USA > Minnesota > Otter Tail County > History of Otter Tail County, Minnesota : its people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 11
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OTTER TAIL COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
Tordenskjold township, is referred to elsewhere in this volume; Knut died unmarried in Otter Tail county.
Mr. Jacobson's father was born on June 20, 1840, at Guslan, Denmark, and his mother born on June 12, 1852, near Christiana, Norway. She was brought to America by her parents when sixteen years old. Her husband came to America when he was thirty years old, being accompanied to this country by his brother, Jens. They came to this country in a sailing vessel and spent three weeks in making the voyage. After stopping about one month in southern Minnesota, they came to Otter Tail county and intended to take up a homestead. After arriving in this county, they purchased a team of oxen and a wagon. Jens homesteaded a tract of land in Tordensk- jold township. Mr. Jacobson's father, Hans Jacobson, homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres in section 12, of Dane Prairie township. After- ward he erected a log house on Jens' homestead farm and then erected a log house about ten rods east of his present house.
The brothers worked together clearing and breaking the land. Later each was able to buy a team. Hans Jacobson kept on with his improvements and lived in the original house until his death in 1887. His widow is still living. She is a member of the Tordenskjold township Lutheran church as was also her husband, who was the founder of the church. Hans and Mallena (Torstenson) Jacobson were the parents of six children, Mary, who married Ole Eggen and lives in Orwell township; Tosten, the subject of this sketch; Jacob, who lives at home; Martin, who is a farmer in Orwell township and married Mary Sunberg; Hannah, who lives at home; and Jens, who died at the age of two years. Mrs. Hans Jacobson had one child by a former marriage, Jensena, who is now the wife of Alfred Samison, of Montana.
Tosten Jacobson was educated in the public schools of Otter Tail county and was reared on a farm in this county. In partnership with his brother, Jacob, he took over the management of the home farm and has since operated it. They are engaged in general farming and stock raising and have been very successful. Under the able management of the two brothers, the farm has been kept in a very high state of cultivation. The buildings are all well painted and thoroughly modern. Tosten Jacobson is a member of the Lutheran church. Formerly, he was a member of the Modern Wood- men of America.
Mrs. Hans Jacobson, the mother of Tosten Jacobson, has lived on the present farm for forty-seven years. When the family first came to Otter Tail county, Indians were plentiful in this vicinity, but were always friendly. Mr. Jacobson himself remembers the Indians very well and especially when they came to watch him plowing as a boy. In this vicinity the Indians were
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honorable and upright in their relations with the white settlers and were never known to steal. Mr. Jacobson himself furnished bread to one Indian during a period of about ten years.
HANS P. BERG.
Of the citizens of Vining engaged in business, Hans P. Berg is one of the best known. A man who has taken an active interest in the develop- ment of the county and the promotion and advancement of the town of his residence, he is among those men who for their part in community affairs are given a conspicuous rank in the roll of citizenship of Otter Tail county.
Hans P. Berg was born in Trondhjem, Norway, July 13, 1849, the son of Haldor Haldorson and Guriana Ivorson, who were born at the same place, the father in the year 1822 and the mother in the year 1819. Haldor Ilaldorson was a shoemaker in his native land, a trade which he followed for some time and then engaged in the business of a contractor and builder until his death in the 1894, he and his wife being drowned in a flood which overswept their small farm in that year. To Haldor Haldorson and Guriana Ivorson were born two children: Hans P., the subject of this sketch, and Gunirius H., who was a merchant at Surrey, North Dakota, where he died during the winter of 1915, his remains being brought to Vining, Minne- sota, on February 22, for interment.
