USA > Minnesota > Watonwan County > History of Cottonwood and Watonwan counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 13
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station agent, a position which he has held ever since, thus holding a record as one of the oldest men in continuous service as station agents in this part of the state. Mr. Hale has not only been faithful and diligent in the affairs of the company he has so long served, but he has found time to give thought- ful attention to public affairs. He is a Republican and for nearly ten years served as clerk of the city council at Windom. For three years he has also been a member of the school board and in other ways has con- tributed to the public service of his home town, long having been regarded as one of the useful and substantial citizens of that place.
On March 14, 1883, just before coming West, Walter M. Hale was united in marriage, at Little Falls, Herkimer county, New York, to Mary E. Smith, who was born at that place. Mr. and Mrs. Hale have a very pleasant home at Windom and give their earnest attention to the various social and cultural activities of their home town. They are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Hale is prominent in local lodge circles and is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Modern Woodmen of America, the Ancient Order of United Workmen and the Royal Arcanum, in the affairs of all of which organizations he takes a warm interest.
EVEN O. HOLTE.
The rugged country of Norway has produced a sterling race. Her people are courageous and never permit obstacles to down them. Being fighters by nature they necessarily succeed when given even half a chance, so it is 110 wonder they soon become comfortably situated after taking up their resi- dence in such a locality as Watonwan, Minnesota. Among those who have come here and made good, Even O. Holte, now living in retirement in St. James, should be mentioned.
Mr. Holte was born in Norway, July 8, 1852, and is a son of Ole and Esther Holte, both natives of Norway, where they grew up and were mar- ried and there the father spent his life, dying in 1876, at the age of fifty- four years. In 1878 the mother came to Mower county, Minnesota, and to Watonwan county in 1879 and lived most of the time with her son, Even O., until her death in 1905, at the age of eighty years.
Mr. Holte spent his boyhood in Norway and there attended the public schools. In 1873 he camè to Mower county, Minnesota, where he remained until 1879, when he located in Watonwan county, buying forty acres. Pros-
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pering through close application and good management, he added to this place until he owned four hundred acres of valuable land in Long Lake and South Branch townships, and for years carried on general farming and stock raising on an extensive scale. He finally sold part of his land, and in 191I came to St. James, bought a commodious home and is now living retired from the active duties of life.
Mr. Holte has been one of the influential men of his community, is a loyal Republican, and he was chairman of the township board in Long Lake town- ship for several years, also served on the Republican central committee, also served on the local school board. He is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church.
Even O. Holte was married, in 1876, to Martha Anderson Ovaley, who was born in Mower county, this state, in 1855. She was a daughter of Knut and Annie Ovaley, pioneers of Mower county, where the father died, but the mother is living in St. James, being now eighty-one years old. To Mr. and Mrs. Holte eleven children have been born, namely: Lena, Knute, Alma, Ida (deceased), Hilda, Otto, Elmer, Amanda, Arthur, Anne and Victor.
DONALD ROBERTSON SAVAGE.
Donald Robertson Savage, manager of the Tri-State Telephone Com- pany at Windom, former superintendent of schools of Cottonwood county, a district engineer for the Minnesota state highway commission and for years actively identified with the rapidly developing interests of his home county, was born on August 8, 1871. Upon completing the course in the public schools at Windom he began teaching school, at the age of twenty years, and for nine years was thus engaged during the winters, spending his summers farming and threshing. In 1901 he was elected county superin- tendent of schools for Cottonwood county and for eight years filled that important and responsible office very acceptably. He then was appointed superintendent of schools at Heron Lake, in Jackson county, in the mean- time engaging in surveying, he having become a very competent civil engi- neer, and on May 20, 1912, was appointed an engineer for the Minnesota state highway commission, which position he still occupies. In 1914 he was appointed manager of the Tri-State Telephone Company, with headquarters at Windom and has since then been actively engaged in administering the affairs of that progressive and rapidly growing concern.
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In 1903 Donald R. Savage was united in marriage to Winifred Robi- son, daughter of George F. and Mary (Smith) Robison, of Windom, pio- neers of Cottonwood county, and to this union three daughters have been born, Margaret, Mary and Edith. Mr. Savage is a Republican, a Mason and a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and of the Royal Arcanum.
