USA > Minnesota > Otter Tail County > History of Otter Tail County, Minnesota : its people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 23
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John Sanfred Kallerman was educated in the public schools of Sweden and later pursued his secondary education in the high school of his native land. Being reared on the farm, he early in life became a farmer and followed husbandry for a time. Later, however, he became a grocer in Sodertulge. near Stockholm, in the meantime retaining his farm, which bore the name of "Bambersfik." Having received an offer to trade his farm for a larger farm located in the south of Sweden, he accepted the offer only to find to his loss that he had been swindled and could never recover the farm for which he had traded, thereby losing a sum equivalent to ten thousand dollars. Now a poor man, he emigrated to America alone and after a perilous trip landed with but twenty cents in his possession.
Mr. Kallerman came immediately to Wadena, Minnesota, and worked for various railroad companies, boat builders and on neighboring farms. In the same fall, on October 12, 1886, his beloved wife and his two sons joined him in his new home, and in 1887 he homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres in section 12, of Bluffton township, Otter Tail county. At the time this land was wild, uncultivated and covered with a heavy brush. There were no roads or other improvements. After building a log cabin on the same loca- tion as the present site of the country home, he began to clear the land and
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to put it to cultivation. Later he added new buildings and began to spe- cialize in the raising of cattle. Still later he bought one hundred and sixty acres adjoining his original tract, eighty acres in section I and forty acres in section 12, of Bluffton township. About the year 1912 he sold his farm to his two sons, and for twenty years operated a threshing outfit and saw- mill, at the expiration of which time he retired and moved to Wadena, where he bought a home and invested in other real estate.
On November 16, 1875, John Sanfred Kallerman was married to Sophia Emily Anderson, a native of Sweden and the daughter of Anders Bengtson and Brita Maria Carlhon. To this happy union there have been born two children, Allen F. and Matteas L., who purchased and have operated their father's farm in Bluffton township. Allen F. has been prominent in local politics and has served as township clerk.
John Sanfred Kallerman, as a Democrat, has held many local political offices, including township supervisor, school director and delegate to the state convention, and has filled all positions to the entire satisfaction of his constituency. His interest in local politics has been a deep one and ever directed toward the public welfare. Both he and his beloved wife are devoted members of the Lutheran church. To him is tendered the respect and confi- dence of a host of friends and the admiration of the good citizens of Bluffton township.
Mr. Kallerman has at various times been a public school official and has always been a strong supporter of free public education. He is opposed to various systems of private and parochial schools and has expressed the hope that all parochial schools may be abolished.
O. J. SUTTER.
One of the well-known farmers of Compton township. this county, was O. J. Sutter, a native of Sweden, who died on September 19, 1914, at the age of sixty-nine years. The late O. J. Sutter was married at the time he came to America, in 1882. The Sutter family came to this country in com- pany with the Johnson family, who were also early settlers of Compton town- ship, Otter Tail county. After landing in America, the Sutter family moved to Wadena. Minnesota, but later settled on the farm where the family now lives.
In the spring of 1882. after arriving in the state of Minnesota, the late O. J. Sutter purchased a homestead right of eighty acres from Nels Ander- son, and. at the time of his death, in September. 1914, had about one hun- dred acres of land. The farm was all wild land when the Sutters settled upon it, nearly thirty-five years ago, and O. J. Sutter made most of the improvements on the farm.
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Of the six children born to O. J. Sutter and wife, two are married, Anna and John. The other children are Matilda, Olaf, Mea and Charles.
O. J. Sutter was one of the, organizers of the Swedish Lutheran church, of Compton township, and, for many years, was one of the deacons in the church. He was also a Sunday school teacher and superintendent of the Sunday school. Mr. Sutter was not interested in politics, but devoted prac- tically all of his time and energy to his family, his home, his church and his farm.
Olaf Sutter was educated in the common schools of Compton township and also at Northwestern College, at Fergus Falls, Minnesota, which he attended after finishing the common school course.
Upon completing a two-years' course at Northwestern College, Mr. Sutter returned to the farm and has lived there ever since. Olaf Sutter is now the town clerk and is an ardent Republican in politics. He belongs to the Lutheran church.
OLOF PARY.
