USA > Minnesota > Brown County > History of Brown County, Minnesota: Its People, Industries and Institutions (Volume 1) > Part 46
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years when she died. They were the parents of four chil- dren, Paul, Nels, Johanna and Christina.
After his marriage Rasmus Christiansen established his home on his homestead tract in Linden township and his agricultural venture speedily prospered. He gradually added to his land holdings until he became the owner of a fine farm of two hundred acres and was accounted one of the most substantial citizens in that neighborhood. He not only was diligent in his own business, but found time to give a good citizen's attention to public affairs and served for some time as a member of the board of county commission- ers. In 1911 he sold his farm and he and his wife retired to the village of Madelia, where he died on August 22, 1915. The family are earnest members of the Lutheran church and the children were reared in that faith. There are six of these children, all of whom are still living, namely: Alma, of Madelia; Robert, of Kariman, South Dakota; Al- vine, who married the Rev. P. W. Erickson, of Argyle, Wis- consin; May, wife of Lars Larsen, of Madelia; Wilfred, more generally known among his friends as "Fred," the immediate subject of this biographical sketch, and Annetta, wife of Caleb Ash, of Gwinner, North Dakota.
Wilfred Christiansen was reared on the paternal farm in Linden township, this county, growing up with a full acquaintance with the labors of the farm. He received his elementary education in the district school in the neighbor- hood of his home, supplementing the same by a course in the commercial school at Mankato. At the age of sixteen he started out "on his own hook," working at farm labor or such other pursuits as presented themselves and presently engaged his services as a commercial traveler and was "on
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the road" for a year. He then went to Gwinner, North Da- kota, and there started to learn the machinist's trade, but after a couple of years of such employment decided to re- turn to the farm, and for three years thereafter lived on a rented farm, which he operated quite successfully. He then engaged in the sale of agricultural implements in North Dakota and was thus engaged in that state for a year, at the end of which time he returned to this county and worked in the same line at Hanska. He later established a general store at Linden and was in business there until his election in 1914, three years later, to the important and responsible public office of register of deeds for Brown county, after which he moved to New Ulm. Mr. Christiansen entered upon the duties of that office in January, 1915, and is now serving in that capacity. Mr. Christiansen has ever given close attention to civic affairs and during his residence at Hanska was president of the village board.
On June 6, 1912, Wilfred Christiansen was united in marriage to Grace Halverson, who was born at New Ulm, daughter of Louis and Mary (Knutsen) Halverson, the for- mer a native of Wisconsin and the latter of Linden town- ship, this county, who now reside at Hanska, in this county. Louis Halverson is a son of Ole Halverson and wife, who emigrated to this country and became early settlers in Wis- consin, later coming to this county, where they spent the remainder of their lives, well-known pioneers of this com- munity. They were the parents of five children, Louis, Clement, Halvor, John and Annie. Mary (Knutson) Hal- verson is a daughter of Amund Knutson and wife, early residents of this county, who later moved to the adjoining county of Renville, where they spent the rest of their lives,
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both being well advanced in years at the time of their death. They were the parents of thirteen children, Mary, Knut, Ross, John, Halvor, Waldemar, Carrie, Clara, Regina, Ma- rie, Bessie, Rena and Grace. Four children were born to Louis Halverson and wife, Bird, Grace, Orie and Nora.
To Wilfred and Grace (Halverson) Christiansen two children have been born, Raymond and Verne. Mr. and Mrs. Christiansen are members of the Lutheran church and take a warm interest in all good works hereabout, being held in high esteem by their many friends. Mr. Christiansen has proved a very capable register of deeds and is one of the most popular men about the court house.
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GEORGE O. GASTLER.
George O. Gastler, well-known, enterprising and pro- gressive artist photographer at New Ulm, this county, and proprietor of the largest and most thoroughly equipped studio in that city, is a native of Germany. He was born on April 5, 1879, son of Ludwig and Wilhelmina Gastler, both natives of the Fatherland. Ludwig Gastler, a very com- petent tailor, came to the United States with his family in 1886 and located at Chaska, Minnesota, where he opened a tailor shop and where he ever since has made his home. He and his wife are the parents of five children, of whom the subject of this sketch and his brother Oscar are the only ones living in this county.
