USA > Minnesota > Wright County > History of Wright County, Minnesota > Part 39
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Emil Flamant, who owns a beautiful farm on the shores of Lake Pulaski, in Buffalo township, was born in Highland, Madi- son county, Illinois, April 12, 1858, son of August C. and Cath- erine Victoria (Martin) Flamant. He was educated in the dis- triet schools and learned farming from his father. As a young man he purchased eighty acres of wild land in Marysville town- ship, adjoining his father's. Like his father before him he had his experience in clearing and developing the timber country. In doing this he used oxen, five of six yoke of which he "broke" and trained himself. While occupied with his own affairs he also took an interest in the progress of the neighborhood, and being a friend of education he served for some time as clerk of distriet No. 25. In April, 1899, he sold his farm and bought eighty acres of land in section 20, Buffalo township, on the banks of Lake Pulaski, and here he now resides. Ilis home is sur-
EMIL FLAMANT
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rounded with park-like grounds, while the farm, on which he has made many improvements, is well cultivated and productive. He carries on general farming, and makes a specialty of raising good stock. Mr. Flamant married Mary Christina Johnson, a native of Sweden, the daughter of John Johnson. They have four children. Alice Mabel died in infancy. Helen Mabel is teaching school. Arthur Emil Richard is at home on the farm. Edgar is assistant cashier and stenographer in a bank at Mah- nomen, Minn.
Robert Leeson, son of John and Elizabeth Leeson, was born in Canada May 24, 1857, and in 1861 came with his parents to Buffalo, where the family, then consisting of his father and mother, an older brother, Richard, and younger sister, Eliza, settled on a elaim taken up by the father in the deep woods. Along towards the close of the Civil War, John Leeson, the father, entered the Union army, leaving the family on the elaim. where young Robert and his brother Richard assisted their mother in the cultivation of the cleared land. Times were hard and the family suffered great hardships. Indians were in the country at that time, and were a constant menace to the settlers, who were few and far between, and many times young Robert's hair was made to stand on end by his meeting Indians in the thick woods. At that time the most of the men were in the army, and the women folks sometimes received warning that the Indians were on the warpath, when they, with the children, would go to the fort, which was built where the village of Buffalo is now situated. Robert Leeson was married March 17, 1896, to Annie Fretag, and four children have been born to them, three of whom are still living, viz .: Marie Gladdis Leeson, aged 17; Alma Lee- son, 14 years of age, and Margaret Leeson, two years of age. Mr. Leeson has been farming all his life and is now the owner of a well improved farm of eighty acres in the township of Buffalo, upon which he resides with his family and which he successfully enltivates. He is also the owner of an undivided interest in another 160-acre farm owned by his father at the time of his death. Mr. Leeson is a successful and well to do farmer, and is a Republican in polities.
John Leeson. In the middle of the past eentury there were living in Ireland two worthy families named Leeson and Wren. The Leeson family consisted of the parents, John Leeson, Sr., and his wife Elizabeth, and seven children, William, John, Richard, Joseph, Sarah, Maria and Eliza. The Wren family consisted of the parents, Robert and Mary Ann (Thompson) Wren, and two daughters, Jane and Elizabeth. Later, in Canada, two sons, Thomas and Robert, were born to the Wren family. Suffering under the various injustices to which Ireland was at that day subjected, the two families moved to Canada. At that
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time they were not acquainted. John Leeson, Sr., died on board ship, but his widow and children continued the journey. In Canada the son John, the subject of this mention, met and won Elizabeth Wren. In 1860 or 1861 John and Elizabeth (Wren) Leeson left Canada with their three children, Richard, Robert and Eliza, and after a long and tiresome trip reached Buffalo township, in Wright county, where they took a claim in the deep woods. They erected a log cabin, and with an ox team prepared the land for cultivation. Times were hard, provisions were scarce, and Mr. Leeson often had to walk many miles to get a sack of meal. During these trips his worthy wife was often left alone. At one time, when every one exeept her was away from home, Mrs. Leeson saw a savage bear approaching the little clearing about the cabin. The bear took away the only pig they possessed, and then returned and made his way toward the cabin. Mrs. Leeson took her bed and went to the hole under the cabin, where she stayed until her husband returned. One day when she was churning, word came that the Indians were in the neighborhood, and leaving the partly-ehurned butter in the bowl she fled with the rest, remaining away until the danger had passed. The Civil War was now raging and repeated ealls came for men to defend the Union. In the latter part of the contliet Mr. Leeson enlisted in Company B, Eleventh Minnesota Volun- teer Infantry and served until the close of the conflict. After the war he again took up the work of developing his farm, and with the years he attained prosperity, wresting a well-cultivated place from the wilderness. Ile made his home on the homestead until his lamented death, in May, 1896, at the age of seventy-six years and six months. His widow, who was born March 2, 1831, now lives in the village of Buffalo. Mr. Leeson was a Republican in politics, and held the office of assessor of Buffalo township for many years. He was a member of the Methodist church and of the G. A. R. A good, true man in every respect, he was highly regarded for his many sterling qualities.
