USA > Minnesota > Rock County > An illustrated history of the counties of Rock and Pipestone, Minnesota > Part 67
USA > Minnesota > Pipestone County > An illustrated history of the counties of Rock and Pipestone, Minnesota > Part 67
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At the call for volunteers, Ole P. Steen was one of the first to spring to the de- fenre of his adopted country. He enlisted in company D, Fourth Wisconsin vol- unteer infantry, and served during the > war. The last two years he was transfer- red to a company of cavalry. After four and one-half years of honorable service, irost of the time on southern battle-fields, he was discharged on October 15, 1865. Among the engagements in which Mr. Steen was an active participant were the battle of New Orleans, April 25, 1862: the engagement at Grand Gulf on May 26, of the same year; at Baton Rouge, Angust 5, 1862; Camp Bislan, April 12 and 13, 1863; Port Hudson, May 27, 1863; and Clinton, Louisiana, June 3, 1863.
After the laying down of arms, Mr. Steen located in Adams county, Wiscon- sin, and with two other gentlemen erected
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ROCK COUNTY BIOGRAPHIES.
a grist mill, but at the close of a year he sold out his share in the enterprise and returned to his old home in Juneau county and worked as a smith until June, 1870, the date of his arrival in Rock county. In July of that year he filed a homestead claim to the northeast quarter of section 32, Clinton township, which was his home to the time of his death, which occurred February 3, 1903. The town of Steen was named in honor of him and his brother, John P. Steen. Mr. Steen's marriage to Betsey Berge took place in Adams county, Wisconsin, on May 10, 1864. While in Wis- consin he held the office of postmaster at Arkdale, Adams county, for some time, He was a loyal and energetic citizen of his precinct and was elected to many local offices of trust during his long resi- dence in Clinton township. He was an active member of the G. A. R.
It was in Juneau county, Wisconsin, on the sixteenth of August, 1867, that Peter C. Steen of this biography was born. When only a child of three years he ac- companied his parents in their removal to Rock county and settled with them on the old homestead, which continued to be his home until 1908. As a boy he attended the district schools and assisted with the work at home. For the past fifteen years he has been the owner and operator of his present farm on section 28, but it was not until 1908, the year of his marriage, that he built on the place and commenced to make it his abode. Prior to that he lived on the home farm. He is the owner of an up-to-date threshing outfit and has been engaged in that business for twenty years.
At Sioux Falls, on January 2, 1908, Mr. Steen was married to Trina L. Larson, the daughter of Lars Larson and Trina Louisa Hanson, both of whom are living in Nor- way. Mrs. Steen was born in that coun- try August 13, 1876, and came to America in 1906. Two children have blessed this union, Otis L. M., born November 27, 1908, and B. Louisa, born April 22, 1910. Mr. and Mrs. Steen are members of the United Lutheran church. For four years our subject served as constable of Clin- ton township. He was instrumental in or- ganizing the farmers' telephone line and has served as president and manager of the company since its inception.
FREDERICK A. BAKER (1872) is an carly day settler of Rock county and the leading merchant of Magnolia. He has been in business at that point for the past eighteen years, opening in 1893 the first meat market in the village. The next year he added a line of groceries and two years later branched out into the general mercantile busines in a little building 16×24 feet in dimension. Increased busi- ness resulted in successive expansion in Quarters. The present commodious struc- ture, 24x60 feet, was erected in 1903 and houses the most complete line of dry gocds, clothing, hats, shoes, groceries, hardware, etc., to be found in the village.
Frederick A. Baker beheld the things of earth for the first time on September 28, 1859, at Canton, St. Lawrence county, New York. Seven years later he moved with his parents to Woodstock, Illinois, and from there, in 1868, to Sioux City. lowa, then a straggling village of some 1500 souls. Our subject attended school in that place and in 1872 accompanied his parents to Rock county. The father homesteaded the northwest quarter of sec- tion 4, Kanaranzi township, in the culti- vation of which Frederick assisted for eleven years. He then located in Magnolia township to oversee property of the Rock County Farming company. Three years later he moved on land of his own on section 26, which he farmed until moving to Magnolia village in 1893 and engaging in business.
