USA > Minnesota > Grant County > History of Douglas and Grant counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 34
USA > Minnesota > Douglas County > History of Douglas and Grant counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 34
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not there at all, so indefinite were the lines separating the tracts. Since that time Mr. Anderson has cleared and developed the farm and improved the place with modern buildings, until today he has one of the pleasantest coun- try homes in the township. Since locating there he has added ninety-seven acres to his original tract, making him a farm of one hundred and seventy- seven acres, less one acre that he donated for school No. 99. There he is engaged in general farming and stock raising and has been quite successful. He is a believer in intensive farming and thorough cultivation and is recog- nized as one of the careful and prudent farmers and business men of the county.
Mr. Anderson and family are devout members of the Lutheran church and take an active interest in church work. Mr. Anderson has been a valu- able man in the community and has done much for the success and growth of the township. He has always been a factor in the development of the schools of his district and the building of good roads in the township. He is now a member of the school board, was for ten years a member of the board of township supervisors, and for seventeen years road overseer, having refused the latter position some three or four years ago. Much credit for the excellent condition of the roads of his district is due to his excellent judg- ment and constant care.
VICTOR LARSON.
A young Swedish farmer of Carlos township, Douglas county, who is making good at his chosen life vocation is Victor Larson, who was born in Sweden on December 20, 1875, a son of Gustaf and Anna Larson, who were born and reared in Sweden, from which country they came to America in 1883, locating in Alexandria, Minnesota, where they spent four years; then moved to a farm in Carlos township, where they established the family home. While living in Alexandria the father engaged in ditching and grubbing. part of the time on the farm of Senator Knute Nelson, which lies in that vicinity. The elder Larson finally bought eighty acres in section 36 of Carlos township, to which place he removed about 1914, and now he owns, in all, one hundred and sixty acres in Douglas county. He is a member of the Swedish Lutheran church at Crooked Lake. He has three sons, Victor, Albert and Elmer. The father and sons are Republicans.
Victor Larson was reared on the home farm, where he worked when a boy. He received a common-school education, attending school in Alex-
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andria for four years, also at Belle River for some time. When starting out as a farmer for himself he bought forty acres in Carlos township, which he operated until 1913, when he sold it and purchased a forty-eight-acre farm of Erick Young in section 26, where he has since lived.
On July 18, 1902, Victor Larson was married to Albertine Alstedt, a daughter of C. M. Alstedt, a native of Sweden, from which country he came to Minnesota many years ago, and was an early settler of Osakis town- ship, Douglas county. To Mr. and Mrs. Larson the following children have been born: Ellen, Rosie, Lillie, Theodore, Russell, Marshall. Gustaf and Lloyd.
ERICK HANSON.
Erick Hanson, one of the well-to-do farmers of Alexandria township, Douglas county, was born in the laen of Orebro, Sweden, March 10, 1861, a son of Peter E. and Maria E. ( Larson ) Hanson, who were born in Sweden and who remained residents of the land of their birth until 1869, when they decided to come to America. Upon landing in this country they came directly to Minnesota and Peter F. Hanson purchased a homestead right of one hundred and sixty acres in the northwest part of Osakis township, Douglas county, where he spent the rest of his life, his death occurring in 1908. His widow still resides on the old homestead. At the time Mr. Hanson bought his farm there was but one-half acre cleared and there stood the only improvement, a small shanty. In time the farm was developed and improved with substantial buildings and the farm came to be recognized as one of the best in the township.
