History of Stearns County, Minnesota, Volume II, Part 42

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

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Knute P. Knutson, town clerk of Crow River township, was born in Mich- igan, January 26, 1853, son of Peter and Anna Knutson. As a boy of eleven years he was brought to Stearns county by his parents, and here grew to manhood. He now owns 240 acres of good land, 200 acres of which was for- merly a part of his father's 400 acre farm. He has been very successful in his farming operations, and is one of the leading men in the community. For some years he was postmaster at Crow, and after the name was changed to Belgrade he remained for some years in the same capacity. He was the first town clerk of Crow River, and still occupies that position, though there have been intervals in which he has not served. Coming to this part of the county in pioneer times, he has made himself a useful citizen, and his opinions on important matters are often sought by his associates. By his good wife, Engeborg Maria, Mr. Knutson has had eight children: Peter A., Linnia, Colman, Ida, and Olaf C. are living, and Lewis, Lillie and Bertina are dead.

Peter Knutson and his wife, Anna, were born in Norway, and came to America about 1851. For a time they lived in Michigan, where both worked

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HISTORY OF STEARNS COUNTY

for a lumber company, Peter being employed in the mills and his wife in the cook-honse. Some four years later they located in Waupaca county, Wis. From there they came to Crow River township, in Stearns county. They ar- rived just after the Indian outbreak. There were several periods of fright, and at one time the neighbors gathered for defense against the Red Men. But the fright passed and they were not injured. The family first lived in a log cabin, and conducted their farming operations as best they could with an ox team. Gradually they added to their equipment. Their original claim of 120 acres was increased to 400 acres, and the family became an influential one in the community. Mr. Knutson served for some years as treasurer of his school district. He died at the age of forty-seven. His good wife died at the age of eighty. Of their six children, four lived to years of maturity. They are: Knute P., Emma, Carl A., and Theodore M.

J. B. Wimmer, real estate man of Belgrade, is a son of Boniface Wimmer, grandson of Sebastian Wimmer, and grand nephew of the Right Reverend Abbot Boniface Wimmer, who in 1846 brought a band of monks of the Order of St. Benedict from Europe to Philadelphia, and founded a college from which the order has sent its devout followers throughout the United States. Boniface Wimmer, the pioneer, and father J. B. Wimmer, was born in Germany, and upon coming to America located in Albany township, Stearns county. J. B. Wimmer received a good education and then began clerking at Freeport, in this county. Soon he engaged in the general mercantile busi- ness for himself. For a time he was connected with a bank at Belgrade, and he was also manager for the Northern Trading Co., operating a line of ele- vators. He and Michael Schmitz are now partners in the Wimmer-Schmitz Realty Co., operating in Stearns, Pope and neighboring counties. This com- pany is very successful and handles a large amount of real estate. Mr. Wimmer married Susan Stiechen, and they have three children, Mary, Genetta and Cattila.

Paul Bauer, one of the leading farmers of Wakefield township, was born in Germany, December 27, 1857, son of George and Anna (Vice) Bauer. The parents were married in Germany, and there had three boys, Joseph, Mathew and Paul. Joseph came to America in 1879, and found a location in Spring Hill, this county. The next year the rest of the family came. They secured a good tract of land and started to carve their fortunes as farmers. They made their home in a log house 16 by 24, with a kitchen 16 by 18; and housed their two yoke of oxen in a log barn thatched with hay and straw. Gradually the land was broken and planted to crops. George Bauer died at the age of 76 in 1885. His wife died in 1905 at the age of eighty-two. They died, as they had lived, in the faith of the Roman Catholic Church, and are laid to rest in Spring Hill. Paul Bauer left home as a youth, and worked in various places in the county as a farm hand. Finally he acquired eighty acres of land in St. Joseph township, this county. He was married in 1880, and subsequently he and his wife purchased 160 acres of the old Jacoby homestead near Cold Spring. Through hard work and frugality, they have attained unusual prosperity. Nothing but the smoke-house remains on the place as an evi- dence of its former occupancy. The residence, the barns, and the other build-

