USA > Minnesota > Otter Tail County > History of Otter Tail County, Minnesota : its people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 72
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Again in 1899 Hans O. Olson returned to his native land, but this time he went for a wife, and while there was united in marriage with Henrietta Hanson, daughter of Haus Olsen. Mr. Olson then brought his wife to Underwood and again began clerking for Bjorge & Sjordal, remaining with them about three years. After a trip to the Pacific coast, where he had
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intended to locate, he returned to Underwood, and early in 1904 was elected secretary and treasurer of the Sverdrup Scandinavian Mutual Fire Insurance Company, which position he still fills. The business has grown in a most gratifying manner and there are now about three thousand applications in force with twenty-four hundred members.
Mr. Olson is a very public-spirited man and remains independent in his politics. His interest and ability are appreciated, and upon the incorporation of the village of Underwood he was made treasurer of the town, which place he still occupies. In 1915 he was appointed village assessor, dis- charging his various duties in a manner which meets with the approval of all. Mr. Olson holds fraternal affiliation with the Modern Woodmen of America and takes an active interest in the work of that order. There are four children in the Olson family. Clara, the eldest, is at home; Hilda died when a child of two and one-half years; Helmar also died in infancy, and Dagny H., the youngest of the family, is a girl in school. Mr. Olson has prospered and has a comfortable home which he erected himself. He is well liked and is eminently worthy of the high esteem in which he is held by all who know him.
HENRY O. ROBERTSON.
Henry O. Robertson, well known as manager of the Underwood Lum- ber Company, dealers in retail lumber and building supplies, was born at Fergus Falls, this county, January 8, 1878, eldest child of Christian and Marie (Nelson) Robertson. His father was a native of Denmark and the mother was born in Norway. Each came to America when young and settled in Fergus Falls, where they married and lived for a number of years. Christian Robertson was proprietor of one of the first retail meat markets in Fergus Falls, but continued in that business only a short time. Then for a couple of years he clerked in Sundahl's general store, and for some three years was proprietor of the old West House, one of the earliest hotels of that locality. Ill health forced him to live in the open, and in 1885 he left the town and homesteaded a claim of fifty-six acres in Sverdrup township. this county. There he passed the remaining years of his life, his death occurring on February 12, 1897. The mother is still living on the okl homestead at the age of sixty-six years.
Christian Robertson was always keenly interested in political questions and was among the earliest advocates of the principles of the Populist party in this section. He was one of the organizers of the Underwood Farmers' Alliance and displayed a commendable interest in all that made for the general advancement of the community. Both he and his wife were mem- bers of the Free Lutheran church, governing their lives carefully by its
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teachings. Other children of the family are Thora, wife of Charles Holt, living in Canada; William, of Marshall, this state; Jane, who died in in- fancy, and a surviving daughter of the same name, who is the wite of Oliver Lee, a farmer of Canada.
Henry O. Robertson received his elementary education in the school near his boyhood home, district No. 5, of Sverdrup township, and later had one term in higher studies at the Park Region Lutheran College at Fergus Falls. He took up farming on the family homestead and managed it for some years. In September of 1909 he became connected with the Under- wood Lumber Company as manager, which position he has since retained. This company is the leading one of its kind in this vicinity and carries from five to six thousand dollars worth of stock at all times, carrying brick, cement, lime, etc., in addition to lumber.
Mr. Robertson is independent in politics and as an evidence of the regard in which he was held in his boyhood home he served as super- visor of Sverdrup township to the satisfaction of all. Mr. Robertson has displayed more than ordinary business ability, and in view of his genial manner is well liked by personal friends as well as represented by busi- ness associates.
EDWARD WENDT.
Edward Wendt, a native of Oderberg, Germany, was born on Deceni- ber II, 1853, the son of Henry and Henrietta (Riebe) Wendt, both of whom were natives of Germany. Henry Wendt died in his native country. The widow came to the United States in 1887, accompanied by some of her children and located in Buffalo, New York, where she died some years later. Mr. and Mrs. Wendt were the parents of the following children : August, Wilhelmina, Louise, Caroline, Emma and Edward.
