USA > Minnesota > Watonwan County > History of Cottonwood and Watonwan counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 29
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46
He was chairman of Odin township one term. He was president of the village council one year. He has been made executor for various estates, among them being the estates of Elling Olsen, John Halvorsen, Fletcher Sturdevant and Andrew Gilbertson. He has also been appointed guardian for various children. These facts indicate that he is held in high esteem by his neighbors, who place implicit confidence both in his ability and integrity. He has also handled much real estate for the local bank.
The parents of Mrs. Laingen were Herbrand and Carrie (Lande) Lever- son, natives of Norway, from which country they came to Wisconsin with their parents when young and were married in that state, after which they
300
COTTONWOOD AND WATONWAN COUNTIES, MINN.
moved to Moore county, Minnesota. About 1875 they moved to Jackson county, this state, where they spent the rest of their lives.
To Mr. and Mrs. Laingen eight children have been born and those now living are, Palmer T., Elma, Hulda, Carl and Melvin.
Palmer T. Laingen was born in Martin county, Minnesota, near the line between that county and Watonwan, July 24, 1888. He received his education in the public schools, then took a short commercial course in Mankato Commercial College. He spent his boyhood on the farm with his parents and assisted with the general work. He left the farm in April, 1909, to become assistant cashier of the bank at Odin, remaining in that position about one and one-half years, when he became cashier, which posi- tion he still holds, giving eminent satisfaction to the stockholders and the patrons of the bank. He is unmarried. He is now village treasurer. He belongs to the Norwegian United Lutheran church.
FRED C. MESSENBRINK.
Fred C. Messenbrink, a well-known and well-to-do farmer of Amo township, Cottonwood county, proprietor of a fine farm of three hundred and twenty acres situated on rural route No. 5, out of Windom, is a native of Iowa, born on a farm in Jackson county, that state, April 15, 1872, son of Louis and Sophia (Harms) Messenbrink, the former a native of Ger- many and the latter of Jackson county, Iowa, the former of whom is now living comfortably retired at Charter Oak, Iowa.
Louis Messenbrink was born in the province of Hanover. His father died in his native land and his mother and her children came to the United States in 1855, settling in Illinois. When the Civil War broke out, Louis Messenbrink enlisted for service in Company I, One Hundred and Fifth Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry, with which he served until the close of the war, attached to General Hooker's brigade. At the close of the war he settled in Jackson county, Iowa, where he presently married Sophia Harms, daughter of one of the pioneer families of that county, and there lived for about five years, at the end of which time he moved to Crawford county, same state, where he ever since has made his home. Mr. Messen- brink homesteaded a tract of land in that county upon his arrival there, being one of the first settlers in that part of the county in which he located and when the township was organized he was given the privilege of naming the
30I
COTTONWOOD AND WATONWAN COUNTIES, MINN.
same, in honor of his native land, giving it the name of Hanover township, which name the township still bears. Mr. Messenbrink owns a section of fine land there, but for years has lived retired from the active labors of the farm, having a pleasant home in Charter Oak, that county, where he is largely interested in the Charter Oak National Bank. His wife died many years ago on the homestead farm in Crawford county, leaving six children, Rosenna, Henry, Fred C., Mary, Peter (deceased), and Emma. Louis Mes- senbrink then married Sophia Krohn, to which union one daughter was born, Sophia. Mr. Messenbrink is a member of the German Lutheran church and is a thirty-second degree Mason, taking a warm interest in Masonic affairs.
Fred C. Messenbrink was but an infant when his parents moved from Jackson county to Crawford county, Iowa, and he grew to manhood on the pioneer homestead farm in the latter county. He obtained his schooling in the parochial schools at Denison, county seat of his home county, and after awhile became a traveling salesman for a commercial house, being thus engaged for three years, at the end of which time he engaged in the hotel business and for three years conducted a hotel at Denison. He then for seven years was engaged in the saloon business at Boyer, in that same county, and then for two or three years conducted a pool and billiard hall in that same town, after which he moved to Dickinson county, Iowa, and was there engaged in farming for a couple of years, at the end of which time, in 1913, `he came to Minnesota and settled on the farm on which he is now living in Amo township, Cottonwood county, where he and his family are pleasantly situated. Mr. Messenbrink is the owner of one-half of a section in Amo township and has a well-kept and profitably cultivated farm, he being regarded as one of the substantial farmers of that neighborhood. He takes an earnest interest in local affairs and is recognized as one of the public- spirited citizens of Cottonwood county. He is a member of the German- American Liberal Association. During his residence in Denison, Iowa, Mr. Messenbrink served for some time as town clerk and had a valuable experi- ence in the public service.
