USA > Minnesota > Todd County > History of Morrison and Todd counties, Minnesota, their people, industries and institutions, Volume II > Part 26
USA > Minnesota > Morrison County > History of Morrison and Todd counties, Minnesota, their people, industries and institutions, Volume II > Part 26
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VERNIE LOCKWOOD.
The best history of a community or state is that which deals most with the lives and activities of its people, especially those who by their own endeavor and energy forge to the front and carve out their own success. Starting in a small way some fifteen years ago, Vernie Lockwood has built up a large patronage in Morrison county and, what is better than his busi- ness, is the reputation which he has builded in all of these years of dealing with the public. The Lockwood family in America is descended from Rob- ert Lockwood, who came over to America with Governor Winthrop in 1630, and settled in what is now Watertown, Massachusetts. Robert Lockwood married Susannah Sention and from their union six children are sprung, all of the various representatives of the Lockwood family in America. Robert Lockwood died in 1658 and his wife on December 23, 1660, at Greenwich, Connecticut.
Vernie Lockwood, dealer in hardware, furniture, implements and har- ness in Motley, Minnesota, was born on July 5, 1877, in Hennepin county, Minnesota. He is the son of Isaac and Mary A. (Gordon) Lockwood, and is their only child. Isaac Lockwood was born in 1854, in Wisconsin, and was a farmer by occupation. He died from the effects of an axe wound, when Vernie was about three years old. Mrs. Mary A. (Gordon) Lock- wood was born in Carver county, Minnesota, in 1856, and is now living near Long Lake. Minnesota. She is the daughter of Charles and Elizabeth ( Stubbs) Gordon, who were born in Indiana. Mr. Lockwood has in his possession the complete genealogical record of the Lockwood family for many generations.
Vernie Lockwood was reared on the farm and remained at home until
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twenty-two years old, when he purchased a small stock of goods and opened up a grocery business with seventy-five dollars cash and some money which he borrowed from his neighbors. He was the proprietor of the store from November 1, 1899, until December 5. 1905, when he established a general mercantile store at Motley with a stock of merchandise worth about seven thousand dollars. In 1910 he closed out the mercantile store, and estab- lished a general line of implements and hardware, furniture and harness. He now carries a ten-thousand-dollar stock of merchandise, and owns eighty acres of partly-improved land in Cass county. He is also a shareholder and manager of the Motley Telephone Company. Mr. Lockwood employs two clerks the year round. This is no mean record for a man whose educa- tion extended only as far as the eighth grade.
Vernie Lockwood was married in 1899 to Ina Snoke, who was born on August 26, 1876, in Minneapolis, and who is a graduate of a business col- lege of that place. Mrs. Lockwood is the daughter of Martin and Mary (Turnham) Snoke, the former of whom was born in Pennsylvania and who was a farmer and fruit grower in Hennepin county, but who is now deceased. Mrs. Lockwood's mother is now living on the home place.
Mr. and Mrs. Vernie Lockwood have had four children, Paul, born in April. 1901; Stanley B., June, 1903; Verna M., August, 1908; and Gladys, August, 1914.
Mr. and Mrs. Lockwood and family are members of the Methodist church. Mr. Lockwood is independent in politics and has held various posi- tions of trust and responsibility. He has served on both the council and the school board, and is at present the treasurer of the Morrison County Fair Association, held at Motley, Minnesota.
ANDREW HERUM.
It is proper to judge of a man's success in life by the estimation in which he is held by his fellow citizens. They have opportunity for observ- ing his conduct in all the relations of life, and after a long course of years of such observation, it would be out of the question for his neighbors not to know his true worth. It is not too much to say that the subject of this sketch has in the manner above indicated, been heartily approved by all those with whom he has come in contact. Since 1908 Mr. Herum has been a county commissioner of Morrison county and has most ably discharged the
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duties devolving upon him. Morrison county can boast of fine highways and many excellent bridges, and the improvement of public thoroughfares is a subject to which Mr. Herum has given much time and thought. In his pri- vate business of farmer and cattle breeder, Mr. Herum meets with marked success. He has a good strain of Shorthorn cattle, and inasmuch as he man- ages both farm and herd along approved scientific lines, he meets with commensurate returns for his efforts. He is also one of the principal share- holders of the Randall Co-operative Creamery Company, and is serving that organization as secretary at the present time.
