USA > Minnesota > Rice County > History of Rice and Steele counties, Minnesota, Vol. II > Part 59
USA > Minnesota > Steele County > History of Rice and Steele counties, Minnesota, Vol. II > Part 59
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HISTORY OF RICE AND STEELE COUNTIES
ances and conveniences of a first-class establishment. and car- ries on a large and constantly growing trade. Mr. Karp is a man of progressive ideas, prompt and reliable in his dealings. and thoroughly businesslike in his methods, and has the confi- dence of all. He is a Democrat in his political beliefs and predi- lections, and in religious faith adheres to the German Catholic Church of his father and mother. He is also identified with the German Benevolent Society, and C. O. F.
William Kueker, a self-made and energetic business man of Faribault. Minn .. was born March 22, 1866, in Elk Grove, Ill. He received his early education in the parochial schools of the German Lutheran Church, supplementing this with a course in the Elgin Academy, of Elgin, Ill. Leaving school, he was em- ployed as a bookkeeper for a short period, and then, in 1888. entered into the milling business at Milwaukee. Wis., in which he remained three years. Removing to Chicago, he started a retail catalogue seed house, incorporating under the laws of Illi- nois as the Farmers' Seed Company, with himself as president. and Louis Lange and Otto Kozlowski as secretary and treasurer. respectively. In 1804 they removed their plant to Faribault. reincorporating in accordance with the laws of Minnesota, and also retaining their former corporation rights in Illinois. The affairs of the company have grown and prospered under the judicious management of its officers, there being a steadily in- creasing demand for its products throughout the Northwest. Since Mr. Kozlowski's death, in 1899, Mr. Kueker has borne the brunt of the control of the company. His duties as a director of the Citizens' National Bank of Faribault and of the Faribault Loan and Insurance Company also help to make him a very busy man. In politics he votes as his conscience dictates. irre- spective of party, and has never aspired to office. his other inter- ests claiming all his time and attention. The Commercial Club knows him as a loyal member. June 4, 1891, he was married to Wanda T. Kozlowski, of Milwaukee. Three children have blessed this marriage: Clara C., Elsie, and Irma. The family are regu- lar attendants of the German Lutheran Church. They reside at 722 Second street, West. Henry and Louise (Deike) Kueker, parents of William, are natives of Germany. The father emi- grated to this country at the age of seven years, with his parents. After attaining manhood, he settled on a farm near Elk Grove. Ill., with his wife, continuing farming till his retirement from active work. He now lives at Itasca, Ill.
William S. Kingsley, Faribault contractor and builder, to whose skill many of the buildings of the state institutions here will long stand as a monument, is a native of this state, born January 25, 1869. He came to Faribault with his parents, and
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after leaving school took up the contracting business with his father. Since the death of the father he has successfully con- ducted the business on a large scale for himself. Mr. Kingsley is a Republican in politics. He belongs to the Masons, the Elks, the Eagles, the United Workmen, the Modern Brotherhood, and the Faribault Commercial Club. At one time he served in the state militia. Mr. Kingsley was married June 2, 1897, to Julia E. Kenney, of Richland township, daughter of J. D. Kenney, a well-known farmer. Two children have gladdened the Kingsley home: Raymond W., born May 20, 1898, and Mary E., born August 5, 1900. The family faith is that of the Roman Catholic Church.
The parents of William S. Kingsley were S. J. and Mary (Greenville) Kingsley, the former of whom came to Minnesota in 1865, and the latter in 1856. S. J. Kingsley was a contractor of the early days. He followed the gold rush to California in 1849, and remained there six years. He located in St. Paul in 1865, was there married, then came to Faribault, and became one of the leading contractors, his first contract being for the building of the first wing of the state school for the deaf. He died November 9, 1895. Ilis wife is still living. The Kingsleys, father and son, have both assisted in the growth and develop- ment of Faribault, and the son occupies the position of esteem and confidence so long held by his father.
