USA > Minnesota > Wright County > History of Wright County, Minnesota > Part 43
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HISTORY OF WRIGHT COUNTY
Sweden at the age of six years, and her native country is unknown. In time she married Mathew Mattison and, as his name was so common a one, she adopted her mother's surname, Jewett.
S. A. Anderson, a prominent farmer of seetion 32, Chatham township, was born in Sweden, December 2, 1856, son of S. A. Anderson, Sr., and Mary (Mattson) Anderson, and great-grand- son of Mat Mattson, who fought in the Norwegian war of 1814. The children in the family were S. A., Anna and Erick C. S. A. was the first of the family to come to America. He arrived in New York in 1880, did railroad work for a while, and then located in Escanaba, Mich. In 1884 he came to Wright county and pur- chased eighty aeres in seetion 32. Twenty aeres had been cleared and a small shack stood on the place. It was this year that the rest of the family eame to America. The subject of this sketch made a home for his parents for many years. His mother still lives with him, having been totally blind for the past six years. His father died in 1898 at the age of seventy. Mr. Anderson cleared up his place, erected buildings and became a prosperous farmer. To his original traet he had added another twenty, so that he now owns 100 acres of good land, with a modern farm house, roomy barns and a good silo. He carries on general farming, and makes a specialty of raising good stoek. For twenty-five years past he has been a member of the school board of his dis- triet. Mr. Anderson was married in 1885 to Carrie Mattson, a native of Wright county, daughter of Peter and Mary (Erriek- son) Mattson, who were born in Sweden and settled in Marys- ville township. Mrs. Carrie (Mattson) Anderson died eight years after her marriage, at the age of twenty-four, leaving three children : Alexander, Mamie and Emma. For his second wife Mr. Anderson married Martha Anderson, a native of Sweden. She died three years after their marriage, at the age of twenty- seven. The present Mrs. Anderson was Anna M. Carlson, widow of Lonis Anderson, of Sweden. By this union, Mr. and Mrs. Anderson have three children, Edith, Roy and Hilda. By her previous marriage Mrs. Anderson has two children, Lawrence and Arnold.
Francis Berthiaume was the son of Franeis Berthiaume, who was one of two brothers who came from France to Canada and founded the American branches of the family. Francis, the sub- ject of this sketch, was reared in lower Canada, and there mar- ried Osite Faver. To this union there were born six children : Franeis, Odelong, Eusebe, Isiah, Osite and Matilda. In 1849 the family settled in Montealm county, Michigan, where one of the children, Osite, died. In the spring of 1856 the family came to St. Paul. Two years later they settled in Chatham township, seeured eighty aeres and ereeted a shack on the banks of Bireh
4
ـسمير
S. A. ANDERSON AND FAMILY
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HISTORY OF WRIGHT COUNTY
lake. The traet was covered with woods, and no roads led to it, but with courage they set about establishing for themselves a home in the wilderness. During the Indian troubles they fled to Elk River. Afterward they returned. They experienced all the rigors of pioneer life, though they were somewhat more fortunate than the rest of the settlers in that they had a pair of horses. For supplies they went to Monticello or St. Paul. Franeis Berthiaume lived to elear fifteen aeres of land. He died in 1869 at the age of seventy-six years, three months and three days. His wife died July 25, 1896, at the age of ninety-four years, four months and twenty-five days.
Francis Berthiaume, son of the Franeis Berthiaume whose sketch precedes this, and grandson of Franeis Berthiaume, one of the founders of the family in America, was born in lower Canada, and eame with the family to Michigan in 1849, to St. Paul in 1856, and to Chatham township, Wright county, in 1858. At the age of sixteen he ran away from home and enlisted in Company E, Hateh's Independent Battalion, Minnesota Volunteer Cavalry. He accompanied the battalion against the Indians, and later against the Confederates. He was mustered out at the elose of the war, and in 1865 married Mary Crosby. About this time they took a claim of eighty aeres in Marysville township. The traet was covered with woods, and no roads led to it. He erected a log cabin, and with the help of a yoke of oxen began to elear the land. He developed the place into a good farm, and in 1879 sold to his brother. He was a prominent man and held various school offices and town offiees. He also helped to build the Catholic church at Waverly. In his latter years he joined the John Cochrane Post, G. A. R., at Buffalo, and delighted in his association with his old comrades. He died in 1912 at the age of sixty-six. His wife, who was the daughter of Robert Crosby, is still living.
