USA > Minnesota > Brown County > History of Brown County, Minnesota: Its People, Industries and Institutions (Volume 1) > Part 44
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BROWN COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
OTTO JOHN SEIFERT, B. S., M. D.
Dr. Otto John Seifert, one of the best-known young physicians in this part of the state, who has been practicing his profession at New Ulm since the fall of 1912, having located there after a period of valuable experience as in- terne in the city hospital at Minneapolis, is a native son of Brown county, having been born on a farm in Sigel town- ship, February 5, 1888, son of Henry and Anna (Forster) Seifert, the former also a native of this county and the lat- ter of the state of Wisconsin, both of whom long have been residents of the city of New Ulm.
Henry Seifert was born on a pioneer farm in Cotton- wood township, this county, son of John Seifert and wife, natives of Bohemia and early settlers of Brown county, long substantial and influential residents of the Cottonwood neighborhood, whose last days were spent in New Ulm, both living to be upwards of seventy years of age. John Seifert and wife were among the earliest of the Bohemian colonists to settle in this part of the state and they reared their family on the homestead farm in Cotton wood township. John Seifert was one of the brave home defenders during the time of the Indian uprising in 1862. In their declining years he and his wife retired from the farm and spent the rest of their lives in New Ulm. They were the parents of nine children, Catherine, Mary, Anna, Peter, John, Henry, Joseph and two who died in youth. Henry Seifert was reared on the home farm in Cottonwood township and grew up as a farmer boy. He married Anna Forster, daughter of
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Carl and Barbara Forster, natives of Bavaria, early settlers of this county, both of whom lived to be upwards of seventy years of age. Carl Forster and wife upon coming to Amer- ica first became residents of Wisconsin, but presently came to this county, where they spent the remainder of their lives. They were the parents of eight children, Anna, George, John, Charles, Frank, Rose, Albert and one who died in youth. Not long after his marriage Henry Seifert left the farm and moved to LeSueur, later moving to the city of New Ulm, where he has for years been engaged in the retail liquor business. He and his wife are members of the Catholic church. To him and his wife six children have been born, namely: Dr. Otto J., the immediate subject of this biographical sketch; Dr. Arthur V., a well-known den- tist at New Ulm; Leo, a law student; Elsie, who married Dr. Omer Warner, of Canby, this state; Harry, who died in 1892, at the age of two years, and Myra.
Otto J. Seifert was reared at New Ulm and received his elementary education in the parochial schools there, after which he spent five years in St. Thomas Military Academy. He then entered the University of Minnesota and was graduated from that institution in 1910, with the degree of Bachelor of Science, immediately thereafter en- tering the medical department of the same university, from which he was graduated in 1912. Upon receiving his diploma, Doctor Seifert was appointed an interne in the city hospital at Minneapolis and after a period of valuable service there, during which he acquired much practical ex- perience in the practice of his profession, he returned to his home in New Ulm and, in the fall of 1912, opened an office and has ever since been quite successfully engaged in prac-
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tice. Doctor Seifert is the present health officer of New Ulm and county physician for the first district. He is a member of the Brown County Medical Society, the Min- nesota State Medical Society and the American Medical Association, in the affairs of all of which organizations he takes much interest, and is regarded as one of the rising young medical men of this part of the state.
On October 28, 1912, Dr. Otto J. Seifert was united in marriage to Marian Nettie Field, of Amery, Wisconsin, who was born in that city, June 8, 1892, daughter of Louis S. and Jeannette Field, both natives of Rockford, Illinois, who for years have been prominent residents of Amery. Louis S. Field is a miller there, one of the leading men of the town. To him and his wife but two children have been born, Marian and William. Mrs. Seifert is a graduate of the Amery high school and of the Nurses Training School at Minneapolis, in which latter city she formed an acquaint- ance with Doctor Seifert.
To Dr. Otto J. and Marian N. (Field) Seifert one child has been born, a daughter, Muriel. Doctor and Mrs. Seifert are members of the Catholic church and take an active in- terest in the various social and cultural activities of their home city, being held in high esteem by all hereabout. Doctor Seifert is a member of the Knights of Columbus, of the Catholic Order of Foresters and of the St. Joseph Society, taking an active part in the affairs of all.
