History of Rice and Steele counties, Minnesota, Vol. II, Part 45

Author: Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn; Jewett, Stephen
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago, H. C. Cooper, Jr.
Number of Pages: 864

USA > Minnesota > Rice County > History of Rice and Steele counties, Minnesota, Vol. II > Part 45
USA > Minnesota > Steele County > History of Rice and Steele counties, Minnesota, Vol. II > Part 45

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both live at home. In May, 1906, Mr. Tuthill was married to Ella B. Andrews, the sister of his first wife. The only child by this marriage is one son, Thomas. E. S. Tuthill is a Republican in politics, a member of the M. W. A. and the A. O. A. of Owa- tonna. He has also been one of the school board. John O. Tuthill and Anne S. Green, his wife, parents of E. S. Tuthill, were natives of New York. Moving west, they settled in Wis- consin, remaining there until 1856, when coming to Minnesota they located in Meriden township. Mr. Tuthill kept busy im- proving his farm until he enlisted during the Civil War in 1862, in Company 1, Fourth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry. His death at Memphis, Tenn., in 1864, was the result of exposure in camp life and on the field. The mother, who remarried and is now Mrs. Powell. lives in Owatonna.

Henry O. Ruen, a progressive farmer of Steele county, was born in Winnishiek county, lowa, July 31, 1864. His early edn- cation was received in the district schools, and in practical mat- ters on his father's farm. After school he assisted on the home farm for a time, and then engaged in farming for himself, pur- chasing his present farm of a hundred and sixty acres in Steele county, in 1891, and moving onto it the following year. The farm is now mostly under cultivation and by hard work and modern farming methods has been developed to a high state of productiveness. The buildings and machinery are of the latest patterns, well adapted for economical farming. Holstein cattle, Poland China hogs and high bred Norman horses are success- fully raised. In politics, he votes independent of party, en- deavoring to pick the man best qualified for the office. He has served as supervisor and in other town offices. May 25. 1897, he was married to Caroline (Ege), daughter of Hans Ege, of Winnishiek county, Iowa. Four children have been born to them-Katrinka. Olga. Leonard and Arthur. The family attend the Lutheran Church, of which Mr. Rnen is a trustee. Ole P. and Carrie Ruen, parents of our subject, were natives of Norway, the father emigrating to this country while still a boy and locating in Dane county, Wisconsin, where he remained but a short time. Leaving here, he came to Winnishiek county, Iowa, purchasing a farm on which he followed farming up to the time of his death in 1893. The mother is still living. Eleven children were born to them, seven of whom are living-Peter, Emelia, Henry, Cornelia, Olans, Marie and Margaret. The father was prominent in the Lutheran Church. He was a Democrat in politics, and filled many township offices.

Alpha C. Thomas, of Blooming Prairie, was born in Scott county, Minnesota, January 29, 1872. He went to school in Scott and Kandiyohi counties and attended the Minneapolis

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Business College. Learning the carpenter's trade, he worked in Minneapolis until 1890 and then as superintendent of the Fuller Construction Company, was employed in Chicago, St. Louis and other large cities of the east and south. In 1896 he settled in Blooming Prairie. He has as a contractor built many public and private buildings in Minnesota and adjacent states. Mr. Thomas was married April 19, 1898, in Minneapolis, to Frances MI. Heskamp, of New Orleans, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Herman Heskamp. Her father was a merchant tailor. He died Novem- ber 30. 1891. Her mother is still living in New York City. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Thomas-Ray C., born January 23, 1899, died when five weeks old; Shirley B., born February 10, 1900; a daughter who died in infancy, born April 11, 1904; Lois C., born July 27, 1908. Mr. Thomas is politically a Republican and is a member of the Presbyterian Church. In the Masonic fraternity, he is a member of the Blue Lodge Chap- ter Commandery and a Shriner in St. Paul. He is also a member of the M. M. A. In civic affairs Mr. Thomas has always shown a keen interest. He has served as one of the city council for three years and been a member of the school board for five years. As a sportsman his skill is recognized and he is a mem- ber of the Blooming Prairie Gun Club. His success in life has resulted from his own untiring efforts. He has a beautiful modern home, which he built in 1900, besides other city property. Chester C. Thomas and Elizabeth Spurrier Thomas, parents of Alpha C. Thomas, were natives, respectively, of New York and Virginia. They removed to Wisconsin in 1855 and settled in Scott county, Minnesota, in 1866. In 1880 they located in Kandi- yohi county and in 1887 went to Minneapolis. Seventeen years later they came to Blooming Prairie. Mr. Thomas during the Civil War was a member of Company A, Second Regiment, Wis- consin Volunteer Infantry. He served two and a half years. In the battle of Gettysburg he was severely wounded. He was in the hospital six months before his final discharge. Mr. Thomas had six brothers in the Union army, two of whom were killed in battle. They were George. William, Charles, Joseph, Collins and Virgal. William and Charles died in battle.

