USA > Minnesota > Nobles County > An illustrated history of Nobles County, Minnesota > Part 71
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Mir. Wagner was married at Bigelow on Nov. 6, 1888, to Miss Dora Lins, a native of Germany and a daughter of Francis Lins. Both her parents died when she was a child. The following children have been horn to Mr. and Mrs. Wagner: Minnie. born Sept. 6. 1890: Philip. born May 10. 1893: France, born Oct. 20, 1895: Walter, born Ang. S. 1898: John. born April 26. 1902. Both parents are members of the Catholic church of Worthington.
AUGUST HI. NIENKERK owns and farms the northeast quarter of section 9 and the west half of the southeast quarter of section 1. Little Rock township, and he has been a resident of the county twenty-two years. He is the son of Angust and Frederika (Boettcher) Nienkerk, of the same township, and was born in Brandenburg. Prussia. Feb. 26. 1874.
The family emigrated to the United States in 1884. landing in New York city Oci. 12. After a residence of two years in MeHlenry
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county, Ill., the family moved to Nobles county. For six years they lived on the southeast quarter of section 20. and then for three years lived on the southeast quar- ter of section 27.
The subject of this sketch secured his edu. cation in Prussia. in Illinois and in the dis- strict schools of Little Rock township. Until 1806 he lived with his parents; then he bought his present place and that has been his home ever since. During the last two years he has held the office of treasurer of school district No. 13.
Mr. Nienkerk was married at Sibley, Iowa, Feb. 26, 1896, to Vinnie L. Jenkins, who was born in Little Rock town-hip Ang. 21, 1879. To them has been born one child-Henry F., born Sept. 28, 1903.
JOIIN S. RANDOLPH. editor and proprie- tor of the Brewster Tribune, has been at the head of that paper since the closing days of the year 1902. Since buying the plant he has made the mechanical department prac- tically new, installing new presses, type and other material. has enlarged the paper and built up a circulation that has greatly en- hanced its worth as an advertising medium.
Our subject was born at Belmont. Alle- gany county, N. Y .. Jan. 30. 1879. the son of John S. and Helen M. (Cady) Randolph. both families heing descendants of colonial settlers. His ancestors have fought in all the great American wars the war of the revolution. the war of 1812. the Mexican war and the civil war. John S. Randolph. Sr .. was born in Benton Center. Yates county. N. Y .. June 22. 1842. and was a Wesleyan Methodist minister. He died early in Jamt. art. 1883. Our subject's mother was born in Schuyler county. N. Y .. Ang. 7. 1846. and is now living at Hartsdale. N. Y.
The first few years of John Randolph's life were spent in several different towns in New York state-wherever his father's duties as a minister called him. When his father died early in 1883 the family was living at Owego. He and his mother and other mem bers of the family then moved to Cohocton. N. Y., and in that town he received his edu- cation and made his home until righteen years of age. Leaving that place at that time, he spent one year in Vates county and one year near New York city, his summers
during these two years being spent on the road as a musican with a show company.
Mr. Randolph came west in 1599, and after a short time spent in St. Paul moved to Cass county, Minn., and for some time was employed as clerk in hotels and in vil- lage stores in Cass county. In the fall of 1900 he went to Magnolia, in Rock county. near which place he taught school two years, and in which village he learned the printer's trade. working in the office of his uncle, I. M. Cady. On June 1, 1902, he went to Hard- wick and ran the Hardwick News on lease until Dec. 1, 1902. He then moved to Brew- ster and purchased the Tribune. getting out his first number on Dec. 5. He has since conducted the paper and has built up a lu. crative business.
At Adrian on April 17. 1902. Mr. Ran- dolph was united in marriage to Jessie D. Rolph. who was born in Magnolia March 13. 1883. She is the daughter of C. E. and Ella A. Rolph. To Mr. and Mrs. Randolph have been born three children. of whom two are living. Mr. Randolph and his wife are members of the Presbyterian church of Brew- sier and he is justice of the peace of the village.
