USA > Minnesota > Polk County > Compendium of history and biography of Polk County, Minnesota > Part 64
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In the early years Mr. Hansen served in survey and road work, on the township board and in other publie capacities. He has built a good new barn on his farm but is still living in his log house, which, however, is commodious and comfortable enough for his needs. He and his family are connected with Faaberg United Lutheran church, which is near his home. At the age of twenty he was married in Nicollet county to Miss Sarah Clementson, a native of Norway. She died January 3, 1893, leaving eight children: Christ, who is a merchant at Fort Atkin- son, Wisconsin; Lewis, a farmer near his father; Charles, who is living at home; Edward, who culti- vates the farm; Mary, who is the wife of Oscar Fugle- seth and lives near her old home; Alvin, who works in North Dakota; Christina, the wife of Peter Hogan- son, of St. Paul, and Bertha, who is the housekeeper for her father.
THOMAS H. NESSETH.
The late Thomas H. Nesseth, of Fertile, whose tragic death on July 5, 1911, cast a heavy pall of gloom over the whole community of his home, was one of the most enterprising and progressive farmers and business men in Garfield township and one of its most highly esteemed citizens. He was born in Nor- way March 18, 1859, and came to the United States with his parents, Helge and Margaret Nesseth, in 1871, when he was twelve years old. The family lo- cated at Harmony, in Fillmore county, Minnesota, and there its members remained until 1881, when they all came to Polk county together. Five of them
are still living in Garfield township. The father took up a homestead in that township on which he died about 1890. The mother is still living and has her home with her daughter, Mrs. B. M. Benness of Gar- field township. She is now more than cighty-two years old.
Thomas H. Nesseth took up most of the land on which his family is now residing as a homestead in 1890; the farm has, however, been enlarged to 200 acres, and about 160 are under cultivation. Soon after locating here Mr. Nesseth became a dealer in farm implements at Fertile and was the second mer-
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chant there in that line of trade. He was active in the business for over twenty years and kept his inter- est in it until his death. Albert Gullickson was his partner and later took over the management of the store, Mr. Nesseth retiring from active connection with it. They built the double store building which the business now occupies about 1900.
When Mr. Nesseth retired to his farm he expected to gather a fine herd of Holstein cattle, and erect a new dwelling house and barn. But all his designs were ent short by his sudden death. He had been exhibiting some of his cattle at the Fertile fair, and, on his return with them to the farm, when he was leading the bull into the pasture the animal became infuriated, turned on him and injured him so badly that he died five hours later. His plans with refer- ence to the house and barn have been carried out and the family now has one of the finest rural homes in Polk county.
Mr. Nesseth had served on the school board, been mayor of Fertile and president of the village coun- cil, and was one of the organizers and the secretary of the Farmers Insurance company and seeretary of the Co-operative Creamery company. He helped to organize Little Norway United church, whose church
edifice is one mile and a half east of his farm and near his old family home, when he first came to Polk county, and he was one of its most active and service- able members and its secretary to the time of his death. Ile was first married to Miss Margaret Rude, who died, leaving no children, and on August 6, 1892, he contracted a second marriage with Mrs. Anna Henderson, the widow of A. S. Henderson, who then had two children: Lillie, who married Robert Erickson and died at the age of twenty- eight; and Arthur, who lives with his mother and operates the farm. Mrs. Nesseth's maiden name was Anna Gulliekson and she is a daughter of Andrew and Helen Gulliekson, who also were homesteaders in Garfield township and oceupied the farm adjoining the present home of their daughter. By her second marriage Mrs. Nesseth became the mother of four children : Mabel, who is a teacher at Greenbush, in Roscau county; Ida, who is teaching at Glyndon, in Clay county, and has taught in Polk county ; Helmer, who is a bookkeeper in the Farmers State Bank at Fertile, and Albert, who is living at home. Mrs. Nes- seth is a lady of unusual natural ability and her home is a center of refined and elevated social activity and generous hospitality.
