USA > Minnesota > Otter Tail County > History of Otter Tail County, Minnesota : its people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 32
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Charley Eklund was five years old when he accompanied his mother and the remainder of the family to America. He lived with his parents and attended the public schools for a number of years, after which he took up farming. From his father, who had purchased four hundred acres of rail- road land in Nidaros township, Mr. Eklund obtained one hundred and sixty acres in section 19, and has since added to that original farm until he now owns two hundred and forty acres. He also owns forty acres in section 29. Mr. Eklund has forty-five acres in Clitherall township. In 1885 he moved to the farm located in section 19, where he now lives. He has a splendid home situated in a pretty grove and all of the buildings on this farm are thoroughly modern. Mr. Eklund is a general farmer and stockman. When the family moved to Otter Tail county from Benson, Minnesota, the trip was made with an ox team and immediately upon their arrival, a sod house was built. For some time the family lived in this house, which had only a clay floor.
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On September 6, 1885, Charley Eklund was married to Emma John- son, who was born in Sweden, September 6, 1865, and who is the daughter of Carl Peter and Christine (Johnson) Johnson. Mrs. Eklund's parents were both born in Sweden, her father on July 27, 1839, and her mother on August 24, 1844. They came to Meeker county, Minnesota, in 1870, and the next year moved to Otter Tail county, making the journey with an ox team. They took a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres in Leaf Mountain township and here Mrs. Eklund's father died on February 3, 1890. Her mother is still living. They were the parents of fourteen children, Emma Natolia, Hilda Ulrike, deceased; Elof William, Janni Amanda, Hen- rick Wicter, Hilma Ullrika, Ida Theresa, deceased; Anton Frittjof, Addvingd Wilton, .Alma Victoria, Elena Alvia, Clifford Livingston, Hatfield and Cora Saraphena.
Mr. and Mrs. Charley Eklund have seven children, Alma Liventina; Florence Georginia, the wife of William Denoon, has one child, Kenneth Eklund Denoon; Edith Hafire; Lydia Elizabeth; Willie Luther Natanael; Mardel Adina, and Judith Eleanora.
Mr. and Mrs. Eklund and family belong to the Eagle Lake Swedish Lutheran church. Mr. Eklund has served as a member of the school board in Nidaros township and has been otherwise prominent in local affairs. He has a host of friends in the township where he lives.
ERICK E. BOEN.
One of the elder citizens and one of the highly respected farmers of Aurdal township, Otter Tail county, Minnesota, is Erick E. Boen, who was born on October 13, 1853, in Norway.
Mr. Boen is the son of Erick T. and Ingeborg ( Bjorgo) Boen, who were natives of Norway and who, after coming to America, homesteaded eiglity acres of land in section 27, of Aurdal township. Mr. Boen's father died in 1806 and his mother three years previously in 1893. They had a family of nine children, three of the sons are living and three of the daughters.
Erick E. Boen was educated in Norway. Upon his arrival in America in 1868, he settled in Moore county, Minnesota, but on October 13, 1871, came to Fergus Falls, Minnesota, and, for a year, was engaged in trapping and shooting. Mr. Boen did not enjoy the assistance of wealthy relatives or influential friends, but has made his own way in the world. In 1873 he bought one hundred and sixty acres of internal improvement land in this county and it is upon this farm that Mr. Boen now lives. He has cleared the land and erected very fine buildings upon it.
In 1878 Erick E. Boen was married to Christina Halverson, who was born in 1860 in Wisconsin and who is the daughter of Gutron and Christie
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Halverson, both of whom were natives of Norway. Mrs. Boen's parents came to America in the early fifties. In 1871 they homesteaded one hun- dred and sixty acres of land. Mrs. Boen's father died at the age of seventy- three years, but her mother lived to be ninety-four and one-half years old.
Mr. and Mrs. Erick E. Boen have been the parents of eight children, as follow : Edith, the wife of Sigval Johnson ; Clara; Ida, the wife of John Helden; Anne, who died in infancy ; one who died unnamed; Edmund, who lives at home with his parents; Gustav, who married Ida Onstad, of Sver- drup township, and Mabel, who lives at home.
Mr. and Mrs. Boen and family are members of the Lutheran church. Mr. Boen has held practically all of the township offices except that of justice of the peace and township clerk.
JORGEN G. VIGEN, M. D.
