USA > Minnesota > Nobles County > An illustrated history of Nobles County, Minnesota > Part 64
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L. Il. Beekley resided with his parents in Kalamazoo until twenty-one years of age. ' Then he went to Barry county, Mich., and engaged in farming, which he followed until 1877. In September of that year he moved to Nobles county, bought a farm in Dewald township, and engaged in farming there for a number of years. During the time that he was engaged in farming he conducted a meat market in Worthington a year and a half, having purchased the pioneer market from Otis Bigelow. Removing from Dewald town- ship, Mr. Beckley located on the Newkirk farm, and in 1894 moved to Worthington. lle bought a six and one half acre tract of land in the village, and for the last four- teen years has been a market gardener.
In Portage township, Kalamazoo county, Mich., Mr. Beckley was united in marriage to Martha Austin on Jan. 16, 1867. She is a daughter of 1l. M. Austin and was born in Ohio in August, 1843. To Mr. and Mrs. Beckley have been born five children. of whom the following three are living: Eu- gene K., a miller living at Blue Earth, Minn .; Harvey G,, a printer of Minneapolis; Jennie MI., of Worthington.
Mr. Beckley is a member of the Congre- gational church and of the A. O. U. W. and Degree of Honor lodges.
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
JOSEPH F. ULLRICH, farmer, Worthington township, has made Nobles county his home for the last twenty years. llis home farm i- the northwest quarter of section 19; in addition to this he owns another quarter section in Worthington township.
lle was born in Cook county, III., Dee. 5, Isas, the son of Magnus and Mary (Rup- pert) Ullrich, both deceased. When the sub- jeet of this biography was less than a year all his parents moved to Lake county, Ill., and there he was raised and made his home for thirty years. During all of that time, after he had come to man's estate, he was engaged in farming. lle came to Nobles county in Isss, bought the land where he now lives, and has ever since made his home here. During his long residence in Worth. ington township he has held many office .. lle has served on the township board, been road overseer and clerk of the school dis- trict.
Mr. Ullrich was married Oct. 24, 1882, at I'remont Center, Lake county, Ill., to Emma Tekampe, a native of that county. They have been the parents of nine children, eight of whom are still living. They are Edna, deecased; Eddie, Willie, Augusta, Albert, . Herbert, Mary, Josephine and Raymond.
LEVI D. HAWKINS, of Summit Lake township, is a native of Winchester, Fred- erick county, Virginia, as were his ances- tors for several generations. llis father, John Hawkins, is now living in the state of West Virginia. His mother, Emma (Ramey) Hawkins, died in her native state thirty-five years ago.
To these parents Levi Hawkins was born Oct. 11, 1857. He secured an education in his native state, was reared on a farm there, and made his home in Virginia until 1882. In the fall of that year he moved to Will county, ID., and farmed there four years. Ile then moved to Sioux county, lowa, and engaged in farming until 1893. That year I arrived in Nobles county, bought his farm northwest quarter of section 12. Summit lake township and has resided there since. In addition to the home farm he owns eighty acres one mile south of his home.
Mr. Hawkins was married in Illinois Feb. 22, 1886, to Lucinda J. Patterson, a native of illinois, To them has been boru one child, Pearl, born May 9, 1890.
In local public affairs Mr. Hawkins has always taken an interest, and has held sev- eral township and school offices. lle has been school treasurer for the last nine years and township assessor for the last five years. lle served as road boss for several years and is now road inspector for Summit Lake township. He served on the town board one year. Mr. Hawkins is a member of the Presbyterian church of Reading, of the M. W. A. of Reading, and of the 1. 0. 0. F. of Worthington.
JOILN F. FLYNN, attorney at law, Worth- ington, has been a resident of Nobles county for twenty eight years, having spent nearly his whole life here, and he enjoys an ac- quaintance throughout the county equalled by but few men. lle was born in Buffalo county, Wisconsin, Dec. 12, 1871, being next to the eldest of nine children, all but one of whom are still living. llis father, Andrew Flynn, was a native of Ireland. He died at his home near Ellsworth in 1885. llis moth- er, Susan (Canole) Flynn, also a native of Ireland, is still living at Ellsworth.
