USA > Minnesota > Otter Tail County > History of Otter Tail County, Minnesota : its people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 50
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Hans Staner Hanson was four years old when the family settled in the state of Wisconsin. He attended school in Dane county. Wisconsin. and at Albert Lea and later took up farming. Subsequently, he moved to Crookston, Polk county, Minnesota, and purchased three hundred and twenty acres of railroad land. which he sold in 1879. At this time he returned to St. Croix county, Wisconsin, and in 1881 came to Otter Tail county. Min- nesota, and purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land in section 16, of Henning township. After a time he sold this farm and moved to Girard township, where he purchased three hundred and sixty acres. For the next sixteen years he lived in Girard township, but this farm was sold in 1808. at which time Mr. Hanson moved to Henning. He now owns two hundred acres of land, one hundred and sixty acres of which is located within the corporation limits of the town of Henning. Having rebuilt his house. Mr. Hanson has a splendid residence. He has a barn, sixty by twenty-six feet.
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with two sheds, eighteen by sixty and fifteen by sixty. Hans Staner Han- son has always been prominent as a stockman. He is secretary and manager of the Henning Farmers Creamery Association and has held other positions of trust and responsibility.
In 1892 Hans S. Hanson was married to Helena Bogan, who was born at Christiania, Norway, in 1862. Mrs. Hanson's father died in Norway and, after his death, her mother came to America and settled in Otter Tail county. She spent her last days in Baker county, Minnesota. Mr. and Mrs. Hans S. Hanson have been the parents of five children: Staner, Louis, Stella, Hannah and Henry, all of whom are living and reside at home with their father. Their mother died in 1904.
Mr. Hanson has bought and sold considerable land in Otter Tail county, Minnesota. He has been president of the village of Henning and is now president of the local school board. He has served in this capacity for the past seven years.
STILLMAN HALVORSON.
Stillman Halvorson, who is one of the most extensive farmers of Nidaros township, this county, was born on the farm he now owns and which is located in section 33, of Nidaros township, February 21. 1873. Mr. Halvorson is the son of Even and Ingeborg Halvorson, both of whom were born in Norway. Mr. Halvorson's father was born in 1836 and his mother in 1843. After their marriage in Norway they came to Freeborn county in 1868, and two years later emigrated to Otter Tail county, taking a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres which their son, Stillman, now owns. Mr. Halvorson now owns fifty acres joining the homestead, also eighty acres in another tract. His father died on this farm in 1885, after having spent a great deal of money in improving the farm. The family were members of the Norwegian Lutheran church. They were the parents of seven children : Anne, Halvor, Carrie, Charley, Stillman, William ( deceased) and Sever.
Reared on the old homestead farm of his parents and educated in the public schools of this county, Stillman Halvorson has been engaged in farm- ing and threshing for twenty years. Mr. Halvorson has erected a new house and a good barn on the farm.
In 1909 Stillman Halvorson was married to Hattie Benson, who was born in Leaf Mountain township. Otter Tail county, December 1, 1888. She is the daughter of Nels and Celia Benson, of Leaf Mountain township. Mr. and Mrs. Halvorson have three children, Margaret, Bernice and Will- iam.
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Mr. and Mrs Stillman Halvorson are members of the Norwegian Lutheran church of Leaf Mountain township. They not only take a pro- found interest in religious affairs, but in civic affairs as well. Mr. Halvor- son has a host of friends in the community where he lives.
PETER K. PEDERSON.
A successful farmer of Sverdrup township, Otter Tail county, Minne- sota, is Peter K. Pederson, who was born near Manitowoc, Wisconsin, June 7. 1867, and who is the son of Knut and Marit Pederson, mentioned else- where in this volume.
Peter K. Pederson was only six months old when he accompanied his parents to southern Minnesota. They settled at Bear creek, in Mower county, and in 1870 emigrated to Otter Tail county and settled in Sverdrup town- ship, where Mr. Pederson has since lived. Some years ago, he, in partner- ship with his brother. Carl. purchased the old homestead of three hundred and twenty acres and they are engaged in general farming and stock raising. The Pederson brothers keep full-blooded Jersey cattle and other purebred stock and are engaged in the dairy business.
In 1902 Peter K. Pederson was married to Pauline Osander, of Sver- drup township. Mrs. Pederson was born in Norway and is the daughter of Andreas and Gurianna Osander, who came to Otter Tail county from Norway. Mrs. Pederson's father is now deceased. Her mother is still living. Mr. and Mrs. Peter K. Pederson have four children, Galena. Knut. Edward and Petra.
