USA > Minnesota > Nobles County > An illustrated history of Nobles County, Minnesota > Part 89
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94
Mr. Wheeler was married at Sibley, lowa, in October, 1895, to Julia M. Munson.
THOMAS O. SAVIG, a Leota township farmer, was born in Risor, Norway, Dec. 22, 18-19. fle is the third oldest of a fam- ily of eight children, of whom the following named six are living: Coren, Hlager, Thomas, Evan, Osa and Evana. The par- ents of this family are Ole and Signa (Torgern-on) Evenson. The father lives on a farm in Norway and is 88 years of age The mother died in 1901 at the age of 74 years.
Thomas Savig enme to the United States in 1881 and located in Marinette county. Wis,, where he resided a year and a half. Hle then went to Story county, Iowa. where for seven years he worked at tiling and ma- son work. His next place of residence was Wright county, lowa, where he engaged in
603
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
farming nine years. In 1899 Mr. Savig came to Nobles county and bought his present farm, the northwest quarter of section 33, Leota township, and on that place he has over since resided. lle has put about $3,000 worth of improvements on the farm and has a line place.
Mr. Savig was married in Risor, Norway, Feb. 28, 1878, to Thorine Amundsen. To them have been born five children, of whom the following four are living: Martha, born Sept. 15, 1882; Olga, born April 9, 1885; Hannah, born July 25, 1887; Edwin, born Dee. 18, 1889. The family are members of the Norwegian Lutheran church of Lismore.
ARTHUR W. LITTLE has been agent for the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad company at Worthington for the last eight years and has been an employe of that company for eighteen years.
Mr. Little was born near Toulon, Ill., April 4, 1871, the son of Frank and Matilda (Worley) Little, natives of Ohio. The father died at Goldfield, Iowa, in 1898; the mother in the same town in 1896. Our subject was one of a family of eight children. of whom seven are now living-all except one being residents of Minnesota.
When A. W. was a child the family mov- ed from Illinois to Goldfield, lowa, and there he was raised and educated. When nineteen years of age he entered the employ of the Rock Island road, and prior to his arrival at Worthington worked for that company at several different stations. He was at Sioux Falls, S. D., for several years, and there he was cashier. lle came to Worth- ington in the fall of 1900, took the position of freight and passenger agent and has ever since had charge of the office. He is a member of the Worthington Commercial club and of the K. P. and Yeomen lodges.
Mr. Little was married at Sioux Falls, S D .. June 9, 1900, to Miss Ella Wendt. They are the parents of three children-Lee. Ilow- ard and Vera.
OLE B. THUESEN, of Bigelow township. is a native of Denmark, having been born in that country Aug. 4, 1863, the son of a Danish farmer who still lives in his native country and who is 79 years of age. The
father's name i Nes Hansen Thuesen Crestine (Peterson) Hansen, the mother of our subject, died in Denmark in 1902, at the age of 71 years. Ole is one of a family of six children, of whom all except one are living, two in the United States, the others in Denmark.
Ole attended the district schools of his native land until eighteen years of age. lle then took employment in a lumber yard at Hardersleben, but after one year's service there, in 1882, he came to America. Locat- ing first in Palo Alto county, lowa, he spent three years working ont at farm work. Ile theu took a position as manager of a lum- ber yard in Emmetsburg, owned by the John Paul Lumber company, and held the position seven years.
In 1893 Mr. Thuesen came to Nobles county, bought his present farm of 160 acres on section S, Bigelow township, and remained in the county six months. lle then returned to Emmetsburg and for three years longer had charge of the lumber yard. Returning to Nobles county. he located on his farm, where he has ever since resided lle has made all the improvements on the place. Besides his general farming he makes a specialty of Duroc-Jersey swine, of which he has a large herd.
