USA > Minnesota > Grant County > History of Douglas and Grant counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 21
USA > Minnesota > Douglas County > History of Douglas and Grant counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 21
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Olof Olson always took much interest in the civic life of the township and was recognized as one of the substantial and prominent men of the com- munity. He took much interest in the growth and success of the schools and served for a number of years as a member of the school board. He and
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his family were members of the Swedish Lutheran church and were prominent in the social and religious life of the community. Olof L., the oldest mem- ber of the family, has become one of the successful and well-known residents of the county. He is progressive and is a firm advocate of modern methods and ways of farming. The old home place, under his careful management has become one of the best in the township and the family have one of the finest farm homes in the community.
NELS N. BREVIG.
Another Norwegian who has made good at general farming in Grant county is Nels N. Brevig, of Stony Brook township. He was born in Nor- way, December 29, 1850, a son of Nels N. and Margaret P. (Eadail) Brevig, both natives of Norway, the former born in 1825 and the latter in 1816. There they grew up and were married, maintaining their home there until 1865, when they came to America, locating at Decorah, Iowa. After five years there, they came, in 1870, to Grant county, Minnesota, the father tak- ing up a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres in Stony Brook township, which he developed and there spent the rest of his life, dying in 1905. His wife died on November 9, 1902. They were members of the United Luth- eran church and, politically, he was a Republican. To these parents the fol- lowing children were born: Carrie, Nels N., Julia, Peter, and Andrew, deceased.
Nels N. Brevig spent his boyhood in Norway, where he attended school, being fifteen years old when he came to America with the rest of the family. He worked on his father's farm during their five years' residence in Iowa and came with the family to Grant county, where he has since made his home, being thus one of the pioneers here. During his residence of a period of some forty-six years in these parts he has noted many great changes "come over the face of the land." In 1871 he took up a homestead-one hundred and sixty acres-in section 18, Stony Brook township, which he improved and, managing well, he later added to his original holdings until he accumulated three hundred and twenty acres of valuable land, on which he has carried on general farming and stock raising successfully. His place is well improved, including an attractive set of buildings.
Mr. Brevig has been twice married, first, to Cheslina Kittelson, by whom one child was born, Anne Maria. His second wife was before her marriage,
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Julia Asleson, a native of Grant county, where she grew up and attended school. She is a daughter of Jens Asleson, now deceased, for many years a farmer of this county. To Mr. Brevig and his second wife the following children were born: Soffe, Amalia, Kjersti, Nicolena, Nora, Albert, Nels and two infants who are deceased. Politically, Mr. Brevig is a Republican and has served on the local school board.
ENGEBRET E. SUND.
Engebret E. Sund, a well-known Grant county farmer, residing in Stony Brook township, is a native of the kingdom of Norway, but has been a resident of Minnesota since he was twenty-three years of age and of Grant county since the year 1881. He was born on a farm in the Sigdal district of Norway, April 5, 1857, son of Engebret H. and Mary (Hanson) Sund, both natives of that same district, substantial farming people, now deceased, who spent all their lives there. They were the parents of nine children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the seventh in order of birth, the others being Helge, Hans, Berit (deceased), Ole, Nels (de- ceased), Gertrude, Christen and Hans, all of whom, save three, remained in their native land, Helge, the first-born, having for some years been a resident of Grant county, but later returned to his native land, where he is now living, and Hans, the last-born, who also for some time lived in Grant county, now living at Leeds, North Dakota.
Reared on the home farm in Norway, Engebret E. Sund received his schooling in the schools of his home neighborhood and remained at home until he was twenty-three years of age, when, in 1880, he came to the United States and proceeded on out to Minnesota, settling in Olmsted county, where he remained a year, at the end of which time he came over to this part of the state and located in Grant county, where his brothers, Helge and Hans, had preceded him and where they had bought a quarter of a section of railroad land in Stony Brook township. Not long afterward E. E. Sund bought that tract of land from his brothers, who had built a small house on the same and had broken the most of it. That farm was in section 7 and upon taking possession of the same Mr. Sund proceeded further to improve it and it was not long until he had a profitably cultivated farm. In 1887 he married and established his home there and has ever since been very com- fortably situated. As his affairs prospered he bought an adjoining "forty"
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and later bought another quarter section lower down in the township and is now the owner of three hundred and forty-five acres of land and is regarded as one of the substantial farmers of that section of the county. Mr. Sund is a Republican, but has never been a seeker after public office.
