USA > Minnesota > Brown County > History of Brown County, Minnesota: Its People, Industries and Institutions (Volume 1) > Part 57
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In March, 1893, Dr. George B. Weiser came to Minne- sota and located at New Ulm, where he ever since has been quite successfully engaged in the practice of his profession. He keeps fully abreast of all the late discoveries affecting his profession and in 1912 took a course in the Post-Gradu- ate Medical College at Chicago. During his residence in New Ulm, Doctor Weiser has given a good citizen's atten- tion to public affairs and his progressive spirit has done much toward advancing general interests hereabout. Since the year 1900 he has been a member of the city board of education and since 1903 has been chairman of that board, his efforts in that behalf having gone far toward advancing the cause of education in New Ulm and throughout the county generally. During the period of Doctor Weiser's incumbency on the school board the Washington school, the Lincoln school and the New Ulm high school buildings have been erected and the doctor did much in the way of creating sentiment for and in promoting the erection of the fine new high school building, putting all his energy into that move- ment. The doctor is a Republican, chairman of that party's central committee for Brown county, and in 1912 was on the national Republican electoral ticket for the second Con- gressional district. Upon the creation of the state tubercu- losis commission, Doctor Weiser was appointed a member of that important body by Governor VanSant and served for six years as a member of the same, assisting in the selec-
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tion of the site of the sanitarium at Walker and in direct- ing the erection of the fine group of buildings that comprise that useful institution. Doctor Weiser is a member of the Brown-Redwood Medical Society, of which he formerly was president; a member of the Minnesota Valley Medical So- ciety, and member of the Minnesota State Medical Society and of the American Medical Association, in the affairs of all of which several organizations he takes a warm inter- est. He also has given some attention to business enter- prises and is a director of the Brown County Bank of New Ulm and of the State Bond, Mortgage and Investment Com- pany of that city.
On October 2, 1890, Dr. George B. Weiser was united in marriage, at Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, the home of the bride, to Sarah C. Schoch, daughter of George J. Schoch and wife, and to this union one child has been born, a daugh- ter, Catherine Georgia, born on January 2, 1900. Doctor Weiser is a thirty-second degree Mason, past master of Charity Lodge of that order at New Ulm; past high priest of the New Ulm Chapter, Royal Arch Masons; past com- mander of New Ulm Commandery, Knights Templar ; mem- ber of the consistory of the Scottish Rite Masons at Winona and a noble of Zurah Temple, Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, at Minneapolis. He and his wife are members of the New Ulm Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star and the doctor also is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, the Sons of Hermann, the Ancient Order of United Workmen, the Degree of Honor and of the Royal Neighbors. He is medical examiner for the Woodmen and for the Sons of Hermann and is warmly interested in the affairs of all the above organizations.
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ANTON SPRENGER.
Anton Sprenger, a well-known and well-to-do farmer and stockman of Cottonwood township, this county, pro- prietor of a fine farm of two hundred and ten acres in the Searles neighborhood, is a native son of Brown county, having been born on a homestead farm in that same town- ship, December 9, 1863, son of Peter and Mary (Eigen- berger) Sprenger, natives of Germany and pioneers of Brown county.
Peter Sprenger was a soldier in his native land, re- maining in the army until he was thirty-three years old. He then married and came to the United States, he and his wife landing at the port of New York in the summer of 1855. They proceeded directly to Iowa and lived in the neighbor- hood of Dubuque until the spring of 1856, when they came to Minnesota, settling in Brown county. Peter Sprenger homesteaded a farm in Cottonwood township, thus becom- ing one of the earliest settlers of that part of the county. As he prospered in his farming operations he gradually en- larged his farm and became one of the most substantial farmers of that section. In 1887 he retired from the farm and moved to New Ulm, where he died in 1902. He and his wife were the parents of six children, four sons and two daughters, Christ, Kate, Mary, Anton, Henry and John.
