USA > Minnesota > Grant County > History of Douglas and Grant counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 46
USA > Minnesota > Douglas County > History of Douglas and Grant counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 46
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In 1895, Alfred J. Thompson was united in marriage to Belle Otter, daughter of James and Susan (Bailey) Otter, of South Dakota, and to this union five children have been born, Pearl, Mathew Robert, Kenneth. Harold and Marcella, all of whom are living. The family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Alexandria and take an active part in church work.
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JOHN McFARLANE.
John McFarlane, now deceased, was one of the prominent and success- ful farmers of LaGrand township, Douglas county. He was born in Canada on September 10, 1843, the son of Robert and Margaret (Anderson ) McFar- lane, both of whom were natives of Scotland. They emigrated to Canada in the early part of the nineteenth century and there the father engaged in general farming. It was there they died many years ago.
John McFarlane was one of a family of eleven children and received his education in the public schools of Canada, where he grew to manhood, as a lad assisting his father on the farm. As a young man he engaged in farming and remained a resident of his native county until he was twenty- six years of age. In 1869 he came to Minnesota and homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land in LaGrand township, where he engaged in general farming and stock raising and where he spent the rest of his life, his death occurring on March 31, 1916.
On June 17, 1870, John McFarlane was united in marriage to Jean- nette Dodds, who also was born in Canada, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Dick) Dodds, natives of Scotland, who had accompanied their respective parents to Canada, he at the age of sixteen and she at the age of ten years. John Dodds, after completing his schooling, engaged in teaching and was one of the successful teachers of Canada for a number of years. He later engaged in farming and became a successful tiller of the soil.
To John and Jeannette McFarlane were born thirteen children, Robert. Elizabeth, John, Edward, Margaret, Thomas, Lillie, Mae, Nettie, William, George, Minnie and Samuel, all of whom are living save Margaret. Eliza- beth McFarlane married J. K. Elsie. Robert McFarlane married Hester Scott. Thomas McFarlane married Anna Ewbank. George McFarlane married Hazel Block. William McFarlane married Agnew Gilmer and Minnie McFarlane married R. L. Huntsperger. Mr. McFarlane was an active mem- ber of a local undenominational church, of which Mrs. McFarlane is still a member, taking much interest in church work. She resides on the old homestead in LaGrand township, where she is held in high esteem by all who know her.
John McFarlane was a man who took much interest in the affairs of the community and did much for the growth and the development of the township and the county. He was a man of much force of character and his influence on matters of public importance had much weight. Being a
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man of excellent judgment, his advice was often sought on matters per- taining to the civic affairs of the community. He was a believer in a bet- ter education for the children of the township and did much to bring about a higher standard of election in the schools of the community. The family have ever been prominent in the social and religious life of the district and are regarded as among the best citizens of the county.
CHARLES F. SCHELIN.
Another of the substantial farmers of Swedish birth in Alexandria township, Douglas county, is Charles F. Schelin, who was born in Wisteras, Sweden, August 4, 1867, the son of Lars F. and Louisa M. (Bjorklund) Schelin, both of whom were natives also of Sweden, the former born in 1844 and the latter in 1843. In 1881 Lars F. Schelin and his family came to the United States. After stopping for a short time at Valparaiso, Indiana, where he remained until March, 1882, Mr. Schelin came on to Minnesota, and purchased eighty acres of land in section 13 of Alexandria township, Doug- las county, which he at once began to improve and cultivate, and there he lived until his death in September. 1912. In Sweden he was a member of the Lutheran church. His wife attended the Baptist church. Lars S. Schelin and wife were the parents of two sons, Charles F .. and John H.
Charles F. Schelin received most of his education in the public schools of his native land, for, after coming to this country. he had little oppor- tunity to attend school. As a young man he worked at the carpenter trade for about four years, being employed in Superior, Minneapolis, and other places, as well as in his home neighborhood. He then moved to Nelson, where for four years he bought grain for the Union store at that place. For the next eleven years he was employed in the same capacity for the Andrews & Gage Grain Company. In 1901 he purchased the farm of eighty acres in section 13 of Alexandria township, where he is now living. Mr. Schelin has placed practically all of the buildings on this farm since acquiring it, and in various ways has improved the farm until he now has one of the best in the township. He carries on a diversified system of farming and until 1908 continued in the grain buying business, but since that time has devoted his attention exclusively to his farming interests.
