History of Houston County, Minnesota, Part 77

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

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Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Thomas Houlihan, one of the early settlers in Mayville township, now deceased, was born in Ireland, and came to the United States with his par- ents when ten years old, the family settling in Jo Daviess county, Ill., and the father finding employment on the railroad. There Thomas attended school and grew to manhood. At the close of the Civil War he came to Houston county, Minnesota, and was married in Caledonia to Margaret Dean. Taking a tract of land in Wilmington township, he began the task of developing a farm, working hard and making gradual improvements, and in this he continued for practically the rest of his life, his burden being partly lightened by the assistance of his sons. He died March 20, 1917, having attained the advanced age of 72 years and 3 months. His wife Mar- garet was but 29 years old when she died, about 1882. They were the par- ents of five children, Kate, Mary, Patrick, Anna, and Michael F., the last mentioned of whom is now operating the old home farm in section 4. His sister Kate, who was born Nov. 6, 1871, resides with him. Mary, born May 15, 1875, is a resident of Milwaukee. Patrick, born in 1877, is an employee of the Tri-State Telephone and resides in St. Paul. Anna, born in January, 1879, is the wife of E. J. Radandt, a furniture dealer of Wausau, Wis.

Michael F. Houlihan, a prosperous farmer of section 4, Mayville town- ship, is a native of Houston county, having been born in Wilmington town-

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ship, July 15, 1873, son of Thomas and Margaret (Dean) Houlihan. His parents were early settlers in Mayville township, where they bought the farm which he is now conducting. When he was nine or ten years old his mother died, but he continued to reside on the farm with his father, attend- ing district school during the winters, and picking up a good knowledge of agriculture when not engaged with his books. Besides assisting his father, he occasionally worked out on other farms, but his main efforts were di- rected towards the improvement of the parental homestead on which he has resided since his youth, and which he has personally operated since his father's death in March, 1917. The farm contains 801/2 acres and is all cleared. Mr. Houlihan does mixed farming, giving special attention to dairying and the raising of swine. His cattle are of the Shorthorn breed, his swine being Duroc-Jerseys and every year he raises a number of each kind of stock for the market, carrying on a profitable business. His build- ings are modern, having been erected during the last 15 years. In addi- tion to his direct farming interests he is a shareholder in the Mayville Star Telephone Co., of which he was treasurer for eight years. He is a Catholic in religion, and with his sister Kate, who resides with him, he attends the Catholic church at Caledonia.

Helmer Oscar Buxengard, a general farmer operating 119 acres in sec- tion 6, Winnebago township, was born in Houston county, Jan. 1, 1884, son of Mr. and Mrs. Swen Buxengard. The parents, natives of this county, are now retired farmers living in Caledonia. They have had four children: Helmer Oscar; Mary, now deceased; and Clara and Amanda, who are living in La Crosse. Helmer Oscar was educated in the district school, and was trained to agriculture on the home farm, on which he assisted his father, though occasionally working out, until three years ago. He then rented the farm from his father and has since operated it on his own account. About 80 acres are cleared, the rest being in bluff and woodland. Mr. Bux- engard does general farming, raising both grain and stock. He has also an acre of ginseng under cultivation. He is making good progress and is a shareholder in the Farmers' Elevator at Caledonia and the creamery at Wilmington. On April 15, 1916, he was married in Caledonia, to Clara Annetta Viegan, who was born in Iowa, May 7, 1883, daughter of Halvor Viegan and wife. Both parents were born in Norway, the mother coming to this country when a babe. Mr. Viegan was a schoolmaster before his marriage but afterwards engaged in farming. He is now deceased. He and his wife had three children: Clara Annetta, now Mrs. Buxengard; John Gerhardt, living in West Beaver, this county ; and Hilda Julia, wife of Arthur Sears. Mr. and Mrs. Buxengard attend the Lutheran church at Wilmington.

