USA > Minnesota > Grant County > History of Douglas and Grant counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 59
USA > Minnesota > Douglas County > History of Douglas and Grant counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 59
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Andrew L. Leraas received his early education in the public schools of Lien township and afterward attended the Glenwood Academy, being a student in that academy in the years 1906-07-08, graduating from that in- stitution in the spring of 1909. The following year he attended the Globe Business College at St. Paul and completed a commercial course in that in- stitution. In March, 1910, he took a position as bookkeeper in the First State Bank at Kensington. After remaining there for a short time he took a position in the bank at Elbow Lake and continued there until July 15, 1910. In September of that year he returned to the First State Bank at Kensington and remained there until the following December, when he went to the Citizens Bank of Barrett, to take a position as teller of that bank. On July 17, 1912, he went to Deering, North Dakota, and took a position as assistant cashier of the Farmers State Bank at that place. On February 15, 1913, he went to Berthold, North Dakota, and took a posi-
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tion as assistant cashier of the bank at that place, remaining there until April 15, 1914, when he returned to the Citizens State Bank of Barrett, as assistant cashier. On January 1, 1915, he was elected cashier of that bank, the position which he at present holds.
Mr. Leraas is a member of the Synod Lutheran church, affiliates with the Republican party in politics and is the present treasurer of the village of Barrett. He is a well educated and capable business man and especially well qualified as a banker. In this, as well as in all other respects, he has the confidence of the community and is regarded as eminently trustworthy.
A. EMIL ANDERSON.
A. Emil Anderson, one of the successful and well-known farmers of Alexandria township, Douglas county, was born on a farm just east of where he is now living, on April 10, 1875, a son of Charles and Caroline ( Larson) Anderson, both natives of Sweden, who were reared in that country, receiving their education in the public schools of their native land. The latter came to Minnesota in 1869 and the former a year or two later. They were married in 1874 and made their home on Mrs. Anderson's home- stead in Alexandria township, where also Mr. Anderson bought some land joining this homestead, and that farm they developed and improved and there made their home for many years. They later retired from active farm life, and moved to Alexandria, where Charles Anderson died. His wife passed away one year earlier in North Dakota. They were the parents of two sons, A. Emil and Adolph J.
A. Emil Anderson received his education in the public schools of Doug- las county and during his early life assisted his father with the work on the home farm. Upon reaching manhood he engaged in farming for himself and is now the owner of one hundred and sixty acres of excellent land, a part of which was the old homestead, where he is very successfully en- gaged in general farming and stock raising. He has erected all the present excellent farm buildings and in various other ways improved and developed his land.
In 1906, A. Emil Anderson was married to Hannah M. Anderson, the daughter of John Anderson, a prominent resident of the county and one of its substantial citizens. To this union three children have been born, Law- rence Emil, Raymond and Florence Margaret. Mr. and Mrs. Anderson are
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members of the Swedish Lutheran church and take an active part in the work of that organization. They are prominent and active in all the social and religious life of the community and are popular among their neighbors and friends. Mr. Anderson has always taken a keen interest in local af- fairs and since his young manhood has used his influence in the direction of good, and for the advancement and growth of the township and county where he lives. In 1911 the voters of his township elected him clerk, and he has since retained that important position, discharging the duties of his office with credit to himself and his constituents.
Being a native of the county, the early life of Mr. Anderson was spent amid the scenes of pioneer life and he experienced many of the hardships of the early days in the county. Knowing the value of good schools, his ยท aim has been to place the schools of his township on a high plane, and the present excellent school system has no stronger advocate than Mr. Ander- son.
FRANK OACHS.
Of the well known and successful farmers, of Macsville township. Grant county, is Frank Oachs, who was born in Mountain Lake, Cotton- wood county, Minnesota, on October 7, 1873, the son of Peter and Eliza- beth ( Stopelman) Oachs, natives of Wisconsin, who left the state of their nativity and came to Minnesota, locating at Mountain Lake, Cottonwood county, where they lived until 1875, when they moved to Blue Earth county, and there purchased forty acres of land, which they later increased to two hundred and twenty acres. That farm was developed and improved by Mr. Oachs and there he engaged in general farming and stock raising until the time of his death, which occurred on August 12, 1914, at the age of sixty-seven years. His widow is still living, at the age of sixty-seven years. They were the parents of eight children: Frank and Emma (twins), John, Ida, Annie, Willie, Edward and Milton, all of whom are living. Mr. Oachs was a man who took much interest in local affairs, and always used his in- fluence for the advancement and the growth of the township and the county. He was a man who was universally honored and respected and his death was mourned by his many friends and neighbors.
