USA > Minnesota > Grant County > History of Douglas and Grant counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 16
USA > Minnesota > Douglas County > History of Douglas and Grant counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 16
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Constant Larson was reared on the home farm in Alexandria town- ship, a valuable assistant, in the days of his youth, in the development and improvement of the same, and received his elementary schooling in the primitive district school of that neighborhood, the first school he attended having been in a little log school house in district No. 22. He later entered the high school at Alexandria and was graduated from that school with the class of 1889, later entering the University of Minnesota, from which insti- tution he was graduated in 1893, with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. Thus equipped by preliminary study, Mr. Larson entered the law department of the University and was graduated from the same in 1894, in which year he was admitted to the bar and opened an office for the practice of his pro- fession at Alexandria, where he ever since has been thus engaged. For ten years Mr. Larson served as county attorney for Douglas county and he is now city attorney for the city of Alexandria. At the time of the creation of the city of Alexandria he was secretary of the charter committee and is now chairman of that committee. Mr. Larson is a Republican and for years has given his earnest attention to the civic affairs of his home city and county and of the state in general, his efforts in that connection ever having been directed in behalf of the cause of good local government. He is a member of the Minnesota State Bar Association and of the Commercial Law League of America and takes a warm interest in the affairs of both of these organizations.
On July 15, 1895, at Minneapolis, Constant Larson was united in mar- riage to Maud E. Merrifield, who was born in that city, daughter of James S. and Maria ( Merrifield) Merrifield, natives of the state of Maine, who moved to Minneapolis many years ago, Mr. Merrifield there engaging in the lumber business, and to this union one child has been born, a daughter, Lorayne, who is now a student at the Emerson College of Oratory and Dramatic Art at Boston, Massachusetts. Mr. and Mrs. Larson are mem- bers of the Congregational church at Alexandria and take an active interest (IIa)
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in the various beneficences of the same, as well as in the general social activities of the community. For years Mr. Larson has been deeply inter- ested in all matters relating to the early settlement of this section of Minne- sota and for that reason he was made editor of the historical section of this work.
GUSTAV ABEL STARK.
Gustav Abel Stark, secretary-treasurer and general manager of the Kensington Hardware and Lumber Company, incorporated, at Kensington and actively identified with other business interests there and at Elbow Lake, is a native son of Minnesota and has lived in this state all his life. He was born on a farm in McLeod county, June 30, 1873, son of Franz Ludwig and Anna Charlotte (Moberg) Stark, natives of the kingdom of Sweden, who came to America in 1867, proceeding directly to Minnesota and settling on a homestead farm in McLeod county, where they remained until 1886, when they moved to Stevens county, where Mr. Stark's last days were spent and where his widow still lives. They were the parents of ten children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the fourth in order of birth, the others being Andrew, Amos, Amanda, John, Axel, Anna, Otto, Joseph and Mary.
Gustav A. Stark was reared on the homestead farm in McLeod county and received his schooling in the schools of that neighborhood, remaining on the farm, a valued assistant to his father in the work of developing and improving the same. He was married in 1896, the year in which his parents moved to Stevens county, and in that county he established his home, farm- ing there until 1909, when he bought a third interest in the Kensington Hardware and Lumber Company at Kensington, of which company he was made the vice-president, and moved to that village, where he since has made his home. In 1911 he became the secretary and treasurer of the company and has since been the general manager of the extensive estab- lishment maintained by that company at Kensington. Mr. Stark also is interested in the Elbow Lake Hardware and Lumber Company and in the Lowry Hardware and Furnishing Company, of which latter concern he is the president, and also is actively identified with the Kensington Mercan- tile Company, being recognized as one of the most energetic and enter- prising business men in his community. He is a member of the local lodge of the Modern Woodmen of America and takes a warm interest in the affairs of that organization.
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On February 2, 1896, Gustav A. Stark was united in marriage to Sophia Stetten, who was born in the neighboring county of Pope, daughter of Erik Stetten and wife, natives of Norway and pioneers in Pope county, and a sister of K. E. Stetten, manager of the Elbow Lake Hardware and Lumber Company, and to this union nine children have been born, Frances, Alvin, Edna, Stanley, Edith, Pearl, Edith, Roy and Ralph. Mr. and Mrs. Stark are members of the Lutheran church and take an earnest interest in the general beneficences of the same, as well as in all local good works, being among the leaders in the work of promoting the best interests of their home town and of the community at large.
