History of Houston County, Minnesota, Part 82

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

USA > Minnesota > Houston County > History of Houston County, Minnesota > Part 82

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time this work was well done and before their death he and his wife had increased their land holdings to about 800 acres. In the meanwhile a numerous family had grown up around them, though of their 15 children four died young. Of the eleven who attained maturity, eight are now living: Gustav, of Gagley, Minn .; Elias, who lives at Kindred, N. D .; Ole, of Holt, Minn .; Maria, now Mrs. H. Hallum, of Fargo, N. D .; Olava, wife of John Gran of Black Hammer township; Sophia, wife of John Fossum of Bremen, N. D .; Sara, now Mrs. N. Morken of Maddock, N. D .; and Anna, wife of Carl Rustad of Cartwright, N. D. In 1897 Mr. Gubrud rented the farm to his son John, who operated it under rental until 1901 and then purchased it. Since John's death in 1913 it has been operated by his wife and children. Of the other children of Gulbrand Gubrud who grew to maturity, a daughter, Christine, died in Spring Grove, May 21, 1912, and a son, Andrew, died Feb. 19, 1918, in Fargo, N. D. Gulbrand Gubrud died in March, 1898. Mrs. Gubrud is now living with her children in North Dakota.

John Gubrud, who was for a number of years an active and successful farmer residing in section 4, Wilmington township, was born on his parents' farm in this township-the one of which he was afterwards the owner-Feb. 14, 1865. In his youth he attended the district school to the age of about 15 years, and when not engaged with his studies was acquir- ing his industrial education as a helper on the home farm, which he aided his father in developing. In 1897 he rented the property and subsequently operated it under rental until the spring of 1901, when he purchased it. In the year that he rented the place, on Sept. 16, he married Bolethe Johnson, daughter of Ole S. and Maria Johnson of Wilmington township, and brought his bride to his father's farm. From that time until his death Mr. Gubrud was a hard worker and did much to improve the farm, increasing its cultivated area, building fences and erecting new buildings. He also became the owner of 160 acres of land in South Dakota, which he sub- sequently sold, and was a stockholder in the Spring Grove Stock & Grain Company and the Spring Grove Creamery. He served as treasurer of his district school board, in politics being a Republican, and was a member, with his family, of the Spring Grove congregation of the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran church, and a liberal contributor to its support. His useful activities were ended by death on March 29, 1913, and the news of his passing caused general sorrow throughout the community. The farm has since been operated successfully by his widow, with the assistance of her son. It now includes 208 acres, of which 135 are under the plow. Among the buildings erected by Mr. Gubrud were: a two-story, frame house, con- sisting of an upright and wing, and containing eight rooms, with a summer kitchen detached; a frame barn, 36 by 80 by 18 feet, with a full basement of 8 feet; and a granary, 28 by 38, with a machine shed attached thereto. These buildings are all painted and in good condition, the general equip- ment is fully adequate, the tools and machinery being of modern type, and the farm is well stocked with grade Shorthorn cattle and Poland-China hogs, the cattle usually numbering from 30 to 40 head, while from 100 to 150 hogs are raised annually. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. John

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JOHN GUBRUD AND FAMILY

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Gubrud are as follows: Ove Gerhard, born Aug. 28, 1898, who after at- tending the Minnesota Agricultural College for two winters, is now work- ing on the home farm; Milliard, born Feb. 4, 1900, who also attended agri- cultural college and is employed on the home farm; Morris, born Aug. 31, 1901; Johan Bennie Carlton, born Feb. 9, 1903; Olava Mathilda, born Jan. 6, 1907; and Arnold, born March 25, 1909. All the children are residing at home with their mother. It is interesting to note that Millard Gubrud enlisted Oct. 30, 1918, in the S. A. T. C., at Luther College, Decorah, Iowa, and received his honorable discharge, Dec. 11, 1918.

Juul Sylling, for many years an active and respected farmer of Spring Grove township, but now deceased, was born in Grauns, Prestegeld, Had- land, Norway, Dec. 24, 1832. In 1862 he accompanied his parents to Houston county, Minnesota, settling in Wilmington township. On Nov. 4, 1870, he married Berthe Blexrud, a native of Norway and daughter of Lars and Annie Blexrud of Black Hammer 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 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 cattle 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 Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran church. His death, which took place in a hospital at La Crosse, May 26, 1911, deprived the township of one of its most worthy and esteemed citizens. His wife, now past 70 years, still re- sides 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., on the home farm; Albert J .; Lars J., a farmer of Wilmington township; and Annie, now the wife of Hans Bekkemo, of Spring Grove township.

