USA > Minnesota > Otter Tail County > History of Otter Tail County, Minnesota : its people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 85
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Norway. They were married in Norway on October, 1858, and in 1883, came to Minneapolis, where they lived until 1889, in which year they removed to West Valley, Minnesota, homesteading one hundred and sixty acres of land. His wife died here on January 29, 1915. Berndt Wigen and his wife were the parents of eight children: John, a resident of St. Paul; Alfred, who lives in Canada; Mrs. A. Mickelson, and Mrs. A. Nelsen, both of whom are living at Argyle, Minnesota; Mrs. Ole Aune, of West Valley; Mrs. Peter Myhr, of Minneapolis, and two who died early in life. They also have thirty-nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Mr. and Mrs. Ole P. Ness are the parents of three children : Myrtle, born in 1906; Helmer, born in 1909, and Orville, whose birth occurred in 1912.
Mr. Ness has cleared practically all of his land himself, and has made many substantial improvements on his place, including the erection of fine farm buildings.
Mr. Ness and his family are earnest and devout members of the Luth- eran church.
OLAF A. VINJE.
Olaf A. Vinje. the eldest son of Olaf and Mathea ( Brenna) Vinje was born in Norway, March 5, 1867. His father, Olaf Vinje, was a brother of the distinguished Norwegian poet, Osmund Vinje. He was born in Tele- marken, Norway, October 5, 1832. Mathea ( Brenna) Vinje was born in Eidskogen, Norway, January 3, 1844: They came to America in 1882 and located on a farm in St. Olaf township, Otter Tail county, Minnesota. Here Mr. Vinje's parents spent the rest of their lives. When they first came to this farm it was a barren tract of land, but is now highly productive and is well improved. When Olaf Vinje first came to this country he operated a store and was later appointed as postmaster. He retired from the mercan- tile business, and resigned as postmaster and devoted his time to farming. Mrs. Olaf Vinje died on December 13, 1900. Olaf Vinje died on August 19, 19II.
There were twelve children in the Vinje family, all of whom are living, except one girl who died in Norway. Olaf A., the eldest, is the immediate subject of this sketch; Martha, married to N. O. Melby, resides at Fergus Falls, Minnesota: Syver is a physician and surgeon at Hillsboro, North Dakota; Ragnhild married Anton Thompson, county attorney of Otter Tail county ; Osmund. Eivin and Svein are practicing dentistry in Chicago, Illi- mois: Arne is an attorney at Steele. North Dakota: Signe married Olaf Schei, clothier at Fergus Falls, Minnesota ; Dagny married John F. Thomp-
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son, president of the Northern Oil company, and Helga, who married J. E. Styne.
Olaf A. Vinje received his education in the common schools of his native land. and was fifteen years of age when he came to America with his parents. By home study he has taught himself to read and write the English language. In 1912 Mr. Vinje first engaged in farming and now operates the home place. He has been very successful in his chosen voca- tion, and has applied himself assiduously to its successful operation.
REV. A. J. SCHAUT.
Among the many crusaders for spiritual freedom, none are more influential than those who are church leaders. A. J. Schaut is in this class and as pastor of an appreciative parish, he is sincerely respected by all who know him. A. J. Schaut is a native of Syracuse, New York, and his birth occurred on June 13, 1860. He is the son of W. F. Schaut and his wife, Mary A. Schaut, both natives of Syracuse, New York. W. F. Schaut was a civil engineer and followed that vocation for many years.
1. J. Schaut is indebted to the schools of Pennsylvania for his early education, having been a student in St. Mary's and later taking a course of study in the normal. in Florence, Alabama, from which school he gradu- ated in 1883. He then entered Notre Dame University. at South Bend, Indiana, and graduated from that institution of learning in 1894. He was ordamed at Notre Dame University, and soon after removed to St. Cloud. Minnesota, where he served in the capacity of assistant pastor of the cathe- (ral in that place. In 1895 he removed to St. Joseph, Minnesota, where he remained until 1904, at which time he began his duties in the parish of Per- ham, Minnesota, and is still engaged as a pastor, much beloved by the congregation.
THOMAS K. JOHNSON.
