USA > Minnesota > Otter Tail County > History of Otter Tail County, Minnesota : its people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 27
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Ole Lyksett, father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Norway, and was united in marriage with Alline Erikson, also a native of that coun- try. After their marriage they came to America about 1850, and settled in Wisconsin, where he followed farming on a tract of eighty acres, located near Kewaunec, where Mr. Lyksett died in May. 1881. This union was blest with four children: Lars, deceased: Lars, Edward, deceased, and Ole. After the death of her husband. Mrs. Lyksett was married to Ole Christian- son, by whom she had three children: Charles, Mattie and Lena Christen- SO11. Mrs. Christenson died in 1912. The parents of Ole Lyksett were members of the Norwegian Lutheran church, and his stepfather was a sol- dier in the Civil War, serving about six months during the latter part.
Ole Lyksett was united in marriage. November 17, 1890, with Sarah Vieg, daughter of Syvert Vieg. She was born in Norway and came with her parents to America. To Mr. and Mrs. Lyksett have been born six chil- dren : Helen, Sylvan, Harold, Eva, Alice and Melvin. Helen is the only married one of this family of children. She became the wife of Walter Lloyd, and has one child. They reside at AArgyle. Minnesota.
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Syvert Vieg, father of MIrs. Ole Lyksett, was born in Norway and came to the United States, where he spent the remainder of his life.
Mr. Lyksett bears a reputation in his community that would do credit to any man of honest principles. He is quiet and unassuming in manner, and among those who know him he is held in high esteem.
MARTIN BENSON.
Martin Benson, a well-known citizen of Fergus Falls, Minnesota, and one of the leading business men of this city, who is engaged in the furniture and undertaking business, has achieved success largely because of his strict attention to business, of which he is a profound student.
Mr. Benson is a native of Sweden, where he was born on June 9, 1860. He is the son of John and Olive ( Okkerholm) Benson, the former of whom was a painter by trade and the latter passed the greater part of her life in her native land. Mr. Benson's uncle was a captain in the Swedish army and, after the death of John Benson, he assumed the place of a parent to young Martin, who at the time was but seven years old. The mother's family has furnished many professional men to her native land.
In 1878 Martin Benson came to America, being but eighteen years old at the time. He came direct to Otter Tail county, obtaining his first employ- ment in Pelican Rapids with O. E. Blyberg, with whom he remained for six or seven months. Realizing the advantage of an education, he attended the public schools and acquired a good education. He afterward learned the trade of a flour-miller, which occupation he followed for twenty-two years. during which time he was head miller of several different mills. In 1888, being then at Red Lake Falls, he was called by Joe Featherstone, who knew his ability as a miller, to come to Fergus Falls to take charge of the old Red River mill, which Mr. Featherstone had rented. Mr. Benson came to Fer- gus Falls, remodeled the mill and conducted it for one year, when, being offered the position of head miller of the new Otter Tail mill, which was just completed, he accepted and continued as its head miller for seven years.
In May. 1808, Mr. Benson desired to engage in the furniture and under- taking business, confident that there was an opening for such business, and his wonderful success has proved the wisdom of the course he pursued. He opened a store in a small way on the north side of Lincoln avenue and his business increased so rapidly that six months later he secured a larger building in the Allen and Cuttler block on Lincoln avenue west. In 1903, he purchased a block on the corner of Lincoln and Court street, where he is at present engaged in the same line of business, which has grown to such an extent that he occupies the entire block from the main street back to the alley, three stories high. He carries one of the largest and best selected
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MARTIN BENSON
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stocks of furniture, carpets, rugs, draperies, linoleums and undertaking sup- plies anywhere in the Northwest. Mr. Benson is one of the first state licensed embalmers in the Northwest and is considered one of the foremost and most progressive funeral directors in the state.
In 1914, Mr. Benson added to his already large establishment a new and up-to-date funeral chapel with a seating capacity of at least one hun- dred and fifty, which is absolutely free to patrons wishing to make use of it for funeral occasions. In connection with the chapel, the upper floor is the casket show room, where such goods can be found from the cheapest to the best. In another department in the same building is contained the embalm- ing room, dressing room, etc., equipped with all modern improvements and appliances The building is steam-heated, electric-lighted, has water and sewer connections and no expense has been spared in making this establish- ment the best of its knid in the Northwest.
