USA > Minnesota > Illustrated album of biography of Southwestern Minnesota : containing biographical sketches of hundreds of prominent old settlers...:History of Minnesota, embracing an account of early exploration...and a concise history of the Indian outbreak of 1862 > Part 87
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The subject of our sketch was married in Sheffield, New Brunswick, August 3, 1836, to Miss Mary Flumer, daughter of John and Sarah (Stewart) Flumer, natives of New Brunswick. This union has been blessed with the following-named children- Lydia, who died at the age of seventeen years ; Anna (also deceased), Alethas, John P., Jane, Irene, Ellen (deceased), James, and Helen (deceased). Irene married Mr. John Reave and is now residing in Slay- ton, where her parents reside with her. Mr. Reave is at present clerk of the Illi- nois legislature. For one year he was private secretary for Hon. Mr. Farwell, a leading dry goods merchant of Chicago.
EORGE N. LAING is the present judge of probate of Cottonwood county, Minnesota, and a leading attorney of Windom, Minnesota. Mr. Laing came to the village in 1881 and since that time has been engaged in the practice of his pro- fession. He is a native of Ontario, Canada, where he was born November 16, 1850. His parents were Samuel W., and Charlotte (Miller) Laing, natives, respectively, of New Jersey and Canada.
Mr. Laing was reared as a farmer's boy and was given the advantages of such an
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education as was provided by the district schools. After leaving home he visited vari- ous parts of the United States, going to New Jersey, later returning to Canada, and then locating in Sparta, Wisconsin. He commenced the study of medicine with Dr. D. C. Beebe and continued with that gentle- man for two years. Later he went to Madi- son Wisconsin, and studied law in the office of Professor Carpenter, also entering the law school in that city. He graduated from the school in 1881, and shortly after came to Minnesota and located in Windom. He has been elected to various official positions, has been village recorder and was elected judge of probate in 1882, '84, '86, and 1888. He has been one of the most prominent citizens of the village, and has been president of the school board and chairman of the re- publican county committee. He is at present chairman of the republican committee of the Thirteenth Judicial District. In 1887 he was appointed as one of the committe of three to revise the probate laws of Minnesota. For two years he labored hard in this direction and the revised laws were adopted by the legislature at the session of 1889.
Mr. Laing affiliates with the republican party and takes an active interest in various civic societies, such as the Masonic and Ancient Order of United Workmen, of both of which he holds the position of master.
In June, 1886, Mr. Laing was married to Amy Warbusse, daughter of Elias H., and Violet Warbusse, of Philadelphia, Pennsyl- vania. This union has been blessed with one son, Dewitt B.
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OBERT SCARF is one of the most prosperous merchants of Pipestone, and is engaged in the wholesale and retail drug business. He made his location in the city in 1879, and immediately opened in his present line, since which time he has been a
permanent resident. He has a large and finely assorted stock of drugs, paints, wall paper, books and stationery, and has an ex- cellent business location on the corner of Olive and Hiawatha streets.
The gentleman whose name appears at the head of this sketch is a native of Vermont, where he was born in the year 1846. His parents were William and Eliza (Hamilton) Scarf. The parents were well-to-do farmers in Vermont, and made that State their home throughout life, both of them dying in 1855. The subject of our sketch was the oldest of four children, the names of the others be- ing William, Henry and George B. After the death of the parents William and Henry were taken into the home of the mother's brother, Thomas Hamilton, and our subject and George B. were bound out to a farmer, with whom they were to serve until they reached their majority. Our subject, how- ever, only remained with his master ten months, at the end of which time he en- gaged in work at the printer's trade, con- tinuing in that line of employment for two years, during 1859 and 1860. After that time had expired he engaged in farm-work for eighteen months, and then enlisted in Company E, Twenty-seventh Iowa Infantry, this being in 1862. He continued in the service throughout the war, being discharged in February, 1866. When discharged he was corporal of his company. During the last two and a half years of his military service he was a mounted scout in the South, and saw much severe service and passed through many exciting adventures in South- ern raids. After the close of the war he returned to McGregor, Iowa, in which State he had lived before the war. On returning to McGregor at once engaged in the grocery business, in which line he continued for about a year, going from that point to Jules- berg, Colorado, and from thence, after a four months' residence, to Cheyenne, Wyoming,
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where he remained two and a half years. His next move was to Nebraska, where he purchased railroad land and remained some- time. Later he returned to Iowa, and soon after went to Lyle, Minnesota, and engaged in the drug business. He made Lyle his home until coming to Pipestone in August, 1879.
