USA > Minnesota > Brown County > History of Brown County, Minnesota: Its People, Industries and Institutions (Volume 1) > Part 40
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BROWN COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
HERMAN FRITSCHE.
Herman Fritsche, well-known farmer and stockman of Cottonwood township, this county, proprietor of a fine farm of two hundred and forty acres seven miles from New Ulm, his trading point, is a native son of Brown county, having been born on the homestead farm where he still makes his home, May 25, 1866, son of Ernest and Christina (Schu- macher) Fritsche, both natives of Germany and pioneers of Brown county.
Ernest Fritsche came to the United States when eighteen years old, proceeding directly from the port of New York, where he landed, to Chicago, where he worked as a carpenter for a year, at the end of which time he came to Minnesota, locating at St. Paul, where for nine months he worked as a carpenter. He then came down state with a party of German homeseekers and stopped at New Ulm, where he began working as a surveyor. He also for some time served as mail carrier to and from Ft. Ridgely. He then bought a yoke of oxen and for some time was engaged in the transfer business between New Ulm and St. Paul, hauling merchandise and provisions, and presently home- steaded a quarter of a section of land in Cottonwoon town- ship, where he established his home, remaining there until 1893, in which year he retired from the active labors of the farm and moved to New Ulm. He and his wife were the parents of nine children, namely: Minnie, who married A. Retzlaf, a hardware dealer at New Ulm; Louis, an engineer
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at Minneapolis; Robert, a traveling salesman, with head- quarters at Aberdeen, South Dakota; Herman, the subject of this biographical sketch; Emil, who lives at New Ulm; John, who lives with his father at New Ulm, and Emma, Alfred and Louisa, deceased.
Herman Fritsche was reared on the homestead farm in Cottonwood township, the place of his birth, and has always lived there. His school days ended when he was fourteen years old and thereafter he gave his attention to the work of helping develop the home farm. He married in 1893 and, his father retiring from the farm about that time, he bought the home place, which he still owns. To the original quar- ter section he added an adjoining "eighty" and now owns a very well-kept and quite profitable managed farm of two hundred and forty acres. Mr. Fritsche feeds his grain and has made a specialty of stock raising, having discovered the larger profits in that phase of farming. He has about eight thousand dollars worth of improvements on his place and in 1913 erected a fine new farm house, equipped with elec- tric lights, a hot-water heating plant and all modern appli- ances for comfortable housekeeping; he and his family being very pleasantly situated. Mr. Fritsche has ever given a good citizen's attention to the civic affairs of his home community and for six years served as township assessor and for seven years as school director.
In 1893, Herman Fritsche was united in marriage to Emma Kuelm, who was born in Sigel township, this county, daughter of John and Dorothy Kuelm, natives of Germany and pioneers of this county, early settlers in Sigel township, where they reared a family of eleven children, six sons and five daughters. To Mr. and Mrs. Fritsche three children
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have been born, Alfred, Walter and Irma. They are mem- bers of the German Lutheran church at New Ulm, Mr. Fritsche being one of the trustees of the same, and take an active part in all community good works.
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BROWN COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
DANIEL MECKLENBURG.
Daniel Mecklenburg, residing on his farm of three hun- dred and sixty acres in Milford township, Brown county, Minnesota, and joint-proprietor of a saloon in Essig, was born in Wisconsin, January 18, 1863, a son of Charles and Ricka Mecklenburg, both natives of Germany. Charles and wife were married in their native land, where he was a shepherd, following that vocation until the time of emigrat- ing to America. He located in Wisconsin, where he pre- empted land, and remained there until 1867, when he came to Brown county, this state, and purchased one hundred and twenty acres in Milford township. He farmed here until the time of his death in 1872. Of the six children originally in that family, but two are now living, Daniel being the only one in this county ; the other being Louis of Renville county, Minnesota.
When a boy, Daniel Mecklenburg attended the public schools of Milford township and was early apprenticed to the carpenter trade. He later worked as a farm hand and for a number of years followed a threshing machine. In 1885 he purchased a threshing outfit for himself and oper- ated it until 1913, having in the meantime threshed all over this section and being personally known from one end of this county to the other. During all these years he con- tinued the management of his farm, as he still does, and in 1914 bought the saloon business at Essig, in partnership with J. O. Case.