Anton Sprenger was reared on the homestead farm in Cottonwood township and received his education in the New Ulm schools. Quitting school at the age of sixteen he gave his attention to the work of helping in the development of (28a)
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the home farm and remained at home until the time of his marriage at the age of twenty-two, when he bought one hundred and sixty acres of his father's farm and established a home of his own. There he remained for twenty-six years, at the end of which time he sold his place and bought his present farm of two hundred and ten acres in the same township, where he ever since has made his home and where he and his family are very pleasantly situated. When Mr. Sprenger bought his present place there were few improve- ments on the same and he has spent about three thousand dollars bringing it to its present state of improvement. He has a comfortable half brick and frame house, a barn thirty- four by one hundred, and a fine grove, and is looked upon as one of the substantial and progressive farmers of the community. He is an "independent" voter and takes a good citizen's interest in local political affairs.
In 1885 Anton Sprenger was united in marriage to Mary Schlumpberger, who also was born in this county, daughter of John and Rohner Schlumpberger, pioneers of Brown county, who settled in Cottonwood township in 1856, rearing there a family of twelve children, five sons and seven daughters. To Mr. and Mrs. Sprenger eight children have been born, Martha (deceased), Emily, Hugo, Otto Bruno, Anton, Agatha and one who died in infancy. Emily Sprenger married Valentine Zeller, a South Dakota farmer, and has one child; Hugo Sprenger married Emilia Gross- mann and is farming in Cottonwood township. The remaining children are at home. Mr. and Mrs. Sprenger are members of the Catholic church at Searles and their children have been reared in the same faith. Mr. Sprenger is secretary of the St. John Society and takes an earnest interest in the affairs of that organization.
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MICHAEL MULLEN.
There have been few men who have exerted a stronger or more potent influence upon the financial and commer- cial life of this community than did the late Michael Mullen, for many years prominently identified with the banking interests of New Ulm and who was the founder of the Citi- zens State Bank of that city and president of New Ulm since 1875 and had therefore witnessed the greater part of that city's growth and development, ever doing his full share toward the advancement of the same.
Michael Mullen was born at St. Albans, Vermont, March 12, 1839, son of Peter and Carolina Mullen, both natives of Ireland, but who were married in Vermont. Peter Mullen was a farmer and followed that vocation all the active days of his life. In 1843 he moved with his family to Stevenson county, Illinois, where he bought a farm and there estab- lished his permanent home. His wife died there in 1851 and many years later, when he retired from active labor, he came to this county, rejoining his son, the subject of this sketch, at New Ulm, and there he spent his last days, his death occurring in 1882. Peter Mullen and wife were devout Catholics and their children were reared in that faith. There were five of these children, of whom none now sur- vive.
Michael Mullen was about four years of age when his parents emigrated from Vermont to Illinois in 1843 and he grew up on the pioneer farm in that state, receiving his education in the schools in the neighborhood of his home.
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When a young man he came up into the Northwest and settled at St. Peter in the neighboring county of Nicollet, where he began clerking in the hardware store of Board- man, Miller & Company. He presently bought an interest in that concern and in 1875 was sent to New Ulm as man- ager of the firm's branch store in that city, and there he spent the rest of his life. Not long after locating at New Ulm he bought full control of the store and for twenty-three years was one of the leading merchants of the city. He then sold his store and thereafter devoted his time to the bank- ing business. For several years he served as president of the Brown County Bank at New Ulm and then, resigning that position, organized the Citizens State Bank of New Ulm, of which concern he was elected the first president, a position he held to the time of his death on June 29, 1910. Mr. Mullen was a man of fine judgment in business matters and his bank grew to be the largest in the county. Mr. Mul- len's extensive interests were not confined wholly to his bank and he was connected with various enterprises in and about New Ulm, long having been regarded as one of the most active and influential business men in this part of the state. He was leading stockholder and president of the Minnesota and Dakota Cattle Company. Mr. Mullen also for years was one of the most prominent figures in the poli- tical life of this district, having been a member of the Min- nesota State Democratic central committee during the first Cleveland campaign and was a delegate to the national convention of that party which nominated Mr. Cleveland for the presidency the first time.