In 1872 our subject was united in marriage to Miss Nellie Cook, of St. Ansgar, Iowa. This union has been blessed with three chil- dren-Zillah L., Henry A. and Ralph H.
The business career of our subject has been one of continued success. His business has been of a varied and complex nature, but into all the various lines he has carried his characteristic push and systematic habits, and as a necessary consequence has achieved success. He has always interested himself in public matters, and has aided materially in the development of the locality in which he resides. In politics he has affiliated with the republican party and has held numerous offices, among them being that of justice of the peace, member of the school board, etc. He is an influential member of the Grand Army Republic, Masonic and Odd Fellows fraternities. In religious as well as business matters he is actively interested, and is a consistent member of the Methodist Epis- copal church, in which society he has been one of the board of trustees for a period of six years. The drug business of the subject of our sketch has reached large dimensions, and as a wholesaler he supplies scores of smaller drug stores throughout Southwestern Minnesota. He also carries a fine line of jewelry and musical instruments, and in this trade has built up a large patronage. Being a man of push and energy and large means, he has become one of the prominent busi- ness men of the city and county. Systematic in his business habits, and thorough in every particular, whether in public or private life, honest and reliable in all relations, he has
gathered to himself a large number of warm friends and patrons.
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TEWART YOUNG is the present popular and efficient county auditor of Rock county, Minnesota. His location in Rock county was made in April, 1872, at which time he settled in Magnolia township on a pre-emption of 160 acres. Somewhat later he homesteaded 160 acres adjoining his pre-emption. His first improvement was a house, 14 x 24 feet, with six-foot posts, bat- tened, and then sided up with sods. The roof of this primitive dwelling was covered with tarred paper and then sodded over. He lived in this house until 1886. He im- proved his 320 acres of land and engaged in general farming and stock raising. He was assessor of his township for three terms, and was chairman of the board of supervisors for one term. He was elected to his pres- ent position in the fall of 1886, and the same fall moved into the village of Luverne where, in the spring of 1887, he bought a lot and built a fine residence in the northwestern part of the city. He has now a beautiful home fitted with all modern improvements, and has his ground ornamented with vari- ous kinds of shade trees.
The subject of our sketcli is a native of Tompkins county, New York, where he was born January 2, 1844. He is the son of Matthias and Elizabeth (Meligan) Young, both natives of New Jersey. After his mar- riage the father moved to Tompkins county, where he engaged in farming and where he still lives. He is a man of wide influence and is now living a retired life. The mother died in 1854. In the father's family there were eleven children, eight of whom are now living. Our subject, the oldest son, was reared on the home farm and received bis education in the district schools. When he was nineteen years of age he enlisted in
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Company D, One Hundred and Fortieth Regiment, New York Volunteer Infantry, and served as a private for two years. He was wounded three times, twice at the bat- tle of the Wilderness, where he was shot in the right foot and in the left hand, and again at the battle of Hatcher's Run, where he was wounded in the right thigh. His first wounds were quite severe; he was shot through the palm of his hand and had a portion of his fore-finger shot away. His hand has bean of little service to him since. He remained in the Union army until the close of the war, having participated in a large number of battles, prominent among them being Mine Run, Wilderness, Weldon railroad, South Side railroad, Hatcher's Run, and many other skirmishes. He enlisted in July, 1863, and was discharged at Wilming- ton, Delaware, in June, 1865. After being discharged he returned to Tompkins county, New York, and engaged in farming until 1868. He then removed to Dakota, settling twelve miles north west of Sioux City, where he purchased a farm of eighty acres. He lived in that locality until the spring of 1872, when he came to Rock county, as already stated.
The subject of our sketch was married in December, 1866, to Miss Sarah A. Cole- grove, of Newfield, Tompkins county, New York, where she received her early training and education. This lady was a daughter of James and Mary (Brooks) Colegrove. Her father was a farmer by occupation. Mr. and Mrs. Young have been blessed with two children-Roscoe E. and Nora.
