USA > Minnesota > Watonwan County > History of Cottonwood and Watonwan counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 31
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It was in 1883, at Mountain Lake, that Frank Balzer was united in marriage to Agatha Hiebert, who was born in Russia on December 13, 1860, daughter of David and Sarah (Penner) Hiebert, who came to the United States in 1877, and came to Minnesota, locating at Mountain Lake. There David Hiebert erected a grist-mill and was there engaged as a miller and grain buyer until his death, and his widow is still living in her home in that city. To Mr. and Mrs. Balzer seven children have been born, namely : Jacob F., now a member of the faculty of Bethel College at Newton, Kan- sas; Sarah, who married Prof. C. C. Regier, former member of the faculty of Bethel College, who is now doing post-graduate work in the University of Chicago; David C., an associate of his father in business at Mountain Lake, under the firm name of Frank Balzer & Company; Susie, who is at home with her parents; Frank, Jr., who is now at Carleton College at North- field; Martha, who died at the age of ten years, and Olga, who has just completed the work in the grade schools, ready for high school. Mr. and
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Mrs. Balzer are earnest members of the Mennonite church and for years have taken an active interest in the various beneficences of the same, as well as in all local good works.
JACOB J. FAST.
Jacob J. Fast, a well-known and well-to-do farmer of Lakeside town- ship, Cottonwood county, proprietor of a fine farm of four hundred and eighty acres in the vicinity of Windom, former chairman of the board of supervisors of Lakeside township and for years interested in the civic. and industrial life of that community, is a native of Russia, but has been a resident of Minnesota since he was fifteen years old and is very properly regarded as one of the pioneers of this region. He was born on a farm in southern Russia, May 14, 1860, son of John and Ann (Peters) Fast, the former a native of that same district in the czar's domain and the latter a native of Germany, who had moved with her parents to that district when nine years of age. In 1875. deciding that the New World across the sea offered a better opportunity for his family than he could hope to secure for them in the old country. John Fast came to the United States with his family and proceeded straightway to Minnesota, settling in the village of Mountain Lake, in Cottonwood county. After a brief residence there, he bought a quarter of a section of land in Carson township, established his home there and there spent the rest of his life. He and his wife were mem- bers of the Mennonite church and their children were reared in that simple faith. There were eleven of these children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the third in order of birth, the others being Henry, Abraham (deceased), Gerhard (deceased), John, Bernard, Anna, Sarah, Lena, Peter and Herman (deceased).
Jacob J. Fast was about fifteen years old when he came to Minnesota with his parents in 1875. He had received the benefit of tuition in the gov- ernment schools of his native land and after coming here attended school for a while. As a young man he began working out for neighboring farm- ers, but after his marriage, in 1882, made his home in Mountain Lake, where he lived for eight years, two years of which time he spent working on the railroad section : three years as a carpenter and three years as a drayman and at farm labor. In. 1890 Mr. Fast bought a farm of three hundred and
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MR. AND MRS. JACOB J. FAST AND RESIDENCE.
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twenty acres in section 6, Lakeside township, and ever since has made his home there. The place was wholly unimproved when he took possession and he has made on it all the substantial improvements which go to make it one of the best farms in that locality. As he prospered in his farming operations, Mr. Fast added to his land holdings until he now is the owner of a fine place of four hundred and eighty acres, well improved and profit- ably cultivated. In addition to his general farming, he has given consid- erable attention to stock raising and keeps a good herd of Shorthorn cattle and a fine flock of sheep. He has given proper attention to general industrial conditions hereabout and is interested in the farmers elevator at Delft. Mr. Fast is a Republican and for years has taken an active part in the civic affairs of his home township. For ten years he has served as a member of the township board and for six years of that period was chairman of the board.
It was in 1882, seven years after coming to this country, that Jacob J. Fast was united in marriage to Lena Penner, who died in 1902, leaving seven children, Lena, Anna, Catherine, Mary, John, Jacob and Henry, who are doing well their respective parts in the community in which they live.
Mr. Fast has been seriously handicapped by several cyclones which did considerable damage to his property, and he has also lost some crops through hail storms.
JENS C. JENSEN.