JOHN A. BOBERG. Worthington. is one of the owners and is manager of the Albinson & Boberg Lumber and Fuel Company ( Inc.). and has been a resident of Nobles county since 1987. He was born in Hjernen. Sweden. July 20. 1868. the son of Erik and Carrie Boberg. both natives of Sweden. hut of Ger- man descent.
John attended the public schools of Hjer pen until about 14 years of age. He then went to a school of higher learning at Oster- sund, which he attended two or three years. From that time until his removal to Ameri ca he was employed as bookkeeper and clerk at different places in his native country.
In 1987 he came to America and direct to Worthington. where he had friends and ac quaintences. but no relatives. He worked at different occupations for a few years in Nables county. and in the fall of 1890 went west and located at New Whatcom. Wash. There he secured employment in a saw mill. Ile returned to Worthington in 1991. ant in the spring of 1892 hegan working for the Tuthill Lumber company as assistant manh ger, which position he held for six years.
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
In the meantime, in 1895, he visited his home in Sweden, being absent three or four months. After severing his connection with the Tuthill Lumber company in 1898, he made a pleasure trip to Colorado and Texas and other parts of the west. Returning to Worthington, he secured employment for a short time in the fall of 1899 as manager of the Jas. S. Ramage lumber yard, and later, also for a short time, as bookkeeper for 1. N. Donglas.
Late in the fall of 1899, when the Bur- ington railroad (now the Rock Island) ex- tended northwest from Worthington, Mr. Bo- berg and J. A. Albinson engaged in the lum- her bu-iness under the firm name of Albin- son & Boberg, establishing their yard near the new Burlington depot. Mr. Boberg has bern interested in this business ever since. In 1905 the firm was incorporated under the name of Albinson & Boberg Lumber and Fuel company. From April, 1906, to the spring of 1907 Mr. Boberg was again in the west. seeking health and pleasure. most of the time being spent in Seattle, Wash .. where he took the civil service examination and for a few months was employed in the Seattle postoffice.
Mr. Boberg was married in 1903 to Miss Amanda Snudberg, daughter of Charles Sund- berg. a pioneer settler of Dewald township. They have two children, one boy and one girl.
Several times has Mr. Boberg been elected to serve in an official capacity in the vil- lage of Worthington. He was elected record- or in 1900, trustee in 190], and on June IQ. 1901, was appointed village treasurer to fill the unexpired term of Fred Wall. Fra - ternally he is a Mason and an Odd Fellow. belonging to the lodges at. Worthington.
GEORGE HACKER. Elk township farmer, was born in the province of Bavaria. Ger- many, Feb. 28. 1863, the son of Peter Hack- or. who died in Germany in ISS6, and Mar- varet (Wilds) Hlacker. who now resides in South Dakota.
In his native land George lived until he was eighteen years of age. He secured a common school education and learned the Inteber trade, at which he worked a little less than three years. le came to America in 1881 and located in Will county, Ill.,
only a short distance from Joliet. There he lived a little over six years, engaged in farm work. In ISSS he came to Nobles county and located on section 33, Elk town. ship, where he farmed on rented land four years. While yet a resident of Illinois he had bought, eighty acres in section 22, Elk, and after coming here had purchased an additional eighty in the same section, and in 1892 he moved on to his own land. Since making that change he has purchased addi- tional property and now owns 280 acres.
Mr. Hacker was married in Kendall county, Ill., Jan 5, 1888, to Theda Tiarks, who was born in Oldenberg, Germany. Mr. and Mrs. llacker are the parents of four children, all of whom are living at home: Emma, Louisa. George Henry, Walter Julius and Margaret Gladys.