John accompanied his parents to Nobles county when they moved here April 20, 1880, and the county has been his home ever since. Their first place of residence was 01, section 31, Grand Prairie township, and that was the home of our subject for many vems. Ile had started his schooling at Wer- merville, Wis,, and after his arrival in No- bles county he attended the district school of Grand Prairie township, and later, when the town of Ellsworth was founded in Iss1, he was a student in the graded schools of that village. Completing the course there in 1893, he began teaching school just over the line in lowa. During the winter of 1891 95 he attended the Sioux Falls Business eddlege, and the following summer worked cn the farm. The next winter he again went to school, taking one term in a pre- paratory school at Sioux City.
lle then decided to enter the law business. .11 on May 12, 1896, he entered the law office of C. M. Crandall at Worthington, where he was a student for about a year and a half. In September, 1897, he began lis studies in the law department of the Minnesota state university, and completed a two years' course in one year. Ile re- turned to Worthington in June, IS98, and
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BIOGRAPHIICAL HISTORY.
again entered Mr. Crandall's office. The fol- lowing November he moved to Ellsworth and opened a law office, although at the time he had not been admitted to the bar. Hle took the examination of the state board at once, however, and on Jan. 9, 1899, was admitted to the bar. Ite continued his prae- tice at Ellsworth until 1905, when he moved to Worthington. In addition to his law business Mr. Flynn was interested in other lines of business. In company with C. A. Bird and P. F. Levins he formed the real estate firm of Flynn, Levins & Bird, and was a member of that firm several years. lle was one of the organizers of the First National Bank of Ellsworth, which was granted a charter in 1901, and was made vice president of the bank. lle resigned that office in 1906, but is still a director. In 1903 he was one of the founders of the Ellsworth Land & Town Lot company, which purchased the Ellsworth townsite. lle was made president at the time, an office he still holds.
During all the time of his residence in Ellsworth Mr. Flynn was village attorney, and he drafted many of the ordinances of that village. Ile also served one term as recorder of that village. Mr. Flynn is one of the wheelhorses of the democratic party of Nobles county, and no demiorrat takes a more active interest in the affairs of his party than does Mr. Flynn. In 1902 he re-
democratic for ceived the nomination
state senator from the Nobles-Murray dis- triet and was defeated by Daniel Shell by a majority of 718. Again in 1906 was he honored with the nomination, and came with- in 67 votes of carrying the county against S. B. Bedford, who was elected.
Mr. Flynn removed to Worthington in February, 1905, formed a partnership with J. A. Cashel, a graduate of Ann Arbor, and since then has been practicing law in the county seat town. Fraternally Mr. Flynn is associated with the Modern Woodmen of America and Catholic Order of Foresters, of Ellsworth. lle owns 570 aeres of real es- tate in the vicinity of Worthington and owns his own home in the city.
JACOB G. HOFFER, marshal of Lismore, was born near Freeport. HI., Feb. 19, 1871, the son of Nacerious and Aurelia (Dedrich)
Hoffer. The father was born in Baden, Germany, and emigrated to Canada when a boy. There he learned the shoemaker's trade, and in the early sixties moved to Stephenson county, Ill., where he engaged in farming. Later he moved to Hardin county and then to Kossuth county, lowa. lle now resides at Ackley, lowa, and is 85 years of age. Our subject's mother was born in France and moved to Canada when a child, in which country she married Mr. Hoffer. She died May 16, 1906, at the age ut 78 years. Jacob is the next youngest of a family of twelve children, all living. They are Kate, Joseph, Caroline, Mary, William, Agatha, Lydia, John, Matilda, Edward, Jacob and Rosa.
When Jacob was three years of age the family moved from Stephenson county, Ill., to Ackley, Iowa, and there he lived until twenty-one years of age, attending school and working on his father's farm. Near the town of Wesley, in Kossuth county, Iowa, the family next located, and there our sub- ject spem several years working on his father's farm. On the seventh day of March, 1900, he left home and located in Nobles county. For three years he engaged in farming and then moved to Lismore and engaged in the saloon business in partner- ship with Jacob Hendel. After nearly four years of that business he sold out and started a harness shop, which he conducted for a time and then sold out. By appoint- ment Mr. Hoffer has held the office of marshal for several years. In the spring of 1908 he was elected to the office and now devotes his entire time to his official duties.
In Adrian on April 27, 1898, Mr. Hoffer was married to Rosa Kessler, a daughter of John and Mary Ann Kessler, of Lismore. Mrs. Hoffer was born in Germany and canke to the United States when a child. To Mr. and Mrs. Hoffer have been born the fol- lowing children: Marie, Julius, Lauretta, Alfonso, Bernard, Viola and Raymond. The family are members of the Catholic church.
JOHN F. GILOMEN. One of the old tim- ers and best known farmers of llersey town- ship is John F. Gilomen, who owns and farms 480 acres on section 12. Ile is a na- tive of Switzerland, having been born in Canton Berne on Jan. 21, 1862. His parents,
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BIOGRAPHICAL IHISTORY.
