USA > Minnesota > Polk County > Compendium of history and biography of Polk County, Minnesota > Part 39
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EMANUEL PEDERSON.
Emanuel Pederson, a successful farmer of Brands- vold township, was born in Norway, May 20, 1855. When he was fifteen years of age he went to sea ou a ship carrying a eargo of eoal and grain from Holland to England. He was seven months on his first voyage, sailing into the Baltic before returning to Holland. He next served on a Norwegian vessel engaged in the Baltie lumber trade, loading lumber from Scandinavia for Russia. For ten years he worked as a sailor, sailing on a number of different ships and visiting many ports, erossing the ocean several times to New York and Baltimore. During these years of hard and continuous labor he did not share in the improvident, adventuring spirit of the average sailor but saved his
earnings and centered his ambitious upon aequiring land of his own in some good agricultural region. He eame to Minnesota to join an unele living in Otter- tail county, who had sent for him, offering to make him his heir. After two years in Ottertail county he went to Polk county, and in the fall of 1883 filed his elaim on the southeast quarter of seetion eighteen in Brandsvold township. In the following year he began to develop his farm; his first house was a small shanty, but was soon replaced by a comfortable dwelling place. He has built up a good farm by thrifty and able management, with one hundred and twenty aeres under eultivation, and engages in diver- sified farming. His farm is well stocked and he keeps
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a herd of dairy cows, selling eream to the cooperative creamery at MeIntosh. The Pederson place is eon- veniently located four miles west of MeIntosh and a little over six miles northwest of Fosston. Mr. Peder- son spent three years in Canada, leaving his farm in charge of his sons, and took a claim there, which he now owns. IIe also assisted his sons, Ingewald Pederson and Edward Pederson, to secure Canadian land. Since the first election held in Brandsvold township he has been actively identified with the public interests and gave efficient serviee in the office of supervisor for twelve years. His marriage to Maria Wiek took place in Ottertail county in 1885. She
is a native of Norway, born in 1867, and came to this country in the same year that her husband did. They have nine children : Cecilia, wife of Ben Norgaard, of Eden township; Ingewald and Edward, who are farmers in Saskatchewan, and also in charge of their father's land there; Inga, who keeps house for her brother Edward; Conrad and Melvin, who assist their father in the management of the home place; Elmer, living with his brothers in Canada; Hjalmar and Hilda. Mr. Pederson is a faithful supporter and one of the charter members of the Kingu Lutheran church at Fosston.
RICHARD OHM.
Richard Ohm, of Gully, a well known miller and citizen of that township, is one of the pioneer business men of the county, having been employed in milling operations here since 1881. Ile is a native of Ger- many, born in Brandenburg, December 3, 1861. He was apprenticed to the miller's trade and lived in the fatherland until he was twenty years of age, when he came to the United States, arriving in Crookston, Minnesota, August 15, 1881. Ilis first position was with his uncle, Otto Kankel, in the construction and equipment of a buhrstone mill at Fertile, which Mr. Ohm operated after its completion. After about a year and a half there he went to Norman county and operated a mill for Mr. Sohler and Mr. Kankel, and after running it for a time rented it until 1885, when he bought it, paying $6,000 for the plant. During the five years of his able management of this invest- ment he eleared the property of the debt ineurred by the purchase and then returned to Polk county, bought a mill at Thief River Falls, in partnership with R. R. Jaeklin; this was a small steam mill. The railroad had not yet reached the town and the business por- tion consisted of a hotel and a few stores, and after two years here Mr. Ohm moved his machinery to Terrebonne, also in the first days of its development. He had previously dissolved partnership with Mr.