Perhaps no citizen of New York Mills, or of Otter Tail county, has served his community more unselfishly, or to greater or to more permanent and practical good, than has Olof Pary, pioneer business man, philanthropist and honored man of New York Mills. Public spirited, benevolent and tenac- ious in his determination that Otter Tail county should have those things without which it could not reach its present state of prosperity, and ever ready to make personal sacrifice for the realization of his patriotic ambitions in the interests of his locality, he is today one of the most esteemed citizens in the county.
Olof Pary was born in the northern part of Finland, very near to Lap- land, on July 7, 1852, the son of Olof and Annie Margaret ( Halvor ) Pary. who were born at that place, the father on October 21, 1814, and the mother on November 25, 1822. Olof Pary, Sr., was a farmer of his native land. working on his own land, until the year 1871, when with his wife and five children, he came to America and went to the town of Michigammi, Michi- gan, where he was employed generally for some years, and then, in the year 1887, he came to Otter Tail county, Minnesota, where his son, Olof, who had preceded, was living. At this place Olof Pary, Sr., lived in retirement until he died, on January 30, 1904. his wife, Annie, surviving him until her death, on January 14. 1910. Olof and Annie Pary were the parents of the following children: Abraham, a farmer of Otter Tail county, who is deceased : Olof, the subiect of this sketch : Henry, a farmer of Newton town- ship; Lizzie, who married Theodore Anderson and lives in Newton town-
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ship; and Mary, who married Isaac Peterson, who died, and who later mar- ried John Majava, and they live in Newton township.
Olof Pary was educated in the public schools of Finland and in the public schools of Michigammi, Michigan, after which he worked for seven years on railroads of the state of Michigan and in Canada, and then, during the year 1881, he came to Otter Tail county, Minnesota, arriving on July 14, and shortly following which he established a store at a small unsurveyed settlement, which later became the present town of New York Mills. At the time of his settlement at New York Mills, Olof Pary found but two stores being conducted, one known as the Winslow store and the other known as the Blowers store, both of which are places of history now.
After fourteen years as a merchant Olof Pary invested in the stock of a flour-mill at Washburn, North Dakota, a concern with which he was identi- fied for about three years. In 1898 he sold his interests and joined the gold seekers of Alaska, in which country he remained for three years, during which time he conducted a general store and at the same time worked on claims, after which he returned to New York Mills, where he lived for a time. He then went to the state of Washington, where for about five years he was a prospector for gold and copper, and then, in the year 1908, Olof Pary again became a merchant of New York Mills, a business which he fol- lowed for some time and then he purchased the Farmers' Mercantile Asso- ciation, which he conducted until selling to Charles A. Matala, when he retired from active business life.
During the year 1874 Olof Pary was married to Sarah Bippo, who was born in Finland, the daughter of John Bippo and wife. Sarah ( Bippo) Pary died in the year 1904. she being the mother of one child, John, who grew to maturity, and is now a business man in Duluth, Minnesota. Olof Pary was married, secondly, during the year 1908, to Sarah P. Warner, the daughter of S. J. Warner and wife, who were early settlers in the state of Ohio, but who later moved to Springfield, Illinois, where they lived the remainder of their lives. Mr. and Mrs. Warner were the parents of eight children, as follow: Joseph P., Mrs. M. T. Swinney, Charles K .. Mrs. Annie Belle Killins, William Woodrow, Mrs. Sarah Pary, John S. and Frank S.
Olof Pary has been known throughout the history of New York Mills and vicinity as one of the men interested in the development of the general interests of the community, and of these interests the one closest to the heart of this public-spirited citizen has been the matter of good roads for the town- ship and for the county. During the pioneer days of Otter Tail county when Olof Pary settled in the district he. with Clinton Fiske. August Sitz and .A. S. Blowers, were the township board which not only assisted in the laying
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out of public highways, but helped in the labor of the project, and gave of their money that Otter Tail county might be better opened to settlement and to intercourse with the outside world. Olof Pary has served his township long and well as a member of the township board, and with the spirit of the true patriot has steadily refused to accept remuneration for his services, pre- ferring to give of his efforts and of his judgment and experience in order that the community, of which he is the oldest living settler. may be a better place for posterity.