H. G. FLOAN.
II. G. Floan, whose well cultivated and highly im- proved farm of 157 aeres lies in Section 26, Onstad township, this county, two miles southeast of the village of Melvin, eight and a half miles west of Fer- tile and seventeen miles southeast of Crookston, was born in Norway, and reared, educated and married in that country. In 1880 he came to the United States, bringing his wife and one child with him, and located in Goodhuc county, Minnesota, where for seven years he worked by the year for farmers. In that period he saved $100 and became the father of three additional children.
In 1887 Mr. Floan moved to Polk county and bought the farm on which he is now living at $5.06 an acre.
It was a full quarter-section when he bought it, but the railroad has since eut off one corner, taking about three acres. Ile had eight years in which to pay for his land and had to put up with many inconveniences during a great part of the time. For years his family lived in a one-room shanty with a little crude furni- ture, but he had a team of horses and two eows which he brought with him from Goodhue county.
Mr. Floan now has all his land under cultivation or in pasturage. The dwelling honse he now occupies was built in 1911 and most of the other improvements were made earlier. He keeps eight to twelve milelı cows to supply material for the Co-operative Cream- ery at Fertile, in which he is a stockholder, as he is
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also in the Farmers State Bank in that village. IIis cattle are Shorthorns of good grades. He has served as road overseer and on the school board for fifteen years continuously, and his son Lawrenec is now treas- urer of this board. At the age of twenty-eight Mr. Floan was married in his native land to Miss Chris- tina Anderson. They have had ten children, nine of
whom are living, Gunder, Anna, Louisa, Albert, IIenry, Lawrence, Clara, Gina, and John. A dauglı- ter named Saralı died at the age of sixteen years, nine months and twenty-two days. All the members of the family belong to the Varness United Lutheran church.
ANDREW K. HOLEN.
Andrew K. Holen, who lives on a fine farm in Sec- tion 22, Liberty township, four and a half miles west of the village of Fertile, came to this county in 1887, when he was twenty-six years of age, with just $100 in money and no other property, and he now owns 400 acres of highly improved and well cultivated land, has stock in the Fertile Co-operative Creamery and the Farmers State Bank of Fertile, and is one of the substantial, enterprising and publie-spirited citizens of the county, influential among his fellow men and highly respeeted by all who know him.
Mr. Holen was born in Norway April 21, 1861, and came to this country with his parents, Knute and Carrie Holen, when he was six years old. The family located in Allamakee county, Iowa, and there the par- ents remained. The son attended the district schools and as soon as he was big and strong enough worked out as well as on his father's farm, continuing this course until he reached the age of twenty-six. Then, in 1887, he came to Polk county, where his two brothers, Ole Holen and Hans Knudson, were living and had been for eight years, Ole in Liberty township and Hans near Lee station. Ole is still residing on his farm, but Hans has been a resident of Marshall county, this state, for twenty-five years.
Andrew K. Holen bought the farm on which he is now living as a tree elaim and converted it into a homestead claim, paying $550 for it. There were no buildings on it and only fifteen aeres had been plowed when he bought it. On March 15, 1888, he was married to Miss Hannah Peterson of Allamakee
county, Iowa, where she was born, her parents hav- ing come to this country before the Civil war. Her assistance enabled him to pay off his indebtedness on his farm and make some improvements. His first house was a log cabin, and its furniture consisted of a homemade table and cupboard, some stools of his own mannfacture, six plates, eups and saucers, and a second hand stove. He rented his land to get erops and worked out to support his family. During the first three years he was able to sell only 100 bushels of wheat, but he had a cow and some chiek- ens, and these helped to keep the wolf from his door. Coffee was a thing to be thought of and longed for, but not to be enjoyed.
At the end of three years Mr. Holen began to devote his whole attention to his farm, but successive droughts injured his crops leaving him little more than chieken feed for a year or two. He now has his whole farm of 400 aeres under cultivation and raises good crops. For some of his land he paid $10 an aere and for some $25 an acre. He built his pres- ent dwelling house in 1896 and his fine barn, 40 by 100 feet in size, in 1914, and has other first-rate improve- ments. Grain was his main dependence for many years but he now has a good deal of dairy stock in- eluding ten to twelve milch eows.
