USA > Minnesota > Jackson County > An illustrated history of Jackson County, Minnesota > Part 84
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Mr. Peterson was married in Kimball town- ship July 9, 1892, to Augusta Johnson, who was born in Sweden in September, 1862. To them have been born the following named seven children: Alfred, Gustaf, Harry, Ehner, Albert, Marie and Beda. The family are mem- bers of the Swedish Mission church.
CHARLIE SEVERSON (1890), of Enter- prise township, was born in Wabasha county, Minnesota. October 14, 1879, the son of Char- lie and Minnie (Moglind) Severson. The for- mer emigrated from Denmark in 1876; the lat- ter, who is now deceased, was born in New York state.
The subject of this biography moved with his parents from Wabasha county to Jackson county in March, 1890, and grew to manhood on a Hlunter township farm. He secured a common school education and made his home with his parents until 1904. That year he went west and one year resided in the Big Bend country of central Washington. Return- ing, he located on a farm two miles east of Lakefield, and in 1909 moved to his present farm, the northeast quarter of section 34, En- terprise.
Mr. Severson was married August 5, 1906, to Milanda Krumwede, of Lakefield. who was born October 13, 1890.
HARRY L. BOND (1901), cashier of the Jackson County State Bank of Lakefield, is a
native of Iowa City, Jowa, where he was born November 20, 1866, the son of A. J. and Ada Dennis) Bond. His education was received in the country schools, in the Johnson county, Iowa, high school, and in the Iowa state uni- versity.
At the age of twenty-two years Mr. Bond began his business career as bookkeeper in the First National Bank of Storm Lake, Iowa. Three years later he took a position as cor- responding clerk for the Iowa Land & Loan company, of Storm Lake, and later became treasurer of the Iowa Investment company, of Sioux City, which position he held several years. In 1894 he became cashier of the Chero- kee County State Bank of Meriden, Iowa, and was employed in that capacity seven years. In 1901 Mr. Bond moved to Lakefield, having bought ont the interests of M. H. Evans in the Jackson County State Bank in partner- ship with J. M. Putman, and since that date has been identified with the bank.
During his residence in Lakefield Mr. Bond has served as a member of the village council and of the school board. He is a member of the A. F. & A. M. and Eastern Star lodges.
FRANK L. POPE (1886) is a Christiania township farmer who owns 400 acres of Jack- son county land and 160 acres of Cottonwood county land. He is a native of England, hav- ing been born February 18, 1870.
The parents of our subject are Dr. Alfred Pope and Isabella (Hoagraves) Pope, who re- side in England. Dr. Pope is a noted physician and lecturer. Thirty years ago he lectured in America before various medical colleges, and later returned to his native land.
Frank received a common school education in England and when sixteen years of age left home and came to the United States. It was in 1886 that he located in the village of Win- dom. where he resided for a number of years. In 1901 he bought his present farm in Chris- tiania township and has since been engaged in its care. He owns stock in the telephone com- pany and in the Farmers Elevator company of Windom. He is a member of the Episcopal church.
Mr. Pope was married May 6, 1903, to Paul- ine flohenstein, of Lakefield. To them have been born two children: Frances, horn Feb- ruary 1, 1904; Henry, born February 20, 1908.
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HERMANN GU RITZ (S) Is one of the big farmers of Middletown township. He owns the past half of section 17 and 120 acres of the southwest quarter of section 1G, all of which he farms. He is a native of Will coun- ty. Illinois, and was born November 16, 1863. llis parents, William aml Christina Guritz, were born and married in Germany, emigrat- ing to the United States soon after the lat - ter event, and died in this country. They were the parents of eighteen children. all liv- ing.
Herman attended the public schools of his native county and resided with his parents until 1888, working on his father's farm and those of neighboring farmers. He came to Jackson county in ISSS and located upon the land in Middletown township where he has ever since lived. He is a member of the Ger- man Lutheran church.
Mr. Guritz was married in Chicago in 1890 to Emma Fo-haga, a native of Will county. Il- linois. The following named six children have been born to them: Minnie, Henry, Amnel, llerman. Tillie and Manda.
DR. OSCAR E. ROBERTS (1900). dentist. of Jackson, was born in Cottage Grove. Washing- ton county Minnesota, on the eighth day of September, 1870. He is of Dutch-Irish-Seatch descent. Ilis paternal grandfather came from lolland when a child and fought in the war of 1812. His father, Richard Roberts, was born in New York state, came to the territory of Minnesota in 1855, and ever since that date has lived at Cottage Grove, being now eighty years of age. The mother of our subject is Anna (McChesney) Roberts, who is now about seventy years of age.
