USA > Minnesota > Nobles County > An illustrated history of Nobles County, Minnesota > Part 80
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ISAAC A. MILTON, of Ransom township, has lived in that Nobles county political division since he was fifteen years of age. llis father is Isaac Milton, who makes his
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home with his son on the farm. The elder Milton was born in Somersetshire, Eng- land, in 1840 aud came to the United States in 1864. lle located first near Madi- son, Wis., where be engaged in farming some years, later making his home at Mineral Point and other places in the vi- cinity. There ne resided until 1881, when he began farming in Osceola county, Iowa. In 1889 he moved to Ransom township, where he has since made his home. Our subject's mother is Ellen (Cole) Milton, who was born in England. She is now living at the age of 72 years.
Isaac A. Milton, of this sketch, was born in Belmont, Lafayette county, Wis., Aug. £, 1874, and in that place he lived until seven years of age. The next eight years were spent on his father's farm in Osceola county, lowa. In 1889 he came to Ran- soin township with his parents, and that has been his home ever since. He is now engaged in farming the northeast quarter of section 28.
Mr. Milton was married in Ransom town-
a native of Ransom townsbip and a daugh- ter of the late F. T. Graves. To Mr. and Mrs. Milton have been born two children: Edna C., born July 4, 1904; Beth I., born Nov. 8, 1907. Both parents are members of the Ransom Methodist church.
During the last four years Mr. Milton has served as justice of the peace of Ran- som and he has held the office of clerk of school district No. 21 for the last three years. Mr. Milton is something of an in- ventor, but because of lack of capital to finance his inventions they are but little known.
DR. C. P. DOLAN. Among the leading practicing physicians of the village of Worthington is the subject of this sketch, who took up his work in the county seat town in 1904, succeeding his brother, the late Dr. Edward Dolan. He ripened in his profession by many years of sncee-sful practice in Waterville, Minn .. and since re- siding in Worthingten has taken a promi- nent place in the medical, social and busi- ness life of the town.
Dr. Dolan was born in Waseca county, Minr. Sept. S. 1858. hi- parent- being Pat- rick and Ellen (llubbaid) Dolan, natives of
Ireland. They came to Boston when eigh- teen and fourteen years of age, respec- tively, where they were later married. Soon after their marriage they moved to Waseca county, Minu., being among the early set- tlers of that part of the state. They home- steaded in 185S, and resided on the old place continuously until their deaths at ad- vanced ages, and after a nnion of fifty- five years.
Dr. Dolan grew to early manhood on his parents' farm and attended the grammar schools of his native county, later graduat- ing from the high school at Waterville, Minn. llaving decided to take up the prac- tice of medicine for his life's work, be en- tered the Belleview Medical college in New York city, receiving his diploma in the spring of 1880. That year he hung ont his "shingle" in the town of Waterville, Minn., where he resided until his removal to Worthington.
Dr. Dolan was married in Waseca county, Minn., Jan. 25, 1888, to Miss Tillie MeElroy, a native of Illinois, and the daughter of
ship Oct. 15, 1903, to Miss Bertha L. Graves, . Peter and Maggie (Anderson) McElroy, both
of whom are deceased. Dr. and Mrs. Dolan are the parents of two children-Leo, born April 25, 1891; Marie, born July 26, 1894.
NICHOLAS IIENDEL, proprietor of a saloon in Lismore, has resided in the county seventeen years, the greater part of which time was spent in farming. lle is the son of Philip and Katherine (Busch) Hendel, who also reside in Lismore.
Philip Hlendel, the father, was born in Germany in 1840 and came to the United States in 1870. He settled in Houston county, Minn .. where he owned 240 acres of land and where be engaged in farming until ISSS. Then he moved to Alton. Iowa, where he ran a creamery one year, and near which place he farmed two years. Going to Adrian in 1891. he conducted a hotel and engaged in the real estate business two years. and then moved onto his tarm the east halt of section 35, Lismore town-hip- and taimed until 1899. He left the tarin at that time and took up hi- residence in Li-more, where he has since lived a retired live. His wite is 68 years of age.
