USA > Minnesota > Jackson County > An illustrated history of Jackson County, Minnesota > Part 87
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WILLIAM F. AUTEN (1897), grain buyer for the Rippe Grain and Milling company and manager of the elevator at Jackson, was born at Grand Meadow. Mower county, Minnesota, March 21. 1877. Ilis parents are the late Charles L. AAnten and Mary (Collin-) Anten, both natives of New York state. Both his father and mother came to Minnesota in an early day, before their marriage, the former lorating in Mower county, the latter in Olm- sted county. The elder Anten was engaged in the grain business at Grand Meadow for many years, and in 1585 moved to South Da -
kota, where the family lived twelve years. They came to Jackson in 1897, and in that village Mr. Auten, Sr., died May 24. 1904, aged 61 years. The mother of our subject lives in Jackson.
William Anten resided with his parents un- til he was a man grown. He was educated in the schools at Willow Lake and Howard. South Dakota, and at an early age began working at the grain business: in fact. with the exception of three years spent in clerking in general stores at Andover and Willow Lake. South Dakota, he has spent his whole life at the business. He accompanied the family to
Jackson county in 1897 and took a position with the Rippe Grain and Milling company, having charge of the elevators at Alpha and Jackson. For the last two years he has de- voted his time exclusively to the manage- ment of the company's business at Jackson. Tle Rippe company has elevators in southern Minnesota and northern lowa and a large fonring mill at Fairmont.
Mr. Auten was married at Jackson Septem- Fer 2. 1904. to Charlotte Halstead Ellsworth, a native of Jackson and a daughter of Wil- liam and Bertha (Ellingson) Ellsworth. To these parents one child-a son-was born April 16. 1908. During his residence in Alpha Mr. Auten served one year as a member of the village conneil. He is a member of the K. P. and M. W. A. lodges.
HENRY HASSING (1891), who owns the southeast quarter of section 16. Middletown township, is a native Minnesotan, having been born in Faribault county April 12. 1865. Henry is the third of a family of nine living children. llis parents were Henry and Rosina (Kiser) Ilassing, native Germans, who came to Ameri- ca varly in life, lived a short time in Wiscon- sin. and then settled in Faribault county, Min- nesota. where they homesteaded and resided until their death.
Henry resided with his parents until he was twenty three years of age, attending school and working on the farm. After working out a short time after leaving the parental roof. be rented a farm and conducted it until he rame to Jackson county in 1891. Arriving in this county. he located upon his present farm. which he had bought the year before. At the time of purchase the land was raw prairie and he has made all the improvements on it.
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Mr. Ilassing was director of school district No. 92 for nine years, and was road overseer for three years. He is a member of the Catholic church and of the C. O. F. lodge.
At Easton, Minnesota, Mr. Hassing was mar- ried January 29, 1894. to Frances Paul, a na- tive of Wisconsin. They have seven living children: Johanna, Angus, John, Lawrence, Ernest, Loretta and Eddie.
ALBERT J. JOHNSON (1883), Belmont township farmer, was born on the farm where he now lives January 30, 1883, the son of Jolm H. and Bertha (Iverson) Johnson. These parents were born in Norway and came to America when young children. They were married in Goodhue county, Minnesota, and in a very early day came to Jackson county and homesteaded in Belmont. They are still liv- ing and make their home with their son. He is 64 years of age; she is 60. Eight children were born to them, as follows: Anna, Jo- seph, Andrew, Ada. Bertha, Albert, Julia and Clara.
Albert attended the district school and grew to manhood on his father's farm. He worked for his father until he was twenty-two years of age, and then took the management of the place, having since worked it on shares. The farm consists of 160 acres on section 24.
DR. MEREDITH J. JAMES (1908), dentist of Lakefield, is a native of Blue Earth coun- ty, Minnesota, where he was born March 28, 1884. The doctor's parents are John J. and Janmalı (Meredith) James, who were born in Wales and eame to America in childhood and settled near Utica, New York. The father served in the union army during the war of the rebellion and after the war located in Blue Earth county, Minnesota, where he was married and took a homestead. Both parents now live in Blue Earth county. He is 64 years of age and she is 66 years old. They have five children: John C., Robert G., Bezalee, Mere- dith J. and William H.
Meredith lived on the farm with his parents until fifteen years of age, attending the eoun- try schools. Then he went to Lake Crystal and attended the high school, from which he received his diploma in 1904. Two years later he entered the dental department of the state university and was graduated in June, 1908.
The next month he moved to Lakefield, bought the dental business and apparatus of Dr. C. 1. Bell, and has since been engaged in prac- tice. He has an office in the Jackson County State Bank building.
