USA > Minnesota > Brown County > History of Brown County, Minnesota: Its People, Industries and Institutions (Volume 1) > Part 36
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HERMAN BEUSSMANN AND FAMILY.
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twenty acres, but at the time of his death in 1897, he was farming two hundred acres. His widow still survives, mak- ing her home in New Ulm. There were six children in the family of Diederich Beussmann, all of whom are living. These are: Henry, Minnie, Emma, Carrie, Augusta and Herman.
Herman Beussmann was born after the family had re- turned to Nicollet county and was but a small boy when they moved again to Brown county. His education, therefore, was gained from the early schools near his home in Milford township and he continued to make his home with his par- ents, aiding the father in the management of the homestead, until the time of the latter's death. He then took entire charge of the farm and has one hundred and twenty acres under cultivation, renting out eighty acres. He is an in- dustrious farmer and succeeds well in his chosen line.
Mr. Beussmann was married in 1901 to Louise Spel- brink, a daughter of Chris Spelbrink, a sketch of whose life will be found on another page of this volume. Mr. and Mrs. Beussmann have one child, Alvin. The family are members of the German Lutheran church, and politically Mr. Buess- mann is an independent voter. He is honest and indus- trious, a man among men, and is held in high esteem by all who know him.
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CHARLES VOGTEL.
Charles Vogtel, secretary and general manager of the Eagle Roller Mill Company at New Ulm, this county, one of the greatest flour-mills in the United States, is a native of Germany, having been born near the important fortified town of Erfurt, on the Gera, in Prussian Saxony, May 4, 1867, son of Charles and Amalia Vogtel, natives of that same state, who later came to the United States and settled in New Ulm, where their last days were spent.
The elder Charles Vogtel was a sheep-herder in his na- tive land and in 1870, attracted by the good reports sent back by the German colonists who had settled in this part of Minnesota, he and his family came to America, proceeding directly to New Ulm, where they established their new home. Mr. Vogtel engaged in teaming and became an active and useful citizen. He died in 1886, being then sixty-two years of age, and his widow survived until 1901, she being sixty- six years of age at the time of her death. Both were earnest members of the Lutheran church and their children were reared in that faith. There are five of these children, all still living, as follows: Herman, of New Ulm; Amalia, who married John Hoffman, of Lafayette township, in the neigh- boring county of Nicollet; Mary, wife of Charles Stoll, of New Ulm; Charles, the immediate subject of this biograph- ical sketch, and Emma, wife of Herman Kiesling, of Minne- apolis, this state.
Charles Vogtel was three years old when his parents settled in New Ulm in 1870 and he grew to manhood there.
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Upon completing the course in the local schools he took a comprehensive course in a business college at St. Paul, after which he was for a year engaged as a clerk in a store at New Ulm. He then went to St. Paul and for five years was em- ployed as a mercantile clerk there. At the end of that time he was employed as a bookkeeper by the Swan Lake Mill- ing Company at Nicollet and was thus engaged for four years, or until that mill was destroyed by fire. He then returned to New Ulm and entered the employ of the Eagle Roller Mill Company as a bookkeeper and has been con- nected with that great industrial concern ever since. In 1894 Mr. Vogtel was promoted to the position of assistant sec- retary of the Eagle Roller Mill Company, and in 1900 was advanced to the position of secretary of the company, to which responsible duties were added in 1912 those of gen- eral manager of the company's enormous interests, which important position he has since held, being thus one of the most influential men of affairs in Minnesota. Mr. Vogtel is one of the best-known millers in the United States and is held in the very highest regard among the leaders of the milling business all over the country. He is one of the directors of the American Millers' National Federation and his sagacious counsels in the deliberations of that body pos- sess much weight. Mr. Vogtel is also president of the Mar- shall Milling Company of Marshall, this state; vice-presi- dent of the Citizens State Bank of New Ulm and vice-presi- dent of the State Bond and Mortgage Company of the same city. Politically, he gives allegiance to the Republican party and is a valuable member of the New Ulm city park board.
