USA > Minnesota > Grant County > History of Douglas and Grant counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 29
USA > Minnesota > Douglas County > History of Douglas and Grant counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 29
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George Tripp has always taken much interest in local affairs and was for many years a member of the township board of supervisors and of the school board of Ottawa township, where he lived before he became a resi- dent of Pelican Lake township.
JOSEPH SCHLECHTER.
Joseph Schlecter, a well-known and prominent farmer of Alexandria township, Douglas county, was born in Minneapolis on June 24, 1857, the son of John and Margaret (Kliers) Schlechter, natives of Belgium and Germany, respectively. They received their education in the schools of their native countries. Some years after their marriage they decided to locate in America, where they might have a better chance to obtain a home for them- selves and their family. They landed in the United States in 1857 and came direct to Minnesota, locating in Hennepin county, where the wife died in September, 1859. In 1864 Joseph Schlechter, enlisted in Company K. Fifth Regiment, Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, and served until the close of the Civil War. He saw much active service and was wounded at the battle of Nashville. At the close of the war he returned to his farm in Carver county, Minnesota, where he died in 1883. His health had become impaired, due to the exposure during his service in the army, and he never regained his
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former strength. He and his wife were the parents of four children, Mary, Catherine. Joseph and Theresa. The family were devout members of the Catholic church and took much interest in religious work. Politically, Mr. Schlechter was identified with the Republican party.
Joseph Schlechter received his education in the public schools of Carver county, Minnesota. His educational advantages were very limited and he taught himself to read and write write English and German. The schools of the county at that time were poorly taught and far distant from the homes of those early settlers. As a lad and young man he assisted his father with the work on the farm. After the death of the father, he moved to Waconia, where he lived for a number of years. He later moved to Isanta county, Minnesota, where he remained three years. In 1904 he came to Douglas county, and here purchased eight acres of land in Alexandria township, just north of the town of Alexandria. Here he remained and engaged in general farming until 1913, at which time he sold the place and purchased his present farm of sixty acres, in this township, where he is engaged in general farming and stock raising.
In 1878 Joseph Schlechter was united in marriage to Annie Cleasgens and to this union one child was born, Mary. She became the wife of Albert Pofahl and they were the parents of two children, Joseph and Albert, the latter of whom is now deceased. Albert Pofahl, the husband and father, died some years ago. After the death of her husband, Mrs. Pofahl was united in marriage to Fred Radde. Joseph Schlechter has adopted his grand- child, Joseph August Pofahl. Mr. and Mrs. Schlechter are active members of the church at St. Joseph and are interested in all religious work. They are among the best people in the township and are held in high regard by all who know them.
CARL D. ANDERSON.
Carl D. Anderson, one of the well-known and successful farmers of Pelican Lake township, Grant county, Minnesota, was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, on June 1, 1870, being the son of Daniel and Borret Anderson. Daniel and Borret Anderson were born in Sweden, where they received their education in the public schools, and there they grew to manhood and woman- hood and were married. They continued to live in the land of their nativ- ity until 1870, when they came to the United States. On their arrival in this country, they came direct to Minnesota and Mr. Anderson entered one
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hundred and sixty acres of wild land in section 15, Lund township, Douglas county. ' Mr. Anderson filed on his claim on June 3, 1870, and on July 5, of the same year, his family, who had remained in St. Paul, joined him. The family came as far as St. Cloud by rail and from there the journey was made with an ox team, Mr. Anderson having rented the team for the trip. There was much timber on the homestead and the first house in which the family lived was made of logs, having no floor but the beaten soil, and the roof was of hay and sod. In this the family lived for some years. The first year the father managed to raise some potatoes and the next year he had four or five acres of wheat. He bought his first oxen in 1871, but had no wagon and hauled his first crops on a rude sled. The roads at that time were but trails over the prairie and through the forests and the nearest market was at Perham, forty-five miles away. Those were hard times for the pioneer family, but they were determined to succeed and in time the land was cleared and under cultivation and nearer markets were established. In 1876 a new log house was erected and other valuable improvements were made from time to time. It was on this farm that Daniel Anderson con- tinued to live until the time of his death, which occurred in the fall of 1896, at the age of sixty-six years. His widow, who was born in 1838, died on July 3, 1900. They were the parents of the following children: Nels D., Stena, Maria, Andrew, Carl, Daniel, Matilda, Alfred, Oscar and Willie. Of these children, Stena, Andrew, Daniel, Matilda and Alfred are living in Canada. Marie is living in California; Oscar on the homestead in Lund township and Willie on rented land in Lund township.