Philip Bung, a representative farmer of Mayville township, residing in section 33, was born in this township, Oct. 11, 1881, son of Frank and Helen (Schweback) Bung. The father was born in the town of Beason, Duchy of Luxemburg, and the mother in the same Duchy. The former came to this country at the age of eleven years, and became a farmer in Mayville township, Houston county, continuing in that occupation until his death. His wife, who survived him, is now residing in Caledonia. They

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had seven children: Margaret, James, Katie, Philip, Nicholas E., Cecelia, and Anastasia. Cecelia is now deceased. Philip Bung was educated in the district school, and until he was 25 years of age assisted his father on the home farm. He then married and for six years thereafter operated rented land, in October, 1912, buying the farm on which he now lives. It has an area of 208 acres, of which 135 acres are cleared, the rest being in wood- land. Fifteen acres were cleared by himself. He has also made some valu- able improvements on the place, having built a new barn, 32 by 80 feet, with 18-foot posts and hip roof; also a hog barn and other outbuildings, and in addition he has improved the house and thoroughly fenced the entire farm. He raises both grain and stock, giving special attention to the breeding of swine. He is also a shareholder in the co-operative cream- ery at Caledonia, and has served one term as treasurer of his school district. Mr. Bung was married, Jan. 22, 1907, to Cecelia Ernster, who was born in Mayville township, Houston county, May 4, 1883, daughter of Peter and Elizabeth (Koll) Ernster. Her parents were natives of Luxemburg, the father being a farmer. Both are now deceased. They had twelve children, of whom seven are now living. Mr. and Mrs. Bung are the parents of five children, born as follows: Arnella, Dec. 4, 1907; Leona, June 2, 1910; Cordula, Oct. 12, 1913; Aloysius, May 28, 1916; and Arnold, Dec. 12, 1917. Olaus O. Sanness, proprietor of one of the best farms in Wilmington township, located in section 28, was born in section 21, this township, Dec. 5, 1862, son of Ole and Celia Sanness. The father was born near Chris- tiania, Norway, and was one of the pioneer settlers in this part of Houston county, locating on land that is now the farm of E. O. Steneroden. He was a man of sturdy type and became prominent in the community, being one of the founders of the Wilmington Congregation of the Norwegian Evan- gelical church, to which he was a liberal contributor. He died in 1898, and his wife in 1892. They had four daughters and one son, namely: Olive, now Mrs. E. O. Steneroden of Wilmington township; Bergit, wife of Andrew Dahle of Caledonia township; Marie, wife of Ed Ostern of Wilmington township; Sophia, now Mrs. O. C. Vaaler of Spring Grove; and Olaus O., who was the youngest member of the family. Olaus O. Sanness was reared on the home farm, on which he had to make himself useful at an early age, but attended district school during the winters until he was 18 years old. In March, 1881, he married Margit, daughter of Nels and Ingre Hefty of Wilmington township, at which time he began farming for himself on the E. O. Steneroden farm. A year later he bought 180 acres of improved land of Erick Steneroden, 160 acres of which lay in section 28 and 20 acres in section 32. The buildings consisted of a log house and some straw sheds for cattle. This place he has since made his home, but has greatly changed its aspect by the numerous improvements he has made, especially in the erection of suitable buildings of modern type. These include a substantial, two-story, ten-room house; a frame barn, 32 by 70 by 18 feet in size, having a full stone basement of eight feet; a granary, machine shed, carriage house, three hog houses, with a cement feeding floor 20 by 32 feet ; a double corn crib, with an eight-foot driveway between; a woodshed, summer kitchen with two rooms, and a garage for his five-passenger Dodge auto-

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mobile. The farm is also well fenced and provided with good wells. In addition to raising the usual grains, Mr. Sanness is a breeder of grade Here- ford cattle and Duroc-Jersey hogs, and has been successful in every branch of his extensive business. He has served for a number of years as school director, being a Republican in politics. In addition to his direct farming interests he holds stock in the Spring Grove Stock and Grain Co .; the Honey Creamery, the Independent Harvester Co., and the Spring Grove Hospital. Mr. Sanness' first wife, Mrs. Margit Sanness, died in 1888. She had been the mother of two children: Cecelia, born Jan. 5, 1883, now Mrs. William Bergrud of Wilmington township; and Olga, born Nov. 7, 1885, who died at the age of two years. On May 15, 1894, Mr. Sanness was married to Nellie Ostby, who was born Nov. 11, 1871, daughter of David L. and Johanna Ostby of Wilmington township. Of this union nine children have been born, namely: Julia Elida, Jan. 19, 1896, who is a student in the Minne- sota Agricultural College at St. Paul; Dina Olgo Mathilda, born April 9, 1898; Minnie Emelia, born Sept. 4, 1900; Oscar Neuman, Dec. 11, 1902; Stella Helmine, Nov. 29, 1904; Ruth Selmine, Dec. 25, 1906; Arnold Lewis, April 24, 1909; Ole Norton, May 4, 1911; and Selmer Tilford, May 10, 1913. All are residing at home. Mr. Sanness and his family are members of the Norwegian Evangelical Congregation of Wilmington, of which he has been a trustee for the last twelve years.

