USA > Minnesota > Todd County > History of Morrison and Todd counties, Minnesota, their people, industries and institutions, Volume II > Part 9
USA > Minnesota > Morrison County > History of Morrison and Todd counties, Minnesota, their people, industries and institutions, Volume II > Part 9
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college January 25, 1908, and was ordained to the priesthood on February 2. 1909. For the next six months he was private secretary to Bishop Trobec, after which he was appointed to the North Prairie parish at North Prairie, where he served for two years. Upon leaving this parish he went to Friends- burg, Morrison county, where he remained for three years. In 1914 he was assigned to the Bowles church. While he was pastor of North Prairie, he also had charge of the parish at Bowles, and helped to establish the church at Bowles while acting as private secretary to Bishop Trobec. This parish now has a thriving congregation.
CHARLES H. WERNER.
Germany has furnished thousands of good citizens to the United States, and Morrison county, Minnesota, has been fortunate to count a number of them as a part of her body politic. The descendants of these early German settlers in this country are characterized by the same thrift and economy, which made their fathers leading business men and farmers in various parts of the country. Charles H. Werner, one of the leading business men of Royalton, Minnesota, who is now engaged in the butcher business, is a worthy descendant of a pioneer German settler, who was prominent in the business life of Cincinnati, Ohio, where he settled about 1847.
Charles H. Werner was born in the Queen City, February 9, 1862, and is the son of Christopher and Margarette ( Wagner ) Werner, the former of whom was born in Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany. July 3, 1825, and who, after coming to America, settled in Cincinnati and became a locksmith. Later he drifted into the general hardware business and remained in business in Cin- cinnati until his death. His wife, Margarette Wagner, was born in Wurt- temberg, Germany, March 20, 1825. She came to America with her parents when twenty-three years old, in 1848, and was sixty days on the water. The family landed in New York and moved to Adams county, Ohio, but subsequently removed to Cincinnati, where Mrs. Werner was married.
Christopher and Margarette ( Wagner ) Werner were the parents of ten children, all of whom are living: John, Christopher, Jr., Rev. Ernest, Margarette, William, Elizabeth, Charles H., Louis, Frederick C. and Rudolph. Christopher Werner was a soldier in the Union army during the Civil War and served three years. He was discharged on account of rhen- matism. He was a Republican, a member of the German Methodist Epis-
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copal church and, at his death, the oldest member of the congregation with which he was affiliated. He died in 1904, at the age of seventy-nine years.
Charles H. Werner received his education in the public schools of Cin- cinnati and in the night high school of the Queen City. After finishing his education, he went to work for the Steinhagen Insurance Agency and, for three and one-half years sold fire and life insurance. Afterward he was engaged in the banking business for about two and one one-half years, but an injury compelled him to abandon this business and he was then employed by Hanke Brothers in their department store in Cincinnati, remaining there for six years. After that he was employed by the Hoberg-Root & Com- pany, of Terre Haute, Indiana, where he remained for ten years. After that Mr. Werner was employed by the Harris-Emery department store for two and one-half years and then was manager of the James Lyons store at Guthrie Center for two years. Subsequently, he managed the "New Store" at Jamaica, Iowa, for one year and was then employed by Brosnan Brothers, of Indianapolis, as general manager of their store. He remained with the firm until it dissolved and was then employed by the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company as assistant superintendent over the Indianapolis territory for a period of six years. He was then proprietor of Werner's ยท daily market for two and one-half years, at the end of which time he came to Royalton, Minnesota, and was associated with John Russell for four years. Mr. Werner next became manager of the co-operative store, with which he remained until April 1, 1914, when he opened Werner's meat market at Royalton. He is still successfully engaged in the meat business.
On July 10. 1884, Charles H. Werner was married to Minnie Lang- wisch, who was born on March 20, 1866, in Cincinnati, the daughter of Henry Langwisch, a butcher by trade, who kept a meat market in Cincin- nati. Mrs. Minnie Werner died on December 28, 1898, at Des Moines, Iowa, and on November 24, 1910, Mr. Werner was married to Flora Joslin, thie daughter of Albert E. and Sarah ( Fowler) Joslin, both of whom were native-born American citizens. Mrs. Werner was born on March 8, 1871, at Richland Center. Wisconsin, where she lived until the family moved to Royalton. She was educated in the Morrison county public schools and later took a normal course at St. Cloud. A special teachers' life certificate was awarded her for efficient and meritorious service. She served as assist- ant principal of the schools at North Mankato, in Blue Earth county, until her marriage. In 1914 Mrs. Werner accepted a position as assistant prin- cipal of the Royalton high school.