Gilbert Middagh, proprietor of Cedar Grove Farm, section 5, Buffalo township, is one of the leading farmers of the county. Ile was born in Mountain township, the province of Ontario, Canada, October 26, 1851, son of Gilbert Middagh, Sr., and Anna (Loueks) Middagh, his wife. He came with his parents to lowa in 1865 and to Minnesota in 1868. As a young man he took up farming on a forty-acre tract near his parents' home in Winsted, Minn. With the help of an ox team he cleared this traet and brought it under cultivation. In 1901 he sold out and bought eighty acres of land in section 5, Buffalo township. This place was partly improved. but Mr. Middagh has developed it still further and erected some sightly buildings. He has been very successful, and carries on general farming and raises good grade
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stock. Mr. Middagh was married December 19, 1879, at Howard Lake, this county, to Sarah J. James, born in the Province of Ontario, Canada, August 18, 1858, daughter of Edward and Jane (Kineh) James. To this union have been born nine children: Mary, born September 2, 1880, died December 13, 1891; Gilbert, born August 2, 1882; Ira, born, November 14, 1884; Nettie, born September 10, 1886, died January 2, 1888; Ezra, born December 20, 1890, died in February, 1891; Morgan, born April 3, 1892; Ralph, born May 12, 1893; Earl, born September 12, 1897, and Pearl, born August 24, 1903. Edward and Jane (Kinch) James were both natives of Canada, their parents having come to that country from Ireland. They came to the United States about 1868 and located in St. Panl. Then they went to Howard Lake, Victor township, in this county, and farmed several years. Next they took a farm in Monticello township, near Pelican lake, where they spent the remainder of their days, Edward James dying September 13, 1914, at the age of eighty-two, and his wife October 15, 1909, at the age of seventy-five. Their children were Sarah J., William E., Albert B., Elizabeth A. (deceased), Mary R., Isaac E. and Henry M. Edward James was the son of William and Elizabeth (Chanley) James. The family combines both Irish and Scottish blood. John and Mary (Grauberger) Middagh were both natives of Holland, but were married in Canada, to which country they came as children. Their children were Harry, Gilbert (Sr.), John, Sarah and Elizabeth. Jacob and Jemima Loneks were also born in Holland and came to Canada as young people. Their children were Michael, Charles, Jacob, Eliza, Anna, Jemina, George, Mary and Sarah. Gilbert Middagh, Sr., was born on the banks of the Mohawk river in Canada, May 31, 1811. He worked as a farmer and as a blacksmith and was on the road to sneeess when he joined in the Fenian uprising. As a result he was forced to flee to the United States in 1865. For a time he lived in Iowa, but in 1868 came to Minnesota and located on a farm near Win- sted, where he spent the remainder of his days. He died in 1881. His wife, Anna Loneks, was born in the Province of Ontario, Canada, in August, 1819, and died in 1901 at the age of ninety-one. Their children were: John, Rachael, Sarah, Jacob, Mary, Gilbert, Anna, Elizabeth, Dinah and Iney.
