USA > Minnesota > Nobles County > An illustrated history of Nobles County, Minnesota > Part 69
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Mr. Hlagherg has been married twice. ITis first marriage occurred at Clinton, Iowa. in 1886, when he wedded Hilda Hendrickson,
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who died sixteen months later. To them one son was born, Arvid, who now resides with his father. Mr. Hagberg's second mar- riage occurred in Clinton Dec. 22, 1892, when he was united in marriage to Miss Otelea Carlson, a native of Sweden. To them have been born the following children : Olga, Victor, Archie, Leroy, Eveline and Nathanial, all of whom reside at home. Mr. Hagberg is a member of the Swedish Mission church of Worthington.
JAMES M. HAGERMAN is a farmer re- siding a short distance south of Brewster. on section 2, Lorain township, and has lived in the county eighteen years. He was born in Lycoming county, Pa., March 28, 1867. the son of Joseph L. Hagerman and Mary (Hafer) Hagerman. His mother died in the year of his birth: his father died in Towa in 1897.
When James M. was six years of age he came with his father to Laporte, Iowa. There he lived two years and then his father moved to a farm near Waterloo, Iowa, where our subject worked on the farm and secured his education. He started his schooling in the country schools near Waterloo. and com- pleted his education in Waterloo enllego. which he attended four years. lacking only one year of graduating from that institu- tion. In 1890 he moved to Nobles county and his first winter here was spent in teach- ing school. Then in partnership with his brother. G. E. Hagerman. he engaged in farming. Later he purchased the northeast quarter of section 2. Lorain township. and that has been his home since.
Mr. ITagerman was married in Nobles county to Miss Clara Scharping. daughter of Carl Scharping. one of the early settlers of Nobles county. on Nov. 4. 1894. To them have been born three children. Clarence. Percy and Asher.
JOHN G. MITCHELL, real estate dealer of Worthington, has resided in the county twenty-eight years. He was born in Hons. ton county. Minn., May 10. 1861. the son of James and Jane Mitchell. ITis father was born in Aberdeen shire. Scotland. came to the United States in 1850, and later located
in Houston county. Minn., where he bought two farms and where he resided until his death in 1864. Jane Mitchell was also born in Scotland; she died in 1890 in Olney town- ship, Nobles county. Minn., at the age of 65 years.
When John Mitchell was seventeen years of age he first came to Nobles county. spent one summer here, but his home was in Houston county until 1880, at which time he came to reside permanently. One year he lived on a farm in Olney township, and then he purchased a tree claim of 160 acres in the same township, upon which he lived four years. Disposing of his interests there, he moved to Rushmore and went into the implement business, which he conducted two years. He then opened a real estate office in Rushmore, which he conducted until his removal to Worthington in 1905. In the county seat village he still carries on a real estate business, since 1907 in partner- ship with I. F. Kelley.
Mr. Mitchell was married at Rushmore, Minn .. Dec. 12. 1883. to Lucy Randall, who died Jan. 22. 1893, at the age of 28 years. To this union four children were born- Grace (Mrs. Wm. Schrader), Fred. Will and Ester.
On Dec. 27. 1895. at Rushmore. Mr. Mit- chell took for his second wife Miss Mary Atkins, a native of New York city. To them three children have been born. as follows: Gertrude. Gladys and Marion.
CITARLES WEITGENANT. of Bloom town. chin, was born in the village of Ossian. Winneshiek county. Towa. Sept. 30. 1870. He is of German descent. his grandparents having come from Germany when children and settled at Columbus, Ohio. The father of our subject is Joseph W. Weitgenant. mayor of Ossian. He was born in Indiana and is 59 years of age. The mother of the subject of this biography was Elizabeth (Banning) Weifgenant. She was born in Wisconsin and died in February. 1871. aged 22 years.