Political matters in connection with the affairs of the republican party have com- manded the attention of our subject to a large extent. Throughout his residence in Rock county he has taken an active inter- est in the affairs of that party, and has been a delagate to the county conventions of that organization. He is a leading
member of the Masonic fraternity, and is at present adjutant in the John A. Dix Post, No. 96, Grand Army of the Repub- lic. He is a man of excellent ability, and makes an official of a high order. He is gentlemanly and courteous in all his deal- ings with the public, and is becoming more popular with every year's service in his present position. He is a man of the high- est integrity and holds the esteem of all with whom he has to do.
LBERT JOHNSON. Since coming to Limestone township, Lincoln coun- ty, this gentleman has been engaged in gen- eral farming and stock raising, and has be- come quite well-to-do. He isa hard working and systematic farmer, and has an excellent farm under good cultivation. Mr. Johnson is a native of the southern part of Iceland, where he was born September 1. 1856. His parents, John and Solveg (Johnson) Siver- son, were also natives of Iceland, where they were engaged in farming.
The subject of our sketch remained with his parents on the farm until 1879, at which time he came to the United States, and made his location in Lincoln county, settling on a homestead on the southeast quarter of sec- tion 6, Limestone township. He has associ- ated himself with all projects tending to the development of the farming interests of his locality, and has held the office of school clerk for some time. He is a member of the Iceland Lutheran church, and, as a man, is held in high esteem by all his neighbors. He has 160 acres of excellent land, about sixty acres under cultivation, a good comfortable dwelling-house and other buildings. When he came to the township he had about four hundred dollars in money, and by careful attention to the details of his farming oper- ations and stock raising he has become a man of means and prominence.
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The subject of our sketch was married in Iceland, in October, 1877, to Miss Augusta Grinsom, who was also a native of that coun- try, where she was reared and educated. The fruits of this union are Winnifred, Jennie, Bertha, Patrina Christina Sigerborg and Eliz- abeth.
REDERICK P. BROWN is a leading citizen of Blue Earth City, Faribault county, Minnesota. He is at present run- ning an abstract office in that village. He is a native of the kingdom of Norway, where he was born, August 12, 1838. His parents were John N. and Annie (Halverson) Brown, natives of Norway. The father was one of Norway's most loyal citizens, and was a captain in the navy throughout his life. He died in 1842. In 1853 the mother brought her family to America and settled in Dane county, Wisconsin, later living with her daughter, Mrs. Salver, of Austin, Minnesota. She died in 1885.
The subject of our sketch came to Amer- ica in 1854. After nine years of age he fol- lowed a seafaring life until his emigration to the United States. His education was received in his native land, and, on coming to this country, he located in Wisconsin, where he engaged in farming for some two years. He then began clerking, and in 1861 came to Rochester, Minnesota, where he en- gaged in clerking until 1866. He then came to Blue Earth City and opened in a mer- cantile business, in which line he continued until 1872. He was then elected register of deeds and continued to hold that office until 1887. He was one of the most popular offi- cials which the county has ever had, and succeeded in manipulating the details of his office to the satisfaction of all. While regis- ter of deeds he prepared a set of abstract books for the county, and in 1887 on leaving the office of register of deeds, he gave his
entire attention to abstract work. He is a man of large means, and owns a farm of some four hundred acres besides considerable property in the village. He also owns an interest in the business of the mercantile firm of Hagen & Brown, and has a fine res- idence in the city.
Mr. Brown was married in 1863 to Miss Lena Wilson, a native of Norway. In a very early day her father came to Wiscon- sin, locating in Dane county, from whence they removed to Vermillion county, Dakota, where the father lived until his death. Mrs. Brown is one of nine living children. Mr. and Mrs. Brown have seven living children -- Anna, Nordahl, Lovina, George, Hattie, Frank and Harry.
In politics the subject of our sketch affili- ates with the republican party, and occupies a prominent place in the local affairs of that organization. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and, with his wife, be- longs to the Lutheran church. He is one of the substantial and influential citizens of the town and county.