The family of Peter K. Pederson are all members of the Lutheran church. Mr. and Mrs. Pederson are active in church work. In politics, Mr. Pederson is independent.
IVAR ANDERSON.
Among the well-known farmers and prominent citizens of Maplewood township. Otter Tail county, Minnesota, is Ivar Anderson, who was born in Gothenburg. Sweden, on November 24, 1865, the son of Andrew and Kath- arine Anderson, both of whom were natives of Sweden, the former born in 1839. the latter in 1832. Andrew Anderson came to America in 1870 and settled in Douglas county, Minnesota, where he lived for one year and then moved to Otter Tail county and homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land in section 14. Maplewood township. a place where he has since lived. Katharine, the wife of Andrew Anderson. died in 1895. Andrew and Katharine Anderson were the parents of two children. Ivar and Axel. Ivar Anderson was educated in the public schools of Sweden, after
OTTER TML COUNTY, MINNESORS
which he became a farmer. buying the home farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Maplewood township, where he engages in general farming and stock raising.
On June 9, 1898, Ivar Anderson was married to Clara Blegen, who was born in Iowa, the daughter of Gilbert A. and Kjersti Blegen, pioneers of Iowa, who later moved to Maplewood township, where they now live. To Ivar and Clara Anderson have been born seven children, Lottie, Arthur. Della, Clifford, Leonard. Arnold and Thelma.
For more than twenty-five years, Ivar Anderson has been a part of the public and official life of Maplewood township. for the whole of his public career having served as treasurer of the township. For some years he served as school treasurer and is now clerk of the school board, having served this office for three years.
ANDREW WAGSTROM.
Andrew Wagstrom, one of the best-known farmers and public men of Maplewood township, Otter Tail county, Minnesota, was born in Sweden on February 2, 1849, the son of Swen Olofson and Ingeborg Anderson, both of whom lived and died in their native country of Sweden. Swen Olofson and Ingeborg Anderson were the parents of four children, Claus, Andrew, Johanna and Beiata, all of whom are living.
Andrew Wagstrom, following his education in the schools of his native country, came, in June, 1871. to America, and after a short time in New York City went to St. Paul, Minnesota, where he was employed at railroad work, and later to Minneapolis, at which city he was engaged in lumber work for four years. In 1876 Andrew Wagstrom secured employment on the construction of the Great Northern Railway Company depot at Min- neapolis, where he was engaged until the year 1880, when he came to Maplewood township. Otter Tail county, and homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land in section 10, which place Andrew Wagstrom improved extensively and where he now lives as a general farmer and stock raiser.
During the year 1876 Andrew Wagstrom was married to Clara Redeen. who was born in Sweden. April 6. 1849, and to this marriage have been born the following children, Arthur Edwin. Alma Frances, Harry (deceased ). Maud Clarice, Laura Helen, Claus Harry, Olga Axeline. Ellis Rudolph and Herbert Eugene.
Andrew Wagstrom has taken an active part in the public life and offi- cial circles of his community, having filled a number of offices with notable efficiency and satisfaction. In 1881 Mr. Wagstrom was elected as constable
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of Maplewood township. an office which he served for four years and then he was elected as township supervisor. serving in that capacity for three years, at the end of which time he was made township clerk, a position which he held for eight years. During the year 1898 Andrew Wagstrom was elected to office as a county commissioner for Otter Tail county, serv- ing this office continuously for eight years. Andrew Wagstrom performed a notable service to his community when he organized school district No. 224 in 1887, he after this time, for some years acting as clerk of the school board, an office he now holds. In 1910 Mr. Wagstrom was elected to the office of township supervisor, being made chairman of the board at the same time, an office he has since filled.
As a business man, Andrew Wagstrom has demonstrated his ability. being the organizer of the North Maple Telephone Association, a company in which he has officiated as president since the establishment of the com- pany.
AUGUST W. MEYER.
.August W. Meyer, the son of John and Mary ( Leiferman ) Meyer. was born on June 25, 1873, iu Carver county, Minnesota. The parents were natives of Germany. the father being born in Prussia, on the Rhine, August 29. 1820. and the mother was born in Westfall. Germany, on December 17. 1837.
