USA > Minnesota > Otter Tail County > History of Otter Tail County, Minnesota : its people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 82
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Darius Nelson Shaw received his education in the common schools of his native state, in St. Lawrence county. He first learned to read from an old almanac and soon acquired the habit of extensive reading. Mr. Shaw was married twice, his first wife being Sylvia Wood, the daughter of John Wood, who was a native of England, and who came to America. The children by this marriage are A. L. and W. D. Mr. Shaw was married, after the death of his first wife, to Luella Hemstreet on August 4, 1891. She was born on September 10, 1855, in Jefferson county, New York. She was the daughter of Paris and Fannie ( Watkins) Hemstreet. This was Mrs. Shaw's second marriage. Her first husband was M. W. Taylor, and to that union the following children were born : Elmer P., Lula and Charles. During the time of her first marriage she lived near Menominee, Wiscon- sin. Darius Nelson and Mrs. Shaw have no children.
Mr. Shaw came to Minnesota in 1852, settling in Moore county, where he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land. Two years later he sold this farm and purchased one hundred and two acres in Otter Tail township, Otter Tail county, in section 24. He later traded this for "Sandy Beach"
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farm of one hundred and four acres, which he later sold and bought a house and ten lots in Otter Tail.
Mr. Shaw and his family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and are active in the workings of the church. Mr. Shaw was at one time supervisor of his township and was a member of the school board. He served in the Civil War with a Minnesota regiment. He was one of the early settlers of this section and assisted in the organization of school district No. 163.
JOHN P. GREENAGEL.
Although a native of Minnesota, Mr. Greenagel has tried his fortune in various other states, but returned to his own, and is now filling a place as one of the successful business men at Elizabeth, Otter Tail county, where he is the proprietor of a modern, up-to-date hotel.
John P. Greenagel. hotel proprietor, Elizabeth, Otter Tail county, was born on November 11, 1864, at Wabasha, Minnesota. He was educated at the public schools of Fergus Falls, Minnesota, where they gave but an incom- plete high school course at that time. He later took a course in bookkeeping at the above place, and also learned the tinsmith trade, which he followed for fifteen years at St. Paul and Minneapolis. He subsequently went to Milwaukee, where he also followed his trade, and later went to Fergus Falls, where he managed the Hans Nelson hardware store and tinshop, during which time he took care of his parents, his father being an invalid for fifteen years. In 1894 Mr. Greenagel came to Elizabeth, where he took out a saloon license, and followed that business until I911, when the town went dry. He then went into the hotel business, with a livery and feed barn in connection, giving his entire attention to that up to the present time. Politi- cally, he is a Democrat, while his religious sympathies are with the Lutheran church at Fergus Falls. He has always been a public-spirited man, and has held local offices, among which are those of village councilman and clerk of the school board. He is a stockholder in the telephone company at Oscar township and was a man of considerable prominence at Fergus Falls.
John Greenagel, father of John P., was born on April 22, 1818, at Schwabsburg, Germany. He was united in marriage to Barbara Frank, who was born on June 28, 1828. and who was also a native of Schwabsburg. Her parents were Philip and Eliza Frank. Mr. Greenagel was educated in Ger- many, and came to America in 1855, his marriage having taken place in 1854. On arrival here he settled at Dubuque, Iowa, moving in a short time to Wabasha, Minnesota, where he remained for fourteen years, having taken a claim out on the Zumbro river, where he lived until he moved to Fergus
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Falls, October 29, 1869, pre-empting one hundred and sixty acres, which is now in the fourth ward at Fergus Falls, and for which he paid one dollar and twenty-five cents an acre. He lived here the remainder of his life, fol- lowing farming for a time, and later sold forty acres to George B. Wright, which was later used for lots, at three hundred dollars each. He was in the Revolution of 1848 and 1849 in Germany, where he substituted for a rich man, and with the money thus earned he came to America. He was drafted for the Civil War, but was found to be over age, and was permitted to return home. Religiously, Mr. Greenagel belonged to the Lutheran church, of which he was a deacon for twenty-four years at Fergus Falls. He was interested in politics, and was interested in all movements along the line of public improvement, being one of the leaders in building the first bridge across the Red river at Fergus Falls, and was one of the few men to own an ox team, with which to carry on the work. The children born to John and Barbara (Frank) Greenagel were as follow: Jacob, Eliza, deceased; Katherine, Mary, Barbara, Pauline and John P. Jacob and Eliza were born in Germany, the others being natives of America. Jacob was drowned in the Zumbro river, breaking through the ice when six years old. His body was never found. His sister, Eliza, was with him at the time, but could render no assistance. She came home barefooted, having lost her shoes in an effort to save her brother. She became the wife of Earnest Buse, and lived at Minneapolis at the time of her death. The remains were brought to Fergus Falls for burial, to rest beside those of her two children, being the first-born children in Fergus Falls. Katherine was married to Fred Rud- sinski, and lives at Fergus Falls; Mary was united in marriage with Joseph Hamel, and made her home at Grafton, North Dakota; Barbara was mar- ried to George W. Niebergall, and lived in Perham, Otter Tail county; Pauline became the wife of Frank Erhardt, now deceased, and lived at Minneapolis.