James F. Berthiaume, an influential farmer of Chatham town- ship, was born in Marysville township, this county, July 19, 1867, son of Franeis and Mary (Crosby) Berthianme, grandson of Franeis and Osite (Faver) Berthiaume, and great-grandson of that Franeis Berthiaume who came from France to Canada and founded one of the Ameriean branches of the family. James F. was reared by his distinguished unele, Lieutenant James E. Cochrane, whose homestead he now occupies. He received a good education and as a young man went to the Dakotas, where he herded eattle. Afterward he took a elaim of 160 aeres in Stevens county, Minnesota. In 1893 he sold out his interests there and returned to the Cochrane homestead, which he rented for a while and then purchased. He has built np a splendid farm, and is a very snecessful man. His popularity. is shown by the fact that he has been school offieer seventeen years and town
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IHISTORY OF WRIGHT COUNTY
assessor three years, and is now serving as town treasurer. Mr. Berthiaume is a thorough believer in the brotherhood of mankind and is a greate lover of good fellowship. He delights in extending a friendly hand to all. Fraternally he is associated with the lodge and the eneampment of the I. O. O. F. Mr. Berthiaume married Emily Martie, and they have two children : Endora and Lilibelle. Emily Martie Berthiaume is the daughter of Gottlieb and Eliz- abeth (Beuchart) Martie, natives of Switzerland. They came to America, found their way to Minnesota, and lived at St. Anthony until after the war, when they came to Wright county and settled in Silver Creek, where the daughter Emily was born. In their deelining years they spent their time with Mr. and Mrs. James F. Berthiaume, until their death. Mr. Martie died in 1898 at the age of seventy-four. Mrs. Martie died in 1891 at the age of sixty-eight.
James E. Cochrane was born in Canada, the son of John and Jessie (Watts) Cochrane, and stepson of John Dodd, the pioneer. He eame to Minnesota in the fifties. He did brave work as lieu- tenant in Company C, Hatch's Independent Battalion, Minnesota Volunteer Cavalry, and at the close of the war took a claim of 120 acres of wild land in section 26, Chatham township. He erected a log cabin, eleared the land, and helped to build a road past his place. In 1869 he brought lumber from Monticello and ereeted a frame house twenty rods east of his original cabin. This was the first frame house erected in this locality. He organized the school district and served in many town and school offiees. He was a leading man in his community, and had much influenee on the trend of public affairs. Ile died about 1879 at the age of forty. A matter in which he took great pride was the ereeting of the Marysville bridge over the North fork of the Crow river.