Mr. Benson has held many important offices in the Minnesota State Funeral Directors Association and has had the honor to attend a great many national conventions as state delegate, which has been both instructive and enjoyable.
Always interested in the welfare and prosperity of the city of Fergus Falls, Mr. Benson has contributed both time and money to that end and was once a member of the city council. Mr. Benson is also interested in many different enterprises in the city and is one of the directors in the new Farmers and Merchants State Bank and is in possession of a good deal of property, otherwise including a handsome new home just completed.
Mr. Benson is an active member in the Masonic fraternity, the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows, the Daughters of Rebekah, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Royal Arcanum, the Modern Woodmen, the Ancient Order of United Workmen, and the Chippewa Club.
Mr. Benson was married at Pelican Rapids, Minnesota, in 1882, to Julia Moe, a native of Norway, who came to America with her mother, sisters and brothers when she was but seven years old, her father having died in Norway. They were among the early settlers of Otter Tail county. Mr. and Mrs. Benson are the parents of four children, as follow: Otto D., Mary A., Bennie A. and Annie R. Of these children, Otto married Effie Carsten and has one son, Donald. Annie married Robert Vedeen, of Detroit, Minnesota, and has one son, Ottis. Otto and Bennie are employed in their father's establishment. Mary is a school teacher. All of the chil- dren are graduates of the Fergus Falls high school.
Mr. and Mrs. Benson and family are devoted members of the Nor- wegian Lutheran Synodical church, to which they have belonged for thirty (17b)
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years and where their children have all been baptized and confirmed. They are all enjoying high esteem and respect in the church as well as in the entire community.
OLE ANDREW OLSEN BONLIE.
Among the well-known and successful men of Otter Tail county is Ole Andrew Olsen Bonlie, who is a native of Norway, having been born in that country on April 19. 1850, being the son of Hansold and Kare Olsen, both of whom were born in Norway. The Olsens came to the United States in 1856, at first locating at Black Earth, Dane county, Wisconsin. In 1858 they removed to Iowa county, where they remained for four years, after which they took up their residence in McLeod county, Minnesota, in 1862, and in 1877 they moved to Clay county, this state, where the mother died in 1888; the father died at Fargo, North Dakota, in 1901.
Ole Andrew Olsen Bonlie was educated in the common schools of Dane county, Wisconsin, and in the schools of Iowa county. After com- pleting his education, he became a carpenter and engineer, which occupa- tions he followed for many years. Mr. Bonlie also devoted much of his time to farming, in which he has been successful. His first farm was a homestead, which he entered in 1877, in Clay county, Minnesota. He was located in Morehead at this time and worked at his trades. Although not active in the cultivation of his farm, he was always interested in agriculture.
After a residence of some years in Morehead, Mr. Bonlie sold his farm near there and in 1889 came to Otter Tail county, where he purchased eighty acres of land in section 9, Candor township. By close application and diligent work he has improved the tract until today he has one of the best developed farms in the township, with good buildings and fences. Mr. Bonlie practices general farming and devotes much of his time to the raising of much stock, both of which receives his most careful attention.
Ole A. O Bonlie was married, in 1873, to Bertha Frederickson, who was born in Norway, July 25. 1853, where she grew to womanhood and received her education. Her mother, Ellen Frederickson, died the same year that Mrs. Bonlie was born, and her father. Frederick Frederickson, died when she was a mere child. She remained in her native country until she was nineteen years of age, at which time she came to America and settled in Minnesota.
Mr. and Mrs. Bonlie are the parents of the following children: Caro- lina, Anton Herman, Edward, Hattie, Anton, Charles, Fred, Anna and Bertha, all of whom are alive with the exception of Carolina, Anton Her- man and Charles.
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JOHN NORDGAARD.
A well-known and prosperous farmer of Trondhjem township, Otter Tail county, Minnesota, is John Nordgaard, who was born in Norway, March 28, 1864, he being the son of Staius and Mana Nordgaard, who were natives of Norway. Stains Nordgaard came to America in 1867, and settled in Fillmore county, Minnesota, where he lived for four years and then moved to Otter Tail county and homesteaded eighty acres of land in Trondhjem township, section 9, a place to which the elder Nordgaard added eighty acres, at a later time, and where he now lives in retirement. Mana, the wife of Staius Nordgaard, died in 1876. Staius and Mana Nordgaard were the parents of two children. Staal and John.
