USA > Minnesota > Rock County > An illustrated history of the counties of Rock and Pipestone, Minnesota > Part 80
USA > Minnesota > Pipestone County > An illustrated history of the counties of Rock and Pipestone, Minnesota > Part 80
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 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121
SAMUEL L. CARLETON (1900), propri- ctor of a billiard and pool hall in Luverne, was born in Canada September 24, 1842. At the age of eight years he left his native country and located with his parents in Whiteside county, Ilinois. There he lived eighteen years, working on his father's farm and attending the public schools.
At the age of twenty-six years Mr. Carle- ton moved to Story county, Iowa, honght a farm and engaged in farming there until 1899. Moving to Madison, South Dakota, that year, he bought a feed barn, which lie conducted fifteen months. He engaged in the livery business at Salem five weeks, sold out and located in Luverne. This was in 1900. He built the large feed barn on Main street and conducted it two years. During this time he also built a barn at Parkston, South Dakota, which he put in charge of an employe. After leaving Ln- verne Mr. Carleton located at Ledgerwood, North Dakota, where he built a barn and condnoted it three years, disposing of his property at Parkston during this time. After disposing of his interests at Ledger-
wood, he continued his home there for a time, and in the fall of 1907 returned to Luverne. He bought the billiard and pool hall of Vel Thoms and has since conducted it. He owns his home in Luverne and property in Sioux Falls and Pipestone.
Onr subject is one of a family of nine children, of whom six are living. His father was Samuel Carleton, a native of Ireland, of Scotch-Irish parentage. His mother was Agnes (Allen) Carleton, of English birth. These parents came to Canada in the thir- ties and to the United States in 1850. The father died in Story county, Iowa, the mother in Pocahontas county, Iowa.
Samnel L. Carleton of this sketch was married in Story county, lowa, November 24, 1870, to Amanda Decker, who was born in Ohio Angnst 16, 1853. They have no chil- dren. Mr. Carleton is a member of the Odd Fellows and Encampment lodges.
CHARLES E. NELSON (1903), meniber of the board of commissioners of Rock coun- ty and a Kanaranzi township farmer, was born in Geneva, Illinois, February 17, 1858. His parents, Charles J. and Anna Nelson, were natives of Sweden and came to America in an early day. By occupation the father was a miller.
When the subject of this review was a child two years of age he accompanied his parents to Rockford, Illinois, and that was the family home nine years. In 1869 the home was established in Moline. When he was eleven years of age Charles Nelson left Moline to make his home with George Wilds, a farmer near Davenport, Iowa. In 1880 he rented that gentleman's farm and conducted it for several years. Thereafter, until his arrival to Rock county, Mr. Nel- son made his home in the city and the vi- cinity of Davenport.
Upon his arrival to Rock county in 1903, Mr. Nelson rented the east half of section 21, Kanaranzi township, and there he has ever since made his home. With his sons he now farms over four hundred acres of land. He also has other business interests, He is president of the Kanaranzi Elevator company, is secretary and manager of the Kanaranzi Mutual Telephone company, and has stock in the Ashcreek Farmers Ele- vator company.
C. E. NELSON Member of the Board of County Commis- sioners.
C. N. PHILBRICK
Superintendent of the Luverne Electric Liglit and Water Works Plant.
CARL J. WOODROW Cashier of the First National Bank of Hills,
SAMUEL L. CARLETON Proprietor of a Luverne Billiard Hall.
545
ROCK COUNTY BIOGRAPHIES.
Mr. Nelson has also been quite prominent politically. He is a member of the board of county commissioners, was assessor of his township in 1908, and has been one of the directors of school district No. 60.
