USA > Minnesota > Nobles County > An illustrated history of Nobles County, Minnesota > Part 75
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Ilis parents, Mr. and Mrs. Danford Fitz- gibbons, were born in Ireland, and died in their native country. Mr. Fitzgibbons is a C'atholie. Ile has never been married.
JOHN M. HOFFMAN, of Indian Lake township, owns and farms 320 acres on section 35. lle was born in Baldenberg. Prussia, Sept. 20, 1845, the son of Freder- ick and Fredericka (Kuel) Hoffman. The father was born in 1817 and died at + lin- ton, lowa, in 1902. The mother was born in Prussia in 1823, and now makes her home in Clinton, Jowa.
During the first twenty years of his life John Hoffman lived in Baldenberg. There he received his education and there he learned the cooper's trade. At the age of twenty he began the life of a journeyman conjur and worked at his trade in many parts of Germany in Berlin, Leipsie, Seher- in and other cities. Hle came to America in 1550. just before the Prussian-French war, and located first at Utica, N. Y. He re- mained there only a short time and then
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went to Clinton, lowa. In that city he took employment with the firm of C. Lamb & Sons, a big lumber manufacturing com- pany, and was in their employ until 1880. In 1881 Mr. Hoffman moved to Ratcliff, Hardin county, Iowa, just as that town was starting, bought land near there and farm- ed one year. lle then went into the lumber business at Rateliff, being the senior mem- ber of the firm of Hoffman & Jancke, and was so engaged three years. At the end of that time the firm was dissolved and Mr. lloll'man purchased Mr. Jancke's humber business at Ellsworth, lowa, which he con- dueted until 1900. During five years of the time he was at Ellsworth he was also in the grain business. Coming to Nobles county in the spring of 1900, Mr. Iloffman located on his Indian Lake township farm, which he had bought in 1897, and has since been en- gaged in farming.
mir. llothman was married in Clinton, fowa, in 1872, to Johanna Newman, danghter of William Newman, of Rateliff. To them have been born the following children: William M., of Denver, Col .; Louisa (Mrs. S. B. Armstrong), of Jackson county, Minn .; Martha ( Mrs. George Bauer), of Indian Lake township; Lydia (Mrs. Frank Morgan), of Jackson county, Minn .; August (Mrs. Robert Abbott), of Indian Lake township; John P. and Clara, who reside at home.
MARTIN LEVINE, proprietor of a Worth- ington saloon, has lived in Nobles county over a quarter of a century and was an early day settler of Summit Lake township. Mr. Levine was born in Sweden May 20, 1851, and is the son of John and Sarah ( Anderson) Levine, who reside in Summit Lake township. His parents are aged S7 and 78 years, respectively. They came to America from Sweden in 1879 and located in Wisconsin, moving to Nobles county in 1882. In his native country Martin learned the tailor's trade, and when he came to America and located in Chicago in 1871, that was the occupation he followed for a number of years. From the time of his ar- rival from the old country until 1882. when he came to Nobles county, he resided in Chicago, Rockford, Ill., Beloit, Ill., and again in Chicago.
Coming to Nobles county he settled in Summit Lake township, where he took as a
homestead claim the northeast quarter of section 22, and as a tree claim the southwest quarter of section 14, which land he still owns. Ile engaged in farming there until 1895, when he moved to Worthington. The county seat village has been his home ever since, with the exception of a few years spent in the west, and during most of that time he has been engaged in the saloon .business. For a few months he was in Gal- veston, Texas, looking for a business loca- tion. lle was in the saloon business in Seattle for about a year and in San Fran- cisco for about seven months.
Mr. Levine was married in Beloit, Wis., to Nettie Bution. To them have been born three children : Albert, Willie and Libbie. During his residence in Summit Lake town- ship Mr. Levine served a number of terms as township supervisor and was also a member of the school board of the district in which he lived.
