USA > Minnesota > Jackson County > An illustrated history of Jackson County, Minnesota > Part 57
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ANDERS R. KILEN
A Pioneer of 1867 and a Prosperous Farmer of Belmont Township.
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ACTOR, LENOX AND TIDEN FOUNDATHOME
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
erected in the country-the Presbyterian of Jackson. During the first year or two after taking his claim Mr. Kilen lived in a little log shack. Then he erected a commodious log house, which was at the time considered a palace, and in which he entertained the early settlers and extended hospitality to wayfarers. In this house he lived until 1891, when he erect- ed his present elegant home just across the road in section 17.
Hard times came upon Mr. Kilen during the terrible grasshopper scourge in the early sev- enties as it did to all the residents of Jackson county of that time, and during this time be was obliged to go to Faribault county to work in the harvest fields to earn enough money to support himself. lle had many experiences worthy of recording of the early days Once, in the winter of 1873, while returning to his home afoot, he was caught in one of the dread- ed prairie storms and came near perishing. lle sought refuge in a miserable little hut in Heron Lake township, and there for four days he remained without food or fire. The only thing that kept him from freezing to death was the fact that there was a small quantity of hay in the shack, which he twisted into ropes and wrapped about his limbs. making a covering to protect them from the biting cold.
Mr. Kilen may properly be called the father of LakefielJ, for it was he who platted the town in 1879 and started the little town on its way to future greatness. lle stills owns land adjoining that village. He engages exten- sively in stock raising and has large herds. He has a large orchard and has gained more than a local reputation as an apple raiser.
Mr. Kilen is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church of West Belmont, and it was largely through his efforts that the church was built some twenty years ago. At that time money was scarce and the Norwegian Lutherans of the vicinity were poor. Mr. Kilen undertook to raise the money for this purpose and was successful. He solicited funds from the governor and other state offic- ials, from the county officers, real estate men and others, and the church now stands as a monument to his loyalty to church. While always active in business affairs, Mr. Kilen has never sought office.
In High Lake township, Emmet county. Iowa, on November 15, 1876. Mr. Kilen was imited in marriage to Anna Isaacson, who was born in Norway and came to the United
States at the age of one year. She was the daughter of Eriek and Andriania Isaacson, ear- ly lowa settlers. She died July 20. 1905, aged fifty years. The second marriage of Mr. Kilen occurred in Belmont township June 30, 1906, when he wedded Christina Morkie, who was born in Norway and came to the United States just prior to her marriage. She was born Oc- tober 12, 1877, and is the daughter of Ole Mor- kie, now living in Norway, and Bertha (Berge) Morkie, who died in her native country. To Mr. and Mrs. Kilen have been born two chil- dren: Anna J., born November 17. 1907; Bertha O., born December 25, 1908, died No- vember 28, 1909.
LOUIS F. LAMMERS (1880), attorney at law of Heron Lake, has resided in that village nearly thirty years and is one of the best known men of Jackson county. He is a native Minnesocan and the son of very early pioneer- to this commonwealth. His parents came when the Minnesota country was a part of Wisconsin territory, and he himself was born before the state was admitted to the union.
The parents of our subject were Fred W. and Helen C. (Nelson) Lammers. The father was born in the kingdom of llanover Febru- ary 22, 1829, and was a graduate of the uni- versity of Hanover, being a Greek and Latin scholar. fle immigrated to America in 1844, and for three years lived in New Orleans and St. Louis, employed as a bookkeeper for a pio- neer lumber company. While in the service of the company he moved to Taylor's Falls, Wis- consin territory (now Minnesota), then an un- tamed wilderness, and for several years served as bookkeeper and accountant for the Southern Lumber company. He afterwards engaged in lumbering for himself and was so engaged un- til 1861, when he sold out and engaged exten- sively in farming near Taylor's Falls. In 1865 the elder Lammers moved to Marine Mills, Washington county, and there he spent the re- mainder of his life, dying there February 12, 1896. Our subject's mother was born at Rock Island, Illinois, March 2, 1834. and was mar- ried to Mr. Lammers September 18, 1852, at Taylor's Falls. They were the parents of fif- tren children. of whom the following named are living: Nathan D., George A .. Albert J., Charles A., Alice II .. Swanson. Louisa A., all of Stillwater, Minnesota: Frank E., of Minne- apolis: Mary E. Wood and Louis F., of Heron Lake, and Clarence, of Washington.
