USA > Minnesota > Otter Tail County > History of Otter Tail County, Minnesota : its people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 65
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Ludwig Frank ( who was born in 1827) was, therefore, forced to find a location for himself. and in the spring of 1855 he set sail for America
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and after nine long weeks at sea, his boat landed at the port of Quebec, Canada. Ludwig Frank worked his way to Wisconsin and settled in Mar- quette county. He was accompanied on his journey by his bride, to whom he was married just the day before he set sail. He secured work in the harvest fields of Marquette county at fifty cents per day, and later bought eighty acres of land there, where he lived for four and one-half years. He decided he was not suited in his location there, and disposed of his farm without making out any papers, and together with his wife and two small children he set out for Minnesota, with an ox-team which hauled their few precious belongings, driving his live stock ahead. They crossed the Missis- sippi river at LaCrosse and journeyed on into the central portion of the state and reached their destination near New Ulm. There, in 1860, Lud- wig Frank took up a claim of one hundred and sixty acres and proceeded to establish a home and friendly relations with the Indians, who were there in great numbers and paid visits to the home of the paleface every day. The land there was all prairie and the winters extremely severe, so after two years in that location, in the spring of 1862, he moved his family to Waseca county and there secured work among the farmers of that county. For a year or so he rented land and in the spring of 1865 purchased a farm of eighty acres in section 24. of Wilton township, where he made his home for a great many years.
In 1890 Ludwig Frank sold his homestead and moved to a forty-acre farm nearby, where he lived at the time of his death, in January, 1902. His good and faithful wife is still living in Waseca, this state, at the advanced age of eighty-two years. She is a native of Bradenburg, Ger- many, and enjoys remarkable health and vigor for one of her age, espe- cially when the hardships of her earlier life and pioneer days are taken into consideration. Both Ludwig Frank and his wife were members of the German Evangelical church. There were eight children in their family, Albert being the fifth child in order of birth. The eldest is William, who is a farmer in Waseca county; Minnie is the wife of Joe Fromlath and lives at Lisbon, North Dakota; Ludwig died at Rochester, this state. although he had lived in Waseca county; Millie is the wife of John Hoff- man, of Redwood county, this state: Ed is unmarried and makes his home in Detroit, Minnesota; Matilda, who lives in Waseca, has been twice mar- ried, her first husband being Julius Kelm and her second husband Herman Janka : Emma also lives in Redwood county, and is the wife of Paul Schroe- der.
Albert Frank received his education in the public schools of Waseca county and was raised on the farm. He assumed the management of the homestead in 1890 and continued there until 1912, having purchased it in
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the meantime. In that year he disposed of the old farm and came to Otter Tail county and on April 15. 1912, contracted for a farm of two hundred and four acres in Buse township, where he has since made his home. This farm is equipped with good buildings and is an up-to-date home in all respects. In Waseca county Mr. Frank had given particular attention to the breeding of Duroc-Jersey hogs and Brown Leghorn hens, but in Buse town- ship he goes into general farming, raising only a small amount of live stock.
Albert Frank was married on June 26. 1893, to Albertina Klinger, born at Kaiser-Dramberg. Pomern, Prussia, Germany, April 18, 1873. She is a daughter of Gottlieb and Albertina ( Pust) Klinger, both natives of that place. Mrs. Frank came to the United States in 1892. Gottlieb Klin- ger came to America with his family and landed at St. Johns, Canada, and from there they journeyed on to this state, reaching their destination in Waseca county on April 20, 1896. They are farming people and are now living in quiet retirement in the town of Waseca. Mr. and Mrs. Frank have nine children in their family, namely: Benjamin, who died at the age of five months: Arthur, Lily, Erna, Nelda, Clarence, Elmer, Leona and Albert, and all of these are being well educated and trained to good citizen- ship. Mr. Frank is honest and upright in his dealings' with his fellow men and is held in high esteem. He is a Republican, and inasmuch as he takes special interests in the cause of education. he has been a member of the local school board practically ever since living in this township.
JOSEPH FISH.
