USA > Minnesota > Wright County > History of Wright County, Minnesota > Part 61
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HISTORY OF WRIGHT COUNTY
Lottie, Rollie HI., Lavina, Alonzo, Howard, Robert, Esther, Viola, Riehard and an umamed infant (deceased). Kramer Swartont brought his family from Saratoga county, New York, the place of his nativity, and settled in St. Paul in 1856, moving to seetion 18, Roekford township, in 1858. He was a true pioneer, helped to bring the wilderness under control, and did his early farming with a pair of cows. After the Civil war broke out, he enlisted in Co. E, Eighth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, and served against the Indians. Hle led a useful, busy life and was much respected.
Richard Crawford, a progressive farmer of Rockford town- ship, was born on the family homestead in section 20, Rockford township, October 3, 1881, son of Rollin O. Crawford, the pioneer. He attended the district school of his neighborhood, the village sehool at Montrose, and the St. Cloud State Normal School. He has a decided mechanical taste, and from his earliest boyhood has done more or less in the way of repairing machinery of vari- ous kinds. He has, however, devoted his life to farming. He has a traet of fifty-nine acres of good land, and successfully car- ries on general farming and stock raising. He has built a modern house of cement blocks, and has other sightly buildings. His fraternal associations are with the Modern Brotherhood of Amer- ica, at Rockford. Mr. Crawford was married in 1906, to Lueretia Walker, daughter of Robert and Evelyn Walker, and they have five children, Wellington, Lawrence, May, Roberta and Rollin.
Robert W. Crawford, one of the young representative farmers of Wright county, was born on the old Rollin O. Crawford home- stead in Rockford township. He attended the rural schools of his neighborhood, and completed his studies at the Montrose school. He was reared to agricultural pursuits and has always remained on the home farm, which he now owns and operates. He has served on the school board of his district and is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America at Montrose. He was united in marriage December 25, 1906, to Bessie Thompson, and to them have been born a daughter, Eva May, born May 19, 1908.
James E. Darrow, after undergoing unusual experiences in the far Northwest, is now cultivating a Wright county farm, and is putting into its work the same amount of strength and energy which he formerly exercised in seeking gold in the moun- tains of Alaska and British Columbia. Mr. Darrow was born in Ashtabula county, Ohio, August 11, 1875, son of George and Ifattie (Collard) Darrow, who in 1876 brought him to Wright county and settled on section 19, Rockford township. He was reared in Rockford, and was educated in the district schools of Rockford, as well as in the public and commercial schools of Minneapolis. For four years he worked in the baggage room of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railroad, at Minneapolis. Later he worked awhile at Seattle. There he heard many stories
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of the great wealth to be gained in Alaska. Accordingly he started out for the far Northwest, and before he came back to the States had worked in Alaska and in British Columbia. Later he was employed for six years with the Union Iron & Ship Build- ing Works at San Francisco. But he still kept Wright county in his thoughts, and in 1909 he returned to Rockford township and purchased 105 acres of good ground. He and the brother, Guy, have purchased the old homestead of eighty acres. They raise good stock and Percheron horses and carry on general farming in a successful manner.