OLE R. OLSON (1880), Christiania township farmer. is a native of that precinct. having been born April 26, 1880, the son of Ryar and Gertie Olson. Ilis parents came from Norway and to Jackson county in an early day and homesteaded land on section 12, Christiania township. They are still residents of the county.
Our subject has spent his entire life in Christiania township. Ile received a common school education and until he grew up work- edl for his father. Then he engaged in farm- ing for himself. He farms 200 acres of land, the home place being the northeast quarter of section 22. Besides his farming operations he has conducted a threshing machine for the last fourteen years.
Mr. Olson was married March 12, 1903, to May lljony, of Des Moines township. Mr. Olson is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church and of the Sons of Norway lodge.
JOHN TORDSEN (1892), farmer of Hunter township, is a son of Peter Tordsen, of Rost township, and Christina (Hendricks) Tordsen, who died in lowa January 26, 1888.
John was born in Idla county, Iowa, April 3. 1884, and accompanied his father to Jack- son county in 1892. Ile was brought up on his father's Rost township farm and was edu- cated in the district schools. He resided at home until 1907. Then he went to McLean county. North Dakota, resided there one year, and then returned to Jackson county. He was . married in 1908, and since that time has been engaged in farming the northwest quarter of seetion 18, Ilunter township. which is owned by his father.
Mr. Tordsen was married in Jackson Novem- ber 25. 1903, to Marie Lamp, who was born in Germany January 13, 1888, and who came to the United States in 1902.
CONRAD W. LUFT (1894). of Petersburg township, was born in Lee county, Illinois, June 30. 1871, the son of W. M. and Barbara
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(Leich) Luft, both deceased. The' first two and one-half years of his life were passed in hi- native county, the next two years in Crawford county, lowa, and then the family located permanently in Sac county, lowa. In that county Conrad grew to manhood, receiving a common school education. He came to Jack- son county in December, 1894. lived here tive years, and then took up his residence at Su- perior, lowa. Three years later he came back to the county and has since resided here. He i- engaged in farming on section 6, Petersburg township. He is a member of the German Lutheran church.
Mr. Luft was married December 15, 1898. to Miss Anna Mueller. Two children have been born to them: Charles, born December 11. 1899; Tlenry, born July 28, 190).
GEORGE CHRISTIANSEN (1885) is a Her- on Lake township farmer, owning the north half of the northeast quarter of section 12. lle has lived in Nobles and Jackson counties all his life, having been born in the former January 7, 1878, the son of John and Mollie (Halverson) Christiansen.
George was educated in the district schools and brought up on the farm. His father died in Nobles county when he was a child and in 1885 he accompanied lis mother to Jackson county. where he has ever since lived. He lived on the farm with his mother in Bel- mont township seven years and later made his home with her on the farm on section 22. lleron Lake. In 1908 he located upon his own farm, which he had bought three years be- fore, and has since been engaged in farming the place.
The parents of Mr Christiansen were born in Norway and came from the old country to Nobles county. Mr -. Christiansen lives on her Heron Lake township farm.
ALFRED AMBROSE (1884). a Wisconsin township farmer and stock raiser, is a native of Austria and was born September 5, 1874. Hi- father. Paul Ambrave, died April 5. 1900, his mother is still living and resides with her son.
Alfred came to the United States with his parents when only two years of age and un- til the spring of ISSI resided at Earlham, Madison county, lowa. On April 9, 1884, the
family moved to Jackson county, and upon his father's Wisconsin township farm Alfred work- ed until he reached his majority. After be- coming of age he took the management of the home farm, the west half of the southeast quarter of section 33, which he still farms in addition to his own property. the east half of the southeast quarter of section 1. Petersburg township. Mr. Ambrose owns stock in the Farmers' Cooperative Elevator company, of Alpha. He is a member of the M. W. A. and %. C. B. 1. lodges of Jackson.
On September 24, 1901, Mr. Ambrose was married to Miss Josie Skal-ky. To these par- ents have been born the following named chil- dren: Bennie, born December 7, 1902; Al- bert. born October. 1904: Agnes, born No- vember 7, 1906; baby, born January 16. 1908.
JOIN II. ALLERS (1906) is one of the pro- gressive young farmers of Sioux Valley town- ship. He is a native of Benton county, Iowa, and was born May 4. 1886. When he was five years of age his parents moved just across the line into Tama county and on his father's farm in that county he grew to manhood.
John continued to make his home with his parents and to work for his father until 1906. That year he married and moved to Jackson county, taking possession of his father's farm, the northeast quarter of section 34, Sioux Val- ley township, where he has since resided. Ile has up-to-date neas in regard to farming and he is carrying them out in the management of the place.