Jens C. Jensen, one of the best-known and most prosperous farmers of Rosendale township, Watonwan county, proprietor of a fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres in that township, chairman of the board of super- visors of that township and in other ways actively identified with the civic interests of his home neighborhood, is a native son of Watonwan county, born on the farm on which he now makes his home, and has lived there all his life. He was born on October II, 1868, son of Notto and Lena Jensen, both natives of Norway, the former of whom, an honored veteran of the Civil War, was the first settler in that wide strip of now thickly settled terri- tory lying between Madelia and Jackson, this state.
ยท Notto Jensen was born in Norway in 1835 and when eighteen years of age, in 1853, came to the United States, locating in Wisconsin. He was married at Butternut Valley, Brown county, after the Civil War, to Lena
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Erickson, daughter of Christian and Mary Erickson, who had come to this country and settled in Wisconsin in 1846. For some time Notto Jensen farmed in Wisconsin and then came into Minnesota and was living in this state when the Civil War broke out. He enlisted in Company I, Sixth Regiment, Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, and served with that command until the close of the war. His location in Watonwan county was made before the passage of the homestead laws and he pre-empted the quarter of a section where his son, Jens C., now lives, in Rosendale township. He later homesteaded a tract of eighty acres in section 12, to which he pre- sently added an adjoining "eighty," and early came to be regarded as one of the most substantial farmers in that part of the county. Later he bought a farm of two hundred and seven acres in the vicinity of Madelia, selling his two quarter sections further south to his two elder sons, Jens C. and Martin L., and thereafter made his home on the farm near Madelia, where he spent the rest of his life. Notto Jensen not only was a good farmer, but he was a good citizen and took an active part in local civic affairs. He was a Democrat and for years served his community as a member of the school board and as a member of the township board. His wife died in 1896 and he survived until 1902. They were members of the Norwegian Lutheran church and their children were reared in that faith. There were nine of these children, of whom Jens C. was the first born, the others being Martin L., Mary J., Ole I., Albert T., George Henry, Willie J., Anna Louise and Walter A., all of whom are living save Anna Louise.
Jens Jensen was reared on the paternal farm in Rosendale township and from early boyhood was a valuable assistant to his father in the work of developing the same. He supplemented his schooling in the district school by a course in the Mankato Normal school and for some years taught school during the winters. continuing his work on the farm during the summers. He married in 1893 and after coming into possession of the old home farm began to make important improvements on the same. In 1909 he built a new barn, thirty-six by eighty, and in 1911 put up a capacious silo. In 1914 he erected a new dwelling house and he and his family are now comfortably situated. In addition to his general farming, Mr. Jensen has given considerable attention to the raising of fine live stock and has done very well. Mr. Jensen is a Democrat and for years has been a mem- ber of the township board, of which board he is now the chairman. He also has done good service as a member of the school board and in other ways has contributed of his time and his energies to the public service.
It was in 1893 that 'Jens C. Jensen was united in marriage to Lena
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Jorgenson, who also was born in Rosendale township, in 1867, daughter of Ole and Karen Jorgenson, natives of Norway, who were the first home- steaders in the territory between Madelia and Jackson, having settled in what is now Rosendale township not long after Notto Jensen had pre- empted his claim in that section. Ole Jorgenson was a good farmer and a man of substance, an influence for good in his neighborhood. He died in 1892, and his widow survived until 1902. They were the parents of nine children, of whom Mrs. Jensen was the eighth in order of birth, the others being Knute, George O., Mary, Lizzie, Ida, Anna, Amelia and Matilda, all of whom are living except Amelia. To Mr. and Mrs. Jensen four children have been born, namely : Grace F., who was born on June 6, 1894; Elmer. C., November 29, 1896; Edna L., December 23, 1899, and Vernon L., September 10, 1912. The Jensens are members of the Norwegian Lutheran church and take a warm interest in the various beneficences of the same, as well as in all local good works.
N. C. MATTISON.
When N. C. Mattison landed in this country from Denmark in 1886, he had twenty-five cents as his sole monetary possession. Now he is the owner of nearly one thousand acres of land and has long been accounted one of the leading farmers and stockmen of Cottonwood county and one of the valuable factors in the development of the northern part of that county, his home being in Highwater township, where he has lived since 1899 and where he has developed one of the finest bits of property in that section of the county.
