History of Otter Tail County, Minnesota : its people, industries, and institutions, Volume II, Part 80

Author: Mason, John W. (John Wintermute), 1846- 4n
Publication date: 1916
Publisher: Indianapolis, Ind. : B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1156

USA > Minnesota > Otter Tail County > History of Otter Tail County, Minnesota : its people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 80

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Politically, Peter M. Knoff is a leader of the community, being prom- inent in the Republican party which he supports in state and national politics.

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although locally he is independent of party. In public office Mr. Knoff has a long and efficient record, having served with notable ability and satisfac- tion as township clerk and as treasurer of the school board. Officially, Peter M. Knoft is probably best known as the competent and popular post- master of the town of Erhard, Minnesota, an office which he has filled most adequately since his appointment on April 1, 1908.

Peter M. Knoff is connected with the Norwegian Lutheran church at Erhard, Minnesota, a denomination which he supports with his effort and means.

WILLIAM F. SCHOENING.

The gentleman whose history is here briefly presented is one of the self- made men of Otter Tail county, having climbed slowly but surely to the top. taking his place among the leading agriculturists of Fergus Falls township, Otter Tail county.

William F. Schoening, farmer, Fergus Falls township, Otter Tail county. was born on May 9, 1864, in Germany, and is a son of Christian and Eliza- beth ( Ulrich ) Schoening. His early education was obtained in Germany, where he attended school for several years, coming to America with his parents when nine years old. He attended the public schools in America for a period of seven years and came to Fergus Falls, where he was employed in a saw-mill, and helped to saw the last logs that were rafted down the river to this place. In the following fall he went to Main, Minnesota, and worked as a contract hand until his marriage, when he bought a farm of eighty acres and folowed agriculture. Mr. Schoening has been thrifty and industrious, and has continued to prosper until he now owns a fine tract of two hundred and twenty acres of good agricultural land, which he has improved with good substantial buildings, taking an inventory each year to see what is required for the upkeep of his place. He divides his time and attention between general farming and stock raising. Politically, Mr. Schoening is a stanch Republican, in the activities of which party he has taken a keen interest, having held the office of township assessor for the past twenty-three years. Religiously, he belongs to the German Lutheran church. He holds the office of secretary in the Farmers Co-operative Elevator Com- pany, and is director in the Fergus Falls Co-operative Creamery Associa- tion : is director and treasurer of the Farmers Co-operative Store at Fergus Falls, and is a director in the Rural Telephone Company.

Christian Schoening, father of the subject of this sketch, was born on August 7. 1836, in Germany, and died on May 24. 1908. His wife, Eliza- beth ( Ulrich ) Schoening, was born on December 9, 1835. in Germany. He came to America with his parents in 1873. locating first at Cleveland, Ohio,

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RESIDENCE OF W. F. SCHOENING.

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where they remained a year and a half, and then moved to Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, remaining there about four years. About 1877 Mr. Schoening brought his family to Fergus Falls and bought a farm, where he followed agriculture until the time of his death, and where his son, Carl, now lives. Christian and Elizabeth ( Ulrich) Schoening were the parents of the fol- lowing children: Fred, who lives in Wisconsin; William F., Herman, Charles and Carl. Mr. and Mrs. Schoening united with the German Luth- eran church at an early day.

William F. Schoening was united in marriage, November 4, 1890, with Emma Zahn, daughter of Gottlieb Zahn. This union has been blest with five children, Fred, Albert, Bernard, Arthur and Frieda. Mrs. Schoening died in 1906, and Mr. Schoening was married, secondly, on May 31, 1907, to Huldah Voecks, by whom he has had two children, Theodore and August.

Mr. Schoening is a highly-esteemed citizen in the community in which he resides, and where he is rearing his children to be useful and honored residents.

GJERT C. SKEIM.

Gjert C. Skeim was born on May 27, 1877, in Houston county, Minne- sota, the son of John G. and Ingeborg (Otterness) Skeim, both of whom were natives of Norway. The father came to this country at the age of twenty and the mother came with her parents when she was an infant. In Houston county they grew up, met and were married and Mr. Skeim there became a farmer and landowner. In 1893 they moved to Norman county, Minnesota, where Mr. Skeim purchased land at Twin Valley, where he and his wife still live, enjoying the fruits of their labors. John G. Skeim has reached the age of seventy-four while his good wife is four years younger. Both are members of the Norwegian Synod. Of the twelve children born to them only four grew up about the parental hearthstone. These are the subject of the present sketch and his three sisters. Martha, Ida and Annie, all of whom are teachers and reside at home.

