USA > Minnesota > Grant County > History of Douglas and Grant counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 45
USA > Minnesota > Douglas County > History of Douglas and Grant counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 45
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A. ALFRED MAGNUSON.
A. Alfred Magnuson, one of the progressive farmers of LaGrand town- ship. Douglas county, is a native of Sweden, where he was born on January 9. 1866, the son of Magnus and Christine Johnson, both natives of that country, where the former still lives, being engaged in farming. The mother of A. Alfred Magnuson died years ago, and the father was again married, his second wife being Emma Carlson. Mr. Johnson is the father of twenty children, sixteen of which number are still living, those by Magnus Johnson's first marriage being as follow: Charles, Alfred, Magnus. Emil and Olaf. The survivors of the children born to Magnus and Emma (Carlson) Johnson are Gustave. Christine, Hannah. Ereka. Marie. Tilda, Oscar, Augusta, Agnes. Albertina and Wilhelmina.
A. Alfred Magnuson received his education in the public schools of Sweden and remained in his native land until he was twenty-two years of age. As a lad he assisted his father on the farm and as a young man engaged in farming. In 1888 he decided to leave the land of his birth and seek a home in America. In the spring of that year he set sail for the new country. where so many of his neighbors and friends had settled, and on his arrival in the United States he came directly to Minnesota. in December of that same year settling in Douglas county, where he purchased the farm of one hundred and twenty acres on which he now lives. The tract at the
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time of the purchase was heavy timber and required much work to prepare for cultivation, but in time it was cleared, crops planted and harvested, excellent buildings erected and the farm became one of the ideal ones of the township. There Mr. Magnuson has been engaged in general farm- ing and stock raising and has been quite successful.
In 1890 A. Alfred Magnuson was united in marriage to Susana Erick- son, also a native of Sweden, who came to Douglas county from her native land in 1889. To this union the following children have been born: John Axel. August E., Gustave Albert, Julius, Nina Marie and Esther Ruth. Mr. and Mrs. Magnuson are members of the Swedish Free Baptist church and take an active interest in church work.
As a farmier, Mr. Magnuson is recognized as one of the most pro- gressive in the township. Coming to the county, with but little financial backing and a stranger to the local conditions, as well as to the country, he has succeeded and today has a productive farm and a substantial country home, where everything is kept in an excellent state of repair. In addition to his personal interests, Mr. Magnuson has always taken much interest in local affairs and has had much to do with the civic life of the township. For a number of years he served as treasurer of the township and is now a member of the board of supervisors. Being a carpenter, he has personally erected and kept in repair the buildings on the place. He is independent in politics.
CHARLES J. CHRISTOPHERSON.
Ida township, Douglas county, has been a good enough place for Charles J. Christopherson to spend his life in, for he has no desire to migrate. He was born near the farm where he still lives, July 22, 1872, a son of O. N. and Bertha (Larson) Christopherson. The father came to Minnesota in 1870 from Sweden, locating in Douglas county, first on eighty acres in Ida township, which he operated a few years; then sold and in 1880 moved to the adjoining section, buying one hundred and sixty acres, on which he still lives. To him and his wife five children were born, Charles, Lena, Matilda (deceased), William and Mary. The father has remained on his farm, but is not now active. He has served on the local school board.
Charles Christopherson grew up on the homestead farm and received a common-school education in Ida township. On November 5, 1901, he married Augusta Johnson, a daughter of Erick Johnson, who homesteaded
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in Osakis township and there married Hannah Lusty. His father, John Johnson, came to America, bringing the family from Sweden. The follow- ing children have been born to Charles Christopherson and wife: Arlance, George, Mildred, Wallace, Vernon, Pearl, and Violet.
As before stated Mr. Christopherson has always lived near the home farm. After his marriage he built a dwelling of his own near the family home. He has been in charge of the home place since his father retired from active life. He also owns forty-four acres in the same section, which he also operates. He has made important improvements on both places. including a residence in 1901 and a large barn in 1913. He is a stock- holder in the farmer's elevator at Garfield, also in the potato warehouse there. He is a member of the Swedish Lutheran church at that place. Politically, he is a Republican and is now serving as township clerk. He also has been clerk of school district No. 68 and takes an active interest in local affairs.
