An illustrated history of the counties of Rock and Pipestone, Minnesota, Part 88

Author: Rose, Arthur P., 1875-1970
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Luverne, Minn. : Northern History Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 924

USA > Minnesota > Rock County > An illustrated history of the counties of Rock and Pipestone, Minnesota > Part 88
USA > Minnesota > Pipestone County > An illustrated history of the counties of Rock and Pipestone, Minnesota > Part 88

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Edward Buckley was married in Luverne November 20, 1890, to Lizzie Bliss, a na- tive of Iowa City, lowa, and a daughter of W. A. Bliss, now a resident of Luverne. Her mother, Katherine Bliss, died in 1891. Mr. and Mrs. Buckley, are the parents of three children, named Willie, Donald and Jessie. Two children, Leo and Edward, have died.

CHARLES E. WURM (1904), a farmer of Vienna township, is a native of Germany and was born in the province of Hanover on August 25, 1853. Both of his parents, Augustus and Henrietta (Just) Wurm, are dead, the former having passed away Feb- ruary 18, 1880, and the latter on December 24, 1908.

Charles came to America with his par- ents in early infancy and located with them in Shullshurg, Lafayette county, Wiscon- sin, which was his home for thirty years. He received a common school education and then took up agricultural pursuits in

earnest. He farmed in Wisconsin until 1904, the date of his advent to Rock county. That year he rented the east half of section 1, Vienna township, which he has success- fully conducted to the present day. Mr. Wurm holds membership in the I. O. O. F. lodge of Shullsburg, Wisconsin, and in the M. W. A. of Magnolia.

Mr. Wurm is a man of family. He was married April 4, 1883, to Rebecca M. Sam- son, whose birth occurred at Plattesville, Wisconsin, March 24, 1859. To this union have been born the following named chil- dren: Clyde, born April 4, 1884; Vance, born July 5, 1886; Ernest, born September 4, 1888; Roscoe, born June 1, 1891; Reba, born October 19, 1893; Ula, horn July 25, 1896; and Delbert, born October 22, 1900.

EMIL ANDRESEN (1892) has been iden- tified with the agricultural interests of Rock county since 1892. lle was born in the city of Christiania, Norway, on August 5, 1870. His father, Ilans F. Andresen, was employed in a large factory and died in Christiania in 1900. The mother of our sub-

ject, Karen (Evensen) Andresen, is now a resident of Hardwick.

Departing from native shores at the age of twenty-two, Emil journeyed alone to the new world and on landing came direct to Rock county. He was employed at farm labor five years near Bruce, and later was similarly employed in Rose Dell township. He rented land in 1900 and commenced farming on his own account. He has worked several different pieces of land, but has re- sided on his present place, the northeast quarter of section 21, Rose Dell, since 1906. He raises Chester White hogs. Mr. Andre- sen is the owner of a quarter section of land in Dawson county, Montana, which he hought in the spring of 1910. With his family he belongs to the Synod Norwegian Lutheran church.

In Rose Dell township, on September 26, 1900, Emil Andresen and Sophia Houg were united in wedlock. Mrs. Andresen is the daughter of Jens and Magdeline (Olson) Houg, natives of Norway, and was born on November 29, 1873. The following five children have been born to this union: Har- old J., horn July 3, 1901; Carl M., born Jan- uary 30, 1903; Frederick O., born May 29, 1905; Einar S., born September 3, 1907; and Milton G., born March 12, 1910.

CHARLES E. COLBY (1880), station agent of the Great Northern railroad at Russell, Minnesota, is a native of Rock county, having been born on his father's homestead in Martin township July 26, 1880. Fle grew to manhood on the farm of his birth, attended the public school at Hills and the Valder & Oliver Business college at Decorah, lowa, and in 1903 be- gan working at the telegrapher's trade at the Great Northern station of Hills.

