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 23

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 23
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 23

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

220

RED RIVER VALLEY AND

stock, including a fine lot of Polled Angus cat- tle. He farms in all 1,500 acres in Minnesota. He is also engaged in the fuel business, wood and coal, having his business house on the corner of Fifth and Main streets, Moorhead. The Lamb Block he rents for stores and offices.

Mr. Lamb was married in 1882 to Miss Catharine Herrick, the daughter of Michael Herrick, of Moorhead.

In politics Mr. Lamb is a democrat, and has held many offices of trust, and has al- ways taken an active part in building up the city and surrounding county. He has held the office of trustee, also alderman of the Second Ward, and been mayor of the city since 1886. He has built the Lamb Block and other business houses, and in many other ways has done his full share in aiding in the growth and development of the local- ity in which he lives. Liberal and enter- prising, no man stands higher in the esteem of those who know him, and his uniform integrity in business matters has made his word as good as a bond.

OHN L. OLSON, a highly respected and esteemed husbandman of Grant county, Minnesota, resides on section 8, Sanford township, where he is engaged in farming- tilling the soil, raising grain and cattle, and performing all tasks requisite to successful agriculture. He is a native of Norway. born on the 14th day of October, 1849, and is a son of Ole and Mary Anderson, natives, also, of the "Land of the Midnight Sun." They were farmers in the Old World, and were the parents of the following named chil -. dren-Martha, Maria and John.

John Olson, the person of whom this article treats, spent the first fifteen years of his life in his native land attending the common schools in that country. In 1864 he emi-

grated to the United States, and after a voy- age of four weeks, landed at Quebec. Canada. He went from this place to Dane county, Wisconsin, where he remained a few years, working at various occupations. He next removed to Michigan, where he remained five years, chopping cord-wood. At the expiration of that time, in 1869, he removed to Minnesota, and after looking the country over, returned to Wisconsin. After spending the winter there, lie returned in the follow- ing spring, settled in Grant county, Minne- sota, and took a 160-acre homestead on section S, Sanford township, where he has since lived, devoting his time to farming and stock-raising. He now owns 180 acres of well improved land, with a good number of trees and substantial building improvements. Mr. Olson, H. F. Sanford, John Peterson and Ole Fletcher were the first settlers in the township, and effected the organiza- tion of the township. Mr. Olson has held the various school offices, and is one of the representative men of the township, taking an active interest in all local affairs. He is a single man, a republican in political matters and evinces a great deal of interest in that party's campaigns. He is a member of the Lutheran church, and is trustee of that organization.

OAH P. WARD is engaged in the grocery and provision trade in Alex- andria, Douglas county, Minnesota. He is a native of McHenry county, Illinois, where he was born on the Sth day of November, 1855. He is the son of George and Betsy (Bennett) Ward, both of whom were natives of New York State.

Mr. Ward's father was a farmer by occu- pation, and on coming to Illinois in an early day settled on a homestead, which he thor- oughly improved. He was a man of rare

22I

PARK REGIONS OF MINNESOTA.

general business capacities. Whatever he engaged at or invested in seemed to turn to his advantage. In the early settlement of Alexandria he came here and invested in lands and also in the Bank of Alexandria. His family consisted of six children -- Mary (now Mrs. Springer), Gershun B., Noah P., Sally (now Mrs. York), Ina (now Mrs. Crocken), and Mary B.

Noah P. spent his early days on a farm, but had advantages for schooling, so that he received a thorough education. He came to Alexandria, Minnesota, in the spring of 1875, remaining one year attending to his father's financial interests. At the end of this time he returned to Illinois and entered the University at Evanston, where he attended school for two and one-half years.

In 1878 Mr. Ward again came to Alexan- dria, where for one year he had charge of the Merchants' elevator, buying and selling wheat. The next spring he turned his attention to buying and selling horses. He went to Iowa, where he bought most of his stock, shipping to Alexandria, where he found ready sale, horses being in good demand among the farmers of that vicinity. In the spring of 1880 he engaged in the grocery trade, in which he is still doing a thriving business, and carrying one of the newest and best stocks in the city of Alex- andria. Together with his partner, Mr. Walker, he purchased the original court house, which they used for business purposes. This partnership with Mr. Walker was con- tinued until 1886, when Mr. Ward became sole owner and proprietor of the stock of goods and the business building on Main street, Alexandria. He employs two clerks, runs a delivery wagon, and does a large and increasing business.

