History of Goodhue County, Minnesota, Part 85

Author: Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Chicago, H.C. Cooper
Number of Pages: 1264

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Henry L. Pengilly, of Zumbrota township, was born in July, 1839, and came to Racine, Wis., April 7, 1849. He received his education in the schools of Racine county, and after leaving school took up farming until in 1861. He cast his first vote in 1860 for Abraham Lincoln, and November S, the next year, en- listed in Company G, Second Wisconsin Cavalry, as private. He was discharged December 8, 1863, for injury received by falling from a horse at Springfield, Mo. He then returned to Union Grove, where he had enlisted, and September 3, 1864, re-enlisted in Company H, First Wisconsin Heavy Artillery, and served un- til the end of the war, receiving his discharge July 13, 1865, at Milwaukee, Wis. He was wounded several times. After the

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war he returned to Union Grove, Wis., and helped in the harvest until September, 1865, when he came to Zumbrota township, and in the spring of 1866 purchased eighty acres on section 1, built a home and other outbuildings, broke and improved the land, and followed general farming. Mr. Pengilly was married July 20, 1863, at Racine, Wis .. to Mary Jane Putnam, a daughter of Aaron Putnam, a direct descendant of Israel Putnam. The mother was Martha Youman. Mr. and Mrs. Pengilly have had twelve children: Marian, married David Hancock, of Racine county. Wisconsin : Grace, Ruth A. and Olive live at home; Aaron II., lives in Beer Valley, Minnesota; Sarah, married John Ahl- grim, of Goodhne village; Mary Jane, lives in Buffalo, Minn .; Earnest Emmet. also lives in Buffalo, Minn .: Ulysses G., lives in Minneapolis ; Clara is a teacher ; Mand and Minor are deceased. Mr. Pengilly is a Republican in his political views and is a mem- ber of A. F. and A. M. of Mazeppa, and I. O. O. F. of Red Wing, of which latter organization he has been a member for forty years. The family are members of the Congregational church at Mazeppa.

Martin H. Satren, a general merchant of Zumbrota, and one of the leading business men of the village. was born in Minneola township. April 20, 1874, and is eminently a self-made man. Ilis early days were passed in the district schools of Minneola. and in working on the farm, but being desirous of advancing himself by obtaining a better education he entered the Normal school at Madison, Minn., and afterward took a course in a business col- lege at Minneapolis. After leaving college he elerked in a gen- eral store for nine years, and in 1903. having acquired a full knowledge of the business. started out for himself by opening a store of his own. He has been very successful and has built up a large business. Mr. Satren is the son of Hogen and Mattie Satren, both natives of Norway, who came to this country in the late forties, locating on a farm in Minneola township, where the father died May 6, 1889. The mother is still living there with her son Louis. Martin H. has three brothers: Louis lives on the homestead, while Richard and Hogen are at Wanamingo. He had one sister, Hannah, who is deceased.

Charles J. Zemke, of White Willow village, Zumbrota town- ship, was born in Goodhue township September 26, 1876, son of Herman and Amenia (Schultz) Zemke, both natives of Prussia, Germany, who emigrated to America in the early sixties, locating in Wisconsin. Here they remained one year, then removing to Zumbrota township, where they rented a farm. In 1876 they moved to Goodhue township, purchasing eighty acres of land, which the father soon broke, cultivated and improved, engaging in general farming ever since. He has purchased 460 more acres,

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also owning a half section in North Dakota. The mother died, but the father is still living in Goodhue township. After leaving school he worked on his father's farm until he was twenty-one years of age, and then accepted a position as clerk in Zumbrota, which he held for one year. In 1898 he opened a mercantile store at White Willow, Zumbrota township, which he has continued to conduct very successfully ever since. He is manager of the branch of the Minnesota Malting Company which is located at White Willow. and in addition to his other property owns the building occupied by his store. also one-half share of a coal busi- ness. He was married in 1899 to Mary Quast, daughter of Cord Quast, a prominent farmer of Zumbrota township. Mr. Zemke held the office of postmaster at White Willow as long as that office was in existence. and was also the White Willow agent for the Great Western railroad for seven years. He is an enterpris- ing and successful merchant, carrying a general stock. He is Republican in politics and attends the Lutheran church. Mr. and Mrs. Zemke have three children : Irene, Lydia and Herbert, all living at home.