Following his education in the schools of Fillmore and Otter Tail counties, Minnesota, John Nordgaard became a farmer, taking possession of the home farm, a place to which Mr. Nordgaard added eighty acres and where he now lives and cultivated his choice farm of two hundred and forty acres. In addition to his general farming, John Nordgaard engages in the raising of considerable good grade live stock.
During the year 1899 John Nordgaard was married to Dena Rynes, a native of Otter Tail county, and the daughter of Bernt and Ellena Rynes, who came from Norway to America in 1870, and located in Otter Tail county, where Bernt Rynes now lives a retired life. John and Dena Nord- gaard are the parents of the following children: Ella and Mabel (twins), Selmer, Elwena and Bertha. In the year 1908 Dena, the wife of John Nordgaard, died, after which, in the year 1912, Mr. Nordgaard was mar- ried, secondly, to Mary Watternoe, of Trondhjem township. To this mar- riage no children have been born.
WILLIAM C. KRUEGER.
Among the well-known farmers of Otter Tail county, Minnesota. the proprietor of one hundred and sixty acres in section 2, of Bluffton town- ship, and an active dairyman in this community is the man whose name heads this biographical sketch.
William C. Krueger was born in Dodge county, Wisconsin, on April 28, 1862, the son of William and Wilhelmina ( Nell) Krueger, both natives of Germany, the former born in 1838 and the latter about 1840. The paternal grandfather. Christian Krueger, came to America about 1842 and settled in Jefferson county, near Watertown, Wisconsin, where he lived until his death. He was the father of five children, Fred, John, August, William and a daughter.
William Krueger, the father of the subject of this sketch, was brought
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by his parents to America at the tender age of four years, and, the family having settled in Jefferson county, Wisconsin, was reared to manhood in that county. Wilhelmina Nell came to America with other members of her family when a girl of fifteen years of age and settled in Woodland, Wis- consin. She met her future husband. William Krueger, in Dodge county, Wisconsin, and was married to him in that county. William Krneger had been a farmer and merchant at Hustis Fort, Wisconsin, but removed from that place in the spring of 1876 to Good Thunder, Blue Earth county, Min- nesota, where he engaged in the mercantile business for one year. After selling out his business interests in Good Thunder, he removed to Hender- son, Minnesota, where he bought a farm comprising two hundred acres of partially improved land in Sibley county, where he lived until the fall of 1913. He then soll this farm and removed to a farm about one and one- half miles from St. Peter, adjoining the farm of the asylum, where he died on August 1, 1914. His beloved wife survived him and is still living at a very mature age.
To William and Wilhelmina ( Nell) Krueger were born nine children, as follow: Frank, a farmer living near Drake, North Dakota; William C., the subject of this sketch; Fred, who died at the age of thirty years at Henderson; Julius, a traveling salesman living at Flasher, North Dakota; Peter, a farmer residing at Bemidji: Flora, who married Adolphus Boden, and died quite early in life: Anna, the wife of Paul Carpenter, who lives at St. Peter, Minnesota: Philip, who lives at New Salem, North Dakota. and Albert, who farms the home farm near St. Peter.
William C. Krueger received his elementary education in the evening schools of St. Paul, where he had gone as a young man to make his way in the world. After working in various wholesale houses in St. Paul for about fifteen years, he removed to Buffalo Lake, Renville county, Minnesota, where he engaged in the saloon business for a period of six years. While working in St. Paul he had invested his savings in railroad land situated in Otter Tail and Wadena counties. Consequently, in 1905, upon quitting the saloon business in Buffalo Lake, he moved to a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in section 2, of Bluffton township, which he had but recently purchased. This land had been homesteaded, and, aside from a few log buiklings, contained no further improvements. Determined to improve the farm, Mr. Krueger began to clear the land, to build fences and to erect a frame honse. Later he enlarged his house and, in the fall of 1912, erected a new and modern barn, thirty by ninety feet, with two additions, fourteen by forty-two feet, and ten by twelve feet, the latter being a milk room. William (. Krueger has made a specialty of dairying and keeps on an wverage of from twenty to thirty cows, all of high grade stock. He has a
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silo and in fact is up-to-date and modern in every detail. In addition to his home farm, he still possesses the railroad land comprising one hundred and sixty acres.