In 1881 Mr. Ward was married to Miss Sally Busey, daughter of C. W. Busey, of Alexandria, Minnesota. Four children have

blessed this union - May, Bessie, Frances B. and an infant, Ethel.

Mr. Ward has been a member of the city council for four years, and held the position of chief of the fire department of the city for one year. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and in politics affiliates with the republican party. In all his busi- ness ventures Mr. Ward has been very suc- cessful. He owns a farm in Douglas county, which he has rented out. In 1883 he built a commodious and tasty residence on Seventh avenue, where he now lives. He is a stockholder in the First National Bank of Alexandria, and is one of the most sub- stantial and prominent business men of the city and county.

LE O. CANESTORP. Prominent among the citizens of the famous Park Regions is the gentleman whose name heads this article, a farmer and also county treasurer of Grant county, Minnesota. He was born in Sweden, just on the boundary line between Sweden and Norway, May 21, 1847. His father's farm was known as Djekneliden. The parents, Ole and Martha (Johnson) Olson Djekneliden, were blessed with four children, two of whom are now living, Ole O. and John.

Ole O. Canestorp spent bis school days in his native land, and in 1862 came with his mother to the United States, landing in Quebec, Canada, after a voyage of seven weeks. Removing from Quebec, they settled in Vernon county, Wisconsin, where they were engaged in farming for three years. At the expiration of that time they moved to Trempealeau county, in the same State, and after six years' sojourn there, working at farming and various occupations, they decided to settle in Minnesota. Accordingly, in 1871, they settled in Grant county,

222

RED RIVER VALLEY AND

Minnesota, taking a homestead of 160 acres in Elbow Lake township. where our sub- ject has since been actively engaged in general farming and stock-raising. He now has an extensive and well cultivated farm of 350 acres, with the best of building improve- ments.

Mr. Cancstorp was married to Miss Jennie Hangen, July S, 1874. Mrs. Canestorp was born in Norway and emigrated to the United States in the year 1868. They are accept- able members of the Lutheran church. The subject of this biographical sketch was elected to the office of justice of the peace of his township in 1874, which position he still holds. He has held the office of town- ship clerk for six years, judge of probate of Grant county for four years, and was elected to the office of county treasurer in 1SS1, which position he still continues to fill with credit to himself and satisfaction to all. He is one of the first settlers of his township. In political matters he affiliates with the republican party. A man of the strictest integrity, his word is recognized as being as good as a bond, and he is held in high esteem, both as a neighbor, an official and an exem- płary citizen.

IGO WERNER, the subject of our present article, is postmaster at Brandon village, Douglas county, Minnesota, and is one of the most efficient and capable business men in the Park Regions. He was born in Osterdalen, Norway, on the 4th of May, 1856, and is a son of Werner Mathison, a farmer. The father came to the United States and settled on the Red River, in Dakota, where he remained until the time of his death, in July, 1885. The mother is still living on the old homestead. The parents had a family of seven children, as follows-

Johanna, Carrie, Olof, Martha, Wigo, Martin and Hansten.

Wigo Werner spent his younger days in his native land. When he was twenty- one, or in 1877, he came to the United States, landing in Castle Garden, New York, and proceeding at once to Fargo, Dakota Terri- tory, arriving in the latter place twenty days after leaving Norway. He remained there with his people for one year, and then went to Decorah, Iowa, to attend school. He received a good education, finishing with a course at the Decorah business college, from which institution he graduated. He then went to Brandon, Douglas county, Minnesota, and engaged in clerking in a gen- eral merchandise store for Lawrence John- son. This he followed for three years and a half, and then established a grocery store, which he has since conducted, carrying a full line of groceries and notions. In public matters he is one of the leading citizens of the town, and has been village treasurer for two years, assessor for three terms, and co- operates with every enterprise calculated to benefit either the village or surrounding country.

Mr. Werner was married on the 2nd of February, 1886, to Miss Anna K. Foslien, and they are the parents of two children, named Alice M. and Cora V.

ERVEY H. PHELPS, the present coun- ty attorney of Norman county, Min- nesota, and one of the recognized leaders of the bar of Ada, has been a resident of this locality since June, 1SS3.