Giles Hayward, an honored old settler of Pine Island. was born in England in 1829, son of Thomas and Mary ( Watts) . Hay- ward, with whom he lived until twenty years of age. Upon reaching Milwaukee in 1850 he remained a short time and then went to Whitewater. Wis., later working in the lumber mills of Menominee, that state. until 1854, when he made a short trip to England. He returned to America in 1855, remained a short time in Winona, and April 23, 1855, landed in Red Wing. . April 26 of the same year he took up a claim of 160 acres in Roscoe town- ship, broke and improved the land and there remained fifteen years. He then engaged in the flour business with J. A. Tarbox for several years, but subsequently sold out and purchased 160 acres in Pine Island township, which he still owns. About ten years ago he retired, turned the management of the farm over to his son, and erected his present comfortable home on Prospeet Ilill, within the limits of the village corporation. For two years Mr. Hayward served as street commissioner. He has also been chairman of the township board. assessor and school director. Mr. Hayward was married in 1859 to Priscilla C. Danford, who died in May, 1902. To this union were born six children: Clara (. married George Darknell, a farmer, now in Washington. Walter and Wallace are twins. Walter lives in Fairfield. Wash., where he is a farmer and elevator man. Wallace lives in Pine Island and owns a farm. Mary married J. C. Robinson, of Pine Island. Fred E. conducts the home farm. Giles died at the age of two years. The family faith is that of the Episcopal church.

F. E. Hayward, a well known farmer of Pine Island township,

GILES A. HAYWARD AND FAMILY

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was born in Roscoe township, August 24, 1869, son of Giles and Priscilla Hayward, natives of England. F. E. Hayward received his education in the common schools of the township, and later attended the high school of Pine Island. After leaving school he worked in W. W. Jewell's drug store for five years, after which he returned to the farm, which he has since conducted. carrying on general farming and stock raising. He has a fine farm of 160 acres, all under cultivation, with a good house, barn and other buildings.

Henry Tome, an old pioneer settler of Pine Island village, was born at Corydon, Pa., February 25, 1835. His father, Benja- min Tome. was by occupation a lumberman. Both his father and mother, Cyntha (Gibbs) Tome, were native Pennsylvanians. A common school education and a fair share of work for his parents fell to his lot as a youth. When barely twenty years of age we find him making a journey from in front of his father's house at Corydon to Red Wing, Minn., by raft as far as Louisville, Ky., and thence by boat, traversing the Allegheny, Ohio and Missis- sippi rivers. He reached Pine Island. which consisted of a solitary pre-emption shanty, at the time the government surveyors were making the original survey. He selected a 160-acre tract of land. upon which he built a shanty, and after occupying it the required time, walked to the government land office at Winona and pre- empted his elaim. Later he sold this and bought eighty acres near the village, which he operated as a farm, building in the.vil- lage a home that he has continuously improved and occupied. In 1858 he married Eliza. daughter of Moses and Martha (Culver) Jewell. To them five children were born: Clara. wife of J. B. Fowler, now with the St. Paul postoffice department ; Sadie E., wife of H. T. Banks. freight agent of the Chicago & Northwestern railway at Rochester; Myrta and Cyntha (deeeased) ; and George II., the present postmaster at Pine Island. Besides his farming interests, Mr. Tome condneted a meat market in the village for a number of years and also engaged as a stock buyer. Has served as deputy sheriff and as constable the greater part of the time that the village has had a name. He was appointed postmaster July 1, 1880, and excepting the periods of Cleveland's administra- tions served until 1906. Mr. Tome is a member of the Territorial Pioneer Association and has been a member of the Masonic order since 1868. He is considered a force to be reckoned with in local politics and is well versed in state and national issues, and has some fame as a political forecaster. Mr. Tome in personality is unassuming. accommodating, concillatory and is not grasping or greedy. Although never a dollar hunter, Mr. Tome is in com- fortable circumstances, owning, in addition to his interests in the village. 120 acres of timber near the village and a good quarter

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section in North Dakota. As an apiarist and small fruit grower, his later leisure years have been rounded out. Mr. Tome resigned as postmaster and his son George H. was appointed to succeed him July 1, 1906. The son was educated in Pine Island schools and was at the time of his appointment practically in charge of the postoffice, the splendid service of which is owing to his ef- ficient management. George H. was married December 17, 1908, to Lenora B. Clark, daughter of H. G. and Elenora (Diekey) Clark, of. Zumbrota. Is a member of Pine Island I. O. O. F. lodge and Commercial Club and stands in the front ranks of Pine Island's progressive citizens.

