USA > Minnesota > Grant County > History of Douglas and Grant counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 60
USA > Minnesota > Douglas County > History of Douglas and Grant counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 60
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and was elected. He was again a candidate in 1916. but was defeated by thirty-one, out of a total vote of nearly three thousand five hundred.
On July 4, 1900, Carl A. Wold was united in marriage to Eva Emerson, one of the best-known and most prominent women in the state. She was born in Brandon township on February 12, 1880, the daughter of Theodore and Mary ( Bower) Emerson. Her father was the son of Abe and Mary Ann Emerson, the former of whom was a direct kinsman of Ralph Waldo Emerson. Abe Emerson came from the eastern part of the United States and located in La Grange county, Indiana, in which state the greater part of that branch of the Emerson family is now located. Theodore A. Emerson was born in La Grange county, Indiana, on March 30, 1843. He spent his boyhood day at Wolcottville, Indiana, and there he enlisted in the Sixty-ninth Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and served in the trained guard service until the close of the war.
Theodore A. Emerson was united in marriage on August 25, 1867, to Mary Bower, and in October, 1887, came to Minnesota, locating in Douglas ยท county, where he purchased a farm in the northern part of Brandon town- ship. He later took a homestead and continued to add to his farm until he had more than four hundred acres. He continued to engage in general farming and stock raising until 1902, at which time his health failed him and he sold his farm and returned to Wolcottville, where his wife died on December 21. 1905, and was buried there, beside her father and mother. Some years later, Mr. Emerson removed to Ulysses, Nebraska, where he and his daughter, Edith May, are now living.
Theodore A. and Mary Emerson were the parents of the following children : Roxanna, Byron T., Lenora, Eva, Raymond, Edith May, Nancy Ann and Elsie. Roxanna Emerson, now deceased, was the wife of James Landa, a successful farmer of Brandon township. They were the parents of three children, Eunice May, a teacher in Brandon township, Myrtle and Ralph Emerson. Byron T. Emerson is an instructor in science in the new central high school at Minneapolis. He married Hattie Roth and has three children, Grace Lorane, Mary Elizabeth and Harold. Lenora Emerson married the Rev. W. J. Ewing, pastor of the First Presbyterian church at Villiska, Iowa, and has three children. Raymond Emerson is an undertaker and furniture dealer at Lexington, Nebraska. He married Myrtle Good- man of Michigan and has one child. Edith May Emerson lives with her father in Nebraska. Nancy Ann Emerson married Clyde Cook, and resides now at Minot, North Dakota.
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Eva Emerson Wold received her early schooling in the district schools of Brandon township, attended the high school at Alexandria and later was graduated from the normal school at St. Cloud, with the class of 1899. She taught school for four years and was a most successful teacher. Since her marriage to Mr. Wold she has been of much assistance to her husband in his newspaper work. She is efficient in all branches of the work and is an excellent writer. She has devoted much of her time to the cause of the Woman's Christian Temperance. Union and is state press superintendent of that organization. She is also secretary for the nineteenth district and is president of the local organization at Alexandria. .
Mr. and Mrs. Wold have one child, a daughter, Blanch Emerson, who is now a student in the Alexandria high school. Mr. and Mrs. Wold have long been identified with the social and religious life of the community and are held as among the most popular and prominent people in the county. They have devoted much of their lives to the cause of temperance and have accomplished much good by their noble labors.
PAUL SIGURD BARTNESS.
Paul Sigurd Bartness, one of the well-known younger farmers and stockmen of Lien township, Grant county, was born on the old homestead in that township on October 2, 1885, the son of Ole D. and Hausine ( Barlne) Bartness, who were born in Norway. Upon coming to the United States they came direct to Minnesota and homesteaded in section 6 of Lien township, Grant county, entering one hundred and sixty acres of land, which was later increased to two hundred and forty acres. The tract was broken and put under cultivation, good and substantial buildings were erected and a beautiful grove planted. Ole D. Bartness had nothing but his own push and energy as an asset when he came to the county, and it was the determination of himself and his wife to win that placed them among the successful farmers of the township. During the first years, Mr. Bart- ness worked on the railroad in order to accumulate ready funds with which to assist him in his work on the farm.
