USA > Minnesota > Polk County > Compendium of history and biography of Polk County, Minnesota > Part 55
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MICHAEL DRISCOLL.
Although he is one of the largest landholders in Polk county, and one of its most successful and pros- perous residents, Michael Driscoll, who lives on the East half of Section 28, Sullivan township, five and one-half miles cast of East Grand Forks, has accumu- lated all his property by his own industry, thrift and good management, which qualities he has also employed in the service of his township greatly to its advantage. He was born in County Lanark, province of Ontario, Canada, June 26, 1856, and came to Polk county, Min- nesota, in company with his brother Jolin in 1878.
When they arrived in this county each of the two brothers took up a homestead, Michael getting the Northeast quarter and Jolin the Northwest quarter of Section 28, in what is now Sullivan township. Ed- ward Sullivan took up the Southeast quarter of this section and Michael bought it of him after he proved up on it, paying him $20 an aere for it. Mr. Sullivan had also taken up the Southwest quarter of the same section, and later John bought this of him. The Dris- coll brothers then had a half-section apiece. When they reached this county they had about $50 cach in money, which they had saved from their earnings while working in the lumber woods.
Mr. Sullivan had located here the fall before, and when the Driscolls left home they intended to locate either in the Red river valley or the valley of Forest
river in North Dakota, where they also had a friend. When they inspected the North Dakota region they found that only two filings had been made in it, and they concluded to locate in Polk county, Minnesota. In 1879 John returned to his old Ontario home and the next spring he brought the other members of the family to Minnesota. Each of the boys had broken up twenty acres of his land, giving their work for the use of oxen to do it with, and together they had built a claim shanty in the spring of 1878.
In the winter Michael cut cord wood on the Dakota side of the Red river at 75 cents a cord, paying $4.50 a week for board, and he and a man he had with him each cleared $150 on the winter's work. Michael had bought a yoke of oxen and the next spring he bought another yoke. He then remained with his father and brothers, and worked for his father for ten years. Ifis brother John married in 1882, but Michael remained single until February 14, 1887, when he was married to Miss Margaret O'Neill, the daughter of a neighbor of the family and eighteen years old at the time of her marriage.
In 1888 he built part of his present dwelling and took up his residence in it. By that time he had his land all broken up, and in 1891 he set out trees for a windbreak. IIe has since bought the Northeast quarter of Section 16, the Northeast quarter of Sec-
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tion 22, the Southwest quarter of Section 15 and eighty aeres of the Northwest quarter of Section 15, enlarging his holdings here to 880 acres, and in addi- tion he owns some timber land on the Red river, and he and his brother John together own 800 acres in Manitoba, none of which has yet been invaded by the plow. Recently he has given 160 aeres in Section 15 to his son, John James Driscoll.
Mr. Driscoll operates his farm with the aid of his sons. Hle raises corn for feed for his live stock and other grain for market. In 1915 hie produced 20,000 bushels, using twenty horses in the work of cultivat- ing his land. He also keeps fifty head of cattle and milks fifteen or sixteen cows. In addition he has bred l'ereheron horses of a high grade, his exhibits in this line taking first honors at the North Dakota state fair.
From the beginning of his residence in this county Mr. Driscoll has been active and serviceable in local publie affairs. He helped to organize his township, the meeting for the purpose being held at the resi- dence of Timothy Sullivan, and the township being named in honor of that gentleman, who is now living in East Grand Forks retired from active pursuits. Mr. Driscoll is now and for twenty years has been chairman of the township board, and he was a member of it before his chairmanship began. Ile has also long been a member of the school board. His children number ten, and all of them except one of his two daughters are still living at home. The children are John James, Cecilia. Michael, Francis, Josephine, Ernest, Leslie, Lawrence, Earl and Clarence. Cecilia is the wife of Thomas Hanrehan, a farmer in Montana.
LOUIS FONTAINE.