Oscar E. Roberts made his home with his parents until after he had finished his educa- tion in 1900. Ile attended the connnon schools of Cottage Grove, studied two years in the Hastings high school, two years in Carleton college of Northfield, and then entered the state university. from the dental department of which institution he was graduated after tak. ing a four years' course. Dr. Roberts located in Jackson in July. 1900, and has since been engaged in the practice of his profession. Ir is a member of the Presbyterian church and of the A F. & A. M. lodge.
Dr. Roberts was married at JJack-on January 15, 1903. lo Ethel Raub, a native of Iroquois
county. Ilinois, and a daughter of George and Sarah d'oleman) Raub. She came to Jackson county in the spring of IS9S. To Dr. and Mrs. Roberts have been born two children: Doro thea, born March 20, 190t, and Murial, born January 10, 1907.
WILLIAM J. C. SCHROEDER (1886), grain and dairy farmer of Petersburg township. has resided in Jackson county since he was five years of age. Ile was born in Cook county, Il- linois. December 5. IsSI, the son of William and Maria (Meyer) Schroeder.
The family arrived in Jackson county March 24. 1886. William received a country school education and was brought up on the farm, working for his father and for other farmers until he was of age. Soon after reaching his majority he engaged in farming for himself two year-, then hauled cream one year. After that he bought machinery and has since been engaged in business for himself, farming land on the northwest quarter of section 27. Peters- burg township. Mr. Schroeder owns stock in the Petersburg Creamery company and is a member of the German Lutheran church.
Mr. Schroeder was married November 20, 1907. to Mary Schulte, of Arcadia, Iowa. To them has been born one chill. Ella, born Feb- ruary 10. 1900.
MARTIN A. FOSS (869). farmer and stock raiser of Heron Take township. is one of the county's pioneers. He was born near the city of Christiania, Norway, the son of Anton and Martha Foss. He was brought up on a farm and when twelve years of age came to America with his parents.
After living in Olmsted county, Minnesota. one year the family came to Jackson county and located on section 18. Delafield township. They were the first family to make improve- ments in that preeinet. although one or two claims had been taken before that date. For several years Martin worked for his father and for neighboring farmers, and in ISS2 he bought his present farm. the southeast quar- ter of section IS, Heron Lake township, and farmied it ten years, le went to Windom in 1892 and from that date until 1899 was in the general merchandise business at Windom and Ileron Lake. Returning to the farm. Mr. Foss has since been engaged in farming. In 1901 he
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FARM HOUSE OF MARTIN A. FOSS, HERON LAKE TOWNSHIP
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
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built his present house, one of the very finest farm homes in the whole of Jackson county.
Mr. Foss bas stock in and is a director of the First National Bank of Lakefield and has stock in the Jackson County Cooperative Store company and the Farmers Elevator company of the same town. He is clerk of school dis- triet No. 17 and has served since 1900, and he has held the office of township treasurer. Mr. Foss and his family are members of the Nor- Wegian Lutheran church of Lakefield.
J. P. NELSON (1907). the manager of the Farmers Mercantile company's store at Jack- son, was born in Argyle, Wisconsin, March 25, 1863. the son of Lars and Karen (Gaukrud) Nelson. Hle secured a common school education in Argyle and was a student at Valparaiso (Indiana) college one year. After his school days he accepted a position as elerk in a store in Argyle, and in 1889, in partnership with a brother, engaged in the general merchandise business. Two years later he sold out, and in 1892 moved to Superior, Iowa, where he was engaged in the general merchandise business fifteen years. In the spring of 1907 Mr. Nelson moved to Jackson, and has since been the manager of the Farmers Mercantile company's store.
Mr. Nelson owns 445 acres of land in Peters- burg township, and a comfortable home in Jackson. He is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran elmirch and of the I. O. O. F., M. W. A. and R. N. A. lodges.
At Superior, Iowa, on March 15. 1889, Mr. Nelson was united in marriage to Miss Anna C. Anderson. To them have been born six chil- dren, as follows: Ora C., born January 20, 1890; Leland G., born November 29, 1891 ; Homer A., born September 10, 1893; Velna R., born February 8, 1896; Gladys I., born Febru- ary 22, 1898: J. Philo, born March 19, 1900.
