Illustrated album of biography of the famous valley of the Red River of the North and the park regions of Minnesota and North Dakota : containing biographical sketches of settlers and representative citizens, Part 21

Author: Alden, Ogle & Company
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Alden, Ogle & Company
Number of Pages: 872

USA > Minnesota > Illustrated album of biography of the famous valley of the Red River of the North and the park regions of Minnesota and North Dakota : containing biographical sketches of settlers and representative citizens > Part 21
USA > North Dakota > Illustrated album of biography of the famous valley of the Red River of the North and the park regions of Minnesota and North Dakota : containing biographical sketches of settlers and representative citizens > Part 21

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Jasper Sanford received his education in Pennsylvania and at the age of sixteen re- moved with his parents to Michigan, where

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he remained until 1871. At the time men- tioned, Jasper removed with his mother and one sister to Minnesota, settling in Grant county. The mother homesteaded a tract of land in Elbow Lake township, on section 24, where they have since remained. The subject of this memoir, at the time of set- tling in Grant county, took charge of the new home farm, and has since continued to operate the same.

Mr. Sanford was married November 15, 1883, to Miss Melva Delamater, and this union has been blessed with the following named children-Paul and Newman. Mrs. Sanford is a native of Lorain county, Ohio, born in March, 1858. She is the daughter of Thomas and Amy (Peasley) Delamater, natives of Pennsylvania and Ohio, respect- ively. The father was a Presbyterian min- ister. The father and mother of Mrs. San- ford were the parents of the following named children-Melva, Florena, Herman, Martha and Bruce.

Mr. Sanford is a prohibitionist in political matters, and with his family belongs to the Presbyterian church. He has held the offi- ces of supervisor, school treasurer and school clerk. He is a representative man of his township, and takes an active interest in all local matters.

ILLIAM MOSES is a member of the firm of Moses & Wylie, deal- ers in dry goods, groceries and boots and shoes at Alexandria, Douglas county. Min- nesota. This firm is one of the most sub- stantial, financially, and handles the largest trade of any firm in Douglas county. Both members of the firm are well and favorably known, far and near, as men of unimpeach- able character and business integrity.

Mr. Moses is a native of eastern Canada, and was born in 1842. His parents were

William and Euphenia (Barr) Moses, who were natives of Canada and Scotland. His grandparents were James and Dorothy (Rowell) Moses, who were natives of New York State. James Moses was by occupa- tion a farmer, and followed that business in New York and in Canada, whence he went from the States. In 1830 he moved to Ohio. He died at Elmira, in that State, leaving a large family that grew to man and woman- hood. He served in the home guards dur- ing the War of 1812.

The father of the subject of our sketch, William Moses, was a blacksmith by trade, and followed that business throughout his life, becoming an expert in allits branches, especially in edged tools. In connection with this business he also ran a farm. In the father's family there are now five grown-up children-Ellen, now Mrs. Mooney, James ; Amanda, now Mrs. Roble ; William, of whom we write, and Sarah, now Mrs. Jones. The mother of this family was Euphenia (Barr) Moses, whose father was James Barr, a native of Paisley, Scotland. He was a farmer by occupation. In 1821 he came to Canada and settled in Granby, where he lived until his death. He was the father of a large family of which six members grew to man and womanhood.

William Moses spent his younger days on the farm and in the blacksmith shop, attend- ing school in the district in which he lived at times when he could be spared from work at home. At the age of nineteen he engaged in teaching and for several years followed that profession in Canada. At twenty-one he took charge of the home farm (his father having died a short time before), and con- tinued its management until 1868. He then came West, leaving his mother in Canada, where she still lives on the old home farm. Mr. Moses came to Minnesota, settling in Owatonna, where he with two other gentle- men built a windmill and mill. This busi-

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ness was continued for eighteen months. At this time Mr. Moses went to Chippewa Falls, Pope county, Minnesota, where he built a water power mill on the east branch of the Chippewa river. IIe continued in control of this property for a number of years. It is now owned by Moses & Peterson, the latter having charge of the business.

Mr. Moses moved to Alexandria, Douglas county, in 1883, although for five years pre- viously he had been connected with his pres- ent business under the same partnership. This firm also owns a store at Drayton, Da- kota, where they are doing a remarkably large business.

Mr. Moses was first married in 1865, to Miss Martha Ralston, who died in the spring of 1872. His second marriage was to Miss Mary Morrison, by whom he has had three children - William, Charles and Clara.

