USA > Minnesota > Todd County > History of Morrison and Todd counties, Minnesota, their people, industries and institutions, Volume II > Part 30
USA > Minnesota > Morrison County > History of Morrison and Todd counties, Minnesota, their people, industries and institutions, Volume II > Part 30
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In 1899 Mr. Signer built a comfortable frame house, painted it a cream color and has his home quite attractive. He has twenty-five acres in farm- ing lands and Mr. and Mrs. Signer operate the place as a dairy farmn. In the summer of 1915 they are milking eight cows and dispose of the product at St. Paul, to the Wisconsin Dairy Company. Mr. Signer still has on his place thirty-five acres of natural timber, some of it becoming quite valnable.
Mr. Signer received his education in his native state, and while still a young man had mastered a good many of the secrets of successful farming. He was one of a family of five children, the others being Edgar, still living in New York state and engaged in the manufacture of cider and vinegar; Emma, Mrs. Collyer, also lives in New York, in Greene county, where the family originally came from; William and Ruth ( Mrs. Reynolds) are deceased.
On October 11, 1882, Edwin Signer was united in marriage with Minnie Pappae, a native of Germany, born on January 28, 1860. When a small child of four years, her parents emigrated to this country and located in Wisconsin, where they still reside. She is the daughter of Herman and Mary (Nicholas) Pappae. both of whom are enjoying excellent health in their advanced age. To Mr. and Mrs. Signer have been born five children, namely : Ruth Emma, who became the wife of Henry Garrison and is now deceased; Charles, a farmer of Parker township; Sadie, wife of H. Blest, residing in Hennepin county, this state; Anna J., a graduate of the Little Falls Business College, now a stenographer in Minneapolis; and Rosa, the youngest of the family, remaining at home with the parents.
Mr. Signer is a faithful member of the Church of God and has con- scientiously reared his family in that faith. In politics, he votes indepen- dently, and while not being especially interested in such matters, he does
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take a keen interest in the affairs of the community. He is at the present time serving most efficiently as treasurer of school district No. 100, and has for a number of years taken special interest in matters of education. In the years of his residence here, Mr. Signer has proven himself to be a most worthy man in every relation of life and has drawn to himself a circle of warm friends by whom he is held in the highest regard.
RICHARD THORSEN.
The state of Minnesota owes much of its civic and industrial progress to the persevering citizens of Norwegian birth or lineage. Of this desirable element of citizenship, one of the best known and esteemed representatives is Richard Thorsen, whose agricultural activities have given him a place of prominence in the community in which he lives and a strong hold on public confidence. His career has been one of intense interest as well as of perilous adventure. The fearlessness and courage displayed in the undertakings of his early days changed in later life to qualities of persistency and endurance. The life of a sailor is not an uncommon thing in Norway, and consequently a number of her native sons are attracted to the occupation on the sea.
Richard Thorsen, who is now enjoying the fruits of a well-spent life, was born in Norway on the 16th of June, 1872, and was one of the five children born to Thor Anderson and Bertha ( Rikoldater ) Anderson. The eldest son, Andres, still lives in Norway. The youngest son, Lars, met a tragic death in his native land. During the process of transporting a bundle of wood by cable, which is a common custom in Norway, the package sud- denly opened and one of the pieces of flying wood struck the young man on the head and killed him almost instantly. Two daughters are in this coun- try, both living in North Dakota. Thor Anderson, the father of Richard Thorsen, was born in Norway in 1836; he was a farmer, but is now leading a retired life. His wife is also a native of Norway, having been born there in 1847. Her death occurred in 1896.
The advantages offered by the school system of Norway gave Richard Thorsen his early educational training. At the age of fifteen years he began to make his own living, and started life as a sailor. He was a sailmaker, and also operated a donkey-engine. This occupation took him to all parts of the world, he visiting France, England and Scotland. His coming to America, however, was accidental. During a voyage to Germany, he was shipwrecked
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in the Baltic sea and picked up by an American vessel. This ship carried him to New York, where he landed and remained for six weeks. His adventures were not to end so abruptly, however, for the sea called him again and he found employment on the same vessel going to Hongkong. From China he went to East Indies, and three months later returned to Boston. There he resigned from the ship, and spent a year sailing on the eastern coast. Later he sailed around Cape Horn on his way to San Francisco, and this journey took Mr. Thorsen six months to complete. On his next voyage he went to England, working on a ship that carried wine. He resigned for the second time his life on the water and upon arriving in New York made up his mind to try farming.
