USA > Minnesota > Grant County > History of Douglas and Grant counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 14
USA > Minnesota > Douglas County > History of Douglas and Grant counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 14
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Nels Ostrom was born in the city of Christianstad, Sweden, in 1834, and in 1857, he then being twenty-three years of age, came to the United States and proceeded directly to Minnesota, settling in Washington county, where he bought a tract of eighty acres of land and remained there, farm- ing the same, until 1868, when he moved to Nicollet county, bought a farm
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in New Sweden township and is still living there, hale and hearty, at a ripe old age. Though deprived of the advantages of a liberal education in his youth, Nels Ostrom has been a great reader and a close student and has a remarkably well-stored mind, being regarded as a local authority in his neighborhood on Biblical literature, ancient and modern history and general current events, his mind remaining very active, despite his advanced years. To him and his wife twelve children were born, of whom the subject of this sketch was the first-born, the others being as follow: Mrs. Tilda Peter- son; Theodore, a farmer in Nicollet county; Charles G., of Seattle, Wash- ington ; the Rev. O. W. Ostrom, of Fresno, California: Walter, of Braham, this state; Mrs. Pauline Jones, of Evansville; Mrs. V. T. Carlson, of New England, North Dakota; Mrs. A. J. Quist, of Nicollet county; Mrs. Peter Johnson, who died in 1907 at White Rock, South Dakota; Helen, who died in her youth, and Clara, who died in infancy.
Aaron J. Ostrom was but an infant when his parents moved from Washington county to Nicollet county and he grew to manhood on the pa- ternal farm in New Sweden township, that county, receiving his elementary schooling in the old pioneer school in that neighborhood, supplementing the same by a course in the schools at St. Peter. He remained at home until he was twenty-one years of age, when he came to this part of the state and became engaged in the grain business at Evansville, buying grain for O. N. Ostrom, afterward the Inter-state Grain Company, and was thus engaged until 1895, when he formed a partnership with C. A. Smith and C. J. John- son in the lumber business at Evansville. In 1901 Mr. Ostrom bought the hardware store of Olaf Dahlheim and incorporated as the Evansville Lumber and Hardware Company, which firm style continues. His first hardware store was conducted in a room twenty-five by sixty feet in dimensions, be- sides warehouses, and in the spring of 1915 he erected his present commod- ious business building, thirty-six by one hundred, with a basement thirty-six by sixty, heated by furnace, equipped with a modern light plant and other- wise well appointed in up-to-date fashion, and carries a complete stock of general hardware. In the spring of 1915 Mr. Ostrom bought the stock of Luistrom & Peterson and merged the same with his stock, now having prac- tically all the hardware business in Evansville. In addition to his mercan- tile interests at Evansville Mr. Ostrom has given considerable attention to the general business enterprises of his home town and upon the organization of the Evansville State Bank was elected vice-president of that concern, a po- sition he ever since has held. He is a Republican and has served the public in the capacity of councilman and as a member of the school board.
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On June 29. 1889, just before moving to Evansville, Aaron J. Ostrom was united in marriage to Mary A. Anderson, daughter of Peter and Martha Anderson, early settlers in Nicollet county, and to this union four children have been born, namely: Archibald L., who was graduated from the Minnesota State University and is now assistant cashier of the Security State Bank of Golva, North Dakota; Waldemar, who was graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College and is now employed as assistant cashier of the Valley County Bank of Hinsdale, Montana; Alice May, who is attending Gustavus Adolphus College at St. Peter, and Carl Vernon, who is in high school at Evansville. The Ostroms have a very pleasant home in Evans- ville and take a proper part in the general social activities of the town. They are members of the Swedish Lutheran church, of which Mr. Ostrom is a trustee and of which he has been treasurer for more than twenty years, and take an earnest interest in the various beneficences of the same, as well as in all neighborhood good works, helpful in the promotion of all causes having to do with the betterment of conditions in the community in which they live.
GEORGE H. HAYWOOD.
George H. Haywood, well-known druggist at Osakis, was born in Wayland, Michigan, January 2, 1869, son of Henry and Hannah Haywood, both of whom were born in England.