Peter E. Hanson was an active member of the Swedish Lutheran church, as is his widow, and was one of the organizers of the local church. Tlie facilities for entertaining company in those days were very limited. There was little but the bare necessities in the homes, and the visitors had to be satisfied with conditions as they found them. Yet Mr. and Mrs. Hanson made one exception to this rule, for in 1870, at a time when a student, who was a teacher and preacher, was to be a guest at their humble home, they thought it prudent to buy a chair for the use of their guest during his stay with them. That was the first chair in that community and placed the Han- son family a little in advance of the other members of the little settlement. Erick Hanson still retains the chair and prizes it highly. In addition to his church activities, Peter E. Hanson also took much interest in local civic
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affairs and had much to do with the government of the township. He was for a number of years a member of the board of supervisors and also served on the school board. He always took great interest in the development of the schools, knowing their full meaning to the children of the township. Before his death he was the owner of six hundred and forty acres of good land in Douglas county. He and his wife were the parents of eight children, Erick, Ulricka, John, August, Ed, Mary, Joel and Emanuel. The latter is now on the old homestead and August and Mary are deceased. In 1883 Peter and Maria Hanson made a visit to their old home in Sweden.
Erick Hanson was about eight years of age when his parents came to America and he completed his education in the pioneer schools of Douglas county. Since leaving school he has by reading and close association with people kept well abreast of the times and is well informed on all matters of public interest. As a lad and young man he assisted his father on the farm and soon became interested in the life of a farmer. After his marriage in 1883, he took possession of his present farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Alexandria township and has clearly developed and improved the same, his excellent farm plant including modern buildings. He is engaged in general farming and stock raising and has been quite successful.
In 1883 Erick Hanson was united in marriage to Wilhelmina Lund, who also was born in Sweden, a daughter of Olaf and Carrie (Hedin) Lund, who located in Osakis township, Douglas county, in 1879, but in 1881 removed to Alexandria township, where they died some years ago. Mr. and Mrs. Lund were the parents of nine children, Bertha, Wilhelmina, Otto, Louis, Carrie, Hannah, John, Martin and Charles. Mrs. Hanson and her sister Bertha did not accompany their parents to America, but came in 1881. Louis and Charles were soldiers in the Spanish-American War. Louis was discharged on account of sickness, after the war, but Charles served for two years longer in the Philippines. Olaf Lund was a soldier in the service of the Swedish government before coming to the United States.
To Erick Hanson and wife have been born eight children, Anna, Ida Marie, Edward Wilhelm, Beda, Mable (deceased), Paul O., Carl Fred and Hilding E. Paul O. Hanson is a graduate of the Gustavus Adolphus Col- lege at St. Peter and Edward Wilhelm Hanson is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis and is now a lieutenant in the United States navy, serving on the battleship "Brooklyn". He was in the fight at Vera Cruz, and had a narrow escape from death at that time.
Mr. and Mrs. Hanson are active members of the Swedish Lutheran
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church at Alexandria, have always taken an active interest in church work and are among the prominent residents of the community. Mr. Hanson has, in addition to his many other duties, taken a keen interest in the civic affairs of the township. He has served as a member of the board of super- visors, was formerly township clerk and was for twelve years the school clerk. He has always been particularly interested in the development of the schools, knowing their full value to the state and the nation. Having been limited in his own schooling, he has the desire to see every child have the best possible training for the activities of life, and much of the success of the schools of his township is due to his untiring effort to place them on the highest possible plane. The family are highly regarded in the com- munity.
NELSON GUSTAV NELSON.
Nelson Gustav Nelson, a well-known farmer of Holmes City township. Douglas county, was born in Sweden on February 1, 1863, a son of Pehr and Anna (Hendrickson) Nelson, both natives of Sweden, who came with their family to Minnesota in 1879, locating in Holmes City township, Douglas county, the father buying an eighty-acre farm, two miles west of the village of Holmes City. He cleared most of his present farm of eighty-five acres, about one mile west of the village. He and his wife are the parents of five children, all born in Sweden, namely: Stena, Nelson G., John (deceased ), Anna and Philip (deceased). Pehr Nelson, the father, was for a time engaged in the mercantile business at Donnelly, in the neighboring county of Stevens. He and his family are members of the Swedish Lutheran church at Holmes City, which they helped organize.
Pehr Nelson is now past eighty-seven years old, but notwithstanding his advanced age he is active and fairly well preserved. His wife is eighty- one. They are highly respected by all who know them.
