History of Houston County, Minnesota, Part 70

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

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Olaus C. Vaaler, now serving in his second term as postmaster of Spring Grove, is one of the leading citizens of his township, which he has served in various offices, and has also had a successful career as a farmer. He was born in Spring Grove township, on his parents' farm one mile east of the village, Aug. 6, 1856, son of Christopher and Rangel (Johnson) Vaaler. His early education was acquired in the common school of Spring Grove, after which he became a student in the State Normal School at Winona, Minn. Relinquishing his studies at the age of nineteen years, he turned his attention to the development of the old home farm, which he finally

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purchased. After it became his property he effected various improver rebuilding the house and erecting a number of other buildings. The is now a comfortable frame residence consisting of an upright and one and a half stories in height and containing eight rooms. The bui erected by Mr. Vaaler include a frame barn, 30 by 70 by 14 feet i with a full nine-foot stone basement, cement floor and James equip silo, 14 by 30; granary, 18 by 30 by 12; tool shed, 20 by 30 by 10; tw cribs, 7 by 30 by 10 each; a cream and separator house, 8 by 10; p house, 12 by 20 by 8, and a hog house 8 by 30 by 6 feet. All are il condition and 135 acres of the land are under the plow. Mr. 1 remained on the farm until 1913, giving special attention to the r and improvement of Shorthorn cattle, Poland-China swine and B horses, keeping full-blooded sires for all his stock. Being then app postmaster of Spring Grove, he turned the farm over to his son Wal and moved to the village, where he owns a comfortable home. He is a holder in the Spring Grove Creamery Association, of which he was the organizers, serving as its president until 1913; also in the Spring Stock & Grain Association, of which he was auditor for some year, in the Root River Electric Light Company and the Spring Grove Ho Politically a Democrat, he has taken a prominent part in local affairs a served a number of terms in each of the important offices of supe: town treasurer, town assessor, and chairman of the town board. Iı he was a candidate for the State Legislature but was defeated. On 11, 1878, Mr. Vaaler was married to Sophia Sannes, daughter of O Semeve Sannes of Wilmington township, Houston county. Her p also were pioneer settlers in this county, her father being an indus and thrifty man, so careful of his oxen that on one occasion, it being hot day in summer, he carried a plow on his back a distance of seven from Caledonia village to his farm, rather than drive his oxen in the Mr. and Mrs. Vaaler have had a family of eleven children: Olaf O Jan. 13, 1879, now proprietor of a general store and postmaster at ] N. D .; John O., born April 22, 1881, who lives in La Crosse and is a tre salesman for T. T. Bergh & Co .; Celia, born Oct. 23, 1883, who is re on the home farm; Lars O., born March 22, 1886, now a meat de: Scranton, N. D .; Christopher O., born Sept. 7, 1888, who graduated fr Spring Grove high school and the Minnesota University and is now a principal at Wolverton, Minn .; Rosabelle, born June 29, 1891, and is teacher, being a graduate of the Spring Grove high school and the V Normal school; Walter O., born Feb. 21, 1894, now in charge of t home farm; Otto O., born Oct. 18, 1896, who is clerk in a general stc assistant postmaster at Desert, N. D .; Stella, born Oct. 10, 1899, ¿ uate of the Spring Grove high school, who has taken up nursing La Crosse Lutheran Hospital; Minnie Viola, born Jan. 29, 1902, wł Feb. 6, the same year; and Martha, born May 6, 1903, who is a stur the Spring Grove high school. In 1912 the wife of Mr. Vaaler's son J died leaving two daughters and a son, Inga, Ida and Olaus. O1 children Olaus and Inga are now living with their grandfather, Mr. while Ida is being taken care of by her maternal grandmother.

