An illustrated history of Nobles County, Minnesota, Part 87

Author: Rose, Arthur P., 1875-1970
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Worthington, Minn. : Northern History
Number of Pages: 738


USA > Minnesota > Nobles County > An illustrated history of Nobles County, Minnesota > Part 87


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Mr. Dahlheim was married at Paulina, lowa, March 22, 1893, to Miss Hannah Voss. who was born in New York state Jan. 27, 1870. They are the parents of one child- Frank. born in Worthington township Jan. 12, 1895.


W. C. DAVEY, Little Rock township farm- er. was born in Dodgeville, Iowa county, Wis., Nov. 10. 1860, and in that town he was raised. His father, S. M. Davey. was born in Campbell. Cornwall, England, in November, 1830, and came to the United States When eighteen years of age. He located a Mineral Point, Wis., and was one of the pioneer seitlers of that community. Ile ey gaged in teaming and stage driving, and in the early days drove the stage between Galena and Madison. Ile died Jan. 3, 1901. Our subjeet's mother is Isabel (Campbell) Davey, and now lives in Eau Claire, Wis. She was born in Ireland April 6. 1830, of Trish and Scotch parentage. She came to New York from her native country when a little girl.


During the first twenty-three years of his life W. C. Davey lived in Dodgeville. There he received his education and there he did his first work. At the age of ten years he began teaming for his father and was


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so employed during all the time of his residence there. Ile has the honor of hav- ing operated the first dray in the town. In the spring of 1884 he moved to Grant county, Wis., and engaged in farming until 1892. In the spring of the last named year he sold out there and moved to Nobles county. The first summer he raised a crop on rented land in Little Rock township, and in the fall he moved onto his present place- the northwest quarter of section 14, which he bought at the time, and that has been his home ever since. Besides his general farming he engages quite extensively in stoek farming.


Mr. Davey was married at Mineral Point, Wis., December 2, 1880, to Ella Bilkey, a native of Dodgeville. To them have been born the following children: Jennie (Mrs. H. Hurd), of Olney township, born Jan. 28, ISS2; Katie, born April 16, 1883; Wil- liam, born March 28, 1885; Winnie, born Feb. II. 1887; Mandie, born Nov. 25, IS88; Henry, born Jan. 16, 1892, drowned in the Little Rock July 30, 1905; Genevieve, born Dec. I. IS98.


Mr. Davey is town clerk. Ile has served as assessor three years, supervisor one year, and director of school district No. 11 for · four years. Ile is a member of the ME. W. A. of Little Rock, Iowa.


CHARLES KUIIL, of Larkin township, is native of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, where he was born April IS, 1873, the son of Ben and Annie (Sass) Kuhl. His father die l in Germany in May, 1875. at the age of 45 years. The mother died in Illinois in July, 1891, aged 55 years.


Our subject came to America with his mother and step-father and located at Daven- port, Iowa. He remained there only from the spring of the year till October I, when he moved to Monmonth. Ill., and there resided till 1890. That year he came to Nobles county and located in Elk township. For several years he made his home in that township, making trips occasionally hack to Illinois. He ran a threshing machine two years .and engaged in farming there three years. In 1900 Mr. Kuhl engaged in farm- ing in Lorain township, and was there three years. In 1905 he moved to his present place in Larkin-240 acres on sections 36


and 25-which he had bought in February, 1902.


Mr. Kuhl was married March 9, ISOS, at Worthington to Minnie Schaeffer, daugh- ter of Fred Schaeffer. She was born in Crawford county, Iowa, June 18, 1877. To tliem has been born one child, Annie, born March 17, 1903. Mr. and Mrs. Kull are members of the German Lutheran church.


JAMES F. BRITT, farmer and auction- eer of Leota township, is a native of Ply- mouth county, Iowa, and was born June 3, 1871, the son of Thomas and Nora (Ahern) Britt. The former was born in Virginia and died in Plymouth county, Iowa, Dec. 20, 1905, at the age of 66 years. The mother died in Plymouth county Oct. 20, 1897. aged 60 years. There were ten children in the family, as follows: Mary, Johanna (de- ceased), Katie, Jerry, James, Daniel (de- ceased), Nellie, Thomas, Jolin (deceased) and Joseph.


Up to the time he became of age James Britt lived with his father. He then engaged iu farming for himself in his native conn- ty, and remained a resident there until 1895. He then moved to Rock county, Minn., where he lived one year. He came to No- bles county in IS96, located on the north- east quarter of section 18, Leota township, which he had purchased the year before, and upon that place he has since been engaged in farming. The farm was originally ob- tained from the government by Pat Kearnan, and that gentleman's claim shanty is still standing. It was the only building on the farm when Mr. Britt bought it.