Our subject is the son of Marcus F. Baker, born at Canton, New York, of old Yankee stock. Marcus Baker married Anna M. Stephenson and moved with his family from New York to Illinois, later to Sioux City, Iowa, and then to Rock county, the scene of his greatest lahors. The family home was on the old homestead, the north- west quarter of section 4, Kanaranzi town- ship, until 1882, when the family moved to Brookings county, South Dakota, and settled on a tree claim. Both parents are living, at the ages of seventy-nine and seventy-six years, respectively. All the seven children in the Baker family, with the exception of the oldest daughter, Kate, are living. Their names are Clara M., Frederick A., of this sketch; Orson J., Frank E., Wil- liam H. and George E.
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ROCK COUNTY BIOGRAPHIES.
Our subject was married in Magnolia township March 31, 1885, to Hattie B. Kerney, born in St. Lawrence county, New York, May 14, 1863. Only two of their six children are living. They are Clara M., born December 10, 1887, and Frederick A., Jr., born February 5, 1891. Mr. Baker was the clerk of Magnolia township for seven years and since mov- ing to the village has been treasurer of the same precinct. He is a member of the school board and the village council. He belongs to the Masonic and Modern Woodmen orders.
NELSON R. REYNOLDS (1873) is an early day settler of Rock county and of the city of Luverne and has been promi- nently in the forefront in many of the movements that since the seventies have tended to a greater Rock county. He has held many positions of trust during his long residence and is now serving as city justice.
Nelson R. Reynolds is one of two sons (the other being Charles A. Reynolds, of Lnverne), whose parents were Lester and Anna ( Mosher) Reynolds, both natives of New York state. At an early date they settled in Buchanan county, lowa, where for a long period the elder Mr. Reynolds was a leading hardware merchant. In 1897 they removed to Lnverne, where they re- sided until called by death, the father in November, 1904, at the age of eighty-nine years, and the mother in November, 1902, at the age of eighty-three years.
Our subject was born in Columbia coun- ty, New York, the twenty-fifth day of Feb- ruary, 1842. At the age of fourteen he ac- companied his parents to their new home in Buchanan county, lowa, where he at- tended school and worked on his father's farm up to the time of the outbreak of the civil war. In the spring of 1862 Mr. Reynolds enlisted in company G, First lowa infantry, and served continuously un- til the close of the conflict. He was a par- ticipant in many of the most memorable engagements of the mighty struggle, in- cluding Port Gibson, Champion Hill and Black River Bridge. He was present at the siege of Vicksburg and took part in the desperate charge on the twenty-second
of May, when the union forces were re- pul cd. He saw the finish, the surrender of the city after an obstinate defense, on July 4. He saw service in the battles of Jackson and Spanish Ford, and later was under General Banks in his expedition up the White and Red rivers. His command was stationed in Texas for a while and then joined Sherman on his famous march to the sea. Mr. Reynolds, however, did not accompany this expedition, as he had been previously detailed on special dnty at Memphis, where he was stationed at the time of his discharge.
At the return of peace Mr. Reynolds ex- changed his arms for books and for a time was a student at the Lennox Collegi- ate institute, located at Hopkington, lowa. He then located at Jessop, Iowa, where he was married and worked at his trade of tinner, learned from his father. A few years were spent at Parkersburg, Iowa; then in 1873 his residence in Rock county and Luverne commenced. For awhile he clerked in a store, then with George Dan- iels engaged in the hardware business, their store being at the east end of Main street. On selling out he moved on a homestead claim in Springwater township, the northwest quarter of section 14, and remained there until proving up, then re- turned to Luverne.
Mr. Reynolds had taken up the study of law privately, taking the course advised by the Ann Arbor law school, and was admitted to the bar in 1875. Immediately thereafter he engaged in the practice of the profession. He was elected judge of probate in 1878 and served two years. Later he was called upon to fill the office of county attorney, but resigned before his term had expired on account of his wife's health, which necessitated a re- moval to Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds returned to Luverne at the end of two years. He served as justice of the peace for several terms in the early days and for the past eight years has been one of the city justices, his office being in the city hall. Mr. Reynolds was one of the first clerks of Springwater township, and was village recorder at one time. He was member
of the Luverne school board and on the building committee at the time the present Central building was erected.
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ROCK COUNTY BIOGRAPHIES.
Nelson R. Reynolds was married at Jes. sop, lowa, on November 18, 1868, to Mary M. Stoddard, a native of Connecticut, born October 28, 1849, and a daughter of Isaac A. and Celia M. (Curtis) Stoddard. The Stoddards are an old New England family who trace their residence in America back to the year 1620. Mrs. Reynold's great- great grandfather was a captain and her great grandfather a first lieutenant in the revolutionary war. They are the parents of two children: Clifford W., of Omaha, born September 19, 1869, and Clayton S., cf Sioux Falls, born March 4, 1876.
