History of Houston County, Minnesota, Part 71

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

USA > Minnesota > Houston County > History of Houston County, Minnesota > Part 71

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parents being pioneers of this locality. He acquired his primary education in District School No. 88, and in 1894 completed a business course in Valders Normal College at Decorah, Iowa. The next two years were spent on his parents' farm. On March 12, 1896, he was married to Caroline, daughter of Jorgen and Olaug Quarve, of Spring Grove township. Hav- ing rented the Hermanson farm south of town, he and his wife took up their residence on that place, which he operated until the spring of 1899. He then moved to Eddy county, North Dakota, where he bought 160 acres of land, of which 60 acres had been broken, although there were no buildings. The latter defect he remedied by erecting a small frame house, also a board barn to shelter his teams and stock. He also broke 80 acres more of the land, and until 1910 was engaged in raising flax and wheat there. Then selling the place, he returned to Spring Grove and bought his present farm of 165 acres in Spring Grove township, two and a half miles west of the village, which was formerly the Paul Hanson farm. It was an improved place with a two-story frame house, consisting of an upright and wing, and a good frame barn and granary, 14 by 22 by 10 feet in size. To these buildings he has added a machine shed, 14 by 22 feet. He has now 130 acres of the land under the plow, and besides raising good crops is successfully breeding grade Shorthorn cattle and Poland-China and Duroc-Jersey swine, keeping full-blooded sires for improving his herds. Of cattle he has at present some 35 to 40 head, including 10 or 12 milch cows, and of swine from 125 to 150 head. Mr. Sylling is a stockholder in the Spring Grove Hospital and is recognized as one of the enterprising and successful men of his township. He is a Republican politically and is now serving as treas- urer of school district No. 55. While living in North Dakota he was for five years town assessor. He and his wife have five children : Bertha, born April 8, 1897; Genora, born Aug. 12, 1899; Jeanette, born Dec. 26, 1901; George, born Jan. 8, 1904; and Harriett, born Dec. 1, 1907. Bertha, who was graduated from the village high school, was for three years engaged in teaching. She married Rudolph Tweeten, of Wilmington township, May 26, 1918, and has one son, Harland. Genora, Jeanette and George are attending the village high school. The religious affiliations are with the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran church of Spring Grove.

Juul Sylling, for many years an active and respected farmer of Spring Grove township, but now deceased, was born in Grans, Preslegeld, Haland, Norway, Dec. 24, 1832. In 1862 he accompanied his parents to Houston county, Minnesota, settling in Wilmington township. For some years he lived with his parents and helped them to develop their farm. On Nov. 4, 1870, he married Bertha Blexrud, a native of Norway and daughter of Lars and Annie Blexrud, of Wilmington township. Buying 80 acres of wild land in section 27, Spring Grove township, he erected a small dwelling on it, in which he and his wife took up their residence, and he began at once to develop a farm, the area of which was soon increased to 160 acres by the purchase of another 80-acre tract. In time he succeeded in getting 130 acres of his land under the plow, and had also erected a good set of build- Ings. Among these was a fine, large brick house, consisting of an upright and wing, the brick for which was made on the farm by a German hired

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for that purpose by him and his brother Andreas, who owned an adjoining farm and built a brick house at the same time. He also erected a frame barn, 32 by 52 by 16 feet in size, with a full stone basement and other necessary buildings. His farm was well stocked with grade Shorthorn cat- tle and Poland-China swine, and he had also a good equipment of teams and machinery. All this was not accomplished without much hard work, and for many years Mr. Sylling was a very busy man. He was a prominent member and liberal supporter of the Spring Grove congregation of the Nor- wegian Evangelical Lutheran church. His death, which took place in a hospital at La Crosse in May, 1911, deprived the township of one of its most worthy and esteemed citizens. His wife, now past 70 years, still resides on the old home farm. They were the parents of six children : Helner J., now a farmer in Spring Grove township; Christian J., a resident of Spring Grove village; George J., farming the old homestead; Albert J. and Lars J., farmers of Wilmington township; and Annie, now the wife of Hans Bek- kemo, of Spring Grove township.