Hans P. Berg was educated in a public school which moved from farm to farm, in Norway, stopping for two days in each week where students were brought together. After his school days Hans P. Berg worked for a time on a farm, and in 1871 went to the city of Trondhjem, where he learned the trade of a horse-shoer and blacksmith, later following his trade for seven years with the cavalry of Norway, and then after a short time he came to America, in 1881, and located at the city of Minneapolis, Minnesota, where for the next two months he was employed at a saw-mill. Later Hans P. Berk went to Underwood where he took a position with the Kellogg Chair Company, where he remained for one and one-half years and then came to the town of Vining and established a blacksmith shop which he conducted for about five years. He then went to the Pacific coast and located in British Columbia and then in the state of Washington, later returning to Otter Tail county and settling on a farm of eighty acres which he had home- steaded in the year 1883. Mr. Berk lived on his farm for about two years and then became a wheat buyer for the Farmers' Elevator Company, a busi- ness which he followed for sixteen years. In 1895 Hans P. Berg entered into partnership with the firm of Nyhus & Berg, a business in which Mr. Berg was interested for eleven years when he disposed of his holdings and
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returned to the business of buying wheat until the year 1911, when he established a store for the sale of flour, feed and grain, together with farm implements, a business in which he is now successfully engaged. Hans P. Berg has erected a splendid building for his business and among other improvements has built a modern home, where he lives.
Not only in business pursuits but in public life, has Hans P. Berg been an important element of the citizenship of Vining and of Otter Tail county. Mr. Berg has served well as a member of the village council and at the present time is the occupant of the important office of assessor. In politics Mr. Berg is an ardent Republican. Hans P. Berg is a member of the United Lutheran church and he is affiliated with the society of the Sons of Norway.
During the year 1873 Hans P. Berg was married to Marit Anderson, who was born in Norway, in which country she and Mr. Berg were mar- ried and a year after the marriage she came to America to join her husband who had preceded her, and about five years later she died. Hans P. and Marit Berg were the parents of one daughter, who married Ole Anderson, an insurance man.
Hans P. Berg was married, secondly, during the year 1905, to Martha Berg, who was the daughter of Olaus Berg and wife. Olaus Berg was a farmer who lived near Battle Lake. He died about the year 1898. To the second marriage of Hans P. Berg no children were born.
Hans P. Berg is one of the men of Otter Tail county who have done much for the progress and advancement of living conditions and for the promotion of business prosperity in the locality, and is a man who, with his wife, are esteemed and highly respected residents of the town of Vining.
HENRY OLSON.
Henry Olson, who has served as postmaster at Battle Lake, Minnesota, for the past fifteen years and who is vice-president of the First National Bank of Battle Lake and is now engaged in partnership with his brother in the mercantile business at Battle Lake, is a native of Clitherall township. Otter Tail county, Minnesota, where he was born on August 19, 1873. Mr. Olson was born three and one-half miles south of Battle Lake.
The parents of Henry Olson are Christian Olson and Louise ( Hanson) Olson, who were born at Eidsvold. Norway. They came separately to America before their marriage, his father in 1867 and his mother in 1868. and settled in Goodhue county, Minnesota, where they were married. In 1870 they moved to Otter Tail county and homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land in Clitherall township. The land was prairie and the nearest railroad was at St Cloud, sixty miles away. Christian Olson built a dugout about forty rods from the present house and began to cultivate
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the prairie. After two years he built a log house. He prospered and, in time, came to own two hundred and forty acres, including some timber land. Finally, he built a frame house, where he lived until the spring of 1907, when he sold the farm and retired to a home in Battle Lake, where he and his wife are now living, the former at the age of seventy-one and the latter three years his junior. Christian Olson has filled many township and local offices. Formerly he was identified with the Republican party, but lately has been voting the Prohibition ticket. Both he and his wife are members of the Free Lutheran church.
Christian and Louise ( Hanson) Olson were the parents of nine chil- dren, the firstborn died in infancy ; Marvin R., who lives at Dwight, North Dakota. is manager of the Dwight Farm and Land Company and manager of the Farmers' Elevator Company; Henry is the subject of this sketch; Thorvald died at the age of eight years; Hans also died at the age of eight; Louis Cornelius is referred to elsewhere in this volume; Thea married Charles Peterson, a farmer living near Mccluskey, North Dakota: Mary, who is unmarried, is the assistant postmaster at Battle Lake and lives at home with her parents; Hattie is a teacher and lives at home. She taught for some years in the Battle Lake schools and later in Wadena, but on account of ill health had to lay down the work.
Henry Olson was educated in the public schools of Clitherall township and at Battle Lake. He was reared on a farm and began life as a clerk for Orris Albertson at Battle Lake in 1891. After working for Mr. Albert- son for three years, he was employed for three years as a traveling sales- man for a wholesale fruit company. In 1897. in partnership with Christ Leithe, Mr. Olson, under the firm name of Olson & Leithe, engaged in the mercantile business in the building now occupied by P. J. Elseth. After being engaged in business for three years, Mr. Olson was appointed post- master on March 21, 1901, and has served continuously as postmaster ever since.