On August 3, 1869, Michael Mullen was united in mar- riage to Eleanor O'Brien, daughter of James and Eleanor
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(Kenney) O'Brien, who survives him and who continues to make her home in New Ulm, where she is very comfortably situated. To that union one child was born, a daughter, Eleanor, who married Louis A. Blatterman, of St. Louis, Missouri, and has four children, Headlee, Eleanor, John M. and Louisa A. Mrs. Mullen is a member of the Catholic church, as was her husband, and for many years has been active and influential in parish affairs and in all neighbor- hood good works.
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JOHN C. ZIESKE.
John C. Zieske, well-known retired harness maker of Sleepy Eye, this county, an honored veteran of the Civil War and one of the most influential of the early residents of Sleepy Eye, is a native of Germany, having been born in Prussia, December 25, 1842, son of Michael and Anna (Schultz) Zieske, both natives af that same kingdom. Michael Zieske was a small landowner in Prussia. In 1854 he sold his holdings there and with his family came to the United States, landing at the port of New York and pro- ceeding directly to Wisconsin, where, in Marquette county, he pre-empted a quarter of a section of land and established his home in the new country. In 1863 he sold that home- stead farm and came to Minnesota, settling in Nicollet county, where he bought a farm of one hundred and twenty acres, on which he lived for several years, at the end of which time he came over into Brown county and bought one hundred and eighty-two acres in Stark township, where he lived until the time of his retirement from the active labor of the farm, his last days being spent in Sleepy Eye, where he died in 1880. He and his wife were the parents of ten children, of whom six, two sons and four daughters, are still living, Julia, Minnie, Augusta, Mary, John C. and Fred. John C. Zieske was twelve years old when he came with his parents to America. He had received careful schooling in his native land and after coming here entered the school at Princeton, Wisconsin, where he quickly acquired an excellent knowledge of English. At the age of
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nineteen years, on January 13, 1862, at Berlin, Wisconsin, he enlisted for service in the Union army during the Civil War, in Company H, Eighteenth Regiment, Wisconsin Vol- unteer Infantry, and served with that regiment until the close of the war, receiving his honorable discharge on July 18, 1865, as sergeant. During his term of service Mr. Zieske participated in thirteen main engagements of the war and in numerous minor engagements. For the most part the Eighteenth Wisconsin was engaged in the momen- tous campaigns in Mississippi and Tennessee, including the battle of Altona, where the regiment lost six hundred and seven men out of eighteen hundred. Mr. Zieske also took part in the siege of Vicksburg and the battles at Corinth and Altona Pass. At Pittsburg Landing he was seized with a severe attack of fever and was confined in the hospital at that place for six weeks.
Upon the conclusion of his military service, Mr. Zieske returned to Wisconsin, but remained there only a short time. In 1866 he came to Minnesota and took eighty acres of home- stead land in Courtland township, Nicollet county. The next year he married there and made his home on that farm until 1872, in which year he moved to Sleepy Eye and engaged in the harness business, in which he was engaged for six years. He then for a time was engaged in the sale of agricultural implements for some time and afterward retired from business and has so continued, having a very pleasant home in Sleepy Eye. Mr. Zieske is a Republican and ever since coming to this country has taken an active interest in local political affairs. During his residence in Nicollet county he served as constable of his home township and upon locating at Sleepy Eye took an active part in the
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organization of the town's civic affairs, having been the first school treasurer elected in that town.
In 1867, in Nicollet county, this state, John C. Zieske was united in marriage to Mary Strassburg, who was born in Germany, daughter of Frederick Strassburg and wife, pioneers of Nicollet county, and to this union six children were born, Henry, Emma, Chloe, Anna, Reuben and Rhoda, the last three of whom died within a period of one week of diphtheria. Henry Zieske, a train dispatcher, now living at Fresno, California, married Leona Lovette, and has one child, a daughter, Dorris. Emma Zieske married W. H. Cutler a train dispatcher, of Winona, this state, and has one child, a son, George. Chloe Zieske married Ira H. King, a steamship agent living in Alaska, and to that union four children were born, of whom only one is now living, a daughter, Corrine.