Kit Carson Crandall, a well known farmer of Rockford town- ship, named after Christopher (Kit) Carson, the famous Indian fighter and guide to Charles C. Fremont, was born in a log house one mile south of Delano, March 28, 1862. He is the son of James D. Crandall and Frances L. Crandall, the pioneers. James D. Crandall was born near Jamestown, in western New York, in 1822. He was the son of Jenks Crandall, and is believed to be a lineal descendant of the emigrant, John Crandall, who with Roger Williams and three others settled Rhode Island, and were the founders of the Baptist Church in America. Franeis L. (Steward) Crandall was born at Saybrooke, Ohio, in 1832, the daughter of Oliver Steward and Caroline Talcott. Her ancestors, like the Crandalls, came to New England with the colonists, and on her mother's side the line runs back to the Dean, Lawrence and Warren families. James Crandall came from New York state to Ohio, and was there married. In 1861, with his wife and three small children, George O., Clint and Henry, he started with a horse team from Ashtabula, Ohio, to Wright county, Minne- sota. They stopped in Delano for a short time, and after looking abont secured land in section 12, Rockford. On the top of a rise of land which has since been called Crandall's hill, they erected a log cabin. From the door of this cabin, there was visible a beautiful stretch of valley, covered with heavy timber as far as the eye could reach. From the lawn of the modern house that now occupies the hill, the same country can still be seen. But the timber has been ent off, and the rich and pictur- esque valley now contains some of the best farms in the county. Like the other pioneers, the Crandall family started work clear- ing off the timber, breaking the land and getting in the seed. Acre by acre they wrested the rich land from the grip of the wilderness. During the Indian outbreak, they fled to Rockford village, but soon returned and again took up their work. Times were hard, provisions were sometimes searce, no one in the county had much ready cash, all were on an equal, and all working to- gether for the development of the community. James Crandall became a prominent man, served on the town and school boards, and acted for some years as assessor. Ile died in 1896. Ilis wife
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died a year earlier. George O. Crandall, the eldest son, died in 1909. The three are buried in beautiful Evergreen cemetery at Rockford. Kit Carson Crandall was taken to the eabin on Cran- dall hill as an infant and was there reared. He attended school in the neighborhood, and by working on the home place became proficient as a farmer. He also learned the trade of blacksmith, which he followed for some years. After his marriage he went sonth, and followed his trade in Henry county, Missouri. Then he returned to the old homestead, where he now lives. IIe has a well-kept place, and is an estimable citizen in every respect. Mr. Crandall married Lonie Reader, a native of Germany, and they have five children, Helen, Marguerite, Oliver, Leo and Forest.
Gottlieb Biegert, one of the progressive farmers of Roekford township, was born in Baden, Germany, July 16, 1860, son of George and Mary (Herster) Biegert. The mother died in Ger many in 1873, at the age of forty-two, leaving five children, Mary, Carrie, George, Gottlieb and Minnie. In 1882 the father brought the motherless family to America. They landed at New York City and came west to Charles City, Iowa, where they lived until the spring of 1883. Then they came to Roekford township, where the father purchased 100 aeres of the old Dixon place, where he lived until the family was seattered. He died in 1898 at the age of seventy-three. Gottlieb Biegert lived the same kind of life as other boys of his period and neighborhood, and at a suitable age entered the German army. He had just completed his serviee in the army when he came to America with the rest of the family. When the family reached Rockford he purchased 100 aeres in Roekford township, where he has sinee resided. He has greatly improved the place, erected new buildings, bought a full equipment of tools and machinery, and become a modern farmer in every respeet. In addition to the home farm, he owns sixty acres in the same township, where his son Robert lives. Mr. Biegert is a representative eitizen, has done jury service several times, and has served as a member of the school board of his distriet for some fourteen years. Mr. Biegert married Mary Kettenaker, daughter of Jacob Kettenaker, who came over on the same ship with the Biegerts. Mr. and Mrs. Biegert have four children: Charles, Robert, Emma (now Mrs. Peiper) and Susan.