Mr. Moses is identified in many business interests at Alexandria and in other places. He is a stockholder and director in the Doug- las County Bank and is also vice-president of that institution. He is also a stockholder in the First National Bank of Drayton, Dakota. In politics Mr. Moses is a prohibitionist. In business and social circles he stands above reproach, and is esteemed and respected by all his fellow-townsmen. Mr. Moses is one of the most liberal men in the common wealth. He never turns a good cause away empty- handed, but is always ready to encourage, by words and money, that which to him seems to aim toward doing good. He is a loyal member of the Methodist Episcopal church of Alexandria, of which for years he has been the main supporter and a leading member. He has given hundreds of dollars to encourage the work of his church. In the recent building of a new church edifice lie has been a ruling spirit, giving $700 toward its construction. He has been honored with nearly, if not quite, all of the offices in the

church to which he belongs. He is at pres- ent a steward and superintendent of the Sunday school. In every way he has proven a warm-hearted friend and a liberal supporter of churches and schools. He is one of the solid financial men of Alexandria, is clear- headed and cautious, and is a trustworthy adviser in a business way. He has held numerous civil offices, and while at Chippewa Falls was postmaster. -

RANK TORSTEIN, one of the best known and one of the most prominent citizens of Grant county, Minnesota, is engaged in farming and stock-raising on section 4, Gorton township.

Mr. Torstein was born in the central part of Sweden, on the 8th of February, 1828, and is a son of Nils and Maria (Troberg) Torstein. His father was a merchant and hotel keeper in his native land and a man of prominence. The parents had a family of five children - Gustof, Frederick, Oscar, Frank, and one that died in infancy. The parents both died in Sweden.

Frank Torstein, who is the principal sub- ject of this article, spent his school days in the land of his birth, attending school until he was fifteen years of age. After this he clerked in an iron factory until he was twenty-one years old, and then engaged in farming and buying wheat. This he con- tinued until 1858, when he came to the United States. After landing at Boston he came direct to Minnesota and took a farm in Carver county. He carried on his agricult- ural labors there until after the Civil War broke out, when, in July, 1861, he enlisted in the Second Minnesota Infantry and was mustered into the service. After the expira- tion of his original term of service he veter- anized-re-enlisting in the same company in December, 1863, at Chattanooga, Tennessee.

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He saw severe duty, and spent some time in the hospital at Corinth, Mississippi. He was finally honorably discharged at Louisville, Kentucky, in July, 1865. After being mus- tered out he went South, but soon afterward went back to New York State, where he remained for about ten years. He then returned to Minnesota and for a short time was engaged in farming in Douglas county. In 1879 he came to Grant county and took a homestead on section 4, Gorton township, where he now lives

Mr. Torstein has always taken an active and prominent part in all matters of a public nature. Ile was register of deeds of Grant county for five years, closing with 1886, and made one of the best officials the county has ever had. In addition to this he has held a great many local offices, such as school clerk, township clerk, assessor, justice of the peace, etc. He is a man of the highest char- acter, and is esteemed by all as a valued neighbor and an exemplary citizen.

In 1852 our subject was married to Miss Matilda Brebin, who died in 1874, leaving one child named Francisco, who is now living in Sweden. In October, 1885, Mr. Torstein wis married to his present wife, who was formerly Miss Gina Refling. This mar- riage has been blessed with two children, named Joseph E. and Frank A.

OHN M. MARTIN, a leading attorney of the village of Ada, is a native of Ocean Springs, Jackson county, Mississippi, and is the son of Warrick and Rachel (Har- bough) Martin. The date of his birth was August 25, 1851.

The father of the subject of this sketch was a native of Chester, Delaware county, Penn- sylvania, and of English Quaker ancestry; his mother was a native of Columbiana .county, Ohio, and the descendant of Carl

Springer, one of the original Swedish settlers in Delaware, who located there in 1658.

Mr. Martin lived in the South with his parents until the breaking out of the late Civil War, at which time the family re- moved to Beloit, Wisconsin. His father, who was engaged in the banking business in the South, had previous to this located a tract of land in Wisconsin, to which he came on leaving the sunny South. After living at Beloit a few years the family removed to Wan- kegan, Illinois, where they resided three years. His father established national banks at Beloit and Kenosha, Wisconsin, and was intimately connected in business with Frank Davis, the brother of Senator C. K. Davis. In 1867 he went to Washington, and there practiced law, and was the author of several authoritative works on financial matters, among others the widely known " Money of Nations " and " Coins and Coinage of the United States," the former of which was written while on a visit to London, England, in 1879. This man of mark died in Wash- ington, in December, 1883. His admirers induced the celebrated sculptor, Clark Mills, to make a bronze bust of him, full life size, which was forwarded to his son, John M. Martin, who has it in his possession.

