History of Otter Tail County, Minnesota : its people, industries, and institutions, Volume II, Part 103

Author: Mason, John W. (John Wintermute), 1846- 4n
Publication date: 1916
Publisher: Indianapolis, Ind. : B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1156

USA > Minnesota > Otter Tail County > History of Otter Tail County, Minnesota : its people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 103

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OTTER TAIL COUNTY, MINNESOTA.

In 1876 Peter N. Hofbeck was married to Ingebor Peterson, a native of Denmark and the daughter of Peter and Ella ( Nelson) Larson, who died before Mrs. Holbeck immigrated to America, in 1876. Mr. and Mrs. Peter N. Holbeck have been the parents of six children, Ella, who is at home: Annie, who died at the age of twenty-two years; Emil, who is a farmer in Dane Prairie township; William, Anton and Gullina, who are at home.

Mr. and Mrs. Peter N. Holbeck are prominent members of the Uni- tarian church. Mr. Holbeck is a Democrat in politics and has served his party and his fellow citizens in the capacity of supervisor twice and as a school director. Mr. Holbeck deserves to rank as one of the foremost citizens of Tordenskjold township and is popular with his neighbors in this community.

JOHANNES P. SCHEI.

Johannes P. Schei, a pioneer citizen of Otter Tail county and one of the best known residents of Tordenskjold township, where he is now living retired, is a native of Norway, born eight miles out of Trondhjem, May 17, 1839. Johannes P. Schei is the son of Peter and Jochimine Schei, who in later life emigrated to America. They died on a farm in Tordenskjold township about 1890 and are buried in the Tordenskjold township cemetery. They were farmers by occupation and had a family of nine children, all of whom came with them to America. Johannes P. was the eldest; Maria died in Norway; Ole lives in Red Wing, Minnesota; Olaf died in Minneapolis; Berit Martha married Aneus Volen and died at Underwood; Paulina died unmarried in Minneapolis; Martin died in Minneapolis; Mary married a Mr. Johnson and lives in Minneapolis: Ever resides near Minneapolis.

Johannes P. Schei was educated in the public schools and, from his boyhood, has been engaged in farming. In 1867 he accompanied his par- ents to America and, for the next three years, worked on a farm in Good- hue county. Later the family came to Otter Tail county and homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres in Tordenskjold township. This farm was composed altogether of wild land and, after clearing a place, Mr. Schei built a log house, having lived one summer in a wagon. The old log house stood on the site of the present Schei home. Later, Mr. Schei added forty acres of land in Dane Prairie township, and still later two hundred acres more southeast in Tordenskjold township, erecting houses and barns on these various farms. For some years Mr. Schei has been living retired.

On July 4. 1867, Johannes P. Schei was married in Goodhue county, Minnesota. to Barceline Rosvold. Mr. and Mrs. Schei have been the par- ents of ten children : Olaf is a merchant at Fergus Falls; Julia died at the

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OTTER TAIL COUNTY, MINNESOTA.

age of six years ; Karen married Albert Anderson and lives in Dane Prairie township; Julius is a farmer in Tordenskjold township; Joseph died at the age of twenty-seven: Ole is in the real-estate business in Portland, Oregon ; Martin is a farmer in Idaho; John G. is the manager of the home farm; Olena died at the age of twenty years; Julia lives at home with her parents.

John G. Schei was born on April 4, 1883, on the farm where he now lives and was educated in school district No. 20. Mr. Schei was reared on the farm and, since he was old enough, has been operating the home farm. He is independent in politics.

Johannes P. Schei, who is an ardent Republican, served three years as a school director in this township. Both he and his wife are devout meni- bers of the Lutheran church.