ABRAHAM B. FRIESEN.
Abrahamı B. Friesen, of Carson township, Cottonwood county, one of the best-known and most substantial farmers and stockmen of that part of the county, is a native of southern Russia, born on a farm there, August 18, 1871, son of Peter and Anna (Berg) Friesen, natives of that same country and early settlers in Cottonwood county, the former of whom is still living, a prosperous retired farmer at Mountain Lake.
Peter Friesen and his family left Russia in 1875 and came to Minnesota, locating at Mountain Lake, in Cottonwood county. A little later he bought a farm of eighty acres in Carson township and there established his home. He was a good farmer and a thrifty, energetic citizen and as he prospered in his farming operations added to his holdings until he became the owner of seven hundred and twenty acres. About 1902 he retired from the active labors of the farm and he and his wife moved to Mountain Lake, where she died in 1910 and where he is still living. He is a member of the Men- nonite church, as was his wife, and their children were reared in that faith. There were ten of these children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the fourth in order of birth, the others being Peter P., Anna, John, Jacob, Aaron, Catherine, Mary, Susanna and Sarah, all of whom are living.
Abraham B. Friesen was not quite four years old when his parents came to Minnesota from Russia in 1875 and he grew to manhood on the paternal farm in Carson township, receiving his education in the public schools of that township. He married when he was twenty-one years old and then began farming on the place on which he still lives, and on which he has made practically all the improvements that now go to make it one of the best farms in that part of the county. From the very beginning of his farming operations, Mr. Friesen prospered and he gradually added to his holdings until he is now the owner of a fine farm of four hundred and four acres and is regarded as one of the most substantial farmers in Cottonwood county. In addition to his general farming he has given considerable atten-
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tion to the raising of live stock and has done very well. He has long made a specialty of pure-bred Belgian draft horses and his breeding stables are known far and wide among the farmers of this part of the state. Mr. Friesen is a Republican and has long given careful attention to local politi- cal affairs, and for six years served as treasurer of Carson township.
It was on January 3, 1893, that Abraham B. Friesen was united in marriage to Helena Fast, daughter of John Fast, of Carson, and to this union twelve children have been born, John, Helena, Sarah, Abraham, Anna, Peter, Catherine, Henry, Jacob, Bernard, Aaron and Herman. Mr. and Mrs. Friesen are members of the Mennonite church and for years have been among the leaders in the work of that congregation, ever also exhibiting a proper concern in behalf of all other movements designed to advance the interests of the community in which they live.
ROBERT REISDORPH.
Robert Reisdorph, a well-known and well-to-do retired farmer of Springfield township, Cottonwood county, now living very comfortably sit- uated at Windom, is a native son of Minnesota, born on a pioneer farm in LeSueur county, this state, July 19, 1865, son of Silas E. and Fannie (Galt) Reisdorph, who later became pioneers of this part of the state, spending their last days in Cottonwood county.
Silas E. Reisdorph was reared on a farm in New York state, where he married and later moved to McKean county, Pennsylvania, where he became a farmer, later moving to Michigan, in which state he lived until le came to Minnesota, in 1866. Upon coming to this state, Silas E. Reis- dorph settled in LeSueur county, where he made his home for five or six years, at the end of which time he moved to Hennepin county, where, in Bloomington township, he bought a farm and there made his home until 1878, in which year he came to this part of the state and bought a quarter of a section of land in Cottonwood county, where he established his home and where he lived until his retirement from the farm in 1912 and removed to Windom, where he died the next year, in 1913. Silas E. Reisdorph had been twice married. His first wife, who was Betsy Hoag, died in the early sixties, leaving two children, John A. Reisdorph, a well-known farmer of Springfield township, Cottonwood county, and Carrie, who married W. D. Seeley. Silas Reisdorph's second wife, Fannie Galt, bore him seven chil-
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dren, of whom but two, Lloyd and the subject of this sketch, are residents of Cottonwood county.
