USA > Minnesota > Grant County > History of Douglas and Grant counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 28
USA > Minnesota > Douglas County > History of Douglas and Grant counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 28
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TIMOTHY VERNON NASH.
One of the substantial and well-to-do farmers of Hudson township, Douglas county, is Timothy V. Nash, who was born in Essex county, New York, September 12, 1854, and is a son of Timothy S. and Julia Ann (Bur- dick) Nash, the former of whom was born in Docksbury county, Vermont, and the latter of whom was a native of New York.
Timothy S. Nash was a direct descendant, seventh generation, of Thomas Nash, who came to New England from the old country in 1640. He came west to Wisconisn with his son, the subject of this review, in 1868, and from there to St. Paul in 1871, where he followed his trade as a building con- tractor. In 1892 he removed to South Dakota, where he farmed for a time, but later returned to Minnesota, where his death occurred at the home of his son, Timothy V. His wife had died many years before, previous to his leaving New York state. They were the parents of four children, Florella Imogene, Newton E., Timothy V. and Sanford Waldo, of whom only two are still living. Newton E. died at the age of twenty years, and Sanford Waldo died in infancy.
Timothy V. Nash received his early education in the schools of his native state, later finishing his schooling in Wisconsin. He accompanied his father to St. Paul, and at the age of twenty-two years, went to Flandreau, South Dakota, and in 1877, homesteaded a tract of one hundred and sixty acres of land in that state, and there he continued to live until 1897, when he came to Douglas county, Minnesota, and purchased land in Osakis township, and about a year later bought land in Hudson township, but continued to live on the farm in Osakis township for five years, after which he removed to Hudson
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township. He has added to his holdings here until he now owns two hundred and forty acres of fine farming land. He is engaged in general farming. dairying and stock raising, making a specialty of breeding thoroughbred Shorthorn cattle, of which he has a fine herd.
On December 5, 1894. Timothy V. Nash was married to Mattie E. French, who is also a native of New York state, the daughter of Andrew French, and to this union have been born two children, Newton E. and Beulah L., both of whom are still at home with their parents. The family are members of the Presbyterian church, and are much interested in the affairs of the local church of that denomination.
Mr. Nash is independent in his political views and is active in all public matters of local importance. He has been a member of the Masonic fra- ternity for many years, having joined the organization on July 3, 1876. His present membership is with the lodge at Alexandria, Minnesota, though he is a charter member of Flandreau Lodge No. 11, South Dakota.
AUGUST THOMPSON.
One of the enterprising younger farmers of Orange township, Douglas county, is August Thompson, who was born in Olmsted county, Minnesota, August 14, 1880. He is a son of Chris and Berat (Erickson) Thompson, both of whom were natives of Norway.
Chris Thompson came to America when a young man, locating in Olm- sted county, Minnesota, where he was a farmer for many years, but is now living retired in Rochester, Minnesota, enjoying the comforts and conven- iences of modern life, after a life of arduous labor on the farm. At one time he was the owner of four hundred and forty acres of fine land. His wife, who was also a native of Norway, came to this country when a small child with her parents, and she was reared and educated in Minnesota, and was here married to Chris Thompson. They are the parents of five children, Julia, August, Minnie, Theodore and Clara, all of whom are living.
August Thompson received his education in the schools of Olmsted county, and early in life decided to make farming his chosen occupation. He farmed for one year in Olmsted county and in 1902 went to McLean county, North Dakota, where he homesteaded a quarter section of land and where he lived for eight years. He then returned to Minnesota, locating in Orange township, Douglas county, where he has one hundred and sixty-seven acres
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of land and is engaged in general farming and stock raising with a very commendable degree of success.
In 1906 August Thompson was married to Clara Christiansen, who was born in the state of Washington, but who came as a small child with her parents, Ole and Malina ( Nelson) Christiansen, to Minnesota, the family settling in Olmsted county. To this union have been born four children, Berdina, Clarissa, Alford and Jarnes. The family are earnest members of the Lutheran church.
GUSTAF NELSON.
