USA > Minnesota > Grant County > History of Douglas and Grant counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 62
USA > Minnesota > Douglas County > History of Douglas and Grant counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 62
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came over into this part of the state and homesteaded a tract of land at "The Ford", the ford of the Pomme de Terre river, where Timothy Heald opened a tavern, one of the two first hostelries between Alexandria and Fergus Falls, the other having been at the old stockade at Alexandria. There they spent the remainder of their lives, honored and useful pioneers. Aaron Heald was little more than a lad when he came into the great Northwest with his parents and he grew to manhood at Minneapolis, where he married Margaret H. Young, who was born in Scotland and who, with her widowed mother, Mrs. Agnes Graham Young, had emigrated to Canada about 1854. later coming over into Minnesota and settling in the near vicinity of Minne- apolis. A year or two after his parents had located at the ford of the Pomme de Terre, Aaron Heald and his wife also came over into this part of the state, settling on a homestead in Pomme de Terre. township, Grant county, and there they spent the remainder of their lives. It was about the year 1868 that Aaron Heald settled out here and he and his wife thus took their places among the earliest settlers of this section, becoming influential and useful members of the pioneer community. There Aaron Heald died in 1892, and his widow died in the spring of 1914. They were the parents of seven children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the second in order of birth, the others being Agnes Esther, Elizabeth L., Walter E., George P., Margaret Christina and Nellie Louisa.
Frank H. Heald was reared on the paternal farm in Pomme de Terre township, receiving his schooling in the early schools of that neighborhood and proving a valuable assistant to his father in the work of developing and improving the homestead until he was sixteen years of age, when he entered the harness shop of Axel Husley at Elbow Lake and learned the harness- making trade. When about eighteen years of age he began teaching school and for eleven years spent his winters as a teacher in the public schools of his home county, meanwhile extending his acquaintance throughout the county and giving at all times his earnest attention to local civic affairs, becoming one of the best-known young men in the county. In 1902 he was made the nominee of his party for register of deeds in and for Grant county and was elected to that important office, in the administration of the affairs of which he demonstrated such capacity that he has been continuously re- elected to that office and is still serving, one of the most popular and pains- taking officials about the court house at Elbow Lake.
In 1906 Frank H. Heald was united in marriage to Alice M. Marfell, who was born in Cardiff, Wales, and who had come to this country with her
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parents, and to this union three children have been born, Alice Lillie, Donovan Frederick and Agnes Sophia. The Healds have a very pleasant home at Elbow Lake and take a proper interest in the various social activities of their home town, helpful in all good works thereabout. Mr. Heald is a member of the local lodges of the Knights of Pythias, of the Modern Woodmen of America and of the Court of Honor and in the affairs of these several organ- izations takes a warm interest.
JASPER N. SANFORD.
Jasper N. Sanford, an honored pioneer of Grant county, who was one of the organizers of Elbow Lake township and chairman of the first board of supervisors of that township, where he has made his home since the year 1870, thus being one of the oldest continuous residents of the county, and the owner of a fine farm of three hundred and twenty acres in Elbow Lake township, where he is now living practically retired from the active labors of the farm, his son assuming the active management of the same, is a native of the great Keystone state, but has lived in Minnesota since he was sixteen years of age and has consequently been a witness to and a participant in the development of this region since pioneer days. He was born in Crawford county, Pennsylvania, July 14, 1854, son of Ebenezer and Lurana (Beards- ley) Sanford, the former a native of Connecticut and the latter of New York state, who later moved to Illinois, where Ebenezer Sanford spent his last days, his widow later coming to Minnesota with her children and settling in Grant county, where she died in 1892.
Ebenezer Sanford, as noted above, was born in Connecticut, where he grew to manhood, later going to Michigan, where he settled on a tract of government land, which he later sold and then returned East and located in Crawford county, Pennsylvania; where he married Lurana Beardsley, who was born in New York state, daughter of Levi and Maria Beardsley, who had moved to Crawford county when she was a girl. Ebenezer Sanford bought a farm in Crawford county and there remained until 1856, in which year he sold out and moved to Millersburg, near Rock Island, Illinois, from which place he presently went to Pike's Peak on a prospecting trip, seeking gold. He returned to his home in Illinois about the time of the breaking out of the Civil War and organized a company for service in one of the Illinois regiments, but died in 1861, before his company was sent into active service.
