USA > Minnesota > Todd County > History of Morrison and Todd counties, Minnesota, their people, industries and institutions, Volume II > Part 29
USA > Minnesota > Morrison County > History of Morrison and Todd counties, Minnesota, their people, industries and institutions, Volume II > Part 29
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Several years before leaving his native land, in 1878, Hans Nelson was married to Christina Anderson, who was born on July 15, 1850, in Sweden, the daughter of Andrew and Hanna (Person) Jensen, both of whom died in their native land. Mr. and Mrs. Nelson have had seven children, of whom two, Oscar and Edward, are deceased. Mrs. Anna Hendrickson lives at Pillager, Cass county, Minnesota; Alfred is a farmer in Rails Prairie township: John resides in Rosing township, Morrison county ; Hilda lives at St. Paul; and Lizzie lives at home with her parents.
Mr. and Mrs. Hans Nelson are members of the Swedish Lutheran church. Mr. Nelson is a stanch Republican and is now serving as super- visor of Rosing township. He has served on the school board of Rosing township for nineteen years. Mr. Nelson is a stockholder in the creamery at Pillager, Minnesota.
OLA PERSON.
Ola Person, one of the leading farmers of Elmdale township, Morrison county, Minnesota, is a native of the country of Sweden, born in the south- ern portion, March 30, 1858, son of Pere Nelson and Anna (Larson) Nel- son, who passed their entire lives in their native country. Pere Nelson was a farmer all his life and his son, Ola, was early instructed in the work of a farnı. Pere lived to be about seventy-eight years of age, his wife, Anna, dying when fifty years of age.
Ola Person was the youngest of a family of eight children and received his education in the schools near his boyhood home. After working on the farm for a few years, he decided to emigrate to the United States and did so. coming direct to this section of the country, where many of his countrymen were located. It was on the morning of May 24, 1882, when Ola Person arrived in the city of St. Paul, and there he remained for about eighteen
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months, securing such employment as he could at various things. In Novem- ber, 1883, he came to Morrison county, and in Elmdale township purchased eighty acres of land, for which he paid three dollars per acre. He brought his family to the farm and there they lived the following summer, while he worked in St. Paul, as in that manner he could sooner obtain the money with which to pay for his place. The next fall he took up the work on his home- stead and has so continued since. Ten years after making his first purchase, he bought forty acres adjoining his original tract, paying ten dollars per aere for his later purchase.
Mr. Person has given to the task he set himself of making a good farm home, the very best effort possible, and today is rewarded for all his thought and labor by owning one of the best farms in his section. The residence is a good substantial brick and, with fine barns, the whole appearance of the place is most complimentary to the owner.
Ola Person was married on September 23 of the same year he emi- grated to this country ( 1882) to Engred Johnson, also a native of Sweden, born on September 23, 1853. She came to this country alone and located in St. Paul, where she was supporting herself in a most successful manner. To their union have been born six children, namely : Nels, who is a farmer, and lives near the home place; Dorothea and Mary are deceased; Thea, who married Alexander Anderson; Alma, who married John Anderson; and Anna. The family live in the best social circles of the community and are well liked.
Mr. Person is a member of the Lutheran church, to which he gives generously of his means. In politics he is an independent voter. He carries on general farming such as practiced in this section, and in addition has a number of head of cattle. He keeps these for dairly purposes, also having ready for the market a number of head each year. He is a stockholder in the local creamery and is also a member of the Elmdale Shippers' Associa- tion. He is also a member of the Farmers' Fire Insurance Company, and is, in fact, most heartily interested in any movement which has for its ultimate aim the betterment of any phase of the life of his community.
Mr. Person has long since demonstrated his right to be classed among the leading citizens of Morrison county, for he is a man who has proven himself worthy in all relations of life. He is a man of marked domestic traits, fond of his home and family, and has so ordered his life that he is eminently entitled to the pleasing degree of esteem in which he is held by all those who have the pleasure of his acquaintance.
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THOMAS MCDOUGALL.
Among the farmers of Morrison county, Minnesota, who believe in following twentieth century methods is Thomas McDougall, a farmer of Bellevue township. He comes from a family which has always been fore- most for right living and industrious habits, for education and morality, for all that contributes to the welfare of the commonwealth. Such people are always welcome in any community, for they are empire builders and as such have pushed the frontier of civilization ever westward and onward, leaving the wide-reaching wilderness and the far-stretching plains populous with contented people and beautiful with green fields.