Mr. Colby left Hills and for six months was employed in the Great Northern sta- tion at Willmar. Thereafter he served as operator and relieving agent at Litchfield, Dassel and Marshall, in Minnesota; at Sioux Center, in lowa; and at Brunswick and Page, in Nebraska; and then for a time was agent at Leeds (Sioux City), lowa. Mr. Colby then became operator for the Soo line at Hawkinson, North Dakota. We next find our subject at Booge, South Dakota, where he was the Great Northern

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station agent for about two years. He took the position of agent and operator at Russell in July, 1909, and has since re- sided there.

At Cottonwood, Minnesota, on June 29, 1905, Mr. Colby was married to Julia Bly, a native of Illinois. They have three chil- dren, Earl, Irving and Mae.

Charles E. Colby is the son of Erick and Helena (Thorson) Colby. His parents were born in Stavanger, Norway, came to the United States when children, and settled in Dane county, Wisconsin. From there Erick Colby enlisted in the union army and served a three years' enlistment. The family later located at Clear Lake, Iowa, and in the pioneer days of 1873 came to Rock county. The head of the family secured the north half of section 10, Martin town- ship, on homestead and timber claim fil- ings, on which he erected the first frame house in the township. Erick Colby died in 1904 at the age of sixty-five years; Helena Colby resides at Hills.

There were ten children in the family, of whom the following named eight are living: Ellis, Tom, Christ and Ella, of Hills; Ben, of Hudson, South Dakota; Ed., of Sioux Falls; Dora J., of Edmonton, Al- berta, Canada; and Charles E.

ADOLPH A. HANSON (1910) became the editor and publisher of the Hills Crescent on the first day of September, 1910, suc- ceeding the firm of Finke & Nash, who had presided over the destinies of that journal for a period of fourteen years. The new editor has maintained the pres- tige of the Crescent as a paper of marked influence in the affairs of Rock county.

A native Iowan, Mr. Hanson is one of seven children who were born to Andrew and Kristi Hanson, both of whom emi- grated from their native land of Norway to America early in life. Andrew Hanson was first located in Dane county, Wiscon- sin. At the outbreak of the civil war he was one of the first to enlist as a volun- teer in company E, Fifteenth Wisconsin in- fantry. At the memorable engagement on Island No. 10, in Tennessee, while engaged in an attempt to unspike the cannon of the confederate battery, Mr. Hanson suf- fered from a serious sun stroke, which re-

sulted in a protracted illness. This was at the close of a two years' faithful service, and because of this misfortune he received an honorable discharge. At the close of his military career he homesteaded in Clay county, Iowa, and died in Decorah in 1901. Kristi Hanson, the mother of our subject, died February 2, 1909. The fol- lowing are the other four children in the family, who are living: Mrs. Josephine Hauge, of Ossian, lowa; Mrs. Matilda Nasse, of Fairfield, Montana; Mrs. Hulda Foss, of Kanawha, lowa; and Oscar C. Hanson, of Estherville, lowa. Two sons are dead: Henry, who died in 1903, at the age of forty-seven; and Spicer, who passed away in 1887 in his sixteenth year.

Adolph A. Hanson was born in a sod house in Clay county, Iowa, August 22, 1879. At the age of seven he moved with his parents to Decorab, Iowa, which con- tinued to be his home until 1908. In that city he received a public school education, and at the age of fifteen he entered the employ of the Decorah Journal to learn the printer's trade. He readily became pro- ficient in that art and was connected In various capacities with the papers of his home city until the fall of 1908, when in partnership with James Halloran he be- came publisher of the Hampton, Iowa, Globe. At the end of a year and a half Mr. Hanson disposed of his interest in the business to his partner; then in Septem- ber, 1910, he commenced his residence In Hills.

The marriage of our subject to Sophia Thompson occurred at Decorah, Iowa, Oc- tober 29, 1902, and to this union have been born a son and a daughter: Florence A. and Roy V. Mrs. Hanson is a native of Northwood, lowa.

JULIUS KROGMANN (1896), Rose Dell township farmer, is a native of Germany and was born in the province of Holstein March 30, 1870. Six years later he came to America with his parents, Peter and Julia (Severt) Krogmann, and located with them in Cedar county, Iowa. He was edu- cated in the district schools and resided on the home farm until 1896, the date of his advent to Rock County. He has farmed continuously since, with the exception of

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two years, when he was a resident of Lu- verne. He has rented and lived upon the southwest quarter of section 32, Rose Dell, since 1908. Mr. Krogmann is the owner of a quarter section of land in Knox county, Nebraska.