Mr. Olson confined his activities to the postoffice until October 1, 1913. when he went into partnership with his brother. Louis C., and purchased the II. L. Wagner clothing and furnishing store, which has since been operated under the firm name of Olson Brothers. Mr. Olson owns the building in which the store is housed and lives over the store. He is vice- president of the First National Bank of Battle Lake and has served in this capacity since its organization in the early part of 1907.
In August, 1896. Henry Olson was married to Lizzie Olson, the daugh- ter of Hans Olson Ekeberg, an old settler of Henning, Minnesota. Mrs. Olson was born near Faribault. Minnesota, and died on April 15. 1900. leaving two children. Harley Luman, born on September 8. 1898, and Ethel
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Lizzie Isola, April 1, 1900. Mr. Olson was married, secondly, on June 18, 1901, to Julia Herness, a native of Eagle Lake township and the daughter of Lars Herness, an old settler of Otter Tail county, who came here in 1868. To the second marriage, there have been born two children, Ruth Henrietta, born on October 7, 1908, and Reuben Joseph, May 25, 1910.
Mr. Olson has served a year as a member of the village council. He and his wife and the members of the Olson family belong to the United Lutheran church and are active in the work of the church. Henry Olson is a good man and a good citizen. He has been conscientious in the per- formance of every public duty and has prospered in his own private affairs.
CHRISTIAN E. BERG.
Among the men of success in business pursuits at Vining, Otter Tail county, is Christian E. Berg, who as a merchant of hardware and furniture has brought to the community its only convenience in this line, and who as a citizen in private life and as the occupant of public office has taken no minor part in the advancement and progress of the various activities of the locality.
Christian E. Berg was born in Norway twenty miles north of the city of Trondhjem, the son of Olaus and Rebecca Berg, who were born at Trondhjem, and later were married in the same locality. Olaus Berg was a farmer who owned extensive land interests in Norway where he lived until about the year 1889 when, with his wife, he came to America and settled in Everts township, northeast of Battle Lake. in Otter Tail county, where he died. His wife, Rebecca Berg, moved to the town of Vining, where she died some time later. Olaus and Rebecca Berg were members and active workers in the United Lutheran church. To the marriage of Olaus and Rebecca Berg were born the following children: Christian E .. the subject of this sketch ; Martha, who married Hans P. Berg, a merchant of Vining, Minnesota; and Kari, who married Martin Knutson and lives northeast of Battle Lake.
Christian E. Berg was educated in the public school in Norway, from which he was graduated and then studied for two years in a college of his native land. In 1887 he came to America and located at Battle Lake. Minnesota, where he bought one hundred and sixty acres of land in Everts township and there lived for about twenty years, after which he came to the town of Vining and was employed in a hardware store until the year 1906, when he established himself in the hardware and furniture business, in which he has since been engaged, being the only merchant of the town carrying a like stock.
Christian E. Berg is also interested as a stockholder in the Farmers'
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Elevator Company, at Vining, and also interested in a similar industry at Battle Lake. Mr. Berg has served his community in the office of justice of the peace, as treasurer of the school district, and for ten years was school director, also being for seventeen years supervisor of the township of Everts. In politics Mr. Berg is an ardent Republican.
Christian E. Berg is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America. an organization which honored him by his election to the office of consul. Mr. Berg is also affiliated with the Sons of Norway, for which organization he served some years as secretary. Christian E. Berg never married.
Christian E. Berg is one of the highly respected and honored men of Otter Tail county and a man who is recognized as one of the leaders in business affairs and in general matters of the county.
THOMAS A. RANSTAD.
Thomas A. Ranstad, a prosperous automobile dealer of Battle Lake, Otter Tail county, Minnesota, who was formerly engaged in railroad work, but who has lately been engaged in various lines of the mercantile business, is a native of Flekkefjord, Norway, where he was born on August 10, 1858.
