USA > Minnesota > Polk County > Compendium of history and biography of Polk County, Minnesota > Part 29
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
moved to Winona, Minnesota, and in 1878 to Moor- head, this state. There the mother died in March, 1909, and there the father still has his home. He served as clerk of the courts in Clay eounty sixteen years, and prior to that time bought grain in various parts of Southern Minnesota.
Of the three sons and two daughters of his par- ents who are living, John R. Rasmusson is the only one living in Polk county. He attained his manhood and got his edueation in Minnesota, and at the ago of twenty-six changed his residenee to Spokane, Wash-
191
COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY OF POLK COUNTY
ington, where he served as deputy clerk and city clerk for two years. In 1893 he returned to Moorhead, and in 1896 removed to Crookston, where he has since resided and is now actively and profitably engaged in the hardware trade. Hc takes an interest in the public affairs of his home city and county, but has not sought office or been an active political partisan.
In 1892 Mr. Rasmusson was united in marriage with Miss Elisa Dahl, who was born in Norway and
brought to the United States in her childhood. They have two children, Harold D. and Dagna J., both of whom still abide with them in their pleasant home. The parents are members of the English Lutheran church and take a serviceable part in its activities, as they do in every undertaking for the good of the community. They stand well in the city and county, and deserve in full measure the cordial regard in which they are held by all classes of their residents.
AUGUST MILLER.
The late August Miller of Crookston, who died in that city June 8, 1913, was the founder of the Crooks- ton tannery and for nearly twenty years was one of the leading manufacturers and business men of Polk county. He was born in Sweden in 1853 and was reared and educated in that country. There also he learned his trade as a tanner and followed it until 1888. In that year he brought his family to the United States and Minnesota and located in St. Paul, where he operated a tannery until 1894. He then moved to Crookston and started the first tannery operated in this state north of the Twin Cities. He
- began his operations on a small scale but steadily in- creased them until now the plant he founded handles about 3,000 hides a year. The tannery is completely equipped with modern machinery, occupies two large buildings and draws its trade from a large part of this state, the two Dakotas and the province of Mani- toba, Canada.
Mr. Miller was married in his native land to Miss Eva Johnson. They became the parents of eight chil- dren, all of whom have died except three. Their mother is also still living. She is a member of the Swedish Lutheran church, as was her husband dur- ing his life. They were among the founders of the
congregation of their faith in Crookston and zealous in its service from the beginning of its history, being persons of sturdy and sterling qualities and helpfully interested in all good works among the people around them.
Herman U. Miller, the son of August, is also a native of Sweden, where his life began in 1884. He was a child of four years when he came to this country with his parents, and in Minnesota he grew to manhood and learned the tanning trade under the tuition of his father, and since the death of that es- timable man he has managed the business of the tan- nery with enterprise and expanding trade and grat- ifying success. Though one of the younger set of Crookston's business men he is one of the most capable and progressive of them all, and is generally esteemed as such.
Mr. Miller, the younger, is a member of the Masonic order and the Crookston Commercial club. In relig- ious affiliation he adlieres to the faith of his parents. He was married in 1908 to Miss Marie Amundson, who was born and reared in Polk county. Her par- ents were pioneers of the county, locating and living in the thirteen towns. Mr. and Mrs. Miller have two children, their son Ronald and their daughter Irene.
JOHN W. O'BRIEN.
One of the few remaining members of the fast fading remnant of our pioneers in Polk county, John
W. O'Brien, a retired hardware merchant of Crooks- ton, is highly respected by everybody because of his
192
COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY OF POLK COUNTY
early and later services in the Northwest, his sterling integrity and useful citizenship, and the fine example of business eapacity and enterprise which he has given the people in this section of the state. While he has retired from aetive work in connection with the hard- ware business he founded, he is still a member of the firm which condnets it and gives it the benefit of his adviee.
Mr. O'Brien was born in County Mayo, Ireland, July 14, 1849. His parents, Michael and Mary (Tighe) O'Brien, were also County Mayo folks and their ancestors lived for many generations in that part of the Emerald Isle. The father eame to the United States in 1849 and the family joined him in this country in 1852. He took up his residence at Belvidere, Illinois, and there worked at his trade of stonemason and carried on business as a building contractor. IIe died at Belvidere in 1867, and the mother died there in 1898. They had seven sons, six living, and two daughters, one dead. One daughter and three of the sons are residents of Crookston, and the other son lives at Devil's Lake, North Dakota, and two reside in Illinois.