Charles Weitgenant was raised on the pa- rental farm in Winneshick county and made his home there until reaching his majority Ile then went to Mason City. in Corro Gordo county. lowa. where he engaged in
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farming three years. Ile and a brother then went to Algona and conducted a hardware store one year. Returning to Mason City after selling the hardware store, he again engaged in farming and was there four or tive years.
When Mr. Weitgenant disposed of his hard- ware stock he traded it for the northwest quarter of section 29, Bloom township, in Nobles county, and in 1903 he moved up to take charge of his land, and has made his home in the county since that time. He creeted buildings on the land in 1906.
In Bloom township on Sept. 20. 1901. Mr. Weitgenant was united in marriage to Tve Anderson, daughter of Henry M. and Lucy Anderson. Mrs. Weitgenant was born in Indian Lake township, Nobles county, May 1, 1884. They are the parents of two child- ron Virgil. born Ang. 10, 1906; Raymond. born March 19, 1908.
Mr. Weitgenant served two years as elerk of Bloom township. He is a member of the Odd Fellows lodge of Wilmont.
WILLIAM H. CHRISTENSEN, proprietor of one of Rushmore's elevators. was born at Manley Junction, Iowa, in December. 1869. the son of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Chris- tenson. The father. a native of Denmark. is now living in Rushmore and is 85 years of age. The mother died in Rushmore.
Up to the time he was seventeen or cigh- teen years of age Mr. Christensen lived with his parents in Manley Junction and North- wood. Towa, and in Hartland and Mankato. Minnesota, receiving his schooling in lowa and in llartland. When about seventeen years old he went to Minneapolis, where he worked in an elevator about two years. Hle then moved to Wilder. where he resided about five years, buying grain for an eleva- tor company. The next two years were spent in Gardner, N. D., where he again bought grain.
In 1891 Mr. Christensen moved to Rush- more, where he has ever since resided. Until 1899 he was the manager of an elevator there, and in the year last named he, with a partner, bought the elevator he has ever since conducted. During his residence there Mr. Christensen has taken an active part in the affairs of the community. lle estab-
lished the Rushmore Gazetto and was its editor for some time. He was elected a member of the Rushmore village council in the spring of 1907 and is now serving in that capacity.
Mr. Christensen was married in Rushmore in July, 1899, to Linda Trene Thompson. and to them have been born two children: Forest S. and Elvena P. Mr. and Mrs Christensen are members of the Methodist church of Rushmore and of the Yeomen lodge of the same place.
CHARLES A. GORDON. of Worthington. was horn in Olmsted county, Minn., May 15. 1855. and is the son of Jonathan and Loureite (Walker) Gordon, of Hersey town- ship
Jonathan Gordon is one of the best known of the pioneer settlers of the county. ne was born in Lyman. Grafton county. Now Hampshire. March 4. 1823. and was a son of natives of the same state. In Lyman he lived until 25 years of age, and then. in 1848, he moved to Rockton, Winnebago county, Illinois. Three years later he located in Allamaker county, Iowa and in 1854 moved to Olmsted county, Minn .. his fami- ly becoming the third in that county. He arrived in Nobles county May 28, 1871, and homesteaded in Hersey township. In that precinet and in Worthington village Mr. Gor- don has lived ever since. The mother of our subject was born in Vermont. She is now living at the age of 83 years. Charles A. Gordon is one of a family of seven children, composed of Emily Frances' (Mrs. J. H. Cunningham), Fair Oakes, California; Nelson E .. Charles A .. William Fred. George M., Mary F. (Mrs. Selby) and Willis S.
Charles Gordon lived on the farm in Olm- sted county until he came with the family to Nobles county. For a few years after the removal of the family here he divided his time, working out, between Nobles and Olmsted counties. He located in the county permanently in 1877, when he took as a timber claim the south half of the north- west quarter and the northwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section 6, Hersey. On that place he lived until 1896, engaged in farming. Then he moved to Worthington, where he has since lived a retired life. Ile owns property in the village.