Lars J. Sylling, whose well cultivated farm of 200 acres in Wilmington township is situated in section 4, and about half way between the two vil- lages of Spring Grove and Caledonia, was born in Spring Grove township, April 17, 1875, son of Juul and Berthe (Blexrud) Sylling. His early years were spent on his parents' farm, which he helped his father to improve. On Feb. 17, 1900, he began domestic life, being united in marriage with Christine, daughter of Ole and Gunhild Larson, of Winneshiek county, Iowa. In the same year, accompanied by his wife, he went to Cheyenne, Eddy county, North Dakota, where he bought 240 acres of unimproved land, and began its improvement by the erection of a small shack for a

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dwelling. There he remained for ten years, during which time he brok all but ten acres of his land, built a good two-story 'frame house, a larg frame barn and other substantial buildings. While residing there he als served several terms as a member of his town board. In 1910 Mr. Syllin sold the farm and returned to Houston county, where in the same year h bought his present farm in section 4, Wilmington township, which wa known as the Heyche farm. He has improved this property by the erectior in 1913, of a large frame barn, with full stone basement, and now has . good set of buildings and operating equipment. He is engaged in genera farming and dairying, and is successfully breeding Shorthorn cattle, hav ing the nucleus of a fine herd, Duroc swine and Shropshire sheep. I: politics Mr. Sylling is a Republican, and a man who takes an active interes in whatever makes for the welfare of the community in which he lives. H is now serving as chairman of the Wilmington town board, in which offic he has shown ability and a good comprehension of local conditions and re quirements. With his family he belongs to the Spring Grove congregation of the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran church. To Mr. and Mrs. Sylling five children have been born: Gina, Aug. 3, 1901; Julia, Oct. 19, 1903 Cora, July 14, 1907; Alma, Oct. 6, 1912, and Leonard, Feb. 2, 1915. Th three elder children were born in North Dakota and the two younger il Wilmington township, Houston county, Minn. Gina and Julia are nov students in the Spring Grove high school.

Barney J. Schoh, a well known and popular representative of the farm ing industry in Wilmington township, was born in Winnebago township Houston county, Sept. 9, 1869, son of Henry and Mary (Brinkman) Schoh The parents, who were natives of Germany, after settling in Houston county were for some time very poor, but young Barney was allowed to attend school during the winters up to the age of 17 years. During the rest of the time he worked on the home farm, and remained on it until Jan 5, 1897, when he was married to Annie Schulze, daughter of John and Katherine Schulze of Allamakee county, Iowa. In the same year he bought 120 acres of improved land, but with poor buildings, in Hancock county Iowa, where he and his wife began domestic life. In the fall of 1899 he sold that farm and bought 80 acres in Wilmington township, on which tract was a log house and granary. To this in 1908 he added 45 acres more now making an acreage of 125 acres. On to this farm Mr. Schoh and his family moved in the spring of 1900, and for three years they lived in the log house, which in 1903 Mr. Schoh replaced with a substantial frame house, with upright and wings. Until 1908 he got along with straw sheds for his cattle, but that summer he built a good frame barn 32 by 66 by 16 feet in size, with a full eight-foot stone basement for horses and cattle. He has also built a steel machine shed 24 by 50, with a hollow tile hog shed below and a cement feeding floor 20 by 40. The build- ings are all in good condition and conveniently located, and the surround- ings are picturesque, the farm house commanding a good outlook. About 100 acres are now under cultivation, and aside from the productiveness of the soil, the farm is well stocked with Shorthorn and Red Poll cattle and Poland-China and Duroc swine. Mr. Schoh is a shareholder in the Wi !-

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mington Creamery Co. He is a Republican in politics and for six years served as town supervisor. He and his wife have one child, Alvin H., who was born Sept. 27, 1897, who is living on the home farm, assisting his father. The family are members of the Eitzen congregation of the German Evangelical church.

