USA > Minnesota > Watonwan County > History of Cottonwood and Watonwan counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 36
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within a mile of St. James, where he and his family are now very comfort- ably situated. Mr. Bonin still owns a good farm in Rosendale township, but rents the same. Mr. Bonin is a Republican and during his residence in Rosendale township served for some time as a member of the school board.
In 1887, about three years after coming to this country, Ferdinand Bonin was united in marriage, in Illinois, to Sophia Koppen, who was born in Germany in 1869, daughter of Ole and Kara Koppen, who came to America in 1883 and settled in Illinois, where they spent the rest of their lives, her death occurring in 1906 and his, in 1908. Ole Koppen and wife were the parents of four children, those besides Mrs. Bonin being Oreka (deceased), Mary (deceased) and Lena. To Mr. and Mrs. Bonin ten chil- dren have been born, Emma, Elsie, Henry, Martha, Fred, Ida, John, Susie, William and Annie, all of whom are living. The Bonins are members of the German Lutheran church at St. James and take an active interest in the various beneficences of the same, as well as in all neighborhood good works, willing promoters of all measures designed to advance the general welfare of the community.
CHARLES O. HOFSTROM.
Charles O. Hofstrom, manager of the Farmers' Elevator Company at Windom and one of the most active and energetic business men of Cotton- wood county, is a native of Sweden, but has been a resident of the United States since 1889 and of Windom since 1892. He was born on February 7, 1872, son of John and Anna Hofstrom, also natives of Sweden, substan- tial farming people, the former of whom was born on January 31, 1846, and the latter, February 12, 1846, who were the parents of two children, sons both, the subject of this sketch having a brother, Gustav, who remained in his native land. John Hofstrom died on September 29, 1879, and his widow survived him until May 10, 1910. He was a son of Isaac August and Marie Christina (Tryckblad) Hofstrom, also farming people, the former of whom was a son of Peter Hofstrom, a farmer and stock buyer in Sweden, born in the year 1786.
Charles O. Hofstrom was about seven years old when his father died. He completed his studies in the government schools of his native land and when seventeen years of age, in 1889, came to the United States, locating at Gowrie, Iowa, in the neighborhood of which place he worked as a farm hand for about three years, at the end of which time he came to Minnesota and
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located at Windom, where, and in the vicinity of which place, he has ever since made his home. For a few years after his arrival at Windom, Mr. Hofstrom worked as a farm hand on farms in the vicinity of that town and then engaged in the real-estate business at Windom and was thus engaged until he became connected with the Farmers' Elevator Company at that place in 1910. The next year, 1911, he was promoted to the position of manager of the elevator and has ever since occupied that position, during which time he has done much to advance the interests of the company and establish the reputation of the elevator as one of the leading concerns of its kind in this part of the state. Mr. Hofstrom has a wide acquaintance throughout the region covered by the operations of the Farmers' Elevator Company and takes an active interest in the general business affairs of the community. He is a Democrat and takes a proper interest in local political affairs, but has never been included in the office-seeking class.
On October 12, 1912, Charles O. Hofstrom was united in marriage to Ebba Marie Dahl and to this union two children have been born, Dorothy Christina and George Woodrow. Mr. and Mrs. Hofstrom have a pleasant home at Windom and take a proper interest in the general social and cul- tural activities of their home town. Mr. Hofstrom is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and of the encampment of that order and both he and his wife are members of the local lodge of the Daughters of Rebekah, in the affairs of which organizations they take a warm interest. He also is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and gives his thoughtful attention to the affairs of that order.
JOHN A. REISDORPH.
John A. Reisdorph, a well-known and well-to-do farmer of Springfield township, Cottonwood county, proprietor of a fine farm of four hundred and eighty acres on rural roue No. 3, out of Windom, is a native of the great Keystone state, born on a farm in Mckean county, Pennsylvania, July 15, 1861, son of Silas and Betsy (Hoag) Reisdorph, both of whom were born in the state of New York, and the former of whom later became one of the pioneers of this part of Minnesota and spent his last days at Win- dom.