Frank Oachs received his education in the public schools of Blue Earth county and there grew to manhood on the home farm, assisting his father with the duties of the farm. As a young man he engaged in farming for
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himself and owned forty acres of land in Blue Earth county, which he sold in 1899 and came to Grant county, where he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land in section 16 of Macsville township. The farm at that time was for the most part wild prairie and required much labor to place it under its present high state of cultivation. Mr. Oachs set out a beauti- ful grove and erected substantial buildings, and there became successfully engaged in general farming and stock raising. On June 1, 1914, his house burned and in August of the same year he and his family moved into their present beautiful home, which is one of the most attractive in the com- munity. Mr. Oachs is Republican, has always taken an active interest in local affairs and has been a member of the school board for a number of years. He is progressive in his views, believes in the support of the best possible schools and has had much to do with the perfection of the present system in his district.
In 1899 Frank Oachs was united in marriage to Jeannette E. Little, who was born in Blue Earth county, Minnesota, May 25, 1873, the daugh- ter of Andrew and Euphemia ( Hislop) Little, who were born in Scotland, and in Janesville, Rock county, Wisconsin, respectively. Mr. Little re- ceived his education in the public schools of his native country, where he lived until he was eighteen years of age, when he came to the United States and located in Wisconsin. There he was married on June 7, 1865, to Eu- phemia Hislop, of Janesville. For one year after their marriage they lived at Red Wing, Goodhue county, Minnesota, after which they removed to Blue Earth county, where they purchased one hundred and sixty acres, to which they later added forty acres. That farm they developed and in1- proved and there Mr. Little has since engaged in general farming and stock raising, in which he has been quite successful. Mr. Little was born on November 6, 1838, and his wife, December 3. 1842, and are both living on their home farm in Blue Earth county. They are the parents of the following children : John D., Thomas W., Grace I., Euphemia J., Jean- nette E. and Agnes C., all of whom are living. Mr. Little has always taken much interest in local affairs and is a man of much influence in his home community. He is the only survivor of six sons born to his parents.
Mr. and Mrs. Oachs are the parents of six children, Andrew P., Walt- er J., Bessie L., Dessie L., Alexander W., and Euphemia. The family have long been prominent in the social activities of the community and are held in the highest regard by all who know them. Mr. Oachs is recognized as one of the most progressive farmers and stockmen in the county, and
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though he has been in the county but seventeen years he has won the con- fidence and the respect of all. He has ever used his influence to further the better and more substantial development of the county.
JENS PETERSON LEE.
Jens Peterson Lee, one of the well-known and prominent citizens of Elbow Lake, and one of the real pioneers of Grant county, was born in Norway on March 29, 1838, the son of Peter and Sarah Hermanson, also natives of Norway, who came to the United States in 1845 and settled in Wisconsin, where they purchased land and continued to live for some years. They later removed to Columbia county, that state, and there Mr. Hermanson continued to farm until the time of his death in 1891. Before moving to Columbia county, his wife, Sarah Hermanson, died and he later married Karn Peterson. By his first wife, Mr. Hermanson was the father of two children, Ingeborg and Jens Peterson. By his second marriage he was the father of two children, Herman and Nels, both of whom are de- ceased. The family were prominent in the early social life of the com- munities in which they lived and took much interest in the work of the Lutheran church, to which they belonged.
Jens Peterson Lee was but seven years of age when his parents left their native land and located in Wisconsin, and there he was educated and grew to manhood, in Dane county and in Columbia county. He received the greater part of his education in the parochial schools, but has gained much of it through his own efforts. He came to Grant county in 1866 and purchased one hundred acres of government land, and homesteaded fifty acres, to which he later added fifty acres in Sanford township. The land at that time was for the most part wild and required much work to place it under cultivation. He engaged in general farming and stock raising until his retirement in 1904, when he came to Elbow Lake to live. Mr. Lee has always taken much interest in local affairs and did much toward the growth and the development of the township and the county. He has been a patriotic citizen of his adopted country and during the Indian out- break in 1862 he served with General Sibley for one year and was later one year in the navy of the United States, serving until the close of the Civil War.
