USA > Minnesota > Jackson County > An illustrated history of Jackson County, Minnesota > Part 64
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In the spring of Iss the family moved to Jackson county and were among the first of the German families to take up a residence in Sioux Valley township. Miter Ed grew up he entered into partnership with his father and uncle and has siner been engaged in the management of the three farms which they own. He lived with his parents on the home place until 1903; then he married and located upon the northeast quarter of section 26. The Allers engage in general farming and stock raising and farm a half section of land. rent. ing out the other quarter. Ed has stock in the Sioux Valley creamery, the farmer's elevator of Lake Park and the Midland Telephone com- pany. Ile is a member of the German Luther- an church and of the Odd Fellows lodge.
Edward AHlers was married at Spirit Lake. lowa. July 9. 1901. to Dina E. Wellhausen. a daughter of Ernst Wellhausen, of Sioux Val- ley. Mrs. Allers was born in Hildesheim, Han- over. Germany. November 15. 1876. came to the I nited States and to Eldridge, lowa, in 1882, and to Jackson county in Issi.
JOHN BORSGARD (1-75). of Christiania township, was born in that precinet Jfune ?. 1875, the son of Severt Bor-gard and Kiersten Krogstad Bor-gard. ant has ever since ma le his home in Jackson county. He secured his
primary education in the district schools and later attended the Break college at Wilder tive term -. He completed his education in the Mankato Normal school. He hegan teach- ing school in 1995 and was so engaged eight terms. lle is a member of the Lutheran church.
EDWARD F. VACURA (850). Des Moines township farmer. was born in Linn county. Jowa. June 10, Iss3, and is the son of the late John Vacura and Barbara (las) Vacura.
Edward was three years of age when the family came to Jackson county. They lo- cated upon the south half of the northeast quarter of section 8. Des Moines, and upon that farm our subject ha- spent his life. Hle was educated in the district school and until the death of his father. which occurred Jan- vary 5. 1909. he worked for his parents. Ile ha - now rented the home place and is engaged in farming on his own account.
Mr. Vacura was married October 26, 1909. to Mary Micklos, ellest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Micklos, of Jackson county. Minne- sota. He has served as assessor of his town- ship for the last two years and is also a mem- ber of the school board of district No. S. He is a member of the M. W. A. lodge.
PETER NELSON (SSD). superintendent of the electric light and water works plant of Lakefield, was born in Sweden February 10. 1500. the son of Nel- Hansen and Mary (Nelson) Hansen. The father died when Peter was two years old and his mother when he was four- tren year- of age. He attended school a few terms before he was twelve years of age, but his advantages for obtaining an education were meager. and at an early age he began to work and earn his own living.
Mr. Nelson was employed on a farm in Swo- den until IS81, when he came to the United States. The first three months of his resi- dence in the new world he worked on a farm in Kane county, Illinois, and then for six years was employed on the celebrated M. W. Dunham horse farm. Coming to Jackson county, Mr. Nelson bought a farm in Hunter township. upon which he lived until 1895. Ow- ing to bad crops. a fire that destroyed his honse and barn, and two hail storms, he was forced to sell, but rented the place one year
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after the title had been transferred. The first seven years after moving to Lakefield he was engaged in different kinds of work, and then took a position in the leetrie light and water works plant, becoming superintendent of the plant on February 1, 1907. Some years after moving to the village where he now lives Mr. Nelson's house was completely de- stroyed in a cyclone and his wife and two children were quite badly hurt.
Mr. Nelson was married in Jackson county February 28. 1888, to Susie Goplen, a native of Iowa and a daughter of Nels Goplen, one of the early settlers. To Mr. and Mrs. Nel- son have been born four children, as follows: Arlie H., Alma MI., Mabel S. and Earl R. The family are members of the Methodist church.
WILLIAM G. SCIINEIDER (1884) owns a quarter section farm in Middletown township, a few miles southwest of Jackson, upon which he has lived over a quarter of a century. ITe was born in Moline, Rock Island county, Illi- nois, December 29, 1853, son of David and Lena (Kuhl) Schneider. His parents were born in Germany and came to the United States just prior to their marriage. They liv- ed a short time in Davenport, Iowa, and then took up their residence in Moline, Illinois, where they both died. William is the oldest of a family of nine children, of whom six are living.