George O. Gastler was about seven years old when he came to Minnesota with his parents and he received his education in the Chaska public schools. After leaving school he for some time was engaged as a bridge carpenter for the railroad company, in the meantime devoting con- siderable study to the art of photography, in which he had been interested from the days of his childhood. In 1904 he entered the Northwestern College of Photography and after a comprehensive course in that institution located at Wood- ward, Iowa, where he opened a studio and where he re- mained for four years, or until 1909, in which year he moved to New Ulm, where he ever since has resided. Upon locating at New Ulm Mr. Gastler opened an up-to-date photograph studio and he has prospered in his business from the very start, having an extensive patronage through-
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out this part of the state. In addition to his general studio work Mr. Gastler does all kinds of photographic work and also makes a specialty of developing films for amateur photographers.
In 1905, George O. Gastler was united in marriage to Martha Holtz, daughter of Ferdinand Holtz and wife, and to this union two children have been born, George and Dorothy. Mr. and Mrs. Gastler are earnest members of the German Lutheran church and take a warm interest in the general good work of the community. Mr. Gastler is a Democrat and gives a good citizen's attention to local poli- tics, but is not included in the office-seeking class.
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PETER P. MANDERFELD.
Peter P. Manderfeld, well-known and progressive farmer and stockman, of Cottonwood township, this county, proprietor of a well-kept and profitably operated farm of two hundred and twenty acres a little more than two miles from New Ulm, is a native son of Brown county, having been born on the farm where he still makes his home, Janu- ary 1, 1860, son of John and Cecelia (Drach) Manderfeld, the former a native of the Rhine province in Germany and the latter of the kingdom of Bohemia, who were among the early settlers of Brown county and for years prominent and influential residents of Cottonwood township.
John Manderfeld was trained to the trade of a tanner in his native land and remained there until he was twenty- seven years of age. He then, in 1853, came to the United States, locating in Chicago, where he found employment at his trade and where he presently married. He and his wife then went to Iowa and lived on a farm in the neighborhood of Dubuque. In 1859 John Manderfeld and a company of land seekers of his own nationality left Dubuque and walked to this section of Minnesota, "spying out the land." Mr. Manderfield was favorably impressed with conditions in the New Ulm settlement and entered his claim to a quarter of a section of land in Cottonwood township. He then re- turned to Iowa and brought his family and goods with him to Brown county, driving through by ox team. He estab- lished his home on the homestead tract in Cottonwood town- ship and early became recognized as one of the foremost pioneers of that neighborhood. During the Indian uprising
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PETER P. MANDERFELD.
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in 1862 he took an active part in the defense of New Ulm and in all ways proved his worth as a citizen. He retired from the active labors of the farm in 1905. To him and his wife five children were born, Winsel, Clara, Peter P., Minnie and Frank.
Peter P. was reared on the homestead farm in Cotton- wood township and has lived there all his life. He com- pleted the course in the common schools, at the same time proving a very real help in the development of the home place, and upon the death of his father, in 1905, bought the interests of the other heirs in the farm and has since owned and operated the same. He has spent about ten thousand dollars in improvements on the place since it has been in his ownership and has one of the best improved farms in his neighborhood. His farm house is of modern construction, equipped with electric lights, a sanitary-sewer system and many conveniences which would have been undreamed of in pioneer days hereabout.
In 1886 Peter P. Manderfeld was united in marriage to Kate Juneman, who was born in the kingdom of Saxony, daughter of Joseph Juneman and wife, who came to the United States in 1882 and settled in Sigel township, this county, and to this union six children have been born, Minnie, Agnes, Lillian, Cecile, Herbert and Florence. Minnie, the eldest daughter, married George Brown and has one child, a daughter, Mabel. They make their home with Mr. and Mrs. Manderfeld. Agnes and Lillian Manderfeld are members of the fine corps of public school teachers in Brown county. Mr. Manderfeld is a member of the Masonic fraternity and takes a warm interest in the affairs of that organization. In his political persuasion he is a Socialist and is an ardent advocate of the principles of that party.