Rev. Wilbur R. Keesey, pastor of the First Methodist Church of Northfield, was born in Philadelphia, Pa., April 3, 1869. His parents were William H. Keesey and Josephine M. Ruth Keesey. Wilbur R. was educated in the public schools of his native city. After graduating from these schools he learned the trade of marble and stone cutter, being apprenticed to his father, who was engaged in that business. In 1888 he entered Penning- ton Seminary, New Jersey, and there took up his studies for the ministry, graduating in 1891. His first pulpit was in Lima, Delaware county, Pa .. where he remained about seven months. In September, 1891, he became pastor of the Methodist Church at Eyota, Olmsted county, Minn., where he served one year. In November, 1891, he was united in marriage with Anna A. Quail, of Philadelphia, and to this union have been born five sons, the oldest being seventeen years of age. Rev. Keesey was admitted to the Minnesota Annual Conference in September, 1892, and has served the following churches: Eyota. Olmsted county, 1891-92; Fillmore. Fillmore county, 1892-95; Marion, Olmsted county, 1895-98; Elmore, Faribault county, 1898-1903 ; Owatonna, Steele county. 1903-07; Northfield, Rice county, 1907 to the present time.
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HISTORY OF RICE AND STEELE COUNTIES
Edward F. Kelly, register of deeds of Rice county since 1908, was born in Kilkenny, Le Sueur county, this state, January 12. 1864. He received a parochial-school education and clerked in a store at Faribault for six years. In March, 1888, he engaged in the grocery business, an enterprise which he has since con- tinued. In 1889 he was elected chief of the fire department and served two years. At the reorganization in 1896 he was again elected chief, and has since continued to serve in that capacity. In addition to his efficient work as head of the local department, Chief Kelly is also statistician of the State Fire Department Association. For many years Mr. Kelly has been a member of the Knights of Columbus, and at the present time is serving as State Secretary of that order. He also belongs to the Ancient Order of Hibernians, the Modern Woodmen of America, thie Royal Neighbors, the Fraternal Order of Eagles, and the Fari- bault Commercial Club, of which latter he is a director.
John F. Kalina was born in Wheatland township, October 4, 1877, a son of John and Katherine Kalina, both natives of Bo- hemia, who came to this country about 1867 and located in Wheatland township, where he farmed until 1908; he then retired and now lives in Lonsdale. Mr. Kalina attended the dis- trict school in Wheatland, and also in Olivia and Minneapolis. and after leaving school worked on the farm with his father until 1903, when he took the management of the farm, and has carried on general farming up to the present time. He was married in 1902 to Mary Peterka, a daughter of James and Annie Peterka. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Kalina: William and Frank, both living at home with their parents. Mr. Kalina is a member of the Catholic Church, and his political affiliations are with the Republican party. He is a member of the lodge of the Modern Woodmen of America at Lonsdale, and is one of the board of town supervisors.
Hugh Kane, a prosperous farmer of Richland township, was born in Shields township, Marquette county, Wis., November 1, 1851. He is a son of John and Bridget (Finnegan) Kane. natives of Ireland. The father, a farmer by occupation, immi- grated to America in 1849, locating in Marquette county, Wis- consin, where he bought a farm, which he improved and on which he engaged in general farming up to the time of his deccase, in 1890. The mother passed away in 1903.
Hugh received his early education in the district schools of Wisconsin. He also attended the high school for two years at Montello, Wis. Leaving school, he went to work on a farm for some time. In 1883 he moved to Minnesota, locating in Rich- land township, Rice county, where he settled on 160 acres of land in section 28 and bought another 160 acres in section 27.
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He makes his home in section 28. Mr. Kane has been tilling the soil here with success ever since. He makes a specialty of rais- ing Holstein cattle and Percheron horses, and has met with a marked degree of success. Mr. Kane was married in 1878 to Jane, daughter of James and Margaret ( Moore) Calnin. The parents were natives of Ireland. The father came to America in 1848, locating in New York state, where he was engaged in farming until 1850; from there he removed to Wisconsin and bought a farm on which he remained up to the time of his decease, in 1899. Mrs. Calnin still lives on the farm in Wiscon- sin. The union of Mr. and Mrs. Kane has been blessed with nine children, viz .: Mary, now Mrs. Jos. E. Underdahl, farmer of Richland township; Margaret, who died in 1883; Joanna and Raymond, both living at home; Leo, teaches school in South Dakota; Jane, Blanch, Isabella, are all living at home: Esther, deceased. Mr. Kanc is Democratic in his political views. He is a member of the Catholic Church. He takes a live interest in public affairs, having served as town assessor for seventeen years, as treasurer of the school board since 1907, and as clerk of the school board for three years. He is also interested in a number of co-operative institutions, being a stockholder in the Richland Creamery, Farmers' Elevator of Faribault, and the Kenyon Percheron Horse Company.