John W. O'Brien eame to Minnesota and located
in Duluth in 1869. He worked on the Lake Superior railroad for a time and was then employed on the Northern Paeifie when that road was building into Moorhead, Minnesota, his position on each road being that of foreman, and in this eapacity he helped to build the Great Northern into Beltrami. In 1873 he passed a short time in Crookston and in 1878 located in that city permanently. There he started in business for himself, which he followed until 1885, when he opened a hardware store in partnership with his brother James, and this is the one the brothers still own.
Mr. O'Brien is a Catholie in church affiliation and has been a zealous and serviceable Demoerat in politi- cal allegianee from his youth. In 1882 he was united in marriage with Miss Johanna Donovan, a native of Canada but of Irish parentage. She died in 1907 leaving no children. Throughout her married life she met every requirement of her duty with energy and a cheerful spirit, and she stood deservedly high in the good will and regard of the whole community of her home, as Mr. O'Brien does now and always has wher- ever he is known.
CHARLES A. HITCHCOCK.
In the twenty-two years of his residence in Crooks- ton Charles A. Hitcheoek, one of the city's leading men, has built up an extensive business and an exeel- lent reputation as a shrewd and far-seeing business man and an enterprising, progressive and publie- spirited eitizen, warmly and intelligently interested in the welfare of the community and willing at all times to do his part of the work necessary to promote it.
Mr. Hiteheoek was born in Dubuque, Iowa, Deceni- ber 2, 1864, a son of Rollin G. and Luey E. (Nelson) Hiteheock, natives of Vermont. The father was a farmer in his native state and continued to be one after he eame West. In 1855 he located in Iowa, where he purchased a traet of wild land which he eon-
verted into a well improved and valuable farm. Ile and his wife died at the home of their son Charles at the age of eighty-nine years, their deaths oceurring within one month of each other. They were the par- ents of three sons and four daughters, Charles A. being the only one of the seven living in Minnesota, of which he has been a resident for twenty-seven years.
Charles A. Hitebeoek grew to manhood and was educated in Iowa, and followed farming until 1888. In that year he removed to McIntosh, this county, and began quetioneering stoek, and this has been his principal oceupation from then until the present time. In 1893 he changed his residenee to Crookston, which has ever sinee been his home. But his business takes him periodically to Illinois and Iowa, where he is
193
COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY OF POLK COUNTY
as well known and highly esteemed as he is in Min- nesota, and where he devotes himself to his chosen calling on an extensive scale and in a very active way.
Mr. Ilitchcock was married in 1888 to Miss Mary E. Barr, a native of Iowa, in which state the marriage took place. They have one child, their son Harry W., who is living at home with them and is connected with the Times Printing company. In the local pub- lic affairs of his community Mr. Hitchcock has long
taken an active and helpful part. He served the city of Crookston as mayor from 1900 to 1903, and during his administration the first street paving in the city was done and other improvements of value were made. He also served as a member of the city council for a number of years. Fraternally he is connected with the Masonic Order and the Order of Elks. He also belongs to the United Commercial Travelers' Associa- tion, and his wife and son are members of the Con- gregational church.
JAMES M. CATHCART.
Although yet a young man, and by no means of a wildly roving or adventurous nature, James M. Cath- cart, the accomplished and accommodating secretary of the Crookston Commercial club, has seen a great deal of this country and had an experience of ex- tensive variety. He is a native of Elkhart county, Indiana, where his life began in 1884, and the son of Jolin F. and Florence (Boyer) Cathcart, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Penn- sylvania. Their son James began his education in the district schools of Indiana and completed it at the select school kept by Rev. Dwight L. Moody at Mount Hermon, Massachusetts.