LEONARD E. FISCHER has been a resi- dent of Dewald township twenty-one years. He owns and farms the southeast quarter of section 27. Ile was born in the city of Erford, Germany, Oct. 21, 1877. Ilis par- ents were George and Paulina (Keiser) Fischer, both of whom died in Dewald township, the former June 29, 1901, aged 62 years; the latter on Nov. 25, 1901, aged 63 years.
Until he was six and one-half years of age Leonard Fischer lived in his native country. He then came to the United States with his parents, who located in the village of Bultonville, Wis. After a three years' residence there the family, in the spring of 1887, came to Nobles county and settled on the farm now owned by our sub- ject. Leonard secured an education in the schools of Wisconsin and those of Dewald township and grew to manhood on the farm. working for his father. In 1899 he began farming for himself.
Mr. Fischer was married in Dewald town- ship Feb. 19, 1903, to Lucinda Morley, a native of Canada and a daughter of Daniel and Elizabeth Morley, now of North Dakota. Mr. and Mrs. Fischer are the parents of the following named children: Florence, born Nov. 22, 1904; Ernest, born Jan. 16, 1906; Grace, born Oet. S, 1907; Ethel, born July 20, 1908.
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
For the last four year- Mr. Fischer has in June, 1395, at the advanced age of 2 years. The mother of our subject is Alary Fischenich, also a native of Germany, who now makes her home in Ellsworth.
lien a member of the board of supervi-vi- uf Dewald township and has been road over seer for the last three years.
ANDREW NILSON, Bigelow township farmer, was born in Malmohus, Katersoken Sweden, April 24, 1550. Lis parent -. Nils Bengson and Inga (Anderson) Bengson, both. died in the old country, the former aged 72 years and the latter To years.
Mr. Nilson was raised on his father's farm, and after growing to manhood engaged in farming for himself. He came to Amer ica when thirty years of age and located at Aurelia, lowa, where for four years he farmed rented Jand. He moved to O Brien county, near Sanborn, rented a farm and for ten years conducted it. In 1599 Alr. Nilson came to Nobles county. The first year he tarmed the Mrs. Elias Johnson farm in Bigelow township and then bought his pres- ent place, the southwest quarter of section 22, Bigelow, and has since farmed there. The farm was only slightly improved when he took the place, and most of the build- ings and other improvements are the result of Mr. Nilson's labors.
Our subject was married in Sweden Oet. 24, 1877, to Miss Annie Peterson, daughter of Peter aud Bole (Swanson) Peterson. Both parents are dead, the mother having passed away when Mrs. Nilson was fifteen years old and the father in 1907. Two sons have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Nilson, both of whom reside at home. They are Albert Waldemar and Edward Leonard. Mr. and Mrs. Nilson are members of the Swedish Lutheran church of Worthington.
NERRIS FISCHENICH, who, in partner- ship with James Heddy, conducts one of the saloons of Ellsworth, has been a ro-ident of Nobles county since he was three years of age.
The late Bernard Fischenich WAS father of our subject. lle was born in Germany in 1813 and came to the United States in 1854, first settling near Middleton, Wis. 1877 he came to Nobles county and located in Dewald township, north of Inshmore, where he resided for sixteen years. lle then took up his rosilence in the village of Ellsworth, at which place he died
To these parents, in Dane county, Wis., three miles from Middleton, was born Ner- ris Fischenich on Dec. 30, 1874. In 1877 he was brought from his birthplace to Nobles county and for sixteen years he resided on his father's Dewald township property. Tak- ing up his residenee in Ellsworth in 1893, he and his brother, Barney, started a livery stable, which they conducted thirteen years. Disposing of their interests at that time to John Essmann, Mr. Fischenich formed a partnership with James Reddy and embarked in the saloon business, in which he is now engaged.
Mr. Fisehenich is a member of the Catho- lie church and of the Catholic Order of Foresters. lle is unmarried.
