USA > Minnesota > Grant County > History of Douglas and Grant counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 57
USA > Minnesota > Douglas County > History of Douglas and Grant counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 57
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GUSTAF HERNFRID GUSTAFSON.
Gustaf Hernfrid Gustafson, one of the well-known and successful busi- ness men of Barrett, was born in Sweden on March 7. 1882, the son of Gustaf and Stena (Christofferson) Johnson, who were also born in Sweden, where they still live. The father is a farmer and he and his wife are the parents of two children, Carl and Gustaf Hernfrid, the former of whom is still a resident of his native country, where he is engaged in farming.
Gustaf Hernfrid Gustafson received his education in the public schools of his native country, and continued to live at home until he was twenty years of age, when, in 1902, he came to Minnesota and located at Barrett. For the first two years after his arrival here he worked as a farm hand, and then for two years he was engaged in carpenter work in the vicinity of Barrett. In 1907 he went to South Dakota, where he homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land and remained in that state one year. He then returned to Barrett and began work in a grist mill for J. E. Peterson, for whom he worked for two years. In 1910 he purchased the mill, which he has operated since that time with much success. The mill is known as the Barrett Roller Mills, and turns out a high grade of flour, as well as doing much custom grinding. Mr. Gustafson produces the "Bluestem" braad of flour, which is quite popular with the home merchants as well as with the foreign trade. His
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constant effort is to produce the best possible flour and to satisfy his custom- ers in all lines of his trade.
In 1914 Gustaf Hernfrid was united in marriage to Lillie Newman, daughter of A. G. Newman and wife, and to this union one child has been born, a daughter, Ethel Sylvia. Mr. and Mrs. Gustafson are active members of the Swedish Mission church and are prominent in the social and religious life of the community. Mr. Gustafson has always taken an active interest in local affairs and has ever exerted his influence in behalf of worthy enter- prises. He is an enterprising citizen and enters into his enterprises with a firm determination to make them successful. He has done much to make his milling business a benefit not only to himself, but to the community in general. He now has the confidence and the respect of the community and is operating a successful and growing business. He gives the closest atten- tion to his business and believes in the modern and progressive methods of milling.
THEODORE A. H. RITZSCHKE.
Theodore A. H. Ritzschke, one of the well-known and successful resi- dents of Macsville township, Grant county, was born in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, on January 1, 1873, the son of Carl and Louisa ( Hensel) Ritzschke.
The paternal grandparents of Theodore A. H. Ritzschke were Henry Ritzschke and wife, natives of Germany, who, soon after their marriage, came to the United States and located in Wisconsin, where the grandmother died some years later. After the death of his wife, Henry Ritzschke came to Minnesota and located in Grant county, where he died some years later. The maternal grandparents were also natives of Germany, where they spent all their lives. Carl and Louisa ( Hensel) Ritzschke were born in Germany and there were married. In 1868 they sailed for the United States and were six weeks on the ocean, the voyage being saddened by the death of their son who was born in the Fatherland. On their arrival in this country they located at Oshkosh, Wisconsin, where they remained for eight years, the father there being engaged in his work as a mason and plasterer. In 1877 they came to Minnesota and homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land in section 24 of Macsville township, Grant county. Mr. Ritzschke constructed a sod house and began the task of breaking the prairie sod and developing the farm, in time becoming one of the prosperous and substantial men of the township. More land was purchased and he became the owner of three hundred and
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twenty acres of excellent land in the township. He built a modern house and erected other substantial buildings, planted a fine grove and in other ways greatly improved the place. He still lives on the old homestead, which he has sold to his son Arthur, but he has retired from the activities of farm life. He always took much interest in local affairs and was for many years treas- urer of the school board of his district. He was a member of the Knights of Pythias lodge and took much interest in the work of that order. His wife died on February 22, 1911, mourned by a large circle of friends, among whom she had lived a true Christian life. To Carl and Louisa Ritzschke were born the following children : Charles F., Theodore A. H., Martha, Albert, Clara, Arthur, Walter, Alfred and Edward. Martha is the wife of Harry En- willer and lives at Russell, South Dakota. Albert is a farmer of Grant coun- ty. Charles F. is a prominent farmer and stockman of Macsville township; Clara is the wife of Henry Ristow, and Edward died at the age of twelve years.