Benedict and Elizabeth (Dick) Gilomen, are still living, making their home in their na- tive country.
Until reaching his majority Mr. Gilomen lived in Switzerland, securing an education and working at the carpenter's trade, and for six weeks served in the Swiss army. In 1883 he came to America and located in eastern New York, where he worked about four months. From there he went to Con- noetient, where for one year he followed the carpenter trade. Ile came to Minnesota in the spring of 1885 and for six months worked at his trade in Heron Lake. He then took up his residence in Graham Lakes township, of Nobles county, taking employment on the farm of John Ilallamek.
On November 13, 1885, he was united in marriage at Worthington to Miss Osithat Ilallamek, danghter of John Ilallamek, of Dundee. To them have been born the fol- lowing children, all residing in Hersey town- ship: Edward, Mary (Mrs. Adam Ruckel- hausen) ; John, Augusta, Rudolph, James, William, Paul, Otto and Louise.
In 1887 Mlr. Gilomen bought his present farm, where he has resided ever since. His first ' purchase was a quarter section, which he bought for eight dollars an acre on time. He has been adding to his possessions until today he owns the 480 aeres in section twelve as well as 115 acres just out of Brewster. Besides his general farming he raises lots of stock, and his farm is finely improved. Mr. Gilomen has served as treasurer of school district No. 46 for the last sixteen years.
FRANK HEGLE, of Lismore township. is one of the pioncer settlers of that town- ship, having made his home there nearly thirty years. lle is a native of Germany, having been born at Grafenhausen. Baden, on Dec. H. 1863. He is the son of Joseph and Augusta (Mutschler) Haegle. The fath- (or was born in Germany April 27. 1832. and now makes his home with his son in Lis- more township. In the fall of 1907 he vis ited his old home in Germany, returning the next spring well satisfied with the farming conditions of this country. He enjoys good health and assists in the farm work. The mother was born in Germany in March, 1833, and died in Nobles county Oct. 18, 1896.
The Haegle family emigrated to the United States in 1872 and located at Mankato, where they arrived October 16, with only $80 in their possession. The head of the family rented land near that city and engaged in farming on it four years, working hard dur- ing the time he could spare from the farm in the hardwood timber. At the end of the four years he bought an eighty acre tract eight and one-half miles from Mankato, put twenty acres of it into crop, and farmed it two years. Grain and wood were then very cheap on that market, and he concluded that the place was too small and that, as his two boys and one daughter were growing up, he would look for land in some new country.
Early in the spring of 1878 Joseph Hacgle, accompanied by two other early settlers of Bhie Earth county, William Kemach and Robert Heidwinkle, came to Nobles county to look the country over with a view to investing. They traveled over a large part of western Nobles county on foot, as there were no livery rigs to hire. On the first noon out they took lunch by the side of a huge boulder, which stands opposite the firm of Rufus Doe, on the line between Olney and Westside townships. This was the third day of March, 1878. The prairie grass of the year before had just burned off and the country along the Kanaranzi creek looked very rough and bluffy, and Mr. laegle's companions decided that they would mot locate in the country. Twenty-eight years later these two gentlemen again vis- ited the country and expressed their sur- prise at the wonderful development.
Joseph Ilaegle was not discouraged by the looks of the country, he being a hard work- ing man, and decided to locate. the pur- chased from Peter Thompson for $300 that gentleman's tree claim to the northwest quar- ter of section 24, Lismore township, then nothing but wild prairie land with no im- movements. Ile broke forty acres of land that spring with two horses that he had brought with him and erected the old claim shanty that can be seen today standing in the middle of the yard of the home place. During the months of June and .July he ereet - od a frame dwelling house, and in Octo- her, of the same year. the family came down from Mankato, loeating on the farm which has ever since been the family home.
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
The family was poor when they came to the county, and for some time suffered all the hardships of pioneer life. Forty acres of wheat were planted in the spring of 1879, and when the hoppers came that year they ate it almost to the ground for five rods around the whole forty acres. This was a severe blow to the new arrivals, and for the first few months in 1879 they lived on star- vation fare. Their condition was relieved on July 28, 1879, by the arrival of $303, Mrs. Haegle's share of her father's estate. The family continued to battle with the hardships and in time came upon prosper-
ous days. There were some well to do homesteaders in the Haegle neighborhood who lost several thousand dollars during the unfortunate time in Nobles county's history. They were discouraged on account of the dry weather and the ravages of the grasshoppers and left the country, and today some of them are in very poor circumstances.