Gustaf Nelson, one of the successful farmers and an early settler of Pelican Lake township, Grant county, was born in Sweden on June 24, 1843, the son of Nels and Marie ( Pearson) Johnson.
Nels and Marie Johnson were natives of Sweden, where they were edu- cated in the public schools, grew to manhood and womanhood and were married. It was there that their children were born and educated and there they lived the greater part of their lives. After having reached three score years of life they came to the United States to join their children, who had located in this country some years before. It was in 1874 that Nels and Marie Johnson came to Minnesota to make their home with their son Johnas Nelson, who lived in Pelican Lake township, Grant county, and it was there that Nels Johnson died in 1880 at the age of sixty-eight years. His widow died in 1896 at the age of eighty-five years. They were the parents of six children, Johnas, John, Gustaf, Lizzie, Mina (deceased) and Carl. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson were devout members of the Lutheran church and were highly regarded by all who knew them.
Gustaf Nelson received his education in the public schools of his native country and there grew to manhood. After coming to the United States he attended some school in this country. On March 21, 1876, he was united in marriage to Forgan Newhouse, the daughter of Christopher and Ture (Halvorson ) Newhouse, natives of Norway, where Mr. Newhouse was born on July 13, 1812. He decided as a young man to come to America and landed in New York on September 27, 1839, with but ten dollars in cash. He came direct to Wisconsin, where he located and engaged in farming. He later became the owner of one hundred and sixty acres of good land, and was recognized as a successful farmer and stock raiser. He married Ture Halvorson, the daughter of Halvor Halvorson, and to that union five chil-
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dren were born, Oliver and Christopher, both of whom are deceased, Chris- topher, Torgan and Christina. Mrs. Ture Newhouse died some years ago. Mr. and Mrs. Newhouse were members of the Norwegian Lutheran church and were highly respected people.
In 1879, Gustaf Nelson purchased his first farm in section 8, Pelican Lake township. He has since added to the original tract and is now the owner of one hundred and fifty-two acres, of excellent land, all under good cul- tivation and improved with substantial buildings. The tract was wild prairie at the time of purchase and Mr. Nelson has erected all the buildings, and made the other improvements.
To Gustaf and Torgan (Newhouse) Nelson five children have been born, namely: Albert, who died at the age of fifteen years; George, who died in infancy ; Clara, who married Julius Dalgaard, of Ashby; Mina, who married Abraham Sumstad, now deceased, and who also lives at Ashby, and Ella, who married Anton Sumstad and is living on the home place. The Nelsons are members of the Norwegian Lutheran church and take a warm interest in church work. They also take an earnest part in the gen- eral social activities of the community in which they live and are held in the highest esteem by all who know them.
ADOLPH G. KUBE.
There have come from the Badger state a number of the best farmers of Grant and Douglas counties during the past few decades, who have found good homes in our midst. Among these the name of Adolph G. Kube, of Lawrence township should be mentioned. He was born in Dodge county, Wisconsin, May 26, 1871, and is a son of Charles L. and Ida (Doerning) Kube, both natives of Germany. The father came to this country in 1853, locating in Wisconsin, and was joined there by the mother in 1854. They established their home on a farm, living in Dodge and Jefferson counties, finally at Watertown, in which place they remained until 1885 when they came to Minnesota, Mr. Kube taking up a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres in Lawrence township, Grant county, which land he improved into a good farm. There he spent the rest of his life, dying on November 18, 1898, at the advanced age of eighty-two years, his birth having occurred on November 25, 1816. His wife, who was born on September 1, 1826, died on May 3, 1893, at the age of sixty-seven years. They were parents of
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six children, Clara (deceased), Ludwig (deceased), Leonora, Alfred, Ida and Adolph G.
The subject of this sketch grew up on the farm and attended school in Wisconsin, in. Dodge and Jefferson counties. He was fourteen years of age when his parents settled in Grant county in 1885. In 1893 he bought one hundred and sixty acres in Lawrence township and in 1908 purchased another quarter section there, on which he has since resided. He has made all improvements, including the erection of a good group of buildings, and has been successful as a general farmer and stock raiser.