Silas Reisdorph was reared on a farm in New York state, where he married and later moved to McKean county, Pennsylvania, where he became
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a farmer, later moving to Michigan, in which state he lived until he came to Minnesota in 1866. Upon coming to this state, Silas Reisdorph settled in LeSueur county, where he made his home for five or six years, at the end of which time he moved to Hennepin county, where, in Bloomington township, he bought a farm and there made his home until 1878, in which year he came to this part of the state and bought a quarter of a section of land in Cottonwood county, where he established his home and where he lived until his retirement from the farm in 1908 and removed to Windom, where he died in 1913. Silas Reisdorph had been twice married. His first wife died when their only son, John A., was a small boy. Two children were born to that union, John A. Reisdorph having a sister, Carrie, who married W. D. Seeley. Silas Reisdorph's second wife, who was Frances Dutton, bore him seven children, of whom two, Lloyd and Robert D. Reis- dorph, are residents of Cottonwood county.
John A. Reisdorph was little more than five years of age when his father came to Minnesota and was about seventeen when the family settled in Cottonwood county in 1878, hence he may properly be regarded as one of the pioneers of this section of the state. He received his schooling in the schools of LeSueur and Hennepin counties and grew up to the life of the farm. He remained with his father, a valuable assistant in the work of developing the latter's homestead place, until he had reached his majority and then bought a quarter of a section of his own in Springfield township, the place where he is now living, and proceeded to improve and develop the same. Mr. Reisdorph is a good farmer and as he prospered in his farm- ing operations added to his holdings until now he is the owner of an excel- lent farm of four hundred and eighty acres, on which he has spent about five thousand dollars in improvements. In addition to his general farming Mr. Reisdorph has gone in somewhat extensively for cattle raising and has done very well. He has one hundred or more beef cattle on his place, besides a fine herd of about forty dairy cattle and fourteen or fifteen horses. He raises about one hundred and fifty acres of corn and about the same acreage of small grain annually, the rest of his place being devoted to pasture. Mr. Reisdorph is a Prohibitionist and for years has done what he could do for the advancement of that party's principles hereabout.
On September 22, John A. Reisdorph was united in marriage to Inez Vought, daughter of James C. and Mary A. (Goudy) Vought, prominent pioneer residents of Cottonwood county, and sister of Andrew P. Vought, chairman of the board of supervisors of Springfield township, a well-known farmer of that township, whose activities in that community are further set
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out in a sketch relating to him presented elsewhere in this volume, and to this union three children have been born, Frances, Delbert and Helen, all of whom are still at home. Mr. and Mrs. Reisdorph have a very pleas- ant home and have ever taken a proper part in the general social and cultural activities of the community. Mr. Reisdorph is a member of the Woodmen of the World and takes a warm interest in the affairs of that organization.
T. M. YARGER.
T. M. Yarger, a substantial farmer of Storden township, Cottonwood county, and the proprietor of a fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres in the vicinity of Storden, is a native of the great Keystone state, born on a farm in Center county, Pennsylvania, February 18, 1851, son of Christian and Sarah Jane Allison (McManigal) Yarger, natives of that same state, who were the parents of ten children, of whom T. M. was the fifth in order of birth, the others being Mary C., Hattie J., James L., Frank R., Ella, William, Julia, Laura J. and Hiram M. In 1865 Christian Yarger moved with his family from Pennsylvania to Illinois, settling on a farm in Stevenson county, in the latter state, where he spent the rest of his life, a substantial and influential farmer. He and his wife were members of the Presbyterian church and their children were reared in that faith.
T. M. Yarger was about fourteen years old when he moved with his family to Illinois and the schooling which was interrupted when he left Pennsylvania was resumed in the district school in the neighborhood of his new home. He grew up to the life of the farm and presently began farming on his own account in Illinois. He married there in 1884 and con- tinued to make his home in that state until 1889, in which year he moved to Iowa, settling in Osceola county, where he was engaged in farming until 1913, when he disposed of his interests there and came to Minnesota, set- tling on the farm on which he now lives, in Storden township, Cottonwood county, and where he and his family are very pleasantly and comfortably situated. Mr. Yarger is the owner of a quarter of a section of fine land, which he has improved in excellent shape and which he is profitably culti- vating. Though a resident of that community but a few years he has come to be looked upon as one of the substantial citizens of that part of the county and takes an active interest in the general affairs of the neighbor- hood.