Jay A. Kaspar, a prosperous farmer of Medford township, was born in Somerset township on January 14, 1879. He at- tended school at River Point, Somerset township, after which he entered the eighth grade of the Owatonna public schools. Leaving school, Mr. Kasper worked with his father on the farm. In 1903 he bought two hundred acres in section twelve, Medford township. The farm has been greatly improved in every way- fine buildings having been reared recently. Mr. Kasper takes great interest in his Holstein cattle. On March 15. 1904, he

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was married to Anna MI. Ripka. Mrs. Kasper's father is dead but her mother still lives. Two children have blessed the home of Mr. and Mrs. Kasper-Valdimore S. and Jay Jerome. Polit- ically, Mr. Kasper is a Democrat. He is a member of the M. W. A. and C. S. P. S., and serves on the school board, and is also interested in and a director of the Medford Creamery. Anton Kasper and Frances Simon, his wife, parents of the subject of this sketch. are natives of Bohemia. They came to America in 1864 and located in Pratt township, Steele county. Staying there a short time, they removed to Somerset township. where Mr. Kasper still conducts a general farming business.

Nis Petersen, the owner of a fertile farm in Blooming Prairic, was born in Denmark October 17, 1849. His parents, Thomas and Walberg (Juul) Petersen, spent their lives in their native country. They are both deceased. Nis received his education in Denmark and emigrated to America in 1872. Upon arriving in this country, he spent a few months in Illinois. Then he came to Steele county, where he remained for a few months. From there he moved to Howard county, Iowa, where he engaged in railroad work. He remained there for four years. In 1876, he came to Steele county and located in Blooming Prairie township, where he purchased one hundred and forty acres of land. He has greatly improved this land, has erected an up-to-date dwell- ing and other buildings, and has followed general and diversified farming here since. Mr. Petersen was married June 13, 1876. Six children have blessed their home, viz: Soren, now of Bixby Village, Steele county, was born November 6, 1877; Thomas, a clerk in a hardware store in Claremont, was born June 20, 1880: Carolina, now Mrs. John Jerdet, was born October 21, 1883 ; Chris, who resides at home, was born September 26, 1885; Nels, also at home, was born February 17, 1887 ; Agnes Christina Marie, residing at home, was born April 27, 1892. Mr. Petersen is a Republican in political sentiment. He is a member of the Danish Lutheran Church. He makes a specialty of breeding Shorthorn and Durham cattle and Norman horses, and has some very fine stock on his farm. He is an enterprising farmer and a highly respected citizen.

Thomas Thompson is a native of Blooming Prairie township, where he was born April 12, 1868. Here he attended the district school during his boyhood and afterward worked on his father's farm until his father's death. when Thomas bought the old home- stead from the other heirs, and now has one hundred and twenty acres, eighty acres in section thirty-four, Blooming Prairie town- ship, and forty acres, Freeborn county. He has never married, but his sister Caroline is his housekeeper. He has three other sisters-Mary, now Mrs. Christ Heen of Goodhue county ;

)

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Bertha, now Mrs. Peter Peterson of North Dakota, and Stena. Mr. Thompson is a Republican politically, a member of the Lutheran Church, has served his township as road overseer and is an upright and highly respected citizen. Edward Torgerson and wife, parents of the subject of this sketch, were natives of Norway. Coming to America in the later fifties, they located in Blooming Prairic and engaged in farming which he followed all his life. Mr. Torgerson died in 1872 and his wife in 1878. Both were killed by lightning.

