USA > Minnesota > Polk County > Compendium of history and biography of Polk County, Minnesota > Part 26
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By his activity in behalf of every project designed to build up and improve his home community Mr. Erikson has made himself an important factor in pro- moting the progress of this region and won the esteem of its residents as one of its most enterprising, publie- spirited and serviceable eitizens. He has served as assistant postmaster and for over four years has been secretary of the Commercial club. Fraternally he be- longs to the Woodmen of the World and in religious affiliation to the United Lutheran church.
Feeling that his education was deficient when near- ing the dawn of his manhood, Mr. Erikson attended the Central sehool in Crookston in the winter of 1886- 87, and for a short time in the late summer of 1887 he was employed as a clerk by Charles M. Old at Bel- trami. He was married in Faribault, Minnesota, in 1902, to Miss Carrie Oehler, who was born in Iowa. They have two children, their sons Earl and Luther.
IIARRY M. HALVORSON.
Although he was born and reared on a farm and has himself followed farming, Harry M. Halvorson's taste and inclination have always been toward husi- ness, and the greater part of his life sinee reaching maturity has been passed in business operations, chiefly as a liveryman, which he is at present, and
one of the leaders in his line in Polk county. He is studious of his calling and makes every effort to keep his equipment for it strictly up to date, and he also studies his trade and strives with all his resources to meet every requirement of his patrons.
Mr. Halvorson is wholly a product of Polk county
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and a representative man among its people. His life began on his father's farm in Liberty township June 23, 1891, and he continued to live there until he reached the age of twenty years, obtaining a common school education at the school in the neighborhood of his home. He also worked on the farm from the time when he was big and strong enough to do it until he left the parental rooftree and started out in life to make his own way in the world.
Mr. Halvorson is a son of Hans and Hannah (Gulickson) Halvorson, the former a native of Nor- way and the latter of Iowa but of Norwegian parent- age. They were among the early settlers of Liberty
township, this county, where the father entered a homestead in the early days and has since been cn- gaged in farming. Seven children were born of their union, and of these their son Harry was the fifth in the order of birth. When he left home he rented a farm for a year in Scandia township and then took charge of one in Rice township for a few months. In December, 1913, he purchased the livery business and outfit of J. I. Hamre in Fertile, and to the manage- ment of that business he has since devoted himself with constant industry, good ability and profitable results. He is an excellent citizen and estcemed as such throughout the community.
THORVALD A. BYDAL.
Thorvald A. Bydal, of East Grand Forks, a well known citizen and leading merchant of that place, was born in Norway, May 8, 1865. He remained in his native land until twenty years of age, when he came to the United States and for a year resided in Portage county, Wisconsin. In 1886 he removed to Polk county and became associated with the grocery trade as a clerk in a store in East Grand Forks and continued in that employment for a number of years, making his independent venture in the commercial world in 1907. In May of that year he opened a gro- cery store under the firm name of Bydal & Bydal and has since devoted his attention to the successful man- agement of that business. This store is one of the largest and most attractive in that locality, furnishing the town with excellent trading facilities and enjoys
a steady prosperity and lucrative patronage which attests to the ability and integrity of its management. Aside from his commercial activities, Mr. Bydal is interested in farm lands, owning three hundred and twenty acres of North Dakota land. During the many years of his residence in the county, he has given his ready support to every project which tends to public betterment and has taken an active interest in the affairs of the community. He is an influential mem- ber of the Commercial club and one of its directors. Also vice president of the Retail Merchants association of East Grand Forks and Grand Forks. Mr. Bydal was married in Minneapolis, October 12, 1903, to Anna Leewy, who, like her husband, is a native of Norway. They have one child, Laila.
WILLIAM STREET.
Being one of the extensive, progressive and success- ful farmers of Reis township, this county, William Street is a useful and stimulating force in the part of the county in which he lives and has done a great deal toward helping it to progress to its full develop- ment and most advanced improvement. He also han- dles live stock extensively, and in this branch of his
industry he is an additional help to the industrial and commercial activities of his township and the Northwest in general.
