USA > Minnesota > Watonwan County > History of Cottonwood and Watonwan counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 19
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Frank S. Judd went to live with his paternal grandparents upon the death of his mother until he was fourteen years old, then began working on a farm, and he educated himself. He continued farm work until he was about twenty-five years of age, when he took up his studies at the West- ern Veterinary College, at Kansas City, Missouri, where he made an excel- lent record and was graduated in 1901. However, he had previously been a student in the schools at Mazeppa, Wabasha county, Minnesota. In July, 1901, he located in Perham, Otter Tail county, this state, for the practice of his profession, where he soon had a good start and remained until February 23, 1906, when he came to Windom, Cottonwood county, where
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he has remained to the present time, enjoying a large and satisfactory prac- tice all the while. He has a well-equipped office and owns a pleasant home.
Politically, Doctor Judd is a Republican. He was made a Mason at Perham, Minnesota, in 1904. He is now a member of Perham Lodge No. 97, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, at Windom.
Doctor Judd was married on December 8, 1908, to Isabel Fawcett, a native of Cottonwood county, born here on May 6, 1871. She is a daugh- ter of Thomas Fawcett, an early settler in this county, he having taken up a homestead here in the spring of 1869. His wife, Elizabeth Colquhoun, was born in Perth county, Ontario, Canada, May 5, 1838. Thomas Faw- cett was born in England, August 7, 1838. He came to Canada with his parents in 1845. His death occurred July 28, 1886, and his wife died on March 27, 1906. To these parents the following children were born : James, deceased; Arthur, Mary, Isabel, wife of Doctor Judd; John, de- ceased; William is the youngest. Mr. Fawcett was an Episcopalian and his wife was a member of the Presbyterian church.
CHARLES H. SHANER.
The grand old state of Pennsylvania has sent out thousands of her sons in the founding and upbuilding of communities in the West. Many of these have served their adopted states long and well, and have left the imprint of their character upon the history of their times, carving their names and fame upon the very foundation stones of many of the great com- monwealths. Charles H. Shaner, of Storden, Cottonwood county, is a native of the old Keystone state, and while he has not been a leader in great affairs of business or state, has been a good citizen in his humble sphere.
Mr. Shaner was born in Rockland county, Pennsylvania, in 1860, and is a son of M. and Jane (Stewart) Shaner. It is very probable that these parents were both natives of Pennsylvania, in which state they at least spent most of their lives on a farm and died there. Mr. Shaner's family consisted of eight children, six sons and two daughters, namely: John, David, Daniel, Emma, Charles H., Ella, Floyd and Ambrose.
Charles H. Shaner grew to manhood on the home farm in his native state and he received a good education in the public schools of Rockland county, after which he taught school awhile. In 1886 he came west to Wisconsin where he remained two years, then located in Windom, Minne-
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sota, and was superintendent of the poor farm of Cottonwood county for about two years. While in Wisconsin he worked on farms during the summer months and taught school in the winter time. In 1892 he took up a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres in Storden township, improved it and lived on it until the village of Storden was started, when he turned from agricultural pursuits to general merchandising, opening the first store in the new town, which he conducted with pronounced success until 1912, when he sold out and purchased the local hotel which he con- ducted about one year, then sold it and bought the building which he now occupies, and since 1914 he has conducted a cream station here, buying and shipping large quantities regularly.
Mr. Shaner was married in 1887, to Jessie I. Stewart, daughter of John and Floella (McIntosh) Stewart. To this union seven children have been born, named as follow: Clyde, Claude W., Percy, Erma, Cecil (a daughter), Earl, Devire.
Politically, Mr. Shaner is a Republican. He is a member of the Luth- eran church. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America. He has for some time been active in local politics.
BERTON F. CLEMENT.
One of the efficient and popular public officials of Watonwan county is Berton F. Clement, the present incumbent of the office of city justice of St. James. He was born in Canada, October I, 1848, and is a son of John B. and Clarissa (Clifford) Clement. The father was born in Woodstock, Vermont, in 1813, and the mother was born in New Hampshire in 1815. They were married in the last named state, and soon thereafter went to Canada, where Mr. Clement engaged in contracting. In 1856 they went to Dodge county, Wisconsin, and in 1874 came to Mower county, Minnesota, and took up a homestead, later moved to St. James and lived with their son, Berton F., about six months, and here the father died, March 8, 1910, at the age of ninety-six years. The mother died in St. Louis Park, Minnea- polis, in 1901.
