USA > Minnesota > Grant County > History of Douglas and Grant counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 54
USA > Minnesota > Douglas County > History of Douglas and Grant counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 54
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67
To Carl and Louisa ( Hensel) Ritzschke were born the following chil- dren : Charles F., Theodore, Martha, Albert, Clara, Arthur, Walter, Alfred and Edward. Theodore is a well-known farmer and stockman of the town- ship. Martha is the wife of Harry Enwiller and lives at Russell, South Dakota. Albert is a farmer of Grant county. Clara married Henry Ristow and Edward died at the age of twelve years. In the early days Mr. and Mrs. Ritzschke took a prominent part in the social and the religious life of the community in which they lived and were held in the highest regard and esteem by all who knew them.
Charles F. Ritzschke received his education in the public schools of Grant county and grew to manhood on the home farm, where as a lad and young man he assisted his father with the clearing and the developing of the place. After reaching manhood he remained with his father until he was twenty-eight years of age, when, in 1898, he purchased a farm of one hun- dred and twenty acres in section 36 of Macsville township, but never lived on the place, though he developed and farmed it. In 1900 he purchased a farm of one hundred and sixty acres adjoining his father's farin on the south, and is now engaged in the operation of his own farm and that of his father. He is engaged in general farming and stock raising, in which he has been quite successful. He is a stockholder in the Farmers' Elevator
550
DOUGLAS AND GRANT COUNTIES, MINNESOTA.
Company, as well as in the local market, and is recognized as one of the substantial and successful men of the township and the county. Politically, he is a Republican and has taken much interest in local affairs. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of the Modern Wood- men of America and of the Yeomen. He has never married.
PETER PETERSON.
Of the many successful farmers and stockmen of Elk Lake township, Grant county, is Peter Peterson, who was born in Sweden in 1851, the son of John J. and Helena Peterson, who also were born in Sweden, where they lived until 1868, when they came to Minnesota and located at Litchfield, where they remained for a year, at the end of which time they came to Grant county and homesteaded one hundred and twenty acres in Elk Lake town- ship, which farm John J. Peterson developed and improved until in time he had one of the best and most highly cultivated farms in the county. He took much interest in local affairs and had much to do with the general progress of the township. He was one of the organizers of the Lutheran church in the community and he and his wife took much interest in church work. They were prominent in the social and the religious life of the community and were held in the highest regard by all who knew them.
Peter Peterson received his schooling in the first school that was estab- lished in the county, and in the building of which his father assisted. Since coming to the county with his parents, when but a lad, he has continued to live here and has been engaged in farming. He is now the owner of three hundred and twenty acres of land, all of which is under high cultivation and improved with excellent buildings which he has erected. He planted a fine grove and is engaged in general farming and stock raising, in which he has been engaged on his home farm for the past thirty-six years. He has been quite successful and is recognized as among the most thorough and success- ful farmers in the township. He believes in intensive farming and in the highest degree of cultivation and his buildings are kept in the best of repair and the farm is well looked after.
In 1881 Peter Peterson was united in marriage to Emilia Erickson, who was born in Wisconsin, the daughter of Jacob Erickson, who came to Grant county in an early day and located in Lien township, where he lived for some years before he removed to his present home in South Dakota. To this
551
DOUGLAS AND GRANT COUNTIES, MINNESOTA.
union seven children have been born, John, Martha, Milma, Alma, Manda, Helen and Florence. Mr. and Mrs. Peterson are members of the Lutheran church, have long been identified with the social and the religious life of the community and are held in the highest esteem by their neighbors and their friends. Mr. Peterson has always taken much interest in the civic life of the township and has done much toward the growth and development of the district. He has served as a member of the school board and has taken much interest in the development of the schools of the township, believing that the future of the state depends upon the instruction given the youth of the pres- ent generation.
CHRISTOPHER P. BETLAND.
Christopher P. Betland, deceased, one of the earliest pioneers of Grant county, was a native of Norway, where he was educated in the public schools and there grew to manhood. As a young man he decided to come to Ameri- ca, and after his arrival in the United States he came direct to Minnesota and located in Goodhue county, about 1861. He had been in his new home but a short time when he enlisted in the Third Regiment, Minnesota Volun- teer Infantry, and became a member of the regimental band. He saw much active service in the Civil War and took part in many of the important battles of that conflict. After having received his honorable discharge from the army he returned to the state of his adoption and in 1866 came to Grant county, where he homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land in Elk Lake township. This farm he developed and improved and here he made his home until the time of his death, which occurred in 1890, and here his widow still resides. The tract at the time Mr. Betland came here was for the most part a wild prairie and required much hard and patient work to develop. He erected buildings and planted a grove and in time had one of the model farms of the township.