Christian J. Sylling, a well to do resident of Spring Grove village, stock buyer for the Spring Grove Stock & Grain Company, who is also the owner of considerable landed property, was born on a farm in section 27, Spring Grove township, Feb. 22, 1877, son of Juul and Bertha (Blexrud) Sylling. He acquired his primary education in the district school and subsequently attended for one year the Normal School at Decorah, Iowa. Then return- ing to his parents' farm, he worked on it until 1899, when he rented the Svarkebraaten farm not far from his home and began operating it inde- pendently. In the following year, or on July 8, 1900, he was united in mar- riage with Louise Larson, daughter of Ole Tufsrud and Gunhild Larson, of Highland township, Winneshiek county, Iowa. After a two years' resi- dence on the Svarkebraaten farm, Mr. Sylling moved in 1902 to Spring Grove village, where he learned the creamery business and became man- ager of the creamery there. After awhile, finding the plant not large enough to accommodate its patrons, he bought the necessary machinery and supplies and started a creamery at Sheldon, eight miles to the north, which was run as a branch institution to handle the surplus cream. Mr. Sylling was connected with the Spring Grove Creamery for seven years, at the end of which time he sold out his interests and began buying stock for the Spring Grove Stock & Grain Company, an occupation in which he has since continued. In the same year he bought the Nils Tvito farm of 160 acres in section 23, Spring Grove township, two and a half miles southwest of the village. This is an improved farm with 120 acres of the land under cultivation. Its buildings include a good two-story frame house; a frame barn, 28 by 56 by 16 feet, with a lean-to of 20 by 56 feet for stock, and with cement floors and modern equipment; a stave silo, 12 by 32 feet, hav- ing a capacity of 80 tons; a hog house, 12 by 80 feet, with a cement floor 12 by 80; a poultry house, 16 by 22; and a cream house, 10 by 14 feet. On the farm is a herd of 50 Hereford cattle, including 10 milch cows, and another herd of 100 Poland-China hogs, the herds having pure-bred sires. This farm is now being operated by a renter, Mr. Sylling having no time to give it his personal attention. In addition to this property he owns 80

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acres of improved land in Winneshiek county, Iowa, situated about eight miles south of Spring Grove. This tract, which he bought in 1913, he uses for stock pasture, there being no buildings on it. As buyer and shipper for the Spring Grove Stock & Grain Company, in which he has a financial inter- est, Mr. Sylling is kept busily employed. He is also a stockholder in the Root River Electric Company and the Spring Grove Hospital. His religious affiliations are with the Spring Grove congregation of the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran church. In politics he is a Republican and for two years, 1914 and 1915, he served as mayor of Spring Grove, proving a popu- lar official. To him and his wife seven children have been born: Geneva Beatrice, Aug. 15, 1902; James Oberlin, April 8, 1905; Gladys Amanda, March 26, 1907; Charlotte Luella, Sept. 14, 1909; Harold Leonard, April 22, 1911 (died Nov. 4, 1918) ; Alfred Gerhard, May 22, 1914; and Lucille Ione, Feb. 14, 1916. The four eldest are attending school in Spring Grove.

Timan Gilbertson, a former resident of Spring Grove township and village, who through his own exertions rose from a condition of poverty to one of comparative affluence and is still living, though now a resident of a distant state, was born at Nes Hallingdal, Norway, March 15, 1837. The father died in Norway and his widow subsequently became the wife of Halgrim Paulson Frysager. When the subject of this sketch was 10 years old the family emigrated to the United States, settling at Rock Prairie, Wis., whence in 1854 they came to Spring Grove township, Houston county, Minnesota, settling on a farm not far from the village. Mr. Frysager was a man of forceful character and soon became a prominent member of the community. Young Timan was reared on the farm and early trained to habits of industry, attending school but two weeks in this country. In Feb- ruary, 1857, when nearly 20 years old, he married Anne Nelson Kjos, the ceremony taking place in the log cabin built by his stepfather. Both were very poor, the bride's sole effects consisting of a few articles tied up in a small bundle and the clothes she stood up in. But Mr. Gilbertson was not the man to remain poor all his life. Energetic and thrifty, he set to work at once to improve his fortunes. Buying of his stepfather the latter's farm in section 9, two miles south of Spring Grove village, he began its cultiva- tion, making use of oxen for draught animals. During the seventeen years that elapsed until his removal to the village in 1874, he erected a number of buildings, including a substantial log house, 16 by 16 feet in size, to which he later added a frame wing, 16 by 16, and a stave barn, 30 by 40 by 14, which is still standing. By 1882 he had become the owner of more than 500 acres of land. Previous to that, in 1879, he erected a large brick hotel in Spring Grove village, on the west side, which was for years liberally patronized by the traveling public and which is now occupied by his son Amos as a residence. This place he operated as a hotel until the present "Florence" hotel was built further downtown. On moving to the village Mr. Gilbertson took up his residence in the Hinkley house, now occupied by the son Amos, previously mentioned, as a carpenter and cabinet-making shop. He gave to three of his sons a farm of 200 acres each in Spring Grove township and also presented two of his daughters with 160 acres each in North Dakota, one being situated near Fargo and the other near