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ings are all new, and a complete complement of tools, implements and ma- chinery has been secured. To the original purchase they have added 105 acres of the Lommel farm, 40 acres of the Atwood farm and another farm of 404 acres of which, 40 acres are in Wakefield township and 364 acres in Rock- ville township. Mr. Bauer is a good and useful citizen. He is known for his honor and integrity, and it is truthfully said of him that "his word is as good as his bond." He is a Democrat in politics, has been town supervisor for nine years, and is now town treasurer. He served three years and three months in the standing army of Austria, being honorably discharged with rank of corporal. Paul Bauer and Mary Hagaman were married October 23, 1880. She was born in St. Joseph, this county, January 3, 1868, the daughter of Frank and Bertha (Hahn) Hagaman. The parents were born in Germany and came to Stearns county in the early days, settling first in St. Joseph town- ship, and later in St. Martin. Frank Hagaman died at Cold Spring at the age of eighty-four. His wife died at St. Joseph at the age of seventy-five. Mr. and Mrs. Bauer have eleven children: Frank, Bertha, Elizabeth, Anna, Mary, George, Barney, Pauline, John, Paul and Maggie. Frank married Agatha Molitor. They live in the town of Rockville and have two children, Leo and Michael. Bertha married Stephen Salzer. They live in St. Cloud and have two children, Rosa and Edmund. Elizabeth married Adam Turk. They live in Browerville, Minn., and have two children, Edwina and an un- named infant. The rest are at home.

Philip Thull, a supervisor of Wakefield township, was born in the town- ship where he still resides, September 5, 1861, son of Simon and Eva Thull. The parents were born in Germany, and with their oldest daughter, Anna, came to the United States and located in Wisconsin. After a year in that state they came to Stearns county, and located on 160 acres in section 10, Wakefield township. They built a log cabin, 18 by 26 feet, and started farm- ing with an ox team, a cow and a calf. Sometimes the cow was fastened with an ox and used for draft work. Often they were compelled to drive as far as St. Paul for provisions. The father died in 1863 at the age of forty-five. The children in the family were: Anna (already mentioned), Mary (de- ceased), Susan (deceased), Agnes (deceased), Lizzie, Philip and Christina. The mother stayed on the home farm for a while with the children. Then she married John Schuck, and they located on a farm in section 4, where a child, John, was born. Mr. Schuck was killed by lightning about a year and a half after his marriage. His widow long survived him and died in 1912 at the age of seventy-eight. Philip remained at home until about twenty years of age. Then he learned the trade of a carpenter. For several years there- after he alternated work at his trade and labor on the farm. At the time of his marriage he settled down on the farm which he still occupies. He has been very successful, gets large crops each year, and raises a good grade of stock. The progress of the years is shown everywhere about his farm, and instead of riding after oxen, as his father did, he has a modern automobile. Mr. Thull is a Democrat and has served in several local offices.

Philip Thull married Mary Fuecker, daughter of Steven and Kate (Ols- ten) Fuecker, who came to the United States from Germany, separately, and

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HISTORY OF STEARNS COUNTY

were married on Jacob's Prairie, in Stearns county, in the late fifties. Mr. and Mrs. Thull have four children: Peter, Kate, Tillie and Edvina.

Christopher C. Brixius was born on the old homestead of his grandfather, Christopher Kock, in Wakefield township, October 6, 1860, son of Michael and Catherine Brixius. In 1853, Michael left Germany, his native land, and after a voyage of three months he reached the United States. As he was a blacksmith by trade, he had no difficulty in finding employment for four years in Cincinnati. In the meantime he was joined by his stepfather, Christopher Kock, and his brothers, Peter and Nicholas. In 1857 they came to Stearns county. Christopher Kock, and Michael and Peter Brixius each secured claims of eighty acres in the northeastern part of the Wakefield township, on the old trail to the Red River valley. Nicholas became identified with the Benedictines. Michael Brixius lived on his claim until his death. He erected a cabin of logs, 18 by 28 feet, and with his ox team began to cultivate the land. He was a hard worker, and after a while was enabled to add forty acres more to his farm. During the Indian uprising, the family went to St. Cloud. Michael was a well-known man in the community, served for a while as supervisor of the township, and assisted in building two successive churches, located on Jacob's Prairie. He died April 13, 1910, at the age of eighty- one. His wife died in 1902 at the age of sixty-four. The ten children in the family were: Christopher, Anna, Jacob, Andrew, John, Margaret, Eliza- beth, Michael, Michael (deceased) and Henry (deceased). Christopher the subject of this mention, was reared at home, and spent nearly all his early boyhood there. After his marriage in 1882, he and his wife moved to St. Cloud. For a few years he worked in a grocery store, and then for some time he was employed as a carpenter. Then he rented several farms, and finally purchased the old homestead where he still resides.