A. F. Reiter, the senior member of the firm of Reiter Bros., of Pine Island, was born in Wabasha county, Minnesota, August 24, 1873, son of Julins Reiter, a native of Germany. The parents came to this country in 1868 and located near Pottsdam, Minn., where they lived five years, later removing to Plainview, Minn., where they purchased land and engaged in general farming and stock raising. They are both living but have retired from active life. A. F. Reiter was one of twelve children: William O., Au- gusta, Julius J., Ernest H., August, Edward, Bertha, Annie, Al- bert, Laura, Ida and George. A. F. Reiter received his education in the public school and attended the high school, later taking a course at Darling's Business College at Rochester, Minn. After finishing his studies he returned home and worked on the farm for one year, after which he was employed as clerk in his brother's store at Rochester. After four years of elerking, he came to Pine Island and opened a general store under the firm name of Reiter and Lucas, continuing for one year, when he took in as a partner his brother Julius J., and the firm was known as Reiter Bros., under which name it is now conducted. One year later his brother E. F. became a partner. They carry a full line of dry goods, groceries, gentlemen's furnishings, boots and shoes, and have built up a large and flourishing trade in the village and surround- ing country. Mr. Reiter was married in September, 1897, to Louise Rabehl, daughter of Carl Rabehl, of Rochester, Minn., a native of Germany, who came to America and located in Roches- ter, where he acquired land and engaged in farming, where they still reside. Mr. and Mrs. Reiter have three children: Carl, Alfred, Francis,. all at home. Mr. Reiter is a Democrat in his polities. He has been a member of the village council for the past five years and holds the office of treasurer. He and his family attend the German Lutheran church.

Charles H. Leavitt, Pine Island township, is one of those men to whom increasing years have brought increased honor, and to whom maturing age has brought ripened judgment. He has served on the board of supervisors eleven years, being chairman

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eight years. For the long period of sixteen years he worked faithfully as president of the village school board, and his de- cisions as justice of the peace for ten years have been just, yet ever tempered with good sense. Mr. Leavitt was born in Strat- ford, Fulton county, New York, April 29, 1834, and received his education in the common schools, after which he became a teacher, instructing country schools five terms before he was twenty-one years of age. He came to Pine Island township in 1864, and after one year on a farm went to the village and re- mained twenty years. For ten years he managed a grocery store of his own, and for a long period acted as agent for farm ma- chinery and windmills. Along abont the middle of the eighties he took up farming on his present place, where he owns 160 acres which he has improved and brought to a high state of cultiva- tion, building a nice home and commodious outbuildings and carrying on general farming. In 1859 he was married to Elvira L. Gould, who died December 4, 1860, leaving one daughter, Elvira, who is living at present with her father. On January 15, 1861. he was married to Sarah C. Gould, sister of his first wife, by whom they have four children, Carrie, Bennett, Nettie and Jennie. Elvira married John Weckerling, of Reeseville, Wis., they having four children, viz .: Helen, Burton, Milford and Laura. Carrie married Frank Mott, of Pine Island, and has one son. Willis. Bennett lives at home. Nettie married George Dick- inson, who comes of one of the pioneer families of the county. They have three children, Lyle, Burton and Ora. Jennie is the wife of Thomas Congdon, of Hibbing, Minn .. and has four chil- dren. Bennett, Ora, Alice and Thomas. Justus B. and Ruby (Vos- seller) Leavitt, parents of Charles H. Leavitt, were natives of Connecticut and New York state respectively, and in the latter state spent the larger part of their lives together. The father was a school teacher and county judge, also doing some farming. He died at the age of thirty-five, but the mother lived to be ninety- five years of age before passing to her eternal reward.

Louis Starz, of Pine Island township, was born in Minneola township, August 29. 1861, son of J. J. Starz. He was educated in the common schools of the township and Zumbrota, and after- ward attended Mount Pleasant College in Iowa. Upon leaving school he entered into business in Zumbrota, and conducted a general store for twenty years, being very successful. In 1902 he purchased 200 acres of land in Pine Island township and en- gaged in general farming and dairying. He has built a fine home and barn with basement 40x80, and has all his land under culti- vation with the exception of about twenty-five acres, which is timber. Mr. Starz has been twice married. Ilis first wife, by whom he has three children, died in 1892, and in 1894 he was

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married to Emma Pulls, by whom he has one child, Dora. Of these four children, Lonise is Mrs. Stellar, of Roscoe, while Ar- thur, Evan and Dora are at home. Mr. Starz is Republican and was a member of the village council while at Zumbrota. He is now serving on the town board as clerk, which office he has held for the past four years.