Joseph Fish was born near Syracuse, New York. September 23, 1850, the son of Jerome and Sarah Fish. His parents also were both natives of New York state, but in 1855 they moved to Wisconsin, where they bought land and farmed until the breaking out of the Civil War. In 1862 the father enlisted in the noted Second Regiment, Wisconsin Cavalry. and served until disabled by sickness, his condition being such that he was returned home, and did not return to the service. Following the close of the Civil War he had charge of a cooper-shop in River Falls, Wisconsin, for some years and, in 1870, came to Minnesota. In the spring of 1871 he settled on land in Becker county, Minnesota, where he died in June, 1872, not having filed claim on the land. His wife died before the Civil War. Their children were Joseph. Lucy, Harvey F., Harry. Maria and Arthur.
Joseph Fish received some education in Wisconsin, where, at the age of eleven years, he started in life for himself, working at such farm jobs as he could obtain until he entered the cooper-shop before mentioned. In
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1881 he came to Minnesota and bought forty acres of timber land, where he has since resided. There were no buildings on the land he bought, and his entire capital was forty-three dollars, but he put on modern buildings and now owns a farm of eighty acres, which he uses for farming and stock raising, and always has a large amount of stock.
In 1878 Joseph Fish was married to Mrs. Jennie Sanders, who was a native of New York. They have one child living named Jessie, and a child, Walter A., who died in infancy. Mr. Fish has been chairman of the township board for the past two years, and had served a term of two years prior to the present one, and had been a member of the board several times previously.
The father of Mrs. Fish was a native of New York. His name was Avry Stanton Sanders. He had been in business in New York for many years, but on account of his wife's poor health he sold out and came west and bought a farm in Wisconsin; later both died. They had two children, Benjamin Franklin, born on January 3. 1848, and Jennie Almira, born on May 9, 1851.
JOSEPH B. HEMMELGARN.
Among the successful farmers of Pine Lake township, Otter Tail county, Minnesota, is Joseph B. Hemmelgarn, who was born in Mercer county, Ohio, February 18, 1860, the son of Theodore and Mary ( Luels- man) Hemmelgarn, both of whom were natives of Germany, in which country they spent their early years and then came to America with their parents. Theodore Hemmelgarn. in America, became a farmer and now lives on his farm in Mercer county, Ohio. Theodore and Mary Hemmel- garn were the parents of the following children: Theodore, Henry, Ben- jamin, Joseph, Elizabeth, Barney, John. Anton, William, Mary, Josephine and Thresa.
When twenty-four years of age Joseph B. Hemmelgarn came to the state of Minnesota and engaged generally in farm work about the town of Perham for five years, and then bought one hundred and sixty acres of land in Pine Lake township, where he now lives and engages in general agricultural pursuits. On taking possession of his farm Mr. Hemmelgarn cleared the land of timber, built substantial buildings and. as he prospered. added to his land until now he is the owner of two hundred and sixty acres of the desirable land in Pine Lake township.
During the year 1888, Joseph B. Hemmelgarn was married to Anna Wagner, who was born in Austria. the daughter of Anton Wagner and wife, who came to America in 1872 and located in Pine Lake township.
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Otter Tail county, Minnesota, where they followed a general agricultural life. To the marriage of Joseph B. and Anna Hemmelgarn have been born four children, Clara, Rosa, Andrew Martin (deceased ) and Martin. Mr. Ilemmelgarn and his family are members of the Catholic church.
Joseph B. Hemmelgarn has taken a prominent place in the public life of the community, serving as a volunteer in all matters for general welfare.
GEORGE B. WYNN.
George B. Wynn was born at Rossville, twelve miles from Danville, Vermilion county, Illinois, on November 18, 1868. His father, James B. Wynn, came of a family of Irish descent and was born in Attica, Warren county, Indiana, and was married to Mary Davis whose family came from England, the marriage ceremony taking place in Illinois, where Mr. Wynn went as a young man. The young couple resided for eight years on their farm in Vermilion county and seized by the "wanderlust" spent the fol- lowing two years in Texas, returning to the North in the winter of 1879- 1880, when Mr. Wynn settled in Otter Tail county and brought his family there in February. This family consisted of his second wife and three children, the first wife having died in 1876, he was married, secondly, to Adell Shamp, who is still living.