In 1901 Charles F. Schelin was married to Anna Christina Sherlin, and to this union seven children have been born, Theodore W., John O., Helen,
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Carl, Margaret, Lawrence and Lois. Mr. Schelin is a Republican and takes an active interest in local politics. He has served his township as clerk for four years, as assessor for two years, and as treasurer for two years. For the last five years he has been secretary of the creamery near his place, and is at present serving as secretary of the school board.
FERDINAND G. DOBMEYER.
One of the well-known and substantial citizens of Millersville township, Douglas county, is Ferdinand G. Dobmeyer, who was born in Stearns county, Minnesota, on July 24, 1871, a son of George and Justine (Fidler) Dob- meyer, both of whom were natives of Bavaria.
George Dobineyer came to the United States about 1866, while Justine Fidler came to this country with her parents about two years later. George Dobmeyer had learned the trade of a miller in his native land, and upon coming to Minnesota, in partnership with Ferdinand Dancel, conducted a mill for some time at St. Joseph, Stearns county. Mr. Dobmeyer also oper- ated a mill for two years at Cold Springs, Minnesota. In 1873 he moved over to Douglas county and built the mill which his son, Ferdinand G. Dob- meyer, now owns, and there he remained in active business until his death on October 10, 1885. George Dobmeyer and his wife were the parents of nine children, Carrie, Ferdinand, Barbara, Lena, Justine, Kate, John and two who died when young. After the death of George Dobmeyer, his widow married Dr. J. C. Drexler, who took charge of the mill as manager, and to this union six children were born, George (deceased). George. Emma, Joseph, Mary and Leo, all of whom are living with the exception of the two eldest. The mother of these children died in 1913, at the age of sixty- one years, while Doctor Drexler lives on a farm near the mill now conducted by Ferdinand Dobmeyer.
Ferdinand Dobmeyer received his education at Collegeville, in Stearns county. When he was fourteen years of age his father died, and he learned the milling business under his step-father's management. At the age of seventeen he became manager of the mill, filling that position until he reached the age of twenty, when, with the assistance of an uncle, he purchased the mill in 1891, and has since operated it as sole proprietor. The mill is ideally located on the Chippewa river, two miles northeast of Millersville. When the mill was first built, millstones were installed to grind the wheat, and
FERDINAND G. DOBMEYER'S MILL.
RESIDENCE OF PETER J. NELSON.
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these were used for years, but the mill has been remodeled, and is now com- pletely equipped with modern and up-to-date milling machinery. It is oper- ated by water power obtained by a sixteen-foot fall of water through a modern water wheel. Steam is also available to operate the mill, the steam equipment including a new Corliss-valve engine, which Mr. Dobmeyer installed a few years ago. Both the mill and the residence of Mr. Dobmeyer are equipped with electric lights and steam heat, the owner having his own electric light plant. The capacity of the mill is seventy-five barrels of flour daily, and Mr. Dobmeyer enjoys a large patronage in the community. Besides his milling interests, Mr. Dobmeyer also owns a good farm of two hundred and forty acres in Leaf Valley and Millerville townships, as well as an elegant home near the mill. He rents out his farm to reliable tenants, but raises a goodly number of fine cattle at his home place.
On October 25, 1892, Ferdinand G. Dobmeyer was married to Anna Kotschevar. the daughter of Mathias Kotschevar, who was formerly a merchant at Millerville, but is now located at Eden Valley. To this union fourteen children have been born, eight of whom are living, as follow : Mary, who is now Sister Atona, of St. Joseph's Academy; Justine, Alois Joseph, Hildegard, Adelheid, Adelbert, Ermaline and Cordelia. The family are all earnest and devout members of the Catholic church, and Mr. Dob- . meyer is a member of St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Society, and of the Foresters, being chief ranger of St. Otto Court No. 671, at Millerville.
PETER J. NELSON.
