USA > Minnesota > Freeborn County > History of Freeborn County, Minnesota > Part 63
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W. Wadsworth, one of the honored pioneers of Freeman town- ship, was born in England, September 11, 1830. He is the son
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HISTORY OF FREEBORN COUNTY
of Richard and Mary Pye Wadsworth. The subject of this sketch received his schooling in England, and followed farming as soon as he left school. In 1854 he migrated to America. first settling in Vermont. But the spirit of adventure was upon him and with it the desire for larger opportunities than the East afforded. and he sought the new and untried West. In 1856 he came to Minnesota and located a homestead in Albert Lea township. Freeborn county, which he sold some months later and purchased land in Freeman township, the same year-1856. Erecting a log cabin on the land. he went to work with the courage of the early pioneer and cleared and cultivated the farm until the outbreak of the Civil War. in 1861. He then en- listed in Company C. Fifth Regiment, Minnesota Volunteer In- fantry. After serving two and a half years he received his honorable discharge and returned to his farm. In the years that followed, by his steady industry and energy, he gradually accumulated more of the fertile soil of Freeborn township until he found himself the owner of 520 acres. Out of this he gave each of his two sons a farm of 160 acres. He still has 200 acres which he rents and from which he receives an income to provide for the wants of his retired life. Mr. Wadsworth was married on March 7. 1857. to Sarah. the daughter of John Freeman, who located in Freeman township in 1856, and for whom the township was named. Mrs. Wadsworth died April 27, 1898. Six children blessed the Wadsworth home. They are : Joseph. a farmer. living in Freeman township; George, a farmer, living in the same township; Elizabeth Ward. residing in Cali- fornia; Mary Paxton lives in Mason City. Iowa; Agnes, who keeps house for her father. and Ada (Smith) died August 20, 1901. Mr. Wadsworth is a Republican in politics, and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He is also a member of the Masonic Lodge of Albert Lea, and of the G. A. R. He has served with ability on the town board a number of years and also on the school board.
J. L. Wadsworth, one of the prosperous farmers of Freeborn county, who is fortunate enough to own 160 acres of its fertile soil, was born August 29th, 1862. He is a native of the county and is the son of W. Wadsworth. He was educated in the district schools of Freeman township. Arriving at manhood's estate he worked with his father on the farm until 1895. In that year he bought a quarter section of his own in section 15 of Freeman township and since that time has carried on general farming. He has paid special attention to dairying and the rais- ing of fine hogs and cattle. He takes great pride in his thorough- bred Shorthorns and Poland China hogs. He has sixty acres under the plow. and the balance of the farm is devoted to
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pasture. Mr. Wadsworth was married in 1890 to Katherine Herzog. Three children have blessed the home, one of which died in infancy. The two living children are Hazel and Frank. He is a Republican in politics, and is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, and the Yeoman. He has served on the school board, and at the present time is treasurer of the township.
W. C. Gruetzmacher, who owns the hardware store at Geneva, was born in Mayville, Wis., in 1869. His parents, Hermann L. and Augusta (Wolff) Gruetzmacher, were Germans, who came to America in the early days, and located in Wisconsin. They later moved to Minnesota and settled near Owatonna, where they bought land and farmed, and here the father is living at the present, the wife and mother died October 21, 1909. W. C., their son, attended the public schools, and later went to Minne- apolis where he entered the Minneapolis Conservatory of Music, and here he studied for seven years and graduated. During this time he learned the tinners' trade at St. Anthony Park, St. Paul, which occupation he worked for seven years. In 1897 he came to Geneva and erected the building in which he carries on business at present. He carries a large stock of hardware and farming implements. Mr. Gruetzmacher, in 1897, married Emma R. Iwig, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Philip J. Iwig, and they are the parents of two children: Luella and Verna, both at home. Mr. Gruetzmacher is very much interested in music and has been leader of several bands for years. He is an independent political voter, though he has been a Republican. His prosperity is due to his own hard work and determination to succeed; he often relates the story of his start in business when the total amount of his capital was fifty cents.