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BROWN COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
PAUL W. HACKBARTH.
Paul W. Hackbarth, well-known and progressive young merchant, of New Ulm, this county, who is the proprietor of a modern and well-stocked shoe store in the Buenger block in that city, is a native of Germany, having been born in Pommern, June 25, 1876, son of August and Ida (Robein) Hackbarth, natives of that same district of Germany, who later became residents of New Ulm, where the former still lives.
August Hackbarth was reared in his native land and became a carpenter. He married there Ida Robein and con- tinued to make his home there until 1881, in which year he and his family came to the United States and settled in New Ulm, where Mr. Hackbarth became a well-known carpenter and builder, many buildings in that city still testifying to the substantial character of his work. For some years past he has been living practically retired from the active labors of life. His wife died in 1906, at the age of sixty-two. August Hackbarth and wife were members of the Lutheran church and their children were reared in that faith. There are seven of these children, as follow: Emily, who is the wife of Albert Barbrecht, of New Ulm; Frank, of Nicollet, this state; Emma, wife of John Pelzl, of Sleepy Eye, this county ; Paulina, wife of Edward Wilbrecht, of New Ulm; Paul W., the subject of this biographical sketch; William, of Nortonville, this state, and Frieda, of New Ulm.
Paul W. Hackbarth was about five years old when his parents located in New Ulm and he grew up in that city,
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attending both the public and parochial schools. He then began clerking for Willibald Eibner, baker and confec- tioner, and was thus engaged for six years, at the end of which time he became interested in his father's trade and for three years worked as a carpenter. He then began to work in the furniture and undertaking establishment of L. J. Buenger and was thus engaged until 1904, in which year he bought the Frank Dietz shoe store, moved the stock of the same into a fine room in the Buenger block and has there ever since been engaged in the shoe trade, in which he has been quite successful. He has a handsomely appointed and well-equipped store and is rated as one of the most enterprising merchants in the city, possessing the entire confidence and respect of commercial circles generally throughout this section of the state.
On October 8, 1902, Paul W. Hackbarth was united in marriage to Matilda Buenger, who was born in New Ulm, daughter of Louis and Henrietta (Ipps) Buenger, a fur- ther history of which interesting family in this county is set out in a biographical sketch relating to Emil Buenger, presented elsewhere in this volume. Mr. and Mrs. Hack- barth are members of the Lutheran church and take an active part in the various social and cultural activities of their home town, being held in high regard by their many friends hereabout. Mr. Hackbarth is a Republican and has ever given a good citizen's attention to local political affairs, but has never been an aspirant for public office.
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BROWN COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
ADOLPH SCHUBERT.
Adolph Schubert, proprietor of the "Evergreen Stock Farm" located in Milford township and accounted one of the best improved farms in Brown county, Minnesota, was born in Wisconsin on January 20, 1862, a son of Frank and Mary Schubert, both natives of Germany.
Frank Schubert was but eighteen years of age when he came to this country and located in Wisconsin, where for a number of years he worked as a farm hand. It was there he was married, and purchasing a farm, continued to make that state his home until 1866 when he came to this county and located in Milford township, where Adolph now resides. Frank Schubert's farm consisted of one hundred and sixty acres of unimproved land when he purchased it, and he in- dustriously farmed and greatly improved his holdings, so that at the time of his retirement he had made wonderful strides toward reclaiming his land from the grasp of the wilderness. His death occurred at New Ulm in 1907, where he had taken up his residence after leaving the farm. Frank Schubert was a man who stood high in the estimation of his friends, being very popular among the people of his own nationality, and as an enterprising man he took a keen inter- est in local affairs. He served as town clerk for some time, was township assessor for a number of years and also county treasurer of Brown county for some time, discharging the various duties thus devolving upon him in a manner satis- factory to all interested. Frank Schubert was the father of nine children, seven of whom are living at the present time.
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ADOLPH SCHUBERT.