Daniel Mecklenburg was married on May 5, 1885, to Emma Knees, a daughter of William Knees, and to their
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union ten children have been born. These are: Allie, Arthur, Jennie, Alfred, Harry, Lillie, Emil, Esther, Alma and Mayme. Allie married Gertrude Meyer and has one child, Gilbert. Arthur chose Ella Meyer as his wife, and the balance of the family are still under the parental roof.
Mr. Mecklenburg has by his own efforts won a pleasing degree of material success. He bought his first farm of one hundred and twenty acres in 1888 and has increased his holdings since then, putting in all about five thousand dol- lars on his farm by way of improvements. Politically, he is an independent voter and has always been interested more or less in local matters. For about seven years he was a member of the board of supervisors, being also road su- pervisor for some time and school treasurer of his township for some six years; all his duties being discharged in a manner satisfactory to his fellow citizens. Mr. Mecklen- burg holds church membership in the Friends church at Essig and is a man genuinely liked by a wide circle of acquaintances.
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BROWN COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
JOHN ESSIG.
John Essig, successful farm of Milford township, Brown county, Minnesota is a native of the state of Illinois, born on May 29, 1851, in Will county, son of John F. and Louise (Grannarman) Essig, both natives of Germany.
John F. Essig came to America as a young man and located in the state of New York, where he remained for four years, following his trade of glass-blower. He then moved to Will county, Illinois, and settled on a farm, where he followed that vocation for some seventeen years, coming to this state and county in 1866. He located in Milford township and bought one hundred and sixty acres, for which he paid fifteen hundred dollars. He later added forty more acres and farmed his entire holdings until within ten years of his death. At that time he retired from the active duties of life, and took up his residence in Springfield, where he passed his declining years, his death occurring in 1896.
John Essig, the immediate subject of this sketch, is one of a family of ten children, nine of whom are still living. John, as a boy, attended the common schools of his home township in Illinois and remained under the parental roof until twenty-three years of age. He then homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land in this state near San- born and remained there for about eight years, when he moved to Milford township. Upon coming here he pur- chased two hundred acres in section 5 and has since in- creased his holdings to four hundred and fifty acres, all
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located in this same township. He still has one hundred and seventy-five acres in timber and pasture land and his farm is considered among the very best of the township.
In addition to his farming interests, Mr. Essig has been widely known throughout this section for the past few years as the operator of a threshing outfit, in which enter- prise he has been very successful.
On November 10, 1885, John Essig was united in mar- riage with Sarah Berg, a daughter of Matthew Berg, and to their union six children have been born. These are Will- iam, Milton, Meta, Percy, Anna and Cecelia, all at home with the parents. Religiously, Mr. Essig is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church at New Ulm, contributing gen- erously of his means toward the support of that society.
Politically, Mr. Essig is an independent voter, and while not at any time a seeker after office, has been active in political matters as related to local affairs. He served sev- eral terms as road boss and his work in this line was highly pleasing. Mr. Essig started the town of Essig, which is named for him.
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BROWN COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
ALBERT D. FLOR.
Albert D. Flor, court commissioner and one of the best- known young lawyers at New Ulm, this county, member of the firm of Pfaender & Flor, is a native son of New Ulm, having been born in that city, December 7, 1889, son of Lorenz and Anna (Wiesner) Flor, natives of Austria, both of whom came to Brown county in the days of their youth and the former of whom is still living, now comfortably retired in the city of New Ulm.