Hon. William H. Kelly .- Every community, which achieves prominence as a business center must needs possess in the days of its earlier growth and later progress, a few men of business acumen who, while building in the present, can also see the neces- sities and possibilities of the future. Such a man was the late Hon. William H. Kelly, who died in Owatonna December 12, 1908. At that time the press of the county and state joined in their encomiums. One of the tributes his life received was as follows. "Mr. Kelly was one the early settlers in Owatonna, coming here in 1861. He was probably the wealthiest man in the city, but that wealth was never gained tak- ing advantage of his fellow men. In fact, the great respect and affection in which he was held by his fellow citizens of Owatonna was rather because of his generosity and public spirit than because of his wealth. Mr. Kelly was generous to a fault. He loved to give for service rendered, a bonus over and above the stipulated price or wage. He was exact in his business methods and expected every man to meet his obligations promptly and fully, just as he did himself, but when the account was closed it was a common thing for Mr. Kelly to make the other party to the transaction a handsome present upon the acceptance of which he would insist, but the thanks for which he would avoid so far as possible. In public affairs and public enterprise Mr. Kelly was similarly generous. He could always be counted upon to do his part when funds were needed for any public entertainment or undertaking. More than that, he inaug- urated and launched several public enterprises without sugges- tion from others. Such was his gift of a $10,000 addition to the Owatonna City Hospital and his generous donation to Pillsbury Academy for the purpose of the erection of the boy's dormitory named for him, "Kelly Hall." Pillsbury Academy also had many other gifts, large and small, from this big-hearted man. In his private enterprises, so far as the public welfare was concerned, Mr. Kelly was equally generous and public spirited. An evidence of this is the beautiful and costly three-story Kelly block, which stands on the corner of Broadway and Cedar streets -one of the handsomest business buildings in this city of many

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handsome blocks. Mr. Kelly was a man to whom activity and achievement were as necessary as breath. His long life was a busy one and the variety of enterprises in which he was engaged was remarkable. He was a tireless worker, a man of highly developed business ability and foresight. In a business way he probably was more extensively engaged in an occupation which might be described as that of land attorney, than in any other occupation. As such he was considered the best informed and ablest man in the state. His activity was first directed along this line by his appointment as receiver of the United States Land Office at Redwood Falls, through the influence, and dur- ing the early service in Congress, of the late Hon. M. H. Dun- nell. In this position Mr. Kelly made his mark for ability and method and thereafter his attention was largely devoted to land business as well as to investments generally. He was an hon- orable man, and his word was as good as his bond. The great number of warm and loyal friends which Mr. Kelly had is per- haps the best evidence of his true character. He was an excellent host, a most pleasant companion in social moments and a firm friend. He was especially interested in young people. loved to offer them encouragement ; and his friendship for people of ma- ture years extended to their children and grandchildren. That he deserved the rank of a first citizen of Owatonna and that his memory should be cherished as one of the city's principal benefactors is the feeling of all in the community who knew and appreciated his generosity, public and private."

William H. Kelly was born in New York State May 17, 1831. He there received his education in the public schools and supplemented this with a business course. Previous to his arrival in Owatonna in 1859 he engaged in the mercantile busi- ness in his native state and in Illinois. For many years, until 1871, he was a prominent Owatonna merchant. In that year he became receiver for the United States Land Office at Redwood Falls, Minnesota, serving four years. He then took up land, speculating largely in Minnesota and in the Dakotas, continuing in this business for the remainder of his life. He found time to serve the city of Owatonna as mayor and also in other offices. Among other business holdings in Owatonna he was a heavy stockholder in the First National Bank. Being of a sociable nature, he allied himself with the Masonic fraternity and at- tained high degrees in that order. Mr. Kelly was married Octo- ber 5, 1870, at Morrison, Illinois, to Mattie Drake, of that place, who proved a most able helpmate and loving companion, to whose sympathy and encouragement much of his success in life was due. Marion C., a daughter of Wm. H. Kelly, passed away January 2, 1880. Mr. Kelly was interred in Forest Hill cemetery,

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where he had erected a beautiful family vault at the time of his daughter's death. Mrs. Kelly still survives and maintains a great interest in her husband's numerous philanthrophies.

Charles Adsit was one of the pioneer settlers of Steele county, being of that number who left the comforts and luxuries of the east for the rigors of pioneer endeavor and thus helped to estab- lish the prosperity of the west. He was born in Jefferson county, New York. April 29, 1833. He there received his education in an old district school house and worked with his father on the farm until two years after attaining his majority. At that time Minnesota was being opened for settlement and many of the more courageous of the young men in New York State were hastening to try their fortunes in the newly opened country. Among such was a party of five from Jefferson county, con- sisting of Allen C. and Charles Adsit, George Grimshaw, John Ball and John Perham. The story of the arrival in Steele county of this party is told elsewhere by A. C. Adsit. Sufficient it is to say here that Charles Adsit located on Section 35, Aurora township, where he became one of the leading citizens. In the fall of 1856 he was appointed postmaster at Oak Glen, Aurora township, and served fiften years. He also served in various township offices at different times. In 1896 Mr. Adsit came to Owatonna, and lived retired until his death, which occurred in 1902.