Our subject was born in Luxemburg. Ger- Inany. Sept. 24, 1867, and at the age of
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three years came to America with his par- years. Our subjeet's mother was Margaret ents. His boyhood days were spent in (Miller) Meier. She died in Germany at the age of 71 years. Ilouston county, Minn. He was educated in the public school- of Caledonia and in Christian Brothers college at St. Louis, where he took a commercial course. After completing his education Mr. Hendel began working at the butter maker's trade, which he followed in Caledonia five years. In 1888 he moved to Alton, lowa, where for three years he was the manager of a cream- ery.
Mr. Hendel came to Adrian in 1891, and has since been a resident of the county. lle tended bar for John Wolf at Adrian for ten months and then moved onto his farm, the southwest quarter of seetion 35, Lis- more township, which he ha.} purchased the year before he came to the county ano which he still owns. He engaged in farm ing until the fall of 1905, when he moved to Lismore and bought the saloon of Jos. eph Budde. Hle condueted that business two years, then sold out, and started the saloon which he bas since conducted.
At Adrian on Jan. 22, 1895, Mr. Hendel was married to Miss Jennie MeLean, who was born in Columbia county, Wis., in 1876, and who is the daughter of Thomas and Eliza MeLean, carly settlers of Lismore township. To Mr. and Mrs. Ilendel have been born two children: Louis, born Nov. 6, 1896; Loretta, born Feb. 22, 1898.
Mr. and Mrs. Hendel are members of the Catholic church and he belongs to the Catho- lic Order of Fore-ters. During his residence in Lismore township Mr. Hendel served a number of terms as a member of the town ship board and for several years was the chairman.
JOIN MEIER, of Brewster, is one of the progressive farmers of llersey township. His home is on a ten acre tract within the village limits. Besides this tract he owns the cast half of seetion 23, the southwest quarter of section 21 and the east half of the northwest quarter of seetion 21.
Mr. Meier was born in the province of Holstein. Germany, Sept. 12. 1551, one of a family of ten children. His father died when John was an infant, and he was raised by his stepfather, Henry Stoven. who died in Germany at the age of 71
In his native land John Meier worked on the farm and received his education. Com- ing' to the United States at the age of twenty years, in 1871, he located in Ben- ton county, lowa, when that was a new country and when land that today is worth $100 to $125 per acre .was selling for $15 to $20. lle was identified wich the growth of that section of the state, where he engaged in farming until 1893. That year he sold out in lowa and moved to Brewster, where he has since resided, having bought his farming property since coming here.
In Benton county, lowa, on March 15, 1881, Mr. Meier was married to Miss Ma- tilda Bockhold, who was born in Davenport, lowa, Oct. 3, 1800. She is the daughter of Nicholas and Telsia Boekhold. To Mr. and Mrs. Meier have been born thirteen children, of whom the following twelve are living, one daughter, Clara, having died at the age of two years: Emma MI., born Dec. 15. 1882; John 11., born July 3, IS84; Heury N., born Feb. 19, 1886; William F., born Jan. 15, 1888; Henrietta L., born Sept. 2, 1891; Rudolph J., born July 11, 1893; Laura A., born June 15, 1895; Nicholas F., born sept. 6, 1807; Matilda D., born Oct. 20, 1898; Annie ML., born Nov. 8, 1900; Alfred T., born June 17, 1902; Alvena T., born Oct. 6, 1904. All the children reside at home.
Mr. and Mrs. Meier are members of the German Lutheran church of Brewster. Hle i. a member of the Brewster village eoun- cil and is serving his third term.
DENNIS MeACLIFFE farms the north- east quarter of section 6, Willmont town- ship, and upon that farm he has resided ever since he was four years of age. Ile is a native of New York city and was born Oct. 9, 1876. lle came to Nobles county with his parents in 1880, receiving his edu- cation in the Nobles county schools, and was raised on the Willmont township farm.