J. B. HIGHDALE.

Born at Evergreen, Ontonagon county, Michigan, March 17, 1865. J. B. Highdale, a prosperous farmer of Tordenskjold township, Otter Tail county, Minnesota, has spent practically all his life on the farm where he now lives, and which he now owns. It is his father's old homestead farm. Mr. Highdale is a son of Swen and Anna ( Lind) Jacobson, who were born in Norway, and grew up in that country. After their marriage they came to America in the spring of 1864, and located at Evergreen, Michigan. where Swen Jacobson worked in the mines a few years. Afterward he and his family removed to Calumet, Michigan, where they lived for three years. They then moved to the state of Missouri, where they remained a few years, living near St. Louis while in that state, and there they engaged in farming. Subsequently, however Mr. Jacobson returned to Calumet, Michigan, and lived there for two or three years, or until 1871, when the family removed to Otter Tail county, Minnesota. Here they homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land in Tordenskjold township, and within the next few years the land was cleared and the dug-out, which the family used for a home, was replaced by a log house, in which they lived for some time, and here Swen Jacobson died on April 30, 1902. He served several terms as township trustee and as a member of the board of supervisors, as well as in several school offices. Politically, he was identified with the Prohibition party. Both he and his wife were formerly members of the Lutheran church, but in later years were identified with the Methodist church. Mrs. Jacobson is still living, at the age of eighty-three years. Swen and Anna Jacobson were the parents of five children, of whom J. B. Highdale is the eldest : Willie died at the age of three years; Minnie is the wife of Ed Anderson, and they live at Cresswell, Oregon; Annie married William Rob- ertson, and lives at Ashby, Minnesota; Emma died at the age of five years.

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OTTER TAIL COUNTY, MINNESOTA.

J. B. Highdale was educated in the public schools of Otter Tail county and was reared on the farm in this county. When he was old enough he took up farming on the home farm, and has lived here ever since. From time to time he bought out the interests of the other heirs in the home farm, and in the meantime has made many improvements upon the farm, including the erection of a good barn. He is a general farmer and stock breeder and has specialized in purebred stock.

In the fall of 1902 J. B. Highdale was married to Mollie Hanson, a daughter of Nels Hanson Loken. Mr. and Mrs. Highdale are the parents of seven children: Alvin, who died at the age of five; Emma, Lillian, Cor- inne, Martin, Selmer and Judith, who are all living at home with their parents.

Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Highdale are members of the Lutheran Synod church, in which they take an active interest. Mr. Highdale is independent in politics, but has never taken an especial interest in political matters. He is a highly respected and well-known citizen of the township and county where he has lived for so many years.

HANS GILBERTSON.

Hans Gilbertson, who is a prosperous farmer of Clitherall township, Otter Tail county, Minnesota, was born at Eidsvold, Norway, November 26, 1843, and is the son of Gulbrand Olson and Karen Larsdatter. Mr. Gilbertson's parents spent their entire lives in Eidsvold, Norway, where they were born and reared. The father was a farmer and landowner and a soldier in the Norwegian cavalry, although he never participated in any war. Mr. Gilbertson's father and mother were members of the Lutheran church. The former was born in 1814 and died in 1903. and the latter was born in 1804 and died in 1852. After the death of his first wife, Guldrand Olson was married to Olia Larsdatter, a sister of his first wife, who was born in 1804 and died in 1852. After the death of his first wife, Gulbrand family. two daughters, who died early in life; Ole, who was a farmer and logger and who operated a saw-mill, died in Norway; Hans, the subject of this sketch, and Christian, who, after coming to America in 1868, settled in Clitherall township on a homestead and died there in 1900.

Hans Gilbertson was educated in the public schools of Norway and, after coming to America, spent a few months in the public schools of this country. He worked on a farm until 1860, and then came to America by steamship. It required a month to make the voyage from Christiania. After living in Frontenac, Canada, for a few months. Mr. Gilbertson came to Otter Tail county with his brother in 1869. He homesteaded one hun- dred and sixty-six acres of land in section 4. of Clitherall township, where

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OTTER TAIL COUNTY, MINNESOTA.

he now lives. When this land was homesteaded it was nothing more than wild prairie land. In the spring of 1870 Mr. Gilbertson built a log house where his present house stands. Later he added other buildings and in 1897 replaced the log house with a modern dwelling. He also has a good barn, which is the third on the farm. Hans Gilbertson is a general farmer and stockman. He is a stockholder in the Battle Lake Creamery Company and vice-president of the Farmers Elevator Company. For eight years he was president of the creamery.