Edward Wendt was educated in the public schools of his native country, after which he served three years in the German army. After his term with the military forces expired he became a maker of brick, which occu- pation he followed until 1892, when he came to America. On coming to the United States he came at once to Pine Lake township, where he pur- chased eighty acres of land, which is his home at the present time. He de- voted the greater part of his time during the first three years to work in the making of brick at Perham.
Since the purchase of his first land, on coming to his new home, he has added one hundred and twenty acres to his farm. The land was without buildings and undeveloped, but by hard and diligent labor he today has the present buildings and the well cultivated fields, the greater part of the clearing and breaking of the land being done by Mr. Wendt. He practices
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general farming with success and his fields are among the best cultivated in the community.
Edward Wendt was married in 1876 to Ulriecke Lehman at Oderberg, Germany. Mrs. Wendt has been of much assistance to her husband in his successful and active life. They are the parents of the following children : Clara, Bernard, Louise, George, Emma, Paul, Robert, Mary, Frieda, Ed- ward and Otto.
EVEN S. EVENSON.
Even S. Evenson, ex-postmaster at Underwood, Otter Tail county, Min- nesota, was born in Norway, September 25, 1861, near Trondhjem, which is the second largest city in that country. He is a son of Sivert and Kjersti (Lodin) Eveson, the former born on the same farm in April of 1828, and the latter born in the same neighborhood in 1841. Sivert Evenson was a son of Even Moshong, who lived and died on the old homestead near Trond- hjem, which had been in the family for several generations.
In 1867 Sivert Evenson brought his family to America, there being at that time three children, Even S. being the eldest. They located at Menominee, Wisconsin, where they remained but a year and then located on a farm in St. Croix county, about nine miles east of the town of New Richmond, Wisconsin. Their farm consisted of one hundred and sixty acres and the family lived there for a number of years. The father's death occurred on August 31, 1908, when in his eightieth year and the mother yet lives at Deer Park, Wisconsin, at the age of seventy-four years. Both were from early childhood members of the Lutheran church and were among the organizers of the first church of that belief in their neighborhood. Sivert Evenson was a man of quiet and industrious habits, who gave the best efforts of his life to his private affairs and to the careful training of his large family.
Even S. Evenson, as before stated, was the eldest of his family; and the second is Ole, who is a blacksmith and lives at Deer Park, Wisconsin; Ella became the wife of Clarence Benedict and made her home at New Richmond until the time of her death; Olaf has been unheard of for the past eighteen years; Sivert is a farmer, located at Turtle lake, Wisconsin; Emma is the wife of Hans Jenson and lives at South Stillwater, this state; Charles resides at Hudson, Wisconsin, where he is a stationary engineer ; Ernest, who is unmarried, makes his home with Charles and is employed in a planing-mill; Martin also lives at Hudson and follows the carpenter trade; the youngest member of the family was Minnie (deceased), wife of Gus Gunderson, now residing at Grand Forks, North Dakota; two children died in early infancy.
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Even S. Evenson received his education in the common schools of Deer Park, Wisconsin and in 1885 came to Underwood and secured employ- ment as salesman in one of the local general stores, where he remained for some eight years. In 1905 the bank of Underwood was organized and Mr. Evenson was elected to the position of cashier, which he filled for some four years. He was active in the organization of the Park Region Tele- phone Company and acted as its treasurer until February of 1914, at which time he resigned. Mr. Evenson is independent in politics and takes consider- able interest in local matters, having served as clerk of Sverdrup township for some years past. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen of Amer- ica and also of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.
On December 8, 1888, Even S. Evenson was united in marriage with Anna Gunderson, also a native of Norway, and a daughter of Ingebret and Marie Gunderson. They, too, were among the earliest settlers of this sec- tion, coming here in 1882. To Mr. and Mrs. Evenson have been born six children, of whom Edna, the eldest, is the wife of Edward E. Hanson, of Mackintosh, this state, and superintendent of that city's schools; Carl, who was educated in the Underwood schools, makes his home with his parents and is employed in the Farmers' Mercantile Corporation Store at Un- derwood; Hilda, a graduate of the Stillwater high school, is at home, as are also Arthur, Mildred and Nora.
On January 3. 1916, the Farmers' State Bank of Underwood opened its doors for business with Mr. Evenson as cashier. Since first coming to Underwood, Mr. Evenson has shown himself to be interested in all that concerns the proper development of the town and its kindred interests and has given generously of his time to bring about many improvements.
