USA > Minnesota > Jackson County > An illustrated history of Jackson County, Minnesota > Part 59
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Mr. Arnold was married in Jo Daviess coun- ty, Ilinois, October 23, 1882, to Lanra Wick- ler, who was born in the county in which she was married in Isel. To these parent - lave been born the following named eight children: George A., born November 18, 1883; Clyde B., born JJune 10. ISSO; Carl 11., born March 8, 1889; Loretta F., born July 4. 1592: Leona M., Horn May 21, 1894: Pearl A., born JJune 23, 1896: Ervin P., born June 22, 1899; Clayton E., born May 30, 1903. Mr. Arnold says that one of the best crops on the place have been his children. He has an interesting family. Loretta and Leona are splendid musicians.
Mr. Arnold has been a member of the school board of district No. 64 for the past eighteen years. He was a member of the township board one year and a justice of the peace two years. He is a stockholder and director of the Farmer- Cooperative Creamery company of Lake Park, lowa, and has stock in the Mid- land Telephone company of Milford, Iowa, and the Farmers Exchange company of Lake Park. Mr. Arnold is a member of the Methodist church of Lake Park and of the M. W. A. lodge.
A. FRANK GERLACH (1868). For over forty years the gentlemin whose name heads this sketch, and who now lives in Jackson. has been a resident of the county, having come here as a baby two and one half years oldl. He was born in Columbus. Dane county, Wi- vonsin. March 1. Is66, the son of John and Lizzie Gerlach.
In November, Ists, the family arrived in Jackson county, having made the trip by tram. The father took a homestead in Peter -. burg township and there our subject spent his boy hood duys. He received a country school education and at the age of seventeen years left the home tarm. For the next five years he was employed at farm work, and then m Isss moved to Jackson. For two years he worked on a diay line and then bought a half interest in the business, which he conducted
three years. He was appointed village mar- shal in 1893 and served seven years. lle then retired from active pur-nils and has since been engaged in looking after his farm prop- erty. He own- 120 acres of land in Middle- town township and 120 acres partly in Wis. cousin and partly in Petersburg townships. For two years he served as chief of the Jack- son fire department.
Mr. Gerlach was married in Jackson county November 23, 1590, to Miss Barbara Miller.
ERNEST A. GAGE (SSD), ex-president of the First National Bank of Lakefield, is en- gaged in the insurance business in that vil- lage. He is the son of the late Solomon and Marion (King) Gage and descends from co- lonial stock, one distinguished member of the family being Lyman J. Gage, former secretary of the United States treasury.
Our subiect's grandfather. Solomon Gage, Sr., was born in New Hampshire in 1758 and immigrated to Kane county. Ilinois, in 18tti. Our subject's father. Solomon Gage. Jr., was born in Arcade, New York, June 15, 1827. and ale- companied his father to Rutland township, Kane county. in IStG. There he grew to man- hood. bought property and spent practically all the rest of his life. In the fifties he made two trips overland to California, driving ox teams. From the first trip he returned in 1852 by way of Cape Horn: the second te. turn trip was made by way of, the Isthmus of Panama. He came to Jackson county in 188-1, bought a section of land in Belmont and Hun- ter townships, but did not make his home here. Solomon Gage was married three times. llis first wife, Susan Hogeboom, died in Cali- tornia March 15, 1857. His second wife and the mother of our subject was Mary E. King. whom he married July 1. 1858. She was born in New Haven, Connectiont, October 1. 1810. and died JJanuary 1. 1871. She was the daugh- ter of Madison King and was of English des- rent. Nine children were born to them. of whom the subject of this biography and John G. Gage, of Lakefield, are the only surviving ones, Solomon Gage was married the third time in 1872 to Mrs. Sylvia Brisbin, a native of Canada. Mr. Gage died in Kane county, II- linois. November 7, ISS6.
Ernest A. Gage was born in Rutland town- ship. Kane county, Ilinois, February 1. 1866, and grew to young manhood there, altending the dis-
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triet schools and working on his father's farm. Ilis education was completed with one term in the preparatory department of Beloit col- lege in 1888. As before mentioned, the elder Gage came to Jackson county in 1884 and purchased land. One of these tracts was the south half of section 31, Belmont township, and upon that farm our subject located in January, 1884. Ile conducted the farm two years and then returned to his old home. He bought the old homestead and engaged in farming until the year 1901. Then he sold ont and again came to Jackson county. Lo- eating in Lakefield, he engaged in the imple- ment business four years, selling out March 6. 1905, to his brother, John G. Gage. On the first day of the year 1905 he bought out the interests of N. J. Scott in the First National Bank of Lakefield, became president of the bank, conducted it until the next year, and then sold out to J. W. Daubney. After his retire- mont from the bank Mr. Gage lived a retired life until January, 1908: then he opened an insurance business, in which he has since been engaged. He writes policies in the New York Life, the Connectieut and the Williamsburg City Insurance company.