Nr. Britt was married in Plymouth conn- ty. Iowa. to Agnes Toomey, who was reared and educated in Platteville, Wis., her parents being among the early settlers of Grant county. She was a teacher in the country schools of this and Plymouth coun- ties several years. Mr. and Mrs. Britt are the parents of the following named child- ren: Clarence, Virgil. Marie and Florence.


The family are members of the Catholic church of Kenneth. Mr. Britt is a member of the school board of district No. 105. In addition to his farming, Mr. Britt is an auctioneer, and follows that profession dur- ing the sales season, crying all kinds of farm and stock sales.


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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.


GEORGE E. TINNES, proprietor of an Adrian grocery store, has resided in Nobles county since he was seven years of age. He was born in Arena, Wis., Feb. 27; 18d5, and is the son of Syvert D. and Ma. tilda B. (Lindgren) Tinnes, of Adrian.


Mr. Tinnes came with his parents to No- bles county in 1872 and for several years lived on the Olney township farm. He then learned telegraphy, and for several years followed that occupation in Jowa and Ne. braska. In 1SS9 he and his brother. D. I. Tinnes, opened n general merchandise busi- ness in Adrian. It was conducted by the brothers until February, 1897, when the present owner purchased his brother's inter- est, and has since conducted the store. lle now operates it as an exclusive grocery store, and enjoys an excellent frade.


On July 19, 1894, Mr. Tinnes was married to Miss Patience Kilpatrick, and to them have been born two children, as follows: Mildred. born July 10, 1895; Clayton E., børn Ang. 8. 1902.


Mr. Tinnes is a member of the Masonic and Eastern Star lodges. He served two terms as recorder of Adrian soon after removing to the village.


ALBERT BROOKS, who with his brother. Lyman, farms 240 acres on section S, West- side township, is a native of that town- ship, having been born July 19, 1880. llc is the son of the late Samuel Brooks and Susan E. (Turner) Brooks, early day settlers of the county.


Samuel Brooks was born in Crawford county. Pa., Angust 30, 1840. Thirteen years later he moved to Crawford county, Indiana. where he resided until 1872. During nearly all of this time he was engaged the milling business. In November. 1861, he enlisted in company IT. of the 10th In. dina infantry. and servel a little over three years. He was in the Vicksburg cam- paign with Grant and was present when the city surrendered. He took part in the bat- the of Cumberland Gap and saw consider- able fighting in Texas, After his discharge from the army he returned to Crawford county. Indiana. He came to Nobles coun- ty in 1872 and located in Westside town- ship, filing on the southwest quarter of sce- tion 20 as a homestead and the northwest


quarter of the same section as a tree claim. lle lived on the homestead until he secured title and then sold it. Thereafter he fived on the tree claim. During the early days Mr. Brooks did not reside continuously in the county. He occasionally made trips back to his old home, where he would live from a few months to a year at a time. Selling his farm in 1890, he returned to In- diana, but came back again in the spring of 1801, and resided on the farm until hi- death, which occurred April 27, 1904. Mr. Brooks served as supervisor of Westside for several years. Our subject's mother was born in Crawford county, Indiana, was mar. ried to Mr. Brooks in Fillmore county, Minn., June 11. 1877, and now resides with her son.


Albert Brooks was raised on the West- side township farm, secured his education in the district school, and has resided there all his life. Lyman Brooks, who is in partner- ship with our subject, was born Oct. 30, 1888. Albert Brooks has held the office of town clerk for the Inst four years and that of director of school district No. 50 for the last three years.


OSCAR F. BLOOD. one of the members of the Worthington Plumbing company, is a native of Brandon, Vermont. where he was born June 3, 1878. Tlis father was George I Blood, who was born in Vermont April 22, 185], and who died in November, 1898. Ilis mother, Alice A. (Cross) Blood, was born in Vermont Feb. 19, 1855, and now makes her home in Sioux City, Iowa. Both the pater- nal and maternal grandfathers of our suh jeet were veterans of the civil war. the la. - ter having been killed at the battle of Cold Harbor.


When Osear was one year old the family moved from Vermont to Sioux county. Jowa, and that county was his home until the spring of 1001. He was educated in the country schools of Sionx county and in ITall academy. where he took n two years' pre- paratory course. During his school days he made his home on the farm, and spent his summers working, and after quitting. school in 1896 he engaged in farm work. From 1895 to 1898 he served as a member of com- pany E. of the Fourth regiment, Towa na- tional guards, and upon the outbreak of the


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Spanish war the company was mustered out of the guards and mustered in as company E, of the 52nd Iowa volunteer infantry. He reenlisted at Des Moines, and during the war was stationed there and at Chickamauga Park. Ga.