Ole D. Bartness was a Republican and took much interest in local af- fairs, both in the township and the county. For a number of years he was township assessor, and was sheriff of the county in an early day. Into all his official work he put the same energy and care that he did in his own
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business. He and his wife were active members of the United Lutheran church, took much interest in church work and were prominent in the social and religious life of the community. They were the parents of three child- ren, Peggy (deceased ), Sophus, a resident of Elbow Lake, and Paul Sig- rud. Mr. Bartness died in 1908 and his widow is now living in Montana.
Paul Sigurd Bartness received his education in the public schools of Grant county and grew to manhood on the home farm, where as a lad he assisted his father with the work on the farm. As a young man he decided to be a farmer, and today he is the owner of eighty-four acres of land, a part of the old homestead, and farms the whole place of one hundred and sixty-four acres, where he is engaged in general farming and stock raising and has been quite successful. He has a fine herd of Shorthorn cattle, in which he takes much pride.
In 1912 Paul Sigurd Bartness was united in marriage to Mary Hjelle, who was born in Grant county, daughter of Lars Hjelle, of Lien town- ship, and to this union two children have been born, Osburn and Harold, Mr. and Mrs. Bartness are active members of the United Lutheran church and are prominent in the social and the religious life of the community, where they are highly regarded by all who know them.
CHARLES T. BROWN.
Grant county has been a good enough place for Charles T. Brown, a farmer of Pomme de Terre township, to spend his life in and he has been wise in remaining in his native locality; many young men making a grave mistake by leaving the farm and going away to the cities. He was born in Elbow Lake township on December 19, 1872, and is a son of Henry and Velzora Brown, both natives of the state of Maine, the former a son of John Brown, who lived and died in that state. Timothy Heald, the ma- ternal grandfather of the subject of this sketch, came to Grant county in an early day, and bought the farm on which Charles T. Brown now lives, and here his death occurred in 1901. His widow, Elizabeth Heald, died in 1902. Henry Brown, mentioned above, came to Grant county about 1868 and en- tered a homestead. He owned several farms and here he spent the rest of his life, dying in 1906, but his widow is still living. They had three child- ren, namely : Charles T., the subject of this sketch; Marietta, who lives in Canada, and Joseph, of Pomme de Terre township.
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Charles T. Brown was reared on the farm and attended the district schools. He has always farmed and now owns a productive and well-kept place of one hundred and ninety-seven acres in Pomme de Terre township, the land which his Grandfather Heald owned in the early days. He has kept the place well improved and carries on general farming and stock rais- ing.
Mr. Brown is an independent voter. He belongs to the United Luther- an church.
In 1895 Charles T. Brown was married to Annie Sanby, who was born in Wisconsin in 1878, a daughter of Ole and Annie Sanby, who came to Grant county from Wisconsin in 1884. Ole Sanby is still living. Annie Sanby died in 1909. To Mr. and Mrs. Brown six children have been born, Elaine, Amy Thelma, Mildred Glendoline, Claudie, Clifton and Lorna, all of whom are living.
HALVOR O. SOBERG.
Halvor O. Soberg, one of the successful and well-known farmers of Holmes City township, Douglas county, was born in Norway, the son of Ole and Pemelle (Halvorson) Soberg, also natives of Norway, where they were married. They continued to live in their native land for a number of years after their marriage, Mr. Soberg being there engaged in farming. In . 18SI Ole Soberg came to Minnesota and was joined here by his wife and children the next year. On his arrival in Minnesota Mr. Soberg located on the farm in Holmes City township, Douglas county, where his son, Halvor O. Soberg, now resides. He at first purchased one hundred and twenty acres, fifty-five acres being added by the family in later years. When Mr. Soberg took possession of the farm, there were but ten acres of the tract cleared, the balance of the tract having been cleared and put under cultiva- tion since that time. The farm today is under a high state of cultivation and well improved, the buildings having all been erected by the family. -
Ole and Pemelle Soberg were the parents of the following children : Peter, Halvor, Bertha. Ellen, Ole, Mina and Carrie. Ellen was the wife of G. Hanson. She and her sister, Bertha, are now deceased. Mina is the wife of Halvor Johnson and Carrie is the wife of Peter Mattson. The family are active members of the Lutheran church and take much interest in church work. The father was a man of much prominence and was in- terested in the Holmes City Fire Insurance Company. Mrs. Pemelle So-
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berg died at her home on the farm in the fall of 1901. Mr. Soberg later retired from the activities of the farm life and removed to Alexandria, where he died in the fall of 19II.
