USA > Minnesota > Grant County > History of Douglas and Grant counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 17
USA > Minnesota > Douglas County > History of Douglas and Grant counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 17
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C. J. STENE.
C. J. Stene, one of the well known and successful merchants, of Ashby, was born in Norway on February 24, 1865, being the son of John and Mary Stene.
John and Mary Stene were born in Norway and received their edu- cation in the public schools, grew to manhood and womanhood and were mar- ried in 1862. John Stene came to America in 1867 and after his arrival in this country, came direct to Minnesota, where he worked as a farm hand for some time and then homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land in section 9 of Pelican Lake township, Grant county. His wife and family joined him in 1870, they having remained in their native land for three years after the husband and father came to this country. That farm he developed and improved and there he engaged in general farming until the time of his death, which occurred in 1884, at the age of fifty-four years. His widow died in 1887, at the age of fifty-four years. To Mr. and Mrs. Stene were born three sons, John M., C. J. and Edward. John M. Stene is a farmer of . Grant county and Edward Stene is professor of agriculture in the col- lege at Kingston.
John Stene was a man of much business ability, an excellent farmer, and was successful during his residence in this state. At the time of his death he was the owner of three hundred and sixty acres of land, on which he had made many substantial improvements. He took much interest in local affairs, and did much for the growth and development of the district.
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He served as a member of the board of supervisors for many years, and assisted in the organization of the Norwegian Lutheran church in his home township. He and his wife took much interest in the social and religious life of the community and were held in the highest esteem by all who knew them.
C. J. Stene was educated in the common schools of Pelican Lake town- ship and grew to manhood on the home farm, where as a lad he assisted his father with the work. In June, 1894, he was united in marriage to Olianna Rohn, and located on his father's homestead farm, where he now resides, in the house that his father built. Though living in the country, he conducts his extensive business in the town of Ashby, where he is engaged in the hardware business, in which he has been engaged since 1913. He carries a stock of goods to the amount of five thousand dollars, is doing a fine busi- ness, and has the confidence and the respect of the community. In addi- tion to his farm interests, he is the owner of stock in the bank at Ashby, as well as in the Farmers Elevator Company and in the Ashby creamery.
To C. J. and Olianna Stene have been born the following children : Manfred, Oscar, Alma, Clara, Edwin, Bernice, Dagmar, Helen and Ella. Mr. and Mrs. Stene are active members of the Norwegian Lutheran church and take much interest in church work. Mr. Stene has long been identified with township affairs, and has served on the board of supervisors for the past twenty years and has served on the school board for twenty-five years.
JOHN O. WESTERN.
John O. Western, a well-known and successful business man of Ashby, was born in Fillmore county, Minnesota, on December 25, 1870, the son of Ole and Carrie Western, natives of Norway, who with their family, in 1862, came to the United States and located in Fillmore county, Minnesota. After locating in this state, Ole Western followed his trade as a carpenter for a number of years. In 1878 he removed to four miles south of Ashby, where he engaged in farming. In 1881 he moved to Ashby, where he worked as a carpenter until his death in 1914. Mrs. Western died when John O. was but a child. They were the parents of four children, Anna, Ida, Caroline and John O.
John O. Western grew to manhood in Grant county and received his education in the public schools. After completing his education, he began
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life as a clerk in the stores of Ashiby, where he was at various times employed by a number of the merchants. George T. Hoff, a brother-in-law, and Mr. Western were associated in the general mercantile business for three years. On his retirement from the firm, Mr. Western was employed by A. O. Stoo in the lumber business. He remained here three years, at the end of which time the business was sold to the Ashby Lumber Company and Mr. Western was made manager, which position he still holds.
In 1894 John O. Western was united in marriage to Clara Johnson, of Ottertail county and the daughter of Andres Johnson and wife. To this union have been born the following children : Alvin, Clarence, Ina, Chester, Eva, Leonard, Howard and Kenneth. The family are active members of the Norwegian Lutheran church.
Mr. Western has always taken an active interest in local affairs, and his activity in all lines of social, church and civic work has done much for the development of the community. As an evidence of the regard in which he is held, he has been elected to many of the official positions of the village.