The subject of this biography received his odneation and early training in the city of Moline. Until he was past twenty-six years of age he made his home with his parents: then he married and began housekeeping for himself. During the latter part of his resi- dence in Moline he was an employe of the Moline Plow company. In 1884 he came to Jackson county and bought the southwest quarter of section 3, Middletown township, and he has ever since lived there, engaged in farming. The land at the time of purchase was raw prairie and the purchase price was seven dollars per acre. All the improvements on the place were made by him. Mr. Schneid- er has been a director or treasurer of school district No. 92 for a number of years. He is a member of the Odd Fellows lodge.
The marriage of Mr. Schneider occurred in Davenport, Iowa, February 26, 1880, when he wedded Theresa LaFranze. She was born near
the city of Sacramento, California, March 15, 1860, and her father was Jolm LaFranze. Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Schneider, as follows: Lulu (Mrs. William Rosenbrook), Ella, Helen, Wilma and William L.
CARL BRODIN (1888) is a successful farm- er of Delafield township, owning the northwest quarter of section 27 and the east half of the northwest quarter of section 28. Ile was born in Sweden June 27. 1866, the son of Johannes Anderson and Johanna (Andreasson) Ander- son, who were born in 1833 and 1831, respec- tively, and who are still living in their na- tive land.
Carl lived in the old country until twenty- two years of age, working on the home farm. He came to the United States and to Jackson county in 1888, arriving in this county on April 30. Upon his arrival he took the name Brodin, after his old Swedish home, his name in Sweden having been Carl Johnson. This change was made because of anticipated troub- les in mail matters incident to the name of Johnson. During the first five years of his residence in Jackson county Mr. Brodin work- ed out as a farm hand, three years on the farm of Hans Skinrud in Delafield township and two years on the farm of Christ Knudson in Weimer township. He then bought eighty acres of his present farm, then without a building, tree or fence on it, and engaged in farming on his account. In 1902 he bought an additional eighty acres and in 1904 increased his farm to 240 acres by the purchase of eighty acres on section 28. He has a finely improved farm-the result of his labors.
Mr. Brodin was married in Delafield town- ship April 2. 1892, to Ida Linstrom, who was born in Delafield township. She is the daugh- ter of August Linstrom. of Wilder. To Mr. and Mrs. Brodin have been born the follow- ing named children: Ernest Arthur and Hen- ry Robert (twins), born October 21, 1894; Gus- tav Victor, born March 22, 1897: George El- mer, born July 11. 1899. Mr. Brodin is treas- urer of school district No. 121.
OLOF O. SWENSON (1884). deceased, was one of the prominent citizens and successful farmers of Petersburg township. His home was the northeast quarter of section 2, and
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upon that place his widow still resides. Mr. Swenson was born in Madmo, Sweden, Angu-t 27. 1$56. He worked luring his early years on a farm and in a brick factory, and in Isso "migrated to the United States. During 200 first two years of his residence in the How world Mr. Swenson worked in a brick yard near Rockford, Illinois, and for two years more worked in a machine shop in that city.
In 1843 Mr. Swenson had purchased his quar ter section farm in Petersburg township, Jack- son county. and on March 1, ISSI, came to the county to make his future home. There he lived, engaged in farming and contracting un- til his death, which occurred August 22, 1895. as a result of blood poisoning. He was one of the organizers of school district No. 78 and for ten years held the office of treasurer of the district. He was a member of the Swedish Lutheran church.
Mr. Swenson was married in Rockford. Illi- noi-, October IT, Is81, to Ingar Nelson. Mrs. Swenson was born in Malmo, Sweden, Devem- Fer 3. 1850, the daughter of Sven and Ellen Nelson. She came to the United States and settled at Rockford, Illinois, on May 15. 1881. To Mr. and Mrs. Swenson were born the fol- lowing named children: Anna C., horn Ang- 1-t 17, 1882. died October 2, 1882; Carl J., born August 30, 1883; Aaron IL .. horn Angust 27, 1885; Olof R., born October 7. 1887: Hla M., born December 5, 1889; Enock E., born December 5, 1891.
J. B. ABP (1885), superintendent of schools of Jackson county. since securing his educa- tion has devoted his life to educational work. He is a German by birth and was born at Wendtorf, near the city of Kiel. November 13, 1s69, the son of Claus and Margarethe (We)- lendorf) Arp.
When the subject of this review was four teen years of age the family emigrated to America and located at Rock Island, Ilinois. and one year later. on March 16, 1885, arrived in Jackson county. J. B. Arp received his elementary education in Germany and after arriving in Jackson county attended the dis- triet schools, making his home with his par- ent - in Petersburg township. In 1992 Mr. Arp became a student at the Breck selool at Will- er and was grailusted from that institution in 1495. During his last year in that school he
Wars an assistant teacher in the business de- Partment.
