USA > Minnesota > Grant County > History of Douglas and Grant counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 56
USA > Minnesota > Douglas County > History of Douglas and Grant counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 56
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
WILLIAM R. HAND, M. D.
A widely known and successful physician of Grant county is Dr. William R. Hand, of Elbow Lake, a man who has worked persistently and conscien- tiously to advance himself in his chosen calling, and is therefore deserving of the success he has achieved.
Doctor Hand was born in Wayne county, Pennsylvania, September 14, 1856, a son of Nathan G. and Leah Hand. The paternal grandparents were Robert and Susan (Longstreet) Hand, the former a native of Germantown, Pennsylvania, but of English extraction, a son of an early emigrant, one of three brothers who settled on Long Island; the other two brothers having been killed by the pirate, Captain Kidd, and his crew, after which the survivor removed to Germantown, Pennsylvania, where he spent the rest of his days. He was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, and was with Washington at Valley Forge. Robert Hand, the grandfather, was a farmer and lumberman in northeastern Pennsylvania, owning a farm and a saw-mill, operating both many years. His death occurred in Wayne county, that state, about 1850. His wife, Susan Longstreet, was a native of Germany. They were parents
570
DOUGLAS AND GRANT COUNTIES, MINNESOTA.
of seven children, namely: Charles, Nathan, William, David, Melissa, Eliza- beth and Sarah. David Hand, the only survivor, makes his home in Scran- ton, Pennsylvania.
Nathan G. Hand, father of Doctor Hand, was a resident of Wayne county, Pennsylvania. His wife resided near Milford, some twenty miles away, before her marriage. He took up the lumber business, continuing to operate his father's mill until about 1861, when he moved to Table Rock, Pawnee county, Nebraska, but after spending one summer there returned to Pennsylvania and enlisted in the One Hundred and Fifty-seventh Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, for service in the Civil War, under General . George B. Mcclellan, under whom he served in the Peninsular campaign. Disease overtook him and he died in an army hospital in Philadelphia early in 1862. His widow never remarried and died at Scranton, Pennsylvania, about 1891. They were both members of the Methodist Episcopal church. They were parents of four children, those besides the subject of this sketch being as follows: Susie, who died when a child; Annie, who married John L. Lee, who died after she moved to Louisiana, where her death occurred, and Alida, who is married and lives at Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania.
Dr. William R. Hand received his early education in the Hawley high school in his native state, and later entered the Ohio Medical College at Cin- cinnati, from which institution he was graduated in 1877, after which he went to Scrub Grass, Pennsylvania, an oil town in the northeastern part of the state, where he spent one year; then spent two years at Bradford and then practiced two years in partnership with an uncle in Scranton. On Feb- ruary 19, 1883, he came to Minnesota and located in the village of Herman, in Grant county, and thus became one of the pioneer physicians of this sec- tion of the state. He remained there continuously, with the exception of a year when he took post-graduate work in New York City, until 1897, when he located at Elbow Lake, where he has since resided, being now the oldest general practitioner in Grant county, over which he is well known. Doctor Hand has always enjoyed a large and satisfactory practice. He is also a registered pharmacist and owned and operated a drug store in Herman. Upon moving to Elbow Lake he established a drug store there, which his son now conducts.
Doctor Hand is a member of the American Medical Association, of the Minnesota Medical Society, and of the Park Region Medical Society. He is the local surgeon for the Soo Railway and has been for the past five years and has also been the surgeon for the Great Northern Railway for several years. He belongs to the American Association of Railroad Surgeons and
571
DOUGLAS AND GRANT COUNTIES, MINNESOTA.
to the Association of Soo Railroad Surgeons. He is independent in politics. He has served as coroner of Grant county, also as county health officer. Fra- ternally, he is a Royal .Arch Mason and a Knight Templar.
On .April 2, 1884. Dr. W. R. Hand was married to Jennie E. Hugunin, who was born in Minnesota, a daughter of David R. and Sarah E. Hugunin, of Kasota, and to the Doctor and his wife two children have been born, name- ly. Lillian Mae, who is the wife of George L. Isensee and lives in Courtney, North Dakota, and Robert Donington Hand, a registered pharmacist and is conducting his father's drug store in Elbow Lake.
ADOLPH BORGEN.