Morrison county, Minnesota, proved to be an attractive farm country, and here Mr. Thorsen bought eighteen acres of land near Little Falls. After working as a farmer for a year he sold the land and returned to New York again and sailed on the eastern coast until after the Spanish-American War. He returned to Morrison county, where he bought forty acres of land in Cushing township. section 25. On this place he broke up enough of the soil for a garden, and then sold out in 1898. He moved to Randall and worked on the railroad for about six years. He was then in a position to buy another farm and purchased eighty acres in Cushing township, section 25. The land was covered entirely with timber and underbrush, and the process of clearing the land took years of unremitting toil and constant application. Mr. Thorsen has succeeded in clearing and cultivating thirty acres. The first dwelling on the place was made of logs and was not unlike most of the houses in the community at that time. In 1914 a large frame house was erected to take the place of the log cabin, and it is one of the most modern residences in that locality. The conveniences include a steam-heating plant and hot and cold water fixtures. In the rearing of stock Mr. Thorsen has specialized in Guernsey cattle.
In 1896 Richard Thorsen married Tillie Gunderson, a native of Nor- way, who came to this country with her parents and settled in Wisconsin. She died in 1900 and left two children, Bertha, who is at home with her father, and Theo, who is staying with an aunt in Wisconsin. Mr. Thorsen married, secondly, in 1902, Astrid Westin, who was born in Denmark in 1885, and when just eight years okt came with her parents to this country and lived for a time in Wisconsin and South Dakota. Later they resided in Randall, where her father was occupied as a farmer. Both of the parents are now dead. The children of Mr. Thorsen born to the second union are
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Ingwald, Theo, Tillie, Arline and Etta. They are still at home with their parents.
In his political interests, Mr. Thorsen has always been a firm supporter of the cause of the Republican party and an able exponent of its principles. His religious views are with the Presbyterians, and he lives up to the doc- trines taught in that church. With societies and lodges he has never affiliated. He possesses an alert and ambitious mind which has enabled him to hold offices of public trust. In school affairs he has always taken an active part, and for six years held the position as director of the school board.
LOUIS NELSON.
A large portion of the state of Minnesota is given over to agriculture, and as a result this state has drawn pioneer settlers from many parts of the world, who have contributed most worthily to her prosperity. This is notably true of the settlers from Norway and Sweden. Their inherent traits of perseverance and fortitude have made possible the present ownership of large tracts of cultivated farm lands. Prominent among the Norwegian settlers of Minnesota is Louis Nelson, who far many years has been identi- fied with the agricultural life of Morrison county.
The father of Louis Nelson, Nels Haugsbak, started to make his living by becoming a sailor, and he found in this occupation opportunities for gain- ing advancement, as he received the appointment, some years later, as captain of the ship. Louis Nelson was born on the 3Ist of May, 1863, in Liksvigen, Norway, the son of Nels and Johanna (Joneson) Ilaugsbak, and was one of eight children, seven of whom were boys. His father was born in Norway, in 1815, and died in that country in 1908. His mother, also a native Norwegian, was born in 1827, and died in 1901, and is buried with her husband at Leksvigen.
Louis Nelson received his elementary education in the public schools of Norway and completed the academic course when he was fifteen years old. He was fully appreciative of the advantages that were afforded in the gram- mar schools, but the major part of his business training was received during his three-year course at business college. After this he worked as a "lens- man," known in the English language as deputy sheriff. In 1883 he left his native land and came to America, settling in Ashland, Wisconsin, where his brother owned a lumber yard. From the time when he was a young man.
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Louis Nelson has worked with untiring energy, first at one occupation, until he saw greater opportimity in another direction. During the first years after his settlement in this country he worked as a carpenter and then as a laborer in the vicinity of Ashland.
In 1898 Mr. Nelson was able to buy eighty acres of land in Cushing township, Morrison county, and took up his residence in that locality. The land was a mass of underbrush and timber, which required a constant expen- diture of time and labor for the clearing. A log cabin, sixteen by twenty- four feet, was built, and served as a dwelling for nine years. The residence which now stands in a prominent place on the land is in marked contrast to the log house; it is a two-story structure of an attractive shade, and is thoroughly modern in its design : a hot-air furnace is one of the many con- veniences. Other buildings of modern structure are located at various points on the farm.
