USA > Minnesota > Todd County > History of Morrison and Todd counties, Minnesota, their people, industries and institutions, Volume II > Part 6
USA > Minnesota > Morrison County > History of Morrison and Todd counties, Minnesota, their people, industries and institutions, Volume II > Part 6
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37
James W. Falk was born at Gottenborg, Sweden, October 29, 1859, the son of William and Mary ( Anderson) Falk, both of whom were natives of Sweden. William Falk was of German descent and a sheriff in the district where he lived. He died in January, 1907, at the age of sixty-four years. His wife, who was born in Sweden, lived to be eighty-four years old, passing
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away in 1913. She was the mother of six children, of whom all grew to maturity. Christina and Albert, the third and fourth born, are deceased, also John Patrick, the youngest. The living children are, Jonathan, James W., and Edward.
A student in the public schools of his native land until eighteen years of age, James W. Falk then came to the United States. After landing in New York city, he traveled on to St. Paul, where he remained with an uncle. in the meantime mastering the English language. Afterwards, in partner- ship with another man, he was engaged in railroad building under contract and was employed by the Northwestern and the Great Northern for about four years. Mr. Falk then moved to Eveleth, in St. Louis county, where he opened a mercantile establishment, known throughout that section of the country as the "General Store." After managing this store until 1911. Mr. Falk sold out. In the meantime, however, in 1907, associated with George W. Whittman, Doctor Harwood, Max Shapire and others, Mr. Falk incorporated the First National Bank, of Eveleth, with a capital stock of twenty-five thousand dollars, since increased to fifty thousand dollars. For a number of years, Mr. Falk was a director and a member of the examining committee. He is still a director and a stockholder of the bank. He is also a stockholder in the Bank of Grass Range, Fergus county, Montana. In 1911 Mr. Falk sold his mercantile establishment at Eveleth and then started a saw-mill in Itasca, twelve miles north of Deer river. The mill is still in operation and is engaged in the manufacture of hardwood lumber.
On May 11, 1914, Mr. Falk came to Upsala and organized the Farmers State Bank of Upsala, with a capital stock of ten thousand dollars and a surplus of two thousand. Other men interested in the bank are J. S. and A. M. Borgstrom, Peter Vierhauser and Gus Lindgren. Mr. Falk is a large landowner, especially in St. Louis and Itasca counties.
In 1897 James W. Falk was married to Agusta Johnson, a native of Sweden, who came to the United States with her parents when about ten years old. They settled in Pennsylvania, and about 1894 moved to Vir- ginia, Minnesota, where, three years later, Mr. and Mrs. Falk were married. To them have been born three children, Hazel, Alice and Helen, all of whom live at home and attend school.
Mr. Falk considers himself an independent Republican and has served two terms as a member of the city council, both at Virginia and at Eveleth. Ile was a member of the first town council elected at Virginia. Mr. Falk is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons, including both the blue lodge
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and the chapter. He is also a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. The Falk family are members of the Lutheran church.
GEORGE E. WILSON.
It is the honorable reputation of the man of affairs more than any other consideration which gives character and stability to a community. While advancing his personal and individual interests, George E. Wilson, a well known real estate and insurance man of Royalton, Minnesota, has never lost sight of his obligations to the community in general, where for many years he has held a high place in popular confidence and esteem. Since abandoning the lumber business Mr. Wilson has built up a lucrative trade in the real estate and fire insurance business, and besides two farms comprising two hundred and forty acres in Morrison county which he owns, he also owns other real estate in this county.
George E. Wilson is a native of the Dominion of Canada, his birth having occurred there on July 11, 1860. His parents, Isaac P. and Eliza E. Wilson, were both natives of Vermont, who, after their marriage immigrated first to New York and later to Canada. In 1883 they removed to Minne- apolis, Minnesota. Isaac E. Wilson was a lumber dealer in the latter city for several years, but subsequently moved to Royalton, and established a saw-mill which he operated for several years. He died a few years ago at the advanced age of eighty-seven years. George E. Wilson is one of four children born to his parents, the others being as follow: Thomas W., living in California ; Albert C., a resident of Royalton, Minnesota ; and Mrs. E. A. Blackwood, of Royalton.
George E. Wilson received his education in the schools of Montreal, graduating from the high schools of that city. After leaving school he took a position with a wholesale dry-goods firm of Montreal, where he remained four or five years. With his parents he came to Minneapolis, Minnesota, and there worked in a dry-goods store for two years, when the family removed to Royalton. About 1887 Mr. Wilson engaged in the lumber business with his father and brother, the three operating a saw-mill for many years, or until the pine lumber in this section of the state was exhausted.