N. P. Larsen has been a resident of this county for nearly thirty-six years. He was born in Denmark, March 30, 1855, son of Lars and Dorthea (Green) Christopherson. He emigrated from his native land to America in 1874, and when first arriving here he worked at whatever would yield him the greatest income. One year after his coming his parents crossed the ocean to this country, and came to Albert Lea township where, combining hard work with frugality they spent the greater part of their lives tilling the soil, which yielded abundantly, thus rewarding their untiring efforts. In 1899 the wife and mother passed away and the father's death occured six years later. The subject of this biography married Sophia Olsen in 1881, and they became the parents of five children: Hans, Laura, Dora, Karl and Marie. As the years passed this wife died, and later in life Mr. Larsen and Mary Larsen were united in matrimony, four children are the result of this union: Adler, Evangeline, Robert and Philip. Of the 130 acres owned by Mr. Larsen, nearly 100
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are under cultivation, while twenty acres comprise a grove which borders on Pickerel lake. The remainder of his farm supports his fine dairy herd, and the milk from this herd is daily shipped to meet the increasing demands of the city consumers. Mr. Larson is justly proud of his well improved and fertile farm, knowing that. its present excellent condition is due to years of unceasing toil. Though he has never entered into politics to any degree he favors the principles of the Republicans. He regularly attends the Lutheran Church of which he is an esteemed member.
Oscar Rood is a prosperous farmer residing in Albert Lea township. His parents, John C. and Mary Rood, came to this country from Norway, and settled first in Wisconsin, where the subject of this sketch was born, October 13, 1860. He is one of a family of eight children, six of whom are yet living. When he was fifteen years' old the family came to Albert Lea township and here engaged in farming, and it was here that the father and mother passed away. Mr. Rood received his education in the common schools, and after leaving his studies began farm- ing, an occupation at which he has been most successful. He owns 1761/2 acres of land which borders on the lake front, and has about ninety acres under cultivation. His well improved and valuable farm has been made so by the hard work and careful management of himself and father. In political views Mr. Rood favors the Republican party, but his many duties on his farm have kept him from seeking any public office.
N. H. Hoyne is one of the leading and substantial residents of Freeman township. He has occupied many responsible offices in his community, having been elected as chairman of the town board for the past eight years, and clerk for four years, and at present he is school treasurer in district 66. He was born in Freeborn county, Minnesota, October 28, 1869, son of Hover Ingebretson and Dorthea (Lien) Hoyne, natives of Norway, who came to America in the early days, where they met and were married. They went to Yankton, North Dakota, and homesteaded a claim but left at the time of the Indian War, in 1863, and moved to Hayward. Here they acquired some land, but a year later went to Freeman and pre-empted a claim where they reared their family and made their home, and the father passed away here, in 1886; the mother is living with her son, N. H., on the old home- stead, at the present time. Mr. Hoyne has a valuable farm of 310 acres including the eighty acres in the old homestead still owned by his mother, of which 150 acres are plowed and the remainder is in pasture, meadow and timber. Forty acres of land are situated in Nunda township, and these are mostly timber. He raises Shorthorn cattle and a cross breed of Poland China and
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N. H. HOYNE
حساسية
MR. AND MRS. OLE JOHNSON
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Duroc-Jersey hogs, and he is also interested in dairy farming, selling cream to Albert Lea creamery. In 1907, Clara M. Over- land became his wife, and to this marriage two children have - been born: Herbert A. and Grant G. Mr. Hoyne attends the Lutheran Church and is a substantial contributor to its financial support. His political ideas coincide with those advanced by the Republican party.
Ole Johnson, who is a veteran of the Civil War, is a native of Norway, and was born October 28, 1842, son of John- and Anna Johnson, who came to America with son Ole in 1861, and located in Iowa. From here they moved to Freeman township, this county, in 1871, and here they lived with subject of this sketch until their death, the father dying in 1886 and the mother several years before. Ole Johnson received his education in Nor- way. When he came to Iowa with his parents in 1861 the recruits were being sent to the south for the defense of the Union. He en- listed in Company A, Eighteenth Regiment, Iowa Volunteer Infan- try, and for the whole of the war he suffered the privations and hardships incident to the life of those who saw the heat of the con- flict and took a part in the strife. Mr. Johnson is very modest in regard to his experiences in the war, but it is certain that he performed his duties honorably, as he was held in high regard by his comrades. On returning from the war he at once took up the pursuits of peace, in the form of agriculture, on his farm in Iowa, and later in Freeman township, where he settled in 1871. To his original 160 acres he added, and now has over 400 acres. He has engaged in diversified farming, and has made a special effort to raise a good grade of Shorthorn stock and keep. an up-to-date dairy farm. On his well equipped farm he has made all the improvements. In 1866 Mr. Johnson married Bertha Erickson, who died in 1873. To this union was born one child, Carl, of St. Louis county, Minnesota. In 1875 Mrs. Anna Groven (she had one daughter by her first marriage-Avena, now Mrs. T. Lundwal, of Roseau county) became his second wife, and to them were born six children: Reinert, at home; Hanna, now of Albert Lea; Andrew, of Washington, and Alexander, Harold and Agnes are at home. The subject of this biography is a member of the Lutheran Church. He is a Republican and has held offices of trust at various times, among which were several terms as member of the school board.