OLLIE J. ROSKAM is a Dewald township farmer who resides upon and owns the southwest quarter of section three. He has been a resident of the county for eleven years. He was born in Freeport. Ill .. April 15. 1871. the son of John and Hannah (Nei- hous) Roskam. His parents are both living. and reside at Freeport. His father is a na. tive of Germany. having come to the United States in 1865.
For twenty-three years Mr. Roskam lived near Freeport, Ill. He secured an education in the country and village schools, and worked at different occupations during his residence there. For two years he clerked in a store, and for several years was an employe in a butcher shop. Later he engaged in the butcher business for himself. He had a shop of his own in Forreston. Ill., about six months, and another one in Baileyville for about one and one-half years. Ile moved to the vicinity of Sheldon, lowa. in 1894. rented land and farmed for three years.
lle came to Nobles county in 1897 and located on the land where he has since ro- sided-land which he had purchased the fall before his arrival. The land was then raw prairie, and very unlike the farm which he cultivates today. Ile and his wife are members of the First Baptist church of Worthington. During the last four years he has served as clerk of school district No. 107.
Mr. Roskam was married at Freeport, Ill.,
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
Feb. 20, 1894, to Minnie DeWeerdt, daughter of Rev. and Mrs. John DeWeerdt, of Steam- boat Rock, Iowa. They are the parents of five children, all living at home: John, Han- nah, Carl, Albert and Lena.
CHARLES FOELSCHIOW is the proprietor of the fruit farm at the west end of Oka- bena lake, which is known as the "Moulton place." The farm contains 257 acres and is officially described as the southeast quarter of seetion 21 and the south part of sec- tion 22, Worthington township. On the farm are abont 100 bearing apple trees and all kinds of small fruit, and Mr. Foelsehow devotes much of his time to the care of it.
Mr. Foelschow was born in Milwaukee. Wis., May 12, 1855, the son of German par- ents. His father. Henry Foelsehow, came to the United States in I850; he died in 1891, aged 77 years and 8 months. Our sub- ject's mother. Dora (Avis) Foelschow, died in 1872. When Charles was about two years old his parents moved to Kewannee. Wis .. and in that town he grew to manhood, There he learned the carpenter's trade, worked in the woods and on the farm.
In 1876 Mr. Foelschow moved to Pecaton- ica. Ill., where he lived eight years, two years of which he worked at farm work. and the remainder of the time he farmed for himself. He then moved to Buena Vista county, Iowa, and farmed five years. His next location was Cherokee county, Iowa, and there he engaged in farming until the spring of 1901. Ile then came to Nobles county and purchased the farm upon which he now resides. During his residence in Iowa. Mr. Foelschow frequently held office. He is now a supervisor of Worthington town- ship.
Mr. Foelschow was married at Pecatonica. Ill .. Dec. 26. 1877, to Mary Miller, who also was born in Milwaukee. To them have heen horn five children: Robert, of Kandi- yohi county, Minn .: Edwin. of Douglas county. Wis .; Ernest. Clara and George. residing at home.
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JAMES M. SCRIVEN. farmer. Seward township, is a native of Delaware county. Iowa, where he was born Feb. IS. 1850. ITe is of English and French descent. His father. Mathias H. Scriven, was born in Pennsyl- 30
vania Jan. 5. 1831, and died in January, 1895. Ilis mother, Sarah Jane (First) Scriven, was born in Pennsylvania in 1838, and died April 22, 1879.
James Scriven lived in Delaware county until five years of age, when his parents moved to Clay county, then on the frontier. When it is known that Clay county is not a great distance from Nobles county and that in the latter there was not a settler until 1867, one can imagine the conditions in that frontier land when the Scriven fam- ily took up their residence there in 1864. During their one year's residence there they passed through all the pioneer experiences of a wild, untamed country. The elder Seriven took a homestead, was unable to hold it, and in 1865 took up his abode at Fort Dodge, in Webster county. There the family lived seven years, when, in 1871, the home was again established in Clay county. There James grew to manhood and spent 29 years of his life. Ilis education was ob- tained in the schools of Webster and Clay counties. During his long residence in the latter county he was engaged principally in farming. although he worked some at the threshing business and a part of his time was spent in saw mills.
