USA > Minnesota > Grant County > History of Douglas and Grant counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 39
USA > Minnesota > Douglas County > History of Douglas and Grant counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 39
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Mr. Wesen was married in 1900 to Adina Mattson, who was born in Holmes City township, Douglas county, a daughter of John and Stena (Hawkinson) Mattson, both natives of Sweden, and to this union six chil- dren have been born, Alfred, Mabel, Delphen, Fern, Marvin and Hazel. Mr. Wesen has always taken an active part in public affairs and has been a member of the local township board and of the school board. While in North Dakota he helped organize his township and was a member of the township board until he moved away. He was also a member of the school board there.
John Mattson, father of Mrs. Wesen, grew up and married in Sweden, from which country he removed with his family to America, first locating in Illinois, thence moving to Redwing, Minnesota. He drove an ox team from St. Paul to Douglas county, in 1866, being among the early pioneers here. He took up a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres in Holmes City township, where he resided until his death in 1914, his wife having pre- ceded him to the grave in 1894. He did well as a general farmer and became owner of a valuable farm of two hundred and fifty-three acres. He bought and sold considerable land at different times. He served as school treasurer for many years, having been first elected a member of the board about 1870. His family consisted of the following children: Christine, Matilda (deceased), Carl (deceased), Theodore, Adolph, Elida and Adina. Mr. Mattson helped organize the Oscar Lake Lutheran church and his name was the first to go on the church books. He always bore an excellent reputation.
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WILLIAM HERMANSON.
Among the substantial farmers of Ida township, Douglas county, is William Hermanson, who was born in Sweden on February 19, 1858, the son of Herman and Mary (Olson) Larson, both of whom were natives of Sweden.
Herman Larson followed the occupation of a farmer in his native land and was also engaged in the fishing industry there. He came to America eight years after his son, William, had arrived here, and lived on a farm of one hundred and twenty acres which his sons had purchased in Minnesota. Later he moved to a farm near Chippewa Lake, where he remained several years, but is now living with his son, Carl, near Brandon, at the advanced age of ninety years. His wife is eighty-one years of age. They were the parents of ten children, Emil, William, Emma, Louis, Carl, Anna, Mary, Mina, Augusta and Herman, all of whom are living in the United States, with the exception of Emma, who is deceased.
William Hermanson received his education in the schools of his native land, and served one year in the Swedish army. At the age of twenty-two he came to the United States. His first employment was in the coal mines of Pennsylvania, where he worked for six months. From there he went to Howard Lake, Wright county, Minnesota, where an uncle lived, and there he spent some months in school. He then went to Minneapolis, where he worked for the Flour City Transfer Company for twelve years. While working in Minneapolis, he together with his brothers, Emil and Carl, pur- chased one hundred and twenty acres of land in Douglas county for his father and family to live on, who had come over from Sweden. After leav- ing Minneapolis, Mr. Hermanson came to his farm in Douglas county, and at once began to improve the place in various ways. The first house built on this farm was a small frame house, which the family lived in until 1908, in which year a new house was erected. The old house still stands on the place, being used as a granary. Later Carl sold to William his part and the latter now has eighty acres of well improved land, where he is engaged in general farming and stock raising.
William Hermanson has been twice married, his first wife, to whom he was married in 1886, having been Sophia Jacobson. After her death Mr. Hermanson was married in 1894 to Mrs. Anna ( Anderson) Nelson, a widow with one son, David. Mr. Hermanson has two children by his first marriage, Esther and Oscar, and by his second marriage, one son, Bennie, who is now
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living at home with his parents. Esther is the wife of Simon Witham, and is living in Canada, where her husband conducts a general store and the postoffice. Oscar also lives in Canada.
Mr. Hermanson is a Republican and has served his township as school clerk of district No. 17. He is a stockholder in the Garfield creamery, and takes an active interest in all matters pertaining to the civic welfare of his community and township. He is a member of the Swedish Mission church.
THEODORE FOSLIEN.