In 1882 Hans Gilbertson was married to Adeline Corser, a native of Wisconsin, and the daughter of John and Electa Corser, who were old set- tlers in Wisconsin. Mr. and Mrs. Gilbertson have three children, Karen, who married Paul Buran and lives in Roseau, Minnesota; Raymond, who is unmarried and engaged in the printing business at Rosean, and Gretchen, who is eighteen years old and a student in the St. Cloud Normal School.

Hans Gilbertson served for twenty-two years as township clerk. He has also served as constable, as treasurer of the school district and as secre- tary of the Free Lutheran church, of which he and his wife are members. Politically, he is identified with the Republican party.

CARL THORSTONSON.

One of the most successful farmers of Clitherall township, Otter Tail county, Minnesota, is Carl Thorstonson, who was born in Norway. near Christiania, October 13, 1846, and who is the son of Thorston Hermanson and Elsie Mickellsdatter.

Mr. Thorstonson's parents died in Norway. His father was a farmer and a landowner and he and his wife were members of the Lutheran church. They had eight sons, Halvor, who died on the old homestead in Norway ; Andreas, who died in infancy; Jens, who came to America, served in the Civil War, and promoted to captain, but never returned; Andreas, who was a soldier in Norway; Edward, who is a farmer in Norway; Johan, who died at the age of seven years; Carl, the subject of this sketch, and Hans, who was a farmer and died in Clitherall township.

Carl Thorstonson was educated in the public schools and reared on the farm. When he was twenty years old, he came to America, in 1869, and, after stopping in Goodhue county, Minnesota, for a time, came to Otter Tail county in the spring of 1870 and homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres in sections 20 and 21, of Clitherall township. Mr. Thorstonson made the journey from Goodhue county to St. Paul on foot. He then came by rail to St. Cloud and then by stage to Otter Tail county. The Indians were numerous at that time, but were always friendly and on good terms with the white settlers.

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OTTER TAIL COUNTY, MINNESOTA.

Mr. Thorstonson's farm consisted principally of wild prairie land with the exception of a few popple groves. He constructed a dugout thirty rods south of his present buildings and engaged in breaking the soil. He was able to plow five acres of the land the first summer, and the second summer six additional acres. Finally he purchased a yoke of oxen and things went more rapidly after that. He was soon able to build a log house, where his present commodious and comfortable house stands. This was built in 1900. About 1895 he also erected a good barn. Mr. Thorstonson is a general farmer and stockman. He is a stockholder in the Farmers Elevator Com- pany and also in the Farmers Mutual Telephone Company. He has bought land in addition to his original farm and now has altogether two hundred and eighty acres.

In 1873 Carl Thorstonson was married to Mina Hanson, a native of Norway and the daughter of Hans Hanson. Mr. and Mrs. Thorstonson have ten children, Thorston, who lives at home; Eliza, who is a milliner at Battle Lake; Josephine, who married Carl Finstadt and lives in Norwegian Grove: Hans, who is a wheat buyer and lives at Northwood; Clara, who married James Herman and lives in Day Creek, Minnesota: Sarah, who married Henry Scott and lives in Clitherall township: Kelmer, who is a wheat buyer at Ashby; Lawrence, who lives at home: Ole, who is a clerk at Pelican Rapids, and May, who is a student in the Battle Lake high school.

Mr. and Mrs. Thorstonson and family are members of the Synod Luth- eran church. Mr. Thorstonson votes the Republican ticket, but has never been especially active in politics and has never aspired to office. He is a good farmer and a good citizen and enjoys the confidence of all of his neighbors.

ED K. EVANSON.