In Otter Tail county James B. Wynn bought forty acres of what was then known as the Skinner land, in section 23. Woodside township. which is now called the Wagner farm. They set up housekeeping in a log cabin which he built ( which was later destroyed) and began the task of clearing his newly acquired purchase. Here they lived until the fall of 1892, by which time they had acquired two hundred acres which Mr. Wynn sold in order to be free to move to Springdale, Arkansas, where he still lives on a farm at Winslow. He was a soldier in the Civil War, having enlisted in the One Hundred and Thirty-second Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry. in which he served for three years. Both he and his wife are members of the Seventh-Day Adventist church, whose activities constitute one of the important phases of their present quiet life. Mr. Wynn is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic. Mr. Wynn had by his first wife four children, of whom George B., the subject of this sketch is the eldest. The others are, in the order of their birth: Thomas, who for some years has been an extensive traveler; William, a farmer living at Wrightstown : Manolia, the wife of Charles Michel, who lives in Ballaton, Minnesota. By his second marriage eleven children were born. these being Mary. Frank. Silas, who died at the age of eight: Rhoda, Joseph, deceased at the age of fifteen: Henry, a soldier of the regular army: Ruth. Martha, who died
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young : Winnie, who died at the age of six months; Roy, who died when an infant of two days, and Nona.
The old log school house so well known in the previous generation furnished young George Wynn with the only education available at that time. He attended school at district No. 100 during the winter terms of three months and the rest of the year worked on the farm until he was twenty-two years of age. He then left home to become a farm laborer in Minnesota and Dakota. With the money he saved he was able to buy in 1888 or 1889, forty acres in the northwest quarter of the northeast quarter of section 27, in Woodside township, land that was then a wilderness. Out of this wilderness Mr. Wynn has made one of the finest farms in the township. Soon after his marriage, in 1893, he built a log house and there took his wife, continuing to live there until 1904. In 1896 he increased his holdings by eighty aeres which he bought in section 27, this being unim- proved railroad land. Having cultivated this tract he further enhanced its usefulness and attractiveness by building in 1905 a splendid frame house where he and his family have lived ever since. In the summer of 1915 he built a new barn thirty by fifty feet, having hip-roof and concrete founda- tion. Mr. Wynn is now farming one hundred and sixty acres, having in 191I bought forty acres in the southeast quarter of the southwest quarter of section 26. He is a general farmer and stock raiser and has met with a marked degree of success.
Lucy E. Adams, a native of Richland Center, Wisconsin, became Mrs. George B. Wynn on the 28th of November, 1893. Her father, Thomas B. Adams, a carpenter, had enlisted in Company F. Sixteenth Regiment, Wis- consin Volunteer Infantry, during the Civil War. His wife's parents had come to Crow Wing county before the war and there had married. They later went to Wisconsin. While Thomas Adams was serving his country a period of three years and three months, his wife took her two children from Crow Wing county, Minnesota. to Richland Center. Wisconsin, in order to receive from the government the support dne her as a soldier's wife. There he returned after the war and resumed his trade, continuing to live there for forty or fifty years, until his death which occurred in 1809 or 1000. His wife passed away in 1894.
The mother of Mrs. Wynn was. before her marriage, Nancy J. Me. Arthur and the history of her ancestors is of unusual interest. David Mc.Arthur, the father, was a native of Scotland and was the first of this family to locate in Crow Wing county. For many years he was post- master at White Earth Reservation. At that time Minnesota was full of Indians, but they were for the most part of a friendly nature. However. in an evil hour, one of his daughters named Ellen was captured and killed
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by three Indians in 1872. In payment for this dastardly deed they were apprehended and hanged by the settlers on what was called "the lone pine tree" at Brainerd, Minnesota, and this tree is still standing there. The body of the girl was not found for three years when a traveler was pass- ing by an Indian tepee and found the "brave" beating his squaw. He over- heard the woman threaten to tell on her husband. This led to the appre- hension of the murderers.
Mr. and Mrs. George B. Wynn became the parents of five children. namely: Thela J .. Carrie Marie, who died in infancy; Menolia, Wilma and Jesse.
Mr. Wynn's service to the community has been of long duration, a certain test of efficiency and honesty. An assessor of this township for sixteen years and a member of the school board for twenty-one, he has paid the tribute of good citizenship to a commonwealth to whose material interests he has also contributed. Mr. Wynn is a member of the Wing River Telephone Company and of the Co-operative Creamery Company at Bertha. He belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America, and is an inde- pendent in politics. Mr. Wynn has those traits of character which make him a man whose influence is felt among his associates.
