USA > Minnesota > Otter Tail County > History of Otter Tail County, Minnesota : its people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 93
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Mr. Burton has long been identified with the Republican party and has been prominent in its councils in Oak Valley township. He is now serving his second year as chairman of the board of supervisors of Oak Valley town- ship.
JOHN L. OLSON.
Born in Norway in November, 1864, John L. Olson, of Inman township, who is well known as a farmer and citizen, was educated in the public schools of his native land and came to Fillmore county, Minnesota, in 1884.
Mr. Olson is the son of Ole and Mary Olson, both of whom were born in Norway and both of whom died in that country. Mr. Olson's father died in 1871 and his mother several years afterward. They were members of the Lutheran church and had a family of several children, some of whom died in infancy. Those who grew to maturity were, Anna, Olaf, Mary, and John L., the subject of this sketch.
After coming to Fillmore county, Minnesota, in 1884, John L. Olson immigrated to South Dakota, and homesteaded land, where he lived until 1800. He then came back to Minnesota and settled in Otter Tail county. purchasing one hundred and sixty acres of land in section 23. Later he sold this farm and purchased eighty acres in section 27, to which he moved in 1912. Mr. Olson has erected good buildings on the farm. He raises good crops which are current in this section of the state and not only has been successful in this respect, but has enjoyed a large success as a stockman. He is a stockholder in the Henning Shipping Association.
Several years ago, Mr. Olson was married in Otter Tail county, to Martha Seversen, who was born southwest of Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1861. Mr. and Mrs. Olson have been the parents of two children. Lewis, born on April 30, 1901, and Myrtle, who died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Olson enjoy the confidence of all of their neighbors and are popular in Inman township.
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GILBERT K. PEDERSON.
Gilbert K. Pederson, who is one of the most extensive farmers in Sver- drup township, where he owns two hundred and sixty-seven acres of splendid farming land, is a native of the township where he lives, and was born on February 4, 1878. Gilbert K. Pederson is a son of Knut and Mary Pederson, who are mentioned elsewhere in this volume.
Born and reared on a farm and educated in the public schools, Mr. Pederson grew up on his father's old homestead, and has been an active farmer all his life. He has made a specialty of raising stock, and has been very successful in this line of agriculture. In fact, he is known as one of the most successful stockmen in the township.
On June 2. 1903, Gilbert K. Pederson was married to Ragna Stomforo, who was born in 1885 in Sverdrup township, and who is a daughter of the late Fred Stomforo, of this township. Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert K. Pederson are the parents of six children, all of whom are living, as follow: Fred, Marion, Elmer, Grace, Ella, Clifford.
Mrs. Pederson's father and mother were both natives of Norway, and educated in the schools of that country. They came to America about 1872. and settled in Otter Tail county, where they homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land. It was here that Fred Stomforo spent his last days. Mrs. Pederson's mother is now living in her home.
When the history of this township and section is written it must accord to Gilbert K. Pederson high rank as a farmer, citizen and business man. He has worthily discharged all the duties of life, both private and public.
FREDERICK PRENTICE.
Frederick Prentice, prominent farmer of Rush Lake township, Otter Tail county, Minnesota, was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on June 10, 1873, the son of Adam F. and Sarah ( Birch ) Prentice, both of whom were natives of Canada. Adam F. Prentice, after leaving his native country, went to Boston, Massachusetts, where he remained for some time and then moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he engaged in the oil business and then, in the year 1879, the elder Prentice homesteaded a farm in the state of North Dakota, where he spent his last days, dying in the year 1905. His widow, Sarah, survived her husband until the year 1915, dying on February 10 of that year. Adam F. and Sarah Prentice were the parents of the following children, Wesley, Deborah, Frederick, Florence, William and Edith.
Frederick Prentice received his education in the schools of Pittsburgh. Pennsylvania, and in the schools of North Dakota, to which state he went with his parents, in the year 1879, after which he came to the state of Min-
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nesota and became a student at the University of Minnesota, from the dairy department of which he graduated in 1890. Following his graduation from college, he came to Deer Creek, where he had charge of a creamery from 1890 until 1893, and then Mr. Prentice engaged in the hardware business for about two years. In 1905, Frederick Prentice came to the town of Rich- ville and became a member of the firm known as Prentice & Brooks, general merchants, continuing in this line of business until September, 1910, when he bought a farin of one hundred and twenty acres in Rush Lake township, where he now engages in general farming and in stock raising. Mr. Pren- tice is also the owner of a first-class residence in the town of Richville.