Among the well-known and successful farmers of Moe township, Doug- las county, is Theodore Foslien, a native of that township, born on the old Foslien homestead on June 8, 1880, the son of Haaken and Sarah Anna (Winkjer ) Foslien, natives of Rock county, Wisconsin, and Norway, respectively, the former having been born on March 4, 1849, and the latter, July 7, 1850. The father received his education in the public schools of Wisconsin and there grew to manhood on the home farm. In 1868 he came to Minnesota and purchased a farm in Moe township, Douglas county. He developed and improved his farm of two hundred acres, and engaged in gen- eral farming and stock raising, being among the successful men of the town- ship. He and his wife were the parents of six children, Emma, Minda, Theodore, Lewis, Henry and Lizzie.
The paternal grandparents of Theodore Foslien were Even and Ranga ( Paulson ) Foslien, natives of Norway, who came to the United States in 1843 and located in Rock county, Wisconsin, where they remained until 1868, when they came to Minnesota, locating in Moe township, Douglas county. There the grandfather became a successful farmer and before his death became the owner of four hundred and eighty acres of land. He and his wife were the parents of seven children, Fingenr E., Paul, Haaken, Even, Mary, Guri and Ole, the latter of whom died at the age of six years.
Theodore Foslien received his education in the public schools of Moe township, and at the State Agricultural College, from which institution he was graduated in 1907. As a lad and young man he decided that he would be a farmer and was firm in the belief that a course in the agricultural school would better prepare him for his life work. Upon completing his schooling he began farming on the home farm, where he remained until 1911, when he came to his present farm, where he has done much in the way of improve-
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ment, having placed all the buildings, with the exception of the house and the granary. In addition to the buildings he has done much in the way of development and today has one of the best farms in the community. He is engaged in general farming and stock raising, in which he has been quite successful. He has always taken a keen interest in local affairs and has served as a member of the board of township supervisors, of which he was chairman.
In 1911 Theodore Foslien was united in marriage to Gunda Arneson, a daughter of Knut Arneson, a well-known farmer of the county, and to this union two children have been born, Lydia and Harold. Mr. and Mrs. Fos- lien are active members of the Norwegian Lutheran church and take inuch interest in church work. They are prominent in the social and religious life of the community and are held in the highest regard by all who know them They are most hospitable and their home is often the scene of happy com- panies. They take much interest in all movements that have a tendency to raise the standard of living in the community in which they live.
PETER T. OMLAND.
One of the successful farmers of Holmes City township, Douglas county, is Peter T. Omland, a Norwegian by birth, who was born in Nor- way, April 30, 1869, a son of Thomas and Inger ( Peterson) Omland, both of whom were natives of the same country and who are still living in Nor- way, where the father follows the occupation of a farmer. Thomas Omland and wife were the parents of two children, Peter T. and Sophia.
Peter T. Omland received his educational training in the schools of his native land and in 1888 came to America, proceeding at once to Minnesota and locating in Holmes City township, Douglas county. He is the owner of a good farm of eighty acres, on which he has placed all of the buildings and the various improvements which go to make it one of the best in the township. He is engaged in general farming and stock raising and has met with success in his chosen calling.
Mr. Omland has been twice married, his first wife having been Olea Eleffson, to which union was born one son, Oliver P. In 1901 Mr. Omland was married to Regina Christiansen, who was born on March 8, 1869, the daughter of Simon and Ingebard ( Larson) Christiansen. Simon Chris- tiansen and his family came to this country from Norway in 1866, locating
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RESIDENCE OF PETER T. OMLAND.
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at once in Douglas county, where he homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land in section 4 of Holmes City township, and on that farm he spent the remainder of his life, his death occurring in 1901. He and his wife were the parents of two children, Christ Simonson, and Regina, the wife of Mr. Omland.
Politically, Mr. Omland is a Republican. He and his wife are earnest members of the Lutheran church and Mr. Omland is now serving as trustee of the local church of that denomination.
CARL O. LINNARD.
Carl O. Linnard, one of the younger farmers and highly respected citizens of Brandon township, Douglas county, was born in that township, on November 27, 1891, the son of John A. and Caroline ( Nelson) Linnard.
Andrew Sevenson, his paternal grandfather, was a native of Sweden, who spent all his life there engaged in farming. The father, John A. Linnard, was born and reared in Sweden and there grew to manhood, as a lad and young man working on the farm. A number of his young friends and neighbors had left the land of their nativity and had come to America. Their glowing accounts of the advantages to the young man in the United States, caused John A. Linnard to decide to join them in the new land. On his arrival in this country he came directly to Minnesota, arriving at Alex- andria on May 16, 1870. There he worked in a blacksmith shop until 1874, when he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of school land in section 16 of Brandon township, which he later developed and improved, and there he engaged in general farming and stock raising.
