USA > Minnesota > Brown County > History of Brown County, Minnesota: Its People, Industries and Institutions (Volume 1) > Part 53
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Otto Tappe received his education in the schools of his native land and was trained to the trade of a butcher. After his parents' immigration to this country in 1880 he worked for a couple of years at farm labor in his native land and then, in 1882, followed his parents to America, locating at New Ulm, where he found employment as a butcher. He later began working for the railroad company and was for some time located at Minneapolis, presently returning to New Ulm, where he began working as a carpenter and thor- oughly familiarized himself with all details of the building trades. In 1890 he engaged in the general building-con- tracting business on his own account and has been very suc- cessful, some of the best buildings in this and the adjoining county of Nicollet testifying to the substantial character of his work. Among the buildings at New Ulm which he has
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erected may be cited the handsome dormitory of the Dr. Martin Luther College, a photographic reproduction of of which is presented in the historical section of this volume. Another of his distinctive buildings is the large addition to Turner Hall.
In 1886 Otto Tappe was united in marriage to Rosa Spaeth and to this union five children have been born, Freda, Otto, Edna, Elmer and Esther. Freda Tappe mar- ried the Rev. Emanuel Albrecht and has three children, Fridubert, Norma and Lorna. In the fall of 1887 he and his family went to California; there he followed the car- penter trade. In 1889 he came back to New Ulm again, and started the contracting business on his own account. Mr. and Mrs. Tappe are earnest members of the German Lutheran church and take an active interest in the general good works of the community. Mr. Tappe is an "indepen- dent" voter.
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ADOLPH R. EGGENSPERGER.
The editor of the Herald, who is also the postmaster at Hanska, Adolph R. Eggensperger, has long been regarded as one of Brown county's best boosters and leading citizens. He was born at North Star, this county, September 6, 1879, and is a son of Adolph and Otilda (Kersten) Eggensperger, natives of Poughkeepsie, New York, and Posen, Germany, respectively. Mr. Eggensperger's paternal grandfather was the first of the name to come from Germany to the United States. He located in Poughkeepsie, New York, while a comparatively young man, and but little is known of the family history earlier than that. The mother of the subject of this sketch came to the United States about 1863, with her parents, Julius Kersten, and wife, locating first in Winona, Minnesota, where they lived until about 1865, when they moved to North Star, where Mr. Kersten home- steaded a tract of land, on which he and his wife spent the rest of their lives. The father of our subject came West from New York state when about twenty years of age, lo- cating at Rochester, Minnesota, where he lived but a short time, then, about 1877, came to North Star, where he lived until about 1881, when he removed to the city of St. Paul, where he worked at his trade of cigar-maker, becoming foreman in the factory of Kuhles & Stock. He remained there until about 1890 when the family removed to Hender- son, this state. From there they moved to Springfield, then to Sanborn, and finally to Howard Lake, Minnesota, where they lived until 1899, when they located in Mantorville, this
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state, where the mother still lives, the father having died in 1910.
Adolph R. Eggensperger received his education in the public schools of North Star and St. Paul and the high school at Springfield. In the fall of 1897 he entered Breck College at Wilder, Minnesota, where he spent two years, later attending the State University at Minneapolis for one year. However, after leaving Breck College he engaged in taching four years in the schools of Mulligan, Bashaw and Melford townships, Brown county. In 1903 he became principal of the public schools of Hanska, which position he held until 1906, giving eminent satisfaction and raising the standard and efficiency of the work. But although a success as an educator, he decided that the field of journal- ism held greater attractions and possibilities for him, and he accordingly gave up teaching and in 1906 bought the Hanska Herald, which he has since operated. It has grown rapidly in circulation and prestige and wields a potent in- fluence for the general welfare of Hanska and Brown county. It is regarded as one of the best country newspa- pers in the state. Taking an interest in public affairs, Mr. Eggensperger was a candidate for county superintendent of schools in 1907, but although he made an excellent race, was defeated. In connection with his newspaper he does a large job printing business, and branched off into calendars and advertising novelties a few years ago. In the fall of 1914 he became interested in the Hanska Auto Company. In May, 1911, he was appointed postmaster, which position he has held to the present time, giving satisfaction to the people and the department.