Peter J. Nelson, one of the painstaking and progressive farmers of Holmes City township, Douglas county, is a native of the kingdom of Sweden, born in the laen of Wermland, March 10, 1865, a brother of O. W. Nelson, in a biographical sketch of whom, presented elsewhere in this volume, there are set out further details of the history of this family in this part of Minnesota. There are three other brothers in this family, John E. Nelson, E. E. Nelson and N. E. Nelson. Peter J. Nelson has been a resident of this country since he was six years of age. About a year before that time his father, Elof Nelson, had come to the United. States with a view to seeking a new home for his family, the mother and the children, five sons, following in March, 1871, coming over on a small sailing vessel, the "Annadelle," which was six weeks and three days in
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making the passage. Mrs. Nelson had tickets through to Chicago, expect- ing to go thence to McGregor, Iowa, where she was to meet her husband. Running short of money, she was compelled to leave her trunk at Chicago as security for funds with which to make the trip to McGregor. On arriv- ing at the latter place she found that her husband had gone to Minnesota to take a homestead, he having homesteaded a place in Douglas county ; but a letter apprising him of the presence of his family at McGregor caused him speedily to join them there and at that place he worked on the railroad and in the harvest fields until he had made enough money to take them to the place he had homesteaded, which was on the north bank of Lake Latoka, or Long Lake, in LaGrand township, Douglas county, where he presently made his home. It was on that homestead farm that Peter J. Nelson grew to man- hood, receiving his schooling in the schools of the neighborhood and proving a valued assistant to his father and his brothers in the labors of developing and improving the home place; remaining there until he was nearly twenty- three years of age, when he bought a farm of forty acres on the northwest shore of Lake Latoka, where, upon his marriage shortly afterward, he estab- lished his home and continued to live there until about seventeen years ago, when he moved to his present farm of one hundred and eighty acres in Holmes City township, where he has since made his home and where he and his family are very comfortably and pleasantly situated. Mr. Nelson has done well in his farming operations and has a modern dwelling and good farm ·buildings.
On December 7, 1889, Peter J. Nelson was married to Carolina Peter- son, who was also born in Wermland, Sweden, from which country she came to Minnesota in 1888 with her parents Peter and Maria (Johnson) Larson, the family locating in Lake Mary township, Douglas county, engaging in farming there for many years. The parents spent their last days at the home of the subject of this sketch. Mr. and Mrs. Larson were the parents of five children, namely: Christina, wife of John Blyund; Maria, wife of Ole Haglund : Lars Peterson, next in order of birth; Carolina, wife of Mr. Nel- son, the subject of this sketch, and John Peterson, the youngest.
To Mr. and Mrs. Nelson two children have been born, William Arthur, who is a bookkeeper in Alexandria, and Ellen Maria, who is attending school at the Bethel Academy at St. Paul. Mr. Nelson has always taken an active part in public affairs and served as township clerk in Renville township, Stev- ens county, during the time of his residence there some years ago. The Nel- son family affiliate with the Swedish Baptist church at Alexandria, with
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which Mr. and Mrs. Nelson became connected in 1892. Mr. Nelson has always taken part in religious meetings, and in 1912, with the help of friends, he built the Baptist church in Holmes City, and in 1914 he founded the Rose Hill cemetery at Holmes City.
CHRIST L. HOLTE.
Christ L. Holte, a well-known and prominent farmer of Brandon town- ship, Douglas county, was born in Norway, on March 14, 1866, the son of Lars and Carrie Holte, also natives of Norway, where they received their education and were married. They lived in their native country for some time after their marriage and then decided that they would seek a home in America. They continued their journey to Wisconsin, where they remained for a short time and then, in 1867, came on to Minnesota, locating in Moe township, Douglas county, where Mr. Holte homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land in section 3. The tract at that time was undeveloped and unimproved, but in time, by the hard work and determination of Mr. and Mrs. Holte, the place became one of the productive farms of the county. It was there that Mr. Holte engaged in general farming and made his home until his death, at the age of fifty-five years. He and his wife were the parents of six children, Clara, Christ L., Antoinetta, Laura, Ole and Thilda. Mr. Holte took an active interest in the local affairs of the township and was soon recognized as a man of much ability and force of character.
