USA > Minnesota > Brown County > History of Brown County, Minnesota: Its People, Industries and Institutions (Volume 1) > Part 64
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BROWN COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
OLE C. PETERSON.
Ole C. Peterson, proprietor of a fine farm of two hun- dred and forty acres in Linden township, this county, and one of the pioneers of that section of the county, is a native of the kingdom of Norway, having been born in Gulbrauds- dalen, February 2, 1848, son of Peter and Tora (Oles- datter) Olson, farming people, to whom two sons were born, the subject of this sketch having a brother, Ole. Peter Olson died when his son was an infant and the widow Olson married, secondly, O. C. Christianson, who, with his wife and the latter's two sons, came to the United States in the summer of 1861, proceeding directly from their port of entry to Wisconsin, where they remained until Septem- ber of that year and then came to Minnesota, settling in Brown county. Mr. Christianson homesteaded one-half of the southwest quarter of section 24, in Linden township, and there established his home. In the summer of 1862 the family was driven out by the Indians and found refuge at St. Peter.
On December 23, 1863, Ole C. Peterson enlisted at New Ulm in Company G, Second Minnesota Cavalry, and served until the Indian uprising was effectually put down, receiv- ing his discharge on December 29, 1865. He homesteaded the other half of the quarter section adjoining that of his stepfather and put up a log cabin on the same, which he occupied while "proving up" his claim, after which he resumed his residence with the family and there made his home until his marriage in 1870, when he established his (36a)
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home on his present farm. He prospered in his farming operations and has added to his place until he is now the owner of two hundred and forty acres, one hundred and sixty acres in section 24 and eighty acres adjoining in sec- tion 25, all of which is under excellent cultivation. Mr. Peterson cast his first vote after becoming a citizen of the United States for the Republican party and ever since has remained faithful to his political allegiance, but has never been included in the office-seeking class.
In September, 1870, Ole C. Peterson was united in marriage to Rena Johnsdatter, who was born at Gulbrauds- dalen, Norway, February 23, 1845, daughter of John and Karie (Haugen) Storvig, who came to the United States in 1866 and settled in Brown county, and to this union five children were born, as follow: Peter C., who lives at home, a valuable assistant to his father in the management of the farm; Caroline, who married Peter A. Knutson, of Man- kato, and has two children, Rose Gertrude and Alvin Aud- ley; John F., who lives at home; Gena, who married Louis Jacobson and died, leaving one child, a daughter, Rosa A., and Ola, also deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Peterson are mem- bers of the Norwegian Lutheran church at Linden and their children were reared in that faith. Mr. Peterson's step- father, O. C. Christianson, was one of the organizers of the church at Linden and was for years active in the good works of the same.
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555
BROWN COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
CHRISTIAN C. JOHNSON.
It would be difficult to find a farm better tilled or bet- ter kept than that of Christian C. Johnson, of Linden town- ship, Brown county, for its owner has always taken great pleasure in keeping everything in ship-shape. Mr. John- son was born on March 25, 1843, in Feen, Denmark. His father died before he was born, and his mother was mar- ried again. When eight years old he left home and was reared by strangers. He received a good common school education, and early in life took up farm work and has con- tinued in agricultural pursuits to the present time. In 1865 he came to America, landing in Quebec, Canada, but later moved to Wisconsin, where his grandmother lived. In 1867 he located in Brown county, Minnesota, and here worked out at various things and in different places. He went to the eastern part of the state and worked on the river part of the time on boats and log rafts. In 1875 he bought some railroad land in section 3, Linden township, Brown county, which land he later sold, having lost his crops during the grasshopper plague which lasted three years in succession. He says these insects even ate holes in his log house. The year following the hail destroyed his crops and badly damaged his buildings. In the face of such misfortune he was forced to sell because he could not meet his payments. But he went to work again with a will and by saving his earnings was enabled to buy one hun- dred and sixty acres in 1885. This land joined forty acres owned by his wife, in section 26, Linden township, Brown
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county, and here he has since resided. This was all new land and he placed ali the improvements on it, his latest improvement being a large barn, thirty by sixty-six feet, with a capacity for twenty tons of hay.