Thomas McDougall is the son of Peter, Sr., and Martha (Gibson) McDougall, the former of whom was born at Glengarry, Ontario, Canada, in 1820, and who died in 1905. Peter McDougall, Sr., was educated in Canada and remained at home with his parents until about twenty years old, when he engaged in the lumber business and worked in the lumber camps for about ten years. He then moved to County Huron, Ontario, and pur- chased one hundred acres of heavy timber land. He cleared up the land principally by burning the timber, most of which would be of immense value were it available today. He built a frame house and lived in it until 1873, during which time all of the land had been cleared and improved. In 1873 he immigrated to the United States, settling in Morrison county, Minnesota, where he purchased three hundred and thirty acres of land in sections 28 and 29. of Bellevue township. Most of the land was in timber, but he cleared it and improved the land generally until his death, in 1905. He lived in a modern two-story residence on the farm and enjoyed the use of com- modious outbuildings on the farm.
The wife of Peter McDougall, who, before her marriage, was Martha Gibson, is a native of Fredericton, New Brunswick, where she was educated and where she made her home until her marriage. She was the mother of eleven children, Peter, Robert, Charles, John, Duncan, Thomas, James, Jane, Kathryne, Susie and Rose. Of these children, Peter is a physician in the state of Wisconsin. Charles died at the age of twenty-four years. John is a fruit-grower at Cashmere, Washington. Duncan, a railroad engineer, died in the year 1909, at Everett, Washington, leaving a widow, who, before her marriage, was Margaret Barr, and five children. James is a partner of Thomas in the operation of the home placc. Jane is the widow of Henry Holmes, of Kent, Washington. Kathryne is the wife of J. W. Denny, of
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St. Cloud, Minnesota. Susie is the wife of Isaac LaFond, of Little Falls. Rose is at home. The mother of these children is still living and makes her home with her three children, Thomas, James and Rose, on the home farm.
The old McDougall farm, operated by Thomas and James, is an ideal country home, having a two-story house almost hidden by a beautiful grove of trees. It is situated near the banks of the Mississippi river and the farm adjoins the Mississippi.
Thomas MeDougall is identified with the Republican party. He is prominent in the affairs of the Masonic fraternity, being a past master of Anchor Lodge No. 178. He is also past worthy patron of the Order of the Eastern Star.
JAMES MANLEY LAMBERT.
The science of agriculture finds an able exponent and a successful prac- titioner in James Manley Lambert, who is widely known to the citizens of Bellevue township, Morrison county, Minnesota, where he owns a farm of more than two hundred and twenty acres.
James Manley Lambert was born in the state of Maine on April 15, 1855, and came to Morrison county, Minnesota, with his parents, James Lambert and wife, when a mere lad. James Manley Lambert was educated in the schools of Bellevue township, his first teacher having been Mrs. Lyman Ayres, then Miss Laura Hill. Mr. Lambert made his home with his parents until his marriage, but worked in the lumber camp in the winter for several years, and in the fall engaged in wheat threshing.
In 1882 James M. Lambert was married to Mary E. Kay, and about this time purchased one hundred and sixty acres of wild land. Mr. Lambert and his young bride started housekeeping in a house which he purchased and moved on the place. After five or six years, during which time he cleared much of the farm and put it under cultivation, he rented the farm and moved to Brainerd, Minnesota, where, with his elder brother, Josiah B. Lambert, he engaged in the livery and sales business. After about three years they came back to the farm and Mr. Lambert did general farming until about 1900. He then sold the farm and moved to Royalton in order that his children might have better educational advantages. At Royalton he engaged in the livery business. After purchasing property, he lived in Royalton for eight or nine years, but grew tired of the livery business and subsequently leased the building and moved back to the country, renting one
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hundred and forty acres of land in Bellevue township. After renting for four years, he moved to one hundred and sixty acres of land in section 16, Bellevue township, which he had purchased a short time before. Here he built a modern frame house and other outbuildings and now has a splendid country home. Practically all of the one-hundred-and-sixty-acre farm is under cultivation, the main crops being oats, rye, corn and potatoes. Mr. Lambert also has a herd of Jersey cattle. He owns sixty acres of land in section 9, which is pasture land. He also owns property in Royalton.
