History of Stearns County, Minnesota, Volume II, Part 17

Author: Mitchell, William Bell, 1843-
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Chicago : H. S. Cooper
Number of Pages: 1110

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John White Darby, early merchant, postmaster and official of Paynesville, and veteran of the Civil war, was born at White Creek, New York, August 18, 1835, youngest of the seven children of Leonard and Elizabeth (Weir) Darby. He attended the schools of his native town and later took courses at Poultney, Vermont. He learned the trade of machinist from his father, and worked at his trade in Lawrence, Worcester and Pittsfield, Mass., before entering the works of the Woods Mowing-Machine Co., at Hoosick Falls, New York. On July 11, 1863, he enlisted in Co. K, 22nd Mass. Vol. Inf., was transferred later to Co. M, 32nd Mass. Vol. Inf., and followed the fortunes of that company until after the surrender of Lee, April 9, 1865. Later he was taken ill, sent

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to the Campbell hospital at Washington, D. C., and honorably discharged for disability May 3, 1865. He had taken part in many an important battle, skirmish and campaign, and his health never fully recovered from the ex- posures and hardships which he underwent. In 1867 he came to Paynesville, and in 1868 engaged in the general mercantile business on the old townsite. For some years he also conducted the only drug store in the village. He was appointed postmaster by President U. S. Grant, and though a Republican was not deposed by President Grover Cleveland, his term continuing some twenty years. He was also a justice of the peace and a notary public. In the Eugene M. Wilson Post, No. 188, G. A. R., he was a prominent member, and served for a time as its commander. The G. A. R. lot at Paynesville, which in time is to descend to the Sons of Veterans, was his gift. His wife was a member of the Relief Corps. He was a charter member of Paynesville lodge, No. 71, A. F. & A. M., organized February 6, 1869, and his wife was a charter member of the Eastern Star here. Both were active workers in the Methodist Episcopal church. He died February 2, 1908. Mr. Darby was married January 25, 1870, to Emma Elliott, born in Pennsylvania January 26, 1851, daughter of C. S. and Marie Elliott, natives of that state who came to Paynesville in 1868. Mr. and Mrs. Darby have two sons. Bennett L. is a photographer of St. Louis, Mo. Thomas L. lives in Paynesville. He married Josephine Hoiseth, who was born in Stearns county, the daughter of Peter Hoiseth.

Ferdinand Frank, a farmer of Paynesville township, was born in Prussia, Germany, November 3, 1860, son of Christ and Anna (Nehring) Frank. The parents came to the United States from Germany in 1871, bringing their chil- dren, William, Charles, Ferdinand and Augusta, the last named of whom is now Mrs. Frank Heitke. Upon reaching Stearns county they located on 120 acres in Zion township. There were no buildings on the property, so they erected a log shanty, 16 by 24, with a straw roof. There was little to eat and soon the winter set in upon them. At one period, when a blizzard was raging, they kept their cow and calf in the cabin for three days, to save the animals from freezing in the intense cold. When the next spring came, the crops were started in a primitive way, the wheat being sown by hand. Both Christ Frank and his good wife, Anna, lived long lives. He died in 1900 at the age of seventy-six. She died in 1908 at the age of eighty-three. At the age of eleven years, Ferdinand started his career by securing employment with a neighbor. The brother, Charles, remained at home and eventually came into possession of the home farm. Ferdinand worked out until about twenty-one years of age, when he acquired 160 acres of wild land in Zion township. He erected thereon a frame house, and made many other improvements. Later, however, he and his wife engaged in the creamery business for about two years. After that he returned to farming in Zion township. Some fifteen years later, he sold out and acquired a farm in section 5, Paynesville township. He has since sold twenty-five acres of this, but retains 160 acres, and, assisted by his oldest son, carries on general farming. He raises thoroughbred Holstein cattle, pure blooded Poland China hogs, and high grade Norman and Belgian horses. Mr. Frank is a member of the Evangelical church located in Paynesville Vil- lage. He has in the past, done good service as its trustee and Sunday school

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E. E. FINGER

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superintendent. In the early eighties, Mr. Frank married Augusta Heitke, daughter of Gotfried Heitke. She died at the age of thirty-two, leaving two children, Laurence and Daisy. For his second wife he married Elizabeth Werner, a native of Germany. Two children have been born, Elsie and Samuel.

