USA > Minnesota > Nobles County > An illustrated history of Nobles County, Minnesota > Part 41
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Mr. Thom was united in marriage at Hoiston. Min., March 20. 1865, io Miss Fliza Mitchell. She was also born in Aber fren, Scotland, and came to America on the aine ship that brought her future husband She was born May 20, 1848, and died April 20, 1907. Mr. and Mrs. Thom were the par-
ents of eleven children, of whom seven are living. The children are Annie M., died April 13. 1894, aged 20 years; Frank V., ro- siding in Olney; James A., died in 1899, aged 30 years; William .C .. banker of Rush- more; John D., died April 10, 1896, aged 21 years: Arthur G .. Olney; Roy C., Olney; Bertha M. (Mrs. W. R. MeChord), Olney; Lillian B .. Olney: Robert R .. died March 2, 1905, aged 16 years; Pearl E., Olney.
OSCAR D. BRYAN. One of the pioneer settlers of Nobles county and one of the very first to take up a residence in Grand Prairie township is O. D. Bryan, who is one of the members of the board of county com- missioners. Ile is one of the few Nobles county homesteaders who have resided con- timuously on the land they secured from the government, and his residence on the one farm covers a period of thirty-seven years.
Mr. Bryan was born in Geauga county, Ohio, Nov. 21. 1845, the son of James M. and Sarah (Rockwell) Bryan, who were both natives of New York state. James M. Bryan moved west when a young man and located regim: llancock county, lowa, and is ninety years of age. The mother of our subject died in ISAO.
After the war Mr. Bryan returned to his old home in Buchanan county, Iowa, and resided there until 1870. He then spent one year in Wright county. Iowa, and then, in June, 1871, came to Nobles county. IIe filed a homestead claim to the northwest marter of section 18. Grand Prairie township, and he has since resided on the place. Hc has sold one-half of the original farm, but still owns the west half of the quarter. He experienced all the hardships that were the lot of the pioneer settlers and, as he ex- presses it, "got everything that was coming to an carly Nobles county settler."
T
PETER THOMPSON A Pioneer of 1871.
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
Mr. Bryan was married in Wright county, Iowa, Oct. 19, 1872, to Lyda Sprague, a na- tive of Indiana and a daughter of Charles and Mary Sprague. Mr. and Mrs. Bryan are the parents of the following living chil- dren: Jennie, born in Wright county, lowa, Dec. 11, 1873; Ralph, born in Nobles county Nov. 21, IS82; Vera, born in Nobles county Aug. 26, 189I.
Mr. Bryan has been a lifelong democrat and has taken an active part in local poli- tics. He voted for Samuel Tilden and has sinee upheld the principles of democracy. Ile is rightly called the father of democracy of Grand Prairie township. In July, 1903, he was appointed county commissioner from the fourth district to fill the unexpired term of I'. C. Pratt, resigned. In 1904 and again in 1906 he was elected on the democratic ticket without opposition and is now serving on his third term. For thirteen years he served as chairman of the Grand Prairie township board, and was treasurer of school district No. 39 from the date of its organization up io fif- teen years ago. He is a member of the Odd Fellows and Workmen lodges.
PETER THOMPSON. In the whole of Nobles county there is no man who enjoys a larger acquaintance than does the gon- tleman whose name heads this sketch. Com- ing to the county with the vanguard of the coloni-ts, he at once became identified with its business, social, religious and political life. In an unassuming and unpretentious manner he became a leader. le has en- gageit in more business enterprises than any other man in the county. During his resi- dence of thirty-six years in the county he won the respect and esteem of all with whom he was thrown in contact.
Peter Thompson is a Scandinavian by birth. He was born in Jerfjo. Helsingland. Sweden, Jan. 27, 1839. the son of Peter and Karin (Goranson) Thompson. The
father lived to an age of 87 years, passing away at Waupaca, Wis., about 1896. The mother lived to be 94 years of age, and died in the same Wisconsin town in 1903. In his native land Mr. Thompson lived until he was cleven years of age, and there he secured the foun- dation of his education in the Swedish pub- lic schools. In 1850 the family came to Amer- ica and located at Pine Lake, Wis. They
were residents of that place only one year. when they moved to Waupaca, in the same state. There young Thompson engaged in farm work for two years, working during the summer months and attending school in the winters. Ile then took employment in a drug store, at which business he was engaged five years. During the first few years of his work there he was employed only part of the time. and he took advantage of the conditions to further his educational ambi- tions. attending the public schools whenever opportunity afforded. He became proficient in the drug business, and during the latter part of his employment was given entire charge of the store, with two men under him.