At Davenport, Iowa, on April 8, 1880, Mr. Nelson was united in marriage to Caroline Schupp. She is the daughter of Jobn B. and Kresenzia Schupp, of Davenport. To Mr. and Mrs. Nelson have been born the following named ten children: Mary A. (Mrs. John F. Colwell), born January 17, 1881; Cora E. (Mrs. John P. Morgan), born January 5, 1883; Frank C., born October 21, 1884; Grace A. (Mrs. William Colwell), born September 19, 1886; Benjamin H., born July 9, 1888; Kate G., born September 18, 1890; George W., born April 23, 1892; C. Edna, born January 7, 1894; Clara E., born July 17, 1900; and Carl E., born December 16, 1907.
CHANDLER N. PHILBRICK (1876) is the superintendent and chief engineer of the Luverne Light and Water Works plant. He was born in Winona, Minnesota, March 20, 1866, and, his father dying when he was six weeks old, he accompanied his mother to Luverne in 1876 and has spent almost his entire life in that city.
Chandler was educated in the Luverne public schools. In 1886 he went to Wyom- ing, where he resided three years, working on a ranch near Granger and in the coat mines at Rock Springs. He returned to Luverne in 1889 and engaged with his step- father, H. F. Kilgore, in the threshing busi- ness and in conducting a feed mill. Five years later he engaged in the painting and paperhanging business, which was his oc. cupation until 1902.
In the year last mentioned Mr. Philbrick entered the employ of the Luverne Light and Power company as assistant engineer and was later promoted to superintendent of the plant and chief engineer. Ever since he was sixteen years of age Mr. Philbrick has been engaged more or less in mechan- ics, and at the age of seventeen he was granted an engineer's license. The plant of which Mr. Philbrick is now superintend- ent was built in 1891 as a water works plant. In 1894 the electric light plant was added and street and commercial circuits
installed. The building was enlarged in 1896 and new machinery and new boilers added. The plant has two compound du- plex steam-driven pumps and a 150 horse- power Corliss engine, which is used to drive two alternating current generators for light- ing purposes.
The parents of our subject were Chand- ler and Anna C. (Veldboom) Philbrick. The father was born in Maine. The mother was a native of Holland and came to America when twelve years of age and was mar- ried in 1856 in Winona, Minnesota. They moved to Rochester, Minnesota, in 1865, where Mr. Philbrick engaged in the lum- ber business and where he died in May, 1866. His widow moved to Luverne in 1876 and resided there until her death on May 25, 1906. Chandler is the youngest of four living children of this family, the others being Ola S. (Mrs. C. W. Shirley), of Madi. son, South Dakota; Lee J., of Superior, Wyoming; and Ada (Mrs. J. E. North), of Rock Rapids, Iowa.
Mr. Philbrick was married in Rock Springs, Wyoming, January 12, 1891, to Anna Coles, who was born in Pennsylvania July 1, 1867. Her parents, Fred Coles and Sarah (Brown) Coles, were natives of Eng- land and came to the United States in 1865, several years after their marriage. Mr. Coles is now a resident of Almy, Wyoming, his wife having died in 1905. Three chil- dren have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Phil- brick as follows: Estelle P., born January 13, 1892; Fred C., born January 20, 1896; Shirley S., born April 10, 1900.
For two terms Mr. Philbrick served as a member of the board of aldermen of Lu- verne, having been elected to the first board after the incorporation as a city. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., M. W. A., Royal Neighbors and Rebekah lodges. He has taken the Encampment and Canton degrees in Odd Fellowship.
CARL J. WOODROW (1883), a banker of Hills, is Rock county born and bred. He is the only living son of l. S. and Mary M. (Pring) Woodrow, the former a native of Indiana and the latter of Ohio who settled in Clinton township in 1882. They are now residents of Luverne.
On his father's farm on section 36, Clin
-
546
ROCK COUNTY BIOGRAPHIES.
ton township, a few miles south of Ash- creek, Carl was born May 25, 1883. He was a boy of ten years when the family moved to Luverne, where his education was re- ceived in the public and high schools. At the age of nineteen he entered the employ of an insurance company as bookkeeper and with which he was eonneeted for three years. In 1904 he took up his residence in Hills and commenced his duties as book- keeper for the First National Bank. He rose to the assistant cashiership and in Jan- uary, 1910, was made the cashier, and since then has had the active management of the institution.