Carl M. Carlson, president of the Cokato Canning Company, was born in Sweden, September 21, 1855, son of Carl and Cajsa (Bergman) Carlson. Carl Carlson, the father, brought the family to the United States in 1859, and settled at Marine Mills, Wash- ington county, this state. In 1867 he brought the family to Wright county and located a mile south of Stockholm, in Stoek- holin township. Ile seeured a traet of eighty aeres, ereeted a log building, and with the ox team that he had brought with him started to clear the land. He was one of the real founders of the township. He was one of the three men who named the town, and served the town as clerk and as justice. He also assisted in organizing the Stockholm church. He died in 1882 at the age of sixty-five. Ilis wife died in 1905 at the age of ninety. Their children were Carl M., Louisa, Caroline and Mary. Carl M. Carlson was brought to Wright county as a boy. In 1888 he came to Cokato, and operated the Western Hotel for twenty-five years. At the end of that period he retired from the arduous
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duties of active management. For ten years past he has done the locality good service as president and manager of the Cokato Canning Company. He has been justice of the peace for twenty years and has served on various important committees and dele- gations, and like his father before him has taken his part in the growth and development of the community. A recent publication has said : "Carl M. Carlson, the president of the Cokato Canning Company, is a man of keen business ability, and in the long years in which he has been identified with Cokato life he has established a most enviable record. In the period that he has been identified with his present business he has built up a splendid trade, and the number of his patrons is growing because of the unfailing liberal and businesslike treatment that they receive. In 1904 the Cokato Canning Company was organized with a capital stock of $18,000. Operations were commeneed at once. Through the effi- cient efforts of Carl M. Carlson, the president, and John Ojampera, the secretary, the business has been placed on a paying basis. These two gentlemen have practical charge of the factory and of all of its output. The capacity is about 25,000 eases a year, each case containing twenty-four eans. Although the season at the eannery is only six to eight weeks in length, it is a very busy one, and some seventy-five or eighty-five assistants are employed. The product has a splendid reputation, and there is a rapidly inereasing demand for it."
Isaac Christopher, a pioneer, now deceased, was born in Fin- land, near the Norwegian line, December 24, 1832, son of John and Eva Christopher, who were born in Finland and moved to Norway in 1840. Two of their children, Isaae and Peter, were born in Finland, and two, Mary and John, were born in Norway. As he grew to manhood he learned the jeweler's trade. In 1859 he married Stena Hendrickson, and four children, Fred J., Stena, David and August Nicholas, were born. In 1866, August Nicholas having died, Isaac Christopher, with his wife and the other three children, started for America. On the trip another son, Nicholas, was born. They settled in Michigan, and remained there four years, Isaac Christopher working at his trade and in machine shops. In Michigan another son, Henry, was born. In 1870 the family started westward again, coming by way of Duluth to Wright county, and locating on sixty-five aeres of woodland in sections 12 and 13, Cokato. A log building was erected on see- tion 12, and with an ox team the family began to clear the land. As time passed Mr. Christopher added to his traet until he owned 175 acres. After prosperity came he erected a frame house in section 12, and he made many other improvements. Well liked and trusted by his fellows, he was elected township supervisor and a member of the school board for several terms. He was honored and respected by all who knew him, and his death,
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HISTORY OF WRIGHT COUNTY
June 12, 1903, was deeply and sincerely mourned. The children born in Minnesota were: Jaek, Benjamin, Albert, Philip, Isabella, Minnie, Edwin and Helen. Those who died in Minnesota were Henry, Minnie and Helen. Stena Hendrickson, widow of Isaae Christopher, was born in Norway, May 17, 1842, daughter of Magnus and Stena Hendrickson, whose other children were Eva, Mary, Sophia and Henry. Magnus Hendrickson died in Norway, and his widow and children set sail for the United States. She died on the trip, but the children eontinned and located in Michigan.