Mr. Adsit was married May 10, 1860, to Janette Woodruff, a native of Jefferson county, New York. She proved a devoted wife and loving mother and after a life filled with loving sacrifice and good deeds died October 2, 1879. To Mr. and Mrs. Adsit were born seven children. Three died in infancy. Charles W. was born February 11, 1863. Will B. was born March 21, 1865. John Waldo was born December 12, 1868. Nettie P. was born March 13, 1877. She died 1894. Jonah Woodruff, father of Mrs. Charles Adsit, was a man of distinction in the east. In his younger days he achieved considerable renown as a land- scape and portrait painter. Subsequently he was connected with the Woodruff Sleeping Car Company, and was the inventor of the first sleeping cars used in the United States. These cars were the forerunners of the Pullman cars of the present day, and the manufacturers of the latter car have paid large royalties to the Woodruff family for the original rights.

P. W. Ebling, a well known farmer of Meriden township, Steele county, was born in Owatonna, Minnesota, November 18, 1871. After completing his education in the district schools and assisting for a time on the home farm he was given his present farm by his father, consisting of a hundred and sixty acres in Meriden township. A hundred acres of this land is under

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cultivation, the remainder yielding good returns as woodland. and as patsurage for his numerous herds of stock. Durham cattle have been Mr. Ebling's favorites, but he is gradually changing over to high grade Holsteins, finding them better adapted for dairying purposes. The milk is sold to a neighboring creamery. Full blooded Poland China hogs and good horses are also raised. The buildings are all of the most modern type, and the machinery and equipment are fully up to twentieth century standards. In politics, Mr. Ebling has always been a staunch adherent of the Democratic party, but has recently become a convert of the Socialists. He has served as justice of the peace several years. The Benevolent and Protective Order of Eagles counts him as a valued member, as have the Modern Woodmen of America for the last fifteen years. In 1895 he was married to Minnie Steleter, daughter of Gottlieb and Minnie Steleter. Seven chil- dren have blessed this marriage: Michael, Golda, Arthur, Reu- ben, Paul, Emerald and Marie, all living at home. The family are loyal attendants of the Lutheran church.

Michael and Mary ( Heneritzi) Ebeling, parents of the subject of this sketch, were born and raised in Germany. In 1860 they came to this country, locating in Wisconsin, where Michael en- gaged in construction work on the Northwestern railroad for ten years, his first wages being 75 cents a day. Coming to Meriden township, he engaged in land dealing with great suc- cess, at one time owning over 1.000 acres of land. He had a family of five children: George, John, P. W. (our subject), Michael, and Mary, the wife of Edward Degner. Each child was started out in life with a farm of 160 acres of Meriden land. Ilis wife owns a quarter section also. Michael Ebling died in 1908.

Christopher Batzle, now deceased, was one of the substantial residents of the county, and while establishing the foundations of his own family competence, found time to think of the needs and desires of others. Throughout his life he was assisted in all his endeavors by his worthy wife, and left her to carry out many of his philanthropic and altruistic plans. The subject of this memoir, whose deeds so worthily deserve perpetuating in this work, as an example of successful accomplishment to the younger generations, and the generations to come, was born in Wurtem- berg, Germany. April 27, 1837, and came to America with his parents, Henry and Martha Batzle, who located in Buffalo, N. Y., where Christopher spent his boyhood days. In 1856, with his brother, Henry Batzle, Jr., he came to Minnesota. and settled in Anoka county, near St. Paul. There in 1857, he married Elizabeth Koller, who proved a sympathetic and capable helpmeet. Mr. Batzle continued to farm in Anoka county, until the outbreak of the Civil War, when, filled with patriotic ardor, he prepared