In 1875 John A. Linnard was united in marriage to Caroline Nelson and to that union the following children were born: Mina, Ida, Emil, Amanda, Hilma, Julia, Hannah, Carl O., Jennie and Ella. Caroline Linnard died a number of years ago. After a successful life as a farmer, Mr. Linnard retired four years ago and moved to Brandon, where he now lives. During his active life Mr. Linnard accumulated some five hundred acres of good land, the most of which he developed and improved. He is the owner of stock in the First National Bank at Brandon and is one of the directors of the same, as well as vice-president of the bank at Garfield. He is also the owner of stock in the Farmers Elevator Company and in the creamery at
(26a)
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Brandon. In addition to his many other duties, Mr. Linnard always has taken much interest in the civic life of the community and was for twenty- five years a member of the board of supervisors of Brandon township. On his retirement, he sold his land and assisted his children to establish homes.
Carl O. Linnard received his education in the common and high schools of Douglas county. Upon completing his schooling he engaged in farming and now owns one hundred and twenty acres of the old homestead, where he is engaged in general farming and stock raising, in which he has been quite successful. He raises Shorthorn cattle and Poland China hogs and is to some extent engaged in the dairy business. He built a large silo in 1915. He is the owner of stock in the Brandon creamery, has an automobile, and has a telephone and enjoys the benefits of rural free mail delivery. He is unmarried and lives at his home in Brandon township. He has always taken much interest in local affairs and is recognized as one of the progressive young men of the community.
JOHN SMITH.
John Smith, now living in honorable retirement in his pleasant home in Holmes City, is one of those coming from a foreign strand who have made good in Douglas county, his own efforts having brought to him well- deserved success. Mr. Smith, whose name was Olson by birth, was born in Sweden on March 25, 1842, a son of Olaf and Christine (Larson) Olson, both natives of Sweden. His maternal grandfather, Jacob Larson, was born in Germany. The parents of Mr. Smith lived and died in Sweden, devoting their active lives to farming on a place of their own. Their family con- sisted of four sons, Olaf, Jacob, John and Peter, of whom the subject of this sketch is now the only survivor.
John Smith grew to manhood in Sweden, where he received a common- school education. He came directly from that country to Minnesota in 1868, remaining ten years in Goodhue county. where he owned a farm of eighty acres; and for a time one hundred acres, twenty miles from Redwing. In the winter of 1877 he came to Douglas county, visiting the present site of the village of Holmes City. In 1878 he purchased one hundred and seventy acres there, a part of which land is now within the village limits. He gave one acre to the village and one-half acre to the Swedish Lutheran church, of which he and his wife are members. When he first came here there were
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but three residences and a school house in the vicinity. Only fourteen acres of his tract of land here had been cleared when he took possession. Ninety acres were cleared and under cultivation when he sold it in 1914. He erected good buildings thereon and made other extensive improvements. In 1914 he erected another modern dwelling which he still occupies. Since selling his farm he has lived retired from active pursuits.
Mr. Smith was married in 1863 to Anna Johanson, also a native of Sweden, and to their union two children have been born, Christine and John Olaf. Mr. Smith is a Republican and has been active in local public affairs. He served as a member of the village school board and as road boss in the village and also was a trustee of the Swedish Lutheran church for a period of seventeen years.
HENRY L. SATERLEE.