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In 1868, at Alexandria, Jens Peterson Lee was united in marriage to Bergithe Holing, who was born in Norway on September 2, 1848, the daughter of Sever and Jonetta Holing. Her parents lived in Norway until 1866, when they came to the United States and located for a time at Min- neapolis. The father, that same year, homesteaded in Douglas county, but never lived on the place, as he died in the fall of the year that he came to this country. After the death of the husband and father, the mother with the children moved to the homestead and here she died an March 22, 1895, at the age of seventy-two years. They were the parents of the following children : Hogan, who was one of the first settlers of Douglas county ; Bergithe, deceased; Bergithe, who married Jens Peterson Lee, and Mette, Ole, Sophia and Johan, all of whom are deceased ..
To Jens Peterson and Bergithe (Holing) Lee one child was born, Sophia, whose birth occurred in Douglas county on May 25, 1869. In Oc- tober of that year, the parents moved to Sanford township, Grant county, wher they lived in one of the Indian shanties the first year. Mrs. Lee was the first white woman in that township and her daughter was the first white child. Sophia was educated in the old log school house and her first teacher was Alice Heald. She grew to womanhood among the primitive surroundings of the early settlers in Sanford township, where she was mar- ried on June 22, 1902, to Otto E. Ostby. Mr. Ostby was born in Norway on April 2, 1870, and received his education in the public schools of liis native land and in Wisconsin. He also attended Willmar Seminary and Brue Flat Academy in North Dakota. He lived with his sister, Mrs. Olema Ostby, and in 1892, came to Grant county, where for sixteen years he was a grain buyer and for six years the manager of the farmers elevator at Elbow Lake. Politically, Mr. Ostby is an independent Republican and has always taken much interest in local affairs, and has done much to advance the welfare of the community. He is a member of the Lutheran church and he and his wife have always taken much interest in church work, and have long been prominent in the social and religious life of the community. where they are held in the highest regard and esteem by all who know them. They are the parents of one child, Joseph Omandus Bernard, who was born on May 4, 1908. Owing to his long association with the grain business of the county, Mr. Ostby has a large acquaintance throughout the district, and is recognized as one of the successful and honorable business men of the locality.
Mrs. Bergithe ( IIoling) Lee was for two years the only white woman
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in Sanford township. The Indians, who were still numerous in that section, when she and her husband settled there, for the most part treated her with the utmost kindness and respect, yet her life was a lonely one. Those were trying times for the little family and they suffered many of the hardships common to the early settler. For ten years they had nothing but oxen with which to do their clearing and farm work. Mr. Lee was many times at the place where Elbow Lake is now situated, when it was but an Indian camp, and where he was entertained by the Indian chief and served with the choicest of roast muskrat, one of their favorite dishes. Yet despite these conditions, the family succeeded in the clearing of their farm and in time becoming prominent in the affairs of the county. Mrs. Bergithe (Hol- ing ) Lee died on June 24, 1907.
A. D. LARSON, M. D.
Dr. A. D. Larson, one of the successful physicians and business men of Herman, president of the First National Bank of Herman, and former representative in the Legislature, was born on March 1, 1863, in Sweden, the son of L. Larson and wife. The mother died in Sweden and the father later came to the United States and located in Minneapolis, where he died some years ago.
A. D. Larson was educated in schools of Sweden, where he resided until 1881, when he came to America and located at Minneapolis. He later attended the Gustavus Adolphus college at St. Peter and after completing his work there was in Europe for a year doing post-graduate work. Upon his return to the United States he entered the University of Minnesota, and was graduated from the medical department of that institution in 1893. with the degree of Doctor of Medicine, receiving his degree on June I. He began active practice on June 3, at Herman, where he succeeded Dr. W. R. Hand. now of Elbow Lake. As a young practitioner Doctor Larson was quite successful and continued active practice until 1904, when he retired from the active practice of medicine, and has since then been conducting a drug store at Herman, where he is now located. As a physician and drug- gist he has always been held in the highest regard by the people of the com- munity.
