USA > Minnesota > Wright County > History of Wright County, Minnesota > Part 47
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IHISTORY OF WRIGHT COUNTY
in Germany, November 11, 1839, youngest daughter of Charles and Sophia ( Radkee) Wandersee, also natives of that country. Mr. and Mrs. Wandersee have had eight children: Charles, who died as an infant in Germany; Gusta, Emil; Otto, who died in Wisconsin; Martha, Rudolph, Margaret, and Henry, who died at the age of twelve.
Emil Wandersee, one of the active farmers of Franklin town- ship, was born on the place where he still lives, June 20, 1868. He was educated in the distriet schools and reared to farm pur- suits. Ile now operates the home farm in Franklin township, and here he sueeessfully earries on general farming and raises good graded stoek. He is a member of the German Evangelical eburch. The parents of Mr. Wandersee were Fred W. and Wil- helmina (Jacob) Wandersee, the pioneers.
Mathias Schaust, Sr., one of the sturdy early pioneers, was born in Germany and was there reared. As a young man he came to America on a sailing vessel, being the only member of his family to make the venture. For a time he worked in the copper mines of the Lake Superior region and then came to St. Paul, where he was married. There also he met his friend, Peter Christian. In 1857 Mathias Sehaust, Sr., his wife, and Peter Christian started out afoot from Minneapolis, bringing such sup- plies and comforts as they could to find a suitable home. On his shoulder Mr. Schaust carried a rifle and a ham. They found 160 aeres in seetion 34, Franklin township. No roads led to the tract and it was eovered with dense timber. They built a log eabin, "grubbed" ont a small patch of land by hand and got in their first erops. It was a year later before they were able to get a pair of oxen. For a few years the partner remained. Then they divided their interests, each taking eighty acres. After the division was made the partner sold his interests to other persons and left the county. Mr. Sehaust continued to make improve- ments on his eighty acres, assisted by his sons as they grew up. Mr. Sehaust died in 1894 at the age of seventy-five. He was a devout man, and helped to build St. Peter's church, in Franklin township, the first Catholic church in this community. Mr. Schaust married Elizabeth Reichert, born in Germany, daughter of Peter Reichert. Their children were: Mathias, Peter, Frank, John, Elizabeth (deceased), Veronica (deceased), Mary and Anna. Peter Reichert brought his family from Germany to the United States in a sailing vessel and located on a farm in Hennepin county, seven miles north of Minneapolis. Ilis latter years were spent with his daughter, Mrs. Mathias Sehaust, Sr., in Wright county. In his family there were three children, Charles, Mathias and Elizabeth, all deceased.
Mathias Schaust, one of the substantial and leading citizens of Franklin township, was born on seetion 34, in the township
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where he now resides, November 29, 1858, son of Mathias Schaust, Sr., and Elizabeth (Reichert) Schaust. He was reared in his native township and early learned farming from his father. His early education was meager. As a boy he attended district sehool long enough to go through the first primer. Later he attended evening school. At the age of fifteen he went to Rock- ford, where he learned the blacksmith trade, which for several years thereafter he followed during the winter months. Dur- ing the other seasons of the year he worked on the home farm, although for a time he also did railroad work. After his mar- riage he still lived for a year on the old homestead, and then bought his present farm of eighty aeres in section 8, Franklin township. Eighteen aeres had been cleared and a log cabin with a small shanty attached had been ereeted. Mr. Schaust had a team of horses that he had purchased the previous year. With this team and a colt and four cows he started his farming opera- tions. Gradually he has attained prosperity and sueeess, and achieved a position as one of the foremost men of the township. He has ereeted a modern house and barn, convenient and attraetive. To his original place he has added from time to time, until he owned 318 aeres. On a traet adjoining his home place he has a traet on which he has erected a complete set of modern buildings, and on this farm lives his oldest son, Anthony. The lot on which is located the schoolhouse of distriet 31 is cut out of his original farm, the lot having been donated before he pur- chased the place. He has been supervisor of the township for ten or twelve years, and chairman of that body one term. He was one of the incorporators of the Delano Co-operative Cream- ery, and served a number of terms as its president. Ile also is a stockholder in the First National Bank, of Delano, and in the Watertown Telephone Co. While Mr. Schaust has interested himself in all branches of agricultural pursuits, he has of late years paid particular attention to stoek raising. He has a herd of good blooded Shorthorn cattle and good grade horses and swine. Mr. Schaust was married in 1883 to Catherine Matter, born in Franklin township, March 10, 1861, daughter of Joseph Matter. Their children are: Joseph A., born December 15, 1884, and died at the age of twenty; Anthony, born August 3, 1886; Charles, born April 14, 1888; Veronica, born January 15, 1890; Kate, May 12, 1892; Angeline, April 21, 1894; Louise, August 13, 1896; Ambrose, January 17, 1898, and Clara, March 4, 1901.
