An illustrated history of Nobles County, Minnesota, Part 49

Author: Rose, Arthur P., 1875-1970
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Worthington, Minn. : Northern History
Number of Pages: 738

USA > Minnesota > Nobles County > An illustrated history of Nobles County, Minnesota > Part 49

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).

At Adrian on Jan. 28, 1890. occurred the marriage of Mr. Rehver 'o Miss Mary Yagel- long. a daughter of Joseph and Gertrule Vogelsberg and a native of Kenosha county. Wis. To thom have been born the following children, all of whom live at home: Frinees. Joseph. Susie, rob, Katie, Tricy, Victoria. (' lia, and Vincent.

After his marriage Mr. Reiter rentel the farm where he row lives the southeast quarter of section 5. Grand Prairie town- ship anl that has been his home over -ince. He purchasel the farm in 1893 and later bought eighty acres of land on section 30 Westside township, which he still owns. The home place cost him 828 por Tere land that today is worth $100. He engaged in the farming business there until the first ( Jammary. 1901, when he moved 10 Worthington to accept the office of sheriff of Nobles county, to which office he had been elected on the democratic ticket in the fall of 1900, He served at two year form and then returnel to his farm, where ho Lo- resided since. Mr. Reiter engages in -truckraising quite extensively, having high grade cattle, horses, hoge and sheep. Since the year 1991 he has been engaged in the actioneer business, having practically all the work of the west end of Nobles county as well as portions of nearby counties.

In the council of the democratic party Mr. Reiter cakes an active interest and im- portant part, having attended many county and state conventions. Prior to his elve- tion a- sheriff, Mr. Reiter served six years as a member of the Grand Prairie town- -hip board, and upon his return to the township he was chosen chairman of the board of supervisors. an office he has held ever since. He is a director of school district No. 30, which office he has held three years, lle is a member of the Catholic church of Ellsworth and of the Catholic Order of Foresters of the same village.

FRANCIS NELSON, of Graham Lakes township, has re-ided in Nobles county and the township where the now lives ever since he was three years of age, and is there- fore entitled to rank as one of the pioneer settlers. lle was born in Kroghville (a town. wow extinet, named in honor of his mother's family.) near New London. in Waupaca, county. Wis,, on Feb. 1. 1869. Anton Nel- con, our subject's father, now resides in Kinbrac. His mother was Annie (Krogh) Nelson, who died Nov. 23. IS93, at the age of 55 year -.

In 1871 Anton Nelson had come to Nobles county and traded a span of horses to B. W. Woolsteneroft for 208 acres of land on action 26. Graham Lakes township, and in the spring of 1872 Francis and the rest uf the family came out to the new home. For many years the family lived in the Ing house on the bank of the lake that had heon Prerted by the original settler, and later for many years in a new house erected on the same land. The Nelsons experienced all the hardships and privations incident to the pio- neer life of Nobles county, losing their crop rach of the seven years of the grasshopper visitation.

Until he was eighteen years of age Fran- cis lived on the home farm. During this time he secured a good education. After obtaining a primary education in the coun- try schools of Graham Lakes township he at- tended the public schools of Fulda one year and the Worthington high school three years, lacking one year of graduating from that institution. After he left the home place Francis began to shift for him-

367

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.

self, and in 1891 purchased his present farm on section 27 at the south end of East Gra- ham lake, where he has since been engaged in farming. In addition to his general farm- ing he makes a specialty of thoroughbred horses and has a number of fine predigreed Percheron horses. lle holds a membership in the Odd Fellow's lodge at Dundee. He has served as assessor of his township four years.

Mr. Nelson was married in Jackson county on Nov. 28, 1902, to Miss Celeste Foote, a native of the county in which she was married. To them have been born the follow- ing children: Clara, horn Sept. 28, 1903; Robert, born June 25, 1905; Julius, born April I. 1906: Evelyn, born Sept. 21. 1907. died Dec. 23. 1907.

GEORGE D. DAYTON, of the Dayton Dry Goods company, one of the large department stores of Minneapolis, was for nineteen years resident of Worthington. During that

0 time he was one of the most prominent citi- zens, taking a very active part in its busi- ness. social, educational and religious life.

Geo. D. Dayton was born in Clifton Springs, N. Y .. March 6, 1857, the son of D. D. Day- ton, who died Aug. 3. 1881, and Caroline W. (Draper) Dayton. who died in 1886. When the subject of this sketch was three months old the family moved to Geneva, N. Y., and in that town he was raised and received his education. There also he engaged in the lumber business after reaching man- hood.