John Me.Nuliffe was the name of the fath- er of our subjeet, who was one of a family of four children. The father was born in Ireland in 1841 and came to the United States when a young man. He located in Brooklyn, where he lived until 1880. That
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year the family moved to Nobles county and took as a homestead claim the farm upon which Dennis now lives. The next year Mr. McAuliffe died, but his widow and children remained on the farm and secured title from the government.
Mary Ryan was the maiden name of the mother of our subject. She was born in Ireland and came to America when a child. She was married to Mr. MeAuliffe in New York and came to Nobles county with her husband. After his death she married William McCord, who died June 7, 1905. Mrs. McCord now makes her home with her son on the farm aud is 70 years of age. The family are members of the Catholic church of St. Kilian.
CHRIST ELIAS is a Westside township farmer who owns a three-quarter section farm on section 12, just north of Adrian, and is an old time settler.
Mr. Elias was born in Norway in 1851 and came to the United States in 1869. He located first at Stony Creek, Michigan, where for a few years he worked as a farm hand. fle then moved to Clinton county, towa, where, for seven years, he worked in a sawmill. He then came to Nobles county and has been engaged in farming since.
At Adrian in 1881 Mr. Elias was mar- ried. ffe and his wife are the parents of six children: Martin, Anna, Edward, Wil- liam, Minnie and Marie. The family are members of the Norwegian Lutheran church.
NATHAN II. ELLIOTT resides in Worth- ington township, about four miles west of the village of Worthington, where he farms the southwest quarter of section twenty. Ile has been a resident of Nobles county 22 years.
N. Il. Elliott was born in Hardin county, Iowa, April 18, 1856. Ilis father was George Elliott, born in North Carolina in 1828, raised in Indiana, and died in the year 1886. The Elliotts were of colonial stock and members of the Quaker church. George Elliott's father-the grandfather of our sub- ject-was a noted abolitionist and was in- strumental in securing the freedom of many slaves in the days preceding the civil war. This was accomplished by aiding the fugi-
tives in making their escape to Canada. The mother of the subject of this sketch is ibi (frazier) Elliott, born in Indiana in 1830, and now living at Marshalltown, lowa. The Fraziers were also of colonial stock and members of the Quaker church.
When Nathan was a baby one year old his parents moved from Hardin county to Marshall county, lowa, and there he lived until 1886. In the schools of Marshall county he got his education, and there he grew to manhood. For several years prior to his removal to Nobles county he engaged in. farming.
On the first day of May, 1886, he ar- rived in Nobles county, making the trip overland, and settled at Round Lake. Dur- ing the first few years of his residence in this county he was engaged in the hay business, auctioncering and farming. Dur- ing a few years while he was engaged in farming he was located just over the line in Jackson county. While he lived there he served as constable and was a member of the republican county eentral commit- tee. Returning to Round Lake village in the spring of 1893, he built the first livery barn in that town and ran it about five years. Thereafter for several years he was engaged in farming and other occupations. In March, 1904, he moved to his present home in Worthington township.
Mr. Elliott was married at
Ilolland, Grundy county, lowa, Sept. 16, 1882, to Miss Emma Potter, who was born April 5, 1860. Mrs. Elliott is a direct descendant of Captain John Hart (1708-1780), one of the signers of the declaration of indepen- dence. Mrs. Elliott's father was Geo. W. fotter, a native of North Carolina, and her mother was Eliza ( Mallory) Potter, a native of Indiana. Both her parents are dead. Geo. W. Potter's farm was located on the site of Fort Knox, about two miles from old Vineennes, Indiana, that historie land- mark of the revolutionary war.