CHARLES W. MECKSTROTH, M. D.
Dr. Charles W. Meckstroth, well-known physician and surgeon at Brandon, is a native son of Minnesota and has lived in this state all his life. He was born in the city of LeSueur on September 7, 1872, son of August and Caroline Meckstroth, the former of whom, a druggist, died in that city twenty-five years ago and the latter of whom is still living, now a resident of Blue Earth, this state. August Meckstroth and wife were the parents of four children, all of whom are living, those besides the subject of this sketch, who is the eldest, being Adaline, Arthur and Minnie.
Following his graduation from the high school at LeSueur in 1890 Charles W. Meckstroth spent a year as a student in the academic depart- ment of Hamline University and then entered the medical department of the University of Minnesota, from which he was graduated in the spring of 1895. In that same spring he passed the state board's examination and for a year thereafter was engaged as an interne at St. Joseph's hospital at St. Paul. Thus admirably equipped for the practice of his profession, Doctor Meckstroth opened an office at Evansville, in 1896, remaining there about five years, at the end of which time he moved to Brandon, where he ever since has been located and where he has built up an extensive practice, long having been recognized as one of the leading physicians in that part of the county. Doctor Meckstroth is secretary of the Brandon Grain Com- pany, a director in the same, and takes an active interest in the general busi- ness activities of his home community, ever a willing promoter of move- ments designed to advance the common welfare thereabout. He is a Repub- lican and at different times has been an active worker in local campaigns.
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He is a Mason, past master of Evansville Lodge No. 214, and is a member of the local lodge of the Woodmen, in the affairs of both of which organi- zations he takes a warm interest.
In 1899 Doctor Meckstroth was united in marriage to Lottie Johnson and to this union two children have been born, Eunice and Orrin. Doctor and Mrs. Meckstroth have a very pleasant home at Brandon and take a proper part in the social activities of their home town and of the commun- ity at large.
CALMER E. THORSTENSON.
Calmer E. Thorstenson, manager of the Northwestern elevator at Ashby, was born in Clitheral township, Ottertail county, Minnesota, June 18, 1887, son of Carl O. and Mina (Loken) Thorstenson, both natives of Norway.
Carl O. Thorstenson was a young man when he came to America and was among the early settlers of Ottertail county, Minnesota. He took a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres of government land in Clitheral township of that county. That was wild, unimproved land at that time, but with the energy and industry characteristic of the people who came from Norway to this country, Mr. Thorstenson soon had the land in a good state of cultivation. He put up buildings for a residence and for farm purposes and established a comfortable home in which he has lived ever since, and in which he has reared a family of ten children, Thorsten, Eliza, Josephine, Hans, Clara, Sarah, Calmer E., Lawrence, Ole and May. The Norwegian Lutheran is the family church.
Calmer E. Thorstenson received his early education in the public schools of Clitheral township and later attended Park Region Lutheran College at Fergus Falls. In 1907 he went to Valley City, North Dakota, where he was engaged in buying grain for the Powers elevator people. Afterward he removed to Bowesmont, Pembina county, North Dakota. In August of 1910, he moved to Ashby and took the position of manager of the North- western Elevator Company, at that place, and has ever since been thus engaged.
In 1914 Calmer E. Thorstenson and Agnes Krogh were united in mar- riage. They have one child, Frederick Woodard. They are members of the Norwegian Lutheran church.
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KNUTE SWORE,
The subject of this sketch is of Norwegian birth and ancestry. He was born in Nordfjord, Norway, August 1, 1868. His parents were Rasmus K. and Kari (Flore) Swore, both natives of Norway. They were a part of the great colony of hardy, enterprising and industrious Norwegians who came into Minnesota in the early history of the state, and who have con- tributed so largely to the development of the lands and the industrial inter- ests of the state.