Mrs. Mary Zieske died on June 30, 1911, and on Sep- tember 3, 1912, Mr. Zieske married Lillian Mallette, who was born in this county, daughter of H. C. and Elizabeth (Alaback) Mallette, pioneers settlers of this community. Mr. and Mrs. Zieske are members of the Evangelical church and take a warm interest in local goods works. Mr. Zieske is a charter member of the local post of the Grand Army of of the Republic and for years has been one of the most active promoters of the interests of that patriotic organization. In 1881 he was elected to represent Brown county in the state Legislature, where he served on a number of committees and took part in the discussion of several bills.
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JAMES A. PETERSON.
James A. Peterson, well-known farmer and stockman, of Eden township, this county, who, in partnership with his brother, is operator of a fine farm of three hundred and twenty acres, situated a little more than eight miles from Sleepy Eye, is a native son of Brown county, having been born on the farm where he still makes his home, January 16, 1871, son of John C. and Mary (Jensen) Peterson, natives of Denmark and early residents of Brown county.
John C. Peterson was reared on a farm in his native land and in 1858, when a young man, came to the United States, proceeding directly from New York to Racine, Wis- consin, in the neighborhood of which city he was engaged in farm labor until the Civil War broke out. He enlisted in the Thirty-first Regiment, Wisconsin Volunteer Infan- try, and served with that command for two years and nine months, during which time he participated in a number of the most important battles of the war, including Sherman's campaign to the sea. Upon the conclusion of his military service he returned to Wisconsin, but in 1866 came to Min- nesota, settling in Brown county. He bought a quarter section of land in Eden township and there established his home. He prospered in his undertaking and presently added to his place by the purchase of an adjoining quarter section and lived there the rest of his life, his death occur- ing in March, 1912. He and his wife were the parents of eleven children, Hannah, James, Frank, Emma, Lydia, Anna, Albert, Emilia, Agnes, Elmer and William.
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James Peterson was reared on the home farm, receiv- ing his education in the district school in the neighborhood of his home and in the schools of Sleepy Eye, in the mean- time assisting his father in the development of the farm. Being the eldest son, much of the active labors of manage- ment fell upon his shoulders during the later years of his father's active farming. In 1909 he associated with him- self his brother, Albert, and in a mutually agreeable part- nership the brothers have since been successfully operating the same, being regarded as among the most progressive and substantial farmers in that neighborhood. They have made about eight thousand dollars worth of improvements on the place, have a ten-acre grove on the farm and are very comfortably and pleasantly situated.
Mr. Peterson is a member of the Baptist church at Sleepy Eye and takes an earnest interest in various neigh- borhood good works. He has ever given a good citizen's attention to the local civic affairs and has held the office of township supervisor, justice of the peace and of road overseer. He is an "independent" voter.
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CARL P. MANDERFELD.
Carl P. Manderfeld, clerk of the district court of Brown county, at New Ulm, Minnesota, for years a con- scientious instructor of the youth of this and other counties, and one of the popular and well liked men of the county, is a native son of Brown county, having been born on a pioneer farm in Sigel township, on October 21, 1872, son of Anton and Anna (Holm) Manderfeld, the former a native of Germany and the latter of Austria, early settlers of this county and long prominent residents of the same, well known throughout the county and respected by all.
Anton Manderfeld, third in order of birth of the seven sons of his parents, Hubert and Clara Manderfeld, was of age when he came to the United States, being among the early settlers of Brown county. Anton Manderfeld was born in 1826 in the village of Manderfeld in the Rhine province, Germany, came to the United States in 1855, set- tled first in Chicago, and later in 1857, came West to Minne- sota, making the way with an ox team, being among the first settlers of Brown county, Minnesota. While working for the government at at Big Stone Lake Agency, 1862, the Sioux Indian massacre broke out. All of his comrades at the Agency, except he and one other, were killed by the Indians. Manderfeld became separated from his only com- panion and made his way from Big Stone Lake to Fort Ridgely on foot, through a wild and unsettled country, traveling in the night-time and hiding from the Indians in the daytime. After eight days of weary wandering and
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suffering, untold hardships he reached the fort. In 1862, after the Indian massacre, he gave his services in behalf of the Union cause during the Civil War, enlisting as a volun- teer in Company L, First Regiment Minnesota Mounted Rangers, serving with this company until he received his honorable discharge. On December 1, 1864, he was married to Anna Holm and soon after settled on a farm in Sigel township, where he lived the remainder of his life, his death occuring on October 21, 1895, at the age of sixty-nine years. As a citizen he took an interest and active part in civic affairs and for years he held different town offices in his township. He also served several years as a member of the board of county commissioners, and in many other ways performed his full duty as a public-spirited citizen. The parents of Anton Manderfeld were Hubert and Clara Manderfeld, who lived with their son, Anton, on the farm until they passed away.