Being ambitious, Gjert C. Skeim acquired more than the average amount of education and after his studies in the Agricultural College of South Dakota and the Normal School of Moorhead, Minnesota, from the latter of which he was graduated in 1907, he taught school for five years. In 1910, however, he began an entirely new line of work when he became assist- ant cashier of the State Bank of Audubon, Minnesota, a position which he held for four years. He was also at that time treasurer of the telephone company. In 1914. on the organization of the Almora State Bank, he was engaged as cashier. a position which he still retains. The officers of this (48b)

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well known business institution are as follow: President, A. O. Netland; vice-president, S. A. Netland; cashier, G. C. Skeim. There are now eighty depositors and a capital of ten thousand dollars and a surplus of two thou- sand dollars.

Gjert C. Skeim was married to Christine Thorpe, in September. 1909, she being a native of Grove City, Meeker county, Minnesota, and the daugh- ter of an old settler named Jacob Thorpe. To them two sons and one daugh- ter have been born: Jerome Ira Miles, born on February 10, 1913; Gott- fried Constantine, and Cordelia Judith Georgiana, August 1, 1915.

Mr. Skeim has taken some part in local politics as a member of the Republican party. He was for three years recorder of Audubon and for two years a member of its school board, and a number of times served as delegate to conventions. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias and both he and his wife belong to the Norwegian Synod. Mr. Skeim has been for the past twelve years deeply interested in the cause of local option and in co-operation with N. T. Moen framed one of the first resolutions for presentation to the state Legislature. With the zeal of a reformer he has worked for twelve years for local option, giving generously of his time and means to this cause so close to his heart. He has the absolute confidence of the community and the good will of all who admire strength of character and the desire to serve one's fellow men.

JOSEPH S. HAARSTAD.

Joseph S. Haarstad was born in Trondhjem township, Otter Tail county, Minnesota, on the farm where he now resides. His birth occurred on the 22nd of May. 1870. and he is the son of Simon and Hermana Haar- stad. Simon Haarstad was the son of Eric and Kari ( Baatner ) Haarstad, both of whom were born in Norway, where they lived until death. Eric Haarstad was a landowner in his native land, a title that gave him no small distinction among the people of that locality and period. He and his wife reared a family of eight children, four of whom came to America. Of those children who came to America, Simon Haarstad was first, the other sons in this country were Gunelius, who lived and died in Trondhjem township; Gilbert, who took up his residence in South Dakota, and Andrew who went into the West to seek his fortune. The wife of Simon Haarstad, Hermana Baatner, was the daughter of Ole Peterson and Guna ( Digness) Baatner. Mr. Baatner, who was a farmer in Norway, died in his native land. After his death, his wife married Johannes Baatner. a brother of her first husband, with whom she came to America. She died in Trondh- jem township, in 1800, while living with the parents of Joseph Haarstad.

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During her residence in Norway Mrs. Baatner became the mother of the fol- lowing children: Hermana, who married Simon Haarstad; Olia, who mar- ried Axel Jergenson and lived in Wisconsin where she died; Jennie, the wife of William Swan, resides in Wisconsin; Tena, who never married, also lives in Wisconsin, where she passed away; Guna is still living in Wisconsin, as is her sister Nellie, the wife of Peter Skore.

Simon Haarstad was born in Solor, Brandvold, Norway, in 1840, and the woman whom he later married was born in the same community, on the 8th of October, 1837. As a young man Simon Haarstad followed the occu- pation of a farmer, which gave him a wide experience in various sections of the country in which he lived. His marriage took place when he was still a young farmer, and he worked at his chosen employment until 1865, when, accompanied by his wife and a daughter he sailed for America. The journey across the Atlantic covered a period of nine weeks and four days. Upon arriving in this country he settled in Winneshiek county, near Decorah, Iowa, where he worked on a farm for two years. At the end of that time he bought a farm in that section, forty acres in extent, upon which he lived for three years.