Frank Haegle secured three years' school- ing in Germany and three years in the schools of Mankato. Until he was twenty- one years old he lived with his parents. At that age he rented the home farm and has been engaged in farming since. In 1885 he bought eighty acres of his present farm in scetion 13, Lismore. and two years later he bought the other eighty of the quarter.
Mr. Haegle was married at Adrian March ID. 1890, to Miss Ida Sieren, who was born eight miles east of Mankato on March 23, 1864. Iler father, John Sieren, settled in Blue Earth county in 1856, and resided there until 1902, when he moved to St. James, where he now lives. Mrs. Ilaegle's mother was Margaret (Wagner) Sieren, who died June 2, 1906. To Mr. and Mrs. Haegle have been born the following children: Mary MI., born Oct. 18, 1891; Appalona A., born Nov. 30, 1892; Joseph H., born March 28, 1894; John M., born May 4, 1896; Susan B., born Sept. 12, 1898, died June 2, 1899; Anna K., born April 15, 1900; Rosella A .. born Sept. 10, 1901; Edward M., born Nov. 9, 1903; Franeis K., born Sept. 8, 1905. The family are members of the Catholic church of Lis- more.
JAMES TENCATE, postmaster of Leota and member of the firm of DeBoer & Ten- Cate, proprietors of the store at Leofa, was
bom in Holland May 6, 1205, the son of John and Carrie (Corgsbrong) Teucate.
The family came to the United States in 1872 and located in Holland, Mich., where the head of the family worked at the shoemaker's trade, and where he died in ISS1, at the age of 66 years. The mother died in the same town in 1907, aged 83 years. James is one of a family of eight children.
After his father's death in 1881 James TenCate moved to Alton, Sioux county, lowa, where he engaged in farming until came to Nobles county eleven years later. Sixteen years ago he came to Nobles county and with John and Nicholas DeBoer engaged in the mercantile business at Leota, where he has since made his home. When the Leota postoffice was established about thirteen years ago Mr. TenCate was ap- pointed postmaster and has held the office continuously ever since with the exception of the year 1907, during which year the office was discontinued. He owns 260 acres of land on sections S and 6, Lenta town- ship, which he purchased in 1896.
Mr. TenCate is a man of family, having been married at Orange City, lowa, March 1. 1-87. to Julia DeBoer, a native of Dol- ton, Ill., and a daughter of John De Boer. To them have been born six children, as follows: Carrie (Mrs. Gerrett Kooiman), of Leota township; Aunic, John, Johanna and Herman.
The family are members of the Christian Reformed church of Leota. Mr. TenCate has served as treasurer of Leota township for the last eight years.
PATRICK GLYNN, who owns a farm of 240 acres .in Westside township, only a short distance southwest of Adrian, is one of the old settlers of the county. lle is a native of County Claire, Ireland. where he was born in 1845. llis father. Thomas Glymm, died in Ireland when our subject was a small child. His mother,. Johanna ('u-ick) Glynn, is also dead, having died in Miemgan.
Mr. Glynn came to America in 1857 and located at. Paynesville, Ohio, where he lived three years. Hle then went to Cleveland, where he resided many years. He worked in a foundry in that eity some time and
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
at other occupations, and during part ut the time he was there engaged in farming. During the years 1874-75 he worked in the railroad shops in Sacramento, California, but returned to his oll home in Cleveland.
While having in that Ohio city Mr. Glynn calle in contact with advertising literature concerning the Nobles county country which hal been prepared by Bishop holand, the head of the colonization company, and de- cided to try his fortunes in the west. Hle sold his residence property there and on May 20, 1879, arrived in the county which has ever since been his home. Hle bought a quarter section of land on section 33, Westside township, for which he paid $7 per arre, and engaged in farming. Hle con- ducard the farm until 1892, when, on ac- count of the poor school facilities in his immediate neighborhood, he sold and bought his present farm on section 23, for which he paid $16 per acre. That farm has ever since been his home.
Mr. Glynn was married to Mary Kin- sella September 3, 1877, in St. John cathe- dral in the city of Cleveland, Ohio, by Rev. Father Thorpe. She is a native of County Carlow, Ireland. Mr. and Mrs. Glynn are the parents of the following children: Henry, Mary, Annie, John. Kathryn, Margaret, Ag- ne4, Sarah and James. Mr. and Mrs. Glynn are members of the Catholic church.
THOMAS LENZ, SR., resides in Grand Prairie township, his farm being one mile lærth of the village of Ellsworth and con- sisting of 240 acres on section 21.