Jaeklin and was associated in the new projeet with two cousins, eondneting a profitable business here until 1899. Meanwhile, on a trip over the county, he had passed through the old reservation land opened for settlement in 1896 and had noted the prospective agricultural activity as contributing to an advanta- geous location for a mill, and in 1899 sold his former interests and located in Gully township. He had a capital of $6,700 to promote the new enterprise, but expended $9,500 in the ereetion and equipment of his mills, a eustom and merehant mill, with full roller process and a capacity of seventy-five barrels. IIis excellent modern equipment and marked business ability have won the Gully Flour Mills a large patronage and steadily growing prosperity. He handles only home grown wheat. When the Soo rail- road was built through this section he gave his support to the organization of a town and sold forty acres of land to the town site company and has continued to be interested in the growth of Gully, although he does not live in the village, his home being near the mills, about a quarter of a mile from the village. Ile has eleared some thirty aeres of his land. Mr. Ohm has taken an active part in publie affairs sinee his resi- denee in the township and gave valuable service as treasurer for a number of years, and for eight years
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was the clerk of the school board. He holds mem- bership in the fraternal order of Modern Woodmen at Red Lake Falls. He takes his occasional recreation in his favorite out-of-door sports, enjoying fishing and hunting. Mr. Ohm was married in 1883 to Lena Norby of Faith, Norman county, Minnesota, and eleven children have been born to them: Pauline,
who married Elmer Goodrich and lives in Canada ; Otto; Walter, associated with his father in the mill; Clara, now residing in Canada; Hattie, who was in the employ of the Central Telephone company for several years and is now at the home in Gully; and Richard, Ruth, Charley, Roy Eveline and Florence, all of whom are living with their parents.
A. P. HANSON.
A. P. Hanson, of Fertile, cashier of the Citizens State bank of that place, was born in Denmark, March 31, 1855, and came to the United States in 1869 with his parents, who were pioneer farmers in Ottertail county, Minnesota, where their homestead was located near Fergus Falls. Mr. Hanson remained on the farm until he was nineteen years of age, when he secured a clerking position in St. Paul and was employed in that work for several years, in St. Paul and later in Fergus Falls. In 1878 he came to Polk county, and as one of the substantial and influential pioneer citizens of the county has been actively identified with the
development of its resources and the notable progress made within its borders. His first activity in the financial field was as bookkeeper in the Merchants National bank at Crookston. His ability has been recognized by steady promotion through the many successful accomplishments of his career, and after six years spent in the position of bookeeper he became the assistant cashier of the Scandinavian American
bank and served in that capacity for sixteen years. He removed to Fertile in May, 1904, and was one of the organizers of the Citizens State bank, in December of the same year becoming its cashier. As business man and citizen Mr. Hanson enjoys the confidence and esteem of his associates, and as a member of the school board has been actively influential in the erec- tion of the new high school building. He is further identified with the interests of the section as the owner of farm lands near Fertile. In fraternal cir- cles he is allied with the Masonic chapter at Crooks- ton and is a member of the Minnesota Bankers' association. Mr. Hanson was, in 1869, married to Miss Christine Charlotte Jacobson of St. Paul and they have four daughters: Elene C., who is engaged in teaching in the schools at Sanger, California; Cora E., the wife of L. R. Clements, of Ormond, Florida ; Mabel G., who is studying music in Northwestern University, and Gertrude F., at home.
HANS PAULSRUD.
Hans Paulsrud, cashier of the Farmers State bank at Fertile, is a native of Norway, born July 8, 1866. He was reared on a farm in his native land, making his home there until he was fifteen years of age, when he went to Sweden and for three years was employed as a clerk in a store. He then returned to Norway and remained there until 1889, when he came to the United States and joined his brother, Anton Paulsrud, in Crookston, where the latter had settled about a year
previously. For a time Hans Paulsrud worked on the farm which was owned at that time by Sheriff Pauls- rud, meanwhile attending the schools at Crookston and fitting himself for wider activities in his adopted country. In the spring of 1890 he came to Fertile and secured a clerical position with the banking firm of Mathews & Company and has since devoted his career to the banking business, attaining noteworthy success in all his operations and meriting the confi-
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dence and esteem of all his associates. When the First State bank was organized as the successor of the old company Mr. Paulsrud was made the assistant cashier and continued to serve in that capacity through the subsequent change in the organization to the First National. In 1912 he assisted in the establishment of the Farmers State bank and was appointed cashier. He has since devoted every effort to the interests of this bank, which has enjoyed marked sucecss and prosperity. The bank was incorporated with a capital of $25,000 and oceupies a fine modern building which not only affords every accommodation for its business
interests but is a notable addition to the superior architectural possessions of Fertile's business sec- tion, oceupying a prominent site on the main street of the town. Mr. Paulsrud is actively associated with affairs of publie moment and has given able service as village treasurer. His marriage to Gerda John- son occurred in Fertile. She is a native of Sweden, the daughter of John Mattson, who engaged in farm- ing in Polk county until his death. Mr. Paulsrud and his wife have a family of three daughters and one son, Anna, John, Hilda and Agnes.