Christopher P. Betland was first married to Inga Lee, and to that union three children were born, John C., Peter and Anna, all of whom are living. After the death of his first wife, Mr. Betland married Christina Anna Olson. also a native of Norway, and to this union five children were born, Ole, Edward. Carl. Lena and Matilda. Christopher P. Betland was an active member of the Lutheran church, as is his widow, and the family has long been prominent in the social and the religious life of the community. Mr. Betland was a man of much force of character and was recognized as one
552
DOUGLAS AND GRANT COUNTIES, MINNESOTA.
of the leading men of the township and the county. He took much interest in the growth of this region and had much to do with its development. He always advocated those measures that had a tendency to assist in the better- ment and improvement of the county, such as good roads and the establish- ment and maintenance of the best of schools. His close association with men and affairs caused him to be often consulted in matters that related to the welfare of the township or the county. His life was an active one and he accomplished much that was praiseworthy, his death being mourned by the entire community.
Christina Anna ( Olson ) Betland was born in Norway, a daughter of Ole and Christe ( Aresdatter ) Erickson, natives of Norway, where they con- tinued to live for some years after their marriage, later coming to the United States and locating on a farm in South Dakota, where they died some years ago.
Since the death of his father, Edward C. Betland, who has always lived on the home farm, has built a beautiful new house which has added much to the beauty and value of the place. He takes much pride in the upkeep of the farm, which he is now operating.
AUGUST MOLLMAN.
Among the many well-known and successful farmers of Grant county may be mentioned August Mollman, now a resident of Roseville township. He was born in East Prussia, Germany, on March 17, 1860, the son of William and Amelia ( Zalnske) Mollman, also natives of Prussia, who spent all their lives in the land of their birth, where the father was a farmer and a landowner and a man of prominence in his district. The mother died in 1862, and after her death the father married Maria Oust, who is now de- ceased. The father died in 1889 at the age of sixty-four years. He was a member of the Lutheran church and took much interest in church work. He was the father of ten children, five by each of his wives. To Amelia Moll- man the following children were born: Frederick, Wilhelm, Frank, Angust and Ferdinand .- Maria Mollman was the mother of Augusta, Anna, Carl. Otto and Maria. Frederick learned the baker business, at which he worked for a number of years. He is now deceased, having died in the land of his birth. Wilhelm, now deceased, was engaged in farming; Frank is a harness maker and a painter; Ferdinand is a baker; Augusta and Anna are married
553
DOUGLAS AND GRANT COUNTIES, MINNESOTA.
and live in the Fatherland. Carl, Otto and Maria are also married, and Carl and Otto are now serving in the German army.
August Mollman received his education in the public schools of Germany and there grew to manhood and was married. He was reared on the home farm and later engaged in agricultural work. He served three years in the German army and continued to live in his native country until 1889, when he and his wife and one son, Frank, came to America. On their arrival in the United States they came direct to Minnesota and Mr. Mollman rented a farm in Grant county for two years, after which he purchased a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Macsville township, on which he erected sub- stantial buildings and there made his home for five years. He then sold the farm and moved to Stevens county, where he purchased two hundred and forty acres of land in Renville township, and after a residence of five years there he sold the place and returned to Grant county and rented three hun- dred and twenty acres of land of C. B. Kloos, where he now lives. In addi- tion to the operation of this farm, Mr. Mollman farms his own place of one hundred and sixty acres, which he bought in 1909, in Roseville township. He is engaged in general farming and stock raising and has been quite suc- cessful. Mr. Mollman is identified with the Democratic party and has always taken much interest in local affairs. He and his family are active members of the Lutheran church and are prominent in the social and the religious life of the community.