In the fall of 1858 the Thompsons became residents of Minnesota, making their home in Carver county. In the village of Car- ver Peter Thompson grew to manhood. For five years he was a clerk in a general store: the next year was spent as clerk on a steam- boat plying the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers. Ile then started in business for him- self, conducting a general store at Carver for seven years.
When it became known that the railroad was to be built through the southwestern portion of Minnesota and that the hitherto frontier country was to be opened, Mir. Thompson decided to cast his lot with the new country. One of his friends was J. O. Brunins, of Carver, who was one of the sur- veyors of the Sioux City & St. Paul company. Through him Mr. Thompson became interested in the Nobles county country. The surveyor gave Mr. Thompson the description of a piece of land along the new road, and in Septem- ber, 1871, he went to Jackson, and in the land office there filed on the west half of the southeast quarter of seetion 34. township 103, range 40 - the first filing made on land in what is now Elk township. He made the filing on the recommendation of Mr. Brunins, and had not visited Nobles county at the time. Mr. Thompson was a personal friend of Ex-governor Stephen Miller, who was at that time the agent of the railroad company, and that official kept Mr. Thompson informed of the doings of the railroad company and the operations of the National colony.
Realizing the advantages of being on the ground early. Mr. Thompson came to the site of the proposed new town of Worthington early in October, 1871. The day after his ar-
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
the museum and hid out the He Best day Mr. Thompson purchased .... .. the the wolf in the town. Two . It were purchase Von Ninth street. MET tle - Pie of Vi. S. V. Wyckoff now . The thirl was at the corner of Neverth street and Third avenue, where the perckor propose to greet a resilence. He meine lands a few days, and then returned to li heme mu Carver, the Sunday, April 1, 1-72. le returbel to the new town. coming on the first regular train that ran into Worth- i gtog. Ih brought with him three or four car luals of lumber and several carpenters, all at once commeneed the erection of his bre Milling on Ninth street.
Boihr his general store, he engiged in several other lines of business, establishing them in 152. He engaged in the farming ma- ebinery business, which he conducted until Ist. He built a warehouse (the building now stand- in the rear of the Worthington Globe office) and engaged in the grain busi- mes. He also engaged in the real estate business, in which he has ever since heen in- terested. He disposed of his store in 1879, -(Iling to B. W. Lyon, and discontinue] his grain business about the same time. In 1-75 h. started in business in Alrian, his enterprises there being managed by J. M. Cursos. He purchased a stock farm near there, built an elevator and engaged in the agri nhotril machinery business. Hle con- motel these enterprises until March 30, Isti, when he sold to A. G. Lindgren.
Mr. Thompson prepared a set of abstract Tracks in 1879, and since that date has been engaged in the abstract business. He received the appointment of official comity abstractor ir 1901. On the first day of January, 1880, in partnership with Gen. J. Day, he founded De Valdes County Bank, of which he was president. On Feb. 13. ISSS, he became sole other of the bank. and thereafter until 1891 in war angel in the banking business. He tien self to Lynl and Evans, since which tihe he has been engaged in the abstract. nb i-to'. in-france and loan business. For n my wu- he has been the owner of the Worthington Globe plast, and is at the pres- en tine tle publisher of that paper.
In an official capacity Mr. Thompson has served his city and county many times. lle was elected the city's first treasurer in 1973 Wal poin the following year. He was presi-
dent of the village council in 1876 and IS ;;. lle was elected county treasurer in 1877, and served a two year term. He was chosen emumty commissioner in 1892, and hecame chairman of the board. Hle resigned the of- fice in July, 1893.
In church matters he has taken a promi- nent part. He was instrumental in organiz. ing the Swedish Lutheran church in 1872, and took a prominent part in its reorganization in 1876. From the date of the first organiza tion he has held the office of deacon -a con- tinnous service of thirty-six years. At times he has also hold the offices of treasurer and trustce.
lle took part in many of the events of historical importance that have been described in the historical section of this work. Among other things, he took part in the organiza- tion of township government in Bigelow town- ship. lle was a notary publie, and in the spring of 1872 swore in the first officers of that township. the initial meeting having been held at the home of Lars Elofson on section 14.