ALBERT O. GULLICKSON.
Albert O. Gulliekson, of Fertile, vice president of the Farmers State bank and a prominent business man of the county, was born in Allamakee county, Towa, Mareh 24, 1875, and has been a resident of Gar- field township since his early childhood. His father, Hans A. Gulliekson, was born in Norway and was brought to the United States by his parents when five years of age, the family being among the first of their countrymen to emigrate to this country. Hans Gul- lickson was married in Iowa to Mary Christianson, who like her husband was a native of Norway, and in 1880 they came to Polk county and were pioneer set- tlers in Garfield township, where Hans Gullickson took a homestead claim in seetions eleven and four- teen, some three miles east of the present site of Fer- tile. Here he experienecd all the arduous labor and privations of the farmer in a new country. His en- tire eapital was represented in a team of oxen and a few head of stock and the traet, being covered witlı timber, required some time in preparing it for culti- vation. During the first seasons he worked in the harvest fields and then devoted his attention to his prospering farming operations and put one hundred and twenty-five acres of his two hundred and forty acre farm under eultivation. He became a well known citizen of that section and was active in all public interests, serving on the township board and
was prominently associated with the organization of the Lutheran church, which was erected on the home- stead of the father of his wife, Ole Christianson, in section fourteen of Garfield township. Mr. Chris- tianson lived on his homestead until his death in 1909, at the age of cighty-three years. His son, Ole Chris- tianson, is now a resident of Crookston. The Gullick- son home was on the land in section fourteen, on the banks of Sand Hill river and here the death of Hans Gullickson occurred in his fifty-eighth year, in June, 1907. His wife survives him and continues to make her home on the farm with her daughter, Viola Gul- lickson, and the three sons, Carl Gulliekson, Orton Gullickson and Melvin Gulliekson, who operate the cstate. The other members of the family of nine children are Albert O., Martin, a former Polk county teacher, who has held positions in a number of Min- nesota schools and is now principal of the schools at Atwater, Minnesota; John, who taught for a time in Polk county and is now engaged in the practice of law at Great Falls, Minnesota ; Otto, associated with Albert O. Gullickson in the mercantile business, and Robert, a farmer in Garfield township. Albert O. Gullickson grew to manhood on the homestead, en- gaging in farming until 1904 when he began his commercial activities, forming a partnership with T. H. Nesseth and buying the interests of Martin G.
ED. MOSSEFIN
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Peterson in the agricultural implement business. After ten years of successful business operations, the firm was dissolved by the death of Mr. Nesseth, Mr. Gullickson buying his interests of the heirs and be- coming sole proprietor of the business. He conducts an extensive trade in all lines of farm machinery and implements, handling silos, windmills and engines and also engages in the flour and feed business. His store is equipped with an attractive show room and large storage capacity and is justly popular among its many patrons. Mr. Gullickson is prominently as- sociated with the various interests of that region, being well known in financial circles as one of the organizers and the vice president of the Farmers State bank, at Fertile, and in public affairs has given
capable service as a member of the village council and is the present recorder. He has ever recognized the duties of good citizenship and has exercised a potential influence in promoting the general welfare of the community, giving effective and notable as- sistance in the direction of the campaign against the saloons. In political belief, he is allied with the Re- publican party and an active supporter of its cause. Mr. Gullickson was married in 1906 to Sophia Sletto, the daughter of Sven and Jorand Sletto, who settled on a homestead in Garden township in 1882. Two sons have been born to them, Solon and Miles. The family are members of the United Lutheran church, in which Mr. Gullickson holds the office of trustee.
ED MOSSEFIN.
