USA > Minnesota > Jackson County > An illustrated history of Jackson County, Minnesota > Part 60
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EDWARD A. BOEHL (1887) is the proprie- tor of the livery barn and of the dray line at Alpha. He is a native of Monee, Will county, Illinois, and his parents were Angust and Wil- helmina Boehl, both deceased.
Mr. Boehl lived in Will county, Illinois, un- til he was twenty-seven years of age. Fifteen years of this time he engaged in threshing during the seasons and for fourteen years en- gaged in stockraising. Ile arrived in Jackson county March 12, 1887, and has ever since made his home there. During the first twelve years he resided in Jackson, during all of which time he was engaged in the threshing business. For three years he also engaged in farming and from 1890 to 1899 conducted a
theater at Washington the night President . dray line. Mr. Boehl moved to Alpha in the spring of 1899, and has since been engaged in farming, teaming and threshing. in the fall of 1908 he and his son, Eddy, purchased the livery, dray and feed business of C. J. Swen- son. Besides the business enterprises men- tioned Mr. Boehl owns stock in the Farmers' elevator company of Alpha.
Mr. Boehl owns property in the village of Alpha. He is a member of the Presbyterian church and of the M. B. lodge of Alpha. He served four years as chairman of the board of supervisors of Wisconsin township, was a member of the Alpha village council two years and was village treasurer three years. He was also chief of the Alpha fire department three years.
Mr. Boehl was married February 12, 1887, to Miss Emma Bohlander. To them have been born the following children: Francelia, born March 24, 1890; Eddy H., born January 16,
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IS92; Florence, born March 31, 1894; Blanche, born February IS, 1901.
L. KUMMETHI (ISS) is one of the large land owners and successful farmers of Alba township. He owns a section of land in one body and farms it all.
Mr. Kummeth is a native of Balvia, Bayern, Germany, and was born January 15, 1851, the son of George and Genciva (Wagner) Kin- micth. His father, who was a mason by trade, died in Germany about twenty-five years ago, aged 85 years. His mother died in Germany ten years ago, aged 80 years.
Our subject spent the first twenty-two years of his life in his native land. He was brought up in the village of Hausen and was edneated in the common schools. At the age of four- teen years he began working at the mason's trade, and during the remainder of the time he lived in the old country he followed that trade during the summer months, working as a wood chopper during the winter months. During the month of May, 1873, Mr. Kummeth came to the United States. He spent the first year in New York city, working for a second hand Imber company, tearing down old build- ings. After one year spent in the metropolis he moved to Lake county, Illinois, where he resided thirteen years. During the first seven years of this time he worked as a farm hand ; the last six he was engaged in farming on rented land.
In the fall of 1887 Mr. Kummeth came to Jackson county and located upon an eighty acre farm on section 10. Ewington township, which he had bought the year before, and started farming. When he arrived in the county he had a team and wagon and just enough money to buikl a little house and shed. He borrowed money to buy feed for his horses and food for his family, paying twenty-four per cent interest. having raised no crop during the first three years of his residence in the county. Later he came upon better times aml has prospered. Ile lived on the Ewington township farm eight years, during which time la increased it by the purchase of an addi- tional eighty acres.
In 1895 Mr. Kummeth traded his Ewington township farm for the quarter section of land on section it. Alba, now the home place. and has ever since resided on it. At the time of making the trade the only improvements were
a smil house and barn. He now has a fine home and well improved farm. He bought the southeast quarter of section 10 in 1899 and the south half of section Il in the fall of 1909.
Mr. Kummeth has taken an active part in the affairs of his community and has several times been called upon to serve in an official capacity. He was a member of the Alba town- ship board twelve years and during two years of that time was chairman of the board. Hc is derk of school district No. 102 and has serv. od in that capacity twelve years. He and his family are members of the Catholic church of Ileron Lake.
In Lake county, Illinois, in February, 1882. Mr. Kummeth was united in marriage to Wal- purge Isele, who was born in Balvia, Bayern, Germany, and who came to the United States in 188]. To these parents have been born the following named five children: Annie. Frank, Barbara, Lawrener and George, all living at home.
FRANK J. APPEL (1871), agent for the Hamm Brewing company, resides at Heron Lake, in the vicinity of which town he has lived since he was eleven years of age. He is an Austrian by birth and was born June 29, 1863. Ile is the son of the late Thomas Appel and Tracy (Dager) Appel, who came from Austria in 1874 and settled in LaCrosse town- ship. Thomas Appel homesteaded the south half of the southeast quarter of section 8, and upon that place the family resided until 1901, when they moved to Heron Lake. There our subject's father died on August 12. 1907, at the age of 78 years, and there his mother, who is now 70 years of age, resides. Frank is next to the oldest of a family of seven chil- dren, all of whom are living. They are John, Frank. Fred. Lonis, Joseph, Vincent and Wil- liam.