The First National Bank of Hills is the successor to the old Rock County Banking company, a private institution established in 1892 and which existed ten years, or un- til April, 1902, when a reorganization was perfected and the First National Bank came into being. The stockholders were practi- cally all local men and the first set of offi- cers elected were: P. E. Brown, president ; J. N. Jacobson, vice-president; and J. R. Wright, cashier. The present officers are: President, C. H. Christopherson; vice presi- dent, J. N. Jacobson; eashier, Carl J. Woodrow; assistant cashier, A. A. Ander- son. The board of directors consists of J. N Jacobson, Goodman Anderson, John Nel- son, K. K. Hellie, C. H. Christopherson, K. 11. Hoyme and V. C. Mead. The original capitalization for $25,000 has of late years been increased to $50,000, and the bank is today one of the strong financial institu- tions of the county. The elegant home of the bank was eroeted in 1903 by the State Bank of Hills, which was merged with and became a part of the First National Bank some few years ago.
Carl J. Woodrow was married in St. Paul March 16, 1908, to llazel Fitz, a native of the capital city, where she was born April 8, 1885. Our subject is a member of the Modern Woodmen lodge.
THEODORE M. JACOBSON (1875) owns and farms the northwest quarter of section 36, Martin township, of which precinct he has been a resident since the date of his birth, June 6, 1875.
His parents. Niels and Sigrid (Sexe) Ja- cobson have been and are still respected
residents of Hills, having retiring from active labors on the beautiful farm built up through their efforts in Martin township. Niels Jacobson, a native of Norway, came to this country when a child of four years. His earlier homes were in Wisconsin and Winneshiek county, lowa. It was in 1874 that he arrived with other pioneers in Rock county and homesteaded on section 20, the place of our subject's birth.
The boyhood days of Theodore Jacobson of this sketch were passed on the old homestead. After completing the eonrse offered by the district schools, he was for two years a student at Augustana college, Canton, South Dakota, the later, in 1897, was graduated from the preparatory de partment of St. Olaf college, Northfield, Minnesota. Returning home after finishing his course, he entered the employ of his brother, who was engaged in the general mercantile business at Hills, and continned in the position until 1904. A year later he commenced his career as an independ- ent farmer. He rented his father's farm two years, worked in the store of J. N. Jacobson one year, and then moved to his present location, which became his property in the spring of 1907.
Mr. Jacobson is, and has been for two years past, the secretary of the Rose Dell Farmers Mutual Fire and Lightning Insur- ance company. Politically, he was always been prominent. In the year 1904 he was a candidate for the office of county treas- urer, but was defeated at the primaries by P. O. Skyberg. He was a supervisor of Martin township for a term of three years and is now the clerk of school distriet No. 40.
Mr. Jacobson was married in Martin township on the last day of May, 1900, to Betsy Anderson, who was born in Luverne January 6, 1882. Her father, Goodman An- derson, is a resident of Hills but her moth- er, Guri Anderson, is dead. The following children have been born to this union: Nels, born October 13, 1901; Goodman, born August 2, 1903; Gertrude, born June 16, 1904; Jacob, born March 8, 1908. Mr. and Mrs. Jacobson are members of the United Norwegian Lutheran church of Hills.
547
ROCK COUNTY BIOGRAPHIES.
CARL J. MOE (1892), the leading con- tractor and builder of Hardwick, is a native of Norway, where be was born January 27, 1870. Cart is the youngest in a family of six, the children of Johannas and Sarah (Olson) Johannesen, both deceased, the former dying in Norway in 1877 and the latter in 1903.