Mr. Thuesen was married at Emmets- burg, lowa. to Miss Elfreda Wass, who was born in Sweden and who came to the United States with her parents in 1882. She is the daughter of Alfred and Christina Wass. also residents of Bigelow township To Mr. and Mrs. Thuesen have been born eight children, as follows: Minnie (Mrs.
Jack Blume), of Bigelow township, born 1886; Emma (Mrs. Ernest Foelschow), of Bigelow township, born 1888; Freide, born 189]; Heury N., born 1894; Florence ( .. born 1900; Ida, born 1902; William. born 1004; Mary. born 1906.
The family are members of the Swedish Lutheran church of Worthington. Mr. Thue- sen has served as clerk of school district No SO for several years past.
WILLIAM SOEINER resides in Willmont townsnip, just north of St. Kilian, where he owns and farms 240 acres of land. He is a native of Baden, Germany. where he was born Feb. 23, 1866, the son of Casper and
.
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
Elizabeth (Altmeier) Sochner. The father, who was a farmer, died in his native Jand March 25, 1884, at the age of 58 years. The mother is still living and makes her home in Germany.
William lived in Germany until he was seventeen years old. At the age of four teen he began working in a butcher shop and followed that occupation until he came to America. lle arrived in the new world March 10, 1883, and located at Jordan, Scott county, Minn. After working out on farm there two years he came to Nobles county, arriving March Jo, 1885. Until 1891 he was a farm hand, working out in Will- mont township. lle then bought eighty aeres of his present farm on seetion 22 and started in business for himself. Ilis home has been on the place ever since.
Mr. Soehner was married in the village of St. Kilian to Josephine Schmitz, who was born in Germany and came to the United States in 1890. To them have been born the following named children: Agnes, born Sept. 1, 1891; Mary, born July 13, 1895; William. born Sept. 28, 1897; Annie, born June 13, 1899; John, born Aug. 10, 1900; Lena, born May 18, 1902; Tillie, born July 4, 1903; Charles, born July 24, 1905.
The family are members of the Catholic church of St. Kilian. Mr. Soelmer served for four or five years as a member of the township board and is now clerk of school district No. 16, which he has held four years.
DR. WILBERT J. DODGE, dentist, of Worthington, was born in Round Lake town- ship, Jackson county, Minn., Feb. 12. 1880, and is the son of Jaeob N. and Mary (Bishop) Dodge, of Jackson county. The home of our subject was on his father's farm on the bank of Round lake until 1903. Hle secured a common school education in the country schools of Jackson county, and in 1898 became a student at the Platteville Wis., normal school, from which he was graduated in 1900. From 190] to 1903, in- clusive, he was a student in Northwestern U'niversity, Chicago, and was graduated from the dental department of the college in 1903
After graduation he came to Worthington. opened a dental parlor, and has since boon practicing his profession. lle is a member of the K. P. and A. O. IT. W. lodges of
Worthington, and is a sergeant in com. pany F, of the Second regiment of the Minnesota National Gnards.
Dr. Dodge was married at Worthington Jan. 21, 1905, to Miss Edie Wolven, daugh. ter of Mr. and Mrs. E. J. Wolven.
OLTMAN SCHMIDT owns and farms the northeast quarter of section 1G, Bloom town- ship, which has been his home since he was thirteen years of age. Oliman was born in Livingston county, III., June 15, 1877, son of the late Oltman and Alma (Polman) Schmidt, natives of Germany. The father was born in 1829 and died in October, 1907 The mother died in Murray county in 1904, aged 73 years.
When Oltman was a child the family moved to Iroquois county, Ill., and in 1890 to Nobles county. Arriving here, the father bought the farm in Bloom township where the son now lives and made his home there until his death. Our subject worked for his fatner on the farm until 1899, and since that date has farmed the place for himself.
Mr. Schmidt was married in Seward town- ship Oct. 23, 1898, to Reka Ommen, daugh- der of Poppe Ommen. Mrs. Schmidt was born in Germany on Nov. 7, 1877. To them have been born the following named child- ren: Elma, Annie, Tillie, Henry and Maggie. The family are members of the Lutheran church of Pfingsten.