ERNEST E. PEARSON (1882) is a Middle- town township farmer and has lived in the county since he was two years of age. He is a native of Hardin connty. Iowa, and was born May 11, 1880, the son of Jess G. and Samantha (Campbell) Pearson. The parents of our subject were born in Fort Wayne, In- diana. and Hands county, Iowa, respectively, and were married in the latter place. They came from Hardin county, Iowa, to Jackson
county in 1882, bought a farm upon which their son now lives, engaged in farming there until November, 1906, when they moved to the state of Washington, where they now reside. They are the parents of nine children: Olive (Mrs. L. S. Allen), Robert A., Ernest E., Mar- tin E., James E., Lizzie D. (Mrs. E. C. Arm- stead), William A., Jess L., Benton W. and Florence.
Ernest was only two years of age when he accompanied his parents to Jackson county, and he was brought up on the farm he now conducts. Until he reached his majority he worked on his father's farm; then for a few years he worked for neighboring farmers. In 1904 he went to Washington, remained there about six months and returned to Jackson county. He rented a farm near his father's place, conducted it until 1906, when he mar- ried and rented his father's place, which he has since conducted.
Mr. Pearson was married December 26, 1906, to Ella Kephart, who was born in Middletown township March 21, ISS6, and who is the daughter of Brunce and Mary (Myers) Kep- hart, of Lakefield.
HERMAN H. KOEP (1903), farmer of Dela- field township, was born in Benton county, Iowa, June 25, 1873. His parents, Claus and Mary (Paulson) Koep, were born in Germany and came to America in 1862, locating in lowa. The former died September 12, 1890, aged 55 years, 4 months and 28 days. llis motber lives in Benton county. Iowa, and is 75 years of age.
Ilerman was brought up on a farm and edu- cated in district schools. Ile lived on his father's farm until 1897; then he married and engaged in farming on rented land in Benton county. He came to Jackson county in the spring of 1903 and located upon his farm, which he had bought in the fall of 1902. He owns the southeast quarter of section 25, Dela- field, and forty acres adjoining in section 30, Christiania. His farm was only slightly im- proved when he bought. He erected the barn, fenced the land and made many improvements. HIo makes a specialty of stock raising and has good grades of stock. Ile is a stockholder in the Farmers Elevator company of Windom and in the Mutual Telephone company of the same village. Mr. Koep is a member of the M. B. A. lodge of Windom. He is treasurer of school
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district No. 70, having served for the past two years.
Our subjeet was married in Benton county, lowa, February 24, 1897, to Katie Lackmann, who was born in Benton county March 1, 1879. She is the daughter of George and Annie (Mil- ler) Lackmann, of Benton county, lowa. Mr. and Mrs. Koep are the parents of six children: Clara, born December 8, 1897; Agnes, born January 11, 1900; Bernhardt. born February 1. 1902; Helen, born October 6. 1903: Elsie, born January 16, 1907: Edwin, born October 20, 1909.
LEONARD F. ZINSER (1903), retired evan- gelist and minister of the gospel, is now en- gaged in farming in llunter township, a short distance west of Lakefield, where he owns a farm on section 6. Rev. Zinser was born near Tiffin, the county seat of Seneca county, Ohio, August 27, 1866, the son of A. F. and Mary C. ( Miesse) Zinser. Ile is of German descent, his grandfather having established the American branch of the family. The father of our suh- jeet was born in Ohio in 1839 and now lives at Storm Lake, lowa. The mother of our subjeet was born near Lancaster, Fairfield county, Ohio, in 1810 and is living. These parents had eight children, of whom six are living, of which Leonard is the eldest.
At the age of eighteen months our subject accompanied his parents from his native state to El Paso, Illinois, at which place he grew to manhood. He was brought up on a farm and early in life engaged in farming, which he continued until 1894. After receiving his pri- mary education he became a student at the Illinois Wesleyan university of Bloomington and for the next three years engaged in evan- gelistie work as a gospel singer. le next en- tered the ministry and for six years had charge of churches in Illinois, two years at Hennepin, two years at Tremont and two years at Flanagan. In 1903. on account of poor health, Rev. Zinser was obliged to give up His chosen profession, and that year he came to Jackson county. lle bought a farm on section 6. Hunter township, and has since been engaged in farming. During the first three years of his residence in the county he oecu- pied the pulpit at Welcome, but for the past three years has devoted his time exclusively to his farming operations. He is at present a
local minister of the Methodist Episcopal church.
Rev. Zinser was married at Johnstown, Pennsylvania, June 1. 1896, to Barbara E. Paul, who was born in Canada November 4, 1867. Her father, E. S. Paul, lives with his daugh- ter: her mother, Elizabeth (Strayer) Paul, died in February, 1900. Two children have been born to Rev. and Mrs. Zinser, Fern F., born April 23, 1899: Pauline, born August 20, 1900.