Adolph Borgen, a native of Denmark, and one of the successful farm- ers of Elk Lake township, Grant county, was born on July 18, 1856, the son of Thomas and Johanna (Christianson ) Borgen, also natives of Denmark, where they received their education and were married. As a young man. Thomas Borgen learned the blacksmith trade, at which he worked for a number of years in his native country, where he continued to reside until 1866, when he and his wife came to the United States, locating at Chicago. Illinois, where they resided for some time, moving thence to Milwaukee, where they resided until 1870, when they same to Minnesota and located in Douglas county. Thomas Borgen homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land in Evansville township, which he later developed and improved, and there he engaged in general farming and stock raising for many years. He later retired from the activities of the farm and moved to Evansville, where he lived for twenty years before his death. He always took much interest in the affairs of the community and he and his wife were prominent in the social and the religious life of the township. They were the parents of five children, Adolph. Kate, John. August and Peter. As a farmer and stockman Thomas Borgen was successful and was recognized as one of the substantial men of the county, respected for his many sterling qualities of true manhood.
Adolph Borgen received his education in the schools of Milwaukee and in Evansville township and grew to manhood on the home farm, where as a lad and young man he engaged in farming with his father. In 1882 he locat- ed on his present farm in Elk Lake township, and there has since been engaged in general farming and stock raising. He has developed his farm and im- proved the same with all the present substantial buildings. He is progressive
572
DOUGLAS AND GRANT COUNTIES, MINNESOTA.
in his methods and is a strong advocate of intensive farming and the most thorough cultivation of the soil. He keeps good stock and has a fine herd of some of the best in the community.
In 1881, Adolph Borgen was united in marriage to Anna Elvrum and . to this union seven children have been born, Thomas P., Johanna C., Alma M., Katie E., Arnold L.,, Milo L. and Eva B. Mr. and Mrs. Borgen are prominent in the social life of the community and are held in high regard by all who know them. Mr. Borgen has always taken an active interest in the civic life of the township and has served as a member of the school board for several years, as well as on the township board of supervisors and as assessor. Fraternally, he is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and has had much to do with the success of the local lodge of that order. He is active in all that he engages in, and has met with success.
MONS RONHOVDE.
Among the many native Norwegian farmers of Lien township, Grant county, who have become well known and successful, is Mons Ronhovde, who was born on October 6, 1861, the son of Andrew and Marie Ronhovde, natives of Norway, where the father died in 1909, at the age of seventy-three years, and where the mother is still living, at the age of ninety years.
Mons Ronhovde received his education in the schools of his native coun- try and there continued to live until he was twenty-two years of age, when, in 1883, he came to Minnesota and for three years thereafter worked as a farm hand. In 1886 he purchased eighty acres of land in Lien township, Grant county, and is now the owner of one hundred and forty acres. With much hard work and close application Mr. Ronhovde has brought his place up to a high agricultural standard. He has good and substantial buildings and a beautiful grove. He is engaged in general farming and stock raising and has been quite successful. Mr. Ronhovde is identified with the Republi- can party and has always taken an active interest in local affairs. He has for many years served as a member of the school board and for eight years was supervisor of the township. He is progressive and his work, both on the school board and as supervisor, was of much value to the substantial development of the township. Mr. and Mrs. Ronhovde are members of the Synod Lutheran church, in which they are active workers.
In 1888 Mons Ronhovde was united in marriage to Anna Blixrud,
573
DOUGLAS AND GRANT COUNTIES, MINNESOTA.
daughter of Jens Blixrud, an early settler of Lien township, now deceased. to that union nine children have been born, Josie, Anton, Inga, Ivan, May, Raymond, Andreas, Lorna and Dorthea. The mother of these children died on February 4. 1914. The family have long been prominent in the social and the civic life of the community and are held in the highest regard by all who know them.