John Greenagel, the paternal grandfather, was a native of Germany, and participated in the war with Napoleon. He lost one of his legs by the explosion of a shell, en route to Russia. He owned a large vineyard, and was considered quite wealthy. His religious sympathies were with the Luth- eran church, in the work of which he took an active part. His death occurred at the age of eighty-eight years. His children were as follow : Jacob, Michael, John, Marie, all of whom are deceased; John, the father of John P., being the only one to come to America.
John P. Greenagel was united in marriage, May 23, 1887, to Anna Winter, daughter of Fred William Winter. She was born at Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This union has been blest with nine children. Alice, Johanna, John, Barbara, Jacob, Lizzie, deceased: Gertrude, deceased; Frederick and
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Frank. Alice Greenagel was united in marriage to George Stockburger, and lives at Fergus Falls. They have two children, George and Margaret ; Johanna became the wife of August Trenne, and resides at Carlisle, Minne- sota; John is married and lives at home. His wife was Caroline Wick. They have one child, Harriet. Jacob holds the position of express clerk for the Great Northern Railroad Company at Thief River Falls, Minnesota.
Fred William Winter, father of Mrs. John P. Greenagel, is a shoe- maker by trade, and has served for twenty-one years as mail carrier in the city of Milwaukee for the Daily Herald, being at the head of the carrier force.
Mr. Greenagel believes in treating his fellow man with the same degree of honest dealing that he himself requires, and bears a reputation of the highest standard in the community where he resides.
WILLIAM H. KEMPF.
William H. Kempf, born in Green Lake county, Wisconsin, on April 8, 1862, is the son of C. W. and Carrie ( Fisher ) Kempf, both natives of Ger- many. C. W. Kempf was born on November 2, 1832. After their mar- riage, Mr. and Mrs. Kempf came to America and landed in New York in the year 1851. They moved to Wisconsin, where they rented land for a time and in 1862 established their home in Goodhue county, Minnesota, where they purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land. Later they moved to Red Wing, Minnesota, where they retired from active work. Mr. and Mrs. Kempf were active members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mrs. Kempf died some twenty-two years ago.
William H. Kempf was educated in the public schools of Goodhue county, Minnesota, and there he grew to manhood. He was married to Martha Truhm on July 15. 1884. Mrs. Kempf was a native of Germany and came to this country in early life. Mr. and Mrs. Kempf are the parents of the following children: Walter, Elmer. William, Orvil, Roy. Pearl, Hartley, Myrtle, Bernice, Fern and Violet. Elmer and Orvil are married and have homes of their own.
After the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Kempf they lived in Otter Tail village for twenty-four years when they moved to Goodhue county, where he farmed for seven years. In 1914 the family came back to Otter Tail, where Mr. Kempf established a hardware store and an up-to-date garage. In these enterprises he has been most successful and has a large and grow- ing business. Mr. Kempf also owns forty-four acres of land in Otto town- ship. He was at one time chairman of the board of supervisors of his township and was treasurer of the township. He is an active member of the Yeomen of America. Mr. Kempf at one time owned two hundred and fifty-
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two acres of land near Rush lake, which he purchased for seven dollars and fifty cents to twelve dollars per acre and then sold for thirty dollars per acre. This farm was all wild land when Mr. Kempf came here, and deer and bear were plentiful in the neighorhood. Mr. Kempf has seen the wil- derness of his younger days develop into one of the most productive farm- ing communities in the Northwest.
LYSANDER W. BELL.