To Mr. Werner's first marriage, there were born four children, namely :
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Harry lives in Indianapolis, where he is chief clerk to the car accountant of the Big Four railroad; Herbert married Bertha Shipley and lives in Indian- apolis, where he is a passenger conductor on the Big Four railroad; Martha is unmarried and lives with her brother, Herbert, in Indianapolis; David lives at home and manages the farm west of Royalton, which his father rents.
Mr. and Mrs. Werner reside in one of the prettiest homes in Royalton, located on five lots at the corner of Gilpatric and Fourth streets. Mr. Werner is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He is superin- tendent of the Sunday school and president of the county association. Charles H. Werner is a member of Social Lodge No. 86, Free and Accepted Masons, at Terre Haute, Indiana. He is also a member of the Royal Arch Masons. He is secretary of the Modern Brotherhood and a member of the Knights of the Maccabees. He is a justice of the peace in this township.
Charles H. Werner is a man of far more than average ability, as his career well proves. He has demonstrated time and again. his ability to succeed in different lines of endeavor. Mr. Werner is one of the most popular citizens of Royalton.
AXEL BERGMAN.
Axel Bergman, a well-known blacksmith of Morrison county, Minne- sota, was born in Helsingland, Sweden, December 15, 1886. He is a son of Lewis and Martha (Rose) Bergman, both of whom were natives of Sweden. Lewis Bergman was a blacksmith by trade, and followed his trade in his native land until middle life, when he came to the United States, living for a short time in Little Falls. Afterwards he moved with his family to Elmdale township, where they purchased ten acres of land about one mile east of Little Falls. Later they added forty acres adjoining to their original pur- chase, and still later another forty acres. Lewis Bergman is still engaged in farming in this township. He is a Republican in politics, and a member of the Yeomen. He and his wife were the parents of twelve children, of whom Axel is the eldest. The other children are Christine, Anna, John, Ella, Vendla, Louis, Gonell, Elmer, Yalmer, Freda and Vira. Anna is the wife of Oscar Erickson. Ella married Joseph Erickson and Vendla is the wife of Clarence Tack.
Axel Bergman received his education in the schools of his native land
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and came to America with his parents in 1900. He worked with his father on the home farm until he was about twenty-five years old, when he went to Minneapolis, where he worked in a blacksmith shop for about a year. Upon returning to Elmdale township he took over the blacksmith shop owned by Henry Hedin, and is still in charge of this shop.
On October 6, 1914, Axel Bergman was married to Ellen Bergman, who was born on July 15, 1895, in Wisconsin, but who was educated and who has lived most of her life in Upsala. She is a daughter of Andrew Bergman. Mr. and Mrs. Bergman are faithful and earnest members of the Lutheran church. Mr. Bergman is a member of the Yeomen. He is an adherent of the Republican party.
BYRON R. WILSON.
Among the well-known young attorneys of Royalton, Minnesota, is Byron R. Wilson, a native of Royalton who was born on June 21, 1891, the son of Albert C. and Annie M. Wilson, well-known citizens of Morrison county.
Albert C. Wilson, who was born on April 22, 1858, at Bangor, New York, was educated at Montreal, Canada. He learned the machinist's trade when a young man and followed this trade for a few years until removing to White Hall, New York, where he engaged in the lumber business for three years. Leaving White Hall he went to New York City, where he was engaged in the lumber business for a year. Afterwards he returned to Montreal, Canada, and helped his father settle up the business at that place. In 1882 Mr. Wilson went to Minneapolis and was engaged by the Langdor Sheppard Company, railroad contractors, and assisted in the construction of the Canadian Pacific railroad. He remained with this firm for about four years and during the period had charge of supplies for the construction of the road.