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On December 15, 1884, T. M. Yarger was united in marriage, in Stev- enson county, Illinois, to Anna Myers and to this union eight children liave been born, Mildred, Luther, Edna, Fred, Elmer, Arthur, Sadie and Reuben. Mr. and Mrs. Yarger are members of the Methodist church and take an active interest in the affairs of the same, as well as in all local works, and are earnest promoters of all movements having to do with the advancement of the common welfare hereabout. Mr. Yarger is a Democrat and takes a proper interest in local political affairs.
FRANK DEWAR.
A good general farming country is nearly always a desirable locality for the stock man, but it is not everyone who can make a success of the stock buying and shipping business. It seems to take a peculiar innate ability. Frank Dewar of Lewisville, Watonwan county, has the natural qualifications for success as a stock trader and this has been his special line of endeavor for some time. He was born near Rochester, Minnesota, January 1, 1864, and is a son of Robert and Elizabeth (Nesbitt) Dewar. The mother was born on the Isle of Man, and the father was born in Canada, removing with his parents to Wisconsin, and later to near Rochester, Minnesota, where he rented a farm about two years, then removed to Antrim township, Watonwan county, and homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres, and there he engaged in farming until retiring from active life, locating in Lewis- ville, about five years prior to his death. His family consisted of ten chil- dren, namely: Frank, Duncan, Elizabeth, Ann, Grace, Fannie, John, Earl, Stella and Lucretia.
Frank Dewar grew up on the home farm, and attended school in a sod school house. He engaged in farming in Antrim township when start- ing out in life for himself and still owns a good farm there of two hundred and forty acres, which is well improved and on which stands a splendid group of buildings. He removed to the village of Lewisville in the fall of 1914, since which time he has been engaged in buying and shipping live stock.
Mr. Dewar was married December 23, 1888, to Sarah Lewis, a daughter of Thomas Lewis, mention of whom is made elsewhere in this volume. To Mr. and Mrs. Dewar five children have been born, all living at this writing, namely : Archie F., Lena E., Grace, Madge, and Gordon.
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Politically, Mr. Dewar is a Democrat. He is now serving as county commissioner. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, and the family belong to the Christian church.
ARTHUR LAWRENCE SCHAFFER.
The permanent prosperity of a nation must rest upon its agriculture. The greatness of the United States rests very largely on its boundless possi- bilities in this direction. One of the leading farmers of Great Bend town- ship, Cottonwood county, is Arthur Lawrence Schaffer, who was born on the farm on which he now lives, in 1883. He is a son of Joseph and Matilda (Mathisen) Schaffer, natives of Germany and of Wisconsin, respec- tively. The father was thirteen years old when he came to America with his parents, the family locating in Wisconsin, the parents spending the rest of their lives there on a farm. The father of Matilda Mathisen was a native of Norway, and her mother was a native of Germany. They located in Wisconsin and spent the rest of their lives there. The parents of the subject of this sketch were married in Cottonwood county, Minnesota, but went back to Wisconsin, where they continued to reside until 1880, when they returned to Cottonwood county and took up a homestead in Great Bend township, which has been the family farm ever since, the mother still living on the place, but the father passed away in October, 1909. He became owner of a good farm of two hundred and eighty acres. He was active in the affairs of his community, and served as township assessor for twelve or fifteen years, also held the office of school clerk. His widow belongs to the Lutheran church. To these parents six children were born, namely : Arthur Lawrence, the subject of this sketch; Ada, wife of Fred Earlewine; George, Clyde, Mabel, who is the wife of Charles Van Horsen, and Clarence.
Arthur L. Schaffer grew up on the home farm and he received a com- mon school education. He has remained on the home place and is engaged in general farming and stock raising. He keeps the place well improved in every respect. He was married in July, 1915, to Gertrude Huntress, of Great Bend township, and a daughter of William Huntress and wife. Mr. Schaffer is the present assessor of Great Bend township and is also treasurer of his school district.
William Harvey Huntress, mentioned above, was a native of New
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MR. AND MRS. ARTHUR L. SCHAFFER.
