USA > Minnesota > Grant County > History of Douglas and Grant counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 35
USA > Minnesota > Douglas County > History of Douglas and Grant counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 35
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own farm he was prepared to meet the many difficulties that had to be encountered. IIere he is engaged in general farming and dairying and is meeting with success. He believes in intensive farming and in the keeping of the best of cattle.
In 1896 George Jeffrey was united in marriage to Jennie Beaver, of his home township, and to this union was born one child, Verl. After the death of Mrs. Jennie Jeffrey, Mr. Jeffrey was united in marriage in Novem- ber, 1913, to Carrie Swartz.
H. A. GULSON.
Among the many well-known and successful natives of Norway who are engaged in farming in Moe township, Douglas county, few are better known than is H. A. Gulson, who was born on January 26, 1852, the son of Amund and Georn ( Halvorson) Gulson, who were also born in Norway. The father was reared on a farm and as a young man engaged in farming in his native country. He and his family continued to live there until 1864, when they decided to come to America. Upon their arrival in this country they proceeded to Iowa, where they located in Winneshiek county, and where they lived for six years, after which they came to Minnesota and lo- cated in Moe township, Douglas county. Here Mr. Gulson homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land in sections 13 and 24, the place where H. A. Gulson now lives, and which was at that time all heavy timber land. It required the hardest kind of work and the utmost planning on the part of Mr. and Mrs. Gulson to clear their farm and feed and clothe the little fam- ily. There were still some Indians in the county at that time, but these were for the most part friendly. In time the place was cleared and substantial improvements erected and there Mr. Gulson engaged in farming and stock raising. until the time of his death. He and his wife were devout members of the Norwegian Lutheran church and were active in church work. They were the parents of two children, Rande, who is the wife of Halvor Skean, and H. A. Gulson, the subject of this sketch.
H. A. Gulson received his earliest educational training in the public schools of his native land and completed his education in the schools of Iowa and Douglas county. He grew to manhood on the home farm, where as a lad and young man he assisted his father with the farm work. As a lad he devoted much of his spare time to trapping and while on one of these
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expeditions he was followed by six canoes full of Indians, who did their best to catch him. With much haste and skill he landed his boat on the bank of the lake and made good his escape.
During his early days of farming, H. A. Gulson was associated with his father, but in 1874 he took a homestead in Trail county, North Dakota, where he remained for two years, after which he sold the tract and returned to the home in Moe township, where he has since resided. He now owns one hundred and sixty-three acres of land. He has placed all the present substantial buildings on the place and has done much in the way of develop- ment. In addition to his work as a farmer and stock raiser, Mr. Gulson has for the past forty years done much carpenter work in the neighborhood.
In 1876 H. A. Gulson was united in marriage to Gonder Walstad, and to this union six children have been born, Albert R., Martin G., Gena, Adolph, Helmer and Agnes. The Gulsons are members of the Lutheran church, of which Mr. Gulson has served as trustee.
CHRISTIAN A. LUND.
Christian A. Lund, a successful business man of Nelson, was born in Denmark, on July 1, 1872, the son of M. E. and Eliza (Wetzman) Lund, natives of Denmark, where they have always made their home. Mr. Lund was for many years a farmer, but is now employed as a timekeeper for a factory at Aarhus, Denmark. As a young man he served as a soldier in the Danish infantry. He and his wife are the parents of nine children Christian A., Bergina, Thora, Ida, Andres, Sophie, Carl Wilhelm and Otto WV. The family are members of the Lutheran church.
Christian A. Lund received his education in Denmark, other than what he received in one term of school in the United States. In Denmark he learned buttermaking at which he worked for four years in his native country. In 1892 he came to America and located at Osakis, where he worked for two years as a farm hand. He then took a course for experi- enced buttermakers at the state experiment station. He then returned to farm work and was thus engaged until September, 1894, when he took charge of the Nelson creamery and operated it until December 3, 1904, when he returned to Denmark, where he remained during that winter. On his return to Nelson he devoted three years to the breeding of draft horses, giv- ing his entire attention to that business. In 1909 he purchased the feed
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store at Nelson, which he conducted in connection with his horse stable. In 1914 he sold his horses and devoted his undivided attention to the feed store and grinding.