Born on the farm where he now lives in Clitherall township, Otter Tail county, Minnesota, Ed K. Evanson is the son of Knut and Ingeborg ( Lein ) Evanson. Mr. Evanson was born on September 11, 1873, and is now in the prime of life.

Knut Evanson was born on November 11, 1835. at Hamsedahl, Nor- way, and was the son of Evan Anderson Grondal and Annie Guttormson. Knut Evanson's parents were born in Norway and were married there. In 1862, with their four children, they came to America and settled in Good- hue county, Minnesota, where Knut Evanson's father purchased a farm and lived until his death. Knut was the second of four children born to his parents, Andrew, who died in Nebraska: Gertrude, who married Rudolph Borchert and lives in North Dakota; and Anna, who is the widow of Knut Fuglie and lives at Ashby, Minnesota.

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OTTER TAIL COUNTY, MINNESOTA.

' Educated in the public schools of his native land, Knut Evanson was reared on the farm and was twenty-six years old when he came to America with his father and mother. After living in Goodhe county, Minnesota, for six years, he moved to Grant county in 1868 and lived there for one year. . The next year he moved to Otter Tail county and homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land in sections 19 and 20, of Clitherall town- ship. This land was then wild and there were only two settlers in the neighborhood. The Indians were numerous but always friendly. Mr. Evanson built a log house which was his only residence for many years. He cleared the land and later purchased one hundred and forty acres adjoin- ing the original homestead. As time passed, he improved the buildings and in later life rented the farm to his son, Ed K. In 1906 he sold the home- stead and purchased one hundred and forty acres where he now lives. He is a general farmer and is now living retired. Both he and his wife are members of the Lutheran Synod church. Mr. Evanson presented the land to the church, upon which the present building is erected and has served as trustee of the church ever since. He is a Republican in politics and has served as treasurer in his school district.

Knut Evanson was married on July 16, 1867, to Ingeborg Lein, a native of Norway and the daughter of Evan and Bergetta ( Tollefson) Lein. In 1861 the family had come to America and settled in Goodhue county and in 1867 they moved to Grant county, where Mrs. Knut Evanson's father died. Her mother came on to Otter Tail county and in 1869 homesteaded a farm. She died in the spring of 1905. at the age of ninety-five years.

The venerable Knut Evanson is still living at the age of eighty years. His wife is also living and was seventy years old in the spring of 1915. Mr. and Mrs. Knut Evanson have been the parents of four children : Evan, who lives in Chicago, Illinois, and is the manager of a clothing factory ; Ed K., the subject of this sketch; Anna, who is a music teacher in her home neighborhood, and Thosten, who died in the fall of 1914.

Ed K. Evanson received a liberal education in the district schools and at the Park Region Lutheran College. He graduated from the commercial department in 1899 and, immediately thereafter, returned to the farm and took charge of its management for his father. In 1906 Mr. Evanson pur- chased the original homestead of one hundred and sixty acres in Clitherall township. He is a general farmer and stockman and owns a magnificent farm which is highly productive and which is kept in a splendid state of cultivation. He is a director in the Farmers Co-operative Elevator Com- pany and secretary of the board of managers since the new elevator was erected in 1907. He is also secretary of the Battle Lake Co-operative Creamery Company.

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OTTER TAIL COUNTY, MINNESOTA.

On June 21, 1906, Ed K. Evanson was married to Carrie Bondy, the daughter of W. W. Bondy, an old settler of Clitherall township. Mr. and Mrs. Evanson have no children. For fifteen years Ed K. Evanson was a member of the town board of supervisors and, for fourteen years, was chairman of the board. He also served three years as clerk of his school district. As a Republican, he is frequently called upon to attend Republican district and state conventions. More recently, however, Mr. Evanson has been independent in politics.

LUDVIG JENSON.

Numbered among the best citizens of Otter Tail county, Minnesota. and among the most extensive farmers, is Ludvig Jenson, who was born five miles north of Christiania, at Eidsvold, Norway, May 18, 1851, and who is the son of Jens and Maria Olson.