The progress made by Mr. Nelson, in clearing the land, has been remarkable. He has not only cleared the original tract of eighty acres but has extended its boundaries until he now owns one hundred and sixty acres. Eleven acres of this is planted in corn, ten acres in oats and the rest in barley, rye and potatoes. Apart from his interest in this line of farming, Mr. Nel- son gives some attention to stock raising, and has graded Guernsey cattle. He is president of the Cushing Creamery Company, as well as one of the shareholders. Mr. Nelson takes an active part in the affairs of the Republi- can party of his district, where he has held the office of road supervisor for eleven years. His influence has been potent in connection with the develop- ment of rural conditions, during the time of drawing up a map of Morrison county, he was a valuable asssitant in furnishing information regarding the location of schools and farms in Cushing township.
In 1889 Louis Nelson married Enga Larson Dunnum, a native of Eids- vold. Norway, who was born there on the 29th of April. 1867. She received her education in Norway, and came to this country the year she was mar- ried. Her parents were Lars and Kristine (Pero) Dunnum, they reared a family of seven girls and two boys. To Mr. and Mrs. Nelson the following children have been born: Leonard, born on August 16, 1890; Carl, August 6, 1892; Aage, August 9, 1895; Nora, July 6, 1898; Myrtle, September 5, 1900; Alpha, November 2. 1902; Harold, October 18, 1904; Odin, October 17, 1906; Palmer, January 9, 1909: and Marie, May 25, 1911.
Mr. Nelson has exemplified in his life all the deep Christian faith which is inherent in his nature. After coming to this country he continued to
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identify himself with the Lutheran church and is one of its most devoted and earnest members. He has not been affiliated with lodges or fraternal orders.
WILLIAM EDDEN.
Morrison county, Minnesota, can well boast of the quality of its citizen- ship in that it numbers among its leading citizens a large per cent. of men in comfortable circumstances who have won their own way in life and who owe absolutely to their own efforts all they stand possessed of. These men have demonstrated that they possess those sterling qualities which make for success and the broad acres of Morrison county have given them the oppor- tunity, for most of them have literally wrested their material success from the soil. Many of the now prosperous farmers of this section came into this county at a time when the land was covered very largely with heavy scrub undergrowth and the patience and persistency they displayed in clear- ing their land, raising crops and one by one acquiring comforts in life, fully entitle them to all they have. One of the citizens of Green Prairie township who comes in this general class is William Edden, to a short sketch of whose career the attention of the reader is now directed.
William Edden is a native of England, born in Oxford. August 21. 1848, son of Richard and Sarah ( Harris) Edden, both born and reared in their native country. When William was about two years of age, his par- ents emigrated to this country and located near Dundee. Illinois, where the father secured work on a farm at which he continued until the time of his death, about two years after coming to this country. Mr. Edden's mother survived her husband many years.
Mr. Edden is one of a family of eight children, namely: Richard, who died in 1865. Thomas, died in 1914, at Janesville, Wisconsin, where he had made his home for a number of years and where his widow, Mary ( Ransom) Edden, and children now reside. His children are Ransom, Ida, Fred and Nellie. Joseph died unmarried in Janesville. Lydia, died years ago in Illinois. Aminda is the wife of Robert Murfitt, of Royalton, Minnesota, and is the mother of nine chiktren, Lola, Hattie, Dolly, Bessie, Leslie. Joseph, Samuel, Florence and Ella. Samuel has never married and is a resident of Green Prairie township, Morrison county. George lives at Helena, Montana. His wife before their marriage was Olive Comstock and
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they have a family of eight children : George, Enima, William, Erva, May, Olive, Esther and Ransom.
