USA > Minnesota > Watonwan County > History of Cottonwood and Watonwan counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 16
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OLE A. HALVORSEN.
Ole A. Halvorsen, hardware merchant of LaSalle, Watonwan county, was born in Norway in 1866, and is a son of A. and Ragnhel Halvorsen, both natives of Norway, where they grew up, were married, spent their active lives on a farm and died there. They were the parents of four sons, namely : Halver, Rudolph, Annon and Ole A. The last named spent his boyhood on the farm and attended the common schools. He came to America about 1883, locating in Rio, Wisconsin, where he spent four years as a farm hand, then went to South Dakota and was there four years,
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working on various farms. His next move was to Yellow Medicine county, Minnesota, where he learned the carpenter's trade and was engaged in the lumber business three years at Hazel Run. In 1900 he came to LaSalle at the starting of the town and here he has since remained and has played well his part in the general upbuilding of the place. He erected his present building and put in a stock of hardware which he has kept increasing as the country settled up until he now carries a large stock of general hard- ware and implements and does an extensive business with the people of this township. He was in partnership with his brother, Annon, under the firm name of the LaSalle Hardware and Implement Company, until 1915, when the brother sold his interest to the subject of this sketch, who has since conducted the business alone, but has retained the original firm name.
Mr. Halvorsen was married in May, 1908, to Mary Flogslad, a native of Minnesota, whre she grew up and attended school, and a daughter of Paul Flogslad, of Watonwan county. To this union three children were born, namely: Inez, Amie and Oleta.
Mr. Halvorsen belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America, the Mutual Benefit Association, and the Norwegian Lutheran church.
ALEX SWANSON.
Alex Swanson was born in Sweden, May 15, 1849, and is a son of Andrew and Margaret Swanson, both natives of Sweden, the father born in 1819 and the mother in 1823. There they grew up and were married. In 1873 they came to Watonwan county, Minnesota, the father dying at the home of his son, Alex, not long after coming to the New World, but the mother survived to a ripe old age, passing away in 1905. To these parents but two children were born, namely: Carrie, the widow of Swan Englin, and Alex, the subject of this sketch.
Alex Swanson grew to inanhood in Sweden and there attended school. He came to America in 1869 and located in Watonwan county, Minnesota, taking up a homestead of eighty acres in Adrian township. He worked hard and managed well and subsequently added to his original place until he had two hundred and twenty-four acres, well improved, including a substantial set of buildings. The first shack he erected was of lumber hauled from Lake Crystal, in Blue Earth county. He carried on general farmong and stock raising on an extensive scale on his place until 1911, when he sold out
MR. AND MRS. ALEX SWANSON.
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and moved to St. James, buying his present residence. He was president of the Sveadahl Creamery Company. During the grasshopper years Mr. Swanson turned his attention to railroading, which he continued about ten years.
Alex Swanson was married on November 21, 1874, to Anna Ander- son, who was born in Sweden on July 12, 1853. She is a daughter of Andrew and Kersten Jensen, who came to America in 1869, locating on a homestead of eighty acres in Watonwan county. To this they added another eighty. This land Mr. Jensen improved and lived on until his death, in 1897. His widow survived until 1909. To these parents two children were born, namely: John Anderson, who lives on the old home farm in Nelson township, this county, and Anna, wife of Mr. Swanson.
Politically, Mr. Swanson is a Republican. He cast his first vote for General Grant at his second election. He has been more or less active in the party ever since. He has served as a member of the township board, also the local school board for several years, and was one of the county commis- sioners when the present court house was built. He is a member of the Swedish Lutheran church and is a charter member of the West Sveadahl church, of which he has been secretary and deacon for the past twenty years.
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MARK CHARLES WARE.
Mark Charles Ware, one of the best-known and most progressive young farmers of Lakeside township, Cottonwood county, whose home at "Clover Leaf Stock Farm" is one of the pleasantest in the Bingham Lake neighborhood, is a native son of Minnesota and has lived in this part of the state all his life. He was born at Mapleton, in the neighboring county of Blue Earth, January 25, 1880, son of C. E. and Eliza Jane (Moore) Ware, the former a native of the state of New York and the latter of Wisconsin, who are now living retired in the pleasant village of Bingham Lake.