Fayette Lee, pioneer and highly respected eitizen, was born in Waterbury, N. Y., May 9, 1852, son of William and Betsy (Putnam) Lee. The grandfather, also named William Lee, was a native of England, and came of a long line of farmers. The grandfather on the maternal side was Owen Putnam, said to be a relative of Israel Putnam of historie fame. William Lee and Betsy C. Putnam were born February 10, 1823, and October 5, 1829, respectively. They were married August 19, 1849, and were the parents of ten children: Marion, Fayette and Emma were born in New York state, while Charles, Morrison, Edwin, Viola, James, Rosa and Eugene were born in Minnesota. William Lee, with his wife and children, started for Minnesota in 1855, coming by way of LaCrosse and thenee up the Mississippi river to St. Paul. For one and a half years they lived in Minneapolis. Then they located on Mooers' prairie, in Cokato township, where they seeured eighty aeres. They erected a log house and with an ox team started to elear the land. The father brought supplies from Minneapolis on his back. During the first Indian fright the family took refuge in the stoekade at Greenwood, near Roekford. Afterward they returned, but when the second fright came they went baek to New York state and remained until 1865, when they onee again came to their home in Cokato. William Lee died Febru- ary 20, 1890. Ilis wife died June 29, 1904, at Atkinson, Minn. She was a member of the Baptist church. Fayette Lee received his early education in Minnesota and New York state. For some years he remained on fifteen aeres of the home place, which he purchased. Later he moved to Cokato village. In 1887 he pur- chased ten aeres in the suburbs of Cokato, where he now has a beautiful and comfortable home, surrounded with flowers. He makes a specialty of raising garden prodnee, and has an apiary in which he takes partieular pride. He has a very deep interest in the affairs of the early days, and is an honored member of the Territorial Pioneers' Association. Mr. Lee was married December 8, 1875, to Ellen Edgerley, born April 6, 1857, at Hudson, Mich., and to this union there have been born two children. Albert Lueas was born October 17, 1876, was married June 21, 1898, to Ilattie Armstrong, and has three children, Dorothy, Leland and
JACOB OJANPERA
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Genevieve. Cora Emma was born April 10, ISSO, and was mar- ried June 25, 1902, to Alfred Halverson. Ellen Edgerly Lee is the daughter of Edward L. and Lucinda (Britton) Edgerly, who came to Minnesota in the fall of 1874. Edward L. Edgerly was born in 1913 and died at the age of eighty-eight years and one month. His wife died in 1880 at the age of sixty-three. They had nine children : Carrie, George, Mary, Martin, Eliza, Amanda, Sarah, Joseph and Ellen.
Jacob Ojanpera is the leading citizen of the neighborhood in which he lives. Coming to this country as a poor boy, he has won unusual success, and is known far and wide for his influence and position. He was born August 6, 1838, in Finland, son of Sakri and Preda (Pere) Ojanpera. He received a good education in the Minister's school, and in 1867 went to Norway, and in 1870 came to America. Ile was at that time a single man. He worked his way westward, and finally reached Cokato. A brickyard had been built there, but the neighboring country was still a wilder- ness. After working for a time in the brickyard, he went to Michigan. Several years later he came back to Cokato and bought his present place in sections 16 and 21, Cokato township. Here he has sinee lived, and here, year by year, he has prospered. When he first established his home in the wilderness he had a small cabin made of logs and a shed made of poles and covered with straw. His house is a sightly building known for miles around. Ifis barns resemble a small village. He has cattle barns and hay barns and horse barns, a shed for repairing harnesses and tools, a tool shed, sheds for the housing of the other imple- ments used on the farm. In fact, the equipment is just such as one would expect on the farm of the most prosperous man in the community. The dairy in which the cream separator is run by a gasoline engine is one of the features of the place. Another convenience which Mr. Ojanpera has installed is a Finnish bath house, where the bather is thoroughly steamed after the manner in vogue in the country of Mr. Ojanpera's boyhood. His farm now consists of 300 acres, and its fertile area is in decided con- trast to the wild tract of land which Mr. Ojanpera took when he first came here. Mr. Ojanpera has taken a prominent part in the affairs of the community. He has been supervisor and town treasurer, and has been sent as a delegate to many conventions in St. Paul and Buffalo. He is the leading man in his church and has been president for the past twenty years. He helped to organize the Cokato Cooperative Store and the Cokato State Bank. In fact there are few ventures of a public nature in which he has not had a part. His judgment is always good, and when- ever anything is to be undertaken in the community his opinion is always asked. He married Emily Halonen, and their children are John, Jemina, Isaak (deceased), Hjalmar and Jeely.