Robert Reisdorph was about thirteen years of age when his parents came to this part of the state in 1878, settling in Cottonwood county, and here he has lived ever since. He remained on the home farm until he was twenty-six years of age, a valuable assistant to his father in the develop- ment of the same, and then he bought a quarter of a section of land in Springfield township and began farming for himself. He was successful from the very beginning of his operations and as he prospered increased his holdings until he became the owner of a fine farm of two hundred and forty acres, which he still owns and on which he has expended about twenty-five hundred dollars in improvements. In addition to his general farming, Mr. Reisdorph gave considerable attention to the raising of live stock and did very well. In 1901 he retired from the active labors of the farm and moved to Windom, where he and his family are very pleasantly situated.
It was on February 19, 1901, that Robert Reisdorph was united in mar- riage to Carrie Widman, daughter of Jacob and Mary (Haag) Widman, and to this union one child has been born, a son, Neil. Mr. and Mrs. Reis- dorph are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Windom, in the general beneficences of which they for years have taken an active part, Mr. Reisdorph being a member of the official board of the church, and they also give proper attention to the general good works of the community. Mr. Reisdorph is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and in the affairs of that organization takes a warm interest.
CHARLES B. PIERCE.
Charles B. Pierce, a well-known and substantial farmer of Lakeside township, Cottonwood county, former chairman of the board of supervisors of that township, a director of the Windom National Bank and for many years actively identified with the best interests of this section of the state, is a native of the state of Massachusetts, but has been a resident of Minne- sota since 1869 and of this section of the state since the opening of this region for settlement, in 1871, and is therefore numbered among those hardy pioneers who helped to bring about stable conditions hereabout in the early days. He was born at New Bedford, Massachusetts, September 14,
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1852. son of Ira E. and Deborah F. (Potter) Pierce, the former of whom was born at East Callais, Vermont, and the latter at New Bedford, Massa- chusetts, who later became substantial pioneer residents of this section of Minnesota.
Ira E. Pierce left his native state of Vermont when a young man and went to New Bedford, Massachusetts, where for seven years he was engaged as a clerk in a hardware store. There he married and presently opened a grocery store, which he conducted for five or six years, at the end of which time he moved to Woodbury, Vermont, where he conducted a general store and also was engaged in farming for seven or eight years, after which he moved to Lyndon, in that same state, where he remained until 1869, in which year he came with his family to Minnesota and settled at Dover Center, in Olmstead county. In 1871, upon the opening of this part of the state to settlement, Ira E. Pierce moved out here and homesteaded a quarter of a section of land in Lakeside township, Cottonwood county, where he established his home and where he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives, useful and influential pioneer citizens. Mr. Pierce was a Republican and took an active part in civic affairs in the early days. He and his wife were the parents of four children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the second in order of birth, the others being William, who died in January, ISSI; Abbie F., who died when seven years of age, and Ira E.
Charles B. Pierce was, but a baby when his parents moved from his native town of New Bedford to Vermont, and he was reared in the latter state, finishing his school days in a private academy at Lyndon. As a young man he was engaged as a clerk in his father's store and gained an excellent knowledge of mercantile forms. He was about seventeen years old when the family came to Minnesota and about nineteen when they moved to this part of the state, in 1871. Upon arriving here he immediately engaged in the task of helping to develop the homestead place in Lakeside township and became an excellent farmer, presently engaging in farming on his own account, and prospered in his operations from the very start, it not being very long until he was the owner of more than a section of land in Lakeside township. Afterward, however, he sold all his land save the half section on which he now lives and where he and his family are very pleasantly and comfortably situated, Mr. Pierce long having been regarded as one of the leading farmers of that part of the county. He has not been unmindful of his duty to the public service and has served the people of his home town- ship as chairman of the board of supervisors. He also has given consider- able attention to the general business enterprises of the community and has
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been a member of the board of directors of the Windom National Bank since the organization of that sound old financial institution. In addition to his general farming, Mr. Pierce devotes considerable attention to the rais- ing of high-grade live stock and has done very well in his agricultural operations.