NEWTON FREER (1874), Alba township farmer, was born in Ulster county, New York, October 20, 1844, the son of J. D. and Anna L. (Hasbrook) Freer, both natives of the Em- pire state. They came west in 1851 and lo- cated in Winneshiek county, lowa, moved to Jackson county in 1874, and died in Heron Lake. Newton is one of a family of six chil- dren born to these parents.
The subject of this biography moved from Ulster county, New York, with his parents when a child and grew to manhood in Win- neshiek county. Iowa. He spent his early years with his parents on the farm with the exception of five years when he was employed in a flouring mill at Frankville, Iowa. He spent three years in the Black Hills country, and then. in 1874, became a resident of Jack- son county. He took as a homestead claim the east half of the southwest quarter of see- tion 24. Alba township, and upon that place he has ever since resided. being one of the pioneer settlers of the precinct.
Mr. Freer was married in Winneshick coun- ty. lowa, February 6, 1874, to Rosa Rath- burn, a native of the county in which she was married, having been born September 16, 1854. She is the daughter of Walter and Welthy (Lummi-) Rathburn. One child was born to this union, Lloyd, born in April, 1886, and died in September. 1894. They have an adopt- ed son, Emmet, aged fourteen years. Mr. and Mrs. Freer are members of the Methodist church. He has served as a member of the Alba township board and now holds the office of treasurer of school district No. 85.
GUSTAVE J. CHRISTLE (1899). deputy sheriff of Jackson county and proprietor of the Lakefield house, was born in Germany February 2, 1861. His father. Joseph Christle,
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
died in Germany when Gustave was a boy of thirteen years of age. Ilis motber, Amelia (Wurst) Christle, still makes her home in the fatherland and is 73 years of age. Of the six children of the family Gustave is the only one in America.
At the age of thirteen years our subject came to the United States with his grand- father. After spending one year in Cedar Rap- ids, Iowa, he moved to Chelsea, Tama county, Iowa, and for three years made his home on the farm of an uncle, Mathias Michael. The next eighteen months were spent on the plains of southwestern Nebraska. Mr. Christie then located in Mills county, Iowa, where he work- ed as a farm laborer three or four years and where he was married in 1883.
After his marriage Mr. Christle moved to Charles Mix county, South Dakota, and lo- cated on government land. One year later he went to Brule county, of the same territory, and engaged in farming six years. We find our subject next in Lyon county, Iowa, where for two years he farmed rented land. Mov- ing to Nobles county, Minnesota, from that place, he bought a farm in Lorain township, upon which he lived six years. Mr. Christle sold out in 1898 and moved to Worthington. He bought a restaurant in that village, con- ducted it a year, and then moved to Lakefield in 1899 and bought the Lakefield house. He has been the boniface of that hotel for the past ten years. Besides his duties in the ho- tel Mr. Christle devotes part of his time to looking after his farm in Ransom county, North Dakota, and attending to his duties as deputy sheriff, to which office he was ap- pointed in 1906.
Mr. Christle was married in Glenwood, Mills county, Iowa, June 16, 1883, to Miss Emma V. Goff, a native of Illinois and a daughter of George Goff. Two sons and three daugh- ters have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Christle. The eldest daughter, Amelia, is the wife of Charles Persons and resides on the Isthmus of l'anama, her husband being a bookkeeper in the government employ. The other children are Edward, Mand E., Cora Dell and Mer- ritt G.
JOE GOGOLINSKI (1901), Des Moines town- ship farmer and breeder of Percheron horses, is a native of Germany, where he was born February 6, 1878. He is the son of the late
John Gogolinski and Annie (Pekorski) Gogol- inski, of Dutch-Poland stock hut natives of Germany. They came to America in 1880 and the former died in this conutry; the latter lives in Chicago.
Joe accompanied his parents to America when two years of age and until he was twelve years old resided with his parents in Chicago. At that age he went to Wisconsin, lived there a short time and then returned to Chicago, where he lived several years. Ile learned the machiuist's trade, at which he worked until his health failed. In 1901 he left the city and located in Jackson county, engaging in farm- ing the Des Moines township farm of his father-in-law. He is a well known horse breeder and several of his brood mares and colts have been awarded the first premiums at the Jackson county fairs.
Mr. Gogolinski was married in the city of Chicago October 9, 1900, to Emma Tonsek, who was born in the city in which she was married. To these parents have been born three children: Alfonso, born in Chicago; Mary and Helen (twins), born in Des Moines township.