Mr. Ranstad is the son of Aslak and Karen ( Tonette) Ranstad. Mr. Ranstad's parents never came to America. His father was a farmer and landowner in his native land and both his father and mother died in Nor- way. They were members of the Lutheran church and reared a family of three children, Andreas, who was a farmer, is deceased; Mallena, who died when seven years of age; and Thomas A., the subject of this sketch, who was the only one of the family who ever came to America.
Educated in the public schools of Norway and reared on the farm, Thomas A. Ranstad was employed on the farm until he had reached his majority, when he came to America. Upon reaching this country in 1879, Mr. Ranstad located at Willmar, Minnesota, where he divided his energy and activities between the farm and railroad work. For two years he was foreman of the yards of the Great Northern railroad at Breckenridge and had the honor to lay the first rail from the Aberdeen branch of the Great Northern railroad at Breckenridge in 1886. During 1886 and a part of 1887, Mr. Ranstad spent six months in Norway on a pleasure trip, but upon his return to America resumed his position as foreman of the Great Northern yards at Breckenridge. Subsequently, he became roadmaster of the Aber- deen branch of the Great Northern and. in the spring of 1888, left the rail- road work and for a time lived at Rutland, North Dakota, where he was engaged in the retail sale of flour, feed, fuel, etc. The next year, he engaged in the hardware and machinery business and continued in this business until 1806, when he came to Battle Lake and engaged in the same line of business
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on Lake street. Two years later, in 1898, Mr. Ranstad took a partner into the firm, which became that of Ranstad & Hansen This partnership lasted eight years and a large and prosperous business was built up. In 1912 Mr. Ranstad sold out the hardware business but still retains his interest in the implement business. In 1912 he became the agent in this section for the Ford automobiles and is engaged in this business in partnership with J. B. Thompson. The firm handles about seventy-five automobiles each year.
In 1880 Thomas A. Ranstad was married to Gurine Olson, a native of Wisconsin, and to them have been born three children, Albert, Carl and Millard. Albert is employed in a wholesale hardware store at St. Paul. Carl is a barber at Battle Lake. Millard is employed by the International Harvester Company at St. Cloud. The mother of these children died in 1897, and about 1901 Mr. Ranstad was married to Hilda Lundberg. To this second union have been born four children, Harold. Lloyd, Helen and Beatrice.
In 1912 Mr. Ranstad and Mr. Thompson built a new garage out of concrete. It is a substantial building, forty by one hundred and forty feet. Mr. Ranstad was one of the organizers of the Otter Tail county sanitariun. He has been a member of the board of directors since its organization. This sanitarium is located on Otter Tail lake.
Mr. Ranstad has served a year as mayor of Battle Lake and two years as a member of the school board. He is also a member of the village coun- cil. In politics, Mr. Ranstad is a Republican. Fraternally, he is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America.
OSCAR F. LARSON.
Oscar F. Larson, farmer, of Carlisle township, Otter Tail county, was born on June 29, 1857. in Sweden, and is a son of Lars and Anna Ander- son .. He was educated in the schools of his native country, and assisted his father on the farm until 1883, when he came to America, settling at Wilkes- barre, Pennsylvania, where he worked in the coal mines. In 1885 he came to Otter Tail county, remaining one year, and for the next five years was employed in various pursuits in different states. In 1800 he bought his present farm, consisting of one hundred and sixty acres, in Carlisle town- ship, where he has since lived. Mr. Larson has put all the improvements on his place, where he has followed general farming and stock raising. including eight or nine good cows. In politics, Mr. Larson is an independ- ent voter. He is a member of the United Lutheran church. In addition to buildings and other valuable improvements, Mr. Larson has planted a fine grove and a good orchard near his house.
Lars Anderson, father of Oscar F., was born in 1809, in Sweden, as
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was also his wife, Anna Anderson. They were farmers and spent their entire life in their native country.
Oscar F. Larson was united in marriage, in 1890, with Christina John- son, a native of Norway, by whom he has had two children: Alma L., who became the wife of William A. Gardiner, and has one child, Harold; Roy, the second child, is at home with his parents.
Mr. Larson is a splendid example of the thrifty and industrious citi- zen, and his career has been characterized by a marked degree of success.
REV. GEORGE J. RAUCH.
Born in Meire Grove, Oak township, Stearns county, Minnesota, Sep- tember 19, 1881, Rev. George J. Ratich, pastor of the church of Our Lady of Victory, of Fergus Falls, this county, is the son of Michael and Ann Dorothy ( Weber ) Rauch.