Christopher C. Brixius was married in 1882 to Kate Beck, born in Prussia, Germany, April 29, 1863, daughter of Andrew and Kate Beck, who brought their family to America in 1866, and secured a farm at the corner of sections 11, 12, 13 and 14, Wakefield township, on which they erected a log cabin. Andrew Beck was a Democrat in politics, and served several times as town- ship supervisor. He died at the age of seventy-three. His wife was one year younger when she died. In the Beck family there were twelve children: Joseph, Mary, Matilda, Anna, Catherine, Agnes, Kate, Astromia, John, Tracia, Julius (deceased) and Carl (deceased). Mr. and Mrs. Brixius have nine chil- dren: Michael, Kate, Tillie, Anna, Albert, Margaret, Elizabeth, Aggie and Rosa.

John Fuchs, a successful farmer of section 14, Wakefield township, was born in St. Paul, January 28, 1855, son of John and Gertrude (Lochr) Fuchs. The father and mother were born in Germany, were there married in 1841, and the same year located in Wisconsin in the township of Calumet. In 1854 the family went to Milwaukee, and from there set out with an ox team to drive to St. Paul. They spent the winter in that place, and there the son, John, was born. The other children were Michael, Quirim, Mary Ann, Joseph and Elizabeth. In the spring of 1855 the family came to St. Cloud, then a little hamlet of log houses. After staying there a few days and looking about,

NICHOLAS HANSEN, SR.

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they secured a quarter section in Wakefield township now occupied by the subject of this mention. There were then no roads but the stage track and the Indian trails. The nearest neighbor was over a mile distant. Samuel Wakefield, from whom the town was named, lived two miles away. The Fuchs family built a log cabin and a log barn and with two yoke of oxen began to clear the place for cultivation. During the Indian troubles the family fled to St. Joseph for a short stay. John Fuchs, Sr., the father, added 100 acres to his original claim, and became a prominent citizen. For a time he served as assessor of the township. He died in the middle seventies at the age of sixty-six. His wife died many years later at the age of eighty-one. John, the subject of this sketch, has spent his life on the home farm, to which he has added forty acres. In 1894, the cyclone blew down his frame house located on the river bank, and he subse- quently erected his present dwelling. He has also erected a good barn and other buildings. Mr. Fuchs has taken an active interest in the affairs of his township. For nine years he has served as chairman of the board of super- visors, and like his father he served for a time as assessor. For ten years he has been secretary of the Wakefield Farmers' Mutual Fire Insurance Co. Mr. Fuchs was married in 1880 to Anna Witzman, who was born March 5, 1863, daughter of Michael Witzman. Mr. and Mrs. Fuchs have nine children : Michael, Susie (deceased), Elizabeth, Mary Ann, Jeremiah, Tillie (deceased), Alfonse, Nicholas and Anna.

Nicholas Hansen, Sr., was one of the early pioneers of Wakefield town- ship. He was born in Prussia, Germany, and came alone to the United States at the age of fourteen. For a time he lived in Illinois, where he was employed at railroad work and in other occupations. In 1855 he came to Stearns county, and secured a tract of eighty acres in Wakefield township. He built a log house, 16 by 20, with a cellar. Aided by his ox team, he started to break the land, and prepare the place for successful farming. He was on the high road to prosperity when the Civil War broke out. He accordingly went to Rockville and enlisted in Company G, Ninth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry. He received a gold watch in recognition of his being the first to enlist in that regiment from Rockville. He followed the fortunes of his regiment for four years, and was at one time wounded in battle. After the war he returned to his farm. In time he purchased an additional eighty acres. He also built a frame dwelling to replace the log cabin, and as time passed he erected other buildings. He was a Democrat in politics, served the township of Wakefield for fifteen years as chairman, and the county for a term as county commis- sioner. He was a devout adherent of the Catholic Church, and had a part in the building of the Church of St. James, on Jacob's Prairie. He died January 2, 1910, at the age of seventy-five. His wife died in 1884 at the age of forty. Mr. Hansen married Rosena Bahner, who was born on Jacob's Prairie, the daughter of Peter Bahner, the pioneer. The children were: The- resa, Martha, Catherine, Lena, Mary, Joseph, Elizabeth and Nicholas (de- ceased).

John Hansen was born on the homested where he still resides, March 10, 1877, son of Nicholas and Rosena (Bahner) Hansen. He is a successful man,

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has devoted his life to farming, and owns the old homestead of 160 acres. For his first wife, John Hansen married Anna Crever, a native of Stearns county, and the daughter of Casper Crever. She died in 1909 at the age of twenty- five, leaving five children: Edwald, Luella, Roman, Leo and Andrew. The present Mrs. John Hansen was Mary Sand, of St. Joseph. They have two children, Bernard and Olivia.