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FLOYD DAVID MINIUM.
Floyd David Minium, one of the well-known practical civil engineers in the Northwest, who since 1912 has held the dual position of city civil engineer in the city of New Ulm and of official surveyor of Brown county, is a native of the great Keystone state, having been born on a farm near the city of Mifflintown, Juanita county, Pennsylvania, January 20, 1886, son of Jacob and Lydia (Barner) Min- ium, both natives of that same state, who are now living at Clear Lake, Iowa.
Jacob Minium is the eldest of the four children born to his parents, Harrison Minium and wife, natives of Penn- sylvania, both of German descent, the former of whom died at the age of seventy-five and the latter of whom is still liv- ing. Jacob Minium grew to manhood on the paternal farm in Pennsylvania and married Lydia Barner, who also was born in Pennsylvania, daughter of Joseph L. and Sarah Barner, natives of that same state, who moved to Michigan and thence, about 1888, to South Dakota, locating, in the latter state, at Mitchell, later moving to Clear Lake, Iowa, where they now reside. To Joseph L. Barner and wife eight children were born, Laura, Mazie, Sarah, Sadie, Lydia, Roy, who died at the age of nineteen years; Fred, deceased, and Boston.
In 1888 Jacob Minium and family moved from Penn- sylvania to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, in the neighborhood of which city Mr. Minium engaged in farming and was thus engaged until 1905, in which year he and his wife retired
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from the farm and moved to Clear Lake, Iowa, where they now reside. Both are earnest members of the Methodist church and their children were reared in that faith. There are four of these children, as follow: Floyd D., the imme- diate subject of this biographical sketch; Nora, widow of Clarence McFarland, of Clear Lake, Iowa; Maud, wife of Charles A. Woods, of Indiana, and Evelyn, who is at home with her parents.
Floyd D. Minium was two years of age when his par- ents moved from Pennsylvania to Sioux Falls, South Da- kota, and he grew to manhood in the latter city. Follow- ing his graduation from the Sioux Falls high school he entered the South Dakota State College and for three years devoted himself to further study there, with particular ref- erence to the study of civil engineering. Thus admirably equipped for the pursuit of the profession to which he had devoted himself, Mr. Minium engaged his services to the Great Northern Railroad Company and served in the engi- neering department of that company in the state of Wash- ington and in British Columbia until December, 1906. He then transferred his services to the South Dakota Central Railway Company and from January, 1907, to November, 1908, was connected with the engineering department of that company. He then took service with the engineering department of the city of Sioux Falls and remained there until May, 1909, at which time he went with the Minneapo- lis & St. Louis Railroad Company and was engaged in loca- tion survey work through the Cheyenne River Indian reservation, later going to Greeley, Colorado, where for a time he was engaged in irrigation work, after which he went to work for Denver, Larimer and Northwestern Railway
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on terminal works at Denver, where he was engaged in yard work until August, 1910, at which time he returned to Sioux Falls and was in the city engineer's office there until August 1, 1911, at which time he went to Watertown, South Dakota, as superintendent of construction and remained there until he was called to this city to fill a vacancy in the office of the city civil engineer, May 1, 1912, since which time he has made his home in New Ulm. Upon his arrival in New Ulm Mr. Minium was appointed city civil engineer and two months later, in July, was appointed to fill a vacancy in the office of county surveyor and was duly elected to that office in the fall election following and since then has held both offices, proving a very efficient public officer.
On March 14, 1911, Floyd D. Minium was united in marriage, at Canton, South Dakota, to Marjorie C. Fletcher, who was born in Watertown, that state, daughter of Herbert S. and Addie (Grinell) Fletcher, both of whom still reside in that city. Mr. and Mrs. Minium are members of the Con- gregational church and take a warm interest in the general social and cultural activities of the city, being held in high esteem by the many friends they have made since coming to this county. Mr. Minium is a Republican. He is a member of the Masonic lodge at New Ulm and of the Elks lodge at Watertown, South Dakota, and in the affairs of both of these popular fraternal organizations takes an active interest.