After his graduation from the Breck school Vr. Arp took a position as principal of the public school at Morton, Renville county, Min- desota, which he conducted two years. In ISps he became the principal of the schools at Morgan. Redwood county, and in 1903 was chosen superintendent of the high school at Breckenridge. Professor Arp was called to Jackson in 1903 to accept the position of su- perintendent of the Jackson high school and was at the head of that school three years. Hp was elected county superintendent of schools of Jackson county in the fall of 1906 and was reelected in 1908. Professor Arp owns his home in the city. He is a member of the Presbyterian church.
On August 20, 1895, at Estherville, lowa, Professor Arp was married to Miss Edna Mid- daugh, and to this union have been born the following named children: Bessie M., born June 20, 1896; Harry E., born February 24, 1898, Mildred M .. born June 12. 1900; Gladys L., born September 16, 1901.
HERMAN H. PETERS (1589), farmer and land owner of Sioux Valley township. was horn in Germany November 11. 1873. the son of Nicholas and Weipke Peters, now residents of Lake Park, lowa, they having retired from the farm in the spring of 1906. Nicholas Peters is one of the county's large land own- ers, having 1,000 acres in Sionx Valley and Rost townships. Herman is the second child of a family of eight.
Our subject accompanied his parents from Germany to the new world when he was right years of age. The family lived in Davenport, lowa, one year and then located in Rock Is- land. Illinois, Herman attended school in the latter city aml at the age of ten years began working as a water boy, carrying water to the Inmhermen. After being so employed two year- he took a position hauling lumber and was so engaged three years, He came to Jack- son county with the family in 1889 and until he was twenty-six years of age worked for his father on the farm in Sioux Valley town- ship. Then he married and moved to his own farm. the northwest quarter of section S. where he has since lived. He has made all the improvements on the place and has an elegant home and an up-to-dale farm. He has
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY. 437
been engaged in the threshing business for the past fourteen years and has a threshing ma- chine of his own.
Mr. Peters was united in marriage to Louisa Schwager in Sioux Valley township February 28, 1900. She was born in Seott county, Iowa, November 15, 1875, and is the daughter of Jurgen Sehwager, one of the prosperous farm- ers of the township. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Peters, as follows: Elva, born October 12, 1902; Sadie, born April 3, 1905; Mabel, born March 20, 1907. Another ehild named Sophia died in infancy.
The family are German Lutherans and Mr. Peters belongs to the Hermannson lodge. He has served as clerk of school district No. 46 and is a stockholder in the creamery company of Sioux Valley.
ALBERT W. WARD (1886) owns and farms a half section of land in West Heron Lake township, midway between Lakefield and Oka- bena. Ile is a native of Cattaraugus county, New York, and was born June 7, 1858. His parents were Luther and Mary J. (Ward) Ward, also natives of the Empire state, who resided there until they moved to Martin eoun- ty, Minnesota, in 187]. Mr. Ward, senior, was a stone mason by trade, and worked at his trade in Fairmont until his death. which occurred September 18, 1893, at the age of 67 years. His wife died December 23, 1898, aged 69 years.
Albert attended the school of his native eounty and resided on his parents' farm until he was thirteen years of age. He then ae- companied the family to Martin county, lived with them on the farm two years, and then in Fairmont. After a residence of several years in the county seat town, Albert went to Sherburn and began working for the Mil- wanker railroad company, holding the posi- tion of section foreman until 1886. That year he moved to Lakefield and for the next five years was foreman of the seetion at that point. In 1891 he bought the southwest quar- ter of seetion 22, West Heron Lake township, and began farming, and he has followed that oceupation ever since. When he bought the farm only a limited area had been put under eultivation and the only building on it was a little elaim shanty. Later Mr. Ward bought the northwest quarter of seetion 27, adjoining. and now farms a half seetion.
Mr. Ward was married at Fairmont July 4, 1883, to Loist M. Wood, who was born in Stark county, Illinois, October 20, 1864. To Mr. and Mrs. Ward have been born four chil- dren, as follows: Montie L., born May 10, 1884; Elmer L., born November 9, 1889; George B., born January 1, 1893; Charles H., born January 8, 1902.
Mr. Ward has held various offices of trust within the gift of the people of his precinct. lle was chairman of the board of supervisors four years, township treasurer one year, and elerk of sehool distriet No. 90 for ten years.
PETER HANSEN (1886) is the proprietor of one of Jackson's department stores. In addi- tion to managing that business he engages in the real estate business and looks after his farms, being the owner of four hundred acres of land on seetions 4, 5 and 7, Enterprise township. Mr. Hansen was born in Denmark November 29, 1861, the son of Hans Peterson and Marion (Larson) Peterson.
