USA > Minnesota > Nobles County > An illustrated history of Nobles County, Minnesota > Part 83
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Mr. Johnson was married at Dundee Dec. 26, 1901, to Miss Esther Olson, who was born in Goodhue county June 16, 1877, and came to Dundee in 1899. They are the par- ents of one child, J. llorton Johnson, born Oct. 22, 1904.
Mr. Jobnson owns a half section of land in Cottonwood county. Ile is a member of the Swedish Lutheran church and of the Odd Fellows and Modern Woodmen of America lodges. He has served as school clerk of the district several years, was a member of the Dundee village council for some time, and is now village treasurer.
ALEXANDER DIDIER, of Willmont town- ship, was born in Evanston, Ill., Oct. 30, 1878, the son of Nicholas John and Eliza- both (Reding) Didier.
Nicholas Didier was born in Luxemburg Nov. 18. 1829, and resided in his native land until 1850, spending most of his life there in securing an education, having at- tended college seven years. Coming to the United States in 1850, he located on the site of the present eity of Evanston, Ill., and became a farmer and market gardener. He died there Feb. 5, 1893. Elizabeth Didier was born in Luxemburg March 18, 1844, was married there in 1870 and the same year came to the United States. She now makes her home with her son in Willmont township.
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Alex was educated in a parochial school at Evanston and until 1896 made his home on his parents' market garden farm. He then came to Nobles county and located on the farm where he has ever since resided- the southwest quarter of section 12, Will- mont-which farm had been purchased by his father in 1888. Alex managed the farm for his mother until 1907, and since then has been farming it for himself.
June 12, 1907, Mr. Didier was married at St. Kilian to Lena Hopler, daughter of Nicholas and Elizabeth Ilopler. Iler father resides at Wadena, Minn .; her mother is dead. MIrs. Didier was born at Wadena, Minn., March II, 1884. They are the par- ents of one child, Aloysius, born March 24, 1908. Mr. and Mrs. Didier are members of the Catholic church of St. Kilian and he belongs to the C. O. F. of Wilmont. Mr. Didier is clerk of school district No. 65.
WILLIAM HIGGINS is the proprietor of the livery, feed and sale stable at Lismore, in which town he has resided since the summer of 1901. lle is a native of Seneca, Ill., where he was born Oct. 12, 1869, the son of Jeremialı and Mariah (Corbett) Hig- gins. The father was born in Ireland in 1828 and came to the United States with his parents when a child. The family re- sided at Fort Dearmont (where the city of Chicago now stands) the first six months in the new world, and then removed to Kickapoo (now Seneca), III. There Jere- miah Higgins lived until his death, which oveurred in 1897. Our subject's mother was born in Providence, Rhode Island, and died in Seneca in 1905, aged 65 years.
William Higgins resided in his native county until he was 32 years of age. lle obtained his primary education in Seneca, finishing it in Valpariso, Indiana. After his school days he engaged in teaching school near Seneca, which he followed five years. lle then opened a meat market in his na- tive town and conducted that nine years. Ile came to Lismore in June, 1901, and opened the first buteher shop in that village. Ile conducted the shop four and one-half years and then sold to Charles Rusho. In 1905 he bought the livery barn of Michael Plemp, and he has since been in the livery business.
Mr. Iliggins was married in Lismore Nov. 15, 1903, to Eda Graf, a native of Still- water, Minn., and a daughter of Emil Graf, president of the State Bank of Lismore. They are the parents of the following nam- ed children : Allen, Francis and May.
ALBERT DAUGHETRY, of Rushmore, has lived in Nobles county since he was four years of age, the family being among the earliest settlers of Dewald township. lle was born in Trenton, N. J., April 6, 1868, son of the late Robert Daugherty and Jane (Lawrence) Daugherty, who now lives in Dewald township.