Mr. Street was born near the town of Ringwood, Hampshire, England, November 6, 1845, and was reared on his father's farm there and educated at the school in the neighborhood. From his boyhood he
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looked forward to farming as his chosen occupation for life, and through all his subsequent years he has largely adhered to this choice. In 1873 he emigrated to the United States and took up his residence at Glyndon, Clay county, Minnesota, and there, for a few months, was employed by the Northern Pacific Railroad. While railroad work was not entirely to his liking it pleased him well enough to hold him for the next five years, during which he was in the employ of the Great Northern company, carning fair wages and saving them for future use.
At the end of the period named he once more turned his attention to farming, becoming foreman on the large W. H. Fisher farm in Norman county, and serv- ing there in that capacity thirteen years. In 1891 he engaged in farming for himself, taking up a home- stead in Section 22, Reis township, this county, which he lived on and improved as his home until 1897. Ile then took school land on Section 16 of the same town-
ship, and on this he has ever since resided. But he has added to his holdings until he now owns 640 acres, all of which he has improved and brought to a high state of productiveness. In addition to his farming operations, which are of a general character, he han- dles live stock in considerable numbers, having at the time of this writing (Nov. 1, 1915), some 22 head of horses, 90 of cattle and 50 of hogs.
Mr. Street has always taken an earnest interest and an active part in the public affairs of his township and county. Ile has acceptably filled several local offices and was one of the principal men in organiz- ing the Beltrami Co-operative Creamery company, in which he is still largely interested. In the spring of 1892 he was married in Crookston to Miss Lizzie Sav- age, who is a native of Faribault, Minnesota. They have six children, Emma, William, Walter, Mabel, Clara and Herbert. Emma is now the wife of Dr. Fred Lyman.
OLE A. THORESON.
Ole A. Thoreson, a former postmaster at East Grand Forks and a well known citizen of Polk county, was born in the northern part of Norway, in the parish of Bardo, December 26, 1845. The early years of his life were spent in his native land, where he lived until he was sixteen years of age, when in the spring of 1862, his parents brought their family to the United States, making St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin their des- tination. Shortly afterwards they took homesteads north of St. Croix Falls in Burnett county, which was the home of Ole Thoreson for a number of years during which he engaged in farming and was actively associated with the publie interests and political af- fairs and was elected to the offices of county auditor and county commissioner. After spending about fif- teen years in Wisconsin he became desirous of remov- ing westward and in 1877 visited Polk county, look- ing for a new location for his agricultural activities. About one year later he came to Polk county and took a preemption claim of one hundred and sixty acres
in Sullivan township. He devoted his attention to the development and improvement of the farm until 1889 when he was appointed postmaster of East Grand Forks by President Harrison and served in that office for four years. In 1902 he was again called to public service, being elected probate judge of Polk county and in 1904 was returned to the office but resigned before the end of his term to accept his second appoint- ment as postmaster of East Grand Forks, and con- tinued in office through the administrations of Roose- velt and Taft. Through the many years of public service which have marked his eareer with honor and merit, Mr. Thoreson has met all the demands of his position with an efficiency and diligence that have brought him the confidence and unfailing support of his constituents. As a public spirited citizen and successful farmer, his influence has been exerted in all phases of the rapid development of the country which he entered as a pioneer. He is a member of the Lutheran church, of which he has always been a
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faithful and generous supporter and has been actively interested in the extension of its activities, having been prominently associated with the erection of two churches, one in Wisconsin and in the First Lutheran church in Grand Forks. Mr. Thoreson was married at Grantsburg, Burnett county, Wisconsin, December 31, 1876, to Albertina Hilman, who like her husband is a native of Norway, born at Frederickshald, Novem- ber 25, 1855. She came to the United States with her parents when ten years of age and after residing for
several years in Lafayette and Green counties, the family settled in Burnett county, which remained the home of Mrs. Thoreson until shortly after her mar- riage. Seven children were born to Mr. Thoreson and his wife, of whom five are now living. The death of a daughter, Alma Thoreson, occurred November 11, 1911, in her thirtieth year and that of another dangh- ter in her infancy. The surviving members of the family are, Ida H., Theresa E., Olaf A., Hannah M. and Elmer T.
CHARLES STREET.