Mr. Kube was married, on February 1, 1898, to Estella R. Ash, a daughter of James Ash, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this volume. To this union five children have been born, James, Eunice, Esther, Ruth, and Aldis. Mr. Kube is a Republican and is now a member of the local school board. He is an elder in the Presbyterian church at Lawrence and is a member of the board of trustees of the same.
OLE ANUNDSON HAATVEDT.
One of the pioneer farmers of Douglas county, who became a well- known and highly respected citizen there, was the late Ole Anundson Haat- vedt, who was born in Norway in 1822, in which country he grew up and lived until in 1842, when he emigrated to America, locating first in Wiscon- sin, working there for some time, finally settling on Jefferson Prairie, that state, on which he resided until 1868. The year previous he had come to Minnesota and had bought the rights to a homestead-the place where his widow still resides, in Holmes City township, Douglas county, to which he returned the following year, and from that time on until his death devoted his attention to its development, carrying on general farming and stock rais- ing successfully. The land was partly timbered. He farmed with oxen for some time and hauled the timbers for his buildings from St. Cloud. He became one of the substantial and influential men of his township. His death occurred on his farm there in 1901, when well advanced in years. He owned in all about three hundred and seventy acres on the home place and land in other localities.
Ole A. Haatvedt was married twice, his second wife being Betsey Tangen, a native of Norway, from which country her parents emigrated to this country, settling in Wisconsin, on the Illinois line, when she was seven years old. The family located on Jefferson Prairie and, later moved
OLE A. HAAATVEDT.
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to Boone county, Illinois. Her mother spent her last years at the home of the subject of this sketch, where she died when about ninety-three years of age. Mr. Haatvedt had six children by his last wife, three who are liv- ing and three who died, namely: Anna, who is the wife of Andrew Amund- son; Carl A. and Edward B., who have remained with their mother and operate the home farm. Of those now deceased. Ole was the only one who attained his majority, he having been thirty-three years of age at the time of his death.
Mr. Haatvedt belonged to the Moe Lutheran church and was a man of upright character. Politically, he was independent. He served as county commissioner for a number of terms, having been a faithful and useful member of the board. He took a prominent part in the early development of the county and was regarded as one of its most substantial citizens. He had a wide circle of warm friends hereabout and his death on April 27, 1901, was widely mourned.
MIKKEL TORGERSON.
From that rugged and far-away country, Norway, many splendid farm- ers and citizens have come to Grant and Douglas counties and have estab- lished good homes. Among these is Mikkel Torgerson, a farmer of Stony Brook township, Grant county. He was born in Norway, November 6, 1842. His parents lived and died in Norway. He grew to manhood in his native land and attended the common schools. He immigrated to the United States in 1883, locating in Ottertail county, Minnesota; but in 1885 moved to Stony Brook township, Grant county, buying eighty acres of school land. He worked hard, developed a good farm, managed well and prospered, and finally owned two hundred and eighty acres on which he erected good build- ings, set out a grove and made other important improvements. Politically, he is a Republican. He belongs to the United Lutheran church at Elbow Lake.
Mr. Torgerson was married in 1870 to Hage Johnson, who was born in Norway in 1848. Her parents lived and died in Norway. To Mr. and Mrs. Torgerson the following children were born: Torger (deceased), Inge- borg, Sara, Jens, John (deceased), Asa, Carl, Annie, Oscar (deceased) Oscar (the second), Henry and Andrew. The mother of these children passed away on December 19, 1899. (19a)
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VICTOR M. REIF.
Victor M. Reif, one of the best-known and most progressive merchants of Evansville, proprietor of an extensive general store at that place, justice of the peace in and for his home township, former postmaster of Evans- ville and for years actively identified with the general civic and commercial interests of the community in which he lives, is a native of the kingdom of Sweden, but has been a resident of this country since he was twenty-three years of age. He was born in the city of Stockholm on January 5, 1860, son of Johann and Maria Reif, natives of that same country, who spent all their lives in their native land.
