USA > Minnesota > Meeker County > Album of history and biography of Meeker County, Minnesota > Part 18
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One member of the family, a son, Wilmot Austin Price, died in Harvey, October 9, 1870, and was buried in the Manannah cemetery.
Thomas F. Price, the subject of our present sketch, spent most of his early life in his native town. Ile received the education afforded by the facilities of those days, and at an early age he learned the carpenter's trade, which he worked at more or less at Boston and other places. In 1856 he came West with his mother's family to Minneapo- lis, and six months later to Kingston. They were living there when the Indian outbreak occurred. They remained at Kingston dur- ing all of the trouble with the redskins, al- though nearly all of the settlers throughout the county went away for safety. In 1863 they removed to Harvey township, where Thomas F. has since lived. He has devoted his time to general farming and stock raising and owns a valuable farm.
In religious matters Mr. Price attends the Congregational church, and in his political views he affiliates with the republican party. He has taken considerable interest in town- ship affairs, and has served more or less as justice of peace during the last few years. Mr. Price is a man of the strictest integrity, and is justly regarded as one of the leading citizens of the township in which he lives.
UNDER H. SUNDAHL is one of the leading farmers in the southeastern portion of Aeton township. He is a son of Halver and Mary Sundahl, and was born in Norway, on the 28th of July, 1846. He re- mained in his native land until 1870, when he came to the United States, and first stopped in Iowa, where he worked at rail- road work for three years. In 1873 he came to Litchfield, and for two years was employed by various farmers in the neighborhood, after which for two years he ran a ditching
machine. He then purchased a farm of 152 acres on section 25, Acton township, where he has since lived, devoting his time to diversi- fied farming and stock raising. He has been very successful, and now has a good lot of stock gathered about him. His farm is in a good location and he has a considerable por- tion of it under cultivation.
Mr. Sundahl was married in 1878 to Miss Christina Olson, who was born on the 12th of July, 1856. She was a daughter of An- drew Olson, who was killed by the Indians in September, 1862, a short distance from where Mr. Sundahl now lives. A full account of this matter is given elsewhere. Mr. and Mrs. Sundahl have had the following chil- dren born to them : Halver, born December 31, 1878; Andrew, born August 28, 1880; Matilda, born March 29, 1881; and Lura, born March 18, 1884. Mr. Sundahl takes an active interest in all matters pertaining to the welfare of his township, and is one of its leading citizens. He is a republican in polit- ical matters.
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RELIABLE and enterprising citizen of of Ellsworth township is N. D. MER- RILL, living on seetion 32, where he is engaged in carrying on general farming and stock raising. He first came to Minnesota in 1855, and after a year spent in Minneapolis, settled in Buffalo, Wright county, where he made his home until the breaking out of the Civil War, when, imbued with the patriotism of an American citizen, Mr. Merrill enlisted in the Second Minnesota Battery, under the command of Captain Hotchkiss, on January 1, 1862, and on the 21st of April following, moved forward to the seat of war. The company was engaged for the first time at the capture of Corinth, and from that time on made a creditable record for itself in the conflicts of Perryville, Knob Gap, Stone River, Chattanooga, Mission Ridge and
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others. When the war closed they were on detached duty in East Tennessee, where they were mustered out. His term of service over, Mr. Merrill returned to Minnesota, where he remained until 1867, when he re- moved to Montana, where he was engaged in mining for three years, returning to Wright county, this State, front whence he came to Meeker county, in 1876, and here has made his home ever since. He is a native of Maine, born in Dover, Decem- ber 29, 1834, and is the son of True and Sally C. Merrill, both natives of Maine, the father having been born September 7, 1806, and the mother, July 25, 1805.
True and Sally C. Merrill were married October 11, 1827, and were the parents of the following children : E. W., born March 19, 1829 ; S. T., born May 25, 1831; Betsy A., born February 14, 1833; N. D., the sub- ject of this sketch ; Julia A., born February 2, 1837; Sarah E., born July 26, 1839; Charles L., born May 19, 1842, and Marinda A., born July 3, 1844.
N. D. Merrill, our subject, was married on July 21, 1870, to Mrs. Ireland, widow of Wesley Ireland. She was a native of Pen- obscot county, Me .; was married in 1860 to Mr. Ireland, who afterward died. She came to Minnesota in 1864 with her one child, Ellen M., and lived a widow until her marriage with Mr. Merrill. Her daughter, Ellen M. Ireland, was born November 1, 1861, and is now Mrs. A. G. Root, of Nebraska.