Doctor Larson has always taken a keen interest in local and state af- fairs and his wise and conservative methods have won the respect of the
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community in which he lives. In 1898 he was elected coroner of the county and held that position for four years. In 1903 he was elected to the state Legislature as representative from this district, and in 1905 he was re-elected. His service in that connection being highly commended by all parties.
As a business man, Doctor Larson's ability and acumen were recog- nized and in 1906 he assisted in the organization of the First National Bank of Herman. Prior to that time the bank had existed as a private in- stitution. At the time of the organization Doctor Larson became a direc- tor and in January, 1912, was elected president of the institution.
In 1895 Dr. A. D. Larson was united in marriage to Anna Benson and to this union have been born two children, Clarence Walter and Florence Josephine. The family are active supporters of the Methodist Episcopal church at Herman and take much interest in church work. Fraternally, Doctor Larson is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and of . the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
ADOLPH G. KIETZMAN.
Adolph G. Kietzman, one of the well-known farmers of Macsville town- ship, Grant county, was born on the old homestead in Logan township, that county, November 13, 1878, the son of Henry and Wilhelmena Kietzman, who were born in Germany, he on January 26, 1841, and she on August 8, 1850. They came to the United States and located in Wisconsin, where they resided for some years. In 1871 they came to Minnesota and located in Grant county, where Henry Kietzman homesteaded eighty acres of land and pre-empted one hundred and sixty acres in Logan township, to which he later added forty acres. This land he developed and improved and had one of the most desirable farms in the township. He set out a fine grove and erected substantial buildings, and there he engaged in general farming and stock raising until the time of his death, which occurred on June 21, 1912. His wife died on May 20, 1912. They were active members of the German Lutheran church and their family has long been prominent in the social and the religious life of the community. Henry Kietzman was a man of much ability and was possessed of rare judgment and business acumen. By hard work and good management he became the owner of nine hundred acres of excellent land, all of which is still owned by the family. He was recognized as one of the wealthy and substantial citizens of the township and was highly
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respected by all who knew him. He took much interest in local affairs and had much to do with shaping the affairs of the township and the county. He was progressive in his views and was a firm believer in the highest standards of public improvements. Though starting life as a poor man, he became one of the most prominent and influential men in the county. To Mr. Kietzman the township owes much for its high social and civic standing, and his death was mourned by the entire community. He and his wife were the parents of the following children : Bertha, Emil, Viva, Adolph, Laura, Albert, Alice, Ella, Henry, Herman and Minnie, all of whom are living.
Adolph G. Kietzman received his education in the public schools of Logan township and grew to manhood on his father's farm, where as a lad and young man he assisted with the farm work. Early in life he decided -to be a farmer and after completing his education he engaged in that work, and is today one of the successful and well-known farmers of Macsville township. He owns a fine farm of two hundred and eighty acres in sec- tions 20, 21 and 28 and is successfully engaged in general farming and stock raising. Politically, Mr. Kietzman is an independent, but he has al- ways taken an active interest in local affairs and has had much to do with the civic life of the township. He is an active member of the German L11- theran church and is unmarried.
K. E. SLETTEN.
K. E. Sletten, manager of the Elbow Lake Hardware and Lumber Company at Elbow Lake, is a native of Minnesota and has lived in this state all his life. He was born on a pioneer farm in the neighboring county of Pope, in 1873, and is a son of Erik Sletten. a native of Norway, who came to the United States in 1868, settling first in Wisconsin, from whence, in 1871, he came to Minnesota and settled in Pope county, where he lived until his retirement from the active labors of the farm and removal to Elbow Lake, where he spent his last days in the household of his son, the. subject of this review.
K. E. Stetten was reared on the paternal farm in Pope county and early learned the details of the agricultural-implement business, with which he was connected for a period of ten years at Hoffman. He then removed to Kensington, where for two years he was manager of the Kensington Hardware and Lumber Company. In the spring of 1912 Mr. Sletten was
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sent to Elbow Lake as the local manager of the Elbow Lake Hardware and Lumber Company, and has ever since been thus engaged, one of the best- known hardware and lumber men in this part of the state, having built up a large trade for his company.