George W. Kirk, a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, was born March 12, 1850, the eldest of eight children born to Thomas and Mary (Thompson) Kirk, natives of England. The father came to this country in 1831, settling first in Indiana and later going to Cincinnati, where he was engaged in dairying till 1854. In the fall of that year he went to Burlington, Iowa, and in the spring of 1855 settled on a tract of 160 acres, which he pre- empted, in Wells township, Rice county, Minn. Here he built a rude log house, and settled his family and established the family home. The log house was later supplanted by a commo- clions modern farm house, a good barn and other buildings were built. and the place brought to a high state of cultivation and productiveness under his good management. The father car- ried on general farming here until his decease, which occurred October 3, 1868. His widow survived him many years and passed away in May, 1909.
George W. received his schooling in the district school, and when he was eighteen years old, on the death of his father, took charge of the home farm. He afterwards purchased the interests of the other heirs in the homestead, and gave his attention espe- cially to dairy farming. Mr. Kirk has always been an influential man in the community and has served in various local offices. He served thirty-three years as clerk of the school district, a
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number of years as town treasurer and five years as chairman of the town board. In politics he is a Democrat with independent tendencies, and in religious faith is an Episcopalian. For six years last past he has served as justice of the peace.
Charles Kiel, who owns a fertile farm of 160 acres in Wheel- ing township, was born in Cook county, Illinois, January 11, 1865, son of William and Sophia (Senne) Kiel, natives of Ger- many. The father, a farmer and carpenter by trade, emigrated to America in 1852 and located in Illinois, where he engaged in farming until 1868. He then moved to Minnesota and located in the township of Wheeling, Rice county, where he bought 160 acres in section 27; also ten acres of timber land in section 16. This land he improved and engaged in farming, which he con- tinued up to the time of his decease, May 6, 1907. The mother passed away March 23, 1908. The subject of this sketch was educated in the district schools of Wheeling township and the public schools of Faribault. Leaving school, he was engaged as a clerk in the dry goods store of J. W. Kollman at Faribault, and in 1886 he returned to the old homestead, where he worked with his father until 1902; at this time he became possessor of the old homestead, where he has been engaged in general and diversified farming up to the present time.
September 29, 1904, Mr. Kiel married Minnie (born March 21, 1870), daughter of W. L. T. and Louisa (Kiekenapp) Meyer, who came to America in 1855 and located in Illinois, where Mr. Meyer worked on a farm until early in the sixties, whence he removed to Minnesota and located in the township of Wheeling, where he farmed until the outbreak of the Civil War. He then enlisted in the Eighth Regiment Minnesota Volunteers, and saw actual service all during the war, and also fought in the Indian outbreak. After the end of the war, he was discharged with honor, and he returned to his farm, where he has carried on general farming up to the present time. The mother passed away September 12, 1897. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Kiel is blessed with one child, Elsie, who was born August 30, 1906. Mr. Kiel is identified with the public affairs in his vicinity, and has served as town clerk since 1905, which position he still holds. He is also road overseer. Mr. Kiel takes an active interest in and is a stockholder of the Nerstrand Co-operative Creamery.
William J. Kalow is one of the enterprising and progressive business men of Morristown, Minn., who has made his way by dint of hard work, industrious habits and clear foresight. He is a native of Good Thunder, Blue Earth county, Minn., and was born September 30, 1884, the second child of a family of nine children born to Adolph and Fredricka (Krueger) Kalow. The father, who was born in July, 1852, in the Province of Branden-
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burg, Germany, came to the United States in 1881, landing at Baltimore, Md. Thence he went to Minnesota and settled on a small farm in Blue Earth county, with his family and lived there till 1903. He went thence with his family to Prince Edward county, Virginia, and there lived two and a half years, and then returned to Minnesota and settled at Faribault, where he now lives. William J. educated in the German Lutheran schools of his native place and after his confirmation, at the age of fifteen years, left school and served an apprenticeship under Adolph Billet at Good Thunder, learning the harnessmaker's trade. After serving his apprenticeship he worked at his trade as a journey- man at Lewistown eight months, and then accompanied his father and family to Virginia and opened a small harness shop at Farmville, in Prince Edward county. Returning to Minne- sota in July. 1906, he worked for two years for Mr. H. F. Kester at Faribault, and in 1908 settled at Morristown. Beginning in a modest way, Mr. Kalow opened a small harness shop, one door south of his present location and laid the foundations of his present prosperous and growing business. With the growth of his trade, the business outgrew his narrow quarters and in Octo- ber, 1908, he purchased the building which he now occupies. being twenty-two by sixty feet in dimensions, and on the 11th of the following January had it fitted up ready for occupancy. and moved in. The establishment is thoroughly equipped with all the necessary machinery and appliances required in a first- class, up-to-date harness shop and store, and with the stock rep- resents a valuation of $3,000, while the well established trade extends throughout Rice and adjoining counties and is steadily growing. Mr. Kalow won his success by faithful work, and well deserves the confidence and respect in which he is universally held as a reliable and progressive business man. Mr. Kalow is identified with the German Lutheran Church. He married. June 2, 1910, Anna Borchert, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Aug. Borchert.