Mr. Holen has served three years as chairman of the township board and has filled several other local offices, having been a member of the school board for thirteen years. Ile sides with the Republican party in politieal affairs, and he and his wife are members
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of the Verness United Lutheran church, of which he is treasurer. They have two sons, Carl, aged twenty- five and Herman, aged twenty-three, who now earry
on the operations on the farm, relieving their father of all the hard labor ineident to them.
CONRAD G. SELVIG.
Conrad G. Selvig, superintendent of the Northwest School of Agriculture and Experiment Station of The University of Minnesota at Crookston, was born at Rushiford, Minnesota, October 11, 1877, being the son of Gunder C. and Marie Hogerstad of Norway and who came to the United States as a young married couple. A few months were spent in work on the Great Lakes, when, in 1874, they settled at Rushford.
After graduating at the local high school, young Selvig, in 1896 was appointed by Hon. James A. Tawney a cadet to the Military Academy at West Point.
After his return, he entered upon the duties of a teacher becoming Principal of the public school at Granger, Minnesota. In 1901 we find him in a similar position at Harmony, Minnesota, where he was re- tained for five years. From Harmony he went to the University of Minnesota where he graduated in 1907, receiving his A. M. degree in 1908. Then he became superintendent of schools and principal of Stevens Seminary at Gleneoe. The needs of more praetieal educational methods were keenly realized at this time and in order to meet the demands as he saw them, he here introduced departments of Agriculture, Home Economics, Manual Training, and Teachers' Training. This was a time when such ideas were being diseussed in the state and nation, but had been but feebly tried in aetnal school life. The result of his efforts were such as to attract attention, not only among teachers and patrons, but also among the publie officials, and it was but a matter of a few months when his services were songht by the state to handle the station but recently established at Crookston, he being selected as its superintendent in 1910. The history of this institution being found elsewhere in this work, we will not repeat it here.
It is conceded by all interested that Mr. Selvig has proved to be the right man in the right place, his optimism, enthusiasm and business tact being the es- sential qualities needed at the head of a school designed to instill similar traits into the numerous students, whose future is largely determined by what they may obtain here.
Mr. Selvig's work has so broadened that it has gone beyond state limits, and is attraeting attention wher- ever advaneed ideas are being introduced not only in general educational matters and methods but more especially where communities are awakened to better farming, better social and better living conditions.
He assisted in organizing the Northwestern Agri- cultural Fair association, the Red River Development association and is president of the Red River Dairy- men's association and he is a director of the Ahmmi association of the State University, treasurer of the Minnesota Educational association, a member of the American Association of Agricultural Colleges and Experiment Stations, a member of the National Edu- eational association and is a charter member of the American Association for the Advancement of Agri- eultural Teaching.
Ilis addresses are filled with valuable suggestions showing a depth of thought and are delivered with such ease and assurance that hearers are captivated and permanently benefited.
Possessed with natural urbanity ripened by a broad culture and experience, his personal relations with all with whom he is thrown in contaet are ever of the most agreeable, admiration of him as a teacher being exeelled only by that accorded him as an individual.
He has written extensively, many of his treatises being published as bulletins by the National Bureau of Education.
C. G. SELVIG
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COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY OF POLK COUNTY
Although his interest in politics is only such as is due from every true American citizen, he has been alive in party matters, once at least serving as a dele- gate to a state convention.
He is a Knight Templar and a member of Acacia Fraternity of the State University.
His marriage, June 17, 1903, at Mabel, Minnesota, to Miss Marion E. Wilcox, a graduate of the Central High School of Minneapolis, has resulted in the birth of three children-Helen Marion ; Margaret Elizabeth ; and Conrad George.
AUGUST C. SCHMIDT.
One of the leading painters, decorators and paper- hangers in the Northwest, and chief of the fire depart- ment of the city of Crookston, August C. Schmidt contributes essentially and substantially to the service of the people around him by pleasing their taste and promoting their safety and aiding greatly in the pro- tection of their property as well as their lives. He was born in Manitowoc county, Wisconsin, Angust 3, 1859, and came to Minnesota in 1878, locating at Still- water. Ile had learned his trade in his native state and was in charge of a shop in Stillwater two years. He then passed six months in Minneapolis, and at the end of that time moved to Hastings, where he was in charge of a shop until 1880.