To Mr. and Mrs. Elliott have been born five daughters and four sons, all of whom are living. They are Agnes, Viola (Mrs. Riley Davidson), Potlatch, Idaho; George, Potlatch, Idaho; Harrison, May, Edwin, Ray- mond, Lyda and Nina, all of whom reside at Worthington except the two in Idaho.
Mr. Elliott was the first school treasurer of the Round Lake district and held the
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office until his removal to Jackson county. lle was also constable of Indian Lake town- ship and Round Lake village for several years.
HENRY IVERS, a Dewald township farm- er
living three-quarters of a mile from Rushmore, in which village he and his son condnet a meat market, is of German birth, having been born near Hamberg July 26, 1849. His father, Chris Ivers, and his moth- er. Katie (Stilleng) Ivers, both died in their native country.
Mr. Ivers lived in Germany until 1882, and secured a common school education there. Atter growing to manhood he en- gaged in farm work, which he followed all the time he lived in his native country. lle arrived in America in April, 1882, and located in Benton county, Jowa. That was his home for ten years. For a while he worked for wages; then he rented a farm and during the last few years of his resi- donee there. he engaged in business for him- self. lle moved to Nobles connty early in March, 1892, and bought a farm three and one-half miles north of Rushmore, which was his home until 1904. In the year last named he purchased a half section farm, upon a quarter section of which he now resides, just out of Rushmore.
In partnership with his son, Chris, in October, 1904, he started a meat market in Rushmore. This firm (Il. Ivers & Son) is under the management of the son and en. joys a prosperous business.
Mr. Ivers was married in Germany July 11, 1870, to Katie Kroeger. To them have been born nine children, eight of whom are living: Annie (Mrs. John Schroeder), Eu- roka (Mrs. Win. Lindemann), Mary (Mrs. Jacob Stoven), William, Christ, Ella, Bertha, Amanda, died March 30, 1907; Lucy. All of the children are residents of No- bles county.
During the years 1901 and 1902 Mr. Ivers was road overseer. in addition to his home farm in Dewald, Mr. Ivers owns a quarter section in Summit Lake township.
WILLIAM E. WARD, a farmer of Summit Lake township, eame to the county of No- bles with his parents in 1871 when a child
six years old, and, with the exception of a few months spent in Canada in 1907, and six months in California, has been in the county ever since.
The parents of our subject, E. C. and Mary (McConnell) Ward, were among the very lirst settlers of Elk township, having taken ats a homestead the southwest quarter of section 30 in 1871. The father is a native of Illinois, where he resided until his ar- rival to Nobles county. llc lived on his Elk township farm until 1901, when he sold and moved to Butte county, California, where he now lives at the age of 74 years. The mother was born in Pennsylvania and died May 11, 1806, aged 64 years. They were the parents of the following children: laura (Mrs. E. S. Nichols), Edgerton, Minn .; William E., of this sketch; Belle (Mrs. R. M. Shortridge), Todd county, Minn .; Ed- ward, of Edgerton, Minn .; Clifton, of Eu- gene, Oregon.
William E. Ward was born in Chatsworth, III., Nov. 26, 1865, and came to Nobles county with his parents at the age of six years. He was raised on his father's farm and educated in the Nobles county schools. When a young man he purchased the north- west quarter of section 11, Summit Lake township, then an unimproved place, and has since made his home there. He has improved the place and made it one of the valuable farms of the community. Beside his home place Mr. Ward owns the north- rast quarter of section 5, Summit Lake township, which he purchased in 1907. Mtr. Ward is unmarried.
FRANK D. RICHARDS, of Worthington, is one of the pioneers of Nobles county and an early settler of Minnesota. Ile was born in Franklin county, Maine, Ang. 22, 1849. His father was John A. Richards, who was born in Maine and died in Murray county in 1901, aged 81 years. His mother is Hannah ( Folsom) Richards, who is also a native of Maine, and who now resides year Clear Lake, Wis .. and is 82 years of age.