Mr. Reynolds is a member of the Pres- byterian church and of John A. Dix Post No. 96, G. A. R., of which he is adjutant at the present time.
OLE G. QUALLEY (1876) is the son of one of the pioneer settlers of Martin town- ship and is himself cne of its oldest resi- denti and progressive farmers. A native of Norway, he was born in Valders Janu- ary 28, 1866. His parents, Guldbrand Kvale and Berit (Fystro) Kvale, had been mar- ried for fifty-seven years at the time of the latter's death, March 26, 1905. She was born on Christmas day, 1825. The father was born in 1824.
In 1870 Ole G. Qualley of this biography, then a lad four years of age, accompanied his parents in their journey to the United States and located with them in Winne- shiek county, lowa, where the elder Mr. Qualley engaged in farming until 1876. It was in that year that the family home was established in Rock county. The re- moval was a long and tedious one. The family departed from the lowa home on October 14, but did not arrive in Rock county until the early part of November. The father bought the homestead right to the southeast quarter of section 4, Martin township, where he still resides at a good old age, having passed the alloted four- score of years.
Ole G. Qualley lived on the home farm until 1892. As a boy he attended the dis- triet schools near by and assisted with the work on the farm. In the summer of 1892 he married and the same year commenced farming the southeast quarter of section 28,
land purchased from his father. At
the time of his taking' possession there was not a tree on the place and all that adorned it was a dilapidated frame house and a small shack of a barn. In the years which have ensued the farm has been improved and developed to its present day attractiveness.
Mr. Qualley has from the very earliest days been a useful and active citizen in his community and has expended much of his time and means in the promotion of the public interest. In 1902, with a Mr. Helgeson he platted the Helgeson & Qualley addition to the village of Hills on land bought by the two gentlemen for that purpose. He was one of the organizers of the Hills Co- operative Creamery company and for the past eleven years has served as the presi- dent of the board of directors of the thriv- ing company. He was the first man to bring milk to the creamery. For a number of years he has been a member of the board of directors of the Hills Mercantile com- pany. For three years he was secretary of the Rose Dell Mutual Farmers Fire and Lightning Insurance company. He is also a stockholder in the First National Bank of Hills.
Likewise in local civic and religious af- fairs, Mr. Qualley has been prominently iden- tified. For five years, from 1902 to 1907, he served efficiently as the chairman of the Martin township board and two years later he was called upon to fill the office of clerk. Since 1908 he has served as the clerk of the school district which includes the public school of the village of Hills. He and his family are members of the Synod Lutheran church of Hills, and of this organization Mr Qualley was treasurer for ten years.
Mr. Qualley was married in Hills on June 8, 1902, to Josephine M. Larson, the daugh- ter of William and Gertrude Larson. The latter is living, but the father died in 1890. Mrs. Qualley was born in Winona, Minne- sota, November 12, 1869, and came with her parents to Rock ,county in the spring of 1878. They have the following children: George Waldemar, born July 25, 1896; Ger- trude Berthea, born February 15, 1899; Olga Josephine, born November 28, 1902; Ar- nold Reuben, born October 15, 1904; Harold Theodore, born September 17, 1908.
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ROCK COUNTY BIOGRAPHIES.
OTTO A. PAULSEN (1879), the efficient representative of the third district on the board of county commissioners and the chairman of that body, is a well known Clin- ton township farmer. He was born in Mil- waukee, Wisconsin, on March 29, 1875, and is the son of John and Ottille (Nietzke) Paulsen, now residents of Flagler, Colorado.
John Paulsen, the father of our subject, was born in a present day province of Ger- many which at the time was Danish terri- tory, the transfer taking place as a result of the Franco-Prussian war. He came to America about 1865 and for a number of years was employed in a Milwaukee foun- dry. He settled in Rock county in 1879 and was among the pioneers of Clinton town- ship. He bought from the railroad com- pany the northwest quarter of section 31, the present home of Otto Paulsen. The mother is a native of Germany. She came to America in 1867 and was married to Mr. Paulsen in Milwaukee. The venerable cou- ple have made their home in Colorado since 1908.