CHARLES ROLLA WRIGHT, SR.
There died on June 13, 1915, at Fergus Falls, this county, a splendid woman eighty-four years of age, who had enjoyed, during the course of her long life, a varied and interesting series of experiences, both in the staid and conservative East, where she was born, and in the frontier life of several Western states. The late Mrs. C. C. Clement's first husband was Charles Rolla Wright, Sr., father of the late Charles J. Wright, for years one of the most prominent citizens of Fergus Falls. Mrs. Clement, who was a most interesting conversationalist and who was possessed of a most remarkable memory, often entertained her friends with many interesting reminiscences of her early life.
Charles Rolla Wright, Sr., was born on February 17, 1825. at Williston. Vermont, and died in Forest City, Iowa, on September 13. 1859.
"My acquaintance with Charles Rolla Wright," said Mrs. C. C. Clement.
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not long before her death, "began in the fall of 1847, when I was nearly sixteen years of age. He had just been graduated from the Highland Military School at Norwich, Vermont, and was engaged to teach a select school for advanced pupils in Enfield, New Hampshire. During the fol- lowing winter he taught the village school, which I attended. During this time, while teaching, he studied law in the office of my uncle, Judge West- gate. When Mr. Wright's school closed for the season, he went to Orwell, Vermont, where his brother, Murray, lived and there he taught and studied. During a part of this time, he also worked in a telegraph office, which was considered in that time something new. His health, however, became impaired and he went to his home in West Milton, but continued the study of law with a Burlington lawyer. Finally, he was compelled to give up study altogether and he then turned his attention to the farm, which change proved of great benefit to his physical state. On August 27, 1851, he returned to Enfield and on the following day we were married.
"For a time we remained on one of the farms belonging to Mr. Wright's father, in West Milton, Vermont, and it was there that Charles J. was born, November 2, 1852. the date upon which Franklin Pierce was elected Presi- dent of the United States. After farming for four years or more, Mr. Wright got the 'Western fever,' so I took our young son back to my old home, while my husband made the trip to Iowa. There he entered a tract of government land near Forest City and, in the spring of the following year, I joined him with our son. Our early experiences there would seen hard today. Father and son were much together and this companionship helped to make Charles J. the man he grew to he. Charles Rolla Wright was elected county surveyor and his brother. George B. Wright, came to Iowa to work for him.
"In the summer of 1859," continued Mrs. Clement, "Mr. Wright died during an epidemic of fever and I was left alone with our seven-year-old son. George B. Wright came to Forest City and taught school that winter. during which time he remained with us. Our affairs were finally arranged so that Charles J. and I could go back to New Hampshire in the spring. George R. Wright accompanied us as far as Chicago and, from Chicago. my sister, Hannah, Charles and I went on to New Hampshire, George B. going to Bloomington, Illinois, where not long afterward he was married to Serina Ames, the adopted daughter of Rev. Charles G. Ames, well known as pastor of the Unitarian church in Boston.
"A year or two later, George B. Wright and wife went to Minneapolis. where Mr. Wright pursued his profession as surveyor, and Charles and I returned to the West and made our home with them. We lived in Minne-
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apolis, together until February 28, 1868, when I was married to C. C. Clement.
"While we lived in Minneapolis, Charles attended the schools there and afterward the schools at Winona and Hastings. He also frequently accompanied his Uncle George on surveying trips and spent some time in the surveyor-general's office in St. Paul before coming to Fergus Falls. When still in his 'teens, Charles corresponded for the North Star, the Young Minnesotan and The Orel, and at that time was a member of the Amateur Association of Journalists."
Thus closes this brief but interesting chapter of reminiscences in the life of a noble pioneer woman, whose personal history was so intimately identified with the rapid succession of events in this great Northwest country.
CHRISTIAN J. MOEN.