The scion of a distinguished Norwegian family, Dr. Jorgen G. Vigen, is a well-known and successful physician of long standing at Fergus Falls, this county. He was born on September 20, 1864, at Selbu, Trondhjem, Norway, a picturesque town situated on Lake Selbu, which is twenty miles in length and seven and one-half miles long. There is a small island in the lake composed mostly of towering rocks and an old fort, where King Sverre and his followers were wont to defend themselves one thousand years ago from his enemies. It was within a stone's throw of this historic old battle- ment that Doctor Vigen was born. His parents. Gunder and Sigrid (Gul- seth) Vigen, were natives of Norway, both members of old and prominent families there. Doctor Vigen's grandmother's brother, Mr. Norby, was a distinguished citizen of Norway many years ago. He was a member of the Storthing, which is the highest legislative body in the country.
In 1869 Jorgen G. Vigen, being then four years of age, came with his parents to America, the journey being made via Quebec. The family settled at Wanamingo, in Goodhue county, this state, where the father purchased forty acres of land and engaged in farming until 1883. in which year he moved to New Sohun, in Marshall county, and there he homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres and lived until his wife and daughter died, after which he rented the home farm and retired from the active life of the farm.
Educated in the Red Wing Seminary at Red Wing, Minnesota, Jorgen G. Vigen later attended the high school at St. Paul and was graduated with the class of 1891. Subsequently, he took a medical course of three years at the University of Minnesota and was graduated in 1894. After serving as an interne for one year in the city hospital in St. Paul, he went to Daw- son, Lac qui Parle county, this state, and there began the practice of medi- cine. The field, however, was too small and the chances for advancement
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were too uncertain and in July, 1896, Doctor Vigen located at Fergus Falls, this county, where he is still engaged in the active practice of his profession and where he has built up a lucrative business. One of the honors which the people of Otter Tail county have bestowed upon Doctor Vigen is that of coroner of the county, in which office he is serving his third term. He also was city physician and health officer for several years.
By his marriage to Martha Bartelson, the daughter of Gunder and Bertha Bartelson, Doctor Vigen has two children, Harold D. and James H., both of whom live at home with their parents.
Dr. Vigen is a member of the Park Region Medical Society, the Minne- sota State Medical Association and the American Medical Association. Doctor Vigen not only was well trained for his profession, but he has ever since his college days been a deep and thoughtful student of the latest developments in medicine and surgery, among his post-graduate studies hav- ing been a course of five months in the great medical school at Berlin, where he studied diseases of the stomach and intestines, and this, in a large meas- ure, accounts for his splendid success. He is also a man of pleasing and agreeable personality and is popular not only as a physician, but as a man among his fellow townsmen.
ANDREW TWETEN.
Andrew Tweten, a successful farmer and stock man of Everts town- ship, Otter Tail county, Minnesota, was born in Dane county, Wisconsin, September 12, 1860. Mr. Tweten is a son of Ole and Karen Tweten, both of whom were natives of Norway, the former born in 1812. Mr. Tweten's father came to America and settled in Dane county, Wisconsin, in 1839 The voyage occupied eighteen weeks from Norway to America, coming over in one of the old-fashioned sailing vessels. He was married in Dane county, Wisconsin, and there his wife died in 1870, at the age of about forty years, leaving seven children, Julia, Ole, Kare, deceased; Engbret, Andrew, Erick and Johannes. In 1874 the family moved to Everts township, Otter Tail county, and purchased a farm of one hundred and eighty-three acres, and here Mr. Tweten's father died on January 7, 1900.
Andrew Tweten was reared on his father's old homestead farm in Dane county, Wisconsin, and on the farm in Otter Tail county. He remained with his father on the old home farm until his marriage in 1887, and now owns the old farm.
In 1887 Mr. Tweten was married to Sena Ledel, who was born in 1869 in Dane county, Wisconsin, and who is a daughter of John and Mary Ledel. both of whom were natives of Norway and early settlers in Dane county.
(20b)
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Wisconsin. Subsequently, however, they emigrated to Everts township, Otter Tail county, where Mrs. Tweten's father died in 1915, at the age of seventy-eight years. Mrs. Tweten's mother died in Everts township several years ago.
Andrew Tweten and wife are the parents of eight children as follow : Ando, who lives at home; Olger J., Thorfin, Warner. Cora, Geneva, Lillian and Irene.
Mr. Tweten and his family are all earnest and faithful members of the Lutheran church. Mr. Tweten has never been active in politics, but has devoted his energies and his time rather to his chosen vocation, in which he has been very successful.
BENJAMIN F. YOUNG.
Prominent as a farmer and dairyman in Henning, Otter Tail county, Minnesota, was Benjamin F. Young, a well-known citizen of the township and a native of Sibley county, Minnesota, where he was born on December 10, 1857. Mr. Young was the son of Benjamin F., Sr., and Polly ( Snyder ) Young.
