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 70

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 70
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 70

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).

Mr. Larson was married in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, on the 10th day of August, 1888, to Miss Tillie Sjoquist, the daughter of Erick and Kajsa Sjoquist, natives of Sweden. Mr. and Mrs. Larson are exemplary members of the Lutheran church. Mr. Larson is a repub- lican in political matters. He is a man who takes an active interest in any local enter- prise, and is highly esteemed as a citizen and as a business man.

HEODORE D. AUSTIN, an old settler of Otter Tail county, Minnesota, is now living a retired life in New York Mills, and well deserves appropriate mention in a volume devoted to the pioneers of Northern Minne- sota. Mr. Austin was born in Stanford, Dutchess county, New York, July 27, 1813. To trace back his genealogy, in Scriptural form it would read about as follows: Theo- dore a son of Morris, a son of Amos, a. son of Jonathan, and he the son of James Austin,

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Morris Austin, the father of our subject, was a farmer. He was born in Providence, Rhode Island, but settled in New York State when young and died in Northumberland county Pennsylvania in 1824. He served through the War of 1812. The mother of Theodore was born and raised in Dutchess county, New York, and died there in 1826. The paternal grandfather of our subject, Amos Austin, was a native of Rhode Island and was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. Theo- dore's grandfather, on his mother's side, was John Sherwood, who was born on the Ber- inuda Islands and died at Poughkeepsie, New York, in 1838, at the age of ninety-eight years. He was also a soldier in the Revolu- tionary War, and was one of the " Green Mountain Boys " under the famous Ethan Allen.

Theodore's parents, Morris and Calista (Sherwood) Austin were married before 1812, and had a family of five children- John, Edwin, Theodore D., Loraine and Lovina.

Theodore D. Austin, whose name heads our present article, spent his boyhood days in Northumberland county, Pennsylvania. Schooling was very limited in those days, and he only attended some six months, being taught how to spell by Samuel Kirkham. While a young man he was a hostler in Northumberland, Pennsylvania, and was back and forth between there and New York working at farming and various occu- pations. At the age of eighteen he began an apprenticeship in a cabinet shop and worked at it for twenty months, when the master dying set him free, then spent some time at farming. He then worked at the carpenters' trade, receiving $50 for eight months work. He then hired out at the fanning mill business for six months at $10 per month; after which he continued six months longer at $15 per month. His next business venture was to contract to make !

fifty fanning mills for $4 apiece, finishing in five months, and made $200 clear. He then went to Selin's Grove, Pennsylvania. and followed the farming business, in con- nection with a small foundry, for eleven years in Pennsylvania, and at the end of that time removed to Indiana. For two years he was unable to do anything on account of ill health. He remained in Indiana for twenty- one years, following the fanning mill busi- ness and carpentering. He then followed various occupations in Illinois for six years. In 1878 he came to Otter Tail county, Min- nesota, and settled in Newton township, where he took a homestead and remained for five and a half years. He was one of the first settlers in that township, and was one of the leading citizens there, holding a number of offices during the time he lived there, including those of supervisor, assessor, town clerk, etc. At the time he settled in that town there was not a furrow broken between him and Otter Tail City, and there are now thirty-seven farms on the road in fourteen miles. In 1884 he retired from his farm and settled in the village of New York . Mills, where he still lives.

He is a gentleman of the strictest integ- rity and is held in high esteem. In political matters he is a republican, and in religious affairs a member of the Presbyterian church. He has led a life of probity and temperance, and has never touched liquor nor tobacco, a thing which few men of his age can boast.

Mr Austin was married March 31, 1839, to Susan Keely, a native of Montgomery county, Pennsylvania. They had a family of five children-Theron L., deceased; Grace S., now Mrs. Groves; Henry M., Jerome S. and Otho A. Grace S. is a widow and lives in Missouri. Theron died in 1876. Henry M. is a merchant in Vermilion county, Illinois; Jerome S. is a carpenter in Washington Ter- ritory; Otho is a book-keeper in Pary's store at New York Mills.

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Theron L. Austin went out on the first call for soldiers, under Col. Lew Wallace, Elev- enth Indiana Zouaves. Henry M. Austin and Jerome S. Austin went out next, in the One Hundred and Thirty-fifth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, under "Pap" Thomas; they served till the end of the war and were honorably discharged.

ANS O. HANSON is a leading citizen of the village of Stephen, Marshall county, Minnesota, where he is engaged in carrying on a large hardware and furniture business. He has a complete line of the best of goods, and, by integrity and careful atten- tion to the wants of his customers, has built up a large and increasing trade.