Otto came with his parents from Mil-
Mr. Paulsen has from the first played a prominent part in the civic and political af- fairs of his community and county. He was township supervisor during 1907 and 1908. In the last named year he was elected to his present office of county commissioner on the republican ticket from the third dis- trict, which comprises Clinton, Martin and Hills. He was chosen chairman of the board in January, 1911. Mr. Paulsen is a stockholder in the Farmers State Bank of Hills, the Steen Farmers Elevator company
and the Co-operative Creamery company of Hills. He holds membership in the M. W. A. lodge of Steen and the A. F. & A. M. of Luverne.
On December 5, 1900, at Sweetwater, Nebraska, Mr. Paulsen was united in mar- riage to Kate Mortensen, the daughter of N. P. Mortensen, of the Nebraska town. Mrs. Paulsen was born at Rock Rapids, lowa, Jannary 12, 1875. They are the parents of three children: Mary, born Christmas day, 1902; John, born April 8, 1903; and Fred, born May 1, 1908.
OLAUS HAROLDSON (1878), who owns and farms the southwest quarter of section 1, Rose Dell township, has been a resident of Rock county for thirty-three years, ever since he was a child four years of age. He was born in Allamakee county, Iowa, Octo- ber 20, 1874, just four years after the set- tlement in that county by his parents, Lars and Olave (Olson) Haroldson, who were bern and lived in Norway until 1870.
On coming to Rock county, the father of waukee to Rock county when a child of , our subject filed a homestead claim to a four years. His home since then has been quarter of section 12, Rose Dell township, where Olans grew to manhood, receiving his education in the near by district school. He assisted with the work on the home farm until 1896, when he bought his present farm from his father. Mr. Haroldson has twice journeyed to Norway, the land of his forefathers. The first trip was made in 1903 and was of nearly a year's duration. He spent three months on the return in Alla- makee, the lowa county of his birth. The second trip to the old country, consuming eight months' time, was made in 1907. the original farm settled upon in the early days by his father. His education in the district schools of Clinton township was supplemented by a three years' course in the Sioux City Normal school, from which he holds a diploma. Hle assisted his father until 1890, when he rented the farm and is at present engaged in farming the place together with other land in the vicinity, which he has owned for twenty years. He engages quite extensively in dairying and in the raising of fancy stock. He makes a specialty of the thoroughbred Holstein cat- tle and the Silver Laced Wyandotte chick- ens.
Olaus Haroldson was joined in marriage at McVille, North Dakota, on March 24, 1910, to Alvina Bjerke, who was born No- vember 16, 1888, the daughter of Anund and Amanda Bjerke, of Larvick, Norway. To Mr. and Mrs. Haroldson one child has been born, Lilen Asbjoern, born March 6, 1911. Mr. Haroldson owns stock in the Farmers Elevator company and the Co-operative Mercantile company of Jasper.
BENHARDT A. ROEN (1875) has passed his entire life on the Vienna township farm he now owns and conducts. His parents,
.
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ROCK COUNTY BIOGRAPHIES.
Arne and Ingeborg Roen, were among the early settlers of the township and were among those who experienced in full meas- ure the discouragements and hardships of those trying times. With only a yoke of oxen and a few household goods, these val- iant pioneers began their wedded life in Rock county. They took as a homestead claim the northeast quarter of section 18. Arne Roen was a native of Hollingdahl, Norway, and came to the United States in 1862. He died November 1, 1900, at the age of eighty-three years. His wife, Ingeborg Roen, died in Aprit, 1909.
On the Vienna township homestead, on the fifteenth of August, 1875, Benhardt A. Roen commenced his earthly career. He was born in the sod house on his father's place, which was later replaced by a stone dwelling. Our subject has conducted the farm of his birth ever since he was a youth of nineteen. He came into possession of the land in 1896, and in 1901 bought an- other 160 acres in the same section. Mr. Roen farms a half section of land and de- votes considerable attention to the raising of high grade stock. He has served as the treasurer of school district No. 28 since 1908.
At the Blue Mounds church in Vienna township, on May 25, 1899, Mr. Roen was united in marriage to Agnes Knudtson, who was born in Odda, Hardanger, Norway, August 10, 1876, and who came to this coun- try at the age of sixteen. To these par- ents have been born three danghters, named as follows: Ella, born February 24, 1901; Alma, born March 22, 1903; Rosie, born September 19, 1906. The family are mem- bers of the Blue Mounds Norwegian Luth- eran church.