Ernest E. Finger, proprietor of the "Big Store," Paynesville, was born in Juneau, Dodge county, Wis., June 22, 1876, son of Ernest Henry and Amelia (Koehler) Finger. He lost his father in 1878, and his mother brought him to Popular Grove, Lake. Henry township, this county. Here he was reared to farm pursuits. In 1900 he and his brothers, J. H. and A. H. Finger, engaged in the general mercantile business at Paynesville. A few years ago, A. H. Finger withdrew from the concern, and on January 1, 1911, J. H. likewise retired. Ernest E. Finger, the subject of this mention, is now the sole proprie- tor. He conducts the establishment under the name of "The Big Store, E. E. Finger." The store carries a full line of clothing, shoes, drygoods and groceries. The service is courteous and considerate, and the customers feel that their interests are being fully looked after. It is this well-founded feeling of confidence that has built up the store to its present proportions. Aside from his admirable work in his business he is doing good service as a member of the school board. Mr. Finger was married July 5, 1905, to Helen Nehring, born in Lake Henry township, daughter of William Nehring, a pioneer. They have one child : Earl Ernest. The family faith is that of the Evangelical church.

Ernest Henry Finger, now deceased, was born in Germany, the son of Michael and Elizabeth Finger. The parents spent the span of their years in the old country. In the family were seven children. Ernest Henry Finger came to the United States in 1865, and located in Lomira, Wis., where he worked as a farm hand for a while, and later rented land on his own responsi- bility. Mr. Finger died in Wisconsin in 1878 at the age of thirty-seven. He was a devout member of the Evangelical Methodist church. He and his good wife, Amelia Koehler, whom he married in 1867, had five children: J. H .; Elizabeth, now Mrs. Charles Sclick; Helen, who first married Jacob Haglen, and then Charles Quinn ; August H., and Ernest. Amelia Koehler was born in Germany, February 28, 1843, daughter of Carl and Mary (Schoeneman) Koehler. The Koehler family, consisting then of the father and mother, Amelia, Fred and August, came from Germany to Wisconsin in 1865. It was in Wiscon- sin that Amelia married Ernest Henry Finger, whom she had previously known in Germany.

Rev. Theodore C. Hudson, rector of St. Stephens' church, Protestant Epis- copal, at Paynesville, was born in Janesville, Wis., July 28, 1852, son of San- ford A. and Sarah D. (Canfield) Hudson. He received his early training in Janesville, Wis., and took theology at the Seabury School, Faribault, Minn., then under the immediate supervision of its founder, Right Rev. Henry B. Whipple, Bishop of Minnesota. He was ordained in 1877 by Bishop Whipple at Faribault, Minn. His first parish was at Sauk Centre, in this county. Subse- quently he had parishes at Mankato and at Fairmont in this state. He came to Paynesville in 1895. He has been prominent in mission work, and is an ideal village rector. Kindly in precept, diligent in work, faithful in piety, he is an influence for good in the community in which he works. In 1880, he was

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married at Sauk Centre, to Evelyn Boobar, daughter of Henry A. Boobar, of Sauk Centre. She died in 1899 at the age of forty-three. There were five children : Sanford, Mary, Phoebe, Theodore and Charles (deceased). In 1902 he married Helen Henke, of Wisconsin. There are two children: William Canfield and Robert Durlin. Sanford A. Hudson was born in New York state, son of Amos Hudson, of Oxford, Mass. He became a prominent attorney of Janesville, Wis. He was later judge of the Supreme court, of Dakota territory, with residence at Fargo. He died in 1905 at the age of eighty-seven years. His wife died in 1877 at the age of fifty-five years. They had five children : Francis L., Rev. Theodore C., Hattie J., and Henry and Sarah (twins).

John Gotlieb Knable was born in Pomerania, Germany, August 3, 1849, the son of John Gotlieb Knable, Sr., and Fredericka Knable, his wife. In 1859 he was one of a party which set sail from Germany, bound for the new country. The party consisted of the Knables and the Schroeders. John Gotlieb, Sr., and Fredericka Knable brought their four children, John, Gustave, Amelia and Matilda. Two of their sons, Herman, and August, the latter of whom became an Evangelical preacher, were already in America. Frederick and Sophia Schroeder brought their children, William, Amelia, Augustina, Herman and Wilhelmina. Two more Schroeder children: Lena and Albert, who was killed by the falling of a tree, were born in America. After a voyage of eight weeks, they reached America. All of them eventually settled in Paynesville and Zion townships, this county, and experienced the usual discomforts of pioneer life. A short time after their arrival, John Gotlieb Knable, the subject of this men- tion, married Augusta Schroeder, born in Pomerania, Germany, February 11, 1851, daughter of Frederick and Sophia (Neuman) Schroeder, the former of whom was born in 1819 and died in 1905, and the latter of whom was born in 1821 and died in 1874. The Schroeders were members of the party of pioneers just mentioned. An interesting part of their pioneer experiences was a drive from Green county, Wisconsin. The subject of this sketch and his young bride took up their residence in Munson township, on the same place where their son, Adolph, now lives. The farming operations prospered. The original log cabin was replaced with modern farm buildings, and the wild land became a well-cultivated farm. Mr. Knable was made president of the Farmers' Insur- ance Co., and became a substantial man in the community. He was an active member of the Evangelical church. After his death, September 19, 1902, his widow moved to the village of Paynesvile, where she still resides. There were four children: Adolph Otto, who lives on the home farm; William, who is dead; Helen, who lives with her mother; and Herman, who died as an infant.