Gjermund Johnson Lommen, one of the hardy pioneer settlers of Wilmington township, now deceased, was born in Norway, Dec. 21, 1824. He grew to manhood in his native land, coming to the United States in 1849 and settling in Dane county, Wis., where he remained until 1853. He then came to Houston county, Minn., locating in section 16, Wilmington town- ship; a few months later, however, he moved to section 7, and bought land. The development of his place dated from his marriage at Decorah, Iowa, Nov. 15, 1856, to Aagot, daughter of Ole and Marit Lommen. She had come to this country at the age of 20 years with a younger sister and some friends from Norway. Mr. and Mrs. Lommen now began pioneer farming, their dwelling being a log hut. The land was wild, but they had an ox team and were young and hopeful and ready to face privation. Like the other pioneer settlers, they had many hardships to endure, but worked hard and made the best of circumstances, and in time their labors and endurance brought them a fair reward, and they found themselves in possession of a well developed farm, with a comfortable frame house, a barn, granary and other buildings, forming, with what money they saved, a sufficient com- petency for their declining years. Mrs. Lommen was the first to pass away, her death occurring April 14, 1893, on the old homestead in section 16. She had never been strong and during the last few years of her life suf- fered from asthma. She had attained the age of 64 years. Her husband survived her somewhat less than ten years, dying at the home of his daugh- ter, Mrs. J. B. N. Blexrud, on the old home farm, Nov. 1, 1902. Their remains now rest in the cemetery at Spring Grove. Mr. Lommen was always a Republican in politics. He was prominent in church affairs, he and his wife members of the Spring Grove congregation of the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran church. Though strict in his home, he was just and generous hearted, and quick to forget a fault. To him and his wife eight children were born: Jorend, born Sept. 12, 1857, who died Dec. 17, 1866; Marit, born Nov. 23, 1858, now Mrs. John B. Nelson (Blexrud) ; Sigrid, born Aug. 18, 1860, now Mrs. A. L. Ramstad, of Hickson, N. D .; Ingeborg, born March 17, 1862, who married Peter Lommen and is now deceased; John, born Jan. 30, 1864, who died in 1870; Oline, born July 25, 1865, who died Dec. 21, 1866; Jorend Oline, born Aug. 10, 1867, and Olaf, born July 8, 1872, both of whom died in infancy.

John B. Nelson (Blexrud), who owns and operates an improved farm of 200 acres in sections 7 and 18, Wilmington township, his residence lying in section 7, was born in Spring Grove township, Nov. 10, 1855. He was educated in the district school, which he attended up to the age of 13, and remained at home with his parents until the spring of 1877, when he went to Trail county, North Dakota and homesteaded 160 acres of wild land. On it he erected a board shack, in which he took up his residence, and during his first year there he broke 20 acres. Remaining there until the spring of 39

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1879, he then sold it and during the following summer worked as a farm hand four miles south of Fargo, N. D. In the fall he returned home, where for about a year he operated a well drill, and subsequently drove a cream route in Wilmington and Spring Grove townships. In the spring of 1882 he went to Clark county, South Dakota, where he bought 160 acres of practically wild land on which there were no buildings. Having made arrangements to have 40 acres broken by hired help, he returned to Spring Grove township, Houston county, where he spent the winter of 1882-83. In the next sprnig he went back to his farm in Clark county, S. D., which lay 15 miles southeast of the city of Clark, and there he remained until the spring of 1891. He then returned again to Houston county and bought the old home farm in section 1, Spring Grove township, residing on it for six years. In April, 1897, he bought his present farm of 200 acres in sec- tions 7 and 18, Wilmington township, which was an improved farm known as the German Johnson homestead, 130 acres being under the plow. There was also a frame and log house, a frame barn 30 by 50 feet in size, with a stone basement, and a granary 24 by 24 feet. In 1904 Mr. Nelson built a two-story house of 12 roms, hot water heated, and with other modern im- provements; and in 1915 a frame barn, 40 by 80 by 16, with a full cement basement of eight feet, and fitted up with the James system. His general equipment is adequate and of the best quality. He is engaged in general farming and dairying, raising graded Shorthorn cattle and Duroc-Jersey hogs, and keeping full-blooded sires for each herd. In addition to this farm, he owns another, of 160 acres, in Section 1, Spring Grove township, which he rents to a tenant. His total property holdings thus amount to 360 acres, all being good land. He is also a shareholder in the Stock & Grain Company of Spring Grove, and takes high rank among the enterprising and prosperous citizens of his township. His religious affiliations are with the Spring Grove congregation of the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran church. Mr. Nelson was married May 30, 1888, to Marit Lommen. who was born in section 7, Wilmington township, Nov. 23, 1858, daughter of Gjermund and Aagot Johnson Lommen. The children of this union are: Agnes Aurora Blexrud, born in Clark county, S. D., Oct. 1, 1890. who after graduating from the high school in 1910, taught school two years, and is now residing at home; Nora Josephine, born in section 1, Spring Grove township, Houston county, Aug. 19, 1892, who graduated from the Minne- sota Agriculutral School in 1913, and is also at home; and Gotthard, born Aug. 13, 1894, who attended the Minnesota Agriculutral School one winter and is now on the home farm, assisting his father.