Henry Haywood was born on July 14, 1845, and was a mere lad of twelve years when he came to America with his parents. His home was in New York until he was about eighteen years old. He then went to Mich- igan and was engaged there as a farmer and a contractor until 1887, when he removed to South Dakota and bought a farm near Aberdeen, where he made his home for the remainder of his active life, his later years being spent at Ortonville, Minnesota, where he died in February, 1911. His wife died in 1909.
George Haywood received his early schooling in the public schools of Wayland, Michigan. He afterwards attended the university at Mitchell, South Dakota, and was graduated from that institution. Upon leaving college he went to farming and was engaged for about six years in farming and stock raising. In 1897 he bought a drug store at Clinton, Minnesota, and was engaged in the drug business at that place for a year and a half ; then removed to Campbell, Minnesota, where he was engaged in the same
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line of business. In addition to this he bought a newspaper outfit and established the W'ilkins County News and was editor and publisher of that paper for some time. In 1903 he moved to Osakis and has since been en- gaged in the drug business there. Mr. Haywood also deals some in real estate, and is himself a large landowner. He has a farm of three hundred and twenty acres in Orange township, Douglas county, and several other farms in Minnesota; also has several hundred acres in North and South Dakota, and has also been the proprietor of several branch stores, which he has sold.
On November 8, 1890, George H. Haywood was united in marriage to Effie Parker, a daughter of E. Parker, of Brookins, South Dakota, and to this union four children have been born, Hazel, Harold, Leo, and Hildreth. Mr. and Mrs. Haywood are members of the Christian church. Mr. Hay- wood's lodge membership is with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and with the Woodmen. Politically, he affiliates with the Republican party.
REV. PETER T. PETERSON.
Rev. Peter T. Peterson, one of the well-known and prominent min- isters of the gospel and farmers, of Elbow Lake township, Grant county, was born in Norway on October 23, 1853, the son of Peter and Gertrude Sorondson, also natives of Norway. It was in the land of his nativity, that Peter Sorondson died in 1876. In 1878 his widow and two sons, Peter T. and Soren T. Peterson, came to the United States. On their arrival in this country, they proceeded to Cass county, Iowa, where they joined an- other son and brother, Halvor Peterson, who had previously come to thi. country and was a young farmer of that county.
Peter and Gertrude Sorondson were the parents of seven children, Halvor, Rachel, Johanna, Soren, Peter T., and two who died-Soren the eldest and Bertha, the youngest. The father and mother were active mem- bers of the Lutheran church and always took much interest in church work. In their home community, in their native land, they were promin- ent in the social and religious life of the same and were held in the highest regard by all who knew them, for their many deeds of kindness.
Peter T. Peterson received his education in the schools of Norway and there grew to manhood. In 1878 he, with his mother and brother, came to the United States and settled in Cass county, Iowa, where Mr. Peter-
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son remained until 1880, when he entered the Augsburg Seminary at Min- neapolis, from which institution he was graduated in 1886. Upon com- pleting his schooling and being ordained to the ministry he served in the pastoral relation at Elbow Lake and vicinity until 1899, in which year he went to the states of Washington and Oregon, where he served as a mis- sionary for one year, at the end of which time, in 1900, he returned to El- bow Lake and located on a farm in section 22 of Elbow Lake township, where he began the development and improvement of his two-hundred-acre farm. He later became pastor of the church at North Ottawa, and now rents his farm, but continues to take much interest in the management of the same. Politically, Mr. Peterson has been a Prohibitionist for many years and has taken an active part in the affairs of that party.
In 1886 the Rev. Peter T. Peterson was united in marriage to Inge- borg Pikop, the daughter of Anders Pikop, who is mentioned elsewhere in this work. Mr. and Mrs. Peterson adopted the two orphan children of Daniel and Anna Ramstad. These children were Ida, who died at the age of eighteen, and Alfred, who was graduated from the school at Fergus Falls and is now a nurse in the state hospital at that place. Mr. Peterson's life has been an active one and he has accomplished much good during his long years in the ministry. He has always had the confidence and respect of the community and the love of the people to whom he has acted as spir- itual advisor.
LEWIS S. KENT.
Lewis S. Kent, sheriff of Douglas county and owner of the transfer line at Alexandria, is a native son of Minnesota and has lived in this state all his life. He was born in Melrose, Stearns county, July 16, 1872, a son of Frank Kent, born in Maine, and Elvira (Fadden) Kent, a native of New York state.