One of the most forceful and fruitful influences for good in the early history of Polk county, particularly in the direction of peopling the wilderness and re- decming it to usefulness and the service of mankind. was embodied in the work of the late Louis Fontaine, for a long time the inspiring and controlling spirit of the most extensive and active mercantile business in this part of the state of Minnesota. His efforts were devoted, however, not to Polk county alone, but a large part of the whole Red River Valley. As carly as 1872 he passed through a part of this valley, and he repeated his visit to and study of it several times during the few years following. His familiarity with the valley enabled him to speak and write with authority on its possibilities, which he very diligently did, and in 1878 he came to Crookston to reside, and within the same year his efforts, in connection with those of Pierre Bottineau, the noted seout and guide, who moved here from Minneapolis, and Isaiah Gervais, who came from near St. Paul, were instrumental in directing large numbers of French-Canadians to this seetion. What followed is history, and the results of the foresight and enterprise of these resolute pioneers
are seen in the present state of development and progressiveness of the region.
Mr. Fontaine was born at St. Hyacinthe, in the provinec of Quebec, Canada, January 11, 1840. He was a son of Louis and Justine (Martel) Fontaine, who were devoted to his welfare. But his adventurous disposition led him to quit the shelter of their roof and fireside at the age of fourteen and go forth to hew out his own career in the world. He came to Minnesota and found employment on a farm near St. Paul until 1858. He then moved to McLeod county, which was just opening to settlement, took up a claim and began farming on his own account, continuing to be so engaged until the Civil war began.
In November, 1861, Mr. Fontaine enlisted for the defense of the Union in Company E, Fourth Minne- sota Infantry. This regiment helped to bear the brunt of the mighty sectional strife, and Mr. Fontaine was with it in all its engagements. He took part in the battles of Inka, Corinth, Fort Pemberton, Champion HIill, Jackson, Duval's Bluff and others, and the long siege of Vicksburg. He was also in the engagements at Altoona and Missionary Ridge, and with Sherman
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in the historic "March to the Sea"; and when the momentous confliet was ended he participated in the grand review of the Federal armies in Washington, D. C., being discharged from military service in July, 1865.
Immediately after his discharge from the army Mr. Fontaine returned to Minnesota. Ile arrived at St. l'aul at 9 o'eloek one morning, purchased a restaurant, saloon and fixtures before noon, and began business in his new place before nightfall. At the end of three years, during which his business was very prof- itable, he sold out and engaged in general merchandis- ing, in which he was occupied for ten years in St. Paul. In the meantime he took up a soldier's home- stead near Mapleton, North Dakota, which he sold a year later. ITis visits to his homestead brought him to Crookston, whose location and seeming possibilities impressed him so favorably that he determined to loeate here.
In the summer of 1878, in association with William Anglim, he purchased the stock and business of W. D. Bailey, a general merchant at Crookston, hurried back to St. Paul to close his business there, and in September returned to Crookston to remain. Timber then covered the site of the town, there was not a street opened, and there were very few improvements of any kind. The settlement, however, contained two stores in addition to that of Messrs. Fontaine & Anglim, but all three were in primitive log buildings. At the end of two years these gentlemen ereeted a brick building, in which they conducted their groeery department when later they put up two additional
rooms, which gave them three fronts. They carried a stoek of $75,000 and employed ten clerks after their business reached its development, and had the most extensive as well as the most profitable trade in this whole section of the Northwest. In 1882 they put in a large stock of farm machinery, but they were so busily ocenpied with their numerous other lines of trade that they soon abandoned this one. Mr. Fon- taine, however, had an interest in a general store at Argyle, in Marshall county, which also did a very ex- tensive business.
Mr. Fontaine held a high place in the regard of the people of this part of the state and wherever else he was known. He was a man of fine business capacity, great force of character and sterling integrity. IIe was also publie-spirited and progressive to the last de- gree, and was universally esteemed as one of the truly representative men of Polk county. He was a Cath- olie in religious faith and a devout and serviceable member of his church. On September, 19, 1866, he was united in marriage with Miss Rosie Trombley, a native of Kankakee. Illinois, and the daughter of Mitchelle Trombley. They became the parents of nine children : Lizzie, Cora, Albert, George, Ermine, Vietor, Albert, Blanche and Alma, six of whom are living.