Seth H. Kenney, known as the "Sorghum King," was born at Williamstown, Mass., February 22, 1836, and has lived in Minnesota since 1857. Ile spent two years working under Gen. Levi Nutting at Faribault, and in the spring of 1859 bought. for $350, 120 acres of land in Morristown township, Rice county, which he proceeded to improve, and where he has since made his home and reared his family. In 1860 Mr. Kenney began in a small way the manufacture of sorghum. His first mill for crush- ing the cane consisted of two wooden rollers made by hand, pro- pelled by a yoke of oxen attached to a sweep, and with a capacity of thirty-two gallons per day. The increase in the business war- ranting, he, in 1872, erected an iron mill propelled by horse
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power, with a capacity of sixty-four gallons per day, and his product at this time sold for $1 and $1.25 per gallon. In 1866, he enlarged his plant and installed a twelve-horsepower engine. This was the first steam sorghum mill in the state and had a capacity of twelve barrels per day. It was destroyed by fire in the fall of 1868. and the following summer he built two modern horsepower mills which served his purposes ten years, and in 1879 he installed a fifteen-horsepower engine, five-ton mill. and remodeled his entire plant, comprising a mill house thirty by sixty-two feet. engine house twenty-two by twenty-six feet. storage and granulating house thirty by forty feet, three stories high, boiling house sixteen by thirty feet, refining mill twenty feet deep, and centrifugal machine for draining the sugar. The capacity of the plant was 700 gallons of syrup and 600 pounds of sugar per day, and the output was shipped to all parts of the United States. Mr. Kenney holds medals from the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893, the first cash prize for Amber cane syrup from the New Orleans exposition. also the second. a diploma and a gold medal from the Paris Exposition. In 1905 the sorghum plant was sold to a company in Faribault. and was later removed to that place. Mr. Kenney then started a small factory in Waterville, in partnership with a young man. Leslie Fowler, to whom he sold his interest in January, 1910. For a number of years Mr. Kenney has devoted much time to the culture of fruit trees, especially apple, and is widely known as a practical, experienced and expert horticulturist. He has written numerous articles on various phases of the subject. which have been widely circulated. Mr. Kenney has always been recognized as a leader in his community, and has been called to fill numerous offices. He has served two terms as justice of the peace : has been road supervisor and school clerk. and in 1879 was elected to the state legislature. He has always been an earnest church supporter and Sunday school worker He was one of the charter members of the First Baptist Church of Waterville, Minn., and organized the first Sunday school in his community. held in a log school house. He constructed a commodious hall. in the upper part of his sugar house. where for many years religious services were held, attended by all classes, before the Lutheran Church was organized in Morris- town township. In 1859 Mr. Kenney married Miss Olive Purin- ton, who was born in March, 1836, in Massachusetts. Four chil- dren were born to them. The eldest, Elias, is a prosperous farmer, having settled near the old home; the second. Mary. who was married to Mr. Edwin McAdams, of Brooklyn, N. Y .. is deceased ; the third. Fred, and the fourth, Myron, are skilled mechanics, residing near the Pacific coast. Mr. and Mrs. Kenney
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have nine grandchildren, viz .: Florence and Seth H., daughter and son of Elias, an older son being deceased; Olive, daughter of Mary, who was reared by, and now lives with, her grand- parents; Jesse. Mary, Sophronia and Ruth, son and daughters of Fred; Clarence and Mabel, son and daughter of Myron. There are three great-grandchildren, sons of Clarence.