Mr. Lund has always taken an active interest in local affairs and has served on the council of his home town. He is a member of the Knights of the Maccabees and of the Danish Brotherhood of America. He attends the Danish Lutheran church at Nelson.
ERNEST MEISSNER.
Ernest Meissner, a well-known and successful farmer of Millerville township, Douglas county, was born in Germany on November 13, 1857, the son of Gottlieb and Fredericka ( Haberland) Meissner, also natives of Germany.
As a young man, Gottlieb Meissner engaged in farming in the Father- land, where he and his family lived until 1869, when they decided to seek a home in America. Upon landing in this country they came directly to Minnesota, and here located in Millerville township, Douglas county, where Mr. Meissner purchased the homestead right in one hundred and sixty acres of land. This farm he developed and improved and there he successfully engaged in general farming. There he and his wife spent the rest of their lives, he dying in May, 1890, at the age of sixty years, and his widow, Janu- ary II, 1916, at the age of eighty-two years, she having been born on May 23, 1833. They were the parents of eight children, Ernest, Fred, Fredricka, Herman, William, Amelia, Henry and Mary. Mr. Meissner was recog- nized as a systematic and thorough farmer and he and his wife were held in high esteem by all.
Ernest Meissner received his education in the public schools of Ger- many, and there spent his boyhood life. As a lad he came to the United States with his parents and assisted his father with the work on the farm and remained with his father on the home farm, assisting in the manage- ment of the place until his father's death. In 1881 he purchased one hun- dred and eighty acres of his father in Millerville township, and is now the owner of four hundred acres, all of which is well under cultivation and nicely improved. The old home place was for the most part wild land at the time he made the purchase, and he has improved the farm with new buildings and made many other valuable and attractive improvements. The house
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was built in 1889 and the barn about eighteen years ago. Mr. Meissner is engaged in general farming and stock raising. During the summer he keeps many head of cattle and is interested in Shorthorns.
On June 21, 1881, Ernest Meissner was united in marriage to Caroline Buse and to this union eight children have been born: Ernest, William, Amanda, Rudolph, Mary, Minnie, Lesetta and Bertha. The family have long been prominent in the social and religious life of the community and are highly respected. Mr. Meissner takes much interest in local affairs and is a strong advocate of good roads and the best of schools. Having been educated in a country which puts much stress on both, he has a high appreciation of their great value in the development and the substantial life of the community. His son, Rudolph Meissner, is the only son now at home and helps in the management of the place.
EMIL PETERSON.
There is no better farmer in Ida township, Douglas county, than Emil Peterson, who was born in Sweden, July 23, 1849. He is a son of Peter and Brita ( Nelson) Anderson. (He dropped the family name upon com- ing to America.) His parents grew up in their native land and married there. They brought their family to this country in 1869, landing at Quebec, and coming on directly to Minnesota, the father taking up a homestead in Ida township, Douglas county, developing one hundred and sixty acres, which, however, he sold a few years later, and spent the rest of his life among his children. He belonged to the Swedish Lutheran church of Ida township. His death occurred in October, 1893, when well advanced in years, his birth having occurred in 1821. He and his wife had six children, Emil, Anna, Gustave, Nels (deceased), Carl and Mary ..
Emil Peterson grew up in Sweden where he attended the public schools. He was married on December 31, 1875, to Ulricka Noren, who came to Minnesota. about 1870, her father, Erick Noren, taking up a homestead in Ida township, Douglas county. Of his large family of twelve children, only two are now living, Ulricka and Hilma. To Mr. and Mrs. Peterson the following children have been born: Ellen, Carl, Selma, Julius, Elmer and Ida, who are married, and Signe, William, Edna and Ebba, single and at home.
