He then returned to Minnesota and worked on the Pioneer until 1866 when he went to Wabasha and purchased the Wabasha Herald. This he published until the fall of 1870, when he went to LaCrosse and bought an in- terest in the Leader, of that place, the firm becoming Taylor, Burns & Daggett. Through some mismanagement the firm became in- solvent, and Mr. Daggett began work on the Milwaukee Daily News as a compositor. . In the fall of 1871 he was given a position as city editor on the Minneapolis News, and re- mained there till April, 1872, when he re- signed and came to Litchfield, and in com- pany with W. D. Joubert, established the Litchfield Ledger. While'in business here he was three times elected clerk of the Minne- sota House of Representatives. He was a prominent and active member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and at one time was Grand Commander of the Department of Minnesota. The post at Litchfield was named "Frank Daggett Post," in honor of him. Mr. Daggett's death occurred Saturday, October 14, 1876. He was then in his thirty- ninth year.
HARLES A. STAPLES, a successful merchant of the village of Manannah, is a native of Waldo county, Me., born Feb- ruary 17, 1843, and is the seventh son of Jacob C., and Elizabeth (Small) Staples, both of whom were also natives of the Pine Tree State. The father of our subject was born March 6, 1801, and his mother March 24, 1805. Their marriage took place March 20, 1828, and they continued to make their home in their native State until October, 1854, when they came to Minnesota with their family of ten children, of whom our subject was one. They settled in Sauk Valley, six miles west of where St. Cloud is now located, but at that time there was not a house where the city now is located. They
remained in that vieinity until the time of their death, the mother October 17, 1874, the father, November 26, 1879. The latter's demise was caused by exposure, cold and exhaustion. Ile was then a man of seventy- eight years and having been to St. Cloud, upon a visit to a son who still resides there, and on returning missed his road and landed in the night on Maine Prairie, and being refused shelter by professed Christian people along the way, was out all night that cold November night, and died a few days later.
Charles A. remained at home with his parents until attaining his majority, during which time he learned the carpenter's trade of his father, also a good knowledge of farm- ing which afterward he made a success. He came to Meeker county, and took up a home- stead on seetion 5, Union Grove township, selecting his land in July, 1864. After filing papers for a homestead in August, he enlisted, September 3, 1864, in the Fourth Minnesota Infantry as a recruit, with which he served only about three months, and then being discharged for disability, he returned to his elaim and commenced improving it, and made it his home until 1882, during which time he had added by purchase some 360 acres to his original homestead. lle then sold his original homestead and went to Litehfield and entered into a partnership in company with his brothers, J. II. and N. I'., under the firm name and style of Staples Brothers, who were then in the business of general merchandising. In the spring of 1883 he sold out and made a trip to Dakota, with the intention of dealing in hardware, lumber and farm machinery in Spink county, but returned and located at Manannah, and in November of that year put in a new stock of general merchandise and commenced his present business in company with his brother, J. HJ. Staples, and continued the business as Staples Brothers up to April 13, 1888, when he purchased his brother's interest and assumed
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sole proprietorship. He left home empty- handed but by diligence and business tact natural to him, before he left Union Grove township, he had accumlated a fine farm of 240 acres of land and $3,000 in cash. He was chairman of the board of town super- visors in that precinct, justice of the peace and town clerk for a number of years, and held some office of trust or responsibility in that town nearly all the time of his residence there. He was, also, active in all educational work and is now one of the trustees in the village of Manannah.
Mr. Staples was united in marriage in the year 1870, with Miss Sarah A. Hinds, a native of Columbia county, Wis., and a daughter of ' Isaac and Mary (Thomas) Ilinds, who settled in Union Grove in 1864. By this union Mr. and Mrs. Staples became the parents of three children-Carrie Angelia, born Jan- uary 4, 1871 ; Ancil Edmonds, born August 21, 1872; and Frances Ann, born January 1, 1882.
ON. ANDREW NELSON, one of the prominent and leading citizens of Meeker county, resides in the village of Litchfield. His sterling integrity in all his dealings with his fellow men, the honor and ability displayed in official positions and the spotless purity of his private life, have won for him the respect of the entire commu- nity. He is a native of Sweden, born December 29, 1829, in the Forsamling of Troninge Paapsbyb, No. 3, Hallandslane, which is about three-quarters of a Swedish mile (about five miles English) from Halm- stadt.