The gentleman whose name introduces the following sketch is one of the few men who have entered various enterprises, changing from one to another, and achieved success in each venture. Mr. Bell has shown remark- able qualifications in his journey through the business world, and he always possessed that confidence which, combined with close attention and industry, accomplishes much towards a successful end.
Lysander W. Bell, confectioner, Elizabeth, Otter Tail county, was born on April 23, 1847. in the state of New York, and is a son of William and Betsy (Seeber) Bell. His education was obtained at the public schools of New York state, and later entered the high school at Brownville for two years, after which he spent three years in a woolen factory in Connecticut, at the end of which time he returned to New York, where he was employed by a lumber company for nine years, under the firm name of the New York Improvement Company. In 1884 he came to Fergus Falls, his brother, Hamilton, having settled there at an earlier date. They had a section of land in partnership and lived near Fergus Falls, coming to Elizabeth in 1887. Mr. Bell has always given his support to the Republican party. In local politics he has taken no active interest, having served as postmaster of Elizabeth for seventeen years, and town marshal for ten years; president of the town council for two years, and also served as village recorder for two years. He was insurance agent for the St. Paul Fire and Marine, and German-American, of New York, for eighteen years. Fraternally, he belongs to the Masonie blue lodge. .
William Bell. father of Lysander W., was born in May, 1820, and died in January, 1897. He was united in marriage to Betsey Seeber, daughter of Henry W. and Susan ( Overocker ) Seeber. She was born in New York state. William Bell was educated at the public schools, and followed farm- ing all his life, dying in New York state. The children born to this union were : Hamilton, Eliza. Susan, Mary, Emma and Alice. Mr. Bell did not take much interest in politics, but was an earnest churchman, officiating as an elder for about forty years.
The paternal grandfather was George Bell, whose wife was Margaret Buchanan, à first cousin of James Buchanan, the fifteenth President of the
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United States. George Bell was a native of Ireland, and came to the United States in 1812, locating in New York state, where he followed farming, and was a neighbor of Grandfather Seeber. He came to America in a sailing vessel that was captured by the British, and was put in a fort on the defense for three years, being located at Nova Scotia, where he contracted a fever sore, which later resulted in his death. The children born to George and Margaret ( Buchanan ) Bell were as follow: James A., William, Robert, George, John and Mary. Robert Bell went to the Civil War in Company I, Tenth New York Artillery, of which he was lieutenant. James Bell was a Republican, and became state senator for two terms, and was also state audi- tor for a period.
Henry W. Seeber, the maternal grandfather, was of Pennsylvania- Dutch descent, and was a native of Pennsylvania, and a blacksmith by trade. He went from Mohawk Valley, New York, to Jefferson county, New York state, where he followed farming until his death, which occurred at the age of ninety years. He was a member of the Methodist church. His wife was Susan Overocker.
Lysander W. Bell was united in marriage to Alda Perkins, daughter of Jenks Perkins, of New York state, where Mrs. Bell was born. This union has been blest with one son, Clark S., who was married to Matilda Zimmerman. Their home is at Elizabeth.
Mr. Bell is a man of strong characteristics, and a well balanced mind. He is well known and well liked throughout Otter Tail county, where he has long been a resident.
GABRIEL GILBERTSON.
Gabriel Gilbertson, farmer, Elizabeth township. Otter Tail county, was born on December 30. 1872, in Oscar township, in the county where he now resides, and is a son of Nelson Gilbertson. He received a good public school education in Oscar township, and has followed farming all his life, his present farm consisting of eighty acres of good agricultural land. In addition to his farming interests, Mr. Gilbertson has done threshing for the past twelve years, in which business he has employed the Hubber separator and engine : the grain raised on his own place being principally wheat.
Politically. Mr. Gilbertson is a stanch Democrat, and was road over- seer for two years, although he has never run for office. Religiously, he belongs to the Lutheran church in Oscar township. He improved his farm in 1914 by building a new house; having erected a good, substantial barn three years previously. Mr. Gilbertson was also the heir to forty acres of good farm land, which was willed to him by the widow of his grandfather's brother, whose interests he looked after for nineteen years.