Mr. Gage owns a half interest in the im- plement buildings occupied by his brother and has his own home in the village. He takes an active interest in lodge matters and holds membership in many worthy orders. Of the Masonie orders he is a charter member of Lakefield Lodge No. 250, A. F. & A. M., and was master in 1905; he is a charter member of lodge No. 73, R. A. M., of Jackson; of the Fairmont Commandry No. 27; and of Osman Temple of St. Paul. He holds membership in the Lakefield lodge No. 178, I. O. O. F .; in the Lakefield chapter No. 185, O. E. S., and in the Knights of the Globe at Hampshire, H- linois.
Mr. Gage was married March 31. 1890, to Emma C. Hemrick, a native of Kane county, Illinois, and a daughter of Philip H. and Caro- line M. (Maupton) Hemriek, both born in Kane county, Illinois. The former was born September 25, 1848, and now resides in Flag- ler, Colorado; the latter was born July 12, 1850 and died January 8, 1898.
LOUIS J. BRITSCH (1885) is a retired business man of Lakefield, which village has been his home for nearly a quarter of a cen-
tury. He devotes his time principally to the management of his farms and city property, but is atso engaged in buying and shipping furs. Ile owns 148 aeres of land in section 3, IIunter township, a half scetion in Ransom county, North Dakota, a drug store building in Lakefield, a residence and other property in that village.
L. J. Britseh was born May 26, 1858, in Niles, Trumbull county, Ohio, the son of Chris- tian and Catherine (Schofer) Britseh. His father was born in Bretten Bathen, Germany, and his mother at Hessen, in the same coun- try. They came to America when young and were married in Ohio. For many years the family lived at Niles, where Mr. Britseh was engaged as a puddler in the iron mills. Later he engaged in farming in Winneshiek county, Jowa, and later still farmed near Spirit Lake, Jowa, where he died October 23, 1886, aged 56 years. Mrs. Britseli is 77 years of age and resides in Lakefield. Louis is one of a family of ten children, of whom seven are living.
Louis Britsch resided with his parents in Niles, Ohio, until six years old, and then ac- companied them to Winneshiek county, Iowa. It was seven years later when the family moved to Spirit Lake. Louis was edneated in the district sehools, and after securing his edu- eation learned the harnessmaker's trade at Spencer, lowa. Later he worked at his trade in Chicago, Youngstown, Ohio, New Castle, Pennsylvania, and at Spirit Lake. Ile located in Lakefield in 1885 and opened a harness shop, which he conducted nine years. Selling out then, he has since devoted his time as men- tioned above.
At Hamilton, Minnesota, on May 26, 1987, Mr. Britseh was married to Miss Ida Hinze, who was born in Cook county, Illinois, Jan- mary 27, 1869, the daughter of Adolph and Caroline Hinze. To Mr. and Mrs. Britseh have been born four children, as follows: Lil- lian, a state university student and school teacher, born April 15, 1889; Arthur, a high school student, born November 7, 1892; Elsie, born September 9, 1895; Ludie, born March 15, 1899.
PETER MADSEN (1885) is an extensive stock breeder of Kimball township, where he is also engaged in farming a half section of land. Mr Madsen is of Danish birth and was born February 11, 1853. His parents, Mads
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Plansen and Carrie (Larsdatter) Clansen, died in their native land a number of years ago. There are seven living children in the family, as follows: Claus, Lar- C., Jons, Julia, Mary, l'eter and Carl F'.
I'ntil he was twenty -one years of age Peter Madsen lived in his native land, working out after he was fourteen years of age. In 1874 he came to America and located at Peshtigo, Wisconsin. lle worked in a sawmill there three years, on a farm in Dodge county, Wis- consin, fourteen months, and then again worked one winter in the timber at Peshtigo. From the Wisconsin town Mr. Madsen went to Chicago, where he was engaged in varions occupations until 1885. That year he came to Jackson county and located upon his present farm- the southeast quarter of section 32, Kimball which he had bought the year before. At the time of purchase the farm was prairie land with no improvements, and the substan- tial improvements now on the farm are all the result of the labors of Mr. Madsen.
