History of Wabasha County, Minnesota, Part 86

Author: Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn. cn
Publication date: 1920
Publisher: Winona, Minn. : H.C. Cooper
Number of Pages: 1222

USA > Minnesota > Wabasha County > History of Wabasha County, Minnesota > Part 86

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Ernest G. Dettrich, a Minnesota pioneer now residing in Watopa Town- ship, was born in Germany, October 25, 1842, and came to America with his parents in 1854. The family located first in Milwaukee, Wis., where they re- sided until 1866, when they settled at Oak Ridge, Winona County, Minn. There Ernest G. Dettrich bought 80 acres of land, which he farmed until 1892. Then selling that farm, he bought one of 160 acres in sections 30 and 31, Watopa Township, Wabasha County, erected a set of buildings and fenced the farm, and was there engaged in agriculture until 1916. He then rented the farm to his son Ervin F., who purchased it in 1919, and is now the owner. Mr. Dettrich had an active and successful career, and for many years was a prominent citi- zen of Watopa Township. For a number of years he served on the school board of District 35. He was married, October 14, 1872, to Lucy Reish, daugh-

520

HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY

ter of Mr. and Mrs. Martin Reish, who were natives of Switzerland. She died in 1917. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Dettrich were: Edith, now Mrs. F. L. Bennett; William, who resides in Winona County; Charles, a physician of Omaha, Neb .; Minnie, wife of Byron Bennett; Ervin F., who bought and is oper- ating the home farm; and Alonzo, who is a traveling salesman. Ervin F. Dettrich, who was born March 4, 1888, was married June 10, 1914, to Maggie Markus, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Markus of Highland Township, Wabasha County. He and his wife have four children: Mildred, born February 12, 1916; Marcus E., born January 8, 1917; and Lorena T. and Maxine T. (twins), born February 20, 1918.

Theodore Maas, president of the Bank of Mazeppa, and also engaged in the lumber business in this village, was born in Pine Island Township, Goodhue County, Minn., in 1863, son of William F. F. and Johanna (Ninmann) Maas. The parents were natives of Prussia, Germany. The father, a cabinet maker by trade, came to the United States at the age of 29 years, locating at Water- town, Wis., where he followed his trade, and was married. His wife had come to this country at the age of 14 years with her parents. William Maas now en- tered the employ of Knapp-Stout & Co., then a large and well known lumber firm, but after working for them a while came to Minnesota and took a pre- emption claim near Forest Mills. Not long after he traded his farm for prop- erty at Pine Island and went back to work for Knapp-Stout & Co. After being away for a time in their employ, he returned to Pine Island and traded his property there for a farm four miles southwest of Mazeppa, where he and his wife made their permanent home. William Maas died in 1892 and his wife in 1911. They had four children, three of whom are now living, namely, C. F. A., Theodore, and Sarah, the last mentioned being the wife of W. G. Kingsford, of St. Paul. Robert, the eldest, died in 1877. Theodore Maas was reared on his parents' farm, acquiring his education in the district school, and he subse- quently continued on the farm until he came to Mazeppa in 1891 and began his business career as clerk in the general store of E. L. Ford & Co. In this posi- tion he remained for one year and while thus engaged kept his eyes open and on the lookout for a good business opportunity. At the end of a year he purchased the P. Robinson elevator, which he subsequently operated for 25 years, buying and selling grain, and conducting a prosperous business. In 1915 Mr. Maas opened a lumber yard at Mazeppa, which he still owns and operates, and in 1916 he sold the elevator to C. P. Engelhart. For nearly thirty years he has been one of the leading business men of the village. He has been a stockholder in and director of the Bank of Mazeppa since it was organ- ized and for the past twenty years has served as its president. He has taken an active and beneficial part in local affairs, and his fellow citizens have been accustomed to count upon his aid and influence in the working out of plans for the public good. Mr. Maas was first married in 1892 to Mamie Newhouse, of Pine Island, Goodhue County, Minn., daughter of George H. and Marian (Tup- per) Newhouse. The fruit of this marriage was two sons, Lloyd and Vern, the former being now a dentist in Mazeppa, and the latter engaged in railroad work. Both served in the recent war with Germany, enlisting voluntarily. Their service was confined to this country, Lloyd's being with the Dental Reserve Corps, and Vern's with the Second Engineers and later with the Eighth Mounted Engineers, covering a period of two years and four months. Mrs. Mamie Maas, the mother of these two sons, died in 1912, and Mr. Maas subse- quently married Mrs. Anna C. (Evertz) Baustert, the widow of Henry Baustert, who by her first husband had two children, William G. and Marjory. The son, William G. Baustert, during the recent war, enlisted in the U. S. army as a member of the Second Engineers and served 21 months in France, being gassed at Belleau Wood. He is now attending the University of Minnesota. The daughter Marjory is residing at home.