Mr. Cathcart began his career of self-support and advancement in the employ of the Lake Shore & Mich- igan Southern railroad, working in the engineering department at Elkhart, Indiana. Later he was in the same service in New York state and the general offices of the company in Cleveland, Ohio. In 1908 he came to Minnesota and located in St. Paul, where he entered
the employ of the Great Northern railroad. In 1912 and 1913 he was general manager of the department of hotels and camps in Glacier National Park, super- vising the operation and assisting in the construction of buildings, trails and other developments there for the railroad company.
In the fall of 1913 Mr. Cathcart returned to Indi- ana, and in March, 1914, when the Crookston Com- mercial club was reorganized, he was chosen secre- tary of the revived organization, and has served it in that capacity ever since. He is also secretary of the Northwestern Fair Association of Crookston, and a member of the Order of Elks and the Masonic Order, in the latter holding his Blue Lodge membership in Indiana and belonging to the Royal Arch and Com- mandery of Knights Templar and the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine in St. Paul, Minnesota. He was mar- ried in Grand Forks, North Dakota, October 24, 1915, to Miss Elva Gilbert, a native of South Dakota.
HELVOR HOLTE, M. D.
This pioneer physician and surgeon of Crookston, who is widely and favorably known as a professional man of extensive attainments and skill and a citizen of great enterprise, public spirit and progressiveness, is a native of the city of Stavanger, Norway, where his life began July 11, 1857, and where he lived until
he reached the age of sixteen years. In 1873 he came to the United States with his parents and located with them on a farm in Fillmore county, Minnesota.
Dr. Holte remained with his parents and assisted them on the farm for a number of years. He then entered St. Olaf college, at Northfield, this state, and
194
COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY OF POLK COUNTY
in 1893 was graduated from the medical department of the University of Minnesota. He at once began practicing his profession with Crookston as his head- quarters, and he has since then been continuously engaged in an active practice with special attention to the surgical branch of the profession. He has served as county physician of Polk county and is now secretary of the Tuberculosis Sanitarium Commission for Polk and Norman counties.
In 1897 Dr. Holte built the Bethesda Hospital in Crookston, and for a number of years thereafter he was in active control of it. This valued institution is now owned by the Bethesda Hospital Association of Crookston and is conducted by the organization known as the Lutheran Deaconesses. Dr. Holte is a member of the state, county and Red River Valley medical societies and the American Medical Associa- tion. He is also a member of the American Public Health Association, and director of the Minnesota
Public Health Association, and in business circles is a director of the Scandia-American Bank of Crooks- ton and the Crookston Commercial club. His religious affiliation is with the English United Lutheran church, and he is one of the deacons of the congre- gation in which he holds his membership. On Sep- tember 25, 1902, he was united in marriage with Miss Henrietta Lunde, of Franklin, Minnesota. They have three children, Harold Oliver, Evelyn Irene and Junius Augusten. With nearly a quarter of a een- tury of upright and serviceable living among this people, during all of which he has always been at their command for high-grade professional work, it is not surprising that Dr. Holte is universally esteemed throughout the Northwest, and the fact that he is is creditable alike to him and to the people among whom he has lived and labored so long and to such good purpose.
HON. R. T. BUCKLER.
Carrying on extensive industries in farming opera- tions and raising livestock; taking an active and very serviceable part in the public affairs of his county and the whole state of Minnesota; looking to the best and most wholesome progress and development of this part of the country, and holding a high place in the regard and good will of his fellow men, Hon. R. T. Buekler, at present (1916) state senator for the Sixty- sixth Senatorial district, is an ornament to the man- hood of Polk county and one of the county's most progressive, enterprising and useful citizens.
Mr. Buckler was born in Coles county, Illinois, October 27, 1865, and grew to manhood and obtained his education there. His father died when the son was but fourteen years old, and as he was the oldest boy at home, the care of the family devolved in a measure on him. At the age of twenty-one he rented a tract of land in his native county and began to raise broomcorn on a large scale. His average acreage devoted to this production ranged from 120 to 160
acres, and his crops were the largest ever raised in that part of Illinois. He prospered in his venture and bought land until he owned 370 acres, all of which he made through his own unaided efforts. IIe bought his land at $50 an aere and sold some of it at $100 and the rest at $150 an acre, but he expended a considerable sum on improvements also.