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Nelson Gilbertson, father of Gabriel, was born in Norway, and was united in marriage with Gertrude Knutson in 1870, after which they came to America. The children born to this union were as follow: Ena, Sarah, deceased: Olivia, who lives in Washington state; Gabriel, Carl, Ole and Gina. Nels Gilbertson died about 1900, and his widow remained in Baker county. Nels Gilbertson came to Minnesota in 1870, where he began farm- ing at the time when the grasshoppers took everything in sight. He filed on a homestead in Oscar township, consisting of one hundred and sixty acres, which he sold to advantage. Afterwards he rented a farm in Baker township, but died in a few years. His religious sympathies were with the Lutheran church. .
Mr. Gilbertson has many sincere friends and acquaintances, and occu- pies a high place in the esteem of the entire community.
EDDIE N. NELSON.
Grain dealer, farmer and merchant. Eddie N. Nelson, a prosperous young citizen of Clitherall, Otter Tail county, Minnesota, was born on Feb- ruary 18, 1883. in Nidaros township. He is the son of Even and Anna ( Halverson ) Nelson, both of whom were born in Norway. Even Nelson was the son of Thorwald Nelson, who came to Minnesota in pioneer days and who died at Breckenridge. Mr. Nelson's maternal grandparents, Even and Ingeborg Halverson, came to America in 18;1 and settled in Nidaros township. Otter Tail county, on a homestead farm of one hundred and sixty acres. It is there that the widow now lives. Her husband died in 1885.
Mr. Nelson's father came to Minnesota with his parents when still a small boy. He was married in this county and died in Nidaros township. His widow is living near Vining on a farm. Eddie N. Nelson was the only child born to his parents. After the death of his father, Mr. Nelson's mother was married to Edward Olson, and to them were born nine children. Inga, Fred, Carl, who died in infancy; Amelia, Eva, Wilma, Mabel, Hazel and Inez.
Eddie N. Nelson was reared on a farm and educated in the public schools of Vining and at Grand Forks, North Dakota, where he attended business college. He began working in the elevator and lumber yard at Eld- ridge and Medina, North Dakota. He later worked in the elevator at Shey- enne, North Dakota. In fact, Mr. Nelson was employed at Sheyenne from 1904 to 1913. He was also assistant cashier of the Farmers and Merchants Bank at Sheyenne during his residence at that place, also manager and secre- tary of the Equity Elevator and Trading Company for two years, from 1910 to 1912.
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In 1913 Mr. Nelson made a trip to Arkansas, where he remained for a short time. He next lived at Borup, Norman county, Minnesota, and, after one year, in 1914, came to Clitherall and became the manager and secretary of the Clitherall Grain Association. Mr. Nelson owns a homestead farm in Benson county, North Dakota, a tract of eighty acres situated two miles from Sheyenne.
In 1904 Eddie N. Nelson was married to Pearl Colcord, who was born near Pittsburg, Kansas, March 4. 1888, and who is the daughter of Ivory A. and Elizabeth ( Preston) Colcord, of Gravette, Arkansas. Mr. and Mrs. Eddie N. Nelson have three children, Arthur Evan, Lela Edith and Edgar Norman.
Fraternally, Mr. Nelson is a member of Century Lodge No. 60, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, at New Rockford, North Dakota. He is a Republican in politics and, while a resident of Sheyenne, North Dakota, was secretary of the Eddie county Republican central committee. For two years he was a member of the Republican state central committee.
In addition to his position as secretary and manager of the Clitherall Grain Association, Mr. Nelson is also engaged in the farm machinery busi- ness at Clitherall. He handles the Stillwater line of machinery and enjoys a good business in this community.
OLE P. NELSON.
Another one of the prosperous farmers of Inman township. Otter Tail county, Minnesota, and one who has made his own way in the world since coming to America from Sweden is Ole P. Nelson.
Mr. Nelson, who is the owner of a fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres, was born in Sweden, March 15, 1859, and is a son of Pear and Hannah Nelson, both natives also of Sweden. The former died in his native country in 1905, while his wife had passed away five years previously, in 1900. Of the six children born to Pear and Hannah Nelson, Ole P., the subject of this review, is the eldest. Elna. Johanus and Martin, the three youngest children, are deceased. The other children are Johanna and Nels.
Ole P. Nelson received his education in the public schools of Sweden, and when he was twenty-eight years of age, in 1887, came to America and settled at Manchester, New Hampshire. After living at the latter place for two years, Mr. Nelson moved to Otter Tail county, in 1880, and until 1891 worked on various farms in the vicinity of Eagle Lake. In the latter year Mr. Nelson purchased eighty acres of land in section 12, Inman township, and since that time he has added forty acres in section 1. and forty acres in section 14, to his original holdings.