Coming to America with his parents in 1871, Frank lived on the home farm until 1889. at - tending the country schools and assisting with the farm work. Then he married, bought the northwest quarter of section 16. LaCrosse township, and engaged in farming for nine years. Ho conducted a saloon in Kinbrac one year and then. in 1899, located in Heron Lake. Starting a saloon at the time he located in the village Mr. Appel conducted it until the spring of 1909, when he sold to Barney Grave.
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTOR, LENOX AND TIDEN FOUNDATIONS.
-
ita
PAUL H. BERGE
President of the P. H. Berge Company, Jackson, and Ex-Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners.
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He has been the local representative of the Ilammı Brewing company ever since he lo- cated in Iteron Lake. In connection with his saloon business Mr Appel was engaged in the implement business four years, selling out in the fall of 1906.
Our subject was married in Ileron Lake September 21, 1889, to Agnes Hager, a na- tive of Austria and a daughter of Frank Hag- er, a former resident of LaCrosse township, now living at Princeton, Minnesota. To MIr. and Mrs. Appel have been born the following seven children: Hilda, Eda, John, Alma, Elsie, Agnes, Raymond.
The family are members of the Catholic church and Mr. Appel belongs to the Catholic Order of Foresters. While a resident of the country Mr. Appel served five years as town- ship clerk and the same length of time as jus- tice of the peace.
PAUL H. BERGE (1878), president of the P. H. Berge Company (incorporated) of Jaek- son. is one of the pioneer merchants of the county seat village. Ile is a native of Rock county, Wisconsin, where he was born Feb- ruary 28, 1852, the son of H. H. and Annie (Sanden) Berge.
In his native county Paul Il. Berge received his education, completing it with a two years' course in Beloit college. In 1874, at the age of twenty-two years, he came to Minnesota and located in the little village of Windon, where for two and one-half years he was en- gaged in the butter business. Returning at the end of that time to his old home, he spent the next two and one-half years elerking in store.
In September, 1878, just before the arrival of the railroad to Jackson, Mr. Berge came to that town and bought an interest in the mer- cantile establishment of Strong Brothers, the firm name then becoming Strong Brothers & Berge. Two years later Strong Brothers with- drew from the firm and thereafter for twenty- three years the establishment was conducted under the name of Berge Brothers, II. H. Berge, Jr .. a brother of our subject, being the junior member. P. H. Berge bought out his brother's interest in 1904 and conducted the store alone for two years. Two years after the last change noted the P. II. Berge Com- pany, with a capital stock of $20,000, was in- eorporated. Of this company the following
are the present officers: P. II. Berge, presi- dent; A. A. Berge, vice president ; H. J. Berge. secretary; O. B. Berge, treasurer.
Besides the P. II. Berge Company Mr. Berge has other business interests. He is vice presi- dent of the First National Bank of Jackson, has stock in the First National Bank of Heron Lake and has an interest in a lumber firm in the state of Washington. In a political way he has served in various capacities. He was chairman of the board of county commission- ers six years, was a member of the local board of education twelve years, six years as presi- dent and six years as secretary, and was presi- dent of the village council the second year af- ter incorporation. He is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church and of the I. O. O. F. and A. O. U. W. lodges.
Mr. Berge was married in Belmont township in November, 1881, to Lena Olson. To this union eight children have been born, as fol- lows: Herbert J., Oscar B., Parker L., Amy A., Irene Luella, Hazel Aliouse, Catherine (died at the age of one year), Nellie E. (Mc- Namara), who died August G, 1908, at Alexan- dria, Minnesota.
SHERRILL BUSHNELL (1885) is a Des Moines township farmer whose place is on section 14, a short distance north of the vil- lage of Jackson. He is a native of Lisbon, Kendall county, Illinois, and was born Novem- Der 24, 1858, the son of Joseph and Elenora (Cobley) Bushnell, now residents of Jackson.
The father of our subject was born in New York state, came west in an early day and settled in Illinois. He located in Jackson in 1885, hought the farm upon which his son now resides in 1886, and has ever since been a resi- dent of the county. His wife was born in Vermont. They are the parents of three chil. dren: Jackson, of Kansas City, Kansas; Edith (Mrs. Jabe Norman), of Denver, Colorado; Sherrill. of this sketch.