Halvor O. Soberg received his education in the schools of his native country, where he lived until he was twenty-three years of age. In 1882 he came to Minnesota with his mother and for the first two years thereafter worked in various places. In 1884 he located on the home farm and after the death of his mother he purchased the place from his father. Here he is engaged in general farming and stock raising and has been quite success- ful. He has always taken much interest in local affairs, was one of the organizers of the Holmes City creamery and is interested in the Holmes City Mutual Fire Insurance Company. He is a member of the Lutheran church and is interested in the social and religious life of the community.
LOUIS HANSEN.
Louis Hansen, one of the well-known and successful farmers of Dela- ware township, Grant county, was born in Norway on September 14, 1865, the son of Hans and Barte Norby, also natives of Norway, where the father is still living. His wife died in December, 1902. They were the parents of five children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the second in order of birth, the others being as follow: Ole, who is on the old home farm in Norway; Amund, who is a farmer. in Delaware township, Grant county ; Millie, who lives in Norway; Martha, who is the wife of Otto Runing, of Spicer, Kandiyohi county, this state, and Anna, who died in Norway.
Louis Hansen received his education in the public schools of Norway and grew to manhood on the home farm, continuing to reside in the land of his birth until 1888, when he decided to come to America. On his ar- rival in this country he came direct to Minnesota and in 1889 purchased a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in section I of Delaware township, Grant county. This farm he has developed and improved and since mak- ing his original purchase has added other land until he is now the owner of three hundred and twenty acres, having at one time owned four hundred acres. He set out a fine grove and has erected modern buildings. The barn is forty-two by twenty-four feet, with a silo sixteen by forty-two feet, all in the best state of repair. He is engaged in general farming and stock
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raising and has been quite successful. He is a believer in intensive farm- ing and in the keeping of the best of stock, and being a progressive farmer operates his farm in accordance with the modern methods of the up-to-date farmer and stockman. Mr. Hansen is a Republican, has always taken much interest in local affairs and his ability and excellent judgment have been recognized by the people of the township. He has served as a mem- ber of the school board and has been a supervisor of his township for a number of years. He and his wife are members of the United Lutheran church, in the affairs of which they take an active interest, and are prom- inent in the social and religious life of the township, where they are held in high regard by all who know them.
In 1892 Louis Hansen was united in marriage to Lena Emberson, who was born in Norway in 18644 and who came to the United States as a young woman, having received her education in the public schools of her native country, where her parents died some years ago, Mr. and Mrs. Hansen have no children but have raised a boy, Ingwald, who is now at home.
LEWIS T. FAGERBERG.
Lewis T. Fagerberg, one of Grant county's best-known and most sub- stantial farmers, former member of the board of county commissioners. former chairman of the board of supervisors of Sanford township and for many years active in public affairs, is a native of the kingdom of Norway, but has been a resident of this country since he was twenty years of age and of Grant county since the year 1880. He was born at Tinn, in Tele- marken, August 17, 1854, son of Torger and Gunhild (Olson) Halvorson, both natives of that same district, the former born in 1807 and the latter in 1814. who spent all their days in their native land. Torger Halvorson in the days of his young manhood was a soldier in the army of his country, but never saw any active service in time of war. He owned a farm home and was a carpenter and cabinet-maker. He died in 1875 and his widow sur- vived him nearly thirteen years, her death occurring in 1888. They were members of the Lutheran church and their children were reared in that faith. There were six of these children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the last-born, the others being as follow : Halvor, who lives on the old home place in Norway; Ole, a wagon-maker, who came to this country and spent his last days in Grant county: Berget, who also came to this country,
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married Tosten Ostenson and lives in Sanford township; John, a cabinet- maker, who still lives in Norway, and Anna, unmarried, who continues to make her home in her native land.