In Luverne, on March 30, 1896, Julius Krogmann was united in marriage to Dora Severt, the daughter of Mathias and Cath- erine (Reder) Severt. Mathias Severt died in 1901 and his widow now resides with her daughter. The following three chil- dren have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Krogmann: Elsie, born April 3, 1899; John, born April 13, 1904; and a son, born July 4, 1910. Our subject is a member of the lodge of Modern Woodmen.

JACOB W. GERBER (1878), proprietor of a Luverne hardware store, is one of the early day residents of that city and one of its oldest business men, having been in the hardware business there over thirty years. During this long residence Mr. Ger- ber has been identified with many of the enterprises of his home city.

Our subject was born in Oneida county, New York, November 12, 1854, the yonng- est child in a family of six children born to George P. and Catherina (Miller) Ger- ber. These parents came from Germany in an early day and settled in New York state. They came west in 1856 and located in Pepin county, Wisconsin, where they re- sided until their death, the father in No- vember, 1893, and the mother in March, 1894.

When he was two years of age Jacob Gerber accompanied his parents to Dur- and, Pepin county, Wisconsin, and there he was educated and secured his educa- tion. He served an apprenticeship to the tinner's trade in Durand and in 1875 mov- ed to Lake City, Minnesota, where he worked at the trade until 1878. On the twenty-third day of February of that year Mr. Gerber located in the little village of Luverne. For two years he worked at his trade in a hardware store, and then, in 1880, forming a partnership with Angus Ross, he bought the hardware business of J. S. Wheeler. For several years the busi- ness was conducted under the firm name of Gerber & Ross, but on March 1, 1886,

Wr. Gerber bought his partner's interests and he has since conducted the business alcno. Ile built his present business bouse in 1893. He has prospered and is rated among the successful business men of the county seat. He owns one of the finest homes in the city.

Besides his hardware business Mr. Ger- ber has interested himself in several lines of business. He is vice president of the Farmers National Bank (organized in 1887). He is also a stockholder in the First National Bank, in the Luverne Anto- mobile company, the Luverne Pressed Brick company and in the Manitou Hotel company. For four years he served as a member of the city council. Mr. Gerber is a member of many Masonic orders, hold- ing membership in the Blue Lodge of Lu- verne, the Chapter of Worthington, Lu- verne Commandry No. 22, Minneapolis Con- sistory No. 2 and Osman Temple of Mystic Shrine of St. Paul. He is also a member of the Knights of Pythias lodge.

The marriage of Mr. Gerber occurred at Lake City, Minnesota, January 8, 1879, when he wedded Etta G. Dilly. She is a daughter of Mathias and Margaretta Dilly and was born at Meadville, Pennsylvania, August 27, 1855. To this union has been horn one child, Harold W., born May 31, 1887.

CHARLES W. GRAAF (1900), in part- nership with his brother, Herman G. Graaf, owns the only exclusive clothing and shoe stores in Luverne, of which our subject is the manager. The brothers opened the store in Luverne on January 1, 1900, in the new building now occupied by them, and each year since has noted a steady pro- gress in the business.

Many improve- ments have been made in the store build- ing and interior arrangement since the opening, and they have two of the finest stores of their kind in southwestern Min- nesota. They handle a complete line of clothing and make a specialty of men's and boys' shoes. The brothers also own a clothing store at Estherville, Iowa. Her- man G. Graaf resides in St. Paul and rep- resents a fur manufacturing company. The firm name Graaf Brothers is an old one and the Graafs have been in the cloth-

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ing business many years. Over thirty years ago the father of our subject and his brother, J. H. Graaf, who owns the building in Luverne occupied by Graať brothers, started a clothing store in Wil- ton Junction, Iowa, under the name of Graaf Brothers, and the firm name has been perpetuated.