At that time he saw an advertisement from MeKin- non Bros. of Crookston, stating that they were in need of a first class carriage painter, and as he had heard mueh in favor of the Red river valley, he determined to seek this job. He came to Crookston and for two years was in charge of the MeKinnon Bros.' paint shop, and then started his own business in 1883. He has adhered to his enterprise continuously since that time, and his is now the only business that has been in operation in Crookston steadily for thirty-three years. He has given his attention mainly to interior decorating, and he is sought for to do this kind of work on all of the best residences and publie buildings nearly all the way from Crookston to Duluth. His sons, E. W. and Harry F., are associated with him in the work, and he employs regularly twelve to fifteen men in addition.
In 1882 Mr. Schmidt helped to organize the Crooks- ton fire department, which was a volunteer hook and
ladder company with a truck and a chemical engine, which was familiarly called "The Old Soap Boiler." The company had sixteen members, and Mr. Schmidt is the only one of the number who is still active in the department, which is a volunteer one to this day. When the company started its work he was foreman in charge of the apparatus at fires. In 1895 he was elected chief, and he served as such for two years. After the end of that period he served in the ranks until January, 1915, when he was chosen chief again, and he is still filling that office. He has had some thrilling experiences and some narrow escapes from serious injury, and has rendered valuable service at many big fires, especially the largest one Crookston ever had, the one that destroyed the Auditorium and some adjoining buildings at a loss of $250,000. At present the department has twenty-four members, three of whom are paid officials and devote their whole time to the work. The department also owns two hose wagons, one hook and ladder truck, forty-five hundred feet of hose and four horses, besides chemical engines and other apparatus. Usually five of the members sleep at the engine house. The company formerly took part in many tournaments of the North- ern Minnesota Firemen's association, and carried off many honors in them. In these tournaments Mr. Schmidt's son Harry was the leader in ladder climb- ing contests and won glory for his organization in many a hot one.
Mr. Schmidt was a member of the city council from the Second ward in 1894, when the Northern Pacific Railroad was built through Crookston. He was made a Freemason in 1886 and is still active in his lodge,
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his Royal Arch Chapter, his Commandery of Knights Templar and the Mystie Shrine. He also belongs to the Order of Elks. On December 18, 1884, he was married to Miss Mary Elizabeth Ross, the daughter of John Ross, for many years janitor of the court- house and the high school. They have had eight chil- dren, seven of whom are living, Edward W., Harry Frank, Lillie, Ross Owen, Helen, Allen and Grace. A daughter named Isabel died when she was twelve
years old. Lillie is now the wife of Thomas Morten- son, of Crookston, and Harry married Miss Blanche McDonald. Mr. Schmidt and his son Harry are mem- bers of a hunting club which has had a deer eamp twenty miles from Hibbing for twelve years. The elub has an outing at the camp every year, and they usually get a bountiful supply of venison while the outing is in progress.
NELS CLEMENTSEN.
In many ways this enterprising and progressive farmer and bank president has shown his eapacity to advance his own interests and aid materially in pro- moting the welfare and advancement of the region around him. He was born in Goodhue county, Min- nesota, June 30, 1859, the son of Knut Clementsen who came to this country and located in Illinois in 1855 and moved to Goodhne county, this state, in 1858. He took up government land there and eon- verted it into a fine farm, and is now living retired at Zumbrota. At one time he owned two traets of land in Polk county, one in Liberty township and the other partly in Russia and partly in Onstad township.
His son Nels, whose home is in Section 15, Liberty township, five miles and a half west of the village of Fertile, remained at home until he reached the age of twenty-seven, farming his father's land as a tenant for some years. On May 20, 1887, he came to Polk county and bought a quarter-section of land adjoining his father's. He then took charge of both places and now owns both, his home farm comprising 580 acres, his first purchase having eost him $3 an aere. Ile has 200 acres of the home place in grain and raises beef and milch eattle, keeping generally about fifteen milch cows. He also owns timber lands, some in St. Louis and some in Cook county, which he is holding as in- vestments. When he eame to this county in 1887 he had no cash but owned four horses, a wagon, a plow and some other farm implements.