Mr. Phelps was born in Dodge county, Wisconsin, October 10, 1854, and is the son of Roswell HI. and Mary Ann (Bark) Phelps. His parents were both natives of Onondaga county, New York, and had, on their mar- riage, come west and settled in that part of

223

PARK REGIONS OF MINNESOTA.

the Badger State, among the earliest set- tlers. While our subject was yet a child the family removed to Rock county, in the same State, and there settled on a farm. There the subject of this memoir was reared, as- sisting his father in the labors attendant on carrying on the farm, and laying the foun- dation of an excellent education in the rough log cabin school houses of his day, rugged cradles of knowledge, that are looked back to with fond recollections of the halcyon days of youth by so many of the eminent men. At the age of sixteen years he started out to battle for himself, since which time he has depended entirely upon his own resour- ces. His first business venture was raising tobacco on a farm and purchasing the crops of others, and on curing and marketing it, found he had a fair profit in the transaction, which gave him a start in life. In 1873 he, in pursuit of the education that he was bound to have, entered Albion Academy, in Dane county, Wisconsin, from which he was graduated in 1878, teaching school at the same time to pay for his tuition and board, and for two years occupied the chair of mathematics in that institution, carrying on his own studies at the same time. After graduation he taught a school near Stough- ton, in the same State, during the winter of 1878-9, but in the following spring entered the office of Cassidy & Carpenter, at Janes- ville, the county seat of Rock county, Wis- consin. This was one of the most celebrated law firms in the West, Mr. Cassidy now be- ing one of the judges of the Supreme Court of the State. He diligently applied himself to the study of law and soon mastered the principles upon which it is founded, and con- tinued with the above-mentioned firm until May, 1881, when at a term of the circuit court, held in Rock county, he was admitted to the bar, and in June of the same year was admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of that State.

Immediately after the latter event Mr. Phelps came to the Red River Valley and opened a law office in the village of Glyn- don, Minnesota, and commenced practice. In March, 1883, his office and his library, valued at $1,200, were destroyed by fire, only a part of it being insured, and he re- moved to Moorhead, but after a short stay there came to Ada, and here has built up a large and lucrative practice, and has been uncommonly successful, both in his forensic efforts and in a pecuniary sense, and is now ranked among the wealthy and solid men of the community.

In the fall of 1884 Mr. Phelps was nomi- nated on the republican ticket for the office of county attorney of Norman county, and elected with a handsome majority ; was re- elected his own successor in 1886 and in 1888. In village matters he has always been highly interested, and has served several terms as recorder. On the 1st of January, 1887, he formed a copartnership with W. W. Calkins, under the firm name of Phelps & Calkins, who do a large legal and collection business. They are the agents of the R. G. Dun mercantile agency for this locality, in addition to their other business.

Mr. Phelps is a member of the Masonic fraternity, having been made a Mason in Norman Lodge, No. 154, of Ada, and is one of the officers of the lodge. He was mar- ried, February 18, 1884, to Miss Jennie Ives, a native of Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, and the daughter of Gideon and Mary Ann Ives, and by this union is the parent of two children-Souana and Bernice.

Mr. Phelps ranks very high in his profes- sion, and is justly considered the peer of any attorney in the Valley. His library of some three hundred volumes is valued at $1,500, and besides his office and its furniture he owns a beautiful residence in the city, and has a considerable amount of money loaned on real estate security.

224

RED RIVER VALLEY AND

A SLE E. DYBDAL, member of the board of county commissioners of Grant county, and a successful farmer and stock-raiser, resides on section 33, Stoney Brook township. Born in Norway, he comes of a race which has furnished so many of the most substantial and enterprising citi- zens of the Park Regions, and a nationality which has become proverbial for frngality, thrift and industry. The father of our sub- ject, Allen Dybdal, came to the United States with his family in 1867, and settled in Winnesheik county, Iowa, where he died in 1875. Allen Dybdal and wife were the parents of eight living children, - Sarah, Asle E., Tora, Ellen, Knute, Tosten, Bennie and Helena.

