History of Houston County, Minnesota, Part 67

Author: Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge
Publication date: 1919
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1343

USA > Minnesota > Houston County > History of Houston County, Minnesota > Part 67

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James Gustav Landsom, who owns and operates a well improved farm in section 20, Spring Grove township, was born in this township, Nov. 19,

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1881, son of John Olsen and Mary (Dukleth) Landsom. The parents were early settlers here, establishing a farm in section 20 soon after the close of the Civil War, in which the father served as a Union soldier. He died in Texas in 1894, after a short residence in that state, but the mother is still living being now a resident of Spring Grove village. James Gustav Landsom, who was one of a family of eight children, five sons and three daughters, of whom a son and two daughters died in infancy, was brought up on the home farm, on which he remained until arriving at the age of 16 years. He then accompanied his brother Ole to El Campo, Texas, remain- ing there about two years and a half, or until October, 1899, when he re- turned home and for a while was associated with his brother Andrew in operating the farm for their mother, Ole being still in Texas. In the spring of 1901 James G. bought from Andrew a farm of 121 acres, situ- ated a mile and a half west from the old homestead, which had some im- provements, including a small frame house and a barn. That place, after working it for a while, he later sold to B. O. Garness, and for five or six years subsequently worked as a farm hand, also for several years operating his mothers' farm. In 1910 he bought another farm, which he operated for six years, coming to his present farm, which he bought of C. P. Glass- rud, in the spring of 1916. It contains 80 acres of land well improved; a five-room frame house, consisting of an upright and wing, and its other im- provements at the time he bought it included a tool shed, granary, small frame barn and steel windmill. In 1917 Mr. Landsom erected a hip-roof barn, 32 by 56 by 14 feet, with block basement and cement floors, fitted out with a James equipment, and having room for 30 cattle and six horses. He also built a good corn crib and has otherwise improved the place. For his herds of Shorthorn cattle and Duroc-Jersey swine he has full-blooded sires, while his general equipment is good and his farm productive. Mr. Landsom was married Nov. 28, 1912, to Mary Tweeten, daughter of Ole and Mary Tweeten of Winneshiek county, Iowa, and who was born March 19, 1879. On this union two children have been born: Margaret Marcella, born Aug. 5, 1915; and Julian Odell, born Jan. 3, 1917. Mr. Landsom and his family are members of the Spring Grove congregation of the Nor- wegian Evangelical Lutheran church. In politics Mr. Landsom inclines toward the principles of the Republican party, though not bound by strict party lines.

Arne O. Myhro, who with the exception of a few years was for nearly half a century a resident of Spring Grove township, where he developed an excellent farm, was born in Hallingdahl, Norway, May 24, 1848. At the age of nine years, or in 1857, he came with his parents to Houston county, Minnesota, his father buying 130 acres of wild government land in sections 8 and 9, Spring Grove township, just west of the village. Thus the boyhood days of the subject of this sketch were passed amid pioneer scenes, and it soon fell to his lot to drive the oxen and do the various chores inseparable from farm work, his responsibilities increasing as he grew older. Occasionally when work was slack on the farm he was per- mitted to attend the district school. Thus he grew to manhood working for his parents until he attained his majority. He was then married,

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March 20, 1869, to Anna, daughter of Benjamin and Jorend Kolsrud, of Spring Grove, and began domestic life on the parental homestead, which he then purchased. About 1901, however, certain lands being thrown open to settlement in what is now the state of North Dakota, he went there and homesteaded 160 acres near Harvey, and he and his wife resided on that farm for five years, during which time he developed the place, breaking the land, and erecting a comfortable frame house, a barn and other build- ings. In 1906 he returned with his family to Spring Grove and began the improvement of the old homestead, though still retaining his Dakota farm, which he owned at the time of his death. On the former place, which he now made his home, he erected a two-story frame house of ten rooms; a barn 36 by 52 feet in size; a toolshed 24 by 40; corn cribs, a hog house, poultry house, and other necessary buildings. He also put 120 acres of the land under the plow and in time transformed the place into one of the best farms in the township, doing general farming and dairying. His teams and general equipment were first class, and he took special pride in his fine work horses. He also raised a good grade of cattle, keeping from 18 to 20 milch cows, and usually having from 20 to 25 young cattle on hand, besides a fair-sized herd of swine. Mr. Myhro continued on this farm until his death on Aug. 19, 1908. He had won a reputation as a successful farmer and a reliable citizen interested in the welfare of his community, and was a stockholder in the Farmers' Co-Operative Creamery and the Spring Grove Stock & Grain Company. He was survived by his wife some five years, her death taking place Dec. 9, 1913. Their remains now rest in the West Cemetery close by their farm. Their children were as follows: Olaus A., now manager of the Spring Grove Grain & Stock Co .; Aasine, now deceased, who was the wife of H. Hellerund of Flora, N. D .; Jorgeine, now the wife of Ed Quarve, a farmer of Spring Grove township; Bernt, deceased, formerly a farmer at Hettinger, N. D .; Marie, wife of Martin Storlie, a farmer of Loma, N. D .; Josephine married G. Torrison, of Seattle, Wash., and is now deceased, her husband, formerly in the mining business, being now retired; Albert, a farmer and hardware merchant at Hamburg, N. D .; Gina, wife of Gust Carlson of Flora, N. D .; Amanda, wife of Arthur Glasrud, a farmer of Spring Grove township; Oscar, who is engaged in farming in the same township; Amos, who is living on the old homestead in this township; Julia, wife of Ingeman Mueller, a meat dealer of Spring Grove; and Sarah, who is a graduate of the Spring Grove high school and the Minnesota University and is now a teacher. The religious affiliations of the family are with the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran church, those at home or in this vicinity, being members of the Spring Gorve congre- gation.

