USA > Minnesota > Otter Tail County > History of Otter Tail County, Minnesota : its people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 18
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The paternal grandparents of Halvor P. Ligaard were Halvor Ligaard and his wife. natives of Norway, who remained in their native land until their deaths. The maternal grandparents of Halvor P. Ligaard were Ole and Thea ( Water ) Olsdatter. also natives Norway, who lived and died in that country. Ole Olsdatter was born in the town of Pipargarden and his wife, Thea ( Water ) Olsdatter, was born in Vetrhus.
Halvor P. Ligaard has met with some misfortune but has persevered in spite of all and now is enjoying the reward of his labors. On June 27,
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1915, his barn was destroyed by fire but he immediately replaced it by another one. The former one was built in August, 1900. The two sisters of Halvor P. Ligaard, Helga and Segrid, share the comforts of his home, and all are members of the Rock Prairie Lutheran church. Halvor Asleson and Ingebriftson, both paternal cousins of Halvor P. Ligaard, were soldiers in the Civil War and fought bravely for the principles of their adopted country, Halvor Asleson having died in service. For some years Halvor P. Ligaard served as a member of the school board and at all times has served the community to the best of his ability.
THORSTEN P. HEGSETH.
Thorsten P. Hegseth, leading farmer and stock raiser, and prominent man of business, in Oscar township, Otter Tail county, Minnesota, was born in Norway, March 1, 1842, the son of Peter T. and Beret Hegseth, both of whom were natives of Norway. Peter Hegseth was a farmer of his native land, an occupation which he followed there, until he came to America and located in Otter Tail county, Minnesota, in 1866. Peter T. and Beret Hegseth were the parents of six children.
Thorsten P. Hegseth was educated in the common schools of Norway, after which he came to America, in 1866, and following his landing at Quebec, Canada, he located in Olmstad county, Minnesota, where he worked for about two years and in 1869 came to Otter Tail county and home- steaded one hundred and sixty acres of land in section 33, Oscar township. On his land Mr. Hegseth has placed good improvements, and from time to time this progressive farmer has added to his land until he now owns three hundred and forty acres of well cultivated land. Thorsten P. Hegseth now engages in general farming and in the raising of Durham cattle and Poland China hogs.
During the year 1866, two days before sailing for America, Thorsten P. Hegseth was married to Mali Evjen, and to this marriage have been born the following children: Christine, who married P. P. Moen; Petrina, who married Peter Fjestad; Peter, who married Inga Iverson; Nils T., who married Betsey Lystad, and Mollie, who is unmarried. T. P. Hegseth and his family are members of the Norwegian Lutheran church.
T. P. Hegseth is a stockholder of the Carlisle Elevator Company, and is a stockholder of the Carlisle Bank, of Carlisle, Minnesota, and is a man who takes a leading part in all public measures and movements for the interest of the community.
Mali (Evjen) Hegseth is the daughter of Kristian Evjen and wife. natives of Norway, where the elder Evjen was a farmer and made his home during his entire life.
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OLE THURNSHELLE.
That honesty of purpose and conscientious service have been the dom- inant factors in the career of Ole Thurnshelle, a farmer of Tumuli town- ship, Otter Tail county, Minnesota, is evidenced in the fact that he has been school treasurer for a period of sixteen years. Ole Thurnshelle is a native son of Norway and his birth occurred on June 25. 1849. He is the son of Thorston and Ingeborg (Gjelum) Thurnshelle, both natives of Norway, in which country they lived and died. They were the parents of five children, Ole Thurnshelle, being the youngest. The names of these children are: Ingeborg, Martha, Bertha, Simon and Ole.
Ole Thurnshelle is indebted to the schools of his native land for his education, which was completed at an early age. In 1870 he emigrated to America, where he located in Goodhue county, Minnesota, for a period of three years, after which he purchased a homestead on which he still resides. This land contained one hundred and sixty acres and was unimproved, but with thrift and perseverance, which are the dominant traits of the sons and daughters of Norway. Ole Thurnshelle has made all improvements neces- sary to the proper cultivation of his farm and has added one hundred and sixty acres to the original quarter section. In 1876 Ole Thurnshelle was united in marriage to Ellen S. Vangnes, of Norwegian parentage. Six children have been born to this union, namely: Severt, Oscar, Emma, Alice. Mary and Edwin. Ole Thurnshelle and his wife, Ellen S. (Vangnes) Thurnshelle, are both members of the Norwegian Lutheran church and are earnest and active in the support of this denomination.
