USA > Minnesota > Wright County > History of Wright County, Minnesota > Part 49
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JOSEPHI ZACHMANN AND FAMILY
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HISTORY OF WRIGHT COUNTY
Co. G, Fourth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, and served until the elose of the war, when he returned to the home farm. He was married in 1873, and he and his wife remained on the farm four years more, when he purchased 160 aeres in seetion 10. On this place in the woods he built a small one-story frame house, and, like his father before him, started to wrest the farm from its wild state. For the first two years he used oxen to assist in the elearing. With the land eleared he settled down to steady farming. Year by year the erops were good, and year by year he and his good wife were able to lay a little money aside for their old age. About 1907 they retired from active life, and moved to St. Michael's village, where they now live. For twenty years or more, Mr. Gutzwiller was a supervisor in his township. In polities he is a Demoerat. He is one of the stockholders in the St. Michael's Creamery and has interests in other ventures. Emil Gutzwiller was married in 1873, to Mary Duerr, who was born in Ohio, daughter of Anthony and Otelia (Hilt) Duerr. Mr. and Mrs. Gutzwiller have two children : Mary married Joseph Andrus, and by him has four children. After his death she married Henry Sehmidt and by him has one child. Isador operates the home farm. He married Lena Zachman and has four children. Anthony Duerr was born in the Province of Alsace, then a part of France, and married Otelia Hilt, a native of the same place. He brought his family to Ohio, lived there many years, and in 1861 came to Wright county and located three miles south of St. Michaels. Some land had been cleared and a log house erected. They moved into the house and started pioneer life. Anthony Duerr died at the age of sixty-six. His wife died at the age of ninety. They had eleven children, Anthony, Peter, Eliza- beth, Kate, Louisa, Louis, John, Mary, and three who died as infants.
Joseph Zachmann, a respected farmer and extensive land- owner of seetion 28, Frankfort township, is a native son of this county, having first seen the light of day on the homestead where he still resides, June 8, 1862, son of John and Emily (Aydt) Zachmann. John Zaehmann was a carpenter and cabinet maker by trade. He came from his birthplace in Germany to the United States, and for a time he lived in Illinois. He was there married, and there two children, Edward and John, were born. In 1855 he eame to Wright eounty and selected 160 acres in seetion 28, Frankfort township. The woods covered the land, and no roads had then been broken. He erected a log cabin in which a stump was used for a table, moved his family into it, and started elearing the land. He put in his first crops with a "grub" hoe. Later he purchased some oxen and this was of mueh assistance to him. As years passed he prospered greatly, and by adding to his pos- sessions from time to time finally acquired eight hundred aeres of
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HISTORY OF WRIGHT COUNTY
as good land as was to be found in the county. John Zachmann was a devout Catholie, and assisted in building some of the early Catholic churches in this vicinity. He died in 1889 at the age of sixty-three. His wife, who was born May 9, 1834 died November 20, 1899. They had eleven children born in Wright county : Mary (said to be the first white child born in the township), Felix (de- ceased), Thomas, Kate, Joseph, Louisa (deceased), Albert, Emily and Victor (twins), Otto and Rudolph. Joseph Zachmann has always remained on the home farm. He owns 500 acres of the best land in the township, including 270 acres of the old home- stead, and here he carries on general farming and stock raising. IIe has erected a splendid brick house and commodious barns, and everything about the place bespeaks the thrift and industry of the owner. Everything is well kept, and Mr. Zachmann may truly be considered a successful man in every way. Mr. Zach- mann married Kate Ebben, a native of Wright county, daughter of Gerhard and Margaret Ebben, natives of Germany. Mr. and Mrs. Zachmann have nine children: Gerhardt, Elizabeth, Antio- nette, Alfonse, Leonard, Apolonia, Annie, Alouise and Mary.
Louis Haefer, one of the founders of the village of Hanover, now deceased, was born in Saxony, Germany, son of William and Henrietta Haefer. The family came to the United States in 1840 and located on a farm in Sheboygan, Wis. It was on this farm that Louis was reared. After attaining the years of manhood he became manager of a general store at Houghton, Mich. From there he brought his family to what is now Hanover, in this county. The town was then all woods or stumps, and the streets were merely a series of mud holes. With great faith, however, in this village, Mr. Haefer built a large store and hotel, and opened for business. His place became known far and near, and was noted for its hospitality, good cheer, and business ad- vantages. Mr. Haefer was the friend of all his customers, he became an important influence in the community, and his advice was eagerly sought on all important matters. While he never cared to run for public office, his fellow citizens persuaded him to serve as county commissioner and as township treasurer for several terms. He died at the age of fifty-four in 1894. Louis Haefer was married at Houghton, Wis., in 1866, to Louise Kanf- man, born in Alsace, France, August 4, 1847, daughter of Nich- olas and Elizabeth Kaufman. Mr. and Mrs. Haefer had seven children, Clara, Amelia (deceased), Otelia, Alice, William L., Osear (deceased) and Louis, Jr. (deceased). Clara married J. E. Borsch, and they have three children, Adeline, Claranee and Louisa (deceased). Otelia married Fred Lindsey, and they have one son, Louis Haefer. Alice married II. A. Fetter and they have two children, Bernice Louise and Coall. William L. is a business man of Hanover.