John Meyer, on coming to the United States in 1856, located in Wis- consin, where he remained for two years, after which he came to Minnesota, where he entered a claim. In August. of the same year, he returned to Wisconsin, where he married Mary Leiferman, and they came to their home in Minnesota on October 21, where they resided until their retirement. in 1805, when they took up their residence in Watertown, where Mr. Meyer clied, November 23, 1004. Mrs. Meyer, who came to America with her father, brothers and sister, in 1856, and settled near Madison, Wisconsin, survived her husband some years, having died on April 9. 1900. Mr. and Mrs. Meyer were the parents of the following children: John, Jennic, Henry, Frank, Casper. Albert and August. Mr. Meyer was a soldier of the Civil War, having enlisted on August 12, 1864, and received his honorable discharge on July 14. 1865. He was a member of Company B. in a Minne- sota regiment, and was a brave and worthy soldier during his entire enlist- ment.
Henry Leiferman. the father of Mrs. August W. Meyer, was born on December 17, 1837. in Westphalia, Germany, and emigrated to Dane county. Wisconsin, where he entered land and remained for some years, after which he removed to Waseca county, near Ama City, where he engaged in farm-
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ing for nine years. He then moved to Beauford township, Blue Earth county, and purchased the farm on which he died on June 6, 1914. Mr. and Mrs. Leiferman were the parents of eleven children, as follow : Henry, William, John, Katherine, Frank, Joseph, Elizabeth, George, Sophia, Leo and Mary.
August W. Meyer, whose education was limited to the common schools of Carver county, worked for a time in Minneapolis, where he was engaged in the meat business. In the fall of 1898 he came to Dent, where he entered his present farm, December 18. 1898. The place was covered with heavy timber and with no buildings. He at once began the erection of a small shanty on his one hundred and eighty-eight acres of land, preparatory to the coming of his bride the next spring, he being married to Elizabeth Leifer- man, March 14, 1899. Much work was accomplished by Mr. Meyer during the fall and winter in the erection of his little house and the clearing of some of the land. The original home was the home of the family until 1900, when the present residence was built, the barn being erected in 1912. Mr. Meyer does general farming and is an extensive breeder of full-blooded Holstein cattle, his stock being some of the best in the section.
Mr. and Mrs. Meyer have a pleasant country home, well kept and a pleasing place to rear their family of four children: Hazel, Henrietta. Glenn Alvin and Jennetta Elizabeth. Mr. Meyer and family are members of the Catholic church. Mr. Meyer is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Modern Woodmen of America. He has also been school clerk for the past six years, giving most general satisfaction, as he is a man of broad views and takes the utmost interest in the education of the children of his district.
OLE HANSON.
Ole Hanson, a prosperous farmer of Nidaros township, this county. is a native of Sweden, where he was born on May 7, 1858, and was educated in the public schools of that country. He is one of seven children born to his parents : Andrew ( deceased ), Peter, Ole, Magnus, Nels, Anna and Johanna (deceased). Mr. Hanson's father died in 1870 and his mother in 1001. Both lived in Sweden all of their lives.
In 1888 Mr. Hanson came to America and. for several years, rented land in Otter Tail county. In 1901 he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land in section 34. of Nidaros township. From year to year he made improvements on the farm and. in 1914, erected a substantial resi- dence. His buildings are all kept in a high state of repair and are all well painted. He is a general farmer and stockman and is one of the well- known citizens in the community where he lives.
OTTER TAIL COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
In 1892 Ole Hanson was married to Kjerstin Lindahl, who was born in Sweden on July 1, 1863, and who is the daughter of Bengt and Anna ( Miller ) Lindahl, both of whom died in Sweden. Mr. and Mrs. Hanson have been the parents of six children, Nanna Marie ( deceased ), Helmer Bernard, Otto Adolph, Anna Marie, Hugo and Gerda.
Mr. and Mrs. Ole Hanson are members of the Eagle Lake Swedish Lutheran church. They take an active interest in religious affairs as well as in all civic matters.
HANS MADSEN.
Hans Madsen, who is one of the older citizens of Otter Tail townshp. Otter Tail county, Minnesota, and one of its most successful farmers, was born in Denmark, September 2, 18.19.
Mr. Madsen's father and mother were both natives of Denmark. His father, Mads Hanson, was married three times. Hans Madsen's mother being Anna Rasmussen. Mr. Madsen's paternal grandfather was Hans Madsen, a native of Denmark, who was a day laborer and who spent all of his life in his native land. He was a member of the Lutheran church. Mads Hanson, the father of Hans Madsen, was a soldier in the Danish army and a day laborer. He and his wife were members of the Lutheran church. Ilans Madsen, the subject of this sketch, is a son by his father's third wife, and in this family there were three children, Rasmus, Lewis and Hans.