Edward A. Blegen, proprietor of one of the pioneer farms of Houston county, situated partly in section 31, Wilmington township, and partly in Allamakee county, Iowa, was born in the section above mentioned, Sept. 2, 1856, son of Andrew E. and Ingebor (Rosendahl) Blegen. His parents being among the first settlers in the county, his boyhood days were spent amid primitive scenes, of which the picturesque Red Man was for a num- ber of years a prominent feature. Although obliged to work on the home farm at an early age, he was allowed to attend school during the winters until 18 years old. From the age of 23 to that of 26 he worked out as a farm hand. In 1885 he rented the old home farm and in the same year was united in marriage with Karine, daughter of Andrew and Thure Kroshus, of Spring Grove township, and who was born Jan. 1, 1863. For four years after renting the farm, Mr. Blegan went to North Dakota for the threshing season. In 1890 he bought his father's farm, consisting of 82 acres in sec- tion 31, Wilmington township, and 65 acres across the state line in Alla- makee county, Iowa, the farm being all in one piece. One hundred acres are now under the plow, with the balance in pasture and meadow. Among the buildings on the farm when he took possession of it was a good frame house of eight rooms, consisting of a two-story upright with wing. In 1909 he built a frame barn 34 by 66 by 16 feet, with a full stone basement of eight feet, and cement floors. He has also erected a machine shed, 16 by 32; a granary, 16 by 26; a hog house, 12 by 52, with a cement feeding floor on two sides, and a stave silo, 14 by 32, built in 1912. His teams, machinery, and other equipment are thoroughly adequate and of good quality. For the last twelve years Mr. Blegen has kept a herd of Jersey cattle, number- ing from 30 to 35 head, including 15 or 20 milk cows. He is now breeding registered Angus cattle, having full-blooded sires, and has a drove of 85

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MR. AND MRS. ANDREW E. BLEGEN MR. AND MRS. EDWARD A. BLEGEN AND SONS

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to 100 Duroc-Jersey hogs. He is carrying on a profitable business and through enterprise and industry has become prosperous. He is. a stock- holder in the Spring Grove Stock & Grain Co., the Spring Grove Co-opera- tive Creamery and the Spring Grove Hospital. In politics he is a Republi- can. On Nov. 16, 1903, Mr. Blegen lost his wife, who passed away on the home farm. Seven children had been born to them : Alford, born April 6, 1890, who died July 9, 1916; Amos Laueren, born Sept. 16, 1891, who is now a farmer at Scoby, Mont .; Ignus Theodore, born Dec. 24, 1893, who is a contractor at Scoby, Mont .; Thinka Sophia, born Sept. 3, 1897, who is keeping house for her father; Oscar Maurice, born Oct. 8, 1895; John Edwin, Oct. 22, 1899, and Henry Bernhard, Jan 1, 1903. Two of the sons in this family served in the Great War. Theodore saw nearly a year's service in France with Co. D, 22nd Engineers, and assisted in erecting the famous Pershing Stadium near Paris. Oscar M. served six months in France in Co. A, 102nd Infantry, with the 26th Division, this being the famous New England division which established such a notable record.

Andrew E. Blegen, one of the early pioneers of Houston county, now living retired on the farm he established in 1857 in section 31, Wilmington township, was born in Haland, Norway, May 25, 1832. His parents were farmers and he was early trained to agricultural work, obtaining very little schooling. At the age of twenty-one, being then his own master, he resolved to seek his fortune in America, and accordingly left home, and after a long voyage of nearly three months in a small sailing vessel, landed at Quebec, Canada, from which city he came directly to Argyle, Lafayette county, Wis. There, in October, 1856, after a two or three years' residence, he was mar- ried to Ingeborg, daughter of Ole and Margaret Rosendahl, of that place, and in the following year they came together to Houston county, Minnesota, with an ox team and all their household possessions, which were not many. Few of the pioneers began under more discouraging conditions, as, in addi- tion to the wildness of the country, the principal inhabitants of which were the Indians, they had very little money, and Mr. Blegen was unable to speak English. For most of that year he and his wife lived in Spring Grove township, he working out at grubbing, or whatever he could find to do. In the same year, however, he bought a tract of government land in section 31, Wilmington township, which was covered with stumps and needed grubbing. On it he built a small log house, 12 by 14 feet in size, into which he and his wife moved with their possessions. It was near winter and there was little chance to do anything towards improving his land until the next season, but as he and his wife had to live, he split rails that winter for one dollar a hundred, splitting some 3,000, besides 700 fence stakes, and also hauled rails from Bear Creek, Iowa. Later he worked at grubbing for L. T. Johnson's father, and found it very hard work, as he had not the proper tools. His earnings were small and he was often dis- couraged, but was supported in large measure by the religious faith taught him by his mother in his childhood, and by the aid and companionship of the wife. Among his various experiences, he had to drive his oxen twenty- two miles to the mill in Iowa, and also hauled grain to Lansing, that state, a distance of twenty-eight miles, and to Decorah, Iowa, and Brownsville,