The senator became a resident of Polk county in the spring of 1904, having purchased the year before some 800 aeres of land in Andover township. Later he sold a part of this but subsequently added more, and now owns 1,040 acres all in one body on Burn- ham's creek, six miles west of Crookston. On this land, a part of which is the old Alexander Burnham home, he raises great erops of grain and numbers of horses, cattle and shecp. In 1915 he had over 16,000 bushels of oats, 13,000 bushels of barley and 7,000 bushels of wheat. In his farming operations he employs four men and thirteen horses all the time, but does his plowing and threshing with a gas tractor. His usual
R. Y. Buckler
195
COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY OF POLK COUNTY
holdings of livestock run from 1,700 to over 4,000 head of sheep, which run in the grass and stubble and are fattened for the markets, a large lierd of cattle and a good-sized drove of horses. His farm, which is well drained and one of the choicest in the county, is widely and favorably known as a great stock farm.
In everything that has to do with the welfare of Polk county and his township the senator has always taken an active and very helpful interest. He was one of the organizers of the Northwestern Fair asso- ciation, has been one of its directors from the begin- ning of its history, frequently one of its leading exhibitors, and has served as its treasurer. He is also one of the directors of the Farmers' Elevator company at Crookston, and has served as chairman of the township board of supervisors in his township.
In the fall of 1914 Mr. Buckler was elected to the State Senate as a nonpartisan candidate, but he is a Democrat in political faith and cast his last vote for the presidency for Hon. Woodrow Wilson. In the senate session of 1915 he served on the committees on railroads, grain and warehouses, roads and bridges, towns and counties, and others of importance. He procured the enactment of a law compelling railroad companies to keep the stock cars used by them clean; obtained an appropriation of $15,000 for cleaning out
the Sand Hill river near Beltrami, and was an earnest advocate for giving the farmers more voice in deter- mining how the money appropriated for good roads should be expended. His Sand Hill river project, which had been hung up in three former sessions of the legislature, was carried into successful execution in 1915. It provides drainage for a large extent of valuable land not hitherto wholly available for use. His views on the expenditure of state money on roads made him popular in his district and had a consider- able degree of influence in bringing about his election to the senate. The law as passed did not fully meet his views, but it gives the farmers and taxpayers advantages of value which they did not have before it was passed.
In fraternal relations Senator Buckler is a member of the Order of Elks. He was married at the age of twenty-six to Miss Addie Ball, of Coles county, Illi- nois. They have six children, Ruth, Eva, Jack, La Ferne, Mary, and Maxine. The religious leaning of the family is to the Presbyterian church. The senator and all the other members of liis household take an earnest interest in all undertakings for the good of the county and do their part toward making them suc- cessful and serviceable in the largest possible measure.
CHARLES E. KIEWEL.
Secretary, treasurer and general manager of the Kiewel Brewing company of Crookston, Charles E. Kiewel holds a position of great importance in the business life of the city and is highly esteemed by all classes of the people for the admirable manner in which he fills it, the elevated and useful citizenship he exhibits and his sterling manhood in all the rela- tions of life. He was born in the city of Moorhead, Clay county, Minnesota, in 1875, the son of Jacob and Rose (Niggler) Kiewel, the former a native of Prussia and the latter of Switzerland. They came to this country in their childhood and located in Otter- tail county, Minnesota, the mother's people arriving
there in 1862. The father is president of the brewing company in Crookston of which the son is the secre- tary, treasurer and manager.
Charles E. Kiewel grew to manhood at Fergus Falls, Minnesota, and obtained his education in the schools of that city. He learned the brewing business at Lit- tle Falls in this state. In 1899 he and his father became interested in the brewing industry in Crooks- ton by purchasing a small brewery owned and ope- rated by August Walters. They soon afterward enlarged the plant to its present capacity of 30,000 barrels a year. Their product is sold in many parts of the Northwest in the United States and also cx-
196
COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHIY OF POLK COUNTY
tensively in Canada. They have an active trade and show the most commendable enterprise in keeping up with its steadily inereasing demands and all of its most exacting requirements, being abreast of the times and the market at all times.