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ALEB HULL, a prosperous and enlight- ened farmer of Dassel township, hav- ing his home on section 10, is a native of Herkimer county, N. Y., born in the town of Russia, September 26, 1824, and is the son of Benjamin and Betsey (Clapper) Ilull, natives of Rhode Island and New York, respectively. Benjamin Hull removed to
Dodge county, Wis., in 1851, where he died in 1861; his wife some years later came to Meeker county, and died at Forest City in 1877.
The subject whose name heads this per- sonal sketch, commenced at the age of thir- teen years to learn the shoemaker's trade, and after devoting three years to it, went to St. Lawrence county, N. Y., whither his parents had removed, where he made his home for three years. Coming West, he spent the same period of time in Jefferson county, Wis., and then was engaged in the pineries of that State for six years. On his return, he built a house at Hustisford, Dodge county, Wis., but from there went to the Michigan pineries, where he spent some three years more, and then came back to Dodge county, where, December 1, 1855, he was united in marriage with Miss Eunice Frost. The next year of his life was passed in Watertown, Wis., after which he removed to Freeborn county, Minn., and purchased 160 aeres of land on section 6, town of Free- man, where he settled. While there, he fol- lowed hunting and trapping to a great ex- tent, and found it highly remunerative ; so much so as to enable him to provide his family with many comforts that the other new settlers could not reach. While thus engaged, came the news of the Indian out- break of 1862, and most of his neighbors fled panic stricken, but he would not go. One day, while returning from his work in Iowa, he met a number of his neighbors who advised him not to go home, saying, with their selfish instinets uppermost, that by the time he got there, his family would be mur- dered and his home in flames, as the Indians were close behind ; but, nobly responding to his duty, which called him to the defense of his family, he went on and found all peace- ful at home, and the danger much magnified by their fears and abject terror. Hle re- mained in Freeborn county some nine years
P. S Shields
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and then sold out and came to Meeker county, arriving here July 7, 1867. He took up a homestead on section 10, where he now lives, but lived in Darwin until the spring of 1868, and then moved into a log cabin, where the family lived until he could get a house built, which stood where his present cottage now stands. This latter was erected in 1879, at a cost of $1,000, and is handsome, neat and commodious, and he has a fine farm of 120 acres of excellent land.
Mr. and Mrs. Hull have had a family of six children, four of whom still survive- Angustus, living in Dakota, Ida E., Mrs. Charles Penny, of Dassel; Lillie B., and Mark W., at home. Mr. Hull has served in several official positions, chief among which was that of chairman of the town board of supervisors.
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ELS CLEMENTS, of Litchfield, is the son of Nels and Betsy Clements, and was born in Meeker county May 14, 1860. His parents, natives of Sweden, came to Meeker county in 1857, and on the 20th of August settled in the town of Litchfield on a farm, where they lived until the death of the father, in 1870. During the time of the Indian outbreak Nels Clements removed for safety to Forest City, and manfully did his part toward the building of the stockade and its defense. Having been on friendly terms with the Indians, they did not destroy his house, but stole all the provisions and stock that were left on the place.
Nels remained at home upon the paternal farm until he was of age, on attaining which he went to Minneapolis, but returned during the following winter. The season of 1882 he spent in Montana, but, returning to this county in 1883, he located in Grove City, and went into the farm-machinery business. In 1884 he came to Litchfield and tended bar for S. A. Searp, but in October, 1886,
opened the saloon he now runs. He was married April 30, 1886, to Miss Kate Men- ten, a native of Meeker county, Minn., and daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Men- ten, natives of Germany. By this union there has been born one child-Mary, whose birth took place May 9, 1887.
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ELS AKESON is one of the prominent and well-to-do citizens of Swede Grove township. Mr. Akeson is a son of Ake and Hannah Anderson, and was born in Sweden on the 9th of May, 1841. Ile came to the United States in 1868, and first settled at Stillwater, Minn., where he lived for about seven years, being employed part of the time in a saw mill, again at railroading and various other means of seenring a living. In 1875 he came to Swede Grove township, and bought a farm on seetion 35, where he has since remained, carrying on general farm- ing and stock raising. He has a comfortable home, having a neat frame house and a very fine barn 30x44 feet in size, and has gathered about him considerable stock. When he came to the United States he had only fifty eents in his pocket, but by industry and good management he has placed himself in com- fortable circumstances, and to-day is one of the substantial farmers of his township.