PETER HANSON.
Peter Hanson one of the well-known and successful farmers of Moe township, Douglas county, was born in LaCrosse county, Wisconsin, on October 28, 1862, the son of Hans and Siverina (Haakenson ) Hanson, who were born in Norway, where they received their education in the pub- lic schools. At the age of eighteen, Hans Hanson decided that he would come to America, and after his arrival in the United States he came to Wis- consin and located in LaCrosse county. In 1867 he left Wisconsin and came to Minnesota, where he homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land in Moe township, Douglas county, the country at that time being new and the neighbors far apart. The land that he homesteaded was unde- veloped, being wild and hard to clear and make ready for the crops, and he and his little family suffered all the hardships of early pioneer life. Yet they had the will to make for themselves a home and in time the land was cleared and improved. Mr. Hanson was successful and added forty acres to his homestead of one hundred and sixty acres, making a two-hundred- acre farm, where he lived until his death, the farm since then being divided among the children. To Hans Hanson and wife, the latter of whom also is deceased, were born five children, Peter, Mary, Martha, Henry and Han- nah. The family are active members of the Lutheran church and take ir ch interest in church work.
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Peter Hanson received his education in the public schools of Moe town- ship and grew to manhood on the home farm, where as a lad he assisted his father with the work of clearing and developing the place. He later engaged in farming with his father, but since 1901 has been operating the farm for himself. He is the owner of one hundred and twenty-eight acres, which was part of his father's place. He has built some of the buildings and remodeled and rebuilt others.
In 1886 Peter Hanson was united in marriage to Caroline Anderson, who was born on August 15, 1869, the daughter of Gulbron and Karn Ander- son, well-known residents of the county, and to this union the following children have been born: Hattie, George, Carl, William, Agnes, Palmer, Cora, Hazel, Lawrence and Esther. Agnes died in 1916. Hattie, Carl and William are now living in Canada. Hattie is the wife of Taulo Skrove, a successful farmer. Mr. and Mrs. Hanson are prominent and active members of the Lutheran church, of which Mr. Hanson has served as trustee. The family are held in the highest esteem and regard by all and they have long been identified with the social and religious life of the com- munity.
Peter Hanson has always taken much interest in the civic affairs of the township and was for five years assessor and for six years a meinber of the school board, giving excellent service in both positions.
PETER J. HOLM.
Farming, in its various phases, has been the work which Peter J. Holm, of Holmes City township, Douglas county, has been best qualified for and most contented to do. He was born in Sweden, November I, 1849, a son of John and Breta ( Peterdatter) Holm. The mother was a daughter of Peter Myer. John Holm was a son of Ole Holm. The grand- parents of the subject of this sketch lived and died in Sweden, and there the parents spent their earlier years, coming to Minneapolis in 1883, locating in Holmes City township, Douglas county, where they spent the rest of their lives. The father devoted his life to farming in his native land, but lived retired after coming to this state. He belonged to the Lutheran church. His family consisted of seven children, Peter J., Jennie, Ole, John, Anna, Jennie and Ellen.
Peter J. Holm spent his boyhood in Sweden, where he received his
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education. He came to America in 1870, locating in Clay county, Iowa, near the town of McGregor, and for some time hired out to farmers in that vicinity. In 1882 he came to Minnesota, locating on a farm in Holmes City township, Douglas county, where he has since resided. He has one hundred and fifty-five acres, most of which he has cleared and has under a high state of cultivation. He has put up all the buildings and has been success- ful as a general farmer and stock raiser.
In 1876, in Goodhue county, Minnesota, Peter J. Holm was married to Anna Hogman, a native of Sweden, and to this union five children have been born, Mary, Ole, Ida, Oscar and Betsie, all of whom are living. Mr. Holm is connected with the Holmes City Mutual Fire Insurance Com- pany. Politically, he is a Republican. He served as school director for about six years and served as supervisor for sixteen years, during eight of which he was chairman of the board. He has long been one of the active and influential men in public affairs in his locality. He and his family affiliate with the Oscar Lake Lutheran church.
MARTIN SKROVE.