JOHN E. ELOFFSON (1876) is one of the snecessful farmers and large landowners of Belmont township. He owns 520 acres of land in one body and farms it all. Ilis hold- ings include all of section 14, except the north half of the north half, and a forty aere tract on section 23.
Mr. Eloffson was born in Norway June 9, 1847, the son of Elof and Annie M. Eloffson, both deceased. Ile is the next to the oldest of a family of nine children. He grew to man- hood in his native country, working on his father's small farm and engaging in fishing and sailing. Ile came to the United States in 1873, lived three years in Nicollet county, Minne- sota, and then located in Jackson county, which has ever since been his home. For sev- eral years he worked at the carpenter trade in Jackson, and as he accumulated money he invested it in Belmont real estate. He moved onto his farm in 1883.
Besides his mammoth farming operations Mr. Eloffson is interested in several other lines of business. He is a director of the Norwegian store in Christiania township. in the Belmont Creamery company, in the Belmont Telephone company and has stock in the new elevator
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
company. He has held the office of township supervisor, treasurer of school district No. 36, and road overseer. He and his family are miher- of the Norwegian Lutheran church.
Mr. Eloffson was married in Jackson coun- ty in June, 1881, to Mary Flatgard. a native of Norway. She i- the daughter of Tory Flat- gard and came to Jackson county when a baby. They have eleven children, named as follows: Alvin T., professor of a school in Washington: Julia, Annie, Gear, Clara, Emma, Hilda. Handa, Julius, Olga, Lorain.
ANDREW 11. MELVILLE (1901) owns a section of Jackson county land and farm- the home place on the shore of Heron lake, in West leron Lake township, described as lots one, two and three of section 14. He has a pretty home located on a peninsula jutting out into the lake. Mr. Melville, after devot- ing many years to educational work. was oh- liged to give up his chosen profession, and since 1901 has been trying to regain his health by engaging in farming.
The gentleman whose name heads this sketch was born in Peotone. Will county, Illinois, June 17. 1872. the son of Dr. A. H. Melville and Catherine ( Melville) Melville. His par- ent- were born in Scotland and came to Pres- cott, Ontario, Canada, in their childhood days. Ilis father was educated in the university of Edenburg and MeGill college, at Montreal. During the civil war he volunteered his ser- vices to the northern cause, came to the Unit- el States, and was made a surgeon of the 79th New York Scotch Highlanders. He later he- came head surgeon of the regiment and serv- ed throughout the war. He died soon after his discharge from the army. The mother of our subject died when Andrew was seven years of age.
Andrew Melville received his primary educa - tion in the country schools of Will county, Il- linois. He was a student at the state normal school at Bloomington five years and com- pleted his edneation in 1896 in the university of Chicago. Ile then took up teaching as a profession. He taught in Chicago one year, was principal of the training department of the Bloomington normal school three years and was teacher of pedagogy at DeKalb, Illi- nois, one year. Then he gave up his profes- sion and located on his farm in Jackson conn- ty. In addition to his home farm Mr. Mel-
ville owns the northwest quarter of section 19. Belmont. the northwest quarter of ser- tion 14. Ewington, and the northeast quar- ter of section 23, Rost.
Mr. Melville was married at titica, Illinois, October 25, 1900, to Miss Lydia M. Fedde, who was born in Columbia county, New York. She is the daughter of Richard R. and Rhoda S. ( Weaver) Fedde. Mr. and Mrs. Melville are members of the Presbyterian church.
WILLIAM WREDE (1886), farmer of En- terprise township, was born on the farm where he now lives February 1. Isso, the son of John and Amelia (Schonfield) Wrede. John Wrede came from Germany in 1870, lived, respectively, in Cairo, Illinois; St. Louis, Missouri: Rock Island, Illinois: and in Jackson county. where he died in 1900. During the time he lived in Rock Island he was employed in a sawmill; otherwise he engaged in agricultural pursuits all his life. Our subject's mother lives in En- terprise township and owns the southeast quarter of section lo, which her son farms.
William received a common school educa- tion, graduating from the school of district No. 107 in 1902. Ile helped his father with the farm work during his younger years, and after the latter's death assumed the manage- ment of the place. Ile is a member of the German Lutheran church. He holds the office of road overseer of his district.
PETER JEPSON (1891), the Jackson village marshal, is a native of Schleswig-holstein, Germany, and was born November 8. 1872. He is the youngest of a family of four chil- dren. all living in the United States, llis brothers and sister are John P., Soren P. and Annie M. Jepson. The parents of these chil- dren were John Peter and Anne Margaret (Brink) Jepson, who died in their native coun- try. the former May IS, IS91, the latter De- cember 31. 1890.
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