Frederick Meitrodt, the founder of one of the good farms of Wilming- ton township, in section 26, known as Royville Stock Farm, but who is now deceased, was born in Germany, where he was reared to manhood. In 1863 he came to the United States, a young man, and for a year worked as a laborer in Cleveland, Ohio. Then, having made up his mind to settle on the land, he came to Houston county, Minnesota, buying 80 acres on Port- land Prairie, in section 26, Wilmington township. About the same time he was united in marriage with Johanna Smith, and together they developed a farm, Mr. Meitrodt building a small frame house, a frame barn, and other

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outbuildings. He also cleared a considerable part of his land, and cultivated it, and in time he and his wife became prosperous. They were among the founders of the Eitzen congregation of the German Evangelical church. Both died on the old homestead, Mr. Meitrodt on Dec. 2, 1899, and Mrs. Meitrodt on March 18, 1906. They were the parents of four children : William, now farming in Caledonia township; Anna, now Mrs. George C. H. Meyer, of Wilmington township; Gustav and Adolph, twins, the latter of whom died May 24, 1894, while Gustav is now proprietor of the old home farm.

Gustav Meitrodt, proprietor of Royville Stock Farm, in section 26, Wil- mington township, was born in this township, Nov. 10, 1868, son of Fred- erick and Johanna (Smith) Meitrodt, his parents being German settlers. His education was acquired in the district school, which he attended up to the age of 17 or 18, though during the last few years of that period his attendance was chiefly in the winter months, as at other times he was obliged to make himself useful on the farm. Remaining at home until 1887, he then went to Lincoln, Neb., where he worked two years as a com- mon laborer. After his return to Wilmington township he worked as a farm hand for a year, and then, in 1890, took possession of his father's farm, which he has since been engaged in operating. Among his improvements, he has erected a good two-story, nine-room frame house, a frame barn, machine shed, granary, garage, hog house and other buildings, and is the owner of a good auto car. His farm is also provided with good wells and a steel windmill, and is well fenced, nearly all of the fencing being "hog-tight." Of his land, he owns 130 acres in one body, and 15 acres of timber near by, the latter being situated in Allamakee county, Iowa. One hundred and fifteen acres are under cultivation. Mr. Meitrodt is engaged in diversified farming, and for the past 18 years has been a breeder of registered Short- horn cattle and Duroc swine. Through industry and good judgment, he has been successful, and has taken his place among the prosperous citizens of his township. He is a stockholder in the Caledonia Co-Operative Grain & Stock Co., the Spring Grove Stock & Grain Co., the Caledonia State Bank, and the Wilmington Creamery Co., having been one of the organizers of the last mentioned company. On May 18, 1899, Mr. Meitrodt was united in marriage with Augusta, daughter of Leonard and Emma (Brinker) Ranzenberger, of Allamakee county, Iowa, and who was born July 6, 1876. The children born of this union are as follows: Ida, Jan. 21, 1900; Roy, June 22, 1904; Martin, July 7, 1908, and Anna, May 21, 1912. Ida was married, May 8, 1919, to Walter Thiele, and they reside in Winnebago town- ship. Mr. Meitrodt and his family are members of the Eitzen congrega- tion of the German Evangelical church, of which he is a liberal supporter. Though of German antecedents, he is a loyal American.