The father of our subject came with his family to Minnesota in the spring of 1881, and located at Benson, Swift county. His first employment after locating there was working on the Great Northern railroad, in which work he continued for about two years. Afterward he settled on a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Chippewa county, which he bought some time later. After a few years he laid a claim on an adjoining tract of one hundred and sixty acres, upon which there was a disputed title. He moved on to that claim and had his home there for about twenty years, most of which time he was in litigation for the right of homestead on the land, living in uncertainty as to whether his claim would be established in court. He finally won his case by a decision of the superior court, and the place has since continued to be the family homestead. The wife and mother died on the old homestead in Benson. The family consists of nine children: Knute, John A., Olaf, Emma, Einar, Sigurd, Ragna, Marie and Eivind. The Nor- wegian Lutheran is the family church.
The subject of this sketch had very little public school training in his early years. His father, who was a well educated man, taught his own chil- dren, and to him our subject is indebted for what he received in the way of educational attainment in his youthful years. At the age of twelve he began work. About a year later he returned to Osakis and took a store position for an occupation in which he was engaged for about two years. In 1884 he went to Osakis and was employed there in his uncle's store as a clerk, in which he continued for about three years. At that time his uncle sold his store and our subject returned to Chippewa county and again took up farm work. About a year later he returned to Osakis and took a store position for another of his uncles, working with him for about two years. In the mean- time the uncle with whom he was first employed had gone into business again and our subject returned to his employ. In 1893, Mr. Swore, with W. P. Long, bought out that store and took over the business in partnership. This
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partnership continued for about five years, at the end of which time Mr. Swore bought his partner's interest and took into the firm as partners his brother and E. H. Erickson, the business being continued under the firm name of Swore Brothers & Erickson. After two years the brother with- drew from the firm, and two years later Mr. Swore bought Erickson's inter- est and conducted the business alone for about three years. As the business was not proving to be sufficiently remunerative to justify its continuance Mr. Swore closed out the stock and discontinued business at that time. During the following three years he clerked for George Herberger, and in the spring of 1911 he again engaged in business for himself, associated with Bernard Olson and Peter Stenoien as partners. Nine months later Stenoien retired from the firm and William R. Baker was taken into the firm. In 1913 the firm was again changed by Mr. Swore buying the interest of his two partners and taking the entire management of the business himself, which he has since continued. He does a general merchandise business, his line including clothing, furnishing goods and groceries.
Mr. Swore married Mary Lysing, daughter of Jens K. and Emma Lysing, and to this union four children have been born, Ida Clara (deceased), Rudolph L., Edna M., and Kermit. Rudolph Swore was graduated from the local high school and attended St. Olaf College for two years, and is still a student. Edna M. and Kermit are attending the local schools. Mr. and Mrs. Swore are members of the Norwegian Lutheran church. He is independent in politics. He served as village recorder in 1914; is at present a member of the school board, and has been clerk of that board for nine years. His lodge affiliations are with the Masons and the Woodmen.
OSCAR AMUNDSON.
Oscar Amundson, one of Grant county's best-known and most sub- stantial young farmers, proprietor of a fine place of one hundred and sixty acres in North Ottawa township and former constable of that township, is a native son of Grant county and has lived in the county all his life. He was born on the old Amundson homestead in North Ottawa township, near his present place of residence, March 8, 1884, son of Ole A. and Sarah (Reierson) Amundson, natives of the kingdom of Norway, who came to this country following their marriage in 1881 and in the spring of 1882 homesteaded a quarter of a section in North Ottawa township, Grant county,
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establishing there a home in which they are still living, honored and respected pioneer residents of that part of the county. In a biographical sketch relat- ing to Ole A. Amundson, presented elsewhere in this volume, there is set out in detail a history of the family in Grant county, to which the atten- tion of the reader is respectfully invited in this connection.
Reared on the homestead farm on which he was born, Oscar Amund- son received his schooling in the local schools of that neighborhood and remained at home, a valued assistant in the work of developing the home place, until his marriage in 1910, when he established his home on the quarter section on which he is now living, a part of the extensive land holdings acquired thereabout by his father, and has ever since been managing the place and has done very well. Mr. Amundson is a Republican and has taken an active part in local civic affairs, having served as constable of his town- ship and as clerk of his local school district.