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Minn. In the winter he hauled dressed hogs to La Crosse, thirty-eight miles away, receiving three cents a pound for them. His supplies he ob- tained from a store in Spring Grove village. Wheat brought thirty-five cents a bushel at Houston, a distance of twenty-eight miles from his farm, the buyers often taking advantage of the farmer by registering less than the actual weight. Another disadvantage was the high rate of interest, as he had to pay forty per cent per annum on a sum of $100 which he bor- rowed to make his first payment on his land, and had he borrowed it for a shorter time it would have cost him sixty per cent. Even this was not all, for the chintz bugs often destroyed most of the wheat crop, leaving only about two and a half bushels an acre. They were sometimes in fear of the Indians, but never received any harm at their hands. In spite of these hardships and losses, Mr. Blegen made gradual, if slow, progress, and by 1876 was able to build a comfortable frame house, which was joined on to the original log structure, making a two-story upright of eight rooms, and wing. Other buildings were also erected by himself and his son, Edward A., who is now operating the farm, and form a complete set, all in good condi- tion. Mr. Blegen also helped to organize the first district school, which, before a regular school building was erected, was held successively in differ- ent places, usually for a week at each place. In 1885 he retired from active work, renting the farm to his son, Edward A., though continuing his resi- dence with his wife in the old log portion of the house, where he is still living. Here Mrs. Blegen died, Oct. 10, 1910, her loss being mourned by her husband and family, and regretted by the entire community. Though now in his eighty-seventh year, Mr. Blegen still enjoys good health, both in mind and body. He is widely known and respected both for his personal qualities, and as one of the few remaining pioneer settlers of Houston county. In politics he has been a Republican practically since the formation of that party, while his religious affiliations are with the Spring Grove congregation of the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran church. It is also interesting to note that he helped to build the home for the first pastor of this congregation, laying the first timber, and also helped to build the old stone church, the second, and the present church.

Nels Ellestad, an enterprising and successful farmer of Wilmington township, residing in section 19, was born on his present farm, Dec. 1, 1862, son of Haagen and Margit (Gundgaard) Ellestad. His parents had then been residents of this locality for ten years, having come from Norway in 1852 directly to Spring Grove, Houston county, Minn. Having $200 the father invested in a homestead claim of 120 acres in sections 19 and 20, three and a half miles southeast of the village, of which tract five acres were broken. There was also a small log house on the place, in which the subject of this sketch was born, it being for fifteen years the family dwell- ing. Hard working and thrifty, the parents prospered, so that in a few years Haagen Ellestad had money to loan. He and his wife both attained an advanced age, being about ninety when they died, Mr. Ellestad in 1907 and Mrs. Ellestad in 1911. Their son Nels always remained with them. In his boyhood he attended the district school until about sixteen years old, and from that time on he took an active part in the development of the farm.

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HANS A. SUNDET AND FAMILY

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On June 12, 1897, he married Emma, daughter of Nils and Kari Tveito, of Spring Grove township, and set up housekeeping on the old homestead, which he had purchased in 1891. Here he has since remained, having 143 acres, of which ninety are under the plow. In 1900 he built a brick veneer house of one and a half stories, containing nine rooms. His frame barn, 30 by 52 by 18 feet, with a nine-foot full stone basement, was erected in 1898, and he has altogether a good set of substantial outbuildings. The farm is beautifully located and the soil is very fertile. Mr. Ellestad does general farming, keeping a good herd of graded Hereford cattle, and another of Poland-China and Duroc swine. In addition to this farm, he also owns half a section of land near Midland, S. D., and is interested in several local enterprises, including the Bee Creamery Association, the Spring Grove Stock & Grain Co., and the Spring Grove Hospital. He is a member of the Norwegian Evangelical church at Spring Grove. Mrs. Emma Ellestad died in March, 1909, leaving three children: Minerva, Newman and Rinaldo. Minerva, who was born Feb. 27, 1898, after graduating from the district school was a student for one winter in the Minnesota State Agricultural College. Since her mother's death she has been the housekeeper of the family. Newman, born June 3, 1901, and Rinaldo, born Aug. 5, 1903, are both living on the home farm.