THEODORE BALLS, grain and Jumber dealer of Round Lake, was born in Daven- port, lowa, Maren 29, 1862. Ile is the son of John Balls, who died in, 1893, and Dora ( Moeller) Balls, who resides at Davenport, lowa. Mr. Bahls was raised at Davenport and made his home there until 1876. Ile then spent one year in Colorado. Returning to his native city, he took a position as bookkeeper with the firm of Stockdale & Dietz, which position ne held for six years.
In 1886 Mr. Bahls became a member of the firm for which he had worked, and the firm name beeame Stockdale & Bahls. The junior member of the firm then moved to Lake Park, Towa, and took charge of the firm's grain business at that point. The company was incorporated as the Lake l'ark Grain & Lumber company in 1895. Mr.
603
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
Bahls continued a member of the company until 1905, when he sold out his interests and moved to Round Lake. On June 1, 1900 Mr. Bahls and Mr. H. C. Moeller had in- corporated the Round Lake Grain & Lumber Co. and established themselves in business in Nobles county. Mr. Moeller had charge of the office until Mr. Bahls sold out at Lake Park, when the latter gentleman assumed the management.
ERDMANN L. SCHWARTZ, of Worthing- ton, has resided in that city nineteen years He was born near the city of Bromberg, Germany, Sept. 23, 1856. the son of Carl Schwartz. now of Amboy, Blue Earth coun- ty, Minn., and Henrietta (Bartes) Schwartz, who died in Blue Earth county in the fall of 1892. The first ten years of his life were spent in his native country. In June 1866, the family emigrated to America and took up a residence at Rochester, Minn. In September of that vear they moved to Blue Earth county, where they lived until 1877. The elder Schwartz was a farmer, and the subject of this sketch was raised on a farm. He secured a few years schooling in Ger- many. and completed his book learning in a little log school house in Minnesota.
Mr. Schwartz left BIne Earth county in 1877 and went to Madelia, Minn. There he entered the employ of J. N. Chaney, and during the next four years he divided his time looking after the mercantile business and stock interests of his employer. In 1881 he went to St. Paul. and for two years served as night clerk in the Clarendon hotel. He then moved to Amboy and started a grocery store, which he conducted until 1889. That year he came to Worthington which has ever since been his home. The first three years of his residence in Nobles rounty were spent as a clerk in the Union Mercantile company's store; the next year he was a clerk in the store of H. F. Tor- rance.
Always having taken a prominent part in democratic politics, Mr. Schwartz received the reward of his efforts in the fall of 1893, when he was appointed postmaster of Worthington by President Grover Cleveland He filled the office four years in a highly acceptable manner. After retiring from the government position he purchased the shoe store of August Falk, which he conducted
about four years. Ile then opened a land office, in which business he was engaged several years. In the fall of 1902 he re- ceived the democratic nomination for the office of county auditor, but was defeated by E. C. Pannell, the republican nominee. In August, 1906, he took employment . with the Benson Grain company, and one year later became the manager of the Schaeffer Bros. & Co. grain elevator at Worthington. which position he still holds.
Mr. Schwartz was married June 25, 1884 al Amboy, Minn., to Pauline Tahbot, daugh- ter of John Tabhot, of Amboy. Mrs Schwartz was born in Germany, near the city of Bromberg. Mr. and Mrs. Schwartz are members of the German Lutheran church of Worthington.
MARTIN KAIN (1832-1905). Among the early day settlers of Little Rock township was Martin Kain. who made his home there from 1880 until his death, which occurred June 24, 1905.
Mr. Kain was born in Roscommon county, Ireland. in 1932 and came to the IUnited States in April, 1854. He located in the city of Boston, and that was his home for twenty-six years. During the greater part of that time he was employed by the city on street work, but during six years of the time he engaged in farming ten miles from the city. On the first day of April. 1880. Mr. Kain arrived in Nobles county. having come as a member of Bishop Ireland's colony. He bought the northeast quarter of section 25. Little Rock township. paying $5.00 per acre therefor. and there he farmed until his death.