Berton F. Clement was eight years old when his parents took him to Dodge county, Wisconsin. He received his education in the public schools and when but a boy began railroad service as brakeman on the Chicago, St. Paul & Milwaukee railroad, in 1866, and when twenty years old was pro-
BERTON F. CLEMENT.
1. PUBLI LIDE ART
ISTORS EVOX TILDAN KURIOS
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moted to conductor. He continued railroading with success until 1900. In 1871 he was conductor for the old St. Paul & Sioux City railroad, and remained with that company until 1883, then went with the Minneapolis & St. Louis Railroad Company, with which he remained until 1900, then went to Watertown, South Dakota, and engaged in the real-estate business until 1907, when he came to St. James, Minnesota, and was proprietor of the Boston hotel for two and one-half years. In the spring of 1911 he was elected city justice, which office he has since held to the satisfaction of all concerned. Politically, he is a Republican. He is a member of the Episco- pal church, although his parents were Seventh-Day Adventists. He was made a Mason on April 18, 1874, in Libanus Lodge No. 96, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. He is also a member of Concordia Chapter No. 28, Royal Arch Masons ; also belongs to Commandery No. 25, Knights Templar, at Sioux City, Iowa. He is at present master of the local lodge, and is one of the prominent Masons of this part of the state. He built a modern home in St. James, where he now resides.
Berton F. Clement was married, in 1879, to Frances A. Cook, who was born in Green Lake county, Wisconsin, in 1860, and is a daughter of W. A. and Jane E. (Munn) Cook, who removed to Windom, Minnesota, in an early day, where they both died. Mr. Cook was a wagon-maker by trade. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Clement, namely: Earle died in infancy; Anna W. is the wife of W. H. Dooly, of Esterville, Iowa; Burton L. died in 1907, at the age of twenty years; Florence N. is the wife of Charles V. Corliss, of Watonwan county.
FOSS MERCANTILE COMPANY.
Two of the most progressive business men and influential citizens of Cottonwood county, Minnesota, are Julius E. Foss and William H. Foss, of the Foss Mercantile Company, of Windom. They are sons of Mickel and Mary (Komprud) Foss. The father was born in Norway, on May 14, 1847, and the mother was born in Lafayette county, Wisconsin, on February 14, 1851. The paternal grandparents, Anton and Martha Foss, came from Norway to Wisconsin in 1868, and the following year located in Jackson county, Minnesota, where Anton Foss took a tree claim of eighty acres, adding to this until he had a farm of one hundred and sixty acres, on which he spent the remainder of his life, dying in 1883. Mickel
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Foss grew to manhood and was educated in Norway, coming to the United States with his father's family. In 1869 he took a tree claim in Jackson county, Minnesota, of eighty acres, and devoted a part of his active life to farming, and later retired to live at Windom. His wife died in 1912. To these parents the following children were born: Mandy, deceased; Julius E., of this review; Emma, deceased; William H., of this sketch; Edith, Manick Edwin, Howard Elmer and Ernest D.
Mickel Foss, in partnership with Erick Sevatson, engaged in the mer- cantile business in Windom in 1877, for a short time, later removing to Lakefield, Jackson county, and established a general store in that place, which business he conducted for about three years. He also served as post- master at Lakefield for two years. After leaving the latter place, he engaged in mercantile business at a number of places before retiring from active business life. He was a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church. His death occurred on June 6, 1916.
Julius E. Foss, the elder member of the firm, was born in Jackson county, Minnesota, on November 28, 1870, and lived on the farm until he was fourteen years of age. He received his education in the public schools. After reaching manhood he first engaged in the grocery business at Heron Lake, Minnesota, in which he continued for eight years. He had a natural bent toward this line of endeavor and soon had a good start. Upon leav- ing Jackson county, he went to Mankato, where he conducted a general store one year, then had charge of the Farmers Co-operative store at Lakefield for three years, after which he and his brother, William H., purchased the store of Ole Selnes, at Windom, in 1911, and began doing business under the firm name of the Foss Mercantile Company, which has been successful from the first and is now one of the most popular stores in the county, doing a vast annual business. The firm owns the substantial and modernly appointed store building in which its large and carefully-selected stock is housed.
