USA > Minnesota > Watonwan County > History of Cottonwood and Watonwan counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 24
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of whom the subject of this sketch was the last-born, the others being Will- iam, David and Christian.
Michael Comnick died on his home farm in Russia in 1861, Gottlieb then being hardly three years of age, and the widowed mother kept her family together. In 1876 she and her sons came to the United States and proceeded directly to Minnesota, coming on out to this part of the state. Mrs. Comnick homesteaded a tract of one hundred and twenty-seven acres in Rose Hill township, Cottonwood county, and there she and her sons estab- lished their home, becoming useful and influential pioneers of that part of the county, ever active in promoting the development of the community. Mrs. Comnick lived many years to enjoy the rewards of the early years of pioneer privation and hardship and had the satisfaction of seeing her homestead place developed into a well-improved and profitably cultivated farm. Her death occurred in 1907 and she was widely mourned, for she had been helpful in many ways in that neighborhood, not only in the pioneer days, but long after a proper social order had been established thereabout.
Gottlieb Comnick was about seventeen years old when he came to Minnesota in 1876 and he has lived here ever since, long having been regarded as one of the most substantial and public-spirited citizens in the western part of Cottonwood county. Upon coming here he entered vigor- ously into the work of aiding in the development of his mother's home- stead. After his marriage in 1884 he came into possession of the home farm and has since added to the same, now being the owner of two hun- dred and seven acres of excellent land, which he has improved in admirable fashion and which is in a fine state of cultivation. In addition to his gen- eral farming, Mr. Comnick has given considerable attention to the raising of high-grade live stock and has done very well in his operations. He is a Republican and has given his careful thought to local governmental affairs. ever doing his part to advance the cause of good government hereabout. He also has contributed of his time and his energies to the public service and has served as township assessor and for twelve years a member of the township board.
In 1884, Gottlieb Comnick was united in marriage to Elizabeth Deitch- mann, daughter of Edward Deitchmann, and to this union five children have been born, Fred W., Bertha, Josephine, Gottlieb D. and William E., all of whom are doing well their respective parts in the community in which they reside. Mr. and Mrs. Comnick are members of the German Lutheran church and for years have taken an active interest in the affairs of the congrega- tion to which they are attached, Mr. Comnick having served for some time as secretary of the congregation.
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ARTHUR HARPER.
Arthur Harper, a well-known and well-to-do retired farmer of Spring- field township. Cottonwood county, now living at Windom, where he has made his home since retiring from the active labors of the farm in 1909. is a native of Canada, born in Ontario, November 9, 1864, son of John and Priscilla (Winters) Harper, substantial farming people, natives of Canada, who were the parents of eight children, six of whom are now living, two of whom make their homes in Cottonwood county, the subject of this sketch having a sister, Mrs. W. K. Moores, living here. John Harper continued farming in his native country until 1888. when he moved to Minnesota, and continued farming until his death, June 15, 1900. His widow still lives with a daughter, Mrs. W. K. Moores, Cottonwood county.
Arthur Harper received his schooling in the schools in the neighborhood of his home in Ontario and when sixteen years of age came to Minnesota, locating in Goodhue county, where he worked as a farm hand for three years, at the end of which time, in 1883, he came to this part of the state and rented a farm of three hundred and twenty acres in Springfield township, Cottonwood county. The next year he married and established his home on that farm, continuing there as a tenant farmer for two or three years, at the end of which time he bought the place, paying for the same thirteen dollars and fifty cents an acre, and there he made his home until his retire- ment from the farm in 1909. Mr. Harper is an excellent farmer and from the very beginning of his operations on his home place he prospered, gradu- ally adding to his holdings until he became the owner of a fine farm of four hundred acres. He spent about ten thousand dollars improving the place and became recognized as one of the most progressive and substantial farm- ers in that part of the county. In addition to his general farming, Mr. Harper gave considerable attention to the raising of high-grade live stock and was accustomed to feeding about one hundred head of cattle on his place. In 1909 he and his wife retired from the farm and moved to Windom, where they have a very pleasant home and where they are very comfortably situated. Mr. Harper is "independent" in his political views, has ever taken a close interest in local political affairs, but has never been included in the office-seeking class, though for some years he served as a member of the township board and for fifteen years was a member of the school board, representative of his district.