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Mr. Nelson's wife, who died June 3, 1892, left four children, Maria, Martin Nels, Hulda Christena and George Albert, who are living at home with their father.
Mr. Nelson has substantial, well-kept buildings on his farm, and the farm is equal in productivity to any other tract in Inman township. He is rated in this township as a self-made man and a successful farmer and citizen.
JERRY F. JOHNSON.
One of the most prominent farmers of Otter Tail county and of Deer Creek township is Jerry F. Johnson, who, because of his interest in the community life and its advancement, together with his service to the town- ship in public office and as a leader in political movement, has a place of importance in the ranks of the citizenship of the county and township. Suc- cessful in agricultural pursuits, useful as a citizen, capable in business and notably affiliated in church and fraternal circles, he is a type of manhood and citizenship who has done much for the county and its conditions of life.
Jerry F. Johnson was born in the northern part of Germany on February 7. 1865. the son of Frank and Martha ( Hackman ) Johnson, both of whom were born in Germany. His father died at Petersburg, Illinois, in 1873, and later his mother was married to Joseph Kester of Petersburg, Illinois. Frank Johnson was a devout member of the German Lutheran church of his native country, he taking an active part in the worship of that congregation. Frank and Martha Johnson were the parents of two children : Jerry F., of this sketch, and Jennie, who came to America and later was married to Will- iam Wahlfell, of Petersburg.
Jerry F. Johnson came to America in 1867, and after landing at New York City went to the state of Illinois, where he was educated. He located about twenty miles north of the city of Springfield, there hired out as a farm hand until the year 1885, when he went to the state of Nebraska and stayed with his mother, at Franklin, for more than a year and then he came to Otter Tail county, reaching this county with but ten cents in his pocket. The first two years in Otter Tail county, Jerry F. Johnson worked generally and then he bought eighty acres of uncleared land in section 36, Deer Creek township, paying for this land the sum of five dollars per acre, land which he cleared and improved with necessary buildings, later erecting a barn. twenty-four by forty feet. In later years he rebuilt his house and it is now a good, comfortable home. Mr. Johnson is now engaged in general farming, together with dairying and raising hogs and also as auctioneer in farm sales.
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On April 10, 1890, Jerry F. Johnson was married to .Alvina Leese- berg, and to this marriage have been born four children, Laura, Harry, Arthur and Walter, all of whom are unmarried. Mr. Johnson and his family are connected with the German Lutheran church.
In public life Jerry F. Johnson served for fifteen years as a supervisor ; an efficient and able chairman of that body, who was instrumental in the movements for much of the county's civic progress. Mr. Johnson is a leading member of the Modern Woodmen of America lodge at Deer Creek, and is a man who in the various lines of activity in Deer Creek township has proved to the locality his great value as a citizen.
THOMAS CAREW.
Thomas Carew is a pioneer citizen of Otter Tail county, and has taken no small part in the development of the community's interests and resources, a man of broad experience in life. He is a citizen, who because of his public- spirited manner in local matters, has won a place of prominence and honor among his fellow citizens and associates.
Thomas Carew was born in Ontario, Canada, on December 19, 1840, the son of Thomas and Margaret ( Sargent ) Carew. Thomas Carew, Sr., was a native of Ireland and the son of Thomas Carew, who was born in Ireland and lived in that country until the year 1833, when with a colony of people sent out by the government of Great Britain, he came to Canada, locating at a settlement known as Peters Burrow, which received its name from Peter Robinson, who was at the head of the party who first reached the vicinity for residence. Grandfather Thomas Carew lived in Canada, where he owned a farm of one hundred and twenty acres, for the remainder of his days. He died in 1855; his wife, Esther (Golden) Carew surviving him and living to be more than one hundred years of age. Thomas and Esther Carew were the parents of five children, Samuel, Richard, John, Thomas, father of the subject of this sketch, and Robert. Thomas Carew and his family were all members of the Church of England.
Thomas Carew, Sr., father of the subject of this sketch, was educated in the public schools of Ireland, after which he went to Canada, there locat- ing on a farm of one hundred acres, which he cultivated for the remainder of his active life. His first wife having died during the year 1862, he was again married, his second wife dying two years after their marriage. Thomas Carew, Sr., then came to Otter Tail county and lived with his son, Thomas, for some time and then later returned to his home in Canada, where he died in 1884.
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