Mr. Aller- is one of a family of three chil- dien, the others being Vena and Minnie. ITis father was born in Scott county. lowa, No- vember 13, 1860, and was married at Daven -- port January 5, 1882, to Minnie Anderson, who was born in Mecklenberg. Germany, Feb- ruary 17, 1865. The parents of our subject are now residents of Tama county, lowa.
John Allers was married in Benton county, Iowa. December 19, 1906, to Emma Ebrnestein. She was born in Germany October 28, 1886, and is a daughter of Fred and Louisa Ehrne- stein, who live in Benton county, lowa. One child was born to Mr. and Mrs. Allers, Agnes Clara, born September 15. 1908. Mr. Allers is a member of the German Lutheran church and of the Germania lodge.
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
PETER C. JACOBSEN (1896), of Jackson, is a native of Denmark and was born April 7, 1861. He is the youngest of a family of nine children, of whom four are living. Ilis father, Jacob Matsen. a butcher by trade, died in his native land in 1879, aged 54 years. Ilis moth- er. Anna C. (Sorensen) Matsen. died in 1885, aged 64 years.
Peter made his home with his parents only until seven years of age; then he started out in life for himself. He secured a good edu- cation. completing it with a year's course in a high school. After his school days he worked as a farm hand until eighteen years old, Then he started a meat market in the city of Copenhagen, which he conducted until 1891. He left his native land July 9, 1891, and ar- rived at Winnebago City. Minnesota, July 24. of the same year. Near that town Mr. Jacob- sen worked on a farm three years; then he rented a farm and conducted it two years. He arrived in JJackson county in 1896 and for two or three years worked as a farm laborer and at odd jobs. He then married and located in Jackson, and for the next four years worked in George Sawyer's coal yards. The next four year- were spent as an employe of the Stand- ard Oil company. Since then he has been en- gaged in farming on a small scale. He owns seventeen acres of fine land on Thomas hill in the east part of Jackson, which he intends to plat as an addition. Hle is a member of the Modern Woodmen and Danish Brotherhood lodges, and he and his wife are members of the Lutheran church.
Mr. Jacobsen was married in Copenhagen, Demark. February 8, 1883, to Hannah Peter- son, a native of Sweden. She died April 4, 1886, aged 23 years. Two children. both of whom died in infancy, were born to these par- ents. The second marriage of Mr. Jacobsen oc- curred at Jackson November 3, 1899, when he wedded Mrs. Christ Larsen, who was formerly Miss Caroline Mortensen, a native of Denmark. By her former marriage Mrs. Jacobsen is the mother of one child. Carrie Larsen. To Mr. and Mrs. Jacobsen have been born three chil- dren: Myrtle, born September 14, 1902; Pearl and Ruth.
CARL O. YOUNGREN (1897), of Alpha, is a native of Martin county, Minnesota, where he was born May 1, ISSS, the son of Swen and Carrie (Nelson) Youngren. Carl lived in
Martin county with his parents until nine years of age and then accompanied them to Jackson county, in the spring of 1897. With the exception of one year spent in Groton, South Dakota, this has been his home ever since. Mr. Youngren is a member of the Swed- ish Lutheran church.
SAMUEL W. SHEARER (1894) is one of the large landowners and successful farmers of Wisconsin township. He owns the east half of section 5, the southwest quarter of section 4 and the north half of the northwest quarter of section 3. lle has an elegant home built on the first described property. Samuel W. is the eldest of a family of tive living children. The other members of the family are Joseph 1 .. John L., Uriah S. and Emma (Mrs. J. W. Null). of Illinois. Another sister, Mary E. Ilildebrand, died September 19, 1894.
The subject of this sketch was born in Franklin county, Ohio, May 24, 185], the son of J. J. and Catherine (Lehman) Shearer. Un- til he was of age he resided with his parents and assisted with the farm work, the family having moved to Livingston county, Illinois, in 1868. In that county, upon reaching his majority. he rented one of his father's farms and conducted it until 1877. That year he was married. and he and his brother, J. P. Shearer, bought the farm, conducted it as partners sev- eral years, and later our subject secured entire control. Ile conducted the farm alone until 1894. In 1892 he came to Jackson county and bought the haif section upon which his home is now. and two years later moved onto the place. He has prospered, and has since added the other property to his holdings. During his residence in Wisconsin township Mr. Shearer has held the offices of supervisor, chairman of the town board and assessor. Hle is now clerk of school district No. 1. He is member of the Mennonite church.