Mr. Hanson was born in Dane county, Wisconsin, January 16, 1853, his parents being Ole and Anna (Alma) Hanson, natives of Norway. His parents were well-to-do farmers, and came to this country some years before the son's birtlı. They settled in Dane county, Wisconsin, and lived there until Hans was four years old, when they moved to Buffalo county, same State, where they located on Government land, and were among the first settlers.

Mr. Hanson lived with his parents on the farm and attended district school until he was twenty-two years of age. At that age he went to Grant county, Minnesota, and took up Government land, on which he lived some six or seven years. He was one of the first settlers in the town of Roseville, Grantcounty, Minnesota. He then sold out and returned to his parents' home on a short visit. Thence he went on a kind of prospecting trip through California, Oregon and Washington Territory, after which he returned to his parents with whom he remained a few months. April 1, 1883, he went to Stephen, where he built a store building and dwelling,

and put in a stock of hardware, and later built a store building in connection and put in a stock of furniture. He also purchased 160 acres of land on section 19, Sinnott township, Marshall county, Minnesota. He has con- tinued his residence in Stephen ever since, and still owns and runs his farm.

Mr. Hanson was married at Morris, Ste- vens county, Minnesota, in 1880, to Miss Anna Kroke, daughter of IIans and Mollie Kroke, natives of Norway. This union has been blessed with two children, both living -Oliver H. and Martin A.

Mr. Hanson is one of the most public- spirited citizens of the village and has done more than his share in the improvement of his adopted town. He is intelligent, charit- able, and of extensive travel and experience, and is well fitted for any place of trust to which he may be called. For three terms he was president of the village council in Stephen, and, while a resident of Grant county, was chairman of the board of super- visors for five years. He is a leading mem- ber of the Norwegian Lutheran church.

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ANDREW LARSON, among the leading and prominent business men of Will- mar, Kandiyohi county, Minnesota, is the gentleman whose name heads this article, who is engaged in the mercantile business in that place. He is one of the oldest mer- chants of the city, having located there on the 15th day of May, 1870, and engaged in the business which he has since carried on. He is a native of the kingdom of Norway, born on the 15th day of August, 1842, and is the son of Ears and Gena (Johnson) Ellefson, also natives of that kingdom. The parents emigrated to the United States, and located in Pierce county, Wisconsin, in 1852, and remained there until their death. The father died in 1882, at the age of ninety-four, and

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the mother one year previous, at the age of eighty-one. They were the parents of the following-named children, who are now living-John, of Becker county, Minnesota, engaged in extensive farming operations; Andries, of Pierce county, Wisconsin, and Andrew, of whom this article treats.

Mr. Larson, the subject of this biographical review, remained on the home farm in his native land, attending school until he was ten years old, when he emigrated to the United States with his parents. He received his education in the district schools of Pierce county, Wisconsin, and remained at home until.1862. IIe then enlisted in Company D, Thirtieth Wisconsin Infantry, and, in Louis- ville, Kentucky, was on Major-General John M. Palmer's staff for one year, doing provost duty most of the time. He was in the service about three years and a half, and after his honorable discharge returned to Stanton, Wisconsin, where he engaged in mercantile business. After following that occupation for two years he removed to Minnesota, settling in St. Cloud, engaging in the mercantile business, where he remained for about five years. He then removed to Willmar, Kandiyohi county, Minnesota,and opened his present business. In 1876 he erected his present fine store building, one of the best in the city. He is also presi- dent of the Kandiyohi County Bank, estab- lished in 1880, with a paid up capital of $50,000 and $50,000 surplus. He was one of its organizers and has been its president since 1884. He has been president of the high school board and member of the village coun- cil. Mr. Larson is one of the most prominent and public-spirited citizens of the city and always assists all local enterprises with means and influence.

Mr. Larson was united in marriage in 1872 to Miss Mary Anderson, of Prescott, Wis- consin, and this union has been blessed with three children-Clara G., Archie M. and Freddy A. Our subject and his family

belong to the Lutheran church. He is a republican in his political affiliations and a man of the strictest honor and integrity, his word being as good as a bond.

TUDGE AUGUSTUS ROBERTS, who has for a number of years been judge of the probate court of Cass county, North Dakota, is one of the leading and most promi- nent citizens of Fargo. A good lawyer, and a man of the strictest integrity. he has given excellent satisfaction in the position which he fills ; and stands high in city and county both as an official and an exemplary citizen.