When Albert was two years old the fam- ily moved from Trenton to Champaign county, Ill. After a two years' sojourn there it was decided to join the National colony and seek a home in the new country of southwestern Minnesota. The family arrived in Worthington May 16, 1872, and Mr. Daugherty. Sr., at onee selected a homestead in Dewald township, settling on the southeast quarter of section eight. On that farm Albert was raised. He obtained a country school education and until his marriage in 1896 worked on his father's farm.
Ile was married at Ruslimore Nov. 7, IS96, to Miss Bertha Lumm. daughter of Rev. and Mrs. E. M. Lumm, formerly resi- dents of Rushmore. Mrs. Daugherty was born in Albion, Mich. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Daugherty- Margaret, Ross and Ivabesse, who died Feb. 20, 1908.
After his marriage Mr. Dangherty took up his place of residence in Rushmore, and there he has since resided. Although living in the village he devotes his entire time to farming. In partnership with his brother, Stewart Daugherty, he farms 960 acres of land in one piece, which lies only a short distance from Rushmore. The brothers raise stock on an extensive scale, having gener- ally a herd of almout 200 head of cattle.
During his residence in the country Mr. Daugherty served as director of school dis- triet No. 9 for six or eight years. Both he and his wife are members of the Presby- terian church of Rushmore.
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
LUDWIG RECKER, Leota township farm- er, owns 240 acres on section 20. He is the son of the late Henry Recker and Sus- anna (Homkomp) Recker. The father was born in Putnam county, Ohio, Sept. 18, 1837, and died Nug. 1], 1904. His father came from Oldenberg, Germany, about 1827 and settled in Ohio. Susanna Recker was born in New Vienna, lowa. She now makes her home on the farm in Lismore township and is Gl years of age.
To these parents Ludwig Recker was born at New Vienna, Dubuque county, lowa, on Angust 9, 1869. lle received his education in his native county and made his home there on his father's farm until 1892. The family then moved to State Center, Mar- shall county. lowa. Until his marriage in 1896 ludwig resided on his father's farm; after that event he bought land and en- gaged in farming, which he followed until the spring of 1902. lle then came to No- bles county and bought the farm in Leota township, upon which he has since lived. Besides carrying on general farming, he en- gages quite extensively in stock raising.
Mr. Recker was married at Olwein, Iowa, Nov. 10, 1896, to Gertrude Vohsman, who was born in Westphalia, Germany, March 2. 1869. She is the daughter of Henry and Gertrude (liepe) Vohsman. Mr. and Mrs. Recker are the parents of the following named children: Clara, born March 12, 1898; Lawrence, born Dee. 11. 1899; Millie and Emil (twins), born Jan. 2. 1903; llenry, born Jan. 30, 1905; Matilda, born June 12, 1908. The family are members of the Catholic church.
LOREN CLARK, of Worthington, is a native of Nobles county, having been born in Ransom township April 3, 1877. He is son of William
a Clark and Margaret (Lane) Clark, both of whom reside at Worthingion, and who were pioneers of the county.
When five years of age Loren Clark moved with his parents to Worthington, and that city has been his home ever since. Ile at- tended the Worthington publie and high schools, and graduated from the latter in- stitution in 1893, being valedictorian of his elass. Ile is one of the youngest students
that ever graduated from that school. After completing the course at the Worthington school, in the fall of 1893, he became a student at llamline university, where he look a one year's course.
In the fall of 1894 he went to Sioux Falls, S. D., and accepted a position as bookkeeper for Parker & Atkins, dealers in coal, wood and grain, which position he filled for over one year. Returning to Worth- ington in the spring of 1896, he engaged in farming, which occupation he followed for two years, his farm being located east of Worthington. On January 1, 1899, he opened a real estate office in Worthington. There was great activity in the real estate market during the next few years and our subject did an excellent business. He was in the land business until October, 1904. Prior to this date, however, he had engaged in another business. In the spring of 1902, in partnership with A. W. Fagerstrom, ho bought the shoe store of E. L. Schwartz, which was then operated for several years under the firm name of Fagerstrom & Clark. Mr. Fagerstrom managed the store until October, 1904, when Mr. Clark became the manager. In August. 1906, our subjeet bought his partner's interest in the store, and since that date has been the sole pro- prietor.