Olof Pary is a man of important and conspicuous affiliations, not only in the Republican party, of which he is a supporter and which he has repre- sented in convention, both county and state, but in the local offices of president of the school board and as a member of the town council, offices to which he has been elected almost without opposition, and without seeking. and in fraternal circles, Olof Pary is prominently associated as a Mason, an organization in which, during his twenty-one years as a member, he has received the degrees of the blue lodge No. 159, at Perham, and the Scottish Rite, as well as the Shriner honors, at Minneapolis.
Olof Pary is a supporter of all the churches of New York Mills, he taking interest in their affairs and their activities and lending his support. both moral and financial, to their work.
The life of Olof Pary has been long and good, of great service to his community, and one which will make an important part of the history of life and events in Otter Tail county.
DANIEL ANDERSON.
Born in Sweden, March 31, 1854. Daniel Anderson, a prosperous farmer of Compton township, is the son of A. D. Sutter and Christina Nelson, who were natives of Sweden. Mr. Anderson's paternal grandfather was also Daniel Anderson by name, who died in Sweden, where he was a farmer by occupation and where he owned a large tract of land. He was a member of the Lutheran church.
Mr. Anderson's father, A. D. Sutter, was a farmer in the old country. and, after coming to America, lived retired. He came to this country in 1883 and lived with his son. Daniel Anderson, until his death. in November. 1905. His wife died in April, 1912. They were members of the Lutheran church and reared a family of three children, of whom Daniel. the subject of this sketch, was the eldest. The other children were Margaret and Christine.
Educated in the public schools of the old country, Daniel Anderson came to America in 1881 and, after landing at Philadelphia, came direct to Minne- sota. Two years later he purchased land in Compton township. this county.
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Mr. Anderson began his career as a farmer in Compton township with eighty acres in section 21, which he subsequently increased to two hundred acres, but some of it has been divided among his sons. He gave eighty acres of his farm to his son, A. D. Anderson, and eighty acres to his son, W. D. Anderson.
On March 20, 1880, Daniel Anderson was married to Christine Nor- den, a native of Sweden, and to them have been born seven children, Andrew, John, William, Benjamin ( deceased ), Ella, Nanna and Amanda.
Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Anderson are members of the Mission church. Mr. Anderson has served as supervisor of Compton township for six years, but is no longer serving in this office. He also served as school treasurer for one term in Compton township. Daniel Anderson is a prosperous farmer. a useful citizen and is popular among all of the people in the community where he resides and by whom he is well known.
JOHN NORDIN.
Born in Sweden on April 25. 1853, John Nordin, a well-to-do farmer of Compton township, owns one hundred and sixty acres of land, of which his father at one time owned a part.
Mr. Nordin is a son of John Johnson and Carin Matson and the grand- son of John Johnson, Sr., a farmer by occupation, who owned land in his native country of Sweden. The paternal grandfather was a devout member of the Lutheran church.
In 1883 Mr. and Mrs. John Johnson, the parents of John Nordin, sold their farm in Sweden and came to America, locating in Otter Tail county, Minnesota, where Mr. Nordin's father purchased land in section 21, of Compton township. He gradually added to his original purchase until he was the owner of one hundred and twenty acres at the time of his death. His first purchase of land in this county consisted of one hundred and forty acres, and this is a part of the farm upon which his son, John Nordin, now lives. Mr. Nordin's father had received military training in his native land. and was a faithful and devout member of the Lutheran church. His death occurred in December, 1893, his wife having passed away previously, in March, 1890. They were the parents of four children, of whom, John, the immediate subject of this review, is the eldest. Mats, the next youngest born, died at the age of fifteen years, while the other two living children are Christena and Margaret.
John Nordin received a liberal education in the public schools of Sweden and was a teacher in the graded schools of that country for nine years. Upon coming to America with his parents, he settled with them on the farm where he is now living.
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On March 25, 1880, John Nordin was married to Margaret Anderson, who is also a native of Sweden, and to this union have been born five chil- dren, Axel, Imil, Robert, Anna and Freda, all of whom are living at home with their parents, with the exception of Axel, who is engaged in the cement business at Wadena.