Judge Roberts was born in Livermore, Maine, on the 15th of April, 1852, and is the son of Ahira and Mary Ann (Durgin) Rob- erts, both of whom were natives of the same State. When our subject was two and a half years old his mother died, and about eighteen months later he went to Mexico, Maine, to make his home with Aaron Luf- kin. There he was reared on a farm and remained until he was sixteen years of age. He then made his home with Dr. V. M. Abbott, in Mexico, Maine, remaining until 1874. While living with the Doctor he received excellent educational advantages, attending high school, and during the last three winters before he left he taught school. In 1874 he come to Fargo to visit his brother, and remained until fall, when he returned to Maine. In the following spring he went to Berlin, New Hampshire, and was engaged in the lumber mills until the spring of 1876, when he went to Rockford, Minnesota. After teaching school during the fall and winter, in the spring of 1877 he went to the Black Hills on a prospecting trip. While there he was accidentally wounded by the discharge of his pistol, and he was brought to his brother's, S. G. Roberts, in Fargo.

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He has since made Fargo his home, and has become one of the most highly respected citizens of the city. In 1879 he began the practice of law, and in the fall of 1880 was elected probate judge, and has held the office ever since. He also served for four years as city justice. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias.

Judge Roberts was married in Fargo, December 1, 1879, to Miss Florence May Chambers, a daughter of E. B. and Harriet (Waite) Chambers, and they are the parents of one son named Edwin A.

ANNIN F. CANFIELD, the prominent and popular druggist and post- inaster in the thriving village of Long Prairie, Todd county, Minnesota, is a native of the State of New York. He was born in Rochester, Monroe county, on the 14th of April, 1845, and is the son of Abraham and Caroline (Vandlinder) Canfield, natives also of the Empire State. The father of the present subject was a prominent medical practitioner in his native State, and removed to Minnesota in 1853. He settled in Hast- ings, Dakota county, Minnesota, where he practiced medicine for six years and then removed to Eureka, Dakota county, Minne- sota, remaining there about seven years. At the expiration of that time Mr. Canfield, the father of the subject of this article, went to Sauk Centre, Minnesota, where he has since remained extensively engaged in his clinical work. The father and mother were the parents of the following-named chil- dren - Henry, Phebe, Monroe, Dillon, Louisa, Florence, Rosa, Hattie, Rhoda, Charles and William. Rhoda, Rosa and Charles are deceased.

Mr. Canfield, the subject of this biograph- ical review, received his education princi- pally in Minnesota, where he had removed

with his parents when at the age of eight years. He completed his education in Hast- ings, Dakota county, Minnesota, where he attended the excellent schools of that place until he was twenty-three years old, with the exception of the period from February 4, 1865, until October 23, 1865. On the 4th of February, 1865 he enlisted in the First Minnesota Heavy Artillery. He was stationed at Chattanooga, Tennes- see. He received an honorable discharge in St. Paul, Minnesota, on the 23d of October, 1865. After his discharge he located at Farmington, Dakota county,. Minnesota, where he engaged in the drug business for two years. He then removed to Sauk Centre, Minnesota, where he followed the same business for two years. Mr. Canfield then decided to seek a new field for operations, and accordingly took a trip west, and in 1882 settled in Long Prairie, Todd county, Minnesota, where he has since remained, engaged in the drug business. On the 10th of October, 1885, the postmastership was consigned to Mr. Canfield, and he has since held the position with satisfaction to all parties.

Mr. Canfield was married on the 31st of October, 1878, to Miss Hariette A. Jones, and this union has been blessed with three children-Carrie R., Myrtle V. and Ray M. Mrs .. Canfield is a native of Springfield, Massachusetts, and received her education in Minnesota, where she removed with her parents when at an early age. Mr. Canfield is one of the prominent business men and citizens of Long Prairie and vicinity, and has held the offices of village recorder two terms, and school trustee for two terms. He is a member of the Masonic and Odd-Fellows fraternities of Long Prairie, and also belongs to the Grand Army of the Republic, Post No. 100. He is a democrat in his political affiliations and is highly esteemed by all who know him.

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J J. HOWE, the subject of this biograph- ical memoir, is a resident of the city of Brainerd, Crow Wing county, Minnesota, where he is engaged in the lumbering busi- ness, employing a large number of men and having heavy interests in many different lum- ber yards. He is an Irishman, born on the 3d of August, 1841, and is the son of P. H. and Ellen (Collins) Howe, natives of Ireland. The parents emigrated to the United States and located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The father died in 1841. The mother passed away in 1851.