Ed Mossefin, of Fertile, president of the Citizens State bank and a successful business man of the county, is a native of Minnesota, born at Wilmar, June 5, 1878. His parents, Mads A. and Joran Mos- sefin, came to the United States from Norway in 1872 and located in Chicago, where Mads Mossefin worked at his trade of tailoring for several years, and in 1876 removed to Wilmar, Minnesota. In 1879 he brought his family to Crookston and engaged in the mercantile business at that place until his death in April, 1914, at the age of sixty-seven years, his son, Norman Mossefin, succeeding him in his business interests. His wife survives him and continues to make her home in Crookston. Mads Mossefin was well known in the church circles of Crookston as a trustee and influential member of the Synod Lutheran church and is remem- bered as a worthy and substantial citizen of that community. Ed Mossefin was reared in Crookston and has been identified in all his interests and activi- ties with the growth and development of Polk county. He attended the common schools and after one year of study in the high school entered the business world as a clerk for Fountaine & Anglin and was employed by that firm for four years. He then took a position
as bookkeeper in the hardware store of J. E. O'Brien Co., where he remained until 1901 and then made an independent venture in the mercantile world, open- ing a general store in Crookston, which he operated for five years, conducting a prosperous and steadily growing trade, which attested to his ability and enterprise in business activities. In 1905 he removed to Fertile, having been one of the organizers of the Citizens State bank in that place in the preceding December. He was appointed assistant cashier of the bank and has since been prominently identified with its notable success and rapid growth, devoting his entire attention to its management. In 1907 he was made vice president and assumed active direction of all the bank affairs, the president, K. J. Taralseth, residing at Warren, and in 1911 became president. The Citzens State bank is one of the most prosperous banking houses in this region, and as president Mr. Mossefin is widely known as one of the able financiers of the county. Mr. Mossefin is also interested in agri- cultural pursuits and owns two farms near Fertile. He takes great pleasure in out of door sports and is an enthusiastic huntsman, enjoying frequent outings in quest of game in the northern woods as well as the
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sports in his home locality. He is a member of the Gun elub and an active and interested participant in all shooting contests and has given his influence to the encouragement of the athletie spirit of the community, faithfully supporting the baseball and other teams in all their interests. He is a member of the Elks lodge. Mr. Mossefin is that type of business man and eitizen whose interest touches every phase of the
life of a community and whose services are given freely in any project which tends to the progress and general welfare. Ile was married in 1901, at War- ren, Minnesota, to Lena Taralseth, the daughter of K. L. Taralseth, who was born at Minneapolis and is a graduate of Carleton college at Northfield, Minnesota. Mr. Mossefin and his wife are members of the Synod Lutheran church.
HON. JOHN HOLTEN.
Hon. John Holten, of Fertile, an eminent eitizen, store being left to his partner, Mr. Carlson. In 1892 business man and statesman of Polk county, was born the latter removed to Tennessee and Mr. Holten be- came sole owner of the business, two years later add- ing a stock of general merchandise. Mr. Carlson returned to Fertile in 1897 and the old relation was again resumed and the firm has sinee continued as Holten & Carlson. They are the owners of the at- tractive business block which they oeeupy, one of the largest in Fertile, and the adjoining building which was formerly utilized for farm machinery, a depart- ment which was discontinued in 1915, the firm inter- ests now being directed solely to a general mercantile trade. Mr. Holten is still the owner of his Norman county homestead which comprises 220 aeres and, in partnership with Mr. Carlson, owns a quarter seetion of land four miles north of Fertile. Mr. Holten's achievements have not been confined to the private interests of the business world but his talent and attention has been given freely for the benefit of the publie welfare and progress where the worth of his serviee lias marked him as a leader in the activities of the commonwealth. His influenee has been prom- inent in the furthering of all eivie improvements and as president of the Fair association, he has assisted in putting the Fertile fair on equally notable basis with the County fair at Crookston. In local offices he has filled the positions of village treasurer, village recorder, and a member of the board of education for fourteen years, the last six of which he was president of the board and for three terms has been president of the town eouneil. In 1907 his field of service was at Sundahl, Norway, September 18, 1849, and grew to manliood in his native land. In 1872 he came to the United States and settled in Winneshiek county, Iowa, where he spent seven years before coming to Minnesota and taking a homestead elaim in Norman county. There