Mr. Clementsen's first dwelling on his farm was a
one-room shack 14 by 16 feet in size. His present residence is a fine modern structure built in 1903, and he has a first elass barn 40 by 72 feet with a T 40 by 42 feet in dimensions, which was built in 1908 and gives him stabling for all his live stoek. He is a stock- holder in the Co-operative Creamery company of Fer- tile and also in the Farmers Elevator company, which he helped to organize in 1894, and which he has served for about ten years as president. Ile was also one of the organizers of the Mutual Fire Insurance company and has been its president for eight or ten years. When he saw that the hour was ripe for the enterprise he helped to organize the Farmers State Bank of Fertile and of this he has been president from its organization.
The public affairs of the township have always in- terested Mr. Clementsen in a leading way and he has taken an active part in them. He served as township elerk five years and twelve as chairman of the town- ship board, and he is at present (1916) township treas- urer. In polities he is a Republican, but in local affairs he is never a partisan but always eager to promote the best interests of his township. In reli- gions connection he is affiliated with the Varness United Lutheran church, which is one mile north of his home, and for some time has been secretary of the congregation.
Mr. Clementsen was married in 1896 to Miss Jennie Landsverk, a native of Norway. They have seven children, all of whom are living at home with their
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COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY OF POLK COUNTY
parents. The children are Norman, Josie, Millie, Mabel, Ida, Nellie, and William. All the members of the family attend the church to which the head of
the house belongs, and they all take a warm interest in it and its work for the betterment of the community.
HON. JOHN CLEMENTSON.
This very active, highly useful and thoroughly rep- resentative citizen of Polk county, whose fine home farm of 160 acres is iu seetion 17, Knute township, three miles south of Erskine, was born at Pine Island, Goodhue county, Minnesota, December 6, 1866, and is the son of Knute and Gunhild Clementson, who were born in Norway and married in Iowa. In 1857 they moved to Goodhme county, this state, where the father took up a pre-emption claim, they being among the first residents at Pine Island. In their old age they changed their residence to Zumbrota, and there the mother died in the winter of 1913 at the age of eighty- mine. There also the father is still living very far advanced in years. Three of their children, Nels and Marie, who live near Fertile, and John are in Polk county. Marie is the wife of P. J. Bollie.
John Clementson remained with his parents until he reached the age of twenty-five. He completed his education at St. Olof College, Northfield, which he at- tended two years. In 1893 he came to this county and bought 600 aeres of railroad land at $8 an aere, having about $1,500 to start with. He engaged in mixed farming and raising live stock, put 500 acres of his land under cultivation, made permanent im- provements, and then, in 1903, sold his land at $21.50 an aere. He helped to organize Seandia township and was its first elerk and justice of the peace, holding these offices until he left the township, moving to his present home.
When he came to Knute township in 1903 Mr. Clem-
entson bought three separate traets of 160 acres each, one in section 17, the home place, another in seetion 18 and the third in section 20, but he has farmed them all as one farm, and now has 275 acres under cultiva- tion in the three. There was only one set of little log buildings on the three traets and only 115 acres were partially cultivated when he bought the land. Mr. Clementson paid for the land at an average of $18 an aere, and he has sinee sold none of it except two aeres for a school lot. He has put up a good house and barn and other necessary buildings, and has kept regularly about fifty head of eattle, with fifteen milch eows to furnish material for the Co-operative creamery, in which he is a stockholder.
Mr. Clementson has served as chairman of the town- ship board one term and for a number of years on the school board. In the fall of 1912 he was elected a member of the State House of Representatives.
On March 2. 1893. Mr. Clementson was married in Goodhue county to Miss Clara Mithangen, of that county. They have had nine children. Gustav died at the age of twelve. Conrad, aged nineteen, was graduated from the Agricultural College at Crooks- ton in 1915. Joseph, aged seventeen, is a student at Concordia College, Moorhead. Cora, aged fifteen, is in the high school at Erskine. Oscar (twelve), Philip (ten), George (seven), Ruth (five), and Clarence (one), are at home. The parents belong to the United Lutheran church at Erskine, of which the father is secretary and one of the deaeons.
CHARLES M. LOHN.
It is a high tribute to the ability, correet deport- ment and skill and conscientiousness of any man to say that he has occupied a trying and important
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