Following his schooling in the high school of his native city, Victor M. Reif attended an agricultural college there and was for some years there- after engaged in farming, continuing thus engaged until the spring of 1883, when he came to the United States and settled near Mammoth Cave in Kentucky. He bought a tract of ninety-six acres of unimproved land there and proceeded to develop the same, making his home in a neighboring church meanwhile. In November of that same year he married and in the follow- ing month, December, 1883, came to Minnesota with his bride, locating at Evansville, where he entered into partnership with Olaf Dalheim in the hardware business, an arrangement which continued for three years, at the end of which time Mr. Reif embarked in business on his own account. While engaged in the hardware business he had acquired a knowledge of the jewelry and watch-making business from a business associate and this deter- mined him to open a jewelry store in Evansville. Shortly afterward he was appointed postmaster of Evansville and served for four years, during the Cleveland administration, conducting the postoffice in his jewelry store. Later he moved his store to another location, taking a larger room, and his wife started a millinery store in a part of the room, the two establishments being carried along very nicely together. Gradually other lines were added to the stock until the double establishment outgrew its quarters and was compelled to move to a larger room, additional lines being added from time to time until now the Reif store carries a complete line of groceries, dry goods, queensware, notions, jewelry, tinware, graniteware and the like and is doing a large and growing business. Mr. Reif is a Democrat and in addition to his service as postmaster of Evansville has served as village recorder, a position he held for many years; was a member of the school board for eleven years and for some years past has been serving as justice
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of the peace. 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.
It was on November 16, 1883, in Kentucky, that Victor M. Reif was united in marriage to Adaline Gustafson, also a native of the kingdom of Sweden. No children have been born to this union, but Mr. and Mrs. Reif have reared three children, two of whom they adopted and one, Charles Gustafson, a younger brother of Mrs. Reif, a printer by trade, who is now located at Trent, South Dakota, the others being Nannie, now deceased, and George, who is still in school. Mr. and Mrs. Reif are members of the Presbyterian church and take an earnest interest in the various beneficences of the same, Mr. Reif being an elder in the church. In 1912 he was elected a commissioner from the Red River Valley Presbytery to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian church, held that year in the city of Louis- ville, Kentucky. The Reifs have a very pleasant home in Evansville and take a proper part in the general social activities of their home town, ever helpful factors in the work of promoting the best interests of the com- munity in which they live.
O. H. CURTIS.
O. H. Curtis, one of the well-known and prominent retired farmers of Osakis, was born in Porter county, Indiana, on September 30, 1852, the son of Seth and Emeline ( Fullen) Curtis, who were born in the state of New York and in Crawfordsville, Indiana, respectively. Seth Curtis moved from the state of New York to Indiana and was there married. In 1866 he and his wife decided to locate in Minnesota and here he homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land in Gordon township, Todd county. It was there that the family lived for many years. Mr. Curtis developed and improved his homestead and was successfully engaged in general farming and stock raising. In 1887 he sold- his farm in Todd county and moved over to Douglas county, where he purchased one hundred and sixty acres in sec- tion 27 of Osakis township. This farm he developed and improved and again engaged in general farming and stock raising, in which he was quite successful. It was there that he lived until the time of his death on June I, 1892.
To Seth and Emeline Curtis were born the following children: Will- iam, Alanthus, Mary Ann, Samuel, O. H., and Hezekiah. Mr. and Mrs. Curtis were active members of the Methodist Episcopal church and took much
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interest in all church work. They were for many years active in the social and religious life of the community. Mr. Curtis was a man of much public spirit and took much interest in the growth and the development of the township and the county in which he lived. His life was an active one and he accomplished much that was good, not only to his immediate family, but to the community in general. Being a man of intelligence and experience, his advice and judgment were often sought on matters that pertained to the public welfare.
O. H. Curtis received his education in the public schools of Gordon and Osakis townships, and grew to manhood on his father's farms, where as a lad he assisted his father with the work of the farm. As a young man he decided that he would be a farmer, and soon engaged in the work for him- self, in section 22 of Osakis township. There he purchased a farm of one hundred and ten acres, where he engaged in general farming and stock rais- ing until 1902, in which year he bought the old homestead of his father, in Todd county, and was thus engaged in farming and stock raising until the fall of 1915, when he retired from the activities of farm life and moved to Osakis. He has been successful in his work and is now the owner of some four hundred acres in Gordon township, Todd county. He erected a beautiful modern house on Lake street in Osakis, where he now makes his home.