Andrew Herum was born on November 3. 1868, in Dane county, Wis- consin, a son of Peter and Bertha (Hermanson) Herum, and was one of a family of twelve children. three daughters and nine sons. Both parents were natives of Norway, the father born on June 4, 1822, and the mother in 1836. They were married in their native land and had their eldest son Eric when they emigrated to this country, in the year 1847. It was one year later when they reached Dane county, Wisconsin, and there the father pur- chased a tract of land containing one hundred and sixty acres. He lived on that farm for twenty years, selling out in 1868. He remained in Dane county for two more years, and in 1870 removed to Emmet county, Iowa. where he purchased land and again carried on farming on an extensive scale. He prospered and added to his holdings from time to time so that at the time of his death, on November 10, 1895, he was the owner of seven hundred and forty acres of fine farming lands. The mother had died some years previous, her death occurring in 1872.
Andrew passed his boyhood in his native county, receiving his ele- mentary education in the district schools near his home. For higher edu- cation he went to the Decorah Institute College, located at Decorah, lowa. where he also took a business course. After his special studies, he returned home and remained with his father until the latter's death. He then took charge of settling up the estate and remained in Iowa until 1898, when he came to Morrison county. Upon coming here he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of virgin soil, all thickly covered with brush and timber, and started in to clear it up and place it under cultivation. He now has forty acres under cultivation and lets his cattle have the run of the balance of the land.
On August 12, 1900, Andrew Herum was united in marriage to Ida Wentzel, born July 29, 1882, near Berlin, Germany. Ten years later she left there with her father and they came to the United States to make their future home. They located in Carroll county, Iowa, and in the schools near
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her home Ida finished her education, which had been begun in her native land. To Mr. and Mrs. Herum have been born five children, namely : Hilda F., Bertha L., Stanley B., Chester A. and Helen W., all of whom remain with the parents. The family is considered among the leading ones of Parker township and the home is the center of a large circle of warm friends. The children are receiving good educations and such training within the home as is calculated to produce the finest type of men and women. Mr. Herum is a member of the Reformed Lutheran Church and Mrs. Herum of the German Lutheran, and to the support of these societies they give generously of their means. Mr. Herum endorses the platform of the Repub- lican party and is one of its most active members in that section. He is a stanch advocate of all that will advance the interests of his community, and no worthy movement bids for his support in vain. His manner of discharg- ing his duties, both private and public, mark him as a man possessed of more than ordinary executive ability and his unquestioned integrity in all matters fully entitles him to the pleasing regard in which he is held by friends and business acquaintances alike.
REV. STEPHEN BUJALSKI.
Among the successful and much-beloved priests of the Polish Catholic church in Morrison county, Minnesota, is the Rev. Stephen Bujalski, who was born on September 15, 1881, at Warsaw, Poland, the son of Victor and Tressa (Bujalski) Bujalski.
Father Bujalski's father was a farmer in Poland, born at Warsaw, in 1840. For many years he was engaged in farming, until his retirement some years ago. He is now seventy-five years of age and is still living. Father Bujalski's mother is also still living in Poland and is sixty-eight years old, having been born in 1847. She is the mother of nine children, Albena, Alexander, Rough, Ludwick, Kuzimicz, Stephen, Mary, Maria and Flodora.
Stephen Bujalski was educated by a private tutor in his own home and attended what is called in Poland the gymnasium, or the high school, as it would be called in America. He afterward attended Biala College, at Biala. Poland, and was graduated from this institution with the class of 1901. Subsequently, he was a student at the seminary at Lublin, Poland. After graduating from St. Stanislaus Seminary at Lublin, with the class of 1905,
REV. STEPHEN BUJALSKI
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Father Bujalski went to Krokan, in Galacia, where he took a one year course, attending the Jaziellanski University, which has no superior in all" Poland.
In 1906, immediately after leaving the university, he came to the United States, and upon landing in Boston, Massachusetts, traveled directly to St. Paul and then on to St. Cloud, Minnesota, where he was ordained a priest by Bishop Throbic and celebrated his first mass on June 8, 1907. A short time afterward Father Bujalski moved to Perham, in Otter Tail county, where he took charge of St. Stanislaus church, remaining there for two years. From Perham, Father Bujalski moved to Friendsburg, Morrison county, where he took charge of the Sacred Heart church, remaining for two years. He was then transferred to St. Anna, Stearns county, where he remained about three years. Since 1914 he has been pastor of St. Edwards church at Elmdale. Here he has a most thriving congregation.