Mr. Clark served one term as reeorder of the village of Worthington, having been elected on the against license ticket in 1903. Ile is a prominent lodge man, holding mem- bership in the Knights of Pythias, Odd Fellows and Ancient Order of United Work- mon. Of all three organizations he is & member of the grand lodges. Mr. Clark also holds a membership in the Baptist (Imreh of Worthington.
ALBERT JOHNSON is a Bigelow town- ship farmer. He owns eighty aeres in sec. tion 36, Bigelow, and eighty acres in Indian Lake, adjoining. He was born in Wester- vik, Sweden, Oct. 15. 1866. flis father, John Alfred Nelson, died in his native country in JS86; his mother. Chrstine Nelson. died there IS99.
Our subject's father was a fisherman, and his son was brought up to that occupation. In 1891 he emigrated to America and lo-
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
cated at a point thirty miles southwest of Chicago. For two years he resided there, working in a tiling factory and engaged in farming. He came to Nobles county in 1893 and bought his present farm in Bigelow township, which has ever since heen his home. During the last five years he has served as treasurer of school district No. 91.
Mr. Johnson was married in Nobles coun- ty Jan. 21, 1895, to Miss Hulda Erickson, who was born in Sweden Nov. 17, 1876. She is the daughter of L. J. and Mary Erickson, who now reside at Cold Camp, No., but who were early settlers of Nohles county. When Mrs. Johnson was less than seven years old she came to the United States and to Nobles county with her par- ents. For two years the family lived in Indian Lake township, and since that time Mrs. Johnson has resided in Bigelow town- ship. To Mr. and Mrs. Johnson have been born the following children: Selma, born May 21, 1896; Esther, born May 9, 1898; Osear, born June 16, 1900; Jennie, born April 29, 1906; Albin, born Aug. 24, 1907.
ADOLPH R. BEILKE is the postmaster of Reading and the proprietor of that village's only general merchandise store. Ile is a German by birth, having been born in the province of Pommern Nov. 22, 1863. lle came to the United States when seventeen and one-half years of age and located in Wisconsin. After two months spent at Watertown, in that state, lie moved to Wau- sau, where for two years he worked in the pineries and in saw mills.
Mr. Beilke moved to I'anlina, Iowa, and, after working on a farm near there for one year, he engaged in farming on his own account and hecame a land owner. He came to Nobles county on Dec. 10, 1894, and bought an 160 aere farm on seetion 36, Olney township, which he farmed three years. In the spring of 1807 he moved to Rushmore, went into the restaurant and confectionery business, and was so engaged three years. When the new town of Reading on the Burlington road was started in the spring of 1900 Mr. Beilke was among the first to go to the little town and engage in business. He arrived there on March 27
and ereeled the store building in which he has since had his store, putting up at the same time a residence. He was appointed postmaster in January, 1907, and conduets the office in connection with his store. He is also clerk of the village school board, an office he has held for the past seven years.
At Marcus, Iowa, Mr. Beilke was married Dec. 10, 1889, to Miss Lena Herman, a na- tive of Germany. To them have been born seven children: William (deceased), Lena, Carl, Max, Henry, Albert and Ernest. Mr. Beilke is a member of the Presbyterian church and of the M. W. A. lodge.
WALTER BARRON lives one-half mile south of the village of Rushmore, where he owns and farmis 180 aeres of land in seetion 30. That has been his home twenty-two years.
He was born in Plainfield, Ill., Sept. 2, 1852. llis father was a farmer, Thomas Barron, who was born in England, came to the United States in 1850, and died early in 1853 in Plainfield, Illinois. Ilis mother was Hannah (Shaw) Barron, also a native of England, who died in Illinois about 1877 In his native (Will) county Walter Barron was raised and received his education, at- tending the country schools and for a few years the graded schools of I'lainfield.