Jens N. Blixrud was born in Halkedalen, Norway, on March 13, 1841, the son of Nels and Cjestina Blixrud, the latter of whom died in Norway. After the death of the mother and wife, the father, with his son, Jens N., came in 1864 to Minnesota and settled in Houston county, where the father spent his last days with his daughter, Helena Dolli. Nels and Cjestina Blix- rud were the parents of six children, all of whom came to America. Martin died in Wilmington, Houston county. Helena became the wife of Ingvald Dolli, and died in Houston county some years ago. Soren died in southern Wisconsin; Carl died in North Dakota and Andrena is the widow of Ingvald Tvedt and lives in Wilmington, Minnesota. Jens N. Blixrud served five years in the army before coming to America with his father in 1864, and after locating in Houston county he worked for some years as a farm hand. In 1870, two years after his marriage, he came to Grant county with his wife and small daughter, driving over with an ox team, being four weeks on the way. He homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land in section 26 of Lien township, and during their first winter here the little family lived in a sod house; but the next year Mr. Blixrud obtained logs from Elk Lake township and built a log house, one of the few houses on that part of the township, for the neighbors then were few and far apart. The family suf- fered many of the hardships of the early settlers, but were determined to have a home in the new land. The tough prairie sod was broken, the land put under cultivation, and in time good and substantial buildings were erected and a large grove and orchard were planted, and there Jens Blixrud engaged in general farming and was successful, later adding eighty acres of land to his homestead farm. He took much interest in local affairs and served as a member of the school board and was an active member of the Lutheran church. His death occurred on April 6, 1909.
On November 20, 1868, Jens N. Blixrud was united in marriage to Joran Lee, a native of Norway, where she was born on January 2, 1846, the daughter of Knut and Berit (Johnson Lommen) Lee, who came to America in 1857, making the voyage in a sailing vessel, being four weeks on the water. On their arrival in the United States they came direct to Minnesota and set- tled at Spring Grove, Houston county, where the husband and father died,
574
DOUGLAS AND GRANT COUNTIES, MINNESOTA.
after which the widow came to Grant county, where she made her home with her daughter Joran, and here she died in 1894. They were the parents of the following children : Joran, the wife of Jens N. Blixrud; Anna, who married Even Bjerke and lives in Elk Lake township: John, now deceased, who was a farmer of Lien township, and Ole, who lives in Valley City, North Dakota.
To Jens. N. and Joran Blixrud were born the following children : Anna, Bertha. Nellie, Johanna, Conrad. John and Marie. Anna, who was the wife of Mons Ronhovde, died in Lien township; Bertha married N. J. Endreson and lives in Roseville township; Nellie is deceased; Johanna married Iver Ronhovde and lives in Lien township; Conrad married Emma Peterson and is engaged in general farming and stock raising in Roseville township; John married Alma Onstad and is farming the old home place, and Marie lives in Minneapolis, where she is engaged as a trained nurse.
FRED ZIEMER. -
Fred Ziemer, one of the well-known and successful farmers of Roseville township. Grant county, was born in Carver county, this state, on August 16, 1861, the son of William and Minnie. Ziemer, who were born in Germany and were there married .. They continued to live in the land of their birth until 1860, when they came to Minnesota, Mr. Ziemer presently homestead- ing eighty acres of land in Wright county, which he developed and improved and where he engaged in general farming and stock.raising until the time of his death, which occurred in .1910, at the age of eighty-six years. . His wife died in 1895, at the age of fifty-three years, both having lived useful and honorable lives. They were the parents of six children, Fred, Charles, Mary, Julia, Minnie and Henry, all of whom are living.
Fred Ziemer received his education in the public schools of Wright coun- ty and there grew to manhood, assisting his father with the work on the home- stead. He remained in Wright county until he was twenty years of age. when, in 1881, he came to Grant county and purchased the homestead right to two hundred and forty acres of land in section 28 of Roseville township. The place included a tree claim, and there he set out a large grove and devel- oped the farm into one of the best in the township. He erected substantial and modern buildings, all of which are kept in a fine state of repair, and there he is engaged in general farming and stock raising, in which he has been quite successful. Fred Ziemer is a Republican and has always taken an active
575
DOUGLAS AND GRANT COUNTIES, MINNESOTA.
interest in local affairs, being recognized as one of the influential men of the township. He has for many years served as a member of the school board and as a member of the board of township supervisors.
In 1882 Fred Ziemer was imited in marriage to Rose Boerner, who was born in Wright county, this state, in 1865, and who is a niece of Albert Boerner, of Roseville township. To this union five children have been born, Julia, Albert, Mabel, Minnie and Leslie, all of whom are living. Mr. Ziemer and family are active members of the German Lutheran church and have long been prominent in the social and religious life of the community. They have had much to do with the improvement of the social standard of the com- munity in which they live, and are held in high regard.
REV. ALBERT F. W. BARTZ.
The subject of this sketch was born in Gerniany, July 6, 1867, a son of William Bartz, born in Germany, October 2,' 1824, and Wilhelmina ( Han- nemann) Bartz, born in Germany, February 8, 1832.
