USA > Minnesota > Nobles County > An illustrated history of Nobles County, Minnesota > Part 45
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94
Messrs. Wiekstrom and Mallberg went to Minneapolis early in the spring of 1871 and were there joined by a party of gentlemen who had just arrived from the old country- men who later came to Nobles county and most of whom are still residents of the eounty. In the mouth of April the party went to St. James, where workmen were building the new St. Panl & Sioux City railroad. Under the leadership of L. B. Ben- nett this party of Swedish workmen took employment with the construction crew and assisted in the building of the railroad from St. James to LeMars, Iowa, continuing with the work until Oet. 28, 1871.
But before that date the members of the party had decided to give up working for wages and to build themselves homes in the new country through which they were pass- ing. In May the party took homesteads in Bigelow and Indian Lake townships. A party of four, consisting of our subject, his brother, Peter Wick-trom, and Ilans and Ole Ny- strom, decided to locate on seetion 24. Bige- low township. Lots were drawn for the se-
leetiou of the land, and the northeast quar- ter was the parcel drawn by Mr. Wiekstrom. After quitting the railroad work on Oct. 28, the party returned to Nobles county and took possession of their elaims. Each erected a claim shanty on his land, but six gentle- men made their home on the Nordquist claim, in Indian Lake township, where they erected a sod house in partnership.
Mr. Wickstrom continued to make his home on the Nordquist elaim until November, 1872, and then moved onto his own land. Having permanently established himself in the new world, Mr. Wickstrom sent to Sweden for the lady who was to become his bride. He was married in what is now known as the Wyckoff building on Ninth street. Worthington, on Dec. 24, 1872, to Miss Bertha Peterson, who was born in Sweden April 30, 1848. Strange as it may seem, it was somewhat of a task to fulfil the requirements necessary for a wedding in those early days. It was first necessary to seeure a marriage license and to locate the proper officer from whom to secure that necessary document. The county seat of Nobles county at that time was seattered all over Graham Lakes township. Accompanied by Erick Mahlberg, who was married at the same time, Mr. Wickstrom walked to the county clerk's office in Graham Lakes, where the license was procured. Returning to Worthington they secured the services of Rev. William MI. Bear and were married. To Mr. and Mrs. Wiekstrom were born the following named children: Alfred, of Mil- waukee, Wis .; Peter of the same eity; Wil- liam M., who resides on the home farm; Emma (Mrs. Ole H. Nystrom). of Bigelow township; Osear (deceased), Joseph, who lives on the home farm. Mrs. Wickstrom died Oct. 19. 1894. The second marriage of our subject occurred in Bigelow township Ang. 11, 1897, when he was wedded to Annie Lar- son, who was born in Sweden in 1857, and came to the United States in 1865.
When Mr. Wiekstrom established his home in Nobles county he had only about $200, and during the early days he suffered many hardships and privations. The grasshoppers took the erops nearly every year. and for many years no headway was made. How- ever, he determined to remain and wait for better times. He had a home and was a landowner, which he never before had been.
344
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
Hle made his home on the farm until May, May, 1876, he came to Nobles county and 1907, when he retired from active business and moved to Worthington. He owns the acres of improved land in one body in Bigelow and Indian Lake townships.
Mr. Wiekstrom tells many stories of ad- ventures in prairie fires and blizzards during the pioneer days. He narrowly escaped losing his life in blizzards on three separate oc- casions, the narrowest escape being during the hard storm of January, 1873. in com- pany with Jonas Moberg he was returning to his tarm from Worthington with ox teams, when the terrible blizzard struck. They be- came lost in the storm, and only by peise- verance and good fortune did they reach the home of Gust. Swanson, on the bank of Ocheyda lake, where they secured shelter. Although Mr. Wickstrom was only a short distance from his home, it was three days before he was able to make the journey home.
During his long residence in Bigelow town- ship Mr. Wiekstrom frequently held olliers of trust within the gift of his neighbors. Hle served as township supervisor several years, and for many years was a member of the school board of the distriet in which he lived. Ile is a member of the Swedish Baptist church of Indian Lake township.
GEORGE SLADE, proprietor of the Slade hotel, Adrian, is one of the early settlers of the west end of the county, having resided there since he was twenty-one years of age. Mr. Slade was born in Albany, N. Y., July 21, 1854, the son of William and Sarah B. (Sheppard) Slade.