JOHN J. SETHER.
Among the well-known and successful farmers of Oscar township. Otter Tail county, Minnesota, is John J. Sether, who was born on the old Sether farm, in Oscar township, Otter Tail county, on March 2, 1871, the son of John J. and Mary ( Serum) Sether, natives of Norway. John J. Sether came to America in 1860 and located in Otter Tail county, Minne- sota, where he homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land in Oscar township, and pre-empted forty-five acres in section 34, Oscar township, a farm which the elder Sether cultivated until 1913, when he retired and moved to Fillmore county, Minnesota. Mary, the wife of John J. Sether. Sr .. died on March 5, 1883. John J. and Mary Sether were the parents of four children. John, Ole, Lena and Annie. The elder Sether and his wife were leading members of the Norwegian Lutheran church, of Oscar town- ship.
John J. Sether, the subject of this sketch, was educated in the public
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schools of Oscar township, after which he became a farmer on the home farm, a place which he has since cultivated. As a farmer, Mr. Sether makes a specialty of all kinds of live stock, he being especially successful in the breeding of Poland China hogs. John J. Sether has improved his farm with a modern house, a splendid barn, and he has equipped his farm with the most approved and modern machinery and implements.
On June 20. 1901, John J. Sether was married to Ida Skisthad, who was born in Fergus Falls township on February 7. 1873. the daughter of Iver and Synera ( Hilestad) Skisthad, well-known people of Otter Tail county. Minnesota. To the marriage of John J. and Ida Sether have been born five children: Ida, Haakon, Sannah, Sigrad and Ingward. Mrs. John J. Sether's mother died on April 9, 1914. Mr. Sether and his children are members of the Norwegian Lutheran church, a congregation in which John J. Sether is known as one of the most interested and devout workers.
CARL D. HAUGEN.
The task of the biographer is not an easy one in attempting to intelli- gently present the history of a prominent business man in any community within the limited space allowed in a volume of this character; therefore, only a few of the most important events in the life of Carl D. Haugen are here presented for perusal.
Carl D. Haugen, implement dealer, Pelican Rapids, Otter Tail county, was born on October 25. 1873, in Rock county, Minnesota, and is a son of Nels and Martha ( Engebretson) Haugen. He received his early education at the public schools of Pelican Rapids, and later attended the Lutheran College at Decorah, Iowa, for three years, from 1889 to the spring of 1893. After completing his education he engaged in the implement busi- ness at Pelican Rapids, in partnership with his father, who retired from active business in 1911, the interest of his father being taken by his brother. Edward, and the business is now conducted under the firm name of Haugen Brothers, who do a general implement business, handling all kinds of farm implements and farmers' supplies. Mr. Haugen is an attentive member of the Norwegian Lutheran church, in the work of which he takes an active part. He is a public-spirited man, and has officiated as town president for many years; is a member of the town board, member of the school board, and is vice-president of the First National Bank of Pelican Rapids. He is also president of the Pelican Telephone Company.
Nels Hangen, father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Hol- lingdal, Norway, and was united in marriage with Martha Engebretson, a native of Rock county, Wisconsin. When three years of age, he came to America with his parents, who located in Rock county. Wisconsin, where
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he grew to manhood. In 1882 he moved to Otter Tail county, finally set- tling at Pelican Rapids, where he engaged in the implement business, and bought and sold horses, shipping them in large numbers. In 1911 Mr. Haugen retired from active business. Politically, he is a stanch Republican, while his religious sympathies are with the Norwegian Lutheran church, and he has been actively interested in the advancement of his township. To Nels and Martha ( Engebretson ) Haugen have been born three children : Carl D .. Christine, who became the wife of Reverend Ovri, and Eddie N.
Carl D. Hangen was united in marriage, in 1901, with Lottie M. Bly- berg, daughter of (). A. E. Blyberg, to which marriage have been born two children, Edmund B. and Douglas C.
Eddie N. Haugen, brother of the subject of this sketch, was born on February 7. 1880, in Rock county, Wisconsin. His early education was received at the public schools of Pelican Rapids, and later he attended school at Fergus Falls, completing his education at the Lutheran College at that place, after which he took a course at the Minnesota State Agricultural College. In 1911 he engaged in the implement business with his brother as a partner, under the firm name of Haugen Brothers.