This enterprising and successful farmer of Reis township, this county, is a younger brother of William Street, a sketch of whom will be found in this volume, and is living on the old homestead taken up by his brother William in Seetion 22, which was the first home of the latter in Polk county. Charles was born near the town of Ringwood, in Hampshire, England, December 18, 1858, and was reared, like his brother William, on his father's farm, obtaining his education at the country school in the vicinity of his home. In August, 1884, he emigrated to the United States, and during the next eight years he lived in different places in this country and was employed at various occupations, doing with interest and energy whatever he found to do.
In 1893 he became a resident of Polk county, and for six years thereafter he was in the employ of his brother William. He then bought his brother's old
homestead of 160 acres in Seetion 22, Reis township, and on this he has expended his time and energies in a general farming enterprise ever sinee. He is a pro- gressive and studious man, and has brought to bear on his farming operations whatever he has been able to learn by study and observation that has seemed likely to improve his methods and accelerate his prog- ress. His farm is an example of the good results of forethought and intelligence as applied to modern agriculture, and he is, besides, an excellent eitizen with a broad-minded and public-spirited interest in all the public affairs of his township and county. Ile has found good opportunities for his industry and enterprise in this country, and has profited by them. The country has also been the gainer by his having selected it as the seat of his operations, and he is highly respected as a thrifty and upright man by all who know him.
WILBUR G. LYTLE.
Having given up active pursuits of a laborions kind and taken up his residence in Crookston, where he is living retired, Wilbur G. Lytle, formerly one of the enterprising and progressive farmers of Polk county, is enjoying in the quiet way agreeable to him the fruits of his long and arduous labors during the years of his greater activity. He was born at Lisbon, St. Lawrence county, New York, August 10, 1845, the
son of John A. and Lueinda (Scripture) Lawrence ; the former a native of the state of New York and the Jatter of Vermont. They were farmers and both died in St. Lawrence county, New York, where they passed the greater part of their lives.
Wilbur G. Lytle remained at home assisting his father on the farm until he reached the age of eight- een. He then came West and located at Bronson,
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Branch county, Michigan, where he followed farm- ing and lumbering for nearly four years. At the end of the period named he returned to his native county and again devoted his energies to farming there for a member of years. But the West still wore a winning smile for him and he came to St. Croix county, Wis- consin, where he operated a grain elevator and also farmed until 1877. In June of that year he changed his base of operations to Polk county, Minnesota, and located on a farm in Andover township. This farm he sold in 1908, but has lived in Crookston sinee 1888, and for some years has been nearly free from business cares.
Mr. Lytle has always taken an active interest in public affairs and has filled several local offices in Andover township with credit to himself and benefit to the township. He has been the owner of a consider- able amount of real estate in this county. On Decem-
ber 20, 1876, he was married at Richville, New York, to Miss Mary Fisk, a native of the same county as himself and born August 10, 1855. She is the daugh- ter of Edwin R. and Ruth A. (Brown) Fisk, the for- mer born in the city of Rutland, Vermont, and the latter in St. Lawrence county, New York. They came to Polk county, Minnesota, in 1882, and here they passed the remainder of their lives, dying well ad- vanced in years and high in general esteem.
Mr. and Mrs. Lytle are cordial supporters of the Congregational church and all its work for the im- provement of the community. Mr. Lytle is a member of the Masonie Order, in which he has reached the rank of Knight Templar. He has served as warden of Constantine Commandery No. 20 for more than twenty years and still fills that office. Has been a member of Blue Lodge for forty-eight years.
JOHN HELDSTAB.
Starting in life for himself at the age of twenty-one, with nothing but his strong arm, clear head and de- termined spirit as capital, the late John Heldstab, one of the enterprising and successful business men of Crookston, steadily pursned his way through a variety of trials and occupations to consequence in a worldly way and a position of high esteem and regard among the people of the city in which the greater part of his activities were shown.