In the spring of 1870 he left home and wort to Wyoming territory, where for a year he was engaged in getting out ties and running logs down to Fort Steele to build the first railroad that crossed the con- tinent. He returned home for a short time, but in 1871 went to Russell county, Kansas, and herded cattle for three years. During the next two years he worked by the month in Newton county, Ind .; then he rented land in the same county, and for four years engaged in farming.
In January, 1880, Mr. Barron was mar- ried in Newton county to M. J. MeLeod, a native of Diamond, Nova Scotia, who came to Nobles county in 1886. After his mar- riage Mr. Barron moved to Crawford county, Kansas, where he bought land and farmed one year. fle then returned to Newton county, and during the next five years farmed there. In the spring of 1886 the
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
funily moved to Nobles county, and Mr. he has lived many years. He was born at Barron bought eighty aeres of his present Middleton, near Madison, Wis., March 5, 1866. and at that place he spent his boy- hood days. farm, buying adjoining property afterward. To Mr. and Mrs. Barron have been born the following children: Jolin M., Ilelena .C. (Irs. J. E. Rankin), of Evelyth, Minn .; Margaret M., Henry G., who died in in- fancy; Frances.
JAMES M. ADDINGTON, proprietor of a Worthington barber shop, was born at Gar- nett, Kansas, on Sept. 11, 1858, the son of B. L. and Margaret (Lewellen) Addington. The elder Addington was one of the pio- neors of Kansas and a prominent anti-slay- ery advocate. Because of his activities in favor of the free-state doctrines he was forced to leave the state in 1860. In a murderous raid on his home one night his life was spared only because of the fact that he was a Mason. The next morning he and his family departed the state by ox team and located at Bloomington. Ill. He died at Sibley, Ill., in the fall of 1885. Our subject's mother is a native of Virginia; she now resides with a daughter, Mrs. Wil- liam Wood, at Fort Pierre, S. D.
James Addington resided in Illinois until 1887. He learned the barber trade at De- entur and followed that occupation many years. Ile moved to Minnesota in 1887 and located at Lake Benton, where he eon- ducted a shop fourteen years. In 190] he moved to Worthington, purchased the bar- ber shop of M. E. Fish, and has been in the business since.
Mr. Addington was married at Decatur, 111., Ang. 31, 1881, to Miss Eliza Nebingers. To them have been born four children: Zoe. born in Sibley, 111., April 2, 1884; Mur- riel, born in Seymour, Il., May 31. 1885; Nelle, born in Lake Benton, Minn .. Nov. 1, 1889; Virgie, born in Lake Benton Jan. 3, 1896.
Mr. and Mrs. Addington are members of the Episcopal church. Mr. Addington is a member of the Masonic. Eastern Star, A. O. U. W., M. W. A. and Maccabice lodges. Ile served one term as village recorder, hav. ing been elreted in the spring of 1906.
LAWRENCE ESSER is proprietor of the Central hotel of Ellsworth, in which village
The father of our subject was Bernard Esser. He was born in Germany in 1840, come to America in 1855, and settled on a farm near Middleton, Wis. He lived in that state until his death, which occurred Aug. 20, 1903. Taking an active part in the affairs of his adopied state, Mr. Esser oc- evpied many offices of trust within the gift of the voters. For some time he was edi- tor of the Wisconsin Staatzung, a weekly German paper. lle served eight years as clerk of court in the county in which he re- sided and for four years was a member of the Wisconsin legislature. During Governor Peck's administration he was indexing clerk in the secretary of state's office, holding the position four years. Our subject's mother was Lulu (Grass) Esser, also a native of Germany. She died Dec. 31, 1905, aged 63 years.
