USA > Minnesota > Polk County > Compendium of history and biography of Polk County, Minnesota > Part 24
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
Mr. Erikson was born in Sweden June 28, 1852, and was reared and educated in that country, where he remained until he reached the age of twenty-nine, en- gaged principally in farming. In 1881 he came to the United States and in the autumn of that year took up his residence in Polk county. IIe entered a claim for 160 acres of land in Bear Park township, and on this tract he lived and made improvements for about ten years. At the end of that period he sold the home- stead and bought another farm, which is located in
Garfield township, and also contains 160 acres. This farm was his home and employed his energies for five years. He then sold it and moved into the vil- lage of Fertile.
After locating in Fertile Mr. Erikson first engaged in keeping a restaurant, but soon abandoned this line of trade and became a dealer in farm produce. IIe is now also largely interested in real estate in the village and the surrounding country. He has served several terms as a member of the village council, and in many other ways has contributed to the develop- ment, improvement and growth of the town, and has taken an active and helpful interest in the United Lutheran church, of which he has long been a mem- ber. He was married in Sweden to Miss Johanna Anderson, a native of that country. They have six children, Hannah, IIulda, Hjalmar, Julia, Lillie and Eugene.
REVEREND L. J. NJUS.
Reverend L. J. Njus, of MeIntosh, pastor of the Synod Lutheran church at that place and a well known elergyman of the county, has given able serv- ices in the ministerial field of Minnesota for the past fourteen years. He was born in Norway, December 6, 1870 and there received his carly education, com-
pleting an academic course of study before coming to this country in June, 1888, at the age of eighteen years. For two years he engaged in farm labor in Minnehaha county, South Dakota and was then enabled to pursue his educational ambitions and en- tered the Lutheran Normal school at Sioux Falls. On
158
COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY OF POLK COUNTY
leaving this school he secured a position as a teacher in a parochial school and for three years continued to be occupied in that profession, teaching in southern Wisconsin and in other places and then enrolled in the Luther Theological Seminary at St. Paul where he prepared himself for the elergy. He was gradu- ated in 1901 and received his first pastorate at Lake- field, Minnesota, where he served for over a year and was then transferred to Grove City, Minnesota. In 1905 he was appointed to the Synod Lutheran church at McIntosh, where his charge ineludes four Polk county congregations. During the years of his pas- toral labors in that vicinity, Mr. Njus has won the
respect and esteem of all through his able and sincere service to the community. He has given his influence and active interest freely in the promotion of matters of public betterment and, as a member for several years of the school board and president of that body, has been prominently associated with the educational affairs of the town. Mr. Njus was married in Rock county, Wisconsin, October, 1892, to Susan Johnson, a native of that state, whose death occurred at MeIntosh, in January, 1910. His second marriage was solemnized in June, 1912, with Ingeborg Sime, who was born in Norway. Two children have been born to this union, Ingemar J. and Martha Matilda.
JOIIN O. BUHIN.
This gentleman, who has contributed a great deal to the enjoyment of a large number of persons for nearly twenty years in a specifie way, and at the same time aided in building up and improving the locality in which he lives, is the founder and sole proprietor of the popular Maple Lake summer resort in Woodside township, this county, where he has a completely equipped modern hotel and other facilities for the en- tertainment of patrons and pleasure seekers and has built up a flourishing, extensive and profitable busi- ness.
Mr. Buhn was born in Norway July 5, 1861, and came to the United States with his parents in 1869. They were Ole and Elsie (Peterson) Buhn, and both of the same nativity as himself. When they reached this country in 1869 they located in Jackson county, Wisconsin, and there the father died before the end of the year. After the death of her husband the mother took up a homestead in Jackson county, and on this traet of land, which she developed into a fruit- ful and valuable farm, she passed the remainder of her days, dying in 1894. Of the five children born in the family John O. was the youngest.
Orphaned by the death of his father when the son was but eight years old, John O. Buhn passed his boy- hood and youth in hard labor and under severe priva-
tions. But he accepted his lot with a resolute spirit and faithfully met the requirements of his duty from the first. He remained at home with his mother until he reached the age of seventeen years, then went to Preseott, Wisconsin, where he lived and worked two or three years. In December, 1881, he came to Crooks- ton and began learning the blacksmith trade under the instruction of his brother George. Ile finished his apprenticeship of four years but realized before the end of it that the work of his trade was too hard for him and when he completed learning it he aban- doned it.