In 1901, in Crawford county, Iowa, Fred C. Messenbrink was united in marriage to Bertha Jahn, who was born in that county, daughter of Carl and Bertha ( Krause) Jahn, natives of Germany, who came to this country in the days of their youth with their respective parents, the two families settling in Chicago. After their marriage, Carl Jahn and his wife remained in Chicago for three years, after which they moved to Crawford county,
302
COTTONWOOD AND WATONWAN COUNTIES, MINN.
Iowa, where they have lived ever since, now living retired at Charter Oak. To them eleven children were born, of whom Mrs. Messenbrink was the fifth in order of birth, the others being Emilia, Louisa, Carl, Ida, Anna, Augusta, Otto, Wilhelmina, Matilda and Bernhard. Carl Jahn and his wife are earnest members of the Lutheran church and their children were reared in that faith. To Mr. and Mrs. Messenbrink eight children have been born, George, Alfred, Arthur, Julius, Levi, Blanche. Gladys and Walter, all of whom are living.
KNUTE NATTERSTAD.
Knute Natterstad, a well-known and well-to-do farmer of Cottonwood county, who is the proprietor of a fine farm of two hundred acres in the vicinity of Storden, in Storden township, is a native of Norway, born on October 12, 1876, son of Tommaes and Martha ( Hjalmeland) Natterstad, natives of that country and the parents of five children, of whom the sub- ject of this sketch was the last born, the others being Belle, Johannes, G. T. and Mary. Tommaes Natterstad is a farmer and is still living in his native land.
Knute Natterstad was reared on a farm and received his schooling in the public schools of his native land. When he was twenty-two years of age, in 1898, he came to the United States and proceeded directly to Minne -. sota, locating at Windom, where his elder brother, G. T. Natterstad, had been located for some time, and there he remained until 1901, when he went to Storden township, where he has been located ever since. At the time of his marriage in 1905 he bought a farm of eighty acres in section 19 of that township and there established his home. Mr. Natterstad has been success- ful in his farming operations and has been able to add to his holdings until now he is the owner of a fine farm of two hundred acres, well kept and profitably cultivated. In addition to his general farming he has given con- siderable attention to the raising of live stock and has done very well with both cattle and hogs. He is a Republican and has given a good citizen's attention to local political affairs ever since coming to Minnesota, but has never been included in the office-seeking class.
In 1905 Knute Natterstad was united in marriage to Minnie Tolber- son and to this union four children have been born: Mattie, Melvin, Lenora and Venetta. Mr. and Mrs. Natterstad are earnest members of the Luth- eran church and take an active interest in the affairs of the same, as well as in the general good works of their community.
303
COTTONWOOD AND WATONWAN COUNTIES, MINN.
OLE REINERT.
Ole Reinert, one of the pioneer residents of this section of Minnesota, was born in Lom Gudbrandsdalen, Norway, on May 7, 1838, a son of Ole R. and Ingre Staurustdgaard, both natives of Norway. Mr. Reinert spent the first fifteen years of his life at home, after which he was employed in various ways, and while still in Norway, learned the tailor trade. He received only a limited education, the average school term being but three months of the year, and the teacher would go from one farm to another, teaching one day to a week at each place. In 1859 he started for America. A trip across the ocean at that time was an undertaking, nothing but sail- ships being employed. After five weeks and two days, they arrived at Quebec, Canada, and were inspected by a doctor, who found all in a healthy condition. Mr. Reinert then proceeded on his journey, but stopped off at Madison, Dane county, Wisconsin, where he resided for five years. From there he went to California, and, after one year's stay there, purchased a small farm, where he made his home for four years, after which he returned to Wisconsin.