THE NEW VOXI PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTOP LENGY TILDEN FOUNDATIONA
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York state and a son of William Huntress and wife. He grew up in his native state and was educated there. He came to Minnesota in the eighties, locating at Windom, Cottonwood county, where he married Eleanor Jones, a native of Steele county, this state, from which locality she came with her parents to Cottonwood county. D. B. Jones, the father, was a native of the state of New York, his birth occurring on April 7, 1844, and there he grew up and was educated. When thirteen years old he came with his parents to Steele county, Minnesota, where he resided until May 1, 1870, when he moved to Rice county, this state, remaining there one year, then, in 1871, came to Cottonwood county, taking up a homestead in Great Bend town- ship, on which he lived until the spring of 1916, when he retired and moved to Windom. He is a member of the Methodist church. He has held town- ship offices. William H. Huntress followed carpentering all his active life, being a highly skilled workman. His death occurred at Windom in 1901. His family consisted of four children, namely: Gertrude, Ruby, Bernice and Muriel. After his death, Mrs. Huntress re-married, her last husband being John McKeegan, and they now make their home in northern Minne- sota. She is a member of the Methodist church.
IVER I. PEDERSON.
Iver I. Pederson, one of Cottonwood county's best-known and most substantial farmers and stockmen, owner of a fine farm in Ann township and valuable land in Murray county, member of the board of supervisors of his home township and otherwise actively identified with the interests of that part of the county, is a native of Norway, but has lived in Minnesota since he was eight years old. He was born on October 13, 1873, son of Iver and Anna Pladtson (Thorson) Pederson, natives of that same country, who later became residents of Cottonwood county, where the latter is still living.
Iver Pederson was born at Hedalen and owned a farm in the Vaage community. In the summer of 1881 he disposed of his interests there and with his family came to Minnesota, locating at Walnut Grove, in Redwood county, in July of that year. Two years later he moved to Martin county, where he rented a farm for three years, at the end of which time he rented the southwest quarter of section 18 in Ann township, Cottonwood county, where he made his home for four years. He then bought the northwest
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quarter of that same section and there established his home. He improved the farm in excellent shape and there spent the rest of his life. As he prospered he bought more land and became a very substantial citizen. He later sold the most of his holdings, however, and at the time of his death his land interests were represented by but eighty acres. He died on Septem- ber 2, 1912, and his widow is still living. They were the parents of eleven children, of whom Iver I. was the ninth in order of birth, the others being as follow : Mary and Anna, twins; the former married John Hopstad and lives in Grant county, this state, and the latter, now deceased, married Hans Amodeth and also lived in Grant county; Peder, who married Carrie Hanson and is farming in Martin county; Annie, who married Hans Eng, a Martin county farmer; Lena, who is living with her brother, Iver, and family; one who died in infancy; Thor, who died in his early manhood ; Mattie, who married Hans Sandbo, of Ann township; Rose, who married Lew Osman and lives with the family of her brother, Iver, and Hannah, who died when one year old.
Iver I. Pederson was about eight years old when his parents came to Minnesota and he received his schooling in the schools of Cottonwood county. At the age of seventeen he started out for himself, in partnership with Ole Kleven, owners of a threshing rig. That partnership was dissolved after three years, but Mr. Pederson has ever since continued to operate a threshing-machine during the seasons and is one of the best-known men in that line in this part of the country. After a few years he became the manager of his father's farm and early began buying land. He prospered in his operations and is now the owner of six hundred and eighty acres in Cottonwood and Murray counties, all of which he operated himself. For some time he has made a specialty of raising hogs and has done very well. His home place is well improved and he and his family are very well situ- ated. Mr. Pederson has given proper attention to local civic affairs and is a member of the board of township supervisors. He and his wife are members of the Norwegian Lutheran church and take an earnest interest in all local good works.