The subject of this memoir received the elements of an excellent rudimentary educa- tion, previous to 1865, in various schools, but in the latter year entered Douglas University, at Chicago, Ill., where he remained some two years. In 1867, his father having failed in business, after leaving his alma mater he went to Crown Point, Indiana, where he en- gaged in farm labor, at $20 per month for a season, and after that in rowing boats on the lakes at $3 per day. While engaged in this latter business he was, for two weeks, in the employ of Joseph Jefferson, the actor, who has won such celebrity as the delineator of Rip Van Winkle.

He next, in December, 1867, went to

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Omaha, Nebraska, and was employed in the office of J. H. Congdon, the general master mechanic of the Union Pacific railroad, with whom he remained about a year, and in 1869 he commenced to learn the machinist's trade in the shops of that road, and while there, in October, 1871, went to Chicago, at the time of the great fire, with John Galligan, the present chief of the Omaha fire department, and while there did excellent service as a fire- man. In 1872 he left that city and went to California, and found employment at his trade at Sacramento and other points. While there he formed the acquaintance of William C. Ralston, the multi-millionaire and banker of San Francisco, who furnished him with money, and was sent to the silver mines belonging to that gentleman and Senator Sharon, in the mountains to put in some machinery necessary to the reduction of the ore. Mr. Martin spent some four years on the Pacific slope, mostly engaged in the ma- chinist's trade, or connected with the mining interests. In 1876 he met with an accident which laid him up in a hospital for a consid- erable time, and in the summer of 1877 he turned his face once more eastward, going to Washington, District of Columbia, where he matriculated in the law department of Columbian University and devoted his whole attention to the study of law, and to so much purpose as to be graduated with honors in the class of "'80," and was admitted to the bar before the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia, in the spring of 1881. He immediately started for the West, and locating in the rising village of Ada, opened a law office, where he has remained in prac- tice ever since.

The first year of his residence here, Mr. Martin took an active part in the division of the county and the organization of the county of Norman, and served as the first judge of the probate court from the fall of 1881 until January, 1883. His efforts for the

advancement of the community have been un- ceasing and have borne a welcome fruition. He was the representative of Ada at the Red River Valley Drainage Convention, held at Crookston in December, 1886. An energetic and active member of the democratic party, he has been chosen chairman of most of the local committees of that organization, and has invariably taken a lively interest in all political campaigns. He has, by his ex- cellent judgment, well based law studies and fine forensic eloquence, built up for himself one of the finest criminal practices in the Valley, and has acquired considerable real estate as the reward of his efforts. Besides his property in the city, he is the owner of a fine farm of 240 acres of land, of excel- lent quality. His law library, which is valued at $1,500, is one of the finest in this part of the State, and when he can look upon his present pleasant competence and think that when he came to Ada he had a caslı capital of $1.50, it must prove highly gratifying to him. His success, according to his fellow- citizens, has only been commensurate with his merits and abilities.

Mr. Martin was united in marriage in 1880 . with Miss Fannie Greer, a native of Wash- ington, District of Columbia, and daughter of Cornelius Greer, of Washington, District of Columbia, and by this union there has been one son, Dennis. Our subject is a member of the A. O. U. W., the K. P. and K. of H. fraternities, and is active in all good work.

LE L. LUNDBERG, a prominent hard- ware merchant of Elbow Lake, Grant county, Minnesota, is a native of Sweden. He was born in the northern part of that " Land of the Midnight Sun" April 6, 1855, and is the son of Ole and Carrie (Nelson) Jonson. The father was a farmer, and died in his native land in May, 1868. The father

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and mother were the parents of three chil- dren, as follows-John, Nels and Ole.