Theodore A. H. Ritzschke received his education in the public schools of Macsville township, and attended school for one year in the town of Her- man. He grew to manhood on the home farm, assisting his father with the work on the farm, and remained at home until he was twenty-six years of age, when he was married and purchased a farm of two hundred and forty- four acres in section 28 of Macsville township. The place was not well devel- oped and the buildings were old and in a bad state of repair. These struc- tures were later replaced by modern buildings, including a fine brick house and a good barn. In 1910 Mr. Ritzschke purchased eighty acres that adjoined him on the east and is now the owner of three hundred and twenty-four acres in the township, all of which is under cultivation and well improved. There he is engaged in general farming and stock raising, paying particular atten- tion to the raising of Shorthorn cattle and Duroc-Jersey hogs, in which he has had marked success. For some time Mr. Ritzschke was engaged in buy- ing grain at Herman.
Theodore A. H. Ritzschke married Emma Ristow, who was born in Grant county, the daughter of William Ristow and wife, early pioneers of the county, and to that union four children were born, Herman, Bertha, Linda and Erick. Mr. and Mrs. Ritzschke made a trip to Germany in 1909 and visited the old home of Mr. Ritzschke's parents in Saxony. The trip was a most enjoyable one, but on their return, Mrs. Ritzschke died, February 18, 1910. Mr. Ritzschke is identified with the Republican party and has always taken an active interest in local affairs. He has given much attention
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to the development of the schools and is now a member of the school board. He belongs to the Knights of Pythias lodge and to the Yeomen and is a member of the German Lutheran church.
JOHN A. URNESS.
John A. Urness, a well-known and successful farmer of Urness town- ship, Douglas county, was born in that township, on the old homestead in section 13 on November 3, 1873, the son of Andrew and Antoinetta (Jacob- son) Urness, natives of Norway.
Andrew J. Urness came to the United States in 1861, locating at Mad- ison, Wisconsin, where he enlisted in Company B. Fifteenth Regiment, Wis- consin Volunteer Infantry, and served until the close of the Civil War. He saw much active service and at the battle of Chickamauga, where he was color-bearer, he received a severe bullet wound in the right breast, which gave him much trouble for many years. At the close of the war he came to Min- nesota and located in Urness township, Douglas county, the township being named after him. There he homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land in section 13. The first log shanty that he built on his claim is still standing. As far as is known, Mr. Urness was one of five or six that came into the township at that time, they having walked from St. Cloud. It was a dreary sight that met their eyes, on their arrival in the territory, where they hoped to make a home. The second winter the neighbors left and he was alone, eight miles from the nearest neighbor. The winter was a long one to him, yet he had the determination to win. Two years after he homesteaded his land he married Antoinetta Jacobson, of Moe township. The early years were hard ones, yet he won out and in time became prosperous and was the owner of four hundred and fourteen acres of good land. This he developed and improved and engaged in general farming. The present buildings, for the most part, were erected by Mr. Urness during the last years of his life. Late in life he retired from the activities of the life on the farm, and removed to Alexandria, where he died some years ago.
Andrew J. and Antoinetta Urness were the parents of the following children : Carrie, Johanna, Johannes, Anna, Martha, Andrew and Alice. Mr. and Mrs. Urness were active in all church work, the first organization of that society in that neighborhood having been perfected in their home, and Mr. Urness assisted in bringing the lumber for the first church from
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Herman, thirty miles away. Politically, he was a Republican and took an active interest in all local affairs.
John A. Urness received his education in the public schools of Urness township and at Alexandria. He grew to manhood on the home place, where as a lad and young man he farmed with his father. In 1896 he started farm- ing for himself, on his father's farm. He now owns two hundred and thirty acres and is engaged in general farming and stock raising, in which he has been quite successful.
On March 25, 1902, John A. Urness was united in marriage to Anna Larson, the daughter of Peter Larson, deceased, who never took land, his health having been poor and he died in Chippewa county, this state, five years after his arrival in America. Mr. and Mrs. Urness are active members of the Lutheran church and are prominent in social life of the community. Politically, Mr. Urness is a Republican and has served his township as trus- tee and has been a member of the board of supervisors.