William Slade, our subject's father, was born at Winhall, Bennington county, Ver- mont, March 16, 1822, moved to Troy, N. Y., with his parents when five years of age, and to Albany a few years later. He moved to Merrimack, Wis., in 1855, to Baraboo, Wis., in 1868, and to Nobles county in 1885, where he died Sept. 29, 1889. Our subjeet's mother was born in New London, N. 11., and died in Wisconsin April 27, 1859.
Geo. Slade was taken to Merrimack, Wis., by his parents when a child, and there he lived on a farm until he became of age. He attended the common schools of Merri- mack and completed his education in Jeffer- son Liberal Institute, of Jefferson, Wis. in
took as a homestead the southeast quarter of section 14, Westside township land which he still owns. For a time after his arrival in the county, Mr. Slade worked on the farm of Ira E. Crosby, three miles west of the present city of Adrian. lle then farmed his own place ten years. Removing to the village of Adrian, he purchased the Central hotel of L. S. Roberts and ran it five years. lie then tore down the building and erected in its place the handsome brick block in which are housed the Hotel Slade, the First National Bank and Allert Zollmer's saloon. Mr. Slade conducts one of the best hotels in southwestern Minnesota. Ile owns the Hotel Slade livery barn, which is run in connec- tion with the hotel.
Mr. Slade was married at Worthington, Dec. 28, 1879, 10 Annette R. Dunham, who had been a school teacher in the Crosby district of Westside township. To Mr. and Mrs. Slade have been born three sons and three daughters, all living. They are Roxy (Mrs. Fred Schuster), born in Westside town- ship Aug. 30, ISSO, now living at Rochester, Minn .; Charles W., born in Westside town- ship Nov. 12, 1883; Music, born in Adrian July 23, 1885; Max D., born in Adrian Nov. 23, 1888; Doris, born in Adrian March 1, 1891; Fred D., born in Adrian April 2, 1896.
Mr. Slade has been a member of the Ma- sonie order twenty-two years. He has served as deputy county sheriff for the last ten years and served two terms on the Adrian village council.
EMIL GRAF, president of the State Bank of Lismore, secretary and one of the or- ganizers of the Willmont Mutual Fire Insur- ance company, and a retired farmer, is a pioneer not only of Nobles county but of Minnesota. having become a resident of the territory in 1830. His home is in Lismore village.
Emil Graf was born in Switzerland, at Stein on-the-Rhine, March 22, 1839, one of the two children compo-ing the family of John J. and Margaret (Strasser) Graf. The father diel at Franconia, Minn .. in 1875, aged 66 years. The mother died in the sime place, after having lived over eighty years.
The educational advantages of our subject were limited to three years schooling (from
345
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
six to nine years) in his native country. In April, 1849, the Graf family left their old home in Germany and set sail from Havre, France, for the new world. They accomplish- ed the voyage to New Orleans in thirty- four days, and were eight days longer mak- ing the trip up the Mississippi by boat to St. Louis, where they first located. In June, 1850, the family moved to Minnesota ter- ritory and located at a point four miles north of Stillwater. There the head of the family purchased a tract of government land and engaged in the gardening and dairy bus- iness, Emil assisting in the work. In 1859 the Grafs moved to Marine Mills, Minn., where the father and son engaged in the brewing business, which had been the father's occupation in the old country.
Emil Graf enlisted in company B, of the famous First Minnesota regiment, on April 29, 1861, and was in the service three years, heing mustered out at Philadelphia in 1864.
Immediately after his discharge from the army, on May 8, 1864, Mr. Graf was married at Philadelphia to Miss Frederica Zeh, who was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, Jan. 10, 1843, the daughter of Frederick and Barbara Zeh. The family emigrated to America in 1852 and located in Philadelphia. Following are the names of the living children of Mr. and Mrs. Graf: Caroline C. (Mrs. William M. Stevens); Emma M. (Mrs. John B. Disch) ; Adolph C., Emil F., Eda C., John C. and Clara S. (Mrs. B. Grapes).
After his marriage Mr. Graf again located at Marine Mitls, Minn., and reentered the brewing business, which he continued until 1869. He then sold out and started a gen- erat merchandise store in the same town, and conducted that ten years .- He came to Nobles county with his family in 1879 and took a homestead in Willmont township, upon which be resided until 1900. He then took up his residence in the village of Lismore, in the founding of which he took an active part. Ile has entered very actively into the busi- ness life of the village and is identified with many enterprises. In a political way he has also played an important part. He was elected county commissioner from the second district in 1883 and served a three year term. For many years he was township clerk of Willmont township.
EDWARD E. FIELDS, of Little Rock town- ship, has the distinction of being the oldest continuous resident of that township, having made his home on the farm upon which he now lives over thirty-seven years. His home is on the northeast quarter of section 22, and he also owns eighty acres on section fifteen.