Hans Madsen was educated in the common schools of his native land. In 1878 he came to America and, after landing in New York City came direct to Perham, in Otter Tail county, Minnesota, purchasing one hundred and nineteen acres of land in this county in 1885. The land was bought from C. J. Wright, of Fergus Falls, for seven dollars per acre. The farmi at that time was wholly unimproved and consisted merely of wild land. Mr. Madsen now owns one hundred and sixty acres, most of which has been cleared and which has been very greatly improved within recent years.
On December 19, 1888, Hans Madsen was married to Anna Olson. who was born in Norway, August 15. 1859. She came to America in 1883. By this marriage there have been born two children, Arthur, born on July 15. 1895. and Minnie. November 4. 1897, both of whom live at home with their parents.
Mr. and Mrs. Hans Madsen and family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. They belong to that class of substantial citizens who have made Otter Tail county what it is today, one of the most productive counties in the state of Minnesota. Mr. Madsen has a host of friends in Otter Tail township.
OTTER TAIL COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
HERBERT S. ALDRICH.
Herbert S. Aldrich, the son of John H. and Anjanette ( Stinson ) \ld- rich, was born on December 2, 1861, at Centralia, Woods county, Wiscon- sin.
The father of Mr. Aldrich was a native of New York, having been born there in. 1830. His wife was born in Bangor, Maine, but they met and married in Grand Rapids, Wisconsin, and after their marriage lived first in Waukesha, Wisconsin. After a brief residence in Winona, Minnesota, they returned to Wisconsin, where for a time they lived in Centralia. They then returned to Minnesota, where they took up their residence in Wood- land, Martin county. John Aldrich was by trade a blacksmith and carpen- ter and was for the period of nine or ten years head sawyer in Wisconsin saw-mills. While a resident of Martin county he engaged in farming in the summers and blacksmithing in the winters, this continuing for four years.
In 1874 John H. Aldrich homesteaded a claim of eighty acres in section 2, of Woodside township, this county, arriving here on July 3, and before the month was out had secured a squatter's right. In August, 1878, he took out filing papers for this property. At that time almost the entire township was a wilderness, there being only three or four settlers here. In true pioneer fashion, Mr. Aldrich constructed a rude log cabin, in which he started a small store for the accommodation of the neighborhod, which, in connection with his farming, was to be his source of livelihood. He set to work to break and cultivate the soil and later purchased eighty acres addi- tional, after which he began a mercantile career and was appointed post- master at Wrightstown. He enlarged his business, later adding more floor space by building a new house. He lived here, however, only four years and four months, when he died, at the age of forty-nine, this taking place in the year 1879. Mr. Aldrich, Sr., had completed the process of homesteading in the year of his death. He had the distinction of being one of the organi- zers of this township and of being its first clerk. After his death his wife closed out the store business and postoffice in favor of Mr. Dere Newell. who built a store and started up a business on the old homestead, by leasing a one-acre tract to build on.
Mr. Aldrich and his wife were members of the Baptist church while residing in Wisconsin. His wife. Anjanette Aldrich, married again, her second husband being John S. Flint, and they lived in this vicinity for two years, when Mr. Flint died. Several years after his death, his wife married Amos Bacon, and he died within two years after their marriage. She died in Bertha, Todd county, Minnesota, on November 25, 1914. at the age of seventy-four.
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Herbert S. Aldrich is one of eight children, the others being, Plyna, a resident of Battle Lake, engaged in the garage business; Edgar, a merchant living in Adrich, Minnesota : Willie died in infancy, in Winona, Minnesota ; Glenn R. is a general merchant living in Almora ; Belle died in infancy; Guy passed away when less than one year of age; Clara is Mrs. Alfred Naylor, of Bertha.
Herbert S. Aldrich was able to acquire only a limited education, owing to the necessity for work at home. For two years he was a pupil in the Martin county district school, the term consisting, however, only of three- month winter seasons and in summer he was obliged to herd cattle. After Mr. Aldrich became a resident of Otter Tail county he attended two sun- mer 'terms of school of two months each. From his fifteenth to his nine- teenth year he was a farm laborer, working much of the time away from home, still helping, however, in the management of the home farm. This continued until his twenty-second year, when he married and purchasing eighty acres one-half mile from his home, began his own independent career.