Tidman T. Lund, a general merchant at Paynesville for the past quarter of a century, was born in Rock county, Wisconsin, June 4, 1853, son of Torkel and Grete (Berg) Lund, who brought him to Fillmore county this state in 1855 and to Waseca county in 1858. Tidman T. spent his youth with his parents. In 1887 he came to Paynesville, and with John M. Malmin as a partner, engaged in the general mercantile business under the firm name of Malmin & Lund. Four years later, the partnership was dissolved. Since that time Mr. Lund has built up a successful business by honest dealings and commercial ability.

T. T. LUND

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In addition to this he is associated with his brother, Martin Lund, in the lumber business at Barrett, Grant county, Minn. Mr. Lund is one of the leading men of the village. He has served on the village council, and has been village treasurer for many years. He attends the Lutheran church.

William Mckinstry was born in Vermont, June 15, 1795, and died in Becker county in 1882. He was of Scotch blood, and one of his grandfathers was a brave soldier in the War of 1812. After attaining the years of manhood he became, first a class leader, and then a local preacher, in the Methodist Episcopal church. He was married in New York state, to Sallie Marie Cole, a native of that state. She was born January 15, 1813, the daughter of David Cole, and died in Becker county in 1899. After their marriage they lived in Allegheny county, New York, where Mr. Mckinstry occupied various pulpits in the absence of the regular preachers. It was in 1867 that he came to Paynes- ville, where he made his home for about two years, moving thence to Minne- apolis and thence to Becker county. In the family there were six children: Mary E. (deceased), Amelia D. (deceased), Hannah M., of Pasadena, Cal., Harriet A., William P. (deceased), and Lester C., of Detroit, Minn.

Horace Fuller Sheldon was born in Canada, and came to Minnesota in the spring of 1868. Being a blacksmith by trade he worked for a while in Paynes- ville village. Then he purchased eighty acres that is a part of his present place in Paynesville township. He and his wife now own 200 acres of good land. The land is well developed, and improved with a splendid house and modern outbuildings. The family stands well in the community and is noted for its hospitality and progressiveness. Mr. Sheldon was married in 1870 to Harriet A. Mckinstry, daughter of William and Sallie Marie (Cole) Mckinstry. She was born in Allegheny county, New York, October 7, 1842. Mr. and Mrs. Sheldon have seven children: Edith, Cora, William A., Merton L., James L., Horace F. and Lester H. Edith M. was for some years a school teacher. She was born May 10, 1871, married A. E. Nunn, and lives on a farm in the state of Delaware. They have had five children: Dorathea, Horace, Margaret and Mildred (twins), and Edith. Mildred is dead. Cora A. was also a teacher for several years. She was born July 22, 1873, and is now the wife of R. W. Deichen, of Newport, near St. Paul. They have two children, Howard and Ruth. William A. was born July 8, 1872, and married Fannie Herter. They live in Woburn, North Dakota, and have four children: Arthur, Marie, Herbert and Dorothea Fern. Merton L. was born September 23, 1876, and lives in Grandin, North Dakota. He married Anna Parsey, and they have three children, Dorothea, Merton and Florence. James L. was born July 9, 1878, and resides in Waseca, Minn. He married Augusta Wood and they have four children : Hazel, Alice, Helen and Lois. Horace F. was born April 23, 1880, and lives on the home farm. Lester H. was born July 22, 1883, and lives in Nashua, Montana. He married Edith Fetter and they had one son, Warren (deceased).