Mr. Richards came west with his parents in 1862 and located at Monford, Wis. There he resided until 1866, when he moved to Olmsted county, Minn. In the summer of 1871, when the railroad was building through
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Nobles county, he came to the new coun- try, and took as a homestead 100 acres of land on section 20, Hersey township. Owing to an oversight on the part of the land officials he lost his land. Later he preempt- ed the east half of the southeast quarter of section 12, Seward township, which he sold eight years later. In the spring of 1905 Mr. Richards moved to Worthington, where he has since resided.
In the old Lake View house in Worth- ington on Dec. 24, 1875, Mr. Richards was married to Agnes Muck, a native of Keu- tucky and a daughter of Stephen Muck, who came to the county in 1867 and was its first settler. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Richards, as follows: Clem, born in Graham Lakes township May 12, 1877 (is a veteran of the Spanish-American war, having served three years in the Phil- ippine islands) ; John, born in Graham Lakes township April 7, 1881; two daughters, Alice and Gertie, who died in infancy.
FRED WEST lives in the extreme nortli- ern part of Seward township, only a short distance south of Fulda. He has been a resident of Nobles county for twenty-two years, coming here with his parents from Illinois. He was born in Brooklyn, N. Y., Oct. 9, 1872, the son of Jacob and Louise (Ortle) West. His parents were both na- tives of Germany. His mother now resides in Seward township; bis father, who came to the United States in 1849, died at his home in Seward township July 29, 1894.
When Fred was only six months old his parents moved to Dwight, Ill., and there he lived thirteen years. In 1886 he came with his parents to Nobles county, the fam- ily home being the northeast quarter of section 2, Seward, where the subject of this sketch now resides. His early days were spent on the farm and securing a common school education in the country schools of Illinois and Seward township.
Mr. West was married at Slayton June 21, 1900, to Tillie King, daughter of the late Joseph King. To this marriage have been born three children, Theron, Geneiva and Ivan.
Since his marriage Mr. West has been on- gaged in farming for himself. He served a two years term as clerk of school district No. 73.
WILLIAM L. HANSBERGER, hay dealer of Worthington, has resided in Nobles con- ty since he was less than five years of age. lle was born in Sandusky, Ohio, Dec. 10, 1868, the son of John and Hannah (Meyers) llansberger, of Lorain township.
In 1873 the family moved to Nobles county, and during the first year lived in Worthington. The head of the family then secured a farm on section 20, Lorain town- ship, and on that larm our subject was raised and lived until 1895. That year he bought a farm on section 21, Lorain, and tor nine years engaged in farming. He moved to Worthington in 1904, where he has since been engaged in buying and ship- ping hay in partnership with his father and his brothers, Clyde and Arthur. He is a member of the Methodist church and of the Maccabee and A. O. U. W. lodges.
Mr. Hansberger was married in Minneapo- lis in 1894 to Belle l'aine, who died Feb. 12, 1900. To them were born two sons -- Roy, born Aug. 20, 1895, and Floyd, born l'eb. 24, 1897. Mr. llansberger's second marriage occurred at Worthington June 22, 1905, when he was wedded to Cora Paine, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Paine. They are the parents of one child-Vera, horn June 22, 1907.
DAVID JONES, SR., is a Lorain town- ship farmer, where he has made his home for the last nineteen years. Mr. Jones was born in South Wales in August, 1838, the son of Daniel Jones and Lizzie (Lewis) Jones. His father died in Wales in 1867; his mother in 1873. Until David was 32 years of age he lived in his native country, where for several years he worked in the coal mines.
Coming to America he located first at Peoria, Ill., where for three years he worked in a brick yard. He then moved to Taze- well county, in the same state, and for six years engaged in farming. lle next took up his residence in Marshall connty, abont 30 miles north of Peoria, and farmed there for ten years. In Marchi, 1889, he moved to Nobles county, bought the southwest quarter of section 9, Lorain township, and has since made his home here. Later he bought the east one-half of the southeast quarter of section 8, Lorain township, mak- ing a farm of 240 acres.