Martin Skrove, a well-known farmer of Brandon township, Douglas county, was born in Norway on May 11, 1848, the son of Tores and Rachild ( Peterson ) Olson, also natives of Norway, where they were married. They came to Minnesota about 1876 and homesteaded a place in Jackson county, where they resided for five years, and then owing to the destruction caused by the grasshoppers, they gave up the homestead and moved to Douglas county, where the father purchased one hundred and twenty acres of land and there spent the rest of his life. He and his family were active members of the Lutheran church and took much interest in church work.
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Martin Skrove received his education in the public schools of his native land and there grew to manhood and engaged in farming. On coming to the United States and after he had located in Douglas county he invested in land and is now the owner of three hundred acres in section 34 of Brandon township, where he is engaged in general farming and stock raising, in which he has been quite successful.
Martin Skrove was united in marriage to Julia Ann Tores and to this union the following children have been born: Regina, Pauline, Lawrence, Ole, Toul, Marens, Sigert, Emma, George, Myer, Tonny, Julia and Alma.
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Mr. and Mrs. Skrove are active members of the Norwegian Lutheran church and take much interest in religious work. They are prominent in the social life of the community.
SAMUEL M. CARLSON.
Samuel M. Carlson, who was born in LaGrand township, Douglas county, is still living on the farm where he was born on November 22, 1882, the son of Magnus and Cajsa (Svenson) Carlson, who were born in Sweden and there received their education, and there grew to manhood and woman- hood and were married. In 1869 they decided to seek a home in America, and upon landing in the United States they came direct to Minnesota, locat- ing in Goodhue county, where they remained for two years, Mr. Carlson there being engaged as a farm hand. In 1870 they moved over to Douglas county and homesteaded eighty acres of land in LaGrand township, where the son, Samuel M. Carlson, now lives. Magnus Carlson later purchased another eighty acres, all of the one hundred and sixty acres being heavy timber.
The township, at the time Magnus Carlson and family located here, was little better than a wilderness, with here and there a broad stretch of wild prairie. The family lived on their farm during the first summer before they knew that there were two other families in the township, and their life was of necessity a hard and lonely one during those trying days. The few neighbors were far apart and the nearest markets were many days' travel. Yet with all the hardships that they had to endure, they were de- termined to have a home. Log buildings were erected, in which the family and their little stock were housed. The father at once began the task of clearing the tract, a difficult task, yet he was successful, and in a few years he had a productive and valuable farm. The log buildings later were replaced by substantial buildings and it was there that Magnus Carlson lived until the time of his death in 1904, and there his widow still makes her home.
Magnus Carlson engaged in general farming and stock raising, and was recognized as a successful and prominent man in the commuity. He was a firm believer in intensive farming and thorough cultivation of the soil. To such men the township and the county owe much for the early develop- men and the later improvements that were made. He assisted in the organi- zation of the township and later served as treasurer and as a member of the board of supervisors. He was a man of excellent judgment and of wide
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experience and was a valuable member of the community. He and his wife were the parents of six children, Christine, Anton, John and Samuel, all of whom died of diphtheria, and Carl, of Rae, North Dakota, and Samuel M., the subject of this sketch.
Samuel M. Carlson received his education in the early schools of LaGrand township and grew to manhood on the home farm, as a lad assist- ing with the farm work. He later engaged in farming for himself on the old homestead, where he now lives and which he now owns, and where he is successfully engaged in general farming and stock raising.
In 1905, Samuel M. Carlson was married to Christina Mattson, the daughter of Andrew M. Mattson, now deceased. To this union three children have been born, Mabel, Carl and Marvin, the latter of whom died in infancy. The family are active in the social life of the community and are among the prominent residents of the township. Mr. Carlson has always taken an active interest in the civic life of the township and has served six years as township clerk, six years as clerk of the school board and is the present assessor of the township.
RAY F. ELLIS.
One of the enterprising young farmers of Osakis township, Douglas county, is Ray F. Ellis, who was born on August 21, 1882, at Little Falls, Minnesota, the son of Edward E. and Rosella (Bernell) Ellis, the former of whom was a native of Wisconsin and the latter of Illinois. Edward E. Ellis was a lumberman in Wisconsin, and while foreman of a lumber camp was accidentally killed in a log drive in 1884. The children of Edward E. Ellis and wife were Ida, Charles, of Minneapolis, and Ray F. After the death of Edward E. Ellis, his widow married Edward Wagner and to this union one daughter was born, Rosella.