George William Kuhfuss, farmer and musician, residing in section 20, West Albany Township, was born in this township, February 14, 1882, son of

MR. AND MRS. GEORGE W. KUHFUSS,

MR. AND MRS. GEORGE E. KUHFUSS,

MR. AND MRS. WILLIAM SCHUMACHER

521

HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY

George and Augusta (Reinhardt) Kuhfuss. The family settlement was made here at an early date by his grandparents, who bought 160 acres of Wise Brothers, the land being little improved and with small buildings. In time the son George, the father of George William, succeeded to the property. He was a boy of fourteen when he came from Germany, and the rest of his life was spent here as a successful farmer. He also shared the marked family talent for music, attaining prominence as a composer. In Germany his father had been conductor of a military band of 65 pieces, besides composing pieces of merit, and the son George, so far as his opportunities permitted, followed in the paternal footsteps. In time he received the final summons and passed away, being survived by his wife Augusta, who was born in this country, and who is still living on the home farm. They were the parents of five children : Karl, a resident of West Albany Township; Gusta, now Mrs. Harry Schmidt, of Pepin Township; Herman, of West Albany Township; August, who is living on the home farm; and George William, the direct subject of this sketch. George William Kuhfuss was reared to manhood on his parents' farm, attending the common school to the age of 17 years. He remained at home until 1901, in which year he was married, November 21, to Emma E., daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Schumacher, of Mt. Pleasant Township. She was born in Chester Township, this county, April 1, 1883. Since his marriage Mr. Kuhfuss has been engaged in operating his present farm of 91 acres in section 20, doing general farming. It is located ten miles south of Lake City, about six miles from Theilman and the same distance from Millville, the two latter places being Mr. Kuhfuss' principal markets. He has a fine set of buildings, and his farm is well stocked with high grade Holstein cattle and Duroc and Chester- White hogs. With a good modern operating equipment, he is making satis- factory financial progress, being also a stockholder in the Theilman opera house and the Farmers' elevator in Millville. Like his father and grandfather, he is also a musician, being a member of the Kuhfuss Orchestra, composed of his three brothers, his sister, and himself, which is well known through- out this part of the state. A Republican in politics, Mr. Kuhfuss has inter- ested himself in public affairs. In 1914 he was elected county commissioner, and in 1918 was re-elected to succeed himself for another term of four years, and served six years as chairman of the school board of his district, manifest- ing good business ability and a helpful public spirit. He is a member of several fraternal orders, including Wapahasa Lodge, A. F. & A. M., of Wa- basha; the Elks' lodge at Red Wing, the Ancient Order of United Workmen at Lake City, the Modern Woodmen of America and the Red Men at Millville. He and his wife are affiliated religiously with the German M. E. church in West Albany Township.

George E. Kuhfuss, who was for many years a resident of West Albany Township, and well known throughout Wabasha County, as well as beyond its limits, as a talented musical composer, was born in Hanover, Germany, Decem- ber 23, 1851, son of George and Lena (Redich) Kuhfuss. In 1866, when in his fifteenth year, he came with his parents to the United States, reaching West Albany Township, Wabasha County, Minn., in March. The latter part of the journey, from La Crosse, Wis., to their destination, was made by stage, there being then no railroad. In section 21, West Albany Township, George Kuhfuss, the father, bought a farm of Wise brothers, on which stood a good new house. A small part of the land had also been improved. For over twenty years Mr. Kuhfuss toiled on the farm, making valuable improvements, though the loss of his wife, who died December 15, 1880, depressed his spirits to some extent, and perhaps took some of the energy out of his work. He survived her nearly seven years, finally passing away on November 30, 1887. They had eleven children, only one of whom was born in America. All are now deceased ex- cept a daughter, Mrs. Grabe, who lives in Minneapolis. George E. Kuhfuss in his boyhood attended school in District 37, West Albany Township. He ac-

