USA > Minnesota > Otter Tail County > History of Otter Tail County, Minnesota : its people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 100
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Mr. Sundberg has a good farm, well cared for, and in addition to his general farming gives much attention to the raising of live stock, his Short- horn cattle and his hogs showing evidences of his knowledge of the subject. Mr. Sundberg is a stalwart, good-natured man and has hosts of friends, all of whom hold him in the highest esteem.
J. E. RITCHEY.
Member of the town board of Richville, this county, supervisor of Amor township and treasurer of his school district. J. E. Ritchey is doing well his part in the common life of Otter Tail county and is very naturally looked upon as one of the leading citizens of the prosperous and progres- sive neighborhood in which he lives and where he is held in high regard by the whole community.
J. E. Ritchey was born in Steele county, this state, on October 6, 1862, son of Joseph and Amanda ( Reasor ) Ritchey. Joseph Ritchey was born in Pennsylvania, son of Jacob Ritchey, a farmer and blacksmith, who also was born in the Keystone state and who came to Minnesota in the early days of the settlement of the great Northwest, settling in LeSueur county, where he farmed until late in life, after which he retired and came to Otter Tail county, where his last days were spent.
Joseph Ritchey, who died in this county in 1898, was but a boy when his parents moved to Minnesota and he was reared in LeSueur county, where he began farming upon reaching manhood's estate and where he lived until about 1885. He then sold his holdings there and moved to Steele county. He was active in the civic life of the community and held several public offices, in all of which positions he acquitted himself as a faithful public servant and a good citizen. During the Indian war in Min- nesota he performed excellent service as a soldier attached to the regular army of the United States and was thoroughly acquainted with pioneer conditions in this state. He and his wife were the parents of eight chil- dren, Isaac (deceased ), Isabella (deceased), Rachel. Joshua, William. Andrew, George and Charles.
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J. E. Ritchey received his early education in Steele county, this state, and grew up to the life of the farm. In 1901 he bought a farm of one hundred and ninety-six acres in Amor township, this county, and has brought the same to a high state of cultivation. The substantial improvements on this place he has made himself, his present comfortable residence having been erected in 1909. His fine barn was built in 1904. He gives consid- erable attention to the raising of live stock and makes a specialty of Short- horn cattle and Poland China hogs.
J. E. Ritchey married Isabelle Loney, who was born in LeSueur county, this state, and to this union four children have been born, Carl, Henry, Myrtle and Leo, the latter of whom now is the practical manager of the home farm. Mr. Ritchey for years has given close attention to public affairs in this neighborhood and is regarded as one of the substantial men of the Richville community. He is a member of the town board, as noted in the opening paragraph of this review, and is likewise township supervisor and treasurer of the school district. He is a member of the local lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and gives close personal attention to the affairs of that popular order. He is a good citizen and has many friends in this county, all of whom hold him in high esteem.
F. H. LANGVICK.
Among the well-known farmers and prominent citizens of Amor town- ship, Otter Tail county, Minnesota, is F. H. Langvick, who was born on the old Langvick homestead, in Amor township, August 15, 1873, the son of Mikkel and Bertha ( Odegaard) Langvick, natives of Norway. Follow- ing his marriage, in his native country, Mikkel Langvick, in 1871, came to America, and located at Detroit, Michigan, where he lived for a time and then came to the state of Minnesota, living for one year at Red Wing, and then canie to Otter Tail county, homesteading eighty acres of land in Amor township. On his farm the elder Langvick placed extensive improvements, and from time to time added to his land until, at the time of his death on May 17, 1912, Mikkel Langvick was the owner of two hundred and twenty acres of land in Amor township. Mikkel and Bertha Langvick were the parents of the following children: Joseph, Martha, Anna, F. H., Emma, Clara, Frederick, Mina and Hulda. Mikkel Langvick was a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church of Amor township.
F. H. Langvick received his early education in the public schools of Amor township, after which he became a student at St. Cloud College, of St. Cloud, Minnesota, a school which he attended for two winters. Follow- ing his school days, Mr. Langvick took up farming, operating the home place until the death of his father, when F. H. Langvick took possession of
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the homestead, which farm he has improved somewhat and where he now engages in general agricultural pursuits. In addition to the farm of his work, Mr. Langvick is the owner of one hundred and fifteen acres of land in section 1, Amor township. Mr. Langvick is an active and interested member of the Norwegian Lutheran church, giving of his time and means for the support of the work of this denomination.