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Our subject was the third child of this family and was born at Taylor's Falls. Min- nesota, December 14, 1855. He received a high school education at Marine Mills and a business education in the St. Paul Commer- cial college. At the age of twenty he left home and took a position as bookkeeper in the pineries of Wisconsin, working several years for the Schulenburg Lumber company of St. Louis and later for Isaac Staples, the millionaire lumberman of Stillwater. On July 20, 1880, Mr. Lammers arrived i Heron Lake, and the village has ever since been his home.
During the first two years of his resi- dence in Jackson county Mr. Lammers was employed as bookkeeper for John T. Smith. Then he engaged in the general merchan- dise business in partnership with C. A. Wood, which business he continued until ISSS. During the time he was engaged in business Mr. Lammers took up the study of law, and in 1888, at the June term of court at Win- dom, he made application for admission to the bar. Judge A. D. Perkins appointed a commission consisting of George W. Wilson, of Worthington; John G. Redding, of Windom; and Daniel Rohrer, of Worthington, who con- dueted the examination in open court. June 23, 1888, an order of the court was made ad- mitting him to the practice of law, which has since been his profession. Ile has one of the largest and best equipped law libraries in southwestern Minnesota, and he enjoys an ex- ten-ive and lucrative practice.
On several occasions Mr. Lammers has been an official capacity. In the fall of 1886 he was elected superintendent of schools and was reelected in 1888. In January, 1896, he was appointed county attorney by the board of county commissioners to complete the un- expired term of W. A. Funk, who resigned. He was elected county attorney on the re- publican ticket in 1906 and served one term. He was president of the Heron Lake village conneil during 1905, 1906 and 1907, and since the last date has been village attorney. For fifteen years he served as president of the Heron Lake board of education, during which Inne three school houses were erected.
Sixteen hundred acres of farming lands in Jackson and Cottonwood counties are owned by Mr. Lommers as well as valuable village proje
erly, including a handsome home in Heron Lake. He is an active lodge man and is a member of all the A. F. & A. M. lodges from the Blue lodge to and including the Shrine. holding membership in Osman Temple, of St. Paul. lle has filled all the offices in the Odd Fellows order and holds member- ship in the Elks lodge No. 225, of Mankato, the M. W. A. and the A. O. U. W.
Mr. Lammers was married at Heron Lake June 30, 1883, to Harriet E. Spaulding, a na- tive of Saratoga, New York, and a daughter of Mary E. Spaulding. They are the parents of three children, as follows: Howard M., born February 9, ISS8; Raymond S., born October 3, 1892; Mildred 11., born September 15, 1895. Howard M., the eldest, was graduated from the United States naval academy in June, 1908, and is now an officer in the naval service of the United States.
MARTIN HOLSTEN (1871) was born in Belmont township May 5, 1874, and has spent his entire life on the old family homestead on section 34. lle is engaged in farming the place for his mother, having 200 acres in sections 34 and 33 in his charge.
Martin Holsten is a son of the late Holsten Olson and Ingebor (Slaabaken) Olson. These parents were born in Norway, came to Am- erien when young and were married in Wis- consin. They came to Jackson county with the Norwegian emigrants of Isol and home- steaded the northwest quarter of section 34. Belmont township. Holsten Olson and his fam- ily lived at Spirit Lake one year after the massacre and then returned to his claim. He lived on the old homestead until his death, October 1, 1903, at the age of 73 years. Mrs. Olson lives with her son and is 75 years of age. There were eleven children in the family. of whom four sons and three daughters are living.
Martin assisted in working the home farm until his father's death in 1893; then he took the management of the farm and has since conducted it for his mother.
Mr. Holsten was married at Brownsburg, Belmont township. June 30, 1900, to Mary Lilleberg, who was born in Belmont township .Inne 22, ISTI. She is the daughter of Ole Lilleberg, who came to Belmont in 1866 and who still resides in the township. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Holsten. Os- mund. the first born, died in infancy. The
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surviving children are named Edwin, Osmund and Milton. The family are members of the Norwegian Lutheran church.
MICHAEL J. GERLACH (1868), of Middle- town township, has been a resident of Jack- son county almost his entire life, coming here with his parents when less than one year old. HIe is the son of John and Lizzie Gerlach now residents of Jackson village. They were born in Germany and came to Jackson county with the pioneers, first taking a homestead in Petersburg township and later locating in Wis- consin township.