In 1869 Mr. Reinert started for Minnesota, going to Goodhue county, where he spent one year. From there he came to Mountain Lake township, Cottonwood county, took a timber claim in 1870 and built a home. Through this section there was nothing but sod shacks and sod cellars, which were the only safe shelter from the terrible prairie fires that frequently swept the country. In 1873 the grasshoppers made their appearance, and during four years in succession, they took clean down to the ground what little crops there were. The next hardships were the blizzards, when people were snowed in for three days at a time, so that they did not see daylight, nor could they get to the barns to feed their stock. The air was so thick with snow and dirt, driven by the strong wind, that a person could not see his hand two feet away. Contrast the meager crops of those days with the bountiful harvests of today. Forty years ago there was nothing but oxen, and a distance of forty miles to mill to get wheat ground into flour was nothing unusual; and furthermore, there were no roads nor bridges, so a trip of this kind with oxen was indeed no pleasure trip. Today the average farmer drives an automobile, with which he accomplishes much at a minimum loss of time. Mr. Reinert speaks of one of these trips to mill in particular, when four of his neighbors, Thorsten Kjestad, Paul Daingen, Peter Hun- stad and Halvor Byre, went to Winnebago mill. As the roads were almost
304
COTTONWOOD AND WATONWAN COUNTIES, MINN.
impassable, it took about a week to make the trip. They were obliged to unload several times and carry the sacks of grain across to where the wagon would carry the load. On their return, when within sight of their homes, they came to a creek which it was impossible to cross on account of high water, so they were obliged to camp out. Mr. Reinert was one of the leaders of the community at that time, and carries the honor of presenting the first road petition in Mountain Lake township.
In 1880 Mr. Reinert moved to Odin township, Cottonwood county, where he farmed a quarter section of land for a number of years. Later he sold that and bought an eighty-acre farm, where he resided until 1915, when he moved to the village of Odin.
In 1873 Ole Reinert was married to Lena Odden, daughter of Errick Odden and wife, and to this union have been born seven children, William, Torger, Inga, Anna, Charles, Edward and Richard, the last named being deceased.
Mr. Reinert has always been a member of the St. Olaf Norwegian Lutheran church. The first church of this denomination in this community was situated on the southeast quarter of section 20, Odin township, and was scarcely completed when a tornado swept it out of existence.
Mr. Reinert has always been a booster for his community and a fighter for all kinds of improvements. One element he has always fought is the liquor business. He has held various minor township offices.
WILLIAM W. HUNTER.
William W. Hunter, assessor of Springfield township, Cottonwood county, justice of the peace, road overseer for his home district, vice-presi- dent of the Cottonwood County Fair Association, vice-president of the Old Settlers Association of that same county and one of the best-known and most substantial farmers of Springfield township, proprietor of a fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres on rural route No. 3, out of Windom, is a native of Wisconsin, born on a farm in LaCrosse county, that state, April I, 1861, son of Wesley W. and Elizabeth (Williams) Hunter, the former of whom was born in Vermont and the latter in the state of New York.
Wesley W. Hunter grew to manhood in his native state and there became a farmer. He remained there until about 1854, when he came West and settled in LaCrosse county, Wisconsin, where he homesteaded a
-
WILLIAM W. HUNTER AND FAMILY.
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
AS . LING> TILDLW H.
305'
COTTONWOOD AND WATONWAN COUNTIES, MINN.
farm and was engaged in farming until he enlisted for service in the Union army in 1863 and went to the front as a member of one of the Wisconsin regiments. In one of the engagements in which his regiment took part he was captured by the enemy and was confined in the Confederate prison pen at Andersonville, where he shortly afterward died, a victim of the privations to which the prisoners in that stockade were subjected. He left a widow and three children, Ira E., William M. and Etta, of which family the subject of this sketch is the only member now living in Cottonwood county. The widow Hunter married again and in 1871 came with her husband and her cihldren to Minnesota, settling in Cottonwood county, where she spent the rest of her life.