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
Mr. Jones was married at Clandovery. Wales, Nov. 16, 1863, to Anna Williams. They are the parents of five children, all of whom resile in Lorain township: Tom, David, Jr., Daniel, Mary thow Mrs. Carl Sham) and Lizzie. Both Mr. and Mrs. Jones are members of the Methodist Episco- pal church of Worthington.
HENRY SHORE, or Ransom township, i- the youngest son of Mr. and Mr -. Robert Shore. Ile is a native of Grant county. Wis., where he was born July 29, 1868. When less than five years of age in the spring of 1873- he came with the family to Nobles county, and ever since that date he has resided on his father's Ransom township farm. lle now conduet- his father's farm, and owns the southeast quarter of section 22. which he rents.
Mr. Shore was married in Ransom town- ship on Dec. ti, 1893, to Miss Bertha Lott, a native of lowa and the daughter of I. N. Lott, who now lives in Fillmore county, Neb. To Mr. and Mrs. Shore have been born the following children: Letha B., horn Sept. S, 1894; Edith L., born Ang. 16. 1896; Del- bert C., born March 4, 1899; Lois E., born Jan. 16, 1901; Hazel F., born Jan. 12, 1903.
Mr. and Mrs. Shore are members of the Ran-om M. E. church. He has held the office of clerk of school district No. 92 for the last four years. He is at present town- ship elerk and for four years prior to his election to that office in the spring of 1908, he served as supervisor. lle is a member of the M. W. A. Jodge.
JENS JORGENSEN, Olney township farm- er, is a native of Denmark, where he was Horn Feb. 1, 1800, the son of Hans Peter and Hannah (Jensen) Jorgensen, who still re- side in their native land, aged 76 and 73 years, respectively.
Jens left home and came to the United States in 1882. He lived in the city of Omaha six years, and then came to Nobles county. He bought the southeast quarter of section 1. Olney township. improved the place, and has since made his home there, engaged in farming.
Mr. Jorgensen was married in Omaha Oct. 23, 1886, to Miss Anna Jensen, a na-
tive of Sweden. To them have been born
three children: Harrold, born July 14, I>>7; Clara, born March 30, 1889; Emma, born Jan. 21, 1891. Both parents are mem. bers of the Lutheran church. Mr. Jorgensen served six years as a director of school dis- triet No. 69.
CHARLES MARR, farmer and stock rais- er of Grand Prairie township, was born in Dodgeville, lowa county, Wis., Aug. 26, 1870, the son of James and Mice (Teague) Marr. James Marr was born in Liverpool, Eng- land, Oct. 12, 1828, came to the United States in 1848 and located in the town of Dodgeville, Wis,, where for forty years he was in the furniture and undertaking busi- PUSs. Ile came to Nobles county in the fall of 1882 and thereafter until his death, which occurred Oct. 4, 1906, he resided on his Grand Prairie township farm and in Adrian. Alice Marr was born in Cornwall, England. She died at Adrian March 2, 1901.
Charles Marr came to the county at the age of twelve years and with the exception of one year has lived in the county ever since. The family located on the southwest quarter of, section 10, Grand Prairie town- ship the farm now owned by our subjeet. There Charles lived until 1890. lle then moved to Adrian, where for three years he was engaged in teaming and other work. Returning to the farm, he again engaged in farming. In the spring of 1906 he moved to Roberts county, S. D., where he leased a section of land and farmed one year, and then returned to his farm.
At Wiota, Lafayette county, Wis., on Feb. G, 190], Mr. Marr was married to Anna Stixrood, who was horn at Wiota June 29, 1879. She is a daughter of E. O. and Carrie Stixrood. To Mr. and Mrs. Marr have been horn three children: Chester, born Feb. 2, 1902; Evelyn, horn Oct. 27, 1904; Willard, born Ang. 30, 1907. Mr. Marr is a member of the M. W. A. lodge.
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