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Andras B. Foss, who with one exception is the oldest man now living in Spring Grove village, is one who has had a notable history, not only as a pioneer of Houston county, but also as a gold seeker in California in the thrilling and romantic days of the early fifties. The story of his life, if told in detail, would furnish material for an interesting novel of fair-sized dimensions. Here, however, the main incidents only can be given. Mr. Foss was born near Bergen, Norway, April 24, 1826, son of Brengel Anderson Foss, his father being a baker by occupation. He had scant opportunities for obtaining an education and his material prospects in his native land were not promising. As he grew to manhood his eyes turned to America as a land of opportunity, and here he resolved to seek his fortune. Accordingly in the month of May, 1849, at the age of twenty-three years, he set out for the United States and after a voyage of seven weeks and four days landed at New York on July 4. From that city he went by railroad to Albany, from Albany to Buffalo by the Erie Canal, and from Buffalo by way of the Great Lakes to Milwaukee. His objective point was Janesville, Wis. where he had a cousin who had come to America in 1847, and whom he might have accompanied but for his reluctance to borrow money from his father to pay for his passage, he preferring to earn it and leave no debts behind. On his arrival at Milwaukee he found himself practically without money. However, he set out from Milwaukee on foot headed for Janesville and had covered twenty-two miles when he arrived at a little place called Georgeville. There he met an Irish farmer named Joseph Lennon who engaged him for a half month to help in the haying at fifty cents a day. For him he worked eleven days, at the end of which time his hands were so blistered from the use of the scythe that he was unable to do any more. Although he had but two days more to serve to make up the half month, the farmer meanly refused to pay him anything, so he went on his way penniless. He managed, how- ever, to reach Janesville, where he found his cousin, who was a bricklayer and who hired him to mix mortar and carry the hod at one dallor a day. During the following winter, when mason work was out of the question, he did whatever he could find to do for his board and lodging. In the spring of 1850 he found work on the farm of Levi St. John near Janesville, receiv- ing ten dollars a month wages, and remained until the fall. He then went to Plattville, Wis., where he had a cousin who was a contractor, for whom he worked until winter set in. The winter of 1850-51 he worked again for his board and room, without wages. While thus engaged he met an Amer- ican just returned from California, who told wonderful stories about that far-off and almost unknown territory and of the recent discoveriees of gold there which had already sent a thrill of excitement throughout the civilized world and started hosts of adventurers on the road to the new El Dorado. Mr. Foss was both young and human, and these stories made a strong impression on him and aroused in him likewise the spirit of adven- ture. His cousin, Mons K. Foss, was equally impressed, and they, with five others-Americans-formed a company determined to brave the perils of the overland journey across the plains and risk their lives to make their fortunes. Accordingly they made a pool, each member putting in $100, and in addition, they elected a boss or commander of the expedition. They also

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provided themselves with two wagons and five yoke of oxen. In April, 1851, the long and dangerous journey was begun, and was made without any par- ticular incident to the second great desert, 300 miles this side of the Rocky Mountains. The oxen stood the trip well, and though some Indians were encountered, they gave the party no trouble. On reaching the edge of the desert mentioned they traded their oxen for mules, and crossed it on mule back in four days and nights. They then entered Salt Lake City to secure supplies, and after leaving that place traversed the Mormon Pass over the Rockies. While on this part of the journey some Indian guides joined them- selves uninvited to the party, which caused its members some apprehension, due to stories which they had heard both in regard to the Indians and the Mormons, but after remaining with them a day and a night the Indians dis- appeared and they saw no more of them. Two of the company, however, foolishly insisted on riding ahead of the others, with the result that one was shot, which was the only casualty they suffered. They often encountered bands of Indians numbering 500 or more, and occasionally they joined other caravans of emigrants and accompanied them for a while until for choice or by accident they separated. On June 10 they reached the Rockies, and soon after arrived at their stopping place in California, known then by the suggestive name of Hangtown, but later as Placerville. They were now beyond the pale of civilization, the only law in operation being the miners' regulations for dealing with crime, the court being presided over usually by Judge Lynch. At Hangtown Mr. Foss and his cousin hired out to mine at four dollars a day and board, remaining there and at Cold Springs until the spring of 1852. Then with his cousin he spent some time in prospecting in the vicinity of Hangtown, but without much success. Resolving on a change of location they set out for Sacramento, and on arriving there pro- ceeded up the Sacramento River by steamer to Marysville, a mining town, and from there to Parker's Bar, another camp three miles above, where there were rich diggings. There they bought a share in a mine for two hundred dollars. Soon afterwards Andras B. Foss went to a point about forty miles north, where, as one of a company of sixteen men, all equal partners, he bought a share in another mine, each member's assessment being one hundred dollars. To accomplish their operations successfully they built a dam and flume to turn the water so they could search for gold in the river bed below. This flume was 400 feet long and was covered with canvas, and it being late in the fall when it was finished, they were able to do but two weeks' mining before the rainy season set in, the work netting each man but six dollars a day, an amount which, considering the fearfully high price of all necessities, was insignificant. To save loss and months of weary waiting, they resolved to sell their works and disposed of them to some Chinamen for $2,000. Almost as soon as this transaction was effected the rains came on with such violence that everything was washed away and the Chinamen completely ruined. But they were not the only sufferers, as Mr. Foss almost immediately afterwards lost all his money in a "freeze- out" game, and returned to Parker's Bar, where his cousin had established a miner's boarding house, poor in pocket but rich in experience. Finding there was no money to be made at Parker's Bar, and his cousin being equally