he was active in publie affairs and in the organization of Sundahl township, which upon his petition, received its name from his old home in Nor- way and he also served as the first township elerk and assessor. His father, John J. Holten, had come to Iowa in 1873 and joined his son in Norman county, making his home on an adjoining homestead where he continued to reside until his death, February 16, 1910, at the age of eighty-six years. The death of his wife occurred some two years earlier, in her ninety-first year. Mr. Holten's career as a merchant dates from the start of the village of Fertile, when in partnership with Mr. Carlson he engaged in the agricultural machinery business. The usual sueeess and extensive operations of this firm has set a worthy paee for the rapid growth of the town; from a busi- ness started with but eapital sufficient for the freight charges on a earload of machinery, it has advaneed to a twenty thousand dollar stoek and totals the an- nual sales at forty thousand. In 1886 Mr. Holten had become a wheat buyer at Twin Valley and in Deeem- ber of that year transferred his operations to Fer- tile and this enterprise eontinned to receive his atten- tion for a number of years, the management of the
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widened through his election to the lower house of the State Legislature as representative from the sixty- second district. An issue of that election was the county option law and he made his stand as a staunch defender of temperance, in which cause he has always been a valiant fighter. He was re-elected for a second term and in 1911 without making a personal cam- paign for favor, and was again returned to office, re- ceiving a larger majority from his fellow voters than in previous elections. His activity and ability as a legislator brought him a wide reputation and the con- fidence and high regard of his constituents. During his membership in the House lie served on numerous important committees, on the State Prison and Re- form committee, the several committees regulating commerce and retail trade, public lands and the state fair and in 1911 was chairman of the drainage com- mittee and was appropriation commissioner for roads
and bridges. IIe also sat in the special session of 1912. He was not a candidate for re-election in 1913 and lias given his attention to his business interests. Mr. Hol- ten is a member of the Sons of Norway and of the United Lutheran church and has given faithful service as a trustee in that congregation for many years. His favorite recreation is found in out of door life and he has collected many trophies which attest to his skill as a hunter and fisherman. Mr. Holten was married in 1892, to Elina Hoff, of Battle Lake, Ottertail county, and they have a family of two sons and five daughters, John Chester, who is associated with his father in the mercantile business; Melvin Stanley, employed in the Citizens State bank; Frances, who is a student in the Normal school at St. Cloud; Esther and Agnes, members of the high school classes of 1916 and 1917, and Lillian and Ena.
B. E. BEARSON.
B. E. Bearson, of Fertile, well known real estate man and proprietor of the Bearson & Son garage, has been actively associated off and on with the busi- ness activities of that place for some twenty-five years. He is a native of the state, born in Fillmore county, November 20, 1864, and grew to manhood in a pioneer farm home. When eighteen years of age he embarked upon his commercial career as a dealer in horses, meeting with steady success in his venture and within a few years began to ship into the north- ern part of the state. He came to Polk county in 1890, locating at Fertile and continued as a horse dealer for several years, buying in southern Minne- sota and shipping to Fertile and Fargo, North Dakota, and the adjacent agricultural distriets. Sub- sequently he made Britton, South Dakota, his ship- ping point for several years and then returned to Polk county and opened a general store at Mentor in 1903 and during the three years of mercantile opera- tions began his activity as a real estate dealer, having previously invested in farm lands near Fertile and
Mentor. In 1904 he removed to Fertile and bought land adjoining the town, where he has made a spa- cious and attractive country home, situated on a forty acre tract. He began his business operations in the county with a capital of $2,000, and the success to which he has attained and the steady prosperity of his efforts, attests to his marked ability as a business man and to his worth as a citizen. He continues to engage in the shipping of horses in Polk county but devotes the most of his attention to the real estate business and now owns some twelve hundred acres of land in Minnesota, Wisconsin and the Dakotas and is interested in town property and business buildings in Fertile and other places. His land includes both wild and cultivated tracts and through his policy of improving every piece of property in which he in- vests, he has signally contributed to the progress and development of the country. IIe has recently ex- tended his interests to the automobile business and has erected a modern garage in Fertile and operates a repair shop and automobile agency ; his son, Edwin
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