In 1884 Arthur Harper was united in marriage to Alice Winslow,
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daughter of Ezra and Frances (Reed) Winslow, and to this union have been born the following children: Manley, who married Tora Anderson and has two children, Avis and Mildred; John, who mar- ried Jennie Eastgate and has two children, Avon and Elsie; George, who married Carrie Schroeder; Jesse, at home; Pearl, at home; Lydia, who married Frank McGrath, and Ida and Willis, at home. Mr. and Mrs. Harper are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Windom, Mr. Harper being a member of the official board of the same, and have ever taken an active interest in the various beneficences of the same, as well as in all local good works. Mr. Harper is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and both he and Mrs. Harper are members of the local lodge of the Daughters of Rebekah, in the affairs of which they take a hearty interest.
H. P. LEONARD.
H. P. Leonard, one of the successful farmers of Antrim township, was born at Rutland, Vermont, on February 2, 1862, being the son of E. P. and Almina ( Whitmore) Leonard. Amos Whitmore, the maternal grandfather of H. P. Leonard, was born in the state of Vermont and lived all of his life in his native state. Jonathan Leonard, the paternal grandfather was a native of Vermont. He later settled in Marquette county, Wisconsin, where he died.
E. P. Leonard, the father of H. P., was a native of the state of New York, where he was born on January 16, 1829. In 1866 he engaged in farming in Wabasha county, Minnesota, where he remained for four years, after which he lived in Martin county, Minnesota, for one year. In 1871 he homesteaded eighty acres of land in Watonwan county, in section 20 of Antrim township. The family lived on this eighty acres for a number of years and endured the hardships of frontier life, including the seven years of grasshopper times, during which the father and eldest son went away and worked to earn a meager existence for the family. To the eighty acre tract he kept adding, until he had two hundred acres. During the last five years of his life he lived in Fairmont. Mrs. Leonard is still living there. To E. P. and Almina Leonard were born the following children: Alma, Byron, Brenice, Hiram P., Minnie, Luna, Edward, Mary and Winefred. The children are all living.
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H. P. Leonard was married on October 13, 1886, to Anna Dewar, the daughter of John Dewar and wife, of Lewisville, Minnesota. To this union two children were born: John, who married Bertha Ableman, and Beulah Jane is at home. Mr. Leonard is the owner of three hundred and twenty acres of land in section 20 and one hundred and sixty acres in section 30, Antrim township. He does general farming and feeds many cattle and hogs. The farm is well improved and in a high state of cultivation. The house and barn were built in 1898.
Mr. Leonard and family are members of the Christian church and take much interest in church and Sunday school work, Mr. Leonard being one of the elders in the church. Fraternally, Mr. Leonard is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America. He takes much interest in township and county affairs. He is serving his second term on the township board, and has served on the school board for twenty-five years.
JOHN RYDEEN.
John Rydeen, an enterprising building contractor and carpenter at Jeffers, who also is the owner of a fine farm of two hundred and forty acres in the vicinity of that town, is a native of Sweden, born on June II, 1868, son of John and Fredericka (Johnson) Rydeen, both natives of that country, the former of whom died in 1915 and the latter of whom is still living in her native land, who were the parents of seven children, those besides John being Charles, Andrew, Annie, Samuel, Mattie and Peter, all of whom are living save Samuel and Mattie.
John Rydeen was reared on a farm and received his education in the public schools. He early learned the carpenter trade and in 1888, when twenty years of age, came to the United States and located at St. Peter, this state, where he remained for a couple of years, at the end of which time he came to this part of the state and for seven years worked as a farm hand in the vicinity of Windom. In 1897 he bought a farm of eighty acres in Amo township and began farming for himself. The next year he bought one-half of section 35 in Storden township and after improving and farming that until 1910, sold out and bought his present well-improved place of two hundred and forty acres in section 25 of that same township. Mr. Rydeen has erected fine buildings on his farm, which he rents out, devoting his time
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chiefly to his carpenter work, in which he has been very successful, being one of the best-known builders in that part of the county. He is an ener- getic, public-spirited citizen and has done much for the community in which he lives.