In 1900 Mr. Scriven came to Nohles eoun- ty. The first year he lived on rented land in section 2. Bloom township. but in Febru- ary. 1901. he moved to Seward, where he has since resided. Ile farms 240 acres of land in section 34 and raises stock quite extensively. handling the Duroc-Jersey swine and quite a large herd of cattle.
Mr. Scriven was married June 28. 1886. at Denison, Crawford county, Iowa. to Sarah Lillian Robbennolt. daughter of George Roh- bennolt. She is a native of Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Scriven are the parents of five children, all of whom reside at home. Their names are Leonard. Mand, Blanche. Ralph and Floyd.
Although he has been a resident of Nobles county only a few years. Mr. Scriven is an office holder. having held the office of con- stable for seven years. He is also a diree- tor of school district No. 37, which office he has held two years. In 1906 he was a candidate for the republican nomination for sheriff of Nobles county, but was defeated at the primary election by Newton Fauskee. the present sheriff.
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
HARRY S. HOBSON, Worthington real es- tate dealer, is a native of Kirkhall, Leicester- shire. England, where he was born Feb. 2, 1872. Ilis parents were Robert Simpkin Hob- son, who died in England in 1903, and Mary Laxton Hobson, who still lives in England. In his native land Harry Hobson received his education and resided until 1889. Ile then came to the United States, with the expectation of remaining only a short time, and spent about six months in Cass county, Towa. He then came to Nobles county and located near Round Lake, where he resided about two years. After five months spent in his native country he again returned to Nobles county and located at Worthing- ton. He opened a real estate office in that village in the spring of 1893, and he has followed that business ever since. During the year 1903 he, accompanied by his wife and child, traveled in Europe, visiting nearly every country on the continent.
Mr. Hobson was married af Round Lake March 5. 1892. to Minnie V. Dodge, dangh- ter of Mr. and Mrs. I. N. Dodge. To them has been born one child -- Vivian, aged 12 rears.
Ever since coming to the county Mr. Hob- son has taken an active part in state and county politics. Ile was chairman of the democratic county central committee during the campaigns of 1896 and 1898. and is now a member of the democratic state central committee. On Jan. 21, 1907. Gov- ernor John A. Johnson appointed Mr. Hobson a member of his staff, with the rank of major. which office he still holds. Mr. Tlob- son served one form as justice of the peace for Worthington village. He has been a member of the Worthington fire department many years, and has several times held office in the organization.
JOHN KLI. DWORTIL, a retired farmer of Lismore, is one of the pioneer seitlers of Willinonf township. in which he lived over thirty years. He was born in Germany Nov. 16, 1850. the son of John and Annie (Brandg) Klindworth. Both parents died in Germany. the father Ang. 10. 1861. at the age of 61 years, the mother in the spring of 1905. at the advanced age of 93 years.
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.John Klindworth emigrated to America in 1867 and first located in Polk county, Wis. In
that county and in Stillwater, Minn., he re- sided until 1878. In April of that year he rame io Nobles county and took as a home- stead claim the southeast quarter of section 18. Willmont township. Upon that farm he Jived until the fall of 1908, when, having sold his farm the previous spring, he moved to Lismore village.
In Polk county, Wis., on Oct. 17, 1892, Mr. Klindworth was married io Christina Peters. daughter of Andrew Peters, who died in Ger- many. Mrs. Klindworth was born in the Fatherland and came to the United States in 1889.
Mr. Klindworth is a member of the Ger- man Lutheran church of Wilmont. While a resident of the township, Mr. Klindworth served as a member of the township board. on the school board of district No. 67, and as road overseer.