Mr. Young's parents were both natives of Pennsylvania, his father being born on August 24. 1830. His parents came to Sibley county, Minne- sota, in 1855, and a little while thereafter pre-empted one hundred and sixty acres of land. There Mr. Young's father now resides. His wife died on April 3, 1915, at the age of eighty-four years. They were the par- ents of eight children, of whom four, John Quincy. the eklest. Ella. Benjamin F. and Emma, are deceased. The other children are Harry, Charles, Anna and William.
Benjamin F. Young was reared in Sibley county, Minnesota, except four years which he spent in Pennsylvania, where his parents lived before they moved to Minnesota. He was educated in the public schools of this state and was always engaged in farming. On May 28, 1880, Mr. Young came to Henning township and took a homestead of one hundred and twenty acres of land in section 6. He subsequently added forty acres to the farm and in all owned one hundred and sixty acres. Mr. Young made a specialty of keeping dairy cattle and had about twenty head of cows. He was also a general farmer and stockman.
On January 17, 1882, Benjamin F. Young was married to Mary E. Bones, who was born in the state of Wisconsin on May 3. 1863, and who is the daughter of William and Martha Bones. They came from Wiscon- sin to Sibley county, Minnesota, and both died in this county. Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin F. Young were the parents of six children, of whom one,
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an infant daughter, is deceased. The living children are, William, Laura, Lester, Jesse and Walter.
Mr. Young had a well-improved and fertile farm. He erected all of the buildings which now stand on the farm and they are kept well painted and in first-class state of repair. He was a progressive citizen who believed in enjoying all of the comforts which are available to people who live in the country.
Benjamin F. Young was clerk of the local school board. Although he never took an active part in politics and never aspired to political office, he was a man of wide influence in the community where he lived. and especially in matters pertaining to agriculture. He enjoyed the confidence of a host of friends in his home neighborhood. Benjamin F. Young died suddenly of apoplexy, on August 12, 1915.
LARS OLSON.
Lars Olson, a prosperous farmer of Henning township, Otter Tail county, Minnesota, was born in Olmstead county, Minnesota, June 1, 1858. He is a son of Ole and Kari Olson, both of whom were natives of Norway, the former of whom was born on November 16, 1816, and the latter born August 14, 1821. Mr. Olson's parents came to the United States from Norway in 1847. locating first in Wisconsin. Later they moved to Iowa, and in 1855 came to Olmstead county, Minnesota, where they homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land. On this land more than three hundred Indians were at one time encamped. They gradually added to this original tract until at one time the family had more than two hundred acres of land. and it was on this farm that Mr. Olson's father died on September 20, 1899. His mother had passed away more than a quarter of a century previously, August 3. 1872. Ole Olson and wife were the parents of seven children, of whom only three, Thomas, Olaus and Lars, are living. The deceased children are Ingeborg, Halvor, Helge and Helena.
Lars Olson received his education principally in the schools of Olmstead county, Minnesota, and for a time was a student in the Benson high school, and also spent one term at St. Olaf's College, Northfield, Minnesota. He was reared to the life of a farmer, and in 1884 came to Otter Tail county, purchasing forty acres of land in section 17, of Henning township. At this time he also owned an eighty-acre farm in section 19 of the same township. He disposed of this land, however, and purchased one hundred and sixty acres in Folden township, but for the past seven years has lived in Henning township on a farm which is situated in section 17.
On April 10, 1887, Lars Olson was married to Carrie Grovdal, who was born in Norway in 1866, and who is a daughter of Hans and Anne
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Grovdal. Mrs. Olson's parents came to Dodge county, Minnesota, in 1876, and here her father died in 1895, while her mother died in Otter Tail county three years later in 1898.
Mr. and Mrs. Lars Olson are the parents of seven children, of whom one, Lawrence, is deceased. The living children are Oscar, Carl, Emma, Harris. Edwin and Lillian.
Mr. Olson and family are earnest members of the United Lutheran church, in which they take an active interest. Mr. Olson has served his township as assessor for seven years, holding that important office at the present time.
ORRIN H. VARGASON.
Orrin H. Vargason, who is a native of Iowa, but who owns a splendid farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Inman township, Otter Tail county, Minnesota, was born on June 19, 1883.
Mr. Vargason is the son of Charles H. and Orena (Curtis) Vargason, both of whom are natives of Iowa. Charles H. Vargason was born in Buchanan county, Iowa, May 28, 1859, and his wife, who before her mar- riage, was Orena Curtis, was born in Buchanan county, Iowa, March 3. 1865. They were married on June 17, 1882.