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
in Worthington on February 15, 1884, Mr. Gordon was married to Mande Coder, who was born in Kansas May 9, 1865, and whose parents are Henry and Frances Coder. ller father died at the age of 76 years in 1902. ller mother, who was married the second time to Pollard Austin, of Michigan, also deceased, is 68 years of age and makes her home with her danghter. Mr. and Mrs Gordon are the parents of one child, Frances, born Aug. 7, 1889.
GEORGE HOFFMAN is a Willmont town- · ship farmer who has resided on his present place sixteen years. He owns 355 acres of land on sections 14 and 23. He was born in Buffalo, N. Y., July 16, 1857, the son of Lawrence and Mary (Lapprell) Hoffman The father came from Germany in 1830 and located in New York state, where he held a position as engineer in a tannery for many years. Later he settled in lowa and engaged in farming. Ile died in Carroll county in 1884, aged 62 years. Our subj. ject's mother came from Germany when a child. She died in Carroll county in 1898, aged 64 years,
When George was eight years of age the family moved from Buffalo to Winneshiek county, lowa. Here they lived on a farm nine years. In 1874 George moved with his parents to Carroll county, and that was his home until 1892. He lived on the farm with his parents until 21 years of age, and then began farming for himself and became a land owner. Hle came to Nobles county in 1892, hought part of his present farm in Willmont township, and has made his home there ever since. The land was raw prairie land at the time of purchase and had no improvements thereon.
Mr. Iloffman was married Feb. 21, 1884, at Hillsdale, Carroll county, lowa, to Fran- ces Kenebeck, daughter of George and Katlı- erine Kenebeek. She was born in Waukegan, Mellenry county, Ill., Dec. 21, 1866. To them have been born the following children: Kath- erine (Mrs. John Duclos), of Larkin, born Jan. 4, 1885; George William, born Jan. 21, 1887, died Dec. 29, 1888; Martin, born Jan. 29, 1889; Joseph, born April 19, 1891; John, born Oct. 11, 1893; Eda, born Jan. 9, 1896; Caroline, born April 28, 1897; Jennie, born
June 18, 1899; Rosie, born Sept. 10, 1902; Lawrence, born Jan. 24, 1901; Louis, born March 25, 1906. The family are members of the Catholic church of St. Kilian and be belongs to the German Roman Catholic so- ciety of St. Paul. For three years Mr. Holl- man served as township supervisor and for five years was a director of school district No. 65.
MARTIN FINNERTY owns and farms the northwest quarter of section 32, Grand Pral- rie township, which lies just outside of the platted portion of Ellsworth. lie has lived in the connty fourteen years.
Mr. Finnerty was born at Berlin, Wis., Dec. 14, 1870. Ilis father, Thomas Finnerty, was born in Ireland, eame to the Unned States when a young man and settled in Massachusetts. Later he moved to Berim, Wis,, and from there to Carroll county, towa, where he uied in June, 1893, aged io years, Our subjeet s mother died in Wisconsin when Marun was mine months oiu.
'The first thirteen years of Martin Fin- nerty's lite were spent in Berim, Wis. The family then moved to Carroll county, lowa, and there he lived on a farm until July. 1894. On that date he became a resident of Ellsworth. During the first four years he resided in Lilsworth he worked for a cousin, Ed. Egan, whose farm was just over the line in lowa. lie served as village marshal of Ellsworth from 1903 to 1908. He bought the farm where he now lives in October, 1907.
Mr. Finnerty was married in Ellsworth Feb. 26, 1899, to Miss Lilly O'llearn, a na- live of Minnesota and a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Richard O'llearn, of Grand Prairie. To them have been born two children, Lyle, born Dee. 17, 1901; Bernice, born July 2, 1903. Mr. Finnerty is a member of the Catholic church and of the M. W. A. lodge.