Herman Ludwick Manz, a pioneer, was born June 9, 1838, and died March 28, 1904. He came to Stearns county shortly after the close of the Civil war, and secured a homestead of 160 acres of wild land in section 30, Zion township. He built a log cabin and started his life here under primitive conditions. For

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the shelter of his ox team, and his one cow, he erected a log barn, and roofed it over with straw. He broke the land, put in the seeds, and waited his first crop. From year to year his hard work brought him success, and he became one of the most prosperous men in the community. Progressive in every way, he early foresaw the necessity of some of the movements which today are of so much benefit to the farmers. For one thing he helped organize the Farmers' Insurance Co., of Zion and Paynesville townships. He was one of the advocates of diversified farming, at a time when most of the farmers were raising but one principal crop. His Shorthorn and Holstein cattle, his Clydesdale horses, and his good sheep and hogs were his especial pride. Realizing that his sons, as they grew older, would desire land to live on, he purchased land in section 35, Lake Henry township, and also developed that. He put up, on this Lake Henry property, a log house 14 by 12 feet, with shingled roof, and the building is still standing. Around his Lake Henry property he also set out a splendid evergreen hedge, from seed that came from Germany. The hedge is now one of the sights of that township, and all the trees of that variety in the county have sprung from this one hedge. Aside from his farms in Lake Henry and Zion townships, Mr. Manz had real estate holdings in Paynesville. Herman Ludwick Manz was married in Wisconsin, Fon du Lac county, July 23, 1865, to Amelia Ludwig. The ceremony was performed by Rev. William Horn, now the Rt. Rey. Bishop Horn, of the Evangelical church. There were six children. Emma Amelia was born September 12, 1866, and married Robert Helmer. Ida Marie was born May 31, 1870, and married August Bohland. Anna Sophia was born February 11, 1872, and married W. F. Moede. Frederick William was born February 17, 1874, and resides on the place which the father developed in Lake Henry township. Herman J. was born July 22, 1876, and lives on the home place in Zion township. Matilda Helena was born March 15, 1879, and was a teacher in the Haskell College, the Indian school at Lawrence, Kansas. She now teaches at Paynesville. For his second wife, Herman Ludwick Manz was married on January 22, 1880, to Louise Rien, the daughter of Christ and Caro- line (Sunder) Rein. By this union there were three children. Wilhelmina Augusta, the oldest of the three, is now Mrs. Herman Kanable, and has two sons, Lorin and Kermit. She was born December 1, 1880. Bertha Elvina was born June 7, 1884. She married Max Nagel and they live in Paynesville with her mother. Lydia is dead.

Christ Rien, an early settler, was born in Germany, and there married Caroline Sunder. In the fifties they brought their family to Canada, where they lived several years. Later they came to Paynesville, and took up 160 acres of wild land. They were true pioneers. Their log cabin was a substantial structure, 14 by 18 feet, with floor and roofing made of split logs. To assist them in their farm work, they had an ox team. Their wagon was a primitive affair, with wheels made of slices of logs. In this vehicle, and drawn by the oxen, Mr. Rien was accustomed to drive to St. Cloud for supplies. Times were very hard. In the evening after a hard day's work in the forest or the field, Mr. Rien would grind corn in the coffee mill, in order that the family might have corn bread in the morning. Often their only ration at noon was a soup, made by mixing flour and water with certain weeds plucked in the garden.

MR. AND MRS. JOHN G. NEHRING

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Potatoes were so scarce, that instead of planting the tubers themselves, the family planted the parings, and thus obtained their first potato crop. The children were playmates of the Indians. They also had a deer which they trained as a household pet, but the deer finally wandered off and was killed. During the Indian troubles, the family took refuge at Richmond. Prosperity came with the years, and the family obtained success. Christ Rien died in 1868 at the age of 45. His wife died in 1905 at the age of eighty-two. The information for this sketch is furnished by one of the daughters, Louisa, now the widow of Herman Ludwick Manz. She was born in Canada, January 30, 1856, and came to Paynesville with her parents. Mrs. Manz has many interest- ing stories to tell of the early years. She remembers clearly all the incidents of pioneer life, and enjoys talking of those times. Sometimes as she watches a large shipment of flour come to some Paynesville store, she tells of the days when grain was threshed with flails or tramped out by oxen, and then spread to dry on sheets which also did service on the beds.

John G. Nehring, mayor of Paynesville, was born in Oniki, Stevens county, Ill., December 23, 1863, a son of Samuel and Anna Dorathea (Butt) Nehring, who in 1865 brought him from Illinois to a homestead of 160 acres in Zion township, this county. He attended the district schools and at the age of seventeen started to learn the trade of painting and decorating. For a time he worked in Wisconsin. In 1882 he took up his residence in Paynesville. Here he operated a paint and wall-paper store. He now gives his attention to high class painting, and interior and exterior decoration. In this capacity he has done excellent work on the principal public and private buildings in Paynesville and vicinity. He has been a member of the Paynesville council for nine years, and is now mayor. He is also court officer and deputy sheriff under B. E. Schoener. Like his father before him, he is an energetic worker in the Evangelical church.