The useful and stimulating life herein briefly chronieled ended in St. Paul, November 7, 1914. The mother of the household is still living and now has her home in St. Paul, where, although she lives retired and in an unostentations way, she is well known in many parts of the eity and most highly respected by all classes of the people.
H. C. H. WIK.
H. C. H. Wik, a farmer of Woodside township, has been a resident of the county since 1881 and has been actively associated with the agricultural interests of the community. He is a native of Norway, born August 8, 1845, and eame to this country immediately after his marriage to Caroline Olson in 1871 and after spending a year with a brother who was living in St. 23
Paul, then located in Dakota county, Minnesota, where he engaged in the development of a small farm. In 1881 he eame to Polk county and took a homestead claim in section seven of Woodside township on the shore of Maple lake, about six miles southwest of Mentor. This land he has developed into his present produetive farm and has cleared and cultivated fifty
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acres of the traet, which was covered with timber. He gives his attention to both grain and dairy farming. He has always taken an active interest in the affairs of his adopted country and has capably discharged the duties of good citizenship. In local activities and progress, he has been influential as assessor and mem- ber of the township board, serving as supervisor for ten years. In political opinion and allegiance he is independent. He is allied with the business interests of the community as a stockholder in the cooperative creamery and cooperative store at Mentor. Mr. Wik and his wife have reared a family of five children,
Hans Osear, who now lives in Bottinean county, North Dakota; Mary, the wife of D. E. Clark, of the same state; Bertina, who married Christ Fulstaid and whose death occurred at Melvin, Minnesota, in 1905; Carrie A., a teacher, who after seven years employment in Polk county schools, is now teaching in Bottineau eounty, North Dakota, and Olof, in charge of the home farm and who was married to Sophia Iverton. Mr. Wik was one of the organizers of the United Lutheran church at Maple lake and has continued to be a faithful supporter of its interests.
KNUTE KNUDSON.
Knute Knudson, a well known pioneer of western Polk county and prominent farmer of Bygland town- ship, came to this eounty in 1873 from Wiseonsin. Ile was born in Norway, in November, 1847, and was but twelve years of age when his parents brought their family to the United States and settled in Wapaca county, Wisconsin, where Knnte Knudson be- came familiar with the labor and vicissitudes of pioneer life, assisting in the work of clearing the timber land for eultivation and working in the lumber woods. During his first winter in Minnesota, he hauled logs to the Red river for the Hudson Bay com- pany and in the spring took his homestead in what became seetion four of Bygland township and was joined in his new location by Aspen Olson, his brother- in-law and Osman Isaaeson, whose sister, Bertha Isaae- son, later became his wife. He assisted Mr. Olson to erect a home and later replaced the loss of his own shack, which had been destroyed by a prairie fire, with a more substantial structure, which is now in- eluded in his present home. With thrifty manage- ment he had saved several hundred dollars and he continued his Inmber work along the river, and this enabled him to purchase a yoke of oxen and imme- diately engage in the breaking of his land. He en- dured discouragements and misfortunes and suffered the loss of one of his first erops through the devasta-
tions of grasshoppers. Some years later he bought two hundred acres of railroad land and continued adding to his property until it comprised an estate of four hundred and forty acres. His principal agricul- tural interest has been the raising of grain, to which he devotes a quarter section of his land and he has an annual erop of several thousand bushels. He also keeps a herd of Short Horn and Polled Angus cattle and dairy eows but has never engaged in stock farm- ing. As one of the first settlers and a man of progres- sive interests, he has ever been associated with public affairs and the general advancement of the com- munity. He was present at the first election held when the township received its name from those present who were natives of Bygland, Norway. He was elected the first township treasurer and has given almost continuous service since on the township board, in various capacities. His interests were always ae- tive in church and school affairs and he was one of the organizers of the Bygland Lutheran church. He is a member of the Republican party but maintains the independence of his political judgment from the strictures of partisan views. His marriage to Bertha Isaacson, whom he had known in his Wisconsin home, occurred in 1876. Ten children were born to this union, of whom two are dead, Isaae, whose death came in his eighteenth year and Neal, who died on his
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Canadian homestead. Margaret is the wife of Ole Torkelson, of Red Lake county; Martin is now living on the western coast; Toney married Lars T. Larson and lives in Canada; Birget is the wife of Osman Sannes, of Grand Forks and Osman Salve and Ole re- main with their parents. Theodore Knudson, the eldest son of the family took a homestead in Pen-
nington county, near Thief River Falls and after ae- quiring the title to his land, sold and returned to Polk county, purchasing a portion of his father's homestead and has since combined the operation of his farming interests with those of his father. He is a member of the Socialist party.
