USA > Minnesota > Polk County > Compendium of history and biography of Polk County, Minnesota > Part 60
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BROWN DUCKSTAD.
One of the leading pioneers, business men and pro- moters of the village of Fertile, and for years a valued publie official in various capacities, Brown Duekstad has contributed much to the improvement and benefit of the land and locality of his adoption, and he has also embraced, greatly to his own advan- tage, the opportunities it has offered him for his own progress in a material way and along lines of social and political influence and consequence.
Mr. Duekstad is a native of Norway, where his life began December 6, 1865, and where he was reared to the age of nineteen and obtained his education. In the spring of 1884 he came to the United States and at onee to Polk county, Minnesota, where he has ever
since resided. During the first five years of his resi- dence in this eounty he was employed as a farm hand, working hard, living frugally and saving his earn- ings to enable him to begin at the earliest practicable time the business career to which he was steadily looking forward.
In 1889 he located at Fertile and opened the hard- ware store which he is still conducting there. His business was started on a small scale, but by enter- prise, elose attention to every detail and excellent business capacity he has steadily expanded his trade and enlarged his operations until he is now one of the leading merchants in the part of the county in which he lives. His trade soon outgrew its first
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meager facilities and he was obliged to provide for its growth by erecting the commodious and substan- tial building in which his store is now located. He has also kept up his interest in agricultural pursuits and now owns about 1,200 aeres of land in the vicin- ity of Fertile, and he is also viee president of the First State Bank of Fertile and of the Fertile Briek and Tile company.
Although he has never for a day neglected his own business or the claims of duty to himself and his family, Mr. Duckstad has also at times taken an active and helpful part in the public affairs of his community and eounty, and the people have had the benefit of his integrity, ability and good judgment in the administration of several local offices. He was postmaster at Fertile from 1898 to 1907, and at dif- ferent times has also filled other positions with credit
to himself and advantage to the people. His political affiliation has always been with the Republican party and his church connection with the congregation of Synod Lutheran church.
Mr. Duckstad was first married at Fertile in 1889 to Miss Bertha Skime, who was, like himself, a native of Norway. She died in 1901. They were the parents of seven children, three of whom are living, Benjamin, Lisa and John. Benjamin is a graduate of the West Point United States Military Academy and a lieu- tenant in the United States army. In 1903 Mr. Duekstad contracted a second marriage, uniting him- self with Miss Sophia Skime, who was born in Iowa. They have six children, Norman, Volbarg, Volter, Sylvia, Paul and Eleanor. The family stands well in the community and richly deserves the general esteem bestowed upon its members.
THEODORE A. THOMPSON.
During all of the last eleven years Theodore A. Thompson, who is now a resident of Crookston, has rendered the people of Polk county excellent service in their register of deeds' office, and for seven years of the period has been the register, filling the position of deputy register for the first four years of his eon- neetion with the office. Before he went into that office, however, he had a useful and prosperous eareer, in which he showed his mettle. He was born at Waseea, Minnesota, September 20, 1871, and is the son of Ole and Betsey (Amundson) Thompson, natives of Norway.
The mother came to this country about 1860, when she was eleven years old, and the father in 1866. They were married at Black Earth, Wiseonsin, and moved to this eounty in 1888, Ioeating on a homestead in Ilill River township, which the father selected at the time. He was a shoemaker and worked at his trade in Crookston ten years, during a part of which time he was the manager of a shoe store. He died in North Yakima, Washington, and the mother passed away on the farm. The family lived on that farm a long time and still owns it.
Seven children were born and reared to maturity in the household. Anna B., who is now living at home, has been a teacher in the Polk county schools and a stenographer. Lewis passed his life on the farm and died there at the age of thirty-nine. Tilda was also a Polk county teacher. She died unmarried in 1908. Louise, a school teacher and stenographer in this eounty, is also now living at home. Emma, who died at the age of twenty-one, also taught in Polk eounty schools, and Osear B. is operating the old family homestead.