BURGESS JONES is a retired merchant of Kinbrae. He was born in Belmont county. Ohio. April 7. 1846, and when a small hoy removed to Ilocking county, of the same staie, where he was raised. In April. 1864, he enlisted in the 155th Ohio volunteer infan- iry, and served until August 27. of the same year.
In 1868 Mr. Jones left Ohio and moved io Spirit Lake. Towa. Near that village he took a homestead and engaged in farming until the time of the grasshopper raids. He then moved to the village and for several years worked for a commission firm. In ISSI he took a position in the dry goods store of A. M. Johnson. with whom he was associa- ted for several years. The Spirit Lake mer- chant opened a branch store at Lakefield. Minn .. in 1887, and Burgess Jones was its manager from that date until 1891. He then moved to Kinbrae, brought the general mer- chandise store of Daniel Downey, and was in the mercantile business there untit 1903. lle then sold out and refired from husi ness .
Mr. Jones was married at Spirit Lake in 1874 fo Miss Rueuna Jenkins, an lowa girl. She died at Lakefield in 1889. They were the parents of four children: two girls who died in infancy: Gertrude. who married Chas. Hamstreet and who died in Kinbrae June 24. 1901; Ernest, who is engaged in farm- ing near Slayton; Elmer, who is employed
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
in a department store at Valley City, N. D. Mr. Jones' second marriage occurred in 1895. when he wedded Miss Jennie Hart, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Hart, pioneer resi- dents of Graham Lakes township.
C. H. HALVERSON, of Larkin township, has lived in the county of Nobles sinee he was two years of age. Ile owns 480 acres of land in Larkin township. He was born at Argyle, Wis .. July 4, 1871, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Hans Halverson. natives of Nor- way. His father was born in 1836, came to the United States in 1865. and died in 1891.
When our subject was two years of age. in 1873. the family moved from Wisconsin to Nobles county and settled in Grand Prairie township, where the head of the family took a homestead. There our subject grew to manhood. He located on his present farm in 1884. and has resided there since. From 1892 to 1900 he taught school.
Mr. Halverson was married in Little Rock Rock township Oct. 7. 1905. to Miss Mary Kienietz. daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fred hienietz. Mr. and Mrs. Halver-on are mem- bers of the Norwegian Lutheran church, and he is a member of the Odd Fellows and Woodmen lodges. Ile served as clerk of school district No. 60 from 1898 to 1904 and during the year 1898 was justice of the peace.
EUGENE METZ. Lismore township farmer. was born Oct. 10, 1959. in Alsace Lorraine. now German territory. before 1871 French territory. His parents. Sigmund and Mary .Tosephine (Metz) Metz. both diel in their native land, the former in May. 1890. aged 72 years: the latter in IS71. aged 43 years.
Mr. Metz was raised on his father's farm in Germany. He arrived in the United States April 2. 1981. and went to Buffalo. N. Y .. where he worked one year in a brew- ery. In that city a Catholic priest told him of the Catholic colony that was being or- ganized to settle in Nobles couny. Minn .. and our subject became interested. He wrote to Father Knauf at Adrian, who replied and urged him to come. Mr. Metz came and 1 rived in Nobles county April IS. 1882.
During the first three years of his resi- dence here he worked on a farm in Westsile
township and the next year on a farm in Li-more township. He then spent four months visiting in his native country. Re- turning to Nobles county. he worked two years on the farm of M. S. Boyle. Lismore. and then rented a farm from that gentle man and farmed it three years. The next year he worked out, and then, having mar ried, he moved onto his own farm, the northeast quarter of section 23. He had bought the farm in 1889, when it was wild prairie, and at the time of moving on improved the place. In addition to the home place Mr. Metz now owns the north half of section 13. half of which he bought in 1890 and the other half in 1896.
In Adrian on Jan. 31. 1893. Mr. Metz was united in marriage to Susan Merekle. who was born in Germany and who came to America when two years of age. She is the daughter of Andrew Merckle. deceased. As a result of this union there have been born the following children: Katie, Emil. Herman. Alfred, Raymond and Elenor.