TOSTEN E. DYBDAL.
Tosten E. Dybdal was born near Decorah, Winneshiek county, Iowa, June 13, 1868. He is of Norwegian ancestry, his parents being among the first of the Norwegian colony to settle in that part of the state.
Ellend Dybdal, born in Norway in 1828, and his wife, Berit (Asleson) Dybdal, born in Norway the same year, were the father and mother of Tosten E. Dybdal. They came to America in 1867 and located on a farm near Decorah, Winneshiek county, Iowa, where the father died in 1875. There were eight children in this family: Sigri, Asle, Thore, Elling, Knute (de- ceased ). Tosten, Bernhard and Eline. The father was a member of the Nor- wegian Lutheran church.
Tosten E. Dybdal was educated in the public schools of Winneshiek county, Iowa. In 1878, after his father's death, his mother came to Minne- sota with part of the family and settled in Grant county, leaving Tosten in Winneshiek county, at the age of ten years. He remained there for five years and in 1883, at the age of fifteen years, joined the rest of the family in Grant county. The first three years after coming here he worked on the farm. He was then employed as a clerk in a store at Wendell, and afterward was engaged in buying grain at that place for about two years. Then for about two years he was employed in the court house at Elbow Lake. He then held
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a position in the Bank of Elbow Lake. In 1894 he took the position of cash- ier in the Bank of Painesville. In 1896 he went to Morris and was cashier of the Citizens' Bank at that place until 1899. In that year he returned to Elbow Lake and engaged in the real-estate and loan business.
Tosten E. Dybdal was married in 1902 to Edna L. Marsh, and they have one child, Elmarsh. Mr. Dybdal is a member of the Catholic church and is a Republican. He has served as a member of the village council. His lodge affiliation is with the Workmen and the Elks. Mr. Dybdal is a capable busi- ness man and a public-spirited citizen, interested in every movement that tends to the welfare and prosperity of the town.
EDWARD P. ERICKSON.
Edward P. Erickson, manager of the Farmers' Elevator Company, at Barrett, and one of the well-known men of that community, was born in Houston county, Minnesota, on February 10, 1878, the son of Peter and Annie Erickson.
The paternal grandparents of Edward P. Erickson were Lars and Annie Erickson, who were natives of Sweden and there lived and died. The grand- father was a tailor by trade, but operated a farm which he owned, and was quite successful. The family were prominent in their native country and were highly respected by all. Lars and Annie Erickson were the parents of the following children: Erick, Annie, Peter, Brita and one who died in infancy. Peter, the father of Edward P., was the only one of the family that came to the United States.
Peter Erickson was educated in the public schools of his native country and there grew to manhood. At the age of twenty-two years, he came to America, after having devoted his early life to the duties of his father's farm. Many of his countrymen and neighbors had sought and obtained homes in the United States, and this had much to do with the young man locating in this country in 1865. On his arrival in the new country, he located at Lock- port, near Chicago, where he worked in a stone quarry, for some months. He later went to St. Paul, Minnesota, where he worked on the railroad and later worked as a farm hand near Shakopee. In the winter he was engaged in the pineries, after which he located in Minneapolis, where he worked in a saw-mill for some time before locating at Spring Grove, where he engaged in grubbing and clearing of the land of the settlers in that locality. There
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he was united in marriage to Annie Ellingson, a native of Norway and the daughter of Erick Ellingson, a well-known farmer of that section. To this union the following children were born: Edward P., Annie, Alice, Peter and Albert. Soon after his marriage Peter Erickson and wife located in Grant county and there took a claim to a homestead in section 30 of Stony Brook township, which they later developed and improved and to which they added forty acres, and it is there that the father has successfully engaged in general farming and stock raising.
Edward P. Erickson received his education in the schools of Grant county and as a lad and young man he worked on a farm, soon deciding that he would be a farmer or a grain buyer. At an early age he engaged in the buying of grain, in which he was successful. For four years he was at Bordulac, North Dakota, after which he was at Wendell, Minnesota, for two years in the machine business. In 1904 he located in Barrett as a grain buyer, and in 1910 he became the manager of the Farmers' Elevator Com- pany of that place, and it is in this capacity that he has since remained.