In 1887 August Mollman was united in marriage to Theresa Shuffler, daughter of Carl Shuffler and wife, who lived and died in Germany, and to this union eight children were born, Frank, Ernest, Hettie, Ida, Martha, Charlotte, Ella and Florence. Hettie is a clerk in a store at Fessenden, North Dakota, and Ida is the wife of Henry Diede, a resident of North Dakota. The other children are at home with their parents.
As a young man in Germany August Mollman was well taught in the science of farming and early in life decided that he would follow that work. As is the practice with the people of his country, he entered into the work in a systematic way and during his active life in the work he has taken much pride in being a progressive and systematic farmer. He is recognized as one of the substantial and successful men of the township, where he holds the confidence and the respect of the entire community. He is a firm believer in intensive farming, in the most thorough cultivation of the soil and in the keeping of the best of stock. He gives his undivided attention to his farm and his stock and his farm and buildings are kept in a good state of repair and in good order.
554
DOUGLAS AND GRANT COUNTIES, MINNESOTA.
OLE GULBRANDSEN.
Ole Gulbrandsen, a well-known and successful farmer and stockman of Roseville township, Grant county, was born at Kongsvinger, in the stift of Aggershuus, amt of Hedemarken, Norway, April 20, 1852, the son of Gul- brand Erickson and Martha Olsdatter, also natives of Norway, who spent all their lives in that country. The father was a farmer and a landowner and was prominent in the district. His death occurred in 1882 and his widow died in 1910, at an advanced age. They were the parents of eight children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the second in order of birth, the others being as follow : Erick, who is a farmer and lives on the old home- stead in the native land: Ella, who lives near the old home; Thorval, who, as a young man, engaged as a sailor, but is now a resident of Chicago; Hans, who is employed by a railroad and lives in Minneapolis; Ingeborg, who mar- ried Ole Egen and lives in Minneapolis: Gunerius, who is a farmer in Nor- way, and Maria, who is the wife of Ole Satter and lives in Stevens county, Minnesota.
Ole Gulbrandsen received his education in the public schools of the land of his birth and grew to manhood on the home farm. He continued to reside in Norway until he was twenty-two years of age when, in 1874. he decided that he would come to America, he being the first of the family to come to the United States. On his arrival in this country he came direct to Minnesota and located in Grant county. For some years he was employed by the Great Northern railway on the section. After leaving the railroad he homesteaded eighty acres of land, two miles from Donnelly, but later gave this up and homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres in section 30, Roseville township. This farm at that time was all wild prairie and Mr. Gulbrandsen at once began the task of breaking the soil and developing the farm. He erected substantial buildings and engaged in general farming and stock raising, in which he was successful. In time he purchased more land and is now the owner of four hundred acres, all in one body. He has planted a fine grove and today has one of the desirable farms of the township.
In 1879 Ole Gulbrandsen was united in marriage to Olena Olson Satter, a native of Norway, born on January 17, 1860, the daughter of Arne Olson and Maren Clementson. In 1870 her parents came to the United States and for two years were residents of Vermont. after which they came to Min- nesota and for a time resided at Morris, after which they resided at Don- nelly for three years. They then went to Marshall county, where two years
5.55
DOUGLAS AND GRANT COUNTIES, MINNESOTA.
later the father died, after which the mother returned to Donnelly, where she lived with her daughter, Mrs. Frank Wilson, until the time of her death. To Mr. and Mrs. Gulbrandsen have been born nine children, namely: Anton, who lives at home with his parents; Gena, who is the wife of Albert Gilbert- son and lives at Morris, Minnesota; Warner, who is a farmer of Roseville township; Mens, who is a resident of Fergus Falls; Annie, who is the wife of Axel Thompson and lives in Marshall county; Miller and Freda, who are at home: Olga, who died at the age of four years, and Hjalmer, who died at the age of eight months.
Ole Gulbrandsen and wife are active members of the Norwegian Luth- eran church and have always taken interest in church work. They have long been prominent in the social and the religious life of the township, where they are held in the highest regard and esteem. Mr. Gulbrandsen is identi- hed with the Republican party and has always taken a keen interest in the civic affairs of the township, where he has had so much to do with develop- ment and improvement. His life has been an active one and he has accom- plished much that is worthy of emulation. Coming to this country a stranger, amid new conditions and without financial means, he has, by his own efforts, risen to be one of the substantial men of his community and is today recog- nized as one of the successful and well-to-do residents of the township.
CARL J. NEWHOUSE.