C. E. Ware was born in the city of Buffalo, New York, March 15, 1849, son of George M. and Anna (Kelly) Ware, both natives of that same state, the former of whom is still living, a prominent resident of Faribault county, this state. George M. Ware was a buggy-maker in Buffalo. About 1858 he moved to Medina county, Ohio, where he lived until 1862, in which year he and his family joined the tide of emigration that then was setting in so strongly towards the Northwest and came to Minnesota, settling in
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Blue Earth county. The next year, in 1863, he moved down into Faribault county, where he had taken a homestead the year before, and there he established his home, becoming one of the most substantial and influential pioneers of that section. George M. Ware, who is still living on his old homestead in Faribault county, has been married twice. To his union with Anna Kelly two children were born, C. E. and Catherine. Upon the death of the other of these children, Mr. Ware married Lydia Mattingly and to this second union three children were born, Eva, Francis and William Vincent.
C. E. Ware was about nine years old when his parents moved from Buffalo to Ohio and was about thirteen when they came to Minnesota in 1862. He completed his schooling in this state and early learned the car- penter's trade, becoming a building contractor, which business he followed until 1900, his last contract having been the completion of an eighteen- thousand-dollar residence. It was in 1900 that C. E. Ware bought a quar- ter of a section of partly-improved land in Lakeside township, Cottonwood county, and there established his home, becoming one of the most progres- sive farmers and stockmen thereabout. He erected practically all the build- ings on the place with the exception of the dwelling, including a fine barn and a silo, and brought the farm up to a high state of productivity. In addition to his general farming, Mr. Ware went in somewhat extensively for stock raising, with particular attention to the raising of pure-bred Short- horn cattle and did very well. He named his farm "Clover Leaf Stock Farm," and there he made his home until 1915, in which year he rented the place to his son, Mark C. Ware, the subject of this sketch, and he and his wife retired to the village of Bingham Lake, where they are now living. The elder Mr. Ware is independent in his political views and has for years given close attention to local political affairs. During his long residence at Mapleton he served for some time as a member of the village council and for six years was village justice. He also served for seven years as chair- man of the township board and in other ways did his part in the public service. His wife is a member of the Methodist church and he has ever been a contributor to the beneficences of the same. It was on December 6, 1874, that C. E. Ware was united in marriage to Eliza Jane Moore, who was born in Fond du Lac county, Wisconsin, December 20, 1851, daugh- ter of Henry and Sallie (Clark) Moore, and to this union five children have been born, George H., Grace, Mark C., Florence M. and May L.
Mark C. Ware, who is now occupying "Clover Leaf Stock Farm" and who is developing the same in accordance with modern methods of agricul-
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ture, has given his best thought to the subject of farming and is making a success of his operations. Upon completing his schooling at Mapleton, he took his place on his father's farm and became a thoroughgoing farmer. Upon his father's retirement in 1915 he took over the active management of the home place and he and his wife have since then made their home there, Mrs. Ware, who, before her marriage, was Jennie Olena Larson, taking an equal interest with him in the progress of their agricultural opera- tions. In addition to his general farming, Mr. Ware keeps up an active interest in stock raising and has a fine herd of Shorthorn cattle. He is a Republican and gives his earnest attention to local political affairs. In 19II he was elected township clerk and served until 1916. Mrs. Ware is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church and both she' and her husband take an earnest interest in the general good works of their home commun- ity. Mr. Ware is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, and in the affairs of that organization takes a warm interest.
C. H. ANDERSON.
C. H. Anderson, former register of deeds of Cottonwood county and for many years one of the best-known and most influential residents of that county, now living in quiet comfort on the old homestead farm in Ann township, his first home after coming to this state with his parents back in 1868, is a native of the state of Wisconsin, but has lived in Minnesota since he was ten years old. He was born in Racine county, Wisconsin, January 31, 1858, son of Hogan and Ann Anderson, natives of Norway, who had come to this country some years previously, settling at Racine.