In March, 1883, Mr. Dayton came to Worthington and purchased the Bank of Worthington from Thos. HI. Parsous. This le conducted for a number of years as a private bank, and then reorganized it into a state bank. and was its president until 1898, when he sold his interest. In 1884, he, in company with J. P. Moulton and other Worthington capitalists, organized the Minne- sota Loan and Investment company, an in- stitution that proved of great value to Worthington and Nobles county. Mr. Dayton was chosen president and has been at the head of the institution ever since. During the panic of 1893 and the period of hard times following Mr. Dayton piloted the bank and investment company safely through and took care of the patrons of those institu-

tions. Not a business man who had his account with either failed. As president of the investment company. Mr. Dayton platted Clary's addition to Worthington and was lar- gely instrumental in the settlement of that part of the city.

Mr. Dayton became interested in many business enterprises while residing in Worthington. Among others was the Worth- ington mill, which was bought in 1885. The Worthington Milling Co. was organized and successfully operated the mill. Another en- terprise. which. had it been successful, would have resulted in the greatest good to the county, was the Minnesota Northern Rail- road company, organized in the early nine- ties by Messrs. Dayton, Moulton and others. It was proposed to construct a line of rail- road from Worthington northward to either the Northern Pacific or the Great Northern. and the work had progressed so far that construction work was about to begin when the failure of Baring Bros., of London, caused a permanent suspension of the work.

During his residence in Worthington Mr. Dayton took a great interest in clueational matters. He served as a member of the school board twelve years, during all of which time he was president or treasurer of the board, and he was largely instrumental in bringing about the erection of Worthing- ton's school house. lle was active in church work. serving as elder, trustee and Sunday school superintendent of the Westminster Presbyterian church.

In 1902 Mr. Dayton moved to Minneapolis. in which city he engaged in the mercantile business. being the principal owner of the store of the Dayton Dry Good- Co. Besides the mammoth store at the corner of Seventh and Nicollet. he has other business interests in Minneapolis and has large land interests. Mr. Davion was married in Vates county, N. Y., Dec. 17, 1878, to Emma W. Chad- wick. daughter of Prof. Edmun! Chadwick. To them have been born four chillren-D. Draper. treasurer of the Dayton Dry Goods Co .; Caroline W., George Nelsen and Josephine.

EDGAR A. TRIPP. ex-mayor of Worthing ton, and proprietor of the Worthington flour- ing mills, has lived in Nobles county twenty- five years, and during all of that time has

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.

taken a prominent part in the affairs of the o mmenity in which he lived, as well as the county as a whole, aml has hebl many of fices of trust within the gift of the people.

He was born near the little inland po-tof her of lee Center, in lee county, Ill. Devem ber 29. 1550. the eldest of fourteen children. l!i- father. David Tripp, was born in New York state in Js2s and lied Ang. 14. Isso. His mother. Emily (Mayo) Tripp, was also a native of New York state, having been born there in May, 1s31. She is still liv. ing in Round Lake village. The Tripp family is an old one in America. and came or- iginally from the north of England. The first American settlement was made in Con- nevient, but later the branch from which our subject is descended became residents of Orandago county, New York, and there they lived for several generations.

Edgar A. lived in Lee county, Ill., until righteen years of age, receiving his education in a little red country school house, and when not engaged with his studies worked on the farm. In February. 1969. he drove to. , several terms. Ho helped to organize school

Marshall county, Iowa, preceding his parents several months, and there he was destined to jaws many years of his life. His father created a dwelling there, which proved to he the first building erected in the town of liscomb. For two years after coming to Jowa our subject attended a graded school; then for two years more he engaged in farm- ing. Ile hegan teaching school in 1874, and for several years was thus employed. teach- ing in country and town schools, and finish- ing his teaching as principal of the Liscomb selonl.

In the meantime Mr. Tripp had learned the telegrapher's trade and in the spring of ISSI he gave up teaching and took a posi- tion with the Jowa Central Railroad com- many as a telegraph operator. For several months he was on the extra list. ant was assigned temporarily to the stations at Ma- son City. Ackley, and other places. In the fall of Iss] he began working for the Bur. lington. Cedar Rapids & Northern Railroad company, and secured a regular station at Holland. Grundy county. Towa, as telegraph operator, station agent, express messenger, ote. He held this position until March. 1883 During the summer of 1883, in company with a partner. he engaged in farming near Holland.