William Bartz came to America in 1868, and located at Shawano, Wis- consin, where he engaged in farming for the rest of his life. He died on August, 1910. He was the father of seven children, Emelia, Herman, Bertha, Augusta, Albert F. W., and William. The German Lutheran was the church to which this family belonged.
Albert F. W. Bartz received his early education in the parochial schools of Belleplaine, Wisconsin, and- afterward attended Concordia Seminary at Springfield, Illinois, graduating from that institution in 1889. Having com- pleted his course of study for the ministry, which he had decided a's his call- ing, he took his first pastoral charge at Hanover, North Dakota, soon after graduating from the seminary. On January 1, 1890, he came to Alexandria as pastor of the German Lutheran church at this place. For the first twelve years he had five congregations included in his pastoral circuit. From 1902 to 1910 he served Alexandria and Carlos and from 1910 until this time he has been serving Alexandria and Garfield. Reverend Bartz has been a resi- dent pastor in Alexandria longer than any other minister in that place.
The Rev. Albert F. W. Bartz has been twice married. In October, 1893, he was married to Lizetta Prill, who died in 1910, leaving one child, Pauline, who was born on December II, 1905. Mr. Bartz later married Bertha
576
DOUGLAS AND GRANT COUNTIES, MINNESOTA.
Scheunemann, and to this union has been born one child, a son, Harold, born on July 30, 1915.
Mr. Bartz is an official of the Missouri Synod and has served as over- seer of the Park Region ( Minnesota ) conference of his church for ten years.
GUSTAVUS GUENTHER.
Gustavus Guenther, one of the best-known and most progressive farm- ers of Brandon township, Douglas county, was born in Dodge county, Wis- consin, on January 1, 1850, the son of Gustavus and Wilhelmina (Kirch- berg) Guenther, the latter of whom was born in Germany on June 22, 1830, and there was educated in the public schools and confirmed in the Lutheran church. At the age of sixteen years she came to the United States with her parents, who located near Watertown, Wisconsin. It was there that she became the wife of Gustavus Guenther in 1848. Soon after their marriage they moved to Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, where Mr. Guenther worked at the cabinet-making trade. In 1858 they took a homestead in Calamus town- ship, Dodge county, that state, and there she lived for fifty-seven years. After the death of her husband, on June 5, 1877, she and the children took charge of the home place, which they operated, and which one of the sons, Rudolph, is now operating.
Gustavus and Wilhelmina Guenther were the parents of twelve chil- dren, Gustavus, Charles, Lawrence, Amelia, Albert, Anna, Leonard, Henry, Rudolph, Barney, Mary and Rosie. Charles is a farmer of Douglas county. Amelia is the wife of Robert Hanf. Albert lives near the old home place, near Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. Anna is the wife of Theodore Yoing, of Beaver Dam. Leonard lives at Alden, Minnesota. Henry lives near Beaver Dam. Rudolph lives on the old homestead at Beaver Dam. Barney resides at Wausau, Wisconsin. Mary, who is the wife of Henry Hedrick, lives in Chicago, Illinois, and Rosie is the wife of George Bonner, of near Beaver Danı.
The senior Gustavus Guenther died at his home in Dodge county, Wis- consin, on June 5, 1877, at the age of fifty-two years. He was a native of the grand duchy of Baden, Germany, where he received his education in the public schools, and .as a young man learned the cabinet-making trade, at which he worked before coming to the United States. He was born on March 20, 1825, and lived in his native country until he was twenty-three
.
MR. AND MRS. GUSTAVUS GUENTHER AND FARM HOME.
577
DOUGLAS AND GRANT COUNTIES, MINNESOTA.
years of age. In 1848 he came to the United States and located at Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, the first German settler there. He worked at his trade there until 1858, in which year he purchased a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Calamus township, Dodge county, Wisconsin, later increasing his holdings to four hundred acres, and there he engaged in general farming and stock raising and was quite successful. He was a man of good educa- tion, his father having been a schoolmaster, and he soon became a leader in the affairs of the community. He was one of the organizers of the Catholic church at Beaver Dam and was a member of the William Tell Lodge No. 162, Independetn Order of Odd Fellows. His life was a useful one and he was held in the highest regard by all.