JOHN BARRY.
The proprietor of a splendid farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Maine township, Otter Tail county, Minnesota, John Barry, a long-time resident of Otter Tail county, was born in Boston, Massachusetts, August 7, 1857. Mr. Barry's father, John Barry, Sr., was a native of Ireland, who was born on August 4, 1831, and who died on June 1, 1908. He was twice married, John Barry, Jr., being the son of Johanna (Scannell) Barry, a native of Ireland. John Barry, Sr., and Johanna Scannell were married in Ireland. After living in Ireland for a time, where Mr. Barry was a sailor and sea captain, they came to this country and settled in Boston, Massachu- setts, where, for a time, he sailed the sea. Subsequently, however, he moved from Boston to Chicago and, for a few years, worked in the packing houses. He then moved to Fond du Lac county, Wisconsin, and purchased ninety- six acres of land, where he lived for approximately a quarter of a century. Upon leaving Wisconsin, he came to Maine township, Otter Tail county, Minnesota, and purchased ninety-six acres of land. Before his death, he owned one hundred and seventeen acres, which is now held by John Barry, Jr.'s, half-brother, Daniel.
The late John Barry was married, secondly, to Catherine Murphy, who was the widow of John Sullivan and who had one child by the first mar- riage, Mary, deceased. Mr. Sullivan was killed in the Civil War. By his second marriage, John Barry, Sr., had three children, Daniel, Michael and Bridget, deceased. By the first marriage, there were six children, John, Mary, David, Catherine, James and Hannah, who is deceased. The late John Barry was a member of the Catholic church.
John Barry, Jr., the subject of this sketch, received his education prin- cipally in the common schools of Wisconsin and lived at home with his parents until July 31, 1883, when he was married to Elizabeth Murray, a native of Canada. To them have been born eight children, all of whom are living and at home except David and Peter. The names of the children in the order of their birth are, John, David, Mary, Elizabeth, Peter, Anna. Thomas and Catherine.
Mr. Barry lived on his present farm of one hundred and sixty acres four years before his marriage. He has erected a splendid house and has
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made other important improvements. Mr. Barry began life on this farm in 1878. He now enjoys all of the modern conveniences of rural life, includ- ing rural mail and telephone service. Mr. Barry has laid out most of the roads in Maine township.
The Barry family are all members of the Catholic church. Since 1881 John Barry has been a member of the local school board and for the past eighteen years has been a township supervisor. He took an active part in the organization of school district No. 146, and also in the organization of the Catholic church in this township. He has been a member of the church committee since 1881.
SOLON HUBBARD.
Solon Hubbard, a citizen of Maine township, Otter Tail county, Min- nesota, is a veteran of the Civil War, in which he served for six months as a member of Company B, Sixty-fourth Regiment, New York Volunteer Infantry. He was wounded by a bullet which struck his right arm and, for a time, was unable to use the arm, but eventually regained its use. Mr. Hubbard is an old-time citizen of this county, having homesteaded a farm of one hundred and sixty acres as early as 1878.
Solon Hubbard was born in Cattaraugus county, New York, Decem- ber 25, 1838. He is the son of Isaac P. and Emeline ( Wattenlough ) Hub- bard, natives of Vermont and of New York state, respectively. Mr. Hub- bard's mother was the daughter of John Wattenlough, a native of Germany and a farmer by occupation. His paternal grandfather, Elisha Hubbard, was also a native of New York and a farmer by occupation, who, after moving to New York state, settled in Cattaraugus county.
The late Isaac P. Hubbard was educated in the common schools of the state of Vermont and was engaged in farming practically all of his life. He owned one hundred and fifty acres of land in Cattaraugus county and died on his old farm. He was a member of the Wesleyan Methodist church and was a very strict believer. He followed literally the teachings of Chris- tianity. There were nine children in the family of Isaac P. and Emeline ( Wattenlough ) Hubbard, of whom, Emmerilla, Elizabeth, Ellen, Harriet and William are deceased. The living children are Solon E., Melvin, Mar- shall and Minerva.
Solon Hubbard was educated in Cattaraugus county, New York. and, for a time, attended the common schools. In all of his life, however, he never attended more than twenty-seven days in one year. In the meantime, however, he has supplemented his education by home study and today is known as a great reader. Mr. Hubbard takes the Minneapolis Daily News and is a close student of politics, local, state and national.