MR. AND MRS. JAMES DIXON
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HISTORY OF WRIGHT COUNTY
William L. Haefer, a business man of Hanover village, was born in Houghton, Mich., December 19, 1873, son of Louis and Louise (Kaufman) Haefer. He was brought to Hanover as a small ehild, and when he reached a suitable age entered the dis- triet schools. Next he went to the Dr. Martin Luther College, at New Ulm, and from there he entered the agrienltural depart- ment of the University of Minnesota. He had been there about a year and a half when his father's death eut short his studies and he returned to look after the numerous family interests. He conduets a popular hotel, and manages a prosperous store, and also has real estate interests. Like his father before him, he is a popular man and has been a member of the village couneil as well as village treasurer. For the past twenty years he has been seeretary of Hanover Lodge, No. 162, I. O. O. F. Mr. Haefer married Josephine Duerr, daughter of John Duerr, of St. Michael, this county. They have two children, Leona and Clara (deceased).
James Dixon, of honored memory, was one of the real pioneers of the county. He and his good wife moved into the county in the days of the savages and the wolves. They experienced hard- ship, privation and exposure, but with undaunted courage they persevered and became leading people in the community. Thex founded a large family and their deseendants will ever hold dear their memory and honor their name. Mr. Dixon has gone to his rest, but his wife is still living, hale and hearty and in the full possession of her faculties. Her early experienees would make an interesting volume in themselves. James Dixon was born in Ireland, a son of Andrew Dixon. At the age of fourteen he started out for himself and went to England. From there he went to Seotland. When he was twenty he returned to Ireland. His twenty-first birthday saw him en route for America. After landing he went to Westehester county, New York. For some three months he was siek there, after which he remained there and worked some five years, his employers being Jonathan IIat- field and Joseph Stevens. He was married on Christmas day, 1854, to Sarah Cochran, who was born in Armagh county, Ire- land, October 5, 1833, coming to the United States with her parents, Mary and Thomas Cochran, when she was thirteen or fourteen years old. In the Cochran family there were nine chil- dren, William, Soloman, Sarah, Arnold, Mary Jane, Elizabeth, Rachael, Mary Ann and John. After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Dixon lived a while in New York state. April 8, 1855, they landed in St. Paul, having gone from New York overland to Galena, and thenee up the Mississippi river. When they reached St. Paul, Mr. Dixon had $1 and Mrs. Dixon $5. For a time Mr. Dixon worked in that eity. Then leaving his wife there he eame to Frankfort township and took a elaim in section 32. He built a erude cabin with no floor but the trampled earth, and in the
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fall of 1856 his wife joined him. Thus they started life in the wilderness. Their claim of 160 acres lay midway between Lake Charlotte and Lake Martha, as wild a tract as could be imagined. The timbers were full of wolves and other wild animals, and often when her husband was away, Mrs. Dixon heard them howl- ing near the cabin. She still remembers the nights when she lay in her cabin, looking up at the stars which shone through the holes in the roof while the wild sounds of the forest came to her ears. It was four years before they succeeded in getting a cow. At one time Mrs. Dixon was so anxious to get some buttermilk that she knit a pair of stockings for Thomas Steele in return for a pail of buttermilk. The Dixons were friendly to the Indians, and the Indians treated them with respeet. Often the wandering braves stopped at the cabin for food, and in appreciation thereof they sometimes left there a side of wild meat or a valuable fur skin. White travelers also received there a warm welcome, and the place became noted for its hospitality. In after years, fol- lowing the enstom they established in the early times, the Dixons entertained many summer guests, and their place finally devel- oped into something of a summer resort. During the days of the ginseng diggers, Mrs. Dixon earned money digging the valu- able roots. Often, with the roots selling at 5 cents a pound, Mrs. Dixon earned twenty shillings a day. But the years passed swiftly, the country was settled np, the land was prepared for crops, and the family prospered. Instead of planting corn and potatoes in the virgin sod with a "grub" hoe, they had modern implements and machinery. A comfortable house and sightly barns took the place of the original log cabin, and their holdings were inereased to 360 acres. It is interesting to note that Mr. Dixon was the youngest of seven sons. He had bnt one sister. IIe was born March 22, 1830, and died January 31, 1910. He and his good wife had eleven children. For died in infancy. Those living are John, Thomas, William, James, Andrew and Elizabeth. Robert died June 1, 1910. Mary Lonise died Decem- ber 31, 1910.