Andrew Borngesser, one of the pioneers of Rockford town- ship, was born in Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, November 22, 1831, son of Valentine and Elizabeth Borngesser. There was also a daughter, Elizabeth, in the family. Valentine Borngesser died, and his widow married George Grevema. By this union there were born four children, Anna, Margaret, Christina and George. Andrew Borngesser was reared in his native land, attended the
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HISTORY OF WRIGHT COUNTY
schools of his neighborhood and there grew to manhood. Febru- ary 3, 1856, he married Anna, and on June 6, of the same year, arrived in New York city. From there they came to Milwaukee, Wis., and by September 1, 1856, he was in Wright county, his wife remaining in Milwaukee until fall. He had reached this county by coming by boat to St. Paul, and then walking the remainder of the distance. He located in the wild woods, on section 3, in range 24, Rockford township. Some twenty rods east of the present residence he erected a log cabin, and there they started housekeeping. The first crops were planted with a "grub" hoe, in the virgin sod. He secured two good eows soon after his arrival, but it was the second year before they were able to buy a yoke of oxen. For a vehicle they used a sled. To make corn bread they ground corn in the coffee-mill, and for coffee they used roasted barley, rye and wheat. Times were hard, provisions were scaree, difficulties were many. Fortunately the sale of ginseng brought the family a little ready cash, and the aereage of the erops increased from year to year. When news eame of the Indian uprising, the whole family, consisting of Andrew Borngesser and his three children, Andrew, Anna and Kate, walked to Minneapolis, where they found shelter until the danger was past. In religion, Mr. Borngesser adhered to the German Evangelieal church, and he was one of those who assisted in building the church near St. Michael. His prosperity in- ereased with the years, and it was not long before he became a leading eitizen. Ilis wife, Anna Ruppelius, who was born April 21, 1836, died in 1880. Their children were : Andrew (deceased), Anna (deceased), Kate (deeeased), Christina, Fred, Elizabeth, Andrew E. and George (deceased). For his second wife he mar- ried Anna Marie Wettrean, a widow, who died June 11, 1913, at the age of eighty-two.
Andrew E. Borngesser, a wide-awake, active farmer of Roek- ford township, was born on the old homestead where he still resides, July 20, 1873, son of Andrew and Anna Borngesser, the pioneers. With the exception of two years in Minneapolis and one year in Hanover, he has spent his life on the home place. He attended the distriet schools, helped with the farm work, and led the life customary for boys of his age and time. Since taking charge of the place he has made many improvements, ereeted modern farm buildings and developed the land. He carries on general farming and makes a specialty of raising good stoek. He has been elerk of the school district No. 54 for the past three years. Mr. Borngesser was married May 28, 1896, to Elizabeth Roloff, daughter of Charles and Minnie (Berrans) Roloff, and they have one son, Edward. Three of their children, Nora, Walter and an nnnamed infant, are dead. The family attend the Lutheran church at Hanover.
JAMES M. POWERS AND WILLIAM SLEIGHT
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HISTORY OF WRIGHT COUNTY
James Melville Powers, deceased, was born in Berlin, Ohio, May 8, 1836. Ile attended the publie schools there and received a good education. At the age of nineteen he came to Minnesota with his parents and located with them on a farm at Greenwood, Hennepin county, in 1855. Ile became interested in agriculture and in 1867 purchased a farm of 160 aeres in Rockford township, Wright county, of wild uneultivated land. He began clearing the land, grubbing up trees and breaking the soil. In time he built buildings and developed this tract into a fine farm. In 1891 he sold the farm and retired to Minneapolis, but in 1907 he returned to Wright county and purchased the John Woodward home in Rockford village, where he made his home during the summers for three years, until January 22, 1911, when he died at the home of his son in Winona, where he was visiting. Mrs. Powers still owns the home at Rockford, this place being origi- nally the property of Mrs. Powers' maternal grandfather. Mr. Powers enlisted in the First Minnesota Volunteer Infantry at the first eall by Lineoln. At the end of nine months he re-en- listed for three years in the Berdan Sharp Shooters and went south. After serving nearly three years he became siek with typhoid fever and was honorably discharged and returned to his home in Hennepin county. He was a member of the G. A. R. at Rockford and also a member of the Masons. Mr. Powers was married in 1865 to Imeinda Weston, who died in Mareh, 1882, leaving three children: Lulu, now Mrs. Charles Walters, of St. Paul, who has three children, Margaret, Russell and Robert; Nellie, now Mrs. Edward Darrow of Big Lake, Minn, who has two children, Earl and Luln; and Fletcher M. D., at Barrett, Minn .. who married Belle Lewis and has three children, Pearl, Ruth and Esther. Mr. Powers married a second time, June 