Michael Ranch was a native of Bavaria, Germany, and his wife also a native of the German Empire, having been born near Mainz. Michael Rauch was but three years old when he came to America with his parents in 1857. After landing in America, they came to Minnesota, locating at St. Joseph, in Stearns county, where they remained for one year and then moved to Meire Grove, in the same county, and it was in Stearns county that Michael Ranch was reared to manhood. Father Rauch's mother, who before her marriage was Ann Dorothy Weber, came to America in 1867 with her parents, who settled at Meire Grove.
Michael Rauch grew to manhood in Stearns county and, after attain- ing maturity, took up farming as a business. Later he became a contractor and builder and about 1883, moved to Melrose, Minnesota, and in 1910 moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, where he is still living. It was at Melrose that Father Ranch grew to manhood and obtained his early schooling.
In 1894 George J. Rauch entered St. John's College, where he received a classical education. He was a student in St. John's Seminary for five years and at St. John's College for six years, altogether a period of eleven years. Ordained to the holy priesthood at Melrose. Father Rauch became assistant pastor of the church at St. Boniface and pastor of St. Patrick's church.
In 1008 he was transferred to Fergus Falls, where he has enjoyed a wider opportunity for Christian work. Before long he realized the need for the erection of a new church and, having gone about it systematically, was able, in 1914, to complete a most desirable edifice of brick, which has a seat- ing capacity of from four to five hundred people, and at the same time erected a commodious and comfortable parish house.
Rev. George J. Ranch has performed a splendid work in the parish
REV. GEORGE J. RAUCH.
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of Our Lady of Victory and is gradually growing in influence and favor. His fine personality and his kindly Christian bearing have endeared him to the hearts of all who live in his parish as well as to the community at large and he enjoys the profound respect of all.
CHARLES A. LUND.
Charles A. Lund by his administrative ability and his powers as a busi- ness man, has lent new dignity and prestige to a family whose name has been honorably linked with the history of Otter Tail county for a period of over thirty years. As a son of one of the most successful agriculturists of the section of Minnesota in which he lives, he has stood as an exponent of that strong and noble manhood which characterized so admirably the life of his father. His career has been one of consecutive industry and his success has not been an accident, but a logical result. As cashier of the bank at Vining, he has served with a devotion to duty which has been both profitable and pleasing to the public at large. Charles A. Lund is a son of Andrew Lund. whose life was remarkable for its great achievement and unqualified success.
Andrew T. Lund was born near Namsos. Norway, on the 22nd of August, 1848. He was the son of Torger Balzerson, a native of Alstahaug, Helegeland, Norway, and Boletta Margaretta Anderson, a native of Fosnes, Norway. Torger Balzerson followed the occupation of a sailor and a pilot most of his life. After a life of activity and success he retired to his farm at Lund, where he spent his last days with his children. His death occurred in 1864. Both parents were devout members of the Lutheran church. Of the family reared by the parents of Andrew Lund; Annie, the wife of Alexander Gjisness, came to America with her brother, Andrew, and died in 1912, in Wisconsin; Peter lived at Lund, Norway, on the farm left by his father until his death, which occurred in March, 1915; Martha, the widow of Peter Eide, still lives in Norway, but has a son Peter residing in Folden township, and a son Anton who is living in Canada; Maren, the widow of Andrew Thorstep, lives in Helegeland, Norway; Thea, the widow of Ben- jamin Hanson Lund, resides in Iund, Norway; Ellen, who married Helge Gundtedt, a teacher, died early in life, leaving a son Magne who is at the present time residing in Vining: Andrew is the father of the subject of this sketch, and Edward T. is a resident of Vining. The third child, Olava, married Eric Menzen and after his death became the wife of Peter Arnsson. She is buried in Norway.
As a boy Andrew Lund chose a life on the sea, and at the age of seven- teen decided to cross the Atlantic ocean. After landing in America he went
(8h))
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to Hudson, Wisconsin, where he was occupied in the winter in the lumber business and in the spring he obtained employment on the St. Croix river. For ten years he worked on the boat line and during that time gained many valuable experiences and made many acquaintances. He formed a very interesting acquaintance with Senator Moses E. Clapp.
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