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To him and his wife had been born seven children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the sixth in order of birth and the eldest of whom was Francisco, who later became one of the most prominent and influential pio- neers of Grant county. Francisco Sanford left his home in Illinois when a young man and came to Minnesota, being a resident of this state when the Indian outbreak occurred in 1862. He served as a soldier during that trying period and shortly after the completion of his term of service came over to this part of the state, some years before the organization of Grant county as a civic entity, and homesteaded a tract of land in what afterward became Sanford township, which was named in his honor, he being the first home- steader in that region. Francisco Sanford took a prominent part in the early affairs of the county, served for some time as a member of the board of county commissioners ; also served as postmaster at Elbow Lake for some years and gave equally efficient service for some time as auditor of Grant county. The other children in the Sanford family were Sylvia, Newman, Sena, Susanna and James.
Jasper N. Sanford was about two years old when his parents moved from Pennsylvania to Illinois and was about seven years of age when his father died in 1861. During his boyhood days he had experience both on a farm and in a country store and when he was sixteen years old he urged his mother to leave Illinois and move to Minnesota to join his elder brother, Francisco, on the latter's homestead out here on what then was practically the western frontier of the state. Mrs. Sanford consented and thus the fam- ily emigrated to this region. Of course, Jasper N. Sanford was too young then to avail himself of a homestead privilege, but his mother homesteaded a place for him in the eastern part of what later became Elbow Lake town- ship, not far from his brother Francisco's place, and there the family home was established, a rude log house being put up for a place of shelter until a better residence could be provided. At that time there were but five neigh- bors in the entire community and the nearest market was at Benson, from which place the family had driven over by ox-team. In 1872, however, the Soo Line came out this way, passing through Herman, and that seemed to the settlers a very near market compared with what they had previously enjoyed. Mr. Sanford "made good" on the homestead tract he began to develop in the days of his boyhood and later bought a quarter of a section of railroad land adjoining his place, thus having a half section, which he still owns and which has been brought to a high state of cultivation. In the
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fall of 1883 he married and established his permanent home on his farm, ever since making that his place of residence, although for some years he has been spending his winters in New Mexico. Shortly after entering upon his homestead Mr. Sanford put out a grove of ten acres which now makes a most attractive feature of his place. He has good buildings on his place and for many years has been recognized as one of the most substantial pioneer farmers in the county. For some years. Mr. Sanford gave considerable attention to the breeding of Hereford cattle and during that time maintained a herd of from forty to fifty head. In recent years he has practically retired from the labors of the farm, his son, Paul, running the place for him. Never having exercised his homestead right, Mr. Sanford several years ago went to southwestern New Mexico and there, about sixty miles from Columbus. homesteaded a quarter of a section of land, on which he now makes his win- ter home. Mr. Sanford is a Democrat and ever since taking up his residence in Grant county has taken an active interest in civic affairs. He was one of the organizers of Elbow Lake township and served as the chairman of the first board of supervisors of that township. In the early days he was the rural postmaster in his community, long before there was a hint of such a place as the village of Elbow Lake, and in other ways served the public in pioneer days. He is a member of the Presbyterian church at Elbow Lake and both he and his son, Paul Sanford, are members of the session of that church. Mr. Sanford for many years has been specially interested in the sub- ject of ornithology, particularly as relating to the bird life of Minnesota, and many specimens which he has gathered have been sent to the Smithsonian Institute at Washington. Some years ago he made a trip to the Rio Grande river, collecting specimens as he went, and the result of his labors, a fine or- nithological collection, now graces the Smithsonian Institute.
It was on November 15, 1883. that Jasper N. Sanford was united in marriage to Melva Delawater, who was born in Ohio, daughter of Henry Delawater and wife, and to this union four children were born, namely : Paul, who is now managing the old home farm; Newman, who now lives in California, where he is going in for orange culture; Elaine, who married Don Hand and lives at Elbow Lake, and Marjorie, who married Errol McDonald and lives in Sanford township. Mrs. Sanford, who for many years had been one of the leaders in all good works in her home community, died in 1915.