In 1878 O. H. Curtis was united in marriage to Maria Bowman, the daughter of Jacob and Belinda Bowman. The parents of Mrs. Curtis were born in Canada and there received their education in the public schools, and there grew to manhood and womanhood. It was in 1858 that Jacob Bow- man came to the United States and located in Rice county, Minnesota, where he remained until 1867, when he came to Douglas county and here home- steaded one hundred and sixty acres in Osakis township. The family made the journey to their new home with a horse team and a covered wagon. The journey was a hard one and many Indians were passed on the way. Mr. Bowman became a prominent farmer and stockman in Douglas county, and in connection with his farm interest he did much work in the real estate line and bought and sold many farms.
To O. H. and Maria (Bowman) Curtis have been born eight children, namely : Claude, who married Cara Lane and lives in Montana; John, a farmer of Gordon township, Todd county, who married May Dunn and has one child, a daughter, Dorothy; Laura, who married Jesse Gray and lives in Alberta, Canada: Fred, who married Anna McBride and lives in Montana ; Herbert, who married Blanche Gray and lives on the old home place in
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Gordon township, Todd county, and James, Fillmore and Mildred. The family are prominent in the social and the religious life of the community, and are held in the highest regard by all. Mr. Curtis is a Republican and has always taken a keen interest in the civic life of the township. He is progressive in his views and has always advocated the most complete develop- ment of the roads and the schools of the community, believing that these are of paramount value in the development of the township, as well as of the county. Fraternally, he is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons and of the Independent Order of-Odd Fellows. Few men are held in higher regard than is Mr. Curtis, and his life has demonstrated that he has lived not for himself alone, but for the good and betterment of his fellow men. Much that is good has been accomplished by him and his life has been a worthy one.
GEORGE TRIPP.
George Tripp, one of the successful and well-known farmers of Pelican Lake township, Grant county, was born in Winona county, Minnesota, on July 6, 1860, the son of John and Euphemia ( Nisbit) Tripp. David Nis- bit, the maternal grandfather of George Tripp, was born at Scotland, New York, where he grew to manhood. He later came to Minnesota and was one of the pioneers of Winona county. Daniel Tripp, the paternal grand- father, was also a native of the state of New York, and was a pioneer of Winona county, Minnesota.
John Tripp was born in the state of New York and there received his education in the public schools. After coming to Minnesota he home- steaded in Winona county, where he remained until 1881, when he sold the tract and moved to Grant county, where he engaged in general farming and stock raising and was quite successful, at the time of his death having been the owner of all of section 35 of Pelican Lake township. His death occurred on February 15, 1895, at the age of sixty-four years. The widow died on August 28, 1914, at the age of eighty-one years. They were the parents of six children, Rebecca, George, Elma, Charles, Ida and Edwin. Rebecca lives at Park Rapids, Minnesota, and Elma died in 1896. John Tripp was a man of much ability and was possessed of much business act- men, his influence and advice having been widely sought in matters of importance in the community.
George Tripp received his education in the public schools of Winona
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county and there he grew to manhood. On March 17, 1891, he was united in marriage to Lavina Mckinstry, who was born in Winona county, where she was living at the tinte of her marriage. To this union five children have been born, Bert, Bessie, Roy, Nellie and Vernon. The family have long been prominent in the social and religious life of the township and are held in the higliest esteem by all who know them. They are most hospitable and have won many friends for their many acts of kindness.
George Tripp is now the owner of eighty acres in section 34 of Pelican Lake township, Grant county, and eighty acres in St. Olaf township, Otter- tail county, just across the road from where he lives. He has developed and improved his farm until today he has one of the desirable farms of the township. There he is engaged in general farming and stock raising, in which he has been quite successful. He is a firm believer in intensive farm- ing and thorough cultivation and is recognized as one of the successful farmers of the county. He keeps good stock, but devotes most of his time to the cultivation of his farm.
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