MAURICE OLSON.
Diligent application to a task and the satisfactory completion of same, seems to be an inborn trait of the Swedish people, collectively and indi- vidually as well. Of all the nations, whose sons and daughters have engaged in the wonderful development of this country, Sweden has contributed her full quota of men and women whose sober, intelligent and industrious char- acters have become potent factors in the advancement of this republic.
Many of the emigrants from Sweden to this country have landed on our shores empty handed, but they have invariably brushed aside all difficulties, and, with that grim determination which brooks no defeat, have marched on to prosperity and wealth. A representative of this Swedish nation, Maurice Olson, a farmer of Little Falls, Morrison county, Minnesota, has fulfilled every requirement of a self-made man, and has accomplished results on a broad scale. Starting from the lowest round of the ladder, he has steadily climbed to the top in his chosen profession. Starting as a deck- hand on a steamer, Maurice Olson has emerged as a farmer of wealth and prominence.
Maurice Olson was born on March 22, 1871, in Leonardville, Kansas, and is one of eight children born to Hokom and Bettie (Kemp) Olson. The names of the children are as follow: Ola H., now at Woodward county,
(38)
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Oklahoma; Swan, who lives in Grant county, Oklahoma; Henry, who resides at Leonardville, Kansas; Frank E., also at Leonardville, Kansas; Maurice, a farmer of Little Falls, Minnesota; William A., living at Leonardville, Kansas; Mary (Mrs. Shilerston), who resides at Lawrence, Kansas, and Dr. Albert Olson, who has a flourishing practice at Manhattan, Kansas.
Hokom Olson was born on February 2, 1833, in Sweden, and, leaving that country in 1867, immigrated to America and located in Knoxville, Illi- nois, where he worked as a farm hand and laborer for two years. Directly after his first two years' experience in this country, Hokom Olson removed to Salina, Kansas, where he worked as a laborer on the railroad, and in 1870 homesteaded on land located in Riley county, Kansas, which property he rapidly improved and enlarged from subsequent purchases until at the time of his death on March 22, 1888, he was the owner of four hundred acres of fertile soil.
Bettie (Kemp) Olson, the wife of Hokom Olson, was born on October 14, 1840, in Sweden, and in 1867, with her husband, immigrated to America. She is now living in Leonardville, Kansas. Both of these parents were members of the Swedish Lutheran church.
Maurice Olson spent his boyhood on the farm and attended the public schools at Leonardville, Kansas, completing his education in 1892, at Beth- any College, in Linsburg, Kansas. After securing his education, he removed to Chicago, Illinois, where he worked at the carpenter's trade until 1893. after which he moved north a short distance to Racine. Wisconsin, and secured employment as a deck hand on a steamer, three months later depart- ing for New York state, where he obtained employment at various kinds of labor until 1898.
At twenty-seven years of age, in 1898, Maurice Olson began to build for himself by engaging in agriculture and stock raising, on a farmi of one hundred and sixty acres. In January. 1907, he came to Belle Prairie town- ship, Morrison county, Minnesota, where he decided to locate permanently and accordingly purchased two hundred and forty acres of unimproved land in section 4 of Belle Prairie township.
On this farm, known as the "Spruce Grove Dairy Farm." Maurice Olson erected suitable buildings and prepared the soil for crops and the rais- ing of graded stock, in which line he has become very prominent. The breed- ing of Shorthorn cattle, Duroc-Jersey hogs and White Leghorn chickens are his specialties.
On September 12. 1900, Maurice Olson was united in marriage to Jen- nie M. Lawson, of Clay Center, Kansas, who was born on August 12, 1882,
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at Leonardville, Kansas. She is the daughter of Charles F. and Emma (Johnson) Lawson; the former was born in Sweden, in 1859, and, leaving there with his parents, when about the age of eleven years, crossed the ocean and settled in Kansas, whese he died in 1894. Emma (Johnson) Lawson, the mother of Jennie M. (Lawson) Olson, was born in Sweden, November 5, 1864, and her death occurred in 1894. This couple were married on August 31, 1881.
From the union of Maurice Olson and Jennie M. ( Lawson) Olson, three children were born: Bertha E., born on September 20, 1901 ; Tri- man M., July 29, 1903, and Violet E., March 18, 1910.