Theodore A. Thompson spent ten years on the home- stead. He was seventeen when the family took pos- session of it and had just been graduated from the high school at Waseea, and he began his career in this county by teaching Publie School No. 120 in King township, near MeIntosh. He continued teaching ten years, still living on the home farm, and during two years of the time was also interested in a mer- chandising enterprise in MeIntosh. In 1898 he be- eame assistant cashier of the Citizens Bank at MeIn- tosh, and this position he held continuously for six years.
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On January 1, 1905, Mr. Thompson was appointed deputy register of deeds by J. H. Stair, the register, and he served the county in this capacity until Jan- uary 1, 1909, when he took over the office of register, to which he was elected in the fall of 1908, being the nominee of the Republican party. Ile was re-elected in 1910 withont opposition, and again in 1912 and 1914, the last time for a term of four years, accord- ing to the provisions of a law passed by the legislature of 1913. He employs three assistants in the office, and it turns over to the county annually, after all its expenses are paid, an average revenue of about $2,500.
Mr. Thompson was married in 1901 to Miss Caro- line M. Jensen, of Brandsvold township, this eounty, where her father, Peter C. Jensen, now deceased, set- tled in 1888, coming to Polk county from Wisconsin. Mrs. Thompson was a teacher in Polk county three years prior to her marriage. She and her husband have had five children, one of whom died in infaney. Those who are living are IIarlow B., Florence Lucille, Kenneth F. and Marjorie A. The parents are mem- bers of the English Lutheran church, of which Mr. Thompson is secretary. He is well known through- out the county and very popular.
ERICK ELLINGSON.
During the last four years Erick Ellingson, head of the firm of Ellingson & Groven, hardware and farm implement merchants, has been a stimulus and an in- spiration to business activities in and around the vil- lage of Mentor, Grove Park township, this county, and has fully justified the rank he holds as one of the township's leading business men. IIe was born in Green county, Wisconsin, September 27, 1864, and was reared and edneated there. In the spring of 1909 he moved to Alexandria, Minnesota, and during the next three years he was ocenpied in farming near that town.
Farming failed to meet all the requirements of Mr. Ellingson's desires, and in the spring of 1912 he changed his residence to Mentor and his pursuit to mereantile activity. IIe formed a partnership with Olof M. Groven at that time, and sinee then they have carried on a flourishing and growing business under
the firm name of Ellingson & Groven as dealers in shelf and heavy hardware, furniture, stoves and ranges, farm implements, threshing machines, harness, horse furnishings and other articles of general mer- chandise, condueting their operations with studious attention to the needs of the community and the com- fort and satisfaction of their patrons.
Mr. Ellingson was married in Green county, Wis- consin, April 11, 1906, to Miss Emma Anderson, who was born in Minnesota and reared in Wisconsin. They have four children, Marion G., Goldie T., Charlotte N. O. and Russell K. The father of the family is a member of the village couneil of Mentor and clerk of the local school board, and is highly esteemed as one of the most useful residents of the township. He and his wife are active and valued members of the United Lutheran ehnreh.
GEORGE J. FLATEN.
Deprived in part of his left hand in a hunting ae- eident at the age of eighteen years, the subsequent career of George J. Flaten, the able, industrious and conseientions treasurer of Polk county, has been largely shaped by that occurrenee. It seemed like a cruel affliction when it oeeurred, but it has led him to 25
lines of work for which he is especially fitted and to a position at length for which he seems to have been destined. He was born in Goodhue county, Minne- sota, November 4, 1876, the son of J. J. and Anna (Brandsvold) Flaten, who now live in Garden town- ship, this eounty, five miles east of Fertile, on a home-
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COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY OF POLK COUNTY
stead which was taken up by the father in 1880. The father is a native of Norway who came to this country and located in Goodhue county, Minnesota, soon after the Civil war. The mother is a cousin of Knute Brandsvold, in whose honor Brandsvold township in this county was named, and who now lives at Dalton, Minnesota.
