USA > Minnesota > Freeborn County > History of Freeborn County, Minnesota > Part 68
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S. A. BEACH
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was first stationed at Ripley Fort, Minnesota, near Brainerd, but during the summer it was ordered to Yellow Medicine, where it was present at the payment of the Indians. August 22 it partici- . pated in a battle of Fort Ridgley, near New Elm, where Sergeant Blackmer received a severe gunshot wound in the face, jaw and tongue. In consequence of thus being disabled he received a dis- charge from the service in October of the same year. The ball was removed from his face by Dr. A. A. Ames, of Minneapolis, then assistant surgeon of the Seventh regiment, and for some time he remained in the hospitals suffering from the wound and the fever. The long scar resulting from the wound in the tongue was the cause of much trouble to him during all his after life, as at times he suffered much pain and discomfort before his death. After being discharged he went to Chicago and worked on the morning papers during the winter as compositor. In 1863, at the age of sixteen, he entered the academic department of Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio, sawing wood, setting type and doing other work to pay tuition and board. He had already decided to study medicine, and while at Oberlin spent some time in the office of Dr. Bruce. After a short course at Oberlin he became a student at the medical school at Cleveland, Ohio, now known as the Cleveland Medical College. He graduated from this institution in February, 1868, and after receiving the neces- sary hospital practice returned to Albert Lea, entered into part- nership with Dr. Wedge and commenced at once upon a profes- sional career, which lasted thirty-two years. October 15, 1872, Dr. Blackmer was united in marriage to Franc E. Wedge, of Fond du Lac, Wis. The following spring they removed to Jack- son, Minn., where the doctor had purchased considerable farm land. But the grasshoppers came, and at the end of the first year they returned to Albert Lea, where they continued to reside. Dr. Blackmer was survived by a wife, a son, Ray C. Blackmer, and a daughter, Mrs. Anna Gillrup, a sister, Mrs. A. C. Wedge, and four brothers, Loren and Heman living and Henry and Brad- ford deceased.
S. A. Beach, a prosperous and well-known farmer residing in Manchester township, was born in Ashford, Cattaraugus county, New York, November 18, 1857. His parents were Horace M. and Sarah (Hyde) Beach, both of New York. The father came to Minnesota and brought his family in 1858, settling in Manchester township, on section 18. Here he was occupied in farming inter- ests until the Civil War broke out, when he enlisted in Company C, Fifth Minnesota volunteer infantry. He was shot and mortally wounded in the battle of Nashville and later died at New Albany Hospital, Indiana. After his death the family returned to New York, where they remained until 1880 and then came back to
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Minnesota. S. A. purchased the old homestead, buying out the heirs, and now owns a farm of 194 acres in section 18, where he carries on diversified farming, and where he has erected some fine buildings. He married Mary C. Schoen, and to them seven children have been born: John A., Amy, Myrtle, Horace, Lee R. and Albert D. Mary E. has passed away. Mr. Beach is an inde- pendent voter, has held the office of town constable for several years, and has also been a member of the school board for twenty years. He is in every respect a public-spirited citizen. Mr. Beach is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America of Alden and a stockholder in the Freeborn creamery.
Adelbert H. Bender, cashier of the First State Bank at Glen- ville, Minn., is one of the prominent business men in that locality. He was born in Alpha, Fayette county, Iowa, August 27, 1872, son of Henry A. and Juliette (Stone) Bender. Beginning his education in the district school near his old home and later attending Decorah Institute, he was prepared to enter business college and subsequently completed a course in the Valder Busi- ness College at Decorah. His first position after leaving school was as bookkeeper in the bank at Waucoma, in which capacity he was employed for five years. At the end of this period he resigned from his position in the bank and was a solicitor for a fire insurance company, and he represented this firm for four years. In 1899 he came to Glenville and organized the bank there, which later was made the State Bank. He was married in 1895 to Viola B. Clark, whose parents, Andrew and Jane (Orr) Clark, were natives of Scotland, and after coming to America first made their home in Canada and later in Iowa, where the father died in 1909 and the mother a year later. To Mr. and Mrs. Bender a daughter has been born-Gladys. Mr. Bender is a Republican of the progressive type, and his religious faith is that of the Methodist Church, of which he is a member and to the support of which he is a liberal contributor. His good educa- tion, together with his years of business experience, have well fitted him for the position of trust and responsibility which he now occupies, and his business methods have won the admiration and respect of the people in the community and county. David Bender, grandfather of Adelbert H. Bender, was a native of Indiana, who came to Minnesota and located near Spring Valley, where he remained for about three years, after which he went to Nebraska and later to the state of Washington, where he passed the remainder of his days. Henry A., the son, moved to Iowa and married Juliette Stone, who came west from New York. When President Lincoln issued the call for men to defend the Union, Mr. Bender enlisted in the Twenty-seventh Iowa volunteer infantry and went to the front. He was wounded during one of
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the battles and honorably discharged. He returned to his home in Iowa and for many years was engaged in farming. About 1903, he moved into the town of Fayette, Iowa, where he and his wife are living at the present time.