Olaus A. Myhro, manager of the Spring Grove Stock & Grain Co., and who is also the owner of an improved farm in Spring Grove township, was born on a farm in this township, July 29, 1871, son of Arne O. and Anna (Kolsrud) Myhro. He was early brought up to agricultural work in its various branches, but attended the district school, No. 55, up to the age of 18 years, and subsequently was a pupil for two years at the Decorah (Ia.) Business Institute. On April 3, 1895, at the age of 24 years, he was married 32

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to Lou Quarve, daughter of Levor and Christi Quarve of Spring Grove, and he and his wife began housekeeping on a farm of 160 acres in sections 15 and 16, Spring Grove Township. There Mr. Myhro continued until the death of his wife, which occurred Sept. 9, 1909. His home life being thus broken up, he went to Fessenden, North Dakota, becoming clerk in the department store of T. L. Quarve, in whose employ he remained for a year. In August, 1910, he returned to Spring Grove, and in the same fall took a position with the Spring Grove Stock & Grain Co., as manager, which he has since retained. He still owns his farm, which is situated a mile and three-quarters west of the village. It is a well improved piece of property, 110 acres of the land being under the plow, and the buildings including a two-story, nine-room frame house; a frame barn, 38 by 72 by 18 feet, with a full stone basement of 9 feet, and cement floor and James stalls ; these and the other buildings being all in good condition. The farm, which is operated by a renter, is well stocked with grade Hereford cattle, including a full- blooded sire; and with Duroc-Jersey swine. Mr. Myhro also owns 160 acres in Northern Minnesota, which land he leases, it being all under cultivation. He owns stock in the company of which he is manager, and also in the Farmers' Co-Operative Creamery of Spring Grove, and has made a good reputation as an able business man. A Republican in politics, he has taken an active and intelligent interest in public affairs, and has served seven years as chairman of the town board, having also been school clerk for sev- eral years. By his first wife, Mrs. Lou Myhro, whose death has been men- tioned, he had two sons: Arthur, born Feb. 11, 1897, and Luther, born Aug. 19, 1900, both of whom are now living. Both graduated from the Spring Grove high school, and Arthur also took a business course at the Lutheran Academy at Albert Lea, Minn. Mr. Myhro was married secondly, April 6, 1911, to Anna Hoegh, daughter of Charles and Theoline Hoegh of Spring Grove village. He owns a comfortable home in the village, and he and his family are members of the Spring Grove congregation of the Nor- wegian Evangelical Lutheran church.

Martin Jetmundson, a pioneer of Spring Grove township, who passed from the scene of his earthly labors but little more than two years ago, was born in Norway, Jan.18, 1829. At an early age he became acquainted with farm work, and was thus occupied for a number of years in his native land, though he also worked for one year in a warehouse and for two years in a store. In 1858, at the age of 29, he came to the United States, locating in Dane county, Wisconsin, where he spent three years. In 1861 he removed to Minnesota and was employed here for some time at farming, and also for a while as a clerk. In 1862 he returned to Wisconsin and was there mar- ried to Julia Olson, whom he brought with him to Houston county. In the following year Mr. Jetmundson began his career as proprietor of a farm, purchasing 180 acres in section 32, Spring Grove township, he and his wife establishing their first home in a log house. There they resided to- gether, developing and improving their farm, assisted in time by their children, until separated by death, Mrs. Jetmundson passing away first, Oct. 21, 1901. Mr. Jetmundson survived his wife a little more than 15 years, continuing to reside on the old homestead until his own death, Jan.