After securing an education in the com- mon schools of his native land, Carl mas- tered the cabinet maker's trade. He work- ed for a time as a farm hand and in a whole- sale house in Honefos, and at the age of twenty-two crossed the Atlantict. He came direct to Rock county and resided awhile in Luverne. For several years he followed agricultural pursuits, then settled in Hard- wick, his present home. He formed a part- nership with Sam Burns in the contracting business and this union existed for four or five years. Then until the fall of 1909, when he entered into a partnership with H. T. Morxen, Mr. Moe was engaged in the same business alone. Many of the best and most substantial residences and business buildings of Hardwick and the surrounding territory have been erected by Mr. Moe. For two terms he was constable and marshal of the village. Mr. Moe is a charter member of M. W. A. lodge, No. 3851, and has served as the venerable counsel of the camp. He also belongs to the I. O. O. F. lodge.
On December 22, 1896, in Hardwick, Carl J. Moe was married to Petra Peterson, who was born in Norway May 31, 1878, and came to this country when a child three years of age. They are the parents of one son, Eddie Julius, born November 14, 1897.
Mrs. Moe is the daughter of Erick Peter- son Hauge and Johanne Hauge, who came to the United States from Norway in 1881. They homesteaded land upon which the town of Hardwick was later platted. Then only a platform and a flag station marked the site of the present flourishing village. Mr. Hauge died soon after filing on his claim, and his widow completed the entry and proved up on the land, upon which she still lives. Mrs. Hauge is familiarly known as the "Mother of Hardwick" and is a quaint, interesting character. She re- tains possession of the home residence and lots, while the lands are deeded to her son Erick and son-in-law, Carl J. Moe. She is
the mother of four children: Mrs. Ragna Meyer, of St. Paul; Mrs. C. J. Moe, of Hard. wick; Erick, of St. Paul; and Mrs. W. T. Murray, of Hardwick.
HENRY M. HOLLING (1883), who farms the northwest quarter of section 11, Kana- ranzi township, is the son of John and Min- nie (Stahl) Holling, residents of Luverne. Rock county has been the chief home of our subject since he was a lad of seven years. It was in 1883 that Henry moved with his parents to a farm in Springwater township from Davenport, Iowa, in which city he was born April 17, 1876.
Henry made his home with his parents on the Springwater farm, attended the dis. trict schools, and assisted' with the work until he attained his majority. Then he started to work out by the month for neighboring farmers. For four years he was employed in Jackson county and then took a position for a year with the Man- chester Biscuit company in Luverne, Fol- lowing this, he returned to the city of his birth, Davenport, where he was variously employed for a number of years. Returning to Luverne in 1902, for the next seven years he worked at the sand, lime and brick plant and at a variety of trades. In Decem- ber, 1909, he removed to the place in Kan- aranzi township previously described and has since been engaged in farming.
Mr. Holling was married at Davenport in November, 1903, to Hannah Preuss, the daughter of August and Emma Preuss, farm- ers in the vicinity of the Iowa city. Two children have been born to them, Malinda E. and Mabel. Mr. and Mrs. Holling are members of the German Lutheran church and of the K. D. W. U., a German social club.
SAMUEL H. MILLHOUSE (1880) is asso- ciated with C. A. Yeager in the grocery business under the firm name of Luverne Mercantile company. It was originally a stock company, Mr. Millhouse being one of the organizers of the enterprise in 1903. A year later in partnership with Mr. Yeager he bought out the rest of the interested parties, and since that time they have con- ducted one of the best appointed stores of
548
ROCK COUNTY BIOGRAPHIES.
its kind in the county. The firm deals in groceries and produce exclusively.
A native of Schuylkill county, Pennsyl- vania, the subject of this biography was born September 4, 1852, of German-English parentage. His father, Christian Millhouse, was a native of the Keystone state, while his mother, Hannah (Rogers) Millhouse, was born across the seas in England. The Millhouses were pioneer settlers of Olm- sted county, Minnesota, where they took a homestead in 1857. Christian Millhouse died in Luverne, to which place the family moved in 1879. His wife is still living and resides, in her seventy-eighth year, at Minneapolis.