In 1885 Albert C. Wilson removed to Royalton and, with Gary B. Peary, purchased the Fort Ripley Lumber Company at Royalton. After a short time, he and his father then purchased the business, which they oper- ated until the plant was struck by lightning and burned. There was no insurance at the time. Mr. Wilson owned some real estate and now owns a section of land one mile east of Royalton. He assisted in the incorpora- tion of the electric light company and was made its president and general
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manager, a position which he still holds. Mr. Wilson's wife was born in 1863, at Detroit, Michigan, and was educated in that state. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson were married on January 8. 1888, and have had four children, Knight B., Byron R., Isaac J. and Marion
Byron R. Wilson attended the grade schools of Royalton and was graduated from the common schools in 1906. The next year he entered the Royalton high school and was graduated with the class of 1910. Mr. Wil- son then entered the academic department of the University of Minnesota, at Minneapolis, but in 1913 he quit school and took employment with vari- ous attorneys, attending the night law school in the meantime. He gradu- ated from the law school in 1915. During school he was manager of the correspondence for the Radio Sales Company, of Minneapolis, for ten months. After his graduation, he came home to Royalton and opened a law office in the Graham block, where he has been engaged in the active practice of his profession ever since.
On September 19, 1914. Byron R. Wilson was married to Blanche O. ( Sugrue) who was born in Wisconsin, and had lived in Aitkin county, Minnesota. Mrs. Wilson is the daughter of James Sugrue, a native of Wisconsin, but who has spent most of his life in the state of Minnesota.
While a student at the University of Minnesota, Mr. Wilson was a member of the Sigma Nu Greek-letter fraternity. He takes considerable interest in the fraternity, and is one of its past officers. Mr. and Mrs. Wil- son are members of the Episcopal church.
WILLIS C. DALLY.
Public opinion, it may be said truthfully, actually rules this country and there is no institution which has a more profound and far reaching influence on public opinion than the newspaper. No man exerts a wider and more far-reaching influence for good or evil than the newspaper publisher. Mor- rison county. Minnesota, has many thriving newspapers, but none which more thoroughly measures up to the needs of the community it undertakes to serve than the Royalton Banner of which Willis C. Dally is editor and publisher.
Willis C. Dally was born on January 25, 1873, near Annandale, Wright county, Minnesota. He is the son of Nathan and Ida ( Shattuck) Dally, the former of whom was born in 1848 in Bureau county, Illinois, where he lived
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until 1856, when he and his parents came to Stearns county, Minnesota. After living in Stearns county for some three years, the family moved to Wright county, where the father took a homestead. When Nathan Dally was old enough he also took a homestead in the southern part of South Side township, Wright county. There he lived until 1881. In the meantime he had opcrated a saw-mill for a few years. In 1881 he established a saw- mill at Staples, which he operated for three years. In 1884 the mill was moved to Eagle Bend, Minnesota, where it was run for eleven years. In 1895 Mr. Dally removed to Leech Lake in Cass county, the present site of Walker, which was founded in that year. Here he built a sixty-foot, stern- wheel steamboat which he operated on Leech Lake for fourteen years, carrying freight and passengers. In 1909 he bought one hundred and sixty acres in Hubbard county, near Laporte, and there he resides at the present time.
Nathan Dally, who is a Republican, held a number of village and town- ship offices. He is a member of the Methodist church and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Mrs. Ida ( Shattuck ) Dally was born in Franklin county, New York, on November 25, 1852, where she lived until 1867, when, with her parents, she came to Minnesota. They settled near Clear Water, where she made her home until 1872, when she was married. Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Dally have had five children, Willis, Mrs. Estella Pennar, Arthur. Verne and Leila. all of whom have reached maturity.
Educated at Staples and Eagle Bend, Minnesota, Willis C. Dally attended a business college at Minneapolis. He finished the common schools in 1891 and for four years was engaged in teaching in the country and village schools of Eagle Bend and vicinity. In January, 1896, Mr. Dally was employed by W. E. Hutchinson, who owned a newspaper at Eagle Bend, originally the Todd County News but later the Eagle Bend News. Here Mr. Dally learned the printer's trade and worked for about eight years. During that period he was appointed assistant postmaster. In 1900-01, Mr. Dally spent a year in the service of the Red River Lumber Company at Akeley, working in the F. B. Walker mill.
In 1906 Mr. Dally removed to Hewitt, Todd county, purchasing the Hewitt Banner, which he published for eight years. After selling this paper he purchased the Royalton Banner, at Royalton, and removed to this place on January 3, 1914. While at Hewitt Mr. Dally purchased forty acres of land on the edge of town but he sold this farm at the same time that he dis- posed of his other interests in Hewitt.