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OLE S. SKINNEMOEN.
Ole S. Skinnemoen, one of the most substantial and progressive farm- ers in Grant county, owner of a fine farm of four hundred acres in Stony Brook township, a director of the Wendell State Bank at Wendell, one of the leading stockholders of the Farmers Elevator Company at that place and for years an active factor in the development of his home community, is a native son of Grant county and has lived there all his life. He was born on the old Skinnemoen homestead farm in Stony Brook township, July 15, 1873, son of Stiner S. Skinnemoen and wife, who were among the earliest settlers of that part of Grant county and who are still living on the place they homesteaded in 1871, honored and respected pioneer residents of that .community.
Reared on the old homestead place, Ole S. Skinnemoen received his schooling in the Stony Brook schools and from boyhood was an able assistant to his father in the labors of developing the home place, remaining at home until 1914, when he entered upon the occupancy of the fine farm of four hundred acres, of which he had in the meantime become the owner, about one-half mile south of the old home place. He erected a fine house on the place, put up a roomy and modern barn and otherwise added to the improve-
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ments until he has one of the best improved farms in the neighborhood. He is one of the pioneer alfalfa raisers of Grant county and now has about seventy acres planted to that grass. Mr. Skinnemoen, in addition to his general farming, has given considerable attention to the raising of pure-bred live stock and has a fine lot of Shorthorn cattle and Percheron horses. He also has given his close attention to the general business affairs of the community and is regarded as among the most active and influential citizens of that part of the county. In his political affiliations he is a Republican, but he has never been included in the office-seeking class. He has a fine place, over- looking Lightning Lake from the north, and is very pleasantly and com- fortably situated. Mr. Skinnemoen is a member of the United Lutheran church at Aastad and takes a good citizen's interest in all movements having to do with the advancement of the common cause hereabout.
LOUIS ANDERSON.
Louis Anderson, a successful farmer of Alexandria township, Douglas county, Minnesota, was born in Sweden, on December 15, 1855, being the son of Andrews and Breta ( Olson) Anderson. Andrews and Breta Ander- son were born in Sweden and there received their education in the public schools. They grew to manhood and womanhood on near-by farms and were later married. They lived their lives in the land of their birth and there Mr. Anderson was engaged in farming. They were the parents of the following children: Olaf, Maria, Christina, Andrew, John and Louis.
Louis Anderson received his education in the common schools of his native land and remained a resident of that country until he was twenty- five years of age. In 1880 he decided that he would come to America and, after landing in the United States, came direct to Illinois, locating in Ver- milion county, where he lived for two years. He then removed to Wapello county, Iowa, where he lived for four years, after which time he came to Minnesota and located in Nobles county. He remained a resident of that county until 1896, when he came to Douglas county. Here he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land in Alexandria township, and has since made the farm his home. The tract at that time was a wild prairie, without improvements of any kind. With much energy and patience, the prairie sod was broken, crops planted, buildings erected and many other valuable improve- ments were made on the place. In later years the buildings have been
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improved and today Mr. Anderson has a most pleasing and attractive country home. Here he is engaged in general farming and stock raising and has been most successful. He is a public-spirited citizen and takes much interest in all local affairs. He is independent in politics and has served as a mem- ber of the township board for a number of years. His services have been of much value to the township as well as the community in which he lives.
Louis Anderson was united in marriage on March 29, 1884, to Tilda Maria Larson, and to this union the following children have been born: Oscar E., Albert C. and Edwin Morris. Mr. and Mrs. Anderson are active members of the Swedish Lutheran church and take much interest in all social and religious activities of the township. Mr. Anderson has served as a trustee of the local society of the church for many years. He and his wife are held in high regard by all, for their many noble qualities of manhood and womanhood.
JOHN M. FISHER.