Gilbert J. Hagen, until recently one of the active and successful farmers of Wilmington township, was born in the southern part of this township, Aug. 8, 1876, son of John G. and Bertha Hagen. His parents were early Norwegian settlers here, but came separately to the county, being married in Caledonia. They are now retired and are living at Bee village in this township. Gilbert J. had but scant opportunity for obtaining an educa-

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tion, as his parents for a number of years were quite poor, but he attended the district school for a short time at intervals. He was only 12 or 13 when he began work, being employed partly on the home farm, but to a larger extent working out for other farmers. On March 25, 1915, he was married to E. Emelia, daughter of Ludwig and Maria Erickson, of Wilmington town- ship. Until 1917 he worked his father-in-law's farm, and then rented the Olaus Hefty farm in sections 22 and 23. In the spring of 1918 he moved to Allamakee county, Iowa, just over the state line from the old home in Wil- mington township. Always a hard-working and thrifty man, Mr. Hagen has accumulated a fair competency. He has a good farm at his present location, and is successfully raising Hereford cattle and Duroc swine. For years he was a stockholder in the Bee Mercantile Company, but sold his interest in it in the fall of 1917. In addition to his own farming interests Mr. Hagen also worked his father's farm for three years. He and his wife, the latter born in Wilmington township, July 8, 1886, are the parents of one child, James Leander, who was born Sept. 8, 1917. The family are mem- bers of the Wilmington congregation of the Norwegian Evangelical Lu- theran church, of which he is a liberal supporter.

Guttorm G. Tyrebakken, one of the hardy pioneer settlers who helped to develop the natural resources of Wilmington township, was a native of Norway, where he grew to manhood and was married. Although very poor, he and his wife managed to save enough to pay their passage to the United States, and arrived in New York after a voyage of twelve weeks. From that city they came directly to Wilmington township, Houston county. This was in the year 1854, when there were very few white settlers in the county, though white immigration had begun. The Indians, however, were very numerous. Buying 80 acres of wild land, Mr. Tyrebakken built a small log shanty and one or two sheds and began the work of clearing his farm, with the help of oxen. His subsequent career was that of a typical pioneer, hard work being the rule for him and his wife during the early years. But gradual progress was made, the farm much improved, and prosperity finally attained. Faithful to their early religious training, they assisted in build- ing the first Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran church in Wilmington, of which they were useful members. Mr. Tyrebakken died in the year 1900, his demise being due to heart failure. He passed away suddenly at Spring Grove, where he had gone to consult a physician. His wife survived him eight years, dying in 1908 on the old homestead. They were the parents of three sons and four daughters: Guttorm and Turgen, who are living on the home farm with their brother Carl, its present proprietor; Ole, a farmer in Norman county, Minnesota; Cecil, deceased; Oline, who married Christ Christiansen of La Crosse; Carl, above mentioned; and Christine, wife of James Jasperson, of Tabor, Alberta, Canada.

Carl Guttormson, proprietor of an excellent farm of 170 acres in sec- tion 35, Wilmington township, which is one of the pioneer farms of Houston county, was born on this place Aug. 20, 1869, son of Guttorm G. Tyrebakken and wife. At the time of his birth his parents had been settled on the farm for fifteen years, having arrived here from Norway in 1854. Here he was reared to manhood, attending district school up to the age of 16, while his

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CARL GUTTORMSON

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time out of school hours was spent largely in assisting his father. He has never left his boyhood home, and on his father's death in 1900 he bought the property and has since operated the farm on his own account. He has 170 acres of land, of which 125 acres are under cultivation, the rest being in timber and pasture land. The soil is rich and productive, and Mr. Gut- tormson has added materially to the general improvements, having built two frame barns, 26 by 50 by 16 and 28 by 50 by 14 feet, with 8-foot base- ments, and a lean-to 16 by 50 feet, both with modern equipment; also a corn crib and machine shed. Other buildings were erected by his father with his assistance. Mr. Guttormson breeds Shorthorn cattle and Poland- China swine, of the latter from 75 to 100 yearly. He is doing a prosperous business and is a stockholder in the Honey Creamery Co. of Bee, Minn .; the Equity Stock & Grain Co. of Spring Grove, and was formerly a stock- holder in the Bee Mercantile Co. He is a member of the Wilmington con- gregation of the Norwegian Evangelical church. So far he has not married, his sister Turgen keeping house for him.

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History of Houston County, Minnesota, Part 82

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

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