Mr. and Mrs. James M. Lambert are the parents of nine children, Vivien Floy, Gaetta, Pearl, Bessie, Josiah Manley, James R., Francis, Lois Grace and Helen Marie. Of these children, Vivien Floy is the wife of Charles Lysle, a merchant of Royalton. Gaetta married F. Galley, a grocer in Royalton. Pearl became the wife of K. B. Wilson, of Winnipeg, Ontario, Canada. Bessie married L. McGonegle, who works in the bank at Royalton. The remainder of the children are at home.
James M. Lambert is a successful farmer and a good business man, one who enjoys the confidence and esteem of all with whom he has come into contact.
WILLIE HANSON.
One of the up-to-date and well-managed farms of Morrison county, Minnesota, is that originally owned by George Hanson, located in Elmdale township, where the immediate subject of this sketch still makes his home and in company with his brother, Henry, rents the homestead from the mother.
Willie Hanson was born on the farm where he has lived all his life, on July 7, 1896, being the youngest of five children of George and Mary Han- son. Both parents were born in Sweden, the father in 1851 and the mother in 1857, and both were of the agricultural class. They came to this country separately, after having been educated in their native land, and both settled in St. Paul, where they were afterwards married. George Hanson lived in St. Paul for about ten years, during that time being employed by the gas company in laying its pipes. In 1885 he decided to leave the life of the city and get out into the country, selecting Morrison county as his future home. Here, in Elidale township, he purchased forty acres of wild land, cleared and broke most of it. He later purchased eighty additional acres of wild land and the place now has about thirty acres under cultivation, with the
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balance in meadow and pasture land. George Hanson died on January 23, 1912, at the age of sixty years. He had put in many years of hard work on his farm, and by the time death overtook him he had so planned and managed his business as to have made an ideal country home where once was only a tangle of undergrowth. His widow survives him, making her home on the old homestead.
There are five children in the Hanson family, as follow : Henry. Andrew, Eddie, Frank and Willie, the immediate subject of this sketch.
Willie Hanson attended school in district No. 101, of Elnidale township, and after completing his studies, in the common branches, became his father's helper on the farm, continuing in that connection until the time of the father's death, when, together with his brother, Henry, he rented the farm from the mother.
Mr. Hanson is devoting his best energies to raising live stock, preparing a goodly number each year for the market and in addition he keeps usually twelve head of milk cows. He usually raises about fifteen hogs per annum, and is uniformly successful with his stock. There is a fine residence on the place and excellent barns, making in all one of the attractive homes of the community. While a young man in years, Mr. Hanson has already proven that he profited by his father's careful instruction, for he displays ability in the management of the home which would do credit to a man of far more years. Energetic and ambitious, he promises to become one of Morrison county's leading citizens as the dignity and experience of years rest upon him.
HUGH A. NUTTER.
Among the earnest men whose enterprise and depth of character have gained a prominent place in the community and the respect and confidence of his fellow citizens is the honored subject of this sketch, Hugh A. Nutter, one of the leading farmers and stock raisers of Parker township. Morrison county, Minnesota, and is a man of decided views and laudable ambitions. His influence is exerted for the advancement of every phase of community life, and in the vocation to which his energies are devoted he ranks among the representative agriculturists of Morrison county.
Hugh A. Nutter was born on November 10, 1869, in Faribault county, Minnesota, the only child of Walter W. and Lena ( Oothoudt ) Nutter, both natives of New York. Walter W. Nutter was born in 1843, in Otsego
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county, and about the year 1865 he came westward, locating in Faribault county, where he homesteaded a claim of one hundred and sixty acres. He made considerable improvements on the land and farmed it until 1899, when he came to Morrison county, locating in Parker township, and pur- chased the eighty acres, where the immediate subject of this sketch now resides, making also the improvements on the same. His death occurred in 1911, and his wife died three years later. Mr. Nutter's mother was born in 1842, a daughter of Augustus and Sarah (Ellison) Oothoudt, the father being Pennsylvania-Dutch, while the mother was a native of New York. Augustus Oothoudt lived for a number of years in Faribault county, Minne- sota, where he also had homesteaded a claim, and his declining years were passed with his grandson, Hugh A. Nutter, at his home in Parker township.