In 1865 Hogan Anderson and his family came to Minnesota, attracted by the glowing reports then going out from this part of the state, and located in Dakota county, removing in the year 1868 to Cottonwood county, where Hogan Anderson homesteaded a quarter of a section of land and established his home, he and his wife thus being among the earliest settlers in that section. Some time afterward when the township was organized it was given the name of Ann township, in honor of Ann Anderson, the pioneer wife and mother, whose influence for good in the community in which she and her husband had settled was felt from the very first. Hogan Anderson became a successful farmer and was a man of leading among his pioneer neighbors. In 1879 he retired from the active labors of the
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farm and moved to Lamberton, where both he and his wife spent their last days, his death occurring in 1895, and hers in 1898.
C. H. Anderson was but a boy when his parents came to Minnesota in 1865, and he early took his place in the pioneer life of Cottonwood county, even from boyhood being a prominent participant in the various activities of the rapidly developing community. He was a valuable assist- ant to his father in the labors of developing the home farm and became a very capable farmer, at the same time giving much attention to the civic affairs of the community, and was early recognized as one of the leaders in the public life of the county. In 1883 he was elected register of deeds for Cottonwood county, as the nominee of the Republican party, and so effectively did he perform the exacting and important duties of that office that he was twice afterward re-elected, serving for three terms. In the meantime, in the early eighties, he had married and upon completing his term of public service returned to the old homestead farm, but presently went to Lamberton, where he engaged in the real-estate business for ten years, at the end of which time he moved to Minneapolis, where he con- tinued the same line of business and was thus engaged until his return to the old home farm in 1905. He further improved the place and added by purchase of adjoining land until now he is the owner of a fine farm of three hundred and sixty acres and has long been rated as one of the leading farmers and stock raisers in Cottonwood county.
It was on March 16, 1881, that C. H. Anderson was united in mar- riage to Julia Alfson, who was born at Ridgeway, in Winneshiek county, Iowa, in 1860, daughter of Alf and Thavan Alfson, who were among the early settlers in Cottonwood county, and to this union ten children were born, Anthony, Jessie, Alfred T., Josie, Joseph, Sherman, Maurice, Naomi, Viola and Everett, all of whom except Anthony and Joseph are living. Mr. and Mrs. Anderson are members of the Lutheran church and their children were reared in that faith. Mr. Anderson is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen.
Alfred T. Anderson, eldest son of C. H. and Julia (Alfson) Ander- son and cashier of the Farmers State Bank at Windom, was born at Windom on December 27, 1885, his father at that time being register of deeds of Cottonwood county, with residence at the county seat. He re- ceived his early schooling in the schools of Lamberton and Minneapolis and was graduated from the high school in the latter city in 1904, after which he entered the University of Minnesota, but before completing the course there was placed in charge of the bookkeeping department of the C. S.
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Christensen Company, millers, at Madelia, where he remained for nearly three years, at the end of which time he transferred his services to the First State Bank of Storden, which institution he served as assistant cashier for four years, or until he was elected cashier of the Farmers State Bank at Windom on March 1, 1915, since which time he has made his home in the latter city.
On November 14, 1911, Alfred T. Anderson was united in marriage to Lila Dossett, of Madelia, and to this union one child has been born, a son, Willard Holmes, born on April 21, 1914. Mr. and Mrs. Anderson have a very pleasant home in Windom and take a proper part in the various social and cultural activities of their home town. Mr. Anderson is a mem- ber of the Masonic fraternity, of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and of the Modern Woodmen of America and takes a warm interest in the affairs of all these organizations.
FRANK D. KLOCOW.
Frank W. Klocow, cashier of the Farmers State Bank of Ormsby, Watonwan county, was born in Hardin county, Iowa, in 1873, and is a son of Frederick Klocow, who devoted his active life to farming, but is now living retired at Iowa Falls, Iowa.
Frank D. Klocow grew to manhood on the home farm, where he worked when a boy, and he received his education in the common schools, the first to be established in his native community, and later attended a private school at Ackley, Iowa, taught by Prof. G. A. Graves. He also studied at Elsworth College at Iowa Falls. He started out in life for him- self as a farm hand, later worked one year making brick at Cedar Rapids, Iowa. In October, 1899, he came to Ormsby, Minnesota, before the rail- road was built through Watonwan county, and here he engaged in the lum- ber business, under the firm name of the Ormsby Lumber Company, which he operated four years. He continued to be interested in this field of endeavor until 1911. In 1901 he helped organize the Farmers State Bank at Ormsby, in which he has since been a stockholder, and in October, 1903, became cashier of this institution, which position he has since held to the satisfaction of all concerned; in fact, has done much toward the general success of the bank all along the line. When he first started in the lumber business at Ormsby he had a partner, Samuel Farver, an uncle, who died,
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whereupon Henry Klocow, brother of Frank D., succeeded Mr. Farver and the Klocow brothers carried on the business with ever-increasing success, retaining the old firm name and selling out in 1911.