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Hoople. For a number of years he served as a supervisor of Spring Grove township, as well as in other local offices, and in 1871 was elected to repre- sent his district in the state legislature, in which he served during the ses- sion of 1871-72 under the administration of Governor Austin. Politically he is a Democrat. While engaged in farming his market was at Browns- ville, thirty miles distant, from which place he hauled all the material for the buildings on his farm and also for the hotel he built in the village. He was a prominent member of the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church, in which he took an active part, being a member of the building committee for the old stone church and also of that organized for the erection of the first brick structure. Some years ago Mr. Gilbertson and his wife went to Parkland, Wash., where he bought a tract of land, which he platted and where they are now living, the Pacific Lutheran Academy being located in the immediate vicinity. Both have attained the age of 80 years, there being but one month's difference in their respective ages, and both are hale and hearty and in the enjoyment of good health. Their career has been one of wonderful prosperity and good fortune, except that of their twelve chil- dren but four are now living. Of these Hannah and Gustaf are now in the state of Washington; Ingeborg resides at Horace, N. D., and Amos resides at Spring Grove, Houston county, Minn.

Amos Centennial Gilbertson, a well to do resident of Spring Grove vil- lage, who is the owner of valuable property there and also of a fine farm in the township, was born in the Hinkley House in this village, now used by him as a carpenter and cabinet shop, Sept. 7, 1876, son of Timan and Anne Gilbertson. He acquired his early education in the district and village schools, and from 1894 to 1896 was a student at the Pacific Lutheran Acad- emy, in Parkland, Wash. In the spring he went to North Dakota and started farming near Fargo, where he remained until the fall of 1898. He then returned to Spring Grove, Houston county, but went on almost im- mediately to Decorah, Iowa, where he took a business course at Brecken- ridge College. In the spring of 1899 he came back to Houston county and took a farm in the township, five miles west of the village, which he operated until the spring of 1911. This farm, which he now has rented out to a tenant, is situated in sections 17 and 18 and is a fine property of 200 acres, of which 150 are under the plow and in a good state of cultivation. It is provided with acomfortable two-story frame house, consisting of an up- right, 16 by 16, and wing, 14 by 14; also a frame barn, 32 by 80 by 14 feet in size, with a full stone basement of 8 feet; a granary, 20 by 24; machine shed, 26 by 42; a stave silo, 14 by 34; a poultry house, 14 by 26, and a steel windmill. It is also well stocked with Shorthorn cattle and Poland-China swine. Since giving up the farm Mr. Gilbertson has resided in the village, owning 10 acres within the corporation limits, also a large two-story brick house, built by his father in 1879 for a hotel and where he has a well- equipped shop for carpenter and cabinet work. He is a stockholder in the Spring Grove Stock & Grain Company and is numbered among Spring Grove's prosperous and respected citizens. Mr. Gilbertson was married, Oct. 31, 1900, to Elmina Sophia, daughter of Gunerius and Sophia Olson, of Hoople, N. D. They have had eight children : Carleton T., July 24, 1902,

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MR. AND MRS. TIMAN GILBERTSON MR. AND MRS. AMOS C. GILBERTSON

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who died in infancy ; Arnold Gerhard, born Oct. 17, 1903, died Aug. 8, 1918; Amy Lillian, born Oct. 9, 1906, died in 1907; Edna Sylvia, born July 11, 1909; Lillian Theresa, born Aug. 3, 1911; Walter Reuben, born Aug. 6, 1912; Tilman Carl, born June 3, 1914; and Alice Sophia, born March 22, 1916. Mr. Gilbertson and his family are members of the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran church.