Nelson G. Nelson was sixteen years old when he accompanied the family to America and he has been engaged in farming ever since in Holmes City township. He owns a well-improved and productive farm of one hundred and sixty-three acres, lying immediately northwest of Holmes City, the village having been built on that farm. He bought the farm in 1914 and is engaged in general farming. The place was formerly owned by John Smith, a pioneer.
In 1889 Nelson G. Nelson was married to Bertha Unumb, a sister of
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P. O. Unumb, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work. Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Nelson, namely: Carl, Philip, William, Olga, and Edna. Mr. Nelson is a Republican and has been town- ship chairman since 1913. He also served three years on the school board. He is a member of the Swedish Lutheran church at Holmes City.
I. G. HERMANSON.
L. G. Hermanson, a well-known and successful farmer of Brandon township, Douglas county, was born in Sweden in 1862, the son of Herman and Mary ( Olson) Larson, further mention of whom is made in a biograph- ical sketch of William Hermanson on another page of this volume.
L. G. Hermanson received his education in the public schools of Sweden and there grew to manhood. He continued to reside in the land of his nativity until he was twenty years of age, when, in 1882, he decided to come to America. Upon his arrival in this country he came at once to Minnesota, where he worked in various parts of the state for the first few months. He then went to Montana, where he worked on a steamboat on the Yellowstone river. After some time spent in the work on the river he was engaged with the Northern Pacific railroad construction gang for some months. He then returned to Minnesota and located at Minneapolis, where he was engaged as a teamster for the next six or seven years, being engaged in work with his own team. He then decided to engage in farming, and in 1873 came to Douglas county, where he purchased one hundred and seven acres, in section 12 of Brandon township, the tract at that time being wild land. He built a substantial frame house, the expense of which, together with the purchase, left him little if any cash. He had no team with which to assist him in the clearing and to do his farm work. These conditions made it necessary for him to work in the neighborhood for such farmers then there as were in a position to hire additional help, in order that he might accumulate enough money with which to purchase a team and the necessary farming implements. For three or four years he did considerable work away from home, and during that time, when not otherwise engaged, used his best efforts to get his farm in shape for cultivation. During those three or four years he raised no crops, but devoted his time to clearing and in the additional work for the neighbors, in the immediate vicinity. After obtaining the team and the necessary farming outfit he devoted his life to
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general farming and stock raising on the original farm. He later sold a part of the place and is now the owner of some fifty acres, all under culti- vation and nicely improved. He has a beautiful grove that he planted, and the place is kept in admirable condition.
In 1886 L. G. Hermanson was united in marriage to Tilda Bergstrom, of Minneapolis, who also was born in Sweden. He and his wife are active members of the Swedish Mission church, Mr. Hermanson being a teacher in the Sunday school. He has taken much interest in local affairs and has served as assessor and as justice of the peace. In 1898 Mr. Hermanson went to Dawson, Alaska, in search of gold, but he was not successful in his venture and returned to his farm. He is now treasurer of the Farmers Local Telephone Company.
WILLIAM F. BETTERMAN.
The gentleman whose name initiates this biographical review was born in Westphalia, Germany, November 18, 1880, but he prefers farming in Miltona township, Douglas county, to life in his native empire.
William F. Betterman is a son of William and Bertha (Krinka) Bet- terman, natives of Germany, where they grew up and married, and who emigrated to America in 1881, locating in Peru, Illinois, where the father engaged in coal mining until 1906, when he came to Minnesota and bought eighty acres in Miltona township, Douglas county, where he has since engaged in farming. His wife died on April 4, 1911. To these parents the fol- lowing children were born: Gustav, William F., Fred, Bertha, Charles, Anna, Clara, and Mattie, all of whom are still living.
William F. Betterman was a small child when his parents came to this country and grew up and attended the high school at Peru, Illinois. He was married on June 17, 1914, to Helen Thurke, who was born in Minne- sota, a daughter of August Thurke, who now lives in Alexandria, Mr. Thurke having come to Douglas county twenty-three years ago and bought land. Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Betterman, namely : Henry, Josephine, Walter, Lucy and Clarence.