A well known and highly esteemed citizen and farmer of Hudson town- ship, Douglas county, is John M. Fisher, who is a Hoosier by birth, having been born in Shelby county, Indiana, on March 9, 1869. He is a son of James H. and Hannah ( Derickson ) Fisher, both of whom were also natives of Shelby county, Indiana. James H. Fisher and his family came to Minne- sota in March, 1883, settling in Douglas county, and here he and his wife lived the remainder of their lives. He was a farmer all his life and was the owner of one hundred and fifty-four acres of land in Orange township, this county. He was actively interested in the affairs of his township and com- munity and served as clerk and treasurer of the school board. He and his wife had been menibers of the Baptist church in Indiana, but upon remov- ing to Minnesota, they became attendants of the Methodist Episcopal church. They were the parents of six children, Norman E., John M., William R., Emma N., Anna E. and Alva E., the last named being deceased. James II. Fisher served for four years in the Union army during the Civil War, being a member of the Fifty-second Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry. He participated in many of the hard-fought battles of that great struggle, being severely wounded at one time.
John M. Fisher received his elementary education in the schools of Shelby county, Indiana. finishing his schooling in the township schools of
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Minnesota after coming here with his father and family in 1883. He grew up on his father's farm and early in life decided to become a farmer. He first purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land in section 13, Hudson township, where he lived for eight years, after which he moved to the farm where he is now living. This farm consists of two hundred and forty acres of fine land and in the summer of 1915 he erected a nice new modern home, where he and his family live, surrounded by all the comforts and conveniences of the modern farm home.
In December, 1899, John M. Fisher was married to Minnie George, daughter of Henry and Eliza ( Hostettler) George, of Monroe county, Indi- ana. Henry George and wife lived in Illinois for three years after leaving Indiana and then settled in Douglas county, Minnesota, in 1880. They are now both deceased. Their children were Frank, Margaret, John, William, Minnie, Eva, and two others who died young. To the subject and wife have been born three children, Harold, Melvin and Florence.
Mr. Fisher is independent in politics, and has served his township as road overseer ; he has also served on the school board for twelve consecutive years, and was recently elected for another term of three years.
GEORGE GILBERTSON.
George Gilbertson, a well known and successful merchant of Erdahl, was born in Erdahl township, Grant county, on July 5, 1887, the son of Gilbert and Mary (Lee) Gilbertson.
Gilbert and Anna Olson, the grandparents of George Gilbertson, were natives of Norway and there received their education in the public schools and there grew to manliood and womanhood and were married. It was there that their children were born, and there Mr. Olson engaged in gen- eral farming. They were prominent in the social and the religious life of the community in which they lived. They spent their lives in the land of their birth and young manhood and womanhood, until 1861, when they came to America, their remaining days being spent with their son, Ole, in Wis- consin. They were the parents of seven children, Ole, Thoren, Thora, Olia, Mary, Gilbert and Anna, of whom Ole, Thoron and Olia are now deceased.
Gilbert Gilbertson, the father of George Gilbertson, received his edu- cation in the public schools of Norway, where he was born, and there grew
GEORGE A. GILBERTSON.
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to manhood and remained a resident of that country until 1861, when he came to America. Upon his arrival in the United States he proceeded directly to Wisconsin, where he worked as a farm hand for one year. On August 15, 1862, he enlisted in the Twenty-seventh Regiment, Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, at Madison. During his service as a soldier of the United States army, Mr. Gilbertson saw much active service, at Columbus, Kentucky; at the siege of Vicksburg, under General Grant; at Little Rock, Arkansas and in Texas, under General Steele, and was in the battle of Jenkins' Ferry, Arkansas, where the commands of Generals Price and Marmaduke were captured. While serving under General Canby he was at Mobile, Alabama, and there participated in the capture of Spanish Fort and Fort Blakely. He was then in the campaign up the Alabama river, during the progress of which the war came to a close. He was then trans- ferred to Mobile, Alabama, and later to Texas, where the command was sent to recover some guns that had unlawfully been sold to the Mexicans. After having received his discharge at Brownville, Texas, on September 25, 1865, Mr. Gilbertson returned to Wisconsin, where he remained for five years, engaged there as a farm hand. In 1870 he came to Minnesota and took a soldier's claim of one hundred and sixty acres in Swift county. There he built a log shanty, obtained a good team of oxen and engaged in general farming until 1875, when he sold the place and moved to Grant county, where he purchased eighty acres of land, in section 5 of Erdahl township, at that time all wild land, covered with timber and brush. There he built a good log house and in time cleared and improved his farm. His first crop was, for the most part, taken by the grasshoppers, but he continued in the work of development and in time had one of the desirable farms of that .township. He continued to live on the place until 1903, when he sold and moved to the village of Erdahl, where he purchased fifteen acres of land, which he is now farming and on which he has erected excellent buildings and made many other valuable improvements.