In 1907 Mr. Nordin built a splendid new barn, thirty-five by fifty feet. and in 1914 he constructed a large concrete silo. The house in which the family lives was rebuilt in 1914, and all of the buildings and equipment about the farm are modern and up-to-date. Mr. Nordin is a dairy farmer and keeps always twelve cows or more.
The Nordin family are members of the Mission church, in which they take an active and interested part.
JOHN NORGREN.
Conspicuous among American citizens from Sweden is found the name of John Norgren, who keeps well in line with American progress, and is per- forming his part in the business affairs of the agricultural district of Fergus Falls, Minnesota, where he has won for himself a name representing industry and energy, and where he has become a potent factor along agricultural lines.
John Norgren, farmer, Fergus Falls, Elizabeth township, was born on February 8, 1845, in Sweden, and is a son of Magnus Johnson, the name of Norgren being an adopted one, and was taken from the name of a farm in Sweden. He received his education in the public schools of Sweden, and came to America when he was twenty-one years of age, landing at New York in 1866, coming first to Minnesota, after which he went to Wisconsin, where he was engaged in the lumber business for three years, at the end of which time he entered the employ of the Northern Pacific railroad at St. Louis, Minnesota. After discontinuing this work, Mr. Norgren followed his trade of stone mason for three years, coming to Otter Tail county in April, 1871. where he established a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres, and where he still resides. He has continued to add to his property until he now owns two hundred and nine acres of good agricultural land, one hundred and sixty acres in section 14 and forty-nine acres in section 4. He divides his time and attention between general farming and stock raising of all kinds. He has put all the improvements on the place, inchiding good buildings of a charac- ter to correspond with the general surroundings, giving an appearance of care and prosperity to his farm, which is located two miles from the town of Elizabeth.
Mr. Norgren is a Republican, while his religious sympathies are with the Lutheran church, which he built, and for which he hanled the limber
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with an ox team. He is an active worker in the church, of which he has been the leader for the past fifteen years. He has also been supervisor of the town board for fifteen years, and occupied the office of road supervisor for a number of years.
Magnus Johnson, father of Mr. Norgren, was a native of Sweden, where he and his wife, Marta ( Christina ) Johnson, lived and died. They were farmers, and owned a fine tract of land, consisting of two hundred and eighty acres. They were members of the Lutheran church, of which Mr. Johnson was a leader. He was a well-informed man, who always kept abreast with the times in his community. This marriage was blest with eight chil- dren: John, Anna, Christina, Andrew, John, Eva, Sarah ( deceased ) and Gusta. Of these children. Andrew. John and Christina were the only ones who came to America.
John Norgren was united in marriage on June 7. 1874, with Ellen Beck- man, daughter of Jolm Beckman. She was born in Sweden, and was twelve years old when she came with her parents to America. This union has been blest with the following children : Clif. Amanda, Anna. William, Ida, Rosie, Alfred. Elf, and two who died in infancy. Charles, Andrew, Amanda and Anna being the only married ones.
John Beckman, father of Mrs. John Norgren, was born in Sweden, and on his arrival in America located in Otter Tail county, Minnesota.
PAUL A. STORTROEN.
Paul A. Stortroen, treasurer of Otter Tail county for the past sixteen years, and a well-known and highly respected citizen of this county, is a native of Martel township. Pierce county, Wisconsin, where his birth occurred on October 22, 1864.
Mr. Stortroen is a son of Anders J. and Sigri ( Bjerkeng ) Stortroen, the former of whom was born at Tonset, Osterdalen. Norway, and who came to America about 1848, in company with his brother. Anders J. Stortroen located in Pierce county, Wisconsin, where he lived until 1883. in which year he came to Otter Tail county and purchased land in the Aastad neighborhood, where he farmed until 1002, when he retired and moved to Fergus Falls, where he spent the remainder of his life and where Mr. Stort- roen's mother is still living.
Paul A. Stortroen was educated in the schools of Fergus Falls, and after his graduation from the high school was engaged for five years as a teacher in this county. He made a most commendable record as an instructor and was popular with school officials and with the patrons and pupils of the various communities in which he taught. At the end of five years of this
PAUL. A. STORTROEN.