Maurice Olson is a Democrat and has taken a commendable interest in public affairs, although he has never aspired to an office for himself. He is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons, of Leonardville, Kansas. His religious life is with the Swedish Lutheran church, of which he is a mem- ber and liberal supporter.
Maurice Olson is a man of modern, progressive ideas, vigorous in his execution, optimistic in his business and public life and mindful of his duties as a father, husband and citizen. Personally, he is a leader in what- ever undertaking he pursues and his gentle, yet resolute, nature has caused him to be loved the most by those who know him best.
JACOB KIEWEL.
One of the most strongly-marked characteristics which the citizens of this portion of the West possess is the enthusiastic enterprise which over- leaps all obstacles and makes possible almost any undertaking. It is the means whereby this section of the country is coming to be placed on a par with the older East, for into business affairs has entered a reliability and certainty which was somewhat lacking in the earliest days of this section.
Jacob Kiewel, brewer and retired business man of Little Falls, Mor- rison county, Minnesota, has demonstrated that he possesses this happy combination of characteristics. An important point in the career of the subject of this sketch is the fact that he is one of the few surviving men who actively participated in suppressing the famous Sioux Indian outbreak. He enlisted and served all through the time this tribe was causing such terror among the frontiersmen, his command going northwest from Man- kato and he saw in that section many refugees and those massacred in the region of Lake Shetek and Big Stone. His command went on to Ft.
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Thompson and made the return trip, being attacked three times by the hostile Indians. Of his connection with this picturesque expedition, Mr. Kiewel has many interesting stories to relate, but the power of the Sioux is forever broken and in the years which have passed since he made his last desperate stand, homes and towns have sprung up in the land where he once spread terror.
Jacob Kiewel was born in Prussia, of the German Empire, near the city of Friaert, on November 1, 1846, a son of John, born in 1812, and Elizabeth (Ash) Kiewel, born about 1812. John was a cabinetmaker by trade, a carpenter and builder and also gave much attention to farming. After coming to this country, however, he gave his undivided attention to agricultural work. The family emigrated to America in 1856, landing at the port of New York City, and traveled directly on to St. Paul, where they remained for only a short time. John Kiewel then took up a piece of land in Carver county, this state, where he remained for ten years engaged in farming. He then removed to Stearns county, where he pur- chased a tract of land located between St. Cloud and Coldspring and there became an extensive farmer and stock raiser. He died there in 1870 at the age of fifty-eight years, while his wife Elizabeth, died about 1885. John Kiewel was a communicant of the Roman Catholic church and a man of strong personality, whose influence counted for much in the formative years of this section.
Jacob Kiewel is the second child in a family of eight, the eldest being Angeline, now Mrs. Artz. The others are John. Katie (Mrs. Lare), Mary (deceased), Lizzie (Mrs. Medved), Peter and Thresa. Jacob when a boy in his native land attended its schools, but his school days ended with his emigration to America, for that portion of Minnesota where the family located was then in the early pioneer stages, and no schools were to be had. With the foundation laid in his early boyhood and with the help of parents, he further educated himself until he could compete for information with many men who had excellent higher educations. His earlier years saw much hard work on the family homestead and boating on the river, as he remained with his father until twenty-two years of age.
In 1867 Jacob Kiewel started out on his own independent career and the following year he located in Otter Tail county, where he pre-empted a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres in what is now Carlisle town- ship. He proved up his claim, which was nothing but wild land when he secured it, and in the course of his residence there he greatly improved his farm and erected fine buildings. He lived there most of the time until
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1882. In the fall of 1872 he left the farm temporarily, removing to Moor- head, where for the following three years he was engaged in the retail meat business. He disposed of his interests there and returned to his farm, remaining about three years, when he again left it, going this time to Alexandria, Douglas county, where he engaged again in the retail butcher business and also ran a hotel. After something less than a year spent in that place, he disposed of his interests and went to Fergus Falls, where he became a part owner in a large brewery. After about three years fire destroyed that property at a total loss, there being no insurance, and Mr. Kiewel found himself a heavy financial loser. Nothing daunted, however, within a few months he purchased an acre of ground, located somewhat nearer the city than the old site, and proceeded to erect a brewery, himself being sole owner. That he operated until 1892, when he again suffered loss by fire, but that time had taken the precaution to protect himself with insur- ance.