Mr. Wilson has since built up a prosperous business in real estate and fire insurance. He is the agent for the British American Assurance Com- pany, the Northern Insurance Company and the United States Fidelity and
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Guaranty Company, in Royalton. Both of Mr. Wilson's farms are under cultivation and operated by responsible tenants.
George E. Wilson is a member of the Episcopal church and identified with the Republican party in his political beliefs. He served as a member of the Royalton city council for several years, and is now a member of the board of education. Mr. Wilson is a member of the Benevolent and Pro- tective Order of Elks.
LEMUEL M. ROBERTS, M. D.
Dr. Lemuel M. Roberts was trained in the best universities of this country, and later pursued his medical training in the best universities of Europe. It is a source of pride among his friends that he enjoys a large volume of practice, to which he is entitled by right of careful preparation and natural sympathy for the work he does.
Lemuel M. ' Roberts is a native of Ohio, born in Glendale, a suburb of Cincinnati, on February 23. 1862, the son of Britton and Hester ( Martin) Roberts. Britton Roberts was born near Wheeling. Virginia, on October 31. 1807, and in 1832 immigrated to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he was engaged in the lumber and coal business during his active life. After his retirement he continued to make his home in Cincinnati, living there until 1885. when he died at the age of seventy-eight years. He was a Republican.
Mrs. Hester (Martin) Roberts was born at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1827, and removed with her parents to Cincinnati, where she was mar- ried. After living to be seventy-seven years old, she passed away in 1894. She was the mother of nine children, of whom Doctor Roberts is the seventh.
Lemuel M. Roberts attended the common schools of Cincinnati and then spent three years at Urbana University, Urbana, Ohio, taking a course preparatory to entering the University of Cincinnati. After spending one year at the University of Cincinnati, he entered the University of Michigan Homeopathic Medical College at Ann Arbor. but completed his medical studies at the Hahnemann Medical College, of Philadelphia, graduating from this last institution in 1883. Soon after he was appointed to a posi- tion in the government service, as physician and surgeon at Quapaw agency. Oklahoma, which was then a part of Indian Territory. In 1885 Doctor Roberts came to Brainerd, Minnesota, and practiced medicine there for five years. In 1890 he removed to Little Falls, and practiced medicine until
LEMUEL M. ROBERTS, M. D.
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1894, when he made a voyage to Europe, taking a post-graduate course in London, Berlin and Vienna. He returned to Little Falls and resumed his practice, but has since twice taken post-graduate work in Chicago.
In 1887 Lemuel M. Roberts was married to Helen Gertrude Cooley, a native of Ohio, who was born in the Buckeye state on August 5, 1866. She bore her husband two children, Loren Britton, of Minneapolis, and Clifton Shears, of Fessenden, North Dakota. Mrs. Helen Gertrude (Cooley) Rob- erts died in 1896 at the age of thirty years, and in 1904, Doctor Roberts was married, secondly, to Ida M. Deppman, who was born in Hamburg, Germany, and who came to America with her parents. They settled in Wisconsin, but later removed to Minneapolis, where she was married. They have one adopted son, Herman D., who resides with his foster parents.
Doctor Roberts is a member of the Episcopal church. He is a member of the Masonic lodge, including the chapter. He belongs also to the Elks, the Maccabees, and other fraternal orders. Doctor Roberts is a Republican. He belongs to the following Medical Societies: The American Medical Association. Minnesota State Medical Association, of which latter he had the distinguished honor of being elected first vice-president for 1915; also a member of the Upper Mississippi Medical Society.
BENNETT B. COX.
Bennett B. Cox, a prosperous merchant of Swanville, Morrison county, Minnesota, is a native of Wright county, Minnesota, born on May 7. 1867. He is the son of J. M. and Elvira ( Baisden) Cox, the former of whom was born near Louisa, Kentucky, and who died on February 23, 1908. Elvira Baisden was the daughter of Edward Baisden and wife, natives of Virginia.