Mr. Lenz was born in Scott county, Minn., Dec. 21, 1842, and is a san of Nicholas Lenz, who now lives in Scott county at the age of 87 years. In his native county Thomas was educated and resided on his father's farm until 1899. He then came to Nobles county and located in Grand Prairie town- ship, where he has since been engaged in farming. He bought his present farm four- teen years ago.
In Scott county Mr. Lenz was married Feb. 11. 1890, to Miss Margaret Witt, a native Minnesotan. They are the parents of the following ten children: Lena, Gertie. Juldie, lazzie, Julia, Dora, Celia, Julia, Vic- toria and Raymond. Mr. Lenz is a member of the Catholic church, of the C. O. F. and St. Joseph's society.
SAMUEL ALLEN, contractor and build- er, has resided in Worthington since IS76, and has erected many of the fine -: public and private buildings of the city. Among others, he built the first briek building ot the town Masonie temple-the city hall. Carnegie library, Worthington National Bank building, Peterson & Stitser block, the Mor- land and Lewis block, German Evangelical church, Wilson store building and the Chaney & Mackay store building.
Mr. Allen was born in Worcester, N. Y., Oct. 30, 1832, the son of Justin and Margaret (Russ) Allen, natives of New York state and members of one of the old families of that state. In the place of his nativity Mr. Allen learned the carpenter's trade. In 1856 he came west and located at Ripon, Wis., where he worked at his trade twenty years. In the spring of 1876 he came to Worthing. ton, where he has ever since resided, follow- ing the occupation of carpenter and con- tractor.
Mr. Allen was married at Ripon Oct. 10. 1860, to Mary E. Clifford. daughter of Wil- liam Clifford. Mrs. Allen was born in Weare, N. 11., Nov. 30, 1839. To this union were born eight children, of whom seven are now living, as follows: Romaett (Mrs. C. II. Saulpaugh), Mankato, born Oct. 3, 1863; Ina Belle ( Mrs. W. W. Loveless), Worthing- ton, born Nov. 2, 1801; Josephine Estella (Mrs. Stanley Moore), Worthington, born Jan. 31, 1867; Gay Grant, Worthington con- tractor, born July 28, IS68; Myron Reed, an electrician of Watertown, S. D., born July 13, 1872; Hairy E., Worthington, horn June 22, 1874; Carrie Ivanotte, teacher of short- hand at Minneapolis, born April 29, 1876.
PETER N. BEUR. Seward township farm er, is one of the successful agriculturists of that precinct, where he has resided on the southwest quarter of section 28 since 1885. He was born in Schleswig-Holstein. Gor - many. Aug. 3, 18Gt. His parents were Christian Bohr and Maggie (Hausen) Bohr, both natives of Germany, where the latter died in 187]. The husband and father came to the United States in 1882 and bought a few acres of land in Clinton county, Jowa, where he resided with a daughter until his death in March, 1887. being about 75 years of age at the time of his demise.
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
Peter N. Behr grew to early manhood in the country of his nativity, living with bis parents and attending school until seventeen years old, when he worked out for a period of two years. In 1881 he emigrated to the United States, and selected Teeds Grove, lowa, as his first place of residence, near which place be worked on a farm two years. Then he moved to Clinton, in the same state, and bought a team and ran a dray two years. Disposing of his business in Clinton in 1885 he came to Nobles county, Minn., and bought the southwest quarter on sec- tion 28, Seward township, and returned to Clinton, where he worked as teamster for C. Lamb & Son, lumber dealers, for two years. He then moved back to his farm in Nobles county and began the work of improving the place, there being nothing on the farm but an old "shack" and only a few acres had been broken when he purchased it. He now has a model farm, and in the last few years has made the place more profitable by a complete system of tiling. He has added to his possessions by the purchase of the ad- joining quarter section on 29. Ile is an ex- tensive grain raiser, and has large herds of finely graded cattle and hogs.
Mr. Behr was married in Clinton, Jowa, March 9, 1889, to Dora Siemens, a native of Germany, who came to the United States in 1882, her parents being. Peter and Annie Siemens, who re-ide in Tama county, lowa. lo this union have been born seven child- ren, as follows: Annie, Christ, Dora, Mary, Maggie, Minnie and Martha.
Mr. Belir has held office almost continu- ously since residing in the county. He was township assessor seven consecutive years, has been a member of the township board a number of years and is at present holding the office of president of that body. Ile was clerk of school district No. 37 three years, and was a director of the -ame dis- trict for a number of terms. The family affiliates with the Pfingsten German Luth- eran church.
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