Lorenz Flor is the youngest of the four sons born to his parents, farming people in Austria, both of whom lived to good old ages, the others being Joseph, George and John. He was reared on the home farm and remained there until he was seventeen years old, when he joined the Wiltscheck party and came to America, settling with the other mem- bers of that historic party of colonists in the New Ulm neighborhood. Upon his arrival in this county Lorenz Flor engaged in farming and presently bought a tract of forty acres in Sigel township, which he proceeded to improve. He married Anna Wiesner, who also had come to this county with the Wiltscheck party. She was the youngest of the four children born to her parents, the others being John, Joseph and Catherine. Grandmother Wiesner died in the old country and Grandfather Wiesner married again, several children being born to that union. He spent all his life in his native land. After their marriage Lorenz Flor and wife established their home on the small farm in Sigel township and there they reared their family. As he pros-
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pered in his farming operations, Lorenz Flor added to his land holdings until he became the possessor of a fine farm of two hundred acres. About the year 1887 Mr. Flor gave up farming and moved with his family to New Ulm, where he lived ever since. Upon moving to New Ulm, though still retaining the ownership of his farm for some time there- after, he was employed for some years in the agricultural implement business with S. D. Peterson. He later formed a partnership with Franz Schubert in the retail liquor busi- ness in the same city, and later was employed in the hard- ware and implement store of F. H. Retzlaff, while thus em- ployed being made district representative of the Interna- tional Harvester Company, which position he held until his practical retirement from the active labors of life. Mr. Lorenz has a pleasant home at the corner of Washington and West Sixth streets in New Ulm. He has a very wide acquaintance throughout this section and is held in high regard by his many friends. His wife died on May 16, 1914, aged fifty-six years and seven months. They were the par- ents of six children, namely: William G., of Ft. Leaven- worth, Kansas; Anna, deceased, who was the wife of Ber- nard Hartmann; Albert D., the immediate subject of this sketch; Alfred, of Luther, Oklahoma, and Millie and Henry, who died in youth.
Albert D. Flor was reared in New Ulm, receiving his early education in the Catholic parochial school, after which he entered the high school, from which he was graduated in 1908. He then entered the law department of the Univer- sity of Minnesota, from which he was graduated with the class of 1911. He was admitted to the bar that same year and the year following became associated as a partner in
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the practice of law with Major Albert Pfaender, under the firm style of Pfaender & Flor, which mutually agreeable partnership still continues, and has been very successful. Mr. Flor is a Democrat and has given thoughtful attention to the political affairs of the county and state. He occupies a high place in the regard of both bench and bar throughout this part of the state and is at present court commissioner for Brown county.
On June 24, 1913, Albert D. Flor was united in mar- riage to Marie Inhofer, who was born on the other side of the river in West Newton township, Nicollet county, Octo- ber 22, 1887, daughter of George and Agnes Inhofer, the former now deceased, while the latter is now living in the city of New Ulm. George Inhofer was a prosperous farmer and he and his wife were the parents of seven children, George, Joseph, Charles (deceased), Louis, William, Marie and Anna. Mr. Inhofer died on December 26, 1915. Mr. and Mrs. Flor are members of the Catholic church and take a warm interest in the various beneficences of their parish, being held in high esteem by their many friends in their home town. Mr. Flor is a member of the Knights of Co- lumbus and of the St. Joseph Society, in the affairs of which he takes an active interest. He is an accomplished musi- cian and is a member of the famous Second Regiment band at New Ulm, for which he also acts in the capacity of pur- chasing agent.
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MAJOR ALBERT PFAENDER.
Major Albert Pfaender, of the Minnesota National Guard, former representative in the lower house of the Min- nesota General Assembly from this district and one of the best-known and most successful lawyers in this section of the state, who has been engaged in the practice of his profes- sion at New Ulm since the year 1900, now head of the firm of Pfaender & Flor, attorneys-at-law, is a native son of Brown county, having been born at New Ulm on September 9, 1873, son of the Hon. William and Catherine (Pfau) Pfaender, natives of Germany, the former of Wurtemberg and the latter of Bavaria, early settlers at New Ulm and for many years leaders in the community life of that city.
William Pfaender was little more than a boy when he came to America and he at once began to make his own way upon landing on these shores. He presently became a clerk in a store at Newport, Kentucky, going thence across the river into Cincinnati, where he also was engaged as a clerk. In the latter city he married Catherine Pfau, whose parents had come to this country from Germany, settling in Cincin- nati, where they spent the rest of their lives, Grandfather Pfau dying in middle life and his widow surviving for many years, she having been close to one hundred years of age at the time of their death. There were six children in the Pfau family, Mrs. Amelia Scherer, Mrs. Emerich Gustetler, Mrs. Philip Emerich, Charles J. Pfau, Mrs. Pfaender and Jacob Pfau.
