USA > Minnesota > Grant County > History of Douglas and Grant counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 48
USA > Minnesota > Douglas County > History of Douglas and Grant counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 48
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Leander Kellogg was reared on a farm in Pennsylvania, to which state his parents had moved when he was a child, and upon the outbreak of the Civil War he enlisted in Company 6, Sixteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, and with that gallant command served until the close of the war. Upon the com- pletion of his military service, in 1865, Mr. Kellogg determined to make his
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home in what then was regarded as the very frontier of civilization in the Northwest and in that same year came to Minnesota. He left his family at Owatona and drove on through to Douglas county, entering a claim to a tract of land on beautiful Maple Lake. He then returned for his family and presently had his home established on the lake shore, where he remained until 1880, in which year he traded a part of that land for another farm located in Hudson township and on the latter place made his home until 1900, when he retired from the farm and moved to Alexandria, where he spent the rest of his life, his death occurring there on July 27, 1911. Leander Kellogg was a good farmer and a substantial, progressive citizen; a worthy pioneer, whose industry was rewarded until he became the owner of more than six hundred acres of land in Douglas county. He was a Republican and in the early days of the county's settlement took an active part in civic affairs. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and for some time served as a member of the board of trustees of the same.
Leander Kellogg was twice married, his first wife having been Esther Patterson, to whom he was married in the East. To that union four children were born, namely: Mary M., who married Charles Klatt and has four children, Merl, William, Hazel and John; Alice M., wife of Henry A. LeRoy, the well-known capitalist of Alexandria, a biographical sketch of whom is presented elsewhere in this volume; Florence and Orin, who married Beatrice Hawley and has two sons, Melvin and Clair. In 1881, some time after the death of the mother of these children, Leander Kellogg was united in mar- riage to Mary E. Westerfeld, daughter of the Rev. John H. and Cynthia (Lacy) Westerfeld, of Stoughton, Wisconsin, and to that union four chil- dren were born, namely: Laura A., who married A. Holmberg and has three children, Adolph K., Kenneth L. and Dorothy; John, who married Esther Friedland and has one child, a daughter, Marion E .; Joseph L. and Helen E. The Rev. John H. Westerfeld, for years a well-known minister of the German Methodist church, was a native of Germany, born in Hanover. He came to this country when twenty-one years of age and for a time fol- lowed his trade as a stonecutter. He then attended college at Oberlin, Ohio, and there fitted himself for the ministry and was ordained as a minister of the German Methodist church. In 1847 he married Cynthia Lacy, who was born in the state of New York, and some years later moved to Wisconsin, where he spent the rest of his life, his death occurring at Stoughton, that state, on June 20, 1900. He and his wife were the parents of four chil- dren, of whom Mrs. Kellogg was the second in order of birth, the others having been George, Frank and Hattie.
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. ALBERT O. HALVORSON.
Albert O. Halvorson, clerk of Elbow Lake township, a well-known and progressive young farmer of Grant county, was born on the homestead farm on which he still makes his home, in Elbow Lake township, and has lived there all his life, with the exception of the time he spent away from home completing his schooling. He was born on July 5, 1889, son of Halvor O. and Ella (Germundson) Halvorson, both natives of Norway, the former of whom died at his home in Elbow Lake township early in 1916 and the latter of whom is still living there.
Halvor O. Halvorson was born in Telemarken, Norway, November 22, 1854, and at the age of thirteen came with kin folks to the United States and settled with them on a farm in Fillmore county, this state, where he grew to manhood. About 1885 he came over to this part of the state and home- steaded a tract of one hundred and sixty acres in section 20 of Elbow Lake township, Grant county, erected a log house and prepared to establish his home there. Shortly afterward he married Ella Germundson, also a Tele- marken, born on December 22, 1860, and the two set up their home there on the raw prairie. As Mr. Halvorson prospered in his farming operations he bought another quarter section and thus became the owner of three hun- dred and twenty acres of fine land and was soon recognized as one of the most substantial farmers in his neighborhood. About 1910 he erected a fine new modern farm house, remodeled his farm buildings and otherwise brought his place up to a high standard of improvement. In addition to his general farming he for years gave considerable attention to the raising of high-grade live stock and did very well. He was a stockholder in the Farmers' Elevator Company at West Elbow and in other ways took an active part in the devel- opment of the business interests of his home community. From the very beginning of his residence in Grant county Mr. Halvorson took an active part in civic affairs and for years was a member of the board of supervisors of his home township. He helped to lay out the roads in that part of the county and for years was director of school district No. 17. He also was one of the builders of the Synod Lutheran church of Elbow Lake township. in the organization of which he took an influential part and of which he and his family were members. Halvor O. Halvorson died at his home in Elbow Lake township on January 19, 1916, and his widow is still living there. To them six children were born, of whom the subject of this sketch was the second in order of birth, the others being as follow: Ole, who is living on
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the home farm; Julius, who died at the age of nineteen years; Oscar, who died at the age of two years, and Germund and Olga, at home.