J. M. Cox was educated in Kentucky and lived at home with his par- ents until a young man. For several years before the Civil War he operated a general store in Kentucky. His brothers all served in the army, but his eyes were in bad condition and he was not accepted for service. Afterwards he came to Minnesota and setled on one hundred and sixty acres of land in Wright county, in Stockholm township. There were no roads in the county and it was necessary to carry provisions on horseback from Watertown, Minnesota, thirty miles away. He built a log house on his homestead farm and cleared about thirty acres in a few years. He and his wife had taken
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Ben F. Farries to raise while the family lived in Kentucky and he became a great help in the pioneer work in Wright county. Later his own sons were old enough and also helped their father on the farm. After living in Minne- sota from 1867 until 1882, the parents removed to Missouri and lived there ten or eleven years, after which they removed to Swanville, Minnesota, where he lived until his death. His wife is still living in Swanville.
Edward Baisden, the father of Mrs. J. M. Cox, reared most of his family in Virginia. His first wife died in Virginia and he was later mar- ried to Nancy Copley. Shortly afterwards, he removed to McLeod county, Minnesota, settling on one hundred and twenty acres of land near Silverlake. Later he took forty acres of land near Grand Rapids, which is now in the iron belt. He built a log house on the homestead and lived upon the farm until old age, when his health broke down. He then went to Missouri and lived with friends until about ninety years old. His wife died a few years previously. By his first wife there were born the following children: Nancy. Elvira, Lovica, John, Bennett, Elias, and Edward Harrison.
Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Cox had seven children, namely : Bazilla, Isabel, Elizabeth, John, Bennett B., Edward H. and William HI. Bazilla is the wife of J. D. Stith, a merchant of Swanville, Minnesota. Isabel is the wife of E. A. Flood, of Swanville, Minnesota. Elizabeth is the wife of J. W. Cofield, of Swanville, Minnesota. John is a farmer in Colorado. Edward Hl. has a music store in Nebraska. William H. married Essie Ervin and operates the hotel in Swanville.
Bennett B. Cox was educated in the common schools of Wright county. He lived at home with his parents, helping his father on the farm until twenty-one years old, when he began working for J. D. Smith, a merchant of Swanville. After working for Mr. Stith for three or four years, Mr. Cox then started in business for himself in 1891. He began with a con- fectionery store, to which he added other lines from time to time until 1901, when he built a two-story business house. He moved into it and enlarged his stock. He now has a complete line of general merchandise and deals in farm produce.
On December 6, 1901, Bennett B. Cox was married to Pearl W. Jack- son, a native of Lake City, Minnesota, born on April 10, 1881. Mrs. Cox attended school at Lake City until her mother moved to Swanville. She later attended school here. Still later the family removed to Syracuse, New York, where Mrs. Cox lived until her marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Cox have had one daughter, Mac, who is a student in the Swanville school.
Bennett B. Cox was the first recorder of the village of Swanville after
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the village was incorporated. Since then he has held various town offices. He was mayor for a number of years and township treasurer. In fact Mr. Cox has held some town office almost all the time since the incorporation of the village. He is a very well-known and highly-respected citizen in this section of Morrison county.
EDWARD AUGUSTUS FLOOD.
Edward Augustus Flood, a real estate and piano dealer, of Swanville, Morrison county, Minnesota, is a native of Watertown, born on August 2, 1861, the son of I. A. C. and Ellen J. ( Dow) Flood, who were natives of Calais, Maine. The father was educated at Calais and came to Minnesota when about twenty-four years old. He started a saw-mill on the east side of Minneapolis, after immigrating to the state of Minnesota, in partnership with J. Dow. He was married while living in Minneapolis, and one year later moved to Watertown where he engaged in the general mercantile busi- ness, purchasing land and erecting the building occupied by his store. From time to time he enlarged the stock, remaining in business for a period of about thirty years. Aside from general merchandise, he also dealt in gin- seng, which he sent to China. During practically all of the period of his residence at Watertown he was postmaster. He retired from business ten years before his death. His wife was educated in the state of Maine and lived there with her parents until their removal to Minnesota when she was a young woman. Shortly after moving to Minnesota she was married to Mr. Flood. To them were born six children, of whom one died in infancy. Those who survived were Fred, Edward A., Addie, Nellie and Bert.
Educated in the public schools at Watertown, Wisconsin, Edward A. Flood worked in the store for his father until fifteen years old, when he went to work for C. F. Peters, in a general store in Little Falls, Minnesota. After being employed by Mr. Peters for about eight years, in 1884 Mr. Flood came to Swanville, erected a building and established a hardware store. After conducting this store for two years, he sold out and engaged in the farm implement business. Mr. Flood handled a general line of farm implements, for eight years, when he sold out and went to work for Rhodes & Staples, real estate dealers. He looked after their collections and was also employed as a salesman of farm lands. After working for this firm for eight years, Mr. Flood engaged once more in the general mercantile business until 1909.