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Adolph Schubert was a small boy when his parents came to this county and his education was received in the early schools of Milford township. He remained as his father's assistant until he was twenty-three years of age, when he was married and then arranged to rent the farm from his father. He later came into possession of the entire farm and now has three hundred and twenty acres, same being considered about the best improved farm in the county. Since obtaining possession of the place, Mr. Schu- bert has added about five thousand dollars worth of improve- ments to land and buildings and has an attractive home. The farm derives its name from the clump of evergreen trees surrounding the house and this, with a spacious lawn, makes an excellent appearance. Mr. Schubert divides his attention between grain growing and the raising of live stock, being uniformly successful in his ventures.
In 1885, Mr. Schubert was united in marriage to Ange- line Richartz, daughter of Theo Richartz, and to their union two children have been born, Theresa and Martha. Mr. Schubert and family are communicants of the Roman Cath- olic church at New Ulm and politically, he is an independent voter. As a representative citizen of the county, it is with pleasure this short sketch of his career is included in this volume.
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BROWN COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
JOHN H. FORSTER.
John H. Forster, well-known furniture dealer and un- dertaker at New Ulm, is a native son of Brown county, hav- ing been born on a farm in Sigel township, September 10, 1873, son of Carl and Barbara (Steiner) Forster, both natives of Austria, for years prominent farming people of this county, whose last days were spent in comfortable re- tirement in New Ulm.
Carl Forster was born in Austria, son of Martin and Margaret (Forster) Forster, who though bearing the same surnames were no blood relation to each other, and who emi- grated with their family from that country to the United States, locating first in Wisconsin and then coming to Min- nesota and settling in Brown county, where both spent the remainer of their lives, Martin Forster having been eighty- seven years of age at the time of his death. They were the parents of five children, namely: Mrs. Mary Hacker, of New Ulm; Carl, father of the immediate subject of this biographical sketch; Mrs. Theresa Scharenbroich, of St. Cloud, this state; Mrs. Katie Federspiel, of Racine, Wis- consin, and Mrs. Anna Backus.
Carl Forster was thirteen years old when he came to America with his parents, who settled at Manitowoc, Wis- consin, and there he grew to manhood and acquired a com- mon-school education. In that city he married Barbara Steiner, who also was born in Austria, daughter of Albert Steiner and wife, who came to America and settled in the Manitowoc neighborhood, where they spent the rest of their
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lives on a farm. Albert Steiner and wife were the parents of three children, John, Mrs. Anna Kulneck and Barbara. After his marriage Carl Forster became a farmer and was thus engaged in the vicinity of Manitowoc until 1868, in which year he came to Minnesota and settled in Brown county. He bought a farm of two hundred and seven acres in Sigel township and there established his family, quickly becoming recognized as one of the leading men in that com- munity. In their later years Carl Forster and wife retired from the farm and moved to New Ulm, where the former died on December 17, 1913, at the age of seventy-four years, and the latter, January 26, 1910, aged sixty-one. Both were earnest members of the Catholic church and their children were reared in that faith. There were eight of these chil- dren, as follow: Mrs. Henry Seifert, of New Ulm; George P., of Springfield, this county, Charles A., deceased; John H., the subject of this sketch; Frank, who occupies the old family homestead in Sigel township; Albert died in 1910 in Canada; Mrs. Rose Gaag, of Minneapolis, and a daughter who died in infancy.
John H. Forster was reared on the old home farm in Sigel township, attending both the public and the parochial schools, upon the completion of which elementary course, when he was sixteen years old, he went to Sleepy Eye, this county, and there learned the harness-making trade, follow- ing the same for four years. He then entered a business college at Minneapolis and there took a comprehensive course in commercial forms, after which he returned to New Ulm and for three years was engaged as a harness-maker there in the store of August Quense, at the end of which time he bought the Quense establishment and conducted the
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same for four years. Then selling out the harness business, he bought an interest in the furniture and undertaking es- tablishment of his brother, Charles, at New Ulm, and one year later, in 1901, bought his brother's interest in the same and since then has conducted the business alone, being the proprietor of one of the most extensive and completely equipped establishments of this character hereabout. Mr. Forster's establishment occupies three floors and he carries a large and first-class line of goods in the furniture line, while the undertaking department is conducted along the most modern lines approved by up-to-date funeral directors.
On February 1, 1898, John H. Forster was united in marriage to Anna Amann, who was born in the state of Illinois, daughter of Andreas and Catherine (Sturm) Amann, the former a native of German and the latter of this county, who were the parents of six children, namely : John, of Sleepy Eye, this county; Anna, who married Mr. Forster; Benjamin, Lucy, Adelaide and Martin, the latter of whom is deceased.