Samuel first went to Luverne in 1880 and was one of the promoters and builders of the creamery, which he conducted for a year. lle then moved to New Ulm, where he was engaged in the creamery business for nine years. From New Ulm he returned to Luverne and for nearly twelve years was in charge of the produce department in the big store of Nelson Brothers. lle severed his connection with that firm to engage in his present line of business. Mr. Millhouse holds membership in the order of Modern Woodmen of America.
While residing at New Ulm, on October 7, 1882, Samuel H. Millhouse was joined in wedlock to Mary Gublirsch, who was born in Germany December 14, 1858, Two sons and two daughters have been born to this union. Their names are George W., Ora ('., Jessie and Anna, all of Luverne. George, clarinetist; Jessie, harpist; and Anna, vio- linist; compose the well known Millhouse Harp orchestra, an organization whose ser- vices are much in demand throughout this section.
ROBERT RUSSELL SWAN (1897), one of Magnolia township's prosperous farmers, is a native of Peeblershire, Scotland. De- cember 7, 1847, is the date of his birth. He is the son of James Swan, a gardener by occupation, who died in Scotland seven years ago at a ripe old age, and of Minnie (Russell) Swan, who is also buried in the land of the Scots.
Our subject lived in Scotland until 1883, engaging for the most part in farming. In
the year mentioned he came to the United States, journeying direct to Lyon county, Iowa. For fifteen years that was his home.
In the fall of 1897 he came to Rock coun- ty and settled upon his present farm in Magnolia township. He operates a fine farm of 400 acres, and engages extensively in stock raising.
Mr. Swan was married in Scotland on April 15, 1868, to Grace Rae. One danghter, Mary, has been born to this nnion. She is the wife of Jacob Conrad, of Magnolia township. Mr. Swan is a member of the Presbyterian church of Luverne. Frater. nally he is affnlited with the 1. O. O. F., holding membership with the lodge at Little Rock, Iowa.
JOHN M. RUSTAD (1904) is a leading merchant of Luverne, where he is engaged in the furniture business. He first saw the light of day in Norway on October 8, 1863, and is one in a family of five children. The parents were Anton and Mary (Larson) Rnstad, who came to the United States in 1864 and settled in Austin, Minnesota, where for many years the father was a clothing merchant, now living a retired life in that city, being in his seventy-fourth year. His wife, the mother of our subject, died in 1875, at the age of forty-five years. John has one brother, Lewis, and a sister, lda, living. Two sisters, Inga and Annie, are deceased.
John was not yet a year old when he de- parted from the land of his birth and ac- companied his parents to their new home in the land beyond the seas. lle attended the public schools of Austin, Minnesota, and at the age of twelve years commenced the battle of life for himself. For twelve years he was employed as a clerk in the store of 'the Austin Furniture company, then formed a partnership and engaged in the business for himself, the firm name being Earl & Rustad. In 1904, Mr. Rustad disposed of his interests in Austin and bought the E. O. Cook store in Luverne, which he has since conducted in his own name, in the second building east from the Farmers National Bank corner. He carries a com- plete and up-to-date line of furniture, car- pets, wall paper, etc., and is an experienced undertaker.
Mr. Rustad was married in Austin on
549
ROCK COUNTY BIOGRAPHIES.
October 4, 1894, to Matilda Sundberg, a na- tive of Sweden who came to America when a child. Fraternally Mr. Rustad is affilited with the Masons, the Workmen and the Elks. In the first named order he has at- tained the degree of Knight Templar and the Shrine, of the Zuhrah Temple, St. Paul.