Mr. Aldrich lived on his farm for four years, when his wife, who was before her marriage, Jennie Cameron, died, leaving a daughter. For the next two years Mr. Aldrich continued to work in the woods in the winters and was employed in various saw-mills in the summer time and in threshing at Wrightstown, meantime making his home with his aged mother. About 1801 he purchased a part interest in the store then owned by Jerry Newell. Later, Mr. Aldrich, with three others, bought out Mr. Newell, and the busi- ness was continued under the firm name of Aldrich, Cameron & Company. This partnership lasted for two years, when Mr. Aldrich, selling out his saw-mill and threshing interests, bought out his three partners. Soon after this transaction he sold one-half of his interest to his brother, Edgar D. Aldrich, and the firm became known as Aldrich Brothers until January 1. 1806, when Mr. Aldrich became the sole owner, continuing in possession until the present time. The stock at the time of Mr. Aldrich's first pur- chase was placed in a building whose dimensions were sixteen by twenty- four feet. The store is now forty by forty-four feet, with storage space twelve by forty feet. From a stock worth two hundred and seventy-five dollars at the time it was purchased from Mr. Newell it has increased in value to a sum all the way from eight thousand to nine thousand dollars, consisting of groceries, hardware, clothing, shoes, rubbers and farm imple- ments. The business transacted in the year 1914 amounted to more than twenty-three thousand dollars, the handling of which required the services of four clerks.
Mr. Aldrich has never relinquished his interest in farm matters. He has purchased the old homestead, consisting of eighty acres, as well as other
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adjoining land, amounting in all to seven hundred and thirty acres, all of which is located in Woodside township. As a stock breeder, Mr. Aldrich specializes in Duroc-Jersey hogs.
On December 16. 1897, Herbert S. Aldrich was united in marriage to Margaret J. Perkins, a native of Todd county. She is the daughter of Edgar A. Perkins, who, with his wife, were pioneers in this section of the state, to which they came from Money creek, Minnesota. He is still living at the ripe old age of seventy-four or over. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Aldrich was blessed by the birth of six children, the eldest of whom is Hazel D., who received her education in the local schools, including the Wadena high school and one term at the St. Cloud Normal. The other children are, in the order of their birth, Myrtle, Paul. Kenneth, Reynold and Luverne.
A Republican in politics, Mr. Aldrich is vitally interested in public affairs. He was for ten years township treasurer and has been a valuable member of the local school board. He and his wife are not only members of the Wrightstown United Brethren church, but they contribute largely to its financial support as well as to its active work. Mr. Aldrich is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America. Not only as a merchant has he become well known and esteemed, but also as a man of sterling qualities. No consideration of expediency can change his determination to follow a certain line of action, having once decided upon its wisdom, and his clean, wholesome life has won for him many friends. .
FERDINAND HEEMBROCK.
Ferdinand Heembrock, well-known farmer, of Edna township, Otter Tail county, Minnesota, was born in St. Charles county, Missouri. April 29, 1866, the son of Anton and Katherine ( Ottomeyer ) Heembrock. . Anton Heembrock came to America in 1852, and located in Missouri, where he lived as a farmer the remainder of his days, with the exception of two years as a gold miner and as a mine owner in the state of California. Anton and Katherine Heembrock were the parents of six children: Mary, John, Ferdinand, Anna, Anton and Joseph. Anton and Mary ( Goedde) Heen- brock (his second wife) were the parents of the following children: Agnes, Anton. Theodore, Henry, Elizabeth, Dorothea. Pauline, Stephen, Bernard, Clemence, Mary and Herman.
Ferdinand Heembrock was educated in the schools of St. Charles county, Missouri, after which, in 1881, he came to Minnesota and located in Perham, near where he was employed on farms until 1888, when he bought eighty-five acres of land, to which he later added eighty-three acres and where he is now engaged in general agricultural pursuits.
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In the year 1891 Ferdinand Heembrock was married to Anna C. Alt- stadt, a native of Perham township, and to this marriage were born the following children : Kate, Mary, Aloysius, Clemence, Rudolph, Hugo, Helen. Leonard, Elenora. Lauretta, Veronica and Agnes. Mr. Heembrock and his family are communicants of the Catholic church. . Anna C., the wife of Ferdinand Heembrock, died on December 6, 1911. survived by her husband and eleven children.
Ferdinand Heembrock is affiliated with the German Catholic Aid Society of Minnesota, and in the public life of the township Mr. Heembrock has served efficiently and satisfactorily as township supervisor and as town- ship assessor.
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