In 1856 William Pfaender took an active part in the
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MAJOR ALBERT PFAENDER.
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movement among a number of Germans in Cincinnati to form a colony for the purpose of emigrating West and set- tling in Minnesota and from the first was one of the prime movers in the activities of that historic group of sturdy Germans which came here from Cincinnati and settled in the New Ulm neighborhood in 1856, the year following the organization of Brown county as a civic entity. Mr. Pfaen- der pre-empted a tract of two hundred acres in Milford township and there he established his home and reared his family. When the Civil War broke out he enlisted as a sol- dier in behalf of the Union cause and went to the front as a member of the First Minnesota Battery of Light Artillery, participating with that command in the battle of Shiloh and several minor engagements of the war. In 1862 he was transferred to the forces operating against the Indians in this part of Minnesota and later was made commandant at Ft. Ridgely, with the rank of lieutenant-colonel of the Mounted Rangers, in which capacity he rendered dis- tinguished service.
Upon returning to civil life, Colonel Pfaender engaged in the general real estate and insurance business at New Ulm and from the very beginning of his connection with affairs hereabouts was an active leader in local politics, his activities in the political field gaining for him a wide ac- quaintance throughout the state. For several terms he served as a member of the upper house of the Minnesota General Assembly from this district and later was elected state treasurer, serving in that capacity for two terms. At the close of his term of official service Colonel Pfaender re- sumed his connection with the real estate business at New
(10a)
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Ulm, and was thus engaged until the time of his death, August 11, 1905, he then being seventy-nine years of age. His wife had preceded him to the grave more than ten years, her death having occurred in 1892. Colonel Pfaender had been reared a Catholic and his wife a Lutheran, but in later life neither was actively identified with any church.
To William and Catherine (Pfau) Pfaender fifteen children were born, as follow: William, a prominent resi- dent of New Ulm; Kate, wife of Charles A. Albrecht, a fur- rier, of St. Paul; Louise, widow of Dr. G. Stamm, of St. Paul; Josephine, a teacher in the city schools at St. Paul; Fred, present postmaster of New Ulm; Amelia, wife of Doctor Fritche, of New Ulm; Emma, wife of Charles Hauser, of St. Paul; Minnie, wife of Hein Loenholdt, a con- tractor, of Hamburg, Germany; Herman, who occupies the old homestead in Milford township; Albert, the immediate subject of this biographical sketch; Johanna, deceased, who was the wife of Charles Brauns; Carrie, who died unmar- ried at the age of twenty; Alvina, Walter, and one who died in infancy.
Albert Pfaender was reared in New Ulm and after graduating from the high school there entered the Mankato Normal School, from which he presently was graduated, after which he taught school for a couple of years. He then entered the University of Minnesota, from which he was graduated in 1897, after which he further pursued his studies for two years in the law department of that institu- tion and in 1899 entered the law office of Joseph A. Eckstein at New Ulm. The next year, 1900, he was admitted to the bar and has been engaged in the practice of his profession in his native city ever since, now the senior member of the
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firm of Pfaender & Flor, one of the best-known legal firms in this part of the state. Major Pfaender has long been in- terested in the activities of the Minnesota State Guard and in 1901 he was elected second lieutenant of Company A, Second Regiment, Minnesota National Guard, stationed at New Ulm. He shortly afterward was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant and presently became captain of the com- pany, serving as such for eight years, or until his elevation to the rank of major of the regiment in June, 1913, which is his present rank in the state guard. Major Pfaender from boyhood has been interested in accurate marksmanship and has qualified as an expert and distinguished rifleman and revolver shot. He is also recognized as one of the most suc- cessful huntsmen and fishermen in Minnesota and is an ardent advocate of systematic physical culture, his skillful training in the New Ulm Turnverein having given him a very accurate knowledge of the benefits of such a course. From the time he entered practice in New Ulm, Major Pfaender has given close attention to the political affairs of this section. He is a Democrat and for years has been recog- nized as one of the leaders of that party in this county. From 1906 to 1909 he served as city attorney of New Ulm and in 1915 was again appointed to that important position. In 1908 Major Pfaender was elected to the state Legislature as a representative from this district in the lower house of the Minnesota General Assembly, and was successively re- elected in the years 1910 and 1912, thus serving in the house during the sessions of 1909-11-13 and in the special session of 1912, rendering faithful and efficient service in behalf of his constituency and the state at large.