Peter Thompson was married at Carver. Minn., March 18, 1860, to Christine Danielson. Mrs. Thompson was born in Sweden, came to the United States and to Carver, Minn., in 1854. and there met her future husband. Her father died when she was an infant; her mother died at her home in Carver in 1905, at the advanced age of 93 years. Mr. and Mrs. Thompson are the parents of two daughters: Hannah (Mrs. Fred Parker). of Duluth. Min .. and Nellie (Mrs. James W Parker), of Sioux Falls, S. D.
W. A. DILLMAN. For forty years W. ... Dillman has been a resident of Nobles county, and with one exception he is the coun- ty's oldest pioneer now living in the county. When he came to the shores of the Okabena lakes in the fall of ISUs there was not a human being within a radius of many miles: no railroad had yet penetrated the county; Worthington had not been thought of; and but few men had seen the sights which greeted his eyes. The site of Worthington was then the home of the mu-krat. fox and other fur bearing animal -. W. A. Dillman was born in Ohio January 8, 18tt, the son of George Dillman and Tildy (Dillman) Dillman, who were both natives of
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Ohio. When "Andy," as he is commonly call- ed, was one year old his parents moved from their Ohio home to Columbus, Indiana, and there the subject of this sketch spent his early life. During the winter months he at- tended school in a little log school house, and during the summer months he worked on the farm. This life continued until he was seventeen years old; then he took up the life of a soldier. and for over four years was a union soldier, taking part in some of the hardest campaigns of the civil war.
He entered the service on June 2, 1861. en- listing in company G, of the 22nd Indiana volunteer infantry. He reenlisted in the same company and regiment December 23. 1863. He fought under Generals Curtis, Buell, Rose- erans. Grant, Sherman and other generals. and took part in some of the most severe battles of the civil war, including Pea Ridge, Perryville. Stone River, Chickamauga, Mi-sion Ridge. Atlanta, and other minor battles. In the battle of Rocky Face Ridge, or Buz- zard's Bay Roost (Rocky Face ridge being an inaccessible spur of the Alleghenies. cloven by Buzzard's Bay gap), Mr. Dillman, while fighting under General Sherman, was wounded in the fleshy part of the leg. This oc- curred May Il. 1864, and Mr. Dillman was off duty as a consequence until August. Al- most immediately after going on duty, he was again wounded slightly. This was at Jonesboro and occurred September 1. From Chattanooga to Atlanta the command had almost incessant fighting. After the capture of the last named city Sherman's command, of which our subjeet was a member, proceeded on the famous march to the sea, arriving in Savannah in December, 1864. From there i' started north to get to the rear of Rich- mond. At Raleigh, N. C., occurred a skir- mish, in which Mr. Dillman took part. The command then proceeded to Richmond, and from the capital of the Confederaey to the capital of the nation, where the troops took part in the grand review on May 24. 1805. Mr. Fillman, although at the time a mere boy, was made a corporal. which office he held one year. He was later promoted and during the last year of his service he was a sergeant. During the summer of 1865 the regiment of which Mr. Dillman was a mem- ber was ordered to Mexico to take a part in the Maximillian squabble. but had proceeded only so far as Louisville, Ky., when orders
were received for the regiment's muster out. About the first of August the 22nd Indiana was mustered out at Louisville, although the breaking up of the regiment did not take place until some little time later at Indian- apolis, Ind.
After his di-charge from the army Mr. Dillman returned to Columbus, Ind., where for two years he was engaged in farming, car- penter work and odd jobs. In June. 1868, he decided to go west, and that month located at Blue Earth. Minn. In September of the same year he, in company with John Wilson and Frank Fortner. came to the present site of Worthington. built a sod and log shanty on the east bank of East Okabena lake, and engaged in trapping the fur bearing animals which were there in abundance. During the next few years Mr. Dillman spent the trap- ping seasons in this vicinity. The story of this part of his life can be found in the his- tory chapters of this work.
Mr. Dillman came to the county to locate permanently in 1871. Ile located a. soldier's homestead on the southeast quarter of sec- tion 34, Worthington township, filing his claim in April. and thus became one of the fir-t permanent settlers in that part of the country. That year he worked with one of the crews that was constructing the St. Paul and Sioux City railroad, the first railroad to penetrate the county. For several years af- terward he divided his time between trapping, working on the railroad and farming. These occupations he followed until about 1885. Then he settled on his farm and made that his home until about 1894, when he moved to Worthington, and that eity has been his home since. Nearly all the time he has been in Worthington he has operated a billiard hall.