Christ L. Holte received his education in the schools of Douglas county and grew to manhood on the home farm, where he as a lad and young man he assisted his father in the management of the place. At the age of twenty- three Mr. Holte began farming for himself. In addition to his farm of one hundred and sixty acres in section 34, Mr. Holte is interested in the Farmers and Merchants' Union Elevator Company at Brandon. He has always taken much interest in the civic life of the township and has ever used his influence for the advancement of the interests of the district.
On October 27, 1900, Christ L. Holte was united in marriage to Sophia Syverson, daughter of Syvert and Martha (Christianson) Olson, natives of Norway, who were married in that country and who came to the United States in 1859, settling in Wisconsin, where they remained until 1863, when they came to Minnesota, settling in Olmsted county and remaining there until 1867, in which year they came over to this part of the state and settled
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in Moe township, Douglas county, where Syvert Olson spent the remainder of his life, his death occurring on August 4, 1903. He was born on January I, 1830. His widow is now living at Alexandria. They were the parents of eight children, of whom Mrs. Holte was the seventh in order of birth, the others being Caroline, Ole, Peter, Olena, Lauritz, Taulo and Nellie. To Mr. and Mrs. Holte four children have been born, Lawrence (deceased), Clifford, Lawrence and Mamie. Mr. and Mrs. Holte are members of the Lutheran church and take an active part in the affairs of the same, as well as in the general social activities of the community in which they live.
EMIL BRUESKE.
The Brueske family, of which Emil Brueske, a farmer of Ida town- ship, Douglas county, is a well-known representative, came from Dodge county, Wisconsin. There Emil Brueske was born on December 12, 1858, a son of Fred and Coelestina (Cosson) Brueske, natives of Germany, where they grew up and married. To their union six children were born, Helen, Bertha, Emil, Fred, Mary and an infant who died. The father finally brought his family to America, landing at New Orleans, Louisiana, coming up the Mississippi river on a steamboat to Cairo, Illinois. They lived in that town a short time, then went to Dodge county, Wisconsin, where they lived on a farm until 1876, in which year they came to Minnesota. Fred Brueske, the father, took up a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres in Ida township, Douglas county, which he developed into a good farm, and on which he spent the rest of his life, his death occurring on August 19, 1889. He was born on August 9, 1829. His wife, who was born on July 21, 1822, lived to an advanced age, dying on September 16, 1911. Fred Brueske was active in the affairs of his locality and served on the township board five or six years. He was a soldier in the Civil War, serving from 1863 to 1865 in the Forty-eighth Regiment, Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry.
Emil Bruekse grew up on the farm and attended school in Dodge county, Wisconsin. On December 15, 1881, he married Anna Shultz, a daughter of Henry Shultz, who took up a homestead in Leaf Valley town- ship, Douglas county, in 1870. To Mr. and Mrs. Brueske the following children have been born: Henry, Alfred, Johannah, Otilla, Minnie, Alvin, Willie, Anna, Emil and Ida.
Mr. Brueske has always followed farming. He now owns a part of
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the old homestead and has one hundred and sixty acres of well-improved and valuable land, on which he is engaged in general farming and stock raising. He has put on all the improvements now seen on his place, doing the work himself, including the building of a large barn in 1914. His dwelling was built in 1900. It is a substantial, modern brick structure. He raises large numbers of Poland-China and red hogs. Politically Mr. Brueske is independent. He has been a member of the German Lutheran church board for the past twelve years and is also a trustee of the church of that denomination in Leaf Valley township, to which himself and family have long belonged. He has served the public as a member of the board of town- ship supervisors and served for some time as chairman of that board.
HON. WILLIAM H. GOETZINGER.
The Hon. William H. Goetzinger, judge of the probate court of Grant county and who for years, or until his recent retirement from the editorial tripod, was the editor and publisher of the Grant County Herald at Elbow Lake, which city has been his home since 1890, is a native son of Minnesota and has lived in this state all his life. He was born at Faribault on January II, 1872, son of Martin Goetzinger, a native of Germany, who had come to this county with his parents when a small boy, his family settling in Wiscon- sin, whence he had later come to Minnesota, establishing his home in this state, moving from Faribault to Fergus Falls, where he was successfully engaged in the retail meat trade.