Both his parents died in Denmark and from the time Peter Hansen was eleven years of age he made his own way in the world. He spent his boyhood days in his native land, at- tending school and working for wages. At the age of nineteen years, in the spring of 1880, he came to America and located in Me- llenry county, Illinois. Three years later he moved to Chicago, and in that eity he resided until his arrival in Jackson county, in the spring of 1886. The year before his arrival Mr. Ilansen had purchased the southeast quar- ter of section 12, Wisconsin township, and when he arrived he located upon that prop- erty. He engaged in farming there five years and then moved to Jackson.
Mr. Hansen at once engaged in the mercan- tile business in a small way in a little build- ing where the Olsen saloon is now located. Ilis business increased and in 1896 he ereeted his present handsome store building, in which he eonduets his large and increasing business. For nine years Mr. Hansen served as a mem- ber of the Jackson board of education. He is a member of the K. P. and M. W. A. lodges.
On May 10. 1885, in Cook county, Illinois, Mr. Hansen was united in marriage to Laurine Larson, also a native of Denmark. To Mr. and Mrs. Hansen have been born seven chil- dren. The eldest daughter, Mamie, died in February, 1007. Those living are Henry O., of
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
Albert Lea; Raymond P'., a student at a Mankato school; Lawrence C., a school teacher of Des Moines township: Mabel L., a student in the Jackson high school; Dallas and Ar- thur, twins.
JOHN G. GRADY (1859) owns and farms the northeast quarter of seetion 18, Ewington township, upon which farm he has lived over twenty years. Mr. Grady is a native of Free- port, Illinois, and was born July 4, 1856. At the age of eight years he accompanied his parents to Grundy county, lowa, and when twelve years of age started in life for him-
Until his marriage in 1881 Mr. Grady work- ed on farms and at other occupations in dif- ferent counties of lowa. Then he engaged in farming in Blackhawk county, where he resid- ed five years. He came to Jackson county in isso and rented the farm he now owns. Five years later he bought the place and has ever since made his home there.
The parents of our subject were Michael and Rosa Grady, who were born in Ireland and who came to America soon after their marriage. They lived in Chicago a short time and then moved to Freeport, Illinois, where our subjeet was born and where Mirs, Grady died. Mr. Grady moved to lowa and later to Chicago, where he died. John is the youngest of five children who are living. The other members of the family are Rose (Mrs. Thomas ('annon), who now lives in Chicago and whose Im-band, a merchant police, was killed in the Haymarket riots; Peter, of Chicago; Winni- fred (Mrs. W. Trost). of Chicago; Katie (Mrs. John Bradshaw), of Chicago.
John Grady was married at Independence, lowa. February 25, 18SI, to Julia Ellen Stev- ens, who was born at Meriden, Connecticut, March 8. 1851. She is of English descent, her grandparents having come from England. She is the daughter of Lucian and Julia R. (Hill) Stevens, natives of Waterford, Vermont. Sev- en children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Grady, as follows: Julia R., born April 2, ISSO; William A. born November 28. 1886: Jesse A., born July 1, IsSS: Lulu E., born September 13, 1890; Royal J., born Jannary 28, 1592: Edna G., born November 22, 1891; Ralph G .. born May 1, IsOS, died October 1, 1905.
Mr. Grady is a member of the Catholic
church: his wife is a member of the Methodist church. Mr. Grady served a little over two years as a director of school district No. 119.
MATHIAS NIELSEN (1884), MMiddletown township farmer, was born in the city of Brooklyn, New York, October 15, 1877, the son of Soren and Mette M. (Thusen) Nielsen. His parents came from Denmark in the carly sev- enties. Mathias is one of a family of six children born to this union, of whom only two besides him-elf Carrie (Mrs. 11. Saurid- sen) and Mettie (Mrs, il. Disen) are living. Their father died July 27, 1909; the mother makes her home with her son, Mathias Nielsen.
The first four years of the life of our subjeet were passed in his native city and the next three in Omaha, Nebraska. He accompanied his parents to Jackson county in 1884 and until he was twenty-two years of age resided with his parents on the farm in Petersburg township. Hle then engaged in farming for himself in Petersburg six years and the next three years farmed a place in Des Moines township. In 1908 he rented the .I. A. Sayhe's farm, the southeast quarter of section 8, Mid- dletown, and has since resided there.