On April 13, 1911, Iver I. Pederson was united in marriage to Lena Johnson, who was born in Ann township, Cottonwood county, daughter of Helge and Gunniel (Kittleson) Johnson, and to this union two children have been born. Myron, born on September 10, 1912, and Virene, March 16, 1915. Mrs. Pederson's parents are pioneers of Cottonwood county and have a fine farm of six hundred and forty acres in Ann township, where they settled in homestead days, Helge Johnson having homesteaded a quar-
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ter section there in 1873. He was born in Norway on October 22, 1850, son of John and Ann Helgeson, whose last days were spent in the home of their son, Helge, in Cottonwood county. It was in 1872 that Helge John- son came to Minnesota from Norway. For a year he worked in Kandiyohi county and then entered a claim to a homestead in Cottonwood county, where, after his marriage to Gunniel Kettleson, he established his home and has lived ever since, one of the most substantial and influential men in that section. To him and his wife eight children have been born, of whom Mrs. Pederson was the fourth in order of birth, the others being John, Anna, Julius, Regina, Maria, Carl and Henry, all of whom are living save John, who died in his young manhood.
SAMUEL PAULSON.
Samuel Paulson, a well-to-do farmer of Madelia township, Watonwan county, proprietor of a fine farm of two hundred and twenty acres situ- ated four miles north and two miles west of the town of Madelia, is a native of Norway, but has lived in Minnesota since he was six years old and has consequently been a witness to and a participant in the development and progress of this part of the country during the past generation. IIe was born on October 1, 1856, son of Tarson and Christiana (Samuelson) Paulson, natives of Norway, who came to the United States in 1862 and proceeded to Minnesota, becoming pioneers of the neighboring county of Brown.
Tarson Paulson homesteaded a farm in the southern part of Brown county, within sight of the farm of the subject of this sketch, and there established his home. To his original homestead of eighty acres he grad- ually added by purchase until he became the owner of a farm of two hun- dred acres and was recognized as one of the substantial farmers of that sec- tion. There he spent the remainder of his life, his death occurring in 1911, he then being eighty-eight years of age. He was active in church work and his children were reared in the Norwegian Lutheran faith. Tarson Paulson was twice married. To his first marriage four children were born, Peter, Samuel, Anna and Christina. Upon the death of the mother of these chil- dren, Mr. Paulson married Mrs. Johanna Mikleson, a widow, who had two children, Knute and Gilbert, by her first marriage, and to this second union nine children were born, Carl, Jergenna, John, Alfred, Samuel, Julius, Gena, Lena and Lettie.
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Samuel Paulson was about six years old when his parents came to this country from Norway in 1862 and he was reared on the homestead farm in Brown county, this state, receiving his education in the district school in the neighborhood of his home, and proving a valuable assistant to his father in the work of developing and improving the farm. In 1885 he married and immediately afterward settled on the farm on which he now lives, over the county line from his old home and within sight of the latter, and there he has lived ever since, long having been regarded as one of the most sub- stantial farmers in that section of Watonwan county. Mr. Paulson has an excellent farm of two hundred and twenty acres, well improved and profit- ably cultivated, and he and his family are very pleasantly situated. Upon taking possession of the farm he planted many trees, cottonwood. willow, box-elder and ash, which now add wonderfully to the attractiveness of the place. In 1902 Mr. Paulson built his present house and some years before, in 1898, had built a commodious barn. The other farm buildings are in keeping with the same and all bespeak the progressive methods of the owner.
In December, 1885, Samuel Paulson was united in marriage to Ida Jolinson, who was born in Norway, daughter of Christopher Johnson and wife, who became pioneers of Brown county, this state, and to this union eight children have been born, Christine, Carl, Emma, Sigward, Tolef, Joseph, Lillian and Kenneth. The Paulsons are earnest members of the Lutheran church and take an active interest in all local good works and in the general social activities of their neighborhood.
OLSON & DEGONDA.
There were few better-known firm names in the bustling business life of the thriving little city of St. James than that of Olson & DeGonda, former proprietors of the leading restaurant in that city. Hilmer J. Olson and Anthony P. DeGonda, both energetic and enterprising young men, conducted for the benefit of the people of St. James and the surrounding country an up-to-date and well-equipped eating place, which kept open night and day, and in addition to which they carried a full line of confectionery and cigars and maintained a first-class soda-water fountain. They are brothers-in-law, Mr. Olson having married a sister of Mr. DeGonda, and succeeded to the restaurant business established in St. James by the latter's father, John C. DeGonda, who now again owns the business.
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