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MR. AND MRS. MARTIN JETMUNDSON-MR. AND MRS. PETER A. NESS OCEANUS JETMUNDSON AND FAMILY

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11, 1917. They were the parents of seven children: Joseph, Enoch, Oceanus, Lorenzo, John, David and Ole, all of whom are living and pros- perous. The old farm is now owned by the son Oceanus.

Oceanus Jetmundson, who owns and operates a good farm of 334 acres in Spring Grove township, residing in section 32, was born an a part of his present farm, Feb. 26, 1866, son of Martin and Julia (Olson) Jetmundson. His parents had taken the place but three years or less before his birth, so there was still much pioneer work to be done when he was old enough to be of assistance to his father. He was educated in part in the district school, also spending two winters in the Valder school, and one in Breck- enridge Institute. On the home farm he obtained good practical experi- ence in the raising of grain and stock, dairying, and other branches of farm work, doing his part in helping to develop the place. In 1906, some five or six years after his mother's death, which took place in October, 1901, he bought the farm, then consisting of 180 acres, and has continued to reside on it. Having in 1908 purchased an adjoining tract of 154 acres, its present area is 334 acres, a considerable part being under cultivation. In other respects also it is thoroughly up to date, Mr. Jetmundson having made many valuable improvements on it. Among them, he has remodeled the frame house and barn built by his father, the house being now a good two- story structure of 14 rooms, gas lighted, and provided with running water. The barn, measuring 34 by 96 by 18 feet, with a full stone basement 9 feet in height, and cement floors, is provided with a modern James equipment for 75 head of cattle and 15 horses, and is also gas lighted. Among the other buildings are a stave silo, 16 by 45 feet; a cream house, 12 by 12; garage, 14 by 18; poultry house, 14 by 32; machine shed, 26 by 30; hog house with cement feeding floor, 26 by 60, with a feed room attached, 24 by 60, and a corn crib, 5 by 60 feet. Mr. Jetmundson put in his gas system in 1916. He has now a herd of from 60 to 75 Shorthorn cattle, and one of 90 to 100 Poland-China hogs, with full-blooded sires for each herd. The farm is well fenced with woven wire and compares favorably with any of equal size in this part of the county. A Republican until 1916, Mr. Jet- mundson then became a Non-partisan. On June 23, 1897, he was married to Annie Amelia, daughter of Peter and Elenie (Rosendahl) Ness, of Spring Grove township, and who was born August 19, 1875. The children of this union, all residing at home, are as follows: Elenora Josephine, born Feb. 18, 1900, who is a graduate of the Spring Grove high school; Palma Matilda, born June 4, 1902; Olga Amelia, Aug. 28, 1904; Marcus Jeffrey, Sept. 21, 1907; Tilford Arthur, Oct. 30, 1908; and Leslie Orlando, May 21, 1911. Mr. Jetmundson and his family are members of the Spring Grove congre- gation of the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran church. In addition to his farming interests he is a stockholder in the Spring Grove Stock and Grain Co., and the Mabel Co-Operative Creamery, and is a member of the Ameri- can Association of Equity.

Asle Halverson, a widely known and highly esteemed resident of Spring Grove village, where for some ten years or more he has lived retired, was born in Ness-Hallingdal, Norway, Aug. 14, 1847, son of Halvor and Berget