Ole Lundberg remained in the land of his birth until he was thirteen years old. He attended the common schools in his native land until he, with his mother and two brothers, emigrated to the United States. After a voyage of eleven days the family landed in Quebec, Canada, and went direct to Sherburne county, Minnesota. The mother homesteaded eighty acres of land in that county, where she lived for four or five years. Our subject, after remaining in that county for some time, located in Isanti county, Minnesota, where he was engaged in agricultural pursuits for two years. In 1879 he moved to Grant county, Minnesota. home- steading eighty acres of land in Delaware township, where he lived for five years, engaged in general farming and stock-raising. Leaving the occupation of farming, Mr. Lundberg removed to Ashby, in Grant . county, and engaged in the lumber business in that place. In 1887, or four years after his settlement in Ashby, he opened his pres- ent business in Elbow Lake, Grant county. He is extensively engaged in the hardware, furniture and lumber business, and is one of the enterprising business men of the village of Elbow Lake.

Mr. Lundberg was married, December 3, 1875, to Miss Betsie Helsine, and this union has been blessed with the following children -Alma, Lilley, Alben, Iva, Nancy, Laura and Arthur. Mrs. Lundberg was born in Sweden, and emigrated to the United States in 1869, settling in Isanti county, Minnesota. She was married in St. Paul, Minnesota.

The subject of this memoir is an active republican in politics, and has held various local offices. He aided in the organization of Delaware township, and was the first town clerk. While there he was chairman of the board of supervisors, and while in Ashby president of the village council.

OHN O. SCHJAASTAD, one of the lead-

ing business men at Brandon, Douglas county, Minnesota, was born at Throndhjem, Norway, on the 9th of May, 1843, and is a son of Otto and Olava (Schevlaas) Schjaastad. The father was a farmer, and died in his native land about 1880. The mother still lives in Norway. The parents had a family of four children-Ever, Gurina, John O., and Bena.

John O. Schjaastad, the subject of this article, spent his boyhood days and received his education in the land of his birth, attend- ing school until he was fifteen years of age. From that time he helped his father in the labors attendant upon carrying on the home farm until he had attained the age of twenty years. At that time, in 1863, he decided to come to the New World in search of the competency which seemed so hard to acquire in Norway, and accordingly set sail, and, after a voyage of some seven weeks, landed at Quebec, Canada. He then came to Good- hue county, Minnesota, where he worked at various occupations. Three years later, he removed to Jackson county, Minnesota, took a homestead of eighty acres in Christiana township, and there engaged in farming. While living there he took a prominent part in public affairs and held various local offices, such as township assessor, supervisor, school clerk, etc. After living in Jackson county for fourteen or fifteen years, in 1882 he came to Douglas county, Minnesota, and in company with another party bought 160 acres of land in Brandon township. He lived there for six months, when he sold out and moved into the village of Brandon, where he has since lived. IIe carries on a lucrative business, running a meat market, and also dealing in all kinds of furniture and flour and feed.

Mr. Schjaastad was married in Jackson county, Minnesota, in 1879, to Miss Betsie Monson, and they are the parents of four

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children-Ole, Seman, Lena and Bena. The family are exemplary members of the Lutheran church. In political affairs our subject is a republican.

HEOPHILUS B. GEISERT, a success- ful druggist and grocery dealer in the city of East Grand Forks, Polk county, Minnesota, is a native of the State of Mary- land. He was born in the city of Baltimore, Maryland, on the 6th of January, 1864, and is a son of Theophilus and Theresa (Zilmore) Geisert, · natives of America. The father was a druggist through life, and resided in Baltimore, to where he had moved at an early day. The father and mother of our subject were the parents of the following named children - Cynthia, Josephene, Vir- ginia, Estella and Theophilus, our subject.

Mr. Geisert, the subject of this memoir, remained at the city of his birth until he was twenty years of age. During that time he attended the excellent schools of Balti- more, and clerked in his father's drug store. At the age of twenty years, in 1884, he removed to Chicago, Illinois, where he secured a position as clerk in a drug store of that city, and remained there about one year. At the expiration of that time he went to Coal Creek, Fremont county, Colorado, and clerked in a drug store for one year. In 1885 he returned to the city of Chicago, Illinois, and entered the College of Pharmacy in that city. He remained in school for one year, and in 1886 graduated with high honors. Soon after graduating, Mr. Geisert settled at East Grand Forks, Polk county, Minnesota, where he established a drug store. He has since remained in East Grand Forks, and in July, 1888, he added his present stock of groceries. Mr. Geisert has a full line of drugs, and is prepared to do anything in the prescription line. He also carries a com-

plete stock of groceries, and is doing a success- ful business both in drugs and groceries. He is one of the active business men of the city, and is actively interested in all movements where the interests of the town are concerned. When he first settled in East Grand Forks he was appointed postmaster, and held tlie position until October, 1888, when he re- signed. In political matters he affiliates with the democratic party.