It was in 1887 that Engebret E. Sund was united in marriage to Gunhild Bye, who also was born in the kingdom of Norway, a daughter of Peter Bye and wife, both now deceased, whose lives were spent in their native land, and to this union six children have been born, namely, Mary, who married Nels Bergan and lives on section 20, Stony Brook township; Edward, now at home, who spent four years in Saskatchewan, where he is the owner of a quarter of a section of land which he homesteaded there; Helmer, who lives at Spring Brook, North Dakota, where he is the owner of a farm, and Clara, Henry and Ragna, who are at home . The Sunds are members of the Synod Lutheran church and take a proper interest in all neighborhood good works.
ALGOT F. LARSON.
Among the sturdy Swedes who have made a success of farming in Douglas county is Algot F. Larson, of Carlos township, who was born in Sweden on March 26, 1876, the son of Gustaf and Gustava Larson, both natives also of Sweden. Gustaf Larson came with his family to Minne- sota in 1883, settling first in Alexandria, where they lived for four years, after which he purchased eighty acres of wild timber land in Carlos town- ship, built a frame house and proceeded to cultivate and improve his land, gradually adding to his holdings until he is now the owner of one hun- dred and twenty acres of good farming land. He is now retired from active farm life and one of his sons manages the farm. He and his wife were the parents of three children, Victor, Algot F. and Hjalmar, who is living on the home farm.
Algot F. Larson received his education in the public schools of Alex- andria, and was also a student in the schools of Belle River township. He assisted his father with the work of the farm until his marriage, when he rented forty acres of land in section 36 of Carlos township, where he lived for five years, after which he bought eighty acres of wild land in section 25, of the same township, and has since been engaged in cultivating and improving his land. Besides his eighty acres, Mr. Larson rents forty acres in Belle River township, and is engaged in general farming and stock rais-
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ing, his crops consisting of barley, oats and potatoes. He also has consider- able live stock of the Holstein variety of cattle. He also owns a threshing outfit, engine and separator, which he operates during the season.
In 1903 Mr. Larson was married to Hulda Johnson, who is also a native of Sweden, and to this union have been born three children, Harry, Gordon and Helen. Mr. Larson is a Republican and takes an active interest in all public matters of local importance.
CHRIST C. NESS.
Christ C. Ness, a pioneer of Grant county and for years recognized as one of the most substantial farmers of the Norcross neighborhood, the owner of a fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Gorton township, is a native of the kingdom of Norway, but has lived in this country since he was seventeen years old, when he came to America with his father and settled in Wisconsin, where he resided until he became a Grant county homesteader in 1879. He was born on a farm in the stift of Hamar, fifty miles or more north of Christiania, November 19, 1855, son of Christ Olson and Barbara (Olson) Ness, the latter of whom died about 1865. She was the mother of four children who grew to maturity, of whom the sub- ject of this sketch was the eldest, the others being Ole C., who lives on the farm his father developed in Wisconsin; Knut C., who became a resi- dent of Grant county and was engaged as a clerk in a store at Herman, where he died, and Rande, who died in Wisconsin at the age of eighteen years.
After the death of his wife, Christ Olson Ness did not remarry, but in 1872 came to the United States with his children and settled at LaCrosse, Wisconsin. In the vicinity of that city he worked on farms for a couple of years and then moved to Baldwin, in St. Croix county, that same state, buying a farm of one hundred and twenty acres near Woodville, in that same county, and there he spent the rest of his life, his death occurring in 1902.