In 1870, starting by ox-team in a covered wagon, Mr. Haarstad made the journey to Otter Tail county, a venture he never regretted since it brought him valuable returns. Before departing for the county in which he spent the last days of his life, he sold the Iowa farm of forty acres. In Trondhjem township he pre-empted one hundred and sixty acres located in the eastern part of the township, which he later sold. He then set out upon the task of homesteading one hundred and sixty acres, to which he later added forty acres of "tree claim." The land upon which he settled was devoid of any sign of cultivation. He built a log cabin which is still stand- ing on the present farm where it is used as a granary. Part of the land cleared by Mr. Haarstad was used for the purpose of raising potatoes. During the early years of acquiring the homestead, Mr. Haarstad was employed on a railroad near Duluth. Later as he prospered he built a second log cabin, of larger proportions and solid foundation, to this house improvements have been added from time to time until it is very near a modern design. The house still stands as a model of what the early set- tlers were able to accomplish with small means and is used with all its mod- ern conveniences for the present residence of the subject of this sketch. Mr. Haarstad, before his death, added to his possessions by purchasing one hun- (red and sixty acres of land in Oscar township, of which forty acres are used for hay and twenty acres are still in timber. Mr. Haarstad lived and died on the old homestead, his death occurring on the 29th of July, 1898. His wife is still living on the home place, and for many years has been a

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devout member of the Lutheran church. The couple reared the following children : Kari, who married Bernhard Anderson and later became the wife of Frank Wolfgran, resides in Montana; Emma, who lives in Oscar township, married Ole Skolrud; Hilda died at the age of twenty-five years; Olivia, the wife of Martin Velo, resides in Trondhjem township; Peter is a farmer in North Dakota; Gustav died at the age of twenty-five; Joseph is the subject of this sketch, and Ole, the youngest child, died at the age of four.

Joseph Haarstad is indebted to the schools of his native township for his elementary educational training, but his rearing on the farm probably gave him some of the most valuable lessons of his life. From early child- hood he was taught to live by labor and his success later in life proved that he had accepted as his heritage a love for the dignity of labor and a respect for the lessons it taught. At the age of twenty-two, Joseph Haarstad left the home place and went to North Dakota, where he homesteaded one hun- dred and sixty acres of land in Ward county. He still owns this land although he has lived in Otter Tail county for a number of years. Upon his return to the old home place in Minnesota he took control of the estate and continues to manage it along the lines of general farming.

On the 30th of January, 1912, Mr. Haarstad was united in marriage to Emma Gunderson, a native of Norway. She is the daughter of Gilbert Olson, who died in Norway, the country of his nativity. Mr. and Mrs. Haarstad became the parents of three children: the eldest of whom died in infancy, the two younger children, Effie and Lillian, are at home with their parents. Mr. and Mrs. Haarstad are members of the Lutheran church. In his political interests, Mr. Haarstad is an independent voter.

OLE ROLANDSON.

Ole Rolandson was a native of Wisconsin, having been born in Mani- towoc, October 3, 1861. He was the son of Andrew and Annie (Lyken) Rolandson. natives of Norway, who came to this country in 1853. Upon arriving in America, Mr. Rolandson went to Manitowoc where he took up the occupation of farming. In the year 1879, he and his wife came to Otter Tail county, Minnesota, where they bought one hundred and sixty acres of land in Clitherall township. The land was not totally in a state of wilderness as most of the land at that time, but had been partially improved by Knut Bondy. Mr. Rolandson met the obstacles of early life on the farm with courage and firmness of purpose, and after a few years of labor had his land in a good state of cultivation. At the outbreak of the Civil War, however, he was called from his agricultural labors and served in Company D. Fifty-second Regiment, Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry.

Mr. and Mrs. Rolandson were the parents of the following children :

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Sarah is the wife of Joseph Simonson, and lives in McIntosh, Minnesota; Julia, the wife of Thomas Agern, resides in Fergus Falls; Gertrude mar- ried Herman Simonson and resides on the Red Lake reservation near Thief River Falls; Anna married Albert Scribner and lives in Saskatchewan; Ole is the subject of this sketch; Andrew is a farmer in Plummer, Minnesota; John died in Minneapolis in 1913, and Emma, the wife of N. E. Nelson, resides at Fergus Falls.

The early education of Ole Rolandson was received in the public schools of Fergus Falls, Minnesota, and after completing the course in the common schools he began to work on the farm with his father. From early youth Ole Rolandson was drilled in the hard school of toil, a fact that made his mature life full of worthy accomplishments. After his marriage, Mr. Rolandson lived for ten years in Fergus Falls where he was employed in the Harris mill. In 1895 he bought the old Rolandson homestead, which at that time extended over a tract of one hundred and sixty acres, and made a number of improvements. His investment proved to be profitable, and in 1900 he bought the eighty acre farm adjoining his original purchase. On the land which brought him prosperity, Mr. Rolandson began to build a handsome residence, which was only partially completed at the time of his death, which occurred in 1910.