In 1902, Frederick Prentice was married to Mary Hackett, who was born in Wisconsin, in 1877, the daughter of Frank and Ann Hackett, and to this marriage have been born six children, Erma, Clifford and Clifton, twins; Merle, Dorothy and Ramona.
Frederick Prentice has taken a prominent place in the business life of the community, he with Charles F. Franz and O. A. Zimmer, well-known citizens of Rush Lake township, having been the organizers of the Rush- ville Telephone Company, a corporation of which Mr. Prentice is the chief stockholder.
JOHN WALLACE.
Among the progressive and energetic farmers and business men of Otter Tail county, is John Wallace, a native of Michigan, having been born in Ann Arbor on September 25, 1869. He is the son of John and Mary Ann ( Fer- guson ) Wallace, both of whom were born in Scotland, the father being born in 1829 and the mother in 1827. In 1855 Mr. Wallace left his native country and came to Canada, where he remained until the next year, on the arrival of Mary Ferguson, whom he married and they took up their residence in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
The family remained in Ann Arbor until 1879, when they came to Can- dor township, where the father entered one hundred and twenty acres of land in section 4. Substantial buildings were erected and the land improved. and here the father and mother made their home until their death, the former on March 31, 1915, and the latter on April 26, 1903, They were the parents of the following children : Margaret, Hannah and John, Jr.
John Wallace received his education in the town of his birth and in the public schools of Cander township. Coming to the new home when but a lad of ten years, he experienced the difficulties of getting an education in the rural schools of that time, as well as the trials of the boy on an undeveloped and unimproved farm. Most of the farm was cleared and improved by the
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elder Mr. Wallace and his young son, and many difficulties were encoun- tered and overcome.
John Wallace today owns and operates the old home place, where he carries on general farming and stock raising. The farm is an index of the progressive and industrious farmer of today, being well cared for and the Stock among the best. Mr. Wallace is also a stockholder in the Equity Ware- house at Vergas.
On January 11, 1905, John Wallace was married to Ella Nicholson, who was born on January 15, 1883, in Norway, having come to the United States in early life.
Mr. and Mrs. Wallace are the parents of the following children : Rob- ert Marlin, born on October 12, 1905; Bessie Margaret, October 23, 1907; John William, April 9, 1910; Mary Elizabeth, May 20, 1912, and Harold Waller, November 13, 1914.
FRED C. BRANDT.
Among the well-known farmers of Maplewood township, Otter Tail county, Minnesota, is Fred C. Brandt, who was born in Germany, on April 14, 1846, the son of Henry and Sophia Brandt, both of whom were natives of Germany, in which country they lived their entire life.
Fred C. Brandt came to America in September, 1864, and located at Waverly, Bremer county, Iowa, where he lived until 1882, and then moved to Fergus Falls, Minnesota, working near that city for H. E. Page, a well- known farmer of the community, after which Mr. Brandt came to Maple- wood township and bought a small farm, which he has extensively improved and supplied with good equipment and where he now engages in general agricultural pursuits.
In 1869, Fred C. Brandt was married to Sophia Fischer, who was born in Cook county, Illinois, in 1852, the daughter of Henry and Sophia Fischer, who were among the early settlers of Cook county, where the elder Fischer lived for some time and then moved to the state of Iowa, where he farmed for some time and then moved to Wall Lake township, Otter Tail county. Minnesota, where he spent the remainder of his days. To the marriage of Fred C. and Sophia Brandt have been born the following children : Emma, now deceased, who married William Haverty; Herman, who after service in the Spanish-American War, where he became incapacitated as the result of typhoid fever, returned to Minnesota and was appointed to a position at the state hospital, at Fergus Falls, where he has been engaged for sixteen years : Mary, who is the wife of Frank Bone, formerly of Maplewood town- ship, now of Kidder county, North Dakota: Henry, who after two years as an employee of the state hospital at Fergus Falls and after some time as a
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mail carrier became a student of, and graduated from, a college of phar- macy, after which he became a pharmacist of Omaha, Nebraska; and Clara, who is an employee of the state hospital, at Salem, Oregon.
Fred C. Brandt has served on the school board of Maplewood township for fourteen years and is a citizen who has taken an active part in the advance- ment and development of the community and its interests.
DAVID TULLIS.
David Tullis, a native of Canada and a retired citizen of New York Mills, Newton township, Otter Tail county, Minnesota, is the son of David and Matilda Tullis, who were also natives of Canada.