In the city of Chicago on October 5, ISTS, Mr. Madsen was united in marriage to Rang- bild Olsen, who was born in Norway May 12, 1860, and came to the United States when fen years of age. She is the daughter of Tora and Mary Olson. Twelve children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Madsen, of whom eleven are living. Theodore died in Chicago at the age of two and one-half years. The others are: Theodore. horn January 21. 1883; Ed- ward, born December 21, 1885; Carrie (Mrs. Wallace Mitchell), born September 18, 1887; Julia. born August 1, 1889; Annic. born Sep- tember 18. 1891; Peter, born September 5, 1893; Walter, born January 12. 1896; George, boru March 1, 1899: Lawrence, born Aune 2. 1901: Roy, born August 15. 1903; Laurine, born June 21, 1905, Mr. Madsen has been treasurer of school district No, S7 for the past ten or twelve years. Ile is a member of the Danish Brotherhood lodge.
OLE L. LARSON (1882) is a Weimer town- ship farmer residing a short distance south of the village of Heron Lake. He is a native of Mountain Lake, Minnesota, and was born De- comber 2. 1ss0. At the age of two years he accompanied his parents to Jackson county, the family home being made on the place now farmed by our subject. the west half of the southwest quarter of scetion 30, Weimer. With
the exception of the years 1902 and 1903, when he was in Dakota, Mr. Larson has ever since lived in the county.
In 1901 Mr. Larson began farming for him- self. He rented farms in the vicinity of Heron bake until 1907, when he took charge of the home place, where he has since resided, making his home with his mother.
The parents of our subject were Lomick and Sarah (Olson) Larson, natives of Norway. They came to the United States in the sixties and were married at Red Wing. Minnesota. In the early seventies they came to Jackson county and homesteaded the land now farmed by their son. The father died in 1906. There were seven children in the family as follows: Martin, Elmer. Ole L., Minnie (Mrs. Oscar Seleen), Kate ( Mrs. Peter O. Mickelson), of Canada ; Julius E. and Ida L.
Ole received his education in the Heron Lake public schools. He is unmarried. During the year 1908 he served as road overseer of his district. He hokls membership in the Yeo- men lodge.
JOHN S. LARSON (1872), Delafield town- ship farmer, has spent his entire life in Jack- son county, having been born in a dug-out in Weimer township March 6, 1872. He is next to the youngest in a family of five living chil- dren, named as follows: Lena, Annie. Louis, Ludwig and John S. His parents, Segar and Isabella (Johanstadter) Larson, were born in Norway, were married there January 8, 1860, came to America in 1869, resided two years in Boone county, Illinois, and located in Jack- son county in the fall of ISTI. A homestead was taken on section 10. Weimer township, and there the father of our subject still lives; his mother died May 8, 1906, aged 72 years.
John Larson resided on the old homestead with his parents until he was of age, working for his father and attending school. After completing the common seboof course, he en- tered the Breck school of Wilder, being a stu- dent of that school two terms. When he reach- ed his majority he started in life for himself, working as a farm laborer for a few years. In 1890 he bought his present farm. the sonth half of the southeast quarter of section 5. Delafield township, moved onto the place the next year, and that has since been his home. In addition to his own land he farms an eighty acre traet adjoining, the property of his broth-
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er, Louis. Mr. Larson is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church and of the M. W. A. lodge.
At St. James, Minnesota, on July 5, 1897, Mr. Larson was united in marriage to Helen Grinager, who was born in Norway November 14, 1875, and who came to the United States with her parents when twelve years of age. lier father, Thomas Grinager, died in 1908; her mother, Andrena Grinager, lives in Dela - field township. To Mr. and Mrs. Larson have been born five children, of whom the follow- ing three are living: Myrtle, born October 20, 1899; Tilden, born February 10, 1904: Alf, born May 24, 1907. Two children, Inga and Palmer, died in infancy.
THOMAS OLSEN (1889) is a Hunter town- ship farmer who resides on the northwest quarter of section thirty-one. Ile was born in Norway on August 7, 1860, and there resided on a farm with his parents until sixteen years of age. Ile then became a sailor and followed a seafaring life until 1882. In that year he emigrated to the United States and first lo- cated in Kendall county, Illinois, where he worked on farms for a period of two years. Hle then moved to Des Moines, Iowa, where he made his home until 1889. Then he moved to Jackson county, and took up his residence on section one, in Sioux Valley township, residing on a farm there five years. Ile then made a trip to his old home in Norway, and returning to Jackson county the next year, he located on his present place in Hunter township, where he has since resided.