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EDWARD W. BAER.
Edward W. Baer, well-known dealer in hardware at New Ulm, who also for years has conducted a general tin- smithing establishment in connection with his store, is a native son of New Ulm, having been born there on July 28, 1861, son of Joseph and Barbara (Hitz) Baer, early settlers there, the former a native of Germany and the latter of Switzerland, for years well-known residents of that city, the former of whom died in 1905, he then being seventy- eight years of age, and the latter of whom is still living.
Joseph Baer was born in Baden, where he grew to manhood, served his time in the army and married. He was a stone-mason by trade and an excellent craftsman in that line. In 1856 he and his wife and his parents came to the United States and located at Williamsport, New York, where the elder Baers spent the remainder of their lives. In 1858, attracted by the good word received in the East from the German colonists who had settled in this section of Minnesota, Joseph Baer and his wife came to this state and settled at New Ulm, where he at once found ample op- portunities for profitable employment at his trade and he and his wife became active and useful members of the pio- neer settlement. Mrs. Baer's parents also left Germany and came to the United States, locating at Chicago, where they lived until the late seventies, when they moved to New Ulm, where they spent the remainder of their lives. Grand- father Hitz was a blacksmith and was past ninety years of age when he died. His wife was killed by a cow when she
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was about seventy-five years old. They were the parents of six children, of whom Mrs. Baer is the eldest, the others being Paulina, Josephine, Frances, Joseph and Charles. Joseph Baer and wife were devout Catholics and were ac- tive in the work of the early parish at New Ulm. They went through the troublous times of the Indian uprising in 1862 safely and did well their part in the work of developing the settlement. Joseph Baer was a vigorous man and remained active at his useful trade for many years. His death oc- curred in 1905 and his widow is still living at New Ulm. They were the parents of eight children, as follow: Adolph, of Minneapolis; Sophia, wife of John Gabriel, of St. Paul; Edward W., the immediate subject of this biographical sketch; Ida, wife of Athanasius Henle, of New Ulm; Emily, wife of George Graff, of Ivanhoe, this state; Lena, wife of Charles Leonhardt, of New Ulm; Frances, who died at the age of eighteen years, and Paul, deceased.
Edward W. Baer was reared in New Ulm, the city of his birth, and has lived there all his life. He attended both the parochial and the public schools and when thirteen years of age began learning the tinner's trade, presently becoming a most competent and skillful craftsman in that line. In 1888 Mr. Baer married and went into business for himself as a tinsmith and dealer in hardware. Three years later he admitted Otto Seiter into partnership with him in the business and this arrangement continued for a year, at the end of which time Mr. Baer sold his interest in the busi- ness and resumed work at his trade as a tinsmith. Four years later he formed a partnership with his brother-in-law, Louis Ochs, under the firm name of Ochs & Baer, and for eighteen years this firm was engaged in the general hard-
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ware and tinsmithing business. In 1914 the partnership was dissolved, Mr. Baer retaining the business, which he still is quite successfully conducting, long having been re- garded as one of the leading business men of the city.
On April 25, 1888, Edward W. Baer was united in mar- riage to Matilda Ochs, who was born in New Ulm, daughter of Anton and Volberga (Drexler) Ochs, prominent pioneers of this community, a further history of whose interesting family is set out in a biographical sketch relating to Mrs. Baer's brother, J. Anton Ochs, proprietor of the "Bee Hive" dry goods store at New Ulm, presented elsewhere in this volume, and to this union four children have been born, namely: Oscar, who is a druggist at Rochester, this state; Edward, who clerks in the department store of his uncle, Mr. Ochs; Werner, who clerks in his father's store, and Florence, who is at home. Mr. and Mrs. Baer are members of the Catholic church and their children have been reared in that faith. The family has long been active in the gen- eral social life of the community and is held in high regard by all. Mr. Baer is a member of the Knights of Columbus, of the Catholic Order of Foresters and of the St. Joseph Society. He is a Democrat 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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H. F. SCHRADER.