In 1899 Charles B. Pierce was united in marriage to Belle Eastwood and to this union five children have been born: Charles Earl, Esther, Mar- ion, William D. and Paul. Mr. Pierce is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen and of the Modern Woodmen of America, and in the affairs of these two organizations takes a warm interest.
JACOB J. BALZER.
One of the useful, versatile and many-sided men of Cottonwood county is Jacob J. Balzer, of Mountain Lake, who was born at Gnadenfield, Rus- sia, October 14, 1860, a son of Jacob and Susan (Edgar) Balzer, both natives of Prussia, Germany, but who located in Russia about 1852, and lived twenty-one years at Pass Fik. The father was a joiner and farrier. He engaged in manufacturing fanning mills for some time and employed a number of men. He removed with his family to America in 1877, arriving at Mountain Lake, Minnesota, on July 3 of that year, and the following day they helped celebrate their first Fourth or Independence Day. They made their advent here in a box car. Jacob Balzer well remembers how he burned his fingers with the first firecracker he ever saw, which was upon his arrival at Mountain Lake. The father bought a farm four and one- half miles northeast of Mountain Lake, purchasing a homestead at twelve dollars and fifty cents per acre. He established a comfortable home here through his industry. His death occurred on April 9, 1912, at the age of seventy-seven years. His widow is still living in Mountain Lake, being now advanced in years.
Jacob J. Balzer spent his boyhood in Russia and attended school there. After coming to Minnesota he was a student at the German College at Mount Pleasant, Iowa, also at the Methodist Episcopal University at the same place. However, prior to attending college he had taught a private school at Mountain Lake, and after his return from the university he took up school work for a time in Mountain Lake, which he continued until 1888, when he turned his attention to the ministry and to establishing a German-
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English school, a private school, or to a certain extent, a Mennonite paro- chial school. A building was rented until 1901, when the present commod- ious structure was erected. Mr. Balzer accomplished this useful and neces- sary work in thirty-six days. There was not one cent in the treasury when he began. He was the only instructor when the school was first started, but in due course of time several others were added, and he became superin- tendent. English, German, Latin and theology were taught, and are still the principal branches. There are now over twenty alumni who are useful missionaries, doing excellent work in foreign lands.
In 1888 Jacob J. Balzer began Sunday school work. I. I. Bargan was the first superintendent. Out of this movement the Bethel church was built in 1888 and Mr. Balzer has been the active pastor of the same ever since. He was a teacher for a period of thirty-four years, the last four years of which period he was principal of the Mennonite Educational Institution, at Altoona, Manitoba, Canada, which school was under govern- ment supervision, and it turned out many capable teachers. He was princi- pal of the school he established in Mountain Lake until 1910. He remained at the head of the Canadian institution until 1914. when he retired from educational work, in which he had won a wide and envied reputation. He has remained a wide student and is a man of profound learning. For a period of twenty-four years he was secretary of the general conference of the home missionaries of the Mennonites of North America, a position he filled in a manner that reflected much credit upon himself and to the satis- faction of all concerned, retiring from that office in September, 1914. He has traveled quite extensively. in the interest of the evangelistic department of the above named conference.
Jacob J. Balzer, although a very busy man with his school and church work, has proven himself to be a capable business man, and in 1889 he entered the general mercantile field, under the firm name of Balzer & Hiebert, at Mountain Lake, which store is still operated, having been very successful, enjoying a good trade all the while, the style of the firm now being Balzer, Hiebert & Company.
On May 4, 1884, Jacob J. Balzer was united in marriage to Susan Franz, a native of Russia, who came to Mountain Lake, Minnesota, July 5, 1878, with her parents, John Franz and wife. Her father was a merchant tailor. The following children have been reared by Jacob J. Balzer and wife: Jacob S., now a senior in the pharmaceutical department of the University of Minnesota, is president of his class; Marie Ennis is the wife (10a)
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of Dr. H. R. Basinger, of Chicago, an instructor in Rush Medical College and also in the University of Chicago, his wife is a capable music teacher, having decided natural talent in music; Marie Gortz Balzer lives at home. These two girls were both adopted by Mr. Balzer and wife.