As noted above, Christ C. Ness was about seventeen years of age when he came with his father to this country and he remained with his father, assisting the latter in the development of his farm, until the spring of 1879. when he came over to this part of Minnesota, arriving in Grant county on March 19th of that year. He homesteaded the northwest quarter of section
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24 in Gorton township, but was so poor in this world's goods at that time that he was compelled to work on other farms for money with which to make his payments and thus the breaking of his own land was deferred until such time as he could eventually get to it. He presently succeeded in getting a start, however, and in due time set out a grove, erected a set of buildings on his place and brought the farm up to a high standard of culti- vation, long having been recognized as one of the most substantial farmers in that neighborhood. Mr. Ness has ever given close attention to local civic affairs and has served the public as township treasurer and for some years as a member of the board of supervisors. He formerly was a mem- ber of the Knights of Pythias.
HERMAN ALBIN SHOGREN.
Herman Albin Shogren, a well-known young farmer of Belle River township, Douglas county, was born in that township on March 3, 1893, the son of Charles E. and Matilda (Johnson) Shogren, who came to the United States single and were married in this country.
Charles E. Shogren came to the United States with his parents, An- drew and Christine (Nystrom) Shogren. They came direct to Minnesota, and here Charles R. homesteaded one hundred and twenty acres of land in Douglas county. The tract at that time was covered with timber and re- quired much labor to bring it under cultivation. There he built a small log and frame house, and proceeded to make a clearing. After having done considerable work he sold the place and purchased eighty acres in Belle River township, to which he later added forty acres. There he made his home and engaged in general farming until 1899, when he moved to section 23, where he had purchased another farm of one hundred and twenty acres. That farm had some improvements, but Mr. Shogren at once erected a fine house, a good barn and made other valuable improvements that added much to the beauty and value of the place. On that farm he made his home until 1912, when he retired from the active duties of farm life and moved to California.
Charles E. and Matilda Shogren are the parents of the following chil- dren: Selma, Carl A., Ellen, Amil, Emma, Herman, Victor, Olga, Albert and Joseph. Selma is the wife of Carl Hanson. Ellen is the wife of Gust Matson. Amil is the wife of Otava Davis. Emma is the wife of Ole Fran-
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sen. Olga is the wife of Arthur Palmer. Carl A. married Anna Westlund and Herman married Bertha Swanson. Victor, Albert and Joseph are with their parents in California.
Herman Albin Shogren received his education in the public schools of Belle River township and grew to manhood on the home farm. When a lad of seventeen he worked on a farm away from home and for a time in Canada, where he worked on a farm. He then went to North Dakota, where he was engaged in farm work, after which he spent one year in California with his parents; while there working with a house-wrecking crew and as a laborer.
On June 17, 1915, Herman Albin Shogren was united in marriage to Bertha E. Swanson, who was born in Illinois, and who came to Douglas county with her parents nine years ago. She is the daughter of Andrew F. and Emma Swanson, well-known residents of Douglas county. In Noveni- ber, 1915, Mr. Shogren purchased one hundred and twenty acres of his father and is now engaged in general farming and stock raising. Mr. and Mrs. Shogren have one child, Emmet. They are members of the Swedish Lutheran church and are prominent in the social and religious life of the community.
CHARLES J. LINDSTROM.
Douglas county has among her noble and progressive residents many who are natives of Sweden and who came to the United States with the determination of making a home for themselves and their families. They have brought with them to their new homes the characteristics of their coun- try-honesty, industry and economy. With these as their principles, to guide their lives, they have had much to do with the reclaiming of the tim- bered lands and the wild prairies of the great state of Minnesota.
Charles J. Lindstrom, a well-known and successful farmer of Carlos township, was born in Sweden, on March 24, 1870, the son of Andrew and Anna Lindstrom, both of whom were born in far-away Sweden.