Carl D. Anderson received his education in the public schools of Lund township and there grew to manhood. On September 5, twenty-two years ago, he was married to Matilda Ellefson the daughter of Bengt and Katrina Ellefson, natives of the county of Vermland, Sweden, where they lived and died. They had the following children: Amanda, Matilda, Anna, Oscar, Willie and Signa. Of these, Amanda, Matilda, Oscar and Willie came to this country, all excepting Amanda settling in Minnesota, she settling in North Dakota. Mr. and Mrs. Bengt Ellefson are still living in Sweden. To Mr. and Mrs. Anderson the following children have been born: Ruth A., born on July 5, 1895; Rubin Franklin, January 26, 1897, and Rudolph Benjamin, February 18, 1900. Mr. and Mrs. Anderson are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and are prominent in social and church work.
Carl D. Anderson purchased his first farm of eighty acres in section 6, Pelican township, and later increased it to one hundred and sixty acres. This he has developed and improved, until today he has one of the best improved
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farms in the community. He built the barn in 1907 and the house in 1916. Here he is engaged in general farming and stock raising, in which he is successful.
ANDREW ROTH.
Andrew Roth, a prominent citizen and successful farmer of Lake Mary township, Douglas county, Minnesota, was born in Germany, on December 27, 1849, being the son of Jacob and Christina (Dieterle) Roth, both of whom were natives of that county, where they lived and died. Andrew Roth is the first-born of a family of seven children. Of the others, Mary, Christine, Jacob and John came to America, where Christine has since died. Dora and Barbara have always remained in the fatherland.
Andrew Roth received his education in the schools of his native land and there grew to manhood, remaining a resident of the land of his birth until he was thirty years of age. Having been educated in the country of good schools and trained amid the best farmers and business men of the world, Mr. Roth came to America with a thorough preparation for the activi- ties of life. Among no class of people do we find better farmers, more astute business men, greater lovers of the home and the beauties of nature than the Germans. By instinct and training they are progressive, scientific, careful, prudent and industrious. The German in America has been a big factor in the development of our natural and wonderful resources, much of the development of our Middle and Western states being due to their energy, push and economy.
In 1879 Andrew Roth decided to make a home for himself in America. the land he had heard so much about and to which so many of his country- men had come. On his arrival here, he came direct to Minnesota and for two years worked as a farm hand in Douglas county. He then purchased one hundred and twenty acres in Lake Mary township, the farm where he now lives. The tract at the time he made the purchase was undeveloped and unimproved, but has since been transformed into one of the beautiful and valuable farms of the township. He has improved the place with modern and substantial buildings, all of which are kept in an excellent state of repair. He has always been a believer in intensive farming and a high state of culti- vation. Being progressive, he believes in modern methods of doing things and has been successful both as a general farmer and stock raiser. He added to his original farm of one hundred and twenty acres, ten times, and
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became the owner of twelve hundred acres. He later sold some of the land to his sons.
In 1881 Andrew Roth was united in marriage to Christine Rapp, a native of Germany, and to this union the following children have been born; Rein- hald, Eugene, Edward, William, Arthur and Walter. Eugene is now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Roth are active members of the Lutheran church, in which they take a prominent part in all church work. Mr. Roth has, in connection with his farm and church work, always taken a keen interest in the civic life of the township. Because of his early training and broad views and experience, he has been a most valuable member of the community. He is now a member of the board of supervisors, a position he has held since 1893. To him is due much of the prosperity of the township, relative to schools, roads and finances.
OLIVER P. HAWKINS.