Mr. Howe, of whom this sketch treats, finding himself an orphan at the age of ten years, was compelled to begin the battle of life for himself. He secured work in a saw- mill where he worked for five years, and at the expiration of that time moved to Minne- sota, settling in Mendota, where for two or three summers he was employed in a saw- mill. From Mendota he went to Minne- apolis, Minnesota, and for several years worked at logging in the winters and in the summers engaged in saw-mill work, and was general superintendent of lumber business. In 1882 he went into the lumber business in partnership with Farnham & Lovejoy, con- · tinuing with them for five years. In 1882 Mr. Howe moved to the northern part of the State and settled in Brainerd, Crow Wing county, Minnesota, where he bought an interest in a saw-mill. He has since remained in the city, gradually enlarging his interests in the lumber business, until now his name is synonomous with the leading lumbering interests of the State. He is one of the representative and prominent lumber- men of the Northwest, and is a man of ster- ling business qualifications.

Mr. Howe was united in marriage in 1866 to Miss Mary Grady, and this union has been blessed with the following-named chil- dren-Joseph J., Frank M., F. W., Nellie, Eva, Grace, Blanch and C. S. Howe.

Mr. Howe is a republican in his political affiliations, and is actively interested in all local matters. He is a public-spirited citizen, and any laudable home enterprise receives his hearty support and encouragement.

ALOYSE BRAY, the popular and accommodating proprietor of the West Hotel, in Red Lake Falls, Polk county, Minnesota, is a native of the Dominion of Canada. He was born on the 23d of August, 1824, and is the son of Simon and Eliza- beth (Mauntrial) Bray, natives also of Can- ada. The father died in 1835, and the mother is also deceased.

Mr. Bray, the subject of this biographical sketch, remained at home until he was twenty years of age. During that time he attended school, and in 1844 secured a posi- tion as a boatman on a steam vessel on the St. Lawerence river. From that position he rapidly advanced, and in two years secured the captaincy of a steamer. For thirty- seven years he followed that vocation on the St. Lawrence river, Ottawa river, Lakes Ontario and Champlain. In 1882 he emi- grated to the States and located in Polk county, Minnesota. There he took a farm on section 24, Louisville township, and 'engaged in general farming and stock-rais- ing, for two years. In 1884 he removed into the village of Red Lake Falls and rented the Commercial Hotel, which he operated for four years. In 1SS8 he erected the West Hotel, which he has since carried on. He keeps a first-class house, sets a good table and is well and favorably known to the traveling public. He has a large share of the general patronage, and is doing a good business.

Mr. Bray was united in marriage, in Can- ada on the 3d day of February, 1852, to Miss Leocadie Chatell, a native of Canada

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and the daughter of Cilix Chatell and Eliza- beth Chatell, natives also of the Dominion. Mr. and Mrs. Bray have been blessed with the following-named children-Calite, Joseph M., Olimpi, Andaire, Zatigua, Joseph, Alfred, Napoleon, Edmund and Leodie. Our sub- ject and his family belong to the Catholic church. He always takes an active interest in local matters, and is one of the leading citizens of Red Lake Falls.

HARLES BACKER, proprietor of the Bank of Motley, is one of the pioneers in that portion of the State, having settled on Long Prairie, in Todd county, at an early day. He was born in Germany in 1846, and remained in his native land until seven- teen years of age, when he started out alone to seek a home in America. He first went to Canada, but a few months later crossed the line into the State of New York, where he found employment and remained for three years. He then decided to come West, and as he had a brother living on Long Prairie, Todd county, Minnesota, he started out to find him. St.'Cloud was the terminus of the railroad at that time, so he took a stage to Sauk Centre, and from there walked to Long Prairie, in the town of Hartford in Todd county, a distance of thirty-two miles. After reaching his destination he had no difficulty in finding his brother, as each set- tler knew all of the settlers for miles around them. Our subject only had $20 in money, and this he gave to his brother to buy pro- visions with. He remained with his brother a short time, taking up a claim for himself of prairie and timber land, but he had to have a team to carry on his improvements, and as he had no means he hired asz steam- boat hand on the Mississippi river until fall, and then went to the lumber woods for the winter. In the following spring