In 1909 Edward P. Erickson was united in marriage to Martha Ander- son. and to this union two children have been born, Irene and Celeste. Mr. Erickson is a member of the Republican party and has taken much interest in local affairs. He is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons and of the Modern Woodmen of America.
FRANK A. EKBERG.
Frank A. Ekberg, one of the best-known and most successful farmers of Macsville township, Grant county, was born in Sweden on June 16, 1858, the son of Isaak and Johana Christina ( Gustafson) Ekberg, who were also born in Sweden and there were married. They continued to live in the land of their nativity until 1870, when they came to Minnesota, locating at St. Paul, where Mr. Ekberg worked at the carpenter's trade, at which he was engaged for a number of years. In 1873 he went to Herman, where he worked on the section for the Great Northern Railway Company, and later took a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres in Macsville township, five miles east of Herman. That farm he developed and improved and there he made his home until the time of his death, which occurred on August II. 1916. at the age of eighty-seven years, he having been born on October 5, 1828, at Traheryd, Smaland, Sweden.
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Isaak Ekberg was one of the early settlers of the county, and had much to do with the early civic life of Macsville township, where he homesteaded forty years ago. Mr. Ekberg was a man of much influence in his home dis- trict and was held in the highest regard and esteem by all who knew him. He and his family had long been prominent in the social and the religious life of the township and he was one of the charter members of the Swedish Lutheran church. Of the children born to him and his wife four are still living : Frank Albert, of Herman; Gustaf Ferdinand, of St. Paul; Mrs. Peter Noren, of Macsville, and Carl Victor, of Everett, Washington. The widow is still living at her home in Macsville, at an advanced age.
Frank A. Ekberg received his education in the schools of Sweden and in Herman. He was twelve years of age when, in 1875, he came to the United States with his parents and he grew up in Grant county. He later took a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres in section 14 of Macville township, planted a grove and in time erected good and substantial buildings. There he engaged in general farming and stock raising until 1900. He had sold the homestead farm in 1899, and the next year moved to his present farm of three hundred and ninety acres in section 3, which he had purchased in 1896. There he has a large grove which he planted, and the farm is improved with substantial and modern buildings. There he is engaged in general farming and stock raising and has a fine herd of Shorthorn cattle. Being progressive, Mr. Ekberg believes in intensive farming, in thorough cul- tivation of the soil and in the keeping of the best of stock. Politically, Mr. Ekberg is identified with the Republican party and has always taken an active interest in the local affairs of the township and the county. He has served for four years as a member of the board of county commissioners and for twenty-five years has been a member of the school board, doing much for the advancement of the schools of his district. He has represented his party on several occasions at the state conventions and is recognized as a local leader of his party. He served for some years as a member of the township board and during a part of that time was chairman of the board.
In 1885 Frank A. Ekberg was united in marriage to Augusta Wilhel- mena Peterson, who was born in Sweden on November 30, 1864, the daugh- ter of Peter Otto and Johanne ( Peterson) Peterson, also natives of Sweden, who came to Minnesota in 1880 and located in Herman, where the father died on November 28, 1908, and where the widow is now living at the age of eighty years. They were the parents of four children, Augusta Wilhel- mena, Anna, Hulda and Charlie. Mr. Peterson was seventy-one years of age at the time of his death and was held in the highest regard and esteem
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by all who knew him. He took much interest in local affairs and he and his family were prominent in the social and the religious life of the community.
Frank A. and Augusta Wilhelmena Ekberg are the parents of five chil- dren, Oscar Albert, Effie Annetta, Walter Clay, Irvin Richard and Ray Conrad. all of whom are living. Mr. and Mrs. Ekberg are active members of the Swedish Lutheran church, take much interest in church work and are prominent in the social and the religious life of the community, where they are held in the highest esteem by all who know them. In addition to his popularity and influence in his home township, Mr. Ekberg is well-known throughout the county, as he served four years as county commissioner, in which position he gave entire satisfaction, and where his work was recog- nized of much value to all. He advocated progressive and substantial in- provements as a public official and accomplished much good for the county. As a farmer he is recognized as one of the most systematic and successful in the township. His home place is neat and well kept and is one of the beauti- ful places in the community.
LARS LYNNE.