Frank D. Klocow was married in 1905 to Ida Magnus, of Galena township, Martin county, where she spent her girlhood and was educated. She is a daughter of Peter and Julia Magnus, who located in that vicinity among the pioneers about forty years ago. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Klocow, namely: Fred, Myrtle, Howard and Oliver. Fred, Myrtle and Howard are attending public school at Ormsby.
GEORGE P. BRADLEY.
George P. Bradley, a well-known and well-to-do farmer of Lakeside township, Cottonwood county, proprietor of a fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres in the neighborhood of Bingham Lake, is a native of Iowa, born on a pioneer farm in Jones county, that state, April 19, 1869, son of Marshall B. and Ellen (Dowden) Bradley, the former a native of the state of New York and the latter of Indiana.
Marshall B. Bradley came West as a young man and settled in Jones county, Iowa, where he bought a farm and established his home and was there engaged in farming until 1879, in which year he moved to Boone county, in that state, where he farmed until 1882, when he moved to Calhoun county, same state, moving thence, in 1883, to Nebraska, where he spent the rest of his life. Marshall B. Bradley was twice married. On June 1, 1847, he married Matilda A. Lee, and to that union were born five children, Emily, Horace, Viola, Harvey and Myra, of whom Horace is now the only survivor. The mother of these children died on November 8, 1858, and on May 24, 1861, Mr. Bradley married Ellen Dowden, to which union were born eleven children, Benjamin, Ira, Emma, Alfred, George P., Ida, Letitia, Martha, Cora, Daisy and Clara, of whom Ira, Alfred, George and Martha are the only survivors.
George P. Bradley was reared in Jones county, Iowa, and grew up to the life of the farm. When eleven years of age he was compelled to dis- continue his studies at school on account of failing eyes and his youth was devoted to assisting in the work of the home farm. As a young man he began farming on his own account in Sac county, in his native state, and after his marriage, in 190}, established his home there, continuing to make
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that place his residence until he came to Minnesota in 1913. Upon coming to this state, Mr. Bradley bought a quarter of a section of partly improved land in Lakeside township, Cottonwood county, the farm on which he has since made his home, and proceeded further to improve the place until now he has a well-improved and well-kept farm. Most of the buildings on the place he has erected and all the fences on the place have been built by him. In addition to his general farming, Mr. Bradley has given considerable attention to the raising of high-grade Shorthorn cattle and has done very well.
It was in 1905, in Iowa, that George P. Bradley was united in mar- riage to Ida Peck, and to this union two children have been born, Paul D. and Daisy I. Mr. and Mrs. Bradley have a very pleasant home and take a proper part in the general social activities of their neighborhood. Mr. Bradley is a Republican and gives a good citizen's attention to local politi- cal affairs.
ELMER E. RANK.
Scattered here and there among Minnesota's population are men and women who claim, with a degree of pride, as well they may, the state of Indiana as the place of their nativity, for the Hoosiers have always been noted for their good citizenship, being, as a rule, thrifty and intelligent. Of this number is Elmer E. Rank, farmer of Great Bend township, Cot- tonwood county. He was born near Rochester, Indiana, November II, 1861. He is a son of Amos and Sarah H. (Meek) Rank, natives of Penn- sylvania and Virginia, respectively. Each came with their parents, when young, to Indiana, in which state they met and married and continued to make their home until 1866, when they removed to Minnesota, locating in Rice county, the father buying land near Faribault, and there resided until 1869, when he sold out and in 1870 moved to Cottonwood county, and took up the homestead where his son, Elmer E. Rank, now resides. This place he reclaimed from the wild prairie. It consisted of eighty acres, to which he later added another eighty. Here he and his wife spent the rest of their lives, his death occurring in 1885, she surviving until 1914, reach- ing . the advanced age of ninety years. Their family consisted of seven children, namely: John W., Catherine, Jennie, Elizabeth, Amos Minor (deceased), Samuel L. and Elmer E.