A. O. Storvik, the well known farmer of Freeman, is a native of Norway, and was born February 16, 1847, the son of Ole and Bertha Storvik. His father farmed in Norway till his death. and his mother is still living in the old country, now ninety-five years of age. The subject of this biography attended school in Norway until fourteen years of age, and then joined a party of
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his countrymen and came to the United States, settling first in Winneshiek county, Iowa, where he worked out and later farmed thirteen years. He wished to go farther west, and in 1872 went to Nebraska where he took a claim which he farmed eight years. Not liking this state as well as he had hoped to, he sold out and returned to Iowa, and located in Buena Vista county, where he rented land and each fall ran a threshing machine. for four years. At the end of this time he came to Freeborn county and bought 200 acres in Freeman township, where he lives today. Knowing that he was here to make his permanent home. he built substantial buildings and made all the many improvements which now make this one of the excellent farms of the county. He follows general and dairy farming and keeps a herd of high grade Shorthorn cattle, but is changing to the Holstein breed. He annually raises a large number of full blood Durock Jersey hogs, and in horses he keeps a good number of mixed breed for farm and driving purposes. In 1871 he married Christina T. Tangen, a native of Illinois, and this union has been blessed with ten children, eight of whom are still living: Ole. of Albert Lea, is state inspector of dairy foods; Tosten, a butter maker by trade, is farming in Freeman; Bertha, widow of Otto Knutson, lives at home; Edward, formerly a teacher. is now mail clerk in Albert Lea; Andrana, Alert and Ella are at home; Amanda is a graduate of Luther Academy . and of the Sioux Falls Lutheran Normal. Mr. Storvik is an inde- pendent voter. and has served on the town board some years, and is at present director of the school board in his home district. He is also president of Freeman creamery. a stock holder in the Freeman Telephone Company, was two years one of the trustees of Luther Academy, of Albert Lea, and is representative of the Manchester Insurance Company. as well as being interested in other organizations and business ventures. He is a member of the Lutheran Church, and director of the choir of the Round Prairie Church, also secretary of this congregation. and of the United Congregation of London. Lyle and Glenville Lutheran Churches.
John J. Kalstad is a progressive farmer of Freeman township, son of Johanas and Karen Kalstad. who came to the United States from Norway in 1861. and settled in Freeman. where they purchased eighty acres of land in section 23 and made their home. It was here that the subject of this sketch was born May 19, 1864, and here the parents died. the mother in 1889, and the father sixteen years later. John J .. their son, spent his boyhood attending the common schools and assisting his father. on the farm. and 1886 he assumed entire charge of the place and has since added to it 480 acres. he here carries on general as well
JOHN J. KALSTAD AND FAMILY
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as dairy farm work. Among the many improvements which Mr. Kalstad has made on his property is a fine new house, this is modern in every respect and a home of which he is justly proud. In 1886 he married Amelia Anderson, daughter of Jens Ander- son, of Freeman, and eight children have been born to them : Julius, who lives at Albert Lea ; Casper, now in Waterloo, Iowa ; · Adelia, married Albert Haugen, of Waterloo, Iowa; Cornelia, Milford, Beatrice, Carl and. Augustus are all at home. The tenets of the Republican party are endorsed by Mr. Kalstad, and he is a staunch supporter of the Lutheran Church; he has held various offices in his township, served on school and town board, and is a stockholder in the Glenville Citizens State Bank, and in the Glenville Creamery. He owned property in Albert Lea on Lake boulevard, where he resided for three years, after which he sold and returned to the home of his boyhood days, on the farm.