In 1851 Frank Kent came to Minnesota and located for a short time at Stillwater. He then went to St. Anthony Falls, now a part of Minneapolis, and after a short time there went to St. Cloud, where he resided for several years. While there he was employed as a freighter from St. Cloud to Ft. Abercrombie, Georgetown and Ft. Gary. Afterward he removed to Melrose and engaged in the freighting business from that place to Alexandria, before the latter place had a railroad. In 1878, after the railroad reached Alexan- dria, he moved to the latter village and started a transfer line which he operated until about 1905, and continued to reside there until his death,
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which occured on October 13. 1908. He was the father of six children : Charles F., Le Rona, George H., Eugene F., Lewis S. and Harry B. He was a member of the Congregational church and his lodge affiliation was with the Masonic order.
Lewis S. Kent was educated in the public schools of Alexandria, graduat- ing from the high school of that city. During his early years he worked with his father in the transfer business, and, in 1895, bought a half interest in the business. In 1905 he bought his father's interest and became the sole owner of the transfer line. In 1910 he was elected sheriff of Douglas county and has continued to serve in that official position since. His present term will expire in 1919.
On February 27, 1895, Lewis S. Kent was united in marriage to Mattie Aldrich, a daughter of John W. Aldrich, of Brandon township, Douglas county, and to this union have been born three children, Frank, Ronald and Kathryn. The Kents are members of the Congregational church. Sheriff Kent is a Republican and an active worker in that party. He served for twelve years as deputy sheriff before he was elected to the office of sheriff.
A. WATERS WELLS.
A. Waters Wells, cashier of the Grant County State Bank at Herman, was born in Jordan, Scott county, Minnesota, July 4, 1873, son of Major Rufus P. Wells, who was born in Canada, April 7, 1834, and Mary E. (Casswell) Wells, who was born near Troy, New York, January 5, 1847.
As a young man Rufus P. Wells came to Minnesota, about 1855, and found employment working in the pineries for some time. Later he re- moved to Bellplaine, Minnesota, and after remaining there for a short time went to Jordan, Minnesota, where he was engaged in operating a merchant grist-mill. That was about 1858, and he remained there, with the exception of the time spent as a soldier during the Civil War, until 1883, when he sold out and moved to Herman, Grant county, where he organized the Grant County Bank and was elected president of that organization. He was also a member of the firm of Wells Brothers, general merchants, at that place, and was identified with extensive farming interests in Grant county. On January 9, 1911, he was elected chairman of the board of di- rectors of the bank with which he was connected, and held that position until his death, in September, 1914. Major Wells was married on March (Ioa)
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4, 1869, and was the father of seven children, namely: A. W., the subject of this sketch; J. Raymond, born on July 12, 1877; Azelia V .; James P., born on December 12, 1880; Betsy L .; Geo. L., now deceased, and Marian E., who married T. E. Archer, of St. Paul, Minn. The widowed mother is still living, making her home in Herman.
Major Rufus P. Wells, was an adherent of the Methodist Episcopal church and was affiliated with the Republican party. He had served as president of the village council, and also as president of the school board. He was affiliated with the Grand Army of the Republic and was a Royal Arch Mason, Knight Templar and a member of the Knights of Pythias.
When the Civil War came on Rufus P. Wells was among those from Minnesota who early responded to the call of President Lincoln for volun- teers to aid in the suppression of the rebellion. On October 21, 1861, he enlisted in Company A, Fourth Regiment, Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, and was mustered into the United States service with that regiment at Ft. Snelling. On June 1I, 1863, he was promoted to first lieutenant of his company and on February 17, 1864, was commissioned captain of the company. Later he was commissioned brevet-major of the regiment. Major Wells was with his regiments in all the campaigns and battles in which it engaged. The Fourth Minnesota was a part of Sherman's Army in the Atlanta campaign, was with Sherman in his march to the sea, then up through the Carolinas, and was in the final engagements of the war in North Carolina. The regiment then moved on through Richmond to Wash- ington, and Major Wells was with his regiment in the Grand Review of the armies of Grant and Sherman in Washington at the close of the war. The Fourth Minnesota then moved with the other troops in that command to Louisville, where it was mustered out on July 19, 1865.