L. A. STEINMAN is an Elk township farmer, his place being the northwest quar- ter of section 25, upon which he has lived for the last eleven years. He is a native of Gottenberg, Sweden, having been born there April 20, 1858. His father, Jonas Anderson, and his mother, Mary (Johnson) Anderson, are both living in Sweden, each being 79 years of age. Mr. Steinman did not take the family name, but, in accordance with a Swedish custom, took the name of his grandfather. Although Mr. Steinman's an. cestors had lived in Sweden for several generations, he is of German descent. which accounts for the name, Steinman a rare one in Sweden.
Mr. Stienman secured an education in his native country, and when fourteen years of age became an apprentice to a shoemaker and harness maker, which trade he followed there until twenty years old. lle came to America in 1878, landing in New York April 1. He went at onee to Roekford, Ill., Where for one year he was employed in the furniture factory of the Union Furniture company, of which company an unele was part owner. Ile then moved to Alta, Buena Vista county, Iowa, where for seven years he worked at the harness maker's trade. At the end of that time he leased a farm bear Alta from his brother-in-law and en- gagod in farming till 1897. That year he came to Nobles county, purchased the north
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
one-half of the northwest quarter of section 25, Elk, and since has been engaged in farming there. Later he purchased the other eighty acres of the quarter.
Mr. Steinman was united in marriage to Matilda Fihn at Alta, lowa, July 17, 1884. Mrs. Steinman was born in Gottenberg, Sweden, Dec. 15, 1858, the daughter of Lars Fihn and Martha (Nelson) Fihn, both de- ceased. She came with her parents to America in 1869. They are the parents of three sons, all of whom reside in Elk town- ship-Eugene Theodore, Herbert Leroy, Vie- tor Alexander. Both Mr. and Mrs. Stein- man are members of the Swedish Lutheran church of Worthington.
SAMUEL NOTT ROSE, of Worthington, is one of the county's pioneer settlers, hav- ing first taken up bis residence here with the colonists of 1872.
Mr. Rose was born at Great Bend, Sus- quehana county, Pa., May 22, 1847, and is a descendant of one of the old colonial families. His father, Rev. Rodney S. Rose, was born at Exeter, Otsego county, N. Y, Feb. 5, 1819, and died at Candor, N. Y., Dec. 14, 1900. lle was a Methodist minis. ter for over sixty years and served for a time as a member of the Christian com- mission during the civil war, in which ser- vice he was associated with Rev. B. H. Crev- er. Worthington's first pastor. Our sub- ject's mother was Esther (Thurston) Rose, who was born in Otsego county N. Y., Jan. 4, 1823, and died at Berkshire, N. Y., Oet. 2, 1859.
In the district schools Mr. Rose received his primary education and began his ad- vanced education in 1864 in Oswego academy, of Tioga county, N. Y., in which institu- tion he was a student two years. Hle then became a student in Wyoming seminary, of Luzerne county, Pa. He taught district school during the winters and attended the seminary's spring and fall terms until 1869, when he received his diploma. In the fall of 1869, after his graduation, Mr. Rose took the western fever, and moved to Jones county, Iowa. There he remained one year, engaging in teaching a public school and condneting a singing school nights. At the end of the year he returned to Pennsylvania, and for two years was engaged in teaching school and farming in Luzerne county.
In the spring of 1872 Mr. Rose again moved to Jones county, lowa. He remained there only a short time, and then came to Worthington, making the trip overland in a prairie schooner drawn by a team of steers, and arriving during the month of June. Ile at once filed a homestead claim to the southeast quarter of section 6, Lorain town- ship, and like everybody else began to put the land in preparation for a crop. During the memorable winter of 1872-73 he taught a term of school at Garden City, Minn., but returned in the spring and put in his crop. This, of course, the grasshoppers took. He prepared the land again in the fall of 1873, and then went back to Pennsylvania, in- tending to remain only a few months, but circumstances prevented his, return for sev- eral years. Mr. Rose was one of the or- ganizers of Lorain township, and was one of that township's first officers.