Lars Lynne, cashier of the First National Bank of Elbow Lake, and former treasurer of Grant county, is a native of Norway, born on January 17, 1852. He belongs to a family of Norwegians who came to America in 1853 and settled in Iowa. Johan Lynne, his father, was born in Norway in 1819. His mother, Mary ( Molden) Lynne, was born in Norway, in 1824. The elder Lynne located on a farm in Winneshiek county, Iowa. He first bought a farm of eighty acres and later added forty acres to his original purchase, and was engaged in general farming and stock raising, making his home on that place for the remainder of his life. He died in 1906 and his wife died in 1911. Their children were: Anna, Lars, Edward, John M., Peter and Claus. They were members of the Norwegian Lutheran church and Mr. Lynne was trustee of the congregation for many years. He was a Republican.
Lars Lynne received his elementary education in the public schools of Winneshiek county, Iowa, and afterward attended Luther College at De- corah, in that county. After completing his college studies he taught school for three years at Madison, Wisconsin. Then, in the fall of 1875, he entered the University of Wisconsin and spent two years of study in that institution.
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He then was engaged in teaching for three years in St. Olaf College, at Northfield, Minnesota. Then he went to Fergus Falls, Minnesota, and was for three years engaged in bookkeeping. For four years following this he held a position in the bank at Ashby. In 1888 he was elected county treas- urer of Grant county, and was re-elected from time to time, serving in that office for twenty-two years. He retired from the office in 1910 and in 1911 he was elected cashier of the First National Bank of Elbow Lake, and is at present serving in that position.
Lars Lynne and Josephine Norman, daughter of Alexander Norman, of St. Olaf township, Otter Tail county, Minnesota, were united in marriage in 1883. To this union six children have been born : Justus A., Agnes M., Edna M., Alfred N., assistant cashier in the First State Bank of Turtle Lake, North Dakota; Victor A. and Philip Walter. Victor A. is a high school student and Walter died at the age of two years.
Mr. Lynne is a member of the Lutheran church and has served as sec- retary of the congregation for the last ten years. His political affiliation is with the Republican party. He has served as a member of the school board for about fourteen years and served as president of the village council at Ashby while a resident of that place. Mr. Lynne is a well educated, high- class business man, and as a bank official is regarded as eminently trust- worthy. He has the confidence and esteem of the people who have business with the bank and of the people of the entire community of which he is a citizen.
WILLIAM A. HANDSCHUG.
William A. Handschug, a native of Germany and a well-known and successful farmer of Macsville township, Grant county, was born on Sep- tember 28, 1874, the son of William and Florentina Handschug, also natives of Germany, who, in 1882, came to Minnesota and settled at Herman, Grant county. Mr. Handschug homesteaded forty acres in Macsville township, which he later gave to his daughter, Mary. He then purchased one hundred and sixty acres in section 26 of the same township. That farm he developed and improved, and there he engaged in general farming and stock raising, in which he was successful. He erected good and substantial buildings and set out a beautiful grove, making his place one of the attractive farms of the township, and there he lived until the time of his death on September 18, 1911, at the age of seventy-three years. His widow is still living on the farm
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at the age of eighty years. They were members of the Lutheran church, took inch interest in church work and were prominent in the community in which they lived so many years. The father took much interest in the civic life of the township and did much for its growth and development. They were the parents of four children, Mary and William .A., now living, and Carl and Elizabeth, who died in Germany.
William A. Handschug received his first educational training in the schools of Germany, and came with his parents to Minnesota when he was but eight years of age. Here he completed his education in the public and parochial schools and grew to manhood on the home farm, where as a lad he assisted his father with the farm work. As a young man he worked on the railroad and in the machine shop, and continued in that work for some years. He also engaged in threshing, and in 1908 purchased the old home- stead, where he is engaged in general farming and stock raising. He has done much in the way of developing and improving the place and today has one of the best farm homes in the township. He built the present modern and substantial house and has in many ways added to the beauty and the value of the place. In 1914 Mr. Handschug lost two good buildings by the terrific cyclone that passed over the county, doing much damage to buildings and crops, as well as to stock. Mr. Handschug has always taken an active interest in local affairs and has always been an advocate of good roads and the best of schools. For five years he served as a member of the school board and gave his best efforts to the success of the schools of his district.
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