Mr. Fields was born in Dane county, Wis., twenty miles west of Madison, in April, 1851, and was the son of Norwegian parents, Erick and Annie Fields. The former died in Dane county, Wis., in 1851, when the sub- ject of this sketch was four months old. The mother died in Dane county in 1886. In early boyhood Edward was "hound out" to a farmer and worked at farm work until he came to Nobles county.
It was in the latter part of May, 187I, that Mr. Fields, Knute Thompson, Henry Dostic and Mr. Roberts came to Nobles county and located in Little Rock township. All took homesteads, but our subject is the only one who has remained. He broke the first land in the township, plowing ten acres where the grove on his farm is now located. During the pioneer days he suffered many hardships and privations. During the grass- hopper days he frequently had to use one- third of his crop for the next year's seed.
Alr. Fields was married at Round Lake to Emma Tweeten, who died in 1888. By this marriage four children were born-Mrs. Herbert Pratt, of Worthington; Edwin, who resides near Bigelow; Mrs. Frank Klein, who resides on the home farm; and Ilenry, who lives at Burlington, Colorado. In the early days Mr. Fields affiliated with the Lutheran church and was one who planned for the building of the Little Rock church.
HENRY NELSON, retired farmer and cap- italist of Ellsworth, was a homesteader in, and one of the early settlers of, Grand Prairie township, having come to the county in the spring of 1874.
Mr. Nelson is a Norwegian by birth, hav- ing been born in Gran Hadeland Sept. 1S, 1845, the son of Nels and Maran (Erickson) Nelson, both of whom died in their native country. Ile came to the United States in 1867 and located in Winneshiek county, Iowa,
346
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
Hear the town of Decorah. There he lived two years, and then moved to Lafaye.te coun'y, Wis,, which was his home until he calle to Nobles county. During hi- resi dette in lowa and Wisconsin Mr. Nelson worked at different occupations-on farms, it the maineries ant at other pursuits.
April 10, 1524, was the date of the arrival of Mr. Selon to Nobles county. He at un ve iled a homestead claim to the southeast quarter of section 22, Grand Prairie, upon which he resided thirty-two years. At the time of settlement there he erected a house, 14xls ivet, eight feet high, which at the time was one of the most pretentious in the neighborhood. During the grasshopper day's he lost nearly every crop and suffered many hardships common to the lot of the settlers of that date. In 1906 Mr. Nelson rented his farm to his sons and moved to the vil- lage, where he now lives a retired life.
Mr. Nelson was married in Grand Prairie township April 23, 1574, to Carrie Larson, who was born in Norway and came to Amer- ira in 1869. She is the daughter of Lars Larson, deceased. To , Mr. and Mrs. Nelson have been born eight children, all living.
In the early days Mr. Nelson served sey- eral terms on the Grand Prairie township board and was on the school board of his district there for many years. lle is now a member of the Ellsworth board of education.
HENRY NOLTE. One of the prominent and successful farmers of Grand Prairie township is Henry Nolte, who has been en- gaged in farming there for the last twenty years.
Mr. Nolte was born in Lippe Detmold, Ger. many, on July 21, 1845. His parents were llenry and Sophia (Kiacht) Nolte, both of whom are deceased, the father having died in Franklin county, lowa, in 1885, aged 73 years, and the mother on July 14, 1891, aged 75 years.
In his native country Mr. Nolte resided until he was twenty-one years of age. There he was educated in the common schools, sup- plementel by a two years' course in English after coming to America. Until he was lif ten years old he lived on a farm, Then he took employment in a brick yard, at which business he was employed until he came to America in 1866. He departed from Germany
on a sailing vessel on March 17 and landed in New York on May 9. Going at once to Ogle county, Ill., Mr. Nolte rented a farm anl engaged in farming there until the spring of 1875. The preceding fall he had bought 170 acres of land in Franklin county, Iowa, and in the spring he took up his residence there and engaged in farming un til the spring of 1888. It was in 1879 that he met with an accident, having his right hand mangled in a corn sheller.