Mr. Kaln was married twice. By hia first marriage two children were horn: Mary (Mrs. P. J. O'Connor), of Elton. S. D .; Abbie, a sister of Rochester's Sisters of St. Francis. Mr. Kain's second marriage oe- curred in Boston. where he wedded Mary Redden. a native of the Emerald Isle. She now resides on the home farm. To them have been horn the following children: Johnnie, horn Ang. 25, 1877, drowned in the Little Rock Dec. 27, 1886: James, born July 9, 1879: Catherine, horn Oct. 25, 1882: Edward. horn Sept. 3, 1885. The three child ren last named reside with their mother on the home place, and James and Edward manage the farm.
606
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
FRANK BROWN farms the northeast quarter of section 21. Lismore township, and upon that farm he has resided since he was three years of age. He was born in Boston. Mass., May 12. 1877. and came to Nobles county with his parents in 1880. After growing up he took the management of the farm, and since his father's death has been engaged in farming it for himself.
Michael Brown, the father of our subject, was born in Ireland in 1842. came to the United States when a small boy and located in Boston. There he lived until 1880, work- ing at the tanner's trade. He died on the farm in Lismore township May 12, 1907. While living in Boston he married Bridget Finn, who was born in Treland in 1810 and came to the United States when fifteen years of age and located in Boston.
To Mr. and Mrs. Michael Brown were born four children: Frank. the subject of this biography; Anna, who was married in 1996 and lives in Minneapolis: Agnes, who was married in 1905 to James Finnegan and who lives in Lismore township: Mary. who resides on the home place. The family are members of the Catholic church.
WILLIAM ALTHOFF. one of the big land owners and prosperons farmers of Grand Prairie township. has resided at his present home nearly & quarter of a century. 1Ie owns 820 acres of Nobles county's soil. of which 480 acres are in Grand Prairie, the rest being in Olney township. His home farm is the southwest quarter of section 15. Mr. Althoff is a native of Germany. where he was born May 10, 1858, the son of Henry and Catherina (Tumbrink) Althoff. The former died in Wisconsin in 1892: the latter in the same state in 1886. The family enigrated to the United States when Wil- liam was five years old and located in Kenosha county. Wis. There our subject resided until 1884. Hle was raised on his father's farm and after growing to man- hond engaged in farming for himself. He came to Nobles county in March. 1884. bought his home farm, which was then only slightly improved. and has resided on the place ever since.
Mr. Althoff was married in Wisconsin Feb. 19. 1870. to Kate Vogelsburg. a native of Wisconsin. They are the parents of the
following children: John. Frank. Mattie, Otto. Tem. Tony, Joseph. Mary. of Chicago; Gert'e, of Milwaukee: Emma, of Milwaukee; and Loni-e. With the exception of the three whose residence is noted, all live in Nobles county. Mr. and Mrs. Althoff are members of the Catholic church of Ellsworth.
ITANS If. MYRUM, proprietor of a tail- oring establishment at Worthington, was born in the county of Vaage, Gudbrands- dalen. Norway. Jan. 27, 1864, and is the son of lap- Johanson Myrum and Thora (Bjornstadt) Myrum, who are still living in the old country.
Mr. Myrum lived in his native land until he was a little over 24 years of age. Ile l.egan working at the tailor's trade when sixteen years old, and followed that oc- cupation during the rest of the time he was in his native land. He came to the United States in June. 1888, and located in the country near Lake Crystal, Minn., where he worked on a farm one year. From that time he worked at his trade, up to 1895, as a journeyman tailor. The places at which he worked and the time he spent in each place up to the time he came to Worthington to reside permanently are as follows: Altona, Eau Claire county. Wis., four months; Man- kato. Minn .. ten months; Worthington, four months; Estherville, lowa, three weeks; Worthington, for John Ledene, ten months: Sioux City, fowa, one month; Sioux Falls, S. D., and Estherville, Towa, nine months: Mankato, two years.