SAMUEL B. NELSON (1879). There is some distinguishing feature about nearly every town or city one may visit which comes to one's mind when the name of the town is mentioned. In the case of Luverne it is Nelson Brothers' store, which is con- ducted by Samuel B. Nelson of this sketch. No one has ever visited Luverne who has not also visited this mammoth mercantile establishment; it is a distinguishing feature of the city. It is to be doubted if there is another city in the state of Minnesota of
of the size of Luverne which boasts of a retail mercantile establishment equal to this one.
The subject of this review was born on his father's farm near the town of Calmar, in Winneshiek county, Iowa, on January 2, 1863. His father, Nels Nelson, died in Cal- mar in 1873 and his mother, Carrie Nelson, died in 1895. The only living children of these parents are Mr. Nelson, of this sketch, and Gurina (Mrs. F. C. Mahoney), of Los Angeles, California.
On his father's towa farm Samuel B. Nel- son spent his boyhood days and secured his primary education. At the age of sixteen years, in March, 1879, he located in Lu- verne, where he has ever since resided. During the winter following his arrival he entered the employ of Landin & Nelson, generat merchants, and was in the employ of that firm and the one which succeeded it until 1885, when he became a member of the firm. For two years the business was owned by Nels and Samuel B. Nelson and conducted under the firm name of Nelson Brothers. Then F. C. Mahoney was admit- ted as a partner and the firm name was Nelson Brothers & Company until the first of the year 1901, when the brothers bought out Mr. Mahoney's interests, when the firm name again became Nelson Brothers, which it has ever since remained.
The health of the senior member of the firm having failed, in 1904, at his request, the business was incorporated and a nephew, N. C. Gunderson, who had been identified with the business for twenty. five years, was admitted as a member. Nels Nelson died April 8, 1907, and Mr. Gunder- son in May, 1909, and since that date the subject of this review has been in charge of the business, which has grown to such proportions that twenty-seven clerks are re- quired to conduct the business.
Mr. Nelson has always taken an active part in political and business affairs of his city and county. On various occasions he has served as a member of the city govern- ment. For three years he was a member of the state board of equalization, having been appointed hy Governor John A. Johnson during his first term. Mr. Nelson is now a member of the John A. Johnson memorial commission. In the campaign of 1910 Mr. Nelson received the nomination of the dem-
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ROCK COUNTY BIOGRAPHIES.
ocratic party for the state senate from the district comprising the counties of Rock and Pipestone, and, although he made his canvass single-handed, without an organiza- tion, he came within forty-seven votes of securing the election, although the district is one of the strongest republican districts in the state. His personal popularity and the belief of the people in his ability and honesty of purpose brought him many votes from the opposite party. Fraternally Mr. Nelson associates with the Knights of Py- thias order.
At Rochester, Minnesota, on September 8, 1888, occurred the marriage of Mr. Nel- son to Ida Baker, a native of the city in which she was married. To this union have been born the following named three chil- dren: Rodney, Eleanor and Thelma.
Nels Nelson, who founded the business of Nelson Brothers and who was for so many years connected with the firm, was one of the pioneer merchants of Luverne and a man held in the highest esteem by his as- sociates and the people of Luverne general- ly. He was a native of Norway and was born February 12, 1847. At the age of twelve years he came to America with his parents and settled at Calmar, lowa. There he grew to manhood, secured his educa- tion and obtained his early experiences in the mercantile business as a clerk in one of the stores of Calmar.
In June, 1876, Nels Nelson came to Lu- verne and the next year established the business which was destined to grow to such mammoth proportions, His first store was a modest affair in the building now occupied by the McDermott barber shop. A little later the firm became Landin & Nel- son and the location was east of the for- mer store in the middle of the block. In January, 1881, Landin & Nelson bought a stock of goods from William Jacobsen and occupied the building now the home of the Luverne Mercantile company, where busi- ness was conducted until the present build- ing was occupied. In Jannary, 1882, Nels Nelson bought out his partner, and in 1885 Samuel B. Nelson became a member of the firm, as related above. The business grew to such proportions that the new home of Nelson Brothers was erected and occupied for the first time on November 1, 1892. The building is of brick, 75x136 feet in size, and
the firm occupies both stories and the base. ment with the stock.
Nels Nelsou was a progressive man and did much for the development of Luverne in the early days, Upon the organization of the First National Bank in 1889 he became the vice president, and for a number of years he was a member of the local board of education. He never married but made his home with his widowed mother in Lu- verne for many years and later with his brother. Nels Nelson died April 8, 1907.
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