Michael was born in Dane county, Wiscon sin, February 21, 1868, and when an infant in arms came to this county with his parents. He lived respectively in Petersburg, Wisconsin and Middletown townships on farms owned by his father, making his home with his parents un- til twenty-four years of age. At that age he started out for himself, working out and en- gaging in farming. In 1902 he rented the south- east quarter of section 14, Middletown, from his brotber Frank and has since made his home there.
Mr. Gerlach was married in Jackson county March 6, 1902, to Louisa Bnehsen, a native of the state of Iowa. To these parents have been born the following named children: Morris H., born December 1, 1902; Vera A.,, born De- cember S, 1903; Emily, born December 10, 1904; Grace G., born December 11, 1906; Eva M., born December 21, 1908. Mr. Gerlach is a member of the M. W. A. lodge.
There were five children in his father's fam- ily, as follows: Andrew F., Michael, John R., Annie (Mrs. E. A. Cole), Minnie (deceased).
HIRAM C. RUE (1873), deputy county au- ditor, is a Jackson county boy, having been born and brought up and having spent his entire life in the county. He is the son of County Treasurer H. K. Rne and Isabella (Smaley) Rue, natives of Norway and Alla- makee county, Iowa, respectively. Hiram was born on the Hunter township farm March 27, 1873. He grew to manhood on the farm, re- ceiving an education in the district schools and in the Breck school at Wilder, which he at- tended two years.
After reaching manhood Mr. Rue engaged in school teaching, being so engaged in Hun-
ter and Sioux Valley townships five years, during which time he made his home with his parents on the farm. In 1896 he took a position as elerk in a store at Lakefield and was so engaged until the first of January, 1901. He then moved to Jackson and took a position as deputy county treasurer under his father's administration. One and one-half years later he was appointed deputy eounty au- ditor by P. D. MeKellar and has since held the position.
Mr. Rue was married at Lakefield June 17. 1903, to Minnie Moe, a native of Blue Earth county, Minnesota, and a daughter of S. J. and Isabella Moe, of Lakefield. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Rue as fol- lows: Maynard, born February 7, 1905; Isa- bella, born June 24, 1907.
Mfr. Rue is an active lodge man. holding membership in the Blue Lodge and Chapter of the Masonic orders, in the M. B. A., the M. W. A. and the I. O. O. F.
ALBERT II. GILBERT (1869), of Petersburg township, was born in that precinet and has spent his entire life of forty years there. The date of his birth was August 22, 1869, and his parents were Hogan and Mary (Olson) Gilbert.
Until he was twenty-four years of age Al- bert resided with his parents on the farm. Then he bought his present farm in section 36 and has since been engaged in business for himself. As a boy he endured many of the hardships ineident to pioneer life and painfully remembers the incidents connected with the grasshopper invasions of the early seventies.
In his farming operations he bas prospered. He owns 320 aeres of land on sections 36 and 35. In addition to farming and raising stock he has other business interests, owning stoek in the Petersburg Creamery company, the .Jackson Telephone company and the Petersburg Threshing company. He is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church.
Mr. Gilbert was-married November 25, 1892, to Miss Bertha Herbrandson, who was born November 20. 1872. To them have been born . children as follows: Henry, born October 25, 1893; Herman, born February 8, 1895; Mary, born August 21, 1896; Alfred, born March 1, 1898; Bert, born May 11, 1901; Lloyd, born July 23, 1900.
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
MICHAEL IL. ERPESTAD ISTD is a pio. Hver of Jackson county and one of the large land owners and successful farmer- of Delafield township. He owns 100 acres of land in Del. afield and Christiania townships and farms it all.
Mr. Erpestad is a Norwegian by birth and was born January 30, 1851, the only child born to Anna E. Erpestad. His mother came to America in 1870 and died in 1907. aged SD year -. The early life of our subject was pissed in his native land. There he secured a comp mon school education and engaged in farms work until 1869. That year he came to America and located in Fillmore county. Min nesota, where he worked out until Is71. Com- ing to Jackson county in the year last men. tioned. Mr. Erpestad bought the home quarter of his present farm in ISSO. During the first nine years of his residence here he lived with bi- mother on section 24. Delafield: then he moved onto his own farm, and has ever since been engaged in it- management. He pros. pered and his since added to his possessions by the purchase of 240 acres in section 7. Christiania, adjoining hi- home place in Dela - field township.
During his long residence in Jackson county Mr. Expestad has held many offices of trust within the gift of his neighbors. He served as chairman of the board of supervisors for a number of years, was assessor two years and township treasurer three years. He now holds the office of director of school district No. 2.2. Mr. Erpestad is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church of Windom.