Andrew and Anna Lindstrom received their education in the land of their nativity and there grew to manhood and womanhood and were married. They continued to live in their native land until 1870, when they decided to locate in America. On landing in the United States they came direct to Minnesota, and here the father took a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres, in section 3, Alexandria township, Douglas county. He at
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once built a log house and obtained a team of oxen and began the task of clearing his farm and the planting of his crops. He later engaged in gen- eral farming and stock raising and was successful. He bought more land and at the time of his retirement, in 1914, was the owner of two hundred and eighteen acres of good land, one hundred and twenty-five of which was cleared and under cultivation. He had erected substantial buildings and in other ways added much to the beauty and value of the tract. Upon his retirement from the active duties of the farm life he removed to Alex- andria, where he now lives. The wife and mother died in 1913 at the age of seventy-one years. Andrew and Anna Lindstrom were the parents of the following children : Hannah, Ida, Charles J., Ellen, Augusta, Gustave, Anna and one who died in infancy. Hannah is the wife of William Hege- dorn, of the state of Washington; Ida married August Grandlund and lives in Belle River township; Ellen is the wife of Alfred Hedsen, of St. Paul; Augusta married Leonard Hedeen, a successful farmer of Carlos town- ship; Gustave married Clara Hanson and resides in St. Paul, and Anna is the wife of Anton Rundberg, also of St. Paul.
Charles J. Lindstrom received his education in the public schools of Alexandria township and attended school in the old log school house. He grew to manhood on the home farm, where he lived until his marriage in 1892 to Caroline Sward, a native of Osakis township. Her parents were early settlers there, where they had located on their arrival from Sweden. Charles J. Lindstrom had purchased eighty acres of land in Carlos town- ship before his marriage. There he erected a frame house and to this he brought his bride. The tract was for the most part heavy timber, which he later cleared and developed. He added to his original farm until he is now the owner of two hundred and thirty-three acres, of which one hundred and fifty are now under cultivation, and the rest is in valuable meadow land. His first crop was wheat, but he now raises wheat, corn, oats, barley and potatoes. He raises many cattle and keeps high-grade Shorthorns. His hogs are among the best in the township. In addition to his hogs and cattle he devotes much time and attention to his Rhode Island Red chickens and his large flock of turkeys. Since coming to the farm he has added to his house, and today has one of the best improved and most attractive farms in the community.
Mr. and Mrs. Lindstrom are the parents of three children, Minnie, Richard and Evenell, all of whom are at home. Mr. and Mrs. Lindstrom are popular in their home community and take an active interest in the social life of the township. Mr. Lindstrom has always been interested in the
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civic life of the township and has had much to do with local affairs. For twelve years he was chairman of the township board of supervisors, assessor for two years, county commissioner for four years and is now a member of the school board of district No. 77, which position he has held for eighteen years.
JOHN P. NELSON.
John P. Nelson, one of the well-known and successful farmers of Peli- can township, Grant county, was born in Sweden on April 22, 1850, the son of Nels and Marie (Bearson) Johnson.
Nels and Marie Johnson were natives of Sweden and there received their education in the public schools, grew to manhood and womanhood and were married. They continued to live in the land of their nativity until 1874. when they decided to come to the United States. They had become aged, and their children were in this country, hence their decision to come to a new land at that time. Here they made their home with their son Johnas, in Pelican Lake township, where Nels died in 1880, at the age of sixty-eight years. His widow died in January, 1896, at the age of eighty- five years.
John P. Nelson was educated in the public schools of Sweden and there grew to manhood. He continued to live in his native land, until 1869. when he decided to come to the United States, he being the first of the family to locate in this country. He landed at Quebec, after which he proceeded to Chicago, and, a short time later, he located in Rock county. Wisconsin, where he worked as a laborer. In 1870 he came to Grant county, thus being one of the earliest settlers in the country. Here he took a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres of land in section 17, of Pelican Lake township. To his original farm he later added forty acres in section 16. That farm he made his home and there he was engaged in general farming until 1909, when he removed to section 32 of Pelican Lake township, where he pur- chased one hundred acres of Halvor Larson, his father-in-law.
On May 12, 1879, John P. Nelson was united in marriage to Gurel Larson, who was born in Norway, on November 25, 1859. and who came with her parents to Grant county in 1869, her father then homesteading in section 32 of Pelican Lake township. To this union have been born three children, Helmer, Alfred and Amelia. The two sons are now married. John P. Nelson and his wife are active members of the Norwegian Lutheran
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church at Ashby and take much interest in church work. They have long been prominent in the social and religious life of the community in which they live. Mr. Nelson takes much interest in local affairs and has ever been ready to give his support to any worthy cause that has a tendency to advance the better interests of the township. He is a stockholder in the Creamery Company at Ashby and is a worthy representative of the successful farmers of his township.