Mr. Betterman has always followed general farming. He first owned eighty acres in section 9 of Miltona township, which he later sold, about 1913, and moved to one hundred and sixty acres, which his father-in-law owns, and there he has since resided. He raises all kinds of grain crops
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adapted to this latitude and good grade stock, specializing in Poland China hogs. He is president of the Farmers Warehouse and Produce Company (the Farmers Society of Equity), having been elected to that position on July 7, 1916, and he is discharging the duties of the same in an able and satisfactory manner to all concerned. He is a Republican and served for some time as a member of the township board, part of the time as chairman. He was township assessor in 1909. He is a member of the German Luth- eran church. He takes an active interest in the affairs of his community, and has always been a leading force in the good roads movement in this section.
HANS P. HANSON.
The late Hans P. Hanson, one of the pioneers of this section of Minne- sota, was born in Norway and died at his home in Douglas county on May 31, 1890. He received his education in the public schools of his native coun- try and there grew to manhood and married Gunhild Julseth. Some years after their marriage he and his wife decided to come to America. After landing in the United States, about fifty years ago, they came direct to Minnesota and located in Goodhue county, where they remained for two years, at the end of which time they came over to this part of the state and took a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres in section 27, Brandon township, Douglas county. The tract at that time was for the most part a wild and unbroken piece of land. There were no improvements and the family suffered the many hardships of early pioneer life. A log cabin was erected, in which the family lived for a number of years. Oxen were used in the farm work, and in the clearing and development of the place. In time the rude log hut was replaced by a more modern and substantial build- ing, and the farm was improved with other good buildings. There Mr. Hanson engaged in general farming and stock raising until the time of his death.
To Hans P. Hanson and wife thirteen children were born, Thorson, Ludwig, Betsy, Martha, Halvor, Hannah, John, Marie, Ida, Peter, George H., Louise and Johannah, of whom Ida, Peter and Thorson are now deceased. The family have ever taken an active interest in the services, of the Nor- wegian Lutheran church of which they are members. The father had assisted in the organization of the local church in Brandon township and did much work on the building, as he was a carpenter by trade. In addition
IIANS P. HANSON AND FAMILY.
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to his other work, Hans P. Hanson did much carpenter work in the com- munity and built many houses and other buildings.
Hans P. Hanson always took much interest in local affairs, and was recognized as a man of much force and possessed of a high, patriotic spirit. He was ever ready to assist in any worthy cause that had for its purpose the betterment and the improvement of the township and the county. He served as a member of the township board for many years and was a member at the time of his death. He was recognized as a good business man and a thorough farmer, and owned at the time of his death two hundred and fifty- three acres, all of which was in Brandon township.
After the death of the father the widow and children operated and managed the farm. A new house was erected in 1906, which adds much to the beauty and value of the place. In time the children have all married and gone to homes of their own, with the exception of George H. and Johannah, who live at home with their mother, who is now seventy-three years of age, her birthday being January 15. George H. Hanson, who is now thirty-five years of age, rents the farm, and, being possessed of much of his father's ability, is meeting with success in general farming and stock raising. He believes in thorough and systematic farming and the keeping of the best of stock.
PETER ENGSTROM.
Peter Engstrom, one of the successful and well-known farmers of Ida township, Douglas county, was born in Sweden on October 29, 1865, the son of Hendrick and Ingabor (Johnson) Johnson, natives of Sweden. Hendrick Johnson was a farmer and contractor and a man of prominence in the community in which he lived. He died in 1871 and his widow twelve years later was united in marriage to Oluf Lind, now deceased. Mrs. Lind is now living in Sweden with her daughter. She and Mr. Johnson were the parents of three children, Anna Sophia, John and Peter, all of whom live in the native land, with the exception of Peter.