Lawrence was one of a family of twelve children - four boys and eight girls. He re- ceived a good education in the public and high schools of Madison and in the Madison Northwestern Business college. While not attending school he worked on his father's farm near Middleton. When he was twenty- three years of age he left home and went to Chicago, where he worked in a peking house eight months. He then went south and for a year was in Mississippi, Arkansas, the West Indies and other parts of the South. After returning from this trip he moved to Ellsworth and took charge of the Central house, which had heen formerly conducted by his uncle, Ferdinand Esser, who died in February, 1888. Dle managed the hotel four years and then went into the grain hu-iness as manager of the Day- enport Elevator company's elevator, which position he held eight years. Hle purchased the Central hotel after quitting the grain business and has sinee conducted it.
Mr. Esser was married in Ellsworth June 1, 1897, to Miss Louisa Fischenich, a daugh- ter of Bernard Fischenich. Mrs. Esser was born at Middleton, Wis., Aug. 21, 1877. They are the parents of the following child- ren: Edwin, born April 16, 1898; Anna, born Sept. 26, 1900; William J., born April 22, 1908.
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
Mr. Esser is a member of the Catholic church of Ellsworth and of the Catholic Order of Foresters and of the St. Joseph's society of Adrian. Hle was assessor of Ellsworth village during the years 1900- 1903.
GEORGE PINK a
is Leota township farmer, who owns 240 acres on section 29. Hle is a native of County Down, Ireland, and was born March 17, 1855. Ilis parents were John and Mary Ann (Drake) Pink. Both parents died in Ireland, although they had been residents of the United States.
Our subject came to the United States when a young man and located first in Chicago, where he lived four years. He next engaged in farming in Franklin county, Iowa, four years and then went to Oregon, where he resided three years. Returning to Franklin county, he remained there a short time and then moved to Brule county, S. D., where he farmed eleven years. Coming back to Iowa, he farmed in Kossuth county five years and then, in 1900, came to No- bles county, bought his farm and has re- sided here since.
Mr. Pink was married in Kimball, S. D., in 1894, to Lizzie Tooney, a native of Wisconsin, To them have been born the following children : Jan, Lizzie, Sam, Ed- ward and Andrew. Mr. Pink is treasurer of school district No. 59 and is a member of the l. O. O. F. lodge.
EDWIN BRICKSON, of Adrian, cashier of the Adrian State Bank, and president of the First National Bank of Wilmont, is one of the more recent arrivals to Nobles conn- ty. lle was born at Mason City, Iowa, in 1872. Ilis parents, llenry and Lizzie Brick- son, are natives of Sweden and now reside at Boone, Iowa.
Until he was five or six years old Edwin lived with his parents at Mason City, from which place they moved to Cherokee coun- ty, lowa. There the subject of this sketch lived about ten years. After securing a common school education, he attended the Aurelia high school three years, and during the next three years was a student in as many different colleges. One year he spent in Buena Vista college, at Storm Lake,
Jowa; one at Augsberg college, Minneapolis; and one at Tobin college, of Fort Dodge, Jowa.
In 1891 Mr. Brickson began his banking career, which business he has followed ever since. Ile first accepted a position with the First National Bank of Fort Dodge, Iowa, and was with that institution until 1900, serving as teller during the last four years. In 1900 he came to the new town of Wil- mont, Nobles county, and founded the First National Bank of Wilmont. Ite served as cashier for a time, was later made presi- dent, and still holds that position. He left Wilmont in February, 1906, and accepted the position as cashier of the Adrian State Bank, of which institution he is now the manager. While a resident of Wilmont Mr. Brickson served one term as mayor and two terms as village recorder.
Mr. Brickson was married at Fort Dodge, lowa, June 4, 1907, to Miss Florence R. Burnam, of that city.
THEODORE BULLERMAN, Oley town- ship farmer, was born in Winneshiek county, lowa, Dec. 13, 1870, the son of Theodore and Katherine (Felcourt) Bullerman, The father was born in Germany and came to the United States when a young man and settled in Winneshiek county. where he en- gaged extensively in farming. IIe beeame the owner of 800 acres of land in Olney township, Nobles county, land which is now owned by his children Barney, John (de- cea-ed), Theodore and Mrs. Dominick Kel- len. Our subject's mother was also born in Germany. She died in towa in 1907, aged 69 years.