In order to prepare himself for a new career in life Mr. Buhn attended the Northwestern College of Com- meree for two seasons, and in the fall of 1887 he located at Mentor and opened the first store at that place and also became its first postmaster. For six years he continued merehandizing at Mentor, then sold his business and began improving the summer resort of which he is the proprietor. In connection with his enterprise as a resort keeper he ships large quantities of iee to points in North Dakota during the winter months and has been doing so since 1903. He also owns a quarter seetion of land in Grove Park town- ship, which he has improved and has under skillful cultivation. He takes an active part in publie town-
159
COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY OF POLK COUNTY
ship affairs and has been school treasurer of Mentor for a long time.
On June 24, 1888, Mr. Buhn was married at Mentor to Miss Ella Anderson, a native of Saint Ansgar, Iowa, and the daughter of Thor Anderson, who was a Polk county pioneer and died on his farm in Godfrey town-
ship in 1905. Ile took up this farm when it was in the wilderness and made it productive and a valuable home. Mr. and Mrs. Buhn have eight children. Lil- lian is the wife of George Kitman. Emma is the wife of Elmer Knutson. The others are Raymond, Arthur, Dora, Elmer, Elba and Claris.
HENRY ANDERSON.
Having come to this country from his native land of Norway when he was but eight years old, and hav- ing met all the requirements of his situation in various places and amid differing surroundings, Henry Ander- son, now one of the enterprising and sueeessful farm- ers of Badger township, this eounty, has shown him- self to be a person of sturdy qualities of head and heart and of sterling worth as a eitizen. He was born August 12, 1852, and in 1860 accompanied his parents, Andrew and Anna Anderson, to the United States.
They first located in Wisconsin, where they lived for some years, and where the mother died. From Wisconsin the father and his children moved to Nor- man county, Minnesota, and a short time afterward to Walsh county, North Dakota. In 1888 they came to Polk county and settled in Badger township, and here the son took up a homestead on which he has ever sinee made his home. The father died in that township in about 1900 when he was eighty-two years of age.
Henry Anderson's land was all wild and unbroken to the plow when he took possession of it, and all that it is now in the way of improvement and productive-
ness he has made it by his enterprise and skillful cul- tivation. The attraetive and comfortable buildings with which it is enriched are also the produets of his labor, and in this he has been so successful and man- aged so judiciously that he has been able to add an- other 160 acres to his holdings and put a considerable quantity of the new tract under cultivation also.
On January 19, 1886, Mr. Anderson was married in Walsh county, North Dakota, to Miss Sarah Amend- son, whose life began in Norway June 15, 1854. She came to America at the age of sixteen and grew to womanhood in Wisconsin. She and her husband are members of the Norwegian Lutheran Synod chureh. They have four children, Almer, Tillie A., Almon S. and Ingval. Mr. Anderson has been active and help- ful in his efforts to build up his township and quicken the development of its resourees. While he has never held a public office or taken a very active part in party political affairs, he has been earnest and prudent in his attention to the interests of his loeality, and is held in general esteem as one of its progressive and public- spirited eitizens.
HERBERT B. SYKES.
The subject of this brief review is one of the lead- ing farmers and most public-spirited men in Park Grove township, Polk county, and has reached his position of prominence and influence solely through his own merit and his nnaided, individual efforts. He lives on his fine farm near the village of Mentor, but is known throughout the county as one of the
substantial and progressive farmers and most repre- sentative citizens of his township.
Mr. Sykes was born in Monticello, Wright county, Minnesota, October 9, 1876, the son of William E. and Luzerna (Mitehell) Sykes, the former a native of Montreal, Canada, and the latter of Wright county, where they were old settlers. Their son Herbert was
160
COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY OF POLK COUNTY
the first born of their seven children, and remained at home with them until he reached the age of twenty- ty-four. Ile was reared on the farm, and from his boyhood bore his part of the labor of cultivating it, which interfered with the full use of his opportunity to obtain even the limited common school education that was available to him.