Mr. Jenson's parents were married in their native land and in 1868 came to America, bringing with them all of their children. After stopping in Wisconsin for a time the family emigrated to Goodhue county, Minne- sota, where Mr. Jenson's father worked at the shoe-maker's trade and his son worked on neighboring farms.

In. 1871 the family followed Ole Jenson, one of the sons, to Otter Tail county. Here the father homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres west of where his son, Ludvig, now lives. There he lived until his death. His wife died one week after the death of her husband. Both were members of the Synod Lutheran church. They had nine children, of whom two died very early in life in Norway. Those who lived to maturity are: Ole, Christine, Ludvig, Mary, Christian, Otto and Emma.

Ludvig Jenson received a liberal education in the common schools of Norway and accompanied his parents to America. On coming to Otter Tail county he assisted his father on the homestead farm and worked on neigh- boring farms. At that time St. Cloud was the nearest railway station. Some years later the road was extended to Perham. In 1873 Mr. Jenson purchased one hundred and twenty acres of school land in section 16, of Clitherall township. There were no buildings on the farm at the time. He now owns two hundred acres of well-improved land and in 1914 erected a magnificent house which is modern in every respect, equipped with water- works and all modern improvements. In 1896 Mr. Jenson built a good barn. He is a general farmer and stockman. Ludvig Jenson is president of the Farmers Mutual Telephone Company, manager of the Farmers Elevator Company and, at one time, served as director of the Co-operative Creamery Association.

Ludvig Jenson was married to Lena Olson, a native of Wisconsin and

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the daughter of Christian Olson, and they are the parents of six children : Mary, who married Frank Anderson and lives in Battle Lake; Christian, who lives at home ; Martin and Matilda, who live at home, the former being a wheat buyer ; Oscar, who is a wheat buyer for the elevator at Josephine. North Dakota, and George, who lives at home.

In 1911 Mr. Jenson added one hundred and sixty acres, in section 9, to his farm land. He has been prominent in the political life of Otter Tail county ever since he reached maturity. He is a Democrat now, but in the days when the Populist party was prominent, he was identified with that party. He has served as supervisor and as chairman of the board of super- visors, also school treasurer for many years. From 1900 to 1908 he served as commissioner of Otter Tail county and many times has been a delegate to Democratic district and state conventions, in which his voice is always heard and in which his influence has always had great weight. Mr. and Mrs. Jenson are members of the Synod Lutheran church.

JOHN ELLWANGER.

John Ellwanger was born on the farm where he now lives in Clitherall township, Otter Tail county, September 16, 1868. He is the son of Fred and Inga ( Hole ) Ellwanger, the former of whom was born in Germany. September 27, 1838. Fred Ellwanger came to America with his mother when a lad of thirteen years. They remained in New York City for a time and there his mother died. Later he moved to Wisconsin and settled in Dane county, where he worked at various occupations, in the meantime learning the harness-maker's trade. In 1868, a few years after his mar- riage, he moved with his family to Otter Tail county, Minnesota, homestead- ing one hundred and sixty acres of land in Clitherall township. Upon this farm a log house was built. Fred Ellwanger prospered from year to year and was later able to add forty acres to his farm. He improved the place and lived upon it for many years. His last years, however, were spent at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Ole Henry, where he died on November 3. 1907. He was a devout member of the Synod Lutheran church.

There were nine children in the Ellwanger family: William, who is a farmer in North Dakota: John, the subject of this sketch; Lewis, who is a farmer and blacksmith in North Dakota: Thea, who married Ole Henry and lives in Clitherall township: Albert, who lives near Ashby, Minnesota, where he is a farmer : Matthew, who is a farmer in St. Olaf township: Emma, who married Alvin Olson and lives in Eagle Lake township: Jose, who married Carl Knutson and lives in St. Olaf township, and Fred, who died in infancy.