Since purchasing his present farm Mr. Nelson has made many valuable improvements, having erected all the buildings, as well as adding much to the development of the place. He is engaged in general farming and stock raising and is recognized as being quite successful. His farm home is nicely located, a small lake being just back of the barn; and Lake Pomme de Terre just west of his farm, all of which makes the location an ideal one for a home.
EDWARD JOHN DRUSSELL.
Among the well-known younger farmers of Ida township, Douglas county, is Edward John Drussell, who was born in Winona, Minnesota, August 5, 1881. He is a son of John and Ellen (Pfifer) Drussell, both natives of the United States, but of German parentage. John Drussell and Ellen Pfifer were married at Winona, Minnesota, and lived on a farm there for some years. In the spring of 1885 they came to Douglas county, where they purchased ninety-three acres of land in section 24 of Ida township. This place was almost entirely unimproved when they bought it, having only a small log cabin and a barn on it. A few acres had been chopped over in the way of clearing, but the place was full of stumps and almost a wilder- ness. However, the family went to work with a will, living in the old log cabin house in pioneer style for a time, and now have a nice modern frame residence on the farm, as well as many other modern improvements. John Drussell's first year's crop was a little wheat planted between the stumps, but he kept on clearing the land, as well as adding to his acreage, until he now has one hundred and seventy-three acres of fine farming land all in one body, and about thirty acres of which is in timber. The family lived on this farm until the spring of 1914, when they moved to Alexandria. John Drus- sell and wife are the parents of seven children, Edward J., Will, Albert, Anna, Meta, Harry and Frank, all of whom are still at home, with the ex- ception of Edward J. and Albert, the latter of whom married Marie Forton, and is engaged in the implement business in Hamel, Minnesota.
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Edward J. Drussell received his education in the old log school house which stood on his father's farm, and assisted with the work on the home farm as a lad. After reaching manhood he learned the carpenter's trade under Herman Suckow and Will Paulers, and followed that occupation for some years, after which he moved to Grundy county, Iowa, where he was engaged in the building and contracting business, remaining in that state for some seven or eight years, making a total of sixteen years spent in car- penter work. In the spring of 1914 he moved back to Douglas county and rented his father's farm, where he has since lived. He is engaged in general farming and stock raising and is making a very commendable success in his agricultural operations. His farm is well improved and operated under the most modern system, while his home is beautifully located on the east side of Lake Ida, from which the township takes its name.
In October, 1904, Edward J. Drussell was married to Josephine Froem- ming and to this union have been born two children, Earle and Miles. The family attend the German Lutheran church and are actively interested in all movements which have for their object the general welfare of their com- munity.
MARTIN N. ULSAGER.
Farming has always been a pleasure to Martin N. Ulsager, and indeed it should be to everyone. It is all in the way one "looks" at it. There is no life so independent or healthful. Mr. Ulsager was born in Brandon town- ship, Douglas county, August 8, 1888, and there he still resides. He is a son of Nels and Julia (Knutson) Nelson, natives of Norway. The father came to the United States in 1860, locating in Wisconsin; but not long thereafter moved to Goodhue county, Minnesota, where he bought forty acres. While there he married Julia Knutson and they continued to live there until 1867, when they drove over to Douglas county, where he took up a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres in section 31 of Brandon township-wild prairie land. There he built a small shanty, later a log house, and began preparing his land for crops. He prospered in due course of time and bought more land, at one time owning three hundred and fifty-six acres, a part of which he later sold. He spent the last twenty years of his life in retirement, renting out his land. Nels Nelson was born on January 27, 1836, and died on De- cember 3, 1915. Julia (Knutson) Nelson died in the fall of 1915, at the age of seventy-four years. Nineteen children were born to them, ten
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