Henry Ordorff, an honored pioneer of Buffalo township, now deceased, was born in Westphalia, Germany, November 27, 1832, a son of Reinhold and Mary Ordorff, who spent the span of their years on a farm in Germany. In the family there were two sons, Henry and Fred. Henry grew to manhood in Ger- many, and on April 26, 1885, was married to Margaretha Wieben, who was born September 27, 1839, daughter of Jacob and Mar- garetha (Petersen) Wieben, also Germany farmers. In the Wieben family there were ten children: Margaretha, Hans,
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Christina, Marie, Catherina (deceased), Catherina, Johan, Anna, Dorris and Sophia. Margaretha, as mentioned, married Henry Ordorff; Hans resides in Germany; Christina is now Mrs. Koeh of Germany ; Marie married Fred Ordorff and after her death her husband married her sister, Dorris; Catherina is now Mrs. Petersen, of Iowa; Johan came to America but later returned to Germany, where he died; Anna married Henry Hennerson, and they live in Germany; Sophia married Cornelius Hansen, of Osseo. In 1868, Henry Ordorff with his wife and daughter Mary, and Fred Ordorff with his wife and daughter Mary, reached New York after a sailing voyage of eleven days. From New York by long tedious ways they reached St. Paul. From there they went to St. Anthony and took a boat for Monticello. After looking about for a while, Henry Ordorff bought 160 acres of land in section 15, Buffalo township. The purchase was made from a Mr. Bodems, who had built a small shack on the place, but had done no clearing. Into this shack Henry Ordorff moved his family, and with an ox team began to clear the land. A few years later he built a log house and a log barn. Year by year he toiled and gradually the place began to assume something of its present aspect. To the original tract he added another 152 acres, and this he developed as fully as the other. In time the log cabin was remodeled into a modern and substantial dwelling, surrounded by a sightly windbreak of pine trees. The log barn has been replaced with a large barn, 40 by 70 feet with a base- ment, a three-story granary with a basement and other buildings. There has been a vast outlay of time and money on the plaee. There are tool sheds, workshops and a blacksmith shop, equipped with a full line of tools for blacksmith and carpenter work. The implements and machinery on the place are kept in the best of repair, and assistance is also rendered to the neighbors. A walk through the buildings and over the grounds shows the place to be admirably equipped for modern farming along the latest approved methods. Sinee Mr. Ordorff's death in 1902, at the age of seventy-two, the place has been operated by his sons. With all his busy life, Mr. Ordorff found time for church and school work. The first Lutheran meeting in this vicinity was held at his home ; he helped to build the first church of that faith in this vicinity and was one of its trustees. He was a good man, thor- oughly respected by his associates. There were six children in the family : Mary, born April 23, 1866; Christina, born February 14, 1880; Henry C., August 22, 1871 ; Christolf, died in infancy ; Theadore (first), died in infancy, and Theadore, who was born August 25, 1877, and married Lena Hartfield September 24, 1914. Henry and Theadore were born on the home farm, educated in the district schools, reared to farm pursuits, and have always remained at home, being among the successful young men of the township.
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Burton Prestidge, the capable superintendent of the Wright county farm, was born in Rockford township, this county, May 5, 1874, son of the pioneer, Thomas Prestidge, appropriately men- tioned elsewhere in this work. He was educated in the district schools of his neighborhood, and at the Rockford High school. For some years he followed farming in Marysville township, and for a time he was in the livery busines in Montrose. It was in 1911 that the county commissioners selected him for his present position, and he has more than proven his worth and ability. Everything about the farm and buildings is kept in the best of condition ; he makes the most of the land given him to operate ; he is considerate to the inmates placed in his charge, and all in all has demonstrated his valne to the county. Mr. Prestidge was married October 17, 1912, to Mamie Hunt, daughter of Joseph Ilunt. By a previous marriage she has one son, Joseph. The Wright county farm consists of fifty-six acres of good land on the shores of Lake Constance. The house is thoroughly modern, and contains sixteen rooms, aside from the bath rooms, halls and the like. There is a good water system, and everything possible is done for the comfort of the wards of the county who are here sheltered and cared for. Mr. and Mrs. Burton Prestidge, who are in charge of the place, have an average of from twelve to eighteen people in their charge.
Traugott Schmidt, a pioneer of Buffalo township, was born in Dorgru, Germany, and was there reared. About 1858 he came to the United States and secured employment in Chicago. It was in 1860 that he came to Wright county and took a homestead of 160 acres in section 25, Buffalo township. The tract was all wild land, and Traugott set at work with a will to bring it under cultivation. The first two years were especially hard. He had no oxen and no means of conveyance, so he had to walk to Minne- apolis whenever he needed provisions, bringing the supplies home on his back. Later he was enabled to secure supplies in Rock- ford, and by the time he had prospered sufficiently to purchase a pair of oxen conditions were a little better. About this time he married Marguerite Herman, who had been born in Germany, October 13, 1835. The young lady had come to St. Michaels to join her brother Valentine Ilerman, and here she met her future husband. Valentine Ilerman was an extensive traveler and before settling in St. Michaels had seen life in many lands, including Australia and the gold fields of California and Colo- rado. Not long after their marriage Traugott Schmidt enlisted in Company K, Fifth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, and served until the close of the war. His good wife had her full share of pioneer hardships, and while her husband was fighting his coun- try's battles at the front she often picked gooseberries and black- berries, and putitng them in three-gallon pails trudged to Monti .
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eello, where she exchanged them for groceries. When Mr. Sehimidt returned he again took up farm labor. He was an honest, hardworking, industrious man, and in time acquired sufficient land so that he owned in all 600 aeres. Faithful to church duties, he helped to build the Lutheran church in his neighborhood and was one of its trustees. He also served for a long period as elerk of his school district. He died in 1907, at the age of eighty-two. His good wife died May 15, 1903. Their children were: William, Rheinhold, Osear, Emil, Johanna, Denna and Henry.