Charles W. Graaf was born in Wilton Junction, Muscatine county, Iowa, July 8, 1874. At the age of seven years he ac- companied his parents to Estherville, Iowa, where he grew to manhood and where he received his early education. He complet- ed his schooling in a commercial college at Muscatine, Iowa. While attending high school, at the age of sixteen years, he be- gan working, driving a United States ex- press wagon mornings, noons and nights. During a part of this time he also assist- ed in a drug store. At the age of seven- teen years he began clerking in his father's clothing store at Estherville and was a clerk in the store until he moved to Lu- verne, his brother having in the mean- time purchased his father's store. Then the two brothers formed the partnership already mentioned and our subject located in Luverne to take the management of the store.

The father of our subject was Henry G. Graaf, who was born in Germany and who came to the United States when fourteen years old. He located first in Davenport, Iowa, and later in Wilton Junction, where he was married and where he engaged in the clothing and tailoring business in part- nership with his brother. Seventeen years after his marriage Mr. Graaf located in Es- therville, lowa, where he resided until his death, which occurred in 1905 while en route from California, where he had been spending the winter months. He was sixty years of age at the time of his death. The mother of our subject is Maggie (Schwartz) Graaf, who is a native of Ohio and whose parents were early settlers of Wilton Junc- tion. She now resides at Estherville and is sixty-two years of age. There were five children in this family, named as follows: Herman, Henry, Charles W., Etta and Anna, who died at the age of twenty-nine years.

Charles W. Graaf was married in Lu- verne August 12, 1902, to Julia E. Pullen,

who was born in Chicago November 3, 1876. She is a daughter of E. S. and Nettie Pullen, both of whom reside at Aberdeen, South Dakota. Mr. and Mrs. Graaf have three children, named as follows: Lucile E., born May 29, 1904; Gerald G., born January 1, 1906; Evelyn M., born Febru- ary 15, 1908. Mr. Graaf is a member of the Presbyterian church and of the Knights of' Pythias and Masonic orders, including Knights Templar.

WILLIAM GOETTSCH (1901) owns and farms the northwest quarter of section 35, Springwater township. He is the son of Hans and Anna (Schlopkohl) Goettsch, na- tives of Germany, who came to America at an early date and settled in Scott county, lowa. On his father's farm in that county our subject was born May 9, 1864, and in the near by district school he received his education. He farmed rented land in Cedar county for twelve years and in 1901 locat- ed on his present Rock county farm, which he had bought two years previous. Mr. Goettsch has been the clerk of school district No. 46 for the past nine years. He is a stockholder in the Farmers Elevator company of Luverne, and in the Independ- ent Harvester company of Plano, Illinois. He is a member of the M. W. A. lodge.

While still a resident of Scott county, on February 19, 1889, Mr. Goettsch was joined in wedlock to Amelia Langmann, who was born June 16, 1867, the daughter of John and Mary (Schmeta) Langmann, both na- tives of Germany. Mr. and Mrs. Goetsch are the parents of the following six chil- dren: Hilda I., born February 7, 1890; Edna V., born June 23, 1891; Elsia M., born July 7, 1893; Anna M., born August 12, 1897; Harry A., born September 27, 1900; and Verona E., born December 20, 1908.

THEODORE THOMPSON (1880) has spent his entire life in Rock county and more particularly in Martin township. He is the son of Gilbert and Martha Thompson, the former a native of Norway and the latter of Wisconsin. They homesteaded the northwest quarter of section 19, Mar- tin township, in pioneer days.

Theodore was born on the old homestead

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June 28, 1880, and was educated in the dis- trict schools of the vicinity. He assisted his father in the conduct of the home farm until the first year of his manhood, in 1901, since which time he has rented from his father and successfully farmed the northwest quarter of section 25, range 47. Mr. Thompson makes a specialty of breeding thoroughbred Shorthorn cattle. He has served as treasurer of school dis- trict No. 34 for the past six years and is a member of the Synod Norwegian Lutheran church.