In 1883 the Tullis family came to Otter Tail county, Minnesota, and homesteaded one hundred and thirty-six acres of land in Newton township about two miles from New York Mills. David Tullis, Sr., died on this home- stead farm after he had succeeded in clearing much of the land, in 1908. His wife died many years previously in 1895. They were the parents of five children, of whom three, Arthur, the eldest, Margaret and Mary the two youngest, are deceased. The two living children are, Thomas and David, the subject of this sketch.
David Tullis was reared and educated in Canada. He came to Newton township, Otter Tail county, with his parents and has done most of the work on the old homestead farm. Some years ago, however, Mr. Tullis, purchased the homestead of one hundred and thirty-six acres in section 18, of Newton township. Mr. Tullis is ummarried. He has never aspired to office and lives a quiet life. He now lives on his farm and enjoys life. He has a good farm and produces abundant crops and keeps his farm in an up-to-date manner. In fast. it is doubtful whether there is a farm of the same size in Newton township which produces more abundantly than the farm owned by David Tullis.
Mr. Tullis is popular in the neighborhood where he lives and, although a man of modest and unassuming manners and of quiet demeanor, he is admired and respected in this community.
JOHN SAYER.
One of the best known and successful farmers of Otter Tail county, is John Sayer, a German by birth, having been born in that country on July 18. 1860. He is the son of Joseph and Walberga (Schneiderhaun ) Sayer, both of whom were natives of Germany, where they died, the father in 1900 and the mother in 1864.
John is one of a family of five children as follow: Carl. John, Katie.
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Mary and Magdaline. all of whom are alive excepting Mary. John Sayer received his education in his native country, where he grew to manhood. On coming to the United States he settled in Scott county, Minnesota, where he worked as a farm hand for some time, after which he located in McCloud county, where he purchased eighty acres of land. After selling this land some time later, he came to Otter Tail county, in 1887, and bought one hun- dred and sixty acres in section 4, Candor township. Later, he purchased forty acres in Hobert township.
Mr. Sayer has always lived an active and industrious life and by con- stant application to his work, he has succeeded in clearing his farm, on which are to be seen substantial and well-kept buildings. He has a barn thirty-four by fifty-four feet, which is one of the best in the township. The farm is well tilled and always in a high state of cultivation. Mr. Sayer practices general farming and is an extensive stock raiser, in both of which he is most successful. He is a stockholder in the creamery at Vergas and is active in its management. For the past six years he has been treasurer of the school board and takes an active interest in all educational work.
In 1889 Mr. Sayer was married, at Frazee, Becker county, to Margaret Shear, who was a native of Canada and the daughter of Ignatius and Malissa Shear. The father died in Canada, the mother and family came to Otter Tail county, where she died in 1914, while making her home with Mr. and Mrs. Sayer.
Mr. and Mrs. Sayer are the parents of the following children, all of whom are alive: Louis, Clements, Henry, Katrine, Theresa, Francesca and George.
PERRY REYNOLDS.
Perry Reynolds, a well-to-do farmer of Scambler township, was born on October 4. 1859, in Branch county, Michigan. He was the son of Ambrose and Margaret ( Delori) Reynolds, both of whom were born in New York, the father on October 31, 1827, and the mother in 1826. They both settled in Branch county in early life and were married there, having lived in Ligonier, Indiana, for a time. The family owned a farm in Michi- gan, which was sold, and then they came to Olmsted county, Minnesota, in 1887. where the father died in 1897 and the mother in 1901. They were the parents of three children: Harrison, who is dead, Clarissa and Perry.
Perry Reynolds received his education in Branch county, Michigan. where he grew to manhood. In 1882 he left the state of his nativity and located in Olmsted county, Minnesota, after which he removed to Dodge county, where he purchased land and remained until 1899, when he came to Otter Tail county and bought one hundred and sixty acres in section 26.
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Scambler township. Here he has made his home and the farm has been much improved, the care of the buildings receiving his careful attention and the entire place being an index of the careful, prudent farmer. In the past, Mr. Reynolds has been a member of the school board and for the past two years has been supervisor of his township. He is a man held in high esteem by those who know him and has been successful in his life work.
Mr. Reynolds was married in April, 1892, to Ann Caldwell, who was born on May 19, 1872, in Dodge county, and who was the daughter of Thomas and Lany ( Billings ) Caldwell. The father was born in Wisconsin in 1845 and the mother in Indiana in 1847. Mr. and Mrs. Caldwell came to Dodge county from Wisconsin in 1870 and here made their home, where the mother died in February. 1915. They were the parents of five children : Ellen, Anna, Williain, Thomas and Roy. Mr. Caldwell served in the army during the entire Civil War, having enlisted in the Eighth Wisconsin Infan- try in 1861.
Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds are the parents of six children as follow : May, Floyd, Ethel, Hazel, William, deceased, and Pearl.
ROBERT HORNER.
Born in St. Claire county, at Fair Haven, Michigan, February 9, 1851, Robert Horner, a well-to-do farmer of Oak Valley township, began life as a poor man, and is today rated not only as a successful farmer, but as one of the leading citizens of the township where he lives. Mr. Horner has property in Deer Creek and is a prominent stockholder in the Lyman cream- ery. He is the owner of one hundred and sixty acres of land, and this farm is now operated by his son. Mr. Horner is living retired after many years of active labor in the farming and business world.
Robert Horner is a son of Samuel and Bridget Horner, who were natives of County Cork, Ireland, and of Scotland, respectively. After their marriage, Samuel and Bridget Horner settled in St. Claire county, Michigan, where the former was killed in an accident in 1868. His wife had died previously in 1851, when her son, Robert, was only an infant. Samuel Hor- ner and wife were the parents of four children, Maggie, Samuel, Alice and Robert. Mr. Horner's father had been previously married, and by his first marriage there were two sons, John and James, both of whom are deceased. By a third marriage he had six children.
Robert Horner lived in Michigan until he reached the age of eleven years, and attended the public schools of St. Claire county. He came at the age of eleven years to Rice county, Minnesota, where he lived until 1898, at which time he moved to Otter Tail county, Minnesota. Mr. Horner had owned fifty acres of land in Rice county. After coming to Otter Tail county
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he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of landin section 8, of Oak Valley township. During the next few years, Mr. Horner made many substantial improvements on his farm, erecting good buildings, fences, and draining and cultivating the land. His barn is large and commodious, being thirty-two by fifty feet in dimensions. He has cleared all of his land with the excep- tion of fifty-five acres, there being at the present time one hundred and fifteen acres under cultivation. In 1914 Mr. Horner retired from active life and moved to Deer Creek, where he is now living. His son, Samuel R., rents the farm and operates it for his father.
On July 22, 1876, Mr. Horner was married to Malissa Gilhousen, who was born in Rice county, Minnesota, and who is a daughter of Elias and Elizabeth ( Gifford ) Gilhousen, both of whom were natives of Pennsylvania, and came to Rice county, Minnesota, in pioneer days. They later lived in McCloud county, Minnesota, but died in Rice county.
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Horner are the parents of eight children, of whom one, Nora Ellen, the eldest child, is deceased. The living children are Fran- cis M., Mary Ellen, Robert Allen, Cora Ellen, Fannie Esther, Samuel Ray. and Grace Ellen.
Mr. Horner served on the township board for eight years, and also served on the school board of the township for a number of years. He has been prominent in local affairs, and is rated in the township where he lives as a first-class citizen.
JOHN B. LEHMANN.
Born in Hastings, Dakota county, Minnesota, August 27, 1864, John B. Lehmann, a prosperous farmer of Oak Valley township, Otter Tail county, Minnesota, owns eighty acres of land in section 14, Oak Valley township, and is well known as a farmer and stockman.
Mr. Lehmann is the son of Frederick and Mary ( Roller ) Lehmann. His father was born in Germany in 1825 and his mother in 1838. The former came to America and settled at Burlington, lowa, when still a young man. Later he moved to Hastings, Minnesota, in pioneer days and was married there. He and his wife were the parents of eight children, all of whom are living, John B., Frank, Fred, Albert, George, Otto, Ernest and Bertha. The late Frederick Lehmann and his wife came to Otter Tail county, Minnesota, in 1876, and located on a farin in section 12, of Oak Valley township. Here he lived until his removal to Wadena in 1893. He lived in Wadena about ten years, passing away in that town in 1903. His widow is still living and is now a resident of Wadena.
John B. Lehmann was reared on a farm principally in Oak Valley town- ship. Otter Tail county, and was educated in the public schools of the town-
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ship. Mr. Lehmann owns eighty acres of land in section 14, of Oak Valley township, and has been prominent as a farmer and stockman for many years. He is a stockholder in the Farmers Co-operative Creamery Company at Hewitt, Minnesota.
On November 21, 1895, Mr. Lehmann was married to Mary Ann Mar- shall, who was born in Iowa, on February 25, 1874. Mrs. Lehmann is the daughter of Rasmus and Laura ( Nelson) Marshall, the latter of whom was born in Denmark in 1853, and who is now living at Wadena.