To John H. and Anna (Amann) Forster twelve chil- dren have been born: Lucy, Adelaide, Hugo, Rosa, Harold, Marcella, Elfretta, Marguerite, Marie, Helen, Grace and Alma. Mr. and Mrs. Forster are members of the Catholic church and take a warm interest in parish affairs. They also are concerned in the general good work of the com- munity and are held in high regard by their many friends. Mr. Forster is a member of the Knights of Columbus, the Catholic Order of Foresters and the St. Joseph Society, in the affairs of which he takes an active interest. He is a Democrat and takes a good citizen's part in political affairs, though not an office seeker.
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BROWN COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
JOHN P. GRAFF, D. V. S.
Dr. John P. Graff, county commissioner and former mayor of New Ulm, a well-known veterinary surgeon, who also is engaged in the livery and automobile business at New Ulm, one of the best-known citizens of Brown county, is a native son of New Ulm, having been born in that city on July 17, 1877, son of John and Catherine (Schnitz) Graff, both natives of Germany, the former of Prussia and the latter of Luxemburg.
John Graff came to America with his parents in the latter fifties of the last century and in 1859 came to Minne- sota, settling in New Ulm, where he presently became the owner of the old Union hotel, which was burned down dur- ing the time of the Indian attack on that city in 1862. His father died not long after coming here, leaving four chil- dern, Mrs. Henry Vajen, Mrs. Charles Sommer, John and Lena, who married Charles Ross and now lives in Welling- ton, Kansas, she being the only surviving member of the family. Grandmother Graff married, secondly, Philip Gross, who also was a pioneer of Brown county, proprietor of the Union hotel at New Ulm, and both lived to old age. After the destruction of his hotel during the Indian out- break, John Graff engaged in the real estate and cattle busi- ness in New Ulm and was thus quite successfully engaged until he retired from business some years before his death, his last days being spent in New Ulm. He was a member of the Lutheran church and his wife was a member of the Catholic church. They were the parents of seven children,
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namely: Fred, deceased; Amelia, wife of William Brust, of Sleepy Eye, this county; George, of Ivanhoe, Lincoln county, this state; Helena, wife of J. P. Jensen, of Boze- man, Montana; Dr. John P., the immediate subject of this biographical sketch, and two who died in youth.
Upon completing the course in the public schools of New Ulm, John P. Graff entered St. John's University at Collegeville, this state, from which institution he presently was graduated, after which he entered the Chicago Veterin- ary College, at Chicago, Illinois, from which he was gradu- ated in 1902. Upon receiving his diploma, Doctor Graff re- turned to New Ulm and immediately opened an office for the practice of veterinary surgery and has been quite success- fully thus engaged ever since. In 1904 Doctor Graff estab- lished the flourishing livery business which he has since conducted and in 1910 added a line of automobiles to the same, in which latter department of the business he also has been quite successful, being recognized as one of the substantial business men of the city.
On November 24, 1902, not long after establishing him- self in practice in New Ulm, Dr. John P. Graff was united in marriage to Theresa Eichmann, who was born in New Ulm on October 26, 1876, daughter of John and Margaret (Brown) Eichmann, natives of Germany and early settlers in New Ulm, of whose children three are still living, Martha, wife of Joseph M. Arbes, John and Mrs. Graff.
To Dr. John P. and Theresa (Eichmann) Graff two children have been born, Richard J. and John W. Doctor and Mrs. Graff are earnest members of the Catholic church and take their part in good works hereabout, being held in high regard by all. The doctor is a member of the Knights
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of Columbus, the Catholic Order of Foresters and the St. Joseph Society of the Catholic church. He is a stanch Re- publican and for years has given his thoughtful attention to local political affairs. The confidence which this commun- ity has in his executive abilities and sound judgment is attested by the fact that he for two terms was elected as an alderman and then was elected mayor, in which capacity he rendered such excellent public service that he was re-elected, thus serving two terms in that important office. He then was elected a member of the board of county commissioners and is now serving in that capacity.
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BROWN COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
HON. JACOB KLOSSNER, JR.