The subject of this sketch grew up on the home farm and assisted his
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father to improve the place on which buildings had to be erected, fences built and the wild growth on the fields subdued. He received his education in the district schools. He has remained on the homestead and is now owner of three hundred and twenty acres here, which he has placed under a high state of improvement and cultivation. He built one of the finest residences in the county in 1910, and everything about his place denotes thrift and good management. In connection with general farming he raises various kinds of live stock, especially hogs in large numbers, specializing in Poland- Chinas.
Mr. Rank was married on May 20, 1897, to Caroline Larson, who was born in Christiana, Norway, in 1869. She is a daughter of Segar and Inger Larson, natives of Norway, from which country they came to America in 1869, when their eldest child, Caroline, was four years old. Their other children were Lewis, John, Ludwig and Anna, who is now the wife of Carl Herg. The Larson family located in Walworth county, Wis- consin, near the town of Sharon, where they remained two years. In October, 1871, they removed to Weiner township, Jackson county, Minne- sota, the father taking up a homestead there, where he spent the rest of his life, dying on October 27, 1910, his wife having preceded him to the grave on May 8, 1906.
Politically, Mr. Rank is a Republican. He is a member of the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows, and attends the Presbyterian church.
JOHN F. GUSTAFSON.
John F. Gustafson, a well-known and substantial farmer of Dale town- ship, Cottonwood county, proprietor of a fine farm of two hundred acres situated on rural route No. 5, out of Windom, chairman of the board of supervisors of his home township, president of the Dale Rural Telephone Company, a director of the Farmers' Elevator Company at Windom, a director of the Minnesota State Grain Dealers' Association, vice-president of the Three Lake Farm Club and otherwise actively identified with the agri- cultural and business life of the community, is a native of Sweden, but has been a resident of the United States since he was eighteen years old. He was born on a farm in the vicinity of Wrigstad, in Smoland, in the south- east part of Sweden, June 10, 1870, son of Sven Gustaf and Emma Caro- line (Johnsdatter) Johnson, who were the parents of seven children, of
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whom John F. was the second in order of birth, the others being as follow : Augusta, who is living in Sweden; Minnie, who is the wife of Hans Mau- berg, of Hammond, Indiana; Hilda, wife of John Olson, who is an auto- mobile racing man, living at Milwaukee; Ida, a hairdresser at Chicago; Carl, who lived with an uncle and took the latter's name of Mallander, and Earnest, who died, aged six. The father of these children died and his widow later married and is still living in the old country. To her second marriage there was born one son, Axel Lauder.
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John F. Gustafson received his schooling at Wrigstad and when a lad worked on a large estate, Lundholmen, of which his grandfather was the foreman. When eighteen years of age he came to the United States and landed at the port of New York on December 24, following. His objective point upon arriving in this country was Stanhope, Hamilton county, Iowa, where for eighteen months he was employed on the farm of Olaf Cealine. He then went to Webster county, Iowa, where for a couple of years he was employed on big farms in that section, and then went to Pocahantas county, same state, where for some time he worked on a hay press, after which he located at Gowrie, Iowa, and was there engaged, in partnership with Peter Shellstrom, in the tile business for three months, at the end of which time, in June, 1892, he came to Minnesota and settled at Windom. For three years thereafter he worked on farms in that vicinity, in the meanwhile, in September, 1892, having bought eighty acres of wild land in section 28, Dale township, on which, in June, 1893, he built the house in which he is now living, the same, however, having been considerably enlarged and improved since then. While developing his own place, he also rented additional land nearby and after his marriage, in the fall of 1899, began housekeeping on his place and has since made his home there. Mr. Gustafson is an excellent farmer, long having been recognized as one of the leading agriculturists of that neighborhood. He has added to his original acreage until he now has a farm of two hundred acres, well-improved and profitably cultivated; a good set of farm buildings and a modern and up-to-date plant for effective farming. In addition to his general farming he has given considerable at- tention to the raising of live stock and has a fine herd of Shorthorns.
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