Mr. Shearer was married at Chatsworth, Il- linois, on the first day of the year 1877, to Lizzie Grahill. a native of Grundy county. Il- linois. To these parents have been born ten children, of whom the following nine are liv- ing: Byron A .. Harry M., Grace MI., Charles E., Ollie J., Fred S., Russell, Mary E. and J. Wesley.
LEROY D. STEWARD (1908), proprietor of a Lakefield barber shop, was born in Donahoe,
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
towa, October 3, 1883. the oldest of a family of four children born to George and Martha ( Mickelwright ) Steward, the other children be- ing Charles, Howard and Fannie.
Both his parents died when Leroy was a child and he was brought up in the family of an unele, with whom he lived until seventeen years of age. He was educated in the Dona- hoe public schools and after leaving the home of his unele worked on a farm until he was of age. lle then started working at the barber's trade. learning the business in shops in Dona- hoe. lowa, and Denneh, Iowa. After master- ing the trade Mr. Steward worked in shops in Kansas City, Missouri. Luverne. Minnesota, and other places. He located in Lakefield in August, 1908, buying the George Albert Arm- strong shop, in the Jackson County State Bank building. He conduets a two chair shop. Mr. Steward is a member of the I. O. O. F., the K. P. and M. W. A. lodges.
OLOF ARNTSON (188]) owns 280 acres of land on sections 4 and 10. Belmont township. all of which he and his sons farm. His par- ents are the late Arnt Swenson and Gracie Swenson, who came from Norway in 1899 and made their home with our subject. The father died September 15, 1908, aged SI years; the mother still lives and is 77 years of age.
Olof is the oldest of a family of three chil- dren and was born in Norway September 19, 1853. There he grew to manhood, working on his father's farm with the exception of seven years spent in the army. He came to America in 1881, locating in Jackson, where he worked on the railroad three years. The next two years Were spent in farming on section 6, En- terprise township. He then bought the south- east quarter of section t. Belmont township, from Paul Hanson, who had homesteaded it in 1864, and has ever since made his home there. Inying his other property later. He has been treasurer of school district No. 89 for the past five years and has been road overseer of his district. He is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church.
Mr. Arntson was married in Norway Jan- uary 22. 1876, to Mary Olena, who was born October 6, 1853. They are the parents of six children: Gust. Gracie (Mrs. Ole Aas), Oscar, Albert, Iulian and Bennie.
FATHER RUDOLPH MATOUSEK (ISOS), until recently pastor of St. Wenceslaus Cath- olie church of Jackson, was born in Lomnitz, Moravia. April 12, 1865, the son of Lonie and Antonia (Kapoun) Matousek. He received his early education in Lomnitz, but at the age of eleven years he went to Brunn, the capital city of Moravia, and for eight years was a student there, two years of the time studying theology. At the age of twenty-one he left his native country. and for two years was a stu- dent at a theological school at Louvain, Bel- gium.
In 1888 Father Matonsek came to America and for nearly nine years had charge of a church at Rock Creek, near St. Louis, Mis- souri. In 1897 he returned to Europe for a visit with his father. but returned the next year, and on May 5. 1898, took up his duties in Jackson, where he ministered until the fall of 1909.
CHARLES HASBARGEN (ISSS) is one of the prosperous farmers of Wisconsin township. lle owns the northeast quarter of section 33. a few miles southeast of Jackson.
Mr. Hlasbargen was born in Germany April 3. 1870. the son of Ralph A. and Weeke (Grun- hotf) llasbargen. At the age of thirteen years he came to the United States, lived four years in Iroquois county, Illinois, and one year in LaSalle county. He received a high school education and while in LaSalle county at- tended a college. le came to Jackson county in April. ISSS, and has since been engaged in farming in Wisconsin township.
Our subject has stock in the Alpha Cream- ery association and in the Alpha Horse com- pany. Ile has taken an active part in the management of the creamery and for the past nine years has been secretary of the associa- tion, and before that served two years as a director. He was a member of the township board ten years, was a school director eighteen years and has been secretary of the German Lutheran church of Jackson for eighteen years.
Mr. Hasbargen was married to Theresa Buck January 22. 1893. As a result of this union have been born the following named children: Willie. born March 1. 1894: Alma Il., born Jan- uary 3, 1896; Rudolph D., born November 11, 1897: Lena M., born April 14, 1900, died Sep- tember 28. 1901: Albert D., born June 19,
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ACTOR, LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATIONA
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FAMILY OF MR. AND MRS. ELLING ELNESS, CHRISTIANIA
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SOUTHWESTERN MINNESOTA HOSPITAL. HERON LAKE
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
1902: Vikara F., born September 28, 1904; Hiram, born September 19, 1906.