N. C. Mattison was born on a farm in Denmark, February 23, 1867, son of Mattis and Anna Peterson, natives of that same country, both now deceased, who reared a family of thirteen children, only two of whom came to the United States. N. C. Mattison received his schooling in his native land and, when nineteen years of age, came to the United States. He stopped for a year in Hartford, Connecticut, and then worked in the state of New York for eight months, at the end of which time he came West, stopping at Maple Park, Illinois, from which place, eight months later, he went to Iowa, where for about five years he worked at various occupations, chiefly farm- ing, after which he began farming on his own account and was thus engaged until he came to this state in 1899. Upon his arrival in Cottonwood county,
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Mr. Mattison bought a quarter of a section of land in Highwater county, established his home there and has since lived there. From the beginning of his farming operations there he prospered and has gradually added to his land holdings until now he is the owner of eight hundred acres of fine land in Cottonwood county and one hundred and sixty acres about twelve miles from Jamestown, North Dakota. Mr. Mattison has improved his home farm in excellent shape and he and his family are pleasantly situated there. In addition to his general farming he has given considerable attention to the raising of live stock, with particular reference to Shorthorn cattle, and has done very well. Mr. Mattison is a Republican and gives a good citizen's attention to local political affairs, but has not been a seeker after public office.
Mr. Mattison has been married twice. His first wife, who was Belle Larson, died leaving one child, a daughter, Myrtle. Mr. Mattison then mar- ried Lizzie Tolifson and to this union nine children have been born: Noah, Menered, Harry, Ella, Arthur, Esther, Mary, Joseph and Leslie. Mr. and Mrs. Mattison are members of the Baptist church and take an active interest in the affairs of the same, as well as in all local good works.
DAVID D. SCHULTZ.
David D. Schultz, a well-known and progressive young farmer of Mid- way township, Cottonwood county, proprietor of a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in the vicinity of Mountain Lake and identified with the general interests of that part of the county, is a native of Cottonwood county and has lived there all his life. He was born on a homestead farm in Mountain Lake township, May 9, 1880, son of David and Susie (Vought) Schultz, natives of southern Russia and pioneers of this part of Minnesota, who are now living comfortably retired in the village of Mountain Lake.
David Schultz, who was born in southern Russia on March 24, 1841, is the son of Henry Schultz and wife, who came to Minnesota from southern Russia in 1875 and with their family settled in Cottonwood county, on a homestead farm in Mountain Lake township, being among the earliest settlers in that part of the county. They were members of the Mennonite church and were regarded as among the leaders in the considerable colony of per- sons of that faith who began to settle hereabout in the early days. Henry Schultz was a native of Germany, but had located in southern Russia in his young manhood and had lived in the latter place until he came to America.
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Three times after locating in Minnesota he returned to his old home in Russia and on his last visit there was taken ill and died. His wife's last days were spent on the homestead farm in Mountain Lake township.
David Schultz received his education in the common schools of the German colony in Russia. On coming to America he first went to South Dakota, but in 1875 he located in this section of Minnesota. He took an active part in the work of developing and improving his father's homestead and later began farming on his own account, homesteading a farm in the vicinity of that of his father in Mountain Lake township. Some time after his marriage he moved into Midway township, where he established his home on a farm in section 27 and became a very successful farmer, long having been regarded as one of the leading agriculturists in that part of the county. Some time ago he and his wife retired from the labors of the farm and moved to Mountain Lake, where they have a pleasant home and where they are comfortably situated. Mr. Schultz is a Republican and for many years has taken a warm interest in local political affairs. He and his wife are members of the Mennonite church and long have been actively interested in its beneficences.
David Schultz was married in 1871 to Susanna Voth, and to them were born the following children: John D., Isaac, Helena, Maria, David D., Hy D., Peter D. and Jacob S.
David D. Schultz was eight years old when his parents moved from the homestead farm in Mountain Lake township to Midway township and he was reared on the home farm in the latter township, receiving his school- ing in the district school in the neighborhood of his home, and there he re- mained, a valued assistant to his father in the work of developing and im- proving the home place, until 1905, the year of his marriage, when he bought the quarter section on which he ever since has made his home, in section 26 of that same township. Mr. Schultz has applied modern methods to the cultivation of his place and has improved the same in admirable fashion. In addition to his general farming he has given considerable at- tention to the raising of high-grade live stock. He is a Republican and takes a good citizen's interest in local politics, but has not been included in the office-seeking class.