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MARTIN P. JOHNSON.
The late Martin P. Johnson, for years one of the best-known and most substantial farmers of Sanford township, Grant county, one of the organ- izers of the Farmers Shipping Association and a director of the Farmers Elevator Company, was a native of Sweden, but had been a resident of Minnesota since the days of his early manhood. He was born at Onslandes, in Skone, March 11, 1858, son of Per and Anna Jenson, both natives of Sweden, whose last days were spent in their native land, though Per Jenson had spent three years in this country. Per Jenson was a farmer and he and his wife were the parents of ten children, two of whom died young, the others being as follow : Martin P., the subject of this memorial sketch; Peter Eke- lin, a well-known farmer of Sanford township; Jens Ekelund, who is still living at the old home in Sweden; Gertude, who married and died in her native land; Anna, who married Peter Iverson and died in Canada; Kari, a widow, still living in Sweden, and Cjastena, also still living in her native land.
Martin J. Johnson was reared in his native land, receiving his school- ing in the schools of his home neighborhood and early learned the carpenter's trade. When a young man he came to America with his sister, Anna, they being the first members of the family to come over; but after about four years he returned to Sweden, where he remained for about a year, at the end of which time, in company with his brother, Peter, he again crossed the ocean. Upon his return to this country he came to Minnesota and settled at Grove City, in Meeker county, where he was engaged working at the_ carpenter's trade for twelve or thirteen years. In the summer of 1891 he married there and the next year, 1892, moved over into Grant county, where he bought a farm of two hundred acres in Sanford township and there established his home. When Mr. Johnson took possession of the farm there were a few buildings on the same and it was partially broken and a small grove had been started. He began to improve the place and break up the rest of it .and in due time had a well-developed and profitably cultivated farm. There Mr. Johnson spent the rest of his life, one of the most active and influential farmers in his neighborhood, his death occurring on April 15, 1913. He was a Republican and had given good service to the community as a member of the school board. In the general business affairs of the community he ever took an active interest and was one of the organizers of the Farmers Shipping Association, which he served as a director, and was also a stockholder in the Farmers Elevator Company. Since Mr. John-
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son's death his widow continues to manage the home place and is maintaining the same excellent standard of farming established there by her late hus- band.
It was on June 6, 1891, that Martin P. Johnson was united in mar- riage to Sophia Hegg, who was born at Grove City, in Meeker county, this state, a daughter of Peter and Anna ( Mickleson) Hegg, natives of Skone, Sweden, who came to the United States during the early sixties and, pro- ceeded directly to Minnesota, settled in Meeker county, where both are still living. Peter Hegg, a well-to-do farmer of that county, enlisted for service in the Union army during the Civil War, but saw no active service. To Mr. and Mrs. Johnson twelve children were born, namely: Anna, who mar- ried Ben Wick, of Stewart, this state, and has two children, Bernice and Vernille; Arthur, who lives on a farm adjoining the home place, married Jensine Flatness and has one daughter, Margaret; Alma, who married Ole Larson, assessor of Sanford township; Andy, who died at the age of two years and six months, and Nellie, Hazel, Stella, Alice, Myrtle, Chester, Irene and Luella, who are at home with their mother.
HENRY T. LIETZ.
Henry T. Lietz, one of the prominent and successful farmers of Osakis township, Douglas county, was born at Rochester, Minnesota, on April 4, 1877, the son of Gotlieb and Minnie (Brown) Lietz, natives of Germany and of the state of Ohio, respectively. Gotlieb Lietz received the greater part of his education in the schools of his native country, where he lived until he was eleven years of age, when he came to the United States with his parents. On their arrival in this country they located on a farm in Wis- consin and there the son grew to manhood. He later came to Minnesota, and was in the vicinity of Mankato at the time of the Indian massacre in 1862. In 1874 he located in Olmsted county, where he has since lived. . He engaged in general farming and stock raising and was quite successful, at one time having been the owner of one thousand three hundred and forty acres of land. During the past ten years he has been retired from the activi- ties of the farm and has spent much of his time in travel and in visiting his old friends. Mrs. Lietz is also living on the home farm, and enjoying fairly good health. To them the following children were born: John, Min- nie, Ella, Henry T., William, Charles, George, Jesse, Paul, Margaret, Edwin,
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Eleanore and two who died in infancy. Mr. Lietz is a Democrat has always taken an active interest in local affairs and has been honored by election to local offices.