Jacob Holzman, the butter maker of the Hanover Co-Opera- tive Creamery Association, was born in Fond du Lac, Wis., Febru- ary 1, 1865, son of Peter J. and Barbara (Kramer) Holzman, who were natives of Germany and came to the United States in 1843 and located in Fond dn Lae. He was the second youngest of nine sons. Ile was educated in the schools of Wisconsin, and was there reared. In 1884 he came to Minneapolis as assistant sealer of weights and measures in the service of the state. In 1886 he started work in the planing mills in the same city. In 1888 he entered the employ of the Northern Pacific, and was with them at Minneapolis for four years. It was in 1892 that he came to St. Michael in this county, and secured employment
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CONRAD LUTZ AND FAMILY
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HISTORY OF WRIGHT COUNTY
in a cheese factory. A short time later he built a cheese factory at Albertville, also in this county, and took charge of it one year. In 1893 he came to Hanover as manager of the cheese factory. In 1895 when the cheese factory was converted into a creamery, Emil Strunk became the manager and Mr. Holzman became the butter-maker, a position he occupied for seven years. In 1903, when the creamery was purchased by the former and became the Hanover Co-Operative Creamery Association, Mr. Holzman was retained as butter-maker, a position he still holds. For four- teen years he has been assessor of Hanover village, and he has also done distinguished service as justice of the peace. In politics he is independent, voting for the man rather than for party. In fraternal association he is a Woodman. Jacob Holzman was married in 1888 to Mary Kramer, daughter of Mathias Kramer, of Fond du Lac, Wis. Mr. and Mrs. Holzman have ten children : William H., Albert J., Elmora, Fred J., Barbara, Elaine, Alfred (deceased), Ernest (deceased), Arthur (deceased) and Luella (deceased).
Conrad Lutz, a venerable pioneer, now deceased, was born in Germany, June 30, 1832, the second oldest of a family of three boys and one girl, Andrew, Conrad, John and Agnes. Conrad came from Germany to America, lived awhile in New Jersey, then in Chicago, and finally came up the Mississippi river to Min- nesota. Conrad decided to locate in Wright county. For several years he made his home in Frankfort township on the banks of the Crow river. Ile there experienced all the rigors of pioneer life. The stove for his little cabin was brought on his baek, piece by piece, from St. Anthony, now a part of Minneapolis. In 1863 he married, and shortly afterward he was drafted and served in the Second Minnesota Volunteer Infantry. After his return from the war he and his wife continued to live on the banks of the Crow river for about a year. Then they moved to 160 acres on the shore of Beebe lake in section 29, Frankfort township. This claim they purchased from the railroad company. Some- thing like eight acres had been cleared and in this clearing stood a log house from which the roof had been removed by the wind. They repaired the log house and moved into it. With a new foundation and roof, this historic old strneture is still standing. Mr. Lutz cleared the land with the aid of an ox team and made such preparation as he eould for the raising of crops. Provisions were scarce and there was little money in the county. At one time, Mr. Lutz carried a large snapping turtle fifteen miles in order that the family might have a feast. Sometimes all the food they had for a family of eleven consisted of corn. This was ground into meal in their little hand spice-grinder, dried in the oven, and then baked as corn bread or boiled as mush. In later years prosperity came. They built a large modern home and
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good barns, and developed a splendid farm. As the years passed they specialized more and more in dairy cattle, and their place was christened the Beebe Lake Dairy Farm, the name by which it is now widely known. Mr. Lutz did not care for political life and refused to accept township office. He was, however, much interested in school affairs and of the Lutheran church of which he was a member. He died April 7, 1903, at the age of seventy- one. His was a useful life and he was thoroughly respected throughout the community. Mrs. Lutz still lives on the old farm, although it is now owned by her son Andrew and her son-in-law, Ernest Mutterer, and conducted by them. Mr. Lutz was united in marriage, March 11, 1863, to Mary Jane Cochran, who was born in County Armagh, Ireland, March 18, 1844, and came to America when a little child. To this venerable couple seven children have been born: Mary, now Mrs. Alfred Walters, of Forscythe, Mont .; Eliza, now Mrs. William Scott, of Bradford, Pa .; Sadie, now Mrs. William T. Ziebarth, of Hermann, Minn .; Andrew, of Frankfort township, this county; Rezeline, now Mrs. Albert Droneck, of Foley, Minn .; Emma, now Mrs. George Bolduc, of Foley, Minn .; Edith, now Mrs. Ernest Mutterer, of Frankfort township, this county.