Mathew Jacoby, a well-known farmer of Wakefield township, was born in Germany, May 24, 1860, son of Peter and Mary Jacoby. There was also in the family a daughter, Susan, now the wife of Albert Radsky, of Chicago. At the age of nineteen, Mathew Jacoby set out for the United States. For about eighteen months he lived in Chicago, and then made his way to Iowa where he worked a few years. It was in 1884 that he came to Stearns county and for some time engaged in farming in the vicinity of Cold Spring. Then for three or four years he farmed in Meeker county. Later he bought the improved farm of 160 acres in Wakefield township, on which he still resides. To this he has added 170 acres in Rockville township. Mr. Jacoby was married November 12, 1895, to Mrs. Thresa (Beachel) Jacoby, the daughter of Peter and Mary Catherine (Krebsbach) Beachel, and the widow of William Jacoby. She was born December 26, 1861, in Stearns county. Her parents were pio- neers, coming to Stearns county in the early fifties. Here they located on eighty acres in Collegeville township. Starting with almost nothing, they soon had a good place. Mr. and Mrs. Beachel had seven children: Marga- ret, Eliza, John, Joseph, Johan, Kate and Thresa. Mr. Beachel died in 1862. His widow married John Maselter, a prominent pioneer farmer of Wakefield township. Mathew Jacoby and his wife have five children: Gertrude, Rosa (deceased), Elizabeth, Magdalene and Louisa.

William Jacoby was the son of Nicholas and Anna Jacoby, who in the early days lived in a log cabin on the river bank in Wakefield township. Upon growing to manhood, William Jacoby acquired 160 acres of land, and carried on farming operations until the time of his death in 1893 at the age of forty-two. He married Thresa Beachel, and by this union had six chil- dren: John, Mary, Nicholas, William, Susan and Theresa.

Peter Kellner, a prominent farmer of section 4, Wakefield township, was born in October, 1850, in Jefferson county, Wis., a son of Michael and Frances (Obst) Kellner. The parents were married in Germany, and there one child, Kate, was born. In 1847 they came to America on a sailing vessel, the trip re- quiring sixty-seven days on the water. After landing they came west and located in Jefferson county, Wisconsin. There three children, Peter, Cresentia and Theresa, were born. In 1856 the family started out with an ox team for St. Cloud. After stopping for a week in that hamlet and looking about, they located on a claim in section 4, Wakefield township. Here they erected a log cabin, 18 by 22 feet, shingled with home made shingles hewn from logs. They started farming with two ox teams and a cow. Like the other pioneers they had many interesting experiences. The father drove to St. Paul to sell his grain and purchase supplies, as well as to get his corn and wheat milled. Sometimes on these trips he picked cranberries along the way, selling them at a good price in St. Paul. For many years the father worked hard to build

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up his farm. He became prosperous, and in time was enabled to purchase an extra tract of 100 acres located near Collegeville. He was one of the pioneers who helped to build the Church of St. James, on Jacob's Prairie, in Wakefield township. Michael Kellner retired in his latter years and moved to the vil- lage of Cold Spring. He died in 1889 at the age of eighty-six. His wife died in 1906 at the age of eighty-nine. Peter, the subject of this mention, came to Wakefield township with his parents and has always remained at home. He successfully operated the home farm for many years, and was so prosperous that he was enabled to purchase an additional 140 acres. Peter Kellner was married, in 1872, to Catherine Thelen, who was born in Prussia, Germany, the daughter of Matthew and Christina (Freund) Thelen, who in 1856 brought her to America, lived four years in Illinois, and then drove with ox teams to Stearns county and settled in section 10, Wakefield township. Mr. and Mrs. Peter Kellner have had a long and happy life together. They have built a new house and barn, and have taken a deep interest in, the training and edu- cation of their children. These children are five in number. Leonard and William have a market in St. Joseph village, this county. Peter is a farmer and makes a specialty of threshing. Kate is the wife of George Ncis, of Cold Spring. Matthew operates the home farm for his father. He married Mary Klein, born in Stearns county, daughter of George Klein. Matthew Kellner and his wife have four children: Loretta, Alexander, Reynold, and Arzella.