In 1871 Gilbert Gilbertson was united in marriage to Mary Lee, and to this union twelve children were born, Ellen, Gustav, Mina, Oscar, Sena, Otto, George, Clara, Arthur, Martin, Martin Arnold and Mabel, the last three being deceased. Ellen Gilbertson married John Comstock, of Fergus Falls. Gustav Gilbertson is a resident of Canada. Mina Gilbertson mar- ried Austin Thompson and lives at Hankinson, North Dakota. Oscar Gil- bertson is a grain buyer at Rugby, North Dakota. Sena Gilbertson married (12a)
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William Moe, a wheat buyer of Judd, North Dakota. Otto, Clara and Arthur Gilbertson are at home and George Gilbertson is a resident of Erdahl. Mr. and Mrs. Gilbertson are active members of the Norwegian Lutheran church, and are prominent in the social and the religious life of the com- munity. Mr. Gilbertson has always taken an active interest in local affairs. He assisted in the organization of the township, was the first township clerk and served as clerk of the school district that he helped organize. He was also prominent in the affairs of the county, and served for four years as county commissioner, in which capacity he rendered excellent service.
George Gilbertson received his education in the public schools of Erdahl township and at the Park Region Lutheran College at Fergus Falls, and was reared on the home farm, where as a lad he assisted his father with the farm work. At the age of fourteen he went into the woods of northern Minnesota, where he was employed as a cook in the lumber camp for eight years. He then went to western Canada, where he took a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres at Swift Current, Saskatchewan, all of which was wild prairie. There he built a small claim shanty and during the sum- mer months worked on his claim and in the winter worked for others in the neighborhood. He made many improvements, broke about one hundred and twenty-five acres of his claim, of which twenty was under fence. He remained there five years, at the end of which time, in 1914, he rented his place and returned to Grant county. In the spring of 1915 he engaged in business at Erdahl, where he has since handled groceries, meats, confec- tionery and fruits, and has been quite successful. He is deputy postmaster, under his brother, Arthur Gilbertson, who has the office in the store. In the spring of 1916, Mr. Gilbertson moved into his present quarters, and now conducts a hotel and restaurant in connection with his soda, confectionery and meat business.
On November 18, 1913, George Gilbertson was united in marriage to Ella Alberts of Erdahl township. Mr. and Mrs. Gilbertson are active mem- bers of the Norwegian Lutheran church, and take much interest in church work. They are prominent in the social and religious life of the community and have had much to do with the social development of the village. Mr. Gilbertson is a progressive young man and puts much energy into his busi- ness, which is one of the substantial institutions of the town. He takes a keen interest in the civic life of the place and devotes his best efforts to the growth and development of his home town.
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JOHN L. GUNDERSON.
A well known and well-to-do farmer of Solem township, Douglas county, who is proprietor of a fine farm of two hundred acres in the vicinity of Kensington, and who is actively identified with the rapidly developing inter- ests of that part of the county is John 1 .. Gunderson, who was born in Nor- way, October 3, 1846. He is a son of Lars and Johanna ( Seiverson) Gun- derson, both of whom were also natives of the same country.
After the death of his wife in Norway, Lars Gunderson came to America in 1870, locating first in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, where he remained for three years, being employed by farmers in that vicinity. He then went to Barron county, Wisconsin, where he homesteaded eighty acres of land, and there he made his home during the remainder of his life, his death occurring in 1909. He and his wife were the parents of six children, Gunder, Carrie, John L., Seivert, Lars and Mary, all of whom are living except Gunder, who died in Wisconsin, February 1, 1912, and Lars, who died in Alaska in 1904.