Mr. Nehring was married June 25, 1893, to Wilhelmina Henneman, of Trevor, Wis. In 1907, Mr. and Mrs. Nehring took a trip to Europe, and visited the land of their parentage. From New York, they made the trip on the steamer, "President Lincoln." They visited such places as London, England, and Amsterdam, Holland, but spent the larger part of their time in Germany. They were much surprised to find that the roads and streets were in better condition than those of America. The intensive farming in Germany attracted their particular attention. They found that under this method, though their machinery is not so good as that in the United States, nevertheless they secure much better results in quantity and quality of crops. In returning they took the steamer, "President Grant," and made the trip in eleven days. It had taken his grandmother thirty days to make the same trip. Wilhelmina Henne- man, now Mrs. John C. Nehring, was born in Germany, the daughter of Christ and Augusta (Luck) Henneman. The father died in the old country and the mother, with her eight children, came from Germany to Wisconsin, where she married Gotfried Henneman, a brother of her deceased husband.

Erwin Herman Nehring was born on the family homestead in Paynesville township, May 16, 1888, son of Julius and Augusta (Plantikow) Nehring. He attended the district schools of his neighborhood and the Paynesville High

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school. Then he entered the Northwestern Commercial College, graduating in 1907. For two years he worked in the office of the North American Cold Storage Co., at Paynesville. Then for some years he was employed by Samuel Kroonblawd, and by his successor, W. S. Johnson. October 1, 1912, Mr. Neh- ring became identified with F. R. Naftalin, as a partner in a line of clothing establishments known as the Model Clothing Stores, and conducted under the name of the Model Clothing Co. For a time Mr. Nehring assisted at Elbow Lake, Minn. Now he has charge of the store at Paynesville. He has been very successful, and carries a full line of clothing, furnishings, hats and shoes. Mr. Nehring is a member of Paynesville Lodge, No. 4174, Brotherhood of American Yeomen.

Julius Nehring was born in Monroe county, Wis., May 18, 1860, son of Samuel Nehring. He was brought to Stearns county at the age of seven years, and was reared on a farm in Zion township. As a youth he attended the district schools, and remained at home until his marriage in June, 1885, to Augusta Plantikow. After their marriage they settled on 160 acres of land in Paynesville township. By frugal lives and hard work, they achieved suc- cess, and in time increased their holdings to 240 acres. Both are active workers. In 1904, Mr. and Mrs. Nehring retired and moved to Paynesville village where they now reside. In the family are four children: Erwin Herman, Rhoda and Liliah (twins), and Orlando. Rhoda is a teacher.

Michael F. Plantikow was born in Blumberg, Germany, and was married in that country. The oldest child, August, died there. Thus bereaved, Mr. and Mrs. Plantikow came to America alone .. For a time they lived on a farm in Monroe county, Wis., and there two more children, Frank and Wilhelmina, were born. With this family of two children, Mr. and Mrs. Plantikow came to Stearns county, and secured 160 acres in Zion township. They put up a log shanty, and like many of the pioneers, used an ox team for work and for transportation. They arrived just before the Indian outbreak, and like the other settlers, sought refuge at one time in the stockade at Paynesville. For many years Mr. Plantikow lived on the farm in Zion township. To his original tract he added eighty acres of tillable land and eighty acres of timberland. He also in time erected modern buildings to take the place of the log struc- tures. When the Salem Evangelical Church was erected he was one of those who helped in its construction. In his latter years he retired, and moved to Paynesville, where he died.

The Paynesville Hospital. Representing the enthusiasm and altruism of its able founder and reflecting the public spirit of the leading citizens of this vicinity the Paynesville Hospital has become a most decided asset to the pros- perity of the city and has spread wide its gospel of health and healing. The hospital began with a vacation of Dr. P. C. Pilon, then a physician at Rockville. Spending an outing at Lake Koronis in June, 1897, he became so impressed with the surroundings of Paynesville that he moved here and opened an office the following month. In September of the same year he purchased a small house and opened a small hospital for the more thorough care of his patients. This house has for several years past been used as quarters for the employes. In the summer of 1898 he purchased another building, enlarged and remodeled

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History of Stearns County, Minnesota, Volume II, Part 17

Author: Mitchell, William Bell, 1843- Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Chicago : H. S. Cooper Number of Pages: 1110

Author: Mitchell, William Bell, 1843-
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Chicago : H. S. Cooper
Number of Pages: 1110