H. F. Schrader, superintendent of the Union hospital at New Ulm, this county, and one of the best-known and most progressive citizens of that city, is a native of Ger- many, but has been a resident of this section of Minnesota since the year 1868, he having come to America in that year with his parents, Henry and Dorothy Schrader, who located on a farm near the village of Lafayette, in the neigh- boring county of Nicollet, where they established their home and became substantial and influential members of that community.
Henry Schrader was a wagon maker in his native land. Upon coming to Minnesota in 1868 he homesteaded eighty acres of land in the neighborhood of Lafayette, Nicollet county, and had just enough money left to buy a yoke of oxen. Thus equipped he entered upon the task of clearing his homestead tract and bringing the same under cultiva- tion. He and his wife were energetic and industrious and their children were helpful and it was not long before pros- perity began to smile upon their efforts. Mr. Schrader added to his land holdings as he prospered and at the time of his retirement from the farm in 1893 was the owner of a fine farm of two hundred and forty acres. Following his retirement he made his home in New Ulm, where he died in 1899. His widow is still living in that city. They were the parents of seven children, of whom five are still living, two of these, William and the subject of this sketch, being resi- dents of New Ulm.
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H. F. Schrader was born on July 9, 1860, and was thus eight years old when his parents came to Minnesota. He received his education in the schools of Lafayette and re- mained on the home place until he had attained his major- ity, after which he rented a farm and began operations on his own account. When his father died in 1899 he bought the interests of the other heirs in the home farm and there extended his agricultural operations and engaged largely in stock raising, becoming quite successful on his well- managed place of three hundred and ninety acres, being re- garded as one of the most substantial farmers of that part of the county. He also took an earnest interest in civic and educational affairs and for years was clerk of his home school district. In 1908 Mr. Schrader retired from the ac- tive labors of the farm and he and his family moved to New Ulm, where they now reside. Mr. Schrader was one of the most active promoters of the beneficent movement which led to the erection of the fine new Union hospital at New Ulm and is one of the directors of the same. In February, 1915, he was elected superintendent of the hospital and has since then been serving in that capacity, rendering a valuable service to the community in that connection.
In 1884 H. F. Schrader was united in marriage to Emma B. Getch, daughter of August Getch and wife, and they have two adopted daughters, Bessie and Miriam. Mr. and Mrs. Schrader are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at New Ulm, Mr. Schrader being secretary of the board of trustees of that church, a position he has held ever since he moved to the city. For fourteen years previously he had been secretary of the Sunday school of the Methodist church at Lafayette and has always taken a warm interest
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in church work; in all he has been secretary of Sunday schools in the Methodist Episcopal church for twenty-three years. He is a Republican and gives a good citizen's atten- tion to local politics, but has never been included in the office-seeking class. He was secretary and manager of the Lafayette and Bernadotte Creamery Company for four years, from 1899 to 1902, inclusive.
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WESLEY C. MILLER.
Wesley C. Miller, former register of deeds of Brown county, president of the New Ulm Land Company and long recognized as one of the most enterprising and energetic citizens of this county, is a native of Pennsylvania, in which state he was born on March 15, 1868, son of John A. and Rebecca E. Miller, both natives of that same state, who later became substantial and influential residents of this county, having come here in pioneer days.
John A. Miller was a laborer back in Pennsylvania and in 1872 he became imbued with the idea of making a home for himself in the great Northwest, where there were lands and opportunities for all. In that year he and his family came to Minnesota and located in this county, entering a homestead claim to a quarter of a section of land in Mulli- gan township. Mr. Miller threw up a sod shanty, ten by fourteen feet in dimensions, on his place and there estab- lished his home. From the first he prospered and it was not long before he had a more substantial residence. When he retired from the farm and moved to Comfrey in 1910 he was the owner of a well-improved farm of one hundred and sixty acres. He died at Comfrey in 1913, and his widow is still making her home in that pleasant village. To John A. Miller and wife three children were born, of whom two are still living, the subject of this sketch having a brother, Elmer, who is living at Comfrey.
Wesley C. Miller was reared on the homestead farm and received his education in the district school in the
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