Julius E. Foss was married in 1893 to Bertha May Wood, of Heron Lake, Minnesota, and to this union two sons have been born, namely: Cyril C. and Wesley W. Mr. Foss is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and the Modern Woodmen of America, while he and his family are earnest members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
William H. Foss, junior member of the firm of the Foss Mercantile Company, was born on May 24, 1875, in Jackson county, Minnesota. He received a public school, education in Jackson and Watonwan counties, and
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began his business career by engaging in the hardware and machinery busi- ness at Madelia, Minnesota, where he enjoyed a good trade for ten years. Disposing of this business in 1910, he came to Windom, and he and his brother, Julius E., organized the Foss Mercantile Company, and has since been engaged in the conduct of a general store with pronounced success.
William H. Foss was married in 1911, to Edna Clark, of Madelia, Minnesota. He and his wife are carnest members of the Methodist Epis- copal church, taking an active part in the affairs of the local congregation. Mr. Foss is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Modern Woodmen of America.
GOTTLIEB GERTNER.
Gottlieb Gertner, of Westbrook, was born in Russia, March 6, 1855. He is a son of John and Katherine (Barenstein) Gertner, both natives of Germany, but they finally located in Russia, where they spent the rest of their lives, the father being eighteen years old when he went there and the mother was sixteen, and they were married in Russia, where they bought a farm and devoted their active lives to general farming. They became the parents of fifteen children. The father was a teamster for some time in the Russian army. He and his family were Lutherans.
Gottlieb Gertner grew to manhood in Russia and received his education there in the common schools. He immigrated to the United States in 1876, locating at Heron Lake, Minnesota, where his brother, Frederick, had preceded him. The following year he and his brother homesteaded in Rose Hill township, Cottonwood county. However, Gottlieb had in the meantime worked awhile in Iowa, to which state he returned for awhile after he took up his homestead. He helped develop a good farm in Rose Hill township on which he lived until 1905. He erected a good group of buildings on the farm, and added one hundred and sixty acres to his original place, just across the road, making in all three hundred twenty-two and one- half acres. In connection with general farming he raised full-blooded Poland-China hogs, the first of the kind in the township. He shipped them in from Iowa. His renter has continued the breed. Mr. Gertner did much to encourage the farmers of that part of the county to raise a better grade of live stock, especially hogs. Mr. Gertner became one of the leading farm- ers of the county, and he was able to retire from active life in the fall of
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1910, and removed to his pleasant home in Westbrook which he built in 1900, where he now lives, surrounded with all the comforts of life. He has been a stockholder and a director in the Citizens State Bank of West- brook for the past ten years. Politically he is a Republican. He was a school director while living on the farm. He is a member of the Lutheran church.
Mr. Gertner was married in 1881 to Barbara Hobing, who was born in Galicia, Austria, and is a daughter of Daniel and Marie (Schrock) Hobing, both natives of Prussia, Germany, but they spent most of their lives on a farm in Austria where they died. They were parents of eleven children, namely : Jacob still lives in Austria: Marie, Katherina, Magdelina, John; Henry and Daniel are now (1916) both in the Austrian army and at the front in Galicia; Barbara came to Mountain Lake, Minnesota, in 1881 with some of her brothers and sisters; Elizabeth, Susie and Wilhelm. All these children came to America but the eldest son.
To Mr. and Mrs. Gertner one child was born, Marie, who married Oscar Ave, who is operating two large ranches in Colorado for a Mr. Thompson. To Mr. and Mrs. Ave one child has been born, a boy.
The following children were those of the parents of the subject of this sketch who grew to maturity: Jacob, John, Theodore, Fred, Katherina, Cornelius, Gottlieb, Michael, Samuel (who died in the Russian army), and Fredericka.
EIVIND BROGGER.
Although a young man, Eivind Brogger, cashier of the State Bank of Butterfield. Watonwan county, is holding a responsible position and is an important factor in the industrial circles of his locality.
Mr. Brogger was born in Norway, October 4, 1884, and is a son of N. C. Brogger and wife, mention of whom is made at some length on another page of this work.