John Ellwanger was educated in the old log school of his neighborhood, spending two or three months every year in school. He was reared on a

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OTTER TAIL COUNTY, MINNESOT.1.

farm and when he was old enough, assisted his father in the farm work. Mr. Ellwanger and two of his younger brothers purchased his father's farm before the latter's death. Later, however, Mr. Ellwanger bought the inter- ests of his brothers and has been its sole owner ever since. In 1915 he built a thoroughly modern barn, which is painted red and which is kept in a good state of repair. He also has other high grade improvements upon the farm and makes a specialty of raising a high grade of live stock. Mr. Ellwanger is a director in the Battle Lake Creamery Company.

In 1900 John Ellwanger was married to Minnie Herness, the daughter of Lars Herness, and to them has been born one son, Fred Lawrence, who died at the age of one year. Mr. and Mrs. Ellwanger are well known in the community where they live and are highly respected. Mr. Ellwanger is inde- pendent in politics. He and his wife are members of the Synod Lutheran church.

JOHN MURDOCK.

John Murdock was born on the farm where he now lives in section 12, Clitherall township, Otter Tail county, Minnesota. He is the son of Lyman and Rebecca (Taylor) Murdock, and his birth occurred on November 13, 1874. Lyman Murdock was born in Jackson county, Missouri, in 1829, the son of Daniel and Eliza Murdock, who were early emigrants from Ohio. Lyman Murdock spent his childhood in Missouri, and after the death of his parents moved with his elder brothers to Iowa. At that time he was just nine years old and remained in Fremont county, Iowa, until he reached the age of manhood. In the county of Fremont, occurred his marriage to Rebecca Taylor. She was a native of Sullivan county, New York, having been born there in 1839. Her parents were Nicholas and Rachel ( Twilliger ) Taylor, the former a native of New York and the latter a native of Penn- sylvania. They moved in 1842, with their three children, Charles, Rebecca and Mary, to Iowa. where they settled near Montrose, on the Mississippi river. There Mrs. Taylor passed away and after her death her husband moved to Fremont county, Iowa, where the daughter, Rachel, met and mar- ried Lyman Murdock, the father of the subject of this sketch. Mr. Taylor married, secondly, Olive Baldwin, who moved with him to Fremont county.

Lyman Murdock was a contractor and a mill owner. In 1865 he and his wife moved to Otter Tail county, Minnesota, where he homesteaded a tract of land extending over forty acres, most of which was timber. The land was located in sections I and 12. The task of homesteading required more than an ordinary aptitude for hard labor and a great deal of self sacrifice, Lyman Murdock proved that he was a man of both physical and

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moral strength, and overcame the difficulties of a pioneer life with apparently little effort. He built a cabin in a picturesque part of the county, located on the north shore of Clitherall lake. In this cabin he continued to live until his death, which occurred in 1880, when he had reached the age of fifty-one years. His wife is still living at the age of seventy-seven. Both Mr. and Mrs. Murdock were members of the Cutlerite church, where Mr. Murdock served as elder and member of the council for a number of years. Mr. Murdock by his first marriage was the father of one child, Jane, who married John Baklwin and resides in San Francisco. To his marriage with Rebecca Taylor the following children were born: Emer, a farmer in Sherwood, Oregon; Olive, the wife of Albert Eddingfield, who is now living in North Dakota: Alma, who lives in Oregon: James, a farmer in Clitherall John, the subject of this sketch; Lucy, who married Andrew Burnette, of North Dakota; Frank, who lives on the home place with his brother, and township; Carrie, the wife of Bert Harker, who is living in North Dakota; Cora who died at the age of sixteen years.

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History of Otter Tail County, Minnesota : its people, industries, and institutions, Volume II, Part 103

Author: Mason, John W. (John Wintermute), 1846- 4n Publication date: 1916 Publisher: Indianapolis, Ind. : B.F. Bowen Number of Pages: 1156

Author: Mason, John W. (John Wintermute), 1846- 4n
Publication date: 1916
Publisher: Indianapolis, Ind. : B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1156