Carl J. Newhouse, one of the well-known young farmers of Brandon township, Douglas county, was born in that township on January 5, 1888. the son of Ole K. and Mina Olava (Tilleskjor) Newhouse.
Kittel Newhouse, the paternal grandfather of Carl J. Newhouse, was born in Norway, and there received his education. He came to America and located in Rock county, Wisconsin, where he engaged in farming and made his home until the time of his death. He was a man of much ability, a suc- cessful farmer, and was held in high regard by the people of the community in which he lived. Ole K. Newhouse was born in Rock county, Wisconsin, April 2, 1844. and there received his education in the public schools and was reared on the home farm. As a young man he came to Minnesota and bought a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in section 32, Brandon town- ship, Douglas county, in an early day in the settlement of that community, and on December 20, 1886, was united in marriage to Mina Olava Tilleskjor,
556
DOUGLAS AND GRANT COUNTIES, MINNESOTA.
daughter of Johannes Tilleskjor, a farmer and school teacher, held in high regard by all. He came from Norway to Minnesota, settling first in Good- hue county and later in Douglas county. Some time later Ole K. Newhouse bought another one hundred and sixty acres in the same section from Lars Lee, to which they moved; also other tracts of land near Brandon, and at the time of his death in 1905 was the owner of about four hundred acres. The greater part of the land at the time Mr. Newhouse made his purchase was wild prairie. He planted some fine groves and in time became one of the prominent farmers and stockmen of that section. He took much inter- est in his Shorthorn cattle and his Poland-China hogs, of which he had many. In connection with his work on the farm, Ole K. Newhouse operated a threshing outfit and had one of the first threshing-machines in the county and was recognized as one of the prominent men of the township.
Carl J. Newhouse received his education in the common schools of Bran- don township and at the agricultural college at St. Paul's, from which he was graduated in the year 1911. After completing his schooling he remained on the home farm, where he is engaged in general farming and stock rais- ing, and for the past few years, in connection with his farm work, has been engaged in threshing and has one of the finest large gas tractor outfits in the county ..
Carl J. Newhouse was united in marriage to Alma Josephine Johnson, who was born in St. Croix county, Wisconsin, on July 17, 1891, the daugh- ter of John and Anna Johnson, who came from Norway and settled in St. Croix county, where they now reside. To this union one child has been born, Julian Orvel, whose birth occurred on July 5, 1915. They reside on the old homestead with Carl Newhouse's mother, Mina O. Newhouse, where he is engaged in the management of the estate of his mother and younger brothers, Oscar and Clarence, and sister, Kari Oline, who also live with their mother. In 1915 Oscar and Clarence Newhouse started a cement drain-tile factory and building blocks in Brandon. Their factory is equipped with the best machinery on the market for putting out first-class material with which they are furnishing the local trade and shipping out several carloads throughout the season. This factory is a credit to the town of Brandon.
The Newhouse farm home is perhaps one of the finest in the county. and was erected in the last few years. The house, as well as the barn and all outbuildings, is lighted by electricity through a large storage battery and is supplied with every modern convenience, with hot and cold water provided by the air pressure system. The farm is located along the eastern shore of Long Lake and presents a most pleasing view, with its well-kept fields.
557
DOUGLAS AND GRANT COUNTIES, MINNESOTA.
beautiful groves and excellent buildings. The same engine that produces the current for charging the storage battery to light the house and other build- ings is used to grind feed as well as fanning grain, running the granary elevator and pumping air pressure for the water system and other uses in the operation of the farm. A gas tractor is used to do the plowing of the land, running the threshing machine and doing customary work of road grading and the like. The Newhouses are up-to-date farmers, with the pro- gressive spirit of the times. Intensive farming is practiced, the most mod- ern and improved machinery is used on the farm and high-grade cattle and hogs are kept, the products of the farm being recognized as among the best in the community.
Carl J. Newhouse is recognized as among the substantial and progress- ive young men of the township. He and his wife are prominent in the social and religious life of the community and are held in high regard by all. Mr. Newhouse has been manager of the Farmers' Society of Equity, a farmers' organization, in Brandon, since its organization in 1913. He takes much interest in the schools of the township and is an advocate of the best possible teachers. He also advocates good roads and believes that much of the future success of the district depends upon the co-operative spirit of the farm con- munity working through an organization for the marketing of farm products as well as the educational and social welfare of the community.