In addition to his interest in the brewery Mr. Kie- wel is extensively engaged in farming and raising live stock, his favorites being Holstein and Shorthorn cattle, and he has lands devoted exclusively to agri- culture besides those he uses for grazing purposes. Hle pushes all departments of his business with energy, giving each his personal attention, and studying everything likely to aid him in obtaining the best
results and the largest returns for his outlay of time, effort and money throughout.
Mr. Kiewel was married in 1896 to Miss Katharine Blake of Little Falls. They have two children, their sons Dewey J. and Charles. The father of these chil- dren is a member of the Order of Elks and takes an active part in the work of his lodge. He is also a progressive eitizen and displays a highly commend- able publie spirit in connection with all undertakings for the welfare and improvement of the city and county of his home. He is widely and favorably known in many parts of Minnesota and the adjoining states.
CHARLES E. DAMPIER, M. D.
Charles E. Dampier, M. D., pioneer physician and surgeon in the northwest and eminent eitizen of Crookston, is a native of Canada, born in Waterloo, province of Quebec, June 5, 1854. Two years later his parents, Edward and Charlotte (Parmelee) Dam- pier, eame to Minnesota. Edward Dampier was born in Paris but was of English parentage and his wife was a native of Vermont. They located in Steel county, in what is now Lamand township, in 1856, and were the second family of white settlers in that section. Here Edward Dampier took a elaim and engaged in the elearing of the land, part of which was a timber traet. A few years later he removed to Meridian township where he lived until 1862. In that year he went to Dakota county and there rented a farm. Ile also resided for a time in Fergus Falls and Northfield. He was engaged in the hotel busi- ness in the latter place when the town was raided by the Younger Bros. and it was from a window of his hotel that Dr. Wheeler shot Clell Miller. The gun used in this affair is now in the possession of Dr. Dampier, a memento of pioneer days. Edward Dam- pier answered the call of his adopted country during the time of her great struggle and enlisted from Dakota county in Company A, Hateh's independent battalion and served as first lieutenant of his eom-
pany, which was detailed to detached duty in Min- nesota, until the elose of the war. On receiving his honorable discharge in 1865, he returned to Dakota county and purchased a farm near Castle Rock. As an early settler of the state, he endured the hard- ships and trials of that time, a worthy citizen of the new commonwealth. He died, February, 22, 1889. His wife survived him a number of years, her death occurring on May 1, 1905. They had seven children, of whom two sons and a daughter are residents of Minnesota. Charles Dampier was reared in Minne- sota and received his early education in the country schools. He completed his preparatory studies in an academy at Elgin, Illinois, and attended Carleton college. Ile began his professional studies under Dr. C. L. Armington in Northfield and in 1876 en- tered the medical college of the University of Michi- gan, receiving his degree in 1878. Ile located at Dell Rapids, South Dakota, and practiced there for about six months and then returned to Minnesota and to Northfield. In the following year he came to Crookston where he enjoys a large and successful praetiee as the oldest practicing physician in that eity. Dr. Dampier has never regarded his medical education as finished but continues his seientific studies and research, keeping in touch with the many
197
COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY OF POLK COUNTY
developments and achievements of the medical world. Ile has taken several post graduate courses, two of them in Chicago. lIe has won much distinction through his able services during his professional career. He served for five years as councilor for the State Medieal society and is a member of the Amer- ican, Red River Valley, and County medical societies. He has received a number of important federal ap- pointments and is the county examiner for the sani- tarium at Walker, Minnesota, the secretary of the Board of Pension Examiners and for twenty-five years has been the city health officer. He has now
held the position of local surgeon for the Northern Pacific railroad twenty-five years. Aside from his professional duties, Dr. Dampier is identified with public interests as secretary and treasurer of the school board and as treasurer of the Building and Loan association. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, a Shriner and Past Eminent Commander of the Crookston commandery and has been treasurer of the local chapter for over thirty years. Ile was a charter member of the Elks' lodge and has served as treasurer of that order for a number of years.
HARVEY W. MISNER.
This enterprising and progressive young business man, who is a leader among the business men of his generation and circle, and the present capable and popular mayor of Crookston, is a native of Polk county and was reared among its people. He is wholly a product of the county and all the credit for business capacity, good citizenship and administrative ability in office he enjoys in such large measure reflects back upon the county, of whose residents he is a fair type and good representative.
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.