In September, 1902, K. E. Sletten was united in marriage to Jose- phine Stone, of Pope county, and to this union six children have been born, namely: Magdaline. Helen. Lillian, Nora, Glenn and Norman. Mr. and Mrs. Sletten are members of the Lutheran church and take an earnest interest in the various beneficences of the same, as well as in all neighbor- hood good works, helpful factors in the promotion of all good causes here- about.
HON. CARL A. WOLD.
Hon. Carl A. Wold, former representative in the Legislature from the Alexandria district and one of the prominent and successful, as well as one of the most widely-known men of Douglas county, being the editor and pro- prietor of the Park Region Echo at Alexandria, was born on a farm in Jack- son county, Minnesota, on July 4, 1870, the son of Ole and Margaret Wold, who were born in Norway, received their education in the public schools there and were there married. Some time after their marriage they decided to leave the land of their nativity and locate in America. U'pon landing in the United States in 1869 they came directly to Minnesota and homesteaded a tract of one hundred and sixty acres in Jackson county and later pur- chased one hundred and sixty acres. The tract at that time was a wild prairie and their first home was a dug-out, with a hay and sod roof. It was there that they resided for some time and there that the son, Carl A., was born. The family lived there until 1882, the father meantime doing much toward developing the place, and had erected a good-sized log house to replace the dug-out. . After selling that farm the family moved to Doug- las county, where Ole Wold purchased one hundred and eleven acres in Brandon township, paying for the same ten dollars an acre. The tract was located one mile from Brandon village and was at that time a wild prairie. A frame house, sixteen by sixteen feet, was erected, and preparations were at once made to develop the farm. In a short time the wild prairie was transformed into well-cultivated fields and the large barns were well filled with the golden grain and well-selected stock. A fine brick house was erected and the family became recognized as one of the successful and
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MR. AND MRS. CARL A. WOLD.
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prominent families of the township. It was there that Ole Wold engaged in general farming and stock raising until the time of his death, in 1905. His wife died in 1899.
Ole and Margaret Wold were the parents of the following children : Carl A .. John O., Ole MI., Pernell Matilda, Minnie J., Helen and Olof. John O. Wold is now a prominent farmer of Laurel, Montana. Ole M. Wold is engaged in the general-merchandise business and is the proprietor of an elevator at Laurel, Montana. Minnie J. Wold married H. W. Horton and resides at Big Fork, Minnesota. Helen Wold lives at Laurel, Mon- tana. Olaf Wold is a resident of Woldridge, Canada, and Pernell M., now Mrs. James, lives at Forsyth, Montana.
Carl A. Wold received his early schooling in the public schools of Jackson county. . The school was conducted at the home of his father for three or four years, or until the time the school house was built. He later attended school at Brandon and was graduated from the high school at Alexandria, with the class of 1893. During his high-school life he worked with a threshing outfit, in the fall, in order to meet his personal expenses. Upon completing the high-school course he entered the University of Minne- sota and worked as a newspaper reporter to pay his way. Before he had completed his course it was necessary for him to return to the home farm, where he assisted his father with the work, and there he remained for three years, working on the farm during the summers and teaching school during the winters. Upon completing his collegiate course, he and his brother engaged in the general-merchandise business at Brandon, and Carl A. Wold remained thus engaged for seven years, at the end of which time he pur- chased the Brandon Echo. Three years later he reorganized the paper, removed to Alexandria and established there the Park Region Echo. The newspaper outfit at that time was small, but was later enlarged and today is the most complete of any paper in Douglas county. The office is equipped with a linotype, a cylinder press and a large job press. The Park Region Echo is a weekly paper, six-column quarto, of high tone. Mr. Wold is a man of much ability and his influence is widely felt throughout the county. He has for years been an ardent advocate of county option and prohibition and his influence in that direction has had much to do with making Douglas county a dry county. In 1912 Mr. Wold was a candidate for the Legis- lature from this district, standing on the county option and prohibition plank and was defeated. In 1914 he again made the race, on the same platform,
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