On September 16, 1902, Mr. Eggensperger was married
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in St. Paul to Dora C. M. Schneuer, who was born on Feb- ruary 13, 1879, in Sigelberg, Holstein, Germany, and is a daughter of Henry and Katherine Schneuer, who came to the United States in 1881, locating first in Odebald, Iowa, where they lived two years, then moved to St. Paul, Min- nesota, where they made their home until 1904, at which time they moved to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The father is a cabinet-maker by trade, and he has also done contract- ing and building. Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Eggensperger, one of whom died in infancy, Lillian, by name; those living are, Gladys M., born on October 6, 1904; Mildred V., July 20, 1906; Arlo R., March 9, 1909; Omar L., March 25, 1911, and Harold O., April 29, 1913.
Politically, Mr. Eggensperger is a Republican. He has been a delegate to both county and state conventions. He and his wife were both reared in the Lutheran faith.
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LOUIS ALBERT FRITSCHE, M. D.
Louis Albert Fritsche was born on May 28, 1862, on his father's homestead in Lafayette, Nicollet county, with- in two miles of the city of New Ulm.
His paternal grandfather, John Karl Fritsche, with a family of eight children, emigrated to this country from Saxony, Germany, in the year 1854, and landed at New York on May 22. On account of the unsettled political conditions in Germany following the revolution of 1848 and, in order to have his sons escape the military service, he decided to seek his fortune in the New World. The voyage was made in a three-masted sailing vessel, named the "Leibnitz," and took fifty-two days to cross the ocean. The voyage was a very tedious and boisterous one. His destination was Chicago and reached that city in due time. He resided there for one year. Having been a small farmer in Saxony, he longed once more to engage in agriculture. About this time the German Land Association of Chicago was being organized for the purpose of establishing a col- ony in some territory, which was being opened up for set- tlement in the Northwest. He became a member of this association.
The choice of location for this settlement fell upon the present site of this city and country surrounding it. The association acquired three hundred and twenty acres from the government, which was platted in city lots. John Karl Fritsche pre-empted a homestead of one hundred and sixty
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L. A. J.nitsche
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acres joining the city site in the summer of 1855. In the following year a colony from Cincinnati bought up the charter of the German Land Association and in addition acquired John Karl Fritsche's homestead, together with thirteen other homestead quarters, and had the same platted into lots. This merger made the city site excep- tionally large.
Frederick Fritsche, the second son of John Karl Fritsche, and the father of the subject of this biography, upon reaching his majority, pre-empted a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres in the year 1860 on the north side of the Minnesota river, in Nicollet county, two miles from New Ulm. This homestead later became the nucleus of a large stock farm.
The maternal grandfather, Christian Lillie, emigrated with a family of four children from Hanover, Germany, to this country in the year of 1852 and first settled in Alle- gany county, New York. There he resided until the year of 1858, when he removed to the state of Minnesota and pre-empted a claim in Nicollet county, four miles distant from New Ulm.
Frederick Fritsche was married to Louise Lillie, youngest daughter of Christian Lillie, on April 20, 1861. Eight children were born to this union, namely : Louis Al- bert, Bertha, Emil H., Fred W., Otto A., Rudolph E., Carl J. and Henry W. Bertha was married to William H. Mueller, of St. Peter, who is a member of the manufactur- ing firm of Johnson & Company. Emil H. and Otto A. have remained on the divided homestead and are prosper- ous farmers. Fred W. practiced dental surgery until his
(24a)
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death, three years ago. Rudolph E. was a member of the hardware firm of Arnold & Fritsche and died five years ago. Carl J. and Henry W. died during childhood.
Louis Albert was raised as all junior pioneers and shared all the pleasures, as well as all of the privations and tribulations, which are incident to pioneer and order life. At the time of the Sioux uprising he was three months months old, and was the cause of much anxiety for his mother. Before the outbreak the Indians would camp in the Fritsche ravine every winter, near the Fritsche log cabin, and when the pale-face baby was born the squaws would often come in to fondle the same.