Mr. Johnson was married in this county, June 27, 1873, to Gunnell Ellefson, who was born on October 8, 1852, in Fillmore county, Wisconsin. She is a daughter of Elerf and Ellen Ellefson, both natives of Norway. The family located in Brown county when Mrs. Johnson was a small child; in fact, they were among the earliest settlers here. The Indians drove them out and they fled to Mankato until the red men were subdued. Seven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, six of whom are living, namely: Charley, married Inga Strum, a daughter of Christ Strum, and they have four children, Cora, Helena, Ida, Carl; and Lina, died when eighteen years old; Theo- dore married Nellie Eyedrum and they have three children, Chester, Arthur and another; Christena is living at home; Albert is at home; Oscar lives in Canada; Leonard resides in North Dakota.
Politically, Mr. Johnson is a Republican. He and his family are members of the Norwegian Lutheran church.
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557
BROWN COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
PETER MICKELSON.
Among the well-kept and productive farmsteads of Linden township, Brown county, is that owned by Peter Mickelson, who is known as a very careful farmer. He was born on January 7, 1857, in Norway, and is a son of Michael and Julia (Peterson) Jacobson. The father was a peddler in his early life. He owned a small sailing vessel in which he plied up and down the coast, selling his wares in different towns, continuing thus until 1858, when he came to the United States, bringing his family, which con- sisted of his wife and seven children. They made what was considered at that time a quick trip across the Atlantic, the voyage occupying only three weeks. They landed at Que- bec, Canada, and went direct to Wisconsin, where they spent six years, coming to Brown county, Minnesota, in 1864, making the trip with oxen and a covered wagon or prairie schooner, the time required being about six weeks. The father homesteaded land on the Watonwan and Brown county line, and this he developed and lived on until his death.
Peter Mickelson received only a limited education, at- tending school but a few days, for the family was poor and he had to go to work when but a small boy to help support it. He remained with his parents until he was twenty-eight years old, at which time he bought one hundred and twenty acres of land in section 25, Linden township, Brown county. It was railroad land and cost ten dollars per acre. It was on the prairie. His first home was a log hut, eleven by twelve feet, with a shanty lean-to, in which he lived until
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1887, when, having prospered by hard work and good man- agement, he built a comfortable frame house which has since been added to and is now a good residence. He bought more land until he now owns two hundred acres, all in sec- tion 25, Linden township.
Mr. Mickelson was married in Watonwan county, July 11, 1875, to Marie Lumberg, who was born on April 12, 1855, in Christiania, Norway. She is a daughter of Erick and Martha (Lumberg) Lumberg. The father was a far- mer and he came to America when Marie was six years old, in 1861. He at once established his home in Brown county, Minnesota, taking up a homestead. They lived here during the Indian troubles and were driven from their home on several occasions by the savages, fleeing to Mankato for protection. Their farm was located in section 26, Linden township, and here the parents spent the rest of their lives. Theirs was one of the first farms in this township.
Five children have been born to Mr. Mickelson and wife, namely: Martin, born on November 1, 1876, married Lena Larson, and they live in Blue Earth county and have four children, Peter, Helma, Gladys and Marvin L .; Ma- tilda, born on August 6, 1878, married Lars Erickson, and they live in Linden township; Edward, born on January 13, 1880, married Anna Hustoft, and they live on the home farm; Minnie, born on March 12, 1881; Peter, born on April 6, 1883, lives in Penington county, South Dakota, where he has a homestead.
Mr. Mickelson and family are members of the Norweg- ian Lutheran church of Linden township, which church was founded partly through the assistance of the parents of Mr. and Mrs. Mickelson, in the year 1867.
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BROWN COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
CHRIS JENSEN.
By close application and fair dealing with his fellow men, Chris Jensen, of Evan, Brown county, has built up a large and growing trade as a hardware and lumber dealer. He was born in Denmark, July 15, 1870, and is a son of Nels J. and Kirsten (Christensen) Jensen, both natives of Denmark, where they were married and established their home, the father devoting his active life to farming. He brought his family to the United States in 1883 and bought eighty acres in Prairieville township, Brown county, where he lived until 1908, when he retired and has since made his home in the village of Evan. His family consists of four children, a son and three daughters, namely: Mary, Anna, Chris and Carrie.
Chris Jensen spent his boyhood in Denmark, where he attended school until he was thirteen years old, when he came to America with his parents, and attended the public schools of Brown county, Minnesota, until he was twenty years old, then learned the butter-making business, at which he worked for three years, when he started in the hardware business in Evan with only an eight-hundred-dollar stock. Six months later he took in a partner and also started a lumber yard. The partnership continued until 1911, when he bought out his partner's interest and has since conduct- ed both the hardware and lumber business alone, carrying about a five-thousand-dollar stock of hardware and a six- thousand-dollar stock of lumber. His trade extends all
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over the county in both lines and he has been very success- ful in each.