John Olif Kelsey was born in Westmaland, Sweden, February 3, 1832. He eame to America with his parents at the age of thirteen, and with them came directly west to Chicago, Ill. The father died six months after their arrival, and the mother died the following year of Asiatic cholera, thus leaving their three
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sons and one daughter orphaned at a tender age. John Olif was the oldest. It was indeed a dark day for the young boy, left in a strange country without relatives or money, and with three younger ehildren to care for. But kind friends came to his assistanee and homes were found for his sister and two brothers. Having acquired some knowledge of the shoemaking trade from his father, he found work as an apprentice to a Mr. Reed, in whose employ he remained for seven years. In June, 1853, he married Brita Johnson, who was born in Sweden, and came to America with her parents, three brothers and one sister in the year 1852. After their marriage they made their home in Illinois until the spring of 1858. Then they started for Minne- sota, eoming by a Mississippi river steamboat up the river from Galena to St. Paul, and there taking a smaller Minnesota river steamboat to Carver. Their destination was the banks of Clear- water lake, where Waeonia is now located, some ten miles from Carver. There being no conveyance available, they left their heavier possessions, and with some light baggage started to walk. One of the two children was a baby and had to be carried. Fol- lowing the blazed trail through the woods they arrived, toward evening, at the home of Mrs. Kelsey's brother, Jonas Johnson, a pioneer well known to the early settlers of Carver and Wright counties. At his log cabin the weary wanderers found a warm welcome. They lived on the present site of Waeonia for five years. Mr. Kelsey erected the first frame house in the village, helped to elear up the townsite, and worked at his trade as a shoemaker. When he sold his town property he bought a yoke of oxen, a plow, a harrow and a wagon, and moved to a rented farm three miles west of Waeonia. There they lived until 1866. Then he took up a homestead in seetion 22, Franklin township, Wright county. Ile built a log cabin, and on May 15 moved his family into it. The same year he eleared off the timber around the house, so as to let the sunshine in. These worthy people endured all the privations of pioneer life. Provisions being very expensive, the family subsisted mainly on potatoes and eorn bread. But soon he was able to elear sufficient land to raise an ample supply of food and better circumstances prevailed. After the sons grew large enough to help they assisted in clearing up the farm and ereeting good substantial buildings. They also bought the second steam threshing outfit brought to this part of Wright county and operated it for many years. The wife and mother died after a lingering illness, July 3, 1887. and the man- agement of the farm was turned over to the sons, in whose hands it still remains. The father died on the old homestead July 17, 1912. The sons and daughters are all living. Joseph, the oldest. lives on the homestead and devotes his attention to farming. Edwin devotes his time to farming and dairying on his farm
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in section 15, town of Franklin. He was one of the organizers and first secretaries of the Delano Co-operative Creamery Asso- ciation, one of the largest and best equipped creameries on the Great Northern railroad. He married Emma Kappe, and they have five children. Albert lives at home and owns a farm in Chatham township, this county. Kate, the only daughter, mar- ried Joseph Broberg, who owns a farm near Eagle Bend, Todd county, this state. They have five children. Ferdinand is a mechanical engineer and owns a residence in Park Falls, Wis. They have three children. Lawrence married Antonia Buch and has four children. He is a carpenter by occupation and owns a residence in St. Paul. Otto is a rural mail carrier and owns a residence in Delano. He married Ida Walgren and has four children. It is fitting that mention should here be made that the members of the family are sober and industrious and have always been ready to do their part in bringing about the better condition of the community in which they live.