John Svee, of Pine Island township, who was born in Norway, October 9, 1855. came to Goodhue county in 1875 and settled in Pine Island township, doing general work such as chopping, grub- bing and farming until 1885. when he purchased his present farm of seventy-four acres. Of this fifty acres is tillable. and here Mr. Svee carries on general farming and stock raising, making a specialty of selling cream. Being the father of a large family of children, he has naturally been interested in school matters and has served many terms on the school board. In 1885, the year that he purchased his present farm, he was married to Bertha Rocky, by whom he has had eleven children, ten of whom are living. They are: Emma. Henry, Julius, Julia, Lena, Arthur, Bernice, Marshall, Tena and Celia, all of whom are at home. The family attends the Norwegian Lutheran church in Zumbrota. Mr. Svee is a hard working man, and has reason to be proud of the fact that he has secured all that he owns by his hard work, hon- esty and frugality.

Lewis Scofield, a Pine Island dairyman, was born in Pine Island township. November 2. 1872, son of Henry and JJane C. (Murray) Scofield. Ile received his education in Zumbrota and worked at farming for some years before purchasing his present place of forty acres of improved land, on which he conducts stock raising and dairying, for which purpose he keeps from twenty- five to thirty cows. He was married in 1902 to Nora E. Judd, daughter of Lewis and Cornelia I. (Russell) Jndd. In politics Mr. Scofield is a Republican.

J. C. Dickey, of Pine Island township. was born in Madison county, New York, August 27, 1838. His parents, Sylvester and Harriett (Alexander) Dickey, were born in New York, the former January 18, 1807, and the latter, who came of the old Davidson family. December 11, 1814. Upon their arrival in Goodhue county in 1858 they bought land in Pine Island township and followed farming up to the time they died, the former June 15, 1892, and the latter May 16, 1898. J. C. Diekey spent his boyhood with his father on the farm. In the fall of 1861, at the beginning of the Civil war, he enlisted in Company A, Second Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, and spent the winter in Washington, being later at- tached to MeDowell's corps of the Army of the Potomac. He took part in the battle of Antietam, where he was wounded. After being discharged at David's Island, New York, he returned

J. C. DICKEY

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home and took up farming until 1865, when he re-enlisted in Company 1, Twenty-third Illinois Volunteer Infantry. He was discharged in July, the same year, returned home and again re- sumed general farming, which he has since continued, making a specialty of raising sheep, of which he owns a flock of 500 or more. Ile has a fine farm of 160 acres, a comfortable home and first-class buildings. March 30, 1869, Mr. Diekey was married to Sarah Steele, daughter of John and Sarah Steele, natives of Wis- consin. Mr. and Mrs. Dickey have had two children: Earle is dead. Bruce, born April 25, 1881. is in the government service, having been stationed in the Philippines as assistant cashier in the custom house for the past ten years. His granddaughter, Ella, lives in Dodge Centre, Minn., with her mother. Harold E. died August 22, 1905.

F. W. Cate, a prosperous Pine Island farmer, was born in Pine Island township, August 12, 1864, son of Isaac and Caroline (Young) Cate, natives of New Hampshire, who came to Minnesota in 1856 and took up a homestead, which they broke and culti- vated, carrying on a general line of farming. The father served in the Civil war and died at Fort Snelling in 1864. The mother died in 1895. They had ten children, of whom eight are living. F. W. Cate was educated in the common schools and has always been a farmer. He purchased his father's farm and in 1901 bought the Farrington forty acres, and again in 1907 purchased sixty-nine acres near Pine Island village, where he moved in 1909. Ile now carries on general farming, dairying and raises sheep, owning a flock of about 200. The Cate homestead is still in the family, having never changed hands. Mr. Cate was married No- vember 1. 1888, to Mary Drazan. Their only daughter. Teressa P., married Leon Klingsporn, and has one daughter, Blanche P., born February 3, 1909. Mr. and Mrs. Klingsporn reside on the old homestead. Mr. Cate is a member of the Modern Woodmen of Pine Island, and in his politics is a Republican.

Oliver Berg, of Pine Island township, was born in Dane county, Wisconsin, November 13, 1850, son of Thomas and Turi (Hoff) Berg, who came in the early days to Dane county, and in 1860 to Goodhne county, where they pre-empted land in Pine Island town- ship and engaged in farming until they died; the father in 1891 and the mother in 1899. They had a family of four children : Ole F., of Cherry Grove township; Oliver, the subject of this sketch ; Isabelle, now Mrs. Slette, of Faribault county, and Anna, married Ole Winger and lives in Virginia. Oliver was educated in the common schools and attended high school for two years. After leaving school he returned home and engaged in farming, which he has since continued. He has 190 acres of land, of which . ninety acres is under cultivation, and on this property he eonduets

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general farming and dairying. In 1886 he was married to Carrie Ringdahl, daughter of Mathias and Isabelle (Satren) Ringdahl, the former of whom, also known as Mathias Pederson, will ever be held in honored memory as the first Norwegian in the county. To Mr. and Mrs. Berg have been born five children: Myrtle, Olga, Edel and Inga, all at home, and Thorvald, deceased. Mr. Berg has served as town clerk for some years and is now serving as assessor. He is president of the Farmers' Elevator and a di- rector of the Farmers' Insurance Company of Goodhue county. In politics Mr. Berg is an independent voter.