Sherrill lived in his native county until twelve years of age. Then he moved to Ford county, Illinois, where he attended school and engaged in farm work until he came to Jack- son county in 1885. During the first four years of his residence in the county he lived in Jackson and worked on his father's farm north of the village. He spent one year at lona. Lake, one year in Jackson, and then lo- cated on his father's farm, where he has sinee
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made his home. He is a director of school di -- triet No. 13, is a member of the Presbyterian church and of the M. W. A. lodge.
Mr. Bushnell was married in Jackson March 30. 1857. to Annie Davis, daughter of Joseph and Caroline Farrar) Davis and a native of Maine. Mr. and Mrs. Bushnell are the par. ent- of eight children, as follows: Horace. born Jamary 22. Iss9; Andrew, horn May 31. 1>901: Wallace, born November 5, 1893; Edith, boin February 2. 1896: Lillian F., born May Hi. 1808: Gordon, born September 12. 1900; Grace, born October 29. 1902: Edwin W. born July 26. 1907.
JAMES M. DALZIEL. (1883). a farmer of Weimer township residing on the bank of Heren lake a short distance southeast of the village of the same name, has resided in the county siner he was a child. His farm con- stitutes one of the best game preserves on the lake and he has leased the hunting rights to . Minneapolis club of fifteen member- for a term of ten year -.
Mr. Dalziel was horn near the city of Glas- gow. Scotland. on April 28. 1876. Ilis father died when he was one year of age and in 1853 he accompanied his mother to America, the family consisting of three children. The fam- ily home was made on the southwest quarter of section 28. Weimer township, and on that farm James has ever since resided. He ha- rented and conducted the farm for the past six years, the place being owned by his mother.
The mother of our subject, who now live. in fleron Lake, is deserving of a great deal of credit for the success she has made since com ing to Jackson county. The trip across the water was made in the old steamer "Bolivia" in a three weeks' trip, the boat being dis- abled. Mrs. Dalziel arrived in the country with her three children practically penniless. but by hard work and a determination to suc. cred she has secured a competence for her later years. She owns village property in ad dition to the farm.
Our subject was married in Heron Lake May 16, 1809, to Stella Anderson, who was born in Ilinois July 16, 1843. Three children have been born to this union: Willard. barn De- rember 15. 1901: Zola, horn May 3, 1901. and baby boy, born December 15. 1909. Mr. Dal- ziel is a member of the Presbyterian church and of the M. B. A. lodge.
OLE AAS (s72) i- a farmer and thresher- man who owns Is0 acres of land on sections 4 and 9, Belmont township. He is the younger of two sons born to Ole A. and Carolina (Li). l berg) Aas, llis parents were born in Nor- way and came to America before their mar- riage, becoming early settlers of JJackson coun. ty. The father died in Jackson in 1906, aged so year -; the mother now lives in Jackson and i- 77 years of age.
To these parents Ole Nas was born on the Belmont township farm February 13, 1972. There he received his education and there he has ever since lived. Until his father moved to Jackson in 190] Ole worked on the home farm: then he began farming it on his own account, and after his father's death in 1906 he fell heir to the property. Hle farms the whole Is6 acres and for the past seven years has also been engaged in the threshing busi- nos4. He is a member of the Norwegian Luth. oran church.
Mr. Aas was married in the county in Oc- tober. 1901. to Grace Arnston, who was born in Norway and came to the United States when one year of age. She is the daughter of Olof Arnston, of Belmont. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Aas, as follows: Orville and Gladys.
DAVID CRAWFORD (ISS6) is the member of the board of county commissioners from the third district and resides at Lakefick During a residence of over twenty years in the county he has taken an active part in its political and general history. He was born at Woodside, West Kilbride, Ayrshire. Scot land. August 6. 1860, the son of David and Jennie (Hannah) Crawford.
David Crawford received his education and spent hi- early years in his native country. He came to America in ISSO and located in Canada, where he lived six years, engaged in different lines of Isiness. In October, 18SG. he became a resident of Jackson county, lo- eating in Heron Lake and buying a half in- terest in a meat market there. One year later he sold out and moved to lakefield, started the first livery barn in the village, and that has been his home ever since. He continued in the livery business seven years, then sold out, and has since been engaged in several different lines of endeavor, for several years being engaged in the grain business. MIr.
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
Crawford was elected county commissioner in 1896, was reelected in 1900 and again in 1904 and 1908, having a continuous service of over twelve years to his credit. His present term expires January 1, 1913. Besides the county office, he served four years as president of the Lakefickl village couneil.