Ichabod Murphy, a prominent and substantial farmer resid- ing in section 1, Watertown township, Carver county, this state, has long been associated with the early pioneers of Wright county, among whom his father was one of the earliest. He was born in Deeatur county, Indiana, August 10, 1841, son of James and Hannah (Palmeter) Murphy, who brought him to Minne- sota in 1856. He was reared to manhood in a log cabin in Frank- lin township, and as a youth experienced all the privations of pioneer life. Ile attended a log schoolhouse and learned agri- cultural pursuits from his father. Even as a boy he took a deep interest in live stock, and beginning at an early age he has been an extensive dealer. In 1871 he secured a part of his present farm by purchasing 134 acres. No buildings had been erected thereon and only a few acres had been cleared. He erected comfortable buildings, developed the land and was very snecessful in his operations. The house that he built has been covered with pebble dash, its interior has been remodeled and renovated, and it is now a model home in every particular. Mr. Murphy has added to his original traet until he now has 340 aeres of rich land, well cultivated. Ile is one of the heavy patrons of the Lindale Creamery Association and has been very successful, both as a dairyman and as a raiser of good stock and diversified crops. Mr. Murphy is a member of Watertown lodge, No. 50, A. F. & A. M. Mr. Murphy is an honored veteran of the Civil War. September 23, 1862, he enlisted in Company C, First Regiment Mounted Rangers, and served in the Northwest against the Indians for some thirteen months. In June, 1864, he enlisted in Company F, Eleventh Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, was sent south to Kentucky and Tennessee and served some eleven months. Ichabod Murphy was married in April, 1870, at Minne-
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apolis, to Rhoda Stewart, born in Ohio, June 16, 1843, daughter of Calvin and Delana (Whelpely) Stewart. Mr. and Mrs. Murphy have six children: James, born August 22, 1872; Ira, born November 4, 1874; Hannah, born December 15, 1876; Maude, born August 23, 1879; Richard, born August 18, 1881, and Viola, born September 22, 1883.
James Murphy was born January 28, 1817, son of John Murphy, born June 17, 1789, and Jane Murphy, born April 25, 1791. He had a sister Matilda, born August 16, 1809, and a brother Samual, born June 20, 1814. Ile also had eight half brothers and sisters: Tilly, born July 27, 1819; John, born No- vember 22, 1821; Mary, born November 7, 1823; Jane, born September 2, 1824; Fauny, born February 15, 1826; John, born March 1, 1827 ; Matilda, born August 17, 1829, and Idiana, born July 23, 1831. As a young man, James Murphy married Hannah Palmeter. Their connection with the pioneer history of Minne- sota begins with 1856, when, on May 22, they left southern Illinois and with a horse team started for St. Paul. Reaching that eity, they continued on their way, and in due time reached the south- east corner of Wright county. For about a week they camped in the corner of Carver county, while they cut a trail to a claim that they had seleeted in Franklin township, Wright county. They had brought a few cows with them, and were thus better off than many of the settlers, but they had only the seantiest supply of tools and implements, and farming was a difficult propo- sition on land that was slowly and painfully grubbed out by hand. They got up a log house, 18 by 20, two stories high, built of unhewed logs. A few years later they replaced this with a cabin of hewed logs. As an incident of the hardships of the early days it is related that Rockford was Mr. Murphy's milling point, and the first grist he seeured was from wheat that he had threshed out with a flail, taken to Rockford to be ground, and sereened with a cornmeal sieve, thus furnishing a supply of eoarse flour for the family larder. Mr. and Mrs. Murphy had six chil- dren as follows: Louisa, born October 29, 1839; Ichabod, August 10, 1841; Samuel, March 22, 1843; John, February 9, 1845; Will- iam, August 31, 1847; Josephine, August 8, 1849. William still lives on the home place.