JOHN ERTZ.
John Ertz was born in Germany, November 16, 1869, the son of Valentine and Angeline ( Kiewel) Ertz, both of whom were born, reared to manhood and womanhood and married in the Fatherland. Valentine Ertz was a farmer in his native land and followed his occupation there until 1880, when he emigrated to America with his family. After settling in Stearns county. Minnesota, he bought a farm of one hundred and sixty acres of partially improved land and lived upon that land for twenty years. when he moved to Cold Springs, where he and his beloved wife live retired at the present time. To this devoted couple were born seven children. as follow: Nick, a farmer living in Gary, Minnesota: John, the subject of this sketch; Katie, who married Frank Wiesener, and lives at Cold Spring. Minnesota; Joe, a laborer living in Bluffton township. Otter Tail county : George, a farmer living in North Dakota: Peter, a farmer living in Bluff- ton township, and Mary, who lives at home with her parents.
Reared and receiving his elementary education in Germany until ten years of age, John Ertz came to the United States and for some time pur- sned still further his education in the Minnesota public schools. Subse- quently, he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land in Todd county and there farmed for a short time, after which he bought land in Wadena county, where he farmed for a period of four years. In 1902 John Ertz
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removed to Otter Tail county and purchased one hundred and sixty acres in section 5, of Bluffton township, where he has been actively engaged in farming ever since. At the time of his purchase of the farm in Bluffton township, only two acres of the land had been broken and a few dilapidated buildings were standing on the farm. Determined to improve his farm, he began to clear the land and to break the soil. In 1915 he built a sub- stantial and modern house and barn, the latter being thirty-four by forty- four feet and equipped with hay fork and other modern improvements. Mr. Ertz has been deeply interested in live stock and is a breeder of Roan Durham cattle and ( hester White hogs.
On February 15, 1898, John Ertz was united in marriage with Mary Laubach. a native of Spring Hill, Stearns county, and the daughter of Nick Laubach, an old settler who lived and died at Spring Hill. To this happy union there have been born thirteen children, of whom Nick, Clara, Katie, George and an infant are deceased. The living children are Annie, Louis, Marens, William. Stephen, Helen, Rosa and Leona.
John Ertz, besides successfully operating his farm, has taken an active interest in the commercial and political activities of his township. As a Democrat he served for four terms as township supervisor. He is a share- holder in the Farmer's Co-operative Creamery Company of Bluffton.
OTTO B. JOHNSON.
Among those who from humble beginnings, have reached a place of distinction in the agricultural life of Otter Tail county, Minnesota, is Otto P. Johnson, who was born in Smoland, Sweden, on the 6th of November, 1865. He is the son of John and Eva (Olson) Johnson, natives of that country. Eva Olson was the daughter of Ole and Lena Olson, who were born in Sweden, where they spent the greater part of their lives, he working as a carpenter and a farmer and she assisting him in many ways. The father, Ole Olson, died when in the prime of life, but his wife lived to be ninety years old.
John and Eva Johnson, who were both born in the year 1819, spent their childhood days in Sweden, where they were later married. Mr. John- son followed the occupation of a farmer. He came to America alone, in 1868, and upon arriving in this country went directly to St. Paul, Minne- sota, where he was employed for three years on a railroad. At this form of work he was able to set aside a small amount of his earnings each month. and also to support the family in Sweden. His initial appearance in Otter Tail county was made in 1871 when he came to this community with the object in view of homesteading. He began his task of clearing the land
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on one hundred and sixty acres located in section 2, in Erhards Grove town- ship. The homestead claim was covered with timber and aside from the task of clearing the land, was the difficult one of hauling supplies from the nearest markets which were located at Fergus Falls and at Alexandria. Mr. Johnson built his log cabin on the site where the present Swedish Luth- eran church stands.
In 1872 Mr. Johnson sent for his two eldest sons, who joined him on the homestead, and in 1875 Mrs. Johnson arrived in this country with the three smaller children. At the time of his death, which occurred in 1895. Mr. Johnson owned two hundred acres of land. He and his wife (who died in 1887), were members of the Swedish Lutheran church and con- tributed generously to the support of that organization. Mr. Johnson gave the land for the present church and for a number of years served the congregation as trustee. The following children were reared by John and Eva Johnson: Gustaf, who owns an adjoining farm: Carl F., who is a farmer in Pelican township: Olena, the wife of Peter Nygen, who lives in Nevada : Lottie, who married William Hubbard and who lives in the state of Washington, and Otto P., who is the subject of this sketch.