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Two years later he purchased a harness and shoe store in Swanville, which he operated until 1914, when he again sold out. On January 1, 1915, Mr. Flood engaged in the real estate business. At this time he also secured the agency for Kimball pianos. He owns several village lots in Swanville and also a number of city lots in Brainerd, Minnesota.
Mr. Flood's wife, before her marriage, was Isabel Cox. the daughter of J. M. and Elvira Cox, the former of whom was born in Kentucky, and who died on February 23, 1908, and the latter was the daughter of Edward Baisden, a native of Virignia. J. M. Cox immigrated to Minnesota about the time of the Civil War, taking up a homestead in Wright county, near Stockholm. During the last years of his life, he was almost blind. From 1882 until about 1892, he was a resident of the state of Missouri and then returned to Swanville, where he lived until his death. J. M. Cox was a Democrat and a member of the Baptist church. By his marriage to Elvira Baisden, there were born seven children, Bazilla, Isabel, Elizabeth, John, Bennett B., Edward H. and William H. Bazilla married J. D. Stith, a iner- chant of Swanville. Elizabeth married J. W. Cofield, of Swanville. John is a farmer in the state of Colorado. Edward H. operates a music store in Nebraska. William H. is a hotel keeper in Swanville. Bennett B. is a merchant in Swanville.
Mr. and Mrs. Flood have no children. Mr. Flood is a Republican and served ten years as justice of the peace. He also served as township assessor for two years.
WILLIAM SPARROW.
Although ncarly sixty-eight years old, Wliliam Sparrow is still a keen and active business man of Royalton, Morrison county, Minnesota. He is a man who has made a remarkable success in the meat business, having been a resident of this county for about thirty-five years. Aside from a splendid home in Royalton, he owns several other pieces of city property, an up-town business block and has extensive real estate holdings in South Dakota.
William Sparrow is a native of Stratford, Ontario, born on September 1, 1847. He was educated in Paisley, Bruce county. Ontario, but came to the United States when still a young boy. He learned the blacksmith trade in a shop at Hancock, Michigan, where he remained for three years. He then went to Marquette county, Michigan, where he worked in a blacksmith shop at one of the now famous Calumet copper mines. In fact. Mr. Sparrow
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was one of the first men employed in the Calumet mines, having helped open it up between 1865 and 1867.
In 1867 William Sparrow came to Minnesota and for a time lived with his brother-in-law, James Mccullough, who occupied a homestead near Alberta, Minnesota. Later, Mr. Sparrow took a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres of land, all of which was covered with timber. He built a log house and started to clear the land, burning a great deal of timber that would now be of considerable value.
About this time William Sparrow was married to Adeline Matilda Brinner, a native of Ohio, who removed to Minnesota with her parents and made her home with them until her marriage, at Alberta. By this marriage there were born eleven children, namely: Mrs. Blanche Kiser, of Kansas City, Missouri: Mrs. Bertha Owens, of Mackintosh, South Dakota; Mrs. Bernice Franklin, of Stevensville, Montana: Mrs. Beatrice Winnie Achuff, of Minneapolis; Mrs. Christena Justin, of Kansas City, Missouri; Mrs. Ethel Pearl Ward, of Eugene, Oregon; Mrs. Lillie Maude Harrin, of Portland, Oregon; William Henry, of Seattle, Washington; Jay D. F., of Walla Walla, Washington ; Thomas Joseph, of Hamilton, Montana ; and Irene, who died in infancy. Mrs. Adeline Matilda ( Brinner ) Sparrow died some years ago, and on October 12, 1910, Mr. Sparrow was married to Mrs. Elva R. Ross.
Mr. Sparrow and his first wife began keeping house in a log house near Alberta, Minnesota. They lived on this homestead farm for several years and engaged mostly in raising cattle, although Mr. Sparrow had enough land cleared to raise a little corn. Subsequently, he and his wife removed to Mayo Lake, Minnesota, and purchased one hundred and twenty acres. Here they engaged in general farming and stock raising for three years. Afterwards he sold out and moved to Rice, Minnesota, where he bought a lot and built a residence and store building and engaged in the meat business. He bought native stock and did his own butchering. He continued in busi- ness at Rice for four years. Upon selling this business, he moved to Royal- ton, where, with F. P. Farrow as a partner, he engaged in the meat business once more. Mr. Sparrow and Mr. Farrow were in business for two years, when Mr. Sparrow decided to go into business for himself. He purchased a lot, built a storeroom and established a meat market. In the beginning Mr. Sparrow went into debt heavily, but was soon able to pay out. He has his own slaughter house and does his own killing, using native stock altogether.