On September 2, 1891, William C. Krueger was married to Mary Zeigo, a native of Grafton, Ozaukee county, Wisconsin, the daughter of Charles Zeigo, an old settler of that state. Charles Zeigo was a soldier in the Civil War, having served in Company C, Thirty-fourth Regiment, Wis- consin Volunteer Infantry. He died at Winona, Minnesota, at the home of his son, Herman, on March 23, 1915, at the age of ninety-three years. His remains were interred in Fergus Falls, beside those of his wife, who died on October 24, 1807. To Mr. and Mrs. Krueger have been born three children, namely : William A., born on July 18, 1892; Arthur H., Novem- ber 26, 1897, and Louis E. ( Pat ). May 6, 1901.
William C. Krueger has been prominent in the political circles of Bluffton township, and. as a Republican, has served as both school treasurer and as justice of the peace. Both he and his beloved wife are devoted members of the Lutheran church, and he is a member of the Order of the Sons of Herman. He has commanded the respect and esteem of the people of Bluffton township and is well known in the social and agricultural circles of his community.
CHARLES H. BOWMAN.
Among the respected and successful agriculturists of Eagle Lake town- ship, Otter Tail county, Minnesota, Charles H. Bowman is a worthy citizen. He is a native of St. Olaf township, Otter Tail county, Minnesota, and his birth occurred on January 17, 1875. He is one of six children horn to the union of James H. and Mary L. (Caldwell) Bowman, natives of New York and Ohio, respectively. The names of their children follow, in the order of their birth: John R., Belle, J. F., Melissa, Charles and Kattie. James H. Bowman removed from his native state to Ohio, hut shortly after changed his location to Wisconsin, where he met and married Mary L. Caldwell. In 1873 they removed to St. Olaf township, Otter Tail county, Minnesota, and in 1875 purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land ( under the soldier's right), which was under the direct management of James H. Bowman until his death, on July 19. 1909. During the Civil War he enlisted in Company K. Twenty-second Regiment. Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, and served his country as a brave and loyal soldier for three years. Mary L. Caldwell was a daughter of Robert and Ann Caldwell. who died in the state of Ohio and St. Olaf township. Otter Tail county, Minnesota, respectively. The paternal grandfather of Charles H. Bowman was James Bowman, a native of New York, whose death occurred in that state. His wife died in Iowa.
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Charles II. Bowman received his education in the schools of Otter Tail county, Minnesota, and has always remained on the old home place, where his mother, Mary L. (Caldwell) Bowman, also lives. In 1901 Charles H. Bowman was united in marriage to Amanda Edlund, and they are the par- ents of these children: Lorena, Ernest, Clifford and Vernon.
Charles H. Bowman, his wife and mother are all members of the Pres- byterian church, and are actively engaged in the support and advancement of this denomination. Charles H. Bowman is a member of the Sons of Veterans, and is now serving his fourth year as township assessor. He was clerk of school district No. 114 for seven years, and for the past two years has been secretary and treasurer of the Midway Mutual Telephone Company.
JOHN DUBEROWSKI.
John Duberowski is a native of Ohio, being born there on May 15, 1872. His parents, William and Wilhelmina ( Brockop) Duberowski, were natives of Germany. The father of John Duberowski came to America in 1871 and after his marriage settled in Cleveland, where he worked in a car-shop and lived for ten years. He brought his family to Minnesota in 1880 and bought the farm of one hundred and sixty acres where he and his son, John, now live, and where his wife died. Their children are John, Emma and Ida. By a previous marriage, Mrs. Duberowski was the mother of three children, whose father's name was Schultz. These children are named Gusta, Andrew and Minnie.
John Duberowski had only limited educational advantages. Attending the local schools he was obliged to discontinue his education in order to make a livelihood. Purchasing forty acres about one mile southeast of his present home, he began his independent career as a farmer. He later acquired forty acres more and after eleven years' residence there, he returned to the old home place, where he has erected all of the buildings excepting the dwelling. He now owns one hundred and twenty acres and his father is the owner of forty acres.
On December 27. 1898, John Duberowski was married to Anna Broc- kopp, who was born in Germany on September 20, 1880, and came to America at the age of three with her parents. She is the daughter of Fred and Wilhelmina Brockopp, of Effiington township, this county. They came from Germany in 1883. The mother died in 1911, her husband having pre- ceded her in January, 1903. He farined on eighty acres of land. Mrs. Duberowski has three sisters and one brother, namely: Bertha, Gusta, Otto md Emma, named in the order of their birth, she being the third born. To Mr. and Mrs. Duberowski were born six children, of whom the eldest son, Tohnie, who was born on January 22, 1900, is deceased. The others are:
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Paul, born on September 6, 1902: Vivian, November 5, 1906; Lulu, Octo- ber 9, 1909; Myrtle, May 25, 1911, and Geneva, March 22, 1913. Their parents are members of the German Lutheran church, which was also the religious affiliation of Mrs. Duderowski's family.