Henry T. Lietz received his education in the public schools of his home county and at Dover, Minnesota. As a lad and young man he engaged in farming with his father for a number of years, after which he removed to Minneapolis, where he resided for fifteen years; ten years of that time were spent as a barber at the Rodgers Hotel, he and his brother, William, still owning the hotel shop. In 1912 Mr. Lietz retired from the active work of the shop and purchased one hundred and sixty-two acres of his present two- hundred-and-thirty-nine acre farm in Osakis township, Douglas county. There he is successfully engaged in general farming, dairying and cattle raising. He is interested in full-blood Shorthorn cattle and is now milking some twenty cows. He believes in the keeping of the best stock and has a fine herd of dairy cattle.
On April 5, 1904, Henry T. Lietz was united in marriage to Elizabeth Jackels of St. Paul. They are attendants of the Methodist Episcopal church, are active in the social life of the community and are held in the highest regard by all who know them.
EMIL LARSON.
Emil Larson, a well-known and progressive farmer of Delaware town- ship, Grant county, is a native of the kingdom of Norway, but has been a resident of Grant county since the spring of 1889 and has thus been a wit- ness to the wonderful development that has marked this region during the past quarter of a century or more. He was born on a farm in Soler, Nor- way, September 5, 1873, son of Lars and Lena (Olson) Erickson, both natives of that same country, who are still living in their native land. To them twelve children were born, of whom but two, the subject of this sketch and his brother, Ole Moe, came to this country, the others remaining in their native land.
Emil Larson was reared on a farm and received his schooling in the schools of his neighborhood. In the spring of 1889, he then being about sixteen years of age, he came to the United States and proceeded at once to Minnesota, settling in Grant county, where he worked on farms until about the time of his marriage in 1897, when he bought a farm of one hun-
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dred and sixty acres in Delaware township and has ever since made his home on that place. When he took possession of the place it was but par- tially broken and had a set of poor buildings on it. He completed breaking the farm and later put up his present set of substantial buildings. In addition to his general farming he has given considerable attention to the raising of live stock and has done very well in his operations.
It was in 1897 that Emil Larson was united in marriage to Mary Peterson, who was born in Grant county, daughter of Peter Strand and wife, early settlers in Lien township, and to this union one child has been born, a daughter, Lena, who is at home with her parents. The Larsons are men- bers of the Lutheran church and take a warm interest in the affairs of the same, as well as in all neighborhood good works.
Ole Moe, brother of Emil Larson, was born on the family farm in Nor- way on July 27, 1871, and was reared on the farm, receiving his schooling in the neighborhood schools, remaining at home until 1892, in which year, he then being twenty-one years of age, he came to America to join his brother, Emil, in Minnesota and has ever since made his home with the latter. For some years after his arrival here he was engaged at farm labor in Grant county and he then bought a place of eighty acres in Delaware township, which he proceeded to develop. He later sold that place and bought another "eighty," which he still owns. Mr. Moe has taken a proper inter- est in the civic affairs of the community and has served his home township in the public capacity of assessor. He is a member of the United Lutheran church and is properly interested in the affairs of the same.
FRED MAHLKE.
From Germany has come a number of the industrious and painstaking farmers of Douglas county. One of this number is Fred Mahlke, of Mil- tona township, whose birth occurred in that country on September 16, 1864. He is a son of Carl and Caroline Mahlke, who spent their lives in Germany, the father spending his active life principally in the service of the govern- ment, as a forest ranger. His family consisted of six children, Bertha, Aug- usta, Minnie, Carl, Amelia and Fred.