Mr. Akeson married Anna, a daughter of Ole and Carrie Anderson. She was born January 17, 1851. They have had the fol- lowing children : Hilma, born July 18, 1875; Hattie, born February 23, 1877 ; Carrie, born February 10, 1879 ; Ake, born April 24, 1881 ; Ella, born September 13, 1883; and Olof, born August 9, 1887. The family are mem- bers of the Swedish Lutheran church. Mr. Akeson has taken a prominent and active part in all public matters, and has held the office of township clerk since 1882. He is a republican in political faith.
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ON. JOHN S. SHIELDS, the present state senator from Meeker county, is a resident of Darwin township, living upon his fine and extensive farm on section 34. Ile is a native of Ottawa, Canada, born November 8, 1830, and is of Irish ancestry, at least upon his father's side. He was reared and educated in the Dominion of his birth until 1859, when he came to the United States, and from June until the following fall remained mostly in the city of Minneapolis. During this time he came to Meeker county, and prospected, spending July 4, 1859, here, and the following August came here and made a settlement at Forest City, where he resided until that winter, when he located where he now lives. Previous to leaving his home, on the 24th of May, 1859, he was united in marriage with Miss Margaret Kenney, and with his young wife came through the Big Woods to the new settle- ment. Mr. Shields furnished the labor toward making the first United States flag ever floated in Meeker county, J. B. Atkin- son furnishing the cloth and Thomas Gray- son the paint. Hle was appointed in 1860, by the State, to cut a road through the Big Woods, and did so about this time, and through it hauled the merchandise for a merchant at Forest City, which was the first load brought that way. Mr. Shields remained upon his farm until the sad times of the fall of 1862, but on the terrible Sabbath of the 17th of August, he heard the news of the Indian outbreak and went to Forest City to investigate. Ile returned and warned all within his reach. He took part in the inquest, and all the subsequent movements of the settlers as detailed elsewhere. He sent his wife and children to Clearwater, but he remained in Forest City and took part in all the marches, engagements, ete., of the Home Guards, although not mustered into the company. When the attack was made by the Indians on Forest City, Mr. Shields
was sleeping in the barn with the sixty horses of the Home Guards, and on the com- mencement of the firing untied his two horses and endeavored to get to the stockade, but one horse was shot, and with the other he got away. This was the only horse saved ont of the lot. Many more incidents of his bravery could be given did not space forbid, but it is enough to say that he did his duty manfully.
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Hle afterward went to Minneapolis, where he remained until 1865, but in the fall of that year returned to this county and to his farm where he now lives. Ile has beenpied several responsible positions sinee coming here, in- eluding that of chairman of the town board, assessor, town clerk, and justice of the peace, and was elected to represent the county in the State Senate in 1886, on the Farmers' Alliance ticket, of which organization he is the present president. He is the father of the following six children : Isabella, born April 15, 1860, and died October 29, 1879; Ellen J., born December 19, 1864; William A., born August 20, 1868; Maggie E., born April 2. 1870; and Charles A., born October 2, 1872. On the 11th of December, 1874, the death angel invaded this little family circle and drew from their affectionate en- brace the beloved wife and mother, leaving only her memory in their inner hearts, where it is forever enshrined. Mr. Shields is an attendant upon the services of the Episcopal church, and an upright, honorable gentle- man.
In the fall of 1886, as above mentioned, Mr. Shields was elected to represent his distriet in the State Senate, took his seat at the opening of the Twenty fifth Legislature, and holds that office at the present writing. In the last session he was among the most active and influential members of that body, and ably represented his constituents in a ses- sion which was among the most important held in the history of the State. His influence
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and ability were recognized in the formation of the senate committees, and none more zealously favored and aided anti-monopoly legislation. He has been identified with Minnesota matters for more than a quarter of a century and is well informed as to its history. An able parliamentarian, a clear- headed and careful business man, he has ae- cumulated a comfortable fortune.