HANS H. SLOTSVE.
Hans H. Slotsve, one of the well-known and successful farmers and stockmen of Elk Lake township, Grant county, was born in Norway on Sep- tember 17, 1863, the son of Hans H. and Gerta Borolina (Lornsdatter) Slotsve, who also were born in Norway, where they received their education in the public schools and where they were married. In 1863 Mr. Slotsve came to the United States and located in LaCrosse county, Wisconsin, but after awhile returned to Norway to join his wife and family and there engaged in farming, at which work he is still engaged. His wife died some years after he returned to his native land. They were the parents of nine children, Elna, August, Hans, Helmer, Marius, Olaf, Ole, Johannas and John.
The junior Hans H. Slotsve received his education in the public schools of Norway and there grew to manhood, remaining there until 1881, when he
5,58
DOUGLAS AND GRANT COUNTIES, MINNESOTA.
came to Minnesota and located at Ashby, where he remained for eighteen years, becoming the owner of two hundred and thirteen acres of excellent land. He later sold the land and purchased one hundred and sixty acres in Elk Lake township, where he now lives. He has done much in the way of development and has added many valuable improvements to the farm, having erected the present substantial buildings and planted a part of the grove. He is engaged in general farming and stock raising and has been quite success- ful, being recognized as one of the progressive and substantial men of the township.
In 1891 Hans H. Slotsve was united in marriage to Theolina Tollof- son, also born in Norway, who came to the United States with her father, Jens Tollofson, when she was but two years of age. To this union nine children have been born, George, Hilma, Minnie, Helmer, Nora, Oscar, Walter, Ethel and Edna, the last two named of whom are twins. Mr. and Mrs. Slotsve are members of the Lutheran church and are prominent in the social life of the community.
ELMER BOERNER.
Elmer Boerner, one of the well-known young farmers of Roseville town- ship, Grant county, was born on the farm where he now lives on January 9, 1882, the son of William and Elizabeth ( Kriedler) Boerner.
Fred and Christena ( Boerner) Boerner, the paternal grandparents of Elmer Boerner, were natives of Saxony, Germany. In 1863 they came to Minnesota and located in Wright county, where the grandfather homestead- . ed eighty acres of land, which he developed and improved and there engaged in farming for fifteen years, at the end of which time he sold the place and in 1878 moved to Grant county and took a tree claim in Roseville township. That farm he also developed and improved and there he lived until the time of his death, at the age of eighty-two years. His wife also died on that farm within three days of the death of her husband, at the age of seventy-nine years. They were active members of the Lutheran church and always took much interest in church work. They were prominent in the early life of the county and were held in the highest esteem by all. They were the parents of the following children: Caroline, who is unmarried and lives in Rose- ville township; Fred, who died at Buffalo, Minnesota; Sophia, now deceased, who was the wife of William Ziberth: Henry, who died in Roseville town-
559
DOUGLAS AND GRANT COUNTIES, MINNESOTA.
ship; William, the father of Elmer Boerner; Albert, a well-known farmer of Roseville township, and Julius, who is retired and lives at Herman.
Samuel G. and Barbara (Leatherman) Kriedler, the maternal grand- parents of Elmer Boerner, were born in Pennsylvania and Germany, respec- tively, and were married in Wright county, Minnesota, where the grandfather located on a farm and continued to live there until March, 1879, when he moved to Grant county and took a tree claim. He later purchased much land in Roseville township and continued to engage in general farming and stock raising for many years, or until his retirement and removal to Herman, where he lived until 1909, when he and his wife moved to Minneapolis, where they now reside, past eighty years of age. They are active members of the Methodist Episcopal church and during their younger days took much inter- est in church work, were prominent in the social and the religious life of the community and were held in the highest regard and esteem by all who knew them. They were the parents of the following children: Ellen, who is the wife of Julius Boerner and lives at Herman; George D., now deceased, who was a well-known farmer of Roseville township; Elizabeth, who married William Boerner; Laura, who is the wife of George Steinhelber and lives in Minneapolis; Lou Anna, the wife of Louis Hafton, also of Minneapolis; Minnie, who died at the age of five years; Edith, who died at the age of seven months, and Herman, who is a hardware merchant at Minneapolis.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.