Fred Mahlke spent his boyhood in his native land and there received his education. He emigrated to the New World in 1881, landing at New York City. From there he went to Albany, thence to Cleveland, Ohio, where
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he spent one year employed in a factory. He then came to Minnesota and bought a farm of eighty acres in section 8 of Miltona township, Douglas county, about twenty-five years ago, and there he has since resided, making a comfortable living as a general farmer. He has improved his place from time to time and has a comfortable home.
Mr. Mahlke was married to Mathilda Shultz, and to their union five children have been born, Willie, Elford, August, Walter and Edwin. Mr. Mahlke has been a member of the school board in district No. 72. He belongs to the German Lutheran church.
JOHN THOMPSON.
There is no more enthusiastic farmer in Brandon township, Douglas county, than John Thompson, who was born in Norway, December 1, 1856. He is a son of Thomas and Anna (Kleven) Thompson, both natives of Norway, where they grew up and married, and there the mother died. The father remarried and in 1865 came to America, spending one year in Wiscon- sin, then came to Goodhue county, Minnesota, and in 1867 to, Douglas county, driving overland with a party composed of a half dozen families. He had visited this locality the previous year, and then had bought one hundred and seventy-three acres in Brandon township, for which he paid one hun- dred and twenty dollars. Here he began life in primitive fashion, living in a dugout for some time. He gradually put his land under cultivation, and by perseverance won out, although undergoing many hardships. He farmed with oxen for many years. Here he married Junetta Holin, who had a homestead in the same township, and they located on her land, where he engaged in farming the rest of his life, his death occurring in 1883, at the age of sixty-one years. His widow survived him nine years. His second union was without issue, but there were two children by his first marriage. Anna, who married Christ Moe and is now living in Spokane, Washington, and John, the subject of this review.
John Thompson was nine years old when his father brought him to America and he grew up on the farm. He attended school one year in Wis- consin, and a short time after coming to Douglas county. But it was neces- sary for him to assist his father get a start in the New World, and he had little opportunity to obtain an education. He remained at home until he was married, at the age of twenty-one years, to Betsey O. Berg, a native of
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Norway. They located on the homestead, where he built a house and began farming for himself with a team of oxen. He planted a grove about that time and in 1914 he sawed about two thousand feet of lumber from it. About 1899 he built a good two-story frame house. In 1887 he built a large barn. He has made general improvements and has a good farm, now owning two hundred and fifty-three acres in all. He is now living in retire- ment, renting his land to his son. He has five children, namely: Carrie, who married Martin Halverson, a farmer of Rugby, North Dakota, and has one child; Anna, who is at home; Lena, who married Alfred Foslein, a farmer of Moe township: George, who married Jennie Bangaard, of Grant county, and Maggie, who married Oscar Rosengrin, who is engaged in the lumber business at Brandon. George Thompson, who now rents all of his father's land, received a good education. After attending the local public schools he became a student in Park Region College at Fergus Falls. He is making a success as a general farmer. He has two children, Glefern and Orine.
John Thompson has held township and school offices. He is a member of St. Peter's Norwegian Lutheran church, in which he is an officer. He is a stockholder in the Brandon Creamery, and was formerly a member of the board of directors of the same.
JOHN BOLIN.
One of the energetic farmers of Alexandria township, Douglas county, is John Bolin, who was born in Sweden, March 29, 1877, the son of Peter O. and Karon (Eastlund ) Bolin, both of whom also were natives of Sweden. Peter Bolin's wife died in Sweden in 1879, and in 1882 he came to Minne- sota, settling at once in Alexandria township, Douglas county, and there he lived until 1916, when he moved to Montana, where he had previously home- steaded a tract of three hundred and twenty acres. The children of Peter O. and Karen ( Eastlund ) Bolin were John, the immediate subject of this brief review, and Peter, who has been in the gold mines of Alaska for the last ten years. Peter O. Bolin's second wife was Emma Floding, and to this union the following children have been born, Samuel, Elmer, Julius, Ray, Effie, Edward. The family are members of the Swedish Baptist church.
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