On March 23, 1907, Albert Pfaender was united in mar-
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riage to Marie T. Neumann, who also was born in New Ulm, daughter of John F. and Theresa (Rosskopf) Neumann, the former of whom was born in East Prussia, Germany, and the latter in New Ulm. John F. Neumann and wife, the former of whom is still living, were the parents of five children, namely: Louise, who married Fred Pfaender; Anna, who married Frank Rinke; Marie T., who married Major Pfaender; John X., and Aurora, who married Dr. L. C. Quasl, a dentist, of St. Paul. Some time following the death of the mother of these children Mr. Neumann married, secondly, Emily Kuehnel, and to this second union four children have been born, Victor, Roland, Laurence and Phyllis.
To Albert and Marie T. (Neumann) Pfaender two chil- dren have been born, John Albert and Marion. Major and Mrs. Pfaender are earnest promoters of all proper social activities in their home town, taking a deep interest in the general cultural development of this community, and are held in high esteem by their many friends. Major Pfaender is an active member of the Men's Club of the New Ulm Congregational church; of the Knights of Pythias and of the Modern Woodmen and still keeps up his participation in the affairs of Theta Delta Chi, his college fraternity.
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BROWN COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
HERMAN JUNI.
Herman Juni, well-known farmer of Milford township, Brown county, Minnesota, was born on the same farm on which he now lives on July 12, 1870, being a son of Benedict and Ertestina Juni, the former a native of Switzerland and the latter born in Germany.
Benedict Juni was a weaver by trade and combined that with the vocation of farming when in his native land, but abandoned weaving after coming to this country in the early fifties. He came almost directly to this state and located for a time at Beaver Falls, where he engaged in farming, later coming to this county, where he farmed until within a few years of his death. He passed his declining years in freedom from responsibility, his son Herman, the immediate subject of this sketch, having management of the homestead and with him Benedict lived until the close of his life. Benedict Juni was a man who lived an active life and took a keen interest in the affairs of his day. He was at Ft. Ridgely during the Indian outbreak and later enlisted as a private in the Civil War. After the expiration of his term of enlistment, he returned to his home and took up his duties here with renewed energy, increasing his hold- ings to two hundred acres and being successful in his work. He was a school director for some time and never failed to lend his influence for the good of the community. Benedict Juni was the father of nine children. A son by the name of Ben, child of his first marriage, now resides in New Ulm, and by his second marriage there were Louis (deceased), Emma (deceased), Otilla and Herman.
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Herman Juni received his education in the common schools of Milford township, making the most of the meager opportunities offered when he was a boy and after his school days were over he became his father's assistant in the work of the farm home, remaining with him in this connection until the time of the father's retirement from active labor, when Herman took over the management of the place for five years. He then bought the farm, consisting of two hun- dred and eleven acres, and has since increased his holdings to three hundred and ten acres, putting about five thousand dollars worth of improvements on it in the meantime. He has about one hundred acres in fine virgin timber and puts in over one hundred acres to grains each year.
On June 7, 1900, Herman Juni was united in marriage with Hannah Strater, a daughter of Fred Strater and wife. There are four children in the Juni family, namely : Lowell, Ruth, Vita and Herman. Religiously, Mr. Juni is a faith- ful member of the Methodist Episcopal church of New Ulm, serving that organizatiton as steward. Politically, he is an independent voter and as an evidence of his interest in community affairs, he has served as a member of the school board for some time. He is prosperous, progressive in his ideas and worthy of being classed with the representative citizens of Brown county.
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