Albert O. Halvorson was reared on the homestead farm on which he was born and received his elementary education in the schools of his home district, supplementing the same by a course at Glenwood Academy and at the Alexandria Business College and also spent one winter at Red Wing Seminary, after which he returned to the home farm and has ever since been actively engaged in the cultivation of the same, and since the death of his father has been manager of the place, being recognized as one of the most progressive young farmers in the neighborhood. Mr. Halvorson is a Re- publican and since 1911 has been serving his home township in the capacity of clerk. He also is clerk of his home school district and in other ways has given his services to the public of that community. He is a member of the band at Wendell and makes a specialty of the violin and the alto. Mr. Hal- vorson is a member of the Synod Lutheran church and takes a warm interest in all movements designed to advance the common welfare in the commun- ity in which he lives.
JOHN E. GILLIES.
John E. Gillies, one of the well-known and successful farmers of Urness township, Douglas county, was born in Dane county, Wisconsin, on April 2, 1867, the son of George and Janet ( McCarra) Gillies, natives of Scotland, who became sweethearts in their youth and the promise was made that some time they would marry. George Gillies remained in the land of his birth until 1847, when he decided that he would come to America and here make a home for himself and his future bride. Upon his arrival in the United States he came West and settled in Dane county, Wisconsin, where he bought government land, his nearest market at that time being at Milwaukee, eighty miles away. In 1849 Janet McCarra, his sweetheart, joined Mr. Gillies and they were married. They continued to live on the farm of one hundred and twenty acres that George Gillies had bought when he came to the country, and by much hard work and enduring many of the hardships of the early settlers, developed and improved the same, remaining there until 1882, when they removed to Clark county, South Dakota, where they purchased a tree claim of three hundred and twenty acres, to which they later added one hundred and sixty acres. They continued to live on their farm in Clark county until 1903, when they moved to Clark, the county seat, where they lived for a short time, after which they went to Tracy, South Dakota, and there Mrs.
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Gillies died. After the death of his wife George Gillies came to Grant coun- ty on a visit and died here in 1905. The two are buried in the cemetery at Clark, South Dakota.
George and Janet Gillies were the parents of the following children : Agnes, James, Janet, George W .. Johanna, Robert S., Margaret, John E. and Hattie. Agnes is the wife of Charles Warrington and resides at St. Ansgar, Iowa: James is a resident of Stewartsville, Minnesota ; Janet married Harry Douglas and resides at Lemon, South Dakota; George W. resides at Clark, South Dakota: Johanna is the wife of Charles Douse and they reside at Elkhorn, Wisconsin; Robert S. resides at Brooklyn, Wisconsin; Margaret married C. E. McNabb and resides at Shell Lake, Wisconsin, and Hattie E. is the wife of Frank McCallister, whose home is at Long Beach, California.
John E. Gillies received his education in the district schools of Wis- consin and at Raymond, South Dakota, and completed a commercial course in the school at Watertown, South Dakota. After completing his school work he returned to the home farm and there he engaged in farming with his father until he was twenty-three years of age, when he entered the employ of a grain company at Virgil, South Dakota, where he remained for one year, after which he was sent by the company to Erdahl, Minnesota, where he bought grain for the next eight years. About that time he purchased a farm of one hundred and sixty acres and during these eight years he devoted much of his time to general farming. He remained there until 1902, when he purchased two hundred and eighty acres in Urness township, Douglas coun- ty, where he has since made his home. This farm he has developed and improved and is now engaged in general farming and stock raising, in which he has been quite successful.