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unsuccessful, the two set out for Downeyville, forty miles from Sacramento, where they found the mining poor. By this time the subject of this sketch had discovered that it was not easy for him to acquire sudden wealth, and made up his mind to return to Wisconsin and seek it by the slower but surer method of agriculture. His cousin having also had enough of California, they set out for San Francisco, where in three weeks they secured passage by boat to New Orleans, the fare being $150 apiece, steerage. An eight- days' trip down the coast brought them to Acapulco, where they took on supplies, and then, after another eight days, they were landed in Nicaragua. They crossed the Isthmus partly on mule back and partly by boat journey across Lake Nicaragua, the mule hire costing them $5 apiece. On this part of the journey they had to traverse the river from the lake until they reached the rapids, where they made a portage, went by a steamer which they found below to the second rapids, then made another portage and took a second steamer to the eastern coast, where they boarded a Gulf steamer and in three days found them in New Orleans. The next stage of their journey was made up the Mississippi River to St. Louis, the fare being $12 apiece. They then proceeded to Dubuque, where they crossed the river to New Galena, Ill., and from there traveled on foot to Janesville, which place they reached just three years after leaving it. In the fall of 1853 Andras B. Foss started out to find land on which to settle, going from Janesville to McGregor, Iowa, from McGregor to Decorah, being accompanied by his cousin and both making the journey on foot. At Locust Prairie, Iowa, he bought 160 acres of wild land on which he built a shack and some straw sheds, and began to make improvements, leading a bachelor's life. On June 20, 1855, he married Anna Solberg, daughter of Andros and Gerhardt Solberg of Spring Grove township, Houston county, Minn., and he and his wife resided on the Iowa farm, which lay close to the Minnesota state line, until 1860. Then Mr. Solberg died and Mr. Foss sold his Iowa farm and bought that of his deceased father-in-law, to which place he and his family moved. It was located in section 32 and there he remained until the spring of 1887, during which time he made extensive improvements on the place, increasing its area to 340 acres and erecting good buildings. He then rented it out and moved to Spring Grove village, erecting a two-story, square brick house on West Main street. Later he built another residence on an adjoin- ing lot, which is the one in which he and his wife made their home until her death, Sept. 3, 1918. Mr. Foss is now ninety-three years old. There is one older citizen in the village, and he has the advantage of Mr. Foss by but eight months. As a man who has had a remarkable history, and who has remained unspoiled by either bad or good fortune, Mr. Foss is widely known and highly esteemed. He was one of the founders of the Spring Grove con- gregation of the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran church, of which he has ever since been a member, serving for years as a trustee. He and his wife were the parents of eleven children: six daughters and five sons, all living, well and strong. Barbara Maria, now Mrs. N. H. Nelson, her husband being a retired farmer and banker of Mabel, Minn .; Gertina Andrene, widow of Thorvold Doely of Elbow Lake, Minn .; Johana Christina, wife of C. M. Walhus of Winneshiek county, Iowa; Brady, who is now farming in Cuba;

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Albert, a prosperous farmer of Spring Grove township; Martha Malina, wife of T. A. Kroshus of Spring Grove township; Peter A., living on the old homestead in Spring Grove township; Julia Louisa, wife of Anton Walhus of Winneshiek county, Iowa; Edward J., of Spring Grove village; Anna Sophia, wife of Frank Joerg, of Spring Grove village, and Leander A., of Rob- inson, N. D.