The junior Gustavus Guenther was the first boy of German descent born at Beaver Dam. He received his education in the public schools of that community and grew to manhood on the home farm. On October 31, 1875, he was united in marriage to Mary Gutgsell, who was born in Dodge county. Wisconsin, on September 15, 1856. She was the daughter of Andrew and Mary (Sherman) Gutgsell, who were well known people of Dodge county, where Mr. Gutgsell is engaged in general farming and stock raising. He was born on November 2, 1828. His wife died on January 16, 1902, at the age of seventy-seven years.
After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Guenther lived at Beaver Dam for five years and then came to Douglas county, Minnesota. Here Mr. Guenther purchased his first farm on May 17, 1880, in Brandon township, where he now lives. His home farm is one hundred and sixty acres in section 3. He also owns another eighty in section 3 and has forty acres in section 2. The tract at the time of purchase was for the most part undeveloped and unim- proved. but today Mr. Guenther has one of the best farms in the county. He has erected all the improvements and has a fine house and excellent barns. His present barn he built in 1901 and the house in 1907. He has a gasoline engine. He pumps his water for the house and barn with a wind- mill. He is engaged in general farming and stock raising, in which he has been most successful. He has some fine graded Shorthorn cattle and mixed hogs.
Gustavus Goenther and wife are the parents of the following children : Frank, Charlotte, Barbara, Minnie, Frances, Mamie, Andrew, Anna, Gus- tavus, Rudolph and Gertrude. Frank married Cecelia Wilhm, and is a farmer of Douglas county. Charlotte is the wife of Henry Theonnies. Barbara married W. P. Lamb. Minnie is the wife of Christ Theonnies.
(37a)
578
DOUGLAS AND GRANT COUNTIES, MINNESOTA.
Frances became the wife of Charles Stottler. Minnie is the wife of George Zwack and the other children are at home.
Mr. Guenther is a man of much influence in the community and has always taken an active interest in local affairs. He has served for thirty years as a member of the board of supervisors and for several years was chairman of the board. For the same length of time he has been a member of the school board of district No. 37. He was one of the organizers of the Brandon creamery and served as its president for six years. He was one of the organizers of the Farmers' Bank at Brandon and is now one of the stockholders in that well-known institution. He is a member of the Farmers' Society of Equity and has been one of the active workers since its organization.
Mr. and Mrs. Guenther have always taken much interest in the social and religious life of the community and are held in the highest regard by all. They are hospitable people and royal entertainers, and their home is often the scene of happy gatherings, where all are made welcome. Much of the success of the schools of the community as well as the real development and success of the township, is due to the untiring efforts of Mr. Guenther and his ability has everywhere been recognized. He joined the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, and then transferred his membership to Brandon, Minnesota No. 224, becoming a charter member of Lodge No. 224, and has been through all the chairs. He also is a member of the grand lodge of Minnesota Independent Order of Odd Fellows. The Brandon lodge was consolidated with Alexandria lodge No. 54, where Mr. Guenther now holds his membership.
F. O. ANDERSON.
One of the native-born farmers of Lund township, Douglas county, is F. O. Anderson, who was born there on May 6, 1880, the son of Daniel and Bareth Anderson, both of whom were natives of Sweden, and who are written of elsewhere in this work in the sketch of Nels D. Anderson.
F. O. Anderson received his educational training in the public schools of Lund township, attending school during the winter seasons and assisting his father on the home farm during the summers. After the death of his mother in 1900 Mr. Anderson and his brother, Andrew, bought the old home- stead farm of two hundred acres and operated the same in partnership for
579
DOUGLAS AND GRANT COUNTIES, MINNESOTA.
about six years, at the end of which time the subject of this review purchased his brother's interest in the home farm, and he now has two hundred and eighty acres of fine farming land. On this farm he has a nice house and commodious barn, thirty-five by sixty feet in dimensions, with full basement. His farm is well improved in all ways and equipped with all modern machin- ery for scientific farming and stock raising. Besides raising all the crops common to this part of the state, Mr. Anderson is also engaged in the breed- ing of good live stock, having Shorthorn cattle and Poland China hogs, of which he markets a goodly number annually.
In 1904 Mr. Anderson was married to Matilda Lindberg, a native of Douglas county, of Swedish parentage, and to this union four children have been born, Olga, Harvey, Blanche and Pearl, all of whom are living at home with their parents. Mr. Anderson is a Republican in politics, but while inter- ested in all matters that have for their object the betterment of his township and community, has never aspired to public office.
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.