Mr. Nutter, when a boy, attended the district schools near his home in Faribault county and was early instructed by his father in the secrets of husbandry. When he was about nineteen years of age, his father gave him outright eighty acres of land, which he farmed for about seven years. He then disposed of his holdings and went into South Dakota, where he farmed for three years, but not liking that location he returned to Minnesota and located in Polk county, where he rented land and farmed for a time.
In 1900 Mr. Nutter came to Morrison county and bought eighty acres in Parker township and set about making improvements on it. He made his home on that tract, which he improved and farmed until 1914, when he sold out to his son, and then, on the death of his mother, came into pos- session of his father's farm, where he has since resided. This contains eighty acres, fifty of which are under cultivation. In all, Mr. Nutter is the owner of one hundred and forty acres. He gives his best attention to the raising of graded Durham cattle, preparing each year a goodly number for the market. He conducts such farming as will best handle the cattle he has on hand, and inasmuch as he goes about his undertaking in a thorough and systematic mamner, he is meeting with excellent returns. Mr. Nutter has constructed an excellent barn, well adapted to his needs, and other buildings on the place are comfortable and sufficient.
On July 18, 1892, Hugh A. Nutter was united in marriage with Maun Winn, born on February 6, 1873. in Faribault county, Minnesota, a daugh- ter of William and Nancy (Sheffer) Winn, both of whom are now deceased. The father was a native of Pennsylvania, born on Christmas day, 1834, and the mother was born in Canada in 1836. To Mr. and Mrs. Nutter have been born eight children, namely: Dean, a farmer of Parker township;
(40)
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Echo (Mrs. Oothoudt), living at Dora Lake, this state; Myrtle, Hazel, Walter, Forrest, William and Millard, all of whom are still at home with the parents.
Both Mr. Nutter and his wife are among the most highly respected citizens of the community, and while he is not a member of any religious society, she is an attendant upon the services of the Presbyterian church. Mr. Nutter is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and politically, he gives his support to the Republican party. He is numbered among the good and substantial citizens of Randall, who are willing to give of their time and efforts to promoting the welfare of the community, and at the present time he is serving as treasurer of the school board of the town of Randall, having for some time been a member of that board. Mr. Nutter leads a well-regulated and honest life, which has gained for him the respect of a wide circle of friends.
SVEN M. BLOM.
Sven M. Blom is a son of John Swenson and Maria Magnusson, natives of Sweden, to whom seven children were born : Sven M., born on April 4, 1857, in Sweden; Carl, deceased; Christina (Mrs. Sjoquist), living in Sweden; Andrew, living in Sweden; August, now in Morrison county, Minnesota; Erland, who resides in Braham, Minnesota; and one child who died in infancy. John Swenson was born about the year 1835 in Sweden, where he died in 1895. Maria Magnusson was also born in Sweden and died in 1881, when about forty-five years of age.
In 1882, when about twenty-five years of age, Sven M. Blom departed from Sweden to seek his fortunes in America and upon his arrival went to Meeker county, Minnesota, working there as a laborer for some time. In 1883, about one year after his arrival on American soil, Sven M. Blom was united in marriage to Matilda Palm, who was born on September 3, 1855. in Sweden, and came to America in 1881. With her brother, who had taken the journey with her, she settled in Chicago, where she worked for some time. For seven years after their marriage, Sven M. Blom and his wife resided in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he worked as a laborer.
In 1891 Sven M. Blom removed to Little Falls, Minnesota, where he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of homestead land, which he left untenanted until the following year. In the meantime he learned the mason's
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trade, also working in the paper mills and as a fireman in the winter, doing mason work in the summer. Being one of the early settlers of Belle Prairie township, neighbors were few and distant and the land overgrown with brush and timber, was well nigh impassable. In the clearing of his farm, Sven M. Blom had to hire oxen with which to haul his timber and the barn was built of logs with a thatched roof of straw.