Reared on the home farm in Norway, Lewis T. Fagerberg received his schooling in the local schools of that neighborhood and continued to make his home there until he was past nineteen years of age, when, in the spring of 1874, in company with a cousin, he came to the United States and located in Lee county, Illinois, where he remained until 1880, working on farms during the summers and attending school during the winters. In the year last mentioned he came to Minnesota and proceeded on out to Grant county, where for awhile he worked on farms and then bought a quarter section of railroad land in section I of Delaware township. In the spring of 1886 he disposed of that tract and bought a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in section 32 of Sanford township, on the south short of Round lake. Hav- ing married a couple of years previously he established his home on this latter place and there has lived ever since, he and his family long having been very comfortably and very pleasantly situated there. When Mr. Fager- berg took possession of that farm it was raw, unimproved prairie land and with the exception of a small fringe of trees along the lake was treeless. He had been living on a "forty" he owned three-quarters of a mile south- west of there and he moved the house from the latter tract onto the new tract and began to break and improve the place. He planted a fine grove, started an orchard, which now consists of more than one hundred and seventy trees, and in other ways endeavored to make his place one of the most attractive in the neighborhood. In 1897 he built a new farm house and in 1900 a new barn. From time to time he has added to his farm until now he owns there four hundred acres and is also the owner of a quarter of a section in section 18 of Sanford township. From the very beginning of his residence in Grant county, Mr. Fagerberg has taken an active interest in local civic affairs; for some time was chairman of the board of supervisors in his home township; for eight years, including the period during which the new court house was erected, was a member of the board of county. commissioners, and has also served in local school offices. For many years he has been engaged in the threshing business and for the past five years or more has been the owner of a threshing-rig of his own. In the fall of 1913 Mr. Fagerberg took a trip back to his native land and was gone for more than three months, reviewing the scenes of his youth. The return trip was made on the "Oceanic" and it proved a very tempestuous voyage, the rails
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of the vessel being washed away, a leak developing and other thrilling incidents occurring to give the passengers cause to remember the voyage.
It was in 1884 that Lewis T. Fagerberg was united in marriage to Joran Helleckson, who also was born in Norway, daughter of IIelleck Gunufson and wife, who spent all their lives in their native land, and to this union six children have been born, namely: Theodore, a farmer, living near the village of Evansville; Helmar, who lives on his father's quarter section near West Elbow; Bennie and Gus, twins, who are operating the home place for their father; Oscar, a homesteader in Montana, and Gena, who married Bennie Westrom and lives in Sanford township. The Fager- bergs are members of the Norwegian Lutheran church and take a warm interest in the affairs of the same, as well as in all local good works, helpful factors in the promotion of all movements having to do with the advance- ment of the common welfare hereabout.
GEORGE D. KREIDLER.
The late George D. Kreidler was born in Wright county, Minnesota, December 17, 1861, the son of Samuel and Barbara (Deckmer) Kreidler .. who were born in Pennsylvania and Germany respectively. They came to Minnesota in an early day and in 1878 came to Grant county, where they took a homestead of eighty acres and a tree claim of eighty acres. That farm they developed and improved and there engaged in general farming and stock raising for many years. They then sold the farm and moved to Herman, where they lived retired lives for a number of years. Samuel Kreidler later moved to Minneapolis, where he now lives, at the age of eighty-two years. His wife also is well advanced in years and the two are enjoying the evening of life after a useful and eventful life.
George D. Kreidler received his education in the public schools of Wright county, where he lived until he was seventeen years of age. He . grew to manhood on the home farm, assisting his father with the farm work, and after coming to Grant county he took a homestead of one hun- dred and sixty acres in section 6 of Roseville township. That farm he developed and improved, erected excellent buildings and planted a beautiful grove. There he engaged in general farming and stock raising until the time of his death, which occurred on January 6, 1916.