Aside from his ability as a farmer, Mr. Rolandson was a man of unusual business qualities, which found vent in many lines of work. At the time of his death he was a director in the Farmers Co-operative Elevator Com- pany, and was also a director in the Battle Lake Creamery Company, which he was instrumental in organizing. As a member of the Republican party, Mr. Rolandson served the community in which he lived as a public official for a number of years. As a school director he made a large circle of friends. Both he and his wife were actively associated with the affairs of the Norwegian Lutheran church, of which they were devout members.

The marriage of Ole Rolandson and Bertha Agern took place on the 29th of May, 1885. She is a native of Manitowoc, Wisconsin, having been born there on the 24th of November, 1857. She is the daughter of Knut and Berit (Qualy) Agern, natives of Norway, who immigrated to Wiscon- sin during the pioneer days, where they lived until the time of their death. To the union of Mr. and Mrs. Rolandson the following children have been born : Clarence A., who is manager of the Fergus Falls Woolen Mills, at Fergus Falls. Minnesota, and a partner in the Bergland & Rolandson shoe store. He is the husband of Amanda Larson. Roy B. is owner of eighty acres of land on the home place where he lives. He married Selma Venner- strom. Erwin, who lives at Reserve, Montana, where he has a general store, married Sarah Bass. Ernest G. is at home, where he manages the farm.

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JOHN H. SEEBA.

John H. Seeba, prominent farmer and pioneer citizen of Friberg town- ship, this county, was born at Hanover, Germany, May 19, 1850, the son of John and Gacica (Koch) Seeba, both of whom were born in Germany. Jolın Seeba, Sr., was a farmer of his native country, an occupation which he followed his entire life, with the exception of three years as a soldier in the German army. John and Gacica Seeba were the parents of one son, John H., the subject of this sketch.

John Il. Seeba was educated in the common schools of Germany, and when eighteen years of age, in 1868, he came to America, and after a short time in New York City, went to Red Wing, Minnesota, near where he worked on a farm for three years. In the spring of 1871 John H. Seeba was married to Metta Brewer, the daughter of N. Brewer, a teacher in Han- over, Germany. Leaving Red Wing in July, 1871, Mr. Seeba came to Otter Tail county to look for a homestead. Here he found land to his liking but there were no roads nor railways here then. He returned to Red Wing and in the spring of 1872 bought an ox-team and wagon on which he loaded his family and belongings, and accompanied by a neighbor set out on his journey to this county. It was a long and toilsome trip, as they sometimes had to clear away the trees and brush to get the wagon through. Mr. Seeba selected a homestead in section 34, Friberg township, and was the first set- tler in this township. He immediately cleared a small place for a garden and after it was planted set to work to build a house. As there were no saw-mills nor lumber yards within seventy-five miles, Mr. Seeba was forced to construct a house of logs, which were plentiful in the woods nearby, and on which he placed a sod roof, making it cool in summer and warm in winter.

In 1874 there were enough settlers to organize a township and it was called Friberg. John H. Seeba was elected road supervisor to lay out the roads and build bridges across Red river. As the township at that time had no funds the settlers had to furnish most of the materials and labor for the necessary improvements. Mr. Seeba had had some experience with a pile- driver, so he was given charge of constructing the bridges, and built, in all, five bridges across the Red river. He also laid out and established nearly all the roads in Friberg township during the thirty years that he was super- visor.

Mrs. Metta ( Brewer) Seeba died in 1876, and in 1879 John H. Seeba was married, secondly, to Albertina Eichstadt, a daughter of Fred Eichstadt, a farmer of Friberg township, and to this union five children were born, three sons and two daughters, namely: Frederick, who lives on a farm in Maine township, this county; Herman lives at home and manages the farm;

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John died in infancy; Mary and Amelia live on farms in Montana. In July, 1890, Mrs. Albertina Seeba died from the effects of a sunstroke, leav- ing the five small children, the youngest of whom was fifteen months old.

In 1891, John H. Seeba was married to Emma Wenstrom, daughter of John Wenstrom, a farmer of Friberg township, and to this union was born one child, Alice, who lives with her parents on the farm.