The stock on this farm consisted of one cow, a few chickens and a broncho horse, which was used in getting around the swamps while the land was in process of being cleared. Fields of grain now wave above the ancient swamps and substantial buildings have taken the place of the crude structures of the past. Sven M. Blom now owns eighty acres of well-improved land. upon which the breeding of Holstein cattle has become a specialty. He is a stockholder in the Freedhem Creamery Company, a member of the Swedish Free church and a stanch Republican.
Sven M. Blom is the father of two children: Jolm E., of Belle Prairie township, and Jennie, who married a Mr. Warnberg, now living in Kansas. The son, John, owns eighty acres of the original one hundred and sixty acres, constituting the old home place. Mr. Blom has many friends in Mor- rison county, where his indomitable courage and honest endeavors have won for him the respect and sincere regard of all who know him.
PETER DVORAK.
Peter Dvorak, an industrious and well-to-do farmer of Scandia Valley township, Morrison county, Minnesota, was born on June 20, 1874, in Bohemia, Austria. He is the son of Peter and Anna (Swank) Dvorak, who were the parents of seven children, five of whom are living. Peter Dvorak, Sr., was born about 1858, in Bohemia. He came to America in 1880 and settled in Johnson county, Iowa, with his family. He worked as a section hand for a number of years, but is now living retired at Fairfax, Iowa. Mrs. Anna (Swank) Dvorak was born about 1861, in Bohemia, and is still living. Peter Dvorak, Jr., is the eldest child born to his parents.
Peter Dvorak was educated in the public schools of Fairfax, Iowa, but was permitted to attend school only about six months in the year. After he had arrived at the age of seventeen he worked at different jobs until 1905, when he immigrated to Morrison county, Minnesota, and rented land in Rail Prairie township. In 1914 Mr. Dvorak removed to the farm of E. W.
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Murphy, of Little Falls, Minnesota. This farm comprises two hundred and forty acres and is located in Scandia Valley township. One hundred and twenty acres of the farm are under cultivation. Mr. Dvorak makes a spec- ialty of raising live stock and owns fourteen head of well-bred Holstein cattle. He also raises Duroc-Jersey hogs.
In 1902 Peter Dvorak was married to Louise Strnad, who was born on August 20, 1877, at Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the daughter of Anton and Elizabeth (Hraskyi) Strnad, natives of Bohemia, who left there about 1860. Both of Mrs. Dvorak's parents are deceased. They are buried at Fairfax, Iowa. Mrs. Dvorak's father was a shoemaker and followed the trade all his life. Mr. and Mrs. Dvorak have no children.
Peter Dvorak is a hard-working farmer and careful manager. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America. Politically, he is identified with the Republican party. Although not members of any church, Mr. and Mrs. Dvorak attend church regularly.
EDWIN SIGNER.
It is always agreeable and profitable to learn something of the career of a man who has started out in life at the very bottom of the ladder of success and by methods of unquestioned integrity and tireless energy has won a place in life where he commands the honor and respect of his fellow citizens and has also earned a competence. Such, in short, is a brief outline of the career of Edwin Signer, well-known farmer of Parker township. Morrison county, Minnesota.
Edwin Signer was born in Greene county, New York, February 9. 1844. a son of Steward and Lydia (Haag) Signer. Both parents were also natives of the state of New York and both were descended from English ancestry. Both lived to a ripe old age. The father was ninety years old when death claimed him, in 1878. and the mother, who lived some eight or nine years later, was of about the same age. Neither parent ever left their native state.
Edwin Signer came westward in 1864 and located near Green Bay. Wisconsin, where he secured employment as a farm laborer. He continued at that work only about a year, when he went into the timber and remained there a good many years, until 1892, when he came to Morrison county and lived for about a year at Little Falls. In the fall of 1893 he came to Parker
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township and purchased a tract of land containing eighty acres, for which he paid the sum of eight dollars and twenty-five cents per acre. His land at that time was thickly covered with brush and timber, and the first step he took was to make a small clearing and in that erect a little log cabin. He had no stock of any kind whatsoever, but by fall had a team of oxen and he now enjoys telling of the difficulties citizens of Parker township at that time had in getting about. At one time he left his home at six o'clock in the morning, bound for Randall, where he purchased a sack of flour and two bags of potatoes and immediately set out for home, but did not reach his destination until six o'clock in the evening. There were at that time no roads worthy the name, and his way lay through so many swamps that often his wagon would sink in the mud up to the hub.
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