Mr. Blood left with the family in April, 1901, and moved to Sioux City. He came to Worthingon in July, of the same year. and during that fall engaged in threshing with John James. In January, 1902. he took a position in the Worthington mill and was employed there one year. He moved onto the Otis Bigelow farm in the spring of 1903. where he engaged in farming until the fall of 1005. He then moved to Worthington, and in partnership with J. E. Erickson en- gaged in the plumbing business, forming the Worthington Plumbing company, and has since been a member of that firm.


On May 20, 1903. Mr. Blood was married at Worthington to ITattie Mac Stocking. a native of Connecticut. To them have been born three children: Hattie Emma. Myrtice Ula and Irmel Amelia. Mr. and Mrs. Blood are members of the Methodist church of Worthington.


When the Worthington militia company was organized on Nov. 28. 1905. Mr. Blood became a charter member. IIe held the of- fice of first sergeant from the date of en- listment until Feb. 28. 1908, when he was promoted to second lieutenant, which office he now holds.


S. J. ANDERSON owns and farms 213 acres in section 11. Elk township, which has heen his home for the last twenty years. Ile was born in Skara, Sweden. Dec. 14, 1863, the son of Andrew Johnson and Mary (Enquist) Johnson. In his native country Mr. Anderson attended the common schools, and in 1881, when eighteen years of age. came to America and located in Goodhne county. Minnesota. At the time of his arrival in Minnesota he had no money-in fact, was in debt $50 for the price of his ticket to Am- erica. His parents came to this country the following year and made their home in Good- hne county, where they died.


Mr. Anderson attended the schools of Goodhue county for a short time, and for seven years worked at farm work there. He came to Nobles county in 1888 and


bought the farm he has lived on since, then raw prairie land. The first two years he spent in breaking out his land and two years later erected buildings thereon. and today he has a finely improved farm.


On December 21, 1897, Mr. Anderson was married in Elk township to Frieda Wallgren, and to this union have been born six chil- dren. all of whom are living at home. They are Minnie, Helen, Alice, Hildegard, Olive and Walter.


Both Mr. and Mrs. Anderson are members of the Swedish Lutheran church of Worth- ington, and Mr. Anderson is a deacon of the church. During the last eight years he has been a member of the board of supervisors of Elk township and for the last twelve or fifteen years has been a school director.


PERLE C. ROSS, of Bigelow. is engaged in buying cream at that point, in which bus- iness he has been engaged for the last seven years. He was born at Red Cloud. Neb., Dec. 14. 1875. His father was C. 1. Ross, a native of New York state, and his mother, Josephine (Kline) Ross, was of French de- scent, her mother having been born in that country. C. A. Ross died in 1897.


At an early date in the life of the suh- ject of this sketch the family moved to Hull. Iowa, and there he was brought up and received his education. He completed his schooling in the Hull Educational insti- tute. After growing to manhood Perle en- gaged in farming and produce buying. At the outbreak of the Spanish-American war he enlisted in the 52nd regiment of Jowa volunteers, in which regiment he served from May 28. 1898, till Nov. 30 of the same year.


Mr. Ross was married to Miss Blanche 1. Okey. and to them have been born three children. as follows: Laura. Lois and Eilene. Mr. Ross moved to Nobles county Oct. 17, 1901. and settled at Bigelow. He at once engaged in the cream buving business, which has been his business since.


ARTHUR J. WOODFORD farms a quarter section of land in Worthington township. a short distance west of the village of Worth- ington. He was born in Elkhart. Ind., Nov. 20. 1869. and is the son of Henry D. and Elizabeth (Sherman) Woodford, now of


E: 36


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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.


Worthington. Our subject's great great


grandfather came from England and was an early settler of New York state. The mother of our subject descends from another old American family and is related to the famous general of the civil war.


When Arthur J. Woodford was nine years old the family moved from Elkhart, Indiana, to Marshalltown, lowa. After a residence there of two years they moved to Carroll. where our subject lived many years. He completed his education in the grammar school of that town, and when fifteen years of age began working at the jeweler's trade, which he followed four years. After farm- ing several years in Carroll county he moved to Pocahontas county and continued that oc- cupation for a time, He was a fireman on the Chicago & Northwestern road for one year and ran a traction engine several seasons. Mr. Woodford came to Nobles county in the spring of 1905 and since that time has been engaged in farming his father's farm in Worthington township.


Mr. Woodford was married at ('arroll, Iowa, Sept. 4. 1893, to Essie Kallenberg. They are the parents of four children, all resid- ing at home: Gladys. Frank, Bessie and Pearl. Mr. Woodford held the office of clerk of school district No. 72 two years.