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Mr. Hubbard has one hundred and sixty acres of land in Maine town- ship, which he homesteaded here in 1878. Some years ago he sold eighty acres of the farm. Mr. Hubbard has put all of the improvements upon the farm. Prior to coming to Minnesota, he was a cheese maker in Cattaraugus county, New York. He established a cheese factory in Maine township which is now known as the Phelps Company, and made cheese himself for thirty-five years and two months.
On January 1, 1858, Solon Hubbard was married to Clarissa Kelley, and to them have been born four children, Rosalind, Clinton, Emmeline and Nellie. All of the children are married and all live in Otter Tail county except Emmeline, who is deceased. For a number of years, Solon Hubbard served as constable of Maine township.
JOHN SHEARER.
John Shearer, who owns a good farm in Maine township, is a native of Crawford county, Pennsylvania, where he was born on December 12, 1859, the son of James and Sally ( Sarner ) Shearer, both of whom were natives of the Keystone state.
The paternal grandfather of John Shearer was John Shearer, Sr., who was a native of one of the eastern states. His father had come to America from Germany and was an early settler in Pennsylvania. John Shearer, Sr., owned about one hundred acres of land in Crawford county and died there on his farm. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and served in the War of 1812. Captured by the Indians during the War of 1812, he was bound hand and foot, but during the night one of the Indians cut the rope from his hands and gave him a knife with which to cut the rope at his feet. The Indian who gave him the knife beckoned Mr. Shearer to follow him. The Indian walked miles away from the camp without saying a word, but suddenly turned and said to Mr. Shearer, "Do you remember me?" Mr. Shearer said, "No." "Well," said the Indian, "I know you. Do you remember the time you let a half-frozen Indian into your house." "Yes," said Mr. Shearer. The Indian replied, "I am the man ; now, since you saved my life, I am saving yours." The Indian gave him directions as to how he might find his home without being molested. The Indian told Mr. Shearer that he dared not return to his tribe because they would kill him, but he would join another tribe.
Mr. Shearer's father was educated in the common schools of Crawford county, Pennsylvania, and was a farmer all of his life. He died in Septem- ber. 1896, and his wife in 1872. They were members of the Methodist church.
John Shearer, the subject of this sketch, left home at the age of fifteen
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years and, for a time, worked in the oil regions near Bradford, Pennsyl- vania. When Mr. Shearer was nineteen years old, he came west and settled in Otter Tail county, Minnesota, where he purchased a claim. He also home- steaded eighty acres and later acquired one hundred fifty-two and one-half acres all in the same township. Mr. Shearer has made all of the improve- ments upon his farm and most of it has been cleared of timber. The Indians roamed through this country when Mr. Shearer came west, but there has been a wonderful transformation in the years he has lived in Otter Tail county.
When Mr. Shearer was forty-five years old. he was married to Rosalind Hubbard, who was born in the state of New York and who is the daughter of Solon Hubbard, referred to elsewhere in this volume. Mrs. Shearer was the widow of Osgood Adley and, by her first marriage, had one child, Clara, who lives with Mr. and Mrs. Shearer. By her marriage to Mr. Shearer, there has been born one child. James, who is unmarried and lives at home.
Mrs. John Shearer is a member of the Presbyterian church. Mr. Shearer served six years as constable of Maine township. but has not been active in politics for some years.
JOHN HILKOSKE.
John Hilkoske, the son of Albert and Elizabeth (Gorskie) Hilkoske, was born in Germany, May 22, 1847. Albert Hilkoske died when John was but six weeks old and he was left to the loving care and attention of his widowed mother. Albert Hilkoske, a farmer and soldier, lived his life in his native country, Germany. He was a devout member of the Catholic church. The subject of this sketch fought for his country in the War of 1870. Elizabeth Hilkoske was married a second time after the death of her first husband.
John Hilkoske came to America in the year 1881 and settled in Colorado where he was engaged in coal mining for nine years. In 1890 he came to Otter Tail county, where he purchased two hundred acres of land in Otter Tail township, bordering on Otter Tail lake. John Hilkoske was married at the age of thirty-six to Josephine Novack, who was also a native of Ger- many. To Mr. and Mrs. Hilkoske have been born the following children : Andrew, Benjamin, Mary, John, Catherine, Clara, Rose, Paul, Sylvester and Albert. Mr. and Mrs. Hilkoske and family are members of the St. Lawrence Catholic church at Rush Lake.