The maternal grandfather of A. W. Wells was George W. Caswell, who was born in New Lebanon, New York, and who died on November 14, 1891. He followed the occupation of a farmer in New York. His wife's maiden name was Charlotte Clark. She was born at Hoag's Corner, New York, July 15, 1820, and died on July 8, 1906. Their children were Charles M., born in 1843, and Mary E., mother of the subject of this sketch. The paternal grandfather was Abel Waters Wells, who was born in New England in 1808, and who died in March, 1877. The maiden name of his wife was Hannah Cass. She was born in 1808 and died on February 24, 1901. Grandfather Wells was a farmer in Canada and has in later years made his home with his son, Major Rufus P. Wells, in Jordan, Minnesota. He was the father of eight children, Polly, Ann, Rufus P., Abel Waters, Joseph,
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who was a soldier in the Civil War and was killed in the battle of Gettys- burg, Azelia, Alpheus and Harry.
A. Waters Wells received his elementary schooling in the public schools of Herman and later attended Carlton College at Northfield for two years. In 1893 he attended the Minnesota Business College at Minneapolis, com- pleting the course in that institution and graduating therefrom in that year. Upon leaving college he engaged in the mercantile business at Litchfield for about a year. In 1894 he was in the employ of Griggs, Cooper & Company, wholesale grocers at St. Paul, as profit clerk. After about a year at that place he took a position as city bookkeeper with the wholesale grocery firm of J. H. Allen & Company, of St. Paul. In 1895 he went to Herman and took a position as bookkeeper in the Grant County Bank. In 1896 he went to Morris as bookkeeper in the Stevens County Bank, remaining there until the fall of 1897, when he returned to the Grant County Bank at Herman, to take the position of cashier of that institution. The following year he was elected vice-president of the bank, and held that position until the re-organ- ization of the same, in February, 1906, as the Grant County State Bank. On the re-organization of the bank Mr. Wells was elected cashier and has since held that position. Mr. Wells is also president of the Wells, Helgeson Company, dealers in general merchandise, at Herman; is a stockholder in the Stevens County State Bank; a director in the Twin City Fire Insurance Company, of Minneapolis, and is also largely interested in the farming bus- iness.
On October 2, 1901, A. W. Wells was married to Nena S. Olson, who was born on February 5, 1878, the daughter of Paul Olson Eriksrud, and to this union has been born one child, Mary Elaine, born on April 6, 1905. Mr. Wells is an adherent of the Methodist Episcopal church, and affiliates with the Republican party in politics. He has served as president of the village council and as secretary of the school board. He is a thirty-second degree Mason and a Knight Templar, affiliated with the Minnesota Consis- tory, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, at St. Paul; with Bethel Commandery, Knights Templar, at Morris; with the Mt. Lebanon Chapter. Royal Arch Masons; with Prescott Lodge No. 162, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, in which lodge he has filled all the chairs, and is a noble of Osman Temple, Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, at St. Paul. He also holds membership in Lodge No. 1093, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, at Fergus Falls, and is likewise a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, a member of the Brotherhood of American Yeomen and a non- resident member of the Minneapolis Athletic Club, in the affairs of all of which organizations he takes a warm interest.
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OLE W. HARRISON.
Ole W. Harrison, cashier of the State Bank of Kensington and one of the best-known young bankers in this part of the state, having located at Kensington in 19II after a varied and valuable experience in banks through- out this section of the state and in North Dakota, is a native of the kingdom of Norway, but has been a resident of Minnesota since the days of his child- hood and is therefore as much a Minnesotan as one "native and to the manner born." He was born on February 29, 1888, and was but a child when his parents, Hans and Otelia Harrison, came to Minnesota and settled on a farm in the immediate vicinity of the city of Breckenridge, in Wilkin county, where they are still living.