On December 3. 1881. in Delafield town-le'n. Mr. Erpestad was married to Josephine John- son, who was born in Adams county, Wis ronsin. in January, 1563, and who died in the fall of 1896. To this mion four children were born: Emma. Joseph. Anna and Sophia. The second marriage of Mr. Erpestad occurred in February, 1899, when he wedded Tomine Skrove, who was born in Jackson county in 1572. To them have been born four children. named as follows: Gra. Albert, Chear and Aına.
CLARENCE W. GREENWOOD (1572). 100 prietor of a plumbing shop in Jackson and dealer in heating and olvetrie lighting sup plies, has spent the thirty seven years of hi- life in Jackson county. He is the son of the
late 1. B. and Cynthia ( Scott) Greenwood. pio- near settlers of the county. Both parent- Here mate- of Pennsylvania. They came to Jackson county in Ist and homesteaded on the west bank of leon take. They resided on that place until 157%, spent two years in ba- kadta. ind then took up their residence in Jack. son. The father died September 5. 1842, aged TO Year -: the mother died JInne 7. 1904. aged 72
Clarence is the youngest of a family of swen children born to these parents, the other children being Grace, who died April 17. 1908: C'alistia. Thomas, Wilbur, who died November 5. 1571: Charles and Frank. Our subject was horn on the farm in Minneota township Feb- mary 28, 1572. Until his father's death Clar- (nep resided at home, scouring hi- education. and at the age of twenty years started out for himself. For several years he was a Western U'nion Imeman. for three and one half years ho served as the Jackson village marshal. and then he took up the work of an electrician. engaging in the work in Jackson three year -. Before giving up that work he had established a plumbing shop on Third avenue and he has been engaged in that business ever since. He owns his home and place of business. Fra- ternally he is associated with the Masonic and Woodmien orders.
Mr. Greenwood was married in Jackson III November. 1899. to Augusta Seager, who was horn in Germany and who came to the United States when twelve years of age. Both her parents died in Milwaukee. To Mr. and Mrs. Greenwood bave been born the following nam ed children: Ethel, born July 26, 1901: Wil- liam C .. born April 8. 1904: Louis C., born August 24. 1907.
A. E. JOHNSON (1872), farmer and land owner of Delafield township, has lived in that precinct ever since he was two years of apr. He was born at Stoughton, Wisconsin. March 28, 1870. llis father. Erick Johnson, was horn in Norway and came to the United States about 1865. He located first in Wisconsin and came to Jackson county in 1872, where he died in 1991. The mother of our subjeet was Inge- bor Johnson. She died in 1896.
The subject of this biography came to Jack son county with his parents in June, 1872. and has ever since lived in Delafickl township. Ilis father took a homestead claim of eighty
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
acres on section 24. and on that farm young Johnson grew to manhood. He attended the district schools and worked on the farm for his father. In 1895 he took charge of the home farm. and, his mother dying the next year, he then engaged in farming on his own account. In 1903 he located on his present place. having planted the grove and erected the buildings thereon. lle is a member of the 3. W. A. lodge of Windom.
Mr. Johnson was married in Belmont town- ship September II, 1897, to Belle Sogge, a na- tive of Belmont and a daughter of Ole G. Sog- ge. Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, named as follows: Eldon, born June 9, 1898; Gehardt, born August 24, 1899; Benora, born March 3, 1901: Alma, born March 22, 1902: Lillian, born October 24, 1906.
ALBERT S. KNUTSON (1874), farmer and landowner of Petersburg township, has lived in the county his entire life. lle was born on the farm in Petersburg township June 7. 1874. the son of Siver and Christie (Kittleson) Knutson. His father died March 28, 1903.
Albert grew to manhood in Jackson county and now owns and farms the land which his father homesteaded in 1874. In addition to the home farm he owns other valuable tracts in Petersburg township. Hle has stock in the Pe- tersburg Creamery company, in the Jackson Telephone company and in the Elevator com- pany at Alpha. He has been supervisor of Petersburg township for several years.
Mr. Knutson was married December 18, 1907, to Clara Sanderson. of Allamakee county, Iowa. To them has been born one child, Christine A., born January 14, 1909. Mr. and Mrs. Knutson are members of the Norwegian Lutheran church.
JOHN C. LUENEBURG (1878), carpenter and contractor of Lakefield and proprietor of a summer resort on Heron lake, was born in Germany December 27, IS5S, son of Ludwig and Lena (Fischbach) Eneneburg, both de- ceased. Hle was thirteen years old when he came to the United States with his parents and located in Morrison county, Missouri. Two years later the family located in Fillmore county, Minnesota, and there our subject lived until 1878. He worked on his father's farm and learned the carpenter trade at Hamilton.