In 1887 Mir. Nolte decided to change his lo- eation, due to poor school facilities. He had a family and was three miles from school. The opportunity for an advantageous sale af- fording, Mr. Nolte disposed of his farm in Franklin county and set out to look for a new location. lle came to Nobles county in the fall of ISS7, liked the looks of the coun- try and decided to invest. lle bought four hundred acres of his present farm on section 7, Grand Prairie township, and in the spring of 1888 moved onto the place, and it has been his home ever since. When he came to the county Mr. Nolte had only $1,200, and the farm he bought was only slightly improved. Today he has one of the finest improved farms in the vicinity, including a beautiful grove and a fine orchard. During the time of his residence in the county Mr. Nolte has prospered. lle is now the owner of the east half of section 7, the north half of the north- west quarter of section 7 and the northwest quarter of section 5, all in Grand Prairie township, a section of land in Saskatchewan, valued at $20 per acre, and two sections in Kit Carson county, Colorado. valued at $12 to $15 per acre. Until recently he owned other Nobles county property.
Mr. Nolte engages in stock raising quite extensively as well as grain farming, raising a considerable number of cattle and hogs. IIe holds stock in the First National Bank of Ellsworth and also in the State Bank of Magnolia, of which institucion he is one of the directors. Ile is a member of the P'res- byterian church of Ellsworth. In politics he is independent but takes an active part. He served as township assessor one year and has been a school officer during nearly the whole time of his residence here. for seven or eight years he was a director of district No. 39, and since retiring from that office he has held the office of treasurer of the district, having served about ten years.
347
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
Mr. Nolte has been married twice. His first marriage occurred in Ogle county, 111., on June 11, 1872, when he led to the altar Miss Gesiene Essman. She died Dec. 28, IS93. To them were born the following chil- dren: Louise (Mrs. Albert Rust), born Aug. 2, 1873, died April 3, 1901; llenry, born Jan. 10, 1875; Herman, born Feb. 17, 1876; Adolph, born March 12, 1878, died Sept. 6, IS78; Charles, born May 9, 1879; Minnie, born March 23, IS82; John, born April 12, 1884, died Sept. 8, 1884; Fred, born Oct. I, 1885; John, born Jan. 17, 1888; Gesiene, born Sept. 4, 1889, died Feb. 12, 1890; Gesiene, born Oct. 4, 1890; Bernhardt, born March 10, 1892. All of the living children are residents of Grand Prairie township. On December 4, 1894, Mr. Nolte was married to Mrs. Minnie Krueger, who died July 31, 1907. To them were born two children, as follows: Marie, born July 29, 1895; Alvina, born Dec. 13, 1899.
SYVERT D. TINNES, retired farmer of Adrian, is one of the oldest settlers of west- ern Nobles county, having been the first to take a homestead in what later became Olney township. Mr. Tinnes was born in Norway July 25, 1823, and came to the United States in 1843. He located in Iowa county, Wis., which was his home twenty-eight years. There he engaged iu farming and mercantile business. He was married there to Matilda B. Lindgren, who was born in Sweden and came to America when a child. They have four living children-D. J., of Northwood, N. D .; J. F., G. E. and Mary, of Adrian.
In IS71 Mr. Tinnes came to Nobles county and settled on section 34, Olney township, and acquired title to the whole of that sec- tion. His family came out the next year, and that became the family home. He farm- ed there until about twenty years ago, when he retired and moved to Rushmore. After one year spent in that village, he moved to Adrian where he has since lived a retired life. He still owns 420 acres of section 34, Olney.
FREDERICK PANK. When Fred Pank took his homestead claim in Willmont town- ship in 1877 there were only two permanent settlers in the township-Thos. Klasy and William Moody. He is therefore one of
the pioneers of Willmont and the township's oldest settler. He still owns his homestead, the east half of the northwest quarter of section 30, and in addition owns 560 acres of land in sections 14 and 24, Leota town- ship.
Mr. Pank was born in the province of Pommern, Prussia, July 17, 1850, the son of Frederick and Caroline (Metz) Pank. In his native land the elder Pank owned and conducted a brick yard. He died there in 1906, aged 83 years. His wife died several years earlier at the age of 68 years. Fred spent his boyhood days in Pommern and was educated there. Under his father's di- rection, after becoming old enough to work, he learned the brick mason's trade.
Our subject decided early in life to try his fortunes in the new world and in 1868 set sail for America, arriving in New York on Nov. 4. The first three years were spent in New York city, working at his trade. lle then came west and located at St. Panl. Iu that city he was one year, holding a position in a brewery. The next six years of his life were spent in Stillwater, five years as a watchman and one year as an em- ploye in Wolf's brewery.
After working in Stillwater for twenty- eight days, on March 24, 1872, the brewery burned. Mr. Pank was in the brewery at the time of the fire and jumped from a third story window. All that he possessed was burned. His bedfellow and another roommate were hurned to death, while MIr. Pank awoke just in time to escape from the burning building. The next year, on June 11, while working as a watchman, he went into a gas house, which exploded. He got out in some way not known to himself, but was badly burned. By care of good physicians he soon recovered.