Mr. Rose taught school in Luzerne county, Pa., during the winter of 1873-74. and on March 11, 1874, at Milwaukie, Pa., was uni- ted in marriage to Miss Ellen Petty, daugh- ter of Peter and Sarah (Naegle) Petty. Mr. and Mrs. Rose are the parents of two sons -- Arthur P., born at Milwaukie, Pa., Sept. 19, 1875, now of Worthington; Royal Thurston, born at Falls, Pa., Nov. 13, 1876, now of Graham Lakes township.
Because of a long illness Mr. Rose was obliged to remain in the east, and it was the fall of 1878 before he returned. One year was spent in Jones county, lowa, teach- ing school .. Then, after having taught fif- teen terms in all, he was obliged to give up teaching and all other active business pursuits because of increasing deafness, which had first troubled him in his younger days and which baffled all attempts to rem- edy. In August, 1879, Mr. Rose and family moved to Worthington, which has been the family home ever since. After engaging in farming four years, he purchased property in Worthington. Hle now owns a five-acre tract in the city, and engages in market gardening.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Rose are members of the Methodist church, he having united with that denomination when cleven years of age. lIc joined the Worthington church during the first year of its existence, and has participated in the dedication of Miller hall, the old M. E. church and the new one.
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
J. J. HEIN, a farmer of forand Prairie township, is an early settler of the county of Nobles, having lived here since eleven years of age. He own- 240 acres in sec tion- 11 and 12.
Mr. Hein was born in Port Washington, Ozankee county, Wis .. on Jan. 4, 1866. Jo- seph llein, his father, was born on the Rhine, in Germany in 1823, and came to America when a boy of about twenty years of age. He lived in Illinois a short time and then went to Wisconsin and en- gaged in the tannery business in partnership with a brother at Port Washington, which he followed till he came to Nobles county in 1877. He died in Nobles county Aug. 1, 1883. Our subject's mother is Mary (Kirch) Hein. She was married to Mr. Hein in Wisconsin in 1853, and now resides at Brewster.
Our subject was educated in a sister's school at Port Washington and in the distriet schools of Nobles county, to which place he came with his parents May 14, 1877. The elder Hein bought the north- west quarter of section 12, Grand Prairie township, from Clark Noye-, the home- steader. On that place J. 1. Hein lived until 1892, when he moved to Adrian and engaged in the butcher business. After go- ing out of business he continued to re- side in Adrian one year and then spent one year in Blue Earth City. Ile moved back to the farm in 1902 and has since made his home there.
Mr. Hein was married at Woonsocket, S. D .. May 11, 1897, to Katie Ilinker, a native of lowa and a daughter of George and Kate linker, who now reside near Woon- socket. The following children have been Porn to Mr. and Mrs. Hein: Allie, born May S. 1898; George, born Sept. 22, 1901; Jo- seph, born April 25, 1904; Niek, born May 5. 1907. The family are Catholics. The Ilein family were charter members of the Adrian church.
VELS ERLANDSON, of Olney township. was born in Sweden June 3, 1859, the son of Erland Pearson and Anna Pearson. Both Fis parents died when Nels was six years old.
Ur came to the United States in the spring of 1883 and located in Ford county. Ill. Hle remained there five years, working at differ-
ent occupations, and then, in ISSS, came to Worthington. In that village he remained eighteen months and then rented a farm on section 6, Dewald township, where he was three years. lle then farmed a rented place on section 27, Olney, for several years, and in the spring of 1897 bought his present farm of 240 acres -- the cast half of the southeast quarter of section 10 and the northeast quarter of section 15, Olney-and has since made his home there. lle has improved the farm since buying the place, the total expenditures along that line be- ing about $3,000. Mr. Erlandson is a mem- ber of the Swedish Lutheran church.
In Ford county, Ill., on Nov. 10, 1883, Mr. Erlandson was married to Miss Johanna Peterson, also a native of Sweden. She died at the Olney home on Feb. 18, 1908. To them were born the following child- ren: l'aulina E., born Nov. 9, 1885, died July 27, 1902; Carl A., Anna Ml., Godfrey II. and John F.