Mr. and Mrs. John B. Lehmann have been the parents of six children, all of whom are living and whose names in the order of their births are as follow : Erwin Stanley, Florence Lillian, Robert, Irene, Clarence and Edna.
Mr. Lehmann has been a member of the school board in Oak Valley township for some years and has also been road overseer in this township. He is a prominent farmer and citizen and a popular man in the neighborhood where he lives.
JOSEPH H. FARNHAM.
Born in Jefferson township, Buchanan county, Iowa, September 14, 1856, Joseph H. Farnham, a well-to-do farmer of Oak Valley township, Otter Tail county, Minnesota, is the son of Sidney and Catherine (Jones) Farnham, the former of whom was born in Oswego, New York, and the latter near Toronto, Canada. Mrs. Catherine (Jones) Farnham was the daughter of John Jones, who came to America from Lincolnshire, England, and, after living in Canada for some time, migrated to the United States and settled at Rockford, Illinois. John Jones was a soldier in the War of 1812 and was taken prisoner during the war. He and his wife died at Rockford.
Mr. Farnham's father, the late Sidney Farnham, immigrated to Rock- ford, Illinois, in pioneer times and, after his marriage at that place, moved to Iowa in 1853. In 1857 he returned to Rockford, Illinois, but came back to Iowa in 1876 and there died in 1888 at the age of seventy-two years. His wife died several years later. They had seven children, William, Joseph, George, Addie, Benjamin, Debbie and John.
Joseph H. Farnham was reared at Rockford, Illinois, and attended the public schools of that city. He came to Iowa with his parents in 1876 and engaged in farming there until 1882, when he immigrated to South Dakota. Mr. Farnham lived in South Dakota nine years and then returned to Iowa and lived there for one year, after which he returned to South Dakota. In 1895 he came to Otter Tail county, Minnesota, and in 1897 purchased a farm of forty acres, soon adding forty acres and later one hundred and sixty
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acres in sections 21 and 16, of Oak Valley township. Mr. Farnham is a general farmer and stockman and has been prominent in this county since coming here.
On March 10, 1878, Joseph H. Farnham was married to Lois Hill, who was born on February 15, 1859, in Wisconsin and who is the daughter of Frank and Rebecca (Smith) Hill. They died in the state of Wisconsin when Mrs. Farnham was a small girl. Her mother died about 1867. Mr. and Mrs. Farnham have nine children, Edna, Elmer, Everett, Ethel, Elsie, Ernest, George, Olive and Della.
Mr. Farnham has served as supervisor of Oak Valley township for several years and is the present supervisor of the township. He also served as a member of the school board for several years and has been otherwise prominent in local affairs. In the community where he has lived for several years, Mr. Farnham is rated as a first-rate and successful farmer.
SYVERT SKARSBO.
Born in Norway, December 28, 1871, Syvert Skarsbo, a prosperous farmer of Nidaros township, is the son of Sakaros and Anna ( Knutson) Skarsbo, both of whom were born in Norway. Mr. Skarsbo's father died in 1912 at the age of eighty-four years, while his mother is still living in Norway, and is now about seventy-five years old. Syvert Skarsbo is one of nine children, one of whom, Berit Anna, is deceased. The other living children are Knut, Anna, Yatina, Olavus, Anna, Edward and Christiana.
Educated in the public schools of his native land, Syvert Skarsbo came to Otter Tail county, Minnesota, in 1892, settling first at Clitherall, in the vicinity of which he worked by the month for a number of years on neigh- boring farms. In 1903 Mr. Skarsbo purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land in section 28 of Nidaros township, and from time to time he has added to this farm until he now owns two hundred and twenty acres of land in one body, besides forty-five acres in section 15, of Nidaros township. The buildings which now stand on the farm were already erected when Mr. Skarsbo purchased the farm. However, he has built many rods of fencing. and made other substantial improvements.
In 1904 Syvert Skarsho was married to Clara Ellingson, who was born in Nidaros township in 1883, on the farm where she is now living, which her husband owns. She is a daughter of Truls and Leva Ellingson, both of whom were natives of Norway, the former of whom was born on July 22. 1835, and the latter in 1838. They emigrated to America in 1861, locating in Houston county, Minnesota, where their marriage occurred. They came to Otter Tail county in 1872, homesteading one hundred and sixty acres of land in Nidaros township, and it is this farm which now belongs to Syvert
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