Carl D). Haugen represents twentieth century progressiveness, and in his well-equipped establishment handles the latest and most approved class of farm implements, and through his pleasant and agreeable manner of handling his customers his name is favorably known throughout the county.
ERIC SMITH.
Eric Smith, a native of Sweden, was born on October 27, 1881, and came with his parents, Olaf and Mary Smith, to the United States in 1883. The family having landed at Castle Garden, New York, came direct to Otter Tail county. Here the father, at first. purchased eighty acres of land and later forty acres more of railroad land. At the time of his retirement to Fergus Falls, in 1914, he owned five hundred and thirty acres of well- improved land. Previous to his retirement he had turned the management of the farm over to his son, Eric.
Olaf Smith and wife are the parents of six children: Andrew, Ole, Eric, Mary, Carrie and Anna. Andrew married Amanda Holmgren, who died some time ago. He is now living in Canada. Ole is still single and lives at home with his parents. The family are members of the Swedish Baptist church and take an active interest in its work. Mr. Smith was for a time school treasurer and is a stockholder in the Farmers Elevator Com- pany ; he also owns stock in the Creamery Company of Rothsay.
Eric Smith was educated in the common schools of Oscar township and had one year's work in a business college. On September 4. 1910, he
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and Marion Peterson were united in marriage and they are the parents of one child, Vivian.
In 1910 Eric Smith bought two hundred acres of the home place, he already owning a one-half interest in forty acres that adjoined. The farm is well improved and the buildings, most of which were erected by his father, are kept in excellent repair.
Mr. Smith is a most successful and progressive farmer, and is held in high esteem by the people of his home county. He is at present clerk of the school district.
CHRISTIAN P. SETHRE.
Christian P. Sethre is a native of Norway, having been born in that country on February 2, 1862, a son of Peter and Gunhild ( Berger ) Sethre, and came to America with his parents in 1867. The family, after landing at Quebec, came directly to Minnesota. The life history of the parents is more fully set out in the sketch of Hans P. Sethre, presented elsewhere in this volume.
Christian P. Sethre was reared on his father's farm in Otter Tail county and received his education in the common schools of that county. He was married on April 8. 1885. to Lora Thrugstad, who was born in Fillmore county, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henrik Thrugstad.
To Mr. and Mrs. Sethre the following children have been born: Anna, Helen, Edna, Harry, Martha, Martin. Carl and Leonard. Anna is married. Martin and Martha are twins.
Mr. Sethre bought the home place where he now resides in 1881 but was too young to get the deed for the place at that time. The original farm consisted of one hundred and sixty acres, but to this has been added forty acres and he now owns two hundred acres. Most of the farm is cleared and well improved. The greater part of the improvements have been placed by Mr. Sethre. The splendid new house was built in 1903, the large barn, thirty-eight by eighty feet, was completed in 1910 and the silo erected in 1914.
Mr. Sethre practices general farming and is an extensive breeder of Shorthorn cattle and Poland China hogs. He takes the greatest interest in the development of his farm and the care of his stock.
The family are active members of the Lutheran church and take much interest in its growth and success. Mr. Sethre is a man who enjoys the confidence and esteem of all who know him. He is progressive and active in all that pertains to the home and the community. He is a stockholder in the Carlisle Bank and in the Farmers Elevator Company.
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GUSTAF .A. LINDQUIST.
Few men have been more prominent in the official life of Fergus Falls Than Gustaf A. Lindquist, who has been a resident of Otter Tail county for many years and who during the eighties. after having been elected to the office of treasurer of Otter Tail county, filled the office for eight years and ten months. Furthermore. he has held practically all of the municipal offices within the gift of the people of Fergus Falls and, as long ago as 1869. served as the first town clerk of Parkers Prairie immediately after its organ- ization as a municipality. It would be expected, therefore, that Mr. Lind- quist is well know to the people of Fergus Falls and Otter Tail county. Not only is he well known, but in his long and useful life he has commanded the esteeni and respect of his neighbors and fellow townsmen.