522

HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY

quired a good agricultural training in his youth, and his life was spent on the home farm, after he settled on it with his parents in 1866. Though he was a good practical farmer, it was as a musician and composer that he was best known throughout the county. In that line of activity he gave free rein to a natural talent, cultivated by study, and perhaps derived through inheritance, as his father was also a talented musician, and while living in Germany was the leader of a military band of 65 pieces. Four of Mr. Kuhfuss' sons and a daughter now constitute the Kuhfuss Orchestra, one of the best known and most popular musical organizations. George E. Kuhfuss was married Decem- ber 4, 1877, to Augusta Reinhardt, who was born at Columbus, Wis., May 17, 1858, daughter of William and Catherine Reinhardt. Her parents removed with their children to Lake City when she was eleven years old. They both died in Lake City, the father at the age of 84 years, on April 31, 1916, and the mother at the age of 74, on February 20, 1906. To Mr. and Mrs. Kuhfuss nine children were born: Lena, on November 19, 1878; Augusta, May 6, 1880; George W., February 14, 1882; Lillian and William (twins), May 18, 1885; Charles, December 8, 1890; Augusta (second), August 24, 1893; Herman, March 24, 1895; and August, September 30, 1901. Four of the children are deceased, namely: Lena, who died August 27, 1879; Augusta (first), on April 27, 1881; Lillian, who died in infancy, and William, who died November 5, 1897. Charles is living in West Albany Township, as also is Herman. Augusta, the second of the name, is now Mrs. Harry Schmidt, of Pepin Township, Wabasha County. August is residing on the home farm with his mother. George E. Kuhfuss died November 3, 1911, deeply mourned by his family and regretted by a wide circle of friends and acquaintances, among whom he was popular and respected. He was reared in the German Lutheran faith, and in early years worshipped with the West Albany congregation. In his latter years he became a member of the West Albany M. E. church. Politically he was a Re- publican, but was not active in politics beyond casting his vote. His widow, with a brother of hers and her youngest son, are residing on the old farm, and her other sons live but a short distance away.

Mott M. Anderson, postmaster at Hammond, and assistant cashier of the Hammond State Bank, was born July 20, 1874, on a farm in the town of Zumbro, son of Abram J. and Melvina (Mitchell) Anderson. The father was a native of New York State and the mother of Maine. Abram J. Anderson came to Minnesota at an early day, locating on a farm in Zumbro Township, where he followed agriculture until the fall of 1919. He then retired and took up his residence in Hammond, where he is now living. He was twice married, first to Angeline Dennison, by whom he had four children, Wesley, Alonzo D., who is Mayor of Hammond, Harriet and Clark. By his second marriage to Melvina Mitchell eight children were born, all of whom are living but Jessie S. The survivors are Linn, Ray A., Roy W., Percy F., Mott M., Blanche and Lura. Blanche is the wife of Walter Lord, a farmer in Zumbro Township. Lura is the wife of Peter Kruger, of Rochester, Minn. Harriet, who married Charles Devery, is now a widow, and resides on a farm in Zumbro Township. Mott W. Anderson was reared on the home farm in Zumbro Township, on which he remained until 25 years old. His education was begun in the district school, and he afterward attended schools at Rochester, Mazeppa and Madison, Minn., being a pupil for one winter at each of the two latter places. In the fall of 1898 he came to Hammond and opened a drug store with Dr. H. J. Button, to whom he sold his interest in the fall of the following year. For some time after that he was variously employed, partly in farming. For seven years he was engaged in railroad work, and for two winters was in the employ of the Western Elevator Company. On June 20, 1907, he was appointed postmaster at Hammond, which position he still holds. On September 1, 1919, Mr. Anderson entered the Hammond State Bank as bookkeeper, and since January 1, 1920, has been assistant cashier. He has served as village recorder of Hammond,

523

HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY

and has been clerk of the local lodge of Modern Woodmen of America for 14 years. Mr. Anderson was married, December 28, 1900, at Wabasha, Minn., to Elizabeth Burch, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Christ Burch, of Hyde Park, Wa- basha County. The mother died when her daughter Elizabeth was a small child, but the father is still living. They were early settlers in this county, and were engaged in farming. Their children were John, Celia, Christ, Charles and Elizabeth. Mr: Anderson has two half brothers and four half sisters: Louis, Amelia, Margaret, Mary, Ella and Emil. Of the children comprising the entire family, all are living except John and Louis. Mr. and Mrs. Mott M. Anderson are the parents of two children: Mervil V. and Jessie, both residing at home. Mervil is now employed in the post office.