E. J. Foss, an enterprising and successful business man of Spring Grove village, handling the Ford automobiles and also engaged in the insur- ance business, was born on a farm in Spring Grove township, Houston county, Feb. 6, 1876, son of Andras B. and Anna Foss. He was educated in the common schools and at Luther College at Decorah, Iowa, where he finished a three years' course about 1894. Up to the age of 19 years when not at school he resided on the home farm with his parents, and during that period acquired some knowledge of agriculture and stock raising. In 1895 he began learning telegraphy and railroad station work at the Spring Grove depot of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railway, and a year later became station agent and operator at Newhouse, the first station west of Spring Grove. That position he held for thirteen years, being also engaged for several years in buying and shipping stock and grain for several grain elevator companies and for the last few years on his own account. In 1910 Mr. Foss moved to Spring Grove and engaged in the handling of Ford autos, a business which he had started as a side issue two years previously. He has since continued in it and is now conducting a garage and salesroom. In addition to this he has been for years agent for the Equitable Life Insur- ance Company, of Des Moines, Iowa. One of the hustling, energetic busi- ness men of the community and honorable in all his dealings, he has ad- vanced steadily on the road of prosperity and is the owner of a comfortable residence. He is also a stockholder in the Harroun Auto Company and the Root River Electric Company. In politics he is a Republican. Mr. Foss was married, June 14, 1901, to Louisa, daughter of Knute K. and Anna Kieland, of Spring Grove township. He and his wife have been the parents of four children : Adolph K., born Nov. 18, 1902, who died March 4, 1918; Owen, born Oct. 27, 1905, who is attending the Spring Grove High School; Anna, born in 1912, who died in the following year; and Norman W., born December 11, 1915. Mr. Foss and his family are members of the Spring Grove congregation of the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran church.

Torger Johnson Tendeland, one of the earliest pioneer settlers in Spring Grove township, long since passed away, was born near Stavanger, Nor- way, about 1813. In the same neighborhood in the year 1818 was born Bertha Larson, who subsequently became his wife. In 1849, some five or six years after their marriage, with two children, Bertha Maria, then 4 years old, and Johanas, aged 2, they set out for the United States and after a long voyage landed at New York. From that city the family went by railroad to Albany and thence by the Erie Canal to Buffalo, where they tarried for a few months. At last they took passage by a lake steamer for Milwaukee, but before the steamer had left Buffalo harbor another child, Lauritz T., was born to them on board. With this increase to their family

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MR. AND MRS. L. T. JOHNSON

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they arrived in Milwaukee and from there journeyed by wagon and ox team to Jefferson Prairie, near Beloit, Rock county, Wis. There they remained until the spring of 1852, Mr. Tendeland working at anything he could find to do. They then extended their travels towards the northwest until they reached Spring Grove, Houston county, Minn. Here Mr. Tendeland bought 200 acres of wild government land, of which 80 acres was grub land and the rest prairie. He had very little money and he and his family had to live economically with no comforts and sometimes hardly the necessaries of life. The first dwelling he erected was a log shack, 12 by 14 feet in size, which was the family home for some years. The farm was located in sec- tion 15, just west of the present limits of the village of Spring Grove. Dur- ing the first year they suffered a severe misfortune, their sheds and all their hay being destroyed by fire, and the little house being the only building left. But in spite of this they persevered with hope for the future, Mrs. Tendeland often assisting her husband in the field work. In time a good frame house replaced the old log shack and a frame barn was also erected, together with other necessary buildings. Three other children came to enlarge their family circle, but they were not destined long to survive. Diphtheria, that terrible scourge which the doctors of early days knew not how to cure, visited the township and carried off four of the children- Johanas, at the age of 14; Guri and Raagnel, at the age of 9, and Gabriel, aged 5. This left but two survivors, Bertha Maria and Lauritz, both of whom are now living. On Dec. 23, 1873, the father of the family also died after a brief sickness. Almost up to the time of his death he had been a strong and rugged man. He had done his part as a pioneer and was re- spected in the community for his industrious habits and steady character. One of the founders of the Spring Grove congregation of the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran church, he served it for a number of years as a trustee and helped to build its stone edifice. Mrs. Tendeland survived her husband some years, dying in 1878. Their remains now rest in the old cemetery in Spring Grove village. At the mother's death the two surviv- ing children, Bertha Maria and Lauritz T., inherited the farm, which they operated together until Lauritz bought his sister's interest, and he has since remained its proprietor. Bertha Maria is now Mrs. Embrik Stringer, of Waukon, Minn.