Henry Schmidt, a progressive young farmer of seetion 25, Buffalo township, was born on the old homestead, July 31, 1874, son of Traugott and Marguerite (Herman) Schmidt, the pioneers. He was educated in the district school of which his father was clerk, attended the Lutheran church of which his father was trustee, and grew to manhood on the farm. Ile has part of his father's homestead on the shores of Green Mountain lake, has a modern home and buildings, and a good equipment of machinery and tools, and is regarded as a successful man in every way. For some thirty years past he and his brothers have operated a threshing machine. He married Johanna Schumacher, who was born in Wright county, December 13, 1877, daughter of William Edward and Emma (Scheer) Schumacher, natives of Germany and pioneers of Wright county. William Edward Schumacher was a pioneer of Company E, First Regiment Mine- sota Volunteer Infantry. Mr. and Mrs. Schmidt have three ehil- dren : Raymond, Almond and Melvin.
Lafayette Varner, now deceased, a pioneer of Buffalo town- ship, and a veteran of the Civil war, was born in Pennsylvania, April 10, 1841, a son of John and Mary (Bitts) Varner, who are appropriately mentioned elsewhere in this work. Lafayette Varner spent his youth and early manhood on a farm in his native state. At the outbreak of hostilities between the North and the South he enlisted in the dashing Co. K, of the Fourth Pennsyl- vania Cavalry, and served with valor throughout the war. In the spring of 1856 he came to Minnesota, arriving in Wright county May 15. After looking about for a time, he purchased eighty aeres of land from James Washburn in seetion 18, and with an ox team started to earve his fortunes in the wilderness. In July his wife and her brother, William Hiekman, came to the little pioneer home. Times were hard, but by dint of faithful work, Lafayette Varner and his wife prospered. They labored early and late, and in time success crowned their efforts. Mrs. Varner, who is a typical pioneer woman, has many memories of the troubles and trials they faced together. Money was searee, comforts and conveniences were few, there was a family to rear and send to school, and little time for rest or recreation. Mr.
MR. AND MRS. LAFAYETTE VARNER
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MR. AND MRS. OCTAVIUS LONGWORTHI
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Varner became a substantial member of the community. lle served in town and school office, and was a well-liked member of the G. A. R. post at Buffalo, as well as of the Odd Fellow lodge there. Ilis death, June 2, 1909, was sincerely mourned. Lafayette Varner was married February 5, 1860, to Christina Hickman, born March 20, 1842, daughter of William and Sarah (Stover) Hiekman, natives of Pennsylvania, the former being a veteran of the Civil war. Mr. and Mrs. Varner had nine chil- dren : Solomon, born June 19, 1863; Sarah lda and Mary Ida, twins, born May 8, 1866; James F., born August 31, 1869, died October 1, 1887; Mande, born February 15, 1873; Etta Jane, born June 27, 1874; Marie, born April 9, 1878; Zachary Taylor, born September 29, 1879; Newton, born February 26, 1884.
Octavius Longworth, an estimable and highly respected citizen of Corinna township, was born in New York city, March 22, 1805. lle came of an old New York family. His father was a promi- nent publisher of that day, his residence and publishing house being opposite the old Astor home and City Hall park, the latter being called "The Shakespeare Gallery." On December 30, 1830, he was married to Miss Phebe Dean Wade, daughter of Col. John and Sarah Lyon Wade of Springfield, N. J. Mr. Longworth was a man of literary taste and for many years had a book and sta- tionery store in Brooklyn; he was also postmaster of that city for several years. He had heard much of the northwest, and being fired with the spirit of his colonial ancestors, he determined to have his part in subduing the wilderness and in building up the country. Accordingly, in the spring of 1856, he, with his wife and children, a brother and his family, twenty-one in all, and twenty-two trunks, arrived in Davenport, Iowa. As is usual in such cases, where experience in farm life is entirely lacking, failure was the result. After seriously considering whether to move to Minnesota or Cincinnati, Ohio, where his cousin Nicholas Long- worth resided, Minnesota won and on May 6, 1859, the family arrived in what was then Clearwater, but now Corinna. They located on Clearwater Lake, the present site of "Longworth," the famous summer resort, kept for many years by the family, the last fifteen years of which by the youngest daughter, Jennie, but now by Mr. and Mrs. H. M. Tuelle. Mr. and Mrs. Longworth were true pioneers. There were only five families within a radius of five or six miles. They settled in the woods, a log cabin was ereeted, and a clearing made with the assistance of a yoke of oxen. The first crop was put in between the stumps. Times were hard, money scarce and provisions hard to obtain; the hardships were many and comforts were few. Fortunately, about this time the ginseng buyers came along and by digging the roots, which were plentiful, the family were able to earn some ready cash. Then when prospeets began to brighten, the Civil war