CHARLES W. BOLIN.
Charles W. Bolin, one of the best-known and most substantial farmers of Watonwan county, former member of the board of county commissioners and proprietor of a fine farm of one hundred and twenty acres within three- quarters of a mile of the town of LaSalle, in Riverdale township, where he makes his home, besides being the owner of a farm of three hundred and twenty acres in section 17 of that same township, is a native son of Watonwan county and has lived there all his life. He was born on a home- stead farm in section 20 of Riverdale township, May 28, 1872, son of John and Mary (Johnson) Bolin, natives of Sweden, who came to the United States in 1869, landing at the port of New York, and proceeded directly to Minnesota, whither kinsfolk from the old country had preceded them some little time before.
Upon arriving in Minnesota, John Bolin homesteaded a tract of eighty acres in Riverdale township, Watonwan county, and there established his home. He later bought another "eighty" and during his active days of farming operated one hundred and sixty acres quite sucessfully. When the Minnesota and St. Louis railroad was put through this section, it cut right through the Bolin homestead, taking seven acres of the same. John Bolin and his wife reared their family on the homestead farm and lived there until about 1892, when they retired from the farm and moved to St. James, where they made their home until 1910, when they moved to LaSalle, where they are now living. Mr. Bolin still owns eighty acres of his old home farm. He and his wife are members of the Lutheran church and their children were reared in that faith. There were four of these children, of whom Charles W. was the second in order of birth, the others being as fol- low : John, who now lives on the old homestead farm in Riverdale town- ship; Ida, who married Peter Jackson and who, as well as her husband, is now dead, and Edward, former register of deeds for Watonwan county, who is now engaged in the real-estate and insurance business at St. James.
Charles W. Bolin was reared on the parental homestead and received his schooling in the schools in the neighborhood of his home. He was a
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valued assistant to his father in the labors of developing and improving the home farm and became an excellent farmer. On July 7, 1895, he married Marie Lindquist, who was born in 1869, and established his home on the farm where he is now living, in section 17 of Riverdale township, where he has one hundred and twenty acres, well improved and profitably cultivated. Mr. Bolin prospered in his farming operations and presently enlarged his holdings by the purchase of one-half of section 20 in his home township. He took an .active interest in local public affairs and in the latter nineties was elected a member of the board of county commissioners from his dis- trict. Then on January 17, 1900, his wife died. This blow so disheartened Mr. Bolin that for some time he gave up farming and the other activities in which he was engaged and moved to St. James, where he lived retired until his later return to the farm, where he is now living, comfortably situ- ated. Mr. Bolin has four children, Anna, who married Theo Keffe, and Carl, Rosella and Frances.
WILLIAM L. ROSSING.
William L. Rossing, a well-to-do farmer of Westbrook township, Cot- tonwood county, proprietor of "Brook Mount Farm," a fine place of three hundred and twenty acres in the Westbrook neighborhood, and one of the most progressive agriculturists in that part of the county, was born on a farm in Lafayette county, Wisconsin, November 17, 1863, son of Andrew and Inger (Lund) Rossing, natives of Norway, who came to this country in 1850 and located in Wisconsin, settling on a farm in Lafayette county, where they spent the remainder of their lives. They were members of the Norwegian Lutheran church and their children were reared in that faith. There were four of these children, of whom William L. was the first-born, the others being Anton, a well-known farmer of the Walnut Grove neigh- borhood in Cottonwood county, Catherine and Emilia.
Andrew Rossing was a substantial and well-to-do pioneer farmer and his eldest son, William L. Rossing, was given every advantage in the way of schooling in his youth. Upon completing the course in the district school in his home neighborhood he attended Augsberg Seminary at Minneapolis for some time and then entered Milton College in his home state, where he completed his studies and then, in 1881, began clerking in a store at Bode, Iowa. A year later he bought that store and continued in the mercantile business there for ten years, at the end of which time he engaged in the
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breeding and training of race horses at that place and was thus engaged for about twelve years, during which time he became one of the best-known horsemen in Iowa.