The following children of Mr. and Mrs. Hilkoske are married and have homes of their own: Andrew married Mary Kopell and lives in Becker county, Minnesota; Rose was married to H. D. Wendte, and they are resi-
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dents of Otter Tail county ; John is married to Olga Hollemquist, and they have established a home in Williston, North Dakota.
John Hilkoske purchased his farm in this county for the most part as Nature had left it and has improved it to its present state. The house was built in the year 1890 by John McNellis, of St. Paul, the other buildings and improvements have been placed by Mr. Hilkoske. The old plat of Otter Tail City was near the present farm. At one time this town had bright prospects to be a thriving city and business center, but the railroad that was to have gone through the town changed its course and passed through the town of. Perham. When Mr. Hilkoske settled on his farm many Indians were in evidence.
Mr. and Mrs. Hilkoske have retired from the active duties of the farm, but the high standard of efficient farming has been maintained through the efforts of their sons, Paul, Sylvester and Albert, with their sister Catherine to look after the household duties.
JOHN PETERSON.
John Peterson was born in Sweden, December 5, 1867, the son of Peter Johnson and Mary ( Knutson) Johnson, both of whom were natives of Sweden, where Peter Johnson now lives, a farmer on one hundred and twenty acres of land in that country, Mary Johnson having died in June, of the year 1913. Peter and Mary Johnson were the parents of the follow- ing children, Anna, Carl, Tilda, John, Eingre, Nels, Augusta, Mary, Alfred, Oscar and Ammei, of whom Nels and John came to America. Peter John- son and his family are members of the Swedish Lutheran church.
John Peterson, following his education in the public schools of his native land came, during the year 1887, to America and after landing at New York City he came to Meeker county, Minnesota, where he worked for two years as a day laborer and then went to the city of St. Paul, Minne- sota, where after working some time at day work, he went to the state of North Dakota, and there rented a farm, later returning to Wilkin county, Minnesota, at which place he bought one thousand acres of land on which he cultivated wheat and oats for two years, and then selling this land, John Peterson moved to Otter Tail county, and, in the year 1902, bought two hundred and forty acres of land in Compton township, where he now lives. The farm of John Peterson is one of the best improved and most highly cultivated of the county, this progressive farmer having built, during the year 1903. a modern barn in size forty-four by fifty-six feet, and more lately erected a large and complete silo.
On November 20, 1895, John Peterson was married to Cora Larson, (60b)
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who was born in Sweden, May 5, 1876, the daughter of Andrew Larson and wife, who came to America during the year 1880, and located in Wilkins county, Minnesota, where Andrew Larson now lives, his wife having died there. To the marriage of John and Cora Peterson were born nine chil- dren, Nina May, Harry, Genevieve, Alice, Gladys, Mabel, Agnes, Norma and Lawrence. John Peterson and his family are members and active work- ers of the Swedish Lutheran church in Compton township.
John Peterson and his family are among the best known people of the community, they being respected and esteemed for their lives and for their works in the township and county.
A. R. DANIELSON.
A. R. Danielson, who owns one hundred and thirty acres of land in Compton township, is a native of Sweden, where he was born on October 17. 1863, son of Daniel and Carrie ( Anderson ) Danielson, both of whom were natives of Sweden, who spent their entire lives in their native country. Mr. Danielson's father received military training in his native land. He was a prominent member of the Lutheran church.
Educated in the public schools of his native land, A. R. Danielson came to America in 1887, and, after landing in New York City, went direct to Mille Lacs county, Minnesota, where he lived for five years. In 1892 Mr. Danielson came to Otter Tail county. At the same time he purchased a farm of eighty acres, to which he has since added fifty acres. In 1892 he built a comfortable and commodious home and has made practically all of the improvements to be seen on the farm today. For his original farm Mr. Danielson paid only ten dollars an acre. Here in the community where he is well known he is rated as an enterprising and successful farmer and citi- zen. Mr. Danielson owns an automobile and enjoys both the rural mail and telephone service.
On July 15, 1890, A. R. Danielson was married to Mary Nelson, a native of Sweden, and to them have been born two children, Dalia and Albin. Both of these children live at home with their parents.
FREDRICK SEEBA.