On September 20, 1898, Mr. Sykes was married to Miss Lois Canfield, a native of Lyon county, Minne- sota, and a daughter of Frank L. and Flora (Hall) Canfield. The marriage took place in Wright county, where Miss Canfield was living at the time. After their marriage they continued to live in that county for two years, Mr. Sykes being engaged in buying and shipping live stock. In 1890 they moved to Itasca county, this state, taking up a homestead 125 miles distant from a railroad. On this tract they located and lived for about seven years, during which Mr. Sykes worked at logging during the winters.
In the spring of 1908 the family moved to Polk county. During the two years following his arrival in this county Mr. Sykes lived on land which he rented and farmed in Park Grove township. Ile then bought
eighty aeres, on which he now has his home, but he farms a much more extensive tract, directing the operations on 560 aeres in all. Ilis farming is of a general nature in the main, but he makes a specialty of raising potatoes on a large seale, and shipped the first full carload sent out from Mentor.
In the public affairs of his township Mr. Sykes has always taken an earnest interest and an active part. He has served as chairman of the township board and as school elerk. He is now one of the directors of the ereamery in Mentor and also a director of the co-operative store at that village. No movement for the good of the township or the benefit of its resi- dents ever goes without his energetie support, and all his efforts in this behalf are guided by good jndg- ment and publie spirit and governed by prudenee and enterprise. Ile is vice president of the Park Farm elub and in fraternal relations holds mem- bership in Camp No. 5288, Modern Woodmen of America, in which he has held all the important offices. Ile and his wife are the parents of six children, Mil- dred E., Milton F., Hazel L., Mabel M., Roy E. and Earl II.
OLE T. ROVANG.
Now prosperous and well established as a sueeess- ful farmer, with a progressively cultivated and highly improved farm of nearly 400 aeres in Badger and Knute townships, Ole T. Rovang is one of the leading citizens of his part of Polk county, and enjoys in a marked degree the esteem and good will of its people and all others who know him. He has made a good record for work and good citizenship in several places in the Northwest sinee he eame to the United States in 1876 from his native land of Norway, where he was born September 4, 1854, and where he was reared and educated.
On his arrival in this country at the age of twenty- one and one-half years he located in Roek county, Minnesota, and there found employment for one sea- son as a farm hand. He then changed his base of
operations to Decorah, Iowa, and until early in the eighties he worked out on farms in the neighborhood of that eity. From Decorah, Iowa, he came to Polk county and preempted 160 acres of land on Badger ereek in Badger township, but two years later he moved to Sletten township, where he lived for a num- ber of years.
Mr. Rovang's next home was at Erskine, and there he carried on a hotel and livery business for some years. While living at Erskine he bought the farm on which he now lives and sold his hotel and livery business. He has improved his farm with good build- ings and has on it two flowing wells and a modern well house. These are of great advantage to him in his operations, all of which are conducted according to up-to-date methods and with studious attention
CHARLES L. CONGER
161
COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY OF POLK COUNTY
to making every day of his labor and every element of his enterprise and intelligence tell to his advantage and promote his progress.
In the mercantile and other business and public affairs of his township and county Mr. Rovang has always taken an active part. IIe was one of the foun- ders and is now a director of the State Bank of Erskine and also owns a one-fourth interest in the
Oslo Trading company of Oslo, Minnesota. He was married in 1884 in Badger township to Miss Christina Espeseth, a sister of G. K. Espeseth and the daughter of Knute Espeseth. They have reared four adopted children, Ida O., Peter, Albert and Lydia. The pa- rents are zealous and serviceable members of the United Lutheran church.
CHARLES L. CONGER.