Horatio D. Brown, now deceased, was well known in Albert Lea and Freeborn county, and he had a large acquaintance throughout Minnesota and the Northwest. He came to Freeborn county as a young man of twenty-one and kept abreast and in the lead of its progress during all the years of growth and -de- velopment. For a generation he was a most important factor in the commercial affairs in both city and county, and one of the most prominent leaders in the political, social, educational and religious life of the community. As a youthful pioneer he was industrious and progressive, with faith in the future. As a soldier he was brave and courageous and a prudent and kind officer. As a public official he was upright and competent and a wise legislator. As a banker he was the safe custodian of the property of others. As a church member and college trustee he was an earnest Christian and a friend and patron of higher edu- cation. As a citizen he was patriotic, loyal and public-spirited, always ready to aid in any project to advance the interests of the community of which he was a member. Mr. Brown possessed a kindly, sympathetic disposition. He was careful in business but humane, gave liberally to charity and donated much time and money to the advancement of the cause of education and religion. All who knew him esteemed him. His death removed one of the few remaining men to whose courage and industry was due the transformation of the wilderness of a generation ago into the garden spot of today. Horatio D. Brown was born in the town of Fabius, Onondaga county, New York, April 15, 1835. He was a son of Abner Brown, a native of Hartford, Conn., whose father immigrated to New York and settled in Onondaga county in the latter part of the eighteenth century, when the country was a great wilderness. He served in the War of 1812 against the mother country, and some of his ancestors were soldiers in the war of the Revolution. The mother of Horatio was Lovina Cad- well and was also of old New England stock. Abner Brown, his father, was a farmer and reared a large family of children. Horatio D. Brown was raised on the home farm, attended the common school and later prepared for college at the DeRuyter and Cazenovia seminaries, and in 1852 entered Union College at Schenectady, N. Y., from which he graduated in 1856. He came west the same year and spent about one year teaching in Illinois and Iowa. In 1856, at the age of twenty-one, he removed to born county, six miles southeast of Albert Lea. There were but Minnesota and located a claim in the town of Hayward, Free-
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few families living in the county at that time. He had brought with him a compass and was soon engaged in surveying. In 1857 he was elected the first surveyor of Freeborn county and moved to Albert Lea. Ile was soon after appointed deputy clerk of the district court, and in 1861, he was elected to that office and held it for ten years. He was married, December 19, 1861, to Mary L. Peck, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harris Peck, of Albert Lea. Mr. Brown enlisted March 9, 1862, in Company C, Fifth Minnesota volunteer infantry. He was mustered in as second lieutenant, August 31. 1862. His company was ordered south the December following and joined the regiment at La Grange, Tenn. He was engaged with his regiment, under the command of General Grant, in the action at Jackson. Miss., May 14, 1863; at Vicksburg, May 22; at Mechanicsburg, Miss., June 3; at Rich- mond, La., June 15, and participated in the siege at Vicksburg from May 19 until July 4, 1863, when the rebel forces capitu- lated. His regiment was included in the contingent sent from General Grant's command to the assistance of General Banks in his Red River expedition, and was in the engagement at De Russy, La .. March 4, 1864; at Henderson, April 9; at Coulerville, La., April 23; at Bayou Roberts, May 8; Mensura, May 15; Yellow Bayou, May 18, 1864. Iu August, 1864, Mr. Brown was trans- ferred to the Eleventh Minnesota volunteer infantry as adjutant, and was with the regiment during the service in and around Nashville, Tenn. He was mustered out of service at St. Paul in July, 1865, after three years of active service, and resumed his duties as clerk of the district court. In 1871 Mr. Brown resigned the office of clerk of court and organized the private bank of H. D. Brown. and later, with R. R. P. Hibbs, the banking house of H. D. Brown & Co. This firm continued in business until March, 1892, when the Albert Lea National Bank was incor- porated and Mr. Brown was elected president. This position he occupied up to within a month of his death. In 1871 Mr. Brown was elected to the state senate