FLORIAN J. OPPEK farms the southwest quarter of section 24, Hersey township, ten acres of which are in the incorporated limits of the village of Brewster. He is a native of Austria, having been born there April 16, 1884.
llis parents are Ignaz and Agnes (Jen- isch) Oppek, who live in their native land. aged 56 years. Florian is one of a family of seven children named as follows: Louis, Theresia (Mrs. A. W. Ebert), Ignaz, Vin- rent, Joseph, Florian and Agnes. In his na- tive country Florian Oppek attended the graded schools and a mechanical school, in which he studied electricity, and learned the satin cloth weaver's trade. le came to the United States and to Brewster in the spring of 1900, completing his education by a term in the Brewster school and in the high school at lleron Lake. He spent the years 1902 and 1903 in Heron Lake, and then returned to Brewster, where he has since resided.
Mr. Oppek was married at lleron Lake Nov. 11, 1903, to Mrs. John P. Ebert, whose first husband died Oct. 8, 1895. Mrs. Op- pek was bom in Austria Aug. 15, 1870, the daughter of V. A. and Anna , (Oppek) Fried. Her father lives near Heron Lake; her mother died near Heron Lake in 190], at the age of 51 years. She is one of a fam-
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ily of sixteen children, of whom the fol- lowing nine are living: Anna, Marie, Adelaid, Emily, Staphina, Emma, Frank, Vineent and John. Mr. and Mrs. Oppek are the parents of three children: Emily Annie, Clarence Florian and Elenora Agnes. By her former marriage Mrs. Oppek is the mother of the following children: Josephine Ida, Antonio William and John Peter. MIrs. Oppek came to the United States in ISS6 and located at Heron Lake with her parents, where she resided until her marriage to Mr. Ebert on Nov. 24, 1891. Sinee that date she has lived in Brewster.
ORMANDO H. SCOTT, Ransom township farmer, is the son of John H. and Sarah A. (Belknap) Scott. the first settlers of Ran- som township, who now reside in Worth- ington. The subject of this sketeh was born in Ransom township on July 11. 1876. Ile secured an education in the distriet schools of the county and resided with his parents on the farm until 23 years of age.
After leaving his father's farm Mr. Scott farmed for himself two years in Ransom township. He then moved to Worthington. where he resided one year, working at ditfer- ent occupations. He farmed on rented land in Elk township one year, and then re- turned to Ransom, where he has been farm- ing ever sinee, residing upon the south- west quarter of seetion 24, which is owned by his father.
Mr. Scott was married in Ransom township Dee. 6, 1899, to Amy E. Buteher, danghier of George and Mary Butcher. Mrs. Scott was born in Shelby county, Ill., July 25, 1882. Mr. and Mrs. Scott are the parents of the following children: Harris, born March 12, 1901; Glenn, born Nov. 22, 1903; Ralph, born November, 1907.
HENRY J. KLEVE owns and farms the north half of seetion 16, Willmont town- ship, and has been a resident of that town- ship sixteen years. He was born in Winne- shiek county, lowa, Feb. 18, 1871, the son of Anthony and Margaret (Sehrandt) Kleve.
Anthony Kleve was born in Germany in 1836 and eame io the United States when a ehild. He lived in Pennsylvania, in Kentucky, in Cineinnati, Ohio; in Dubuque
county, Iowa; and Winneshick county, Iowa, being engaged in farming in most of these places. He died in Winneshiek county Feb. 19, 1890. Margaret Kleve was also born in Germany. She came to America at the age of eighteen years and is now living in Winneshiek eounty.
Henry lived in his native county until 1892, securing an education in the country and in a parochial school, and working on the farm. Leaving there, he came to Nobles county aud bought the northwest quarter of section 14, Willmont township, of Azom Forbes, upon which he lived and farmed uutil 1902. That year he sold out and bought his present half section farm, upon which he has lived since. Ile raises lets of stoek and farms the whole 320 acres.