Charles L. Conger, cashier of the Citizens State , bank at MeIntosh, was born at Eau Claire, Wis- consin, January 17, 1869, the son of William and Susan (Wright) Conger. He is the descendant of revolutionary and colonial stock, the Congers having been soldiers and patriots since the settling of the colonies by England, the residence of the family dating from 1640. In 1667 a John Conger located on land in New Jersey, near Woodbridge, and about a century later, in 1770, Gersham Conger, the great- grandfather of Charles L. Conger, removed from that state to Vermont. He was one of the followers of the Quaker faith who by their sturdy qualities played such an important part in the building of the nation, but despite his religious belief gave valiant service during the war for independence and died in Vermont in 1835. His son, Asher Conger, was born at Danby, Vermont, in 1799 and his death occurred in 1852, in his native town, which was also the birthplace of his son, William Conger, who was born November 10, 1819. The latter went to Wisconsin in 1867, two years before the birth of his son, Charles Conger, and later removed to Northwood, Iowa, where he died on August 16, 1898. He is survived by his wife, a native of Utica, New York, born May 19, 1835. She now makes her home with J. P. Foote of Crookston, who is her son by a previous marriage. Charles L. Conger was two years of age when the family removed to Northwood, Iowa, and was reared and educated in that place. In September, 1891, he came to Crooks- ton, where his half-brother, Mr. Foote, resided, and
in the same month secured the position of assistant eashier in the Citizens State bank at McIntosh, of which Mr. Foote is president. Mr. Conger has since devoted his business career to the able discharge of his duties as cashier, his successful association witlı this institution winning him recognition in the finan- cial circles of this section. The position of assistant cashier of the Citizens State bank has fitted a num- ber of the influential bankers of the state for more important positions; among the former occupants of these positions are, Alfred Hoel, now vice president of the First National bank at Gilbert; First National of Biwabik, Minnesota, and State Bank of Arura, Minnesota; Charles IIoel, cashier of the Miners' Na- tional bank at Eveleth; A. J. Hoel, assistant cashier of the First National bank at Cass Lake; A. I. Sol- berg, cashier of the Farmers State bank at Winger, and T. A. Thompson, who was the first assistant cashier appointed in the McIntosh bank and has held the office of registrar of deeds of Polk county for ten years. Mr. Conger is further identified with the busi- ness interests of the county as a landowner and farmer and is the proprietor of two farms, of 240 and 160 acres, and several tracts of land, and has also made investments in timber land in St. Louis and farm lands in Pennington counties. He takes great interest in the management and the direction of the work of improvement of his farms, which are occu- pied by tenants. He is a member of the Democratic party and is widely known for his services in the political field and is active in conventions and in the
162
COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPIIY OF POLK COUNTY
direction of party affairs, he has never sought the honors of office, but has served as mayor for the past seven years and as treasurer for the past fourteen years, and has also served on the school board. He was appointed by Governor Hammond to the board of visitors to the state institutions but recently re- signed from his membership in that body. Mr. Con- ger's favorite recreation is a good game of the national diversion of baseball, which he enjoys from the stand- point of a former player, and he has given his support and influence to the encouragement of local enthu- siasm and the home team. In fraternal cireles he was one of the organizers of the local lodge of the Knights of Pythias and is Past Chancellor and a member of the Grand Lodge. He is a Royal Areh Mason and a member of the Elks lodge at Crookston. Mr. Conger
was married at Litchfield, to Leona Halvorson, and her death occurred on September 14, 1902. Ilis see- ond marriage was solemnized with Louise A. Heiser of Albert Lea, Minnesota, December 8, 1903. He has one child, William L. Conger, who was born in 1901 and is a student in the junior year of the MeIntosh high school.
Mr. Conger is a member of the board of managers of the Minnesota Society of the Sons of the Revolu- tion. He is also a member of the executive council of the State Bankers association from the Ninth con- gressional district, and has served as president of the Ninth distriet group of bankers. He also served as vice president and director of the Northern Minne- sota Development association and as president of the Commercial elub.
MARTIN BENSEN.
Having reached a position of substantial wordly comfort and consequenee, good social standing and influence in local publie affairs wholly through his own efforts and by perseverance and industry and good management, although encountering many diffi- culties and being called on to endure many privations, Martin Bensen, one of the successful, progressive and prosperous farmers of Knute township, Polk county, is entitled to great credit for his steady advancement in every part of his career, and justly enjoys in full measure the esteem and good will of all who know him.