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HE PRESENT register of deeds of Meeker county, N. A. VIREN, came to this section of the State in 1858, and in April of that year passed through to the extreme frontier of those days, and located in Kan- diyohi county. He remained there until the 21st of August, 1862, when the dreadful massacre of the defenseless settlers by the red wards of our government struck terror into the hearts of all upon the borders, for their loved ones were in imminent danger. Mr. Viren joined the tide of fugitives for safety, and finally, after considerable travel, reached Forest City with his family. He took the latter on to Clearwater, where he left them, and returned to assist those who were less fortunate and to help make a stand against the diabolical red fiends, who, reek- ing with the blood of the innocents, thirsted for more lives to take. HIe did not join the home gnards, but was active in many of the volunteer expeditions that went out to look up stock, ete., and was in Kandiyohi at the time of the attack on Forest City. After performing his part in the operations of that fall Mr. Viren removed to St. Paul, where he made his home nntil 1869, when he again tur-ed westward, and located in Litchfield, where he opened a wagon shop, which busi- ness he continued in until assuming the du- ties of register of deeds, in January, 1871, to which he had been elected the previous fall. He remained in this office, being reelected
his own successor, until January, 1879. He during the next few years tilled the positions of justice of the peace and town clerk, but at the regular election of November 4, 1884, the people of the county manifested a wish for him to resume the office of register of deeds, and he accordingly entered upon its well-known duties in January, 1885, where he has remained ever since.
Mr. Viren is a member of the Masonie fra- ternity, a charter member of Golden Fleece lodge, No. 89, and also connected with the A. O. U. W.
ANSING V. BROWN, the efficient station and express agent at Eden Valley eame to that village November 15, 1886, to take charge of the Minneapolis & Pacific Railroad Company's business, and has remained there in that position ever sinee. He became the agent for the Amer- ican Express Company in the fall of 1886, also.
Mr. Brown was born in the beautiful eity of Watertown, Jefferson county, Wis., January 8, 1858, and is the son of Peter V. and Elizabeth (Johnson) Brown, both of whom were natives of New York. The father of our subjeet was one of the early settlers and pioneer merchants of Water- town, and is one of the stockholders of the Wisconsin National Bank of that place, where he still resides.
The subject of our sketch received his education in the excellent schools of his native city, and at the age of fifteen entered the office of the Northwestern Telegraph Company at that place, as manager, where he remained four years. He was then trans- ferred to Eau Claire, Wis., but a short time after came to St. Paul and entered the office of the train despatcher of the St. Paul & Sioux City Railroad Company, where he remained about one year. In May, 1878,
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he became station agent at Darwin, Meeker county, in the employ of the St. Paul, Minne- apolis & Manitoba Railroad Company, and remained at that post four years.
The next two years he had charge of the station at Willmar, but in 1884 went to West- ern Montana, as traveling auditor of the Northern Pacific Railroad, which position he held for two years, and then accepted his present place. His upright dealing and straightforward, gentlemanly demeanor has won him hosts of friends, and his future looks bright.
OHN LINDGREN, who has charge of the Farmer's and Merchant's Co-operat- ive Elevator at Litchfield, is a native of Sweden, born in 1854. He was brought to America when still less than four years of age by his step-father, his father having died when John was an infant.
Mr. Lindgren lived with his step-father, T. G. Cornelius, until he was thirteen years of age, when he began life for himself, working on a farm in Meeker county. In the spring of 1880 he went to Hallock, Kittson county, Minn., where he had charge of a large farm for four years, after which he returned to Litchfield, where he has since been connected with the grain trade. Mr. Lindgren was married in 1876 to Miss Matilda Olson, of Stevens county. They have four living children - Annie M .. George J., Bertha E .. and an infant.
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RED SWANSON. The subject of this biography, a prominent and respected farmer, residing on section 2, Greenleaf township, is a native of Sweden, born May 5, 1846. Ile remained in his native land until twenty-one years of age, when he came to the United States and settled in Mar- quette county, Mich. For six years he was
employed in the iron mines in that county, and then came to Meeker county, Minn., and purchased a farm on section 2, in Greenleaf township. By good management, industry and economy he has been very successful in his farming operations, notwithstanding the fact that he has met with the partial loss of crops in various years, and is to day in comfort- able circumstances and justly rated as one of the substantial and "solid " citizens of his township. He has an excellent farm of 213 acres, about half of which is under cultiva- tion, and has it well stocked. The place is a valuable one, and is located in the best farming district in Meeker county.