Asle Sundet, one of the early settlers of Wilmington township, now deceased, was a native of Norway, from which country he came with his wife Aasa and five children to Iowa, locating first in Winneshiek county on land not far from the Houston county line. The family resided there but a very short time, however, when they moved to Wilmington township, Houston county, Minn., Mr. Sundet buying eighty acres of wild land in section 32, on which he built a log house and some straw sheds for cattle. He and his wife were very poor and for a number of years had to work hard and unitedly to make a bare subsistence. In time they increased the size of their farm by the purchase of fifty additional acres and became some- what more prosperous. Mrs. Sundet died in 1870, her husband surviving her until July 27, 1891, when he, too, passed away. Their children were as follows: Christian, now deceased; Ingeborg, now Mrs. Amund Nelson, of Fountain, Minn .; Christie, now Mrs. Ed Woyen of Spring Grove village, Houston county; Christian (second), who is a farmer at Hixon, N. D .; Mari, now Mrs. E. A. Livdahl of Spring Grove; Ture, wife of B. J. Bergrud of Winneshiek county, Iowa; Hans A., now proprietor of the old home farm ; and Elling, who is farming at Viking, N. D.

Hans A. Sundet, a prominent representative of the agricultural in- terests of Wilmington township, was born in Winneshiek county, Iowa, Sept. 27, 1862, son of Asle and Aasa Sundet. His parents being poor, he had few opportunities for acquiring an education and attended school but for a short time, working outside of school hours on the home farm, on which he has always resided. In 1890, the year before his father's death, he bought the property, and has since made some important improvements on it, having built a comfortable eight-room house, lighted by acetylene gas; a summer kitchen and woodshed combined, 12 by 18 feet; a frame barn, 20 by 40 by 16; a double corn crib; a hog house with cement feeding floor;

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a machine shed, granary and garage. He also has a fine steel windmill. His farm, containing 132 acres, is well fenced, and the teams, tools and equipment are all of the best type. Mr. Sundet breeds high grade Hereford cattle and Poland-China hogs, having full-blooded sires, and is doing a prosperous business, being one of the substantial citizens of his township. In addition to his direct farming interests, he is a stockholder in various local enterprises, and others, including the Honey Creamery at Bee, Minn .; the Spring Grove Stock & Grain Co .; the Spring Grove Hospital; the Inde- pendent Harvester Co., of Plano, Ill., the Equity Shipping Association of Spring Grove; and the Wilmington Fire Insurance Co., of which he has been treasurer for thirteen years. A Republican in politics, he has served twelve years as clerk of his school district. Mr. Sundet was married Feb. 5, 1890, to Anna, daughter of Salva and Matte (Nelson) Reitan. She was born Jan. 23, 1869, and spent her earliest years in Winneshiek county, Iowa, the Reitan family being neighbors of the Sundets, but went to Wild Rice, N. D., with her parents at the age of seven years. Mr. and Mrs. Sundet have five children: Arthur Sedwin, born Aug. 20, 1893, now a farmer in Spring Grove township; Leander Carlot, born June 17, 1897, now working on the home farm with his father, and the owner of a milk route connected with the Honey Creamery ; Elva Miranda, born May 23, 1900, who is a graduate of the Spring Grove high school; and Myrtle Adelia and Huldah, residing at home. In addition to his farm Mr. Sundet owns a modern residence in the village of Spring Grove, where the family expect to live after retirement from farm labors.

John G. Hagen, one of the early Norwegian settlers in Wilmington township, was born near Christiania, Norway, in 1848, and came to this country in 1865. For some years he worked as a farm hand, especially at grubbing, and continued for a while in straightened circumstances. On March 13, 1873, he married Bertha, who was born in the same locality in Norway as himself, and in the same year. In order to get to this country she had borrowed $20 to help pay her passage, and had to work out after arriving here to earn money to pay the debt. Mr. Hagen, soon after his marriage, bought forty acres of land in section 33, which tract is a part of his present farm, and building a small log shanty, he began clearing his farm with the help of oxen. Both he and his wife worked hard, often side by side in the field. Later they purchased forty acres more, which tract they also cleared in addition to the original forty. After living on the place until 1908 they sold it to their son Michael, and bought a little home in Bee village, where they have since resided, being now about seventy years of age.

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History of Houston County, Minnesota, Part 77

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

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