JOHN R. FORMAN (1903), a school teach- er in distriet number 7, is a resident of Jack- son. He was born in Kankakee, Ilinois, Jan- uary 15. 1878, the son of Charles M. and Sarah (Michael) Forman, natives of New York and Illinois, respectively. The family moved to Nebraska in grasshopper days, resided there four years, and then returned to Ilinois, where they resided until 1902. That year they moved to Jackson, where they now reside.
The subject of this biography resided with his parents in Kankakee, Illinois, until twenty. one years of age. He then located in Mar- shall. Minnesota. and four months later en- listed in the 45th United States regiment of infantry and was sent to the Philippine is- lands. His army service covered a period of twenty-one months. eighteen of which were in foreign service. Ile received his discharge at San Francisco in June, 1901. lle returned to his old home in Illinois after his discharge, but in 1903 located in Jackson. For a few years he engaged in farming and teaching school. and three years ago entered the mail service as earrier out of Jackson, which he followed until September 1, 1909, when he resigned to again take up school teaching. Ile is a mem- ber of the Methodist church and of the M. W. A. lodge.
Mr. Forman was married in Jackson May 18, 1904. to Miss Cardelia M. Odbert, a native of Jackson and a daughter of Edward and Clara Odbert. To Mr. and Mrs. Forman has been born one child. Edith, born March 12, 1905.
ALFRED II. COOK (1901), buyer for the Benson Grain company of Heron Lake, al- though a resident of Jackson county only a few years, was born in the neighboring county of Nobles and all his life has lived only a short distance from Jackson county. He is the son of Edward V. and Eliza (Gage) Cook, who now live at Fulda.
Edward Cook is a native of New York state. He enlisted in that state and served three years in the union army during the war of the rebellion. After the war he moved to Iowa. where he was married. Locating in Nobles county in an early day, he homesteaded in
Seward township. He lived there until 1877, and since that date has resided in Fulda.
To these parents were born nine children, of whom eight are living. Alfred is the fourth in age of this family and was born on the Seward township farm December 29, 1877. When an infant he was taken with his par- ents lo Fulda and in that town grew to man- hood and was educated. He was in the grain business in Fulda two years and taught school in Murray county two years. He was in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, during the year 1891. Mr. Cook moved to Heron Lake in July, 1901, and since that date has been employed as grain buyer for the Benson Grain company. This company was incorporated in 1901 and is one of the big financial institutions of the county, owning and operating twenty elevators in Minnesota and Nebraska.
Mr. Cook was married at Fulda January 1, 1901, to Martha E. Suthers, a native of Wis- consin. One child. Clifford II., has blessed this union, having been born April 10, 1902. Mr. Cook is a member of the MI. W. A. lodge.
ALECK F. ELNESS (1877) was born in Chris- tiania township June 4. 1877. and has resided there all his life. He owns the east half of the northeast quarter of section 20. He is the son of Elling N. Elness, who now lives in Ore- gon. and Ellen Elness, who died in 1900 at the age of 55 years. His parents came from Nor- way and located in Jackson county in 1870, homesteading land in Christiania township.
Aleek received his education in the district schools of his native township, and after grow- ing up engaged in farming. He owns stock in the Windom Telephone company and in the company that owns the Bergen store. He is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church of Belmont.
Mr. Elness was married May 2, 1900, to Gea Engan, and to this marriage have been born four children: Emmet. born February 26, 1901: Ouvin. born April 27. 1903; AHen, born May 25, 1905: Myriel. born May 9, 1907.
EDWARD J. LEWIS (1904). Among the several really meritorious enterprises of which the county seat boasts is the Jackson nur- sery. Edward J. Lewis, who has made that business his life's study, is the proprietor. Al- though his business is yet in its infancy, its
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BIOGRAPHICAL, HISTORY.
success is assured. He produces all kinds of fruit and shade trees and many varieties of Erries He employs several agents, who sell his goods throughout southwestern Minnesota, northern Towa and North Dakota.
Mr. Lewis was born in Howard county, lowa, August 8, 1883, being the only son of William and Emma (Moore) Lewis. llis fath- er died when our subject was two years of age: his mother lives in Cresco, Iowa. Ed- ward lived in Howard county, Iowa. until he reached his majority. He attended the public schools until he was thirteen years of age: then he began working in a nursery, which has ever since been his occupation. He moved to Jackson in the spring of 1904. bought a ton acre tract of ground on Thomas hill. made im- provements and started his nursery, which has since occupied his attention.
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