Mr. Balzer has taken an interest in public affairs and has served as city clerk, also as road master in his earlier years. He has done much to encourage a taste for music in this locality. He had to fight a religious prejudice against music. He is a capable music director. He is an earnest, logical and eloquent speaker, and is a man of true culture and progressive ideals.
HENRY C. BEISE, D. M. D.
Dr. Henry C. Beise, well-known dentist at Windom, former council- man and now a member of the school board of that city, who has been practicing his profession at Windom since 1896, is a native son of Minne- sota, born on a farm in Medo township, Blue Earth county, this state, December 16, 1872, son of August and Sophia (Lader) Beise, the former a native of Germany, born on October 13, 1835, and the latter of New York City, born in 1842, both of whom later came West, locating in Wisconsin, where they were married, and thence to Minnesota, becoming pioneers of Blue Earth county, their last days being spent in the village of Mapleton, that county.
August Beise received his schooling in his native land and was four- teen years of age when his parents, Henry Beise and wife, came to the United States with their family in 1849, settling in Dodge county, Wiscon- sin. Henry Beise, the grandfather, homesteaded a farm in that county and there established his home; later he came to this state and bought a farm in Winona county in 1866, continuing, however, to hold his land in Wisconsin, and became a substantial pioneer of Winona county, where he spent the rest of his life, his last days being spent in the village of Lewistown; his widow later moved to Good Thunder, Blue Earth county, Minnesota, and resided there until her death. August Beise grew to manhood in Dodge county, Wisconsin, and there he homesteaded a tract of land, which he presently sold to advantage and bought another farm in that same county. He married there Sophia Lader in 1859, who was born in the city of New York, daughter of Jacob and Mena (Lutz) Lader, the former of whom was born in France on February 22, 1812, who came to this country, locating
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in New York City, but after about two years' residence there came West and homesteaded a farm in Dodge county, Wisconsin, later, in 1866, coming to Minnesota and settling in Blue Earth county, where they spent the re- mainder of their lives. Jacob Lader entered a homestead claim in Blue Earth county and there established his home, becoming a substantial pioneer farmer. His wife died in 1869, two years after settling in the new home, and he thereafter made his home with his daughter, Mrs. August Beise, in Medo township, that same county, until his death, in 1899.
It was in 1866 also that August Beise and wife moved from Wiscon- sin to Blue Earth county. They first bought a quarter section in Lyra town- ship, where they lived for about three years, at the end of which time they moved over into Medo township and bought another quarter section, on which they lived for five years, when they bought an adjoining farm of three hundred and twenty acres, where they lived until 1900, in which year they retired from the farm and moved to the village of Mapleton, where their last days were spent, Mrs. August Beise dying on July 7, 1904, and August Beise, December 24, 1915. They were the parents of ten children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the seventh in order of birth, the others being as follow: Elizabeth, who died in infancy; Amelia, wife of John Frey, of Clear Lake, Iowa; Edward, who is living on and operating the old Beise home farm in Medo township, Blue Earth county; Ida, who lives at Mapleton, in that same county; Emma, wife of C. L. Sulrud, of Halstad, Norman county, this state; Dr. Charles J. Beise, who died at Maple- ton, at the age of forty-two years; Judge George W. Beise, former county attorney of Stephens county, this state, and now municipal judge of Morris, that same county; Dr. Rudolph Beise, of Brainard, this state, and Minnie A., wife of O. Lovsines, of Halstad, Minnesota.
Henry C. Beise was reared on the home farm in Medo township, Blue Earth county, receiving his elementary education in the district school in the neighborhood of his home, supplementing the same by one year in the high school at Mapleton, after which he took a three-year course in the Mankato Normal School, after which he began teaching school, but after one year's experience in that vocation in Norman county, turned his atten- tion to the study of dental surgery in the office of Dr. L. C. Cruttender, of Northfield, under whose preceptorship he was prepared for entrance into the dental department of the University of Minnesota, from which he was graduated in 1896. Thus admirably equipped for the practice of his pro- fession, Dr. Beise opened an office at Windom, June 15, 1896, and has ever since been very successfully engaged in practice there, being one of the best-
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