20, 1884, Mrs. Sarah (Sleight) Atwood, who survives him. They had no children. Mrs. Sarah Powers was born at Belvidere, Ill., December 18, 1852, and eame with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. William Sleight, to Rockford township, Wright county, in 1856. Mr. William Sleight and his good wife Lydia (Woodard) Sleight eame from Illinois in the territorial days and pre-empted a tract of 160 aeres of wild land in Rockford township. They worked hard and prospered, and were numbered among Wright county's most prominent citizens. Mr. Sleight farmed there until his death, December 7, 1884, having one of the finest fruit farms of the section. He was an ardent worker and supporter of the Methodist Episcopal church and served as Sunday school super- intendent for many years. He was one of the founders of the Wright County Agricultural Society and also of the Old Settlers' Association, in both of which societies he held the offiee of presi- dent for several years. Mrs. Sleight died May 26, 1889. There were five children: Mary, who was born at Belvidere, Ill., 1850,
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HISTORY OF WRIGHT COUNTY
and died at Minneapolis in 1869, being at the time of her death a student at the University of Minnesota; Sarah and John, twins, Sarah becoming Mrs. James M. Powers, John condueting the farm in Roekford until his death, October 26, 1909, his wife, Laura (Workman) Sleight, surviving him with four children; Hettie, who died July 6, 1871; and William, a contractor and decorator of Crookston, who married Pearl Lawton, and has one ehild, William, Jr. The children of John Sleight are: Fred, a railroad man at Harvey, married to Esther Frederick ; and Lottie, Hettie and Lydia, living with their mother at Delano. Previons to her marriage with Mr. Powers, Mrs. Sarah Powers was mar- ried, in 1872, at Delano, Minn., to Isaae Atwood, who died De- cember 22, 1881. By this marriage she had two children : Harry, now wire chief for the Northwestern Telephone Exchange at Austin, married to Delia Theil and having two children: Janet and Gilford ; and Nellie, now Mrs. Frank Gold, of 2004 James avenue, south, Minneapolis, having one daughter, Sarah Elizabeth. Mr. Gold is connected with the Northwestern Knitting Company, of Minneapolis. Mrs. Powers is living with her daughter in Minneapolis, and is a member of the O. E. S. and the W. R. C. at Roekford.
Nels Bengtson, a sturdy pioneer, was one of the men who, by undergoing all the hardships and privations of frontier life, won for himself a position as one of the makers of the county, and left to his family a splendid heritage of honor. He was born in Sweden, October 6, 1825, and died October 16, 1911. In 1851 he married Mary Larson, who was born October 26, 1826, and died May 3, 1913. In 1866, they set out for America, with their six children, Christine, Carrie, Bengt (deceased), Louis, Mary and Nels Angust. The voyage was made on the sailing vessel "Superior," and oeeupied a period of four weeks. Upon landing, they made their way westward to Minnesota, and eame as far as Big Lake, in Sherbourne county, where the railroad ended. Then with friends they came with an ox team to Wright county. For a month they lived in Marysville township. About the first of August they filed on a elaim of eighty aeres in Rockford town- ship, seetion 8. This was the only elaim left in the neighbor- hood, and the last one to be taken. The traet was entirely eov- ered with trees, and no roads led to the place. The first log cabin was erected with but three walls, the fourth side being left open for light and air. Later a log house with two windows and a door was erceted. It stood about twenty rods south of the present home. For a time, having no money, Nels Bengtson worked abont among the neighbors. He put in his first potatoes by planting them with a "grub" hoe among the stumps. Some- times the flour was made by pounding grain between two stones. Sometimes he walked to Roekford and Minneapolis and brought
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HISTORY OF WRIGHT COUNTY
a small saek of flour home on his baek. In time he was enabled to purchase two calves, which he raised for oxen. In the course of time he had the eighty acres under cultivation, and added twenty more. A modern house and barn also replaced the orig- inal log structure. Mr. Bengstrom held various offices and was a prominent member of the Lutheran church. In fact, he was the one who proposed the erection of a church of that denomi- nation in this vicinity. Aside from the children brought here, there were two more in the family, both born in the old log cabin, Frank and Elmira. Elmira died at the age of eight years. Nels August was born May 1, 1865. Frank was born July 2, 1868. Both attended the district schools, and together they now operate the home farm. They are prosperous and successful men, and occupy a most admirable place in the community. Frank married Mary Marie Norene, a native of Sweden, who came to the United States and to Minnesota in 1898. She was the daugh- ter of Peter and Anna Norene, both born in Sweden. Frank Bengstrom and his wife have three children: Victor, born March 10, 1903; Mabel, born May 20, 1901, and died February 24, 1902; and Mabel Victoria, born June 6, 1913.