In 1892 John E. Gillies was united in marriage to Emma L. Schickles, daughter of George C. Schickles, of Beadle county, South Dakota, and to this union four children have been born, Clinton C., Clifford E., Robert A. and Leona E., all of whom are living. Mr. and Mrs. Gillies are active mem- bers of the Presbyterian church and are prominent in the social and religious life of the community. Mr. Gillies is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons and of the Modern Woodmen of America and he and his wife are members of the Royal Neighbors at Evansville.
John E. Gillies has always taken an active interest in local affairs, has ever been an advocate of the best and most substantial public improvements and has given of his time and ability in the promotion of the best interests of the township and the county. While residing in Clark county, South Dakota, he was township clerk for some years and since coming to Minne- sota has served as a member of the board of supervisors of his township.
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OLAF JOHNSON LINDSTROM.
Olaf Johnson Lindstrom, a native of Sweden and one of the well-known and successful farmers and stockmen of Land township, Grant county, was born on July 20, 1841, the son of Johan and Julia (Gerlin) Johnson, also natives of Sweden, who received their education in the public schools of that country and were there married. It was in that country that their children were born and there the father died, years ago. After the death of her husband, Mrs. Johnson came to America and made her home with her son, Olaf Johnson Lindstrom, until the time of her death. Johan Johnson devoted his life to farming and he and his wife were prominent in the social and the religious life of the community in which they lived and were held in the highest esteem by all who knew them. They were the parents of two children, the subject of this sketch having a sister, Julia, who is the wife of Prof. Samuel M. Hill.
Olaf Johnson Lindstrom received his education in the public schools of his native land and there grew to manhood and was married. He and his wife continued to live in the land of their birth until June, 1870, when they decided to come to America where they could establish a home for themselves and their family. On their arrival in the United States they located for a short time at McGregor, Iowa, and then came to Minnesota, locating on a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres in Land township, Grant county, where they still live. In addition to the homestead, Mr. Lindstrom purchased one hundred and sixty acres in Douglas county. The homestead was for the most part a wild prairie at the time Mr. Lindstrom came to the township, but by hard work and close application to business he has made it one of the ideal farms of the community. There Mr. Lindstrom has grown a beautiful grove and erected substantial and modern buildings. On his arrival in the county, the Great Northern railway only came to Willmar, and the trip had to be completed with horses and a wagon which were hired for the purpose.
Shortly before coming to this country Olaf Johnson Lindstrom was united in marriage to Maret Nelsdatter, who was born in Sweden and received her education in the public schools of that country, where her parents died some years ago, and to this union the following children were born: Nels, John, Ole, Carrie, Julia, Matilda and Peter. Nels is engaged in farm- ing with his father; John is now deceased: Ole is connected with the Farm- ers' State Bank at Hoffman, and Carrie, Julia, Matilda and Peter are
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deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Lindstrom are active members of the Swedish Lutheran church, and were among the organizers of the local society. Mr. Lindstrom was for a number of years a member of the choir. He has taken much interest in local affairs and has served as a member of the board of supervisors and as school treasurer for twenty-two years.
JOHN SANDBERG.
John Sandberg, one of Grant county's substantial farmers and the owner of a fine farm of two hundred and twenty acres in Lien township, is a native of the kingdom of Sweden, but has been a resident of this country since 1880. He was born in Halland, a laen of Sweden, April 7. 1857, son of John and Netta Louisa (Nelson) Sandberg, natives of that same section and the former of whom, a blacksmith, is still living there. They were the parents of seven children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the first- born, the others being as follow: Nils, a blacksmith, living at Guttenberg, Sweden : Mrs. Clara Person, who lives in New York City; August, a banker, of Brooklyn, New York, and three who were born since John Sandberg came to America and are still living in their native land.