Hans A. Sylling, for many years a leading citizen of Spring Grove township, regarded as one of the foremost men in the community and whose influence was strongly felt in public affairs, was born in Wilmington town- ship, this county, June 5, 1865, son of Andreas Hanson and Kjerste (Osten- sen) Sylling, and died Jan. 18, 1918. He was brought to Spring Grove township by his parents as a boy and here attended the district schools. He also had the advantages of two winters at St. Olaf's College at North- field, Minn. He was reared to farm pursuits by his father and devoted his life to that work. In the spring of 1892 he purchased the home farm, on which he made many improvements. In 1908 he erected a good frame barn, 44 by 64 by 16 feet, with a nine-foot basement and cement floors and other improvements. He also put up a silo, 14 by 30 feet; a tool house, 18 by 35 feet, and other ample buildings. His equipment was of the best, and he made a close study of farm life and farm conditions. His hobby was the raising of horses. He had full-blooded sires, and his drove consisted of three matched pairs in addition to the young horses. His swine, number- ing about 75, were of the Poland-China, Duroc-Jersey and Chester White breeds. His cattle, of which he kept about thirty, were Herefords. Mr. Sylling was a stockholder in the Spring Grove Grain & Stock Company, in which he was formerly director. He was also a shareholder in the Honey Co-operative Creamery Company at Bee, Minn., and in the Independent Harvester Company. His fraternal relations were with the Brotherhood of American Yeomen at Spring Grove. He served in various public ca- pacities in his township, and was supervisor for many years as well as treasurer several times. Mr. Sylling was married, Oct. 12, 1895, to Tilla Thorine, daughter of Ole and Helga Svartebraaten, of Spring Grove town- ship. This union was blessed with five children: Alvin Olander, Helma, Clara, John Henry and Helga. Alvin Olander was born Aug. 28, 1896. He served in the United States Army in France. Helma was born March 17, 1898, and graduated in 1917 from the Spring Grove High School. Clara was born March 13, 1900, and graduated in accounting and stenography in the Wisconsin Business University at La Crosse, Wis. John Henry was born Aug. 20, 1901, and is on the farm with his father. Helga was born Jan. 24, 1904. The family faith is that of the Spring Grove Evangelical Lutheran church, in which Mr. Sylling was a prominent and active mem- ber and liberal contributor.

Andreas Hanson Sylling, an early settler, was born in Norway, July 13, 1830, and there married Kjerste Ostensen, who was born Nov. 14, 1823. With their two children, Gudbaur (Julia), now Mrs. N. T. Hendrickson, of Cheyenne, N. D., and a baby who died soon afterward, they set out for America in 1862. They landed in New York, came from there by railroad to Dubuque, Iowa, and thence took a boat for Brownsville, this county, 34

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where they were met by a brother-in-law, Gilbert Myrah, who took them to Wilmington township. This was on April 2, 1862, nearly fifteen weeks from the time they had left the old country. After living in Wilmington for awhile they sold out and came to Spring Grove township, where they secured a quarter section of land in section 35, partly improved. A log and frame house combined, a log granary and straw sheds constituted the buildings. Mr. Sylling continued to grub, break and improve the land until he had an unusually good place. In 1887 the log and frame house was replaced by a sightly brick structure, 28 by 32 by 20 feet. Later a one- story kitchen, 14 by 14 feet, was added. The brick was made on the farm itself. The house was at that time considered the best in the township. Mr. Sylling died Aug. 7, 1892, and his wife April 13, 1906.

Nels Tveito, an early settler in Houston county, who is still living, though not at present a resident of the county, was born in Norway in 1843 and came to the United States in 1852, when 9 years old, with rela- tives. His first residence in this country was in Allamakee county, Iowa, on Pine Creek Prairie, where he remained for one year. In 1854 he came to Houston county and was a resident of the county uninterruptedly until 1864, in which year he attained his majority. He then enlisted for service in the Civil War, but at the end of his career as a soldier returned to Hous- ton county and settled in Spring Grove. In 1867 he was united in marriage with Kari, daughter of Elling and Leva Ellingson, of Spring Grove town- ship, and soon after that event purchased 120 acres of wild land in Black Hammer township. He remained on that place but two years, however, and then went to Redwood county, Minnesota, taking up 160 acres of prairie land near Walnut Grove. After a four years' residence there he sold out his interests and returning to Spring Grove township, Houston county, bought 160 acres in section 23, on which the only building was a log cabin. There he remained for about thirty-seven years, during which time he developed the place into a good farm, with a comfortable frame house, a frame barn, granary, machine shed and other buildings. In 1910 Mr. Tveito sold his farm to C. J. Sylling and moved to Spring Grove village, where he resided until 1913 in a house of his own. He then sold that prop- erty and since then has spent his time between Esmond, N. D., and Thief River Falls, Minn., being now retired from active life. His wife died in Spring Grove in 1907. They were the parents of twelve children, of whom nine are still living, namely: Elling, now a prosperous farmer of Spring Grove township; Leve, wife of Andre Gilbertson and a resident of North Dakota; Martha, now Mrs. Ole Ostby, of Thief River Falls, Minn .; Regina, now Mrs. Lars Kjose, of Spring Grove township; Clara, wife of Elmer Ben- nies, of Thief River Falls, Minn .; Annette, wife of Magnus Thorson, of Goodredge, Minn .; Nellie, wife of Peter Halverson, of Goodredge, Minn .; and Nelius, of Middle River, Minn.