Oliver P. Hawkins, now deceased, was one of the most prominent and well-known men of Grant county, Minnesota. He was born in New Hamp- shire on July 21, 1836, and there received his education in the public schools and grew to manhood. In 1856, at the age of twenty years, he came to the state of Minnesota, and for several years lived at Stillwater. In 1865 he went to St. Paul, where he was engaged in the mercantile business, and did much traveling throughout the state, being one of the very first traveling salesmen out of St. Paul. He remained a resident of that city until 1882, when he came to Ashby and engaged in the general mercantile business. He also established the Ashby Avalanche, of which he was the editor and proprietor. He took much interest in all local affairs and was recognized as a man of unusual ability, being a fluent speaker and ready writer and pos- sessed of much wit. He had much to do with the location of the court house at Elbow Lake and the success and growth of Ashby was largely due to his untiring efforts, it being due to him that the Hotel Rittson was opened. At his death, on March 29, 1886, a flag was draped and placed at half mast in honor of his public service. His death was mourned by the entire community, for they knew that a great and good man had gone to his reward. Fraternally, Mr. Hawkins was a member of the Knights Templar, belonging to the commandery at St. Paul.
Oliver P. Hawkins, Sr., the father of Oliver P. Hawkins, Jr., was a native of New Hampshire and lived at Troy the greater part of his life.
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He was married to Miss Foster, also a native of New Hampshire. He came to Minnesota, late in life, and here lived, retired, until his death.
Oliver P. Hawkins, Jr., was united in marriage on December 22, 1860. to Helen T. Hinman, and to this union two children were born, Fanny C. and Francis Oliver. Fannie C. was born on October 20, 1861, and Francis, on October 19, 1863, and died on October 22, 1888. Judson Hinman, the father of Helen Hawkins, was a native of New York and married Elizabeth Stickney, who was born in Vermont on February 25, 1787. To this union the following children were born: Joanna, Louisa, Hannah, Elijhalet, Eliza- beth, Joanna, Renslaer and Helen T.
Alfred Colony, Jr., is a native of Harrisville, New Hampshire, and there received his education. He was born on December 15. 1859, being the son of Alfred and Fannie ( Hawkins) Colony, the father being in the woolen manufacturing business. When Alfred Colony was twenty-six years of age, he came to Ashby and here married Fannie C. Hawkins, the daugh- ter of Oliver P. and Helen T. Hawkins. For some five years Alfred Colony was engaged in the real estate and loan business in Ashby, after which he moved to Fergus Falls, where he remained for seven years, and then returned to Ashby some ten years ago, and here he and his wife have since lived.
HOWARD WEAVER.
Iowa is such an excellent farming state that it is not often one of her native-born sons leaves it and comes to Minnesota for the purpose of agri- cultural pursuits, but Grant and Douglas counties have lured away a goodly number, among whom should be mentioned Howard Weaver, of Lawrence township. He was born in Mills county, Iowa, August 6, 1871, and is a son of William and Nancy J. Weaver, both natives of New Jersey, where they spent their early years. They removed to Mills county, Iowa, in 1857. where the father bought one hundred and sixty acres of land, to which he later added until he owned five hundred acres, on which he spent the rest of his life, successfully engaged in general farming. His death occurred in 1906, at the age of seventy-six years, his widow surviving until 1911, reach- ing the advanced age of eighty-three years. They were members of the Methodist church and he was a Republican. Their children were named as follows: Joseph, deceased ; James E .; John F., deceased; Charles W. and Howard.
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Howard Weaver grew up on the homestead in Iowa, where he worked when a boy, and he received a common school education. He has always followed general farming. He went to Nebraska in 1891, where he bought land, which he later sold, coming to Grant county, Minnesota in 1900 and buying a farm. This he subsequently sold, after which he returned to Mills county, Iowa, and in 1905 came back to Grant county, Minnesota, purchasing two hundred acres in Lawrence township, where he has since resided and on which he has put on most of the improvements now to be seen. He makes a specialty of raising Shorthorn cattle and Percheron horses.
Politically, Mr. Weaver is a Republican. He is a member and treasurer of the local school board, having held the position several years. He has also served as supervisor and assessor of Lawrence township.
Mr. Weaver was married on December 26, 1891, to Eva M. Hamaker, who was born in Mills county, Iowa, in 1875, where she grew up and attended school. She is a daughter of John and Sarah Hamaker, early settlers in Iowa, both having come from the state of New Jersey. Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Weaver, namely: John, Roy, Cora, Eva, Orvetta ( deceased ) and Walter.