Although not a member of any church, Mr. Sparrow is very friendly toward the Episcopal and Methodist churches. He is an independent voter
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and served as a member of the Royalton city council and as a member of the Royalton school board. He is a member of Anchor Lodge No. 178, Free and Accepted Masons. He is also a member of the Eastern Star and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
JOSEPH B. HARTMANN.
Morrison county, Minnesota, has been fortunate in the number and character of its business men. Joseph B. Hartmann, a general merchant of Pierz, where he handles groceries, hardware and a general line of farm machinery, has figured in the growth and development of Pierz township, Morrison county, with which his interests have been identified for many years. Earnest purpose and tireless energy, combined with mature judg- ment and every-day common sense, are among his prominent characteristics.
Joseph B. Hartmann is the son of Valentine and Rosalia ( Dealingler) Hartmann and was born in Scott county, Minnesota, May 20, 1872. His parents were both born in Germany, the father in Hesse-Darmstadt on May 9, 1835, and his mother on August 13, 1835. For the life history of Mr. and Mrs. Valentine Hartmann the reader is referred to the sketch of Philip A. Hartmann, presented elsewhere in this volume.
Joseph B. Hartmann assisted his father on the farm until eighteen years old and then worked for John H. Nicolin, who operated a hardware store and tin shop. After working for Mr. Nicolin for four years and learning the tinner's trade, Mr. Hartmann clerked for A. H. Catwell, a tinner of Morton, Minnesota, for two years. He next worked for M. Brooks at Sauk Center, Minnesota, learning photography. The next year he operated a gallery at Jordan, Minnesota, and then rented it and came to Pierz. Minne- sota, where he worked for his brother, Philip A. Hartmann, for one year in the hardware and mercantile store.
On November 23, 1879, Joseph Hartmann was married to Theresia Hennen, who was born at Sping Hill, in Stearns county, Minnesota, on June 20, 1880. Mrs. Hartmann came to Pierz with her parents when a young woman. She was educated in the parochial school at Pierz and made her home with her parents until her marriage. Mrs. Hartmann is a most indus- trious and helpful woman and wife and has been no small factor in her husband's success. She has borne him six children, Loretta, Edmund, Marcellus, Leona, Lucile, and Walter, who died in infancy.
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After his marriage, Mr. Hartmann purchased a half interest in his brother's store and for four years was in partnership with him. He then sold out and engaged in the saloon business at Pierz. After having operated the saloon for ten months, he traded it for a farm two miles east of Pierz. After operating the farm for one year, he rented it and removed back to Pierz, where he purchased three lots in block No. 4, erecting a two-story building, thirty-six by ninety-four feet, in which he established a tin shop and clothing store. After two years he rented the clothing store to Joseph Ries, continuing in the tinning business until 1912. He then traded the farm he had owned for a general mercantile stock and since then has operated the store in connection with the tinning business. The Hartmann store is agent for the Acme and Parlin & Orendorff lines of harvesting and farm machin- ery.
Joseph B. Hartmann is a Republican and as such served as village presi- dent for two years and as village clerk for five years. The family are mem- bers of the Catholic church. Mr. Hartmann is a member of the Order of Foresters. He is the organizer and one of the charter members of Pierz Corps No. 710. He served as financial secretary for four years and was high chief ranger for one year.
GEORGE SCHULTZ.
Among the business men of Upsala, Morrison county, Minnesota, is George Schultz, who is now engaged in the meat business. Mr. Schultz was born in Elmdale township, Morrison county, Minnesota, on August 31, 1879, and is the son of Jergon and Margareth ( Bartelson) Schultz.
Mr. Schultz's father was born in Denmark, near Colling, and came to America early in life, settling in Morrison county, Minnesota, where he worked by the day for a time. Later he took a homestead, four miles east of Upsala, comprising one hundred and twenty acres. After having obtained a title to the property he lived on the land for a time and then sold out. He returned to Denmark and was married. Later he came back to America and purchased one hundred and twenty acres of land about two miles east of Upsala, where he lived until his death, in 1903, when he was fifty-six years old. His wife was born, reared and married in Denmark. They had ten children, John, Sarah, George, Fred, Abel, Emma, Cora, Albert, Esther
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