Charles H. Vargason was the son of Charles Vargason, a native of Towanda, Bradford county, Pennsylvania, and the latter was born on May 27, 1836. He was married to Cordelia Merrill, a native of New York state, who was born on June 14. 1838. She was a daughter of R. G. Mer- rill, who was a soldier in the Civil War, a member of the Third Iowa Cavalry and who owned a farm of eighty acres in Buchanan county, Iowa. R. G. Merrill. after serving about one year in the army, returned to his home, was taken ill and died shortly afterwards. Charles Vargason was the son of Hiram Vargason, a native of Towanda, Pennsylvania. Hiram Vargason was the son of Henry Vargason, a native of Wales, who, after coming to America, settled in Pennsylvania and later moved to Iowa. Hiram Varga- son was a farmer by occupation and an active anti-slavery advocate. He mar- ried Elizabeth Dalton, and, after his marriage, farmed in Pennsylvania for a time Later he moved to Michigan and, after a few years' residence in that state, moved to Wisconsin. Still later he moved to Iowa and settled in Buchanan county, where he owned one hundred and twenty acres of land.
Charles Vargason, the father of Charles H. and the grandfather of Orrin H., was educated in the common schools and was a farmer all of his life He died on November 2, 1859, when his son, Charles H., was only five months old. Ile was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. After his death, his wife remained in the Hawkeye state. Charles H. Var-
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gason was educated in the common schools and, from his earliest years, was a young man of very studious habits. He spent a great many of his nights in patient and unremitting study. After his marriage in 1882 to Orena Curtis, he located on a farm in Buchanan county, Iowa, but sold out and moved to Otter Tail county, purchasing land in section 10, where J. A. Allen later lived. After three years, however, he sold the farm and exchanged for a farm of one hundred and twenty acres, which he now owns. Mr. Vargason has erected all of the buildings on the farm, but in 1913 a fire destroyed his house and barn, which have since been replaced. Charles H. and Orena (Curtis) Vargason have been the parents of five children, Orrin H., Clara, Floyd, Florence, who died at the age of eighteen, and Eva. The Vaigasons are members of the Baptist church. Mr. Vargason is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and the oldest member in his camp. He served on the school board for thirteen years and, until last year, was overseer for a period of fourteen years. Mr. Vargason is a Republican in politics. During the early years of the local creamery company, he was president of the organization.
Reared on a farm in the state of Iowa, Orrin H. Vargason was edu- cated in the public schools. In 1899 he moved to Otter Tail county, and located in Inman township, where he began renting land. In 1911 he pur- chased one hundred and sixty acres of land in section 14, and has followed general farming and stock raising.
In 1909 Mr. Vargason was married to Belle Fletcher, who was born in Nidaros township, Otter Tail county, and who is the daughter of James A. and Rose ( Murdock ) Fletcher. James A. Fletcher was born at Old Clither- all on February 17, 1866, and is the son of Edmond and Sarah ( Muir ) Fletcher, the former of whom was probably born in Pennsylvania, but moved to Indiana, when only six years old. He also lived in Illinois and Iowa, but on May 6, 1865, came to Otter Tail county with a colony. Edmond Fletcher settled at Oldtown and worked at the blacksmith's trade for a time. Later, he engaged in farming with his two sons. Emery and James. They purchased three hundred and twenty acres of land in Nidaros township and Girard township. Here Edmond Fletcher lived until his death on July 26. 1906. His wife, a native of Michigan, had come with her sister, Mary, to Otter Tail county. She was born in 1842 and is still living. They were the parents of four children, Louisa, who married Harry McLoughlin and lives at Carson Lake, Minnesota: James A .; Emery, who is a farmer of Girard township, and Elsie, who married Frank Whiting, of Shelbrook, Canada.
James A. Fletcher was educated in the public schools at Oldtown. In 1890 Mr. Fletcher, in partnership with his brother, purchased one hundred
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and sixty acres of land in Nidaros township and has since been engaged in general farming and stock raising. He and his wife are members of the church of Jesus Christ and Mr. Fletcher is a trustee in the church. Mrs. Fletcher is the daughter of Hiram Murdock. Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher have three children, Belle, who is the wife of Mr. Vargason ; Clyde, who was edu- cated in the Clitherall high school and who is a farmer and lives at home, and Lee, who also lives at home.
Mr. and Mrs. Orrin H. Vargason have been the parents of four chil- dren, Myrtle, Ilo, Harry, deceased, and Hazel.