and served one term. He was always a Republican in politics. He also served the city of Albert Lea as mayor and was active and prominent in all matters per- taining to the welfare and building up of Albert Lea and Free- born county. He was president of the Minnesota Bankers' Asso- ciation in 1899. For years, and up to the time of his death, he was a member and trustee of the Presbyterian church of Albert Lea and a trustee and treasurer of Albert Lea College, earnestly serving both by personal effort, influence and liberal contribu- tions in a material way. He died August 3, 1901. Mrs. Brown was Mary L. Peck, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harris Peck, of Albert Lea. Mr. and Mrs. Peck were both born near Rochester, N. Y .. but came in early life to Ohio, where Mr. Peck helped to
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build two of the pioneer railroads of the state. With his wife and daughter he came to Freeborn county in 1858, thus suffering with others the privations and hardships of pioneer life. They cheerfully gave of their substance to those who had come in be- fore them and had been overtaken by misfortune. Mrs. Peck died in 1889 at the age of eighty-one years. Mr. Peck lived to be eighty-six years old, dying in 1892.
B. E. Bottolfson has a well cared for farm about four miles from the city of Albert Lea. This farm comprises eighty acres of land and it is the old Bottolfson homestead, where for many long and eventful years Andrew and Irene (Berg) Bottolfson lived and reared their family of five children: Bottol, now deceased; Iver A., B. E., Caroline and Andrew. These parents came to America from Norway and settled in Bancroft township in 1855, where the father died in 1884. B. E., the subject of this sketch, was born November 7, 1864, and spent the early years of his boy- hood in attending the district school and doing such general farm work as is required of the farmers' sons. After leaving school he devoted all his time and attention to agricultural pur- suits, as his well-improved home and farm bear witness. He keeps a herd of dairy cattle and sells cream to the Albert Lea Creamery. He also raises graded hogs and stock for market pur- poses. As treasurer of the school district No. 58 and treasurer of the Manchester Farmers' Mutual Insurance Company, which office he has held for ten years, Mr. Bottolfson has demonstrated be- yond a doubt that he is well fitted to occupy any office of trust and responsibility to which he may be elected. Emma Narveson became his wife in 1895 and their home has been brightened by the birth of four children : Elder, Irving, Ella and Lumen. Po- litically, Mr. Bottolfson affiliates with the Republican party, and his genial manner and sound judgment have placed him in the high regard of the residents of Bancroft township.
C. U. Christenson was born in Denmark, January 15, 1852, son of C. U. and Johanna Christenson. His father was a mason by trade, but also carried on the work of a small farm which he owned. He died in Denmark in 1868 and the mother died in 1902. The subject of this biography received his education in Denmark, where he did service in the army and later worked on farms until he was twenty-four years of age. In 1876 he came to the United States and located in Geneva township, Freeborn county, where he worked out several years and saved his earnings. With his savings he purchased 132 acres in section 10, Riceland township, to which original purchase he has added until he now owns 446 acres. He follows general and dairy farming, keeps a herd of grade short-horn cattle and raises Poland-China hogs, as well as poultry for occasional market. In 1882 he married Carry M.
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HISTORY OF FREEBORN COUNTY
Christenson, a native of Denmark, daughter of John Christenson, one of the early settlers of Freeborn county. This union has been blessed with twelve children, ten of whom are living: John is a farmer in Riceland, Laura lives in California, Tina lives in Wash- ington, Julius, Johanna, Elmer, Rosa, Pearl and Clarence are at home. Mr. Christenson is a respected member of the Lutheran Church. In politics he is a Republican and has held many offices, among which are supervisor of the town, chairman of the town fifteen years, member of the school board twenty-two years, vice- president of Riceland creamery, director of the Farmers' Union and many minor offices. He is a member of the Danish Brother- hood and owns stock in the elevator at Hayward. Mr. Christen- son is a self-made man and from his hard work and ability to make friends he has made himself successful and has done this with no injury to those with whom he has had dealings.