Mr. Jensen was married in 1899 to Ida Anderson, a daughter of N. F. and Mary Anderson, both natives of Den- mark, from which country they emigrated to Minnesota in an early day and were among the first settlers of Red- wood county, where Ida Anderson was born. She is one of two children. To Mr. and Mrs. Jensen three children have been born, namely: Arthur, Mabel and Myrtle; the two eldest are attending school in Sleepy Eye at this writ- ing.
Mr. Jensen is an independent voter. He belongs to the Masonic lodge at Sleepy Eye. He is also a member of the Danish Lutheran church, and has been a trustee of the same for three years.
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561
BROWN COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
NATHAN ROWLAND.
Nathan Rowland, well-known and progressive farmer and stockman, of Cottonwood township, this county, pro- prietor of a fine farm of three hundred and twenty acres eight miles from New Ulm, where he has lived since he was sixteen years old, is a native of the gallant little land of Wales. He was born in North Wales in 1853, son of Hugh and Ellen Rowland, both natives of that land, farming peo- ple there, who came to the United States in 1859 and settled in Wisconsin, where they bought a farm and there made their home until 1869, in which year they came to Minne- sota and settled in Wisconsin, where they bought a farm and there made their home until 1869, in which year they came to Minnesota and settled in Brown county. Hugh Rowland bought a farm of forty acres in Cottonwood town- ship and there he established his family and he and his wife spent their last years there. He and his wife were the parents of two children, the subject of this sketch having a sister, Mrs. Ellen Wedwords, widow of William Wedwords, who makes her home with her brother in Cottonwood town- ship. She has four children, Samuel, Hugh, George and Frank.
Nathan Rowland was about six years old when he came to this country and he received his education in the schools of Wisconsin, where he lived until he was about sixteen. After coming to Brown county he devoted his time to assist- ing his father in the development of the home farm and has
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continued to make his home there. Upon his father's death he bought the home place and has continued to add to the same until he is now the owner of a well-cultivated farm of three hundred and twenty acres, on which he has erected about five thousand dollars' worth of improvements, and is regarded as one of the most substantial farmers in that neighborhood. Mr. Rowland is a Republican and has ever given his earnest attention to local political affairs. For a number of years he held the office of director of his school district and also served for four or five years as supervisor of highways in his district. He and his sister are members of the Congregational church and take a proper interest in the various good works of the community.
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BROWN COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
GEORGE FOSTER.
George Foster, a well-known and progressive farmer of Prairieville township, this county, proprietor of a well- kept farm of one hundred and sixty acres lying about two miles from the pleasant village of Evan, and who also is largely interested in various other enterprises, among which is the Evan Creamery Company, of which he is the presi- dent, and the Farmers' Land Company, of Sleepy Eye, of which he is the secretary and manager; as well as being the agent for two or three excellent makes of automobiles, is a native son of Brown county and is regarded as one of the most active and energetic men in the western part of the county. He was born on a pioneer farm in Prairieville township, not far from his present home, November 13, 1871, son of Thomas and Christina (Knudson) Foster, the former a native of England and the latter of Denmark, long well-known and influential residents of this county.
Thomas Foster was twelve years old when his parents emigrated from England to Canada and he grew to man- hood in the Dominion. When about twenty years old he came over the border and for some time was engaged in the lumber woods in Michigan. In 1863 he came to Minnesota and settled in Brown county. He presently married a daughter of one of the pioneer families in this county, bought a quarter of a section of land in Prairieville town- ship and there established his home, early becoming recog- nized as one of the most substantial settlers of that com- munity. He was here during the troublous times attending
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the Indian uprising and did his part in the defensive op- erations of that period. In 1910 he retired from the active labors of the farm and moved to Evan, where he is now living in quiet comfort, enjoying the rewards of a well- spent life. To him and his wife ten children were born, of whom eight are still living, Joseph, George, Mary, Anna, John, Thomas, Emma and James.