One of the farmers of Evansville township, Douglas county, who has been contented to remain in his home locality is Henry L. Saterlee. He was born on the old homestead in section 20 of that township on September 29, 1886, a son of John and Carrie (Barlough) Saterlee, both natives of Norway, where they grew up and were married. John Saterlee was for some time a drill officer in the Norwegian army. In private life he farmed on his father's land. He came to America in 1867, first locating in Rice county, Minnesota, but in 1869 came to Douglas county, and took up a home- stead of one hundred and sixty acres in Evansville township, having made the trip here driving a team of oven. He improved his land and erected buildings, living first in a dug-out for four years, then built a log house. He had no crop the first year, and only three acres of wheat the second. The nearest market was Morris, nearly forty miles away. He persevered and became very comfortably situated, built a good home, set out a nice grove and made various improvements, including numerous outbuildings, and there he and his wife are still living, the place now being operated by their son, the subject of this sketch. Mr. and Mrs. Saterlee are among the best known and most highly respected pioneers of Douglas county. Twelve children were born to them, namely: Sivert M., who lives at Rugby, North Dakota, where he has large farming interests; Nels O., who is farming at Bynum, Montana; John, who is also farming at Bynum, Montana; Andrew, who is a homesteader at Rugby, North Dakota; Tilda, the widow of Ole Howey,
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who died in March, 1916, after homesteading land at Norwich, North Dakota ; Lena, unmarried, who had a homestead at Bynum, Montana, but is now living at Great Falls, North Dakota; Clara, who married Will Nott, a grain buyer at Hingham, Montana, where he also has a homestead; Henry L., the subject of this sketch; Amanda, the youngest living child, who mar- ried Herman Hanson and lives in Dooley, Montana; Julia (deceased), who married Lars Anderson, of Rugby, North Dakota, where her death occurred; Sjur, who died while crossing the Atlantic and was buried at sea, and Ole, who also is deceased.
Henry Saterlee grew to manhood on the home farm and received his early education in the public schools of Evansville township, later attending the National Business College at Minneapolis, also Elster Business College at Alexandria. He remained at home a number of years after reaching manhood, assisting with the work on the farm. In 1912 he went to Dooley, Montana, where he engaged in the hotel business for two years, then sold out and came home to take care of his parents the rest of their lives. They gave him the homestead, which he has kept well cultivated and is carrying on general farming and stock raising. The father was township trustee for over thirty-five years and also held school offices. He is a trustee in the Norwegian Lutheran church, to which the family belongs.
PETER M. HJELM.
Douglas county ranks high as a wheat-producing section, and therefore a number of good flouring mills have been established within her borders, one of which is operated by Peter M. Hjelm, of Holmes City. Mr. Hjelm was born in Sweden in 1873. He is a son of Martin and Christine ( Ander- son ) Hjelm, both natives of Sweden from which country the father removed with the family to America in 1893, locating soon thereafter in LaGrand township, Douglas county, Minnesota, where he purchased eighty acres. He now lives on a ten-acre place in the southwestern corner of that township. His wife died just before he left Sweden, and he remarried in America. He is the father of nine children by his first wife, of whom five are living, Andrew, Peter M., Erick, Caroline and Anna. The father belongs to the Swedish Mission church.
Peter M. Hjelm grew up in Sweden and there received his education in the public schools. There he learned the carpenter's trade, which he fol-
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lowed for a time after coming to Minnesota. In 1901 he built the Holmes City flour mill. It was first owned by Hjelm Brothers in partnership with John Bergstrom, the latter selling out to Andrew and Peter M. Hjelm in 1903. The brothers also own a valuable and well-improved farm of one hundred and fifty acres, which is operated by Andrew Hjelm, while the sub- ject of this sketch looks after the mill. Peter M. Hjelm also assisted in organizing the Holmes City Telephone Company in the year 1911 and has since been president of the same.
Mr. Hjelm was married in 1900 to Anna Oberg, a native of Sweden, from which country she came to America when three years of age with her parents, Halver Oberg and wife, who are now living on a farm in Moe township, Douglas county. The following children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Hjelm : Hildur, Roy, Harvie, Helen, Anna, Mildred, Pear, Wood- row, Marvin ( deceased ), and Norman. Mr. Hjelm is a Democrat.
PETER O. MYHR.
Peter O. Myhr. one of the prominent and successful men of Holmes City township, Douglas county, was born in Norway, on June II, 1854, the son of Ole P. and Julia (Ingebrigtson) Myhr, also natives of Norway, where they were married. Ole P. Myhr was a farmer in his native land. In 1865 he and his wife decided that they would leave the home of their nativity and seek a home in America. Upon landing in the United States, they proceeded to Illinois and there located on a farm in Winnebago county, where they remained until 1872, in which year they came to Minnesota and purchased a farm near Brandon, in Douglas county. The farm was developed and there Mr. and Mrs. Myhr lived until they retired from the activities of farm life and removed to Evansville, where Mr. Myhr died some years later. The widow. after the death of her husband, resided with her son, Peter O. Myhr, in Holmes City township, where she died. Ole O. Myhr devoted his life to farming and was successful. He and his wife were the parents of three children : Peter O., Caroline and Mary. Caroline is the wife of Ole Kron and Mary is the wife of the Rev. Christian Sogstad, a well-known minister of the Lutheran church.