WILLIAM C. THOM. A son of William Thom, deceased, is William C. Thom. cashier of the First National Bank of Rushmore. Io was born in Houston county, Minn .. March 11 1874, and came with his parents to Nobles county in 1874. His home was on the Olney township farm until 1902, when he came to Rushmore, and in that village he has since resided.


His education was secured in the district schools of Olney township and in the Brock school at Wilder, Minn .. where he was a stu- dent during the years 1893. 1894 and 1895. After finishing his studies, Mr. Thom ou- gaged in teaching school. For one year he taught in district No. 11, and for the next four and one-half years he was the teacher of the school in distriet No. 69. where he had received his early training. Giving up his school work. Mr. Thom took employ- ment with the Peavy Elevator company. and for seven years was manager of the company's business at Rushmore. After the


Peavy company sold to the Plymouth Eleva. tor company, he became the agent of that company, and is still buying grain in Rush- more, in connection with his many other du- ties. For three years he was a member of the firm of Peterson & Thom, stock dealers. and is now a member of the firm of Inne -- Thom Co., which owns lumber yards in Rushmore and Magnolia. Ile became a direc- tor of the First National Bank when that institution was founded in 1903, became as- sistant cashier in March, 1903, and on Feb. 1. 1907, became the cashier and manager of the bank.


Mr. Thom was married at Mankato, Minn .. Oct. 29, 1902. to Josephine Christianson, daughter of P. Christianson, of Mankato. Mrs. Thom was born in lowa, mov- ed with her parents to Mankato when a child. and there resided until her marriage. She secured an education in the Mankato schools, and for several years engaged in teaching school, the four years previous to her marriage being employed as teacher of the Rushmore school. To Mr. and Mrs. Thom has been born one child, William Craigen, horn Oct. 17, 1906.


JOSEPH FOEHR, a farmer of Graham Lakes township, was born near the village of Henry in Putnam county. IN .. Sept. 5, 1867. ITis father. John Fochr. was born in Wiedenberg, Germany, in Ist9, came to the United States when yet a young man, and died in 1883. His mother was Barbara (Man- gold) Fochr, who was born in Germany and who died in May, 1904. aged 75 year -.


When Joseph Fochr was one year old the family moved from Putnam county to near Lodi. in Iroquois county, and that county was his home until 1899. He secured a country school education and was raised on the farm. After his father's death he as- smmed the management of the home farm, and during the last few years of his rosi- dence in Illinois he engaged in farming for himself.


In 1899 Mr. Foehr came to Nobles county and bought the southeast quarter of section 33. Graham Lakes township, which land was then unimproved, and two years later he purchased an additional eighty aeres on sec- tion 28, both of which pieces of property he still owns. With very little means when


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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.


he arrived in the county, he purchased his land and farming machinery mostly on credit. Ife was unable to make the neces- sary improvements on his land, and for sev- eral years he rented and farmed the Island property. In 1904 he erected the buildings on his own farm. and since that date has resided there. He now owns his property free of debt and has it finely improved with buildings, fences and tiling.


Mr. Foehr was married at Heron Lake Jan. 10. 1900. to Rosa Weinandt, daughter of Nicholas Weinandt, of Brewster. Mrs. Foehr is a native of Champaign county. III. Both Mr. and Mrs. Foehr are members of the Catholic church.


LOUIS W. SOWLES, proprietor of the Lismore hotel, has been a resident of Nobles county ever since he was six months old. Ile was born in Blackhawk county. Towa. Jan. 10, 1872, the next to the youngest of a family of seven children. all living.


William Sowles. our subject's father. was horn in Vermont in 1830. At the age of twenty-one he moved to Illireis and later to Blackhawk county. lowa. engaging in farming in both states. lle came to Nobles county in 1872 and took as a homestead the northwest quarter of section IS, Seward township. where he resided until 1894. He then moved to Worthington and has since lived a retired life. Caroline (Gage) Sowles. our subject's mother. is a native of Penn- sylvania. She now lives in Worthington at the age of 72 years.


Louis came with his parents to Nobles county in 1872 and resided on the Seward township farm until 1894. Ile then spent four years in Worthington, after which he went to lona. Minn,, where he ran a hotel two years and a restaurant three years. On April I. 1904. he muved to Li-more, took charge of the hotel at that place. and has since been the landlord.


Mr. Sowles was married in Summit Lake township March 1. 1893, to Miss Nettie Eby, a native of Filhnore county. Minn .. and a daughter of Ephriam and Josephine Eby, who now reside in North Dakota. To Mr. and Mrs. Sowles have been born the follow - ing named children: Minnie. Roy, Olive, Cecil. Louis. Mildred and Harry.