Elling Tveito, a well to do farmer and highly respected citizen of Spring Grove Township, residing in section 14, is a native of Houston county, hav- ing been born in Black Hammer township, Dec. 22, 1868, son of Nels and Kari (Ellington) Tveito. He acquired a distict school education and re- sided with his parents until reaching the age of 30 years. In 1898 he

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bought 120 acres of land in section 35, Spring Grove township, and was engaged in farming there until 1901, when he sold the place and bought an improved farm of 310 acres in sections 14 and 23, Spring Grove township, which is the one on which he now lives. Among the improvements are a good two-story frame house; a frame barn, 32 by 66 feet in size; a machine shed, 18 by 50; a granary, 18 by 24, and a stave silo, 14 by 32 feet. Having sold 40 acres of his farm, Mr. Tveito now has 270 acres, of which 170 are under the plow, the balance being in pasture and timber. His farm is well stocked with grade Shorthorn cattle and Duroc-Jersey hogs, each herd having a full-blooded sire, and he is following stock breeding, besides other branches of farming, with profitable results. He is also a stockholder in the Spring Grove Stock & Grain Company and in the Farmers' Co-operative Creamery and the hospital, both of Spring Grove. An industrious and en- terprising man, he has made good progress on the road to fortune and is recognized as one of the substantial citizens of his township. Mr. Tveito was married, April 6, 1898, to Anna Theoline, daughter of Andrew and Thure Kroshus, of Spring Grove township. His family circle has been enlarged by the birth of seven children, six of whom are now living, the record being as follows: Nels Augustus, born Feb. 11, 1900, who is a graduate of the Spring Grove High School; Andrew Millard, born Sept. 3, 1902; Cora, born April 28, 1904, who died in infancy ; Thomas Elmer, born June 2, 1905; Mabel Clarabelle, born May 10, 1907; Maurice Theodore, born Oct. 2, 1909; and Frances Thurine, born Jan. 5, 1912. Mr. Tveito and his family are members of the Spring Grove congregation of the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran church. His political principles are those of the Republican party.

Peter A. Foss, one of the leading agriculturists of Spring Grove town- ship, whose fine farm of 280 acres is situated in section 33, was born on this farm, April 11, 1871, son of Andrew and Anna Foss. His parents were among the early settlers in this township. Peter attended school in his home district and later spent two winters in the Spring Grove village school. From the age of sixteen to that of eighteen he worked out as a farm hand, but for the most part his hours of industry were spent on the home farm, which he helped his father to improve. Until the age of twenty-three he acted as his father's assistant, and then in the fall of 1894 he rented the farm, which he bought in 1902, and operated until 1905, when he rented it to his brother Albert. From that time until 1910 his time was spent on the farm of his brother Eddie near Flora, N. D., in the development of which he took a vigorous part. He then returned to the old home in Spring Grove township, Houston county, where he has since remained, and of which he now has 160 acres under the plow, the rest of the land being in timber and pasture. Here, besides raising the usual crops, he is doing a good business as a stock raiser, giving particular attention to the breeding of grade Shorthorn cattle, Poland-China swine and Shropshire sheep. He is also a shareholder in the Spring Grove Stock & Grain Company, the Farmers' Co-operative Creamery of Mabel, Fillmore county, Minn .; the Farmers' Elevator Company of Flora, N. D .; and a Wisconsin woolen manufacturing company. He is also a member of the American Society of Equity. Form-

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erly a Republican in politics, he is now a non-partisan. As a general farmer Mr. Foss has had a successful career, and his farm is well equipped with buildings and all necessary machinery. His residence is a two-story, frame house, 24 by 32 feet in size, with basement, kitchen and dining-room; his stock barn is a substantial frame structure with a full eight-foot stone basement, measuring 32 by 50 by 14 feet, and with the addition of a lean-to for cattle measuring 16 by 32 feet, while he has also two tool sheds, three corn cribs and other outbuildings. The farm is situated five and a half miles southwest of Spring Grove village, which is a convenient market for him. Mr. Foss was married in March, 1896, to May Alice, who was born in 1872, daughter of James and Mary Brown of Riceford, Minn. Of this union three children have been born: Forrest, in 1897, who died in 1898; Augus- tus, in October, 1899, who is now helping his father on the farm; and James Leander, in 1901, who is also living at home and helping with the farm work. Mr. Foss and his family are members of the Spring Grove congrega- tion of the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran church.

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History of Houston County, Minnesota, Part 71

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

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