Torger Haraldson has been a resident of Freeman township for many years, devoting his energies to developing his land and making many improvements thereon. He was born in Nor- way, October 13, 1856, but came to this country with his parents when a small boy, in 1861. He assisted his father with the farm work, and attended school in Freeman, and after completing his education he followed general farming, receiving some land from his father to which he has added as his success permitted, until at the present time he owns 280 acres. About 130 acres of his farm he has under cultivation yielding abundant crops each year. He is also most successful with Shorthorn cattle, and keeps a good herd of them, and he raises many Durock-Jersey hogs to supply the needs of his family and for occasional market. Petra Stovern, daughter of A. O. Stovern, of this county became his wife in 1890, and their home has been brightened by the arrival of five children: Armond, Harry, Clarence, Parnell and Olga. Mr. Haraldson has ever been actively interested in the affairs of his township, serving on both town and schovi board for many years. He is a respected member of the Lutheran Church, and in politics he endorses the sentiments of the Repub- lican party. He has many other business interests, being a stock- holder in the Freeman Dairy Association and a telephone com- pany.
A. C. Aanrud, a progressive farmer, whose home is in Freeman township, came to America with his parents when he was a boy ten years of age. He was born in Norway, February 14, 1856, son of Christian and Ingeborg Aanrud, who settled in Freeman in 1866, and bought a farm of 120 acres in section 29, where they followed farming until the time of their retirement from active employment thirty years later. Both are dead. In attending
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school and helping his father on the farm, were the boyhood days of the subject of this sketch spent, and when he attained his majority he left the old home and went to California, where he remained for two years. He then returned to Freeman and bought forty acres of land, to which he has added as circum- stances have permitted, and at the present time he has 220 acres, where he is conducting general and dairy farming most successfully. The excellent condition of his farm today, is the result of Mr. Aanrud's own hard work, he has improved all the buildings and kept them in repair. He has about seventy-five acres of land under cultivation, and raises good crops each year, the reward for weeks and months of unceasing toil. Olava Gord- hammer, of Iowa, married Mr. Aanrud on December 26, 1887, and they are the parents of eight children: Ida Hanson, living in Cottonwood county ; Carl, Louisa, Sophia, Alma, Julia, Louis and Clarence, at home. Mr. Aanrud has taken an active part in the affairs of his township; serving as clerk of the school board, and town clerk for a period of two years. He is secretary of the Farmers' Telephone Company, and one of its stock holders, and owns stock in the lumber yards at Emmons. He is director, also member of the Round Prairie Farmers' Threshing Company, and these many interests have occupied so much of his time that he does not mingle in politics to any extent though he votes with the Republican party. He attends the Lutheran Church of which he is a prominent member.
W. G. Freeman, one of the prominent citizens of Freeman township, came to the locality in which he now lives, with his parents, Mark and Mary (Sevey) Freeman, being grandson of John Freeman, the pioneer. These estimable people were among the earliest settlers of that part of the county, and from them the township of Freeman derived its name. The hardships con- fronting them so discouraged them that after spending two years in this wild place they returned to their old home in Illinois. Here they could not content themselves, despite the fact that they were surrounded by friends and the comforts of civilization so they again came west, and settled near their former home, and it was here that they engaged in farming until the present time, having 240 acres of land under cultivation. When a boy the son, W. G., attended the schools near home, and helped his father in caring for and improving his property. By the time he had finished school he was well versed in the principles of general farming and was employed by his father. At the present time he owns eighty acres to which he has given careful attention resulting in a well improved and up-to-date farm. He was mar- ried in 1889 to Minnie Perkins, of Worth county, Iowa. Five children have blessed this union: Roy, Milon, Elsie, Perry and
MR. AND MRS. ANDREW LARSON
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Luella. Mr. Freeman is a Republican in politics, and he is a member of the Masonic Lodge of Albert Lea. He is serving as treasurer of the school board and has been road overseer for three years. He is one of the stockholders in the Freeman Creamery Association; also stockholder in the Freeman Thresh- ing Machine Company, and in every respect an energetic, public spirited man.