William Edden received his education in the district schools near Dun- dee, Illinois, for after the death of his father he (then a lad of about four years) was taken into the family of Fred Ashbaugh, living in that com- munity. Mr. Ashbaugh was a farmer and young William remained with him for about nine years, attending school and assisting with the work of the farm. After leaving Mr. Ashbaugh's home, he worked on different farms in Kane county, Illinois, until he was twenty-three years of age, when he went to Wisconsin and in the vicinity of Janesville secured farm work. He remained there but a year, removing to Steele county, this state, where he remained for a year. His next move was back to the old locality in Illi- nois, where he rented a farm. However, he remained there but one year, and next went to Wisconsin and from there to Prescott, Minnesota. He remained there about one year and then came into Morrison county, where he has since made his home.
Mr. Edden homesteaded a tract of one hundred and sixty acres in sec- tion 20, of Green Prairie township, all scrub timber land. It was necessary to put his dwelling about one-half mile from the public highway and he erected only a small log house. The first land which he got ready for culti- vation was a small patch which he platted to corn and potatoes. He pur- chased this land in 1879 and has since diligently labored to get it all under cultivation and has about succeeded in doing so. Some few years ago he purchased eighty additional acres of meadow land, located in section 19. and adjoining his original tract on the west. He has improved his residence until he now has a nice country home with suitable outbuiklings and is uni- formly successful with his crops. Fle plants mainly corn, oats and rye and in addition to his regular farming. he has a nice herd of dairy cattle, which he finds a profitable side line.
On October 18, 1872, William Edden was married to Alice Swindell, born in Stockport, England, April 1, 1849. When a little girl of seven years she was brought to this country by her father, her mother having previously died. The father lived for a number of years in Richmond, Illinois, later going to Wisconsin, where they stayed three years. From there they moved to Steele county, this state, where they homesteaded forty acres, living there a number of years. They later came to Morrison county, where the father homesteaded forty acres and made his home until the time of his death, when seventy years of age. Mrs. Edden was the youngest of a family of three
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children. A sister Louisa died a number of years ago, leaving one child, George Scott. She was the wife of Lewis Scott. Mrs. Edden's brother George died in Minneapolis, in 1912, leaving his widow, Maud (Soames) Edden, who was his second wife, and four children by his first marriage. They are Myrtle, Mabel, Sidney and Lowell. The mother of these children was Elizabeth Comstock, who died while her children were still small.
Mr. and Mrs. William Edden are the parents of five children, namely : Clara, wife of Daniel Campbell, a farmer of Culdrum township, this county, and the mother of three children, Howard, Mabel and Dorothy. Elsie mar- ried C. E. Wittwer, of Randall, this county, who is a farmer of that vicinity. They have four children, Frank, Ward, Irma and Vera. Etta, Frank and Elmer are still under the parental roof.
Mr. Edden holds his religious membership with the Congregational church, to the support of which he gives generously of his means, and in politics he is a Republican. He takes more than a passing interest in the political affairs of his community and has served his party as township assessor and has also been a member of the board of supervisors, discharging the duties thus falling upon him in a manner pleasing to all. Mr. Edden takes a commendable interest in the general welfare of the community and his support can always be counted on for any measure which tends to bene- fit the moral, social or material phase of community life.
FRANCIS T. ODOR.
Among the successful farmers of Rails Prairie township, Morrison county, Minnesota, is Francis T. Odor. a native of Macon county, Illinois, who was born on December 15, 1873. Mr. Odor is the son of Thomas and Marilla ( Davis) Odor, the former of whom was born in Garrard county, Kentucky, in 1849, and the latter was born in Macon county, Illinois, in 1846.
Thomas Odor in his earlier years was a school teacher by profession and farmer. He taught school both in the state of Illinois and in Wash- ington territory, but is now retired and lives with his son, Francis T. His wife is also living with their son, Francis T. They were the parents of four children, of whom Francis T. is the second born; Algie D., the eldest, lives in Buena Vista county, Iowa; George E. is a merchant at Decatur, Illinois; Mrs. Viva Sutton lives at Sioux Rapids, Iowa.
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Francis T. Odor was reared on a farm and educated in the district schools of Illinois. When he was about fourteen years old, he began work- ing on neighboring farms and at the age of eighteen found employment in a printing office at Decatur, Illinois, as a pressfeeder. He also worked in a grocery store. In 1896 Mr. Odor immigrated to Buena Vista county, Iowa, and worked as a farm hand until 1897, when he rented three hundred and twenty acres of land in the Hawkeye state. After farming this land for four years he moved back to Macon county, Illinois, and rented land for five years, when he returned to Buena Vista county, Iowa. In 1908 he pur- chased eighty acres of land and farmed until January, 1911, when he immi- grated to Rails Prairie township, Morrison county, Minnesota, and purchased one hundred and twenty acres of land. Mr. Odor now has one hundred and ten acres under cultivation for which he paid thirty dollars an acre. He has built a house and made many improvements. At the present time he is raising fifty acres of corn. He keeps a very high grade of live stock, especially a very high grade of Duroc-Jersey hogs.