Mr. Olsen is the son of Ole and Martha Tor- resen, both of whom are natives of Norway, where the former now lives. the mother having died about fifteen years ago. They have five children living.
Thomas Olsen was married in June, 1895, to Magdalina Aslaksen, who is also a native of Norway. They are the parents of five chil- dren, as follows: Martin, born January 28, 1896; Olga, born April 22, 1898; Thelma, born December 30, 1902; Ardette, born April 3, 1905; Hilda, born July 15, 1906.
Mr. Olsen has served as director two terms in school district No. 113. He is a stockholder in the Rost creamery and the Lakefield grain elevator. He is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church.
H. HENRY HUGHES (1878), real estate dealer of Jackson, is one of the well known residents of that village, having made his home there nearly all the time since 1878. Ile was born in Oneida county, New York, Feb ruary 4, 1845, the son of Richard and Anna (Williams) Hughes. Ilis parents were natives of Wales and came to America when children. llis father died in Wisconsin October 14, 1872, at the age of 57 years; his mother died Oe- toher 20, 1892, at the age of 74 years.
When our subjeet was twelve years old he moved with his parents from New York state to Columbia county, Wisconsin, and was brought up there on a farm. He received his education in the common schools of Columbia county and completed it with a course in a select school at Fox Lake, Wisconsin. After his father's death in 1872 our subject, being the only son and the eldest of a family of five children, took the management of the home farm and conducted it until the fall of 1877.
Mr Hughes came to Jackson in the spring of 1878 and in October entered the employ of the C. L. Colman Lumber company, and a month later took the position of manager of that company's yard at that point, having superintended the building of the yards. He retained his position with the firm until the summer of 1891-a continuons service of thir- teen and a half years. Mr. Ilughes had pre- viously invested quite heavily in the imple- ment business and after selling out he moved to St. Paul in the spring of 1892 and for one and a half years was traveling salesman for the Plano Manufacturing company. Then he took a position as traveling representative, with power of attorney for loaning money and collecting, for the First National Bank, of Whitewater, Wisconsin, and was so employed until March 31, 1907, covering four states for the bank. That year he returned to Jackson and engaged in the real estate and insurance business, in which he is still engaged, in ad- dition to looking after his farm lands. He owns 400 acres of Jackson county land, which include two farms. He is a member of the Presbyterian church and of the A. F. & A. M., I. O. O. F., M. W. A. and M. B. A. lodges.
At Cambria, Columbia county, Wisconsin, on September 19, 1872, Mr. Hughes was united in marriage to Estella Wilcox, a native of New York state. To this union have been born the following named children: Ainslie H.,
25
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
llarriett A. (Mrs. Ed. Parker), Clark R. and Arthur B.
FRED ALLERS (1885), who, in partnership with his brother, William Allers, and his son, Edward Allers, farms three quarters of a sec- tion of fine land in Sioux Valley township, is a native of Mecklenberg, Germany, and was born February 24, 1818. llis father, Fred Allers, was a miller in Germany and a farmer after he came to the new world. lle died in Scott county, Jowa, January 9, 1887. The mother of our subject, Inger AAllers, died in 1889, also in Scott county, lowa.
Fred Allers of this sketch came to America with his parents in 1852-when he was only four years of age. Upon their arrival in the United States they set out for the west and arrived in Chicago, beyond which railroads did not at the time extend. The family and len- ry Knock, an unele of our subject, who ne- companied them, bought a team in Chicago and set out overland on a three hundred mile journey to Davenport, Iowa. On the trip they came upon only one settler, and when they arrived in Davenport they found it to be a little village of only three business houses.
Upon arriving in this new country the head of the family bought a forty aere tract of land situated one-half mile north of the pres. ent site of Walcott, lowa, paying therefor one dollar per acre. On that farm, which was later increased to 210 acres, our subject grew to manhood. There were no schools in that pioneer country and the only schooling Fred Allers received was obtained one winter in the Davenport school when he was seventeen years of age. After growing up he engaged in farming on his own account.
It was on the first day of March, 1885, that Fred Allers, accompanied by his brother, Wil- liam, arrived in Jackson county. For three years the brothers rented land in Sioux Val- ley township; then they bought the northwest quarter of section 25, in that township, which is still the home place. Later they bought other property until today they own 480 acres of choice land. When Edward Allers, the son of our subject, grew up he entered the part- Her-lup, and since then the three have con- ducted the farms in partnership. The land was all mimproved when they bought. except- ing a house 11x21 feet on the home place and a little barn covered with hay. They have
made all the improvements and have fine homes, surrounded by large grove -. They raise stock quite extensively and are success- ful farmers.