Andrew Larson, an extensive land owner and capable farmer residing in Freeman township, started out in life for himself in 1871. Leaving his old home in Sweden and coming to the United States, he purchased 160 acres of land in Freeman town- ship, which he has developed, improved and added to, until at the present date he owns 280 acres in all. Here Mr. Larson has carried on general also dairy farming most successfully, and prefers the Shorthorn cattle for general dairy purposes. He raises many hogs for market, which has been a profitable occu- pation. His success in this country encouraged his parents, Lars and Ingra (Nelson) Olson, to follow his. example, and they left Sweden and arrived in America in the late seventies. They located near their son in Freeman, and bought land there and farmed until their advanced years prevented such activities. The father died about ten years after coming to this country, and the mother some time later. Mr. Larson was married to Margreta Jorgenson, of Swedish origin, in 1878, and five children have been born to them: Andrew G., of Hayward, Minn .; Oscar, Albin, Augusta, Esther, student at the Albert Lea Business Col- lege, and Olof, deceased. As one of the organizers of the Glenville Creamery, he has the respect of his fellowmen, which is also indicated by his long service as treasurer and clerk on the school board, being one of its directors at the present time. He owns a house and lot on Fifth street, in Albert Lea, which he rents; also has an acre of land just outside the city limits of Albert Lea-it being lot No. 3, in what is known as the Hewit block. He attends the Lutheran Church, and in politics votes the Republican ticket. Mrs. Larson was born February. 3,. 1851, in Sweden, daughter of Jorgen Nelson and Hannah Jenson, natives of Norway, where they lived and died. Mrs. Larson came to America in 1872, locating at Jamestown, N. Y. She came to Minnesota February 7, 1878.
James B. Hayes, the capable postmaster of Oakland, is the son of James B. and Jessie (Dearmin) Hayes, and was born in Moscow township, August 30, 1888. He was educated in the common schools of the county and when sixteen years of age he took charge of his father's farm, his father having died in 1904. He was here actively engaged for six years. In 1910 he moved to the village of Oakland and became postmaster, which
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position he has filled to the present time. He was also manager of the Oakland store from October 4, 1910, until March 14, 1911. From that time until the present he has been agent for the C. M. & St. P. railway, at Oakland. On August 29, 1909, he mar- ried Alma M. Carlson, and to them has been born one child, Mau- rice. Mr. and Mrs. Hayes are members of the Presbyterian Church. In politics he is Republican.
Peter Hemmingsen, successful business man of Alden, is of Danish birth and parentage, and was born September 15, 1864, son of Laurits and Andrene, who both lived their lives in their native land. Their son Peter attended the elementary schools of Denmark, later worked on the farm and did duty in the national navy. Having served his time in the navy he started to learn the bakery trade and business, but had the misfortune to have a long illness. After his recovery he emigrated and came to the United States in April, 1887. He settled in Alden and for one year worked on a farm, and followed this with two years of railroad work. He was later employed more than two years by a firm which sold implements and machinery. He was ambitious to get into business for himself, and went to Minne- apolis where he learned the barber trade, and on his return opened a barber business, which he conducted three years. This business he later disposed of, and engaged in other lines, and finally opened a business in drugs and furniture which he suc- cessfully conducted seven years. After the seven years of suc- cess in drugs an opportunity came to dispose of the drug business to advantage, and he sold this department, and now conducts his furniture business to which he has added undertaking. In 1894 he married Marie Hanson, also a native of Denmark, and to them have been born six children: Irene, Irwin, Effie, Vivian, Sylvia and Peter. On December 2, 1906, Mr. Hemmingsen's wife died. Mr. Hemmingsen is a member of the Lutheran Church. In politics he is Republican. He belongs to the Danish Brother- hood.
T. C. Nelson, a progressive farmer of Albert Lea township, is one of the well known men in that locality. He owns 120 acres of land about three miles of the city of Albert Lea, and here carries on general farming together with dairying and raising hogs. He was born February 5, 1882, in Albert Lea, son of Danish parents, who came to America in the early days and established their home in this country. His early boyhood was spent in school and at work on the farm, and at the age of fourteen years he began earning his own living. For several years he was employed by different farmers in the township, and saved his hard earned money until he could begin making payments on a farm of his own. He first acquired the old home-
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