"Andy" Dillman is certainly a pioneer of pioneers; he has seen Worthington grow from the home of the muskrat to a prosper- on- eity -something which it has been the lot of no other man to witness.
GEORGE T. BULICK. One of the pioneer- of Nobles county, one of the county's largest land owners and most successful farmers is Geo. T. Bulick, who resides at Reading. Dur- ing his residence' in the county, extending over a period of time from 1873 to the pres- ent. Mr. Buliek has passed through all the
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
degrees of poverty and prosperity. During the disastrous grasshopper days he was the forest of the poor and has known what it means to go hungry. For two weeks he and his wife lived on water and flour gravy. During these darkest days in the county's history his only income was what little he conbl make from the trapping of muskrats. Without sufficient means to pay his way out of the country, he was compelled to re- main, and today he is glad of it. He is the owner of 1,600 acres of land in Summit Lake township.
Mr. Bulick's life history is one of inter- est. lle was born in Oaktown, Center county, Pa .. Sept. 2, 1848. lli- father was Joseph Bulick, a blacksmith, who was born in New Jersey, and who died in Pennsylvania in 1 75, aged 75 years. The family came orig- inally from Wales, but for several generations had lived in America. Our subject's mother was Maria (Pugh) Bulick, who was born in England, came to America when a child, wedded Joseph Buliek Sept. 17. 1839, and died in 1894 at the age of 80 years.
Only limited advantages were accorded George T. Buliek for obtaining an education. At the age of fifteen he left home to make his own way in the world, and the next year enlisted in the United States service to fight for the preservation of the union. After making seven attempts to enter the service he was finally successful, and on Sept. 29. 1864, he was enrolled as a member of company L, of the 99th Pennsylvania volun- teer infantry, which became a part of the Second army corps, He was at once sent to the front. and participated in some of the most severe fighting of the war. At the battle of Petersburg. in November. he was so severely wounded that he was given up to die by the surgeons. Ile had just been re- lieved from picket dniy and was entering the door of a bomb proof when a mortar shell struck and penetrated the bomb-proof, in which were a number of his comrades. The missile of death came through the bomb- proof and exploded, breaking four logs and letting in about five feet of earth from the top. This damage let the logs and earth down upon the inmates of the enclosure. Two of the men were instantly killed and two others were seriously wounded. The ex- Hloding bomb broke Mr. Bulick's right leg and two of his ribs; the bone in his upper
arm was split, and a slug from the bomb entered his chest, through the collar bone, and was removed from the lung by the sur- geons. The cap of his shoulder was also in- jured. For two weeks he was unconscious, and for five months he was in a hospital. After this accident he was transferred to company A, of the 199th regiment of Penn- sylvania volunteers, 24th corps. He was mus- tered out at Richmond and received his dis- charge at Philadelphia July 8, 1865. Because of his injuries Mr. Bulick has drawn a pen- sion ever since his discharge. lle now draws $17 per month.
After his discharge from the army Mr. Bn- lick returned to his home in Pennsylvania and for one year worked iu a saw mill. lle then devoted himself to huekstering, which was his employment for six years. Our subject decided to go west and seek his fortune in some new country. With a companion he started out early in the year 1873 and visited Nebraska. They did not like the country, and, as Mr. Bulick's companion had some advertising matter which set forth in glowing terms the advantages of Nobles county, they decided to come to the land of promise. They arrived in the month of April, 1873, and Nobles county has been the home of our subjeet ever since.
Ne immediately filed a homestead claim to the southwest quarter of section 22, Summit Lake township. That summer he went to Rochester, Minn., where he worked on the streets and at farm work. It was during his stay in Rochester that he was united in marriage to Miss Mary E. Kinch, a native of Huntington county. Pa., and a daughter of John and Eliza (Leathers) Kinch. This union has resulted in the birth of ten children, of whom the following are living: Anna E. (Mrs. Robert Black). Dewald: Emma J. (Mrs. John Green). Summit Lake; Kla M. (Mrs James Baird), Smumit Lake: Frank C (married Gertie Johnson). Reading; Effie M. (Mrs. Raymond Conner). Superior. Wis .; Will- iam J., Reading.