June 1, 1898, Mr. Crawford was united in marriage to Miss Ella Thompson. To them bave been born three children: Elsie, Maurice and Clarence.
JOHN ENGEL (1890) is a prosperous farm- er and stock raiser of Sioux Valley township. where he owns a 240 acre farm. He is a na- tive of Schleswig-llolstein, Germany, and was born May 1, 1865. His father, Hans Hanson Engel, died in Germany in 1895, aged 61 years. llis mother, Helen (Petersen) Engel, died in Germany in 1870.
John was brought up and educated in a farming community and spent the first seven- teen years of his life in his native land, work- ing out on a farm during the last two years there. In 1882 he came to America and lo- eated in Benton county, Iowa, where he lived eight years, working as a farm hand. In March, 1890. Mr. Engel came to Jackson eoun- ty and located upon his present farm, which he had bought in 1885. The place was then raw prairie, and the present improvements are all the result of his labors. Mr. Engel raises stock quite extensively and he has prospered since locating in Jackson county.
Mr. Engel has often been called upon to serve in an official capacity. Hle is clerk of his township and has held the office for the last nine years. He is also a director of school district No. 50 and with the exception of two or three years has served as such since 1891. He was township assessor three years and a member of the board of supervisors two years. lle is a member of the A. O. U. W. lodge of Lake Park.
Mr. Engel was married at Jackson July 9. 1891, to Matilda Kruse, who was born in Hamburg. Germany, April 7, 1873, and came to the United States in 1887. Iler father, C. T. A. Kruse, died in 1899 and her mother, Maria Kruse, died in 1906. To Mr. and Mrs. Engel have been born the following children: Helmuth H., born June 14, 1892, died Novem- ber 2, 1908: Alvina, born May 27. 1893; Han- nah, born July 12, 1895; Freda, born August
24, 1897; Rudolph, born August 27, 1903; John, born April 14, 1909.
HENRY W. ROBSON (1878), hardware mer- chant of lleron Lake, has spent his entire life of thirty-one years in Jackson county, hav- ing been born in Heron Lake township, three miles northwest of Lakefield, on November 14. 1878. His parents were John and Anna (Foss) Robson.
John Robson was born in Stockholm, Swed- en, coming to America when about nineteen years of age. Ile located first in New York and later in Chicago and other points in Illi- nois. During the late fifties and early sixties he followed hunting and trapping for a living and led a frontiersman's life. At the outbreak of the civil war he enlisted in company G, 5th Minnesota, on January 5, 1862; was discharg- ed for disability January 15, 1863. He moved to Jackson county in the seventies, took a homestead in Heron Lake township and lived on the farm until about 1881. Then he moved to Heron Lake and eondueted a blacksmith and gunsmith shop until his death. which oc- curred in 1893 at the age of seventy years. Ilis wife also died in Heron Lake.
Henry W. Robson accompanied his parents when they moved from the farm to Heron Lake, being two years of age at the time. He lived with his father until the latter's death, and then he started out in life for himself, working at whatever he could find to do, first on a farm, then in a restaurant and during later years as a elerk in a general store. On October 1, 1906, Mr. Robson bought out the hardware and harness stoek of J. F. Humis- ton, and has since condueted that business.
Mr. Robson was married at Heron Lake April 19, 1903, to Miss Alma Tuberg, a na- tive of Mankato and a daughter of Gus. Tu- berg, of that city. Mr. Robson is a member of the A. F. & A. M .. the Eastern Star, the M. W. A. and the Yeomen lodges.
FRANK A. MUZIKAR (1886), of Hunter township, was born in Moravia, Austria, Au- gust 16, 1868, the son of John and Antonia (Ris) Muzikar. These parents were born in 1832 and 1836, respectively, came to the Unit- ed States in 1874, lived in Chicago several years, and located in Jackson county in 1886,
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where they still reside. They make their home with their son. Frank.
Frank came to America with his parents in 1874 and for twelve years lived with them in the city of Chicago. There he received his edu- ration, and there he worked at the hard wood furniture finishing business. He arrived in Jackson county with the family March 10. 1×86, and until he was twenty- four years of age lived with his parents on the farm in Hunter township. He married in 1892 and took over the management of the home farm the north half of the southwest quarter of section 22. In 1899 he bought the northwest quarter of that section and in 1909 the south half of the northeast quarter of section 21. He farms 240 acres.