In 1907 Mr. Rossing disposed of his interests in Iowa and came to Minnesota, his brother, Anton, having come out here about seven years before, and located in Cottonwood county, where he ever since has made his home and where he long has been recognized as one of the most substan- tial farmers. Mr. Rossing bought a half section of land in Westbrook town- ship and proceeded to develop the same, soon having one of the best-kept and most profitably cultivated farms in that locality. He has given his place the name of "Brook Mount Farm" and there he and his family are very pleasantly situated. In addition to his general farming, Mr. Rossing gives attention to the raising of high-grade live stock and has done very well. He is a Republican and gives proper attention to local civic affairs, having served for some time as clerk of the school board.
Mr. Rossing has been twice married. By his marriage to Gena Will- iams he had three children, Diodata, Avalon and Wilmeth. The mother of these children died in 1893 and Mr. Rossing married, secondly, Dr. Anna Marie Kirkberg, to which union three children have been born, Eunice Eleanora, Olaf Ingval and Erling William. Mr. and Mrs. Rossing are members of the Norwegian Lutheran church and take a proper interest in the various beneficences of the same, as well as in all local good works.
ABRAHAM JACOBSON.
Abraham Jacobson, a well-known retired pioneer farmer of Rosendale township, Watonwan county, now living in the village of Grogan, is a died in their native land and when he was twenty-two years old, in 1866, native of the kingdom of Norway, born on September 8, 1844. His parents he came to the United States and for a year made his home with his uncle, Seur Olson, a farmer, of Lee county, Iowa. The next year, 1867, he moved to Minnesota and was married near Madelia, joining the steady tide of emigration that then was rapidly filling this section of the state.
Upon coming out here on September 3, 1867, Abraham Jacobson home- steaded a tract of eighty acres in section 10, Rosendale township, Watonwan county, bought an adjoining "eighty" of government land and an additional "eighty" of railroad land and there established his home. He erected sub-
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ABRAHAM JACOBSON.
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stantial buildings on the place, planted a fine grove of trees and quickly had the farm in an excellent state of cultivation, early becoming recognized as one of the leading farmers of that section of the county. As the years passed Mr. Jacobson continued to improve his place until he had one of the best farms in the county. In addition to his holdings there he some years ago bought a farm of one hundred and seventy-nine acres adjoining the village of Grogan and is also the owner of a pleasant home and four lots in the village of Grogan. In 1914 Mr. Jacobson sold his old home place on contract, though he still holds the deed, and on November 29, 1915, he and his family moved to their home in Grogan, where they now live and where they are very comfortably situated. Mr. Jacobson is a Republican and for many years has given his close attention to the civic affairs of his home township, for twenty-one years having been a member of the town- ship board and in other ways active in promoting the best interests of his community.
Abraham Jacobson has been twice married. It was on August 25, 1867, in Madelia. Minnesota, that he was united in marriage to Anna Malena Larson, born in Norway, whose parents died in their native land. To this union there was no issue. Mrs. Anna M. Jacobson died in 1893 at her home in Rosendale township and is buried in the cemetery nearby the Nor- wegian Lutheran church in that neighborhood. On August 14, 1911, Mr. Jacobson married, secondly, Anna Sorenson, who was born in the neighbor- ing county of Blue Earth, daughter of Lars and Thora (Shaw) Sorenson, the former a native of Denmark, born in 1853, and the latter, of Norway, born in 1860, who are now living at St. James, which has been their home for the past twenty years. Lars Sorenson was but eleven years of age when he came to the United States with his parents, the family becoming early settlers in Blue Earth county, this state, where he grew to manhood and where he married. After farming in that county for some time he moved to Freeborn county and after residing in that county for some years moved to Watonwan county and was there engaged in farming until his retirement from the farm and removal to St. James. He and his wife are members of the Lutheran church and their children were reared in that faith. There were nine of these children, of whom Mrs. Jacobson was the first-born, the others being Martin, Clara, Edward, Oscar, Marie, Arthur, Lavina and Edith, of whom Edward, Oscar and Marie, besides Mrs. Jacobson, now survive. To Abraham and Anna (Sorenson) Jacobson two children have been born, Martha Lavina, born on April 21, 1912, and Arnold James,
(17a)
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September 23, 1913. Mr. and Mrs. Jacobson take an earnest interest in the general good works of the community in which they live and are looked upon as among the leaders thereabout in measures designed to advance the common welfare. They are members of the Norwegian Lutheran church and take an active interest in church work. Mrs. Anna (Sorenson) Jacob- son was first married to a Mr. Newham, to which union were born two children, Leslie Willard and Milford Clayton, now living with the mother and attending school.