Reared on the home farm near Breckenridge, Ole W. Harrison re- ceived his elementary schooling in the public schools of that city and supple- mented the same by a course in the Park Region College at Fergus Falls, from which he was graduated in 1909. Before completing his college course Mr. Harrison had had some experience in banking, as a clerk in the bank at Doran, and upon leaving college entered the bank at Drake, North Dakota, as stenographer and secretary to Harold Thorson, who is now vice-president of the bank with which he is connected at Kensington. From the bank at Drake Mr. Harrison was sent to the bank at Enderlin, North Dakota, where he served as assistant cashier for some time, afterward being sent, as assist- ant cashier, to the State Bank of Kensington, but after three weeks of ser- vice there was transferred back to the bank at Enderlin, where he resumed his former position as assistant cashier, but was presently sent back to Drake and after a brief service as assistant cashier of the bank at that place, re- sumed his former position as assistant cashier of the bank at Enderlin, but after six weeks of that service was again sent back to Kensington, where he acted as assistant cashier of the State Bank there for six weeks, at the end of which time he was made the assistant cashier of the Citizens State Bank of Morris, later being transferred to the First State Bank at Buttzville, North Dakota, where he served as cashier until he was transferred to the First National Bank at Roseau, this state, where he served as assistant cashier until the spring of 1911, when he was sent back to Kensington and has since then been serving as cashier of the State Bank of that place, being widely recognized as one of the most experienced and energetic young bankers in this part of the state. In 1912 Mr. Harrison helped to organize the First State Bank of Silva, North Dakota, and has since been a member of the board of directors of the same.
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The present officiary of the State Bank of Kensington is as follow : President, C. H. Raiter, of Alexandria; vice-president, Harold Thorson, of St. Paul, and cashier, Ole W. Harrison, of Kensington, the latter being the practical manager of the bank. Mr. Harrison is a member of the United Lutheran church and takes a warm interest in all local good works, as well as in the general social activities of his home town, helpful in pro- moting all measures designed to advance the general welfare hereabout, and is looked upon as one of the "live wires" in the commercial life of this sec- tion of the state.
KNUTE HAUGEN.
Knute Haugen, on of the successful and well known farmers of Gor- ton township, Grant county, was born in Norway on March 24, 1874, the son of Thore and Ingeborg Haugen, natives of Norway, who are still living in the land of their nativity, he at the age of seventy-nine years and she, at the age of seventy-eight years. They are the parents of seven chil- dren, Inger, Rasmus, Eli, Louisa, Knute, Ole and Severena, all of whom are living.
Knute Haugen received his education in the public schools of his native country and there grew to manhood. He continued to reside in the land of his birth until 1893, when he decided that he would come to America. After his arrival in the United States he came directly to Min- nesota and engaged as a farm hand in Grant county, presently renting land there and was thus engaged as a tenant farmer for twenty-two years, at the end of which time he purchased a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in section 24 of Gorton township, on which farm he has since made his home. He set out most of the beautiful grove that now adds so much to the attractiveness of the farm and has developed the land and made most of the present improvements on the place. He is engaged in general farm- ing and stock raising, in which he has been quite successful, and is today recognized as one of the successful and substantial farmers and stockmen of the township. He is a firm believer in intensive farming and in the thorough cultivation of the soil, as well as in the keeping of the best of stock.
Politically, Mr. Haugen is identified with the Republican party and has always taken an active interest in local affairs. He believes in sub- stantial public improvements and is an advocate of all developments that
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tend to add to the betterment and to the growth of the township and the county. He has for six years been a member of the school board and is now, and has been for the past thirteen years, a member of the board of township supervisors. His ability as a public official is recognized in the community and his services and his work have been greatly appreciated by the residents of his township.
On July 5, 1897, Knute Haugen was united in marriage to Jennie Larson, who was born on October 21, 1877, in Goodhue county, this state, daughter of Lars Knutson, whose family history is given on another page of this work. To this union eight children have been born, Theodore, Iver, Ina, Emil, Carl, Josephius, Edwin and Abner, all of whom are living save Ina. Mr. and Mrs. Haugen are active members of the United Lu- theran church and have always been interested in church work. They are prominent in the social and religious life of the community and are held in the highest regard and esteem by all who know them. They are a hos- pitable people and take much pleasure in the entertainment of their neigh- bors and friends.
W. T. ZIEBARTH.
W. T. Ziebarth, former member of the board of commissioners of Grant county and who now is engaged in the real-estate and insurance busi- ness at Herman, was born at Delano, Wright county, Minnesota, April 30, 1866, a son of William and Sophia (Boerner) Ziebarth, both natives of Germany. His father came to America in 1854 and located on the home- stead where he now lives. He is one of the oldest settlers in Wright county, and has continued to live on the homestead, which he first settled in 1856, and has been engaged in general farming all these years. He is the father of six children; of whom the subject of this sketch is the eldest, the others being A. W., Sarah, who married Joe Rummuell; Elwine, who married William Riep; Emil and Fred.
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