with his wages he bought a pair of cat- tle and a wagon. He put up a log shanty on his claim and at once began improvements. Their nearest trading point was at Sauk Centre, thirty-two miles away, with no roads, and they frequently were obliged to make the trip on foot and carry such little articles as could be carried on their backs. At one time our subject carried fifty pounds of groceries the entire distance, and had to swim the river. At another time, late in the fall, he had cloth for overalls and drawers, and the river, while frozen over, was not hard enough to hold his weight. So he wrapped the cloth around his legs to prevent the ice from cutting him when he broke through, and thus succeeded in cross- ing. In the spring, when water was high, the pioneers frequently encountered much danger in getting their oxen and wagons across. On one of these occasions Mr. Backer was crossing with his ox team when the ox-bow came out of the yoke, so it left only one ox attached to the wagon, and one became loose and swam ashore. Mr. Backer had to jump out in the middle of the river and hold up one end of the yoke as best he could, so the other ox could get ashore. John Waite, now of Long Prairie, happened to be standing on the opposite shore, and swam out and helped, and but for his aid the whole outfit would have been lost and Mr. Backer drowned. Upon getting ashore the loose ox was reyoked, and he proceeded on his way to Sauk Centre. One season Mr. Backer purchased potatoes for seed, paying $1.10 per bushel. On his way back he had to camp over night, and all he had to eat was his potatoes, baked in the fire or raw. When he reached the river the oxen could not swim the stream and draw the wagon. He accordingly secured a log canoe, and with that transported his cargo, but as he only had a common water pail to load and unload

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his potatoes with the task took from early morning until the middle of the afternoon. Such were some of the disadvantages which the pioneers encountered. After remaining engaged in farming for six years Mr Backer took a contract to carry the mail from Long Prairie to Motley, and followed this, in con- nection with farming, for four or five years. During the time he was carrying the mail he became convinced that Motley would become a thriving village, and in August, 1878, he decided to locate at that place. At that time there was very little on the site, and the village had, as yet, no start, except such buildings as the depot, railway buildings and a few log shanties, although during that spring H. B. Morrison came up to start his saw-mill. Mr. Bracker put up the first frame building on the site, except the railway buildings. He opened a hotel and saloon, and ran that business for seven years, when he rented the property. During this time he had purchased the building known as the Johnson House. This was 22x48 feet in size, and was an old landmark, being the pioneer hotel of this locality. Mr. Backer rebuilt it, raised and remodeled it, and has now an excellent building as the result. In this edi- fice he opened his bank on the 14th of No- vember, 1888, and also carries on other busi- ness interests. He is one of the heaviest business men in the county, and when we realize that he came here with nothing save his hands, his present standing attests his business ability and energy. His bank has a capital of $10,000, and he has other prop- erty interests which amount to as much more.

Enterprising and liberal, he has done a great deal to aid in the development of the locality in which he lives, and every public enterprise receives his aid and encourage- ment. A man of the strictest integrity, his word is as good as his bond, and he stands high both as a business man and an exem- plary citizen.

Mr. Backer was married in 1871, while liv- ing on Long Prairie, to Miss Clara Whias- halla. They are the parents of seven chil- dren-six boys and one girl. Their oldest child, Rosa, was one of the first white chil- dren born in the town of Hartford, Todd county, Minnesota.

ETER N. LOITWOOD is a prominent citizen of Hillsboro, North Dakota. His parents were Peter N. and Margaret Loit- wood, natives of Denmark, and he was born in Schlesvig, Denmark, June 28, 1852. During his boyhood-days Peter lived on a farm with his parents, attending school until the age of sixteen, at which time he came to the United States. His first work here was for different farmers of Wright county in sum- mer, and going to school in winter, at which place he made his headquarters until 1880, taking a prospecting trip in 1876 to the Black Hills, but found it did not pay him. During the summer of 1880 he went to Grafton, Dakota, and assisted the North- western Elevator Company in building eleva- tors at that place, and at Ardock, Minto and Larimore. That winter he returned to Iowa, and the next spring went to Devil's Lake, Turtle Mountains and several places, looking for land, but as the railroad went only as far as Larimore, and the land was not surveyed, he decided not to take a squatter's claim. . So he went to Grafton and worked at the carpenter's trade until fall, when he went to Mazomanie, Wis- consin, where he worked at his trade until the fall of 1883. At that time he came to Hillsboro, North Dakota, and worked as second man in the Northwestern elevator until 1884, when he was appointed agent, which position he still holds. Mr. Loitwood's parents both died in Denmark. He had one brother (Hans P.) that died in Hillsboro, and

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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 70

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