Mr. Heldstab was a native of Switzerland, born in the city of Davos, December 2, 1860, where he was reared on a farm and remained until he reached the age of twenty-one. Ile was the son of Honus and Anna (Travaner) Heldstah. Both parents died in Switzerland. In the spring of 1882 he came to the United States in company with his brothers, Chris- tian and Martin, and located at Alma, Buffalo county, Wisconsin. In that locality he worked for about one year at farm labor. Early in 1883 he changed his residence to Crookston, Minnesota, and here also he worked out on farms for a few years, but passed most
of the time in the neighborhood of Warren, in Mar- shal county, during this period.
Mr. Heldstab's next move was to form a partner- ship with Matthew Ridi for carrying on an active business in the iee trade. The partnership lasted only a few years, as Mr. Heldstab saw a more favor- able opening for his energies in a short time and sold his interest in the ice firm. He then turned his atten- tion to the draying industry and also occupied him- self to a considerable extent in collecting buffalo bones and shipping them to markets where they were in demand. He continued his draying business for a number of years and then sold it to advantage. In 1896 he purchased the ice business of John Schantzen, which he conducted with increasing trade and pros- perity until his death at his home in Crookston, 420 North Main street, on September 8, 1915. He was fifty-four years of age when he died, and twenty-two years of his industrious and useful life were passed in Northwestern Minnesota.
During the whole of his residence in this country
Guriderkroste
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Mr. Heldstab took an earnest interest and an active part in the affairs of the community of his home and contributed essentially to its progress and develop- ment. He was not, however, an active political par- tisan and never sought or desired a public office of any kind. His work for the advancement of his city and connty was that of a good eitizen outside of political contentions and hopes of direct personal reward except what came from the improvement of his locality. He belonged to the German Lutheran church and was one of the earliest and most active members of St. Paul's congregation of that sect in Crookston.
On December 20, 1891, Mr. Heldstab was married in Crookston to Miss Lena Weber, who was born in Oberstein, Germany, November 12, 1871, and came to this country in 1888, when she was seventeen years old. Seven sons were born of their union, one of whom, Paul Walter, died when he was about one year old. The mother and six of the sons are living and have their homes in Polk county. The living sons are : John W., Gustav M., Christian R., Theodore E., Harold D. and Willard A. At the time of his death the father owned a fine farm of 320 acres, which was well improved and under good cultivation.
HON. GUNDER KROSTUE.
As a large landholder, an enterprising and suceess- fnl merehant, a member of the state legislature, the postmaster for many years of the town of Fisher and a prominent, influential and highly esteemed eitizen, the late Hon. Gunder Krostue dignified, adorned and ad- mirably represented the best manhood and eitizenship of Polk county in many lines of usefulness and benc- ficial labor and example to the locality of his home.
Mr. Krostue was born June 10, 1851, on a farm named Krostue in Saetersdahl, Norway, and was brought to the United States by his parents when he was but ten years old. The family located in Waupaca county, Wisconsin, where the son grew to manhood and obtained a limited education in the country schools. At an early age he began to work at farm labor and later was employed as a lumberman, driv- ing logs down the Mississippi river to St. Louis. These occupations, however, were too precarious and nn- promising to satisfy his ambition, and he determined to do something more in line with his tastes and em- bodying better prospeets for him.
In 1880 Mr. Krostne took up his residence in Polk county, and here for a time he served as engineer with a threshing erew and then worked on the survey of the Great Northern railroad between Grand Forks and Crookston. Later he proved up on a homestead elaim
in Grand Forks county, North Dakota, which he then sold. He at once located in the town of Fisher, this county, and for four years thereafter was employed as a clerk in the store kept by Messrs. Thompson & Johnson. At the end of that period he entered upon an independent mercantile career, opening a store in Fisher for general merchandise and farming imple- ments. This proved to be one of the most successful of his many activities, and carried him to a promi- nent place in connection with the business interests of the county. He beeame an extensive landholder, owning some 2,100 acres of farm land near Fisher, and was also president of the Fisher Bank from the time of its organization until his death. In addition he served as postmaster of Fisher for many years until the pressure of other engagements compelled him to retire from the office.
Mr. Krostue continued to live in Fisher until his death on July 7, 1912, when he was in his sixty-first year. He belonged to the elass of men who rise to snecess and influence through their native ability and industry and win the regard of all who know them by their sterling worth and admirable manhood. He freely bestowed the gifts of his strong personality in the service of his fellow men and left the memory of many commendable accomplishments as a eitizen,
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many noble traits as a friend and many wise and fruitful achievements through his enterprise and pub- lic spirit, as well as that of his eminent success as a business man.