In the fall of 1877, in company with a par- ty of Stillwater men who were looking for lands to homestead, Mr. Pank came to No- bles county, the exact date of his arrival in ne county being October 11. He at once filed a claim to eighty acres of land as described above and then returned to Still- water. In the spring of 1878 he returned to nobles county, took up his residence on his claim, and that has been his home ever since. Three years after his arri- val Mr. Pank took as a tree claim the
34-
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
southeast quarter of section 21, Leota. Ilis uther possessions have been acquired by purchase. Mr. Jank has a me home and a well improved farm. He is a breeder of Pulled Angus cattle.
At Stillwater on March 21, 1573. Mr. Pank was united in marriage to Miss Catherine Rehder, who was born in Hol-tem, Germany, June 1, 1851. She is the daughter of John and Dorotheo (kortum) Rehder who came to the United States in 1806 and lo- rated near Stillwater. Mr. and Mrs. Pank are the parents of the following named children: Rosa J. (Mrs. M. S. Goler, Ochey- edan, lowa; Edward H., a farmer of Leota township; Martha C. and Florence, who re- side at home. The family are members of the German Lutheran church.
Fred Pank has served as township treas- urer for the last twenty-four years, and prior to his first election to that office served as a member of the board of su- pervisors from the time of the organization of Willmont township, in which event he participated. For nine years he served as director of school district No. 66. Ile has been treasurer of the Willmont Mutual Fire In- surance company since its organization; is a director and shareholder of the Lismore State Bank, and a director of the Farmers elevator at Lismore. Ile is a member of the Odd Fellows and Workmen lodges of Adrian.
M. S. BOYLE, of Lismore township, is the oldest settler now living in that precinct. Ih owns and farms the east half of section 27. Mr. Boyle is the son of the late Michael and Bridget (Finnegan) Boyle, natives of Ireland. The father died Oct. 1. 1891, aged 76 years. The mother died March 6, 1899, aged 75 years.
Our subject was born in Green Lake com- ty, Wi -. , May 17, 1853. Ile was raised on his father's farm and made his home there till the spring of 1874. Then, having reached his majority. he left home. After making a trip down the Wisconsin and Mississippi river- to Burlington, lowa, and back up the St. Croix river, he engaged in timber- ing.
In the month of July. 1876, he came to Nobles county, determined to make his home in the new country of southwestern Minne-
suta. A brother had been in the neighbor hood so early as 1865 while in the service on an expedition after Indians, and had always declared that southwestern Minne- sota was dewined to become a great coun- try and that some day he would make his home there. lle accompanied his brother, M. S. Boyle, to Nobles county, in 1876. Cap- tain Niken Miner located our subject, who on the 20th of July filed a homestead claim to the northeast quarter of section 20, Lis- more township. Although claims bad been taken in the township prior to this time, there was not an actual settler in the township at the time MIr. Boyle erected his "shack" and became a resident. He broke up a small tract of land the first season and began farming.
From the date of filing on the claim until 1894 Mr. Boyle divided his time be tween his Nobles county farm and the tim- ber camps on the St. Croix river. He spent his summers farming and winters working in the woods. He bought his present 320 acre farm in 1889, and in IS9I made his improve- ments and moved on. That has been his home ever since, with the exception of five or six years spent in Adrian, where he engaged in the stock business. Mr. Boyle engages extensively in the stock business and raises thoroughbred llereford cattle ang Oxford Down sheep.
Mr. Boyle was married at Adrian May 15, 1879, to Mary O'Day, a native of Fond du Lae, Wis., and a daughter of Michael and Mary O'Day, both deceased. To them have been born the following children: May C., born April 15, 1880; llelen Mary, born March 29, 1882; Isabel, of Black Duck, Minn .. born March, ISS6; Edward D., born Feb. 12, 1889; Ethel, born May 20, 1893; Margaret, born Ang. 2. 1896. In the early days Mr. Boyle served five or six years as a member of the Lismore township board.
The brother of M. S. Boyle referred to is Dennis Boyle. well known to all the old settlers. While he never made his home in Nobles county, he had large land interests. mado big improvements, and was interested in stock raising. At one time he owned 1.500 aeres of land and had it all in growing grain. M. S. Boyle also engaged extensively in farming. He opened up for erops over 1,000 acres, a part of which he has since sold. The Royles were among the most ex-
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.