THOMAS MCLEAN. Among the old time residents of Lismore township is Thomas MeLean, who has resided on the farm where he now lives for more than thirty years He owns the northeast quarter of section 20 and property in the village of Li-mbre. Mr. MeLean is a Scotchman by lirth anl
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was born Oet. 19, 1850. le came to the shop, and in April, 1908, he bought the shop United States at the age of twenty-one and now condnets the business. years and located in Columbia county, Wis., Mr. Sadler is unmarried. Ile is a mem- ber of the M. W. A. lodge. where he engaged in farming five years. Coming to Nobles county in the spring of 1878, Mr. McLean bought the homestead right to his farm, proved up on it and has ever since made his home there. Two years after coming to the county he bought a quar- ter section on 28, which he farmed until a few years ago, when he sold to his son.
Mr. MeLean was married in Columbia county, Wis., March 9, 1872, to Ella MeLeish, who was born Aug. 20, 1854, in the county in which she was married. Her parents are William and Jane (Thompson) MeLeish. To Mr. and Mrs. McLean have been born two children: Jane (Mrs. Nicholas Hendel), of Lismore, born in January, 1873; Matthew, Lismore township farmer, born in Mlay, 1015. During lus long residence in Lismore township Mr. MeLean has held a number of orices. lle served on the township board a number of terms and has been chairman of the board. Of school district No, 79 he was a director for a number of years. He now holds the office of town treasurer, MIr. MeLean is a stockholder in the Lismore felephone company. Fraternally he is an Odd Fellow and a Woodman.
ARTHUR M. SADLER, proprietor of the machine and blacksmith shop of Ellsworth, is a native of Tama City, lowa, where he was born on the ninth day of April, 1880. llis parents were Marion and Hulda (Aldrich) Sadler. The former was a native of Indiana, but beraine a resident of lowa in an early day, and died at Cedar Rapids in 1898, aged 54 years. The latter was born in Pennsylvania and is now living in Cedar Rapids, lowa, aged 56 years.
When Arthur was five years of age the family moved to Cedar Rapids, and that city was the home of our subject until 1903. There he attended the public schools and learned the gas fitting and plumbing business. From the lowa city he came to Ellsworth in 1903 and for two years he was employed in the tinning and plumbing de- partment of Buike Bros., hardware store. During the next three years he was employed in his brother's machine and blacksmith
L. W. JOHNSON owns and farms the east half of section 31, Leota township, which has been his home for the last twenty- three years, He was born in Story county, Jowa, July 2, 1857, the son of Wier and Carrie (Olson) Johnson. Wier Johnson was born in Norway and came to the United States in 1850. He died in Story connty, lowa, in 1888, aged 76 years. His wife died in the same county in 1900, aged 84 years.
Mr. Jobnson of this biography lived in his native county until 1884. Ite was raised on a farm and after growing to manhood en- gaged in farming for himself on rented land. He arrived in Adrian in April, 1884, and at once rented a farm in Westside township. After fanning that one year he bought 160 acres of his present faim and became a resident of Leota township, where he has ever sinco resided. When he bought the farm the only improvements were a shanty and a few trees, and only seven aeres were under enltivation,
Today Mr. Johnson has a line farm. One half of his land is in pasture and he engages in stock raising quite extensively. Ile has 105 head of sheep and 70 head of cattle. lle makes a specialty of thoroughbred Shorthorn cattle and has twelve head of registered stock. In addition to his farming and stoek raising he has other business in- terests. Ile has stock in the Lismore Co- operative Elevator company and is president of the Farmers' Cooperative Telephone com- pany. lle isa member of the board of supervis- ors of Leota township and has held the position for the last last eight years. He also served as derk of school district No. 75 for about six years. lle is a member of the Lutheran church of Lismore township.
In the city of Des Moines, lowa, in June, 1882. Mr. Johnson was united in marriage to Martha Amendson, daughter of Amos and Esther (Olson) Larson. She was born in Norway in August, 1859, and came to the United States in 1879. To them have been born the following children: Amanda (Mrs.