Elizabeth. Bable

Christopher Bable

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for an absence by putting his affairs in shape, and in 1864, on February 20, enlisted at Rochester in Company D, First Minne- sota Volunteer Infantry, serving until mustered out, in August, 1865. At the close of the war, he came back to Minnesota, and farmed in Nicollet county for six years, afterward moving to Minneapolis, where he dealt in real estate, and became a house- building contractor. The Centennial year, 1876, records his first arrival in Steele county, his first residence here being on a farm within the city limits of Owatonna. Afterward, turning over his farm to his son-in-law, C. P. Sahler, he moved to Owa- tonna, and invested in and built up business property in the city. In 1901, they moved back to the old homestead, and there re- sided until the death of Mr. Batzle, March 29, 1903. Mr. Batzle was an honest and upright man, a good husband, a kind father and an excellent neighbor. His life was a success, not so much in the fact that he became prosperous, as in the fact that he be- came well known and esteemed for virtuous and upright man- hood, which is above, beyond and better than any other success. His remains were followed to the grave by a vast concourse of loving friends, the services being conducted by James A. Good- win Post, G. A. R., with interment in the Forest Hill cemetery. Mr. Batzle was a member of the German Lutheran and his wife of the Reformed church. He was a Republican in politics, and though often urged to run for political office, he never cared to seek public honors. He was a self-made man, starting his career with nothing, and with the aid of his loving wife, accomplished more than many men with wider advantages and opportunities. Shortly before his death, Mr. Batzle made known to his wife. his wish that out of the estate a considerable sum be devoted to the Owatonna City Hospital, an institution in which he had the depest interest. The amount and character of what was to be done was left to the discretion of his wife, who nobly filled her trust by contributing to the hospital a large amount of up-to-date apparatus for giving electrical treat- ment, consisting of a Wimshurst-Holtz static machine, with all the accessories, including cases, etc. In addition to this, Mrs. Batzle paid for laying the new cement sidewalks and for many other things needed at the hospital. All honor is due her and the memory of her departed husband, for their generous gifts, which were actuated, not by desire for approval, but rather by a humanitarianism and patriotism of the highest type. Mrs. Batzle has erected in the cemetery a beautiful monument to the memory of her husband. She still resides at 325 North Oak street, and is known for the numerous good works and acts of charity and kindness that she does. Mrs. Batzle was Elizabeth Koller, born March 19, 1842, daughter of Emily and Katherine (Ramsdorf)

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Koller, who came from Schleswig-Holstein in 1845, and settled in Davenport, Iowa, and in Henry county, Illinois. Later they moved to Chisago county, Minnesota, in 1856, and followed farm- ing all their lives. The former died in 1891 and the mother in 1895. Mr. and Mrs. Batzle had one daughter, Sarah, the wife of C. P. Sahler.

Hon. William Riley Kinyon, retired president of the First National Bank, has had an active part in the upbuilding of Steele county, and his shrewd business acumen and integrity has assisted the farmers and business menof the county in weathering more than one period of financial stress. Ile was born in Jeffer- son county, New York, February 3, 1833, and there received his early education. Left fatherless at the age of seventeen years, he had to work hard as a youth, doing various odd jobs, includ- ing service in a dairy. Determined to make the most of his talents and to rise above his circumstances, he spent all his spare time in reading and study. Later by stern self denial he was enabled to study a few terms at Union Academy, Belleville, N. Y. Laboring under almost every conceivable disadvantage, he nevertheless, at the age of twenty-one, in 1854, was so far advanced as to enter the junior class of Union College, Schenect- ady, N. Y., graduating with honors and delivering the valedictory of the Adelphic Society. The two winters before graduating, he taught school, following the college curriculum all the time and keeping up with his classes. Soon after completing his studies in college, Mr. Kinyon moved to Junean, Wis., and taught school one year. Subsequently he spent several months in the office of the clerk of court, reading law all the time he was in Juneau. In the spring of 1858 he was admitted to the bar, and the same year came to Owatonna, being admitted to practice at once upon his arrival. A few days after Minnesota was admitted as a state, Mr. Kinyon purchased a small building where the First National Bank building is now located. Here he opened a law and abstract office. In 1866. in company with Jason C. Easton, he opened a private bank which has since become the First National Bank. A history of this institution appears elsewhere. In the early days, Mr. Kinyon became associated in law practice with the late Hon. Lewis L. Wheelock, a partnership which continned until 1872, when Mr. Kinyon retired from the law to devote all his time to finance. In 1903, after thirty-three years of faithful and efficient service, Mr. Kinyon resigned his position as president of the First National Bank, and retired. Since then he has traveled extensively, taking various trips to Europe, through old Mexico, and through the Canal Zone, including Panama and Venezuela. Mr. Kinyon was a member of the lower house of the Minnesota Legislature in 1868, chief clerk

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History of Rice and Steele counties, Minnesota, Vol. II, Part 45

Author: Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn; Jewett, Stephen Publication date: 1910 Publisher: Chicago, H. C. Cooper, Jr. Number of Pages: 864

Author: Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn; Jewett, Stephen
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago, H. C. Cooper, Jr.
Number of Pages: 864