JOHN S. RANDALL.
John S. Randall, a well-known and well-to-do farmer of Storden town- ship, Cottonwood county, and proprietor of a farm of two hundred and forty acres in the vicinity of Storden, is a native of Vermont, born at New- berry, in Orange county, that state, February 4, 1852, son of Benjamin Franklin and Julia Ann (Cross) Randall, both natives of that same county. the former born in 1825 and the latter in 1826. Benjamin F. Randall was the son of John Randall, a native of Vermont, who was a large farmer and stockbuyer. Julia Ann Cross was the daughter of Michael and Elizabeth (Sandburn) Cross, also natives of Vermont, the former of whom was a well-to-do farmer and tanner. Benjamin F. Randall, who was a blacksmith and wagon-maker, with a well-established shop at Groton, Vermont, died before reaching middle age. He was a deacon in the Methodist church and active in good works. He and his wife were the parents of three children, of whom John S. was the second in order of birth, the others being Syl- vester, who died young, and Josephine, who married George Downs. The Widow Randall married, secondly, Chauncey E. O'Dell and to that union there was born one child, a son, Edwin. Mr. Randall had a half-brother named William Bell.
John S. Randall was but a boy when his father died. Not long after- ward the family came West and located at Ripon, Wisconsin, where he had his first schooling. His mother had taught him to read and before he started to school he had read the Bible through from Genesis to Revelation. Dur- ing his boyhood John S. Randall was a diligent worker, doing anything that his hand found to do, in an effort to assist in the family support. Not long after locating at Ripon the family moved to Waterloo, Iowa, and there he labored for some time with the fishing crews in the Cedar river. When he was nine years old, in 1861, the family came to Minnesota and settled at
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St. Peter, where he grew to manhood. He presently became the owner of a stone quarry at Ottawa, LeSueur county, and did well in that line, selling large quantities of building stone throughout LeSueur and Nicollet counties. In 1878 he came over into this part of the state and settled in Cottonwood county, where he has lived ever since. Upon his arrival here he home- steaded a quarter of a section in Storden township and upon his marriage a year or two later established his home there. Mr. Randall is a good farmer and has prospered in his undertakings. He has gradually added to his hold- ings until now he is the owner of a fine farm of two hundred and forty acres, well improved and profitably cultivated. He and his family have a pleasant home and are quite comfortably situated.
Mr. Randall has been twice married. On January 6, 1880, he was united in marriage to Adaline V. Herrick, daughter of Elijah and Frances (Barger) Herrick, and to that union six children were born, Belle, Iva May, Frank A., Florence (deceased), Grace and Mabel (deceased). The mother of these children died on December 13, 1893, and Mr. Randall married Fan- nie E. (Farmer) Arnold, to which union five children have been born, Harry, Margaret, Viola, Ethel and Ada. Viola died in infancy. Mrs. Randall had a son, Franklin Leslie Arnold, by a former marriage; he is now known as Leslie Randall. Mr. Randall is an "independent" in his political views and is a Spiritualist in his religious persuasion.
HELGE O. KLEVEN.
Helge O. Kleven, a well-to-do farmer of Ann township, Cottonwood county, proprietor of a well-kept farm of three hundred and twenty acres on rural route No. 2, out of Walnut Grove, is a native of Norway, born on January 28, 1852, son of Ole O. and Anna (Helges) Dather Kleven, both natives of that same country, who came to the United States in 1865, pro- ceeding directly to Minnesota, settling in Fillmore county, where Mrs. Kleven died about two years later, and where Ole O. Kleven continued to make his home the rest of his life, his death occurring in 1892. He was thrice married and was the father of eight children.
Helge O. Kleven came to America with his parents, but it was not until 1878 that he located in Cottonwood county, where he homesteaded a quarter of a section of land in Ann township. Two years later he married and established his home on that homestead tract and has ever since resided
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