Our subject was married in Luverne on July 16, 1902, to Helman Peterson. She was born in December, 1884, and is a daughter of Lars and Maria (Clawsen) Peterson, of Martin township, Four chil- dren have come into the home of Mr. and Mrs. Thompson, named as follows: Mil- dred, born May 13, 1903; Gladys, born May 7, 1905; Clifford, born July 17, 1907; and Helen, born October 6, 1909.

OTTO WIKNER (1907) has for four years past been a Rock county resident and farmer of Springwater township. He was born in Westerbottom; Sweden, on December 8, 1860. He is the son of Johan and Elizabeth (Haaket) Wikner, hoth of whom are buried in the old country.

The father of our subject was a small farmer and also conducted a grocery busi- ness, and Otto assisted in the management of these interests until he was twenty-two years of age. Then he came to the United States and to Sioux Falls, South Dakota. For a time he was employed in the stone quarries and on a farm; then he entered the employ of Dr. A. Zettlitz, whom he served as coachman for seven years. In 1901 the commenced farming near Sioux Falls and in 1907 settled in Rock county. He has since rented and farmed the south- east quarter of section 11, range 47, Spring- water township. Mr. Wikner is a member of the Swedish Lutheran church and of the A. O. U. W. lodge.

On October 15, 1898, in Sioux Falls, Otto Wikner was married to Yakanna Fallman, who was born September 24, 1870, the daughter of Gust and Caroline (Nataulson) Fallman. To these parents have been born the following named children: Otto Ralph,

born August 31, 1899; Gustav Arnold, born August 21, 1901, died November 21, 1902; Hellen Elizabeth, born August 31, 1902; Hulda Johannah, born November 7, 1905; Gladys Irene, born May 27, 1908.

A. J. DALEY (1885), a prominent attor- ney of Luverne and southwestern Minne- sota, has been continuously engaged in the practice of law in that city for twenty-two years. In 1889 he moved to the county seat from Beaver Creek, where he had been engaged in the mercantile and real estate business since 1885.

John and Mary (Ness) Daley, lhe par- ents of our subject, were married shortly after arival to this country from their na- tive land, Norway. That was in the year 1852. The Daley's were among the pioneer settlers of Dane county, Wisconsin, where it was John Daley, the father, died in 1864. Ilis farm, taken at that early date, was purchased from the government at a cost of $1.25 per acre. The mother makes her home with her son in Luverne. A. J. Daley has one living brother, John J. Daley, of Choteau, Montana. Halvor J. Daley, the other of three sons, died at Madison, Min- nesota, in September, 1905, while serving as register of deeds of Lac Qui Parle county.

Mr. Daley of this review was born in Dane county, Wisconsin, May 25, 1857, and there he grew lo manhood. He left Wis- consin at the age of twenty-one to become a Minnesotan. He located in Goodhue, one of the eastern counties, and was engaged in educational work there practically up to the time of removing to Rock county and Beaver Creek in the year already noted. Since establishing his residence in Lu- verne Mr. Daley has been an active spirit in the promotion of that city's substantial growth along many different lines, civic, moral and intellectual. Fraternally he is a Knight of Pythias, and at present is the keeper of records and seals of the local lodge.

When the question of changing the mu- nicipal government of Luverne from the village form lo that of a city was first in- troduced Mr. Daley was selected to head the board of fifteen leading citizens ap- pointed hy the district court to take steps

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RESIDENCE OF A. J. DALEY, LUVERNE

RESIDENCE OF J. W. GERBER, LUVERNE

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ROCK COUNTY BIOGRAPILIES.

necessary to bring about the change. After due deliberation this board of 1900 decided that it was inadvisable to incorporate un- der a special charter such as the charter board had authority to prepare, but com- pleted its work by recommending that the necessary action he taken to create a city government under the provisions of the general statutes of the state. This step was finally taken four years later under the direction of Mr. Daley, who served as village attorney during this entire period. A petition signed by 347 freeholders of the city, dated July 1, 1904, was filed with the judge of probate and the intended results soon followed. Luverne commenced its career as a city with the first election un- der the new charter, held September 6, 1904. Mr. Daley was retained by the new council as the first city attorney.