The great Eagle mill at New Ulm was established in
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pioneer days. During the siege of 1862. the original mill was destroyed by the Indians, whose incendiary torches caused the destruction of so much valuable property here- about. After the close of the Indian war the mill was re- built and has gradually grown, with the passing of the years, until it now has a daily capacity of six thousand barrels of flour, with a storage capacity of two million six hundred thousand bushels of grain, including the country branch houses. The product of the mill is shipped to all parts of the United States and Europe, the superior quality of the flour causing it to be in great demand. Three hundred and fifty persons are employed by the Eagle Roller Mill Com- pany and the huge establishment is by long odds the chief industry of New Ulm.
On December 18, 1890, Charles Vogtel was united in marriage to Ida Freitag, who was born at Nicollet, in the neighboring county of Nicollet, daughter of Albert Freitag and wife, the latter of whom was a Meyer, natives of the province of Posen, in Germany, and early settlers in this section of Minnesota. To Albert Freitag and wife four children were born, Albert, Paul, Anna and Ida. The mother of these children died at Nicollet in 1874 and Mr. Freitag married again, to which second union four children were born, Emil, Bertha, Otto and William. Mr. Freitag is now living in Max, North Dakota.
To Charles and Ida (Freitag) Vogtel two children have been born, sons both, Melvin, who is a student in a medical college at Chicago, and Harold, who is a student in Chicago University. Mr. and Mrs. Vogtel take an active part in the various social and cultural activities of their home town and are held in high esteem throughout the whole com-
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munity. Mr. Vogtel is a member of Charity Lodge No. 98, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, at New Ulm; of New Ulm Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, and of DeMolay Com- mandery No. 26, Knights Templar, in the affairs of which several important departments of Freemasonry he takes a warm interest. By virtue of his extensive business connec- tions he naturally occupies a high position in the general commercial life of this section and is held in very high re- gard by his business associates generally.
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GEORGE MARTI.
George Marti, president of the Schell Brewing Com- pany, of New Ulm, and one of the most enterprising and energetic citizens of that city, is a native of the great Em- pire state, having been born at Seneca Falls, New York, May 1, 1854, son of Rudolph and Barbara (Buchhauser) Marti, the former a native of Switzerland and the latter of Bavaria, who later became pioneers in this section of Min- nesota.
Rudolph Marti was born in the canton of Berne, in the republic of Switzerland and was reared to the trade of a machinist. When a boy he came to the United States and for some years worked in the East at his trade. He married there and for some time was located at Seneca Falls, New York. In 1858 he became attracted by the reports of the golden opportunities which awaited the settlers in this part of Minnesota and came here, locating in the neighborhood of West Newton, across the river in Nicollet county. There he homesteaded eighty acres of land, to which he presently added by the purchase of an adjoining "eighty" and on this quarter section established his home and reared his family. During the Indian uprising in 1862 he served valiantly as one of the home defenders and ever took a good citizen's part in the development of the community in the neighbor- hood of his home, for years having been a member of the school board in West Newton township. Rudolph Marti died in 1885, aged about forty-five years. His widow is still
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surviving, at the age of eighty-three. He was a member of the Lutheran church and she is a Catholic. They were the parents of nine children, of whom the subject of this bio- graphical sketch is the eldest, the others being as follow: Charles, of New Ulm; Rudolph, of New Ulm; John, of St. Paul; Theresa, wife of Mathias Walser, of West Newton; Anna, wife of Andrew Webber, of Tower, this state; Sarah, wife of George Walter, living near Traverse, this state, and two who died in early youth. The mother of these children, who is still living, is one of the three children born to her parents in Bavaria. Her father died in his native land, after which his widow married a Mr. Inhoffer and came to America, later locating in West Newton, up the river from New Ulm, where the rest of their lives were spent.