It was on June 15, 1910, that Oscar Amundson was united in marriage to Maud Wilcox, who was born in the state of Nebraska, daughter of Robert and Ida (Lee) Wilcox, who later moved to Eagle Grove, Iowa, and thence to Minnesota, locating in Grant county, where they have since made their home, and to this union four children have been born, a baby boy, who died unnamed; Robert, Thelma and Amber. Mr. and Mrs. Amundson are members of the Norwegian Lutheran church and take a warm interest in the general beneficences of the same, as well as in all local good works, helpful factors in the promotion of all movements having to do with the advancement of the welfare of the community in which they live.
A. M. ANDERSON.
A. M. Anderson, one of the prominent and successful farmers, of LaGrand township, Douglas county, was born in Sweden, on February 3, 1869, being the son of Andrew and Lisa ( Johnson) Mattson, who were born in Sweden, and there received their education in the public schools, grew to manhood and womanhood and were there married. As a young man Andrew Mattson engaged in farming and he and his wife remained residents of their native country until 1882, in which year they and their family came to Minne- sota and located near Brophy Lake. They then moved to the farm, where the son, A. M. Anderson, now lives and there they remained for two years, after which time they bought a piece of land by Lobster Lake, where they
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stayed for twenty years. Now they live near Holmes City. To Andrew and Lisa Mattson have been born the following children: Andrew M., Inga Marie, John, Peter, Martha, Alma, Carolina, Anna and Fred, all of whom are living save Inga Marie, Peter and Anna.
A. M. Anderson received the greater part of his education in the schools of his native land, having attended school but two or three months in Minne- sota. He was but thirteen years of age when he came to the United States with his mother, one year after the father had come here. As a lad he assisted on the farm in his native land and has always followed that work. He has been on his present farm of one hundred and sixty acres, in LaGrand township for the past thirteen years. He erected the barn and repaired and remodeled the house, as well as making many other valuable improvements on the place. He is engaged in general farming and stock raising and has been quite successful.
In 1902 A. M. Anderson was united in marriage to Ellen Holmberg, who also was born in Sweden, daughter of Carl Holmberg, who died at his home in Douglas county some years ago, and to this union have been born the following children: Elmer, Edna Conrancy, Myrtle Olivia, Hazel Mildred, Harold William and Clifford Marvin.
TORGJELS KNUTSON.
An enterprising merchant and farmer of the village of Garfield, is Torg- jels Knutson, who was born in Norway, December 5, 1864. He is a son of Knut Torgjelson and Gertrude Jenson, natives of Norway where they grew up and were married. The father engaged in commercial fishing, owning a number of small boats, at the town of Akrehaven.
The subject of this sketch grew up in Norway and attended school there. He came to America in 1883, single, landing in Boston, Massachusetts, but he came on west to Minnesota and has since made his home at Garfield, where he has been engaged in mercantile pursuits for a period of thirty-two years, handling all kinds of hardware and farming implements and of recent years the Ford and Overland automobiles. He is the only merchant in that locality who has survived the vicissitudes or hard times, panics and crop failures for three decades. This fact indicates that he has managed well, been courageous and has dealt honestly with his customers. He has pur- chased his stock of hardware for thirty years from the same wholesale firm
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in St. Paul. He came near giving up his business just after the grasshopper plague here, having lost his capital; but the St. Paul firm induced him to stock up again for the coming year and they would take the risk, and in a few years he became one of the most substantial men financially in that part of Douglas county. He is a stockholder in the Bank of Garfield and is one of its directors; also owns stock in the Garfield elevator and in the creamery there, and served on the board of directors of the latter for twelve years. He also owns a butcher shop in Garfield, which he rents. He is owner of about six hundred acres of valuable land in Ida, Moe and LaGrand town- ships.
Mr. Knutson was married on October 28, 1888, to Johannah Marie Oleson, who was born on April 25, 1870. Her father, Johannes Oleson. was the first man married in Douglas county, whose license was recorded. He took up a homestead in section II, Moe township. To Mr. and Mrs. Knutson seven children have been born, Alfred, Knut, Rosie, Helge, Law- rence, Henry and May. Knut Knutson married Ida Bergsten and lives near Garfield. The rest of the children are at home.