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broke out and the two older sons enlisted, the eldest one serving till the close of the war, the other one dying as soon as he reached the south. Thus the mainstays of the family were taken away, as the other two sons were very young. As the years passed, however, the family became more prosperous. They saw the county develop and they did their share by improving their farm. Good buildings took the place of log structures, and neatly fenced, well tilled lands took the place of the virgin forests. Mr. Long- worth was a publie spirited man and his influence and wise coun- sels did much in the early days of Corinna. He was aetive in organizing the township of Delhi, now Corinna. The summer resort business started by admitting an invalid gentleman and his wife into the home eircle for a few weeks. From this on the business grew until the place beeame most popular. A small Episcopal church was erected on land given by Mr. Longworth, by eastern friends, who thus remembered the family so removed from all church privileges, and until the time of his death, Mareh, 1889, Mr. Longworth was lay reader in the little church. Mrs. Longworth was much beloved by all who knew her, always to be found by the bedside of the siek and the dying, helpful when a physician could not be secured, to her family, only what such a wife and mother can be. She died August 19, 1893. Of the family, only three remain, Mrs. Sarah W. L. Smith of Clearwater, and Octavius and Jennie W. Octavius, Jr., was a boy of nine years when he was brought from the city to take up his residence in the wilds. He was reared on the home farm, learned farm pursuits and attended the district sehool, though the greater part of his education was received from his father. He now lives near the old homestead, and is engaged in farming. He has never married and his sister Jennie keeps house for him. The worthy son of a worthy father, a man whose first thonght is ever for the good of the community-he has taken his part in every movement that has meant progress. For some twenty years he has been treasurer of the township and for four years he served on the town board. He has also been a member of numerous committees and delegations.
Anthony L. Henneman was born in seetion 11, Corinna town- ship, April 10, 1875. Ile remained at home until attaining his majority, and then started working for the neighbors. In 1902 he entered the employ of William Reip, in the meat business at Annandale. In 1904 he engaged in a similar line in Minneapolis. From 1906 to 1908 he did farm work in Wright county. In 1908 he rented the farm of Charles Matthew, in section 20, Corinna township, for three years. For nine months in the spring and summer of 1912 he engaged in the grocery and confectionery business in Annandale. Then he rented a farm from Martin Ranson, in section 19, Corinna township. On this place he still
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resides, and successfully conducts general farming. Ile raises Shorthorn cattle, Duroc-Jersey swine, Rhode Island Red fowls and Bronze turkeys. Anthony L. Henneman was married March 21, 1906, to Martha Klemz, daughter of August and Lena (Peske) Klemz, farmers of Corinna township. The father died in 1887 and the mother in 1907. Mr. and Mrs. Henneman have two bright sons, Richard L. and Earl J.
Benne Rozenberg, an enterprising farmer of Corinna town- ship, was born in Paterson, N. J., June 18, 1869, son of Henry and Dirky (Dykhausen) Rozenberg, who had come to America the previous year, and in 1873 moved to Pella, Iowa, where they still live. Benjamin Rozenberg received a good education in the schools of his neighborhood, and for several years worked out as a farm employe in the vicinity of Pella, Iowa. Then he rented varions farms in Marion county, the county in which Pella is located. It was in 1908 that he came to Wright county and bought 120 acres of land in sections 13 and 14, Corinna town- ship, where he now resides. He has brought his characteristic energy to bear upon the problems of farm life, and success in abundant measure has crowned his efforts. He has remodeled and repainted the house, and has built a splendid new barn. This barn is 36 by 60 feet, with a basement, equipped with eight- een patent stanchions, a litter carrier, and other conveniences. The capacity is thirty-five cattle, eight horses and sixty tons of hay. Mr. Rozenberg carries on general farming and makes a specialty of Shorthorn cattle. While living in Iowa, Mr. Rozen- berg served as a member of the school board. Mr. Rozenberg was married March 9, 1896, to Jennie Hulleman, daughter of Rick and Henrietta (Mol) Hulleman, who lived on a farm near Pella, Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Rozenberg have six children : Henry, born December 3, 1896; Hattie, born September 20, 1898; Rick, born April 12, 1902; Dirk, born November 7, 1904; Albert, born April 26, 1911 ; and Mary, born March 7, 1914.
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