Calvin Stewart was born in Vermont, the son of Oliver and Aline Stewart, both natives of Vermont, but descended from an old Connectieut family that moved to Vermont in Colonial times. He was reared in his native state and as a youth eame westward to Ohio. He married Delana Whelpely, a native of New York state, who had been brought to Ohio by her parents. Mr. and Mrs. Stewart located on a farm in Ashtabula county, Ohio. In 1846 they left there and located in Roek county, Wisconsin, where they remained for several years. In 1856 they came to
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Wright county and located in Roekford township, but later they settled in Franklin township. Their deelining years were spent in North Roekford, where he died in 1891 at the age of cighty- six, and she in 1892 at the age of eighty. Their children were Mary, Olive and Oliver, Calvin, Sibyl, Rhoda, Sarah and Clara. Clara was born in Wisconsin, the rest in Ohio.
Louis C. Thompson, owner of the French Lake Creamery Com- pany, was born in Cannonsville, Delaware county, New York, October 15, 1872, son of Frederiek and Julia (Hanson) Thompson, who eame to Blue Earth county, Minnesota, in 1874, bought land there and farmed there until 1878, then went to Lake Crystal and remained until 1885, then purchased land in Watowan county, this state, where the father still lives at the age of seventy-seven years, and where the mother died in 1901 at the age of fifty- seven. Louis C. Thompson remained with his parents until he was fifteen years of age. Then he started out for himself by working for various farmers in Blue Earth county. In 1892 he engaged in milling at Elkton, S. D., and there remained for about a year. It was in 1894 that he first took up the ereamery busi- ness as a helper in the Riverdale Creamery, Riverdale, Watowan eounty, this state. Ile perfected his knowledge by a course in the dairy department of the University of Minnesota, from which he graduated in 1897. With this preparation, he took eharge of the Upsalla Creamery, at Upsalla, in Morrison county, this state. From 1898 to 1901 he operated the Paynesville Creamery, at Paynesville, in Stearns eounty. In 1901 he went to Marshall, Minn., and there ereeted a ereamery of his own at a eost of $10,000. This he sold in 1902 and came to French Lake, where he had purchased the French Lake Creamery Company in 1900, but which for two years had been operated by employes. The first year that Mr. Thompson took hold of the establishment, the busi- ness was between $8,000 and $9,000 a year. The annual business is now something like $30,000. Mr. Thompson is a eapable busi- ness man, an expert butter maker, and a leading eitizen. He has the faculty of imparting his enthusiasm to others, and he is de- termined that the vicinity of his ereamery shall beeome one of the leading dairying distriets of the state. He has the confidenee of every farmer for miles around. His work thus far has resulted in most substantial good to the community. Mr. Thompson is a stoekholder in the Farmers' State Bank of French Lake and in the Farmers' Co-operative Store in Cokato. He has been elerk of sehool distriet 68 for six years, justiee of the peace in French Lake township four years, and is now serving his first term as town supervisor. Mr. Thompson was married October 26, 1898, to Mary llannon, daughter of Michael and Ann (Pendy) Ifannon, the former of whom lives near Melrose, in Stearns county. this state, at the age of eighty-seven, and the latter of whom died in
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1882, at the age of forty-nine. Mr. and Mrs. Thompson have six children : Louis J., born May 13, 1901; Margaret M., born De- cember 14, 1902; Julia D., born May 13, 1904; Bernard M., born May 15, 1907 ; Giles J., born August 3, 1909; and Ilarold F., born October 8, 1911.