H. O. MELBY.
H. O. Melby, a successful and well-known farmer of Pelican Lake township, Grant county, Minnesota, was born in Wellsworth county, Wis- consin, on October 4, 1866, being the son of K. N. O. and Sarah Melby. K. N. O. Melby was born in Norway and there received his education in the public schools and grew to manhood. He came to the United States as a young man, locating in Wisconsin, where he remained for six months, when he enlisted in the Twenty-second Regiment of Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry and served for four years in the Civil War in the defense of his adopted country. He saw much active service and was captured by the Confederates and imprisoned at Libby Prison, where he remained for sev- eral months, when he was exchanged. He was later with Sherman on the march to the sea and remained with the army until the close of the war, when he returned to Wisconsin, where he engaged in farming. In 1868 he was united in marriage to Sarah Peterson, who was born at Sharon, Wisconsin, on June 24, 1847, being the daughter of Ole and Helga Peter- son. Mr. Peterson was a native of Norway, where he was educated in the public schools, and there grew to manhood. He later came to the United
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States and located in Wisconsin, where he engaged in general farming and stock raising, in which he was successful. Mrs. Peterson was a native of Wisconsin, where her marriage to Mr. Peterson occurred. Mr. and Mrs. Peterson were active members of the Lutheran church and were held in high regard by the people of the community.
K. N. O. Melby and wife, soon after their marriage, came to Grant county, where Mr. Melby had homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land making the journey with a team of horses and a wagon. A log cabin was erected on the claim, in section 15, Pelican Lake township, in which they lived for several years. The farm was cleared and improved and Mr. Melby engaged in general farming and stock raising, in which he was successful. He later retired from the farm and made his home in Ashby, where he died on February 7, 1913. He always took much interest in local affairs, and served as a member of the board of township super- visors and of the school board and was president of the village board for two terms. He assisted in the incorporation of the town of Ashby and was the postmaster there for a number of years. He was also interested in the mercantile business there for ten years, under the firm name of Melby, Madland Company. He and his wife were active members of the Nor- wegian Lutheran church. They were the parents of the following chil- dren : H. O., Hannah, Servina. A. K., John, Lewis, Emma, Bessie, Andrew, Sarah, Lena, Nellie, Minnie and Christian. Mrs. Melby is now living at Ashby, with her two daughters, Emma and Hannah.
H. O. Melby received his education in the local schools and grew to manhood on the home farm, where, as a lad and young man, he assisted his father with the work on the farm. On November 26, 1892, he was united in marriage to Amanda Anderson, daughter of A. J. and Marie Lena (Peterson) Magnuson. These parents are natives of Sweden, where they are still living. The subject's wife came to America at the age of fourteen years, stopping in New York for five years, then came to Chi- cago. Six years later she came to Minnesota and was married here. To her union with Mr. Melby two children have been born, Walter J., now a student at Minnesota University, and Mabel, who is attending the St. Cloud Normal College. Mr. and Mrs. Melby are active members of the Nor- wegian Lutheran church and are prominent in the social and religious life of the community.
H. O. Melby has always lived on the home farm, on which the early improvements were erected by his father, after he had homesteaded the
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place, many years ago. Mr. Melby now owns the old home farm and, in addition, has added to the place until he is now the owner of some four hundred acres in Pelican Lake township, as well as four hundred and eighty acres in northern Minnesota. In 1914 he erected the barn, thirty-four by seventy-six feet, with a large silo, on the home place, which is situated on the banks of Pelican Lake. Here he is engaged in general farming and stock raising, being interested in the breeding of Shorthorn and Durham cattle, as well as Duroc-Jersey hogs. His stock is recognized as among the best in the township and he takes much pride in their records.
H. O. Melby has always taken a keen interest in the local affairs of the township and county and has served for a number of years as a member of the school board. He is a stockholder in the creamery at Ashby and a mem- ber of its board of directors. He is also a stockholder in the First State Bank at Ashby, where he is recognized as one of the prominent and influ- ential men of the community.
OLE LEE.
Among the enterprising farmers and substantial citizens of Ida town- ship, Douglas county, is Ole Lee, who is a native-born son of Minnesota, his birth having occurred in Ida township, November 2, 1879. He is a son of Evan S. and Maria ( Larson) Lee, both of whom were natives of Norway.