In 1894 Mr. Myrum moved to Worthing. ton, and has resided in that city over since For a time he worked for Ledene & An derson, but in January, 1895, he opened a tailoring establishment, which he has since conducted.
Mr. Mymmmm was married at St. Peter. Minn., Sept. 17. 1893, to Bertha Hanson. and to them have been born seven chikl- ren. as follows: Borghild. Helen, George. O-car. Ruth, Pearl and Mabel.
NELS H. HOKENESS is a Dewald town- ship farmer residing a short distance sonth of Rushmore. He was born near the city of Kongsberg, in the province of Telemarken, Norway. March 29, 1868. His father, Hans
607
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
Hokeness, born in September, 1837, and his mother. Margaret (Hokeness) Hokeness, born in July, 1837, now reside in Dane county. Wis.
The subject of this biography lived in his native country until 13 years of age, and then came to the United States with his parents and located in Dane county, Wis. . where he was employed for eight years and There Nels completed his education, which nine months. Then like so many others of his thrifty countrymen, he became ambitious to engage in business for himself, rented land, and thereafter farmed for himself. In 1898 be hought an 80-acre tract of land within the village of Round Lake, and since that date has been engaged in farming the land. He has made many improvements in the place, and ranks among the progressive farmers of that community. Mr. Anderson has never married. had been begun in Norway, and worked on his father's farm. In 1891 he came to No- bles county and for many years was en- gaged in farm work in. all parts of the county, working for wages. The year after hi- arrival here he purchased the northwest quarter of section 32. Dewald, his present home. For several years he leased the land, but in 1899 he commenced farming it for himself. After his marriage, which occurred March 14, 1904, he took up his residence on the farm, and that has been his home since.
Mr -. Hokeness was formerly Miss Bessie Sorem, daughter of Mons Sorem of Ransom township. She was born in Illinois July 31. 1881. To Mr. and Mrs. Hokeness have been horn two children: Harold Merle, born Sept. 4 1905; Sylve Margaret, born Dec. 26. 1906. They also have an adopted son, Clarence, taken from the state school.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Hokeness are mem- bers of the Lutheran church of Ransom township.
Mrs. Hokeness graduated from the Jewel Lutheran college in 1900 and afterwards taught in Ransom Central school nearly four years.
CHARLES J. ANDERSON enjoys the pleasures of both city and country life, his farm being located within the corporate limits of the village of Round Lake. Round Lake and Nobles county has been his home for the last twenty years, his life previous to 1888 having been spent in his native country, Sweden. Ile was born in Lind- shippen. Sweden. Dec. 14. 1859. the son of A. P. Anderson and Maria (Pearson) An- derson. His father died in Sweden in 1899; his mother is now living in South Dakota.
After growing to manhood Mr. Anderson worked for wages during his residence in the old country, for many years being em- ployed in the care of horses in a large es-
tablishment. In this work he became very proficient and gained a merited reputation as a handler of horses.
Mr. Anderson emigrated to America, ar riving in this country in Mareh, 1888. Ile came direct to Round Lake and accepted employment on the farm of E. A. Tripp.
WILLIAM DeVANEY, proprietor of a billiard and pool hall of Worthington, was born in Ripon, Wis., April 25, 1878, the son of James and Julia (Casey) DeVaney. James DeVaney was born in Ripon, Wis .. in 1857. There he lived until 1885, when he moved to Dell Rapids, S. D. For a few years he was a resident of Worthington. and now lives in Dell Rapids, where he is a cabinet maker and carpenter. Julia De- Vaney was born in Ripon, Wis., in 1860.