Thomas K. Johnson was born on November 6. 1845, in Guernsey county, Ohio, and is the son of Barney and Maria (Fitch ) Johnson, natives of Pennsylvania and Guernsey county, Ohio, respectively. Barney Johnson left his native state of Pennsylvania when a young man and located in Guernsey county, where he met and won Maria Fitch as his wife. By trade he was a carpenter and followed that vocation in Ohio until 1852, at which time he removed to Missouri and settled in St. Clair county, for seven years. He then transferred his location to the state of Iowa and resided in Wapello county for eighteen months, removing thence to Mower county, Minnesota, where he remained until his death in 1863. His demise resulted from con-
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sumption. Maria (Fitch) Johnson, after the death of her husband, mar- ried Julius Stone and lived to the age of more than seventy years, dying in November, 1894.
Both Barney Johnson and his wife, Maria ( Fitch ) Johnson, were active, loyal members of the Baptist church and were the parents of twelve chil- dren: William, who was a veteran of the Civil War and died in the state of Missouri; Robert was a farmer and lived in Colorado where his death occurred; Thomas K. is the subject of this sketch; Sarah Catherine, who is the widow of George Benton and now resides in Austin, Minnesota; John was a farmer and lived in Otter Tail county, Minnesota, where his deatlı occurred ; Barnabas was an employee of a railroad company and he passed away while a resident of Montana; Nancy became the wife of Caleb Powers and now makes her home in Austin, Minnesota; Theodosia became the wife of Homer Hubbard and they reside in Breckenridge, Minnesota; Virginia became the wife of Joseph Shannon and after her marriage removed to Los Angeles, California, where she still lives; three other children there were, but they died in infancy.
Reared on his father's farm in Minnesota, Thomas K. Johnson received his education in the public schools of his locality. On November 1, 1863, he enlisted in Company B, Second Minnesota Cavalry, and remained in service for the period of two years and one month, during the Civil War. He was in the western division of the army which was sent out to fight the Indians. He was engaged in agricultural pursuits until 1878, and at that time removed to Otter Tail county and settled in Amor township, where he cultivated one hundred and fifty-seven acres of homestead land. This land was in section 4 and was a veritable wilderness, but with the courage and perseverance of the pioneer, he built a log house with a thatched roof and began clearing the land, preparatory to cultivation, improving it in every way possible and remained there until 1904, at which time he removed to the town of Richville, which was being built. Here he entered the com- mercial life of this thriving town by engaging in the saw-mill industry and, at the same time, assisted his wife in the general merchandise store which she owned and operated. Since their removal to Richville, the farmi has been sold and thirty acres of town property has been purchased. They have a nice, comfortable home and are fully prepared to enjoy the future years of plenty and peace.
Thomas K. Johnson was united in marriage to Nellie French on Decem- ber 23, 1869. She is the daughter of Monroe and Sarah (Landon ) Frenchi and was born on August 22, 1845, in Sugar Island, Wisconsin, a town that is situated not far from Milwaukee. Sarah (Landon) French was a native
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of Canada, but some years after her birth removed to Wisconsin, where she later met and married Monroe French. Monroe French was a native of Stratford, New Hampshire. They married in Wisconsin but removed to Austin, Minnesota, where they both died.
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas K. Johnson are the parents of ten children, three of whom are now living: Herman is a farmer in Saskatchewan, Canada ; Stephen is a stationary engineer and lives in Mason City, lowa; Alberta married Frederick Atwood, but is now the wife of Allen McWhirter and they live in Virginia, Minnesota; Elsie became the wife of Thomas Mills, but passed away at the age of twenty-six years.
Thomas K. Johnson was one of seven men who organized the Richville Telephone Company. He also served as school treasurer for the period of eighteen years, in district 170, in Amor township. He also served as super- visor for the same length of time. Fraternally, he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He is also an honored member of the Grand Army of the Republic, of Fergus Falls, Minnesota. With the exception of two years he has been chairman of the Richville council since its organization.
ANDERS H. HOLM.
The late Anders H. Holm, who was one of the well-known citizens of Sverdrup township and one of its most enterprising farmers until his death on April 22, 1913, was a native of Norway, where he was born on Novem- ber 12, 1860.
Mr. Holm was the son of Halvor and Sigred (Andersen) Thoresen, both of whom were natives of Norway and who came to Otter Tail county, Minnesota, in 1887. After coming to this country they lived with their son, Anders H., until their deaths. Mr. Holm's father died on June 12. IQII, at the age of eighty-six years and his mother died in 1898, at the age of seventy-one.