Peter O. Myhr received his education in the public schools of Illinois and Douglas county, Minnesota. He grew to manhood on the home farm. where as a lad he assisted his father with the farm work. As a young man,
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he began farming for himself on a rented farm near Brandon. He later owned various farms in Holmes City township and in 1891 located on his present home place. There he now has one hundred and seventy acres, he having sold forty acres of a farm of two hundred and ten acres to his son. He has developed about fifty acres of the tract and has erected all the present substantial buildings.
In 1879 Peter O. Myhr was united in marriage to Hannah H. Stran- vold, who was born in Norway and who came to the United States in 1868 with her parents, who located on the farm that adjoins her present home. It is there that the parents, Hans and Ragnel (Olson) Stranvold, have since resided. They were the parents of three children, Hannah H., Helga and Mary. Helga died at the age of twenty-eight years.
Peter O. and Hannah H. Myhr are the parents of the following chil- dren : Regna, Henry O., Helga (deceased), Helga, Percilla and Martin. The family are active members of the Norwegian Lutheran church and are prominent in the social and religious life of the community. Mr. Myhr is interested in the Holmes City creamery and in the White Bear Mutual Fire Insurance Company. He takes much interest in local affairs, and being a man of wide experience and excellent judgment, his advice is often sought on matters of public interest and moment. He is a believer in public improve- ments and in the highest standard of living.
JOHN S. BENSON.
John S. Benson, one of the successful farmers of Solem township, Douglas county, was born on the Atlantic ocean, during the voyage of his parents to the United States, on May 19, 1870, the son of Peter and Segre ( Benson ) Benson, natives of Norway, who decided to seek for them- selves a home in America. Upon their arrival in the United States they came directly to Minnesota and located in Solem township, Douglas county, where the father worked as a farm hand for three years, after which he homesteaded in the township. His one hundred and sixty acres at that time was for the most part a wild tract, which he later developed and improved, the same becoming recognized as one of the best farms in the community. There he engaged in general farming and stock raising for thirty years and was quite successful. He continued to live on the homestead until his retirement some years ago, and now makes his home with his son, John S.
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Benson. His wife died in 1901 after a useful life. In 1885 Peter Benson added forty acres to his original farm, all of which was put under a high state of cultivation and was well improved. He took an active interest in local affairs and was one of the organizers of the Solem Lutheran church and had much to do with the success of that society. He and Mrs. Benson were the parents of six children, Bert, Joe, Ole, Emma, John S. and Simon. Bert and Simon are now deceased and Emma is the wife of Oliver Lybeck, a successful resident of the county.
John S. Benson received his education in the public schools of Douglas county and at the academy at Willmar. He grew to manhood on the home farm, where he assisted his father with the farm work. He has always lived in Solem township and at an early age decided to devote his life to farming. He is now the owner of one hundred and twenty acres of land, where he has lived since 1901, and where he is successfully engaged in general farming and stock raising.
On March 15, 1893, John S. Benson was united in marriage to Lena Nelson, who was born in Pope county, this state, a daughter of Ole Nelson, a successful farmer of that section, and to this union the following children have been born : Pama, who was born in 1894; Dora, 1895; Sherman, 1898; Myrtle, 1903; Blanche, 1905; Arnold, 1908; Kenneth, 1911, and Eveline, 1913. The family are active members of the Solem Lutheran church and take much interest in all church work.
John S. Benson has always been active in local affairs and has served his township as assessor for eight years and was a member of the school board and of the township board for eight years. He was one of the organ- izers of the Kensington Live Stock Shipping Association, of which he has been the manager since the organization. He was also one of the organizers of the Kensington Creamery and is treasurer of that organization. He is also a director of the Farmers Elevator Company and in 1916 was the nominee of his party as a candidate for county commissioner. He is held in the highest esteem by all who know him and is recognized as one of the leaders and prominent and successful men of the county. He has devoted his best efforts to the prosperity of the community and has had much to do with the successful administration of the affairs of the township. He is a man of excellent judgment and his wide experience and successful life well fit him for public affairs. He believes that a public office is a public trust and always devotes the same careful attention to his official duties that he does to his own.
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