TUDGE LOUIS O. FOSS. Among the prominent members of the farming community of the famous Red River and Park Regions is the gentlemen whose name heads this biographical memoir, a resident of section 14, Stoney Brook township, Grant county, Minnesota, and judge of probate of that county. He is a native of Wisconsin, born in Jefferson county. December 13, 1854, and is the son of Ole and Joran (Torgerson) Foss, natives of Norway. The father and mother of oursubject immigrated to the United States in 1851, and, after landing, removed to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where they remained a short time. They then settled in Jefferson county, Wisconsin, where they remained three years. At the expiration of the three years they went to Portage county, Wiscon- sin, and are still residing there, engaged in farming. They are the parents of the following children - Mary, Jane, Anna and Louis O.

The subject of. this sketch received his education in Portage county, Wisconsin, where he had removed in early childhood. He attended school until he reached the age of fourteen years, and from that age until he was twenty-one he remained at home, assist- ing on the home farm. During this time he worked in the pineries in the winters, and con- tinued in the same occupation until he had reached the age of twenty-four years. In 1878 he settled in Grant county, Minnesota,

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and homesteaded a tract of land in section S, Pomme de Terre township, where he re- mained seven years, engaged in farming. In 1885 he located in Stoney Brook township, on section 14, where he has since remained, engaged extensively in general farming and stock-raising. His farm now comprises 213 acres, and is all well improved and under a high state of cultivation.

Mr. Foss was united in marriage on the 14th of December, 1882, to Miss Nikoline Bratlien, and this union has been blessed with the following named children - Oluf and Gustav. Mrs. Foss is a native of Norway, and immigrated to the United States at the age of one year. Mr. Foss is one of the rep- resentative men of Grant county, and has been prominently identified with the official history. He has held a great many local offices, such as justice of the peace, township clerk, etc., and since 1886 has been judge of probate of Grant county. He, with his family, belongs to the Lutheran church. In politics he affiliates with the republican party, and takes an active interest in all public affairs.

RANK MACKENROTH, the village jus- tice of the town of Barnesville, Clay county, Minnesota, is one of the prominent and influential citizens of the Red River Valley and Park Regions. He is a native of Saxony. Germany, born on the 17th day of June, 1833, and is the son of Charles and Agnes Mackenroth, natives also of the kingdom of Germany. The father was a school teacher for over forty years at one place, and was a highly esteemed citizen of the locality in which he lived.

The subject of this biographical sketch spent his school days in his native land, and, after finishing his education, engaged as a school teacher in his residence locality. In 1865 he emigrated to the United States, and,

after landing at New York City, removed to Carver county, Minnesota, where his sister lived. After remaining a short time in that. county, he went to St. Paul, Minnesota, where he taught school for a time and then returned to Carver county. He secured a .. position as a school teacher in Carver county after returning from St. Paul, and for the next two winters was engaged in that occu- pation. At the expiration of that time he went to Hastings, Dakota county, Minnesota, where he opened a private school, teaching both English and German. He operated that school for two years, and during that time organized a choir in the Catholic church. He was then hired by the bishop of St. Paul, Minnesota, to play the organ in a Cath- olic cathedral, and was employed as such for two years. During that time he taught piano lessons, and, after leaving St. Paul, settled at Delano, Wright county, where he remained a few years, holding the office of justice of the peace and notary public while there.

He then moved to Clay county, Minnesota, and settled at Barnesville, where he has. since resided. In 1877 he took a tract of land, comprising 160 acres, eighty acres of which are now in the limits of Barnesville. In the spring of 1878 he put up a small house on the old town site. In that early day there were scarcely any settlers in that region, and those who had the perseverance and energy to "stick " to the old farm and homestead now see success crowning their exertions. When the town was organized, Mr. Mackenroth was appointed justice of the peace and town clerk. He lived upon his. farm until 1884, when the new town was or- ganized. He then removed to the village, and has since resided there. When the new village was started, he was elected justice of the peace, and has since held the office.

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Illustrated album of biography of the famous valley of the Red River of the North and the park regions of Minnesota and North Dakota : containing biographical sketches of settlers and representative citizens, Part 21

Author: Alden, Ogle & Company Publication date: 1889 Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Alden, Ogle & Company Number of Pages: 872

Author: Alden, Ogle & Company
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Alden, Ogle & Company
Number of Pages: 872