George J. Flaten grew to manhood on his father's farm, remaining there until he reached the age of twenty-three, and was educated in the district schools and at Concordia college in Moorhead, in which he pursued a special course of commercial training. In 1900 he was appointed a clerk in the office of County Treasurer Martin G. Peterson, and was continued in his position under Treasurer W. L. Vannet, holding it for six years. In November, 1908, he was elected county treasurer, taking the office on January 1, 1900,
and he has been re-elected at the end of every term sinee, in the fall of 1914 for a term of four years in accordance with the provisions of a law passed by the legislature in 1913. He was the nominee of the Republican party in 1908, 1910 and 1912, and a non- partisan candidate in 1914.
Mr. Flaten is wholly devoted to his official duties and gives every phase and detail of them his personal attention. He employs one deputy, who is Miss Sophia Stromstad. He also owns a grain farm near Harold Station, but that is cultivated by a tenant. On Deeem- ber 24, 1903, he was married to Miss Grace Lothe, of Wisconsin. They have no children. Both helong to the English Lutheran church and are active in its service. Fraternally Mr. Flaten is a Freemason and a member of the Order of Elks.
G. H. SANBERG.
This enterprising, progressive, broad-minded and highly eapable superintendent of the public schools of Crookston acquired his knowledge of school work and success in directing it by long experience in the school room and thoughtful and observant study of its requirements. He was born in Seott county, Min- nesota, May 1, 1873, the son of Swedish parents who came to the United States and settled in Carver county, Minnesota, in the early fifties. The father was a blacksmith and worked at his trade in Carver county and at Blakely, this state, where he and his family located in 1870, the parents having been mar- ried in Carver county. The father died at Blakely but the mother is still living and has her home at Le Sneur, Minnesota.
The son was graduated from the Mankato State Normal sehool in 1897 after completing its most ad- vaneed course of instruction. He has also taken work in the College of Education at North Dakota State University. He was president of his elass at the nor- mal sehool, and he has passed all of his subsequent years since his graduation in the school room. IIe
was principal of the graded school at Bellingham, Minnesota, four years, and was then superintendent of Bird Island high school, with eight to ten teach- ers under his direction, seven years. The next six years he passed as superintendent of the schools at Windom, with twenty teachers to direct.
In June, 1914, without any solicitation on his part, he was selected as superintendent of the schools in Crookston. The school board sent out a committee to investigate the work of several superintendents who were not candidates for the office it had to fill, and on the report of the committee the board volun- tarily offered Mr. Sanberg the position. He has eon- dueted teachers' summer training schools for nine years, and been active in all teachers' organizations. For a time he was president of the Southern Minne- sota Teachers' association which meets annually at Mankato. He also was largely instrumental in reor- ganizing the Northern Minnesota Teachers' associa- tion.
Mr. Sanberg is a member of the Methodist Episeo- pal church and very active in all its benevolent and
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improving activities, especially its Sunday school work. He was married at Garden City, Minnesota, in 1897, to Miss Berda M. McBride, a native of that place and a teacher of music. They have six children, Ruth, Beatrice, Keith, Glenn, Wilbur and Marion.
Mr. Sanberg is a Freemason of the Past Master's rank, having served as Worshipful Master of the Lodge at Bird Island, Minnesota. He usually passes his vaca- tions in outing camps, and is highly favorable to ath- Jetic games when they are properly supervised.
WILLIAM T. NICHOLSON.
Coming in daily contact with the residents of Crookston as assistant postmaster of the city during the last fourteen years, and winning their high and lasting regard by his ability and devotion to duty, William T. Nicholson has shown traits of admirable manhood and citizenship which fully justify the good opinion the people have of him. He was born in County Simcoe, province of Ontario, Canada, Jan- uary 2, 1862, and was reared in County Grey of that province. On January 22, 1888, he emigrated to this country and located in Crookston, where he had friends living.
Mr. Nicholson's first employment here was as a school teacher, and this lasted three years. He first taught the school in District No. 105, near Gentilly, and then had a berth in the Central building in Crookston. During the next six years he was a fire- man and during the succeeding four an engineer on the Great Northern railroad, running between Crooks- ton and Grand Forks. In 1902 he was appointed as- sistant postmaster by Postmaster Andrew Eiken, with whom he served two years. He next served under Postmaster Elias Steenerson nine years, and since then has been assistant to Postmaster C. L. Skoug.