George Marti was about four years of age when he came to this section of Minnesota with his parents and he grew up on the home farm near West Newton, receiving his edu- cation in the district school in the neighborhood of his home and in the high school at New Ulm. He then entered the Chicago College of Pharmacy at Chicago, from which he was graduated in 1879, after which for a year he was em- ployed in a drug store at New Ulm. In that same year he married a daughter of August Schell and then went to St. Paul and started a drug store of his own and was thus engaged there for twenty years, at the end of which time he returned to New Ulm and entered the office of his father-in- law, head of the Schell Brewing Company, and had charge of the books of that company and was thus engaged until 1911, in which year he was elected president of the company, in which capacity he has since been serving. The Schell brewery was established in New Ulm about 1860 in a small
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way and has grown to large proportions, being now one of the leading industries of its kind in this section of the state, having a capacity of from eighteen thousand to twenty thou- sand barrels a year. The plant occupies a plot of forty acres, the grounds being beautifully kept and the buildings first-class and modern.
In 1879, George Marti was united in marriage to Emma Schell, who was born in Cincinnati, daughter of August and Theresa Schell, who came to this county as members of the original colony of the Cincinnati Land Company in 1856. August Schell founded the Schell Brewing Company at New Ulm and remained the head of the same until his death. His widow survived him for some years, her death occurring in 1912, she then being eighty-three years of age. They were the parents of six children, Emily, Emma, Anna, Adolph, Otto and Augusta.
To George and Emma (Schell) Marti five children have been born, namely: Hertha, who married E. A. Hagberg, of New Ulm, and has two children, Helen and Theodore; Alma, who is a music teacher; Alfred, bookkeeper in the. office of the Schell Brewing Company, who married Hertha Grege and has one child, a son, Frank; Elsie, who teaches music in the New Ulm public schools, and Edward, who is a student at Washburn College, Topeka, Kansas. The Martis long have been prominent figures in the social and cultural life of the community and are held in high esteem by their many friends. Mr. Marti is a member of Charity Lodge No. 98, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons; of the New Ulm Chapter, Royal Arch Masons; DeMolay Commandery, Knights Templar, and of Zurah Temple, Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, at Minneapolis.
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He also is affiliated with the Arbieter Freund Society of New Ulm and the Sons of Hermann at New Ulm, and in the affairs of all these several organizations takes a warm interest.
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OTTO F. OSWALD.
Otto F. Oswald, well-known member of the firm of Oswald & Rice, proprietors of the steam laundry at New Ulm, the only establishment of the kind in the city, is a native son of New Ulm, having been born in that city on February 14, 1883, son of Gottlieb C. and Wilhelmina (Wolf) Oswald, well-known residents of New Ulm, a fur- ther history of which family is set out in a biographical sketch relating to Gottlieb C. Oswald, presented elsewhere in this volume.
Otto F. Oswald received his education in the New Ulm schools and upon leaving school took employment with the Burg Cigar Company, with which he was connected for fifteen years, the last five years of which he acted as a trav- eling salesman for the company. He then engaged in the saloon business at Cobden, this county, and was thus en- gaged for about a year, at the end of which time he returned to New Ulm and bought a half interest in a saloon there. Two years later he sold his interest in that place and on January 1, 1915, bought an interest in the New Ulm steam laundry, with which he ever since has been connected and in which business he is doing well. Oswald & Rice have estab- lished agencies for their laundry in about forty towns in southern Minnesota and South Dakota and have an exten- sive business. In connection with their establishment they also operate a modern dry-cleaning plant, and have worked up a fine business in that line.
In 1902 Otto F. Oswald was united in marriage to Flor-
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ence Gilley, daughter of Joseph Gilley and wife, and to this union five children have been born, Lena, Laura, Delbert, Arnold and Melvin. Mr. Oswald is a Republican and gives a good citizen's attention to local political affairs, but has never been an aspirant for public office. He is a member of the New Ulm Turnverein, of which he is the vice-president, and is one of the most active members of the local branch of the Sons of Hermann, which he has served in the capacity of president and takes a warm interest in its affairs. Mr. Oswald is second lieutenant of Burg's Battery, a local bat- tery which has been in existence for fifty years.
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CHRISTIAN BOOCK.
Christian Boock, the well-known florist at New Ulm, proprietor of the oldest green-houses in that city, is a native of Germany, having been born in Schleswig, February 6, 1841, son of Josiah and Wilhelmina (Theede) Boock, both natives of that same province. Josiah Boock was trained as a cooper, but later took up farming and became the owner of a farm of forty acres, which he cultivated until he re- tired. He was twice married, his first wife, the mother of the subject of this sketch, by whom he had eight children, four of whom are still living, dying in 1856. He then mar- ried again and moved over the border into Denmark with his family, remaining there for four years, after which he returned to Schleswig, where he spent the rest of his life, his death occurring at the age of eighty-eight years.