Emil A. Rousseau, a progressive farmer of French Lake town- ship, was born on seetion 15, in the township where he now lives, March 15, 1867, son of Peter J. and Mary Ann (Howard) Rons- seau, and grandson of Ernest Howard, the first settler of French Lake township. Peter J. Rousseau was born March 2, 1831, and died December 20, 1893. He came to America from Belgium in 1862 and bought 100 aeres in section 15, French Lake township, this county. There he went through the usual hardships of pioneer life, and developed a good farm. He married Mary Ann Howard, who was born February 15, 1833, and died Deeember 15, 1893. She likewise was a native of Belgium. Emil A. Rous- seau was reared on the home farm, received a good education in the publie sehools, and has devoted his life, thus far, to agricul- tural pursuits. In 1891 he bought 107 aeres in section 22, French Lake township. No buildings had been erected on it, and only a part of it had been cleared. He has improved and developed the place in many ways. He now owns 116 aeres on the level prairie, some half a mile sonth of French Lake Corners. He has ereeted a modern house, 22 by 28 feet, with twenty feet posts, with an addition 14 by 21 feet, with eight-feet posts. This is a very sightly residence and was erected in 1893. The barn is 30 by 50 feet, with fourteen-feet posts, and has a eapaeity of twenty-two eattle, five horses and forty tons of hay. The farm supports a splendid herd of Durham and Hereford cattle, and in addition to this the usual erops are raised. There is also a floek of Plymouth Rock ehiekens which are the pride of the owner's heart. The orehard contains fifty apple trees, twenty-five plum trees, and a plentiful supply of raspberry and strawberry bushes. Mr. Ronssean is a prominent man in the community and has been township assessor ten years, township treasurer ten years, town- ship supervisor three years and township clerk two years. He is one of the stockholders in the Farmer's State Bank, of French Lake. Fraternally he associated with the M. W. A. at Annan- dale, having passed through the chairs of that lodge. Mr. Rous- seau was married September 19, 1892, to Augusta Chevalier, who was born December 6, 1870, daughter of Julins and Adelaide (Lambert) Chevalier, the pioneers. Mr. Chevalier settled on sec- tion 14, French Lake, in the early days, and died November 19, 1887. Mrs. Chevalier died February 22, 1889. Mr. and Mrs. Rousseau have had six children : Elaine Theresa, born September 19, 1893; Hazel Celestine, born December 26, 1894; Pearl Ade- laide, born July 7, 1896; Eugenia Elizabeth, April 15, 1898; Nereus
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Rosalia, born October 20, 1899; Renel Emilius, born February 9, 1902.
Andrew Jackson Phillips, an honored pioneer of Minnesota, now deceased, was born in Indiana in 1826. He was reared in that state and as a youth was apprentieed to a carpenter from whom he learned the trade. In the fifties he eame to Minneapolis, and from 1852 to 1862 devoted his time to hunting and trapping in Wright county and vieinity. At the outbreak of the Civil war he enlisted in the Fourth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry and served four years. After his term of enlistment had expired he was honorably discharged and returned to Wright county, where he homesteaded 160 aeres in seetion 20, French Lake township. He built a log house and lived therein while he made his living by hunting and trapping. The farm was sold in 1895, and Mr. Phillips then traveled about for several years. Ile died at Belle- view, Idaho, in 1903. Mr. Phillips was a notable figure in pioneer life, a splendid type of the hunters and trappers who are now passing from the life of the Northwest. He knew the wilds like an Indian, he had a knowledge of nature such as is possessed by few naturalists. His outdoor life gave him a genial, companion- able disposition when with his fellows, and he was well liked by all who knew him. Andrew Jackson Phillips was married Jan- ary 1, 1856, to Genevieve Howard, daughter of Ernest and Mary (Bridges) Howard. Ernest Howard was the first permanent set- tler in French Lake township. The old homestead in the south- west quarter of the southwest quarter of seetion 15 is now owned by Robert Gerrard, and is the oldest farm in the township. Mr. and Mrs. Phillips had six children : Josephine, who died in Janu- ary, 1914, at the age of fifty-three: William, now living in Mon- tana ; Mary Ann, now Mrs. John Calander, of French Lake; Laura, now Mrs. John Cameron, of Two Harbors, Minn .; and Daniel and David, who are at home. Daniel is one of the prosperous farmers of the township. He operates the home place, and raises fruits, berries and bees, aside from the usual erops. He is espe- cially proud of the results that he has achieved with bees. He has forty hives of Dark Camiolans and Dark Italian bees, produe- ing some 400 gallons of honey annually, the market price being about $1.00 a gallon. He also has a splendid orchard of apples, plums and cherries. The family faith is that of the Catholic church.