The father of our subject, Nels Anderson, was born in 1773, and was a native of the same country and one of the wealthiest farmers of that locality. He had erected some very fine farm buildings, but lost them by fire, and this, and other misfortunes which
overtook him, reduced him in circumstances. He had been assaulted and nearly killed by a man who bore him enmity, and left for dead, with his brains almost oozing from his fractured skull, but being of a very strong con- stitution he recovered his physical strength, although his mental balance was considera- bly affected. He came to the United States in 1862, with his wife, Johanna (Anderson) Anderson, and came at once to St. Paul. He died there about 1867, after lying in bed for three years, having been crippled by be- ing run over, and never recovered. His widow is now making her home with her son, Andrew Nelson, in Litchfield, and not- withstanding her eighty-eight years, she having been born in October, 1800, is in the enjoyment of nearly all her faculties, and in excellent health.
Andrew Nelson, on account of his father's misfortunes, received but a limited education, the present excellent school system of Swe- den not having then been adopted; there were no public schools. Hle, on attaining maturer years, worked out at farm work until the spring of 1856, when, taking passage on a sailing vessel from the port of Gotten- borg, emigrated to the new world, and, after a stormy voyage across the Atlantic ocean, arrived in New York harbor on the 3d of July, and was compelled to stay on ship- board all of the 4th. At night when the surrounding scenery was lit up by the brill- iant lights of the fireworks, he and his fel- low travelers thought the inhabitants of America must be crazy, for they had no idea of our celebrating that day. On landing, Mr. Nelson started for the West and located at Galesburg, Ill., where he remained two years, working at farm labor, and teaming, hauling wood for the railroad, etc. In July, 1858, he came to Minnesota and settled in Monongalia county, now a part of Kandiyohi county, where he took up 160 acres of land near Foot Lake. IIe commenced the im-
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provement of the property and there made his home until the Indian outbreak in Angust, 1862.
There was living in the house with him, for he was at that time a single man, his brother-in-law, Swan Swanson, with the lat- ter's wife and three children, Annie, Theo- dore and Emma. On the 21st of August they received the news of the massacre at Acton and the general uprising of the sav- ages, and at once made preparations for flight. Mr. Nelson assisted Swanson to take off the hayraek from the running gear of the wagon and substitute the box, into which they loaded some of their household goods and the little family, and started for a place of safety, Mr. Nelson remaining to colleet some forty head of cattle which they had. Night overtook him, and, starting in the dark- ness, he soon heard whispered voices near him and incautiously shouted. "Who's there ?" and in an instant the rapid footsteps of his savage foes gave him the alarm as they rushed toward him. Favored by the night, he eluded them and made his way toward Foot's house. Ile saw the Indians enter the house, and he crept into the cornfield; but hearing them in his immediate neighbor- hood, the rustling of the leaves and the breaking of the stalks betraying their move- ments, he slipped out and sought security else- where. Arriving on the banks of Mnd Lake, he jumped off of a high bank for the water below, but fell into a scrub oak, but a min- ute or two after dropped into the lake in mud and water to his armpits. After a short time spent there he scrambled out, and as the water in his boots made such a noise when he walked he pulled them off, and in doing so lost one and then threw the other away. He wandered all about the prairie all night in his bare feet, and at one time, having cast himself down beside a log by the side of the road, saw, dimly portrayed against the sky, the figures of several of his pursuers
pass within a few feet of him. As the morn- ing dawned he heard the sound of musketry, and looked about him to find out his bearings, for he was still bewildered with his wander, ings and did not know where he was, and, casting himself into the grass, made out that he was in the vicinity of Oscar Eriekson's house, about two miles from his own place. This cabin was near the outlet of Eagle Lake, and contained four families, those of Foot, Carlson, Swanson and Erickson, who were making a brave defense and drove off the invaders. Young Carlson was killed, and Mr. Foot and Mr. Erickson severely wound- ed, but all escaped with their lives, except the former. Mr. Nelson, after waiting a short time within about sixty rods of the house, finally struck across the prairie for Diamond Lake. His lacerated feet, the flesh cut from them and bleeding at every step, hardly allowed him to make much speed, but on arriving at the house of Mr. Gates he found a number of the settlers ready to start, but calmly preparing their breakfast. Mr. Nelson's tidings of the nearness of the ruthless savages altered all this, and, abandoning the half-prepared meal, they quickly betook themselves to flight, he riding with them, for by this time the pain in his feet had be- come insupportable. Behind them, a few miles, they could see a train of fleeing set- tlers, who were attacked about two miles west of Swede Grove, but who beat off the savages by drawing up their wagons in a circle around a hole in the earth, corral- ing their animals and fighting it out with the Indians, losing two of their number, Lorenson and Bucklin. The band with whom the subject of this sketch was arrived at Forest City, and prepared to go on east beyond the Big Woods for safety. Mr. Nelson went with them as far as Kings- ton, where, through the kindness of Mr. Davidson, the miller, and his wife, he had his feet washed and the wounds dressed
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