Henry Wolf, a veteran railroad man, now living retired in the village of Minneiska, was born in southern Germany, February 20, 1848, son of Matthias and Susannah Wolf. The parents came to the United States in 1857, landed at Milwaukee May 10, remained there for a short time, and then moved to a forty- acre farm in Richfield Township, twenty miles north of that city. He was reared to farm pursuits and for a time worked at that employment, but he early took up railroad work, and had barely attained his majority when he was made a section foreman. In January, 1871, he came to Wabasha County, and assisted in the construction of the original line of the railroad now known as the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul. He remained in the employ of this com- pany, with headquarters and home at Minneiska, until 1917, when after long and faithful service he was retired and placed on the company's pension roll. He has attained the respect of the community, and in his half century of life here has made a special study of the county's history and traditions, few being better informed on the events of the past fifty years than he. Mr. Wolf was married in June, 1869, to Sarah Brown, of Richfield, Wis., who was born in Ohio, daughter of Andrew and Mary Brown, and died June 19, 1918. Mr. and Mrs. Wolf were the parents of six children : Elizabeth, wife of John Peshon, of Minneiska; Annie keeps house for her father; Mary and Mary Jo- sephine, who died young; Jacob, a clerk at the Minneiska railroad station; and Louisa, the wife of Charles H. Lorenz, of Minnieska.

John Peshon, the leading merchant of the village of Minneiska, proprietor of a largely patronized general store, is a native of Winona County, Minn., having been born in Mt. Vernon Township, December 18, 1871, son of Peter and Jane (Pfeiffer) Peshon. The parents, who were farmers, are both now deceased, the death of Mrs. Peter Peshon having occurred May 20, 1881. Their son John acquired his early education in the district school, and afterwards until the age of 18 years attended the Winona Business College. About 1890 he came to Minneiska and entered the employ of Brooks Bros., proprietors of an elevator here, and continued with them for five or six years. At the end of that time he bought a half interest in a store with Mrs. Margaret Agnes, widow of Michael Agnes, the building being located on the site which he now occupies, and the partnership was continued for two years. This store had an eventful history, as it was three times burned down, its first destruction by fire occurring while it was conducted by the Agnes family, January 6, 1880, previous to Mr. Peshon's entry into the firm, the second fire occurred on Octo- ber 23, 1900. The third fire occurred August 2, 1906, and Mr. Peshon lost all

his papers and business documents. Since the retirement of Mrs. Agnes from the firm, Mr. Peshon has conducted the business alone, or with the assistance of his wife, and has brought it into a flourishing condition. His principal stock consists of groceries, farm implements and machinery, flour and feed, but he also carries practically everything required in a supply house for a rural community.' He is a stockholder and director in the Farmers State Bank of Minneiska. As a business man he is enterprising and far-sighted, and ranks among the leading merchants in Wabasha County, his trade extending a considerable distance into the surrounding country. Mr. Peshon was married

524

HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY

January 28, 1896, to Elizabeth M. Wolf, who was born in Richfield, Wis., daugh- ter of Henry and Sarah (Brown) Wolf, but who was educated in Minneiska, to which place her parents came from Wisconsin in January, 1871. Mr. and Mrs. Peshon are members of the Catholic church, the former also belonging to the Catholic Order of Foresters.

Louis Phillip Pfeilsticker, a prosperous business man of Wabasha, engaged in the grocery and implement business on Pembroke street, was born in Wa- basha city, August 23, 1883, son of Louis and Caroline (Kirchner) Pfeilsticker. He was reared on his parents' farm on the outskirts of the city and attended the common school up to the age of 17 years. On November 1, 1904, he was married to Jessie Dunn, daughter of Frank and Eliza (Flemming) Dunn, of Wabasha, and who was born at Pepin, Wis., December 4, 1886. During that year and the following he was in the employ of the Big Jo Milling Co., of Wa- basha, but in the spring of 1906 he went to St. Paul, where he became clerk in Michael Bros.' grocery. On March 28, 1907, Mr. Pfeilsticker opened a con- fectionery store on Pembroke street, Wabasha. This was a venture that proved highly successful, so much so that he soon had to move to larger quarters, which he found on the same street. After building up the business to good proportions, he traded it for 160 acres of improved land, without buildings, in Bottineau County, North Dakota, which property he still owns but leases out, there being now 100 acres of it under cultivation. Mr. Pfeilsticker then en- tered into the grocery and implement business, a few doors east of his former location on Pembroke street, and has since carried on a thriving business at this location. In 1915 he became local representative for Emerson & Prauting- ham, dealers in farm machinery, and has since become agent for other makes, and done a large business in this line throughout the surrounding country. His implement warehouse adjoins the confectionery store on the north. In politics he is a Republican, while his fraternal affiliations are with White Oak Camp, No. 2077, M. W. A. He and his wife are members of the Congregational church. To Mr. and Mrs. Pfeilsticker four children have been born: Eleanor H., January 24, 1907; Vera, January 9, 1909; Phillip, June 25, 1916; and Lee J., May 5, 1918.