Mr. Nielsen was married in Petersburg township December 29, 1597. to Mary E. Bamm- gard, a native of Denmark and a daughter of Han- and Sina P. Baumgard. Her mother died December 17, 1901, her father lives in South Dakota. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Nielsen; Leonard il., born April 10, 1902; Murrel S., born February 15, 1907, and a baby girl, born June 22, 1909.
FRED S. C. AHRENS (1889). until recently a hardware merchant and manager of the Western Implement company's business at Okabena, is now engaged in the hardware busi- ness at Brewster. He is a native of Germany and was born May 23, 1870, the son of Christ and Wilhelmina ( Mundt) Ahrens.
Fred came to America with his parents in 1880 and located in Will county, Ilinois, On the first day of March. 1889, he arrived in Jackson county and this was his home until July, 1909. Until 1893 he lived with his par- ents on the farm in West Heron Lake town- ship, one and one-half miles south of Okabena. That year he bought a farm in the same pre-
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
cinet, and for ten years engaged in farming. Mr. Nestrud was married at Dell Rapids, In 1902 he located at Okabena and in part- , South Dakota, June 7, 1905, to Carrie Mahre, who was born in Minnehaha county, South Dakota, and who was a school teacher. One child has been born to this union, Inez Ade- lade. Mr. and Mrs. Nestrud are members of the Norwegian Lutheran ehnreh.
nership with several others he engaged in the hardware business. He was one of the organ- izers of the Western Implement company, which was organized January 28, 1904, and be- gan business Mareh 1 following. The house at Okabena was established at that time. In addition to his business interests, Mr. Ahrens owns a quarter section of land in West Heron Lake township and village property. Hle is a member of the German Lutheran church and was township assessor five years.
Mr. Ahrens was married at Lakefield July 9, 1892, to Miss Sophia Sievert. They are the parents of the following named children: Rosa, born June 26, 1893; Bertha, born October 29, 1895; Alma, born March 3, 1897; Anna, born January 11, 1898; Albert, born December 9, 1903.
ADOLPH J. NESTRUD (1881), cashier of the First National Bank of Lakefield, is a na- tive of Jackson county, having been born on his father's farm in Heron Lake township Oe- tober 14. ISSI. He is one of a family of four- teen living children and is a son of John and Marie (Pederson) Nestrud. of Ileron Lake township.
Both his parents were born in Norway, but came to the United States in their childhood days and were married in Jackson county, to which place they came in the early seventies. The father of our subject took a homestead claim in Heron Lake township and has ever since made his home there.
Adolph grew to manhood on his father's farm, assisting with the farm work and at- tending the country school until twenty years of age. He then took a business course in Jewell Lutheran college, of Jewell, Jowa. Re- turning to his old home, Mr. Nestrud resided on the farm a short time and then he and his sister condneted a restaurant in Lakefield for a little over a year. Disposing of his bu-i- ness, he returned to the farm, and a year later moved to Jaekson to accept a position as dep- uty register of deeds under the administra- tion of O. J. Wagnild. He held the position a little over two years and then returned to Lakefield, where he took a position as book- keeper in the First National Bank. Ten months later he was elected cashier, a posi- tion he still holds.
IIENRY ROSSOW (1874) is a stock raiser and farmer of Delafield township, owning 320 acres of land on seetion 35. He is a native of the county, having been born in Heron Lake township November 8, 1874, the son of Wil- liam and Alvina (Pietz) Rossow. His father, a native of Germany, died in Jackson county when Henry was five years of age. His moth- er, now Mrs. Dan Kolander, lives in Heron Lake township.
Henry grew to manhood on his stepfather's farm in Heron Lake township and was edu- cated in the distriet schools and in the Breck school at Wilder. After growing up he en- gaged in farming the old home place in his native township in partnership with his step- father, Dan Kolander, and this arrangement continued until the year 1900. Then he mov- ed onto his present farm, which he and Mr. Kolander had purehased in 1897. In 1900 Mr. Rossow bought Mr. Kolinder's interest in the farm and has since been the sole owner.
Mr. Rossow is interested in many lines of business in addition to his farming and stoek- raising. Hle has stock in the First National Bank, the Farmers Elevator company and the Jackson County Cooperative company, all of Lakefield, in the Farmers Elevator company of Windom, in the East Heron Lake Creamery company, of which he is seeretary; and in a threshing company. One year he served as treasurer of the Delafield Fire Insurance eom- pany. In local polities he has also taken an active part. He was chairman of the Dela. field township board of supervisors five or six years and served as a member of the board two years in addition. Ile was assessor of Heron Lake township in IS97 and IS98, and he is now a director of school district No. 70. Ile is a member of the German Lutheran church of Ileron Lake township.
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