On May 7, 1898, Willis C. Dally was married to Jessie Tabor, a native
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of Douglas county, Minnesota, born on September10, 1879. Mrs. Dally is the daughter of Frank and Lydia (Livernash) Tabor, natives of Minnesota. Mrs. Dally was educated at Parkers Prairie, where she lived most of her life until her marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Dally have had three children, Clare, Harold and Inez, all of whom are attending school.
As a Republican Mr. Dally has served in several positions of trust and responsibility. He was village recorder at Walker, Minnesota, village recorder at Eagle Bend, village recorder at Hewitt for four terms and the recipient of additional political honors. He considers himself an inde- pendent Republican, but is an ardent believer in prohibition. He is a mem- ber of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, a past grand, and was a mem- ber of the grand lodge of 1902. Mr. and Mrs. Dally are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and Mr. Dally is a steward in the church.
HENRY GASSERT.
A successful farmer of Morrison county, Minnesota, Henry Gassert is also influential in the political life of the county and is now serving his second term as commissioner of Morrison county.
Henry Gassert was born on July 25, 1858, at Davenport, Iowa, and is the son of Martin and Christina Gassert, the former of whom was born in Baden on the Rhine. Germany. He was educated in Germany and came to America with his parents when a young man. They settled in Daven- port, Iowa, where he became a cook on the lumber rafts running between Minneapolis and St. Louis, Missouri. He followed this work until the Civil War broke out, when he enlisted in Company H, Second Wisconsin Cavalry, serving until he was taken ill with the fever and died in 1863. His wife, Christina Gassert, was also born in Baden, Germany, and came to America with her sister. They settled in Illinois but afterward moved to Davenport, Iowa, where she worked for a year and a half and was then married. Martin and Christina Gassert were the parents of two children. Henry and Louis.
After the death of Martin Gassert, his widow was married to John C. Hinder and they immigrated to Minnesota.
Educated in the schools at Hokah, Houston county, Minnesota, Henry Gassert attended school only about three months each year. Having come to Houston county, Minnesota, with the family, Henry Gassert remained in the county until seventeen years old. On December 9, 1875. he came
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to Pierz and worked by the month on a farm for two years. He was then married and took up a homestead of forty acres in section 24, of Buh town- ship. During the next few years, he cultivated this farm and worked in the woods. Because of hard times he lost the farm ten years later, but in disposing of the farm was able to pay off his debts and save a yoke of steers, which he was compelled to buy in on credit. They cost him one hundred and twenty-five dollars and it required six years to pay off the indebtedness. About this time, he purchased forty acres of state land in section 12, of Buh township, for which he paid five dollars an acre. He borrowed thirty per cent. for the original payment. Counting the interest which he paid on the purchase price of the steers, they cost him altogether three hundred dollars.
In 1890 Mr. Gassert bought forty acres adjoining his original farm, later added eighty acres and still later forty acres in section 12. He then bought one hundred and twenty acres in section 1, of Buh township. Here he was engaged in general stock raising, making a specialty of Durham cattle and Poland China hogs, draft horses, including Belgians and Percherons. In November, 1912, Mr. Gassert sold out and purchased one hundred and seventy acres in Granite township, moving to Pierz in 1913.
On April 25, 1878, Henry Gassert was married to Louisa Dench, the daughter of John and Eva Dench, both of whom were natives of Germany. Mrs. Gassert was one of five children and was born in Houston county, Minnesota, on November 24, 1858, where she lived until a young woman, when she accompanied her parents to Morrison county, Minnesota. They settled near Pierz on a farm, where she lived until her marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Gassert have had twelve children, Margaret, Mary, Frederick, John, Henry, Francis, Louie, Anna, Edward, Katherine and two who died early in life. Margaret married Barney Faust, a farmer of Buh township. They have four children, Henry, Joseph, Loretta and Barne. Mary married George L. Boser, a farmer of Buh township. They have nine children, Henry, Katherine, Clara, and others. Katherine married John Vernig and has two children.
In 1880 Mr. Gassert was elected treasurer of school district No. 36, a position which he held for nine years. He then resigned and was elected township supervisor, a position which he held for fifteen years. In 1910 he was elected county commissioner to fill a vacancy caused by the death of the incumbent, Peter Vernig. In 1912 he was a candidate for election and had no opposition on his ticket. Mr. Gassert is a director in the Pierz State Bank.