GUST GUNDERSON (1886), Springwater township farmer, was born in Nodre Trondhjem, Norway, September 7, 1867, the son of Gunder and Christine (Erickson) Klungness. He lived on his father's farm and received a common school education. At the age of nineteen, together with a sister, he made the journey across the At- lantic to America. They came to Beaver Creek township, Rock county, where he worked out on different farms for a period of nine years. Then Gust rented land in Rose Dell township, where he farmed four years. At the end of that time he located on his present farm, the northwest quarter of section 18, Springwater township. Mr. Gunderson is a member of the Synod Nor- wegian Lutheran church.
Our subject was married in Luverne on October 17, 1895, to Bertha Aaker, who was born September 11, 1876. Mrs. Gunderson is the daughter of Iver and Mary Aaker, of Beaver Creek township. Both parents are natives of Norway and came to America and Beaver Creek township in 1894. Mr. and Mrs. Gunderson have the following eight. children: Grant W., born July 16, 1896; Marie L., born March 22, 1898; Elmer O., born April 21, 1900; Enga A., born January 24, 1902; Minnie C., born June 3, 1904; Gusta B., born May 29, 1906; Clarence M., born June 2, 190S; and trene L., born November 27, 1909.
IIOGEN OLSEN (1879) is a Martin town- ship farmer, who has lived on and farmed the north half of section 18 since 1906. Rock county has been his home since he was a lad of sixteen years. It was at that age that our subject forsook the home ties in his native land of Norway and came to this country unaccompanied.
Ile was born in Hallingdal on the fourth day of January, 1863. He is the son of Ole and Margaret (Torkelson) Olsen, who lived
on a farm in the old country. There it was that Hogen's early youth was spent. For the first year after arriving in Rock coun- ty, he herded cattle for Rasmus Halverson. The next year he was engaged in the same occupation, his employer being Otto Otter- son. Then for some time he hired out to' different farmers and gained experience in agricultural methods which he was later to put into practice for himself. In 1894 he rented a place and set up in farming. Hle moved several times before locating on his present home in 1906.
Mr. Olsen was married at Luverne in 1888 to Christina Sibert. She was born in Stavanger, Norway, on September 13, 1868, and came to this country in 1886. This un- ion has been blessed by eight children, as follows: Harry C., born December 28, 1888; Mildred O., born December 29, 1890; Oscar T., born January 21, 1893; Stephen S., born April 3, 1895; Martin A., born Sep- tember 22, 1897: Christian H., born May 28, 1901; John E., born June 10, 1904; and Arthur E., born October 10, 1908. Mr. Ol- sen and family are members of the United Norwegian Lutheran church.
HALVOR H. WESTLIE (1882), of Martin township, was born in Westre Slidre, Vald- ers, Norway, June 20, 1847. He is the son of Halvor and Sigrie (Knutson) Westlie, both of whom are buried in the old coun- try,,the former having died in 1862 and his wife a year previous.
Our subject received a common school education and after the death of his parents was forced to rely on his own resources. He worked as a farm laborer in Norway until 1877, the year of his immigration to the United States. He followed agricultural pursuits in Mower county, Minnesota, five years, then returned to his native land for a short visit. While there he was married and shortly afterward came again to Ameri- ca and located with his bride in Rock coun- try. Mr. Westlie bought a homestead right to a quarter section in Denver township, and there he resided nineteen years. On disposing of the same in 1903, he bought and moved on to his present farm, the southeast quarter of section 5, Martin, which has since been thoroughly improved.
550
ROCK COUNTY BIOGRAPHIES.
Mr. Westlie served as a school director in Denver township.
In Norway, on May 28, 1882, Halvor H. Westlie was married to Maret Knutson, who was born January 2, 1859, and died in Mar- tin township December 19, 1903. She was the daughter of Knnte and Sigrie (Olsen) Helle, who still reside in Norway and are seventy-six and seventy-five years of age, respectively. To Mr. and Mrs. Westlie were born the following named children: Henry, Carl, Minnie, Clara H., Helena M., Emil R. and John O. Mr. Westlie and family are members of the Synod Norwegian Lu- theran church.
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.