George Foster was reared on the home farm in Prairie- ville township and received his education in the district school in the neighborhood of his home. At the age of six- teen he went to Minneapolis, where he entered one of the great engine works there and learned thoroughly the busi- ness of manufacturing both steam and gas engines, presently becoming one of the foremen in the plant employing sixteen hundred men. Later he served as a traveling expert sales- man and collector for this same firm and after ten years of such service returned to Brown county and bought a quarter of a section of land in section 4, Prairieville township. In the meantime he had married and upon his return to this county, in 1903, established his home on that farm and there has lived ever since. His place is well improved and he and his family are very pleasantly and comfortably sit- uated. Mr. Foster does not confine his operations wholly to farming. He is secretary and manager of the Farmers' Land Company, of Sleepy Eye, a concern which for the past ten years has averaged a sale of ten farms a year throughout this section of the state. He also is president of the Evan Creamery Company, a position he has occupied since 1910, and in addition to these activities acts as the local agent for the sale of Maxwell and Chalmers automo- biles. He also takes a proper interest in local civic affairs
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and for some years has served as director of his school dis- trict.
In 1898 George Foster was united in marriage to Mary Knudson, who also was born in Brown county, daughter of Hans J. and Mary Knudson, pioneer settlers of this county, who came there in 1863, and to this union five children have been born, Hannah, James, Mabel, Jeanne and Alice. Mr. and Mrs. Foster are members of the Presbyterian church at Evan and take an earnest interest in the various social and cultural activities of their home community. Mr. Foster is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and takes a warm interest in the affairs of that organization. He is an "independent" voter.
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BROWN COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
JAMES JOHNSON.
James Johnson, a well-known farmer of Eden town- ship, this county, and one of the early settlers of the neigh- borhood in which he lives, is a native of the kingdom of Denmark, but has been a resident of the United States since 1862 and a citizen of Brown county since 1868. He was born on October 18, 1843, son of Ole and Carrie John- son, both natives of Denmark, who came to this country in 1873 and settled on an eighty-acre farm in Eden township, where they spent the remainder of their lives. Ole John- son died in 1895. He and his wife were the parents of eight children, of whom the subject of this sketch is the fourth in order of birth, the others being Jens, Marron, Fred, An- drew, Margaret, Marcella and Chris.
James Johnson was reared on a farm in his native land. At the age of fourteen he quit school and went to work as a carpenter and was thus engaged, working in the neighbor- hood of his home, until he was eighteen years old, when, in 1862, he came to America. Landing at Quebec, he pro- ceeded directly to Minia, Wisconsin, where for a year he worked on a farm. He then went to Greenbay, Wisconsin, where he resumed work at his trade and was presently, in 1863, employed by the government in the work of construct- ing fortifications and was thus employed until the close of the war, after which he went to Oshkosh, in the neighbor- hood of which city he was for a time employed at farm labor, presently going to St. Paul, where for three years he
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worked at his trade. He then re-entered the government service and for nearly a year was again engaged in the work of constructing fortifications, after which he returned to St. Paul, where he worked at his trade until 1868, in which year he came to Brown county and bought two hun- dred and forty acres of land in Eden township, where, with the exception of about ten years, he has lived ever since, long having been regarded as one of the most substantial farmers of that neighborhood. In 1873 Mr. Johnson left the farm and moved to Sleepy Eye, where for two years he worked at his trade as a carpenter, after which he returned to the farm.
In 1870 James Johnson was united in marriage to Margaret Knudson. She died not long afterward, and in 1872 he married, secondly, Carrie Hansen, who was born in Denmark, daughter of Ole Hansen and wife, who came to this country in 1862, settling at Racine, Wisconsin, where they lived until 1866, in which year they came to this county, bought a quarter of a section in Eden township and there established their home. Ole Hansen and wife were the parents of twelve children, of whom Mrs. Johnson is the eldest. To Mr. and Mrs. Johnson eight children have been born, as follow: Jacob, who married Hannah Han- sen, and lives in Sleepy Eye; Albert, who married Lucy Nerma, and lives at Mankato; Julius, who married Miss Heth, and lives in Eden township; Anna, who married Everett Petersen and lives in Douglas county ; Sophia, who married Charles Lee and lives in North Dakota; Louis, who married Katie Morton and lives at Brook Park ; James married Emma Brent and lives at Evan; Frank, who mar- ried Pracy Hass and makes his home with his parents on
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the old home farm, assisting in the management of the same. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson are members of the Union church and take an interested part in all neighborhood good works. Mr. Johnson is a Republican and ever has given a good citizen's attention to local political affairs.
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UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
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