John Maselter was born on the old homestead in Wakefield township, in 1866, son of John and Mary Catherine Krebsbach Maselter. The father came to America alone from Germany, as a single man, and settled near Cold Spring, Wakefield township, with a party of his fellow countrymen about 1855. There he secured eighty acres of land, and erected a log cabin and a log barn. Like so many of the pioneers he began with an ox team. He erected a frame building on the place and made many improvements. John Maselter, the father, died in 1883 at the age of sixty-six. His wife survived him for many years. She was the widow of Peter Beakle, by whom she had nine chil- dren. By Mr. Maselter there was but one child, John, the subject of this sketch. This John still lives on the home place. He has continued to make improvements, has erected a large barn, and has added 160 acres to the original farm. He married Barbara Salzer, daughter of George Salzer, a pioneer of Stearns county. They have seven children: John, Aloysius, Wil- liam, Rosa, Mary, Susan and Leo. The family attends the Catholic Church at Cold Spring.

Michael Witzman, a supervisor of Wakefield township, was born on the place in section 11, where he still resides, July 29, 1874, son of Michael, Sr., and Susannah (Theisen) Witzman. Michael, Sr., brought his wife and his two children, Mary and Niek, from Germany in 1860, and secured 160 aeres in sections 3 and 4, Wakefield township. He there erected a log cabin and began farming. A few years later he moved to section 11, in the same town- ship, where he had secured 300 acres. On this place some of the land was broken, and some log buildings had been erected. With the aid of an ox team he began improving the farm, and in time had as good a place as any

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in the township. He died in 1896 at the age of sixty-six. His wife died in 1911 at the age of seventy-nine. Six of their children, Nick, Paul, Anna, N. P., Michael and Elizabeth, were born in Stearns county. All the members of the family are devout Catholics, the parents in the early days having attended the old Church of St. James on Jacob's Prairie. Michael Witzman has always . remained on the home farm. He has served in various local offices, is inter- ested in public affairs, and is now serving his twelfth year as town super- visor. He votes the Democratic ticket. Socially he is allied with the Cath- olic Order of Foresters, and he is a member of the Wakefield Farmers' Mu- tual Fire Insurance Co. The family are members of St. Boniface Church at Cold Spring. Michael Witzman was married, May 26, 1896, to Kate Thelen, and their children are : Benjamin, Rosa, Joseph, Lena, Tillie and Kate (twins), Clara (deceased) and Emma.

Hubert Rieland, a pioneer, was born in Germany, September 16, 1835, and died in Stearns county, Minn., October 5, 1912. He came to America at the age of twenty-one, in 1856, and lived at Louisville, Kentucky, and New Or- leans, Louisiana, before coming to Minnesota. In 1863 he secured a home- stead of forty acres in section 32, Oak township, and the following year brought his bride there. They lived in a log cabin and experienced the usual vicissitudes of pioneer life. They had to cut a road to the new home, and when in need of supplies drove to St. Paul with two yoke of oxen, carrying wheat and bringing back provisions. By hard work they prospered, and in time acquired 600 acres of land. They erected modern buildings, and be- came leaders in the community. Together with general farming they made a specialty of raising Shorthorn cattle. Mr. Rieland sat several terms in the lower house of the Minnesota Legislature, and did his district good service there. He was town assessor eighteen years in succession. For twenty years he was school clerk. He donated one acre of land for the school of district 117, and was ever interested in its progress. He was also prominent in church affairs. He helped cut logs for the first church at New Munich, helped select logs for the second church, and by donation assisted in the building of the present beautiful brick church. During the Indian uprising he assisted in building the sod embankment about the church, inside of which the neigh- bors took refuge. After a useful and successful life he retired and moved to New Munich, where he died. Mr. Rieland was married, January 24, 1864, to Helen Thelen, who was born in Germany, July 24, 1845, was brought to Stearns county by her parents at the age of seven, and died December 2, 1913. The children are: Joseph, born November 1, 1864; Mary, born Sep- tember 6, 1866 (died in August, 1868) ; Frank, born November 24, 1870; Diana, born February 17, 1872 (died January 17, 1876) ; Anna, born April 18, 1875; John, born January 8, 1877; Christina, born September 17, 1879; Anton, born June 19, 1880; Rosa, born October 29, 1882; and Helen, born September 1, 1886 (died the same month). Florence, born February 17, 1895, was adopted in June, 1899.

Herman J. Ricker, since 1903 teacher in School District No. 183, Stearns county, was born April 26, 1879, in Coesfeld, Westphalia, Europe. His par- ents, Herman Ricker and Anna Maas, were also born at the same place, the

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History of Stearns County, Minnesota, Volume II, Part 42

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