Mr. Swanson was married in 1869 to Miss Mary L. Walstrom. She was a native of Sweden, and had settled in Marquette county, Mich., in 1869, being twenty-three years old at that time. Her father died when she was yet a child, and her mother remained in Swe- den until 1882, when she came to live with her daughter in Greenleaf. Mr. and Mrs. Swanson have been the parents of seven chil- dren, six of whom are still living. Their names are as follows-Clara J., born March 29, 1870; Carl J., born September 27, 1873; Helma M. (deceased), born October 14, 1875, died December 24, 1886; Ida E., born Sep- tember 6, 1878; Esther M., born April 1, 1881 ; Inlda E .. born June 1, 1885 ; and Sig- frid E., born December 4, 1886.
DELBERT B. HOAR, a thrifty and enterprising young farmer residing on section 32, Union Grove township, is the eldest son of David B. and Melissa (Bryant) Iloar, and was born in Wright county, Minn., on the 12th of December, 1862. A full sketch of his parents will be found in another department of this work, as they were among the most prominent early settlers in the north- western part of the county.
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The subject of our present sketch com- menced life for himself when about twenty- one years of age, but remained at home for a year or so after that time. He received the education afforded by the public schools, and supplemented this by attending the Litch- field schools for some time. On the 4th of May, 1887, he was married to Miss Emma A. Caswell, a danghter of Nathan W., and Margaret (Robinson) Caswell. She was born at Brompton, Province of Quebec, Can., March 9, 1865.
Mr. Hoar purchased eighty aeres of land on section 32, Union Grove township, in 1885, and that forms his present plaec. He has a comfortable residence, and substantial farm buildings and is getting in good shape for carrying on his farming and stock raising operations. In addition to this he owns a half interest in an improved steam thresher, and during the proper season devotes his attention to that business.
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MOS NELSON FOSEN, ex-county treasurer of Meeker county, and now a prominent farmer residing on section 31, Litehfield township, is a native of Norway, born on the 26th of September, 1837, and a son of Nels and Malline (Hovelsen) Gunder- son. His father died in Norway in 1886 at the age of eighty-two years, and the mother is still a resident of his native land. In 1855 Amos sailed for the United States, and after spending one year in Wisconsin, he came to Meeker county, Minn., becoming one of the six original settlers of Litchfield township. He first took up a timber claim on section 25, in Acton township, but afterward settled on section 30, in Litchfield township, and retained property there until 1887, when he sold that and rented the Crowe farm on section 31, where he now lives. In 1861 he went to Fort Snelling to enlist for service in
the army, but before being sworn in he re- ceived a commission as a recruiting officer and started for home to raise men. IIe had to walk the entire distance and sleep out of doors at night, thereby contracting rheum- atism, which unfitted him for service, and from which he has never fully recovered. At the time of the Indian ontbreak in 1862 his farm was tenanted by Burger Anderson, and he only spent a portion of the time there. He was employed as a farm hand by Jones, and narrowly escaped being one of the party that was murdered on that fatal Sunday - August 17, 1862.
After the excitement attendant on the Indian troubles had somewhat subsided he returned to his farm. He was married, in 1869, to Rachel IIanson, a danghter of Chris- topher Hanson. They have had eight children, one of which died in infancy, and the rest are all living at home, as follows -Nels A., Mathilda Caroline, Lanra Marie, Ragna Amelia, Agnes Rosilia, Hjalmar Arthur and Gunda Mabel. The family are active members of the Ness Norwegian Luth- eran church. Mr. Fosen has always taken a commendable interest in all publie matters and has held a great many local offices, be- sides which he held the office of county treasurer for three successive terms.
ILLIAM H. JOHNS, of the firm of Johns Brothers, dealers in hard- ware, at Litchfield, and one of the most promi- nent business men in Meeker county, is a native of Lonisa, Lawrence county, Ky., the date of his birth being July 23, 1855. His parents were Daniel N. and Annie [Atkins] Johns. In 1864 the family removed to McLeod county, Minn., and purchased a farm upon which they lived for a number of years, but they are now residents of Glencoe, in the same county.
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