William Sook, one of Wright county's early pioneers, was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, in 1827 and was one of seven sons of John and Rosalia Stein Sook. He came to New York in 1848 and in 1851 was united in marriage to Mary T. Mullins. They resided in New York state until 1857, when they came west to Rockford, in this county, and settled on a homestead, where he resided until his death in 1887. He was a man of sound in- tegrity, honest and straightforward in his dealings with his fel- lowmen and loved and respected by his neighbors. Eight chil- dren were born, five of whom are living: George, Anna S., Ellen, Homer, Emma, Rosella died in infancy, and John N. and Joseph in maturity. Mrs. Mary T. Sook, whose maiden name was Mary T. Mullins, was born in Wexford, Ireland, April 30, 1829. At the age of sixteen years she came to Canada with a married sister, who was then living in Quebec, Canada, and later came to New York to visit another married sister. In 1851 she was united in marriage to William Sook, then a resident of New York state. Mrs. Sook still resides on the homestead and, despite her ad- vanced age, is quite hale and hearty and can tell many interesting stories of the early pioneer days.
John C. Swanson, an influential farmer residing in section 14, Rockford, has taken more than usual interest in the development of the township and county. He was the first man in the town- ship to raise full-blooded swine, and the first to bring here a corn binder, hay loader, and side-delivery rake. He thoroughly be- lieves in the development of the rural districts of the state, and is an earnest advocate of scientific farming, pure breeds of stock,
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and the use of the latest approved machinery. John C. Swanson was born in the southern part of Sweden, October 5, 1864, son of Sven and Elsie (Nelson) Johnson. Elsie Nelson Johnson was born April 8, 1836, and died in 1891. Sven Johnson was born September 21, 1834, came to America, and died April, 1914, at Chicago. The children in the family were Hannah, Nels, John C., Nellie, Annie, Carl B. and Marie. John C. and his sister Nellie came to the United States in 1886. After a year in Tam- pico, Ill., Mr. Swanson came to Wright county. For two years he worked on farms, and then for four seasons did earpenter work in Minneapolis. After his marriage, he rented land in Wright county. Later he bought eighty acres in Roekford town- ship. Only fifteen acres of this had at that time been cleared. He cleared up the land, erected a farm residence, a barn 34 by 86, and other buildings, and made many improvements. He now farms a traet of 160 acres, and is making the most of every aere. He raises Red Poll cattle, Poland China swine and Percheron and Belgian horses. He is a member of the school board of his district, and assists in every movement which has for its object the betterment of the community. In addition to his Wright county property he owns 160 acres near Duluth. Mr. Swanson married Anna Sook, a native of Wright county, a daughter of William Sook, the pioneer. Mr. and Mrs. Swanson have had eight children : Nellie Ruth, Rosella, John Howard, Elsie Luella, Maurice M., Mary Theresa, William Harold (deceased) and Edith (deceased). All the children are receiving a splendid education. The oldest is a student at Carleton College, at Northfield, Minn. The family worship at the Presbyterian church.
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