At the age of six years, Louis Fritsche was sent to the district school, which was a small log building, and two miles distant. At that time there were no graded public roads, only beaten tracks winding over the hill, through timber and prairie, lined on both sides with high buffalo grass. At the age of ten years his fortune changed, so far as his education was concerned. His father, Frederick Fritsche, was elected treasurer of Nicollet county in 1872, and re-elected four times thereafter. The family removed to the county seat at St. Peter and, thereby, the children were given a better opportunity for an education, as St. Peter at that time had good graded schools and a high school. This was a stepping stone to his future career.
In the year of 1878 the family moved back to the farm, as his father was wanting to retire from office and actively re-engage in the raising of blooded stock. The management of the farm was placed in Louis Albert's man- agement until 1882, when his father retired from office to reassume the management.
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The following year, Louis Albert, after attaining his majority, procured a second-grade teacher's certificate and taught district school for one year. Having met with the requirement of the law at that time, necessitating one year of experience as a teacher, before a first grade certificate could be granted, he procured a first grade teacher's certifi- cate from both Nicollet and Brown counties.
However, he did not follow teaching any more, as he wanted another means of making a livelihood. With the above mentioned credentials he entered the medical de- partment of the University of Michigan on September 24, 1884. While a student at Ann Arbor he was an honorary member of the Adelphia Literary Society.
After completing the full course of three years he graduated from that institution on June 30, 1887. The day after his graduation, on July 1, 1887, the new medical law of the state of Minnesota went into effect, which re- quired all practitioners to pass a state examination. The first examination of the newly created medical board was held at the state capitol in St. Paul on July 5 and 6, 1887, and only three applicants were present. Doctor Fritsche passed this examination without any difficulty and was awarded license No. 1, and, therefore, has the distinction of having received the first license issued by the state board of medical examiners of this state.
On August 1, 1887, he opened an office in New Ulm and practiced there until the latter part of April, 1889. Then he went to Berlin, Germany, to do post-graduate work and specialize in surgery at that famous university. At the same time he intended to take his second doctor's degree. At the end of two semesters he passed the
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"examen rigorosum, tentamen medicum" and presented a thesis for graduation. On March 31, 1890, he had the de- gree of Doctor of Medicine and Surgery conferred upon him with the standing of cum laude, from that university. During the third semester, from April 1 to August 1, he was second assistant to the famous surgeon, Prof. Dr. Jul- ius Wolff.
He was a member of the Tenth International Medical Congress which convened in Berlin from the 6th to the 13th of August, 1890, and had the honor to present two cases in the English language to the Gynaecological Sec- tion for Prof. Dr. Alfred Duhrssen. This congress was at- tended by seven thousand professors and doctors from all over the world.
Doctor Fritsche returned home October 15, the same fall and re-opened his office, and has been in active practice up to the present time. The Doctor is a member of the Brown County Medical Society, the Southern Minnesota Medical Association, the State Medical Association and the American Medical Association. When the Minnesota Medical Society was united with the Southern Minnesota Medical Association, four years ago, he was elected the first president of the new organization.
Medical career: He has served as health officer of the city of New Ulm from 1891 to 1894. He served as a member of the pension medical examining board under President Cleveland's second administration for this dis- trict. He was elected as coroner of Brown county for four terms, serving from 1896 to 1904. In the year 1900 he was appointed as a member of the state board of medical exam- iners by Gov. John Lind for three years, and the last of
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which he was the president of the board. He is surgeon to the Loretto and Union hospitals of New Ulm.
Civil career: He was elected a member of the board of education for three years and served from 1893 to 1896. He was appointed as a member of the board of public works by Mayor Weschke in 1904 and served as such until 1912. In 1912 he was elected mayor of the city and has been twice re-elected without opposition, and still serves in this capacity.