Mr. and Mrs. Metz are members of the Catholic church of Lismore, and he he- longs to St. Joseph's society of Adrian and St. Antonius society of Lismore. For the last ten years he has served as treasurer of school district No. 68.
NICHOLAS DOBOFR is a member of the firm of DeBoer & TenCate. proprietors of the store at Leota. He was born in Cook county. Ill. Oct. 30. 1873. the son of John and Anke (Sieben) DeBoer. deceased.
In his native county Nicholas lived until ISO1. The then went to Middlebere. Town. where he clerked in a store one year. He came to Nobles county in IS92 and with John DeBoer and James TenCate established the store at Leota. with which he has since been connected He owns a one third interest in the store and real estate in the village and in 400 acres of land in Nobles and Murray counties. He holds the office of treasurer of school district No. 58.
Mr. DeBoer was married in Chicago Juks 15. 1997, to Minnie Anker, a native of South TTolland. Il .. and a daughter of Poter anl Willemina Minnie Rielveti Apker. T. Mr and Mrs. DeBoer have been born six children . Angie. Minnie, Mary. Peter anl .Julia
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
HENRY HENNEKES, real estate dealer of AAdrian, was born in Petersberg. Delaware county, Jowa. March 5. 1870, and is the son of John and Elizabeth (Klostermann) Ilennekes, of Adrian.
Ileury was raised on his father's farm and was educated in the distriet and parochial schools. Hle moved from Delaware county to Nobles county in October, 1895. and loca- ted on the northeast quarter of section 1, Grand Prairie township. three miles south of Adrian, which he purchased from his fath- er at that time. He made his home on the farm until February. 1908, when he moved fc Adrian and entered the real estate business. Besides the home farm Mr. Hennekes owns 210 aeres of land in Westside township, which he bought in 1901.
Mr. Hennekes has stock in the Adrian Cooperative Elevator company, which was organized in the fall of 1907. and is its present treasurer and he also holds the office of treasurer of the German Telephone com- pany. to which he was elected when the line was built in 1906.
In Petersberg, Towa, on Sept. 24, 1895. Mr. Hennekes was married to Mary A. Domeyer, who was born in the town in which she was married. Mrs. Hennekes is a daughter of An- drew and Mary Domeyer. Both are members of the Catholic church.
ARTHUR G. THOM, of Olney township, owns and farms the southwest quarter of see- tion 12. On that farm he was born and has resided all his life. The date of bis birth was Sent. 3. 1878, and he is the son of the life William and Eliza (Mitchell) Thom, who were among the earliest residents of the township.
Arthur was edneated in the district schools of. Olney township and grew to manhood on the farm. After his father's death, which nemfre Jan. 20, 1907. he became the owner of the home farm, and has since conducted it. making his home with his sisters, Lillian and Pearl. He is unmarried.
WALTER IT. PAINE. Hersey townshin farmer, has lived on the farm he now con- duets since he was three years of age. He was born near Cedar Falls. Towa. July 4. ISSO, and is the son of James and Nancy
Jane (Thorpe) Paine, of Worthington. lie came to Nobles county with his parents in April, 1883, and lived with them on the farm.
llis education was secured in the country schools of llersey township, in the Worthing- ton high school. which he attended three years, and the Capital City Commercial college, of Des Moines, lowa, at which he was a student five month in 1902. In 1903 he began farming the home place on his own account, and has since conducted the farm.
Mr. Paine was married in Worthington Jan. 30. 1902. io Dora Dow, daughier of Mr. and Mrs. C. W. W. Dow. To them have been born four children, Cora Lucile. Doras Genevieve and Wesley Walter, Dora Jurene died Jan. 7. 1904, aged 13 days. Both Mr. and Mrs. Paine are members of the Methodist church of Worthington. Mr. Paine is elerk of school district No. 47.
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