Hle is a member of the state and national Assistant Postmasters' associations, and is wholly occupied with the duties of his office. He belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church, of which he is a trustec, and was superintendent of its Sunday school four years, suc- ceeding in that position a man who had held it twenty- five years, and he has himself been in the school as teacher and superintendent twenty-six years. In all church and social work he takes an active and serv- iceable part.
On November 1, 1893, Mr. Nicholson was married to Miss Rachel Nicholson, who is a daughter of John Nicholson, a pioneer in Crookston, who settled here in 1879. The daughter was born in Ontario, Canada, but was reared in Crookston. She is president of the Ladies' Aid society of the Methodist Episcopal church. She and Mr. Nicholson are the parents of four chil- dren : Marietta, who is a graduate of the high school and State Normal school in Moorhead and is now a teacher at Lake Park, Minnesota; Harry, who is a student at Hamline University, in St. Paul; Sadie, who is a graduate of the Crookston high school of the class of 1916, and Walter.
N. A. THORSON.
N. A. Thorson, the present county superintendent of schools, was born in Nicollet county of this state December 22, 1881. He claims the county poor farm as his birth-place, where his father was then superin- tendent. Many of the older inmates of the poor farm were persons of considerable leisure and they con- tributed a great deal to the early rearing of the sub-
ject of this sketch. With them he went fishing, boat- ing and berry-picking, and played with the home-made toys which they so generously supplied.
With his parents and the family of five children he moved to Winthrop Minnesota, in 1887, where later he spent many years of his life working on his father's farm. In 1898 he entered a secondary school at St.
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Peter, Minnesota, from which he graduated in 1900. In the fall of the same year he entered Gustavus Adolphus College at that place from which institution he graduated and received the degree of A. B. in 1904.
During the spring of his graduating year, he was chosen by his college to take part in a state oratorical contest in which he later won the right to represent the state in the interstate contest at Springfield, Illi- nois. the same summer. Upon his return he attended the summer session at the Mankato Normal School. The same fall he was engaged to teach at Crookston and during his connection with the high school at that place for four years he taught principally the sciences and mathematics. He attended the University of Min- nesota during the summer of 1905 and the following year was a member of a group of teachers who en- rolled for the first summer training course at the St. Anthony School of Agriculture. He built and operated the first wireless telegraphy outfit wit- nessed in Crookston. He also served as athletic director of the high school and together with other school authorities in the Valley labored to plaee
athleties among the schools on a high standard. In the fall of 1908 he taught for a short time under Supt. Wm. Robertson at the Crookston School of Agriculture. The same year Mr. Thorson entered the race for county superintendent of schools of Polk county and has now served his constituents seven years. During this time he has tried to sys- tematize the work of the common schools and has always stood for progressiveness in educational work. He has given his support to industrial movements in the county by inducing the pupils in the schools to en- gage in practical home and school projects.
Mr. Thorson has served on the State Teachers' Reading Circle Board for a number of years and is at present secretary of this organization. He is also a member of several musical organizations, including the English Lutheran Church Quartet, the Viking Chorus and the Citizens' Band of Crookston.
In 1913 he was married to Miss Sarah Rollefson of Montevideo, Minnesota, and their marriage has been blessed with two children, Sue and Paul.
ANDREW M. MALMBERG.
Among those who came to Polk county, while it was still in its primitive condition, is he whose name leads this article, and who is looked upon by those who know him as one whose efforts did much toward the making of the county. After many years of industry, during which he became financially inde- pendent, he is now living in retirement in Crookston, the operation of his large farm being in the hands of his sons.
Mr. Malmberg was born in Sweden March 8, 1842, and eame to America in 1866, securing work in the harvest field near Davenport, Iowa. That fall he came to Red Wing, Minnesota, and the following spring be- gan work on the grade of the Hastings & Dakota Railroad, when it was first started at Hastings. The next four years were spent in farm labor near St. Paul, and in 1870 he assisted in the construction of
the Northern Pacific road west from Brainerd so con- tinuing till the road was built through to Moorhead.