He sold out his farming interests to his partner and accepted a position as station agent and telegraph operator at the new station of Round Lake. Nobles county, ar- riving there on October 15, 1883. He had charge of that -tation for eight and one-half years. During this period he was also en- gaged in the hay, lumber and other busi- nosses. for several years being practically the only resident of the village. In the early spring of 1892 Mr. Tripp engaged in farming and stock raising, having purchased a tract of land within the limits of the vil- lige, and his home was in Round Lake un- til December. 1896. Then he moved to Worth ington, having been elected that fall to the office of county auditor, and the county seat town was his home until the present year.

Mr. Tripp has held many official positions since coming to Nobles county. The first of these was in 1886, when he was elected chairman of the board of supervisors of In dian Lake township, which office he held many years. le also served as town clerk

district No. 57 (Round Lake) and was the first clerk, holding the office six years. Ile was appointed county commissioner in Jaun- ary, 1894, to succeed C. L .. Peterson, who moved from the county. In the fall of thit year he was elected to succeed himself. making the race as the nominee of the re- publican party, of which party he has al. ways been a member. In 1896 he was elected county anditor. was reelected in 1898 and again in 1900. At the expiration of his last term. in the beginning of the year 1903, he retired without suffering defeat. In 1892 he was cleeted a member of the school board of Independent district No. 5 (Worthington) for a three year term, and was reelected in 1905 for a term of the same length. In the village of Worthington Mr. Tripp has also held office a number of times. He was elcet - el a member of the conneil in 1902 on the citizens' ticket and served one year. In 1903 he was elected president of the coun- cil. or mayor, on the against license ticket, and served one term. He was elected to the same office in the spring of 1907, and served one year.

After leaving the anditor's office in 1903 Mr. Tripp made his home in Worthington, and occupied himself looking after his farm- ing interests. In June, 1906, he purchased a

THE NEW PUBLICUNITY

THE LATE CHARLES SAXON AND MRS. SAXON Who Were Among the Earliest Settlers of Indian Lake Township.

369

BIOGRAPHIICAL HISTORY.

one-half interest in the Worthington flouring mill, M. J. Barber being the owner of the other half interest. In the spring of 1907 Mr. Tripp bought out his partner, and since that time has been the sole owner. In the spring of 1908 he again took up agricultural pursuits, and now resides on his farm in Jackson county.

Edgar A. Tripp was married at Liscomb, Iowa, July IS, 1878, to Miss Jennie Elliott. daughter of George and Abi Elliott. To them have been born the following children, all living at Worthington: Ferderick A., David O., Oakley R., Mildred. Grace, H. Edgar, Leslie E.

Mr. Tripp is affiliated with many lodges, holding membership in Fraternity Lodge No. 101, A. F. & A. M., Living Arch Chapter No. 28. R. A. M., Independent Order Odd Fellows No. 219, Ancient Order United Work- men No. 165, and Degree of Honor, Okabena Lodge No. 18. He is also a member of the Worthington Presbyterian church.

CHARLES SAXON (1834-1903) was one of the earlier and best known settlers of Indian Lake township. From 1872 to the time of his death in 1003 his permanent residence was on the land he homesteaded-the south- east quarter of seetion 30.

Mr. Saxon was born near the town of Wasdtena. in the southern part of Sweden. Oet. 5, 1834, the son of a carpenter. The first eighteen years of his life were spent in his native country, where he secured a com- mon school education and began learning the carpenter's trade under the instruction of his father. The family came to America in 1852 and located at Rock Island, TIl. There for two years Mr. Saxon. Sr .. worked at his trade and his son assisted him. Charles re- moved with his parents to Fulton, Ill., in 1854. and during the next ten years he was emploved in a sash and door factory. He took np his residence on a farm near Winona. Minn .. in 1864, and for about two years en- gaged in tilling the soil. He then returned to Fulton, Ill., and again took a position in the sash and door factory. remaining there two years, making a total service of twelve years in that business. From Fulion ha moved west in IS68. and located in Allama- kee county, Iowa, from which place many of the early settlers of Indian Lake township

came. There he purchased a farm and dur- ing the next four years he engaged in agri- cultural pursuits.

During the years 1870 and 1871 many of the Scandinavian farmers of Allamakee eounty, Iowa, came to Indian Lake township, in Nobles county, and filed on claims. Among this number was Mr. Saxon, who came up in the fall of 1871. He filed a claim to the southeast quarter of section 30, built a shanty thereon, and then returned to his Iowa home. To hold the claim it was neces- sary to return the next spring. Mrs. Saxon and two of the children came up first, ar- riving on the place in May. The husband with two more of the children arrived on June 8, and thereafter to the time of his death, that was Mr. Saxon's home. The family passed through all the trials and trib- ulations incident to the life of Nobles county pioneers. Mr. Saxon took an active part in the affairs of the township during his life. For a good many years he served as a mem- her of the township board and also held other offices of the township. ITe was a member of the Indian Lake Baptis, church.