Eivind Brogger spent his boyhood days in Norway, and there he received a good practical education in the public schools. In 1904, when twenty years of age, he came to the United States, locating at Butterfield, Minnesota. In order to properly prepare himself for a business career in this country he took a short course in Augustana College, after which he returned to Butterfield and clerked in a hotel for some time, then took a position as bookkeeper at Iberia Mill, five miles from Sleepy Eye, where he
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remained seven months. In 1906 he was employed as bookkeeper in the State Bank of Butterfield. Being alert, courteous and trustworthy as well as quick to grasp the details of the banking business his rise was rapid, and it was not long until he was promoted to the position of assistant cashier, and in 1910 was made cashier, the duties of which he has continued to discharge in an able, faithful and acceptable manner to the present time.
Mr. Brogger was married on July 24, 1912, to Cora Fromm, a native of Currie, Minnesota, and a daughter of William Fromm and wife. She received good educational advantages and taught school in Butterfield prior to her marriage. To Mr. and Mrs. Brogger one child, a son, has been born, Lloyd Christian Brogger.
Politically, Mr. Brogger is a Republican. He has been an alderman for the past four years, and takes a deep interest in the development of Butterfield. He is a Mason and also a member of the Modern Woodmen of America. He belongs to the Norwegian Lutheran church.
EMERY HAYCRAFT.
Emery Haycraft, a well-known and well-to-do retired farmer, living at Madelia, where for some years he was engaged as the local agent for the Standard Oil Company and where he is now engaged in the fuel business, is a native of Macoupin county, Illinois, born on March 9, 1858, son of Isaac and Sarah P. (Jolly) Haycraft, natives of Hardin county, Kentucky, who later came to Minnesota, locating in Blue Earth county, whence, later in life they moved to Madelia, where Isaac Haycraft spent his last days and where his widow is still living.
Isaac Haycraft, who was a veteran of the Civil War, was born in Hardin county, Kentucky, June 28, 1829, son of the Rev. Samuel J. and Elsie (Rhoades) Haycraft, the former of whom also was a native of that same county, son of James Haycraft, whose father also was James Hay- craft and whose father also was James Haycraft. The Haycrafts are said to have come from England to America about the year 1740, settling in Vir- ginia and emigrating thence to Kentucky about 1775 or 1780, settling near Elizabethtown, Hardin county. In that county, as is well known, Abraham Lincoln's parents lived and there Abraham Lincoln was born. In some of the histories of Abraham Lincoln, the Haycraft family is mentioned as a family of more or less importance in the county. Samuel Haycraft, a
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cousin of the Rev. Samuel J. Haycraft, above mentioned, and who was clerk of Hardin county for fifty consecutive years, is mentioned in these histories as having issued the marriage license to Abraham Lincoln's father, Thomas Lincoln, for his second marriage to Sally Bush Johnson. Stephen P. Haycraft, a brother of Isaac Haycraft, settled in Madelia in 1865. He owned a large part of the townsite of Madelia and several additions to the village are known as Haycraft additions and one street is named Haycraft street. He died in 1913.
In 1837 the Rev. Samuel J. Haycraft and his family moved from Ken- tucky to Macoupin county, Illinois, where he continued in the gospel ministry the rest of his life. Isaac Haycraft was about eight years of age when his parents moved from Kentucky to Illinois and he was reared to manhood in the latter state, as a young man beginning to farm for himself. On Octo- ber 28, 1848, he married Sarah P. Jolly and in April, 1861, came to Minne- sota and after a short residence in Dakota county moved to Blue Earth county, settling near Madelia. While there he enlisted for service during the Civil War as a member of the Second Minnesota Cavalry, with which command he served for about three years. In 1864, while he was in the army, his family moved to Madelia and eighteen months later, upon the completion of his military service, returned to Blue Earth county, where the family home was established on a homestead farm of eighty acres in Lin- coln township. In the fall of 1892 he and his wife retired from the farm and returned to Madelia, where Isaac Haycraft spent the rest of his life, his death occurring in 1914. His widow is still making her home in Madelia. They were members of the Baptist church and their children were reared in that faith. There were ten of these children, of whom four died in infancy, the survivors being as follow: Mrs. Hattie A. Rhoades, of Montevideo, this state; Emery, the subject of this biographical sketch; Mrs. Eugenia S. Rhoades, of Madelia; Isaac G., of Solway, this state; Mrs. Liva Dodge, of Truman, this state, and Julius E. Haycraft, of Fairmont. The last named was postmaster at Madelia for twelve years; was state senator from the district composed of Watonwan and Martin counties for the four-year term from January, 1911, to January 1, 1915, and is now practicing law at Fair- mont, senior member of the law firm of Haycraft & Palmer.