Early in 1871 Mr. and Mrs. Buliek. came to their claim in Summit Lake. Without means to erect a suitable residence. Mr. Bu- liek built a dug-out, which was done by simply digging a hole in the ground and covering the opening with boards. In this he lived only a short time, and then built a more pretentious home-a frame building 12x16
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feet, covered with sods. In May, 1875, he took as a tree claim the southeast quarter of section 28, Summit Lake township, and later made his home on that, planting trees and erect- ing a good house. There he resided until 1901, when he erected a fine house in the village of Reading, and has since made his home there, managing his many farms from that place. Mr. Buliek owns all of section 27. the south half of 28, 260 acres in 23, 162 acres on the northeast quarter of 2, Summit Lake township, and two houses and lots in Reading. He engages largely in stock raising, and has large herds of cattle and sheep. Nearly all of his land is tiled.
Politically Mr. Buliek is a republican. township and school matters he has held office during nearly all the time he has resided in the county. In the early days he served several terms on the township board, and was township treasurer for many years. He also held the office of school treasurer for a long time. Ile is a member of the Presbyterian church of Reading. Fraternally he is an Odd Fellow and a Woodman.
CHARLES A. SUNDBERG. A pioneer set- tler of Nobles county and one of the first, if not the first, settlers of Dewald township is the gentleman whose name heads this sketch. He took a homestead elaim in De- wald in April, 1872, and that place has been his home ever since-a period of con- tinuous residence of over thirty-six years.
Charles A. Sundberg was born in the cop. per mining district of Bersbo. Sweden. April 25, 1841. His father was Jonas Sundberg, who followed the occupation of miner all his life as had his father before him. The mother of our subject was Annie (Anderson) Sundberg. Both his parents died in Sweden in the early seventies. Although beginning the work which his ancestors had followed for so many years at the tender age of eight years, Charles managed to receive a common school education. receiving instruc- tion in the branches taught in the lower grades. From eight to twelve years of age he did light work on the surface, but when he reached the latter age he was sent below and instructed in the duties of mining. He continued to follow that occupation until 1864.
On the second day of September, of the
fase named year, he landed in Boston, de- termined to seek his fortune in the new world. Experienced only in the copper min- ing business, Mr. Sundberg sought employ- ment at his trade. Ile went at once to Houghton, Mich., and there for two and one-half years was employed in the copper mines of that district. He then worked for the same length of time in the iron mines at Ishpeming. 1Ie then determined to give up the life of a miner, and in June. 1869, moved to Jasper county, in southwestern Missouri. There he bought an eighty-acre farm, and during the next three years gained his first knowledge of farming.
Because of sickness in the fever and ague district of Missouri, Mr. Sundberg decided to seek a, home in a more healthful clime. le decided to go to Jackson county, Minn., about which country he had heard, and set out to make the trip overland-a trip which consumed five weeks' time. When the party was about half way across the state of lowa, a man was met who told Mr. Sund- berg of the new country in Nobles' county and of the organization and plans of the National colony. So glowing were the ac- counts told by the stranger that Mr. Sund- berg decided to change his course and go to Worthington. This was done and the family arrived in the little village on the bank of lake Okabena on April 15, 1872. After one week spent in that village Mr. Sundberg joined the National colony and took as a homestead the east half of the southeast quarter of section 2, Dewald township, and as a tree claim the west half of the same quarter. There he has resided ever since.
At the time he built his house there was not another habitation in sight, but so rapid was the settlement immediately afterward that thirty days later Mr. Sundberg was able to count many houses and shacks from the top of his building. lle went through all the pioneer experiences of early life in Nobles county and weathered the hard tinies -and harder times were never known in any country than those of the seventies in Nobles county. Without sufficient funds to leave the country during the darkest days of the gras-hopper scourge, and not knowing of a better place to go to had he the means, Mr. Sundberg remained and has become one of the substantial farmers of eastern Nobles county. lle has an excellent apple orchard
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of 300 trees on his farm, and also raises considerable small fruit. In past years he has gained a reputation as a strawberry gardener, some seasons having sold several thon-and quart- of the finest Ferries to be found on the market. He is no' now so de- tively engaged in agrienkural and horticul- tural pursuit- as formerly, and soon ex- pwet- to retire. Mr. Sundberg has always taken an active interest in school matters, and for sixteen years served as treasurer of the school district in which he lives.
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