HEPARD LEE is a well-to-do farmer of Selma township, Cottonwood coun- ty, Minnesota, and resides on a fine farm on section 32. He was born in Pickering, Victoria county, Canada, March 11, 1837. His parents were Jonathan and Euphemia (Barclay) Lee, the former a native of New York, and the latter born in Canada. The mother was of German descent, born in Can- ada of German parents. The parents were farmers throughout their lives, and were early settlers of the locality in which they lived.
The subject of our sketch resided with his parents on their farm in the lieavy pine tim- ber of Canada until he was nineteen years of age, when he went to work for himself by taking jobs of clearing land, and engaged in
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this occupation until he was twenty-four years of age. He then came to Columbia county, Wisconsin, and rented a farm, remaining one year, and then going to Dodge county, whence, after two years engaged in farming, he went to Goodhue county, Minnesota, in 1860. Here he purchased a farm and made his home for ten years. Selling out at the end of this period, he removed to Selma township, Cottonwood county, and located a homestead of eighty acres on section 32. The first two years he did not raise enough to support himself and family, and had to leave the farm and go to the woods in the vicinity of Mankato, where as a chopper he earned his living. After two years he re- turned to the farm and engaged in farming, with poor success, until 1880. In that year he had eighty acres of land sown to crop, but the ground was so wet he could not har- vest it, and he was again obliged to leave home. This time he went to Cumberland, Wisconsin, and remained three years, in the meantime renting his farm. While in Wis- consin he was engaged in working in the big woods, and also at the carpenter's trade and at any other kind of work he could find to do. Since his return at the end of the three years he has had good crops, and at the present writing has seventy-five acres of wheat and forty acres of oats, with a prospect of an excellent harvest. He has 160 acres of fine land provided with good buildings.
Mr. Lee was married in Sanilac county, Michigan, July 4, 1860, to Miss Elizabeth Watson, daughter of Charles and Frances (Ellsworth) Watson, natives of England. She was born in Canada January 13, 1842. Mr. and Mrs. Lee have had the following chil- dren-George W., Emily A., Jane E., Nathan, who died at two months of age, Charles H., who died February 5, 1887, Frank L., John W .. William J .. Alice, Marion and Albert. Emily married William Trusdall. Jane mar-
ried Frederick Knapp. George, the oldest son, has a homestead of 160 acres in Selma township.
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ENRY H. RAPH is a resident of section 10, Grange township, Pipe- stone county, Minnesota. He was born in Northampton county, Pennsylvania, March 17, 1837. He was the son of David and Margaret (Ruggles) Raph, natives of Penn- sylvania, and who removed from that State to Dane county, Wisconsin, when our sub- ject was about ten years old. Soon after coming to Wisconsin the mother died, and the father returned to Pennsylvania, in which State he died the following year. There were six children in the father's fam- ily, but after this double bereavement they became scattered, and our subject has lost all trace of them.
Being left an orphan at an early age, our subject has had to make his own way in the world, with no help whatever from kith or kin. At the age of eleven he was put to work with a farmer in Wisconsin. This man was a disagreeable character, and our sub- ject acquired a bitter dislike for him, and at the age of thirteen years ran away, and for four years worked for another man, but at the end of this time he returned to the home of his first employer and continued with him for five years. Then, at the age of twenty-one years, he was married, purchased a farm and settled down to follow agricult- ural pursuits. Eight years of a prosperous life were spent in Wisconsin, and at the end of that time he traded his land for a farm in Goodhue county, Minnesota, to which place he moved and remained until 1878. In that year he lost his land by rea- son of defective title. He then came to Pipestone county and settled on the land where he now lives, returning to Goodhue county to work during the winter months.
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He has been quite successful in bringing his farm to a high state of cultivation, and has built good buildings thereon. He is a man of large energy and perseverance, and de- spite of the failures and misfortunes which have fallen to his lot; he has risen above them and acquired considerable means.
Mr. Raph was married January 1, 1857, to Miss Adeline Cornwall. This union has been blessed with five children, four of whom are living-Mattie I., Arthur B., Elida M. and John C.
The subject of our sketch, by attending school during the winter months during the early part of his life, acquired a good com- mon-school education, and is to-day one of the leading and substantial farmers of Grange township. In politics he is a repub- lican.