Military career: In the year of 1907, Gov. John A. Johnson commissioned him as a member of Brig .- Gen. Jos- eph Bobleter's staff as brigade surgeon with the rank of major. This commission was renewed by Gov. A. O. Eber- hart, and, after General Bobleter's death, was continued on the staff of General Reeves and again by his successor, Gen. A. W. Wright.
Business career: In the year 1900 he was elected as president of the Brown County Bank and has served as such only in an honorary capacity up to the present time. He is vice-president of the New Ulm Roller Milling Com- pany and a director in several other industrial enterprises. He is also director and medical director of the Minnesota Commercial Men's Association, of Minneapolis, which is a mutual health and accident insurance company for busi- ness and traveling salesmen.
Political affiliation: He has always been a Democrat in politics and attended many Democratic state conven- tions as a delegate. In the year of 1908 he was elected as a delegate from the second congressional district to the Democratic National Convention at Denver. He was in- terested in the candidacy of Gov. John A. Johnson for the
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presidential nomination, as the governor had been a school- mate and life-long friend of his.
In July, 1914, the Doctor received an invitation to join a commission of mayors and civic leaders, headed by United States Senator Duncan Fletcher, from Florida, to attend an International Congress of Municipal Executives held at London, to attend the International Urban Expo- sition at Lyons, France, and to visit a number of European cities for study purposes. The commission sailed from New York on July 9 and met with some thrilling experi- ences before they returned home. Each member of the commission was provided with a personal letter of intro- duction from former secretary of state William Jennings Bryan, to all of our ambassadors and consular agents abroad, who were apprised of the coming of this commis- sion by Mr. Bryan. A hearty welcome awaited them at Liverpool and London and the lord mayors of these cities entertained this party at tea in their respective mansion houses.
The International Municipal Congress was opened on Monday noon, July 20, by Viscount Peel, chairman, in the presence of our ambassador, Mr. Page. Other speakers were the Earl of Kintore, Lord Rotherham, Sir John A. Cockburn and Senator Fletcher.
The afternoon session was called at three o'clock, under the chairmanship of Senator Fletcher, and this ses- sion was devoted to public health administration and sani- tation. The first address was courteously left to the Americans and was delivered by Dr. L. A. Fritsche, from Minnesota.
The commission left London on Saturday morning,
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July 25, and reached Paris the same evening. At the Paris station they were met by Mr. Sulzdorf, the secretary to our ambassador, Mr. Herrick, and escorted to the hotel.
Monday afternoon this commission was tendered a reception by the governor and city officials of Paris, our ambassador, Mr. Herrick, being present. Tuesday afternoon Mr. Herrick tendered the party a reception, to which the city officials of Paris were invited in return. During this reception, about 5:30 o'clock, a telegram came in announcing that Austria had declared war against Ser- bia. The countenances of the Paris officials dropped at once and one could notice that this telegram was an evil foreboding for them. That same evening an immense de- monstration of tens of thousands of people took place, crying "Down with the war, we want no war," but this demonstration was gradually controlled by the police.
On Wednesday evening, July 29, the commission left for Lyons, reaching that city late in the night. A most cordial reception awaited them there. The first thing they saw the next morning were the runs on the large banks. Thousands of people had lined up in front of the banks to draw out their deposits. The next day the banks refused to pay out any more money, and it went hard with the Americans, as their traveling checks were not accepted any more. The war clouds were getting darker and the esprit de corps of the party was being gradually dampened. On Friday evening, July 31, Mayor Herriott, of Lyons, ten- dered the commission a reception on the exposition grounds and this was the last official function. After returning to the hotel that evening, a hasty war council was held by the party and it was decided to discontinue the journey. On
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Saturday morning train service was already interrupted on account of the heavy movement of troops to the Alsa- tian border, and the balance of the commission had con- siderable difficulty in making their way back to Paris.