Ferdinand Kelm has lived in Warsaw township, Rice county, Minn., more than a quarter of a century, and is counted among the prosperous and substantial farmers of the community. He was born in Germany, February 11, 1859, and is a son of Carl and Caroline (Wilkel) Kelm, who came from Germany in 1883. and settled on a farm of 100 acres, which the father purchased in Warsaw township, Rice county, where he died, and where the mother is now living.
Ferdinand attended school in his native place and there learned and worked at the mason's trade. He came to the United States with his father and mother when he was twenty- four years old, in 1883, and for a time followed his trade, and then turned his attention to farming. In 1906 he purchased sixty acres and then thirty acres, which, with the home farm of 100 acres, he has since managed, carrying on general farming and stock raising, with eminent success. Mr. Kelm has given particular care to breeding and raising fine stock, especially Percheron horses and Durham cattle. He has been somewhat active in public matters, serving in local offices, such as school treasurer, supervisor, etc., and is interested in the Faribault Creamery and also the Faribault Elevator. Before leaving the Fatherland, he served three years in the German army. He is a Republican in political sentiment, and with his family is con- nected with the German Lutheran Church. On December 24, 1892, Mr. Kelm married Emma Dahike, whose parents passed their lives in Germany. Mr. and Mrs. Kelm have two children, Ida and Ernest, both of whom are living with their parents.
John Knauss, a thrifty farmer of Wheeling township, is a native son of Minnesota. being born in Wheeling township August 13, 1862, to Fred and Magdalina (Barbaras) Knauss, natives of Germany. The father, who was a farmer, came to America in the forties. He was one of the pioneers of Illinois, where he engaged in farming until 1856, when he moved to Min- nesota and located in Wheeling township, Rice county. Here he bought 160 acres of prairie land, which he improved and did general farming until the time of his decease, in 1885. The mother survived her husband and died in 1903. The subject of this sketch received his education in the district schools of Wheeling. Leaving school, he started life on his father's farm. where he worked until 1885. He then rented the homestead,
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which he continued to do until 1898, when he bought the farm where he still carries on general farming. Mr. Knauss was mar- ried in 1886 to Sarah, daughter of Christ and Elizabeth (Bauern- fiend). They, natives of Germany, emigrated to America in the early days and located in Wheeling township, Rice county, in the later fifties, where they were engaged in farming until 1906. Retiring from the farm, they moved to Nerstrand, where they still live. There were seven children born to Mr. and Mrs. Knauss : Jesse C., who is fireman on the Chicago Great Western Railroad; Harvey attends a business school in Faribault; Roy F. attends school at Nerstrand : Willard, Emma, Earl and Mabel are all living at home. Mr. Knauss is a Republican voter. He is a member of the United Evangelical Church. He has always aided in the public welfare of his community, having served as supervisor of the town board and also on the school board. He is a stockholder in the creamery at Nerstrand.
John King, a farmer of Webster township, was born in Pater- son, N. J .. May 26, 1853, son of Mitcheal and Bridget (Carsoll) King. Their father emigrated from Ireland. his native country. in 1851, and located at Paterson, N. J. He was married at Philadelphia, and moved from Paterson to Illinois in 1854. In the spring of 1855 the parents came to Minnesota and located at St. Paul ; in 1856 they came to Rice county and located in Web- ster township, where they bought 160 acres of land in sections 17 and 20, on which they did a general farming until the father's death, March, 1862. The mother later married James Keegan. of Webster township, and continued to live on the Keegan homestead. with her son, Andrew Keegan. Our subject was educated in the common school of Webster township. Leaving school, he farmed for some time. He devoted thirteen years to the carpenter's trade, running a threshing machine in season. Two years of this time was spent in St. Paul, Minn. In 1895 he returned to the old homestead and remained there until 1907, at which time he sold out and bought another farm of 120 acres, located partly in section 13, Webster township. and partly in Dakota county, where he successfully continues farm- ing up to the present time (1910). Besides our subject, there are two step-brothers in this family and three sisters from the first marriage. Mr. King was married in 1888 to Katherine. daughter of James and Lucy Kiley, of Webster township. Mrs. King died in 1899. Mr. King married a second time in 1895, Mary E., daughter of Timothy and Margaret Gleason, of Web- ster township. There were four boys born to this union; the names, in respective order of their birth, are : John V., Timothy WV., James M., Frances L., all living at home. Mr. King does not affiliate with any political party, but is an independent voter.
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