Christian J. Moen, born in Norway, February 29, 1864. son of John and Martene (Korsgaard ) Moen, was the first of his family to come to this country. Both parents were natives of Norway, born at Thrystad Smaalenene, about six miles from Christiania. They married in their native home and the father turned to farming as the means of livelihood for his growing family. Christian J. Moen emigrated to America in 1882, and in 1889 the father and mother followed and joined him. They lived on a small farm of forty acres in section 36, of Sverdrup township, this county, and there both parents finished their lives and are buried in Sverdrup cemetery. Both were strong adherents to the Lutheran faith and were de- voted to their family of six children. Anne, the eldest of the family, is the wife of P. C. Renfjord, of Fergus Falls; Louise is the widow of Ole O. Sjordal and lives in Ada, this state, where her husband was for many years engaged in the hardware business, and at his death was succeeded by his three sons; Anton is a section foreman on the Northern Pacific railway and is located at Battle Lake, this state; Martin, who makes his home with Christian J., is a carpenter by trade and owns a farm in this vicinity; Han- nalı, wife of Carl Sundby, resides in Sverdrup township, where they are engaged in farming.
Christian J. Moen attended the public schools of his native land until the age of fourteen, when he took up part of the work of the family home uncler the direction of his father. Upon coming to this country in 1882. he located at Battle Lake, this state, and found employment with a sec- tion gang of the Northern Pacific railroad. A year later he was made foreman of his section gang, which position he held for eighteen years. Upon the organization of the Farmers' Mercantile Corporation in 1892,
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he was made secretary, in recognition of the service he rendered as one of its organizers. He filled that position until 1900, when he became man- ager of the company, which position made such demands upon his time that he was forced to give up his railroad work. At that time the company rented the building which it occupied and since then has purchased the building in question and built an addition of equal size to the original portion. The business has increased to four times the volume handled in 1900, carrying a stock valued from eleven to fifteen thousand dollars. Mr. Moen is also a director of the Farmers' Elevator Company, is president of the Farmers' State Bank of Underwood and interested in the Co-op- erative Creamery at that place.
Mr. Moen owns a farm which lays at the outskirts of Underwood, a portion of it coming within the corporation limits. This farm he pur- chased in 1903 and it was formerly owned by his father-in-law, it having been their family homestead. This farm contains one hundred and sixty acres and is beautifully located on the shores of Bass lake. Mr. Moen rents the land for farming purposes, but keeps considerable stock himself on it.
In politics Mr. Moen is independent and has always been rather active in local affairs. For twelve years he acted as treasurer of Sverdrup town- ship, prior to the incorporation of the village, and has been active in many ways since. His religious membership is held with the Lutheran church, and fraternally he is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, act- ing as treasurer for that organization. Mr. Moen displays a commendable interest in all that makes for public welfare and the best advancement of the various phases of community life.
On October 25, 1885, Christian J. Moen was united in marriage with Christena Sjordal, who was born in Norway and brought to this country by her parents when a little girl of four or five years. Her parents are Ole T. and Guriana Sjordal, who were among the early settlers of Otter Tail county, where they hometseaded a farm. To Mr. and Mrs. Hoen have been born ten children, the eldest of whom is Hans Emil, living in Fergus Falls, where he sells insurance; May is the wife of Arthur Olson, of Big Lake, this state; Gilmar O. resides at Bellingham, Washington, and is a traveling salesman; Carl J. lives at Fargo, North Dakota, where he is connected with the J. I. Case Thresher Company, acting as cashier of the Fargo office; William is assistant cashier in the same office; Ella, Ruth, Roy, Thelma and Stanton remain at home.
Mr. Moen has proven himself worthy of the many responsibilities which have fallen upon him since he became a citizen of this county, and in view of the exemplary manner in which he has discharged his various ob- ligations he is eminently worthy of respect.
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JACOB S. BIXBY.
Jacob S. Bixby, farmer and stockman of Dead Lake township, Otter Tail county, Minnesota, is one of the representative agriculturists of the county. He was born on November 8, 1840, in Cabot, Vermont, and is the son of John and Malinda ( Schagel) Bixby.