Gustaf .A. Lindquist was born on October 30. 1837, in Smoland, situated in the southern part of Sweden, the son of Jonas and Kate & Nelson ) Lind- puist. With his brothers. Peter N. and Frank .A., he came to America in August, 1867, and after arriving in America lived for a time at Center City, Chicago county, Minnesota. during his first winter in America, work- ing in a store and attending school, with a view to improving his knowledge of English. Later he went to Osceola, where he worked in a hotel and continued his English schooling. In April, 1868. Mr. Lindquist returned to Sweden and brought back with him to America his father, mother and sister, Christine, the latter of whom is now Mrs. Olson, of the state of California. Both of Mr. Lindquist's parents are now deceased.
Upon his return to America, Gustaf 1. Lindquist came West to the St. Croix valley, where he left his parents and, in company with John G. Nelson, engaged in prospecting land. He finally settled at Parkers Prairie, Otter Tail county, where he continued farming for fourteen years. In 1881 Mr. Lindquist was elected treasurer of the county and the next year moved to Fergus Falls, filling the office altogether eight years and ten months. This long tenure in itself is the best proof that can be cited of the efficiency with which he discharged the duties of this important office and of his popularity as a public servant. Upon the expiration of his term of office, Mr. Lindquist purchased a dray line, which he still operates.
By his marriage to Mrs. Johanna ( Nelson) Leffler, the daughter of Swan and Christine ( Jenson) Nelson, who was born in Sweden and who came to America with her parents in 1853. and who has one son, Fred, by her previous marriage. Mr. Lindquist has had eight children, namely : Albert J., who married Emma Hegna and is a merchant in Minneapolis: Charles O., who lives at home: Henry E., who married Alice Vanderlip, of Boston, Massachusetts, and has one son, Richard; Walter .A., who married
MR. AND MRS. GUSTAF A. LINDQUIST.
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Edith Atkinson, and has two children, Willard and Aileen; Emilie, who married John F. McGrath ; Helma and Helda (twins), the former of whom is a teacher at Marshall, Minnesota, and the latter, at Fairbault, Minnesota, and Edward A., who is a resident of Fergus Falls. Mrs. Lindquist, after coming to America with her parents in 1853, accompanied them West to the St. Croix valley, where her father, Swan Nelson, enlisted as a soldier in the Union army during the great Civil War. During this war he contracted a fatal disease and did not return from the service.
Mr. and Mrs. Lindquist have reared a large and industrious family, children who are doing well their respective parts in the various com- munities in which they live and who are performing admirably the duties of honorable and upright citizens.
The venerable Gustaf A. Lindquist retains a very vivid recollection of pioneer days in Otter Tail county and his fund of reminiscences relating to those days prove an inexhaustible source of entertainment for his friends. He helped to cut the first road from Parkers Prairie to Otter Tail city, the task requiring a full week, he and his companions being compelled to camp out in the snow during the time they were thus engaged, and he hauled the first load of lumber from Otter Tail city to Parkers Prairie, the trip, with ox teams, requiring three days. Mr. Lindquist acted as a guide to Charles Peake, the first mail carrier in Otter Tail county, whose route was from Osakis, on the eastern edge of Douglas county, through Parkers Prairie to Otter Tail city, then the county seat of this county. The pioneer mail car- rier reached Parkers Prairie on July 4. 1870, on his first trip, and on the next day, started at four o'clock in the morning. Mr. Lindquist started out to guide him through the timber, on foot. to Otter Tail city, nearly thirty miles away, which place was reached shortly after three o'clock in the after- noon of July 5. There they found five hundred Chippewa Indians round- ing out a two-days celebration of the Fourth of July, during which they had been having horse races and games in the day time and dancing and drinking at night.
The following bit of reminiscence from the pen of Mr. Lindquist. copied from the files of the Fergus Falls Journal of thirty years ago, will prove of general interest to the readers of this history: "Together with three other residents of Parkers Prairie. I had the worst experience of my life, on the 8th and oth of January, 1873. which was by far the most severe and fatal in its effects of any storm of which there is any record in Minne- sota. It is doubtless desirable to place in print such experiences as historical data.
"On the morning of the 8th of January, at six o'clock, P. O. Nelson, (12b)
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John N. Nelson, Peter N. Lindquist and myself, each driving an ox team and sled loaded with wheat, started from Parkers Prairie for Otter Tail city, a distance of twenty-five miles, which will be conceded to be a big drive for oxen in one day. Not a single settler lived on the road. The weather was calm, cloudy and warm, so that a few rain drops fell about daylight. The snow being middling deep and the road but little traveled, our progress was słow.