Mr. Daley is a man of family. His mar- riage to Nellie Knudtson was solemnized at Beaver Creek the first of May, 1886. Mrs. Daley is a native of Allamakee coun- ty, lowa, and the daughter of Knudt N. and Laura M. Knudtson, early day settlers of Beaver Creek township. The following seven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Daley: Walter O., who manages the San Benito, Texas, farm of his father; Ethel, Maud, Mabel, Grace, Ernest and Marie.

GUS AXELSEN (1891), farmer and ex- tensive stock raiser of Magnolia township, is a native of Benton county, lowa, his na- tivity occurring the twenty-fifth day of January, 1880. He is the son of Adolph and Minnie (Schroeder) Axelsen, both na- tives of Germany. The mother died when Gus was an infant. The father came to the United States in 1872. He located in Benton county, lowa, where he remained twelve years, engaged in farming and later in the hotel business. Going to Miller, South Dakota, in 1884, he filed on a home- stead and made that his residence until 1891, when he arrived in Rock county. He engaged in farming nine years, at the end of which time he moved to Sherman, South Dakota, where he still lives at an advanced age.

Gus Axelsen accompanied his father

from Iowa to Miller, South Dakota, and in 1891 to Rock county, which he has since made his home. He was brought up on his father's farm and attended the district school. At the age of twenty he commenc- ed farming for himself. For three years he was associated with his brothers in the management of a large farm. Six years ago he located on his present farm in Magnolia township, the northwest quarter of section 4.

On December 30, 1903, in Loop City, Ne- braska, the marriage of Mr. Axelsen to Clara Hoober was solemnized. Mrs. Axel- sen is a native of Adams county, Nebraska.

HANNAH (HARBERS) BRUSSE (1884) has resided in Beaver Creek township since 1884 and is the widow of Gerret Brucse, who in that year filed a tree claim to the west half of the northeast quarter of section 30, which has since been the family home. Our subject was born in Holland November 12, 1866, the daughter of Benjamin and Dora (Abenhorst) Har- bers. She accompanied her parents to America and located with them in Fillmore county, Minnesota. Later, Benjamin and Dora Harbers became residents of Kansas.

Hannah Harbers was married at Green Leaf, Minnesota, on February 11, 1884, to Gerret Brusse, and the same year the young couple established their home in Rock county. Mr. Brusse was also a na- tive of Holland, was born June 9, 1852, and wben young in life journeyed with his par- ents to America and to Fillmore county, Minnesota. His death occurred April 17 1909.

Eight children were born to this union, and three of these have been called with their father by the grim reaper. The names of the children follow: Minnie G., born January 19, 1885; Lucy, born August 27, 1886, died September 9, 1886; Cora M., horn January 19, 1888; Harry H., born Oc- tober 28, 1890; Daisy E., born April 22, 1893, died November 9, 1902; Ida M., born August 15, 1896, died December 15, 1901; Ruth E., born September 1, 1898; and Le- land V., born March 26, 1908. The family are members of the Beaver Creek Presby- terian church.

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ROCK COUNTY BIOGRAPHIES.

ED. J. DUNBAR (1896) is the manager of the elevator of the Beaver Creek Grain company, which is owned by a co-operative company in which a number of the leading business men and' farmers of Beaver Creek and vicinity are interested. The company was organized in 1905 and the same year purchased the elevator property of the Skewis & Moen Grain company. The pres- ent officers are: President, B. M. Pengra; secretary, J. S. Crawford; treasurer, Char- les Spalding; manager, E. J. Dunbar. The board of directors consists of Henry Roch- au, Andrew Ingleson, Theodore Falk and Howard F. Cummings. The staples in which the company deals are grain, coal and twine.

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An illustrated history of the counties of Rock and Pipestone, Minnesota, Part 88

Author: Rose, Arthur P., 1875-1970 Publication date: 1911 Publisher: Luverne, Minn. : Northern History Publishing Company Number of Pages: 924

Author: Rose, Arthur P., 1875-1970
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Luverne, Minn. : Northern History Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 924