Ray F. Ellis was but two years of age when his father was killed, and he was brought up by his grandparents, who were residents of South Dakota, and he received his education in the public schools of Brooking county, South Dakota. In October, 1902, he came to Minnesota, locating in Orange township, Douglas county, where he purchased a half section of land. In 1914 he sold one hundred and sixty acres of this farm, but still retains the other one hundred and sixty. In the fall of that year he went (30a)
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west to Colorado, Oregon and Washington, looking for a location, but returned to Douglas county in the following March and purchased one hun- dred and sixty acres of land in Osakis township, where he is now living. He is engaged in general farming and stock raising, in which he has met with a very commendable success.
In 1907 Mr. Ellis was married to Martha Jensen, the daughter of Hans Jensen, of Osakis, township, and to this union three children have been born, Meryl E., Howard and James. Mr. Ellis made all the improve- ments on his farm, including a large silo, erected in the fall of 1916.
JOHN H. COOLEY.
From the old Buckeye state came John H. Cooley to Douglas county, and he has long maintained his home on a good farm in Hudson township, where he is well known. He was born in southeastern Ohio, at Coolville, September 10, 1858, a son of Leonard J. and Fannie Anna (Elliot) Cooley, both natives of Ohio. The father was of New England descent and the mother was of Irish descent. The father was a soldier in a company of one of the regiments of Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and saw much hard service in the Civil War. He died in a hospital about two weeks before the expiration of his term of enlistment. He was a farmer before enlisting, as was also his father before him. Leonard J. Cooley and wife had four children, Sarah, Frances, Moses, and John H.
John H. Cooley grew up on the home farm in Ohio and there attended the public schools, working at home until he was twenty-one years old; then, in 1879, came to Minnesota directly from his boyhood home. He bought seventy-two acres near Victoria Lake, in Douglas county, a part of which land he cleared, erected a small log house and lived there until the spring of 1889, when he bought one hundred and sixty acres in Hudson township and has since made his home there, making extensive improve- ments, including the remodeling of the house and the erecting of a num- ber of outbuildings. He has been successful as a general farmer and in the spring of 1901 started a creamery on his farm, and operated the same five years, then assisted in organizing the Farmers Creamery Company of Forada. He was president of this thriving concern until the summer of 1915, having held that position since the company was first organized. In 1912 this company's business was increased and the name became the Forada
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Co-operative Manufacturing and Warehouse Company, of which Mr. Cooley was president and active manager, and the pronounced success of the same was due very largely to his able management and industry. The company owns a creamery, elevator and warehouse. Mr. Cooley specializes in dairy- ing and hog raising on his farm. He has not sold a bushel of grain for twenty years, feeding the products of the place to his livestock. Formerly he handled Holstein cattle crossed with Polled Angus stock, selling "baby beef." He helped organize the Farmers State Bank of Forada and was for a number of years a director of the same, but now has no connection with the insti- tution.
In the fall of 1882 Mr. Cooley was married to Mary Gaffaney, a daugh- ter of John and Anna (McManan) Gaffaney, natives of Ireland, from which country they came to Minnesota in an early day. Five children, all living, have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Cooley, namely: Fannie Ann, Mary Ethel, John, Jr., Leonard J., and Rose. Politically, Mr. Cooley is a Social- ist. He was a member of the township board for about eighteen years, ten years of which period he was chairman of the board. He is a rational- ist in his religious belief.
SWEN SWENSON.
Swen Swenson, one of the well-known and successful farmers, Ida township, Douglas county, was born on the farm where he now lives on March 30, 1875, the son of Abrahami and Anna Louise (Sanstead) Swen- son.
Peter Sanstead, the maternal grandfather of Swen Swenson, was born in Sweden in 1807 and came to Minnesota in 1868, locating in Ida town- ship. Douglas county, homesteading the farm where Swen Swenson now lives. He developed and improved that farm and engaged in general farm- ing until a few years before his death, when he retired to Garfield, where he died some years ago.