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(Aselson) Halverson. He resided in his native land until reaching the age of 19 years, and then, in 1866, with two sisters, Ingeborg and Carrie, and the latter's husband, Nels Rierson, he came to America, landing at Quebec after a voyage of five and a half weeks on a sailing vessel. There they were detained about two weeks on account of Fenian disturbances, but at the end of that time came directly by rail to Spring Grove, Houston county, Minn., arriving here June 26, by which time Asle Halverson's cash re- sources had diminished to ten dollars. The sister Ingeborg subsequently married George Quarve of Spring Grove township, but died a number of years ago; while Carrie (Mrs. Nels Rierson) died here in 1916. Asle soon after arriving here found work as a farm hand, and was thus engaged for six years. In the meanwhile, however, in 1867, his father died in Norway and the mother, left a widow, came to America in that year and took up her residence with her daughter, Mrs. Rierson, with whom she remained until her death in 1899, at the venerable age of 94 years and six months. Asle Halverson, after his six years of farm work, in the spring of 1871 be- came clerk in the general store of Nels Hendrickson in Spring Grove. With Mr. Hendrickson he remained two years and then, in 1873, started in busi- ness for himself in Amhurst, Fillmore county, Minn., where he conducted a general store and, under President Grant's administration, was made post- master. In 1878 Mr. Halverson sold his store and business there and re- turned to Spring Grove, where he formed a partnership with Nels Hen- drickson in a general store. That partnership was dissolved a year later and in the spring of 1880 Mr. Halverson engaged in business again alone and so continued until February, 1898, when he sold out to L. A. Bye and bought the farm of Peder Lommen, two miles northwest of Spring Grove village, which he operated until 1907. He then sold the farm to his son Alfred and retired, taking up his residence in Spring Grove village, where he owns a comfortable home. In former years Mr. Halverson took an active part in public affairs. He first aligned himself with the Republican party, but left it at the time of the Blaine-Cleveland campaign to enter the ranks of the Democracy. He served one year as assessor in Fillmore county, being at the same time school clerk. While living on his farm he was for three years a supervisor of Spring Grove township; while as a resident of the village he served as assessor for two years, and as trustee and mayor. In 1898 he was nominated for district representative but failed of election. He, however, reduced the usual Republican majority of 800 in the county to less than 500, and received 48 votes in the village, which, aside from his candidacy, polled but 12 Democratic votes. From 1878 to 1882 Mr. Hal- verson was a justice of the peace in the village. For many years he has been a prominent member of the Spring Grove congregation of the Nor- wegian Evangelical Lutheran church, having served it in various capacities. He was a member of the building committee on the second church edifice in 1893 and was treasurer of the congregation for 17 years. In the middle seventies of the last century Mr. Halverson was united in marriage with Anna Oline Brenney, daughter of Otto and Anna Brenney, of Amhurst, Fillmore county, Minn. She died in Spring Grove March 2, 1910. The children of this union were as follows: Otto Helmick, born Feb. 25, 1874,

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ALBERT A. FOSS AND FAMILY

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who died Feb. 3, 1886; Agnes, born Feb. 11, 1875, who died May 22, 1877; Ida, born Jan. 16, 1877, who is keeping house for her father; Alfred Bern- hard, born April 5, 1879, who in 1907 bought his father's farm; Agnes Othelie, born Nov. 15, 1880; a daughter who died in infancy ; Pauline, born Dec. 26, 1884, who died the day of her birth; Johan, born Nov. 16, 1885, who died young; Otto Helmick (second), born in 1888, who also died; and Henry Oscar, born June 13, 1890, who died April 6, 1897. It will thus be seen that Mr. Halverson has survived both his wife and many of his chil- dren. He is a man who has faithfully fulfilled the public and private obliga- tions of life and stands high in the regard of his fellow citizens.

Alfred B. Halverson, a prominent representative of the farming inter- ests of Spring Grove township, was born in Spring Grove village, April 5, 1879, son of Asle and Anna (Brenney) Halverson. He was educated in the village school, which he attended up to the age of 19 years. He then spent a year in his father's store as clerk, and subsequently for two seasons worked in Fillmore county as a farm hand in the employ of Oscar Pederson. He then re-entered his father's employ and worked in the store in Spring Grove village until 1901. In that year his father purchased the Lommen farm in section 3, Spring Grove township, and Alfred B. became a worker on it. In 1907 he bought the farm, an old improved place of 210 acres, and has since been successfully engaged in its cultivation, doing general farming and dairying. He has a herd of from 30 to 40 Shorthorn cattle and one of 50 or 60 Poland-China swine, and possesses a good general equipment for modern farming. 'About 160 acres of his land are now under cultivation, the rest being in timber and pasture, and the soil is fertile and produces abundant crops. The buildings on the farm include a good, two-story, brick house of eight rooms; a good frame barn which Mr. Halverson has en- larged to the size of 30 by 106 by 16 feet, and which has a full eight-foot stone basement; a granary 30 by 30, with a lean-to on either side 16 by 30 feet each, for tools; a hog house 12 by 60; poultry house 12 by 32; also a woodshed, garage and summer kitchen. Mr. Halverson married Johanna, daughter of John J. and Casperine Lommen of Spring Grove village. He and his wife are the parents of three children: Asle, born Oct. 2, 1906; John, born Oct. 22, 1911; and Harold, born Feb. 12, 1915. Mr. Halverson is independent in politics and has served in the office of justice of the peace. He is a stockholder in the Spring Grove Stock & Grain Co. and the Farmers' Co-Operative Creamery of Spring Grove. He and his family are members of the Spring Grove congregation of the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran church.