William H. Goetzinger received his schooling in the public schools of Fergus Falls and there learned the printing trade, at which he was engaged in that city for six years, at the end of which time, in 1890, he moved down to Elbow Lake, where he began working in the office of the Grant County Herald. Five years later he bought that paper and continued as its editor and publisher until April 1, 1914, when he sold it to its present owner. From the time of his arrival at Elbow Lake, Judge Goetzinger has taken an earnest interest in local civic affairs and had held various village offices before his election to the important office of judge of the probate court in 1903. So efficient did his services in that capacity prove that the Judge has been con- tinuously re-elected to that office and is still serving.
It was in 1900, ten years after his arrival at Elbow Lake, that Judge Goetzinger was united in marriage to Elizabeth J. Godward, of that city,
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daughter of the Rev. James Godward, and to this union two children have been born, William M. and Ruth E. Judge and Mrs. Goetzinger take an interest in the general social activities of their home town, and are helpful factors in the work of promoting all good causes hereabout. Judge Goetz- inger is a member of the local lodges of the Free and Accepted Masons, the Knights of Pythias, the Modern Woodmen of America and the Brother- hood of American Yeomen, in the affairs of which several organizations he takes a warm interest.
SIMON LARSON.
Simon Larson, one of the well-known and successful farmers of Gorton township, Grant county, was born in Norway on April 25, 1873. the son of Lars and Ingeborg Kundsen, also natives of Norway, who received their education in the public schools of that county and were there married. They continued to remain residents of the country of their birth until 1875, when they came to Minnesota and located on a farm in Goodhue county, where they remained until 1879, when they came on over to this part of the state and homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land in Gorton township, Grant county, which was developed into one of the best farms in the town- ship, well improved with good and substantial buildings, and there Mr. Knudson engaged in general farming and stock raising until the time of his death, which occurred in 1914, at the age of eighty-six years. His widow died in 1916, at the age of seventy-eight years. They were the parents of seven children, Julia (deceased), Thea, Knut, Simon, Annie, Jennie and Lena.
Simon Larson received his education in the public schools and was reared on the old homestead in Gorton township, where as a lad he assisted his father with the work of developing and cultivating the farm. As a young man he engaged in farming for himself and purchased eighty acres of land in section 13, Gorton township, which he later sold and purchased eighty acres in section 22, where he now lives, and which farm he has developed and improved, erecting good and substantial buildings, and bring- ing his farm under a high state of cultivation. Mr. Larson is engaged in general farming and stock raising and has been quite successful, being today recognized as one of the progressive and substantial farmers of the township.
In 1903 Simon Larson was united in marriage to Inga Amundson, who was born in Norway in 1881, the daughter of Andrew Amundson, whose
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life's history may be found on another page of this work, and to this union four children have been born, Stella, Alfred, Leonard and Eunice. Mr. and Mrs. Larson are active members of the United Lutheran church and have long been interested in church work. They are prominent in the social life of the community and are held in the highest esteem by all who know them.
Politically, Simon Larson is identified with the Republican party and has always taken an active interest in the local affairs of the township. He has never aspired to office, but has ever used his influence and his efforts to further the interests of the township and the county. He is progressive in his views and believes in all public improvements that tend to make better and greater the community in which he lives.
NELS BYE.
Nels Bye, a well-known and prominent farmer of Urness township, Douglas county, was born in Norway on October 29, 1867, the son of Even and Ely Bye, who also were born in Norway and there spent their lives, both now being deceased. The father was a farmer and devoted his life to that work. He and his wife were the parents of six children, Nels, Lars, Ole, Thonetta, Anton and Amie.
Nels Bye received his education in the public schools of his native coun- try and there grew to manhood. As a lad and young man he worked on the farm, where he learned the principles of intensive farming. In 1889 he came to America, and on his arrival in this country he came West and worked on the farm in the summer and in the woods of Chippewa county, Wisconsin, in the winters for four years. In 1893 he came to Douglas county and located on his present farm in Urness township, where he owns three hun- dred and forty acres of excellent land, on which he has erected most of the buildings and made many other valued and substantial improvements. He is engaged in general farming and stock raising, in which he has been quite successful.
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