Such has been Mr. Duderowski's activity outside of his vocational work that he has retained a keen interest in all that concerns the welfare of the commonwealth in which he lives. A devoted father and husband, a kind, considerate neighbor, a man of broad sympathies, it is not surprising that he has many close friends among the residents of this county.
JOHN BYE.
John Bye is one of those men who, by diligent effort and honesty, have earned the respect of their fellow citizens and a comfortable competency as well. He is a native of Norway and is the son of Nels and Martha ( Han- son ) Bye, also natives of Norway, who remained in their native land until their deaths. Nels Bye was a farmer and the father of three sons: Ole, Christian and John, John being the second born.
John Bye emigrated to America in 1872, at the age of twenty-three years of age, his birth having occurred on January 1, 1849. Finding the education already received inadequate to the needs of his new life, he attended school for one winter after his arrival in this country. For seven years he engaged in various occupations, mostly in Wisconsin, and in 1879 removed to Otter Tail county, Minnesota, where he engaged in agricultural pursuits. In 1880 he was successful in winning the hand of Liza Kjer and, with the new responsibilities of home making, he became interested in operating for himself. With this view in mind, an homestead was pur- chased consisting of one hundred and twenty-three acres, located in Eagle Lake township, Otter Tail county, Minnesota, and immediate improvements were begun. Forty aeres have been added to the original property, and it is now well improved. There have been born three children to the union of John Bye and Liza Kjer, namely : Martha, Nels J. and Hans A. Mrs. Bye died on February 2, 1900. John Bye is a member of the Norwegian Luth- eran church, in which his wife was also an carnest worker.
John Bye has proven his worth to the community by his having been appointed to offices of trust, time and again, holding the office of township assessor for a period of seventeen years. He has also served his fellow citizens in the capacity of township clerk and as justice of the peace, also as clerk of the school district. and has been secretary of the church congrega- tion the past thirty-three years. That he has discharged all duties to the best of his ability and has given conscientious service, denotes him to be of sterling character and the confidence reposed in him has not been misplaced.
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KNUT N. SONMOR.
Like many of the prosperous and progressive farmers of St. Olaf townhsip, in Otter Tail county, Minnesota, Knut N. Sonmor, of this sketch. has found time from his busy life to devote a part of his talents and ability to the welfare of the community, as a result of which he is one of those citizens who have won a place of note among the men of the township and county for their efforts and unselfish interest in the development and advancement of their communities. As a result of his success in agricul- tural pursuits and because of his place in the public life of the locality, Knut N. Sonmor is entitled to a place among the prominent citizens of the community.
Knut X. Sonmor was born on the Sonmor homestead in St. Olaf town- ship, Otter Tail county, Minnesota, on October 22, 1860, the son of Nels and Pettronille Sonmor, both of whom were natives of Norway. Nels Sonmor was a farmer of that country until the year 1866, when he came to America and after a year of residence in the state of Iowa, he came to St. Olaf township, Otter Tail county, Minnesota, and secured one hundred and sixty acres of land, on which he built a log cabin for a home, after which he broke up the sod of his new possession, cultivating his land suc- cessfully and later added to his holdings until he was the owner of three hundred and fifty acres of well-tilled and highly-productive land. From the days when this pioneer farmer came to St. Olaf township, making the trip from St. Cloud, Minnesota, by ox team, until later when he was a well- to-do farmer, he was compelled to suffer many privations and hardships, due to the distance from market, where he could sell his produce and buy his supplies ; but with a spirit of determination and a persevering nature. Nels Sonmor was able to rise above his drawbacks and become one of the more prosperous men of agricultural life in the community. Nels Sonor and his wife were the parents of five children, Jacob Knut, the subject of this sketch, Martin, Nels and Mary. In church circles Nels Sonmor was a man known to be especially active, giving largely of his time and effort for the work of the Norwegian Lutheran church, of which he was a prominent member. Politically, the elder Sonmor was an ardent Republican.
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