The Gassert family are members of the Catholic church. Mr. and
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Mrs. Gassert are members of the St. Joseph Society. Mr. Gassert is treas- urer of the congregation of St. John's church and has served in this position for the past six years.
TIM PERRY.
The following is a short sketch of the career of Tim Perry, the genial and well-known auctioneer of Little Falls, Belle Prairie township, Morrison county, Minnesota. In addition to his duties as an auctioneer, in which capacity he is in very great demand, he farms on a large scale and has more than a local reputation as an expert breeder of Poland China hogs. To whatever undertaking claims his intereset. Mr. Perry gives the best of his ability and the success with which he is meeting is but commensurate with the effort which he puts forth.
Tim Perry is a native of this state, born on March 19, 1862, in Houston county, a son of Silas C. and Mary E. (Tryon) Perry, being the eldest of their family of seven children. Mr. Perry's father was a native of Connecticut, born in Windsor county, that state, on June 22, 1827, son of Timothy and Mollie ( Clark) Perry, both natives of Connecticut. Timothy was a veteran of the War of 1812. Mr. Perry's mother was born in the state of New York on February 12, 1845, and together with her husband came to this state in 1850, reaching their destination in Houston county on May 4, of that year. Silas C. Perry was an expert ax-maker by trade, and after coming to this section he worked as a blacksmith for a few years and then bought a half-section of land from the government, for which he paid the sum of one dollar and a quarter per acre. In 1868 he sold that tract and moved to lowa, where he purchased two hundred and forty acres in Allamakee county, and to the cultivation of that tract he gave some of the best efforts of his life. In 1892 he retired from active labor and took up his residence at Storm Lake, lowa, where his death occurred on March 7, 1914, in the eighty-seventh year of his age. Mr. Perry's mother is still living at the same place. She is a faithful member of the Methodist Episco- pal church, and in spite of her years takes an active interest in the work of her church society.
As has been stated, Mr. Perry is the eklest of his family. The others are Henrietta, born in Houston county, this state, but now living with the mother at Storm Lake, Iowa: Ella, wife of Dr. O. Dinsmore. located at Fort Myers, Florida; Edith, wife of H. Halpenny. and now deceased; Lucile,
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Mrs. E. Smith, living at Mason City, Iowa, and a boy and girl, who died in early infancy.
Tim Perry was reared on his father's farm and attended the district schools of Postville, Iowa. The town at that time was nothing more than a small village and the school was conducted in the little log cabin so familiar to pioneers. However crude the structure, young Tim was able to lay a good educational foundation on which he lias reared a worthy struc- ture as the years have gone by. In 1882 he went to Fayette, Iowa, and in the university there he took a good business course. A year later found him in South Dakota, where he homesteaded land but sold out within a short time and returned to Iowa, where for the next three or four years he was engaged in farming. He next went to Tacoma, Washington, where he clerked in a grocery for a few years, and in 1891 came to Minnesota and engaged in the grocery business for himself in the city of Minneapolis. He retained that business but fourteen months, when he disposed of it and returned to his boyhood home near Postville, Iowa, and again engaged in farming. In 1898 he moved to Dallas county. Iowa, and farmed there until 1901, when he came to Morrison county, this state, and has since been actively identified with its agricultural interests. Upon coming here, he purchased two hundred and forty acres of land, all of which was under brush at the time with the exception of eighty acres, and on which he has made extensive improvements. He now owns two hundred and thirty acres of land, has a comfortable residence, good barns and is at the present writing ereeting a barn, size thirty by forty feet, designed to accommodate liay and stock.
Tim Perry was married on November 24. 1892, to Florence Duesen- berry, born on July 19, 1874, in Geneseo, Illinois, a daughter of Alfred and Ellen (Wood) Duesenberry. Her parents were natives of Virginia and Illinois, respectively, and are still residing at Moline, Illinois, where they are retired farmers. To Mr. and Mrs. Perry have been born two children. Magdalene. wife of W. H. Hatfield, of Los Angeles, California, and Scott C., residing at home with the parents.
Mr. Perry's political preference is with the Republican party and he holds religious membership in the Congregational church. His fraternal affiliation is with the Loyal Order of Moose, and when a young man he united with the Knights of Pythias. He has taken considerable interest in politics, and in 1911 was nominated for county clerk of Morrison county on the Republican ticket, but suffered defeat with his party. Mr. Perry
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