Mr. Seeba assisted in organizing a German Lutheran church in Friberg township in 1875, and served as trustee of that church for ten years. In 1879 he was elected as township school trustee and has served continuously since that time. Mr. Seeba was appointed postmaster of Friberg in 1881, and was postmaster for ten years, when he resigned. Mr. Seeba and his family are held in high esteem in this community, in the development of which he has had such a large part.

ANDREW O. SOLUM.

Andrew O. Solum was born near Christiania, Norway, April 27, 1866, the son of Ole H. Solum and Kari Stadum, both of whom were born in Norway, the father in the year 1836, and the mother in the year 1840. Ole H. Solum was a farmer in his native land, a vocation which he pursued there until the year 1868, when with his wife and two children he came to America. After a voyage of six weeks on a sailing vessel they landed at New York City, from there going to Fillmore county, Minnesota, in which county Ole H. Solum and his family lived for four years. In 1872 they moved to Clay county, Minnesota, where the elder Solum homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land, which being uncultivated prairie land he proceeded to break and after building a log house for a home this pioneer prepared his land for cultivation, later adding to his holdings until he was the owner of three hundred and forty acres of well improved and highly cultivated land, where he now makes his home. Ole H. Solum and Kari Stadum are the parents of the following children: Hans, who operates the home farm; Andrew, the subject of this sketch; Syvert, who is cashier of the First National Bank of Barnesville, Minnesota; Martin, who purchased one hundred and sixty acres of the home place, where he now lives engaged in general agricultural pursuits; Peter, who is a merchant of Barnesville, Minnesota : and four children who are deceased, Louis dying when he was eleven years of age, Christine dying when she was fourteen years of age, and Emil and Ole who died at the age of one year. Ole H. Solum is one of the best-known men of Tansem township, Clay county, having served the township in various offices and having taken an active interest in the affairs of the community. Ole H. Solum and his family are members of the Nor- wegian Lutheran church.

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Andrew O. Solum, the subject of this sketch, was educated in the com- mon schools of Clay county, Minnesota, after which he worked on the farm of his father for some years and then became a wheat buyer at Barnesville, Minnesota, for the Minnesota and Dakota Elevator Company, a business which he followed for one year and then went to Sabin, Minnesota, where he bought wheat, after which he engaged in the livery business at the town of Barnesville, Minnesota, continuing in that business for about eight years. He then established a general mercantile business at the town of Baker. Minnesota, conducting that work for about four years, after which in the year 1903. he came to Erhard, Minnesota, where he purchased the general mercantile business of Goodsell & Company, which he has since operated, being successfully engaged in this line with a stock valued at ten thousand dollars.

On June 13, 1888, Andrew O. Solum was married to Marie Gustafson, who was born in Norway, the daughter of Gustav Christianson and wife, who came to America and settled in Clay county, Minnesota, where they spent the remainder of their days. To the marriage of Andrew and Marie Solum have been born the following children: Alina, who is a saleslady in the store of her father; Olga, who died at the age of sixteen years: Helen and Albert, who live at home, and one child who died in infancy.

Andrew O. Solum is one of the prominent men in the public and official life of Erhards Grove township. He is now serving as township treasurer and also as treasurer of the school district. Mr. Solum is one of the most highly respected and esteemed citizens of the township and county, not only because of his success in his chosen field of endeavor, but on account of his public spirited nature and his efforts for the welfare of the community.

COLBERT G. HAYHURST.

Colbert G. Hayhurst, postmaster of Richville. Otter Tail county, Min- nesota, is one of the prominent citizens of that town who owe their influence to the sterling qualities of character which have distinguished them and placed them in positions of trust. He has the distinction of having been an expert gunner in the service of the United States navy, and during that time saw much of the world while helping to man a battleship on a long cruise. Among the many interesting places which he visited were the cities of Gib- raltar, Lisbon, Trieste, Fiume, Piraeuse and Athens. They then visited Corfu and the Straits of Messina and returned home. They were also taken on a Carribean cruise, and during this time Colbert G. Hayhurst served as first class gun pointer. On May 22, 1911, he was discharged from service on account of disability, whereupon he located in Richville, Minnesota, where he has since remained.

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History of Otter Tail County, Minnesota : its people, industries, and institutions, Volume II, Part 80

Author: Mason, John W. (John Wintermute), 1846- 4n Publication date: 1916 Publisher: Indianapolis, Ind. : B.F. Bowen Number of Pages: 1156

Author: Mason, John W. (John Wintermute), 1846- 4n
Publication date: 1916
Publisher: Indianapolis, Ind. : B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1156