"Shortly before reaching East Battle Lake two men on foot walked past us-also bound for Otter Tail city and while we were feeding our teams at the east end of East Battle Lake, C. P. Smith, who was driving his ox team, but without a load, also passed us and with him were John Knight, then a resident of Parkers Prairie and Otto Buse of Millerville.
"The wind had changed to the northwest and snow began to fall about ten o'clock and in the afternoon the wind as well as the snowfall, increased in severity so that by two o'clock it was impossible to see more than a few rods ahead at any time and it grew cold rapidly.
"When we came to the edge of the prairie in Girard we conchided it was suicidal to try to go farther and the oxen could not be forced to go against the wind. Besides we had to hunt for the road, as the track was becoming entirely obliterated. After a short consultation we turned back into a poplar thicket. we had just passed. behind a low ridge and immediately went to work preparing to camp out in what proved to be the worst blizzard before or since known. We first tied our oxen close together in the best sheltered place we could find and covered them with blankets; then emptying two sled boxes of their sacks, we raised them on edge in shape of an L. with the angle pointing toward the northwest to break off the wind as much as possible. Our next effort was to kindle a fire with dry poplar brush. the cold was rapidly becoming more intense, and the snow was beginning to fill the air. we kept up a fire all night. We made coffee and ate our lunch. taking turns in cutting and dragging brush for the fire. The next morning we decided to try and get home that day if possible. We left our wheat covered up in the snow, hitched two yokes of oxen to empty sleds, and with our camping outfit started for home about nine o'clock in the morning. One man walked ahead all the time to look for the road and avoid drifts. Every half hour he would be relieved and would crawl into the sled and cover up with blankets. In this way each took his share of the hardships and none of us became entirely exhausted. At times we encountered impassable snowdrifts. Thus we worked all day and succeeded in reaching home about dark on the oth, very much tired out. The greatest care had to be taken that no one should fall asleep, as with the intense cold and our tired condition it would have proved our last sleep.
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"Meantime, Smith, Knight and Buse succeeded in reaching a grove on the banks of a creek near Gourd lake in Girard town where they passed a wretched night in camp and reached Otter Tail lake next day after receiv- ing assistance from a couple of farmers living a mile or two south of Otter Tail. Smith and his oxen could go no further, and Knight and Buse reached the houses of these settlers, who at once went to Smith's relief.
"The five men who had passed us on the 8th reached Otter Tail, and nothing was heard of us on the 9th or 10th. They supposed that our party had perished and we were counted among the great number that were lost in that memorable storm, and such a statement was telegraphed to St. Paul. Parties who traveled on foot from Otter Tail to Parkers Prairie two days after the storm was over, looked carefully by the way for signs of us, and they expected to find four men and teams stiff and half covered with snow. They found our camping place where one or two acres was completely cleared of brush and poplar trees. All our tracks were completely covered by the hard packed snow. It is needless to say that when they found ns all at home and well, their gloomy forebodings were changed to rejoicing."
OLE J. LYSTAD.
Ole J. Lystad, a native of Norway, having been born in that country on July 6, 1848, is the son of John and Alma (Torpit) Lystad, both of whom were natives of Norway. The grandfather of Ole J. Lystad, Ole Lystad, was a farmer in the native country, and here he lived and died. The parents of Ole J. never ventured to found a new home in America but lived their life in Norway, where the father died in 1864 and the mother in 1873. The father was a farmer but had devoted a part of his life as a soldier in the wars of his country. They were the parents of three children : Ole, Frederick, deceased, and Betsy, who still resides in Norway.
Ole J. Lystad received his education in the school of his native country and came to the United States as a young man and unmarried, in 1872. He landed at New York City and traveled direct to Red Wing, Minnesota, where he remained six months, working on a farm. Locating in Fergus Falls, he purchased one hundred and twenty acres of land on which a part of the town of Carlisle is now situated. This land he sold after a short time and in 1883 bought one hundred and sixty acres in section 28, Oscar township, where he now resides, and where he owns two hundred and fifty acres.
In 1886 he built a new house, which he rebuilt and modernized in 1895. He built his large and well-arranged barn in 1892. Mr. Lystad does general farming and raises much stock, although he is not interested in developing the registered animals his stock is all high grade. He is the
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