The late Anders H. Holm was reared on a farm and educated in the public schools of Norway. Upon coming to America in 1884 he came to Otter Tail county and purchased seventy-five acres of land where the Holm family now lives. This land is located in Sverdrup township. Here Anders Holm lived for twenty years. Later, however, he purchased one hundred and fifty-one acres of land in the same township, farming both tracts of land until his death. After his death, his widow sold the second farm and moved to the first farm of seventy-five acres, where she built a splendid residence and a good barn and where she now lives. Anders Holm was a stockholder in the cheese factory at Phelps, Minnesota, and a stockholder in the co-operative mercantile store at Underwood.
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In 1886 Anders Holm was married to Hanna Carlsen, who was born in Sweden on March 1I, 1862, the daughter of Carl and Christine (Peder- son) Carlsen, both of whom were also natives of Sweden. Mrs. Holm's father was born on April 30, 1825, and her mother on May 1, 1829. Her father died in Sweden at the age of forty-nine and the mother at the age of fifty-three. Mrs. Holm was the third child in a family of six children, the others being, John, Alfred, Peter, France and Amanda. Mr. Holm and wife were the parents of twelve children, of whom eight are deceased, Sena, Anna, Sena, Harold, Carl, Andrew, Amanda and Arnold. The living chil- dren are Anna, Alma, Elvin and Clara.
Mr. Holm was more or less prominent in the political life of his town- ship and throughout his life was an ardent Republican. The Holm family has been conspicuously identified with the Lutheran church. Mr. Holm was a member of this church as is also his widow at the present time.
JOHN T. THOMPSON.
Born on October 25, 1872, in St. Olaf township, Otter Tail county, Minnesota. John T. Thompson, who is a farmer and business man of Dalton, Minnesota, is the son of Isaak and Ingeborganna Thompson, both of whom were natives of Norway. Mr. Thompson's father was born in Stod, Nor- way, January 18, 1822, and was a laborer in his native land. In 1857 he came to America and made his home in Iowa, for ten years. Mr. Thomp- son's mother was born in Stod. Norway. October 18, 1833. She came to America in 1865 and they were married at Decorah, Iowa, in 1866. In 1867 they moved to St. Olaf township where the father homesteaded one hundred and seventy acres of land where he lived the remainder of his active life on the farm. They spent their last years at Dalton, Minnesota.
Mr. and Mrs. Isaak Thompson were the parents of three children. One boy who died an infant. Annie was born on November 18, 1868. On November 18. 1801, she was married to Fred Anderson. They are farmi- ing at Aurora, Oregon. The third child was John T., the subject of this sketch. They were members of the Lutheran church. Isaak Thompson died on February 17, 1915, and Mrs. Thompson died on January 17, 1914
John T. Thompson was educated in the common schools of St. Olaf township, Otter Tail county and, when a young man, began life on his father's farm on his own responsibility. When he was twenty-one years old he was presented with the home farm by his father and has owned it ever since. In 1900 he engaged in the clothing business at Dalton, Minne- sota. He retired from the clothing business in 1915. He is now interested in the Northern Oil Company. Mr. Thompson is a stockholder and director
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of the First State Bank of Dalton and is otherwise prominent in commercial circles in this section of Otter Tail county.
On May 25. 1913, John T. Thompson was married to Dagny Vinje, and to them has been born one child, Margaret Irene.
Mr. and Mrs. Thompson are members of the Norwegian Lutheran church. Mr. Thompson is independent in politics. He is an intelligent and prosperous business man and is popular, not only in his home community, but throughout this and adjoining counties, where he is so well known.
EDWARD C. EMBERTSON.
Edward C. Embertson is one of the progressive farmers of Parkers Prairie township, Otter Tail county, Minnesota, and his superior intelligence, along the chosen line of his endeavor, has made him an authority ou many questions pertaining to agriculture. He is one of the seven children born to the union of Edward Embertson and Clara Knutson, both natives of Nor- way, and his birth occurred on November 10, 1869, in Vernon county, Wisconsin. Edward Embertson was born on April 11, 1847, in Norway, and immigrated to America when a small child. His education was received in the common schools of Vernon county, Wisconsin, following which he was employed as a river driver, and in summer he was engaged in the pine forests in preparation for the winter work. Clara Knutson was born on August 26, 1847, and immigrated to America with her parents, who located in Vernon county, Wisconsin. It was in that state that her marriage to Edward Embertson was solemnized.