Mr. Saxon was married Sept. 2, 1862. in Allamakee county, Towa, to Augusta F. An- derson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Carl An- derson. She was born Dec. 19. 1839, and still lives on the home place in Indian Lake township. To this union were born nine chil- dren, seven of whom are still living. They are John A., Frank, William .1., August Wallace, Ida C. (now Mrs. Samuel C. An- derson. of Allamakee county. Jowa) ; Charles R .. Walter A .. Leonard (died in infancy), Oscar (died in infancy). All of the children now living, except Mrs. Anderson, reside in Nobles county.

Mr. Saxon died March 10. 1903.

KNUTE THOMAS. Among the pioneer settlers of Nobles county and of Little Rock township is Knute Thomas, who has resided on his Little Rock township farm over thirty-seven years. He is a native of Noma - dahl. Norway, and was born April 5. 1850. Ilis father's name was Tostend, who died when Knute was three years old. His mother. .Iulia Tostend, died in Nobles county in No vember, 1889.

When he was nine years of age Knute. ac. companied by his mother and three other

370

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.

children, came to the United States and located in Iowa county, Wis. There he re- sided, working out on farms and at other work, until he came to Nobles county at the age of twenty-one years. Gunder Joul and Erick B. Panl (the latter now living in Worthington), old acquaintances of the Thomas family, had come to Nobles county in 1870 and settled in Indian Lake township. They wrote back to their friends in Iowa county, telling them of the glories of the new country and of the advantages to be obtained here. A party of six, including Knute Thomas, was made up, and all drove through to Nobles county, cach having a rig of his own. They arrived during the month of July, 1871, and all took homesteads in Lit- tie Rock township, which then had not been organized or given a name.

Mr. Thomas took as a preemption elaim the northeast quarter of section 10, in time proved up on it, and has ever since made it his home. During the first three or four years he spent most of his time working out in the Wisconsin pineries, but made his home on the claim during the winter months. In 1872 he erected a sod house on his claim, covered the building with straw, which served for a roof, and made his home in that several years. Later the sod building was replaced by a frame "shack," 12x14 feet. This was replaced in 1885 by' his prosent commodious house. During the pioneer days Mr. Thomas suffered many hardships. farmed on only a small scale, but even a small erop he was not permitted to reap, for the hoppers took nearly his entire erop each year.

In Dodgeville, Wis., on Dec. 8. 1886, Mr. thomas was married to Mrs. Maline (Datter) Thompson, who was born in Norway and who came to Wisconsin when a chill. They are the parents of three children-Thom Albert, born Nov. 11, 1887; Laura Jane, born June 26. 1889; Osear Nicholas, born June 1. 1892. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas are member, of the Norwegian Lutheran church of Little flock township.

GUSTAVUS SWANBERG, of Worthington, is manager of, and one of the principal own- ers of, the Hub Mercantile company's store, and is chairman of the board of county com. missioners of Nobles county, of which body

he has been a member for the last eigh. years. The history of Mr. Swanberg's life is one that may be read with profit by many a young man starting in life without advantages and with small prospects of gef. ting to the front. Arriving in Nobles county when a lad of 21 years, without money, without friends and withont knowledge of the language of the country, he set to work to educate himself and to fight the battles of life. So well has he sucreede ! that today he ranks among the most sur- cessful business men of Worthington, and in a political way has been honored time and again by the electors of Nobles county.

The subject of this sketch was born in Ifardlund, Kall socken. Jemtland lan, Sweden. Dec. S. 1860, the son of Stefen Stefenson and Igeborg (Grelson) Stefenson. His father was a farmer and store keeper, and died in his native land in 1888. His mother eame to America shortly after her husband's death. and now resides with her son at Worthing- ton.

Gust attended the common schools of his native country until 15 years of age. IIe was then employed for a time on the gov- ernment railroad. clerking in a place where the railroad furnished materials and supplies for the workmen. At the age of 17 he en- listed in the Swedish army, serving in Jemtland feltjagare corps. Lif company (con- sisting of 135 men), for two years and three months. The military post where he was stationed was located on an island ealled Froso, in a large inland lake eilled Stors- ion, near the city of Ostersund. On leaving the army he received an honorable discharge. Up to the time of his enlistment. Mr. Swan- berg's legal name was Gustavus Stefanson. and the change to Gustavii's Swanberg was brought ahont in this manner: The laws of Sweden at that time forbade any man serving in the army to have a name ending in "son." giving the soldier the right to select any other name he might faney, however. Gust Stefanson selected the name Swanberg. and thereafter that was his legal name. Mr. Swanberg still has a elergyman's certificate in his possession to show under what circumstances the name was changed.