William W. Hunter was about ten years old when he came to Minne- sota with his mother and stepfather in 1871 and he consequently may very properly be regarded as one of the real pioneers of this section of the state. He had been going to school in LaCrosse county, Wisconsin, and upon com- ing out here attended a couple of terms of pioneer school in Cottonwood county, after which he began work as a farm hand and became a very competent farmer. In 1883 he homesteaded the quarter of a section of land on which he is now living and began the development of the same. After his marriage he established his home on that homestead farm and has ever since lived there, he and his family being very pleasantly and com- fortably situated. Mr. Hunter has spent about five thousand dollars in improving his place and has a model farm. He has for years given close attention to local civic affairs and is now assessor of his home township, road overseer and justice of the peace. He also has been active in the work of promoting the agricultural interests of his home county and is vice-presi- dent of the Cottonwood County Fair Association, in the affairs of which organization he for years has taken a warm interest. As one of the real pioneers of Cottonwood county, Mr. Hunter has given much attention to the work and the meetings of the Old Settlers Association and is now vice- president of that body. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Windom and is warmly interested in the affairs of that organ- ization.
It was in 1887 that William W. Hunter was united in marriage to Ella D. Peterson, who was born in Blue Earth county, this state, daughter of Elias and Irene Peterson, natives of the state of Vermont, and to this union five children have been born, Earl V., born on May 28, 1889; Wesley E., August II, 1896; Sylvia Esther, April 21, 1898; William and George, (20a)
306
COTTONWOOD AND WATONWAN COUNTIES, MINN.
October 12, 1891, all of whom are living save the latter. Mr. and Mrs. Hunter give proper attention to local good works and have ever displayed their interest in movements having to do with the promotion of the common welfare hereabout.
Earl V. Hunter married Lena Snyder and lives in Cottonwood county. They have one child, named Vernard E., born on February 3, 1915. All other children are single.
AUGUST QUADE.
No biographical history of Cottonwood county would be complete with- out reference to the life and services to the community at large of the late August Quade, a pioneer of that county and for many years one of the most substantial and influential farmers of Storden township and one of the largest landowners in the county. August Quade was a native of Germany, born on August 10, 1852, son of Christian and Julia (Biegel) Quade, natives of that country, whose last days were spent in the home of their son in Cot- tonwood county, they having come to Minnesota in their old age. Christian Quade and wife were members of the German Lutheran church and their children were reared in that faith. There were three of these children, of whom August was the first-born, the others being Christian and Frederick. The elder, Christian, died; his widow is still living at Jeffers, aged eighty- two years.
August Quade received his schooling in his native land and at the age of sixteen years, in 1868, came to the United States, locating in Green Lake county, Wisconsin, where he remained about two years, at the end of which time he started for the Pacific coast and was for some years engaged in pros- pecting in the West, particularly in Washington and Oregon. In 1877 he came to Minnesota and located in Cottonwood county, where he spent the rest of his life. Upon determining to locate here, Mr. Quade homesteaded a tract of eighty acres in Storden township and pre-empted an adjoining "eighty." He diligently set about improving and developing the same and upon his marriage five or six years later established his home there and con- tinued living there the rest of his life. Mr. Quade was a man of much energy, of large public spirit and of indefatigable industry and prospered from the start of his agricultural operations. He built up a fine place on his homestead tract and gradually added to his land holdings until he became the owner of eight hundred acres of fine land and was regarded as one of
307
COTTONWOOD AND WATONWAN COUNTIES, MINN.
the most substantial citizens of Cotonwood county. In addition to his exten- sive general farming, he also engaged extensively in stock raising and did very well.
Mr. Quade was a Democrat and from the beginning of his residence took an active part in local political affairs, having been looked upon as one of the leaders of his party in the central and western parts of the county. For many years he served as treasurer of Storden township; for years was a member of the school board, in which capacity he did much to advance the cause of education in his district; while as road supervisor he performed a valuable service to the community in the way of highway improvement. He was equally active in church work and for years was one of the trustees of the German Lutheran church, of which he and his wife were devoted members and in the faith of which their children were reared.
On April 3, 1883, August Quade was united in marriage to Pauline Conrad, who also was born in Germany, daughter of Johann M. and Anna J. (Wendland) Conrad, pioneers of this part of Minnesota, and to that union seventeen children were born, twelve of whom are living, as follow: Ida T., who married H. F. Conrad: Carl F., who married Ella Halter, and William A. F., Amelia A., Herman R., Marie P. M., Gustav M., Walter T., Ella L., John S., Amanda M. and Clara P. August Quade died at his home in Storden township on July 24, 1915, leaving a good memory, which long will be cherished in that community. His widow is still living there and continues to take an active interest in the general management of the large farm. She is earnest in good works, for years one of the leaders in the church in that neighborhood, and takes a warm interest in all proper move- ments designed to advance the common welfare hereabout.