The paternal grandparents of Jacob S. Bixby were Theophilus and Anna (Fiske) Bixby, he a native of Germany and she of England. Theophilus Bixby, for forty years, was captain of a whaling vessel and had entered the service when a boy of fourteen years, being promoted from first mate to captain, on the death of his predecessor, at the age of eighteen years. After his immigration to America, he located in Salem, Massachu- setts, afterward marrying and making his permanent home in that town. Anna (Fiske) Bixby, his wife, desirous of having her children know the love and companionship of a father, entreated him to resign the perils of ocean life for the pleasures of home, but imbued with the spirit which all sailors feel for the life of the sea, he wished to make one more trip be- fore granting her wish. This would-be last cruise extended over a period of three years, finally resulting in poor returns and, determined to recoup his losses, another voyage was planned and executed, this time bringing with it the most unusual success. They found whales galore and, while Theophilus Bixby was not a professional harpooner, he narrowly escaped death in the attempt to harpoon a whale. Upon his return home, he re- moved to the state of Vermont, where the family settled on a farm near Fayston, and there he remained until his death. He served in the War of 1812. Theophilus and Anna ( Fiske) Bixby were the parents of twelve children, all of whom are now deceased. Beside his four sons, William, George, John and Luther, he was the father of eight daughters.
The maternal grandparents of Jacob S. Bixby were Jacob and Polly Schagel, he a native of Germany and she a native of England. He immi- grated to Canada when a young man and became paymaster, a position demanding great courage and efficiency. The money was carried in kegs and a large guard always accompanied him. After many years of loyal service to the army, he resigned and retired to private life and became engaged in agricultural pursuits. Polly Schagel was a native of England. removing to Canada when very young, and it was there that her marriage was solemnized. They were the parents of one son, Jacob, and eleven daughters. They remained in Canada until their deaths.
John Bixby, father of Jacob S. Bixby, was a millwright in his native state, and while there met and married Malinda Schagel, a native of Cushin, Quebec, Canada. He was engaged in the construction of mill machinery until his health became impaired and he was forced to retire from this work
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at the age of forty years. Following his retirement, he engaged in farming and purchased land near Fayston, Vermont, cultivating that property until 1854, at which time he removed to Wisconsin and thence to Steele county, Minnesota, and settled on a homestead in Aurora township. The farm consisted of one hundred and sixty acres, and John Bixby continued to cultivate it until his death on January 15, 1890. Five years later his wife and beloved companion passed to her eternal rest on July 26, 1895. Dur- ing life they had been respected members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and were the parents of five children: Jacob S., Harriette, Henry, George and Addie. Harriette became the wife of George Curtis and their home was for many years in Owatonna, Minnesota. Henry was a miner early in life, but later followed the vocation of farmer, in Montana, where his death occurred. George was a farmer in Minnesota and his death occurred in St. Paul. Addie became the wife of Warren Upham, of this county.
Jacob S. Bixby received his education in the schools of Fayston, Ver- mont, until the age of sixteen, at which time he removed to Eureka, Wis- consin, where he remained during the summer and then with his parents removed to Steele county, Minnesota, continuing his schooling for one term. In August, 1862, Jacob S. Bixby enlisted in Company A, Tenth Regiment, Minnesota Volunteer Infantry. He served with Sibley during the Indian campaign and then went south with his regiment, serving most of the time with the Sixteenth Army Corps. He was in sixteen regular battles besides numerous skirmishes, receiving one wound. He was honorably discharged in August, 1865, having served a few days over three years. The next year he married and settled on a homestead, which he improved and on which he resided until 1898. He then sold the farm and removed to Otter Tail county, Minnesota, where he purchased two hundred and twenty acres of un- improved land, located in Dead Lake township, on the south shore of Dead lake. A great deal of this land has been cleared and fifty acres are under cultivation. The products of this farm are Poland China hogs and high grade Galloway cattle, as well as general farming.
On November 29, 1866, Jacob S. Bixby was united in marriage to Ann Elizabeth Eichler, daughter of John and Christina Eichler, and a native of La Fayette, Onondaga county, New York. She died on March 24, 1879. and on November 10, 1880, Mr. Bixby was united in marriage to Gertrude Live- son, a native of Norway and daughter of Live and Sophia Liveson. To the first union of Jacob S. Bixby five children were born: Katie, who died in infancy; Lottie, who also died in infancy; Jennie, who married William Boyle, and later became the wife of Emil Erickson, died at the age of twenty-four years; Henry, a farmer living in Dead Lake township; Jessie, who became the wife of Reynold Zimmerman and now lives in Owatonna,
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