Mr. Bensen is a native of Norway, where his life began December 28, 1859. He is a son of Bearnt L. and Bertha Mary (Christianson) Bensen, also Norwe- gians by nativity and parentage. The father eame to the United States in 1867 and located in Dakota county, Minnesota. In 1869 the mother brought the children then living in the family over and the resi- denee in Dakota county was maintained until 1883. But in 1882 the father came to Polk county and took a homestead in Woodside township, and the next spring the family moved to that traet of land in the
wilderness. The parents remained on it until old age compelled their retirement from aetive pursuits. They then made their home with their children, liv- ing awhile with their son Martin and afterward with their daughter, Mrs. M. B. Nelson, in Knute township, where they died, the mother on October 11, 1909, at the age of eighty-five years and the father on Sep- tember 9, 1912, aged nearly ninety-three.
Martin Bensen was the fifth of the eight children born to his parents. He was reared on the parental homestead and obtained a common school edneation. Being a farmer's son he naturally took to the oceupa- tion of his father, and to this he has ever sinee stead- fastly adhered. In the spring of 1883 he took up a homestead in seetion 22, Knute township, and on the 160 acres of good land of which he thereby beeame possessed he has passed all of his subsequent years. But he has added to his estate as he has made head- way, and now owns 600 acres, improved with good buildings and other necessary structures and nearly all under systematie and skillful cultivation. He has taken an active part in the public affairs of his town-
163
COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY OF POLK COUNTY
ship and has served it wisely and faithfully as con- stable and supervisor.
On April 14, 1886, Mr. Bensen was married in Da- kota county to Miss Mary Sjolie, who was born in that county December 27, 1865, a daughter of Mar- tin and Engebord Sjolie, natives of Norway who came to this country in 1864 or 1865 and settled in Dakota county, where the father died when he was about fifty- five years of age. The mother is still living. Mr. and
Mrs. Bensen have had eleven children, ten of whom are living. They are Benjamin, Ida, Guida, Louis, Malton, Minnie, Joseph, Martha, Myrtle and Georgia. The other ehild, a daughter named Lavine, strayed away from home in the early spring of 1892 and was found frozen to death about a mile distant. She was two years old at the time. The parents are members of the United Lutheran church and active in all its work for the improvement of the community.
EINAR O. MELSNESS.
Condueting his farming operations and other lines of business with enterprise, vigor and judgment, and rendering the people excellent service as elerk of Badger township, Einar O. Melsness, whose fine farm of 240 acres near the village of Erskine is almost wholly the product of his own industry, skill and good management, is a highly useful and esteemed resi- dent of Polk county and one of its representative citizens.
Mr. Melsness is a native of Dakota county, Minne- sota, where his life began March 23, 1872. He lived there with his parents until he reached the age of twelve, and then passed one year with them in Walsh county, North Dakota. In 1885 the family moved to Polk county and located on a farm in Badger town- ship. The parents, Christian O. and Olia (Enersdat- ter) Melsness, were natives of Norway. The mother died at their Badger township home February 9, 1915, aged seventy-five years. The father is still living.
Einar O. Melsness was educated in the common
schools and at a private college in Crookston. For seven years he taught school in Polk county, but his principal occupation in life has been that of farming. During three seasons, however, he was also occupied in buying and shipping grain, and throughout one summer he was employed in the State Bank at Er- skine. He has always taken an earnest interest and an active part in township affairs of a public nature, and has rendered his full share of service in their proper administration, having served during the last fifteen years as township elerk. He was also seeretary and manager of the Erskine creamery several years.
On April 10, 1912, Mr. Melsness was united in mar- riage with Miss Christine Jorgenson, a native of Bad- ger township and a daughter of Peter Jorgenson, of Erskine. They have one ehild, their son Martin O. Mr. and Mrs. Melsness stand high in their home local- ity and well deserve the universal esteem in which they are held.
GILBERT K. ESPESETH.
Gilbert K. Espeseth, of Erskine, president of the State Bank of Erskine and prominent merchant, has been notably identified with the business activities of that place since the days of its settlement. He was born in Norway, February 27, 1863, and was reared in his native land. In 1882 he accompanied his parents to this country, and after a short time spent
in Grand Forks, North Dakota, removed to Polk county, Minnesota, where his father, Knute Espeseth, took a homestead elaim, being one of the pioneer set- tlers of Badger township. Gilbert Espeseth remained on the farm until 1889, when he embarked upon his commercial eareer, and in partnership with Henry T. Gilbertson, opened a store on the town site of Erskine,
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.