Charles W. Perry, of Pine Island township, was born in Ger- many. January 17, 1842, son of Christ Perry, and in 1855 came to America and settled in Ohio, where he remained for five years. In 1860 he came to Minnesota and located in Pine Island town- ship, where he bought 160 acres of land, which he improved and prepared for cultivation. Here he built his home, hauling all the lumber from Red Wing for the purpose. When he had harvested his crops he hauled them to Red Wing and Lake City with ox team, and spent many nights on the prairie. His efforts have prospered and he now has a fine farm with good buildings and carries on general farming, dairying and stock raising. All of his land, with the exception of fifty aeres, is under cultivation. Ilis son, to whom he has presented eighty acres, also carries on general farming. In 1869 C. W. Perry was married to Bertha Kumbier. by whom he has had ten children: Frank manages the farm; Emma, married William Schumacher, of Lake City; Au- gusta, married William Collinge, of Zumbrota: August and John are deceased; Carl lives in St. Paul; Anna married Albert Ihrke, of Pine Island; Bertha, Louise, and Minnie, at home. Mr. Perry is a Republican in his politics, and he and his family attend the Lutheran church.

Benjamin Lewis, of Pine Island township, was born in Nor- way. June 21. 1846, son of L. C. and Annie (Moe) Lewis, who came to America in 1875 and settled in Zumbrota, where they engaged in farming. The mother died in 1SSS and the father in 1905. Benjamin Lewis received his education in the public schools of Norway, and came to this country in 1866, settling in Zum- brota township, where he bought land and engaged in farming. In 1875 he went to Pine Island township. where he has eighty acres, of which seventy is under cultivation, on which he follows general farming and raises stoek. In 1873 Mr. Lewis was married to Mattie Pederson, and they have five children : Adolph, farmer ; Melvin, assistant postmaster at Pine Island; Carl, Arthur and Amanda, who are at home. Two children died, at the ages of fifteen and four years, respectively. Mr. Lewis has a niee farm, well improved, and a fine home. He is Republican in his politics

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and has been a member of the school board for the past fifteen years. He is also road overseer. The family attends the Lu- theran church.

Henry Ahneman, of Pine Island township, was born in Fond du Lac., Wis .. February 1, 1854, son of Henry and Sophia (Pultz) Ahneman, natives of Mecklenburg. Germany, who came to Amer- iea in 1852: and in 1856 to Pine Island township, where they pre- empted eighty acres of land and engaged in farming. The father died in 1906 and the mother in 1893. They had a family of nine children, all of whom except one are living. Henry was educated in the common schools of the township and worked with his father on the farm. He now has eighty acres of improved land adjoining his father's land and follows general farming. He still lives with his brother and sister on the old homestead. In politics he is an independent voter, casting his ballot for the candidate whom he deems best fitted to serve in public office.

Julius C. Johnson, of Pine Island township, was born in Eau Claire county, Wis., May 26, 1866, son of Christ and Ingre (Simonson) Johnson. natives of Norway, who came to America and in 1852 settled in Stoughton, Wis .. where they remained eight years. the father being employed as blacksmith. In 1860 they moved to Eau Claire, Wis., where the father was head black- smith for a large lumber company until 1867. The family then removed to Goodhue county and purchased land in Pine Island township, where the father engaged in general farming and also conducted a blacksmith shop in partnership with his brother. There were five children in the Johnson home: Dorothea, Julia, Caroline, Rachel and Julius. The father died in 1891 and the mother still lives on the homestead with her son. Julius attended the common schools and worked on the farm, taking entire charge of the home place at the death of his father. His farm consists of 160 acres of well improved land, a pleasant home, good out- buildings, and on which he conducts general and diversified farming and dairying. In politics he is a Republican. The family attends the Lutheran church at Zumbrota.

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History of Goodhue County, Minnesota, Part 85

Author: Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn Publication date: 1909 Publisher: Chicago, H.C. Cooper Number of Pages: 1264

Author: Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Chicago, H.C. Cooper
Number of Pages: 1264