Asle E. Dybdal, whose name heads this article, was born on the 27th of December, 1853, and came to the United States with his father in 1867. Ile received his education in Winnesheik county, Iowa, attending school until he was about sixteen years of age. In 1878 he came to Grant county, Minnesota, arriving there in June, and for two years worked out for various parties. At the ex- piration of that time he purchased a farm on section 33, Stoney Brook township, where he still lives. Ile has comfortable improve- ments, and owns 120 acres of land, a good share of which is under a high state of culti- vation.

Mr. Dybdal was married on the 7th of December, 1876, to Miss Martha Ellingson, who was born in Norway in 1858. Their union has been blessed with six children, as follows-Ellen, Bertha, Emma, Theodore, Mary and Albert. The family are exem- plary members of the Lutheran church.

In political matters our subject is a repub- lican, and he has always taken a great inter- est in all local and public affairs. In May, 1887, he was appointed a member of the board of county commissioners, and was elected to that office in 18SS, so that he is

at present a member of the board. He has held various township offices, was supervisor for one year, and is the present assessor of the township in which he lives. He is held in high esteem by all who know him as an exemplary citizen.

ILLIAM NASH, one of. the promi- nent and influential citizens of the Red River Valley, is a resident of section 1, East Grand Forks township, Polk county, Minnesota, where he is engaged in a general farming and stock-raising business. He is a native of Pennsylvania, born in New Castle, on the 1st day of June, 1833, and is the son of Ephraim and Louisa (Warner) Nash, natives- of New York State.

William Nash spent his younger days in the common schools of his native State and Michigan, where he attended school for three years. After completing his common- school education, he decided to pursue the study of medicine, and was planning to attend the medical department at Ann Arbor, Michigan. His eyes caused him so much trouble that he was obliged to give up his intended course in medicine. He then re- moved to Kentucky, where he remained a few years, engaged in the mercantile busi- ness, and in 1862 removed to St. Paul, Min- nesota. He remained in the capital of Min- nesota for one year, being there for his health. In 1863 he went to Pembina, Da- kota Territory, and from there to what was Fort Gary, now Winnipeg, Manitoba, and remained some time, recuperating. The fol- lowing summer he spent in Milwaukee, Wis- consin, and Chicago, Illinois, and in the spring of 1864 went to Fort Abercrombie, where he was employed as sutler and Gov- ernment contractor. He remained there five or six years, and during that time had the contract to furnish wood and hay for-

225

PARK REGIONS OF MINNESOTA

the fort. He also held the contract to sup- ply the brick to build Fort Pembina and also the contract to carry the mail between Fort Abercrombie and Winnipeg. There was a trackless stretch of country to pass through and the Indians in that region were a source of constant danger, and it was next to impossible to secure a driver. Mr. Nash made the trip with dog teams, and many were the dangers which he encountered dur- ing those early days. At one time when there were but two making the trip they were attacked by Indians, and barely escaped with their lives. After that Mr. Nash could secure no one to make the journey with him, except a young stranger, and they made the trip in safety. Indians were not the only cause of danger. Many times the drivers would be so badly frozen that Mr. Nash would have to make the trip himself. He remained in this capacity until 1869, when he removed to what is now East Grand Forks, Polk county, Minnesota, and located on section 1, East Grand Forks township, where he has since remained. Through his influence. with Senator Ramsey, the post- office of Nashville was established and also the appointment of the postmaster. He also was the means of the postal route being es- tablished between Crookston and East Grand Forks. When the village of East Grand Forks had attained a moderate size, through Mr. Nash's influence the name was changed to East Grand Forks, and principally through him it received its city charter. He is one of the substantial and well-to-do farmers of the county, and without doubt one of the most influential agriculturists in Polk county. He is extensively engaged in general farm. ing operations and has a well cultivated farm of 700 acres, lying upon the banks of the Red Lake river. One hundred acres of his beautiful farm is timber land, and he has a fine and commodious residence just in the suburbs of the city.