WILLIAM SCHULTE.
The subject of this sketch is of German ancestry, his father and mother were both natives of that country. William Schulte, his father, came to America when he was a young man, landing in New York. He had learned of the opportunities for young men afforded by the cheap lands in the North- west and he decided to go there. He found his way to Stearns county, Minnesota, and there he located on a farm and established his home, and there he lived the rest of his life. After coming to this country he married Helen Knese, a native of his own country. The children born to this union
308
COTTONWOOD AND WATONWAN COUNTIES, MINN.
were: Mary, Bernhardt, Andrew, William, Theodore, Henry, John and Catherine.
William Schulte was born at Richmond, Stearns county, Minnesota, September 28, 1884. He received his early education in the public schools of Stearns county, Minnesota. Later he attended St. John's College for three years and took a commercial course. After leaving college he started a mill at Cold Springs, Minnesota, and operated this for three years. For the last thirteen years he has been engaged in buying grain. In June, 1913, he came to Darfur and took a position as manager of the Farmers' Ele- vator, and has been thus engaged since.
In 1910 Mr. Schulte was united in marriage with Albertine Vernica, daughter of Nicholas Hemmesch, of Cold Springs, Minnesota. To this union two children have been born, Donald W. N. and Rainer A. Mr. Schulte is a member of the Catholic church, and an independent in politics.
EDWARD C. POTTER.
Edward C. Potter, one of the most substantial young farmers of Amboy township, Cottonwood county, owner of a farm of three hundred and twenty acres in the vicinity of Jeffers, a member of the board of supervisors of his home township and in other ways identified with the development of that part of the county, is a native son of Cottonwood county and has lived in the vicinity of his present home all his life. He was born on a pioneer farm in Amboy township, October 16, 1878, son of the Hon. William A. Potter, an honored veteran of the Civil War, a former representative from this district in the lower house of the Minnesota General Assembly, one of the early settlers of Cottonwood county and for years actively interested in the political life of this section of the state, who is now living retired in the village of Jeffers, not far from the old home farm in Amboy township, where he became a homesteader in the spring of 1878 and where he made his home until his retirement and removal to Jeffers. Presented elsewhere in this volume there is a biographical sketch of the Hon. William A. Potter, giving the genealogy of the family and setting out in detail the history of that old soldier, homesteader and statesman, to which the reader is referred.
Edward C. Potter was reared on the paternal homestead in Amboy township, receiving his schooling in the district school in that neighborhood and proving, even from boyhood, a valuable assistant to his father in develop-
309
COTTONWOOD AND WATONWAN COUNTIES, MINN.
ing the home place. In 1901 he started farming on his own account and was married in 1902. From the first his farming operations prospered and in 1909 he bought the farm on which he now lives, being thus the owner of three hundred and twenty acres of well-improved and profitably cultivated land. In addition to his general farming, Mr. Potter has given considerable attention to the raising of Shorthorn cattle and Chester White hogs and has done very well, long having been recognized as one of the most progressive farmers in that part of the county. He is a Republican and has given close attention to local civic affairs, and has been a member of the board of super- visors of Amboy township since 1913.
On October 22, 1902, Edward C. Potter was united in marriage to Tillie Jenson, daughter of Peter Jenson, of Storden, and to this union three children have been born, Ethel, Marril and Clyde. Mr. and Mrs. Potter have a pleasant home and take a proper interest in the social and cultural activities of their home neighborhood, active in all local good works.
JACOB H. WALL.
Another German farmer who has made good in Minnesota is Jacob H. Wall, of Mountain Lake township, Cottonwood county, where he has been a resident for over a quarter of a century and has by thrift and economy become well-to-do. He was born in 1868, and is a son of Henry and Anna (Dick) Wall, natives of Germany and Russia, respectively. They spent their earlier lives in the old country, coming to America in 1875 and located near Mountain Lake, Cottonwood county, Minnesota. He finally moved into the village of Mountain Lake, where he died, his wife having died on the farm. Two sons and five daughters were born to them.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.