Mr. Vargason is a stockholder in the Deer Creek Shipping Association and also in the Farmers Potato Warehouse, of Deer Creek, Minnesota. He is a well known farmer and substantial citizen.
CARL GUSTAV WEMSTROM.
Carl Gustav Wemstrom, a well-known farmer of Everts township. Otter Tail county, Minnesota, was born in Sweden, August 2, 1858, and is the son of Nels and Hellena Gustina ( Lundbeck ) Wemstrom, both of whom were born in Sweden and who lived and died in their native land.
Carl Gustav Wemstrom was reared in Sweden and educated in that country. In 1891 Mr. Wemstrom came to Chicago, Illinois, shortly after his marriage in Sweden. In 1893 his wife and family also came to Chicago. Mr. Weinstrom moved thereafter to a farm in Will county, forty miles southwest of Chicago and, for the next seventeen years, rented land. In 1910 Mr. Wemstrom came to Otter Tail county and purchased a farm of two hundred and twenty-five acres, where he lived until a short time ago, when he sold the farm. He paid forty-two dollars an acre for the farm and sold it for seventy-five dollars an acre.
On December 22, 1878, Carl G. Wemstrom was married in Sweden to Matilda Monson, who was born in Sweden on February 3, 1857. Mrs. Wemstrom's parents spent their entire lives in their native country. Hight children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Wemstrom as follow: Nels, in 1870: Kare Chestin, in 1884: Manges, in 1886: John in 188: Marie, in 1804: Ida, in 1896: Carl, in 1898, and Clara Floreda, in 1901. Of these children, Nels, who is a farmer in Illinois, married Rosa Wemstrom and has seven children, John, Andrew. Carl. John. Joseph. Marjorie Rose and Rose Marie, the two latter being twins. Kare Chestin is the wife of Nels Nel- sen, of Illinois, and has two children, Hilda and William Nels. Marie is the wife of Edwin Andersen and lives on a farm southwest of Fergus Falls. The remainder of the children are at home.
Mr. and Mrs. Carl G. Wemstrom and family are members of the Luth- eran church.
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JOHN PERSONS.
John Persons, of Oak Valley township, Otter Tail county, Minnesota, is an enterprising and up-to-date farmer, who has made a splendid success of agriculture.
Mr. Persons was born not far from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, March 12, 1851. He is the son of William and Marsha (Bagley) Persons, natives of New York state and Vermont, respectively. Mr. Persons' paternal grand- parents were Brainard and Lucretia ( Burrows) Persons, who were early settlers in New York state and who later came to Wisconsin. Brainard Per- sons died in the state of Wisconsin, but his wife died in New York state. The maternal grandparents of Mr. Persons were George and Sarah Bagley. both of whom died in the state of Vermont.
Mr. Persons' parents, William and Marsha ( Bagley) Persons, were married in New York state, but shortly after their marriage, immigrated to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Later, they moved to Rock county, Wisconsin, and still later to Green county. There William Persons died in 1859. His wife survived him more than a half century, passing away in 1910 in Green county. Wisconsin. To them were born five children. William, Byron, John. Oscar and Myron, the latter being deceased. Mr. Persons' mother was mar- ried afterward to David Heathman and to them was born one child. Henry.
John Persons was reared on a farm in Green county, Wisconsin, and educated in the public schools of that state. In 1880 Mr. Persons immi- grated to Iowa and purchased a farm in Pocahontas county, comprising two hundred and forty acres. He resided in Iowa until 1898, when he moved to Otter Tail county, purchasing eighty acres of land in section 29, of Oak Valley township. Since that time, Mr. Persons has added one hundred and sixty acres and now has eighty acres of the farm cleared and well improved. While a resident of Iowa, Mr. Persons was a member of the school board.
On July 20, 1872, John Persons was married in Green county. Wis- consin, to Jane Meredith, who was born on May 23, 1855. in Wales, the daughter of Edward J. and Mary ( Evans ) Meredith. They were both natives of Wales and in 1866 came to Green county, Wisconsin. Mrs. Per- sons' father was a shoemaker by trade, but he owned several farms in Green county, Wisconsin, which he subsequently sold. Finally, he and his wife moved to Chicago, where the latter died on February 21, 1906, at the age of seventy-four. . After her death, he moved to Lansing, Michigan, where he lived with his daughter, Mollie McFadden, until his death in 1911 at the age of seventy-seven. Mrs. Persons is one of eight children born to her parents, she being the second child. Two of the children, Mary Ann, the
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