Emil Peterson was a young man, single, when he came to America,
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and since coming here he has devoted his attention to general farming. In 1870 he took up a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres in section 18 of Ida township, where he is still living. He cleared the place, which was mostly in timber, and put all the improvements on the same. He has worked hard and has succeeded as a general farmer, and also raises a fine grade of Duroc-Jersey hogs. He has a good residence and numerous con- venient outbuildings. He is a stockholder in the creamery and in the ele- vator at Garfield.
Politically, Mr. Peterson is independent and has been a member of the township board for a number of years. He has long taken an active inter- est in public affairs, and during his residence here of some forty-six years, has been influential in the movements having to do with the general welfare and growth of his township and county." He is one of the worthy pioneers of this section and is highly respected.
CHARLES MELIN.
Charles Melin, one of the well-known and successful residents of Ida township, Douglas county, was born in Michigan, the son of Andrew and Albertina (Engstrom) Melin, who were born in Sweden and there received their education in the common public schools, grew to manhood and woman- hood and were married. They later came to the United States and after their arival in this country located in Michigan, where Andrew Melin was engaged in the copper mines for some years. He then came to Minnesota and homesteaded eighty acres of land in Carlos township, which he sold some years later and then moved to Leaf Valley township, where he pur- chaser one hundred and sixty acres of land in section 35, which he developed and improved and there he made his home until his death in 1908, at the age of seventy-four years. His widow died in 1910, at the age of sixty-six years. They were the parents of six children, Charles, Albert, Victor, Hannah. Axel and Sophia. Mr. and Mrs. Melin were active members of the Swedish Lutheran church, took much interest in church work and were prominent in the social life of the community.
Charles Melin received his education in the public schools of Douglas county and grew to manhood on the home farm. As a lad and young man he assisted his father with the development and improvement of the old homestead. He was united in marriage to Hilma Noren, daughter of Eric
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and Sarah Noren, of Douglas county, natives of Sweden, and to this union the following children have been born: Arthur, Walter, Axel, Oscar, Reuben, Arvid, Inez, Herbert and Kermit.
Charles Melin is today the owner of eighty acres of excellent land in section 5 of Ida township, which he has developed and improved until he has one of the best farms in the township. In addition to his farm work, Mr. Melin is the carrier on a rural route out of Garfield and has held the position for a number of years, having given splendid service, satisfac- tory both to the government and to the patrons of the route.
JOHN L. STRANDBERG.
One of the substantial farmers of foreign birth who has developed a fine farm in Alexandria township, Douglas county, is J. L. Strandberg, who was born in Sweden on November 25, 1866. He is a son of Carl and Lena ( Johnson) Strandberg, both of whom were natives of Sweden. Carl Strandberg came to Minnesota with his family in 1888 and located in Carlos township, Douglas county, where he has lived ever since. He and his family are earnest members of the Swedish Lutheran church. Carl Strandberg was married twice. By the first marriage he had three children, C. A., Matilda and Edward, and Amanda and John L. by the second marriage.
John L. Strandberg received his education in the public schools of Sweden and as a young man worked at farm labor. In 1888 he came with his father to Minnesota and was located for a short time in Carlos town- ship, Douglas county. In 1891 he moved to Alexandria township, where he and his wife own one hundred and twenty acres of fine farming land. In 1913 he put up new buildings on the place, which he has improved in vari- ous ways. There he carries on a general system of farming and stock rais- ing and is also interested in dairying. He devotes a good deal of attention to the breeding of thoroughbred Guernsey cattle, in which line he has met with considerable success.
In 1903 John [. Strandberg was married to Emma Erickson, a daugh- ter of Andrew P. Erickson, and to this union seven children have been born, Rose, Harold, Vera, Earl, Alvin, Winfred and Doris. Andrew P. Erickson was born in Sweden, February 12, 1844, and died at his home in Alexandria township, Douglas county, on December 31, 1900. His wife was Enima F. Larson, who was born in Sweden in 1844.
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To that union were born six children, those besides Mrs. Strandberg being Charles A., Theodore A., Hilda A., Ellen J. and Rosella C., all of whom are living except Charles A. and Rosella C. Andrew Erickson came with his family to America in 1868 and coming directly to Minnesota, homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land in Alexandria township, Douglas county, where he spent the remainder of his life.