Anthony Haffner, proprietor of the popular Haffner Summer Resort, on the banks of beautiful Lake Charlotte, Frankfort town- ship, was born in the Rhine region, Germany, July 6, 1858, the son of Anthony Haffner, Sr., and his wife, Gertrude Haffner. The children in the family were Gertrude, Mathias, Kate, Anthony, Peter and Joseph. The mother died in 1864 and that same year the father and the children came to America and located in Hen- nepin county. Some fifteen years later the father came to St. Michaels in this county, and operated a sawmill and a threshing machine. Anthony Haffner, the subject of this sketch, attended the schools of Hennepin county, and at the age of twenty-three struck out for himself. After working in the vicinity of St. Michaels for a few years, he purchased forty acres of land in section 31, Rockford township, in 1889. To this he has since added thirty-three aeres, so that he now has a good place of nearly seventy-five acres, with a splendid water line on the lake. When he arrived the place was covered with trees. He cleared off the land and with a grub hoe put in his first erops. His first home was a board shanty covered with tar-paper. For two years he had no horses or oxen, but did what he could with one cow. About eleven years after he settled on the place he erected a large barn and a substantial residence. He raised general crops and good stock, and became a successful farmer. From time to time his friends came to his place to fish in the lake. Gradually he received requests from strangers for board. Finally, in 1907, he decided to go into the summer resort business. When his
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ANTHONY HAFFNER AND FAMILY
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HISTORY OF WRIGHT COUNTY
farm house became too small for his business he erected a cottage nearby. But the house and the cottage were several rods back from the lake. So, selecting a slope of land on the north bank of the lake, shaded with some sightly trees, and possessing all the necessary qualifications for a summer camp, he moved the cottage to the new location, and started on a larger seale. The main hotel honses the dining room, which is cool and airy, and well furnished. The food is of the best and served in the best manner. Ten cottages give ample accommodations to a large number of guests, while the garage, the ice house, the dancing pavilion, the well of pure water and the large fleet of boats add to their com- fort and pleasure. The lake itself is clear and sparkling, one mile and a half long and a half a mile wide, 100 feet deep in the deepest place. The bathing beach in front of the cottages is excellent, and the maple groves here and there make ideal spots for pienies. Year by year the place is increasing in popularity as a fishing, hunting and recreation resort, and the enterprise is assuming large proportions. Mr. Haffner still successfully carries on his general farming. Anthony Haffner was married April 4, 1884, to Kate Droneeh, a native of Hennepin county. Their ehil- dren are : Gertrude, Anna, Clara, Theadore, Lena, Edith, Alvina and Albert, all living.
Mathias J. Barthel, a scientifie farmer of section 22, Frankfort township, was born on the adjoining old homestead of his grand- father in section 28, son of Mathias and Barbara (Burges) Barthel, and grandson of Nicholas and Mary (Lambert) Burges. He was reared on the old homestead, attended the public schools, and learned farming from his father. In 1900 he bought his present place of seventy-seven aeres. lle cleared nearly half the land for the plow, and made some splendid improvements, includ- ing a sightly house, roomy barns and suitable sheds. While he is interested in all branches of farming, his particular pride has been in the raising of Poland-China swine. He is well known at St. Michaels, where he is a stockholder in the creamery and a director in the shipping association. Mr. Barthel married Mar- garet Waleseh, a native of Wright county, and they have six ehil- dren : Edwin, Cragor, Cora, Lanbert, Monica and Roman.
Peter Duerr, a pioneer, now living in Frankfort township, was born in Germany, August 3, 1843, son of Antoine and Otelia Duerr. In the family there were five children: Anthony, Eliza, Kate, Peter and Louisa. Antoine Duerr brought his family to America in 1847 and located in Ohio. In 1862 they came to Wright county, where he died at the age of sixty-three. His wife lived to the good old age of ninety. After Peter Duerr grew to manhood he bought 114 aeres in Frankfort township, near the present village of St. Michaels. Only two aeres had been broken. He erected a shanty and with an ox team began to
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clear the land. Year by year he made improvements until he now has as good a farm as is to be found in the neighborhood. A handsome briek residence took the place of the log house, and commodious barns replaced the pole shed which first sheltered his oxen. Mr. Duerr has now retired from active life, and has turned the farm over to his sons, Leo and Lawrence. Peter Duerr was married to Mary Fry, daughter of Frank and Kate (Zaeh- man) Fry, pioneers of Frankfort township. Mr. and Mrs. Duerr have had thirteen children, as follows: Joseph, Lena, John, Katie, Rosa, Ambrose, Frances, Thomas, Anton, Lawrenee, Leo, Regina and Philomena. Leo Duerr was born August 5, 1890. His brother Lawrence was born August 26, 1888. The two young men are active and wideawake citizens in every respect. Aside from operating the home farm of 114 aeres they have purchased 60 aeres adjoining, and are suecessfully carrying on general farming and dairying.