Shortly after their marriage Edward Embertson and his wife removed to Otter Tail county, Minnesota, locating in Parkers Prairie township, on one hundred and sixty acres of land which they purchased under the home- stead law. Their abode on this farm was begun in 1870, and for many years their struggle to successfully cultivate and market their products was a mighty one indeed, there being no roads and the location of their farm being far removed from their market place. In spite of the many difficulties, however, they managed very successfully, and many improve- ments on the farm were made. The names of their seven children are as follow : Edward C., John, Matilda, Julia, Ellen, Emma and Laura. John is an attorney-at-law, at Parkers Prairie. Minnesota; Matilda is a teacher in the schools of Fergus Falls, Minnesota: Julia is a nurse at Sauk Center, Minnesota : Ellen is the wife of P. M. Johnson, and lives in Orleans, Minne- sota; Emma is a teacher in the schools of Two Harbors, Minnesota, while Laura lives with her mother at Henning. Minnesota.
The grandparents of Edward C. Embertson were Engbret and Ingeborg
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Sherve, both natives of Norway, who immigrated to America in 1858 and located in Vernon county, Wisconsin. Ingbret Sherve engaged in agricul- tural pursuits and followed that vocation until his death. His son, Edward Embertson, died on June 6, 1903. Edward Embertson was one of the organizers of the Norwegian Lutheran church in Parkers Prairie town- ship, Otter Tail county, Minnesota, in which church he was an active mem- ber and served in various offices. His early political faith was in favor of the Republican party, but later he became an advocate of independent princi- ples and continued to cast his vote in favor of the people.
Edward C. Embertson is indebted to the common schools of Parkers Prairie township for his early education, his studies being completed in the commercial college of Willmar, Minnesota. Soon after his student days, he engaged in school teaching, and followed this vocation for a period of three years, after which he accepted a position in the auditor's office in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, serving in this capacity for a period of six years. In 1898, he purchased the present farm, consisting of one hundred and sixty acres, which he devotes to general diversified farming.
On January 17, 1893, Edward C. Embertson was united in marriage to Hanna Olson, and to them have been born eight children, whose names follow : Clarence, Elma, Hulda, Laurence, Harris, Edna, Amy and Harlan. Hanna (Olson) Embertson was born on October 26, 1870, in Norway, and has been a devoted helpmeet and mother. She and her husband attend the Norwegian Lutheran church, and, while not members of the congregation, are active in its support. Edward C. Embertson casts his vote as an inde- pendent, and his influence always in favor of the best man.
WILLARD HAZEN.
Willard Hazen, farmer, Parkers Prairie, Otter Tail county, was born on August 24, 1863, in Monroe county, Wisconsin, and is a son of J. S. and Virginia ( Miller ) Hazen. He received his education at the public schools of Parkers Prairie township, and as a young boy started to work out in the timber. For fourteen springs and winters, he worked in the woods and on the rivers of Wisconsin and Minnesota, and during the sum- mers worked in the harvest fields of the Dakotas, after which he was for three years on the police force at Bemidji. When Parkers Prairie was first established he conducted a saloon for three years, and later became proprietor of a hotel for seven years. In 1913 he came to the farm on which he now lives, which he had bought the year before, consisting of eighty acres, on which he does general farming. Politically, Mr. Hazen has always given his support to the Republican party.
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J. S. Hazen, father of the subject of this sketch, was born in the state of New York, and his wife, Virginia ( Miller ) Hazen, was born in Virginia. Mr. Hazen followed farming in Wisconsin, and went to the Civil War in the Thirty-seventh regiment, Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, enlisting in 1863 and remaining out three years, participating in all the engagements of his regiment. In 1868. he came to Otter Tail county and homesteaded the place where Willard Hazen now resides, consisting of one hundred and sixty acres, but died before he received the homestead papers. Mrs. Hazen completed the arrangements for the homestead, and the family finally became the owners of two hundred and seventeen acres. Mrs. Hazen died in 1894. This union was blest with ten children : Charles, A. B., Ella, Edmund and Edgar ( twins ), William, Willard, Bell, Hattie and Fred.
Willard Hazen was united in marriage in October, 1886, with Mary Schroeder, by whom he has had nine children: \. I., Kattie, Betsey, Ora. Ray, Laura, Lillian, Herbert and Kenneth.
WILLIAM J. HOFFMANN.
A citizen who has given evidence of his interest in the development of the community in which he lives and who has used every effort to pro- mote its civic welfare, is William J. Hoffman, who as postmaster at Dent, has found opportunity to familiarize himself with many lines of business enterprise. William J. Hoffmann is a native of Germany, having been born in that country on the 22nd of April, 1872. He is the son of Gottlieb and Henrietta (Klug) Hoffmann, both of whom were born in Germany. Gott- lieb Hoffmann lived in Germany all his life, but his wife and the seven children whom they reared left their native land to come to America.