Mr. Kiewel came to Little Falls in 1893 and purchased the brewery already here, which he practically rebuilt, making it larger and more modern, and this plant he still operates, although he has practically retired from the active affairs of life. He still owns, however, the Kiewel Brewing Com- pany. at Crookston, this state, and has farming interests in various parts of the state of Minnesota. He was one of the organizers of the Merchants' State Bank of Little Falls, is a director and heavy stockholder in that concern. He also owns a number of business blocks in Little Falls and is regarded as one of the city's ablest financiers.
In 1871 Jacob Kiewel was married to Rosa Middiller, a native of Switzerland, who came to this country with her family sometime in the sixties. The family first located in Ohio and later came to Minnesota, find- ing a suitable location near the city of Minneapolis. To that union has been born a family of ten children, eight of whom are still living. They are John. Charles, George, Joseph, Frank, Benjamin, Elizabeth ( Mrs. Herman Pantzke) and Louise.
Mr. Kiewel holds his religious membership with the Lutheran church, and gives generously of his means toward the support of the local society. In politics he votes the Democratic ticket, although having always been so engrossed with his own affairs, he has had no time to give to politics. Suc- cessful in business, respected in social life, and as a citizen discharging his duties in a manner becoming a liberal-minded, intelligent man, Mr. Kiewel is eminently entitled to the high respect in which he is held by business associates and friends alike.
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OLE A. JOHNSON.
One of the most enterprising young men of Cushing, Morrison county, Minnesota, is Ole A. Johnson, the immediate subject of this short biograph- ical sketch. While still in the first flush of manhood, Mr. Johnson has to his credit accomplishments and experiences which would well do justice to a man of greater years. Having done so well with the years which have been given him, he bids fair to become one of the most influential citizens of this community, for he has incorporated in his make-up such excellent traits as a worthy ambition, honesty of purpose and a tireless energy.
Ole A. Johnson was born in Norway on March 21, 1891, son of Carl FF. and Engeberg (Olson) Johnson, who were the parents of thirteen chil- dren, eleven of whom are living at the present time. Carl F. Johnson was born in August, 1859, and all the years of his manhood in his native land were spent as a farm and mining laborer. He emigrated to the United States in 1892, when the immediate subject of this sketch was but a baby, and came directly to this county. where in section 30, of Cushing township, he homesteaded a claim of one hundred and sixty acres. He first built a little log cabin to accommodate his family and set about clearing away the forest and putting his land into crops. About fourteen years later he built a frame house, and he and his faithful wife are still residing on the home- stead and farming it. They now own two hundred acres and have thirty acres under cultivation.
William Ole A. Johnson left Norway in company with his parents and two brothers, the other children being John O., who is a clerk, sold his farm in Cushing township, and William, located at Fargo, North Dakota. Ole A. attended the district schools of Turtle Creek township, Todd county ( the family homestead being located on the county line) and was early trained in the work of the farm by his father. When sixteen years of age, he decided that he did not want to be a farmer and in search of a place for himself in the world, he worked for a time as a section hand on the railroad, after which he secured a position as clerk in the general store at Cushing owned by Mr. Kjeldergaard. After clerking for one year, he returned to his father's home and remained with him on the farm until 1909 when he returned to Cushing and became a partner of Mr. Kjeldergaard's. On May 10, 1915, Mr. Johnson bought out the entire stock of goods and is now managing the business in his own right. He carries a full line of general merchandise and is prepared to supply the needs of his fellow citizens. Mr.
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Johnson has been made assistant postmaster at Cushing and is one of the town's established citizens, as he owns his residence and two lots. He is also interested in a financial way in the Cushing creamery and is in every regard a promising young citizen.
In 1910 Ola A. Johnson was married to Sophia Blaxrud, born on Jan- uary 4, 1887, in Rice county, this state, a daughter of John and Marie Blaxrud, natives of Norway. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson have three children, namely: Andries S., Curtis J. and Howard L. Mr. Johnson holds his religious membership in the Norwegian Lutheran church and gives his polit- ical support to the Republican party. He is a member of the Yeomanry organization and evinces a commendable interest in his various associations. Because of his high personal character and his genuine worth as man and citizen, he is eminently entitled to specific mention in a work of this char- acter.
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