John accompanied his parents to Jackson county in 1878. and for several years lived with them on the homestead on section ten, Rost township. During these years he assisted with the farm work and worked at his trade. When he became of age he took as a homestead the southeast quarter of section 4, Rost township, which he farmed for a short time. Mr. Luene- burg located in Lakefield in 1885 and engaged in the furniture business four years. He then spent a few months in the state of Oregon. but returned to Lakefield, and has since worked at his trade, engaging in contract work to a con- siderable extent. In 1899 he bought a small tract of ground on the bank of lleron lake, on section 30. Heron Lake township, and erected a house. Ile spends the summer months there and resides in the village during the winter months. He operates two pleasure launches on Ileron lake for the benefit of pleasure seek- ers and has a fine place for a resort.
Mr. Lueneburg was married at Wells, Min- nesota, January 8. 1883, to Miss Mary Ga- briel, who was born in Germany and came to the United States at the age of eighteen years. Four children, named Annie, Ida, Hugo and George, have been born to Mr. and Mrs: Lueneburg. During the period of his residence in Rost township Mr. Lueneburg served as a supervisor and as a member of the school board.
HANS M STALL (1870) is a Des Moines township farmer who owns the northwest quar- ter of section I. He was born on the old Stall homestead on section 2, Des Moines. on March 25, ISTO. Oliver Stall, our subjeet's father, still lives on the old homestead and is seventy- years of age. Helen (Hansen) Stall, our sub- jeet's mother, died in 1876.
Hans Stall attended the district school and grew to manhood on his father's farm. At the age of twenty-three years he started in life for himself, working out and engaging in farm- ing. He lived in Jackson nine years, engaged in teaming. to which place he moved in 1899. lle bought his present farm from his brother, Edward Stall, in 1908.
On May 27, 1893. in the county of his birth, Mr. Stall was married to Belle Holsten, a na- tive of Belmont township and a daughter of the late Holsten Olson and Engebor Olson. To them has been born one child, Bennerd II., born January 23, 1903.
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
WILLIE P. KING (1866,, photographer and justice of the peace of Jackson, is one of the early day settlers of the county, having re- sided here forty -three years. He is a native of Adams, Walworth county, Wisconsin, and was born July 9, 1857, the son of William V. and Antonette L. (Porter) King.
When our subject was four years old he moved with the family from Walworth county to Crawford county, Wisconsin. In 1864 he moved back to Walworth county and made his home with his grandparents, his father being in the army at the time. He moved from Wisconsin to Austin. Min uesota, in March, 1866, and on the twelfth day of October following arrived in Jackson conn- ty. He resided on his father's homestead in Wisconsin township until 1872, and then moy. ed to the village of Jackson, where he attended
On the last named date. on account of his wife's poor health, Mr. King moved to Jackson and for the next three years assisted his father in the county auditor's office. In the spring of 1ST he moved to Jasper. Minnesota, where he worked at carpenter work one year. From 1888 to the summer of 1891 Mr. King resided in Windom, working in a photograph gallery and serving part of the time as justice of the prace. He again located at Jasper in 1891 and from that time until the spring of 1896 was en- gaged in operating a photograph gallery in that town and serving as justice of the prace. He returned to Jackson in 1896 and the next year built on Main street and opened a photo graph gallery, which he has since conducted.
Mr. King has often been called upon to serve in an official capacity and has been justice of the peace for a number of years. He was school treasurer in Hunter township from 1882 10 1885 and was elected court commissioner in 1896. He is foreman of Fire company No. 1. and has been a member of the Jackson fire de partment for twenty-four years.
Mr. King was married to Mary E. Trumbull in Jackson on January 1. 1882. She died Febru- ary 25. 1887. To this union were born two children, Bessie, who died September 26, 1884. and Genevra M., who is now teaching school in
Pipestone county. Mr. King's Freund marriage orvurred at Sioux Falls, South Dakota, January 1. 1892, when he married Mary Rovang, a na tive of lowa. To this union have been born the following named children: Gracie P., Wil- liam V., James I]. P., Rignald G., Nellie T. A., Anna V., Irve R., Wilbur R. C. and Robert D. Mr. King holds membership in the K. P. and M. W. A. lodges. He served as a deputy or- ganizer for the latter order for a number of years.
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