Shortly after leaving the Swedish army Mr. Swanherg set sail for America, arriving in New York Nov. 17. 1881. From the metropo- lis he eame direct to Worthington. He at

371

BIOGRAPIIICAL HISTORY.

once started to go to school in Bigelow town- ship that he might acquire a knowledge of the English language. The next summer he started working with a grading crew that was making the grade for the branch of the Burlington road which runs from Spirit Lake to Worthington. During the winter of 1882-83 he again took up his studies in the Bigelow township school where he had studied the previous winter. This term his teacher was Miss Hannah Peterson, who later became his wife. In the summer of 1883 Mr. Swanberg went to Wahpeton, N. D., and secured work with a carpenter's crew on the C., St. P., M. & M. railroad. He worked there that summer, and the following winter chopped wood at Delano, Minn., 30 miles west of Minneapolis. In the spring of 1884 he went to Lemars, Iowa, where he worked until fall with a crew putting in switches in the yards for the C .. St. P., M. & O. Railroad company. Then, not being satisfied with the practical knowledge he had ac- quired of the English language, in the fall of 1884 he hired out to an American farmer, where the Swedish language was not spoken, and remained there until the formation of the Swedish Mercantile company at Worth- ington in February, 1886.

Mr. Swanberg then secured employment with that firm as clerk, in which capacity he remained until the spring of 1889. On the last named date he became manager of the company and conducted the store in Worthington until the spring of 1903. Then, together with J. P. Peterson and F. O. Pet- erson, he bought the majority stock and formed a company, the title of which is the Huh Mercantile company. Mr. Swanberg is now serving as secretary, treasurer and manager of that company.

. In August, 1889, Mr. Swanberg was mar- ried to Miss Hannah Peterson at Sionx Falls, S. D. Miss Peterson was born at Lansing. Allamakee county, Iowa. April 18, 1862. and her home was with her parents in Indian Lake township. Five sons and one daughter have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Swanberg, as follows: Stanley, Gwendolin, Edmund, Franklin, Lloyd and Lester, the last two named being twins. All the chil- dren are living.

Mr. Swanberg first held public office in 1892, when he was elected a member of the city council, Three years later he was

elected city recorder. In 1900 he was elected county commissioner on the republican ticket by the electors of the fifth district to a four year term. During two of the years (1903 and 1904) he served as chair- man of the board. He was reelected in 1904, and was again elected chairman in January, 1907. In the spring of 1906 he was appointed a member of the Worthington school board to fill an unexpired term, and at the regular school meeting in July of that year he was elected to a three year term.

In 1890 Mr. Swanberg joined the Baptist church of Worthington, and is still a mem- ber of that church. taking a prominent part in the affairs of that organization. Frater- nally he is a member of the A. O. U. W. and K. P. lodges of Worthington.

MICHAEL CRUIT, farmer and stock raiser of Bloom township, is one of the early settlers of that township. He owns the south half of section 30, a short distance from the village of Wilmont, one-half of which he homesteaded.

Mr. Cruit was born in Queens county, Ireland, in July, 1855, the son of John and Ellen (Wall) Croit. His parents both died in Ireland, the former in 1870, aged 55 years; the latter in 1872, at the age of 47 years. In his native land Michael was raised on a farm, living there till cighteen years of age. In the spring of 1873 Mr. Cruit came to the United States. He spent his first summer in the new world working on a farm near New York city, in Westchester county.

From New York city Mr. Cruit went to Savannah, Ga., where he spent a year and a half working on the freight docks. He then returned to the metropolis and during the next six years was an employe of the Dodge Express company, his duties being to haul in trucks the United States mail from the docks to the postoffices. Our subject came to Nobles county in the spring of 1880 as a member of Bishop Ireland's company, hought an eighty acre farm in Lismore township, north of Adrian, and engaged in farming there three years. He then sold out and took as a homestead claim the southeast quarter of section 30, Bloom township, upon which he proved up six or seven years later. [Ie then bought of Theo. Hinrichs that gen- tleman's trec claim-the southwest quarter

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.

An illustrated history of Nobles County, Minnesota, Part 49

Author: Rose, Arthur P., 1875-1970 Publication date: 1908 Publisher: Worthington, Minn. : Northern History Number of Pages: 738

Author: Rose, Arthur P., 1875-1970
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Worthington, Minn. : Northern History
Number of Pages: 738