BERNT L. BJUGSTAD.
Reared to manhood and strength in his native land of Norway and inheriting the hardiness and resolute spirit of his Norwegian aneestry, Bernt L. Bjugstad, one of the progressive and wide-awake farmers of King township, this eounty, has succeeded in winning his way to a comfortable prosperity in the New World, as all who knew him in youth and observed his in- dustry, determination and perseverance, expected hin to do, wherever he might be. He was born December 14, 1860, and emigrated to the United States in 1880, landing at Boston and from there coming at onee to Minnesota and locating in Ottertail county, where he remained about two years.
The next year was passed by Mr. Bjugstad near Fargo, North Dakota, on the Buffalo river, and in 1883 he eame to Polk county and took up 160 acres of land in seetion 1I, King township. On this tract he has since lived, and by his industry and good
management he has converted its wild expanse into a good farm and enriched it with good buildings, mak- ing it an attractive and valuable country home. He has also taken an earnest and helpful interest in the publie affairs of his township and has given his dis- triet valuable and appreciated service as school director.
On February 4, 1891, Mr. Bjugstad was married to Miss Anna G. Moy, who was born in Norway May 9, 1872, and came to the United States with her parents in 1881. Her father was Gunder Moy, who lived in Polk county until 1894, then sold his farm and moved to Bemidji, where he passed the rest of his life. Mr. and Mrs. Bjugstad are members of St. John's Lutheran church. They have two children, Nettie and Gunda. The genuine worth of the parents has won them the lasting esteem of all who know them.
FREDERICK BAATZ.
The interesting subjeet of this brief review has been one of Polk county's most progressive and esteemed citizens. His industry and thrift, which are ehar- aeteristie of the German people, and his persistent and devoted attention to his own affairs, have been potent factors in his success and have also won him the respeet and good will of his whole township, which is largely populated by persons of a totally dis- tinet nationality.
Mr. Baatz was born in the grand duchy of Luxem- burg, Germany, December 7, 1854, and eame to the
United States in 1871, joining ar unele who lived in Wabasha county, Minnesota, with whom he remained until the spring of 1878. He then came to Polk county and took up the first homestead in what is now Russia township, which later he helped to organize. He came to this eounty to get a home, and he has not only had a good one for himself ever since but has helped very largely to make the region habitable for other persons.
The land on which Mr. Baatz lives, and which he has made over into an excellent farm, is the Northwest
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quarter of Section 4, in Russia township, and is ten miles southeast of Crookston. When he settled on it there was no other resident for many miles south or east of him and there were but few north of him in the direction of Crookston. Ile now owns three quarter seetions, 480 acres in all, one quarter in Sec- tion 5, Russia township, and one in Section 34, Fair- fax township, but all contiguous so that they make one farm. For one quarter he paid $800 and the rest of his land he paid $26 an acre. When he located in Polk county he had only $200 with which to buy teams and get a start, but he has now a competence for life, all due to his own efforts.
Live stock and grain are the staples of Mr. Baatz' productions. Ile keeps 30 to 60 head of cattle every year, mostly Holsteins, and milks 10 to 12 cows the year round, selling cream to the ereameries. In 1915 he raised 4,000 bushels of wheat and 2,000 bushels of oats and barley, and he has in the neighborhood of 40 acres in corn on his land every year. Ilis farming operations are conducted on a large scale and with decided enterprise and energy, and they are very profitable on that account.
It is easy to see that Mr. Baatz' own affairs are very comprehensive and exacting, but they have never kept him from taking an earnest and active part in the affairs of his township. He has been treasurer of the township board nine years and its chairman fifteen years, being a member of it almost from the organiza- tion of the township, and has served for thirty years on the local school board. In fact, he has scarcely been out of office a day since Russia township's cor- porate existence began, and his services in every offi- cial position have been highly satisfactory to the resi- dents of the township.