The educational training received by Otto B. Johnson covered a period of only seventy days. He received his training in farm management from his father during the time of clearing the homestead land. Previous to the death of his father he rented the home place and in 1893 bought the entire farm of two hundred acres. He has improved the farm since the time of the purchase. A large modern residence has been erected and a well-built barn put up. The management is devoted to general farming and stock raising.
Mr. Johnson has not allowed the interest of the farm to narrow his business activities. He was a director of the Lakeview Telephone Com- pany and organized the Pelican Valley Shipping Association, of which he has been president for many years. Independent in his political interests Mr. Johnson has always been active for the cause of good government. He served nine years as supervisor in the township and the same number of years as school clerk.
In March, of 1893, Mr. Johnson married Emma Carlson, the daughter of Maria and Carl Carlson. Mr. Carlson never left his native land of Sweden to come to this country, but his wife and children, who came to this country, settled in Otter Tail county, near Pelican Rapids. Mrs. John- son, who is a native of Umea, Sweden, is the mother of the following children: Victor. Victoria, Josephine, Joseph, who died at the age of ten ; Otillie. Emil and Gladys. All the children are living at home with their parents.
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WILLIAM JANKE.
William Janke is one of six children born to David and Fredericka ( Lipke ) Janke and his birth occurred on April 14, 1864, in Pomern. Prussia. David and Fredericka (Lipke) Janke were also natives of Prussia and were married in that country. David Janke was occupied as a day laborer both in this native land and in America. He immigrated to America in 1885. His death occurred in 1889 in Waseca county, Minne- sota. Fredericke (Lipke ) Janke died in 1887. Both were devout mem- bers of the German Lutheran church and were the parents of the following children: August, Minna, Amelia, Charles, Christena and William. August is a retired farmer living in Waseca county, Minnesota; Minna is the wife of William Rotke and lives in Waseca county; Amelia married John Wardine and after his death, in Prussia, immigrated to America; Charles is a ship-builder and is engaged in that business in Charlottenburg ; Christina became the wife of William Guelzow and they live in Otter Tail county.
William Janke received his education in the public schools of his native country and upon the completion of same engaged in farming, immigrating to America in 1884. After his arrival in the United States he was employed as a farm hand in Waseca county, Minnesota, for a period of three years. He then purchased eighty acres of land in Iosco township where he con- tinued to cultivate the soil until 1905, at which time he removed to Otter Tail county and purchased four hundred and seventy acres of partially improved land. Desirous of making this farm one of the best in that sec- tion he erected new buildings, fences and other necessary improvements and until 1914 specialized in the breeding of Holstein cattle and Poland China hogs. In 1914 two hundred acres of this farm were sold but he still con- tinues to cultivate the remaining two hundred and seventy acres. Besides the cattle and hogs which are sold yearly, William Janke retains a herd of twenty head of cattle and about thirty-five head of hogs.
In 1885 William Janke was united in wedlock to Augusta Block, daugh- ter of Michael and .Augusta Block, both natives of Posen, East Prussia. Augusta ( Block ) Janke is a native of losco. Minnesota, and by her union to William Janke has been the mother of six children: Ernest, Aaron, Lydia. Theodore, William and Emma. Ernest, Aaron and Lydia died when very young and Theodore, William and Emma reside under the par- ental roof. The parents of Augusta ( Block) Janke were old settlers of losco township, Waseka county. Minnesota.
William Janke is much interested in all questions pertaining to the welfare and advancement of his community and has been actively engaged
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in promoting many of the local enterprises. He is a stockholder in the creamery at Otter Tail and also a stockholder in the telephone company of that place. Politically, he is a staunch Republican and has served the edu- cational interests of his township as school clerk. He also served as road overseer for a number of years. His religions inspiration is received through his attendance at the German Lutheran church, of which both he and his wife are active members. Not only has he mastered the language and customs of this country, but he has amassed a comfortable competency as well, and, withal, holds the respect and good will of his fellow citizens.
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