Mr. Muzikar was married in Jackson No- vember 20. 1892, to Mary Motl, who was born in Bohemia, Austria, September S, 1872. and who came to the United States when three years of age. She is the daughter of Frank and Mary Motl, of Enterprise township. Mr. and Mrs. Muzikar are the parents of one child, Lawrence, born August 1. 1908. The family are members of the Catholic church of Jack- son and he belongs to the Catholic Bohemian lodge. He has served as township clerk for the last eight years, has hold the offices of as sessor and treasurer and has been clerk of his school district for a number of years.
PAUL, H. PAULSON (1871) is one of the carly day settlers of Belmont township. where he has spent nearly forty years of his life. Hle is a native of Norway and was born on the last day of the year 1815, one of a family of right children born to Andrew and Mary (Jones) Paulson. His parents came to Ameri- ea in 1852 and in that early day located in Clayton county. Towa, engaging in farming. They moved to Mitchell county, Iowa, in 1866 and resided there the rest of their lives. Ilis father died in 1878, aged 60 years; his mother died several years later. Of their eight child- ren the following named five are living: Paul. Jane, Harry, Alex and Ole.
Paul crossed to the new world with his parents in 1852, being then a small boy. From that time until he came to Jackson county in 1571 be resided in Clayton county. Iowa. se- curing an education and making his home with his parents. Arriving in Jackson county, he look as a homestead the north half of the
southwest quarter of section 30, Belmont town. ship, a part of his pre-ent farm, and on that place he has ever since made his home. Hard time- came upon him during the grasshopper "courge and in order to make a living he was obliged to go to Mitchell county, lowa. to work in the harvest fields. He encountered many hardships during the pioneer days - lordship- to which many succumbed but he remained with lis country and weathered the storms of adversity. Today he has a fine farm of 200 acres and is in prosperous circum- stances.
During his long residence in Jackson conn- ty Mr. Panison has held many offices of trust within the gift of his neighbors. Ile wa- chos. en elerk of school district No. Is in 1871 and served for thirty years. He has held the of. five of chairman of the township board. has been justice of the peace and constable. le is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church of West Belmont.
Mr. Paulson was married in Clayton county. lowa. November 18. ISGS, to Elizabeth Knut- son, who was born in Norway March 1. Isti, and enme to America when sixteen year- oldl. She is a daughter of Ole and Ingebor (Tollef son) Knutson. Eight children have been born to this union. as follows: Andrew. of St. Ansgar, Towa: Mary, deceased: Theodore, of Redwood county. Minnesota: Edward, of Pel mont : Peter, living at home: Nettie (Mrs. John A. Williams), of Little Crdar, Iowa : Belle and Ida, who reside at home.
JOHN I. WALLACE (Iss), proprietor of a tow manufacturing plant at JJackson. is a native of Spafford township. Onondago coun- ty. New York, and was born on August 1. 1513. The parents of our subject were John and Merey R. (Woodworth) Wallace. The father came from Ireland in 1832 and after a residence of a year or two in Washington county moved to Onondago county, New York. where he engaged in farming for a number of years, later moving to the little village of Spafford Corners, where he died May 21. 1893, aged 82 years. Mercy R. Wallace was born in New York state. Her family was of Eng- lish descent. her parents having been born in Connecticut. She married Mr. Wallace in No- vember. ISIO, and died in August, 1865, aged 43 years.
Our subject lived in his native township in
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Onondago county until ten years of age and then moved with his parents to Otisco town- ship, of the same county. There he secured a district school education and worked on his father's farm until the outbreak of the civil War.
On September 25, 1861, Mr. Wallace enlisted in Company A, of the 75th New York volun- tver infantry, at Auburn and served until after the close of the war. - Early in the war his regiment was sent to Santa Rosa island, off the southern coast of Florida, and from there was transferred to Pensacola, Florida, upon the evacuation of the navy yard there by the confederate forces. In September, 1862. Mr. Wallace accompanied his regiment to New Orleans, Louisiana, and in that state took part in several severe engagements, among others the battle of Camp Bisland. He was on the skirmish line of the forces that captured the gunboat Cotton on Bayou Teche.
After spending the winter of 1862-63 in New Orleans, the forces to which Mr. Wallace belonged started out under command of Gen- eral Banks on a campaign through the state. They went to Alexandria and then to Port Hudson, where the forces arrived May 26, 1863. The day following Mr. Wallace took part in the charge on Port Hudson. There- after for forty-four days the 75th regiment engaged the enemy in siege, fighting almost continually and losing about two-thirds of the command in killed, wounded and captured. On June 1 Mr. Wallace was wounded by be- ing struck in the right hip by a piece of a shell. For the next three months he was off duty, part of the time being in a field hospi- tal and the rest of the time at home. having secured a sixty days furlough. He rejoined his regiment at New Iberia, Louisiana.
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