Evan S. Lee was a carpenter by trade and followed that occupation in his native land until 1870, when he came to the United States, his wife coming two years later. Evan S. Lee came first to Fillmore county, Min- nesota, where he worked on a farm for a short time, after which he con- tinued to work at his trade of carpenter. He also worked a short time on railroad construction work, but later came to Alexandria, where he helped to build many of the early buildings of that city. While he was working in the latter city, he had his wife join him from the old country and at that time he homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land in Ida township in sections 10 and II, near Lake Ida, which was all timber land. There he built a log house with a birch-bark roof. He cleared about three acres around the house at first, and while living in that cabin the roof was torn off by a cyclone, but he later rebuilt it. His sons did most of the clearing and cultivating of the land, while he followed his trade as a carpenter.
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The first team the family had was oxen, bought as calves, which the sons raised and broke to the plow. In 1880 the family built a larger log house, which they lived in until 1902, when the new frame house was erected which now stands on the place. When he reached the age of fifty, Evan S. Lee retired from the carpentering and building business and devoted his attention wholly to farming. He purchased eighty acres more land adjoin- ing his original farm on the west, and lived on his farm the remainder of his life. For the last few years of his life, he was retired from active farming. In 1913 he sold the farm to Mrs. Colstrom, but stayed on the place until his death on March 30, 1915, at the age of eighty years. His wife died on July 4, 1913, aged seventy-six years. Evan S. Lee and his wife were the parents of eight children: Clara Maria, who was born in Norway, is the wife of Andrew M. Lantz, a brick mason, contractor and builder of Minot, North Dakota; Olaus, who died before the family left Norway; August, who has a fruit ranch near Ephratta, Washington, was also born in Norway: Lars, who married Martha Monson, is a farmer in Ida township and is mentioned elsewhere in this work; Emily, born in Nor- way, is a trained nurse in San Francisco; Minnie, born in the United States, is a resident of St. Paul, Minnesota: Hilda, also born in this country, is the wife of Leonard P. Thunstad, a grocer of Seattle, Washington, and Ole, the immediate subject of this review.
Ole Lee received his education in the country schools of his home neighborhood, and lived with his parents until two years after his mar- riage, during which time he assisted his father with the farm work, and managed the farm for the last two years for his father. He then home- steaded one hundred and sixty acres of timber land in Black Duck town- ship, Beltrami county, Minnesota, and lived on that place for about a year. at the end of which time he sold his claim to advantage and returned to Douglas county, where he rented his father's place for one year. After that, for two years, he was in Roseau county, Minnesota, where he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of wild land. Two years later he sold that land and moved to Glenwood, Minnesota, where he bought a dray line and operated it in partnership with Ernest Johnson for a year and a half, when he disposed of his interest in that business and returned to Douglas county, and is now living on the old Larson homestead of one hundred and fifty- five acres, where he is engaged in general farming and stock rasing.
On November 11, 1901, Ole Lee was married to Hulda Larson, the daughter of the late Erick Larson, who is mentioned elsewhere in this
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work. To this union have been born six children, Rudolph, Clarence, . Melvin, Clifford, Doris and Verna, all of whom are living at home with their parents. The family are members of the Swedish Lutheran church. Mr. Lee is a Republican in politics.
OLE A. THOMPSON.
Ole A. Thompson, whose family name in Norway was Aaskjer, was born in that country on March 9, 1854, the son of Tosten Olson and Magda- lena Aaskjer, also natives of Norway, where they received their education in the public schools, where they grew to manhood and womanhood and where they were married. They continued to live in the land of their birth until 1876, when they decided that they would come to America. Upon their arrival in the United States they came directly to Minnesota and here made their home, with the son, Ole A. Thompson, in Erdahl, township, Grant county, for eight or nine years, at the end of which time they removed to Evansville township, over the line in Douglas county, where they took a homestead of forty acres. That farm they improved and developed and there they lived for a number of years, at the end of which time they sold the place and returned to Erdahl township, where they lived with a son until the time of their deaths, the mother dying two years before the father. They were the parents of five children, Andrew (deceased), Ole A., Anna, Mary and Tosten. Anna is the widow of G. M. Bah, who was a well-known farmer of Erdahl townsip; Mary married Olaus Balı, a farmer of Erdahl township, and Tosten is a farmer of North Dakota.
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