Brought up to the trade of blacksmith, in which he was trained by his father. John Sandberg remained at home, working at that trade, until 1880, when he came to the United States and began to work in the coal mines at Wilkesbarre, Pennsylvania. A strike occurred in the mines about two years after he began working there and he left there and went to Lafayette, Indiana, where he worked in the car shops of the Monon Railroad for five years, at the end of which time he moved over into Illinois and was engaged in farm labor in the vicinity of Ford, that state, until 1902, when he came to Minne- sota and located in Grant county, where he ever since has made his home. Upon coming out here he bought a farm of two hundred and forty acres in section 35 of Lien township, tore down the old shanties that were on the same, erected a modern house and farm buildings and soon brought his place up to a high standard of improvement and cultivation. In addition to his general farming, Mr. Sandberg has given considerable attention to the rais- ing of live stock and has an excellent herd of dairy cattle. He is a share- holder in the local elevator company and also in the local creamery associa- tion and takes an active interest in the work of promoting the general busi- ness interests of his home community. In his political affiliations he is a Republican and has served the public in the capacity of a school director.
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It was in the year 1891 that John Sandberg was united in marriage to Albertina Larson, who also was born in Sweden, and to this union seven children have been born, Ernest, Nils, Carl, Mabel, Lily, Edwin and Ethel. The Sandbergs are members of the Swedish Lutheran church and take an earnest interest in the general beneficences of the same, as well as in the general good works of their community, helpful factors in the promotion of all movements having to do with the advancement of the common welfare thereabout.
NELS D. ANDERSON.
One of the well known and substantial farmers of Evansville town- ship, Douglas county, is Nels D. Anderson, who was born in Sweden on August 11, 1858, the son of Daniel and Bareth Anderson, both natives of the same country.
Daniel Anderson came with his family to the United States in 1870, coming directly to Douglas county, Minnesota, where he entered one hun- dred and sixty acres of wild land in section 15 of Lund township. He filed on this land on June 3, 1870, and on July 5, 1870, his family came on from St. Paul by rail to St. Cloud, from which place the rest of the journey was made by ox-team, Mr. Anderson having rented the oxen for the trip. Part of his land was timber, and the first house which the family lived in was built of logs, having no floor, the roof being constructed of hay and sod. The first year he managed to raise a few potatoes, and the next season had four or five acres of wheat. He bought his first oxen in 1871, but had no wagon, and hauled his first hay and wheat crop on a sled. There were no roads in the township at that time and the nearest market was Perham, forty-five miles away, on the Northern Pacific, but in true pioneer style the family kept bravely on clearing, cultivating and developing their land, and in 1876 a better log house was built, and various other improvements added from time to time. Daniel Anderson continued to live on the old homestead until his death in the fall of 1896, he then being sixty-six years of age. His wife, who was born in Sweden in 1838, survived him four years, her death occurring on July 3, 1900. They were the parents of ten children, Nels D., Stena, Maria, Andrew, Carl, Daniel, Matilda, Alfred, Oscar and Willie. Of these children, Stena, Daniel, Matilda and Alfred are now living in Canada; Maria is a resident of California; Andrew is living in North Dakota; Oscar is living on his father's old homestead in Lund township, and Willie is renting land in Lund township.
MR. AND MRS. NELS D. ANDERSON.
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Nels D. Anderson received some of his elementary education in the schools of his native land, but obtained most of his schooling in Lund town- ship, and lived on the homestead farm of his father, assisting in the culti- vation and development of the land until his marriage, when he purchased one hundred and twenty acres of land near Melby station, which was partly improved, with a small house on it. There he lived for the next ten years, after which in 1896, he moved to Evansville township, where he bought two hundred acres in sections 4. 5 and 8. This land was partly improved, having on it a small log house, where Mr. Anderson and his family lived for five years. In 1900 he built a good, modern two-story house, and also erected a new barn, thirty-six by eighty feet in dimensions, as well as making many other improvements on his farm. He has a beautiful grove of about five acres around his house, which he planted. He gradually added to his land holdings until he is now the owner of five hundred acres of fine farming land, most of which he farms himself, renting out one hundred and twenty acres. He is extensively engaged in general farming and stock raising, making a specialty of breeding thoroughbred Shorthorn cattle, and is the owner of a very fine imported full-blood Shorthorn bull, registered as "Barrington's Heir 118880." This animal was brought from England and was given to Mr. Anderson by the late James J. Hill, the railway magnate. Besides his farming interests, Mr. Anderson managed a grain elevator in Evansville for the Inter-State Grain Company for a period of ten years.