Mr. Allers was married at Walcott, lowa, February 2, 1873, to Catherina Stoltenberg, daughter of the late Jochim Stoltenberg. Mlra. Allers was born in Holstein, Germany, Sep- Lember 1, 1844, and came to the United States in 1872. Two children were born to this union, as follows: Edward, born December 6. 1873; Emelia, born July 22, 1875, died February 22, 1879.
Mr. Allers is a member of the German Luth- eran church of Sioux Valley township and of the Germania Verein. He was a director of school district No. 50 during the years 1888- 1891.
BEN J. TOLLEFSON (1871), who own- a forty nere timber tract on section 16, Belmont township, is an early day settler of Jackson county, He is a native of Norway and was born May 17, 1852, the son of Tolet and Aletta (Johnson) Tollefson. These parents came from Norway in 1865 and to Jackson county in 1871. The father of our subject homestead- ed land in West Heron Lake township in 1875 and made his home there until his death, which occurred in 1885. The mother of our subject made her home with Bon Tollefson until her death in August, 1903, aged eighty- seven and one-half years. They were the par- ent- of four children: Matt, of Jackson: Jolin, who died in 1884: Helen (Mrs. Christian O]- son), who died in 1906 at her home in Wis- consin: Ben JJ., of this sketch.
Ben Tollefson came to America with his parents in 1865, resided five years in Lafay- ette county, Wisconsin, a short time in Fill- more county, Minnesota, and accompanied his parents to Jackson county in 1871. He se- cured 120 acres of land on section 8. West Heron Lake township, where he resided until 1894. He then sold out and moved south, buy- ing a farm in Oktibbeha county, Mississippi. He did not like the country and a year and a half later returned to Jackson county. lle bought S6 acres of land adjoining the village ot Jackson on the southeast, where he lived eight years. Dispo-ing of that property, Mir. Tollefson bought the timber traet where he now resides, erected buildings thereon and moved onto the place. He engages in farming
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only to a limited extent. During his residence in West Heron Lake township Mr. Tollefson was always honored with township offices.
The gentleman whose name heads this bio- graphy was married in West Heron Lake township in June, 1879, to Inga Goplen, who was born in Allamakee county, Iowa, Septem- ber 13, 1861, and who is the daughter of Nels fiopten. To Mr. and Mrs. Tollefson have been born the following named three children: Net- tie (Mrs. Albert llolleck), of Jackson, born January 13, 1881; Alvin, who resides at home, born December 25, 1882; Elmer, of Minneapo- lis, born March 31, 1887.
JIENRY P. STONE (1880) has resided in Jackson county twenty-nine years. He is an auctioneer and makes his home in Lakefield. He is a native of Tioga county, Pennsylvania, and was born February 25, 1860, being one of a family of six children born to J. D. and Julia 11. (Smith) Stone. Both parents were born in Connecticut and were of colonial stock, the father being of German extraction, the mother of English.
J. D. Stone, the father of our subject, moved from Connecticut to Pennsylvania when he was twenty-three years of age and for ten years held a government position in the na- tional capitol building at Washington, his fam- ily during this time residing in Tioga county, Pennsylvania. Mr. Stone was in the Ford Lincoln was assassinated. He moved to Wis- consin in 1872, bought land and farmed until 1883. That year he moved to Jackson county, engaged in farming until 1889, when he moved to Lakefield and engaged in the hotel business. He died at Lakefield in 1889; his wife died in 1897.
Henry P. Stone, of this sketch, moved with his parents from Pennsylvania to Wisconsin when a boy. There he resided, working on his father's farm, until 1880. That year he came to Jackson county, bonght land in Wisconsin township, and engaged in farming on his own account. lle left the farm in the fall of 1885 and moved to Lakefield, and that village has since been his home. After the death of his father in 1889 he conducted the hotel for a number of years, and since that time has been engaged in dealing in horses, farming and crying public sales. Hle first took up the aue-
tioneer's business in 1886, and has followed that calling ever since.
Mr. Stone was married at Jackson Angust 20, 1885, to Ama Wells, a native of Sheboy- gan county, Wisconsin. ller father was Matt Sorenson. ller mother dying when she was a child seven years of age, she was adopted into a family named Wells and took that name. To Mr. and Mrs. Stone have been born the following named children: J. D., D. D., C. Leroy, Nina L., Earl, Myron H., Kate, Peter, Mae, llorace. Mr. Stone is a member of the M. B. A. lodge. His wife is a member of the Methodist church and of the Royal Neighbors lodge.
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