Mr. Nash was united in marriage in St. Peter, Minnesota, on the 19th day of Janu- ary, 1869, to Miss Ida V. Slaugter, the daughter of Robert and Mary (Clark) Slaugter, natives of Virginia and Ohio, re- spectively. The grandfather of Mrs. Nash studied law with Henry Clay, and was an influential citizen in the locality in which he lived. Mr. and Mrs. Nash are the parents of the following named children - Lois, Mary I., Nellie K., William C., Jr., Dudley L., Robert F. and Harold S. Mr. Nash has held all of the school offices in his district, including school director. treasurer, etc. He is a member of the A. F. and A. M., of the Grand Forks lodge and chapter. In political matters he affiliates with the dem- ocratic party, and is a man of more than ordinary education and ability. He is actively interested in all movements calcu- lated to benefit either town or county, and is highly esteemed and respected by all who know him.

PETERSON, JR., joint proprietor of Peterson's book and fruit store, Barnes- ville, Clay county, Minnesota, is one of the earliest settlers in that section, having made Moorhead his home in 1872. He was born in the province of Wermeland, Sweden, on the 7th day of April, 1855, and when but a child emigrated with his parents to the United States, living in different lo- calities, mostly in Minnesota, and in 1869 removed to Meeker county, Minnesota, where his father, who had considerable means, bought improved land. Tivo years later young Peterson was allowed to go with some friends to Minneapolis. Once there he did not mean to return home quite so soon as had been expected, but sought and found such employment as he could get, and was always busy, asserting that he " did not have

226

RED RIVER VALLEY AND

time to go back home to be laughed at by his stepmother." At this time, while work- ing in a shingle mill (Crocker Bros. & Lam- ereaux), he came within an inch of having his young life cut short by an accident. One cold evening in the fall he fell through a sluice hole in the great platform by the mills into the pitch dark ice and water twenty feet below. The strong current and be- numbing cold, together with the complete darkness, seemed about to finish the work the fall had failed to accomplish, when, at the critical moment, there appeared a glini- mer of light from some one's lantern at the lower mill door, which enabled him to see and grasp the last post at the end of the shingle track, crawl up on the track and make for the mill. There they were dumb- founded by this sudden apparition, while " Johnny," however, never stopped moving his legs till he reached his boarding place (Cataract House), when the icy stiffness of his sleeves prevented his knocking or open- ing the door. He could still kick (and can yet) and was let in, quickly put to bed and given a warm drink by good " Mother Lamereaux," and the next morning was at his post again, nothing the worse for the cold bath. This was not his first lesson in swim- ming. While living with his parents at Stillwater, Minnesota, he jumped from a raft which had been detached about 100 feet from low water. When his head popped up above the surface, another urchin who had come up yelled out, "Keep up your head, Johnny !" He did and paddled to shore, having often since had occasion to remem- ber and act upon the simple but safe advice of his young friend.

One year later he struck out for the West, and experienced considerable hardship, working in the pineries, etc., and finally brought up at Detroit, Minnesota, where he worked and attended school. In the fall of 1873 he removed to Moorhead, Minnesota,

where he found employment as carpenter, clerk, machine agent, etc .. for a couple of years, and in the winter time attended school. Then times were flush, and Mr .. Peterson relates that he often made as high as $5 per day lathing. other wages being correspondingly high. In the next early spring he worked on a snow train bound for Bismarck, from which place he in- tended to go to the Black Hills, the newly discovered western Eldorado, but was per- suaded by his frontier friends to desist, they declaring that " it is too rough there for the kid." He went back to Moorhead, and again attended school.

In the fall of 1876 Mr. Peterson was asked to teach school during the winter. He ac- cepted the offer, and went in company with Ole C. Lund to Tansem township. Though young, he was apparently fitted for his new work, as he certainly was well qualified, holding a first-grade certificate, and suc- ceeded so well that he kept right on teach- ing in Clay, Otter Tail and Wilkin counties ; among other places at Norwegian Grove, Elizabeth, McCauleyville, and in 1882 re- moved to Barnesville, Clay county, where he was principal of the village school that year. He then entered the employ of John Marth, general merchant, as book-keeper, and in the succeeding year opened up a small book and confectionery store of his own. He was fortunate in this undertaking, and in Feb- ruary, 1885, was the first to remove his busi- ness to the new town site, about half a mile farther south, where the St. P., M. & M. R. R. Co. had erected new shops and a large depot building the previous fall, and removed the division headquarters from Fergus Falls. Here he did so well that in the summer of that year he built a large two-story store, but had not occupied the same more than three months when he was burned out, with a loss of over $3,000, but partly covered by insurance. This was a serious set-back,

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

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 23

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