P. C. SYNKERSEN is the proprietor of a Worthington paint shop and paper hanging establishment, and has resided in the county nineteen years. Ile was born in Denmark March 16. 18GG, one of a family of seven children. His father was H. C. Synkersen, who was born in Denmark and died there in 1879 at the age of 56 years. ITis mother i. Maren (Madsen) Synkersen, who now lives in her native land and is 67 years old.


Mr. Synkersen learned his trade in the old country and followed it there several years. He came to the United States May 2. 1889, and located in Worthington, where he has ever since resided. In partnership with Hans Schaw he opened a paint shop. The partnership had an existence of only six months, and then Mr. Synkersen asso ciated himself with C. J. Samuelson. These gentlemen conducted a shop three years. since which time Mr. Synkersen has been in the business alone.


WILLIAM LINDEMANN resides about two miles north of Rushmore, in Dewald township, where he owns and farms 400 acres in section eighteen. He was born in Hol- stein, Germany. July 23, 1858. the son of William and Cathrina (Lnennehurg) Linde- mann. His mother died in 1886; his father Feb. 2. 1907.


The subject of this sketch lived in his native country until 26 years of age. He received a town school education. and early in life learned the mason's trade. During his residence in the old country he worked at his trade summers and at farm work during the winter months. He came to the T'nited States in 1884 and located in Ply. mouth county, Iowa. During the four years of his residence there he worked at farm work for wages. In the spring of 1888 he came to Nobles county and purchased 160 acres of raw prairie land where he now lives in Dewald. HIe prospered. and eight or nine years later purchased the balance of the land he now owns. He has improved the place, and today has one of the finest farms in the vicinity a community noted for its fine country homes. He devotes his (nergies largely to stock raising and has large herds. Both Mr. and Mrs. Lindemann are members of the German Lutheran canreh of Rushmore. He is now serving as a mem-


BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.


ber of the school board of district No. 9, tive of Oswego, N. Y., where he was born and during his residence there has served two years as road overseer.


Mr. Lindemann was married in Dewald township March 12, 1893, to Ricka Ivers. daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Ivers, of Dewald. Mrs. Lindemann is also a native of Germany. They are the parents of eight children, all of whom are living at home: Henry, Otto. Emma. August. Christ. Herman, Paulina and Arthur.


CHARLES W. JOHNSON is a Bigelow township farmer, who owns and farms 276 arres in section 2. Ile was born in Sweden May 17, 1859, the son of John Magnuelsen and Mary (Johnson) Magnuelsen. The for- mer died in his native country in 1908, aged 72 years; the latter died in 1907, aged 79 years.


Charlie Johnson arrived in the United States on April 13. 1880, and lived in La- porte, Ind .. for one year. He then went to Gibson City, Ill., where he remained until Feb. 26, 1886. at which time he moved to Worthington. For several years he worked ont at farm work, and then engaged in farming and breeding draft horses in Elk and Worthington townships. He returned to Sweden in 1899. resided there sixteen months, and then returned to Nobles county in 1902. lle was united in marriage at that time to Mrs. Elias Johnson, and has since been on- gaged in farming and stock raising on the Bigelow township farm.


Mrs. Amelia Johnson was born in Sweden Dec. 30, 1818. She was married there to August Johnson and came to the United States in 1877. They located in Manistee, Mich., and in that city her first Inshand died. From 1877 to 1885 Mrs. Johnson ro- sided in Manistee, Mich .. in Chicago and other places in Illinois. Mrs. Johnson was married the second time at Manistee io Elias Johnson, and in 1885 they came to Nobles county and located on section 2. Bigelow township. Elias Johnson was killed by being thrown from a huggy about four- teen years ago. In 1902 Mrs. Johnson was married to Chas. W. Johnson, of this sketch.


TIOWARD S. MYERS is the late proprietor of a Worthington drug store. He is a na-


Sept. 2, 1871. His father, George W. Myers, was born in Oneida county, N. Y., April 18, 1831, and died in Washington county, Iowa, in 1885. His mother, Elizabeth Myers, is still living.


In the spring of 1874 the family came to Nobles county, and the father took a home- stead claim in Olney township, where they resided four years. From here they moved to Washington county, lowa, and for thir- teen years that county was the home of our subject. Returning to Nobles county he took up his residence in Seward township. where he lived on a farm until 1903. In the last named year he came to Worthing- ion, purchased Dr. Hard's drug store, and engaged in the drug business until Angust, 1908, when he sold out.




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