Doctor Fritsche, with two members of the commis- sion, decided to go to Switzerland and left Lyons on the last train out to Geneva. Upon reaching Geneva on Sat- urday evening they learned that Germany had declared war against Russia. On Sunday morning all train service to the border countries had been suspended, and the Doc- tor, with thousands of American tourists, was bottled up in Switzerland for three weeks. After all of the armies of the belligerent countries had been moved to the various war fronts, railroad transportation was restored in a meas- ure, and the Doctor was enabled to cross the Swiss border into Germany. While on the way to Frankfurt on the Main he passed two train loads of wounded soldiers, one was carrying wounded Frenchmen and the other wounded Germans-a sight that will never be forgotten. After making short visits in Frankfurt on the Main, Berlin, Frankfurt on the Oder, Leipzig and Jena, visiting the hos- pitals where the wounded soldiers were cared for, he was fortunate enough to engage his return passage on a Hol- land liner from Rotterdam. When in sight of the statue of the "Goddess of Liberty" in New York harbor, sixteen hundred passengers breathed a sigh of relief and thanked heaven that they had escaped from that European turmoil.
Doctor Fritsche was married in Berlin, Germany, June 14, 1890, to Amalie Pfaender, daughter of Col. Will- iam Pfaender, deceased, who served in the Union Army during the Civil War, and who later had charge of Ft.
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Ridgely from the year of 1862 to 1866. Seven children have been born to Doctor and Mrs. Fritsche, namely : Elsa, who graduated from the University of Minnesota in June, 1915, and is now engaged in teaching at Dover, of this state; Albert, who is a medical student in the University of Minnesota; William, who is a medical student at Mar- quette University of Milwaukee; Louise, who is a pupil of the New Ulin high school; Carl and Theodore, who are pupils in the graded schools, and Alexander Frederick, who died at the age of seven months.
As a junior pioneer, Doctor Fritsche has beheld the transformation that followed the advent of the white man in this part of the country-the reclamation from a wilder- ness in the life-time of hundreds of those who assisted in the onerous tasks of wresting from the idle and indolent savage, as fair a land as the sun ever shone on, moulded now into the magnificent commonwealth of Minnesota, with its cities and towns, its schools and churches, its net- work of railroads, its thousands of rural homes, many of them modern in all respects and connected with one an- other by the telephones, its vast herds that have displaced the buffalo and the antelope, and its golden fields-a great state subdued, beautified and made rich from the fertility of its own matchless soil. What a privilege to have wit- nessed such a transformation, inconceivable in any but this wonderful country, for such a transition one could not witness on the continent of Europe were he permitted to live a thousand years.
Blessed is the memory when the early settlers ranged with a free hand in the work of reclamation, amid scenes forever vanished, or now obscured by the stage-settings of
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civilization. Sixty-two years ago, so far as the works of man were concerned, all was desolation. Buffalo and ante- lope scurried over the great, wild pastures in herds and bands innumerable, while the Indian, in all his pride and glory, roamed as the undisputed master of the region that to man was merely a solitude of limitless possibilities.
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JOHN P. BERTRAND.
John P. Bertrand, a well-known and progressive har- ness manufacturer and dealer in harness and horse goods generally at Sleepy Eye, this county, and one of the best- known men in Brown county, he having been a resident here since pioneer days, is a native of Germany, having been born in the village of Oberanven, Luxemberg, August 13, 1845, son of Jacob and Mary (Fideler) Bertrand, both natives of that same village and small farming people there, who later came to this country and became prominent in the pioneer life of Brown county.
Jacob Bertrand was the eldest of the three sons of his parents, the others having been Peter and John P., and he grew to manhood on the paternal farm in Luxemberg and became a farmer. He married Mary Fideler, who was the second in order of birth of the three children born to her parents, she having had a brother, John, and a sister, Anna. Grandfather Fideler, who was a miller, died before reach- ing middle age and his widow married again, having two children by her second marriage, John and Nicholas. In 1857 Jacob Bertrand and his family came to the United States, proceeding directly to Minnesota upon their arrival on this side the water, locating in Scott county, where they engaged in farming and where they remained until 1867, in which year they came to Brown county, locating in Home township. Jacob Bertrand bought a farm of about one hundred and sixty acres in Home township and there he established his home, he and his wife spending the remain-
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