Mr. Strandberg and his family are adherents of the Swedish Lutheran church, and take an active interest in the affairs of that congregation. Poli- tically, Mr. Strandberg is a Republican.
JOHN HAMMER.
John Hammer, a well-known farmer and stockman of Moe township, Douglas county, was born on the farm in that township on which he is still living, October 9, 1880, the son of Ole and Baroline (Vie) Hammer, natives of Norway. Ole Hammer came to Minnesota as a young man and home- steaded one hundred and sixty acres of land in section 17 of Moe township, Douglas county. On his arrival here he had but little money and it became necessary for him to walk to St. Cloud to obtain work. He did some work in the way of developing the farm that he had homesteaded, and after seven years of residence in this country he returned to his native land and was there married. Soon after his marriage he returned to the land of his adop- tion with his bride and here took up his residence on his homestead. He developed and improved the tract and was successfully engaged in general farming and stock raising. He later added to his original tract until he became the owner of about three hundred and twenty acres of excellent land in the township, where he spent his last days.
Ole Hammer and wife were the parents of three children, Mette, who died at the age of twenty-two years; John and Johannes, the latter of whom died in infancy. Mr. Hammer was an active member of the Lutheran church at West Moe, as is his widow, and took an active part in church work. He was always active in local civic affairs and was for many years a member of the township board of supervisors. His widow is still living at the old home.
John Hammer received his education in the public schools of Moe town- ship and later attended school at Fergus Falls. He grew to manhood on the
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home farm, a valued assistant to his father and since the latter's death has continued to farm the home place, engaged in general farming and stock raising, in which he has been quite successful, being recognized as one of the progressive young farmers of that neighborhood.
O. J. BURROS.
O. J. Burros, a successful farmer of Brandon township, Douglas county, was born in Norway on April 18, 1870, son and only child of Christian and Margaret (Mickelstadther) Solberg, natives of Norway, where the father died many years ago. Christian Solberg was engaged in farming and was well known in the community in which he lived. After his death his widow with her son came to the United States in 1872. They located in Goodhue county, this state, where they remained for three years, at the end of which time they came to Douglas county. Here the mother married J. T. Burros, and since that time the subject of this sketch has borne the name of urros. J. T. Burros was the owner of eighty acres of land in section 18 of Brandon township, and it was on that farm that his wife died in January, 1901.
O. J. Burros received his education in the public schools of Brandon township and there grew to manhood, where as a lad and young man he assisted with the work on the farm. He was married in May, 1898, to Mary Dahl, the daughter of Andrew Dahl, a pioneer of the county, and to this union the following children have been born: Irene, Clara, Ethel, Bert, George, Martin, Lawrence and Ernest. Mr. and Mrs. Burros are active members of the Norwegian Lutheran church, prominent in church work, and are held in high regard by all who know them.
As a young man Mr. Burros engaged in farming and later purchased a farm in section 18 of Brandon township, where he is engaged in general farming and stock raising. He has a well-developed farm and the same is well improved, the later improvements having been erected by him. In addition to his many duties on the farm, Mr. Burros has always taken an active interest in the local affairs of the township and has done much for the development of the community. He is a stockholder in Brandon creamery, to which he has given his most earnest support, and also belongs to the Farmers Society of Equity.
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CHARLES M. LONG, M. D.
The medical profession in Douglas county has no abler exponent than Dr. C. M. Long, of Osakis, universally liked by all who come in contact with him. He possesses excellent judgment of men and things, well bal- anced by knowledge and experience; has studied hard, and has worked dili- gently for the large success which has come to him through the many years of his practice in this section of the state.
C. M. Long was born in Richland county, Wisconsin, near Madison, the capital city of that state. He is a son of Samuel and Frances Herndon (Ballou) Long, the father a native of Washington county, Indiana, and the mother of Louisville, Kentucky. Samuel Long was one of the early pioneers of Richland county, Wisconsin, where he secured a valley farm, which he improved; later moving to the village of Gotham, which he laid out, having purchased the site. He sold many lots in the new town and continued to reside there the remainder of his life, passing away at the advanced age of ninety years. His family consisted of eight children, namely : Mary Catherine, the eldest; John M., who was a soldier in the Union army during the Civil War, and who died at Vicksburg, Mississippi, in 1864, and was buried in the national cemetery; Charles M., the subject of this review ; Melissa Caroline, now deceased; Albert H., who is practicing law at Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, and Alice A., residing at the old home in Wisconsin.