L. O. Braaten, a leading farmer who has been a resident of this county for many years, was born in Norway, July 13, 1845, son of Lars and Guro (Larson) Braaten, the former of whom died before the subject of this sketch came to the United States. At the age of ten years he and his widowed mother came to America and located at St. Ansgar, Iowa. Here they resided until 1865 and at that time learning of the opportunities offered in Minne- sota, they moved to Hayward township and bought eighty acres of railroad land and here established their home. As the years passed they toiled and prospered, and to this farm added until he has 175 acres, which are now under a high state of cultivation. The trees which surround Mr. Braaten's home today were planted by him and the large and attractive house was built by him as an evidence of his success and prosperity. For many years he followed diversified farming, keeping a fine herd of short-horn cattle for general dairy purposes and also raising many hogs to meet the increasing demand of the markets, pre- ferring Poland-China and Duroc-Jerseys. Eliza Nelson, born in Norway, became the wife of Mr. Braaten in January, 1868, and to them were born three children: Elsie, Lauritz and Thorvold. The two latter are deceased. In 1872 Eliza (Nelson) Braaten died and later in life Bertha Marie Bjornrud was married to Mr. Braaten, in January, 1874, and this union has resulted in six children : Emma M., Hannah G., Lizzie M., Lydia, Ludwig and Wilhelm. Emma is now Mrs. Louis Narverud, of Albert Lea, and Elsie is now Mrs. Gust Gilbert, of Rio, Wis. Mr. Braaten has the confidence of his townsmen and he has served in the township's interests in many ways, having acted as town treas- urer, director of the school board and in minor offices a number of years. He is a director of the Manchester Insurance Company and an originator of the local creamery. As the vice-president of
L. O. BRAATEN
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the Farmers' State Bank, of Hayward, and one of its directors, his good judgment and common sense are valued highly by those associated with him. He contributes to the support of the Lutheran Church, of which he is a member, and in politics his ideas are Republican. Mr. Braaten has just purchased one of the finest residences in Hayward village, where he and his good wife and family are living and enjoying a well-deserved and hard- earned rest.
W. H. Coon, who for the past thirty-five years has been a resident of Carlston township, was born in Trempeleau county, Illinois, January 27, 1842. When he was but seven months old his father passed away and his mother took him and his elder brother back to New York, where they remained a year and then returned to Illinois. Later the family moved to Washington county, Wisconsin, and when the call came for brave men to defend the Union, William, the subject of this biography, enlisted in Company I, Twenty-ninth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. He saw active service in many of the bloody battles of that war and was honorably discharged in 1865. He then returned to Wis- consin and married Sarah Jane Bogue, and they went to Nebraska, where he was engaged in farming and where they made their home for five years. In 1871 they moved back to Wisconsin, and after remaining there for a few years came to Minnesota in 1878 and settled in Carlston township. Mr. Coon owns a fine farm, consisting of 160 acres of fertile land, and he has built a com. fortable house and good barns, and believes in modern farming methods. He carries on general farming, together with dairying, and is also interested in stock raising. His wife entered into rest September 13, 1908, and is survived by her husband and four children : Willard, of North Dakota, Edna J., Milo and Frederich. Mr. Coon is an industrious and energetic man, who is interested in any enterprise which tends toward the betterment of his town- ship and the county in which he resides. He is a Republican in politics and served on the town and school boards many years. He is a member of the Universalist Church.
Harold Dahlen, the county superintendent of schools in Free- born county, is a native of Norway, born in that country April 8, 1871, son of Torger and Martha (Grinager) Dahlen, who came to the United States in 1872, locating in Freeborn county. The father farmed for a time, dying soon after he came here. The mother later married Henry King and lives in Albert Lea town- ship. The subject of this sketch gained his education in the com- mon schools of this county. Upon leaving school he taught for two years, and then took an advance course at the Mankato Normal School. Completing this course he taught in the rural schools and in Freeborn village for several years. In 1908 he
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was elected county superintendent of schools and has served the county in this capacity ever since. Mr. Dahlen is a Republican and attends the English Lutheran Church. He makes his home in Albert Lea. Under his supervision are 133 schools, of which forty are special state aid schools, and three graded schools. He also has five semi-graded schools. Mr. Dahlen is a man eminently fitted for his position. Of a genial disposition, which wins the friendship of scholars, parents and teachers, he is nevertheless firm when necessary, and his tact and good judgment are impor- tant factors in the high standard maintained by Freeborn county schools. He is also a deep student, well versed in all the latest developments in pedagogical science.