Fredrick Seeba, well-known farmer of Maine township, Otter Tail county, Minnesota, was born in Friberg township, Otter Tail county, Min- nesota, on June 3. 1881, the son of John and Albertina ( Eichstadt ) Seeba, natives of Germany. John Seeba lived in his native country, until 1868, when he came to America, and located at Red Wing, Minnesota, near where he worked as a farmer for three years and then came to Otter Tail county, and bought a farm in Friberg township, where he now lives. John Seeba
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was the first settler to locate in Friberg township, Otter Tail county, and is a man who has done much for the development and progress of the com- munity. John and Albertina Seeba were the parents of the following chil- dren : Fredrick, Herman, John, Mary and Amelia.
Fredrick Seeba received his education in the public schools of Friberg township, Otter Tail county, and after leaving his classes, he became a farmer, buying, in the year 1908, eighty acres of land which he now culti- vates as a general farmer. Mr. Seeba has greatly improved his farm, has supplied his place with the most approved equipment and is now among the most successful of the younger farmers in the community.
On December 22, 1908, Fredrick Seeba was married to Lottie Wenholni, who was born at Lida, Minnesota, the daughter of John Wenholm and wife, well-known people of the community. To the marriage of Fredrick and Lottie Seeba have been born two children, Clifford and Raymond. Mr. Seeba and his wife are members of the Presbyterian church.
OLE HONRUD.
Ole Honrud, prosperous farmer and well-known citizen of Oscar town- ship, Otter Tail county, Minnesota, was born at Spring Grove, Minnesota, July 31, 1869, the son of Lars O. and Mary (Johnson) Honrud, natives of Norway. Lars O. Honrud was the son of Ole Honrud, who came to Amer- ica when he was an elderly man and homesteaded a farm in Cass county, North Dakota, where he lived until his death, in 1913, he being ninety-two years of age at the time of his death. Lars O. Honrud was educated in the schools of his native land. after which he married and then, in 1866, came to America and located in the state of Wisconsin, where he worked as a farm helper, until 1871, when he came to Otter Tail county, Minnesota, and homesteaded eighty acres of land in Oscar township, a farm which the elder Honrud cultivated for the remainder of his days, dying in 1904. Mary, the wife of Lars O. Honrud, died in 1885. Lars O. and Mary Honrud were the parents of six children, Ole, Julia, Oscar, Lena (deceased), Severin and Altin ( deceased). Lars O. Honrud was an active and devout mem- ber of the Norwegian Lutheran church of Oscar township, he giving liber- ally of his time and means for the support of the work of this congregation. As a farmer, the elder Honrud was notably successful, not only having cul- tivated his farm to a high state of productiveness, but he acquired during his farming career, three hundred and twenty acres of the best land in Oscar township, Otter Tail county.
Ole Honrud received his education in the common schools of Oscar township, Otter Tail county, after which he became a farmer, securing one of the desirable farms of Oscar township, where for twenty-three years
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Mr. Honrud has made his home and where he now engages successfully in general agricultural pursuits. Ole Honrud has greatly improved his farm during the past years, having built a new house in 1900, and during the year 1903 erected one of the best barns of the locality. From time to time Mr. Honrud has added to his acreage until now he owns two hundred and seventy- six acres of well cultivated land in Oscar township.
On December 26, 1888, Ole Honrud was married to Lizzie Wastin, and to this marriage have been born nine children, Lewis, Melvin, Elbert, Anna, Oscar, Ludwig, Bertha, Olaf and Melford. Ole Honrud and his family are members of the Norwegian Lutheran church, of Oscar township.
In addition to his farm activity, Ole Honrud has taken an active inter- est in business circles, as it affects the farmer, and he is now one of the stockholders of the Rothsay Elevator Company, of Rothsay, Minnesota.
JOHN L. TAYLOR.
One of the splendid farms of Leaf Lake township, Otter Tail county, Minnesota, is a tract of two hundred acres owned by John L. Taylor, who was born at Winona, Minnesota, April 17, 1862. Mr. Taylor not only has a highly productive farm but his buildings are all in first-class condition and he has one of the most beautiful country homes in Otter Tail county.
John L. Taylor is the son of James and Mary ( Campbell) Taylor, the former of whom was born in Ireland, December 12, 1832, and the latter born in America, September 28, 1832. The paternal grandfather of John L. Taylor was James Taylor, a native of Ireland, whose wife, before her marriage, was Mary Anderson. James Taylor, Sr., came to America when his son, James, Jr., the father of John L., was nine years old, in 1844. He settled in the state of Illinois, and, after living there for seven years, moved to Winona county, Minnesota. He was a devout member of the Presby- terian church. One of his sons, David, a brother of James, Jr., was killed in the battle of Gettysburg.
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