Mr. Kleve was married at St. Kilian Oct. 16, 1894, to Julia Duclos, danghter of An- thony and Barbara (Rosenbaum) Duclos, of Willmont township. Mrs. Kleve was born in Fayette county, Iowa, Nov. 15, IS;7. This marriage has resulted in the birth of eight children, as follows: Lena, born Aug. 10, 1895, died Oct. 16, 1897; William, born Jan. 31, 1898; Henry, born Feb. 8, 1900; Mary, born June 24, 1902; Julia, born Jan. 31, 1004; Joseph, born Nov. 27, 1905; Ifelen, born June 27, 1906; Gregor, born June 3. 1908. The family are members of the Catholic church of St. Kilian.
Mr. Kleve has held many offices of trust within the gift of his neighbors. lle is chairman of the board of supervisors of Willmont township, which office he has held two years, and he is serving his ninth ferm as a member of the board. Ile is elerk of school distriet No. 110, and has served as a school officer in that and districts 65 and 67 since 1895. lle was justice of the peace one year. Mr. Kleve is a member of the Catholic Order of Foresters.
DR. F. M. MANSON, practicing physician and surgeon, and proprietor of the Worthing- ton hospital, has been a resident of Worth- ington sinee 1899. lle was born in Ilast- ings, Minn., April 10, 1871, the son of the Iate Dr. Melville II. Manson and Eliza- beth L. ( Moody) Manson. His mother re- sides in Minneapolis; his father died Feb. 14, 1907.
When Dr. Manson was about six years of
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
age the family moved from Hasting- to St. Paul. After a residence there of four years the family home was made at Shakopee. which it continued to be for ten years. Thereafter until 1899 Dr. Manson lived in Minneapolis. He secured a common school education in the public schools of S .. Panl and Shakopee, and in 1886 became a stu- dent in the Minneapolis academy. He was a student there four years, and was grad- uated as the valedictorian of his class in ISS9. lle then entered the university of Minnesota, taking a scientific course, and was graduated in 1891, receiving the degree of B. S. He took a post graduate course, and in 1895 received his degree of M. S. Re- veiving a scholarship of physiology and his tology, be became an instructor in the state university and taught two years. He then became a student in the medical depart- ment of the university, and was granted his diploma in 1899.
Immediately after his graduation Dr. Man son came to Worthington. Forming a part. nership with Dr. G. R. Curran, he began the practice of his profession. The firm of Curran & Manson was dissolved at the end of two years, the junior member of the lirm continuing the practice. In 1906 he built and opened the Worthington hos- pital, the history of which institution will be found in chapter fifteen of this volume.
Dr. Manson served as deputy county coro. her in 1901 and 1902, was elected coroner in 1902, and served until the first of 1907. lle has been a member of the Carnegie library board since the founding of the library, and is chairman of the book commil - tee.
On May 31, 1900, at Shasta, Cal .. occurred the marriage of Dr. Manson to Miss Ida L. lusted, daughter of S. D. and Louise (Pal- mer) Ilusted. Mrs. Manson is a native of Connecticut. To this union have been born two children: Melville H. and Emmet L.
CARL ARVID DALIN farms 240 acres of land in section 13, Seward township, where he has resided for the last seventeen years. He was born in the town of Wimmerby, Kalmar, Sweden. Aug. 31, 1869, and is the son of Carl Johannson and Margaret (Jones) Johannson, who live in the old country.
Until he was nineteen years old Carl
lived in his native country. Ile secured an education in the schools of his native town. and during his boyhood days worked on his father's farm, occasionally also securing em- ployment in town. While he lived in Sweden he went by the name of his parents, but when he came to America in the spring of 1889, he took the name of a half-brother, Dalin, because of the commonness of the name Johannson, or its English equivalent, Johnson. le and his half-brother, who came to America at the same time, first located at Burlington, lowa, where for two years Mr. Dalin was employed at different kinds of work. In the spring of 1891 he came to No- bles county and located on the farm of his brother, which has since been his home.
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