The first seven years of the life of Will De Vaney were spent in his native town. He then moved with his parents to Dell Rap- ids, S. D., where he lived one year. The next two years were spent in Wentworth, S. D., and then, in 1888. he moved to Jack- son county. Minn. He came to Worthing ton in 1890 and has ever since been a resi- dent of the city .. He was educated in the common schools of South Dakota and in the Worthington high school.
In 1897 Mr. DeVaney began work in the restaurant of Mrs. Eurine Biltgen. where he was employed six years. At the end of that time he bought the buisness and con- ducted it four years. In January, 1907. he sold out and bought the billiard and pool hall of Chris Hogan, which he has since conducted. He has made many improvements in the hall and has established an excellent trade.
Mr. De Vaney was married in Worthington Dec. 14, 1905, to Miss Margaret Biltgen,
1
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
daughter of John and Eurine Biltgen. She was born in Stillwater, Minn., May 14. 1883.
Mr. DeVaney is a member of the Masonie. Knights of Pythias, Woodmen and Maerahee lodges of Worthington.
JOSEPH MULROY farms his father's place, the southwest quarter of section 21. Lismore township. Ile is the son of Mat- thew and Katherine (Malone) Mulroy and was born in Dekalb county. Ill., Inne 7, 1878.
At the age of four years Joseph moved with his parents to Worthington, lived on the farm there one year. two years in Ran- som township. and then moved onto his father's place in Lismore, where he has over since resided. Ile now rents and farms his father's land. He received his education in the public schools of Ransom and Lismore townships. For the last four years he has served as treasurer of senool distriet No 79. He is a member of the Catholic church of Kenneth.
FRANK DIEKMANN is a Leota township farmer who owns and farms the northwest quarter of section 25. He was born in Etteln, Westphalia. Germany, on Ang. 1. 1866. Itis parents, Conrad and Katie (Syren) Diekmann, died in Leota township. the for- mer in 1888. aged 60 years. the latter in 1898. aged 72 years.
Frank was raised on his father's farm in Germany and made his home in his native country till 1885. He left Germany August 20. of that year, and came direct to Ad- rian. Nobles county. arriving there Septem- ber 3. He has made his home in the county since that date. For the first two years he worked as a farm hand in the vicinity of Adrim, and the next year nor Sanborn. Towa. Thereafter until 1894 he worked on farma in Leota and Willmont townships That year he bought his farm and has since been engaged in farming for himself.
Mr. Diekmann was married at St. Kilian June 2, 1896, to Mary Bruns, daughter of John B. and Mary C. (Schmitz) Bruns, of Willmont township. She was born in Marys- tawn, Scott county. Minn .. Dec. 19. 1878. Mr. and Mrs. Diekmann are the parents of
the following children, all living at home: John, horn July 12, 1897; Katie, born Mareh 16, 1899; Henry, born May 9, 1901; Joseph. born March 6, 1903; Aloys, born Aug. 7. 1904: Annie, born Mareh 13, 1906; Frank, born March 29, 1908. The family are mem- bers of the Catholic churen of Lismore.
CLYDE STANLEY JONES, principal of the Dundee publie schools, has been en- gaged in teaching in Nobles county seven years, and, although a young man, he has taken a prominent part in educational cir- cles. Hle descends from one of the old Am- erican families of German, Irish and Welsh descent. Several of the family have served in the country's wars. His paternal grand- father was a veteran of the Mexienn war, and several other members of the family served in the eivil war.
The parents of Prof. Jones are Henry S. and ffattie (Stit) Jones, who were married in Brooklyn, Iowa, in 1872. Henry S. Jones was born in Indiana in 1843 and moved to Iowa in 1880. For several years he was editor of the Brooklyn Journal, was travel- ing salesman for ten years, and then en- gaged in farming. He was a resident of Audubon and Clay counties, Iowa until the spring of 1901, when he moved to Nobles county and engaged in farming. He is now & resident of Speneer. Iowa. and is a traveling salesman. The mother of our suh- jeet was born in .Indiana in 1843.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.