Christian Boock received his education in the German schools and was trained to the trade of a cooper. He was living in Denmark when the Danish-Prussian War broke out in 1863 and he enlisted in behalf of the Danish cause, serving in the army of Denmark until the close of the war. He then resumed work at his trade and was thus engaged until 1866, in which year he came to the United States, pro- ceeding directly to Minnesota and arrived at New Ulm on Christmas day of that year with twenty dollars in his pocket. Shortly afterward he went over to St. Peter, where he remained for two years, working in a cooper shop during the winters and on farms during the summers. He then entered a homestead claim and "proved up" the same, at
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the same time continuing his cooperage work and in 1873 was engaged as foreman of the cooper shop of the Eagle Roller Mill Company at New Ulm, a position he held until 1906. During the meantime Mr. Boock had given consider- able attention to the cultivation of roses for his own pleas- ure and that of his family and friends and the fame of his roses became widely known. The demands of his friends for roses and other flowers of his raising presently became so insistent that he resigned his position at the mill and in 1906 began to devote his whole time to his green-house, which from a small affair, sixteen by twelve in dimension, has now reached extensive proportions, Mr. Boock doing a large business as a general florist.
On April 16, 1870, Christian Boock was united in mar- riage to Elise Bolke and to this union five children have been born, three of whom, Fred, Alfred and Otto, are still living. Alfred Boock married Pauline Schuetz and has four chil- dren, Alfred J., Darwin, Meta and Elsa. Otto Boock mar- ried Loretta Koester and has two children, Alice and Wal- ter. Mr. Boock is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and is a past noble grand of the local lodge. He also is a member of the Ancient Order of United Work- men and for four years was master of the local lodge of that order. In his political views he is "independent," reserv- ing his right to vote as he thinks best, regardless of party affiliation.
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AUGUST C. DAHL.
August C. Dahl, secretary-treasurer of the New Ulm Roller Mill Company and one of the most active and ener- getic young business men of that city, is a native son of Brown county, having been born on a pioneer farm in Cot- tonwood township, February 20, 1877, son of Christian and Ernestine (Krueger) Dahl, the former a native of Germany and the latter of Brown county.
Christian Dahl was but four years old when his parents came to the United States, the family settling near Water- town, Wisconsin, where he remained until he was nineteen years old, at which time he came to Minnesota seeking land and bought a tract in Cottonwood township, this county. That was before the days of the Indian uprising and when defense measures became necessary Mr. Dahl enlisted in the United States army and for three years served as one of the protectors of the settlers in these parts. At the conclusion of this service Mr. Dahl returned to his homestead farm and proceeded to develop the same. His affairs proved pros- perous and he gradually added to his holdings until he be- came the owner of five hundred and sixty acres of well- improved land in Cottonwood township. He was active in local public affairs and served his township well in various offices of a public character. His death occurred in 1910. He and his wife were the parents of eleven children, seven of whom are still living, Henry, Benjamin, Robert, August C., Louis, Arthur and Chris.
August C. Dahl was reared on the home farm and re-
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ceived his elementary education in the district school in the neighborhood of his home, supplementing the same by a course in the Mankato Normal School, from which he was graduated in 1900. For two years thereafter he taught school at Money Creek, in Houston county, and in 1902 be- came engaged as a clerk and bookkeeper in the offices of the New Ulm Milling Company at New Ulm. The interest he manifested in the affairs of the company from the very beginning of his connection therewith was rewarded by his election in 1911 to the important and responsible position of secretary-treasurer of the company, which position he still holds, being one of the best-known flour-mill men in this part of the state.
In 1903 August C. Dahl was united in marriage to Lou- ise Backer, daughter of August Backer and wife, and to this union one child has been born, a daughter, Verna. Mr. Dahl is a member of the Commercial Club of New Ulm and takes an active interest in the extension of the city's com- mercial and industrial life. He is a director of the Brown County Bank of New Ulm and a director of the State Bank of Essig. He is a Republican and is a member of the Ma- sonic fraternity and of the Knights Templar, in the affairs of which organizations he takes a warm interest.