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Oscar Olson), of Alberta, Canada, boru Vet. 28, 1882; William, born Oct. 30, 1885; Al- fred, born "March 26, IS88; Heury, born Oct. 26, 1893; Violet, born Oct. 29, 1901. All except the married daughter reside at home.
JOHN A. ALBINSON, Worthington, is the senior member of the Albinson-Boberg Lum- ber company and has been a resident of the county seat vinage for many years.
Mr. Albinson was born in Sweden Dec. 17, 1868, the son of Albin and Sophia John- son. The father is a timber dealer and landowner of his native country, where he resides at the age of 64 years. The motber died in 1902 at the age of 59 years. John Albinson was raised on a farm and made bis home in Sweden until nineteen years of age, during which time he attended the schools and secured a good education.
Arriving in the United States, Mr. Albin- son went direct to Worthington. For a while he worked at farm and railroad work and then took a business course in the Breck school at Wilder. After quitting sebool he again worked for a short time on the railroad and then took a position in the lumber yard of Azom Forbes. After working in the yard a while he took a position in the office, which he held until December, 1899. During this period of em- ployment the business was owned alternately by Mr. Forbes, by Smallwood & Ramage, and by James S. Ramage. On the date above named he and John Boberg formed a partnership and established a lumber yard near the Burlington depot. The business was incorporated in 1905 under the name of Albinson-Boberg Lumber company. Mr. Albinsou has been comeeted with the busi- ness since its founding. In 1904 he moved to Minneapolis, in which city he lived until the fall of 1907, part of the time being engaged in the lumber business.
Beside his interest in the Albinson-Boberg Lumber company, Mr. Albinson owns a fine residence in the city, erected in the summer of 1908, and residence property in Minne- apolis. He owns a farm in Elk township. one in Lorain township, and one in South Dakota. Ile is a member of the Presby- terian church and of the M. W. A. and I. O. O. F. lodges.
Mr. Albinson has been married twice. llis first marriage occurred at Minneapolis Sept. 13, 1896, when he wedded Salma Swanson, a native of Sweden. She died March 25, 1902, at the age of 33 years. This umion resulted in the birth of three children: Sophia, May and Clarence. The second mar- riage was solemnized at Worthington May 6, 1903, when he wedded AAlma Olson, a native of Illinois and a daughter of Nels and Mary Olson, of Worthington. Mrs. Alpinson was born in 1875. To them have been born two children: Nels, who died at the age of eleven months, and Alfred II.
GEORGE W. SMITH, of Summit Lake township, has devoted his lifetime to agri- cultural pursuits. He was born in Bedford county, Pa., July 11, 1853. Ilis father, Mah- lon Smith, was born in Bedford county, l'a., July 9, 1824, and died Jan. 11, 1898. Ile was a blacksmith by trade and followed that occupation many years, becoming a farmer late in life. He was of Welsh descent. Our subject's mother was Christina (Luken) Smith, of German descent. She was born in Bed- ford county, Pa., Jan. 4. 1826, and died Jec. 24, 1905.
In the spring of 1865 the family moved from Pennsylvania to Blackhawk county, Jowa, where the father bought a farm and where both parents resided until their deaths. Our subject engaged in farming in Black- hawk county until the spring of ISS8. After seven months spent in Cedar county, Mo., he moved to Lyon county, lowa, where he farmed five years. lle next spent three years in O'Brien county, and then, in 1897, came to Nobles county, bought his farm- the southwest quarter of section 10, Sum- mit Lake township and has made his home there since. Ile is a member of the Dunk- ard church of Elk township. He has served two years as justice of the peace and for seven years has been clerk of school district No. 82.
Mr. Smith was married in Blackhawk county, Towa, July 12. 1874, to Marietta Wood, a native of Indiana and a daughter of Edward and Elizabeth Wood. To these parents have been born the following child ren: Myrie (Mrs. Andrew Finckh . Worth ington township; Vernon V., a farmer of
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
Alberta, Canada; Mahlon, of Lake Wilson, Minn .; Irvin 1., residing at home.