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HISTORY OF WRIGHT COUNTY
Arthur A. Ferrell, a well-known farmer of Cokato township, was born on the homestead where he still resides, October 1, 1880, son of James Harvey and Sarah J. (Hayes) Ferrell, the early settlers. He was reared on the home place, attended the district schools, and on the death of his father, April 2, 1902, took over the home farm, which he has since successfully conducted. Mr. Ferrell has been especially active in those things that tend to improve the town. He helped to put through the Ferrell-Larson road and bridge. In 1891 he assisted in organizing the Crow River Rural Telephone line. He was also instrumental in the establishment of Rural Free Delivery Route No. 5, out of Cokato. Aside from carrying on general farming, he makes a specialty of raising full-blooded Durham cattle, Berkshire swine and thor- oughbred fowls, some of which were imported from Japan.
James Henry Ferrell, now deceased, was for many years a leader in Wright eounty affairs. A man of genial temperament and broad sympathies, he won friends wherever he went, and he made the world a little better place by his having lived in it. Hle was born in what is now Wetzel county, Virginia, March 4, 1834, son of James and Catherine (Sommers) Ferrell. The grand- parents on both sides were natives of Maryland, and of Irish deseent. Members of the family participated in the War of 1812. James and Catherine Ferrell settled in the woods of what is now West Virginia, where were born their ten children: Mary, Casen- den, James Harvey, Robert, William, John, Rebecca Mathew and two that died in infancy. James Harvey Ferrell was educated in the schools of the neighborhood and was reared to farm pursuits. March 18, 1858, he married Sarah J. Hayes, who was born in Virginia July 3, 1840. After their marriage they farmed in what is now Tylor county, West Virginia, for twelve years, and there six of their children were born. In 1869 the family set out for Minnesota, going down the Ohio and up the Mississippi to St. Paul. From there they came on a gravel train to Delano, and from there they came on foot, with Edward, the youngest son, on his mother's baek, to the home of Joseph Bland, in Marysville township. There they rested nearly a week. Then they visited at the home of an unele, Elisha Ferrell, near Montrose, for a few days, and from there they went to the home of James Hayes, in Franklin township, where they likewise remained a short period. After leaving him they moved into a railroad shack which the construction crew had used for shelter. This was in Franklin township. In November they moved into a cabin on the home- stead of J. T. Alley, in Franklin township. February 22, 1870, they located on the shores of Foster's lake, now known as Junkin's lake, in Middleville township, where they lived in a log cabin sixteen feet square. October 28, 1870, they moved onto their present place, in section 12, Cokato township. The tract
JOHN FERRELL AND FAMILY
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HISTORY OF WRIGHT COUNTY
was covered with woods, and there was nothing in the way of roads but some old deer paths. The eighty aeres were bought from David Coehrain, who had homesteaded it. It was two weeks after the family arrived on the place before they had their eabin ereeted. This eabin was 16 by 18 feet, made from logs that were eut on the place. They at onee set to work, and before the elose of the first year they had a cleared field of twelve aeres. Many were the hardships to be endured. Money was searee and pro- visions were hard to obtain. When they went to the mill on Cokato lake with their ox team, they erossed the ereeks by mak- ing the oxen swim, while they pulled the wagon over on a eable fastened to the wagon-tongue. By untiring industry, James Henry Ferrell was enabled to acquire 280 aeres of fertile land. He has made extensive improvements, ereeted a dwelling and barns, set out trees, graded a sightly lawn, and in other ways made his home one of the best in the neighborhood. Ile was a good manager, a good citizen, a good farmer, and he made his life count for something. Ever mindful of the welfare of his family, he gave traets of land to several of his sons and daughters. After a long and useful life he died April 12, 1902. The thirteen children in the family are: Martin W., born December 1, 1858, and died May 2, 1865; William J., born June 20, 1860; James C., born July 28, 1861; Josephus M., born October 10, 1862; Alex- ander, born Mareh 7, 1864; Roda E., born March 16, 1865; Menervia W., born September 26, 1866; Edmund, born September 7, 1868; Ezra, born October 7, 1870; Thornton, born June 17, 1872; Daniel, born January 18, 1874; Clara B., born November 19, 1876; Artbur A., born August 1, 1880.