Patrick B. O'Loughlin, an influential farmer of French Lake township, was born in Leechburg, Pa., March 18, 1855, son of Michael and Mary (Butler) O'Loughlin, the pioneers. Michael O'Loughlin brought his family from Pennsylvania about 1858, to New York state, thenee to lowa, and secured a homestead of 160 aeres in French Lake township. This tract was entirely covered with timber. He made a small elearing and erected a
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cabin 16 by 20 feet, of unhewed logs, with a shake roof and board floor. The furniture was made on the place. The family was fortunate in owning a cow, but they had no other domestie ani- mals. A hoe and an axe were about all the tools that they had for farming. Their eash assets consisted of $35. But they started in with a will. Gradually the land was cleared, and the erops were larger year by year. They had no oxen until they had raised a pair from ealves. It was ten years before they could purchase a wagon, and then they had to pay $100 for a second- hand one. Mrs. Michael O'Loughlin, on several occasions in the early days, carried butter on her head from French Lake to Kingston, where she exehanged it for groceries, which she brought baek in the same manner, making the trip both ways on foot. Michael O'Loughlin lived to see his farm developed, and many of his hopes realized. Comfort took the place of pioneer rigors, and the township became a settled community. Michael O'Lough- lin died July 19, 1874, at the age of fifty-eight years. ITis wife died January 12, 1914, at the age of eighty-four years. In the family there were four boys and two girls, of whom Patrick B. is the oldest. Patriek B. O'Loughlin was reared on the home farm, attended the district schools, and grew to manhood as a farmer. Ilis ambitions, however, turned to mercantile lines, and in 1881, with J. W. Connole as a partner, he opened a store at French Lake Corners. In 1887 they moved their store to Annan- dale, then in its earliest infancy. In 1889 they sold out, and Mr. O'Loughlin returned to the home farm, which he has sinee con- tinned to operate. The farm is one of the best in the neighbor- hood. All the buildings are good. The house is 18 by 24 feet, with fourteen-feet posts, and there are also two additions, one 18 by 20 and the other 12 by 20. General farming is conducted on a sneeessful scale, a specialty being made of Durham and Hereford eattle, Percheron horses, and Plymouth Rock and Rhode Island Red chiekens. Mr. O'Loughlin was postmaster at French Lake eleven years. He has been on the school board over thirty years. For some twenty years he was town elerk and is now filling that offiee by appointment. He was chairman of the town board a term, and town treasurer five years. He is Chief Ranger of the Annandale Lodge, No. 839, C. O. F. The family faith is that of the Catholic church. Mr. O'Loughlin was married Sep- tember 9, 1896, to Kate Murray, who was born April 22, 1863, daughter of Michael and Mary (Leahy) Murray, settlers of French Lake township, the former of whom died about 1884, at the age of fifty-eight, and the latter of whom died September 25, 1901, at the age of eighty-three. Mr. and Mrs. O'Loughlin have six children : Daniel, born August 10, 1897; Joseph, born Decem- ber 2, 1898; Franeis, born October 13, 1900: Mary, born December 4, 1902; Ruth, born July 19, 1904; Catherine, born December 9, 1907.
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