In 1886 Nels D. Anderson was married to Lotta Anderson, daughter of Anders Peterson, and to this union six children have been born, Victor, Elvira, Esther, Aaron, David and Joseph, the two last-named being twins, and all living at home with their parents. Mr. Anderson is a Republican in politics and the family are members of the Swedish Mission church.
FRANK ELGIN.
Frank Elgin, a well-known and progressive farmer of Delaware town- ship, Grant county, is a native of the neighboring "Hawkeye" state, but has been a resident of Minnesota since 1890 and of Grant county since 1895. He was born on a farm in Benton county, Iowa, May 12, 1860, son of Herman and Sophia (Grass) Elgin, natives of Germany, whose last days were spent in Iowa. Herman Elgin was born in Saxony, as was his wife. He was a brickmaker by trade and also for some time served as a coachman. In 1856 (32a)
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he and his family came to the United States and settled in Benton county, Iowa, where for four years they made their home on a rented farm. Mr. Elgin then bought a farm in that vicinity and there lived many years. His wife died on the farm about 1898 and he presently retired from the farm and moved to Newhall, Iowa, where he died in 1903, being then past seventy- seven years of age. They were members of the German Lutheran church and their children were reared in that faith. There were five of these chil- dren, of whom the subject of this sketch was the last born, the others being as follow : Herman, who was twelve years of age when he came to the United States with his parents and is now a retired farmer, living in Worth county, Iowa; Pauline, who also was born in Germany, married Benjamin Franklin and now lives at Spellsburg, in Benton county, Iowa; Amelia, born in Germany, who married August Doble and lives at Manly Junction, Iowa, and Alvina, who was but a baby when she was brought to this country by her parents, now living near Adair, Iowa, widow of Henry Slaughterback.
Frank Elgin was reared on the farm on which he was born in Benton county, Iowa, receiving his schooling in the public schools of that neighbor- hood, and early became a farmer on his own account, renting a farm until 1890, in which year he went to St. Paul and for three years thereafter was engaged there as a teamster. He then for two years worked in a wagon shop and in 1895, the year following his marriage, came out to this part of the state, locating in Grant county, where for eighteen months he worked on the farm of Henry Gotsche. He then began working in a blacksmith shop at Herman and later resumed farming, being thus engaged for two years, after which for some time he worked as a butcher and then as a carpenter, following the latter trade until 1901, when he rented a farm near the village of Herman and for two years worked the same, making his home in the village. He then, in 1902, rented the half section of land in Delaware town- ship which he is now occupying and has ever since made his home there, doing very well in his farming operations, in addition to which he has paid con- siderable attention to dairying, milking from ten to fifteen cows. In 1913 Mr. Elgin bought three hundred and thirty-one acres of raw prairie land in Pennington county, this state. He is a Democrat and has served as director of his local school district. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and takes a warm interest in the affairs of that organization.
It was in 1894 that Frank Elgin was united in marriage to Ida Frarck, who was born in Mecklenburg, Germany, daughter of John Frarck and wife, who came to America about 1891 and settled in Lyons county, Iowa, later coming to Minnesota and locating at Luverne, where they spent the rest of
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their lives, John Frarck dying there about 1906. To Mr. and Mrs. Elgin two children have been born, Elmer and Louis, both of whom are at home. The Elgins are members of the German Lutheran church and take an active interest in the affairs of the same, as well as in all neighborhood good works.
E. J. NEWMAN.
E. J. Newman, one of the best-known and most substantial farmers of Grant county, proprietor of a fine farm in Lien township, former supervisor of that township, for twenty years treasurer of the same, for twenty-five years clerk of his school district, former road superintendent of the town- ship and in 1916 the nominee of his party for the office of county commis- sioner from his district, is a native of the kingdom of Sweden, but has been a resident of this county since 1880 and a landowner in Grant county since 1885. He was born on a farm in Vermland. August 24, 1856, son of Erick and Christine ( Olson) Newman, natives of that same district, who spent all their lives in their native land, their deaths occurring in the middle nineties. They were the parents of five children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the first-born and all of whom are still living, the others, daughters all, being Jane, Anna and Elsie, who married and remained in Sweden, and Mrs. Louise Jacobson, now a resident of New York City.
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