As a lad and young man Peter Engstrom did farm work and later worked in a factory. In 1887 he decided that he would come to America and upon arriving in the United States came directly to Minnesota, where he worked as a farm hand for one year in Grant county. During the next three years he rented three hundred and twenty acres of land, and then pur- (23a)
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chased a homestead right to wild land, without any improvements what- ever. He built a shanty, twelve by twelve feet, and devoted his time for the next five years to the task of clearing, improving and cultivating his farm. He then sold the place and purchased for nine dollars an acre two hundred and eighty acres near Wheaton, which farm was also all wild land. He later built a large house and barn and continued to farm the place for the next four years, at the end of which time he sold it for thirty dollars an acre. He then, in 1903, moved to Douglas county and purchased one hundred and sixty acres in section 8 of Ida township. The farm had fair buildings at that time, but Mr. Engstrom has done much in the way of improvement. He now has a splendid two-story frame-house that is sur- rounded by a beautiful grove. The barn is fifty-eight by sixty-four feet, with a stave silo, fourteen by thirty feet, with a five-foot concrete pit. The house is supplied with acetylene lights and a good furnace, and has about every modern convenience. Some years after coming to Douglas county Mr. Engstrom added another eighty acres to his farm and is now the owner of two hundred and forty acres.
In 1893 Peter Engstrom was united in marriage to Gerda Anderson, also a native of Sweden, who came to the United States as a young woman. To this union nine children have been born, Fredolph, Edgar, Elvin, Gerda, Oliver, Edwin, Clifford, Leslie and Gladys. Fredolph Engstrom took the course in agriculture at the University of Minnesota. Edgar Engstrom is a teacher in the schools of Douglas county. The family are members of the Swedish Mission church, of which Mr. Engstrom is a deacon and the church treasurer.
Peter Engstrom has had an active and useful life and has accomplished much. He has always been progressive in his methods and believes in con- ducting his farm along advanced lines. He believes in intensive farming and in the most thorough cultivation of the soil, and he is today recognized as one of the well-informed and successful farmers of the township. He is public spirited, has ever taken an active interest in local affairs and is a strong advocate of the best schools possible. In the schools, as well as in public improvements, he sees the success of the farming community of the state. While a resident of Traverse county he was assessor of Clifton township for a number of years. Since locating in Douglas county he has been a member of the school board of his township and it is needless to say that the schools have received the very best service that he could give them. His own early education having been neglected, he feels that the children of
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Ida township are entitled to better advantages than he had. He has seen to it that the children of his own family receive the best education possible. He is interested in the Creamery Association at Garfield and has ever given of his time and ability to the growth and development of the township and the county. He and his family are held in the highest regard by all.
GEORGE JEFFREY.
George Jeffrey, a well-known and successful farmer of Osakis town- ship, Douglas county, was born at Rockford, Iowa, in 1875, the son of John and Rose (Colligan ) Jeffrey, natives of the Isle of Man and of the state of Wisconsin, respectively. At the age of thirteen John Jeffrey came to the United States with his parents. They located in Wisconsin and there he grew to manhood and assisted with the work on the farm. At the out- break of the Civil War, he enlisted in a company of one of the regiments of Wisconsin volunteer infantry, and served until the close of the war. After his discharge he located at Rockford, Iowa, where he later became a farmer, in which vocation he engaged until a few years ago, when he retired to Rock- ford, where he now lives. When the son George was but a child his mother died and Mr. Jeffrey later married Erilla Lorenze, who is still living.
As a farmer and stockman, John Jeffrey was successful and was recog- nized as one of the progressive men of the community. He and his family are members of the Congregational church and are active in church work. Mr. Jeffrey takes much interest in the Grand Army of the Republic, of which he is an active member.
Coming to the United States as a mere lad and a stranger to the social and business conditions of the country, John Jeffrey had a hard struggle during his early residence here. The territory where his parents had settled was new and they had to endure the many hardships of the pioneer. Yet he grew to be a young man of sterling worth and true to his adopted country, and gave several years of his young life to the preservation of the Union.
George Jeffrey received his education in the public schools of Rock- ford and after having completed his school work he engaged in farming on his father's farm, where he remained until the spring of 1906. when he pur- chased his present farm of one hundred and twenty-four acres in Osakis township, Douglas county. Under the careful training of his father, George Jeffrey learned the secrets of successful farming, and when he came to his
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