John L. Gunderson received a limited education in the schools of his native land, and in 1871 joined his father in the United States, going directly to LaCrosse, Wisconsin, and from there went to Barron county, Wisconsin, where he homesteaded land in Cumberland township, and there he made his home for twenty-four years. In 1898 he moved to his present farm in Douglas coutny, consisting of two hundred acres. He has made many and various improvements on his farm since acquiring the same, having erected all of the buildings on the place except the house. He is engaged in general farming and stock raising, and is well equipped for making a success of his farming operations.
In 1877 John L. Gunderson was married to Eliza Iverson, who is a native of Norway, the daughter of Christopher Iverson, and to this union eleven children have been born, Eddie, Josephine, Oliver, Julius, George, Melvin, Ella, Rudolph and Walter (twins), Julia and Clarence, all of whom are living except Josephine. Mrs. Gunderson's parents were Christopher and Ella (Harsdatter) Iverson, the former of whom died in Norway, while the mother came to America in later years and made her home with Mr. Gunder- son the last four years of her life. Mrs. Gunderson came to the United States with her brother, when she was fourteen years of age, and lived in Iowa for some time.
Mr. Gunderson has always taken a prominent and active part in the
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civic life of his community, and while living in Wisconsin, served five years as supervisor of his township, and as postmaster for eight years. He took a warm interest in the welfare of the schools, both here and in Wisconsin, serving six years as director on the school board while in Barron county, Wisconsin, and seven years on the school board here. The family are all , members of the Lutheran church.
ALBERT L. RITZSCHKE.
Albert L. Ritzschke, a well-known and successful farmer of Macsville township, Grant county, was born in that township on October 14, 1877, the son of Carl and Louisa (Hensel) Ritzschke, natives of the kingdom of Sax- ony, Germany, where they received their education in the public schools and were married. Henry Ritzschke and wife, the parents of Carl Ritzschke, were also natives of that country. They came to America and located in Wisconsin, where the wife and mother later died. After the death of his wife, Henry Ritzschke came to Minnesota and located in Grant county, where he died some years ago. The maternal grandparents of Albert L. Ritzschke spent all their lives in the Fatherland.
As a young man Carl Ritzschke learned the mason's and plasterer's trade, at which he worked for a number of years. After his marriage he and his wife continued to live in Germany until 1868, when they came to the United States. The sailing vessel on which they crossed was six weeks in making the passage, and during that time they lost the son that had been born to them in their native land. On their arrival in this country they located at Oshkosh, Wisconsin, where the father worked at his trade for some eight years. In 1877 they came to Minnesota and homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land in section 24 of Macsville township, Grant county. A sod house was constructed in which the family lived for some time. The farm was later developed, substantial buildings erected and more land purchased, until Mr. Ritzschke became the owner of three hundred and twenty acres, and there he successfully engaged in general farming and stock raising for many years. He still lives on the farm, but has retired from the activities of farm life. He always took much interest in local affairs and was for many years treasurer of the school board. He became a member of the Knights of Pythias and was prominent in the order. His wife died on February 22, 191I.
Carl and Louisa Ritzschke were the parents of nine children, of whom
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the subject of this sketch is the fourth in order of birth, the others being Charles F., a biographical sketch of whom is presented elsewhere in this volume; Theodore, who is a well-known and successful farmer and stockman of Grant county; Martha, who is the wife of Harry Enwiller, of Russell, South Dakota; Clara, the wife of Henry Ristow; Arthur, who is living on the home place; Walter, who lives with his brother Charles; Albert, who lives in Iowa, and Edward, who died at the age of twelve years.
Albert L. Ritzschke received his education in the public schools of Macs- ville township and was reared on the home farm. He later rented land and engaged in farming for himself. In 1909 he purchased one hundred and sixty acres in section 26 of Macsville township, on which was a house and a gran- ary. In 1914 he erected a fine barn, thirty by forty-eight feet, with concrete foundation and hip roof. In addition to this he has made many other im- provements and has done much in the way of developing his farm. He is engaged in general farming and stock raising, and has been quite successful. being recognized as one of the successful and progressive farmers of the township.
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