Hon. Jacob Klossner, Jr., former member of the Min- nesota Legislature, a well-known retired farmer and mer- chant, of New Ulm, commander of the local post of the Grand Army of the Republic, acting mayor of the town for five months, former deputy clerk of the court of Nicollet county, for years an influential member of the New Ulm city council, actively connected with extensive banking interests hereabout, owner of much valuable real estate in New Ulm and in other ways interested in the general activities of this community, is a native of Switzerland, having been born in the canton of Bern, December 23, 1846, son of Jacob and Catherina Susanna (Kroepfle) Klossner, both of Swiss par- entage, who later became pioneer residents of this part of Minnesota, where their last days were spent.
The elder Jacob Klossner was the only son of his par- ents, Christian and Susanna Klossner, also natives of Can- ton Bern, he having had a sister, who married Christian Klossner, who, though bearing the same name as that of her father, was not a blood kinsman. The Klossners were small farmers in Switzerland and the younger Jacob grew up as a farmer and a manufacturer of cheese. He served as a soldier in the army of the republic during the War of 1848 and was a sturdy, stalwart citizen. He married Catherine Susanna Kroepfle, first-born of the four daughters of her parents, she having had three sisters, Magdalena, Rosina and Mary. The Kroepfles also were small farmers in Bern. Grandfather Kroepfle died in his native land when forty-
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two years old and his widow, who was a Stucke, did not long survive him.
In 1850 the elder Jacob Klossner and his family came to the United States, proceeding immediately to Joliet, Illi- nois, in the neighborhood of which then rapidly growing city they lived for six years, engaged in farming. In 1856, attracted by the glowing reports then being sent out from this part of Minnesota, Mr. Klossner and his family came here, proceeding directly to the New Ulm settlement. After a bit of prospecting he secured the relinquishment of a claim on a quarter of a section of land in Lafayette township, in the neighboring county of Nicollet, for which he paid the dispirited homesteader one hundred dollars. He paid the same man forty dollars for a cow. His wife in the mean- time had secured a couple of hens and thus equipped the Klossners set up their new home in what then was prac- tically a wilderness, when the final details of settlement were effected Mr. Klossner having left as a cash basis of operations but three dollars and fifty cents. Both he and his wife, however, possessed strong hearts and willing hands and their energy and industry quickly won out. As their children grew up they also were helpful and the family eventually owned four hundred and thirty-three acres sur- rounding the homestead, a well-improved and well-kept farm. The elder Jacob Klossner was not only a man of sub- stance in his community, but he was a man of large personal influence and both he and his wife did much in the way of bringing about proper social and economic conditions in the formative period of their neighborhood. Mr. Klossner for a number of years was school director, school treasurer and township treasurer in Lafayette township and in other ways
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contributed of his time and energies in the public service. After living on the homestead farm for about thirty-eight years he and his wife retired from the farm and moved to New Ulm, where Mr. Klossner died in 1897, at the age of seventy-three years. His widow, who still survives him, celebrated her ninety-second birthday on April 23, 1915.
To Jacob and Catherina Susanna (Kroepfle) Klossner the following children were born, namely: Jacob, the imme- diate subject of this biographical sketch; Catherine, who married John Schurch and died in Minneapolis in 1871; Fred, who died in infancy; Fred (second), who lives at Klossners Station, in the neighboring county of Nicollet; John, who occupies the old family homestead in Lafayette township, same county; Caroline, deceased, who was the wife of Henry Kingsberg; Henry, who lives in Texas; Will- iam, of Winthrop, in the neighboring county of Sibley; Emily, widow of Frank Kiesling, of Winthrop, and Sophia, wife of Ole Johnson, of Pelican Rapids, in Ottertail county, this state.
The younger Jacob Klossner was three years old when his parents came to America and he was nine years old when the family located in the New Ulm settlement. He grew to manhood on the homestead farm over on the other side of the river and, as the eldest son, was from the first a great aid to his father in the development of the place. He had his schooling in the little old log school house in that neigh- borhood and has a distinct recollection to this day of the manner in which the wind whistled through the unchinked crevices between the logs. He was about sixteen years old when the Indian uprising spread terror throughout this part of the state and he enlisted in Company L, First Min-
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