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LOUIS SPELBRINK.
Louis Spelbrink, successful farmer and stockman of Milford township, Brown county, Minnesota, was born in the same township where he has passed his entire life, on September 1, 1859, being a son of Christian and Marie Louise Spelbrink, both natives of Hanover, Germany. Christian Spelbrink was a merchant in his native city in a small way and emigrated to America in 1856. He located near Lafayette, Indiana, where for about a year he worked out as a farm hand. In 1857 he came to Minnesota with the Cincinnati colony and located in Milford township on a tract of one hundred and sixty acres of land which he entered from the government. He remained thereon for three years and then disposed of it, purchasing instead the land on which Louis, the immediate subject of this sketch, now re- sides. Christian Spelbrink lived and labored on this farm until the time of his death, passing through many hardships common to pioneers in this section at that time. During the time of the Indian massacre he lost all his grain and live stock and most of his household furniture and with his family had to flee to New Ulm for safety and later on they were forced to go to St. Peter for a short time.
Louis Spelbrink was one of a family of six children, of whom but three are now living, the other two being Chris, of New Ulm, and Gust, residing at Ivanhoe, Minnesota. Louis Spelbrink received his education in his native township, making the most of the meager opportunities offered at that time, and became his father's assistant in the management
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LOUIS SPELBRINK.
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of the home place. He was thus associated with him at the time of his death, when he took over the farm and has in- creased his holdings to two hundred and seventy-six acres. Louis Spelbrink has greatly improved this farm until it is one of the best in the community and carries on diversified farming along the most approved lines. He puts in an aver- age of ninety acres to wheat, twenty acres to oats, forty acres to corn and ten acres to clover and prepares for the market from forty to fifty hogs per annum. He keeps an average of ten milk cows, disposing of their product to a nearby cream- ery. Since owning this land, Mr. Spelbrink has spent about four thousand dollars in improving it and has brought it up to a high standard of perfection.
On January 18, 1888, Louis Spelbrink was united in marriage with Dora Sophia Goede, a daughter of William Goede, born on October 18, 1864, and to their union has been born a family of five children: Erwin E., Erne, Lydia, Jessie and Esther, all at home with the parents with the exception of Erwin E., who married Mate Knees. Mr. Spel- brink holds his fraternal affiliation with the Modern Wood- men of America and gives his political support to the Re- publican party. He is at the present time chairman of the town board of Milford and for eight years served as clerk of the town board. He has also been township assessor, dis- charging his duties along all lines with satisfaction to all concerned. Mr. Spelbrink is one of the representative citi- zens of Milford township and as such is eminently entitled to representation in a work of the character of the one in hand.
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GEORGE DOEHNE.
George Doehne, a well-known and venerable retired business man of New Ulm, pioneer resident of Brown county, a veteran of the old Mounted Ranger service who rendered valuable aid to the state during the time of the Indian uprising in the summer of 1862, a former partner in the old Eagle mills at New Ulm and for many years one of the most highly respected residents of that city, is a native of Germany, having been born in the principality of Wal- deck, September 14, 1834, only child of Wilhelm and Caro- lina (Mueller) Doehne, the former of whom was a Hessian, born near the castle of Hesse, and the latter of whom was born in Waldeck. Wilhelm Doehne was a tanner and oper- ated a tannery in the city of Mangeringhausen, Waldeck. He died when his only son was five years old and his widow survived him but seven years.
Left an orphan at the early age of twelve, George Doehne's early life was one of struggle, but he bravely faced each new situation as it presented and with a stout heart ever pressed forward. He followed his father's calling as a youth and learned the tanner's trade under a most compe- tent master, becoming a thoroughly skilled worker in leather. At the age of twenty Mr. Doehne decided to try his fortune in the promising land across the sea and in 1854 came to America, landing at Philadelphia, the sailing vessel in which he crossed being forty-nine days in making the trip. Mr. Doehne found his first employment in this coun-
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