In the public life of his community this far-seeing gentleman always was a trusted leader, and in the fall of 1902 his fellow citizens selected him as their representative in the lower house of the state legis- Jature. In the session of 1903 he was chairman of the House committee on drainage and a member of the committees on grain and warehouse and roads, bridges and navigable streams. He was re-elected in the fall of 1904, and in the session of 1905 he was again ehair- man of the committee on drainage and was also as- signed to duty on the committees on binding twine, publie health, dairy and food products and temper- anee legislation.
In his religious affiliation Mr. Krostue was connected with the United Lutheran church, of which his widow is also an active member and earnest supporter. Her maiden name was Christine Benson and she is the daughter of Lars Benson. She was born in Waupaca county, Wisconsin, and at an early age removed with her parents to Goodhue county, Minnesota, where the family resided until the accidental death of the father by drowning at Red Wing. After that sad event the mother and her eight children changed their residence to Pope county, Minnesota, and there Miss Christine lived until her marriage to Mr. Krostue, which took place on December 2, 1882. Of the children born of their marriage seven are living: Lawrence, who is a farmer, and Clara, Lottie, Myron, Theresa, Clayton and Glendora. Sinee the death of her husband Mrs. Krostue has continued to make her home at Fisher.
JULIUS WENTZEL.
Having borne faithfully and with good results for himself and the localities in which he lived the heat and burden of a long day of toil, in which he experi- enced many privations and hardships, Julius Wentzel of Crookston, one of the former prosperous and pro- gressive farmers of Polk county, has retired from ae- tive pursuits and is passing the evening of his life in comfortable leisure and enjoying in a sensible and useful way the fruits of his former well-applied in- dustry and good management.
Mr. Wentzel was born in Prussia August 28, 1847, and remained there until he reached the age of six- teen. He then came to the New World and took up his residenee for a year in the province of Quebec, Canada, where he was variously employed. From Canada he moved to Detroit, Michigan, and there he also passed a year in work of different kinds. After that he lived in Manitowoc county, Wisconsin, until January, 1878, when he came to Polk county, Minne- sota, and pre-empted a traet of 160 acres of land in Lowell township.
The land taken up by Mr. Wentzel was wholly un- cultivated and unimproved, and he began to devote himself at onee to transforming it into a farm and a good home for himself and his family. He con- tinued to live on it and develop and improve it until the fall of 1909, making it over into a highly produe- tive and valuable rural estate and an attractive coun- try home. In the fall of 1909 he decided to quit farm- ing and all active work of a laborious character, and moved to Crookston, where he has since' resided. After taking up his residence in Crookston he sokdl his farm.
On December 11, 1873, Mr. Wentzel was united in marriage with Miss Caroline Radi, who was born in Prussia March 19, 1858, and came to the United States with her parents in 1863, when she was about five years old. The family located in Manitowoe county, Wisconsin, where Mrs. Wentzel was reared and where she was living at the time of her marriage. She and her husband became the parents of twelve children, eleven of whom are living. They are
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COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY OF POLK COUNTY
Charles, William, August, Julius, Minnie, Anna, village of Fisher July 22, 1910, when she was twelve Fred, Alvina, Ida, Freda, John and Pauline, the years old. youngest child, was drowned in Red Lake river at the
ROBERT ANDERSON.
Approaching now the evening of his life in peace and prosperity after many years of arduous labor, care and the usual difficulties incident to the exist- ence of a farmer in the Northwest of this country, Robert Anderson, of East Grand Forks, has retired from active pursuits with an unstained record of clean, good and serviceable citizenship to his credit and favored with the esteem and good will of every- body who knows him. He was born in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, January 28, 1847, and in June, 1874, came to the United States, locating temporarily at Grand Forks. On July 2, of the year last named he took up a homestead in Grand Forks township, Polk county, and on this he lived until the spring of 1913, when he gave up farming and moved to the city of East Grand Forks. He has sold his farm and is living retired and free from all business cares.
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