31. SWEDBERG, farmer of Bigelow town- ship, was born in Jemtland, Sweden, March 5, 1869. llis father was Carl lledbom, who died in Sweden in 1889, aged 64 years. llis mother was Christine (Peterson) lledbom, who died in Sweden in 1888, aged 62 years.
Mr. Swedberg received an education in his native country and resided there until 1891. After he became old enough to work he took employment in the woods, at which employment he worked until he set sail for America. He came to the United States and direct to Worthington, arriving in that village May 28, 1891. For nine years after bis arrival he worked ont at farm work, all of the time in Nobles county except two years when he was in Lyon county, lowa. In 1899 he bought his present farm, was married, and the next year began farming for himself. lle owns 80 acres in section 27. Mr. Swedberg was married in Bigelow township Nov. 2, 1899, to Miss Lena Moberg, daughter of the late Jonas Moberg and Elizabeth Moberg. Mrs. Swedberg was born on the farm where she now lives Dec. 28, 1874. They are the parents of the fol- lowing named children: Elsie, born, Sept. 20, 1900; Rudolph, born Sept. 18, 1902; Wes- ley; born April 1, 1906. Mr. and Mrs. Swedberg are members of the Swedish Bap- tist church of Indian Lake.
THOMAS IL. CREVER, of Worthington, is one of the pioneer residents of that village. he was born at Lewistown, Miflin county, Pa., Sept. 10, 1848, which place was his home until he was four years of age. Dur- ing the next fourteen years his home was at Baltimore, MId.
When less than 15 years of age, in May, 1863, he enlisted at Baltimore in company B, HIth Maryland infantry, and served until Jate in 1864, taking part in the Virginia campaigns. During the few years following the close of the war Mr. Crever resided in turn in Winchester, Va.,; Vork, Pa .; and Bloomsburg, Pa., at which places Rev. B. Il. ('rever, his father, was stationed as pastor of Methodist churches.
From the last named place Mr. Crever left in 1872 for Port lluron, Mich., of which place he was a resident one year. In May, 1873, he came to Worthington, and that place has been his home ever since. For six or seven years he was employed in the Worthington mill, followed earpentering many years, was in the eement business for some time, and has been engaged in several other occupations.
Mr. Crever was married at Worthington in 1877 to Effie Darling, a native of Blue Earth county, Minn., and a daughter of the late John A. Darling. To this union have been born three children-Willard, of St. Paul; Goldie and Nellie, of Worthington.
THEODORE DUWENHOEGGER, Willmont township farmer, was born in Westphalia, Ger- many, Sept. 12, ISGS, and is the son of the late William D. and Regina (Tigges) Duwen- hoegger. The former was born in August, 1837, eame to the United States and to Nobles county in ISSI, lived on the Will- mont township farm until 1894, and there- after until his death on June 18, 1908, re- sided in Adrian. The latter was born in 184], married Mr. Duwenhoegger in 1867, and now lives in Adrian.
It was in the spring of ISS1 that the family came across the water and settled in Nobles county. The father homesteaded the north half of the northeast quarter of section 20, Willmont township, and on that place our subject resided until he was of age. For a few years after reaching his majority Theodore worked out as a farm hand. He farmed the home place from 1894 to 1897 and then moved to St. Kilian. With that in- terior village for his headquarters he spent four years on the road as the traveling rep- resentative of The Wanderer, a Catholic weekly, published in St. Paul, his territory being southwestern Minnesota, northwestern lowa and a part of South Dakota. During the next year he engaged in the saloon bus- iness at St. Kilian and in 1902 he again took up farming as his occupation. He owns eighty acres on section 20 and eighty on seetion 17. He has side lines he works in addition to his farming, being agent for the St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance company and for the Wilhnont Mutual Fire Insurance company.
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