Albert A. Foss, one of the substantial farmers of Spring Grove town- ship, residing in section 28, where he is operating successfully a good farm of 160 acres, was born in section 33, this township, Oct. 29, 1866, son of Andrew and Anna Foss. In his boyhood he attended district school No. 76, and began a life of practical agriculture on the old homestead established by his parents, who were pioneers in this locality. With them he remained until he was 18 and then, in 1884, went to Decorah, Iowa, where he became a student in the Breckenridge Institute, remaining until the spring of 1885.

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Then returning to the home farm in Spring Grove township, he rented it of his father and operated it until the spring of 1886. During that summer and until September he drove a cream route. He then re-entered the Breck- enridge Institute at Decorah and continued his studies until June, 1887. That summer he helped his father on the farm and in the fall took a west- ern trip, returning late in the same season. In the spring of 1888 he again rented his father's farm and operated it until the spring of 1890, when he went to the farm of his brother Brady in section 28, with whom he worked in partnership until the fall. That same summer, on July 30, he was mar- ried to Eliza Snekerpladsen, who was born May 4, 1868, daughter of Hans and Gunhild (Livdahl) Snekerpladsen, of Wilmington township, this county. In the fall of 1890 Mr. Foss and his wife took up their residence on the farm of her father in Wilmington township to keep house for him and look after the place. In April of the following year he bought from his father- in-law what is now the C. A. Blegen farm in section 36, Spring Grove town- ship, where he and his wife made their home for two years, or until the winter of 1892-93, when they came to their present farm in section 28, which Mr. Foss bought of his brother Brady. For some years they lived in the old log house which was built on the place in 1873 by its former owner, Berge Hoiland, but in 1906 Mr. Foss built his present residence, a two- story house of 11 rooms, consisting of an upright and wing, the upright measuring 28 by 30 feet and the wing 16 by 18 feet. It is heated by fur- nace, provided with running water, and is a very comfortable residence. Among the other buildings which Mr. Foss has erected and which add greatly to the value of the property are: a frame barn, 30 by 60 by 16 feet, with a full stone basement of 8 feet; two machine sheds, one 16 by 28 and the other 16 by 20; twin corn cribs, 24 by 26, with a 14-foot drive; a hog house, 10 by 36 with a cement feeding-floor, 30 x 32; a granary, 16 by 28, and a poultry house 16 by 16. The farm is well fenced with woven wire and is divided into six lots. As a breeder of Black Poll cattle and Duroc Jersey swine, Mr. Foss is having good success, and he also raises an aver- age amount of crops, having 135 acres of his land under the plow. He has taken rank among the enterprising citizens of his township, and besides being a member of the American Society of Equity, is a shareholder in the Spring Grove Stock and Grain Company and the Farmers' Co-Operative Creamery of Mabel. His fraternal society affiliations are with the Ameri- can Brotherhood of Yeomen at Spring Grove, and he and his family belong to the congregation of the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran church at that place. In politics he has been a Republican since casting his first vote. Mr. and Mrs. Foss are the parents of seven children, born as follows: Harry Arnold, May 21, 1891; Genora Aurora, Oct. 19, 1893; Dinah Luella, April 18, 1895; Ephraim Alexander, May 10, 1898; Viola Henrietta, April 9, 1900; Ralph Norman, May 10, 1902; and Norton Carleton, Sept. 11, 1904. Genora Aurora is now the wife of Lloyd Leisenberg, a traveling salesman residing at Mason City, Iowa. Dinah Luella, formerly a student at the Young Ladies' Seminary in Red Wing, Minn., graduated as a trained nurse from the Asbury Hospital at Minneapolis in 1919. Viola H. and Ephraim A. graduated from the Spring Grove High School, and the former has also

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taken courses in Luther College and in the preparatory school at Decorah, Iowa. Ralph N. and Norton C. are still pursuing their studies. This fam- ily was called upon to make the Supreme Sacrifice during the Great War. Harry A., one of the most popular young men in the community, served in France in the Infantry with the 78th Division, proved his worth as a good soldier, and was killed in the last drive which ended the war, thus giving his life in the cause of Liberty and Democracy. His memory will long be cherished as an inspiration to the younger generation.

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History of Houston County, Minnesota, Part 67

Author: Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge Publication date: 1919 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1343

Author: Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge
Publication date: 1919
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1343