In 1905 David D. Schultz was united in marriage to Anna Eitzen, who was born in the neighboring county of Watonwan in 1886, daughter of Peter Eitzen and wife, early settlers of that part of the state, and to this union five children have been born, Hilda, Ferdinand, Alvin (deceased),
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Susie and Samuel. Mr. and Mrs. Schultz are members of the Mennonite church and take an active interest in the affairs of that congregation, as well as in all neighborhood good works.
MONRAD HARBITZ.
Monrad Harbitz, a well-known and progressive young farmer of Rosen- dale township, Watonwan county, proprietor of a fine farm of one hundred and forty-five acres in the vicinity of St. James, and actively identified with the general interest of the community in which he has lived all his life, is a native son of Watonwan county and has been a witness to and a partici- pant in the development of this region from the days of his childhood. He was born on the pioneer farm on which he still lives, January 13, 1886, son of George and Johanna (Rodseth) Harbitz, natives of Norway and early settlers of Watonwan county, the former of whom died on March 23, 1914, at the age of sixty-seven, and the latter, at the age of seventy-three, is making her home with her youngest son, the subject of this biographical sketch.
George Harbitz and his wife came to this country from Norway in 1867 and proceeded to Minnesota, coming to this part of the state, which then was being opened to settlement, and located in Rosendale township, Watonwan county, thus having been among the very earliest settlers of that part of the county. Mr. Harbitz homesteaded a tract of eighty acres, on which he established his home, and began to take a prominent part in the pioneer activities of that region. He was a good farmer and as he devel- oped his homestead and prospered in his operations, he gradually added to his holdings until he became the owner of a fine place of three hundred and eighty acres, well kept and profitably cultivated. Mr. Harbitz allied himself with the Democratic party upon becoming a citizen of this country and for years was one of the leaders of that party in his part of the county. For some years he was chairman of the board of supervisors of Rosendale township and for many years served as a member of the local school board, while in other ways he took an active part in local civic affairs and was a useful and influential citizen. He and his wife were, from the beginning of their residence in this county, among the leaders in the work of the Nor- wegian Lutheran church and their children were reared in that faith. They were the parents of ten children, of whom seven are now living: Johanna, Ingaborg, Anna, Karen, Mary, Hannah and Monrad.
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Monrad Harbitz was reared on the old homestead farm on which he was born and became a practical farmer. He finished his schooling in the Madelia schools and early began farming on his own account. He now owns one hundred and forty-five acres of the old home farm, where he makes his home, and is doing well in his farming operations, which are conducted along modern lines of agriculture. He gives considerable atten- tion to the raising of high-grade live stock and has done well in that line. The farm of Mr. Harbitz is well kept and well improved and he and his family are very pleasantly and very comfortably situated. One of the at- tractive features of the place is the fine grove and the splendid avenue of great trees skirting the sides of the highway, which were planted by the elder Harbitz when he began to develop his homestead back in the sixties and which have grown to be veritable landmarks in that section.
In 1913 Monrad Harbitz was united in marriage to Anna Grogan, daughter of Mathew and Mary (Reynolds) Grogan, of Riverdale township, old settlers there, and to this union two sons have been born, Lawrence and Francis. Mr. Harbitz is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church and takes an earnest interest in the various beneficences of the churches. Mrs. Harbitz is a Catholic. Mr. Harbitz is a Democrat and gives a good citizen's attention to local political affairs. He is progressive, public-spirited and enterprising and is regarded as one of the substantial young farmers of the community in which he lives.
A. W. ENGLUND.
A. W. Englund, clerk of Amboy township, Cottonwood county, and one of the best-known and most progressive farmers of that part of the county, proprietor of a fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres in the vicinity of Jeffers, is a native of Sweden, but has lived in this country ever since he was six years old. He was born on a farm on August 17, 1863, son of John and Catherine (Monson) Englund, who came to the United States in the spring of 1869 and settled on a farm in Buena Vista county, Iowa, where both spent the remainder of their lives. Catherine Englund died in 1874, leaving three children, of whom A. W. was the eldest, the others being John E. and Amanda. John Englund later married Maria Larson, and to that union three children were born, Charles H., Emma and Hilda. John Englund died in August, 1904.