George D. Kreidler was identified with the Republican party, always
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took an active interest in local affairs and was one of the prominent men in the civic life of the community. He served as a member of the school board for many years and was treasurer of the township. He was always greatly interested in the success of the schools of the district and during his official service on the school board did much for the benefit of the schools. He was a man of ability and was recognized as one of the substantial men of the township. He and his family were active members of the Methodist Episcopal church and always took much interest in church work. They were long prominent in the social and the religious life of the township and were held in the highest regard by all who knew them.
On November 29, 1887, George D. Kreidler was united in marriage to Louise Steinhilber, who was born in Wright county, this state, August 28, 1866, the daughter of George and Mary (Shuler) Steinhilber. The parents were natives of Germany and there received their education in the public schools and grew to manhood and womanhood. They came to the United States and were married in this country. The father was a tailor by trade. He settled in Wright county, this state, where he died in 1868. The widow died in 1897, at the age of seventy-four years. To George D. and Louise Kreidler were born the following children: Howard, Marilla, Willard, Lola, George, Isabel and Lawrence. Howard Kreidler was born on June 29, 1889, and is now a resident of Wapenton, North Dakota. Marilla was born on March 16, 1891 and is living at home with her mother. Willard was born on June 1, 1893 : Lola, August 5, 1895; George, October 30, 1899; Isabel, April 23, 1901, and Lawrence, April 9, 1904.
ERICK G. ERICKSON.
Erick G. Erickson, a native of Sweden and a well-known and success- ful farmer of Urness township, Douglas county, was born on April 5, 1861. the son of Erick Erickson and wife, also natives of Sweden. In 1866 Erick Erickson came to Minnesota and homesteaded one hundred and sixty -acres of land in section 5 of Urness township. Douglas county. Mr. Erick- son at once began the task of developing and improving the place, prepara- tory to bringing his family to their new home. For two years he worked alone, during which time he accomplished much in the way of preparing his farm for cultivation. In 1868 he brought his wife and children to this country and together they developed the farm until in time it became one of
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the desirable places in the township. In the beginning they had little to assist them in their efforts, but by hard work and close application to busi- ness, Mr. Erickson became the owner of three hundred and twenty acres of land in the township. There he engaged in general farming and stock raising, until 1904, when he moved to Roseau county, where he purchased two hundred acres of land, and there he lived until the time of his death on March 13. 1915. He and his wife were the parents of four children, Erick G., Emil (who died when a child), Charles M., and Minnie, the latter of whom is the wife of Ole Erickson. Mr. and Mrs. Erickson were active members of the Swedish Lutheran church and were prominent in the social and religious life of the community. Mr. Erickson was identified with the Republican party and was one of the prominent and substantial men of the county. From 1886 to 1890 he served as treasurer of the county, and retired from the office with the confidence and respect of the entire com- munity.
Erick G. Erickson received his education in the public schools of Urness township and there grew to manhood on the home farm, assisting his father with the farm work. In 1886 he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land in section 20, to which he later added forty acres, and there he engaged in general farming and stock raising until 1910, when he sold the place and bought his present farm of two hundred and ninety-five acres in section 5, where he continues in the work of general farming and stock rais- ing, in which he has been quite successful.
In 1886 Erick G. Erickson was united in marriage to Caroline Lind- strom, the daughter of Lars Lindstrom, and to this union the following children have been born: Hilda, Jennie, Clara, Edna. Oscar, Constance, Walter, Loren, Leona, and Vernon, all of whom are living. Mr. and Mrs. Erickson are active members of the Swedish Lutheran church and have long been prominent in the social and religious life of the community. For many years Mr. Erickson has been a trustec of the local church organization. and is recognized as one of the substantial supporters, as well as one of the most active workers in the church. He has long been identified with the civic life of the township. Politically, he is an independent and feels that he can best serve the interests of the community as well as his own political conscience, by so acting. He has served as township clerk, as school clerk and as justice of the peace for many years. He not only believes in modern and progressive methods in the management of his personal affairs, but in the conduct of public affairs as well, and is a strong advocate of good roads
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