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valuable form of public service, Mr. Stortroen was appointed as a clerk in the office of the register of deeds at Fergus Falls, which position he held for four years. Afterwards he was appointed deputy auditor of Otter Tail county, and served as clerk in the auditor's office for a period of eight years. He then spent a year on the farm, but in 1899 was again called to official life, having been elected treasurer of the county, a position which he now holds. For a quarter of a century Mr. Stortroen has been prominent in the political life of Otter Tail county, and is today well known among all classes of people.
By his marriage to Martha Tuve, a native of Wisconsin, Mr. Stort- roen has had two children, Arthur and Noble, both of whom are living at home with their parents. The family are earnest and devoted members of the Evangelical Lutheran church, and are prominent workers in that denomination, being regular attendants at the services and liberal con- tributors to the support of the church.
AUGUST SCHMIDT.
August Schmidt, retired farmer of New York Mills, Otter Tail county, Minnesota, was born in Germany, December 21, 1858, the son of Henry and Sophia ( Broemme ) Schmidt, both of whom were natives of Germany. In 1872 Henry Schmidt came to America and located in Sibley county, Minne- sota, where he lived for one year and then went to Redwood county, where he homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land, on which he lived for some time, after which he disposed of his land and went to Lamberton, where he died in the year 1913. his widow, Sophia, surviving him until 1914. Henry and Sophia Schmidt were the parents of eight children, August, Fred, Dora, Frank, Minnie, Pauline, Alvine and Emma.
August Schmidt came to America, with his parents, when fourteen years of age, and after his school days he came to New York Mills, near where he bought a farm of four hundred acres, located in Homestead township, a place which he improved extensively and where he lived until the year 1914. when he retired from active life and moved to the town of New York Mills. Mr. Schmidt has a good and convenient home in New York Mills, where he now lives a quiet life.
During the year 1881 August Schmidt was married to Dora Hoche, who was born in Germany, where her parents lived their entire life. To the marriage of August and Dora Schmidt were born the following children. Herman, Frank, Louise, Hulda. Amanda. Walter, Fredonia and Waldemer.
August Schinidt has been prominently connected with the official life of his community, having served as supervisor of Homestead township for (15h)
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twelve years and for a number of years was chairman of the board of super- visors. The part taken by Mr. Schmidt has done much to make the com- munity better and more progressive among the townships of the county.
PETER BJORKLUND.
Peter Bjorklund, a prominent farmer of Henning township, this county, was born in Sweden on January 13, 1855. As the distance to school was too far he was educated by his mother at home. Mr. Bjorklund had read the Bible through several times before he came to America, in 1867, together with his parents. He settled in Otter Tail county, Minnesota, in 1871, and, for a time, attended the public schools of this county.
Mr. Bjorklund took a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres in Henning township, where he now lives. He has added to this land from year to year until he now owns six hundred and eighty acres, besides eighty acres which he gave to his son, Oscar. After the latter had received eighty acres from his father, he purchased eighty acres and erected good buildings upon the farm. Oscar Bjorklund installed the first milking machine in Hen- ning township. Mr. Bjorklund's farm consists of five hundred and sixty acres in his home farm and one hundred and twenty acres in another farm in Henning township. He is a general farmer and stockman and a well- known breeder of Holstein cattle.
On December 26, 1880. Peter Bjorklund was married to Mary Larson, who was born in Norway in 1862, and who is the daughter of Herbrant and Borghild Larson. They moved to Dodge county in 1869 and later to Eagle Lake township, Otter Tail county, where Mrs. Bjorklund's father died. Her mother died near Thief River Falls, Minnesota. Mr. and Mrs. Bjork- lund have been the parents of eleven children, of whom two, Ida and Rich- ard, are deceased. The living children are Oscar, Clara, Hulda and Anna (twins), Herbert, Otto, Robert, Edgar and Edith.
Mr. Bjorklund is one of the wealthiest farmers of Henning township. He has served as a member of the school board for thirty-five years. The homestead where he lives was pre-empted in 1879 and two years later he got married and moved onto the farm. He has been a member of the town- ship board for many years. serving as treasurer, supervisor and chairman of the board and president of the home telephone line. The Bjorklunds are members of the Swedish Baptist church at Henning and are very active in religious work.
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