Abraham and Anna Louise Swenson were born in Sweden and there grew to manhood and womanhood and were married and there three of their children were born, Mary, Christine and Augusta. The other two children, Alma and Swen, were born in the United States. It was in 1871 that Abraham Swenson decided to locate in the United States, and it was in that year that he and his family landed in Boston. They came directly to Minnesota and settled in Douglas county, where Abraham Swen-
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son and his wife spent the rest of their lives, his death occurring in Novem- ber, 1912, at the age of seventy-eight years, and hers, December 1, 1906, at the age of sixty-five years. They were active members of the Swedish Lutheran church and prominent in the social life of the community. They were highly respected, ever ready and willing to assist a friend in trouble or sickness, and were greatly missed in the neighborhood where they had made so many friends. Their lives had been active ones and they had accomplished much good.
Swen Swenson received his education in the common schools of Ida township and grew to manhood on his father's farm, where as a lad he assisted with the farm work. He remained at home until December 16, 1912, when he was united in marriage to Constance Peterson, the daughter of Ove Peterson, who was born in Norway and never came to America. To this union two children have been born, Mabel, born on August 15, 1913, and Sylvia, April 7, 1915. Mr. and Mrs. Swenson are members of the Swedish Lutheran church and are prominent in the social and religious life of the community in which they live. Mr. Swenson is the owner of eighty acres of land that was a part of his grandfather's home place. There he is engaged in general farming and stock raising, in which he has been quite successful. In addition to his farming interests, he is the owner of stock in the Farmers Elevator Company, in the creamery and in the potato warehouse at Garfield.
ALFRED J. THOMPSON.
Alfred J. Thompson, a progressive farmer of Alexandria township, Douglas county, is a native of Olmsted county, Minnesota. born on June 22, 1870, the son of William and Mary Ann ( Hardwick) Thompson, who were natives of England and Ireland, respectively, and now live at St. Charles, Minnesota, he at the age of eighty-one years and she at the age of seventy-one. On leaving their native homes in England and Ireland, they came to the United States, she locating in Minnesota and he in the state of New York. After a time Mr. Thompson settled in Minnesota and here was married. They were the parents of twelve children, Robert (deceased ), Minnie, William, Florence, Alfred J., Mary Ann, Hiram, Lucy, Mabel, Ethcline and two who died in infancy. After locating in Minnesota, Mr. Thompson invested in land and in time became one of the successful farmers and stock raisers of his section of the state. As he prospered he invested in more land and became one of the large landowners of the county.
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He was always progressive and took an active interest in the growth and the development of the township and the county in which he lived.
Alfred J. Thompson received his education in the common schools of Olmsted county and grew to manhood on the home farm, where as a lad he assisted with the farm work. As a young man he engaegd in farming with his father on the home place, but after two years he operated one of his father's farms, in Redwood county, where he remained for three years as his father's agent. He then purchased the farm, which he continued to operate until 1900, in which year he removed to Douglas county and pur- chased a farm of one hundred and eighty acres in LaGrand township, where he resided and engaged in general farming and stock raising until 1902, when he sold the place and bought one hundred and thirty acres in Alex- andria township, where he now lives. The tract at the time he made the purchase was all in heavy timber, many acres of which is now under high cultivation and improved with excellent buildings.
Mr. Thompson is a careful farmer and stockman, as well as prudent in business. While being engaged in general farming, he devotes much of his efforts to the raising of potatoes and has been quite successful in that line. He pays careful attention to the cultivation of the soil, believing that a goodly part of the cultivation of the crops can be done before the planting. In addition to the raising of crops, he pays much attention to his fine herd of dairy cattle and to the raising and the feeding of many hogs. He makes it a practice to feed all the hogs that he raises and disposes of them only when they are ready for the market.
In addition to his many duties on the farm, Mr. Thompson has always taken a deep interest in promoting the interests of the township and the county in which he lives. He was one of the organizers and is now one of the directors of the Potato Warehouse Association, which was organ- ized some years ago and which has been of much value to all local growers of potatoes. Mr. Thompson is a carpenter by trade and has constructed and kept in repair the buildings on his farm. He also does his own mason work. His life has been a busy one and he has accomplished much in the years that he has lived.
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