While working at Glyndon he was induced to take a preemption on a tract of land close to that village. which, being the junction point was thought would become quite an important place.
In the spring of 1872 in company with others he came to the Red Lake River country, it being said to surpass in fertility other sections of the country. He was pleased with it and at once secured a homestead some eight miles west of Crookston along the Red Lake River two miles southeast of Fisher. He also secured similar tracts for his brother and for a friend, Olof Erickson. But two or three others were there before him, so that he thus had his choice, and selected lands along the small creeks, which were lined with valuable timber.
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Ile soon sold his Glyndon tract for $400, but with such payments that he derived little benefit from the sale. He hired a few acres broken out that first year, so that when he came the next year to make it his home, he had a small erop; but there was no market and it was not sold but was stored in a bin in one eor- ner of his cabin and not sold till the next year, 1874, when it was part of the grain that loaded the first car ever purchased at Crookston.
When the Great Northern Railroad was built through to Fisher's Landing (so named in honor of the superintendent of the road) a store was started by Hugh Thompson, to whom Mr. Malmberg sold much produee. There being no crossing of the river he ar- ranged a raft out of dry logs, which had been peeled for the bark when he built his cabin and this was the first means of getting farm produce to the market. He was active in all the first road making, and in fact every line of local improvement found him ready to do bis part.
He was one of the organizers of the township and was chosen supervisor, in which position he served for many years, as well as having been chosen to other local offices.
He soon began to buy other lands, mainly of the railroad company at prices ranging from $8 to $10 per aere. This was at a time when title of these lands was still in dispute and many would-be purchasers were fearful of buying. He finally became the owner of four hundred acres of as fine land as there is in the state and which he converted into one of the really valuable farms of the county. In the early years he
would get but small returns owing to frosts or water, but being so close to the river, his land was fairly well drained, and progress was satisfactory, he becoming one of the independent farmers, whose success came from faith in Polk county soil.
Ilis original cabin, covered with bark, was later much enlarged and became a convenient home, but which was totally destroyed by fire; when he erected the present commodious country residence.
In 1908 he turned the farm over to two sons, him- self buyinig a small farm on the river and but two miles west of Crookston, where he remained seven years, when he came into the city, where he has since lived in easy retirement, enjoying the fruits of a well- spent life.
His marriage in St. Paul in 1872, to Miss Ellen Angdahl, who had come from Sweden at the age of fifteen, has resulted in the birth of four sons and one daughter.
Oscar Albin and Carl Emil are partners in the operation of the old farm. William Haniel is one of the well known teachers of the county, having entered upon that work at the age of sixteen and so continued for several years. James Montaine and Ella Johanna complete the family, the latter being a successful music teacher and living at home.
While the life of Mr. Malmberg has not been filled with unusual events, it has carried a valued influence in shaping the affairs of his community, and it is to such lives that the future historian will refer to learn of the details of empire building.
DANIEL II. McDONALD.
This enterprising and progressive farmer and pub- lic-spirited citizen of Polk county, who is one of sev- eral members of the same family, lives at Davidson Station on the Northern Pacific railroad, sixteen miles and a half northwest of Crookston, in section 29, Nes- bit township, where he has redeemed from the wilder- ness and highly improved a large farm. He was born
in County Frontenae, Province of Ontario, Canada, May 20, 1861, and came to Polk county in 1878, his brother, James MeDonald, having come to Blue Earth county, this state, two years before. He changed his residence to Polk county the next year, and is still living here, as will be seen in a sketch of him else- where in this history.
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Daniel II. MeDonald is a son of Donald and Ellen (Hannah) McDonald. He bought eighty acres of his present farm from the railroad company at $5 an aere, with a rebate of $2.50 an acre for breaking three- fourths of it, and three years later was allowed 50 cents an acre in addition for all he had under enltiva- tion. He worked out on other farms the first year but broke up eight acres of his own land although he had no buildings on it. In the winter he hauled wood. The next year he rented for cash what he had plowed and broke up more, and so got twenty acres broken up in a short time. Soon afterward he bought the other half of the quarter-section in which his land lies, and in four years he had 120 acres broken and got the rebate on it all.
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