Oscar Brenk, a prosperous farmer of section 22, Frankfort township, was born March 30, 1865, in Pforzheim, Germany, son of Frank and Lena (Voegele) Brenk, who spent the span of their years in Germany. The children in the family were: Oscar, Edward, Clara, Franeiseo, Anna and Ellis. Of these, Osear was the only one to come to America. He was reared in Germany and learned the miller's trade in his father's mills. In 1890 he came to the United States. He secured employment with Thomas Zachman in Frankfort township. Thomas Zaehman was the true type of a pioneer. Ile had come to America from Germany, took a quarter section of land in section 22, Frankfort township, erected a log cabin, and cleared most of the land. Ile and his good wife, Teckler Aydt, toiled early and late and became sub- stantial people in the community. In 1886 they erected what was then one of the best barns in the neighborhood. Into this home eame Osear Brenk, the subject of this sketch. This young stranger and Mary Zachman, the daughter of the family, beeame attached to each other, and in 1894 they were married. They have continued to reside on the Zachman farm. Mr. Brenk is a competent farmer, raises some excellent erops and makes a specialty of Red Poll cattle, Yorkshire swine and Percheron grade horses. He has erected a thoroughly modern house of nine rooms, with running water, heating plant and other con- veniences. He has held school office and has served in the devel- opment of the community in various ways. Mr. and Mrs. Brenk have six children: Frank, Laurentia, Ella, Carola, Irene and Arabella. The family faith is that of the Roman Catholic Church of St. Michaels.
Joseph Reems, a pioneer of Frankfort township, was born in Fayette, in what is now West Virginia, September 30, 1849, son of Samuel and Nancy (Dorey) Reems, and descended from
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notable Colonial families on both sides of his house. He was brought here by his parents in 1854, lost his mother on the trip, and was reared by his father and sisters. He attended a log school house and rendered the family sneh assistance as he could about the litle clearing and in the home eabin. When the Civil War broke out he was so young that he was not allowed to enlist, but he served his country by acting as a government driver along difficult and dangerous routes. After the war he returned and again took up farming. He has a good tract of land in see- tion 1, and though he has suffered severe losses by fire he now has a comfortable home and a thoroughly modern barn, with fenees, implements and machinery in keeping. Aside from his land here he owns land in Dunn county, North Dakota. All his farm land is rented and he is now practically retired. Few meu have been more active than he in public affairs. IIe has been town supervisor for many terms; county commissioner, eight years ; assessor, fourteen years, and school director twelve years. Wherever he has found the opportunity for service he has not shirked but has ever been willing to assist in every good cause. He is a member of the Masonic body and his wife and two daugh- ters are affiliated with the Eastern Star. Mr. Reems married Mary A. Richner, daughter of Frederick Richner, of Switzerland, who located in Otsego township, this county, in 1873. Mrs. Reems died in 1908 at the age of fifty-four, leaving eight children : Alfred J., Samnel, Emma, Elmilda, Etta May, Millie J., Le Roy M. and William.
Samuel Reems, a pioneer of Frankfort township, was born in Pennsylvania, son of George Reems. George Reems came of an early colonial family. He served in the Revolutionary War under George Washington and Anthony Wayne, often trudging bare- footed and starving through the snow in order that liberty might reign throughout the colonies. Ile lived in the thirteenth house erected in the eity of Philadelphia. From George Reems and his two brothers, Uriah and Benjamin, are supposed to have descended all the Reems families now found in the United States. Samuel Reems came from what is now West Virginia in 1854, and took a elaim of 160 aeres in Frankfort township, on the banks of the Crow river, several miles from where it empties into the Mississippi river. At that time the Indians ranged the country, and the first spring he was here they made sugar from the sap of the maples on his place. He erected a log cabin, brought supplies from St. Paul on his back, put in his first corn and potatoes in the virgin sod with an ax, and gradually cleared the land. He died in 1892 at the age of 103 years, seven months and three days. The mother had died at Montrose, this county, in 1854, when the family was on its way here to settle. Samuel Reems was married in West Virginia to Nancy Dorey, a native
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