Emery Haycraft was but a child when his parents came to Minnesota from Illinois and he was seven or eight years old when they located on the homestead farm in Blue Earth county. He completed his schooling in the Lincoln township schools in' that county and as a young man, following his
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marriage in 1882, started farming on a farm nearby his father's place. There he made his home until 1892, in which year he retired from the active labors of the farm and moved to Madelia, where he ever since has made his home and where he and his wife are very pleasantly situated. From 1896 to September, 1915, Mr. Haycraft was engaged as local agent for the Standard Oil Company at Madelia and since the latter date has been engaged in the fuel business.
In September, 1882, Emery Haycraft was united in marriage to Jennie Sargent, who was born in Fon du Lac, Wisconsin, a daughter of William and Sophia (Matthewson) Sargent, who moved from Wisconsin to Minne- sota and settled on a farm in Fieldon township, Watonwan county. Mrs. Haycraft was the third in order of birth of the six children born to her parents, the others being Mary, who married J. W. Pond, Randall, Mrs. Adelaide Hewett, Franklin and John. To Mr. and Mrs. Haycraft three children have been born, Edwin R., who married Sue M. Wedge and has two children, Berryl and Rollo; Harry, who married Anna Reese and has one child, a son, Gordon R., and Vernon, who married Emma Bargland and has one child, a daughter, Verna Enima. Mrs. Haycraft is a member of the Baptist church and she and her husband take an earnest interest in the general movements having to do with the betterment of the community at large.
JAMES LEWIS.
One of the most extensive and highly skilled general farmers of Watonwan county is James Lewis, who was born in Ontario, Canada, September 21, 1860. He is a son of Thomas and Ellen (Nelson) Lewis, both natives of Ireland, from which country they came to America when young, probably about the year 1850, and located in Ontario. The father learned the tailor's trade in his native land, which he did not follow after coming to Canada, turning his attention to farming instead. In 1869 he came to Watonwan county, Minnesota, locating on the present site of the village of Lewisville, homesteading eighty acres, and this he developed and continued to farm until his death. His family consisted of eight children, six sons and two daughters, namely: John, Robert, Richard, James, Thomas M., Nelson, Sarah M. and Mary E.
James Lewis grew up amid pioneer surroundings and when a boy helped his father start a new home on the wild prairie. He attended school
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a short time in Canada and went to the primitive sod school house in Watonwan county. He began life for himself as a farmer in Antrim town- ship, and he now owns and operates a half section in the edge of the vil- lage of Lewisville. He has been very successful and has added to his original holdings until he owns a total of one thousand and forty acres in this part of Minnesota. He not only engages in general farming on an extensive scale, but for the past fifteen years he has handled live stock in large numbers annually.
Mr. Lewis was married in February, 1886, to Bertha I. Martin, who was born in Maine, from which state she came with her parents to Waton- wan county when young. The union of Mr. and Mrs. Lewis has resulted in the birth of ten children, as follow: Leslie E., deceased; Roy W. is farming in Antrim township; Verne E. is also farming in Antrim town- ship; Percy E. is assistant cashier of the State Bank of Lewisville; Flossie I. is a student in the agricultural college at St. Paul; Clyde R., Hazel I. and Ina M. are all at honie; Ellen A. is deceased; Edna R. is at home.
SOREN HOLEN.
The late Soren Holen was for many years one of the leading citizens of St. James, of which town he was a pioneer and did much to promote its growth and general welfare, being a public-spirited citizen and especially active in church work. He was essentially a man of affairs-sound of judgment and far-seeing in what he undertook, and every enterprise to which he addressed himself resulted in a large measure of material success.
Soren Holen was born in Norway on December 10, 1848, in which country his parents lived and died, and there he grew up and was edu- cated. He emigrated to Minnesota in 1871, spending a short time at Rush- ford, then went to Mankato. In January, 1877, he located in St. James and managed a lumber yard, which he purchased in 1898 and operated for him- self until February, 1911, when he sold out and lived retired until his death, which occurred on December 5, 1914. He built up a large trade, and was one of the best-known lumber dealers in this section of the state. He built a fine residence in 1894. Politically, he was a Republican. He served for some time as a member of the city council, also as a member of the school board for six years. He was a Mason. Mr. Holen was a mem- ber of the Lutheran church and was very active in church work. He was a
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