In 1896 Francis T. Odor was married to Florence L. Sanders, a native of Macon county, Illinois, born on January 8, 1876. Mrs. Odor is the daughter of Lewis and Margaret ( Davis) Sanders and has borne her husband three children, Ronald F., Harold L., and Marjorie L. Harold L. is deccased.
Mr. Odor is independent in politics. Mr. and Mrs. Odor are members of the Methodist church. He is a member of the Yeoman lodge and is now serving on the school board in this district.
GEORGE A. ETZELL.
Among the clean cut young men and public-spirited citizens of Clarissa, Todd county, Minnesota, is George A. Etzell, who is the postmaster of Clarissa, and the editor and publisher of the Clarissa Independent.
George A. Etzell was born on a farm near Chaska, in Carver county, Minnesota, September 1, 1877, and is one of a large family of children. He attended school at Chaska until fourteen years of age, and then began work on the Chaska Herald in the printing shop. After working for the Chaska Herald for three years he worked two years for the Carver Free Press, at Carver, Minnesota, and then attended the Hess Business College, at St. Paul. Minnesota, graduating after a year and one-half of study.
Shortly after leaving college. Mr. Etzel joined the Twelfth Regiment,
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Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, and during the Spanish-American war, was held in reserve for the Havana campaign, but the war ended before the regi- ment was called into service, the regiment having only gone as far as Chicka- mauga. Tennessee. After Mr. Etzell's discharge from the service, he worked for various daily newspapers in different parts of the country.
In 1902 Mr. Etzell came to Clarissa, Minnesota, and purchased a half interest in the Clarissa Independent, his partner at the time being P. S. Dor- sey. In August, 1903. Mr. Etzell purchased his partner's interest in the paper and has since operated it alone. This newspaper has a wide circula- tion in this community, and a most satisfactory advertising patronage.
On January 1, 1915, Mr. Etzell was appointed postmaster of Clarissa. after a competitive civil service examination. His wife is the assistant in the postoffice.
Mr. Etzell's wife is a native of Chaska, Minnesota, where she was born, reared and educated. She made her home with her parents until her mar- riage in 1906. Mr. and Mrs. Etzell are the parents of two children. George and Magdalin.
The Etzell family are earnest and devout members of the Catholic church. Mr. Etzell is a member of the Knights of Columbus. He is inde- pendent in politics.
AUGUST SCHWANKE.
Specific mention is made of many of the worthy citizens of Morrison county, Minnesota, within the pages of this book, citizens who have figured in the growth and development of this favored locality and whose interests are identified with every phase of its progress. Each man has, within his own sphere of action, added to the well-being of the community in which he resides and has given his part toward the general advancement and legitimate growth. One of these worthy citizens is August Schwanke, a retired farmer, now residing in Randall, Morrison county, in which county he owns con- siderable land.
August Schwanke is a native of Germany, born on March 17, 1862, in Prussia, a son of Ferdinand and Henrietta ( Buch) Schwanke. There were originally six children in the family. five of whom are living at the present time. Willimana, the eldest, is deceased: the next child in order of birth is August, the immediate subject of this sketch; Augusta is the wife of a Mr. Jurckik and has never left her native land: Albert resides in Little Falls, this
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state; Frederick lives in Randall; and Hulda (Mrs. Rebischke) lives in Parker township, this county.
Ferdinand Schwanke's father was born on October 8. 1830, and passed his entire life in the vicinity of Ober Schridlow. The elder Schwanke was for eight years a soldier of the German empire and was a veteran of two wars, that with Denmark in 1864 and in the campaign with Austria in 1866. After returning to civilian life, he became a mail carrier and later engaged in farming, in which he continued up to the time of his death on March 3, 1879. Henriette (Buch) Schwanke was born on June 10, 1834, and is still living at a ripe old age.
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