Lauritz T. Johnson, a well to do farmer residing in section 15, Spring Grove township, was born at Buffalo, N. Y., July 8, 1849, son of Torger Johnson Tendeland and his wife Bertha, whose maiden name was Larson. His birth took place on a steamer in Buffalo harbor just as his parents were setting out on a lake journey to Milwaukee. From there he ac- companied them to Rock county, Wisconsin, and several years later to Spring Grove township, Houston county, Minnesota, where he was brought up and reared to manhood on the farm on which he is now living. This he inherited with his sister, Bertha Maria, on the death of his mother-his last surviving parent-in 1878. Subsequently buying his sister's interest, he has since remained the sole owner of the farm, on which he has effected various improvements, having enlarged the house and erected additional buildings. His barn measures 30 by 60 by 16 feet, and rests on a full stone

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basement of 8 feet, and among the other buildings are corn cribs, a nog house, machine shed, poultry house and spring house, all in good condition. He has also a good equipment and his farm is very productive, it being one of the most fertile in this part of the county. He had 135 acres of meadow and plow land, the balance being in pasture and timber, while his stock includes grade Red Poll cattle and Poland-China swine, he having of the former some 15 to 20 milch cows and 30 to 40 young cattle. For both cattle and hogs he has full-blooded sires, endeavoring constantly to improve his herds. Mr. Johnson was also one of the organizers of the Spring Grove Stock & Grain Company and for years has been one of its directors. Politically he has always been a Republican and has taken an active part in the affairs of local government, serving at different times in various offices. For the past twenty-eight years he has been town clerk, for three years clerk of Spring Grove High School, for a number of years he served as town supervisor, and he has also been town assessor and justice of the peace. Mr. Johnson was married, April 3, 1874, to Bergita Regina Nelson, who was born in Norway, April 9, 1855, daughter of Peter and Martha (Johnson) Nelson. After her father's death in his native land she ac- companied her mother to this country, being then 17 years old. To Mr. and Mrs. Johnson thirteen children have been born, as follows: Petra Theoline, born Sept. 19, 1875, now the wife of Gust H. Kyllingsted, a farmer of Spring Grove township; Bertha (first), born Sept. 4, 1877, who died in infancy ; Bertha (second), born Aug. 9, 1878, now the wife of John Matthi- son, a civil engineer of Hamilton, Mont .; Richard Tedeman, born Dec. 12, 1880, who is residing on the home farm; Ida Maria, born Dec. 26, 1882, who graduated from the Wisconsin Business University at La Crosse, Wis., and the Carter Business College at Duluth, Minn., and is now bookkeeper and stenographer in the department store of Harper Bros. at Enderlin, N. D .; Gena Laurenze, born Dec. 17, 1884, who graduated from the Ladies' Seminary at Red Wing, Minn., and is now Mrs. Ernest Ruesch, of Kremlin, Mont .; Lucy Rebecca, born March 27, 1886, now the wife of James F. Wall, superintendent of the Portland cement works at Morgan Park, near Duluth, Minn .; Peter Gerhard, born Aug. 23, 1888, who died Dec. 2 the same year; Manda Amelia, born Oct. 8, 1889, who after graduating from the Spring Grove High School, studied in the Winona Normal School, was a teacher for six years and is now Mrs. Magnus Nalley, of Albert Lea, Minn .; Ruth Lillian, born Jan. 3, 1894, who is the wife of Theodore B. Smerud, of Elkader, Iowa; Frances Mildred, born March 9, 1896, who graduated from the Spring Grove High School and is now a student in the Winona Normal School; and Pearl Geneva, born April 24, 1898, who is a graduate of the Spring Grove High School and a student in the Winona Normal School. Mr. Johnson and his family are members of the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran church, those at home or in this vicinity attending the Spring Grove congregation. He is one of the two pioneers of this section still living.

Helmer J. Sylling, proprietor of a flourishing farm of 165 acres in sec- tion 9, Spring Grove township, was born in this township on a farm four miles south of the village, Aug. 19, 1871, son of Juul and Bertha Sylling, his

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History of Houston County, Minnesota, Part 70

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

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