Anna (Holm) Manderfeld was born in 1845 in Bohemia, Austria, daughter of John and Anna Holm, early settlers in this county, who also resided in the township of Sigel. She died on October 31, 1892, at the age of forty- seven, three years prior to her husband's death. Anton Manderfeld and wife were the parents of six children, namely: Henry, a farmer of Sigle township, this county; Hubert, of Genesee, Idaho; Clara, who is the wife of Frank Rohner, of Renville county; Anna, deceased, who was the wife of Joseph Hofmeister; Caroline, the wife of Frank Manderfeld, a farmer of Bird Island, Renville county, and Carl P., the subject of this review.
Carl P. Manderfeld was reared on the homestead farm in Sigel township, this county, and upon completing the
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grades in the district school he entered the high school at New Ulm, from which he went to the State Normal school at Mankato, graduated in 1895, and afterwards took up a course in the Mankato Business College. For twelve years he served the public faithfully and conscientiously as a teacher of the youth of Brown county. During this time Mr. Manderfeld was forming a wide and a valuable acquain- tance throughout the county, and when he was nominated as a candidate of the Democratic party for the office of clerk of the district court in 1906, his election was regarded by his many friends as a foregone conclusion, and so it proved. He entered upon the duties of his office in 1907, and has been retained in the office ever since, having been re-elected to the important and responsible office, which he is filling with such general satisfaction to the public at large.
On January 15, 1898, Carl P. Manderfeld was married to Caroline Mueckl, daughter of Max and Creszenzia (Hoffman) Mueckl. Mrs. Manderfeld was born on April 2, 1870, in Zenching, Bavaria, Germany, and came to the United States in 1892. Mr. and Mrs. Manderfeld are the parents of two children, Emanuel C., born on April 18, 1899, in Brown county, and Viola C., born on February 13, 1903, in Chippewa county, this state.
The parents of Mrs. Caroline Manderfeld were Max Mueckl, born on April 7, 1832, living at Willmar, Minnesota, and Creszenzia (Hoffman) Mueckl, born in 1840, died on February 2, 1882, in Germany. They were the parents of four children: Max, deceased; Mary, wife of W. E. Somer- ville, of Willmar, Minnesota; Caroline, wife of Carl P. Manderfeld, and Cecelia, unmarried, now living in Cincin- nati, Ohio.
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The grandparents of Mrs. Manderfeld were Max and Scholasticka (Sulzbeck) Mueckl, the former of whom was born on November 17, 1798, and died January 14, 1880, while the latter was born in 1802, and died December 25, 1869. The couple were married in 1828.
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ALFRED B. OUREN.
Although a young man, Alfred B. Ouren, of the Secur- ity State Bank of Hanska, Brown county, is widely recog- nized as one of the most influential men in financial and business circles in that locality. He was born on June 10, 1884, in Linden township, Brown county, Minnesota, and is a son of Bernt and Kari Ouren, both natives of Norway, coming from the provinces of Toten and Gudevandsdalen, respectively. They came to the United States when child- ren and were married in Minnesota, in the year 1877, and here established their home. It was immediately following the Indian wars that the father came to this country. His father, Ole F. Ouren, homesteaded a tract of about one hundred and twenty acres on the present town site of Hanska, the south boundary of his land being the present main street, running east and west. There Bernt Ouren worked to assist in developing the new home, remaining with his parents several years, then bought two hundred acres of land in Linden township, for which he paid not more than ten dollars an acre; to this tract he later added forty acres, all of which lies in section 18. He made extensive improve- ments on this farm, bringing it up to a high state of cultiva- tion. He erected good buildings, planted a large grove, etc. It was here that Alfred B. was born in a plain, small board shack, which is now used as a granary. He was the first of the children born on this farm.
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