Dr. Charles M. Long received his early education in the common schools of Richland county, Wisconsin, after which he began life for him- self by teaching, when only seventeen years of age. In 1870 he entered Platteville College, at Platteville, Wisconsin, from which institution he was graduated in 1873. He then resumed teaching and served as principal of the school at Tempealeau, Wisconsin, for one year; then held a similar position at Prescott, Wisconsin, for two years, after which he took charge of the union schools at LeSueur, Minnesota, which he graded and improved in many ways. Resigning that position in 1876, he decided to enter the medical profession, and with that end in view entered Rush Medical Col- lege at Chicago, from which he was graduated in 1878. Immediately after his graduation Doctor Long located for the practice of his profession in Osakis, which locality was but little improved and sparsely settled, the vil- lage itself containing but one hundred inhabitants, and here, in this frontier community, he experienced all the vicissitudes of the pioneer doctor. Here he has remained until the present time, his name having become a household
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word throughout Douglas county, and he has enjoyed a large practice all the while. About 1880 Doctor Long was appointed on the surgical staff of James J. Hill, on which he served for over twenty years. He is the oldest practitioner within a radius of twenty miles of Osakis, and is the only phy- sician left of those formerly practicing in this locality, which includes the cities of Alexandria, Glenwood, Parkers Prairie. Long Prairie and Sauk Center.
Doctor Long was married in 1894 to Edna Earl Brock, who was born and reared in the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, near the town of Stanton. Poli- tically, the Doctor is a Republican, and was chairman of the Republican convention which met at Alexandria in 1888, where he was unanimously nominated as the party's candidate for representative to the Legislature. The practice of the pioneer physicians was fraught with many disadvant- ages and difficulties. The roads were so poor that often only a part of the distance could be driven, the remainder having to be walked through the woods or through mud and water: and if winter, waded through snow drifts. In those days doctors were taught to do faithful service and render honest practice without money and without price. Many times after an all night's perplexing job, the only pay coming was the remark: "I have no money. Doctor, but there will be a mansion laid up for you."
Doctor Long's long experience as a medical practitioner in this section has given him a wide range of information concerning conditions surround- ing the practice hereabout and in an advisory capacity he has rendered valu- able assistance in the compilation of the chapter relating to the medical pro- fession in the historical section of this work : a service highly appreciated and gratefully acknowledged by the compilers of the same.
BYRON E. HOWE.
Among the influential and substantial farmers of Osakis township. Douglas county, is B. E. Howe, who is a native of the great Empire state, his birth having occurred on September 4, 1856, at Watertown, New York. He is a son of Norman and Dorothy ( Richardson) Howe, both of whom were natives of Jefferson county, New York. The father was a farmer.
Byron E. Howe received his education in the public schools of Lewis county, New York, and as a young man taught in the schools of that county. In 1892 he moved to Nebraska and engaged in farming in Adams county,
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that state, for seventeen years. While living in Nebraska he taught school one term. In 1909 he came to Minnesota and purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land in Osakis township, Douglas county, and lived on that farm for three years. In 1912 he bought a farm consisting of one hundred and sixty acres in section 27 of Osakis township, where he is now living. He has made many and substantial improvements on this place, having erected practically all of the buildings which are now on the place. There he is engaged in general farming and stock raising, and that he has met with success is attested by the fact that his is one of the best improved and most highly cultivated farms in the township. He makes a specialty of breeding thoroughbred live stock, such as Shorthorn cattle and Poland China hogs.
In 1881 Byron E. Howe was married to Mary Newsham, a daughter of Charles and Sarah ( Barton ) Newsham. Mr. Howe is a Republican and takes an active interest in all public matters pertaining to the general welfare of his community. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America.
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