Louis Pfeilsticker, a well-to-do citizen of Wabasha, who is operating a farm in the southeastern part of the city, was born at Read's Landing, Wabasha County, January 21, 1857, son of Louis and. Theresa (Hummel) Pfeilsticker. The father came to Wabasha County, Minnesota, from Prussia in 1848. He was a baker by trade, and soon after arriving here became cook for loggers on the Chippewa river, which occupation he was engaged in till 1855 or 1856. He was then married at Read's Landing to Theresa Hummel, with whom he had become acquainted at that place, and in 1857 he started in the bakery and confectionery business at Wabasha, a business that he operated until his death at the comparatively early age of 45 years. His widow subsequently became the wife of Louis Hauswedell of this county. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Pfeilsticker were: Louis, Jr., the direct subject of this sketch; Louisa, born December 11, 1858, who married Peter Jacobs and died in 1915; Emma, born December 25, 1860, who is now Mrs. Peter Theisen, of Zumbro Falls, Wabasha County; Eda, born May 1, 1862, who died in 1864; August, born in August, 1866, who died at Wabasha in 1875; and Frank A., born in 1869, mar- ried Elizabeth Klas, and is living on a farm in Wabasha County. Louis Pfeil- sticker after leaving school worked on his stepfather's farm until reaching the age of 20 years. In 1877 he entered the employ of W. S. McArthur, a cooper, in Wabasha, with whom he remained, however, but one winter, in the following year going to Brookings County, South Dakota, where he homesteaded 160 acres of wild land, 14 miles west of the present city of Brookings, though at that time there was but one house there. On that farm he remained for about three years, and then in 1881 returned to Wabasha and resumed the cooper's trade with W. S. McArthur, with whom he remained until 1883. On April 5 in the

MR. AND MRS. LOUIS PFEILSTICKER, SR.

525

HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY

latter year he was united in marriage with Caroline, daughter of John and Magdaline Kirchner, of Wabasha. She was born in Mormon Coolie, La Crosse County, Wis., December 10, 1862, and came with her parents to this county when two years of age. In the year of his marriage he bought a block in the southeast corner of Wabasha city, a tract of wild land, to which he subse- quently added until he had 16 acres. On this he built a modern residence, a modern barn and other outbuildings, and has since resided on and operated the place. In 1888 Mr. Pfeilsticker exchanged his Brookings County farm for 160 acres lying just on the edge of Wabasha city, a piece of land on which there were no improvements, but today is a good farm. Previous to this, in 1884, Mr. Pfeilsticker had entered the employ of the Big Jo Milling Co. of Wa- basha, with whom he remained as foreman until 1914. During this period of 30 years his farm was operated by his sons, but since the latter date he has operated it himself, having then severed his connection with the milling com- pany. In about 1912 he purchased 52 acres of meadow land in Greenfield Township. He is a member of Waupahasa Lodge, No. 14, A. F. & A. M .; the Independent Order of Odd Fellows; White Oak Camp, No. 2077, M. W. A., and the Good Samaritans, all of Wabasha. In politics he is a Republican, and he and his family are members of the German Reformed church. To Mr. and Mrs. Pfeilsticker have been born ten children, as follows: Louis Phillip, born August 23, 1884, who is engaged in the grocery and implement business in Wabasha; on November 1, 1904, he married Jessie Dunn, and they have four children, Eleanor H., Vera, Phillip and Lee J. George John, born August 13, 1885, who is in the employ of the Big Jo Milling Co., and who married Cora Barton and has five children, Edith, Dorothy, Carrol, Robert and Georgia; Olivia, born July 17, 1887, now Mrs. A. L. Kyllo, of Grantsburg, Wis .; Frank Albert, born July 27, 1890, a farmer in Wabasha, who married Vemba Brown and has three children, Florence, Vemba Louise, and Wilfred; Dora Theresa, born September 7, 1892, wife of Peter Klass, of Wabasha, whose children are Peter, Dorothy and Donald; August, born December 16, 1894, now a resident of Wabasha, who served as a soldier in Europe in the recent World's War, and who married Blanche Davison and has one child, Marian; Allen Henry, born March 6, 1896, who died in Wabasha, July 23, 1905; Charles Leonard, born May 13, 1900; John Walter K., born December 30, 1905; and William Joseph, born January 14, 1907. The three last mentioned are residing at home and attend- ing school.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Wabasha County, Minnesota, Part 86

Author: Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn. cn Publication date: 1920 Publisher: Winona, Minn. : H.C. Cooper Number of Pages: 1222

Author: Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn. cn
Publication date: 1920
Publisher: Winona, Minn. : H.C. Cooper
Number of Pages: 1222