William Hoffmann received the elementary branches of education in the public schools of Germany, and was still a boy when his mother and her seven children came to Otter Tail county, Minnesota, in 1882. The family located in Dora township, where Mrs. Hoffmann, a woman of great strength of character, took a homestead claim on forty-seven acres of land. For a short while after their arrival. William J. Hoffmann attended the Dora township schools. He later availed himself of the educational advan- tages given at Perham, where he attended school for one term. His advancement in school affairs was remarkably rapid, and at the end of the term he was able to qualify for the profession of teaching in the public schools. He taught school, and after the first term turned his attention to the occupation of farming, which he followed for three years. At the end of that time he was able to buy the original Hoffmann homestead. owned by his mother. Aside from the duties of the farm management. he
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took charge of the postoffice at Dora, with which he was connected until 1903, when he moved to Dent. He has the distinction, with his business partner, of erecting the first mercantile business building in Dent. He remained in this location for two years when he returned to the farm. Dur- ing the two years which followed. Mr. Hoffmann experienced the disap- pointment of losing part of his financial gains of several years. He decided to return to Dent, where since 1907 he has been engaged in various lines of business enterprise, among which is the field of real estate,
In December. 1914, Mr. Hoffmann became postmaster at Dent. In political affairs he has always shown enthusiasm as a member of the Demo- cratic party. He was one of the leaders who were active in incorporating the town of Dent.
On the 27th of February, 1900, the marriage of William C. Hoffmann to Anna Stender was solemnized. Mr. and Mrs. Hoffmann have reared the following children : Herman, Elsa, who was the first child born in Dent ; William, Bennie, Frieda, Irwin and George.
WILLIAM H. KENDALL.
William H. Kendall, farmer, Parkers Prairie, Otter Tail county, was born on May 10, 1863, in Iowa, and is the son of Charles and Mary ( Reed) Kendall. His education was obtained at the public schools of Minnesota, after which he assisted his father on the farm, and still later took entire care of his parents for the remainder of their lives, at whose death he became the owner of the home place, about 1895, and now owns one hundred and seventy acres of fine agricultural land, on which he has put the most of the improvements. Mr. Kendall follows general farming, and on one part of his place he has a splendid fishing lake and a summer resort, including a cottage and boats, which he rents out. Politically, he is a Republican, and in religion his sympathies are with the Baptist church. Fraternally, he belongs to the Ancient Order of United Workmen.
Charles Kendall was born on April 18, 1825, in New Hampshire, and his wife, Mary ( Reed) Kendall, was born on October 18, 1827, in Ken- tucky. Mr. Kendall followed farming for a vocation, and came west about 1853, settling in Illinois for a short period, and then moved to the southern part of Minnesota, from where he moved in a few years to lowa. In 1881 he came to Otter Tail County and settled in Parkers Prairie, on the farm now owned by his son, consisting of one hundred and sixty acres, where he spent the remainder of his life in the vocation of agriculture. To Charles and Mary (Reed) Kendall were born two children, William H., and John F. Mr. Kendall was an ardent Republican but never sought public office.
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William H. Kendall was united in marriage on October 18, 1885, with Christena Bennett, daughter of A. J. Bennett. She was born on October 10, 1866. This union has been blest with one child, Nora, who was born on May 17. 1888, and is now the wife of Henry Fritz. They have one child. Betsey I ... born on Marsh 7, 1912.
Andrew Jackson Bennett, father of Mrs. William Kendall, was born on September 7, 1844, and was united in marriage with Rachel Emberson, who was born on August 9. 1846. in Norway. They came to Otter Tail county, Minnesota. June 10. 1875, and located in Parkers Prairie town- ship, where they took up a homestead of forty acres, and had a hard strug- gle to get along at first but by industry he finally became prosperous, and later bought eighty acres more from the railroad, giving him a fine tract of one hundred and twenty acres, where he did general farming. Mrs. Rachel Bennett died on September 26. 1893. Mr. Bennett put all the improve- ments on his place, which he sold in 1905. moving to Canada, where he still resides. Mr. and Mrs. Bennett had nine children : Daniel R., Chris- tena, Andrew E., who died at the age of two and one half years: Willie, who died aged twenty years; Elmina and Elmira, twins, the latter of whom died when twenty-six years of age: Della, who died at the age of twenty-seven years; Alma, and Chester, who lives in Canada. Mr. Bennett is a stanch Democrat, while in religion he is an ardent Baptist, in the work of which he has been active, holding the office of deacon.
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