Mr. Baatz was married in Wabasha county, Minne- sota, in 1882, to Miss Emma Sehwirtz, a German by birth. They have had five children, all but one of whom are still living and at home with their parents. Their son Frank died when he was twenty years old. The living children are Rosa, Mary, Annie and John. The last named attended the State Agricultural School at Crookston for a special course of instruction. All the members of the family are Catholics and belong to the Cathedral parish in Crookston.
IION. KNUTE S. AKER.
Two things are plainly demonstrated in the public life and services of Ilon. Knute S. Aker, a leading citizen of Hubbard township, this eounty, and a mem- ber of the Minnesota House of Representatives in 1911 and 1912, and the highly approved incumbent of sev- eral other offices from time to time. These two facts are that he fully understands the needs of the people around him and is both wise and industrious in his efforts to provide for them. In every official position to which the people have elected him he has seemed to catch the exact drift of publie sentiment as to the performance of his duties and to hit upon the most effective and satisfactory manner of discharging them so as to obtain the best results.
Mr. Aker lives on Section 9, Hubbard township, and has been a resident of this county since June 12, 1878. He was born in Norway September 19, 1853, and
when he was but seven years old was brought to this country by his parents, Sondre and Ingebor Aker. On arriving in the United States the parents located in Winneshiek county, lowa, and there they lived until the spring of 1881, when the family moved to a home- stead in Golden township, Walsh county, North Dakota, which was taken up by the subject of this review. Ile built a dwelling for his parents and broke up forty acres of the land for them, and they passed the remainder of their days on the homestead, the. mother dying on it when she was seventy years old and the father when he was seventy-three.
Knute S. Aker reached the age of nineteen and obtained his education in Winneshick county, Iowa. Ile worked out at farm labor until he was about twenty-five, then came to Polk county, arriving on June 12, 1878, and bought 160 acres of railroad land,
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which is still a part of his home farm. When he made his first purchase he incurred an indebtedness of $1,250. Now he owns about 1,200 aeres of good land, all of which is paid for, well improved and prae- tieally under cultivation. By his industry, thrift, wise business management and good judgment he has added about 1,100 acres to his original purchase and won for himself a substantial competence for life.
Mr. Aker has also risen to a position of eonsequence and influence in connection with public affairs in his township and county, and at every step of his progress in this line of advancement has fully justified his title to the continued confidence and esteem of the people. IIe has been chairman of the local school board for twenty-two years, a justice of the peace for seventeen years and supervisor and assessor of Hub- bard township for five or six years. In 1885 he took the state census in Hubbard township and he has also taken the government eensus three times. Through- out his residence in Polk county he has been very active in the service of his township, negleeting no publie interest and allowing none to go without his zealous support and assistance. He has long been one of the directors of Bethesda hospital in Crookston, and it has profited by his systematie attention to its affairs.
In the fall of 1910 Mr. Aker was elected to the state
House of Representatives. Ile served in the regular session of 1911 and the special session of 1912 with credit to himself and benefit to the state. He was a member of several important committees in the House and was constant in his attention to his legislative duties both in committee rooms and on the floor, giv- ing careful study to all bills introduced and keeping himself well posted in reference to every need of the state and every danger that threatened its welfare.
Mr. Aker was married in Bygland township, Polk county, on June 3, 1880, to Miss Ales Thompson, who was born in Howard county, Iowa, of Norwegian par- entage. Nine children have been born of the union, seven of whom are living, the first and second in the order of birth having died in infaney. Those who are living are Ole, Bella, Sander, Gurie, Carl, Annie and Mabel. Bella is now the wife of John Tofsley; Gurie is the wife of Ole Bramseth, and Annie is the wife of Harry Larson. Mr. and Mrs. Aker are very genial and companionable persons, with a cordial and help- ful interest in all their fellow beings. Their agreeable home is a center of bounteous and gracions hospitality and a popular resort for their friends, who are num- bered by the host, and who find it the seat of refined and illuminating soeial culture.
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