ANIEL SHELL, one of the leading business men of Southwestern Min- nesota, is a resident of Worthington, the county seat of Nobles county. He is an old settler of that locality, and has for many years been identified with the business inter- ests of that region. He has also taken an active interest in all matters of a public nature, and has filled various official posi- tions. A man of large means, liberal and public-spirited, he has taken a leading part in all matters or moves calculated to benefit his town or county, and his name is indis- solubly connected with the history of the growth and development of Nobles county and Southwestern Minnesota.
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USTAV M. WARNER is a leading hardware merchant of Sherburne, Mar- tin county, Minnesota. He was born in Green Lake county, Wisconsin, July 20, 1854. His parents, Conrad and Susan Warner, were
natives of Germany, and came to this country in early life, settling in Wisconsin. They removed thence in 1862, locating in Mower county, Minnesota, where they purchased a farm and engaged in agricultural pursuits.
Mr. Warner remained with his parents, coming with them to Minnesota in 1862, and helping the father on the farm throughout his early life. His educational advantages were somewhat limited, and the knowledge he obtained was mostly gathered by evening study at home. In 1877 he purchased a farm in Mower county, and operated it until the fall of 1879. In the spring of 1880 he re- moved to Martin county and purchased 160 acres of land in Waverly township, for which he paid $3.35 per acre. He lived on this place, keeping bachelor's hall and improving the land until 1884. In the fall of that year he sold his farm and personal property, and removed to the western part of the State, going also into Dakota in search of a loca- tion. He was not satisfied with the condi- tion of the land in that country, and in Jan- uary, 1885, returned to Martin county, pur- chased property in the village of Sherburne, and opened a hardware store, in connection with which he also operated a tin shop. Since that time he has been permanently located in the village, and has built up an ex- tensive trade. He owned and ran a thresh- ing-machine every fall while he was engaged in farming, and as there were but few ma- chines in the county he was kept busy until obliged to quit work by the cold weather. In this way he made the money with which he started his present business. In politics our subject affiliates with the prohibition party. He is a man of excellent moral char- acter, and is esteemed by all who know him.
On the 8th day of March, 1882, the subject of this sketch was married in Frazer town- ship, Martin county, to Miss Amelia Bursack, daughter of William Bursack, a native of Germany. This lady was born in Green
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Lake county, Wisconsin, January 18, 1859. This union has been blessed with one child, M. Estella, born in Sherburne, January 14, 1887.
USTOF BERGSTROM is one of the leading and representative citizens of Selma township, Cottonwood county, Min- nesota. He is the son of Andres and Chris- tine (Gensdotter) Bergstrom, natives of Sweden. Our subject was born in Linship- pings stift, Sweden, April 2, 1857.
Mr. Bergstrom lived with his parents during his early life, and was given a good common-school education until fifteen years of age. He resided with his father until attaining twenty-three years of age, when he came to the United States, locating for a year in Brown county, Minnesota. He then went to Mankato and worked on the railroad for a year, after which he re- turned to Brown county and rented a farm, which he operated for two years. He then came to Salem township and purchased 160 acres on section 10, where he has lived ever since. He has worked hard to bring his farm up to its present good state of cultivation; to surround himself with prosperity, and with the evidences of success. He has suc- ceeded well, and is now comfortably located in a substantial frame dwelling-house, and has his farm provided with other buildings and improvements. He is a man of good character, and is respected by all who know him.
May 26th, 1882, Mr. Bergstrom was mar- ried to Miss Ingret Matilda Nelson, a daugh- ter of Nels and Sophia Nelson, natives of Sweden. This lady was born in Selmor, Sweden, May 11,1857. The marriage lias been blessed with the following-named children- Fannie, Minnie, Charles, Agnes A. and Mary. Fannie, Charley and Minnie are deceased. This family has met with con- |
siderable misfortune, and during one year had a great deal of sickness. Two children died in that year. Our subject also lost that year eleven head of cattle, and was in such straitened circumstances that had it not been for the help of friends and neighbors he could not have obtained sufficient food to preserve the lives of his family. He found friends, however, who assisted him to out- live this dark period. He has overcome those evil circumstances, and is now enjoy- ing prosperity and success.
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