R. E. Dewey, the genial postmaster of Hayward, is the son of J. Harriet (Eddy) Dewey, natives of Illinois. J. Dewey was a blacksmith by trade, which work he followed in Creston, Ill., until 1895. He then came to Hayward village, where he engaged in business for two years, and later returned to Illinois, locating in De Kalb, where he still resides. Mrs. Dewey died in 1878. R. E. Dewey was born September 6, 1877, in Malta, Ill. When six months old his mother died and he went to the home of his grandparents at Creston, Ill. When seven years old he went to Carleton, Neb., with his grandmother and graduated from the Carleton high school in 1896. One year after graduating he came to Hayward, where he taught school seven years. He later was employed in a general store in this village and still holds this position. In 1904 he was appointed postmaster and continues to serve the community in this capacity. Mr. Dewey is a Republican and that he is an active one is evidenced by his appointment to his present high office. He has served as constable the past four years. Mr. Dewey's enthusiasm and agreeable manner make him a good officer in the postmaster's position.
Fred Crisman, who for many years has occupied prominent offices in the township in which he makes his home, came to London from Indiana in 1881. He was born in Ohio. October 12, 1849, son of Benjamin and Elizabeth (Baughman) Crisman. In 1850 his father moved the family to Indiana, where he farmed for thirty-one years. Fred lived at home until twenty years of age, after which he worked out for three years. He then rented some land and began farming and later purchased a farm in Pleasant township, Porter county, Indiana, which he sold in 1881 and came to Minnesota, locating in London township, this county. He bought 120 acres in section 11 and eighty acres in section 10. When Mr. Crisman purchased this land it was a barren waste, covered with stubble. He broke and improved the land, set out the shade and ornamental trees which so beautify the place, and also planted a fine orchard of sixty-five trees, which now bear
C. H. DERBY
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HISTORY OF FREEBORN COUNTY
abundant crops of winter apples, this orchard being the pride of Mr. Crisman and his family. He followed general farming until ten years ago, when he rented most of his land and engaged in stock raising. He raises pure-bred Poland-China hogs and Nor- man horses and keeps for his own use only driving horses. On December 5, 1872, Loretta Davison, a daughter of R. P. Davison, became his wife and their marriage has resulted in the following children : Ida, who married H. S. Chandler; Elizabeth, the wife of W. J. Dunn, and Cecil, who is at home with her parents. Mr. Crisman votes with the Republican party and has been supervisor of London for a period of ten years. He has also been on the school board for a similar length of time and at present he is the president of the London State Bank and president of the Enterprise Co-operative Creamery of London, serving with effi- ciency in all offices to which he has been elected.
Charles H. Derby, a venerable resident of Freeborn village was born in the state of New York, October 7, 1832, son of John F. and Sarah A. (Haight) Derby. In 1854 he came west, remaining for a short time in La Crosse county, Wisconsin, and then return- ing east, where he spent the following three years in Virginia. He again came west in 1857 and was employed in St. Paul for a year, after which he went to Wisconsin, and in 1864 he came to the township of Freeborn. Here he purchased a farm in section 23 and engaged in diversified farming. He was married on March 24, 1854, to Harriet E. St. John, daughter of M. B. and Permelia St. John, and this union was blessed by the birth of three children : Clara, the wife of Charles Leonard ; Frank, who married Emma Kruger, and Margery, at home.' In 1901 Mr. Derby gave up his active work on the farm and moved into the village of Freeborn, employing help to care for his valuable farm of 240 acres. His years of hard work and self-denial have enabled him to enjoy many of the comforts and luxuries of life and his good sense and keen judgment have won him the esteem of his fellow townsmen, who have elected him to various town offices.
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