On his father's farm_in Winneshiek county, Iowa, Theodore Bullerman lived until he was past twenty years of age, securing an edu- cation and assisting in the farm work. In March, 1891, he moved to Nobles county and the next year located on his present farm-the southwest quarter of section 15- and has lived there since. In addition to his home farm Mr. Bullerman owns an un- divided half interest with his brother-in-law in the northwest quarter of section 8, which was bought in 1907. Besides his general farming Mr. Bullerman makes a specialty of raising fine stock and engages extensively in raising thoroughbred Duroc-Jersey swine. Ile
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
is the secretary of the Olney Mutual Tele- phone company, a farmers' line organized in the fall of 1907. He and his wife are members of the Catholic church of Adrian.
At Adrian on Nov. 28, 1892. occurred the marriage of Mr. Bullerman to Miss Louisa Handwerk, who was born in Germany flet. 28, 1876, and who came to the United States when a child. Her parents were Josoph and Carolina Handwerk. Her father died in Germany when Mrs. Bullerman was a child. Her mother came to Nobles county and lo- cated in Willmont township in 1883. Mr. and Mrs. Bullerman are the parents of the following named children: Teddy F., Frank I .. Flora J., Fronica N., Emma M. and Pominick.
CARL A. ANDERSON, member of the firm of Anderson & Benson, furniture deal- ers and undertakers, of Worthington, was horn in Vestergothland. Sweden, Dee. 15. 1871, the son of Andrew and Annie (Carl- son) Ander-on. His mother was born in 1841 and died in Sweden in 1897. His fath- er was born in 1835, lived in Sweden until 1002, when he came to America and located at Hartford, Conn.
Carl secured a country school education in his native land and was raised on his fath- er's farm, engaging in farm work and doing some cabinet work. In 1892 he borrowed money to pay his passage to America, and in May of that year landed in New York. He went to Boston, near which city for two months he worked on a farm. Two months more were spent in the same vicinity work- ing for a contractor who was installing a water works system. He had then carned enough money to pay his way to Mankato, Minn., where his unele, Rev. Franzen, lived. Through his uncle he secured a posi ion with Julius Palm, contractor, at Worthing- ton, to which place he came in September. Mr. Anderson worked at the carpenter trade two years for Julius Palm and one year for Sam Swanson. Then, in 1895, he took a course of sindy at Gustavus Adolphus college, St. Peter. In the fall of 1895 he look a position in the furniture store of 11. M. Palm & Son, for whom he worked until 1902. That year he formed a part- nership with Sam Swanson and purchased the furniture sture of Palm Bros., beginning business under the firm name of Swanson
& Anderson. On August 22. 1905, John E. Benson bought Mr. Swanson's . interest in the store, since which time it has been operated under the firm name of Anderson & Benson. In connection with the furniture store the firm does an undertaking business, Mr. Anderson being a licensed embalmer, and also has a cabinet shop.
In September, 1896, Mr. Anderson was married at Worthington to llilma I. Elof. son, a native of Sweden. To them have been born the following children, all living at home: Anna Serafia, Anton Ludwig. Clarence Richard, Carl Oscar and Erland Waldemar.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Anderson are members of the Swedish Lutheran church. Mr. An- derson served five years as trustee of the church, and in 1907 was elected deacon, which office he now holds. He has been superintendent of the Sunday school five years and served several years as assistant before that. lle is the leader of the Worth- ington Cornet band (Swedish) of twenty- one pieces, having been chosen at the time of the reorganization in 1906. He has held a membership in the Worthington fire de- partment since a short time after its for- mation, and for two years was second as- sistant foreman of the hose company. He was a charter member of the Worthington militia company, but because of business duties had to drop his name from the roll.
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