Mr. Knutson is now taking life easier than formerly, having turned the management of his business over, very largely, to his sons. He built a mod- ern, commodious and well-appointed residence in 1916, just at the edge of the village. It has electric lights, hot and cold water and bath and is ele- gantly furnished. Politically, Mr. Knutson is a Republican. He and his wife belong to the Norwegian Lutheran church. He was president of the township board for several years.
OLE. ANDREW AMUNDSEN.
Ole Andrew Amundsen, a well-known and substantial pioneer farmer of Grant county and proprietor of a fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres in North Ottawa township, is a native of the kingdom of Norway, but has been a resident of Minnesota since 1882, in which year he became a home- steader in Grant county and has ever since been a resident of the county. He was born in Christiansand on November 2, 1852, son of Amund and Inga Mary (Torgersdatter ) Sorenson, both of whom spent all their lives in their native land and who were the parents of four children, of whom the subject of this biographical sketch was the second in order of birth, the others being as follow : Silas, a farmer and fisherman, who still lives in Norway;
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Edward Tobias, a well-to-do farmer living in New Zealand, and Ole, who died in his native land in the days of his youth.
Reared on a farm, Ole A. Amundson received his schooling in local schools and continued farming in his native land until his marriage at the age of twenty-nine, when, in 1881, he and his bride set sail for the United States, proceeding directly upon their arrival at port to Wisconsin, where they had friends living and where for three months, or until he had got his bearings, Mr. Amundson worked at farm labor. He then came with his wife over into this part of Minnesota, settling in Grant county, and in the spring of 1882 homesteaded a quarter of a section in section 26 of North Ottawa township and there established his home. The country thereabout at that time was all wild prairie land and the neighbors were few and far between. Upon taking up his residence on his homestead Mr. Amundson erected a small frame shanty that served as a shelter for him and his wife for a couple of years, at the end of which time he built a new and much more commodious dwelling, a part of which is still in use, a part of his present comfortable farm house, which was erected years later. The barn and other improvements on the farm are in keeping and Mr. Amundson has a very well-equipped farm plant. As he prospered in his farming operations he bought an additional quarter section for his eldest son, Oscar, who is now living on and operating the same. In addition to his general farming Mr. Amundson has given considerable attention to stock raising and has done very well. He is a Republican and for many years served as school director in his local district.
It was in the spring of 1881 that Ole A. Amundson was married, in Christiansand, to Sarah Reierson, who also was born in Norway, a daughter of Reier Larson and wife, the former of whom is still living in Norway and the latter of whom died some years ago, and to this union nine children have been born, namely: Mary, who married Simon Larson and lives at Nor- cross; Oscar, a substantial young farmer, who lives on the quarter section adjoining that of his father's old homestead and a biographical sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this volume; Richard, who is married and lives on a nearby farm; Inga, who is at home, and Tilla, Ole, Annie, Mattie and Nina, also at home. Besides these, Mr. and Mrs. Amundson have adopted two children, Selmer (Larson) Amundson and Lester Carlson. Richard J. Amundson, the second son, was born on the homestead farm on March 25, 1886, and grew to manliood there, becoming a carpenter and later a sales- man. In 1914 he bought, in partnership with E. L. Brewster, a quarter of
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a section of land in North Ottawa township and has since made his home there. He was married in December, 1911, to Effie Ellen Brewster, a daugh- ter of L. L. Brewster, a biographical sketch of whom is presented elsewhere in this volume, and to this union two children have been born, Lloyd Lewis and Forest Brewster. Ole A. Amundson and wife are members of the United Lutheran church and their children were reared in that faith, the family ever taking an active interest in church affairs and all local good works. In 1914 Mr. Amundson made a trip back to his native land and spent six weeks pleasantly reviewing the scenes of his childhood and early manhood, but was well content to return to the adopted land which has treated him so well in the way of rewarding his industry and enterprise by affording him a competence against the time of his declining years.
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