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A. W. Englund was reared on the paternal farm in Buena Vista county, Iowa, receiving his schooling in the neighborhood schools, and when a young man started farming in that county on his own account. In the spring of 1901, the year of his marriage, he quit farming there and moved to Marathon, Iowa, where he engaged in the real-estate business and was thus engaged for two years, at the end of which time he bought a general hardware and implement store in that town and conducted the same until he sold out in 1904 and moved to Murray county, Minnesota, where he lived for two years. He then, in 1906. moved into Cottonwood county, bought the northeast quarter of section 18 in Amboy township, established his home there and has lived there ever since, he and his family being well situated. Mr. Englund is a progressive and up-to-date farmer and has prospered in his operations until he has come to be regarded as one of the most substantial farmers in that neighborhood. He is a Republican and is now serving as clerk of the township.
On May 1, 1901, A. W. Englund was united in marriage to Minnie Anderson and to this union six children have been born, Edna, Carrie, Arnold, Ada, Bena and Marjorie. Mr. and Mrs. Englund are members of the Lutheran church and take a proper interest in the general beneficences of the same, as well as in all neighborhood good works.
FRANCIS M. DYER.
Francis M. Dyer, a well-known and well-to-do farmer of Lakeside township. Cottonwood county, one of the real pioneers of this section of the state, for some years superintendent of schools of Cottonwood county, who also served the public as supervisor and as assessor in his home township and who for years has been clerk of the school board, is a native of the state of Maine, but has been a resident of Minnesota since 1864 and has conse- quently been a witness to and a participant in the marvelous development of this section of the great Northwest during the past generation. Mr. Dyer was born in the town of Jackson, in Waldo county, Maine, August 28, 1841, son of Thompson and Lucy Bruce (White) Dyer, both natives of the state of Massachusetts, the former born on March 31, 1804, and the latter, October 16, 1808.
Thompson Dyer received his education in the Massachusetts public schools and at the age of eighteen went to Belfast, Maine, whence, after a
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RESIDENCE OF FRANCIS M. DYER. From photograph taken in summer of 1891.
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few years, he moved to Jackson, in that same state, where he made his home until 1852, in which year he moved to Skohegan, county seat of Somerset county, Maine, where he spent the rest of his life, his death occurring in March, 1883. Thompson Dyer was a miller and carpenter and an active, energetic citizen. He served as a soldier during the Aroostook dispute with England and the United States over boundary lines between Maine and New Brunswick. Upon the formation of the Republican party he became allied with the same and remained faithful to the principles of his party to the end. He was twice married, by his first wife, who was Judith Chase, having had four children, Henry, Samuel. Woodbridge and Alma. Upon the death of the mother of these children he married Lucy Bruce White, and to that union two children were born, the subject of this biographical sketch and a daughter, Almatia.
Francis M. Dyer was reared in his native town in Maine, receiving his schooling in the local schools, and there he learned the trade of millwright. He early began teaching school and while thus employed became engaged as a clerk in a drug store, which latter vocation he followed for about eigh- teen months. In 1862 he married and two years later, in 1864, came to Minnesota, settling at Plainview, in Wabasha county, where he lived for seven years, teaching school during the winters and engaged in farming during the summers. In 1870 Mr. Dyer came over this part of the state and entered a claim to a quarter of a section of land in Lakeside township, Cottonwood county. The next year, 1871, he moved his family out here and established his home on that homestead tract and there has made his home ever since. Mr. Dyer was a valuable factor in the pioneer life of this region. As a school teacher his services were immediately in demand and with the exception of four or five years, he taught school in Cottonwood county from the time of his arrival until in 1908, when he retired from the county's teaching force, after many years of useful service. He was appointed county superintendent of schools not long after arriving in Cottonwood county, the third incumbent in that office, and later filled the unexpired term of L. J. Robinson. In the meantime, during the summers, Mr. Dyer was engaged in developing his homestead farm and it was not long until he had one of the best farms in that part of the county, well improved and profitably culti- vated. He and his family endured all the hardships of pioneer life, but persevered in the face of what now no doubt would be regarded as almost insuperable difficulties and presently were well and substantially established. In addition to his valuable service as superintendent of schools, Mr. Dyer also has rendered valuable service to the public in the capacity of township
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