John Ferrell, now deceased, was one whose ability and ehar- aeter made him a natural leader of men. Familiarly known as "Unele John," he was the general adviser to everyone in the community, and his good sense and sound judgment made all his opinions of much value. He and his good wife "Aunt An" kept open house, the home became a sort of a headquarters of the social events of the neighborhood, and their hospitality was widely known. John Ferrell was born in Dundas county, Province of Ontario, Canada, May 9, 1847, son of Lemuel and Mary (Watt) Ferrell, natives respectively of the United States and of Canada. As a young man, Lemuel Ferrell went to Canada, and there spent the remainder of his life as a farmer. He eame of an old Seotch family, and his wife arrived in Canada from Seotland at the age of six years. Amid the stirring pioneer and Indian times they reared their family. After the death of Lemuel Ferrell, his widow eame to the United States, and died at Howard Lake, in this county. In the family there were five sons and four daughters. The sons were John, Lemuel, James, George and Enas .J., who died at about four years of age. George died in Canada. John is dead.
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HISTORY OF WRIGHT COUNTY
James lives in Cokato township. Lemuel lives in Middleville. John Ferrell was reared on the home farm in Canada, and attended the district schools. In 1870 he was married, and after that he farmed in Canada for eight years. It was in 1878 that he brought his wife and his two children, Mary and Arthur, to the United States and located on a tract of 160 acres in section 24, Cokato township. They came as far as Howard Lake by rail, Smith's Lake being then the end of the line. With them they brought the first pair of horses used in this neighborhood. Mr. Ferrell built one of the first frame houses in this locality. The old building is still a part of the present modern residence. For a barn he nailed boards onto the trees and piled straw against them. He cleared up the land and by hard work, frugality and shrewdness added to his property until he owned 320 acres of good land, one of the finest places in the vieinity. Coupled with his great personal success, he yet found time to devote to enterprises that had for their object the upbuilding of the community. For nineteen years he was vice-president of the State Bank of Howard Lake. For a number of years he was connected with the Farmers' Co-opera- tive Store at Cokato, and the Cokato Co-operative Creamery. He was active in the Methodist Episcopal services held at the home of Mr. Doble, at Smith Lake, and became one of the charter mem- bers and one of the first trustees when the church was established at Smith's Lake. He was also prominent in Sunday school work. He died January 23, 1914, well beloved, highly honored and sincerely mourned. In the family there were three children. Mary Elizabeth was born May 19, 1873. Arthur Wellington was born June 2, 1876. Howard Armstrong was born September 12, 1885. The two oldest were born in Canada, and the youngest in Cokato township. Mary Elizabeth died April 3, 1886. Arthur married Florenee May Conger, and lives in Newberg, Ore., on a fruit ranch. Howard married Bertha Dell Ritchie, and they have two children: Lois Margery was born June 17, 1909, and Anna May was born October 8, 1912. Another child, Leland Howard, was born February 2, 1911, and died March 8, 1911. John Ferrell was married December 13, 1870, to Esther Ann Armstrong, born in Dundas county, Province of Ontario, Canada, March 26, 1853, daughter of Robert Livingston and Elizabeth (Rown) Armstrong, natives of Ireland. Robert Livingston Armstrong came with his parents to Canada, while his wife, Elizabeth, daughter of James Rown, lost her parents at the age of five years on the trip over. Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong were married in Canada and there their children were born. Those who lived to adult years were: Will- iam James, Joseph Rown, Charles Wesley, Robert John, Ben- jamin S., Mary Jane, Esther Ann and Margaret Elizabeth. Four died in infaney. Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong eame to Wright county in 1900 and took up their home with Mr. and Mrs. John Ferrell
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